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Injury Notes: Thursday November 3rd

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Injury notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Los Angeles Kings have officially placed forward Andy Andreoff on IR today. Andreoff suffered an upper-body injury in the Kings’ 3-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. It is unknown what caused the injury, but Andreoff left the ice with 2:24 in the second period and did not return, reports LA Kings Insider Jon Rosen. The former third-round draft pick currently has zero points in eight games for the Kings this season.
  • The Arizona Coyotes are without Martin Hanzal, Michael Stone, and Tobias Rieder tonight as all three are out with various injuries, reports AZ Central’s Sarah McLellan. The Coyotes have been hit hard with the injury bug, including losing starting goaltender Mike Smith to a lower body injury. Smith has skated with full gear for the past couple of days, but has not faced any shots or done any actual goaltending yet. The Coyotes look forward to the return of all these players as they sit 3-6-0 on the season.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have activated Michael Raffl off of IR today, and expect him in the lineup tonight against the Islanders, reports the team. Raffl missed the last eight games due to an abdominal injury suffered in a match against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Flyers have scratched Dale Weise tonight to make room for Raffl. Weise has only one point in eight games for the Flyers so far this season.

Snapshots: Coyotes, Lightning, Backes

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Phoenix Coyotes have assigned center Christian Dvorak to the team’s AHL affiliate Tuscon Roadrunners. Dvorak has zero goals and three assists in seven games for the Coyotes. The Coyotes did not immediately recall another player, which means young prospect Dylan Strome looks to have an extended playing opportunity tonight. Strome—Arizona’s 3rd overall draft pick last year—has only played three games this season. AZ Sports writer Craig Morgan says not to expect Dvorak to be in Tucson for long because Arizona will be shuttling AHL-eligible players back and forth to both save cap space and provide additional playing time.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled defenseman Slater Koekkoek and reassigned Matt Taormina. The move comes ahead of the Lightning’s Tuesday night game against the New York Islanders. Koekkoek was originally drafted 10th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, but has not yet lived up to expectations. He made the Lightning out of camp this season, but was a healthy scratch for the team’s first three games. Tampa Bay then sent Koekkoek down to the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) to get more playing time. Taomina has been a career AHLer, and was called up for one game before being sent back down.
  • Boston Bruins forward David Backes is expected to miss the next two games, according to head coach Claude Julien. Backes underwent surgery last week to remedy his olecranon bursitis (elbow inflammation) and has been out since October 25th. The Bruins are holding Backes out now to prevent infection and to ensure that he heals properly. Backes has been productive since signing with the Bruins in the offseason, scoring 2G and 2A in 5 games.

Sunday Review: The Top Five Posts This Week

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Did you miss any important NHL transaction news this week? Don’t worry, because PHR has you covered. Here are the top five news stories of the week:

UFA Christian Ehrhoff signs with Germany’s Kolner Haie
Unrestricted free agenct Christian Ehrhoff signed a one-year deal with the DEL’s Kolner Haie. The defensman failed to find a satisfactory fit this offseason after trying out for the Boston Bruins on a PTO. The Bruins offered Ehrhoff a contract, but Ehrhoff refused when he learned he would be starting the season as a scratch.

RFA Hampus Lindholm re-signs with Anaheim Ducks
Hampus Lindholm and the Anaheim Ducks came to terms this Thursday and ended months of negotiating. Lindholm was the second-to-last remaining RFA unsigned this season, and he took a six-year deal worth $5.25MM a year. It is understood that Lindholm’s camp acquiesed as its leverage shrunk the closer they got to December 1st.

Las Vegas given free agency head start
The Las Vegas Expansion team will have a 48-hour window prior to the Expansion Draft to negotiate with any unprotected UFAs and RFAs. This is to prevent situations where Las Vegas selects a player unwilling to then sign with the team. The rule also allows Las Vegas to sign any unprotected free agent it wants during the exclusive negotiating window.

Craig Anderson’s wife diagnosed with cancer
Craig Anderson’s wife Nicholle Anderson has been diagnosed with cancer. Anderson initially took personal leave from the Ottawa Senators to be with his wife, but rejoined the team when backup Andrew Hammond went down with injury. The return comes with his wife’s blessing, and it is unclear how long Anderson will stay with the team before returning home.

Isles shopping Jaroslav Halak
The New York Islanders are reportedly shopping goaltender Jaroslav Halak. This comes on the heels of tweets from Halak and fellow Isles goaltender Jean-Francois Berube’s agent Allen Walsh expressing anger over the Islanders three-man goaltending situation. Walsh complained that no goalie was getting adequate practice time, and that a three-man unit was hurting his clients.

Snapshots: McNabb, Kings, Ott

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News and notes from around the NHL:

  • The Los Angeles Kings have officially placed Brayden McNabb on injured reserve after the defenseman suffered an upper-body injury Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues. McNabb got tangled up with St Louis’s Colton Parayko in the second period and fell awkwardly into the boards. McNabb has two goals this season and is considered one half of the 2nd best defensive pairing in the league (with Drew Doughty). The Kings have slated Matt Greene to replace McNabb tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks.
  • Continuing with the Kings, the team has scratched forwards Nick Shore and Teddy Purcell tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks. Shore has only one assist so far eight games this season. Teddy Purcell—signed in the offseason to a one-year, $1.6MM deal to minimize the loss of Milan Lucic—has rode the bench for seven straight games after starting the season’s first two. Both the team and the player hope that Purcell rediscover whatever made him so effective in the past.
  • The NHL fined Detroit Red Wings Steve Ott $2,222.22—the maximum allowed under the CBA—for spearing Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara last night. Ott speared Chara a mere thirty seconds into the game, but the infraction went unnoticed by referees. Instead, both players received unsportsmanlike penalties for the resulting battling after Ott’s spear.

 

Lineup Return: Crosby, Murray, McGinn

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News and notes from tonight’s NHL lineup announcements:

  • The reigning NHL MVP Sidney Crosby makes his season debut tonight with the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Florida Panthers. Crosby missed the first six games of the season with a concussion he suffered in preseason practice. His early return must alleviate concerns the organization had with his recovery, given that Crosby missed 101 games over two seasons with concussions and related issues. Crosby will make his debut centering Scott Wilson and Patric Hornqvist.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins regain another key piece to their Stanley Cup winning team as Matt Murray will dress for tonight’s game. Murray is slated to back up Marc-Andre Fleury tonight, and could start as early as Thursday against the New York Islanders. Murray missed Pittsburgh’s first six games as he recovered from a broken hand suffered in the World Cup of Hockey. Originally slated as the Penguins third-string goalie last year, Murray eclipsed backup Jeff Zatkoff when Fleury went down with injury, and maintained the starting role throughout the playoffs—despite Fleury returning to the team.
  • Jamie McGinn will play his first game tonight for the Arizona Coyotes, the team announced, after signing a three-year, $10MM contract this offseason. McGinn was sidelined since the beginning of the season with an upper body injury and was placed on Injured Reserve retroactive to October 5th. The Coyotes waived Jamie McBain today to make room for McGinn’s return. McGinn is a hard-nosed player with soft hands—he scored 22G and 17A in 84 games last season between Buffalo and Anaheim.

Zach Fucale Demoted To ECHL

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The St. Johns IceCaps—Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate—announced that they’ve reassigned goalie Zach Fucale to the ECHL’s Brampton Beast. Fucale is only 3 years removed from being the top goalie drafted (36th overall) in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

The demotion is a huge blow for the goaltending prospect and the Canadiens organization. In two games this season, Fucale posted a 3.56GAA and a .887 SV%. Last season he fared a little better, posting a 3.13 GAA and a .903 SV% in the AHL and was even called up to warm the bench while Carey Price recovered from injury.

It wasn’t long ago that Fucale was highly touted by scouts. In 2014-15 he led Team Canada to a gold medal in the World Junior Championships with an unreal 1.20 GAA and .949 SV%. Fucale suffered since then, and could not perform at the same high level he showcased in Junior. The Canadian goalie will be replaced by Yann Danis and Charlie Lindgren, but neither provide much security if Carey Price goes down with another injury.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Expansion Draft Tool, Senators

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News and notes around the NHL this evening:

  • The NHL named its three stars of the week today: (1st) Edmonton Oilers goalie Cam Talbot, (2nd) Chicago Blackhawks center Artem Anisimov, and (3rd) Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Green. Cam Talbot leads all goalies in wins, and racked up a 3-0-0 record with a .970 SV% and a 1.00 GAA. Talbot topped it all off with a shutout in the Heritage Classic last night against the Winnipeg Jets. Artem Anisimov led the league in points this week, scoring 4G and 3A in three games. Anisimov has struggled to find his foothold in the NHL, but with more opportunity in the Chicago Blackhawks organization after they shed salary to remain cap compliant, this year could be the year Anisimov fulfills his potential. Finally, Mike Green scored 3G and 2A in four games, though all three came in a 5-1 win against the Ottawa Senators.
  • Capfriendly—PHR’s cap tracker website of choice—has unveiled a new Expansion Draft tool that allows visitors to mock a team’s expansion draft protections. The addition comes a week after the Las Vegas NHL Expansion Team hired General Fanager creator Tom Poraszka and shut down the General Fanager site, including its popular Expansion Draft tool.
  • The Ottawa Senators have mixed up their offensive lines ahead of their three-game Western road trip, reports Ottawa Sun reporter Bruce Garrioch. The Senators are 3-2 this season and sit 6th of 8 in the Atlantic Division. Tom Pyatt joins Mike Hoffman and Kyle Turris, and Ryan Dzingel gets a chance to play with Bobby Ryan and newcomer Derick Brassard. Ottawa has struggled to find chemistry after losing winger Clarke MacArthur to yet another concussion in the pre-season.

Sabres Move Sam Reinhart to Center

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The Buffalo Sabres have done some line-shuffling this week to cope with the loss of star prospect Jack Eichel. Sam Reinhart, a natural centerman, was moved to right wing to start the season in an attempt to stack the Sabres’ offensive lines.

Reinhart initially played wing alongside Ryan O’Reilly and Kyle Okposo. Despite the star power around him, however, Reinhart managed only two assists in the Sabres’ first four games. Dan Bylsma’s move back to wing puts Reinhart in between Tyler Ennis and Zemgus Girgensons. Lesser talent perhaps, but Reinhart playing his natural position should help him regain his scoring touch. Last season Reinhart scored 23G and 19A in 79 games for the Sabres, and the team is looking for the young forward to produce as much or more this season.

Bylsma alluded that the move would be temporary, and that he would like to see Reinhart play alongside Jack Eichel or Ryan O’Reilly in the future. That would mean that Reinhart would move back to the wing. When Eichel returns the Sabres will be set for first and second line centers, and Bylsma does not want to leave Reinhart languishing on the third line. But for now Reinhart is anchoring the Sabres’ second line, and tomorrow’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers should serve as a test on whether the move sparks something inside the former 2nd overall pick.

[See Buffalo Sabres Depth Chart at Roster Resource]

Snapshots: Rantanen, Canucks, Ullmark, Pelkey

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Colorado Avalanche have recalled top prospect Mikko Rantanen from the San Antonio Rampage today. The Colorado first round draft pick—10th overall in 2015—dominated in San Antonio last year, scoring 24G and 36A in 52 games. The Avs called him up for nine games last season but the Finn failed to score a point. Rantanen was set to make the Colorado roster out of training camp but he suffered an ankle injury that has kept him out since mid-September. The team sent him down to San Antonio for a conditioning stint last week, and believe he is now ready to contribute. In his four games with the AHL club this year he registered two assists.
  • The Vancouver Canucks called up two players today from the Utica Comets: forward Jayson Megna and defenseman Troy Stecher. Megna was an undrafted free agent who has played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers before signing with the Canucks this season. The 26 year-old American has always put up decent numbers in the AHL but has not translated that into a permanent spot in the NHL. Stecher is another undrafted free agent, and played three years for the University of North Dakota in the NCAA before signing with the Canucks last April.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have called up goaltender Linus Ullmark from the Rochester Americans (Amerks) today, per the team’s twitter account. Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald reports that Robin Lehner is sick and that Anders Nilsson will get the start tomorrow. The Sabres needed a goalie for practice this morning and had to use 40 year-old goaltending coach Andrew Allen. Ullmark is currently sporting a 2.75GAA and a .926 SV% in 4 games with the Amerks. Last season Ullmark was called on to start 20 games after both Robin Lehner and Chad Johnson suffered injuries, and performed modestly with a 2.60GAA and a .913SV%. Ullmark hopes to take the backup position away from Anders Nilsson at some point.
  • Team USA’s Women’s National Team (USWNT) has added Amanda Pelkey to their lineup for the Four Nations Tournament in Finland this November. Pelkey replaces Amanda Kessel who is out with a lower body injury. The former University of Vermont phenom currently has 2G and 1A in 4 games for the NWHL’s Boston Pride, and was recently named the player of the week.

Snapshots: Bruins, Demers, Stars

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Boston Bruins reassigned goaltender Zane McIntyre to the AHL Providence Bruins tonight just one day after recalling him. McIntyre was called up on an emergency basis yesterday morning after Bruins starter Tuukka Rask hurt himself in practice. The Bruins drafted McIntyre in the 6th round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft but have yet to start the prospect in a NHL game. Last season McIntyre posted a 2.67 GAA and a .898 Sv% in 31 starts for Providence. This season, however, he is rocking an incredible 0.44GAA and a .977 SV% in three games. McIntyre’s current hot start is probably why the Bruins recalled him rather than highly-touted prospect Malcolm Subban.
  • Former NHL Coach Jacques Demers has been released from hospital following a serious infection. Demers was rushed to hospital yesterday after suffering what was believed to be a stroke before receiving a more accurate diagnosis. Demers previously suffered a stroke in April 2016 and endured over three months of physical therapy as he recovered. Demers last coached in Tampa Bay, but is fondly remembered for bringing the Montreal Canadiens to their last Stanley Cup in 1993.
  • The Dallas Stars reassigned forward Jason Dickinson today to the Texas Stars, Dallas’s AHL affiliate. Dickinson surprised the organization last year with a tremendous performance in the AHL, scoring 22G and 31A in 73 games. The young prospect played one NHL game last season and managed to score his first NHL goal in the process. Dickinson—Dallas’s 2013 first round draft pick—is expected to spend the majority of the season in the minors, but Dallas’s mounting injury problem may change those plans quickly.

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