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Archives for April 2023

Injury Notes: Bennett, Romanov, Janmark

April 19, 2023 at 11:49 am CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett will return to the lineup for Game 2 against the Boston Bruins, head coach Paul Maurice confirmed today. Bennett missed the final 12 games of the regular season and 13 overall with a groin injury, his second multi-game absence of the season.

Bennett is a crucial secondary scoring option for a Panthers team that needs all the help they can get to unseat the President’s Trophy winners in the first round. The 26-year-old has continued to progress since joining the Panthers, recording 40 points in 63 games this season while serving as their second-line center. That’s a role he’ll resume tonight, per the Panthers’ line rushes at practice this morning, skating between Eetu Luostarinen and Matthew Tkachuk. With Boston still without Patrice Bergeron, Bennett’s return is a major boost for Florida, who needs to double down on a strong Game 1 effort to tie the series.

  • New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov remains out of the lineup tonight, says The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz. Romanov has been out of the lineup since April 2 with an undisclosed injury and is still listed as day-to-day, although a return doesn’t seem imminent. Samuel Bolduc, who’s drawn in for Romanov down the stretch and did so again in Game 1 Monday, recorded a +1 rating in just 8:51 of ice time against the Hurricanes.
  • Edmonton Oilers winger Mattias Janmark could miss Game 2 against the Los Angeles Kings tonight after blocking a shot off his right foot Monday, TSN’s Jason Gregor reports. Janmark did not participate in this morning’s practice and was seen limping after the Oilers’ Game 1 overtime loss. Gregor expects the Oilers to dress seven defensemen tonight with Janmark absent, meaning youngster Philip Broberg could make his second career playoff appearance. Janmark did register an assist in Game 1.

Edmonton Oilers| Florida Panthers| Injury| New York Islanders Alexander Romanov| Mattias Janmark| Sam Bennett

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Morning Notes: Sabres Goaltending, Bergeron, Eyssimont

April 19, 2023 at 10:30 am CDT | by Josh Erickson 4 Comments

The Buffalo Sabres had a rather unconventional system of goaltending this season. With the early-season emergence of youngster Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the team rotated three netminders for most of the season. That number became four when Devon Levi joined the team late in the year after wrapping up his collegiate career.

Buffalo’s depth chart in the crease will be thinner next season, however. 41-year-old Craig Anderson has ridden off into the sunset after a fantastic final season, leading the team with a .908 save percentage, albeit in just 24 starts. Veteran Eric Comrie, signed through next season, struggled mightily with a .886 save percentage in 19 starts. That leaves Buffalo with Levi and Luukkonen, who head coach Don Granato said today he’s comfortable with as next season’s tandem.

It’s a tall ask of two goalies under the age of 25 to help propel a franchise toward its first playoff appearance in over a decade, especially given Luukkonen’s shaky injury history throughout his development. He did show major promise in the NHL this season, however, and it doesn’t seem Buffalo is at the point yet where they’re prepared to give up on possible major future pieces in exchange for a quick fix.

More from around the league this morning:

  • While Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron skated on his own before practice this morning, he didn’t join the team’s full session, per The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa, and is expected to remain out of the lineup for Game 2 against the Florida Panthers tonight. Florida made more noise against the Bruins than most expected in the opening match, but Boston still secured a 3-1 win without their captain’s services. Bergeron is still dealing with a minor injury and illness that have sidelined him for approximately the past week.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning lost the services of two defensemen to injury last night, but also had to contend without forward Michael Eyssimont for most of the game after a hit from Toronto Maple Leafs defender Jake McCabe. Eyssimont had recorded two assists in 15 games with the Lightning since arriving from the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline.

Boston Bruins| Buffalo Sabres| Injury| Tampa Bay Lightning Devon Levi| Michael Eyssimont| Patrice Bergeron| Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

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Dallas Stars Recall Riley Tufte

April 19, 2023 at 9:45 am CDT | by Josh Erickson 1 Comment

The Dallas Stars recalled left winger Riley Tufte from the AHL’s Texas Stars on Wednesday, the team said in a release.

This is the second recall of the season for the 25-year-old after playing three games with Dallas in December 2022. Drafted 25th overall in 2016, Tufte has never replicated the offensive potential he showed in high school through four seasons in Texas. However, he is enjoying a career year in the minors, recording 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points with a +23 rating in 63 games.

Tufte comes up to the active roster with Joe Pavelski’s status for Game 2 of their First Round series against the Minnesota Wild in doubt. Pavelski exited the team’s Game 1 overtime loss after a hit from Wild defender Matt Dumba, which caused Pavelski to fall to the ice with head contact.

With the series taking an expected physical turn, Tufte could draw into the lineup ahead of Dallas’ extra forwards, Joel Kiviranta and Fredrik Olofsson. While Tufte has some goal-scoring upside, he is a power forward first and foremost and plays an extremely physical game, standing at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds.

Tufte does not have any NHL playoff experience and only 13 games of regular-season experience. He registered his first NHL goal last season in a 10-game stint.

AHL| Dallas Stars Joe Pavelski| Riley Tufte

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Michael Bunting To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

April 19, 2023 at 8:32 am CDT | by Josh Erickson 11 Comments

Toronto Maple Leafs left winger Michael Bunting will be facing a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety today for an illegal check to the head and interference on Tampa Bay Lightning defender Erik Černák.

Officials assessed Bunting a match penalty on the play during last night’s 7-3 Game 1 loss. According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, Bunting’s hearing with DOPS is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET today.

The play in question occurred at 15:40 of the second period when Bunting extended his upper arm into Černák’s head (video) while attempting to win a race for the puck, which resulted in the Lightning defender leaving the game and not returning. Earlier in the period, Černák had received a questionable roughing penalty for contact on Bunting after play had stopped.

First-round suspensions, along with series losses, are becoming an all-too-familiar refrain for the Maple Leafs. Former middle-six pivot Nazem Kadri was suspended for multiple games in both the 2018 and 2019 first-round losses against the Boston Bruins, while enforcer Kyle Clifford was suspended after a hit in Game 1 of last year’s loss against the Lightning.

The injury Černák sustained on the play will likely have some influence on Bunting’s punishment, and unfortunately for the Lightning, he’s not the only defenseman whose health is in question. Victor Hedman didn’t play the final two periods of the game with an undisclosed injury, forcing the Lightning to play with four defensemen, including rookies Nicklaus Perbix and Darren Raddysh, for the back half of the game.

While Bunting does have a history of playing on the edge, he’s yet to be suspended over the course of his 187-game NHL career. However, the NHL fined Bunting $2,000 in February for diving and embellishment.

With a suspension almost inevitable for Bunting, rookie winger Matthew Knies could make his playoff debut in Bunting’s place in Game 2 Thursday.

Tampa Bay Lightning| Toronto Maple Leafs Erik Cernak| Michael Bunting| NHL Player Safety

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Minor Transactions: 04/18/23

April 18, 2023 at 7:41 pm CDT | by Ethan Hetu 1 Comment

It’s a busy day across the hockey world, with a group of first-round NHL playoff series set to begin tonight and a few European leagues playing finals games. In the NHL, the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils are beginning what is likely to be a heated series between two rivals, while the Seattle Kraken are making their playoff debut in a game against the Colorado Avalanche — with former Colorado netminder Philipp Grubauer in the crease.

In Europe, Djurgarden defeated MoDo in a significant matchup in their battle for promotion to the top-tier SHL, while in Germany ERC Ingolstadt made a crucial late push to defeat EHC Red Bull Munchen and avoid falling into a 3-0 hole in the DEL finals. In Austria, HC Bolzano managed a 4-3 victory over Red Bull Salzburg to force a deciding seventh game in the ICEHL’s finals. As fans all around the world enjoy the important games on the schedule today, many offseason moves are being made by teams whose seasons have ended. We’ll keep track of those transactions here.

  • 739-game NHL veteran Justin Abdelkader will not return to EV Zug, the team he played 2022-23 for, according to a team social media post. The 36-year-old played 24 games in his second tour with Zug, having skated nine games for them before in 2020-21. Abdelkader scored two goals and five points this season and added three points in five playoff games. Without a team at the moment for next season, it doesn’t seem out of the question that Abdelkader could end up retiring, though it’s also certainly possible that he decides to continue his pro career. In any case,  should Abdelkader choose to keep playing his next season won’t be with EV Zug.
  • Brynas IF has secured a major contract extension for their quest to be promoted back to the SHL. The team announced a three-year contract for former NHLer Johan Larsson, who ranked second among forwards in team scoring with 31 points in 45 games. (Former Toronto Maple Leaf Dmytro Timashov led the team with 33 points) It’s a significant signing for Brynas, who were relegated just recently. It’s also interesting to note that Larsson will be playing second-division hockey in Sweden just a year after he was traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a third-round pick. A third-round pick is what the Carolina Hurricanes paid this deadline to acquire Shayne Gostisbehere, a 40-point NHL defenseman, highlighting how recently the 30-year-old Larsson was viewed as a valuable NHL rental. It also illustrates how loyal Larsson seems to be to the club he won the Swedish championship with in 2011-12, as he’s willing to play in his country’s second tier of hockey and likely forgo greater outside offers in order to help the Brynas earn promotion back to the SHL.
  • Former top prospect David Rundblad is among the players who will not be returning to Karpat next season, per an announcement from the Liiga side. The 32-year-old, who is perhaps best known for bringing Vladimir Tarasenko to the St. Louis Blues and Kyle Turris to the Ottawa Senators via trade, had a solid first season in Finland after six seasons in the KHL. Rundblad scored 26 points in 60 games this season and helped Karpat reach the playoff qualifiers.
  • Former New Jersey Devil Janne Kuokkanen is headed to Sweden to continue his pro career. The 24-year-old 2016 second-rounder made a strong impression in his return to European pro hockey, scoring 31 points in 42 games for Switzerland’s HC Fribourg-Gotteron. He’s a major addition for Malmo, who just barely staved off relegation to HockeyAllsvenskan this season by defeating Brynas.
  • The KHL’s Ufa Salavat Yulayev have re-signed 29-year-old Sergei Shmelev to a two-year contract extension. Shmelev ranked 16th in the entire KHL in scoring this season, leading Ufa in points with 51. He showed chemistry with former San Jose Shark Sasha Chmelevski and now is rewarded with a contract extension with the hope of helping lead Ufa back to the KHL’s playoffs next season.
  • Longtime KHL star and former Ottawa Senator Stephane Da Costa signed a two-year contract extension with the KHL’s Automobilist Yekaterinburg. The 33-year-old scored 20 goals and 56 points in 54 games this season, leading the team in scoring and to the playoffs. The three-time KHL All-Star last played in North America in 2013-14, when he scored 58 points in 56 games for the Binghamton Senators in the AHL.
  • Defenseman Eero Teravainen, the brother of Carolina Hurricanes star Teuvo Teravainen, signed a contract extension with Liiga’ KooKoo Kouvola. The 24-year-old spent two seasons playing in North America for the USHL’s Lincoln Stars from 2016 to 2018 before heading back to his native Finland. He’s recently established himself as a regular in Finland’s top league, and helped KooKoo win the Liiga bronze medal last season.
  • Ludvig Larsson, a solid middle-of-the-lineup scorer for Rogle BK, has signed a two-year contract to transfer to SHL rival Orebro. The 27-year-old spent the last two seasons with Rogle, scoring 15 goals this season and helping the team win the Champions Hockey League last year. The 27-year-old last played in North America in 2019-20, when he split time between the AHL’s Binghamton Devils and ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder.
  • A former First-Team All-Star in Finland’s second division (Mestis) will join his fourth Liiga club in two seasons. Samuel Salonen, 23, scored 34 points in 29 games for Jokipojat Joensuu in 2020-21, earning him a chance in Liiga for the following season. The right winger scored seven points in 29 games for Tappara Tampere and played several games on loan for two other Liiga clubs: Lukko and JYP. He spent this season with JYP and scored just nine points in 40 games, paving the way for a transfer to Jukurit that was announced today.
  • The SHL’s HV71 has signed a two-year contract with Olle Strandell, a standout defenseman for Mora IK in HockeyAllsvenskan this year. He scored 28 points in 51 games and helped bring Mora to the brink of the promotion finals before they were eliminated by MoDo. HV71 sign this deal hoping Strandell can help infuse some youthful energy into their blueline and bring them back to the SHL’s playoffs after finishing near the bottom of the standings this season.
  • Daniel Fischbuch, a veteran of over 500 games at the top level of German hockey, is transferring after three seasons with Dusseldorf. The 29-year-old has signed a two-year deal to play for Adler Mannheim, who just recently lost to Ingolstadt in the DEL semifinals. Fischbuch scored 16 goals and 37 points for Dusseldorf this season and will join a strong Manneheim team that boasted several former NHLers this season, including Korbinian Holzer, Nigel Dawes, Joseph Cramarossa, and Jordan Szwarz.
  • Switzerland’s HC Lugano signed point-per-game QMJHL overage Cole Cormier to an entry-level deal. Cormier scored 71 points in 66 games this season but was passed over in each NHL draft he was eligible for. Now, he’ll begin his professional career with Lugano, who ranked 10th in the Swiss National League this season.
  • Former St. Louis Blues prospect Niklas Lundstrom will not return to HockeyAllsvenskan’s AIK for next season. The 30-year-old played in 38 combined regular-season and playoff games for the club, posting an .899 save percentage in the regular season and a grisly .873 mark in the playoffs. Lundstrom has spent the last two seasons with AIK, and before then he had a stop in Austria, struggled in 2020-21 as an SHL starter for Linkopings HC, and saw time in North America in the AHL and ECHL.
  • Former Colorado Avalanche prospect Michael Clarke is transferring from the DEL’s Augsburg Panthers to the Straubing Tigers, per a team announcement. The 28-year-old 2012 fifth-rounder has played the last three season with Ausburg and the last five in the DEL, compiling a total of 71 points in 201 games. With this move, Clarke moves from one of the worst-performing teams in the top division of German hockey to one of the strongest, as Straubing placed fourth in the regular-season standings while Augsburg were on the brink of relegation in 14th.
  • Hungary’s ICEHL team, Fehervar AV19, made two major moves today. First, they locked up starting netminder Olivier Roy (a 2009 Edmonton Oilers draft pick) to a contract extension. Roy posted a strong .918 save percentage and 2.32 goals-against-average in the regular season and a .909 in six playoff games. Before this year, Roy spent five seasons with Augsburg in the DEL. In their second major move, Fehervar brought defenseman Josh Atkinson back to the team after a year spent in Germany with the Bietigheim Steelers, who were the club relegated to the second-division DEL2. Atkinson spent 2021-22 in Hungary and posted 38 points in 44 regular-season games and an impressive 11 points in 13 playoff contests.

Uncategorized David Rundblad| Janne Kuokkanen| Johan Larsson| Justin Abdelkader

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Snapshots: Vilardi, Quinnipiac, Colgate

April 18, 2023 at 6:00 pm CDT | by Ethan Hetu Leave a Comment

The Los Angeles Kings are getting a quality player back into their lineup as they look to take a commanding two-to-nothing series lead over the Edmonton Oilers. As relayed by TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, Kings forward Gabriel Vilardi says he’s back from his injury and ready to re-enter the team’s lineup.

Vilardi, 23, last played in a March 26th game against the St. Louis Blues. The upper-body injury that sidelined him ended what was a breakout regular season, a year where he scored 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games. Vilardi gives the already-deep Kings another quality offensive piece to work with, and his return makes the task in front of Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, and the entire Oilers defense all that steeper.

Some other notes from across the hockey world:

  • Defending NCAA Men’s Hockey National Champions Quinnipiac University will retain two key players for their title defense campaign next year. The program announced that 21-year-old Jacob Quillian would be returning for his junior season, while New England Hockey Journal’s Mark Divver reported that star scorer Collin Graf would be returning for his junior year as well. Both undrafted players, Quillian scored 19 goals and 38 points this past season while Graf, 20, ranked third in the nation in scoring with 21 goals and 59 points in 41 games.
  • Colgate University’s men’s hockey program announced today that longtime head coach Don Vaughan is retiring. Vaughan is the third-longest serving college hockey head coach and has led the Raiders to four NCAA tournaments since being hired in 1992. He has won two ECAC Coach of the Year awards, helping players such as Andy McDonald and Bruce Gardiner reach the NHL. He leaves Colgate this season after guiding the program to an ECAC Championship victory over Harvard, the school’s first ECAC title since 1990.

Los Angeles Kings| NCAA Gabe Vilardi

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Colorado Avalanche Recall Keith Kinkaid

April 18, 2023 at 4:52 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

The Colorado Avalanche recalled Keith Kinkaid from the AHL Colorado Eagles to serve as the team’s emergency backup goaltender during the playoffs, the team said Tuesday.

Kinkaid, 33, spent most of this season in the minors with the Providence Bruins but got into some action with the Eagles after Colorado acquired him from Boston on February 25. In 27 games with the Bruins and Eagles, Kinkaid had a 12-10-4 record with a 2.92 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.

In his lone action with Colorado this season, Kinkaid made eight saves on nine shots in relief in a March 4 game against the Dallas Stars.

Kinkaid has NHL experience, having played in 169 games over the course of his career with the New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens, and New York Rangers, including one appearance each this season with Boston and Colorado. He has a career record of 70-58-21 with a 2.91 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.

For the time being, Kinkaid will be Colorado’s third option in goal behind starter Alexandar Georgiev and backup Pavel Francouz, who was cleared to play last week after missing nearly two months with a lower-body injury.

The Eagles are in the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs and begin their First Round series against the Ontario Reign tomorrow night. Kinkaid will likely stay up with the NHL club for the time being, as he’s been outperformed in the minors by both Jonas Johansson and Justus Annunen this season.

AHL| Colorado Avalanche Keith Kinkaid

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PHR Playoff Primer: Colorado Avalanche vs. Seattle Kraken

April 18, 2023 at 4:08 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

With the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs now underway, PHR makes its first foray into playoff series analysis with our 2023 Playoff Primers. Where does each team stand in their series, and what storylines could dominate on and off the ice? We wrap up our First Round coverage with the Central Division matchup between the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken.

Some in NHL circles had optimistic expectations for the initial Seattle Kraken roster after their expansion draft and free agency period. While there were notable names general manager Ron Francis opted not to add to his lineup, the team he constructed was analytically sound and, if their transition game held up, could be competitive in a weak Western Conference.

Needless to say, it didn’t turn out that way. A finish near the bottom of the league gave Seattle two high-end center prospects in their first two drafts, with one of them the frontrunner for this year’s Calder Trophy. Slightly improved goaltending and high-end depth scoring have positioned the Kraken as the most-improved expansion team from year 1 to 2 in NHL history, but their first foray into the postseason won’t be easy.

Despite finishing with 100 points, Seattle failed to clinch a divisional playoff spot thanks to other divisional rivals going on massive winning streaks at the right time. Unfortunately, that means they face off against the Colorado Avalanche, who finished third in the conference despite significant injuries and, if you happened to forget, are the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Regular Season Performance

Colorado: 51-24-7, 109 points, +54 goal differential
Seattle: 46-28-8, 100 points, +33 goal differential

Head-To-Head

October 21, 2022: Seattle 3, Colorado 2
January 21, 2023: Colorado 2, Seattle 1 (SO)
March 5, 2023: Seattle 3, Colorado 2 (OT)

Seattle takes the season series 2-0-1

Team Storylines

Seattle will need all hands on deck if they’re to win their first-ever playoff series against Colorado. The Avalanche are as healthy as they’re going to get to start the postseason, and they finished the regular season on an 8-1-1 tear.

That means a lot of pressure on rookie Matthew Beniers, the presumptive Calder Trophy winner who centers the team’s top line between Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle. He finished fourth on the team in scoring with 57 points in 80 games, but it’s his strong two-way game that grabbed the attention of most this season, especially for such a young player.

It begs the question — will Beniers see matchups against Nathan MacKinnon? If so, can his promising defensive analytics yield success for the Kraken in helping to slow down one of the best playoff performers in recent memory? Few would be surprised to see coach Dave Hakstol utilize a more experienced option at center against MacKinnon, such as Alexander Wennberg or Yanni Gourde, but Beniers’ all-around play in the regular season has earned him a chance at heavy usage in the playoffs.

The larger factor that could lead to a Kraken upset, though, is their well-balanced attack. Seattle had six 20-goal scorers this season, including bottom-six talents Oliver Bjorkstrand and Daniel Sprong. While goals from your bottom six are generally a key to success in the playoffs, some numbers suggest the Kraken have scored more goals than they’ve earned. The Kraken scored 32.6 goals above expected at even-strength this season, per MoneyPuck, leading the league by a wide margin. If their elite finishing runs dry, it could be a quick exit for Seattle.

In net for Seattle will be Philipp Grubauer, who had some decent playoff outings in past years while a member of the Avalanche. He’s seemed to regain some of his former touch after an incredibly disappointing first year with the Kraken, posting a 14-7-3 record and .902 save percentage in 26 games since the calendar turned to 2023.

For Seattle to pull off the upset, he’ll need to match his Colorado counterpart. Alexandar Georgiev has quietly given the Avalanche high-end goaltending in his first season with the team. The 27-year-old silenced all doubts by starting 62 games, leading the league with 40 wins, and stopping 21.9 goals above expected (MoneyPuck). He’ll be making his first career playoff start tonight, though, only appearing in two games in relief during last year’s playoff run with the New York Rangers.

Colorado’s secondary objective in this series, other than continuing their championship defense, will be to escape without another significant injury. They’ll be without captain Gabriel Landeskog for the entire postseason, and all of their right-side defenders (Cale Makar, Bowen Byram, and Josh Manson) have missed significant periods of time.

Staying healthy allows Colorado to match Seattle at their strength — scoring from the middle six. Colorado’s top talent obviously overtakes that of Seattle, and while only Artturi Lehkonen registered 20 goals this year outside of MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, a healthy group of depth forwards can still score enough to give Colorado a series win.

Prediction

There’s no question the Kraken will come out excited, especially given their opponent. But hoping for some expansion team magic in the style of the Vegas Golden Knights’ first playoff appearance may be a little misguided.

Questions about consistency in goal still plague the Kraken, and, if Georgiev maintains his regular season performance, are enough to be the difference in this series alone. Colorado’s healthy top four on defense still remains the best in the West and are a viable antidote to Seattle’s consistent offense.

The prediction: Colorado wins in five games.

Colorado Avalanche| Seattle Kraken Playoff Primer| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

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Snapshots: Wolanin, Dawes, Svechnikov

April 18, 2023 at 2:30 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The AHL continues its award week by handing out the Eddie Shore Award to Christian Wolanin, the league’s most outstanding defenseman for 2022-23. The Abbotsford Canucks defender scored six goals and 55 points in 49 games.

Wolanin, 28, has been on the fringe of the NHL for years, moving up and down but rarely seeing any extended action at the highest level. Since debuting in the 2017-18 season, he has appeared in 86 career NHL games, recording 23 points.

  • It’s been years since Nigel Dawes was a regular in the NHL, so fans in North America may not know about his overseas exploits. The 38-year-old finally called it a career today, after spending the last 12 years playing in the KHL and DEL. One of the most prolific offensive players in KHL history, he scored 84 points in 212 NHL games before leaving for international opportunities in 2011.
  • While he won’t be able to help the Carolina Hurricanes this postseason, Andrei Svechnikov hopes to be ready for training camp. Svechnikov tore his ACL and underwent surgery on March 16, and was given a six to nine-month recovery timeline. The talented forward is well into his rehab, working out every day in preparation for his return in 2023-24. Even though he can’t help them on the ice, Svechnikov is still part of the team, winding the siren to excite the home crowd before last night’s game.

AHL| Carolina Hurricanes| KHL| Snapshots| Vancouver Canucks Andrei Svechnikov| Christian Wolanin

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Florida Panthers Sign Uvis Balinskis

April 18, 2023 at 1:06 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The Florida Panthers have made an interesting free agent addition, signing Uvis Balinskis to a one-year entry-level contract. The deal is for the 2023-24 season, since he would not be eligible to play for them this year.

General manager Bill Zito released the following:

Uvis is a productive defenseman who has proven his impressive two-way skillset at an elite level in Europe. We look forward having a player of his caliber in our system.

Balinskis, 26, has been linked to the NHL for years now. In 2017, when Dan Milstein was hired as his agent, he said that the “NHL is next” for the Latvian defenseman after an impressive performance at the World Championships.

A contract in North America never materialized, and he kept playing in the KHL and then the Czech pro league for the next several years. While suiting up for Liberec Bili Tygri HC this season, he scored 35 points in 50 games. He also took part in the Olympics last year for Latvia, and is a very experienced puck-mover.

Whether he can crack an NHL lineup remains to be seen. The undersized defenseman will have his work cut out for him, though there will be some opportunity in Florida. Radko Gudas, Anthony Bitetto, and Marc Staal are all scheduled for unrestricted free agency, impacting the team’s depth chart.

It seems like a longshot, although it is a very low-risk one. The Panthers will lose a contract slot and a few hundred thousand dollars for the chance to see if Balinskis can make a smooth transition to North America.

Florida Panthers| Free Agency Bill Zito| Uvis Balinskis

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