Anaheim Ducks forward Chase De Leo will miss the next eight weeks after sustaining an MCL sprain during a Tuesday game against the Los Angeles Kings, per a team announcement. He sustained the injury on a knee-on-knee hit from Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev, whom the league suspended for four games today as a result.
De Leo, 27, has just seven games of NHL experience to his name but has been a high-end mainstay at the AHL level since turning pro in 2015. Despite his game never really translating to the game’s highest level, De Leo has been a dominant offensive force in the minors, spending four out of his eight pro seasons with Anaheim’s AHL affiliate in San Diego. He returned to San Diego last season after spending 2021-22 with the New Jersey Devils, serving as team captain for the first time and racking up 23 points in 22 games during a tough season for the Gulls. He’ll land on injured reserve to begin the season in Anaheim and will likely be waived and assigned to San Diego upon clearance when he’s ready to return.
More from the Pacific Division tonight:
- Sticking with the Ducks, GM Pat Verbeek confirmed on a radio spot on SiriusXM today that the team envisions keeping 2023 second-overall pick Leo Carlsson on the roster for the entire season. Verbeek wouldn’t commit to Carlsson being an everyday player, however, it seems he’ll get that shot out of the gate – multiple websites project Carlsson will slide into Anaheim’s top-six to begin the season, given the finger injury to free-agent signing Alex Killorn. The 18-year-old has had a strong camp and is coming off an incredibly strong draft year that saw him boost his stock into a top-four lock, recording 25 points in 44 games with SHL club Örebro HK and finishing off the season with five points in eight games for Sweden at the World Championship. He already has NHL size at 6-foot-3 and nearly 200 pounds.
- All parties involved have now officially signed off on a new arena deal for the Calgary Flames that was originally approved in April, according to multiple members of the Calgary media pool. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reported Wednesday that a rather significant announcement was coming on the arena front today, and he wasn’t wrong – as part of this approved agreement, the Flames will open up their new home with a 35-year lease to keep the team in Alberta. Construction will begin on the site next year, and is anticipated to be NHL-ready for the 2026-27 campaign, meaning the Flames have three seasons left (including this one) at the historic Scotiabank Saddledome.
- Former Vancouver Canucks forward and longtime hockey operations staffer Stan Smyl will transition away from his day-to-day duties with the club, the team said in a statement Thursday. Smyl has been a full-time employee of the Canucks since beginning his playing career with the team in 1978-79. After a 13-season NHL career with Vancouver, including multiple seasons as captain, Smyl immediately transitioned to an assistant coaching role upon retiring in 1991. He’s served in various coaching and advisory roles with the organization ever since and had most recently served as the team’s vice president of hockey operations for the last season and a half, earning a promotion from senior advisor in December 2021. Smyl, 65, will remain closely working with the organization in a reduced role.
Four games is a joke. Kaliyev took his knee out deliberately. Watch the replay! What a POS! And this is from a Kings fan. Just imagine what the Ducks fans think.
not even four regular season games. two preseason and two regular season. the guy gets hit cleanly then decides to go after somebody and intentionally injures them, causing them to be out at least 8 weeks. and the punishment is only two games? nice NHL
They don’t call it DOPeS for nothing
At least de Leo gets NHL money for 8weeks. Thats the
Only bright side
Saddledome has the days numbered.
Nhl discipline has been a joke for years.
NHL wants to cut down on fighting so players don’t deliberately hurt each other and admits Kaliyev’s intention was to hurt another player, and then imposes a trivial penalty. McDavid gets hurt this way and the guy is banned for life.
Lol at thinking the NHL actually cares about protecting their superstars. If he hit McD like that he probably doesn’t even get suspended out of concerns for preferential treatment. Brandon Manning certainly didn’t.