Boston Bruins Lose Noel Acciari For Four Weeks
The Boston Bruins will be shorthanded for a while, as they announced today that forward Noel Acciari will miss four weeks with a lower-body injury. The rookie suffered the injury Monday night against the Buffalo Sabres.
Signed out of Providence College last summer, Acciari split time between the NHL and AHL Bruins lineups last season, scoring 20 total points in 64 games. The 24-year old centerman currently ranks third on the team in hits and provides an up-tempo game for the team’s bottom-six. Skating with Dominic Moore and Tim Schaller, he’s contributed two assists this season.
While losing Acciari doesn’t cripple the Bruins lineup, it does take out an effective checking forward who had been used often on the penalty kill. Jimmy Hayes made his way back into the lineup in his absence, and will try to show that he can still be an effective member of this team, after putting up 29 points last year. The 26-year old has started the season pointless in his first eleven contests.
Stars Notes: Sharp, Lineup Changes, Goaltending
The Dallas Stars have been without Patrick Sharp for almost three weeks now after the veteran forward experienced concussion-like symptoms. The problems arose after Sharp took a devastating hit from Brayden McNabb of the Los Angeles Kings on October 20th, and initially there was no timetable for his return. Sharp skated with the team today, and according to head coach Lindy Ruff (via Mark Stepneski) doesn’t sound too far away:
It’s a step in the right direction and some light at the end of the tunnel for him. He’s feeling better. Hopefully we can get him two or three practices and he can be ready possibly for Sunday.
Sharp, one of the most consistent goal scoring wingers in the league over the past decade had a successful first season with the Stars last year after being traded there last summer. He provided another 20-goal season and recorded 55 points mostly skating alongside Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. His return to the lineup would help deepen a Stars forward group that is really struggling to score goals. With Jason Spezza, Cody Eakin, Jiri Hudler and Ales Hemsky all missing time for various injuries this season, Sharp would be a sight for sore eyes for Ruff and the Dallas coaching staff.
- Following three straight losses, the Stars will make some lineup changes for tonight. Justin Dowling and Jamie Oleksiak will both get back into the lineup, while Patrik Nemeth and Esa Lindell will visit the press box. Oleksiak is set to skate on the third pairing with Jordie Benn, while Dowling will center the fourth line between Gemel Smith and Adam Cracknell. Both newcomers have played just two games for the Stars this season.
- Kari Lehtonen will be in net tonight against the Calgary Flames for his third start in a row despite being pulled in his last game. The 32-year old netminder was relieved after giving up four goals on eleven shots against the Jets on Tuesday. Antti Niemi didn’t fare much better though, as he gave up four goals as well on twenty shots. The Stars are now 4-6-3 and off to a terrible start in many facets of the game.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson Fined $2000 For Diving
According to multiple sources, including Stephen Whyno of AP, Arizona Coyotes star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been fined $2000 by the league for embellishment. The incidents occurred October 25th against the New Jersey Devils, for which he was issued a warning, and November 3rd against the Nashville Predators.
Under rule 64 of the NHL Rule Book:
Any player who blatantly dives, embellishes a fall or a reaction, or who feigns an injury shall be penalized.
The accompanying memorandum that dealt with fines for diving gives a graduated scale for the fines, capping it at at $5000 fee for both player and coach. Many other players have already been dinged by these fines, including Nazem Kadri, Nail Yakupov and Martin Hanzal. Kadri is the only player so far that has received more than two citations.
While this isn’t groundbreaking news, it does mean that the league will be watching Ekman-Larsson more carefully, and perhaps he’ll be less likely to draw penalties. After his next citation, the coach will also start to get fined – something Dave Tippett will probably not react too favorably to.
Jannik Hansen Out 4-6 Weeks With Broken Rib
The Vancouver Canucks have announced the severity of Jannik Hansen‘s injury, and it’s not good. The forward will be out 4-6 weeks with a fractured rib, according to president Trevor Linden. Hansen had been placed on injured reserve on the 7th, a day after the incident with the Maple Leafs.
Hansen had been skating with the Sedin twins, but took a rough open-ice hit from Morgan Rielly before getting in a fight with Nazem Kadri on the same shift. For the Canucks, it meant moving the goalless Loui Eriksson back to the first line – though perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, Eriksson scored his first goal of the season last night – weakening the second group. With the team also sending down Jake Virtanen, it’s starting to run thin on skilled players up front.
Alex Burrows, who had been playing on the fourth line, now must be a huge part of any success the Canucks have over the next few weeks. His ice time has been increased by almost five minutes since the injury, and so far it’s paying off – he scored twice in the Canucks 5-3 win over the Rangers on Tuesday night.
Blues Notes: Fabbri, Hutton, Gunnarsson
After scratching former first-overall pick Nail Yakupov for three straight games, St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock will now sit down another highly regarded forward according to Lou Korac of NHL.com. Yakupov will dress tonight in place of Robby Fabbri, the Blues’ first-round pick from 2014. Hitchcock explained his decision (via Korac):
You have to make a decision whether you want to be in the group of 14, or you want to stay in that top 9 or 10.
It’s all connected to tenacity…goals and assists I don’t look at.
This will be the first time in his (albeit short) career that Fabbri will be a healthy scratch, after having a successful rookie campaign last season. The 20-year old scored 18 goals and 37 points playing most of the year as a teenager and looked like a future star in the league. Though this obviously doesn’t mean much for Fabbri’s future, sitting him in the press box is a strong message that they need more from him; he’s currently sitting on just four points in 14 games.
- The team announced that Carter Hutton will be in net tonight when they take on the Nashville Predators, his old team. Hutton spent the past three seasons with the club, recording a 33-23-12 record and strong .910 save percentage. After the Blues dealt Brian Elliott to the Flames this summer, they were in need of a backup to Jake Allen and Hutton fit the bill perfectly. The 30-year old took a little longer to develop, but is now showing his worth; he’s carrying a .926 through four games.
- The Blues have recalled Chris Butler for tonight’s game due to some lingering injuries on the back end. As Korac reports, it’s just precautionary should anyone not be able to go after the warmups. Hitchcock singled out Carl Gunnarsson as the most noticable injury. Butler has played eleven games for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL this season, recording two points and eight penalty minutes.
Canadiens To Scratch David Desharnais
The Canadiens may have won two in a row since their 10-0 blowout loss, but they’re still making lineup changes.
Coach Michel Therrien confirmed that center David Desharnais will be among the scratches for Thursday night’s game versus the Los Angeles Kings. Greg Pateryn will also be up in the press box while Sven Andrighetto and Joel Hanley draw in.
While the other three men have all missed time as healthy scratches, this is the first time Desharnais has found himself healthy scratched in a while. He’s in the final year of a four-year, $14MM contract. The 5’7, 171 lbs center has bounced around the lineup since the Canadiens moved Alex Galchenyuk to center last season.
The 30-year-old Desharnais has just four points in 13 games so far this season. His point totals have been up and down since coming into the NHL, scoring 22, 60, 28, 52, 48, and 29 points.
Ennis Undergoes Groin Surgery
Buffalo Sabres forward Tyler Ennis is expected to miss “several weeks” after undergoing surgery on his groin.
He missed last game with what was described as a mid-body injury. The diminutive forward was pointless in his previous seven games, and has just one goal and one assist in 12 games this season. Ennis is coming off an injury-plagued 2015-16 season, where he only appeared in 23 games due to a pair of concussions. John Vogl speculated Ennis could miss 2-3 weeks.
The Sabres have been cursed with injuries so far this season; Ennis is just the latest in a long list including Jack Eichel, Zach Bogosian, and Ryan O’Reilly.
Buffalo currently sits in a tie with the rival Toronto Maple Leafs for last place in the Atlantic Division, both with 5-5-3 records. Their goaltending duo of Robin Lehner and Anders Nilsson have had success numbers-wise, but the wins haven’t come as often as they’d like. The missing forwards are obviously playing a role in their struggles, though we reported earlier today that Sabres defense has yet to score a goal this season.
Snapshots: Larsson, Sabres, Minor Moves
It was one of the most controversial moves of the summer, but so far the Adam Larsson–Taylor Hall trade isn’t looking as bad as many in Edmonton expected, writes David Staples of the Edmonton Journal.
Staples notes Devils GM Ray Shero is one of the strongest proponents of the trade, and why wouldn’t he be? His Devils are in a playoff spot and Hall is tied for the Devils scoring lead. But he also believes the Oilers got what they needed, according to Kevin Allen of USA Today.
“The Oilers have taken a lot of grief over this, but has anybody sat down and watched Larsson? He’s actually pretty good.”
Shero pointed to Edmonton’s desperate need for a good, young defenseman to go with their young offensive forwards, while the Devils desperately needed an offensive catalyst like Hall.
“You have to make a team, and that is challenging in a salary cap world… They are off to a great start this season. That says something.”
Staples take on the trade is that he likes Larsson’s game, but doesn’t love it yet. He’s had the occasional struggle, but he’s also playing incredibly tough minutes with a skilled but inexperienced parter in Oscar Klefbom. Staples gives the trade a passing grade, with the note that Hall is clearly the better player but the Oilers got what they needed.
- Meanwhile, only one defense core in the NHL has yet to score a goal this season. Despite having weapons like Rasmus Ristolainen and Cody Franson, none of the Buffalo Sabres defensemen have scored. They have contributed 14 assists, however eight of those belong to Ristolainen. Franson told Bill Hoppe that he couldn’t “care less if I scored one goal in a season,” saying he prefers to get assists. Coach Dan Bylsma isn’t concerned with the lack of production, but would like his defensemen to be more aggressive.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled LW Markus Hannikainen from the Cleveland Monsters. The undrafted Hannikainen has seven points in 11 games for the Monsters so far.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled LW Roman Lyubimov from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He was sent down to the AHL on Wednesday; Sam Carchidi reported it was simply a paper transaction made for salary cap reasons. Lyubimov has one goal in 11 NHL games so far this season. Carchidi also noted that it appears Chris Vande Velde will be a healthy scratch, despite scoring twice in the last four games.
- Rookie center Noel Acciari did not take part in Boston Bruins practice on Thursday morning, according to Joe Haggerty. He hasn’t skated since suffering a lower-body injury on Monday night versus the Sabres.
Top-Performing Impending Free Agents Thus Far
A month deep the 2016-17 season, several key 2017 unrestricted free agents have gotten off to a strong start in their contract years. With many players slated for free agency in a unique off-season, given the addition of the Las Vegas expansion franchise, it may be more important than ever for impending free agents to perform well. With another competitor in the mix, especially one that needs to build a team from scratch, prices will skyrocket for top-end talent. So far, the following players are in line for a hefty contract this June, if they’re not re-signed even earlier or (surprisingly for many) if they choose to retire:
D Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks – 5 goals/7 assists/12 points
C Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks – 2 goals/9 assists/11 points
RW Alexander Radulov, Montreal Canadiens – 3 goals/8 assists/11 points
D Mark Streit, Philadelphia Flyers – 3 goals/7 assists/10 points
D Kevin Shattenkirk, St. Louis Blues – 3 goals/7 assists/10 points
RW Radim Vrbata, Arizona Coyotes – 4 goals/5 assists/9 points
C Brandon Pirri, New York Rangers – 4 goals/5 assists/9 points
C Matt Cullen, Pittsburgh Penguins – 3 goals/6 assists/9 points
LW Thomas Vanek, Detroit Red Wings – 4 goals/4 assists/8 points
D Dennis Seidenberg, New York Islanders – 4 goals/4 assists/8 points
RW Patrick Eaves, Dallas Stars – 3 goals/5 assists/8 points
G Peter Budaj, Los Angeles Kings – 7 wins/1.86 GAA/.919 SV%
G Jonathan Bernier, Anaheim Ducks – 1 win/2.16 GAA/.939 SV%
G Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning – 5 wins/2.91 GAA/.907 SV%
Disappointments: Martin Hanzal, Brian Elliott, Jarome Iginla, Patrick Sharp, Steve Mason, Patrick Marleau, Drew Stafford
Snapshots: Eichel, Haula, Sgarbossa, Desjardins
Buffalo center Jack Eichel is making progress as he continues to recover from a high ankle sprain sustained in practice suffered four weeks ago, writes NHL.com’s Joe Yerdon. The original timetable for the injury was six to eight weeks.
Eichel was expected to meet with team doctors today to see if he can escalate his workouts but head coach Dan Bylsma didn’t want to put a timeline onto when he could possibly begin on-ice drills:
“I don’t want to suggest that it’s going to be today, tomorrow or the next day that he’s getting on the ice. He’s progressing quite nicely. He’s been working out at another level the last four or five days and hopefully he continues to progress to getting to the ice soon.”
Eichel has yet to play this season after a strong rookie campaign that saw him record 24 goals and 32 assists in 81 games to finish second on the team in scoring. Once he does return to the lineup, he’ll undoubtedly be a big boost to a Buffalo lineup that sits 28th in the league in goals scored per game.
[Related: Sabres Depth Chart]
Elsewhere around the league:
- Wild center Erik Haula skated with the team today for the first time since October 20th, notes Dan Myers of the team’s official site. Head coach Bruce Boudreau said Haula, who has been dealing with a foot issue, would be a game time decision for their game against Pittsburgh on Thursday. He skated on a line with Jason Zucker and Zack Mitchell, who is expected to make his NHL debut against the Penguins.
- The Ducks announced that they have recalled center Michael Sgarbossa from their AHL affiliate in San Diego. This marks the third time already that this season that the 24 year old has been brought up. Sgarbossa has two assists in six games with Anaheim so far this season.
- Chicago center/left winger Andrew Desjardins is set to return to the lineup tonight after missing the first 13 games of the season with a foot injury sustained at the end of the preseason, notes CSN Chicago’s Tracey Myers. While he hasn’t been much of a point producer (he had 13 points in 77 games last year), he logged the most minutes shorthanded of any Blackhawks forward in 2015-16. Chicago has the worst penalty kill in the league heading into tonight’s game at 65.2% so Desjardins should be a big boost to the team in that area.