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Latest On Evander Kane

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Jan 19: It does not appear as though a decision is going to be made on Kane for a few more days. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet tweets that the NHL needs the rest of the week to finish their investigation. That would suggest there will not be an update on his playing status or new contract until next week at the earliest. Kane remains an unrestricted free agent for the moment.

Jan 12: Ever since the San Jose Sharks filed the papers to terminate Evander Kane’s contract, speculation has run rampant over where the power forward would next ply his trade. The Edmonton Oilers were immediately linked and general manager Ken Holland confirmed that he had spoken to Kane’s representatives during a press conference yesterday.

The Tampa Bay Lightning were also rumored as a contender for his services, but Joe Smith of The Athletic reported last night that after consideration, they have removed themselves from the running. The Lightning don’t have any cap space to work with and general manager Julien BriseBois explained to reporters today (including Smith), that they aren’t even expecting to make any deadline moves this season because of the financial constraints.

So with some options dropping out and others confirming their interest, Kane’s agent Dan Milstein tweeted yesterday that they were still interviewing with teams and there were still plenty of details to work out.

One of those details could be another league investigation, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the league is looking into the incident that caused Kane’s termination in the first place. That is the process of Kane crossing the border into Canada on December 29, eight days after testing positive for COVID-19. San Jose says he did not have proper medical clearance and the NHL is investigating the incident. Friedman believes it will prevent Kane from signing in the short-term, though doesn’t give a timeline on when the investigation will be resolved.

The league of course has already gone through several Kane-focused investigations over the last few months, with two–gambling and domestic abuse–resulting in a dismissal of the allegations and one–use of a fake vaccination card–resulting in a 21-game suspension.

Kane has until the trade deadline to sign a new contract in order to be eligible for the playoffs this season.

NHL Announces Revised Schedule

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The NHL has announced the revised schedule, filling up the February Olympic break with games that had previously been postponed. New dates have been announced for 98 games, date changes for 23 more, and a handful of start time changes for matches down the road. The full list of rescheduled games can be found here.

Notably, 95 games were rescheduled into the 16-day window from February 7-22, originally held open for Olympic participation. That includes a slate of ten games on February 17, the busiest day of the previously empty block. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly released a statement on the changes:

We are profoundly grateful to our fans for their support and understanding during a challenging time and to our Clubs, the NHL Players’ Association and the Players for their cooperation in a rescheduling of unprecedented logistical complexity. 

For teams like the New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators, who have played in just 32 games so far this season (nine fewer than some other teams) it means a very full February schedule. The Islanders will play seven games between February 9-22, while the Senators have ten games between February 7-22.

The NHL schedule maker is likely not done for the year, but the recently announced changes to the testing protocol should help avoid many postponements in the future. Asymptomatic players will no longer be tested after the All-Star break, save for those traveling across the U.S.-Canada border. So far, the league has not announced any games scheduled past April 29, originally noted as the final day of the regular season.

Detroit Red Wings Claim Gemel Smith

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It’s a family reunion in Detroit, as the Red Wings have claimed Gemel Smith off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Smith is the older brother of Red Wings forward Givani Smith.

Sean Shapiro of The Athletic tweets that because the Smith brothers are several years apart, they have never played on the same team or against each other during their hockey careers. They’ll get that chance now in Detroit, as Gemel Smith will have to be kept on the NHL roster after the waiver claim.

That’s certainly an interesting twist, given the 27-year-old forward hasn’t played a single game at any level this season. He dealt with a surgery that has kept him on injured reserve for the last several months and is only now approaching a return to play. Instead of going to the minor leagues, he’ll end up in Detroit where he could very well receive a bigger opportunity than he has in years.

A veteran of just 88 games at the NHL level, most of those came with the Dallas Stars in 2017-18 when he suited up 46 times. Smith has played just 11 NHL contests over the past three seasons but did have two 40-point minor league campaigns during that time.

His younger brother Givani Smith, 23, has found out exactly what can happen when you’re on an organization in the middle of a rebuild. He’s played in 31 games for the Red Wings this season, scoring two goals and four points while racking up 68 penalty minutes. While still only averaging a little over eight minutes a night, he’s nearly matched his previous career total of games played already.

Smith Claimed, Lagesson Clears Waivers

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Jan 19: While Smith has been claimed by the Detroit Red Wings, Lagesson cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Oilers’ taxi squad.

Jan 18: The Edmonton Oilers have placed William Lagesson on waivers, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Gemel Smith of the Tampa Bay Lightning has also been placed on waivers as he nears a return from the injury that has kept him out through the first part of the season.

Lagesson, 25, played just 7:29 in the Oilers brutal third-period meltdown on Saturday night, and has gotten into just ten games this season overall. Waived at the start of the season, he cleared and spent a good chunk of the year in the minor leagues. A fourth-round pick in 2014, he has four points in 37 career NHL games, not exactly what would draw much attention from other teams.

Still, in the era of COVID-related absences, you never know who will be grabbed off waivers as an emergency replacement. Lagesson does carry a cap hit of just $725K, less than the league minimum salary and something that could be of interest to a cap-strapped contender.

Smith meanwhile hasn’t played at all this season, but his placement on waivers suggests that period on the sidelines could be coming to an end. The 27-year-old forward has cleared waivers several times in the past, including last January. It seems almost guaranteed that he will clear again, given he has just eight games (at any level) under his belt since the start of 2020-21.

Ryan Dzingel, Rudolfs Balcers Enter COVID Protocol

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The Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks have both made several updates to their COVID protocol list, as they prepare for action tonight and tomorrow.

For the Coyotes, Ryan Dzingel has joined Antoine Roussel in the protocol and is unavailable for tonight’s game. A player that has seemingly disappeared entirely the last few years, Dzingel has just four goals and six points in 20 games for the Coyotes in 2021-22. A two-time 20+ goal scorer, he has just 12 goals and 19 points since the start of the 2020-21 campaign and now will have to miss at least three games with this latest absence.

Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports some good news on the Coyotes’ side though, as Jakob Chychrun is expected to play for the first time since December 10. The young defenseman is the subject of much trade speculation, and getting back into game action will only help the Coyotes’ leverage in any negotiation.

For San Jose, it’s a bit of good news and a bit of bad news. The team has activated Alexander Barabanov from the COVID protocol, but replaced him with Rudofs Balcers, who is now unavailable. San Jose recalled Joachim Blichfeld and Adam Raska from the AHL in the meantime.

Balcers, 24, had scored in each of his last two games and now has four goals and 12 points in 27 games for the Sharks this season. Signed to a two-year deal in the offseason that carries a $1.55MM cap hit, his year has been broken up by injuries and illnesses that have limited his playing time. Now he’ll be forced out of the lineup for at least two games.

Drouin, Danault Avoid Suspension, Earn Fines

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The Department of Player Safety has one hearing today, but two other incidents last night have already been resolved. Montreal Canadiens forward Jonathan Drouin and Los Angeles Kings forward Phillip Danault have both earned fines for actions in yesterday’s games.

For Drouin, a cross-check against Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin will cost him $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA. The incident happened partway through the third period, resulting in a five-minute major and game misconduct. Drouin delivered a hard retaliatory cross-check to the side of the head on a scrambled draw but will avoid suspension in this case.

Danault’s wallet meanwhile is $5,000 lighter today after a dangerous trip of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point last night. This was another occurrence of what appeared to be a slew foot, something that has been much more common this season. Brad Marchand and Kevin Labanc have both served suspensions for them, while others like P.K. Subban, Calvin de Haan, and Ryan Hartman have also earned fines.

Despite avoiding suspensions in these cases, Drouin and Danault will both have these incidents on their record for any future supplementary discipline. They will be considered and could result in increased punishments down the road.

PHF Announces Large Salary Cap Increase

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The Premier Hockey Federation has announced that their Board of Governors has committed to investing over $25MM in direct payments and benefits over the next three years, the largest one-time independent investment in the history of professional women’s hockey. The investment will lead to a huge, 150 percent increase in the league’s salary cap for the 2022-23 season, up to $750K from $300K. The PHF, formerly the NWHL, is the leading women’s professional league in North America and consists of six independently-owned franchises.

PHF commissioner Tyler Tumminia released the following statement:

The PHF has been steadfast in its vision to grow the game under a new era that truly provides leading opportunities for athletes in the sport who deserve to be treated as professionals. This amazing investment by ownership reaffirms the strength of their commitment to being difference-makers who advance the professional game so that our athletes can thrive as role models who continue to inspire the next generation.

The investment, which will also include full healthcare benefits and equity in teams, follows a successful few months for the league. In October, the league announced a landmark deal with ESPN+ as its exclusive U.S. broadcast partner for this season. In December, they announced a partnership with Upper Deck to produce the first-ever series of trading cards for professional women’s hockey. Earlier this month an agreement was announced with Warrior as the league’s new equipment provider.

This new investment also comes with the expectation of expansion. According to John Wawrow of the Associated Press, the league is moving forward with plans for two expansion clubs; one in Montreal and the other in an undisclosed U.S. location. It will also increase the schedule to 28 games for each team next season.

Devan Dubnyk Signs AHL PTO

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Jan 19: After more than a month with the team and four appearances, Dubnyk has been released from his PTO. The 35-year-old netminder is expected to be in the mix for Team Canada’s Olympic squad, though he did register just an .869 save percentage during his time with the Checkers.

Dec 7: The Charlotte Checkers are bringing in some veteran goaltending depth, signing free agent Devan Dubnyk to an AHL professional tryout. The 35-year-old netminder played 22 games at the NHL level last season, but hadn’t found a contract so far in 2021-22.

It’s been quite a while since Dubnyk suited up in the AHL, last gracing the minor league during the 2013-14 season. Before those eight games with the Hamilton Bulldogs, it was way back in 2009-10 when he played a full season with the Springfield Falcons. In nearly 550 regular season NHL games, Dubnyk has a 253-206-54 record while posting a .914 save percentage. A finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 2015, he has been ineffective the last two seasons in the NHL.

For the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche last year, Dubnyk posted an .895 save percentage in those 22 appearances. This PTO will help the Checkers cover the goaltending position while Joey Daccord is recalled to the Seattle Kraken, though it’s not clear how long it will last. It could be turned into an AHL contract, or perhaps the veteran goaltender is hoping to showcase enough to land an NHL deal somewhere in the league. At the very least, he’s getting a chance to play in some competitive games ahead of the Spengler Cup, where he is expected to be the starter. Should the NHL decide not to go to the Olympics, Dubnyk would also be in the mix for Team Canada.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/19/22

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It’s a light Wednesday evening in the NHL with just three games on the schedule, though there are a couple of tasty matchups. First, the Toronto Maple Leafs travel to take on the New York Rangers in a matchup of two Eastern Conference playoff teams. Next, the streaking Colorado Avalanche head to California to take on the struggling Anaheim Ducks, two teams heading in opposite directions. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league and taxi squad shuffling right here.

Atlantic Division

  • Jacob Bernard-Docker has been moved to the Ottawa Senators taxi squad, saving some salary while the team is off. The Senators don’t play until tomorrow when they’ll take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first of a three-game road trip.

Metropolitan Division

  • The Washington Capitals have recalled Axel Jonsson Fjallby from the AHL to the taxi squad, giving them an extra forward if needed. Jonsson-Fjallby has played in eight games this season for the Capitals but is still looking for his first NHL goal.

Central Division

  • With Joel Eriksson Ek officially exiting the COVID protocol, the Minnesota Wild have reassigned Connor Dewar to the taxi squad. Eriksson Ek hasn’t played since before Christmas due to an injury and positive COVID result. The two-way center has 11 goals and 20 points in 30 games so far.
  • The Nashville Predators have reassigned Jeremy Davies to the taxi squad, after he made his season debut last night. A seventh-round pick from 2016, Davies played over 12 minutes, recording a minor penalty and three shots.

Pacific Division

  • The Los Angeles Kings have loaned Jaret Anderson-Dolan to the AHL, while moving Jacob Moverare to the taxi squad. The daily moves by the Kings are meant to save some cap space and salary while the team sits dormant. More are expected tomorrow ahead of their game against the Colorado Avalanche.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled Danny O’Regan to the taxi squad and Brogan Rafferty to the active roster, as the team continued to deal with COVID-related absences for Josh Manson, Cam Fowler, and Simon Benoit. Rafferty, 26, has played exclusively at the AHL level this season and has 10 points in 27 games for the San Diego Gulls.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Dmitry Orlov To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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The Washington Capitals could be down a key defenseman in their next game, as the Department of Player Safety has announced a hearing for Dmitry Orlov. The potential supplementary discipline stems from a hit late in the third period of last night’s game against the Winnipeg Jets.

With Nikolaj Ehlers circling in the Capitals zone, Orlov delivered a knee-on-knee hit to take the Jets forward off the puck. Ehlers immediately crumpled to the ice holding his knee, needed to be helped off by a member of the training staff, and has already been ruled out for Winnipeg’s next game. Head coach Dave Lowry explained to reporters after the game including Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet that he expects Ehlers to miss more than just one game but is still being evaluated.

There was no penalty called on the play, but the DoPS appears to be making sure Orlov receives some sort of punishment. A suspension is the likely outcome of any hearing, though not guaranteed. The 30-year-old defenseman has been suspended in the past for boarding, an incident that will be taken into account in the league’s decision.

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