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Connor Murphy Stretchered Off Ice With Apparent Upper Body Injury

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7:05 pm: The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reports that Murphy will not return to the game, however he remains at the arena under the supervision of the team’s medical staff.

6:43 pm: Chicago Blackhawks’ defenseman Connor Murphy was taken off the ice by stretcher after a collision into the boards early in the first period of Chicago’s game against the Ottawa Senators Saturday night. The incident happened after Ottawa’s Parker Kelly landed a hit on Murphy that sent Murphy face-first into the boards. Kelly was assessed a five-minute major penalty for boarding Murphy.

After being down on the ice for several minutes, Murphy appeared to move his extremities and was then taken off the ice on a stretcher, giving a thumbs up. What makes the situation all the more concerning is that Murphy also missed time in December of this season with a concussion, having now apparently hit his head on the boards.

The 28-year-old Murphy has been a mainstay on Chicago’s blue line for the past five seasons, seeing his time-on-ice climb steadily for the Blackhawks as they have navigated a rebuild. It remains unclear the extent of Murphy’s injury or any timetable, however at this time, Murphy’s overall health is the primary concern.

Anaheim Ducks Activate Josh Manson, Place Sam Steel On Injured Reserve

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The Anaheim Ducks announced that they have activated defenseman Josh Manson off of injured reserve, and in a corresponding move, have placed forward Sam Steel on injured reserve. Manson will immediately draw back into the lineup as the Ducks play tonight at the New Jersey Devils.

Getting Manson back in the lineup is an important step for the Ducks, who are openly interested in either re-signing or trading the defenseman at the trade deadline. While an injured Manson is certainly not a barrier to an extension, getting him healthy and playing again allows the Ducks to show that he is fully healthy and ready to help another team, as well as an opportunity to showcase his talent once more before the deadline. The free-agent-to-be currently has seven points in 43 games for the Ducks while averaging 19:44 time-on-ice per game.

As for Steel, this will be his first stint on IR of the season. The 24-year-old forward is in the middle of what appears to be the best season of his career, totaling 17 points in 51 games, however this injury will force him to hold-off on his development for a little while.

Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Drew O’Connor

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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they have signed forward Drew O’Connor to a one-year, one-way contract extension.  The contract keeps O’Connor with the team through the 2022-23 season and is worth $750,000.

O’Connor has been a nice find for the Penguins, who signed him out of Dartmouth College in March of 2020. After O’Connor initially signed, he did not get a chance to play a pro game, as the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was just days away at that point. However, O’Connor did break out as a professional last season, splitting time between Pittsburgh and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the AHL. While O’Connor only had one point in 10 games in the NHL last year, he did have an impressive 19 points in 20 games in the AHL as a first-year pro.

O’Connor has continued his development nicely this season despite once again being moved up and down between the NHL and AHL rather consistently. The 23-year-old has handled the adversity well, scoring three goals to go with two assists in 22 games at the NHL level, along with seven goals and seven assists at the AHL level.

The contract represents strong value for the Penguins, who can retain a developing talent that should be able to stick in their lineup next season, while providing flexibility with a cap hit of just $750K. Being a one-way contract, O’Connor could hope to avoid the frequent trips between Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh.

Columbus Blue Jackets Place Boone Jenner On Injured Reserve

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The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that they have placed forward Boone Jenner on injured reserve today. In a corresponding move, the team added winger Trey Fix-Wolansky from the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL on emergency recall. Jenner, the Blue Jackets’ captain, is considered week-to-week with a lower body injury.

Losing Jenner is certainly tough for the Blue Jackets, who sit 13 points back of a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, but still consider themselves very much in the race. In addition to being their captain, Jenner also lines up as Columbus’ top center, and leads the team with 23 goals and 44 points in 59 games this season. The loss of Jenner also coincides with potential injuries to Patrik Laine and Jakub Voracek, reports The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline. Without them, Columbus loses its top three point producers, in addition to Alexandre Texier, who is currently on a leave of absence from the team.

Fix-Wolansky recently made his NHL debut for Columbus on February 8th, scoring his first NHL goal that game. The 22-year-old currently has two assists in five NHL games this year, along with an impressive 22 points in 32 games in the AHL this season. If Columbus hopes to stay in the playoff race, they will have to count on secondary options such as Fix-Wolansky.

Injury Notes: Barrie, Laughton, Fischer

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The Edmonton Oilers announced that they have officially activated defenseman Tyson Barrie off of injured reserve ahead of tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Barrie had been placed on IR on March 7th, retroactive to March 5th, missing the past three games. Adding Barrie back into the lineup will give the Oilers more of an offensive punch on their back end and deepen their defensive core once again.

For Barrie, this trip to the IR was his third absence from the Oilers roster in 2022, having previously spent time on IR in late January and early February, as well as time in COVID protocol in January. Barrie has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence to his career since joining Edmonton before the 2020-21 season and signing a three-year, $13.5MM contract with the Oilers this past July. The Oilers will certainly count on Barrie to remain healthy down the stretch, as the team will need all it can get to secure a playoff spot in the incredibly tight Western Conference.

  • Sam Carchidi of Philly Hockey Now reports that Philadelphia Flyers’ forward Scott Laughton is expected to remain out of the lineup indefinitely after suffering a concussion in the Flyers loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Losing Laughton is another tough blow to the Flyers, who have struggled with injuries the entire season. Particularly, as the team has struggled in the standings, Laughton has remained a steady force for the team, having a career year with 28 points in 54 games, and has also been a core piece in the locker room. No timetable has been given on Laughton’s return, however concussion related injuries can vary and considering the Flyers’ struggles, there is no reason to rush the forward back.
  • Arizona Coyotes’ head coach Andre Tourigny told reporters, including PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan, that forward Christian Fischer is day-to-day and is unlikely to play in tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins (Tweet). Tourigny also added that if Fischer does in fact sit, Hudson Fasching will play. Fischer has 10 points in 49 games this season for Arizona.

Deadline Notes: Ducks Defensemen, Hagel, Giordano

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Earlier today on TSN’s Insider Trading segment, Anaheim Ducks’ defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson were hot topics. The Athletic writer and Insider for TSN, Pierre LeBrun, reported that Manson was nearing his return from injury and is being watched closely by teams around the league. LeBrun also noted that there have not been any contract talks yet between the Ducks and Manson, as the Ducks have been focusing on negotiations with Lindholm.

Speaking of those negotiations with Lindholm, word continues to be that Anaheim is unwilling to give out big-time term. The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli notes the Ducks’ unwillingness to give out term to any of their pending UFAs, and mentions this might be in-line with the trends of Ducks’ GM Pat Verbeek’s previous boss, Detroit Red Wings’ GM Steve Yzerman. Not beginning extension talks just yet with Manson may not be a concern for the Ducks, who currently have many cards to play at the deadline. In fact, Anaheim does leave itself in a preferable position, having both Lindholm and Manson as potential extension candidates and trade chips. This could allow Anaheim to try to negotiate an extension to their liking on one or both, but if that contract does not materialize, there will almost certainly be a strong market for both defensemen.

  • Also during the Insider Trading segment, TSN’s Darren Dreger provided an update on Chicago Blackhawks’ forward Brandon Hagel. Dreger mentions that while Chicago would like to keep Hagel as part of their rebuild, they would not be opposed to moving him. However, the return would have to be at least a first-round draft pick and something else. Hagel has been one of the better producers for the Blackhawks this season, scoring 17 goals along with 14 assists in 51 games entering Tuesday night’s game against the Ducks. While the asking price on Hagel might seem a bit excessive to some, the 23-year-old Hagel is viewed as part of the long-term solution in Chicago, and carries just a $1.5MM cap hit through the 2023-24 season, where he will still be a RFA.
  • During the second-intermission of the Toronto Maple Leafs game, Dreger again gave his thoughts on several key trade deadline topics, including Seattle Kraken defensemen Mark Giordano. Dreger reported that the Kraken would like to explore the trade market for Giordano, but their asking price on the veteran is at least a first-round pick. While this price may be steep for a 38-year-old with a $6.75MM cap hit, Giordano still produces at a high level, putting up 23 points in 52 games this season for the struggling Kraken. Giordano is also a responsible defenseman who can provide veteran leadership that is always valuable on a team looking to make a long run in the postseason. If Seattle is willing to retain some of Giordano’s cap hit, which would seem likely as they will have $36.66M in cap space on trade deadline day, they may be able to sweeten the pot to acquire that first-round pick at least.

Trade Deadline Primer: Calgary Flames

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As the calendar turns to March, the trade deadline is inching closer. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Calgary Flames.

With the NHL’s trade deadline a little over two weeks away, many teams are still assessing their teams, deciding if they want to buy, sell, or stay put. The Calgary Flames do not appear to have such an issue. While it comes as little surprise that the Flames are a good team pushing for a playoff spot, just how good the Flames are has raised some eyebrows. Calgary has been, for the most part, a consistently great team this season, and currently sits atop the Pacific division with 75 points, good for second in the entire Western Conference, behind only the Colorado Avalanche.

What Calgary has also done that most teams have not, is make a big splash. That splash came in the form of a February 14th trade for forward Tyler Toffoli. The Flames traded a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 fifth-round pick, prospect Emil Heinemann, and forward Tyler Pitlick to Montreal to acquire Toffoli, who had been touted as one of the most sought-after players at this year’s trade deadline. Toffoli has surely not disappointed since the trade, putting up seven goals and three assists in 10 games for the Flames so far. Even though Calgary made their big acquisition already, that certainly does not mean they are done, and could still be active players at this year’s trade deadline. However, Calgary will need to work around a very tight cap situation to get anything else done.

Record:

34-14-7

Deadline Status:

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space:

$657,170 today, $870,750 at the deadline, 47/50 contracts used, 0/3 retention slots used

Upcoming Draft Picks:

2022: CGY 2nd, FLA 2nd, CGY 5th, CGY 7th

2023: CGY 1st, CGY 2nd, CGY 3rd, CGY 4th, CGY 6th, CGY 7th

Trade Chips:

After trading two of their bigger trade chips in order to acquire Toffoli, the Flames do leave themselves some pieces to make an additional move or two. The most logical of these assets would be either their or Florida’s 2022 second-round pick. Calgary can afford to part with one of their 2022 seconds in a deal, but would be unlikely to deal both, leaving them without a draft pick until the fifth-round. If Calgary prefers to make another big splash, they could utilize their 2023 first-round pick, however Calgary would risk not having first-round picks in two consecutive years.

Calgary does have the benefit of a fairly talented prospect pool that they could deal from, and is the likely reason they have been comfortable dealing from their draft pick stock. Perhaps the most intriguing of these prospects is forward Matthew Coronato, who the Flames selected 13th overall out of the United States National Team Development Program in 2021. While most teams dealing with Calgary would love to acquire Coronato, he would presumably be a non-starter for Calgary. If the Flames were to deal from their prospect pool, they may be more comfortable discussing the likes of Ilya Nikolayev or Cole Huckins.

If the Flames were to make another move, they likely have to use an asset just to clear some cap space to add another player, which brings another interesting asset into the conversation: Juuso Valimaki. The 23-year-old defenseman has shown promise in limited time in the NHL, playing 81 games since the start of the 2018-19 season, and just eight this season. What is intriguing about Valimaki is that he can be used both to clear additional cap space and as an asset in a trade. Currently, Valimaki carries a $1.5MM cap hit, but only $425k currently counts against Calgary’s cap, as he is currently in the AHL with the Stockton Heat. Freeing this $425k may not be much, but it could be a starter for the Flames, who could acquire an asset for the still-young defenseman who has shown an ability to play in the NHL.

Team Needs:

1) Forward Depth: To put it plainly, the Flames, as they line-up now, are terrific, and don’t leave much to be desired. One concern, however, is if there is an injury or a tough cold streak, the team doesn’t have too much to look for as far as reinforcements go. The organization does have young talent playing in Stockton at the moment, however for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, players more poised for playoff games would be preferable.

2) Stanley Cup Experience: Building on the first point, the Flames are well-positioned to make a deep run in these playoffs. While many of their players have been to the playoffs before, in an ideal world, adding a player or two who has gone all the way is always useful, even if it is just their presence in the locker room. One player who could satisfy both needs while working within Calgary’s cap constraints is New York Islanders’ forward Zach Parise. The 37-year-old currently carries just a $750K cap hit, but is having a solid season with seven goals and 16 assists in 53 games on Long Island, and has played in 105 career playoff games, including a run to the Stanley Cup Final with the New Jersey Devils in 2012.

 

AHL Shuffle: 03/06/22

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An intriguing Sunday of NHL hockey is already underway, including a Stanley Cup Final rematch that sees the Chicago Blackhawks host the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Seattle Kraken making their first trip to Carolina, and playoff implications already, as the Minnesota Wild, in third place in the Central Division with 67 points, host the Dallas Stars, who are holding onto the second Wild Card in the Western Conference with 65 points. Despite all the action, there are still plenty of transactions happening throughout the NHL and AHL today:

Metropolitan

Atlantic

  • To make room for today’s waiver claim in Olli Juolevi, the Detroit Red Wings have sent down center Joe Veleno to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Veleno, the 30th overall pick in the 2018 NHL draft, has been productive at the AHL level this season with 10 points in 11 games. At the NHL level, though, he has had to adapt to a different role, and has 10 points in 40 games for the big club.
  • The Florida Panthers have recalled goalie Spencer Knight to the NHL from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Knight, 20, is one of the top goalie prospects in hockey but has struggled so far this season with the Panthers, with a .898 save percentage in 18 starts. He has been better at the AHL level in Charlotte, though, with a .917 in 10 starts, and clearly his performance was enough to motivate the Panthers to bring him back up for another run as Sergei Bobrovsky’s backup.
  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled goalie Filip Gustavsson from the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Gustavsson has split time this season between Ottawa and Belleville. He has 13 NHL starts and a .896 save percentage in Ottawa, and 10 starts in Belleville where he has posted a .905 save percentage.

Pacific

  • The San Jose Sharks announced that they have placed goaltender James Reimer on IR. In a corresponding move, they have recalled defenseman Santeri Hatakka from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. Reimer had been having a solid season for the Sharks, posting a 2.84 goals against average and .916 over 34 games in net this season. Meanwhile, Hatakka will return to the NHL for the third time this season. The defenseman tallied just one assist in seven games for the Sharks this season, last playing November 18th against St. Louis. Hatakka was recalled for three days last week, but did not play. The 21-year-old has also suited up for 21 games for the Barracuda this season, recording one goal and three assists.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have assigned winger Phillip Di Giuseppe to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks. Di Giuseppe has yet to get into a game with the Canucks this season after an energetic 2020-2021 campaign with the New York Rangers. He has been a crucial player in Abbotsford, though, with 11 goals and 32 points in 35 games.
  • Edmonton Oilers interim head coach Jay Woodcroft has said, per Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Athletic, that goalie Stuart Skinner will be recalled from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors because incumbent starter Mike Smith is dealing with an illness. Skinner, 23, has been a lonely bright spot in net for the Oilers this season, with a .913 save percentage in 13 games played. Skinner also owns a .919 save percentage at the AHL level.
  • The Anaheim Ducks announced that they have recalled goaltender Lukas Dostal from San Diego of the AHL.  The 21-year-old made his NHL debut back in January but has been in the minors for the last seven weeks and last week, had a 51-save performance while scoring his first career professional goal.  Dostal will take the place of John Gibson who is out of the lineup due to an upper-body injury.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights announced the recall of defenseman Daniil Miromanov from AHL Henderson.  The 24-year-old has been up and down several times this season and has seven NHL games under his belt where he has an assist in just over ten minutes of playing time per game.  Miromanov is in for Brayden McNabb who has been placed on injured reserve.

Central

Austin Czarnik, Olli Juolevi Claimed On Waivers

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Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, both players on waivers today were claimed. Austin Czarnik, who was placed on waivers by the Seattle Kraken, was claimed by the New York Islanders. After being placed on waivers by the Florida Panthers yesterday, Olli Juolevi will be headed to the Detroit Red Wings, having been claimed as well.

For Czarnik, this will mark his second stint with the Islanders organization, having only departed after being claimed on waivers by the Kraken back on February 8th. In his time with Seattle, Czarnik played in just six games, recording two assists. Prior to being placed on waivers by the Islanders, Czarnik had a fairly impressive two goals and three assists in 11 games for the Islanders, to go along with 15 points in 20 games with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders this season. Speaking of Bridgeport, the Islanders announced that Czarnik will be assigned to Bridgeport. The organization is able to assign Czarnik directly to the AHL without waivers, as they were the only team to put a claim in on the forward.

Juolevi will go to his third organization in two years after being traded by the Vancouver Canucks to Florida back in October. It has been a struggle for the once top prospect, bouncing between injured-reserve and the Panthers, playing in only 10 games, failing to record a point, and averaging just 12:27 time-on-ice. Perhaps a fresh start with a new organization more suited to give him extra minutes could be what Juolevi needs.

 

Minnesota Wild Activate Mathew Dumba

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2:27 pm: Per The Athletic’s Michael Russo, Mathew Dumba has officially been activated in advance of this afternoon’s game against the Dallas Stars. To make room, forward Jordan Greenway has been placed on injured-reserve retroactively (Tweet).

12:43 pm: The Minnesota Wild are expected to activate defenseman Dumba off of injured-reserve in time for today’s game against the Dallas Stars, reports The Athletic’s Michael Russo (tweet). Dumba last played for the Wild on February 12th before being placed on injured-reserve.

The defenseman has been a mainstay on the Minnesota blue-line for years and this year is no exception. Currently, he leads the Minnesota Wild in average time-on-ice at 23:37, along with four goals and 16 assists in 40 games this season. Even though the Wild have a strong defensive core, the loss of their leading defenseman has not been welcomed.

Dumba’s return could not come any sooner for the Wild, with the team struggling greatly as of late, going 3-7-0 in 10 games since the injury. The team also begins a stretch of four games in six days tonight at home against the Dallas Stars. Minnesota sits in third place in the Central Division, but is only two points ahead of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, which belongs to those Dallas Stars. Wild GM Bill Guerin has reiterated his confidence in the team heading into the trade deadline, and Dumba’s return to the lineup could play as an addition in itself, potentially sparking the team and getting it back on track.

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