Minor Transactions: 10/23/18

While we wait for all the action tonight around the NHL, PHR will be right here keeping track of all the day’s minor moves.

• The Ottawa Senators have recalled Christian Jaros as expected, given that Cody Ceci and Ben Harpur aren’t ready to suit up tonight. The team will welcome the Boston Bruins to town and try to make another statement this season by proving that they’re not the league’s doormat. The Senators are 4-2-1 this season and look much better than many expected, but will have to keep it up if they’re to make any real noise in the playoff race later in the year.
• The New Jersey Devils have moved Ben Lovejoy and Drew Stafford to injured reserve, while recalling Eric Gryba and John Quenneville from the minor leagues. The team is already dealing with several injuries, and will now have to rely on their minor league depth to keep them competitive. Quenneville especially needs to make an impact, as he’s managed to play in just 18 NHL games so far in his career and hasn’t recorded a point since the 2016-17 season.
• Nick Ritchie has been activated from his non-roster designation, and will be in the lineup for the Anaheim Ducks tonight. Ritchie was the second last RFA to sign this year, and eventually settled on a three-year $4.6MM deal. His presence is needed desperately as the Ducks look for a way to score while several key forwards remain on injured reserve.
• Sammy Blais has been sent down to the minor leagues by the St. Louis Blues, a surprising move after the young forward played in eight games to start the year. Blais hadn’t scored yet and had seen his ice time reduced significantly over the last few games, but with no corresponding move it’s unclear what the plan is for the Blues. Perhaps the team is just using the days between games as a cost-saving measure, or another player will be recalled before Thursday’s game.
• Brock Boeser is out with a sore groin and has been listed as day-to-day for the Vancouver Canucks, which means Darren Archibald is on his way up to the team to fill his spot. Archibald certainly can’t fill Boeser’s skates completely, but was relatively effective last season in the 27 games he played for the Canucks. The 28-year old forward has six points in eight games this season for Utica, and will try to continue that production at the NHL level if he’s inserted into the lineup.
• Filip Hronek will be assigned to the minor leagues soon, given Mike Green’s imminent return for the Detroit Red Wings. Hronek has three points in six games this season but will have to continue his season in the AHL for now. The young defenseman is oozing with upside, but will wait for his next opportunity at the NHL while working on his penalty killing ability.
• Alex Formenton has been activated from injured reserve by the Ottawa Senators, indicating that his concussion symptoms have subsided and he’s ready to get back into game action. The speedy forward has been a pleasant surprise for the team this season, showing his willingness to engage physically while also leaning on his skating ability to create offense.
• The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Nicolas Roy, and could give him his first opportunity of the 2018-19 season. Roy has just a single NHL game under his belt since being selected 96th overall in 2015, but has become a dangerous two-way player at the minor league level. With five goals and seven points in his first six games this season and a 38-point rookie campaign in 2017-18, the 6’4″ forward already has shown more offensive touch than many expected when he was drafted.