Pacific Notes: Anaheim Roster, Pirri, Yamamoto, Bjornfot, Soderstrom
The Anaheim Ducks are clearly in a rebuilding phase this season. Afterall, they bought out Corey Perry earlier this summer, the team lost Ryan Kesler for the season and the Ducks hired their AHL coach, Dallas Eakins, who is familiar with many of the team’s prospects. Regardless, Eakins has made it clear, that the best players on the ice are the ones that are going to make the team and no favoritism will be given to the young players, according to Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register.
“Do we all quietly hope our draft picks work out? Yeah,” Eakins said. “We’ve got scouts who’ve put in thousands of miles and countless hours driving around everywhere looking at these players. They’ve got their names on them and our organization has invested in them. But nothing is going to be given here. We’re not just going to shuffle people out of the way and give our young people jobs. They’ve going to have to earn it. We’re not interested at all in any kind of breaking this down and shuffling out real good players and hand the team over to a younger group.”
- The Vegas Golden Knights have a few significant roster battles, but the most intriguing may who wins the third line wing opening, according to Jesse Granger of The Athletic (subscription required). The job belongs to Brandon Pirri to lose as Pirri was brought back with a two-year, $1.55MM deal over the summer. The 28-year-old was impressive in a short run with Vegas last year, scoring 12 goals over 31 games. Many expected Pirri to leave for a better opportunity, only for him to come back. However, Pirri is getting quite a battle from Valentin Zykov, who spent the summer training in Vegas with the team and has been equally as impressive as Pirri. Tomas Nosek has also looked solid and most recently, prospect Cody Glass has shown that he might be ready for a third-line role as well.
- Sportsnet’s Marc Spector reports that the Edmonton Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto is in Bakersfield where he will continue to rehab his post-wrist surgery that he had this summer. Yamamoto, the team’s first-round pick in 2017, has struggled to break through with the Oilers in two separate stints. He appeared in 17 games last year, scoring one goal. Spector also notes that defenseman Logan Day will have to undergo hand surgery and will be forced to miss time. Day spent last season in Bakersfield.
- The Los Angeles Kings are considering keeping defenseman Tobias Bjornfot, one of their first-round draft picks this summer, on their opening day roster, according to The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required). The team could be considering keeping him around for a few games before sending him back like they did with Jaret Anderson-Dolan last season. However, the team has been impressed with Bjornfot’s two-way game and head coach Todd McLellan compared the 18-year-old to a young Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
- Another player who could stay with the team would be Arizona Coyotes first-round pick Victor Soderstrom, who The Athletic’s Craig Morgan suggests could remain with the team, much like center Barrett Hayton did last season, to get a feel for the NHL. Soderstrom was the 11th-overall pick in the 2019 draft.
Training Camp Cuts: 9/21/19
With the regular season less than two weeks away, there will likely be plenty more training camp cuts today. We’ll keep track of those moves here.
Arizona Coyotes (per team release)
D Dane Birks (to Tucson, AHL)
D Cam Dineen (to Tucson, AHL)
F Giovanni Fiore (to Tucson, AHL)
F Jeremy Gregoire (to Tucson, AHL)
F Keeghan Howdeshell (to Tucson, AHL)
G Erik Kallgren (to Tucson, AHL)
F Kelly Klima (to Tucson, AHL)
G Merrick Madsen (to Tucson, AHL)
F Jonathon Martin (to Tucson, AHL)
F Nate Schnarr (to Tucson, AHL)
D Jalen Smereck (to Tucson, AHL)
Calgary Flames (per team release)
F Alex Gallant (to Stockton, AHL)
F Jeremy McKenna (to Stockton, AHL)
F Mason Morelli (to Stockton, AHL)
G Nick Schneider (to Stockton, AHL)
Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)
G Callum Booth (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Jeremy Helvig (to Charlotte, AHL)
Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)
D Nicolas Beaudin (to Rockford, AHL)
D Lucas Carlsson (to Rockford, AHL)
F MacKenzie Entwistle (to Rockford, AHL)
F Alexandre Fortin (to Rockford, AHL)
F Brandon Hagel (to Rockford, AHL)
F Mikhael Hakkarainen (to Rockford, AHL)
F Matthew Highmore (to Rockford, AHL)
F Reese Johnson (to Rockford, AHL)
F Philipp Kurashev (to Rockford, AHL)
F Dylan Sikura (to Rockford, AHL)
G Matt Tomkins (to Rockford, AHL)
D Joni Tuulola (to Rockford, AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
F Derek Barach (released from PTO)
D Gabriel Carlsson (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Ryan Collins (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Trey Fix-Wolansky (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Maxime Fortier (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Brett Gallant (released from PTO)
D Anton Karlsson (released from PTO)
F Nikita Korostelev (released from PTO)
F Stefan Matteau (released from PTO)
F Bryan Moore (released from PTO)
D Michael Prapavessis (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Eric Robinson (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Kole Sherwood (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Kevin Stenlund (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Calvin Thurkauf (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Sam Vigneault (released from PTO)
Dallas Stars (per team release)
F Michael Mersch (to Texas, AHL)
D Reece Scarlett (to Texas, AHL)
Florida Panthers (per team release)
F Rodrigo Abols (to Springfield, AHL)
F Jonathan Ang (to Springfield, AHL)
G Ryan Bednard (to Springfield, AHL)
D Tommy Cross (to Springfield, AHL)
F Joel Lowry (to Springfield, AHL)
D Jake Massie (to Springfield, AHL)
F Serron Noel (to Oshawa, OHL)
F Kevin Roy (to Springfield, AHL)
F Paul Thompson (to Springfield, AHL)
Los Angeles Kings (per team Twitter)
F Samuel Fagemo (to Frolunda, SHL)
F Akil Thomas (to Niagara, OHL)
Montreal Canadiens (per team release)
F Morgan Adams-Moisan (to Laval, AHL)
F Alexandre Alain (to Laval, AHL)
F Joe Cox (to Laval, AHL)
D Ryan Culkin (to Laval, AHL)
F Nikita Jevpalovs (to Laval, AHL)
G Connor LaCouvee (to Laval, AHL)
D Maxim Lamarche (to Laval, AHL)
G Michael McNiven (to Laval, AHL)
F William Pelletier (to Laval, AHL)
F Michael Pezzetta (to Laval, AHL)
D David Sklenicka (to Laval, AHL)
F Lukas Vejdemo (to Laval, AHL)
F Hayden Verbeek (to Laval, AHL)
F Antoine Waked (to Laval, AHL)
New York Rangers (per team release)
F Gabriel Fontaine (to Hartford, AHL)
D Mason Geertsen (to Hartford, AHL)
D Joey Keane (to Hartford, AHL)
F Patrick Newell (to Hartford, AHL)
St. Louis Blues (per team release)
D Jake Dotchin (to San Antonio, AHL)
D Joey LaLeggia (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Nick Lappin (to San Antonio, AHL)
Tampa Bay Lightning (per team release)
F Peter Abbandonato (released from PTO)
G Louis Domingue (to Syracuse, AHL, per Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic)
F Jimmy Huntington (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Boris Katchouk (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Alexey Lipanov (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Ryan Lohin (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Kevin Lynch (released from PTO)
F Taylor Raddysh (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Mikhail Shalagin (released from PTO)
D Luc Snuggerud (released from PTO)
D Oleg Sosunov (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Matthew Spencer (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Nolan Valleau (released from PTO)
G Clint Windsor (released from PTO)
F Dennis Yan (to Syracuse, AHL)
Toronto Maple Leafs (per team Twitter)
G Brandon Halverson (to Toronto, AHL)
Vancouver Canucks (per team release)
F Justin Bailey (to Utica, AHL)
F Landon Ferraro (released from PTO)
F Lukas Jasek (to Utica, AHL)
D Olli Juolevi (to Utica, AHL)
F Kole Lind (to Utica, AHL)
D Brogan Rafferty (to Utica, AHL)
D Josh Teves (to Utica, AHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (per team Twitter)
F Tyrell Goulbourne (to Chicago, AHL)
D Brett Lernout (to Chicago, AHL)
D Jaycob Megna (to Chicago, AHL)
Vegas Signs Brayden Pachal To Entry-Level Contract
Brayden Pachal failed to earn a roster spot with the Vegas Golden Knights in training camp, but he came away with the next best thing. The standout defenseman from the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders has signed his entry-level contract with Vegas. The team announced a three-year deal with Pachal, who came into camp on an Amateur Tryout Agreement after performing well at the Knights’ rookie camp earlier this summer, and he made the most of it.
Pachal, 20, was never selected in the NHL Draft but had emerged as a top defender in the WHL over the past few years. 2018-19 in particular was a breakout year for the righty rearguard. Pachal recorded 51 points in 66 games for Prince Albert, more than double his scoring pace from the year prior, while his 15 goals was also more than twice the previous season. His whopping +76 rating was also tops on the team. Pachal was not only a statistical leader among WHL defenseman, he was the leader in the Raiders locker room as captain and on the ice as well, sticking up for teammates consistently, as evidence by 113 penalty minutes. Pachal plays a balanced game with a fair amount of skill and puck-handling, but also plenty of aggression and defensive IQ. He could turn into a very solid NHLer down the road, which would be a major boost for a team with a lacking pipeline on the blue line in Vegas.
While Pachal has been sent down to minor league camp with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, there is still a good chance that he will be back in Prince Albert this season. With the departure of Brett Leason, Pachal’s presence will be even more important for the Raiders and the young defenseman will benefit more from big minutes in the WHL. The Knights could opt to place him right into the AHL, but it seems like the less likely outcome. However, while Pachal accomplished his goal of earning a contract in camp this year, he will be back with an eye on a Golden Knights roster spot next year, if not sooner.
Training Camp Cuts: 09/20/19
Like always, we’ll keep track of all the training camp cuts right here. It is important to note that today is the first day teams can place players on waivers for the 2019-20 season, meaning a flood of moves will likely come in over the next few days. Keep checking back to see the updated list:
Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)
F Nathan Noel (to Rockford, AHL)
F Graham Knott (to Rockford, AHL)
F Tim Soderlund (to Rockford, AHL)
F Dylan McLaughlin (to Rockford, AHL)
F Kris Versteeg (to Rockford, AHL)
F Tyler Sikura (to Rockford, AHL)
D Chad Krys (to Rockford, AHL)
D Jack Ramsey (to Rockford, AHL)
D Jake Ryczek (to Rockford, AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
F Egor Sokolov (released from PTO)
Dallas Stars (per team release)
F Tony Calderone (to Texas, AHL)
F Josh Melnick (to Texas, AHL)
D John Nyberg (to Texas, AHL)
D Ondrej Vala (to Texas, AHL)
G Colton Point (to Texas, AHL)
F Diego Cuglietta (released from ATO)
F Parker MacKay (released from ATO)
D Tanner Jago (released from ATO)
F Corey Elkins (released from PTO)
F Brad McClure (released from PTO)
F Anthony Nellis (released from PTO)
G Tomas Sholl (released from PTO
Edmonton Oilers (per team release)
F Tyler Benson (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
F Cameron Hebig (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
F Kirill Maksimov (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
F Cooper Marody (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
F Ryan McLeod (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
F Anthony Peluso (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
D Caleb Jones (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
D Dmitri Samorukov (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
G Dylan Wells (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
Minnesota Wild (per team release)
F Will Bitten (to Iowa, AHL)
F Connor Dewar (to Iowa, AHL)
F Brandon Duhaime (to Iowa, AHL)
F Ivan Lodnia (to Iowa, AHL)
F Dmitry Sokolov (to Iowa, AHL)
D Brennan Menell (to Iowa, AHL)
D Stepan Falkovsky (to Iowa, AHL)
G Dereck Baribeau (to Iowa, AHL)
G Kaapo Kakhonen (to Iowa, AHL)
G Mat Robson (to Iowa, AHL)
F Alexander Khovanov (to Moncton, QMJHL)
F Olivier Archambault (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
F Kyle Bauman (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
F Mitch McLain (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
F Tyler Sheehy (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
D Nicholas Boka (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
D Alex Breton (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
D Jack Sadek (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
New York Rangers (per team release)
F Jake Elmer (to Hartford, AHL)
D Brandon Crawley (to Hartford, AHL)
D Vincent LoVerde (to Hartford, AHL)
D Darren Raddysh (to Hartford, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (per team release)
D Maxence Guenette (to Val-d’Or, QMJHL)
F Tristan Scherwey (to Bern, NLA)
F J.C. Beaudin (to Belleville, AHL)
F Michael Carcone (to Belleville, AHL)
F Mark Kastelic (to Belleville, AHL)
F Jack Rodewald (to Belleville, AHL)
F Andrew Sturtz (to Belleville, AHL)
D Jonathan Aspirot (to Belleville, AHL)
D Nick Ebert (to Belleville, AHL)
D Hubert Labrie (to Belleville, AHL)
Philadelphia Flyers (per team release)
F Kyle Criscuolo (to waivers on 09/21)
D Tyler Wotherspoon (to waivers on 09/21)
D Nate Prosser (to waivers on 09/21)
D T.J. Brennan (to waivers on 09/21)
D Reece Wilcox (to waivers on 09/21)
F Cal O’Reilly (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Greg Carey (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Maksim Sushko (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Gerry Fitzgerald (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F David Kase (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Pascal Laberge (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Isaac Ratcliffe (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Matthew Strome (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Rob Michel (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D David Drake (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Josh Couturier (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Felix Sandstrom (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Kirill Ustimenko (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)
F Chase Berger (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Jordy Bellerive (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Jan Drozg (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Ben Sexton (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Matt Abt (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Michael Kim (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Jon Lizotte (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Alex D’Orio (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Dustin Tokarski (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Calen Addison (to Lethbridge, WHL)
St. Louis Blues (per team release)
F Cameron Darcy (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Zach Nastasiuk (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Evan Polei (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Nolan Stevens (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Alexei Toropchenko (to San Antonio, AHL)
D Jake Christiansen (to San Antonio, AHL)
D Rob O’Gara (to San Antonio, AHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)
F Paul Cotter (to Chicago, AHL)
F Lucas Elvenes (to Chicago, AHL)
F Ben Jones (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jake Leschyshyn (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jermaine Loewen (released from ATO, assigned to Chicago, AHL)
F Tye McGinn (to Chicago, AHL)
F Gage Quinney (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jonas Rondbjerg (to Chicago, AHL)
D Brayden Pachal (to Chicago, AHL)
Waivers: 09/20/19
The waiver period for the 2019-20 season opened today, and teams all around the league started clearing spots on their rosters. These players are all on waivers:
Dallas Stars
F Michael Mersch
D Reece Scarlett
Edmonton Oilers
F Josh Currie
F Joseph Gambardella
F Brad Malone
D Keegan Lowe
Florida Panthers
F Joel Lowry
F Paul Thompson
F Kevin Roy
D Tommy Cross
New York Rangers
St. Louis Blues
F Jordan Nolan
F Mike Vecchione
F Nick Lappin
D Joey Laleggia
D Jake Dotchin
Tampa Bay Lightning
G Louis Domingue
G Mike Condon
Vancouver Canucks
Vegas Golden Knights
West Notes: Tkachuk, Krebs, McDavid
While Mikko Rantanen and Patrik Laine have joined a European team to continue their training while waiting on a new contract, Matthew Tkachuk has taken a different route. The Calgary Flames restricted free agent has started skating with the London Knights according to Ryan Pyette of the London Free Press, taking the ice with some former teammates in Ryan Rupert and Matt Rupert.
Tkachuk spent just one season with the Knights before being drafted by the Flames in 2016, but formed one of the most dominant lines the OHL has seen in many years alongside Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak. The trio each totaled more than 100 points that season en route to a Memorial Cup championship. Both Marner and Dvorak have signed long-term extensions with their respective NHL teams, but for the Flames to do the same with Tkachuk might be tricky. The team currently projects to have just over $6.3MM in cap space and would likely have to make an additional move of some kind before signing the star winger to any deal buying out unrestricted free agent years.
- Speaking of impressive junior players, Vegas Golden Knights first-round pick Peyton Krebs has been named captain of the Winnipeg Ice for their first season after the recent relocation. Krebs served in that role last season when the team was still located in British Columbia as the Kootenay Ice, and scored 68 points in 64 games. The 18-year old forward was expected to go even higher than his eventual draft position of 17, but suffered an Achilles injury just a few weeks before the draft and ended up falling out of the first half of the round. The Golden Knights certainly weren’t disappointed to get a player of his caliber that late, and they’ll be keeping a close eye on him in Winnipeg this season.
- Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland told reporters he is “pretty optimistic” that Connor McDavid will be fully recovered from his knee injury in time to suit up for opening night, and that there is a chance that he gets into at least one preseason game. While it hasn’t been officially decided, having McDavid in the lineup to start the year is huge for an Oilers team that needs every point they can get this season as they look to try and get back into the playoffs. The Pacific Division is packed with teams that believe they can represent the division in the postseason this year, and the Oilers will have to get off to a strong start if they want to keep pace.
Minor Transactions: 09/13/19
Training camp is upon us and initial practices are underway for all players under contract. Yet, many NHL clubs still have work to do, with prominent restricted and unrestricted free agents still without deals for the 2019-20 season. Minor league affiliates, European teams, and college programs are also still making moves to finalize their plans for the coming season. Keep track of those minor transactions right here:
- Emile Poirier has signed a professional tryout with the Winnipeg Jets, looking to find a contract with the team once again. Poirier was originally selected 22nd overall by the Calgary Flames in 2013 but has just a handful of NHL games under his belt. In 24 contests last season for the Manitoba Moose he scored eight points, and at this point should be considered a long-shot to ever become an impact player.
- Brett Neumann will be attending training camp with the New York Islanders this season as he tries to prove that his size shouldn’t stop a team from taking a chance on him. The 5’9″ forward scored 45 goals and 79 points in the OHL last season between the Kingston Frontenacs and Oshawa Generals and is an undrafted free agent. Neumann will likely be heading back to the OHL, but could be a name to keep in mind down the road.
- The Vegas Golden Knights announced a pair of training camp cuts, returning goalie Jordan Kooy to London of the OHL and netminder Jiri Patera to Brandon of the WHL. Both players are unsigned draft picks with Kooy needing to sign an entry-level deal by June 2020 or else Vegas would lose his rights.
Morning Notes: Theodore, Flyers, Pettersson
You can bet Shea Theodore didn’t have the summer he was expecting. After failing a random drug test at the World Championship because of an elevated hormone level, Theodore was informed that it was not because of a supplement but he in fact had testicular cancer and would need surgery right away. The Vegas Golden Knights defenseman opened up about the situation in an article for the Players’ Tribune today, explaining that though it was a frightful time in his life he has fully recovered.
Theodore said that Phil Kessel reached out this summer to give his support, given that the veteran forward dealt with the same diagnosis years ago. Theodore credits that drug test with potentially saving him from a battle that would have much more difficult, and implores everyone to get checked regularly and be open with your physician.
- The Philadelphia Flyers are getting closer to a deal with Ivan Provorov, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. The two sides are still working through the negotiation and both three and six year deals are on the table, but things have turned positive in recent days. It seems as though things aren’t so rosy for the other Flyers’ RFA, as McKenzie tweets that Travis Konecny is not close to a new deal. The pair are huge parts of the Philadelphia future and will hopefully join the team in training camp soon with freshly inked deals.
- That’s exactly what is happening for Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson, who is joining the team and expected to sign in the “next day or so” according to McKenzie. The deal will be a short-term contract, but would mean the team has their full complement of players in camp. The Penguins do appear to have too many NHL-caliber defensemen on the roster at the moment, meaning a trade or waivers is coming for at least one. Of course, that is contingent on the rest of the group staying healthy through camp, which is not a certainty anywhere around the NHL.
NHL Tryout Tracker: 09/11/19
With several NHL teams announcing their full training camp rosters today, there have been a number of previously unreported training camp invites, amateur tryouts and professional tryouts alike, revealed. Below is a list of players not under contract with an NHL team or their AHL affiliate, but will be attending NHL camp:
Buffalo Sabres (link)
F Kyle Olson, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
Calgary Flames (link)
D Eric Gryba, New Jersey Devils (AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (link)
F Egor Sokolov, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
Los Angeles Kings (link)
D Billy Constantinou, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
F Jonathan Yantsis, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Montreal Canadiens (link)
F Liam Hawel, Guelph Storm (OHL)
New York Rangers (link)
F Connor Brickley, New York Rangers (NHL)
Ottawa Senators (link)
F Tristan Scherwey, SC Bern (NLA)
F Scott Sabourin, Stockton Heat (AHL)
Toronto Maple Leafs (link)
D Marc-Antoine Pepin, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (link)
D Brayden Pachal, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
Washington Capitals (link)
F Casey Bailey, HC Slovan Bratislava (KHL)
G Beck Warm, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
Minor Transactions: 09/11/19
Training camp is upon us, as rookie tournaments are underway and veterans are arriving back in town for informal workouts. In no time, teams will be back on the ice. Yet, many NHL clubs still have work to do, with prominent restricted and unrestricted free agents still without contracts. Minor league affiliates, European teams, and college programs are also still making moves to finalize their plans for the coming season. Keep track of those minor transactions right here:
- The Minnesota Wild have announced their training camp roster, and among it are several players on professional tryouts. Olivier Archambault, Gabriel Gagne, Shawn O’Donnell, Brett Pollock, Josh Atkinson, Matt Register and Keaton Thompson have all been invited, several of which were among the players not issued qualifying offers earlier this summer. For a full list of today’s training camp invite announcements, see our Tryout Tracker.
- The Montreal Canadiens have already begun to trim their camp roster, sending a handful of their rookie camp participants back to their respective junior teams. TVA’s L.A. Lariviere reports that forwards Cole Fonstad, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Cam Hillis, and Allan McShane and defenseman Jacob LeGuerrier have been cut from camp and return to junior. The Habs must be confident in their other prospects attending training camp, as this group of cuts is not without a fair amount of name recognition.
- The AHL’s Chicago Wolves have re-signed forward Tye McGinn to a one-year contract, the team announced. McGinn has also been invited to attend camp woth the Vegas Golden Knights. McGinn was dominant for the Wolves down the stretch and in a deep postseason run last year and is another strong minor league campaign away from getting another shot at the NHL.
- Two former NHL prospects have signed in the ECHL as their entry-level contracts having expired with little to show for their efforts toward becoming NHL players. Chicago Blackhawks 2014 third-round pick Matt Iacopelli has signed with the Kalamazoo Wings after a trade to the Los Angeles Kings last season did nothing to jump start his development. The Western Michigan product played much of last season in the ECHL and will now do so closer to home. After two different trades left him bouncing around the ECHL over the last three years, defenseman Jacob Graves hopes to at least find some security on a contract with the Florida Everblades. Graves has yet to show the big-league upside that he flashed in junior during his pro career.