With the loss of star forward and likely Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov for Game 3 on Sunday due to a one-game suspension handed down today, The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required) writes that the team will bring in veteran Ryan Callahan to fill in the roster spot for a team that both its games at home and now must rebound with a pair of away games in Columbus. Of course, other players will likely move up the team’s lineup with Callahan staying in the bottom six. Callahan has last played a week ago, but only played 4:13 in that game and has only played more than 13 minutes once in the last month.
- TSN’s Bob McKenzie suggests that the Colorado Avalanche may have a tougher decision on what it wants to do with NCAA star Cale Makar, who the team is rumored to be signing within the next 24 hours. McKenzie writes that if Makar signs a contract, he will automatically burn the first year of his entry-level deal. However, and possibly more important, McKenzie adds that if Makar plays even one playoff game this season, he would need to be protected in the Seattle expansion draft. If the team opted not to play him in the playoffs this year, he wouldn’t be available to be taken by Seattle.
- The Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan reports that she has heard from a source that Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton will hear from the Department of Player Safety Sunday after elbowing Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov during the second period.
- While many people were worried that Boston Bruins forward Marcus Johansson was hurt when he didn’t appear during warm-ups, the Bruins announced not long afterwards that the veteran forward was expected to miss Saturday’s game due to the flu. The 28-year-old trade deadline acquisition didn’t record a point in Game 1, but still played 16:20 of ice time for the Bruins. David Backes took Johansson’s spot.
If that’s the case with Makar, they should not even be thinking about dressing him. I think it’s fair to say that they are probably the worst team in the playoffs. Does he increase there chances at winning four rounds? At most he increases their bad odds slightly. There’s no need to make a costly decision like that, even if they do win tonight.
Agreed, would be dumb to dress him.
Yep, don’t sign Cale yet. Start him fresh next season.
Let’s be honest Makar will be protected. Signing him and having him suit up vs Calgary would result in another player being exposed in the expansion draft.
That “other” player to be exposed in the expansion draft will probably be a junker…Hey, Seattle, wanna take Pia Zadorov & your choice of a 2nd/3rd/4th line (the whole line, not just a clunker or two)? Joey’ll even throw in a 7-lb Burrito or two from Jack-n-Grill…
Regardless, still senseless to waste a year of control considering he’s not the difference in this team going home or winning it all. If those men in the locker room feel they need a kid to come in and save the day it’s a shame. He’s a nice player, but he’s not Bobby Orr in his prime.
seems kinda silly to even sign him if you will burn a year of his contract and need to protect him if you ask me.
No brainer on Makar. You can do without him for this year.