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Shea Theodore Close To Returning For Vegas Golden Knights

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Jesse Granger of The Athletic tweeted today that defenseman Shea Theodore has started skating with the team for the first time since his injury in late March. Theodore has missed seven games with the undisclosed injury and is travelling with the team according to Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. While Theodore skating again is certainly encouraging, he did practice in a non-contact jersey leading one to believe that he has a few more hurdles to clear before he returns to game action.

Theodore is having another strong offensive season, albeit in limited action. The usually durable defenseman has missed 27 games this season but has still managed to put up 41 points in 54 games. Theodore hasn’t dealt with injuries often in his career and hasn’t missed significant time since joining Vegas for the 2017-18 season.

While Theodore’s powerplay time and production have dropped, the 27-year-old has never been better at even strength. Theodore has 28 points at five on five in 54 games, which is one off his career high that he set last year in 78 games. Despite his injuries this season, Theodore remains a strong offensive defenseman and would likely see significant time on the Golden Knights second unit when he does make his return.

Vegas appears to be getting healthy at exactly the right time as both Jack Eichel and Mark Stone also skated this morning. Stone was also in a blue non-contact jersey, while Eichel took the optional skate in a regular practice jersey. The Golden Knights have overcome an awful lot of injuries this season including long term injuries to Robin Lehner, Nolan Patrick, and Stone. Despite the man games lost the Golden Knights still find themselves as one of the favorites to come out of a wide-open Western Conference.

Central Injury Notes: Marchment, Lehkonen, Helm

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Senior Staff Writer for the Dallas Stars, Mike Heika, is reporting that Mason Marchment will likely return to the Stars’ lineup on Thursday as they take on the St.Louis Blues for their season finale. The Stars have been without Marchment since their March 13th game against the Seattle Kraken.

Aside from their terrific play throughout the regular season, one of the major storylines in Dallas was addressing the second line centered by Tyler Seguin. The team found their answer at the trade deadline, acquiring Max Domi from the Chicago Blackhawks to play with Marchment and Seguin.

Unfortunately for Dallas, they have been unable to see much action with those three on the same line. Since the trade deadline, the Stars have only been able to field a complete second line for three games. Although nothing has been confirmed from the team in regard to his activation, the addition of Marchment back into the lineup will make the Stars an even more difficult team to face in the first round.

As the season comes to a close, Dallas currently sits in second place in the Central Division of the Western Conference. With two games remaining, each against the Blues, Dallas sits one point back of the division-leading Avalanche, who have the same amount of games played.

Other injury updates from the Central Division:

  • Although it has come seldomly this season, the Colorado Avalanche may have a positive injury update before the season is over. Ryan Boulding, a correspondent for the NHL, is reporting that Artturi Lehkonen may be back for the final two games of the regular season. The forward has been out since the team’s March 13th game against the Montreal Canadiens. Even after missing a month of the season, Lehkonen is enjoying a career year in his first full year in Colorado. In 62 games for the Avalanche, the Finnish forward has scored 20 goals and 29 assists. If the Avalanche are to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, Lehkonen will be an important piece to that puzzle.
  • On the negative side of the injury front for Colorado, Ryan Boulding is also reporting that Darren Helm may not be ready for the playoffs. Helm has been injured for most of this year, only suiting up in 11 games for the Avalanche. Although his contributions are low this season, Helm can be an important piece come playoff time. Not a top threat in any lineup, he has scored big game-winning playoff goals, most notably in Game 5 of the 2009 Western Conference Finals, and Game 6 of the 2022 Western Conference semi-finals.

Metro Injury Notes: Devils, Romanov, Blue Jackets

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Erik Haula and Curtis Lazar will both be available for tomorrow’s game for the New Jersey Devils according to Amanda Stein, the team’s lead reporter. Furthermore, she adds that forward Michael McLeod will not be available yet, but head coach Lindy Ruff is hoping he will practice with the team soon.

Haula has not played for the Devils since their April 6th win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but will now be available for New Jersey come playoff time. Since being acquired from the Boston Bruins this past offseason, Haula has chipped in nicely for the Devils, scoring 12 goals and 27 assists so far this year. That is a pretty typical year for Haula, as he has become one of the most dependable players in the NHL over the course of his decade-long career.

Lazar, who was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline, has only managed three games in New Jersey, getting injured on their March 18th game against the Florida Panthers. Being out for almost a month, it is unclear whether or not Lazar will be a part of the Devils’ regular playoff lineup. In 48 games so far this year, a majority of which in Vancouver, Lazar has three goals and two assists.

Similar to Haula, McLeod has been out of the Devils’ lineup for a little under a week. The young forward is continuing to progress throughout his short career, setting a new career-high in points this year with 26. Originally drafted 12th overall by New Jersey in the 2016 NHL Draft, McLeod has yet to break out into the league in accordance with his draft selection. Although he is not a world-breaker when it comes to scoring, he has become one of the Devils’ most physical forwards, throwing over 120 hits the last two seasons.

Other injury notes from the Metro Division:

  • In the first year of a 3-year, $7.5MM contract signed with the New York Islanders this past summer, Alexander Romanov has been out of the lineup since the team’s game on April 1st. The Islanders are still battling for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and they may be getting Romanov sooner rather than later. Andrew Gross of Newsday is reporting that Romanov has recently begun skating on his own again. Being one of the better low-key defensemen in the NHL, Romanov has 129 blocked shots and 198 hits for the Islanders this season.
  • Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that none of the currently injured Columbus Blue Jackets players will return for the regular season. This includes such players as Boone Jenner, Patrik Laine, and Elvis Merzlikins. Because of the Blue Jackets’ placement in the standings, it is understandable that they would not want to rush any player back from an injury. From Columbus’ perspective, this season is lost, and it will be better for them to have everyone healthy and rested for the start of the 2023-24 season.

Atlantic Injury Updates: Bruins, Bennett, Sanderson

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After a report yesterday signaling that Boston Bruins star center David Krejci would be shut down for the remainder of the regular season, head coach Jim Montgomery announces that he will be ready for Game 1 of the NHL playoffs. This is good news for the Bruins, as Krejci is one of their best playoff performers in franchise history.

Montgomery also made time for several other injury updates, noting that Vezina candidate Linus Ullmark would not make the trip with the team as they head to Montreal for their final game of the season. Nothing is imminent on that front, as Ullmark snagged the win against the Washington Capitals last night, but Montgomery notes that the team is trying to be precautionary with their goalie.

For their depth players, primarily about injured defenseman Derek Forbort and forward Nick Foligno, the Bruins head coach says they are both, “checking boxes”. It’s unclear whether either will be ready for the Bruins’ first-round playoff matchup. With the depth Boston added to their blue line at the trade deadline, it’s also unclear whether Forbort would play for the Bruins in the playoffs regardless. Foligno would be a much more lethal addition, rebounding from a disastrous 2021-22 season, scoring 10 goals and 16 assists for the Bruins this year.

For this year’s playoffs, the Bruins will have a home-ice advantage throughout the entirety. Although the Eastern Conference wild-card race has not been entirely settled yet, they will play the Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, or the Pittsburgh Penguins for their opening-round matchup.

Other injury updates from the Atlantic Division:

  • Jameson Olive, the Senior Digital Content Manager for the Panthers, relays on a message from head coach Paul Maurice, announcing that forward Sam Bennett will not play in Florida’s final regular season game. Although the Panthers clinched a spot in the playoffs last night, they don’t know if they will be playing the Bruins or the winner of the Metropolitan division. The team has played well in Bennett’s absence, as the forward has not played since their March 20th win against the Detroit Red Wings. Bennett has had a similar year to his last, scoring 16 goals and 24 assists for the Panthers this season.
  • Spending last summer rehabbing from an injury, Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson is looking to get a proper summer of training under his belt. In doing so, Bruce Garrioch of TSN is reporting that Sanderson has declined to play for Team USA in the upcoming World Championship. In 76 games for the Senators during his rookie season, the young defenseman has scored four goals and 27 assists. If they weren’t quite ready for it this season, the Senators are fully prepared to make a run to the playoffs next year. After the addition of Jakob Chychrun at this year’s trade deadline, they will have a lethal blue line if Sanderson can continue progressing this summer.

Nashville Predators Reassign Egor Afanasyev To AHL

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The Nashville Predators have reassigned forward Egor Afanasyev to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, according to an announcement made by the team Wednesday.

Afanasyev, 22, scored his first career NHL goal in Monday’s win versus the Calgary Flames. He made his NHL debut on March 11 versus the Los Angeles Kings and went on to appear in 17 total games, averaging 10:51 of ice time with 23 hits and 13 blocked shots.

The 6-foot-4, 211-pound forward has also scored a career-high 13 goals for Milwaukee, adding 13 assists for 26 points in 55 contests at the AHL level. Nashville selected Afanasyev with the 45th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.

He may not be ready yet for full-time NHL action, but Afanasyev remains a talented shooter with a power-forward type game that makes him one of the more tantalizing prospects in the Nashville system. With his first lengthy NHL recall under his belt, he’ll return to Milwaukee a more seasoned professional, especially after competing in high-stakes games with the Predators down the stretch.

Ryan Hartman Suspended One Game

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2:13 pm: Hartman has been suspended for one game as a result of the play, NHL Player Safety announced Wednesday afternoon.

9:07 am: The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will face a hearing today for interference against Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers during last night’s game.

The incident occurred with 8:30 left in a contentious game between the Central Division rivals. Hartman received two minor penalties on the hit, one for interference on Ehlers and one for roughing after the play. He laid an open-ice check on Ehlers after playing the puck, with Ehlers leaving the ice surface holding the back of his head. He did not return to the game.

This isn’t Hartman’s first time in hot water with the Department of Player Safety. The 28-year-old forward has been suspended once before, for a high hit in 2018 when he was playing for the Nashville Predators.

The Wild have nothing left to play for this season with one game remaining. A regulation loss last night and a Colorado overtime loss locked them into third place in the Central.

Still, a potential Hartman absence from the lineup harms the Wild at their most vulnerable position. With Joel Eriksson Ek already sidelined week-to-week and not expected to be ready for the beginning of the playoffs, the team could be involuntarily without their top two centers for their final game of the season against Nashville on Thursday.

Michael Benning Signs With Florida Panthers

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2:11 pm: CapFriendly clarifies that the contract does in fact begin this season, meaning Benning will burn the first year of his entry-level contract and become an RFA in 2025. The contract carries a cap hit of $916,700.

1:06 pm: Florida Panthers defense prospect Michael Benning has ended his college career at Denver University and signed his entry-level contract with the team, reports Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards.

Benning is locked into a three-year contract starting next season, according to the Panthers, meaning he won’t be able to play in this year’s playoffs. He’ll become a restricted free agent in 2026. The 21-year-old was named the most outstanding player of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, where Denver won the national championship.

Panthers general manager Bill Zito offered a statement on Benning’s signing:

Mike is a gifted two-way defenseman who has had an outstanding collegiate career. We are thrilled for him to take the next step in his career with the Panthers and look forward to his continued development within our organization.

A 2020 fourth-round pick, Benning has excelled during his sophomore and junior seasons at Denver, seeing a massive improvement in his play on both sides of the puck. His offensive acumen is the most tantalizing part of his game, though, a theme sure to fit in with Florida’s scoring-heavy system.

If there’s a knock to Benning’s game, it’s a question of how his smaller stature will transfer to the NHL, especially as a defenseman. He stands 5-foot-9 and may struggle with the strength of NHL opponents.

Arizona Coyotes Recall Jan Jeník

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The Arizona Coyotes have recalled forward Jan Jeník from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners, according to a team tweet Wednesday.

Arizona needed an extra body from the minors after Laurent Dauphin sustained an upper-body injury in Monday night’s game against the Seattle Kraken. Jeník, 22, will suit up for Arizona’s final game of the season, a home matchup Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks.

The team’s third-round pick in 2018 has battled through injuries at times in his development, but Jeník has still managed to show offensive promise when healthy for extended periods of time. This season hasn’t been smooth for him, though, with injuries limiting him to 30 games with Tucson, where he’s recorded seven goals and 23 points.

Jeník made one NHL appearance earlier this season, playing just four minutes in a December 17 game against the Buffalo Sabres. The Czech prospect has four goals and an assist in 16 career games with the Coyotes thus far.

A skilled skater who makes intelligent plays, Jeník still has top-six upside as a prospect if he can manage to round out his game in Tucson next season. He may end up limited to a fourth-line role against Vancouver, though, replacing Dauphin’s spot on the roster.

Colorado Avalanche Re-Sign Callahan Burke

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The Colorado Avalanche have re-signed depth forward Callahan Burke, the team announced Wednesday afternoon. The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando says it’s a one-year extension for Burke, who will remain in Colorado through 2024.

Burke, 26, will stick around as an impactful top-nine forward in the minors for the Colorado Eagles. Brought into the organization on an AHL contract by the Eagles out of the University of Notre Dame, Burke made his NHL debut earlier this season for an injury-ravaged Avalanche team. After playing in two games in December 2022, he’s still looking for his first NHL point.

A two-time Big Ten champion with Notre Dame in 2018 and 2019, it’s been a long road to NHL relevancy for Burke. Yet he’s managed to work his way into a rather important spot for the Eagles, where he sits third in scoring with 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) in 68 games.

Burke was a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights before agreeing to the extension. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024.

Minnesota Wild To Recall Sammy Walker, Nick Swaney

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The Minnesota Wild have recalled forwards Sammy Walker and Nick Swaney from AHL Iowa ahead of their final game of the regular season against the Nashville Predators tomorrow, The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports.

Minnesota could square off against Nashville without the services of three forwards who dressed for last night’s game against Winnipeg: Marcus Johansson, Ryan Hartman, and Sam Steel. Johansson’s status for Thursday is questionable after sustaining an upper-body injury on a cross-check from Jets defenseman Neal Pionk, while Steel left the game in the second period with an undisclosed illness. Meanwhile, Hartman is facing a suspension today for a hit on Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers.

Hence the recalls, which could yield an NHL debut for Swaney, 25, in the team’s last game of the 2022-23 regular season. Born in Lakeville, Minn., Swaney was a 2017 seventh-round pick of the Wild and won back-to-back NCAA championships with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs in 2018 and 2019. In just over two seasons of play in Iowa since, Swaney’s recorded 33 goals, 35 assists, and 68 points in 114 games.

This is a familiar refrain for Walker, though, who’s now earned the fourth recall of his rookie season. The 23-year-old free agent signing out of the University of Minnesota has a goal in eight appearances with the NHL Wild this year while also leading the AHL Wild in goals with 26.

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