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Vancouver Canucks Place Elias Pettersson, Alex Chiasson In COVID Protocol

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Jan. 7: After initially testing positive yesterday, the Vancouver Canucks officially placed forward Alex Chiasson in COVID protocol on Friday. There are now six Canucks on the COVID list.

Jan. 5: The Vancouver Canucks announced Wednesday night that forward Elias Pettersson entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol, marking yet another star player that was placed on the list today.

Pettersson is the fifth Canuck and fifth Canucks forward to be on the COVID list at the moment. He joins Brock Boeser, Jason Dickinson, Phillip Di Giuseppe, and Justin Dowling.

The 23-year-old Swedish center is really struggling on the scoresheet this season, but his all-around play has seen a bump under new head coach Bruce Boudreau. Still, just 17 points through 34 games are simply not good enough from Pettersson.

With him and Boeser out of the lineup for the short-term future, the Canucks face a big hurdle on offense. They’ll rely heavily on J.T. Miller, who leads them in both goals (11) and points (36) this year.

Coyotes Notes: Beagle, Capobianco, Ladd, Moser

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The Arizona Coyotes have officially announced that Jay Beagle underwent successful core muscle surgery and will be out indefinitely. Yesterday, general manager Bill Armstrong indicated that the veteran forward could miss anywhere from eight weeks to the rest of the season, a disappointing result for someone just trying to stay active in the NHL.

Beagle, 36, has suited up 21 times for the Coyotes this season and has one goal. The four-year, $12MM contract he signed in 2018 with the Vancouver Canucks will expire at the end of this year, meaning if he does miss the rest of 2021-22 it could be the last we see of the undrafted forward in the NHL. If it is, he had quite the career, playing 634 regular season games to this point and winning the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018.

  • The team also announced that Kyle Capobianco and assistant coach Mario Duhamel have entered the league’s COVID protocol. Capobianco, 24, has played in 15 games for the Coyotes this season and has five points. That takes his career totals to 29 games and six points, as he has received a rare opportunity during this Arizona rebuild to play at the NHL level more regularly. The third-round pick has spent the last several years in the minor leagues, putting up big point totals for the Tucson Roadrunners.
  • With Andrew Ladd still finding regular ice time with the Coyotes, it certainly appears as though the team may not get the extra 2023 third-round pick that was included in last summer’s trade from the New York Islanders. Remember, CapFriendly reported an update on the conditions a few days after the trade, indicating that if Ladd plays in just a single professional game (assumed to mean NHL or AHL) in 2022-23 while under his current contract or if he retires prior to the end of that season, the pick would not be sent to Arizona. That basically means it would only transfer if Ladd ends up on LTIR for the entire season, or the team finds out another way around the condition (it is not clear, for instance, whether a buyout of this deal would secure the pick for them, should Ladd decide not to retire).
  • Of course, that may not matter given how well the trade has paid off so far for the Coyotes. With the 2021 second-round pick they received in the deal, the team picked overaged defenseman Janis Moser, who has recently stepped into the NHL and made an impact as a 21-year-old. The Swiss defender has three points in his first five games while averaging close to 20 minutes and is one of just four players–and the only one from outside the first round–from the 2021 draft to play in the NHL so far.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: San Jose Sharks

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In the spirit of the holiday season, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season approaches the midway mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the San Jose Sharks.

What are the Sharks thankful for?

A rebound from Erik Karlsson.

One of the more overlooked stories of this season has been the play of Karlsson, who has rebounded in a big way from his brutal 2020-21 campaign. Through 28 games he has eight goals and 22 points, is still playing more than 23 minutes a night, and has strong possession numbers once again. The 31-year-old isn’t the all-world player he was pre-ankle surgery and he’s not going to win the Norris Trophy, but his rebound is a big reason why the Sharks are competitive this season.

The worry at this point in his career is always injury, and Karlsson is currently on the shelf with an upper-body ailment. He could be back as soon as Tuesday though when the Sharks return for a five-game homestand.

Who are the Sharks thankful for?

James Reimer.

Despite his performances in the last couple of games, there’s no real answer here other than the Sharks’ starter. Reimer’s numbers are coming back to earth, but it’s because of his goaltending that the team is still in the playoff race in the Western Conference.

In 2019-20, San Jose was ranked 30th in save percentage at .895. In 2020-21, that number actually dropped to .891. This season Reimer’s .916 is dragging them up to .910 overall, a respectable number that has them in games most nights.

What would the Sharks be even more thankful for? 

Some roster consistency.

Between injuries, illnesses, and COVID-19 protocol, there have been barely any games this season when the Sharks were icing their best lineup possible. Only three players have suited up for all 35 games–Brent Burns, Tomas Hertl, and Nick Bonino–and several important ones have missed as many as seven, a good 20 percent of the season so far.

There have been some great stories in San Jose. Even looking past the likes of Karlsson and Reimer, Alexander Barabanov has become a legitimate top-six option, Logan Couture is having another strong two-way year, and Timo Meier has re-emerged as a premier power forward in the league. All three of those forwards have missed multiple games, forcing the club to shuffle people around into roles they aren’t really built for.

Every team has injuries, certainly, and this season’s battle with COVID has been a struggle for everyone. But with the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames coming back to the pack, there’s a real opportunity in the Pacific Division playoff race. A consistent lineup could have the Sharks right in the mix.

What should be on the Sharks’ wish list?

A Tomas Hertl decision.

Despite everything above, there is a real argument to be made in support of trading Hertl–and others–at this year’s deadline, waving the white flag for this season and recouping a huge haul of future assets. It just doesn’t seem that likely while the team is paying Karlsson, Burns, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic a combined $26.5MM for each of the next three seasons. A true rebuild would be difficult and costly with those contracts on the books, meaning unless the Sharks want to see Hertl walk for nothing in the summer, an extension can seem like the only option.

The problem though is what kind of a contract would even keep the 28-year-old forward in San Jose. Can the team afford to lock in another player to a long-term deal that takes him well into his thirties? His cap hit right now is $5.625MM, but on the open market that would likely balloon quite a bit as a center that can score at a 30+ goal pace.

Does a Hertl extension get the Sharks closer to a Stanley Cup? That’s a difficult question to answer given the state of the franchise right now and the realistic outlook over the next few years. It’s one they must make anyway, and soon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Julien Gauthier Enters COVID Protocol

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The New York Rangers have announced that Julien Gauthier has entered the COVID protocol, making him unavailable for the next few days at a minimum. The depth forward played just over nine minutes last night against the Vegas Golden Knights, but could now miss tomorrow’s match against the Anaheim Ducks and Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings, if he tested positive.

Gauthier joins Igor Shesterkin and Artemi Panarin in the protocol. Jarred Tinordi cleared the protocol a few days ago.

The 24-year-old forward has once again been a frustrating mix of size, speed, and inconsistency for the Rangers this season, registering two goals and five points in 26 games. The 6’4″, 227-lbs Gauthier was a first-round pick by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2016 but has still never grown into his top-six, power forward potential. Through 73 NHL games he has struggled to find the back of the net even when he creates a dangerous chance, and now holds a 4.3% shooting percentage for his career.

With Dryden Hunt also missing practice due to an upper-body injury, the Rangers are down a pair of bottom-six wingers. That could open an opportunity for someone else, though Panarin is eligible to exit the protocol as soon as he tests negative.

Oilers Notes: Yamamoto, Holloway, McDavid

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The Edmonton Oilers have announced that Kailer Yamamoto was pulled from practice this morning because of a positive result on a rapid COVID-19 test. He is currently in the protocol, but will await further results to confirm his status. Should he test negative moving forward, he would not need to face the mandatory five-day isolation period.

Yamamoto, 23, has been relatively underwhelming this season even if he is one of the team’s most reliable forwards. With just seven goals and 12 points in 34 games, the young forward isn’t producing anywhere near the 2019-20 rate that made him so exciting to watch. With a contract negotiation and potential arbitration right around the corner, a strong second half would certainly go a long way for his financial future.

  • Speaking of exciting young Edmonton forwards, it’s been a challenging year for prospect Dylan Holloway. After fracturing his wrist while playing for the University of Wisconsin, he underwent surgery in March 2021. Several months later and he was under the knife a second time after consulting with specialists, meaning he’s been away from the game for quite some time. Today, Holloway joined the team at practice and was a “full participant.” Selected 14th overall in 2020, Holloway blew up at Wisconsin last season, scoring 35 points in 23 games while also taking home the silver medal with Canada at the World Juniors. Now 20, he’s in the first year of his entry-level contract and could be activated whenever healthy enough to contribute.
  • Head coach Dave Tippett confirmed that Connor McDavid, Tyson Barrie, and Derek Ryan are eligible to exit the COVID protocol on Sunday, should they be able to provide negative test results. That would make them available to the team for Monday’s game against the Ottawa Senators, though nothing is certain at this point.

Brandon Pirri Signs PTO With Rockford IceHogs

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The Rockford IceHogs will have a familiar face in the lineup tonight when they take on the Chicago Wolves. Brandon Pirri has signed a professional tryout and will return to a team where he holds the all-time record for points.

Pirri, 30, played seven games for the IceHogs last season, scoring eight goals and ten points before joining Team Canada at the World Championships where he helped bring home the gold medal. The veteran forward has always been an elite offensive talent at the minor league level and has also racked up 72 goals and 121 points in 276 career NHL contests.

It’s easy to wonder if Pirri would be considered for the Olympics in a few months given his recent performance for Canada on the international stage, but he hadn’t been playing anywhere to this point of the season. With the IceHogs desperate for players right now due to injuries, protocol placements, and call-ups, it’s unclear if this is preparation for a bigger goal, or just helping out an old organization.

NHL Postpones Two More Ottawa Senators Games

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Two more games for the Ottawa Senators have been officially postponed due to attendance restrictions in certain Canadian cities. The games will be rescheduled for later in the season, with the hope of full attendance being possible. The following will not be played:

  • Saturday, Jan. 8
    Ottawa @ Vancouver
  • Saturday, Jan. 15
    Ottawa @ Winnipeg

That leaves the Senators playing the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames next week, games that were meant to be bookended by these matches in Vancouver and Winnipeg. Ottawa has had many of their games to this point rescheduled and currently sit with only 29 played, second to only the New York Islanders for the fewest in the league.

For the Canucks, this means that they will have no games between January 1 and January 11, which is now their next match and scheduled against the Florida Panthers. The Jets, meanwhile, played yesterday but won’t hit the ice again until January 13.

Nick Ritchie Clears Waivers

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Jan 7: Ritchie has cleared waivers according to TSN’s Chris Johnston. With Mitch Marner and Pierre Engvall entering the COVID protocol, the forward will likely remain on the active roster for the time being.

Jan 6: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Nick Ritchie on waivers today.

Many of Toronto’s offseason gambles have worked out perfectly for them, but that hasn’t been the case with Ritchie. He has just a goal and seven assists through 30 games.

After starting the season with the chance to shine alongside Auston Matthews, he floundered in that role and was soon demoted to the fourth line. He was far more effective there playing with veterans Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds, but with Ilya Mikheyev returning to the lineup and the Leafs now with a fully healthy roster, the team needed space and cap relief.

Ritchie and his $2.5MM cap hit was the odd man out. He’s signed through 2022-23 as well, so it’s extremely unlikely another team stakes a claim on the 26-year-old forward.

New Jersey Devils Place Andreas Johnsson In COVID Protocol

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Jan 7: Hamilton and Mason Geertsen have been added to the protocol today according to team reporter Amanda Stein, though the former was obviously not in any shape to play anyway.

Jan 6: Bad keeps turning to worse for the New Jersey Devils, who placed forward Andreas Johnsson into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol ahead of tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to head coach Lindy Ruff.

New Jersey is already missing a trio of important forwards. Captain Nico Hischier is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, while Pavel Zacha and Yegor Sharangovich are in COVID protocol.

They’re also missing Dougie Hamilton on defense as he recovers from a broken jaw. Jimmy Vesey was the 13th forward on the active roster, and it’s likely he’ll play tonight in place of Johnsson.

Through 34 games, Johnsson had nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points, good enough for second on the team behind leading scorer Jesper Bratt. The team certainly hopes the best for his case of COVID, and that he stays healthy and can return as soon as possible.

More Injury Troubles For Minnesota Wild

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The Minnesota Wild won last night, with the winner going to Matt Boldy on his first career goal and Kaapo Kahkonen stopping 36 of 38 shots. The future looks bright in Minnesota, but the present, not so much.

Kirill Kaprizov was helped to the locker room after being hit by Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic, a play which head coach Dean Evason called “predatory.” Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Kaprizov is still being evaluated but the reporter has been told it is “not good.”

But the injury concerns from last night don’t end there. Marcus Foligno was given a maintenance day after blocking a shot at the end of the game, but Jonas Brodin was also missing from practice as he is evaluated for a similar block. Once again, Russo tweets that it “doesn’t sound good” for Brodin, who only just returned from a stint on the COVID-19 protocol.

The Wild are already missing Joel Eriksson Ek, Jared Spurgeon, Cam Talbot, Jordan Greenway, Nick Bjugstad, and Brandon Duhaime, meaning any new injuries would take their toll. But Kaprizov and Brodin are arguably the two most important players on the roster even when it’s at full strength, and would be a devastating loss for the Wild if they are out for any significant amount of time.

With the win last night, the Wild are currently tied with the Colorado Avalanche for third place in the Central Division by standings points. They would actually be ahead of the St. Louis Blues and almost even with the Nashville Predators (but behind Colorado) if sorted by points percentage, given their 20-10-2 record.

Luckily, if this situation can be called that at all, the Wild have only one game (tomorrow) between now and January 14. Only three between now and January 21. That would, in theory, give them an opportunity to heal some wounds, though it isn’t clear how long Kaprizov and Brodin will be out at this point. Every team goes through injuries, but this is certainly going to be a difficult stretch for the Wild.

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