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Minor Transactions: 03/19/23

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We’re already deep into today’s NHL slate of games, but this weekend has been busy for other teams around the hockey world as European, junior, and college seasons all near a close. We’ll keep a running list of today’s minor transactions here.

  • The DEL’s Löwen Frankfurt today announced that multiple players would not be returning to the team next year, including a trio of former NHL-contracted players. Goalie Callum Booth, who played just one game for Frankfurt after a mid-season departure from the Seattle Kraken organization, is one of the three, opening the door for a potential return to the North American ranks on an AHL or ECHL contract next year. Winger Jerry D’Amigo, who played 31 NHL games across two seasons with Toronto and Buffalo, was also released after scoring four goals and 14 points in 38 games. 34-year-old Carson McMillan, who saw NHL action in the early 2010s with the Minnesota Wild, will also not return to Frankfurt next season.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Blues Assign Tyler Tucker And Nikita Alexandrov To AHL

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With an off day on their schedule, the Blues have opted to make a pair of roster moves.  They announced that they’ve assigned defenseman Tyler Tucker and winger Nikita Alexandrov to Springfield of the AHL.

Tucker has played in 24 games with St. Louis this season, his first taste of NHL action.  He has held his own at the top level, picking up four points while averaging just shy of two hits per night while averaging 14:33 of ice time per contest.  The 23-year-old also has suited up in 30 games with the Thunderbirds this season where he has been more productive, picking up 15 points along with 55 penalty minutes.

As for Alexandrov, he has seen action in 28 games for the Blues, tallying three goals and four assists in what has primarily been a fourth-line role as he’s logging less than 10 minutes a night.  It is also his rookie year at the NHL level.  The 22-year-old has also played in 29 games with Springfield where he has collected 13 goals and 10 helpers.

St. Louis opted to paper both players down just before the trade deadline, recalling both using two of their four post-deadline regular recalls in the process.  Accordingly, if they were to be brought back up now, they’d cut into those final two recalls unless emergency conditions arise.  NHL.com’s Lou Korac adds (Twitter link) that their intention is to keep both players in Springfield for the time being to help aid in their push for the playoffs; the Thunderbirds enter play today in fourth place in the Atlantic Division in the minors.

Sharks Recall Martin Kaut

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Martin Kaut was hoping to get more of a regular NHL opportunity when he requested a trade from Colorado earlier this season.  However, while he was granted his wish for a swap, it hadn’t resulted in much NHL action with his new team.  That could change now as the Sharks announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled the winger from AHL San Jose.

The 23-year-old was the 16th overall pick in 2018 by the Avs but he hasn’t been able to live up to his draft billing.  Kaut got his first taste of extended NHL action this season, getting into 27 games when Colorado was dealing with a lot of injuries and was looking for someone to grab hold of a full-time spot on the fourth line.  However, it didn’t happen as he had just three points in that stretch.

Kaut was eventually moved to the Sharks in late January as part of a four-player swap but he has gotten into just three NHL contests since then.  Instead, he has mostly played with the Barracuda where he has been productive, contributing three goals and ten assists in 15 games.  With San Jose looking to evaluate some players down the stretch, it stands to reason that Kaut now should get a bit more of an extended look to see if the pending restricted free agent is someone that can make a push for a full-time spot in their lineup next season.

Oilers Sign Jake Chiasson

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The Oilers have signed one of their prospects today, announcing the signing of forward Jake Chiasson to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not released but the team noted that the contract will begin next season.

The 19-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Edmonton back in 2021 (116th overall) and accordingly, the team had to sign him by June 1st or give up his rights.  Chiasson has split his time between Brandon and Saskatoon of the WHL this season and has seen his production improve after being dealt to the Blades.  Between the two squads, he has 20 goals and 34 assists in 66 games.

It’s worth noting that Chiasson could go back to the WHL next season as a 20-year-old and while that isn’t always the best route to take, it’s at least worth considering here.  Between injuries and pandemic-shortened campaigns, he has just 170 total appearances at the junior level, not much more than two full seasons worth of experience.  Accordingly, there could be some room for improvement if Chiasson stays with the Blades for one more year but if he does, he will still burn the first season of his contract.

Stars Sign Chase Wheatcroft

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The Stars have dipped their toes into the undrafted free agent waters to add to their prospect pool as they announced the signing of forward Chase Wheatcroft to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but the contract will begin in the 2023-24 season.

The 20-year-old has had a breakout campaign in the WHL this season, to put it lightly.  Over his first three seasons at the major junior level, Wheatcroft had 82 points in 137 games, numbers that weren’t bad but not really at the level to attract NHL attention which played a role in him getting passed over at the draft.

However, in 2022-23, following an offseason trade to Prince George, Wheatcroft has dominated to the tune of 47 goals and 57 assists in 65 games.  His 104 points put him second in the league, only behind a certain player who’s projected to go first overall in June.  Wheatcroft was named the WHL’s top player in February when he recorded 28 points in just a dozen games.

Dallas has drafted fewer than seven players (every team’s original allotment of selections) in three of the last four seasons which has resulted in a prospect pool that isn’t the deepest.  Accordingly, Wheatcroft’s addition makes plenty of sense for Dallas who will now get to see if his breakout is a sign of things to come.

EP Rinkside’s Sean Shapiro was the first to report Wheatcroft had signed with Dallas.

Penguins Place Nick Bonino On LTIR, Recall Mark Friedman

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Injuries have tested Pittsburgh’s already tricky salary cap situation in recent games and with the back end being banged up at the moment, reinforcements were needed.  The Penguins created some short-term cap space to create room for a recall as they announced that center Nick Bonino has been placed on LTIR while recalling blueliner Mark Friedman from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Last weekend, the team revealed that Bonino suffered a lacerated kidney in just his third game with the team.  While he had been released from the hospital, he was still ruled out as week-to-week.  That now changes to 10 games and 24 days from the date of injury, the minimum requirements for a player to be placed on LTIR.  Given the initial timeframe, it’s still possible that Bonino is able to return to the lineup before the end of the regular season.

With the placement, Pittsburgh adds $1.025MM to its LTIR pool; while Bonino’s true cap hit is double that amount, Montreal held back an additional $1.025MM as part of a three-team trade at the deadline earlier this month.

That move allows Pittsburgh to be able to afford Friedman’s $775K cap hit on their active roster.  The 27-year-old has played in 11 games with the Penguins this season in a depth role plus another 24 in the minors where he has a goal and five assists in 24 contests.

Notably, the Penguins are still only able to afford just this one recall as the leftover difference between Bonino’s cap hit and Friedman’s plus the $375K they had in their pool before this move (per CapFriendly), is just $625K which is below the $750K league minimum.  Accordingly, if more recalls will be needed, they’re going to have to get quite creative to make it happen.

Maple Leafs Recall Bobby McMann And Joseph Woll

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In advance of their game tonight against Ottawa, the Maple Leafs have brought up a pair of players, announcing (Twitter link) the recalls of winger Bobby McMann and goaltender Joseph Woll from AHL Toronto.

McMann has been a strong scorer in the minors this season, notching 21 goals in just 30 games.  He leads the Marlies in that category despite missing half of the AHL campaign.  That scoring prowess earned him his NHL debut back in January where he got into eight games, logging just shy of 11 minutes a night while being held off the scoresheet.  With Noel Acciari being injured last night against Carolina, McMann will take his place on the roster for the time being.

As for Woll, his recall was a bit more curious.  However, he’s covering for Ilya Samsonov as head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun (Twitter link) that Samsonov didn’t travel with the team with his wife expecting to give birth soon plus a minor injury before they embark on a long trip starting on Tuesday.  Woll, meanwhile, has been dominant with the Marlies, winning 16 of his 18 starts while posting a 2.37 GAA and a .928 SV%.  His NHL numbers have been better, albeit in a much smaller sample size, as he has a 2.04 GAA with a .938 SV% in three starts with the Maple Leafs this season.

Buffalo Sabres Sign Devon Levi

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1:42 p.m.: PuckPedia confirms that Levi’s entry-level contract starts immediately, which will make him a restricted free agent in 2025. The contract has a cap hit of $925K and a breakdown as follows:

2022-23: $832.5K salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $80K minors salary
2023-24: $832.5K salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $80K minors salary, $925K Schedule A performance bonus
2024-25: $832.5K salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $80K minors salary, $1MM Schedule A performance bonus

Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News also reports that Levi will not be assigned to Rochester and will immediately be added to the Sabres roster.

1:04 p.m.: Buffalo Sabres fans could get to see their potential goalie of the future in a Sabres uniform relatively soon. The team has signed goalie prospect Devon Levi to a three-year entry-level contract, with financial terms undisclosed.

A 2020 seventh-round pick of the Florida Panthers, Levi was the key prospect sent to Buffalo in return for forward Sam Reinhart. Since the trade, Levi’s numbers have been nothing short of spectacular playing for Northeastern University. In 66 games over two seasons with the school, Levi’s posted a 38-22-6 record, a whopping 16 shutouts, a 1.90 goals-against average, and a .942 save percentage.

It was Levi’s performance for Team Canada at the 2021 World Juniors that first earned him accreditation as a top goalie prospect, though. In seven games, the surprise starter notched three shutouts and a .964 save percentage en route to a gold medal.

At this time, Buffalo has not announced whether Levi will report to Buffalo or the AHL’s Rochester Americans. Given the team is already carrying three goalies at the NHL level, though, Rochester is the likely destination for Levi.

Levi, 21, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, 24, now form a capable tandem of young netminders to take over for the admirable but aging Craig Anderson. While it’s rare for a goalie to make the jump directly to the NHL from the college ranks, Levi’s numbers are even rarer. As Buffalo gets closer to playoff contention, Levi is a name to watch as a pivotal piece for the franchise over the next number of years.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported things were “in motion” between Levi and the Sabres soon before the news dropped.

Detroit Red Wings Recall Austin Czarnik, Simon Edvinsson

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The Detroit Red Wings recalled center Austin Czarnik and defenseman Simon Edvinsson from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins today under emergency conditions, as announced in a team release.

This is Edvinsson’s first recall to the NHL, and it could mean the 2021 sixth-overall pick makes his NHL debut over the weekend. He takes the place of Ben Chiarot on the roster, who is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

The 20-year-old Edvinsson has five goals, 27 points, and a -3 rating with the Griffins this season, his first in North America. Detroit inked him to an entry-level contract at the end of last season after Edvinsson broke into professional hockey full-time with Frölunda HC of the SHL.

Czarnik returns to Detroit after the team returned him to Grand Rapids earlier in the week. The diminutive, versatile forward has two goals and an assist in 15 appearances with the Red Wings this season. He will likely center the fourth line between Adam Erne and Alex Chiasson in tomorrow’s game against Colorado.

While a late-season slide unfortunately took Detroit out of the playoff picture just as the deadline approached, the benefits of selling can be seen here for a young team. Getting Edvinsson into some NHL games down the stretch could go a long way toward creating an NHL-ready player for next season.

Senators Recall Ridly Greig

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Late last month, the Senators sent Ridly Greig back to Belleville to get some more playing time.  Now, they’ve decided the time is right to bring him back up to the big club as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled the center from AHL Belleville.

The 20-year-old played in 11 games with Ottawa during his first stint with the big club, picking up a goal and three assists while averaging 13:29 per contest, decent numbers for his first NHL opportunity.  However, Greig has been considerably more productive in the minors, collecting 13 goals and 14 helpers in 35 contests although he only picked up a point in two of the seven games he played since being sent down.

In Ottawa’s announcement, it wasn’t clear if this is an emergency recall or a regular one which would count against their post-deadline limit of four.  They have 14 forwards on their active roster but wingers Parker Kelly and Mathieu Joseph are both battling injuries, bringing them down to the minimum of 12.  If there is another injury, then Greig’s recall could be classified as an emergency one.

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