Minor Transactions: 01/15/18
The NHL is back at it after an eventful weekend, and now have just a couple of weeks until another break for the All-Star game. Things are tightening up in the standings, and the next month will feature teams finally deciding to sell at the deadline. For all the league’s minor moves, keep it right here.
With the Calgary Flames heading onto their bye week, the team has reassigned Marek Hrivik, Andrew Mangiapane and Ryan Lomberg to the AHL. The Flames don’t play again until Saturday, and will let the trio get into some more game action for the Stockton Heat in the meantime.- The St. Louis Blues are back in action tomorrow after their own bye week, and have recalled three players from the minor leagues. Vince Dunn, Tage Thompson and Ivan Barbashev are all on their way back up from various AHL appointments, and should get back to helping out the NHL squad.
- Similarly, the Nashville Predators have flipped Anders Lindback and Juuse Saros once again, bringing the latter back up after giving him some game action during their bye week. Saros got into three games for the Milwaukee Admirals, stopping 94 of 97 shots.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have brought Travis Dermott and Frederik Gauthier back up as expected, but interestingly given Dermott a new number. The young defenseman was wearing #23 for the Maple Leafs at practice according to Kristen Shilton of TSN, instead of the #3 he wore in his first few games.
- Peter Holland is back in the NHL, recalled by the New York Rangers today. The team sent Boo Nieves back in his place, giving the team a different look in their forward group. Holland was acquired by the Rangers earlier this year in exchange for Adam Cracknell, but this would be his first action this season should he get into the lineup. Holland was a first-round pick in 2009, but has never quite reached his potential as a top-six center.
Snapshots: van Riemsdyk, Hutchinson, Dal Colle
Expect James van Riemsdyk to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs all season. That’s what TSN’s Darren Dreger writes in his latest column, positing that he and fellow pending unrestricted free agents Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov, are best used as “own rentals” for the playoff push.
While there are some big numbers floating around for any potential van Riemsdyk extension, he’s continued to play an important role on the Maple Leafs, tying Auston Matthews for first on the team in goals with 19.
- The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Michael Hutchinson from the AHL for tonight’s game, explaining that Steve Mason has fallen ill and can’t back up Connor Hellebuyck. To make room, the team has placed Adam Lowry on injured reserve. Hutchinson is an extremely interesting goaltender to keep an eye on this year, as he’s headed for unrestricted free agency in the summer. Though he’s stuck in the minor leagues this season due to Mason’s signing, the 27-year old has dominated the AHL with a .942 save percentage and could land an NHL job in the summer. In 99 career NHL games he does hold a .910 save percentage, and could be an excellent backup option.
- New York Islanders head coach Doug Weight has confirmed that Michael Dal Colle will make his NHL debut tomorrow, the second-last player to do so from the first round of the 2014 draft. Only Connor Bleackley, who never signed with the Colorado Avalanche and re-entered the draft in 2016 (going in the fifth round), is left. Dal Colle was selected fifth overall, and still has some real upside to his game, but will have to quickly prove that he’s ready to take the next step.
Morning Notes: Maple Leafs, Hoffman, Lockwood
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in their bye week after a pair of one-goal losses, and though the points totals say they’re tied with the Boston Bruins for second in the Atlantic Division, they actually trail behind. That’s because Toronto has played five more games than the Bruins, who are tied for the fewest GP so far in the league. As the Maple Leafs rest up from a grueling first half, GM Lou Lamoriello spoke with Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun and discussed a potential deadline trade:
I certainly like our roster. I think it’s solid. We’ll have to wait and see what is transpiring, but you’re never good enough.
To do something for the sake of doing something is never a good thing. You don’t even want to use the word ‘substantial.’ Sometimes the smallest things become the biggest.
Lamoriello has maintained his position all along that he’ll only make a trade to improve the club if something presents itself, and isn’t out there knocking down doors to improve the Maple Leafs defense corps. While it does sound like there may be some minor tweaks out of Toronto as we head closer to the deadline, a major move might not be in the cards.
- Lamoriello’s contemporary from Ottawa however could be barking up a very different tree. Darren Dreger joined TSN 1200 radio yesterday to discuss several Senators topics, including the potential trade of Mike Hoffman. Dreger reported that the market is strong for Hoffman, mentioning teams like St. Louis, Edmonton and Calgary as potential destinations. Hoffman has 29 points on the season but has recently found quite a bit of chemistry with Matt Duchene. Whether that duo is broken up is still to be seen, but the Senators will likely try to wait as long as possible to make a decision.
- Unfortunately, for another Canadian team, it’s surgery for one of their top prospects. Vancouver Canucks prospect Will Lockwood, who injured his shoulder in the World Juniors for Team USA, is set to have surgery according to Rick Dhaliwal of NEWS 1130. Utica Comets GM Ryan Johnson told Dhaliwal that Lockwood would have the surgery in two weeks, and be out around six months. That’s a tough break for the University of Michigan, where Lockwood was having another strong season. He’ll have to make a decision on whether or not to turn pro after the season is over.
Michael Paliotta Traded To Texas Stars
The Toronto Marlies have traded minor-league defenseman Michael Paliotta to the Texas Stars for future considerations. Paliotta was signed to an AHL contract this summer, after spending last season in the New York Rangers organization on a two-way deal. This deal doesn’t rid the Maple Leafs of a contract since Paliotta was only on an AHL deal, meaning they are still at the 50-contract limit.
Selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the third round of the 2011 draft, Paliotta has just two NHL games under his belt. Last season he suited up for 52 contests with the Hartford Wolf Pack, scoring 14 points. The 24-year old had played just eight times for the Marlies on a crowded blueline this season, and should get more of an opportunity for Texas.
Minor Transactions: 01/11/18
Another slow night in the NHL this Thursday as only three games are on the schedule, but as we saw with the Anthony Duclair trade yesterday a move can come at any time. We’ll keep track of all the minor comings and goings around the league right here. Make sure to refresh throughout the day to keep track of your favorite team.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have swapped goaltenders again, bringing Joonas Korpisalo back up after getting a start in the minor leagues last night. Korpisalo was never in danger of losing his backup role, but the team wanted him to stay fresh. Matiss Kivlenieks, called up in his absence, has been returned to the Cleveland Monsters.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs head into their bye week after a disappointing loss to the Ottawa Senators, and have loaned Travis Dermott and Frederik Gauthier back to the AHL to continue to get into some games. Dermott and Gauthier have made solid impacts on the team since joining recently, but are still young enough to benefit from continued ice time and development. When the Maple Leafs come back in five days, you can bet both players will get the recall.
Nikita Zaitsev To Miss Two-To-Three More Weeks
- Maple Leafs defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is still another two-to-three weeks away from returning, reports TSN’s Darren Dreger (Twitter link). That puts him a little behind his last projected return date which was January 16th, their first game back following their bye week. Zaitsev quietly leads all Toronto blueliners in ice time per game, averaging just under 23 minutes per night and will give them a big boost once he gets the green light to return.
2018 All-Star Rosters
The NHL released the rosters for this year’s All-Star game in Tampa Bay, leading to an inevitable onslaught of discussion over who missed out and who didn’t deserve to go. The event will take place on January 27-28th. The full rosters can be found below:
Atlantic Division:
F Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning (captain)
F Nikita Kucherov – Tampa Bay Lightning
F Auston Matthews – Toronto Maple Leafs
F Aleksander Barkov – Florida Panthers
F Brad Marchand – Boston Bruins
F Jack Eichel – Buffalo Sabres
D Victor Hedman – Tampa Bay Lightning
D Erik Karlsson – Ottawa Senators
D Mike Green – Detroit Red Wings
G Andrei Vasilevskiy – Tampa Bay Lightning
G Carey Price – Montreal Canadiens
Head Coach: Jon Cooper
Metropolitan Division:
F Alex Ovechkin – Washington Capitals (captain)
F Taylor Hall – New Jersey Devils
F Sidney Crosby – Pittsburgh Penguins
F Josh Bailey – New York Islanders
F John Tavares – New York Islanders
F Claude Giroux – Philadelphia Flyers
D Seth Jones – Columbus Blue Jackets
D Noah Hanifin – Carolina Hurricanes
D Kris Letang – Pittsburgh Penguins
G Henrik Lundqvist – New York Rangers
G Braden Holtby – Washington Capitals
Head Coach: Barry Trotz
Central Division:
F Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks
F Nathan MacKinnon – Colorado Avalanche
F Blake Wheeler – Winnipeg Jets
F Brayden Schenn – St. Louis Blues
F Eric Staal – Minnesota Wild
F Tyler Seguin – Dallas Stars
D P.K. Subban – Nashville Predators (captain)
D Alex Pietrangelo – St. Louis Blues
D John Klingberg – Dallas Stars
G Pekka Rinne – Nashville Predators
G Connor Hellebuyck – Winnipeg Jets
Head Coach: Peter Laviolette
Pacific Division:
F Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers (captain)
F Johnny Gaudreau – Calgary Flames
F Brock Boeser – Vancouver Canucks
F James Neal – Vegas Golden Knights
F Rickard Rakell – Anaheim Ducks
F Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles Kings
D Drew Doughty – Los Angeles Kings
D Brent Burns – San Jose Sharks
D Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Arizona Coyotes
G Jonathan Quick – Los Angeles Kings
G Marc-Andre Fleury – Vegas Golden Knights
Head Coach: Gerard Gallant
James Van Riemsdyk Looking For $36MM Extension
After James van Riemsdyk scored once again for the Toronto Maple Leafs last night, several members of the media speculated on his upcoming free agent value. van Riemsdyk is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and is having another solid season in terms of goal scoring. Bob McKenzie relayed during the broadcast on TSN that he believed a five-year deal worth $6MM per season was possible, while Darren Dreger was on TSN radio this morning suggesting a six-year, $36MM deal is more accurate.
The money is right. I think that van Riemsdyk would take $6MM. $6MM frankly on the open market could be considered a hometown discount based on the goals he provides to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In a perfect world, I think JVR would prefer a 6×6 scenario to stay in Toronto.
Dreger suggests that van Riemsdyk does want to stay in Toronto if possible, but that his camp would believe that $6MM number is actually leaving money on the table. That’s the number suggested back in September as well, but the 28-year old winger could be earning himself even more every day.
With 18 goals already, van Riemsdyk is on pace for what would be a career-high 34 goals on the year and a potential spot among the absolute top of the free agent charts. Since Toronto has several other contracts to worry about in the next couple of seasons—most notably, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner—anything more than $6MM per season (and perhaps even that) could be out of the question.
Toronto Maple Leafs May Avoid Defense Rentals
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of things going for them this season. Goaltender Frederik Andersen is in the midst of his best season in the NHL, with a .922 save percentage and leading the NHL in games played, shots faced, saves and minutes. The offense, led by the trio of Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner has been effective, if a little inconsistent at times. Morgan Rielly has come into his own as a bonafide top pairing option, and Ron Hainsey has been more than they could have expected, turning in quality minutes at even strength and leading the league in short-handed ice time.
Beyond that top pairing though, there remains questions on whether or not the Maple Leafs blueline is good enough to compete for a Stanley Cup. Jake Gardiner has seemingly taken a step backwards this season, and Nikita Zaitsev is still out for some time with a foot injury. Many have speculated that the Maple Leafs would eventually enter the market for rental defensemen, linking them to players like Erik Gudbranson, Ian Cole and Mike Green among others.
Recently though, the Maple Leafs promoted young defensive prospect Travis Dermott and tonight he’ll move up in the lineup and skate alongside Gardiner on the team’s second pairing. That gives them another option going forward, and perhaps enough depth to sit tight as the trade deadline approaches. Bob McKenzie was asked about how Toronto feels about their defense corps today on TSN radio, and he reiterated something he’s been saying all season:
I said it before and I’ll say it again. There is a part of me that believes that the Leafs are relatively content, in the absence of something coming up that absolutely makes sense and is the perfect fit…
…I would be really surprised if the Leafs picked up a defenseman on an expiring contract–I guess they could–for future considerations. I think they’re probably in an ideal world looking at something longer term, and as I said those are difficult to come up with. Maybe, what you see is what you get.
Unless Dermott immediately makes an impact for the team, it’s likely that the Maple Leafs will continue to be questioned on their defensive ability. But at this point in the season they’re already 11 points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings for third place in the Atlantic, and appear destined for a playoff spot with little trouble. Whether they’ll be able to win once they get there is still unclear, but with the quick-strike offense and several blooming stars up front it would be an uneasy matchup for any team in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto Maple Leafs Recall Travis Dermott
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been searching for help on defense this season, tenuously linked to players like Erik Gudbranson and Ian Cole in trade rumors. Now, some of that help may come from inside the organization as the team has recalled Travis Dermott from the AHL, while sending Martin Marincin back down. Should he get into the lineup, it would mark the NHL debut for Dermott, a second-round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2015.
Playing in all situation for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, Dermott has recorded 17 points on the season including six assists in his last two games. He was also just named to the AHL All-Star team, along with teammate Kasperi Kapanen. The defenseman turned 21 years old just before the Christmas break, and had been pushing for a spot in the NHL for some time. A minor injury to Roman Polak last night, and the continued struggles of Marincin and Connor Carrick on the bottom pairing necessitated a change for the Maple Leafs as they continue to deal with the absence of Nikita Zaitsev.
Still, Toronto seems ripe for a defensive addition at some point. Even if Dermott makes an impact right away, the team could use someone to help on the penalty kill and provide some depth for a potential playoff run. Since Marincin once again did not stick with the NHL club, one has to wonder whether he’s destined for non-qualification in the summer.