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Archives for November 2021

Jake Allen Injured, Expected To Miss Time

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Carey Price may be out of the NHL/NHLPA Assistance Program and back with the Montreal Canadiens, but he has yet to actually suit up for the team. Price’s readiness may have just become much more dire, as his understudy is now be out of commission. In Saturday night’s match-up with the Detroit Red Wings, starter Jake Allen was forced out of the game after an ugly collision in net in the first period. Detroit’s Dylan Larkin was shoved from behind by Habs defenseman Jeff Petry while on a net drive and had no time to stop before crashing into Allen (video). Initially, it actually appeared that Larkin received the worst of the blow, with Allen seeming alright. Yet, it was Allen who eventually left the game while Larkin returned (and scored a pair of critical goals, including the overtime game-winner.)

If there was any optimism that Allen was kept out only as a precaution and would be able to return to action right away, that was quickly erased after the game. With the Canadiens turning around and traveling to play the rival Bruins on Sunday, the team announced that Cayden Primeau had been recalled and would meet the team in Boston. After Samuel Montembeault played most of the game on Saturday, Primeau may even be the starter on Sunday, as Allen is clearly not available. Just how long Allen will be out remains the critical question.

While there has been no word yet on the severity of Allen’s injury, an extended absence would be a major blow to an already-struggling Montreal squad. Allen has started 14 of 16 games for the Canadiens and has been playing well. Montembeault is a different story, as there is a reason Allen has been a workhorse for the team. The 25-year-old waiver claim has an .885 save percentage and 3.69 GAA in four appearances this season and sadly this is not far from his career NHL numbers either. If Price and Allen are unavailable and Montembeault becomes the de facto starter, life will get even more difficult for the Habs. Primeau, 22, has some brief NHL experience of his own, but his 2020-21 numbers were disastrous and set the young goalie back in his development. Primeau is off to a good start with the AHL’s Laval Rocket this season, but has yet to show he is ready for the NHL. The team hopes Allen is not sidelined long-term or that Price can finally make his return, because the outlook of their young replacement tandem is bleak.

Mark Stone Removed From Injured Reserve

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The Vegas Golden Knights are set to get their captain back, as Mark Stone has been removed from injured reserve on the NHL media site. Earlier today, head coach Pete DeBoer told reporters including Jesse Granger of The Athletic that Stone would be a game-time decision tonight.

If the Golden Knights do get Stone back tonight against the Vancouver Canucks, it will be his first appearance in a month. The 29-year-old forward left a game against the Los Angeles Kings on October 14 and has been absent ever since. After registering three assists in the season opener, Stone looked like he was ready to repeat an impressive performance from 2020-21, when he scored 21 goals and 61 points in just 55 games. That was the first point-per-game season of his career (though he’s been very close previously), and earned him a top-10 finish in the Hart Trophy voting.

It’s not only his point production that has been missing from the Golden Knights lineup though. Stone’s defensive impact is tremendous, which may help explain why Vegas has allowed 42 goals through 14 games. Those numbers have turned around recently with the team righting the ship, but getting their captain back would only help push them in the right direction.

Remember, while Stone is coming back off long-term injured reserve, the Golden Knights are still deep into their LTIR relief now that Jack Eichel is with the club. When everyone is healthy the team will have a difficult time fitting everything in, but activating Stone won’t cause a cap issue right away.

Nikita Zaitsev Back In COVID Protocol

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Less than 12 hours after being removed from the COVID protocol, Ottawa Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev was added back to it just before tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In his place, Jacob Bernard-Docker, recalled earlier today, is making his season debut.

Amazingly, the Senators have almost completely exhausted their reserve defenders. Max Guenette, the last healthy defenseman signed to an NHL contract in the minor leagues, was also recalled today, though he was reassigned before the game started. With a third of the team on the COVID protocol and Erik Brannstrom dealing with a broken hand, the Senators’ depth is being seriously tested.

In previous years losing Zaitsev might have been a big blow, but the 30-year-old defender has seen his role changed in Ottawa this year. Not only is he averaging more than five fewer minutes of ice time, but he also was scratched entirely at one point. In 11 games he has recorded just a single point, a far cry from the impressive 36-point rookie campaign he had in 2016-17 that earned him a seven-year, $31.5MM extension from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Still, healthy, eligible players are extremely valuable for the Senators right now as they try to navigate a difficult stretch. The team is now 3-9-1 on the year, not exactly the forward step they were hoping for from the young squad.

Crosby, Dumoulin Set To Rejoin Teammates Tomorrow

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Though they are technically not yet on the active roster, Sidney Crosby and Brian Dumoulin will be back in the coming days. Both players skated today and are expected to meet the rest of the team in Washington on Sunday, where the Penguins will play the Capitals in the second half of a back-to-back. Crosby and Dumoulin are both going through what the team has deemed the “final stage” of the protocol, though assistant coach Todd Reirden wouldn’t commit to their status for tomorrow’s game.

Reirden himself likely won’t have the final decision, as head coach Mike Sullivan is also set to be back behind the bench tomorrow night. Chad Ruhwedel and Marcus Pettersson, who both exited the protocol for one game only to be unavailable to travel to Canada with the group, would also be technically available. Pettersson also skated today after suffering an injury that took him out of Thursday’s contest.

While Crosby is obviously the most important player for the Penguins, Dumoulin’s return shouldn’t be overlooked. The 30-year-old defenseman is a key part of the team’s defensive structure and logs big minutes in difficult situations. In fact, only John Marino among regular defensemen has started a higher percentage of his shifts in the defensive zone or logged more penalty-killing time than Dumoulin.

It’s been a tough stretch for the Penguins over the past four games, reaching at least overtime in each one. They’ve split those matches, but still sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a 5-3-4 record on the year. Crosby meanwhile has only played in a single game, returning to the lineup just briefly before finding himself in the COVID protocol. Getting him back into game action may have to be a slow process, but it’s hard to wait around long for a player of his caliber. In 2020-21, for the 16th season in a row, Crosby scored at a rate higher than a point-per-game, racking up 62 in 55 games. He’ll try to turn that trick for a 17th time this season.

Kevin Hayes Activated From Injured Reserve

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The Philadelphia Flyers are getting back a huge piece of their lineup, activating Kevin Hayes off injured reserve. To make room on the roster, the team has loaned Nick Seeler to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. They also lost Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers today when the Colorado Avalanche claimed him. Ryan Ellis is also expected to return to the lineup tonight for the Flyers as they approach full strength.

In June, Hayes, 29, underwent core muscle surgery and was originally given a six-to-eight week timeline for recovery. That would have put him well ahead of schedule for the start of the season, but in September he was back under the knife for another abdominal procedure. Now trying to jump on a moving train, the Flyers will have to hope Hayes can get up to speed quickly and get back to his productive self.

After signing a massive seven-year, $50MM contract with the Flyers in 2019, Hayes registered 23 goals and 41 games in 69 games, adding a considerable presence with the man-advantage and shorthanded. Last season those numbers dropped to 12 goals and 31 points in 55 games, but he was still as important as ever to the Philadelphia attack. Now, after several major roster changes in the offseason, the Flyers are 7-3-2 and in the thick of the Metropolitan Division playoff race.

Even if you aren’t a Philadelphia fan, it’s hard not to root for Hayes’ success this season. Not only did he deal with multiple offseason surgeries, but also the tragic loss of his brother, former NHL forward Jimmy Hayes. A return to the ice will certainly be an emotional experience for the veteran center, and one that will have a little more impact on hockey fans all over the world.

Coyotes Place Andrew Ladd In COVID Protocol

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The Coyotes are the latest team to lose a player to the NHL’s COVID protocol as the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Andrew Ladd has been added to the protocol.

The 35-year-old is in his first season with Arizona after being acquired in an offseason trade from the Islanders that saw New York part with two second-round picks and a conditional 2023 third-rounder to take on the remaining two years of his contract, one that carries a $5.5MM AAV.  While New York buried Ladd in the minors the last couple of seasons to pick up a tiny bit of cap relief, Arizona has no need to do so and has used him in a regular role this season where he has held his own, notching three goals and an assist in 14 games while averaging 14:24 per game.

The duration of Ladd’s stay in the protocol isn’t known as it was not disclosed as to whether or not Ladd was a close contact of someone or if he tested positive and if so, whether he’s symptomatic or asymptomatic.  In the meantime, the Coyotes had been carrying 14 forwards on the active roster so no corresponding roster move will need to be made in Ladd’s absence.

Snapshots: Boqvist, Byram, Clifford, Cizikas

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It appears that Adam Boqvist has some work to do to get back into the lineup for the Blue Jackets.  Although he had been dealing with a lower-body injury, the defenseman has actually been a healthy scratch for the past two games, notes Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription link).  The 21-year-old was one of the key pieces coming back to Columbus as part of the Seth Jones trade over the summer but he has yet to take a step forward, logging just over 17 minutes a game in his first five contests while being held without a point.  Now, he’ll have to bide his time and for another opportunity to suit up.

More from around the league:

  • Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram is out for tonight’s game versus San Jose, relays Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now. He took an elbow to the head from Vancouver’s Bo Horvat early in Thursday’s game and did not return.  While Byram cleared concussion protocol at the time, this development will force them to reassess his situation and he has been placed on injured reserve.  Ryan Murray will play in place of the youngster.
  • Blues winger Kyle Clifford has been removed from COVID protocol, reports Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). The veteran has played just twice this season and went into the protocol at the beginning of the month.  Defenseman Torey Krug and goaltender Ville Husso remain on the list and unavailable to St. Louis.
  • Islanders center Casey Cizikas did not participate in practice today due to a non-COVID illness, mentions Newsday’s Andrew Gross (Twitter link). New York isn’t back in action until Monday so it’s quite possible that the 30-year-old doesn’t wind up missing any game action.

Colorado Claims Nicolas Aube-Kubel Off Waivers

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The Avalanche have added some forward depth up front as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports (Twitter link) that they’ve claimed winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel off waivers from Philadelphia.

The 25-year-old has had a limited role for the Flyers this season, suiting in seven games, logging just under 10 minutes per contest.  He has just a single assist to show for it although he has chipped in with his usual physicality, recording 17 hits.  Aube-Kubel has shown some upside in the past, recording 15 points in 36 games during the 2019-20 season and Colorado is clearly hoping that they can help him rediscover that offensive touch.

Interestingly enough, Aube-Kubel was on Philadelphia’s protected list for Seattle’s expansion draft so his stock inside the organization has certainly dipped in recent months.  He’s in the second and final season of a contract that carries a $1.075MM AAV and Colorado can retain him as a restricted free agent this summer if they tender him a $1.225MM qualifying offer.

Seravalli adds that a handful of teams were poking around on Aube-Kubel since he was put on waivers so it’s quite possible that the Avs weren’t the only team to place a claim on him.  In that sense, it’s a bit surprising that Philadelphia wasn’t able to find a taker in a trade although the cap space freed up by the move may have been preferable to whatever marginal return such a move might have yielded especially with Kevin Hayes getting closer to returning.

Injury Updates: Sundqvist, Pederson, Bogosian

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Blues center Oskar Sundqvist skated on the fourth line on practice on Friday but still isn’t cleared to play yet, head coach Craig Berube told reporters including Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  That said, the fact he skated in a regular role suggests he’s nearing a return from the torn ACL he suffered back in March which would be a nice addition to their bottom six.  That said, there is another factor in when he can be activated; until Ville Husso can return which would allow current backup Joel Hofer to be sent to the minors, St. Louis doesn’t have the cap room to activate Sundqvist from LTIR.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • Sharks winger Lane Pederson is expected to miss a week or two, relays Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News (Twitter link). He was injured on a hit from Winnipeg’s Logan Stanley on Thursday night.  Pederson hasn’t recorded a point in 11 games so far this season while being used primarily on the fourth line.  With San Jose getting seven players back from COVID protocol yesterday – resulting in seven AHL demotions – they’ll at least have enough healthy forwards on the roster to cover for Pederson’s expected absence.
  • The Lightning will have blueliner Zach Bogosian back in the lineup tonight as he returns from a foot injury, notes Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). His second stint with Tampa Bay got off to a rough start as he suffered the injury in the season-opener.  Bogosian will take the place of Erik Cernak who is dealing with an upper-body issue.

Kienan Draper Commits To The University Of Michigan

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Red Wings prospect Kienan Draper has selected his college team as Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News relays that the 19-year-old will attend the University of Michigan beginning in the 2022-23 season.

Draper, whose father Kris played in the NHL for 20 years and is currently Detroit’s Director of Amateur Scouting, was selected in the seventh round by the Red Wings back in 2020 (187th overall).  He’s currently in his first season with Chilliwack of the BCHL where he sits ninth in team scoring with a goal and six assists in 12 games.

Draper will be joining a Michigan group that, at least for the time being, is loaded with several high-end NHL prospects including four first-rounders from the 2021 draft plus eight other NHL draftees.  However, players like Owen Power (Buffalo) and Matty Beniers (Seattle) are likely to turn pro at the end of the current college season so their roster may not be quite as deep next year as it currently is now.

As Draper wasn’t drafted out of the CHL, Detroit will hold his NHL rights for four seasons which could be extended to his full college career unless he drops out and turns pro following his third year at Michigan.  Late-round picks are often development projects and Draper will have ample time to develop with the Wolverines, allowing the Red Wings plenty of time to decide whether or not to have a second Draper suit up in their system.

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