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Archives for March 2021

Snapshots: Pearson, Andersen, Dahlen

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To this point, the Vancouver Canucks had approached the future of forward Tanner Pearson with two options. If the two sides could come to terms on an extension, the preference was to retain Pearson beyond this season. If no agreement could be reached before the trade deadline, then the team would instead trade Pearson rather than risk losing him for nothing in free agency. Now, than plan might have been taken away from them. Pearson was injured in the Canucks’ Wednesday night match-up with the Ottawa Senators and was forced to leave the game. The team has since announced that the injury is far worse than merely a one-game absence. Pearson is expected to miss at least four weeks with an undisclosed lower-body injury. With the trade deadline just 24 days away, Pearson will not return to action before the Canucks’ last chance to move him. In a normal year, perhaps a team would be willing to buy low on an injured Pearson at the deadline. However, in this cap-strapped climate, teams aren’t messing around with adding salary and with Pearson not only injured through the deadline but with an uncertain timeline to return altogether, there is very little chance that the Canucks will be able to move him. Perhaps GM Jim Benning and company will be able to leverage the injury into a more affordable extension; Vancouver’s lack of cap space is believed to be the reason why a deal hasn’t already been reached and a cheaper deal would help to make the squeeze work for next season and beyond. Otherwise, its seems the Canucks have missed their chance to get any value out of Pearson before he departs this summer. It’s not and ideal outcome for the team or the player, who would prefer to be competing for a playoff spot if and when he returns to action.

  • Another player dealing with injury is Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen. Yet, Andersen continues to suit up for the team. After a two-week hiatus with a lower-body injury, Andersen returned to Leafs earlier this month. However, the injury continues to nag him, he tells TSN’s Kristen Shilton, and it has shown on the ice. Andersen brought a 2-4-0 record, .887 save percentage, and 3.30 GAA in March into Toronto’s Friday night contest with the Calgary Flames, only to allow four goals on 18 shots in yet another loss. Andersen has now allowed 19 goals in his last five games. With their starter faltering, the Leafs will turn to backup Jack Campbell to start their next game, but one game off for Andersen is unlikely to provide any long-term relief. The Maple Leafs, who are serious Stanley Cup contenders this year and face an unusually easy path to the Final without having to go through the Tampa Bay Lightning and/or Boston Bruins in the early rounds this year. If Toronto doesn’t give Andersen another extended break to shake his nagging injury and his play does not improve, they may need to start considering a major change in net before the trade deadline. Andersen’s play this season, injury or not, is also certainly impacting his impending free agency as well.
  • San Jose Sharks prospect Jonathan Dahlen has been named the MVP of the Allsvenskan, the team was proud to announce. Although the Allsvenskan is Sweden’s second-tier league, Dahlen’s 25 goals and 71 points in 45 games are still impressive and helped Timra IK to a regular season title (by a wide margin) and a chance at promotion to the SHL. This is Dahlen’s second straight season of 70+ points as the leading scorer for Timra and it seems like he is finally ready to make the transition to the NHL. Dahlen, 23, has played parts of two seasons in the AHL, but always seemed to have one foot out the door given his preference to play in Sweden if he wasn’t in the NHL. Perhaps that has contributed to his NHL rights being traded twice already. However, the Sharks are in no position to turn away affordable forward talent and should be ready to give Dahlen a shot at a roster spot next season, if not sooner once his Allsvenskan season ends.

Senators Notes: Goaltending, North Dakota, Trade Deadline

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Senators GM Pierre Dorion spoke on TSN 1200 in Ottawa this morning and addressed many of the most pressing issues facing his team down the stretch this season. And while that won’t include a playoff push, as the Senators hold the NHL’s second-worst record and are well outside of a playoff spot in the North Division, Dorion still stated that he would like to see more consistency out of his roster the rest of the way. The position of greatest concern right now is obviously goaltending. Ottawa is allowing 3.91 goals against per game this season, the worst mark in the league by a wide margin. The Senators’ depth in net appeared to be strong entering the season with newly-acquired starter Matt Murray at the top, promising backup Marcus Hogberg ready for a full-time NHL role, college standout Joey Daccord as next man up, and top prospects Filip Gustavsson and Kevin Mandolese to fall back on as well. Yet, Murray and Hogberg have struggled greatly and the Senators’ goaltending actually improved when the pair were lost to injury, making Daccord the starter by default. However, Daccord is now expected to miss the rest of the season due to an injury of his own. This prompted not only the waiver claim of Anton Forsberg, but also for the team to send a chartered private plane to Winnipeg to pick him up, so as to avoid any quarantine period. Forsberg, who amazingly has not played at any level this season despite being claimed on waivers three times, will start for AHL Belleville on Saturday and is then likely to dress as backup behind Gustavsson on Monday, according to The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. Gustavsson, who made his NHL debut by providing a shutout third period in relief of Daccord on Wednesday, will make his first start on Monday and he and Forsberg appear likely to split starts until Murray and/or Hogberg are healthy enough to return to action. Dorion considers Murray “week-to-week” and hopes Hogberg will be ready for an AHL conditioning stint before the end of the month.

  • Without anything to play for this season, the stretch run could actually be an exciting time for the Senators as they take a look at some other options in action before next season. That could very well include any number of current members of the University of North Dakota, once their NCAA season comes to an end. Ottawa has spent a number of high draft picks on Fighting Hawks commits in recent years and now the No. 1 team in college hockey is seeking a National Championship, fueled by Senators property. For now, Dorion says that he has informed North Dakota forward Shane Pinto and defensemen Jacob Bernard-Docker, Jake Sanderson, and Tyler Kleven to simply focus on their pursuit of a title and worry about their pro futures later. However, once the postseason has ended for North Dakota – as early as next weekend or as late as April 10 – Dorion could sign any of the group and insert them into the Senators lineup right away. He specifically called Pinto, Bernard-Docker, and Sanderson “close” in terms of their pro readiness. Bernard-Docker, a junior, and Pinto, a sophomore, are more likely to sign this year than Sanderson, a freshman, even though he was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Beyond the North Dakota players that Ottawa already owns, their link to the program and the immediate opportunity available could give them a leg up in wooing a pair of the very best college free agents available. Seniors Matt Kiersted and Jordan Kawaguchi are certainly on the Senators’ radar and could be intrigued by joining the Ottawa rebuild. Dorion did not address the immediate pro future of North Dakota transfer Jonny Tychonick, another talented draft pick whose University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks are also hoping to make the NCAA Tournament.
  • As for players that could be leaving the Senators before the end of the season, Dorion opined that this could be a very quiet trade deadline for his team, a sentiment that many other teams have echoed. In a buyer’s market that is influenced by difficult salary cap situations and border restrictions, there is a feeling that there might not be much action before the April 12 deadline. Dorion claims that teams are “checking in” but there apparently hasn’t been much traction on forming actual deals. The Senators are not in a great position to trade this season anyhow. Recently re-acquired winger Ryan Dzingel is their most valuable rental piece, but may not even be available if there is mutual interest in an extension. Dzingel has already re-discovered his scoring touch back in Ottawa, notching four goals in eight games. Expensive and unproductive veterans Artem Anisimov and Erik Gudbranson, depth defensemen Mike Reilly and Braydon Coburn, and grinders Matthew Peca and Micheal Haley are the only other expiring contracts the Senators have and lack much, if any value. It could be a quiet deadline indeed in Ottawa barring a surprise move.

Minor Transactions: 03/19/21

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While the NHL trade market is swirling with rumors and the college free agent market has begun to heat up, there has been far more anticipation than actual transactions of late. Yet, in Europe there are teams already looking ahead to next season and players whose current campaigns are coming to an end. The KHL is already through the first round of the Gagarin Cup playoffs, while the SHL, Liiga, NLA, and others are in the stretch run. Keep up with these notable moves and more with today’s minor transactions:

  • After a surprising first-round sweep at the hands of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, the off-season has arrived earlier than hoped for perennial KHL contender Jokerit. The Finnish club hasn’t wasted any time with making their intentions for next season known either, quickly re-signing many of their core players who had been on expiring contracts – a group familiar to NHL fans. Jokerit has announced new contracts for four key players: two-year extensions for forward Markus Hannikainen, defenseman Alex Grant, and goaltender Anders Lindback and a one-year deal for forward Henri Ikonen. Hanikainen, 27, just completed his first season in the KHL after spending the past five years with the Columbus Blue Jackets (and briefly the Arizona Coyotes). Lindback, perhaps the most recognizable name, has been in Europe for three years now, but spent eight seasons in North America, totaling 130 NHL games with five different teams. Grant, known more for his status as top defender in the AHL in nearly 500 career games, has spent the past three years with Jokerit since leaving North America. Ikonen, 26, is a former Tampa Bay Lightning prospect who has played in the KHL for the past four years since his entry-level contract expired. With many of Jokerit’s other top players also signed beyond this season, including several more former NHLers, the team will return the bulk of a roster than finished fifth in the KHL’s Western Conference this year and hope that they can take another step forward in 2021-22.
  • The season has also ended abruptly for the KHL’s Torpedo Nizhny Novogord, although not entirely unexpectedly as they were swept in the first round by the powerhouse Ak Bars Kazan, the Eastern Conference regular season champions. With his Russian campaign now over, the Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled young forward Semyon Der-Arguchintsev from his loan, writes Mike Davies of the Peterborough Examiner. Rather than rush SDA back from Russia to play in the AHL right away, the Leafs allowed him to complete his KHL season. The 20-year-old forward recorded six points in 17 games for Torpedo as a part-time player, and did play in all four playoff games but was held off the score sheet. He is now ready to return to more consistent, valued role with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, making his North American pro debut. A former standout with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes, SDA is an impressive offensive talent who should be able to make an impact in the minors.
  • Longtime Montreal Canadien David Desharnais is wrapping up his second season with HC Fribourg-Gotteron of the Swiss National League, his third season abroad since leaving the NHL. It’s been his best season in Europe by a wide margin, as Desharnais has recorded 36 points in 39 games and has established himself as a veteran leader for Fribourg-Gotteron, who currently sit in second place in the NLA standings with the postseason approaching. Despite this success and many years of NHL experience, the 34-year-old center does not seem too focused on attempting a return to North America. Instead, he has signed a one-year extension to stay in Switzerland, the club announced. Barring another point-per-game Swiss season next year (and even if then), this likely puts an official end to Desharnais’ NHL career.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/19/21

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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 the list so far:

Boston – Sean Kuraly, Jake Debrusk*, David Pastrnak*, David Krejci*, Craig Smith*
Columbus – Alexandre Texier
NY Islanders – Noah Dobson
NY Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe (plus the coaching staff)

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: None

The news in Boston led to two games being postponed, even though the team played last night against Buffalo. In the release, however, the NHL was optimistic the team would be able to open up their facilities next Wednesday. If these players are not back by then it would be a very difficult test for the Bruins, given how important the group is.

This is the second event that includes the Sabres and has terrible optics for the league, given that all four of the Bruins added today played last night against Buffalo, despite Kuraly being added earlier in the day. It’s key to remember that it doesn’t necessarily mean they have tested positive though and the league has more detailed medical information than it shares with the public.

After being made a late addition to the list, Vegas’ William Karlsson was removed from the list just hours later with a confirmed false positive test.

*denotes new addition

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/19/21

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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:

West Division

  • The San Jose Sharks have recalled Christian Jaros from the AHL, his first recall of the season. Jaros was acquired from the Ottawa Senators in January and has two points in ten games for the San Jose Barracuda this season.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have returned Josh Mahura to the AHL, while recalling Kodie Curran and Andrew Agozzino. The Ducks got quite the performance out of rookie Jamie Drysdale in his NHL debut, potentially launching him into the roster full-time.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have sent Matthew Villalta back to the Ontario Reign, leaving them with Troy Grosenick as the taxi squad goaltender.

Central Division

  • The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Dennis Cholowski from the minor leagues for the first time this season. The 23-year-old defenseman has played 11 games in the AHL, scoring eight points so far.
  • Detroit also recalled goaltender Calvin Pickard from Grand Rapids under emergency conditions. This would indicate that the injury suffered by Jonathan Bernier will leave him sidelined for at least a short amount of time.
  • In their daily move, the Nashville Predators have recalled Michael McCarron from the taxi squad, while moving Alexandre Carrier and Ben Harpur back to it. The Predators continue to flip players back and forth to save cap and salary on off days.

East Division

North Division

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Anatoly Golyshev’s KHL Deal Terminated, Signs With Islanders

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March 19: The Islanders have made the deal with Golyshev official, signing him to a one-year entry-level contract for the 2020-21 season. He can step directly (once through quarantine protocols) into the NHL lineup if the team deems it best.

March 16: The Islanders have been waiting for quite a while to get winger Anatoly Golyshev into their system.  However, the wait may soon be over.  The KHL announced today (Twitter link) that Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg has terminated their contract with the 26-year-old, making him a free agent while Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that New York is expected to sign him shortly.

Golyshev was a fourth-round pick (95th overall) of the Isles back in 2016 as a 21-year-old.  At that point, he was coming off of a 25-goal, 44-point campaign in the KHL, making him an intriguing selection.  Of course, at that time, he wasn’t planning on leaving for North America but with there being no player transfer agreement between the NHL and Russia’s hockey federation, New York was able to hold his rights indefinitely.

Since being picked, Golyshev has been a top performer with Avtomobilist and is now the franchise leader in career goals (109) and points (220) despite coming off one of his quieter years that saw him post 12 goals and 15 assists in 53 games.

Golyshev is still subject to the entry-level system and will be capped at signing a one-year contract.  That shouldn’t be much of a deterrent as the two sides will be able to use this season as that one year, paving the way for a bigger contract just a few months from now if things go well.

In the meantime, Golyshev will be an interesting addition to a New York team that is in the middle of the pack offensively so far this season.  There’s a vacancy to fill with Anders Lee on LTIR and while the Islanders obviously won’t be expecting him to step into that big of a role, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if he gets an NHL opportunity as soon as he gets through the mandatory quarantine period.

New Jersey Devils Sign Michael Vukojevic

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The New Jersey Devils have signed one of their draft picks, inking Michael Vukojevic to a three-year entry-level contract that will start in the 2021-22 season. Vukojevic has been playing on an AHL contract with the Binghamton Devils this season as he waited for the OHL to return to play.

Selected 82nd overall in 2019, the 19-year-old defenseman has been quite impressive for Binghamton, recording five points in seven games so far this season. The 6’3″ Vukojevic could be considered a mid-round steal for the Devils, given that at times in the past he’s been considered a top prospect with a lot more upside than you can normally find in the third round. He took part in the 2019 CHL Top Prospects game that included names like Bowen Byram, Kirby Dach, and Dylan Cozens, has competed at both the U18 World Junior Championship and the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup for Canada, and was ranked 55th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

Though there are obvious warts to his game, the Devils obviously believe that Vukojevic was worthy of an NHL deal. He would have become an unrestricted free agent if not signed by June, but will now be able to return to Binghamton next season and refine his performance. When (or if) the OHL returns this season, he’ll need to be sent back to the Kitchener Rangers.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Vladislav Provolnev

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March 19: The Coyotes have officially announced the signing of Provolnev to a one-year entry-level contract for the 2021-22 season. GM Bill Amstrong released a short statement on his newest defenseman:

We are very pleased to sign Vladislav. He is a big, strong defenseman who skates well and plays a physical style. He also has a good shot and can contribute offensively. He will be another good blueline prospect for us.

March 18: The Arizona Coyotes are adding some depth to their defensive group, as according to Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider, the team has agreed to terms with Vladislav Provolnev. The 25-year-old defenseman will be limited to a one-year entry-level contract that should start in 2021-22 as he is an undrafted free agent, not a member of the Coyotes’ reserve list, though Morgan does not specify and the team has not officially announced it yet.

Provolnev broke out offensively this season in the KHL, scoring 10 goals and 20 points in 48 games for Cherepovets Severstal. That number dwarfed his previous career-high of eight points and could well be an outlier in his career. The 6’3″ defenseman certainly isn’t known for his offense, but instead brings a high level of physicality and defensive play.

The Coyotes will have plenty of room on their blue line next season, given the apparent departures of almost the entire current group. Alex Goligoski, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jason Demers, Jordan Oesterle and Ilya Lyubushkin are all scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency after this season. That will leave just Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jacob Chychrun among the regulars, with several prospects vying for full-time roster spots. Provolnev should be one of those, though the transition from the KHL to the NHL has proven difficult for many defensemen in the past.

NHL Postpones Two More Boston Bruins Games

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The NHL has announced that the next two Boston Bruins games, one against the Buffalo Sabres tomorrow and one against the New York Islanders on Tuesday, have been postponed. Four additional Bruins players have entered the league’s COVID Protocols today after Sean Kuraly was listed yesterday. Despite Kuraly’s placement in the protocol and a Sabres staff member also being placed in them, the game between the two teams went on as scheduled last night.

The league expected the Bruins will be able to re-open their facilities for practice on Wednesday, March 24. The team has not released the identities of the four additional players, though they will be included in the list published later this evening.

Buffalo of course was the organization that was “furious” with the NHL earlier this season after a pair of games were allowed to be played against the New Jersey Devils despite a player entering the protocol. The Sabres then had their own outbreak, shutting down the team’s operation for some time. Hopefully, that sort of thing will not be repeated here.

Joey Daccord Likely Out Rest Of Season

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One of the feel-good stories of the year so far was Joey Daccord’s first NHL win, coming against the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this month after the young goaltender was forced into action. Ottawa Senators starter Matt Murray suffered an injury in the warm-up, leading to Daccord being thrown to the wolves against the North Division-leading Maple Leafs without much time to prepare. The 24-year-old goaltender would stop 33 of 36 shots for his first NHL victory, leading to an emotional post-game interview that endeared Daccord to hockey fans across the continent.

Unfortunately, the next chapter of the story isn’t a happy ending. Just when it seemed that Daccord was going to get an extended run as the Senators starter, he suffered a lower-body injury on Wednesday night against the Vancouver Canucks. As relayed by Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion told TSN radio today Daccord will be out long-term, “most likely the season.” Garrioch’s sources have led him to believe that the goaltender is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, though the team has not released any specific information.

Daccord is an easy player to root for, after going 199th overall in the 2015 draft and spending three seasons at Arizona State University. He became the first Sun Devil to play in the NHL when he debuted for the Senators in the 2018-19 season (not to mention being the first Sun Devil to even sign an entry-level contract) and has looked at least relatively capable in his eight appearances this season. An .897 save percentage in those starts doesn’t look like much, but when you realize that Murray has an .880 and Marcus Hogberg an .859, Daccord looks like a Vezina-winner in comparison.

Hopefully, even if he doesn’t return to the lineup this season he’ll be back on the ice before long. Daccord actually signed a three-year contract with the Senators in the fall, taking him through the 2022-23 season.

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