COVID Protocol Related Absences: 02/23/21
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. Here are the rest of the results:
NY Rangers – Kaapo Kakko
Ottawa – Ryan Dzingel
Philadelphia – Justin Braun, Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Oskar Lindblom, Jakub Voracek
Toronto – Alexander Barabanov*
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: Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers; Tomas Nosek, Vegas Golden Knights
Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe explained to reporters including Chris Johnston of Sportsnet this morning that both Barabanov and Scott Sabourin had inconclusive results on a PCR test yesterday and were sent home as a result, though both samples came back negative upon retesting. It is unclear whether Barabanov’s appearance here is due to another test result.
*denotes new addition
NHL Announces More Widespread Schedule Changes
The NHL schedule maker continues to earn their paycheck. Today the league announced another two dozen changes to the schedule, moving games around to try and make sure all 31 teams play a 56-game season. The league has not only seen games postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks but also due to inclement weather.
The following games have been rescheduled:
- Tampa Bay at Dallas, Feb. 18–>March 2
- Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, April 13–>March 6
- Nashville at Dallas, Feb. 15–>March 7
- Dallas at Columbus, March 15–>March 14
- Tampa Bay at Dallas, Feb. 20–>March 16
- Nashville at Dallas, Feb. 16–>March 21
- Florida at Tampa Bay, March 16–>March 21
- St. Louis at Colorado, April 20–>April 2
- Philadelphia at Boston, March 7–>April 5
- Boston at Philadelphia, April 5–>April 10
- Dallas at Nashville, April 29–>April 11
- Philadelphia at Washington, Feb. 9–>April 13
- Tampa Bay at Nashville, April 12–>April 13
- NY Islanders at Boston, April 14–>April 15
- Chicago at Nashville, April 4–>April 19
- Colorado at St. Louis, Feb. 7–>April 20
- Philadelphia at NY Rangers, Feb. 14–>April 22
- Dallas at Tampa Bay, March 1–>April 29
- Dallas at Tampa Bay, May 4–>May 5
- Chicago at Carolina, Feb. 20–>May 6
- Dallas at Tampa Bay, May 10–>May 7
- Dallas at Chicago, May 6–>May 9
- Carolina at Nashville, May 7–>May 10
- Dallas at Chicago, May 8–>May 10
The following game will be rescheduled for a date to be announced later:
- Tampa Bay at Florida, originally scheduled for May 6
Will Borgen Out 6-8 Weeks With Fractured Forearm
The Buffalo Sabres already lost Jake McCabe to a season-ending knee injury and now will be without William Borgen for the next two months. The 24-year-old defenseman underwent surgery on a broken right forearm today and will miss approximately six to eight weeks.
Borgen had actually made quite an impact in his short four-game stint with the Sabres, even partnering with Rasmus Dahlin for a time. Originally a fourth-round pick in 2015, he spent three seasons at St. Cloud State before spending the last two mostly in the minor leagues. He’ll now face a pretty hefty hurdle in his development, missing a good chunk of this season.
It also could complicate the Sabres plans, especially when it comes to Brandon Montour‘s trade availability. Defensemen are dropping like flies in Buffalo and the team quite literally may not have enough to fill a roster if they start trading them away. Rasmus Ristolainen is still working his way back from a brutal fight with COVID-19 and with Borgen out the team has just six healthy defensemen on the roster. Jacob Bryson and Casey Fitzgerald (with a combined zero NHL games) are on the taxi squad, but beyond that, the team has just two defensemen—20-year old Mattias Samuelsson and 21-year-old Oskari Laaksonen—signed to NHL contracts.
One wonders if that could precipitate a waiver claim by the Sabres today, as both Mark Friedman and Luke Schenn find themselves on the wire.
Brandon Montour Available For Trade
The Buffalo Sabres are the focus of plenty of trade speculation these days, but much of it is centered around the forward group. Jack Eichel will continue to draw plenty of chatter until the Sabres actually put a winning team around him, Jeff Skinner was just made a health scratch despite earning more salary than nearly every other left winger in the league, and Taylor Hall is on a one-year deal that could be cashed in at the deadline.
But it’s not the forwards that are making headlines today. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Brandon Montour is available, as he also is scheduled for unrestricted free agency after signing a one-year, $3.85MM contract in the offseason.
Montour, 26, has been something of an enigma for years. Originally selected 55th overall in 2014 by the Anaheim Ducks, he quickly climbed the ranks thanks to an outstanding offensive ceiling. In 2015-16, his first full season of pro hockey, the young defenseman scored 57 points in 68 games for the San Diego Gulls. He followed it up with a near point-per-game pace the next season, before eventually getting the call to the NHL.
Once at the highest level, he continued to produce offensively, though his defensive play was still a little suspect. Montour had 32 points in his first full NHL season, including scoring five powerplay goals. It looked like he would be a pillar of the Anaheim blueline for years, even if some of the others might have to carry some of the defensive load.
Instead, Montour found himself traded to the Sabres in 2019 for a first-round pick and prospect Brendan Guhle. In Buffalo, his minutes have stayed high but the offense has dipped, and since the team is in another losing season, he seems likely to be cashed in at the deadline.
It seems very unlikely that the Sabres will be able to recoup the assets they spent on Montour, but trading him at some point this season would at least get them a little bit back. Friedman gives no inkling to where he could end up (except for a tiny connection to the Arizona Coyotes, who might be looking for rentals at the deadline), but right-handed, puck-moving defensemen are always in high demand at the deadline. If Montour came with a reasonable extension, he might be even more valuable.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Injury Notes: Lundqvist, Teravainen, Merzlikins
Henrik Lundqvist underwent heart surgery last month, at the very least pausing his legendary NHL career for the moment. Earlier this month he let his fans know that things were going well in his recovery and today tweeted that he’s back on the ice. An attached video has him in full Washington Capitals gear, still an odd sight after spending his entire career to this point with the New York Rangers.
Lundqvist is still not expected to play this season, but his contract was not actually terminated and these updates at least open the door a crack for his playing career to continue at some point. Even if it doesn’t, it’s still great to see him healthy enough to get back on the ice.
More injury updates from around the league:
- The Carolina Hurricanes announced that Teuvo Teravainen has been diagnosed with a concussion, likely from a Nikita Zadorov hit on February 19. The star forward has already missed a pair of games and it is not clear when he’ll be cleared to return. If you haven’t been paying attention to Carolina, you might have missed that Teravainen has turned into one of the most consistent offensive performers in the NHL over the last few seasons. After breaking out with 64 points in 2017-18, he has scored 148 points in his last 162 regular season games, including nine this year. The 26-year-old is only in the second season of a five-year deal signed with Carolina in 2019.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed Elvis Merzlikins on injured reserve for the second time this season, this time retroactive to February 20. He suffered an upper-body injury in that game and is considered week-to-week. Matiss Kivlenieks has been promoted from the taxi squad to serve as the backup for Joonas Korpisalo, but this will once again test the goaltending depth of the organization. Korpisalo hasn’t been good this year, registering an .889 save percentage in his 13 appearances, and Kivlenieks has just six games of NHL experience.
Carl Gunnarsson Out For Season
The St. Louis Blues have announced another long-term injury, this time to defenseman Carl Gunnarsson. The veteran will miss the rest of the season with a right knee injury sustained in the Blues’ recent game against the Los Angeles Kings. He is still being evaluated to determine the full extent of the injury. The team also announced that Ivan Barbashev underwent successful surgery on his ankle and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, as reported previously.
Gunnarsson, 34, has been a quiet soldier for the blues the last several seasons, rarely getting into the lineup but being ready whenever he does. A veteran of 629 regular season NHL games, he has just 73 since the start of the 2018-19 season. An injury like this, if it is as serious as originally feared, could potentially end that long career, given Gunnarsson is an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and will turn 35 just after the next season starts.
If it is the end, at least in St. Louis, he’ll leave with the respect of his teammates. Brayden Schenn called Gunnarsson an “absolute warrior” and a “hell of a teammate” after last night’s game. The depth defenseman played in 19 games on the Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup run, actually scoring the winning goal in overtime of game two against the Boston Bruins. That goal led to one of the most hilarious anecdotes of the playoffs, as Gunnarsson explained after the game he called his shot while standing next to head coach Craig Berube at the urinal during intermission.
For now, he’ll face a long rehab. But he’ll always be a Stanley Cup champion.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 02/23/21
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
North Division
- The Ottawa Senators have flipped Artem Anisimov and Micheal Haley again, with the former headed to the taxi squad and the latter moving to the active roster. The Senators are back in action tonight against the Montreal Canadiens and obviously will not have Anisimov in the lineup.
- The Montreal Canadiens have sent Charlie Lindgren to the AHL in order for him to play the Laval Rocket games this week. Michael McNiven has been recalled to the taxi squad to serve as the third goaltender while Lindgren gets some game action.
- Patrick Russell has been recalled from the Edmonton Oilers taxi squad on an emergency basis, perhaps indicating that he’ll finally get back into the lineup. Russell has played just one game this season and, amazingly, still has zero goals in his 52-game NHL career.
Central Division
- The Dallas Stars have assigned Ty Dellandrea to the taxi squad, but perhaps only temporarily given that Tanner Kero appeared on waivers today. Dellandrea, 20, has two points in 11 games this season but remains a big part of the Stars’ future.
- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Danny DeKeyser and Mathias Brome from the taxi squad ahead of their game this evening against the Nashville Predators. Brome finally got his first NHL goal the other night, giving him one point in his first 18 games.
- Those Predators have made their daily move, though this time it comes with the activation of Ryan Johansen off injured reserve. Nashville has recalled Eeli Tolvanen and Ben Harpur from the taxi squad, while also sending Sean Malone back down. Tolvanen is expected to skate alongside Johansen in tonight’s game.
East Division
- The New Jersey Devils have sent Colton White back to the AHL, while moving Mikhail Maltsev to the taxi squad. Maltsev, 22, has played in four games this season and has one goal. The fourth-round pick isn’t expected to be much of a scoring threat but does bring plenty of size to the lineup.
- After losing another defenseman to injury, the Buffalo Sabres have made a few transactions. Rasmus Asplund and Jacob Bryson have been recalled from the taxi squad, with the latter expected to make his NHL debut tonight. Brandon Davidson has been sent to the taxi squad in return, while Dustin Tokarski is up to fill the last spot.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 02/22/21
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. Here are today’s results:
NY Rangers – Kaapo Kakko
Ottawa – Ryan Dzingel
Philadelphia – Justin Braun, Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Oskar Lindblom, Jakub Voracek
Vegas – Tomas Nosek
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: Sammy Blais, St. Louis Blues
As reported earlier, Blais’ appearance on the list this weekend was for a false positive and he will now be available to the Blues moving forward.
Jake McCabe Out Six To Eight Months
Buffalo Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger expressed serious worry yesterday when speaking about Jake McCabe‘s injury and now we know why. The veteran defenseman suffered injuries to the ACL, MCL, and meniscus in his right knee and has been given a recovery timeline of six to eight months. McCabe was injured in a game against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. His season is over.
McCabe, 27, has emerged as one of the more reliable options on the entire Sabres roster over the last few seasons and was off to arguably the best start of his NHL career. Playing over 19 minutes a night, the left-show defenseman had just three points in 13 games but posted strong possession numbers as he routinely shut down opponents and moved the puck out of the zone. He will be sorely missed in the Buffalo lineup as they attempt to drag themselves out of the bottom of the East Division standings.
Not only does this end McCabe’s season, but there’s a chance it could mean an end to his career with the Sabres as well. The alternate captain is an unrestricted free agent this summer and would need a new deal if he’s to return to Buffalo in 2021-22. Given that an eight-month timeline puts the start of next season in jeopardy, it’s hard to know exactly where his market will be. The timing couldn’t be worse for a player looking to cash in with a multi-year contract.
Injury Notes: Chicago, Colorado, Raymond
The Chicago Blackhawks issued a few injury updates today, including that Dylan Strome has been put in the concussion protocol. Strome, who has essentially been working as Chicago’s top center this season, is a huge loss for a team that is still very much in the thick of a playoff race. The Blackhawks are sitting third in the Central Division, though have already played 19 games—Tampa Bay and Dallas, two teams chasing them, have only had 15 and 12 respectively.
Lucas Carlsson will also miss some time and has been placed on injured reserve. The defenseman is dealing with a strained groin and is expected to miss 10-14 days. It’s not all bad news though. Connor Murphy, who hasn’t played since February 7 while dealing with a hip injury, has been activated from injured reserve. Murphy is averaging a career-high 22:45 through 13 games this season.
- Dennis Gilbert may not be a Blackhawks defenseman anymore, but he’s getting injured like one. The Colorado Avalanche blueliner will be out four to six weeks after undergoing facial surgery according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic. The injury was presumably suffered in a fight with Keegan Kolesar last week, which resulted in Gilbert’s exit after fewer than two minutes of ice time. Erik Johnson and Pavel Francouz meanwhile are both still out long-term, according to head coach Jared Bednar.
- Detroit Red Wings top prospect Lucas Raymond suffered an elbow injury while playing in Sweden and according to Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, will have surgery that is expected to keep him out eight weeks. There is no long-term concern for Raymond, the fourth-overall pick from the 2020 draft. The young winger had 18 points in 34 games for Frolunda this season and still needs to sign his entry-level contract with the Red Wings.