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West Notes: Fiala, Stars, Sharks

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Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala is injured and listed as day-to-day according to Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider. Fiala will miss tonight’s contest when the Kings host the Nashville Predators. Fiala left the Kings game on Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche after a knee-on-knee hit from Andrew Cogliano. Of course the Kings don’t want Fiala to miss any time, but the fact he is only listed as day-to-day is great news as the collision looked like it could possibly result in a much more serious injury.

Fiala is leading the Kings in scoring with 68 points this season. He has been terrific in Los Angeles after being acquired from the Wild for a first-round pick and Brock Faber in the offseason. The 26-year-old winger plays a great two-way game and has fit in on the team’s top line with Anze Kopitar and also fills in on a tremendous all-around trio with Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson from time to time. It sounds like his absence will be short term and that is great news for Kings fans who were holding their breath since Thursday night.

  • The Dallas Stars have provided a bit of an update on their injured players. Mike Heika of NHL.com reports Tyler Seguin is not skating today which means he is not close to returning to action. The veteran center left Thursday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres after suffering a laceration above his knee from the skate of Jordan Greenway. Luke Glendening and Scott Wedgewood did skate today, meaning they are close to getting back into the lineup. Glendening has not played since February 17 and Wedgewood’s last game was February 18.
  • Curtis Pashelka of Bay Area News Group reports San Jose Sharks defensemen Radim Simek and Jacob MacDonald are out week to week. Simek is dealing with concussion symptoms and MacDonald left Monday night’s game early after taking a high hit. There is no update on what the injury is, but the timeline sounds like the Sharks will be without a couple of depth defenders for the next few weeks. In better Sharks news, winger Jonah Gadjovich is getting closer to returning but is not quite ready. He has three goals and seven points in 35 games this season but hasn’t played since February 12 with an upper-body injury.

PPG Paints Arena Announces Major Renovations

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The Pittsburgh Penguins roster went through a bit of a face-lift leading up to the trade deadline when Mikael Granlund, Nick Bonino and Dmitry Kulikov were acquired. The next major renovation in Pittsburgh will be happening to the arena itself as the team announced PPG Paints Arena will undergo major upgrades in the coming months.

The Penguins have teamed up with Aramark, their food and beverage provider to improve the dining experience at PPG Paints Arena for fans. The goal is to make it a contactless and quicker experience to grab a snack or a drink while attending events such as Penguins games. They have also set the beginning of next season as a target date to have the renovations completed.

Some of the key features that will enhance the fan experience starting next season include self-checkout scanners and self-ordering including mobile ordering for food and beverages. So, a fan would be able to enter one of the five Drink MKT’s which are essentially small convenience stores inside the arena and order their own food and drinks on their phone and scan the items at a self-scanner to pay on their way out. This should drastically decrease wait times and get fans back in their seats quicker between periods.

As a hockey fan, there aren’t many things more frustrating about the in-game experience than rushing to the concourse as soon as the second period ends, and missing the start of period three because you were standing in line for so long trying to use the washroom and grab a snack and/or beverage to enjoy during the final 20 minutes of action.

It sounds like the Penguins have come up with a method to expedite the worst parts of the hockey fan experience. Other teams around the league will surely be monitoring as they try to improve the experience for fans in their own arenas. Now, if they can just do something about finding parking anywhere near an area that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, we will really be talking.

Hockey Canada Announces 2023 Women’s World Championship Roster

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The 2023 World Women’s Hockey Championship is right around the corner and Hockey Canada has released the complete roster. The lineup features 13 forwards, seven defenders and three goaltenders. The tournament is scheduled to begin on April 5, with a gold medal to be handed out on April 16 in Brampton, Ontario. Of note, Danielle Serdachny is the only player set to make her World Championships debut and the team will be looking for its third consecutive gold medal at the event. Troy Ryan remains the team’s head coach with Kori Cheverie, Caroline Ouellette and Doug Derraugh serving as assistants.

Full roster can be seen here.

Forwards:

Emily Clark

Sarah Fillier

Brianne Jenner

Rebecca Johnston

Emma Maltais

Sarah Nurse

Kristin O’Neill

Marie-Philip Poulin

Jamie Lee Rattray

Danielle Serdachny

Natalie Spooner

Laura Stacey

Blayre Turnbull

Defense:

Erin Ambrose

Jaime Bourbonnais

Renata Fast

Jocelyne Larocque

Ella Shelton

Claire Thompson

Micah Zandee-Hart

Goaltenders:

Kristen Campbell

Ann-Renee Desbiens

Emerance Maschmeyer

Canada will play in Group A with Czechia, Japan, Switzerland and USA. Canada will play its first game on April 5 against Switzerland and wrap up their round robin with a clash against USA on April 10 before embarking on the medal round.

Snapshots: Nylander, Walker, Philp

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have sent Alex Nylander down to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, per a team release. Nylander was called up on an emergency basis as Bryan Rust and Mikael Granlund were out of the lineup. The Swedish winger helped the Pens storm back from a 4-0 deficit to the Columbus Blue Jackets by picking up an assist on the team’s first goal in an eventual 5-4 overtime victory. It was Nylander’s first NHL game of the season.

The 25-year-old winger is having a tremendous season in the AHL. He has piled up 25 goals and 50 points in 54 games for the minor-league Penguins, leading the team in goals and points. He hadn’t played a game in the NHL since the 2020-21 season, when he scored ten goals and 26 points in 65 games for the Chicago Blackhawks.

  • The Minnesota Wild announced they have called up forward Sammy Walker from the Iowa Wild. This comes shortly after announcing star winger Kirill Kaprizov will be out of the lineup for 3-4 weeks with a lower-body injury. Walker is a 24-year-old center who has scored 24 goals and 44 points in 50 AHL games this season. He has also played six NHL games already in Minnesota this season, adding one goal in that time.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks announced forward Luke Philp has signed a one-year contract extension. The 27-year-old forward starred for the University of Alberta Golden Bears for three seasons before signing to play in the AHL. This is his fourth season in the AHL, and he is putting up big numbers with 18 goals and 38 points in 45 games for the Rockford Ice Hogs. He was called up earlier this season to make his NHL debut with the Blackhawks and picked up his first career NHL point with an assist in a pair of games.

Minnesota Wild Star Kirill Kaprizov To Miss 3-4 Weeks

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The Minnesota Wild released a statement to say they will be without their star winger Kirill Kaprizov for 3-4 weeks. Kaprizov suffered a lower-body injury during last night’s game with the Winnipeg Jets. He left midway though the third period, and after setting up the game’s winning goal.

The Russian sniper left after being awkwardly tackled by Jets defenseman Logan Stanley. The 6-foot-7 and 228 pound Jets defender appeared to try to jump on Kaprizov’s back as the Wild winger sheltered the puck along the boards in the Jets zone. Kaprizov crumpled and got up gingerly before heading straight to the Wild bench.

Obviously the Wild are going to miss Kaprizov, who leads the team with 39 goals and 74 points in 65 games. The Wild lean heavily on the top end of their lineup for offense, and will have a difficult time putting pucks in the net without their leading scorer. The Wild have 186 goals this season, which is the least by any team in a playoff position, and is 15 less than the second lowest scoring playoff team in the west.

The Wild do have some breathing room in the standings as they are ten points ahead of the Calgary Flames who are the top team not in a postseason position right now. The good news is, Kaprizov’s timeline allows him to return before the playoffs. The Wild’s final regular season game is not until April 13 against the Nashville Predators which is a full six weeks away.

Injury Notes: Merzlikins, Chatfield, Coyotes

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The Columbus Blue Jackets lost their starting goaltender after the first period of this evening’s contest with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Per a team release, Elvis Merzlikins would not play the remainder of the game due to an illness. Michael Hutchinson was forced into action with Merzlikins ruled out for the night. Merzlikins did return to the team’s bench early in the second period, which should rule out anything serious. After trading goaltender Joonas Korpisalo at the trade deadline, the Blue Jackets can’t afford to have another netminder unavailable to them.

  • The Carolina Hurricanes announced defenseman Jalen Chatfield would not return to the team’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. He suffered an upper-body injury after playing just over seven minutes of action. Chatfield has played 61 games for the Hurricanes this season, scoring five goals and 12 points. The team added some depth on the blue line at the deadline when they acquired Shayne Gostisbehere, and that extra depth could be tested if Chatfield misses any time.
  • Per a team release, Arizona Coyotes winger Liam O’Brien is out of the lineup due to illness. The 28-year-old forward has scored one goal and seven points in 38 games for the Coyotes this season. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports added newcomer Brett Ritchie will have to wait before making his Coyotes debut as he is still dealing with visa issues after being acquired on Mar 3 from the Calgary Flames.

Snaphots: QMJHL Commissioner, Puljujarvi, Silovs

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The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced its new commissioner earlier today. Mario Cecchini was picked as the new head of the Junior circuit. Cecchini most recently has been serving as the Team President of the Montreal Allouettes of the Canadian Football League. He is not expected to take over his new role as QMJHL Commissioner until May 8. Martin Lavallee will serve as interim commissioner until that date.

This news comes just two days after previous commissioner Gilles Courteau abruptly announced he was stepping away from the role. Courteau sat in the commissioner’s chair for 37 years and was planning on retiring in 2024. He announced earlier this week he would be retiring immediately. This announcement was shrouded in questions surrounding an investigation into hazing in the Junior league.

  • Per Walt Ruff of NHL.com, Jesse Puljujarvi is finally cleared and eligible to make his debut with the Carolina Hurricanes, a week after they acquired him from the Edmonton Oilers. The Finnish winger was stuck in Canada, awaiting a work visa that would allow him to suit up for the Hurricanes. Puljujarvi joined the team shortly before they took on the Montreal Canadiens, but was not in the lineup.
  • Arturs Silovs was sent back down to the AHL by the Vancouver Canucks, per a team release. Silovs was called up yesterday on an emergency loan as Canucks backup goaltender Collin Delia was sick and unavailable to play. Silovs got the start last night, stopping 29 shots and helping the Canucks beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 in a shootout. The 21 year old now returns to the Abbotsford Canucks but has proven himself capable at the NHL in four starts this season.

West Injury Notes: Dubois, Blackhawks, Simek

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Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois missed practice today, but is expected to play tomorrow. John Lu of TSN reported that his absence from practice was just a maintenance day and he will suit up against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. Dubois is having a strong season, scoring 24 goals and 55 points in 61 games for the Jets this season. He missed three games before returning to face the San Jose Sharks on Monday night. When he missed practice, it was initially feared he would be out of the lineup yet again, but that is not the case.

The Jets need his presence in their lineup. The team has been struggling lately and has dropped to third in the Central Division standings with the Colorado Avalanche right on their heels. They are 2-6-2 in their past ten games, and will look to get back on track against a divisional rival tomorrow night. Fortunately, it will be with Dubois in the lineup.

  • According to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Blackhawks will be without a couple of depth players for the foreseeable future. Andreas Englund has a pulled hamstring and will not travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. The team’s next home game is March 14th. Austin Wagner was acquired by the Blackhawks on trade deadline day and the team was aware he had an injury that had become infected. He is meeting with doctors to try and determine a clearer timeline on when he can make his debut with the Blackhawks.
  • Radim Simek is listed as week-to-week with a concussion, per Corey Masisak of The Athletic. The 30-year-old defenseman missed nearly two months earlier this season before returning to the San Jose Sharks lineup on February 28th. He has played three games since then, but will be out long term due to the concussion that sidelined him earlier this season.

East Injury Notes: Penguins, Pageau, Sabres

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According to a team release, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be without a couple of key wingers. The good news is both absences are likely to be short term. Newly acquired Mikael Granlund, as well as Bryan Rust, will not play tonight when the Penguins face the Columbus Blue Jackets. Granlund was ruled out due to an illness, while Rust is missing the game for personal reasons. Taylor Haase of DK Pittsburgh Sports added that Rust and his wife are expecting their second child any day now, which could explain his unexpected absence.

The Penguins are facing the league’s worst team in Columbus, but can’t afford to give up any points right now. They are holding on to the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, but have four teams within three points of them. Alex Nylander was called up from the AHL to fill in the void for tonight’s contest.

  • New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau remains out of the lineup according to a team release. The Islanders announced the veteran is still day-to-day and will not play tonight against the Buffalo Sabres. Pageau has been listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury since he last played on February 11th against the Montreal Canadiens.
  • Jourdon LaBarber of NHL.com added some clarity to the Buffalo Sabres injury situation. The team called up Lawrence Pilut earlier today and LaBarber reported it was because Riley Stillman and Mattias Samuelsson remain out of the lineup with injury. Both are listed as day-to-day and will miss a second straight game after sitting out the team’s 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. In good news, LaBarber also mentioned Tyson Jost returns to the lineup tonight after missing last night’s game to nurse an undisclosed injury.

Vancouver Canucks Extend Guillaume Brisebois

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The Vancouver Canucks announced today, through a team release, that defenseman Guillaume Brisebois has signed a contract extension. It is a two-year contract with the first year being a two-way deal and the second season being a one-way agreement.

The two-way deal in 2023-24 means Brisebois will earn a different salary if he is sent to the American Hockey League. In 2024-25, he will earn the same salary whether he playing in the NHL or AHL which guarantees an NHL payday for that season. Capfriendly confirmed the deal is worth $775,000 per season. If Brisebois plays in the minor leagues next season, he will earn $375,000.

The 25-year-old defender has split this season between the NHL’s Canucks and the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks. He has one point in nine NHL games and one goal and six points in 36 AHL contests. Brisebois will add some depth to the Canucks blue line that saw Luke Schenn and Riley Stillman leave ahead of the trade deadline.

Brisebois was a third-round pick of the Canucks in 2015 and has appeared in 19 career NHL games for them so far in his career. He has also played 241 games in the AHL, taking strides this season to be among the most trusted defensemen in Abbotsford.

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