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Arizona Coyotes’ Michael Grabner Out Indefinely

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The Arizona Coyotes have lost one of their top players for a while as the team announced that winger Michael Grabner will be out indefinitely after suffering a severe eye injury during the first period of Saturday’s game against St. Louis. The 31-year-old took a stick to the face from the Blues’ Sammy Blais (picture of injury via AZSports Craig Morgan).

Grabner was a key offseason acquisition for the Coyotes who are trying to build up their top-six. The team signed him via free agency to a three-year, $10.05MM deal on the first day of free agency. The winger is coming off two straight 27-goal seasons and is expected to add some much needed scoring depth. Grabner has six goals and 11 points so far this season in 25 games.

One key reason the team brought Grabner in was his ability to play on the penalty kill unit, which has been very successful for Arizona this season as the unit is ranked first with a 89.7 percent kill rate. Grabner himself has a NHL-high four shorthanded goals this season. Richard Morin of AZSports writes the team will recall a player from Tucson, suggesting it might be Laurent Dauphin.

 

 

Edmonton Has No Interest In Moving Out of Pacific Division

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With the expected approval on Tuesday for the Seattle expansion franchise at the board of governor’s meeting, the next question that will have to be determined is how to re-align the Western Conference as Seattle will obviously move into the Pacific Division, giving them nine teams, while the Central Division would have just seven. While there has been talk about moving the Arizona Coyotes over to the Central Division, many feel the team should stay where it is as they have short rivalry trips to Las Vegas and Los Angeles/Anaheim.

Another popular suggestion is to move both the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames together to the Central Division and sending the Colorado Avalanche back to the Pacific Division. However, Terry Jones of The Edmonton Sun writes that option isn’t very popular in Edmonton.

“We want to stay in the Pacific. And we’re pretty strong about it,” insists Bob Nicholson, vice chairman and CEO of the Oilers Entertainment Group. “Seattle is going to come into the league and when they do come in, we definitely do not want to move. We feel the rivalries are too strong for the NHL to do that to our franchise.”

The two teams have built rivalries in the Pacific, including one between the Flames and the Vancouver Canucks, while Edmonton has built some significant rivalries with some of the California teams, most specifically with recent playoff matchups with the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks. Nicholson said the team intends to appeal to the NHL to allow the Oilers as well as the rival Flames to stay in the Pacific Division.

“I just believe we’ve been in the league a long time now and hopefully the league will respect our rivalries, especially the Calgary and Vancouver rivalries,” said Nicholson.

Of course, there are new potential rivalries between both Calgary and Edmonton with a team such as the Winnipeg Jets and even the Minnesota Wild. Regardless, Nicholson has a strong feeling the league will accept the wishes of Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

“I’m relatively confident from the unofficial conversations that have gone on, so far,” Nicholson said. “I’m expecting it to be simple and that it will be Arizona that would move into the Central. If it gets more complicated than that, I think there would be big debates. We expect to stay where we are. I would think it would be Arizona that would move.”

Overseas Notes: Burmistrov, Svedberg, Austin

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Former Atlanta Thrashers top prospect Alexander Burmistrov really tried to make things work in the NHL. He committed to developing in North America with the OHL’s Barrie Colts, put up decent numbers as a young pro with the Thrashers/Jets, and even after a brief stint in the KHL, returned again and worked hard to find a fit in stops with Winnipeg, the Arizona Coyotes, and the Vancouver Canucks over the past two seasons. Burmistrov’s effort was there, but things just didn’t pan out and he returned to the KHL last season. Unlike in the NHL, teams in Russia are excited to have Burmistrov and willing to give him the benefit of the doubt even when his production doesn’t match the hype. Case in point: after returning to Ak Bars Kazan last year, Burmistrov registered six points in ten games, just three points in 17 playoff games, and has just five points in 27 games this year. Yet, Salavat Yulaev Ufa announced yesterday that they had acquired Burmistrov from Ak Bars for a trio of promising young players. The centerpiece is 24-year-old center Vyacheslav Osnovin who, at five points through 32 games, isn’t far off Burmistrov’s scoring pace. 19-year-old defenseman Alexander Lyakhov has been held scoreless in ten KHL games this season, but has the size and skating to make an impact down the road. Saveli Kuvardin, 17, is the final piece; a draft-eligible forward without any KHL experience, but with strong numbers in Russia’s junior ranks. A similar trade of this magnitude would never have been made to acquire Burmistrov in the NHL, but those are the perks of playing in your home country as an established pro. Now Burmistrov can get a fresh start in Ufa and hopefully make the deal worthwhile for his new team.

  • Viktor Svedberg was once considered to be a future fixture on the Chicago Blackhawks blue line, but after spending the past two seasons exclusively with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, he returned to his native Sweden this off-season. That stay didn’t last long, as Svedberg has left the SHL’s Linkoping HC after just seven games to sign with the KHL’s Barys Astana, the league’s entry in Kazakhstan, per a team release. Svedberg is far from a flashy player, but even as a 22-year-old rookie back when he first signed with Chicago in 2013, was a solid stay-at-home defender in the AHL. A reliable presence on the back end, Svedberg should help out Barys, a top ten team in the KHL, in their pursuit of a title.
  • Former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Brady Austin was unable to turn his PTO with the AHL’s Stockton Heat into a contract this year, despite accomplishing the same goal on a tryout with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters before last season. Without an opportunity in North America, Austin has signed on with the Esbjerg Energy of the Metal Ligaen in Denmark, the team announced. A low-level pro league, the Metal Ligaen has attracted very few NHL veterans. Yet, Esbjerg has managed to sign Austin and Brett Bellemore in the past week, boasting a blue line with two experienced North American pros. This would seemingly vault the Energy to one of the favorites to win the league championship this year.

Calvin Pickard, Jean-Sebastien Dea Claimed Off Waivers

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With the Arizona Coyotes dealing with some health concerns in net, they’ve decided to claim goaltender Calvin Pickard off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers. The Pittsburgh Penguins meanwhile have reclaimed Jean-Sebastien Dea off waivers from the New Jersey Devils. Dea has been immediately sent to the minor leagues, meaning the Penguins were the only team who put in a claim.

Pickard is off to his fourth team since the end of the 2016-17 season, when he finished the year as the starting goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche. He was then selected in the expansion draft by the Vegas Golden Knights, only to be traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs before ever playing a regular season game for Vegas. In Toronto, he spent nearly the entire 2017-18 season in the minor leagues, winning a Calder Cup as a backup to Garret Sparks, before eventually being waived just prior to the start of this year.

In Philadelphia, his numbers have not been up to the level he showed in Colorado and was obviously not the long-term solution for the Flyers. He’s no more the solution in Arizona though, as he is an obvious short-term solution while Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper try to get healthy. Adin Hill will make the next start for Arizona, just his fifth of his career. That forced GM John Chayka to go out and acquire some more experience, something that Pickard brings even if there hasn’t been a lot of success lately.

Pittsburgh meanwhile will get Dea back after watching him score five points in 20 games for the Devils this year. The undrafted forward was a project of the Pittsburgh development system for the last few seasons, and will now re-enter that organization after getting his feet wet at the NHL level. Though it was obviously not planned, this was actually not the worst outcome for the Penguins if they felt they couldn’t afford to give Dea that short opportunity themselves. The 24-year old now has some additional NHL games under his belt, and can attempt to improve his game even further in the minor leagues.

Minor Transactions: 11/26/18

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The NHL schedule is a little quirky this evening, as there are zero Western Conference teams in action despite five games being on the schedule. Still, we’ll get divisional matchups like the Boston Bruins-Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals-New York Islanders. As teams prepare for those matchups and the rest of the week, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.

  • The Arizona Coyotes have recalled Mario Kempe from the minor leagues, now that the team has an extra roster spot. Arizona completed a 2-for-1 trade last night in which they sent Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini to Chicago, meaning they needed another forward up with the NHL team. Kempe has been that extra man all year, playing four games so far for the Coyotes while suiting up ten times for the Tucson Roadrunners.
  • A vacancy in the GM’s office doesn’t mean the Philadelphia Flyers roster is frozen, as the team has sent Alex Lyon to the minor leagues today. GM Ron Hextall was relieved of his duties earlier, but Paul Holmgren and the rest of the front office still has to focus on the day-to-day operations even as they look for a replacement. Lyon had been dealing with a lower-body injury, but could be ready to get back in the net for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
  • The Islanders have activated Matt Martin from injured reserve and could have him back in the lineup when they take on the Capitals tonight. Martin hasn’t played since November 1st, but actually has four points in 11 games this season. The physical forward won’t be asked to do a lot in his return, whether that comes right away or not.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have recalled Sheldon Rempal from the minor leagues, a deserved promotion after his outstanding start. The 23-year old forward has 19 points in 14 games for the Ontario Reign in his first year of professional hockey. Signed out of Clarkson University, Rempal will try to give the Kings a little more offensive firepower this season.
  • After scoring an overtime winner for the Manitoba Moose this weekend, Mason Appleton is on his way to the NHL. The Winnipeg Jets have recalled the young forward after another strong stretch in the minor leagues. Appleton, who was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie team last season after scoring 66 goals in 76 games, has started this year strong with 18 points in 19 games to lead the Moose. The 22-year old was a sixth-round afterthought in 2015, but developed nicely at Michigan State University and might now make an impact at the NHL level.

Arizona Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks Complete Blockbuster Deal

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The Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes have gotten together once again on a huge trade. The Blackhawks are sending forward Nick Schmaltz to the desert, while Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini will be headed back to Chicago.

Schmaltz, 22, was an integral part of the Blackhawks future as recently as last season, after finding chemistry with Patrick Kane and posting a 21-goal, 52-point season. He looked like the answer as the next first line center in Chicago, given his immense offensive skill and playmaking ability. That moniker was removed a bit this season with Jonathan Toews early resurgence, but there was little warning that Schmaltz had worn out his welcome in Chicago. His offensive numbers weren’t where they were a year ago—the young center has just 11 points in 23 games—but he had begun to play better and even had a three-game point streak over the last few days.

Still, even if Schmaltz still had the full confidence of the front office and coaching staff the Blackhawks may have been unable to pass up this trade. In Strome, the team is getting a player who was selected third overall in the 2015 draft and has shown himself to be an elite talent even at the minor league level. The 21-year old forward scored 53 points in 50 games for the Tucson Roadrunners last season, but had still not been able to carry that success to the NHL level. In fact, through 48 games with the Coyotes, Strome has registered just 16 points and has sometimes seemed to struggle with the pace of play. His two-way skills are easily apparent, but there has always been concern over Strome’s skating ability. If he can put that behind him in Chicago there’s no telling how high his offensive ceiling is.

Beyond even the promise of Strome, there is also Perlini who is an accomplished NHL player in his own right. The 12th-overall pick from 2014—eight spots ahead of Schmaltz—recorded a 14-goal season as a rookie in 2016-17 and followed it up with 17 goals and 30 points last year for the Coyotes. The talented, big-bodied winger has a powerful shot and can protect the puck well in the offensive zone. The fact that he’s only 22 himself allows for plenty of growth still in his career, something the Blackhawks will surely try to cultivate immediately.

That may seem like a lot to give up for Schmaltz if you look at just his body of work this season, but the Coyotes are obviously hoping he can get back to the high level he was at a year ago. Arizona GM John Chayka released a statement explaining why they went after Schmaltz:

Nick is a dynamic forward with top line potential. We feel he can be a core player of our team now and into the future. He’s a good complement to our evolving forward group and a rare combination of speed, skill and creativity.

The last part of his comment is quite interesting, given that Schmaltz and Strome use such different skill sets to achieve their offensive performance. The Coyotes obviously valued the speed and pure playmaking ability of Schmaltz, especially as the league seems to get faster and more skilled each and every year. Smaller players, like the 6’0″ 177-lbs Schmaltz have found jobs all over the league as the NHL moves away from the big, bruising styles of decades passed. Still, it’s not like Strome and Perlini don’t have applicable skills that may shine in Chicago. In fact the former is reuniting with his friend and former junior linemate Alex DeBrincat, something that may bring out another level of his production.

Amazingly, after trading Schmaltz today, the Blackhawks have no players on the roster that they selected in the first round between 2008-2014. They’ve often found great talent in the round, but have seen Kevin Hayes, Phillip Danault, Teuvo Teravainen, Ryan Hartman and now Schmaltz all leave in one way or another, while lacking a first round pick altogether in other years. That’s a tough way to build a franchise, but with the additions of Strome and Perlini GM Stan Bowman is betting on their potential to bring about the next great wave of talent in Chicago.

It’s important to note that Schmaltz is also scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, and perhaps could have demanded a quite hefty raise given his previous point totals. Perlini is a pending RFA as well but doesn’t have the same kind of leverage given his pedestrian assist totals and less important position, while Strome is still under his entry-level contract through next season. While Chicago does have some substantial contracts coming off the books at the end of the year, they’re still always looking for a financial advantage given the huge commitments they’ve made to their core.

In all, this turns out to be a change of scenery deal for all three players that could end up win-win in the end. There is plenty of talent going to both teams, and if all three players fulfill their potential neither side will be able to complain all that much. Though Chicago may be taking on a little more risk with the less established names, they needed to take a home run cut while they still have the chance to compete with the likes of Kane and Toews.

Central Notes: Bowman, Bishop, Laine, Edmundson

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While he may not be the most popular person in Chicago lately, Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman sat down with The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) in an in depth interview, going over the state of the franchise. While Bowman is aware of fans’ displeasure with the recent firing of coach Joel Quenneville as well as the state of the team’s salary cap over the past few years, Bowman said he must remain focused on the present.

“It definitely comes with the job,” Bowman said. “When you take this job, you understand that part of it is the fans have a passion for the team, which I wouldn’t want any other way. So, yeah, I don’t follow it in the sense that whatever people say, they’re going to say, and I need to do what I think is right because I believe in it. If I start getting into the weeds and trying to follow it, then it can just distract me from I have a job to do.”

Bowman did say that although many fans feel that he waited too long to trade the contract of Marian Hossa to Arizona this summer (the trade happened on July 12), but that was the first time that the Coyotes agreed to take on Hossa’s contract. Regardless, fans were upset that the team wasn’t able to use the extra $4.5MM in cap space created by that trade as most offseason work was already done by teams at that point. Bowman said he intends to be patient in using that cap space.

“The one thing you don’t want to do is just use it to just to get somebody who doesn’t really fit, and it’s going to preclude you from doing something else later,” Bowman said. “I’m not sitting on it to sit on it, but nothing has come along. Like there’s been potential trades, but the guy’s got two more years on his deal. Like he could help us in the short term, but we’re going to be able to do better than that. You just got to be patient. That’s the thought process.”

  • Mike Heika of NHL.com writes that the Dallas Stars may be close to getting back starting goaltender Ben Bishop who has been out for almost a week with a lower-body injury. Heika writes that Anton Khudobin is expected to start Tuesday in Edmonton, followed likely be Landon Bow on Wednesday in Calgary. However, the scribe writes that Bishop might be ready for the team’s game in Vancouver on Saturday. Bishop is having a impressive season with a 2.33 GAA and a .923 save percentage in 15 games.
  • Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun writes that while Patrik Laine knew he’d break out of his 19-game five-on-five scoreless slump earlier this season, it did weigh on him as it wore on. However, after scoring eight of his 11 goals this week on five-on-five, Laine feels more confident than ever, but credits his new linemates’ Bryan Little and Kyle Connor for much of his success. Much of Laine’s success has been with his recent chemistry with Little. The two struggled connecting for the past two years, especially last season. Those five-on-five struggles disappeared after the team added Paul Stastny at the trade deadline, but the Laine and Little finally seem to have found that connection this year.
  • St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Tom Timmermann writes that St. Louis Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson has been working hard lately to avoid penalties. In his last 11 games, Edmondson has been called for a penalty in eight of those games and the 25-year-old leads the team with 29 penalty minutes. “I think I’m getting a little wild with my stick,” Edmundson said. “Sometimes the game gets the better half of me and I take out my frustrations. I’m looking to be smarter in that department. Sometimes I get worked up a bit and anger takes over. Coach (Berube) has talked to me. I just have to settle down a bit.”

Minor Transactions: 11/24/18

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As the final weekend of November gets underway today, the league presents a slate of eleven games, highlighted by some rivalry match-ups and intriguing story lines. The Capitals and Rangers get the action started with a matinee game, while later on the Jets and Blues, Bruins and Canadiens, and Blue Jackets and Penguins square off. Meanwhile, last season’s Calder Cup-winning tandem of Garret Sparks and Calvin Pickard will face one another when the Maple Leafs host the Flyers. With 22 teams going after a busy day yesterday as well, there will surely be some movement across the league today. Keep up with all the recalls and reassignments right here:

  • Last night, the Edmonton Oilers returned rookie forward Cooper Marody to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Edmonton had called up Marody early last week and gave him four starts, but Marody still failed to record his first NHL point. Marody has been held off the score sheet through six NHL games thus far in his first pro season, but has ten points in just seven AHL contests. The University of Michigan product has the ability and the Oilers believe in him enough to continue giving him looks, but he’ll need to show some production on his next try at the top level.
  • Trevor Carrick has earned his first call-up of the season, as the Carolina Hurricanes have placed Brett Pesce on the injured reserve and tabbed Carrick as the man to replace his roster spot. Pesce’s IR assignment, retroactive to November 10th, is the result of a lower-body injury. In his stead, Carrick and Haydn Fleury will be the likely candidates to replace him, either directly on the right side or on their natural left side with Trevor van Riemsdyk returning to his natural side. Carrick, 24, played in just one NHL game last year and has played in three total in his five-year pro career. However, the Charlotte Checkers veteran leads all defenseman on the team in scoring this season with 17 points in 19 games and is due for another look in Raleigh.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they have recalled winger Garrett Wilson from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.  It’s the second stint with the big club this month for the 27-year-old who got into four games with Pittsburgh in his first go-round.  Wilson has been quite productive in the minors, picking up 11 points in a dozen games but will likely play a fourth line role while on recall.
  • After seeing limited action upon being brought up, forward Michael Dal Colle is on his way back to the minors after the New York Islanders returned him to AHL Bridgeport and recalled winger Tanner Fritz.  Dal Colle played in just two games with New York, logging less than nine minutes per night.  He has been productive in his third full season with the Sound Tigers though, averaging a point per game in 14 contests.  Meanwhile, Fritz has spent most of this season with Bridgeport, amassing ten points in 17 games.
  • With Roberto Luongo injured, the Florida Panthers have brought back goaltender Michael Hutchinson from Springfield of the AHL.  The 28-year-old struggled considerably in his first stint with the team, posting a 4.18 GAA with a .839 SV% in four games with Florida.  He hasn’t fared much better with the Thunderbirds, notching a 3.48 GAA with a .903 SV% in four minor league appearances.  He’ll serve as the backup to James Reimer while Luongo is on the shelf.
  • After being called up Friday by the New York Rangers, the team announced they sent Tim Gettinger back to the Hartford Wolf Pack today. The good news for Gettinger is that he got a chance to make his NHL debut for the Rangers as he played 7:00 of ice time against the Washington Capitals, recording five hits and a blocked shot. The Rangers’ fifth-round pick in 2016, Gettinger has put up solid numbers so far in his first professional season with seven goals and 11 points in 20 games for the Wolf Pack.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have recalled goaltender Adin Hill from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL as backup goaltender Darcy Kuemper is day-to-day with a minor lower-body injury. The 22-year-old Hill has struggled in four appearances with the team this year, but has a 3.49 GAA and a .891 save percentage. Hill hasn’t fared much better in Tucson as he has a 3.22 GAA and a .871 save percentage in six games.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Arizona Coyotes

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. Let’s take a look at what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Arizona Coyotes.

What are the Coyotes most thankful for?

The weak start by almost the entire Pacific Division.

Despite sitting at 9-9-2 through their first 20 games and currently holding down seventh spot in the division, the Coyotes are by no means out of the playoff race at this point. In fact, they sit only seven points behind the division-leading Calgary Flames with two fewer games played, and are one of only three teams without a negative goal differential. The Coyotes haven’t played anywhere near their best through the first two months of the season, but still sit in prime position to battle for the postseason because of the middling efforts from former playoff teams like Anaheim, Vegas and Los Angeles.

Who are the Coyotes most thankful for?

Darcy Kuemper.

Anyone that did project the Coyotes to be competitive this season did it with one huge caveat: Antti Raanta must stay healthy. That hasn’t happened through the first quarter of the season, and Kuemper has been forced to start 11 of the team’s 20 games. He’s 4-5-2 in those games, but his .914 save percentage has been more than good enough to keep the Coyotes’ head above water as they await the return of their star goaltender. Raanta was activated off injured reserve today, and if he can return to form immediately the Coyotes actually may have one of the best tandems in the entire league.

While Raanta has the ability to contend for the Vezina Trophy, there’s no doubt that Kuemper will be needed again at some point this season. The 28-year old has now done nothing but provide solid backup play at three Western Conference stops, recording save percentages of .910, .932 and .907 in Minnesota, Los Angeles and Arizona respectively.

What would the Coyotes be even more thankful for?

A little bit of shot luck, and a healthy defense.

It’s a good thing the Coyotes have received solid goaltending from Raanta and Kuemper, because they aren’t scoring enough to win games 6-5. The team has just 50 goals on the season through 20 games, and is shooting a near league-worst 7.9%—only Carolina and Los Angeles are below them. Young forwards like Dylan Strome, Brendan Perlini, Christian Fischer and Lawson Crouse are all shooting under 10% on the season, while the entire defense corps has only combined for five goals.

That defense is where the real issue has been lately, as for a while the team was without Jason Demers, Alex Goligoski and Jakob Chychrun, three of their top four options. While Demers is out for the rest of the season, the other two are back in action and should help the team moving forward. Perhaps they can even chip in a goal or two while the forward group figures out how to put the puck in the net.

What should be on the Coyotes’ Holiday Wish List?

Secondary scoring.

There are lots of teams looking to balance out their forward group with an acquisition or two this season, but luckily there are plenty of options expected to be on the market come the start of 2019. Even with the New York Rangers doing better than expected there will likely be one or two veteran names on the move out of Madison Square Garden, while the Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings could be in fire sale mode by February. It’s not very likely that the Coyotes go after any of the big expensive names, but adding a few wingers who can lengthen out their forward group could do them a world of good down the stretch.

Minor Transactions: 11/23/18

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The NHL was off yesterday while America celebrated Thanksgiving, but is back with a bang today with 30 of 31 teams taking part. The action gets kicked off this afternoon with the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers battling in a Metropolitan Division matchup. With all the action there might not be a ton of minor moves, but we’ll keep track of them either way.

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