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Vancouver Reassign Three To AHL, Place Two On SOIR

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The Vancouver Canucks are gearing up to announce their opening night roster for the 2024-25 NHL season. The team has made a few transactions in that effort announcing Arshdeep Bains, Erik Brannstrom, and Jiri Patera have been assigned to their AHL affiliate with Thatcher Demko and Dakota Joshua being placed on the season-opening injured reserve.

None of the moves are surprising with Vancouver trading for, and waiving, Brannstrom yesterday in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche. Patera was also placed on waivers yesterday by the Boston Bruins and the Canucks can send him down without waivers since they were the only team to place a claim.

Bains played eight games for Vancouver last year but came away scoreless. He should be a relatively frequent call-up depending on the Canucks’ injury outlook with Bains scoring 16 goals and 55 points in 56 games for AHL Abbotsford last year.

The two injured reserve assignments, Demko and Joshua, are the most unsurprising designations among the transactions. Demko continues to work his way back from an injury suffered in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs without any concrete timeline for his return.

According to The Athletic’s Rick Dhaliwal, there is more positivity with Joshua, who has returned to the ice and is only a few weeks away from joining the team. Joshua missed all of training camp for the Canucks after undergoing surgery for his testicular cancer diagnosis. He’s expected to fully recover and join Vancouver’s roster in a few weeks.

Wild Sign Jesper Wallstedt To Two-Year Extension

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The Wild announced today that they’ve signed goaltender Jesper Wallstedt to a two-year, $4.4MM extension, keeping him under contract through the 2026-27 season. It’s a one-way deal in both years with a cap hit of $2.2MM.

It’s a significant commitment to a goalie with just three NHL starts under his belt, but it’s indicative of his status as arguably the best prospect at the position in the sport. Wallstedt, who turns 22 next month, was under consideration for a top-10 pick throughout most of his draft year in 2021 but ended up falling to Minnesota at No. 20 overall.

Thus far, nothing indicates they should be unhappy with the pick. The 6’3″, 214-lb netminder has kept a rather hapless AHL Iowa team afloat during his two seasons in North America, posting a 2.69 GAA, .909 SV%, three shutouts, and a 40-34-9 record in 83 appearances as their starter. He’s been outstanding in senior-level international play as well, logging a .947 SV% in three appearances for Sweden at the 2023 World Championship.

His NHL career got off to a bit of a rocky start, allowing seven goals on 34 shots in his debut against the Stars on Jan. 10 last season. But he came back with a much more solid performance in two showings against the Blackhawks and Sharks in April, stopping 51 of 53 shots he faced in those games.

He enters 2024-25 on the Wild’s opening night roster with a 2-1-0 record and .897 SV% in his brief NHL showing. He’ll look to build on that while competing with Filip Gustavsson and 40-year-old vet Marc-André Fleury for starts in a three-goalie rotation in Minnesota. He could cement himself as the No. 2 option behind Gustavsson, with Fleury’s workload likely to stay low in his final NHL season.

Wallstedt will still be an RFA upon the expiry of his extension in 2027. He won’t be eligible to test the UFA market until 2030 at the earliest.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Blue Jackets Claim Zach Aston-Reese Off Waivers From Golden Knights

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The Blue Jackets have picked up depth forward Zach Aston-Reese off waivers from the Golden Knights, reports Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Aston-Reese, 30, had signed a one-year, two-way pact ($775K/$475K) to join Vegas in July. After failing to carve out a roster spot in Vegas, losing it chiefly to PTO signee Tanner Pearson, he’ll now play out that deal in the Blue Jackets organization.

It’s not surprising to see Aston-Reese land somewhere else, especially with a Columbus club in need of forward depth. During his five seasons as a full-time NHLer from 2018 to 2023 with the Penguins, Ducks, and Maple Leafs, he was a regular in a fourth-line role and had some of the best even-strength defensive impacts in the league, even earning Selke votes in 2020. But he had to settle for a two-way deal with the Red Wings last year and barely played in the NHL, clearing waivers and spending most of the season with AHL Grand Rapids. He logged just three appearances with Detroit and averaged just 5:09 per game, going without a point.

Aston-Reese’s point production in Grand Rapids was what you’d expect for a defensive forward with NHL upside, totaling 30 points in 61 games. With his career 52.2 xGF% in heavy defensive zone usage, he’ll provide value to Columbus’ bottom six early on even if he’s not finding the back of the net with any frequency.

He could potentially shift to left wing for the Jackets and comprise a fourth line with Sean Kuraly and Mathieu Olivier. Columbus still needs to send one forward to AHL Cleveland in the next couple of hours, either James Malatesta or Mikael Pyyhtia, to get their active roster down to 23 players.

Canucks Re-Claim Jiří Patera Off Waivers From Bruins

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After losing him on waivers to the Bruins last week, the Canucks have re-acquired goaltender Jiří Patera off the wire Monday, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. If they were the only team to put in a claim, they could assign him directly to AHL Abbotsford without having to expose him to waivers again. Friedman adds that’s the likely scenario.

The Canucks initially tried to sneak Patera through waivers to Abbotsford at the beginning of the month, but Boston claimed him as a backup option to Joonas Korpisalo in case the team didn’t come to terms with restricted free agent netminder Jeremy Swayman before opening night. That dilemma was solved yesterday with an eight-year, $66MM deal for Swayman, making Patera expendable in Boston. He’ll now head to Abbotsford, where he initially planned on playing this season after signing a two-year, two-way contract with Vancouver in July.

It’s no harm, no foul for either team, with the Bruins getting the short-term insurance they needed and the Canucks and Patera getting to resume course on their original plan. Patera, 25, was a sixth-round pick of the Golden Knights back in 2017 and remained in the Vegas organization up until this summer, when he became a Group VI UFA and signed with Vancouver. He made eight NHL appearances while in the Knights’ pipeline, posting a 3-3-1 record, 3.57 GAA, and .902 SV%. On the farm with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, he had a 2.92 GAA, a .907 SV%, 37-40-6 record, and one shutout in 85 appearances.

Those are certainly serviceable numbers for a No. 3 option, which is the role he’ll hold with Kevin Lankinen and Arturs Silovs set to open the season as Vancouver’s two NHL goalies. Star starter Thatcher Demko will land on injured reserve while he continued to recover from the knee injury that sidelined him for all but one postseason game in 2024.

Ducks Claim James Reimer Off Waivers From Sabres

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The Ducks have claimed netminder James Reimer off waivers from the Sabres, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports.

Reimer, 36, has over 500 games of NHL experience and was still serviceable in a rotation role for the Red Wings last year but was knocked squarely into a third-string spot on the Sabres’ depth chart behind Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen after signing a one-year, $1MM deal there in July. He was largely expected to land on waivers unless Buffalo opted to carry three goalies.

While the veteran was solid enough for Detroit in 2023-24, his 20 starts and five relief appearances were both career-lows. His .904 SV%, 3.11 GAA, and 0.3 GSAA were all marked steps forward from the prior year’s showing with the rebuilding Sharks, however, and he’s still likely worth a shot as a full-time backup somewhere.

He’ll get that chance in Anaheim, at least for now. The Ducks were looking for a veteran name to add to the mix with John Gibson on the shelf to start the season after getting his appendix removed nearly two weeks ago. He’s still one to four weeks away from a return, meaning rookie Calle Clang (who has no NHL games played under his belt) was set to start the year as the backup to youngster Lukáš Dostál. After claiming Reimer, though, the Ducks can return Clang to AHL San Diego.

The Ducks now have their opening night roster set in stone at 13 forwards, eight defenders, and two goalies, assuming Clang is sent down. They’ll have $20.64MM in projected cap space after the acquisition, per PuckPedia.

Predators Return Tanner Molendyk To Juniors

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The Predators returned defense prospect Tanner Molendyk to the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades on Monday, per an announcement from the junior club.

Molendyk, 19, narrowly misses out on a roster spot in his second camp with the Preds. Nashville made Molendyk the 24th overall selection in the 2023 draft, a tad higher than some expected based on his middle-of-the-road offensive production from the blue line. But advanced metrics suggested a breakout, and he responded in kind. Molendyk erupted for 56 points in 50 games last year with a +40 rating, helping Saskatoon to a league-best 50-13-5 record.

Nashville likely would have preferred Molendyk to suit up in the AHL this season to work on his game and get adjusted to the pro level, but he’s still too young to do so under the NHL-CHL transfer agreement and must be returned to his junior club if he’s not in the NHL. His entry-level contract will slide to the 2025-26 season, and he won’t count against the Predators’ 50-contract maximum this year.

The Preds’ opening night roster now seems to be set at 13 forwards, seven defenders, and two goalies, assuming defenseman Marc Del Gaizo is sent to AHL Milwaukee today after being waived yesterday. There are no surprises at any position.

Jets Reassign Brad Lambert, Nikita Chibrikov, Place Two On IR

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Forwards Brad Lambert and Nikita Chibrikov won’t be on the Jets’ opening night roster when it’s announced later today. They’ve been sent to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose to begin the season, relays team color commentator Mitchell Clinton. Defensemen Ville Heinola and Logan Stanley have also landed on injured reserve, per the league’s media portal.

Lambert, 20, was in a tight competition to land a second-line role in Winnipeg but will return to the minors for additional development time. Winnipeg selected the Finnish forward with the 30th overall pick in 2022 out of Liiga’s Pelicans, immediately signing him to his entry-level contract and bringing him over to North American juniors for his post-draft season. After one season with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, Lambert jumped to the pros full-time this past year, breaking out in a big way with 55 points in 64 games to lead the Moose in scoring.

The Jets allowed Lambert to make his NHL debut in the final game of the regular season, calling him up to play 13:51 against the Canucks. He logged an assist and a +1 rating while going 3-for-7 in the faceoff dot. He was an early candidate to take on top-six duties and push veteran Vladislav Namestnikov out of the 2C spot, but line rushes the past few days indicated he was trending toward being cut. However, it’s hard to imagine him not adding some NHL games to his resume throughout the season.

Chibrikov was a longer shot for a roster spot, but his impressive camp had him under consideration for one until the end. A second-round choice in 2021, the 21-year-old winger is also coming off his first full AHL campaign. The Russian forward finished fourth on the team in scoring with 47 points (17 G, 30 A) in 70 games but had a -18 rating, second-worst on the team. It was still a strong first step for Chibrikov, who needed to take a big step in his development last year after being buried in Russian pro and minor-pro lineups the past couple of seasons.

Heinola and Stanley heading to IR is a formality more than anything else. Head coach Scott Arniel told reporters last month that Heinola would be out long-term with an infection in the ankle he had surgically repaired last season, while Stanley underwent minor knee surgery over a week ago and isn’t expected back until the end of the month at the earliest. After avoiding waivers yesterday, it’s clear that Dylan Coghlan and Haydn Fleury will open the season on the NHL roster in their stead after both signing two-way deals in Winnipeg this summer.

Canadiens Assign Joshua Roy, Three Others To AHL

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After a strong first campaign in the pros, Canadiens forward Joshua Roy didn’t make the cut for this season’s opening night roster. He, along with defensemen Adam Engström, Logan Mailloux, and goaltender Jakub Dobeš, were cut from the camp roster to AHL Laval on Monday, the team announced.

The moves sent the Habs’ opening night roster in stone, meaning 2021 second-rounder Oliver Kapanen cracked the team out of camp and could make his NHL debut soon. Other notable confirmed bits of news include Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, and Arber Xhekaj winning the battle between many young Montreal defenders for roster spots, as well as 2020 second-rounder Emil Heineman making the team with just four career NHL appearances under his belt.

[RELATED: 2024-25 Opening Night Roster Tracker] 

Roy, 21, was drafted alongside Kapanen in 2021, but he needed to wait until the fifth round to hear his name called. The Quebec native has been on the warpath since, breaking out for nearly 120 points the following season in the QMJHL and putting together 19 points in 14 games for Team Canada at the 2022 and 2023 World Juniors. Turning pro in 2023-24, Roy was among Laval’s better producers with 32 points in 41 games, earning him a lengthy look at the NHL level. He averaged 12:08 through 23 appearances for the Habs, lighting the lamp four times and adding five assists for nine points.

His possession numbers were perfectly average, and his offensive production seemed somewhat sustainable, with a reasonable 11.8% shooting rate and 34 shots making it on goal out of 77 attempts. Nonetheless, the Canadiens believe he needs more seasoning before he’s ready for full-time duties. It’s worth noting Roy did log a team-worst -17 rating on Laval last year, even if his NHL possession metrics (-2 rating, 47.2 xGF%, 49.5 CF%) painted a brighter picture.

Mailloux, meanwhile, misses out on a spot after making his NHL debut in the last game of the 2023-24 regular season. The 21-year-old had an assist and a +1 rating while logging 21:14 in a shootout loss to the Red Wings. The 2021 first-round pick was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team last season after leading Laval defenders in scoring with 47 points (14 G, 33 A) in 72 games with a -8 rating.

Engström, a third-round choice in 2022, is a sleeper candidate for an NHL recall at some point during the season but was never expected to crack the opening night roster. The 20-year-old defender signed his entry-level contract this offseason after two years playing professionally for the Swedish Hockey League’s Rögle BK, logging 22 points and a -10 rating in 51 games last season. That’s strong production in that league from such a young defender, but he’ll need some runway in Laval to acclimate to North American ice.

Dobes, 23, will likely be the Habs’ first call-up from Laval in the event of an injury to their NHL tandem of Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau. The 2020 fifth-rounder doesn’t have any NHL action under his belt but is entering his second professional season after an excellent rookie showing in the AHL last year. His 51 appearances tied him for the league lead with Utah’s Matt Villalta, recording a 2.93 GAA, .906 SV%, and 24-18-6 record.

Senators Place Matthew Highmore On SOIR, Return Carter Yakemchuk To Juniors

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The Senators have placed left winger Matthew Highmore on season-opening injured reserve, according to the NHL’s media portal (via Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch). The team also announced that top defense prospect Carter Yakemchuk is headed back to juniors with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen after nearly cracking Ottawa’s roster on his first try. The moves indicate that center prospect Zack Ostapchuk and left-shot defender Tyler Kleven will open the season on the NHL roster, although Garrioch adds they’re likely in the market to claim another left-shot defender off waivers today to fill their open roster spot.

Highmore sustained an upper-body injury during Saturday’s exhibition game against the Canadiens. The club hasn’t given him an injury designation, but he will be out at least until the weekend. He was a likely candidate for waivers and subsequent assignment to AHL Belleville, but those moves have to wait until he’s cleared to return to play. Instead, he’ll open the season on SOIR since he’s on a two-way contract and was rostered for fewer than 50 games last year. He’ll carry a cap hit of $238,151 for the Sens in the meantime, per PuckPedia.

Highmore, 28, is no longer the full-time NHLer he was around the pandemic but is a serviceable call-up option and a top-six AHL fixture. He has 12 goals and 29 points in 146 career NHL contests, although he’s played in nine games over the past two seasons. Seven of those came with Ottawa last year, posting two assists while averaging 7:43 per game. He signed a one-year, two-way extension ($775K/$400K) in June to avoid free agency and remain with the Sens after posting 31 points in 43 games for Belleville.

Meanwhile, the 19-year-old Yakemchuk is ticketed for a big season with the Hitmen after an impressive preseason performance. The seventh overall pick in this year’s draft erupted for seven points (2 G, 5 A) in four preseason contests with Ottawa. A WHL All-Star last season, he led the league in goals from a defenseman with 30 in 66 games for Calgary. The 6’3″, 203-lb defender already has pro-ready size at 6’3″ and 203 lbs and is no stranger to laying the body, leading the Hitmen with 120 PIMs last year. He’s likely penciled in for the Sens’ opening night roster next season. This year, though, his entry-level contract will slide to 2025-26 and leave the Sens with an extra spot under their 50-contract limit.

Capitals Reassign Ivan Miroshnichenko, Andrew Cristall

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The Capitals have sent left-winger Ivan Miroshnichenko to AHL Hershey and returned left-winger Andrew Cristall to the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, the team announced. Both were hoping to crack Washington’s opening night roster on the backs of solid training camp performances but will need to wait another year.

Miroshnichenko, 20, made his NHL debut last season and was shuttled between leagues for most of the 2024 calendar year. He’s still waiver-exempt with 138 games played and two professional seasons remaining until he loses that status.

He was drafted by the Capitals in the first round of the 2022 draft while dealing with a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis that he’s since beaten. After returning to health during the 2022-23 season, he signed his entry-level pact with Washington and came to North America for the 2023-24 campaign. He started the year in Hershey, totaling nine goals and 25 points in 47 games. He was much-improved in playoff action, contributing 12 points in 20 contests to help Hershey to its second straight Calder Cup championship.

The sharp-shooting winger didn’t look entirely out of place in NHL action last year, either. He made 21 regular-season appearances, totaling two goals and six points – a 23-point pace over 82 games, averaging 12:08 a night. He posted a -4 rating with a subpar 42.4 xGF% at even strength but did manage to control 47.6% of shot attempts, 2.7% more than the Caps controlled without him on the ice in his appearances. The 6’1″, 185-lb Russian flashed some physical play, too, recording 50 hits for an average of 2.38 per game.

While neither move is surprising, Cristall’s return to Kelowna is wholly expected. He made it much further in camp than most expected him to one year after being selected 40th overall in the 2023 draft, a testament to the dynamic offensive upside many teams let slip through the cracks. The 19-year-old Vancouver native has produced over a point per game in three straight WHL seasons and finished fifth in the league in scoring last season with 111 points (40 G, 71 A) in 62 games.

However, Cristall still needs to round out his defensive game before he’s ready for NHL ice. While Washington likely would have preferred to send him to Hershey to do that this year, he’s too young for a full-time AHL assignment and needed to be returned to the Rockets. As such, his entry-level contract will slide to the 2025-26 season, and he won’t count against Washington’s 50-contract limit this season.

The moves strongly indicate that Jakub Vrána, who attended Capitals camp on a professional tryout, has landed a contract. They’re likely waiting to make some minor moves to make an official announcement, but they have just 11 healthy forwards on their roster after sending down Cristall and Miroshnichenko.

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