Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA

NHL Transactions & Roster Moves

Maxime Lajoie(D)|FA
Send Down
Send Down
The Senators have assigned Maxime Lajoie to Belleville (AHL).

Lajoie had a hot start to the season but has just 15 points (7G / 8A) in 56 games this season. Lajoie has a bright future ahead of him but needs some more seasoning in the AHL. Lajoie had 15 points (1G / 14A) in 56 AHL games last season.

Source:
Bruce Garrioch 2019-02-23T18:47:23.716Z
Maxime Lajoie
Filip Zadina(LW)|FA
Call Up
Call Up
The Red Wings have recalled Filip Zadina from Grand Rapids (AHL).

Zadina was the Red Wings first-overall pick this summer (No.6 overall) and has earned his first career call-up after picking up 15 goals and 16 assists (31 points) in 45 games. Zadina has tremendous upside and is worth an add in keeper leagues. He could play a key role for the Red Wings down the stretch, especially if they move on from winger Gustav Nyquist.

Source:
@DetroitRedWings 2019-02-23T15:35:31.942Z
Filip Zadina
Henri Jokiharju(D)|BOS
Call Up
Call Up
The Blackhawks have recalled Henri Jokiharju from Rockford (AHL).

With Brent Seabrook (abdomen) out and Carl Dahlstrom (illness) questionable, Jokiharju has been called up and will likely be in the lineup on Friday. Jokiharju has picked up a point-per-game (1G / 8A) in nine games with Rockford since being sent down. He is one of the Blackhawks best defensemen and could remain with the team moving forward as they continue their hunt for the playoffs.

Source:
@NHLBlackhawks 2019-02-22T18:41:27.935Z
Henri Jokiharju
Harri Sateri(G)|FA
Call Up
Call Up
The Red Wings have recalled Harri Sateri from Grand Rapids (AHL).

Sateri will serve as Jonathan Bernier’s backup on Friday because Jimmy Howard is dealing with an illness. Sateri has gone 18-9-0 with a 2.79 GAA and .902 SV% in 30 games with the Griffins this season.

Source:
Max Bultman 2019-02-22T18:34:00.616Z
Harri Sateri
Logan Brown(C)|LAK
Call Up
Call Up
The Senators have recalled Logan Brown from Belleville (AHL).

With Matt Duchene, Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel on their way out, Brown gets called up for the first time this season. The former No.11 overall pick (2016) has had a strong year in his first AHL campaign, ranking third on Belleville in points with 34 (12G / 22A) in 39 games. The 20-year-old is expected to make his season debut on Friday and has one assist in four career NHL games.

Source:
@Media_Sens 2019-02-22T15:18:22.367Z
Logan Brown
Drake Batherson(RW)|OTT
Call Up
Call Up
The Senators have recalled Drake Batherson from Belleville (AHL).

With Matt Duchene, Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel on their way out, Batherson returns to the Senators where he could play a significant role down the stretch. Batherson leads Belleville in points this season with 49 (18G / 31A) in 41 games. During his 17-game stint with Ottawa earlier this season, Batherson scored three goals with five assists (eight points).

Source:
@Media_Sens 2019-02-22T15:15:51.771Z
Drake Batherson
Landon Bow(G)|FA
Send Down
Send Down
The Stars have assigned Landon Bow to Texas (AHL).

Bow has allowed just one goal on 19 shots in 58 minutes in the NHL this season and returns with the AHL with Ben Bishop ready to serve as the Stars backup on Thursday. Bow has gone 18-10-2 with a 2.70 GAA and .902 SV% in 34 games with Texas this season.

Source:
Mark Stepneski 2019-02-21T22:19:24.341Z
Landon Bow
Lias Andersson(C)|FA
Call Up
Call Up
The Rangers have recalled Lias Andersson from Hartford (AHL).

The Rangers announced that they expect both Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccerallo to play on Thursday but Andersson has been called-up on insurance. The 20-year-old forward has six goals and 14 assists (20 points) in 36 games with Hartford this season.

Source:
Jon Lane 2019-02-21T19:07:52.211Z
Lias Andersson
Filip Chlapik(C)|FA
Call Up
Call Up
The Senators have recalled Filip Chlapik from Belleville (AHL).

The Senators are expected to rest Matt Duchene on Thursday, so Chlapik gets his first call-up of the season. The 21-year-old, former second-round pick has 15 goals and 15 assists (30 points) in 41 games with Belleville this season.

Source:
@Senators 2019-02-21T18:37:39.808Z
Filip Chlapik
Dylan Gambrell(C)|FA
Send Down
Send Down
The Sharks sent Dylan Gambrell to San Jose (AHL).

The Sharks have assigned Gambrell to AHL to clear a roster spot for Michael Haley, who was claimed off of waivers from the Panthers. The 22-year-old returns to the AHL, where h has 11 goals and 19 assists (30 points) in 32 games this season.

Source:
Kevin Kurz 2019-02-21T18:05:41.204Z
Dylan Gambrell
Patrick Eaves(RW)|FA
Send Down
Send Down
Eaves cleared waivers and was assigned to San Diego (AHL).

Eaves has had a brutal time with injuries in the last couple of seasons and has been limited to just seven games this season. Eaves has appeared in just nine games over the last two seasons so maybe an extended run in the AHL will help him get back up to speed.

Source:
Elliott Teaford 2019-02-21T15:11:04.792Z
Patrick Eaves
Josh Currie(C)|FA
Call Up
Call Up
The Oilers have recalled Josh Currie from Bakersfield (AHL).

Currie has registered 24 goals and 13 assists (37 points) in 49 games with Bakersfield this season. The 26-year-old undrafted free-agent could make his NHL debut on Tuesday after earning a call-up following 154 career ECHL games and 237 AHL games since 2014.

Source:
@EdmontonOilers 2019-02-19T17:31:15.443Z
Josh Currie
Michael Dal Colle(LW)|FA
Send Down
Send Down
The Islanders have assigned Michael Dal Colle to Bridgeport (AHL).

Dal Colle has just four points (2G / 2A) in 20 games with the Islanders during his rookie campaign. With Andrew Ladd set to return from injury, the 22-year-old heads back to Bridgeport, where he has 28 points (16G / 12A) in 29 games this year.

Source:
Andrew Gross 2019-02-19T15:59:21.548Z
Michael Dal Colle

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.