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Jacob Panetta Suspended Rest Of ECHL Season, Released By Jacksonville

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Jan 27: Panetta has been suspended for the remainder of the ECHL season, which amounts to 38 games. Commissioner Ryan Crelin released the following statement:

Insensitive actions and gestures, regardless of intent, cannot be tolerated in our game. We all need to learn and grow from this incident, and remain steadfast to further educating and advancing our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our league.

Panetta will have a conditional opportunity to apply for reduction of the suspension and reinstatement after March 17, 2022, pending successful completion of a learning experience conducted in conjunction with the NHL’s Player Inclusion Committee.

Jan 23: The ECHL has announced an indefinite suspension for Jacksonville Icemen defenseman Jacob Panetta in response to racist gestures made toward South Carolina Stingrays counterpart Jordan Subban on Saturday. The final determination of Panetta’s suspension will be made following a hearing in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Panetta will find it hard to defend his racist actions in last night’s game, which were clearly caught on camera during overtime of the ECHL contest. The video was then shared all over the internet, most notably by the eldest Subban, NHL star P.K. Subban. 

The AHL just recently suspended San Jose Barracuda forward Krystof Hrabik for 30 games for racist actions, though it took more than a week to make that decision. The ECHL wasted no time in taking Panetta off the ice.

Panetta is in his second pro season, both with Jacksonville, after four years at Colgate University. Subban is a former NHL prospect, drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the fourth round of the 2013 Draft. He last played on an NHL contract in 2018-19 and is in his first season playing primarily in the ECHL.

The Jacksonville Icemen, after initially stating this morning that the team would wait to take any action until a league review had concluded, announced they’ve released Panetta. Team CEO Andy Kaufmann, in the statement, pledged to “continue [their] mission of sharing our love of community and hockey.”

Trade Rumors: Chiarot, Oilers, Coyotes, DeBrusk

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While the Marc-Andre Fleury-Washington Capitals connection was the highlight of the most recent “32 Thoughts” column from Sportnset’s Elliotte Friedman, the insider had plenty else to say about the burgeoning trade market. Though just a small note, the inclusion most likely to come to fruition is Friedman’s report that several teams are pursuing Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot. Chiarot’s name has been out there among trade candidate all season and it isn’t going away. As the top impending free agent on the NHL’s worst team, Chiarot is a near lock to be dealt. Friedman reports that the Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, and St. Louis Blues are among the teams confirmed to have interest in Chiarot, but Friedman also keys in on another possibility: the Toronto Maple Leafs. The rumblings out of Toronto suggest that the Leafs are targeting a defenseman at the trade deadline and they may very well need one to escape the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division. Friedman notes that the club kicked the tires on Chiarot when he was a free agent and could be a top contender to land him this time around.

  • Another report that is hardly outside the box is Friedman’s suggestion that the Edmonton Oilers have looked into just about every goalie that could potentially be traded this season. Among the list of names are some who have already been linked to Edmonton, such as Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo and Dallas’ Braden Holtby and Anton Khudobin, but other interesting targets include Philadelphia’s Martin Jones and Washington’s Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek. However, the key piece of Friedman’s report is that the Oilers may end up empty-handed if they aren’t willing to improve their offer. Friedman hears from potential trade partners that Edmonton is not willing to move their first-round pick and increasingly hesitant to move their second-rounder as well. Without a third- or fourth-round selection this year, the Oilers are seemingly only peddling late-round picks, with top prospects likely off the board as well. That won’t get it done in a sellers’ market.
  • One goalie who likely won’t wind up in Edmonton is Arizona’s Karel Vejmelka. Though there have been few bright spots in the Coyotes’ dismal season, Vejmelka’s play has given fans in the desert some hope. The 25-year-old rookie, an unheralded import from the top level in Czechia, has performed well this season. By league standards, his .901 save percentage and 3.40 GAA may not seem like much to be excited about, but as a first-year NHLer playing behind one of the worst rosters in the league, the keeper has held his own in 25 appearances. Rather than quickly flip Vejmelka to another team, the ’Yotes seem insistent on extending the goaltender instead, including him as a core piece in their rebuild.
  • Still in Arizona, where rumors circle the struggling squad, Friedman reports that young forward Lawson Crouse is unlikely to be traded despite recent speculation. The hulking power forward is not without his flaws, but with 10 goals and 20 points in 40 games, Crouse is well on his way to a career year. Although the Coyotes have shown their willingness to move on from high-potential players for the right price by placing Jakob Chychrun on the block, Friedman states that they have begun telling suitors that they would prefer to keep Crouse.
  • Elsewhere, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa writes that the market for Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk is in fact as cold as it seems. There was a flurry of speculation when DeBrusk first requested a trade, but it has quieted down significantly since Boston’s play improved in the new year. This isn’t because the Bruins aren’t listening though. Instead, Shinzawa reports that teams seem hesitant to make the commitment to DeBrusk, at least at the Bruins’ asking price. While his play has improved of late, it is still far off his performance earlier in his career and not up to the level that his $4.41MM qualify offer demands. The challenge for the Bruins is to find a team willing to pay the asking price that either is willing to qualify or otherwise negotiate an extension with DeBrusk or conversely a team that sees him as a rental, as recent rumors have suggested the New York Rangers might. Neither the Bruins nor DeBrusk want to extend their relationship, but it may be easier said than done to find the right deal.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/23/22

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After a busy 11-game game slate on Saturday, there are only five games on the schedule today – though spread out throughout the day. While there may not be any heavyweight match-ups, four of the five contests feature a team currently in playoff position. As teams prepare for those games or just the week ahead, keep up with all of the roster moves of the day right here:

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Division

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have two key contributors back in action, as defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and rookie forward Cole Sillinger have both been activated from COVID Protocol. In order to accommodate the additions, the Jackets have moved defenseman Jake Christiansen to the taxi squad. Down in the minors, the team has also demoted goaltender Cam Johnson from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters to the ECHL’s Florida Everblades.

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • Adrian Kempe is off of COVID Protocol and will provide a major boost to the Los Angeles Kings’ lineup. He’s not the only roster addition, as defenseman Austin Strand has also been promoted to the Kings from the taxi squad.

Sabres Notes: Quinn, Anderson, Third Jersey

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Buffalo Sabres rookie Jack Quinn just broke into the NHL lineup but now won’t see the ice for quite some time. The team has announced that Quinn will miss the next four-to-six weeks with an undisclosed lower-body injury. Quinn just made his NHL debut last week and has two points in his first two games. The 2020 No. 8 overall pick has been one of the best players in the AHL this season with 35 points in 24 games and appears to be on his way to stardom in the NHL. However, that will be on hold for this season as Quinn will be out until March, at which time he will probably return to action in the minors before seeing another chance in the NHL. While this injury won’t chance much about Quinn’s impressive trajectory, it is disappointing for a Buffalo team with nothing to play for again this season and with numerous injuries already who were hoping to see their exciting prospect play a top role the rest of the way.

  • Veteran goaltender Craig Anderson finally looks ready to return to the Buffalo crease. Sabres GM Kevyn Adams revealed on a radio spot with WGR 550 that Anderson will accompany the team on their upcoming three-game western road trip and could see game action if he continues to progress. Anderson, 40, has been out since early November with an upper-body injury. After being convinced to come out of a brief retirement by the Sabres, this isn’t what Anderson was hoping for this season. However, in his six games prior to the injury Anderson was stellar, posting a .921 save percentage and 2.50 GAA. If he can get back to playing at that level, it could all be worth it for the respected veteran to go out on a high note.
  • The Sabres are bringing back a familiar face from the 90’s. No, not Dominik Hasek or Alexander Mogilny, but the literal face of the Buffalo. Chris Creamer of Sportslogos.net reports that the Sabres will bring back their 90’s primary logo, often referred to as the “Goathead” logo, to grace their third jersey in 2022-23 and beyond. Creamer even suggests that the alternate jersey could bring back the red and black scheme that the Sabres dawned for more than a decade in the mid-90’s into the 2000’s before returning to the blue and gold. It remains to be seen if that will actually be the case – the difference in appearance between the primaries and the alternate would be quite jarring – but it seems the Buffalo head logo will return regardless. A polarizing logo in its time, though far from the worst in Sabres’ history, it will be interesting to see if enough time has passed for the Buffalo fan base to embrace the return in the name of nostalgia.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/22/22

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The action starts early today as the Flyers visit the Sabres for a 1:00pm local time puck drop to kick off the Saturday slate. Ten more games will follow over the course of the day and night, highlighted by the Battle of Alberta between the Flames and Oilers. With a total of 16 games on the docket this weekend, teams will be busy tweaking their rosters. Keep up with all of the recalls and reassignments right here:

Atlantic Division

  • Call it a waivers loophole if you like, but the Detroit Red Wings have reassigned recently claimed forward Gemel Smith to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. They have done so legally via a conditioning loan. Smith landed on waivers as the Tampa Bay Lightning attempted to activate him from season-opening injured reserve, so Detroit is using the fact that he has yet to play this season in order to move him to the minors for the time being. Of course, this is a short-term loan and the elder Smith will have to earn a full-time role on the Red Wings if he wants to play with younger brother Givani Smith and avoid the wire again.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs are adding some insurance in net without costing Michael Hutchinson or Joseph Woll AHL starts. The team has recalled Erik Kallgren to the taxi squad from the AHL Marlies, making him the de facto third-string behind Jack Campbell and the injury-prone Petr Mrazek. The Leafs’ goaltending situation has been in flux much of the season, with Mrazek, Hutchinson, and Woll all making NHL appearances. The result has been Kallgren getting the lion’s share of starts in the AHL, though the Marlies have actually seen six different keepers so far this year.
  • Jacob Bernard-Docker is up from the taxi squad yet again and this time he is joined by Clark Bishop. The Ottawa Senators announced that the duo have been recalled to the active roster ahead of back-to-back match-ups this weekend.
  • After being reassigned to the taxi squad on Friday, Brett Murray is back with the Buffalo Sabres today, the team announced. Murray has played well at the NHL level this year in just his third pro season, recording six points in 18 games despite a limited role. He will likely remain the Sabres’ first recall option up front this season.
  • According to the New England Hockey Journal’s Mark Divver, forward Jesper Froden is on his way up to the Boston Bruins taxi squad from AHL Providence. He made his NHL debut earlier this season and has 20 points in 29 games with Providence.
  • The Florida Panthers are moving players down, assigning defenseman Chase Priskie to the taxi squad and goalie Evan Fitzpatrick to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Priskie made his NHL debut this season, while Fitzpatrick was signed for goalie depth earlier this month.

Metropolitan Division

  • Reinforcements are on the way to Philadelphia’s forward corps as the team announced that Wade Allison and Jackson Cates have been recalled from the taxi squad. Amidst a ten-game winless streak and with any shot at the postseason slipping away, combined with a litany of injuries, the Flyers will be looking to use more of their prospect depth the rest of the way, especially up front. Cates, who has already played in seven games with Philly this season, and Allison, who has only played in seven AHL games but has three goals to show for it, are first up.
  • The New York Rangers are shuffling up their practice squad composition. The team has announced that goaltender Tyler Wall has been returned to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack with defenseman Tarmo Reunanen and veteran forward Anthony Greco promoted to the taxi squad. Wall was in need of some game action after a stint on the practice squad, while Reunanen and Greco have earned time with the NHL group. Greco is second among Wolf Pack forwards in scoring and Reunanen holds the same place among club defensemen.
  • Columbus has sent forward Liam Foudy down to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, the team tweeted today. He went pointless in his lone NHL game this season.

Central Division

  • The good news for the Winnipeg Jets is that captain Blake Wheeler is back, activated from the injured reserve. The bad news is that the team announced the move as corresponding with Nikolaj Ehlers moving to long-term injured reserve. Young forward Kristian Reichel has also been reassigned to the taxi squad. The Jets have had a light schedule of late with just four games (three of them losses) in the past two weeks, but need to overcome the loss of Ehlers and find their groove with the Bruins, Penguins, Panthers, and Blues on the docket this week.
  • There is no shortage of Chicago Blackhawks updates today as team beat writer Carter Baum revealed numerous moves. Firstly, forward Jujhar Khaira and defenseman Riley Stillman have been placed on injured reserve. Fortunately not all health news was bad as forward Brett Connolly has been activated to the Chicago roster. Youngsters Wyatt Kalynuk and Cale Morris have been recalled to the taxi squad while forward Mike Hardman goes the other way to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.
  • As has occurred frequently this season, Dallas Stars forward Riley Damiani is on the move. This time, he’s headed back to the minors to suit up for AHL Texas.

Pacific Division

  • The Seattle Kraken will let forward Alexander True get some play time down in the minors. The club has announced that True has been reassigned from the taxi squad to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, the Kraken’s temporary shared affiliated. True, 24, has been held scoreless in eight games with Seattle this season but has 18 points in 22 AHL games.
  • A trio of players have been added to the Vancouver Canucks roster. Experienced forwards Justin Bailey and Sheldon Dries have been recalled from the taxi, while young goaltender Michael DiPietro was made an emergency recall as well. Ironically, it is a defenseman that will be missing from the roster in a corresponding move, as Guillaume Brisebois has been placed on injured reserve.
    • The team additionally activated defenseman Ashton Sautner from COVID protocol, immediately assigning him to Abbotsford.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Hall Of Famer Clark Gillies Passes Away At 67

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The hockey community, especially those in New York, has lost one of the greats. New York Islanders legend Clark Gillies has passed away at the age of 67, the team announced late Friday night. Gillies spent a dozen seasons in New York to begin his career and wrapped up his playing days with a pair of seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. Since retiring in 1988, he has worked closely with charities on Long Island, including his own Clark Gillies Foundation, and has stayed involved with the Islanders club.

Gillies is best remembered as a key piece of the Islanders early-1980’s dynasty that won four consecutive Stanley Cups. Gillies played an integral role in each title, recording 250 points in 302 games in those regular seasons and 47 points in 66 postseason games as well. Gillies was the fourth overall pick by the Isles in 1974 out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and the WHL’s Regina Pats and jumped immediately into the NHL. It didn’t take long for him to find his groove, recording career-best seasons of 85 and 91 points in 1977-78 and 1978-79. For his career, Gillies notched 697 points in 958 games, only topped by his 1,025 career penalty minutes. The epitome of a power forward, the 6’3″ Gillies was notoriously tough to play against in all three zones. A physical net front presence, especially on the power play, and menacing checker, it was easy for Gillies’ teams to score when he was on the ice and far more difficult for the opposition, as evidenced by a whopping +245 rating for his career. The two-time First Team All-Star had his No. 9 retired by the Islanders in 1996 and was a 2002 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee.

The Islanders, in announcing the sad news of Gillies’ passing, including a statement from GM and fellow Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello:

The entire Islanders community is devastated by the loss of Clark Gillies. He epitomized what it means to be a New York Islander. The pride he felt wearing the Islanders sweater on the ice was evident by his willingness to do anything to win. Off the ice, he was just as big of a presence, always taking the time to give back to the local community. The New York Islanders have four Stanley Cups because of the sacrifices he and the members of those dynasty teams made for the franchise. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to the entire Gillies family.

Many more have released statements sharing their condolences and expressing their appreciation for the role that Gillies played in a number of hockey communities, including NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, WHL Commissioner Ron Robison, Pittsburgh Penguins great and close friend Mario Lemieux, and many former and current Islanders. It is clear that the charismatic and caring Gillies made a major impact on many lives.

We here at PHR extend our condolences to the family, friends, and many fans of Clark Gillies.

 

Goalie Notes: Oilers, Stars, Fleury, Allen

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It’s no secret that the Edmonton Oilers are in pursuit of a goaltender. While the team possesses some truly elite offensive talent, their severe struggle with preventing goals has overshadowed their ability to score. The result is a 26th-ranked 3.42 goals against per game that has directly contributed to the team’s 2-11-2 record in their past 15 games, including a seven-game winless streak. While this does not fall entirely on the netminders, the Oilers have not received much help from the group. Current starter Mikko Koskinen has an .895 save percentage and 3.33 GAA. The current backup, young Stuart Skinner, has outplayed Koskinen but not to a level that has forced the Oilers’ hand. For now, they seem hesitant to place any more responsibility on the 23-year-old. Expected starter Mike Smith has missed all but six games this season due to injuries that have kept his health status in flux all year. Even when healthy, Smith has not performed; he has an .898 save percentage and 3.76 GAA in his handful of outings. Yet, if there was any internal solution to the Oilers’ net woes, it was a return for Smith. So with the report today out of Edmonton that Smith is back on the injured reserve (with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins moving to LTIR), the situation has become even more dire. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday that the Oilers were exploring all options, including Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo. However, with the news of Smith remaining sidelined combined with a current four-game losing streak adding to their nearly two-month long slump, “exploring” might just not be enough any more.

  • Discussing Edmonton’s other trade options in net, LeBrun mentioned the Dallas Stars as a potential partner – namely with third-string Anton Khudobin as the likely target. The veteran keeper cleared waivers earlier this season amidst struggles that even surpass those of Koskinen and Smith. However, Khudobin is just two years removed from leading the league with a .930 save percentage and taking the Stars to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019-20, which briefly made him a hero in Dallas. While his numbers dropped off last season, they were well ahead of his current pace. Performance does not seem to actually be the main concern the Oilers have when it comes to Khudobin. Instead, his $3.33MM cap hit and additional year of term makes Edmonton hesitant to pull the trigger, especially considering their current cap crunch and the legitimate question of whether Khudobin is an upgrade to Koskinen. As LeBrun puts it, Khudobin is “less appealing” than other options. However, with Smith seeming less and less likely to be a dependable option this season and desperately in need of points, can the Oilers afford to be picky? If they can acquire Khudobin cheaply and quickly, they may have to do so. LeBrun points out that impending free agent Braden Holtby, who is enjoying a strong campaign, is the superior option on the Stars, but the team may not be willing to move him and will be much more costly to acquire, especially with the Oilers in such obvious need.
  • One potential target mentioned by LeBrun but considered unlikely for the Oilers has all but confirmed that he will not be moving. Star veteran Marc-Andre Fleury of the Chicago Blackhawks is in the final year of his contract and having yet another solid season. This should have made him a prime rental target for any team with a need in net, especially considering that Fleury only has limited trade protection. However, the Blackhawks have stated that they will only move the respected vet if that is what he desired and it seems as though Fleury is happy where he is for now. Fleury told NHL.com’s Tracey Meyers that he is only interested in getting Chicago to the playoffs this season and is not looking to move. This might not be a realistic goal with the Blackhawks .094 percentage points back of the final wild card spot in the West with five teams ahead of them in the race. However, Fleury has earned the right to make that call. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner was just traded this summer and may not be keen to go through that process again so soon, especially at 37 years old and possibly at the end of his career. If the three-time Stanley Cup winner wants to stay loyal to his team rather than make another run, so be it.
  • Another option off the table for the Oilers is Montreal’s Jake Allen. Edmonton needs immediate help and Allen can’t provide it. After leaving a game last week due to injury, the Canadiens have announced that Allen is out approximately eight weeks with an undisclosed lower-body ailment. The Oilers’ struggles this season pale in comparison to the Habs’, who find themselves with the worst record in the NHL after playing in the Stanley Cup Final just last year. Everyone is available for the right price in Montreal, including Allen even though he has performed admirably in Carey Price’s absence over the past two seasons. Allen is signed at a reasonable $2.875MM through next season and maybe another team will still be interested despite the substantial injury. The Oilers, however, will have to look elsewhere.

Poll: Is The Eastern Conference Playoff Picture Already Complete?

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It doesn’t make for much of an exciting stretch run, but it just might be the truth and The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington isn’t afraid to make the claim: less than halfway through the 2021-22 NHL season, the eight Eastern Conference playoff spots appear to be locked up. While the eight in place can certainly jockey for position, Harrington believes that those teams currently in the postseason in the East will stay in postseason position and those not, including his Buffalo Sabres, have nothing left to play for this season. Do you agree?

The conference standings do paint a pretty bleak picture for the playoff race, as the gap between the eighth and final playoff spot and the next closest competitor is sizeable. In terms of both absolute points and points percentage, the Boston Bruins sit in eighth in the East with 46 points and a .657 points percentage, holding the second wild card spot if the postseason started today. In ninth place in both categories are the Detroit Red Wings, but calling it a distant ninth is generous. Detroit has 39 points on the year, just seven back of Boston, but having played four more games than the Bruins the Red Wings are actually just a .500 team, 157 percentage points back. Every other team outside the playoff picture is under .500 and they are all chasing a Bruins team that is 8-2 in their past ten games, riding a five-game winning streak. Just ahead of Boston are the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are also 8-2 in their last ten. The only other teams in the conference that are not 200+ percentage points ahead of Detroit are the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers.

[See: Eastern Conference Standings]

Statistically, there don’t appear to be any clear underachievers outside of the playoff picture primed for a late push either. All eight teams not in a playoff spot in the East have a negative goal differential, with the top mark being the Columbus Blue Jackets at -15. In contrast, the worst differential among the playoff teams is the Rangers’ +17 and they are the only club below +20. Hardly any of the non-playoff teams hold a spot in the top half of the league in any major statistical category either. The New York Islanders are ninth in goals against per game and eleventh in penalty kill efficiency, the Blue Jackets are tied for twelfth in goals for per game, the New Jersey Devils are thirteenth on the penalty kill, and the Ottawa Senators are tied for fourteenth in power play efficiency – end of list.

Yet, can the playoff picture really be sealed up this early? The law of averages suggests that a current playoff team is likely to slump while a current non-playoff team is likely to hit their stride in the second half. In fact, this may have already begun. While the Bruins and Penguins have been surging, the Capitals are just 4-3-3 in their last ten games and struggling to find consistent goaltending and defensive play. The Capitals’ record is also buoyed by a league-leading nine overtime points and their abysmal 30th-ranked power play is a major stain on their playoff resume. If there is a pretender in the East, it could be Washington. The Rangers may also be due for some regression in the second half. New York has exceeded expectations thus far and have somehow found ways to win despite trouble scoring. Their 2.85 goals per game is tied for 18th in the league, behind the likes of Columbus and New Jersey and just .01 ahead of Ottawa. On the flip side of the playoff picture, the Islanders are one of the biggest disappointments of the season. A conference finalist last year, the Isles looked to be building a true contender. While they are still playing a good defensive game, the team has had no luck offensively this season. Yet, with a league-low  30 games played, the Islanders could have time to find their game and fight their way back into postseason consideration. At least on paper, the Philadelphia Flyers should also be better than their current record, while the rebuilding Red Wings and Blue Jackets should be happy with their performance so far this season but would be even happier to get their young rosters into a postseason battle.

It is hard to remember a conference having no battle for playoff position in recent memory, especially so early in the season. While it looks like that could be the case this year in the East, is that actual a realistic expectation? Is the current gap in the standings just too wide to overcome? Or is there enough potential for one or two teams in the playoff picture to collapse while one or two on the outside find a way back? Vote now and comment on which teams, if any, could drop out of the playoff picture and who might replace them.

[mobile users vote here]

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/16/22

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After an enormous Saturday slate, only the Canucks and Capitals will take the ice today. However, other clubs will still be preparing for the week ahead with roster tweaks and injury adjustments. Keep up with those moves all day long right here:

Atlantic Division

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs will get a pair of veteran forward some play time down in the minors. The team has announced that Joey Anderson and Brett Seney have been reassigned from the taxi squad to the AHL Marlies. While Anderson and Seney are perfect taxi squad members – experienced players that can easily slot into an NHL lineup and whose development isn’t harmed by inactivity – at some point even those types need to see game action every once in a while.
  • So much for an extended stay on the NHL roster for Jacob Bernard-Docker. Just one day after he was recalled, the Ottawa Senators have reassigned the top prospect back to the taxi squad. He won’t stay there for long; the young blueliner needs to play regularly, either in Ottawa or back in Belleville.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have brought up some reinforcements to the taxi squad, announcing the recalls of goaltender Calvin Pickard, forward/defenseman Luke Witkowski, and winger Taro Hirose from Grand Rapids of the AHL.  Detroit is on the road in Buffalo on Monday and the three will serve as replacement options if someone is injured or enters COVID protocol.

Metropolitan Division

  • Veteran goaltender Jean-Francois Berube accompanied the Columbus Blue Jackets on their recent road trip as a member of the taxi squad. However, now that the team is off until Thursday he will head back to the minors. The Blue Jackets announced that Berube has been reassigned from the taxi squad to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers added two players to their taxi squad today, per the team – forward Connor Bunnaman from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms and goalie Kirill Ustimenko from the ECHL’s Reading Royals. Bunnaman, a frequently shuttled player between the NHL and AHL, has five games in with the big club this season and no points.

Central Division

  • Though they play only one game in the next five nights, the Minnesota Wild are adding to their taxi squad. The team announced that goaltender Hunter Jones and forward Kyle Rau have been recalled from AHL Iowa. Rau, a Minnesota native and long-time member of the Wild organization, is a familiar face to fans but Jones is not. The 2019 second-round pick has played more games in the ECHL than AHL this season, but has performed well in those few AHL appearances and earned a chance to work with the NHL team.
  • Thomas Harley is still looking for his first NHL point through eight games, but the 2019 first-round pick may get another opportunity soon. The Dallas Stars promoted Harley yesterday to the taxi squad from AHL Texas, where he has had no trouble producing with 35 points in 56 career games, but today have returned him to the minors. Forwards Riley Damiani and Rhett Gardner have also been reassigned to Texas for the time being.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks continue to shuffle the deck. Per team beat writer Carter Baum, the Blackhawks have activated defenseman Jake McCabe from the COVID Protocol and reassigned defenseman Ian Mitchell to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs as a corresponding move. Also heading back to Rockford is forward Lukas Reichel. Meanwhile, the taxi squad is getting some reinforcements from the AHL in the form of forward Mike Hardman and goaltender Cale Morris. 
  • As tweeted by the Nashville Predators communications department, the team made a flurry of roster moves today. Nashville reassigned forward Matt Luff to the taxi squad from the active roster, recalled defenseman Jeremy Davies from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals to the taxi squad, and moved goalie Tomas Vomacka to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL from Milwaukee. The moves could be a sign that forward Filip Forsberg, who the team placed in COVID protocol on January 8th, might be close to returning.

Pacific Division

  • The Vancouver Canucks continue to manage their options in net following the COVID diagnosis of veteran Jaroslav Halak. Spencer Martin was an emergency recall from the taxi squad yesterday and today it is young Michael DiPietro getting the call from AHL Abbotsford to take Martin’s spot on the taxi squad. It would not be a surprise to see the two switch places as well; Martin has been stellar in the AHL this season, but it is DiPietro that is a future member of the Canucks and in need of NHL experience.
  • Another routine move for the Los Angeles Kings as the team has returned forward Samuel Fagemo and defenseman Jacob Moverare to the taxi squad less than 24 hours after recalling both to the active roster. The rookie duo have been involved in more roster moves than NHL games, having each played just once for L.A. this season.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Mattias Ekholm Added To COVID Protocol

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When the Nashville Predators take the ice against the Boston Bruins this afternoon they will be missing another one of their cornerstone players. The team has announced that defenseman Mattias Ekholm has been placed into the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol. With forward Filip Forsberg also still on the COVID list, the Predators will be missing two impact players for the foreseeable future.

Ekholm is part of Nashville’s dominant top pair alongside Roman Josi, who each play over 23 minutes of ice time per night. While the second pair of Alexandre Carrier and Dante Fabbro have performed well this season, Ekholm’s absence will be felt, especially if he misses an extended stretch. The Predators have a busy week ahead, starting a stretch of five games in eight days on Saturday, with divisional match-ups against St. Louis and Winnipeg among them. While the Preds have the appearance of a division leader due to total points, their record is in fact fourth in the Central, sandwiched between the Blues and Jets. Ekholm’s stable play in big minutes and critical penalty kill role are not easily replaced, so the Predators will hope he can return to the lineup sooner rather than later.

Nashville did get one name back from the COVID Protocol though and that is forward Yakov Trenin. The physical winger has cleared the protocol’s requirement and is back in the lineup on Saturday. Trenin is fifth among Predators forwards with nine goals this season and in the top ten in points too, well on his way to a career year.

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