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Archives for February 2019

Blackhawks Acquire Spencer Watson

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The Blackhawks have struck their second minor move in recent days, announcing (via Twitter) the acquisition of winger Spencer Watson from the Kings in exchange for winger Matheson Iacopelli.

Watson was a seventh-round pick of Los Angeles (209th overall) back in 2014 and while he was a strong scorer at the OHL level with Kingston and Mississauga, that has not translated to much in the way of success in the pros.  He has spent the bulk of his first professional seasons at the ECHL and has played all but two games with ECHL Manchester this season.  He has been productive at that level this year though with 47 points in as many games and has been assigned to Chicago’s AHL affiliate in Rockford.

As for Iacopelli, he was a much higher selection in 2014 by Chicago (83rd overall) but he also hasn’t lit up the minors thus far.  He has split the season between Rockford (four points in 27 games) and ECHL Indy (four goals in nine contests).

Both players are in the final year of their respective entry-level contracts and the two teams are hoping that a change of scenery will be enough to give them a boost.  Otherwise, they both will not likely be tendered a qualifying offer in June.

Islanders Sign Dennis Seidenberg

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Veteran defenseman Dennis Seidenberg has been skating with the Islanders all season long as an extra and he has been rewarded for his patience as the team has signed him to a one-year contract, TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports (Twitter link).  David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period adds (via Twitter) that the deal is worth a pro-rated $700K.

Seidenberg was not signed early enough in the day to go through waivers as several others did so it appears he’ll remain with the big club instead of seeing some game action with their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

The 37-year-old played just 28 games last season for the Isles but still logged nearly 18 minutes per game while bringing some toughness and shot blocking to the lineup.  Now, he’ll serve as injury insurance for the Metropolitan Division leaders for the stretch run.

Seidenberg has played in 859 career NHL games between the Flyers, Coyotes, Hurricanes, Panthers, Bruins, and Islanders.  While his offensive output isn’t overly significant (44 goals and 207 assists in total), he has averaged over two hits and two blocked shots per game over the last 11 seasons and has carved out a pretty good career for himself as a stay-at-home player.  That career will now extend for at least a couple more months.

New Jersey Devils Sign Evan Cormier To Three-Year Deal

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The New Jersey Devils have signed goaltender Evan Cormier to a three-year, two-way deal that includes the 2018-19 season, according to TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie.  As it’s too early for teams to sign contracts that begin next year, the first year of this contract will be burned this season.

Back in June, the Devils opted to relinquish the rights to goaltender Evan Cormier, who they drafted in the fourth round (105th overall) back on 2016. That saw him start the year with the University of Guelph, playing 13 games there, posting a 2.27 GAA and a .926 save percentage there. However, injuries to Cory Schneider and Eddie Lack left them with limited depth so they convinced Cormier to leave the school and since a amateur tryout deal, one that he parlayed into an AHL contract to finish out the season after posting a 2.02 GAA and a .934 save percentage in seven games.

He hasn’t fared as well with the ECHLs Adirondack Thunder though as he has a 3.87 GAA and a .875 save percentage in six games with them so far this season.  However, the Devils have seen enough from his thus far to officially bring him back into the organization.

Sabres Acquire Brandon Montour

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It has been a relatively quiet day on the trade front so far but the Sabres and Ducks have made a notable swap as Buffalo has acquired defenseman Brandon Montour from Anaheim in exchange for blueline prospect Brendan Guhle and a first-round pick.  The Ducks will have the choice of the better of the first rounders of the Blues and Sharks which the Sabres had acquired in previous deals.

Montour is in his second full season at the NHL level and has played a significant role for the Ducks this season, logging over 22 minutes a night on their back end which ranks third behind only Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm.  He hasn’t been the most productive offensively though (an issue for pretty much everyone on Anaheim) with just 25 points (5-20-25) in 62 games but is still a more-than-capable top-four defenseman.

The 24-year-old is in the first season of a two-year, $6.775MM bridge deal that was signed in late July.  The contract is slightly backloaded and carries a $3.525MM salary next season which will also represent his qualifying offer in the 2020 offseason when he will also have arbitration eligibility.

Meanwhile, in Guhle, Anaheim adds another young defender to their stable.  The 21-year-old actually made his NHL debut as a 19-year-old when he was summoned from the WHL as an emergency recall for three games.  However, he has spent the bulk of his professional career at the minor league level and has played in 50 games with Buffalo’s AHL affiliate in Rochester this season, collecting 27 points (5-22-27).  He has suited up a total of 23 times with the Sabres over parts of three years, picking up five assists while logging just over 17 minutes a night.  He has two years remaining on his entry-level deal with an AAV of just under $700K.

Buffalo GM Jason Botterill had indicated previously that he wasn’t interested in dealing a first-round pick for a rental player but might be open to doing so for someone that will be around longer.  That is indeed the case here as Montour has three years of team control remaining after this one.  As for Anaheim, they free up some much-needed salary cap flexibility for the next couple of seasons although it comes at the cost of someone that looked like a part of their long-term future just a short while ago.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report (Twitter link) that Montour was heading to Buffalo.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic was the first to report (via Twitter) that Guhle and a first-round pick were going to Anaheim.  TSN’s Frank Seravalli was the first to note (Twitter link) the draft pick options for Anaheim.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ottawa Senators Scratch Ceci, Boedker As Team Tries To Move Them

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The Ottawa Senators still have Mark Stone left to trade before the deadline on Monday, but the team may be looking to make even more moves. According to Darren Dreger, the Senators have made defenseman Cody Ceci and forward Mikkel Boedker both healthy scratches for precautionary reasons, suggesting that the Senators are attempting to trade those two players before the deadline. In fact, Dreger adds there is quite a bit of interest in Ceci. The team even announced that it recalled defenseman Cody Goloubef from the Belleville Senators of the AHL.

Ceci is no surprise and has been talked about in the past as the 25-year-old has been a constant in Ottawa’s lineup for more than five years. Ceci has five goals and 20 points in 57 games this season, which is just six points away from a career-high. He averages 22:34 of ATOI per game, which is second on the team behind Thomas Chabot. With several teams looking for a right-shot defenseman, Ceci might be a valuable commodity for a team looking for a complete rebuild.

Boedker came over to Ottawa in the Mike Hoffman trade this summer, but the 29-year-old has struggled offensively as he has just six goals and 29 points in 54 games with the Senators after having a 15-goal campaign last season in San Jose. Regardless, he could provide a team with a solid bottom-six depth option who has some special teams skills as well. Boedker, however, still has one more year on his contract at $4MM, which some teams might not be that interested in picking up unless Ottawa is willing to retain some salary.

Western Notes: Zuccarello, Chiasson, Binnington, Karlsson

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The Dallas Stars traded for Mats Zuccarello Saturday evening and brought him to Dallas early Sunday. The team traded two conditional picks for the veteran winger, including a conditional third-round pick in 2020 that could turn into a first-rounder if Zuccarello re-signs with the Stars.

However, Zuccarello was non-committal when asked about his thoughts of his impending UFA status, according to The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro. The veteran said he isn’t thinking about it right now and his goal in Dallas is to help the team get into the playoffs and beyond.

  • On a negative note, Zuccarello, who fared well in his debut with Dallas with a goal and an assist, left Sunday’s game against Chicago as the Stars announced that he would not come back after suffering an upper-body injury. Zuccarello was hit in the arm or hand while blocking a shot by Chicago’s Ryan Murphy late in the second period (video link here). Forward Jamie Benn was also declared out with a lower-body injury as the team suddenly lost several players in their newly-enhanced lineup. No word on the severity of either injury.
  • TSN’s Ryan Rishaug writes that the Edmonton Oilers might still make a move at the deadline with forward Alex Chiasson being the most viable trade chip the team has. The team would be looking for a pick and Rishaug believes that if a team is willing to offer up a third-rounder for Chiasson, the team will pull the trigger on a deal. Chiasson has 17 goals this season and has been one of the few bright spots during a dismal season in Edmonton.
  • Fox Sports Andy Strickland writes that St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington will become a Group 2 restricted free agent this summer once the goaltender hits 26 games this season. The standard number is 28 games, but Binnington signed his entry-level contract in the 2012-13 season, which had a reduced schedule due to the lockout and the number of games was reduced. The 25-year-old goaltender, who spent a good portion of his career in the AHL, has a 14-2-1 record to go with a 1.70 GAA and a .934 save percentage. He is in line to get a significant pay raise.
  • The San Jose Sharks were without star defenseman Erik Karlsson once again Sunday after he left Saturday’s game after re-tweaking his strained groin, which kept him out of nine games recently, and there is no word on how long he’s be out, according to Mercury News’ Paul Gackle. Head coach Peter DeBoer expressed optimism that it wouldn’t be long. Of course, DeBoer said the same thing when Karlsson first was injured, which could be worrying. “We have MRIs and those types of things, but you get put in spots, you can re-tweak, you can overextend it,” DeBoer said. “Everybody thinks it’s healthy and then you get hit a certain way. It’s a contact sport. You can’t control that stuff.”

Eastern Notes: Dzingel, Babcock, Hurricanes, Howard

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The Columbus Blue Jackets most recent trade Saturday, when they acquired Ryan Dzingel from the Ottawa Senators, may not just fall into the “win now” category. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Sunday that the team hopes that Dzingel will be more than just a rental. That may be possible as the 26-year-old is quite familiar with state of Ohio, having played three years at Ohio State University.

“He is definitely one of those players that we have identified as a candidate to stay here into the future,” Kekalainen said. “We did not just acquire him to be a rental.”

When asked about potentially re-signing with Columbus, Dzingel was open to the possibility, according to NHL.com’s Jeff Svoboda. “There’s a very high chance of that if they want me,” Dzingel said.

  • While it’s still early and there is plenty of time to get a deal done, Toronto Maple Leafs’ head coach Mike Babcock believes the team is good as it is, according to The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel. “The bottom line is … we got (Jake Muzzin), we’ve got some players who aren’t available to us right now, we’ve got a couple in the minors that we think are ready to play on our team and they’ve been there long enough,” Babcock said. “And so we feel we have good depth, so let’s get at ’er.”
  • News & Observer’s Luke DeCock writes that he believes the Carolina Hurricanes are looking to add at the trade deadline as he believes the Hurricanes want to add another forward and could see the team moving a defensive player for a potential forward. Carolina has a plethora of solid blueliners on their roster and have Jake Bean sitting in the AHL. The team has been rumored to be willing to move several defensemen all season, including Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk and Brett Pesce for the right price. The scribe also writes that it’s very unlikely the team moves Michael Ferland before the deadline.
  • The Detroit News’ Ted Kulfan writes that it’s unlikely the Detroit Red Wings will trade goaltender Jimmy Howard. However, if a team was going to make an offer for a Howard, it would be the San Jose Sharks, who may need a goaltender if they want to compete with Calgary for the top of the Pacific Division. Martin Jones has been struggling with a 2.92 GAA and a .897 save percentage in 47 games.

Trade Deadline Notes: Lightning, Ristolainen, Stone, Simmonds, Valimaki

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The Tampa Bay Lightning are sitting pretty at the top of the NHL with 98 points, 15 points ahead of any other team in the NHL. There seems to be little need for the Lightning to be involved with any trades with the way they are playing. In fact, Joe Smith of The Athletic reports that head coach Jon Cooper said he isn’t going to lose any sleep if the team doesn’t make a trade.

“It’s not make a trade to make a trade,” Cooper said. “We like our group… Whatever happens, it’ll be good for us. And that could be nothing”

Regardless, Fox Sports’ Andy Strickland contends that a rumor that the Lightning have been talking to the Buffalo Sabres about acquiring defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen won’t go away. Ristolainen, who had been considered the franchise’s No. 1 defenseman until this year when they drafted Rasmus Dahlin, could be a valuable trade chip and might be sought after, especially considering that Tampa Bay have three defensemen who will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Ristolainen has three more years at $5.4MM and could be a good fit in Tampa Bay.

  • With Ottawa already having moved on from Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel, who were both separately traded to Columbus in the last two days, many eyes have focused on the third member of Ottawa who is expected to be traded in Ryan Stone. The market for the 26-year-old is starting to heat up and the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes that as many as eight teams are considered to be serious suitors for Stone’s services. Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg reports that the price for Stone is still considered “ridiculously high.”
  • Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that a Philadelphia Flyers’ source reports that Wayne Simmonds has probably played his last game in Philadelphia. “Likely but not 100% decided yet.” Simmonds is one of the most targeted players in the league at the deadline behind Stone as the 6-foot-2 winger could give a playoff team that needed physical player they can play anywhere in their lineup.
  • With multiple reports suggesting that teams are asking the Calgary Flames for young defenseman Juuso Valimaki, Sportsnet’s Dean Molberg reports that fans don’t need to worry. He reports that Valimaki is as close to untouchable as any player on the team. The 20-year-old has played sparingly for the team this year, making him an interesting trade chip, but the 2017 first-rounder is considered to be a big part of the team’s future. He’s played in 22 games this season for Calgary, posting two points.

 

 

 

Boston Bruins Sign Lee Stempniak

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The Boston Bruins have announced that they have signed veteran forward Lee Stempniak to a contract for the remainder of the season. Stempniak has been placed on waivers and will remain with AHL Providence, where he has been on a PTO, assuming he clears. Stempniak has been practicing with the Bruins since training camp and his signing has long been expected. Fox Sports’ Andy Strickland adds that it is a minimum $650K contract,  but notably a one-way deal.

Stempniak, 36, is now ready to begin his second career stint in Boston. The Bruins acquired Stempniak from the New Jersey Devils at the 2016 trade deadline from the New Jersey Devils. While Stempniak performed well, recording ten points in 19 games, it wasn’t enough to push the Bruins into the postseason. With the playoffs nearly guaranteed for Boston this year, Stempniak’s second time around will at least be lengthier. His production however is more of a question mark. Although the veteran forward has four points in four games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins over the past two weeks and was one of Boston’s top scorers in the preseason while on a tryout deal, he has not played a meaningful NHL game for more than a year. How he will be utilized by the Bruins down the stretch will be interesting to see.

At the very least, Stempniak is an affordable add that brings plenty of experience and locker room presence. A veteran of more than 900 NHL games, Stempniak brings a smart, well-rounded game up front. The Bruins made a similar addition last season in Brian Gionta, who was used sparingly in the regular season and postseason, but given Stempniak’s familiarity with the team, he may see more action. Boston also has a need at right wing, something that many expected they would fill before the trade deadline. If the Bruins can’t find the right trade to make, that could also increase Stempniak’s role over the remainder of the year.

Islanders, Panthers, Sabres Sign Minor League Goaltenders

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Several teams have fortified their depth in net before the NHL Trade Deadline, which also acts as a deadline for players to sign and be postseason-eligible. The New York Islanders have signed Jeremy Smith, the Florida Panthers have signed Chris Driedger, and the Buffalo Sabres have signed Adam Wilcox. All three deals are identical: two-way contracts worth the minimum $650K at the NHL level for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. The trio of keepers will need to clear waivers today.

Smith’s signing is the most significant, as the Islanders have all but clinched a playoff spot this season. The 29-year-old journeyman played in ten games for the Colorado Avalanche just two years ago and previous stops also include the Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, and Carolina Hurricanes. Smith has had several strong seasons in the AHL, including a two-year stretch with the Providence Bruins a few years back in which he was among the best keepers in the league. While the Islanders have hit the jackpot this season with outstanding performances from Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner, there was a significant lack of depth in net with third-string goalie Christopher Gibson struggling immensely this season in the AHL and having a poor track record in the NHL. With Smith signed, he is likely the new third-string should anything happen to Greiss or Lehner.

Driedger, 24, spent several years with the Ottawa Senators before signing an AHL contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds this off-season. Before the Panthers traded Michael Hutchinson away, Driedger was relegated to the ECHL with Hutchinson and Samuel Montembeault taking the AHL starts. However, he has gotten into 16 games with the Thunderbirds since and has outperformed Montembeault. The promising prospect likely remains Florida’s next man up in net, but given the injury histories of Roberto Luongo and James Reimer, it is certainly possible that both Montembeault and Driedger could see NHL action this season.

The Sabres’ signing of Wilcox is likely in response to a recent rash of injuries in net. Both Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark have had injury scares lately, while young Jonas Johansson recently underwent season-ending surgery. While their postseason hopes are dwindling, it still remains a possibility for Buffalo and adding Wilcox gives them depth behind Hutton, Ullmark, and Scott Wedgewood. Wilcox, 26, is no stranger to being an emergency option; the Sabres were forced to call him up last season – again as the fourth-string option – and were pleased by a shutout performance in his lone appearance.

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