Stars Sign Tristan Bertucci To Entry-Level Deal
The Stars signed left-shot defenseman Tristan Bertucci to his entry-level contract on Friday, per a team announcement. The three-year deal with a cap hit of $878K will begin in 2024-25, making him an RFA upon expiry in 2027 – which could push to 2028 if he plays less than 10 NHL games next season and activates an entry-level slide. PuckPedia has the full breakdown of the deal, which is as follows:
2024-25/2025-26: $775K base salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K games played bonus, $82.5K minors salary
2026-27: $800K base salary, $95K signing bonus, $55K games played bonus, $82.5K minors salary.
The initial $95K signing bonus will get paid out next season regardless of whether he plays more than 10 NHL games or not, which, in the case of a slide, would lower the cap hit of his deal slightly when it does go into effect in 2025-26.
Bertucci, 18, was a late second-round pick of the Stars in last year’s draft. Taken off the board at 61st overall, the Ontario native’s production has stagnated in his post-draft season, logging 41 points and a +10 rating in 56 games with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds this season compared to 50 points and a +12 rating in 63 games last season. He’s still a solid two-way presence with good shutdown and transition potential at the NHL level, though, and doesn’t have much support on a Firebirds team that’s been relegated to mediocrity this year with a 29-30-4 record.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and 180 lbs, Bertucci has to fill out his frame a little bit more before he’s ready for NHL action. He’ll likely return to the Firebirds next year for his fourth season of major junior play, sliding the beginning of his ELC to 2025, and will join the AHL’s Texas Stars at the end of next season. He’ll take a year or two of development there as well before hopefully cracking the NHL roster in 2026 or 2027.
Bertucci’s deal will not count against the 50-contract maximum next season if he’s not in the NHL. The Stars had until June 1, 2025, to sign him to an ELC before his draft rights lapsed.
Senators Acquire Jamieson Rees From Hurricanes
The Senators have acquired center prospect Jamieson Rees from the Hurricanes, per a team release. Ottawa has sent their 2024 sixth-round pick to Carolina in return.
This is the Senators’ second minor-league pickup of the day after nabbing center Wyatt Bongiovanni from the Jets. Both players are ineligible to play for Ottawa down the stretch as they were acquired after the March 8 deadline, but they can suit up for the team’s AHL affiliate in Belleville for the remainder of the season. Today was the AHL’s trade deadline, explaining the flurry of minor-league movement.
Carolina is selling Rees at a loss after drafting him in the second round in 2019. The 23-year-old has been affected by the Hurricanes’ lack of an AHL affiliate this season more than anyone in the organization, recording just four assists in 37 games split between the Springfield Thunderbirds and Charlotte Checkers. Last season, Rees finished fourth on the Chicago Wolves (then Carolina’s primary affiliate) in scoring, notching 14 goals and 42 points in 65 games.
While the 5-foot-11 pivot has continued to display his high-end skating at the pro level, he hasn’t scored with consistency. 2022-23’s showing was a breakout campaign at 0.65 points per game – he’s notched 0.48, 0.39 and 0.14 points per game in his other three full AHL seasons. A Calder Cup champion with Chicago in 2022, there’s still upside to be had if he can regain his confidence along with some organizational stability in Ottawa, but a write-off season this late in his development is concerning.
Rees is in the final season of his entry-level contract, with a cap hit of $839K. He’ll be an RFA this summer if the Senators issue him a qualifying offer, although he does not have arbitration rights.
Rangers Recall Adam Edstrom
The Rangers have recalled Adam Edstrom from AHL Hartford, according to a team announcement.
After playing 11 games earlier this season, his first stint in the NHL, Edstrom had been on assignment to the minors since deadline day to free up cap space and to make him eligible to play in the AHL postseason. The hulking forward posted two assists over his last three games with Hartford and is back up with the big club as a result.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and over 230 lbs, the 2019 sixth-round pick has been part of a late-season youth/grit infusion to the Rangers’ bottom six alongside Matt Rempe. He played a very limited role during his first major league shot, averaging 8:25 per game, but he did manage two assists. However, he got caved in the possession department, recording a 37.9 CF% and 40.1 xGF% at even strength. Those figures are likely exacerbated by his deployment, though, as he logged over 66% of his even-strength zone starts in the defensive end.
The Rangers had $955K remaining in their LTIR salary pool (filled out by Filip Chytil and Blake Wheeler), so they can accommodate Edstrom’s $847K cap hit. He could get some more looks in a fourth-line role over the coming days, especially with Rempe serving out a four-game suspension for an elbow to the head of Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler.
Edstrom, 23, still has one season remaining on his entry-level contract. He’ll be an RFA in 2025.
Senators Acquire Wyatt Bongiovanni From Jets
The Senators acquired center Wyatt Bongiovanni from the Jets in exchange for future considerations on Friday, per a team announcement. The team promptly reassigned Bongiovanni to their AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators. Belleville will likely send a player signed to an AHL contract to Winnipeg’s affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, to complete the trade. Since he was traded after the March 8 deadline, Bongiovanni will not be eligible for recall to Ottawa for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
[Related: Post-Deadline Transaction Restrictions]
Bongiovanni, 24, signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and has played for the Moose ever since, scoring 21 goals and 33 points in 93 games. However, the former Quinnipiac University captain has been one of Manitoba’s worst defensive forwards, posting a team-worst -17 rating in 2022-23 and a -12 rating this season. He has not received an NHL recall since turning pro nearly two years ago.
The Michigan-born center was once a solid contributor with Quinnipiac, racking up 50 goals, 90 points and a +43 rating across 123 appearances between 2018 and 2022. His shot was always the most intriguing aspect of his game, and while he’s managed to flash it at times with Manitoba, the rest of his game hasn’t reached the level required for a major-league summons.
Bongiovanni is exempt from waivers and will remain so for two more seasons or until he plays 60 NHL games, whichever comes first. His two-year, $1.605MM entry-level contract expires this summer, and if the Senators issue him a qualifying offer, he’ll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
Flames Sign Hunter Brzustewicz To Entry-Level Contract
4:30 PM: The Flames have confirmed the deal as a three-year entry-level contract carrying an annual average value (AAV) of $950K. The deal also contains $285K in signing bonuses, per CapFriendly.
11:30 AM: The Calgary Flames have signed defense prospect Hunter Brzustewicz to his entry-level contract, per Wes Gilberton of Postmedia. Brzustewicz was a major focus of the January trade that sent Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks – serving as the top prospect in a deal that also contained a first-round pick and NHL winger Andrei Kuzmenko, among other pieces. Vancouver originally drafted Brzustewicz 75th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. The pick was seen as a steal at the time, with the defenseman being projected to go in the early-to-mid second round.
Brzustewicz has earned his first pro contract with a stellar season in the OHL, where he currently ranks second in scoring among defensemen behind 2024 Draft-eligible Zayne Parekh. Brzustewicz has 12 goals and 85 points in 62 games this season, putting him on pace to rival the most points scored by an OHL defenseman since 2000 – a title currently held by Ryan Ellis‘ 100-point season in 2010-11. Brzustewicz will likely fall short of Ellis’ title (though Parekh will also chase it!) but his place in the conversation is commendable enough. In addition to Ellis, Parekh, and Brzustewicz, the list of the OHL’s top-scoring defensemen also contains Tony DeAngelo, Pavel Mintyukov, and Evan Bouchard – all proven NHL defenders in their own right – as well as long-running and successful KHL defenseman Kevin Dallman.
There’s a lot to like in Brzustewicz, who’s at his best when carrying the puck into the neutral zone and finding teammates to spring the rush. He’s a hard passer, with the quick footwork needed to join the offensive rush while still covering his spot on the blue-line. Draft day concerns about his over-eagerness and prowess on the defensive side of the puck kept scouts bearish on the American defender, and Brzustewicz hasn’t done much this season to grow past those concerns. But his ability to create and maintain tempo have made him an undeniable name to watch. Signed to his first pro deal, Brzustewicz will now look to fully establish himself as one of Calgary’s top prospects.
Red Wings Recall Austin Czarnik Under Emergency Conditions
The Red Wings have recalled center Austin Czarnik from AHL Grand Rapids, per a team announcement. He’ll join the team before Thursday’s home game against the Coyotes. No corresponding transaction is needed with ample cap space to execute the move, and the Red Wings do not burn one of their three remaining post-deadline standard recalls, either.
Czarnik, 31, has been papered between leagues a remarkable seven times this year since clearing waivers during training camp. However, this is his first summons to the majors since the calendar turned to 2024. He’ll draw into the lineup against Arizona if center Joe Veleno, who left Tuesday’s 7-3 loss to the Sabres after taking a slapshot from Buffalo defenseman Connor Clifton to the side of the head, cannot play.
The Detroit native played 18 games with the Red Wings earlier this season, marking his eighth straight season in the league since making his debut with the Bruins in 2016. An undrafted free-agent pickup by Boston in 2015 after four years with Miami University, Czarnik immediately established himself as a high-end minor-league producer with 61 points in 68 games during his rookie season with AHL Providence. He’s remained a top-six fixture in the AHL ever since, but the 5-foot-9, 170-lb center hasn’t been able to establish himself as a full-time NHLer for more than a season at a time.
Czarnik is in the back half of a two-year, two-way deal signed with Detroit in 2022. The deal carries a cap hit of $762.5K and pays him $775K in the NHL and $450K in the minors this season. He’s now with his fifth NHL organization, spending time with the Flames, Islanders, and Kraken between his stints in Boston and Detroit.
He’s finally beginning to show signs of slowing down in the minors, posting nine goals and 26 points in 39 games with Grand Rapids. That works out to 0.72 points per game, his lowest-ever production rate throughout a full season in the minors. He hasn’t done much better in the NHL, posting a lone assist and a -3 rating through his 18 showings, but he’s also been used quite sparingly, averaging a career-low 8:44 per game. His possession metrics don’t signal he deserves a higher role, either, logging a 40.6 CF% and 42.1 xGF% at even strength.
Czarnik will be a UFA at the end of the season. When the Red Wings are back up to 12 healthy forwards without Czarnik, they must return him to Grand Rapids or add him to the roster from his emergency loan, burning their second of four post-deadline recalls.
Columbus Blue Jackets Recall Mikael Pyyhtia
Now with six regular forwards due to injury, the Columbus Blue Jackets have had to grab multiple players from their AHL affiliate to fill in the gaps on their roster. Continuing with this theme, the Blue Jackets have recalled forward Mikael Pyyhtia from their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, on an emergency loan.
There should be some excitement building in Columbus for Pyyhtia, who has now become the sixth-leading scorer on a very solid Monsters team in his first full season of professional hockey in North America. After being selected by the Blue Jackets with the 114th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Pyyhtia spent the last two seasons in his native Finland to play for TPS of the Finnish Liiga.
In those last two years spent with TPS, Pyyhtia became one of the better offensive players throughout the league. In his 103 regular season games in the Liiga since being drafted by Columbus, Pyyhtia scored a total of 28 goals and 55 points; which is notably solid production from a player in his early 20s.
Now having fully transitioned to North American hockey, Pyyhtia has scored seven goals and 27 points already this season. Helping lead Cleveland to a 34-18-3-3 start in their first 58 games, there is every reason to believe that Pyyhtia will suit up in the Calder Cup playoffs for the first time this year.
Philadelphia Flyers Send Down Adam Ginning
Earlier this morning, the Philadelphia Flyers announced that the organization had sent down defenseman Adam Ginning to their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Ginning was originally brought up to the Flyers by way of an emergency loan on March 11th.
Unfortunately, Ginning wasn’t able to suit up in a game during this current stretch in Philadelphia but did make his 2023-24 season debut only a week ago. Playing against the Florida Panthers on March 7th, Ginning played just over 18 minutes over 23 shifts, securing five hits and one blocked shot.
With Erik Johnson and Marc Staal set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, Ginning should be able to compete for a full-time roster spot as soon as next training camp. The former second-round pick of the Flyers has primarily played for the Phantoms during his tenure with the organization. In 121 games over the last two seasons at the AHL level, Ginning hasn’t been able to produce much offense, scoring only five goals and 32 points overall.
However, Ginning has shown stretches of being a quality shutdown defenseman, using his frame to play physically and separate his opponent from the puck. If he can improve his skating abilities over the next few years, Ginning could become a prized defenseman in the Flyers organization.
Ultimately, Ginning will join a Lehigh Valley team in a competitive race for playoff positioning in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. Afters suffering a first-round exit at the hands of the Charlotte Checkers last year, the Phantoms are currently tied with the Springfield Thunderbirds for the final playoff spot in their division.
Maple Leafs Sign Bobby McMann To Two-Year Extension
Per a team announcement, the Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward Bobby McMann to a two-year, $2.7MM extension, paying McMann an AAV of $1.35MM a year. McMann is currently in the last year of a two-year, $1.525MM contract signed with the Maple Leafs after the conclusion of his NCAA career back in 2022.
In college, McMann spent his tenure with Colgate University in the ECAC Hockey Division. Over a four-year career, McMann suited up in 145 games for the Raiders, scoring a total of 37 goals and 92 points. In his last year with the team, serving as the captain, McMann put together a 10-goal 20-point season in 30 games, leading to his entry-level contract with Toronto after their season had concluded.
In his first full year with the Maple Leafs organization in 2021-22, McMann spent the entire year in the AHL, playing for the Toronto Marlies. Getting off to an impressive start, McMann went on to score 24 goals and 35 points in 61 games, finishing second on the team in goal-scoring. Last season, even though he was able to register 10 games in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, McMann once again spent the majority of the season in the minors, becoming a near-point-per-game player putting up 21 goals and 29 points in 30 games.
Finally, McMann has become a full-time player at the NHL level with Toronto and has become a legitimate goal-scoring threat. He did get off to a slow start this season at the game’s highest level but has put together a recent hot streak. In his last 15 games for the Maple Leafs, McMann has scored eight goals and 11 points over that stretch, earning a spot next to Matthew Knies and David Kampf on the team’s third line.
Blues Sign Matthew Kessel To Two-Year Extension
The Blues have signed right-shot defenseman Matthew Kessel to a two-year, one-way contract extension worth $1.6MM ($800K AAV/cap hit), GM Doug Armstrong announced Wednesday.
Kessel, 23, was in the final season of his entry-level contract and was set to be an RFA with arbitration rights this summer. It’s a significant raise for the young blue-liner, whose cap hit decreased from $884K but will earn more in actual cash after spending most of his ELC in the minors, where he earned $80K per season.
A fifth-round pick of St. Louis in 2020, Kessel was recalled earlier this week and re-entered the lineup for the first time since late February on Monday against the Bruins. He’s played in a career-high 23 games for the Blues this year after only dressing twice in 2022-23, posting three assists and 8 PIMs with a -2 rating. When in the lineup, he’s spent most of his time in a top-four role alongside Torey Krug, filling in for Justin Faulk while he was out with a lower-body injury for most of January and February.
His even-strength possession results have been poor, posting a 42.9 CF% (-1.6% worse than the team’s overall CF% without him) and a 40.6 xGF%. The 6-foot-3, 203-lb defender has been a strong shutdown force in the minors, where he has seven goals, 43 points and a +9 rating since logging his first professional action with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds at the end of the 2021-22 season.
Kessel’s extension walks him to restricted free agency in 2026, and he’ll maintain arbitration rights. He’s currently waivers-exempt, but that will expire after he plays 45 more NHL games (a total of 70).
The Phoenix native becomes the sixth St. Louis defender signed to a one-way deal next season, joining Justin Faulk ($6.5MM), Torey Krug ($6.5MM), Nick Leddy ($4MM), Colton Parayko ($6.5MM), and Tyler Tucker ($800K). The Blues have two pending free agent defenders on the active roster, Scott Perunovich (RFA with arbitration rights) and Marco Scandella (UFA).