Buffalo Sabres Recall Aaron Dell
The Buffalo Sabres announced Saturday morning that they have recalled goaltender Aaron Dell from the Rochester Americans of the AHL ahead of their game this afternoon at home against the New York Islanders. According to Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News, goaltender Craig Anderson had left practice early on Friday and is listed as day-to-day, necessitating the move for Buffalo.
The Sabres had been utilizing a tandem of Anderson and Dustin Tokarski in net, which Dell will now join. Some might wonder why Buffalo would choose to recall the veteran Dell over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, however it is worth noting that Luukkonen started in net for Rochester last night, his fifth straight start for the club. Even if Dell does not play today (or if Luukkonen had not played today), it might make sense to give the younger goaltender a rest as opposed to asking him to travel from Utica, where Rochester played last night, back to Rochester, then to Buffalo ahead of a 12:30 pm puck drop.
For his part, Dell has made a career as a serviceable backup in net. This season, he has split time between Buffalo and Rochester. In 10 games with Buffalo, Dell has a 4.03 GAA and .893 save-percentage, but a 3.02 GAA and .907 save-percentage in the AHL.
AHL Shuffle: 04/22/22
There are just four games on the schedule for this evening but all eyes will likely be on the matchup in Edmonton. The Oilers will welcome the Colorado Avalanche in a battle between two of the most impressive offensive units in the NHL, and two of the playoff teams in the Western Conference. The Avalanche have actually lost two straight, which still leaves them at 8-2 in their last ten, while the Oilers are now 8-1-1 as they try to establish themselves as a true Stanley Cup contender. As they and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Detroit Red Wings have assigned Chase Pearson to the AHL once again, his fourth transaction in just the last week. The 24-year-old forward has played in three games at the NHL level this season and is still looking for his first point.
- Rafael Harvey-Pinard has been returned to the AHL by the Montreal Canadiens, after playing just over 11 minutes in the game last night. The 23-year-old forward has now seen action in four NHL games and has one goal to his name.
- The Boston Bruins have returned forward Jack Studnicka to the AHL’s Providence Bruins. Studnicka, 23, has been one of the team’s top prospects in recent seasons and has gotten into 14 games for the big club so far in 2021-22. He has three points in those 14 games this year and has 33 points in 37 games this season in Providence.
Metropolitan Division
- The Philadelphia Flyers have sent goaltender Felix Sandstrom down to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Sandstrom, 25, was a third-round pick in 2015 and has gotten into 42 games for the Phantoms this season, where he has posted a .901 save percentage. Sandstrom has also gotten into 3 games for the Flyers this season and has a .915 at the NHL level.
- The New Jersey Devils have announced that they have recalled forward Nolan Foote from the AHL’s Utica Comets. Foote, 21, was a 2019 first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he arrived in New Jersey as part of the Blake Coleman trade in 2020. Foote has been good in the AHL this year, with 14 goals and 32 points in 55 games, but has been held off the scoresheet in his two NHL games this season.
Central Division
- Dylan Samberg isn’t going anywhere as the Winnipeg Jets have converted his emergency recall into a regular one. Samberg has now played in 11 games this season–his first at the NHL level–and already has four points. The 23-year-old defenseman was a second-round pick in 2017 and appears to be a likely part of the team’s blueline moving forward.
- Mitchell Chaffee has been returned to the AHL by the Minnesota Wild, after making his NHL debut a few days ago. The 24-year-old forward was filling in while Marcus Foligno dealt with a positive COVID-19 test, but it appears as though he’ll now head back to the AHL.
- The Arizona Coyotes have recalled Bokondji Imama from the AHL, meaning he could make his NHL debut down the stretch. The 25-year-old forward has 12 points and 178 penalty minutes for the Tucson Roadrunners this season.
Pacific Division
- The Vegas Golden Knights have assigned forward Jake Leschyshyn to the Henderson Silver Knights. Leschyshyn, 23, was the 62nd overall pick in the 2017 draft and has played in a hefty chunk of games for Vegas this season. He has six points in 41 games at the NHL level this year and 26 points in 32 games for the Silver Knights.
This page is updated throughout the day
New York Islanders Place J.G. Pageau, Two Coaches In COVID Protocol; Anthony Beauvillier Day-To-Day
According to the Athletic’s Kevin Kurz, the New York Islanders will be short a few coaches and players tonight as they take on the New York Rangers at home (Link to Tweet). First and foremost, the team has placed forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Associate Coach Lane Lambert, and Assistant Coach Jim Hiller in COVID protocol. Though the team is only short one player for tonight, Lambert and Hiller represent half of the team’s coaching staff behind the bench, putting extra weight on the shoulders of Head Coach Barry Trotz. Seeing COVID-related absences surely gives the Islanders unpleasant flashbacks to November, when the team was without a large portion of its roster due to COVID.
Also missing from the Islanders lineup, unrelated to COVID protocol, is forward Anthony Beauvillier, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. It’s unclear when exactly Beauvillier’s injury occurred, as he logged 18:24 of ice-time against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, the Islanders’ last game. The team next plays Saturday afternoon on the road against the Buffalo Sabres.
In a corresponding move, the Islanders have recalled forward Otto Koivula on an emergency basis. Koivula has seen limited NHL time this year, with only five games played, the last on March 10th. In those five games, Koivula has just one assist, but the 23-year-old does have 12 goals and 35 assists in 56 games with the Bridgeport Islanders of the AHL this season. The forward is in the lineup tonight.
These transactions seemingly draw to a close a busy day of moves on the Island, with the team having placed defenseman Grant Hutton on waivers (link) and signing one of their top prospects William Dufour earlier in the day (link). For now, the Islanders will still have to focus on their game against the Rangers despite the missing pieces, but will be able to give Koivula another look in the NHL.
Nashville Predators Reassign Cody Glass To AHL
Soon after finally recording his first point with the Nashville Predators, the team announced today that they’ve reassigned forward Cody Glass to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals.
Now 23 years old, Glass, who was drafted sixth overall in 2017 by the Vegas Golden Knights, found his way to Nashville this past off-season by way of a three-way trade, coming as the principal return to Nashville in exchange for defenseman Ryan Ellis, who ended up in Philadelphia. Glass never really translated his dominant two-way game from the juniors and minors into the NHL over two seasons in Vegas, and the team opted to move on.
That isn’t to suggest there isn’t some track left for Glass, though. He does have just the one assist in eight NHL games with Nashville this season, but he’s enjoying his best AHL season yet with 60 points in 63 games. That’s good enough for first place on the team by three points.
Nashville is gearing up to ensure they have the best playoff positioning possible by retaining the first Wild Card spot, so sending Glass down when they’re probably not going to use him much right now makes sense. Hopefully, a good run down the stretch in Milwaukee can help him garner more confidence for a full-time NHL role next season.
AHL Shuffle: 04/21/22
If you thought the playoff-type action was slowing down, you were wrong. Twenty-two of the league’s teams are in action this evening, including a few potential first-round matchups. The Toronto Maple Leafs battle the Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Dallas Stars try to stop their current skid when they take on the Calgary Flames. Perhaps most important will be the Vancouver Canucks in Minnesota to take on the Wild, as close to a must-win for the Pacific Division team as you can get. As everyone prepares for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Mark Kastelic from the AHL, giving them an extra body for their game tomorrow. Interestingly, the Belleville Senators probably need Kastelic more, though the 23-year-old certainly won’t be complaining; Kastelic earns his NHL salary–ten times what he makes in the AHL–while up with the big club.
- Corey Schueneman has been officially added to the Laval Rocket roster, after being sent down last night. The 26-year-old defenseman has proven he can hang in the NHL, but now will be able to help Laval on their playoffs run instead.
Metropolitan Division
Central Division
Pacific Division
This page is updated throughout the day
Gannon Laroque Signs AHL ATO
The San Jose Sharks officially assigned Daniil Gushchin to the AHL today, but he won’t be heading there alone. The team has signed another CHL draft pick, inking Gannon Laroque to an amateur tryout contract.
Laroque, 18, was one of the most improved players in the WHL this season, going from depth defenseman to star puck-mover seemingly overnight. The 2021 fourth-round pick ended up with 52 points in 63 games, after previously recording just seven points at the WHL level. Now, with the Victoria Royals finishing outside the playoff picture, the 6’2″ defenseman will get a chance to test himself at the professional level.
Notably, Laroque was among the youngest players available last draft, as he won’t turn 19 until August. That means he’s not eligible to play in the AHL next year, and he’ll have to go back to the WHL to continue his development. After finishing this season tenth among all WHL defensemen in scoring, he’ll be an incredibly interesting prospect to watch next season, especially if he is moved to a better team or Victoria takes a step forward.
On that note, there’s a chance the Royals fortunes could change dramatically in the next few days. On Thursday, the WHL draft lottery will be held, where Victoria has four of 21 balls which would move them up to first overall. Teams can only move up a maximum of two spots, meaning they will be picking high either way after finishing third-worst this season.
For now, Laroque will get a chance to join the Barracuda, but unfortunately, it won’t be a very long stay. The team has just three games left (including tonight) and will not be qualifying for the postseason.
Three Washington Capitals Picks Sign AHL ATOs
Three more Washington Capitals draft picks have decided to try their hand in the AHL, signing amateur tryout agreements today. Dru Krebs, Benton Maass, and Garin Bjorklund will all join the Hershey Bears for the rest of the season.
For Maass, it means leaving his college career behind after going all the way to the national championship with Minnesota State-Mankato. That was his first season with the Mavericks after transferring from the University of New Hampshire, where he played four other seasons. The sixth-round pick had 14 points in 42 games for Minnesota State, and will turn 24 in November. Whether he earns an entry-level contract still remains to be seen, but he would not have been eligible to play in the AHL had he signed one for this season.
Meanwhile, Krebs and Bjorklund are coming over from the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL after the team finished dead last in the league. With just 11 wins in 68 games, it’s hard to evaluate any of the Tigers’ players as potential NHL prospects as the group as a whole was overmatched nearly every night.
In Krebs case, the 19-year-old defenseman managed just 19 points in 66 games while racking up a whopping -58 rating, trying to play big minutes on a bad team. The younger brother of Buffalo Sabres forward Peyton Krebs, Dru was selected in the sixth round in 2021 and, despite his struggles, is an excellent skater with some obvious puck-moving upside.
Bjorkland, 19, was the goaltender left out to dry on most nights for Medicine Hat, posting an .877 save percentage in 48 appearances. Again, it’s difficult to really evaluate the young netminder’s upside at this point because of the team he played for, but Bjorklund did show well in the shortened 2020-21 season and could get a chance to show what he can do next season in the low minors. He’ll turn 20 next month, making him eligible for the AHL and ECHL, should the team decide to go that route with the 2020 sixth-round pick.
AHL Shuffle: 04/20/22
Just four games on the schedule this evening, but it’s all eyes on Vegas and the Golden Knights, who are in essentially a must-win situation to save their season. Unfortunately, they’ll be up against a team that has some experience ending their seasons in the Washington Capitals–the club that defeated Vegas in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights are now tied with the Vancouver Canucks and four points back of the Dallas Stars for the final wild card position with just five games to play. As they and others prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll keep track of all the minor shuffling:
Atlantic Division
- Rafael Harvey-Pinard has been recalled from the AHL by the Montreal Canadiens, giving the young forward another chance to show what he can do at the NHL level. In 64 games with the Laval Rocket, Harvey-Pinard has scored 19 goals and 51 points, showing once again that his size will not hold him back at the professional level. Later in the day, the team announced that Corey Schueneman has been returned to Laval.
- The Detroit Red Wings have assigned Riley Barber to the AHL, sending him back to the Grand Rapids Griffins for the time being. Barber, 28, has played in just three NHL games this season, spending most of his time lighting up the score sheet in the minor leagues. Through 44 games with Grand Rapids, he has 42 points.
- The Boston Bruins have returned Jack Ahcan to the AHL, as they travel back east. The Bruins will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night before an afternoon home game on Saturday against another potential playoff opponent. Ahcan, 24, has one goal in five NHL games this season.
- After making his Ottawa Senators debut on Monday and playing just over four minutes in his second game yesterday, Zachary Senyshyn has been sent back to the AHL. The 25-year-old forward does not appear like he’s going to break through in Ottawa down the stretch, meaning it’s likely Group VI unrestricted free agency for him this summer.
Metropolitan Division
- The New Jersey Devils have recalled Nikita Okhotiuk from the AHL, the first time he has been on the active NHL roster. The 21-year-old defenseman has 12 points in 63 games for the Utica Comets this season but plays a physical game, racking up 68 penalty minutes in the process. In return, the team has sent Nico Daws back to the AHL.
- Linus Hogberg has been recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers, after 57 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season. The 23-year-old defenseman has yet to make his NHL debut but will be available for tonight’s game against the Canadiens.
Central Division
Pacific Division
- After recalling him just yesterday, the Vancouver Canucks have returned Spencer Martin to the AHL. The depth goaltender, who signed a one-way contract extension earlier this month, has been excellent whenever called upon this season. In three appearances with Vancouver, Martin has posted a .958 save percentage.
This page is updated throughout the day
Pontus Holmberg Assigned To AHL
The Toronto Marlies are getting a pretty impressive reinforcement, as Pontus Holmberg has been assigned to the AHL club by the Toronto Maple Leafs now that his SHL season is over. Signed to an entry-level contract last June, the young forward was loaned back to Sweden for most of this year.
Holmberg, 23, was a sixth-round pick (156th overall) of the Maple Leafs back in 2018 and for the first few years after his draft, appeared to be nothing special. That changed during last year’s SHL playoffs though, when the Vaxjo forward scored seven goals and 14 points in 14 games, winning the championship and being named playoff MVP. He was then named Swedish Forward of the Year, earned a place on the World Championship squad, and suddenly was a rising star. The Maple Leafs signed him to an entry-level contract and sent him back to the SHL to continue his development, with a much bigger role on Vaxjo.
This season, his progression continued, with 41 points in 46 games and a place on Sweden’s Olympic team. That was a big accomplishment, given that the rest of the roster was made up of veterans. In fact, Holmberg was the only player in the entire group that could be considered an NHL prospect and was several years younger than everyone else.
While he still has much to prove on this side of the ocean, the Maple Leafs have certainly done well with some of their late-round Swedish picks in the past. Andreas Johnsson (202nd overall), and Pierre Engvall (188th overall) both took a similar path to the organization and became NHL regulars within a few years of coming over. If they can pull off the same trick with Holmberg, it’s another low-cost forward to support the high-priced talent at the top of their roster.
AHL Shuffle: 04/19/22
Another ten games, another set of huge playoff implications across the NHL landscape tonight. The Vancouver Canucks have a chance to climb ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights if they can dispatch the pesky Ottawa Senators, while the Minnesota Wild could make it ten in a row if they beat the Montreal Canadiens. The schedule is full and like always, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling throughout the day.
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
- The New York Islanders have recalled forward Otto Koivula on an emergency basis. The big 23-year-old power forward has played in five games with the Islanders this season, recording one point, but is enjoying a career year in the AHL with 47 points through 56 games.
Central Division
- Matias Maccelli has been returned to the AHL by the Arizona Coyotes after a tough stretch for the young forward. Brimming with confidence when he first arrived, Maccelli has just a single point in his last 16 games and has only registered 19 shots on goal during that stretch. Still just 21, he can return to the AHL and build his game back up before getting another chance at the NHL level.
- The Chicago Blackhawks returned top prospect, Lukas Reichel, to the Rockford IceHogs today, per the team. Still just 19, Reichel’s seen multiple looks at the NHL level this season because of his wonderful point-per-game season in Rockford. He’s tallied just one assist in 11 games with the big club this year, though, likely signifying a little bit more seasoning in the minors is required for him. That’s certainly no cause for concern, though, as he’s looking very much worth the 17th overall pick.
- Eyebrows raised when it was announced Eric Comrie would start tonight against the Rangers, and now we seem to know why. The Winnipeg jets recalled netminder Mikhail Berdin from the Manitoba Moose on an emergency basis, likely meaning something is up with starter Connor Hellebuyck. Berdin has a .901 save percentage in 29 games with the Moose this year.
Pacific Division
This page is updated throughout the day