Casey Cizikas Out 3-4 Weeks With Leg Laceration
If the New York Islanders had any trade deadline plans figured out, they might have just been complicated a touch. Casey Cizikas will miss the next three to four weeks with a leg laceration, weakening the Islanders’ depth up front even more. As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic points out on Twitter, the team had already been searching for a top-nine forward on the trade market. The team has recalled Cole Bardreau from the AHL to take Cizikas’ roster spot after moving him to injured reserve.
The Islanders currently sit third in the Metropolitan Division but have scored just 166 goals in 55 games, fewer than every other Eastern Conference playoff team save for the Columbus Blue Jackets. While Cizikas doesn’t offer a ton of offense, he did score 20 goals last season while thriving under new head coach Barry Trotz. In fact, his ten goals this season ties him with both Derick Brassard and Jordan Eberle, neither of which provide the other sorts of things Cizikas has been known for throughout his career.
The 28-year old is now on his eighth full season with the Islanders and was on track to obliterate his previous career-high in hits with 133 through his first 48 games. He is also winning faceoffs at the best rate of his career and trails only linemate Cal Clutterbuck among forwards in short-handed ice time. Those attributes are exactly the kind that Trotz and GM Lou Lamoriello value in their bottom-six, meaning his absence will be considerable over the next several weeks.
Jonathan Ericsson Clears Waivers
Wednesday: Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Ericsson has cleared waivers. He can now be assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Tuesday: The Detroit Red Wings have placed Jonathan Ericsson on waivers today according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. This is the second time the veteran defenseman finds himself waived, after clearing in late October and suiting up in the minor leagues for the first time in over a decade.
That’s where he’s headed again should he clear this time, which is very likely for Ericsson at this point in his career. The 35-year old was once a pillar of the Red Wings’ stifling puck-possession defense, but has regressed considerably with age and injury. Ericsson has played just 11 games in the NHL this season and has yet to register a point, but still carries a $4.25MM cap hit.
That six-year contract, signed back in 2013, expires at the end of this season leaving Ericsson an unrestricted free agent. That may mean it is the end of his time in the NHL altogether, unless he tries a comeback on a much more inexpensive deal. The very last pick (291st overall) in the 2009 draft, Ericsson has carved out a long career in Detroit, playing 673 regular season games. That total actually puts him sixth among all defensemen from his draft class—not bad for a ninth-round pick.
Minor Transactions: 02/12/20
The entire hockey world is waiting with bated breath to hear an official update on Jay Bouwmeester‘s status after a cardiac incident during last night’s St. Louis Blues game. GM Doug Armstrong will speak on the matter later this afternoon, but for now the rest of the league will have to move on with preparations for their own games. As always, we will keep track of all the minor moves right here.
- Before the game in question between the Blues and Anaheim Ducks started, Josh Mahura was sent back to the AHL. The young Ducks defenseman has split his time between the NHL and AHL this season, scoring four points in 11 contests with Anaheim.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Gabriel Carlsson from the minor leagues, giving them another defensive option with Seth Jones sidelined for two months. Carlsson has played six games for the Blue Jackets this season, instead spending most of his year with the Cleveland Monsters where he has 12 points in 40 contests.
- The Boston Bruins have called up Jeremy Lauzon, but he won’t be playing tonight for them. Lauzon still has a game to serve on his suspension from earlier this month, despite going down to the minor leagues recently.
- Andrei Chibisov has been returned to the AHL by the Winnipeg Jets, after the team lost to the New York Rangers last night. Chibisov didn’t play, and is still waiting for his first opportunity in the NHL.
- Carl Grundstrom is on his way back to the AHL, with Martin Frk taking his place on the Los Angeles Kings roster. Frk, 26, has 23 goals in 37 games with the Ontario Reign and set the all-time North American hardest shot record at the AHL All-Star Game with a 109.2 mph blast.
- With Bouwmeester placed on injured reserve, the Blues have recalled Niko Mikkola from the minor leagues. There’s no telling how long Bouwmeester will be out, meaning Mikkola may have a large opportunity to establish himself.
- The Edmonton Oilers have placed James Neal on injured reserve as well, recalling Tyler Benson to take his spot on the roster. Neal’s IR stint it retroactive to January 30th, meaning he can be activated whenever ready to return.
Sami Vatanen Drawing Plenty Of Interest
The New Jersey Devils are out of the race at this point in the season, so contending teams (and the fans of said teams) have undoubtedly been picking through their roster to find anything of use. One of the names that sticks out is Sami Vatanen, given his history of success, position and expiring contract. It’s no surprise then when Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) includes Vatanen on his deadline “Big Board” and writes that six or seven teams are “in” on the New Jersey defenseman.
Vatanen, 28, is a coveted right-handed defenseman who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year and brings plenty of appealing attributes. Not only has he shown throughout his career that he can help on the powerplay—10 of his 23 points this season have come with the man advantage—but he is also trusted enough in his own end to be used on the penalty kill.
While not an overbearing physical presence, Vatanen is willing to throw his weight around when he needs to and has now logged more than 21 minutes a night in six consecutive seasons. Though he hasn’t been there since 2018, the playoffs are also not foreign territory; Vatanen has suited up 44 times in the postseason (mostly with the Anaheim Ducks), recording 23 points in the process.
Six or seven teams makes for quite the bidding war, but it’s not clear exactly what Vatanen will be able to bring back for the Devils at this point. There is much debate over how the rental market will be dealt with this season, given the ever-increasing importance placed on draft and development. As it sits he may be the best rental defenseman available, but if there is no chance of an extension on the four-year, $19.5MM deal he is about to finish, teams may be hesitant to give up a top tier asset. We profiled Vatanen’s situation earlier this month and looked at some of the potential suitors that might be after him.
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Pacific Notes: Ferland, Roussel, Hayton
The Vancouver Canucks have sent Micheal Ferland to the AHL on a long-term injury conditioning loan, allowing him to get some game action under his belt before returning to the NHL lineup. The 27-year old forward has been out since early December and has just 14 games played with the Canucks this season.
After signing a four-year, $14MM deal with the Canucks in the offseason, Ferland was expected to give the team another potential top-six option and physical force up front. That hasn’t been the case yet, but if he can get healthy and back to playing well before the postseason the team will be even more formidable in a seven game playoff series.
- One of those other physical presences, Antoine Roussel, has been fined $5,000 for slashing Nashville Predators defenseman Yannick Weber in last night’s game. The amount may seem trivial, but it is the maximum allowable under the CBA and will be considered in future supplementary discipline.
- The Arizona Coyotes also have a player on conditioning loan in the minor leagues, and Craig Morgan of The Athletic is reporting that Barrett Hayton will be allowed to stay there a little longer. The young forward is actually too young to play regularly in the AHL, but a request to extend his conditioning stint by two games has been approved by the league. Hayton is coming back from a shoulder injury he suffered during the World Juniors.
Seth Jones Out Indefinitely, Liam Foudy Recalled
Tuesday: Jones underwent surgery today to repair a sprain and hairline fracture in his ankle. He is expected to miss the next eight to ten weeks.
Monday: As the Columbus Blue Jackets fought through injury after injury this season, one player they could rely on to hold them up and help them compete in the Metropolitan Division was Seth Jones. The incredible defenseman was having another outstanding season, but just like many of his teammates he’ll now have to watch from the infirmary. Jones has been ruled out “indefinitely” after suffering an ankle injury on Saturday and will be moved to injured reserve. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that Jones’ ankle is in fact broken, but is going for more testing before surgery is scheduled.
The Blue Jackets have recalled Gabriel Carlsson from the minor leagues, and Liam Foudy under emergency conditions from the OHL’s London Knights. Cam Atkinson will also not play for the Blue Jackets tonight.
Jones, 25, has received Norris Trophy votes as one of the league’s best defensemen in each of the last three years and would surely garner some more if the vote were held today. With 30 points in 56 games for Columbus, he has been a huge reason why the team has been so stingy in their own end and are in a playoff spot even after the offseason departures. His absence will truly test a group that has fought through plenty of adversity this season.
Foudy’s recall is the first of his career, and will result in his NHL debut later tonight. The 18th overall pick from 2018, he has starred for the Knights and was a big part of the gold medal-winning Team Canada at the World Juniors. After turning 20 just a few days ago, he’ll try to use his elite skating ability to find success in the NHL.
Since he was already returned to the CHL earlier this season however, Foudy cannot stay in the NHL for long. To even recall him in the first place the team needed to be on their third emergency recall—which was no problem thanks to the litany of injuries they’ve dealt with—but CapFriendly explains that he can only miss a single CHL game. The Knights play tomorrow evening.
Connor McDavid Out 2-3 Weeks
The Edmonton Oilers have lost their captain for at least a few weeks. Oilers GM Ken Holland announced today that Connor McDavid will be out two to three weeks with a quad injury. McDavid is returning to Toronto to work with his rehab team in the meantime. Holland was clear to point out that this injury has nothing to do with the major knee injury that McDavid suffered last year. No surgery will be required.
Losing one of the most exciting players in the world is bad for the NHL, but for Edmonton it could be disastrous. The Oilers currently sit in second place in the Pacific Division, but that doesn’t really show the real precariousness of the situation. The Vegas Golden Knights and Calgary Flames are both tied with Edmonton with 64 points, while the Arizona Coyotes sit just behind them with 63. The Winnipeg Jets also sit at 63 and are battling for the wild card, meaning the Oilers could fall right out of a playoff spot if they have a bad stretch.
The Oilers have an especially busy scheduling coming up as they catch up to the teams around them in games played as well. With eight games over the next two weeks and 12 over the next three, McDavid could miss a good chunk of the most important part of the season.
That puts the onus on Leon Draisaitl to prove his Hart Trophy candidacy and lead the Oilers through this stretch with his quick strike offensive ability. Already leading the league in scoring with 85 points in 55 games, the 24-year old forward will have even more attention put upon him every night.
Minor Transactions: 02/11/20
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild decided to shake up the hockey world last night, completing the first major trade of deadline season by finally agreeing to a Jason Zucker deal. The former Wild forward is expected to debut on Sidney Crosby‘s line tonight, not a bad place to try and make an impact on your new team. As the rest of the league responds and prepares, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- After their game last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced two transactions to fix their roster. The first was to send Liam Foudy back to the OHL after making his NHL debut as an emergency call-up, with the second being Gabriel Carlsson‘s return to the AHL.
- Karson Kuhlman is back with the Boston Bruins, recalled today and put onto the second line at practice beside Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci. Kuhlman has five points in 17 NHL games this season, and has bounced back and forth regularly.
- After getting into some action to test his mettle, Martin Fehervary has been returned to the AHL. Though the 20-year old defenseman has shown glimpses of what he can become, there is still development to be done.
- The Detroit Red Wings have returned Taro Hirose and Givani Smith to the minor leagues, while activating Anthony Mantha and Frans Nieslen from injured reserve. Those moves come in addition to waiving Jonathan Ericsson.
- Taylor Fedun will be making his AHL debut this season, as the Texas Stars announced that Dallas has assigned the veteran defenseman to a conditioning loan. Formerly an AHL regular, Fedun has only skated in three games in the minors since he was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres early last season. At the price of only a seventh-round pick, Fedun has been a valuable asset for Dallas, recording 11 points in 54 games last year and nine points in 27 games so far this year.
- The AHL’s Laval Rocket have re-signed forward Yannick Veilleux to a one-year extension, the team announced. In his second go-round with Laval, the Quebec native has nine points in 14 games since being recalled from the ECHL. Veilleux spent all of last season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans but was in Laval the season prior.
Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire Jason Zucker
The Pittsburgh Penguins have finally landed their man. The Penguins have acquired Jason Zucker from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk, Calen Addison and a conditional 2020 first-round pick. Should the Penguins miss the playoffs this season, they will have the option to instead give the Wild their 2021 first-round selection.
Zucker, 28, has been a target of Penguins’ GM Jim Rutherford for some time. Last summer there was a deal agreed upon between the two teams that would have sent Phil Kessel to Minnesota, but the enigmatic sniper refused to waive his no-trade clause. Kessel was eventually dealt to the Arizona Coyotes instead with Galchenyuk a big part of the return. Zucker is signed through 2022-23 at a $5.5MM cap hit, giving the team a lot more cost certainty than Galchenyuk, who is a pending unrestricted free agent.
The last several years have been quite the rollercoaster for Galchenyuk. The third overall pick in 2012 scored a career-high 30 goals in 2015-16 with the Montreal Canadiens but will now join his fourth organization in three seasons. Despite coming in to potentially replace Kessel in the Pittsburgh top-six, the 25-year old couldn’t find a fit beside Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin and was dropped down in the lineup. With just five goals and 17 points in 45 games it has been a disaster for him, especially given he’ll be negotiating a new deal in a few months.
Though Zucker and Galchenyuk will fill most of the headlines, Addison isn’t to be overlooked. The 19-year old defenseman is the real gem in the deal for the Wild, who are trying to add more prospect talent to the organization. Selected 53rd overall in 2018, the puck-moving blueliner has 43 points in 39 games for the Lethbridge Hurricanes and was one of the best players for the gold medal-winning Team Canada at the World Juniors. McKenzie tweets that the Penguins didn’t want to include Addison in the deal, but given Wild GM Bill Guerin‘s familiarity with the Pittsburgh organization it’s not surprising that he was a target.
The fact that the Wild will also add a first-round selection makes this quite the package, especially if they can either re-sign or flip Galchenyuk for even more. Zucker does appear to be a perfect fit for the Penguins however, especially given Jake Guentzel‘s long-term injury.
Not only is capable of creating plenty of offense—he currently sits at 14 goals, 29 points through 45 games—he also brings the one attribute that has worked so well in the past alongside Crosby: speed. Zucker is still one of the best straight line skaters in the league and will give the team another weapon at even-strength and on the powerplay.
It comes as no surprise that Rutherford has landed one of his top targets several weeks before the deadline. The veteran executive has never been shy to pull the trigger on a big deal, and with his dynamic duo getting older there is no time to waste when pursuing another Stanley Cup.
One statistic that may cause some anxiety in Pittsburgh fans? Zucker has just eight points in 31 career playoff games, and was held scoreless during his most recent series in 2018.
Bob McKenzie of TSN was first to break the deal on Twitter.
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John Marino Undergoes Surgery
Monday: The Penguins have announced that Marino underwent surgery to repair facial bone fractures and will miss three to six weeks.
Friday: The Pittsburgh Penguins have dealt with injuries to almost every single one of their core players this season, and now the bug has caught on with the rookies too. According to several reports including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, John Marino has broken three bones in his cheek and is expected to require surgery.
Marino, 22, has been a revelation for the Penguins this season, stepping right into the NHL to become an impact player in his rookie season. A sixth-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers, it was clear he was not going to sign with the team so they traded him to the Penguins in the offseason for a new sixth. All he’s done in the meantime is record 25 points in 51 games for Pittsburgh and average more than 20 minutes a game.
Struck in the face by a deflected Steven Stamkos shot on Thursday, it originally seemed as though Marino would be okay. Further evaluation has revealed the extent of the damage, though there has still not been an official statement released from the team. To that end, it is not clear when Marino will be able to return to action for the Penguins
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