COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/06/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Though the league is still waiting on a report from the Blue Jackets and Blues but here is the rest of the list:
Colorado – Dennis Gilbert
Columbus – TBA
Pittsburgh – Colton Sceviour*
San Jose – Tomas Hertl, Marcus Sorensen
St. Louis – TBA
As a reminder, inclusion on this list 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 list is 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
Players removed today: Joel Farabee, Philadelphia Flyers
Farabee’s removal marks a great day for Philadelphia, as the Flyers are completely free of the COVID protocol. The team couldn’t manage a win against Pittsburgh earlier today but should have their full contingent ready for tomorrow night.
Sceviour’s addition comes after Sidney Crosby and assistant coach Todd Reirden both had a short stint earlier this week. Hopefully, the Penguins forward will have a similar timeline, though there is no way to tell at this point.
*denotes new addition
New Jersey Devils Sign Graeme Clarke
Saturday: Official now, the Devils have signed Clarke to his three-year ELC which is set to begin next season. The team notes in their release that Clarke is currently playing with the AHL’s Binghamton Devils and should remain there for the time being.
Friday: Though the team hasn’t officially announced it yet, Graeme Clarke has signed his entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils. PuckPedia was the first to report the deal, which is a three-year contract that carries a cap hit of $850K. The deal will kick in for the 2021-22 season.
Clarke, 19, was selected with the 80th overall pick in 2019 and like many other prospects has been just trying to get games in wherever he can. In December, he agreed to a loan overseas and played six games in the Slovakian professional league, recording a single point. In early February, while still waiting on the OHL to return, he inked an AHL deal with the Binghamton Devils where he has played in four games. Though he still doesn’t have a point, just getting some on-ice experience is a huge step for a player that saw his 2019-20 season shortened drastically.
In October of 2019, just a few months after being selected by the Devils, Clarke suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. He’d end up playing just 16 games with the Ottawa 67’s thanks to the rehab and early shutdown, meaning it was nearly a lost development year for the young winger. Now, even with a handful of games at the AHL level, his path is still stunted. When the OHL returns in some fashion, Clarke will be forced to return to junior.
The Devils meanwhile still obviously believe in his talent, enough to sign him to an entry-level deal. Had they not, his draft rights would have expired in June.
Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag
The NHL season is speeding along at a breakneck pace, with teams playing games basically every other day in an attempt to squeeze in 56 contests. We’ve seen the COVID list dwindle over the last few weeks and now the trade deadline is fast approaching.
With that in mind, it’s time to run another edition of the PHR mailbag. If you missed it last time, the last mailbag was broken into two pieces. The first focused on the rash of postponements, the saga of Tony DeAngelo in New York, and Kevin Lankinen‘s early play. In the second, Brian gave his thoughts on young players like Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Martin Necas, tried to figure out the Philadelphia defense, and touched on some hot seats around the league.
You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. We’ll try to get to everything when the mailbag runs this weekend.
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/05/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Though the league is still waiting on a report from the Kings, here is the rest of the list:
Colorado – Dennis Gilbert*
Philadelphia – Joel Farabee
San Jose – Tomas Hertl, Marcus Sorensen*
As a reminder, inclusion on this list 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 list is 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
Players removed today: Charlie Coyle, Boston Bruins
Gilbert comes onto the list in Colorado, certainly not the first person ruled out for them this season. We’ll have to wait and see what this means for the club and if any other players will be added in the coming days. Sorensen is also a late addition after last playing for San Jose on Monday.
Coyle, who was only added on Wednesday, comes off for the Bruins, clearing their board and meaning they’re back to full capacity.
*denotes new addition
Jack Eichel Has Not Requested A Trade
After several other general managers around the league have recently spoken to the media to deflect pressure from their players and coaching staffs, Buffalo Sabres executive Kevyn Adams announced a press conference today to do the same thing. The presser was not to announce anything in particular, as Adams instead just answered questions. Right away, the Buffalo GM made one thing clear: Jack Eichel has not requested a trade.
It is surprising it even came to this point for the Sabres, who added Taylor Hall and Eric Staal in the offseason in an effort to compete for the playoffs. With Eichel and other young pieces like Rasmus Dahlin, Victor Olofsson and Sam Reinhart, the Sabres were supposed to be on the upswing. Instead, the team has crumbled, losing their last five and compiling a 6-12-3 record through their first 21 games of the season.
A big part of that terrible record is the play of Eichel, Hall and expensive winger Jeff Skinner, who have combined for just two even-strength goals (and four total). Those three combine for a $27MM cap hit, a huge number for any team, let alone one that’s just trying to pull itself out of the basement. Those struggles have led to plenty of speculation about Eichel, who is quickly approaching 400 games in his career without ever sniffing the postseason.
Recently, Eichel was put second on The Athletic’s Trade Deadline Big Board, with one league executive even suggesting that he was “going to end up a New York Ranger” at some point in the future. Adams today downplayed his captain’s availability, once again explaining that he isn’t looking to trade one of, in his words, “the best players in the world.” On the idea that he solicited offers in the offseason, Adams just said that he listened if people called, as he would with any other player.
Even though his goal totals are down, Eichel does still have 16 points in 19 games for the Sabres, tied for the most on the team with Reinhart and Olofsson. There’s no one doubting his ability as a top player, but since he’s making $10MM per season and wears the “C”, the target will continually be placed on his back. The 24-year-old has shown clear frustration in the past when his team continued to lose, and his trade availability is a story that isn’t going anywhere–even if he hasn’t requested one yet.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Vancouver Canucks “Have To Figure This Out From Within”
The Vancouver Canucks beat the top team in the North Division last night, but they still sit second last ahead of only the Ottawa Senators. That’s a long way from the team that came within a game from the Western Conference Finals last summer and has many wondering what’s next for the organization. GM Jim Benning, himself the target of much speculation, spoke to the media today about many subjects, including the upcoming trade deadline.
In just over a month, teams will no longer be able to make trades to help them for this year’s playoffs, meaning decisions will have to come relatively soon on whether a club is buying or selling. Though Benning hasn’t made his final decision, noting there are still quite a few games before the deadline, he did say the club would “have to figure this out from within,” pointing to the long quarantine period that Canadian teams face on anyone coming up from the U.S.
The front office executive also put his confidence behind head coach Travis Green and the rest of the staff, saying they have “done a good job” with the group. Green, notably, does not have a contract past this season, though both sides have signaled their intent to get something done.
The biggest question that many have about the Canucks is how they will sign Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes this offseason, given the money that is already committed to depth players all over their roster. Benning grouped a third player with those two, saying they have “three really good young players” to sign. Thatcher Demko, the man who held the Maple Leafs to just one goal on 32 shots last night, is the other pending RFA that will need a substantial raise.
With money still owed to Loui Eriksson and bottom-six names like Antoine Roussel and Jay Beagle—not to mention a recapture penalty for Roberto Luongo‘s retirement—it’s not going to be an easy task to fit those three in and still put together a competitive team.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/05/21
There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day.
West Division
- The Colorado Avalanche have swapped taxi squad goaltenders, sending Adam Werner to the AHL and recalling Peyton Jones. Werner is a potential future option for the Avalanche at the NHL level, but still needs seasoning and will get a chance to play some games in the minors. Jones, a 25-year-old undrafted goaltender, has an .891 save percentage in two appearances with the Colorado Eagles this season. They then recalled Conor Timmins, Kiefer Sherwood, Logan O’Connor, and Dan Renouf from the taxi squad on an emergency basis, per CapFriendly.
- The San Jose Sharks have done their usual few transactions, this time recalling Stefan Noesen and Noah Gregor to the taxi squad. The Sharks are back in action tonight against the Golden Knights. Per CapFriendly, recalled from the taxi squad were Alex True, Joel Kellman, Kurtis Gabriel, and Frederik Claesson.
- The Los Angeles Kings have made their usual flurry of gameday moves in advance of their game versus St. Louis. Tobias Bjornfot and Rasmus Kupari were both recalled from the taxi squad while the Kings also recalled Tyler Madden, Sean Durzi, and Mikey Eyssimont from Ontario of the AHL to the taxi squad with Drake Rymsha being sent from the taxi squad to Ontario.
- The Anaheim Ducks returned David Backes to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The veteran has only suited up nine times so far this season, recording two goals.
- The Arizona Coyotes have loaned Adin Hill to AHL Tucson on a conditioning loan, per CapFriendly. Hill last played on February 26th, just one of two games he has played this season. The conditioning loan allows him to go down but avoid waivers and can last up to two weeks. Meanwhile, Michael Chaput was recalled from the taxi squad.
- The Minnesota Wild have sent Gerald Mayhew back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. One of the top scorers in the AHL last season, he has just one assist in four NHL games so far this year.
- The St. Louis Blues recalled Dakota Joshua from the taxi squad on an emergency loan and Jake Walman from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, reversing Thursday’s demotions.
North Division
- Following last night’s loss, the Ottawa Senators have moved Erik Brannstrom to the taxi squad. The young defenseman has five points in 11 games for the team this season and is expected to be back on the roster when the team is back in action later this weekend.
- The Calgary Flames have moved Byron Froese to the AHL, opening up a spot on their taxi squad for the time being. The team doesn’t play again until Sunday, meaning they can move Derek Ryan to the taxi squad to save some cap space.
- Eric Comrie has had quite the year so far, moving around the league on waivers and spending more time in quarantine than on the ice. Now, he has been assigned to the AHL by the Winnipeg Jets where he can get some action.
- The Vancouver Canucks have loaned Guillaume Brisebois to the minors but not to their AHL affiliate in Utica. Instead, they’ve sent him to AHL Laval for the time being. That ensures that Brisebois, who had been on the taxi squad all season, will be able to be recalled without having to go through quarantine while allowing him to get some game action at least.
- The Montreal Canadiens have returned Paul Byron to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, their usual non-gameday move. With him going down, Montreal then returned Cam Hillis to AHL Laval.
Central Division
- The Detroit Red Wings have assigned Michael Rasmussen and Gustav Lindstrom to the Grand Rapids Griffins. The 21-year-old Rasmussen has three points in 10 games for the Red Wings this season and six in seven for the Griffins. They also loaned Evgeny Svechnikov to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.
- In their daily move, the Nashville Predators have recalled Michael McCarron from the taxi squad, while moving Ben Harpur down in his place. Joining Harpur on the taxi squad is Tanner Jeannot, who is up from the minor leagues.
- The Dallas Stars have once again assigned Tanner Kero to the taxi squad. This is the eighth time this season that he has been loaned there but despite that, he has played in 11 games this season for Dallas, picking up two assists.
- An off day for the Hurricanes means that Alex Nedeljkovic and Jake Bean are once again back on the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. In addition, David Gust was loaned back to AHL Chicago.
East Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Drew O’Connor to the minor leagues; Anthony Angello and Josh Currie have been moved to the taxi squad. After carrying a huge load through the early part of the season, Joseph’s role on the Penguins has been greatly diminished recently and he will now get a chance to get back on the ice in some minor league tilts. The 21-year-old has five points in 16 games this season.
- The New Jersey Devils have moved Michael McLeod to the taxi squad, recalled Brett Seney from the AHL to the taxi squad and re-assigned Joshua Jacobs from the taxi squad to the AHL. The Devils got stomped by the Rangers yesterday and have an afternoon rematch tomorrow.
- The Boston Bruins recalled Trent Frederic and Jack Studnicka from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The two youngsters have been up and down frequently this season to save cap room but Frederic has played in all 20 games while Studnicka has suited up 11 times.
- The Buffalo Sabres assigned Jacob Bryson to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Considering that the defenseman led the Sabres in ice time on Thursday, it’s safe to say that this is just a cap-saving move and that he’ll be recalled for their game on Saturday.
- With the New York Rangers off, they made a long list of roster moves, per CapFriendly. Anthony Bitetto, K’Andre Miller, and Libor Hajek were all sent back to the taxi squad while Jonny Brodzinski and Patrick Newell went from the taxi squad to AHL Hartford.
- The Philadelphia Flyers loaned Connor Bunnaman to their taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Despite frequently moving up and down, the 22-year-old has played in 15 games with the Flyers so far this season.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Brendan Guhle Clears Waivers
March 5: Perhaps surprisingly, Guhle has cleared waivers and has been assigned to the minor leagues. The 23-year-old will remain in the Ducks organization and have a chance to get his game back on track following his recent injury.
March 4: The Anaheim Ducks have placed a surprising name on waivers today, as Brendan Guhle is available to the rest of the league according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The 23-year-old defenseman must be healthy enough to return from his recent stint on long-term injured reserve, meaning to place him on the taxi squad or send him to the minor leagues, he’ll need to clear waivers.
Guhle certainly isn’t a star, but it should raise a few eyebrows in front offices around the league to see him on waivers today. The 51st overall pick in 2015, he has 59 games under his belt at the NHL level and has recorded 14 points. An all-around option that has shown flashes of real NHL potential—including playing three games in the 2016-17 season as a 19-year-old for the Buffalo Sabres—he also happens to come locked up at an $800K cap hit through next season.
Just two years ago, Guhle was a big part of the return for Brandon Montour, when the latter was shipped from Anaheim to Buffalo. It seems now that the Ducks feel comfortable risking him, given the other young options in the system.
For a rebuilding team or even a contender dealing with injuries, claiming Guhle would be more than reasonable though. Jarred Tinordi and Mark Friedman have both been claimed recently and neither one is a clear upgrade (at least in certain areas) over the young Duck.
If Guhle does clear, he’ll be able to get on the ice again with the San Diego Gulls and continue to work his way back from injury. In five games on a rehab stint, he recorded zero points.
Calgary Flames Fire Geoff Ward
Late last night, after a huge win, the Calgary Flames decided to make a coaching change. Geoff Ward has been relieved of his duties and will be replaced by Darryl Sutter, who joins the Flames for his second stint behind the bench. Sutter worked with the Flames between 2002-2006 and last coached with the Los Angeles Kings in 2017.
The firing of Ward shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though the timing does seem a bit odd. The Flames scored seven goals against the Ottawa Senators last night to even their record at 11-11-2, but it wasn’t enough to save the coach. Ward was only just given the full-time position in September when the Flames removed the interim tag. He had taken over last season when Bill Peters was forced to resign and led the team to a 24-15-3 record, but things were quite obviously not the same this time around.
Calgary has been a disorganized mess this season, even after spending a substantial amount of money in the offseason. The team brought in Chris Tanev and Jacob Markstrom on long-term deals but still haven’t figured out the right mix. They’ve had up-and-down performances from their best players, including Matthew Tkachuk who went five games in a row last month without even a point. The team has tried to kickstart Sam Bennett‘s game by placing him on the top line, only to see him fail and end up in the press box once again.
In Sutter, they’ll certainly be bringing in a lot of experience. The 62-year-old coach sits 17th on the all-time list for wins with 634 (though also 15th in losses with 467) and won two Stanley Cup championships with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014. He also was the Flames coach during their last deep postseason run, when they made it to the Final in 2004.
The team had considered him previously for the opening but obviously felt now a change couldn’t wait. The good thing for Flames fans is that even with their mediocre record, the team is by no means out of the playoff race in the North Division. Calgary sits just two points back of the Montreal Canadiens and four points back of the Edmonton Oilers for the last two playoff spots. If Sutter can squeeze out some wins in the short term, the team will be right back in the fight.
Brent Seabrook Will Not Play Again
After battling to try and return from several major injuries, Brent Seabrook has finally hung up his skates. In a statement today, the veteran defenseman has announced he will not return to professional hockey. This is essentially Seabrook’s retirement, though the statement does not actually mention that word and the Chicago Blackhawks have moved him to long-term injured reserve for now. Seabrook still has three years left on his contract, which will not come off the books entirely.
In a statement, team physician Dr. Michael Terry explains exactly what happened to Seabrook:
Over a three-month period from December 2019 to February 2020, Brent underwent successful surgeries on both of his hips and his right shoulder. He has worked extremely hard to recover from those surgeries but has a long-term issue with his right hip that is preventing him from playing professional hockey. We have tried all available conservative treatments, and nothing has worked well enough for him to live life as an athlete. We support his decision to prioritize his long-term physical health.
Seabrook, Zack Smith, and Andrew Shaw were all placed on LTIR today.
The 35-year-old Seabrook played 32 games for the Blackhawks last season, but it has been several years since he was truly himself. Both a defensive warrior and offensive catalyst during his prime, he served as the fourth musketeer alongside Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith during the Blackhawks dynasty, winning three Stanley Cup championships in six seasons. Though he failed to capture the Conn Smythe trophy during any of those runs (the other three each have one), he was just as integral as any man on the Chicago side.
Over 1,114 career regular season games, Seabrook amassed 464 points, topping out at a 14-goal 49-point campaign in 2015-16. But he was so much more than his offensive production, serving as a leader on and off the ice for the Blackhawks and battling every second of every game. There are few players who teammates speak about with such respect, and the Chicago organization has always stood by the decision to give him his current eight-year contract.
The deal, which kicked in for the 2016-17 season (Seabrook’s age-31 year), was considered a mistake by many as soon as the ink dried. A $6.875MM cap hit with a full no-movement clause made a beloved player a financial anchor, but it was a reward for the contribution he had made previously.
Now, if he doesn’t retire officially, the Blackhawks will still need to dance a salary cap waltz in the coming years, using LTIR to their advantage whenever possible. Fans can stop worrying so much about his deal and start appreciating the player as the Blackhawks do. In a statement, GM Stan Bowman explains just what he means to the franchise:
Without Brent Seabrook, the Chicago Blackhawks would not have three Stanley Cups. He concludes his career as not only one of the best defensemen in franchise history, but one the greatest Chicago Blackhawks of all time. We cannot thank Brent enough for what he did for the Blackhawks organization, the city of Chicago and this fan base. He will always be a part of the Blackhawks family and we wish him well in his life after hockey.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images