The Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning squared off in Stockholm, Sweden yesterday in the first of their two NHL Global Series games. Yet, the international event was overshadowed by the result of another game between Atlantic Division opponents later in the day. The Detroit Red Wings, keepers of the league’s worst record, knocked off the Boston Bruins in convincing fashion, bumping them from their position as the league’s best record holder in the process. The pair of contests made for a noteworthy day in the NHL, despite just eight teams taking the ice. Buffalo and Tampa are back it today along with 20 other clubs on a busy Saturday. There will be NHL action spanning about 12 hours from start to finish and early indications are that there will be plenty of minor moves to accompany the action. Keep up with those transactions here:
- Alex Lintuniemi didn’t engage in contract termination talks with the Carolina Hurricanes without a plan in place. Less than 24 hours after clearing unconditional waivers, the Finnish defenseman has found a new home. The Lahti Pelicans of the Liiga have announced a one-year contract with Lintuniemi. While the 2014 second-round pick never panned out in North America, Lintuniemi and his physical, two-way game will undoubtedly provide a major boost for the Pelicans, one of the weakest teams in Finland’s top league.
- Mired in an injury-driven slump, the Colorado Avalanche are trying to shake things up to find a way out of their current struggles. The AHL Eagles announced that their parent club has recalled veteran forward Jayson Megna. Megna, 29, has over 100 games of NHL experience, but 58 of them came in one season with the Vancouver Canucks. Otherwise, he has never played in more than a dozen games at the top level in one season. Yet, in his first year with Colorado, he has already played in four games with the Avs through the first month of the season and could be suiting up for this fifth on Saturday. Although, it’s worth noting that he has been held scoreless thus far and could be sent back down after another unproductive appearance.
- Colin White’s conditioning stint in the minors didn’t last long. The Ottawa Senators sent the Boston College product down to AHL Belleville on Thursday, allowed him to play for the team last night (he recorded two assists), and have now called him back up this morning. White has just two points in eight games so far this season, a far cry from his near 50-point pace from last season, and the Senators hope that he can get going as soon as possible.
- The Arizona Coyotes announced that they have assigned goaltender Eric Comrie to Tucson of the AHL on a conditioning stint. Comrie was claimed off waivers at the start of the season with Antti Raanta not available to start the year but has since served as their third-stringer and as a result, he has yet to play so far this season. Conditioning stints can only last up to two weeks so this won’t clear up the logjam for very long but it will at least give him a chance to work off some of the rust. Comrie will count against Arizona’s 23-man NHL roster while on this assignment.
- After carrying just six defensemen following the injury to Josh Manson, the Anaheim Ducks have recalled blueliner Simon Benoit from San Diego of the AHL, reports Elliott Teaford of The Athletic. Benoit is in his second professional season but the first of his entry-level deal after he signed back in March. This will be his first stint at the NHL level.
- CapFriendly reports that the San Jose Sharks have assigned forward Lean Bergmann to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL. The 21-year-0ld forward, who signed out of Germany in the offseason, was recalled on Nov. 4 and played in two games for the Sharks, but he averaged just 7:41 in ATOI over those two games and had a minus-two rating against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. He has one assist in eight games.
- The New York Islanders announced they have assigned forwards Otto Koivula and Cole Bardreau to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL. The 21-year-old Koivula has been up and down the last week, but still has yet to make an appearance for the Islanders. He has two goals and two assists in eight games with Bridgeport. The 26-year-old Bardreau has fared well in his NHL debut this season. He has now appeared in nine games for the Islanders this year with a goal and an assist and 15 hits.