Michael Pezzetta To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety
The Montreal Canadiens may be down a forward for a few days, as Michael Pezzetta will have a hearing tomorrow with the Department of Player Safety. The hearing will determine supplementary discipline following his illegal check to the head of Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie in yesterday’s game.
The hit occurred partway through the third period, as Pezzetta contacted Oshie’s head as the puck went up the ice. He received a two-minute penalty from the on-ice officials, while Oshie did not suffer a serious injury–or at least not one that kept him off the ice last night. The Capitals forward would remain in the game and score his tenth goal of the season on the ensuing powerplay.
Pezzetta, 24, is in his first season in the NHL and provides a huge amount of physicality for the Canadiens, racking up 143 hits in just 47 games. He’s also added 74 penalty minutes, as he carves out a fourth-line role for himself at the highest level. With this hearing, a suspension is likely, meaning he not only will have to miss some time, but his hits will be scrutinized even further in the future.
The Canadiens don’t play again until Tuesday, when they welcome in the Minnesota Wild and try to stop a five-game losing streak.
AHL Shuffle: 04/17/22
It’s another busy Sunday for the NHL, with six games on the schedule including an afternoon tilt between the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings. Later, the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators do battle in an important Central Division matchup, while Auston Matthews continues his chase for 60 goals against the New York Islanders. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Zachary Senyshyn from the AHL, one of their interesting deadline pickups. The 25-year-old forward was the 15th overall selection in 2015 but has just 14 NHL appearances to his name. In 13 games so far with the Belleville Senators, Senyshyn has just two points.
Metropolitan Division
- With Frederik Andersen‘s status still questionable after an injury last night, the Carolina Hurricanes have made a move to shore up their crease. Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov has been recalled from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves on an emergency basis, presumably to back up incumbent number-two netminder Antti Raanta. Kotchetkov, 22, was the 36th overall pick in the 2019 draft and has been brilliant this season. He has a .921 save percentage in 15 AHL games and a .923 in 23 KHL games this year.
Central Division
- The Winnipeg Jets have reassigned Mikey Eyssimont back to the AHL, where the Manitoba Moose are set to battle for the Calder Cup. Eyssimont has played just a single game in the NHL so far, recording fewer than six minutes of action last week. The 25-year-old forward has been good for Manitoba though, with 15 goals and 35 points in 53 appearances.
Pacific Division
- The San Jose Sharks have recalled Santeri Hatakka from the AHL, giving the young defenseman another chance in the AHL. Hatakka has played in eight games with the Sharks this season, recording two points.
- Jiri Patera has been reassigned to the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, Vegas announced. The move is a likely precursor to Robin Lehner‘s return to the Golden Knights lineup. Patera has played in 20 AHL games and 15 ECHL games this season, but has yet to make his NHL debut.
This page is updated throughout the day
Injury Notes: Jarry, Muzzin, Kase, Dach
The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without their starting goaltender for at least tomorrow afternoon’s game against the Boston Bruins, as Tristan Jarry is undergoing evaluation for a lower-body injury according to head coach Mike Sullivan, who spoke with reporters including Rob Rossi of The Athletic. Jarry is not traveling with the team, though there is no timeline right now for his return.
Losing Jarry for any significant length of time is a scary thought for Penguins fans, given how well the netminder has played this season and how little a role Casey DeSmith and Louis Domingue have combined to play. The 26-year-old Jarry has started 56 of the team’s 76 games, and has a .919 save percentage so far.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs were without Jake Muzzin at practice today, after recalling Kristians Rubins under emergency conditions. Muzzin played fewer than 16 minutes in last night’s game against the Washington Capitals and had missed a match just a few days ago entirely. With Rasmus Sandin still out with his own injury, the Maple Leafs defense group isn’t all that deep, though Justin Holl–a healthy scratch last night–will likely be the one to re-enter the lineup in Muzzin’s place.
- Better news for the Maple Leafs came in the form of Ondrej Kase, who Mark Masters of TSN reports worked out on his own ahead of practice. Kase is dealing with another concussion, the latest in a long line of head injuries he has had to deal with over his career. The 26-year-old Kase has 14 goals and 27 points in what was a rebound year for him after playing just three matches in all of 2020-21.
- The Chicago Blackhawks were without Kirby Dach at practice today, and Scott Powers of The Athletic reports that he is now out with a right shoulder sprain. Dach left last night’s game after just 8:46 of ice time, and it is not clear how long he will be out. In what has become another underwhelming season, the young forward has just nine goals and 26 points in 70 appearances, despite averaging more than 18 minutes a night–including substantial powerplay time. Dach is a restricted free agent at the end of the year.
Carey Price To Return For Montreal Canadiens
For the first time since July 7, 2021, Carey Price will start a game for the Montreal Canadiens this evening. The team confirmed that the star goaltender will be activated and play in tonight’s game against the New York Islanders, starting his first game since making 29 of 30 saves in a losing effort against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game five of last year’s Stanley Cup Final.
Without him this season, things have not gone according to plan. The Canadiens got off to a brutal start, costing head coach Dominique Ducharme and general manager Marc Bergevin their jobs, as the team floundered at the very bottom of the NHL standings. Since Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes, and Martin St. Louis have taken over things have been improving, though the Canadiens are still nowhere near good enough to compete in the Atlantic Division and were eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago.
Even with very little to play for, Price’s return is a huge positive for the Canadiens. One of the highest-paid players in the league, the netminder carries a $10.5MM cap hit that cripples Montreal’s roster construction if he’s not performing at his best. Looking ahead to next season, the team has little chance of competing for a playoff spot without Price healthy and playing on a regular basis.
His return tonight will be an incredibly emotional moment for the netminder and the organization as a whole. A franchise icon even among such a storied history, Price will turn 35 in August and is coming off another serious injury, along with mental health and substance abuse struggles that led him to take time away from the game earlier this season. In November, he released a long statement explaining his absence, asking for privacy as he checked into a residential treatment facility for substance abuse and entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
The question now becomes his long-term outlook and whether he can get back to the goaltender that led Montreal through the playoffs last season, or even the one who was seventh in Vezina Trophy voting in 2019. A career .917 save percentage has been dragged down considerably by his past two campaigns, when he posted a .909 in 2019-20 and a .901 in 2020-21.
At any rate, he’ll be back on the ice tonight searching for win 361, which would inch him even further up the all-time leaderboard and toward the storied 400-win club. Only 13 netminders in history have achieved that number, with Ryan Miller the next closest at 391. Price, who is signed through 2025-26, already sits comfortably in first among Canadiens goaltenders, 46 wins ahead of Jacques Plante.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
AHL Shuffle: 04/15/22
All eyes will be on Montreal this evening, where two emotional moments will be held. Carey Price is expected to return to the Canadiens lineup for the first time this season and for the first time since losing game five of the Stanley Cup Final 1-0 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. His return, even for just a few games at the end of the year, should give the Canadiens fans something to cheer for as they undergo the next stage in a rebuild.
The game will also feature the New York Islanders, a fitting opponent following Mike Bossy‘s passing. The Montreal-born Bossy spent his entire NHL career with the Islanders and joined TVA Sports as a broadcaster after his retirement. There isn’t a better match to be held in his honor. As those teams and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Kristians Rubins from the Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis, giving them an extra defenseman. Rubins, 24, has played in three games with the Maple Leafs this season and is still looking for his first NHL point.
- With Carey Price being activated today, the Montreal Canadiens have sent Cayden Primeau back to the Laval Rocket. Primeau was recalled on an emergency basis when Jake Allen was injured on the weekend but with Price returning, Primeau either had to be sent back down or converted to a regular recall; Montreal only has one of those remaining.
- The Boston Bruins have recalled Troy Grosenick from Providence of the AHL on an emergency basis, per CapFriendly. The 32-year-old has a 2.02 GAA with a .931 SV% in 28 AHL games this season and will serve as Jeremy Swayman‘s backup with Linus Ullmark injured and listed as day-to-day.
Metropolitan Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have brought up goaltender Louis Domingue from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an emergency basis. The veteran won his lone NHL start this season back in January and is needed with Tristan Jarry unavailable for tomorrow’s game against Boston.
- The New York Islanders have recalled Ken Appleby from Worcester of the ECHL, per Kevin Kurz of The Athletic. Semyon Varlamov is day-to-day with a non-COVID illness so Appleby will serve as Ilya Sorokin‘s backup.
Central Division
- The Chicago Blackhawks have brought up goaltender Cale Morris from the Rockford IceHogs, per Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago. Collin Delia isn’t with the team at the moment due to a death in the family so Morris will serve as Kevin Lankinen‘s backup against Nashville.
Pacific Division
- The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled goaltender Jiri Patera from the Henderson Silver Knights. The 23-year-old has split the season between Henderson and Fort Wayne of the ECHL. Robin Lehner has returned to Vegas due to a health issue for a family member. To stay cap-compliant, forward Jonas Rondbjerg was sent down to Henderson.
- The Calgary Flames have returned center Adam Ruzicka to Abbotsford, per CapFriendly. He had been up on emergency loan but now with those emergency conditions no longer existing, he had to be sent down or converted to a regular recall. The 22-year-old has nine points in 25 games with Calgary this season.
This page is updated throughout the day.
Tampa Bay Lightning Extend Brian Elliott
The Tampa Bay Lightning have liked what they’ve seen from backup goaltender Brian Elliott. The two sides have agreed on a one-year contract extension for 2022-23 that will carry a salary of $900K.
When you have Andrei Vasilevskiy starting almost every game, you don’t need a lot of work from your backup. That actually makes the role harder than it looks though, as Tampa Bay netminders often go weeks without seeing any game action. Elliott, 37, has acclimated well to that role, and is 9-3-3 this season with a .921 save percentage in his 16 appearances.
A veteran of more than 500 NHL games, “Moose” has proven he can still hang at the NHL level in his reduced role. A netminder who twice led the league in save percentage–finishing fifth in Vezina voting in 2012 and ninth in 2016–Elliott appeared to be on his way out of the league before he signed in Tampa Bay. In a more substantial role for the Philadelphia Flyers he had posted two straight sub-.900 years, though he was still able to win more games than he lost during those difficult campaigns.
Now he’ll be asked to play around 20 games again in 2022-23, and offer veteran support to one of the best goaltenders in the league. At $900K he will earn the same amount as this season and comes with basically no risk for the Lightning.
While he isn’t likely to see much action, a dozen starts could easily push Elliott up into the top-50 for all-time wins. He currently sits at No. 55 on the list, just one win behind Felix Potvin and six from Kelly Hrudey and Bernie Parent, the gatekeepers of the top-50.
PHR Chatter: Playoff Posturing
As we head into the stretch run of the 2021-22 season, PHR is excited to announce a new feature aimed at encouraging discourse between reader and writer. On Friday mornings (and perhaps even more often than that), we’ll post a topic of discussion that we think will draw out varied and interesting perspectives from both our commenters and the other staff writers.
For too long there has only been a couple of outlets for our readers to interact with the PHR staff. Live chats and mailbags offer a chance at some discussion, but also run the risk of being too crowded or even outdated by the time the answer arrives. With this new feature, we’re hoping to get weekly chatter going on a topic that normally would have to be brought into the spotlight by a reader before even being discussed.
Last week, the discussion centered around the Hart Trophy and what “Most Valuable Player” actually means. This time, let’s discuss the NHL’s playoff format and how it could be improved.
Is the current divisional structure the best way to go about playoff matchups? Would a 1-8, or even a 1-16 format be better? How can the league continue to improve the way the postseason is consumed, especially with the new ESPN broadcasting deal in the U.S.? This will be a free-flowing discussion that doesn’t have a lot of guidelines, so make sure you chime in and check regularly to continue the conversation.
Mike Bossy Dies At 65
One of the greatest talents in NHL history has passed away, as several reports have confirmed the death of Mike Bossy. The legendary goal scorer was 65. In a statement from the New York Islanders, the only team Bossy ever played for, general manager Lou Lamoriello explained the loss:
The New York Islanders organization mourns the loss of Mike Bossy, an icon not only on Long Island but across the entire hockey world. His drive to be the best every time he stepped on the ice was second to none. Along with his teammates, he helped win four straight Stanley Cup championships, shaping the history of this franchise forever. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to the entire Bossy family and all those who grieve this tragic loss.
Four consecutive Stanley Cup championships aren’t even what most people will think of when they consider Bossy’s career. Instead, it’s his incredible, innate ability to score goals, arguably better than anyone else in the history of the game. While he only played in 752 games, the right-handed sniper racked up 573 goals, including five seasons of at least 60. He twice led the league and currently sits first in terms of goals per game at .762, ahead of Mario Lemieux‘s .754.
While it was goals that dominated his career, that’s certainly not the only thing Bossy was known for. A three-time winner of the Lady Byng trophy as the “player adjusted to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct,” Bossy was one of the most well-liked and cherished players of all time, even by fans of opposing teams. The Islanders retired his No. 22 in 1992, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the same year.
In 2017, Bossy wrote a letter to his 14-year-old self for the Players’ Tribune. It is a must-read for hockey fans young and old.
There are few players in the history of the game who have had such an impact. The hockey world, including all of us here at PHR, mourns the loss and sends condolences to the Bossy family.
Julian Napravnik Signs In AHL
The NCAA scoring race this season was won by Philadelphia Flyers prospect Bobby Brink, who outpaced Arizona Coyotes prospect Nathan Smith‘s 50-point campaign with 56 of his own. Two undrafted free agents were tied for third at 49–Bobby Trivigno, who signed an entry-level contract with the New York Rangers, and Julian Napravnik, who has now found his own home for the 2022-23 season. Napravnik has signed an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears for next year, while also agreeing to an amateur tryout agreement for the rest of this season.
Napravnik, 24, is a German winger who came to North America in 2016 to join the USHL’s Des Moines Buccanneers, where he quickly found success. By 2018 he was joining Minnesota State-Mankato, and as a junior had developed enough to score at a better than a point-per-game pace. This season, his 49 points came in just 40 games, coming in just behind Smith for the team lead.
Given he will turn 25 next month, it’s not entirely surprising that Napravnik had to settle for an AHL deal, but he’s still a pretty substantial acquisition for the Bears. At the very worst, the team is adding a player that can help on the powerplay and add some offensive punch to the depth chart. At best, he could quickly become a strong contributor at the AHL level and be a name on NHL radars by next season.
Minor Notes: McNeely, Savory, Sillinger
After coming oh-so-close to a national championship, Jack McNeely is off to the professional ranks. The Minnesota State-Mankato alternate captain has signed an amateur tryout with the Stockton Heat, ending his college career after five seasons with the Mavericks. The 25-year-old defenseman had an excellent 2021-22, racking up a career-high 17 points in 44 games while continuing his physical, defensive game. A four-time WCHA champion and former Clark Cup winner in the USHL, the 6’3″ McNeely will get a taste of pro hockey down the stretch before ultimately needing a contract for next season.
More minor moves around the hockey world:
- The Laval Rocket have signed Owen Savory to a professional tryout, ending his own college career after an outstanding season for UMass-Lowell. The 24-year-old goaltender posted a .926 save percentage in 29 appearances, going 20-7-2 and earning a nomination for the Hobey Baker award. Originally recruited by RPI, Savory transferred to UMass in 2020 and will leave college with an overall save percentage of .922 over 86 NCAA appearances. The next part of his hockey journey starts with the Rocket, who needed another goaltender with Cayden Primeau in the NHL.
- If the Sillinger brothers are all going to be in the same organization, it’ll have to wait at least another year. Lukas Sillinger has transferred from Bemidji State to Arizona State for the upcoming season, following his breakout campaign where he scored 17 goals and 38 points in 37 games. His younger brother Cole Sillinger is a rookie for the Columbus Blue Jackets, while older brother Owen Sillinger joined the Cleveland Monsters a few weeks ago, also leaving Bemidji State. Perhaps Cole will be able to meet up with Lukas next season when the Blue Jackets visit the Arizona Coyotes–who will be sharing a building with the Sun Devils.