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Archives for January 2021

Red Wings Claim Christian Djoos Off Waivers

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The first waiver claim of the year is in as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the Red Wings have claimed defenseman Christian Djoos off waivers from Anaheim.

The 26-year-old split last season between Washington and Anaheim after he was dealt to the Ducks just before the trade deadline in exchange for winger Daniel Sprong.  Djoos suited up just twice for the Capitals but was a regular in Anaheim’s lineup after the trade, playing in nine games while logging more than 20 minutes a night.  He spent most of the season prior to the trade in the minors, putting up five goals and 27 assists in just 42 games with AHL Hershey.

Djoos signed a one-year, $1MM deal with Anaheim during the stoppage for the pandemic, a deal that actually saw his salary drop by $250K.  Had he cleared waivers, his entire cap hit would have been removed off the Ducks’ books in the minors but it’s now gone entirely with him out of the organization.

Instead, he’ll now join a new-look Detroit back end that also now has veteran Marc Staal plus free agent acquisitions Troy Stecher and Jonathon Merrill in the group.  Djoos will likely battle Merrill and returnee Alex Biega for playing time and could now have the opportunity to play a more regular role after spending most of last year in the minors.

Flames Sign Brett Ritchie To PTO Agreement

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As had been suggested earlier in the week by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Flames announced (Twitter link) that they have indeed brought winger Brett Ritchie into training camp on a PTO agreement.  To make room for him on the roster, the team has assigned winger Justin Kirkland to AHL Stockton.

Last season wasn’t a good one for the 27-year-old.  After being non-tendered by Dallas, he was able to catch on with Boston, inking a one-year, $1MM deal.  However, he struggled considerably with his new team, notching just two goals and four assists in 28 games in a fourth line role before being waived (and clearing) in mid-January.  He wasn’t much better at putting up points with AHL Providence as he had just two goals and two assists in a dozen games with them before the pandemic shut down the season.

Not surprisingly, the Bruins also opted to non-tender Ritchie back in October over qualifying him at his $1MM price tag.  The fact that Ritchie remained unsigned until now certainly doesn’t bode well for his chances of making Calgary’s roster in training camp but as a veteran of 268 career NHL games, he could certainly be an option for their taxi squad.

Islanders Agree To Terms With Mathew Barzal On Three-Year Contract

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The biggest restricted free agent is unsigned no longer as the Islanders have agreed to terms on a three-year deal with center Mathew Barzal, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period (Twitter link).  Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed but Newsday’s Andrew Gross adds (Twitter link) that the AAV should be $7MM which ties him with Anders Lee as their highest-paid player.  Darren Dreger adds (via Twitter) that the breakdown of the deal is as follows:

2020-21: $4MM ($3MM salary, $1MM signing bonus)
2021-22: $7MM
2022-23: $10MM

Under the terms of the CBA extension, the qualifying offer required is the lower of the final-year salary or 120% of the AAV.  In this case, 120% of the AAV is $8.4MM so that will represent his qualifier in the 2023 offseason.

The 23-year-old burst onto the scene in 2017-18 and made an immediate impact, leading the team in scoring with 85 points (22-63-85) in 82 games.  While his production has tapered off a little bit since then, Barzal has still led the Isles in scoring the last two seasons and put up 19 goals and 41 assists in 69 games in 2019-20 before the pandemic hit.  He also had a strong showing offensively in New York’s run to the Eastern Conference Final with five goals and a dozen helpers in 22 contests.

So why did it take so long for this to get done?  The salary cap, of course.  Even after moving Devon Toews to Colorado and defenseman Johnny Boychuk’s career coming to an end (making him LTIR-eligible), GM Lou Lamoriello didn’t have much in the way in salary cap flexibility.  Even in this marketplace and without arbitration eligibility, Barzal had a case to push for something similar to the eight-year, $80MM deal that Buffalo center Jack Eichel signed two years into his entry-level deal.  That’s a price tag that they simply couldn’t afford.

Going the short-term bridge route has been the expected outcome for quite a while to the point where it’s a bit surprising that it took this long to complete although Dreger reports (Twitter link) that focus until recently had been on a six-year pact.  This approach will allow the Islanders to stay cap-compliant much easier and eventually complete a series of pending transactions that will involve contracts for wingers Matt Martin and Tom Kuhnhackl, defenseman Andy Greene, and goaltender Cory Schneider.  Meanwhile, from Barzal’s point of view, the term will put him one year away from unrestricted free agency with a guaranteed raise of $1.4MM via the qualifying offer while he’ll be arbitration-eligible as well.  That will give him a lot more leverage at that time as if he doesn’t get the terms he’s looking for, he can simply file for arbitration and position himself to hit the open market in 2024.

The deal currently puts New York roughly $3MM over the Upper Limit of the salary cap before taking Boychuk’s eventual LTIR placement into consideration.  It would be beneficial for them to try to get into compliance without needing to put Boychuk on LTIR right away as that would help maximize their in-season spending flexibility.  To that end, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Isles continue to try to clear out a contract as they’ve been trying to do in recent days and if that doesn’t happen, several of those underachieving veterans could be on waivers in the next couple of days to start another sequence of cap-related transactions.  Alternatively, they could sign some of the pending deals to get close to the Upper Limit, place Boychuk on LTIR to start the season, send some of their surplus roster down, and then announce Barzal’s contract.  Clearly, there is still some cap management to come.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Training Camp Cuts: 1/9/21

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With the start of the season just days away, more teams should be starting to trim their rosters.  We’ll keep tabs on those moves here and update this post throughout the day.

Calgary Flames (per team Twitter and team release)

F Justin Kirkland (to Stockton, AHL)
F Luke Philp (to Stockton, AHL)
D Colton Poolman (to Stockton, AHL)
G Garret Sparks (released from PTO, to Stockton, AHL)
F Eetu Tuulola (to Stockton, AHL)

Edmonton Oilers (per team Twitter)

F Adam Cracknell (to Bakersfield, AHL)*
F Seth Griffith (to Bakersfield, AHL)*
F Cooper Marody (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Markus Niemelainen (to Bakersfield, AHL)
G Stuart Skinner (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Ryan Stanton (released from PTO, to Bakersfield, AHL)

*-pending clearing waivers, both will be officially waived on Sunday.

Florida Panthers (per team release)

F Henry Bowlby (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Scott Darling (released from PTO)
F Serron Noel (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Jake Massie (to Syracuse, AHL)
D John Ludvig (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Max Gildon (to Syracuse, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (per team Twitter)

D Mitch Eliot (to Utica, AHL)

Poll: How Should New Jersey Replace Corey Crawford?

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There has been no shortage of praise for young New Jersey Devils netminder Mackenzie Blackwood over the past two years. The 24-year-old goalie has already posted back-to-back seasons with a save percentage of .915 or better over a combined 70 appearances. Last year, he got the results to boot, recording a 2214-8 record – a .591 points percentage versus the Devils’ .493 points percentage on the year. Yet, New Jersey still went out and signed veteran keeper Corey Crawford to a substantial two-year deal this off-season. The move signaled that the Devils do not believe that Blackwood is ready to be a workhorse solo act just yet. So, now that Crawford has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team, what comes next for the Devils in net? New Jersey trusts Blackwood to carry the load in an emergency, but the club does not want to start off a fresh season already short-handed.

How should the Devils replace Crawford?

Internally

Although Crawford is currently gone, there is still no word as to the reasoning nor any projected timeline for his return. Rather than make a move, the Devils could simply look at their internal options to pair with Blackwood for the time being and hope that Crawford’s absence is not too lengthy. Veteran Scott Wedgewood made his return to New Jersey as a free agent this off-season and could be the top option to back up Blackwood as things currently stand. Wedgewood, 28, has 24 games of NHL experience with middling results. He also has considerable AHL experience, but after years as a top workhorse in the league, his numbers have tailed off of late. Wedgewood would be a safe choice given his familiarity with the NHL game, but lacks upside. On the flip side, there is Gilles Senn. Senn, 24, is only in his second season in North America, but already played two games with New Jersey last season. The Swiss wunderkind has been playing games at a top pro level as a teen as well. While he is not yet a polished product and is still adjusting to the competition level of the NHL and AHL, Senn is certainly not afraid of the pressure and is arguably the superior talent to Wedgewood. Evan Cormier, 23, struggled in the AHL and ECHL last year and is not a realistic candidate for an NHL job. So are Wedgewood and/or Senn enough? Or do the Devils need to look elsewhere?

Free Agency

The simplest way to add a goaltender to the mix would simply be to sign one. However, there are not many options to choose from. The top possibility maybe long-time Detroit Red Wing Jimmy Howard, simply because he is an established NHL goaltender and is not currently tied up in a PTO. Yet, there is a genuine question as to whether the sun has set on Howard’s career. Of the 57 NHL goalies who made at least 20 appearances last year, Howard finished dead last in both save percentage and goals against average. At 35, he may be done and not worth another look. However, 2019-20 did mark a steep drop-off in performance for Howard, who had remained a sold starter prior and was an elite keeper for Detroit as recently as 2016-17. So perhaps there is hope for another go-round for Howard.

A similar option to Howard, an aging vet whose play fell off considerably last season but has a long track record of success is Craig Anderson. The former Ottawa Senators starter is currently on a PTO with the Washington Capitals, though. Are the Devils willing to wait for the Capitals’ decision? And if so, is Anderson really much better than Howard, especially given his greater age and injury history?

Another option on a PTO, though expected to be released, is Scott Darling. Darling spent last season overseas, but is back in North America looking for an opportunity. When last he played in the NHL, Darling struggled greatly in two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. However, he was playing in the starter’s role at that time. Prior to Carolina, Darling was an incredibly effective backup – arguably the league’s best – in three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. Could the possibility that he returns to form in a fallback role behind Blackwood combined with his familiarity with Crawford make him the top candidate?

Ex-Devil Cory Schneider is also awaiting the results of a PTO with the New York Islanders, but either way a reunion seems unlikely. Mike Condon is another option and while he has shown promise in the past, two straight horrendous seasons make it difficult to trust him. Zane McIntyre and Richard Bachman round out the list of uninspiring free agent options.

Trade/Waivers

Of course, the Devils have the best chance to find a more suitable backup in the much deeper pool of already-signed players. While they could go the direct route and pursue a trade, there are also going to be numerous strong options available on waivers in the coming days, including the Anaheim Ducks’ Anthony Stolarz who already hit the wire today. Here are some other trade and waivers possibilities:

Adin Hill, Arizona Coyotes
Dustin Tokarski, Buffalo Sabres
Louis Domingue, Calgary Flames
Alex Nedeljkovic, Carolina Hurricanes
Calvin Pickard, Detroit Red Wings
Anton Forsberg, Edmonton Oilers
Andrew Hammond, Minnesota Wild
Charlie Lindgren, Montreal Canadiens
Keith Kinkaid, New York Rangers
Alex Lyon, Philadelphia Flyers
Jon Gillies, St. Louis Blues
Aaron Dell, Toronto Maple Leafs
Michael Hutchinson, Toronto Maple Leafs
Oscar Dansk, Vegas Golden Knights
Pheonix Copley, Washington Capitals
Eric Comrie, Winnipeg Jets

With some established NHL backups, plenty of intriguing young options, and even soma familiar faces like Kinkaid and Domingue, the Devils certainly have plenty to choose from. Do they feel the need to make a trade and give up assets? Or can they hold out for waivers? Or is all the uncertainty just too much for a situation that needs an immediate and clear solution?

Stand pat, scour the remnants of the open market, or make a move for a signed player? What do you think the Devils should do in light of the news of Crawford’s indefinite leave?

[mobile users vote here]

 

 

Free Agency Notes: Krejci, Andersen, Jensen

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While some attention has been on the future of teammate Tuukka Rask of late, the Boston Bruins have another major impending free agent in center David Krejci. Like Rask, Krejci is reaching the end of a long-term, big-money contract and while he won’t get another at 35 years old by next season, Krejci does not appear to be done. The career Bruin matched a career-high 73 points in 2018-19 and last season was a top-five scorer for Boston and trailed only David Pastrnak in shooting efficiency. He capped off the campaign by reminding everyone of his career-long knack for playoff success with a team-best 12 points in 13 games. Krejci looks poised to extend his career beyond this season, likely in Boston, but there has been little public talk of an extension thus far. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta provides an explanation, reporting that Krejci’s camp opted not to open talks this off-season. Krejci’s preference was to hold off on negotiations through the brief off-season as well as through training camp. However, the two sides are expected to begin talks once the season begins. If and when a resolution is reached, the extension could also remain as a handshake agreement, as many might this season given the Expansion Draft ramifications of signing would-be UFA’s. With that in mind, Boston fans should not be discouraged that Krejci is entering his fifteenth Bruins season without a new contract, nor should they worry if a deal is not done during the season; talks will be ongoing and the likelihood of an extension is strong.

  • Unlike Krejci, Toronto Maple Leafs starting goaltender Frederik Andersen does not appear likely to negotiate an extension during this season. The impending free agent, likely to be one of the best names available in the 2021 goalie market, did not have any extension talks with Toronto this off-season, reports TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. And now that the season is about to begin, LeBrun does not expect those talks to finally occur until next off-season. LeBrun notes that Andersen’s agent, Claude Lemieux, prefers not to discuss contracts in-season due to the distraction it may cause his clients. Obviously, any number of factors could shift the status quo and force the two sides to come together during the year, but it is unlikely. As such, Andersen is expected to head into the summer without a new contract and the Maple Leafs will have a small window of time to review the season and work out an extension before their starter becomes a free agent.
  • Andersen’s fellow countryman and former NHLer Nicklas Jensen was set to be a free agent this off-season but no more. The skilled Danish forward has signed a two-year extension with the KHL’s Jokerit, the club announced. The move comes as a bit of a surprise, as Jensen has re-signed with his current club in-season for the second year in a row, never allowing for NHL teams to make an offer during the off-season. Jensen has shown that he is worthy of a second chance in North America, too. The 27-year-old power forward, a 2011 first-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks, may not have found much success in the NHL last time around, but now a more mature player, Jensen has been a prolific scorer in the KHL. Jensen led Jokerit and finished fourth in the league in points per game in an injury-shortened 2019-20 with 25 points in 27 games and has never scored below .69 points per game through four KHL seasons, including his current campaign. A capable scorer with size and speed who has established himself in the KHL and previously flashed immense potential in the AHL, Jensen would seemingly be an intriguing target for an NHL team. A two-year extension taking him into his thirties does not completely eliminate the chance of an NHL comeback for Jensen, but makes it all the more unlikely.

Arizona Coyotes Promote AHL Head Coach Jay Varady To NHL Staff

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With less than a week until their season opener, the Arizona Coyotes are making a change to their coaching staff. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Jay Varady, the head coach of the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners, has been promoted to the NHL staff. Friedman does note that this move could be just for the 2020-21 season. Beat writer Craig Morgan adds that this is an additional position on Rick Tocchet’s staff and will not impact existing assistants Phil Housley and Cory Stillman. It remains to be seen how Varady will be replaced, as the Roadrunners plan to participate in the coming AHL season starting next month.

Varady, 43, did not waste any time getting to the NHL as he is entering just his third season as a coach in the North American pros after being named head coach of Tucson in 2018. Prior to his time with the Roadrunners, Varady spent many years as an assistant coach in the NCAA and WHL before becoming a head coach, first with France’s Angers, then many years with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers, and finally one season with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs. Last season, Varady led the Roadrunners to a Pacific Division title and earned the nod as the Western Conference head coach as the AHL All-Star Game.

Morgan notes that this move does not come as a surprise, as the possibility of Varady’s ascension came to light earlier this off-season. Morgan writes that Tocchet has faith in Varady’s ability given his success in the AHL thus far. It also certainly doesn’t hurt to have a coach with experience and success coaching young players on a youthful Coyotes squad. Varady becomes the second new addition to Tocchet’s staff this off-season following Stillman, who also played forward in his career and has coached at the junior level and in a player development context. However, there is no shortage of work for the new coaches to split following the exit of assistant coach John MacLean, who worked with the forwards, the power play and the penalty kill in his time with Arizona.

Snapshots: Dubois, Sweden, Manitoba

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Though they haven’t commented on it, the overwhelming feeling after recent reports is that the Columbus Blue Jackets will have to trade Pierre-Luc Dubois at some point. The young center has requested a change of scenery and that kind of thing rarely seems to change, meaning GM Jarmo Kekalainen’s phone will likely be ringing all year long.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic has compiled a list of what he believes would be the seven best suitors, while also noting that he believes at least two-thirds of the league will check-in. Snuck into the bottom of the Dubois piece is also a note on Gabriel Landeskog, noting that the Colorado Avalanche captain is hoping to sign another long-term deal with the team in order to spend his entire career there.

  • Sweden has shut down its junior leagues for the rest of the season, ending any chance that scouts have to see some of the prospects for the 2021 draft. Many of those names could make an appearance at the pro level in the coming months if they haven’t already.
  • Like Ontario earlier this week, Manitoba has finally given its blessing to the Winnipeg Jets to host NHL games this season. The province joins the four others that house NHL franchises in allowing the professional league to continue, without fans, for the time being. That exemption was the final hurdle for the All-Canadian division, though the league had previously expressed confidence that they would receive permission from all five provinces.

Minor Transactions: 01/08/21

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In a few days, the list of daily minor transactions is going to explode, with teams shuffling players up and down to create cap flexibility. For now, things are generally limited to minor league signings and European transactions. Still, these can be important in the right situation, so we’ll continue to highlight the notable ones right here.

  • The Belleville Senators have signed Colby Williams to a one-year AHL contract, ending his run with the Hershey Bears after four seasons. Williams, 25, became a Group VI unrestricted free agent this offseason after spending his entire professional career in the minor leagues to this point. Last season he recorded six points in 31 games for Hershey. Williams was linked to the KHL’s Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk earlier this off-season but has opted to stay in North America. The team has also signed Ottawa prospect Cole Reinhardt to an amateur tryout contract. The 20-year-old forward was an overage selection by the Senators in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft and will look to make the jump from the WHL to the pros with a strong showing in camp.
  • Dean Stewart, a seventh-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes, has signed with the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL after finishing his college career at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Stewart served as captain of the team last season and recorded 12 points in 34 games, but failed to sign an entry-level contract with Arizona in the summer. That made him an unrestricted free agent, but he’ll have to start the grind in the low minors for now.
  • Danny Kristo, who was originally selected in the second round by the Montreal Canadiens, will continue his European adventure in Germany after signing with the Augsburger Panther of the DEL. Kristo last played in North America during the 2016-17 season and has now suited up in the KHL, SHL, NLA, and DEL over the last three seasons. Even his KHL stops have taken him abroad, as instead of playing for the Russian-based teams he was with Dinamo Riga (Latvia) and Kunlun Red Star (China). Quite the traveler.
  • Los Angeles Kings standout prospect Jordan Spence has been traded in the QMJHL. The 19-year-old defenseman, a fourth-round pick in 2019, has been dealt to the Val-d’Or Foreurs by the Moncton Wildcats in exchange for young goaltender Vincent Filion, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2022 third-round pick. The undersized defenseman is no small get for the Foreurs; Spence won the QMJHL’s Defenseman of the Year honors last season with 52 points in 60 games. The offensive blue liner is back at it this season with 16 points through 13 games and will be a major asset for league-leading Foreurs.

Brendan Guhle Out Six Weeks

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Though it may get lost in the shuffle as the league deals with COVID-19 outbreaks, the Anaheim Ducks had some unfortunate news of their own today. Brendan Guhle has been ruled out for the next six weeks with a sprained MCL, essentially ending the training camp battle he was in for a roster spot.

The 23-year-old Guhle came to Anaheim in a trade nearly two years ago that saw Brandon Montour go to the Buffalo Sabres. Splitting time between the NHL and AHL, he performed adequately and looked to have an inside track on a roster spot (even if it was perhaps as the seventh defenseman) this season. The Ducks even put Christian Djoos on waivers today, indicating that he’ll likely start on the taxi squad or in the AHL.

Now, Guhle faces a tough rehab and the idea of overtaking a teammate mid-season if he wants to secure playing time. Six weeks puts him back on the ice deep into February, when a good chunk of the season has already passed. That’s a tough break in an already shortened schedule and could very well mean that Guhle will not eclipse the career-high of 30 games played he set last season.

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