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Brayden Pachal

Flames Claim Brayden Pachal Off Waivers From Golden Knights

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The Flames claimed defenseman Brayden Pachal off waivers from the Golden Knights on Sunday, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Calgary confirmed the news in a media release shortly thereafter.

Pachal, 24, has logged a career-high 17 games played for Vegas this season. His first NHL goal came in an early-season win over the Sharks on Oct. 12.

A minor-league mainstay over the past few seasons in AHL Henderson, Pachal cracked the Golden Knights’ opening night roster in October with season-opening injuries keeping Alec Martinez and Zach Whitecloud out of the lineup. As injuries continued to affect the Vegas blue line, Pachal slipped down the depth chart behind 23-year-old Kaedan Korczak, who’s recently found a home in the team’s top four alongside Brayden McNabb in the absence of Shea Theodore.

After the Golden Knights claimed 2019 first-round pick Tobias Björnfot off waivers from the Kings in early January, there was even less of a role for Pachal on the NHL roster. As such, he was a healthy scratch in 11 straight games before the All-Star break, last skating in a Jan. 4 contest against the Panthers.

Calgary is likely parting ways with pending UFA blue liner Chris Tanev (and potentially Noah Hanifin) ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, leaving them with a lack of NHL-caliber defenders to take them through the stretch run. Claiming Pachal off waivers is likely made with that foresight in mind. He’ll compete with depth defensemen such as Dennis Gilbert and Jordan Oesterle for bottom-four ice time and should allow the Flames to keep younger prospects like Yan Kuznetsov and Ilya Solovyov developing in the minors.

Pachal’s October goal is his only point this season, averaging 14:37 per game with a -2 rating and 18 shots on goal. Only two full-time Golden Knights – Martinez and Brett Howden – have a worse Corsi share at even strength than Pachal’s 44.2% mark despite a low quality of competition.

Despite the underwhelming possession metrics, the Flames believe he can develop into a defensive contributor down the stretch. GM Craig Conroy said Sunday that Pachal “will be an asset to our penalty kill” and called out his 6-foot-2, 202-pound frame as something to like (via Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson).

Pachal also has a history of occupying leadership roles, serving as Henderson’s captain from 2021 to 2023 and as captain of the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders in the 2018-19 season. He played in one postseason game last year, Vegas’ series-clinching Game 5 win against the Jets in the First Round, on his way toward getting his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.

This is not the Flames’ first run-in with Pachal, who turned pro out of juniors in 2019 after signing an entry-level contract with Vegas as an undrafted free agent. As Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike points out, Pachal attended Flames development and prospect camp in the summer of 2018.

He’s under contract through the 2024-25 season at a $775K cap hit after signing a two-year, $1.55MM extension with the Golden Knights in June 2023. His deal is a two-way pact carrying a minimum guaranteed salary of $200K this season, but it converts to a one-way deal next year. Calgary had three open roster spots before making this transaction and nearly $1.5MM in projected cap space, so no corresponding transaction is necessary to execute the claim.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Golden Knights Place Brayden Pachal On Waivers

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While they’re off until Tuesday, the Golden Knights have made a roster move today as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that Vegas has placed defenseman Brayden Pachal on waivers.

The 24-year-old cleared waivers early in training camp back in October but never wound up being assigned to AHL Henderson.  Instead, he has been a full-timer on the active roster although playing time has been difficult to come by.  Pachal has played in 17 games for the Golden Knights so far, picking up a goal while averaging 14:37 per night.  For his career, he has three points in 29 NHL contests.

While that’s not necessarily the statistical profile that would jump out at anyone, Pachal is in the first season of a two-year deal that carries a cap hit of the league minimum ($775K).  Between that and the fact he’s a right-shot defender, there’s certainly a chance that a team looking for low-cost depth on the right side opts to take a flyer on Pachal.

At the moment, the Golden Knights are only carrying a minimum-sized active roster of 11 forwards and seven defensemen so if Pachal was to clear waivers, he couldn’t be sent to the Silver Knights without another move being made first.  Blueliner Ben Hutton was listed as week-to-week when he was injured in late December while recent waiver claim Tobias Bjornfot went on IR three weeks ago with an undisclosed injury.  If one of those two was to be activated, then Pachal could be removed from the roster.  Shea Theodore is also injured and is on LTIR but his return might still be a couple of weeks away.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Brayden Pachal

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The Vegas Golden Knights have finished their celebration and are ready to work. Today, they’ve secured some of their minor league depth by signing Brayden Pachal to a two-year contract extension. Pachal was set to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

Serving as the captain of the Henderson Silver Knights. the undrafted defenseman registered 15 points in 55 AHL games, and suited up ten times for the Golden Knights. Still just 23, the former Prince Albert Raiders star has steadily improved his game, and now finds himself on the fringe of making an NHL roster.

Pachal’s new contract will carry an average annual value of $775K, making him an inexpensive option should the Vegas front office and coaching staff believe he’s ready for more action.

At the very least, he’s set for another season leading Henderson, though he’ll have to clear waivers to be assigned to the minor leagues.

Golden Knights Notes: Hill, Thompson, Recalls

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Having successfully gotten through his conditioning stint earlier this month, Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill confirmed to reporters today (video link) that he has fully recovered and is available to dress for Tuesday’s series opener against Winnipeg.  He has been out for more than a month with a lower-body injury and posted the lowest GAA on the team at 2.45 while contributing a .915 SV%.  However, at this time, Hill isn’t sure if he’ll be dressing for Game One with Laurent Brossoit set to get the start against his former team.  Either Hill or trade deadline acquisition Jonathan Quick will serve as the backup.

More from Vegas:

  • Goaltender Logan Thompson has not yet resumed skating, relays Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). The 26-year-old, who was the starter for most of the season and also posted a .915 SV%, has played just once in the last two months.  At this point, it seems safe to suggest that he won’t be available to play in the first round at a minimum and with three other healthy netminders, even if he is cleared later on and Vegas moves on, it’s hardly a guarantee that he’ll be in uniform when the time comes.
  • With AHL Henderson’s season now over and the Silver Knights not playoff-bound, the Golden Knights have made two recalls, per CapFriendly (Twitter links) as defenseman Kaedan Korczak and Brayden Pachal are back up with Vegas. Both players picked up two assists in ten NHL contests this season.  Korczak also collected 14 points in 50 games with Henderson while Pachal collected 15 in 55 appearances.  It wouldn’t be surprising to see other players recalled in the near future to comprise their ‘Black Aces’ group.

Vegas Golden Knights Recall Brayden Pachal, Shea Theodore Injured

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The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reported Wednesday that defenseman Shea Theodore is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury and will not travel with the team on their brief road trip to San Jose. In response to Theodore’s injury, the Golden Knights announced the recall of defenseman Brayden Pachal from their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights.

With the playoffs rapidly approaching, the Golden Knights will likely be cautious with Theodore’s status and not rush him back if unnecessary. While a playoff spot is practically guaranteed, they do have the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers breathing down their neck for first place in the Pacific Division, so their remaining schedule isn’t exactly meaningless.

Theodore holds a slight edge on Alex Pietrangelo for the highest points per game by a Vegas defenseman this year, recording 41 points in 54 games while playing over 21 minutes per game. Theodore remains a dynamic puck-moving defender and an analytical darling, as he has for much of his NHL career.

Pachal comes up to the NHL club as an extra body, with Ben Hutton expected to replace Theodore in the lineup. The 23-year-old recorded his first two NHL points this season, both assists, in a nine-game stint spanning December and January. This is his first recall in over two months.

Jake Leschyshyn Placed On Waivers

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A few minutes ahead of the official announcement from the league, the Vegas Golden Knights tweeted that Jake Leschyshyn has been placed on waivers. He will be sent to the Henderson Silver Knights should he clear tomorrow – along with Brayden Pachal, who was assigned today.

It’s difficult to play regularly in the NHL and be completely held off the scoresheet but that’s exactly what Leschyshyn has done this year. The 23-year-old forward has exactly zero points in 22 games.

That performance will likely get him through waivers, but it should be mentioned that Leschyshyn was once one of the Golden Knights’ top prospects. Selected 62nd overall in 2017, there were high hopes after a nice finish to his WHL career. Last year he played 41 games with Vegas and scored six points, while adding 27 in 34 minor league games.

Given his relative youth, there may be teams interested in giving him a fresh start somewhere else. To do so, they would have to take on a three-year, one-way deal, though. The Golden Knights gave Leschyshyn that deal – which carries an average annual value of $766,667 – in August, locking him up at a league-minimum price.

If there is any hesitation, some clubs will balk at that kind of financial security, even though there might be a shred of upside remaining in the young forward. More likely, he’ll clear and head back to the minor leagues to await his next recall.

Vegas Golden Knights To Activate Jack Eichel

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Though the team has not formally announced anything just yet, it appears the Vegas Golden Knights have activated forward Jack Eichel off of IR, says Danny Webster of The Las Vegas Sun. A closer look at the team’s roster on their website shows Eichel is listed as healthy, forwards Jonas Rondbjerg and Byron Froese as well as defenseman Kaedan Korczak and Brayden Pachal are no longer listed on the roster.

Eichel had been out of the lineup for nearly a month, last playing December 9th against the Philadelphia Flyers before hitting IR. The team has done alright since then, going 6-4-1 in the process, but having their superstar back in the lineup should give the team the boost it needs not only with on-ice production, but with its overall confidence. Despite missing the time, Eichel’s 29 points place him third on the team, playing in just 27 games.

When finding out Eichel was injured, many held their breath after his neck issues the past few seasons. Though the injury wasn’t exactly good news, it being lower-body allowed many to breathe a sigh of relief. Now with Eichel back in the lineup, the team becomes a bit more complete, though injury issues still loom after the recent placement of defenseman Alec Martinez on IR.

AHL Shuffle: 12/27/22

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With the NHL’s roster freeze coming to an end today, a number of teams made immediate call-ups after sending a number of players, even some of their regulars, down to the AHL for salary cap purposes before the break. While most of those recalls were formally announced by their teams today, a few players appear to have been recalled, absent an announcement. According to the AHL’s Transactions page, the following players have been recalled from the AHL by their NHL squads.

Of note, both Raty and Fasching are playing in tonight’s game, and though Drury is not playing tonight, he is listed on the Hurricanes’ roster. Vegas faces off against the Los Angeles Kings later tonight at 7:30 pm PT/10:30 pm ET, so more may be known on their players at that time.

Carolina Hurricanes:

F Jack Drury

New York Islanders:

F Hudson Fasching

F Aatu Raty

Vegas Golden Knights:

F Pavel Dorofeyev

D Brayden Pachal

F Jonas Rondbjerg

Vegas Golden Knights Make Several Roster Moves

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The Vegas Golden Knights have made a few roster moves in advance of their game against the St. Louis Blues. Per a team announcement, star forward Jonathan Marchessault will be out with a lower-body injury, and his status is considered day-to-day.

Additionally, the team has recalled forward Pavel Dorofeyev and defenseman Brayden Pachal from their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights. Per CapFriendly, the team has also placed forward Paul Cotter on injured reserve.

The absence of Marchessault, 31, leaves a major hole in the Golden Knights lineup. Playing in his usual spot next to Reilly Smith and William Karlsson, Marchessault has scored very well this year, potting 14 goals and 27 points in 35 games. He’s one of the team’s most reliable and consistent offensive producers, so his status will be something for Golden Knights fans to monitor as they look to maintain their spot at the top of the Western Conference.

Marchessault’s place in the lineup is filled by the recall of Dorofeyev from Henderson. Per The Atheltic’s Jesse Granger, veteran forward Phil Kessel will take Marchessault’s spot on the “misfits line,” and Dorofeyev will slide onto the Golden Knights’ third line with Jonas Rondbjerg and Jake Leschyshyn.

Dorefeyev, 22, has just two NHL games on his resume, although he has been an impactful AHL player so far in his young career. He led Henderson in scoring last season, notching 27 goals and 52 points in 52 games, and has 12 points in 21 games this year. While the Golden Knights would undoubtedly prefer to have Marchessault in the lineup, his absence will provide them a quality opportunity to evaluate what Dorofeyev can do at the NHL level.

The other recall the Golden Knights made was of a defenseman, Pachal. The 23-year-old undrafted defenseman has just four NHL games on his resume, but this recall puts him in a position to add to that number. Granger notes that Pachal could take a spot next to Alec Martinez on the team’s bottom pairing, and in that role, Pachal will likely be in his comfort zone.

The six-foot-one blueliner provides physical, defense-first play in the AHL, and head coach Bruce Cassidy could likely expect him to bring the same on his bottom pairing, especially if the experienced Martinez can help shelter him a bit.

The final move the team made, as reported by CapFriendly, is the placement of Cotter on injured reserve. Cotter has been out on a day-to-day designation for almost the past week. An impressive training camp and preseason earned the 2018 fourth-rounder a spot in Vegas’ lineup, and while his production (six points in 22 games) isn’t anything to write home about he has definitely shown flashes of promise.

The 23-year-old now lands on injured reserve, and the hope will be that he can return to health quickly and continue his growth into an everyday NHL contributor.

Golden Knights Notes: Pietrangelo, Pachal, Cotter

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The Golden Knights will welcome Alex Pietrangelo back to the lineup tonight after missing the last three weeks due to an illness in the family.  Jesse Granger of The Athletic provides (Twitter link) some details on the situation, noting that his three-year-old daughter caught the flu which eventually became a brain lesion, leading to a loss in motor function.  Fortunately, her condition has improved considerably over the last couple of days, making the veteran comfortable enough to return to the lineup for Vegas.  Pietrangelo has 21 points in 23 games this season while logging over 23 minutes a night on the back end as their top defender so his return will certainly be a welcome one, especially with Zach Whitecloud being placed on LTIR earlier this week.

More from Vegas:

  • In a corresponding roster move, the team announced (Twitter link) that they re-assigned defenseman Brayden Pachal to Henderson of the AHL. The 23-year-old played in two games after being recalled on Monday when Jack Eichel was placed on injured reserve, picking up an assist while averaging a little under 16 minutes a night.  Pachal has spent the bulk of the year with the Silver Knights, collecting two goals and five assists in 25 contests.  He is in the final year of his entry-level contract.
  • Forward Paul Cotter is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury that was sustained on Thursday against Chicago, Granger notes in a separate tweet. The 22-year-old has acquitted himself well in his first season of full-time NHL duty, picking up six points in 22 games thus far while playing inside their bottom six.  Head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated that the good news for Cotter is that while he might miss a few days, the injury isn’t as bad as they initially feared.

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