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Minnesota Wild Claim Anthony Bitetto

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The Minnesota Wild have added another depth defenseman in their search to change their fortunes this season, claiming Anthony Bitetto off waivers from the Nashville Predators according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Bitetto obviously has ties to Minnesota GM Paul Fenton, who was with Nashville when the defenseman was drafted in 2010.

Claiming Bitetto actually may have a real impact on some of the other players vying for spots on the Wild, given how full their roster will now be. The team is expected to activate Eric Fehr within the next few days, meaning that there isn’t any room for the recently demoted Luke Kunin and Joel Eriksson Ek. Someone else would have to go, and likely face waivers themselves.

Bitetto’s claim also is a bit of a head-scratcher given the depth the Wild already have on defense after trading for Brad Hunt recently. The team is now carrying eight defenders with Matt Dumba on injured reserve, but have others like Louis Belpedio and Ryan Murphy in the minor leagues who could fill in if necessary. The claim doesn’t cost them much of anything though given Bitetto’s minimum salary contract, and perhaps they can sneak him through waivers themselves in a few days. Nashville at that point would have a chance to reclaim him.

Nashville Predators Place Anthony Bitetto On Waivers

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Even as the NHL breaks for the All-Star festitivies, front offices are hard at work. Today according to CapFriendly, the Nashville Predators have placed Anthony Bitetto on waivers.

The Predators are carrying eight defensemen at the moment and none of them are waiver-exempt, so if someone was going to go down it makes sense that it would be Bitetto. The 28-year old has played just 18 games this season and is averaging fewer than 11 minutes in those appearances. It seems unlikely that he would be claimed, meaning that he can be at the ready for the team in the minor leagues or just give them a little more last minute flexibility in the NHL.

Bitetto is on a one-year minimum salary contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. His NHL career consists 114 games and 19 points, while possession statistics reflect very poorly on the veteran minor league defenseman.

Andrej Sustr Placed On Waivers

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Thursday: Sustr has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.

Wednesday: The Anaheim Ducks have decided to place Andrej Sustr on waivers once again, after clearing earlier this season. Sustr hasn’t played an NHL game since November and has suited up just five times for the Ducks this season.

It’s hard to know what Sustr would bring to another team at this point in his career, but there was a time that he was considered a key part of the Tampa Bay Lightning blue line. The 6’7″ right-handed shot recorded a career-high 21 points in 2015-16, but quickly fell out of favor over the last few years. He signed with the Ducks for $1.3MM this year but hasn’t been able to get into the lineup on a consistent basis.

That price tag is also what likely kept him in the Ducks organization the first time through waivers, but this time perhaps a team will take a chance on the big defenseman. With Michael Del Zotto ready to play for Anaheim it seems unlikely that Sustr will be getting into any game action soon, and may have to spend another chunk of the year in the minor leagues with the San Diego Gulls.

Edmonton Oilers Place Ty Rattie, Ryan Spooner On Waivers

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Tuesday: All three players have cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.

Monday: With the Edmonton Oilers continuing to slip out of playoff contention, the team has placed forwards Ty Rattie and Ryan Spooner on waivers. They’ll be joined by Justin Falk of the Ottawa Senators, who is finally healthy enough to resume playing but will be sent to the minor leagues if he clears.

Spooner’s placement on waivers will be the one that dominates headlines for the next 24 hours, given how he came to be part of the Oilers organization. The 26-year old forward was acquired from the New York Rangers for Ryan Strome earlier this season, who in turn had been the entire return for Jordan Eberle when the Oilers felt they needed to shed some salary up front. The idea that Spooner could now be gone for nothing will enrage Edmonton fans that have watched Eberle find success with the New York Islanders while their team struggles to find anyone who can put the puck in the net outside of their top three. The Oilers have even been described as desperate to add offensive touch on the wings, something that basically describes Eberle (not to mention Taylor Hall, another traded winger) perfectly.

Still, it’s not really surprising that Spooner finds himself in this position. The forward has recorded just three points in 24 games since being acquired by the Oilers and has recently spent time in the press box as a healthy scratch. His perimeter game has not gelled with head coach Ken Hitchcock’s system at all, and without regular powerplay time his offensive production has almost completely dried up.

There may be some reason to believe Spooner will be claimed though, given his history as a 40-50 point center in the league. In 2015-16 with the Boston Bruins Spooner recorded 49 points in 80 games while playing more than 15 minutes a night, before settling for 39 and 41 points the next two years while playing on the wing more often. That kind of production is exactly what the Oilers were hoping for when the acquired him, and what another team could take a chance on. With one more year on his contract at $3.1MM though, Edmonton may be forced to try and bury him in the minor leagues for the time being to open up some cap space.

Rattie meanwhile was likely one of the people most upset when Hitchcock was given the Edmonton job, given their history with the St. Louis Blues. The 32nd-overall pick from 2011 was never really able to get into the lineup under Hitchcock, and eventually found himself claimed off waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes. In 30 games with the Blues, Rattie recorded eight points, the same number he has in 29 contests with Edmonton this year.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Seabrook, Flynn

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After all the struggles the New York Islanders have had over the last few years finding a reliable starting goaltender, one can understand why it is surprising to see one of them at the top of the Three Stars list for last week. Robin Lehner, who was left unqualified by the Buffalo Sabres last summer, took home the first star of the week after stopping 65 of 67 shots. Lehner has played himself into a potential extension with the Islanders or a long-term deal on the open market this summer with his .930 save percentage this season for the resurgent Islanders.

Second and third stars went to two forwards on teams out of the playoffs, as Mika Zibanejad and Patrick Kane did their usual damage. Zibanejad is one of the few players on the New York Rangers that seems off the trade block this season given his relative youth and affordable contract, though of course nothing is set in stone at this point. Kane on the other hand is having another incredible season in a lost year for the Blackhawks, with 70 points in 49 games. He too is untouchable, of course.

  • Kane also made headlines today for coming to the defense of teammate Brent Seabrook. With the Blackhawks in the midst of another failed season, the scrutiny of Seabrook’s contract – considered by many to be one of the worst in the league – hasn’t gone away. Seabrook, 33, is signed for five more years at a cap hit of $6.875MM, but already appears to be on the decline. His offensive totals have decreased in each of the past two seasons and, while they are on pace to improve this year, his defense has noticeably dropped off in the current campaign. Seabrook has struggled to maintain his previous high level of play and has not been able to avoid criticism, given the price tag on his participation. Yet, Kane fired back at media members after practice on Monday when Seabrook’s name came up yet again during questioning about the performance of Chicago’s core players, NBC Sports’ Charlie Roumeliotis writes. Kane argued that Seabrook is underpaid in the eyes of his teammates due to his leadership and locker room presence, calling him the “heart and soul” of the team. Kane’s defense of his long-time teammate may keep the critics of his back for the time being, but if Seabrook doesn’t improve, his contract will continue to be a focal point of the Blackhawks struggles.
  • It didn’t take long for Brian Flynn to find a new team. Just two days after clearing unconditional waivers and having his contract terminated by the St. Louis Blues, the veteran forward is on his way to Switzerland. EV Zug of the NLA has announced a one-year contract with Flynn, who is making his first foray into European hockey. Zug is currently the top team in the NLA; however, the team finished second overall in the regular season last year, only to be upset in the first round of the playoffs. Looking to avoid a similar fate, they have brought in Flynn who should make an immediate impact. The 30-year-old has 275 NHL games under his belt, as well as another 137 in the AHL and 153 in the NCAA as a star for the University of Maine. In stops with the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens, Flynn showed that he could be a reliable role player, while his collegiate years and AHL stints with the Rochester Americans and Texas Stars also displayed high-end offensive ability. Playing alongside fellow NHL vets like Dennis Everberg, Carl Klingberg, and Raphael Diaz, as well as leading scorer Lino Martschini – who has garnered some NHL attention this season – Flynn should be able to step in and be a difference-maker right away for Zug.

Brian Flynn Clears Unconditional Waivers

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Saturday: Flynn has cleared waivers.  The Rampage announced (Twitter link) that St. Louis has terminated his contract at Flynn’s request.

Friday: According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, former NHL forward Brian Flynn has been placed on unconditional waivers by the St. Louis Blues with the intention of terminating his contract. Flynn has spent the season with the San Antonio Rampage, but would be able to pursue other opportunities should the process go forward without any problems.

It’s been quite a while since Flynn saw the NHL, last suiting up for one playoff game in 2017 for the Montreal Canadiens. After spending all of last year with the Texas Stars, the 30-year old signed a one-year two-way contract with the Blues on July 1st. He was likely meant to give the Rampage a veteran hand up front, but has recorded just a single goal in 21 games.

If Flynn does see his contract terminated he could sign elsewhere around the league or go overseas in search of work. The undrafted forward out of the University of Maine played 275 career regular season games in the NHL, scoring 27 times and recording 61 points.

Matt Lorito Placed On Waivers

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Friday: Lorito has cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the minor leagues.

Thursday: The New York Islanders have placed forward Matt Lorito on waivers today according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, likely meaning he is ready to return to action after starting the year on season-opening injured reserve.

Lorito, 28, was signed to a two-year contract in the offseason by the Islanders, expecting the veteran forward to lend his talents to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for most of the season. That’s where Lorito has done his damage in previous years, putting up excellent seasons for the Albany Devils and Grand Rapids Griffins in the past. The undersized winger was an undrafted free agent signed out of college, and has just two games under his belt in the NHL.

His contract and relative inexperience will almost surely get Lorito through waivers, meaning he can play in the minor leagues for the Islanders and be an injury call-up if necessary. That’s big for the Sound Tigers, who sit in second place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division and are looking to challenge for the Calder Cup.

Philadelphia Flyers Place Dale Weise On Waivers

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Wednesday: Weise has cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the minor leagues.

Tuesday: The Philadelphia Flyers have started to make some changes, beginning with Dale Weise. The veteran forward has been placed on waivers and is available for claim by the entire league.

Weise, 30, is a perfect example of how the Flyers have underperformed over the last few seasons. Signed to a four-year $9.4MM deal in 2016, the defensive winger has not been able to reproduce the level of offensive production he experienced in Montreal. With just 34 points in his 152-game Flyers career so far, there just isn’t enough reason to keep him in the lineup over some of the team’s younger players if GM Chuck Fletcher is looking towards the future.

Still, Weise is an extremely well-liked teammate and could very well find himself on a new team within the next few days. It may be a stretch for a team to claim him and his entire $2.35MM cap hit—that extends through 2019-20—but should he clear the Flyers could find him a new home with the added benefit of being able to go straight to the minor leagues. We’ve seen moves like this before after a player clears waivers, though there is no guarantee that is what Fletcher has planned.

If Weise does go to the minor leagues for Philadelphia, a pro-rated $1.025MM will come off his cap hit while he is buried in the AHL. That number actually increases to $1.075MM next season, meaning he would be even less of a cap liability if the team decides to keep him there.

The Flyers are moving in a new direction after a season that has seen them go 17-23-6 through the first 46 games and it is obvious that there will be other casualties. Most eyes will be focused on Wayne Simmonds next as the trade deadline approaches, given the apparent lack of any extension interest and his status as an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.

Colby Cave, Phillip Di Giuseppe Placed On Waivers

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Tuesday: While Cave was claimed by the Edmonton Oilers, Di Giuseppe has cleared waivers once again and was assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL.

Monday: The Boston Bruins have placed Colby Cave on waivers today according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, exposing the 24-year old forward to the rest of the league. Cave will be joined on waivers by Phillip Di Giuseppe, who was only recently claimed by the Nashville Predators.

Cave has played 20 games for the Bruins this season after getting off to the best start of his minor league career, and has shown enough to perhaps draw some interest from around the league. The undrafted former WHL forward recorded 18 points in 15 games for the Providence Bruins, but could only contribute five during his stint in the NHL. Still, relatively young centers that can avoid getting filled in at even strength in the NHL aren’t all that easy to come by, meaning someone could take a chance on Cave tomorrow.

For Di Giuseppe, this is nothing new. The 25-year old forward had already been placed on and cleared waivers twice this season before the Predators claimed him on his third trip, meaning he very well could slip through this time around. Obviously the Hurricanes could choose to bring him back, but either way it doesn’t look like he’ll be getting regular minutes in the NHL anytime soon.

Edmonton Oilers Claim Colby Cave

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The Boston Bruins thought they could slide Colby Cave through waivers this week, but with the Edmonton Oilers looking for any sort of forward help it wasn’t to be so. The Oilers have claimed Cave, meaning he will join their NHL group and likely get another chance to establish himself at the highest level.

It’s not the first time this season that the Oilers have taken a stab at a young forward on waivers, given their dramatic need for help in the bottom half of their lineup. Cave played 20 games with the Bruins this season and actually impressed many with his unending work ethic and two-way ability. The 24-year old recorded five points in those games but has also dominated the AHL level this year with 18 points in 15 contests for the Providence Bruins. There’s little reason to believe he can become a top-six forward for Edmonton, but they’ve struggled so much to create any offense outside of their top few players that even a professional fourth-liner may be an upgrade.

The Oilers have just four forwards with at least five goals this season—not counting Drake Caggiula who recorded seven before being traded away—and amazingly fewer with even 25 points. Jujhar Kaira’s 13 points puts him fifth among all forwards, a production level that is not possible for a team expecting to challenge for the Stanley Cup. Cave should immediately challenge for a full-time role in Edmonton, and could even push out some of the more veteran options.

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