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Archives for January 2021

Coyotes Place Kyle Capobianco On Waivers

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Jan. 31: Friedman reports that Capobianco has cleared and will be assigned to the taxi squad.

Jan 30: The Coyotes have placed defenseman Kyle Capobianco on waivers, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link).  The move isn’t entirely unexpected with Ilya Lyubushkin now in Arizona after finally getting his work visa issue resolved so now with him being available, they can try to send Capobianco down.

The 23-year-old has played in two games with Arizona this season and has been held off the scoresheet while logging just over 14 minutes per game.  It’s actually the fourth straight season that Capobianco has seen NHL action but in that stretch, he has been limited to just 14 contests where he has a single goal while averaging just shy of 15 minutes per contest.

He has been much more productive in the minors though, notching at least 30 points in each of his first three AHL seasons despite not playing in more than 49 games in any of them.  2019-20 was his best performance when he had 10 goals and 27 assists in just 42 games with AHL Tucson.

It’s that type of offensive upside coupled with an affordable contract (a two-year, one-way deal with an AAV of just $775K) that could make Capobianco at least a bit intriguing to some teams, especially those who are in need of some defensive depth but don’t have the cap room to try to make a bigger splash.  They’ll have until 11 AM CT on Sunday to place a claim.

Marco Rossi Will Not Play This Season

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Jan 31: Rossi reported late Saturday that sources have confirmed to him that Rossi will not play this season.

Jan 30: The Minnesota Wild have released a statement on Rossi, explaining that he has “returned to Austria to rest with his family due to complications from COVID.” Though Russo reported a six-week timeline, the team says there is “no timetable for his return to Minnesota.”

Anything else would be speculation at this point, but it’s clear that Rossi won’t be back anytime soon.

Jan 29: Though it is still not exactly clear what is wrong, Marco Rossi won’t be playing for the Minnesota Wild anytime soon. The ninth-overall pick has returned to Austria according to Michael Russo of The Athletic and is expected to return in six weeks. Previously, Rossi was listed as out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, but no other specifics have been officially confirmed. The young forward had been living in Minnesota, taking up residence in Thomas Vanek’s house before this return to Austria.

Rossi, 19, played in the World Junior Championship this year, captaining the Austrian squad in four games. Prior to that, he had been assigned to Zurich in the Swiss league but managed to play in just a single game before testing positive for COVID-19. He only experienced mild symptoms and was cleared in November, but the league had been paused because of an outbreak at that point, so he did not play another game.

There was hope that Rossi could be one of the few players from the 2020 draft to jump directly to the NHL, given how polished his all-around game was at the OHL level last season. The young center recorded 39 goals and 120 points in 56 games for the Ottawa 67’s, leading all players in scoring. Instead, he now won’t even be playing in junior or the AHL as he continues to deal with whatever is ailing him. Even when he does eventually return, Rossi would have to obviously deal with any quarantine protocol is in place at the time before rejoining his Minnesota teammates.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/31/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day.

North Division

  • The Ottawa Senators announced they have recalled defenseman Artem Zub from the taxi squad. The 25-year-old blueliner has spent the last six years playing in the KHL and chose to sign with the Senators in May after a breakout campaign in 2019-20 when he scored 13 goals for SKA St. Petersburg. The team had an open spot after sending Filip Chlapik to the taxi squad recently. Zub could make his NHL debut, filling in for the injured Thomas Chabot who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have moved Corey Perry to the taxi squad, according to CapFriendly. Perry has appeared in three games for Montreal, scoring a goal and an assist.
  • The Edmonton Oilers announced a series of roster moves.  Gaetan Haas was activated off injured reserve while Stuart Skinner was recalled from the taxi squad.  Coming off the NHL roster are veteran forwards Tyler Ennis and Devin Shore as both were sent to the taxi squad.
  • The Calgary Flames have returned Derek Ryan to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly while recalling Buddy Robinson to the active roster.  Calgary has been shuttling Ryan back and forth after he cleared waivers at the end of the training camp, allowing them to bank a little extra cap space.  He should be recalled again on Monday.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs made several taxi squad moves according to CapFriendly.  Pierre Engvall, Jason Spezza, and Michael Hutchinson were all assigned to the taxi squad with Rasmus Sandin and Adam Brooks being recalled.

East Division

Central Division

  • The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled forward Givani Smith from their taxi squad. The winger has appeared in three games for the Red Wings this year with an assist. The team then followed that up, announcing the team has assigned forward Chase Pearson from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL to the taxi squad to replace Smith. The 23-year-old Pearson was a fifth-round pick back in 2015 and has been with the Griffins for one season.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes announced they have recalled forward Drew Shore and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic from their taxi squad. The team also placed forward Max McCormick on injured reserve after colliding with goaltender Petr Mrazek Saturday. Shore hasn’t made an NHL appearance since the 2016-17 season, spending the last four years of his career between the NL and the KHL. Nedeljkovic was considered the goalie of the future, but has yet to earn himself a full-time roster spot with the Hurricanes and was recently placed on waivers.
  • Reese Johnson has been recalled from Chicago’s taxi squad, reports Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times.  The forward had eight points in 52 games with AHL Rockford last season along with 63 penalty minutes and is making his NHL debut tonight.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have promoted defenseman Jacob MacDonald from the taxi squad, notes Peter Baugh of The Athletic.  He’s taking the place of Erik Johnson who suffered an upper-body injury last game.  To stay cap compliant, Kiefer Sherwood was sent to the taxi squad, meaning the Avs are playing a skater short tonight.
  • The Nashville Predators have assigned Mathieu Olivier back to the taxi squad, CapFriendly reports.  While he has played in six games for the Preds this season, he has also been sent to the taxi squad six separate times over the last three weeks.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have loaned Luke Schenn and Christopher Gibson to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Schenn has been shuffled back and forth several times this season while Gibson shouldn’t be needed now that Curtis McElhinney has been taken off the CPRA list.

West Division

  • The Arizona Coyotes announced that defenseman Victor Soderstrom has been assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL. This was an expected move for the 11th-overall pick in 2019. Soderstrom came over to North America this season but was always expected to spend most of the season in the AHL. The 19-year-old did make two NHL appearances this year filling in for an injured Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but has been a healthy scratch since.
  • The Los Angeles Kings announced that forward Arthur Kaliyev and defenseman Austin Strand have been recalled from the Ontario Reign of the AHL and moved to the team’s taxi squad. The team also has re-assigned forwards Samuel Fagemo and Boko Imama from the taxi squad to Ontario.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled center Andrew Agozzino from San Diego of the AHL, per a team release.  To make room on the roster, defenseman Josh Mahura has been sent to the Gulls.  Meanwhile, CapFriendly reports that Isac Lundestrom has been sent down to the taxi squad just one day after being recalled.

Blackhawks Cancel Practice Due To Potential COVID-19 Exposure

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Jan. 31: The Blackhawks’ game against the Blue Jackets, the second game of a two-game set will continue as planned despite the cancellation of practice Saturday.

“I talked to team yesterday, we had a Zoom meeting, and the main messages was: ’We know we’re facing adversity… The circumstances, it really doesn’t matter,” said head coach Jeremy Colliton (via Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times). “The most important thing is we find a way to push through, and that can make our team stronger.'”

Jan. 30: Several teams have had to cancel practice already this season due to potential exposure to COVID-19 and the Blackhawks are the latest to join the list as they announced that they have scrapped today’s practice “out of an abundance of caution due to potential exposure of COVID-19”.

Chicago has had multiple players placed on the COVID Protocol Related Absences (CPRA) list in recent days with defenseman Adam Boqvist, winger Alex DeBrincat, and center Lucas Wallmark among the 22 players on yesterday’s updated list.  Of course, it’s worth noting that someone being placed on there does not automatically mean that the player has tested positive.

Chicago was involved in the lone game on last night’s schedule, a 2-1 loss to Columbus.  The two teams are set for a rematch on Sunday.  As things stand, that game remains on the schedule though that is subject to change depending on today’s test results.

Snapshots: Anderson, Henderson, Letang

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Partway through the game against the Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens forward Josh Anderson’s absence was noticeable. It wasn’t clear at all what had forced him from the game, but afterward, Claude Julien gave an update that no one wanted to hear.

Anderson had been pulled with flu-like symptoms. The power forward tested negative for COVID-19 but will be tested again tomorrow. Hopefully, further testing continues to come back negative and Anderson will be able to get back into the lineup in the coming days.

  • That likely won’t be true for at least one player in the Henderson Silver Knights-San Jose Barracuda preseason contest, given that it was suspended mid-game due to COVID protocols. Henderson was winning 1-0 as the teams came out to start the third period, but they were sent off the ice and the game was canceled. More information will come as the team gets it. UPDATE: The Silver Knights say the game was not suspended because of a positive COVID test from any Henderson players or staff.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins were already down most of their starting defensemen heading into tonight before Kris Letang suffered a lower-body injury and was removed from the game. Head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters that Letang is still being evaluated. The Penguins still managed to win the game in overtime, but losing Letang would be a huge blow for a team already scraping the bottom of their depth chart.

Victor Mete’s Agent Hopes For Trade

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Agent Darren Ferris is having an interesting night. After telling Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet that client Sam Bennett would like a change of scenery, now Ferris has told Salim Nadim Valji of TSN that Victor Mete has requested a trade away from the Montreal Canadiens.

Though it seems clear, Ferris clarified exactly why Mete wants out in a comment to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic:

There isn’t opportunity to get in the lineup. It’s best for both the player and the team. 

It’s important to note that though Ferris has been clear with reporters, GM Marc Bergevin tells Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports that the Canadiens have not yet received a trade request from Mete or his agent. In fact, Bergevin clarified his position even further to LeBrun, telling him “not true and not trading him.”

While it certainly would be beneficial for Mete to get out of Montreal since he hasn’t been able to get into a single game this season, moving the 22-year-old defenseman doesn’t necessarily make a lot of sense for the Canadiens. Just as the Pittsburgh Penguins—who look like they may have lost Kris Letang as well this evening—about having defensive depth and they’ll tell you don’t throw away an NHL-capable option like Mete just because he wants out.

The fact is, Mete is currently seventh of a deep defensive group that received reinforcements this offseason. Alexander Romanov has looked like a star in the early part of his rookie season, while Joel Edmundson was a top target of Bergevin; acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes and signed to a four-year deal before he hit the open market.

Mete is an injury away from being a full-time member of the Canadiens blue line once again, but obviously, Ferris believes his client would be better off somewhere else. A fourth-round pick in 2016 it didn’t take long for Mete to jump right into an NHL lineup, making his debut in 2017-18 and playing 171 games over the last three seasons. He carries a cap hit of just $735K and will be a restricted free agent again when the season is complete.

Sam Bennett Looking For Change Of Scenery

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The Calgary Flames are off to a shaky start this season with just two wins in their first five games and now may have a brewing controversy as well. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Sam Bennett’s agent Darren Ferris would like Calgary to consider a change of scenery for his client, though the term “trade request” was not actually used. Friedman notes that the team is in no rush to move the young forward.

Bennett, 24, was selected with the fourth overall pick in 2014 but never really became the top-six center the Flames hoped for, instead settling into a third (or even sometimes fourth) line role. Last season he scored just eight goals and 12 points in 52 games and this year he still hasn’t found the back of the net. He’s been overtaken by other young forwards in the Flames lineup, likely meaning he won’t ever get much more responsibility than he has right now.

On the second season of a two-year, $5.1MM contract ($2.55MM cap hit), Bennett is scheduled to become a restricted free agent after this season. His poor offensive performance will limit what he can demand in arbitration, but there is one thing that would be in his favor in negotiations.

While Bennett’s regular seasons have been underwhelming or downright dreadful, he always seems to be one of the team’s best players in the playoffs. Last summer, Bennett had five goals and eight points in ten postseason matches, leading the Flames in both categories. That performance plus the willingness to engage physically and ability to play center will certainly draw interest, though it does seem like it would be difficult for the Flames to really get a lot of value for the soon-to-be RFA.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Washington Capitals Activate Alex Ovechkin

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Even without four of their best players, the Washington Capitals have stayed at the head of the East Division, undefeated in regulation through their first eight games. Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, and Ilya Samsonov have missed the last several contests after a hotel room gathering got all four placed on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list. Today, both Ovechkin and Orlov were taken off the list, returned to practice, and now the former has also been added to the active roster. Ovechkin had been designated non-roster since the incident, but now will be eligible to play tonight as Daniel Carr heads to the taxi squad.

Orlov could also be in the lineup tonight when the Capitals take on the Boston Bruins, but he was never moved off the roster so did not need any activation.

Carr, 29, played in two of the games that the other four missed, scoring the first assist of his Capitals career in the process. The depth forward has only played 113 games at the NHL level and will have to wait patiently for his next opportunity through injury or illness.

Ovechkin meanwhile returns to a season that started with a bang, recording five points in his first four games. The legendary winger has led the league in goals for seven of the past eight seasons and likely won’t take very long to notch his second of the season. Perhaps the days off will even keep him healthier in the long run, especially as the 35-year-old navigates a condensed season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 01/30/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 protocol. Here is today’s group:

Carolina – Jesper Fast
Chicago – Nicolas Beaudin*, Adam Boqvist, Ryan Carpenter*, Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Wallmark
Columbus – Patrik Laine
Detroit – Adam Erne, Robby Fabbri, Sam Gagner, Jon Merrill, Filip Zadina
Los Angeles – Andreas Athanasiou, Blake Lizotte
New Jersey – Mackenzie Blackwood, Connor Carrick*, Aaron Dell, Travis Zajac
Vegas – Alex Pietrangelo
Washington – Evgeny Kuznetsov, Ilya Samsonov
Winnipeg – Pierre-Luc Dubois

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes; Dmitry Orlov and Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Of today’s new additions to the list, a growth in the group of Blackhawks should not come as much of a surprise after the team canceled practice today in response to growing concerns about COVID. Both Beaudin and Carpenter played in Chicago’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday, but the hope is that no other players or staff were infected at that time and the cancellation of practice will stop any further spread and hopefully prevent the Blackhawks from being the next team to see games postponed.

As for Carrick, the Devils defenseman left the team to return home to his wife for the birth of their child. While this departure falls under the COVID protocol, it does not pose a threat to any other team members. The Devils do however still have several other players on the list.

*denotes new addition

Philadelphia Flyers To Scratch Travis Konecny

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The Philadelphia Flyers have won five of their first eight games and currently have the third-best record in the East Division. Apparently, that hasn’t stopped head coach Alain Vigneault from sending messages to his team though. Vigneault has confirmed to The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor that a healthy Travis Konecny will be scratched for the Flyers’ match-up with the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

Vigneault’s issue with his team so far this season has been their five-on-five play and it seems Konecny will be the one to be made example of. O’Connor writes that Vigneault has been talking to team nearly every game about improving their even strength play in all three zones and has not seen any improvement from Konecny, among others. Vigneault spoke with Konecny, who he still calls one of their three best forwards, this morning and explained his decision to make him a healthy scratch. He explained the decision to O’Connor as well:

I’ve been talking to the players about it for some time, areas we need to be better at… I’ve addressed this with the group a couple of times. Not a couple of times, basically after every game, about our need to play better five-on-five, the need to do the right things, to play the right way… I came here to Philly to win a Stanley Cup, and to win a Stanley Cup, there’s a certain way that you have to play… (Konecny) is the one tonight who is not going to play. His five-on-five game needs to be better in the areas that he’s aware of.

So, Konecny will watch from the press box tonight as his coach hopes that he and his teammates finally get the message. Meanwhile, the Flyers will be without the player tied for the team lead in goals and plus/minus and among the top five in points and hits. The team only hopes that this move doesn’t come back to bite them against a good Islanders in a shortened, divisional season where every game matters that much more.

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