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Josh Anderson To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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Not too long after the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced a hearing for Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, they’ve announced a hearing for Montreal Canadiens forward Josh Anderson. According to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels, the hearing will be over the phone, which means a shorter suspension, if any.

The play in question happened just after the halfway point of the third period in last nights game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Anderson lined up defenseman Alex Pietrangelo from behind, sending him into the boards right in front of the Vegas bench. Fortunately, Pietrangelo appeared uninjured from the hit and in fact got straight up to join the scrum that ensued around Anderson. For the hit, Anderson received a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

What exactly the supplemental discipline Anderson receives, if any, is still unclear. However, it is worth mentioning that Anderson has not been suspended thus far in his NHL career, thus the punishment could be lesser than that of a repeat offender. The winger has five points in 12 games so far this season, his third in Montreal.

Evening Notes: Horvat, Senators Sale, Samsonov

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It was not long ago that, with as many question marks as there were around the Vancouver Canucks, the obvious answer was an extension for team captain Bo Horvat. Whether or not players like J.T. Miller or Brock Boeser were or were not traded or if head coach Bruce Boudreau would be brought back for this season, a Horvat extension always seemed to be a given. Now, after extensions for Miller and Boeser, the free agent signing of Ilya Mikheyev, and the Canucks’ rocky start to the season, with no extension in place for the captain, things appear more uncertain than they’ve ever been for Horvat and Vancouver.

On tonight’s 32 Thoughts segment of Hockey Night In Canada, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reiterated the story on Horvat: the needle has not moved at all in negotiations. Marek further emphasized the curiosity as to what the organization will ultimately do with Horvat. On one hand, the reunion between both sides appears to be a perfect match and as much as the Canucks have struggled to start the season, Horvat with his 10 goals in 11 games, has not. Still, the more the veteran continues to score, the higher he drives his price. With Miller and Boeser now in place, if the price becomes higher than Vancouver wishes to pay, or simply can pay, the decision might be made for them. And, should Vancouver struggle or fail to make up the ground they lost, Horvat’s trade value may be enough to dissuade them from pursuing an extension in the first place.

  • Yesterday, the Ottawa Senators formally initiated the process of being sold, just over seven months after the passing of owner Eugene Melnyk. Though that time might seem a bit longer than expected to some, the Melnyk family was able to oversee a team transition this offseason to lock in some of the organization’s young core talent, become one of the league’s more exciting groups, and of course, grieve Melnyk’s passing. Although the timeline to date has been unclear, the sale process might be a bit more clear, and quick. Also from tonight’s 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman expects the process to get seriously moving by American Thanksgiving, which is now 19 days away. No clear front runner(s) for the team have emerged yet, though Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the league would prefer one majority owner over a group of minority shareholders. Even with the Thanksgiving timetable mentioned, when exactly a new owner would be in place with all formalities and transition of power completed, is unclear.
  • More tough news for the Toronto Maple Leafs in net as goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who started tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins, was forced to leave after the second period. The Maple Leafs confirmed their goaltender would not return while dealing with a knee injury. According to head coach Sheldon Keefe, who discussed the injury with reporters, including Joshua Clipperton of The Canadien Press, was suffered during Brad Marchand’s penalty shot. The extent of the injury or any time he could miss is not yet clear, however Toronto is already working around the loss of Matt Murray in net, who is on LTIR with an abductor injury. Murray was scheduled to miss four weeks with that injury and is currently through three, however a scheduled return is not yet known. Erik Kallgren, who has been acting as the Maple Leafs backup goaltender, is certainly a capable NHL netminder, however the only other goaltender Toronto has under contract is Dennis Hildeby, a 2022 draft pick currently on loan in his native Sweden. Interestingly, the Maple Leafs had been pressed against the 50 contract limit–until today. With forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel lost on waivers to the Washington Capitals this afternoon, Toronto now has just 49 of 50 contracts in their system, enough to add one more player. Should they need to do so, they’ll have to act quick and be creative, with puck drop in Carolina scheduled for 5:00 pm ET tomorrow afternoon.

 

Snapshots: Miller, Swayman, Blackwood, Orlov

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The Boston Bruins’ signing of defense prospect Mitchell Miller earlier this week surprised many, however given the nature of the signing, his eligibility to play in the AHL, where Boston intended to place him, or the NHL, where they hope he can play someday, was presumed. Earlier today, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman walked back those assumptions saying, in short, that Miller is not currently NHL eligible and may never be NHL eligible. Substack’s Sean Shapiro, in turn, reached out to the AHL for comment, who have yet to determine his eligibility because as they said, the defenseman is currently suspended in the NHL. Not surprisingly, this story continues to have frequently-changing developments, and this evening, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski shed more light on the current situation.

According to Wyshynski, the NHLPA tells ESPN that the league has not informed the union of any suspension against Miller or anything that would impact his eligibility. The NHLPA added that “there needs to be more info provided by NHL” as it relates to Bettman’s comments. Wyshynski adds that, per a source, Miller’s contract had been registered with the NHL and there was nothing official to stop the Bruins, or any other team, from signing him. This story is, of course, a difficult one for many reasons, however it is worth considering that, despite Miller’s past, he does gain certain rights within the NHL when he signs an official contract. Further, however the situation as to Miller plays out, it could have an impact on how future similar situations play out. Thus, a diligent, drawn-out review and discussion of all issues may be coming before anything is finalized.

  • The recent injury status of the Bruins hasn’t changed much in the past couple days. Recently, it was reported that goaltender Jeremy Swayman would be out week-to-week, while veteran center David Krejci was due back in the lineup tonight. Krejci is in fact playing tonight, however the Bruins did need to activate the center off of IR, which necessitated a corresponding move. In order to add Krejci, Boston has placed Swayman on IR, says The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa, who covers the team. Head coach Jim Montgomery, to avoid creating any additional concerns possibly raised by the transaction, reiterated to reporters, including Shinzawa, that Swayman is still considered week-to-week.
  • As relayed by New Jersey Devils team reporter Amanda Stein, head coach Lindy Ruff says that goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood will be seen by doctors back in New Jersey on Tuesday. Blackwood, who was injured in New Jersey’s 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night, had met with doctors in Calgary yesterday ahead of the team’s game against the Flames this evening. In response to the injury, but without wanting to place Blackwood on IR, at least not yet, the Devils recalled goaltender Akira Schmid from the AHL earlier today, sending down winger Andreas Johnsson. The Devils return home after tonight’s game and will next play at home Tuesday evening against these same Calgary Flames.
  • Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov left tonight’s game with a lower-body injury and is questionable to return, the team announced. It’s unclear what exactly caused the injury to Orlov, however he has played just 7:02 thus far as the Capitals lead the Arizona Coyotes 1-0 late in the second period.

Injury Notes: Zadina, Byram, Hornqvist, Chytil, Dahlin

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After a major offseason overhaul rivaled only by the Ottawa Senators, expectations have been big for the Detroit Red Wings this season, however the team has gotten itself off to an up-and-down start. Sitting at 5-3-2 coming into today, the team would be faced with one of its tougher tasks of the young season this afternoon: a showdown with the New York Islanders, who were on a five-game winning streak. Detroit answered the call, shutting out the Islanders 3-0. That win appears to have come at a price, however. Forward Filip Zadina went down late in the third period after appearing to block a Ryan Pulock shot.

After the game, Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde, provided an update to the media, including Michigan Live’s Ansar Kahn. According to Lalonde, Zadina’s injury “doesn’t look good” and Detroit may not see the winger for a while, adding that the team would know more tomorrow. Soon to be 23-years-old, Zadina has yet to become the player Detroit hoped he would be when he was drafted sixth-overall in 2018, and has zero points through his first nine games this year, including today. But, with Detroit missing more than its fair share of forwards, including Tyler Bertuzzi, Jakub Vrana, Oskar Sundqvist, and Robby Fabbri, losing Zadina for any period of time will surely be felt.

  • For those who watched today’s NHL Global Series contest in Tampere, Finland between the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets, noticeably absent from Colorado’s blueline was Bowen Byram. The defenseman was replaced in the lineup by Jacob MacDonald, who was playing in just his fourth game of the season. Thus far, there is no word on the severity of Byram’s injury, however The Athletic’s Peter Baugh reports that it’s a lower-body injury. While no injury is good news, for Byram, who has dealt with a number of concussion-related issues in his past, having the injury apparently be unrelated to that is somewhat of a relief. The former fourth-overall pick is off to a strong start to the season, scoring two goals to go with three assists in 10 games to date.
  • Florida Panthers winger Patric Hornqvist, who suffered an upper-body injury early in Thursday’s game against the San Jose Sharks, is considered day-to-day, head coach Paul Maurice told the media, including Bally Sports’ Katie Engleson. The veteran has just one goal through 11 games to start the season, but with Florida missing several key pieces from last year’s team, they will need a quick recovery from Hornqvist and renewed production to help supplement their offense going forward.
  • New York Rangers center Filip Chytil expects to play in the team’s game tomorrow afternoon against the Red Wings. While Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant did not confirm that Chytil would be in the lineup, the forward did tell USA Today Sports’ Vince Mercogliano that he feels 100%. Still, Gallant is hopeful he can play Sunday. Chytil, who hasn’t played since October 23rd, was believed to be dealing with a concussion, said Larry Brooks of the New York Post. The 23-year-old had three points in six games prior to the injury.
  • Per Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News, Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato confirmed that defenseman Rasmus Dahlin will miss tonight’s game in Tampa Bay against the Lightning with an upper-body injury. Granato declined to go into specifics on the injury but, Harrington says, it likely occurred during Friday night’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes, when Dahlin was involved in a scuffle with Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Thankfully for Buffalo, Dahlin is listed as day-to-day, but his injury is yet another in a long line of defensemen going down in the Buffalo organization this season, whether that be at the NHL or AHL level. Defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin, who has missed the last four games with injury, draws back in tonight in place of Dahlin.

Ty Dellandrea Fined For Goaltender Interference

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The NHL Department of Play Safety announced a fine for Dallas Stars forward Ty Dellandrea in response to his interference with New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin in yesterday afternoon’s game. Dellandrea was fined $2,333.33, the maximum allowable under the CBA

The incident happened towards the end of the first period, as the Rangers moved the puck out from behind the net, Dellandrea cut in front of the net, ultimately leading to his right leg sweeping out Shesterkin’s left leg. Shesterkin was brought down and was slow to get up, but did stay in the game. Dellandrea was assessed a two minute penalty for the hit on Shesterkin, as well as an additional two minutes for roughing, for which an identical penalty was called on Rangers forward Artemi Panarin.

It appears Shesterkin has avoided injury, allowing the Rangers to breathe a sigh of relief in regards to their Vezina Trophy winning netminder. Dellandrea, 22, was playing in just his 36th career NHL game, though in his third season in the Stars organization. Thankfully for Dellandrea and Dallas, the player was able to avoid suspension, but this fine will go on his record for future consideration should he have to face discipline again.

Dallas Stars Loan Matej Blumel To AHL

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Fresh off his first NHL call-up, but without playing his first NHL game, the Dallas Stars announced forward Matej Blumel has been loaned to the Texas Stars, their AHL affiliate. Dallas had recalled the young forward on Wednesday when they assigned forward Jacob Peterson to Texas, however Blumel did not get into any games with Dallas. No corresponding move was announced by Dallas.

Blumel, a fourth-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2019, failed to sign with the team before their rights over him expired and ultimately he signed a two-year, entry-level contract with Dallas this summer. While he hasn’t had an opportunity to make his NHL debut yet, the 22-year-old has had an outstanding return to North America, notching five goals and three assists in a mere five games with Texas to start the season. Heading back to the AHL after the initial call-up might be disappointing for Blumel, but it will give him a chance to continue his development and provide Texas with a big-time offensive presence in their lineup once again.

A native of Czechia, Blumel first came to North America back in 2017, where he spent two seasons with the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks, turning in a dominant second season with 30 goals and 30 assists in 58 games. It was after that season that the Oilers drafted Blumel, but he opted to return to Czechia, where he played three strong seasons with Pardubice before returning to North America for 2022-23. Internationally, Blumel has represented Czechia on a number of occasions, including a fantastic eight points in 10 games at this year’s World Championships. Should Blumel continue to produce with Texas, just as he has every step along the way, he’ll almost certainly force his way into the NHL lineup soon enough.

Boston Bruins Return Jakub Lauko To AHL

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Forward Jakub Lauko, who the Boston Bruins sent down to the Providence Bruins on Tuesday, and was recalled yesterday afternoon back to Boston, has been reassigned from his loan back to Providence.

It’s been a hectic few days for the young forward, at least on paper, but not necessarily surprising, given the 22-year-old does not need waivers to go to the AHL. With superstar winger Brad Marchand returning to the lineup Thursday evening, Boston made clear he would not play back-to-back games, which was exactly the situation yesterday evening. Now down a man (of their own volition), Boston brought Lauko up for last night’s game in Columbus against the Blue Jackets. Lauko is yet to play a game for Providence this season but has recorded one assist in five games for Boston thus far.

Boston’s 77th overall selection in 2018, Lauko blow the doors off his expectations in camp after a rough 2021-22 season in Providence. He hasn’t looked entirely out-of-place in the NHL either, especially for a player who has a remarkably low 5.9% offensive zone start rate in all situations.

Los Angeles Kings Recall Rasmus Kupari

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The Los Angeles Kings announced today that they have recalled young forward Rasmus Kupari from the Ontario Reign, their AHL affiliate. Having 22 out of a maximum 23 players on its NHL roster, no corresponding move had to be made to bring Kupari up. The former first-round pick by Los Angeles has yet to play in the NHL this season.

After the Kings announced forward Alex Iafallo had been placed on LTIR, the team in turn recalled forward Austin Wagner from Ontario, but sent him back the next day, leaving them with 22 players. Due to their tight salary cap situation, the team had to place Iafallo on LTIR in order to make space for an additional call-up in his absence. Being at home this week, with nearby Ontario playing just one game on the road in San Jose, and having 13 forwards and seven defensemen already on the roster, the team was able to go without the additional player for a few days. Now, set to hit the road after today’s home contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Kings opted to bring in a familiar face.

Kupari, who Los Angeles selected 20th overall in 2018, has yet to live up to expectation, but at the same time, has shown he belongs as an NHLer. The forward made his NHL debut during the shortened 2020-21 season, recording just a point in seven games, but played a significant amount last season, getting into 57 games with Los Angeles, chipping in five goals and eight assists in the process. The organization opted to have the 22-year-old begin this season in Ontario, but perhaps his impressive start to the season, which includes three goals and three assists in six AHL games, forced the Kings’ hand in calling the forward up.

Matt Bartkowski Signs AHL PTO

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Veteran defenseman Matt Bartkowski has found a new home, at least for now. The Rochester Americans announced they’ve signed Bartkowski to an AHL PTO. The team expects Bartkowski to meet them for today’s game in Laval against the Rocket. Rochester is the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.

The addition of Bartkowski appears to be the result of a chain reaction in the Sabres organization after a rash of injuries on Buffalo’s blueline. When the Sabres lost defensemen Henri Jokiharju and Mattias Samuelsson in short order last weekend, the team recalled fellow defensemen Lawrence Pilut and Kale Clague from Rochester. Of course, that helped to repair the Sabres’ ailing defense-corps, but served to dismantle Rochester’s, stealing two of their best defenders. The Americans initially responded by recalling Zachary Berzolla from the ECHL, and earlier this week added another NHL veteran in Brandon Davidson on an AHL PTO.

A veteran of 256 career NHL games, Bartkowski last played in the NHL back in 2020-21, dressing for just one game with the Minnesota Wild. The 34-year-old hasn’t seen even semi-regular NHL time since he played 18 games as a member of the Calgary Flames all the way back in 2017-18. The defenseman did have some NHL interest this summer coming off of two exceptional AHL seasons with the Iowa Wild and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, signing a PTO with the New York Rangers back in September, who ultimately released him from that tryout. Bringing Bartkowski in should give the Americans a healthy, veteran presence to help patch the holes not only on their own blueline, but that of the entire NHL-AHL-ECHL organization.

Snapshots: Samuelsson, Bear, Wright

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Buffalo Sabres fans held their breath last night when freshly extended defenseman Mattias Samuelsson went down with an injury in their game against Vancouver. Now, The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski reports that Samuelsson avoided a long-term injury but is still set to miss at least “a few weeks,” joining Henri Jokiharju on the list of injured Sabres top-four defensemen.

An exact timeline won’t be had on Samuelsson until the team returns to Buffalo, head coach Don Granato said today, and the injury will force some depth defenders to shine in order for Buffalo to keep up its strong start. Lawrence Pilut will make his season debut in the team’s next game after two seasons overseas, and free-agent acquisition Ilya Lyubushkin will be tasked with replacing Samuelsson as the defensive anchor on the top pairing alongside the red-hot Rasmus Dahlin.

  • It’s no secret the Canucks are in trouble, winless so far to start the year. With injuries and general positional depth weakness hampering their defense, the team has been looking to add, and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on 32 Thoughts that the team has checked in on defenseman Ethan Bear as a potential trade acquisition. Bear, the 25-year-old right-shot defenseman, has been thrust down the depth chart in Carolina and has yet to appear in a game this season. The Hurricanes were shopping him prior to the season’s start, and the Canucks have more than enough room thanks to LTIR to accommodate his $2.2MM cap hit. He still has some upside and could provide some better matchups once Quinn Hughes returns to the lineup.
  • Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala ponders whether the Seattle Kraken may opt to send Shane Wright back to the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs after an unimpactful start to the season. Wright hasn’t received many opportunities, he has shown smooth skating and pace, but Bukala points out that Wright’s had some positional issues defensively and may need a bit more development before being able to execute his playstyle properly at the NHL level.

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