Buffalo Sabres Recall Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen; Reassign Jack Quinn
It comes a few days late, but the Buffalo Sabres have recalled Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as expected. The young goaltender was dealing with an illness but is expected to start tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. To make room, the Sabres have reassigned Jack Quinn to the AHL.
Luukkonen, 23, is essentially still the team’s starting goaltender right now, despite rotating back and forth from the AHL. The Sabres are in a three-goalie rotation after Eric Comrie recovered from injury, but they plan on having Luukkonen play a lot. That’s because Comrie’s play has been so inconsistent this year that they have lost some trust in him. On Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken, when Luukkonen was unable to play, Comrie allowed four goals on 18 shots.
The interesting part is that his recall comes at the cost of Quinn, who has struggled of late. The 21-year-old rookie has 17 points in 33 games, but none of those have come in his last nine. While the Sabres are still winning with him out there, the young forward isn’t contributing a ton to those victories. The question now is whether Quinn gets an extended period in the minors – a league he has already dominated – or is back up in a few days when Craig Anderson or Comrie take the net. The eighth overall pick from 2020 will need to play somewhere, and not be used like a yo-yo between leagues.
For now, they will go with their young goalie and see if he can get them back in the win column after two disappointing losses.
Columbus Blue Jackets Place Carson Meyer On Injured Reserve
The Columbus Blue Jackets are facing even more injury trouble. The team has announced that forward Carson Meyer suffered an oblique strain during last night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. As a result, the forward has been placed on injured reserve and will be out for six-to-eight weeks.
In a corresponding move, the Blue Jackets have recalled forward Trey Fix-Wolansky from their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters.
This season has not gone according to plan for Columbus, and a major reason for their disappointing form has been injuries. Columbus has a whopping seven players already on injured reserve, meaning Meyer will be their eighth player to land on the list. Additionally, the Blue Jackets have franchise defenseman Zach Werenski on long-term injured reserve.
It’s been an absolutely brutal run of injuries for head coach Brad Larsen’s squad, costing the team valuable contributors such as Werenski, Jakub Voracek, captain Boone Jenner, Jake Bean, Yegor Chinakhov, Justin Danforth, Nick Blankenburg, and now Meyer.
These injuries have given some players in the Blue Jackets organization a greater chance to show what they can do at the NHL level than they’d likely have been afforded were the team in better health. Meyer is one of those players, as he’s gotten 13 games at the NHL level this season, a total that already matches his games played from last year.
In those 13 games, Meyer hasn’t managed to get on the scoresheet yet, but he’s registered 22 hits and six blocked shots. He’s found more offensive success at the AHL level, where he has scored 18 points in 15 games this season.
Speaking of AHL success, Meyer’s replacement on the Blue Jackets’ roster is Fix-Wolansky, who has set the American League on fire so far this year. His 34 points in 26 games lead AHL Cleveland, and his quality performance earned him some NHL games earlier this year.
The former Edmonton Oil King has developed nicely since being drafted in the seventh round by the Blue Jackets at the 2018 draft and will look to put together some quality performances in his current go-around at the NHL level.
2023 AHL All-Star Rosters Announced
While the focus of many hockey fans is on the upcoming NHL All-Star festivities, the AHL is set to hold its own event to honor the league’s best players. Today, they announced the rosters for the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic, which will be held in Laval, Quebec on February 5-6. Todd Nelson (Hershey), Greg Moore (Toronto), Neil Graham (Texas), and Mitch Love (Calgary) will be the four head coaches.
The rosters are as follows:
Atlantic Division
F Will Cuylle, Hartford Wolf Pack
F Tyson Foerster, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
F Ethen Frank, Hershey Bears
F Matthew Highmore, Springfield Thunderbirds
F Vinni Lettieri, Providence Bruins
F Riley Nash, Charlotte Checkers
F Mike Vecchione, Hershey Bears
D Samuel Bolduc, Bridgeport Islanders
D Xavier Ouellet, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
D Cam York, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
G Brandon Bussi, Providence Bruins
G Joel Hofer, Springfield Thunderbirds
North Division
F Alex Barré-Boulet, Syracuse Crunch
F Brandon Biro, Rochester Americans
F Gabriel Dumont, Syracuse Crunch
F Anthony Richard, Laval Rocket
F Logan Shaw, Toronto Marlies
F Egor Sokolov, Belleville Senators
D Justin Barron, Laval Rocket
D Noel Hoefenmayer, Toronto Marlies
D David Jiricek, Cleveland Monsters
D Darren Raddysh, Syracuse Crunch
G Nico Daws, Utica Comets
G Joseph Woll, Toronto Marlies
Central Division
F Riley Barber, Texas Stars
F David Gust, Rockford IceHogs
F Tommy Novak, Milwaukee Admirals
F Lukas Reichel, Rockford IceHogs
F Brett Seney, Rockford IceHogs
F Sammy Walker, Iowa Wild
D Declan Chisholm, Manitoba Moose
D Thomas Harley, Texas Stars
D Max Lajoie, Chicago Wolves
D Brian Lashoff, Grand Rapids Griffins
G Yaroslav Askarov, Milwaukee Admirals
G Jesper Wallstedt, Iowa Wild
Pacific Division
F Thomas Bordeleau, San Jose Barracuda
F Michael Carcone, Tucson Roadrunners
F Seth Griffith, Bakersfield Condors
F Matthew Phillips, Calgary Wranglers
F Andrew Poturalski, Coachella Valley Firebirds
F T.J. Tynan, Ontario Reign
D Ryker Evans, Coachella Valley Firebirds
D Brad Hunt, Colorado Eagles
D Daniil Miromanov, Henderson Silver Knights
D Christian Wolanin, Abbotsford Canucks
G Lukas Dostal, San Diego Gulls
G Dustin Wolf, Calgary Wranglers
Aatu Raty, Robin Salo Returned To AHL
With his ten-game threshold approaching quickly, the New York Islanders have sent Aatu Raty back to the minor leagues. Despite being 20, Raty’s contract can still technically slide forward if he plays fewer than ten games in the NHL this season. Robin Salo has also been sent back, as Adam Pelech continues to skate and approach a return.
Raty has played seven so far, scoring his first two NHL goals in the process. He has averaged just over eight minutes, but certainly did not look out of place even in his limited opportunity. The move will open a roster spot for the eventual return of Kyle Palmieri, though today, head coach Lane Lambert told Andrew Gross of Newsday that there is still no timetable, despite his recent participation in practice.
It of course could also have nothing to do with the ten-game threshold, with the Islanders instead just wanting Raty to get more consistent ice time in offensive situations. Many teams are now putting more importance on the 40-game mark that deems it a season toward unrestricted free agency. In fact, sometimes crossing the lower threshold with limited ice time can be beneficial to a team in the long-run. Contract negotiations coming out of entry-level deals have become much more complicated, with top players asking for long-term, big-money deals, and even players with a lesser impact demanding raises on bridge deals.
Limiting the production of a player like Raty in the first year of his ELC, could give the team a bit more leverage down the line. Counting stats are considered in both arbitration cases and RFA negotiations.
Either way, if the Islanders believe Raty is one of the 12 best forward options they have, there should be no hesitation to put him in the lineup. The team is still within striking distance of the playoffs, and could even challenge for the division with an extended hot streak. To do either, they’ll need to turn around the three-game losing streak they are currently on.
Evening Notes: Dumba, Wiesblatt, Meyer
It seems as though Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba has been on the trade block for years on end. Now, rumors are once again starting to build up regarding the 2012 seventh overall pick. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on today’s edition of Insider Trading that both the Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers have shown interest in Dumba, who is a pending unrestricted free agent.
Both teams still have playoff aspirations, desperately trying to add defensive depth. Dumba’s offensive production has taken a step back this season, as he’s recorded just 11 points in 39 games. It’s a far cry from his 50-point campaign in 2017-18, as injuries have mounted up.
Ottawa seems to have a larger hole of the two teams mentioned on the right side, but they do sit further out of playoff positioning than the Oilers. With Minnesota solidly in playoff positioning, they would undoubtedly be looking for roster players in return for the 28-year-old Dumba.
- San Jose Sharks 2020 first-round pick Ozzy Wiesblatt has spent the entirety of 2022-23 in the professional ranks but is still technically eligible for another year of junior hockey. In anticipation of a potential return to juniors, the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks traded for Wiesblatt’s rights today. In 17 games with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, Wiesblatt has managed five points in a limited role. A return to junior hockey for the latter half of the season would likely make some sense, especially on an already-strong Winterhawks squad.
- Even more injury troubles struck the Columbus Blue Jackets today, as forward Carson Meyer left their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning with an upper-body injury, per the team, and did not return. The Ohio-born forward had yet to record a point in 12 NHL games this year, but mustered over a point per game in the minors. A sixth-round pick in 2017, Meyer is continually challenging his way up the organizational ranks.
Florida Panthers Place Spencer Knight On Injured Reserve
Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight is headed for injured reserve with an undisclosed injury, as reported by Florida Hockey Now’s Colby Guy. The team also announced Tuesday afternoon that they recalled Alex Lyon from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers to replace Knight on the active roster.
In a highly disappointing season for the Panthers, the play of the 21-year-old Knight has been a bright spot. He’s been markedly better than Sergei Bobrovsky, maintaining a 9-7-3 record despite the team’s record being below .500. Knight’s .906 save percentage is also more than 10 points higher than Bobrovsky’s .895 mark.
Based on the team’s messaging, it’s unclear how long we can expect Knight to stay on injured reserve. The only information head coach Paul Maurice gave today was that Knight isn’t “100 percent” and that the team will “get him checked out.”
In the meantime, expect the Panthers to do everything they can to get their $10MM man in Bobrovsky back on track. He’s been largely inconsistent throughout his mega-contract with Florida, but he showed signs of life last season. Unfortunately for the Panthers, he hasn’t been able to make it two strong seasons in a row.
Lyon, 30, remains among the better veteran third-string options in hockey. A defending Calder Cup champion with the Chicago Wolves, Lyon also brings 24 games of NHL experience to the Panthers bench. He has a .909 save percentage and a 9-8-2 record with Charlotte this season.
Montreal Canadiens Return Anthony Richard To AHL
The Montreal Canadiens have opened up a roster spot by sending Anthony Richard back to the minor leagues following last night’s loss. The minor league veteran didn’t dress, and played fewer than five minutes against the St. Louis Blues in his previous appearance. No corresponding move has been announced.
Richard, 26, has been excellent this season for the Canadiens organization, first at the minor league level and then again filling in for the NHL club. He had 31 points in 27 games for the Laval Rocket before being recalled on December 18, and chipped in his first NHL goal a few days later.
The Nashville Predators fourth-round pick from 2015 only has nine appearances in the NHL over the years, but has been a strong minor league contributor for quite some time. His return will be a big boost for the Rocket, who are 13-16-5 on the year but playing better of late. Had Richard stayed much longer, he would have needed to clear waivers again before being sent down.
By doing it now, the club protects him from any poaching teams that might have interest, while also saving some money. Richard’s one-year, two-way deal pays him $750K in the NHL and just $300K in the minor leagues.
New Jersey Devils Recall Nolan Foote
The New Jersey Devils have recalled another one of their young prospects, bringing Nolan Foote to the NHL for the first time this season. The minor league forward will be joining the team today at morning skate, giving them an extra body for tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Foote, 22, was selected 27th overall in 2019 by the Tampa Bay Lightning and joined the Devils organization in the Blake Coleman trade less than a year later. He’s only ever played professional hockey with this organization, and so far it has been an inconsistent ride. The 6’3″ forward burst onto the minor league scene in 2020-21 with 17 points in 24 games for the Binghamton Devils and made his NHL debut, recording two points in six games with New Jersey.
But the next season he wasn’t able to secure a full-time role, and once again spent most of the year in the minor leagues. A season with 32 points in 55 games for Utica followed, and another seven games in the NHL. This time, the stint with New Jersey went pretty well, with three goals and four points. Still, given how many talented forwards the team now has, Foote was unable to crack the roster in training camp and has been back in the AHL all season.
Through 33 games with Utica in 2022-23, Foote has 13 goals and 19 points. Good, but not quite the level of production many had expected of the first-round pick. At the very least he offers some more size, but the Devils are still waiting for Foote to really assert himself as a professional and force his way onto the NHL roster.
St. Louis Blues Place Robert Bortuzzo On Injured Reserve
The St. Louis Blues placed defenseman Robert Bortuzzo on injured reserve after sustaining a lower-body injury on Saturday, a team release stated Monday. In his place, the team has recalled defenseman Dmitri Samorukov from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds.
Bortuzzo, 33, played just five shifts against the Montreal Canadiens on January 7 before leaving the game with the injury. He was previously listed as day-to-day yesterday by head coach Craig Berube.
St. Louis’ injury woes on defense could become too much to handle. Bortuzzo makes five Blues defensemen out of the lineup with injuries, with three already on injured reserve (Torey Krug, Marco Scandella, Scott Perunovich). Nick Leddy is also sidelined with no set timetable yet for a return.
Bortuzzo had just one point this season, a goal against the Minnesota Wild on December 31. A member of the Blues organization since he was traded for in 2015, his usage has dipped to below 13 minutes per game for the first time since he played just six games in 2011-12.
Samorukov, like Bortuzzo, is defensively inclined. A 2017 third-round pick, the Blues acquired Samorukov in a one-for-one swap with the Edmonton Oilers for forward Klim Kostin during the preseason. Samorukov has two goals, six assists, eight points, and a -3 rating in 34 games with Springfield in 2022-23.
It hasn’t been the best start for him with his new team, and he’s been passed over on call-up opportunities by veterans like Calle Rosen and Steven Santini. He’s getting a chance now, though, and he’ll need to capitalize if he gets into a game to reaffirm his role within the organization.
Buffalo Sabres Activate Eric Comrie, Reassign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
The Buffalo Sabres activated goalie Eric Comrie from injured reserve Monday afternoon after finishing his conditioning stint with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, according to a team tweet. Promising young netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was returned to Rochester in a corresponding transaction.
Comrie was recalled from a conditioning stint last weekend after missing roughly six weeks with an undisclosed injury.
His first season in Buffalo has been a brief roller coaster. He’s had above a .900 save percentage in just four of his 11 appearances for Buffalo but has shown the ability to steal games occasionally. On the year, Comrie has a 4-7-0 record, a 3.62 goals-against average, and a .887 save percentage.
While the 27-year-old Comrie is a capable, experienced backup, he may have been surpassed on the organizational depth chart by Luukkonen. His re-assignment to Rochester is, more than anything, a quick fix to get Comrie back on the active roster now that he’s healthy.
Just 23 years old, Luukkonen is amidst a personal six-game winning streak. He’s faced at least 40 shots in four of those six games. His .891 save percentage on the season is bogged down by some early-season stinkers, and most in Sabres circles expect Luukkonen to get back in the Buffalo crease sooner rather than later.
The fact that Buffalo has grown into possessing three NHL-capable goaltenders is impactful to the performance and health of Craig Anderson. He’s been Buffalo’s best goalie this season by a mile, posting an incredulous .923 save percentage. But he’s started just 13 games, and at 41 years old, his workload will be limited. It’ll be up to Comrie now to keep his place on the Sabres roster, with Luukkonen waiting in the wings.