Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/15/22
Today marks the busiest slate of games in the NHL since the calendar flipped to 2022, even with a schedule change. All 32 clubs were in fact expected to play today, but with three postponements in Canada, 26 teams will hit the ice on Saturday with the start times for 13 match-ups ranging over 10 hours. With so many teams preparing for action – three of whom will suit up again tomorrow as well – look for a flurry of roster activity today:
Atlantic Division
- A top Senators prospect is getting another chance to stick in Ottawa. Defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker has been recalled from the taxi squad, the team announced. A first-round pick in 2018, Bernard-Docker played in five games with Ottawa last season after leaving the University of North Dakota, but has only seen five NHL games so far this year. However, his consistency with AHL Belleville combined with his clear upside will make it hard for the Senators to keep him out of the lineup moving forward.
Metropolitan Division
- The New York Rangers have been keeping busy today. The team first announced that goaltender Keith Kinkaid has been reassigned from the taxi squad to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack with prospect Tyler Wall recalled in his place. This is likely an effort to get the veteran third-stringer some playing time in the minors while Wall, an impressive collegiate product of UMass Lowell, earns some experience working with the NHL group. Next, the team made the welcomed reveal that forwards Julien Gauthier and Ryan Reaves, as well as head coach Gerard Gallant and assistant Mike Kelly, have cleared COVID Protocol. As a result, they announced the corresponding move of forward Anthony Greco returning to the taxi squad. Greco made his Rangers debut on Thursday, his first NHL game since 2018 and just the second of his six-year pro career despite strong AHL numbers.
- Young New Jersey Devils netminder Akira Schmid has cleared COVID Protocol and has been reassigned to AHL Utica, the team announced. With the Devils off this weekend, Schmid will be able to shake off the rust by suiting up for some AHL action instead. The big Swiss keeper has made the uncommon and impressive jump from the USHL directly to the NHL this season, with three appearances for New Jersey as a 21-year-old first-year pro.
- The Washington Capitals have announced the recall of veteran defenseman Michal Kempny from the taxi squad. The 31-year-old has only suited up three times this season in the NHL, instead spending most of the year with Hershey of the AHL after clearing waivers. He has seven assists in 24 games with the Bears.
Central Division
- Alex Goligoski has been activated from the league’s COVID Protocol, which has had a domino effect in Minnesota. The Wild announced that fellow defensemen Calen Addison and Dakota Mermis have each been demoted as a result, with Addison moving to the taxi squad and Mermis to AHL Iowa. Goaltender Andrew Hammond and impressive rookie forward Matt Boldy have also re-joined the taxi squad. In the case of Boldy, the placement should be temporary; the 2019 first-round pick has logged three points in his first three NHL games.
- The Nashville Predators have reshuffled their taxi squad forwards. Matt Luff has been promoted to the active roster, where has logged three points in eight games in his first season with Nashville. Meanwhile, Cody Glass has been demoted to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. In his first season in Nashville, the 2017 No. 6 overall has played in just four NHL games and has been kept off the score sheet.
- The St. Louis Blues have recalled Alexey Toropchenko from the taxi squad. The big winger has played in four games with the Blues so far this season, but with no points to show for it. Playing for his fourth different team in four years, Toropchenko has found some success with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds this season with 11 points in 26 games, but hopes he can translate that scoring into a longer stay in St. Louis.
Pacific Division
- The Los Angeles Kings have made their seemingly daily roster moves, recalling winger Samuel Fagemo and defenseman Jacob Moverare from the taxi squad. Fagemo is tied for second in goals with AHL Ontario having scored ten times in 26 games while Moverare has eight points in 22 contests in his first full season with the Reign.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
AHL Notes: Malone, Trade, Signings
Veteran minor leaguer Sean Malone is set to miss an extended period of time following recent surgery, reports Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. Malone is a familiar name to Buffalo Sabres fans; the Harvard product has spent four of five pro seasons with the AHL’s Rochester Americans and three of those under contract with the Sabres. After leaving last season to sign with the Nashville Predators, Malone returned to Buffalo this off-season and has been enjoying the best season of his career with nine goals and 22 points in 23 games with Rochester. However, Hoppe writes that an undisclosed lower-body injury that has plagued the 26-year-old throughout much of his career finally caught up with him, forcing him to opt for surgery. The decision will keep Malone out at least six weeks, according to Americans head coach Seth Appert. Though Malone has only two NHL games to his credit, one with Buffalo and one with Nashville, the veteran is a trusted member of the Sabres’ organizational depth chart and one whose absence in the minors will be noticed. Appert states that Malone is a leader and “go-to guy” who has been instrumental in the development of top Sabres prospects like Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka. Though Malone is expected to be out until at least March, hopefully the veteran can return to action at full strength and hit the ground running at his current career scoring pace, perhaps even earning another chance in Buffalo.
- The Arizona Coyotes and Carolina Hurricanes completed an AHL trade on Friday, with forward Stephen Harper moving from the Chicago Wolves to the Tucson Roadrunners in exchange for future considerations. Harper was the hero of the ECHL’s Kelly Cup Playoffs last season, earning postseason MVP honors for leading the Fort Wayne Komets to a title behind 13 points in 12 playoff games – all as a rookie no less. He has continued to excel at the “AA” level this year too, with 18 points in 15 games. However, the power forward hasn’t earned much more opportunity this year as a result of those efforts. Harper has played in just six AHL games this season in a limited role, which is likely what prompted a trade. The 26-year-old USports product is not exactly an NHL prospect, but has earned a chance to show what he can do at the next level and the Roadrunners appear willing to give him that opportunity.
- Is a Daniel Briere pipeline forming between the ECHL’s Maine Mariners and the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms? The Mariners may be affiliated with the Boston Bruins, but they share an owner with the Philadelphia Flyers in Comcast Spectacor and GM and President Briere is a former long-time Flyer himself. For the third time already this season, a Mariner has signed an AHL contract with the Flyers’ affiliate in Lehigh Valley. The Phantoms announced that they have signed forward Alex Kile to a contract for the remainder of the season. Kile was the first ever signing by the Mariners when they joined the ECHL back in 2018 and the University of Michigan product has 162 points in 201 ECHL games ever since, with some AHL loans mixed in as well. With five goals and 12 points in seven games with Maine so far this year, the Phantoms decided that the 27-year-old Kile was worthy of a more permanent AHL stay.
- The Washington Capitals have seen enough from USports forward Derek Gentile this season to put an end to his collegiate season with a pro contract. The Dalhousie University standout signed a contract with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, though he will begin his pro career in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays. Gentile, the captain of the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in 2019-20, missed his first collegiate season in 2020-21 but you wouldn’t know it by his play this season. Gentile recorded 15 goals and 27 points in 18 games for Dalhousie prior to his departure. And he stayed hot in his pro debut on Friday, posting two goals and an assist in his pro debut. Gentile could be in Hersey very shortly if that keeps up.
Florida Panthers Sign Evan Fitzpatrick
The Florida Panthers have signed Evan Fitzpatrick to a one-year, two-way contract to give the team some additional goaltending depth. Fitzpatrick had been playing in the minor leagues on an AHL contract but will have that voided now to get an NHL deal. That allows the Panthers to bring him up to the taxi squad, which they have immediately done as they deal with absences at the NHL level.
Fitzpatrick, 23, was a second-round pick by the St. Louis Blues in 2016 but failed to receive a qualifying offer from them when his entry-level contract expired in 2021. That made him an unrestricted free agent and looking for a job, which he found with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. The young netminder signed a two-year AHL contract in August and had split this season between Charlotte and the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL, seeing much more time in the low minors than the AHL.
Now, he’ll basically become a practice goaltender for the Panthers, who have recently been forced to navigate absences from Spencer Knight and Jonas Johansson due to COVID protocols. With Fitzpatrick in place, the team will at least always have a professional goaltender to go in as a backup, should the team run into any more last-minute absences.
While the release does not include the financial details, it is very likely that Fitzpatrick will carry a cap hit of just $750K at the NHL level–a cap hit that is completely buried while the waiver-exempt goaltender is on the taxi squad or in the minor leagues. Technically this will leave Fitzpatrick as a restricted free agent at the end of the season, though he would once again be a candidate to go unqualified.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/14/22
Three games are on the NHL schedule this evening, including a key Western Conference matchup between the Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild. The Ducks have maintained their grip on second place in the Pacific, while the Wild have dropped down to fourth in recent weeks in a competitive Central. With their eyes set firmly on the postseason, both teams will be preparing for tonight’s matchup closely. As they and others make changes, we’ll keep track of all the minor league and taxi squad shuffling right here.
Atlantic Division
- The Ottawa Senators have sent Jacob Bernard-Docker back to the taxi squad, given it is an off day. The young defenseman could be back up tomorrow, but sending him down for the day will save the team a bit of money. The 21-year-old has played in four games so far this season, recording one point.
- The Montreal Canadiens have assigned Laurent Dauphin and Corey Schueneman to the taxi squad, as they have a few days off before their next game. Montreal will take on the Arizona Coyotes on Monday, a battle of the two worst teams in the league.
- The Florida Panthers have returned Aleksi Heponiemi and Owen Tippett to the AHL, raising some eyebrows about the latter’s future with the team. Tippett, 22, has 11 points in 33 games with the Panthers this season but will now have to continue his year in the minor leagues.
Metropolitan Division
- The Washington Capitals have recalled Hunter Shepard from the AHL to the taxi squad, giving them an extra practice goaltender. Shepard, 26, has spent more time in the ECHL than the AHL since turning pro, including nine games for the South Carolina Stingrays this season.
- The New Jersey Devils have sent Nolan Foote back to the AHL from the taxi squad, where he can continue his sophomore season. The 21-year-old has just ten points in 22 games for the Utica Comets.
Central Division
- Hunter Miska has been recalled to the Colorado Avalanche taxi squad, as the team prepares for action tonight against the Arizona Coyotes. Colorado will be heading to Arizona for the second half of the home-and-home tomorrow night.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have sent Josiah Slavin, Ian Mitchell, and Nicolas Beaudin back to the AHL, giving the Rockford IceHogs a boost before their games against the Cleveland Monsters today and tomorrow. Slavin, the younger brother of Jaccob Slavin, made his NHL debut this season and has played in ten games for the Blackhawks.
- The Winnipeg Jets have reassigned Arvid Holm, Simon Lundmark, Jeff Malott and Austin Poganski to the AHL, giving the Manitoba Moose a bit of a boost. Mikhail Berdin meanwhile has been added to the taxi squad.
Pacific Division
- The Los Angeles Kings have moved Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Samuel Fagemo, and Jacob Moverare to the taxi squad from the active roster while recalling Jacob Ingham and Austin Strand from the Ontario Reign. Fagemo, 21, made his NHL debut last night, recording one shot in just under 12 minutes of ice time.
- Nick Merkley has been sent to the AHL, ending his time with the San Jose Sharks for the time being. With Nick Bonino back, the Sharks didn’t really have room for Merkley on the roster and the taxi squad isn’t really important while the team is at home. Merkley has 16 points in 19 games so far this season with the San Jose Barracuda.
- The Anaheim Ducks have recalled Lukas Dostal from the taxi squad. He’ll serve as the backup goalie tonight against Minnesota with John Gibson not yet ready to return. Dostal won his NHL debut on Sunday against Detroit.
This page will be updated throughout the day
New Jersey Devils Sign Kyle Shapiro To ATO
The New Jersey Devils were in trouble when they were forced to put both Akira Schmid and Mackenzie Blackwood in the COVID protocol. The only other healthy goaltender in the entire organization was Jon Gillies. While he’ll get the start tonight, his backup will be Kyle Shapiro, who has signed an amateur tryout contract.
Shapiro, 28, is an assistant coach with the NAHL’s New Jersey Titans and serves as a regular emergency backup for the Prudential Center. He played four seasons of Division III college hockey, three of them with the University of Southern Maine and one with New England College. If forced into action, it would be his first competitive game since the 2017-18 season.
It’s not all bad news for the Devils though. The team has also activated Nathan Bastian, Andreas Johnsson, Yegor Sharangovich, and Pavel Zacha from the COVID protocol. Colton White has also been recalled from the taxi squad. All five players are available to play tonight, giving the team a little bit of a boost as they take on the New York Islanders.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/13/22
It’s finally a day without any postponements in the NHL. Eleven games are on the schedule, including several Canadian teams finally getting back on the ice. Many eyes will be on Boston where Tuukka Rask makes his return to the net, while in Carolina Jack LaFontaine will be dressing for the first time. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league and taxi squad shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Florida Panthers will need to recall an extra goaltender, as Jonas Johansson has been placed in the COVID protocol. Spencer Knight, the obvious choice, is also already in the protocol, leaving just Christopher Gibson as a potential recall unless Knight is able to test out in time.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Jacob Bernard-Docker and Scott Sabourin from the taxi squad. The 21-year-old Bernard-Docker will play in his ninth career game this evening and is still looking for his first NHL goal.
- The Buffalo Sabres have activated Kyle Okposo and Alex Tuch from the COVID protocol, meaning Brett Murray‘s time on the active roster is over. The young forward has been returned to the taxi squad.
Metropolitan Division
- The Carolina Hurricanes have officially recalled Jack LaFontaine to the active roster, sending Alex Lyon back to the Chicago Wolves. The 24-year-old LaFontaine recently abandoned his final college season to sign a one-year entry-level contract with the Hurricanes.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have added Morgan Frost and Max Willman from the taxi squad, while loaning Connor Bunnaman and Felix Sandstrom back to the AHL. Frost, the 27th overall pick in 2017, has six points in 16 games this season for the Flyers.
Central Division
- The Colorado Avalanche have added Mikhail Maltsev back to the taxi squad, after playing a pair of games against the Tucson Roadrunners a few days ago. Maltsev has 18 points in 25 games for the Colorado Eagles this season.
- Riley Damiani is involved in another transaction, this time coming up from the Texas Stars to the Dallas Stars taxi squad. He’s been moved up or down in near-daily transactions over the last while, as the Stars look to maximize cap space while still having enough extra bodies.
- The Nashville Predators recalled forwards Matt Luff and Cole Smith to the active roster from the taxi squad, while also calling up forward Cody Glass from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals to the taxi squad. Luff and Smith should both draw into the lineup tonight against Buffalo.
Pacific Division
- The Vancouver Canucks have sent Phil Di Giuseppe back to the AHL, where he’ll join the Abbotsford Canucks once again. The 28-year-old has 16 points in 19 games for Abbotsford so far.
- Christian Wolanin has been activated from the COVID protocol and sent to the minor leagues by the Los Angeles Kings. Wolanin will be able to get back in game shape in the minor leagues before making a return, given he hasn’t played in nearly two weeks. Later in the day the team recalled Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Jacob Moverare, and Samuel Fagemo to the active roster.
- After Mike Smith was ruled out earlier today, the Edmonton Oilers have recalled Stuart Skinner to the taxi squad. The young netminder will likely move to the active roster in the coming days.
- The Anaheim Ducks have activated Sam Carrick from the COVID protocol, but his place will be taken by Simon Benoit who goes into it today. The team has also recalled Brendan Guhle from the AHL while sending Lukas Dostal from the taxi squad to the AHL.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Eric Staal Signs AHL PTO
As reported yesterday, the Iowa Wild have signed veteran center Eric Staal to an AHL professional tryout agreement, giving him a chance to tune up his game in preparation for the Olympics next month. Staal also hopes to earn an NHL agreement after the international tournament, though that is obviously a little further down the line.
Now 37, Staal has only ever played one season in the AHL and that was during the 2004-05 NHL lockout. That year he suited up for the Lowell Lock Monsters, recording 77 points in 77 games on a roster that also included names like Chuck Kobasew, Mark Giordano, and Cam Ward. More than 1,200 NHL games later and Staal is now heading back to the minors, if only for a handful of games.
The Wild play the next two nights at home against the Chicago Wolves, before welcoming in the Milwaukee Admirals and Manitoba Moose next week. It remains to be seen whether Staal will travel with the team when they hit the road for three games later this month. Canada’s first Olympic game is scheduled for February 10 against Germany, though the official roster has not yet been announced.
Paul Stastny Enters Protocol; Cole Perfetti Recalled
The Winnipeg Jets have lost another key player, as Paul Stastny joins his teammates in the COVID protocol. It’s not all bad though, as the team has recalled Cole Perfetti from the taxi squad under emergency conditions. The team has also brought Mikhail Berdin, Jeff Malott, and Austin Poganski from the AHL to the taxi squad, giving them some extra bodies ahead of tonight’s game.
Stastny joins Kristian Reichel, Nikolaj Ehlers, Jansen Harkins, Ville Heinola, Logan Stanley, Nathan Beaulieu, and Dylan DeMelo in the protocol, sapping the Jets of a huge amount of depth before returning to the ice. The team hasn’t played since a 7-1 bloodbath against the Colorado Avalanche on January 6 and after tonight won’t have another game until January 18.
With that light schedule, it does give them a chance to work through this recent COVID outbreak and get some players back. Harkins and DeMelo could both play tonight depending on health, but Stastny certainly won’t. The veteran center actually has 16 points in 24 games this season, a strong pace despite having turned 36 a few weeks ago. He’s been mostly playing on the wing after a long career in the middle of the ice, but has still been a solid contributor. Losing that, along with so many others, will make it a tough test against the upstart Red Wings this evening.
Later in the day, head coach Dave Lowry announced some further bad news. Brenden Dillon and Eric Comrie have both been added to the COVID protocol, leaving the Jets even further shorthanded.
Buffalo Sabres Sign Michael Houser; Update Injury Statuses
The Buffalo Sabres are going to have a goaltending tandem of Aaron Dell and Michael Houser for a while. The team has signed the latter to a new one-year contract worth $750K at the NHL level, after announcing that Malcolm Subban, Dustin Tokarski, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are all out at least on a week-to-week basis. Subban will be even longer than that, as he’s listed month-to-month with an upper-body injury. Craig Anderson remains out month-to-month as well.
Houser, 29, was in a similar situation last season when he signed a one-year, league-minimum deal with the Sabres on March 19 to provide some emergency cover. The organization has refused to add more NHL depth to the position and now will be stuck once again with a netminder who has spent more time in the ECHL than the AHL.
Over a long mostly minor league career, Houser has made 213 appearances in the ECHL, 88 in the AHL, and four in the NHL. His save percentages at all three are above .900, but it’s hard to believe he could really carry the load for the Sabres and have them stay competitive in the tough Atlantic Division.
Dell meanwhile has also been recalled from the AHL, while Jack Quinn and Casey Fitzgerald were sent back to Rochester. The 32-year-old veteran netminder has been brutal this season during his time in Buffalo, posting an .872 save percentage and 4.52 goals-against-average. He’s been better in the AHL, but his time in the NHL appears to be running out.
The Sabres, now 10-19-6 on the season, have lost six straight and now own a -33 goal differential.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/12/22
Just three games grace the NHL schedule this evening. They include a bitter rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins, an expansion team trying to figure out how to win, and Auston Matthews returning to Arizona to inspire the next generation of hockey fans in the desert. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league and taxi squad shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Montreal Canadiens have sent Cameron Hillis to the AHL, after he made his NHL debut much earlier than expected. Hillis has played six games at the ECHL level this season, but with so many injuries and COVID-related absences in Montreal, was needed to fill in for a game. According to the AHL transactions page, Laurent Dauphin will come up in his place.
- The Boston Bruins have officially sent Jeremy Swayman back to the minor leagues, after signing Tuukka Rask yesterday. He’ll head to Providence, while Tyler Lewington, John Moore and Urho Vaakanainen–the latter two who were moved off the roster to fit in Rask’s salary–are back up with the team now.
Metropolitan Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Drew O’Connor to the main roster and Filip Hallander to the taxi squad, as they continue to deal with some COVID-related absences. O’Connor, 23, has five points in 20 games this season. Hallander, 21, is still waiting on his NHL debut.
Central Division
- The Minnesota Wild have recalled Kevin Czuczman to the taxi squad, as they prepare for Friday’s tilt against the Anaheim Ducks. Michael Russo of The Athletic explains that the team is hoping Alex Goligoski clears the COVID protocol early enough to play in that match, but needed an extra body anyway.
- The Nashville Predators have assigned Tommy Novak to the AHL, though that could just be until they play again tomorrow. Novak has suited up in 27 games for the team this season, scoring one goal and seven points. Later in the day, the team also reassigned Matt Luff and Cole Smith to the taxi squad.
- The Winnipeg Jets have added Declan Chisholm to the taxi squad, giving them an extra defender as they hit the road to Detroit. The 22-year-old Chisholm has 14 points in 27 games for the Manitoba Moose in his second professional season.
- Lukas Reichel has been recalled and added to the Chicago Blackhawks taxi squad, which suggests he could make his NHL debut in the coming days. The top prospect has scored 20 points in 20 games for the Rockford IceHogs in his first season of North American hockey. The team has also moved Nicolas Beaudin to the taxi squad while loaning Kurtis Gabriel, Mike Hardman, Josiah Slavin, Cale Morris and Arvid Soderblom to the AHL.
- The Arizona Coyotes recalled defensemen Victor Soderstrom, Vladislav Kolyachonok, and goalie Ivan Prosvetov to the active roster from the taxi squad. With three defensemen in COVID protocol, the team needed extra bodies quickly. Prosvetov will back up Karel Vejmelka with Scott Wedgewood in protocol.
Pacific Division
- The Vegas Golden Knights have assigned Logan Thompson, Dylan Ferguson, Daniil Miromanov, Jonas Rondbjerg and Jake Leschyshyn to the AHL, as they don’t play again until January 17. These players can get some time in at the AHL level–while also costing the Golden Knights a little less in the meantime.
- The Seattle Kraken have recalled Max McCormick from the taxi squad under emergency conditions, as Morgan Geekie is out with an upper-body injury. McCormick has played in eight games for the Kraken this season but is still looking for his first point in a Seattle uniform.
- The Los Angeles Kings have sent Samuel Fagemo back to the AHL from the taxi squad, where he can continue his season on Friday. The young forward has been involved in a ton of bouncing up and down lately, but has yet to play a game in the NHL.
This page will be updated throughout the day