Minor Transactions: 1/3/17
Joining whirlwinded New Jersey Devils winger Reid Boucher on waivers today is St. Louis Blues forward Ty Rattie. The 2011 second-round pick has been trying to carve out a role for himself at the NHL level for years, but to this point has just eight points in 30 games with the Blues over the past four seasons. After finally showing some pro potential with four goals and two assists in 13 games in 2015-16, coupled with the loss of David Backes and Troy Brouwer up front for St. Louis, many expected Rattie would finally take over as a starter in 2016-17. However, halfway though this campaign, Rattie has dressed for just four games, averaging about seven minutes of ice time, and has been held scoreless to boot.
The Blues are hoping to move Rattie through waivers and get him some playing time at the AHL level with the Chicago Wolves. It may not be that simple though. The shine of Rattie’s early draft status may have worn over the last five years, but at this point in the season with injuries piling up and under-performing depth causing frustration, teams are likely to give the two-way right winger some consideration. Rattie had 231 points combined in just two seasons to finish his junior career with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, and has followed that up with three straight 40+ point AHL seasons to begin his pro career. It’ s no question that Rattie (4 NHL games, 3 AHL games) desperately needs some play time this season, but if a team can commit to letting him see the ice, they may just find that he rekindles his scoring touch. Insiders from the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and Boston Bruins have already speculated that their teams may be interested.
In other minor transactions:
- Rather than dress an equipment manager again, the Carolina Hurricanes have recalled goalie Daniel Altshuller from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL to serve as the backup to Cam Ward while Eddie Lack remains sidelined. Altshuller, a 2012 third-round pick, has been called up to the NHL level before, but has yet to make his debut. Since turning pro, Altshuller has spent time in both the AHL and ECHL. While his ECHL numbers have been impressive, he has yet to perform at the AHL level. So far in 2016-17, Altshuller has an .884 SV% and 3.44 GAA when playing with the Checkers. Those uninspiring numbers indicate that that Altshuller is unlikely to make his first NHL appearance this time around. His call-up is likely just as much about having a body on the bench as signing the equipment manager was. However, 2014 second rounder Alex Nedeljkovic has been even worse than Altshuller this year, and veteran Michael Leighton has been far from reliable in his few appearances for the ‘Canes. If Lack remains out, Altshuller may be forced into service to relieve the overworked Ward.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have demoted forward Tyler Motte to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. Motte was expected to step in and be an impact rookie this season, but has fallen short of those expectations. He has played in 33 games for the Hawks, but has just seven points in one of the league’s most prolific offenses. Chicago hopes that a trip to the minors helps Motte to rediscover the instincts that excited fans this preseason and made him nearly a goal-per-game player at the University of Michigan last year. For now, Spencer Abbott has been recalled to replace Motte. The former UMaine star currently leads the Ice Hogs in points this season.
- The Minnesota Wild have brought forward Kurtis Gabriel back into the fold, after sending him down to the Iowa Wild of the AHL last week. Gabriel is a cut-and-dry energy line player, but brings a welcome tenacity and checking ability to the Minnesota lineup.
- Chris Wagner is headed back to the Anaheim Ducks yet again. The veteran forward has been shuffled between the Ducks and the AHL’s San Diego Gulls all season, with a move seemingly every week. With Ryan Getzlaf expected to be out for a game or two, Wagner will draw into the lineup. He has two goals in 21 games with the team this season.
- The New York Ranger have recalled winger Nicklas Jensen from their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. The young Danish forward was set to take a starting job with the Rangers this season, but was pushed out by free agent depth additions. Jensen has played in four games in New York this season, but has been held scoreless. Jensen showed flashes of a bright future when he was in Vancouver, but has been used sparingly since arriving in the Big Apple.
Michal Neuvirth Activated From IR
Philadelphia Flyers’ GM Ron Hextall announced today that goaltender Michal Neuvirth has been activated from the injured reserve. In a corresponding move, his replacement, Anthony Stolarz, has been returned to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Neuvirth has been out since mid-November with a knee injury, but has been deemed healthy enough to return to NHL action.
The move is likely bittersweet for the Flyers and their fans. While Neuvirth is likely the superior goalie to Stolarz and, for stretches of time, has been better than starter Steve Mason over the past two seasons, Philadelphia has seen anything but struggles since Neuvirth went on IR. The Flyers are 13-7-3 since Neuvirth’s injury, including winning ten straight in the first half of December. Admittedly, one win in their last seven games has not been as impressive, but the team overall has improved. Much of this success has occurred in net as well. The Flyers were the worst team in the league in goals against average before Neuvirth’s injury, but rose to nearly 20th before this recent bad stretch, during which they’ve fallen back down into a tie for 27th. Mason has improved on his poor start, sporting a .904 SV% and 2.78 GAA which, believe it or not, are much better than his early numbers. In relief, Stolarz has been excellent. He has a .938 Sv% and 1.79 GAA in four appearances for the Flyers. As he heads back to the minors, Hextall and company have to feel confident that they have found a solid future pro in Stolarz.
However, it would be a stretch to assume that Stolarz would continue to outplay a healthy Neuvirth for the remainder of the season. Despite a dismal (read: awful) .859 SV% and 3.54 GAA in nine games so far in 2016-17, Neuvirth is good NHL goalie. Although he has bounced around to several organizations, overall Neuvirth has provided reliable production along the way. He has a career save percentage of .912 and goals against average of 2.69, but his numbers have improved each year since his early days with the Washington Capitals. Perhaps the highlight of his nine-year pro career was his 2015-16 season in Philadelphia, during which he again split time with a streaky Mason and posted career highs with a .924 SV% and 2.27 GAA in 32 games. Though he was out with injury, Neuvirth has had time to refocus mentally and a rejuvenated performance in the second half of the year would not be a surprise. Neuvirth may not be the future in net for the Flyers, but he is a free agent at the end of the year and will be working for a job nonetheless.
Max Pacioretty Injured At Practice
Just hours ahead of Shea Weber‘s return to Nashville tonight, he may have significantly crippled his chances of pulling out a win in his homecoming. The Montreal Canadiens defenseman, known for his heavy shot, hit captain Max Pacioretty with a shot while the team was working on their power play at practice earlier today. The puck struck Pacioretty in the right foot and he went down immediately. Pacioretty was unable to put any weight on his right leg and had to be helped off the ice. Habs coach Michel Therrien reports that Pacioretty will be a game time decision tonight, but those in attendance at the morning skate say that it is very doubtful that he suits up.
Since the Canadiens lost top forwards Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais to injury early in December, it has been Pacioretty that has picked up the slack on offense. Many expected Montreal to fall off the torrid pace that they began the season with as a result of the injuries, but there had been only a marginal difference in their winning ability until very recently. A lot of credit is due to Pacioretty who, since then-leading scorer Galchenyuk went down, had 10 goals and 5 assists in just 14 December games. He now leads the team with 15 goals and 30 points.
However, Pacioretty is just one person. The Canadiens are thin up front, and their lack of scoring depth has shown through, as they have won just one of their last five games. With Pacioretty now likely out for at least tonight and possibly longer, the Habs have their work cut out for them. The likes of Daniel Carr, Michael McCarron, and Chris Terry have already been called upon from the minors to play major NHL minutes, and now Bobby Farnham, promoted yesterday, will likely enter the mix as well.
Weber would surely have liked to win in his return to Nashville, but the fate of just one game is nothing compared to the consequences of any long-term absence for Pacioretty. With Galchenyuk and Desharnais both not expected back for another month, the Canadiens will be very short on scorers. Hopefully, the captain is not out long, but there has been no official word on the extent of his injury yet. Stay tuned for more information.
Team Canada Wins Spengler Cup
Lost in the shuffle yesterday against outdoor alumni games, U.S. vs. Canada at the World Juniors, and the clash of the titans of Minnesota-Columbus, was the finale of the Spengler Cup. An invitational tournament hosted by Swiss club HC Davos of the NLA and historically comprised of other European teams, the Spengler Cup has expanded into a much more international event with the addition of a Canadian exhibition team in 1984. Since then, the Canadians have won 13 championships. Last year, Team Canada came out on top again. So what of this year?
Armed with a roster of non-NHL/AHL players, consisting of Swiss pros like James Sheppard, Dustin Jeffrey, and Nick Spaling and displaced veterans like Gregory Campbell and Mason Raymond, Team Canada was able to defend its title and take home it’s 14th tourney championship. Facing another NLA squad, HC Lugano, who also sported a talented roster featuring former NHLers James Wisniewski and Maxim Lapierre, Canada came away with a 5-2 victory. HC Lugano found themselves on the wrong side of the championship game for the second year in a row, as they have been unable to slow down the Canadians’ offense.
Montreal Canadiens goalie prospect Zach Fucale, currently buried in the ECHL, had an incredible tournament and capped it off with a 40-save effort in the win. Spaling played a key role with a goal and two assists and former NHLers Andrew Ebbett and Chay Genoway chipped in goals as well.
The Canadians will be back at the Spengler Cup next year with a chance to win their 15th title, the top mark currently held by host HC Davos, but accomplished in nearly three times as many years in the tournament. The Spengler Cup continues to be a great opportunity for players on the outside of pro North American hockey to get a chance to represent their country on the international stage and also show the world that they can still play.
Flyers Activate Matt Read From IR
Sometimes injury timelines prove to be more than just educated guesses. The Philadelphia Flyers have announced the return of veteran forward Matt Read to the lineup, after they called for an early January return following the original injury. It doesn’t get an earlier than January 1st, as the Flyers welcome back their long-time right wing.
Read suffered an oblique strain early in December, five games into Philadelphia’s eventual ten-game winning streak to start the month. However, the Flyers’ fortunes have reversed of late, as they have lost five of their last six. Although Read has been skating for a couple of weeks now, he is only now in game condition and the timing is perfect for a Philly team that needs an injection of energy and grit.
While Read has never been able to replicate his success from his breakout rookie season in 2011-12, in which he scored 47 points, he has been able to play a key role for Philadelphia ever since. Facing criticism after a down year in 2015-16 – just 26 points and an eventual loss of ice time and special teams responsibilities – Read was heading towards a better season prior to his injury. He had six goals (only 8 and 11 in the two seasons prior) and ten points in 27 games. However, after missing a month of games, Read will have to get his legs under him quickly to return to form and prove he still has an offensive touch. If Read wants to avoid being exposed in the upcoming NHL Expansion Draft, he needs a strong second half. Otherwise, he would be a likely selection by Las Vegas as a key role player.
In a corresponding move, the Flyers sent forward Taylor Leier back down to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Leier has just two points in ten games with Philadelphia this season, and has been shuffled back and forth from the minors several times.
Predators Place P.K. Subban On IR
After reporting yesterday that superstar defenseman P.K. Subban‘s recent absence from the Nashville Predators lineup may be more than just the “day-to-day” injury that the team had announced, it now appears that his condition is in fact more serious. The Predators placed Subban on the injured reserve today and will re-evaluate his condition in two to three weeks.
Subban has missed the Predators’ last seven games, and now it appears that he could be out for much longer. The injury in question is a herniated disk in his back, and Subban met with doctors this morning for further evaluation before Nashville made their decision. As Elliotte Friedman opined yesterday, the options with a herniated disk are either rest, in hopes that the body will heal itself, or surgery. It seems likely, given that there has been no word of surgery yet and that any procedure would substantially lengthen the recovery period, that the Predators have instead chosen to simply rest Subban. The multi-week recovery time line will allow for Subban to receive ample rest and work his way back at his own pace without potentially impairing the Predators’ season with the much longer absence that would have resulted from surgery.
Thus far in his first season in Nashville, after being traded by the Montreal Canadiens in a blockbuster swap for Shea Weber this summer, Subban has 17 points in 29 games. When healthy, Subban has looked good and continues to carve out a role for himself on his new team, which relies heavily on puck movement by defensemen. However, the Predators have been spectacularly underwhelming thus far in 2016-17. A popular dark horse Stanley Cup pick this summer, a very slow start to the season and an inability to string together more than two or three wins at time has crippled those title chances. Nashville is 16-14-6 and currently sits 13 points back of the Chicago Blackhawks in the Central Division. If the playoffs started today, the Predators would not even have a chance to compete out West. While easing Subban back into the lineup is the safe and smart play, they certainly would like to see him back sooner rather than later if they want a shot at the 2017 postseason.
Johan Larsson, Josh Gorges Injured
Lost in the shuffle since it occurred in the same period as David Backes‘ more noticeable head injury on Thursday, Johan Larsson also suffered a serious injury when the Buffalo Sabres faced the Boston Bruins two nights ago. Following the Sabres 3-1 loss to the Bruins today, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma revealed that Larsson will be out “weeks” with a dislocated wrist. Larsson took a hard hit from Adam McQuaid in the first period and did not return, due to the injury.
The 24-year-old Larsson has worked his way up through the Sabres’ system and has taken on the greatest role of his young career this season in Buffalo. Larsson was on pace to shatter his career highs, and is still likely to do so. The young forward has six goals and five assists for 11 points in 35 games so far this season. In his first full NHL season in 2015-16, Larsson had just 17 points in 74 games. Even if he misses a few weeks, Larsson will still likely beat 17 points this season if he returns to his top six role upon his return.
Bylsma also added that early indications following the game are that Josh Gorges, who left the game, suffered a hip pointer injury. There has been no official word on the extent of Gorges injury, but the veteran blue liner has already missed time this season with injury. Buffalo continue to struggle to string together wins, and that task will only prove to be more difficult with Larsson and potentially Gorges out of the lineup long term.
Blue Jackets vs. Wild: History In The Making
At this time last year, a match-up between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild would have gone largely unnoticed. Columbus was underachieving, setting themselves up for their eventual place near the bottom of the 2015-16 NHL standings. Minnesota was cemented as the fifth best team in the tough Central Division and was simply holding out hope that they could lock up the eighth and final spot in the conference. The NHL Expansion Class of 2000 was still trying to figure things out. Jump to December 31st, 2016 and this game is a whole different story. Tonight’s Jackets-Wild game is a historic battle, not just in hockey, but in North American pro sports altogether.
When the puck drops in Minnesota tonight, it will be the first ever game between two pro teams on winning streaks of 12 or more games. The Blue Jackets have been the surprise of the season, leading the league with 54 points and currently on a 14-game winning streak. The stretch is tied for third longest in NHL history and has catapulted the team ahead of their rival, and defending Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Meanwhile, it was the Wild who led the league early on this season, and still sit comfortably out West with 50 points, due to their 12-game winning streak.
However, one team will end their streak tonight. It took the Blue Jackets into March last season to win their 26th game, so they have that intrinsic benchmark on the line, as well as keeping their slim lead over the Penguins in the cutthroat Metropolitan Division. The Wild have been waiting years to claim the Central from the perennial favorite Chicago Blackhawks and, with four games in hand, can take the division lead back from Chicago with a win tonight. So who comes out the victor in one of the biggest regular season games in recent league history? Both teams have been stout defensively behind stellar goaltending. Minnesota and Devan Dubnyk lead the league with just 2.00 goals allowed per game, but Columbus and Sergei Bobrovsky are right on their tail in second with 2.06 goals allowed per game. Bobrovsky leads the NHL with 23 wins, but Dubnyk tops the list at goals against average and save percentage with a 1.67 GAA and .944 SV%. As a whole, the Wild are a superior defensive team, and Ryan Suter, Jason Zucker, and Jared Spurgeon as 1-2-3 in NHL +/- is evidence of such. But this game will come down to offense. In addition to being solid in their own end, Columbus leads the league with 3.44 goals for per game. Minnesota sits in fourth with 3.14 goals per game. Both teams have received scoring from throughout their lineup, with unlikely candidates like Wild free agent import Eric Staal and Blue Jackets gamble Sam Gagner leading the charge. Whichever team is able to put together a more complete, balanced offensive effort tonight will likely hold on to their impressive winning streak.
David Backes Out Indefinitely With A Concussion
During today’s 3-1 win, completing a home-and-home sweep of the Buffalo Sabres (as well as their first season sweep of Buffalo in 45 years), the Boston Bruins also found time to release an update on the status of veteran forward David Backes. Backes was injured in the Bruins game in Buffalo on Thursday night after taking a high, hard hit from behind from the Sabres’ William Carrier. The Bruins quickly announced that Backes would not return to the game with an “upper body injury”. They have now confirmed what was assumed, that the big winger suffered a concussion. While there is currently no time frame for his return, Backes will enter the NHL’s concussion protocol and will simply be considered “out indefinitely.”
Backes signed a five year deal with the Bruins when free agency opened on July 1st this summer. The contract holds an annual $6MM cap hit, as the Bruins essentially replaced Loui Eriksson, who left Boston to sign a similar deal with the Vancouver Canucks this off-season. A tough, intelligent veteran, Backes was brought in to make the Bruins a tougher team to play against, as evidenced by the drastic improvement in team defense between this season and last. Backes has nine goals and ten assists in 33 games thus far in his first season in Boston.
Backes has had an incredible NHL career, with 479 points to go along with 1,000 penalty minutes in 760 games, spent mostly with the St. Louis Blues. Since earning a full-time role with the Blues, Backes has never played less than 72 games in a season, and that career-low has only occurred once. However, Backes has quietly had his fair share of concussion history as well, and his 72-game mark may now be in jeopardy with yet another concussion. Backes already missed a few games earlier this season, when he had surgery to remove an olecranon bursa from his elbow, and now could miss an extended period of time as he recovers from a head injury. Concussions are unpredictable in their recovery time, as Backes has never missed much time in the past, but Bruins teammate John-Michael Liles has been out for over a month with a concussion and former Bruin Marc Savard was forced to retire as the result of multiple concussions. With Frank Vatrano back in the fold and looking good playing in Backes’ spot on Boston’s second line alongside David Krejci and Ryan Spooner, the Bruins can afford to ease Backes into the lineup when he is ready. While there is not enough information yet to predict when exactly Backes will return, it is a safe assumption that the Bruins will take their time before welcoming he, Liles, and Matt Beleskey back into the lineup some time in February, just in time for the stretch run. Until then, the Bruins can rely on their depth in Providence, the hottest team in the AHL, and could potentially look into a trade for another forward for insurance.
David Backes Leaves Game With Head Injury
Boston Bruins forward David Backes was the victim of boarding in tonight’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, as William Carrier hit the veteran with a hard, high shot up against the boards in front of the Bruins bench. The team announced shortly afterward that Backes would not return to the game with an “upper body injury”. Carrier will likely face a suspension or fine for the dirty hit.
Backes has been somewhat of an iron man in his NHL career, playing in 72 games or more in all nine of his seasons as a starter with the St. Louis Blues. However, Backes has also had his fair share of concussions as well, with at least two reported in his NHL tenure. Neither kept Backes out of the St. Louis lineup for very long, but now in Boston and on the wrong side of 30, the concussion symptoms can start to pile up, and the Bruins have to worry about long-term repercussions. While it will be some time before we know the full extent of this concussion, expect the team to be cautious with it’s approach. The Bruins face the Sabres again on Saturday, and then New Jersey, Edmonton, Florida, and Carolina to begin the new year. Although no game has been easy for the underachieving team, this is as good a time as any to give Backes some time off. The return of Frank Vatrano has had an instant impact and he can help to make up for a short-term absence of Backes while he rests and recovers. The last thing that Boston wants is to rush Backes back to action only to end up losing him again later on in the season to post-concussion syndrome. With one of the league’s worst scoring offenses and already missing Matt Beleskey until February, the Bruins cannot afford another long-term absence up front.
On a separate note, Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid tried to return the favor later in the game by jumping Carrier late in the first period. For the second time in as many games, McQuaid was restrained before he could even throw a real punch. If the NHL wants to ban fighting, they should, but instructing the refs to instead instantly break up fights is not the way to go. McQuaid expressed a similar opinion arguing with the linesman that pulled him away from Carrier. In tying up McQuaid, the refs allowed Carrier to get several punches off that were direct hits to the Bruins defenseman and to which he had no chance to respond. McQuaid required stitches as a result. To add insult to injury, McQuaid was also given an instigator penalty and a ten-minute misconduct. The entire ordeal was handled incorrectly and the NHL needs to look into alternative methods of handling fighting.