Columbus Blue Jackets Make Several Roster Moves
The Columbus Blue Jackets have given their roster a shake up, starting with the activation of Alexandre Texier from injured reserve. The young forward has been out since October 26th. Beyond that, the team has also sent down Elvis Merzlikins and Markus Hannikainen, while recalling Adam Clendening and Matiss Kivlenieks from the AHL.
The surprising name among the bunch is Merzlikins, who has served as the Blue Jackets’ backup goaltender this season. He has just four appearances so far however, and given the team doesn’t have a back-to-back situation until the end of the month, may not be getting much more action in the NHL anytime soon. In order to keep him fresh, the team likely wants him to get some minutes in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters before coming back up.
Clendening too is an interesting recall, if only because it is for the first time this season. The 27-year old defenseman actually ended up playing in seven playoff games for the Blue Jackets last season, but was waived and sent to the minors again at the end of training camp this year. An AHL star, Clendening is off to another great start with six points in his first ten games for the Monsters.
Texier, 20, is a big part of the future for Columbus, who expect him to be a two-way force in their lineup for a long time. The young forward has three points in his first 11 games with the team but has missed the last four contests after suffering a knee injury against the Philadelphia Flyers. In that time, the Blue Jackets have gone 0-3-1 and dropped far behind in the playoff race in the Metropolitan Division.
Erik Kallgren Placed On Unconditional Waivers
Wednesday: Craig Morgan of The Athletic reports that Kallgren has cleared waivers and will return to Sweden.
Tuesday: The Arizona Coyotes have placed Erik Kallgren on unconditional waivers according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. The move usually precedes a mutual contract termination, meaning the 23-year old goaltender is likely on his way back to Europe.
Kallgren was only signed a few months ago by the Coyotes, inking a two-year entry-level contract in April. The fact that he has spent just as much time in the ECHL as AHL likely contributes to his desire to return home, even though he has found success early on. In three games with the Rapid City Rush he has a .924 save percentage, and he only allowed one goal on 30 shots for the Tucson Roadrunners.
Still, the Coyotes goaltending depth has only gotten better since they claimed Eric Comrie off waivers, and it would have been difficult for Kallgren to get regular AHL playing time. A contract termination will make him an unrestricted free agent and a name to remember in the future as teams follow his progress back in Sweden.
Minor Transactions: 11/06/19
Last night was another step in the right direction for three struggling Western Conference teams, as the Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild were all victorious in their respective matchups. The same can not be said about the Los Angeles Kings, who are now 5-10 and have trade rumors swirling all about. Just two games are on the schedule tonight, and as teams prepare for that action we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- With Alexandre Texier nearing a return, the Columbus Blue Jackets have sent Markus Hannikainen to the minor leagues. Hannikainen still hasn’t played in a single game for the Blue Jackets this season after suiting up 44 times in 2018-19. The 26-year old is just injury depth at this point.
- Dominic Toninato has been recalled by the Florida Panthers, after they sent Riley Stillman back yesterday. The Panthers acquired Toninato from the Colorado Avalanche just a few months ago, and this will be his first call-up with the organization.
- German Rubtsov‘s time with the NHL club is over for now, as the Philadelphia Flyers have sent him back to the AHL and recalled Mikhail Vorobyev. In three games Rubtsov was held scoreless and still looks to have some development to do in the minor leagues. The 21-year old has played just 21 AHL games so far after injury robbed him of much of the 2018-19 season.
- Nicolas Hague and Nicolas Roy are on their way back to the Chicago Wolves, the latest in a series of transactions for the pair of Vegas Golden Knights prospects. The team is using off days to bank some cap space, but could recall one or both down the road.
- The Vancouver Canucks have sent Ashton Sautner back down, a good sign after he was forced from his only game with an injury. The 25-year old defenseman won’t be a full-time player for the Canucks this season, but is valuable injury depth.
- Josh Mahura has been assigned to the Anaheim Ducks, another likely cap-saving move that while the team waits for their next game. The Ducks don’t play again until Sunday.
- Zachary Senyshyn and Cameron Hughes have both been sent back down by the Boston Bruins, who don’t play again until Friday evening. At least one of the young forwards will likely be recalled at that time, but for now the team will save some cap space on the off days.
- Jayson Megna has been returned to the AHL by the Colorado Avalanche, with T.J. Tynan taking his place on the NHL roster. The 27-year old Tynan has been on fire at the minor league level, scoring 12 points in his first ten games for the Colorado Eagles.
- The Washington Capitals have returned Liam O’Brien to the minor leagues, giving him a chance at some playing time after sitting on the sidelines the last few days. O’Brien is an important player for the Hershey Bears, but hasn’t suited up for an NHL game since 2017-18.
- The Chicago Blackhawks announced that defenseman Dennis Gilbert has been re-assigned to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. The 23-year-old has split his season between the NHL and AHL, most recently getting some starts in Chicago in place of Brent Seabrook.
Early Notes: Klingberg, Canucks, Draft Rankings
Darren Dreger of TSN reports that Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg will have an MRI today to determine the severity of his injury after being struck in the neck by a puck last night. The team announced to reporters including Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News that it would be at least two weeks, while Dreger suggests a 2-4 week timeline was the original prognosis.
The Stars are already without Andrej Sekera, Roman Polak and Stephen Johns, meaning their defensive depth will be stretched awfully thin over the next few weeks without Klingberg in the lineup. That comes just as they are finally hitting their stride, winning seven of their last eight games to climb back into the Western Conference playoff race.
- The Vancouver Canucks have given extensions to their assistant coaching staff according to Scott Rintoul of Sportsnet. The team has not confirmed exactly who received these extensions or how long they are for, but this is an obvious sign that the front office is pleased with the progress over the last while. The Canucks took the defending Stanley Cup champions to overtime last night and are now 9-3-3 on the season.
- Sportsnet has released their November draft rankings for the 2020 class, and it comes as no surprise that Alexis Lafreniere and Quinton Byfield lead the group. The pair of CHL stars have absolutely dominated their respective leagues to this point, with a combined 76 points (43 for Lafreniere, 33 for Byfield) in just 36 games.
Snapshots: Clifford, Senators, Tavares
The Los Angeles Kings have made it clear over the last few seasons that they’re willing to part with some of their veteran names and Tyler Toffoli is the latest to be involved in trade rumors as he nears the end of his current contract. Not so fast for another pending free agent however, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes in his latest 31 Thoughts column. The Kings will make teams “work” to convince them to trade Kyle Clifford, who has become an integral part of the leadership group in Los Angeles.
Clifford, 28, has never been relied upon to put the puck in the net much, but did record his best offensive season in 2018-19 with 11 goals and 21 points. He carries a $1.6MM cap hit through the end of this season and will be an unrestricted free agent without a new deal. Over 621 regular season games, Clifford has recorded 1,375 hits.
- The Ottawa Senators haven’t really used the KHL as an avenue of acquiring organizational talent in the past, but Friedman notes that is changing. Notably, the team now has a substantial Russian contingent on the NHL team with Artem Anisimov, Vladislav Namestnikov and Nikita Zaitsev, a group that could potentially help a KHL player get acclimated to life in North America.
- After seven games without their new captain, the Toronto Maple Leafs will have John Tavares back in the lineup tonight when they take on the Los Angeles Kings. The $11MM center will be reunited with linemate Mitch Marner, though Zach Hyman remains out for now as he continues to recover from major knee surgery.
Trevor Daley Placed On Injured Reserve
The Detroit Red Wings have placed Trevor Daley on injured reserve once again, retroactive to November 2nd when he last suited up for the team. In his place comes Dylan McIlrath who has been recalled for the first time this season.
The 10th-overall pick in 2010, McIlrath never did become the physical, shutdown defender the New York Rangers had envisioned. In fact, the 27-year old has played just 50 games in the NHL over his long professional career, spending much more time in the minor leagues for three different organizations.
McIlrath did however play seven games for the Red Wings last season, and has been a staple on the Grand Rapids Griffins blueline for several seasons now. The 6’4″ defenseman was actually re-signed to a two-year, two-way contract in May and cleared waivers before the beginning of the season.
For Daley, this is a relatively quick return to the injured reserve list after spending some time there earlier this season. He was only activated on October 15th and has 11 games under his belt, with no points yet to show. In fact, Daley is averaging fewer than 15 minutes a game this year, by far the lowest amount of his career. The 36-year old is nearing the end of a very productive career, and will need to find some modicum of health to even play a full-time role on the rebuilding Red Wings.
Arizona Coyotes Pursuing Alexander Barabanov
It was reported last month that there were several NHL executives set to scout KHL forward Alexander Barabanov in person, and now Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has identified one of them. John Chayka, general manager of the Arizona Coyotes, was recently in Russia meeting Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey who represents Barabanov. Friedman notes that the Coyotes are the “most ardent pursuers” of the 25-year old who currently plays for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL.
Last season Barabanov was one of the most productive offensive players in the entire KHL, scoring 46 points in 58 games. It hasn’t been so rosy this year after his ice time was reduced, but the Coyotes obviously still believe he could be an asset to their organization.
Barabanov will become a free agent at the end of the KHL season and should have several interested NHL parties, though it is obviously unclear what kind of impact he could have on North American ice. He had very similar production last season to Ilya Mikheyev, who is finding success with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was also outscored significantly by Vadim Shipachyov who failed to make an impact for the Vegas Golden Knights and Nikita Gusev who has struggled with the New Jersey Devils.
The 5’10” forward has represented Russia several times on the international stage, even winning a gold medal at the 2018 Olympics and two bronze medals at the World Championships.
Boston Bruins Place Par Lindholm On IR, Recall Zach Senyshyn
After missing the last week with an upper-body injury, Par Lindholm is finally going on injured reserve for the Boston Bruins. The team has recalled Zachary Senyshyn in his place, giving them another option while David Backes also remains out following his recent collision.
Senyshyn, 22, is one of the infamous players selected by Boston in 2015 when they had three consecutive first-round picks. His struggles as a professional have been amplified by the success of those taken after him—Mathew Barzal, Kyle Connor and Thomas Chabot happened to go in the next three picks—but there is still time for him to carve out some sort of NHL career.
In 12 games with the Providence Bruins this season Senyshyn has just three points and looked completely absent early on, but may get a chance anyway as Boston travels to Montreal. The young forward played in two games for the NHL team last season and scored a goal, hopefully a sign of things to come this time around.
Minor Transactions: 11/05/19
No third period lead is safe when the Boston Bruins are on the ice this season, as three consecutive goals by their star players put the Pittsburgh Penguins to sleep last night. Brad Marchand had another five-point evening, making him and linemate David Pastrnak the two leading scorers in the NHL. They’ll be tested tonight on the second half of a back-to-back when they face the Montreal Canadiens, but nothing seems to be able to slow down the Bruins at this point. As they and the rest of the league prepare for a full night of NHL hockey, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Nic Petan from the minor leagues, giving them another option up front for tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. Petan had five points in two games for the Toronto Marlies, proving once again that he is too good for the AHL. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s getting back into the NHL lineup though, especially if John Tavares is returning tonight for the Maple Leafs, something that is likely but has yet to be confirmed.
- The New York Islanders have brought back Otto Koivula recalling him from the minor leagues along with Seth Helgeson. Koivula didn’t get a chance to play in the NHL during his last recall, while Helgeson has also not been given an opportunity with the Islanders despite being part of the organization for the last several seasons. The Islanders take on the Ottawa Senators tonight, looking for their tenth consecutive win.
- Kyle Capobianco is back with the Arizona Coyotes for the time being while they deal with injuries on defense. Jordan Oesterle took a shot to the head last night against the Edmonton Oilers and may be sitting out according to Craig Morgan of The Athletic, which may provide another opportunity for Capobianco to get into some NHL action. To make room, the team has returned Michael Chaput to the AHL.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Sam Lafferty from the minor leagues, giving them another body after they were forced to use assistant coach Mark Recchi at practice today. The Penguins can’t seem to get completely healthy, though Brian Dumoulin‘s absence from practice today was so that he could spend some time with his newborn child.
Poll: Who Is The Early Calder Trophy Favorite?
The Calder Trophy is one of the most intriguing awards in the NHL. Every year a new crop of rookies compete for the title of league’s best and with it a shining star at the start of their NHL careers. The list of winners includes many of the best players the game has ever seen—Terry Sawchuk, Frank Mahovlich, Bobby Orr, Ray Bourque, Mario Lemieux and Alex Ovechkin are all part of the exclusive group—but also has some names that haven’t had quite the careers their early success implied.
Last year’s winner was Elias Pettersson, who beat out Stanley Cup winner Jordan Binnington in voting after a 66-point season. Pettersson only played in 71 games making his point totals even more impressive and enough to eclipse the turnaround that Binnington provided the St. Louis Blues in the second half.
Could Vancouver have another winner on the roster this time around? Quinn Hughes is off to an incredible start with the Canucks in his first season, logging some of the best possession numbers in the NHL and posting ten points in 13 games. Hughes looks to have escaped major injury recently when his leg was twisted underneath him, but he’ll have to return soon if he has a chance at holding off the field.
In fact, he’s not even leading rookies in scoring this season. That honor is split between two very different players. Cale Makar, another outstanding young defenseman that showed what he could do in the playoffs last season has 11 points in 14 games. The Colorado Avalanche have loved every minute of their rookie phenom, and are giving him even more opportunity of late.
He’s tied with Ilya Mikheyev though, who has the advantage of several years of professional hockey under his belt. Mikheyev is already 25 years old, but is playing in his first NHL season after signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs out of the KHL. It’s not like the NHL hasn’t seen a situation like this play out before. Artemi Panarin beat out Connor McDavid in 2015-16 as a 24-year old rookie out of the KHL, though he needed a 77-point season and an injury to the Edmonton Oilers’ superstar to do it. Mikheyev would probably need some good fortune to come out on top, but 11 points in his first 15 games is nothing to ignore.
There are plenty of others to consider however. Victor Olofsson leads all rookies in goal scoring with six, all of which have been on the powerplay. If his even-strength contributions could catch up there’s a real chance he could lead all first year players in points by the end of the year. Jack Hughes has also been effective, even after an extremely slow start. He has the benefit of notoriety that comes with being the first overall pick, but he’ll likely need at least a bit of team success to take home the trophy.
Others like Martin Necas, Cody Glass and Alexander Nylander have all been given amazing opportunities playing with great NHL talent, while defenders like Ethan Bear and Dante Fabbro impress in their own end. Kaapo Kakko, who may have been expected to contend for it after his outstanding international performances, will need to really turn his early season struggles around in order to catch the clubhouse leaders.
Who do you think is the favorite right now? Who will eventually win? We’ve included some of the major candidates below, but make sure to suggest other possibilities in the comment section.
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