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Jonathan Toews Reportedly Considering Retirement

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Many expected that this season was supposed to be Jonathan Toews’ final one with Chicago.  However, it appears it might be his final one altogether as John Dietz of The Daily Herald reports that the veteran is believed to be seriously considering retiring at the end of this season.

Toews has been dealing with both long-COVID symptoms as well as Chronic Immune Response Syndrome with the pair of ailments causing him to miss the entire 2020-21 campaign.  While he was able to play a regular role last season and through the first half of this one, the 34-year-old hasn’t played since late January.  Last month, he released a statement acknowledging that he is still dealing with symptoms from both issues which took away any possibility of him being moved at the trade deadline.  At this point, he hasn’t been ruled out for the season and Dietz notes that he has been around the team regularly over the last couple of weeks.

But even if Toews is able to return down the stretch, the lingering effects of these ailments appear to be likely to continue beyond this year which will present some complications for him moving forward if he opts to instead try to play next season.  He turns 35 next month which would make him eligible for an incentive-based deal as long as it’s a one-year agreement which would give whoever signed him a chance to tie part of his compensation to games played.  At this point in his career, is that really the best route for him to go?  It appears that Toews is at least pondering that question as he considers his future.

He has spent his entire 15-year career with the Blackhawks, ranking sixth in franchise history in goals (371), eighth in assists (509), and sixth in points (880) while sitting fifth in games played.  Of course, he also helped lead them to three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015 and regardless of what decision he makes (retire or try to play next season), Toews is a franchise icon in Chicago.  Unfortunately, it appears as if there’s a legitimate possibility that he won’t be able to end his time with them – and perhaps his career – the way he wanted to.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

West Notes: Wild, McLeod, Afanaseyev, Kesselring

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The Wild could get several key veterans back in their lineup shortly.  Randy Johnson of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune relays that while defensemen Jonas Brodin and Jacob Middleton plus wingers Brandon Duhaime and Marcus Foligno weren’t in the lineup today, they could all be back for Sunday’s contest against Washington.  Brodin has been out the longest, missing the last four weeks with a lower-body injury which has been a big blow to their back end.  Middleton is dealing with an illness sustained earlier this week.  Meanwhile, Duhaime has missed more than two weeks with a head injury while Foligno has been out for a week with a lower-body issue of his own.  Minnesota is in the midst of a very close three-way battle for positioning in the Central and getting multiple veterans back at once could certainly give their lineup a nice boost.

More from the Western Conference:

  • Postmedia’s Jim Matheson suggests that center Ryan McLeod is dealing with a shoulder injury. He was injured on Tuesday against Ottawa and didn’t suit up versus Dallas on Thursday.  There’s no word on how long the 23-year-old will be out.  McLeod’s in the middle of a decent sophomore season, notching 11 goals and 11 assists in 55 games despite spending a lot of that time in Edmonton’s bottom six.
  • After papering him down, the Predators announced that they’ve recalled winger Egor Afanasyev to AHL Milwaukee. The 22-year-old made his NHL debut last weekend after being brought up and has gotten into three games with Nashville, logging 9:32 per night while being held off the scoresheet.  Afanasyev also has 13 goals and 13 assists in 55 games with the Admirals in the minors this season.
  • A day after being sent down, the Coyotes announced (Twitter link) that they have once again recalled defenseman Michael Kesselring from AHL Tucson on an emergency basis. The 23-year-old has played in three games with Arizona since being acquired just before the deadline, logging 18:35 per contest.  The 23-year-old has also suited up three times for the Roadrunners since the swap, picking up a goal and an assist.

Blues Assign Tyler Tucker And Nikita Alexandrov To AHL

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With an off day on their schedule, the Blues have opted to make a pair of roster moves.  They announced that they’ve assigned defenseman Tyler Tucker and winger Nikita Alexandrov to Springfield of the AHL.

Tucker has played in 24 games with St. Louis this season, his first taste of NHL action.  He has held his own at the top level, picking up four points while averaging just shy of two hits per night while averaging 14:33 of ice time per contest.  The 23-year-old also has suited up in 30 games with the Thunderbirds this season where he has been more productive, picking up 15 points along with 55 penalty minutes.

As for Alexandrov, he has seen action in 28 games for the Blues, tallying three goals and four assists in what has primarily been a fourth-line role as he’s logging less than 10 minutes a night.  It is also his rookie year at the NHL level.  The 22-year-old has also played in 29 games with Springfield where he has collected 13 goals and 10 helpers.

St. Louis opted to paper both players down just before the trade deadline, recalling both using two of their four post-deadline regular recalls in the process.  Accordingly, if they were to be brought back up now, they’d cut into those final two recalls unless emergency conditions arise.  NHL.com’s Lou Korac adds (Twitter link) that their intention is to keep both players in Springfield for the time being to help aid in their push for the playoffs; the Thunderbirds enter play today in fourth place in the Atlantic Division in the minors.

Sharks Recall Martin Kaut

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Martin Kaut was hoping to get more of a regular NHL opportunity when he requested a trade from Colorado earlier this season.  However, while he was granted his wish for a swap, it hadn’t resulted in much NHL action with his new team.  That could change now as the Sharks announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled the winger from AHL San Jose.

The 23-year-old was the 16th overall pick in 2018 by the Avs but he hasn’t been able to live up to his draft billing.  Kaut got his first taste of extended NHL action this season, getting into 27 games when Colorado was dealing with a lot of injuries and was looking for someone to grab hold of a full-time spot on the fourth line.  However, it didn’t happen as he had just three points in that stretch.

Kaut was eventually moved to the Sharks in late January as part of a four-player swap but he has gotten into just three NHL contests since then.  Instead, he has mostly played with the Barracuda where he has been productive, contributing three goals and ten assists in 15 games.  With San Jose looking to evaluate some players down the stretch, it stands to reason that Kaut now should get a bit more of an extended look to see if the pending restricted free agent is someone that can make a push for a full-time spot in their lineup next season.

Oilers Sign Jake Chiasson

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The Oilers have signed one of their prospects today, announcing the signing of forward Jake Chiasson to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not released but the team noted that the contract will begin next season.

The 19-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Edmonton back in 2021 (116th overall) and accordingly, the team had to sign him by June 1st or give up his rights.  Chiasson has split his time between Brandon and Saskatoon of the WHL this season and has seen his production improve after being dealt to the Blades.  Between the two squads, he has 20 goals and 34 assists in 66 games.

It’s worth noting that Chiasson could go back to the WHL next season as a 20-year-old and while that isn’t always the best route to take, it’s at least worth considering here.  Between injuries and pandemic-shortened campaigns, he has just 170 total appearances at the junior level, not much more than two full seasons worth of experience.  Accordingly, there could be some room for improvement if Chiasson stays with the Blades for one more year but if he does, he will still burn the first season of his contract.

Stars Sign Chase Wheatcroft

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The Stars have dipped their toes into the undrafted free agent waters to add to their prospect pool as they announced the signing of forward Chase Wheatcroft to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but the contract will begin in the 2023-24 season.

The 20-year-old has had a breakout campaign in the WHL this season, to put it lightly.  Over his first three seasons at the major junior level, Wheatcroft had 82 points in 137 games, numbers that weren’t bad but not really at the level to attract NHL attention which played a role in him getting passed over at the draft.

However, in 2022-23, following an offseason trade to Prince George, Wheatcroft has dominated to the tune of 47 goals and 57 assists in 65 games.  His 104 points put him second in the league, only behind a certain player who’s projected to go first overall in June.  Wheatcroft was named the WHL’s top player in February when he recorded 28 points in just a dozen games.

Dallas has drafted fewer than seven players (every team’s original allotment of selections) in three of the last four seasons which has resulted in a prospect pool that isn’t the deepest.  Accordingly, Wheatcroft’s addition makes plenty of sense for Dallas who will now get to see if his breakout is a sign of things to come.

EP Rinkside’s Sean Shapiro was the first to report Wheatcroft had signed with Dallas.

Penguins Place Nick Bonino On LTIR, Recall Mark Friedman

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Injuries have tested Pittsburgh’s already tricky salary cap situation in recent games and with the back end being banged up at the moment, reinforcements were needed.  The Penguins created some short-term cap space to create room for a recall as they announced that center Nick Bonino has been placed on LTIR while recalling blueliner Mark Friedman from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Last weekend, the team revealed that Bonino suffered a lacerated kidney in just his third game with the team.  While he had been released from the hospital, he was still ruled out as week-to-week.  That now changes to 10 games and 24 days from the date of injury, the minimum requirements for a player to be placed on LTIR.  Given the initial timeframe, it’s still possible that Bonino is able to return to the lineup before the end of the regular season.

With the placement, Pittsburgh adds $1.025MM to its LTIR pool; while Bonino’s true cap hit is double that amount, Montreal held back an additional $1.025MM as part of a three-team trade at the deadline earlier this month.

That move allows Pittsburgh to be able to afford Friedman’s $775K cap hit on their active roster.  The 27-year-old has played in 11 games with the Penguins this season in a depth role plus another 24 in the minors where he has a goal and five assists in 24 contests.

Notably, the Penguins are still only able to afford just this one recall as the leftover difference between Bonino’s cap hit and Friedman’s plus the $375K they had in their pool before this move (per CapFriendly), is just $625K which is below the $750K league minimum.  Accordingly, if more recalls will be needed, they’re going to have to get quite creative to make it happen.

Maple Leafs Recall Bobby McMann And Joseph Woll

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In advance of their game tonight against Ottawa, the Maple Leafs have brought up a pair of players, announcing (Twitter link) the recalls of winger Bobby McMann and goaltender Joseph Woll from AHL Toronto.

McMann has been a strong scorer in the minors this season, notching 21 goals in just 30 games.  He leads the Marlies in that category despite missing half of the AHL campaign.  That scoring prowess earned him his NHL debut back in January where he got into eight games, logging just shy of 11 minutes a night while being held off the scoresheet.  With Noel Acciari being injured last night against Carolina, McMann will take his place on the roster for the time being.

As for Woll, his recall was a bit more curious.  However, he’s covering for Ilya Samsonov as head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun (Twitter link) that Samsonov didn’t travel with the team with his wife expecting to give birth soon plus a minor injury before they embark on a long trip starting on Tuesday.  Woll, meanwhile, has been dominant with the Marlies, winning 16 of his 18 starts while posting a 2.37 GAA and a .928 SV%.  His NHL numbers have been better, albeit in a much smaller sample size, as he has a 2.04 GAA with a .938 SV% in three starts with the Maple Leafs this season.

Injury Updates: Carlson, Acciari, Forbort

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Capitals defenseman John Carlson revealed to Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic (subscription link) that the upper-body injury that has kept him out close to three months was a small skull fracture above his right ear and a severed temporal artery.  Back in January, his ear had to be partially reattached, likely due to that severed artery.  The veteran has started skating and is believed to be targeting Thursday’s game against Chicago as a potential return date.  Carlson’s absence has played a big role in Washington’s decline this season and while his suiting up won’t change their fortunes now, it’ll still be important for him to get back and show that he has indeed fully recovered.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • Maple Leafs forward Noel Acciari won’t play tonight against Ottawa, relays NHL.com’s Dave McCarthy (Twitter link). He suffered an injury on Friday against Carolina on a hit from Jesse Puljujarvi and did not return with head coach Sheldon Keefe indicating the 31-year-old wouldn’t be accompanying Toronto on the road.  Acciari has three goals in 13 games with Toronto since being acquired from St. Louis last month while chipping in with 43 hits in a little under 13 minutes per contest.
  • The Bruins are likely to be without blueliner Derek Forbort for both games this weekend. Head coach Jim Montgomery indicated after practice yesterday (video link) that the veteran went for more imaging on Friday with the team awaiting the results.  Connor Clifton is expected to suit up in Forbort’s spot today while Jakub Zboril appears to be targeted for that spot in the lineup on Sunday.  Forbort has a dozen points in 54 games so far this season while chipping in with 106 hits and 88 blocked shots.

Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Hughes, Ersson, Svechnikov

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With Jan Rutta and Jeff Petry both leaving Tuesday’s game against Montreal with undisclosed injuries, the Penguins were forced to finish that contest with four blueliners.  As Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette points out, they might not be able to dress six for Thursday’s contest against the Rangers.  Even with Dmitry Kulikov going on LTIR earlier today, that still only opens up enough cap space for one recall with Anaheim holding back half of Kulikov’s cap hit.  That means that Pittsburgh could bring up Mark Friedman or Taylor Fedun from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Ty Smith is injured) but they would still have to play short a blueliner for a game before becoming eligible for a cap-exempt emergency recall.  Of course, if one of Rutta or Petry can suit up against New York, they’ll be able to ice a full lineup.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Rangers prospect Riley Hughes has entered the NCAA transfer portal, Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal reports (Twitter link). The 22-year-old was a seventh-round pick by New York back in 2018 (216th overall) but hasn’t been particularly productive over four years at Northeastern.  This season, Hughes had just two goals and four assists in 32 games, numbers that weren’t going to help him earn an entry-level deal this summer.  He’s eligible for one more bonus year of eligibility and that season will now be played elsewhere.
  • The Flyers have assigned Samuel Ersson back to AHL Lehigh Valley, interim GM Daniel Briere told reporters including Sam Carchidi of Philly Hockey Now (Twitter link). The 23-year-old was recalled yesterday with Carter Hart being out due to illness but it appears that Hart will be ready for their next game on Friday against Buffalo.  Ersson has played in 13 games with Philadelphia this season, posting a 3.07 GAA and a .898 SV%.
  • As expected, the Hurricanes have placed winger Andrei Svechnikov on LTIR, CapFriendly reports (Twitter link). The 22-year-old is out for the season is set to undergo season-ending knee surgery on Thursday.  The placement adds Svechnikov’s $7.75MM AAV to Carolina’s LTIR pool, one that went into the day with less than $850K in space, or enough for one AHL recall.  With Svechnikov on LTIR, affording recalls shouldn’t be an issue for them for the rest of the season.

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