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Carolina Hurricanes Sign Roland McKeown

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The Carolina Hurricanes have signed restricted free agent defenseman Roland McKeown to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will carry a salary of $700K at the NHL level, but it doesn’t seem that will ever be paid out. McKeown has immediately been loaned to Skelleftea AIK of the SHL. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a statement on the move:

Roland had a solid season in the AHL last season and it is important that he get back on the ice to continue his development. Playing in the Swedish league is a great opportunity for him to do just that.

This is an extremely interesting move, given that so many other AHL-bound prospects are still sitting around wondering where they will be playing this season. If the minor league isn’t able to put together a plan, we could see a hurried exodus of talent to Europe in order to fill the few foreign spots available. McKeown looks like he’ll have a head start and should be able to get in a good chunk of development overseas.

The 24-year-old defenseman has played ten games at the NHL level in the past, but spent both 2018-19 and 2019-20 entirely in the AHL. Selected 50th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, he arrived in Carolina via a trade for Andrej Sekera less than a year later. While he hasn’t been able to crack the Hurricanes blueline, that may be more to do with the strength of the NHL group than his own play, which though inconsistent at times has still been strong for the Charlotte Checkers. In 61 games last season he recorded 24 points.

Adam Johnson Signs With Malmo Redhawks

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After becoming a Group VI unrestricted free agent, Adam Johnson is headed to Sweden. The 26-year-old forward has signed with the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL for the rest of the season.

Not every undrafted college free agent can turn into a star. The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Johnson in 2018 after his outstanding sophomore season at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and he quickly worked his way up the ranks to make his NHL debut in 2019. He played 13 games with the Penguins over two seasons, recording four points. His real contribution was at the AHL level, however, where he racked up 108 points in 185 games.

Johnson has dealt with nagging injuries throughout his time with the Penguins organization and will now have to try and get his game to another level overseas. There’s no doubt he can help an AHL team, but without much NHL experience, it’s hard to justify even a two-way contract. That doesn’t mean he can’t get back though, especially if he dominates the competition overseas.

Melker Karlsson Signs In Sweden

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There won’t be an NHL contract coming this year for Melker Karlsson. The former San Jose Sharks forward has decided to return to Sweden, signing with Skelleftea AIK in the SHL for the rest of the 2020-21 campaign. Karlsson had spent the last six seasons in San Jose but became an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Now 30, Karlsson is one of the European free agent success stories in the NHL, able to make the transition from SHL to NHL in 2014. Signed away from Skelleftea by the Sharks, he managed 13 goals and 24 points in his rookie season and never really looked back. In his second year in North America, he went all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals with San Jose, scoring five goals in their long playoff run. He would be on the ice in their next three postseason appearances as well, providing reliable play in the bottom-six and some secondary scoring.

With the job market shrinking for bottom-six veteran players though, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Karlsson is going to stay in Sweden for the year. His return certainly doesn’t mean that the NHL is a thing of the past for his career, but it does mean another free agent is off the market. Karlsson’s name will surely be brought up again next offseason as a potential piece to bring back, once things have started to get back to normal.

Minor Transactions: 12/10/20

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The NHL offseason has come to a standstill, with no unrestricted free agents signed to one-way contracts in a month. Still, the ECHL and many European leagues continue to play or prepare, meaning hockey players signing deals all over the world. We’ll keep track of the notable minor transactions right here.

  • Among the season-opening rosters that were announced by the ECHL today are a few interesting names, including 26-year-old Nikolai Skladnichenko listed as “immigration pending” for the Orlando Solar Bears. Skladnichenko once won a bronze medal as part of Russia’s World Junior squad in 2014 but hasn’t to this point tested his game in North America.
  • Jonathan Sigalet, who was a fourth-round pick of the Boston Bruins in 2005 and played one game in the NHL, was traded in the SHL back to Frolunda HC. Sigalet, now 34, played at Bowling Green State before spending several productive years in the AHL. He left for Europ in 2011 and hasn’t looked back, spending four seasons in the KHL and the last five in the SHL.
  • Colton Beck, who was actually under an NHL contract as recently as the 2019-20 season, has signed with EV Landshut in the German second league. The 30-year-old forward spent five seasons with the Iowa Wild of the AHL but scored just 11 points in 47 games last year.

Minor Transactions: 12/08/20

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The NHL offseason has come to a standstill, with no unrestricted free agents signed to one-way contracts in a month. Still, the ECHL and many European leagues continue to play or prepare, meaning hockey players signing deals all over the world. We’ll keep track of the notable minor transactions right here.

  • Former NHL forward Carter Ashton has signed with Leksands IF for the remainder of the 2020-21 season. The 29-year-old winger played in 54 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs over three seasons before jumping to the KHL in 2015. He spent the next five seasons there, suiting up for four different teams before now making change and joining the SHL. Ashton, a 6’4″ power forward, scored 15 goals and 25 points in 62 games last season for Dinamo Riga.
  • Ryan Culkin, who spent the last two seasons splitting time between the Laval Rocket and Maine Mariners, has agreed to join the Bratislava Capitals of the ICEHL. The 26-year-old defenseman was originally drafted by the Calgary Flames in the fifth round but never made it to the NHL level. In 45 games with Maine last season he recorded 33 points.
  • Alex Lintuniemi, who was under an NHL contract as recently as November 2019, will join Barys Nur-Sultan for the rest of the KHL season. Originally selected 60th overall by the Los Angeles Kings, Lintuniemi never did play a game in the NHL. After signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes in July 2019, he played just four games with their AHL team before terminating his contract to return to Finland. The 25-year-old defenseman had four points in 11 games for JYP this season but will try his luck in the KHL instead.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have assigned goaltender David Tendeck to the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush, the league’s transactions revealed. Tendeck, 21, is finally getting a chance to play in the pros after he was selected in the sixth round in 2018. Tendeck has been given a look in NHL training camp in each of the past two years, but was eventually returned to juniors. This past season, his fifth and final with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, Tendeck was stellar, posting a .920 save percentage and 2.29 GAA. Tendeck hopes to challenge Ivan Prosvetov for the ’Yotes’ AHL backup role at some point this season.
  • Fellow WHL product Bryce Kindopp will also begin his pro career in the ECHL. The Anaheim Ducks have assigned the skilled forward to the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers, per the league’s transactions. An undrafted free agent, Kinopp was signed by the Ducks early this spring after finishing his second straight 70+ point season. As the captain of the Everett Silvertips this year, Kindopp showed a goal-scoring punch and clutch gene that should serve him well in the pros.

Snapshots: Tentative Schedule, Exhibition Games, Players, Eklund

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While nothing is set in stone about the forthcoming NHL season, the makings of a season format seem to be falling into place. Yesterday’s news that the league is targeting a January 15 start and a 56-game schedule provided some optimism that firm numbers may be coming into focus and the reality of a 2020-21 with it. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Chris Johnston have followed up that report with some speculative notes on how training camp, the regular season, and the postseason could play out. They have heard that a January 15 start date would mean that the seven non-playoff teams from 2019-20 would open camp on December 28, while the other 24 teams would start up on January 1. This isn’t exactly the extended camp that the non-playoff teams had hoped for, but with the Christmas holiday also playing a key role in negotiations from the players’ side, there is little wiggle room between starting after December 25 and allowing all teams enough time for a sufficient camp prior to January 15. Friedman and Johnston believe that a January 15 start and 56-game schedule would result in a May 1 end to the regular season, with room to make up games if needed. The postseason would then run through the first week of July, again with some flexibility for make-up delays before a likely late July Entry Draft and Expansion Draft and August 1 start to the new league year and free agency. None of these dates are official of course, but they do report that some players and teams have been notified that they should expect a January 15 start date and to be back in North America and in quarantine this month. As for the actual structure of the league and of travel and game play this season, temporary realignment seems very likely, especially if it will allow teams to play in their home cities and arenas, which is the preference of players and clubs alike. However, the concept of bubbles or hub cities is still very much on the table if that is the only way to ensure the safety of all players and staff. Friedman and Johnston also note that there is some optimism that with this delayed start to the season and the progress being made on a COVID-19 vaccine that there could be fans in attendance, regardless of the format, by the end of the regular season and in the playoffs.

  • While everyone is hopeful that these plans work out and are excited for the return of NHL hockey, don’t expect to see any game action until the actual anticipated regular season start date of January 15. Friedman and Johnston report that there will not likely be exhibition “pre-season” games during training camp. This can likely be explained by a hesitancy to potentially expose players and personnel to COVID for a meaningless game. Although starting the season cold will be difficult, it is a a safer option. Teams will have to rely on inter-squad scrimmages for preparation.
  • While logistics coming together for this coming season, with agreement on both sides, is great to see, there is still a financial negotiation going on as well. The owners are hoping to adjust the values of salary deferral and escrow just recently agreed upon in the CBA extension, but so far the players have been resistant to any change. The Philadelphia Flyers’ James van Riemsdyk, the team’s NHLPA rep, tells The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sam Carchidi that the players feel the impact of the Coronavirus on 2020-21 profits was fully considered when the CBA was agreed upon and the players do not feel that they owe the owners any more than they have already relinquished. This is a sentiment that has been echoed by many when it comes to the league’s proposal of financial changes. On a positive note, van Riemsdyk says that the players are happy with their side of the CBA and like what they have heard so far about a “return to play” plan. He states that the players are “ready to roll” with the new season once the owners agree to uphold the CBA.
  • While the NHL is doing their best to combat COVID and get back to play, the virus continues to impact every corner of the hockey world. Leagues and teams on multiple continents have paused their seasons, players, coaches, and staff have been infected, and opportunities to watch and play the game have been few and far between with restrictions on facilities and group gatherings. The latest newsworthy COVID impact comes out of Sweden. European hockey insider Uffe Bodin reports that 2021 draft prospect William Eklund has tested positive for the virus and as a result may not participate in the upcoming World Junior Championship in Edmonton. Eklund is considered by many to be a potential first-round pick in next year’s draft, which has been helped along by a breakout season in the SHL. His absence will be a major loss for Team Sweden and will also be a missed opportunity for NHL scouts. The talented forward will simply have to work to get healthy and continue to show what he can do in the SHL this year.

 

Snapshots: Liiga, Paajarvi, Bradley

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Just days after the QMJHL announced a month-long pause due to the heightened spread of the Coronavirus, another league is set to make a similar call, but this time it’s a pro league out of Europe. According to a number of sources including The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf, the Finnish Liiga is expected to halt all play through the month of December. This move is expected to carry over to Finland’s junior leagues as well. A number of NHL prospects will be impacted, as will NHL players currently on loan who will return to North America sooner than expected. It does seem as though the shut down will end in January, but the COVID numbers in Finland will ultimately determine when play resumes.

  • Veteran NHL forward Magnus Paajarvi opted to take his talents to Russia last summer, signing a two-year deal with the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. His first season fell short of expectations, as Paajarvi played in only 39 games and recorded just 19 points. His second season has started off much better, as Paajarvi already has 11 ponts through 26 games and will far exceed last season if he stays healthy. Yaroslavl decided to take advantage of the success of the impending free agent, as they have traded Paajarvi to Dynamo Moscow in exchange for another name familiar to NHL fans, Teemu Pulkkinen. Given that Paajarvi was still a serviceable bottom-six forward when he left the NHL, is on pace for a superior season this year with his contract expiring, and has now abandoned any loyalty he might have felt to the KHL club he initially signed with, this could all be leading to an NHL comeback for the skilled power forward next year.
  • Detroit Red Wings prospect Chase Bradley has made his collegiate selection. The 2020 seventh-round pick out of the USHL has committed to the University of Connecticut, the program announced. The St. Louis native is a hard-working forward who is expecting to take a big step forward offensively in his final junior season before moving to the NCAA. Bradley becomes the second NHL prospect commitment for the Huskies this month, as fellow 2020 seventh-rounder Ryan Tverberg (TOR) will also join UConn next season.

Minor Transactions: 11/28/20

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While the transaction lists for North American leagues remain relatively empty given unknown and delayed start dates, hockey is alive and well in Europe and those leagues and teams continue to collect loans and signings from North America. Keep up with all of the minor moves, overseas and otherwise, right here:

  • Despite his status as a second-round pick, goaltender Olof Lindbom has still not seen any action in the SHL, Sweden’s top league, since he was drafted by the New York Rangers in 2018. That could change soon, as the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks have announced that they have acquired Lindbom on loan from the Allsvenskan’s Mora IK. This is not Lindbom’s first promotion, but he has only ever sat as a backup in previous opportunities. However, this loan was prompted by an injury to Malmo starter Oscar Alsenfelt, leaving former Boston Bruins prospect Lars Volden, who has struggled of late, as the only other keeper on the roster. Lindom’s odds of finally making his first SHL appearance seem high. He needs to get used to facing top competition if he hopes to ever compete for a roster spot in New York given their deep stable of talented, young goaltenders.
  • After four seasons with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, the first three spent on an entry-level contract, Eric Cornel will not return to the team this season. The Buffalo Sabres’ 2014 second-round pick has signed a one-year deal with the DEL’s Nurnberg Ice Tigers, the club announced. Cornel was a productive two-way forward for Rochester, even if he didn’t live up to his draft billing. He has a chance to take on even more responsibility and improve his scoring numbers in Germany. Cornel will join a Nurnberg team that rosters a number of former NHL players and prospects.
  • Joe Whitney has also made the move to Germany, signing a one-year deal with the Iserlohn Roosters per a team announcement. Whitney is a veteran of 450 AHL games as well as a cup of coffee in the NHL, but has not played in North America since 2017-18. The veteran forward is coming off back-to-back strong seasons in Sweden with the SHL’s Linkoping HC, but has seemingly opted to try his hand somewhere new.
  • A fellow journeyman with considerable AHL experience and a brief showing in the NHL, Morgan Ellis finds himself looking for a new job after being released by the KHL’s Dinamo Riga. Ellis has made stops in the DEL, SHL, and KHL over the past three years and expected to remain in the KHL this season, but was terminated by mutual agreement, according to the team. The former Montreal Canadiens prospect defenseman will have to look elsewhere, in Europe or perhaps back in North America, for a place to play this season.

Carl Soderberg Drawing Interest Overseas

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As the off-season wears on and so many free agents remain unsigned, it seems like a near certainty that an established NHL talent is going to wind up forced out of the league by a lack of opportunity. With so many teams battling a lack of cap flexibility in light of the flat salary cap, players who know they are worth more than a minimum NHL contract may need to look elsewhere for a substantial paycheck. The scenario hasn’t played out yet, but it only seems like a matter of time.

Could Carl Soderberg be the first victim? The veteran center remains unsigned despite a complete two-way game and a history of success. Soderberg, 35, came over to the NHL later in his career but still has seven full seasons under his belt, in six of which he has recorded at least a dozen goals and 35+ points. Soderberg is also a defensive asset, relied on at the face-off dot and for defensive zone starts. Soderberg’s per-game production declined last season, but so did his ice time. A player who spent the past five seasons at a $4.75MM AAV has not really proven that he is worth much less on his next deal, yet that kind of money may not be available in the NHL.

As a result, whispers have started to emerge out of Europe. The Swiss Hockey News cites sources in Switzerland as well as in Sweden that claim Soderberg is in consideration and the interest is mutual. Just like in the NHL, there is some concern about the impact of COVID-19 on season lengths and clubs’ earning potentials, but there will still be a number of teams in bringing in an established NHLer to lead their squad. One team specifically mentioned is the SHL’s Malmo, Soderberg’s junior program and the club he spent his first eight pro seasons with. However, there is some speculation that Malmo may not be the most likely landing spot. Someone will get lucky though, unless an NHL team jumps in the mix and convinces him that a value deal to remain in North America is his best choice to continue his career.

Minor Transactions: 11/07/20

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There have only been four unrestricted free agent signings so far in the month of November, as the NHL market has been stagnant in light of the flat salary cap despite considerable talent still available. However, the impact of delayed season starts continues to result in a number of loans, both at the pro level in Europe and the junior levels in North America. Loans have also begun to displace other players, as a number of notable names are on the move. With some minor moves carrying over from Friday and more expected today, keep track of all of these transactions here:

  • 2020 Tampa Bay Lightning second-rounder Jack Finley will get his season started outside of the WHL, but close to home. The Kelowna, BC native has been loaned by his club, the Spokane Chiefs, to the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors, the league announced. Finley is one of a large number of western junior players who will get some time in down a level before the WHL opens up next month. A hulking, 6’5″ center, Finley will be a lot to handle for BCHL competition over the next few weeks.
  • Goalie Jan Bednar, a recent fourth-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, was expected to open up this season with his North American debut with the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Instead, he has been loaned back to his pro club in the Czech Republic, HC Energie Karlovy Vary, for the time being, the team announced. While the Titan have not been one of the Quebec clubs who have lost games due to COVID-19, Bednar still has not joined the team yet this season. After spending the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 CHL Import Draft on the netminder, Acadie-Bathurst hopes to have Bednar soon and Vary’s announcement implies that he will only play for the team until that point that he decides to finally head overseas.
  • Seeking more ice time in the SHL, Carolina Hurricanes’ 2020 second-round selection Noel Gunler has been loaned out for the remainder of the season. Lulea HF announced that Gunler has been loaned to Brynas IF after requesting a move. The team hoped to keep Gunler on the roster, but understood his desire for a greater opportunity. Considered by many to have fallen in the draft, making him a potential steal for the Hurricanes, Gunler is an exciting player to watch who may finally produce at a high level in Sweden now that he has a greater role.
  • Also on the move in Europe, although unknown where they will end up at this point, are former NHL defensemen Julian Melchiori and Raman Hrabarenka. The KHL’s Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk has terminated the contracts of both players, the league announced. Hrabarenka had two points in nine games to open up the season, whereas Melchiori had not yet played. With rumors surrounding Neftekhimik and former non-qualified Washington Capitals free agent defenseman Colby Williams, it could be that these departures were made in anticipation of another addition by the team.

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