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Austin Czarnik Assigned To Conditioning Stint

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The Calgary Flames today assigned Austin Czarnik to the Stockton Heat of the AHL on a conditioning stint, signaling that he is nearing a return from the lower-body injury that has kept him out for the last six weeks.

Czarnik, 26, was an important part of the Flames’ bottom-six last season when he was in the lineup, scoring 18 points in 54 games. With the team putting their entire forward group in a blender the last few days to see if they can turn their season around, his skill and speed would be an important addition.

The Flames have won two games in a row, but after two months of struggles and a scandal cost their head coach his job this season has been a disaster. The team that had the best record in the Western Conference a year ago now sits in sixth place in the Pacific Division with a -13 goal differential.

Czarnik is on the second season of a two-year deal that carries a cap hit of $1.25MM, meaning the second half will be just as important for him as it is the Flames. Originally put on long-term injured reserve in late October with a two-month timeline, he’ll have to get back into game shape in the minor leagues before he can help Calgary.

Keith Kinkaid, Joseph Blandisi Clear Waivers

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Tuesday: Both players have cleared waivers and can be sent to the minor leagues.

Monday: The Montreal Canadiens have decided to place goaltender Keith Kinkaid on waivers today, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. Kinkaid will be assigned to the Laval Rocket of the AHL should he clear, where the organization will give him a chance to rebuild some confidence facing minor league opposition. The Pittsburgh Penguins have also placed Joseph Blandisi on waivers, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

After signing a one-year, $1.75MM contract in the offseason, Kinkaid has been an utter disappointment so far for the Canadiens. In six appearances he has allowed a total of 24 goals and sits with a 1-1-3 record. His .875 save percentage is second-worst in the league among goaltenders who have made more than one appearance, only coming in ahead of Cory Schneider’s .852. That performance simply isn’t good enough for a team hoping to make a playoff run this season, and after the Canadiens lost their eighth straight game on Sunday, something had to change.

There is at least an argument to be made in favor of Kinkaid, who had a career save percentage of .906 coming into the year. Carey Price has looked completely mortal in net for the Canadiens as well, left out to dry too often, leading to an .898 save percentage of his own. That’s easily the worst of his career, and perhaps not entirely a product of bad goaltending. Montreal needs to figure out some way to protect their net more regularly, or hope that Price and his next backup can find some next level of performance.

Blandisi meanwhile already cleared waivers before the season began and needs them again to continue bouncing up and down between the AHL and NHL. The 25-year old has played nine games for Pittsburgh and ten games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on the season, and will likely continue to split time should he clear.

Minor Transactions: 12/03/19

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There are ten games on the schedule for this evening around the NHL, including a rematch of the Eastern Conference Final when the Carolina Hurricanes travel to take on the Boston Bruins. The Bruins haven’t lost a game in regulation in nearly a month, while the Hurricanes are still battling to hold onto a Metropolitan Division playoff spot. As they and the rest of the league prepares for tonight, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

  • Nicolas Roy has been returned to the minor leagues by the Vegas Golden Knights, after his latest emergency recall. Roy has actually played in seven games for the NHL club this season, recording three points and six penalty minutes.
  • Curtis Lazar too has been sent to the minor leagues, this time by the Buffalo Sabres. The 24-year old has been great in the AHL, but still can’t find a level of consistency in the NHL that warrants a full-time roster spot.
  • With the Toronto Maple Leafs back in action tonight, Martin Marincin is back up to serve as insurance. The team likely won’t insert the lanky defenseman into the lineup unless an injury occurs, but now that he has cleared waivers he can pop up and down on game days.
  • Robin Lehner must have felt better this morning, as the Chicago Blackhawks returned Kevin Lankinen to the minor leagues. The young goaltender was recalled when Lehner was experiencing flu-like symptoms, but won’t get a chance to see any NHL action.
  • Cory Conacher is up in Tampa Bay, as the Lightning prepare for their game against the Nashville Predators. The move is likely done so that they’ll have an option if Alex Killorn can’t go tonight, though Conacher has plenty of experience if he’s forced into the lineup.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled Josh Mahura and Max Comtois, while sending Max Jones back to the AHL. Jones has just five points in 23 games this season for the Ducks, but may get a chance to get his game back on track in the minor leagues. The Ducks’ young forwards are all having a tough go in the NHL this season but have plenty of time to grow and develop.
  • Filip Zadina and Taro Hirose have been sent to the minor leagues by the Detroit Red Wings, as the team doesn’t play again until Saturday. Zadina is a key part of the team’s future and actually has an assist in each of the last two NHL games he has played.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have made several changes, recalling Joel Persson while assigning Caleb Jones and Stuart Skinner to the minor leagues. Matt Benning has also been moved to injured reserve. With Skinner heading back to the AHL, Mike Smith must be healthy enough to at least serve as a backup for the Oilers.

Greg Pateryn Sent To AHL On Conditioning Assignment

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The Minnesota Wild could be getting a veteran defenseman back soon, as Greg Pateryn has been assigned to the Iowa Wild on a conditioning assignment. The 29-year old had bilateral core muscle repair at the beginning of October and hasn’t played at all this season.

Though he may not be able to save the Wild season—even a three-game winning streak still has them sitting sixth in the Central Division—Pateryn is an interesting name to keep an eye on. The right-handed defenseman has been known to be able to shut down top scorers when he’s healthy and playing his best, and comes with a low cap hit of just $2.25MM for this and next season.

Obviously there’s no guarantee that Pateryn is moved, but if new Wild GM Bill Guerin is looking to refresh the organization with young assets he could be an intriguing trade chip. Michael Russo of The Athletic noted earlier today that head coach Bruce Boudreau had told reporters that Pateryn sustained a setback recently, so there is no telling exactly when he’ll be ready to return to the NHL.

Chicago Blackhawks Recall Kevin Lankinen

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The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled goaltender Kevin Lankinen from the minor leagues under emergency conditions, as Robin Lehner is dealing with the flu. Lankinen will serve as the backup for Corey Crawford tonight when the Blackhawks take on the St. Louis Blues. Ian McCoshen has also been returned to the AHL. The team was already without Dylan Strome and Duncan Keith, but now Lehner and Andrew Shaw, who is undergoing further evaluation on an injury, will be out for the important matchup against the Blues. That’s a tough situation for any team, but especially one that has struggled so much and is trying to drag themselves out of the basement of the Western Conference.

Lankinen, 24, was signed by the Blackhawks in 2018 as an undrafted free agent and has just 33 professional appearances in North America. Eight of those have come with the Rockford IceHogs this season, where he has a .924 save percentage. The young Finnish goaltender is certainly not expected to take over a full-time role in Chicago this season, but perhaps the team will get a chance to see what he can do should Lehner’s illness last.

Shaw meanwhile would be another big loss for the team if he’s held out for any length of time. The 28-year old has been welcomed back into the Chicago organization after three seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, and has ten points and 33 penalty minutes through 26 games. The feisty forward set a career-high with 47 points last season (in just 63 games), but isn’t playing quite the same offensive role for the Blackhawks. Still, his physicality and agitation will be missed should he be held out.

Toronto Marlies Hire Greg Moore As Head Coach

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Since the promotion of former head coach Sheldon Keefe to the same position with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies have been searching for his replacement. The team has decided to go outside of the organization to tab their next bench boss, a rare move in-season, and have announced that Greg Moore has been named head coach. Moore was hired away from the USHL’s Chicago Steel midway through his second season with the team.

Moore, 35, is very familiar with developmental hockey. A young head coach, Moore was himself an NHL prospect not long ago. The Maine native played for the U.S. National Team Development Program in the early 2000’s and then played his college hockey at home at the University of Maine. He was drafted by the Calgary Flames after his freshman year, but his rights were traded to the New York Rangers before he turned pro. Moore made his NHL debut with the Rangers in 2007-08 overall made ten NHL appearances with the Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets over five pro season in North America. He also played a leadership role with nearly every AHL club he played for. Moore moved to Germany in 2011 and extended his playing career another four years before calling it quits in 2015. He immediately jumped into the coaching ranks, becoming an intern assistant coach with the USNTDP. After two seasons as an intern, he became full-time in 2017-18 only to be named head coach for USHL rival Chicago a year later.

Moore is well-regarded among young NHL coaching prospects. His Steel team went all the way to the Clark Cup in his first season and recorded a 52-25-5 record overall in 82 games with Moore behind the bench. His name had already been in the mix for possible NCAA openings this off-season, but he gets an even better deal with an AHL promotion mid-season. The Leafs organization has seemingly had an eye on Moore for some time, as they invited him to be a guest coach at development camp this summer and worked quickly to hire him just ten days after the firing of Mike Babcock and promotion of Keefe. Moore will be in the spotlight with the Marlies, but has a bright future ahead of him following this major career move.

Minor Transactions: 12/1/19

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When thinking of the Minnesota Wild and their history, several players may come to mind, but perhaps one of the most significant is Mikko Koivu, who has played his entire career in Minnesota and will be playing in his 1,000th game as a member of the Wild. The 36-year-old has struggled over the last couple of years with injuries and a decline in play (although he remains a solid defensive center), but he hits a major milestone Sunday when the Dallas Stars come to town.

  • The Washington Capitals announced they have re-assigned forward Beck Malenstyn and defenseman Christian Djoos to the Hershey Bears of the AHL. The move is likely a precursor to the team getting back some of their veteran players in the coming days. The team is expected to activate Carl Hagelin off of LTIR prior to Tuesday’s game against San Jose, while center Nicklas Backstrom is also near a return.
  • The Boston Bruins announced the team has assigned defenseman John Moore to the Providence Bruins on a LTIR conditioning loan. Moore has been out all season after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery and now is close to returning. The team also announced that they have assigned forward Jack Studnicka to Providence as well. Studnicka made his NHL debut on Tuesday, picking up his first NHL point. The 20-year-old has nine goals and 18 points in 21 AHL games as well.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled defenseman Jonathan Ericsson from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL and returned goaltender Calvin Pickard there. Ericsson was assigned to Grand Rapids on Saturday, likely a paper transaction, while Pickard can now be returned after the Red Wings acquiregoaltender Eric Comrie in a trade.
  • The St. Louis Blues have assigned defenseman Derrick Pouliot to the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. The 25-year-old has dominated for the Rampage this year, scoring 18 points in 20 games and appeared in back-to-back games with the Blues this weekend. With Robert Bortuzzo back from his four-game suspension, Pouliot wasn’t needed anymore.
  • With Travis Hamonic nearing a return, the Calgary Flames have returned Alexander Yelesin to the minor leagues. Yelesin has yet to get into an NHL game with the Flames, but has two points in 15 games with the Stockton Heat in his first year of North American professional hockey.

Prospect Notes: Draft Rankings, Suspension, Canucks

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The OHL is still one of the (if not the) best development leagues in the world for junior-aged players with dreams of becoming NHL stars and this year’s entry draft will be filled to the brim with talent from the Ontario circuit. As he does every year, Brock Otten of OHL Prospects released his preliminary top-10, based on the rankings from several top prospect writers including Corey Pronman of The Athletic, Mike Morreale of NHL.com and Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News.

There’s very little surprise in Quinton Byfield’s selection as the top OHL prospect, picked unanimously by the 17 scouts. After Byfield though comes some more incredible talent, including several names that will be selected in the first half of the first round come June.

  • Reid Duke, the first player ever signed by the Vegas Golden Knights, has been given a two-game suspension in the AHL after a boarding incident earlier this week. Duke will miss two games for the Chicago Wolves, where he has just seven points in 22 games this season. The 23-year old forward signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Golden Knights in March of 2017.
  • Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet gives his thoughts on the five most NHL-ready prospects for the Vancouver Canucks, including top pick Olli Juolevi. Unfortunately the update on the young defenseman isn’t very revealing, as MacIntyre writes that though the organization has admitted his latest injury is unrelated to the major knee injury that took away most of last season, they haven’t said much else. Juolevi hasn’t played for the Utica Comets since November 11th.

Minor Transactions: 11/29/19

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If you weren’t satisfied with the afternoon football action yesterday, the NHL has a treat for you. The league gets an early start when the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins clash this afternoon, while eight other games also get early starts. In that first game of the day, the Rangers will try to somehow contain one of the league’s best lines and slow down David Pastrnak, who has six goals in his last five games.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent Martin Marincin to the minor leagues, where he’ll play against the Rochester Americans tonight. The Maple Leafs are in Buffalo to take on the Sabres and weren’t going to use Marincin, meaning he can get in some game action for the AHL Marlies instead.
  • With Steven Stamkos returning today after a short absence, the Tampa Bay Lightning have sent Cory Conacher to the minor leagues. Scott Wedgewood is up in his place, giving the team three goaltenders for the time being.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Clark Bishop, despite the 23-year old forward earning just three points in 19 games for the Charlotte Checkers this season. Bishop certainly isn’t known for his offensive chops and won’t be asked to play in that role for the Hurricanes, if he gets into a game at all.
  • Brett Seney has been sent to the minor leagues by the New Jersey Devils, who played in two games with the team during his recall. The 23-year old Seney has 18 points in 19 games for the Binghamton Devils this year after spending most of 2018-19 with New Jersey.
  • Joseph Blandisi has been recalled by the Pittsburgh Penguins ahead of their game this evening against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Blandisi has been up and down all season, splitting time in the NHL and AHL.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have recalled Gustav Olofsson, placing Paul Byron on injured reserve to make room. Olofsson’s addition gives the team eight defensemen on the roster with Christian Folin still on his conditioning stint in the AHL.

Los Angeles Kings Make Multiple Roster Moves

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The Los Angeles Kings have recalled both Paul LaDue and Matt Luff from the minor leagues ahead of their game against the New York Islanders tonight. To make room, the team has sent Carl Grundstrom to the AHL and placed Alec Martinez on injured reserve. The team has also placed Derek Forbort on long-term injured reserve while assigning him to the AHL on a conditioning stint.

While LaDue and Luff coming up is no surprise, the demotion of Grundstrom may perk up some eyebrows after he got into the lineup the last several games. The 21-year old forward is still looking for his first goal this season but does have four points in nine games despite averaging just over 13 minutes of ice time. Acquired as part of the package for Jake Muzzin last season, Grundstrom represents a real part of the Kings’ future up front and has shown a strong ability to contribute offensively at the NHL level so far.

Forbort’s assignment is the real news here though, as the veteran defenseman gets closer to a return after a back injury stole the first part of the season. The 27-year old has turned into a trusty partner for Drew Doughty over the last three seasons and is an important part of their group, but is also one of the team’s best trade chips if they decide to move him at the deadline. Forbort is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer and if the Kings want to open more room for younger options during their rebuild, he could fetch a pretty penny after showing he’s healthy and back to full strength.

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