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Vancouver Canucks To Induct Roberto Luongo Into Ring Of Honour

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Former Vancouver Canucks All-Star netminder Roberto Luongo will be inducted into the team’s Ring Of Honour next season at an undetermined home game, as announced by the team Wednesday night.

Luongo, 43, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame just a few weeks ago alongside a pair of Canucks legends, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The team’s all-time leader in wins (252), Luongo backstopped the Canucks to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, was twice a Vezina Trophy finalist, and won the 2011 Jennings Trophy alongside backup Cory Schneider.

While he was drafted by the New York Islanders and played more games for the Florida Panthers, he reached his greatest team success in Vancouver. Luongo never won a Vezina Trophy, but he was universally recognized as a top-five goalie in the league for most of his 1,044-game career. His .919 career save percentage is tied for eighth among goalies with at least 250 NHL games, and his 489 career wins are fourth all-time.

Luongo was so revered in the Canucks organization that the team even attempted to name him captain. Although he couldn’t wear the “C” on his jersey during games as a goaltender, he was technically the twelfth captain in franchise history from 2008 to 2010 before conceding the role to Henrik Sedin.

Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford gave a statement on the news:

We are proud to welcome Roberto to the prestigious list of Canucks Ring of Honour inductees. Roberto experienced many of his career highlights as a Vancouver Canuck and is deservingly viewed as one of the best goaltenders our game has ever seen thanks to those moments. He was a fierce competitor and a tremendous leader for this team, and we are honoured to be able to acknowledge his contributions to this organization and city.

Given the level of play Luongo delivered in Vancouver, and his legendary status in NHL history, having his name in the team Ring of Honour is full and well deserved. It’s a bit surprising to see the organization opt not to retire Luongo’s #1 completely, but it’s still an option should the team reconsider in the future.

Dan Belisle Passes Away At 85

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Former Detroit Red Wings front office member Dan Belisle has passed away at age 85. The team released a statement announcing his passing Wednesday night.

While his name may not be well-known across hockey circles now, Belisle helped put together one of the greatest modern-day dynasties we’ve seen in the turn-of-the-century Red Wings. While Belisle last served as an assistant coach for the Red Wings in 1987, he stayed on with the team’s front office as a pro scout. He was vital in adding players via free agency that bolstered the 1997, 1998, and 2002 Stanley Cup-winning teams.

Belisle was also the head coach of the Washington Capitals for 1978-79 and part of the 1979-80 season. He also suited up in four NHL games, all in 1960-61 with the New York Rangers, scoring two goals.

PHR sends its best wishes to the Belisle family during this time.

Carolina Hurricanes Acquire Zack Hayes

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According to a team release Wednesday, the Carolina Hurricanes have acquired defenseman Zack Hayes from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for future considerations.

Hayes, 23, goes to the Hurricanes organization after two-and-a-quarter years in the desert. An undrafted free agent, Hayes signed a two-year entry-level contract with Vegas for the 2021-22 season after spending 2020-21 on an AHL contract with Vegas’ affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights. 

The 6’3″, 218 lb defenseman made his NHL debut last season, skating in three games while injuries decimated Vegas’ blueline. Things haven’t gone too well for him in the minors this year, though, registering a lone assist through 14 games after a ten-point year in 2021-22.

His game leans on the defensive side, though, and that’s what Carolina hopes Hayes provides to their organization. Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell called Hayes “an experienced leader who knows how to play physically on the back end.”

For the Golden Knights, the trade frees up a needed contract spot. The team was previously at the 50-contract limit, preventing them from making any additions. That can be especially tricky when injuries ravage an organization’s goalie depth, a situation Vegas knows well from their first year in the league.

It’s the second time this calendar year that the Hurricanes have exchanged future considerations for assets from the Golden Knights. Carolina more famously acquired Max Pacioretty and Dylan Coghlan from the Knights in a salary-motivated transaction before this season. While future considerations are rarely ever put into play anymore, the Hurricanes are working up quite a debt of gratitude toward Vegas.

Riley Sheahan Clears Unconditional Waivers

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Nov 28: Sheahan has cleared waivers, meaning his contract will be terminated.

Nov 27: The Buffalo Sabres announced this afternoon that they have placed forward Riley Sheahan on unconditional waivers, meaning that the veteran’s contract is set to be terminated. Sheahan, who signed a one-year deal with Buffalo this summer, had already been placed on standard waivers, and cleared, back in October and bounced between the NHL and AHL several times.

It’s unclear what the next step for Sheahan will be, assuming he clears waivers and is granted his release, however an immediate NHL opportunity seems unlikely, especially considering he’s already cleared waivers just under a month ago. Buffalo signed Sheahan, 30, back in August to a one-year, two-way deal in the hopes he could provide a veteran presence in their bottom-six as their young team took it’s next step. That hasn’t necessarily gone as planned.

This season, Sheahan has played in just eight games total while shuffling between Buffalo and Rochester, where the Sabres’ AHL affiliate is located. With Buffalo, Sheahan skated in two games, not making much of an impact. With Rochester, the forward played in six games and tallied three assists.

A first-round pick in 2010, Sheahan has made a career as a respectable depth forward, providing a solid defensive game while chipping in modestly on offense. His best season came in 2014-15 as a member of the Detroit Red Wings, who drafted him, recording 36 points on 13 goals and 23 assists.

San Jose Sharks Recall Scott Harrington

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The San Jose Sharks announced this afternoon that they’ve recalled defenseman Scott Harrington from the San Jose Barracuda, their AHL affiliate. No corresponding transaction was announced, however it does come a day after the team placed defenseman Mario Ferraro on IR. The recall gives the Sharks a full 23-man squad, but more importantly, seven defenseman on the roster for this evening’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

Harrington, 29, signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Sharks back in September to serve as key defensive depth for San Jose as the team works through its (bigger picture) roster transition. The defenseman has bounced between both levels so far this season, getting into a pair of games for the Sharks, where he’s recorded one assist, as well as five games for the Barracuda, including an assist there too.

The veteran defenseman, a second-round pick of the Penguins back in 2011, made his NHL debut in 2014-15 as a member of those Penguins, but spent the bulk of his career in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, primarily serving as depth. Last season, Harrington had his first AHL work since 2016-17, where he played in 50 games for the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate. Given his shuffle in the San Jose organization thus far, it’s unclear what the plan for Harrington is right now, but with the absence of Ferraro on the backend, there could be some extra minutes to go around for the Sharks.

Calgary Flames Assign Dennis Gilbert

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Nov 27: After some additional time on the active roster, Gilbert is heading back to the AHL. The team announced Sunday morning that he’d been assigned back to the Wranglers.

Nov 15: Gilbert has been recalled again, with DeSimone heading back to the AHL in his place.

Nov 13: Earlier this afternoon, the Calgary Flames announced that defenseman Dennis Gilbert has been assigned to the Calgary  Wranglers, their AHL affiliate. No corresponding move was announced. After sending Gilbert down, Calgary has seven defenseman on their roster, allowing them to maintain a bit of cap flexibility for a few days before their next road game on Thursday.

Gilbert had been recalled back on November 6th along with fellow defenseman Nick DeSimone in the wake of Michael Stone’s injury and subsequent placement on IR. With three left-handed defenseman already on the Flames roster, including Noah Hanifin, Nikita Zadorov, and Connor Mackey, as well as just $63K in cap space available prior to the assignment, the Flames were able to part with their 23rd player for the time being, playing just one home game tomorrow evening before their road trip.

Gilbert, 26, has been no stranger to the NHL/AHL shuffle throughout his five-year career, already splitting games between both the Flames and Wranglers in 2022-23. The defenseman has yet to tally a point through 10 games this season, eight of which have come in the AHL. However, his pair of NHL games this week did mark his first since he appeared in three games as a member of the Colorado Avalanche back in 2020-21.

Colorado Avalanche Re-Assign Oskar Olausson To AHL

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10:40 am: This morning, the team has made those corresponding moves, recalling Anton Blidh and Sampo Ranta from the minor leagues.

7:40 am: After their game last night, a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, the Colorado Avalanche announced they’ve re-assigned winger Oskar Olausson to the Colorado Eagles, their AHL affiliate. No corresponding move was announced. The transaction leaves the team with only 11 forwards, however Colorado does not play again until tomorrow afternoon.

A first-round pick of the Avalanche, 28th overall, back in 2021, Olausson was called up just yesterday, mere hours before he was re-assigned, but didn’t go away without getting to make his NHL debut in last night’s game, in which he played just over seven minutes. Sending Olausson back to the AHL certainly isn’t an indictment on his performance last night, with Colorado needing the twelfth forward and Olausson being waiver-exempt.

Olausson, 20, has impressed since coming to North America after being drafted. The winger played last season in the OHL, his only season there, splitting time between the Barrie Colts and Oshawa Generals, where he combined for 26 goals and 23 assists in 55 games. The Swede made his AHL debut this season with the Eagles, where he’s posted four goals and four assists through 16 AHL games. While he now represents a capable fill-in for the Avalanche as needed, one would expect Olausson to continue to work on his game in the AHL as he’s still one of the organization’s top prospects.

Washington Capitals Loan Connor McMichael To AHL

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The Washington Capitals announced they have loaned young forward Connor McMichael to the Hershey Bears, their AHL affiliate. No corresponding move was made. Of note, however, is that T..J. Oshie, who is currently on IR with a lower-body injury, was seen warming up at Capitals practice this morning in a regular jersey, as opposed to the non-contact jersey he had been wearing, according to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. The Washington Post’s Samantha Pell suggests that not only Oshie, but also defenseman Dmitry Orlov could be ready for a return to action. Should both activated, the Capitals would have to send another player down. Washington next plays on Wednesday night at home against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The choice to loan McMichael to Hershey, especially if it is in fact to make room for Oshie, does make good sense. For one, McMichael, unlike many of his Capitals teammates, is exempt from waivers. On top of that, the forward hasn’t played much this season despite being healthy, getting into just six of the team’s 20 games to date. Having been considered one of Washington’s top prospects since they drafted him 25th overall in 2019, McMichael hasn’t been able to truly take the next step in his development as an NHLer, recording just 18 points in 75 career games.

Sending McMichael down today also makes sense for Washington with Hershey set to take on the Hartford Wolf Pack this afternoon at home. Although the Ontario native has already shown he can handle AHL hockey, putting up 27 points in 33 games in his only appearance back in 2020-21, the trip back to Hershey may simply be an opportunity for McMichael to skate in every game and receive important minutes in the process, something he had not been getting with Washington, as the NHL club looks to dig out of an early hole in the standings.

Columbus Blue Jackets Place Elvis Merzlikins On IR

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The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Sunday morning that they have placed goaltender Elvis Merzlikins on IR. In a corresponding move, the team has also recalled winger Trey Fix-Wolansky from the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. Merzlikins suffered a lower-body injury in Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The team had already recalled goaltender Daniil Tarasov on an emergency basis with the news that Merzlikins was expected to be out at least 1-2 weeks. Now with the goaltender on IR, the team could recall a forward as they deal with a rash of injuries.

Merzlikins had been off to a rough start to this season, recording a 4.74 goals-against average and .864 save-percentage in nine games. The injury clearly isn’t good news per se, however a break to rest, recuperate, and gather his thoughts might be helpful to Merzlikins nonetheless. As a replacement, Tarasov really hasn’t been much better this season with a 3.57 goals-against average and .893 save-percentage, but the organization does have high hopes overall for the 23-year-old.

In Fix-Wolansky, 23, the Blue Jackets will find quality depth and someone who has been, in a word, sensational with Cleveland this season, notching 10 goals to go with 12 assists in a mere 14 games. Yes, the NHL does get tougher and the winger has just six games of experience at the top level, all last year, but given the Blue Jackets’ struggles to start this season and their recent injuries, giving Fix-Wolansky a chance in the lineup might be on the horizon.

Evening Notes: Wright, Okposo, Konecny, Kochetkov

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It hasn’t been the start to his career that many thought it would be for Shane Wright. At times thought to be the consensus number one overall pick in the 2022 draft, Wright slipped to number four, selected by the Seattle Kraken. Given Seattle’s continued push to build and add more veteran scoring to the lineup and the state of Wright’s development, a return to the OHL seemed possible, if not likely, at the start of this season. Instead, the Kraken elected to keep Wright around. That decision wasn’t what has raised many eyebrows though, instead Seattle’s choice to scratch Wright in a majority of their games and give him little ice time when they have played him, has drawn some confusion from around the league.

Tonight on Hockey Night in Canada’s 32 Thoughts segment, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek attempted to shed light on what Seattle may be planning for and what fans might be able to expect going forward. As Marek explains, the team needs to make Wright a healthy scratch five games in a row in order to be able to send him on a 14-day conditioning stint in the AHL (much like the Los Angeles Kings and Brandt Clarke are doing right now). The team tried to do this earlier in the season, but got cut off after four games due to a Jared McCann injury and needed to reset the clock, Marek believes. Tonight would mark Wright’s fifth game in a row scratched after the reset, which could allow for the forward to be sent on a conditioning stint tomorrow with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Seattle’s AHL affiliate, where he could play in five AHL games before being recalled on December 4th. After that, Seattle has just one game before camp opens up for Team Canada for the World Junior Championships, where Seattle could opt to send Wright. This plan isn’t set in stone or even confirmed by Seattle, but is interesting logic, as Marek suggests.

  • Also from tonight’s 32 Thoughts, Marek touches on Buffalo Sabres captain Kyle Okposo, who is in the final year of a seven-year, $42MM contract he signed during the 2016 offseason. When the team named him captain just before the start of the season, both sides appeared interested in continuing their relationship with one another. Even if true, Marek says that neither side is currently in a hurry to get an extension done. That doesn’t necessarily mean a new deal to keep Okposo in Buffalo won’t happen, but could point to both sides wanting to avoid distraction, especially as the team struggles, losing their eighth game in a row tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs, or to simply give both sides more clarity on Okposo’s specific value. Once a star in the NHL, Okposo’s production dropped off significantly over the life of this contract, but a recent bounce-back has breathed new life into Okposo’s career.
  • Marek also discussed the upper-body injury to Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny. It’s believed Konecny suffered the injury Thursday and was ruled out of tonight’s game. Losing their points leader, even for one game, was bad enough for the Flyers, but now according to Marek, Konecny is expected to miss a couple of weeks, if not longer. The Flyers, who have outperformed expectations this season, have done so in large part thanks to Konecny’s 19 points in 17 games.
  • Per ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov has switched agents. The netminder will now be represented by agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey. Milstein manages a number of high-profile NHLers, but is perhaps best known for representing a large portion of the NHL’s Russian players, which would now include the exciting Hurricanes prospect. The 23-year-old has played in just five NHL games in his career, nine counting the playoffs, but is in the final year of his entry-level contract.

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