Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for January 2022

Jonathan Drouin, Ty Smith Placed On Injured Reserve

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens are both in action tonight, taking on two of the league’s powerhouses in Carolina and Colorado respectively. Those would be difficult matches even at full strength for the two rebuilding clubs, but neither one will be.

The Devils have placed Ty Smith on injured reserve with an upper-body issue retroactive to January 19. Colton White has been recalled in his place, just a couple of days after he cleared waivers. Smith played just over 15 minutes against the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday and will now miss at least the next few days after receiving the IR designation.

Now 21, Smith has been an enigma this season after such a strong rookie campaign in 2020-21. After putting up 23 points in 43 games while averaging over 20 minutes a night and finishing seventh in Calder Trophy voting, the sophomore slump has gotten to him in 2021-22. Smith has just ten points through 33 games, has been moved up and down the lineup seemingly on a period-by-period basis, and has failed to come anywhere close to replicating the outstanding possession numbers he had as a rookie. Selected 17th overall in 2018, he’s a huge part of the future for the Devils that needs to get his game back on track. Perhaps a short stint away from the ice while he deals with this injury will actually do him good as a sort of reset halfway through the season.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, the Canadiens have placed Jonathan Drouin on injured reserve. Jeff Petry and Josh Anderson are also game-time decisions against the Avalanche tonight and Michael McNiven has been recalled as an emergency backup after Samuel Montembeault suffered a minor injury.

For Drouin, this comes after the report from Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports earlier in the day that he is back in Montreal undergoing further evaluation. He suffered an injury on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights, when he played just 12:52 and wasn’t available for the team in overtime. While nothing has really gone right for any Canadiens players this season, it has been good to see Drouin back and contributing after taking a leave of absence from the team last spring. With 20 points in 32 games, he is actually the team’s second-leading scorer, just behind Nick Suzuki (22 points in 39 games). With him out of the lineup, the already offensively-challenged Canadiens will be even more so.

Arizona Coyotes Place Dysin Mayo In COVID Protocol

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Dysin Mayo entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol today, the team announced.

Mayo becomes the third Coyote in COVID protocol. He joins forwards Ryan Dzingel and Antoine Roussel.

If Mayo is only subject to a five-day quarantine, he would only miss Arizona’s next two games. He could be eligible to return on January 28th, a home game against the Boston Bruins.

An unexpected regular in the Coyotes lineup this season, Mayo has five points in 34 games. He’s impressed defensively, however, earning the right to 20:49 of ice time per game and only a -2 rating on a porous Coyotes team.

The 25-year-old was the team’s 133rd overall selection back in 2014.

Blackhawks Notes: Khaira, Stillman, Connolly

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Per the Daily Herald’s John Dietz, the Chicago Blackhawks moved forward Jujhar Khaira to injured reserve today. He has a lower back injury, and the move is retroactive to January 17. Khaira can come off injured reserve as soon as the 27th,  meaning the soonest he can return is January 28th at home against Colorado. He has just three goals in 27 games during his first season with Chicago.

More from the Blackhawks today, all per Dietz:

  • Defenseman Riley Stillman was also moved to injured reserve today, dealing with a shoulder injury he sustained last night against Minnesota. The soonest he can return is February 1st, meaning he’ll miss at least the team’s next five games. In his absence, Caleb Jones should see playing time with more consistency. Stillman has a respectable 10 points in 28 games.
  • The team also assigned forward Brett Connolly to the active roster, bringing him up from the taxi squad. He should play in his fifth game of the season tonight, drawing in on the fourth line alongside Sam Lafferty and Ryan Carpenter. Connolly was suspended earlier in the season for interfering with Dallas forward Tanner Kero.

NHL Player Safety Fines Cal Foote For Cross-Checking

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced today that they’ve fined Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Cal Foote $2,125 for cross-checking Anaheim Ducks forward Buddy Robinson. This is the maximum allowable amount per the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Foote delivered the cross-check to Robinson with 18.4 seconds remaining in last night’s game against the Ducks. The Lightning lost that game 5-1.

This is the first fine Foote’s received from NHL Player Safety in his NHL career.

The 23-year-old defenseman has just three assists in 28 games this year, but in recent days he’s gotten a look on the team’s top pairing with Victor Hedman. The potential is still there for the 14th overall pick in 2017.

Sabres Notes: Quinn, Anderson, Third Jersey

at CDT | by 9 Comments

Buffalo Sabres rookie Jack Quinn just broke into the NHL lineup but now won’t see the ice for quite some time. The team has announced that Quinn will miss the next four-to-six weeks with an undisclosed lower-body injury. Quinn just made his NHL debut last week and has two points in his first two games. The 2020 No. 8 overall pick has been one of the best players in the AHL this season with 35 points in 24 games and appears to be on his way to stardom in the NHL. However, that will be on hold for this season as Quinn will be out until March, at which time he will probably return to action in the minors before seeing another chance in the NHL. While this injury won’t chance much about Quinn’s impressive trajectory, it is disappointing for a Buffalo team with nothing to play for again this season and with numerous injuries already who were hoping to see their exciting prospect play a top role the rest of the way.

  • Veteran goaltender Craig Anderson finally looks ready to return to the Buffalo crease. Sabres GM Kevyn Adams revealed on a radio spot with WGR 550 that Anderson will accompany the team on their upcoming three-game western road trip and could see game action if he continues to progress. Anderson, 40, has been out since early November with an upper-body injury. After being convinced to come out of a brief retirement by the Sabres, this isn’t what Anderson was hoping for this season. However, in his six games prior to the injury Anderson was stellar, posting a .921 save percentage and 2.50 GAA. If he can get back to playing at that level, it could all be worth it for the respected veteran to go out on a high note.
  • The Sabres are bringing back a familiar face from the 90’s. No, not Dominik Hasek or Alexander Mogilny, but the literal face of the Buffalo. Chris Creamer of Sportslogos.net reports that the Sabres will bring back their 90’s primary logo, often referred to as the “Goathead” logo, to grace their third jersey in 2022-23 and beyond. Creamer even suggests that the alternate jersey could bring back the red and black scheme that the Sabres dawned for more than a decade in the mid-90’s into the 2000’s before returning to the blue and gold. It remains to be seen if that will actually be the case – the difference in appearance between the primaries and the alternate would be quite jarring – but it seems the Buffalo head logo will return regardless. A polarizing logo in its time, though far from the worst in Sabres’ history, it will be interesting to see if enough time has passed for the Buffalo fan base to embrace the return in the name of nostalgia.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/22/22

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The action starts early today as the Flyers visit the Sabres for a 1:00pm local time puck drop to kick off the Saturday slate. Ten more games will follow over the course of the day and night, highlighted by the Battle of Alberta between the Flames and Oilers. With a total of 16 games on the docket this weekend, teams will be busy tweaking their rosters. Keep up with all of the recalls and reassignments right here:

Atlantic Division

  • Call it a waivers loophole if you like, but the Detroit Red Wings have reassigned recently claimed forward Gemel Smith to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. They have done so legally via a conditioning loan. Smith landed on waivers as the Tampa Bay Lightning attempted to activate him from season-opening injured reserve, so Detroit is using the fact that he has yet to play this season in order to move him to the minors for the time being. Of course, this is a short-term loan and the elder Smith will have to earn a full-time role on the Red Wings if he wants to play with younger brother Givani Smith and avoid the wire again.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs are adding some insurance in net without costing Michael Hutchinson or Joseph Woll AHL starts. The team has recalled Erik Kallgren to the taxi squad from the AHL Marlies, making him the de facto third-string behind Jack Campbell and the injury-prone Petr Mrazek. The Leafs’ goaltending situation has been in flux much of the season, with Mrazek, Hutchinson, and Woll all making NHL appearances. The result has been Kallgren getting the lion’s share of starts in the AHL, though the Marlies have actually seen six different keepers so far this year.
  • Jacob Bernard-Docker is up from the taxi squad yet again and this time he is joined by Clark Bishop. The Ottawa Senators announced that the duo have been recalled to the active roster ahead of back-to-back match-ups this weekend.
  • After being reassigned to the taxi squad on Friday, Brett Murray is back with the Buffalo Sabres today, the team announced. Murray has played well at the NHL level this year in just his third pro season, recording six points in 18 games despite a limited role. He will likely remain the Sabres’ first recall option up front this season.
  • According to the New England Hockey Journal’s Mark Divver, forward Jesper Froden is on his way up to the Boston Bruins taxi squad from AHL Providence. He made his NHL debut earlier this season and has 20 points in 29 games with Providence.
  • The Florida Panthers are moving players down, assigning defenseman Chase Priskie to the taxi squad and goalie Evan Fitzpatrick to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Priskie made his NHL debut this season, while Fitzpatrick was signed for goalie depth earlier this month.

Metropolitan Division

  • Reinforcements are on the way to Philadelphia’s forward corps as the team announced that Wade Allison and Jackson Cates have been recalled from the taxi squad. Amidst a ten-game winless streak and with any shot at the postseason slipping away, combined with a litany of injuries, the Flyers will be looking to use more of their prospect depth the rest of the way, especially up front. Cates, who has already played in seven games with Philly this season, and Allison, who has only played in seven AHL games but has three goals to show for it, are first up.
  • The New York Rangers are shuffling up their practice squad composition. The team has announced that goaltender Tyler Wall has been returned to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack with defenseman Tarmo Reunanen and veteran forward Anthony Greco promoted to the taxi squad. Wall was in need of some game action after a stint on the practice squad, while Reunanen and Greco have earned time with the NHL group. Greco is second among Wolf Pack forwards in scoring and Reunanen holds the same place among club defensemen.
  • Columbus has sent forward Liam Foudy down to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, the team tweeted today. He went pointless in his lone NHL game this season.

Central Division

  • The good news for the Winnipeg Jets is that captain Blake Wheeler is back, activated from the injured reserve. The bad news is that the team announced the move as corresponding with Nikolaj Ehlers moving to long-term injured reserve. Young forward Kristian Reichel has also been reassigned to the taxi squad. The Jets have had a light schedule of late with just four games (three of them losses) in the past two weeks, but need to overcome the loss of Ehlers and find their groove with the Bruins, Penguins, Panthers, and Blues on the docket this week.
  • There is no shortage of Chicago Blackhawks updates today as team beat writer Carter Baum revealed numerous moves. Firstly, forward Jujhar Khaira and defenseman Riley Stillman have been placed on injured reserve. Fortunately not all health news was bad as forward Brett Connolly has been activated to the Chicago roster. Youngsters Wyatt Kalynuk and Cale Morris have been recalled to the taxi squad while forward Mike Hardman goes the other way to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.
  • As has occurred frequently this season, Dallas Stars forward Riley Damiani is on the move. This time, he’s headed back to the minors to suit up for AHL Texas.

Pacific Division

  • The Seattle Kraken will let forward Alexander True get some play time down in the minors. The club has announced that True has been reassigned from the taxi squad to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, the Kraken’s temporary shared affiliated. True, 24, has been held scoreless in eight games with Seattle this season but has 18 points in 22 AHL games.
  • A trio of players have been added to the Vancouver Canucks roster. Experienced forwards Justin Bailey and Sheldon Dries have been recalled from the taxi, while young goaltender Michael DiPietro was made an emergency recall as well. Ironically, it is a defenseman that will be missing from the roster in a corresponding move, as Guillaume Brisebois has been placed on injured reserve.
    • The team additionally activated defenseman Ashton Sautner from COVID protocol, immediately assigning him to Abbotsford.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Hall Of Famer Clark Gillies Passes Away At 67

at CDT | by 7 Comments

The hockey community, especially those in New York, has lost one of the greats. New York Islanders legend Clark Gillies has passed away at the age of 67, the team announced late Friday night. Gillies spent a dozen seasons in New York to begin his career and wrapped up his playing days with a pair of seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. Since retiring in 1988, he has worked closely with charities on Long Island, including his own Clark Gillies Foundation, and has stayed involved with the Islanders club.

Gillies is best remembered as a key piece of the Islanders early-1980’s dynasty that won four consecutive Stanley Cups. Gillies played an integral role in each title, recording 250 points in 302 games in those regular seasons and 47 points in 66 postseason games as well. Gillies was the fourth overall pick by the Isles in 1974 out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and the WHL’s Regina Pats and jumped immediately into the NHL. It didn’t take long for him to find his groove, recording career-best seasons of 85 and 91 points in 1977-78 and 1978-79. For his career, Gillies notched 697 points in 958 games, only topped by his 1,025 career penalty minutes. The epitome of a power forward, the 6’3″ Gillies was notoriously tough to play against in all three zones. A physical net front presence, especially on the power play, and menacing checker, it was easy for Gillies’ teams to score when he was on the ice and far more difficult for the opposition, as evidenced by a whopping +245 rating for his career. The two-time First Team All-Star had his No. 9 retired by the Islanders in 1996 and was a 2002 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee.

The Islanders, in announcing the sad news of Gillies’ passing, including a statement from GM and fellow Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello:

The entire Islanders community is devastated by the loss of Clark Gillies. He epitomized what it means to be a New York Islander. The pride he felt wearing the Islanders sweater on the ice was evident by his willingness to do anything to win. Off the ice, he was just as big of a presence, always taking the time to give back to the local community. The New York Islanders have four Stanley Cups because of the sacrifices he and the members of those dynasty teams made for the franchise. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to the entire Gillies family.

Many more have released statements sharing their condolences and expressing their appreciation for the role that Gillies played in a number of hockey communities, including NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, WHL Commissioner Ron Robison, Pittsburgh Penguins great and close friend Mario Lemieux, and many former and current Islanders. It is clear that the charismatic and caring Gillies made a major impact on many lives.

We here at PHR extend our condolences to the family, friends, and many fans of Clark Gillies.

 

Goalie Notes: Oilers, Stars, Fleury, Allen

at CDT | by 2 Comments

It’s no secret that the Edmonton Oilers are in pursuit of a goaltender. While the team possesses some truly elite offensive talent, their severe struggle with preventing goals has overshadowed their ability to score. The result is a 26th-ranked 3.42 goals against per game that has directly contributed to the team’s 2-11-2 record in their past 15 games, including a seven-game winless streak. While this does not fall entirely on the netminders, the Oilers have not received much help from the group. Current starter Mikko Koskinen has an .895 save percentage and 3.33 GAA. The current backup, young Stuart Skinner, has outplayed Koskinen but not to a level that has forced the Oilers’ hand. For now, they seem hesitant to place any more responsibility on the 23-year-old. Expected starter Mike Smith has missed all but six games this season due to injuries that have kept his health status in flux all year. Even when healthy, Smith has not performed; he has an .898 save percentage and 3.76 GAA in his handful of outings. Yet, if there was any internal solution to the Oilers’ net woes, it was a return for Smith. So with the report today out of Edmonton that Smith is back on the injured reserve (with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins moving to LTIR), the situation has become even more dire. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday that the Oilers were exploring all options, including Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo. However, with the news of Smith remaining sidelined combined with a current four-game losing streak adding to their nearly two-month long slump, “exploring” might just not be enough any more.

  • Discussing Edmonton’s other trade options in net, LeBrun mentioned the Dallas Stars as a potential partner – namely with third-string Anton Khudobin as the likely target. The veteran keeper cleared waivers earlier this season amidst struggles that even surpass those of Koskinen and Smith. However, Khudobin is just two years removed from leading the league with a .930 save percentage and taking the Stars to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019-20, which briefly made him a hero in Dallas. While his numbers dropped off last season, they were well ahead of his current pace. Performance does not seem to actually be the main concern the Oilers have when it comes to Khudobin. Instead, his $3.33MM cap hit and additional year of term makes Edmonton hesitant to pull the trigger, especially considering their current cap crunch and the legitimate question of whether Khudobin is an upgrade to Koskinen. As LeBrun puts it, Khudobin is “less appealing” than other options. However, with Smith seeming less and less likely to be a dependable option this season and desperately in need of points, can the Oilers afford to be picky? If they can acquire Khudobin cheaply and quickly, they may have to do so. LeBrun points out that impending free agent Braden Holtby, who is enjoying a strong campaign, is the superior option on the Stars, but the team may not be willing to move him and will be much more costly to acquire, especially with the Oilers in such obvious need.
  • One potential target mentioned by LeBrun but considered unlikely for the Oilers has all but confirmed that he will not be moving. Star veteran Marc-Andre Fleury of the Chicago Blackhawks is in the final year of his contract and having yet another solid season. This should have made him a prime rental target for any team with a need in net, especially considering that Fleury only has limited trade protection. However, the Blackhawks have stated that they will only move the respected vet if that is what he desired and it seems as though Fleury is happy where he is for now. Fleury told NHL.com’s Tracey Meyers that he is only interested in getting Chicago to the playoffs this season and is not looking to move. This might not be a realistic goal with the Blackhawks .094 percentage points back of the final wild card spot in the West with five teams ahead of them in the race. However, Fleury has earned the right to make that call. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner was just traded this summer and may not be keen to go through that process again so soon, especially at 37 years old and possibly at the end of his career. If the three-time Stanley Cup winner wants to stay loyal to his team rather than make another run, so be it.
  • Another option off the table for the Oilers is Montreal’s Jake Allen. Edmonton needs immediate help and Allen can’t provide it. After leaving a game last week due to injury, the Canadiens have announced that Allen is out approximately eight weeks with an undisclosed lower-body ailment. The Oilers’ struggles this season pale in comparison to the Habs’, who find themselves with the worst record in the NHL after playing in the Stanley Cup Final just last year. Everyone is available for the right price in Montreal, including Allen even though he has performed admirably in Carey Price’s absence over the past two seasons. Allen is signed at a reasonable $2.875MM through next season and maybe another team will still be interested despite the substantial injury. The Oilers, however, will have to look elsewhere.

Carolina Hurricanes Extend Jalen Chatfield

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes have done a little offseason business ahead of time, signing minor league defenseman Jalen Chatfield to a two-year contract extension. The deal is two-way in 2022-23, paying Chatfield $750K at the NHL level, $250K at the AHL level and includes a $300K minor league guarantee. In 2023-24, it is a one-way contract worth $775K. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a statement:

From the moment camp began, he’s played the Hurricane way. Jalen earned this two-year extension, and we know he will continue to bolster our blue line.

Chatfield, 25, has appeared in seven games for the Hurricanes this season but spent most of his time in the AHL, recording four goals and seven points in 21 games for the Chicago Wolves. Undrafted, he signed with the Vancouver Canucks in 2017 and spent three seasons with the Utica Comets. In 2020-21, he made his NHL debut by skating in 18 games with the Canucks, registering a single point.

While he doesn’t figure to play a ton at the NHL level, Chatfield represents strong depth for the Hurricanes organization and can continue to lead with the Wolves. He cleared waivers without a problem at the beginning of October and now, with this two-year extension in hand, will likely clear them the next time the Hurricanes need to sneak him through.

Despite being just 25, Chatfield would have qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer. He’s now avoided RFA status altogether, as he’ll be a UFA when this new deal expires in 2024.

Babcock, Maurice Not Looking To Coach In NHL This Season

at CDT | by 8 Comments

The turmoil surrounding the Edmonton Oilers resulted in several jerseys being thrown on the ice after a 6-0 defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers. As silly as it sounds, jersey tosses have often come just ahead of a coach’s dismissal, as Ron Wilson and Travis Green can attest. The situation with Dave Tippett in Edmonton is an evolving one, as Ryan Rishaug of TSN explains that though a change isn’t imminent, it is a “day-to-day process” at the moment and suggests that a poor result against the Calgary Flames tomorrow night would likely leave no choice for general manager Ken Holland.

With Tippett’s future unclear, some have suggested that Mike Babock, a long-time colleague of Holland’s with the Detroit Red Wings, could be a potential answer in Edmonton. Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that Babcock has no intention of coaching in the NHL this season and will be staying with the University of Saskatchewan through March. Babcock is technically still under contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, meaning hiring him would come along with buying out at least a portion of the remaining money owed. The eight-year contract he signed in 2015 paid him $6.25MM each season through 2022-23.

Another name, Paul Maurice, has also been thrown into the mix after he resigned as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets earlier this season. Similarly, Dreger reports that Maurice will not be coaching in the NHL for the rest of this season. Maurice is certainly a candidate for the Oilers or another NHL team moving forward, but is taking some time away from the game to refocus.

In terms of candidates for Edmonton then should they move on from Tippett, Rishaug explains that assistant coach Glen Gulutzan would be the most likely on an interim basis. Bakersfield Condors head coach Jay Woodcroft, who previously served as a video assistant under Babcock and Holland in Detroit, would be a candidate for the full-time job but Rishaug doesn’t expect the team would want to commit a multi-year contract to him midseason when the candidate list is so short.

Of course, any change in regard to the Oilers’ head coaching position is speculative at this point and obviously dependent on how the team plays moving forward.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top