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Archives for September 2023

Injury Notes: Guentzel, Klingberg, Olivier

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The Pittsburgh Penguins got some good news this morning, as star winger Jake Guentzel was on the ice today at Penguins practice, sporting a non-contact jersey. Guentzel has been recovering from offseason ankle surgery.

While he’s presumably not fully ready for game action, Guentzel’s return is a crucially important development for the Penguins’ competitive hopes in a cutthroat Metropolitan Division. He’s the team’s best winger, and has scored 76 goals and 157 points in 154 games over the last two seasons. Getting him back up to full speed and into their lineup would do wonders for the Penguins’ top six and the chances of success for their entire offensive attack.

Some other injury updates from across the NHL:

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that blueliner John Klingberg will not practice today due to an upper-body injury, and is considered out on a day-to-day basis. Although this injury isn’t at this moment expected to keep Klingberg out of commission for any extended time, an injury at this point in the training camp and preseason could impact Klingberg’s ability to build early chemistry with his new teammates. The 31-year-old six-time 40-plus point defenseman played for two teams last season and is looking for a bounce-back year in Toronto.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda wrote on X that forward Mathieu Olivier hit the ice today at Blue Jackets practice for the first time this training camp, having been held out to that point by a leg injury. Olivier, 26, has two years and $1.1MM AAV remaining on his current contract, and is fighting for a depth role on head coach Pascal Vincent’s opening-night roster. The former Nashville Predator scored five goals and 15 points last season to go alongside 81 penalty minutes.

Minnesota Wild Sign Mats Zuccarello To Two-Year Extension

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The Minnesota Wild have re-signed forward Mats Zuccarello to a two-year, $4.125MM AAV contract extension, set to begin in 2024-25. The deal carries a no-move clause for its entire duration, according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo.

Zuccarello, who turned 36 on the first day of the month, commits the next two years of his playing career to the Wild, the place where he’s enjoyed the most productive seasons of his career.

Zuccarello has had quite a bit of chemistry with Wild franchise superstar Kirill Kaprizov, and as a result Zuccarello has flown past his previous career highs in Minnesota.

Zuccarello scored 79 points in just 70 games in 2021-22, his first season above the point-per-game mark in his career. Last season, Zuccarello scored 22 goals and 67 points in 78 games.

Even though Zuccarello has been exceptional in Minnesota since the arrival of Kaprizov, this contract does carry some risk. The Wild are in a brutal cap situation thanks to the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, and those buyouts will remain on their books to a degree of over $14MM combined in the first year of Zuccarello’s extension.

While Zuccarello could provide an immense amount of surplus value on a $4.125MM cap hit (a pay cut from his current $6MM cap figure) that only happens if he can maintain his current level of play or decline only slightly. If age starts to really catch up with Zuccarello and he has a poor 2023-24, Zuccarello’s $4.125MM cap number could quickly become a burden.

But from the Wild’s perspective, it’s understandable that they’d avoid taking the pessimistic view of Zuccarello’s next two seasons and instead reward a valued veteran who has more than repaid former GM Paul Fenton’s original investment from the summer of 2019.

There’s risk involved to this deal, but there’s also major upside if Zuccarello can remain a valuable top-six scorer.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 09/29/23

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It’s another busy day for player movement in the world of hockey. Not only are more reductions to the size of NHL training camp rosters expected, but numerous teams in both top European leagues and North American minor leagues are expected to add and/or subtract players for the 2023-24 campaign. As always, we’ll keep track of those moves here.

  • Former NHLer and original Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft choice Teemu Pulkkinen signed a one-year contract to return to the KHL, landing with the Kunlun Red Star. The 31-year-old has an exceptional track record outside the NHL, honored as an AHL All-Star twice and named the Liiga rookie of the year. He’s been solid in the KHL as well, with 159 career points in 258 games. Pulkkinen spent last season with Traktor Chelyabinsk, scoring 15 goals and 27 points in 63 games. Kunlun have gotten off to a decent 6-6 start so far in KHL play, and are likely hoping Pulkkinen’s scoring can give their offense the boost it needs to help the club reach the playoffs for just the second time in franchise history.
  • After impressing with the Ottawa Senators’ prospect tournament team, 22-year-old undrafted free agent Tarun Fizer has signed a one-year, one-way AHL contract with the Belleville Senators. The signing is a big opportunity for the former Victoria Royals center, as it’s a chance for him to become a full-time AHLer after spending most of his pro career thus far in the ECHL. Fizer scored 27 goals and 50 points in 62 games for the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies last season, and has now earned a spot in one of the best leagues in the world.
  • Former OHL star Shawn Lalonde made his NHL debut in 2012-13, capping off three consecutive years of hard work and development in the AHL. That offseason, though, rather than stay another year in North America Lalonde made the choice to continue his career overseas, and since that point he’s become an accomplished, well-traveled veteran of the European pro circuit. Two days ago, HC Slovan Bratislava of the Slovak top league terminated its contract with defender Matt Murphy with just one game played, and today the club has announced the addition of Lalonde as his replacement. In Lalonde, Slovan is receiving a player who was once a top offensive defenseman in the DEL and a stable offensive contributor in the KHL. After spending all of last season with the KHL’s Dynamo Minsk (scoring 14 points in 48 games) Lalonde should be able to make a positive impact at a bit of a lower level of competition with Slovan.
  • Yesterday, former ECHL MVP Shawn Szydlowski returned to his old stomping grounds, signing a contract with the Fort Wayne Komets. The former Erie Otters star, 33, has had an exceptional ECHL career, taking home numerous awards (such as an MVP and multiple All-Star honors) as well as a Kelly Cup championship. He has scored 519 points in 528 career ECHL games, which ranks him inside the all-time top-40 of players with the most career points in North America’s third-tier league. Szydlowski took home a Kelly Cup with Fort Wayne in 2021, and now after a season away in Orlando he’s returned with the goal of taking home another one.
  • Defenseman Rinat Valiev, who once played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens, has reached a contract termination agreement with his club Neftyanik Almetievsk of Russia’s second-tier VHL. Valiev, 28, has struggled in recent seasons, bouncing between three clubs across the top two levels of Russian pro hockey. Last season, he played in 18 KHL games with Dinamo Minsk, and now he will look for another opportunity after playing in four games for Neftyanik.

This page may be updated throughout the day. 

Ottawa Senators Appoint Steve Staios As President of Hockey Operations

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The Ottawa Senators have made a big move at the top of their hockey operations department, naming former NHLer Steve Staios to be their new President of Hockey Operations.

According to the team announcement, Staios will report directly to new owner Michael Andlauer, and “will preside over the Senators’ hockey department.” A statement on the hire was given by Andlauer, which reads:

I am so excited that Steve is joining me in Ottawa to lead our hockey operations. I have worked with Steve for many years and know first-hand that he will strengthen our team with his hockey acumen, attention to detail, commitment to excellence and enthusiasm for the game and its players. In hockey you can never accumulate too much talent. Having Steve and Pierre leading our hockey department gives us a formidable team.

This move isn’t one that comes as a complete surprise, in large part due to the deep existing ties between Andlauer and Staios. Before he became a special assistant to the GM for the Edmonton Oilers, Staios served as President and General Manager for the Hamilton Bulldogs (Andaluer’s OHL franchise) starting in 2015-16.

Staios’ NHL experience extends beyond his year in Edmonton, as he also worked in player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs and does bring 1,001 NHL games of experience from his playing days.

What this addition means for the Senators is that it’s a first look at how an Andlauer-managed hockey operations department could differ from how the Senators’ hockey operations have been organized for many years. For years, GM Pierre Dorion has been at the top of Senators hockey operations, the unequivocal leader of that department.

Now, there’s another voice of importance there, and one that reports directly to ownership rather than Dorion. While it’s unclear whether this change will materialize into any concrete hockey operations decisions in the near future, this is a hire with significant long-term implications for the Senators franchise.

Summer Synopsis: Tampa Bay Lightning

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The Tampa Bay Lightning’s upcoming season got turned on its head late in training camp, when it was announced that star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy underwent surgery and would miss the first two months of the year. Given their tight cap, Tampa will need to lean on Jonas Johansson, Hugo Alnefelt, and Matt Tomkins in Vasilevskiy’s absence. That’s a rocky leg to start the season on but with many of their core pieces still in place, Tampa is still sure to be a tough matchup and contender for the postseason.

Draft

2-37: F Ethan Gauthier, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
4-115: F Jayson Shaugabay, Warroad (U.S. High School)
6-179: D Warren Clark, Steinbach (MJHL)
7-193: F Jack Harvey, Chicago (USHL)
7-211: F Ethan Hay, Flint (OHL)

Tampa entered the 2023 NHL Draft with only three draft picks, in the fourth, sixth, and seventh rounds. But two draft day swaps – sending Ross Colton to Colorado and Corey Perry to Chicago – earned them a second-round and seventh-round pick respectively. That let them make a bigger splash, drafting Ethan Gauthier, who was considered a First Round talent by many public scouting services. They also traded up for Minnesota’s reigning Mr. Hockey Award winner Jayson Shaugabay in the fourth round – earning another high-upside prospect. But their draft day was otherwise without much flair, drafting MJHL defender Warren Clark, two-time draft re-entry forward Jack Harvey, and the OHL’s Ethan Hay. The draft has not been a priority of the Lightning as they’ve roared to success over the last six years and that trend seemed to continue this season.

UFA Signings

F Conor Sheary (three years, $6MM)
G Jonas Johansson (two years, $1.6MM)
F Logan Brown (one year, $775K)*
F Luke Glendening (two years, $1.6MM)
F Mitchell Chaffee (one year, $775K)*
D Calvin de Haan (one year, $775K)
F Tyler Motte (one year, $800k)

* indicates a two-way contract

In typical fashion, Tampa patched the holes in their roster through free agency, getting a role player for all ends of the lineup. With the news of Vasilevskiy’s injury, Johansson steps into the biggest role. The 28-year-old goaltender has played with three different NHL clubs over the last four seasons, including two separate appearances with Colorado. But he hasn’t been able to earn consistent playing time anywhere, playing only 35 career games and recording a .887 save percentage. Tampa represents perhaps the biggest opportunity of his young NHL career and how he’ll adjust to an increased role will be a major storyline through the start of Tampa’s year.

Conor Sheary steps into a large role as welll; a candidate to fill in Alex Killorn’s spot in the top-six. The 31-year-old Sheary has developed into an admirable role player in his later career, recording 80 points in 153 games over his last two seasons with the Washington Capitals. He averaged 15:46 through 82 games last season, the most ice time and games that he’s played in his eight-year NHL career. Sheary is a good best for around 15 goals every season and has seemingly evaded the injury concerns that plagued the middle of his career. But it’s hard not to question how big of a role he can step into for the Lightning. Sheary will carry a $2MM cap hit until he’s 34.

And while Sheary may rotate with the top-nine, Motte, Brown, Glendening, and De Haan all represent important depth pieces. Motte likely has the easiest path to an everyday role, with openings on either side of the fourth line. Brown and Glendening will rival for the fourth-line center role, while De Haan should be able to earn a spot in the team’s defense rotation.

With their UFA signings, Tampa continues to prioritize filling out their depth – a focus they popularized through their back-to-back Stanley Cup wins and something re-emphasized by Cup winners like the St. Louis Blues or Washington Capitals. And with the key departures they’ve seen, these depth pieces will need to help bolster Tampa’s talented top-end.

RFA Re-Signings

F Cole Koepke (one year, $775K)*
F Gabriel Fortier (one year, $775K)*
F Tanner Jeannot (two years, $5.3MM)
F Brandon Hagel (eight years, $52MM)
D Darren Raddysh (two years, $2MM)

* indicates a two-way contract

Tampa’s biggest move of the summer comes in Brandon Hagel’s long-term extension, which carries a $6.5MM yearly cap hit starting in 2024-25. Tampa acquired Hagel in right before the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline, sending the Chicago Blackhawks Taylor Raddysh, Boris Katchouk, and two first-round picks in exchange for the winger and two fourth-round picks. One of the first-round picks involved in this deal turned into 2022 Draft prospect Oliver Moore, while the other is a 2024 Draft pick carrying top-10 protection (turning into a 2026 pick if Tampa earns a top-10 pick in the upcoming draft).

This past season was Hagel’s first full year in Tampa and he made the most of it, scoring 30 goals and 64 points in 81 games and adding an additional five points in six playoff games. He recorded these numbers while averaging just over 18-and-a-half minutes in ice time every game. Those are strong numbers for the now-25-year-old and Tampa clearly agrees, making him a consistent feature of their top-six for the foreseeable future.

The Lightning also re-signed Tanner Jeannot, who originally filed for salary arbitration but found terms on a multi-year deal with the club. Tampa acquired Jeannot at last season’s trade deadline, trading a pick in each of the first five rounds, throughout various drafts, and Cal Foote for the winger. Jeannot only played 20 games with the Lightning to end the year, recording four points, and represents one of the biggest question marks on the 2023-24 Lightning roster.

Other than re-signing recent trade deadline pickups, Tampa’s RFA signings continued to round out their depth. Although, interestingly, Darren Raddysh earned a one-way, $1MM-per-year contract. Raddysh played a mere 17 games with Tampa last season, the most the 27-year-old has played in one NHL season. The new deal suggests he’ll be a part of the NHL roster in the upcoming year, an exciting change for a defender that’s played the last six years in the AHL.

Departures

F Corey Perry (trade with Chicago)
F Ross Colton (trade with Colorado)
F Rudolfs Balcers (ZSC Lions, NL)
F Grant Mismash (Östersunds, HockeyAllsvenskan)
D Dmitri Semykin (SKA-Neva, VHL)
F Alex Killorn (Anaheim, four years, $25MM)
D Dominik Masin (Ilves, Liiga)
D Ian Cole (Vancouver, one year, $3MM)
G Maxime Lagace (unsigned UFA)
F Pierre-Cedric Labrie (unsigned UFA)
F Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (Seattle, one year, $775K)
D Trevor Carrick (Anaheim, one year, $775K)*
F Patrick Maroon (trade with Minnesota)

* indicates a two-way contract

Tampa had a slew of departures this off-season, including a major top-six piece in Alex Killorn. The 34-year-old forward recorded 27 goals

and 64 points with the Bolts last year, representing major shoes to be filled. Anaheim signed Killorn through his age-37 season, carrying a cap hit of $6.25MM in each of the next four seasons – a deal far too rich for the cap-strapped Lightning.

Ian Cole appeared in nearly 19-and-a-half minutes per night last season, now opening a hole in the team’s blue-line rotation. And while Ross Colton’s role was reduced to the bottom-six, his knack for coming up in clutch moments, and 30-to-40-point upside, will be difficult to replace.

In fact, Tampa will need to replace much of the bottom of their lineup, losing an three players that appeared in 70-or-more games for the squad last season in addition to Killorn, Cole, and Colton. While the team used UFA signings to fill these holes, it still represents significant turnover.

With no large-name replacement for Killorn’s scoring, and a lot of new faces in depth roles, Tampa will need to gel quickly if they want to maintain the success they’ve become known for.

Salary Cap Outlook

Tampa is, once again, very tightly bound by the salary cap. They’ll enter the season just at the cap ceiling, after moving Brent Seabrook’s contract to long-term injured reserve. But there’s very little opportunity for cap relief elsewhere, with Vasilevskiy’s injury not being long enough to garner any significant cap space.

Key Questions

How Will The Goalies Step Up? There’s no arguing the massive step down that Tampa takes in losing Vasilevskiy. His talent is so great that even two months without him can have substantial ramifications. If Tampa wants to avoid an ice cold start to the year, they’ll need both their blue line and their goaltenders to step up. And there’s certainly reason to think both can. Johansson has carried the faith of many NHL teams and Alnefelt performed admirably in the AHL last season. Matt Tomkins was also a standout in the SHL over the last two seasons, although he struggled in North American minor leagues earlier in his career. All three goalies will likely have their chance at making an impact – and which, if any, can take advantage of the opportunity will define Tampa’s season early on.

What is Tanner Jeannot’s Upside? The Lightning spent a seriously pretty penny on acquiring Jeannot at the deadline. But he didn’t necessarily jump off of the page in his early games with the club. Alex Killorn’s departure leaves a major need for scoring and grit in the team’s top-six. Jeannot can undoubtedly bring grit and physicality, and his 24 goals and 41 points in his rookie season speak to his scoring upside. With Tampa in need of more difference-makers, this season will be Jeannot’s chance to solidify himself in an NHL team’s top-six.

When, and How, Will Stamkos Extension Talks Come Up? While not directly impacting their next season, Steven Stamkos’ expiring contract is already a major focus of the team’s season. The future-Hall of Fame forward is set to hit free agency after this season and is reportedly yet to engage in extension talks with the club he’s spent his entire career with. He’s undeniably still an impact-player, recording 34 goals and 84 points last season, but more than that, Stamkos is a Tampa Bay legend. His next contract will likely carry him to retirement, so it will be interesting to see if Tampa offers him a path to do end his career with the club.

Calgary Planning To Send Dustin Wolf To AHL

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Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli spoke with Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy, who shared that the team’s current plan is to send Dustin Wolf to the minors. Conroy told Seravalli, “There’s injuries for other teams and you’re always looking at all your options … I’m not going to rush to do anything.”

Wolf has emerged as one of the best goalie prospects throughout the NHL, and maybe one of the best players in the AHL, over the last two seasons. The netminder won the AHL’s Baz Bastien Memorial Award in each of the last two seasons, recording a .924 save percentage in 2021-22 and a .932 last year. With this win, Wolf became the third goalie to win the award twice and the first to win it in back-to-back years. His 42-10-2 record last season also earned him MVP honors, winning the AHL’s Les Cunningham Award. Wolf became the eighth goaltender to win the award and the youngest player to win it since Jason Spezza.

Those are seriously impressive resume pieces for the 22-year-old. But because of his age, Wolf is the only goaltender at Calgary’s camp that’s exempt from waivers. This makes him easier to send down than Daniel Vladar, his competition for the NHL backup role. Vladar appeared in 27 games last season, recording a .895 save percentage, slightly higher than the .892 that starter Jacob Markstrom recorded through 59 games.

Wolf made one appearance – his NHL debut – for the Flames last season, letting in one goal on 24 shots and recording the win. Conroy referenced injuries when speaking about Wolf and that’s likely what it will take for the young netminder to earn a consistent NHL role. But when Wolf takes the Flames net, the reigning ’AHL Goalie of the Year’ will absolutely be a name to watch.

West Notes: Mukhamadullin, Jets Injury Updates, Blackhawks Camp Battle

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When the San Jose Sharks dealt star forward Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils last season, a centerpiece asset the team received in return was young blueliner Shakir Mukhamadullin. The 2020 20th overall pick is a rangy six-foot-four, 185-pound defenseman who has spent the bulk of his time developing since his draft date with Ufa Salavat Yulayev in the KHL. Although some fans might be optimistic that Mukhamadullin might break camp with the Sharks’ NHL roster, it appears in reality he’s ticketed for the Barracuda.

Sharks head coach David Quinn told the media today, including Bay Area News Group’s Curtis Pashelka, that Mukhamadullin will almost assuredly start the season in the AHL. Quinn cited a desire for Mukhamadullin to play big minutes in the AHL and develop more confidence on North American ice. Mukhamadullin does, after all, have just 15 games of experience in North American pro hockey, though even if he does begin the season with the Barracuda it would be no surprise to see him eventually make his NHL debut in 2023-24.

Some other notes from the Western Conference:

  • The Winnipeg Free Press’ Ken Wiebe relays word from Winnipeg Jets Head Coach Rick Bowness on the health status of several Jets players. Mason Appleton, Nate Schmidt, Kyle Capobianco, Nikita Chibrikov and Danny Zhilkin are all out on a day-to-day basis due to lower-body injuries, while Nikolaj Ehlers is nearing a return to the ice with the aim of playing in Monday’s preseason contest against the Calgary Flames. While no injury seems to be a long-term issue for any of the players listed, the health of these names will be something to monitor as the Jets ponder how to construct the roster they’ll open the regular season with next month.
  • Chicago Sun Times’ Ben Pope took a look at a fierce battle for a roster spot currently underway at Chicago Blackhawks training camp, with forwards MacKenzie Entwistle, Boris Katchouk, Reese Johnson, Joey Anderson and Colin Blackwell all battling for a job as one of the team’s spare forwards, looking to avoid a waiver placement and potential assignment to the AHL. Each player spent notable time on the Blackhawks’ NHL roster last season, but currently find themselves out of head coach Luke Richardson’s top-four lines. It’s an open question as to which player ends up winning the job, though what is known for certain is that a few players who played regular NHL minutes last season will be available on waivers thanks to the Blackhawks’ many offseason additions up front.

Training Camp Cuts: 09/28/23

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Today should see more significant cuts from league-wide rosters. Up until now, players attending camps on amateur tryouts or young draft picks getting returned to their junior clubs have mostly dominated this list. We’re now 12 days from the start of the regular season, though, and that means the playing season waiver period will open today at 1 p.m. CT. Therefore, any players under NHL contract who need to clear waivers to be assigned to the minors can be cut from camp as early as this afternoon. As CapFriendly notes, placing a player on waivers now carries no disadvantage compared to executing the same move later in camp. While a player technically has a ten-game, 30-day clock after a recall to the NHL roster before waivers are again required, this does not start until the regular season begins on October 10. With all that in mind, here are all of today’s cuts from camps league-wide.

Boston Bruins: (via team release)

F Joey Abate (to Providence, AHL)
F Vincent Arseneau  (to Providence, AHL)
F Justin Brazeau  (to Providence, AHL)
F Curtis Hall (to Providence, AHL)
F Owen Pederson (to Providence, AHL)
D Ethan Ritchie (to Providence, AHL)
G Shane Starrett (to Providence, AHL)
F Luke Toporowski (to Providence, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (via team release)

D Mats Lindgren (to Red Deer, WHL)
D Norwin Panocha (to Chicoutimi, QMJHL)

Colorado Avalanche (via DNVR’s Meghan Angley)

D Jeremy Hanzel (to Spokane, WHL)
D Saige Weinstein (to Spokane, WHL)

Edmonton Oilers (via team release)

G Tyler Parks (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Xavier Bernard (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Noah Ganske (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Jake Johnson (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Connor Corcoran (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Cam Wright (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Ture Linden (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Dino Kambeitz (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Ethan De Jong (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Matvey Petrov (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Jayden Grubbe (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Jake Chiasson (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Carl Berglund (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Tyler Tullio (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Maximus Wanner (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (via team release)

G Carson Bjarnason (to Brandon, WHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (via team release)

F Corey Andonovski (to Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL)
F Avery Hayes (to Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL)
F Marc Johnstone (to Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL)
F Austin Rueschhoff (to Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL)
D Isaac Belliveau (to Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL)
D Justin Lee (to Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL)
D Dmitri Samorukov (to Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL)
D Jack St. Ivany (to Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL)
G Joel Blomqvist (to Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL)

Toronto Maple Leafs (via team release)

F Jacob Frasca (released from ATO to Barrie, OHL)

Calgary Flames (via team release)

F Mark Duarte (to Calgary, AHL)
F Alex Gallant (to Calgary, AHL)
F Rory Kerins (to Calgary, AHL)
F Mitch McLain (to Calgary, AHL)
F Ilya Nikolaev (to Calgary, AHL)
G Connor Murphy (to Calgary, AHL)
G Matt Radomsky (to Calgary, AHL)

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Andrei Vasilevskiy Out Two Months After Back Surgery

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ESPN’s Kevin Weekes has reported that Tampa Bay Lightning superstar goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy underwent successful back surgery, and is expected to be out of commission on an eight-to-ten-week timeline. The Lightning confirmed the news, with GM Julien BriseBois stating that Vasilevskiy is expected to miss “the first two months of the regular season.”

Vasilevskiy hasn’t been a regular participant in Lightning camp in recent days, with head coach Jon Cooper previously telling reporters that Vasilevskiy was out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

This is obviously a major blow to the Lightning, who have come to rely on the brilliant goaltending provided by Vasilevskiy in order to remain among the top teams in a highly competitive Atlantic Division.

While this development is something of a surprise, it doesn’t come completely out of nowhere.

Vasilevskiy has in the past commented on how his high workload has impacted his body, which is something to be expected given the number of deep playoff runs the Lightning have made in recent seasons, led by Vasilevskiy in the crease on a nightly basis. The hope here will be that Vasilevskiy can make a full recovery before the new year, and get back to playing like one of the league’s best netminders.

The 2018-19 Vezina Trophy winner’s injury thrusts new backup Jonas Johansson into an unfortunate spotlight. It’ll be up to him to keep the Lightning competitive in the Atlantic for the first two months of the regular season, which is something of a tall task for a player with a career .887 save percentage in the NHL.

That being said, Johansson’s more recent form does provide reason for optimism. He posted a .932 save percentage playing in parts of three NHL games last season, and had a .920 save percentage in the AHL.  But with only 35 total games of NHL experience, a massive test is coming up for the 28-year-old.

Behind Johansson on the depth chart is Hugo Alnefelt, who has just 20 minutes of NHL experience, and Matt Tomkins, a player who represented Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing but has never skated in an NHL game.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Waivers: 09/28/23

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As training camps and the preseason continues, teams are trimming down their roster and getting closer to the final group of players they’ll bring into opening night. We’ll keep track of the names that hit the waiver wire here. Today’s list comes courtesy of CapFriendly.

Colorado Avalanche

F Callahan Burke

Pittsburgh Penguins

F Jonathan Gruden
F Rem Pitlick
D Ty Smith
D Taylor Fedun
D Xavier Ouellet

Vancouver Canucks

G Spencer Martin

Smith is the biggest name here is Smith. Smith was a 2018 first-round pick of the New Jersey Devils and became a star WHL blueliner for the Spokane Chiefs. He turned pro in 2020-21, scoring 23 points in 48 games. That performance landed him on the NHL’s All-Rookie team, as well as some down-ballot Calder Trophy votes.

The Devils dealt Smith and a third-round pick to the Penguins in exchange for John Marino, who went on to have a stellar 2022-23 season. Smith, on the other hand, played in only nine NHL game for the Penguins. He spent most of last season in the AHL, scoring 24 points in 39 games, and now the AHL is where he’ll be once again assuming he can clear waivers.

Given the promise Smith showed earlier in his career and his pedigree as a former top prospect, it would not be shocking whatsoever to see a team put a claim in on Smith, who is playing on a one-year, league-minimum cap-hit.

In terms of the other names on the waiver wire, Martin’s placement comes as no surprise after the Canucks’ acquisition of Casey DeSmith from the Montreal Canadiens. Martin posted a dreadful .871 save percentage in the NHL last season, but fared far better in the AHL. The Canucks will hope he’ll clear waivers so he can provide quality goaltending alongside prospect goalie Artūrs Šilovs in AHL Abbotsford.

Another recognizable name on the waiver wire is that of Rem Pitlick. Pitlick scored 37 points in 2021-22 on the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, but struggled in 2022-23. He was dealt to Pittsburgh by Montreal as part of the Erik Karlsson trade with the hope, from Pitlick’s perspective, that the Penguins would provide a solid change-of-scenery NHL opportunity.

He now finds himself on the waiver wire, though, and his $1.1MM cap hit could be a barrier towards another team putting in a claim. The versatile forward scored at an above-point-per-game rate in the AHL last season, and could end up an impact player for AHL Wilkes-Barre Scranton.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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