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Archives for April 2023

East Injury Notes: Thompson, Bobrovsky, Slafkovsky

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Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson took to the ice for practice today, per the Times Herald’s Bill Hoppe, as he continues his recovery from an upper-body injury. Thompson was initially injured during a game on March 24 and played the Sabres’ next contest before aggravating the injury, missing the three games since.

Thompson’s return to practice is a lifeline for the Sabres, who are still barely hanging in the Eastern Conference playoff race and have, arguably, their most important game in a decade tomorrow against the Florida Panthers. Per CapFriendly, Thompson is listed as a game-time decision. Thompson’s 44 goals still rank sixth in the league, and his 89 points lead the team. His impact in such a crucial game could be immeasurable, and if at all possible, he’ll be suiting up Tuesday night.

  • On the other side of the coin, the Florida Panthers could again be without goalie Sergei Bobrovsky against the Sabres as he continues to deal with a rather nasty illness, per Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards. He did not practice today and, like Thompson, is expected to be a game-time decision. The 34-year-old netminder has been sidelined for the past three games, but he’s been relieved well by Alex Lyon, who’s allowed just four goals in Bobrovsky’s absence.
  • In addition to news earlier today about Alex Belzile and Sean Monahan, rookie Juraj Slafkovsky is also officially done for the year due to a lower-body injury, per Sportsnet’s Eric Engels. Slafkovsky was issued a three-month recovery timeline in mid-January, putting any potential return right at the end of the regular season, so the news isn’t entirely unexpected. He finished his rookie campaign with 10 points in 39 games.

West Injury Notes: Smith, Kaprizov, Edler

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The Vegas Golden Knights got some good news today as forward Reilly Smith practiced in a full-contact jersey, with head coach Bruce Cassidy indicating he’s on track to play in tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild. Smith had been sidelined with a lower-body injury since March 24, but he has been making progress in his recovery and is now ready to return to action.

Smith, 32, has again been one of the Golden Knights’ top offensive contributors, with 24 goals and 27 assists in 72 games played. His return to the lineup should give the team a boost as they try to maintain their position atop the Pacific Division standings. He’s projected to make his return alongside William Karlsson, his center for the better part of six seasons in Vegas, and Nicolas Roy, who will see an increased role as youngsters Paul Cotter and Pavel Dorofeyev are scratched.

  • While his recovery has been slightly slower than expected, Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov skated for the first time today since sustaining a leg injury in early March, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith. He’s been sidelined for 11 games already and was originally expected to only miss four weeks. With that deadline looming this weekend, however, it’s unlikely he’ll make an on-time return to the lineup. The team has been able to find consistency in his absence, however, going 7-2-2 without Kaprizov in the lineup.
  • The Los Angeles Kings suffered a setback in their game against the Vancouver Canucks last night as defenseman Alex Edler left the game due to an upper-body injury, per the team. Edler, who was acquired by the Kings as a free agent in 2021, has provided an experienced presence to the team’s bottom pairing. There is no word yet on the severity of Edler’s injury or how long he may be out of the lineup, and he’ll likely be replaced in the lineup by 21-year-old Tobias Bjornfot for the time being.

Florida Panthers Sign Ryan McAllister

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The Florida Panthers announced the signing of forward Ryan McAllister to an entry-level contract on Monday, adding a promising young player to their system. The financial terms of the contract have not been disclosed, but it is a three-year contract commencing with the 2023-24 season.

McAllister, 21, was one of the more highly-touted undrafted college free agents on the market. He spent just one season with Western Michigan University after a lengthy junior career in the AJHL, where he broke out in his first campaign with 13 goals, 36 assists, and 49 points in just 39 games.

“Ryan is a talented playmaking forward who showcased his dynamic ability in his first season in college hockey,” said Panthers general manager Bill Zito. “We are looking forward to his continued development within our club.”

McAllister plays a confident game offensively and does good work on the rush, which, while not as much a hallmark of Florida’s attack as it was last season, is still an area where the Panthers excel. He’s able to make plays in tight spaces but can struggle in one-on-one defensive situations and puck battles.

McAllister is expected to begin his professional career next season with the Panthers’ AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, where he will have the opportunity to continue to develop his game and adjust to the pro level. He could compete for a roster spot with the Panthers during training camp next season, especially given the team’s tight salary situation, but will likely get his first taste of pro hockey in the minors.

Chicago Blackhawks Waive Joey Anderson

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April 3: Anderson has cleared waivers, although he isn’t expected to be assigned to Rockford until the Blackhawks finish their season.

April 2: The Chicago Blackhawks have placed forward Joey Anderson on waivers, according to The Athletic’s James Mirtle and CapFriendly. The 24-year-old was acquired by Chicago just over a month ago in the team’s trade of Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Anderson is a 2016 New Jersey Devils third-round pick who has split time this season between the AHL level with the Toronto Marlies and NHL with both Toronto and Chicago. At the NHL level, Anderson scored three points in 14 games for Toronto, and has five points in 18 games with the Blackhawks.

He’s been in the NHL since a late January recall, one that came after Anderson played in a nine-game stretch for the Marlies, a run where Anderson and the Marlies won all nine games. In total, Anderson has been more of a difference-maker at the AHL level, where he has scored 27 points in 30 games this season and 120 points across 163 career AHL games.

It’s his abilities as an impactful AHLer that likely inspired the Blackhawks’ decision to waive him, as their affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, is currently looking to fend off the Chicago Wolves and secure the fifth and final playoff spot in the AHL’s Central Division. Should Anderson clear waivers and land in Rockford, he’ll be expected to shoulder a significant offensive load and be one of the team’s go-to forwards.

Given that Anderson is a proven AHL commodity and on a league-minimum deal with some team control remaining beyond this season as a restricted free agent, it’s possible a team in need of some help up front decides to put in a claim.

Hockeybuzz’s Michael Augello notes that while Anderson’s former team, the Maple Leafs, might be tempted to claim Anderson to get him back in their organization, they are currently at 49 contracts and their last slot is believed to be reserved for University of Minnesota forward and team top prospect Matthew Knies.

But from the Blackhawks’ perspective, it’s a risk worth taking in order to give their AHL squad a spark. Rockford is on a three-game losing streak, and have been shutout in back-to-back games.

With the reigning Calder Cup champion Wolves just a few points behind them with seven games remaining, getting Anderson to Rockford could be what the IceHogs need to avoid letting a playoff berth slip through their fingers in the final stretch of the regular season.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Gavin Hayes

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The Chicago Blackhawks have signed forward prospect Gavin Hayes to a three-year, entry-level contract through 2025-26 with a cap hit of $896,667, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis.

Hayes, who’s still just 18 years old, is having a spectacular post-draft season with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds. The left winger finished second on the team in scoring during the regular season, posting 41 goals and 81 points in 66 games. His season could be coming to an end soon, though, as Flint has gone down 2-0 in its first-round playoff series against the Saginaw Spirit, losing by a combined score of 11-2.

Drafted 66th overall in 2022, Hayes is a skilled puck handler with a goal-scoring ability that appears translatable to the professional ranks. He’s a nice secondary addition to a quickly-growing pool of Blackhawks prospects and projects as a middle-six scoring winger.

Hayes, in all likelihood, will be returned to juniors next season, sliding the beginning of his entry-level contract to 2024-25 (or 2025-26, if he’s returned to juniors for two straight seasons).

Mason Shaw Out For Season With Torn ACL

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The Minnesota Wild announced Monday that forward Mason Shaw will miss the rest of the 2022-23 season, including playoffs, with a torn ACL in his right knee. The injury occurred early in Saturday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights and ends the season of one of the most well-liked players in the Minnesota room.

As The Athletic’s Joe Smith notes, this is extremely concerning news for Shaw long-term. This is the second time he’s torn his ACL in that knee and the fourth time overall. Minnesota general manager Bill Guerin does expect Shaw to resume his NHL career, but the Wild will obviously be extremely cautious in returning him to game action next season. Shaw will be a restricted free agent this offseason.

The injury ends Shaw’s first season as a full-time NHLer, where he had recorded seven goals and 10 assists in 57 games as an important secondary piece in the bottom six. The 24-year-old was Minnesota’s 97th overall selection in the 2017 NHL Draft.

The impact of Shaw’s absence is buoyed by the impeding health of Gustav Nyquist, but it still means more responsibility will be required of other fourth-liners, such as Brandon Duhaime and Connor Dewar for the time being.

Philadelphia Flyers Recall Ronnie Attard

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With the season winding down, the Philadelphia Flyers are giving another NHL look to one of their better defense prospects. The team recalled Ronnie Attard from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Monday, per a team tweet.

In his first full professional season, the 24-year-old Attard has taken on a big role in the minors and responded well. The 2019 third-round pick out of Western Michigan University has 30 points in 64 games with Lehigh Valley in 2022-23, leading the team’s defense, and his +9 rating is second among Phantoms defenders.

After signing his entry-level contract late last season, Attard played in 15 games down the stretch for the Flyers, recording two goals and two assists. His NHL appearances on this recall will be his first since then.

With Rasmus Ristolainen sidelined day-to-day with an upper-body injury, there’s increased opportunity for Attard to get into the lineup. He could play in a second-pairing role alongside Travis Sanheim, a spot currently held by seldom-used veteran Justin Braun, who has just two assists in 47 games this year.

Nashville Predators Recall John Leonard

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The Nashville Predators disclosed Monday that the team has recalled forward John Leonard from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. With a road-home back-to-back upcoming over the next two days, recalling Leonard gives the team a 13th healthy forward on the roster should an unforeseen injury occur.

Leonard is the most experienced recall option among forwards still waiver exempt. The 24-year-old winger has accumulated 62 games of NHL experience over the past three seasons, with four coming in Nashville this season. He has one point, his first goal as a Predator, coming in a March 2 game against the Florida Panthers.

This is Leonard’s third recall of the season after he was recalled twice in three days on an emergency basis in the first week of March. Acquired along with a third-round pick from the San Jose Sharks last summer in exchange for the rights to Luke Kunin, Leonard has 14 goals and 38 points in 61 games in the AHL this year.

A pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights, Leonard could be a candidate to not receive a qualifying offer and head to unrestricted free agency in July. The 2018 sixth-round pick has seen a step back from last season’s offensive production in the minors, and with his NHL opportunities diminished, the Predators may opt not to retain his services.

Sean Monahan, Alex Belzile Out For Season

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Injury news continues to pile up for the Montreal Canadiens, who announced Monday that forwards Alex Belzile (link) and Sean Monahan (link) have been shut down for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.

Belzile’s campaign comes to an end after sustaining a fractured leg in Saturday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The minor-league veteran had played in every game for Montreal since being recalled from the AHL’s Laval Rocket on February 9, a testament to how injuries have ravaged Montreal’s forward depth this year. He finishes the season with career highs in points and games played, recording 14 in 31. The 31-year-old also scored 26 points in 31 games with Laval, where he served as captain. He’s slated for unrestricted free agency in July.

Monahan’s groin surgery shows he sustained a separate injury on top of the foot injury that had kept him out of the lineup since December 5. Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that Monahan’s groin surgery happened “sometime in the last few days,” and his recovery timeline is six to eight weeks. He’s expected to fully recover in time for training camp next season.

Also set for free agency this offseason, Monahan was productive in the early goings of the season, showing flashes of top-six upside once again. With 17 points in 25 games, he’ll find a home in the NHL again next season, whether with Montreal or somewhere else. Injury concerns remain, though, likely limiting his earning potential on any new contract.

St. Louis Blues Recall Vadim Zherenko Under Emergency Conditions

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The St. Louis Blues recalled netminder Vadim Zherenko under emergency conditions from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds on Monday, the team said in a release. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that backup Thomas Greiss is injured, necessitating the recall of a goalie from the minors.

This is the first recall of Zherenko’s career. Drafted 208th overall in 2019, it’s a rapid rise to relevance for a player picked less than 10 spots away from the end of the draft.

However, the 22-year-old has earned a brief NHL look with his play this season. Zherenko has been a more-than-capable backup in Springfield to Joel Hofer, who earned a long look at the NHL level last month. In 24 games with Springfield, Zherenko has a record of 10-8-3, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.96 goals-against average. This is his first season in North America after a development path through Russia and Finland post-draft.

With Springfield’s season in crunch time on the verge of clinching a Calder Cup playoff berth, the Blues likely opted to leave Hofer in the minors to continue to gain meaningful experience in stretch run games.

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