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Los Angeles Kings Activate Jack Campbell, Send Cal Petersen To AHL

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Though he has played outstanding hockey since being recalled out of desperation by the Los Angeles Kings, Cal Petersen is heading back to the minors. The team activated Jack Campbell from injured reserve today after he suffered no setbacks during his conditioning stint, and assigned Petersen back to the Ontario Reign of the AHL.

Petersen, 24, played in 11 games for the Kings while Campbell and Quick were out with meniscus injuries, and showed that he could potentially be a future starter for the team as he posted a .924 save percentage and went 5-4-1. While that record isn’t outstanding, he was behind the league’s lowest scoring team and one that finds itself in last place. Now that Quick and Campbell are back, Petersen will have to go back to starting in the AHL and wait for his next chance.

When that chance will come though is anyone’s guess. Quick is the obvious starter in Los Angeles for the time being, given his history as an elite goaltender in the league. Just last season he posted a .921 save percentage and dragged the Kings to the playoffs, only to see them unable to score in a whitewashing at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights. The Kings have a lot invested in Quick, as his current contract continues through 2022-23 and carries a $5.8MM cap hit.

Campbell meanwhile is only 26 himself and has turned his career around since moving to Los Angeles. The former top prospect is signed for just $675K this season and next, but has been great for the Kings in backup duty. In 13 games this year the 11th overall pick from 2010 has a .923 save percentage and is an extremely inexpensive option at the NHL level.

The question though, is whether the Kings could get anything of value for one of their NHL netminders and promote Petersen in his place. The 10-year extension that Quick signed in 2012 came with no trade protection at all, and being front-loaded as it is may be of some value to another team. He’ll earn $7MM next season before seeing his salary drop to $3.5MM or less in the final three years of the deal. If he’s playing at a championship level, perhaps a team takes a chance to see if they can squeeze another few playoff rounds out of him.

For now Petersen will have to be patient, something he understood when signing with the Kings. Originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres, Petersen left college early and waited to become an unrestricted free agent before picking Los Angeles for his first professional contract. He saw Quick ahead of him on the depth chart then, and he sees him still. There’s plenty of time for him to continue to hone his game, though he’ll be in a better situation this summer after getting his feet wet in the NHL. Petersen is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent, and should be able to secure a more lucrative deal given his obvious upside.

Minor Transactions: 12/30/18

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After 30 NHL teams played yesterday, just two take the ice tonight as the Arizona Coyotes host the Vegas Golden Knights in the day’s only action. However, that won’t stop a likely multitude of minor moves today ahead of a 13-game slate on New Year’s Eve tomorrow. Keep up with all of the transactions right here:

  • The carousel at backup goalie in St. Louis continues to turn. Since the Blues lost Chad Johnson on waivers earlier this month, the team has swapped Jordan Binnington and Ville Husso several times. However, with Husso currently sidelined, it’s Binnington heading back to the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage, while first-year pro Evan Fitzpatrick gets the call to St. Louis, the team announced. Binnington has made two relief appearances this season, including just last night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. After starter Jake Allen was pulled after giving up four goals on 17 shots, Binnington surrendered two more on 13 shots. That performance may have earned him a demotion back to the minors, although the Rampage may simply need a starter today after Fitzpatrick played last night. Fitzpatrick, the Blues’ second-round pick in 2016, began the season in the ECHL and has only made two AHL appearances. However, the 20-year-old has impressed in San Antonio, allowing just two goals, which seemingly qualified him for his first NHL call-up. Whether Fitzpatrick has earned an NHL start already remains to be seen, but so far this season whoever sits behind Allen has a decent chance of seeing game action regardless.
  • After acquiring Michael Hutchinson yesterday, the Toronto Maple Leafs have returned interim backup Kasimir Kaskisuo to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, per CapFriendly. Forward Trevor Moore will also reportedly be joining him on the short cross-town trip back to the minor league team. Both players had been on emergency recall, but will now resume their normal AHL activities. While Kaskisuo is suffering through a miserable season and was a scary sight on the Maple Leafs roster, Moore has impressed, recording 24 points in 27 games with the Marlies and two points in three games with the Leafs. Moore will likely continue to be the next man up at forward for Toronto this season.
  • The Los Angeles Kings announced they have assigned forward Michael Amadio to the Ontario Reign of the AHL. Amadio has been shuttling back and forth between the two teams all year. He was recalled three days ago and has already appeared in 28 games for the Kings this season, having put up two goals and four points this season. While no corresponding move has been made, it’s possible the team will be activating goaltender Jack Campbell soon as he has made one start in a conditioning stint with Ontario.
  • The Buffalo Sabres announced they have sent goaltender Scott Wedgewood to the Rochester Americans of the AHL. Wedgewood was recalled Saturday to fill in as an emergency backup when Linus Ullmark couldn’t go. However, Ulmark was ready to go during practice today.
  • The Edmonton Oilers announced they have recalled forward Joseph Gambardella from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL to fill the open forward spot which the team opened up after trading Drake Caggiula to the Chicago Blackhawks. Gambardella leads the Condors with 12 goals and 21 points in 28 games. The 25-year-old has not played in an NHL game yet.
  • Winger Logan O’Connor has received his first NHL call-up as the Avalanche announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled him from Colorado of the AHL.  The 22-year-old is in his first professional season after spending the past three years with Denver of the NCAA.  O’Connor is off to a nice start in his rookie campaign with 16 points in 29 games with the Eagles.

Vancouver Extends AHL Deal With Utica Comets

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The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have agreed to an extension to keep the AHL’s Utica Comets as their primary minor-league affiliate for up to an additional six years. Ben Birnell of the Observer Dispatch adds that there is an option after two years. Jim Benning, General Manager of Canucks Sports and Entertainment, stated:

We are very pleased to continue our partnership with Utica. The Comets share our organization’s level of commitment and philosophy in player development, providing a strong environment for growth. We believe the culture in Utica, combined with the great fan support and atmosphere at games, will continue to be beneficial for the players in our system.”

The deal also means a more local affiliate will have to wait. There was hope in Vancouver that the organization might consider moving the team to Abbotsford, British Columbia, which would give them a much more nearby presence as opposed to having the team in Utica, New York, on the other side of the continent. Abbotsford has an empty arena and was a former affiliate for the Calgary Flames years ago before Calgary moved their affiliate to Stockton, California. However, the Canucks opted instead to stick with the current situation.

The Comets have been Vancouver’s AHL affiliate since the 2013-14 season when the team purchased the Peoria Rivermen and moved them to Utica. The two franchises have worked well together as they reached the Calder Cup finals in the 2014-15 season, and more importantly the team has been a financial success as they hold the AHL sellout streak record of 148 regular season and playoff games, which started on April 10, 2015. The Comets are a key piece to the Canucks franchise as Vancouver is loaded with solid prospects, including forwards Adam Gaudette, Jonathan Dahlen, Kole Lind, defenseman Olli Juolevi and goaltender Thatcher Demko.

 

Minor Transactions: 12/29/18

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Saturday is an extremely busy day on the NHL calendar as there are the maximum 15 games on the slate with only Columbus getting the day off.  With that in mind, there is bound to be a lot of roster movement.  We’ll keep tabs of those moves here.

  • With winger Alex Chiasson headed for injured reserve, the Oilers announced the recall of winger Kailer Yamamoto from AHL Bakersfield. The 20-year-old has had some success in his first stint in the minors, collecting four goals and four assists in 11 games since being sent down last month.  Meanwhile, the loss of Chiasson certainly stings as his 16 goals place him third on the team in that department behind only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
  • The Stars have brought back winger Roope Hintz per a team release. The rookie has split the season between Dallas and Texas of the AHL and has had a fair bit of success offensively in the minors, posting 19 points in 17 games.  He has held his own in the NHL as well, logging 11:41 per night in 14 contests while picking up a pair of goals and an assist.
  • The Sabres announced the recall of goaltender Scott Wedgewood from AHL Rochester. He’s taking the place of goalie Linus Ullmark who missed practice on Friday due to illness.  Wedgewood does have some NHL experience under his belt after playing 20 games with Arizona last year and four with New Jersey before that but Buffalo will likely call on Carter Hutton to play in Ullmark’s absence.
  • Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen is day-to-day with a groin injury. Accordingly, Toronto announced the recall of goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo on an emergency basis from the AHLs Marlies.  The 25-year-old has struggled this season, posting a 4.12 GAA with a .866 SV% in 11 games thus far.
  • Two weeks ago, the Lightning weren’t planning to send defenseman Slater Koekkoek on a conditioning stint. They’ve had a change of heart as he has now been loaned to AHL Syracuse.  The 24-year-old last played on November 19th and has been a healthy scratch since then.  Koekkoek’s conditioning stint can last for up to two weeks.
  • Following the injury to Thomas Chabot on Friday, the Senators announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled defensemen Stefan Elliott and Christian Wolanin from AHL Belleville.  Ottawa had two vacant roster spots so no corresponding move needs to be made.  Elliott was acquired from Pittsburgh earlier this month and has already played in two games with the Sens but has spent most of the year at the minor league level.  Meanwhile, Wolanin has been quite productive in the minors with 18 points in 26 games while getting into one game with Ottawa back in late October. The Senators have also recalled forward Jack Rodewald, although it is unclear if he will play tonight. Rodewald has been a frequent call-up this season, but to this point has played in just one game for Ottawa.
  • The Islanders announced (via Twitter) that winger Michael Dal Colle has been recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL.  He takes the place of winger Jordan Eberle who was placed on IR retroactive to December 23rd.  The 22-year-old didn’t fare too well in his first NHL stint but he has been quite productive with the Sound Tigers, averaging a point per game over 28 appearances.
  • Dillon Dube is on his way back up to Calgary, as the Flames have recalled the impressive first-year pro from the AHL’s Stockton Heat. Dube began the season with the Flames, recording five points in 20 games, but since a late-November reassignment to the Heat, Dube has been a point-per-game player in the minors. Dube is expected to slot into the starting lineup right away tonight, taking the place of Michael Frolik.
  • The Minnesota Wild have recalled free agent addition Matt Bartkowski for the first time this season, as the veteran defenseman will finally get back to the highest level. Bartkowski has made double-digit NHL appearances in each of the past six seasons, including an 80-game effort with the Vancouver Canucks in 2015-16. However, Bartkowski was very much a part-time player for the Calgary Flames the past two years and has even struggled to make much of a difference for the AHL’s Iowa Wild this season. However, with Nick Seeler presently sidelined, Minnesota opted to go with the experienced 30-year-old rather than one of their younger defensive options.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have assigned forward Michael Bunting to the Tuscon Roadrunners of the AHL, according to AZ Sports’ Matt Layman. Bunting was recalled on Thursday and played against Los Angeles, playing 9:36 on the ice, registering only one hit. He will return to Tucscon where he has six goals and 18 points in 20 games there. Bunting was expendable with the return of Vinnie Hinostroza.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have assigned forward Adam Gaudette to the Utica Comets of the AHL, according to Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal. Gaudette was recalled on Oct. 15 due to injuries and managed to stay with the team even when those players returned in a bottom-line role. The 2018 Hobey Baker award winner was averaging just 10:09 of ATOI this season and had just two goals and six points. A return to the AHL where he can get more significant ice time would be better for the young forward in his development.
  • The Anaheim Ducks announced they have swapped out defenseman, recalling defenseman Andy Welinski from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, while assigning Andrej Sustr there at the same time. Welinski last played for the Ducks in November where he played 11 games for Anaheim, posting one assist, while averaging 15:09 of ATOI. Sustr has only appeared in five games for the Ducks this season. CapFriendly adds that the Ducks also returned goaltender Kevin Boyle to San Diego. He was recalled Friday to fill in as an emergency backup while John Gibson and Ryan Miller dealt with injuries. His demotion suggests that one of them is ready to return to the active roster.

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Goaltender Michael Hutchinson

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With Frederik Andersen currently day-to-day with a groin injury, the Toronto Maple Leafs had already been forced to call up Kasimir Kaskisuo – and his .866 AHL save percentage. The team was a Garret Sparks injury away from having the struggling Kaskisuo as their starter in the short term. Depth in net had become a dire need for the organization and today GM Kyle Dubas was quick to address that need. The Maple Leafs have announced that they have acquired goaltender Michael Hutchinson from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick.

Hutchinson, 28, is a shrewd pickup for Toronto, especially for a future late-round selection. Hutchinson is not far removed from being a regular fixture in net for the Winnipeg Jets from 2014 to 2017. While Hutchinson lost that job in Winnipeg last season, making only three appearances, he managed to play in 76 games over the three seasons prior. In a total of 106 NHL appearances, including four with Florida this year, Hutchinson has a .907 save percentage and 2.70 GAA. Hutchinson has had his fair share of struggles at both the NHL and AHL level this season and has not been the reliable third-string option to injury-prone Roberto Luongo and James Reimer as the Panthers had hoped when they signed him this past off-season. However, his minor league play has been vastly superior to Kaskisuo’s and his career NHL numbers are quite similar to Sparks’. The Leafs still don’t have a stalwart backup goalie to Andersen, but have cheaply acquired an experienced veteran keeper that is a clear upgrade to their depth in net.

Perhaps the best part about adding Hutchinson is that he has already cleared waivers this season and may be moved back and forth between the Maple Leafs and Marlies at will. Toronto’s goaltending depth issues began just prior to the start of the season, when both Calvin Pickard and Curtis McElhinney were claimed on waivers when the Leafs opted to protect Sparks. Pickard had a rough experience with the Philadelphia Flyers early on, but the Maple Leafs nevertheless tried to reclaim their lost property when the Flyers also placed him on waivers. However, they failed to bring Pickard back in as he was claimed by the Arizona Coyotes. McElhinney, on the other hand, has been the best of the Carolina Hurricanes’ trio of goalies and is unlikely to be up for claim again this season. Hutchinson was likely one of the top two-way keepers available and apparently one of the more affordable.

As for the Panthers, when healthy the duo of Luongo and Reimer have the roster spots in Florida locked up. Hutchinson was never going to overtake either keeper, especially given his performance this season. The team also hoped to get young Sam Montembeault some NHL experience this season and the Springfield Thunderbirds starter now takes over as the organization’s No. 3. It makes sense that the Panthers got what they could for a disappointing signing. However, if injury does strike Luongo again, Reimer’s struggles and Montembeault’s inexperience become of greater concern for Florida, especially if they are fighting for a playoff spot. Expect the Panthers to keep an eye on waivers and the goalie market for the remainder of the season.

Vegas Golden Knights Claim Valentin Zykov

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Valentin Zykov is no stranger to being claimed off waivers. The 23-year-old forward landed with the Edmonton Oilers less than a month ago after being placed on waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes. As such, it comes as no surprise that Zykov is on the move yet again, after Edmonton also opted to place him on waivers yesterday. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that Zykov has been claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights and will remain in the Pacific Division for the time being.

Zykov continues to be an enigma in his pro career. The young Russian winger led the AHL with 33 goals last season and topped 50 points while playing a top-line role for the Charlotte Checkers. He also performed well in a brief NHL tryout with Carolina, recording seven points in ten games. However, when handed a roster spot with the Hurricanes to begin this season, Zykov disappeared. He was unable to score even one goal, registering just three assists in 13 games. When the ’Canes decided to risk Zykov on waivers to move him back to the AHL, they did so knowing that they could be giving up considerable offensive potential. Originally a second-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings back in 2013, Zykov’s ability has always been well-regarded, but questions remain about whether he can put it all together at the NHL level. The Oilers decided to take a chance on his upside and claimed the AHL standout. In five games with Edmonton, Zykov was even more invisible than he had been in Raleigh. Zykov failed to record a point and struggled to log even seven minutes of ice time in four of his five outings. The Oilers were unimpressed by the performance, but apparently the Golden Knights were not. They become the third team to give the talented, but inconsistent winger a chance this season. Whether or not they will be the last remains to be seen. Vegas is currently over the 23-man roster limit and have some immediate roster decisions to make. Zykov is likely on a short leash with this club as well.

Friedman also notes that the three other players placed on waivers yesterday cleared. This means that defenseman Jake Dotchin, who also could have been on to his third team of the season, will instead remain with the Anaheim Ducks organization. Dotchin is likely to be demoted to the AHL after clearing waivers, given his dwindling ice time in recent games and the team’s depth on the blue line. Dotchin is a nice asset for the Ducks to have as an option should they need a dose of physicality, but the former Tampa Bay Lightning rearguard is probably best suited for the depth role he now finds himself in. The other two players to clear – placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination – were Carolina’s Michal Cajkovsky and Nashville’s Joonas Lyytinen. Given that Cajkovksy had already signed with Dynamo Moscow ahead of the KHL Trade Deadline, his clearance is not a surprise. The same goes for Lyytinen, who has struggled to carve out a role for himself with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals in two seasons in North America and was nowhere close to an NHL call-up. Lyytinen is likely to return to the Liiga in his native Finland following his release.

Overseas Notes: KHL Trade Deadline, Holmstrom, Toivonen

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The deadline for teams in the KHL to trade and sign players came and went yesterday, but not without some intriguing moves involving several former NHLers. Outside of the previously reported Michal Cajkovsky signing, several other notable names changed hands. After trading former Nashville Predators top prospect Taylor Beck to Avangard Omsk, the Kunlun Red Star were quick to replace him. Kunlun inked Drew Shore, who played briefly with the Vancouver Canucks just two years ago, to a contract for the remainder of the season. While Beck had been the team’s leading scorer with 22 points through 39 games, Shore is no slouch either. With the ZSC Lions of the NLA, Shore had ten points in 16 games before departing for the Red Star. He was also one of the top scorers in Switzerland in 2016-17 at nearly a point per game. Martin St. Pierre, who played eight seasons in North America with five different organizations, also signed with Kunlun ahead of the deadline. Elsewhere, former Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Geoff Kinrade signed on with Severstal Cherepovets, as arguably the worst team in the league looks for answers on the blue line.

  • As it pertains to the current NHL, perhaps the most intriguing move at the KHL deadline was the return for the aforementioned Beck. In exchange for sending their leading scorer to Avangard Omsk, the top team in their own division, Kunlun received the rights to Swedish forward Axel Holmstrom. However, Holmstrom is currently under contract with the Detroit Red Wings. A seventh-round pick back in 2017, Holmstrom is in just his second full pro season in North America, played entirely with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. While there is no concrete indication yet that the young forward is thinking of retreating back to Europe, there tends to be fire where there is smoke when it comes to these transactions in the KHL, just as there was when Cajkovksy’s rights were acquired by Dynamo Moscow earlier this season. Especially considering the fact that the Red Star surrendered their leading scorer to acquire just one piece, and an abstract piece at that, there would seem to be at least some optimism that Holmstrom is considering a jump to the KHL. While Holmstrom, 22, has been productive in the minor leagues, he has yet to get a sniff of opportunity in Detroit and may be cherishing the though of a lead role in Kunlun next season.
  • A familiar name is back in North America for the first time in five years. The ECHL’s Maine Mariners announced today that they have signed 34-year-old Hannu Toivonen to a contract for the remainder of the season. Toivonen was a first-round pick of the Boston Bruins back in 2002 and spent four years with the organization. He was then traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Carl Soderberg and went on to start a career-high 23 NHL games with the team in 2007-08. Toivonen also suited up briefly for the Chicago Blackhawks and various AHL and ECHL squads before returning to Europe in 2014. Before the nostalgic get too excited about a potential NHL comeback, Toivonen was a stable option in his native Finland for several years after heading back across the Atlantic, but struggled at stops in Austria and Denmark last season and has had difficulty finding work this year. While his name alone brings some intrigue and perhaps some added ticket revenue for the Mariners, this is likely just one of the final stops in a long career of a well-traveled goaltender.

Arizona Coyotes Trade Trevor Murphy To Anaheim Ducks

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The Arizona Coyotes have completed a minor trade, sending Trevor Murphy to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Giovanni Fiore. Both players were playing in the AHL and will likely remain in the minor leagues for the time being.

Murphy, a 23-year old defenseman, made his NHL debut last season and recorded three points in eight games for the Coyotes. Undrafted, Murphy signed out of the OHL in 2015 with the Nashville Predators and quickly became a reliable offensive threat at the minor league level. The undersized blue liner was included in a deadline day deal last season that sent him to Arizona, where he has continued to put up points in the AHL. With the Ducks also putting Jake Dotchin on waivers today, the San Diego Gulls could get a big improvement on the back end.

Fiore has even less experience under his belt, and is used to being traded. The 22-year old winger played for four different teams in the QMJHL over his junior career, before signing his entry-level contract in the spring of 2017. He made his NHL debut last season as well, but didn’t see the ice again after his first and only game. Fiore has 11 points in 23 games for the Gulls this season, and will give a little more minor league depth up front for the Tucson Roadrunners.

Murphy is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, while Fiore still has another year on that three-year entry-level contract.

Minor Transactions: 12/28/18

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We’re back to regular roster rules in the NHL, and with that teams will be making several moves to address their needs. A pair of teams, Boston and Dallas, used the holiday freeze to go over the 23 man roster limit and will need to come back down, while others were just waiting to send some underperforming forwards down to the minor leagues. As always, we’ll keep track of all the movement around the league right here.

  • Rourke Chartier is on his way back up to the San Jose Sharks, recalled by the team after their win over Anaheim last night. Chartier has played 13 games for the Sharks this season, but is looking to make a bit more of an offensive impact if he gets back into the lineup. The 22-year old has just a single point—his first NHL goal—in those 13 contests.
  • Though the Los Angeles Kings have normally been moving trios of players up and down to save cap space, that may not be the plan with Daniel Brickley who today was assigned to the AHL by himself. Dion Phaneuf resumed skating yesterday, meaning Brickley’s opportunity at the NHL level could be over for the time being.
  • John Stevens has been on season-opening injured reserve for the first part of the year, but today was assigned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. That likely means that Stevens is ready to resume his playing career, one that will likely keep him in the New York Islanders minor league system for the rest of the season.
  • The St. Louis Blues have assigned Zach Sanford to the AHL, giving them room on the roster to activate Robby Fabbri from injured reserve. Sanford has already set a career high with nine points in 23 games this season, but will have to continue to hone his skills at the minor league level for now. The 6’4″ forward hasn’t quite established himself as a full-time NHL player, but there is certainly still potential to grow into a reliable middle-six winger.
  • Chad Ruhwedel has been sent to the AHL on a conditioning stint, but he’ll remain on the Pittsburgh Penguins 23-man roster. The 28-year old defenseman has played in just 11 games this season, and with Jamie Oleksiak returning to practice in full there wasn’t room to get him into the lineup.
  • Lias Andersson hasn’t adapted to life in the NHL quite as well as some had hoped, and today the New York Rangers sent the top prospect back to the AHL. The 20-year old center has just four points in 21 games this season, but is such a huge part of the Rangers future they must put him in the best situation to succeed. Andersson did have 12 points in 14 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack earlier this year, a pace he’ll hopefully return to now that he’s back in the minor leagues.
  • With John Gibson dealing with an injury, the Anaheim Ducks have recalled goaltender Kevin Boyle from the minor leagues to fill in for now. The team is already without Ryan Miller, meaning Chad Johnson will have to hold the crease for the time being.
  • Alan Quine has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Calgary Flames, ending a three week run with the team. Quine has played nine games for the Flames this season, recording four points. He cleared waivers before the season began, and would have had to again if he played another game with the team.

Joel Eriksson Ek Assigned To Iowa Wild

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The Minnesota Wild haven’t received the expected contributions from their young players this year, and again have given one the opportunity to find his game in the minor leagues. Earlier this year the team sent Jordan Greenway to the Iowa Wild to spark his confidence, and this time it’s Joel Eriksson Ek headed to the AHL. Eriksson Ek has played just nine minor league games in his short career, spending most of his time in North America in Minnesota with the NHL squad.

It’s hard to know exactly what the 21-year old forward is at this point, after 125 mostly disappointing performances for Minnesota. Given every opportunity to take the third line center role and run with it, Eriksson Ek has just 28 points over those 125 games (playoffs included) and has been a no-show for long stretches. Selected 20th overall in 2015 there were big plans for the Swedish forward, but he hasn’t been able to fulfill any of his promise.

Now the Wild have a decision to make on how to best develop their young talent, given he is clearly not progressing while in the NHL. Hopefully a short stint in the minor leagues will kick-start his game, but if it doesn’t what comes next? Minnesota finds themselves slipping out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference after a five-game losing streak has dropped them to 17-16-3 on the season and there have been rumors all year about changes coming up front. Perhaps the best course for Eriksson Ek is to spend the rest of the year, or at least a substantial part of it in the minor leagues to really refine his game. It’s clearly not working for him or the team at the NHL level right now.

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