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Semyon Varlamov Activated From Injured Reserve

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The New York Islanders once again have their Russian tandem back in place, activating Semyon Varlamov off injured reserve today. Cory Schneider, who had been up for the last few weeks, was returned to the minor leagues.

Varlamov, 34, hasn’t played since December 17, but holds a .919 save percentage on the season in 12 appearances. While he is now the clear backup to Ilya Sorokin, the veteran netminder gives the team an outstanding second option to rotate in when needed. His $5MM contract (which expires at the end of this season) is a tough one to carry on injured reserve, especially for a club so close to the cap ceiling thanks to several other injuries.

There are few tandems in the league as successful as Sorokin and Varlamov. The Islanders team save percentage of .915 is third in the NHL, only trailing the Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets, who, while having outstanding starters, have each had less reliable backups this year with Jeremy Swayman and David Rittich. Having Varlamov back is an advantage for New York, who can now afford to give Sorokin a bit of rest after he carried the entire load recently. Schneider has not appeared in an NHL game this season.

It’s just in time, given the back-to-back coming up at the end of the week when the Islanders travel through Edmonton and Calgary. They have two other back-to-back situations before the month is out, meaning New York will need to have two healthy goaltenders in place over the next few weeks.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Laine, Bear

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The NHL released its Three Stars for last week, with Filip Forsberg leading the way. The Nashville Predators winger scored five goals and seven points in three games, extending his lead in the team scoring race. Forsberg now has 14 goals and 32 points in 35 games, not quite the same pace he set last season when looking for a new contract. Even with a Forsberg hat trick on New Year’s Eve, the Predators failed to secure two points against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Second and third went to Erik Karlsson and Antti Raanta, who each had outstanding weeks. Karlsson had seven assists in four games and now leads the entire NHL in that category with 40 through his first 39 games. The San Jose Sharks defenseman is having an incredible bounce-back campaign and will once again be a Norris candidate thanks to a huge point total. Raanta, meanwhile, stopped 67 of 71 shots across three wins, keeping the Carolina Hurricanes on their 11-game streak.

  • Patrik Laine is out of COVID protocol and back with the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. The star ginger will be back in the lineup tomorrow and is expected to skate with Kent Johnson and Jonny Gaudreau on the top line. Laine’s season has been constantly interrupted by injury and illness, resulting in just 20 games played so far. He has nine goals and 16 points in those appearances.
  • Portzline adds that Nick Blankenburg, who has been out since November, will travel with the club for their game against the Ottawa Senators but is not expected to play. The 24-year-old was averaging more than 18 minutes a night in his seven appearances before going down to a broken ankle.
  • Now that the calendar has been turned to 2023, players on one-year deals are eligible to sign extensions as Joe Pavelski did yesterday. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Ethan Bear and the Vancouver Canucks are expected to talk this week about a potential deal, though there is no guarantee a contract is signed so quickly. Bear has played well for the Canucks since they acquired him at the end of October from the Carolina Hurricanes, and is currently scheduled to become a restricted free agent when his one-year, $2.2MM deal expires.

Seattle Kraken To Host 2024 Winter Classic

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A year from now, the NHL’s two newest franchises will go head-to-head outdoors. The 2024 Winter Classic will be between the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. The game is set for January 1, 2024 and will represent the first regular season outdoor game for the Kraken and the second for the Golden Knights after they took on the Colorado Avalanche at Lake Tahoe in 2021.

The home of MLB’s Seattle Mariners will be the event’s backdrop, which will be the 16th Winter Classic since it debuted in 2008. It will be broadcast exclusively on TNT in the United States and Sportsnet/TVA Sports in Canada. The league announced a long-term partnership with Discover as the primary sponsor of the event, technically making the match the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic.

After a disappointing inaugural season, the Kraken have come roaring back from the depths of the standings to compete for the playoffs this year. The team is 19-12-4 and sit fourth in the Pacific Division, despite having played the fewest games in the league (tied) to this point. They trail the Golden Knights by ten points in the standings but have played four fewer games, and still maintain a positive goal differential despite some recent struggles.

Matty Beniers appears poised to become one of the league’s stars, with 25 points in 35 games during his rookie season. The 2021 second-overall pick will likely be joined at next year’s event by Shane Wright and potentially other young players for the league to market. The Kraken have already become one of the NHL’s best revenue-generating franchises and were a perfect option to host a marquee event in the near future.

The Golden Knights, meanwhile, have quickly become one of the best marketing tools the league has, with a starring role in several big events. After missing the postseason last year, Vegas once again looks like a contender this year and have household names like Jack Eichel, Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, and Mark Stone to lead the way next year.

Kris Letang Away From Penguins For Personal Reasons

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As the Pittsburgh Penguins were preparing to take on the Boston Bruins at today’s Winter Classic there was a notable absence. Kris Letang did not skate with the group yesterday in the televised practice, and will not play this evening. Head coach Mike Sullivan explained that Letang has traveled back home to be with his family after his father passed away recently.

Letang, 35, is also dealing with a lower-body injury and has had quite a tumultuous season. He suffered a stroke (the second of his career) and was back on the ice just a few days later. Not quite playing to his standards, he has just 16 points in 29 games so far this season.

Still, he is the team’s most important defender, and losing him for any length of time will have a serious effect on the Penguins’ back end. Hopefully, he will be able to return relatively soon, though the team won’t rush him back. On behalf of the team, Sullivan told reporters that he wants to “express our sincere and deepest sympathy for him during this time.”

Mark Friedman and Ty Smith were both in the lineup at practice yesterday, skating with Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Brian Dumoulin respectively. Smith was also running the first powerplay unit, according to Seth Rorabaugh of the Tribune-Review.

Toronto Maple Leafs Re-Assign Joey Anderson

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After losing his spot in the lineup to Dryden Hunt, Joey Anderson is headed back to the minor leagues. The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that Anderson will rejoin the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, giving them a roster spot to activate Rasmus Sandin when necessary.

After a road trip coming out of the Christmas break, the Maple Leafs are headed home for three games starting tomorrow night. They won’t need the extra forward, given they already have Wayne Simmonds sitting out as a healthy scratch. Anderson as played seven games with the Maple Leafs this season, scoring one goal while averaging just over nine minutes a night. The 24-year-old hasn’t had much NHL opportunity since arriving in Toronto, playing 13 games since the start of 2020-21.

He has been arguably the Marlies’ best player though, with 11 goals and 19 points in 21 games this season. He’ll continue to stay sharp in the minor leagues until the NHL club needs him again.

Activating Sandin will give the Maple Leafs a decision to make when it comes to their defense. The group has played well recently and doesn’t have an obvious name to remove to make room for the young Swede. T.J. Brodie’s versatility means they can take a right-handed shot out – perhaps Conor Timmins, the newest regular – but there’s no easy answer given the results so far. The Maple Leafs have allowed just 94 goals against in 37 games, second-best in the league behind only the Boston Bruins.

Sandin, 22, has 14 points in 33 games this season and is averaging just over 18 minutes a night overall.

Nashville Predators Recall Roland McKeown

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Jan 2: The up-and-down continues for McKeown. After being assigned back down to the AHL yesterday, the Predators have brought him back up today.

Dec 29: The Nashville Predators have announced that defenseman Roland McKeown has been recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.

The move adds a seventh defenseman to the Predators’ roster, giving the team some reinforcements in advance of a back-to-back. McKeown is replacing Jordan Gross, who was sent down on December 21st when veteran blueliner Ryan McDonagh was activated off of injured reserve.

McKeown is now in line to play his fourth NHL game of the season, should head coach John Hynes opt to include him in a game-day lineup.

The 26-year-old had long been a member of the Carolina Hurricanes organization since arriving in a Andrej Sekera mid-season trade. Drafted 50th overall in 2014, McKeown had been seen as a quality prospect earlier in his career, scoring at decent rates in the OHL for the Kingston Frontenacs and then quickly playing a regular role for the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.

He was never quite able to take the next step in his game and break into the NHL, though. After playing 10 NHL games for the Hurricanes in 2017-18, he didn’t earn any games in the following two years, leading to his exit from the organization.

After spending 2020-21 in Sweden playing for Skelleftea in the SHL, McKeown returned to North America in 2021-22 to serve as an experienced defensive option for the Colorado Eagles, the Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate.

This year, McKeown has gotten back to the NHL, playing in three games for the Predators, as previously mentioned. McKeown averaged 13:44 time-on-ice per game, including 1:32 on the penalty kill.

With this recall, McKeown has a chance to put some quality NHL performances on his resume and establish himself as a go-to depth option for the Predators, who have him under contract for next season as well.

Nicklas Backstrom Exits COVID Protocol

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Jan 2: Backstrom has tested out of the protocol and re-joined his teammates, according to El-Bashir. The veteran forward is back on the ice in a top-six jersey.

Dec 28: It had been a promising scene at Washington Capitals practice recently, with Nicklas Backstrom taking part and appearing to be close to a return. Unfortunately, that recovery will have to be put on pause for the moment, as the veteran center has been put in the COVID protocol, according to Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic.

With Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie, and Carl Hagelin all taking part in the optional practice today, the Capitals are well on their way to getting the band back together. Backstrom’s absence will hopefully be rather short, and he will be able to get back on the ice in a few days.

The 35-year-old hasn’t played this season as he recovers from hip surgery in June. After the procedure, he explained to reporters that he was pain-free for the first time in years but didn’t know when or if he would be able to play again. The mystery appears to be solved, and a return for Backstrom is on the horizon.

After hitting the 1,000-point mark last season, there are a few Hall of Fame players within striking distance of the Capitals legend, and a place in the NHL’s top 75 is even possible. He would need 35 points to pass Henri Richard’s 1,046 for that honor, though Eric Staal (currently at 1,042) might do it first. It has been an incredible career for the fourth overall pick from 2006, and as Alex Ovechkin continues his chase of the all-time goals record, getting his long-time setup man would only help.

Because Backstrom is already on long-term injured reserve, his status in the protocol will not change anything for the Capitals. The team will need to clear a good amount of cap space to activate him though, meaning this will likely give them a little extra time to figure things out.

Stars Recall Fredrik Olofsson From AHL

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Jan 2: After being sent back down to the AHL yesterday, Olofsson is back already for the Stars. The SHL star has one goal in three games at the NHL level so far.

Dec 27:  Fredrik Olofsson is an older rookie at the age of 26 but he is set to get his first NHL opportunity as the Stars announced that they’ve recalled the forward from AHL Texas.

Olofsson is in his first season in North America after signing with Dallas back in May following an impressive season with IK Oskarshamn in Sweden that saw him put up 42 points in 49 games.  He also earned a spot on Sweden’s Olympic team which helped to get him on the NHL radar.  However, he hasn’t been as productive in the minors as Olofsson has just a dozen points in 28 games with Texas.

Olofsson will likely take the place of Riley Tufte in the Stars’ lineup.  Tufte played less than five minutes in Friday’s victory over Montreal and was among the many players shuffled back to the minors on Saturday for salary cap purposes.  Olofsson is a bit more of a defensive player and might be a better fit on the fourth line in Denis Gurianov’s absence.

Tampa Bay Lightning Extend Nick Perbix

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The Tampa Bay Lightning continue to turn late-round picks into valuable players, this time getting regular minutes out of sixth-round rookie Nick Perbix. They’ve rewarded the young defenseman with a two-year extension, which will carry an average annual value of $1.125MM.

Perbix, 24, was the 169th pick in 2017, coming out of the high school circuit. There was some early optimism during his year in the USHL but things didn’t really start taking off until he went to St. Cloud State. Over four years, Perbix racked up points while playing in all situations. He performed so well that in 2022, the U.S. Olympic team selected Perbix to join them.

It only took him a handful of AHL games to show that he was ready for a higher level, and in 29 outings for the Lightning this season has eight points. The 6’2″ right-shot defender has skated next to Victor Hedman and is averaging over 15 minutes so far.

For $1.125MM, there’s a lot of upside here for the Lightning with very little risk. If he continues to improve and stays in the team’s top four, he’ll be a huge bargain. If things turn and he struggles, the entire cap hit can be buried in the minor leagues.

Interestingly, because Perbix reached the NHL later than most prospects, he will actually be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this deal. With strong play, he could set himself up for a significant payday when he hits the open market just weeks after his 27th birthday.

Ryan O’Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko Placed On Injured Reserve

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There are two big trade chips for the St. Louis Blues this season. Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko are both on expiring contracts and will likely fetch high prices at the deadline, if the team decides to move on. Unfortunately, there is now also the question of whether they will be healthy enough to contribute.

O’Reilly and Tarasenko have both been moved to injured reserve with long-term issues. O’Reilly is dealing with a broken foot and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, while Tarasenko has a hand injury and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The team has recalled Jake Neighbours to fill in.

It’s brutal timing for a club that is trying to get back into the playoff race, or at least pump the value of these players before the deadline. The Blues are 17-17-3 on the year and sit in fifth place in the Central Division.

O’Reilly, 31, has ten goals and 16 points on the year, not exactly the season many expected as he approaches free agency. The veteran center has been known for his playmaking ability, racking up at least 35  assists in each of the last nine non-shortened seasons. With just six in 2022-23, he’s on pace for his worst season in more than a decade.

The 31-year-old Tarasenko on the other hand is having another strong offensive campaign, scoring 29 points in 34 games so far. One of the most impressive stories of 2021-22, Tarasenko came back from major shoulder surgery to score 34 goals and 82 points. A threat to light the lamp every time he touches the ice, the Russian winger figured to be a perfect trade deadline target for clubs looking to inject offense into their top-six.

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