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East Notes: Flyers, WHL Trade, Sabres

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After a summer that featured plenty of roster turnover, the results haven’t been much different for the Flyers in the early going this season.  They missed the playoffs last season and sit seventh in the Metropolitan early on this year which has them out of the postseason mix for the time being.  Despite that, GM Chuck Fletcher was preaching patience at a recent press conference (video link):

I’d really like to see what we have before we start making changes. I don’t feel I’ve been able to see that to this point in time. We’re always looking, I’m talking to teams every day. If there are ways to make us better, we’ll look at it. But right now, if you just look at how we played the first 10 games versus the last 10 games, clearly one segment was way better than the other.

So we’ve shown the ability to play better than how we are right now. That’s the most important thing, we’ve got to get back, we’ve got to get playing better. Then from there, we’ll get a sense of what we really are and then we can make those decisions.

Philadelphia has battled some injury trouble early on (including in tonight’s game with Joel Farabee leaving early) which hasn’t helped their cause and that’s clearly a point of optimism for Fletcher that as their players return, they could get back on track.  However, if that doesn’t happen over the next couple of months or so, they could be a team to keep an eye on before the March 21st trade deadline.

More from the East:

  • A notable trade occurred in the WHL today when Canadiens prospect blueliner Kaiden Guhle was dealt to Edmonton. The 2020 first-round was acquired for a package of four draft picks including two first-rounders plus two players, headlined by 2021 Senators fourth-round selection Carson Latimer.
  • The Sabres are about to get some help from the infirmary as Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News relays that center Casey Mittelstadt will return on Thursday against Florida after being injured in the season-opener versus Montreal. Blueliner Jacob Bryson will also return after missing Monday’s contest with a nagging injury.  Meanwhile, winger Alex Tuch skated in a non-contact sweater at practice as he works his way back from offseason shoulder surgery while goaltender Craig Anderson also accompanied the team on their road trip although there remains no timetable for a return from his upper-body injury that has kept him out for a month.

Free Agent Henry Rybinski Receiving Interest

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Generally, the market for free agent junior players isn’t typically strong.  Sure, the odd late-bloomer might make it through but more often than not, the more prominent free agents come from the college ranks.  However, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in his latest 32 Thoughts column, one CHL free agent that is generating interest is winger Henry Rybinski.

The 20-year-old was actually drafted by Florida back in the fifth round in 2019 (136th overall) but wasn’t signed by June 1st.  Now that he’s too old to be drafted again, he can sign as a free agent.

Rybinski is off to a strong start in his final season with WHL Seattle, notching four goals and 11 assists in 13 games with the Thunderbirds.  That’s a similar level of production to last season when he had seven goals and 21 helpers in 23 contests which wasn’t enough to get Florida to sign him.

What works in Rybinski’s favor is that Seattle has several quality draft-eligible players; they had four ranked in NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch headlined by defenseman Kevin Korchinski who is viewed as a possible first-round pick.  That will keep scouts coming to watch the Thunderbirds play and keep Rybinski on the radar as a result.

While some players that sign contracts now have their deals sign a year, that wouldn’t be the case for Rybinski as he’s too old for that option.  Meanwhile, if a team wants to sign him and ensure that they have him for three full years in their system, they’ll have to wait until future contracts (beginning the following season) can be signed on March 1st.

Brent Seabrook Joins Vancouver Giants As Assistant Coach

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The playing career of Brent Seabrook is over, despite three years remaining on his contract. The veteran defenseman has been on long-term injured reserve for two seasons now and is not expected to ever play in the NHL again. That doesn’t mean he won’t be around the rink though, as Seabrook has accepted a position with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL as a volunteer/interim assistant coach. He’ll be behind the bench for the team helping while Michael Dyck is serving as an assistant with Canada’s World Junior team.

Seabrook, 36, is certainly experienced enough to help out a junior coaching staff, given his 1,114 regular season games in the NHL. A three-time Stanley Cup champion, he also suited up 123 times for the Chicago Blackhawks in the playoffs. A core piece of those championship clubs, Seabrook was a perfect complement to the smooth-skating Duncan Keith, adding some real power and physicality to the lineup every night. Even when they weren’t playing together, Keith calmly patrolled on one pairing while Seabrook punished attackers on another.

He recorded more than 2,000 blocked shots throughout his career, along with more than 2,100 hits, things that eventually took their toll on his body. After multiple surgeries that helped his quality of life, he won’t be back on the ice in the NHL. His deal, which extends through the 2023-24 season, was actually traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in July as part of the deal that brought Tyler Johnson to Chicago.

While Seabrook didn’t play for the Giants in junior, he’s from Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver. Giving a little back to your hometown club while Dyck, as Seabrook puts it, “goes for gold” makes sense for such a respected veteran. Perhaps this will even be the start of a second career for the Blackhawks legend.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 11/29/21

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Perhaps the American Thanksgiving break spurred some action in players and teams alike, as there has been a flurry of intriguing moves of late – and not just in the NHL. Keep up with the action in the minors, Europe, and more right here:

  • After clearing unconditional waivers on Thursday and seeing his contract terminated by the Nashville Predators, Patrick Harper has found a new home. HPK of Finland’s Liiga has announced a deal with the former Boston University standout for the remainder of the season. While Harper recorded 115 points in 128 NCAA games, that scoring touch has all but disappeared in the pros. He recorded only two points in 15 AHL games last season, which earned him a demotion to the ECHL, and was held scoreless through nine AHL games this game as well. Harper seemingly feels a fresh start in a new league could be the answer to this development hiccup – and at just 23 years old he could be right – but a move to Europe via contract termination isn’t a strong signal of a long career to come in North America.
  • Another college star at a crossroads is defenseman Will Cullen. After an excellent 2020-21 season with Bowling Green State University, Cullen was on NHL radars this off-season and could have signed an AHL contract. Instead, Cullen decided to extend his NCAA career as a graduate transfer at Miami University, likely hoping to earn an entry-level contract this spring. However, this lasted just seven games, as Cullen has departed the RedHawks early to sign an AHL deal with the Bridgeport Islanders. While this could be seen as just a delayed inevitability, Cullen’s late transition means that he will head to the ECHL to begin his pro career. He now has to climb a couple of pro ranks if he wants to make his way to the NHL. A puck-moving defenseman who logged 25 points and a +20 rating in 28 games last season, Cullen has the ability but needs to make the most of an unusual midseason transition.
  • NHL veteran David Booth is not quite done. After taking last season off, Booth is back in the game, signing in Norway where he last suited up in 2019-20. The 37-year-old has inked a one-year deal with Valerenga, the team announced. Booth last played in the NHL in 2017-18 with the Detroit Red Wings, but has spent five of his past six seasons in Europe after nine years in the NHL to begin his pro career. With over 500 games and 230 points in the NHL to his credit, Booth is still a major addition for Valerenga – or any roster in Norway – despite his age.
  • The WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes are potentially buying low on a 2022 NHL Draft prospect, hoping he can help turn their season around or at least become a core piece down the road. Forward Tristan Zandee has been acquired from the Calgary Hitmen at the meager price of a 2022 fifth-round pick, the Hurricanes announced. Zandee has desirable size at 6’3″ and 200 lbs. but has struggled to score in the WHL with nine points in 21 games in last year’s shortened campaign and only three points through 15 games so far this year. However, that hasn’t stopped some NHL Draft sources from eyeing Zandee as an intriguing prospect given his stature and previous production in the AJHL. Getting a fresh start in Lethbridge, Zandee could find himself with more scoring opportunity and a chance to boost both his development and his draft stock.

Seth Jarvis To Burn First Year Of ELC

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Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed to reporters today including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer that Seth Jarvis will play tonight, meaning he will burn the first year of his entry-level contract this season.

Jarvis, as we examined yesterday, is one of a handful of junior-aged players to get a chance at the NHL level this year. Unlike some of the other young forwards who played in the AHL last season though, Jarvis isn’t eligible to go to the minor leagues because he suited up for just nine games. Had he crossed the 20-game threshold like some of his OHL counterparts, he wouldn’t need to return to the WHL at all.

But the WHL–specifically the Portland Winterhawks–is the only other place for Jarvis to go, if the NHL wasn’t going to keep him around. Given how well he played in the AHL during that nine-game stop, and the fact that he has four goals and five points in nine NHL games, it seems unlikely that going back to junior would do anything for the 19-year-old forward.

After tonight, when his ELC officially kicks in, the next question will be whether the Hurricanes play Jarvis for 40 games this season. That would take him a year toward unrestricted free agency, sometimes a threshold that teams consider more important for young players. At any rate, if the team believes he’s one of the 12 forwards that can help them win, it seems likely that the Hurricanes will put him in the lineup. This team has Stanley Cup aspirations and are proving just how dangerous they are with a 14-2 record through the first 16 games.

Snapshots: Islanders, Norlinder, Fix-Wolansky

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The New York Islanders were dealt a tough hand to start the season with a 13-game road trip, but things aren’t exactly looking up with the news that defenseman Ryan Pulock will miss the next four to six weeks with a lower-body injury. The Islanders sit with a 5-6-2 record, and while it’s certainly recoverable, especially considering their track record, they find themselves in an extremely competitive division with seven teams ahead of them. With a defense core that’s looked troubling at times, the team could look to get outside help via the form of a trade. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple says that while the team could put faith into their staff in AHL Bridgeport to help bridge the gap until Pulock’s return, there’s a variety of trade targets they could examine. While D-men who have experience playing on the right side aren’t usually available for trade, he lists Seattle’s Vince Dunn as a potential option who could still prove to pay dividends on the power play once Pulock returns, a role that hasn’t been filled properly since the departure of Devon Toews.

More from around the NHL:

  • Montreal Canadiens prospect Mattias Norlinder is set to make his NHL debut on Thursday. The defenseman is healthy after a preseason injury sidelined him up until the last week, where he spent three games with the AHL’s Laval Rocket on a conditioning stint. The 64th overall pick in 2019 is expected to play on the second pairing alongside veteran David Savard, who’ll give him what should be a reliable defensive partner to open his NHL career.
  • It’s another prospect returning to the lineup as Columbus’ Trey Fix-Wolansky is making his season debut for AHL Cleveland tonight after an eight-month absence. The Hockey Writers’ Mark Scheig notes that the forward had ACL surgery in March. Fix-Wolansky wasn’t picked until the seventh round in 2018, likely due to his 5′ 8″ height, but proceeded to light up the WHL the following season with the Edmonton Oil Kings, scoring 37 goals and 102 points in just 65 games. After having an impressive first professional go-around with Cleveland last year as well, look for Fix-Wolansky to get an NHL look sooner rather than later.

Jake Neighbours Sent Back To Junior

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Like Hendrix Lapierre earlier today, Jake Neighbours will have to wait a little while longer to continue his NHL dream. The St. Louis Blues have assigned Neighbours to the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL, his junior club. Ineligible for the AHL, the young forward will spend the rest of the season with the Oil Kings but will not burn the first year of his entry-level contract. In his place, the team has recalled Dakota Joshua from the AHL.

Of Neighbours, Blues head coach Craig Berube had this to say:

I think there’s been games that I really liked him. He’s done some real good things. You have to look at a lot of the games and the score and the time of the game and just a lot of things played into hockey much ice time he got. It’s not easy. But overall, I think he did really well. He’s a smart player like I’ve always said, he’s killed penalties for us in these games, done a great job, he’s scored a goal, he’s around the puck all the time, has a nose for the puck. (This is all) going to be a learning process for him, a kid that young coming into the League.

Neighbours, 19, ended up playing in nine games for the Blues, the maximum he was allowed before his entry-level deal would have kicked in. He managed to score his first NHL goal and record two points in that time, while also wowing fans in the preseason with his obvious offensive upside. Playing just a handful of minutes likely isn’t the best way for him to spend this crucial development year though, so when he managed just 6:05 in ice time last night, it was obvious that a decision was coming to send him back to the WHL.

There is certainly lots to look forward to for Neighbours in the WHL. Though he obviously has missed a handful of games due to his NHL stint, he should step right back into a scoring role with the Oil Kings and once again dominate the league. Last year in a shortened season, Neighbours had 33 points in just 19 games for Edmonton. He also should be a top candidate for the Canadian World Junior team, in his last chance before turning 20 next March. His time with the Blues will come, but it won’t be this season.

Minor Transactions: 11/07/21

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Today may not be a busy day on the NHL schedule, but it’s certainly been a hectic day on the transactions slate at all levels of the game. There was a lot of action today on the NHL to AHL wire, but there have been some other moves today, too. Keep up with today’s minor transactions here.

  • New York Rangers goalie prospect Talyn Boyko was dealt in the WHL today from the Tri-City Americans to the Kelowna Rockets. Boyko was drafted in the fourth round in 2021, largely because of his massive 6′ 8″ frame. However, it’s been a rough start for Boyko with a 1-6-1 record and .887 save percentage on the season. Hopefully a move to Kelowna turns his fortunes around this season.
  • Carolina Hurricanes netminder Beck Warm was re-assigned to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves from the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals, per the AHL transactions page. The move comes after Alex Lyon was brought up to Carolina today in the wake of Antti Raanta’s injury Saturday, meaning Chicago needed another goaltender. Warm’s impressed in the ECHL with a 4-1-0 record and .921 save percentage to start the year.

Minor Transactions: 10/29/21

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The hockey world got some unexpected news this morning with the Toronto Maple Leafs extending defenseman Morgan Rielly for eight seasons. That’s certainly quantifiable as a major transaction, but many other teams and players at lower levels of hockey have made paper moves today as they deal with the ripple effects of moves at the NHL level. Here are today’s minor transactions:

  • The AHL’s San Jose Barracuda have loaned defenseman Montana Onyebuchi to the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears, per the Solar Bears’ Twitter. Onyebuchi joined the Barracuda on an AHL contract after taking part in the San Jose Sharks’ training camp this past offseason. The 21-year-old Onyebuchi served as an alternate captain for the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers during the past two seasons, and had 12 points in 20 games in a COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign.
  • The Springfield Thunderbirds, AHL affiliate of St. Louis, added two players to the roster today in forward Nic Pierog and defenseman Nick Albano. Both Pierog and Albano had been playing with the team’s ECHL affiliate, the Worcester Railers, but only Pierog was under an AHL contract. He was recalled after scoring two points in two games with Worcester and has five points in 15 career AHL games. Albano was on an ECHL contract and was signed to a professional tryout agreement with Springfield. Albano had one goal in three games after not playing during the 2020-21 campaign.

Minor Transactions: 10/23/21

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A slow news day Saturday at the NHL level doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been movement in other parts of the hockey world. The season is in full swing at all tiers of the game, and movement at the minor and junior levels of the game is a constant. Here are some of today’s minor moves from around the hockey landscape.

  • The AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds have added a duo of youngsters to the squad, as the St. Louis Blues reassigned Keean Washkurak and Mathias Laferriere there from the ECHL’s Worcester Railers per the ECHL’s transactions page. The 20-year-old Washkurak was a Blues fifth-round selection in 2019 and will play his first full professional season in North America this year. He spent last season with HK Levice in the second-tier Slovakian league. Laferriere is a year older but will play his first professional season in 2021-22 after spending last season as an overage player with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL, scoring 39 points in 30 games.
  • The WHL’s Victoria Royals acquired hulking defenseman Anson McMaster via trade from the Winnipeg Ice today. McMaster, now 19, is a long shot to be drafted with just seven points in 80 career WHL games. Yet his 6′ 6″, 209-pound frame is appealing and makes him a candidate to succeed at the minor-league level when his junior career has concluded. The Alberta native enters his final year of junior eligibility next season.

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