Injury News: Wild, Morrissey, Guhle
The Wild should get a key winger back for tomorrow’s game against St. Louis as Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Marcus Foligno is expected to return from the lower-body injury he sustained a week and a half ago. The 31-year-old had a career-high 23 goals last season but has managed just three in 27 games so far this year although he’s still averaging more than three hits per game. Minnesota has an open spot on their roster so no corresponding move will need to be made to activate him off IR.
However, it might not be all good news for the Wild as center Joel Eriksson Ek missed practice today with head coach Dean Evason acknowledging that he’s banged up at the moment. The 25-year-old sits tied for third in team scoring with 27 points (12-15-27) in 35 games. He’s listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- Although Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury, head coach Rick Bowness told reporters including Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun that he’s hopeful that the blueliner will be able to play on Saturday against Edmonton. The 27-year-old has already set new career highs in assists (36) and points (42) this season while sitting second among NHL rearguards in scoring.
- The Canadiens announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Kaiden Guhle will miss Saturday’s game against Washington due to a lower-body injury sustained late in Thursday’s loss to Florida. The 20-year-old sits third in the league for average ice time for a rookie, logging 20:46 per night while picking up 14 points in 36 games. David Savard joined the team for practice today and could be activated off injured reserve although they’d have to free up a roster spot for that to happen.
Central Notes: Jets, Johnson, Avalanche
The Jets looked to be a team that had the cap space to make a splash in the second half of the season. However, as Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press outlines, that’s no longer the case. As a result of their injuries, Winnipeg has had to recall several players and in doing so, they’re at a spot where they’re going to need to dip in short-term LTIR if they have to bring anyone else up. All of a sudden, any ideas of making a key addition in the near future will have to be shut down until most of their regulars return. The good news for Winnipeg is that none of the injuries are season-ending but there aren’t many near-term recoveries on the horizon which isn’t ideal with nearly $25MM currently out of the lineup.
Elsewhere in the Central:
- While Blackhawks center Tyler Johnson returned to the lineup a little more than two weeks ago, he isn’t fully healthy yet. Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times notes that the 32-year-old is still dealing with a left ankle injury, one that may not be fully recovered until the end of the season. Despite still being banged up, Johnson has logged more than 15 minutes a night since returning and has three goals and five assists in 12 games so far this season.
- The Avalanche could have Nathan MacKinnon back in the lineup on Saturday against Toronto, relays Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. The star center has missed nearly four weeks due to an upper-body injury and while he took the skate in a non-contact jersey today, that won’t automatically preclude him from returning tomorrow. Meanwhile, forward Darren Helm was a full participant in practice for the first time today but has not yet received the green light to suit up. He has yet to play this season and underwent hip surgery last month.
Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Johansen, O’Brien
The Penguins got some help on the injury front tonight as the team announced that they’ve activated center Ryan Poehling off injured reserve. The 23-year-old had missed the last three games due to an upper-body injury. Poehling is in his first season with Pittsburgh after coming over in a summer trade from Montreal and has been a fixture in their bottom six, collecting eight points in 30 games while logging a little over 11 minutes per night. To make room for Poehling on the roster, winger Drake Caggiula has been sent back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. Caggiula has played in just three games with Pittsburgh so far this season but has 14 points in 23 games at the minor league level.
More from the Metropolitan:
- Lucas Johansen’s latest stint with the Capitals has come to an end as the team announced that they’ve returned the defenseman to Hershey of the AHL. The 25-year-old was recalled on Tuesday following the roster freeze being lifted but didn’t play. Johansen has suited up twice with Washington so far this season while he has a goal and an assist in 13 games with the Bears in the minors. Johansen’s assignment suggests that blueliner Martin Fehervary is ready to return from his upper-body injury.
- The Flyers don’t have a second-round pick next summer as a result of the Rasmus Ristolainen trade. However, as Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic notes (subscription link), it is possible for Philadelphia to get one next summer for Jay O’Brien. Assuming they don’t sign the 2018 first-rounder, they’d receive the 19th pick of the second round as compensation. Normally, since O’Brien plays in college, his free agency wouldn’t start until mid-August which would push the compensatory pick to 2024. That said, if Philadelphia wants the 2023 selection, there is an appeal process that could play out which would allow O’Brien to become a free agent in June, allowing them to get the second-rounder a year earlier.
Ducks Sign Gage Alexander To Entry-Level Contract
The Ducks have signed one of their 2021 draft picks, announcing the signing of goaltender Gage Alexander to a three-year, entry-level contract. CapFriendly reports that the deal carries an AAV of $810K.
The 20-year-old was a fifth-round pick by Anaheim back in 2021 (148th overall) out of Winnipeg of the WHL. Prior to this season, Alexander was moved to Swift Current where he was splitting time with Boston prospect Reid Dyck. Alexander had the better numbers of the two, posting a 3.47 GAA and a .898 SV% in 15 games.
While most players that sign their entry-level contracts in-season typically return to their junior teams, that’s not the case here. Instead, the Ducks have assigned Alexander to San Diego of the AHL. With Lukas Dostal still up with Anaheim for the time being, Alexander should be paired up with Olle Eriksson Ek with the Gulls and get a chance to start his professional career in the near future.
Although he started the year in junior, Alexander will burn the first year of the contract this season even if he doesn’t get into an NHL action with Anaheim in the second half of the season.
Senators Recall Jake Lucchini, Reassign Dillon Heatherington
Dec 30, 11:18 am: Ottawa has returned Heatherington to the minors, signaling that fan favorite Artem Zub could be close to a return to the lineup.
Dec 27, 9:51 am: The Senators have brought back some extra depth as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled defenseman Dillon Heatherington and winger Jake Lucchini from Belleville of the AHL.
Heatherington should be used to the frequent shuffling by now as this is his third recall of the month and fourth of the season overall. Despite the recalls, the 27-year-old has only suited up with Ottawa once this year. He has spent the bulk of his time with Belleville where he has five points in 19 games.
As for Lucchini, he made his NHL debut earlier this month against Montreal. The 27-year-old has been quite productive in the minors this season with 23 points in 25 games after putting up 51 points with Belleville last season.
The recalls come on the heels of some injury news as head coach D.J. Smith told TSN 1200 (Twitter link) that winger Tyler Motte has a broken finger, Rourke Chartier has an upper-body injury, and Erik Brannstrom has a lower-body issue. As a result, Heatherington and Lucchini might be a little more than just spare players this time around.
Snapshots: Ducks Goaltenders, Maple Leafs, Rielly
The Ducks will have their starting goaltender back between the pipes tonight as head coach Dallas Eakins relayed to reporters including Bally Sports West’s Aly Lozoff (Twitter link) that John Gibson has been cleared to return from his lower-body injury and will start against Vegas. It has been a tough year for the veteran as his GAA has jumped to 3.99 while his save percentage is down to just .896, numbers that are the worst of his career by a considerable margin. In a corresponding roster move, the team officially returned goalie Olle Eriksson Ek to AHL San Diego.
Meanwhile, backup goaltender Anthony Stolarz has started skating on his own and could join the team for practice soon, relays Lisa Dillman of The Orange County Register. The veteran suffered a lower-body injury back on December 12th and hasn’t played since. He, too, is having a tough year with a 4.02 GAA and a save percentage of just .886, hardly the performance he or the Ducks were hoping for as he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in July.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- The NHL has levied a pair of fines on the Maple Leafs. First, the team was fined $100K for a CBA travel violation as they traveled to St. Louis late on December 26th. While it was a late-night flight, the rule states that teams cannot travel or have any activities until the 27th. The second fine was issued to head coach Sheldon Keefe for demeaning conduct directed at the officials during last night’s game against St. Louis. He’ll be $25K lighter in the wallet as a result.
- Still with the Maple Leafs, they are expected to have their top blueliner back in the lineup tomorrow as Keefe told reporters including Sports Illustrated’s David Alter that Morgan Rielly should suit up Thursday against Arizona. The 28-year-old suffered a knee injury a little over a month ago and was placed on LTIR. Toronto will need to get cap-compliant in order to activate him but a pair of LTIR placements yesterday and an eventual return of Mac Hollowell to the minors will be enough to allow them to activate Rielly.
Valeri Nichushkin Re-Injures Ankle, Out Indefinitely
Injuries have hit the Avalanche hard all season but they got some good news three weeks ago when Valeri Nichushkin was able to return to the lineup after undergoing ankle surgery following a six-week absence. However, his absence from yesterday’s loss to Arizona was noteworthy and head coach Jared Bednar confirmed to Kyle Frederickson of The Denver Gazette (Twitter link) that the winger has re-injured his ankle. There is no timetable for his return.
The 27-year-old is in the first season of an eight-year, $49MM contract signed back in July to avoid free agency. He got off to a great start before originally being injured, notching a dozen points in his first seven games but his output had dipped since his return as Nichushkin had just four assists in the eight contests he played in this month. Even so, he still sits seventh in scoring for Colorado despite missing more than half the season due to injuries.
Nichushkin rejoins an injured group that includes (but isn’t limited to) center Nathan MacKinnon, winger Gabriel Landeskog, defensemen Josh Manson and Bowen Byram, and even goaltender Pavel Francouz. All told, the Avs have over $27MM in contracts for players that are currently unavailable due to injuries. Even with LTIR, Colorado has been icing lineups lately that have been below the salary cap floor and with most of their injured players still facing extended absences, that’s unlikely to change in the near future.
In spite of the injuries, Colorado is still hanging around the playoff mix as they’re tied for a Wild Card position and are only two points out of the final guaranteed spot in the Central Division. Unfortunately, they’re going to have to hang around the mix without another key winger in Nichushkin who is now facing another absence.
Metropolitan Notes: Wahlstrom, Drury, Merzlikins
The injuries are starting to pile up for the Islanders and that list has grown once again as Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports that the team believes that winger Oliver Wahlstrom sustained a head injury in last night’s game against Pittsburgh. The injury occurred on his first shift of the game and he did not return. Wahlstrom is on pace to set new career highs offensively with seven goals and nine assists in 35 games so far this season. He joins Kyle Palmieri, Semyon Varlamov, Adam Pelech, and Cal Clutterbuck as regulars that are currently out of the lineup.
More from the Metropolitan:
- Jack Drury’s recall to Carolina was a short-lived one. Just one day after being brought back up following a paper demotion during the holiday break, the Hurricanes announced that they’ve returned the center to AHL Chicago. The 22-year-old has played in 21 NHL games this season, notching two assists, but is averaging just shy of ten minutes a game which isn’t necessarily ideal for development. Drury has gotten into eight games with the Wolves where he has three points. With Max Pacioretty getting closer to returning, Drury’s stay in the minors might last a little longer this time.
- Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins was a full participant in practice today, relays team reporter Jeff Svoboda (Twitter link). This means that he has cleared COVID protocol. Merzlikins has struggled considerably this season, posting a 4.68 GAA and a .864 SV% in 14 games thus far. Columbus is now carrying three goaltenders on the active roster so once Merzlikins gets the green light to return, it’s likely that Daniil Tarasov will be sent back to AHL Cleveland.
Wild Place Marcus Foligno On IR, Re-Assign Andrej Sustr
Dec 28: Sustr has been returned to the AHL, after Jacob Middleton was back at practice for the Wild today.
Dec 27: After recalling a pair of forwards yesterday, the Wild have made two more roster moves today. They announced the recall of defenseman Andrej Sustr from AHL Iowa with winger Marcus Foligno being placed on injured reserve to create roster room for Sustr’s promotion.
Sustr is in his first season with Minnesota after signing a two-way deal with them at the beginning of free agency. This is the 32-year-old’s second recall of the month although he didn’t see any NHL action in the week and a half that he was up earlier. Sustr has six points in 20 AHL contests this season and will likely be a reserve defender on this recall as well as the Wild now have eight rearguards on their active roster.
As for Foligno, the veteran has had a bit of a tough year. He missed time with an upper-body injury earlier this season while it’s a lower-body issue that will keep him out this time around. The 31-year-old had 23 goals in 2021-22 but has managed just three so far this season in 27 games although he does lead the team with 90 hits. Michael Russo of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that Foligno’s placement is back-dated to December 21st so he could be activated for Thursday’s game against Dallas if he’s ready to return.
Central Notes: Jets, Middleton, Langlois
The Jets have been banged up this season and there isn’t much short-term help on the horizon. Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe relays (Twitter link) that center Saku Maenalanen is the closest to returning and is about a week away. The 28-year-old has been a regular in the bottom six for Winnipeg this season, notching four goals and two assists in 25 games but has missed the last three weeks with an upper-body injury.
Next up on the return list is expected to be Cole Perfetti. The youngster is expected to miss a week to ten days with an upper-body issue. Perfetti has been one of Winnipeg’s more productive players this season as he’s tied for sixth in team scoring with 20 points in 33 games. Unfortunately for them, those are the only players that are somewhat close to returning as their other injuries (a list that includes Nikolaj Ehlers, Blake Wheeler, and Nate Schmidt, among others) are at least multiple weeks away from returning.
More from around the Central Division:
- Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton did not accompany the team on their trip to Winnipeg due to a non-COVID illness, the team announced (Twitter link). The 26-year-old is in his first full season with Minnesota and has shored up their third pairing nicely. Middleton has six points, 57 blocks, and 48 hits in 33 games this season. His absence is why the team recalled Andrej Sustr from AHL Iowa earlier today.
- Coyotes prospect Jeremy Langlois is on the move in the QMJHL as Cape Breton announced (Twitter link) that they’ve moved the defenseman to Quebec for a pair of draft picks. The 19-year-old was a third-round pick this past summer (94th overall) after an impressive season offensively that saw him collect 47 points in 60 games. His numbers are down slightly this year although he’s still on pace for 40 points. Langlois has not yet signed his entry-level contract but is eligible to turn pro next season.