Roster update: Nylander among Maple Leafs cuts

William Nylander, the Toronto Maple Leafs' first pick (No. 8) at the 2014 NHL Draft, was one of four players cut from the Maple Leafs roster Monday.

Nylander, No. 15 on NHL.com's ranking of the Top 60 prospects in the League, can be returned to Modo in the Swedish Hockey League, or could play for the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League. The Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League own his Canadian Hockey League rights, but prior to the draft Nylander said he would return to Sweden rather than play junior hockey.

The Maple Leafs also placed forwards Frazer McLaren and Colton Orr, and defenseman Korbinian Holzer, on waivers with the purpose of assigning them to the American Hockey League.

The transactions leave the Maple Leafs roster at 25 players.

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The San Jose Sharks assigned forward Nikolay Goldobin to HIFK of the Finnish Elite League

"Nikolay had a great training camp and showed us that he is a highly-skilled player," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said. "He is going to be an important player for this organization moving forward but at this time, in conjunction with direction from his agent Igor Larionov, we feel his development is best suited playing in a league against men, similar to the path Tomas Hertl took."

Goldobin was the Sharks' first-round selection (No. 27) at the 2014 NHL Draft.

San Jose's roster now stands at 28 players.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets assigned forward Kerby Rychel to Springfield of the American Hockey League on Monday.

Rychel, who turns 20 on Tuesday, was the 19th pick of the 2013 NHL Draft.

The Blue Jackets also sent defenseman Frederic St. Denis to Springfield. Forward Jerry D'Amigo was placed on waivers and forward Brian Gibbons was placed on injured reserve.

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New York Islanders defenseman Aaron Ness was assigned to Bridgeport of the AHL on Monday.

The move comes two days after the Islanders acquired veteran defensemen Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy in two trades.

Ness, 24, had one goal, three assists and a minus-13 rating in 14:47 per game in 20 NHL games last season. He had 20 points and a minus-15 rating in 48 AHL games.

The Islanders also loaned defenseman Kevin Czuczman to Bridgeport and placed forward Michael Grabner (lower body) and defenseman Calvin de Haan (upper body) on injured reserve.

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Montreal Canadiens defenseman Francis Bouillon was released from his tryout contract Monday.

Bouillon, 38, had two goals and four assists while averaging 17:41 of ice time in 52 games last season with the Canadiens.

In 14 seasons with the Canadiens and Nashville Predators, Bouillon had 32 goals and 149 points in 776 games.

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The New York Rangers sent forwards Matthew Lombardi, Marek Hrivik, Ryan Haggerty and Oscar Lindberg, defensemen Dylan McIlrath, Steven Kampfer and Michael Kostka, and goaltender Cedrick Desjardins, to Hartford of the American Hockey League on Monday.

Later Monday Kampfer was traded, along with center Andrew Yogan, to the Florida Panthers for forward Joey Crabb

McIlrath, 22, was the 10th pick of the 2010 NHL Draft.

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Carolina Hurricanes forward Zach Boychuk was placed on waivers and forward Chad LaRose was released from his professional tryout contract.

LaRose, who has an AHL contract with Carolina's affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, will report to their training camp. If Boychuk clears waivers, he will be assigned to Charlotte as well.

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The Ottawa Senators assigned five players to their AHL affiliate in Binghamton to get to the 23-man roster that will open the regular season Oct. 9 against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

Forwards Matt Puempel, the No. 24 pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Buddy Robinson, defenseman Fredik Claesson, and goalie Scott Greenham, will report to Binghamton. Forward Dave Dziurzynski, and defensemen Alex Grant and Aaron Johnson, will be assigned to Binghamton if they each clear waivers.

Among the players on Ottawa's roster is forward Curtis Lazar, the No. 17 pick in the 2013 draft and No. 16 on NHL.com's ranking of the Top 60 prospects in the League.

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The Minnesota Wild on Monday released veteran goalie Ilya Bryzgalov from his professional tryout contract.

Bryzgalov was invited to camp in mid-September when restricted free agent Darcy Kuemper was unsigned and Josh Harding sustained a broken foot. Kuemper, who eventually signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract, and Niklas Backstrom will begin the season as Minnesota's goaltenders.

Acquired by the Wild at the NHL Trade Deadline, Bryzgalov went 7-1-3 with a 2.12 goals-against average in 12 regular-season appearances and 3-6 with a 2.63 GAA and .885 save percentage in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher is expected to speak with Bryzgalov's agent, Ritch Winter, about a two-way contract or an AHL contract, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Minnesota also agreed to terms with forward Ryan Carter on a one-year, two-way contract and assigned forwards Joel Rechlicz and Kurtis Gabriel to Iowa of the AHL. Carter has played 360 NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils. He has 68 points (31 goals, 37 assists) and 341 penalty minutes.

Forward Justin Fontaine (lower body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Sept. 27..

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The Chicago Blackhawks assigned defensemen TJ Brennan and Ville Pokka to the Rockford of the AHL.

The Blackhawks acquired Brennan and Pokka, and the rights to goaltender Anders Nilsson, on Saturday in the trade that sent defenseman Nick Leddy to the New York Islanders.

Chicago has 24 players remaining on its training camp roster.

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The Edmonton Oilers announced that defenseman Keith Aulie, and forwards Anton Lander, Steven Pinizzotto and Tyler Pitlick, have cleared waivers and have been assigned to Oklahoma City of the AHL.

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The Colorado Avalanche reassigned forwards Andrew Agozzino and Borna Rendulic to Lake Erie of the AHL, and placed centers Ben Street and Tomas Vincour on non-roster injured reserve.

The Avalanche have 25 players remaining on their training camp roster.

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The Vancouver Canucks assigned left wing Nicklas Jensen to Utica of the AHL.

The No. 29 pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, Jensen had four points in six preseason games, and six points in 17 regular-season games last season with the Canucks.

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The Anaheim Ducks assigned goalie Jason LaBarbera to Norfolk of the AHL on Monday.

Signed to a one-year, $750,000 contract on July 1, LaBarbera is 60-73-19 with a 2.86 goals-against average and .907 save percentage in 182 NHL games with the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers.

The Ducks have 26 players remaining on their training camp roster.

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The San Jose Sharks assigned defenseman Taylor Fedun to Worcester of the AHL. Fedun was signed as a free agent on July 2.

The Sharks have 29 players remaining on their training camp roster.

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The Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday sent forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Cedricc Paquette, and defenseman Luke Witkowski to Syracuse of the American Hockey League.

The moves leave the Lightning roster at 24 players.