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Greg Pateryn

Tyler Ennis, Greg Pateryn Clear Waivers

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Jan 26: Ennis has cleared waivers according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic adds that Pateryn also cleared.

Jan 25: The Edmonton Oilers have placed Tyler Ennis on waivers, following another scoreless outing last night in which he played just over six minutes. Ennis has yet to register a point on the season. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet also reports that Greg Pateryn of the Colorado Avalanche has been placed on waivers.

Ennis, 31, signed a one-year deal in the offseason to remain with the Oilers after fitting in quite nicely down the stretch last season. In nine regular season games following a trade from the Ottawa Senators, the undersized forward scored four points. In the postseason he was also effective, scoring two points in three qualification games. This season, however, he’s been pushed further and further down the lineup, playing in just four of the team’s seven games and registering just two shots on goal.

Pateryn meanwhile was only acquired by the Avalanche a few days ago, in a cap-clearing move with the Minnesota Wild. He’s played three games since then, but it’s easy to see why the team has decided to put him on waivers. Not only will his $2.25MM salary likely keep him free from claim, but the team has already gained full confidence in youngster Bowen Byram and because of it have too many defensemen. Moving Pateryn to the taxi squad would save cap space while still allowing him to move into the lineup whenever needed.

While Pateryn may be a tough claim, Ennis could draw some interest from around the league. Already speculation has erupted out of Toronto, where the Maple Leafs are looking for a forward addition. Toronto has an obvious connection to Ennis, having spent the 2018-19 season together, one that rejuvenated his career after multiple injuries. Still, given his salary of $1MM he would be a tougher fit for the cap-strapped Maple Leafs than some of their other $700K forwards.

Minnesota Wild Acquire Ian Cole

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The Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche have swapped a pair of veteran defensemen. The Wild have acquired Ian Cole in exchange for Greg Pateryn, with CapFriendly also reporting that the Avalanche have retained $800K of Cole’s cap hit.

Cole, 31, carries a $4.25MM cap hit in the final season of a three-year, $12.75MM contract he signed with Colorado in 2018. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year and had recently seen his role on the Avalanche greatly reduced. Though he has experience on both sides of the ice, the left-handed defenseman was made somewhat redundant now after the team acquired Devon Toews from the New York Islanders in the offseason. Add in the smooth development of top prospect Bowen Byram who is pushing for a full-time role on the NHL roster, and you can see why the Avalanche had floated Cole’s name in recent weeks.

In Pateryn, 30, the Avalanche bring in a right-handed option that could be a better fit for the team in a depth role. Though he made his debut in 2012-13, Pateryn has still played just 270 games in the NHL and has never averaged more than 20 minutes a night. His cap hit is also quite a bit lower than Cole’s at just $2.25MM this season, though the retention does reduce the savings. In Colorado, it’s hard to see Pateryn even getting much more opportunity than the 12:36 he averaged through Minnesota’s first three games.

For the Wild though, upgrading from Pateryn to Cole could be a real difference-maker. Minnesota’s top four defensemen have all averaged more than 23 minutes a night through the early part of the season, with very little trust being placed in Pateryn and Carson Soucy. The two-time Stanley Cup winner Cole can take some of the pressure off those stars, while perhaps rejuvenating his own career. It was just last season that Cole recorded 26 points in 65 games for the Avalanche, nothing to sneeze at for a player without any powerplay time. His all-around ability will be a nice addition in Minnesota for a team racing for a playoff spot.

That new opportunity may also be exactly what Cole was looking for with free agency looming. Even though the Colorado prospect pipeline had pushed him down the depth chart, he seems likely to enter the offseason as a sought-after target at age-32. Adding to the 89 career playoff games he has suited up for would only improve his stock. That is of course if Wild GM Bill Guerin even lets him go that far; the two have a history from their days together in Pittsburgh and the Minnesota executive has shown a willingness to spend heavily on his defense.

Perhaps the biggest winner here though is Byram, who likely will be given a chance to jump into Colorado’s lineup on at least a part-time basis. The fourth-overall pick in 2019, the 19-year-old looked dominant during the World Junior Championship a few weeks ago and should quickly make the transition to the NHL. Though returning to junior would still technically be an option if and when the WHL starts up, there seems little more that Byram can learn from his time there after scoring 149 points in his last 139 games for the Vancouver Giants.

Michael Russo of The Athletic was first to report the deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Morning Notes: Penguins, Stützle, Fines

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will finally have Kasperi Kapanen in the lineup when they battle an old foe this evening, taking on the Washington Capitals for the second time in three nights. Kapanen has missed training camp and the first few games because of the COVID protocols, but his debut with Pittsburgh should be a welcome one given they are 1-2 through the early part of the season, having dropped two games already to the Philadelphia Flyers.

After winning their first game on Sunday with Casey DeSmith in net, he’ll be back in again over Tristan Jarry this evening. Though DeSmith didn’t post incredible numbers himself, Jarry looked lost at times during the first two games and currently carries a brutal .727 save percentage and 7.57 goals-against average. The Penguins certainly aren’t giving up on their young starter, but DeSmith offers a reliable option that they can go to frequently until Jarry gets his game in order.

  • The Ottawa Senators will be without top prospect Tim Stützle when the team welcomes in the Winnipeg Jets this evening, as he is dealing with a minor injury. The 19-year-old forward is listed as day-to-day and will be replaced by Alex Galchenyuk in the lineup. Stützle has been as advertised so far in the early season, scoring a highlight-reel goal for his first NHL tally and generally being one of the more dangerous offensive players in the lineup.
  • While the NHL decided against any suspensions from last night’s action, the Department of Player Safety did issue three fines. Nicolas Aube-Kubel has been fined $4,633.62 for roughing Rasmus Dahlin, Elias Pettersson has been fined $3,987.07 for his slash on Sean Monahan and Greg Pateryn has been fined $5,000 for his cross-check on Sonny Milano. All three fines are the maximum amount allowed under the CBA and are based on salary.

Greg Pateryn Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp

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It was a bit of a mystery when Greg Pateryn was ruled out for Minnesota Wild training camp when they got together to prepare for the postseason bubble, with the ominous “out indefinitely with an upper-body injury” tag placed upon him. Turns out, that’s because he had back surgery in June. Michael Russo of The Athletic caught up with Pateryn to talk about a tough year that included core muscle surgery last September which kept him out for all but 20 regular season games, and a microdiscectomy to repair a herniated disc in June.

Despite those injuries, Pateryn is focused on the upcoming season and is expected to be ready for training camp when things finally get off the ground. That’s good news for the Wild who invested $6.75MM in the free agent defenseman when they signed him to a three-year contract in 2018. When he was last healthy, playing 80 games for the Wild in 2018-19, he was a serviceable bottom-four guy who could contribute on the penalty kill and add some physicality to the lineup. Those kinds of players are valuable, even if it’s not the most glamorous role or one that really excites a fan base.

The question now though is what role will be left for him this season. After emerging as a full-time option in Pateryn’s absence, Carson Soucy was given a three-year deal this offseason and should see an increase in playing time. The team still has Jared Spurgeon, Ryan Suter, Matt Dumba and Jonas Brodin locked into top-four roles, with young players like Calen Addison soon to be pushing up from the minor leagues. It’s hard to see Pateryn as anything better than the sixth option on this team, and even that’s assuming that he’s playing over veteran Brad Hunt.

Still, it is at least good news that the 30-year-old Pateryn is back on the ice and ready to compete for a spot at training camp. The challenge now will be getting back to his former level of play and showing—ahead of another UFA summer—that he can still hack it at the NHL level.

Camp Notes: Stamkos, Pateryn, Polak, Hurricanes, Trotman

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Lightning center Steven Stamkos sustained a new lower-body injury during training for the NHL’s return and will not be a full participant at their upcoming training camp GM Julien BriseBois told reporters including Joe Smith of The Athletic (Twitter link).  However, he is expected to be ready to go when their seeding games get underway.  Smith relays in a separate tweet that the beneficiary of this will be winger Alex Barre-Boulet who has now been added to their camp roster.  The 23-year-old has yet to play at the NHL but has been quite productive with AHL Syracuse as he has 124 points in 134 games over his first two pro seasons after signing as an undrafted free agent.

More training camp notes from around the league:

  • Wild defenseman Greg Pateryn will not be at their training camp as the team announced (Twitter link) that he is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury. It has been a tough year for the veteran on the injury front as a core muscle injury cost him 43 games earlier in the season.  As a result, he has suited up just 20 times in 2019-20 and barring a quick recovery or a long playoff run, that might be it for him.
  • Stars defenseman Roman Polak is not on their training camp roster, relays Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter). This comes as little surprise after the blueliner voiced his concern about returning for the postseason at the time his deal for next year with HC Vitkovice of the Czech Extraliga was announced.  The vacancy opened up a spot for Dallas to invite Thomas Harley, their 2019 first-round pick, to camp although it seems unlikely that he’ll suit up.
  • The Hurricanes have added to their coaching staff in advance of camp getting underway, announcing the hiring of Peter Harrold as a skills coach. The 37-year-old played parts of nine seasons in the NHL with Los Angeles and New Jersey from 2006-07 through 2014-15 before calling it a career in 2016.
  • Still with Carolina, GM Don Waddell told Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer (Twitter link) that a decision has yet to be made regarding Brett Pesce’s availability. The blueliner is working his way back from shoulder surgery after being injured late in the season and is still probably a month away from skating at a minimum.  If he’s not among the list of players on their roster when they travel to Toronto, he will not be eligible to play until next season so the Hurricanes will have to decide whether or not to carry a player on their roster who won’t be available for a couple of rounds at least.
  • Penguins defenseman Zach Trotman will not be on their roster, GM Jim Rutherford told reporters, including Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link). The 29-year-old played in nine games with Pittsburgh this season and was expected to be among their reserve options for the postseason.  No details were provided regarding whether his absence is injury-related or if he opted out of returning.

Snapshots: Kuemper, Fitzgerald, Pateryn

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It looks like the Arizona Coyotes will be without starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper for a while longer. Despite traveling with the team, giving Coyotes fans some hope that he was close to returning, Richard Morin of the Arizona Republic revealed that Kuemper has been ruled out until before the All-Star break.

While Kuemper had an impressive season last year, challenging for the starters’ role then, the 29-year-old netminder has been even better this year, posting a 2.17 GAA and a .929 save percentage in 25 games. However, he suffered a lower-body injury on Dec. 19 and now, at best, isn’t likely to return until Jan. 29. Unfortunately, Antti Raanta has also been out, leaving the team with Adin Hill as its starting goaltender for the time being.

  • While the New Jersey Devils intend to undergo a thorough search for a new general manager sometime in the near future, NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti wonders whether the team already has that man in new interim general manager Tom Fitzgerald. The scribe believes that Fitzgerald is considered to be a future GM and if he can have a quality trade deadline, he could be the top candidate to take the job permanently.
  • Minnesota Wild defenseman Greg Pateryn made his season debut today after missing the first 44 games of the season after having bilateral core muscle surgery, according to Star Tribune’s Sarah McLellan. Pateryn has struggled in his rehab, however, as he was sent to Iowa on a conditioning stint on Dec. 2, but was later activated and placed back on injured reserve. Pateryn should provide the Wild with some defensive depth. While he doesn’t offer much in offensive ability (one goal, six assists in 80 games last year), he did provide much needed defense, including 144 hits and 118 blocks.

Injury Notes: Chicago, Minnesota, Columbus, Montreal

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The Chicago Blackhawks have placed both Duncan Keith and Andrew Shaw on injured reserve, though both of their designations are retroactive and allow the team to activate them at any point. Without them, the team is down to just 21 players on the active roster meaning they could potentially bring up some more bodies to help out.

More injury placements from around the league:

  • The Minnesota Wild have sent Mikko Koivu back home to see the team doctor, placing him on injured reserve in the process. Greg Pateryn has been recalled from his conditioning stint and placed back on injured reserve, while Nico Sturm has come up from the AHL.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets meanwhile have moved Zach Werenski to injured reserve, retroactive to November 30th. The young defenseman is expected to miss four weeks thanks to a shoulder injury, which opened the door for Andrew Peeke to get his first NHL chance.
  • For the Montreal Canadiens, Jesperi Kotkaniemi has suffered a concussion from the big check he took last night. Kotkaniemi was leveled by Nikita Zadorov in the corner and is out indefinitely, though avoided any other significant damage.

Greg Pateryn Sent To AHL On Conditioning Assignment

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The Minnesota Wild could be getting a veteran defenseman back soon, as Greg Pateryn has been assigned to the Iowa Wild on a conditioning assignment. The 29-year old had bilateral core muscle repair at the beginning of October and hasn’t played at all this season.

Though he may not be able to save the Wild season—even a three-game winning streak still has them sitting sixth in the Central Division—Pateryn is an interesting name to keep an eye on. The right-handed defenseman has been known to be able to shut down top scorers when he’s healthy and playing his best, and comes with a low cap hit of just $2.25MM for this and next season.

Obviously there’s no guarantee that Pateryn is moved, but if new Wild GM Bill Guerin is looking to refresh the organization with young assets he could be an intriguing trade chip. Michael Russo of The Athletic noted earlier today that head coach Bruce Boudreau had told reporters that Pateryn sustained a setback recently, so there is no telling exactly when he’ll be ready to return to the NHL.

Greg Pateryn Undergoes Core Muscle Surgery

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The Minnesota Wild had some bad news to announce today, as Greg Pateryn won’t be hitting the ice for quite some time. The defenseman underwent bilateral core muscle repair surgery today in Philadelphia and will be out for approximately six weeks.

It’s an unfortunate start to the year for Pateryn and the Wild, who are both hoping for bounce-back seasons. The 29-year old defenseman played in 80 games for the Wild in 2018-19 after signing a three-year, $6.75MM deal, but saw his offensive output drop to just seven points while averaging 17 minutes a game. Though never known for his scoring ability, the Wild had a tough time generating offense when Pateryn was on the ice and he didn’t even serve as a prime penalty killer, trailing in that respect behind Jared Spurgeon, Ryan Suter and Jonas Brodin.

Now with a core injury, Pateryn will not only miss time but will have to battle his way back into the lineup. The Wild are hoping a healthy Matt Dumba can bring together what should still be a solid defense corps enough to let Minnesota compete for a playoff spot, or at least climb out of the basement of the Central Division where they finished last year. The team still has Carson Soucy with the team for now, getting an opportunity with Pateryn on the sideline.

West Notes: Simek, Ducks, Fiala, Pateryn

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Sharks defenseman Radim Simek may not be ready to start the season due to the torn ACL and MCL he sustained back in March, head coach Peter DeBoer told Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News.  The blueliner underwent surgery shortly thereafter but it typically carries a minimum recovery time of six months.  Simek has been skating on his own for the past few weeks and is hopeful to resume skating with the team soon.  However, given that he may not be able to get into any preseason action, it may be safer to have him start on IR for the first little bit of the season and ease his way back into things.  Doing so would also allow for one of their prospects to break camp with the team and have a spot inside their top six to start the season, giving San Jose a bit more of an evaluation opportunity.

Elsewhere in the West:

  • The Ducks’ extension offer to defenseman Justin Faulk was believed to be a seven-year pact worth just under $7MM per season, reports Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register. That came back when they were working with Carolina on a trade but it doesn’t appear as if Faulk has interest in taking that offer at this time which has left discussions up in the air as a result.
  • Wild winger Kevin Fiala’s immigration paperwork has finally been finalized, paving the way for him to rejoin the team today, the team announced (Twitter link). He signed a two-year bridge deal back on September 11th but has still wound up missing the first week of training camp.
  • Still with the Wild, there is no timetable for defenseman Greg Pateryn to return from his lower-body injury, notes Rachel Blount of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. He has yet to play in the preseason as he deals with what head coach Bruce Boudreau is classifying as a minor but persistent lower-body issue.

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