Minnesota Wild Reassign Sammy Walker
The Minnesota Wild have reassigned forward Sammy Walker to their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, the team announced Friday.
Walker, 23, has appeared in eight games this season, two of them coming since he was recalled earlier this month. He’s recorded a goal in those eight appearances, averaging 10:25 per game. The Minnesota-born rookie has spent his first pro season mostly with Iowa, where he’s exploded for 25 goals and 20 assists in 50 games.
He now heads back to Iowa for the stretch run, where he’ll likely remain for the rest of the season as the Wild get healthier. While they haven’t clinched a playoff spot, they have a solid cushion, and Walker is slated to get his first pro hockey experience in the postseason beginning next month.
While viewed as undersized by some, the incredibly speedy forward has proven his game translates to the pro levels this season. He was one of the most consistent players in college hockey during his time at the University of Minnesota, where he spent four seasons before signing a two-year, entry-level contract with the Wild in free agency last August.
Josh Anderson Out For Season With Ankle Sprain
The Montreal Canadiens announced late Thursday night that forward Josh Anderson will miss the remainder of the season due to a high ankle sprain.
Canadiens VP of Hockey Communications, Chantal Machabee, adds that Anderson will not receive surgery. Anderson suffered the injury late in the team’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday after Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev hit Anderson into an empty net, resulting in his right foot colliding with the post. He did not play in yesterday’s game against the Boston Bruins with what was deemed a lower-body injury, with the official announcement on his status coming postgame.
The 28-year-old winger had been one of three Canadiens players to hit 20 goals this season, including the injured Cole Caufield. He finishes his season with 21 goals and 11 assists in 69 games.
Anderson’s injury adds to a well-documented laundry list of absent Canadiens players, with Montreal’s injuries over the past two seasons taking a significant toll on the team. He joins Caufield, Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia, Juraj Slafkovsky, Paul Byron, and Sean Monahan on the list of injured Montreal forwards.
As a silver lining, it does mean more ice time for young players who have done well this season, including Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Jesse Ylonen, and potentially current Harvard standout Sean Farrell, who’s expected to sign his entry-level contract with the team after Harvard’s run in the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament concludes.
Patrik Laine Out 2-4 Weeks With Triceps Strain
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine is expected to miss two to four weeks due to a triceps strain suffered in practice Thursday, according to the team. The 24-year-old Finnish forward has been one of the team’s best players this season when healthy, recording 52 points in 55 games.
Head coach Brad Larsen told reporters Friday that Laine sustained the injury taking a shot during the last drill of yesterday’s practice.
It’s an unfortunate break for Laine, who had four assists in his last two games after an unexpected move to center. The natural winger had looked comfortable in the middle of the ice, also recording a +3 rating, but struggled in the faceoff circle.
The potentially season-ending triceps strain adds to an already injury-littered campaign for Laine. He’s missed a combined 12 games due to a sprained elbow and sprained ankle sustained earlier in the season.
Laine has found his stride in Columbus over the past two seasons, recording 48 goals and 108 points in 111 games since 2021 without much team success. He’s quickly cemented himself in Columbus’ long-term plans and should be an important offensive piece alongside a growing young pool of impressive forwards.
With Laine out of the fold, Emil Bemstrom is likely to draw back into the lineup for tonight’s matchup against the New York Islanders.
West Notes: Thompson, Kurashev, Canucks
Despite a big win for the Vegas Golden Knights against a divisional rival last night, there was a concerning setback near the end of the game. Goalie Logan Thompson, who was making his first appearance in 18 games after being sidelined with a left leg injury, left the team’s 3-2 win against the Calgary Fames with a lower-body injury.
Thompson left the game with less than 10 minutes remaining after making 37 saves on 39 shots. He was replaced by Jonathan Quick, who stopped all five shots he faced, helping the Golden Knights extend their lead atop the Western Conference. The team has not yet issued an update on Thompson’s status, but it’s something to watch out for in the coming days as the Pacific Division leaders approach the playoffs without the full health of their starter. It’s worth noting that in Thompson’s absence, Quick has been much-improved since joining the Golden Knights, posting a 5-1-0 record and a .908 save percentage.
More updates from the Western Conference on Friday:
- Chicago Blackhawks forward Philipp Kurashev left last night’s game against the Washington Capitals with an undisclosed injury, per the team. Kurashev had just two shifts before exiting the game less than five minutes in, seemingly due to a hit from Capitals winger Tom Wilson. The 23-year-old Swiss forward has set career highs for the struggling Blackhawks this season, with 25 points in 70 games.
- Vancouver Canucks defenseman Noah Juulsen is likely to miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury, according to head coach Rick Tocchet. The 25-year-old blueliner has played in just 12 NHL games this season but has 20 points in 49 games at the AHL level. In addition, defenseman Guillaume Brisebois was an injury-related scratch last night against the San Jose Sharks, and Christian Wolanin, who signed a two-year extension yesterday, left last night’s game after just three shifts. The Canucks have not provided an update on Brisebois or Wolanin’s conditions.
Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag
With trade season in the rearview mirror, all the focus now is on playoff positioning and the occasional college free-agent signing. It’s the time of year that’s exciting for some and a slog for others, namely at the bottom of the standings. With the regular season wrapping up, though, it’s time for the next edition of the #PHRMailbag as the playoffs (or offseason for the unlucky teams) swing into view.
Our last mailbag focused on all the non-deadline-related questions that came in during what was a busy trade period.
You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. The mailbag will run on the weekend.
Toronto Maple Leafs Emergency Recall Joseph Woll
The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled goalie Joseph Woll from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis, the team tweeted Thursday.
The move was announced as starting netminder Ilya Samsonov is assumedly away from the team for the birth of his and his wife’s first child. Woll will back up Matt Murray tonight when the Leafs play the Florida Panthers, their second straight game against a hungry opponent in the thick of the Eastern Conference Wild Card race.
Woll, 24, is quickly seeing his stock rise with impressive performances in both the big leagues and the minors this season. He’s been shuttled between leagues multiple times over the past few months as minor injuries have affected Samsonov and Murray.
He’s played in three games with the Maple Leafs this season, posting a 2-1-0 record with a 2.04 goals-against average and .938 save percentage. He stopped 25 of 26 shots in his last appearance, a win against the Calgary Flames in early March. While it’s unlikely Woll plays during what will be a short call-up in Samsonov’s absence, he’s earned more opportunities at the NHL level with similarly strong numbers in the minors.
New York Rangers Sign Bryce McConnell-Barker
According to a team tweet, the New York Rangers have signed forward Bryce McConnell-Barker to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning with the 2023-24 season. PuckPedia reports the contract carries an $870,000 cap hit, broken down per year into $775,000 in base salary, $95,000 in signing bonuses, $80,000 in games played bonuses, and $80,000 in minors salary.
A natural center, the 18-year-old forward was selected by the Rangers in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft. The pick used to select him, 97th overall, was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Alexandar Georgiev trade on draft day.
McConnell-Barker spent the last two seasons with the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL after losing the entire 2020-21 campaign due to COVID. There, he’s played in 134 games and recorded 52 goals and 71 assists. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound forward also served as captain for the Greyhounds this season.
While McConnell-Barker’s -29 rating this season may be disappointing for a player heralded for his two-way game, he had a weak supporting cast on the Greyhounds, who sit with just 19 wins on the season with a handful of games remaining and are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. His production in 2022-23 has been promising, putting up over a point per game in his post-draft year.
McConnell-Barker is expected to return to the OHL next year, as he remains ineligible for assignment to the AHL until his age 20 season (2024-25).
Vancouver Canucks Extend Christian Wolanin
The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Christian Wolanin to a two-year, two-way contract extension, according to a team announcement. Per CapFriendly, the contract is worth a league minimum of $775,000 per season, with a $500,000 salary in the minors.
The deal, announced Thursday, will keep Wolanin with the Canucks through the 2024-25 season. The 28-year-old defenseman was acquired by Vancouver in free agency last July, signing a one-year contract.
Wolanin has played in 15 games for the Canucks this season, recording three assists. While he’s spent the majority of the campaign with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, Wolanin has remained on the NHL roster since Vancouver recalled him on February 18, save for a paper transaction back to Abbotsford on trade deadline day to make him eligible to suit up in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
“Christian has been a key contributor at both the AHL and NHL level this season,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a statement. “He has developed nicely under the watchful eye of our Abbotsford coaching staff and player development team. This has allowed him to step into his current role in the NHL and show that he can help our team get results.”
Wolanin was originally selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. He has appeared in a total of 85 NHL games, posting six goals and 17 assists.
After largely splitting time between the NHL and AHL over the past five seasons, Wolanin found some stability in Abbotsford to begin the year. He did not disappoint, as Wolanin is amidst the best campaign of his professional career. In 49 games with Abbotsford, where he’s sure to return for the postseason, Wolanin registered an assist per game and added six goals for 55 points, accompanied by a +12 rating.
Jon McDonald Expected To Join Detroit Red Wings Organization
According to a report from ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, the Detroit Red Wings are expected to sign college free agent defenseman Jon McDonald to a contract. It’s unclear at this time whether McDonald will be signing an NHL or AHL contract, and no financial details have been reported.
The move marks a return home for the 24-year-old McDonald, who was born in Livonia, Mich., and played youth hockey in Detroit. McDonald just completed his fifth season at UMass-Lowell, recording 20 points in 35 games while serving as captain during his final campaign.
McDonald is the second captain from UMass-Lowell to sign a contract today, joining now-Edmonton Oilers prospect Carl Berglund.
A left-shot defenseman, McDonald stands at 6’0″ and 181 pounds. While he never put up any notable scoring numbers in junior hockey with the USHL’s Fargo Force, McDonald’s point totals steadily increased throughout his time in college. He enters the pro ranks as a much more well-rounded player.
Weekes had reported earlier Wednesday that interest was heating up in McDonald’s services.
Columbus Blue Jackets Reassign Daniil Tarasov
The Columbus Blue Jackets have returned netminder Daniil Tarasov to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, according to an announcement from the team.
The transaction indicates that starting netminder Elvis Merzlikins is likely ready to return to the team. Merzlikins has been away from the team for two weeks on personal leave, returning home to Latvia to be with his grandmother as she deals with an illness.
Tarasov’s most recent stint with the big club didn’t go particularly well. The 23-year-old netminder did register two wins in four appearances but posted just a .840 save percentage. It hasn’t been a great showing for Tarasov in the NHL overall this season, as he has a 4-11-1 record, a .892 save percentage, and a 3.91 goals-against average on the year. The numbers are a step back from the strong showing he had in three starts last year, posting a .937 save percentage.
His AHL numbers have been equally concerning. In nine games with Cleveland, his action limited in part due to preseason injuries and multiple recalls to Columbus, he has a .871 save percentage and 4.07 goals-against average.
Goaltenders do take longer to develop, and there’s still plenty of time left on the track for Tarasov, who was drafted in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft. Still, the team undoubtedly hopes for a strong showing down the stretch in Cleveland from the young netminder.