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AHL Shuffle: 10/27/21

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After yesterday’s explosive news in Chicago, the NHL season still trundles on with five games on tap tonight. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling as teams prepare their lineups.

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • After being sent down yesterday, Arthur Kaliyev, Rasmus Kupari, and Austin Strand are all back up with the Los Angeles Kings. The paper transaction allowed the Kings to accrue a little bit of extra salary cap space, while also paying the trio their AHL salaries for a day. The Kings will host the Winnipeg Jets tomorrow night. Kale Clague, who was sent down before the season started, has also been recalled.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Dean Kukan Out Eight Weeks With Broken Wrist

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have moved Dean Kukan to injured reserve after he suffered a wrist fracture in last night’s game against the Dallas Stars. Kukan is expected to miss eight weeks with the injury. In his place, the team has recalled Gavin Bayreuther from the AHL.

Kukan, 28, is in the second season of a two-year contract signed in 2020 that carries an average annual value of $1.65MM. The Swiss defensemen has been a part-time player for the Blue Jackets in each of the last several seasons, totaling 114 regular season games since coming to North America in 2015. This season he has appeared in two games, failing to record a point in nearly 30 minutes of total ice time.

While not a key player for Columbus, Kukan’s injury will certainly weaken the depth of the blue line as the team continues to try and compete in the difficult Metropolitan Division. Adam Boqvist is also dealing with a minor injury, necessitating the recall of Bayreuther who will be the eighth defenseman on the active roster.

The 27-year-old Bayreuther has just 28 games at the NHL level in his career but is a well-respected minor league veteran that can step into the lineup in a pinch. In five games with the Cleveland Monsters this season, he has three points. Interestingly enough, Bayreuther was actually given a two-game AHL suspension just today after a cross-checking incident over the weekend. That will not affect his NHL availability, but means he’ll have to sit out whenever he returns to the Monsters.

AHL Shuffle: 10/26/21

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Seven more games on the schedule around the NHL tonight, including the Seattle Kraken’s second home game. The team is expected to do something to honor the 1917 Seattle Metropolitans, who won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Montreal Canadiens, their opponent tonight more than 100 years later. As always, we’ll keep track of any minor moves made today right here.

Atlantic Division

  • After just one day on the AHL roster, Oskar Steen and Jack Studnicka have been recalled by the Boston Bruins. This type of “paper transaction” can be done whenever the Bruins have an off day in order to accrue cap space throughout the season, since both players are still waiver-exempt.

Metropolitan Division

  • Though the Pittsburgh Penguins announced Kasper Bjorkqvist’s recall yesterday, it didn’t actually go through until today. The 2016 second-round pick is on the ice at an optional morning skate today, alongside Sidney Crosby and many other Penguins forwards. Bjorkqvist has yet to make his NHL debut and spent most of last season with KooKoo in Finland.

Central Division

  • The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Jacob MacDonald from the AHL, suggesting that Samuel Girard won’t be available tonight. MacDonald is a worthy replacement though, who played in 33 games for the Avalanche last season and is a dominant force at the minor league level. Once again he’s off to a good start with the Colorado Eagles, scoring four points in his first four games.
  • Reinforcements at every position are arriving to Arizona. The Coyotes have recalled Barrett Hayton, Cam Dineen, and Ivan Prosvetov after incurring several injuries on Monday night.

Pacific Division

  • The Vancouver Canucks have recalled Justin Bailey from the Abbotsford Canucks, as Justin Dowling is moved to injured reserve. Bailey, 26, has played 68 games at the NHL level in his career, including three last season for the Canucks. He has just five goals and nine points in those matches.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have made several changes to their roster. Veteran forward Brendan Lemieux has been activated to the roster, while sending three players down to the AHL. Arthur Kaliyev, Rasmus Kupari, and Austin Strand have been reassigned to the Ontario Reign, providing quite a boost to the farm roster.

This page will be updated throughout the day

AHL Shuffle: 10/25/21

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Seven games grace the NHL schedule this evening, including the defending champs taking on the early season success story in Buffalo. With so many teams in action, there should be several transactions that will be covered here.

Atlantic Division

  • The Boston Bruins have returned Oskar Steen and Jack Studnicka to the AHL, with two days off before playing later this week. The Bruins can save some cap space by sending their two young forwards down, both of whom are still waiver-exempt.

Metropolitan Division

  • Nick Seeler is on his way back up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers who play Wednesday in Edmonton. Ryan Ellis is currently day-to-day and is a game-time decision, meaning the team needed some insurance for the Western Canada road trip.
  • The New York Rangers have assigned Morgan Barron to the AHL, suggesting that one of their injured forwards is ready to return. The team is set to take on the Calgary Flames this evening, looking to continue their strong start.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Kasper Bjorkqvist, giving them an extra forward while Jeff Carter, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Bryan Rust remain out. The 24-year-old Bjorkqvist has yet to make his NHL debut and has just three goals in 15 career AHL contests.

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • The Anaheim Ducks have returned Sonny Milano and Sam Carrick to the AHL, after almost a week with the big club. The Ducks are home from their road trip, meaning the San Diego Gulls are right around the corner if they need any further call-ups and can afford to keep players at the minor league level in between game days.
  • One of the top prospects of the Vegas Golden Knights could be getting his first look at the NHL level. The team has announced that defenseman Kaedan Korczak has been recalled from the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. There has been no indication yet whether Korczak, the 41st overall pick in 2019, will suit up for the Knights on Monday, but the promising young blue liner will cherish his first recall either way.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Minor Transactions: 10/24/21

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It’s been a busy day across the hockey world as leagues elsewhere adjust their rosters. Moves at the NHL level can have ripple effects everywhere else, especially in North America in the AHL and ECHL. Here’s a list of today’s minor transactions from across the hockey world.

  • The Belleville Senators brought up goalie Tyler Parks from the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators today in place of Filip Gustavsson, who was brought up to the big club in Ottawa. Parks, a 29-year-old undrafted netminder from Missouri, has a .885 save percentage in a single loss with Atlanta this year. Parks is somewhat of a late bloomer but performed well during his most recent AHL stint, posting a 2-1-2 record and .920 save percentage with the Tucson Roadrunners in 2019-20.
  • The Colorado Eagles reassigned former Avalanche prospect Luka Burzan to the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies today. Burzan was a sixth-round draft pick of the team in 2019, but let his rights expire this offseason. Burzan chose to stay in the organization, but for now, he’ll likely make his ECHL debut this season. He posted four points in 14 games last year with the Eagles.

AHL Shuffle: 10/24/21

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After 26 teams suited up for NHL action on Saturday, just eight will do so on Sunday. Starting off the action today are the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks, two teams with seemingly little in common but are in fact the two most successful regular season teams in the salary cap era. Even with a relatively quiet slate, just as many teams could be making moves in response to yesterday’s games as are preparing for their games today, so be on the lookout for a number of roster tweaks throughout the day:

Atlantic Division

  • The Ottawa Senators have made a roster swap, reassigning forward Parker Kelly to AHL Belleville and recalling goaltender Filip Gustavsson in his place. Ottawa starter Matt Murray left Saturday’s game with an injury and Gustavsson is the next man up for the Sens. Gustavsson was actually the goaltender protected by Ottawa in this summer’s NHL Expansion Draft and the team’s future in net, so this could be the opportunity he needs for a to secure a permanent role at the top level. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch expects Murray to land on injured reserve.
  • With Nick Foligno landing on IR and Craig Smith and Anton Blidh also sidelined with injuries, the Bruins are in need of reinforcements up front. They have recalled Jack Studnicka and Oskar Steen from AHL Providence while sending down defenseman John Moore in order to bring in that extra help. Studnicka, considered one of Boston’s top prospects, was a standout in the preseason and will try to make the most of this chance to stick in the NHL.

Metropolitan Division

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have returned defenseman Nick Seeler to the minors, per CapFriendly.  The 28-year-old was recalled on an emergency basis on Saturday and logged just under 15 minutes of ice time in their loss to Florida.  Seeler has been held off the scoresheet in three games so far this season.

Central Division

Pacific Division

This post will be updated throughout the day

Minor Transactions: 10/23/21

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A slow news day Saturday at the NHL level doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been movement in other parts of the hockey world. The season is in full swing at all tiers of the game, and movement at the minor and junior levels of the game is a constant. Here are some of today’s minor moves from around the hockey landscape.

  • The AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds have added a duo of youngsters to the squad, as the St. Louis Blues reassigned Keean Washkurak and Mathias Laferriere there from the ECHL’s Worcester Railers per the ECHL’s transactions page. The 20-year-old Washkurak was a Blues fifth-round selection in 2019 and will play his first full professional season in North America this year. He spent last season with HK Levice in the second-tier Slovakian league. Laferriere is a year older but will play his first professional season in 2021-22 after spending last season as an overage player with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL, scoring 39 points in 30 games.
  • The WHL’s Victoria Royals acquired hulking defenseman Anson McMaster via trade from the Winnipeg Ice today. McMaster, now 19, is a long shot to be drafted with just seven points in 80 career WHL games. Yet his 6′ 6″, 209-pound frame is appealing and makes him a candidate to succeed at the minor-league level when his junior career has concluded. The Alberta native enters his final year of junior eligibility next season.

East Notes: Smith, Norlinder, Daws

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The New Jersey Devils will get some reinforcement on the defensive end tonight as second-year ’D’-man Ty Smith will make his season debut tonight after missing the first week-and-a-half with injury, per the team. A move prefaced by the waiving and subsequent assignment of Colton White to the AHL’s Utica Comets, Smith likely makes his season debut on a pairing with Damon Severson. The Devils are now at full strength on defense for the first time this year, and the new-look group that also includes Ryan Graves and Dougie Hamilton will get a real chance to shine tonight at home against the Buffalo Sabres as the team looks to improve to a 3-1-0 record. Smith finished seventh in Calder Trophy voting last season, scoring two goals and 21 assists in 48 games.

More notes from today in the Eastern Conference:

  • Per The Athletic’s Marc-Antoine Godin, Canadiens defense prospect Mattias Norlinder will resume skating this week after missing the beginning of the 2021-22 season. While he’s loaned to Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League this season, the Habs prospect had a strong camp and this year is an important one in his development. A third-round pick of the squad in 2019, Norlinder had a respectable 10 points in 37 games last year in Sweden and looks to continue his growth on a defense core that also includes the Detroit Red Wings’ Simon Edvinsson and former NHLer Christian Folin.
  • Netminder Nico Daws is making his NHL debut tonight for the New Jersey Devils, the team announced this morning. With Mackenzie Blackwood still on injured reserve and Jonathan Bernier still day-to-day with a lower-body injury, a tandem of Daws and Scott Wedgewood will have to do it for now in Jersey. Wedgewood allowed four goals in a loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday, so the team will give Daws a chance tonight to show what he can do. The 20-year-old was drafted 84th overall in 2020.

AHL Shuffle: 10/23/21

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There’s no rest on the weekend for NHL clubs, especially early in the season when teams are still constantly tweaking lineups. With 13 games on the docket, all but six teams are preparing their rosters for game day as well. Follow along with all of the back-and-forth of minor league transactions throughout the day:

Atlantic Division

  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Brett Murray from the AHL’s Rochester Americans. The upstart Sabres suffered their first loss of the season last night and are right back in action today, hoping that adding Murray to the mix can help get them back on their surprising early track. Murray recorded nine goals and 20 points in 27 AHL games last year and got into two NHL games as well, so he is ready to take the next step this season.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning recalled defenseman Fredrik Claesson from the Syracuse Crunch, per a team press release. As young defenseman Cal Foote sits with Syracuse currently on a conditioning stint, the Lightning were only carrying 19 players on the active roster. The reacquired Alex Barre-Boulet was the only extra man. Claesson comes back up to the big squad, serving as an extra body and veteran presence at 28 years old.

Metropolitan Division

  • Nick Seeler should be earning frequent Flyer miles for all of these moves. The veteran defenseman has been swapped between the NHL and AHL more than any other player early this season and is on his way back up to Philadelphia yet again. The team has announced that Seeler has been recalled from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, likely as insurance with Ryan Ellis still sidelined with a minor injury.
  • The Penguins announced the recall of defenseman Juuso Riikola from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.  His promotion was needed with Kris Letang entering COVID protocol.  Riikola has 75 career games played in the NHL but only two were last season as he spent most of the year on Pittsburgh’s taxi squad.

Central Division

  • Brandon Cain of On Tap Sports reports that the Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Reese Johnson from the AHL. The 23-year-old forward is off to a good start with AHL Rockford, recording a goal and an assist in the team’s first three games. Johnson played in five games with the Blackhawks last season while notching eight points in 18 games with the Ice Hogs. Chicago needs a spark – maybe Johnson can provide. The team has since confirmed the move.

Pacific Division

  • CapFriendly reports the Los Angeles Kings have recalled defenseman Austin Strand from AHL Ontario. Strand will serve as the team’s seventh defenseman for the time being after Drew Doughty was injured in a game against the Dallas Stars Friday night. Strand got into 13 games with the Kings last season, notching his first NHL point in the form of an assist.

This post will be updated throughout the day

Tampa Bay Lightning Claim Alex Barre-Boulet

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The Tampa Bay Lightning weren’t going to pass up the opportunity to bring back one of their own. The team has claimed Alex Barre-Boulet off waivers from the Seattle Kraken. If they were the only team to submit a claim, they can assign the young forward directly to the AHL as if he cleared.

It certainly made sense for the Lightning to reclaim the 24-year-old Barre-Boulet, given what has happened since he was claimed by the Kraken earlier this month. While he was skating in two games for Seattle, the Lightning lost Nikita Kucherov from the lineup with an injury. By placing Kucherov on long-term injured reserve, Tampa Bay now has cap space and a roster spot to keep Barre-Boulet up if they choose.

It’s basically the best scenario possible for the Lightning. Not only did they reclaim a valuable asset, but Barre-Boulet was able to keep in game shape by suiting up twice for the Kraken. He even recorded a point, despite averaging fewer than nine minutes of ice time. That’s nothing new for the undrafted forward, who has been essentially a point-per-game producer at the minor league level for several seasons. In terms of depth forwards to plug into the lineup, the Lightning certainly could do worse.

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