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Minor Transactions: 01/13/19

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It’s a relatively busy Sunday for the NHL as six games are scheduled for today, including an afternoon tilt between the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes. While the league prepares for another important week, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The San Jose Sharks have sent Rourke Chartier back to the minor leagues, given the team doesn’t play again until Tuesday. The 22-year old forward has played 13 games with the Sharks this season but has just a single goal. He very well could be recalled once again in a few days.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Kole Sherwood, a 21-year old forward that spent time in the ECHL earlier this year. The hometown kid has seven points in 22 games for the AHL Cleveland Monsters, but will get a shot to see what life is like in the NHL for at least a little while.
  • Jordan Kyrou and Jordan Nolan have bother been recalled by the St. Louis Blues, giving the team two forward options in very different situations. Kyrou is still trying to get his footing in his first season as a professional, but has recently found his way as the AHL Rookie of the Month for December. Nolan meanwhile is just trying to hold onto his NHL career after finding himself in the minor leagues this season for the first time since 2012-13.
  • In a minor transaction, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that St. Louis Blues’ goalie prospect Evan Fitzpatrick has been re-assigned from the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL to the Tulsa of the ECHL. The scribe adds the transaction is significant because it likely suggests that prospect Ville Husso might be ready to return from injury, which could provide the Blues with a solid emergency goaltender down the road. The 20-year-old Fitzpatrick has served as an emergency backup already, but has spent most of his season in Tusla.
  • The Vancouver Canucks announced they have assigned center Adam Gaudette to the Utica Comets of the AHL as the team expects the return of Josh Leivo, who has been out with back spasms. The former Hobey Baker Award winner spent the early portion of the season with Vancouver, learning as a bottom-line player, but was sent to Utica to get more playing time in. He has been producing in Utica, posting three goal and seven points in seven games, including a two goal, three-point performance on Jan. 5th. He was then recalled after Elias Pettersson went down with his knee injury and scored a goal in his one appearance on Thursday against Arizona.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have recalled goaltender Calvin Pickard from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL now that his conditioning stint is over. The team claimed Pickard off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers due to injuries to both Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper. However, with Kuemper healthy once again and the emergence of Adin Hill, the Coyotes would have to keep Pickard around as a third goaltender, which they may not want to do. Pickard struggled in four appearances in Tuscon, despite a 3-0 record, posting a 3.47 GAA and a .889 save percentage.

Pacific Notes: Pettersson, Hagelin, Braun

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The Vancouver Canucks got some good news Saturday when star center Elias Pettersson, who has been out with a sprained knee for the past nine days, took to the ice. Unfortunately, he skated only with skills coach Glen Carnegie, however, it’s an important part in Pettersson’s recovery, according to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre.

The 20-year old suffered a first-degree sprain when he was pulled to the ice by Montreal’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi on Jan. 3. However, Pettersson is getting closer to a return as he managed to twist and turn through drills during a 25-minute skate, much longer than his skate on Friday. However, head coach Travis Green said that while Pettersson wants to return to the lineup as soon as possible, he must still get through a full practice with the team, meaning he will not return for Sunday’s game against Florida.

“He wants to play,” Green said after Saturday’s practice. “We want him to play, but we’re not going to rush him back and have him play where he’s at risk because he’s not moving around well enough. We’re going to do right by him, but we want him back as fast as he can. He’s a competitive kid; he wants to play. He’s not happy not playing.”

  • Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen writes that despite only having acquired him in November, the Los Angeles Kings are likely going to shop veteran Carl Hagelin at the trade deadline and move on from him. The 30-year-old has only appeared in eight games with the Kings since being acquired from Pittsburgh for Tanner Pearson due to injuries, but the team will likely want to get something for Hagelin, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The main purpose of moving Pearson was to free themselves of his contract which still had another two years remaining at $3.75MM. If they can flip Hagelin for future assets, then the team should help themselves in multiple ways.
  • Kevin Kurz of The Athletic writes that the San Jose Sharks have activated defenseman Justin Braun off of injured reserve for tonight’s game against Ottawa. Braun has been out since Jan. 2 with a knee injury, but should immediately provide the defensive depth the team needs on the Sharks’ third line. Braun has been averaging just under 20 minutes a game for the Sharks this season despite not providing much offense this season. He has one goal and nine points in 42 games.

Alex Edler Reiterates Desire To Remain With Canucks

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Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler has been a highly speculated trade candidate in recent weeks.  He’s a pending unrestricted free agent and Vancouver currently is on the outside looking in at a playoff spot so there is certainly a case to be made that they should move him.  However, Edler has a full no-trade clause and has indicated in the past that his preference would be to remain with the team, something he recently reiterated to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre:

Edler has 19 points in 30 games with the Canucks this season while playing over 23 minutes a night which would make him an enticing candidate to contenders.  However, there’s no guarantee that Vancouver can convince him to waive his no-trade clause before next month’s trade deadline.

Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Foligno, Vrana

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While Derick Brassard’s tenure with the Penguins hasn’t gone as well as they’d hoped, it doesn’t appear as if GM Jim Rutherford is as eager to shake things up down the middle as he was a year ago.  Speaking with Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Rutherford indicated that he’s not as determined as he was to upgrade that spot compared to this time last season:

I don’t know where things will go on the trade front, but I don’t feel the same urgency as I felt last year to strengthen our center position, which was a big need last year.

Brassard is in the final year of his contract and considering that Vegas is paying 40% of his $5MM salary, he’s not looking like a strong candidate to stick around with the Penguins beyond this season.  However, when he’s on his game, he’s a capable top-six player and having some of those on the third line (his current linemates are wingers Tanner Pearson and Phil Kessel) can only help their chances in the postseason.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • In an appearance on 97.1 The Fan (audio link), Blue Jackets head coach indicated that forward Nick Foligno is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday night. He has missed the last four games while his daughter underwent surgery.  The 31-year-old will be a welcome addition back to the lineup as he sits fifth on the Blue Jackets while ranking fourth among Columbus forwards in ice time.
  • A career season from Capitals winger Jakub Vrana may be enough to earn himself a long-term deal this summer, suggests J.J. Regan of NBC Sports Washington. The 23-year-old has already set a new career mark in goals with 14 and is just three points shy of matching his previous season-best set last year.  Given GM Brian MacLellan’s willingness to lock up core players to long-term deals, it’s certainly reasonable to think they’ll try to do the same here.  However, with over $68MM committed to just 14 players for next season, making room for another significant contract could be tricky.  Vrana will be a restricted free agent this summer without salary arbitration rights.

Elias Pettersson Placed On Injured Reserve, Adam Gaudette Recalled

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The Vancouver Canucks seem to have dodged a bullet when it comes to a long-term injury for young superstar Elias Pettersson, but he’ll still spend some time on injured reserve. The team moved Pettersson to IR today in order to recall Adam Gaudette from the Utica Comets. Gaudette himself is an exciting young prospect, and got his offensive game going recently in the minor leagues including a three-point night on Saturday.

Pettersson was injured when he got tangled up with Montreal Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi, but escaped major knee damage and is expected to miss just a few weeks. It will be interesting to see how it plays out as we approach the All-Star break though, given that they only have six games remaining before starting a nine-day break on the 23rd. Pettersson is supposed to attend the All-Star game, but would have to be fully healthy for the Canucks to allow him to participate.

Still, this is a great opportunity for Gaudette to reestablish himself as a full-time NHL player. The reigning Hobey Baker award as college hockey’s best player made his NHL debut last season but failed to generate a single point in five games, only to struggle offensively again this year. Selected in the fifth round in 2015, it’s obvious that his early professional career won’t go as swimmingly as his collegiate did. That said, Gaudette does have seven point in seven games for Utica this season and could potentially get an increased role with the Canucks while Pettersson is out.

Jason Garrison Signs In Sweden

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It has been a tumultuous few years for veteran defenseman Jason Garrison. The now 34-year-old defenseman hit a wall after turning 30 and hasn’t been able to get back to the level of play he displayed as a younger player. His latest team, the Chicago Blackhawks, recently placed him on unconditional waivers and, after clearing, terminated his contract. It was the end of the line for Garrison’s NHL career, but he has quickly landed elsewhere. Djurgardens IF of the Swedish Hockey League has announced that they have signed Garrison to a contract for the remainder of the season.

Back in 2012, Garrison signed a six-year, $27.6MM contract with the Vancouver Canucks at the height of his career. Yet, he was then traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the draft in 2014. After one strong season in Tampa, recording 30 points at the age of 30, Garrison only managed 20 more points over the next two seasons combined. The Lightning exposed Garrison in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft and made a side deal with the Vegas Golden Knights, giving up a second-round pick and the rights to KHL star Nikita Gusev, to ensure he was selected. Vegas then put Garrison on waivers early on last season and kept him in the AHL for all but eight regular season games. With his long-term contract expired, Garrison became a free agent but did not attract much attention in the off-season. He managed to land a tryout offer with the Edmonton Oilers and did enough to earn a one-year minimum contract. The Oilers even gave Garrison ample play time, starting him in 17 games. Yet, even with numerous injuries on the blue line, Garrison had not produced and it became clear he was not a legitimate option for Edmonton. They dealt him to the Blackhawks in late December as a salary dump in their trade to acquire actual defensive help in Brandon Manning. The next day, Chicago placed him on waivers and then again on unconditional waivers just a few days later.

However, through many difficult years and with many teams, including many games spent with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, Garrison has shown a determination to keep playing hockey. It comes as little surprise that he has found a new team so quickly. Djurgardens, who is currently fighting for a playoff spot in the SHL, is eager to add Garrison’s knowledge and leadership to the roster. The team lacks very much NHL experience, outside of former New Jersey Devil Jacob Josefson, but has plenty of exciting young talent in need of some stability and guidance. They hope that Garrison can answer that bell. While his days in the NHL are surely over, Garrison clearly wants to continue his playing career and can make a great first impression overseas by helping Djurgardens reach the postseason this year.

Trade Rumors: Senators, Ferland, Goldobin

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In his latest “31 Thoughts” article, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman poses the question on the mind of many fans and general managers alike: how long will the Ottawa Senators wait to make a decision on the futures of their impending free agent stars? The team made it a point to say early in the season that they had talked about a new contract with Matt Duchene and just recently it was reported that Mark Stone is prepared to talk to the team as well, now that he is eligible for an extension in the new year. Friedman adds that the Ottawa has already approached Ryan Dzingel about a new deal as well. The Senators clearly have plans to discuss contract extensions with the trio, but with the NHL Trade Deadline less than two months away, at what point will they begin talking to other teams instead? On one hand, the Senators owe the bulk of their meager offense to these three impending free agents and seemingly must do their best to bring back as many as they can. Stone leads the team with 45 points, while Duchene has missed six games but nevertheless is second with 40 points, and Dzingel is fourth – third among forwards – with 29 points. The idea that the team could lose all three and somehow improve next season seems like a long shot to say the least. The team has to do their best to resign the group. Yet, if the trio were to depart, it would be much nicer if they did so with a parting gift. Even if GM Pierre Dorion holds on to each player through the deadline in hopes of resigning them, there is no guarantee that they will stay in Ottawa. Rather than lose them for nothing, the Senators would benefit far more from trading them for hefty returns this season. Odds are that the team negotiates with each one of Stone, Duchene, and Dzingel right up until deadline before making a move, but if the market is stronger beforehand, Dorion and company will have some difficult decisions to make.

  • The Carolina Hurricanes are in a similar position with off-season acquisition Micheal Ferland. Ferland, an overlooked part of the Dougie Hamilton trade between the ’Canes and Calgary Flames, has enjoyed a breakout season in Carolina. Ferland is fourth on the team in scoring with 19 points and is currently on pace to set a new career high in scoring despite missing seven games due to injury. Friedman’s opinion on this situation is somewhat more definitive than Ottawa’s. Friedman claims that the two teams are talking extension, but if one is not in place by the trade deadline, Ferland will certainly be moved. The two-way left wing would be a highly valued asset on the rental market and Carolina would not hesitate to get what they can in a trade. Ferland, who has found a fit with Carolina, may not even rule out returning to the team in free agency, even if they can’t come to terms on a new contract this year. The only question remaining is how soon the Hurricanes would be willing to move Ferland if a deal is not coming together.
  • One surprise player who Friedman notes could be available is Vancouver Canucks forward Nikolay Goldobin. Friedman states that the team is merely looking into the potential return for the young winger right now, but even testing the market on Goldobin is unexpected. The 23-year-old winger is fourth on the team in scoring with 23 points in 41 games and at times has looked like a key piece of the young core for the Canucks. Yet, he has also moved around the lineup frequently and has even been a healthy scratch. It could be that Vancouver is fearful of upcoming negotiations with the impending restricted free agent, as GM Jim Benning and head coach Travis Green are not yet sold that he is worthy of a long-term contract, nor does the team want to be saddled with an arbitration decision. Regardless, a young player with the offensive upside of Goldobin is a rare entry into the trade market (although he has already been traded once in his career) and if the Canucks truly make him available, they will surely find takers.

Vancouver’s Sudden Goaltending Depth Concerns

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The Canucks explored trading for additional goalie depth after veteran Richard Bachman suffered a season-ending Achilles’ tear last month, GM Jim Benning acknowledged to Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston.  However, they weren’t able to find a deal they liked at the time.  They hoped that the acquisition of Mike McKenna earlier this week would give them a boost with AHL Utica but those plans were put on hold with Philadelphia claiming McKenna off waivers earlier today.  All of a sudden, their depth between the pipes is extremely thin.

Vancouver has just one remaining healthy goalie on an NHL contract behind Jacob Markstrom and Thatcher Demko, their new tandem.  That’s prospect Michael DiPietro who just came off a strong showing at the World Juniors but he isn’t eligible to play in the AHL this season (at least until the conclusion of his OHL campaign).  While that makes him eligible to be an emergency recall to the Canucks should one of Markstrom or Demko go down with an injury, it doesn’t help their situation on the farm.

Utica has Belarusian netminder Ivan Kulbakov on a minor league contract and while the 22-year-old was supposed to spend most of the season at the ECHL level, he’s now thrust into the top job with the Comets.  In a pinch, they could convert his deal to an NHL entry-level pact to give them another recall option but that would require a commitment beyond this season which they may not be willing to do given how he has fared thus far.

With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Benning reprise his efforts to get another goaltender that’s on an NHL contract to supplement their depth and give them another recall option in case of injury.  They could wait to see if they can reclaim and demote McKenna if the Flyers eventually make him available but with there being a few teams with goalie injuries at the moment, it has been difficult to get goalies through unclaimed this season.  In the meantime, they’ll be using the minor league PTO route for the time being to give them a second AHL goalie but that’s not a feasible long-term strategy.  Sooner than later, Vancouver will need to make a move of some sort to give themselves some depth between the pipes.

Philadelphia Flyers Claim Mike McKenna

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In a move that’s sure to solve their goaltending woes, the Philadelphia Flyers have claimed Mike McKenna off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Canucks now face a dilemma in their minor league crease, given that Thatcher Demko has indeed been recalled as expected. For the Flyers, another goalie was needed after Michal Neuvirth suffered another minor injury. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher explained the decision:

Mike provides our organization added depth as we continue to battle injuries at the goaltending position. He is a veteran goaltender with a tremendous amount of professional experience.

Tremendous amount of experience may be an understatement when it comes to McKenna. The 35-year old goaltender has played just 34 games at the NHL level, but has suited up more than 500 times in the minor leagues since his debut in 2005. While Carter Hart is expected to carry the load, McKenna is a good option to hold the backup role until Neuvirth, Anthony Stolarz or Brian Elliott are ready to return to action.

McKenna’s claim is an interesting one for several other teams around the league, including the Canucks themselves. The team had only just acquired the veteran goaltender from the Ottawa Senators and obviously hoped they would be able to get him through waivers today. The Utica Comets, Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, were already without Richard Bachman due to a long-term injury and have now lost Demko to the NHL. That leaves them without a starting goaltender for now, something that Vancouver will have to address quickly.

Another is the Toronto Maple Leafs, who very well could have put in a claim on McKenna given their own injury woes in net. Frederik Andersen is still out with a groin injury and the team confirmed that Garret Sparks has been diagnosed with a concussion. That leaves Michael Hutchinson as the lone experienced goaltender in Toronto, something they clearly are uncomfortable with.

Elias Pettersson Suffers Lower-Body Injury

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Elias Pettersson has been arguably the most exciting young player in the entire NHL this season. His debut for the Vancouver Canucks in 2018-19 has been dynamic, but has also been marred by injury at times. Pettersson suffered a concussion earlier in the year when he was thrown hard to the ice, and tonight has suffered a lower-body injury in similar fashion. Pettersson sustained the injury when he got tangled up with Montreal Canadiens rookie Jesperi Kotkaniemi and will not return to the game.

Whether or not Pettersson is out for an extended period of time, this is the exact worry many had about his chances to put together a long career in the NHL. The 20-year old center is a tremendous talent, but at 6’2″ 176-lbs can be worked over physically. His skill and production makes him a target for the other team, and though this play may have not been intentional—or at least as intentional as the Mike Matheson incident—he’s going to continue to be involved in situations like this throughout his career. Hopefully in this case it will turn out to just be a minor knee injury.

If he does miss time, there’s a chance he or the Canucks could decide he should not attend the All-Star game at the end of the month. Pettersson was selected to the Pacific Division team after recording 42 points in his first 37 games, and is the runaway favorite for the Calder Trophy at this point in the season.

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