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Artemi Panarin To Take Leave Of Absence

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The New York Rangers will be without their highest-paid player indefinitely after Artemi Panarin announced he will take a leave of absence today. The move comes following a report originating from former KHL coach Andrei Nazarov, alleging that Panarin beat up an 18-year-old girl in 2011. Panarin was playing for Chekhov Vityaz in the KHL at the time, which was coached by Nazarov, a former NHL winger who has led several different teams in the KHL. Some, including Larry Brooks of the New York Post, have suggested that the report was politically motivated as retribution for Panarin’s previous public support of opposition leader Alexi Navalny.

The Rangers released a statement in support of Panarin:

Artemi vehemently and unequivocally denies any and all allegations in this fabricated story. This is clearly an intimidation taxtic being used against him for being outspoken on recent political events. Artemi is obviously shaken and concerned and will take some time away from the team. The Rangers fully support Artemi and will work with him to identify the source of these unfounded allegations. 

The loss of Panarin will be a huge one for the Rangers, who rely on him to drive the offense every night. The 29-year-old winger has 18 points through his first 14 games this season, logging more than 20 minutes a night. Given it is not clear how long he will be out, the Rangers must find a new way to generate goals and a new player to fill Panarin’s role on the powerplay.

The Rangers have won two straight and find themselves inching back into the East Division playoff picture.

West Notes: Krebs, Strand, Kostin, Wiesblatt, Robins

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With the WHL getting closer to a start date, many teams are beginning to send their prospects back to their junior leagues. The Henderson Silver Knights, the AHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, announced they have assigned center Peyton Krebs to the Winnipeg Ice.

With the WHL shutdown for most of the season so far, the Golden Knights’ top pick in 2019 (17th overall) got a rare opportunity to play amongst men in the AHL. He managed to get in five games with the Silver Knights, posting a goal and five points and looking like he’s ready for his next challenge. However, with the WHL starting back up soon, Krebs either had to be on the Golden Knights roster or return to his junior team. The 20-year-old posted impressive numbers with Winnipeg last season, including 12 goals and 60 points in just 38 games before joining the Golden Knights in the bubble for the playoffs last summer even if he didn’t get to appear in an NHL game.

  • The Department of Player Safety announced that they have fined Los Angeles Kings defenseman Austin Strand $3,168 for cross-checking forward Conor Garland. The incident occurred at 19:52 of the second period (video here) in which Strand used the shaft of his stick to strike Garland in the face. Strand received a two-minute minor penalty for cross checking. The fine was the maximum amount allowable under the CBA.
  • With Sammy Blais on the COVID Protocol list, the St. Louis Blues find themselves down to 11 forwards. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas writes that despite their lack of depth at the forward position all of a sudden, there is no plan to bring back prospect Klim Kostin from Russia. The 2017 first-rounder was loaned for the season to Omsk Avangard of the KHL in September, but the team has indicated that’s where he’ll stay until the KHL season ends. Of course, their regular season ends at the end of this month, but Omsk Avangard is expected to be in the playoffs, lengthening his stay there. While the forward’s numbers aren’t overly impressive (seven goals and 18 points in 41 games), Thomas notes that he has been much more impressive lately with four goals and nine points in his last six games.
  • The San Jose Sharks announced they have assigned two of their top picks in the 2020 NHL draft to the WHL. Both Ozzy Wiesblatt and Tristen Robins, who were playing with the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL while junior play has been suspended, will return to their teams. Wiesblatt, the team’s first-round pick (31st overall), played in three games for the Barracuda, scoring one goal and will return to Prince Albert of the WHL. Robins, the team’s second-round pick (56th overall), played in two games with the Barracuda and will return to Saskatoon of the AHL.

 

Minor Transactions: 02/14/21

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Today is supposed to be about significant others, and the NHL did their part with just two games on the docket, but there are some significant moves worth paying attention to as well, both at home and abroad. Keep up with all of the day’s minor transactions right here:

  • In some surprising news that will certainly require a follow-up, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers have released Nick Pastujov from his AHL contract, according to league’s transaction log. Pastujov, a New York Islanders 2016 draft pick, signed with Bridgeport this fall following a successful four-year stint at the University of Michigan. Although the Isles seemingly felt he was not ready for an entry-level contract, they wanted to keep the prospect winger within the organization. Yet, without having even played a game for the Sound Tigers, Pastujov has been released from the team. It is unclear whether this was his decision or if the move was prompted by the club. The oldest of three brothers, with Michael also at Michigan and Sasha bound for Notre Dame and looking like a potential first-round NHL draft pick, Nick looked primed to begin the Pastujov era in pro hockey. It will be interesting to see what comes next for the young forward.
  • Another problem prospect for the Islanders, Joshua Ho-Sang is on the move again. Still technically under contract with New York, Ho-Sang was loaned to the SHL’s Orebro HK last month. After just five games – and one point – that relationship has already been terminated. Ho-Sang has now signed on with another Swedish club, Linkoping HC, hopefully for the rest of the season, the team announced. Ho-Sang will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season, but it seems unlikely that the Islanders will extend a qualifying offer.
  • After bouncing around the AHL over the past few seasons, former Winnipeg Jets defenseman Julian Melchiori has found a home in Germany. Melchiori, who had played on an NHL contract in each of his first eight pro seasons, became an unrestricted free agent this off-season when his contract with the New Jersey Devils expired. Unable to find another NHL deal, Melchiori first signed in the KHL but terminated his deal in favor of a contract with the DEL’s Grizzlys Wolfsburg. Germany’s top league also had a delayed start to their season, but in just 15 games so far Melchiori has apparently impressed his new club and has enjoyed the fit himself. Wolfsburg has announced that the two sides have already agreed to a one-year extension. The team’s release called Melchiori a “leader” and “top performer” who “integrated very quickly”.
  • Another former NHL defenseman, Marc-Andre Gragnani, has signed a new contract in Europe as well. Gragnani has inked a deal for the remainder of the SHL season with Djurgardens IF, the team announced. Since he last played in the NHL as a member of the New Jersey Devils in 2015-16, Gragnani has been stellar for the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk and Kunlun Red Star as one of the better offensive defensemen in the league. Even at 33, it would not be a surprise if Gragnani’s late signing this season was due to his desire to find a contract in the NHL. A journeyman in his North American days who was always far more effective in the AHL than the NHL, Gragnani no doubt has more confidence after several high-scoring seasons in Europe. He will have to re-focus now on helping his new Swedish club, as Djurgardens is still fighting for a playoff spot despite severely lacking talent on the blue line.

Anthony Peluso, Kristers Gudlevskis Sign In Slovakia

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HC Slovan Bratislava has made a pair of major additions to their roster as they gear up for the stretch run of the Slovakian Extraliga season. The former KHL club, now a powerhouse in the Tipos, lost a number of top young contributors when NHL and AHL training camps opened up, including forward Marian Studenic (NJD), defenseman Cam Lee (PIT), and goaltender Roman Durny (ANA). They also parted ways with former Buffalo Sabres netminder Andrei Makarov due to injury. Yet, the Andrej Meszaros-led team still sits in third place in the Extraliga, three points out of first with a game in hand. With a title in sight and holes to fill, Bratislava has turned to NHL veterans Anthony Peluso and Kristers Gudlevskis.

Peluso, 31, has signed a contract for the remainder of the 2020-21 season, the team announced. Peluso, who is making his first foray into European hockey, was undoubtedly hoping to find a new contract in North America. The former Winnipeg Jets regular, who has also been a member of the St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, and most recently the Calgary Flames, has 148 NHL games and 312 AHL games to his credit over eight pro seasons. Last year, spent with the Bakersfield Condors, was the first season in that span in which Peluso did not play on an NHL contract. Nothing short of consistent, Peluso has been a low-scoring, but physically menacing presence up front at both levels and has managed to make a career out of his grinding style. However, by joining Bratislava he may finally have some opportunity to break free of that role and show that he still has some offensive ability left in him. While the team’s press release mentions the benefits of his physical brand of hockey, they also note that he was brought in as scoring depth up front. While Peluso’s aggressive style is surely taxing, he doesn’t have as much tread on his tires as many players with his age and seasons of experience. Perhaps if he can take on a top role with Bratislava, it will open doors for an NHL contract next season.

Gudlevskis, 28, has also signed with Slovan for the remainder of the 2020-21 season after beginning the year with Villacher SV of the IceHL. Although Gudlevskis has not played in North America since 2017-18, he has been linked to an NHL comeback in every off-season since. The former Tampa Bay Lightning backup, who finished his first NHL tenure under contract with the New York Islanders, has played at a high level since moving to Europe. Posting strong numbers first in the KHL and then last season in the German DEL, Gudlevskis has shown that he is a capable keeper and at his age still has plenty of quality years left in him. However, he has never been a workhorse which may be limiting his upside in the eyes of NHL suitors. Will he get that opportunity in Bratislava? With Makarov and Durny gone, the team was forced to bring in another goaltender to pair with Tyler Parks. The long-time ECHLer has actually been stellar so far this season, but Gudlevskis’ experience may make him the go-to guy down the stretch and in the postseason. If that occurs, perhaps he will finally be able to make the jump back to North America this off-season.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Pavel Dorofeyev

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After terminating his contract in the KHL last week, Pavel Dorofeyev is coming to Vegas. The third-round pick signed his entry-level contract with the Vegas Golden Knights and has been assigned to the Henderson Silver Knights for their upcoming season.

Dorofeyev, 20, was selected 79th overall in 2019 after making it all the way up to the KHL as a teenager. Though he didn’t score much when he got there, just being a regular at that age was impressive enough. After attending the Golden Knights development camp, he returned to Russia to once again play on a regular basis with Magnitogorsk Mettalurg, scoring four goals and seven points in 48 games. That return came with a contract extension, part of the reason why Dorofeyev fell down the draft board in the first place—some had even considered him a late first-round talent, but it wasn’t at all clear when he would come to North America.

Now, after a July 2020 trade took him from Magnitogorsk to Chelyabinsk and a season where he has been playing in the VHL (the KHL’s minor league), Vegas’ gambit pays off. He’ll now immediately become one of the players to watch for Henderson, armed with incredible puck skills and top-end skating ability. That’s not to say he’s ready to step in and be a contributor in the NHL, but having full control of his development for the next three years at a minimum is a clear with for the Golden Knights.

Snapshots: Ullmark, Tryamkin, Thornton

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The Buffalo Sabres have been taking the ice without Linus Ullmark for the last two games and this morning the goaltender explained why. After Monday’s morning skate, Ullmark received news that his father had passed away in Sweden. Carter Hutton took the net that evening, but captain Jack Eichel awarded Ullmark with the game puck after a 6-1 victory. He expressed his gratitude towards the whole organization for how they’ve come to his support in the days since.

Ullmark plans on traveling with the team to Washington and could be available for Friday’s game against the Capitals. Hutton meanwhile will not be on the trip as he deals with an injury and is listed as day-to-day.

  • The Vancouver Canucks have a very interesting relationship with Russian defenseman Nikita Tryamkin, who is still playing in the KHL despite a long negotiation last year. The 26-year-old defender is still technically a restricted free agent and can only sign with the Canucks if he chooses to return to the NHL. Now, Rick Dhaliwal of TSN gives an update on the situation and spoke with Yekaterinburg executive Maxim Ryabkov, who expressed how much Tryamkin has improved in the last year, even calling him “one of the best defensemen in the KHL.” The 6’7″ behemoth pairs incredible size with excellent skating ability to shut down rushes and move the puck quickly. If he is not signed this offseason, Tryamkin can actually become an unrestricted free agent after the 2021-22 season.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs had the blender out at practice today following a loss to the Edmonton Oilers that included Joe Thornton’s early exit with an injury. Thornton will undergo further testing to determine the extent of the injury but is expected to miss some time. Interestingly, Auston Matthews also left practice just before it began, though all head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Kristen Shilton of TSN that the star center “wasn’t feeling great.” Adam Brooks, Pierre Engvall, and Alexander Barabanov were all skating with the main group as the Maple Leafs try to figure out their lines moving forward.

Overseas Notes: Kostitsyns, Brown, Boychuk

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Today was a busy day overseas for former NHL players, with several familiar names inking new deals. Both Sergei Kostitsyn and Andrei Kostitsyn have found new teams, though will not be together this season. Sergei, 33, has signed with the Bratislava Capitals in the ICEHL for the rest of the year as he returns from a back injury that kept him out in 2019-20. Once a 50-point man in the NHL with the Nashville Predators, he has been playing in the KHL since 2013.

His older brother Andrei also has a new deal, this time leaving Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the KHL for Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech league. The 35-year-old had 10 points in 24 KHL games this year but will try a new league for the first time since leaving the NHL in 2012.

  • J.T. Brown, who spent all of last season with the Iowa Wild of the AHL, is off to Sweden to play for IF Bjorkloven of the second tier. The former Tampa Bay Lightning forward has 365 career NHL games under his belt but finds himself looking for work like so many other fringe players. Brown had 22 points in 62 games for Iowa last year, while racking up 55 penalty minutes. He’ll be joined by Francis Perron, who has at times been a standout in the minor leagues but never did get an NHL opportunity. The 24-year-old had 18 points in 42 games last season with the Utica Comets and will now test his skills overseas.
  • Zach Boychuk, who last played in the NHL during the 2014-15 season and has spent the last several years in the KHL and NLA, will now be suiting up for Eisbaren Berlin in the German DEL. Originally a first-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2008, the 31-year-old Boychuk had 13 points in 15 games for HC Fribourg-Gotteron last season.

Minor Transactions: 01/19/21

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The NHL season is underway and at the top level teams are keeping busy merely by swapping players between the active roster and taxi squad. However, with AHL training camps starting up, there has also been a flurry of activity from the lower levels. There also continue to be players making the move overseas, by both signing and loan. Keep up with all of the action right here:

  • Joel Lowry, older brother of Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry, has decided to take his talents overseas. The 29-year-old winger has signed with the Iserlohn Roosters of the DEL after spending the last several seasons in the AHL. Last year, he scored eight goals and 27 points for the Springfield Thunderbirds but was not re-signed by the Florida Panthers and became an unrestricted free agent.
  • An ex-Jets prospect is also on the move, as Michael Spacek terminated his contract with Tappara of the Finnish Liiga. The 23-year-old Spacek had 13 points in 18 games with the team this season but is heading back to the Czech Republic. A fourth-round pick of the Jets in 2015, he became an unrestricted free agent when the team decided not to issue him a qualifying offer this offseason. Last year, he had nine goals and 20 points in 45 games for the Manitoba Moose.
  • Pavel Dorofeyev, who was selected in the third round by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2019, has terminated his contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL. Though nothing has been officially announced, Dorofeyev is expected to sign with the Golden Knights and continue his playing career in North America. The 20-year-old winger had 17 points in 36 games while playing for Chelyabinsk’s VHL (minor league) team this season.
  • Calgary Flames prospect Ryan Francis has been traded in the QMJHL. A 2020 fifth-round pick, who many foresaw going earlier in the draft, Francis has been dealt by the Cape Breton Eagles to the Saint John Sea Dogs, the team announced. The return for Francis and a 2021 sixth-round pick is fellow forward Dawson Stairs, a 2023 first- and second-round pick, and a 2022 sixth-round pick. Francis was a top-five scorer for the Eagles last season and early on this year and should be a major difference-maker for the Sea Dogs when the league returns to action.

Minor Transactions: 01/14/21

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The season has started and minor moves are sure to come down the pipeline in the coming days, especially when AHL training camps get underway tomorrow. Even now professional tryouts are being ended and rosters are being finalized. We’ll keep track of all the notable names right here.

  • The San Jose Barracuda have signed three players to professional tryouts for AHL camp, bringing in Robbie Russo, Chaz Reddekopp, and Samuel Harvey. Russo, 27, is the only one with any NHL experience and actually very surprisingly still a free agent given his AHL history. The right-handed defenseman is a dangerous offensive weapon that routinely scores 30+ points in the AHL, though that number did drop to just 19 in a shortened 2019-20 season.
  • TSN reported yesterday that several NHL PTOs had been ended, including three with the Calgary Flames. Brett Ritchie, Michael Stone and Garret Sparks were all in Flames camp, but it only seems as though Sparks has a real landing spot. The veteran goaltender is back with the Orlando Solar Bears for the time being, where he already played one game in December.
  • Three Philadelphia Flyers prospects are on their way back from overseas, as David Kase, Maksim Sushko, and Linus Hogberg have all been recalled from loan and assigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Kase, 23, played in six games for the Flyers last season, scoring his first NHL goal in the process. He’s been dominating in the Czech league for the early part of this season, recording 25 points in 27 games. Sushko, 21, had five points in 30 games for Dynamo Minsk of the KHL so far, while Linus Hogberg had 12 points in 27 games for Vita Hasten of the Swedish second tier.

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.

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