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Training Camp Cuts: 09/20/17

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Yesterday saw cuts from all around the league come down, with teams sending most of their junior-aged players back to the CHL. Teams will be paring down their rosters up to opening night, when they’ll carry just 23 skaters. Here we’ll keep track of all the days cuts.

Buffalo Sabres

F Vasily Glotov – Shawinigan (QMJHL)
F Brandon Hagel – Red Deer (WHL)
D Vojtech Budik – Prince Albert (WHL)
D Austin Osmanski – Mississauga (OHL)

Colorado Avalanche

F Ty Lewis – Brandon (WHL)
D Gage Ausmas – released from ATO, will attend AHL training camp.
D Nicolas Meloche – San Antonio (AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets

F Luke Kirwan – Flint (OHL)
F Trent Fox – Mississauga (OHL)
F Justin Brazeau – North Bay (OHL)
D Stephen Desrocher – free agent
D Medric Mercier – free agent
D Nate Billitier – Queen’s University (CIS)

Florida Panthers

F Jonathan Ang – Peterborough (OHL)
F Aleksi Heponiemi – Swift Current (WHL)
D Riley Stillman – Oshawa (OHL)
F Francois Beauchemin – released from ATO, will attend AHL training camp.
F Matt Buckles – released from ATO, will attend AHL training camp.
F Blaine Byron – released from ATO, will attend AHL training camp.
G Evan Cowley – released from ATO, will attend AHL training camp.
F Anthony Greco – released from PTO, will attend AHL training camp.
F Ryan Horvat – released from PTO, will attend AHL training camp.
D Matt MacKenzie – released from PTO, will attend AHL training camp.

Pittsburgh Penguins

F Tom Kostopoulos – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
F Ryan Haggerty – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
F Reid Gardiner – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
F Gage Quinney – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
D Dylan Zink – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
D Jeff Taylor – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
G Sean Maguire – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)
F Jordan Bellerive – Lethbridge (WHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Kevin Hancock – Owen Sound (OHL)
F Alexey Lipanov – Barrie (OHL)
F Christopher Paquette – Peterborough (OHL)
F Taylor Raddysh – Erie (OHL)
D Oleg Sosunov – Moose Jaw (WHL)
G Joseph Raaymakers – Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

Washington Capitals

F Kevin Elgestel – HC Vita Hasten (Sweden)

Zach Sanford Injured In Camp, Out “A Couple Weeks”

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One of the key pieces in the return for Kevin Shattenkirk last season, Zach Sanford was ready to play a much greater role for the St. Louis Blues in 2017-18, assumed to be his first full season in the NHL. That may still happen, but Sanford could now be fighting an uphill battle to make the Blues’ Opening Night roster. Blues beat writer Chris Pinkert spoke to head coach Mike Yeo, who informed him that Sanford was injured in practice on Friday and is expected to miss “a couple weeks”.  That timeline could prove problematic with the regular season also set to start in just over two weeks. Sanford is rumored to be out for the remainder of camp, putting his roster spot in jeopardy.

Even though training camp is not exactly adversarial, there are teammate-on-teammate injuries such as Sanford’s every year. This time, it was a battle along the boards between Sanford and Dmitrij Jaskin, who’s hard check into the boards delivered the shot that injured Sanford’s shoulder and forced him out of the scrimmage. The long-term prognosis was much worse than missing one practice though; Sanford will be out “weeks” and will miss critical time to work with his new teammates and find a fit for himself on one of the forward lines. Come Opening Night, even if Sanford is back at full health, he may find himself in the AHL rather than NHL in a Blues organization that is deep in forward talent. Sanford struggled with inconsistency in his first pro season and could have used a strong camp to kick off the 2017-18 campaign.

Yeo admitted to Pinkert that he had been speaking with his coaches about just how good Sanford had looked mere minutes before his injury. At some point this season, the young winger, a third-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2013 and a former BC Eagle, is bound to see some major minutes with St. Louis. However, the extent of his shoulder injury and the time it takes for him to rehab and return could play a major part in determining when exactly he takes over that role.

Minor Transactions: 9/15/17

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There have been an overwhelming amount of camp announcement in recent days – professional tryouts, amateur tryouts, and the like – but there are still many team and players looking for permanent homes this season. The following are some notable recent signings:

  • Defenseman Victor Bartley is making his North American exit. The long-time Nashville Predators prospect seems to have run out of options and has opted to sign with Orebro of the Swedish Hockey League, according to a local news release (link in Swedish). This will be Bartley’s second go-round in Sweden, having played for Rogle BK in 2010-11 after a disappointing first pro season. It was in Sweden the first time that Bartley gained some NHL attention, signing on with Nashville the following off-season. Bartley played in the Predators system for five seasons, skating in 112 NHL games and recording 23 points, before being traded to the Montreal midway through the 2015-16 campaign. Barley then signed with the Minnesota Wild last summer, but spent the entire year in the AHL with Iowa. Bartley, an Ottawa native, now heads to Sweden with hopes of sparking his career once again. Orebro finished 12th in the SHL last year and offers little in the way of NHL veterans, but between Bartley and exciting, young Latvian Rodrigo Abols, the team hopes to turn it around in 2017-18.
  • The Rochester Americans, AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, have signed Garret Ross to a one-year deal, according to a team announcement. While Ross is likely happy to under contract in 2017-18, the signing represents a further decline in the career of the 25-year-old forward. A fifth-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012, Ross got his pro career off to a hot start in 2013-14 and 2014-15 with 34 and 43 points respectively. Ross also built a reputation as one of the more tough, physical forwards in the AHL. Yet, his production fell off in 2015-16 to just 20 points and Chicago chose not to qualify him, making him an unrestricted free agent. Ross landed another NHL gig, signing a one-year, two-way deal with the Arizona Coyotes, but injuries and poor play limited him to just four points in 27 games. Ross will have to show that he still has potential while playing on a minor league contract this year. There’s room for Ross to play a major role in Rochester, but he just needs to take advantage of the opportunity.
  • Daniel Ciampini will look to take the next step in his career in 2017-18, as he has signed with the AHL’s re-located Belleville Senators, per a team release. While the deal is of a two-way nature and Ciampini could wind up back in the ECHL, he hopes that his production in 2016-17 can earn him a regular AHL spot. The Union College alum was a point-per-game player with the ECHL’s Manchester Monarchs last year, spending about half the season with the New Hampshire-based team and the other half with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, affiliate of the L.A. Kings. With 28 points in 28 ECHL games to go along with 5 points in 23 AHL games, it appeared that Ciampini was heading in the right direction if he hopes to return to the dynamic scorer he was in college. Belleville hopes that the trend continues and the AHL numbers improve in the new campaign.
  • The Hershey Bears, AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, have decided to give young Dylan Margonari another shot. The team announced that they have resigned the two-way center to a one-year extension. While under contract with Hersey in 2016-17, Margonari nevertheless played the whole season in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays. He has just two AHL games under his belt, back in 2015-16, after he signed on with the Bears out of college. Unlike many players whose production drops off at the pro level, Margonari has never been much of a scorer – not at Minnesota State, not with South Carolina, and likely not with Hershey should he make the team. Instead, the 25-year-old simply brings smart decision making and quiet confidence to his role as a defensive forward. While some teams may overlook that ability, it seems to be a trait that the Bears still value.

Alex Chiasson Signs PTO With Washington Capitals

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Forward Alex Chiasson signed a professional tryout agreement with the Washington Capitals, reports TVASports’ Renaud Lavoie. Chiasson played for the Calgary Flames last season and appeared in eighty-one games.

Chiasson scored 12G and 12A in those 81 games, but remained unsigned after finishing his one-year, $800K deal with the Flames. The former 2nd round pick (38th overall) in 2009 started his career with the Dallas Stars. He was then traded to the Ottawa Senators as part of a package for forward Jason Spezza. The Senators traded Chiasson to the Calgary Flames as a pending-RFA, who then declined to offer Chiasson a qualifying offer this offseason.

It is unclear why Chiasson did not secure a contract this season. Scoring 12 goals in the NHL is not worthless, and teams looking for depth forwards could do much worse. The Capitals may have found a reliable depth scorer for its 2nd-4th line in Chiasson, and Chiasson hopes to rehab his NHL image with an improved performance.

2017-18 Primer: Washington Capitals

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the Washington Capitals.

Last Season: 55-19-8 record (118 points), first in Metropolitan Division (lost in the second round to Pittsburgh)

Remaining Cap Space: $4.09MM per CapFriendly

Key Newcomers: F Tyler Graovac (trade with Minnesota), F Devante Smith-Pelly (free agency, New Jersey)

Key Departures: D Karl Alzner (free agency, Montreal), F Marcus Johansson (trade with New Jersey), D Kevin Shattenkirk (free agency, NY Rangers), F Justin Williams (free agency, Carolina), F Daniel Winnik (free agency, unsigned)

[Related: Capitals Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Alex Ovechkin – Last season was a down one for the Russian sniper, whose 33 goals were his second lowest total in a full season in his career, same for his 69 points.  By no means is that bad production but since Ovechkin is the focal point of their attack with one of the highest cap hits in the league, the extra pressure is certainly there.

Jan 1, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) waves to the fans after defeating the Ottawa Senators 2-1 at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY SportsThe 31-year-old has reportedly slimmed down a bit over the offseason in an effort to gain a bit of speed which is an area that he would like to improve on.  While playing a bit slower hasn’t stopped him from getting plenty of shots off as he leads the league in shots on goal over the past five seasons (and it’s not particularly close), getting quicker should potentially open up even more opportunities for him.

The pressure is always on Ovechkin.  He’s their highest paid player, their captain, and one of the faces of the league.  But with a big chunk of the supporting cast gone now, that level of pressure is going to be even higher this season; the team needs him to get closer to the 50 goals he has routinely produced in the past and to help get them over the hump in the playoffs.  That’s a lot to put on any player.

Key Storyline: Even though they currently have over $4MM in cap space, they still have a few players to sign to fill out the rest of their roster.  They’re basically going to be very tight to the cap without much flexibility all season long.

As a result, they’ll be forced to turn to some of their youngsters to try to not only fill out their roster but deepen their depth which has taken a beating over the summer.  If their prospects are able to get the job done, the Caps will be a top team again as long as they stay healthy.  If not, they’re going to have very limited cap room to improve their roster and not the deepest of prospect groups to deal from either.

Everyone knew this was coming after a season where they went all-in.  GM Brian MacLellan has managed to get the team in at least a manageable situation heading into training camp but if more needs to be done either in terms of cutting money or trying to add another piece, it will be worth watching to see what type of manoeuvring will need to be done to accomplish that.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Washington Capitals Sign Jyrki Jokipakka To PTO

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The Washington Capitals have jumped into the professional tryout market, by signing Jyrki Jokipakka to a PTO. Jokipakka played 41 NHL games last season split between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators, and will try to earn his way onto another roster with a good camp.

Unlike some of the other PTOs around the league that have little chance of earning an NHL contract, Jokipakka enters a situation in Washington with some roster spots available. The Capitals lost Nate Schmidt, Karl Alzner and Kevin Shattenkirk this summer to free agency and the Vegas Golden Knights, and didn’t have the cap room to replace them with established NHL talent. Instead, it looked like they were going to have to make a decision between some minor league veterans in Aaron Ness and Taylor Chorney, or younger unproven players in Christian Djoos and Kristofers Bindulis.

The Capitals are pressed right up against the cap after re-signing Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie this summer, and already had to deal Marcus Johansson to clear some room. Players like Jokipakka are opportunities to get NHL talent on minimum contracts, even if he’s not a game-changing talent. The team will have to rely even more on Matt Niskanen, Dmitry Orlov and John Carlson unless someone steps up in camp and makes an impression.

Uncertainty Surrounding Nate Schmidt Injury

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Few players have received as much attention this off-season as new Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt. The up-and-coming blue liner was selected by the NHL’s newest club in the Expansion Draft after a pair of strong seasons with the Washington Capitals. Then, before even playing a game with the Knights, the restricted free agent and his new team went to salary arbitration, where Schmidt was the only player this off-season to actually receive a reward from the arbitrator after a hearing. Vegas signed Schmidt to the two-year, $4.45MM deal that had been awarded and it appeared the two sides were all set for the 2017-18 season, with Schmidt prepared to play a major role on defense.

However, things have changed in an unexpected way. Back in mid-August, it was announced that Schmidt was unable to attend a fan event in Montana due to an injury. It was later revealed that Schmidt suffered an ankle injury while training, but no other details were offered. Weeks later, there has been no update on Schmidt’s condition with training camp just around the corner. Sin Bin inquired about the status of Schmidt’s injury today and, again, received no feedback. A team representative simply stated that “there is no update”.

At this point, some worry by fans has become warranted. Although the Knights still roster ten other NHL-caliber defenseman, Schmidt was slated to battle for a top pairing role and his absence would make the start of Vegas’ inaugural season much more difficult. While there’s just as little evidence to support any thought that he might miss time as there is about the injury itself, the lack of information coming from the team is cause for concern. Keep an eye out for updates on the Knights’ promising young rearguard as the season quickly approaches.

Eastern Notes: Toronto’s Defense, Prospects, Butcher

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have received plenty of attention this offseason with their moves, including the surprising signing of San Jose veteran Patrick Marleau to a three-year deal. Add Marleau to the young cast of offensive weapons the team already has like Auston Matthews, Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk, William Nylander and Mitch Marner, the team has hopes of making a run towards a Stanley Cup Finals this season.

However, Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun is quick to point out that the Maple Leafs need to emphasize defense too. He writes that many people have forgotten that the team finished 22nd in goals against last year. Every team that finished behind them didn’t make the playoffs. And when you look at the moves the team made, very little of it was to help the defense. The team did sign 36-year-old Ron Hainsey, but how much will that help? He’s 36 years old.

Simmons writes that Toronto leadership knows the importance of defense. Coach Mike Babcock, who has won a Stanley Cup in 2008 with the Detroit Red Wings, had a team that was first in goals against that year. General Manager Lou Lamoriello won his last Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2003, they were also first in goals against.

However, the team’s defense should be stronger. The team boasts a number of young, developing defensemen like Nikita Zaitsev, who is just 25 years old. Morgan Rielly is only 23 years old. Jake Gardiner is 27. Martin Marincin is 25 as well, while Connor Carrick is 23. That’s a young defense and maybe a major reason why the team brought Hainsey in. However, even with a year of development, how much better can this defense be?

  • With rookie camps just a week away for many teams, Fanrag’s Craig Morgan put together a detailed list of rookies who could make an impact on the team. While it has the usual candidates like Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick and Clayton Keller, there are quite a few lesser known ones as well. Players like Washington’s Jakub Vrana, New York Islanders’ Ryan Pulock and Columbus’ Pierre-Luc Dubois are players rarely mentioned who could make an impact this year.
  • Sports Illustrated featured New Jersey Devils Will Butcher after he chose the Devils last weekend. Butcher claims he sees similarities in his game to three NHL players including Chicago’s Duncan Keith, Boston’s Torey Krug and New Jersey’s Andy Greene. ”If I was fortunate to make the big team, he would be a great mentor to me, just because he does everything,” Butcher said of Greene. ”He penalty kills, power play, all situations. He is a smart player, not necessarily the biggest guy, but he uses his abilities to defend well and play the game of hockey.”

NHL Snapshots: Johansson, Hanzal, Spezza, Tuch

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Former Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson said he wasn’t surprised that he found himself traded a couple of months ago to the New Jersey Devils. Despite winning another President’s Trophy, given to the top regular season team, Johansson knew that the team’s lifespan was limited and was prepared for a possible breakup. The Capitals traded Johansson, lost defenseman Nate Schmidt to the expansion draft and allowed Justin Williams, Kevin Shattenkirk and Karl Alzner all depart via free agency.

NBC Sports Cam Tucker writes that Johansson recognizes that as being part of the game and is ready to move on to a bigger role with the Devils who need scoring. New Jersey had the third-worst offense in the NHL last year at 2.2 goals per game.

“Sometimes you have to change things and we had some good opportunities to win these past two years and we didn’t take them and I think this is what comes afterward,” said Johansson. “They have to change something and guys needed new contracts and stuff like that, so that’s the way it goes. There’s nothing more to say about it.”

  • Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun writes that the renaming of the Toronto Maple Leafs arena last week that has Scotiabank getting the naming rights for $800MM (CAD) on July 1, 2018, will have a huge benefit to the players throughout the league. He writes that half of the $40MM each year goes to the hockey-related revenue, which should have a positive influence on the future salary cap.
  • Sportsday’s Mike Heika interviewed Dallas Stars’ head coach Ken Hitchcock about the team’s center position and learned that the new coach expects to play newly acquired Martin Hanzal at center, but still hasn’t made up his mind when it comes to Jason Spezza. “To me, Hanzal is a center. The role Jason will have is a split duty role, and if I play Spezza on the wing, it will be a left wing. Jason will play a lot of center and some wing. We need to start with the puck, so he’s definitely going to be taking draws on his strong side,” Hitchcock said.
  • Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen writes that while the Golden Knights are not likely to keep any first year players (other than Vadim Shipachyov, people should keep an eye on Alex Tuch. The 21-year-old wing who was a first-round pick of the Minnesota Wild in 2014, could be a darkhorse candidate to make the team. Vegas, known for stockpiling draft picks, actually traded their third-rounder two months ago for Tuch. He scored 18 goals in 57 AHL games for the Iowa Wild and managed to play in six NHL games a year ago.

Christian Djoos Hasn't Bulked Up Over Offseason

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  • Although he was given a mandate to bulk up over the offseason, Capitals defenseman Christian Djoos checked in at almost the same weight he did last training camp, writes Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. The 23-year-old finished third in AHL scoring by blueliners last season and is expected to contend for a roster spot following the departures of Nate Schmidt, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Karl Alzner.  However, at just 168 pounds, Djoos stands to be one of the leanest NHL defenders which could be a concern against stronger competition.

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