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Cole Caufield Recalled From AHL

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When Cole Caufield was sent to the AHL at the beginning of November, it was never meant to be for long. The young Montreal Canadiens forward has made his way back to the NHL, recalled today. To make room, Alex Belzile has been assigned to the Laval Rocket.

Caufield put on a show yesterday for Laval in a victory over the Toronto Marlies, recording nine shots, scoring once during regulation, and again in the shootout. Overall in six games for the Rocket, he tallied five points and 24 shots on goal. His demotion was mostly about confidence, and seeing a spark of that high-flying offensive ability again seems like it was enough for the Canadiens to bring him back up.

Of course, he’s not returning to a better situation in the NHL. The Canadiens have lost their last three games and are only ahead of the last-place Ottawa Senators in the Atlantic Division because they’ve played three more games. The team has the second-worst goal differential in the entire NHL at -23 and has a 4-12-2 record overall. A huge reason for that is a lack of goal scoring, which Caufield should help, but he’s certainly not coming into a positive situation.

The Canadiens will welcome in the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight, a game that will likely see Caufield make his return to the lineup. Through the ten games he played before his stint in the AHL, he had just a single point.

AHL Shuffle: 11/18/21

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It’s back to full go in the NHL after a quiet Wednesday evening, as there are 11 games on tap for tonight. That includes the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets playing the second half of their home-and-home, while the Anaheim Ducks try to continue their winning streak against the Carolina Hurricanes. As those teams and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor shuffling.

Atlantic Division

  • The Ottawa Senators have sent Andrew Agozzino back to the AHL, another good sign that some players will be available when the season restarts for the COVID-afflicted group. Agozzino has played just one game for the Senators this season and failed to register a point.

Metropolitan Division

  • At least for now, it appears as though Robin Salo will be the replacement for Ryan Pulock on the New York Islanders roster. The young Salo has been recalled from the AHL for the first time in his career. This is Salo’s first year in North America, but was the 46th overall pick in 2017 and has found plenty of success overseas. In 14 games for Bridgeport, he has eight points.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers recalled forward Max Willman from Lehigh Valley under emergency conditions today, per a team tweet. The 26-year-old Willman has played two games for the big club this season and is still looking for his first NHL point, earning his chance due to his nine points in 12 AHL games (on pace for a career-high).

Central Division

  • The Arizona Coyotes have confirmed the Ben McCartney assignment, sent back to the AHL yesterday. The 20-year-old has played in two games with the Coyotes so far, quite a feat for a player selected 204th overall in 2020.

Pacific Division

  • The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Ben Jones and Daniil Miromanov, adding some extra bodies for their match against the Red Wings. Jones, a seventh-round pick from 2017, has six points in 12 games for the Henderson Silver Knights.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Snapshots: Islanders, Norlinder, Fix-Wolansky

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The New York Islanders were dealt a tough hand to start the season with a 13-game road trip, but things aren’t exactly looking up with the news that defenseman Ryan Pulock will miss the next four to six weeks with a lower-body injury. The Islanders sit with a 5-6-2 record, and while it’s certainly recoverable, especially considering their track record, they find themselves in an extremely competitive division with seven teams ahead of them. With a defense core that’s looked troubling at times, the team could look to get outside help via the form of a trade. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple says that while the team could put faith into their staff in AHL Bridgeport to help bridge the gap until Pulock’s return, there’s a variety of trade targets they could examine. While D-men who have experience playing on the right side aren’t usually available for trade, he lists Seattle’s Vince Dunn as a potential option who could still prove to pay dividends on the power play once Pulock returns, a role that hasn’t been filled properly since the departure of Devon Toews.

More from around the NHL:

  • Montreal Canadiens prospect Mattias Norlinder is set to make his NHL debut on Thursday. The defenseman is healthy after a preseason injury sidelined him up until the last week, where he spent three games with the AHL’s Laval Rocket on a conditioning stint. The 64th overall pick in 2019 is expected to play on the second pairing alongside veteran David Savard, who’ll give him what should be a reliable defensive partner to open his NHL career.
  • It’s another prospect returning to the lineup as Columbus’ Trey Fix-Wolansky is making his season debut for AHL Cleveland tonight after an eight-month absence. The Hockey Writers’ Mark Scheig notes that the forward had ACL surgery in March. Fix-Wolansky wasn’t picked until the seventh round in 2018, likely due to his 5′ 8″ height, but proceeded to light up the WHL the following season with the Edmonton Oil Kings, scoring 37 goals and 102 points in just 65 games. After having an impressive first professional go-around with Cleveland last year as well, look for Fix-Wolansky to get an NHL look sooner rather than later.

Guillaume Brisebois Clears Waivers

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Nov 17: While Brooks was claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights, Brisebois cleared and has been assigned to the AHL.

Nov 16: The Montreal Canadiens have placed Adam Brooks back on waivers after suiting up just four times with the team. Brooks had been claimed from the Toronto Maple Leafs off waivers earlier this season. Should Toronto put in a claim and are the only team to do so, they would be able to send him directly to the AHL. The Canadiens have also moved Mike Hoffman to injured reserve, retroactive to Saturday.

Meanwhile in Vancouver, the Canucks have placed Guillaume Brisebois on waivers, designating him for assignment to the AHL should he clear. Brisebois was on season-opening injured reserve, but this move suggests he’s nearing a return to action.

Brooks, 25, registered a single point in those four appearances for Montreal. The 2016 fourth-round pick has just 22 NHL regular season games under his belt, with four goals and nine points total. A natural center, he has shown the ability to score at a high rate in junior and the AHL, but is undersized and has yet to receive a true top-six opportunity.

Toronto does have an open roster spot and the cap space to carry Brooks, after sending Joey Anderson back to the minors yesterday.

It seems unlikely that Brisebois will be claimed, given he is coming off injury and has just nine games of NHL experience. This is a move that would have been done at the end of training camp in a normal situation, but the Canucks shouldn’t have much trouble getting him through to the minor leagues where he can get back up to speed.

Matt Boldy Activated, Assigned To AHL

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After breaking his ankle and missing the first part of the season, Minnesota Wild prospect Matt Boldy is ready to return to action. The team has activated the young forward off the injured non-roster list and assigned him to the Iowa Wild. Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Boldy is expected to make his season debut this weekend for Iowa.

After signing his entry-level contract near the end of last season, Boldy stepped into the AHL and showed he could dominate that level just as much as he did in college. Through 14 games for Iowa, he registered 18 points and looked like he might be ready to step directly into the NHL for the 2021-22 season. The 12th-overall pick in 2019, Boldy was having a strong camp until his injury, which was originally given a four- to six-week recovery timeline.

Now, as he returns from the injury, he’ll have to get up to speed at the minor league level once again. How long he’ll stay down there remains to be seen, but with Minnesota in a strong position and winning their share of games, there isn’t a rush to bring him up. The team is 10-5-0 on the year and sits second in the Central Division, despite losing last night to the San Jose Sharks.

If he does come up, the Wild would be adding a big, talented winger with a history of racking up points at every level. The 6’2″ Boldy had 31 points in just 22 games during his sophomore (and final) season with Boston College, making him a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. He also took home a World Junior gold medal, scoring five goals in seven games. For now, the focus will be on making sure he’s healthy enough to get his career back on track, but in time the Wild will have another exciting forward to add to the group.

AHL Shuffle: 11/17/21

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After a busy Tuesday, it’s back to just a few games in the NHL tonight as six teams will see action. That includes the Washington Capitals, where Alex Ovechkin will try to continue his chase of the all-time goal-scoring leaders. As the Capitals and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves:

Atlantic Division

  • The Buffalo Sabres returned Brett Murray to Rochester from his emergency loan today. Murray’s only gotten into one game with Buffalo this season despite bouncing up and down between Buffalo and Rochester all season.

Metropolitan Division

  • With Tyce Thompson moved to injured reserve with an upper-body injury, the New Jersey Devils have recalled Fabian Zetterlund from the AHL. The 22-year-old Zetterlund has nine points in ten games for the Utica Comets this season, and will receive his first taste of the NHL with this recall.

Central Division

  • The Arizona Coyotes have returned Ben McCartney to the AHL, without him actually playing during this call-up. The 20-year-old forward has played two games this season for the team, despite being a seventh-round pick in 2020.

Pacific Division

This page will be updated throughout the day

AHL Shuffle: 11/16/21

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Eleven games are on the docket around the NHL this evening, including a prime Canadian matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers. The last time these two teams faced off, the Oilers were swept out of the playoffs, losing a heartbreaking triple-overtime game to end their season. With tonight’s game the first half of a home-and-home between the two teams, there’s certainly going to be some intensity on the ice. As they and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor shuffling

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Divison

  • With Sammy Blais injured, Greg McKegg has been recalled from the AHL for the New York Rangers. McKegg has already played eight games for the Rangers this season, meaning if he plays another two he’ll have to clear waivers again to return to the minor leagues. The 29-year-old does not yet have a point this season.
  • After Ryan Ellis was placed on injured reserve, Nick Seeler was recalled under emergency conditions by the Philadelphia Flyers. Seeler has been up before, but now may be called on for a while longer with Ellis listed as week-to-week.

Central Division

  • Those Jets have sent Dylan Samberg to the AHL, suggesting he’s ready to return to action after dealing with injury through the first part of the season. Samberg hasn’t played at all so far, but was right on the cusp of making his NHL debut when last season ended. The 22-year-old defenseman had seven points in 32 games for the Manitoba Moose last year.

Pacific Division

  • With Jonathan Marchessault unavailable, the Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Paul Cotter and Sven Baertschi from the minor leagues. Cotter, 22, is an exciting prospect for the team that has worked his way from fourth-round pick to NHL option in just three years.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have sent Gabriel Vilardi to the AHL, suggesting he’s ready to get back on the ice. The young forward hasn’t played since the end of October, and had just one goal in seven games for the Kings.

This page will be updated throughout the day

When Does Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Take Over In Buffalo?

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After some truly abysmal seasons and the departures of several top players, including face of the franchise Jack Eichel, it is nice to see the Buffalo Sabres not among the worst teams in the league with more than a month of the season complete. The Sabres sit at .500, which is of course not extraordinary, but is far better than most would have expected, especially when they share the same points percentage as the Pittsburgh Penguins and are ahead of recent Stanley Cup finalists in the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens.

One of the early highlights of the season has been in net, where a tandem that seemed like more of an afterthought than an action plan has performed well. 40-year-old Craig Anderson, pulled from an impending retirement, has a stellar .921 save percentage and 2.50 GAA that no one saw coming. Dustin Tokarski, after unseating Aaron Dell for the second NHL job, has been solid himself at .908 and 2.95. The duo have split starts and seem to be working well, even behind a young, inexperienced team.

With that being said, the reality is that the Sabres are not legitimate playoff contenders and they have no investment in either Anderson or Tokarski. Both veterans are on expiring minimum contracts and are likely to be gone next season. Meanwhile, down in the minors the organization is developing a future starter – or so they hope. The AHL’s Player of the Week is none other than Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen of the Rochester Americans, the Sabres’ 2017 second-round pick. After a horrific October, Luukkonen has a .949 save percentage and 1.77 GAA in November as he is playing the best hockey of his young pro career. The gold medal-winning backstop of the 2019 Finnish World Junior team and the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year the same season, the pro level has not been as kind to Luukkonen thus far. He carries a career .887 save percentage and 3.35 GAA in the AHL. His play actually improved in four NHL appearances last season, posting a .906 save percentage, but his 3.88 GAA skewed the perception. However, Luukkonen’s recent improvement could be a sign that he finally has the pros figured out and is ready for the next level.

So when does UPL get his shot, not just as an emergency recall but as an actual member of the NHL roster? It seems like the time is now. Anderson is currently injured and Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports that he is expected to be out “at least another couple weeks”. Dell made his season debut this past weekend and struggled greatly, allowing five goals on just 26 shots. Beyond just his future value, Luukkonen seems like an immediate upgrade to Dell and with some opportunity could prove that he is already a better option than Tokarski or Anderson. The Sabres also have some reason to throw Luukkonen into the fire sooner rather than later. Though just 22, Luukonnen is already the elder statesmen of the pipeline. Buffalo has two other promising young goalie prospects currently playing in the NCAA: Michigan’s Erik Portillo, 21, and Northeastern’s Devon Levi, 19. Before either one decides to turn pro and start fighting for AHL starts and NHL call-ups, the Sabres should do their due diligence on UPL to see if he is indeed future starter material.

The Sabres deserve credit for exceeding expectations this season, as do Anderson and Tokarski as individuals. Yet, the team cannot lose the forest through the trees. Buffalo is still in a complete rebuild and getting a top young goalie like Luukkonen valuable NHL experience sooner rather than later, especially as he proves himself in the AHL, can only serve to benefit the organization long-term (and maybe even short-term too.)

Ottawa Senators Sign Zac Leslie

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Nov 15: Leslie cleared waivers and can be assigned back to Belleville.

Nov 14: The Ottawa Senators are addressing their blue line crisis by going outside of the organization. Well, sort of. The team has announced that they have signed defenseman Zac Leslie to a one-year contract, elevating a player who was already under contract with the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Leslie’s contract is a two-way pact with the minimum $750K NHL salary and a $150K AHL salary, pro-rated to the remainder of the 2021-22 season. Per PuckPedia, he was immediately placed on waivers.

Leslie, 27, is an Ottawa native who initially joined the organization this summer after spending the past two seasons with the AHL’s Stockton Heat. Before that, Leslie played on an NHL contract for four years with the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. However, Leslie has never had the opportunity to make his NHL debut.

That could change soon, as the Senators currently have four defensemen in the NHL’s COVID Protocol, just lost Erik Brannstrom to a long-term injury, and have Artem Zub playing injured. They had seven healthy defenseman on NHL contracts, three of whom are untested prospects. By adding an eighth in Leslie, who at least has considerable pro experience, the Senators can safeguard against the possibility of yet another injury before their COVID crisis is fully resolved. The former OHL standout has been productive in the AHL and seems capable of playing at the next level.

AHL Shuffle: 11/15/21

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It’s a quiet Monday in the NHL, with only two games on the schedule for this evening. The New York Islanders will try to right the ship with a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Detroit Red Wings try to continue their impressive start in a battle against the Columbus Blue Jackets. As those teams and others prepare for action this week, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.

Atlantic Division

  • The Detroit Red Wings have placed Mitchell Stephens on injured reserve, retroactive to November 13. In his place, the team has recalled Joe Veleno, who had been up earlier this year when Tyler Bertuzzi was unable to travel to Canada. Veleno, 21, registered a goal and an assist in four games with the Red Wings and will now get another chance to show he can compete at the highest level.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent Joey Anderson back to the AHL, a curious move given they are in long-term injured reserve relief and not accruing cap space anyway. Perhaps someone else is coming up in his place, or just that they want him to get back into game action with the Toronto Marlies while they are at home. Anderson hasn’t gotten into an NHL game yet this season.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Brett Murray from the AHL, giving them an insurance option as they hit the road for one game. The team will play in Pittsburgh tomorrow before returning to Buffalo.

Metropolitan Division

  • As they head out for a road trip to the west coast, the Washington Capitals have recalled Garrett Pilon from the AHL. The 23-year-old will be the team’s only reserve forward, meaning he could potentially enter the lineup to make his season debut. With just a single NHL game under his belt, Pilon came flying out of the gate this season in the minor leagues, scoring five goals and 11 points in 13 games for the Hershey Bears.
  • The New York Rangers have assigned Greg McKegg to the AHL, suggesting that Filip Chytil may be ready to go for tomorrow’s game. McKegg has played in eight games for the Rangers this season and has failed to register a point, averaging exactly 11 minutes of ice time.
  • Josh Leivo is on his way back to the AHL, after playing twice for the Carolina Hurricanes over the weekend. With Martin Necas and Nino Niederreiter both on the ice today for practice, the Hurricanes are getting closer to full health upfront.

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • With the Vancouver Canucks on their way back to Canada for a game on Wednesday, the team has sent Jack Rathbone back to the AHL. Travis Hamonic will likely be recalled tomorrow, as he’s eligible to play again given the home date. (UPDATE: In fact, Hamonic has been recalled today, with Madison Bowey also going down to the AHL).
  • The Los Angeles Kings have recalled both Kale Clague and Austin Strand, after only sending them down yesterday. The Kings have consistently performed “paper transactions” this season to bank cap space on off days, accruing cap space even though they have Drew Doughty on long-term injured reserve. While their accruable cap space limit is still less than the $81.5MM upper limit, the Kings are still preparing for the possibility of a midseason addition should they be in a competitive position.

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