Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Maple Leafs Rumors

Minor Transactions: 12/29/18

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Saturday is an extremely busy day on the NHL calendar as there are the maximum 15 games on the slate with only Columbus getting the day off.  With that in mind, there is bound to be a lot of roster movement.  We’ll keep tabs of those moves here.

  • With winger Alex Chiasson headed for injured reserve, the Oilers announced the recall of winger Kailer Yamamoto from AHL Bakersfield. The 20-year-old has had some success in his first stint in the minors, collecting four goals and four assists in 11 games since being sent down last month.  Meanwhile, the loss of Chiasson certainly stings as his 16 goals place him third on the team in that department behind only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
  • The Stars have brought back winger Roope Hintz per a team release. The rookie has split the season between Dallas and Texas of the AHL and has had a fair bit of success offensively in the minors, posting 19 points in 17 games.  He has held his own in the NHL as well, logging 11:41 per night in 14 contests while picking up a pair of goals and an assist.
  • The Sabres announced the recall of goaltender Scott Wedgewood from AHL Rochester. He’s taking the place of goalie Linus Ullmark who missed practice on Friday due to illness.  Wedgewood does have some NHL experience under his belt after playing 20 games with Arizona last year and four with New Jersey before that but Buffalo will likely call on Carter Hutton to play in Ullmark’s absence.
  • Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen is day-to-day with a groin injury. Accordingly, Toronto announced the recall of goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo on an emergency basis from the AHLs Marlies.  The 25-year-old has struggled this season, posting a 4.12 GAA with a .866 SV% in 11 games thus far.
  • Two weeks ago, the Lightning weren’t planning to send defenseman Slater Koekkoek on a conditioning stint. They’ve had a change of heart as he has now been loaned to AHL Syracuse.  The 24-year-old last played on November 19th and has been a healthy scratch since then.  Koekkoek’s conditioning stint can last for up to two weeks.
  • Following the injury to Thomas Chabot on Friday, the Senators announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled defensemen Stefan Elliott and Christian Wolanin from AHL Belleville.  Ottawa had two vacant roster spots so no corresponding move needs to be made.  Elliott was acquired from Pittsburgh earlier this month and has already played in two games with the Sens but has spent most of the year at the minor league level.  Meanwhile, Wolanin has been quite productive in the minors with 18 points in 26 games while getting into one game with Ottawa back in late October. The Senators have also recalled forward Jack Rodewald, although it is unclear if he will play tonight. Rodewald has been a frequent call-up this season, but to this point has played in just one game for Ottawa.
  • The Islanders announced (via Twitter) that winger Michael Dal Colle has been recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL.  He takes the place of winger Jordan Eberle who was placed on IR retroactive to December 23rd.  The 22-year-old didn’t fare too well in his first NHL stint but he has been quite productive with the Sound Tigers, averaging a point per game over 28 appearances.
  • Dillon Dube is on his way back up to Calgary, as the Flames have recalled the impressive first-year pro from the AHL’s Stockton Heat. Dube began the season with the Flames, recording five points in 20 games, but since a late-November reassignment to the Heat, Dube has been a point-per-game player in the minors. Dube is expected to slot into the starting lineup right away tonight, taking the place of Michael Frolik.
  • The Minnesota Wild have recalled free agent addition Matt Bartkowski for the first time this season, as the veteran defenseman will finally get back to the highest level. Bartkowski has made double-digit NHL appearances in each of the past six seasons, including an 80-game effort with the Vancouver Canucks in 2015-16. However, Bartkowski was very much a part-time player for the Calgary Flames the past two years and has even struggled to make much of a difference for the AHL’s Iowa Wild this season. However, with Nick Seeler presently sidelined, Minnesota opted to go with the experienced 30-year-old rather than one of their younger defensive options.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have assigned forward Michael Bunting to the Tuscon Roadrunners of the AHL, according to AZ Sports’ Matt Layman. Bunting was recalled on Thursday and played against Los Angeles, playing 9:36 on the ice, registering only one hit. He will return to Tucscon where he has six goals and 18 points in 20 games there. Bunting was expendable with the return of Vinnie Hinostroza.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have assigned forward Adam Gaudette to the Utica Comets of the AHL, according to Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal. Gaudette was recalled on Oct. 15 due to injuries and managed to stay with the team even when those players returned in a bottom-line role. The 2018 Hobey Baker award winner was averaging just 10:09 of ATOI this season and had just two goals and six points. A return to the AHL where he can get more significant ice time would be better for the young forward in his development.
  • The Anaheim Ducks announced they have swapped out defenseman, recalling defenseman Andy Welinski from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, while assigning Andrej Sustr there at the same time. Welinski last played for the Ducks in November where he played 11 games for Anaheim, posting one assist, while averaging 15:09 of ATOI. Sustr has only appeared in five games for the Ducks this season. CapFriendly adds that the Ducks also returned goaltender Kevin Boyle to San Diego. He was recalled Friday to fill in as an emergency backup while John Gibson and Ryan Miller dealt with injuries. His demotion suggests that one of them is ready to return to the active roster.

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Goaltender Michael Hutchinson

at CDT | by 1 Comment

With Frederik Andersen currently day-to-day with a groin injury, the Toronto Maple Leafs had already been forced to call up Kasimir Kaskisuo – and his .866 AHL save percentage. The team was a Garret Sparks injury away from having the struggling Kaskisuo as their starter in the short term. Depth in net had become a dire need for the organization and today GM Kyle Dubas was quick to address that need. The Maple Leafs have announced that they have acquired goaltender Michael Hutchinson from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick.

Hutchinson, 28, is a shrewd pickup for Toronto, especially for a future late-round selection. Hutchinson is not far removed from being a regular fixture in net for the Winnipeg Jets from 2014 to 2017. While Hutchinson lost that job in Winnipeg last season, making only three appearances, he managed to play in 76 games over the three seasons prior. In a total of 106 NHL appearances, including four with Florida this year, Hutchinson has a .907 save percentage and 2.70 GAA. Hutchinson has had his fair share of struggles at both the NHL and AHL level this season and has not been the reliable third-string option to injury-prone Roberto Luongo and James Reimer as the Panthers had hoped when they signed him this past off-season. However, his minor league play has been vastly superior to Kaskisuo’s and his career NHL numbers are quite similar to Sparks’. The Leafs still don’t have a stalwart backup goalie to Andersen, but have cheaply acquired an experienced veteran keeper that is a clear upgrade to their depth in net.

Perhaps the best part about adding Hutchinson is that he has already cleared waivers this season and may be moved back and forth between the Maple Leafs and Marlies at will. Toronto’s goaltending depth issues began just prior to the start of the season, when both Calvin Pickard and Curtis McElhinney were claimed on waivers when the Leafs opted to protect Sparks. Pickard had a rough experience with the Philadelphia Flyers early on, but the Maple Leafs nevertheless tried to reclaim their lost property when the Flyers also placed him on waivers. However, they failed to bring Pickard back in as he was claimed by the Arizona Coyotes. McElhinney, on the other hand, has been the best of the Carolina Hurricanes’ trio of goalies and is unlikely to be up for claim again this season. Hutchinson was likely one of the top two-way keepers available and apparently one of the more affordable.

As for the Panthers, when healthy the duo of Luongo and Reimer have the roster spots in Florida locked up. Hutchinson was never going to overtake either keeper, especially given his performance this season. The team also hoped to get young Sam Montembeault some NHL experience this season and the Springfield Thunderbirds starter now takes over as the organization’s No. 3. It makes sense that the Panthers got what they could for a disappointing signing. However, if injury does strike Luongo again, Reimer’s struggles and Montembeault’s inexperience become of greater concern for Florida, especially if they are fighting for a playoff spot. Expect the Panthers to keep an eye on waivers and the goalie market for the remainder of the season.

Impact Defensive Rentals Could Be Quite Rare At Trade Deadline

at CDT | by 8 Comments

For an NHL team to grind their way to a Stanley Cup, a few things are almost always necessary. A hot goaltender, who can steal at least a few games through the long playoff run, center depth that can lift linemates up and provide secondary scoring, and extra defensemen who are able to step into the lineup when a top option inevitably suffers an injury. The postseason in hockey is a brutal period of injury for almost every player, and often leads to players suiting up despite major injuries.

Though you might not be able to guarantee the play of your starting goaltender at the trade deadline, you can give your team some help in the other two categories by going after players on expiring contracts. Rentals, as they are referred to because of their short-term nature, are always flipped around the league in the last few weeks of February as teams prepare for a potential playoff run. All but one team usually regret those acquisitions, but they continue anyway.

This year, the rental center market could have some legitimate impact talent in it with names like Matt Duchene, Kevin Hayes and even perhaps Eric Staal shopped by struggling teams down the stretch. Obviously any of those names or the several others available could be re-signed instead, but there should be at least a few options for teams looking to upgrade down the middle.

On defense though, teams might have to settle for players more suited to bottom-pairing or depth roles. That’s not because of a lack of pending free agents on the blue line—although the recent extensions for players like Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Drew Doughty and Ryan Ellis certainly changed the market—but because of the situations their respective teams are in this season.

When looking at the group that is scheduled to be available on July 1st, one name immediately stands out. Erik Karlsson doesn’t have a long-term extension with the San Jose Sharks yet, but that doesn’t mean he won’t before the end of the year. In order for San Jose to be eligible to sign Karlsson to an eight-year deal, they have to wait until after the trade deadline to pass. Perhaps the two sides are just waiting on that to happen, though it’s very unlikely the Sharks would trade Karlsson even if they aren’t. First of all, the Ottawa Senators included a clause in the summer blockbuster that essentially prevents Karlsson from being traded to the Eastern Conference. If the star defenseman ends up on an Eastern roster by the end of the year, San Jose would have to send over another first-round pick. But San Jose is also fighting for first place in the Pacific Division, and likely would choose to keep Karlsson regardless as a sort of “own rental.”

That same situation surrounds the other impact defensive options. Tyler Myers, Jake Gardiner and Anton Stralman are arguably the next three best rentals, and all could potentially be on different teams next season. But the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning are all legitimate Stanley Cup contenders and need these players to keep them on that track. Zdeno Chara can make an impact, but holds a full no-movement clause and almost certainly will not leave Boston even if they fell out of the playoff race (something that seems unlikely anyway).

Those circumstances mean that the defensive rental market could be relatively shallow this season, with Alex Edler really being the crown jewel. Edler has been logging huge minutes for the Vancouver Canucks as they continue their rebuild and could help several teams, but beyond that names like Nick Jensen, Roman Polak and Alex Petrovic start popping up. That’s not to say there won’t be movement, but if you’re looking for real impact help teams might have to look for players with a little more term.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Transfer Fees, Wilson

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The NHL awarded their weekly Three Stars again today, this time choosing Sergei Bobrovsky as the easy recipient of the top honors. After struggling early in the season, Bobrovsky is right back to being arguably the best goaltender in the league as he posted a 4-0-0 record last week that included two shutouts. The pending unrestricted free agent has stopped 179 of the last 186 shots he has faced and now carries a .913 save percentage on the year.

Second and third went to two Atlantic Division rivals, as Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning appeared on the list. The Toronto defender added to his scoring lead among all NHL defensemen with a nine-point week, while Kucherov continued to show why he is one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league with his own nine-point effort.

  • According to the Associated Press, the NHL paid more than $35MM in transfer fees last season to sign players from around the world, as part of a continuing agreement with leagues in Sweden, Finland and other countries. The idea behind the transfer agreements is to funnel money back into the development programs all around the world, which in turn provides more diverse talent for the NHL. It has worked as planned in recent years as top talents like Rasmus Dahlin, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Miro Heiskanen and Patrik Laine have all been selected in the top three picks of the entry draft. The KHL and the Swiss NLA do not have transfer agreements with the NHL at this time, which also complicates the process of their talent coming over in the first place.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins think they have an answer to the physical play that rival Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals provides, and he’s already in their system. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examines how Garrett Wilson could be brought back up after the holiday season in order to provide some leadership and toughness for the Penguins, who recently lost physical defenseman Jamie Oleksiak at the hands (or, perhaps hand) of Washington’s Wilson. Pittsburgh’s Wilson cleared waivers earlier this month and was sent down to the minor leagues a few days ago to make room for the activation of Dominik Simon.

Maple Leafs Hold Contract Discussions With Mitch Marner's Agent

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas met with Darren Ferris, the agent for Mitch Marner to discuss a contract extension earlier this week, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported on Hockey Night in Canada’s Saturday Headlines (video link).  The two sides were also slated to meet again this weekend.

Despite the talks, Johnston notes that there remains no indication that the winger wants to sign now.  The 2019 class of restricted free agents is extremely deep and there is bound to be some form of a waiting game between them instead of looking to be the one to set the market.  The 21-year-old is well on his way to surpassing his career high in points and currently sits fifth in league scoring heading into play on Sunday.  As a result, it’s going to cost the Maple Leafs a whole lot more than the $832.5K that he’s earning in base salary in 2018-19 on his next deal.

Eastern Notes: Vanek, Bruins, Hickey, Ennis

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

It’s been a quiet year for Thomas Vanek who was signed to a one-year deal by Detroit to provide some veteran scoring while the team waits for its young talent to develop. However Vanek, who has scored 20 goals in 11 of his last 13 seasons in the NHL, hasn’t really done much of that. Despite scoring the lone goal in Detroit’s 2-1 loss to Florida on Saturday, Vanek has just five goals and is on a pace to score a career-low 14 goals this year.

Granted, the winger is 34 years old now and is averaging just 13:24 minutes per game, a career-low as well. However, with recent injuries to players like Mike Green, Anthony Mantha and most recently Andreas Athanasiou, Vanek needs to get going and he says he’s losing sleep over his dropping numbers, according to MLive’s Ansar Khan.

“It’s been a frustrating year,” Vanek said. “Even tonight, I felt good and should’ve had two, should’ve had three, and I walked away with one. It’s frustrating. I’m losing sleep over it, but at the same time, I got to stay positive and keep getting to the net, and hopefully it will turn quick.”

  • The Boston Bruins announced that while Jake Debrusk, Kevan Miller and Zdeno Chara would all be out for today’s game against Carolina, head coach Bruce Cassidy said that all three could be back immediately after the Christmas break on Thursday when they play New Jersey. Debrusk hasn’t played since Dec. 6, while Miller has been out since Nov. 26. Chara has been out the longest since Nov. 14. If all three come back, the Bruins might be as close to fully heathy as they ever have been.
  • Newsday’s Aaron Gross writes that New York Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey, who has been out for a week with a concussion, participated in the team’s optional morning skate. He also skated on Friday and hasn’t suffered any setbacks in his recovery. There is no timeline yet for his return, but the team hopes it will be soon.
  • While the Toronto Maple Leafs have already recalled forward Trevor Moore, the youngster could find himself with the team for quite a bit longer than a simple cup of coffee after Saturday night’s injury to Tyler Ennis. Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported late last night that Ennis broke his ankle on a shot from Morgan Rielly in the second period. Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said “he’ll be out a while.” Ennis was having a impressive season in a bottom-line role as he already had seven goals and 11 points in 33 games.

Minor Transactions: 12/23/18

at CDT | by 2 Comments

While the official roster freeze is already in effect, tomorrow the real freeze begins. There are no games scheduled from the 24th through the 26th of December and teams are prohibited from practicing or traveling. The language of the CBA even prevents teams from granting permission to players to hold player-only workouts. The NHL is truly committed to a holiday break for all. However, they were also sure to load up the preceding weekend with action before the three-day hiatus. Today, 16 more teams take the ice, highlighted by the Carolina Hurricanes honoring their Hartford Whalers history as they play host to the former regional rival Boston Bruins. Five other contests are divisional battles, including an Original Six match-up between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs, while the Blackhawks look to extend a season-high three-game winning streak into the break as they take on the visiting Panthers. With multiple games on the docket ahead of an extended absence, expect a high volume of minor roster moves today:

  • Tyler Lewington is on his way back to the minors after making his NHL debut last night, CapFriendly reports. The 24-year-old defenseman made his presence felt for the Washington Capitals last night, contributing four hits and a positive rating in his first big league appearance. Lewington has worked his way up from a seventh-round draft pick and ECHL cast-off to back-to-back strong seasons with the AHL’s Hersey Bears and now an NHLer. Yet, with the break upcoming, the Caps will send Lewington back down simply to shave off a small amount of salary cap expenditure.
  • The Colorado Avalanche are moving substantially more salary cap contribution, as recent call-ups Pavel Francouz, A.J. Greer, and Anton Lindholm have all been reassigned to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, per CapFriendly. Francouz, a free agent import from the Czech Republic, looked stellar in his NHL debut last night, making 21 saves on 22 shots in relief of Philipp Grubauer. However, behind Grubauer and starter Semyon Varlamov, Francouz is not guaranteed any more play time this season barring injury, even if the veteran keeper is deserving. Greer and Lindholm are no strangers to the Colorado lineup, but join Francouz back in the minors over the break.
  • After several teases of NHL action, Trevor Moore is finally getting his chance. The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has been recalled on an emergency basis per a team release and will fill in for the injured Tyler Ennis. The University of Denver standout has been very productive in three pro seasons with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, especially so far this year, and has earned a shot with the Leafs.
  • The San Jose Sharks announced they have recalled center Rourke Chartier from the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL. The 22-year-old was sent down Saturday morning to get some work in with the Barracuda as he contributed an assist in the Barracudas’ win. He has played 13 games for the Sharks, posting one goal this season.

Atlantic Notes: Nylander, Miller, Athanasiou, Zadina

at CDT | by 1 Comment

While there was an expectation that the Toronto Maple Leafs would even get better once they signed William Nylander to a six-year, $45MM deal, the team hasn’t gotten the production out of their young star so far as many would have hoped. The 22-year-old sat out for the first 59 days of the season holding out, but has struggled so far since returning to the Toronto lineup.

So far the forward has just two assists in seven games and while he is undoubtedly still trying to shake off the rust after such a long layoff, The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn (subscription required) writes that Nylander has been the worst player on the ice for the Maple Leafs lately, pointing out his most recent performance against Florida was quite sub-par, including making several mistakes, including missing a wide-open shot from Connor Brown at one point, while never taking a single shot against the Panthers. While the scribe believes that Nylander will eventually turn it around, he believes that Nylander could continue his current trend for a bit more.

  • Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Hub reports that defenseman Kevan Miller will not be cleared until Dec. 27 at the earliest. The blueliner has been out since Nov. 26 after suffering cartilage damage to his larynx. The 31-year-old has only appeared in 11 games this season, but have to hope that Miller will be back within a week. The team does hope that Jake Debrusk will play Sunday.
  • The Detroit Red Wings played without Andreas Athanasiou Saturday and could be without him again on Sunday, according to the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James. The 24-year old expected to play today, but was ruled out with an upper-body injury and he remains questionable for Sunday. Athanasiou is having a breakout year so far with 11 goals in just 32 games. His career-high is 18.
  • When the Detroit Red Wings allowed Filip Zadina to join the Czech National Team for the World Junior Champsionships, the team was well aware that the move could backfire. The Athletic’s Katie Strang (subscription required) writes there is always concern with injury, diminished returns or the potential that Zadina could return to some of his junior league habits, but the team still felt that playing at the World Juniors could be a huge benefit for Zadina’s development to get him ready for the NHL game. “I think that he knows that he’s not quite ready,” Griffins coach Ben Simon said. “He’s close, but he has to work on other aspects of his game. When they call him up they don’t want him to come back here. Their whole plan — I can’t speak for them, but I don’t think they want to give him that thrill of getting called up and have that disappointment of getting sent down.”

 

Injury Notes: Dumba, Hyman, DeMelo

at CDT | by 1 Comment

It’s not good news leaking out of Minnesota, as Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) reported last night that Mathew Dumba could be out “anywhere from weeks to months” with a “significant” injury. Russo even goes so far as to suggest that Dumba’s season could be at risk if he needs surgery, a determination that has not been made yet (Update: Dumba will indeed have surgery to correct the upper-body injury and will be out long-term)

Dumba, 24, has been on fire through the first two months of the season, recording 12 goals and 22 points through 32 games. That outstanding start comes on the heels of a career-high 50-point campaign in 2017-18, one that put Dumba on the map as an all-around offensive force from the blue line. Armed with a lethal point shot from the day he entered the league, the seventh-overall pick from 2012 has improved his breakouts and creativity through the neutral zone. Losing him would leave a big hole on the right side for the Wild, who are fighting to stay relevant in the Central Division playoff race.

  • Missed in the Toronto Maple Leafs annihilation of the Florida Panthers last night was the loss of Zach Hyman, ruled out before the game due to an ankle injury suffered earlier this week. The team quietly revealed that Hyman will be out for at least three weeks, leaving the Maple Leafs searching for another forward to fill his spot next to John Tavares and Mitch Marner. Andreas Johnsson was that lucky forward last night, but it’s not clear if the role will be his for the entire three weeks.
  • It won’t be just Matt Duchene that returns for the Ottawa Senators tonight, as Dylan DeMelo has also been activated off injured reserve and will be in the lineup when the team takes on the New Jersey Devils. DeMelo hasn’t played since December 8th, and was just starting to really come into his own for the Senators. After averaging just over 18 minutes a night through his first 20 games for the team, DeMelo had recently seen that number jump to almost 21 and a half per game while holding down added responsibilities. The 25-year old was part of the package received for Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks, and could potentially be a trade deadline target given his extremely inexpensive contract. DeMelo carries just a $900K cap hit through next season.

Timothy Liljegren Ruled Out Of The World Juniors

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Maple Leafs prospect defenseman Timothy Liljegren has been ruled out of participating in the World Juniors, the team announced (Twitter link).  He suffered a high ankle sprain at the beginning of the month with Toronto’s AHL affiliate and is currently classified as being out week-to-week.

Liljegren, Toronto’s first-round pick (17th overall) back in 2017, is in his second season with the Marlies and was off to a strong start before suffering the injury.  He currently has eight points (2-6-8) in 19 games after collecting 17 (1-16-17) in 44 contests last year.  This would have been his second time in this tournament after playing a regular role last year.

This is a tough blow for a Sweden back end that’s projected to be their strength.  However, they still have quite a few first rounders on their defense corps in Adam Boqvist (Blackhawks), Erik Brannstrom (Golden Knights), Rasmus Sandin (Maple Leafs), and Nils Lundkvist (Rangers) while projected 2019 first rounder Philip Broberg is also in the mix for a spot.  Sweden still has to cut one more defender before they finalize their roster for the tournament which gets underway on Wednesday against Finland.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top