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Snapshots: Capitals, Senators, Bruins

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News and notes from around the NHL this morning:

  • The Washington Capitals have recalled Zach Sanford from the AHL Hershey Bears with no corresponding reassignment. Sanford struggled in his first stint with the Capitals, earning just one assist in 19 games. He then turned it around in the AHL, however, and scored 4G and 3A in six games for Hershey. The Capitals hope to take advantage of Sanford’s newfound production as they play the Montreal Canadiens tonight. The move leaves Washington with just $237 (yes, two hundred and thirty-seven dollars) in cap space today.
  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Casey Bailey from the Binghamton Senators to replace suspended forward Mike Hoffman, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. Hoffman is serving a two-game suspension for crosschecking San Jose Sharks’ Logan Couture on Wednesday night. Bailey, his replacement, is having a decent year in Binghamton, scoring 9G and 5A in 25 games. This will be Bailey’s first taste of NHL action since playing six games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014-15.
  • The Boston Bruins announced that forward David Pastrnak underwent the successful removal of his olecranon bursa from his right elbow yesterday. Pastrnak will miss both Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings and Tuesday’s game against the New York Islanders. The Bruins are no stranger to “popeye elbow” as David Backes also missed time with the same ailment. If Backes’s recovery period is any indication, Pastrnak will be out of commission for approximately two weeks. The young forward is having a breakout season this year, scoring 19G and 7A in 27 games for the Bruins and is 2nd in team scoring.

Kris Letang Placed On IR

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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced today that they have officially placed defenseman Kris Letang on Injured Reserve. Penguins Coach Mike Sullivan initially announced Letang’s injury on Thursday after the previous night’s 4-3 overtime victory against the Boston Bruins. Letang did not miss a shift that game, but was slow to get up after a rough hit into the boards during the second period.

Letang has 2G and 17A in 25 games for the Penguins and sits 4th in team scoring. The Canadian defenseman plays almost six minutes more a night than any other Penguin, and his presence on the blueline will be sorely missed.

To replace Letang the Penguins have recalled defenseman Chad Ruhwedel from the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Ruhwedel has 3G and 10A in 26 games for the AHL club. The 26 year-old signed with the Penguins organization this summer after playing four seasons with the Buffalo Sabres organization, appearing in 33 NHL games over that timeframe.

Holiday Roster Freeze Explained

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The annual NHL holiday roster freeze starts Monday at midnight, effectively shutting down any player movement until after the holidays. The NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement (Article 16.5(d)) outlines that NHL rosters are frozen from December 19th at 11:59pm through to December 28th at 12:01am. That means no trades, no loans, and no waivers.  As with almost every CBA section, however, there are certain exceptions to the no-movement period:

  1. Players recalled from the minors. A player can be recalled from a team’s AHL or ECHL team during the roster freeze. This allows teams to replace injured NHL players with those in the AHL.
  2. Players claimed from waivers if placed before the roster freeze. If a player was placed on Regular Waivers before the freeze, and was claimed during the freeze, that player will still have to report to his new club immediately.
  3. Players reassigned after emergency recall. Any player in the NHL on an emergency recall may be loaned back to his minor league team during the freeze.
  4. Waiver-exempt players recalled after December 11th. Any waiver-exempt player recalled after December 11th may be loaned back to his minor league team until 11:59pm on December 23rd.
  5. Any movement necessary to make room for a player returning from LTIR. Teams are permitted to waive or reassign players if the team needs to make roster space for a player returning from Long-Term Injury Reserve. The clause states any transactions necessary, but it is unclear whether that would allow trades between NHL teams (assuming the moving team received non-frozen assets in return).

Aside from these exceptions, NHL rosters remain static until the 28th to provide stability for players and their families during the holiday period.

Andrew Shaw Out With Concussion

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The Montreal Canadiens announced that forward Andrew Shaw is out with a concussion after symptoms developed yesterday afternoon. He will not play tonight against the San Jose Sharks, and Sportcentre’s Amanda Stein reports that Shaw will also miss tomorrow night’s game in Washington against the Capitals.

It’s unclear whether Shaw’s concussion stems from gameplay or practice. The Canadiens last played on Monday night against the Boston Bruins, and it is possible that his symptoms remained at bay until yesterday. It is also worth noting, however, that some players refrain from reporting concussion symptoms unless it is absolutely necessary.

Shaw signed a six-year deal with the Canadiens this offseason worth an average of $3.9MM a year. His 6G and 9A in 29 games is in line with his career numbers with the Chicago Blackhawks. His value stems more from his perceived grit and energy than his hands, though he can light the lamp if necessary.

Shaw joins teammates David Desharnais (knee), Alex Galchenyuk (knee), and Greg Pateryn (ankle) on the mend as the Habs enter the holiday season. The team’s hold on 1st in the Atlantic is safe for now with a seven-point cushion, but extended absences from their star players could spell trouble.

Mike Hoffman Has Disciplinary Hearing Friday

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According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa Senators forward Mike Hoffman has a telephone hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety Friday. The hearing concerns Hoffman’s crosscheck to the head of San Jose Sharks forward Logan Couture during the third period Wednesday night.

Hoffman crosschecked Couture midway through the third period in a 2-2 game last night (link to video). Couture initially crosschecked Hoffman earlier in the play, then Hoffman responded after losing the puck by going after Couture. It is unclear whether Hoffman targeted Couture’s head—rather than his back—as Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon had his stick in Hoffman’s arms and Couture himself was crouched down slightly.

NBC’s Pierre McGuire told TSN 1200 that while he thinks Hoffman should get five games (audio link), the league will probably hand out a lesser suspension. Hoffman currently ranks 3rd in team scoring with 9G and 21A in 28 games, and an already sluggish offence—22nd overall—could become even more stagnant. It’s difficult to assess what the NHL decides in this case. A significant suspension would signal that the league is tough on hits to the head, something becoming more and more relevant as concussion-related litigation infiltrates the four major sports.

Snapshots: Bruins, Maple Leafs, Oilers

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • Boston Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller is out tonight with the flu, the team announced. Colin Miller will replace him in the lineup.  The flu bug is common this time of year, with Miller joining notable NHLers Nick Foligno and Ryan McDonagh among those sidelined recently because of the flu. Teams take strict care when dealing with players with the flu because the virus’s high contagiousness could wreak havoc on a hockey team sharing close quarters. Meanwhile, coach Claude Julien said that Anton Blidh will draw into the lineup tonight, skating on the fourth line. Blidh, who was called up this morning from the Providence Bruins, has 1 assist in four games for Boston, but 6G and 4A in 21 games for Providence.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs forward—and 2015 1st overall draft pick—Auston Matthews plays his first game against his hometown Arizona Coyotes tonight. Matthews was raised in Scottsdale, Arizona after his family moved there from California when he was small. The American-born forward represents a new wave of American NHLers and is seen as a successful product of the NHL’s sunbelt expansion.
  • The Edmonton Oilers recalled AHL point leader Taylor Beck from the Bakersfield Condors today. They reassigned Anton Slepyshev to make room for Beck, and hope that his offense bolsters an already stacked forward unit. Beck has 9G and 21A in 19 games for the Condors, and many wondered why this move hadn’t come sooner. As for Slepyshev, the Russian forward has struggled with the big club, scoring only 2G and 2A in 15 games so far this season.

Ryan McDonagh Out With Flu

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New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh has the flu and will miss tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Rangers’ captain was a game-time decision—as most flu cases are—and the defenseman will be replaced by Adam Clendening. McDonagh will be day-to-day and should not miss more than a couple of games.

McDonagh is off to a great start this year, scoring 1G and 16A in 30 games for the Rangers. He also leads the team in playing time with over four more minutes than any other non-goalie. McDonagh’s absence tonight on the blue line against the powerful Chicago Blackhawks could spell the end of Rangers backup goaltender Antti Raanta’s starting streak.

Replacing McDonagh is Adam Clendening, who has played 7 games this year and none since December 1st. He has 3A in those 7 games, but he is also riding a three-game point streak. He’ll play on the 3rd pairing with Brady Skjei, reports Steve Zipay of Newsday Sports. Kevin Klein will move up to 1st-pairing duties.

 

Max Domi Out Indefinitely

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The Arizona Coyotes announced today that Max Domi is out indefinitely after suffering a hand injury on December 8th. Domi had successful hand surgery today following his injury.

Domi suffered the injury while fighting Garnet Hathaway of the Calgary Flames on December 8th. Domi left that game and did not return. The sophomore forward is primarily a goal scorer but will not shy away from dropping the gloves if necessary—a trait likely inherited from his father Tie Domi.

Domi’s absence hurts the Coyotes. His 5G and 11A in 26 games is good for 2nd in team scoring on a team ranked 28th in goals for. This is another blow for a Coyotes team that was looking to make a step forward with its youth and smart signings. Domi’s absence, however, provides an opportunity for fellow sophomore forward Anthony Duclair to turn around a terrible start and try to regain last year’s form.

Newly-acquired Peter Holland will also have an expanded opportunity to prove to his former team—the Toronto Maple Leafs—that they were wrong about his place in this league. Holland could not crack the Maple Leafs’ roster, and did not play until he was traded to Arizona for a conditional sixth round draft pick.

 

Mark Streit Out For Two Weeks

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Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Mark Streit will miss at least two weeks with a sprained shoulder, GM Ron Hextall announced tonight. Streit suffered the injury late in the Flyer’s game against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday and did not play in either the last 2:26 of the 3rd period or in overtime. He joins fellow Flyer defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere on the sidelines as Gostisbehere is day-to-day recovering from a hand injury.

Streit has exceeded expectations this year, scoring 5G and 11A in 31 games and is 5th in team scoring. He’s on the final year of a four-year deal worth $5.25MM a year. Streit turned 39 this year so questions naturally arise as to whether he returns for another season. Injuries like this always weigh heavily on a player’s mind and could sway the scales one way or another. If Streit maintains his production, however, the Flyers should consider offering a one or two year contract.

Streit’s injury puts Philadelphia’s nine-game win streak in jeopardy. With both Gostisbehere and Streit sidelined, the Flyers lose their top-two power-play quarterbacks. Rookie defenseman Ivan Provorov will gain an expanded role on the blue line until either defenseman returns.

 

Sidney Crosby Injured [Update: Returns To Bench]

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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby took a stick to the face in the dying seconds of the first period tonight against the Arizona Coyotes. He returned to the bench early in the second period after getting repaired by the Penguins medical staff.

No penalty was called on the play as Crosby caught Arizona’s Martin Hanzal’s stick in the face after Hanzel collided with both Crosby and Crosby’s teammate Patric Hornqvist. Crosby stayed down for a minute before skating off to the dressing room.

Any head-related injury for Crosby is concerning when considering his history with concussion and concussion-related symptoms. Crosby has already missed time this season with a head injury, and losing more time in a tight Metropolitan Division could cost the Penguins dearly in the long run.

 

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