Andre Burakovsky To Miss Six To Eight Weeks
It has been a rough start to Seattle’s season offensively as the Kraken have just 11 goals in six games. Things are about to get even tougher on that front as Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times reports that winger Andre Burakovsky will miss the next six to eight weeks with an upper-body injury.
The injury occurred in last night’s loss to the Rangers as he exited after a hit from Jacob Trouba, playing just 6:05. The 28-year-old had 39 points in 49 games last season, finishing second on the Kraken in points per game behind only Jared McCann but was unable to suit up in the playoffs due to the torn groin that kept him out for the stretch run.
Like many Seattle players, Burakovsky had gotten off to a slow start this year with just two helpers in his first six contests. Nevertheless, losing a top-six forward is never ideal for a team, especially one that has struggled so much out of the gate from a production standpoint.
GM Ron Francis indicated that a recall is likely to come at some point to take Burakovsky’s spot on the roster but not necessarily right away. For now, at least, Devin Shore should come into the lineup. Seattle is about to begin a four-game road trip on Tuesday and since they have 19 healthy skaters for now (with one extra defenseman), a call-up from AHL Coachella Valley isn’t necessarily needed right away. Francis acknowledged they might take a wait-and-see approach on that front to see when a replacement for Burakovsky on the roster will be needed.
Seattle has just one victory so far this season and now, the task of getting back on track just got a little harder now that they’ll be without one of their better wingers in Burakovsky until some point in December.
Avalanche Recall Corey Schueneman
The Avalanche have decided to bring up some defensive depth as they announced (Twitter link) the recall of blueliner Corey Schueneman from AHL Colorado.
The 27-year-old is in his first season with the Avs after signing a one-year, two-way deal with them in free agency back in July. He has played in two games so far in the minors with the Eagles and has yet to hit the scoresheet. Prior to that, he had an assist in two preseason contests.
Schueneman has seen NHL action in each of the last two seasons, both with Montreal. Between those years, he has suited up 31 times, picking up two goals and five assists while logging a little over 16 minutes per night. He spent the bulk of his time those years in the minors with AHL Laval, notching 34 points in 94 contests.
With the Avalanche viewing Kurtis MacDermid (who can play the back end and on the wing) as a forward, they’ve basically been carrying the minimum of six defensemen so it’s not surprising that they’ve opted to bring up some insurance now as they embark on a three-game road trip. Colorado had two open roster spots so no corresponding move needed to be made to add Schueneman to their roster while they will be dipping into their LTIR pool using Pavel Francouz‘s money to afford him under the salary cap.
Hurricanes Reassign Callahan Burke To AHL
10/22/23: The Hurricanes have reassigned Burke back to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. He made his Hurricanes debut last night in Denver for the team’s contest against the Colorado Avalanche, registering 7:06 time on ice.
10/21/23: Late last night, the Hurricanes made a roster move, announcing the recall of forward Callahan Burke from AHL Colorado on an emergency basis. It’s unclear at this time which Carolina player’s availability is in question for their game tonight against the Avalanche.
The Hurricanes acquired Burke from the Avs earlier this month in exchange for defenseman Caleb Jones. The swap amounted to a cost-cutting move for the Hurricanes as they moved Jones’ one-way deal for Burke’s two-way pact which only carries a guaranteed salary of $125K.
Burke had his best season at the AHL level in 2022-23, recording 16 goals and 23 assists in 70 games with the Eagles. That also earned the 26-year-old his first taste of NHL action as he got into a pair of games with the Avs. This season, he an assist in two games with the Eagles; Carolina opted to keep him with Colorado’s farm team since they don’t have an AHL affiliate of their own this season. Now, he might get a chance to play against his former team tonight.
Rasmus Andersson Suspended Four Games, Flames Will Appeal
6:12 p.m.: Andersson has been suspended four games as a result of the play, NHL Player Safety confirms. Andersson will be eligible to return on November 1 against the Stars. Charging was the official designation on the play. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis later reported the Flames are planning to appeal the suspension, although a significant reduction in length is unlikely to happen in time based on past precedent.
10:19 a.m.: Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson delivered an elbow to the head of Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine in the dying seconds of last night’s contest, earning himself a major penalty in the process. The clip of the play can be viewed here. It has also earned him a discussion with the league as the Department of Player Safety announced (Twitter link) that he’ll have a hearing today. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic adds (Twitter link) that it’s a phone hearing which means the maximum suspension would be for five games.
Laine did not travel with the Blue Jackets following the game for their game today against Minnesota, the team announced (Twitter link). He is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Laine has changed positions this season and has lined up as a center in the early going. Not surprisingly, he has struggled a bit at the faceoff dot, winning just 41% of his draws while he has a goal and an assist in four games so far this season.
As for Andersson, he has once again logged heavy minutes for Calgary in the early going, averaging just shy of 24 minutes per game while chipping in with three points in their first five contests. The Flames are one of just two teams that aren’t in action tonight with their next contest coming tomorrow against Detroit. That means while the hearing will take place today, it’s possible that any supplemental discipline may be announced on Sunday.
Injury Updates: Hurricanes, Boldy, Granlund, Bertuzzi
The Hurricanes are likely to be without center Sebastian Aho tonight against Colorado, relays NHL.com’s Ryan Boulding (Twitter link). The 26-year-old has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury but skated after the game-day skate today, suggesting he won’t be out much longer. Aho has three points in his first three games so far this season and is coming off his fourth season out of the last five with at least 30 goals.
Meanwhile, while goaltender Frederik Andersen also took part in the morning skate today, he, too, isn’t expected to be available for this game. He exited Tuesday’s game in San Jose early after taking a shot off the mask and hasn’t suited up since. The Hurricanes brought up Pyotr Kochetkov earlier this week and he is currently serving as the backup to veteran Antti Raanta.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- Wild winger Matt Boldy skated on Friday for the first time as he works his way back from an upper-body injury sustained earlier this week in Toronto, notes John Shipley of the Pioneer Press. However, head coach Dean Evason was quick to point out that this doesn’t mean that Boldy is nearing a return; the week-to-week designation remains. The 22-year-old had 31 goals last season and will be a big part of Minnesota’s attack when he’s able to return.
- While Sharks forward Mikael Granlund is on San Jose’s five-game road trip, there’s still no timeline for when he might return, mentions Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. The 31-year-old played in the season opener but has been out with a lower-body injury since then; with Logan Couture still out, San Jose is down two of their top veterans. Granlund has already been on IR for the minimum of seven days and will be eligible to return as soon as he is cleared.
- After being a game-time decision on Thursday, Maple Leafs winger Tyler Bertuzzi will suit up tonight in Tampa Bay, mentions TSN’s Mark Masters (Twitter link). Head coach Sheldon Keefe recently mentioned that Bertuzzi isn’t fully healthy which left his status for today’s game in question. The 28-year-old is off to a quiet start with his new club, recording just one point (a goal) through his first four games.
Atlantic Notes: Ekman-Larsson, Sabres, Armia, DeBrusk
When Vancouver decided to buy out Oliver Ekman-Larsson this summer, it was the richest buyout in NHL history. It’s a move the blueliner didn’t see coming as he told Thomas Drance of The Athletic (subscription link) that he was surprised by their decision after his exit meetings and discussions with the team had been focused on his role with the Canucks for the 2023-24 campaign. Ekman-Larsson elected to take a one-year deal with the Panthers this summer worth $2.5MM and with the injuries to both Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, they have leaned on him heavily so far as he is averaging more than 25 minutes a night through Florida’s first four games. The last time he passed that threshold was back in 2014-15 with Arizona and while it’s unrealistic to think he’ll play that much the entire season, they’re certainly pleased with the early returns so far.
More from the Atlantic:
- While Devon Levi and Zach Benson took part in Buffalo’s practice today, neither will be in uniform tonight against the Islanders, relays Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. Both rookies are listed as day-to-day with lower-body injuries. Neither have been placed on IR because of the short timelines for a return so they’re not able to bring replacements up from AHL Rochester. With Levi unavailable, Eric Comrie will make his first start of the season for Buffalo.
- David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports (Twitter link) that the Canadiens had re-engaged in trade talks around winger Joel Armia last week. The veteran cleared waivers earlier this month and was just recalled earlier today but won’t play tonight against Washington. Armia has another season after this one left on his contract which carries a $3.4MM AAV. Accordingly, it stands to reason that any trade involving him will be a swap of overpaid veterans in need of a change of scenery.
- Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk will be a healthy scratch tonight against Los Angeles, the team announced (Twitter link). The scratching isn’t a performance-based one but rather a disciplinary one as he was late to a team meeting. The 27-year-old has been held without a point through his first three games of the season, not quite the start he was hoping for in a contract year as he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency for the first time next summer.
Predators Claim Liam Foudy Off Waivers From Blue Jackets
The Predators have added some extra forward depth as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that they’ve claimed forward Liam Foudy off waivers from the Blue Jackets.
The 23-year-old was a first-round pick by Columbus back in 2018 (23rd overall) out of OHL London. While he put up a point per game with the Knights in his post-draft season, consistent production has been tough to come by in the pros. Foudy has just seven goals and 12 assists in 90 career NHL contests over parts of five seasons. Things have gone a lot better for him in the minors with AHL Cleveland as he has 35 points in 41 appearances at that level but needed to clear waivers to get back there. Clearly, that didn’t happen.
Once viewed as a possible important part of their rebuild, the Blue Jackets have since stockpiled several young middlemen which effectively pushed Foudy, a natural center, to the wing. While the position swap worked better for him as a speedster, their extra depth ultimately knocked him out of the lineup first and now off the roster entirely.
Meanwhile, Nashville is in the midst of shaking up its forward group under new GM Barry Trotz. Bringing in Foudy is a no-risk proposition for them as he’s on a contract that’s below the league minimum and he will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer. Notably, the Preds had a full roster so a move needed to be made to add Foudy to the active roster. That move was done by placing defenseman Luke Schenn on IR. Schenn was injured in the season opener and was given a four-to-six-week recovery timeline.
Canucks Activate Ilya Mikheyev Off IR
The Canucks are getting back a key winger in the lineup tonight as the team announced (Twitter link) that Ilya Mikheyev will make his season debut, meaning that he has been activated off injured reserve. He’s expected to skate on the second line with Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko.
The 29-year-old had a productive first season with Vancouver last year when he was healthy as he recorded 13 goals and 15 assists in just 46 games while logging just shy of 17 minutes per night. His 28 points were four shy of his career high despite missing over 40% of the games due to injuries.
Mikheyev suffered a torn ACL back in February, undergoing surgery soon after. At the time, the expectation was that he’d be ready for the start of the season but that wasn’t the case as he wound up not playing in the preseason while the team eventually scaled him back in practice to a non-contact jersey. Fortunately for Vancouver, it turns out that he didn’t need too much more recovery time.
The Canucks had been carrying 22 players so they don’t need to make a corresponding move to create an open roster spot to activate Mikheyev.
Central Notes: Trotz, Fabbro, Vilardi
Predators GM Barry Trotz was a long-time NHL coach, spending 23 years behind the bench with a pair of Jack Adams Awards while sitting third in league history in victories. To that end, it was a bit surprising when he eschewed coaching opportunities last season and eventually replacing David Poile in the managerial role with Nashville. Don’t expect him to have another change of heart as he told Newsday’s Andrew Gross that his coaching days are over:
I can honestly say I have no intentions of coaching again. My coaching career, you can put it in an envelope.
Trotz was active this summer, hiring Andrew Brunette (a more offensive-oriented coach) to replace John Hynes, making several front-office moves, and changing things up with their forward group, parting with Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen while bringing in several veterans in free agency to change up the core. It’s fair to say he jumped in with both feet into his new role and is leaving his old one behind.
More from the Central:
- Still with the Predators, defenseman Dante Fabbro is no stranger to trade speculation as it has followed him for basically the last couple of years. Speaking with Penalty Box Radio’s Alex Daugherty (Twitter link), the blueliner expressed that his goal is to remain in Nashville for the long haul. The 25-year-old averaged a career-low 17:27 per game last season with his average through his first few games a bit below that this year as well; as a result, he’s no longer viewed around the league as a prominent part of their future back end.
- The Jets announced (Twitter link) that they’ve placed forward Gabriel Vilardi on injured reserve. The move comes as no surprise as it was revealed yesterday that he’ll miss at least the next month with a sprained MCL. While Winnipeg is eligible to place Vilardi on LTIR given how long he’ll be out for, that move doesn’t make sense for them yet as they have ample cap space to bring up someone to replace him if they so desire. That move wasn’t made prior to their game tonight but should be coming soon as they’re currently down to 12 healthy forwards.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Calgary Flames
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2023-24 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Calgary Flames
Current Cap Hit: $85,943,500 (over the $83.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Matthew Coronato (two years, $925K)
F Jakob Pelletier (one year, $863K/$406K SOIR charge)
Potential Bonuses
Coronato: $850K
Coronato turned pro after a strong college season last year, burning the first year of his entry-level deal in the process even though he only played in one game. That makes assessing his second contract next to impossible at this point but it’s fair to say they’re counting on him playing an important role before too long. His four bonuses are of the ‘A’ variety so if he’s able to stay in a top-six role, it’s possible that one or two of those could be hit.
As for Pelletier, he was up for close to half of last season which is what makes his season-opening IR charge harder than most. Until he’s cleared to play, that will stay there. At that time, he can be set to the roster, making the full cap charge come into effect or he can be sent down, taking it off entirely. With the way things went last season where his playing time was limited and now with his shoulder injury, it’s reasonable to think a low-cost bridge deal is heading his way.
Signed Through 2023-24, Non-Entry-Level
F Dillon Dube ($2.3MM, RFA)
D Dennis Gilbert ($762.5K, UFA)
F A.J. Greer ($762.5K, UFA)
D Noah Hanifin ($4.95MM, UFA)
D Oliver Kylington ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Elias Lindholm ($4.85MM, UFA)
D Jordan Oesterle ($925K, UFA)
F Kevin Rooney ($1.3MM, UFA)
F Adam Ruzicka ($762.5K, RFA)
D Chris Tanev ($4.5MM, UFA)
D Nikita Zadorov ($3.75MM, UFA)
Lindholm’s future with the team (or lack thereof) has been a discussion point for several months now. At one point, it looked like he might not have much interest in staying. That doesn’t appear to be the case now but the two sides still aren’t believed to be close on a new deal. While a repeat of his 42-goal performance in 2021-22 isn’t likely, Lindholm is still a top center in terms of all-around usage and someone is going to pay him accordingly. At the moment, he’s one of the top middlemen that will be set to hit the open market and recent contracts handed out likely peg the low end of his price around the $8.5MM while the high end will start with a nine on a max-term deal or close to it.
Dube has shown steady improvement throughout his young career and is coming off a career year that saw him put up 45 points. Another season like that will have him well-positioned to earn a fair bit more than the $2.4MM qualifier he’s owed; a long-term deal would push past the $4MM mark. Rooney spent most of last in the minors but since he has a one-way contract, he’s counting in full against Calgary’s cap for the time being. He’s likely looking at a deal close to the minimum next summer. Greer did alright on Boston’s fourth line last year, resulting in a preseason waiver claim by Calgary. That said, that role in the lineup is usually filled by someone making the minimum or close to it. Ruzicka has shown some offensive promise but his NHL minutes have been limited. As things stand, a deal just past the $1MM mark is doable but with a bigger role this season, there’s room for him to beat that.
While there is a bit of optimism with Lindholm, there still isn’t a ton when it comes to Hanifin even though he said last month that he’s open to the idea. As a number two defender, he’s in line for a considerable increase on a long-term deal regardless of who gives it to him. He’ll be 27 next summer so a max-term contract surpassing the $7MM mark should be heading his way. Tanev is a throwback shutdown defenseman, the type of player that isn’t seen as frequently now as it was a few years ago. However, he has managed to stay relatively healthy with Calgary which will help his value. It’d be a bit surprising if he beat this on his next deal but with his reputation, it could be possible.
Zadorov had a surprisingly strong season last year from a goal perspective, notching 14 after his prior career high was seven. His size and physicality have allowed him to get some decent-sized contracts thus far despite being more of a fourth or fifth defender but a repeat of that performance offensively could really boost his market next summer. If he reverts back to his usual level of production though, he still could push for something in the $4.5MM range. Kylington missed all of last season for personal reasons and after vowing to be ready for this year, is back on LTIR for personal reasons once again. At this point, it’s hard to pinpoint what his next deal might look like until he’s actually back in uniform.
Oesterle came to Calgary in free agency after spending the past two years in Detroit. Until he can lock down an every-game role, he’s likely to stay below the $1MM mark. As for Gilbert, he has yet to play a full NHL season and is therefore also likely to be below $1MM on his next deal. The fact he has an AAV below the league minimum might help his chances of sticking at the top level, however.
Signed Through 2024-25
F Walker Duehr ($825K, UFA)
F Dryden Hunt ($775K, UFA)
F Andrew Mangiapane ($5.8MM, UFA)
F Yegor Sharangovich ($3.1MM, UFA)
G Daniel Vladar ($2.2MM, UFA)
Mangiapane wasn’t quite able to live up to his 35-goal breakout year in 2021-22, scoring instead at a second-line level. That’s not a poor performance but from a value perspective, they’re paying him to be one of their go-to scorers, not a secondary piece. Sharangovich was acquired in the Tyler Toffoli trade this summer, basically buying themselves an extra year of control with this contract that they quickly gave him. The 2021-22 version is worth a bigger deal than this one on the open market while the one from last year wouldn’t be likely to get much more than this. We’ll see which version he is for Calgary.
Duehr spent more time in the minors than the NHL last season but still managed to earn a one-way deal for his troubles. Now, it’s about establishing himself as an every-game player and if that happens, he could land a deal a bit better than this one. If his seven goals over 27 games translates to full-season production at that level though, then the $2MM mark is achievable. Hunt bounced around the league last season, twice claimed on waivers before being traded at the deadline. He’s a player on the fringes right now and those ones usually stay pretty close to the minimum.
Vladar has been in trade speculation dating back to the summer with Dustin Wolf showing that he’s ready for some NHL action. However, they likely don’t want Wolf playing just once a week so how willing they are to move Vladar at this point is far from a certainty. He’s still relatively inexperienced with one good and one not-so-good year under his belt. More of the former could push him toward the $3MM mark but more years like last season will likely result in a dip on his next deal.
Signed Through 2025-26
D Rasmus Andersson ($4.55MM, UFA)
F Mikael Backlund ($5.35MM in 2023-24, $4.5MM in 2024-25 and 2025-26)
G Jacob Markstrom ($6MM, UFA)
Backlund was originally planning to wait things out before deciding about possibly extending but had a change of heart and was immediately named captain thereafter. He had a career year last season and if he stays at that level, this deal would be a team-friendly one quickly. That’s not realistic but if he goes back to his career averages, this is a fair-value contract that will carry him through 18 seasons with the Flames.
Andersson started out his career in more of a supporting role but former GM Brad Treliving thought that the blueliner had another level to get to, handing him this six-year deal. He was certainly proven right. The 26-year-old had a 50-point showing in 2021-22 (his previous benchmark was 22) and followed it up with a 49-point effort last season while pushing his ATOI past the 24-minute mark. Those are basically number one defenseman numbers for a player who is being paid like a third or fourth option. Lots can happen over the next three seasons that could change things but if Andersson has three more years like the last two, he has a chance to push for double his current price tag in 2026.
Markstrom is coming off a down season but remains one of the more consistently reliable goalies across the NHL which helped land him this contract back in 2020 at a time when the cap was just starting to tighten. It’s a deal that puts him in the top ten for cap hits among NHL netminders (including those that will be on LTIR for the entire year) but when he’s on his game, he’s worth the premium.