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New York Islanders Reassign Otto Koivula

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Feb 14: Koivula has been returned to the AHL. He played in one game, but only received nine shifts.

Feb 13: The New York Islanders have made a few roster moves, dealing with a Casey Cizikas non-COVID illness. Samuel Bolduc has been returned to the minor leagues, while Otto Koivula is on his way back up.

Bolduc, 22, has played six games for the Islanders this season, most recently appearing last Thursday. The young defenseman is averaging just 15 minutes a night but did score his first NHL goal against the Seattle Kraken. Bolduc’s ceiling looks rather high, but he may have to wait a little while before he’s a regular in the NHL.

Koivula, meanwhile, hasn’t played at all for New York this season, spending the whole year in the AHL. The big winger has 10 goals and 21 points in 42 games there, but hasn’t been impressive enough to really force his way into the NHL. Through 20 career games, Koivula still hasn’t scored, adding just two assists in the process.

Colorado Avalanche Recall Ben Meyers, Justus Annunen

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With Pavel Francouz still out with a lower-body injury, the Colorado Avalanche have recalled Justus Annunen from the minor leagues to serve as the team’s second goaltender. It’s the young netminder’s first call-up this season, and he’ll come along with Ben Meyers, who is back up after a few days in the minor leagues.

Annunen, 22, is Colorado’s top goaltending prospect and has been excellent in his second AHL season. With a 16-8-4 record and .912 save percentage, he has taken a big step forward from last year and now looks on track to push for some NHL playing time in the near future. He received that chance last year, when he appeared in two games and posted an .863.

Given that Francouz is scheduled for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024 and Alexandar Georgiev the year following, all eyes will be on Annunen to see if he can grow into an NHL starter. The third-round pick may get his chance to play this weekend, as the Avalanche are headed for a back-to-back before their CBA-mandated bye week.

It certainly won’t be easy. Unless the team puts him in tomorrow’s afternoon tilt against the St. Louis Blues, it means Annunen is likely to face Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in his season debut on Sunday. Welcome back to the NHL, kid.

Minnesota Wild Recall Adam Beckman

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The Minnesota Wild, looking for a spark after losing five of six, have recalled Adam Beckman from the minor leagues. The move comes just ahead of a game against the division-leading Dallas Stars, a critical matchup if the Wild want to stay in the Central Division chase.

Beckman, 21, has played in six games this season for Minnesota and nine overall, but is still looking for his first NHL goal. It hasn’t been nearly as difficult in the minor leagues, where he has 18 tallies through 43 games so far. The third-round pick has always been a scoring threat, going back to his post-draft year when he put up 48 goals in 63 games with the Spokane Chiefs.

Hopefully, he can bring some of that magic with him to the NHL this time around. Minnesota has scored just ten times in that six-game stretch and sit 25th overall in goals for. For a team that still has its sights set on the playoffs, that just simply hasn’t been good enough. Beckman isn’t going to change the entire offense of the Wild immediately, but he’ll get a chance to establish himself as they try to turn things around.

Kailer Yamamoto Expected To Play Tomorrow

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The Edmonton Oilers have something up their sleeves. For a week now, the hockey world has been wondering how they would clear enough cap space to activate Kailer Yamamoto. The overwhelming sentiment was that Jesse Puljujarvi would end up on waivers. Either he would be claimed by another team, removing his entire $3MM cap hit, or buried in the minor leagues, giving them the needed $1.125MM.

Today, Puljujarvi was missing from practice but did not appear on waivers. The wire was silent, meaning something else would have to happen if Yamamoto is going to play tomorrow. He looks healthy and even told reporters that he is “feeling really good right now.”

According to head coach Todd Woodcroft, who spoke with reporters, including Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, a roster move is coming, and Yamamoto will play tomorrow. He also called it a “maintenance day” for Puljujarvi, who played a little over 11 minutes last night.

That means a trade is in the pipe, or someone else is going on long-term injured reserve to make room. Either way, all eyes will be on Edmonton over the next 24 hours given how many big names they have been connected to over recent weeks.

The team has shown (sometimes limited) interest in Erik Karlsson, Jakob Chychrun, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Patrick Kane, among others.

There is one other way that they could fit Yamamoto in, without making a trade or waiving someone. Edmonton could send two of their three waiver-exempt players to the minor leagues, and hold a 20-man roster. Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, and Vincent Desharnais can all be loaned back to the AHL without clearing and could create enough cap space, according to PuckPedia.

Carrying a 20-man roster is extremely difficult for any length of time, given how one small injury can leave you shorthanded. Perhaps it is the only way to get around this problem at the moment, or maybe the Oilers have something else coming down the pipe.

NHLPA Names Marty Walsh Executive Director

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As expected, the NHLPA has officially announced their next executive director will be Marty Walsh, ending a nine-month search to replace the outgoing Donald Fehr. Walsh was unanimously appointed by the executive board, after being recommended by the player-led search committee.

Kyle Okposo, a member of that committee, released the following:

We are excited to name Marty Walsh as the next Executive Director of the NHLPA. Marty is a proven leader with a strong union background.  His energy and ability to connect with players were immediately evident to the search committee.  These were the very qualities we were focused on throughout our search for the next Executive Director.  We look forward to the NHLPA’s future under Marty’s leadership.

The committee included Okposo, Ian Cole, Mattias Ekholm, Justin Faulk, Sam Gagner, Zach Hyman, Nate Schmidt, Kevin Shattenkirk, Jacob Trouba, and James van Riemsdyk.

Walsh, 55, is not new to the public eye. He recently served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor, was the mayor of Boston for seven years, spent 16 years in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and was previously the president of the Laborers Local 223 in Boston.

He will officially take over from Fehr in mid-March, at which time there will be an introductory press conference.

Carl Hagelin Undergoes Hip Surgery

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It doesn’t seem like the Washington Capitals will be getting Carl Hagelin back this season. The veteran forward underwent hip resurfacing surgery on Monday and is now listed out indefinitely.

Hagelin, 34, has gone through a number of injuries over the last year and has not played yet this season. He underwent a hip procedure a few months ago, and had dealt with an eye injury that was affecting his vision.

In January, the speedy forward had been skating, and appeared to be on the road to recovery. But this latest surgery throws the rest of his career in doubt, given his age and the severity of the injury. Teammate Nicklas Backstrom underwent a similar procedure last year and has recovered well, but there are some other factors that could lead to a different outcome for Hagelin.

First and foremost, his contract with the Capitals expires at the end of the season. The four-year, $11MM deal signed in 2019 resulted in just 167 games played, as Hagelin spent more time on injured reserve than on the ice.

There’s also the question of effectiveness, even when healthy. Hagelin had scored just 17 goals in those three seasons with Washington, including three in 53 games during the 2021-22 campaign. While his speed still left him a capable penalty killer, most teams have younger options to fill that role – ones that aren’t coming off multiple hip surgeries.

Turning 35 in August, this could be the end for Hagelin in the NHL. If it is, he finishes with 713 games played, and two Stanley Cup championships. His versatility and work ethic made him a fan favorite anywhere he went, and that speed even landed him some down-ballot Selke love in his prime.

Pierre Dorion Speaks On Senators Trade Deadline Plans

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The Ottawa Senators are in a tricky situation. Similar to the Buffalo Sabres, who sit just a few points ahead of them in the Atlantic Division standings, they have shown some significant growth with a roster full of young, inexperienced talent. The playoffs are likely out of reach this season, but after so many lean years (they last had a winning record in 2016-17), adding at the trade deadline doesn’t seem out of the question.

Even just as a reward for the hard play the team has shown this year, it might be worthwhile to bring in a little boost for the group. More complicated is the fact that the team is going through the process of sale, and increased ticket sales over the last 30 games could be beneficial.

You could tell that there is still some indecision on the part of general manager Pierre Dorion when he met with reporters including Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia today. In detailing his deadline plans, he admitted that the next seven games would determine his strategy one way or another, but there were a few things that he has already decided.

First, is that Alex DeBrincat will not be traded. There had been some speculation regarding the diminutive sniper, because of how his contract is structured moving forward. The 25-year-old DeBrincat is owed a $9MM qualifying if the Senators want to maintain his RFA rights, which would result in a one-year deal that walks him right to unrestricted free agency in 2024. Despite his age, he will qualify for UFA status early because he has already finished six seasons in the NHL.

Ottawa could get a significant piece back for him at the deadline recouping the assets they sent Chicago at the draft. But getting DeBrincat for another season and trying to sign him long-term seems to be the plan for Dorion at this point, kicking the can on a decision down the road. If he’s still unsigned come this time next year, his name will certainly be in the news again.

Second, Derick Brassard will also not be dealt. The veteran forward is coming up on 1,000 games in the NHL, a milestone he will reach with the Senators, his hometown team (Brassard was born in Hull, just across the river from Ottawa). Technically there is still time for that to happen and then be traded, but it doesn’t seem like that is in the cards. Brassard, 35, is on a one-year, $750K contract and will remain with the team for the stretch run.

Third, Dorion admitted that he will add a defenseman if he can, but cautioned that the market is difficult to work with right now. When Travis Hamonic’s name was brought up as a potential chip, he said he likely won’t move him – not quite as determined as in the case of DeBrincat or Brassard.

Part of that need for defense is due to a new injury for Nick Holden, which has moved him to injured reserve. The Senators now have just six defensemen on the roster, as Holden joins Jake Sanderson on IR.

Detroit Red Wings Extend Olli Maatta

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The Detroit Red Wings won’t be flipping Olli Maatta anywhere at the trade deadline. The defenseman has signed a two-year contract extension worth a total of $6MM ($3MM AAV) that will keep him in Detroit through the 2024-25 season.

Maatta, 28, was scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency this summer after signing a one-year, $2.25MM contract with Detroit last July. His play this season has still left something to be desired but has been good enough to earn himself a more extended stay.

Playing just over 18 minutes a night, Maatta has 17 points in 49 games. At even strength, the vast majority of that time has been spent next to Filip Hronek, a pairing that has actually had outstanding results, even if the process looks shaky at times. With both players on the ice, Detroit has outscored opponents 29-12 despite rather pedestrian possession numbers.

For whatever reason, it has tilted the ice in Detroit’s favor, something they will try to continue to do over the next two seasons.

It also removes a potential target from trade speculation, as teams were likely considering Maatta as a depth addition, He does have quite a bit of playoff experience and won two Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Given how many other contracts are expiring on the Detroit roster, it makes sense that the front office will be trying to keep some of them. The deadline for the Red Wings could still be an explosive one, especially if Dylan Larkin ends up on the market.

Dallas Stars Recall Fredrik Karlstrom

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The Dallas Stars continue to scroll through depth forwards in the organization, this time recalling Fredrik Karlstrom from the minor leagues.

The 25-year-old Swede played three games for the Stars last season but has yet to appear at the NHL level this year. Through 40 games in the minor leagues, the 6’3″ center has eight goals and 21 points but offers a big, defensively-sound option for the Dallas bottom six.

It’s been something of a revolving door on the Stars fourth line this season, forcing them to rely heavily on their top group. Marian Studenic and Denis Gurianov played fewer than ten minutes on Tuesday night in a loss to the Boston Bruins, and neither one contributed to the penalty kill.

To be an effective presence there, you don’t need 15 minutes and a bunch of offensive zone starts, but it’s been obvious that the coaching staff hasn’t trusted certain players this season. Perhaps Karlstrom can work his way into the rotation and change that.

Brandon Saad Placed On Injured Reserve

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The St. Louis Blues have officially moved Brandon Saad to injured reserve after confirming the veteran forward would miss today’s game earlier in the week. Saad is dealing with an upper-body injury that will now keep him out at least a week, the minimum IR stint.

In his place, Jake Neighbours has been recalled from the minor leagues once again.

Saad, 30, never did put up the offensive numbers that some expected after his first few years in the NHL, but is still a quality two-way player that can be relied on in several situations. With 15 goals in 46 games this year he’s also provided some nice secondary scoring, though his overall impact has begun to decline.

The Blues don’t appear like they’ll be making a push this season, and have already sold off a couple of their expiring contracts. Getting Neighbours up and into some offensive situations was probably the plan all along. This injury will just speed up the process.

Still just 20, Neighbours already has 36 games under his belt at the NHL level and has scored ten points. His transition to pro hockey hasn’t been incredibly smooth but it has still been impressive, given he was drafted at the end of the first round and has barely played in the minor leagues. He’ll likely get a huge opportuntity down the stretch to establish himself as a full-time roster player going into next season.

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