Snapshots: Bruins, Perry, Johnson
The NCAA free agency frenzy has kicked off and the Boston Bruins could be in the mix for one of the top names, with the Boston Globe’s Matt Porter sharing that the team is interested in Notre Dame’s Ryan Bischel. Bischel has been with the Fighting Irish for the last five seasons, confidently taking over the team’s starting role over the last two. And he’s been tremendous with the opportunity, posting 16 wins and a .931 save percentage in 37 games last season and 15 wins and a .924 in 36 games this year. He managed his high marks while facing an average of 33 shots against each game this season. The performances have earned Bischel plenty of recognition, getting named a finalist for Big Ten Goaltender of the Year this season, after winning the award last year.
Goaltending has been a major sore spot for countless teams this year and any team in need of goaltending depth is likely trying to find out their chances of signing Bischel. That could make it hard for Boston – who already boasts fantastic depth with Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman, and Brandon Bussi – to find an advantage in negotiations. But Bischel’s addition could be aptly timed, with Boston also entertaining trading Ullmark around the Trade Deadline. How NCAA free agency negotiations play out could go a long way toward determining what the Bruins want to do next.
Other notes from around the league:
- The NHL, NHLPA, Chicago Blackhawks, and Corey Perry have reached a settlement relating to Perry’s termination from the Blackhawks on November 29th, as first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Rather than have Perry file a grievance with the league, the two sides agreed to a financial settlement. Perry signed with the Edmonton Oilers on January 22nd and has since scored five goals and seven points in 20 games with the Canadian club. This settlement marks a success in the Player’s Association’s protection of guaranteed contracts.
- Chicago Blackhawks forward Reese Johnson has entered concussion protocol and didn’t practice with the team on Thursday, per Charlie Roumeliotis of NBCS Chicago. Johnson has been a routine depth forward for Chicago, scoring five points in 42 games. It’s his second season of full-time NHL action, after posting four goals and six points in 57 games last year. Rookie Landon Slaggert is set to make his NHL debut in Johnson’s absence, joining Chicago after the conclusion of Notre Dame’s season.
Western Notes: Scheifele, Vilardi, Dunn, Kovalenko
The Winnipeg Jets could be getting major reinforcements back soon, with the team hopeful that Mark Scheifele will return to the lineup on Friday, per Scott Billeck with the Winnipeg Sun. Billeck also shared that Gabriel Vilardi will remain out on Friday. Vilardi has been out since February 29th with an upper-body injury, missing the team’s last seven games. The extended absence has continued a season of injuries for Vilardi, who has now missed 27 games on the season.
Scheifele missed Winnipeg’s Wednesday night game with illness. He continues to lead the Jets in scoring, with 19 goals and 57 points in 58 games. The Jets simply haven’t been the same team without Scheifele, averaging a measly 1.57 goals-per-game in his absence compared to 3.22 goals-per-game with him in the lineup – leading Winnipeg to a 2-5-0 record without their top forward.
Scheifele’s importance to the Winnipeg roster can’t be understated, placing plenty of weight on his game-time decision ahead of Friday’s matchup. If he can’t go, the Jets will need to rely on one of David Gustafsson or Rasmus Kupari. Gustafsson has been Winnipeg’s de facto fill-in this year, with four points in 31 games, though Kupari’s role as a natural center could earn him a leg-up, even despite his sole assist through 27 games this season.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Seattle Kraken will be without defenseman Vince Dunn for the fourth straight game, per Scott Malone with Root Sports. Dunn has been Seattle’s top defender this year, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time for the second-straight season. Dunn has managed 11 goals and 45 points in 57 games on the season, scoring at nearly the exact same pace as he did last season, when he posted a career-high 14 goals and 64 points in 71 games. Without Dunn, Seattle has promoted top young defender Ryker Evans back into an NHL role. Evans has five assists in 19 games this season – the first games of his NHL career – though he’s still searching for his first career goal. Evans has also managed two goals and 15 points in 25 AHL games this year.
- The Colorado Avalanche could be adding a major boost even after the Trade Deadline, with Russian forward Nikolai Kovalenko reportedly headed to America soon, per Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now, as well as a social media post from Kovalenko’s barber. The Avalanche drafted Kovalenko in the sixth-round of the 2018 NHL Draft, with the winger since emerging as a strong option for the KHL’s Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo. The 24-year-old scored 11 goals and 35 points in 42 KHL games this season, after posting a career-high 21 goals and 54 points in 56 games last season. He will look to carry that same scoring energy onto the high-offense Colorado lineup.
Afternoon Notes: Bennett, Rodrigues, Filppula, Seguin, Penguins
The Florida Panthers’ forward depth will take a major hit on Thursday, as both Sam Bennett (undisclosed) and Evan Rodrigues (lower-body) are set to miss the bout with the Carolina Hurricanes. This will be Rodrigues’ second straight absence after being forced out of the team’s Saturday game early – needing help off the ice after blocking a shot off of his left ankle. Bennett was able to play in the team’s last game, scoring one goal on four shots and playing in his usual role.
The absence of Rodrigues and Bennett leaves a notable hole on Florida’s third line. The pair has been incredibly effective this season, with Rodrigues boasting 10 goals and 36 points in 65 games and Bennett touting 16 goals and 32 points in 54 games. They play in a modest role, averaging around 15 and 16 minutes of ice time respectively, but their ability to produce down the lineup has proven to be crucial to Florida’s success.
Jonah Gadjovich will return to the lineup in their absence, marking his first game since March 5th. The 25-year-old winger is in his third season as an NHL depth forward, scoring two goals and four points in 33 appearances this season. The pair of injuries will also give way to newcomer Kyle Okposo, who is filling Rodrigues’ spot as the third-line right-wing. Okposo failed to record a point in the 10 minutes he played in his Panthers debut, though he did have 12 goals and 22 points in 61 games with the Buffalo Sabres prior to being traded. The 17-year veteran Okposo brings fantastic experience to the Panthers lineup that will likely earn him a spot even after Bennett and Rodrigues return.
Other notes from around the league:
- NHL veteran Valtteri Filppula’s time with Switzerland’s Genève-Servette HC is set to come to an end, with the team sharing that the two sides will part ways at the end of the season. Filppula, now 39, has been in Switzerland’s top league since he left the NHL in 2021-22. He’s since totaled 131 points in 145 games with Genève-Servette. Filppula previously played in 1,056 NHL games across a 16-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders.
- Tyler Seguin is progressing back from a lower-body injury that’s held him out since February 22nd, per Brien Rea of Bally Sports SouthWest. Rea shares that head coach Pete DeBoer said “everything is on the table” as the Stars approach the end of their five-game homestand. Seguin has stayed effective despite injuries and age, scoring 20 goals and 45 points in 58 games this season. It’s his third consecutive season and 10th overall where he’s reached the 20-goal mark – an impressive feat for the 14-year pro.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins are facing troubles straight out of a 1990s sitcom, as a shipment of Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads meant to commemorate the winger’s jersey retirement was stolen in transit. The investigation is currently ongoing, and fans of tonight’s game will receive a voucher for the bobbleheads that can be redeemed at a later date. Penguins President of Business Operation Kevin Acklin told NHL.com, “We were shocked to be a victim of cargo theft… While this unfortunate incident adds to the legend of Jaromir Jagr, who will be in attendance as our guest at tonight’s game, we look forward to resolving this theft and delivering the prized Jagr bobbleheads to their rightful homes, with our fans.”
Flames Sign Hunter Brzustewicz To Entry-Level Contract
4:30 PM: The Flames have confirmed the deal as a three-year entry-level contract carrying an annual average value (AAV) of $950K. The deal also contains $285K in signing bonuses, per CapFriendly.
11:30 AM: The Calgary Flames have signed defense prospect Hunter Brzustewicz to his entry-level contract, per Wes Gilberton of Postmedia. Brzustewicz was a major focus of the January trade that sent Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks – serving as the top prospect in a deal that also contained a first-round pick and NHL winger Andrei Kuzmenko, among other pieces. Vancouver originally drafted Brzustewicz 75th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. The pick was seen as a steal at the time, with the defenseman being projected to go in the early-to-mid second round.
Brzustewicz has earned his first pro contract with a stellar season in the OHL, where he currently ranks second in scoring among defensemen behind 2024 Draft-eligible Zayne Parekh. Brzustewicz has 12 goals and 85 points in 62 games this season, putting him on pace to rival the most points scored by an OHL defenseman since 2000 – a title currently held by Ryan Ellis‘ 100-point season in 2010-11. Brzustewicz will likely fall short of Ellis’ title (though Parekh will also chase it!) but his place in the conversation is commendable enough. In addition to Ellis, Parekh, and Brzustewicz, the list of the OHL’s top-scoring defensemen also contains Tony DeAngelo, Pavel Mintyukov, and Evan Bouchard – all proven NHL defenders in their own right – as well as long-running and successful KHL defenseman Kevin Dallman.
There’s a lot to like in Brzustewicz, who’s at his best when carrying the puck into the neutral zone and finding teammates to spring the rush. He’s a hard passer, with the quick footwork needed to join the offensive rush while still covering his spot on the blue-line. Draft day concerns about his over-eagerness and prowess on the defensive side of the puck kept scouts bearish on the American defender, and Brzustewicz hasn’t done much this season to grow past those concerns. But his ability to create and maintain tempo have made him an undeniable name to watch. Signed to his first pro deal, Brzustewicz will now look to fully establish himself as one of Calgary’s top prospects.
Bruins Recall John Beecher On Emergency Loan
March 13: The Bruins have again recalled Beecher from AHL Providence on an emergency basis, GM Don Sweeney announced Wednesday. Beecher was returned to Providence yesterday after being a last-minute scratch for Monday’s 5-1 win over the Penguins. Since his initial recall was also under emergency conditions, the Bruins have retained all of their four post-deadline recalls. Today’s recall comes as winger James van Riemsdyk is absent from practice for undisclosed reasons, per Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald.
March 11: The Boston Bruins have recalled forward John Beecher from the minor leagues, per the AHL Transaction logs. Beecher has been in the AHL since mid-January, appearing in 17 games and scoring eight points – split evenly – with the Providence Bruins.
Beecher, 22, was a training camp surprise, making the Bruins opening roster alongside fellow rookie Matthew Poitras. He made his NHL Debut in Boston’s season-opener, recording his first penalty and his first fight. He’s since played in 39 NHL games, scoring five goals and seven points – and managing a modest 15 penalty minutes after carrying seven out of game one. He’s still searching for his scoring groove at the professional level, after managing just 23 points in 61 games as an AHL rookie last season. Though scoring has never been Beecher’s forté, with the centerman totaling 39 points in 81 games during his three years at the University of Michigan. His positives are instead more nuanced, with Beecher managing an impressive 53.9 faceoff percentage as an NHL rookie and averaging 2.23 hits-per-game.
This move spends one of Boston’s four remaining recalls and brings their roster back to a full 23. Beecher will likely serve as a depth forward, rotating in with Justin Brazeau and Marc McLaughlin. His presence is much-needed, as the Bruins currently carry forward Pat Maroon, Milan Lucic, and Poitras on their injured reserve.
Afternoon Notes: Global Series, Athanasiou, Foote
The NHL has announced their Global Series matchups for the 2024-25 season, with the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils slated to face off in Prague, Czechia on October 4th and 5th, and the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars set to play in Tampere, Finland on November 1st and 2nd.
The games will mark homecomings for players on all sides, headlined by Florida star Aleksander Barkov‘s return to his hometown of Tampere. He grew up through Tampere’s youth hockey program, playing for the Tappara Tampere (often shortened to just ‘Tappara’) at every level from U16 in to his professional debut in the Liiga. Barkov’s father, who shares the same name, ranks fifth in Tappara’s all-time scoring, with 416 points in 517 Liiga games. He also coached for the program, though he never oversaw his son. Top Stars scorer Roope Hintz was born in Nokia, Finland – just outside of Tampere. He and Barkov are two of the eight Finns between the Florida and Dallas lineups. When asked about visiting home, Barkov said, “It’s more than a dream come true because you don’t even dream about this… This will probably be one of the best days in my life.”
Meanwhile, New Jersey Devils winger Ondrej Palat will be able to stay at his house in Prague while the team visits. Palat grew up playing in Vitkovice, just a few hours outside of Prague, and told NHL.com that he’s excited to play in front of friends and family. Fellow Devil Tomas Nosek grew up much closer to Prague, in Pardubice. The pair are the only two Czechs on New Jersey’s roster, with recent recall Lukas Rousek being the only one on Buffalo’s roster. However, the two teams do have plenty of other talents from Central Europe – including Germans Nico Daws (NJD) and John-Jason Peterka (BUF), Swiss skaters Nico Hischier, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Timo Meier (NJD), and Slovakia’s Simon Nemec.
Other notes from around the league:
- Andreas Athanasiou is expected to make his return from injury on Tuesday night, when the Chicago Blackhawks take on the Anaheim Ducks. Athanasiou has been out for the last four months with a groin injury, playing just 11 games this season. He’ll re-enter the lineup still searching for his first goal on the year, recording just four assists prior to his injury. Athanasiou has proven to be an effective winger in Chicago, scoring 20 goals and 40 points in 81 games last season.
- The New Jersey Devils have formally activated Nolan Foote off of non-roster injured reserve. He’s been working his way back from an upper-body injury suffered during the pre-season that’s since delayed his season debut. Foote was primarily a minor-leaguer last season, scoring 20 goals and 37 points in 55 games with the AHL’s Utica Comets. He’s also managed five goals and seven points in 19 career NHL games, dating back to his debut in 2020-21.
Bruins Sign Drew Bavaro To One-Year Contract
The Boston Bruins have engaged the NCAA free agent market, signing Notre Dame defenseman Drew Bavaro to a one-year entry-level contract, per Mark Divver with the New England Hockey Journal. Bavaro is signing as an undrafted free agent. Divver adds that the deal will begin next season, with Bavaro slated to join the AHL’s Providence Bruins on an amateur try-out for the rest of the season. This move comes after Notre Dame was eliminated from the postseason this weekend, after a 4-3 loss to the University of Michigan. Bavaro scored the first goal of that game, his 10th goal of the season.
This was Bavaro’s second season with the Fighting Irish, after spending his first two collegiate seasons at Bentley University. He proved effective at both schools, recording a collegiate-high 27 points in 36 games with Bentley during the 2021-22 season and totaling a combined 78 points in 124 NCAA games. He’s a very quick-moving defenseman, with sharp edgework and good all-direction speed. That helps him get involved in all three zones, and catch opponents flat-footed. But Bavaro will need to improve on consistently making the right decision with the puck and not getting pulled too far out of position. The right-shot defender spent portions of this season on the left-side, speaking to his adaptability.
Bavaro isn’t the first Notre Dame skater to sign an NHL deal, with Landon Slaggert signing his entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks quickly after the Fighting Irish’s season ended. Slaggert led Notre Dame in scoring this season, netting 20 goals and 31 points in 36 games. The Blackhawks drafted Slaggert in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft. He currently sits on Chicago’s NHL roster, likely to make his NHL debut soon.
Predators Recall Spencer Stastney With Dante Fabbro Week-To-Week
The Nashville Predators have made their first move since the Trade Deadline, recalling defenseman Spencer Stastney. Stastney will fill in for Dante Fabbro, who the team shared is out for two-to-three weeks with an upper-body injury. Fabbro suffered the injury in the first period of Nashville’s Sunday night loss to the Minnesota Wild, exiting the game early.
This is the third recall of Stastney’s season, with the 24-year-old previously serving two weeks on the Predators roster in late November and one week in December. He’s totaled nine NHL games on the season, with his first career goal marking his only scoring on the year. Stastney has also managed five goals and 20 points in 44 AHL games this season. It’s his second full year as a pro, after joining the Predators at the end of the 2021-22 season. He recorded five goals and 13 points in 56 games as an AHL rookie last year, adding two assists in his first eight NHL games.
Stastney will enter the lineup as a depth option, with the team likely to ice Jérémy Lauzon ahead of him. Lauzon has appeared in 66 games this season, netting six goals and 13 points. He is one of six Predators defenders, including Fabbro and Stastney, to not yet reach the 20-point mark. Stastney could also slot in for Luke Schenn – Nashville’s least-used defenseman, with just 15 minutes of average ice time across 47 games. Schenn has six points on the season, the lowest of Nashville’s current blue-line.
Stastney’s recall will limit the Predators to just three remaining this season.
Matt Rempe To Have Phone Hearing For Illegal Elbowing
New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe will have a phone hearing for an illegal elbow against New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler. The elbow, which made direct contact with Siegenthaler’s head, earned Rempe a game misconduct and forced Siegenthaler out of the game. It also earned Devils utility man Kurtis MacDermid a 10-minute misconduct, as he dropped the gloves to retaliate against Rempe. On Siegenthaler’s status, interim head coach Travis Green said postgame, “He’s not doing great, obviously. He didn’t come back. You never like to see a player get hit like that, especially that’s happened twice now.”
A phone hearing will limit Rempe to a maximum five-game suspension. It’s his first encounter with the Department of Player Safety, coming just 10 games in to his NHL career. Rempe has quickly established himself as a modern-day goon, already racking up a whopping 54 penalty minutes. He leads the NHL in penalty minutes-per-game, averaging 5:24 in penalties, compared to his average 5:38 of ice time. It’s the most penalty minutes a rookie has averaged through their first 10 games since Tom Sestito, Daniel Carcillo, and Gordi Dwyer – joining the company of legendary goons like Mike Peluso, Kelly Chase, and Darin Kimble. The stat is led by Steve Martinson, who averaged a daunting 8:24 in penalty minutes through his first 10 games.
While DoPS decisions are never easy to predict, it’s likely the New York Rangers are preparing for an extended stint without Rempe. They currently carry Jonny Brodzinski as their only extra forward. Brodzinski has played in 43 games this season, scoring four goals and 15 points. The Rangers could also recall Tyler Pitlick or Adam Edström – who have appeared in 34 and 11 NHL games respectively – though it would use up one of their three remaining recalls on the season.
Blue Jackets Recall Brendan Gaunce On Emergency Loan
11:00 AM: Kirill Marchenko is under the weather, and may not be ready for the team’s Tuesday matchup against the Montreal Canadiens, per Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispact (Twitter Link). Gaunce will fill-in for Marchenko if he can’t go, while Meyer fills in for Danforth.
10:00 AM: The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled forward Brendan Gaunce from the AHL under emergency conditions. This move comes after Columbus played without Justin Danforth on Saturday, losing the forward to what was initially believed to be an illness but has now been revealed as a concussion.
Gaunce will provide additional depth to a Blue Jackets club marred by injuries, with promising youngsters Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson both missing extended time, while top winger Patrik Laine is away from the team for personal reasons. Gaunce is in his third season with the Columbus organization and has already appeared in eight NHL games this season, recording one goal and three points. Much of his remaining year has come with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, where he ranks second in scoring with 19 goals and 39 points in 46 games. Gaunce is once again serving as a routine injury fill-in – sticking to the role he carved out early in his career. The former first-round pick has totaled just 161 NHL games since making his debut in the 2015-16 season, scoring 27 points. He’s also managed 343 career AHL games, netting 233 points.
Gaunce will join Carson Meyer in the Blue Jackets’ extras room. Meyer was recalled on Sunday and is expected to fill in for Danforth on Tuesday. He has served in a largely similar role to Gaunce, serving as a de facto call-up for Columbus over the last three seasons – although Meyer has yet to play in the NHL this year, instead totaling 22 goals and 37 points in 55 AHL games. He appeared in 14 NHL games last year, netting just one assist and bringing his career totals up to 27 NHL games and four points. The 26-year-old made his debut with the Cleveland Monsters in 2020-21, after four seasons in the NCAA. He and Gaunce will likely rotate in with each other, as Columbus looks to address their long list of missing forwards.