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Oliver Ekman-Larsson To Miss Several Weeks

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Though he was listed as day-to-day over the weekend, the recovery timeline for Arizona Coyotes captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson appears to have changed. The team confirmed to Jose M. Romero of AZ Central that the captain will be out for three to four weeks with a lower-body injury. Kyle Capobianco is expected to be inserted into the lineup in his place.

Ekman-Larsson, 29, was embroiled in trade rumors over the offseason that included him willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to Vancouver or Boston, but after nothing came of it he focused on the season and the Coyotes. In Saturday’s game he had three assists before exiting in the third period following a hit from San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, ending what was a brilliant start to his season. Missing the next several weeks in such a condensed schedule means he’ll be out for a good chunk of games.

In fact, four weeks would mean he could miss 14 games, a quarter of the 56-game schedule. That’s a huge blow for an Arizona team that is competing for the playoffs in a lopsided West division. While many expect the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and St. Louis Blues to easily make the playoffs, that fourth spot is certainly up for the taking and the Coyotes are off to a nice start with three points in their first two games. In Ekman-Larsson’s absence, they’ll need a huge effort from some of their other veteran defenders to pick up the slack.

West Notes: Ekman-Larsson, Johnson, Vegas, San Diego Gulls

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While there was some concern that he might miss significant time, Arizona Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet said that defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who took a big hit from San Jose’s Evander Kane (video here), Saturday, is considered to be day-to-day with a lower-body injury, although he is expected to skip the road trip to Las Vegas, according to azcsports’ Jose Romero. That likely means he will miss at least two games.

Ekman-Larsson was forced to leave the game and only played 17:11 Saturday, but still managed to pick up three assists. No word on who will be recalled to replace him, but Coyotes’ insider Craig Morgan believes it will either be Kyle Capobianco or Jordan Gross.

  • The Colorado Avalanche got some good news as veteran defenseman Erik Johnson returned to the Avalanche after missing training camp, while dealing with a positive COVID-19 test and quarantining,” according to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh. He is now practicing with the team, although he may need a few more days to get back into game shape. “I had some symptoms, but in the grand scheme of things it wasn’t that big a deal compared to what some people are dealing with. I just consider myself lucky to recover,” Johnson said.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights, who played the first two games of the season with just five defensemen could be ready to make a change. The team’s new practice lines suggest the team could be ready to use Nicolas Hague as their sixth defenseman, despite the team’s success. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger writes that head coach Peter DeBoer likes what he’s seen from his five-man defense, but also said he’s worried about the workload that might create on them. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo played 29:26 Saturday, a lot to ask out of any blueliner.
  • The San Diego Gulls, the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks, announced they have postponed Sunday’s exhibition game against the Ontario Reign out of an abundance of caution due to COVID-19 protocols. This was supposed to be the second exhibition game. The first game, originally scheduled for Saturday, was postponed as well. This game was pushed back for the same reasons. The team will make a decision at a later date on when to play these game.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 01/13/21

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As reported earlier, beginning today, and each day for the remainder of the 2020-21 season, the NHL will be sharing the names of players who are “unavailable” to play or practice due to any number of factors that place them under the league’s COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list of players for today, Wednesday, January 13:

F Lawson Crouse, Arizona Coyotes
F Karson Kuhlman, Boston Bruins
D Erik Johnson, Colorado Avalanche
F Mikko Koivu, Columbus Blue Jackets
D Christian Djoos, Detroit Red Wings
F Darren Helm, Detroit Red Wings
F Gaetan Haas, Edmonton Oilers
F James Neal, Edmonton Oilers
D Markus Nutivaara, Florida Panthers
D Kurtis MacDermid, Los Angeles Kings
G Cal Petersen, Los Angeles Kings
D Sean Walker, Los Angeles Kings
G Alex Stalock, Minnesota Wild
F Mikael Granlund, Nashville Predators
D Luca Sbisa, Nashville Predators
F Justin Richards, New York Rangers
D Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers
F Kasperi Kapanen, Pittsburgh Penguins
F Maxim Letunov, San Jose Sharks
D Jordie Benn, Vancouver Canucks
F J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks
F Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets

*NOTE: The league declined to list any specific members of the Dallas Stars at this time. The team is currently recovering from an extensive breakout.

Frederik Gauthier Signs With Arizona Coyotes

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When his name appeared on today’s waiver list, it was clear that Frederik Gauthier had done enough to earn an NHL contract with the Arizona Coyotes. The big forward had been attending camp on a professional tryout but has now signed a one-year, two-way contract with the team. Though the team did not release the financial details, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports it is worth $700K at the NHL level and $150K in the AHL.

Gauthier, 25, became an unrestricted free agent this offseason when the Toronto Maple Leafs decided not to issue him a qualifying offer as an RFA. The 2013 first-round pick never did develop much of an offensive game, but has still played 168 games at the NHL level and is a capable fourth-line center. Standing 6’5″ and listed at 239-lbs, he offers some size and strength to the bottom of the depth chart—though has been criticized in the past for not using his large frame effectively enough.

It’s unlikely that Gauthier dresses for every game this season, but he can serve as a nice taxi squad member to move in and out of the lineup when necessary. His career-high of seven goals game in 61 games last season and he has registered 31 points in his NHL career.

Arizona Coyotes Hire Shane Doan

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The relationship has been mended. Shane Doan, perhaps the most recognizable Arizona Coyotes player of all-time, has rejoined the organization as Chief Hockey Development Officer. He will report directly to team president Xavier Gutierrez and serve as a strategic advisor to the owner Alex Meruelo and GM Bill Armstrong. Gutierrez released a short statement on the hire:

Shane Doan is a Coyotes legend and a Valley icon. For the past 25 years, Shane has been an incredible ambassador for our franchise and has represented the Coyotes with dignity and class. He is beloved by our fan base and we are thrilled to have him back with us where he belongs.

Doan, 44, actually started his career when the franchise was still known as the Winnipeg Jets, playing 74 games in the 1995-96 season before the move to the desert. He would spend his entire career with the organization, captaining the squad from 2003 to 2017, but his departure from the team was a little awkward and contentious. Regardless, he’s back with them now after spending the last three seasons with the league offices and should be a valuable asset for the organization.

East Notes: Zibanejad, Islanders, Devils, Voracek, Marchand

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The New York Rangers have been trending upwards as they look forward to the upcoming season. However, one troubling aspect of training camp is the fact that their team leader and MVP Mika Zibanejad has missed the entirety of training camp with no explanation for his absence (standard league policy).

However, The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello (subscription required) writes that Zibanejad did skate Saturday before the team’s practice, suggesting he might be close to returning to the team. Head coach David Quinn said that Zibanejad has “had a couple of good days.”

The 27-year-old center had a breakout season last year, scoring 41 goals in 57 games and will be looked upon to lead the team once again.

  • The New York Islanders and general manager Lou Lamoriello signed Mathew Barzal to a three-year deal early Saturday, but there was hope that the two sides could agree to a six-year pact instead, according to The Athletic’s Arthur Staple (subscription required). The two sides were discussing a deal similar to the six-year, $9.25MM contract that Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen signed last year, but the Islanders could not make that work. The hope was the team could unload the contracts of Leo Komarov and/or Thomas Hickey to free up the necessary cap room, but no team was willing to take either contract.
  • The New Jersey Devils could be looking the trade route to fill its backup goaltending spot on the roster after veteran Corey Crawford announced his retirement. The Athletic’s Corey Masisak (subscription required) writes that they might be looking towards the Arizona Coyotes, who have quite a bit of goaltending depth, including Adin Hill, who Arizona would have to pass through waivers to get on the taxi squad. That could give New Jersey a chance to trade for Antti Raanta, who is in the last year of his contract and is earning $4.25MM.
  • Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault is completely focused on a long playoff run this season and has sent a message to veteran Jakub Voracek, who was moved off the first-team power play in practice and was told to step up, according to Philadelphia Enquirer’s Marcus Hayes. Voracek scored just 12 goals during the regular season, but especially struggled during the Flyers’ seven-game playoff series against the New York Islanders in which he had just one point. “I talked to Jake about this. I challenged him about this season. There’s a man who’s been in the league for a long time,” Vigneault said. “Basically, he’s won two playoff rounds.” Other young players are ready to take bigger roles on the team, including Oskar Lindblom, Nolan Patrick and Joel Farabee, which could put even more pressure on Voracek.
  • Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand, who is coming off sports hernia surgery, left practice early Sunday, according to Boston Globe’s Matt Porter. The 32-year-old was given a four-month recovery window in September, but Marchand returned early from that prognosis. While there is no word on why he left practice early, head coach Bruce Cassidy said he was getting treatment and doesn’t believe the injury is serious. He is a game-time decision for Monday’s scrimmage.

Arizona Coyotes Promote AHL Head Coach Jay Varady To NHL Staff

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With less than a week until their season opener, the Arizona Coyotes are making a change to their coaching staff. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Jay Varady, the head coach of the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners, has been promoted to the NHL staff. Friedman does note that this move could be just for the 2020-21 season. Beat writer Craig Morgan adds that this is an additional position on Rick Tocchet’s staff and will not impact existing assistants Phil Housley and Cory Stillman. It remains to be seen how Varady will be replaced, as the Roadrunners plan to participate in the coming AHL season starting next month.

Varady, 43, did not waste any time getting to the NHL as he is entering just his third season as a coach in the North American pros after being named head coach of Tucson in 2018. Prior to his time with the Roadrunners, Varady spent many years as an assistant coach in the NCAA and WHL before becoming a head coach, first with France’s Angers, then many years with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers, and finally one season with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs. Last season, Varady led the Roadrunners to a Pacific Division title and earned the nod as the Western Conference head coach as the AHL All-Star Game.

Morgan notes that this move does not come as a surprise, as the possibility of Varady’s ascension came to light earlier this off-season. Morgan writes that Tocchet has faith in Varady’s ability given his success in the AHL thus far. It also certainly doesn’t hurt to have a coach with experience and success coaching young players on a youthful Coyotes squad. Varady becomes the second new addition to Tocchet’s staff this off-season following Stillman, who also played forward in his career and has coached at the junior level and in a player development context. However, there is no shortage of work for the new coaches to split following the exit of assistant coach John MacLean, who worked with the forwards, the power play and the penalty kill in his time with Arizona.

NHL Will Not Require Blanket Quarantine Period For AHL Recalls

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Alongside the news of three teams opting out, four teams temporarily relocating, and realigned divisions for the coming season, more information continues to emerge following today’s AHL Board of Governors meeting. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that NHL clubs and their AHL affiliates have been informed that there will be no blanket quarantine period for player recalls and reassignments this season. Instead, quarantine measures will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis considering the totality of the circumstances. This will include team protocols, travel logistics, and accordance with local COVID-19 health guidelines.

As Johnston notes, this will make AHL recalls much easier for those teams whose affiliates share a city or even a state or province. Short, safe travel ability and uniform local policies will allow for much shorter quarantine periods. Teams in this situation may even ask their affiliate to maintain the same NHL-level of day-to-day quarantine protocols to make recalls even easier, perhaps even without any quarantine. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, and San Jose Sharks (if and when the team returns home from Arizona) all share a city with their AHL affiliate, as do the New Jersey Devils temporarily. The Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Boston Bruins (temporarily), Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins all have their AHL affiliates within state or provincial lines as well.

For those teams with some distance between themselves and their minor league clubs, recalls could remain difficult. Especially for those Canadian teams whose affiliates remain in the U.S. – the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks – quarantine logistics will be a struggle. Johnston points out that for these teams and the American clubs with affiliates elsewhere in the country, travel will be a major obstacle. The one blanket policy for all NHL and AHL players this season is that a seven-day quarantine period is required following a commercial flight. This could also stand to effect any team on a long-term road trip that is desperate enough to make a recall.

However, while this policy will help a great number of teams, it is important to remember that  taxi squads were established for this season to reduce the reliance on AHL recalls, at least as a frequent measure. Regardless of each NHL team’s location relative to their AHL affiliate, most teams will largely use their six-man taxi squad for emergency substitutions and will have options in the meantime should they decide to recall a player who must quarantine.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Derick Brassard

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December 30: Morgan reports that Brassard’s deal will be for one-year and $1.2MM in Arizona, while CapFriendly tweets that it is just for $1MM. The Coyotes have officially announced the term of the contract, though did not confirm the financial details. GM Bill Armstrong released a short statement on his new forward:

We are very pleased to welcome Derick to our Pack. Derick is an experienced, skilled forward who can play center or wing and contribute offensively. He is also very effective in the face-off circle. We look forward to having him in our lineup this season.

December 28: Phil Kessel and Derick Brassard, together again. Originally reported by former NHL forward Guillaume Latendresse and subsequently confirmed by several others including Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider, the Arizona Coyotes are working on a one-year deal with Brassard, an unrestricted free agent.

The 33-year-old Brassard experienced something of a career renaissance last season, finding a role with the New York Islanders and recording 32 points in 66 games. He was a strong performer in the postseason bubble as well, scoring eight points in 18 games for the Islanders even while averaging just 12 minutes a night. That came after a dreadful 2018-19 campaign that saw him struggle with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers, and Colorado Avalanche, scoring just 23 points combined for the three teams. By signing with the Coyotes, Brassard would be joining the eighth NHL team of his career and fifth in just over two years.

Arizona recently sent Derek Stepan—a former teammate of Brassard’s—to the Ottawa Senators, opening up some room down the middle for a veteran player on a more inexpensive deal. Brassard is certainly that, and actually still does come with a long history of offensive success. A two-time 20-goal scorer, Brassard has registered at least 40 points in a season on six different occasions and has recorded double-digit goal totals in each of the last ten seasons. While his ability to play at the top of a lineup may have diminished, he still represents a solid depth add for the Coyotes as they try to get back to the playoffs.

Not only will he provide some offense and veteran depth, but if the Coyotes decide to pull the plug at any point this season he could be another trade asset. The team already has Alex Goligoski, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jason Demers, Jordan Oesterle, Ilya Lyubushkin, Drake Caggiula, and Antti Raanta on expiring deals, meaning the trade deadline could be used as a reset button to restock a draft cupboard that has been ravaged in recent years.

Minor Transactions: 12/29/20

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Training camp is just a few days away and things are heating up in the hockey world. With waivers open and rosters being announced, minor transactions will come fast and furious all across the league. We’ll keep track of them right here.

  • Jordan Schmaltz will be attending training camp on a professional tryout with the Arizona Coyotes according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Schmaltz, 27, last played in the NHL during the 2018-19 season, suiting up for 20 games with the St. Louis Blues. The 25th overall pick in 2012, he was never able to really translate his game to the NHL level.
  • Speaking of the Blues, the team has announced that Alexei Toropchenko and Nikita Alexandrov have both been loaned overseas. Toropchenko will stay with Kunlun Red Star in the KHL where he has been playing, scoring eight points in 25 games so far this season. Alexandrov will head to KooKoo in Finland, where he will spend the season at the Liiga level. The Blues’ release notes that both players could be recalled when their European seasons end.
  • Spencer Abbott, who played two games at the NHL level before heading overseas, will continue his playing career in Germany during the upcoming season. The 32-year-old winger has signed in the DEL after spending the last two seasons playing in the SHL.
  • Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Gabriel Fortier has been traded in the QMJHL. The slick forward, in his final season of junior eligibility, has been moved by the Moncton Wildcats to the Shawinigan Cataractes, the team announced. The return is only a conditional pick, as Fortier could join the Lightning or more likely a minor league affiliate this season, in which case Shawinigan would get their pick back. If Tampa opts to return him to juniors though, then the Wildcats would receive at least a 2022 third-round pick but it could grow as high as a 2021 first-rounder depending on production. Fortier is no stranger to change after initially being acquired by Moncton midway through last season, only to finish the year with better than a point-per-game pace, earning the team’s captaincy to begin this year.
  • Defenseman Ty Murchison of the U.S. National Team Development Program has made his college choice. The young blue liner announced his commitment to Arizona State University today, continuing the program’s pipeline from California. The former L.A. Jr. King is a talented two-way defenseman who plays an aggressive style, currently leading the USNTDP U-18’s in penalty minutes. Murchison is expected to be a middle round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft before beginning his NCAA career next year.

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