Missing the team’s last two games due to an illness, the Buffalo Sabres announced that defenseman Henri Jokiharju would be making his return to the team tonight in their matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Aside from missing the last two contests, Jokiharju has gotten off to a relatively solid start for the Sabres in terms of scoring, chipping in two goals and five assists in his first 15 games, compared to 13 points in 60 games a season ago. Defensively, Jokiharju is staying true to a similar output over the course of his career to start the season, evidenced by his 89.5% oiSV% when he is on the ice.
Still, early into the season, Buffalo’s defense has already improved dramatically from last season, with similar goaltending behind them. Last year, the team was on the hook for 3.62 GA/G (26th in the NHL) and has seen that number fall to 3.24 GA/G (17th in the NHL) with a little under 80% of the season remaining.
Other notes:
- 11/19: For the second time in four days, the Los Angeles Kings have announced they have loaned defenseman Jacob Moverare to their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. Primarily a paper transaction in order to keep roster and cap flexibility on their off days, Moverare has yet to suit up in a game for Los Angeles this season.
- 11/20: Moverare was recalled to the NHL lineup on Monday.
- Signing a two-year, $4MM contract with the Boston Bruins over the offseason, forward Morgan Geekie has missed the team’s last three games with an undisclosed injury. On a positive note as to the status of Geekie, Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald reported today that Geekie was practicing with the rest of the team today in a red non-contact jersey.
Lol I like the fact that Moverare’s recent recall only gets a sub-headline of a sub-headline in an Evening News article. Hard to keep up to date with Kings’ roster gymnastics.
(Well maybe NHL.com with their current urge to create funny headlines would probably make an own rubric out of it, and call it “Moverare Moves”)