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NHL Department Of Player Safety Suspends Pavel Buchnevich For Two Games

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The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday night that St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich has been suspended two games for a headbutt to the Arizona Coyotes’ Lawson Crouse.

Per TSN’s Chris Johnston, Buchnevich is considered a repeat offender and forfeits $141,463.41 in salary over the course of the two-game suspension.

Buchnevich holds that repeat offender status due to a one-game suspension handed out in May 2021 for high-sticking Anthony Mantha of the Washington Capitals. It occurred during the New York Rangers’ first match against the Washington Capitals after the now infamous Tom Wilson incident, which Buchnevich was notably a victim of when Wilson delivered a punch to the head of Buchnevich while he was down on the ice.

The Blues have gotten good scoring distribution from throughout their lineup, and they’ll attempt to continue that in the absence of Buchnevich. Look for Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours, two up-and-coming young wingers, to get more ice time with this hole in the lineup.

Anaheim Ducks Place Mason McTavish, Max Jones On Injured Reserve

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Per CapFriendly.com (Twitter links), the Anaheim Ducks placed forwards Mason McTavish and Max Jones on the injured reserve list Tuesday night ahead of their contest against the Edmonton Oilers.

In their place, the team has recalled forward Sonny Milano and forward Sam Carrick from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. They’ll likely serve as healthy scratches tonight, allowing Sam Steel to draw into the lineup for the first time this season and for Derek Grant to return to the lineup.

It’s a rough break especially for the 18-year-old McTavish, who was drafted third overall this past year and has a goal and an assist through his first three games. He’ll miss at least the next ten days’ worth of action.

Milano and Carrick could make their season debuts during their callups. Milano missed a good portion of last season due to injury but still carries scoring upside. Carrick had the most productive year of his career at the NHL level last season, notching six points in 13 games during his time with the big club.

Minor Transactions: 10/19/21

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While a long list of NHL games caps off this Tuesday night, there was a lot of movement at lower levels of the North American hockey depth chart today. As NHL teams deal with a trend of injuries across the league, it carries a ripple effect across both the AHL and ECHL, forcing roster moves. Here are today’s minor transactions:

  • The AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders, affiliate of New York, have recalled forward Erik Brown from the ECHL’s Worcester Railers, per the Connecticut Post’s Michael Fornabaio. Brown has been a fringe AHL player since ending his collegiate career with the Rochester Institute of Technology, but the 26-year-old logged his first AHL point, an assist, in 13 games last year with Bridgeport. It was his first full professional season after missing the entirety of 2019-20.
  • The Chicago Wolves assigned goalie Beck Warm to the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals today. Warm, who’s on a two-way NHL deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, will make his ECHL debut if he stays but already has one full professional season under his belt. An undrafted free agent, Warm impressed in 14 AHL games with Chicago last year, posting an 8-4-1 record and .914 save percentage. He’s been forced down the depth chart with the addition of NHL-experienced Alex Lyon into the organization as the team’s third goalie, however, and he could take a starting role in Norfolk.
  • The St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, assigned forward Shawn Cameron to the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits, per the ECHL’s transaction page for October 19. Cameron split last season between Greenville and the AHL’s Utica Comets, where he scored three points (including his first AHL goal) in 11 games. He fared much better in Greenville, notching 10 points in 23 games.

Injury Notes: Hughes, Dunn, Stars

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The Vancouver Canucks have yet to play with a healthy core this season, and unfortunately, that trend will continue tonight. While winger Brock Boeser will be back in the lineup as reported earlier today, now defenseman Quinn Hughes is injured and will miss tonight’s game, per The Athletic’s Thomas Drance. After signing a six-year, $47.1MM extension prior to the season starting, Hughes has performed well with two points in three games while logging 27:39 a night. Veteran defenseman Brad Hunt draws into the lineup in his place, according to the team’s line rushes.

More injury notes ahead of tonight’s games:

  • After missing the past two games with an injury, The Athletic’s Ryan S. Clark reports Seattle Kraken defender Vince Dunn will return to the lineup. Slotting back onto a pair with Jeremy Lauzon, Dunn has an assist in two games but has played just 15:08 per game, a far cry from the role he was expected to play with the team. He’ll have to work overtime now in order to work his way back into the team’s top-four.
  • The Dallas Stars are missing both John Klingberg and Jason Robertson for tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, per the Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks. Both remain day-to-day as Robertson has yet to slot into the lineup this season, while Klingberg played just 10:21 of the Stars’ first game. It’ll be tough to knock off the Penguins, who have yet to lose in regulation, without two key players.

Vancouver Canucks Announce Home Opener At Full Capacity

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After a change in provincial legislation today, the Vancouver Canucks announced via Twitter that their home opener on October 26 against the Minnesota Wild will be held with 100% fan capacity in the stands.

After a six-game road trip to start the season (which still has three games remaining, including Tuesday’s against Buffalo), the Canucks will return home to play in front of fans for the first time in over a year and a half. The team currently sits with a 1-1-1 record, their single win coming in the form of a 5-4 shootout victory against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Canucks, prior to today, remained the only NHL team that did not permit full capacity at games. Luckily for the team, restrictions were lifted in advance of their home opener.

A statement released by Canucks Sports and Entertainment mentions the following:

“Great news today from the Provincial Health Officer and the Province of BC,” said Michael Doyle, President, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, Business Operations. “As last season reminded us, there’s nothing like the energy and excitement that fans bring to Canucks games and live events. We’re thrilled to again be able to operate at full capacity at Rogers Arena. The Province of BC and our local health authorities have been strong partners through the pandemic, and we’ll continue to follow their vaccination guidelines to maintain a safe environment for everyone.

Vancouver’s home opener kicks off a seven-game homestand as they’ll try to gain traction in the Pacific Division standings.

Snapshots: Krebs, Robertson, Ho-Sang

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As the Jack Eichel saga appears to potentially be nearing a conclusion, there’s now constant speculation about potential destinations and a potential return. While the Vegas Golden Knights have long been named as a potential suitor for Eichel, a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen says that the Knights view top prospect Peyton Krebs as untouchable in any Eichel deal. While the Golden Knights do still have some desirable young pieces available in a trade like defenseman Nicolas Hague, none have the potential upside of Krebs. If Vegas is to get an Eichel trade completed, they’ll likely have to give up a massive amount of draft capital in place of Krebs.

Other notes from around the NHL:

  • Toronto Maple Leafs top prospect Nick Robertson suffered a lower-body injury in tonight’s match with the Toronto Marlies against the Manitoba Moose, per Marlies head coach Greg Moore. Moore notes the extent of the injury is unknown and that Robertson will be assessed tomorrow. It’s a tough blow to the Leafs organization, which is already dealing with significant injuries in all areas. It’s especially concerning considering Robertson missed the majority of last season due to a knee injury. Toronto undoubtedly hopes it’s not a major injury.
  • Another Marlies forward is in some injury trouble as Moore also notes that Josh Ho-Sang was held out with a hip issue, but mostly as a precaution. Calling it a ’maintenance day,’ it’s a smart choice on the Marlies to not risk any further injury. Ho-Sang will be one of the team’s most important contributors considering his NHL experience, and a notable injury setback could negatively affect his chances of getting an NHL contract with the Maple Leafs later this season.

Brady Tkachuk To Make Season Debut On Thursday

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Winger Brady Tkachuk will make his season debut for the Ottawa Senators on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks, Senators head coach D.J. Smith confirms.

The Senators have a three-day break ahead of them after playing three games in four nights to open the season. Without their best forward in the lineup, the team impressed, starting the season off 2-1-0.

Tkachuk’s season debut will come at home after appearing in street clothes during the team’s season opener last Thursday at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs to a standing ovation. The Senators signed Tkachuk to a seven-year, $57.5MM contract earlier on that Thursday.

He’ll undoubtedly get slotted on the team’s first line in his return, reuniting as a trio with Josh Norris and Drake Batherson. That line impressed all last season in its first year of existence, seeing its members score 17 goals apiece and at least 30 points apiece in a shortened 56-game season.

The team has risen to its 2-1-0 start largely due to the impressive play of Anton Forsberg and Filip Gustavsson in the net. Despite that record, the Senators have scored only seven goals in their first three games, averaging 2.33 per contest. Tkachuk’s infusion into the lineup and the depth advantage that it provides will undoubtedly go a long way towards boosting those numbers.

Senators Notes: Norris, Captaincy, Center Depth

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Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion delivered an interview with TSN on Sunday, giving a sort of state of the union address surrounding a variety of pressing issues around the organization. One of these is the contract status of pending restricted free agent Josh Norris, who’s in the final year of his entry-level deal that he signed in May of 2019. Norris emerged as the team’s number one center last season, scoring 35 points in 56 games in his first full NHL season. Dorion relayed that he spoke to Norris’ agent, Craig Oster, on Friday, expecting to begin talks with Norris “at some point in time.” While the quote carries a high degree of vagueness, dialogue this early, especially when initiated by the general manager, is always a promising sign on the path towards completing a contract. Norris has already scored a goal this season through his first two games.

More from the Senators organization:

  • Dorion notes that an announcement about the team’s captaincy is not imminent, saying the club will continue to discuss and “take their time” on the decision. Many speculated that star winger Brady Tkachuk could be the next to sport the ’C’ for the Senators, especially after signing a seven-year contract to stay with the club earlier this week. It appears as though the team isn’t quite ready to make that call, as young defender Thomas Chabot also makes a compelling case to be named the club’s captain. Ottawa’s captaincy has remained vacant ever since the departure of Erik Karlsson in 2018.
  • Speaking with TSN’s James Duthie, Dorion mentions that he’s open to holding trade talks about acquiring a center to help the team’s depth down the middle. While Ottawa’s emergence out of their rebuild hasn’t guided them to a playoff spot as of yet, the team’s messaging adamantly reveals that internally, they feel ready to take the next step. It’s unlikely that Ottawa is at the point where they’re willing to mortgage futures to swing a huge deal, but as Dorion mentions, if it’s the right fit, a smaller but still notable acquisition isn’t off the table this season if they find themselves in the race.

Michael Frolik Signs In Switzerland

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After attending the St. Louis Blues training camp on a professional tryout deal, veteran forward Michael Frolik has opted to continue his playing career in Switzerland. His new team, Lausanne HC, announced a two-year deal for Frolik today.

Considering Frolik will be 35 at the conclusion of this contract, it’s likely that he’s played his last game in the NHL. If that’s the case, Frolik carved out a role for himself as an extremely solid middle-six player for a good number of years at the NHL level.

Drafted tenth overall by the Florida Panthers in 2006, Frolik broke into the league in 2008-09 at age 20, finishing tenth in Calder Trophy voting with 21 goals and 45 points in 79 games. He was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2010-11 season, where he’d eventually win a Stanley Cup championship with them in 2013. He was a valuable depth player on that run, scoring 10 points in 23 games.

However, Frolik didn’t top 10 goals or 20 points either of the last two seasons. Signing a deal with the Montreal Canadiens last year, Frolik spent the majority of the season on the team’s taxi squad. When he was in the lineup he went pointless, tallying nothing in eight games.

But over his career, Frolik was a consistent bet to score 10-20 goals. He never really lived up to tenth overall pick potential or the expectation he set for himself early on in Florida, but still appeared in 858 NHL games, complementing it with 159 goals and 384 points.

Ryan Strome Placed In COVID Protocol, Will Miss Saturday’s Game

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The New York Rangers announced Friday afternoon that center Ryan Strome has entered the league’s COVID-19 protocol. He’ll be unavailable for Saturday night’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

With forward Sammy Blais listed as day-to-day, the Rangers have also recalled Greg McKegg from the Hartford Wolf Pack to have 12 active skaters for their next game.

The circumstances of Strome’s placement on the protocol list are unknown, but he could miss up to 10 days if he can’t produce two negative tests. That could potentially be five missed games for Strome, making him eligible to return on October 29 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, he can come back sooner if he produces the aforementioned negative tests.

In Strome’s absence, it’s likely a chance for the young Filip Chytil to step into the second-line center role between Artemi Panarin and Kaapo Kakko. It’s an undeniable upgrade from his current wingers in Barclay Goodrow and Julien Gauthier, and it gives him a chance to show some promise of what he can do in a top-six role. McKegg could draw into the lineup as the fourth-line center, bumping Kevin Rooney up to third-line duties between Goodrow and Gauthier.

The Rangers will look to get their first win of the season without Strome against a similarly hobbled Canadiens team that’s still missing Joel Edmundson, Mike Hoffman, Carey Price, and others.

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