Sammy Walker has been recalled from Iowa (AHL).
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NHL Transactions & Roster Moves
Riley Tufte has been recalled from Texas (AHL).
Tufte had 19 goals, 16 assists, 90 PIMs and a +23 plus/minus through 63 games with Texas (AHL) during the regular season and has been recalled by Dallas on Wednesday as they deal with some injuries. The 25-year-old played in three NHL games in 2022-23, failing to pick up a point and going a -1 plus/minus. He will likely be an extra forward while we wait for more news on Joe Pavelski (undisclosed).
Keith Kinkaid has been recalled from the Colorado Eagles (AHL) as the Avalanche's third goalie for the playoffs.
Kinkaid was 1-0-0 with a 1.37 GAA and .950 SV% in two appearances between Colorado and Boston this season but spent the majority of his 2022-23 in the AHL and has been recalled Tuesday to act as Colorado's third goaltender throughout the playoffs. The 33-year-old played in two NHL playoff games in 2017-18 with New Jersey, struggling mightily with his 0-2-0 record, 5.88 GAA and .804 SV%.
Erik Kallgren has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) to be Toronto's third goalie for the playoffs.
With Matt Murray still recovering from a concussion, Erik Kallgren has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) as the Maple Leafs' third goaltender on the playoff roster. The 26-year-old appeared in 10 games for the Maple Leafs this season, posting a 3-2-4 record, with a .898 GAA and 2.67 GAA during his brief stint with the club early in the season.
Pyotr Kochetkov has been recalled from Charlotte (AHL).
Kochetkov had a 12-7-5 record, 2.44 GAA and .909 SV% with the Hurricanes' during the regular season and has been recalled from Charlotte (AHL) Monday to be Carolina's third goaltender. The 23-year-old saw four games worth of action with the Hurricanes' in last year's playoffs, with a 1-2-0 record, 3.89 GAA and .869 SV%.
Hunter Jones has been recalled from Iowa (AHL).
Jones finished his 2022-23 regular season with an 11-17-9 record, 3.07 GAA and .905 SV% with the Iowa Heatlanders (ECHL) before seeing one game of action with the Iowa Wild (AHL) and has now been called up to Minnesota for the first time this season. The 22-year-old has likely been brought up as a third emergency option as there is no news of goaltender injuries at the moment in Minnesota's camp.
The Bruins have recalled Brandon Bussi from Providence (AHL).
Bussi was 22-5-4 with a 2.40 GAA and a .924 SV% with the Providence Bruins (AHL) and has been recalled to Boston in time for the Playoffs. Bussi is a 24-year-old undrafted prospect for Boston and has yet to see any NHL action in his career.
Send Down
Joey Daccord has been reassigned to Coachella Valley (AHL).
Daccord was 2-1-1 with a .900 SV% and 3.14 GAA with the Seattle Kraken but has been reassigned to Coachella Valley (AHL) now that Martin Jones is expected to return from injury. The 26-year-old netminder returns to Coachella Valley, where he was an impressive 26-7-3 with a .918 SV% and 2.36 GAA.
Benoit-Olivier Groulx has been reassigned to San Diego (AHL).
Groulx played in two games for the Ducks, failing to pick up a point while collecting two SOG and has been reassigned to San Diego (AHL) on Friday. The 23-year-old returns to the AHL, where he had 18 goals, 21 assists, 41 PIMs and a -20 plus/minus through 61 games prior to his call up.
Drew Helleson has been reassigned to San Diego (AHL).
Helleson had a goal, four SOG, and two PIMs through three games with Anaheim but has been reassigned to San Diego (AHL) for the remainder of their season. The 22-year-old returns to San Deigo (AHL), where he had five goals, 13 assists, 50 PIMs and a -18 plus/minus through 63 games earlier this season.
Noah Juulsen has been reassigned to Abbotsford (AHL) after clearing waivers Friday.
Juulsen failed to pick up a point in 12 games with Vancouver but had six PIMs and a +1 plus/minus and has been reassigned to Abbotsford (AHL) after clearing waivers Friday. The 26-year-old returns to the AHL just in time for the playoffs, as he had three goals, 20 points, 34 PIMs and a +9 plus/minus through 49 games prior to his call-up.
Milos Kelemen has been reassigned to Tucson (AHL).
Kelemen had a goal, 12 SOG, 23 PIMs and a -5 plus/minus through 14 games with Arizona this season but will head back to Tucson (AHL) Friday. The 23-year-old returns to the AHL, where he had 14 goals, 29 points, 37 PIMs and a -12 plus/minus through 58 games earlier in the season.
Send Down
Jan Jenik has been reassigned to Tucson (AHL) following the conclusion of Arizona's season.
Jenik failed to pick up a point in his two-game showing with Arizona but had four PIMs before being reassigned to Tucson (AHL) on Friday. The 22-year-old returns to the Roadrunners, where he has seven goals, 16 assists, 50 PIMs and a +3 plus/minus through 30 games.
Michael Kesselring has been reassigned to Tucson (AHL) following the conclusion of the Coyotes' season.
Kesselring had three assists, eight SOG, six PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through nine games this season with Arizona but has been assigned to Tucson (AHL) Friday following the conclusion of Arizona's season. The 23-year-old returns to the AHL, where he had 14 goals, 14 assists, 45 PIMs and a +10 plus/minus through 58 games with Tucson (AHL) and Bakersfield (AHL) this season.
Victor Soderstrom has been reassigned to Tucson (AHL) following the end of the Coyotes' season.
Soderstrom had nine assists, 31 SOG, 24 PIMs and a -3 plus/minus through 30 games with Arizona this season and has been reassigned to Tucson (AHL) following the conclusion of Arizona's season. The 22-year-old returns to the minors, where he concluded his season with two goals, 21 points, 28 PIMs and a -11 plus/minus through 44 games played.
Ivan Prosvetov has been reassigned to Tucson (AHL).
Prosvetov was 4-3-0 with a .880 SV% and 3.98 GAA with Arizona but will be reassigned to Tucson (AHL) Friday. The 24-year-old returns to Tucson (AHL) just in time for the playoffs, after posting a 16-13-4 record, .900 SV% and 3.06 GAA earlier in the season.
Christian Wolanin has been reassigned to Abbotsford (AHL).
Wolanin had three assists, 16 SOG, four PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 16 games with Vancouver but will head back to Abbotsford (AHL) as the Canucks' season comes to a close. The 28-year-old returns to the minors, where he was on fire previously, with six goals, 55 points, and a +12 plus/minus in 49 games played.
Brandon Bussi has been reassigned to Providence (AHL).
Bussi did not see any action during his brief stint with Boston and has been reassigned to Providence (AHL) on Friday. The 24-year-old returns to Providence, where he was an impressive 21-5-4 with a 2.38 GAA and .925 SV%.
Dominic Toninato has been reassigned to Manitoba (AHL).
Toninanto had an assist, seven SOG, and two PIMs across five games with Winnipeg but has been reassigned to Manitoba (AHL) on Friday. The 29-year-old returns to the Moose, where he had 19 goals, 14 assists, 24 PIMs and a +7 plus/minus in 49 games prior to his call-up.
Alex Galchenyuk has been recalled from the Colorado Eagles (AHL) and is expected to suit up Friday vs. Nashville.
Galchenyuk had 16 goals, 25 assists, 18 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus in 41 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) and has been recalled to the Avalanche on Friday. The 29-year-old returns to the Avalanche, where he has yet to pick up a point but has eight shots and a -6 plus/minus through 10 games during a spell earlier in the season.
NHL Roster Moves
NHL roster moves are essentially transactions that alter a team’s lineup. The roster move could make the team better or worse. In some cases, the move is inconsequential. Fan favourites could leave for greener pastures. A struggling player could get sent down to the farm team. A lousy contract might get put on waivers. Even worse, players may get strategically buried on the long-term injury reserve list because they’re not worth the cap hit. The possibilities are somewhat endless.
Types of NHL Roster Moves
Don’t worry; Daily Faceoff has you covered when trying to grasp the concept of a league ruled by the complexities of the almighty salary cap. Below, we break down the strategy behind roster moves so you can get a leg up in your DFS league.
Free agent signings
NHL rosters are primarily constructed by player signings. The front office reaches out to what are referred to as “free agents.” Both the front office and the player’s agent work out the terms of a deal. How teams sign deals varies depending on what type of free agents they’re dealing with.
Rookie Deals
Rookie’s sign something called an entry-level contract which is usually capped at a certain amount of money per year. Under the NHL’s current collective bargaining agreement, the longest an entry-level contract can be signed is three years.
Restricted Free Agent Contracts
After that, a player becomes a restricted free agent (RFA). Technically, they can sign with teams outside of who they played for in the past season by accepting an offer sheet. That said, if the player’s first team extends a qualifying offer, any team competing for the player’s services will have to offer up a certain amount of compensation in the form of draft picks. Of course, that’s if the player agrees to the offer sheet and their current team doesn’t match it.
Unrestricted Free Agent Contracts
Players can become unrestricted free agents (UFA) when their current RFA deal is up and they can go wherever they want. If they sign a contract extension, they can sign for up to eight years. Alternatively, they can sign a seven-year deal if they test the open market. Fun fact: pending UFAs might be motivated to play their hearts out to secure the bag in their next deal. Keep that in mind, fantasy players.
Blockbuster trades
Trades make for some of the most interesting NHL roster moves. To this day, the infamous Patrick Roy deal still gets talked about in NHL circles. What happens in a trade is that two or maybe even three teams link up and iron out a deal. There might be deals that are referred to as “hockey trades,” meaning that both teams get something of equal value. For example, one team gives up a first-line centre for a top-pairing right-handed defenceman. Some NHL trades involve bad teams selling off their moveable assets, such as upcoming free agents, for future considerations, including draft picks or prospects.
Injuries
Depending on how badly a player gets injured, several things can happen. They can be out of a game or two, with the team opting to keep the severity of the injury private (a common pet peeve for fantasy players). Players can be put on the injury reserve for injuries that can keep them out for a calendar week. This frees up a roster spot so someone from within the team’s system, or sometimes outside of it, can come in and replace them while they’re getting back in tip-top shape. If the player needs over a week to recover after a serious injury, they will get put on long-term injury reserve.
Waivers
In typical NHL roster moves jargon, when a player goes on waivers, other teams can claim them from their current team. A player usually goes on waivers when they’re signed to a one-way deal, meaning they can’t be sent down to the minors willy-nilly like a rookie on a two-way deal. Before the player gets sent down, other teams can claim the player on the “waiver wire.” If the player isn’t claimed, they go to the minors to play in the AHL.
Call Ups
Outside of signings, player callups are one of the most popular NHL transactions. Most teams call up players when they’re performing well in the AHL or if there’s an injury on the main roster. Usually, when a player gets called up to the NHL, one gets sent down to the minors.
Contract Buyouts
Of course, you’ve probably worked with someone who’s pretty lazy. People from afar think that person is a “good fit,” but internally, everyone hates the person. Oftentimes, that person finds a way to get fired. Well, newsflash: the same thing happens in NHL dressing rooms. Sometime players who have a history of poor performance have the audacity to ask for more money come contract time. Their team has the option to buyout their contract, or in extreme cases of misconduct, their contract can be terminated. If they’re not being bought out, the front office is laughing while the player’s agent is showing themselves out of the building. For the players who are actually good and could command big bucks on the open market, teams hustle to get them signed up for a new deal. If the player hits the open market, all bets are off…. Coaching Changes
Losing a head coach that sucked at their job and replacing them with a new one can ignite a team. Historically, decent teams perform strongly when they get a new coach. For how long those “strong performances” sustain themselves over the course of a season is a whole other story.
Rules Around NHL Roster Moves
NHL rules aren’t made to be broken. If they’re written in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), you may as well say they’re written in stone. Let’s talk about those “set in stone” rules.
Trade Deadline
Teams have a certain amount of time each season to make NHL trades and signings. The date varies from season to season, but it usually falls between the end of February and early March so that roster’s are set before the Stanley Cup playoffs begin. After the deadline, players can still be moved, but they will not be eligible to play for the rest of the regular season or playoffs. You’ll usually see prospects who are playing abroad get dealt after the deadline, if any trades are made at all.
[Editor’s note: can include link to new DFO Stanley Cup page here]
Strategy Behind NHL Roster Moves
General managers and hands-on hockey ops executives are always thinking about the future. If their team is going to miss the playoffs and it’s a good draft year, they might be inclined to sell, meaning they’ll try to offload decent players in return for cap space, draft picks and younger players. The opposite can be said for good teams. They’ll be looking to add to what they already have to make a run for the cup.
If you’re a DFS player or even in a dynasty league, you can exploit that by buying low on players who are playing for bad teams but have the potential to increase their production if they get traded to a good team. Having access to a good data set can help ease the trouble of anticipating how good a player will be going to and from a certain team.
The Salary Cap
When general managers sleep at night, they probably have nightmares about the salary cap. “The cap,” as hockey insiders like Frank Seravalli refer to it when discussing NHL transactions, dictates how much a team can spend on its roster. There’s a “floor,” meaning a team has to spend at least this much per year. Then, there’s a “ceiling” that teams can’t go over lest they pay the price in draft pick compensation and fines, amongst other things. The salary cap makes it difficult for teams to trade players with high cap hits. It also creates a market in itself for teams that want to get over the “floor” by taking on other teams’ bad contracts. In a world beyond reality, most would favour a luxury tax system like the one Major League Baseball implements.
How NHL Roster Moves Impact Sports Betting
Look, if you don’t want to put up with another year of getting beat by your co-worker’s child in fantasy, you have to put as much effort into your team as that 10-year-old weasel will. That means keeping up with the news. Changing your lineups on a daily basis. Trading players at their peak value. Buying them from others when they’re at their lowest. For the love all of things good, change your injured players out for healthy ones. If you’re a sports bettor, any NHL roster can change the money line or the total in a game, especially if a star player is hurt or a team is playing its third-string goalie. Staying in the loop will give bettors a better chance at finding an edge.