Lightning Place Steven Stamkos On LTIR, Demote Erik Condra
The Tampa Bay Lightning have placed Steven Stamkos on long-term injury reserve, reports CapFriendly (Twitter link). To maximize their potential space, the team recalled prospect defenseman Ben Thomas from Syracuse over the weekend for one day and then sent him back down. By bringing Thomas up before placing Stamkos on LTIR, the Lightning were within $40K of the cap at the time of his placement which increased the amount of LTIR room to work with. As a result, Tampa Bay has a little over $8.45MM in cap space to work with while Stamkos is out of the lineup.
If Stamkos progresses well in his rehab from surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee and is projected to return late in the year, it’s unlikely that GM Steve Yzerman would make a bigger move to replace Stamkos as they wouldn’t be able to activate him until they’re back in cap compliance which would be difficult if they added a high salaried player to take his spot.
However, if they feel it’s likely that he’ll be out for the remainder of the season – a realistic possibility considering the four-to-six month projected recovery time – then they could add a bigger salary or two between now and the trade deadline. There is no salary cap in the playoffs so even if the Lightning’s postseason roster was over the cap ceiling, it wouldn’t constitute a cap violation. Chicago executed that to perfection a couple of years ago with Patrick Kane’s LTIR placement allowing them to add Antoine Vermette late in the season.
It will still be a while before Tampa Bay can realistically expect a revised timeline for a return date for their captain so in the meantime, it’s likely that they will look to fill his spot from within. One player who it looked like was going to get a chance was right winger Erik Condra but that doesn’t appear to be the case now as the team announced that they have sent him back to Syracuse of the AHL before he appeared in a single game for the Lightning.
[Related: Lightning Depth Chart]
Metropolitan Notes: Hagelin, Sanford, Lindberg
With the Penguins losing a couple of veterans in Patric Hornqvist and Chris Kunitz to injuries, some have wondered if left winger Carl Hagelin would see a bigger role over the next few weeks, including time on the man advantage. As head coach Mike Sullivan told Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune, that’s not likely to be the case:
“We’re trying to cast guys in certain roles on the team for a number of reasons, so we can spread the minutes appropriately, so we don’t overtax guys in certain situations where they don’t have the ability to sustain success.”
In Hagelin’s case, he’s a key member of their penalty kill and evidently Sullivan is worried that asking him to play meaningful minutes on both special teams units may take away from his ability to play shorthanded.
One forward who could make a push for some time with the man advantage is Jake Guentzel, who had quite the NHL debut on Monday night, scoring twice in the first period. He played with Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel, a pretty good pair to play with at any time.
[Related: Penguins Depth Chart]
More from the Metropolitan Division:
- With Lars Eller (upper body injury) out of the lineup, Capitals rookie winger Zach Sanford is being shifted back to the middle, notes Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. While that is his natural position, the Caps had been playing him exclusively on the left wing this season in an effort to ease him into the pro game. He has just one assist in 16 games so far this year but head coach Barry Trotz isn’t worried about his lack of production, particularly since he has spent a lot of time this season on the fourth line.
- After a quality rookie season, Rangers center Oscar Lindberg’s sophomore campaign hasn’t exactly gone as planned. He has played in just eight games this year and has spent time as a healthy scratch. As Newsday’s Steve Zipay writes, New York is being cautious and patient with Lindberg as offseason hip surgery cost him his offseason training as well as training camp. Although he isn’t playing much (which could change with Mika Zibanejad’s injury), the AHL isn’t an option as Lindberg is waiver eligible.
Pacific Notes: Rakell, Hertl, Burrows
After spending a big portion of last season as Anaheim’s second line center, Rickard Rakell has turned into somewhat of a utility player for the Ducks so far this season, notes Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register. At times early on this season, Rakell has been deployed on a two-way third line alongside Antoine Vermette while at others, he has been moved up with Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf on the top trio. Head coach Randy Carlyle hasn’t hesitated to move Rakell in and out of each situation midway through games either, depending on the situation.
It’s safe to say that shifting back and forth hasn’t negatively affected the 23 year old who signed a six year, $22.8MM deal last month. Through ten games so far this season, he has six goals and four assists while averaging over 17 minutes of playing time per night. It’s safe to suggest that the Ducks won’t be back in his old second line center role anytime soon.
[Related: Ducks Depth Chart]
More from the Pacific Division:
- San Jose center Tomas Hertl will be out indefinitely with a right knee sprain, reports CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz. Hertl is set to undergo a minor procedure later today and no timetable has been set for his return. This is already the third time in his career that he has had to deal with a right knee problem, including back in the Stanley Cup Final, an issue that also kept him out of the World Cup of Hockey. As we noted yesterday, center Danny O’Regan was recalled to take Hertl’s spot on the roster.
- Although Vancouver left winger Alex Burrows is a prime candidate to be a rental player for another team between now and the trade deadline, he hasn’t given much thought to the possibility of being moved yet, writes Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province. He has a cap hit of $4.5MM which would suggest that any possible move will be later rather than sooner. However, with a full no-trade clause, Burrows can control his own destiny when it comes to the trade market. Kuzma suggests that the Canadiens and Rangers would be two teams that would have an interest in the 35 year old, who has five points in 15 games so far this season.
Blackhawks Notes: The Athletic’s Scott Powers Talks to PHR
The Athletic’s Scott Powers was kind enough to sit down with Pro Hockey Rumors and answer some questions about the Chicago Blackhawks as the season approaches the 25% mark. Answered were a varying array of questions, from the Blackhawks jump to the top of the West to the likelihood of Artemi Panarin re-signing with the Hawks. Make sure to follow Scott on Twitter (@ByScottPowers) and also read his work at the Athletic.
PHR: Everyone expected a good season from the Hawks, but the main questions rotated around the kids being infused into the lineup. How do you think those kids have done?
Powers: The kids have had varied results, but the Blackhawks have to be pleased about their early play. The start of the season could have been a disaster if those younger players didn’t carry some weight. It says something that the Blackhawks have yet to recall anyone from the AHL. As expected, too, those younger players are beginning to improve. Ryan Hartman has played well. Tyler Motte showed some early signs before his injury. Vinnie Hinostroza broke out with a three-point game last week. Nick Schmaltz is getting a chance on the top line. Gustav Forsling is still working some things out, but he’s also a 20-year-old defenseman.
PHR: At the 25% mark of the season, Chicago looks like the team to beat. Teams who were supposed to challenge have either underachieved (Nashville), or been ravaged by injury (Dallas, and Los Angeles). Who do the Hawks need to watch, and how can the Hawks upgrade before or at the trade deadline—-if they choose to?
Powers: I feel like it’s still too early to really gauge the contenders and pretenders. Even with the Blackhawks, they have certainly played well, but plenty of people are still skeptical about them. They have some inflated stats that may even out over time. I think you can say who likely isn’t going to contend after 20 games when you look at the bottom of the divisions.
Overall, though, I’d wait until 40-plus games to start talking about who is going to challenge whom. As for upgrading, I really don’t expect the Blackhawks to be active at the trade market. Their salary cap situation is as tight as it’s ever been. They don’t have the financial space to make a trade unless they move someone with a significant cap hit. The Blackhawks’ hope has to be their younger players continue to develop and make the team better throughout the season.
PHR: If Corey Crawford keeps up this pace, it’s highway robbery if he doesn’t win the Vezina, right? And outside of Crawford, who has been indispensable for this team?
Powers: You never know with the Vezina. The NHL general managers vote on it, and they almost always go with the goalie who has the most victories. It’s obviously not the best way to measure a goalie’s play, but I don’t see it changing. But, yes, Crawford’s been outstanding. The last two years he’s really been an elite goaltender. He’s shown that during some of the Blackhawks’ playoff runs, but his overall numbers had suggested he was a slightly above average goalie. He’s elevated his standing now. Aside from Crawford, it’s been the usually suspects. Patrick Kane, Panarin, Artem Anisimov and Marian Hossa are playing well among the forwards. With the defensemen, it’s depended on who has been paired together, but Michal Kempny and Brent Seabrook‘s play has been pretty consistent.
PHR: Artemi Panarin is having another great season. Could a bridge deal get done to keep him in the fold, does he take a hometown discount, or do you see him holding true to the reports of $6MM per season?
Powers: I wrote about the Panarin contract at length today. He’s not looking for a bridge deal. He’s also probably worth more than $6MM. There are a lot of different factors and I explained in today’s story, but it’ll be interesting to see how it play out. He may take a bit of a discount to stay in Chicago, but it won’t be significant. I don’t think he owes that to the Blackhawks either. He’s not real young at 25 and wants to get paid.
Photo Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Snapshots: Buchnevich, Palmieri, Guentzel
News and notes from around the NHL this evening:
- The New York Rangers announced that forward Pavel Buchnevich will be out for two to three weeks with back spasms. The Russian prospect missed the past three games with back issues and underwent an MRI today to discern the problem. The MRI showed no structural damage, reports the New York Post’s Larry Brooks, but Buchnevich will need at least two weeks to strengthen his core. This injury—coupled with Mika Zibanejad‘s broken fibula last night—continues to deplete the Rangers’ roster. The team claimed Matt Puempel today in an effort to staunch the bleeding.
- The New Jersey Devils may be without forward Kyle Palmieri tonight against the San Jose Sharks, reports Andrew Gross of the North Jersey Record. Palmieri suffers from upper-body soreness and only briefly took part in today’s morning skate. The American winger has 3G and 4A in 17 games for the Devils, and the team hopes that Palmieri can eventually find the magic he harnessed last year.
- Jake Guentzel, the Pittsburgh Penguins 2013-third round pick, scored on his first shift in his first NHL game tonight against the New York Rangers. Guentzel was called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after potting 7G and 10A in 16 games. Guentzel then went on to score a second goal in the first period. The last Penguin to do that was Luca Caputi back in 2009. Part-owner Mario Lemieux also scored his first goal on his first NHL shift.
Eddie Lack Concussed
The Carolina Hurricanes announced that goaltender Eddie Lack suffered a concussion today in practice. The team has called up Michael Leighton from the AHL Charlotte Checkers to serve as backup tomorrow night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lack has since been placed on Injured Reserve.
Lack has not been the goaltender the Hurricanes hoped for since acquiring him from the Vancouver Canucks. Last year Lack posted a .901 SV% and a 2.81 GAA. He’s fared even worse this season with a .856 SV% and a 3.80 GAA in 4 starts.
Lack’s performance has relegated the goaltender to backup status, and Cam Ward‘s stats so far imply that Ward is not relinquishing the starting job anytime soon. In 13 starts this season, Ward has a .916 SV% and a 2.36 GAA. Not elite numbers, but definitely good enough to keep him between the pipes full-time.
Debut Notes: Bjugstad, O’Regan, Guentzel, Honka
Alex Petrovic may be sidelined for a while, but at least the injury-prone Panthers are getting back center Nick Bjugstad. The 24-year-old pivot suffered a hand injury during the preseason, but will return to the lineup to make his 2016-17 debut tonight. Bjugstad has had his injury struggles early on in his young career, but has managed to produce when healthy in each of the past three seasons.
The tenth overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, Bjugstad finally became a full-time player in Florida in 2013-14, putting up 38 points in 76 games as a rookie. He topped those numbers in 2015-16 with 24 goals and 43 points in 72 games, and then posted 34 points in just 67 games last year. A hard-working, physical forward, Bjugstad has shown resilience and an ability to bounce back from injury before, and the Panthers expect nothing less. Currently tied for fourth in the Atlantic Division with an offense on the wrong side of the league average, Florida will welcome the added offense that Bjugstad’s return will bring and hope that his presence can help to get the team back atop the division, where they spent most of the 2015-16 season.
In a corresponding move, the Panthers have sent Jared McCann to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds. Florida had originally acquired the 20-year-old center from the Vancouver Canucks as part of the return for Erik Gudbranson in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks last season. McCann has three points in 17 games thus far, but has looked good. His demotion is more to ensure that he gets ice time and continues to develop. With Bjugstad back, the Panthers are set down the middle with Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck and Derek MacKenzie also in the fold.
Players making their NHL debuts tonight:
- The defending Stanley Cup champs are dealing with the injury bug and have called in reinforcements. Jake Guentzel will make his NHL debut tonight, likely lined up alongside Evgeni Malkin – not a bad place to jump start a career. After three outstanding seasons at the University of Nebraska – Omaha, Guentzel decided to leave school early to join Pittsburgh, and has shown he belongs in the pro game with 17 points in 16 games for the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins thus far. Pittsburgh will need the trend of AHLers exceeding expectations to continue with Guentzel, as they are facing down a severe challenge to their forward depth with injuries to Chris Kunitz and several minor leaguers and still awaiting the return of Daniel Sprong.
- The Penguin’s Stanley Cup opponents are dealing with some injuries of their own. The San Jose Sharks, in anticipation of the long-term absence of Tomas Hertl, have recalled Danny O’Regan from the AHL Barracuda and he will make his NHL debut tonight against the New Jersey Devils. The 22-year-old Massachusetts native has been playing point-per-game hockey in his first pro season, with 11 points in 11 games in the minors. Prior to 2016-17, O’Regan was a four-year starter for his hometown Boston University Terriers and played prep school and junior hockey in the Boston area as well.
- John Klingberg‘s loss is Julius Honka‘s gain. With top defenseman Klingberg struggling this season combined with him missing a recent team meeting, Dallas head coach Lindy Ruff announced that Honka will make his NHL debut tonight in place of the scratched Klingberg. The 14th overall pick in 2014, Honka has played two full seasons with the AHL’s Texas Stars, but to this point had not earned a call-up. An elite puck-moving defenseman from Scandinavia, just like Klingberg, the Stars are hoping that Honka can help out a defense that has struggled all season and seen numerous players moved in and out of the lineup on a nightly basis.
Alex Petrovic Out Two Months With Ankle Injury
The tough times continue in South Florida. The Panthers announced today that defenseman Alex Petrovic is expected to miss eight weeks with an ankle injury. Although no more information has been released pertaining to the exact injury, Petrovic has missed the past week with the ailment. The injury first occurred while the young blue liner blocked a shot in Florida’s win against the division-leading Montreal Canadiens last Tuesday. Petrovic joins star forward Jonathan Huberdeau on the shelf for the Panthers, a team that also missed winger Jussi Jokinen for a long period of time earlier this season and is just now getting center Nick Bjugstad back.
Petrovic had not gotten off to a hot start in 2016-17 prior to his injury last week. In 16 games, the 24-year-old defenseman has just one goal and four assists. However, coming off of a strong campaign last year in which he scored 17 points and was +17 as well, Petrovic has cemented himself as a valued member of Florida’s top four. It has shown thus far in the new season, as his time on ice has increased despite the big free agent additions of Keith Yandle and Jason Demers. Petrovic is a well-rounded defenseman who the Panthers have grown to lean on in the most important of situations. His absence over the next two months will definitely be felt by the team.
With Petrovic out of the lineup, Florida’s depth on the back end will have to step up. Since the initial injury on Tuesday, the Panthers have iced a a defensive unit of Yandle, Demers, young star Aaron Ekblad, rookie Michael Matheson, and newcomers Mark Pysyk and Jakub Kindl. Even with Petrovic out, the top four in Florida is still solid, but the team will need Pysyk to step up and Kindl, who has drawn into the lineup specifically to replace Petrovic, to play up to the potential he showed flashes of in Detroit. Having traded veteran Steven Kampfer recently, expect the return, Dylan McIlrath, to get some play time for Florida if his fellow former first-rounder Kindl struggles. The next man up would be Matheson’s Boston College teammate Ian McCoshen. Collectively, Florida has the depth to handle the Petrovic injury, but tied for fourth in the Atlantic Division is not where many expected this team to be and they would certainly prefer to be at 100% right now to try to get back into the playoff picture.
[RELATED: Florida Panthers Depth Chart via RosterResource]
NHL Announces Rule Changes To All-Star Voting
The league announced today a new set of guidelines for fan voting for the 2017 NHL All-Star in Los Angeles on January 29th. The changes are as follows:
- The 2017 NHL All-Star Fan Vote will allow fans to vote for one All-Star player from each Division, without regard to position. The top vote-getter from each Division will be named an NHL All-Star, as well as Captain of his respective team.
- Eligible players must be on an NHL Club’s active roster as of Nov. 1. Any player not on the active roster on that date due to injury or special circumstances can be added to the ballot if / when he returns to the NHL Club’s active roster.
- If a player is assigned/loaned to the American Hockey League (AHL) or any other minor league team between Nov. 1 and 5 p.m. on Jan. 26, the player is not eligible in All-Star balloting. However, if the minor league assignment/loan is due to conditioning reasons, the player remains eligible.
- In the event a vote leader is disqualified due to a minor league assignment or loan (or other reason) after close of the NHL All-Star Fan Vote on Jan. 2, the player with the second-most votes in that division will be named captain.
- Fans will be permitted to vote for a player from a list of all players that meet these eligibility guidelines. The list of eligible players will be updated as players are assigned to a minor league team or return from IR.
This new set of rules for the selection of team captains for the 3-on-3 tournament that was adopted last season and will continue this year is clearly meant to do one thing: prevent another John Scott situation. Scott, a career enforcer, had only played in eleven games for the Arizona Coyotes in 2015-16 and had recorded just one point when he was selected by the fans as the captain of the Pacific Division All-Star team. A huge social media push to get the 6’8″, 260-lb. winger with just 11 career points in 286 games into the All-Star game was wildly successful, but made a mockery of the voting process by putting perhaps the least talented player in the league into a game for the best of the best. After his selection, Arizona sent Scott to the AHL and then later traded him to the Montreal Canadiens (who also demoted him) all before All-Star weekend. Yet, Scott was still allowed to captain the Pacific squad and was even named tournament MVP, despite the league’s best efforts to ignore the fan vote and exclude him.
Despite the fanfare surrounding Scott’s selection last year, the NHL is hoping to avoid a repeat performance. The new rules disqualify AHL-caliber players – like Scott (and Rory Fitzpatrick before him) – from selection, ensuring that at the very least, this year’s All-Star game will have NHL talent. Fourth liners and press box frequenters could still slip in, but the NHL has made it known that they would like the All-Star game to be an exhibition of top talent and hope that the fan voting aligns with that position.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Kunitz, Leivo
The NHL has named its three stars of the week for November 14-20: Jeff Carter, Cam Ward, and Nicklas Backstrom.
3. Backstrom had four goals and four assists in four games. Five of those points in the Capitals’ 7-1 win over the Penguins, which represented a career-high for Backstrom. He now has 17 points in 20 games.
2. Ward went 3-0-0 last week, with a 0.964 GAA and one shutout. He’s on a four-game winning-streak, which is his longest since the 2014-15 season. Thanks to Ward’s efforts, the Hurricanes are climbing out of the Eastern Conference basement and are just three points out of a wildcard spot.
1. Carter scored the winning goal in all three of the Kings’ victories last week, as they went 3-1-0. Carter had four goals and six points in those four games, and scored the winning goal in three consecutive games against Edmonton, New Jersey, and Anaheim. He cracked 600 career points with his second-period goal against the Ducks on Sunday. Carter now leads the NHL with five game-winning goals this season.
In other news around the NHL:
- The Penguins have placed 37-year-old winger Chris Kunitz on Injured Reserve. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Kunitz is considered week-to-week with a “lower-body injury.” To fill Kunitz’s roster spot, the Penguins have recalled Jake Guentzel from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. Guentzel has 17 points in 16 games with the AHL Penguins. Kunitz was initially hurt against Washington on Wednesday, but played in both of the team’s games over the weekend, posting three assists.
- Toronto Maple Leafs winger Josh Leivo is still not ready to return to the lineup, according to coach Mike Babcock (via James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail). Leivo was recalled from a conditioning stint with the Marlies and practiced with the NHL club on Monday morning, but has not been cleared to play yet. Leivo will continue to practice with the Maple Leafs but as a non-roster player. Because Leivo would require waivers to be sent down to the Marlies, the Maple Leafs appear content to temporarily leave him in limbo rather than lose a good young player. When a Twitter follower asked how Leivo can be healthy enough to play five games in the AHL but not healthy enough to play in the NHL, Mirtle just shrugged. Leivo has 8 points in 28 career NHL games (none this season), and 124 points in 171 AHL games.