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Trade Rumors: Ducks, Senators, DeMelo, Duclair

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When action resumes following the All-Star break, it is the unofficial start of NHL Trade Deadline season. In fact, with a relatively early deadline day of February 24th this year, things should pick up sooner rather than later. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch came prepared to handle the transition from All-Star exit to trade mania, reporting on a number of situations in his latest “Insider Trading” column. Garrioch begins with the further shift in the status quo of the Anaheim Ducks. Anaheim began the season hoping to return to being contenders with a talented mix of veterans and youngsters. However, it has not played out that way on the ice, as the Ducks hold the second-worst record in the Western Conference. Recently, a report came out that the team was willing to use their cap space to take on bad contracts if it meant that they could add prospects and picks in return. Garrioch now reports that the team is taking it one step further, perhaps in response to winning just three of their past 15 games. He hears from multiple league sources that the Ducks are preparing for a full rebuild and are at least willing to listen on just about every player. For a team with so few valuable impending free agents – Michael Del Zotto and Derek Grant lead the way – this shift in the status quo could make for a much bigger deadline in Anaheim. Ondrej Kase, who has previously been rumored to have fallen out of favor with the team, could be one possible casualty, as could defenseman Josh Manson, who has recently been linked to a few other teams. What about Rickard Rakell, one of the best value contracts in the league and a player that any contender would like to get their hands on? Or long-term players like Cam Fowler, Adam Henrique, and Jakob Silfverberg? Franchise faces Ryan Getzlaf and John Gibson and top defender Hampus Lindholm are likely off the table, but nearly anyone else in Anaheim over the age of 24 appears to be a candidate to move at the right price.

  • Garrioch mentions a number of available players, many of whom won’t comes as much of a surprise, including L.A.’s Tyler Toffoli and Alec Martinez, San Jose’s Brenden Dillon, and the Rangers’ Chris Kreider (if the team can’t re-sign him). However, he states definitively that the New Jersey Devils’ impending UFA’s are also up for grabs. This means Andy Greene, Sami Vatanen, and Wayne Simmonds, three players who many were unsure the Devils would part with, could very well be on new teams in a month’s time. As for teams in the mix, Garrioch claims that the Islanders and Jets are leading the search for defense, while the Bruins, Blues, Flames, and Coyotes are the most eager to add forwards.
  • The Ottawa Senators have ten impending UFA’s on the roster, but not all of them will survive the trade deadline. Garrioch reports that GM Pierre Dorion plans to sit down with each one before the deadline and discuss the possibility of an extension before putting them on the block. At this point in their rebuild, the Senators cannot afford to let valuable players walk away as free agents, meaning the likes of Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Vladislav Namestnikov, Ron Hainsey, Mark Borowiecki, and Dylan DeMelo and more need to have made a decision on their commitment to Ottawa soon or they could be sent packing.
  • On the DeMelo front in particular, Garrioch reports that the Florid Panthers are the leading suitor for the 26-year-old defenseman, should Ottawa opt to move him. He mentions that that the Carolina Hurricanes are another team with definite interest. Garrioch adds that Florida is also looking for a backup goalie, which could potentially put former Panther Craig Anderson on their radar.
  • As for one player who has made up his mind on his future with Ottawa, All-Star Anthony Duclair tells Sportsnet’s Luke Fox that he hopes to re-sign long-term with the Senators. The 24-year-old has excelled since arriving in Ottawa late last season and wants to continue to play a central role for the team through their rebuild:

I just want to focus and really end the season on a positive note like I did last year, and really make a statement to the management and the coaching staff that I want to be a big part of this rebuild. I’m still a young guy. When the change is gonna happen, when Ottawa’s gonna become a contender, I want to be part of that. So I’m working as hard as I can.

Minor Transactions: 01/26/20

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The 2020 NHL All-Star Game is in the books. The 3-on-3 tournament produced a familiar result, with the Pacific Division taking home the title. In five years under this All-Star format, the Pacific has won three times and the Metropolitan twice, with the Atlantic and Central still seeking a title. The Atlantic got close yesterday; after winning their first game 9-5 over the Metro, the Atlantic suffered a 5-4 loss in a much tighter game against the Pacific, who had also blown out their first game against the Central, 10-5. Unsurprisingly, the celebrity captain assigned to the Pacific was Wayne Gretzky, who always has the hockey gods on his side. Despite the final loss, Boston forward David Pastrnak was voted the MVP of the All-Star tournament with a total of four goals and six points (if only Pastrnak could help his Bruins – league leaders in OT/SO losses by a wide margin – improve on their 3-on-3).

Now, with many teams returning to action on Monday, be prepared for a flurry of activity today, as evidenced by an early start. Many minor moves will be filed before games resume tomorrow night, so keep up with all of today’s transactions here:

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled forwards Drake Batherson and Filip Chlapik from AHL Belleville, the team announced. Chlapik has skated in 23 games with Ottawa this season, recording five points, while Batherson has a pair of points in nine NHL games. Batherson though has largely spent his year in the AHL, where he has compiled 46 points in 37 games – the league’s third-highest scorer. In fact, Batherson was supposed to be in attendance at today’s AHL All-Star event in Ontario, California, but apparently will be a last-minute absence.
  • According to CapFriendly, the Anaheim Ducks have reversed the exact move the team made eight days ago before their bye week began. Blake Pietila has been reassigned to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, having not gotten into any NHL games still thus year, while fellow forwards Max Jones, Chase De Leo, and Troy Terry have been recalled. Following a long-term injury, Terry needed the extra game action in the minors over the break, but both he and Jones have played in 30+ games with the Ducks this season and look like NHL fixtures moving forward. De Leo on the other hand has only skated in one game with Anaheim this year and is still working toward proving himself.
  • CapFriendly also adds that the Tampa Bay Lightning have brought veteran defenseman Luke Schenn and young forward Mitchell Stephens back to the NHL ranks. Schenn has cleared waivers multiple times this season and looks like a capable and flexible depth option for the team down the stretch, even if his usage has been limited thus far. Stephens, 22, is still waiver exempt and has split his season evenly between the NHL and AHL, contributing at both levels.
  • After several injury-plagued seasons and a failed attempt at earning a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs in training camp, veteran goaltender Michal Neuvirth has decided to return to his roots, perhaps until he calls it a career. Neuvirth has signed with HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga, returning to the organization that he grew up in as a developing teenager before embarking on a pro career in North America. The team’s press release reveals that Neuvirth, who trains with the team during summers, has also been working with them over the past couple of months before deciding he was ready for game action. They note that persistent injuries remain a concern, but that the opportunity is there for Neuvirth to seize the starting job and perhaps earn a contract extension beyond this season.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled defenseman Lawrence Pilut from the AHL’s Rochester Americans. The Sabres are overloaded with defenders, but Pilut’s production in the minors this season – 22 points in 30 games – has left them with little choice but to keep giving him NHL looks.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled goaltender Calvin Pickard from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL on emergency conditions, while sending goaltender Kaden Fulcher to the ECHL ’s Toledo Walleye. Pickard will likely take over backup duties while Jonathan Bernier works his way back from a lower-body injury.
  • The Nashville Predators announced they have recalled three players from the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, including forwards Colton Sissons, Yakov Trenin and defenseman Jarred Tinordi. Sissons spent the past week practicing with the Milwaukee after missing 10 games with the Predators due to a lower-body injury. Trenin has become a popular figure after he went toe-to-toe with Boston’s Zdeno Chara several weeks ago. He has two goals and six points in 13 games where he is averaging just 10:33 of ATOI. He has 31 hits in those 13 contests. Tinordi has appeared in seven games, averaging 14:12.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled forward Tyler Gaudet of the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. The 26-year-old has two goals and 13 points for the Marlies this year in 39 games. Gaudet, considered to be a tireless worker, has been a favorite of head coach Sheldon Keefe for years. Gaudet played for him back in the CCHL with the Pembroke Lumber Kings during the 2012-2013 season and then again with the Soo Greyhounds between 2012-14.
  • The Winnipeg Jets announced they have assigned forward Jansen Harkins to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, so Harkins could play in the AHL All-Star Game. The Jets replaced him on the roster with forward Cameron Schilling. The move was necessarily even though Winnipeg doesn’t play again until Jan. 31, because the team must keep a 20-man roster and by sending Harkins down, the Jets had no choice but to recall Schilling.
  • The San Jose Sharks announced they have recalled forwards Joel Kellman, Dylan Gambrell and Antti Suomela from the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL. That reverses a move made before the team’s break with the exception of Gambrell, who replaces Joachim Blichfeld on the NHL roster. Gambrell played 30 games with the Sharks, but was assigned to the Barracuda to work on his game where he had 12 points in 15 games there.
  • The Calgary Flames have recalled forward Buddy Robinson from the Stockton Heat of the AHL. The 28-year-old forward is having a solid season with the Heat, posting 16 goals and 30 points in 40 games. Robinson has played in seven NHL games over the course of his career (all with Ottawa), but hasn’t appeared in a game since 2016-17.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have recalled two players in Blake Lizotte and Matt Luff from the Ontario Reign of the AHL, according to Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen. Both players were sent down before the break. Lizotte was out with a lower-body injury and hasn’t been in the lineup since Jan. 8. He played one game for Ontario over the break, but is expected back in the lineup. He has four goals and 15 points over 45 games. Luff has five points in 17 games with the Kings.

Trade Deadline Primer: Anaheim Ducks

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With the trade deadline just a little more than a month away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  We begin with a look at the Anaheim Ducks.

After struggling considerably in the second half of last season, Anaheim changed their coach this summer but their place in the standings hasn’t really changed as they enter their bye week sitting 14 points out of a playoff spot.  While they have integrated some younger players into their lineup this season, it seems likely that they’ll soon be bringing more youngsters into the fold down the stretch after GM Bob Murray trims his veteran base over the next few weeks.

Record

19-24-5, seventh in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$16.753MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: ANA 1st, ANA 2nd, ANA 3rd, ANA 5th, ANA 6th
2021: ANA 1st, ANA 2nd, ANA 3rd, ANA 4th, ANA 5th, ANA 6th

Trade Chips

Every now and then, we’ve seen teams use cap space as a trade chip and Murray has already made that known to cap-strapped teams.  There are two ways this can be done and both have been used in recent years.  They can take on a bad contract in exchange for picks and prospects or alternatively, they could act as a third-party team to acquire a player and then immediately flip him with retention as Vegas did with Derick Brassard in the past.  With the cap space they have, Anaheim has the ability to really be a trade facilitator over the next month.

While the Ducks have half a dozen pending unrestricted free agents, none of them profile as impact players.  Ryan Miller could draw some interest from teams looking for a veteran backup but he has pretty strong trade protection and can block a trade to 24 teams which could complicate things.  Derek Grant has ten goals in 36 games which isn’t bad but the fact that he has only really produced with Anaheim (he has just two goals in 111 games away from the Ducks) could limit his market somewhat.  They will likely want to move one of their rental blueliners (Michael Del Zotto and Korbinian Holzer) but their markets will be very limited.

One non-rental player that may be in play is winger Ondrej Kase.  The 24-year-old is having a very quiet season with just five goals in 42 games despite being a fixture in their top six most nights.  His name had come in trade speculation leading into the season as part of discussions for then-Carolina blueliner Justin Faulk and as he’s only two seasons removed from a 20-goal campaign, there will be teams that will inquire in a buy low scenario.  With some of the other veterans that they might be open to moving being on longer-term contracts, Kase and his $2.6MM price tag through 2020-21 is a more affordable piece for teams that are looking to add depth on the wing.

Five Players To Watch For: D Michael Del Zotto, F Derek Grant, F Ondrej Kase, G Ryan Miller, F Daniel Sprong

Team Needs

1) Scoring Help – Anaheim struggled to score with a more veteran-laden group last season.  They’ve struggled to score this season with several younger players getting a chance.  While there is obviously the potential for internal growth from players like Troy Terry, Sam Steel, Max Jones, and Isac Lundestrom, that’s not going to happen too quickly.  If Murray decides to move some of his more prominent veterans, adding some young, near NHL-ready forwards should be at the top of his wish list.

2) Long-Term Backup Goalie: At 39, Miller is clearly not part of the long-term plans in Anaheim.  It wouldn’t be surprising if this is it for the veteran after this season.  While the Ducks have five other goalies on an NHL contract right now, none are really at a point where they could be realistically be considered for the backup spot behind John Gibson.  Anthony Stolarz is on a one-way deal but he’s better served as a third-string option.  They could turn to free agency to fill this but this is the time of year where teams may be willing to move their own third-string goalie to add some NHL depth.  It would be a good time for Anaheim to add one of those to see if they can fill Miller’s eventually vacancy with someone on a below-market deal rather than paying up in July.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor Transactions: 01/18/20

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The final Saturday before the All-Star break features a busy schedule with a dozen games on the docket which means there should be plenty of roster movement throughout the day.  We’ll keep tabs on those here.

  • The Bruins have reversed yesterday’s goaltender flip, recalling Dan Vladar from AHL Providence while sending Maxime Lagace down, per the AHL’s Transactions page. It appears that Friday’s roster move was solely designed to get Vladar a start to keep him fresh as he made 24 stops in a 2-1 loss to Bridgeport.
  • With its defense numbers down with their extensive injuries, the Winnipeg Jets announced they have recalled defenseman Nelson Nogier from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. The 23-year-old played one game for the Jets last season and did make a 10-game appearance back in 2016-17. He has no goals and six assists in 42 games with the Moose.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers announced that they have assigned defenseman Mark Friedman to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. The 24-year-old blueliner has only played in five game for the Flyers, but has appeared in 28 games for the Phantoms, tallying two goals and 10 points there. He is expendable with the return of Justin Braun.
  • The Edmonton Oilers announced they have assigned defenseman William Lagesson to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. With the upcoming all-star break approaching, it’s likely the team wants Lagesson to get more work in. The 23-year-old has only appeared in two games for the Oilers since being recalled on Dec. 29. He has three goals and 18 points for the Condors in 21 appearances.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning announced they have assigned forward Mitchell Stephens and defenseman Luke Schenn to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. Neither are expected to report, however, as The Athletic’s Joe Smith writes that both are paper transactions to save the team some money over the All-Star break and the team’s bye-week.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have decided to shake things up in their forward corps, announcing the demotions of Max Jones, Daniel Sprong and Chase De Leo and recalling Blake Pietila. This will be Pietila’s Ducks debut if he draws into the lineup. The veteran has 14 points in  games with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls this season.
  • Alexander Yelesin has been returned to the AHL’s Stockton Heat, the Calgary Flames have revealed. The young defenseman did not see any NHL action while on recall with the Flames, but has played well in the AHL in his first season in North America.

Ducks Willing To Provide Cap Relief In Exchange For Young Assets

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The Anaheim Ducks’ season hasn’t gone according to plan. Even with the departures of franchise mainstays like Corey Perry and Ryan Kesler, the team was excited about their young group of forwards that looked ready to come up and contribute. With the historically excellent John Gibson in net, there was always a chance that the team could compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Unfortunately, with Gibson in the midst of the worst season of his career and the team in front of him not scoring nearly enough to make up for it, that hasn’t come to pass. The Ducks now sit in last place in the conference and are ahead of only the Detroit Red Wings league-wide. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise when Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports the team is willing to take on bad salary in order to acquire some additional young assets.

Not only do the Ducks already have several million in full-season cap space available, they could also potentially place Kesler and Patrick Eaves on long-term injured reserve to open even more if they needed to. That kind of capability could prove very useful for a contender looking to open a bit of room for a trade deadline addition, though it would surely cost them.

One thing to note with any plan like this is that the Ducks only have three vacant contract slots under the 50-contract threshold. Bringing in bad money plus young players would eat up those slots quickly, and with a prospect like Trevor Zegras lighting up the NCAA (and World Junior tournament) the team needs to keep at least one open if they intend to try and convince him to turn pro at the end of the college season. If they do try to weaponize their cap space, there may have to be bodies going the other way as well, something that only complicates a deal like that even further.

Western Notes: Tkachuk, Hjalmarsson, Ducks, Johns

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While the Department of Player Safety has announced that Edmonton Oilers forward Zack Kassian will receive a hearing on Monday for his retaliation against Calgary’s Matthew Tkachuk, many point to two hits that Tkachuk doled out against Kassian before the incident. However, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reports that the Department of Player Safety has cleared Tkachuk of his role in the incident.

“Both hits delivered on Kassian were legal, full body checks delivered to a player carrying the puck,” stated the Department of Player Safety to ESPN.

  • The Arizona Coyotes are expected to get a big boost to their defense as the team is expecting to get back defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, according The Athletic’s Craig Morgan. The veteran blueliner has missed 43 games after cracking his left fibula when he blocked a Erik Johnson slapshot back on Oct. 12. The 32-year-old has appeared in just four games, but when healthy should provide the team with another top-four option and an anchor on defense as the team has lost two straight and only has won five of their last 10 contests.
  • Last night on Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Anaheim Ducks could make an impact on the trade deadline movement as the team has made it known that they are willing to take on some salary in trade deadline deals, something that might prove to be quite valuable to teams that are tight against the cap. CapFriendly reports that Anaheim would have $10.1MM in deadline cap space as they are capable of putting Ryan Kesler and Patrick Eaves on long-term injured reserve, if needed. “The Ducks have let it be known that they’ve got cash and cap space,” Friedman explained. “They are willing to listen to you if you want to use them to help you clean up your cap problem, however, it’s going to cost you good, young assets.”
  • The Dallas Stars got good news Saturday as defenseman Stephen Johns played in his first game in almost two years as the blueliner scored a goal and three assists in the Texas Stars victory over the Toronto Marlies in an AHL game, according to Sean Shapiro of The Athletic (subscription required). Johns has missed all that time with concussion issues, but seems ready to return to Dallas’ lineup soon. He’s expected to still play a few more games in the AHL before joining up with Dallas as a third-pairing option.

Troy Terry Sent To AHL On Conditioning Loan

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The Anaheim Ducks have sent injured forward Troy Terry to the minor leagues on a long-term injury conditioning loan, as he continues to recover from a broken bone below his kneecap. At the time of the injury it was announced that Terry would miss approximately ten weeks, of which only three have elapsed. The team has also recalled Chase De Leo from the AHL.

It’s actually not even the first broken leg for Terry, who suffered a non-displaced fracture last April which ended his season early. As Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register reported yesterday however, Terry has bounced back from this latest injury at an incredibly fast rate and has even resumed skating recently.

The 22-year old forward has played in 33 games for the Ducks this season, though he hasn’t been very effective offensively. With three goals and eight points in those games he is actually scoring at an even worse rate than he did last year as a rookie, something unexpected given the flashes he had shown at the University of Denver and in the minor leagues.

Getting back into some games will allow Terry’s development to continue, though where his ceiling really sits at this point isn’t clear. The fifth-round pick has to bring more to the table to be truly considered a building block moving forward. The fact that he will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season complicates things, though he is still not eligible for arbitration.

Injury Notes: Klingberg, Kupari, Ducks

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The Dallas Stars buried the lede on Tuesday night, announcing that they had recalled defenseman Joel Hanley from AHL Texas. The reason behind the move was far more important, as the team has placed top defenseman John Klingberg on injured reserve. Klingberg has not played since the Winter Classic, considered day-to-day with a nagging lower-body injury. His IR placement is in fact retroactive to January 1, meaning he could return to action as early as Friday. However, there is no time frame for Klingberg’s return and Hanley’s promotion ahead of a four-game road trip for the Stars suggests that the valuable defender could remain sidelined for a while still to come.

  • Los Angeles Kings prospect Rasmus Kupari had not made his NHL debut prior to being loaned to Team Finlnd for the recent World Junior Championship tournament and now it is certain that he will not make that debut at all this year, his first in North America. Kupari was knocked out of the WJC with an injury and the Kings announced today that he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee. The 2018 first-round pick will undergo surgery later this month and will miss the remainder of the season. The greater concern now is ensuring that Kupari is as close to full strength as possible before next season so as not to slow the development of a player that has already had his issues adjusting to the pro game.
  • The Anaheim Ducks are one of the more banged-up teams in the NHL, but things are looking up. The team issued an update on multiple injured players, including announcing a return to the lineup for core contributor Rickard Rakell, who has been out for two weeks. Perhaps the biggest news though is that young forward Troy Terry, expected to miss ten weeks with a broken bone in his knee suffered in mid-December, has instead been cleared to play after just four weeks and is considered day-to-day. Defenseman Korbinian Holzer has also been cleared to return, although not in Tuesday night’s lineup, while forwards Derek Grant and Nick Ritchie have been cleared to skate and are expected to return after the All-Star break. Perhaps a Ducks team at full health can turn around the team’s 14th-ranked record in the Western Conference.

Snapshots: Crosby, Avalanche, Kase

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are playing a number of youngsters from their AHL affiliate as multiple players sit on injured reserve. However, the team may get a big boost soon as center Sidney Crosby could be coming back soon, according to NHL.com’s Wes Crosby. Crosby practiced on Friday in a non-contact jersey.

The Penguins have been without their star center for the past 23 games after the veteran opted to have core muscle surgery on Nov. 14. Crosby is expected to skate on his own again this weekend. While Crosby is not expected to join the team for Sunday’s game against Montreal, the Penguins believe that the 32-year-old could join the team for their three-game road trip that starts on Tuesday, although he has yet to be cleared for contact, so nothing is definite.

“That’s a big step,” Crosby said. “Once you’re cleared for contact, you see how things respond from there. But I’m not ready for that yet. Until then, I think I’ll probably flip-flop between doing my own stuff and skating with the injured guys, and then going with the team depending on the practice.”

  • Although New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider has been predominantly in the news when it concerns trade rumors with the Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater writes that he’s hearing more recent rumblings the team might be interested in acquiring Los Angeles Kings forward Tyler Toffoli. Dater adds that the Kings had a scout at Saturday’s Colorado game and the scribe believes the two squads will make a trade together before the deadline. The 27-year-old might be a good fit for the Avalanche, who could use a player with size and scoring ability and wouldn’t cost too much. It might cost Colorado a first-rounder to get Toffoli, but considering where they likely will be at in the standings, it might be a trade worth making.
  • The Anaheim Ducks could be without forward Ondrej Kase for a bit as head coach Dallas Eakins said the 24-year-old has a bone bruise somewhere on his lower body and wasn’t even able to put his equipment on today, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Kase has struggled with injuries throughout his career as he has never played more than 66 games in his short career. The forward gotten some top line minutes so far this year in 35 games, but only has three goals so far this season.

 

 

Ducks Recall Daniel Sprong And Kiefer Sherwood

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