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AHL Shuffle: 12/13/21

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The NHL schedule is completely blank this evening, thanks to the postponement of the Calgary Flames-Chicago Blackhawks game. The league does have a very heavy schedule for tomorrow evening, meaning there should still be plenty of minor league movement today to prepare. As always, we’ll keep track of the shuffling right here.

Atlantic Division

  • The Boston Bruins have sent Jack Ahcan back to the AHL, though it may not be for very long. The team was missing both Connor Clifton and John Moore from practice today (along with goaltender Linus Ullmark) due to “testing issues” according to head coach Bruce Cassidy. The Bruins of course just came back from Calgary, where they played the Flames on Saturday night–just before seven members from that team entered the protocol.

Metropolitan Division

  • The New Jersey Devils have recalled Marian Studenic and Kevin Bahl from the minor leagues, adding another pair of young players to the roster. Ryan Graves remains in COVID protocol, meaning Bahl is getting his first chance in the NHL this season. One of the biggest parts of the Taylor Hall trade, Bahl has two points in 19 games for the Utica Comets this year.

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • The San Jose Sharks have recalled Jayden Halbgewachs from the San Jose Barracuda, giving him an NHL call-up after a hot start. The 24-year-old undrafted forward has 16 points in 19 games for the Barracuda this season. Only ever recalled to the taxi squad previously, Halbgewachs has yet to make an appearance in an NHL game.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Chicago Blackhawks Announce Several Roster Moves

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The Chicago Blackhawks will roll out a new look forward corps when they next take the ice on Monday. The team has announced that rookie Reese Johnson has been placed on injured reserve while fellow rookie Mike Hardman has been reassigned to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. Taking their place on the roster will be veteran Brett Connolly and another rookie, Mackenzie Entwistle.

The news on Johnson is a disappointing development for the Blackhawks. It may not show on the scoresheet, but the 23-year-old has been playing well of late, even in his limited role. The team reports that Johnson suffered a fractured right clavicle on Saturday and is out indefinitely. Johnson will undergo further evaluation on Monday, after which the Blackhawks hope to have a more timeline for his return this season.

In the meantime, the Blackhawks could do far worse than bringing in the experienced Connolly. Acquired from the Florida Panthers last season, Connolly played in ten games with Chicago down the stretch but failed to make the team in training camp this year and was buried in the AHL. He has made the most of his time in Rockford, currently second on the team in scoring with 11 points in 16 games. While Connolly may not be the 20-goal threat he once was, the physical winger can still contribute in Chicago.

As for the swap in rookies, Entwistle has done more with his opportunity than Hardman this season. Though a top college free agent who got off to a hot start to his pro career last year with three points in eight NHL games, Hardman has only managed two assists in 19 games with the Blackhawks so far this season. In contrast, Entwistle has three points in 12 games, including a pair of goals.

Minor Transactions: 12/12/21

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With a lighter schedule at the NHL level today, expect some moves from other niches of the hockey world. For those more minor moves, we’ll keep an ongoing list of today’s transactions right here.

  • There’s a junior trade on the block today, as WHL netminder Cole Tisdale was dealt from the Tri-City Americans to the Prince Albert Raiders Saturday night in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round pick, a team release from the Raiders confirms. The 19-year-old netminder is playing his first full WHL season but now finds himself on his third team. Originally a draft pick of the Kelowna Rockets, he was moved to Tri-City after six games with Kelowna this year. After just two games there, he now finds himself in Prince Albert looking for some stability.
  • As the Pittsburgh Penguins organization becomes healthier, the baby Penguins in AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton are making corresponding moves. Today, they re-assigned forward Shaw Boomhower to the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, per a team tweet. The 23-year-old Boomhower took last season off from hockey entirely but has impressed with six points in 12 games in Wheeling. He didn’t get into a game with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton during his callup.

AHL Shuffle: 12/12/21

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There’s only a light five-game schedule on tap for this Sunday, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of movement across leagues. We’ll keep track of all the action on the NHL/AHL pipeline right here.

Atlantic Division

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a three-person swap today, assigning Kristians Rubins back to the Marlies and recalling forward Brett Seney and defenseman Carl Dahlstrom. Rubins, the first Latvian player to suit up for the Leafs, had no points in three games with the Leafs but looked solid defensively at times. After a game that saw the Leafs blow a 4-1 lead to Chicago and escape with a last-minute 5-4 win, however, the team wants to make some changes. Dahlstrom has just four assists in 18 games with the Marlies this year, while Seney has 16 in 19.
  • For the first time in a decade, Michael Del Zotto is headed to the AHL. The veteran defenseman cleared waivers today and has been subsequently reassigned to the minors, the Ottawa Senators announced. Del Zotto will join AHL Belleville for the time being and stay fresh with some game action until the point in time that Ottawa decides they want his experience and expertise back on the NHL roster.

Metropolitan Division

  • Early this morning, the Washington Capitals re-assigned goaltender Zach Fucale to the Hershey Bears, per a team release. Fucale was called up over the weekend to ensure the team would have an extra goalie if an injury occurred during their back-to-back set. The former junior hockey standout recorded a shutout in his first NHL game this season, and he has an .898 save percentage and 4-1-3 record with Hershey this season.

Central Division

  • After a lengthy absence from NHL play, Colorado Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz could be back soon. Per Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater, he was recalled today from his conditioning loan with the Colorado Eagles. Francouz missed the entire 2020-21 season and beginning of this season with injuries. He had an impressive .945 save percentage in four games on his conditioning loan, going 3-1-0 while in the AHL. Mikhail Maltsev was also recalled, per Dater.
  • Ville Heinola is back with the Manitoba Moose after the Winnipeg Jets had him on the NHL roster over the weekend as an extra body. The 20th overall pick in 2019 had an impressive 14 points through 18 games in Manitoba this year.

Pacific Division

  • With Ryan Getzlaf off the injured reserve, the Anaheim Ducks have reassigned his young replacement, Benoit-Olivier Groulx, to the AHL. The San Diego Gulls are sending goaltender Lukas Dostal back in return. Dostal will serve as the backup to Anthony Stolarz on Sunday as the Ducks evaluate the injury status of starter John Gibson. Should he play, it will be the NHL debut for the 21-year-old prospect.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Yanni Gourde And Riley Sheahan Placed In COVID Protocol

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The Kraken will be without the services of one of their top centers for the next little bit as the team announced (Twitter link) that Yanni Gourde has been placed in COVID protocol.  His spot on the roster is being taken by Alexander True who was recalled from AHL Charlotte.

Gourde has had a nice start to his first season with Seattle.  After recovering quicker than expected from offseason shoulder surgery, he quickly jumped into a permanent spot in the top six.  The 29-year-old has six goals and 16 assists in 22 games so far this season, good for third on the team in scoring behind Jaden Schwartz and Jordan Eberle while averaging 18:51 per game, a career-high.

Gourde had become the second Kraken center to enter COVID protocol, joining Colin Blackwell who entered it earlier this week.  If subsequent testing reveals a confirmed positive, he’ll have to miss at least the next ten days.  However, head coach Dave Hakstol told reporters including Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic (Twitter link) that center Riley Sheahan has also entered the protocol alongside assistant coach Jay Leach.  Sheahan has four points in 19 games this season and also cleared waivers last month.

As for True, he was claimed from San Jose in expansion but has yet to see any action with Seattle this season.  He has 18 points in 22 games with AHL Charlotte, a split affiliate with Florida and leads the Checkers in scoring.

AHL Shuffle: 12/11/21

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It’s another busy Saturday across the NHL with a dozen games on the schedule including Minnesota going for their ninth straight win as they travel to Los Angeles.  A busy schedule typically means a lot of roster movement which we’ll keep track of here.

Atlantic Division

  • The Red Wings have made a pair of roster moves today, sending center Kyle Criscuolo and defenseman Brian Lashoff back to AHL Grand Rapids, per a team release.  Criscuolo made his Detroit debut at the beginning of the month while Lashoff didn’t play after being brought up on Thursday.  The moves drop the Red Wings back to a minimum-sized roster although they’re expected to have Tyler Bertuzzi back from COVID protocol for their next game on Tuesday.

Metropolitan Division

  • The Islanders announced (Twitter link) that they have returned forwards Austin Czarnik and Otto Koivula to Bridgeport of the AHL. New York needed to free up two roster spots to activate Brock Nelson from IR and Casey Cizikas from COVID protocol.  Czarnik has been productive in limited action with the Isles this season, picking up a goal and two assists in four games while Koivula recorded his first career NHL point – an assist – over three appearances.
  • Jackson Cates has been re-assigned to Lehigh Valley by Philadelphia. The 24-year-old Cates hasn’t gotten into an NHL game this season but has been funnelled up and down from the AHL due to his lack of waiver eligibility. He made his NHL debut last season.

Central Division

 

Pacific Division

  • The Kraken have recalled center Alexander True, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 24-year-old was selected from San Jose in expansion but hasn’t seen any NHL action yet this season.  Instead, he has been quite productive with Charlotte of the AHL, recording 18 points in 22 games.  Later in the day, Seattle announced (Twitter link) that goaltender Chris Driedger has been activated from IR with Joey Daccord being sent to Charlotte in a corresponding move.  Injuries have limited Driedger to just five appearances so far this season.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Jarred Tinordi Assigned To Conditioning Loan

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The New York Rangers continue to employ the conditioning loan to manage their depth on the blue line this season. After Libor Hajek spent time with the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack earlier this season, it is now Jarred Tinordi’s turn. The team has announced that the veteran defenseman is on his way down to the minors for a conditioning stint.

Tinordi’s loan is a bit more puzzling that Hajek’s, however. While Hajek, 23, is still a young and once-promising asset that could have been lost on waivers, Tinordi is a lesser risk. In fact, the 29-year-old stay-at-home specialist already cleared waivers earlier this season. There is also the fact that the Rangers have a clear top six and wouldn’t be significantly harmed even if Tinordi was claimed. Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren, K’Andre Miller, and Patrik Nemeth have played in all 25 of New York’s games, while rookie Nils Lundkvist has suited up for 20. Tinordi has played in only five games, the last of which came all the way back on November 21, and is averaging just over 12 minutes of ice time per game. Hajek meanwhile has amazing still not seen NHL action this year. With such a solid six, is it worth manipulating the roster in this way just to ensure a player like Tinordi isn’t claimed?

The counter-argument is this: beyond their current top six, the Rangers are not as deep as they may seem on defense and Tinordi is more of an established NHL value than it may seem too. While New York has been fortunate enough to not have to dive into their defensive depth yet this season, an injury or tow, especially to one of top blue liners, would leave the team exposed. Miller and Lundkvist are both very young and raw and there are more like them in Hartford. Though all very talented prospects, leaning on the inexperience of Zac Jones, Braden Schneider, or Matthew Robertson in the event of health issues on the NHL blue line would leave the Rangers with very little veteran leadership and know-how. If Tinordi was lost on waivers, only Anthony Bitetto would offer an experienced depth option. Just last year, Tinordi was claimed on waivers too. The Boston Bruins took a shot on the big rearguard when the Nashville Predators risked him on the wire and Tinordi ended up playing out the season in Boston and even suiting up in the postseason. Given their lack of veteran options, it seems that the Rangers are unwilling to risk history repeating itself.

So, Tinordi will get some play time and stay game-ready with a stint in Hartford. The move could also allow for Hajek to finally draw back into the Rangers lineup and could provide the promising Wolf Pack blue liners with another veteran mentor, at least for the time being. It’s not exactly a critical move for the franchise, but it’s a safe play for a team with their eye on finally getting back to the postseason this year.

AHL Shuffle: 12/10/21

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Friday nights are often relatively quiet in the NHL, but this evening’s schedule still has seven games on it for hockey fans across the country. That includes another entry in the Pittsburgh Penguins-Washington Capitals rivalry and a mismatch in the desert. The Philadelphia Flyers will also try to snap their 10-game losing streak against the Vegas Golden Knights, while the Vancouver Canucks will try to make it three in a row under Bruce Boudreau. As those teams and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.

Atlantic Division

  • The Boston Bruins have returned Oskar Steen to the AHL, where he has been outstanding so far this season. The 23-year-old forward has six goals and 13 points in 12 games for the Providence Bruins, which has, in turn, resulted in his chance with the NHL club. The undersized forward is still looking for his first NHL goal, but has recorded two points in three games this season.

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

  • As expected, Jacob MacDonald is back up with the Colorado Avalanche after spending just a single day assigned to the AHL. The 28-year-old defenseman has played in five games with the Avalanche this season and with Bowen Byram still out with an injury, they may need him again. Byram has been cleared for a concussion, but is still dealing with a head issue and will not be rushed by the team.
  • With Juuse Saros ready to return for the Nashville Predators, the team has sent Connor Ingram back to the minor leagues. Matt Luff has been recalled in his place. Ingram finally made it to the NHL, playing two games for the Predators and stopping 58 of 64 shots in the process.
  • The St. Louis Blues have moved both Ville Husso and Jake Walman to injured reserve, recalling Matthew Peca from the AHL under emergency conditions. The Blues continue to skirt the cap ceiling, but should no longer need to play shorthanded (unless they suffer any other minor injuries).

Pacific Division

  • The Canucks have recalled Noah Juulsen from the AHL, after moving Travis Hamonic to injured reserve yesterday. Juulsen was one of the two players acquired in October for Olli Juolevi, but has yet to make his Vancouver Debut. In 17 games with the Abbotsford Canucks, he has just one point.
  • Philip Broberg is back with the Edmonton Oilers, recalled today as the team moved Kris Russell to injured reserve. It was only yesterday that Broberg was sent down when Cody Ceci came off the shelf but he won’t be able to wait around in the minors very long.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Cole Perfetti Loaned To Canada WJC Selection Camp

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The Canadian World Junior selection camp has received a huge boost, as Winnipeg Jets prospect Cole Perfetti was officially loaned from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. The Jets could have blocked Perfetti from competing in the tournament if they wanted him to continue his strong play in the minor leagues, but the 19-year-old forward will be there to compete with Canada at the upcoming event.

This isn’t the first time Perfetti will compete for Canada. He took home a silver medal last year with the World Juniors, and then was eventually selected for the World Championship team in the summer. Though he played a limited role on that NHL-level squad, Perfetti still scored twice and took home a gold medal when Canada stormed back late in the tournament.

This year saw his NHL debut, as the young forward played two games with the Jets. It also has seen even more dominant play from him in the minor leagues, with 15 points in 17 games for Manitoba. Overall, the teenager has 41 points in 49 AHL games to this point, numbers that will quickly have him rising the depth chart in Winnipeg. Selected tenth overall by the Jets in 2020, he very well could be wearing a letter for Canada at the tournament later this month.

Goalie Notes: Bernier, Korpisalo, Fucale

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The New Jersey Devils have placed Jonathan Bernier on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, meaning Akira Schmid is on his way up to the big leagues. Bernier last played on December 3 against the Winnipeg Jets, allowing six goals on 32 shots. Overall this season he hasn’t been very busy, appearing in just ten games and posting a .902 save percentage.

Schmid meanwhile has been outstanding for the Utica Comets, posting a .944 and 8-0-2 record in ten games. The 21-year-old netminder is in his first year of professional hockey after spending the last few seasons in the USHL, but looks like the transition will be no problem for his 6’5″ frame. Should Schmid get a chance to play, it would be his NHL debut.

  • Speaking of goaltenders making debuts, Daniil Tarasov has been sent back to the AHL after playing in his first three NHL games. The young netminder was up while Joonas Korpisalo dealt with a non-COVID illness, which he has now recovered from. Korpisalo was activated from injured reserve and will resume his duties alongside Elvis Merzlikins in the Columbus Blue Jackets net. That is of course unless the team makes a trade at some point, one that looks even more likely now that Tarasov has shown he can handle things at the NHL level. The 22-year-old posted a .936 save percentage in his three appearances.
  • Zach Fucale made his own NHL debut earlier this season with the Washington Capitals, posting a 21-save shutout after a long minor league career. He’s back up with the Capitals again, recalled as a precaution with a back-to-back coming up. The team has been dealing with COVID protocols and injuries all season, so having a third goaltender with the group gives them a little insurance in case the worst happens.

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