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AHL Shuffle: 10/28/21

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A busy Thursday holds nine games on the schedule around the NHL, including the undefeated Carolina Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues trying to stay perfect in their respective matches. Can the Arizona Coyotes get their first win of the season against the defending champs? As always, while teams finalize their gameday rosters we’ll be right here to keep track of all the minor moves.

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Division

  • Cory Schneider has been added to the Bridgeport Islanders roster after he recently cleared waivers, following the activation of Semyon Varlamov yesterday. The 35-year-old veteran will likely serve as organizational depth, with Jakub Skarek and Kenneth Appleby getting the majority of starts in the minor leagues.
  • The New Jersey Devils have sent Nico Daws back to the AHL, suggesting that one of their other goaltenders is ready to return to action. Daws posted an .875 save percentage in his two NHL appearances, securing a win for the Devils in the process.

Central Division

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have sent Ian Mitchell back to the Rockford IceHogs, recalling Isaak Phillips in his place. Phillips, 20, would be making his NHL debut should he get into a game with the Blackhawks this season. A fifth-round pick, he has quickly developed into one of the most reliable defenders for Rockford and has two points in his first four games this year.

Pacific Division

  • On top of sending Mason McTavish down on a conditioning stint, the Anaheim Ducks also assigned Sam Carrick to the minors.  The 29-year-old logged nearly 10 minutes of ice time in his season debut on Tuesday.  Carrick had six points in 13 games with Anaheim last season so he should get another shot at NHL action at some point later this season.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Snapshots: Team USA, Wild, Ghost Pirates

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When Stan Bowman stepped away from the Chicago Blackhawks yesterday, he also removed himself from the position of Team USA general manager for the upcoming Olympics. According to Steven Ellis of The Hockey News, that position is expected to go to Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin, who had previously been serving as AGM for the team.

Guerin, who had previously been involved in an investigation hailing back to his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was cleared recently by the U.S. Center for SafeSport according to Ellis. (UPDATE: Katie Strang of The Athletic reports that it is not quite that simple, and Guerin has not been cleared of wrongdoing as the case has not even progressed to the level of complainant interviews yet.)

  • The Minnesota Wild may be facing a COVID protocol situation, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic. The team is waiting for further testing and canceled practice today, as they prepare for their game tomorrow night. Russo believes at least two players are expected to be moved into the protocol, while the Wild are going to recall Kyle Rau, Connor Dewar and Jon Lizotte from the AHL.
  • The ECHL has announced their newest franchise, set to join the league in 2022-23. The Savannah Ghost Pirates will start play next season and sport green and black as their primary colors.

Los Angeles Kings Provide Injury Updates On Walker, Doughty

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The Los Angeles Kings provided updates on two of the team’s top defensemen today that Drew Doughty has suffered a right knee contusion and will not skate for the next six weeks, while Sean Walker suffered a torn ACL and MCL and is out for the season. The team is hopeful Doughty can return to the lineup in eight weeks.

Walker tore both ligaments on Monday and will undergo surgery at a later date. His season is over after six games.

It appeared as though the 26-year-old had taken a step forward this season, in terms of performance and responsibility. He had logged more than 20 minutes of ice time in each of the three games prior to Monday’s effort, including a whopping 25:09 against the Dallas Stars last week. In the second season of a four-year, $10.6MM deal, Walker will have to work back from serious knee surgery and try to be ready for next fall.

Doughty meanwhile is obviously one of the most important players on the Kings and was off to an incredible start through his first three games. With seven points in those contests, it was a devastating blow when he collided with Jani Hakanpaa partway through the game against the Stars.

Hakanpaa was given a major penalty and a game misconduct for kneeing, but did not receive any supplementary discipline.

Eight weeks from now would suggest Doughty could be ready to return by the team’s last game before the Christmas break, though that will obviously be dependant on how he recovers and reacts once he’s back on the ice. Either way, it is likely he’ll miss upwards of 20 games due to this injury, a huge chunk of the season for a team trying to make the playoffs.

The Kings recalled Kale Clague and Austin Strand today as they work to figure out the depth chart on defense moving forward.

Blake Wheeler Clears COVID Protocol

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Oct 27: After ten days away from the team, Wheeler has cleared the protocol and rejoined the Jets at their morning skate today.

Oct 18: The Winnipeg Jets had Blake Wheeler for Saturday night’s game against the San Jose Sharks, but may not have him for tomorrow night’s matchup against the Minnesota Wild. That’s because he’s been placed in the COVID protocol, though no other information was released from the team.

As a reminder, inclusion in the protocol does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list–which actually won’t be released for the first time until tomorrow–are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol.

In this case, it would be a huge blow for the Jets to lose their captain for any length of time, but especially when they’re off to such a poor start. The team is 0-2 on the year and has scored just four goals, one of them coming from fourth-liner Jansen Harkins. Wheeler himself has registered just three shots on net and one assist through two matches, despite averaging nearly 21 minutes of ice time.

He also happens to be a Minnesota native who hasn’t had the chance to play in his home state for quite some time, thanks to the realigned divisions last season. If he’s held out, it would be an unfortunate outcome not only for Wheeler and the Jets but also many of the fans that were hoping to see him suit up at home. He has not yet been ruled out for tomorrow’s game.

Nikita Kucherov Out 8-10 Weeks

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The Tampa Bay Lightning made it to the playoffs without star forward Nikita Kucherov last season, and they’ll have to again operate without him for the next few months. The team has announced that Kucherov will be out approximately eight to ten weeks following a successful procedure yesterday on a lower-body injury. The team did not disclose the specific injury.

Kucherov proved he could perform at a high level in last season’s playoffs despite a long layoff, as he led all players with 32 points despite having missed the entire regular season. If Tampa wants to three-peat, he’ll have to pull off the same trick after going down three games into the year. Kucherov did have four points in those three games, but will now miss at least two months with another major injury.

The 28-year-old forward is without a doubt one of the most talented offensive players in the world, but his usual durability has been thrown out the window. From 2014-15 when he became a full-time member of the Lightning through 2019-20, he missed only a handful of games for the Lightning. It could very well be 2022 by the time he makes his return this season.

This case isn’t exactly like last season, where the Lightning were basically able to use Kucherov’s entire cap hit to add more talent for a playoff run, only to have him back when they needed him most. Since he is returning during the season and won’t spend the entire year on LTIR, they have to be careful with who replaces him on the roster. Still, given the team is already deep into LTIR relief with Brent Seabrook’s deal, moving Kucherov there does open some other options for a team that is extremely comfortable operating on the fringes of the salary cap rules.

AHL Shuffle: 10/27/21

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After yesterday’s explosive news in Chicago, the NHL season still trundles on with five games on tap tonight. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling as teams prepare their lineups.

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • After being sent down yesterday, Arthur Kaliyev, Rasmus Kupari, and Austin Strand are all back up with the Los Angeles Kings. The paper transaction allowed the Kings to accrue a little bit of extra salary cap space, while also paying the trio their AHL salaries for a day. The Kings will host the Winnipeg Jets tomorrow night. Kale Clague, who was sent down before the season started, has also been recalled.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Morning Notes: Brannstrom, Robertson, Gillies

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It’s always interesting when a player that is already involved in trade speculation changes agencies, as it can often lead to an expedited process or negotiation. That’s exactly what happened with Erik Brannstrom of the Ottawa Senators today, as he is now represented by Newport Sports Management, one of the biggest agencies in the NHL and notably, the group that represents Brady Tkachuk. Brannstrom was previously represented by Kurt Overhardt of KO Sports, another premier agent in the hockey world.

An agent switch could mean absolutely nothing, but with Brannstrom’s name coming up as recently as last week’s 32 Thoughts column by Elliotte Friedman, who suggested teams are already calling on the young defenseman, it is something to consider. The 22-year-old is currently playing with the Belleville Senators, where he has yet to record a point in four games. He will be a restricted free agent next summer.

  • The Dallas Stars got some great news today as Jason Robertson shed the non-contact jersey and joined the main group. According to Saad Yousuf of The Athletic, Robertson was put back with Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski on a line at morning skate. The Stars take on the Vegas Golden Knights this evening and it appears as though the Calder runner-up could be ready to make his season debut. Robertson, 22, scored 17 goals and 45 points in 51 games last season, becoming one of the Stars most trusted forwards at even-strength. In fact, he trailed only Pavelski and Jamie Benn in average even-strength ice time last season, despite starting the year at the bottom of the lineup.
  • Jon Gillies, who hasn’t played an NHL game since 2017-18, now finds himself in the ECHL. The veteran goaltender has signed a contract with the Maine Mariners, the ECHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins for this season. A veteran of 12 NHL contests, Gillies was a third-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2012 who never did quite harness his 6’6″ frame to live up to expectations. Last season he played in five games for the Utica Comets, recording a .902 save percentage.

Alexander Volkov Signs In KHL

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After seeing his NHL contract terminated, Alexander Volkov didn’t have to wait long to find employment. The young forward has signed a four-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, valid through April 30, 2025.

Volkov, 24, signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Ducks this offseason and was expected to finally get a full-time opportunity at the NHL level. That’s not how things played out though, as he was waived before the start of the season and sent to the minor leagues. Every team in the league had a chance at him then, but there were no takers for the former Tampa Bay Lightning prospect. After two games in the AHL, he agreed to a mutual contract termination and quickly jumped ship back to the KHL.

SKA is the organization that Volkov played for in his junior days, and the one that developed him into a top prospect that went 48th overall in 2017. There is tremendous talent in the 6’1″ winger, who scored at least 23 goals and 45 points in each of his first two AHL seasons, but the consistency hasn’t been good enough to secure a role in the NHL for very long.

A four-year deal takes him off the radar for quite some time, but don’t forget entirely about Volkov. He’ll only be 28 when he becomes an unrestricted free agent again and regular playing time in the KHL could certainly push his overall development in the right direction. Teams are sure to keep an eye on him while he’s playing for one of Russia’s top programs.

P.K. Subban Fined For Dangerous Trip

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New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban has avoided suspension for his trip on Calgary Flames forward Milan Lucic last night, earning a $5,000 fine instead. That’s the maximum allowable fine under the current CBA, given the Department of Player Safety deemed the incident not suspendable.

Partway through the first period, as Subban was approaching Lucic in the corner, he appeared to stick out his left leg and slew foot the Flames forward. It caused Lucic to fall dangerously backward, though he did not suffer a serious injury on the play. The call from many fans for Subban to be suspended comes from his history in these events, including an eerily similar play in the preseason against Ryan Reaves of the New York Rangers.

Subban, 32, is averaging fewer than 20 minutes a night for the first time in his career and played just 17:45 for the Devils on Tuesday night. He has yet to record a point through five games after scoring a career-low five goals last season. In the final season of his eight-year, $72MM contract, the 2013 Norris winner has been moved down the lineup since the arrival of Dougie Hamilton in New Jersey.

Dean Kukan Out Eight Weeks With Broken Wrist

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have moved Dean Kukan to injured reserve after he suffered a wrist fracture in last night’s game against the Dallas Stars. Kukan is expected to miss eight weeks with the injury. In his place, the team has recalled Gavin Bayreuther from the AHL.

Kukan, 28, is in the second season of a two-year contract signed in 2020 that carries an average annual value of $1.65MM. The Swiss defensemen has been a part-time player for the Blue Jackets in each of the last several seasons, totaling 114 regular season games since coming to North America in 2015. This season he has appeared in two games, failing to record a point in nearly 30 minutes of total ice time.

While not a key player for Columbus, Kukan’s injury will certainly weaken the depth of the blue line as the team continues to try and compete in the difficult Metropolitan Division. Adam Boqvist is also dealing with a minor injury, necessitating the recall of Bayreuther who will be the eighth defenseman on the active roster.

The 27-year-old Bayreuther has just 28 games at the NHL level in his career but is a well-respected minor league veteran that can step into the lineup in a pinch. In five games with the Cleveland Monsters this season, he has three points. Interestingly enough, Bayreuther was actually given a two-game AHL suspension just today after a cross-checking incident over the weekend. That will not affect his NHL availability, but means he’ll have to sit out whenever he returns to the Monsters.

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