Vancouver Canucks Place Anders Nilsson On Injured Reserve
The Vancouver Canucks may have themselves a goaltending issue after the team placed goaltender Anders Nilsson on injured reserve Sunday, according to Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet. While there was no apparent injury during a game, Dhaliwal reports that Nilsson is dealing with a hand injury and had no idea how long he will be out.
It’s a big blow to a young team that has been playing beyond expectations this season as they hold a 6-6-0 record so far this year. Nilsson has been the standout goaltender in net as he has fared better than Jacob Markstrom as the 28-year-old seems to be bouncing back from a rough first year in Vancouver after signing a two-year deal during the summer of 2017. Nilsson has a 2.67 GAA and a .912 save percentage in six games this year, solid numbers for a team that many had picked to be among the bottom teams in the league this year.
While Vancouver has a top-flight prospect goaltender in Thatcher Demko sitting in Utica of the AHL, Demko has been doing just that as he has yet to make his debut this season as he is still suffering from concussion symptoms that he suffered in a Sept. 22 preseason game when he collided with Calgary’s Mikael Backlund. Dhaliwal reported Thursday that Demko has seen a specialist and is doing better, but remains at least a week away before taking the next step in his recovery.
Instead the team recalled Richard Bachman from Utica, who will serve as backup. Unfortunately, the 31-year-old veteran has struggled in Utica so far this year. In five games, he’s posted a 4.23 GAA and a .865 save percentage, suggesting the team may be in trouble if Nilsson is out for any extended time.
Minor Transactions: 10/28/18
The Florida Panthers landed in Helsinki, Finland, this morning as they prepare for the NHL Global Series on Thursday and Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. In the meantime, injuries around the league are beginning to pile up and several teams are expected to make moves today to fill out their roster. Keep an eye here throughout the day to see what moves teams make.
- After initial reports suggested the Philadelphia Flyers intended to recall Taylor Leier from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL, the team reversed course and recalled two different players as they announced they have recalled wingers Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Tyrell Goulbourne instead. To make room for the two, the Flyers have placed Corban Knight on injured reserve with a hand injury he sustained Saturday against the Islanders. The team also has loaned center Mikhail Vorobyev to Lehigh Valley. Vorboyev came out of training camp with the third-line center job, but after posting just two points in seven games, the team opted to make some changes. Aube-Kubel has been considered a strong candidate for promotion after posting a solid campaign in the AHL last year, posting 18 goals and 46 points. He already had three goals and seven points in eight games there this season. Golbourne played nine games for the Flyers last season and had four points in seven games this year.
- The Minnesota Wild announced they have recalled forward Jordan Greenway after sending him down to the Iowa Wild of the AHL on Friday. Greenway made two appearances for Iowa this weekend, but made the impact the team was hoping for Saturday when he registered a hat trick against the Colorado Eagles. The 6-foot-6 power forward out of Boston University hasn’t found his game in the NHL yet as he’s had just one assist in nine games. The hope as that his success in Iowa will build his confidence. No word whether there is a corresponding roster move.
- Although the team didn’t report it Saturday, CapFriendly announced that the Vancouver Canucks returned forward Darren Archibald to the Utica Comets of the AHL in order to make room on their roster when they activated center Elias Pettersson so he could play against Pittsburgh Saturday. The 19-year-old didn’t post a point as the Canucks were shutout, but Pettersson registered 19:01 of ice time. The 28-year-old Archibald got only into one game while filling in for Pettersson on the roster, and scored a goal in that game.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning announced they have recalled forward Danick Martel from his conditioning loan with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. The 23-year-old Martel posted great numbers with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL last season and the Lightning claimed him off waivers during training camp. Tampa Bay must keep him on their roster or place him back on waivers, which would give the Philadelphia Flyers an opportunity to claim him back. The team sent Martel to Syracuse on a conditioning stint on Oct. 18, but was forced to bring him back now that the conditioning loan has expired. He had one assist in four games there. The team hopes Martel can fill in for the injured Ondrej Palat, who is day-to-day.
- The Boston Bruins announced they have returned defenseman Jeremy Lauzon to the Providence Bruins of the AHL. The blueliner was recalled on an emergency loan after the team placed defenseman Kevan Miller on injured reserve on Thursday. However, with the impending return of Torey Krug, who could make his season debut as early as Tuesday after injuring his ankle right before the start of the season, the team was ready to return the 21-year-old. Lauzon played two games for Boston in his short stint, but failed to register a point. He does have four points in six games with Providence. Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reports the move may just be a paper transactions as Lauzon is not slated to play for Providence today.
- The Anaheim Ducks announced several roster moves in advance of tonight’s game against San Jose. They assigned defensemen Andrej Sustr (who cleared waivers on Saturday) and Marcus Pettersson to San Diego of the AHL while recalling blueliners Andy Welinski and Jacob Larsson from the Gulls. Larsson and Welinski combined to serve as Anaheim’s third pairing against the Sharks.
Central Notes: Laine, Vesalainen, Dickinson, Fortin
Despite winger Patrik Laine finding himself on the fourth line for a second straight game, Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice came to his player’s defense today. The 20-year-old Laine has just one even-strength point so far this season, prompting Maurice to swap Mathieu Perreault with Laine on Friday in their 2-1 win over Detroit. The move had few ramifications towards Laine’s numbers as he still managed to play 17:08 throughout the game. Yet the coach was quick to defend him.
“He’s 20,” Maurice said (via TSN’s Mark Masters). “He’s going to keep getting better…We need him to continue. He’s 20 & just learning the game.”
Maurice said the main goal of making the switch between Laine and Perrault was that Perrault was “buzzing” and he wanted to give the veteran a bigger role, pointing out that the power play (with Laine) was still “outstanding.”
- Sticking with Jets, the Winnipeg Sun’s Ted Wyman reports that the recall of Tucker Poolman is expected to be the last roster move before the team travels to Finland for their two-game global series with the Florida Panthers. That means that 19-year-old Finn Kristian Vesalainen, the team’s 2017 first-rounder, won’t be going on the trip then as he remains with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. He has four assists in two games there, but still hasn’t been brought back to Winnipeg.
- Mark Stepneski of NHL.com writes that Dallas Stars winger Jason Dickinson has seen his confidence soar in the last week and is starting to show that he can provide some of that secondary scoring the team desperately needs. The team has gotten 15 of its 19 goals this season from four players, including Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, John Klingberg and Alexander Radulov. However, Dickinson showed some impressive play last Tuesday, although all he got out of it was an assist. However, he followed that up Thursday with a two goal, three-point night, showing he can put up numbers. “I think it’s been building since training camp,” head coach Jim Montgomery said. “For a player to start to gain confidence in this league, it’s not easy. We thought he had a really good training camp and then the season started with a bit of inconsistency, but you’re starting to see it build.”
- The Chicago Tribune’s Jimmy Greenfield writes that Chicago Blackhawks forward Alexandre Fortin is starting to find his place on the Blackhawks’ roster. The 21-year-old has two goals and an assist over the past four games, and while head coach Joel Quenneville keeps changing lines on him, but the coach likes Fortin’s speed a little more than his defensive deficiencies. “(Defense) is a work in progress, but it’s been a good start for him,” Quenneville said. “It’s been a positive beginning because his speed has definitely been a big factor.”
Anaheim Ducks Place Maxime Comtois On Injured Reserve
The Anaheim Ducks have placed winger Max Comtois on injured reserve today after he sustained a lower-body injury earlier last week, according to CapFriendly. The hope was that the 19-year-old Comtois might be ready for Sunday’s matchup against San Jose after a two-day break. No word if the move was retroactive. Regardless, Comtois will likely miss a few games after this transaction.
Comtois has been one of the Ducks’ bright spots this season as he has two goals and seven points in his first 10 games of the season. A bit of a surprise to make Anaheim’s opening day roster out of training camp, the second-round pick from the 2017 draft has already burned the first year of his entry-level deal and continues to thrive in the Ducks struggling offense. He had a breakout season last season with the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL after posting 44 goals and 85 points in 56 games there.
The Ducks made a couple of other roster moves, including officially sending Andrej Sustr to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL after the veteran blueliner cleared waivers earlier today. The team has now recalled defensemen Jacob Larsson and Andy Welinski from San Diego, according to The Athletic’s Eric Stephens. Larsson, the team’s first-rounder from 2015, has struggled with injuries over the last year, but the 21-year-old has been heathy so far this year with two assists in six games this season. The 25-year-old Welinski started the year in San Diego on fire, posting two goals and five points in five games so far this year. The offensive defenseman played in seven games for the Ducks last year.
Stephens also notes that Jakob Silfverberg could be close to returning to the Ducks lineup. That could be a significant return as Silfverberg was hot before getting injured against St. Louis on Oct. 14. The 28-year-old had three goals and seven points before going down with a hand injury.
Minor Transactions: 10/27/18
Rivalries are set to renew tonight, with the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens set to square off for the first time this season and the St. Louis Blues looking to bounce back from two early losses to the Chicago Blackhawks. Teams in action tonight as well as teams adjusting from a particularly painful slate of games last night will be making roster moves throughout the day. Keep up with the changes here:
- One of those aforementioned injuries last night was sustained by the Ottawa Senators’ Zack Smith, who sustained a facial fracture in a loss to the Colorado Avalanche. With the Sens currently on a road trip and set to face the Vegas Golden Knights tomorrow, the team has worked quickly to replace Smith’s roster spot. The team announced the recall of forward Jack Rodewald from their AHL affiliate in Belleville. Rodewald skated in four games with Ottawa last season and was held scoreless, but is off to a hot start in the minors with seven points in eight games.
- The Edmonton Oilers have activated defenseman Matt Benning from the injured reserve. Benning was placed on the IR last week with an undisclosed injury and has returned as soon as possible from the mysterious ailment. In a corresponding move, the Oilers have returned Kevin Gravel to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Gravel had been called up to replace Benning, but saw very limited ice time in two games with Edmonton. The free agent addition will have to return to the minors, where he had played well, and continue to show that he is worthy of an NHL roster spot.
- Veteran forward Ryan White has signed a PTO with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets, the team announced. White, spent the entire 2017-18 season outside the NHL – split between the AHL’s San Diego Gulls and Iowa Wild – for the first time since his first pro season in the Montreal Canadiens’s system in 2008-09. The experienced grinder has had trouble locking down a job at all for this season, attending camp with the Minnesota Wild and then returning to Iowa, but to no avail. The owner of 313 NHL games (and 447 penalty minutes) could bring leadership and grit to Manitoba if he can prove that he can still skate at a pro level. White is the type of player who could even earn a pro-rated NHL contract late in the year with Winnipeg as fourth line depth. Only time will tell how this latest stop works out for the veteran.
- The Jets have recalled defenseman Tucker Poolman from Manitoba, who makes his return to the Winnipeg lineup. The 25-year-old skated in 25 games with the Jets last year in his first pro season, but failed to break camp this year. The University of North Dakota stalwart is a more than capable defender, but suffers from playing in a deep organization. Blocked by Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien, and Tyler Myers on the right side of the blue line, Poolman is not guaranteed to see the ice on this recall, but will make the most of the opportunity if he does.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning decided to go with a veteran minor league defenseman to replace Victor Hedman in the lineup for the next week until he is re-evaluated while the all-star is forced to sit out with an upper-body injury. The Lightning announced they have recalled Cameron Gaunce from Syracuse of the AHL who likely will be used as an extra defender for the team. The 28-year-old has already played eight full seasons in the AHL, while only having appeared in 32 NHL games during that span. He currently has a goal and an assist in six games with the Crunch.
Minor Transactions: 10/26/18
All eyes are Colorado tonight to see the league’s hottest line back in action against the Ottawa Senators. Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen will welcome former Avalanche star Matt Duchene back to town for the first time since his trade last season, while trying to continue their winning ways. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves teams make to get ready for tonight’s games and tomorrow’s full schedule:
- The Los Angeles Kings have sent Sheldon Rempal back to the minor leagues, as Dustin Brown prepares for his return to the lineup. Rempal played in three games for the Kings but was held scoreless, something he hasn’t experienced in the minor league so far. Rempal has recorded at least a point in each of his first four AHL games with the Ontario Reign, and has a total of eight on the season. The 23-year old undrafted forward was signed out of Clarkson University after a breakout season.
- With John Quenneville sent to the AHL, the New Jersey Devils have recalled Joey Anderson according to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. Anderson would be making his NHL debut if he gets into a game, but Gulitti believes he’s only up as an insurance policy for Marcus Johansson who missed practice today with an illness. Anderson, a promising forward prospect for the Devils, has five points through his first eight professional games and may end up outplaying his third-round draft status with ease.
Jordan Greenway, John Quenneville Assigned To AHL
The Minnesota Wild and New Jersey Devils have made some tough decisions with regards to two budding prospects, assigning Jordan Greenway and John Quenneville back to the AHL. Both players suited up last night for their respective teams, but will now be headed to the minor leagues. Greenway will play just two games in the AHL according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, as Joel Eriksson Ek has returned to full practice for the Wild and is expected to take his spot in the lineup until their upcoming road trip. Quenneville, who played more than 13 minutes last night for the Devils, has already bounced up and down this season and may continue to do so until he shows some improved consistency at the NHL level.
Greenway is an important prospect for the Wild given his physicality and offensive upside, but hasn’t been able to show much of the latter yet at the NHL level. With just two points in his first 15 NHL games, he’ll get a chance to boost his confidence at the lower level and get back to what made him so effective at Boston University and on the international stage. The 6’6″ forward scored 92 points in 112 games for BU, and competed at the World Junior Championship, World Championship and Olympics for Team USA in the span of just over a year. He was an integral part of the gold medal-winning 2017 World Junior squad, scoring eight points in seven games alongside star talents like Clayton Keller and Charlie McAvoy. If he can ever find that level of play in the NHL, the Wild will have another legitimate power forward option to plug into the lineup. For now, he needs to find his footing again.
For Quenneville, there’s not nearly as much rope left on his “top prospect” status. The 30th overall pick in 2014, he now has two full minor league seasons under his belt and has failed to show much at the NHL level in several different stints with the Devils. Through 19 games spread over the last three years, he’s recorded just four points. There is huge potential still in Quenneville, who possesses excellent puck skills and a big enough frame to battle physically, but he needs to show it before he starts being passed over on the depth chart in New Jersey. He’ll turn 23 this season, and is still looking for a way to crack an organization that has shown it is more than willing to give young players a chance.
Eeli Tolvanen Expected To Stay In North America For Full Season
After Eeli Tolvanen lit up the KHL as a teenager last season, some expected him to step right into the NHL and not look back. His chance came at the end of the season with the Nashville Predators, but after some struggles in three outings was kept off the playoff roster entirely. Tolvanen would get another chance at training camp this summer, but ended up sent to the Milwaukee Admirals to work on his game at the minor league level. That assignment came with a catch though, as Tolvanen’s entry-level contract has a clause in it which would allow him to return to the KHL after ten AHL games if he so chose.
Tolvanen has now played eight games in the minor leagues and will reach the ten mark this weekend, but isn’t expected to be going anywhere. Pierre LeBrun said as much on the most recent edition of TSN’s Insider Trading, and as Paul Skrbina writes for the Tennessean, Tolvanen this week even told a Finnish radio station outright that he’d be staying in North America.
Obviously things could change over the next few days, but Tolvanen staying in North America is good news for the Predators as it means they’ll have the chance to monitor his development more closely. It also means that they will be able to recall him at a moment’s notice if they feel he’s grown enough to compete at the NHL level, which is likely why he wants to stay close as well. The 19-year old is armed with a wicked shot and excellent offensive instincts, but has to learn how to create more chances for himself instead of just waiting for an opportunity to let a shot fly. He does have five assists (and one goal) in eight minor league games, and continues to take steps towards his eventual NHL ceiling. For now, he’ll stay in the AHL and learn to dominate on North American ice just like he did last season for Jokerit.
Minor Transactions: 10/25/18
Ten games grace the NHL stage tonight, including several East-West matchups between playoff contenders. As teams prepare for their games this weekend, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Christian Wolanin from the AHL to give them another defenseman for their upcoming road trip. The team will be without Mark Borowiecki for the first game as he sits out his one-game suspension, but are expected to have Cody Ceci back in the lineup. That means Wolanin may yet have to wait for his first game this season, but is at least earning an NHL paycheck for a few days.
- Jeremy Lauzon is the lucky defender that has been recalled by the Boston Bruins, this time under emergency conditions. The team moved Kevan Miller to injured reserve, and have several other defensemen banged up. Torey Krug did take part in the morning skate, but Charlie McAvoy and Urho Vaakanainen are not expected to play. It’s the first time Lauzon has ever been recalled to the NHL.
- Rocco Grimaldi has been recalled by the Nashville Predators after the team placed Dan Hamhuis on injured reserve. Grimaldi has 11 points in his first eight games for the Milwaukee Admirals, and has played the game of extra forward at the NHL level many times before. He’ll likely be sent back down soon, and find himself back with the team again later during the year.
- Rick Dhaliwal of Sportnet reports that Alex Biega has been called up by the Vancouver Canucks, noting that Guillaume Brisebois could also be on his way up to the team. Biega played 44 games for the Canucks last season but was forced to start at the minor league level this year, where he has two points in his first three games.
- The Calgary Flames have activated Travis Hamonic from injured reserve, and will re-insert him into the lineup after being out with a facial fracture suffered early in the season. To make room on the roster, Anthony Peluso has been sent back to the minor leagues. Juuso Valimaki, who is just one game away from burning a year of his entry-level contract, will sit tonight for the Flames.
- Christoffer Ehn has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Detroit Red Wings, making room for Mike Green‘s return to the lineup this week. Ehn was a surprise on the final roster out of camp, and played nine games with the Wings to start the season. The 22-year old forward recorded his first NHL point two weeks ago, but had seen his ice time diminished recently.
- Jake Bischoff has also been sent back to the AHL, and is still awaiting his NHL debut. It’s not the first time Bischoff has been called up without actually getting into a game, and it likely won’t be the last. The 24-year old defenseman scored 23 points in his first full season at the AHL level in 2017-18, and will look to do more damage for the Chicago Wolves this year.
Darling, Neuvirth Complete Conditioning Stints
The Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes were in similar situations earlier this month when they claimed Calvin Pickard and Curtis McElhinney off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both had an NHL goaltender—Michal Neuvirth and Scott Darling respectively—injured, and were looking for short-term help without giving up an asset or rushing a prospect. Now both are in the same situation again, as Neuvirth and Darling are ready to return.
The Hurricanes announced today that Darling has been recalled from his conditioning stint with the Charlotte Checkers, while Neuvirth told reporters including Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey that he would re-join the Flyers in Boston after playing for the Lehigh Valley Pchantoms last night. The question now for both teams is what happens to that extra goaltender that they claimed earlier in the year.
For the Flyers, it’s likely a simple decision of putting Pickard back on waivers. The team is unlikely to carry three goaltenders for any substantial length of time, and don’t seem ready to rid themselves of starter Brian Elliott just yet, despite his slow start. Elliott has just a .882 save percentage through the early going, and has allowed 24 goals through seven games. Pickard meanwhile has performed even worse with an .833 through his three appearances.
In Carolina, things aren’t nearly as clear. Though McElhinney hasn’t performed nearly as well as he did for the Maple Leafs or even Columbus Blue Jackets, he could potentially be a better option this season than what Petr Mrazek has shown so far. This is the third straight season that the former Detroit Red Wings goaltender has performed poorly, and is providing little value to the Hurricanes for his $1.5MM salary. That contract would also likely keep him from being claimed, something that certainly couldn’t be said for McElhinney.
In fact for both Pickard and McEllhinney, getting through waivers is an unlikely scenario. The Maple Leafs were left with very little goaltending depth after losing both, and then saw third-string netminder Kasimir Kaskisuo go down to injury in the minor leagues. That left them with Eamon McAdam getting an emergency call-up from the ECHL when Frederik Andersen tweaked his knee, something that the team will want to avoid going forward. If the Maple Leafs are the only team to put in a claim on Pickard or McElhinney, they could assign either goaltender directly to the minor leagues and keep them in the system without having to use a roster spot. It’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t try that for at least one of the two if they’re placed on waivers today or tomorrow.