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AHL Shuffle: 10/19/21

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No taxi squads, no problem for teams this season as they continue to shuffle players up and down between the NHL and AHL rosters for cap purposes. Some of the more notable ones–like when a sixth-overall pick is sent down to continue his development–will be examined separately, but all the rest will be detailed here.

Atlantic Division

  • The Florida Panthers have sent Matt Kiersted back to the AHL, assigning him to the Charlotte Checkers. The 23-year-old college free agent signing had an assist on Saturday night, his first NHL point. Kevin Connauton will re-enter the lineup tonight after being activated from injured reserve yesterday.
  • After clearing waivers, Alex Belzile has been loaned to the minor leagues by the Montreal Canadiens. The team has Mike Hoffman making his season debut and will also insert Adam Brooks into the lineup tonight against the San Jose Sharks.

Metropolitan Division

  • Egor Zamula has been activated from the injured/non-roster list and loaned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Philadelphia Flyers defenseman must be able to return to action in the coming days and will get his season started at the minor league level. The Flyers have also added Zack MacEwen, who was claimed off waivers last week, to the active roster. To make room for MacEwen, Max Willman has been loaned to the AHL.

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Peyton Krebs and Jake Leschyshyn from the AHL, bringing them both back up once again. The pair were both loaned down just a few days ago and seem likely to see many transactions throughout the year.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have loaned Ryan McLeod to the Bakersfield Condors, after activating Devin Shore from injured reserve. McLeod has been almost invisible in the two games he has played for the Oilers this season, given just 6:21 and then 5:23 of ice time.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Pavel Buchnevich To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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The Department of Player Safety has been busy through the first week of the season, and it won’t stop now. St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich will have a hearing today after an incident involving Arizona Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse.

Partway through the first period, the two came together in the corner and after the Coyotes forward delivered a cross-check, Buchnevich appeared to deliver a headbutt to the face of Crouse. The St. Louis forward was given a game misconduct and a match penalty–the latter of which comes with an automatic review from the DoPS–racking up 20 penalty minutes in one short lunge.

This isn’t the first headbutting controversy the league has dealt with in the early part of the season. Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames was given a $5,000 fine for roughing when it was determined his play–which many believed included a headbutt–did not rise to the level of a suspension.

That won’t be the case here, as Buchnevich is expected to be suspended.

Nick Robertson Out 10 Weeks With Broken Leg

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If you were a Toronto Maple Leafs fan counting the days until top prospect Nicholas Robertson gets recalled, you might need to find a new hobby. The young forward suffered a broken right fibula in Sunday’s AHL contest and will be out a minimum of ten weeks. Robertson will not undergo surgery.

The uninspiring play of Nick Ritchie on the Maple Leafs’ top line through the first few games of the season has many wondering if Robertson would get a chance to play in Toronto’s top-six this season, but that idea will have to wait for quite some time. The young forward has been plagued by injury issues through the early part of his professional career, missing a good chunk of last season with a serious knee issue.

Now 20, the 2019 second-round pick has ten NHL and 23 AHL games under his belt since dominating the OHL a few seasons ago. After being drafted, he put up 55 goals in just 46 games for the Peterborough Petes, making scouts drool with his mix of finishing ability and relentless tenacity. Unfortunately, unlike his brother Jason Robertson, the Maple Leafs prospect stands just 5’9″ and to this point hasn’t been able to withstand the punishment of a full professional season.

Nathan MacKinnon Unavailable Due To COVID Protocol

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Oct 19: MacKinnon has provided two consecutive negative tests, and traveled last night to meet the team in Washington. He is expected to make his debut tonight against the Capitals.

Oct 12: If you thought the COVID Protocol Related Absences list was a thing of the past, you might have jumped the gun. After both the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken announced key players were unavailable due to the protocol yesterday, the Colorado Avalanche dropped a bomb today. Nathan MacKinnon will not practice today, with the team announcing it is a protocol-related absence. Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic confirmed that MacKinnon has tested positive and will be out tomorrow. The star forward is asymptomatic and the team hopes he will be able to return in a few days.

To reiterate, 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.

MacKinnon meanwhile is out indefinitely and could potentially miss tomorrow’s season opener if he is not cleared in time. The Avalanche recently were without head coach Jared Bednar after he tested positive, playing two preseason games without the bench boss. Hopefully, for Colorado’s sake, MacKinnon is not forced to miss even that much time.

In his absence, the Avalanche moved Nazem Kadri up to the first line according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic, with J.T. Compher sliding into the second-line center spot.

Evander Kane Suspended 21 Games

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The NHL has suspended San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane for 21 regular season games without pay, for an established violation of, and lack of compliance with, the NHL/NHLPA COVID-19 Protocol. The league also released the following statement regarding the other allegations that were under investigation:

The National Hockey League also announced today that its concurrent investigation into allegations of domestic abuse made against Kane by his estranged wife, Deanna, could not be substantiated.

On October 6, Josh Dubow of the Associated Press reported that Kane was being investigated for allegations that he used a fake vaccination card. The league did not specify how the protocol was breached and indicated it would not comment further. Kane has already been away from the Sharks for the entire preseason as the investigations continued, and will now be ineligible to play for them until their game on November 30.

It has been an extremely tumultuous offseason for the Sharks and their star forward, as Kane has now been involved in three separate league investigations. Though he has been cleared in two of them, this long suspension means he won’t be able to help them for quite some time. Whether the two sides will reunite down the road is unclear, especially after a protocol violation that brought about this severe suspension.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that Kane is not expected to appeal the suspension. Kane has released the following statement through the NHLPA:

I would like to apologize to my teammates, the San Jose Sharks organization and all Sharks fans for violating the NHL COVID protocols. I made a mistake, one I sincerely regret and take responsibility for. During my suspension, I will continue to participate in counseling to help me make better decisions in the future. When my suspension is over, I plan to return to the ice with great effort, determination and love for the game of hockey. 

The Sharks have released a statement of their own on the extended loss of one of their top players and notably will not comment again until after the suspension is over:

While we are encouraged by Evander’s commitment to moving forward, we are extremely disappointed by his disregard for the health and safety protocols put in place by the NHL and NHLPA.

Max Domi Out 2-4 Weeks With Rib Fracture

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The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without Max Domi for the next few weeks after placing him on injured reserve today with a fractured rib. The injury, which Domi suffered in Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken, is expected to keep him out between two and four weeks.

Domi was off to a great start for the Blue Jackets, with four points in his first two games. He played just over ten minutes in the game on Saturday, but was still on the ice when Patrik Laine scored the overtime winner. He’ll now miss at least the rest of the month, which would be six games for the Blue Jackets.

The depth of the Columbus organization is already being tested, as both Domi and Emil Bemstrom have sustained serious injuries in the early going. The team is expected to insert top prospect Yegor Chinakhov into the lineup to make his NHL debut tomorrow night against the Detroit Red Wings, after he was recalled yesterday.

Chinakhov, 20, was the 21st overall pick in 2020 and scored in his AHL debut (on his only shot) on Saturday night.

Cody Glass Assigned To AHL

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This summer, the Nashville Predators decided to move Ryan Ellis, a franchise icon who had played more than 560 games for the team and was so important to the team that in 2017, when asked who should be the next captain of the team, Roman Josi (who was eventually awarded the “C”) said his fellow defenseman instead of himself. Ellis was made an “associate captain” at the time, showing just how highly the organization and team thought of him. When it became obvious that their cap situation was going to be difficult to navigate moving forward, Ellis was sent to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Philippe Myers and Nolan Patrick. Immediately, Patrick was flipped to his old junior coach Kelly McCrimmon and the Vegas Golden Knights, in exchange for Cody Glass.

Glass had failed to establish himself as a regular in the loaded Vegas forward group, with just 66 NHL games under his belt entering this season. He had scored nine goals and 22 points in that time, but had also only suited up for a handful of AHL games each season. The hope was that in Nashville, he could take a bigger role, which could help his NHL career take off.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened to this point and today the Predators assigned Glass to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. To explain the move, Predators head coach John Hynes said that the best thing for Glass right now would be to play first-line minutes at the minor league level:

So, we had a good talk with him yesterday, we feel like he’s going to be a real important guy for us, but right now what’s best for him is to be able to go play in Milwaukee, play top-line center minutes, play first powerplay minutes, get some touches and be able to produce and play a big role, work on his faceoffs and get himself up and running a little bit better.

Sending a young player to the minor leagues to continue his development with big minutes on the first line is nothing new, but it’s not usually done with a 22-year-old sixth-overall pick that has spent most of his professional career to this point in the NHL. Glass will turn 23 this season (next April) and is on the final year of his entry-level contract. He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer, though not eligible for arbitration.

There’s even more pressure on the Predators to prove that Glass was the right choice, because of what they gave up for him. While Ellis plays huge minutes in Philadelphia–28:20 with two assists in his first match–Predators’ fans will have to wait and hope this slow, developmental approach with their new forward will pay off.

Canucks’ Travis Hamonic Takes Leave Of Absence

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2:20pm: The Canucks have issued a statement, though it doesn’t clear much up:

General Manager Jim Benning announced today that defenseman Travis Hamonic has been placed on a temporary leave of absence. The mutually agreed upon leave of absence will give Travis time as he works through his personal matters. The team asks that media respect Travis’ privacy and the club will not be making any further comments on the matter at this time. 

CapFriendly clarifies, explaining that in the case of a leave of absence, his cap hit is entirely removed. With regards to the cap, this functions the same as suspended without pay. Satiar Shah of Sportsnet tweets that the Canucks’ preference is still to have Hamonic join the club this season, whenever he is able.

11:45pm: The Vancouver Canucks placed Travis Hamonic on waivers before the start of the season, after the veteran defenseman failed to appear at training camp because of a personal issue. The team did not expand on what exactly was keeping him away from the team, but decided to assign Hamonic to the minor leagues instead of suspending him. He hasn’t actually joined the Abbotsford Canucks yet, and today CapFriendly reports that Hamonic has now been suspended by the team.

When Vancouver moved him to the minors, it buried $1.125MM from his $3.0MM cap hit, giving them some extra room. He would have still received his salary, however, despite not playing any games to this point. Now he will be suspended without pay and his entire cap hit will come off the books.

The last time Canucks GM Jim Benning spoke directly about the situation, he told reporters that the personal issue was “bigger than what you guys think it is” and that they were helping Hamonic get the help he needed. There has been wild speculation, but it is not confirmed what is keeping him away from the ice. Hamonic was one of the few players to opt-out of the 2020 bubble playoffs but played 38 games for the Canucks last season.

Vancouver is already operating in long-term injured reserve space early this season, with Micheal Ferland, Brandon Sutter, and Brady Keeper all given the designation last week. Even so, they were very tight to the ceiling and wouldn’t have been able to deal with many short-term injuries very easily. Reducing Hamonic’s cap hit to zero allows them to make other recalls if necessary, as CapFriendly now has their unused LTIR relief pool at $1.95MM.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Faksa, Rust

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The NHL has announced the Three Stars for week one of the NHL season, and it’s a throwback to years gone by. Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings takes home the top spot after recording four goals and seven points in two games. The Kings’ captain is off to an outstanding start in his 16th season and currently leads the league in both goals and points.

Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos get second and third respectively, after similarly brilliant starts. That means the best players in the league this week were a trio that has 3,174 games in the league and five Stanley Cup championships. For all the talk the last few years about it becoming a young man’s league, Kopitar, Ovechkin, and Stamkos are still performing at an elite level.

  • Dallas Stars forward Radek Faksa has escaped suspension for his slash on Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle, but will have to pay $5,000 in a fine for the incident. That’s the maximum allowable fine under the current CBA, but Faksa won’t have to miss any games. Stutzle, who left the game temporarily, didn’t suffer a major injury on the play, which likely kept a suspension off the table. The incident will be on Faksa’s record though, and considered in any future supplementary discipline.
  • Bryan Rust is out “week-to-week” with a lower-body injury, according to Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan. The Penguins are 2-0-1 through the first three games of the season, first in the NHL despite the absence of several top players. Sidney Crosby won’t play on Tuesday but is approaching a return, and Evgeni Malkin has started a skating program as he continues his rehab. Rust, meanwhile, looks to be out for a little while following his strong start to the season.

AHL Shuffle: 10/18/21

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We’re not even a week into the regular season and already there have been two teams forced to play shorthanded due to cap restraints and injury. The Toronto Maple Leafs used Ryerson University goaltender Alex Bishop as the backup on Saturday, while the Colorado Avalanche dressed just 19 players. With so many teams pushed right up against the cap ceiling, the daily up-and-down of minor league transactions won’t stop anytime soon.

Atlantic Division

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have loaned Joseph Woll to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, a good sign that he’s nearing a return from the injury that kept him out most of the preseason. The young goaltender posted an .892 save percentage in 15 games for the Marlies last season. With the injury to Petr Mrazek and Michael Hutchinson’s recall, the Marlies will need the goaltending depth in the coming weeks.

Metropolitan Division

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Nick Seeler from the AHL once again, already his fourth transaction since clearing waivers on Oct 11. The depth defenseman played in one game so far for the Flyers and will likely fill in whenever someone is injured this season. Rasmus Ristolainen was skating this morning but is not expected to play tonight.

Central Division

  • Those Avalanche have made several changes to work around their cap troubles, including recalling Mikhail Maltsev and Martin Kaut from the AHL. Dylan Sikura has been sent down in their place, while both Pavel Francouz and Stefan Matteau have been moved to long-term injured reserve. The Avalanche have a little more flexibility now because of those LTIR placements, but it will be a difficult cap dance all season long.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Tommy Novak from the AHL, sending Cody Glass to the minor leagues in his place. Novak has never played a game at the NHL level, but does have strong production in the minors and even registered three points in his first game for the Milwaukee Admirals this season. Glass meanwhile failed to record a point in either of the first two games for Nashville after an offseason trade brought him to the Predators.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Mike Hardman from the AHL, moving Ian Mitchell down to make room. The swap adds a forward to the mix for the team’s home opener tomorrow night, where the Blackhawks will need to turn around a ship that is already taking on water just three games into the year.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have loaned Vladislav Provolnev to the Tucson Roadrunners, recalling Dysin Mayo in his place. The 26-year-old Provolnev was signed out of the KHL but has not played a game yet for the Coyotes. Mayo on the other hand has spent more than five years in the minors for the organization without suiting up for an NHL game.

Pacific Division

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