Injury Notes: Forbort, McDavid, Kostin, Zub
Boston Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort missed Sunday’s game with an undisclosed injury and has been announced as day-to-day. Forbort has appeared in four games so far this season, recording two points and a +3. Fourth-year pro, Ian Mitchell, slotted into the NHL lineup in Forbort’s absence, recording one assist and two penalties in 10 minutes of ice time. Mitchell slotted in for an injured Kevin Shattenkirk on Saturday – earning his first two games of the season over the weekend.
Other injury notes from around the league:
- Connor McDavid has been announced as out for one-to-two weeks with an upper-body injury. This comes at terrible timing, with Edmonton playing in the 2023 Heritage Classic on October 29th. In the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman was pessimistic that McDavid would play in the matchup, given the uncertainty of outdoor playing conditions. Friedman added that McDavid not appearing in the overtime period of Saturday night’s game is a sign of how serious the injury is being taken. There are few players in the league who impact a lineup more than McDavid, and there’s no doubt the league hoped he would play in the upcoming outdoor game, so all eyes will turn toward how this injury progresses.
- Detroit Red Wings forward Klim Kostin also missed Sunday’s game with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day. He’s played in four games this season, failing to record a point and tallying seven penalty minutes. Jonatan Berggren slotted into Kostin’s lineup spot, only recording one shot on the stat line in 13-and-a-half minutes of ice time. Kostin is on a newly signed, two-year contract that carries an annual average value of $2.0MM.
- Artem Zub is expected to be out for the Ottawa Senators’ next game. In response, Ottawa has recalled Jacob Bernard-Docker from the AHL. Zub has played in four games this season and recorded three points, a mark that ranks Zub in the top three of Senators’ defender scoring. Bernard-Docker has played a sole game for Ottawa this year; only his 33rd NHL game despite being around the league since 2020-21. Bernard-Docker is expected to slot into the NHL lineup again with Zub out, although the Senators are practicing with seven defenders.
Snapshots: Kane, Zub, Werenski
In the most recent 32 Thoughts podcast episode, Elliotte Friedman added credence to the idea that star free agent Patrick Kane could sign with the Dallas Stars. Friedman says that a very reliable source shared the likelihood of Kane landing in Dallas, adding that the stylistic fit could be good for the aging veteran.
The Stars rapidly rise up the power rankings of teams likely to land Kane, leapfrogging the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Buffalo Sabres. Dallas has flexed a very deep forward group this season, providing nearly identical ice time to each of their top three lines. The only weak spot is likely 34-year-old winger Evgenii Dadonov, who’s spent the year alongside Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn. This could be the role that Kane takes over if he joins the Stars; bringing a little more mobility and finesse to the line.
Only three forwards in Dallas’ top nine have scored a goal at this point in the year: Joe Pavelski, Benn, and Roope Hintz. Kane’s all-out-offensive style may be enough to kickstart the Stars’ scorers.
Other notes from around the league:
- Artem Zub left the Senators’ Thursday night game after taking a puck to the head. It’s been revealed now that Zub is doubtful for the team’s Saturday matchup against the Detroit Red Wings, although head coach D.J. Smith shared he doesn’t think the defender will be out long-term.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets are hoping top defenseman Zach Werenski can slot back into the lineup tonight. Werenski was placed on injured reserve exactly one week ago, making Friday the first game he’s eligible to return to. The Blue Jackets recalled David Jiricek to the NHL in response to Werenski’s injury. They’ll need to send someone down to make room for Werenski’s return, and Jiricek is the only defender with waiver-exemption. Both Werenski and Jiricek’s status will be one to monitor as the Friday night matchup approaches.
Marc Staal Reportedly Out Four To Six Weeks
Per The Fourth Period’s Anthony Di Marco, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Marc Staal is reportedly set to miss significant time after an awkward collision with Warren Foegele forced him out of Thursday night’s game.
Staal was noticeably uncomfortable on the bench after the hit, and exited the game with a period left to play. No update was provided on the nature of his injury, however, he is listed as having sustained an upper-body injury. Staal is in his first year with the Flyers, signing a one-year, $1.1MM contract with the team this summer. This was a raise from Staal’s last deal with the Florida Panthers, which only paid the defender $750K. The 36-year-old is turning into a journeyman, playing for three teams in the last three years, after spending the first 13 seasons of his career with the New York Rangers. He’s amassed a staggering 1105 career NHL games, scoring 229 points throughout them. He is four games into his tenure in Philadelphia and has yet to score, although he has recorded two minor penalties and two hits while operating on the team’s third pair.
Emil Andrae and Yegor Zamula have been cycling time between the team’s third pair and the seventh defenseman role. With Staal’s injury, both could have a chance to slot into the lineup consistently. At least, in the short term, as Rasmus Ristolainen‘s return from injury could again force one of the two young defenders back into the press box. Ristolainen is on the Flyers’ injured reserve but is eyeing a return soon, taking extra reps at the team’s recent practices. When he’s able to return, and how it impacts the role of Andrae and Zamula, will be noteworthy for a Flyers blue line now down one of their most seasoned talents.
Snapshots: NHL Draft Format, Phil Kessel, Jesse Puljujarvi
NHL teams have begun requesting that the draft be decentralized, so front offices have more time to prepare for the draft and free agency in their home markets, rather than needing to travel to the draft city. On TSN’s latest Insider Trading segment, Pierre LeBrun shared that the league sent a memo out to teams on Wednesday of this week discussing this idea, requesting that all teams vote on it by Tuesday of next week. Pierre shared that he’s heard from over a dozen teams on this topic and is expecting that the league will ultimately vote in favor of the change. If this decision goes through, the NHL Draft could mirror the NFL or NBA Draft, where players are greeted by the commissioner after being selected, while teams draft from their own offices.
Insider Trading co-panelist Chris Johnston added that the NHL is confident in their ability to find a location for the 2024 NHL Draft, with the new Vegas sphere as a top option. Even if the sphere doesn’t work out, Vegas still sounds like the league’s preferred host city, with the NHL already identifying alternate locations in the city. If nothing in Vegas pans out, Johnston mentions two unnamed cities are also in the running.
Other notes from around the league:
- Johnston also spoke about Phil Kessel‘s continuing free agency on Insider Trading, sharing that the forward is generating NHL interest and could ink a deal soon. Kessel is the NHL’s current iron man, with a consecutive game streak stretching over 1000 games. But Johnston says that isn’t important for Kessel in his new deal, he just wants to play through the year. Kessel scored 14 goals and 36 points with Vegas last season, en route to his third Stanley Cup win. The 36-year-old winger is eight points away from his 1,000th NHL point.
- In addition to discussing Kessel on Insider Trading, Johnston also touched on Jesse Puljujarvi‘s free agency in a recent article for The Athletic. He shared that Puljujarvi, who is recovering from surgery on both hips, is slated for a return in late November or early December and could be receiving a lot of interest from NHL clubs. Puljujarvi split time between the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes last season, playing in 75 games and notching a mere 16 points. He’s continuing to train in Finland while he recovers from injury.
Snapshots: Golden Knights, Sharks, Sabres, Capitals
Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy shared that defenseman Alec Martinez is likely to make his season debut in the team’s Thursday night matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. Martinez has carried a day-to-day injury designation for the whole month, coping with an upper-body injury and remaining on the team’s injured reserve. He returned to practice in a no-contact jersey on Tuesday and is traveling with the team for a two-game road trip.
Martinez appeared in 77 games with Vegas last season, recording 14 points and 29 penalty minutes. It was the most he’s played for the Golden Knights since joining them midway through the 2019-20 season, with each of his last two seasons being limited by an injured reserve designation. Martinez has played 166 career games with Vegas, tallying 62 points and 51 penalty minutes.
Other notes from around the league:
- Logan Couture skated at the Sharks’ Thursday practice, shedding optimism on his ability to return soon. However, head coach David Quinn shared that the team isn’t certain whether Couture or fellow injured forward Mikael Granlund will be able to join the team on their upcoming five-game road trip. Granlund was placed on injured reserve on October 13th, making him ineligible for the Sharks’ Thursday night game, after he reaggravated a lower-body injury suffered during training camp.
- The Buffalo Sabres have announced that former goaltender Craig Anderson will return to the Sabres as a hockey liaison. The role will be part-time and see Anderson supporting the team’s players and coaching staff. Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams said, “Craig Anderson’s voice, experience, and love for the game have been invaluable components to our team’s growth over the past two seasons. Our players have benefited greatly from the habits and lessons he picked up during his accomplished 20-year career.”
- The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta shared that the Washington Capitals are attempting to assess the trade value of forward Anthony Mantha. Mantha has failed to live up to the expectations set for him in Washington, getting healthy scratched for the team’s October 16th game against Calgary. Pagnotta shares that Washington will look to bolster their top-six, mentioning Conor Garland as a potential trade target.
Injury Notes: Devils, Penguins, Ducks
NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky has shared that Erik Haula and Tomas Nosek will likely both miss New Jersey’s Friday night game with an upper-body and lower-body injury respectively. Haula was the only one of the two to play in the team’s most recent game, being named the game’s third star after a two-point performance. Head coach Lindy Ruff told Novozinsky that the duo will likely not travel with the team on their upcoming two-game road trip.
The absence of Haula and Nosek leaves a dent in New Jersey’s bottom six that’s expected to be filled by Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian. Bastian has been with the Devils for five of his six NHL seasons, briefly joining the Seattle Kraken for 12 games of the 2021-22 season before the Devils claimed him off waivers partway through the year. Lazar is a much more recent addition, joining the Devils via trade ahead of the 2022-23 trade deadline. He’s only played six games with the Devils between last season and this season and has yet to record a point. New Jersey could also turn towards summer signee Chris Tierney to fill an empty role. Tierney has yet to make his debut with the Devils.
Other injury notes:
- Jamie Drysdale is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss Anaheim’s next game. In his spot, rookie Tristan Luneau is expected to make his NHL debut. Luneau was a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and has spent the last three seasons with the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques, winning the league’s ‘Defenseman of the Year’ award last season.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins’ injury woes continue, with head coach Mike Sullivan sharing that Kris Letang is being evaluated for a lower-body injury. Noel Acciari is also dealing with an upper-body injury. Both players missed the team’s Thursday practice.
Washington Places Lindgren On IR, Recalls Häman Aktell
The Washington Capitals have placed goaltender Charlie Lindgren on injured reserve, recalling defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell in his place. This move likely cements Clay Stevenson as the team’s backup while Lindgren is out. Stevenson was recalled to the NHL on October 16th, in response to Lindgren being announced as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Washington hasn’t turned to Stevenson yet, although he’ll be making his NHL debut when he’s able to slot into the lineup.
Despite being moved to injured reserve, there has been no formal update on what is holding Lindgren out. The 29-year-old goaltender left the Capitals’ Monday practice just a few minutes into the skate, after facing the Penguins a few days before. The ambiguity around his ailment makes it hard to project just how long Lindgren will be out, although his injured reserve designation means he’ll miss at least a week of play. Lindgren is in his second season with the Capitals, appearing in starting 26 games and appearing in 31 over the course of last season. He recorded a 26-13-11 record in those appearances, tallying a .899 save percentage and 3.05 goals-against-average as well.
Hardy Häman Aktell could be in line for his NHL debut with this recall. The 25-year-old defenseman has appeared in two games with the AHL’s Hershey Bears this season, scoring one goal. This season represents his first in North America, after spending each of the last three seasons with the Växjö Lakers of the SHL. He capped off this stretch with 36 points in 51 SHL games last year.
Jets Healthy Scratch Defender Nate Schmidt
The Winnipeg Jets are expected to healthy scratch defenseman Nate Schmidt in their Thursday game against the Vegas Golden Knights. This will be only the second time that Winnipeg has scratched Schmidt, with his last scratching coming on March 4th of last season. Schmidt slotted back into the lineup immediately after, scoring a goal in his first game back and recording seven points in 18 games through the rest of the season.
The 32-year-old Schmidt is in his third season with the Winnipeg Jets, joining them via trade after Winnipeg dealt a 2022 third-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks for the defender. His first year with the Jets was a career year, with Schmidt recording 32 points in 77 games, good for the second-highest scoring season of his career. He also averaged 20 minutes of ice time, confidently operating in the team’s top four. But his role, and his scoring, dwindled last season, with Schmidt netting 19 points in 71 games while serving on the team’s third pair. He’s maintained this latter role into the 2023-24 season and currently sits without a point, and with a -3, through three games this year.
Logan Stanley will appear in his season debut in light of Schmidt’s scratching, likely lining up next to Dylan Samberg. Stanley, 25, appeared in 19 games with the Jets last season, tallying three points and 21 penalty minutes. It was his third year of operating as Winnipeg’s seventh defenseman, with Stanley appearing in 114 games and scoring 20 points through that stretch. Winnipeg traded up to select Stanley 18th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft and awarded him his NHL debut during the 2020-21 season.
Minor Transactions: 10/18/23
The Champions Hockey League is entering its final day of the regular season, with five remaining games on the slate. This includes a bout between Oceláři Třinec and the Aalborg Pirates where Oceláři will be looking to solidify their spot in the CHL postseason; currently sitting one win away from a spot in the Top 16. If Oceláři can’t leave with a win, the Belfast Giants may be in place to leapfrog them with a win over Dynamo Pardubice. Belfast sits a win back from Oceláři in the standings, on the fringe of the playoffs.
The transaction wire is staying lively in light of such exciting hockey going on around the world. And as always, we’ll track those moves here.
- 26-year-old centerman Colt Conrad has signed with the Fischtown Pinguins of the DEL, Germany’s top league. Conrad has spent part of the last five seasons in the minor leagues, recording 42 ECHL games and 115 AHL games in that span. The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Conrad out of Western Michigan University in 2019.
- The Laval Rockets have signed goaltender Joe Vrbetic to a one-year, two-way AHL contract. Vrbetic played in four games with Laval last season, recording a .871 save percentage and 2-1-0 record. The bulk of his year was spent with Trois-Rivieres of the ECHL, where he played 28 games and recorded a .896 save percentage. The 2022-23 season was Vrbetic’s first year of professional hockey, after three years of supporting the North Bay Battalion in the OHL.
This page may be updated throughout the day.
Vancouver Recalls Friedman, Sends Hirose To AHL
The Vancouver Canucks have recalled their latest player acquisition, Mark Friedman, to the NHL club. Akito Hirose has been sent to the AHL to accommodate this move. The Canucks acquired Friedman in a four-player trade that sent Jack Rathbone and Karel Plasek to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Friedman and Ty Glover.
Friedman has split time between the NHL and AHL over the last two seasons, recording 23 NHL games and 24 AHL games last year. He netted three NHL points and six AHL points in those games. Friedman’s longest tenure in the NHL came during the 2021-22 season, when he spent 26 games with the Penguins, tallying five points. Friedman joined the Penguins via waivers from the Flyers during the 2020-21 season, after operating as a healthy scratch for much of Philadelphia’s season. But despite the NHL attention, Friedman only appeared in nine games that year, losing time to healthy scratches and an upper-body injury sustained in the Spring.
Hirose has yet to play in his rookie NHL season, appearing in seven NHL games last season and a pair of games so far this year. He’s tallied three points, all coming during the 2022-23 season. This assignment will be Hirose’s first experience in the AHL, after signing with Vancouver following the conclusion of Minnesota State University-Mankato’s 2022-23 season. Hirose was a successful two-way defender in college, recording 27 points in 38 games last year – his junior year of school.
Vancouver is 2-1-0 to start the season, with a +6 goal-differential. Friedman will likely slot in as the team’s seventh defenseman, adding pressure to Noah Juulsen‘s role on the team’s third pair.