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Injury Updates: Penguins, Bruins, Stars, Blues, Kings

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Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby returned to practice for the first time on Monday since sustaining a concussion just prior to the start of the regular season, notes Sam Kasan of the team’s official website.  He also wasn’t wearing a non-contact jersey which is a sign that he should be nearing a return to the lineup in the near future.  Crosby skated on the top line in practice along with wingers Patric Hornqvist and Scott Wilson.  There remains no firm timetable for his return, but head coach Mike Sullivan wouldn’t rule out a possible return this week.

Still with the Penguins, Kris Letang (upper body) and Conor Sheary (eye) did not practice today, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports (via Twitter).  Both players are currently listed as day-to-day.

Other injury updates from around the league:

  • With Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask still unavailable to practice, the team announced that they’ve recalled prospect Malcolm Subban on an emergency basis. On top of that, Anton Khudobin left practice early with an upper body injury, adds Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe.  Rask remains day-to-day while there’s no word yet on the severity of Khudobin’s injury.
  • After returning to the lineup on Saturday from a groin injury, Dallas right winger Ales Hemsky is once again on the shelf with a groin injury and won’t play tomorrow, notes Mike Heika of the Dallas News. Additionally, center Jason Spezza tweaked something and is listed as questionable.  Jiri Hudler (flu) is skating and is nearing a return to the lineup but is not expected to play on Tuesday night.  The team announced that Hemsky has been placed on IR while center Justin Dowling has been recalled from Texas of the AHL.
  • St. Louis center Jori Lehtera skated on his own today as he continues to recover from an upper body injury, reports Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). In a follow-up tweet, Timmermann adds that right winger Dmitrij Jaskin is day-to-day with a back issue.
  • Kings goaltender Jeff Zatkoff is expected to miss around a week with his groin injury, head coach Darryl Sutter told reporters including Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. Zatkoff was expected to be the backup to Jonathan Quick this season but was thrust into the starting role with Quick expected to miss the next three months.  In the meantime, Los Angeles will continue to go with Peter Budaj as their starter while speculation continues that the team will eventually have to add some help via the trade route.

Flyers Notes: Manning, Read, Team Size, Mason

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Last month, Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning was looking like he might be on the outside looking in for a roster spot.  The six game suspension for Radko Gudas gave him a chance to start the season with the team and as Greg Paone of CSNPhilly writes, Manning has made a huge impression for Philadelphia and has arguably been their best defender so far.

Through the first five games, Manning has a goal and three assists to go along with a team high +5 rating.  He’s also averaging a career high in minutes with 17:29 per game.

Gudas has one game remaining on his suspension which he will serve tonight, making him eligible to return to Philadelphia’s lineup on Tuesday night against Buffalo.  With Manning making his case to stay, Nick Schultz could be the odd man out before too long.  The Flyers won’t have to make a roster move to accommodate Gudas returning to game action as he is already part of their active 23-man roster.

[Related: Flyers Depth Chart]

More out of Philadelphia:

  • Winger Matt Read, who has been up and down in the lineup in recent years, is off to a strong start this season with five goals in as many games. By comparison, he had just 11 last year and eight the season before that.  The 30 year old told CSNPhilly’s Jordan Hall that his early success can be attributed to a willingness to drive towards the net instead of playing on the perimeter as he has in the past.  Philadelphia has been rumored to have shopped Read around in the past and with two years to go on a contract worth $3.625MM, he’ll need to keep up his early season performance for a little while yet before any sort of market would open up for him.
  • While they were once known as the Broad Street Bullies, this current version of the Flyers won’t be receiving that distinction any time soon. GM Ron Hextall was looking to make the team younger and faster over the offseason (a growing trend in the NHL) but as Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes, to do so, the team is currently the smallest in the league.  That isn’t to say that the Flyers don’t intend to play physical; forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare believes that smaller players with speed can often make more of an impact physically than bigger but slower skaters.  They’re putting that theory into practice as the team currently sits tenth in the league with 115 hits through five games.
  • Goaltender Steve Mason will get his third straight start tonight against Montreal despite his struggles on the road dating back to last season. In 2015-16, Mason allowed over a half a goal per game more on the road compared to at home while his save percentage was 17 points lower.

Nikita Tryamkin Will Not Report To The AHL

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Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Tryamkin is exercising a clause in his contract to deny Vancouver’s request to send him to the AHL, reports Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun.  GM Jim Benning commented on the decision:

“We’ve explored that. We’ve talked to him and his agent and he has said no. In a perfect world, we’d like him to get some games (in the minors). But it is what it is. He is working hard in practice and doing extra work.”

Tryamkin was drafted in the third round (66th overall) by the Canucks in 2014 in his third year of eligibility.  He spent parts of the last four years in the KHL before signing a two year, entry-level contract worth $925K per season late last year.  The deal contains a European Assignment Clause which means he can veto any attempts to send him to the AHL.  Benning noted that the clause was a requirement in order for Tryamkin to sign.

After signing last year, the Canucks put the 6’7 blueliner into the lineup right away, playing in 13 games to finish the season.  He had a goal and an assist in those games along with 31 hits and 23 blocked shots while averaging 17:31 per game.  However, he has not yet played this season as he sits eighth on the depth chart on Vancouver’s back end.

The team has expressed concern with Tryamkin’s fitness level, something that isn’t going to improve without getting into some game action; there’s only so much work that can be done off the ice.  They were hopeful that the 22 year old would be open to a temporary conditioning stint in Utica but it would appear that he’ll remain in the press box in Vancouver until injuries arise, hardly an ideal situation for the Canucks or for Tryamkin.

Christian Ehrhoff Signs In Germany

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Unrestricted free agent defenseman Christian Ehrhoff has signed a one year contract with Kolner Haie of the DEL, the German team announced (link in German).  Ehrhoff was most recently with the Boston Bruins in training camp but declined a contract offer from the team according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie (links to Twitter) when he learned he would be starting the season as a scratch.

Ehrhoff split last season between Los Angeles and Chicago and spent much of the year in a reserve role, something he didn’t want to repeat again this season which was a key reason why Boston’s offer was declined.  Between the Kings and Blackhawks last year, he played in 48 games, collecting 12 points (2-10-12) while playing 15:29 per game, his lowest average since his rookie season back in 2003-04.  He also suited up for Team Europe at the World Cup of Hockey last month, picking up three assists in six games during their surprising run to the finals.

If this is the end of the road for Ehrhoff in terms of playing in the NHL, he’ll leave with 789 games played between the Sharks, Canucks, Sabres, Penguins, Kings, and Blackhawks.  He has 74 goals and 265 assists in his career.

Although he won’t be suiting up in the NHL this season, Ehrhoff will still be getting paid this year from Buffalo.  The Sabres bought out his 12 year deal back in 2014 and as a result, they will be paying the 34 year old just over $857K per year from now through 2027-28.  The team won’t be charged with a cap hit during that time as he was one of their cap-exempt ‘amnesty’ buyouts following the most recent lockout.

Milan Michalek, Jamie McBain, Steve Bernier All Clear Waivers

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October 25: Michalek, McBain, and Bernier all cleared waivers, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports (Twitter link).

October 24: The Toronto Maple Leafs have waived winger Milan Michalek while the Arizona Coyotes have placed defenseman Jamie McBain on waivers, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports (Twitter links).  They join Steve Bernier on the waiver wire, whose signing and waiving were reported earlier today.

Michalek was acquired by Toronto last season as a salary throw-in as part of the Dion Phaneuf trade with Ottawa.  He played in just 13 games with the Leafs last season, picking up a goal and five assists.  He’s off to a quieter start this year, with a goal and an assist in five games while averaging just 14:16 per night, his lowest ice time since his rookie season back in 2003-04 (where he played in just two contests).

For his career, the 31 year old has played in 747 games with the Sharks, Senators, and Maple Leafs.  He has 208 goals and 238 assists under his belt as well as four years with 55 or more points, the most recent coming in 2011-12.  However, with a salary and cap hit of $4MM, it’s unlikely that any team will claim him, even if they think he could help their team.  More likely will be that teams will wait to see if Toronto is willing to retain any salary in a trade for him down the road.

As for McBain, he’s in his first year with the Coyotes after signing a one year, two-way deal early in free agency, one that pays him $650K in the NHL and $300K at the AHL level.  He has suited up in three games with Arizona so far this season, being held off the scoresheet while averaging 16:40 per game.

After spending the first four years of his career in Carolina, McBain has bounced around in recent years with stints in Buffalo and Los Angeles on top of his time with the Coyotes.  He has played in 348 career NHL contests, picking up 30 goals and 80 assists.

The move bodes well for Coyotes rookie blueliner Jakob Chychrun who is now one of seven remaining defensemen with the team.  He has played in four games so far and hasn’t looked out of place, picking up three points while logging over 16 minutes per night.

Additionally, Ottawa’s Phil Varone cleared waivers and will be assigned to Binghamton of the AHL.

Maple Leafs Claim Ben Smith Off Waivers

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have claimed Ben Smith off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche, reports TSN’s Bob McKenzie.

Smith will be joining Toronto for a second stint with the team.  Late last season, he was acquired from San Jose by the Leafs as a salary throw-in as part of the James Reimer trade and evidently the team liked what it saw from Smith even though they didn’t re-sign him in the offseason.  He had two goals and four assists with the Leafs in 16 games but was held off the scoresheet in six contests with San Jose.

This season, Smith has played in four games with the Avalanche, collecting zero points and a -2 rating while averaging 10:46 per night.  For his career, he has played in 201 NHL contests between Chicago, San Jose, Toronto, and Colorado, picking up 27 goals and 23 assists.

Smith will likely reprise his fourth line penalty killing with the Maple Leafs, who also waived Milan Michalek on Monday.  He’ll earn $675K in the NHL this year and $150K in the minors after signing a two-way deal back in the offseason.  As James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail points out, the Leafs will actually save $275K on the cap by adding Smith in place of Michalek although just over $3MM of Michalek’s salary will still count on their cap if he clears and is sent to the minors.

[Related: Maple Leafs Depth Chart]

Islanders Sign, Waive Steve Bernier

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Although they cut him in training camp, the New York Islanders have brought back Steve Bernier; the team announced that they have inked him to a one year, two-way contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Bernier played a sparing role with the Islanders last season, playing in just 24 games, notching a goal and five assists after making the team off a training camp tryout last year. He also suited up in six playoff contests, being held pointless. However, he’s only one year removed from a 16 goal, 32 point campaign with the Devils.  In the preseason, Bernier saw action in four games with the Islanders, picking up two assists while averaging 10:07 per game.

The 31 year old has bounced around in his career, spending time in six different organizations since being a first rounder of San Jose back in 2003. He has 633 NHL games under his belt, scoring 105 goals while adding 125 assists.

[Related: Islanders Depth Chart]

Last season, Bernier earned $750K on a one-way contract per Cap Friendly.  It’s likely that this new contract will carry a similar cap hit at the NHL level.

In the meantime, it appears that Bernier will be starting his season in the AHL.  Newsday’s Arthur Staple reports that the team has placed Bernier on waivers and will assign him to their affiliate in Bridgeport if he clears on Tuesday.

Devils Assign Blake Speers Back To Junior; Recall Steven Santini

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While we’re still a week or two away from a lot of teams having to make decisions on their junior-aged players, the New Jersey Devils didn’t want for the nine game mark when it comes to right winger Blake Speers as the team announced that they have sent him back to Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL.

Teams can play junior-aged players up to nine NHL games before the first year of their entry-level contract officially kicks in.  This allows teams to give some of their top young prospects an extended tryout beyond training camp to determine if they are ready for a full-time roster spot or not.  There are 20 remaining junior-aged players league-wide that teams will have to make a decision on in the coming weeks.

Speers has suited up in three games with the Devils this year, being held off the scoresheet with three shots on goal while averaging 9:29 of ice time per game.  Last season with the OHL Greyhounds, the 2015 third round pick (67th overall) had 26 goals and 48 assists in 68 games.

The team also announced that defenseman Steven Santini has been recalled and will take Speers’ spot on the roster.  The team recently sent him down to give him a game in the AHL over the weekend.

[Related: Devils Depth Chart]

Detroit Notes: Helm, Sproul, Howard, Abdelkader

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Detroit’s decision to re-sign Darren Helm to a five year deal worth nearly $4MM per season moments before the beginning of free agency came as a surprise to many but in the early stages of this season, Helm is living up to the contract.  Through six games, he has four goals and one assist, leading the team in the goal department.  As is often the case, Helm offered up the standard lines when asked about his early success but one comment in particular stands out from the 29 year old:

“I’m just having fun right now.”

As Gregg Krupa of the Detroit News notes, that wasn’t exactly the case for everyone last season which was part of the reason why it was surprising that Helm, who was disenchanted with being viewed strictly as a checking center, opted to come back.  However, head coach Jeff Blashill currently has him with a pair of strong offensive wingers in Gustav Nyquist and Thomas Vanek which is allowing Helm to show that he can bring more to the table than just his speed.

[Related: Red Wings Depth Chart]

More from Detroit, who have won four straight games to match their longest winning streak from last season:

  • Defense has been the key to their recent success, writes MLive’s Ansar Khan. Blashill in particular has been impressed with rookie Ryan Sproul, who made his season debut recently and has two points in two games.  The team is currently carrying seven defensemen which will turn to eight when Niklas Kronwall returns.  Sproul is waiver eligible which means he’s playing for his job right now, or least an opportunity with another organization if the team decides to try to send him down over carrying two extra blueliners.
  • After a tough season last year, goaltender Jimmy Howard is off to a much better start this season, with a .980 SV% while allowing just one goal in two starts so far. He tells Khan that a big reason for the strong start is better understanding the backup role.  After being the starter for several years, he lost that spot to Petr Mrazek last season, a role he maintains to start 2016-17.  With a cap hit just under $5.3MM, the Wings are undoubtedly hoping he can keep up his hot start to build back some trade value or perhaps entice Las Vegas in next June’s expansion draft.
  • Left winger Justin Abdelkader didn’t play over the weekend due to a lower body injury. GM Ken Holland told reporters, including Dana Wakiji of their team site, that he’s listed as day-to-day.  Abdelkader has a goal in five games this season.

Snapshots: Bruins, Demers, Stars

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Boston Bruins reassigned goaltender Zane McIntyre to the AHL Providence Bruins tonight just one day after recalling him. McIntyre was called up on an emergency basis yesterday morning after Bruins starter Tuukka Rask hurt himself in practice. The Bruins drafted McIntyre in the 6th round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft but have yet to start the prospect in a NHL game. Last season McIntyre posted a 2.67 GAA and a .898 Sv% in 31 starts for Providence. This season, however, he is rocking an incredible 0.44GAA and a .977 SV% in three games. McIntyre’s current hot start is probably why the Bruins recalled him rather than highly-touted prospect Malcolm Subban.
  • Former NHL Coach Jacques Demers has been released from hospital following a serious infection. Demers was rushed to hospital yesterday after suffering what was believed to be a stroke before receiving a more accurate diagnosis. Demers previously suffered a stroke in April 2016 and endured over three months of physical therapy as he recovered. Demers last coached in Tampa Bay, but is fondly remembered for bringing the Montreal Canadiens to their last Stanley Cup in 1993.
  • The Dallas Stars reassigned forward Jason Dickinson today to the Texas Stars, Dallas’s AHL affiliate. Dickinson surprised the organization last year with a tremendous performance in the AHL, scoring 22G and 31A in 73 games. The young prospect played one NHL game last season and managed to score his first NHL goal in the process. Dickinson—Dallas’s 2013 first round draft pick—is expected to spend the majority of the season in the minors, but Dallas’s mounting injury problem may change those plans quickly.

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