Minor Transactions: 12/13/17
The transaction freeze is coming quickly in the NHL, as all 31 teams will lock down their rosters between December 19-27th. That means they have just a few days left to make any trades or waiver assignments they need, leading to daily intrigue around the league. We’ll keep track of all the minor moves of the day right here.
- The St. Louis Blues have swapped backup goaltenders, sending Ville Husso back to San Antonio while calling up Jordan Binnington from the Providence Bruins. The Blues of course don’t have a primary affiliate this season, which explains why their prospects are scattered throughout the league. Husso had been up to fill in for the injured Carter Hutton, but needs playing time of his own to continue his development. Enter Binnington, who can backup Jake Allen for the time being.
- The Nashville Predators have sent Frederick Gaudreau back to the AHL according to Adam Vingan of the Tenessean meaning that Scott Hartnell or Ryan Johansen are likely back tonight. Gaudreau has three points in 17 games this season.
- Ville Pokka has been recalled by the Chicago Blackhawks while Cody Franson is moved to injured reserve. The Blackhawks have been waiting for Pokka to make his mark in the NHL since acquiring him in 2014, but he’s continued to struggle with defensive miscues throughout his career. If he does get into the lineup, it would be his NHL debut and a chance to prove that his offensive value can overcome any lapses in his own end.
- Ben Harpur has been sent back to the AHL by the Ottawa Senators, though it’s not clear why yet. Head coach Guy Boucher recently said that Mark Borowiecki wasn’t close enough to return yet, and Chris Wideman is still out long-term. Harpur’s assignment leaves the Senators with just six healthy defensmen on the active roster, meaning another move is likely to follow. In the meantime the team has called up forward Nick Paul, bringing him back after his latest stint in the AHL. Paul, a 22-year old winger, has played four games with the Senators this season but has been held scoreless.
- Arizona has recalled Joel Hanley from the AHL, bringing the 26-year old back for the third time this year. Hanley has played four games for the club this year, and is eligible to be brought up and down as he cleared waivers just a week ago. The team had sent Kyle Capobianco back to the minor leagues to keep him in game action, but needed another defenseman with Niklas Hjalmarsson still not ready to return.
- The New Jersey Devils have brought Nick Lappin up from the AHL to replace Marcus Johansson, who ends up on injured reserve for the second time this year. Lappin had been tearing up the minor leagues with 12 goals in 23 games, continuing his pattern of finding the back of the net with ease. Johansson is out with an ankle bruise suffered on Saturday.
- Duncan Siemens has been reassigned to the San Antonio Rampage, as the Colorado Avalanche continue to try and spark something in the first-round pick. Siemens was selected 11th-overall in 2011, but hasn’t been able to crack the NHL for any length of time. In five career games, he has zero points.
Contract Totals A Limiting Factor For Minnesota, Toronto
In the NHL, a team is allowed to have 50 Standard Player Contracts signed at any one time. That includes all players on the active roster, in the minor leagues or on long-term injured reserve. Players under the age of 20 who’ve been loaned back to their junior or European clubs are exempt, giving the team some flexibility on signing draft picks during the year.
Teams generally try to leave themselves a few open slots in case an opportunity arises—through waivers, trade or free agency—to add a useful player. Two teams don’t currently have this luxury as CapFriendly points out, as Minnesota and Toronto both have hit the 50-contract cap. They’ve come about it in different ways.
Minnesota was at 49 contracts for much of the season, until they claimed Nate Prosser off waivers from the St. Louis Blues at the end of last month. Prosser’s addition pushed them right up against the cap, likely a contributing factor in their search for a landing spot for Kyle Quincey. They could use the cap space from a Quincey trade—he’s still causing a $225K cap hit while in the minor leagues—but being at the 50-contract mark limits them in other ways.
As referenced above, they can still sign draft picks to entry-level deals, as they did recently with Ivan Lodnia. The bigger issue is that they can’t go after any other players on waivers, or negotiate a trade without sending bodies out the other way. Ridding yourself of contracts isn’t as easy as it sounds. Waiving or assigning players to the minor leagues doesn’t move them off the list, meaning you have to either agree to a mutual termination (very unlikely with the vast majority of players) or trade them away.
Toronto recently filled up in a different way. To start the season, Carl Grundstrom‘s contract didn’t count towards the limit because he was 19 and playing in Sweden. Earlier this month he celebrated his 20th birthday, and became ineligible for the SPC exemption. The fact that Toronto had already traded for Calvin Pickard earlier in the year had brought them closer to the limit, with Grundstrom pushing them right up against it.
The Maple Leafs have been cognizant of this situation in the past, even allowing Dominic Toninato to hit free agency after his college career because they didn’t have a contract slot for him. Toninato signed with the Colorado Avalanche and even made his NHL debut this season. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the team move out a contract before long to recapture some flexibility, though it’s not clear who that would be.
Either way, it’s something to watch out for when the Maple Leafs or Wild are involved in a transaction. The two teams have to carefully navigate their contract limits, or end up missing out on a possible opportunity.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Ryan Carpenter Placed On Waivers
The San Jose Sharks have placed Ryan Carpenter on waivers according to CapFriendly. This move could mean that Joonas Donskoi is healthy enough to return from injured reserve, but it means Carpenter is likely headed for the minor leagues.
In 16 games this season, the 26-year old Carpenter has just a single point. The undrafted center has been an excellent minor league offensive producer, but hasn’t been able to carry that scoring touch over to the NHL level. Though he’s not been afforded much ice time in his 28 career games, the Sharks need some more production from the fringes of their roster.
Interestingly, his value at center could be enticing to other clubs around the league. Carpenter is signed to a two-year deal that pays him the minimum salary at the NHL level, and has been an average faceoff man and penalty killer for the Sharks. Any team looking for some more depth down the middle could put in a claim, though there isn’t a ton of upside there to receive.
Anaheim Places Jared Boll On Waivers
Monday: Boll has cleared waivers, and can now be assigned to the minor leagues. No one was placed on waivers today.
Sunday: The Anaheim Ducks placed enforcer Jared Boll on waivers this morning, according to Elliotte Friedman. The fourth-line winger had only played eight games this year due to a lower body injury suffered on Nov. 8.
Boll, who was signed to a two-year deal by the Ducks back in 2016 has struggled to get on the ice this year. He was expected to help fill in for all the injuries the team had suffered over the course of the year, but his own injuries got in the way. With the impending return of Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler, possibly any day now, the need for a slow, grinding forward may no longer be necessary as the team can put more skilled players on their fourth line instead.
Boll played 51 games for the Ducks last season, picking up 87 penalty minutes and three assists. This year in his eight games, he has picked up nine penalty minutes and scored one goal. He has averaged just 4:08 of ice time in those games.
Tanner Kero, Tyler Graovac Placed On Waivers
Friday: Kero has cleared waivers and been assigned to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. The team has recalled Hinostroza in his place. Graovac has also cleared and been assigned to the minor leagues, though no recall has been made in his place.
Thursday: According to Scott Powers of The Athletic, the Chicago Blackhawks have decided to place Tanner Kero on waivers today. Kero has been a healthy scratch for the majority of the season, and has three points in eight games on the year. The Blackhawks have lost five straight games and dropped to sixth in the Central Division at 12-11-5.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet also reports that Tyler Graovac will join Kero on waivers today, placed there by the Washington Capitals. Graovac has played just five games for the Capitals, but has not scored a point yet this season. Greg McKegg, on waivers yesterday, has cleared.
While Graovac isn’t much of a surprise, given that he was acquired as a depth piece for the Capitals anyway and their team should be getting Andre Burakovsky back any day, Kero’s waiving will turn some heads. The 25-year old was an important piece for the Blackhawks last season, scoring 16 points in 47 games at the NHL level. Though he’s by no means a star, he moved up and down the lineup last season with relative success.
Instead, the Blackhawks seem poised to make a call-up from the minor leagues. Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times believes it could be Vinnie Hinostroza, the diminutive 23-year old who seems able to score at will for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. Ironically, Hinostroza was actually outscored by Kero last season in a similar number of games (Hinostroza put up 14 points in 49 games).
Marek Mazanec On Waivers; Will Sign With New York Rangers
Wednesday: As expected, Mazanec has cleared waivers and signed with the Rangers. He was immediately assigned to the AHL, along with Alexandar Georgiev who’d been up while Henrik Lundqvist dealt with the flu. Mazanec is likely on a minimum salary two-way contract, meaning he would have $650K cap hit in the NHL.
Tuesday: Marek Mazanec is about to return to North American professional hockey, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that he will sign with the New York Rangers. Mazanec has been placed on waivers today, meaning he’s destined for the AHL once he clears. Mazanec had been under contract with the Nashville Predators this summer, but had his contract terminated to pursue an opportunity in the KHL.
After the Predators added both Matt O’Connor and Anders Lindback, it was expected that the organization would move away from Mazanec. Still though, they issued him a qualifying offer and he filed for salary arbitration, eventually settling on a two-way contract. That deal was terminated when Mazanec found a job with Slovan Bratislava in the KHL, but they’ve now moved on as well. Mazanec struggled for Slovan, posting an .899 save percentage through 23 games this season. The team has KHL veteran Jakub Stepanek to fill the crease for them, who has played better so far this year.
Joel Hanley of the Arizona Coyotes and Matt Moulson of the Buffalo Sabres, on waivers yesterday, have both cleared and can be assigned to their respective AHL teams. The Sabres had been trying to find a taker for Moulson and his $5MM cap hit, but instead will have to bury him in the minor leagues. The team will gain a prorated $1.025MM in salary cap relief from assigning him to the AHL.
Pittsburgh Penguins Place Greg McKegg On Waivers
The Pittsburgh Penguins have placed forward Greg McKegg on waivers today, after registering just four points in 26 games. The Penguins need a roster spot for an extra defenseman after Justin Schultz was injured yesterday. There’s no guarantee that McKegg is assigned to the minor leagues, but it is likely.
McKegg has been a full-time center for the Penguins until recently, but even when he was in the lineup hasn’t seen the ice very much. Averaging fewer than 10 minutes a night, he does contribute some on the penalty kill and has already nearly matched his career-high in goals this season. A former prospect of the Toronto Maple Leafs, McKegg has bounced around since being traded for Zach Hyman in 2015.
The Penguins are still out looking for help down the middle, which would eventually move McKegg out permanently. For now they’ll stick with Carter Rowney in the fourth-line role, but would likely rather Riley Sheahan to slide down after acquiring a different option for the third group.
McKegg is no stranger to waivers, having been placed their a handful of times throughout his career. The 25-year old could be claimed by another club looking for some depth at center ice, as he is on a minimum two-way deal and wouldn’t hurt a salary cap.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Moulson, Armstrong, Lightning
Buffalo Sabres forward Matt Moulson cleared waivers today, allowing the team to send him to the minor leagues if they choose. Since that hasn’t happened yet, Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News asked head coach Phil Housley about the situation. The coach’s response:
Jason [Botterill, GM of the Sabres] and his agent are working on some options but that’s as much as I know at this point.
As with any player, Moulson would likely prefer to go somewhere that has an NHL role for him, but he currently holds a partial no-trade clause. Moulson can submit 12 teams that he’ll accept trades to, but perhaps his agent and Botterill will expand that to get a deal done somewhere. Moulson has another year on his contract at a $5MM cap hit, and the Sabres would likely need to retain some of the salary to facilitate a deal. Whether they can find one that is worth it is still unclear.
- Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports that the St. Louis Blues have opened negotiations with GM Doug Armstrong on a new contract extension. Armstrong is one of several GMs around the league operating in the final year of their contract, something fellow Athletic scribe Frank Provenzano warned against recently. Though the Blues are still looking for the first Stanley Cup in the history of their franchise, Armstrong’s recent moves have put them in a strong position both now and in the future. The Blues have dropped to third in the Central Division, but still remain a playoff favorite this season and still have some promising young talents like Klim Kostin, Tage Thompson, Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou on their way.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, as the team is close to extending their lease through 2037. According to Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times, Hillborough County would commit $61MM over that 20-year period for upgrades to Amalie Arena, with the team also required to put in a large amount. Just today, Forbes ranked the Lightning the 23rd most valuable team in the league, sandwiched between the Islanders and Avalanche at $390MM. That comes as a huge 28% raise over last year’s valuation, and leads the state-rival Florida Panthers by $85MM. Success this season would only serve to help their foothold in the community and state sports market, something that Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman are doing their very best to bring to the team and city. Tampa Bay finds itself in first place in the Atlantic Division and an early favorite for the Stanley Cup Finals.
Minnesota Wild Continue To Shop Kyle Quincey; Assign To AHL
After clearing waivers last week, the Minnesota Wild have officially sent Kyle Quincey to the AHL. As Michael Russo of The Athletic reports, they continue to try and trade the veteran defenseman, but will bury him in the minor leagues for the time being. Minnesota saves most of Quincey’s $1.25MM cap hit by sending him down, and have recalled Ryan Murphy after a similar cap-saving maneuver yesterday.
Quincey hasn’t been a great fit in Minnesota, refusing to play the right side for head coach Bruce Boudreau and generally being ineffective in his limited minutes. The Wild have several younger, cheaper, more mobile options that can fill his role, but it may be hard to find a buyer. Once known for his solid two-way style and offensive upside, Quincey is no longer an option on the powerplay and seems to be on the last legs of his career.
At 32, there is reason to believe that he could bounce back somewhat on a different team and find some of the magic that he found as a young player for the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche. It’s been nearly a decade since his best seasons though, and he’s now struggled on three different teams in the last year. Minnesota would have to find a team desperate for veteran depth to take him, and even then it’s unlikely that it would be to take over a role on the NHL team right away. More likely it would be as a veteran option to keep in the AHL as injury insurance.
Arizona Places Joel Hanley On Waivers
Along with Matt Moulson—who the Buffalo Sabres already announced would be going on waivers today— Joel Hanley has been placed on waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Hanley’s assignment likely means that Niklas Hjalmarsson will be ready to return to the lineup on Thursday night.
The Coyotes signed Hanley to a one-year deal this summer after he didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the Montreal Canadiens, but likely expected him to play most of the season in the minor leagues. He’s now played four games for the Coyotes, but was held scoreless in each. The 26-year old has just 21 games under his belt since earning his entry-level contract in 2015, after grinding his way through four years at UMass-Amherst and another on an AHL deal in the minors.
Arizona is still at the bottom of the standings in the Pacific Division, but have recently climbed a bit closer to relevance. With Jakob Chychrun back and making an impact right away, and now a return from Hjalmarsson perhaps they can continue to creep their way up the standings.