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AHL Shuffle: 02/15/22

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It’s another full slate of action in the NHL today as 18 teams will do battle. That includes Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins as they welcome in their cross-state rivals from Philadelphia. Crosby is sitting on 499 goals for his career and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see him hit the 500-goal mark against the Flyers. In 78 career games against Philadelphia, the future Hall of Famer has 49 goals, most against any opponent. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

  • The Winnipeg Jets have sent Johnathan Kovacevic to the minor leagues, now that Neal Pionk has waited long enough to rejoin his teammates in Canada. Kovacevic has played four games this season for the Jets, his first taste of NHL action after being a third-round selection in 2017. Still looking for his first point at that level, he’ll have to wait for another chance to suit up down the road.
  • There’s some shift on the goalie front for the Chicago Blackhawks. NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis reports the team recalled goalie Cale Morris from the Rockford IceHogs today, sending goalie Arvid Soderblom and defenseman Jakub Galvas back to the minors. With Rockford playing at home tonight, the organization wanted Soderblom to play.

Pacific Division

  • The Los Angeles Kings have recalled Jacob Moverare, giving them another defenseman ahead of their match against the Oilers tonight. Moverare, 23, has played in three games for the Kings, most recently seeing 18:45 of ice time against the Detroit Red Wings on February 2.

This page will be updated throughout the day

AHL Shuffle: 02/14/22

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The NHL is back in action today with four games on the schedule, the Toronto Maple Leafs visiting the Seattle Kraken. By the time Toronto gets home, attendance restrictions should be eased. As Katherine DeClerq of CTV News relays, the Ontario government announced that as of February 17, seating capacity at sporting events will return to 50 percent with full buildings expected at the beginning of March. The Maple Leafs happen to have their next home game scheduled for the 17th, while the Ottawa Senators will have to deal with an empty rink one more time tomorrow night. As those teams prepare for the return of fans, we’ll keep track of all the roster movement around the league.

Atlantic Division

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Darren Raddysh from the AHL as they hit the road for a game against the New Jersey Devils tomorrow. The Lightning, who had played more than most teams before the break, have another long break following tomorrow’s match. They return home on Wednesday, February 23 against the Edmonton Oilers.

Metropolitan Division

  • The New York Islanders have recalled Cory Schneider under emergency conditions after Semyon Varlamov entered the COVID protocol on the weekend. Schneider has played in 16 games with the Bridgeport Islanders but isn’t expected to see any action for New York unless something happens to Ilya Sorokin.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Morgan Frost, sending Jackson Cates back to the AHL. Frost, a first-round pick from 2017, has seven points in 26 games with the Flyers this season but has been dominant during his time with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, recording 18 points in 20 games with the minor league club.

Central Division

  • Cole Smith is back up with the Nashville Predators, while Tomas Vomacka has been sent back to the ECHL. Vomacka has been used as a practice goaltender throughout the season while playing exclusively for the Florida Everblades where he has an .898 save percentage in 15 appearances.

Pacific Division

  • The Vancouver Canucks have returned Noah Juulsen to the AHL, after he played in a few games earlier this month. The 24-year-old has appeared seven times this season since arriving in a trade from Florida.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Logan Thompson, giving them an extra goaltender for the time being. It’s unclear whether one of their normal netminders is injured or unavailable for some other reason, but Robin Lehner is not at practice according to Jesse Granger of The Athletic.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

AHL Shuffle: 02/13/22

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The stage is officially set for the knockout rounds of the Olympic tournament. After today’s results, the United Stated, Finland, the Russian Olympic Committee, and Sweden have earned byes for the qualifying round while the remaining eight teams enter do-or-die mode. Back in North America though, those Olympic contests won’t resume until late Monday night while NHL action rolls on with four games apiece on Sunday and Monday, including sixteen different teams. As those clubs, as well as the other half of the league, prepares for the week ahead, keep up with all of the roster tweaks right here:

Atlantic Division

  • The Montreal Canadiens can’t catch a break this season. The club has announced that defenseman Ben Chiarot, their most talked-about trade target, has been placed on injured reserve. To replace his roster spot, the team has recalled Corey Schueneman from the Laval Rocket. Chiarot is not expected to be out long-term, but this scare could push the Habs to trade him as soon as possible, potentially earning Schueneman a long-term NHL stay.
  • Just a day after being recalled, Dan Renouf is headed back to the AHL. The Detroit Red Wings have announced that the veteran defenseman has been reassigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins. This has been a common occurrence all season long in Detroit.

Metropolitan Division

  • Zac Jones has been recalled by the New York Rangers, adding an exciting young player back to the NHL roster. Jones, 21, played in ten games for the Rangers late last season after winning a National Championship with UMass and looked like he belonged at the top level. Yet, he has only played in six games with New York this year despite posting 18 points in 27 games with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.
  • The New Jersey Devils have placed forward Janne Kuokkanen on the injured reserve, which will open up a roster spot for either Jack Hughes or Dougie Hamilton, both of whom are sidelined but reportedly nearing returns. As for Kuoakkanen, the 23-year-old is having a fine season but not quite meeting expectations he set with 25 points in 50 games last season. Rather than a half-point per game player, Kuokkanen’s 11 points in 43 games had him on pace for only about 20 points this season, which could now be even less given the injury absence.

Central Division

Pacific Division

Jaycob Megna Undergoes Surgery

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The San Jose Sharks have lost another defenseman to injury, as head coach Bob Boughner told reporters including Corey Masisak of The Athletic that Jaycob Megna underwent surgery to repair a displaced fracture in his foot. Megna will be out four to six weeks following the procedure.

The minor league veteran had actually taken on a ton of responsibility for the Sharks recently, playing 24:37 against the Carolina Hurricanes just before the All-Star break. That was a career-high at the NHL level, a career that includes only 62 appearances to this point. Megna, 29, has been a consistent presence in the AHL for years, stabilizing defense corps for the Norfolk Admirals, San Diego Gulls, Chicago Wolves, and San Jose Barracuda. He’s on a one-year, two-way contract this season that comes with a cap hit of just $750K.

With Erik Karlsson and Nikolai Knyzhov already on injured reserve, the Sharks’ defensive depth is certainly being tested. The team recalled Ryan Merkley from the AHL today, leaving just three other defensemen on NHL contracts in the minor leagues. Merkley is coming up with goaltender Zachary Sawchenko, who was also recalled.

There may be some good news on the horizon though. Curtis Pashelka of Mercury News tweets that Karlsson is a bit ahead of schedule for his return from forearm surgery, though it’s still unclear what exactly that means in terms of game action. When Karlsson had the procedure in late January, the team announced that he would be re-evaluated partway through March.

For Megna, this is brutal timing for a serious injury. Boughner explained that the veteran defenseman was trying to play through it and that it actually occurred when he blocked a shot against the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 22–before he logged those heavy minutes on the road trip. For a player that has ground through nearly 400 AHL games and was getting arguably the best opportunity of his career, it’s easy to understand why.

AHL Shuffle: 02/12/22

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Between the Olympic slate and the Super Bowl, there is plenty going on in the world of sports this weekend, but the NHL rolls on with eight games today plus another four tomorrow. Saturday’s action kicks off with a trio of Eastern Conference matinees and culminates with Islanders-Flames late tonight. Over the course of the day, keep up with all of the recalls and reassignments made by teams preparing for the weekend schedule:

Atlantic Division

  • As expected, the Detroit Red Wings have activated defenseman Troy Stecher from the injured reserve. However, that is not the only blue line addition today. Veteran Dan Renouf, a frequent Wings recall this season, is back up from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit announced. Renouf has spent more time watching than playing while on the NHL roster this season, but has managed to get into four games.
  • After acquiring Andrew Hammond, the Montreal Canadiens have recalled him to the active roster and sent Cayden Primeau to the Laval Rocket. Primeau, 22, has played in 11 games this season for the Canadiens, posting. 1-7-1 record with an .866 save percentage.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning announced that they have returned defenseman Darren Raddysh to Syracuse of the AHL.  The 25-year-old has played in four games with the Lightning this season, his first taste of NHL action.  Raddysh has spent most of the season with the Crunch, collecting four assists in 27 games.

Metropolitan Division

  • The Carolina Hurricanes have reassigned forward Josh Leivo to the AHL, the team announced. Leivo has been hot with the Chicago Wolves this season, recording 19 points in 22 games, and has added three points in seven games with the ’Canes. However, it hasn’t been enough to stick long-term on the deep Carolina roster. His seven NHL games this season is the fewest in any year since his rookie season and the impending UFA could move on this summer in pursuit of more opportunity.

Central Division

  • The Dallas Stars announced that they have recalled defenseman Thomas Harley from Texas of the AHL.  John Klingberg and Andrej Sekera are both listed as day-to-day with upper-body injuries so the youngster will serve as insurance if those two veterans aren’t able to suit up against Colorado on Sunday.  Harley has played in eight games with Dallas, averaging just over 13 minutes a game while he has 11 assists in 27 games with Texas this season.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced that they’ve returned goaltender Ivan Prosvetov to AHL Tucson.  Arizona is off until next Saturday so the assignment will allow the 22-year-old a chance to get into some game action.  He has made two appearances with the Coyotes this season while posting a 3.56 GAA and a save percentage of .882 in 24 games with the Roadrunners.

Pacific Division

Brad Malone, Justin Dowling Clear Waivers

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Feb 11: Malone and Dowling have both cleared, according to Friedman. They can now be assigned to the minor leagues.

Feb 10: The waiver wire has two players on it today, as Brad Malone of the Edmonton Oilers and Justin Dowling of the Vancouver Canucks are both available for claim according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. If Malone’s name surprises you, it should; the veteran forward had been playing on an AHL contract but has now signed a one-year, two-way, NHL deal with the Oilers. In order to return to Bakersfield for the time being, he needs to clear waivers after signing the new deal.

Malone, 32, is the captain of the Condors, meaning he likely has a close relationship with Jay Woodcroft, who is now taking over as head coach of the Oilers after Dave Tippett was let go earlier today. That isn’t necessarily the reason for this contract though, as reports had surfaced much earlier in the year that Edmonton wanted to sign Malone to an NHL deal but couldn’t for salary cap reasons. Still, Woodcroft’s promotion could certainly mean that there is a bit of NHL playing time in Malone’s future, depending on what happens with the rest of the roster.

If he does come back up at some point, it certainly wouldn’t be a new experience. Malone has more than 200 NHL games under his belt to this point, including some playoff contests back when he was with the Colorado Avalanche organization. He played 16 games with the Oilers in 2018-19, his last appearance in the NHL.

Dowling meanwhile has played in 22 games with the Canucks this season, including last night’s loss against the New York Islanders. He has just two goals and four points in those matches, while usually seeing less than ten minutes of ice time. Because he’s in just the first season of a two-year, one-way contract, it seems unlikely that another team would claim him unless they feel he can make an immediate impact in the lineup. The 31-year-old has just 18 points in 98 career regular season games.

AHL Shuffle: 02/11/22

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Jay Woodcroft and the Edmonton Oilers will get a chance to change some of the narratives around their team tonight when they take on the New York Islanders. It will be Woodcroft’s first game as an NHL head coach and a game that feels almost like a must-win for the Oilers’ playoff hopes. As those teams and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling right here.

Atlantic Division

  • The Ottawa Senators have reassigned Parker Kelly to the AHL, where he has spent the majority of the season. Kelly hasn’t been in an NHL game since November but does have nine points in 23 minor league appearances this season.
  • After last night’s loss, the Boston Bruins have made a swap, sending Tyler Lewington to the AHL in favor of Jack Ahcan. The 24-year-old Ahcan has played in two games for the Bruins this season and has 19 points in 31 contests with Providence.

Metropolitan Division

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have reassigned Michael Chaput and Valtteri Puustinen to the AHL, without the latter actually making his NHL debut. The 22-year-old Puustinen has 27 points in 40 games during his first year of North American professional hockey.
  • Carson Meyer has been sent back to the AHL after failing to make his NHL debut with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 24-year-old had been up under emergency conditions, but will have to wait for another opportunity to make his mark. The Ohio native has 12 points in 33 games with the Cleveland Monsters this season.
  • The Washington Capitals have sent Aliaksei Protas to the minor leagues now that Alex Ovechkin can rejoin the team at home. Ovechkin was held out of the game in Montreal due to COVID travel restrictions but will be back on the ice against the Ottawa Senators Sunday afternoon.
  • The New York Rangers have recalled Morgan Barron with Larry Brooks of the New York Post reporting that Kaapo Kakko will be sidelined for an extended period of time. Kakko hasn’t played since January 21 and will presumably miss the team’s next game on February 15.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Jackson Cates under emergency conditions as they continue to deal with injury issues. The team announced Sean Couturier’s season-ending surgery earlier today and is considering another procedure for Kevin Hayes.

Central Division

Pacific Division

This page will be updated throughout the day

AHL Shuffle: 02/10/22

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Martin St. Louis will be behind the bench for the first time when the Montreal Canadiens take on the Washington Capitals tonight, making his debut as an NHL head coach. If he can take the Canadiens to a win, it will be just their ninth of the season, and would snap a seven-game losing streak. While Montreal and the rest of the league prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

  • The Winnipeg Jets have sent Declan Chisholm to the minor leagues, as Logan Stanley is expected to travel with the team and soon make his return to the lineup. Chisholm, 22, has played in two games for the Jets this season but will return to Manitoba, where he’s suited up 31 times.

Pacific Division

This page will be updated throughout the day.

AHL Shuffle: 02/09/22

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The NHL has six games on the docket for this evening, including a battle between the two worst teams in the Western Conference. The Seattle Kraken and Arizona Coyotes will do battle, with a win not really benefiting either one at this point. The expansion franchise is 15-27-4 in their first year, while the rebuilding Coyotes are 11-31-4. As they and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.

Atlantic Division

  • The Buffalo Sabres have assigned Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to the AHL, a good sign as he returns from injury. The young goaltender is still expected to play a part in the Sabres’ future, but for now needs to get his game back on track at the minor league level.

Metropolitan Division

  • Because Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin is still not eligible to travel to Montreal due to his recent COVID status, Brett Leason has been recalled from the AHL. Leason, 22, has played in 33 games with the Capitals this season and has six points. Ovechkin will be able to rejoin the team for their game Sunday in Washington.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Carson Meyer, a first for the young forward. An Ohio native who attended both Miami University and Ohio State, Meyer was a sixth-round pick in 2017 and has 12 points in 33 games for the Cleveland Monsters this season. Should he enter the lineup, it would be his NHL debut.

Central Division

  • The Minnesota Wild have reassigned Mitchell Chaffee and Kevin Czuczman to the Iowa Wild again, now that they have a few days off. Minnesota won’t play again until Saturday when they welcome in Nino Niederreiter and the Carolina Hurricanes. Depending on injury statuses, there could be more recalls by then.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Dylan Sikura once again, as Nathan MacKinnon still isn’t expected to be ready by tomorrow’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. That could change by Sunday’s afternoon tilt, but for now Sikura will once again fill in as an offensive piece.

Pacific Division

This page will be updated throughout the day

St. Louis Blues Extend Alexei Toropchenko

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General manager Doug Armstrong and the St. Louis Blues front office are getting some work done ahead of the NHL trade deadline, handing out extensions to several pending free agents. After signing Robert Bortuzzo and Logan Brown yesterday, the Blues have inked Alexei Toropchenko to a one-year extension today. The two-way deal will carry an NHL salary of $750K and an AHL salary of $100K.

Toropchenko, 22, made his NHL debut this season and has suited up for five games with the Blues so far. The big winger was a fourth-round pick in 2017 and spent last season on loan to Kunlun Red Star of the KHL. While he’s never been much of a dynamic offensive player, his size, skating ability, and strength around the net can be difficult to contain.

The Blues obviously believe he can be a player for them and won’t have to deal with any restricted free agent negotiations this summer. Instead, he’ll come back on a league-minimum cap hit that should actually be an advantage for him when it comes to NHL playing time. If Toropchenko can prove he belongs on a full-time basis, having a $750K contract in the lineup allows the team to keep spending elsewhere.

Notably, he’ll also be eligible for waivers next season, another indication that he could get some time with the big club to start the year. For now, Toropchenko is with the Springfield Thunderbirds where he has seven goals and 12 points in 32 games. Some more consistency at that level would go a long way to proving he’s ready for the next step.

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