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Washington Capitals Sign Zach Fucale To Two-Year Extension

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The Washington Capitals have strengthened their goaltending depth for the next couple of years, as the team announced the signing of Zach Fucale to a two-year, two-way deal. The deal is worth $1.5MM with an AAV of $750K. Fucale will receive $150K in the AHL during his first year and $160K in the second.

Once considered a superstar goaltending prospect, Fucale has struggled significantly since going pro. The 25-year-old has spent much of his playing time in the ECHL and has struggled to get an NHL contract until recently when the Capitals signed him to a one-year deal in August. Fucale was still expected to spend the season in the ECHL with a loaded system that was supposed to include Ilya Samsonov, Henrik Lundqvist, Vitek Vanecek and Pheonix Copley, leaving Fucale as the extra netminder.

Instead, Fucale has spent most of his time in the AHL and has fared well in six games with the Hershey Bears, boasting a 1.93 GAA and a .942 save percentage, potentially suggesting that Fucale might finally be figuring things out in net. Fucale would have been a Group 6 free agent, but will now hopefully find some stability after several years of moving around. He is a likely candidate to share the Hershey net with Copley next season as well before Copley becomes a free agent himself in 2022.

Nashville Predators Sign David Farrance To Two-Year Deal

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The Nashville Predators announced they have signed Boston University defenseman David Farrance to two-year entry-level deal. The four-year collegiate blueliner was a two-time Hobey Baker Top-10 finalist. He is expected to report to Nashville and begin his quarantine/testing protocol.

The 21-year-old Farrance was a third-round pick of the Predators in 2017 and has been one of their top prospects since. He chose, however, to play out his four-year career with Boston University, and could have chosen to become a free-agent, but instead opted to sign his entry level deal now after his college career ended Saturday. Farrance, who served as an alternate captain in his senior year, didn’t get too much playing time as the team played in just 11 regular season games and likely is eager to play more now at the pro level.

Farrance, 6-foot, 190-pounds, has had an impressive career as a Terrier, scoring 26 goals and 62 assists in 113 games and was more than a point-per-game player his final two years, both in which he was a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. In the 11 games he played this year, Farrance scored five goals and 16 points. He was also named to the Hockey East first team all-star as well as a semifinalist for the Walter Brown Award, which is awarded to the best American-born Division I player in New England.

Farrance is well known for his dynamic skating ability as well as his offensive prowess and could make a quick impact with Nashville if the team chooses to bring him in right away. If the team does opt to move Mattias Ekholm at the trade deadline, Farrance could step right into the lineup, although he may need some time adjusting to the pro level with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

Trade Candidate: David Savard

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we continue our closer look at some of the players who have a good chance of being on the move between now and April 12th.

It hasn’t exactly been the year that the Columbus Blue Jackets would have hoped for. The team has struggled on offense and hasn’t done a whole lot better on defense this season. Throw in some banged up goaltending and the Blue Jackets suddenly find themselves in sixth place in the Central Division with Dallas just behind them with four games in hand. That would suggest that this might be a good year to sell.

The team could find themselves ready to move on from defensive stalwart David Savard. The 30-year-old blueliner has been with the Blue Jackets for 10 years now, but while he’s still quite effective, has seen his playing time dip a full minute from last season and as the defenseman’s contract is ending, it might be time to move on from him.

Contract

Savard is in the final year of a five-year, $21.25MM contract he signed back in 2015. It has an AAV of $4.25MM with no trade protection.

2020-21

While Savard still is seeing top-four minutes, he has seen a decline in playing time. The blueliner is averaging 19:37 of ATOI this season, while he averaged 20:41 of ice time last season. While he averaged a minus-three in plus/minus last season, that number has gotten worse as he currently has a minus-15.

The right-shot Savard, however, does offer some solid penalty killing skills, which many playoff teams are often looking for at the deadline and would be a perfect fit for many teams in the league. He isn’t an offensive threat and never will be considering his best offensive season in the last five years was a 24-point outing in 2018-19. He currently has five assists and is not on the power play.

Savard also offers some size to teams who might need it at 6-foot-2, 229 pounds and is an excellent shot blocker who can also dole out hits, again features many teams are looking for. He is also a humorous locker room presence. Savard has also looked stronger more recently and has reunited with partner Vladislav Gavrikov recently, who he played with last season.

Season Stats

34 GP, 0 goals, 5 assists, 5 points, -15 rating, 24 PIMS, 41 shots, 19:37 TOI, 43.6 CF%

Potential Suitors

Plenty of teams would be interested in Savard despite his AAV.

One team that would make sense would be the Florida Panthers. General manager Bill Zito has made a habit of picking up former Blue Jacket players and Savard might be a good fit in Florida as the team ramps up its efforts for a serious playoff run this year. While the team has some solid defense, the team can always use someone like Savard to provide much needed physicality and shot-blocking skills into their lineup.

With the lessening of the 14-day quarantine in Canada to just seven days, that could make it easier for Columbus to send Savard up North where several teams could be on the lookout for a defensive defenseman. Both the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Winnipeg Jets might make sense for Savard, although both teams are more likely to be looking for a bigger splash in Mattias Ekholm. However, Savard might make a solid consolation prize.

Even a team like Colorado or Vegas could be candidates for a low-key player such as Savard to help for an ultimate Stanley Cup run.

Likelihood Of A Trade

There is no guarantee that Savard would stay with the Blue Jackets if they elected not to trade him despite the fact that he’s spent his entire career in Columbus. One other key factor is that even in sixth place, the Blue Jackets are only three points out of a playoff spot, although four teams are vying for that honor. That doesn’t mean that general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is ready to trade off one of his top-four defensemen. However, with few picks in the last few drafts, the Blue Jackets should be cognizant of the fact that they still don’t have a full slate of picks even this year as they are without a second-round pick, something the team might be able to pry off a team for Savard.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Sorensen, Mrazek, St. Lawrence

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The San Jose Sharks might be moving on from forward Marcus Sorensen, especially considering he will be hitting unrestricted free agency at the end of the season. In fact, Sorensen could find himself in the North Division soon as Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported that several Canadian teams have interest in the rental forward.

“Marcus Sorensen in San Jose is more of a traditional rental,” said Johnston during the “Headlines” segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “[Sorensen] only makes $1.5 million, he’s a UFA at the end of the year and I know he’s drawn some interest from the Canadian teams.”

Sorensen’s numbers aren’t overwhelming, however, with just a goal and three points in 17 games, while averaging 11:58 of ATOI. However, the experienced veteran would provide some bottom-six depth at a cheap salary and cost.

  • The Carolina Hurricanes saw a familiar face on the ice as injured goaltender Petr Mrazek, who has been out since Jan. 30 after undergoing thumb surgery, practiced with the team on Sunday. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that Mrazek’s return will depend on how the netminder feels. “He’s got to feel like he can play and contribute at the level he needs to,” said Brind’Amour (via NHL.com’s Michael Smith). “It’s a good sign we got him back out there. … I think we’re moving in the right direction.” Mrazek’s return would be a big boost to the Hurricanes. In four games this year, he has a 2-1 record and a .955 save percentage.
  • A tough day for St. Lawrence University. One day after capturing the ECAC Conference Championship and an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament, College Hockey News reports that the collegiate team has withdrawn its automatic bid to the tourney due to a positive COVID-19 test. In fact, head coach Brent Brekke announced that he was the one who tested positive. “I’m extremely sorry that this group has lost the opportunity to compete in the NCAA Tournament,” Brekke said. “It was my own test that came back positive today. The roller coaster of emotions in the last 24 hours for everyone is unimaginable. Last night we are holding the trophy above our heads and today we are shaking our heads in disbelief that the season is over. This hurts. But the one thing that can’t be taken away from this team — they are champions.”

Trade Deadline Primer: Florida Panthers

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Although we’re just two months into the season, the trade deadline is already less than a month away.  Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Florida Panthers.

The Florida Panthers are in an unusual position. Usually a team that is either standing pat or selling, the team has taken a whole new level under head coach Joel Quenneville, becoming a dominant team in the East as they sit just two points behind first-place Tampa Bay with the Carolina Hurricanes just one point behind them. However, no other team is particularly close behind those three teams, practically guaranteeing them a playoff spot. The question is, however, can they get out of the East?

Record

20-6-4, 44 points, 2nd in Central Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$8.48MM in full-season space ($15.98MM at the trade deadline), 1/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: FLR 1st, FLR 2nd, FLR 3rd, FLR 4th, FLR 5th, FLR 6th, FLR 7th, WIN 7th
2022: FLR 1st, FLR 2nd, FLR 3rd, FLR 4th, FLR 5th, FLR 6th, FLR 7th

Trade Chips

The Panthers best asset is someone who isn’t even signed to a contract. The team let forward Henrik Borgstrom leave for the Liiga this offseason, but still retain the restricted free agent’s rights. The once-highly touted prospect has struggled in the Panthers organization despite his incredible success in two years at the University of Denver. Borgstrom played in 50 games for Florida during the 2018-19 season, playing mostly a third-line role, scoring eight goals and 18 points. The belief last year was that Borgstrom would move up into the lineup and improve on those numbers. Instead, he spent most of the season with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, where he struggled and was rumored to be unhappy with his role. Regardless, he is still a player that has value and could be a valuable chip for a rebuilding team that could use a player that could immediately step into an NHL lineup. With HIFK Helsinki in the Liiga, the 23-year-old Borgstrom has 11 goals and 19 points in 27 games.

Florida also has a full complement of draft picks over the next two years, another way to pry a veteran player loose from selling teams. The team has drafted in the late lottery in the past few years, but now will be drafting much later. That makes those picks much more tradeable with many teams eager to get their hands on any first-rounder.

Others to Watch For: F Brett Connolly ($2.43MM, 2023 UFA); F Aleksi Heponiemi ($925K, 2022 RFA); D Keith Yandle ($6.35MM, 2023 UFA)

Team Needs

1) Top-Six Forward – The Panthers have been quite successful this season and have done it with a number of players who normally wouldn’t have been considered top-six players a year ago, including Patric Hornqvist and Alexander Wennberg. The team could use a big boost if they could add a significant piece to their top-six, which would allow either Hornqvist or Wennberg to move a line back and fortify the team’s depth. The team could definitely use more experience up front, pushing one of those two down to the third line. Of course, Hornqvist has been thriving this year with 11 goals and 24 points in 30 games, suggesting the team might be better off looking to add a center instead, but the team could certainly look to add more offense, no matter what it adds.

2) Top-Four Defenseman – The Panthers might want to make a play for a top-four defenseman who can play next to Aaron Ekblad. There are rumors that the team is looking at young players like Vince Dunn and Dante Fabbro as potential long-term pieces to the franchise. Florida does have a significant number of prospects, if they are willing to move them, to acquire a core piece and give the team extra defensive depth, even if they are 11th in the NHL in goals allowed.

East Notes: Ullmark, Zucker, Kuraly

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The Buffalo Sabres have a new coaching staff in place and could be getting back a key player from injury soon as interim coach Don Granato said that starting goaltender Linus Ullmark is expected to join the team for their four-game road trip starting on Monday, according to NHL.com’s Jourdon LaBarber.

“We need to integrate him into practice. That’s the next step here,” said Granato.

That doesn’t sound like Ullmark is ready to play, but getting on the ice with the team would be a big step for a player, who has only appeared in 12 games this season and hasn’t seen the ice since Feb. 25. Ullmark was playing quite well with a 5-4-2 record, a 2.44 GAA and a .919 save percentage. If he can return soon, that could be a huge boost for a team that has lost 13 in a row.

  • Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said that forward Jason Zucker continues to progress in his rehab from a lower-body injury. The winger was placed on LTIR, retroactive to Feb. 23, according to PGPSportsNow’s Matt Vensel. Sullivan said that Zucker dressed in full gear Sunday and skated with the taxi squad, suggesting he’s getting closer to a return. Regardless, it looks like Zucker should be able to return before the end of the season. The 29-year-old has four goals and seven points in 17 games, but should supply a big boost to the team’s top-six once he returns.
  • Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy writes that sources suggest that the Boston Bruins are willing to move fourth-line forward Sean Kuraly in any package and the team could find a taker in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus might be interested in Kuraly, who is a local kid, and could provide the team with solid two-way play. The scribe writes that the team feels they have younger players who look ready to step in as fourth-line options.

Arizona Coyotes Willing To Move Conor Garland For Right Price

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The Arizona Coyotes are currently in fifth place in the West Division. However, the team remains six points out of a playoff spot with the Los Angeles Kings one point behind them, making their chances of a playoff spot challenging, at best. Throw in the expectation that the Coyotes could soon undergo a rebuild with 11 unrestricted free agents currently on their roster and taxi squad and the team could find themselves sellers at the trade deadline.

Not coincidentally, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported late Saturday on the Headlines segment during Hockey Night in Canada, that the Coyotes have received significant inquiries about forward Conor Garland, who has been one of the bright spots on the team.

“I’m hearing Arizona’s been asked about him,” Friedman said. “And it’s not something I think they really want to do, but if the offer is big enough that it allows them to restock, I think they’re going to at least consider it.”

The 25-year-old Garland is no longer a prospect, but has emerged as one of the team’s top players. He currently leads the team with 25 points and is tied for second in goals behind Clayton Keller (10) with nine. Garland will be a restricted free agent this season with arbitration right and will receive a significant raise from his current $775K contract.

Garland broke out in a midseason callup during the 2018-19 season when he jumped into the league and tallied 13 goals in 47 games. He followed that up with a solid season last year, scoring 22 goals and 39 points in 68 games. However, Garland has been even more impressive this year, not too far off from being a point-per-game player, something that all teams could use to bolster their lineups, plus offer long-term firepower considering his age.

Friedman notes that the Coyotes would prefer not to trade Garland, but the young forward could bring in quite a return from teams looking to boost their scoring. On top of that, while many salary-capped teams have limited options to trade for with little to no wiggle-room under the salary cap, Garland would be a cheap option for any team, making his trade value significantly higher than many other trade deadline options.

There is a strong belief that many players in Arizona are trade deadline options, including a large contingent of defenders, including Alex Goligoski, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jason Demers, Jordan Oesterle and Ilya Lyubushkin (all UFAs). However, if Arizona put Garland on the market, it could be one of the team’s biggest returns.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/21/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:

Central Division

  • The Chicago Blackhawks announced several roster moves, swapping nine different players between the taxi squad and the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. The team assigned four players from Rockford to the taxi squad, including forwards Mikael Hakkarainen, Brandon Pirri, John Quenneville and defenseman Alec Regula. The Blackhawks also assigned five players from the taxi squad to the AHL, including forward Reese Johnson and defensemen Nicolas Beaudin, Madison Bowey, Lucas Carlsson and Wyatt Kalynuk.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced they have activated center Alexandre Texier off the COVID-19 protocol list and assigned him to the taxi squad. The team has also assigned forward Mikhail Grigorenko to the taxi squad as well. Texier has missed two games while being on the protocol list, but it’s possible that Texier has been assigned to the taxi squad to accrue salary cap space since the team doesn’t play until Monday.
  • The Nashville Predators announced they have recalled forward Rem Pitlick from the taxi squad. Pitlick, who has dominated in the AHL this season (eight goals and 10 points in eight games), has appeared in three games with the Predators but is still looking for his first NHL point.
  • The Dallas Stars announced they have swapped a pair of players between the NHL and taxi squads. The team has recalled forward Justin Dowling from the taxi squad, while re-assigning Nicholas Caamano back to the taxi squad.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have assigned Jake Bean to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. It’s a familiar move for the defenseman on non-game days who has been sent down many times already but has still played in 20 games this season, recording 10 points.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced that they sent defenseman Dennis Cholowski to the taxi squad. The 23-year-old played in 88 games over his first two seasons but has suited up just once with Detroit this season.

East Division

  • The Buffalo Sabres announced they have assigned forward Steven Fogarty from the Rochester Americans of the AHL to the taxi squad. They also have loaned recently signed goaltender Michael Houser to the taxi squad as well. Fogarty, who has been impressive in Rochester (five goals, eight points in 10 games) has only played one game with the Sabres this season.
  • The New Jersey Devils have made several transactions, announcing they have placed forward Nathan Bastian on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Bastian has played 27 games for the Devils this year with two goals and six points. The team promoted forward Michael McLeod from the taxi squad to replace Bastian on the roster. The Devils also swapped four players between the taxi squad and the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. They have assigned defenseman Joshua Jacobs and goaltender Gilles Senn to Binghamton while promoting defenseman Jeremy Groleau and David Quenneville to the taxi squad.
  • The New York Islanders assigned forward Oliver Wahlstrom to the taxi squad while sending goaltender Jakub Skarek to the AHL, per CapFriendly.  Wahlstrom has played in 25 games with the Isles this season, picking up seven goals and seven assists.
  • The New York Rangers made their usual large series of moves on a non-game day.  Per CapFriendly, forward Kaapo Kakko and goalie Keith Kinkaid were sent to the taxi squad with goalie Adam Huska recalled to the NHL roster.  Defenceman Anthony Bitetto was recalled to the taxi squad from AHL Hartford while forward Jonny Brodzinski was sent to Hartford.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers sent defenseman Nate Prosser and forward Carsen Twarynski to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Meanwhile, forward Matthew Strome was sent to Lehigh Valley of the AHL.

North Division

  • The Ottawa Senators announced that they have recalled Anton Forsberg from his conditioning loan with Belleville.  The loan lasted just one game but with Ottawa’s injury situation in goal with their top three goalies all hurt, Forsberg will be needed right away.
  • The Calgary Flames recalled Dominik Simon from the taxi squad while sending Derek Ryan, Zac Rinaldo, and Alex Petrovic to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Ryan and Rinaldo have been frequently sent down on non-game days with Simon being the recall in those situations in recent weeks.
  • With the Montreal Canadiens off today, they have sent forward Paul Byron and defenseman Xavier Ouellet to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Despite clearing waivers twice, Byron has played in almost every game this season while Ouellet has played three games so far.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs sent forward Alex Galchenyuk and Michael Hutchinson to the taxi squad while recalling defenseman Timothy Liljegren to the active roster, per CapFriendly. Galchenyuk made his Toronto debut recently and has an assist in two games with the Maple Leafs.
  • The Vancouver Canucks recalled defenseman Brogan Rafferty to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. He was a high-scoring blueliner in the minors last season but has played just one game this year, recording an assist in January.

West Division

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Matt Roy To Three-Year Extension

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The Los Angeles Kings announced they have signed defenseman Matt Roy to a significant raise as the team has extended him for three more years. The deal is worth $9.45MM with a $3.15MM AAV. Roy was going to be a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

The terms of the deal (via TSN’s Pierre LeBrun):

2021-22: $2MM
2022-23: $3.25MM
2023-24: $4.2MM

The 26-year-old was making just $700K this year, the last year of his two-year bridge deal he signed in 2019. By signing a three-year pact, the Kings bought out two UFA years, hence the significant raise.

Roy is the ultimate success story.

Drafted in the seventh round in the 2015 draft after his freshman year at Michigan Tech, Roy had two more positive seasons in college before signing with the Kings at the end of the 2017. He played two seasons with the Ontario Reign in the AHL before earning a promotion to Los Angeles late in 2019. He played 25 games for the Kings that year and earned himself a full-time role immediately. Roy finished last season with four goals and 18 points, but more importantly carried a plus-16 rating on a weak L.A. team. This year, Roy has seven assists in 24 games along with a plus-two rating, while averaging 19:16 in ice time, third among Kings’ defensemen behind Drew Doughty and Michael Anderson.

Toronto Maple Leafs Place Travis Boyd On Waivers

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have put forward Travis Boyd on waivers once again, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. The 27-year-old was put on waivers at the start of training camp and cleared and now must go through the process once again. Boyd has appeared in 20 of the Maple Leafs 32 games this year, but has also spent a good amount of time on the team’s taxi squad.

The move is designed to maximize Toronto’s cap space before the upcoming trade deadline. Assuming Boyd clears, which isn’t necessarily a guarantee, the Maple Leafs can send him down to the taxi squad to accrue cap space. With no players currently on LTIR, the team can now save up some extra space before the trade deadline to potentially open up more opportunities for the team. Boyd makes the minimum, $700K salary, but having him on the taxi squad between games can save the team quite a bit.

Boyd has fared quite well since coming over via free agency during the offseason. The forward has three goals and eight points in 20 games this year, while averaging just 9:40 of ATOI.

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