Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Minor Transactions: 02/02/23

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The NHL may be at rest for the All-Star break but the hockey world is still kicking. European and minor league clubs continue to make tweaks and changes to their rosters; we’ll detail any notable transactions below:

  • Callum Booth has left the Seattle Kraken minor league system to join Frankfurt of the DEL, signing a contract through the end of the season. The 25-year-old played two games for the Coachella Valley Firebirds and nine more for the Kansas City Mavericks, only finding much success at the higher level. A fourth-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2015, Booth never did make an NHL appearance despite a handful of call-ups over the years.
  • After terminating his contract overseas recently, John Quenneville has officially joined the Belleville Senators for the rest of this season. The 26-year-old was picked in the first round in 2014 but has just 42 NHL appearances to this point in his career. Through 19 games for Leksands IF in the SHL this year, he had 12 points.
  • In January, we covered how former Detroit Red Wings prospect Cole Fraser had left his ECHL club to sign with a team in Scotland, the Dundee Stars. Today, the Stars made that move official, announcing their signing of Fraser. Fraser is an experienced, in-his-prime ECHL veteran who was the league’s most penalized player last season and should be able to add some grit to the Stars’ blueline.
  • Two-time OHL champion Brett Welychka is changing clubs. The 28-year-old forward has signed with Dresdner Eislowen, a club in Germany’s second division. Welychka had spent this season so far with the EIHL’s Nottingham Panthers, where he’s notched 21 goals and 30 points in 35 games. The move should help Eislowen as they make a push for promotion to the DEL, while the sixth-place Panthers will have to deal with the loss of their leading scorer.
  • HC Slovan Bratislava, a club in the Slovakian capital, has released defenseman Carl Ackered. Ackered led Slovakia’s Extraliga in points by a defenseman during the 2020-21 season, and made the league’s all-star team. But his success that year hasn’t translated to strong production for the reigning champions, and a major injury has led to this season being a challenging, unproductive one for the Stockholm native. With this mutual agreement on a release, Ackered will be able to look for other opportunities to continue his professional career.
  • Ovechkin has been released. Well, Ilya Ovechkin has, that is. HK Aktobe, a club in Kazakhstan, has released the 21-year-old forward, who despite his last name bears no relation to the Washington Capitals star. Ovechkin was a decent player at the Russian junior level, scoring 37 points in 58 games last season, but has struggled in his pro debut. He now finds himself released after scoring just four points in 17 games for the Kazakh side.

This page will be updated with any further transactions 

Trade Deadline Primer: Anaheim Ducks

at CDT | by 1 Comment

With the All-Star break now upon us, the trade deadline looms large and is just over a month away. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We begin our look around the league with the Anaheim Ducks.

It’s another lost season for the Ducks, who have been out of it since the summer. Last year, the team shed long-time core pieces like Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, and Rickard Rakell, and they’re poised to do a similar sell-off this time around.

With the ultimate prize of Connor Bedard waiting for whoever wins the lottery, losing every game down the stretch might actually be an ideal scenario. You might see some shocking lineups in Anaheim before the season is over.

Record

16-29-5, 8th in the Pacific

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$36.29MM today, $61.34MM in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2023: ANA 1st, ANA 2nd, BOS 2nd, COL 2nd, ANA 3rd, MIN 3rd, ANA 4th, ANA 5th, ANA 6th
2024: ANA 1st, ANA 2nd, BOS 2nd, ANA 3rd, ANA 4th, ANA 5th, ANA 6th, ANA 7th

Trade Chips

More than anything else, the Ducks have cap space. They can easily take on some bad contracts, or act as the middleman in a salary retention transaction to secure a few more assets.

But player-wise, they still have a number of interesting chips.

It starts with John Klingberg, who signed a one-year deal in the offseason with the expectation of a move at the deadline. The two sides even built in a no-trade clause that would modify in the middle of the year, giving him the ability to list 10 teams he’s willing to go to. The problem is that Klingberg has played rather poorly, has just 17 points in 42 games, and still carries a hefty cap hit even if the Ducks retain half of it.

Klingberg may not get the return that the Ducks had hoped for when they agreed to the one-year, $7MM deal, but he does still seem likely to be moved at some point. Fellow right-handed defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is also a pending free agent, as is Dmitry Kulikov. They play very different styles but could be of use to contenders looking to beef up their defensive depth.

Upfront, attention will certainly be paid to Adam Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg, who both are signed through next season. The veteran forwards are versatile enough to help out a third line, and cheap enough (with retention) that they could be attractive targets.

But don’t forget about some of the younger forwards too. Max Comtois is a pending RFA and has fallen out of favor in Anaheim, playing fewer than 14 minutes a night this season. The 6’2″ winger plays a greasy game that might have a home in the playoffs, even if his offense has almost completely dried up over the last two years.

Even Anthony Stolarz, who has struggled behind a terrible team this season, could be a potential depth goaltending target for teams looking at bringing in a third option. The 29-year-old did post a .917 save percentage last season and is on an expiring deal worth just $950K. With Lukas Dostal the future in Anaheim, and John Gibson still locked up long-term, Stolarz probably doesn’t have much of a future with the Ducks.

Other potential trade chips: F Derek Grant, F Frank Vatrano, D Nathan Beaulieu

Team Needs

1) Draft picks: The Ducks are still years away from becoming a successful program again, even with the young talented forwards already in the NHL. Adding a bunch of draft picks – especially ones for 2023 – will help accelerate that transition. Basically, anyone that’s on an expiring contract should be shown the door, for whatever mid or late-round draft capital they can acquire.

2) Young centers: Last season, the Ducks acquired defensive prospect Drew Helleson, and young defenseman Urho Vaakanainen in deadline deals. This year, they should be looking to make the same kind of move with the middle of the ice in mind. It’s not that the cupboard is bare at the center – far from it – but building from there will only help them in the long run, even if they need to shift players over at the NHL level.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Kristian Vesalainen Signs Extension In Finland

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Last summer, after his entry-level contract with the Winnipeg Jets expired, Kristian Vesalainen went back to Europe. The young forward signed first with the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL, and then a few months later went back home to Finland to play with HIFK. The Jets retained his exclusive NHL rights by issuing a qualifying offer.

That meant they could potentially bring him back, should Vesalainen want to return to North America at some point. Not so fast, as HIFK announced a one-year extension for the 2023-24 season.

Vesalainen, 23, was selected 24th overall by the Jets in 2017, and it didn’t take long for him to see some NHL action. He played five games in the 2018-19 season, before playing in the minor leagues and eventually the KHL. The following year he was in the AHL full-time, and then in 2020-21 he once again split time in three different leagues.

Last year, though, he was given a great opportunity with Winnipeg. He dressed in 53 games, and even though he was only getting a few minutes a night, it was regular time in the NHL. Unfortunately, that resulted in just three points, and his departure in the summer.

Now, it’s unclear where his future lies. According to CapFriendly, his rights will be owned by the Jets through his 27th birthday, and his NHL upside is completely unknown at this point. It would be hard for another team to trade for him without a good grasp on whether he’d come back, and whether he could make an impact.

It very well could just mean another first-round pick that never does anything in the NHL. Through 70 games, Vesalainen has just five points. He has averaged 8:33 during those and is still something of a mystery. With HIFK this season he has 17 points in 24 games, not exactly lighting the world on fire. For now, he’s just another name on the Winnipeg reserve list.

Rasmus Dahlin To Replace Tage Thompson At All-Star Game

at CDT | by 1 Comment

One of the most obvious snubs of All-Star season has gotten an invite, even if it was a little late. Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has been added to the festivities, replacing teammate Tage Thompson, who will miss the event due to injury.

In reality, Dahlin should have already been on the roster. The 22-year-old defenseman has a career-high 55 poinits through 49 games, putting him 21st among all NHL skater. On defense, he trails only Erik Karlsson in both goals and points, while also sitting 13th in plus-minus.

There is little doubt that he is among the best in the league this season, and will be rewarded with his second appearance at the All-Star event.

It is disappointing for Thompson, of course, as he is also having an outstanding season. With 34 goals in 50 games, he’s become one of the most dominant power forwards in the league. He’ll miss out, but there will likely be plenty more All-Star recognition for Thompson in the future.

Latest On Kings’ Goaltending Situation

at CDT | by 18 Comments

When you look at the teams near the top of each division, most of them have at least one thing in common. Their goaltending is playing at a high level and usually locked in for years to come.

For the Los Angeles Kings, tied for the Pacific Division lead, neither part is really true, despite recent results. Pheonix Copley, who they have relied on recently, is 15-3-1 on the year but (incredibly) holds a save percentage of .897. Some will argue he makes the important saves, but the clock also might be close to striking midnight on that Cinderella story.

Their other goaltenders – Jonathan Quick and Calvin Petersen – have been even worse. Petersen is in the minor leagues after clearing waivers but is the only goalie in the entire organization that is signed past this season. So some might wonder if the Kings will be on the lookout for an upgrade in net at the deadline.

According to Pierre LeBrun on TSN’s recent Insider Trading, the goaltending search may end up stretching into the summer. The Kings are not interested in deadline rentals like Antti Raanta or Cam Talbot, and are instead looking for a long-term answer.

Where that answer comes from is unclear, especially when Petersen is already soaking up $5MM per season playing in the AHL. Nearly $4MM of that cap hit remains on the books through 2024-25 even if he stays in the minor leagues, making any big free agent goaltending addition a little bit more challenging.

Los Angeles Kings Loan Three Players To AHL

at CDT | by 2 Comments

All around the league we’re seeing players sent back to the AHL for the upcoming break, to save money for their NHL club and stay fresh with minor league action. For the Los Angeles Kings, that means Tobias Bjornfot, Samuel Fagemo, and Alex Turcotte are all on their way back to the Ontario Reign.

Despite still having one of the deepest prospect pools in the league, it’s not development that the Kings are focused on these days. The club is tied for first place in the Pacific Division and is looking to avenge its first-round loss from last year’s playoffs.

They have moved young players on and off the roster all year, with these three, in particular, totaling just 19 appearances. Fagemo leads the trio in scoring with three points in nine games, while Turcotte continues to look for his first NHL point.

It has been a struggle for the fifth-overall pick, whose career so far has been disrupted by injury and inconsistent play. He’s suited up just 23 times this season at any level, and has 12 points to show for it.

Jussi Olkinuora Clears Unconditional Waivers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Feb 1: Olkinuora has cleared waivers according to CapFriendly, and will have his contract terminated.

Jan 31: As the trade deadline approaches, teams will be trying to open up additional contract slots just to give themselves some flexibility. After one player hit unconditional waivers yesterday, another finds himself there today. Jussi Olkinuora has been waived by the Detroit Red Wings for the purpose of a contract termination, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets.

Olkinuora, 32, was signed by the Red Wings last summer to a one-year, two-way contract to try his hand in North America once again. The Finnish goaltender had played several years in the minor leagues earlier in his career, after suiting up for the Sioux Falls Stampede and the University of Denver.

After just 15 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, a contract termination suggests he’s on his way back overseas. He went 6-8 with the minor league club, posting an .868 save percentage. That’s a far cry from the numbers he was registering in the KHL the last few years, and an understandable catalyst for this termination.

For a veteran player like Olkinuora, struggling in the AHL isn’t always the most rewarding hockey career. Given the depth in net for Detroit, with Alex Nedeljkovic heading to the AHL, he wasn’t even going to play very much moving forward.

The move will open an extra contract slot for the Red Wings, giving them four to work with under the limit of 50.

Senators Notes: Talbot, Greig, Kastelic

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Ottawa Senators are expecting Cam Talbot to resume skating next Thursday after the break, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. Talbot last played on January 25 and there is no clear timeline for his return to action, so getting on the ice is a good sign.

Ottawa has received nearly identical goaltending performances from Talbot and Anton Forsberg, but will need a little boost if they are going to try and ride their recent hot streak to a playoff spot in the second half. The team has won four in a row and is now just six points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wildcard spot.

  • One of the players that have been key in this recent run is prospect Ridly Greig, who is still undefeated at the NHL level. The 20-year-old has two points in four games so far and has brought new excitement to the group. He was sent down to the AHL last night, but Garrioch notes that Greig will only practice with the Belleville Senators, not play, and then the organization will reassess.
  • Mads Sogaard and Mark Kastelic have also been reassigned to Belleville, but it’s not clear if the latter will return immediately following the break. Kastelic hasn’t played since January 21 and will likely need some time to get back into game form.

Anton Levtchi Clears Unconditional Waivers; Signs In Finland

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Feb 1: After clearing waivers and having his NHL contract terminated, Levtchi has re-joined his former club team Tappara in Finland.

Jan 30: The Florida Panthers have placed Anton Levtchi on unconditional waivers, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. If he clears, the remainder of his contract will be terminated, allowing him to pursue other opportunities.

You can understand why Levtchi might be regretting his decision to come to North America, given how successful he has been in Finland the last few years. He led Liiga in scoring with 26 goals and 61 points last season, only to find himself mostly in the minor leagues this year.

Through 35 games with the Charlotte Checkers, he has eight goals and 17 points, and has seen just two games with the Panthers. With no points to show for it, his NHL career might come to an end without him ever hitting the scoresheet.

Technically, a contract termination would let him sign with any other team in the league, but these are usually done with an agreement to return to Europe already in place. We’ll have to wait and see if Levtchi ever tries his luck in North America again.

Tim Berni, Marcus Bjork Assigned To AHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

It really says something about how the Columbus Blue Jackets season is going, that two of their regular defensemen are being sent to the minor leagues over the All-Star break. Tim Berni and Marcus Bjork have both been assigned to the Cleveland Monsters for the time being.

The Blue Jackets roster has been ravaged by injuries this season, forcing players into unexpected roles. That’s true for the 22-year-old Berni, who has played 28 games for the Blue Jackets so far.

The sixth-round pick from 2018 has only one full season of North American professional hockey under his belt, and at times he has looked completely overmatched in the NHL. Still, the Swiss-born defender has improved throughout his time with the Blue Jackets, and even logged more than 21 minutes last night in an overtime loss to the Washington Capitals.

Bjork, meanwhile, has less experience on North American ice but quite a bit at the professional level in Sweden. The 25-year-old has 11 points in 27 games for the Blue Jackets this season, incredibly leading all Columbus defenders in scoring.

Both players will likely play roles on the club down the stretch, especially if Columbus ends up trading Vladislav Gavrikov or others. The Blue Jackets are back in action on February 10.

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

scroll to top