Canadiens-Bruins Game Postponed
The NHL has announced another postponement, this time for a game scheduled between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens for tomorrow night. This comes after the Bruins played undermanned yesterday and the Canadiens played in an empty building. There are COVID and hockey-related revenue concerns to be considered by the league, after the Bruins have continued to place more and more players into the protocol.
Just before the Bruins took the ice yesterday, Oskar Steen was placed in the COVID protocol, joining six others from the team including top players like Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. The league has maintained throughout this season that they’ll only start postponing games if the spread seems to be out of control, which it appears to be in Boston.
The Bruins are one of the teams that went west and played the Calgary Flames recently, a team that has had such widespread positive testing that they’ve completely shut down. Like in the case of the Carolina Hurricanes, who placed a good chunk of players in the protocol but then had multiple days with no more positive tests, the hope is that a lengthy postponement won’t be necessary for the Bruins. That obviously remains to be seen.
Darcy Kuemper, Cale Makar Placed In COVID Protocol
7:05pm: At this rate the Avalanche aren’t going to get through the game with a team. Cale Makar has also been placed in the protocol just as the game is starting. The team will be short a defenseman, a forward, and a goalie.
6:41pm: Less than 30 minutes before their game is set to begin, the Colorado Avalanche have announced that Darcy Kuemper won’t be in the net as expected. The goaltender has been added to the COVID protocol, leaving Pavel Francouz to make the start.
Kuemper joins J.T. Compher and Andre Burakovsky who were placed in the protocol just two hours ago, and Devon Toews who went in a few days ago. The team was already expected to play shorthanded upfront, but now appear to need a last-minute replacement to serve as the backup for tonight’s game. They faced a similar situation earlier this season when Kuemper was a late scratch due to injury; Justus Annunen showed up partway through the game that time, but it’s doesn’t look like that’s the plan here. An EBUG–Dustin Smith, according to play-by-play broadcaster Marc Moser–will be the backup.
Not only that, but Francouz himself hasn’t even played in an NHL game since the 2019-20 season. The 31-year-old played four games at the AHL level on a conditioning stint, but was only activated off long-term injured reserve four days ago. He’s now the team’s only option tonight, and perhaps moving forward. If Kuemper has tested positive and is symptomatic, he’ll have to quarantine (on the road) for a minimum of ten days.
Vancouver Canucks Announce New Position For Stan Smyl
The Vancouver Canucks have promoted Stan Smyl to vice president of hockey operations, a decision made by Jim Rutherford, who had recently taken over the interim GM title from Smyl. The Canucks legend had stepped into the position for a short period after Jim Benning‘s dismissal, and will now stay in a senior position with the team. Rutherford released the following statement:
Stan has been a foundational piece of this team for decades, and we are pleased that he will be taking on this role. In addition, Henrik, Daniel, and Ryan are key parts of our leadership team. We still have some additional roles to fill, but confirming these positions today is a big step for us.
Rutherford obviously means Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin, who will remain special advisors to the general manager for the time being. Ryan Johnson, the GM of the Abbotsford Canucks who had also stepped into the vacant Vancouver front office for a short time, will remain senior director of player development and run the AHL team.
Smyl meanwhile will now work closely with Rutherford on all hockey operations matters. Those matters will include player personnel decisions and internal operations. The 63-year-old is about as recognizable a face as it gets with regards to the Canucks, having played his entire 900+ game NHL career with the franchise and then spending several decades in various positions with the organization.
More Bruins Added To COVID Protocol
Dec 16: The team has announced four new additions to the protocol. Anton Blidh, Trent Frederic, Jeremy Swayman and a member of the support staff are now unavailable. All three players took part in Tuesday’s game against the Golden Knights. The Bruins have recalled Jesper Froden and Kyle Keyser from the AHL. Later in the evening, the team added Oskar Steen and another staff member to the protocol.
Dec 15: The Boston Bruins have added Patrice Bergeron to the COVID protocol, joining Brad Marchand and Craig Smith who were ruled out yesterday. Bergeron played nearly 17 minutes last night against the Vegas Golden Knights, scoring the Bruins’ lone goal.
The Bruins are one of the teams involved in several games over the weekend that have turned up positive COVID results. The Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames both have seen postponements to their schedule as a third of their roster entered quarantine, while the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers were each forced to play without some regulars. The Bruins now have three players in the protocol, but it would have been hard to choose a more important duo than Bergeron and Marchand.
In fact, if the trio of forwards is out for the full ten-plus days, this could be a critical time in the Bruins schedule. The team hasn’t been able to keep pace with the three division leaders in the Atlantic, now ten points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning, and continue to struggle offensively. The club has just 70 goals in 25 games, scoring more than two just twice in their past seven. Taking three players out of the top-six certainly won’t help that offensive struggle, especially with five games still scheduled before the Christmas break.
Bergeron is having another strong season, with 10 goals and 23 points in 25 games so far. That includes a four-game point streak, which will now have to be put on hold as he deals with the COVID protocol.
Florida Panthers Add Eight To COVID Protocol
Dec 16: Ahead of tonight’s game against Los Angeles, defenseman Aaron Ekblad and forward Frank Vatrano entered COVID protocol and are unavailable.
Dec 15: The Florida Panthers have now had a COVID outbreak of their own. The team has announced that five players and one staff member have entered the league’s COVID protocols and will be unavailable for tomorrow’s game. Sam Bennett, Radko Gudas, Ryan Lomberg, Brandon Montour, and Carter Verhaeghe won’t play against the Los Angeles Kings. Lomberg had been previously mentioned by the team, but these four new members are obviously huge absences from the Panthers’ lineup.
Notably, Bennett, Verhaeghe, Gudas, and Montour all played last night for the Panthers, with the latter logging over 21 minutes. With evidence of in-game transmission mounting, thanks to outbreaks across the league, the Ottawa Senators will have to be on high alert moving forward. The league has instituted increased protocols today limiting teammate interaction on the road, while the Senators will be returning home on Sunday to a province that has just instituted a 50 percent capacity limit on large sporting events. Ottawa of course has already dealt with widespread COVID issues earlier this season as one of the teams that saw games postponed.
For Florida, not only will these players be unavailable for tomorrow’s game against the Kings, but if they have tested positive and are experiencing any symptoms, they will be unable to accompany them on the upcoming road trip. Florida is scheduled to play Minnesota on Saturday afternoon before heading to Chicago. They’re meant to wrap up the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule at home against the Nashville Predators on Dec 23, a date that would still leave these players ineligible if they are forced to quarantine for a minimum of ten days.
Andreas Borgman Clears Unconditional Waivers
Dec 16: TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that Borgman has cleared unconditional waivers, paving the way for his termination and return to Sweden.
Dec 15: The Dallas Stars have placed Andreas Borgman on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The defenseman has spent the entire season to this point at the minor league level.
When he does clear, Borgman is expected to return to the SHL, where Sportbladet recently reported he has agreed to a long-term contract. If the deal, which would extend through the 2025-26 season, is finalized, it would likely spell the end of Borgman’s NHL career. The 26-year-old came over in 2017 to join the Toronto Maple Leafs and played 48 games for the team, but has been limited to mostly minor league duty ever since.
In 2020-21 he suited up seven times with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but this year after signing a one-year deal with Dallas, he’s been stuck with the Texas Stars. A smaller defenseman who nevertheless plays like a big one, Borgman never was able to find a fit at the NHL level. Terminating his deal will cost him the rest of the $375K minor league guarantee but will allow him to play a bigger role back in the SHL. Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News also tweets that Borgman has been dealing with a personal issue in Sweden, hopefully, one that can be resolved now that he’s heading home for good.
Nashville Predators Make Several Recalls, Add Nick Cousins To Protocol
12:21 pm: Forward Nick Cousins has now entered COVID protocol, making it seven Nashville skaters on the list. Assistant coach Dan Hinote, who was expected to coach tonight, is also now on the list. Taylor will serve as head coach, while assistant general manager Scott Nichol will join him and Ford behind the bench.
10:11 am: The Nashville Predators are pushing forward and expected to take the ice against the Colorado Avalanche tonight despite having several players and coaches enter the COVID protocol yesterday. To ice a full roster, they’ve recalled Cody Glass, Rocco Grimaldi, Mathieu Olivier, and Cole Smith from the Milwaukee Admirals. The Admirals will also be loaning head coach Karl Taylor and assistant Scott Ford, who will be behind the Nashville bench tonight.
Yesterday, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Johansen, Matt Luff, Michael McCarron, Philip Tomasino, and Ben Harpur were all ruled out. The Predators will have to make do without them, inserting several minor league players into the lineup.
Still, the four they have recalled do have quite a bit of NHL experience. Glass, the sixth overall pick from 2017, has played 68 games to this point in his career and still has plenty of potential. He was sent to the minor leagues to get his confidence back up and play in more offensive situations–something that has paid off with 19 points in 21 AHL games.
Grimaldi meanwhile has been a regular for the Predators in each of the last few seasons, playing more than 200 games in his NHL career. The 5’6″ forward has scored eight goals in 14 games with Milwaukee and can obviously handle himself at the NHL level. Olivier and Smith have much less experience, but are certainly capable of filling in. They even might find themselves getting a little extra ice time given the absences upfront.
Spencer Knight Assigned To AHL
The Florida Panthers had a new goaltender at practice today, as recent waiver claim Jonas Johansson hit the ice. Spencer Knight, who would have normally occupied one of the nets, has been loaned to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL.
While that kind of assignment will turn some heads, there’s not a lot of certainty around the Panthers right now, meaning things could change quickly. The team added five players and one staff member to the COVID protocol yesterday and there is some chatter about whether their game tonight against the Los Angeles Kings will be played. Team reporter Jameson Olive tweets that Aaron Ekblad and Frank Vatrano were “unable to skate” this morning according to interim head coach Andrew Brunette, who called it “chaotic” for the Panthers right now.
For Knight, a stint in the minor leagues is certainly not an indictment of his future with the team. The 20-year-old netminder stepped directly into the NHL last season after an outstanding sophomore year with Boston College, and showed that there’s a chance he was ready for primetime right away. That hasn’t been the case, as through 13 appearances this season he has posted a 6-4-2 record with a .892 save percentage. In his last game–against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night–he allowed eight goals on 38 shots, remaining in the net for the whole game despite his poor performance.
Almost every prospect needs seasoning in the minor leagues, especially goaltenders who often don’t hit their true peak performance until their mid-twenties. While there are obviously some outliers able to step directly into the NHL and succeed, some time in the AHL for Knight shouldn’t sour Panthers fans on his upside. The 13th-overall pick from 2019 is still an outstanding talent and should be back with the team at some point in time. For a club trying to contend for a Stanley Cup, that time just can’t be now.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
AHL Shuffle: 12/16/21
The NHL schedule is a precarious thing these days, as dozens of players find themselves in the COVID protocol across the league. There have been individual postponements and full team shutdowns of late, with seemingly new news breaking every hour. For now, there are ten games on the docket, including a chance for the Stanley Cup champions to get some revenge. Over the weekend, the Ottawa Senators defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0, and the two teams will do battle again this evening. As they and other teams prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Montreal Canadiens have recalled Cayden Primeau from the minor leagues, sending Corey Schueneman back to make room. Primeau will start in goal this evening for Montreal, while Samuel Montembeault is expected to play at some point on the upcoming road trip. Primeau, 22, has made two appearances for the Canadiens this season, losing both games and posting an .877 save percentage.
Metropolitan Division
- As expected, the Washington Capitals have recalled Brett Leason for their road trip to Canada. Nic Dowd and Trevor van Riemsdyk cannot travel with the team due to their COVID status, meaning they’ve been moved back to the non-roster list for the time being.
- With Mathew Barzal in the COVID protocol, the New York Islanders have recalled Austin Czarnik from the minor leagues. Czarnik has very rarely been a full-time NHL option in his professional career, but does have 129 regular season games under his belt. In the four he’s played this year with New York, he has three points.
Central Division
- The Winnipeg Jets have recalled David Gustafsson from the minor leagues, giving him an NHL opportunity after another great start with the Manitoba Moose. The 2018 second-round pick has done nothing but score whenever he’s in the AHL, with 16 points in 23 games this time around. Now 21, it’s time for him to start pushing for NHL minutes if he’s going to become a legitimate part of the Jets’ future.
- The Dallas Stars have sent Riley Damiani and Ty Dellandrea back to the minor leagues, though that may be for a short period of time depending on the health of the Stars forwards for tomorrow’s game. Roope Hintz and Alexander Radulov were back at practice today according to Saad Yousuf of The Athletic, suggesting they’ll be ready in time to battle the Blues.
Pacific Division
- Defenseman Guillaume Brisebois is back up with the Vancouver Canucks on an emergency recall after the team placed multiple defensemen in COVID protocol over the past few days. He has no points in nine career NHL games.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Ryan McLeod, Devin Shore Placed In COVID Protocol
Dec 16: McLeod has now been joined by Devin Shore, who has also been placed in the protocol. Of note, Shore played on Tuesday against the Maple Leafs, though he logged just over eight minutes.
Dec 14: Over the past two days, the league has seen two dozen players enter the COVID protocol. Ryan McLeod is the latest, as the Edmonton Oilers have announced the young center will not be available for tonight’s game.
Once again, this is a case of a team that played the Carolina Hurricanes over the weekend announcing a protocol addition, just like the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. The latter of those teams is in a full shutdown after nine players were ruled out, while the Hurricanes won’t play tonight after six members are now in the protocol. All three Western Canadian teams also played the Boston Bruins, who added Craig Smith and Brad Marchand to the protocol today.
For now, it appears as though McLeod is the only Oilers player who will be held out, but with Zach Hyman also out tonight, Edmonton won’t have their best lineup in against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 22-year-old McLeod has played in 18 games so far this season, scoring three goals and averaging a little less than 11 minutes a night. That ice time has been up recently, but now faces a potential quarantine of at least ten days. The team did not confirm whether or not McLeod has tested positive; reports, including one from Mark Spector of Sportsnet suggest that he has. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff tweets that he may not be alone, as there is a potential positive case on the coaching staff as well.
If he experiences any symptoms he’ll miss a minimum of ten days, which would mean all six games scheduled before the Christmas break. At this point though, schedules are incredibly uncertain as a new wave of infections sweeps through the league.