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Karl Alzner Placed On Waivers

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Tuesday: Alzner has cleared waivers as expected, and is on his way to the minor leagues.

Monday: The Montreal Canadiens had to make a decision about their defense corps as they prepare to welcome captain Shea Weber back, but it wasn’t going to be easy. Today, they have placed Karl Alzner on waivers with the intent of sending him to the minor leagues. Alzner is not at practice with the Canadiens today, and will almost certainly clear waivers thanks to his hefty contract.

Alzner, 30, is less than two years removed from signing one of the largest contracts of the 2017 offseason, a five-year $23.125MM deal with the intent of him shoring up the Montreal blue line. The former Washington Capitals player was meant to be another physical, veteran presence alongside Weber and allow the team to develop their young defensemen slowly. Unfortunately, Alzner’s game took a quick and decisive downward turn and he started this season in head coach Claude Julien’s dog house. Scratched on opening night and several more since then, Alzner has played just eight games this season despite previously playing all 82 games (or 48 in the case of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season) in his previous eight years.

Suddenly, not only does Alzner look like he’s headed for the minors but his NHL career could potentially be over. With a $4.625MM cap hit he would have to substantially improve his play to be appealing to any team in the league, and with three more seasons still left on his contract after this year he’ll be 34 before he could be back up with a lower cost. That is, unless the Canadiens buy out his contract at the end of the year.

Unfortunately, that buyout option doesn’t look very appealing at the moment. While the Canadiens would get more than $3.5MM in cap savings for the 2019-20 season, that benefit wouldn’t last because of the structure of Alzner’s deal. In fact, in 2020-21 they’d still have to carry a $4.2MM cap hit because of his low base salary. That’s more than the $3.6MM cap hit he’ll cause by playing in the minor leagues. Alzner also has a seven team no-trade clause, if the Canadiens hope to move him somewhere else for some cap relief.

Remember though, Alzner’s cap is not dead money like a player who has suffered a career-ending injury. With him healthy, the team still owes him his full $6MM salary this season, and though that decreases in the future, a team like Arizona who has been known to take on injured contracts in the past likely wouldn’t have much interest. There’s no insurance paying Alzner’s deal, meaning he’ll be a very expensive minor league asset for Montreal going forward.

Vancouver’s Darren Archibald Placed On Waivers

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Monday: Archibald has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.

Sunday: As many expected after the Vancouver Canucks activated defenseman Alexander Edler Saturday but didn’t make a corresponding move, the team has now placed Darren Archibald on waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

The Canucks designated Archibald as a non-roster player Saturday, according to CapFriendly, to complete the Edler transaction until the forward could be placed on waivers today. Archibald was recalled by the team on Oct. 30 and appeared in nine games, but averaged just 7:38 of ATOI, potting one goal, adding an assist and 12 penalty minutes. However, with an overload in forwards and the impending return of Brock Boeser soon, the team had to send a forward down.

The team did get Edler back finally, who made his return on Saturday after nearly a month after suffering a MCL strain in late October. Edler provides Vancouver with a much needed defensive leader and picked up 16:19 of ice time on his first game back, although he is expected to quickly work his way back to his normal ice time as he averages 21:47 for the season.

Winnipeg Jets Claim Marko Dano Off Waivers

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The Winnipeg Jets will say hello to an old friend, as they have reclaimed Marko Dano off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche. The Jets have immediately assigned Dano to the minor leagues, meaning they were the only team to put in a claim. Josh Brown meanwhile, who was on waivers with Dano, has cleared and can be assigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Dano, 23, is reaching the end of the line as a top prospect after flaming out of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks and now Avalanche organizations. He’s been given an opportunity at the NHL level with four different franchises now, and has been unable to assert himself with any of them. Still, he’ll return to a Jets organization that is known for its strong development system. His progress may have been slowed the last few seasons by the lack of consistent playing time, something he’ll surely receive in the minor leagues with the Manitoba Moose.

The Moose are now without Kristian Vesalainen for the rest of the season given his recent departure to the KHL, and could use another high-end forward to help them in their pursuit of the Calder Cup. Dano has only actually played in 89 regular season games in the minor leagues since debuting in 2013-14, meaning a full season in the AHL might be exactly what he needs to turn the corner in his career.

Marko Dano, Josh Brown Placed On Waivers

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The Colorado Avalanche have come to the same conclusion that the Winnipeg Jets did earlier this year, that Marko Dano is not ready to be a full-time NHL player. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Avalanche have placed Dano on waivers today, along with Josh Brown of the Florida Panthers. Brown has been on the season-opening injured reserve list, meaning he’s likely now healthy enough to join the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL.

Dano, 23, hasn’t been able to live up to his first-round draft pedigree and could now potentially be joining his fifth organization since being selected in 2013. He made the biggest impact with his first team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, but has flamed out in Chicago, Winnipeg and now Colorado. That high pedigree and obvious talents are enough to make someone take a chance on him, but there is little reason to believe he’s going to put it all together at this point.

Winnipeg could also reclaim him, which would allow them to send him right to the minor leagues if they are the only team to do so. With Kristian Vesalainen expected to head to the KHL, perhaps they would take another chance on Dano and try to get him ice time in the minor leagues. The young forward carries an $800K one-way contract, but is a restricted free agent again after the season and comes with several years of team control. If he does slip through, he’ll almost certainly be assigned to the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.

Snapshots: Martinsson, Kovar, Niagara

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Eric Martinsson’s days with the Minnesota Wild seem to be numbered, but he’s not likely to be too upset about it. Swedish new source “Hockey News SE” reports that the Martinsson and the Wild have come to a mutual agreement that the recent free agent signing is to be placed on unconditional waivers in the near future for the purpose of terminating his contract. Martinsson, 26, signed with Minnesota back in May, looking to make the jump overseas after a successful stretch in the Swedish Hockey League with the Vaxjo Lakers. Instead of earning a spot on the NHL roster, Martinsson was in fact a relatively early cut from training camp. While the puck-moving blue liner has nine points through 13 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild, he seems no closer to pushing for a chance in Minnesota than he did before the season began. As such, Martinsson would like to return home to Sweden and the Wild are expected to oblige him. Eric Martinsson is just the latest in a stream of players departing the North American minors to return to Europe this season, although Hockey New SE speculates that Martinsson’s return will be of considerable interest to many teams in the SHL.

  • Veteran forward Jan Kovar is also pondering a return to Europe. Kovar signed with the New York Islanders this summer after years of success in the KHL and in his native Czech Republic. Kovar was expected to not only compete for a job with the Isles, but potentially even center a scoring line. Instead, Kovar proved to be a poor fit with the team in camp and did not crack the starting lineup. His contract was quickly terminated, but in holding out hope for another NHL opportunity, he signed with the AHL’s Providence Bruins. Kovar has nine points in ten games with Providence, while their parent club, the Boston Bruins, have struggled with injuries and consistency, but no contract offer seems to be coming. The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver now reports that Kovar has not practiced with the team in two days and is supposedly weighing overseas contract offers. Divver believes that Kovar has offers in the KHL and NLA, as well as back home in the Czech Republic, but no such opportunities in North America. Divver additionally questions whether Kovar plays with the requisite pace to succeed in the NHL, a criticism that has come up frequently during his brief efforts this season.
  • Less than 25 games into the season doesn’t seem to be too early for a blockbuster trade in the Ontario Hockey League. The Kingston Frontenacs, with just seven win thus far the second-worst record in the league, have cashed in on two of their best assets. The Niagara Ice Dogs announced today that they have acquired Jason Robertson and Jacob Paquette from Kingston. Robertson, a second-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2017, has back-to-back 80+ point seasons and is currently fourth among OHL scoring leaders with 38 points and second in goals with 23. Paquette, a seventh-round pick of the Nashville Predators in 2017, is a big, physical defender and a locker room leader as well. Niagara is currently tied for second in the Central Division and tied for sixth overall in the league, but will almost certainly see a considerable boost from this trade. Yet, Kingston also received a king’s ransom in the deal. The Ice Dogs surrendered a total of eleven future draft picks, including three second-rounders and three third-rounders, as well as promising draft-eligible defenseman Billy Constantinou and forward Ian Martin. The Frontenacs may have disappointed their fans by virtually giving up on the season less than halfway in, but will reward them with a solid flow of talent for years to come.

Ducks Place Hampus Lindholm On Injured Reserve

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The Anaheim Ducks continue to deal with a rash of injuries, as top defenseman Hampus Lindholm has now joined the sidelined. CapFriendly reports that Lindholm has been placed on the injured reserve, a change also reflected on the team’s official roster albeit not yet announced by the Ducks.

There has been no word yet on the type or extent of the injury that Lindholm has suffered, but Ducks fans will hold out hope that it is relatively minor. The team is already without Cam Fowler, on IR with a facial fracture, and have yet to see Korbinian Holzer this season due to a wrist injury. On top of a depleted back end, the team is also missing quite a few names up front, including core forwards Corey Perry and Patrick Eaves. A Lindholm absence of any length hurts, but Anaheim can ill afford a long-term hiatus.

Lindholm, 25, not only leads all Ducks skaters in ice time, but his 25:29 ATOI is seventh-best in the whole league. Lindholm is also tied for third in scoring for Anaheim with ten points, among the top scoring defensemen in the Pacific Division. Without Lindholm and Fowler, the Ducks are sorely lacking their regular leadership and top sources of production on the blue line. Although they have yet to announce this transaction as well, the team’s roster shows that defensemen Jake Dotchin and Josh Mahura have been recalled and both could soon find their way into the starting lineup, with Luke Schenn clearing waivers and destined for the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Dotchin played in 48 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, but has yet to make his Ducks debut, while first-year pro Mahura would be making his first NHL appearance. The two have performed well for San Diego this season, but face a tall task if asked to help make up for a long-term Lindholm absence in Anaheim.

Ducks Place Luke Schenn On Waivers

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Sunday: Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports that Schenn cleared waivers and will report to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL.

Saturday: The Ducks have placed defenseman Luke Schenn on waivers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link).  The veteran has had a limited role with Anaheim this season, playing in just eight games while averaging a career-low 11:59 per night of ice time.  He’s in his first season with the Ducks after inking a one-year, $800K contract with them this offseason.

The timing of this move seems a little curious on the surface with Cam Fowler out indefinitely following surgery to repair a complex facial fracture.  At the very least, the team has a pair of veterans with recent NHL experience in the minors that they can call up to take Schenn’s place in Andrej Sustr and Jake Dotchin.

Given that Schenn is a right-shot defender (something that is typically in high demand) and has a relatively cheap price tag, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a team in need of some defensive depth place a claim.  They’ll have until 11:00 AM CST on Sunday to do so.  If Schenn clears and is sent to their AHL affiliate in San Diego, his full cap hit will come off Anaheim’s books.

Michael Bournival, Filip Sandberg Placed On Waivers

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Friday: Both players have cleared waivers, meaning Bournival can be sent to the Crunch, and Sandberg will see his contract terminated.

Thursday: The Tampa Bay Lightning have placed Michael Bournival on waivers according to CapFriendly, meaning the forward is likely healthy enough to resume playing after starting the year on season-opening injured reserve. Bournival played just five games for the Lightning last season and was always expected to spend much of the year in the minor leagues. The San Jose Sharks have also placed Filip Sandberg on unconditional waivers for purpose of a mutual contract termination, something we’ve seen more and more of this season.

Bournival, 26, has bounced around the league since being selected by the Colorado Avalanche in 2010. Traded to the Montreal Canadiens just a few months after he was drafted, he actually played 60 games in the NHL during the 2013-14 season and recorded 14 points before suiting up again for the team in the postseason. That would be the most NHL ice time he’d see though, as Bournival has played just 53 more NHL games since. Still, he’s developed into a quality minor league player for the Syracuse Crunch and scored 34 points in 57 games last season. Should he clear, he’ll likely bounce up and down for the Lightning as an extra forward capable of filling in for injury.

Sandberg meanwhile will likely return to Sweden where he was signed from in 2017, and continue his playing career in the SHL. The undersized forward never did make it to the NHL, instead playing just 55 games total at the AHL level. His contract will come off the books for the Sharks, and he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.

Overseas Notes: Merzlikins, Everberg, Bartulis, Boychuk

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The Columbus Blue Jackets will apparently have another name to consider in net next season. The Swiss Hockey News reports that young goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is expected to make the jump to North America next year. Merzlikins, 24, was Columbus’ third-round pick in 2014 and has been a standout member of the NLA’s HC Lugano ever since. The Latvian keeper took over Lugano’s starting job in 2015-16 at just 20 years old and has performed admirably. So far this year, he has been especially impressive; though 16 appearances, Merzlikins holds a .932 save percentage and a 2.19 goals against average. Fortunately for him, Merzlikins is in the final year of his NLA contract and is reportedly bound for the next level once it expires. Given his impressive performance, Merzlikins is likely to compete for the starting role with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters and push for NHL appearances. With only Joonas Korpisalo and untested Matiss Kivlenieks under team control beyond this season, the Blue Jackets face questions in net moving forward and hope Merzlikins could potentially provide some answers.

  • The Swiss Hockey News also relays the news that Dennis Everberg has quickly found a new home. Everberg cleared unconditional waivers and had his contract with the Winnipeg Jets terminated only this morning, but clearly had a new opportunity lined up. Everberg has signed with EV Zug of the NLA, with whom he is surely going to take a much larger role than he had relegated to the minors with Winnipeg. Ironically, Zug was in search of a top forward after another former NHL forward, Viktor Stalberg, departed the team for the KHL’s Avangard Omsk last month.
  • Oskars Bartulis continues to make the most of his post-NHL career. A third-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers back in 2005, Bartulis played in 66 games with the team but could never quite stand out. After spending much of his time in North America down in the AHL, Bartulis returned to Europe in 2012. Almost immediately, he began establishing himself as one of the top shutdown defenders in the KHL. Even thouhg his play has tailed off somewhat, Bartulis spent the last three years as the captain of Admiral Vladivostok and is still well-respected in the league. When he did not sign a new contract this off-season, there were questions about whether he was done. Yet, he’s back for another season at the age of 31. The KHL reports that Bartulis has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Kunlun Red Star and should fit in well on a roster that is chock full of talented former NHLers.
  • On the other end of the spectrum, former top NHL prospect Zach Boychuk has been released from his contract with the KHL’s Severstal Cherepovets. Boychuk had been disappointing this year, with just four points in 25 games. In his first season with Severstal, the team was not willing to wait any longer to see if his play improved. The long-time Carolina Hurricane has been overseas for three years now and was very effective just last season with HC Slovan Bratislava. It remains to be seen what the next step is in the career of the capable forward.

Dennis Everberg, Michael Lindqvist On Unconditional Waivers

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Wednesday: Both players have cleared waivers and will now see their contracts terminated.

Tuesday: The season of contract termination continues, as the Winnipeg Jets are the latest to place a player on unconditional waivers. Dennis Everberg finds himself there today, for the purpose of mutually terminating his contract after just 11 games in the minor leagues. Bob McKenzie of TSN adds that the New York Rangers have placed Michael Lindqvist on unconditional waivers for the same purpose.

It seems as though the majority of undrafted European free agents have decided to terminate their deals in North America this year, with Everberg and Lindqvist only adding to the total. The former, who signed a one-year two-way contract on July 1st, was actually returning to this side of the ocean after previously playing two seasons in the Colorado Avalanche organization between 2014-16. The Swedish forward struggled last year in the KHL and didn’t find much more success in the AHL this time around. With just a single point in 11 games with the Manitoba Moose, Everberg will likely now return to the SHL to continue his playing career.

Lindqvist though is an even more interesting story, given that the Rangers did include a European Assignment Clause in his contract. Signed in May to a one-year entry-level contract, the team could have potentially allowed him to return to Sweden this season and still retain his rights as a restricted free agent next summer. After the 24-year old scored seven points in 16 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack one would think the Rangers were interested in keeping him in the system, but they’ve decided to terminate his deal instead. That will make Lindqvist an unrestricted free agent once again, though it seems unlikely that he’ll be back in an NHL organization anytime soon.

The Rangers likely made this decision thanks to the fact that Lindqvist would be arbitration eligible after the season, a process they would want to avoid. Everberg meanwhile would have been an unrestricted free agent anyway, and hadn’t found a real role in the Winnipeg organization.

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