Colorado Avalanche Activate, Reassign Shane Bowers
The Colorado Avalanche have reassigned forward Shane Bowers after activating him from injured reserve, the team announced Wednesday night.
Bowers’ return comes ahead of schedule after the team gave him a six-week recovery timeline from an upper-body injury on November 12. He sustained the injury after skating just three shifts in his NHL debut two days earlier.
Now 23, the 2017 first-round pick finally seemed to be getting back on track in his development. He’d recorded single-digit point totals in the AHL in both 2020-21 and 2021-22, and his offensive ceiling was stalling quickly.
A strong camp propelled him further up the organizational depth chart. He managed six points through 10 games with the Colorado Eagles before earning a call-up to the injury-ravaged Avalanche. If he maintains that 0.6 points-per-game pace in the minors, he’ll be on track for a career year in the minors and potentially looking at cracking the lineup full-time in 2023-24.
That’s a long way from certain, though, as his professional career has been plagued by inconsistency. The team hopes that his lengthy absence was just a bump in the road and he can get back to building up confidence in the AHL.
Anaheim Ducks Recall Olle Eriksson Ek, Anthony Stolarz Moved To IR
5:53 pm: Per CapFriendly’s depth charts, it appears the Ducks have shifted Stolarz to injured reserve to make room for Eriksson Ek on the active roster.
4:13 pm: The Anaheim Ducks recalled goaltender Olle Eriksson Ek from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls today, according to a team release.
It’s not good news for the health of John Gibson, who left last night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a lower-body injury. Lukas Dostal appeared in relief, with regular backup Anthony Stolarz already out of the lineup with a lower-body injury.
One of Gibson, Stolarz, or forward Max Jones had to be moved to injured reserve to make this transaction, as their roster would sit at 24 out of a maximum 23 players with Eriksson Ek recalled.
Eriksson Ek, the younger brother of Minnesota’s Joel Eriksson Ek, was a fifth-round pick of the Ducks in 2017. His strong numbers in Swedish juniors have yet to translate to professional hockey in North America, though. Eriksson Ek hasn’t won a game with San Diego this season and has a .844 save percentage in eight appearances.
In the meantime, Dostal will take the reigns as Anaheim’s starter. The organization’s top goaltending prospect had a much stronger .916 save percentage in the minors this season but has just six NHL appearances. If the Ducks are looking to get out of a severe funk that has them in last place in the league, it likely won’t come from their goaltending.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: New York Islanders
With American Thanksgiving now behind us and the holiday season coming up, PHR continues its look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the New York Islanders.
Who are the Islanders thankful for?
The Islanders have gotten strong bounce-back performances from their top players this season. Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson are clicking at a point-per-game rate down the middle, and Noah Dobson is continuing his play as a premier young defenseman in the NHL.
But even after putting up an elite performance on a mediocre Islanders squad last season, Sorokin has turned up the dial even further in 2022-23. Despite receiving much less goal support than his counterpart, Semyon Varlamov, the Islanders have managed to crack the .500 mark mainly due to Sorokin’s .925 save percentage and two shutouts. His 13.8 goals saved above expected (MoneyPuck) is third in the league and second in the conference behind Boston’s Linus Ullmark.
The team hasn’t retained the same defensive structure under Lane Lambert they were known for in previous seasons, but the Islanders still sit in the top 10 leaguewide in goals against. With Sorokin helping to mask those weaknesses, the Islanders remain in the playoff conversation as the new year approaches.
What are the Islanders thankful for?
A healthy team and a stable home.
Last season was a very, very public meltdown for the Islanders. A team that entered the season with top-10 odds to win the Stanley Cup had to scratch and claw just to finish above .500.
The biggest reason why? Perhaps it was the team’s 13-game road trip to start the season, which ended amid an 11-game losing streak throughout November and December. Injuries and COVID also took an extreme toll on the team around the same time.
This time around, it’s a different story. 10 players have played in all 30 games so far. Only one Islander – Zach Parise – played in all 82 games last season. They’ve also got a full season at UBS Arena, and their 9-6-0 home record is third in the Metropolitan Division behind New Jersey and Pittsburgh.
What would the Islanders be even more thankful for?
Stronger defense from depth players.
The Islanders have had a gigantic offensive resurgence, but some less structured play post-coaching change has limited them from rocketing back to contender status. While their actual goals against remain near the league’s top, their expected goals share at all situations (MoneyPuck) is at the opposite end of the spectrum (23rd in the league). Their more traditional possession numbers haven’t been anything outstanding either, and their bottom-six forward group is getting caved in at times.
Solving this problem likely lies on general manager Lou Lamoriello to alter the makeup of the team’s depth forwards. Their heralded fourth line of Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, and Cal Clutterbuck has been their best defensively, but the opposite is true for the unit of Jean-Gabriel Pageau, flanked by Parise and Kyle Palmieri. While Parise remains a valuable depth scorer, especially for his six-digit cap hit, Palmieri’s managed just nine points in 20 games and continues to battle injuries.
What should be on the Islanders’ holiday wishlist?
A true sniper for Barzal’s line.
Barzal’s playmaking has been at its most dynamic this season, notching 27 assists in just 30 games. But neither of his regular linemates, Josh Bailey nor Oliver Wahlstrom, are close to double-digit goal totals on the year.
The Islanders do have a deep attack, but it lacks any chemistry between a pair of true stars. A slam-dunk 30-goal scorer on Barzal’s wing could absolutely give New York’s offense the firepower necessary to approach the top 10 in league scoring. Lamoriello has hesitated to give up the assets required recently, though, whether on-ice or financial, to make such a move come to fruition.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Latest On Bo Horvat
Dec 13: With speculation running wild, Horvat has (very unusually) released a statement through the club:
I am focused on this season and playing for the Vancouver Canucks, helping the team in any way I can. I will not have any further comments this year about my future.
Dec 12: While there’s been near-weekly reports about the Vancouver Canucks and Bo Horvat growing further apart in extension negotiations, it seems today’s update might be the nail in the coffin for Horvat’s future in British Columbia. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun added to a report from CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal that Horvat rejected an offer from the Canucks “a couple of weeks ago,” saying the team is now entirely focused on Horvat’s trade market between now and the March 3 deadline.
Speculation will now be entirely focused on potential destinations and, more so for Canucks fans, possible return packages.
It’s a foregone conclusion that the Canucks would ask for a high-end defense prospect as the centerpiece of any Horvat trade. The 2023 NHL Draft, while stacked, is weak with defensemen, especially near the top. For the team’s most significant area of need, trading for an already-drafted defenseman will likely spark the team’s pool of young players.
Trading for Ethan Bear helped in the short-term for Vancouver, who was bleeding goals against early in the season. But it doesn’t solve the issue that Jack Rathbone, a 95th overall pick, remains the organization’s top prospect on defense.
When you think of contenders looking to add at center at the deadline, you think of the Colorado Avalanche. It does make sense that they would have an interest in Horvat when the time comes, but whether there’s a trade fit there is less certain. Considering Bowen Byram is likely untouchable, the organization doesn’t have any under-23 defensemen that would move the needle for Vancouver.
There is, however, Samuel Girard. If Vancouver remains insistent on making moves like a team with playoff aspirations, that acquisition could make some sense. He’s off to yet another disappointing start this season though, with just five points in 20 games. While it looked like a sure bet two years ago that Girard would develop into a high-end top-four defenseman, doubts are beginning to grow.
For now, it’s wait-and-see time for the Canucks. Horvat’s value is at its peak with his goal-scoring through the roof, leading to what could be a franchise-altering deadline deal.
Injury Notes: Caufield, Stützle, Tanev
After exiting tonight’s game early in the second period with an upper-body injury, Montreal Canadiens star sniper Cole Caufield will not return, according to the team. He was hit hard in front of the Canadiens’ net by Flames forward Trevor Lewis and reached for his head after the collision.
Caufield and Nick Suzuki‘s chemistry have been instrumental in helping the Habs hover around the .500 mark this far into the regular season. Caufield’s 16 goals lead the team, and his 25 points in 27 games are second behind Suzuki’s 29. Any long-term absence from their top goal-scorer will be extremely difficult to overcome.
- Another Canadian team also lost an important young forward tonight. Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle left their game against the Anaheim Ducks and did not return after sustaining an upper-body injury in the first frame, per the team. He was checked by Ducks forward Brett Leason, who was given an interference penalty on the play. Stützle’s 27 points are second on the team, and they’re already without their other top center in Josh Norris.
- For Calgary, they lost defenseman Chris Tanev after taking a puck to the face. The veteran stayed down on the ice after the impact but didn’t require a stretcher and was helped off the ice by teammates. If Tanev is to miss time, Calgary will need to recall another defenseman with MacKenzie Weegar battling an illness.
Snapshots: Flames, Board Of Governors, Capitals
The Calgary Flames are without two key players tonight as they take on the Montreal Canadiens. Before puck drop, the team announced center Elias Lindholm and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar are out with an upper-body injury and a non-COVID illness, respectively.
Mikael Backlund slides up to the top line in Lindholm’s absence, while Connor Mackey makes his sixth appearance of the season in place of Weegar. Lindholm isn’t quite producing at last year’s clip, but he still leads the team in scoring with 23 points in 28 games. Weegar’s yet to score his first goal as a member of the Flames, but has six assists in 28 games and is averaging over 20 minutes per game. Still, Calgary would like some more offense out of Weegar, who had a career-high 44 points last season as a member of the Florida Panthers.
- Today wasn’t the most eventful opening day of the NHL’s Board of Governors’ meeting in Florida, but NHL.com’s Dan Rosen expects that to change tomorrow. Rosen notes that tomorrow’s docket includes salary cap projections for the 2023-24 season, updates regarding the ongoing sale process for the Ottawa Senators, and a potential fan code of conduct. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will likely issue an update after tomorrow’s meetings conclude.
- Speaking to reporters, including ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said the team won’t enter a rebuild while Alex Ovechkin is still chasing the NHL’s all-time goals record. Ovechkin has noted a desire to remain competitive while chasing the record, vying for team and individual success. Leonsis also noted that Wayne Gretzky himself will be in attendance for all Capitals games as Ovechkin inches toward his record of 894 career goals.
San Jose Sharks Activate James Reimer, Reassign Eetu Mäkiniemi
The San Jose Sharks have activated goaltender James Reimer from injured reserve and reassigned Eetu Mäkiniemi to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda; the team announced Monday evening.
Reimer landed on injured reserve back on November 28 after playing through a lower-body injury. The injury caused him to miss eight games, dating back to a pre-Thanksgiving contest against the Seattle Kraken on November 23.
A free agent acquisition a year and a half ago, Reimer’s numbers flattened out after a strong October. Still, his .903 save percentage and 3.00 goals-against average are much better than his counterpart Kaapo Kähkönen, and he’ll undoubtedly return to the starter’s role now that he’s healthy.
Mäkiniemi got into two games during his callup, the first of his NHL career. Acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes this past offseason in the Brent Burns trade, the 2017 fourth-round pick got the win in his only start against the Anaheim Ducks on December 9, making 23 saves on 24 shots. With a strong AHL track record so far (.920 save percentage across the last year and a half), expect Mäkiniemi to continue to get callups when injuries strike and even potentially unseat Kähkönen if his poor play continues.
Shane Wright Loaned To Team Canada For World Juniors
Dec 8: As expected, the Kraken have officially loaned Wright to Team Canada.
Dec 7: Seattle Kraken top prospect Shane Wright is expected to report to Team Canada’s selection camp for the 2023 World Junior Championship tomorrow, per TSN’s Darren Dreger.
When Wright wasn’t named to Canada’s selection camp roster announced Monday, some eyebrows were raised. But Canada could not add him to their roster until the Kraken loaned him there, and after the team’s plan of getting Wright back into a game after his AHL conditioning stint, it appears that’s exactly what Seattle will do.
The 2022 fourth-overall pick scored his first NHL goal last night, making it two points in eight games with the Kraken. Appearing in five games with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, he sniped four goals in just five games, proving he belongs in professional hockey.
Yet the Kraken don’t have a choice in where they send him long-term this year: it’s either the NHL or juniors, given his age and the NHL-CHL transfer agreement. Given Wright’s limited role on the team, and with Seattle sitting pretty in a playoff spot, it seems Wright is destined to return to junior hockey when the tournament concludes.
Wright joins an offense loaded with talent, including defenseman Brandt Clarke, who was loaned to Team Canada by the Los Angeles Kings just hours ago.
Snapshots: Barkov, Puljujärvi, Poulin
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has missed much of the past few weeks with an illness, and now we have clarity on why his absence was so long. Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards relays a Finnish report that Barkov was dealing with a bout of pneumonia, causing him to be away from the team.
Thankfully, Barkov is now healthy. He’s returned to skating with the team and is expected to return to the lineup tomorrow against Detroit, says Richards. In the seven games Barkov missed, the Panthers went 2-3-2. The return of their captain can’t come soon enough, as the team currently sits outside a playoff spot after winning the President’s Trophy last year. Richards also notes the team is optimistic that Anton Lundell can return from an injury tomorrow after missing the last two games.
- After scoring just one goal in 26 games this season, offensive struggles are beginning to weigh on Edmonton Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi. Puljujärvi told a Finnish news agency today (translated) that “of course, I’d like to be a productive top-line player, but right now, it looks like I can’t do that in NHL. Maybe some other league.” The Finn had a career year last season with 36 points in 65 games and even received some Selke votes, but his play on both sides of the puck has dipped this year. Hopefully, the Oilers can help Puljujärvi figure out a way to regain his confidence.
- Team Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin has deservedly won the 2022 Northern Star award, given to Canada’s top athlete of the year. Poulin led Canada’s top women’s hockey contingent to both Olympic gold and World Championships gold, scoring a combined 27 points in 14 games. She’s the first hockey player to win the award in seven years.
Carolina Hurricanes Assign Dylan Coghlan To AHL On Conditioning Stint
The Carolina Hurricanes announced in a team release today that the team has assigned defenseman Dylan Coghlan to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL on a conditioning stint.
Coghlan has been pushed down the Hurricanes’ defense depth chart this season, although the team hasn’t given him much of a chance. They’ve instead favored more defensively-inclined options like Jalen Chatfield, who’s played in all of Carolina’s 26 games in 2022-23.
Acquired alongside Max Pacioretty from the Vegas Golden Knights in July, Coghlan has played only six games with Carolina this season, averaging just 14:08 per game. In 88 previous NHL games, all with Vegas, the 6′ 3″, 207 lb Coghlan had six goals, 13 assists, and 19 points.
Interestingly enough, this won’t be a new AHL stop for Coghlan. His only AHL experience has come in Chicago, where he played full seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20. At the time, the team was Vegas’ AHL affiliate before the team purchased the San Antonio Rampage, promptly relocating them to Henderson to become the Silver Knights. Chicago, who has one of the most successful track records of any AHL team (and is the defending Calder Cup champion), then entered an affiliation agreement with Carolina.
While he didn’t nab any awards during his time in the minors, Coghlan was an integral part of the Chicago blueline when he was there. His 2018-19 rookie season as an undrafted free agent saw him lead the team’s defense with 40 points in 66 games.