Anaheim Ducks Notes: Wagner, Shaw, Kase, Cramarossa
Since joining the Anaheim Ducks organization as a fifth-round pick in 2010, center Chris Wagner has carved out a career on the fringes of the NHL, and as The Orange County Register’s Eric Stephens writes, the 25-year-old pivot has learned a hard lesson about the business side of hockey. Wagner has been placed on waivers several times over the last two seasons, most recently two days ago, but instead of a reassignment to San Diego after he cleared, he was back in the Ducks lineup Thursday night following the trade of Michael Sgarbossa to Florida.
Wagner and Sgarbossa had been competing for playing time but that changed following the trade:
“It’s crazy. Sgars (Sgarbossa) was playing well, too. We competed. We had a really good relationship and everything. It just proves that it’s a business. We’re kind of just cogs in the business.
“Sometimes you can’t really explain why things happen. Just got to worry about your team and yourself. Make the most of your opportunity.”
Despite moving from Anaheim to Colorado and back again last season via waivers, Wagner says it’s not a process you “become immune to,” as Stephens reports:
“Once you go on, it’s just waiting. I don’t know if I’m numb to it now. It’s part of the worst 24 hours in hockey. You have no control and you don’t know what’s going to happen until the next day.”
With just two goals in 16 appearances so far this season, Wagner is likely to remain vulnerable to losing his roster spot as long as he is with Anaheim. Wagner provides an interesting insight into what it’s like for all of the fringe NHL players active today.
More from Anaheim:
- From the same piece, Stephens notes that while Logan Shaw, recently acquired from Florida in the Sgarbossa deal, was assigned to San Diego immediately after the trade, the possibility exists that the 25-year-old winger could see time with Anaheim this season. Bench boss Randy Carlyle points to Shaw’s size and versatility as advantages over the recently departed Sgarbossa: “He can play right side or center. He’s a bigger-bodied individual. We’re looking at a little size differential between him and Sgarbossa. Sgarbossa came in and played well for us. Was up and down. Was a good player. Got nothing but great things to say about Sgarbie (Sgarbossa).
- Anaheim today recalled forward Ondrej Kase from San Diego, tweets the busy Eric Stephens. Kase will likely take the spot of Joseph Cramarossa, who Stephens said did not skate this morning and appeared to get hurt Thursday. In nine games for San Diego of the AHL, Kase has scored three goals and seven points. He’s also appeared in two games for the Ducks tallying a single point this season. Kase was Anaheim’s seventh-round pick in 2014 and the 21-year-old recorded eight goals and 14 points in 25 games with the Gulls last year, his first action as a professional in North America.
Oilers Notes: McLellan, Lander, Russell, Caggiula, Hendricks
Thursday night’s 4 – 2 loss to Los Angeles represented Todd McLellan’s 100th game behind the Edmonton bench. Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal felt that’s enough of a sample to determine whether McLellan has delivered on the promise of guiding the talented team back to the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
McCurdy compares McLellan’s performance to this point to the five other men who have guided the club since the 2009-10 campaign; a list that includes accomplished NHL coaches in Pat Quin and Tom Renney in addition to first-time NHL bench bosses like Ralph Krueger and Dallas Eakins.
It’s a relatively in-depth analysis using a number of categories including; the Oilers win rate, their share of goals and shots for and the team’s performance in the special teams department. A full read of the post is highly recommended but ultimately McCurdy concludes that the Oilers have improved only marginally under McLellan and despite a ton of high end talent – including Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Jordan Eberle – there is still much work to be done to turn Edmonton into a perennial playoff team.
Other items from Edmonton:
- The club announced via their official Twitter account today that they have activated forwards Matt Hendricks and rookie Drake Caggiula, along with blue liner Kris Russell from IR. Also, Anton Lander who cleared waivers, has been assigned to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. Hendricks and Caggiula have yet to appear in a game for Edmonton this season while Russell, a late offseason free agent signing, has suited up for 11 contests and has three assists so far. Caggiula was a coveted college free agent last spring who capped off an impressive four-year career at the University of North Dakota with a 25-goal, 51-point senior season. He made the Oilers in training camp but a hip injury delayed his much anticipated debut. Now it appears as if he will get his chance in relatively short order.
- Lastly, Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal took note of the rumored availability of Arizona Coyotes blue liner Michael Stone and wonders if the Edmonton Oilers would have an interest, assuming those rumors are in fact accurate. Stone has just three points in seven games this season but turned in a productive 2015-16 campaign with six goals and 30 helpers. Stone has had a positive affect on puck possession over the last three years while playing for a team that ranks 24th in Corsi For % during that time. It’s unclear what Edmonton would have to give up to pry Stone away from Arizona but Pierre Lebrun speculates that when and if the team elects to move center Martin Hanzal, the Coyotes would want a young roster player who can contribute right now as opposed to prospects and/or picks. It’s fair to guess then that Arizona would request the same in any hypothetical trade of Stone.
Metro Division Snapshots: Oshie, Eller, Jones, Flyers
Washington lost three players last night to injury in the team’s gutsy 1 – 0 win over Detroit, forcing the Capitals to play with just nine forwards for the last two periods of the contest. T.J. Oshie exited in the first frame with what is being called an upper-body-injury after absorbing a heavy hit from Riley Sheahan, writes Isabelle Kurshudyan of The Washington Post. He is being listed as week-to-week, suggesting he could miss at least the next few games for Washington.
Kurshudyan adds that Lars Eller, also suffering from an upper-body-injury, is currently day-to-day though head coach Barry Trotz says he is doubtful for tomorrow night’s game after not practicing today.
Andre Burakovsky was also hurt during the game and sat out the final two periods but was a full participant in practice this morning and should be ready to go tomorrow. Trotz says the 21-year-old winger is “trending in the right direction,” in terms of his chances of playing tomorrow. Burakovsky is confident, saying, “I feel good” and “I feel ready,” when discussing his availability for the game.
The loss of Oshie for any length of time hurts Washington as the veteran winger plays in all situations and logs big minutes for the team. He has eight goals and 12 points in 17 games this season for the Capitals.
Eller, acquired from Montreal in the offseason in exchange for two, second-round draft choices, has just two goals on the season. Washington pulled the trigger on the deal with the idea the Danish pivot would address the team’s longstanding hole for a third line center who can contribute in all phases.
Kurshudyan also reports that Trotz indicated the team will recall a forward from Hershey of the AHL, with the expectation that Oshie and Eller will be out of the lineup tomorrow. Though Trotz didn’t offer any insight into who might get the call, Paul Carey, Chris Bourque and Christian Thomas are all having good seasons for the Bears and each has at least some NHL experience.
Elsewhere in the Metro Division:
- According to Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch, Seth Jones, out the last couple of weeks with a hairline fracture of his foot, was back at practice this morning. Jones was originally expected to miss three weeks with the injury so a return to practice lines up well with that time frame. In his first full season with the Blue Jackets, Jones has three goals and six points in 10 games. Fortunately for Columbus, the absence of Jones hasn’t hurt the team as the Blue Jackets have won four of the five games he has missed.
- On one hand, the influx of talented youngsters into the Philadelphia Flyers lineup has been a welcome one. But, on the other, there is generally a learning process each must go through and several of the team’s young players are finding that out, as Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post writes. Head coach Dave Hakstol recently made second year defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere a healthy scratch and benched rookie winger Travis Konecny for much of the third period in Thursday’s 5 – 2 win over Winnipeg. Hakstol reminds his charges that a healthy scratch or a benching is simply a part of the process as young players learn what it takes to be a successful NHL player, and not to necessarily take it as a bad thing: “It’s easy to take some of the moves that we make in a negative way, but that’s not the case,” Hakstol said. “For young players, it’s a learning process. I used the word (Thursday) ‘accountability.’ There is that element within a team and most importantly just taking positive steps forward as you become a more consistent player at this level and that’s not an easy step for young players to make and Ghost is still a young player.” Gostisbehere, who finished second in Calder Trophy voting a year ago, and Konecny, a 19-year-old rookie, have both been productive this season with the “Ghost” posting 10 points in 17 games while Konecny has 11 points in 18.
Bobby Ryan Out With Broken Finger
The Senators will be without the services of Bobby Ryan, one of their top offensive threats at least for tonight’s game against Florida due to a broken finger, according to the team’s official Twitter account. The team also described the likelihood of Mike Hoffman suiting up tonight as “less than likely,” suggesting it’s probable that two of the Sens best forwards will be out of the lineup tonight.
Curtis Lazar, who was recalled from Binghamton of the AHL this morning, will be in the lineup.
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun adds that this is the third broken finger over the last three years for Ryan.
Ryan has struggled at the outset of the 2016-17 campaign, scoring just three goals and recording six points in 17 games to date. The native of Cherry Hill, New Jersey and former second overall draft choice in 2005 – selected only after Sidney Crosby – tallied four straight 30-goal campaigns from 2008-09 through 2011-12 while a member of the Anaheim Ducks. Since being acquired by the Senators in a blockbuster deal which saw Jakob Silfverberg, Stefan Noesen and a first-round pick going to Anaheim, Ryan has failed to to reach the 30-goal mark. His best season came last year with a scoring line of 22G – 34A – 56Pts.
One of the reasons the Senators traded for Derick Brassard was to give Ryan a skilled, left-handed pivot who could more easily get the puck to the right-handed right wing on the rush. The two have failed to click as hoped and were recently moved to different lines in an attempt to jump start the offense.
Hoffman, like Ryan, is off to a slow start with just three goals and seven points in 16 games. He is considered day-to-day with a lower-body-injury. Hoffman inked a massive four-year contract extension worth a total of $20.75MM this summer on the heels of a 29-goal, 59-point performance in 2015-16.
The Senators currently rank 27th in the NHL in goals scored and losing Ryan for what could be a lengthy period won’t help matters. Lazar has been considered one of Ottawa’s better prospects and the hope is he is ready to contribute some offense.
Los Angeles Kings Assign Campbell To AHL; Zatkoff To Return
The net has been a tough spot to be for Los Angeles Kings goaltenders this year, as both Jonathan Quick and Jeff Zatkoff have battled injuries all year. That might be coming to an end though, as according to Helene Elliott of the LA Times, the team has sent down Jack Campbell to the AHL following the news that Zatkoff will return this weekend.
Originally injured on October 22nd at practice, Zatkoff had been out of the lineup for almost a month. The Kings had to turn to Peter Budaj and Campbell, their planned AHL tandem, to fill in for the first month. Budaj received all fourteen starts however, Campbell only seeing the net in relief on November 1st. Obviously, he wasn’t trusted as well as the long-time NHL veteran. Budaj put up a strong-enough .914 save percentage over that stretch.
Zatkoff returning doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll take the starting job away from Budaj, though I imagine he would be in line for more work than Campbell. The former Pittsburgh Penguins netminder carries a career .912 save percentage and 2.72 GAA, but has never started more than 18 games in a single NHL season. Budaj, on the other hand is just two shy of 200 career starts, though has been relegated to the AHL in recent seasons.
Either way, the Kings have to figure out a way to start winning hockey games, as they are 8-9-1 and fourth in the Pacific Division.
Buffalo Sabres Send Baptiste, Rodrigues To Rochester
Amid rumors that they may be talking to the Vancouver Canucks about Evander Kane, the Buffalo Sabres have made another, less impactful roster move. The team has sent Nick Baptiste and Evan Rodrigues down to the AHL today. The team will likely need to make two corresponding moves to fill out their roster, as their injured forwards are not expected to make a return this weekend.
Baptiste, the younger of the two, has played in twelve games with the Sabres this season, and has two goals despite playing under 10 minutes each night. The 21-year old has scored seven points in the six games he’s spent down in the AHL this season between call-ups, continuing on his strong rookie campaign last year. In 2013-14, Baptiste showed off his scoring ability in junior, potting 45 goals in 65 games. He hasn’t been able to replicate it since, though is still expected to be a part of the Sabres future.
An undrafted rookie, Rodrigues made his NHL debut last season with the Sabres and got into just two games this year before being sent back down. A standout at Boston University, the 23-year old is also off to a strong start with Rochester, scoring eight points in 13 games. An undersized winger, Rodrigues scored 61 points in his final season at BU (41 games) before bing signed to a two-year, entry-level deal in 2015.
Senators Notes: Claesson, Anderson, Injuries
After being called up two weeks ago, Fredrik Claesson will be sent back to Binghamton of the AHL according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. The team, facing a handful of nagging injuries up front, needs the roster spot to bring up another forward for tomorrow’s game. Claesson got into six games with the big club this year, barely playing much at all as Erik Karlsson continues to log huge minutes (27 per game).
A fifth-round pick, Claesson has progressed nicely into a solid depth defenseman for the club. Recently, GM Pierre Dorion specifically mentioned him as impressive in his development, saying he doesn’t really need to go out and get another blueliner now.
- Craig Anderson will again be in net tomorrow night after returning to the club. His season-long battle continues as he pops in and out of the dressing room whenever he can. Two nights ago marked Hockey Fights Cancer night in the NHL, where players and teams around the league donned lavender sweaters and the names of loved ones for warm up. Multiple players wore the name of Anderson’s wife Nicholle, honoring their peer in the only way they could. Today, the Anderson’s announced through a Sens press release that Nicholle has been diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
- The team is fighting a number of small injuries, as Garrioch reports. Bobby Ryan, Mike Hoffman and Chris Neil are all day-to-day and will be game-time decisions for tomorrow night’s matchup. The team will have to call up replacements for each of them if they miss, as they’re currently only carrying one extra forward.
Oilers Place Anton Lander On Waivers
The Edmonton Oilers have placed forward Anton Lander on waivers for purpose of assignment to the Bakersfield Condors.
Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that Matt Hendricks and Drake Caggiula are coming off IR. Hendricks was injured in a pre-season game at the beginning of October, while Caggiula suffered a hip injury while taking a penalty shot. Lander, a second round pick in 2009, has already cleared waivers once this year. He was not assigned to Bakersfield, in part because of injuries to Hendricks and Caggiula.
Lander has proven to be a legit number one center in the AHL, but has never been able to have sustained success at the NHL level. His best stretch was in the 2014-15 season, where he scored 20 points in 38 games as the Oilers third line center. He was expected to be the Oilers third line center the next season, and actually tied Alex Ovechkin for pre-season goal scoring. Unfortunately for Lander and the Oilers, he only scored one goal in 61 regular season games and lost his spot as an NHL regular. This season, he’s played 16 games on the Oilers fourth line. He’s a great face-off man and a good penalty killer, but the Oilers have enough slow-to-average speed players in the bottom six, and Lander’s skill-set is replaced by Hendricks.
One wonders if the Detroit Red Wings take a look at Lander. They’ve suffered some injuries at the forward position, and Lander’s only NHL success came under the Red Wings current AHL coach Todd Nelson. Nelson coached Lander in Oklahoma City, where he ended up being a 1.1 PPG player at that level.
Lander will be a restricted free agent at season’s end, and makes $990K.
- The Oilers have also assigned defenseman Dillon Simpson to the Condors. Simpson was recalled on November 5, but did not appear in an NHL game. The son of former Oiler and Hockey Night in Canada commentator Craig Simpson was called up because of an injury to Kris Russell, but Russell and Brandon Davidson are both close to returning.
Montreal Canadiens Call Up Charles Hudon From AHL
Some more French-Canadian blood will be skating for the Montreal Canadiens soon enough, as the team has brought up Charles Hudon from the St. John’s IceCaps of the AHL. Hudon made his NHL debut last season for the Habs when he dressed for three games throughout the year.
Hudon was originally drafted by the Canadiens in the fifth round, but has done nothing but improve his stock since then. With two straight 50+ point seasons in the AHL and a point-per-game start this season, he’s proven that he can score at the minor league level. In his three games last season he chipped in two assists, and is an offensive force when he keeps his feet moving in the zone.
Using his speed and relentless forechecking skills he already has nine goals, and now will join a team that already has no trouble scoring. While it’s unclear where he’ll slot in, he also has incredible power play vision, and may see time on special teams as well.
Dallas Stars Send Down Lindell, Activate Eakin
The Dallas Stars are starting to get healthier. Mark Stepneski reports that the team has activated Cody Eakin from injured reserve today, while sending Esa Lindell down to the AHL.
Eakin was originally injured in training camp and was given a six week timetable, a big blow to a Stars team that expected big contributions from the center. After three straight seasons of 35+ points, the team is still waiting on that big breakout from the 25-year old. With Jiri Hudler, Patrick Sharp and Ales Hemsky all still injured, he’ll get his chance over the next few weeks.
Lindell had played ten games for the Stars this season, but was a healthy scratch the last few and shouldn’t be a surprising demotion. The 22-year old blueliner has shown that he can at least provide NHL minutes on a part-time basis, but will go back down to log more icetime and continue his development at both ends of the rink.