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Snapshots: Sorensen, Mrazek, St. Lawrence

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The San Jose Sharks might be moving on from forward Marcus Sorensen, especially considering he will be hitting unrestricted free agency at the end of the season. In fact, Sorensen could find himself in the North Division soon as Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported that several Canadian teams have interest in the rental forward.

“Marcus Sorensen in San Jose is more of a traditional rental,” said Johnston during the “Headlines” segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “[Sorensen] only makes $1.5 million, he’s a UFA at the end of the year and I know he’s drawn some interest from the Canadian teams.”

Sorensen’s numbers aren’t overwhelming, however, with just a goal and three points in 17 games, while averaging 11:58 of ATOI. However, the experienced veteran would provide some bottom-six depth at a cheap salary and cost.

  • The Carolina Hurricanes saw a familiar face on the ice as injured goaltender Petr Mrazek, who has been out since Jan. 30 after undergoing thumb surgery, practiced with the team on Sunday. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that Mrazek’s return will depend on how the netminder feels. “He’s got to feel like he can play and contribute at the level he needs to,” said Brind’Amour (via NHL.com’s Michael Smith). “It’s a good sign we got him back out there. … I think we’re moving in the right direction.” Mrazek’s return would be a big boost to the Hurricanes. In four games this year, he has a 2-1 record and a .955 save percentage.
  • A tough day for St. Lawrence University. One day after capturing the ECAC Conference Championship and an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament, College Hockey News reports that the collegiate team has withdrawn its automatic bid to the tourney due to a positive COVID-19 test. In fact, head coach Brent Brekke announced that he was the one who tested positive. “I’m extremely sorry that this group has lost the opportunity to compete in the NCAA Tournament,” Brekke said. “It was my own test that came back positive today. The roller coaster of emotions in the last 24 hours for everyone is unimaginable. Last night we are holding the trophy above our heads and today we are shaking our heads in disbelief that the season is over. This hurts. But the one thing that can’t be taken away from this team — they are champions.”

Trade Deadline Primer: Florida Panthers

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Although we’re just two months into the season, the trade deadline is already less than a month away.  Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Florida Panthers.

The Florida Panthers are in an unusual position. Usually a team that is either standing pat or selling, the team has taken a whole new level under head coach Joel Quenneville, becoming a dominant team in the East as they sit just two points behind first-place Tampa Bay with the Carolina Hurricanes just one point behind them. However, no other team is particularly close behind those three teams, practically guaranteeing them a playoff spot. The question is, however, can they get out of the East?

Record

20-6-4, 44 points, 2nd in Central Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$8.48MM in full-season space ($15.98MM at the trade deadline), 1/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: FLR 1st, FLR 2nd, FLR 3rd, FLR 4th, FLR 5th, FLR 6th, FLR 7th, WIN 7th
2022: FLR 1st, FLR 2nd, FLR 3rd, FLR 4th, FLR 5th, FLR 6th, FLR 7th

Trade Chips

The Panthers best asset is someone who isn’t even signed to a contract. The team let forward Henrik Borgstrom leave for the Liiga this offseason, but still retain the restricted free agent’s rights. The once-highly touted prospect has struggled in the Panthers organization despite his incredible success in two years at the University of Denver. Borgstrom played in 50 games for Florida during the 2018-19 season, playing mostly a third-line role, scoring eight goals and 18 points. The belief last year was that Borgstrom would move up into the lineup and improve on those numbers. Instead, he spent most of the season with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, where he struggled and was rumored to be unhappy with his role. Regardless, he is still a player that has value and could be a valuable chip for a rebuilding team that could use a player that could immediately step into an NHL lineup. With HIFK Helsinki in the Liiga, the 23-year-old Borgstrom has 11 goals and 19 points in 27 games.

Florida also has a full complement of draft picks over the next two years, another way to pry a veteran player loose from selling teams. The team has drafted in the late lottery in the past few years, but now will be drafting much later. That makes those picks much more tradeable with many teams eager to get their hands on any first-rounder.

Others to Watch For: F Brett Connolly ($2.43MM, 2023 UFA); F Aleksi Heponiemi ($925K, 2022 RFA); D Keith Yandle ($6.35MM, 2023 UFA)

Team Needs

1) Top-Six Forward – The Panthers have been quite successful this season and have done it with a number of players who normally wouldn’t have been considered top-six players a year ago, including Patric Hornqvist and Alexander Wennberg. The team could use a big boost if they could add a significant piece to their top-six, which would allow either Hornqvist or Wennberg to move a line back and fortify the team’s depth. The team could definitely use more experience up front, pushing one of those two down to the third line. Of course, Hornqvist has been thriving this year with 11 goals and 24 points in 30 games, suggesting the team might be better off looking to add a center instead, but the team could certainly look to add more offense, no matter what it adds.

2) Top-Four Defenseman – The Panthers might want to make a play for a top-four defenseman who can play next to Aaron Ekblad. There are rumors that the team is looking at young players like Vince Dunn and Dante Fabbro as potential long-term pieces to the franchise. Florida does have a significant number of prospects, if they are willing to move them, to acquire a core piece and give the team extra defensive depth, even if they are 11th in the NHL in goals allowed.

East Notes: Ullmark, Zucker, Kuraly

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The Buffalo Sabres have a new coaching staff in place and could be getting back a key player from injury soon as interim coach Don Granato said that starting goaltender Linus Ullmark is expected to join the team for their four-game road trip starting on Monday, according to NHL.com’s Jourdon LaBarber.

“We need to integrate him into practice. That’s the next step here,” said Granato.

That doesn’t sound like Ullmark is ready to play, but getting on the ice with the team would be a big step for a player, who has only appeared in 12 games this season and hasn’t seen the ice since Feb. 25. Ullmark was playing quite well with a 5-4-2 record, a 2.44 GAA and a .919 save percentage. If he can return soon, that could be a huge boost for a team that has lost 13 in a row.

  • Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said that forward Jason Zucker continues to progress in his rehab from a lower-body injury. The winger was placed on LTIR, retroactive to Feb. 23, according to PGPSportsNow’s Matt Vensel. Sullivan said that Zucker dressed in full gear Sunday and skated with the taxi squad, suggesting he’s getting closer to a return. Regardless, it looks like Zucker should be able to return before the end of the season. The 29-year-old has four goals and seven points in 17 games, but should supply a big boost to the team’s top-six once he returns.
  • Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy writes that sources suggest that the Boston Bruins are willing to move fourth-line forward Sean Kuraly in any package and the team could find a taker in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus might be interested in Kuraly, who is a local kid, and could provide the team with solid two-way play. The scribe writes that the team feels they have younger players who look ready to step in as fourth-line options.

Arizona Coyotes Willing To Move Conor Garland For Right Price

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The Arizona Coyotes are currently in fifth place in the West Division. However, the team remains six points out of a playoff spot with the Los Angeles Kings one point behind them, making their chances of a playoff spot challenging, at best. Throw in the expectation that the Coyotes could soon undergo a rebuild with 11 unrestricted free agents currently on their roster and taxi squad and the team could find themselves sellers at the trade deadline.

Not coincidentally, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported late Saturday on the Headlines segment during Hockey Night in Canada, that the Coyotes have received significant inquiries about forward Conor Garland, who has been one of the bright spots on the team.

“I’m hearing Arizona’s been asked about him,” Friedman said. “And it’s not something I think they really want to do, but if the offer is big enough that it allows them to restock, I think they’re going to at least consider it.”

The 25-year-old Garland is no longer a prospect, but has emerged as one of the team’s top players. He currently leads the team with 25 points and is tied for second in goals behind Clayton Keller (10) with nine. Garland will be a restricted free agent this season with arbitration right and will receive a significant raise from his current $775K contract.

Garland broke out in a midseason callup during the 2018-19 season when he jumped into the league and tallied 13 goals in 47 games. He followed that up with a solid season last year, scoring 22 goals and 39 points in 68 games. However, Garland has been even more impressive this year, not too far off from being a point-per-game player, something that all teams could use to bolster their lineups, plus offer long-term firepower considering his age.

Friedman notes that the Coyotes would prefer not to trade Garland, but the young forward could bring in quite a return from teams looking to boost their scoring. On top of that, while many salary-capped teams have limited options to trade for with little to no wiggle-room under the salary cap, Garland would be a cheap option for any team, making his trade value significantly higher than many other trade deadline options.

There is a strong belief that many players in Arizona are trade deadline options, including a large contingent of defenders, including Alex Goligoski, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jason Demers, Jordan Oesterle and Ilya Lyubushkin (all UFAs). However, if Arizona put Garland on the market, it could be one of the team’s biggest returns.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/21/21

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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:

Central Division

  • The Chicago Blackhawks announced several roster moves, swapping nine different players between the taxi squad and the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. The team assigned four players from Rockford to the taxi squad, including forwards Mikael Hakkarainen, Brandon Pirri, John Quenneville and defenseman Alec Regula. The Blackhawks also assigned five players from the taxi squad to the AHL, including forward Reese Johnson and defensemen Nicolas Beaudin, Madison Bowey, Lucas Carlsson and Wyatt Kalynuk.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced they have activated center Alexandre Texier off the COVID-19 protocol list and assigned him to the taxi squad. The team has also assigned forward Mikhail Grigorenko to the taxi squad as well. Texier has missed two games while being on the protocol list, but it’s possible that Texier has been assigned to the taxi squad to accrue salary cap space since the team doesn’t play until Monday.
  • The Nashville Predators announced they have recalled forward Rem Pitlick from the taxi squad. Pitlick, who has dominated in the AHL this season (eight goals and 10 points in eight games), has appeared in three games with the Predators but is still looking for his first NHL point.
  • The Dallas Stars announced they have swapped a pair of players between the NHL and taxi squads. The team has recalled forward Justin Dowling from the taxi squad, while re-assigning Nicholas Caamano back to the taxi squad.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have assigned Jake Bean to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. It’s a familiar move for the defenseman on non-game days who has been sent down many times already but has still played in 20 games this season, recording 10 points.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced that they sent defenseman Dennis Cholowski to the taxi squad. The 23-year-old played in 88 games over his first two seasons but has suited up just once with Detroit this season.

East Division

  • The Buffalo Sabres announced they have assigned forward Steven Fogarty from the Rochester Americans of the AHL to the taxi squad. They also have loaned recently signed goaltender Michael Houser to the taxi squad as well. Fogarty, who has been impressive in Rochester (five goals, eight points in 10 games) has only played one game with the Sabres this season.
  • The New Jersey Devils have made several transactions, announcing they have placed forward Nathan Bastian on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Bastian has played 27 games for the Devils this year with two goals and six points. The team promoted forward Michael McLeod from the taxi squad to replace Bastian on the roster. The Devils also swapped four players between the taxi squad and the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. They have assigned defenseman Joshua Jacobs and goaltender Gilles Senn to Binghamton while promoting defenseman Jeremy Groleau and David Quenneville to the taxi squad.
  • The New York Islanders assigned forward Oliver Wahlstrom to the taxi squad while sending goaltender Jakub Skarek to the AHL, per CapFriendly.  Wahlstrom has played in 25 games with the Isles this season, picking up seven goals and seven assists.
  • The New York Rangers made their usual large series of moves on a non-game day.  Per CapFriendly, forward Kaapo Kakko and goalie Keith Kinkaid were sent to the taxi squad with goalie Adam Huska recalled to the NHL roster.  Defenceman Anthony Bitetto was recalled to the taxi squad from AHL Hartford while forward Jonny Brodzinski was sent to Hartford.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers sent defenseman Nate Prosser and forward Carsen Twarynski to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Meanwhile, forward Matthew Strome was sent to Lehigh Valley of the AHL.

North Division

  • The Ottawa Senators announced that they have recalled Anton Forsberg from his conditioning loan with Belleville.  The loan lasted just one game but with Ottawa’s injury situation in goal with their top three goalies all hurt, Forsberg will be needed right away.
  • The Calgary Flames recalled Dominik Simon from the taxi squad while sending Derek Ryan, Zac Rinaldo, and Alex Petrovic to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Ryan and Rinaldo have been frequently sent down on non-game days with Simon being the recall in those situations in recent weeks.
  • With the Montreal Canadiens off today, they have sent forward Paul Byron and defenseman Xavier Ouellet to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Despite clearing waivers twice, Byron has played in almost every game this season while Ouellet has played three games so far.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs sent forward Alex Galchenyuk and Michael Hutchinson to the taxi squad while recalling defenseman Timothy Liljegren to the active roster, per CapFriendly. Galchenyuk made his Toronto debut recently and has an assist in two games with the Maple Leafs.
  • The Vancouver Canucks recalled defenseman Brogan Rafferty to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. He was a high-scoring blueliner in the minors last season but has played just one game this year, recording an assist in January.

West Division

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Matt Roy To Three-Year Extension

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The Los Angeles Kings announced they have signed defenseman Matt Roy to a significant raise as the team has extended him for three more years. The deal is worth $9.45MM with a $3.15MM AAV. Roy was going to be a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

The terms of the deal (via TSN’s Pierre LeBrun):

2021-22: $2MM
2022-23: $3.25MM
2023-24: $4.2MM

The 26-year-old was making just $700K this year, the last year of his two-year bridge deal he signed in 2019. By signing a three-year pact, the Kings bought out two UFA years, hence the significant raise.

Roy is the ultimate success story.

Drafted in the seventh round in the 2015 draft after his freshman year at Michigan Tech, Roy had two more positive seasons in college before signing with the Kings at the end of the 2017. He played two seasons with the Ontario Reign in the AHL before earning a promotion to Los Angeles late in 2019. He played 25 games for the Kings that year and earned himself a full-time role immediately. Roy finished last season with four goals and 18 points, but more importantly carried a plus-16 rating on a weak L.A. team. This year, Roy has seven assists in 24 games along with a plus-two rating, while averaging 19:16 in ice time, third among Kings’ defensemen behind Drew Doughty and Michael Anderson.

Toronto Maple Leafs Place Travis Boyd On Waivers

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have put forward Travis Boyd on waivers once again, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. The 27-year-old was put on waivers at the start of training camp and cleared and now must go through the process once again. Boyd has appeared in 20 of the Maple Leafs 32 games this year, but has also spent a good amount of time on the team’s taxi squad.

The move is designed to maximize Toronto’s cap space before the upcoming trade deadline. Assuming Boyd clears, which isn’t necessarily a guarantee, the Maple Leafs can send him down to the taxi squad to accrue cap space. With no players currently on LTIR, the team can now save up some extra space before the trade deadline to potentially open up more opportunities for the team. Boyd makes the minimum, $700K salary, but having him on the taxi squad between games can save the team quite a bit.

Boyd has fared quite well since coming over via free agency during the offseason. The forward has three goals and eight points in 20 games this year, while averaging just 9:40 of ATOI.

Capitals Sign Trevor Van Riemsdyk To Two-Year Extension

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Despite not seeing a significant amount of ice time this season after signing a one-year deal in October, the Washington Capitals still liked what they’ve seen from defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk and have extended him for two more years at a $950K AAV, according to TSN’s Frank Seravalli.

The terms of the deal (according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman) are:

2021-22: $900K
2022-23: $1MM

Van Riemsdyk was brought in and signed in October as a depth piece for $800K. The team had bigger plans for him until they were able to pry 43-year-old Zdeno Chara away from Boston, knocking van Riemsdyk down the depth chart. The 29-year-old has only appeared in nine games for the Capitals this year with one goal, but has the ability to be a solid third-pairing defenseman in the NHL. In fact, he received some top-four minutes years ago with the Chicago Blackhawks and was selected by Vegas in the expansion draft in 2017, but was shortly after flipped to the Hurricanes.

The blueliner got plenty of action in his three previous years with the Carolina Huricanes where he played 206 games. However, the Capitals may need him in the future as the team continues to work the salary cap to bring in top-end talent and always needs players on good deals to fill out their roster.

Trade Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers

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Although we’re just two months into the season, the trade deadline is already less than a month away.  Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Edmonton Oilers.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle standing between the Edmonton Oilers and their longest playoff run in the Connor McDavid/Leon Draisaitl era is not their North Division competition, but their lack of cap space. The Oilers are ready to be all-out buyers and compete for a Stanley Cup, but they lack the cap space to do much at all. They are already using Long Term Injured Reserve space and even most of that is already chewed up. Any trade will either have to see salary go the other way or be paired with another transaction to shed salary.

The Oilers have been bold in their waivers decisions this year, placing the likes of James Neal, Alex Chiasson, and Jujhar Khaira among others on the wire. Neal will require waivers again after two more games played, but is not a realistic waiver claim candidate anyhow. Plus, Neal’s off-roster status is currently reflected in their still-lacking cap space. Chiasson and Khaira though would require waivers again to be moved off the roster and there is reason to be believe that the Oilers may not risk it a second time. Could Zack Kassian be the next name they take a chance with? Signed to a long-term contract with a significant amount of salary, Kassian is probably unlikely to be claimed and could open up some space. He appears to have lost his top-six role and may be worth the risk.

The fact that a contender must consider risking their starting players on waivers to open up enough space to add different starting players just shows the dire cap situation in Edmonton. Add in the team’s lack of 2021 draft picks and an organizational philosophy that has been opposed to trading top prospects and it may be difficult for the Oilers to make a big move. With that said, they will find a way to make some sort of addition or two.

Record

20-13-0, .606, 3rd in North Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$0MM in full-season space (LTIR), 1/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: EDM 1st, EDM 4th, EDM 6th, PIT 6th, EDM 7th
2022: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th

Trade Chips

The Oilers’ best chance at adding an impact forward to their roster is by moving out salary to offset the addition. Although the Edmonton blue line may not seem like a top unit in the NHL, they are very deep which could make a roster defenseman expendable. Especially considering the impending Expansion Draft, which could cost the Oilers a young roster defenseman anyhow, there is some added incentive to deal from the blue line. 23-year-old Ethan Bear, who was trending upward heading into this season, has hit a wall in his development instead, recording just three points thus far, seeing a career low in ice time, and even sitting a few games as a healthy scratch. Bear still undoubtedly has value and could be the Oilers’ top trade chip, if they’re willing to move him. Competing for the No. 6 defenseman role for Edmonton this year has been William Lagesson, 25, and Caleb Jones, 23, who like Bear will each be restricted free agents after the 2021-22 season and are eligible for selection in the Expansion Draft. While Jones may have more upside, Lagesson has been the preferred player of the coaching staff due to his superior defense, even recently playing a top-four role. Jones’ contract is also slightly more expensive, which could be considered. Assuming the Oilers use the 7-3 protection scheme in the Expansion Draft and Darnell Nurse and Oscar Klefbom (though not a lock) are protected, only one of these three young defensemen can join them. However, only one can be selected as well. That works out to one of the trio being expendable in a deadline move, especially with top prospects like Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg pushing up the pipeline as well.

The Oilers don’t have the same depth up front, but as previously mentioned have been willing to take risks on waivers this season to gain cap flexibility. If they feel Chiasson or Kassian are unlikely to clear waivers, they could shop either one to open up space or potentially in a swap. They could also look at moving some of their fringe forward to teams with a greater need for depth beyond their starting group.

Either as a sweetener to move another contract or as part of a return if they’re able to open up cap space, the Oilers will also have to consider moving some of their prospects. Tyler Benson, who has been more talk than walk as a pro prospect for Edmonton, may need a change of scenery after years of being unable to earn a full-time role with the NHL club. Cooper Marody, tearing up the AHL this year and having earned some NHL experience last year, could also be an attractive name. While Bouchard, Broberg, and Dylan Holloway are likely untouchable, would Edmonton consider moving other top prospects like Raphael Lavoie, Ryan McLeod, or Matej Blumel? Would they dip into their deep group of young goaltenders, such as Stuart Skinner, Dylan Wells, Olivier Rodrigue, or Ilya Konovalov?

Others to Watch For: D Dmitri Samorukov ($825K, 2022 RFA), D Markus Niemelainen ($817.5K, 2022 RFA), F Gaetan Haas ($915K, UFA), F Patrick Russell ($700K, UFA)

Team Needs

1) Affordable Top-Six Forward – It may seem strange for the Oilers’ biggest need to be at forward. Edmonton is a top-ten team in goals per game, shots per game, and power play efficiency – arguably a top-five offense in hockey. Yet, that offensive production is heavily skewed towards just two players: McDavid and Draisaitl. A quick look at the depth chart also clearly shows that the team lacks quality top-six wingers, with players who should be above-average bottom-six players instead slotted as below-average top-six forwards. McDavid and Draisaitl deserve to have more talent around them, a need that has plagued the Oilers for years. Additionally, Edmonton faces a path to the NHL’s final four this season that goes through Winnipeg, a team with defensive issues, and Toronto, a team with goaltending issues. In a battle of three elite offenses, the North Division is likely to go to the team that can simply outscore the others. Right now, that isn’t Edmonton, but it wouldn’t take much to shift the scales.

The caveat of course is that without some cap gymnastics, the Oilers cannot be players for any of the high-priced forwards on the rental market (or any market for that matter). The focus must be on bargain buys, adding players who can produce at a high level while being paid at a low level. Among rentals, Bobby Ryan, Erik Haula, Carl Soderberg, or old friend Sam Gagner (yet again) could all fit the bill. Among players with an additional year of term, possibly more attractive anyway, Vladislav Namestnikov, Calle Jarnkrok, Rocco Grimaldi, Curtis Lazar, and Colin Blackwell are all intriguing options. If available, L.A.’s Alex Iafallo is likely the very best value addition.

2) Depth Forward – On the off chance that Edmonton has the cap space and a contract slot left, they could make another move and it should again be up front. Depth is key in the postseason and the Oilers simply don’t have it at forward. They could stand to add some playoff experience, defensive ability, and if possible top-six upside in an established veteran forward. While goaltending continues to be a major long-term need of the Oilers, solving that problem in-season given all of the factors working against such deal make it extremely unlikely.

Blues’ Oskar Sundqvist Out For Season With Torn ACL

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No sooner after it reported that Oskar Sundqvist would be sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury, the St. Louis Blues put that “indefinitely” in more certain terms. The team has announced that Sundqvist is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee. Sundqvist will undergo surgery when the teams returns to St. Louis from their current road trip. The Blues hope that Sundqvist will be ready for 2021-22 training camp and will re-evaluate the injury at that time.

The injury occurred early in the Blues’ Friday night game against the San Jose Sharks. Sundqvist appeared to collide with teammate Kyle Clifford and went down in visible pain. He had to be helped off the ice by Ryan O’Reilly and Sammy Blais, placing no pressure on his left leg. Sundqvist did not return to the game, missing the second and third periods entirely. Despite what seemed to be a serious injury, the Blues did not make any snap judgements, merely stating that Sundqvist would be sidelined for the time being while they awaited the results of an MRI. That MRI apparently took place on the road, revealing a torn ACL.

The ACL injury is a difficult one to overcome in hockey. The knee ligament plays a crucial part in the mechanics of skating. A torn ACL takes a while to heal from surgery regardless, but to get back to skating strength is whole other level of timely recovery, rehab, and re-strengthening. The injury always ends a season and, depending on the severity, usually takes at least six months prior to a return and then often a period of time to re-adjust to game speed. The outlook for Sundqvist, as noted by the team, is a return for training camp at the very earliest. A sixth-month period from the date of surgery will line up with late September. The Blues know too well that all recovery periods for ACL injuries are merely speculation and that the return to full strength is not an easy, straightforward path; the team has seen both Robby Fabbri and Carl Gunnarsson suffer ACL tears in recent years that ended their seasons and impacted their play upon return.

In Sundqvist, St. Louis loses a reliable bottom-six forward who has gained ice time and special teams responsibility in each of his four years with the club. A member of the 2019 Stanley Cup-winning roster, Sundqvist provided nine points in 25 games and top-six minutes en route to a title. He was on a similar scoring pace early this season with nine points through 28 games and has recorded 31 and 23 points respectively in each of the past two seasons. Sundqvist’s absence leaves a hole at third-line center for the Blues and his penalty kill ability and physical style will be missed as well. Sundqvist joins a laundry list of injuries for St. Louis; he’s their third season-ending injury behind Gunnarsson and Alex Steen (unofficially retired), while defenseman Colton Parayko and forwards Ivan Barbashev, Jacob de La Rose, Erik Foley, Mackenzie MacEachern, and Robert Thomas are also on Injured Reserve and Zach Sanford and Scott Perunovich are otherwise sidelined as well. With the injuries mounting up, suddenly the Los Angeles Kings biting at the Blues’ heels in the West Division look like a real threat to steal the final playoff spot.

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