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Archives for October 2017

Canadiens Place Martin Reway On Waivers

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The Canadiens have placed prospect Martin Reway on unconditional waivers for the purpose of mutual contract termination, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link).

Reway missed all of last season with a heart ailment but had made a return to playing this season with Montreal’s AHL affiliate in Laval.  The team was easing him into the lineup by avoiding playing him in back-to-back situations but he still suited up in five games, collecting two assists and six penalty minutes along with a -5 plus/minus rating.

However, the 22-year-old left the team on Thursday to ponder his future and with this move, it appears that his preference may be to return to playing overseas at this time.  This isn’t the first time this month that the Canadiens have utilized a contract termination as they did so with defenseman Mark Streit after he declined to report to the minors.

Assuming he clears, the Canadiens will be off the hook for the remaining two years of his contract, one that carries a cap hit of just over $700K.  It will also drop them to 45 contracts on of the 50-contract limit.

Avalanche Notes: Duchene, Compher, Bourque, Recalls

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While many have expected the Avalanche to deal center Matt Duchene with him being in the rumor mill dating back to last season, some general managers around the league now believe that GM Joe Sakic is trying to convince Duchene to stick it out in Colorado, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on a segment with WGR 550 in Buffalo (audio link).  Duchene’s preference to be dealt has been well-known for a while now so on the surface, it would feel like a longshot for the team to convince him to rescind his trade request now after everything that has transpired; Dreger adds that he still expects a trade to happen at some point.  Assuming Sakic could persuade him to stick it out with the Avs, Duchene still wouldn’t be able to sign a contract extension until July.

Despite his unhappiness with his situation, Duchene is off to a nice start this season with eight points (3-5-8) through ten games which have him tied for the team lead with blueliner Tyson Barrie.  That will certainly allow Sakic to keep the asking price as high as it has been dating back to last season and afford him the time to try to convince Duchene to have a change of heart if that is indeed the route they’re now trying to go.

More from Colorado:

  • Winger J.T. Compher is two-to-three weeks away from returning to the lineup as he continues his recovery from a broken thumb, head coach Jared Bednar told BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater. The 22-year-old continues to skate daily which should help in terms of conditioning when he gets the green light to return.  In eight games this season, Compher has a goal and three assists while averaging a little over 15 minutes per night.
  • Compher’s replacement now finds himself banged up as well as winger Gabriel Bourque suffered an upper-body injury last night, notes Betsy Helfand of the Denver Post. He left Friday’s loss against Vegas in the first period and did not return.  Alexander Kerfoot also left the game in the third period.  Bednar didn’t have an immediate update on either player.
  • With those two injuries, the Avs announced (Twitter link) that they’ve promoted forwards Rocco Grimaldi and Andrew Agozzino from AHL San Antonio. The undersized Grimaldi has seen NHL action in each of the last three seasons while Agozzino is their top scorer at the minor league level with eight points through the first seven games of 2017-18.  To make room for them on the roster, Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reports (Twitter link) that Bourque and Colin Wilson have been placed on IR.

Senators Activate Colin White, Assign Him And Two Others To AHL

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The Senators are starting to get a bit healthier up front which has forced them to make some roster moves.  The team announced (via Twitter) that they’ve assigned centers Max McCormick and Filip Chlapik to Belleville of the AHL.  This comes on the heels of Zack Smith returning from an upper-body injury on Friday while Kyle Turris, who has missed the last two games due to illness, is expected to be available for their next game on Monday night.

Chlapik, who was just recalled back on Wednesday, recorded an assist in his lone game with the big club but was a scratch on Friday night.  As for McCormick, he was held off the scoresheet in his two contests.

The team also activated center Colin White off season-opening injury reserve and revealed (Twitter links) that he has also been sent to Belleville.  However, he has not yet been given the green light to play this weekend but is likely to be in their lineup next week.

White was expected to push for a full-time spot in training camp after finishing last season in Ottawa but broke his wrist in the early going.  Once he gets into game action, it will be interesting to see how long he stays down there as while the team is hopeful that he can be an impact player sooner than later, he only has six games of professional experience under his belt (including the playoffs) so from a development perspective, he would certainly benefit from an extended stint in the minors.

Maple Leafs Recall Kasperi Kapanen, Demote Eric Fehr

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Although he cleared waivers back on Tuesday, Maple Leafs center Eric Fehr wasn’t immediately sent to the minors.  That has now changed as the team announced that they’ve assigned the veteran to Toronto of the AHL while recalling winger Kasperi Kapanen.

Fehr has played in four NHL games this season, averaging 10:56 per night while being held off the scoresheet.  He had been in a rotation with fellow center Dominic Moore as they alternated games early on.  Even by sending him down, the Leafs won’t be able to clear his contract off the books entirely, however.  As he has a $2MM cap hit, the team will still carry a prorated $975K charge while he is at the minor league level.

This will be Kapanen’s first stint with the big club this season.  He has played in 17 NHL regular season games over the past two seasons where he has just a lone goal but he made his mark in the 2017 postseason against Washington with a pair of tallies – including a game-winner – in six contests.  In six games with the Marlies, he has three goals to tie for the team lead.  He carries a cap hit of just over $863K so Toronto will save a little bit of money on the cap with this move.

Sale Of Carolina Hurricanes Hits A Snag

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It’s no secret that the ownership situation of the Carolina Hurricanes has been less than ideal in recent years. However, it seems current owner Peter Karmanos will hold onto the team at least for a little while longer. According to The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell, negotiations toward a sale of the team have been slowed due to financial complications.

Chuck Greenberg, a partner in the ownership group of the MLB’s Texas Rangers, has been actively pursuing a deal with Karmanos to purchase the Hurricanes. Campbell reports though that rumors had recently arisen that Greenberg had pulled out of a possible deal due to a lack of financial banking. When he reached out, Greenberg ensured Campbell that he was very much still talking to Karmanos, but that he had in fact been having issues raising sufficient funds. It is estimated that Karmanos is open to selling the team for $500MM, which is hard number for anyone to produce offhand. Take it into account the recent struggles, both in the NHL standings and in attendance numbers, for the Hurricanes and it is understandable why drumming up interest in purchasing Carolina has been somewhat of a struggle for Greenberg.

Yet, things are trending in the right direction. The Hurricanes have the longest playoff drought in the league, having last seen postseason action in 2008-09. When the ’Canes were en route to a Stanley Cup in 2005-06 though, the RBC Center was selling out. With a young core, including arguably the league’s best group of youthful defensemen, and a few top-notch prospects still to come, the future is bright. Carolina may only be 4-3-1 to start the season, but no one would be surprised if their (lack of a) postseason streak snapped this year. A few years from now, they could be a Stanley Cup contender and no one would be shocked. So, with a chance to buy low on a promising franchise, Greenberg can find a way to secure his funding if he really is serious about the transaction. Then, the Hurricanes can truly move forward, with a new ownership group at the lead.

Jay McClement Signs With Swiss Club Olten

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It’s been a whirlwind month for consummate pro Jay McClement. The veteran center was very nearly the winner of the third-line center sweepstakes for the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Instead, the team released him to the surprise of many after an impressive effort in the team’s preseason finale. Now, less than thirty days later, McClement has finally found employment – with EHC Olten of the NLB.

The Swiss National League B, the relative minor league to much more well-known NLA, seems like an odd landing spot for a veteran of more than 900 NHL games. However, the team has confirmed the signing (link in Swiss) with much excitement. The contract is only for 2017-18, but holds a mutual option for next season. Could McClement exercise that option? He is 34, far from his prime, but just a few years ago played one of his best seasons – an 82-game, 21-point 2014-15 campaign with the Carolina Hurricanes. McClement seems to have some gas left in the tank, so an extended stay in the Swiss minors would be surprising. However, McClement could more or less be done with hockey and sees Olten as a “retirement job”.

Olten isn’t completely unknown. The NLB squad in a perennial contender and rosters to other NHL veterans, Americans Tim Stapleton and Ryan Vesce. Neither has skated in the league since 2010, but nevertheless bring an experience and style that McClement could work with.

If it doesn’t work out? There’s a chance that McClement could be a contender for a bottom-six role for Team Canada at the Olympics, which would take up a significant amount of his time over the course of this season. Then, when his contract expires, don’t be surprised if McClement declines his offer and tries again at one last chance in the NHL.

Capitals Recall Anthony Peluso

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The Washington Capitals have made a minor roster move this evening, announcing the recall of Anthony Peluso. The 28-year-old right wing will look to make his Caps debut in his most recent NHL recall, after signing with the team as an unrestricted free agent this off-season.

With Tyler Graovac, another relatively new addition in Washington, headed to the injured reserve, GM Brian MacLellan made the call to the AHL’s Hershey Bears and decided on the veteran Peluso. A long-time member of the Winnipeg Jets, Peluso skated in 142 NHL games over  four seasons with the club, recording 14 points.

However, Peluso is not a player called upon for offense; he is more a specific replacement for Graovac rather than the true next man up. In those same 142 games, Peluso logged 277 hits – including more than two hits per game in 49 games in 2015-16 – and has built up a reputation as a plug-and-play grinder. Considering his OHL, AHL, and even ECHL offensive production leaves a lot to be desired, no one is pretending that Peluso has room to develop into a top-nine scorer. Yet, he knows his fourth line role and plays it well with a hard-nosed edge. Capitals fans have embraced the overtly aggressive game of Tom Wilson; there’s no reason to think that Peluso couldn’t soon be a fan-favorite should he carve out an enforcer role in Washington.

 

Keeping An Eye On Entry-Level Slides: An Update

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Two weeks ago we ran an article looking at the young players in the NHL who were also eligible to see their contracts slide by one year. Should they be sent back to their junior or European clubs before playing in 10 NHL games, they would avoid burning the first year of their entry-level contracts.

At the time, none of the players eligible had surpassed that threshold. Today is a different story. Three players have already played their 10th game in the NHL, changing the goalposts somewhat for their respective teams. Now, those clubs must decide whether or not to keep them past the next threshold of 40 games, when they’ll get a year closer to unrestricted free agency. Below, we’ll take an updated look at the entire group.

10+ Games Played

Mikhail Sergachev (TBL)
Victor Mete (MTL)
Alex DeBrincat (CHI)

Each of these three seemed to have a good shot at staying with their respective teams right from the start, but now the most interesting thing to watch will be that 40 game mark. For Sergachev especially it holds quite a bit of value. Due to a condition on the trade that brought him to Tampa Bay, if he fails to play 40 games this season the Montreal Canadiens would have to send a second-round draft pick (Montreal would also receive a sixth-round pick in return). That extra asset could be tantalizing for the Lightning, but with Sergachev’s outstanding start—the young defenseman has 10 points in 11 games—it may not be worth sending him away from the team.

8-9 Games Played

Pierre-Luc Dubois (CBJ)
Nico Hischier (NJD)
Jesper Bratt (NJD)
Nolan Patrick (PHI)

All four of these players seem destined to play past the nine game threshold, with Dubois set to play his tenth game tonight, and Patrick only sitting out due to injury this week. Bratt and Hischier have played in all eight of New Jersey’s games, combining for 13 points. Their strong early play will likely keep them in New Jersey for the year.

Interestingly, Dubois has lasted in the Columbus lineup despite registering just one point all season. He’s not being sent back before tonight’s game, but it will be interesting to see how the season plays out. He’s not struggling with the pace of play, but hasn’t received the opportunity to really show what his offensive ceiling is. Should Columbus face more injuries, Dubois could be thrust into a more important role.

5-7 Games Played

Kailer Yamamoto (EDM)

Yamamoto is one of the most interesting cases, because though he’s played seven games with the club and at times been one of the ice-time leaders beside Connor McDavid, he was scratched last night against the Dallas Stars. As Leon Draisaitl and Drake Caggiula came back, there seemingly wasn’t a spot left for Yamamoto in the top nine.

The diminutive forward has three points through his seven contests, but isn’t a lock to stay past nine games if the Oilers feel he still needs some more development. Though he obviously has the skill to play at this level, if they’re not going to play him every night his path may lie back in the WHL. That would certainly change the fate for the Spokane Chiefs, his junior team, who are currently 8-6-1 on the season.

1-4 Games Played

Owen Tippett (FLA)
Janne Kuokkanen (CAR)
Samuel Girard (NSH)

Tippett finally worked his way into the lineup for Florida, and the early results suggest he could stay there all year. The winger from the Mississauga Steelheads scored his first goal last night, and could find himself getting more ice time as the Panthers try to dig their way out of a rough start. By no means is he guaranteed, but the team has hinted that he would stay in the NHL right away since the start of training camp.

Kuokkanen started off hot for the Hurricanes in limited minutes, but has been relegated to the press box for the team’s last five games. As we wrote in the previous article, the Hurricanes could actually send him to the AHL instead of back to junior, meaning he could bounce up and down this season.

Girard has certainly impressed in the three games he’s played, but none of those have come in the team’s last four. He may be back in the lineup tonight however when the team takes on the Chicago Blackhawks, and if he keeps up his high level of play they may have no choice but to keep him around. Still, it’s always tough for a 19-year old defender to stick in the NHL and especially one that is just 162-lbs. He’ll have to show beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s ready to be a contributor to this team all season.

No Longer On Roster

Logan Brown (OTT)
Filip Chytil (NYR)
Alex Formenton (OTT)
Martin Necas (CAR)

All four made their NHL debuts, but were eventually sent back before breaking the first threshold. Only Chytil remains in the North American professional ranks, currently playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL.

Cam Fowler Given Four To Eight Week Timeline

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The Anaheim Ducks have dealt with never-ending injuries for the past few months, and now another one will keep a key player out for some time. Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register reports that the knee injury that has kept Cam Fowler out since October 20th was given a four to eight week timeline. That would keep Fowler out until at least November 17th.

Anaheim have also been without Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm for the first part of the season—though the latter returned on Tuesday night—and were just dealt another blow when Kevin Bieksa was sent home from the road trip with a hand injury. While there is no timeline on Bieksa’s injury, the blueline is getting thinner and thinner for the Ducks, as they had to rely on Brandon Montour for more than 25 minutes last night.

While Vatanen is close to a return, the Ducks will miss Fowler’s presence on the back end after he developed into a legitimate top-pairing option a year ago. The 25-year old put up another solid offensive season with 39 points, while cleaning up his defensive play enough to be trusted with nearly 25 minutes a night. That excellent play in all situations earned Fowler some Norris votes as one of the league’s best defensemen, as well as an eight-year contract extension this summer. That deal won’t kick in until 2018-19, and will pay him an average of $6.5MM per season for most of the next decade.

When the season began it didn’t look like the Ducks would need to rely on Francois Beauchemin for more than about a month, but it now seems as though he’ll be needed for much longer in an advanced role. The 37-year old defenseman is averaging more than two minutes a game on both the penalty kill and powerplay, both numbers that could potentially increase with Fowler and Bieksa out long-term. For a player who was bought out by the Colorado Avalanche and signed to a one-year, $1MM deal the Ducks are certainly getting their money’s worth.

Snapshots: Shipachyov, Mete, Eaves

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Vadim Shipachyov has reported to the Chicago Wolves and was on the ice practicing with them today, meaning he’ll likely accept his demotion to the AHL and avoid suspension from the team. The 30-year old forward will still earn his full $5MM salary ($2MM of which was already paid out as a signing bonus) while in the minor leagues, but the team will benefit from a bit of cap relief. Still, with his agent apparently talking to other teams about potential trades he may not be there for long.

Representatives from Shipachyov’s former team SKA St. Petersburg in Russia made clear to KHL reporter Aivis Kalnins that they cannot negotiate with him while he’s still under contract with the Golden Knights or any other NHL team. There can be no talks until a mutual termination is achieved which both seems unlikely for a number of reasons, and has never been intimated by Shipachyov or his representatives. For now, he’ll have to just continue to try and adjust to the North American game while playing in the AHL.

  • Victor Mete played in his tenth NHL game this season last night for the Montreal Canadiens, crossing the threshold to burn the first year of his entry-level contract. There is another (sometimes more important) threshold at 40 games, in which the player moves a year closer to unrestricted free agency, but Mete seems destined to clear that as well. The team today told him to find a place to live according to Richard Labbe of La Presse, as he won’t be sent back to junior anytime soon. Mete has been a shining light in an otherwise dark start to the season for the Canadiens, serving as their lone true puck-moving defenseman. The 19-year old is undersized, but has shown all the makings of a top-4 defenseman for the long-term. While Montreal has many problems to start the year, Mete isn’t one of them.
  • Lastly, some great news out of Anaheim. After Ducks’ forward Patrick Eaves was hospitalized with Guillain-Barre syndrome earlier this month, he announced on his Twitter page that he’s home and resting with his family. Eaves is expected to make a full recovery, though there is no clear timetable on his return to the ice. For now, the Ducks will need to move on without the 33-year old forward, whose long-term health is much more important than the games he is missing.

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