Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for July 2023

Seattle Kraken Sign Pierre-Edouard Bellemare

at CDT | by 9 Comments

The Seattle Kraken have bolstered their lineup with the addition of veteran center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. The team announced via Twitter that they’ve reached an agreement with the 38-year-old French center on a one-year contract worth the league-minimum $775K.

Bellemare brings 10 seasons and 660 games of NHL experience to the Kraken lineup despite not making his NHL debut until 12 seasons into his professional career, which began in France’s top league in the 2002-03 season. An undrafted free agent signing out of the SHL, Bellemare’s played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and most recently the Tampa Bay Lightning since joining the league in 2014.

He’s reached the Stanley Cup Final twice – once with Vegas in their inaugural season and in in 2022 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Playing a key role as a bottom-of-the-lineup shutdown forward, Bellemare registered two goals and an assist in 23 games en route to Tampa’s 2022 Final loss to Colorado.

He comes to the Kraken as a serviceable fallback option for their fourth-line center spot, especially if 2022 fourth-overall pick Shane Wright fails to secure a spot out of training camp or gets sent back to juniors midway through the season, as he was last year.

After a rocky three seasons in Philadelphia, Bellemare’s become quite strong in the faceoff circle, holding a 53.4% win percentage since leaving the Flyers in 2017. While his defensive game did show recent significant lapses during last season with the Lightning, it’s an extremely low-risk signing and a solid veteran add for an already deep Kraken offense. It also marks a reunion with head coach Dave Hakstol, who Bellemare played under in Philadelphia from 2015 to 2017.

Last season, Bellemare recorded four goals and 13 points in 73 games. In his NHL career to date, he’s managed 60 goals and 131 points.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Tobias Bjornfot

at CDT | by 7 Comments

The Los Angeles Kings have retained defenseman Tobias Bjornfot for the foreseeable future, as they’ve signed the 22-year-old restricted free agent to a two-year contract extension. The deal, reported by PuckPedia, carries an annual average value of $775K and will keep Bjornfot in the Kings’ lineup through the 2024-25 season.

Selected 22nd overall by the Kings in the 2019 NHL Draft, Bjornfot has fallen a tad behind his predicted development track but still has untapped upside. Hailing from Sweden, he made his professional debut with Djurgardens IF in the SHL during the 2018-19 season, shortly before being drafted by the Kings.

Following his selection, the 6-foot, 201-pound defenseman signed a three-year entry-level contract with Los Angeles just weeks after the draft. He would play in North America immediately, mostly with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, but did earn a three-game NHL audition in his post-draft year. With COVID delaying the start of next season, though, the Kings loaned him back to Djurgarden in August 2020 before returning to Los Angeles after the calendar flipped to 2021, where he’d record his first NHL goal and add five assists in 33 games.

Bjornfot’s transition to the NHL was realized in the 2021-22 season when he became a true full-time player for the Kings, appearing in 70 out of 82 games and tallying eight assists. However, this past season, he found himself reduced to an AHL role due to the emergence of other youngsters like Sean Durzi and the trade deadline addition of Vladislav Gavrikov, which impacted his place on the Kings’ depth chart.

Despite his fluctuating role in the organization last season, Bjornfot’s two-way potential remains highly regarded by the Kings’ management. The two-year extension gives the Kings a much-needed cost-effective player to insert into their lineup, and his league minimum cap hit could result in more NHL ice time with the Kings slated to be tight against the cap’s Upper Limit throughout this season, and Durzi shipped out to the Arizona Coyotes.

Upon the contract’s expiration in 2025, Bjornfot will again become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights and a qualifying offer of $814K.

Poll: Who Won The First Week Of Free Agency?

at CDT | by 30 Comments

As we enter the second weekend of July, unrestricted free agents have now had over six days to sign contracts and settle on new hockey homes, whether short-term or long-term. This year’s July 1 was a refreshing change of pace from some of the slower COVID-era free agency periods, with over 150 signings to parse through within 24 hours of the market opening. It may have been a weaker market than normal, but with cap space at a premium, there were some interesting signings (and choices) made over the last week.

The biggest free agent acquisition may have also been the biggest trade deadline acquisition just a few months ago – defenseman Dmitry Orlov. He found himself sacrificing long-term stability, instead cashing in for a few short years during his prime, signing a two-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes worth a whopping $7.75MM per season. It makes him the highest-paid defenseman on the team, and it’s the highest cap hit of any deal handed out so far. Overall, Carolina’s been one of the more active teams over the past week, also signing winger Michael Bunting, and they’re expected to re-acquire defenseman Tony DeAngelo in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers, which could go through as soon as tomorrow. They’ve also been linked to one of the best players left on the market, Vladimir Tarasenko, and remain in trade talks for reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson.

Another team handing out some hefty contracts was the Anaheim Ducks, getting a pair of experienced veterans to head from coast to coast. Inking two-time Stanley Cup Champion winger Alex Killorn to a four-year contract worth $6.25MM per season and getting staunch defender Radko Gudas locked in at three years for $4MM per season, their front office is committed to adding some secondary pieces as Anaheim looks to turn the corner in their rebuild. It’s more term and money than most expected for both players at their age, however.

The Detroit Red Wings were also quite active over the past few weeks. They dished out a five-year commitment to center J.T. Compher, a one-year, $4.125MM deal for defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, a three-year, $3.4MM contract for defenseman Justin Holl, and added veteran backup James Reimer to complement their crease. The individual merits of each contract have been hotly debated – especially those of Compher and Holl – but it’s fair to wonder whether these moves leave Detroit in a more competitive position than they were at this time last year after signing players like David Perron, Andrew Copp, and Ben Chiarot.

Interim general manager Kyle Dubas also made his mark on his new team, as the Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed starting netminder Tristan Jarry to a five-year deal and nabbed defenseman Ryan Graves for six years, also making many smaller moves to round out their forward depth.

Some other notable signings have included the Toronto Maple Leafs handing out one-year deals to John Klingberg ($4.15MM), Max Domi ($3MM), and Tyler Bertuzzi ($5.5MM), the Nashville Predators adding a trio of veterans in Ryan O’Reilly, Luke Schenn, and Gustav Nyquist, the Arizona Coyotes nabbing middle-six forwards Jason Zucker and Alexander Kerfoot, and the Ottawa Senators adding to their crease with a five-year, $20MM contract for Joonas Korpisalo.

We ask you, PHR readers, which team has done the best work over the past few days? Were there any teams you thought strayed from a solid plan, overpaid on the market, or maybe instead nabbed some value talents? Make your voice heard below in our poll or in the comment section:

Minor Transactions: Zadina, Andreoff, Cracknell, Slaggert

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Elliotte Friedman is reporting that Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina has cleared waivers once again, this time for the purpose of having his contract mutually terminated. The former sixth-overall pick is now an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team he chooses. The news was a forgone conclusion as Zadina cleared waivers just a few days ago and was unlikely to be claimed this time around.

For Zadina, it means he gets the fresh start he has been asking for since he requested a trade just before the NHL entry draft. For Detroit, it’s a brutal case of missing on a top-10 draft pick during a rebuild, not exactly ideal for a team that has built a good foundation of prospects and future NHLers. One benefit to the Red Wings is that they are no longer on the hook for the $4.56MM that Zadina was owed over the next two seasons.

One team that could check in on Zadina is the Vancouver Canucks, but Rick Dhaliwal of Chek Television tweeted that the Canucks haven’t reached out to Zadina’s representatives at this time, however, it is early. Zadina will come at a very low cap number which should interest many of the cash-strapped clubs around the league.

In Other Minor Transactions:

  • Friedman is also reporting that Detroit Red Wings winger Andy Andreoff also cleared waivers this morning and he too will have his contract mutually terminated. Andreoff had a year left on his contract at a cap hit of $762.5K and at 32 years of age will likely finish his career outside of the NHL. Andreoff has accumulated 14 goals and 13 assists in 188 NHL games in parts of eight NHL seasons but has had a solid AHL career with 254 points in 403 games. CBS Sports is reporting that Andreoff will sign in the KHL with Sibir Novosibirsk.
  • The Henderson Silver Knights have announced that they’ve signed nine-year NHL veteran Adam Cracknell to a one-year AHL contract. The 37-year-old forward is entering his 18th season of professional hockey after spending last season as captain of the Tucson Roadrunners where he posted AHL career highs with 21 goals and 32 assists in 64 games. A veteran of 210 NHL games, Cracknell posted 21 goals and 22 assists in a career that included stops with seven different NHL teams.
  • The Rochester Americans have announced that they’ve signed center Graham Slaggert to a one-year AHL contract. The 24-year-old spent last season with the Toronto Marlies where he posted six goals and four assists in 63 games. It was his first professional season after he spent four years in the NCAA with the University of Notre Dame. In 143 career college games, Slaggert posted 27 goals and 42 assists and was also the captain of his club in his final season of eligibility.

Carter Rowney Re-Signs In Germany

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Forward Carter Rowney, a veteran of over 200 NHL games and a 2017 Stanley Cup Champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins, has opted to continue his career overseas in Germany with DEL side Lowen Frankfurt for three more seasons, per an announcement from the league. The 34-year-old is now under contract with Frankfurt until 2026, likely meaning he’ll finish out his career with the club.

Rowney became an unrestricted free agent last summer after not being re-signed by the Detroit Red Wings, where he battled injuries in 2021-22 and played just 26 games on a one-year deal. The move overseas proved productive for Rowney, who exploded for 58 points in 55 games with Frankfurt last season.

The Alberta-born forward joined the Penguins organization on an AHL contract in 2013-14 after completing a four-season collegiate career with the University of North Dakota, bouncing up and down between the AHL and ECHL for a few seasons before getting an NHL deal from Pittsburgh for 2016-17. It turned out to be a shrewd move by then-general manager Jim Rutherford, as Rowney would go on to play in 20 of 25 playoff games for Pittsburgh in 2017, recording three assists in a bottom-six role while helping the Penguins capture their second consecutive Stanley Cup.

He would spend most of his professional career with the Anaheim Ducks, though, signing a three-year deal with them in free agency in 2018. He recorded a career-high seven goals and 20 points in 62 games in his first year there, 2018-19, and totaled 45 points in 152 total games as a Duck.

Rowney played a crucial role in helping Frankfurt stay in the DEL last season after earning promotion from the DEL2 the year before. The former Red Wing will also have the opportunity to mentor a future Red Wing in 2023-24, as 2023 fifth-round pick Kevin Bicker is expected to suit up for Frankfurt next season.

There likely would have been a place for him in the minors or at the bottom of an NHL lineup if he wished to return after a healthy season, but understandably, he’s opted to stay with the team that’s helped him rejuvenate his career after a tough few seasons.

Minor Transactions: 07/07/23

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Free agency is still in full swing with multiple high-end NHLers left on the open market – namely Vladimir Tarasenko, who’s now switched his representation after failing to secure a deal in the first few days of July. Teams outside the NHL continue their offseasons, and we’re keeping track of today’s notable non-NHL moves here as always:

  • Former Edmonton Oilers prospect Marc-Olivier Roy is on the move in Europe, signing a one-year contract with HC Nove Zamky of the Slovak Extraliga. The 28-year-old center was selected 56th overall by Edmonton in the 2013 NHL Draft, but the team never extended him an entry-level contract, and his draft rights expired in 2015 after his junior production stagnated. He spent six seasons bouncing around the AHL and ECHL in hopes of securing an NHL contract somewhere else, but the call never came. He’ll play his first season in Slovakia after posting 10 goals and 23 points in 47 games last year with Italian club HC Pustertal in the ICEHL.
  • American center Drew LeBlanc, who played a pair of games with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 after signing out of college, is continuing his lengthy career in Germany. The 34-year-old has spent the last eight seasons as a member of the DEL’s Augsburger Panther, but he’s now on the move to the Iserlohn Roosters for 2023-24. He was a quickly rising prospect after notching 50 points in 42 games during his senior season at St. Cloud State University, but his production immediately trailed off the minors, and he was in Germany within two years. He wraps up his Augsburger career with 299 points in 380 games, breaking the team’s all-time points record this past season.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Latest On Erik Karlsson Trade Talks

at CDT | by 50 Comments

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported today on the NHL Network that the San Jose Sharks remain steadfast in their efforts to trade reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. Friedman goes on to say that the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins are the two teams that the Sharks are talking to and adds that Carolina may need to work out of a move for defenseman Brett Pesce to acquire some assets to complete a Karlsson deal.

On the Pittsburgh side of things, Josh Yohe of The Athletic wrote an article today that outlined why Erik Karlsson is the type of player that general manager Kyle Dubas needs to acquire. Yohe highlights exactly why Karlsson is the right player for the team and the situation the Penguins are currently in. While most of Yohe’s article is in defense of the Penguins acquiring the defenseman, he also adds a couple of pieces of information regarding a potential move. Yohe says that any move Pittsburgh makes for Karlsson would be complex and would involve a third team, which is no surprise given that Karlsson is owed $11.5MM annually for the next four seasons.

Friedman reported Tuesday on his 32 Thoughts Podcast that one hold-up to the potential deal was that teams wanted the Sharks to retain more of Karlsson’s cap hit. He went on to add that at the trade deadline in March San Jose was willing to retain between 18-20% of Karlsson’s cap hit to facilitate a deal. Friedman believes the Sharks will need to retain closer to 30% of the deal which would turn Karlsson into an $8MM player for the acquiring team, and should net the Sharks a better return. Something they are open to. Friedman also reported today on the NHL Network that he believes the Sharks have pursued unrestricted free-agent defenseman Matt Dumba as a possible replacement for Karlsson.

At this point, it almost feels as though the Penguins must acquire Karlsson. Not only would they block Carolina from adding Karlsson to their already stacked defensive unit, but it would help to jump-start their offence which became stale last year for long stretches. Pittsburgh feels like a team that needs a jolt as they have been unable to get out of the first round of the playoffs since 2018 and didn’t even qualify for the postseason last year. Adding a 101-point defenseman would also alleviate some of the offensive pressure off Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and the rest of the Penguins’ top-6 forward group who almost single-handily carried the team last season. And while Dubas has been busy overhauling the black hole that was the Penguins’ bottom six, he still hasn’t added much in the way of offensive firepower.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Tyler Madden To Extension

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Los Angeles Kings have announced that they’ve signed restricted free agent center Tyler Madden to a one-year two-way contract extension. Madden is fresh off his third season in the AHL with the Ontario Reign after he was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NHL entry draft by the Vancouver Canucks. The two-way deal will see Madden earn $775K at the NHL level and $100K while he is in the AHL.

Madden was the central piece of the trade that sent forward Tyler Toffoli to the Canucks in February of 2020. Prior to that the 23-year-old native of Albany, New York spent two seasons at Northeastern University where he flourished posting 31 goals and 34 assists in 63 career NCAA games.

Since signing his entry-level contract with the Kings, Madden has spent three full seasons in the AHL where he has played 133 career games and scored 35 goals and put up 34 assists. He appeared to be well on his way to an NHL call-up in 2021-22 after he put up 31 points in 48 games but took a major step back this season offensively as he had just 33 points in 71 games. The two-way deal will give Madden an opportunity to continue his development in the AHL as he continues to work his way toward his first taste in the NHL.

At the time of the Toffoli trade, Madden was viewed as being just a few years away from the NHL and while his development has taken longer than expected he remains a terrific skater and a player with excellent vision.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Samuel Fagemo

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Daily Faceoff is reporting that the Los Angeles Kings have signed forward Samuel Fagemo to a one-year two-way contract for the 2023-24 season. The 23-year-old Fagemo was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NHL entry draft by the Kings after spending most of his junior career in his native Sweden. He spent the past three years with the Kings AHL affiliate the Ontario Reign and dressed in nine NHL games this past season where he posted two goals and one assist.

The two-way contract calls for an NHL salary of $775K and an AHL salary of $100K. Fagemo is just a year away from becoming eligible for salary arbitration despite having seen limited NHL action. This past year was the second time Fagemo has been called up to the Kings and although he scored just three points it was a bigger run than his first opportunity where he went scoreless in four games.

His results in the AHL have been a different story as Fagemo has seen a decent amount of offensive success with the Reign. This past season Fagemo put up 23 goals and 9 assists in 56 games as he continued to be more of a goal-scorer than a playmaker. This has been a pattern for Fagemo as he is a natural goal-scorer with excellent wrist and slap shots. While his shooting is a strength, Fagemo hasn’t quite rounded out the other elements of his offensive game yet.  In 151 career AHL games he has 60 goals and 34 assists demonstrating his ability to put the puck in the net and an inability to find teammates with a pass.

Evening Notes: Vladar, Avalanche, Desnoyers

at CDT | by 3 Comments

David Pagnotta of the NHL Network is reporting that the Calgary Flames will likely continue to hold onto goaltender Daniel Vladar until they get an offer that forces them to make a move. Pagnotta adds that the Flames have fielded offers from several teams but have yet to get an offer that they deem as suitable.

Vladar didn’t have a particularly strong season this past year by traditional statistics or analytics. He posted a 14-6-5 record with a .894 save percentage and a 2.87 goals against average. Taking a deep dive, he also posted -8.4 goals saved above expected in just 27 games putting him well below the average. However, Calgary is dangling Vladar at a time when the goaltending market is very thin and there are several teams who would love to add a young goaltender with size to their depth charts.

The 25-year-old is signed to a very affordable two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.2MM making him a solid bet as a backup with some upside for a team looking to take some pressure off their starting goaltender.

In other evening notes:

  • The Colorado Avalanche have announced that the head coach of their AHL affiliate the Colorado Eagles will be Aaron Schneekloth. The Calgary, Alberta native has been on the Eagles staff for a decade now and led the club to two ECHL titles in 2017 and 2018 prior to the team transitioning to the AHL. Schneekloth was retained by the Eagles after moving up a league and became an assistant coach to then-head coach Greg Cronin. With Cronin now the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks it was a natural transition for Schneekloth to take the reins of the Eagles, a club he’s coached with and played on for nearly two decades.
  • Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic is reporting that Philadelphia Flyers prospect Elliot Desnoyers was injured yesterday at development camp after crashing into the boards hard during a battle drill with a teammate. Desnoyers was unable to put weight on his right leg but appears to have avoided serious injury. The 21-year-old was a fifth-round selection of the Flyers in 2020 and is coming off his first professional season in the AHL where he posted 23 goals and 21 assists in 65 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He dressed in four additional games with the Flyers but was held pointless. Desnoyers wasn’t drafted for his offense, but the Flyers have to be pleased with his development on the offensive side of the puck.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top