While it seems odd that Seattle won’t have a representative at the upcoming All-Star Game with Matty Beniers being replaced by Vegas center Chandler Stephenson, it appears the league did try to get a replacement representative from the Kraken. GM Ron Francis told Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times that another Seattle player was asked but declined in order to use the break to recuperate while most of the players had already left with their last game before the break coming on Saturday. They will be the lone team at the event without a representative.
More from the Western Conference:
- While the Jets didn’t have Mason Appleton back in the lineup tonight for their final game before the All-Star break, TSN’s John Lu relays (Twitter link) that the winger is expected to play in their first game back on February 11th. The 27-year-old has been out since mid-November with a wrist injury and has been limited to just 14 games this season where he has a goal and five assists. Appleton’s eventual return will certainly bolster Winnipeg’s bottom six and will also open up some extra cap space heading to the deadline as they will have to move someone off the roster before they can activate him from IR.
- Late Sunday, the Oilers announced (Twitter link) that they recalled forward Devin Shore from his conditioning stint with AHL Bakersfield. The 28-year-old last played with Edmonton nearly a month ago and has just three assists in 29 games so far this season. After a slow start with the Condors, Shore picked up five points in his final three games with them so it will be interesting to see if the Oilers find a way to get him into the lineup. The team also confirmed the release of emergency goaltender Matt Berlin. Berlin briefly played late in Saturday’s victory over Chicago.
WHO WAS THE KRAKEN ASKED?
Guesses below
@pawtucket—They asked…an empty room.
Ron F.— “Hey, Dave, go see who we have to send to the ASG in Matty’s place.”
Dave H.— “Too late, Ron. They all booked out to Cabo. Don’t you still have some eligibility left?”
Ron F.— “Nope.”
McCann would be the appropriate candidate. But maybe they asked Eberle, on condition he still had his jersey from last year. After letting it sink in that Matty can’t make it, seems like saying no thanks was a win-win.
Eeli Tolvanen. Just to piss Gbear off.
@mattc68—He wouldn’t be the only one. A whole mess of Nashville Cats fans would also be there, too.
Oh no, I would actually get pleasure at seeing Poile’s face publicly rubbed into the ice like that. Eeli probably has a higher GPG average than anyone on the Preds roster. Poile is an idiot.
Grubauer as the 4th Goalie, perhaps?