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K’Andre Miller Suspended Three Games

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Feb 28: As expected, Miller has received a three-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct. He will be forced out of the Rangers lineup and miss games against the Flyers, Senators, and Bruins.

Feb 27: After being ejected from the game last night, New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller will have a hearing to determine any supplementary discipline. Miller earned a match penalty for spitting at Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty.

Today, Miller released a statement on the incident:

I wanted to take a moment to address what occurred in last night’s game. I have all the respect in the world for Drew Doughty and what happened was completely accidental. I would never intend to do something like that on purpose, it goes against everything I am as a person and player. I felt awful about it and I am thankful Drew gave me the opportunity to apologize and explain myself in person after the game. 

Despite the apology, Miller could very well face a multi-game suspension. In 2019, Garnet Hathaway was given a three-game suspension for a similar incident. Interestingly, in that case, the suspension was handed down directly from the league, not the Department of Player Safety. The DoPS announced Miller’s hearing, though perhaps that is simply for public announcement, and this, too, will go directly to the commissioner’s office.

A suspension for Miller would complicate the Rangers’ delicate cap dance in preparation for an expected Patrick Kane trade. If he does get ruled out, the team may have to delay any acquisition an extra day (or two).

Anaheim Ducks Claim Scott Harrington

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After being traded from the San Jose Sharks to the New Jersey Devils, Scott Harrington is quickly on his way back to California. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the depth defender has been claimed off waivers by the Anaheim Ducks.

While the Devils likely hoped they could sneak Harrington through, this isn’t a big loss as the prize of the deal was Timo Meier.

In Anaheim, the 29-year-old defender will get a much bigger opportunity at the NHL level, especially if the Ducks move out some of their expiring contracts in the next few days. Harrington, quietly, has racked up 238 regular season games in the NHL, mostly playing the seventh defenseman role.

There is at least a chance that the Ducks could even flip him, should another team be interested in adding Harrington as a depth piece. Anaheim would have had the second crack at him on waivers, given they sit in 31st place, only ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Michael Houser Clears Waivers

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Feb 28: Houser has cleared, but Harrington was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks.

Feb 27: The Buffalo Sabres have signed Michael Houser to a midseason contract for the third season in a row, and placed him on waivers for the purpose of an assignment to the minor leagues. Houser was playing with the Rochester Americans on an AHL deal (again), and would need to clear waivers to remain there. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets reports that Scott Harrington, recently acquired by the New Jersey Devils, is also on waivers.

Houser, 30, has actually been incredible in his limited NHL opportunities with the Sabres, stepping into emergency situations and playing very well. Last season in two games he allowed just four goals on 77 shots, winning both appearances and posting a .948 save percentage. He’s never been that effective at the minor league level but has now cashed in with three consecutive one-year NHL contracts.

It is unclear why exactly the Sabres are signing him now, but it could suggest one of their other goaltenders will be traded away in the coming days. There has been some rumbling that Craig Anderson has drawn a bit of interest, and Eric Comrie’s contract is likely one the team is ready to move on from.

This was always the likely scenario for Harrington after joining the Devils, as he won’t have a full-time NHL role with his new team. That doesn’t necessarily mean he will spend the rest of the season in the minor leagues, but at this point the team doesn’t need him on the active roster and can stash him in the AHL. That is, of course, unless a team wants to take him, but Harrington already cleared waivers twice this season, so the risk seems minimal.

Carolina Hurricanes Acquire Jesse Puljujarvi

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The Jesse Puljujarvi saga in Edmonton is ending. The Carolina Hurricanes have acquired Puljujarvi from the Oilers today, after months (if not years) of trade speculation. The rights to Patrik Puistola are going back to Edmonton in the trade, and the Oilers will not be retaining any of Puljujarvi’s contract.

This ends a long, disappointing tenure for Puljujarvi in Edmonton, starting the moment they selected him fourth overall in 2016. Despite his size, speed, and relative success in the Finnish professional league, he was completely overwhelmed when he entered the NHL in 2016-17. Bouncing up and down between the NHL and AHL hindered his development, and a few years later, Puljujarvi had enough.

In 2019-20, when his entry-level deal expired, he refused to sign a contract with the Oilers and asked for a trade. He would return to Finland to play for the entire season, once again finding great success in a more offensive role back home.

Upon returning to Edmonton the following year, Puljujarvi turned in a relatively good performance, scoring 15 goals and 25 points in 55 games. But his game had inconsistent swings in production, and it was hard to know exactly where his place on the Oilers really was.

Now, with Edmonton looking to make a big splash at the deadline but pushed right up against the salary cap ceiling, Puljujarvi needed to go. His $3MM will come off the books, meaning the team can add something significant in the coming days.

Puistola, 22, may never actually play for the Oilers. The 2019 third-round pick is unsigned and would need a contract by June 1, or his exclusive draft rights will expire. That gives Edmonton a few months to work something out with the young forward, who scored 38 points in 56 games with Jukurit in Finland this season.

In Carolina, Puljujarvi should feel a little more at home. The Hurricanes’ roster is filled with Finnish players, including 2016 World Junior teammate Sebastian Aho. There’s a real chance that he finally shows some of the offensive potential that has been locked up for so long, though that is by no means guaranteed after so many tumultuous development years.

At the very least, Puljujarvi—who has some very good underlying defensive and possession metrics—will add another big-bodied forward to the Hurricanes attack, and lengthen their forward depth chart even further. The injury to Max Pacioretty gave Carolina some wiggle room in terms of cap space, and they’ve used it to take a swing on a move that could still pay huge dividends down the road.

Puljujarvi is still scheduled for restricted free agency at the end of the year, and would be due a $3MM qualifying offer. Given the money coming off the books in Carolina, there’s no reason why they would be afraid of that number, meaning they could get a longer look at Puljujarvi with a long-term commitment if finds a fit down the stretch.

It is a disappointing outcome for another high pick in Edmonton, but fans will quickly forget the sacrifice if they can turn this cap space into a difference-maker at the deadline.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic broke news of the deal on Twitter.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Deadline Notes: Miller, Oilers, Ekholm

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The Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks were discussing a J.T. Miller trade recently, according to Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Vensel’s sources indicate that talks have stalled but could re-open at some point before the deadline.

Miller, 29, has a seven-year, $56MM contract extension set to kick in next season, but the Canucks are already re-assessing the structure of their roster. This morning, CapFriendly confirmed that a trade with retained salary would extend to the entire extension. If Vancouver wanted to make Miller more enticing to contenders this year, they’d be on the hook for part of his salary through 2029-30.

Nashville Predators Recall Luke Evangelista

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The Nashville Predators are headed in a new direction, and it is time to check out some of the organization’s prospects. The team has recalled Luke Evangelista from the Milwaukee Admirals, the first call-up of his short professional career.

Selected 42nd overall in 2020, the impressive development of Evangelista has gone largely unnoticed by the media, partly because of the missing season in 2020-21 and his return to the OHL in 2021-22.

After playing just 14 games in his post-draft year because of the COVID restrictions that canceled the OHL’s season, Evangelista returned to the London Knights last year and went on a rampage. With 55 goals and 111 points in 62 games as captain of the powerhouse junior program, he showed that a lost year had no impact on his offensive development.

In 49 games with the Admirals this year, he has continued that upward trajectory with 41 points, even if his goal-scoring totals have come back down to earth. Now, following the trades of Nino Niederreiter and Tanner Jeannot, plus more that could be coming down the pipe for Nashville, Evangelista will get his chance at the highest level.

Even if the rest of this season isn’t much fun for Predators fans, they will have some exciting young faces to watch.

Morning Notes: Cap Circumvention, Chychrun, Kane

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According to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets, the NHL sent out a memo this morning to teams explaining that they would “closely scrutinize” any trades of injured players with the express intent of keeping them on long-term injured reserve until the playoffs. Gustav Nyquist is a perfect example of this kind of trade chip, as he is not expected back in the regular season.

Scrutiny is one thing, but it’s hard to believe that the league would put a complete stop to these moves. In 2021, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Riley Nash, knowing he wouldn’t be ready before the playoffs, only to activate him for game one. It might mean a closer look at situations like Adam Henrique, as the Anaheim Ducks forward is not expected to miss the rest of the season, but is still on the shelf for another few weeks. Any acquiring team would likely be expected to activate him (and have the room to do so) well ahead of the playoffs, instead of waiting for the salary cap to disappear on day one of the postseason.

  • More smoke is rising from the Arizona Coyotes, who have one of the biggest trade chips in Jakob Chychrun sitting in the press box. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports that the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Edmonton Oilers are all pursuing the Coyotes defender. Chychrun hasn’t played since February 10 as he awaits his new destination.
  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet points out that the New York Rangers don’t actually have to wait until tomorrow to acquire Patrick Kane, only past today’s salary cap threshold. The cap is calculated on the active roster at 4pm CT every day, meaning the Rangers could land Kane a few minutes later and have him applied to Wednesday’s number instead. All signs continue to point to Kane joining the Rangers this week, potentially even in time to take on the Philadelphia Flyers tomorrow night.

Detroit Red Wings Extend Jake Walman

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After finding a new home with the Detroit Red Wings, Jake Walman is cashing in. The defenseman has signed a three-year contract extension worth $10.2MM ($3.4MM AAV) to keep Walman in Detroit through the 2025-26 season.

Walman, 27, was a pending unrestricted free agent but has fit so perfectly in Detroit since arriving, an extension always seemed the most likely scenario. Acquired from the St. Louis Blues as part of the Nick Leddy deal last year, he has emerged as a legitimate top-four option for the Red Wings, mostly skating next to Moritz Seider at even strength. The two complement each other well and Walman’s playing time has surged, including a 23-minute outing against the Ottawa Senators last night.

While a spot on the top pair may not be his forever—the Red Wings do have some serious defense prospects on their way—Walman has proven to be a reliable member of a team that is on the rise. Even after two recent losses, Detroit is still 7-3 in its last ten games and has climbed within a few points of the final wildcard spot. If not this year, they will soon be back in the playoffs, and Walman is going to be around for the ride.

That makes two players that the team has extended this month, following Olli Maatta’s two-year deal on February 16. There could be more coming. The Red Wings have just 12 players signed to one-way contracts for 2023-24, with a long list of pending UFAs. With very few long-term deals on the books, general manager Steve Yzerman can still shape this roster accordingly, and reward players like Walman who have found success in bigger roles this season.

Latest On Vladislav Gavrikov

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The options are dwindling for the Columbus Blue Jackets, as every day, another contender adds depth on defense without acquiring Vladislav Gavrikov. According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is still “perturbed” that a deal with the Boston Bruins— the reason for pulling Gavrikov from the lineup—fell apart.

With the Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and even Buffalo Sabres already making defensive additions, Kekalainen has his work cut out for him if he’s to bring back the package of future assets previously rumored to be attached to Gavrikov. Notably, Portzline reports that agent Dan Milstein has recently told teams that the pending free agent defenseman will likely test the open market in the summer, instead of entertaining extension talks with any acquiring team.

Kekalainen, master of drumming up significant interest in players that don’t have a huge impact, may have missed his chance. After landing first-round picks for David Savard and Nick Foligno in 2021, it’s difficult to see that market for his biggest chip this time around.

After more than two weeks in the press box, Gavrikov will have to do more than just settle in whenever he does find a new home. The 27-year-old will have to shake off the rust of an eight-game absence and get back in game shape. He last played on February 11, the second half of a home-and-home with the Maple Leafs. Columbus won that game, with Gavrikov playing nearly 22 minutes. No matter where he goes, he will unlikely get that kind of playing time at his next stop. Paying a premium for time-on-ice—Gavrikov’s underlying defensive metrics leave something to be desired—seems like a mistake that teams will avoid, especially with so many other defensive options available.

If there was a legitimate package on the table (or even agreed to) from the Bruins, it certainly makes sense why Kekalainen would be frustrated. He may now end up with far less than once expected for his pending free agent defenseman.

Buffalo Sabres Acquire Riley Stillman

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The Buffalo Sabres have added a little bit of defensive depth, acquiring Riley Stillman from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for prospect Josh Bloom. The move comes at a particularly important time as the Sabres’ top defenseman, Rasmus Dahlin, is out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

That’s not to say that Stillman, 24, will be able to replace what Dahlin brings to the Sabres, of course, but it does make compensating for his absence a little easier. This is the second time Stillman has been traded this season, with the first being when he was sent to Vancouver by the Chicago Blackhawks for Jason Dickinson.

In his 32 games in Vancouver, Stillman averaged just over 16 minutes of ice time, registering five points. He contributed to their penalty kill and should be able to add some muscle and defensive depth to the Sabres’ blueline.

He’s under contract through next season at a $1.35MM cap hit and will be a restricted free agent after that point. Should he impress in a Sabres uniform, the team will have the option to keep him around for the foreseeable future.

While he won’t be the difference between the Sabres making or missing the playoffs this season, the team has played well enough to stay in the mix for a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. It’s unknown whether this deal is all Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has planned for this deadline, but at the very least he’s rewarded his players with a competent defensive reinforcement that has some team control to boot.

For the Canucks, this move is part of the team shifting their focus towards the future, ever so slightly. They exchange a decent if relatively inconsequential defender for an intriguing prospect who has been on an upward trend.

Bloom, 19, is a six-foot-two winger who plays for the North Bay Battalion in the OHL. He’s scored 19 goals and 42 points in 40 games for North Bay this year and is regarded as a well-rounded, intelligent player who could have an NHL future.

While this trade might hurt the Canucks’ defensive ranks in the short term, it’s hard to argue with the team exchanging a defender like Stillman for a prospect like Bloom. If the Canucks intend to be serious about re-tooling and building for the future, these are the sorts of deals the front office should be making. It’s a reasonable exchange of present assets for future value on each side, and it’s a trade that fits the current goals of both franchises quite well.

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