Trade Rumors and Free Agent TalkTrade rumors, transactions, and free agent talk. Rumors must contain the word RUMOR in post title. Proposals must contain the word PROPOSAL in post title.
Am wondering if we'll be seeing San Jose sign a pair of prospects soon. Today the Sharks' AHL affiliate in Worcester added two players: Dylan DeMelo (who was a 2011 pick of the Sharks) and Yanni Gourde (who is undrafted). Gourde, in particular, as there were rumors several teams were interested in him after he led the QMJHL with 124 points this past season.
Hearing that Tommy Cross will be signing in the morning to finish out the season with the Providence Bruins.
I remember hearing about both of these guys in future greats and heart breaks. I know the Bruins are fairly high on him. How likely is it he earns a spot on defense next season? I know Dougie Hamilton has looked very good as well.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Jake Hansen to a standard two-year entry level contract, club Executive Vice President and General Manager Scott Howson announced April 12.
Hansen, 22, just completed his senior season at the University of Minnesota (WCHA), where he registered 16 goals and 22 assists for 38 points, 58 penalty minutes and a +19 plus/minus rating in 43 games. He set career highs in goals, assists, points, plus/minus rating, penalty minutes and games played, while helping the Gophers reach the Frozen Four.
Quote:
A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Hansen was the Blue Jackets' fourth pick, 68th overall, in the 2007 Entry Draft.
A couple pages back someone asked where Connolly was likely to sign and apparently he said in a radio interview that there was little NHL interest and he'd likely head overseas. His size (5'8", 170 lbs) likely scared most teams off from offering much. I'm surprised a team with a shallower prospect pool, say Washington, didn't offer him a 2-year deal and see what he can provide. Unless Connolly's salary demands were out of wack...
A couple pages back someone asked where Connolly was likely to sign and apparently he said in a radio interview that there was little NHL interest and he'd likely head overseas. His size (5'8", 170 lbs) likely scared most teams off from offering much. I'm surprised a team with a shallower prospect pool, say Washington, didn't offer him a 2-year deal and see what he can provide. Unless Connolly's salary demands were out of wack...
Blackhawks have signed Peter LeBlanc to a 1-year deal.
Quote:
LeBlanc, 24, shares the team lead with 23 goals, and ranks second on the club with 43 points (23G, 20A) in 70 regular-season games for the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs this year in his first full AHL campaign.
Quote:
LeBlanc was selected by Chicago in the seventh round (186th overall) of the 2006 National Hockey League Entry Draft, and played four seasons at the University of New Hampshire before making his pro debut in 2010-11.
Thought we might see a couple of signings before the week was out.
Quote:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed their 2010 first-round draft pick, forward Beau Bennett, to a three-year entry-level contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Quote:
The deal begins with the 2012-13 season and runs through the 2014-15 campaign.
Quote:
Bennett, 20, became the highest-drafted California native to be selected in the NHL Draft when he was chosen by the Penguins with the 20th overall selection in 2010.
Quote:
The 6-foot-1, 190 pound Bennett got off to a good start this season with the Pioneers by tallying four goals, nine assists and 13 points through 10 games – before his season ended prematurely due to a wrist injury. Bennett was a member of the All-WCHA Academic Team.
After graduating, he went unsigned by the Blackhawks in 2010, but was signed with Rockford for the last two years.
I don't know why more teams don't use their AHL team/AHL contracts the way the Blackhawks do. They obviously told LeBlanc to play for their AHL team and if he played well they'd sign him later. They did the same thing this past summer, signing Andrew Shaw to an AHL deal, seeing how he fared in the AHL, then signing him to an NHL deal. They also have 2010 draft pick Rob Flick playing in for Rockford on an AHL deal.
A couple pages back someone asked where Connolly was likely to sign and apparently he said in a radio interview that there was little NHL interest and he'd likely head overseas. His size (5'8", 170 lbs) likely scared most teams off from offering much. I'm surprised a team with a shallower prospect pool, say Washington, didn't offer him a 2-year deal and see what he can provide. Unless Connolly's salary demands were out of wack...
It happens frequently with the smaller NCAA guys.
There's Ryan Lasch (5'9) who was a Hobey Baker finalist a few years ago that was the SM-Liiga's leading scorer this season, he went straight to Europe after NCAA. There's Broc Little (5'9; 43 points in 39 game -senior year) that went right to the Allsvenskan and lead the league in scoring. Not to mention Ryan Duncan (5'6), a former Hobey Baker winner who went straight to Austria after the NCAA, and was among the leading scorers there his first year before coming to the AHL last year, and doing so-so.
I'd imagine they're looking at ~$60-70k in the AHL vs. +$100k in europe, plus not enough NHL interest.
A little surprised Bennett is going pro. He didn't really get much done last season in Denver because of the injury. I thought going back to school, hopefully staying healthier and playing a big role on that team would be better for his development. I guess the Pens think he's ready for pro hockey though and they obviously know the kid better than me.
According to the AHL transaction page Northeastern's Anthony Bitetto just signed an ATO with Milwaukee of the AHL. He's a Nashville pick so this must be a first step towards the signing of an ELC.
According to the AHL transaction page Northeastern's Anthony Bitetto just signed an ATO with Milwaukee of the AHL. He's a Nashville pick so this must be a first step towards the signing of an ELC.
Less than a week after closing the door on a successful career in the junior ranks, former Spirit forward Josh Shalla has put pen to paper on his first National Hockey League contract. The Nashville Predators announced today that they have signed the Whitby, Ontario native to a three year entry level contract.
Quote:
This past season with the Spirit, Shalla recorded a team high 40 goals to go along with 36 assists for 76 points.
Shalla, 20, was a 4th round pick, 94th overall in 2011.
Scoured the internet for news on prospects needing to be signed by June 1st (It's still early with lots of the players' junior teams still in contention so no need to panic yet).
Aaron Portzline on Michael Chaput, Austin Madaisky, Mathieu Corbeil, Petr Straka and Brandon Archibald.
Quote:
The Blue Jackets are in talks with center Michael Chaput and defenseman Austin Madaisky, whom they believe have NHL futures. Chaput was drafted by Philadelphia in 2010, but he was traded to the Jackets during the 2010-11 season.
Quote:
Three other players — goaltender Mathieu Corbeil, winger Petr Straka and defenseman Brandon Archibald — are unsigned, and assistant GM Chris MacFarland said a decision hasn’t been made as to whether the club wants to re-sign them.
They said the most surprising thing is that Columbus hasn't made up their mind on signing Mathieu Corbeil who was named QMJHL goalie of the year. You'd think a team with weak goaltending like the Blue Jackets would be all over that, but there's some concern that Corbeil isn't necessarily that good but is just playing for a good team. I'd still hazard a guess that he gets signed.
Bob Stauffer on Drew Czerwonka and Kristians Pelss
Quote:
Oilers will likely have to make a decision between signing Kristians Pelss and Drew Czerwonka. I'd sign Pelss
If the Oilers really do have to choose between the two, myself, I'd go with Czerwonka and see if Pelss could be signed to an ATO with Oklahoma. Czerwonka is bigger and more physical than Pelss and the Oilers have a lot of smaller skilled forwards.
Victoria Times-Colonist[ on Tyler Stahl
Quote:
Stahl, drafted but not signed by the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, doesn’t know what next season holds. A likely option, after a summer of helping on the family farm near Drumheller, Alta., is returning to Victoria next season as an overager
An article I can no longer find by Bill Metzler on Brendan Ranford suggested that the Flyers were unlikely to sign the winger who put up 90+ points in the WHL.[/b]
Was discussed quite a bit on the Flyers board, but the feeling is that maybe as Ranford isn't a fast skating forward maybe the Flyers management doesn't feel he can fit into their system. Still, you'd think the Flyers would give him a deal as their AHL team continues to struggle and Ranford also put up 14 points in 11 playoff games in the WHL.
The Star Phoenix on Josh Nicholls
Quote:
The Toronto Maple Leafs' 2010 seventh-round draft pick hasn't signed an NHL contract, but said his agent, Gerry Johansson, has been talking with the team and is hopeful they can reach an agreement soon.
This morning word has come down that Steve Tambellini’s trip to Sweden has been time well spent, with news that prized defence prospect Oscar Klefbom is expected to sign a three-year entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
This morning word has come down that Steve Tambellini’s trip to Sweden has been time well spent, with news that prized defence prospect Oscar Klefbom is expected to sign a three-year entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
I thought we might see this happen. The article goes on to say that Klefbom will play in Sweden next year and likely come over to North America in 2013.
