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NHL Transactions & Roster Moves

Michael Leighton(G)|
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Hurricanes have recalled Michael Leighton from Charlotte (AHL).

Leighton went down to get some playing time with Charlotte, because no one but Cam Ward is seeing time in Carolina. Leighton will return as the Hurricanes’ backup on Friday.

Source:
Cory Lavalette 2017-01-19T12:37:21.000Z
Michael Leighton
Denis Malgin(C)|FA
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Panthers have sent Denis Malgin to Springfield (AHL).

Malgin has often served as a healthy scratch over the last month and has collected just eight points (4G / 4A) in 39 games this season. The Panthers want to get Malgin more playing time, so he will head to Springfield for the first time this season.

Source:
Florida Panthers 2017-01-19T11:04:53.000Z
Denis Malgin
Reto Berra(G)|FA
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Panthers have recalled Reto Berra from Springfield (AHL).

Berra has gone 9-8-2 with a 2.24 GAA and .917 SV% in 20 games with Springfield this season. Berra’s recall suggests that there is something wrong with either Roberto Luongo or James Reimer, so expect an update later today. Berra has posted a career .906 SV% in 64 NHL games with the Flames and Avalanche.

Source:
Florida Panthers 2017-01-19T10:53:11.000Z
Reto Berra
Spencer Martin(G)|NYR
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Avalanche have recalled Spencer Martin from San Antonio (AHL).

Martin, 21, has gone 15-9-0 with a 2.62 GAA and .915 SV% in 27 games with the Rampage this season. He has spent a lot of time with the Avalanche, but has never appeared in an NHL game. With Semyon Varlamov out through the All-Star break, Martin is expected to see some playing time this time around.

Source:
@Avalanche 2017-01-18T14:39:52.000Z
Spencer Martin
Jake Dotchin(RD)|FA
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Lightning have recalled Jake Dotchin from Syracuse (AHL).

Dotchin, 22, was a sixth round pick of the Lightning in 2012 and he could be making his NHL debut on Tuesday. With Victor Hedman sick, Dotchin has joined the Lightning in Anaheim after scoring three goals with nine assists and 77 PIMS in 33 games with Syracuse.

Source:
Erik Erlendsson 2017-01-17T13:38:52.000Z
Jake Dotchin
Alex Nedeljkovic(G)|SJS
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Hurricanes have recalled Alex Nedeljkovic from Charlotte (AHL).

Nedeljkovic, 21, was a second round pick (No. 37 overall) in 2014 and this is his first NHL call-up. Cam Ward has started 19 games in a row, so either Nedeljkovic is up to serve as his backup or so the Hurricanes can get a look at him at the NHL level. The American born netminder has gone 5-12-0 with a 3.30 GAA and .884 SV% with Charlotte and 2-0-0 with 2.83 GAA and.921 SV% in a brief stint with the Florida Everblades (ECHL).

Source:
Michael Smith 2017-01-17T11:36:35.000Z
Alex Nedeljkovic
Ondrej Pavelec(G)|FA
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Jets have recalled Ondrej Pavelec from Manitoba (AHL).

The Jets’ duo of Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson have combined for the league’s fifth worst goals against average (3.06). The Jets have recalled Pavelec in an attempt to stop the bleeding and provide the crease with some stability. the 29-year-old has gone 8-7-2 with a 2.78 GAA and .917 SV% in 18 games with Manitoba this season. In 33 games with the Jets last year, Pavelec went 13-13-4 with a 2.78 GAA and .904 SV%.

Source:
Scott Billeck 2017-01-17T11:15:03.000Z
Ondrej Pavelec
Marek Hrivik(LW)|
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
Marek Hrivik cleared waivers and has been sent to Hartford (AHL).

Hrivik, 25, had two assists in 16 games with the Rangers, but with Mika Zibanejad set to return on Tuesday, Hrivik was placed on waivers on Sunday. To the surprise of many, Hrivik went unclaimed, so he returns to Hartford, where he has eight goals and nine assists (17 points) in 20 games.

Source:
@NYRangers 2017-01-16T17:29:26.000Z
Marek Hrivik
Magnus Hellberg(G)|FA
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Rangers have recalled Magnus Hellberg from Hartford (AHL).

With Antti Raanta out for at least one week, Hellberg comes up and is expected to serve as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup. Hellberg has gone 10-9-1 with a 2.91 GAA and .905 SV% in 25 games with Hartford (AHL) this season.

Source:
Sean Hartnett 2017-01-16T17:26:01.000Z
Magnus Hellberg
Matt O'Connor(G)|
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Senators sent Matt O’Connor to Binghamton (AHL) on Sunday.

O’Connor served as Mike Condon’s backup since December 20th when he was recalled, but they’ve sent him back to Binghamton so he can get some games in. O’Connor is 8-10-0 with a 2.86 GAA and .898 SV% with Binghamton this season.

Source:
@Senators 2017-01-16T17:24:28.000Z
Matt O'Connor
Chris Driedger(G)|FA
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Senators recalled Chris Driedger from Binghamton (AHL) on Sunday.

Driedger has gone 8-6-1 with a 2.74 GAA and .909 SV% in 16 games with Binghamton this season. The 22-year-old has also appeared in one NHL game and two ECHL games this season. He comes up so Matt O’Connor can get some playing time with Binghamton.

Source:
@Senators 2017-01-16T17:22:34.000Z
Chris Driedger
Chad Ruhwedel(D)|FA
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Penguins recalled Chad Ruhwedel from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

Ruhwedel, 26, has registered one goal and one assist in five games with the Penguins this season. With Kris Letang out for weeks, Ruhwedel will draw into the lineup on Monday. He has 16 points (4G / 12A) in 28 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Source:
Jason Mackey 2017-01-16T11:35:22.000Z
Chad Ruhwedel
Jake Guentzel(C)|TBL
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Penguins recalled Jake Guentzel from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

Guentzel, 22, has three goals with one assist in five games with the Penguins earlier this season. The American-born winger leads the AHL with 21 goals and his 42 points (21G / 21A) is good for second. Guentzel has been great with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and will skate with Evgeni Malkin in Monday’s game.

Source:
Jason Mackey 2017-01-16T11:33:40.000Z
Jake Guentzel
Cal O'Reilly(C)|FA
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Sabres have recalled Cal O’Reilly from Rochester (AHL).

This is O’Reilly’s second recall of the season and played four games with them back in November. O’Reilly is currently tied for second in the AHL with 26 assists and tied for ninth in points with 34 (8G / 26A).

Source:
Buffalo Sabres 2017-01-16T10:40:00.000Z
Cal O'Reilly
Chris Terry(RW)|FA
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Canadiens sent Chris Terry to St. John's (AHL) on Sunday.

Terry was a healthy scratch for five of the last six games and was returned to the AHL and replaced by Jacob De La Rose on Sunday. Terry had four points (2G / 2A) in 14 games with Montreal and goes back to St. John’s where he has 26 points (10G / 16A) in 20 games.

Source:
Stu Cowan 2017-01-16T09:44:01.000Z
Chris Terry
Jacob De La Rose(LW)|FA
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Canadiens recalled Jacob De La Rose on Sunday.

De La Rose has three goals and 12 assists (15 points) in 34 games with St. John’s (AHL) this season. The 21-year-old two-way centre has seven points (4G/ 3A) in 55 career NHL games. There’s no word on whether or not he will make his season debut on Monday.

Source:
Stu Cowan 2017-01-16T09:41:32.000Z
Jacob De La Rose

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.