Morning Notes: Concussion Protocol, Tynan, AHL

The GM Meetings will wrap up today without much to say. The tagline of the three days in Boca Raton might as well have been “status quo”, as nothing seems to be changing. That includes the concussion protocol for goaltenders, as Ken Campbell of The Hockey News writes.

Goalies across the league have complained about the process, saying that taking a netminder off the ice and out of his rhythm is hurting the game. It’s worth it though, if it prevents even a single concussion from happening. For now, the GMs and league will leave the protocol the same and treat goaltenders like any other player who suffers a head shot on the ice.

• The Blue Jackets have sent T.J. Tynan back down after making his NHL debut last night. In a 2-0 win over the New Jersey Devils, Tynan played just over seven minutes and had a single shot on goal. The 25-year old playmaker will return to the Cleveland Monsters for the time being and wait for his next opportunity.
• Today is the AHL trade deadline where, like its NHL counterpart, teams can move players to contenders and preserve their playoff eligibility. Patrick Williams of NHL.com put together a nice summary of all the moves made in the AHL up to this point, including names like Tom Gilbert and Teemu Pulkkinen. There will likely be several moves made as teams load up for a Calder Cup run, though very few (if any) will include real prospects.
• The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled both Tom Sestito and Cameron Gaunce today, as they face off against the big Winnipeg Jets tonight. In a corresponding move, they sent Derrick Pouliot back to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. Sestito especially gives the Penguins another big body to avoid being pushed around by the Jets, though he doesn’t offer much in the way off offense.