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Archives for November 2022

Latest On Patrick Kane

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When Patrick Kane’s name first entered the throes of trade speculation early this year, there were as many skeptics as believers that the Chicago Blackhawks would ever move on from their franchise-defining superstar. One of the greatest American players of all time and a slam-dunk top-five Blackhawk of all time, Kane’s play has been the defining part of the most successful on-ice period in Chicago’s history.

The team is in a landslide now, though, going 2-9-4 in their past 15 games after a 4-2-0 start to the year. While this poor play was expected, maybe even intended, with the shimmering status of 2023’s top prospects, The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus believes that Kane, while he remains inextricably tied to Chicago and could quickly return as a free agent next offseason, “doesn’t seem to be having that much fun out there” and could opt for a trade to a contender at this year’s deadline.

After shattering point-per-game paces for the past four seasons, even as the quality of the team dwindled around him, Kane’s performance is taking a step back in 2022-23. The 34-year-old right wing has 16 points and just three goals through 21 games on the year, on pace for just 62 points over a full campaign. It would be a career-low for him, excluding the shortened 2012-13 season (55 points in 47 games).

The three-time Stanley Cup champion is coming up on 1,200 career points and seems to have still at least a few seasons of competitive hockey left in him. Those seasons could still come in Chicago, coming back next season with more young prospects on the NHL roster for him to work with. But with the superstar finally seeming to start his decline, a trade may be one of Kane’s last chances to play on a contending team.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Niedermayer, Senators

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The NHL released its Three Stars for last week, with Jason Robertson leading the way. The outstanding Dallas Stars forward racked up six goals and eight points in four games and is now just one point behind Connor McDavid for the league scoring lead. His 18 goals are first, and he continues to show that he’s ready to take over as the face of the Stars. With every goal he scores, the 2017 draft class from Dallas continues to look like the stuff of legends, with Robertson, Miro Heiskanen, and Jake Oettinger picked with the team’s first three selections.

Second and third place went to Josh Morrissey and Ilya Sorokin, respectively, who had their own incredible performances. The Winnipeg Jets Morrisey is tied for third in scoring among defensemen with 23 points on the year, and continues to put his name into the Norris Trophy conversation in his seventh NHL season. Sorokin meanwhile is well on his way to some more Vezina votes as he currently holds a .933 save percentage through 16 appearances.

  • Team Canada’s Spengler Cup squad will have some extra experience on hand this year, as Darren Dreger of TSN reports Scott Niedermayer will join the staff. The Hall of Famer will help the team’s defensemen, another signal that he may be considering a more serious career in hockey management. Earlier this year, Niedermayer was named special advisor to hockey operations for the Anaheim Ducks, where he was given an “advanced role” on Pat Verbeek’s staff. The 49-year-old retired in 2010 after 1,263 regular season games.
  • The Ottawa Senators have sent Lassi Thomson and Kevin Mandolese back to the AHL, given they don’t play again until Wednesday. They could be recalled again in the next few days, though Thomson did play just 9:18 in his appearance on Friday. Mandolese was recalled while Anton Forsberg dealt with a minor injury, meaning he likely won’t be back up unless another issue emerges.

Colorado Avalanche Recall Jean-Luc Foudy

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The Colorado Avalanche continue to make changes to their group, this time recalling prospect Jean-Luc Foudy. The young forward will be joining the team on a regular for the first time in his career; his only other NHL experience was as a Black Ace last spring during Colorado’s playoff run.

There is real excitement about the 2020 third-round pic, who has five goals and 14 points in 18 games with the Colorado Eagles, especially because of the way he has been able to develop the last few years. Normally (as new Seattle Kraken fans are learning), a player selected out of the CHL is not able to be assigned for an extended period of time to the AHL until they are 20 years old. It is either the NHL or back to junior, a difficult decision for some that have shown an ability to dominate their peers through a specific skill.

Some hockey minds wonder whether it is good for their development at all, to continue playing at a level that doesn’t challenge them to find other ways to compete. Foudy was potentially going to be one of these players, given the elite speed and athleticism that he possesses. He had been an offensive force from the moment he entered the OHL, scoring 49 points as a rookie.

Because of the way COVID-19 restrictions played out, however, Foudy never played a game in junior after he was drafted. The 2020-21 OHL season was canceled, leaving players eligible to suit up in other leagues. The Avalanche sent their young forward to the AHL, where he played 34 games for the Colorado Eagles. Overmatched as an 18-year-old for much of the season, he would score just three goals, 14 points, and finished with a -17 rating.

In 2021-22 he still wouldn’t have qualified for AHL play, but a one-time exemption was made for players who suited up at least 20 times in the previous COVID-affected season. Since Foudy had played 34 games for Colorado, he was allowed to spend last year with the Eagles as well. While things still started out difficult, by the end of the season he had learned how to play at that level, and was a strong performer in the playoffs, scoring four goals and seven points in nine games.

It was no surprise that he came back this year even better, and has now earned a call-up to the big squad. As one of the first players with a development path like this, Foudy will be an interesting case to watch in the coming years.

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.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Alex Galchenyuk

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After a training camp tryout and an AHL PTO, Alex Galchenyuk has secured another NHL deal. The Colorado Avalanche have signed the veteran forward to a one-year contract for the rest of this season. According to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets, the deal is worth a pro-rated $750K, the league minimum. If the team wants him to continue in the minor leagues, he would have to clear waivers.

This may well have come a few months earlier had Galchenyuk not suffered an injury in camp that ended any chance of him starting the year with Colorado. At the time of his injury, head coach Jared Bednar had explained that the team would reconsider a deal when the injury was dealt with. Earlier this month, that resulted in an AHL tryout with the Colorado Eagles, where Galchenyuk managed seven points in seven games.

The 28-year-old forward has had a fascinating career thus far, one which includes a 30-goal season and seven different NHL stops. The third-overall pick from 2012 has the obvious skill required to compete at the NHL level and over the years developed a strong work ethic, but his game is still rife with inconsistency. He will look like a difference-making player for three shifts in a row, and then be completely out of position on the next.

Still, over the last few years, Colorado has built up a reputation for finding the perfect fit for players who may have been cast off from other organizations. Valeri Nichushkin may be the best example – the big Russian was once bought out by the Dallas Stars after going an entire season without scoring a goal, only to develop into an elite two-way winger for the Avalanche. Players like Ryan Graves, Jacob MacDonald, Kurtis MacDermid, and Jack Johnson have all found fits with the Avalanche after other teams moved on, learning how to play a specific role.

If Colorado can do the same with Galchenyuk, there is at least enough history to suggest that he can become a valuable piece this season. Given how their forward depth has been tested with injury so far, there will certainly be an opportunity for him to prove he still belongs. There is probably no better chance coming for Galchenyuk, so he’ll have to make the most of this one.

Los Angeles Kings Re-Assign Frederic Allard

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Nov 28: After coming up as an insurance policy, Allard has been returned to the Ontario Reign today without playing.

Nov 27: According to a team release Sunday, the Los Angeles Kings have recalled forward Lias Andersson and defenseman Brandt Clarke from the AHL’s Ontario Reign.

While Andersson has been continually shuffled up and down between the two leagues (he was sent down just yesterday), Clarke returns to the active roster after a two-week conditioning stint in the AHL. Due to the NHL-CHL eligibility agreement, the 19-year-old Clarke cannot be assigned to the minors full-time. However, the team had scratched him for five games in a row, making him eligible for a two-week, five-game conditioning stint in Ontario before returning to the NHL.

Clarke, the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, had a goal and an assist in five games with Ontario. He’s also played nine games in the NHL this season, meaning that one more game with the Kings will set his entry-level contract in motion. If not, his deal is eligible to slide until next season.

Despite spending a handful of days on the Kings’ roster, Andersson has yet to play an NHL game this season. The former New York Rangers prospect does have five goals and nine points in 12 games with the Reign, though, and may still be worth a few NHL looks at 24 years old.

One defenseman just wasn’t enough perhaps. After recalling Clarke and Andersson earlier this afternoon, the Kings announced they’ve recalled defenseman Frederic Allard from the Ontario Reign as well. Allard’s recall rounds out their roster at a complete 23 players. The 24-year-old has played in just five games this season, all with the Reign, recording one assist, and has played in just a single NHL game in his career, coming with the Nashville Predators back in 2020-21.

St. Louis Blues Recall Jake Neighbours

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The St. Louis Blues have brought up top prospect Jake Neighbours, assigning Nikita Alexandrov to the AHL in the meantime. The team will be without Robert Thomas for the next few days as he deals with a lower-body injury. Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic relays the lines from morning skate, which had Neighbours beside Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou on the third line.

Neighbours, 20, played 11 games for the Blues earlier this season, but had been returned to the minor leagues after failing to produce much offense. In seven games with the Springfield Thunderbirds, he failed to record a goal but did manage five assists. The experience of professional hockey has been tough for the young forward so far, who is used to dominating offensively at the WHL level. Neighbours had 17 goals and 45 points in 30 regular season games for the Edmonton Oil Kings last season.

Losing Thomas, regardless of who replaces him, is a huge blow for the Blues. The 23-year-old has four goals and 19 points through 21 games, following up his 77-point 2021-22 campaign. While he is only listed as day-to-day, any game played without him in the lineup is a difficult one. The Blues will have to try and find offense from somewhere else as they face the Dallas Stars this evening.

James Reimer Moved To Injured Reserve

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When the San Jose Sharks recalled Aaron Dell over the weekend, it suggested that James Reimer’s injury might be hampering him more than originally thought. The veteran netminder had played through it against the Los Angeles Kings, but didn’t look himself, allowing four goals on 28 shots. Today, the Sharks have decided to shut him down for at least a few days, moving Reimer to injured reserve and recalling Jeffrey Viel in the process.

Reimer, 34, has played in 15 games so far this season and has alternated between outstanding performances and struggles behind a leaky Sharks team. He has allowed four or more goals in seven games, but two or fewer in six. It has added up to a .903 save percentage but there have been times when San Jose would have been run out of the building without his acrobatic performance.

Behind him is Kaapo Kahkonen, who hasn’t been able to pull off the feat quite as often. The younger netminder has a 2-5-2 record and .871 save percentage through nine games. Dell, meanwhile, hasn’t posted acceptable NHL numbers since 2019-20, and shouldn’t be getting much playing time even if Reimer is held out for a longer period of time.

The Sharks likely won’t be able to avoid it, though, as they have two back-to-back situations coming up this week. The team will play tomorrow in Montreal, Wednesday in Toronto, Saturday in Ottawa, and Sunday in Buffalo, before returning home. Since Reimer must miss a minimum of seven days (since his last appearance), the best case is that he returns in time for the game against the Sabres.

It could be a tough week for the struggling Sharks, who now sit seventh in the Pacific Division and have lost three in a row.

Columbus Blue Jackets Recall Tim Berni

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The Columbus Blue Jackets, ravaged by injuries and floundering at the bottom of the league standings, are going to give an interesting young prospect a chance. Tim Berni has been recalled from the minor leagues, with Brendan Gaunce returned to the AHL to make room.

Berni, 22, was picked 159th overall in 2018 but made a name for himself while playing for Switzerland at the World Juniors and for his club team back home. A three-time member of the Swiss junior contingent, he captained the team at the 2020 tournament. He won a National League title in 2018 with the ZSC Lions after a late-season recall, and continued playing strong defense for the club for the next few seasons.

Last year, he came to North America and played the entire season with the Cleveland Monsters, racking up 15 points and 44 penalty minutes in 72 games. The left-shot defenseman isn’t really an offensive piece, but has an incredible work ethic in his own end and aggressively shuts down plays with quick feet. ’

In what has become a lost season for the Blue Jackets, getting a glance at Berni in the NHL will give the organization a bit more data for contract negotiations in the summer when his entry-level deal expires. Is this someone who could potentially contribute down the road, or is he limited to minor-league success? With so many regular defensemen injured, Columbus will get a chance to answer some of those questions.

Travis Konecny Placed On Injured Reserve

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The Philadelphia Flyers have moved Travis Konecny to injured reserve with an upper-body injury, while recalling Egor Zamula from the minor leagues to take his roster spot.

Konecny has not played since November 17, meaning a retroactive placement on IR would allow him to be activated whenever healthy. The forward was on the ice today (along with James van Riemsdyk and Scott Laughton), rehabbing his injury.

Zamula, meanwhile, is back after a short stint in the minor leagues. As Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic explains, the young defenseman was only sent down because of the Flyers’ busy schedule, which didn’t allow for much practice time.

Now at home for five games that all have at least one day between them, there will be plenty of time for Zamula to get on the ice with the rest of the NHL squad, even if he still ends up a healthy scratch at times.

The Flyers have lost ten in a row and now sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division.

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