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Zac Rinaldo

Blue Jackets Will Not Assign Zac Rinaldo To An Affiliated Team

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After clearing waivers earlier today, it was expected that Blue Jackets winger Zac Rinaldo would be assigned to Columbus’ AHL team in Cleveland.  The veteran wasn’t invited to training camp after declining to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.  However, GM Jarmo Kekalainen released the following statement, announcing that Rinaldo will not be going there after all:

Our position has been very clear that our organization is committed to doing everything we can to ensure the health and safety of our players, coaches, staff and fans. Given the impact COVID-19 continues to have in our communities, we believe the best course of action given Zac’s vaccination status is to not have him report to Cleveland at this time. While we respect an individual’s right to make a personal choice with regards to being vaccinated or not, we have a responsibility to do what we believe is best for our organization. We will honor Zac’s contract, but if he wants to pursue any other opportunities to play this season we will allow him to do so.

Rinaldo’s contract calls for an AHL salary of $275K and contains a guaranteed payment of $300K which the Blue Jackets will be on the hook for regardless of whether or not he plays anywhere this season.  In the meantime, Rinaldo’s camp may be on the lookout to try to find the 31-year-old a place to play outside the Columbus organization.  Now that he has cleared waivers, Columbus could loan him to an unaffiliated team overseas, for example.  Rinaldo had spent the last two seasons in Calgary’s system, suiting up in 23 games for the Flames in that time.

Zac Rinaldo Not Invited To Blue Jackets Camp

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Despite signing a contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets just over a month ago, Zac Rinaldo is not invited to their training camp. When speaking with the media today, Blue Jackets president John Davidson explained that Rinaldo has chosen not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and because of that, will appear at the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters training camp instead. Greg Wyshynski of ESPN tweeted the full quote:

Forward Zac Rinaldo, who we signed to a two-way contract this summer, is not vaccinated and because of that – and that’s his decision – the plan is to start him in the American Hockey League and he will not be coming to our training camp.

Rinaldo, 31, has played 374 games in the NHL but is known much more for his skill with his fists than the puck. The veteran forward has just 42 career points but has racked up 758 penalty minutes. The likelihood of him securing a full-time role on the Blue Jackets was already very slim, but appears to be non-existent now as the league’s strict policies make it difficult to carry a player who has refused the vaccine. Recently, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly projected that only 10-15 players on NHL rosters will be unvaccinated by the start of the season. The Blue Jackets announced that the other 67 players invited to NHL training camp are vaccinated.

Still, it is likely that Rinaldo and his agents already knew that he would be playing in the AHL for a good portion of the year since they negotiated a hefty $300K minor league guarantee. Despite his $275K AHL salary, he’ll receive the full $300K even if he fails to play a single game for Columbus.

Additionally, The Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger reports that the NHLPA will review the situation, considering Rinaldo has not officially been sent to AHL Cleveland as of yet.

Rinaldo played four games last season for the Calgary Flames, scoring zero points.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Zac Rinaldo

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed free agent forward Zac Rinaldo to a one-year, two-way contract. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that the deal will be worth $750K in the NHL, $275K in the AHL, and comes with a $300K minor league guarantee.

Rinaldo, 31, has carved out a 374-game NHL career despite never being anything more than a fourth-line presence. In a league that is almost completely devoid of enforcers, there’s still Rinaldo, playing NHL games every year and racking up penalty minutes. In 2020-21 he played four games with the Calgary Flames, averaged fewer than six minutes a night, and fought former teammate Austin Watson.

With 42 career points and 748 career penalty minutes, it’s clear what Rinaldo’s job will be with the Blue Jackets, whenever they put him in the lineup. The 31-year-old forward has never had more than five goals or nine points in a single season. With Columbus going through something of a transition period, trading away Cam Atkinson and Seth Jones, among others, the team will look very different this season. Perhaps Rinaldo will find his way into the lineup more often as they look to establish an identity under new head coach Brad Larsen.

Training Camp Cuts: 10/01/19

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Even with the season starting tomorrow, teams still have some final cuts to make today. Rosters have to be cap compliant by the end of the day. though with so much talent on waivers there might still be some last-minute moves. We’ll keep track of those right here. Keep checking back throughout the day for updates.

Arizona Coyotes (per team release)

D Ilya Lyubushkin (to Tucson, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (per team release)

F Remi Elie (to Rochester, AHL)
F Curtis Lazar (to Rochester, AHL)
F Scott Wilson (to Rochester, AHL)
D Casey Nelson (to Rochester, AHL)

Calgary Flames (per team release)

F Alan Quine (to Stockton, AHL)
F Zac Rinaldo (to Stockton, AHL)
F Dillon Dube (to Stockton, AHL)
D Andrew MacDonald (released from PTO)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

F Clark Bishop (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Julien Gauthier (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Brian Gibbons (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Gustav Forsling (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Roland McKeown (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Anton Forsberg (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Max McCormick (placed on injured/non-roster)
D Trevor van Riemsdyk (placed on injured/non-roster)

Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)

G Collin Delia (to Rockford, AHL)
F Kirby Dach (placed on injured/non-roster)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

F Marko Dano (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Andrew Peeke (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Liam Foudy (placed on injured/non-roster)

Colorado Avalanche (per team release)

F Jayson Megna (to Colorado, AHL)
D Kevin Connauton (to Colorado, AHL)
D Calle Rosen (to Colorado, AHL)
D Ian Cole (placed on injured/non-roster)

Detroit Red Wings (per team release)

D Jared McIsaac (to Halifax, QMJHL)
F Chase Pearson (placed on injured/non-roster)

Edmonton Oilers (per team release)

F Sam Gagner (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (per team release)

F J.T. Brown (to Iowa, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

F Ryan Poehling (to Laval, AHL)

Nashville Predators (per team release)

F Miikka Salomaki (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Steven Santini (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (per team release)

D Matt Tennyson (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Ty Smith (to Spokane, WHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)

D John Marino (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Casey DeSmith (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)

F Nicolas Roy (to Chicago, AHL)
D Nicolas Hague (to Chicago, AHL)

Washington Capitals (per team release)

F Liam O’Brien (to Hershey, AHL)
F Michael Sgarbossa (to Hershey, AHL)
D Christian Djoos (to Hershey, AHL)
D Michal Kempny (placed on injured/non-roster)

Winnipeg Jets (per team release)

D Sami Niku (to Manitoba, AHL)

Calgary Flames Sign Zac Rinaldo To One-Year Deal

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The Calgary Flames announced they have signed forward Zac Rinaldo to a one-year, two-way contract for $700K AAV. The 29-year-old was on a professional tryout with the Flames and he obviously did enough to earn himself a contract. Puckpedia reports Rinaldo will get $175K in the minors and gets $225K guaranteed in the deal.

The forward is known as a gritty bottom-six player, and while he saw some significant time with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Arizona Coyotes, Rinaldo has struggled finding a full-time job with an NHL team. He played last year for the Nashville Predators, splitting his time with the NHL squad and the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. He played 23 games with Nashville last season, scoring one goal and three points and 20 penalty minutes. Overall, Rinaldo has played 351 career games with 15 goals, 37 points and 317 penalty minutes.

Rinaldo played in four preseason games for the Flames, picking up two assists, while playing an average of 11:02 of ATOI. While the team looks to have a set opening day roster, what the team really lacks is depth as there are only a handful of solid options the team can recall in case of injuries, especially for a team that is coming off a first-place finish in the Pacific Division last season. Rinaldo might be the perfect player who can either stay on the Flames’ roster as the 13th man or give the Stockton Heat some veteran leadership until the team needs him.

Nashville Predators Will Not Bring Back Wayne Simmonds

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The Nashville Predators may have opened up some cap space earlier today when they moved out defenseman P.K. Subban and his $9MM contract over the next three years. However, even with that extra cap space, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Nashville general manager David Poile said that the team will not be bringing back unrestricted free agent Wayne Simmonds this offseason. The Tennessean’s Paul Skrbina adds that Poile also said that the team has no intention of bringing back Zac Rinaldo or Cody McLeod either.

Poile also notes that the team is still interested in bringing back unrestricted free agent Brian Boyle.

Simmonds was one Nashville’s biggest trade-deadline acquisition as they traded winger Ryan Hartman and a 2020 fourth-round pick in order to get the 6-foot-2 power forward in hopes of adding more physicality and scoring to their middle-six lines. However, Simmonds struggled once he joined Nashville, scoring one goal and three points in 17 games and then going scoreless in two playoff games. The 30-year-old Simmonds was a big-time scorer while with the Philadelphia Flyers, potting more than 20 goals six times and even reaching 30 goals twice. However, he tallied a combined 17 goals last season and his 30 points is one of the fewest of his career.

The 29-year-old Rinaldo spent most of the season with Nashville, but spent much of that time in the press box, playing a total of 23 games with one goal, three points and 20 penalty minutes. The 34-year-old McLeod came over in a deadline deal as well, this one with the New York Rangers. He played seven games for Nashville and didn’t register a point. Boyle, on the other hand, scored five goals in 26 games after being picked up for a second-round pick at the trade deadline. He also added two assists in three playoff games.

 

 

Minor Transactions: 04/02/19

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Just a few days remain in the NHL regular season and there is still must-see television every night. This evening brings about several important games including a do-or-die matchup for the Montreal Canadiens against the best team in the NHL. Carey Price will have to try and keep the Tampa Bay Lightning off the board or the Canadiens risk falling further behind the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes for the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots. Meanwhile the Arizona Coyotes are in a similar must-win situation, but happen to get the Los Angeles Kings—a slightly easier matchup.

  • The Nashville Predators have assigned Zac Rinaldo to the minor leagues on a long-term injury loan. Rinaldo had been ruled out for the season earlier this year after shoulder surgery, but perhaps is healthy enough to at least participate in some minor league practices. It’s unclear if there are any expectations that he can get back into a game this season.
  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Andreas Englund from the AHL, likely a reward for his play this season. The 23-year old defenseman has six NHL games under his belt but spent this entire year in the minor leagues. Christian Wolanin has been assigned to the AHL in return, giving the Belleville Senators some more firepower as they try to lock up a playoff spot.
  • Dylan Sikura has been sent back down by the Chicago Blackhawks for much the same reason, as the Rockford IceHogs are still within striking distance in the AHL. Sikura, 23, has 30 points in 40 games for the IceHogs this season.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have sent Kiefer Sherwood and Chase De Leo back to the San Diego Gulls to help with their playoff run. The Gulls unfortunately won’t be getting Troy Terry back anytime soon because of his broken leg, but at least will get some other reinforcements.
  • The Washington Capitals have sent Jonas Siegenthaler back to the AHL for the time being, though that is likely just a cap saving measure in case they suffer another injury over the next few days. The team will be without Michael Kempny through the playoffs, making Siegenthaler their likely seventh defenseman.

Minor Transactions: 01/18/19

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Seven games are on tap for tonight across the NHL, including a prime time matchup between the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals. The Islanders are trying to prove all of their doubters wrong and continue to compete in the Metropolitan Division, while the Capitals are ready to contend for their second Stanley Cup. As teams prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll keep track of all the movement around the league.

  • The Nashville Predators have placed Zac Rinaldo on injured reserve, though the physical forward hasn’t played since the beginning of the month. Rinaldo has actually played 23 games for the Predators this year, more than many expected when he signed a one-year two-way deal in the summer.
  • The New York Rangers have flipped backup goaltenders once again, sending Alexandar Georgiev to the Hartford Wolf Pack and recalling Marek Mazanec. The team has been making these moves all season in order to keep their backups fresh, and the two will likely be flipped back within a few days.
  • The Minnesota Wild have recalled defenseman Louis Belpedio from Iowa of the AHL.  With Mathew Dumba on IR, Minnesota has been running with six defenders for the last little while.  Belpedio has 10 points in 40 minor league games this season and has two assists in his lone career NHL contest.
  • The Dallas Stars have brought back winger Denis Gurianov from AHL Texas.  The 21-year-old impressed in an 11-game stint earlier this season and has been quite productive in the minors with 31 points in 29 games.  Dallas has scored just three goals in the last four games so they’ll likely be hoping that Gurianov can help give them a lift offensively.

Nashville Predators Sign Zac Rinaldo

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The Nashville Predators have given Zac Rinaldo another chance, signing him to a one-year two-way contract worth $650K at the NHL level. Rinaldo played 53 games for the Arizona Coyotes last season and was his usual physical self, collecting 188 hits and earning his fifth career suspension after sucker-punching Samuel Girard in December.

Rinaldo, 28, has 34 points in 328 career games but was never expected to contribute offensively. He’ll be reunited in the Nashville organization with Peter Laviolette, the head coach that gave him his first opportunity in the 2011 playoffs. He took 12 penalty minutes in those two games, a sign of things to come. One of the last real enforcer-type players in the NHL, Rinaldo will likely spend time in the minor leagues before coming up for any especially physical matchups.

Zac Rinaldo To Sign A Two-Way Deal With Nashville

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The Nashville Predators continue to add depth to their team as Fox Sports Andy Strickland reports that unrestricted forward Zac Rinaldo will sign a two-way deal with the Predators. Terms of a deal have not been announced.

With the team’s significant depth at forward at the NHL level, the two-way deal is significant as the team can have him play with their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals and can then be called up to supplement the team’s depth if needed without having to pass the forward through waivers. The physical forward, who played for the Arizona Coyotes last year, re-joins Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette when both were with the Philadelphia Flyers. Rinaldo started with Philadelphia and played five season there before being traded to Boston in 2015.

The 28-year-old forward played in just 53 games with the Coyotes last season, posting five goals and seven points on the season along with 44 penalty minutes, playing the entire season at the NHL level. He is well know for controversial hits, including one last December in which he was suspended six games for punching Colorado defenseman Samuel Girard. He has been suspended five times by the Department of Player Safety over his career.

 

 

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