Waivers

Deadline Primer: Detroit Red Wings

February 15, 2019 at 5:00 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 2 Comments

With the trade deadline fast approaching, we continue our look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? As we continue with the Atlantic Division, here is a look at the Detroit Red Wings.

By every metric, the Detroit Red Wings should be total sellers at the deadline and they have a laundry list of notable UFA’s to move. Yet, the team claims they would prefer to re-sign starting goaltender Jimmy Howard, top-six forward Gustav Nyquist, and dependable defenseman Nick Jensen. There is also word that veterans Thomas Vanek and Niklas Kronwall are happy in Detroit and unwilling to waive their No-Trade Clauses. That doesn’t leave much on the table.

In most cases, these rumors could be dismissed as the team simply trying to up the offers on their available rentals. But not in Detroit. The fatal flaw of the current Red Wings franchise and GM Ken Holland is total, unapologetic loyalty to long-time players. If a team says they won’t move someone or will only do so for a first-round pick, this is the one team worth believing. It could be a quiet deadline in Detroit.

Record

23-28-7, seventh in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Moderate Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$5.06MM in full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: DET 1st, DET 2nd, NYI 2nd, DET 3rd, DET 4th, DET 5th, BUF 5th, CLB 5th, DET 6th, DET 7th
2020: DET 1st, DET 2nd, DET 3rd, DET 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, DET 7th

Trade Chips

Of course, the aforementioned players are the top trade chips that the team has. Howard and Nyquist are having great years and are surely drawing plenty of attention. Will Detroit get the first-round pick they desire to move either? That remains to be seen. Jensen and Kronwall could both step in as a solid bottom-pair addition for a contender, while Vanek would fill his frequent role as a capable depth addition to any forward corps. The fact remains that if any of these players want to stay in Detroit beyond this season, the Red Wings are unlikely to move them, extension in place or not.

So looking elsewhere, Luke Witkowski is a UFA that the Red Wings don’t seem as attached to. The market may be limited for the versatile skater, but if a team wants to take a shot, Detroit will be willing to move on. Recently waived and demoted, Martin Frk is in need of a change of scenery. Frk is a restricted free agent this summer and any number of teams might like to get a look at how he fits in their system down the stretch. The one-dimensional forward is more valuable now that he has cleared waivers and can be sent back and forth. Wade Megan, Dylan McIlrath, Brian Lashoff, and Harri Sateri are all free agents as well who could be targeted as deep depth additions.

The Jonathan Bernier signing looks like a mistake so far and the Red Wings seem eager to re-sign Howard rather than give Bernier the starting job. If another team is willing to take on the remaining two years of Bernier’s contract, Detroit would move him. Luke Glendening is another term player who could be on the move. He is still well-liked by the organization, but if the market is there they could move him. As always, if there was any way to move Justin Abdelkader or Danny DeKeyser, you would think Detroit would pull the trigger. Then again there’s that whole loyalty thing…

Five Players To Watch For: F Gustav Nyquist, D Nick Jensen, F Martin Frk, F Luke Glendening, G Harri Sateri

Team Needs

1) Cap Space: For several years now, the Red Wings have had one of the highest payrolls in the NHL, yet have been one of the league’s worst teams. That’s not a good mix. The flip side of wanting to re-sign top free agents, like Howard and Nyquist, is that you’re not opening up any more cap space. If Detroit wants to be players on the free agent market this summer, they need to try to move out some of their more cumbersome cap hits if possible.

2) Picks and Prospects: The Red Wings have a lot of good talent in the AHL and some others still at the junior and collegiate level. Adding picks, especially 2019 picks in a deep, talented draft class, is always helpful, though. However, there should room for some camp battles next season, particularly up front, so some pro-ready forward prospects would also be helpful.

Michael Bunting Placed On Waivers By Arizona Coyotes

February 15, 2019 at 11:15 am CDT | by Zach Leach 2 Comments

Friday: Bunting has cleared waivers and has been returned to the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners, reports The Athletic’s Craig Morgan. Bunting clearing waivers for the second time this season is a slight surprise and the ’Yotes are surely happy to hold on to him. Meanwhile, his roster spot was used to bring veteran Brad Richardson back from the injured reserve last night.

Thursday: On one hand, the Arizona Coyotes are excited to be getting healthy just in time for the stretch run. On the other hand, the influx of healthy players means that some tough roster decisions have to be made. Today, that meant placing young scoring forward Michael Bunting on waivers, per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

Bunting, 23, has been moved back and forth freely and frequently between Arizona and the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners this season, after clearing waivers prior to this season, but never in Arizona long enough that he would need to clear waivers again. That is, until his latest recall in late January. Now, for Bunting to go back to Tuscon, he must be subjected to the wire again.

The AHL All-Star only has one goal – scored in his NHL debut – in five games with the ’Yotes this year, but has been close to a point-per-game with the Roadrunners and recorded 23 goals and 43 points in 67 AHL games last year. A fourth-round pick in 2014, Bunting has been a slow developing prospect but is coming into his own as a goal-scoring forward. Bunting did clear waivers in the preseason, but since displaying even more consistent scoring in the minors, may have caught the eye of another NHL team. A 24-hour stint on the waiver wire will tell one way or another.

Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers Discussing Cam Talbot Trade

February 15, 2019 at 10:30 am CDT | by Zach Leach 12 Comments

Friday: Dreger reiterated today that the Flyers and Oilers continue to talk of a Talbot trade. He claims the two sides are in a “holding pattern” and are trying to work out the kinks. The biggest new piece of news is that Stolarz, Philly’s impending RFA goaltender, is expected to be a piece of the return for Edmonton. Stolarz would presumably take over the backup job behind Koskinen this season, fitting under the salary cap without issue, and then challenge for the job again next year.

Thursday: The Philadelphia Flyers have already used seven goalies this season, so why not make it eight? According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Flyers and Edmonton Oilers are “definitely talking” about a Cam Talbot trade. The 31-year-old keeper is an impending free agent and known to be at the top of the Oilers’ deadline sale list, while the Flyers are not exactly looking for short-term help, but a long-term tandem option.

Were these talks purely for the purpose of Philadelphia using Talbot as a rental, they wouldn’t make much sense. The Flyers are eight points back of the rival Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild card slot in the Eastern Conference and would have to leapfrog the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres to get there. The team is also already carrying three goaltenders – Carter Hart, Anthony Stolarz, and Mike McKenna – and has season-opening starter Brian Elliott on a conditioning stint. As it is, the team is probably going to have to place McKenna on waivers when Elliott is ready to return. They also have Alex Lyon in the minors and could get Michal Neuvirth back from injury by the end of the year.

The Flyers don’t need a goalie right now; what they do need is a goalie for the future. The rookie Hart has been phenomenal at just 20 years old and is a core piece in Philly moving forward, but he needs a reliable veteran presence for the next few years as well. Elliott and Neuvirth (and McKenna) are all unrestricted free agents and Stolarz is an RFA with an injury history. The Flyers were destined to bring in a new goalie for next season and beyond and have apparently tabbed Talbot as a top option. Dreger notes that Talbot and Hart already share a good relationship, making it an ideal pairing of a promising young goalie in need of a mentor and a capable veteran who can no longer support a full work load. Talbot initially arrived in Edmonton after a breakout year as the backup for the New York Rangers, but truly broke out as a Vezina candidate in 2016-17 with a .919 save percentage and 2.37 GAA in 73 games. It would be the first of back-to-back seasons in which Talbot would lead the NHL in games played and this season he has felt the effects of being overworked. Talbot has an .893 save percentage and 3.36 GAA on the year, much of the reason why he lost out on an extension to backup Mikko Koskinen. Talbot needs a new home moving forward, and preferably one with a share in net, but there are questions about how much interest he will garner on the free agent market. Philadelphia appears to be the ideal landing spot, especially if he gets to play there before the end of the season. The Flyers would also benefit from an early opportunity to sign Talbot, rather than just waiting for free agency.

As for the Oilers, there is no hiding the fact that Edmonton is struggling to manage the cap and their roster right now. The team needs to make room for defenseman Andrej Sekera, but need to clear cap space and a roster spot to do so and have only through this weekend to figure it out. Trading Talbot, who the team has already determined is not a long-term fit, would be the easiest way to accommodate Sekera, which explains why trade talks are heating up. What the return will be for the veteran netminder remains to be seen. Since the Flyers could just wait until the off-season to sign Talbot, it likely won’t be impressive. However, with the Oilers maintaining that they are a buyer at the deadline, it will be interesting to see if Elliot or another Flyers goalie ends up as part of a hypothetical package. Edmonton’s odds at the postseason are slim, but asking Koskinen to start nearly every game down the stretch backed up by Al Montoya or unproven Shane Starrett certainly won’t help.

Red Wings Place Martin Frk On Waivers

February 14, 2019 at 11:05 am CDT | by Zach Leach 7 Comments

Thursday: Friedman reports that Frk has indeed cleared waivers. He is expected to be reassigned to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Not expected to be in demand on the trade market, the Red Wings’ next decision regarding Frk is likely whether or not to make him a qualifying offer this summer.

Wednesday: The Detroit Red Wings are over the Martin Frk experiment, at least for now. The team has placed the 25-year-old forward on waivers, writes Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, and this isn’t the first time. Frk was lost on waivers by the Red Wings early in the 2016-17 season, only to be reclaimed later when the Carolina Hurricanes also placed him on waivers. Will he survive the wire this time around? Limited game action and production could suggest so.

Although Frk has earned one-year extensions from Detroit in each of the past two seasons, he continues to be a difficult player to figure out. A 2012 second-round pick, Frk is known for his heavy shot and offensive instincts, but lacks the skating ability and awareness to put himself in scoring position often. Frk found some success last season, recording 25 points in 68 games, but has been limited to just 25 games, minimal ice time, and a resulting five points this year. At 25, the question is whether there’s still time and coach-ability left in Frk for him to develop into a complete player. If another team thinks so, Frk’s offensive potential may be worthy of a claim. If not, a pass through waivers could be the first step toward the impending RFA being out of the league sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, Friedman adds that the lone player on waivers yesterday has cleared. Montreal Canadiens forward Michael Chaput went untouched on the wire and remains with the Habs organization. The team was quick to announce that Chaput has been reassigned to the AHL’s Laval Rocket.

Oilers Struggling To Find Space For Andrej Sekera

February 13, 2019 at 5:51 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 5 Comments

Veteran Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andrej Sekera has missed the entire NHL season thus far following an off-season Achilles tear, but he’s making his way back. Sekera finally returned to action with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors last week on a conditioning loan and the initial reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with some believing the 32-year-old looks ready to be dependable NHL defender once again. The Oilers would really like to call him up, but they’re finding that it’s easier said than done.

When Sekera takes the ice again for the Condors tonight, it will be the third game of his conditioning stint and in most cases the last. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reports that Edmonton will file a request to Sekera and his representation that he extend his conditioning assignment for two more games and Spector expects that they will accept. Why? Because right now the Oilers have no way to call him up. Edmonton is currently right up against the salary cap ceiling and even this late in the season can only afford to add $4.27MM in salary to their roster, per CapFriendly. Sekera’s $5.5MM cap hit is thus problematic. The Oilers need to open up close to $1.25MM at the very least to bring Sekera up and there are no good options for demotion among players whose salaries exceed that value. The team is also restricted by their current roster structure; Edmonton is already carrying only 13 forwards compared to eight defensemen. Of the forwards making more than $1.25MM, only Tobias Rieder at $2MM is a trade candidate and his roster spot would need to be filled by another minor league forward which would still not open up much cap space.

So what do the Oilers do? Well, the team is known to be shopping goaltender Cam Talbot, whose $4.17MM cap hit is significant. While that drop-off, even offset by the recall of a new backup like Al Montoya ($1.06MM) or Shane Starrett ($818K), would open up enough cap space for Sekera, it wouldn’t open up an additional roster spot and the team would still be forced to put a defenseman on waivers. For that reason, it makes sense that TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports the team is trying to solve this situation by trading away a defenseman. Ironically, the two blue liners named are Brandon Manning and Alex Petrovic, both of whom were acquired by Edmonton earlier this season. Manning at $2.25MM and Petrovic at $1.95MM would both clear enough room for Sekera if traded away for a pick or prospect. However, McKenzie states that there has been little interest in the pair on the trade market. If the Oilers can’t find a taker by the time Sekera completes another two games on his conditioning stint, they will have no choice but to place one or the other on waivers. Should they trade Talbot or Rieder first, the team would likely prefer to either trade or waive Kevin Gravel instead, as his $700K cap hit is no help but his roster spot is.

One way or another, the clock is ticking for the Oilers and interim GM Keith Gretzky to figure this out. They are fortunate that Sekera’s camp is willing to extend the conditioning loan, but at most the team has through this weekend. It is hard to imagine a team being in this kind of scenario, the epitome of a cap crunch, but it’s especially tough to see a team below .500 likely being forced to give up assets for pennies on the dollar via trade or for free on waivers to add another inflated contract to their roster. This is yet another mark on Edmonton’s disappointing season.

Montreal Places Michael Chaput On Waivers

February 12, 2019 at 11:10 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

As expected, the Montreal Canadiens have placed forward Michael Chaput on waivers. The team needed to make a move after recalling Dale Weise and trading for Nate Thompson yesterday, and Chaput was the obvious waiver candidate.

The Canadiens have shown a willingness to expose depth forwards to waivers this year, already losing Nikita Scherbak, Jacob de La Rose and just yesterday Kenny Agostino. The team clearly believes it has the depth to handle these losses given their recent additions, and have now risked another player. Chaput, 26, has actually played 137 games in the NHL during a winding career, 32 of those coming this season with the Canadiens. Originally a third-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, Chaput has just five points in 2018-19.

Since Montreal used the non-roster designation on Chaput yesterday in order to get under the 23-man threshold, he must immediately be assigned to the minor leagues if he clears tomorrow. If that does happen, he very well could be back up with the team in a few weeks after the roster limits are relaxed.

Chicago Blackhawks Place Luc Snuggerud On Waivers

February 11, 2019 at 1:50 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

Monday: Snuggerud has cleared waivers and will see his contract terminated.

Sunday: The Chicago Blackhawks have put defenseman Luc Snuggerud on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination, according to CapFriendly. The 23-year-old has struggled with concussions and has appeared in just 44 games over the past two seasons with the Rockford Ice Hogs of the AHL.

Snuggerud was a fifth-round pick in 2014 and was signed after his junior year at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and looked like a promising prospect. He tallied five goals and 17 points in 40 games last season in the AHL. However, his concussion issues have been even worse this year as he has managed to appear in just four games with Rockford.

The blueliner is in the second year of a three-year entry-level deal. With little flexibility in signing potential college free agents, something that the Blackhawks have been in on in recent years, this should free up a contract slot for the upcoming future.

New Jersey Devils Claim Kenny Agostino

February 11, 2019 at 11:06 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The New Jersey Devils have decided to claim forward Kenny Agostino off waivers, meaning the Montreal Canadiens have lost another forward to the process. Montreal has already watched teams claim Nikita Scherbak and Jacob de La Rose this season. The Devils have sent Ryan Murphy to the minor leagues to make room, while recently acquired forward Dale Weise has been recalled by the Canadiens.

Agostino, a New Jersey native, will be reunited with the GM that drafted him in 2010 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. When Ray Shero used a fifth-round selection on the undersized forward he knew there was a lot of offensive potential there, but perhaps could not have imagined just how well Agostino would fare in the minor leagues. A former AHL MVP, the 26-year old Agostino has recorded 246 points in 273 regular season minor league games. Unfortunately that minor league success hasn’t translated to NHL opportunity, with 36 of Agostino’s 58 career NHL games coming this season with the Canadiens.

Still, there is little risk in a pickup of this nature for the Devils. Agostino is on a two-way contract that pays just $700K in the NHL and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Either he can contribute a bit for New Jersey down the stretch, or potentially becomes a deadline trade asset for a team looking for some depth. Montreal obviously couldn’t move him for anything worthwhile, but perhaps a showcase in New Jersey could create a market for the talented forward. Otherwise, it gives Agostino a chance to get familiar with an organization who may want to bring him back next season. There’s little doubt that he can help a minor league club, but New Jersey might also experience quite a bit of turnover through the summer given that players like Marcus Johansson and Drew Stafford are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

Carolina Hurricanes’ Scott Darling To Take Leave of Absence

February 10, 2019 at 3:30 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

It looks like the struggles of goaltender Scott Darling aren’t ending anytime soon. Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said that the goaltender, currently with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL, has taken a “personal leave of absence,” and has asked for some time off through his agent, according to News & Observer’s Chip Alexander.

Darling “from a mental standpoint needs to regroup, basically,” said Waddell.

Darling’s career has gone downhill ever since he was acquired back in the summer of 2017 in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks when Darling was one of the top backups in the league when he posted a 2.38 GAA and a .924 save percentage for a dominant Blackhawks’ squad. He was brought in to be the team’s No. 1 goaltender and rewarded with a four-year, $16.6MM contract, but he struggled right out of the gate and finished the 2017-18 season with a 3.18 GAA and a .888 save percentage in 43 games, eventually losing his job to Cam Ward.

Despite that rough season, Darling was reportedly working hard during the offseason to regain his form and came into camp in great shape. However, he didn’t fare any better and failed to get his career back track, putting up a 3.34 GAA and an .884 save percentage in eight games before the team placed him on waivers on Nov. 29, sending him to Charlotte. The 30-year-old has struggled there as well. In 14 games with the Checkers, he has a 3.40 GAA and an .882 save percentage.

Canadiens Place Karl Alzner On Waivers

February 10, 2019 at 11:17 am CDT | by Brian La Rose 4 Comments

Sunday: The Montreal Canadiens announced that Alzner has cleared waivers and the team has reassigned the defenseman to the Laval Rocket of the AHL.

Saturday: Following their acquisition of Christian Folin earlier today, the Canadiens needed to free up a roster spot. They’ve done just that as TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports (Twitter link) that they’ve placed defenseman Karl Alzner on waivers.

Alzner saw his ironman streak end at 622 regular season games in the season opener against Toronto and it was a sign of things to come. He has played in just nine games with Montreal this year and has not been injured at any time. The 30-year-old cleared waivers back in November and has played in 11 games with their AHL affiliate in Laval.

Alzner is in the second season of a five-year, $23.125MM contract that he signed back in the 2017 offseason. Considering the $4.625MM AAV and the term remaining on his contract, it’s a guarantee that he’ll pass through unclaimed once again and will be assigned back to Laval on Sunday. He’ll continue to serve as injury depth down there for the time being but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him recalled following the trade deadline when the 23-man roster limit is eliminated.

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