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Taxi Squad Shuffle: 02/09/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day.

West Division

North Division

  • The Ottawa Senators have sent Joey Daccord from the taxi squad to the AHL while recalling Filip Gustavsson to take his place as the third-string goaltender. Daccord, 24, was a seventh-round pick in 2015 but has turned himself into a legitimate NHL goaltending prospect who will need playing time.
  • The Montreal Canadiens recalled Nick Suzuki from the taxi squad while sending Jake Evans down, per CapFriendly.  When their roster has been fully healthy, they have been shuffling their waiver-exempt players on two-way contracts down one at a time to bank a bit of extra cap room.
  • The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Kristian Vesalainen and David Gustafsson from the taxi squad while also officially activating Pierre-Luc Dubois who makes his debut tonight.  Vesalainen and Gustafsson have both played in four games with the Jets so far this season in very limited roles on the fourth line.
  • Calgary has brought up Connor Mackey from the taxi squad with Brett Ritchie being sent down.  Byron Froese was also recalled in a separate transaction.  It’s the fourth time this season Mackey has been recalled although he has yet to make his NHL debut with the Flames.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs continue their daily roster shuffle with Timothy Liljegren being recalled from the taxi squad and Pierre Engvall being sent down, per CapFriendly.  In addition, Kalle Kossila was assigned to the minors.

Central Division

  • Mathias Brome and Givani Smith have been recalled from the Detroit Red Wings taxi squad, an expected game day move. Smith is quickly turning into quite the story for the Red Wings, with four points in his first six games. The 6’2″ forward was the 46th overall pick in 2016 and is finally working his way into a full-time roster spot.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned Liam Foudy and Cam Johnson to the taxi squad. Foudy, 21, has played in 12 games this season but was made a healthy scratch on Monday night. Johnson served as the backup during that game but still has not actually made his NHL debut. The 26-year-old is basically a practice goaltender for the Blue Jackets at this point, given he hasn’t even played an AHL game since 2018-19 (in seven ECHL games this season, he registered a .941).
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Sean Malone from the taxi squad, moving Eeli Tolvanen down in his place. Anthony Richard has also been brought up from the AHL to the taxi squad. If Malone gets into the Predators lineup, it would be just the second NHL game of his career. The Harvard University star played in a game for the Buffalo Sabres at the end of the 2016-17 season, but has spent the last three years exclusively in the AHL.
  • Ryan Lomberg has been recalled to the Florida Panthers’ active roster after playing in one game for the team last month. The 26-year-old forward isn’t known for his scoring ability but can add some energy to the fourth line if put back in the lineup.
  • The Dallas Stars have recalled Tanner Kero from the taxi squad while also activating Joel Kiviranta from injured reserve.  Kero has played in seven games so far this season, recording two assists while Kiviranta missed the last seven games due to a lower-body injury.
  • After being recalled on emergency loans yesterday, the Carolina Hurricanes have returned Morgan Geekie and Alex Nedeljkovic to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Geekie has played in eight games with Carolina so far this season while Nedeljkovic is serving as the backup with Petr Mrazek out after thumb surgery and allowed three goals on 22 shots in his 2020-21 debut last night.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Madison Bowey, notes Mark Lazerus of The Athletic.  Bowey’s insertion in tonight’s lineup allows Chicago to meet the criteria needed to expose him to Seattle in expansion, permitting them to potentially protect Connor Murphy.  Coincidentally, Bowey is taking Murphy’s spot in the lineup with the latter dealing with a hip injury.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have Callan Foote from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, with Christopher Gibson being sent down.  Foote, who isn’t in the lineup tonight, has a goal in seven games so far this season.

East Division

Minor Transactions: 02/08/21

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The AHL (at least most of its teams) has now joined the NHL in a new season, but there are still plenty of moves being made in the minors as teams solidify their lineups for the new campaign. Of course, many of those who were not successful in securing a contract in the NHL or AHL continue to find work overseas, while other are returning to juniors. Keep up with all of the minor moves made today right here:

  • A pair of veterans have been successful with AHL tryouts in Pennsylvania. Tim Schaller has earned a spot with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, per a league release, while Chris Mueller will be back in the AHL for a 13th consecutive season as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms announced a one-year deal. Schaller, 30, had been an NHL regular for several years before last season, when his lack of production for the Vancouver Canucks finally caught up with him and he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings and subsequently demoted. Schaller has been an effective fourth liner in the past and will look to earn his way back to the NHL with a strong season in the minors. Mueller, 34, is likely beyond an NHL comeback at this point, having not played in the league since 2014-15, but the decorated AHLer is only a couple seasons away from cracking the league’s top 20 in all-time games played.
  • An intriguing prospect has signed on with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Pavel Gogolev, fresh off of a 96-point season in the OHL last year, has returned to Ontario to join the Marlies, according to the AHL’s transactions log. He had been playing with Vasby IK of Sweden’s Allsvenskan to begin the year, but the club confirms that his contract has been terminated. Gogolev, 20, was passed over yet again in the most recent NHL Draft despite finishing sixth overall in OHL scoring last season. Perhaps this was due to his advanced age relative to other draft-eligible prospects or the lack of development in his defensive ability, but there is no doubting that Gogolev has impressive offensive skill and has shown repeatedly that he is committed to North American hockey and pursuing an NHL career. He will take another step closer to that goal this season with AHL Toronto.
  • Blake Pietila is looking to stick around the North American game and has signed a PTO with the Hershey Bears, the team announced. The former New Jersey Devils prospect signed with the Anaheim Ducks for the 2019-20 season, but played exclusively in the AHL despite having set a new career high in NHL appearances the season prior. The hard-working forward is looking for another opportunity to show he can still be an NHL asset and hopes to not only crack the Hershey roster, but carve out a top role as well. Pietila has recorded 142 points in 266 career AHL games, proving himself to be an impact player in the minors.
  • Despite appearing in training camp for the San Jose Barracuda, Sharks prospect Vladislav Kotkov will wait another season to turn pro. The Sharks have reassigned Kotkov to the QMHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs for one final junior campaign, the team announced. The Sea Dogs are certainly happy about the decision; Kotkov was acquired this summer for a pair of draft picks which would have been squandered if he had never suited up for the team. The overage import forward is a big, powerful offensive presence who is sure to make a major impact for Saint John before inevitably doing so for the Barracuda and possibly the Sharks down the road as well.
  • Former NHL journeyman Andrew Ebbett made a career as a hired gun, playing for six different teams over eight seasons but still managing to suit up for 32 games each year on average. However, when his luck in North America ran out in 2015, he made the unlikely discovery of the first long-term home of his career with SC Bern of the Swiss NLA. Ebbett has spent the last five seasons with Bern, the past four of which as a captain and a top-five scoring forward. However, it is time for Ebbett to move on yet again. At 38, he is not ready to call it a career just yet, but has said goodbye to Bern and signed with EHC Munich of the German DEL. Having recently lost other names familiar to NHL fans in Derek Roy and Kalle Kossila, the Red Bulls were excited to land the veteran Ebbett as a replacement for the remainder of the year.

Scott Sabourin Clears Waivers

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Feb 8: After signing an NHL contract yesterday, Sabourin has cleared waivers and can join Toronto’s taxi squad.

Feb 7: The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed forward Scott Sabourin on waiver, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. That likely means the Maple Leafs have signed Sabourin to an NHL deal (although they have not announced that), considering he is currently signed to an AHL deal and wouldn’t require waivers. The move is likely a result of the injury to Wayne Simmonds, who is expected to miss four to six weeks due to a hand injury.

Sabourin, 28, made his entrance into the NHL last season when he won a spot on the Ottawa Senators’ fourth line as an enforcer and even had some run-ins with Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews. However, a horrible collision in early November with then-Bruins forward David Backes knocked the forward out for more than a month due to a concussion. He did eventually return to the lineup in December, finishing the season with two goals, six points and 33 penalty minutes in 35 games.

The forward then signed an AHL deal with the Toronto Marlies during the offseason. Assuming he clears, he will likely be assigned to the team’s taxi squad to bolster the team’s forward depth as the team is now missing Simmonds, Joe Thornton (rib) and Nicholas Robertson (knee).

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 02/08/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day.

West Division

North Division

  • The Montreal Canadiens have sent Cale Fleury and Ryan Poehling to the AHL’s Laval Rocket, though a schedule for the minor league team has still not been announced. The two young players will get a chance to actually play once the Rocket start up, something neither of them could say so far this season with Montreal. Fleury, 22, played in 41 games last season but has been pushed down the depth chart by some offseason additions, while Poehling, 22, played 27 last season but scored just two points. The team has also flipped Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Nick Suzuki between the taxi squad and roster, the rotation that they promised to continue with their young players.
  • The Calgary Flames have recalled Brett Ritchie from the minor leagues, though it’s not clear if he will be on the taxi squad or NHL roster. Though he’s currently not listed on the roster, the Flames already had six players on their taxi squad meaning there wouldn’t be room. Ritchie could perhaps be getting a chance on the fourth line after signing a one-year deal last month.
  • Before their game tonight, the Vancouver Canucks have recalled Olli Juolevi, moving Tyler Motte to injured reserve. The young Juolevi is expected to be back in the lineup after watching his team get carved up by the Maple Leafs the last two games, meaning he has another opportunity to establish himself in the NHL.

Central Division

  • The Detroit Red Wings have sent Givani Smith and Mathias Brome to the taxi squad, as they bask in their 4-1 defeat of the Panthers last night. Smith was the star of the show, recording a “Gordie Howe hat trick” by scoring in the second period, assisting on Robby Fabbri’s third-period tally, and fighting Aaron Ekblad after laying a huge (controversial) hit on MacKenzie Weegar. Smith has been an impressive performer for the Red Wings this season and should be back in the lineup tomorrow.
  • Speaking of the Panthers, they have moved Mason Marchment off the active roster to the taxi squad. Marchment, 25, played just under eight minutes last night in his season debut, registering three hits.
  • The Dallas Stars have reassigned Landon Bow and Tanner Kero to the taxi squad. Bow was really only up because Anton Khudobin was serving some team-imposed discipline, but he will now return to his role as the taxi squad goaltender. Kero meanwhile has moved up and down nearly every day, but will soon have to clear waivers again. He has played in seven games this season; once he plays ten, he will no longer be eligible to go to the taxi squad without clearing.

East Division

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Anthony Peluso, Kristers Gudlevskis Sign In Slovakia

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HC Slovan Bratislava has made a pair of major additions to their roster as they gear up for the stretch run of the Slovakian Extraliga season. The former KHL club, now a powerhouse in the Tipos, lost a number of top young contributors when NHL and AHL training camps opened up, including forward Marian Studenic (NJD), defenseman Cam Lee (PIT), and goaltender Roman Durny (ANA). They also parted ways with former Buffalo Sabres netminder Andrei Makarov due to injury. Yet, the Andrej Meszaros-led team still sits in third place in the Extraliga, three points out of first with a game in hand. With a title in sight and holes to fill, Bratislava has turned to NHL veterans Anthony Peluso and Kristers Gudlevskis.

Peluso, 31, has signed a contract for the remainder of the 2020-21 season, the team announced. Peluso, who is making his first foray into European hockey, was undoubtedly hoping to find a new contract in North America. The former Winnipeg Jets regular, who has also been a member of the St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, and most recently the Calgary Flames, has 148 NHL games and 312 AHL games to his credit over eight pro seasons. Last year, spent with the Bakersfield Condors, was the first season in that span in which Peluso did not play on an NHL contract. Nothing short of consistent, Peluso has been a low-scoring, but physically menacing presence up front at both levels and has managed to make a career out of his grinding style. However, by joining Bratislava he may finally have some opportunity to break free of that role and show that he still has some offensive ability left in him. While the team’s press release mentions the benefits of his physical brand of hockey, they also note that he was brought in as scoring depth up front. While Peluso’s aggressive style is surely taxing, he doesn’t have as much tread on his tires as many players with his age and seasons of experience. Perhaps if he can take on a top role with Bratislava, it will open doors for an NHL contract next season.

Gudlevskis, 28, has also signed with Slovan for the remainder of the 2020-21 season after beginning the year with Villacher SV of the IceHL. Although Gudlevskis has not played in North America since 2017-18, he has been linked to an NHL comeback in every off-season since. The former Tampa Bay Lightning backup, who finished his first NHL tenure under contract with the New York Islanders, has played at a high level since moving to Europe. Posting strong numbers first in the KHL and then last season in the German DEL, Gudlevskis has shown that he is a capable keeper and at his age still has plenty of quality years left in him. However, he has never been a workhorse which may be limiting his upside in the eyes of NHL suitors. Will he get that opportunity in Bratislava? With Makarov and Durny gone, the team was forced to bring in another goaltender to pair with Tyler Parks. The long-time ECHLer has actually been stellar so far this season, but Gudlevskis’ experience may make him the go-to guy down the stretch and in the postseason. If that occurs, perhaps he will finally be able to make the jump back to North America this off-season.

Minor Transactions: 02/05/21

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It’s opening day in the AHL for a number of teams with more set to get underway this weekend, while others are getting started with training camp. As a result, official rosters continue to be released and a few of these lists have included some surprising names. Follow along with these reveals as well as other minor moves around the hockey world:

  • Operating without an AHL affiliate this year, as the Milwaukee Admirals opted out of the season, the Nashville Predators were expected to share the Chicago Wolves with the Carolina Hurricanes. However, seeing as Carolina is the actual parent club and there are only so many AHL roster spots to go around, it seems Nashville has made other arrangements for some of their other prospects. The newly released training camp roster for the Tucson Roadrunners, affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes, shows that Nashville forwards Michael Carcone and Josh Wilkins have been loaned to the club. Wilkins is in his second season with the Predators organization as an undrafted free agent out of Providence College, while Carcone joined the organization as a UFA this summer and has four seasons of AHL experience under his belt. It’s an unexpected but welcome influx of talent and experienced up front for the Roadrunners.
  • Another former Milwaukee Admiral was a surprise inclusion on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers opening day roster. Per the AHL transactions log, goaltender Ken Appleby has signed with Bridgeport for this season. The former New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets keeper spent last season on an AHL contract and will do so again this year. However, he hopes that he can eventually earn another NHL deal, perhaps even over the course of the season as he did with the Jets in 2018-19. The 25-year-old was stellar in three emergency appearances for the Devils in 2017-18 and has good numbers in the AHL and ECHL over his five-year pro career.
  • A familiar face is joining the Belleville Senators on a PTO in training camp. Veteran defenseman Cody Goloubef has joined the club on a tryout basis, Belleville announced. Goloubef previously played with the AHL Senators in 2018-19 after coming over in a trade with the Boston Bruins, but played exclusively in the NHL with Ottawa and the Detroit Red Wings last year. Seemingly unable to find a new NHL contract, the Ontario native has returned to his most recent AHL home and should have a strong chance at earning a contract. The 31-year-old Goloubef brings 160 NHL game and over 300 AHL games worth of experience to Belleville.
  • Philadelphia Flyers prospect Adam Ginning is preparing to spend at least one more year developing at home in Sweden. Farjestad BK of the SHL has announced an extension with Ginning through the 2021-22 season. The big defenseman, who stands 6’4″ and weighs in at over 200 pounds, has taken a step forward in the SHL this season, already setting a career high in points through just 32 games and asserting himself with the second-most penalty minutes on the team. The club feels that Ginning has pushed himself beyond many of the competing defensemen on the team and has claimed a top role on the blue line. Having claimed that role, he could be in for a special season next year before the Flyers inevitably try to bring him over.

AHL Notes: Postponement, Stewart, Sexton

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The AHL is off and running today with an afternoon tilt between the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Providence Bruins, but not all the games scheduled for today will go on as planned. Corey Masisak of The Athletic reports that the Binghamton Devils opener has been postponed, meaning they won’t take on the Hershey Bears later this evening.

Like the NHL, the minor league will have to scrape and claw their way through a shortened season, dealing with COVID issues and rescheduling troubles throughout. Still, it’s nice to see some prospects back on the ice today and hockey being played.

  • Colorado Eagles president and general manager Chris Stewart has announced his retirement after nearly two decades with the organization. Stewart, 59, was the Eagles’ first head coach back when they were in the Central Hockey League and helped them transition into the ECHL and then the AHL in 2018. During his tenure, the Eagles have been dominant at times, including winning two consecutive Kelly Cup championships.
  • The Belleville Senators are still working with the Canadian government to start their AHL season, but have announced some new coaches to the staff today. Ben Sexton has been added as an assistant coach, while Justin Peters joins the organization as a goaltending coach. Both Sexton and Peters have only recently retired from their playing careers and will now start their next chapter.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 02/05/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day.

Central Division

  • The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Givani Smith from the taxi squad while removing Filip Zadina from the COVID Protocol. Zadina is expected to be back in the lineup tonight when the Red Wings take on Tampa Bay, skating on a top line with Dylan Larkin and Bobby Ryan.
  • The Florida Panthers have loaned Aleksi Heponiemi to the AHL for the time being, while recalling Owen Tippett from the taxi squad for tonight’s game. Heponiemi scored a single goal (an overtime winner in fact) during his three games this season.
  • Mathieu Olivier is back up for the Nashville Predators. The team has recalled the physical forward from the taxi squad, a frequent move so far this season.
  • The Dallas Stars have returned Jason Robertson to the taxi squad after he joined the club for their game on Thursday night. The prolific junior goal scorer is still looking for his first NHL tally through six games, three last year and three so far this year.

East Division

  • Martin Fehervary has been sent from the Washington Capitals taxi squad to the minor leagues, as the Hershey Bears prepare to start their season tonight. Fehervary played in 56 games for the Bears last season, recording 14 points. The 21-year-old hasn’t seen any NHL time this season.
  • There is some concern for the health of Philadelphia Flyers young starter Carter Hart after the goalie was shaken up at the team’s morning skate and now Alex Lyon has been recalled on an emergency basis from the taxi squad ahead of Friday night’s game. Forward Connor Bunnaman has also been added from the taxi squad.  CapFriendly adds that Samuel Morin was recalled from the taxi squad.

North Division

  • The Winnipeg Jets have reassigned David Gustafsson to the taxi squad, moving Cole Perfetti from the taxi squad to the AHL in the process. Gustafsson, 20, has played in four games this season but has yet to register a point. The Jets don’t play again until Tuesday, at which point they could have Pierre-Luc Dubois in the lineup for the first time. Dubois’ quarantine is scheduled to end on Saturday.  CapFriendly adds that Kristian Vesalainen has also been sent to the taxi squad.
  • Loui Eriksson has been activated by the Vancouver Canucks, the team announced. The veteran forward has yet to make his season debut for the team. Eriksson will take the roster spot of Josh Bailey, who has been moved to the taxi squad.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have once again returned Corey Perry to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  They have been shuffling him back on non-game days over the past couple of weeks and he will likely be recalled and play in his seventh game of the season before Saturday’s rematch against Ottawa.

West Division

  • With the Minnesota Wild currently out of action due to COVID and the AHL’s Iowa Wild about to get their own season started, the team has shifted a number of players around. Minnesota announced that forwards Luke Johnson, Gerald Mayhew, and Kyle Rau have been moved from the active roster to the taxi squad, while fellow forwards Will Bitten and Mason Shaw have been reassigned from the taxi squad to Iowa.
  • The Los Angeles Kings announced several roster moves.  Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Mark Alt, and Austin Strand were all recalled from the taxi squad while Lias Andersson was moved down to the taxi squad.  Meanwhile, Matt Luff was activated off injured reserve and remains on the NHL roster.
  • The Anaheim Ducks recalled defenseman Hunter Drew to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly with Vinni Lettieri being sent to AHL San Diego in a corresponding move.  Drew started the season in Slovakia where he had 16 points in 20 games along with a whopping 111 penalty minutes.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 02/04/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day.

North Division

  • After Braydon Coburn cleared waivers, the Ottawa Senators flipped him down to the taxi squad and brought up Erik Brannstrom. The 21-year-old Brannstrom played 31 games for the Senators last season and is expected to make his debut tonight against the Montreal Canadiens.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have sent Loui Eriksson to the taxi squad while activating Justin Bailey. It is cheaper for the team to keep Bailey on the taxi squad whenever the team isn’t playing, given his two-way deal earns less money when off the active roster. Eriksson hasn’t played yet this season but continues to be the team’s highest-paid forward.

West Division

  • The Los Angeles Kings have made several moves again today, recalling Tobias Bjornfot and Boko Imama from the minor leagues to the taxi squad. Arthur Kaliyev has been sent back to the AHL, despite scoring in his NHL debut two nights ago. The Kings are traveling to Vegas to take on the Golden Knights twice in the next three days.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have recalled Michael Chaput from the taxi squad, moving Jordan Gross down in the process. With Ilya Lyubushkin back in the lineup, Gross can resume his role as the extra defenseman. Chaput meanwhile hasn’t played yet this season and actually only saw NHL action on two occasions during 2019-20. The 28-year-old did have 16 goals and 29 points in 47 AHL games last year but has never been able to bring that kind of offensive production up a level.

Central Division

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed Elvis Merzlikins on injured reserve while bringing up Matiss Kivlenieks from the taxi squad. Cam Johnson has been recalled from the AHL to the taxi squad to fill in as the third goaltender while the team deals with a minor injury to Merzlikins. The Blue Jackets have listed the goaltender as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
  • Jason Robertson is back with the Dallas Stars, recalled from the taxi squad today. The 21-year-old forward has played in two games so far this season but is still looking for that elusive first NHL goal. He’ll be back in the lineup tonight when the Stars take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.

East Division

  • The Washington Capitals have sent Pheonix Copley back to the minor leagues, though that doesn’t necessarily mean Ilya Samsonov is coming off the COVID Protocol list right away. The team still has three goaltenders with the NHL team as Zach Fucale sits on the taxi squad. The Hershey Bears start their season tomorrow and will likely have Copley in net.
  • The New York Rangers have recalled Libor Hajek from the taxi squad, giving the young defenseman another chance now that they have moved on from Tony DeAngelo. Hajek, 23, played 28 games for the Rangers last season but wasn’t all that successful and has yet to suit up for a game this season. Selected 37th overall in 2016, he has just 33 NHL games under his belt thus far.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

COVID Notes: Protocol Changes, Fletcher, AHL

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As noted this morning by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the NHL is instituting some changes to the in-arena COVID protocols. James Mirtle of The Athletic examines the changes, which include the removal of the glass behind the benches. In the memo, the league explains the change:

To allow for air flow to more easily move away from the benches where Players and Coahces are in close proximity to on another during games, Clubs/Arenas shall remove the partitions of shielding that are behind the home and visiting team benches.

In Mirtle’s piece, he explains that some team personnel are “on edge” about whether the season can be completed. Yesterday, the league had 40 players on the COVID Protocol Related Absence list and three teams–Buffalo, New Jersey, and Minnesota–with their facilities currently shutdown and games postponed due to an outbreak.  The only division safe from disruption so far has been the North, which has not yet seen a game postponed this season.

  • It’s not just players and coaches that have to deal with the reality of COVID-19. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that Philadelphia Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher tested positive for the virus last month and had to isolate in a hotel. The front office executive is now out of isolation and recovered. The league’s COVID Protocol Related Absences list is only for players and does not include staff—like Fletcher or Buffalo head coach Ralph Krueger—that have tested positive or required isolation for close contact.
  • The AHL is trying to start their season tomorrow, meaning they’ll have to deal with their own COVID struggles. That started today when two games were postponed already. Due to league protocols, the Cleveland Monsters are unable to travel to Rockford to face the IceHogs on Friday and Saturday. The Chicago Wolves will play Rockford on Saturday instead. While the league has officially listed those games as “postponed” on the schedule, it is not at all clear if they will actually be rescheduled for some point down the line.

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