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Archives for January 2023

Five Key Stories: 1/2/23 – 1/8/23

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The first full week of 2023 is in the books.  It featured a successful Winter Classic (plus an announcement on who gets the next one) plus some notable news on the injury front – both good and bad.  Those injuries are among the news highlighted in our key stories.

Back To Junior: With the World Juniors ending, a pair of Canadian-born players won’t be returning to their NHL teams.  Seattle assigned center Shane Wright to Kingston of the OHL while Los Angeles did the same with defenseman Brandt Clarke.  Wright, the fourth-overall pick last summer, played in just eight NHL games and will have a chance to play a big role in the second half of the season although it won’t be with the Frontenacs who are expected to move him shortly.  As for Clarke, the 2021 first-rounder played in nine NHL contests this season, the last of which came more than two months ago so he’ll now have an opportunity to play consistent heavy minutes for a while with the Colts.  Neither player played enough to burn the first season of their entry-level contracts.

Key Returns: A pair of Metropolitan Division teams welcomed back some key veterans.  First, Carolina finally got to use one of their key acquisitions as they activated winger Max Pacioretty from LTIR.  Acquired in a salary cap dump from Vegas last summer, the 34-year-old is a consistent scoring threat and already has a pair of goals for the Hurricanes in two games.  Meanwhile, Washington was able to bring back two key veterans in center Nicklas Backstrom and winger Tom Wilson.  Backstrom underwent hip resurfacing surgery and is now only the second NHL player to play after that procedure while Wilson is back from knee surgery.  Both players have been top-six fixtures for the Capitals so their offense will get a big boost once they’re up to full speed.

Ekholm Available? Nashville currently is out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference with the team struggling to score.  Accordingly, some are wondering if they might become sellers.  To that end, they are believed to be considering moving defenseman Mattias Ekholm.  The 32-year-old has been a key cog on the back end for the Predators for the better part of a decade and is in the first season of a four-year contract that carries a $6.25MM AAV.  That’s a high price tag for a lot of contenders to afford so it wouldn’t be the typical trade we see in-season that often involves a player for a draft pick but rather a swap that would see a player or two going the other way to help match money.  Such a swap might be better for Nashville to make in the summer but it appears they’ll at least look into the possibility of doing something sooner than that.

Key Injuries: It wasn’t all good news on the injury front.  St. Louis’ quest to make the playoffs just got a lot harder with Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko landing on injured reserve for extended stints.  O’Reilly has a broken foot that will keep him out for at least six weeks while Tarasenko is dealing with a hand injury that will keep him out for a minimum of a month.  Both players are pending unrestricted free agents and if the Blues can’t hang around the postseason race in their absence, they’ll become strong trade candidates upon their return.  Meanwhile, Jake DeBrusk’s strong performance in the Winter Classic which saw him score both goals in the third to get Boston the win will be his last for a while as the Bruins have placed him on LTIR with hand and lower-body injuries.  The good news is that he shouldn’t miss much more than the minimum 10 games/24 days but missing a key secondary piece for a month will hurt.

Vrana Clears Waivers: There was a bit of a surprise when Detroit opted to place winger Jakub Vrana on waivers.  His contract, one that carries a $5.25MM AAV, made it likely that he’d clear which he did but it’s still an unexpected situation.  Vrana has missed most of the season while being in the Player Assistance Program but was expected to be an important part of Detroit’s core this season.  Now, he’ll stick around with AHL Grand Rapids for the time being where he has an assist in six games.  The Red Wings will eat a $4.125MM cap charge while he’s with the Griffins.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Evening Notes: Bortuzzo, Wild, Oilers, Ostapchuk

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It has been a rough stretch for St. Louis defensemen lately with Torey Krug and Nick Leddy both being injured recently.  Those two join Marco Scandella and Scott Perunovich (both haven’t played this season) on injured reserve.  Last night, another defender went down in veteran Robert Bortuzzo who sustained a lower-body injury.  Speaking to reporters today, Blues head coach Craig Berube told reporters including Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the veteran is currently listed as day-to-day although he’s still being evaluated.  Bortuzzo has played in 30 games this season on the third pairing and now their defensive depth will be tested a little more for the time being.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Prior to tonight’s game, the Wild announced (Twitter link) that winger Jordan Greenway wouldn’t play. No, it’s not another recurrence of the upper-body injury that has plagued him all season.  Instead, he’s out with a non-COVID illness.  Meanwhile, Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune relays (Twitter link) that winger Mats Zuccarello will accompany the team on their upcoming road trip after missing both Saturday’s game and tonight’s.  Between his injury and Greenway’s illness, Minnesota only has 11 healthy forwards on their roster and as a result, had to dress seven blueliners against St. Louis.
  • There are teams that will need to move first-round picks over the next couple of months to add a missing piece or two. While the Oilers typically haven’t been one of those lately, Allan Mitchell of The Athletic argues (subscription link) that they should be much more willing to do so this time around.  Whoever they get with that selection if they were to keep it likely wouldn’t be ready to play in Edmonton before the contracts of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl expire.  Accordingly, with the team in win-now mode, acquiring someone with that pick that can help the current core might be the better way for them to go.
  • The big trades in the CHL continue as Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports (Twitter link) that Senators prospect Zack Ostapchuk is being traded to WHL Winnipeg. The 2021 second-rounder played for Canada at the World Juniors and has 10 goals and 19 assists in 21 games this season.  The full trade package is unknown but it’s believed to involve three first-round picks.

Oilers Notes: Kane, Broberg, Defense Options

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The Oilers suffered a big loss back in early November when Evander Kane had his wrist cut by a skate, resulting in emergency surgery that carried an expected recovery timeline of up to four months.  Instead, as Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal notes, the veteran appears to be well ahead of schedule, speculating that he could be back by the end of this month.  Kane is in his first full season with Edmonton and had gotten off to a strong start prior to the injury, picking up 13 points in 14 games while chipping in with 51 hits.  His eventual return will certainly add another gear to their attack and while it would force some cap-shedding moves to activate him from LTIR, it would also allow GM Ken Holland to have a bit more time to evaluate his top six group before the trade deadline to help determine if any moves need to be made on that front.

More from Edmonton:

  • While many expect Edmonton to make a move to add a left-shot defenseman before the trade deadline, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported in the latest 32 Thoughts segment (video link) that they plan to give prospect Philip Broberg an extended look first. The 21-year-old has spent a good chunk of the season with the Oilers with his only AHL time being a six-week stretch early in the year (which he was injured for part of).  Broberg, the eighth-overall pick in 2019, has two assists in 15 games with Edmonton this season but is averaging just over 12 minutes a game.  Ideally, he’s able to step up and lessen their need for help from outside the organization so it makes sense that they’ll try to give him a stretch of games first before pondering a move.
  • If and when Edmonton does look elsewhere for a left defender, Arizona defenseman Jakob Chychrun has been a speculative candidate for a while. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector and Adam Vingan examine how the 24-year-old might fit with the team, noting that while, on paper, adding the top blueliner available makes plenty of sense in theory, he might not be the best fit for Edmonton.  Instead, one scout posits that a more physical stay-at-home defender such as Montreal’s Joel Edmundson or Vancouver’s Luke Schenn might be the better type of player to try to acquire.

Snapshots: Hintz, Comrie, CHL Trades

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The Dallas Stars and new head coach Peter DeBoer have picked up right where they left off after the departure of former coach Rick Bowness, with the team sitting comfortably in playoff position atop the Central Division standings. A major reason for the Stars’ success this season, beyond the obvious storylines of Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger, has been the play of number-one center Roope Hintz. Hintz, 26, has scored 19 goals and 44 points in just 39 games this season, and is on pace to have his third straight season scoring around the point-per-game mark.

Hintz is a player of such significant importance to the Stars’ success that were the team forced to play without him, they would be at a major disadvantage. That makes this news from today’s stars game notable. As reported by The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf, Hintz suffered an upper-body injury and is questionable to return to today’s game. While it’s possible that this is only a precautionary measure and Hintz’s injury is inconsequential, this overall situation will be one to monitor for Stars fans and hockey fans alike who have come to enjoy watching Hintz play on a regular basis.

Some other notes from across the hockey world:

  • Buffalo Sabres goaltender Eric Comrie’s conditioning stint with the AHL’s Rochester Americans has ended, per Noted Hockey’s Joe Yerdon. Comrie had been in Rochester as part of his recovery process for the lower-body injury he suffered in November. Comrie signed a two-year, $1.8MM AAV deal with the Sabres in the offseason, and has had an up-and-down season, with a hot start and some games he’d like to have back. Overall, his numbers aren’t great (.887 save percentage through 11 games) but the Sabres as a whole seem to have turned a corner from their slow start to the season, so perhaps a healthy Comrie can benefit from the team’s overall improvement.
  • Two top prospects in the Canadian Hockey League could be on the move. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports that Olen Zellweger, a top defensive prospect of the Anaheim Ducks, is being traded to the Kamloops Blazers as part of a massive deal involving as many as four first-round picks in the WHL Bantam Draft headed back to Zellweger’s current team, the Everett Silvertips. Additionally, Hockey Unfiltered’s Ken Campbell reports rumblings that 2022 fourth-overall pick Shane Wright could be headed to the London Knights as part of a major trade. Neither deal has been officially announced, so it’s still possible that things shift, but at the moment it seems the destinations of two of the CHL’s biggest-name players have been settled.

Minor Transactions: 01/08/23

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It’s another busy day on the NHL calendar, with half of the league set to do battle. Tonight’s highlights include a matchup of two bitter Central Division rivals when the St. Louis Blues take on the Minnesota Wild, and a Western Canadian showdown as the Vancouver Canucks test their mettle against the Winnipeg Jets. As hockey fans across the world enjoy these contests, teams from minor leagues, overseas leagues, and junior leagues are making tweaks to their rosters. We’ll keep track of those moves here.

  • After spending two seasons in North America and playing in over 100 NHL games, former Detroit Red Wings forward Christoffer Ehn made the choice to head back to Europe to continue his career. The 26-year-old has spent the past two seasons playing for Linkoping in the SHL, and has been solid. Today, Linkoping announced that Ehn has signed a three-year extension to remain with the team. Linkoping currently stands ninth in the SHL standings, and with this extension in hand Ehn will now be able to be a core player helping the team climb the Swedish hockey ranks.
  • Vladimir Roth, a veteran of the European pro hockey circuit, has returned to his old stomping grounds at HC Ocelari Trinec. The 32-year-old blueliner last played with the Czech side in 2019-20, and has in total played parts of eight seasons there. So far this season Roth has played mostly in Prague at the second-division level, and he’ll now get another chance in Czechia’s top division with this move.
  • The departures from Lillehammer, a team in the top Norwegian professional league, continue. Yesterday, Lillehammer lost a top scorer, Martin Gran, and today they lose another key forward, Henrik Eriksson. Eriksson, 26, has scored 30 points in 29 games for Lillehammer, and will now join the Belfast Giants of the EIHL, the top professional hockey league in the United Kingdom.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Marc-Andre Fleury Away From Minnesota Wild For Personal Reasons

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The Minnesota Wild are certainly thankful Filip Gustavsson is feeling healthy enough to play once again, as they’ll be down a separate netminder. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to be away from the team at least for one game due to personal reasons. Zane McIntyre, who was recalled due to Gustavsson’s illness, is still with the team to backup Gustavsson.

It’s unclear what the issue is for Fleury, however as Russo details, it appears to stem back as far as New Year’s Eve. Of course, Fleury and his family are entitled to their privacy in what are likely difficult times. Russo adds that as of right now, the expectation is Fleury would leave the Wild this morning and return home to Montreal before rejoining the team on Tuesday in New York City. After playing at home tonight, the Wild head to New York to play the Rangers on Tuesday and the Islanders Thursday, heading home for one game Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes, then heading back out east for four games.

Fleury, 38, has already established himself as a likely Hall-of-Famer, but hasn’t been his usual self this season, recording a 2.94 goals against and .901 save-percentage. Fortunately for the Wild, they’ve received superb goaltending from Gustavsson, the usual backup, who has turned in a 2.24 goals-against and .924 save-percentage in 15 games.

West Notes: McDonagh, Guenther, Gustavsson

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Amid their up-and-down season on and off the ice thus far, eight points out of a playoff spot coming into today, unable to extend Bo Horvat, and listing only Elias Pettersson as “untouchable,” it appears the Vancouver Canucks need to start setting their eyes on the future. Part of that future is likely with Pettersson, as well as Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko, and the recently-extended J.T. Miller, but will also come with their young prospects. One of those prospects, who has yet to sign with the team, is Northeastern University forward Aidan McDonagh.

The 23-year-old is finishing up his fourth season in the NCAA where he has 13 goals and 14 assists in just 20 games and is over a point-per-game during his four years. A 2019 seventh-round pick of the Canucks, Vancouver’s rights with McDonagh expire on August 15th. According to CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal, Vancouver GM Patrik Allvin was in Boston this weekend to meet with McDonagh. Per Dhaliwal, that meeting went very well, with Allvin laying out his plan for the player should he choose to sign. Despite the positive meeting, there is still no indication of how likely McDonagh is to sign with the team that drafted him.

  • After scoring the golden-goal for Team Canada at this year’s World Juniors, Arizona Coyotes forward Dylan Guenther immediately rejoined his team, flying back to Arizona on Friday, less than 24 hours after the biggest goal of his life to-date. Given the whirlwind few days for Guenther and having been away form his NHL team for a few weeks, many would understand if the winger didn’t play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, that won’t be the case says PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan, who reports that Guenther will play at home Sunday. Guenther, 19, had been one of a few key difference-makers for Canada at this year’s tournament, and has been off to a nice start to his NHL career too, recording 11 points in 21 games prior to joining Team Canada.
  • Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who last played Wednesday and has been out with a non-COVID illness since, is expected to start this evening’s game at home against the St. Louis Blues, says The Athletic’s Joe Smith. Gustavsson’s illness had apparently been enough that he couldn’t simply back-up for Marc-Andre Fleury, but the team had to instead recall netminder Zane McIntyre on an emergency basis Friday morning. The Wild play at home this evening before a two game midweek road trip to New York City and Long Island.

Joe Snively Clears Waivers, Assigned To Hershey Bears

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December 8: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Snively has cleared waivers. Snively will head to the Hershey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate, says Samantha Pell of the Washington Post. No new players were placed on waivers on Sunday, Friedman added.

December 7: With Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson set to return tomorrow, at least one waiver placement was expected from the Capitals today.  That has come as NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnson reports (Twitter link) that Washington has placed winger Joe Snively on waivers.

The 27-year-old saw his first NHL action last season and certainly made the most of it, notching four goals and three assists in just 12 games with the Caps.  He also was quite productive at the minor league level with AHL Hershey, collecting 15 goals and 23 helpers in 35 contests with the Bears.  That was enough for GM Brian MacLellan to commit a two-year, one-way extension worth $800K per season to Snively, a nice reward for the late bloomer.

However, things haven’t gone as well this season for Snively.  He has been a frequent healthy scratch, suiting up just six times and just once since mid-November.  He has a single assist in those contests while averaging just over 12 minutes a night.  The role he was supposed to fill as a bottom-six offensive contributor has since been filled by early-season signing Sonny Milano and now with Backstrom and Wilson set to return, Washington just can’t afford to keep Snively on the roster any longer.

Despite the limited action and production this season, there is a chance that a team is willing to take a chance on Snively.  With a cap hit that’s just $50K above the league minimum in 2022-23 (and just $25K above the minimum next season), claiming him would be of little risk to even most cap-strapped squads if they’re looking to try someone else in a depth role.  Washington will find out if they’re able to return Snively to Hershey at 1 PM CT on Sunday.

Detroit Red Wings Assign Elmer Soderblom To AHL

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The Detroit Red Wings announced this afternoon that they’ve assigned rookie forward Elmer Soderblom to the Grand Rapids Griffins, their AHL affiliate. No corresponding move was announced. This will be Soderblom’s second stint with the Griffins this season.

The decision to send Soderblom down isn’t too much of a surprise, as Michigan Live’s Ansar Khan reports, forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Filip Zadina are both due back from injury fairly soon and the Red Wings will need a pair of roster spots for them. Already at a full 23-man roster before sending Soderblom down, the Red Wings will need to make another move in order to get both of their injured wingers back on the active roster.

Listed at 6’8 and 246 pounds, the massive Soderblom was an exciting addition to Detroit’s opening night roster. The 21-year-old has been solid for the team in limited action, missing time due to injury earlier in the season and averaging 12:04 in time-on-ice per game. Through 21 games, Soderblom had five goals and three assists for Detroit.

With Soderblom on his ELC and thus not eligible for waivers and Detroit needing the roster spot, this assignment seems like a perfect fit. However, considering Soderblom has shown he’s certainly capable of playing in an NHL lineup, it does raise questions about the plan for Soderblom going forward. With 2022-23 being his first season in North America, perhaps an extended stay in Grand Rapids, possibly seeing top-six minutes and special teams action, could be good for his development as he continues to adjust to the smaller rink.

Whatever Detroit chooses to do with the young forward, puzzling but presumably well-thought-out decisions in the face of a roster crunch wouldn’t be unprecedented after the team waived forward Jakub Vrana earlier this week.

Los Angeles Kings Loan Jacob Moverare To AHL

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January 8: Just a few days after recalling him, the Kings have announced Moverare has been loaned to Ontario. The defenseman, who has played in just two games this season, did not play on this most recent recall.

January 5: The Los Angeles Kings have recalled Jacob Moverare, adding an extra body to the mix before their game tonight against the Boston Bruins. The Kings already had an open roster spot as they were previously carrying only six defensemen.

Moverare, 24, played two games earlier this season when the team was dealing with injuries but has spent most of the year in the minor leagues. A fourth-round pick in 2016, he has just 21 games of NHL experience to this point and doesn’t offer much offensive upside. Still, he does bring size and reach to the back end, helping on the penalty kill when needed.

Signed to a new two-year contract last June, Moverare will be on a one-way deal in 2023-24, showing how much confidence the Kings have in his ability to contribute moving forward. He’s one of a number of young defensemen in the system that could see playing time in the future, as names like Alexander Edler, Matt Roy, or Sean Walker start hitting free agency. For now, it remains to be seen whether he gets into the lineup tonight or is just up as insurance for the road game on Saturday night in Vegas.

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