Washington Capitals Re-Assign Aliaksei Protas To AHL
After spending this season in the KHL, Aliaksei Protas is on his way back to North America. The Washington Capitals prospect has been re-assigned to the Hershey Bears of the AHL for the rest of the season.
Protas, 20, was the 91st overall pick in 2019 and dominated the WHL last season, scoring 31 goals and 80 points in 58 games. Standing 6’6″, he is one of the most imposing players in any game he plays and should be more than ready to compete physically in the AHL. While Protas scored just 18 points in 58 games for Dynamo Minsk during the regular season, he was excellent in the second half of the season and saw his ice time raised significantly in the playoffs. In his five postseason games, the big center averaged more than 17 minutes a night and recorded four points.
Protas was on loan this season after signing his three-year, entry-level contract way back in 2019. By playing only in the minor leagues down the stretch, that contract will actually slide again, meaning it will not expire until after the 2023-24 season. Capitals fans should be quite excited about the big Belarusian after his excellent performances in the junior and now professional levels since being drafted.
Snapshots: AHL, PWHPA, Simmonds
The Utica Comets have had their Friday matchup against the Rochester Americans has been postponed due to COVID protocols, with a make-up date not yet announced. The Americans have been dealing with their own COVID outbreak, but this postponement is apparently due to protocols affecting the Comets. Rochester hasn’t played since March 10 and is now postponed until at least March 24, their next scheduled game against Utica.
It’s not just those two teams facing a developing situation either. The Grand Rapids Griffins and Chicago Wolves have also had their matchup for tomorrow postponed, though in the release there is some optimism it can be rescheduled soon. In this unique, irregular schedule, minor league players are certainly not experiencing the same kind of grind a normal AHL season entails.
- The PWHPA has formed a partnership with another NHL team, this time linking up with the St. Louis Blues to play a showcase at the Enterprise Center on April 12. The tour had already partnered with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs previously and have announced this showcase in St. Louis will be the last one before players go to international camps for the women’s World Championships in May. The event will also include a game at the Centene Community Ice Center on April 11.
- Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that Wayne Simmonds‘ return from a broken wrist is “imminent” though wouldn’t commit to playing him tomorrow night against the Calgary Flames. Simmonds’ return should have an impact on the trade deadline as the Maple Leafs have been very open about their desire to add a forward down the stretch. When ready, the team will need to activate Simmonds from long-term injured reserve and add his $1.5MM cap hit back to the roster. That move will further complicate an already tight cap situation in Toronto that will make any deadline moves difficult and may force them to send money out at the same time.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/18/21
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
- The Arizona Coyotes have recalled Michael Chaput and Ivan Prosvetov from the taxi squad, moving Hudson Fasching back to it. Prosvetov will serve as the backup to Adin Hill tonight as Antti Raanta deals with a lower-body injury.
- After clearing waivers today, Dan Renouf has been sent to the taxi squad by the Colorado Avalanche, per CapFriendly. Logan O’Connor was recalled to the NHL roster in a corresponding move.
- The Anaheim Ducks didn’t just bring up Jamie Drysdale today. Goaltender Lukas Dostal was also brought up to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, with John Gibson being transferred to injured reserve.
North Division
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have added Nic Petan to the taxi squad, as Alex Galchenyuk and Wayne Simmonds were once again practicing with the main group. Petan has played in seven games for the Maple Leafs this season, recording a single point.
- The Ottawa Senators have sent Erik Brannstrom and Matthew Peca back to the AHL to play this weekend, while re-assigning Clark Bishop, Filip Gustavsson, and Artem Zub to the taxi squad. The Senators don’t play again until Monday, meaning their young defenseman can get in some more game action at the minor league level to continue his development.
- The Edmonton Oilers have recalled Joakim Nygard from the taxi squad, sending Evan Bouchard down in a corresponding move. Nygard last played two weeks ago while Bouchard has been out a bit longer, last seeing game action on March 1st.
- The Calgary Flames have made their typical non-gameday move, sending Derek Ryan and Oliver Kylington to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Dominik Simon has been recalled to the active roster.
- The Montreal Canadiens sent Paul Byron and Xavier Ouellet to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Having cleared waivers Wednesday, Byron figures to be a regular in the daily shuffle for the next few weeks.
Central Division
- The Columbus Blue Jackets are dealing with several injuries, so Mikhail Grigorenko‘s time on the taxi squad has been short-lived. The recently waived forward has been recalled to the roster along with Stefan Matteau and Ryan MacInnis after the team moved Emil Bemstrom to injured reserve. The team is already without Alexandre Texier thanks to the COVID protocols after he was unable to travel with the team due to a different illness.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have moved Brandon Pirri back to the Rockford IceHogs, another transaction in what must be a frustrating season for the 29-year-old forward. Pirri has played just three total games, two in the AHL and one for the Blackhawks. Reese Johnson was also sent to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, with Dylan Strome being activated off injured reserve.
- For game day, the Detroit Red Wings have recalled both Frans Nielsen and Evgeny Svechnikov from the taxi squad. The two were placed there just yesterday in order to save some salary and cap.
- In their daily move, the Nashville Predators have recalled Alexandre Carrier and Ben Harpur from the taxi squad, moving Michael McCarron back in the process.
- The Dallas Stars have brought up Ty Dellandrea and Tanner Kero from the taxi squad while sending Rhett Gardner down to the taxi squad. Dellandrea has a goal and two assists in 15 games this season while Kero has a pair of assists in 11 games.
- As they’ve regularly done on game days, the Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Alex Nedeljkovic, Jake Bean, and Morgan Geekie from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. To make room on the roster, Jake Gardiner was sent to the taxi squad.
East Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Radim Zohorna from the AHL, as Jared McCann and Evgeni Malkin will both not play tonight. Zohorna, the 6’6″ behemoth signed out of the Czech Republic last year, has nine points in 11 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Alex Lyon, Nate Prosser and Carsen Twarynski from the taxi squad, placing Robert Hagg on injured reserve in the process. The Flyers were absolutely demolished last night by the Rangers, who scored seven goals in the second period and won 9-0. Connor Bunnaman and Andy Andreoff were assigned to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.
- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Jacob Bryson from the taxi squad, loaning Brandon Davidson back to it in the process. Bryson, 23, has one goal in 11 games this season for the Sabres.
- In their pregame notes, the Boston Bruins indicated that Greg McKegg and Jack Ahcan would play tonight, meaning they’ve been recalled from the taxi squad. McKegg played 53 NHL games this season but has played just once this year while Ahcan is making his NHL debut. Oskar Steen was also recalled from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.
- The New Jersey Devils recalled Mikhail Maltsev and Michael McLeod from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Their promotions opened a pair of taxi squad spots which were used on David Quenneville and Marian Studenic.
- The New York Islanders recalled Oliver Wahlstrom, Kieffer Bellows, and Thomas Hickey from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. That resulted in Grant Hutton being recalled to the taxi squad from AHL Bridgeport.
- The New York Rangers made their usual long list of non-gameday roster moves. Per CapFriendly, Keith Kinkaid and Kaapo Kakko were sent to the taxi squad while Tarmo Reunanen was sent to the minors. Adam Huska was recalled from the taxi squad.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Ottawa Senators Sign Angus Crookshank
The Ottawa Senators have signed another one of their prospects, inking Angus Crookshank to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal will begin in the 2021-22 season, but Crookshank has signed an amateur tryout with the Belleville Senators for the rest of this season. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a short statement on his newest player:
Angus proved to be a dominant collegiate player. We’re pleased that he’s made the decision to start his professional career which is what we believe is best for the next step in his development.
Dorion may be stretching the truth a big when he says that Crookshank was a dominant player for the University of New Hampshire, but he certainly was a good one. In 90 NCAA games, the young forward recorded 35 goals and 63 points, many of which came within just a few feet of the crease. His slick hands in tight and ability to go unchecked in dangerous areas should translate well to the professional ranks where he’ll get a chance to play with some talented playmakers in the Ottawa system.
Originally selected in the fifth round of the 2018 draft, Crookshank could be a nice late-round find in a class that already included Brady Tkachuk and standout college defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker. The AHL Senators will get him into the lineup as soon as his quarantine protocol is complete.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/17/21
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
- The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Oscar Dansk to the taxi squad while sending both Dylan Ferguson and Logan Thompson back to the minor leagues. The Golden Knights are getting Robin Lehner back to once again give them one of the most impressive goaltending tandems in the league.
- The Los Angeles Kings have activated Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Jonathan Quick from injured reserve, meaning Troy Grosenick is on his way back to the taxi squad. Tobias Bjornfot has also been recalled from the taxi squad as the team prepares for action tonight.
- Ivan Prosvetov has been reassigned to the taxi squad by the Arizona Coyotes. The move implies that Antti Raanta‘s injury absence will be short-lived.
North Division
- The Winnipeg Jets have reassigned Eric Comrie and Ville Heinola from the AHL to the taxi squad, now that Anton Forsberg has been lost to waivers. The team needed another goaltender and Comrie is the perfect option as a number three.
- Though they aren’t playing for another few days, the Toronto Maple Leafs recalled Alex Galchenyuk, Timothy Liljegren and Alexander Barabanov to the taxi squad. Kenny Agostino and Calle Rosen have both been assigned to the AHL.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Filip Gustavsson from the taxi squad on an emergency basis, while Matt Murray remains injured. Until Forsberg gets to Ottawa and through the COVID protocols (likely seven days, depending on how his travel plans and testing go), the team will be going with a very young and very inexperienced tandem.
- With Zack Kassian activated from the injured reserve, fellow forwards James Neal and Patrick Russell have been reassigned to the taxi squad by the Edmonton Oilers. Young defenseman Evan Bouchard has also been recalled to the active roster.
Central Division
- After clearing waivers earlier today Mikhail Grigorenko has been moved to the taxi squad by the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 26-year-old forward has seemingly lost his spot in the lineup, last playing on February 23.
- The Detroit Red Wings have assigned Frans Nielsen and Evgeny Svechnikov back to the taxi squad, given they don’t play tonight. The team won yesterday against the Carolina Hurricanes, one of the more impressive results of the season.
East Division
- The New Jersey Devils have returned Nicholas Merkley and Jesper Boqvist to the AHL for the time being. The Devils don’t play today after securing their ninth win of the season last night but have three in a row against the surging Pittsburgh Penguins coming up.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Andy Andreoff and Connor Bunnaman from the taxi squad, an interesting move on game day. It seems likely that at least one of them will be in the lineup tonight, though it’s not entirely clear who will be coming out.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/16/21
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
- The Anaheim Ducks were once again busy on the shuffling front today. Per CapFriendly, Anthony Stolarz was recalled on an emergency basis with John Gibson dealing with a lower-body injury while Trevor Zegras, Sam Steel, and Andy Welinski were also recalled. To make room on the roster, David Backes, who cleared waivers yesterday, was sent to the taxi squad.
- With Antti Raanta being unavailable to play tonight due to a lower-body injury that has him listed as day-to-day, the Arizona Coyotes recalled Ivan Prosevtov from the taxi squad. Also being brought up to the active roster was Hudson Fasching with Michael Chaput being sent to the taxi squad.
- The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Greg Pateryn and Logan O’Connor from the taxi squad on an emergency basis, per CapFriendly. This has been a frequent pair of moves on recent game days with the duo likely to appear here tomorrow as being sent down.
- The San Jose Sharks have sent several players to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. John Leonard, Fredrik Claesson, and Fredrik Handemark are all on the reserve group while Stefan Noesen has been sent to AHL San Jose.
North Division
- The Ottawa Senators have re-assigned Clark Bishop, Filip Gustavsson, and Matthew Peca to the team’s taxi squad while moving Kevin Mandolese back to the AHL. The Senators are off today after their overtime loss against the Canucks and will likely recall several of these players tomorrow.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have moved Scott Sabourin and Joseph Woll back to the AHL while they enjoy a four-day break between games. Given that they waived Jimmy Vesey earlier today, he might be headed to the taxi squad to fill at least one of the vacant spots. Alex Galchenyuk and Timothy Liljegren were also recalled to the taxi squad with Calle Rosen going to the minors, per CapFriendly.
- The Calgary Flames have recalled Dominik Simon from the taxi squad while sending Derek Ryan and Oliver Kylington down, per CapFriendly. It’s a move they’ve made on non-game days recently and they will likely reverse it before Wednesday’s game against Edmonton.
- The Montreal Canadiens have loaned Alexander Romanov and Xavier Ouellet to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The two will likely be recalled for Wednesday’s contest against Winnipeg. Meanwhile, Hayden Verbeek was loaned back to AHL Laval.
- The Winnipeg Jets have loaned Logan Stanley back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. He will likely be recalled for tomorrow’s game against Montreal. Winnipeg also sent Mikhail Berdin to AHL Manitoba.
Central Division
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Joey Keane and Beck Warm from the AHL, bringing them up to the NHL taxi squad. Warm, 21, was just signed by the team earlier this month after impressing early with the Chicago Wolves as an undrafted free agent signing. Now in six games, Warm has posted a .944 save percentage with the Wolves, winning five times. Alex Nedeljkovic, Jake Bean, and Morgan Geekie were all recalled from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, with Jake Gardiner being sent down.
- The Dallas Stars have brought up Taylor Fedun from the taxi squad. The 32-year-old played in 27 regular season games last season plus 11 games in the bubble but has yet to see NHL action so far in 2020-21.
- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Evgeny Svechnikov and Frans Nielsen from the taxi squad. Meanwhile, they also shuffled up their taxi squad goalies, sending Calvin Pickard to AHL Grand Rapids while recalling Kaden Fulcher to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.
- The Nashville Predators have brought back Michael McCarron from the taxi squad while returning Alexandre Carrier and Ben Harpur to the taxi squad. McCarron has played in four games with Nashville so far this season.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Ross Colton from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. To stay cap-compliant, Spencer Martin was sent down to the taxi squad.
East Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Frederick Gaudreau from the taxi squad, moving John Marino to injured reserve to make room. Marino’s placement is retroactive to March 9, meaning he can come off whenever healthy. The team has also recalled Radim Zohorna to the taxi squad.
- The Buffalo Sabres have shuffled up their back end, recalling Brandon Davidson and Henri Jokiharju from the taxi squad. Going down to make room were Jacob Bryson and forward Rasmus Asplund.
- The Boston Bruins recalled Oskar Steen from the taxi squad to make his NHL debut tonight, relays Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic. The 23-year-old was a sixth-round pick back in 2016 and has eight points in 12 AHL games this season.
- The New York Islanders have promoted Oliver Wahlstrom, Kieffer Bellows, and Austin Czarnik from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. All three have been frequently sent back and forth through the first half of the season.
- With the New York Rangers off tonight, they have made their usual long list of taxi squad assignments. Going down are Kaapo Kakko, Tarmo Reunanen, and Jack Johnson while Jonny Brodzinski was sent to the minors, per CapFriendly. They also swapped taxi squad goalies, sending Keith Kinkaid down while recalling Adam Huska.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have loaned Alex Lyon and Nate Prosser to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Prosser played just under 12 minutes on Monday against the Rangers while Lyon hasn’t seen any NHL action so far this season.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Snapshots: Jets, Americans, Kallionkieli
The Winnipeg Jets are in action tonight against the Montreal Canadiens after going 7-2-1 in their last 10, climbing all the way to second in the North Division. One might assume that the team is looking to supplement their imposing roster in a trade and do it soon, given the two-week quarantine any newcomer will require if he comes from a U.S.-based team.
Speaking with reporters including Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff explained that he is willing to make another deal to improve the club if the fit is right, regardless of COVID protocols and the wait. Mattias Ekholm has been linked to the Jets in recent days, but Cheveldayoff wouldn’t comment on any specifics.
- The Rochester Americans are still not playing thanks to at least one positive coronavirus test and have announced a new postponement for this week. The team’s Wednesday game against the Syracuse Crunch has been postponed with no current makeup date, while Saturday’s game that was already pushed will now be played on May 3. The Americans players continue to be unavailable for the Buffalo Sabres as they stay in the protocol.
- The Henderson Silver Knights have a new player to use after Marcus Kallionkielli was reassigned from Finland to the AHL today. The 19-year-old was a fifth-round pick in 2019 and spent part of last season with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. In nine games with HIFK’s junior squad in Finland this season, he recorded five points.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/15/21
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
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Filip Gustavsson to the taxi squad. Matt Murray was injured last night in the warm-up, and with Marcus Hogberg still on injured reserve, goaltending duties fell to Joey Daccord for his first NHL win.
West Division
- With an injury to Kyle Rau, the Minnesota Wild have recalled Connor Dewar to the taxi squad. The 21-year-old forward has eight points in 12 games for the Iowa Wild this season, his second professional campaign after being a third-round pick in 2018.
- The Arizona Coyotes have moved Dryden Hunt back to the taxi squad after he logged just nine minutes of ice time last night. Hunt, 25, has played in seven games so far for the Coyotes.
Central Division
- The Carolina Hurricanes have returned both Joakim Ryan and Antoine Bibeau to the AHL, moving both off the taxi squad for now. The Hurricanes won another game last night and now sit at 20-6-1 on the season, the second-best winning percentage in the entire NHL.
- The Dallas Stars have returned Colton Point and Jerad Rosburg to the AHL, while bringing up Landon Bow and Taylor Fedun to the taxi squad. Dallas has flipped their taxi squad players all season to keep them fresh and the Texas Stars will be in action tomorrow night.
- The Nashville Predators have recalled Alexandre Carrier and Ben Harpur from the taxi squad, moving Frederic Allard back to it. The Predators are dealing with massive injury concerns at this point in the season and have lost three in a row.
- The Detroit Red Wings have called up Evgeny Svechnikov and Kaden Fulcher to the taxi squad from the AHL, sending Calvin Pickard back in their place. Svechnikov has played in four games this season for Detroit, scoring four points.
East Division
- The Boston Bruins have recalled Oskar Steen, Karson Kuhlman, and Jack Ahcan to the taxi squad as they prepare for action tonight. The Providence Bruins are actually going with just 16 skaters today because of the call-ups as they take on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
- Rasmus Asplund has been recalled from the Buffalo Sabres taxi squad and will slot into the lineup tonight. Cody Eakin will be made a healthy scratch, while Brandon Davidson has been loaned back to the taxi squad. The Sabres still don’t have access to their AHL players who are quarantining thanks to a positive coronavirus test among the Rochester Americans.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Alex Lyon and Nate Prosser from the taxi squad. The goaltender will serve as the backup tonight as the Flyers will give Brian Elliott the full night off. Lyon, 28, has been in the Flyers organization for years, but mostly gets minor league action. In three appearances last season in the NHL, he posted an .890 save percentage.
Anaheim Listening To Offers For Troy Terry
The Anaheim Ducks are in the unenviable position this season of having to not only evaluate which core players to keep or trade, but also which young player to keep or trade. The Ducks’ have built a deep, talented pipeline over the last several years, but continue to get inconsistent and underwhelming effort from many of their top young pros. While there are plenty of younger roster players and prospects that Anaheim is excited about, but also too many that have yet to pan out. So , as the team trudges through another poor season, not only are they fielding offers for veterans like Rickard Rakell, Adam Henrique, and Josh Manson, but they also face pressure to shop players like Danton Heinen, Sonny Milano, Max Jones, Jacob Larsson and more before their value disappears completely.
The latest addition to the latter list appears to be forward Troy Terry. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that he is hearing the Ducks are evaluating whether or not it is time to move on from the 23-year-old forward. Friedman notes that there is some belief around the league that Terry could benefit from a change of scenery. Anaheim is currently listening to those offers, though not necessarily shopping Terry.
A fifth-round draft pick of the Ducks in 2015, Terry flew under the radar as a member of the U.S. National Team Development Program. However, he quickly rose to prominence at the college level with Denver University. Not only did Terry produce back-to-back seasons of 45+ points in his sophomore and juniors years at Denver, but his play earned him a spot with Team USA at the 2017 World Juniors and 2018 Winter Olympics – and Terry was a point-per-game player in both tournaments. After leaving college early to sign with Anaheim, Terry entered the pros with high expectations. Four years later, Terry is still trying to meet those expectations. While the talented winger has dominated in the AHL with 57 points in 55 games, it has been a different story in the NHL, where he has just 12 goals and 35 points in 103 games. With seven points through 22 games so far this year, Terry is matching his 26-point full-season pace from last year. However, as a frequent scratch by the Ducks, even that isn’t a realistic benchmark for the young scorer. Even at his best, Terry is also a complete non-factor in the physical and defensive aspects of the game, making it difficult to slot him in the lineup when he isn’t scoring at a top-six level.
For any team interested in landing Terry, there has to be a plan to put him in positions that take advantage of his offensive ability while limiting his defensive liability. Terry may very well need a change of scenery, but he is not going to work out as a fourth-line player or facing difficult defensive match-ups no matter where he goes. This makes him a difficult player to place. Terry certainly has ample offensive upside, hence Anaheim’s hesitation to move him, but there is a reason that he has not produced or earned a greater role with the Ducks despite seemingly ample opportunity. Terry’s potential availability will be an interesting case to keep an eye on in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline.
North Division Notes: 2021-22, Quarantine Protocol, Sabourin
Although the North Division was only intended to be a temporary alignment in 2020-21, the all-Canadian grouping has been popular north of the border. As a result, there are a number of teams hoping that the division might stay together for a while longer. Commissioner Gary Bettman was adamant earlier this week that the league will return to its normal divisional alignment next season, albeit with a small shift due to expansion. Yet, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that several Canadian teams are hoping to get at least another year of national competition. Ironically, this only seems likely if there continue to be restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border through the summer and into next season; the same restrictions that are making trade acquisitions difficult for Canadian teams and could prevent the North Division winner from playing at home in the semifinal and potentially the Stanley Cup Final series. However, the teams in favor of the North Division remaining intact feel that the impact could be more important than any ill effects this season. Johnston notes that these teams can feel the excitement within the country of the reignited Canadian rivalries and want to see that expand with fans being allowed back into games, further boosting the focus on the league. However, there is a way for this to be accomplished without the North Division continuing. Discussions earlier this season centered around the value of continuing to push the regional, non-divisional rivalries that have sprouted this season simply by changing the way scheduling is handled, rather than through realignment. Furthering the emphasis on regional play through extra contents between geographically linked teams would not only continue to fuel the rivalries created or rediscovered this season, but is also a way to save money on travel as teams continue to deal with losses this season. Perhaps this is the way to go that will make both the NHL and their Canadian contingent happy.
- As noted, there is more downside than upside for the NHL and Canadian clubs to continued border issues. The most pressing of these problems with the trade deadline approaching is the required 14-day quarantine for anyone crossing into Canada, a major holdup in player acquisitions. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reached out to Health Canada and found that, despite a report earlier this year, there has been no formal request made by the NHL to amend the quarantine rules for trade acquisitions. However, Friedman did not sound optimistic that any such proposal would be accepted anyway. Specifically, players have wondered whether they could avoid the quarantine period if an acquired player has been vaccinated, but Health Canada stated that they do not know enough about the impact of vaccination on transmission to allow such a change. Friedman notes that lobbying efforts continue from the league to strike some sort of agreement with the Canadian government to ease quarantine restrictions, but the likelihood seems low. With the deadline now a month away and nothing formal yet in the works, Canadian contenders will likely have to account for a two-week absence of any new players acquired from their American counterparts.
- It didn’t take long for Toronto Maple Leafs forward Scott Sabourin to make his mark on this season, and not in a good way. After signing with the Leafs in Feburary, Sabourin was assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies to get back into game shape and made his season debut against the Laval Rocket on Friday. On Saturday, the Leafs recalled him to their taxi squad, adding a physical, gritty veteran to their group of potential substitutes. Later in the day, the AHL announced that when Sabourin returns to the AHL, he will be suspended for one game; Toronto opted to send him down on Sunday to serve that ban. Sabourin crashed the Laval net late in Friday’s game and started an altercation with multiple opponents and the league deemed this was worthy of a suspension. With a one-game suspension, not to mention 17 penalty minutes, after just one game this year, Sabourin seems to be returning to the aggressive reputation that he has built in his AHL career rather than building on the progress he made as a more composed player with the Ottawa Senators last year.