Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Luca Pinelli To Entry-Level Contract
As they look towards the future with another disappointing season in the rearview mirror, the Columbus Blue Jackets have signed one of their prospects coming out of the Ontario Hockey League. In a team announcement, the Blue Jackets have signed forward Luca Pinelli to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in the 2024-25 NHL season.
Spending the last three years with the Ottawa 67’s, Pinelli was drafted 114th overall by Columbus in the 2023 NHL Draft. A bit undersized, Pinelli is known as a workhorse on both sides of the puck, regularly leaving everything out on the ice. Throughout his time in the OHL, Pinelli developed his skills as an exceptional reactionary player, thoroughly scanning and adapting to the play at a moment’s notice.
He continued to improve offensively during his time in major juniors, scoring 91 goals and 181 points over 194 games with the 67’s since the start of the 2021-22 OHL season. Of his career totals, Pinelli more than doubled this past year, scoring 48 goals and 82 points through 68 games as Ottawa’s captain.
Unfortunately, the 67’s were unable to reach beyond the second round of the OHL Playoffs during his tenure in Canada’s capital, but it was through no fault of his own. In three years, Pinelli was able to suit up in 25 postseason games for the 67’s, scoring 14 goals and 29 points in total.
Now transitioning to the Blue Jackets organization, Pinelli should start next season in the American Hockey League for the Cleveland Monsters, unless he completely forces Columbus’ hand during training camp. Even though size is no longer a major determinant to making it to the NHL, Pinelli should still take some time to build up his body to be a sustainable presence in the lineup.
Golden Knights Activate Mark Stone, William Carrier From LTIR
3:30 PM: The Vegas Golden Knights have officially activated both Mark Stone and William Carrier off of LTIR, per CapFriendly (Twitter link). The moves bring the team back to full health just in time for the postseason.
9:45 AM: The Golden Knights are expected to activate captain Mark Stone off long-term injured reserve ahead of tonight’s Game 1 against the Stars, reports ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. He’ll likely return to the lineup to kick off the first-round series after missing two months with a Grade 3 spleen laceration.
The timing of Stone’s injury and LTIR placements over the past few seasons have drawn skepticism from nearly every fanbase in the league. A mid-February LTIR placement followed by an activation just before the first playoff game has now happened three seasons in a row, although his absences in 2022 and 2023 were due to lingering back injuries. Speaking to The Athletic’s Jesse Granger over the weekend, Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon offered his explanation/defense:
I want to just touch on a couple of things with it, because there has been a lot of speculation and a lot of insinuation about his injury. The NHL is 100 percent involved in any of these (LTIR) situations involving teams. Their chief medical director speaks to the surgeon, speaks to our medical team, speaks to our athletic therapist, has access to every document that is filed and every diagnostic test that is given. They have access to all of that information. That’s what keeps the system legitimate. They are the people that are fully involved in this. So, I don’t know if maybe the fans or the media understand the degree to which these injuries are scrutinized.
Stone sustained the laceration against the Predators on February 20. He hasn’t played since, although he’s ramped up his workload in practice over the past couple of weeks. A Grade 3 splenic injury certainly qualifies as severe but may not result in an extremely long-term absence – medical literature indicates these can be treated more conservatively than a Grade 4 or 5, the latter of which indicates a wholly ruptured/shattered spleen. McCrimmon says team doctors told him after Stone’s injury that the laceration could carry something as lengthy as a three-to-six-month timeline but could swing less if his recovery went well.
Vegas isn’t the same team without their captain. They went 13-11-2 after his injury, dropping to the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference and earning a date with conference-champion Dallas to open postseason play.
Still, placing his $9.5MM cap hit on LTIR allowed them to go big-game hunting at the trade deadline, picking up Noah Hanifin, Tomáš Hertl and Anthony Mantha with varying degrees of salary retention. Those will be significant reinforcements as Vegas attempts to be the second team this decade to win back-to-back Stanley Cups and the first eight-seed to win since the Kings in 2012.
Stone still managed to finish fourth on the team in scoring with 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists) in 56 games and second on the team in points per game behind Jack Eichel. His defensive impacts weren’t the extremely stout numbers that have earned him Selke nominations in the past, but write off the 31-year-old at your own risk. He erupted for 11 goals and 24 points in 22 postseason games last year, averaging 18:55 per game as Vegas won the Cup only six years into their existence. Line rushes over the weekend indicated that Stone is expected to play on the Knights’ second line, centered by Hertl and flanked by Chandler Stephenson on the left.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Kings Activate Carl Grundstrom From LTIR
The Kings activated winger Carl Grundström off long-term injured reserve ahead of tonight’s Game 1 of their first-round series against the Oilers. The 26-year-old’s return to the lineup means no Kings skaters are carrying an injury designation for the first time all season.
Grundström, a second-round pick of the Maple Leafs back in 2016, has grown into a solid checking winger since a January 2019 trade sent him packing to Los Angeles. Now in his sixth year with the club, the Swede has been almost exclusively a fourth-line presence in SoCal, averaging 11:33 per game. He’s provided eight goals and 12 points in 50 games this season, the totals we’ve come to expect.
He’s never truly played a full season, whether due to healthy scratches or injuries. His 50 appearances this season were his lowest in three years but not far back from his career high of 57 set last season. What he lacks in scoring, he makes up for in physicality, routinely ranking among the team leaders in hits. He had 115 over the regular season, most among Kings forwards.
Grundström hasn’t played an NHL game in over two months, last suiting up against the Sabres on Feb. 13. He spent the last week of the regular season on an LTI conditioning loan to AHL Ontario, scoring a goal and an assist in two games. It was his first AHL action in four years.
He’s expected to factor in on a stacked fourth line with Quinton Byfield and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Kings interim head coach Jim Hiller will look to roll four lines at even strength to take advantage of Edmonton’s weaker depth offense. Arthur Kaliyev will be a healthy scratch.
Grundström is in the final season of a two-year, $2.6MM extension. He’s an RFA at season’s end – his last season under team control. He reaches unrestricted free agency before the 2025 offseason.
Pacific Notes: Jasek, Fanti, Brzustewicz
The Canucks still hold the exclusive signing rights of Czech winger Lukas Jasek, but he won’t be returning to the organization next season. He’s signed a two-year contract with Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (translated team release link).
Jasek, 26, was a sixth-round pick of the Canucks in 2015 and spent the following three seasons in the Czech Extraliga before signing his entry-level contract and joining their AHL affiliate, then the Utica Comets, in 2018. He played in parts of four seasons for the Comets, putting up overall decent numbers with 86 points (30 goals, 56 assists) and a +11 rating in 153 appearances, but didn’t get an NHL call-up during that time.
Vancouver liked what they saw enough to extend him a qualifying offer when his ELC expired in 2021, but Jasek declined to accept and returned to Europe for a bigger role. He spent two seasons in Finland with Liiga’s Pelicans before transferring to Sweden in 2022, signing on with the SHL’s IK Oskarshamn.
Jasek had 28 points in 49 games but couldn’t help them avoid relegation to the HockeyAllsvenskan, but he’ll stay in the top tier of the Swedish system next season with Örnsköldsvik’s MoDo. The Canucks must sign him before July 1, 2025, and buy him out of the second year of his new deal with MoDo, or he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.
Elsewhere in the Pacific:
- The Oilers will carry netminder Ryan Fanti as their emergency backup for tonight’s Game 1 of their first-round series against the Kings, the team announced. While not on the game roster, he could enter the game for Edmonton if Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard leave the game with injuries. They’ll allow the more experienced Jack Campbell to continue getting game action at the top minor-league level as AHL Bakersfield begins its playoff run. Fanti, 24, has played sparingly this season with ECHL Fort Wayne and missed the first few months of the season with an injury, going 9-6-1 with a .915 SV% in 17 outings since his return. He has no NHL experience and only nine games of AHL experience.
- One of the Flames’ top defense prospects, Hunter Brzustewicz, will finish 2023-24 on an ATO with AHL Calgary, the minor-league club announced. Brzustewicz, 19, was a third-round pick of the Canucks last year but had his signing rights dealt to Calgary in the Elias Lindholm trade. He inked his entry-level deal back in March and, given his November birthday, will be eligible to suit up full-time with the Wranglers next season. He finished the year with 92 points in 67 games for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League.
Bruins Recall Derek Forbort From LTI Conditioning Loan
The Bruins have recalled veteran defenseman Derek Forbort from his LTI conditioning loan to AHL Providence, per the minor league’s transactions log. Boston hasn’t yet taken Forbort off long-term injured reserve, but after he played in two games with the P-Bruins without incident, they likely will ahead of tonight’s Game 2 against the Maple Leafs.
That’s not necessarily an indication that he’ll return to the lineup, though – Boston has gotten good advanced results from their current bottom-pairing rotation of Andrew Peeke, Kevin Shattenkirk and Parker Wotherspoon since the trade deadline. Forbort’s season has been marred by a lingering lower-body injury, which has kept him out of the NHL lineup since March 2. He was limited to four assists in 35 games throughout the campaign, his lowest total since the 2019-20 season.
Forbort largely provided decent value for the Bruins across the first two seasons of his three-year, $9MM contract, though. A competent penalty killer, Forbort totaled 26 points and a +14 rating in 130 games for Boston between 2021-22 and 2022-23 while averaging nearly 18 minutes per game. His possession metrics were okay, given his shutdown role at even strength, especially in his inaugural season.
That continued in 2023-24. He didn’t control raw shot attempts at 5-on-5, logging a 45.0 CF%, but managed to limit the quality of chances against quite well with a 52.7 xGF%, per Natural Stat Trick. If his services are needed during the postseason, there are certainly worse options to toss into a playoff lineup.
With the emergence of the younger Wotherspoon and the acquisition of Peeke, though, Forbort will likely head to the open market in a few months. The 32-year-old pending UFA has nine years and 496 games of NHL experience with the Bruins, Flames, Jets and Kings.
Senators Reassign Angus Crookshank
The Senators reassigned winger Angus Crookshank to AHL Belleville today, according to a team announcement. His minor-league assignment comes a few days delayed because he missed the last two weeks of the season with a lower-body injury, from which he’s evidently been cleared to return.
This season was the 24-year-old’s first in the NHL. He scored twice and added an assist in 13 games. He did so in limited minutes, posting a -3 rating and 4 PIMs while averaging 10:07 per game. Crookshank was effective at getting the puck toward the net, managing 1.5 shots on goal per game despite the fourth-line usage and totaling 33 shot attempts.
It was a positive initial showing for the 2018 fifth-round pick, who missed the 2021-22 campaign with a knee injury. That would have been Crookshank’s first entire professional season after three years at the University of New Hampshire, one that was hotly anticipated after he ended 2020-21 with 16 points in 19 games on a tryout with Belleville.
Two years later, Crookshank is nearly a point-per-game producer in the minors. The left wing was Belleville’s best skater in the regular season, finishing second on the team in scoring with 46 points in 50 appearances. His 24 goals led the team outright.
Nearing the expiration of his entry-level contract, Crookshank isn’t a traditional restricted free agent this summer. Because of his missed 2021-22 season, he doesn’t have the number of professional seasons required for proper restricted free agency. Instead, he carries a 10.2(c) designation, meaning he’s ineligible to receive or sign offer sheets from other teams. His only option is to re-sign in Ottawa.
The North Vancouver native will join Belleville in the Calder Cup Playoffs, where they’re set for a best-of-three First Round series against the cross-province Toronto Marlies this week. It will be his first postseason experience since turning pro.
Lightning Recall Max Crozier
The Lightning recalled defenseman Maxwell Crozier from AHL Syracuse on Monday, per a team release. There are no added injury designations to their blue line after yesterday’s 3-2 loss to the Panthers in Game 1 of their first-round series, so he’s only up to provide additional depth over the next few days.
Crozier, 24, received his first NHL call-up on January 12 and debuted the following night, recording one block in 13 minutes of ice time against the Ducks. He played 12 more games throughout the season as he alternated between the majors and minors, totaling two assists, a -2 rating, 7 PIMs and 13 shots.
The 2019 fourth-round pick hasn’t made an NHL appearance since before the March 8 trade deadline, and it’s doubtful he’ll draw into the playoff lineup unless an avalanche of injuries occurs on defense. Syracuse, which finished third in the North Division, wrapped up their regular season with a 5-2 loss to Utica over the weekend. Crozier could be reassigned to them by Friday when they kick off their best-of-five Division Semifinal series against Rochester.
He isn’t the only defender Tampa is adding into the fold for now. Haydn Fleury, who hasn’t played since a mid-ice collision with referee Steve Kozari on April 6, was a full participant in today’s practice and could be an option ahead of Tuesday’s Game 2 in Sunrise, notes the Tampa Bay Times’ Eduardo A. Encina.
Crozier ended his regular season with Syracuse on a tear offensively with 10 points in 10 games but somehow managed to post a -8 rating in that span. That includes a career-high three points against Toronto on April 13, a game he inexplicably finished with a -4 rating as the Crunch lost to the Marlies 6-5 in a shootout.
He wraps up his first professional season with four goals, 17 assists, 21 points, 43 PIMs and a +1 rating in 49 minor-league appearances. The Calgary native signed his entry-level contract in March 2023 after four seasons with Providence College, where he totaled 71 points and a +35 rating in 119 games while serving as captain in his senior season.
Crozier didn’t look entirely out of place in his limited minutes. He didn’t receive tough matchups by any stretch, deployed primarily on bottom-pairing situations alongside rookie Emil Martinsen Lilleberg and averaging 12:56 per game. But his possession numbers were good across the board at 5-on-5, recording a 53.9 CF% and 59.2 xGF%, per Natural Stat Trick. The Lightning controlled 54.9% of overall scoring chances with Crozier on the ice, but none of that was reflected in his actual -2 rating (6 GF, 8 GA).
Listed at 6’1″ and 197 lbs, Crozier has one season left on his ELC with an $867.5K cap hit. He’ll be an RFA in 2025, and the Lightning will retain team control up to the 2027 offseason.
College Transfer Roundup: Leddy, Benoit, Emerson, Croteau, Muszelik
While college signings have slowed down in recent days, that doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been college activity, as several NHL prospects continue to find new homes for next season. Here’s a rundown of some recent moves on that front.
- Devils prospect Charlie Leddy has transferred to Quinnipiac, notes Cameron Levasseur of The Quinnipiac Chronicle (Twitter link). The 20-year-old blueliner was a fourth-round pick by New Jersey two years ago (126th overall) and spent his first two NCAA campaigns at Boston College. This past season, he had eight assists in 39 games.
- Wild blueline prospect Nate Benoit has also transferred to Quinnipiac, reports Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. The 2021 sixth-round pick was limited to just 19 appearances at North Dakota this season, collecting a single assist which was not the freshman year he was certainly hoping for.
- Hurricanes youngster Michael Emerson has committed to Merrimack, reports Mike McMahon of College Hockey News (Twitter link). The winger was a sixth-round pick last year, going 190th overall. He started the season at North Dakota but left after six games, opting to go back to USHL Chicago, where he posted 20 points in 27 contests.
- Canadiens goalie prospect Emmett Croteau announced (Twitter link) that he has transferred to Dartmouth. A sixth-rounder two years ago, the 20-year-old had a very quiet first season in college, getting into just six games with Clarkson. There, he struggled, putting up a 3.53 GAA and a .835 SV%. Dartmouth lost their starter to the pros when Cooper Black signed with Florida, so Croteau may have an easier path to playing time next season.
- Panthers prospect Tyler Muszelik is on his way to UConn, reports Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. The netminder was a 2022 sixth-rounder, going 189th overall after spending time in the U.S. National Team Development Program. Muszelik spent the last two seasons at the University of New Hampshire but in a backup role. UConn’s tandem has both moved on (Ethan Haider to the pros and Arseni Sergeyev via the portal) so the 19-year-old should have a better path to playing time next season.
Coyotes Assign Conor Geekie To AHL
With the franchise being relocated to Utah for next season, there aren’t many too transactions coming in the near-term future for the Coyotes. However, there was one today as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve re-assigned center Conor Geekie to AHL Tucson.
The 19-year-old was the 11th overall pick two years ago by Arizona, giving them another potential core piece up front. Geekie got off to a dominant start this season with WHL Wenatchee, notching 20 goals and 29 assists in just 26 games before leaving to play for Canada at the World Juniors where he had three points in five contests.
Upon his return from the tournament, Geekie was moved to Swift Current who was stocking up for what they hoped was a long playoff run. He produced at a similar clip with the Broncos, tallying 23 goals and 27 helpers in just 29 games; all told, finished with 99 points in only 55 appearances, finishing fourth in the league in points per game. However, the playoff run wasn’t as long as they were hoping for having lost to Moose Jaw in the second round. Geekie was still productive in the postseason, however, collecting six goals and three assists in nine contests.
With the assignment to the Roadrunners, Geekie can now get his first taste of AHL action with Tucson, a team that finished second in the Pacific Division and third in the Western Conference. It should be a good test for him as Geekie will be able to turn pro full-time next season.
Kraken Sign Carson Rehkopf, Assign David Goyette To AHL
While Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf is certainly disappointed that his OHL playoffs came to an end, there was some good news for him. The Kraken announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve signed the forward to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will carry an AAV of $950K; CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that the deal breaks down as follows:
2024-25: $775K salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K ‘B’ performance bonuses
2025-26: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus
2026-27: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus
The 19-year-old was a second-round pick by Seattle back in 2023, going 50th overall. Early indications are that the Kraken got good value with that selection. Rehkopf finished second in the OHL in goals this season, posting 52 in just 60 games with Kitchener while chipping in with 43 assists. He also was productive in the playoffs, notching six goals and five helpers in 10 contests before being swept in the second round by London.
As a result of his elimination in junior, the Kraken can assign Rehkopf to AHL Coachella Valley if they so desire to keep him skating during the Firebirds’ postseason. However, that will not be an option for him for the start of the 2024-25 campaign; he’ll either have to stick with Seattle or return to junior. If the latter happens and he plays in fewer than 10 NHL games, his contract will slide and not start until 2025-26.
While they finalize their plans for Rehkopf, they have elected to send another OHL prospect to the Firebirds. CapFriendly reported on Saturday (Twitter link) that the Kraken re-assigned forward David Goyette to Coachella Valley. The 20-year-old center led the OHL in points this season, tallying 40 goals and 77 assists with Sudbury before adding five goals and five assists in ten playoff contests prior to their elimination at the hands of North Bay in the second round. It’s the second straight year that Goyette has been loaned after the OHL postseason so he’ll get a chance to get some more experience before playing at that level full-time next season.