An Update On Craig Cunningham’s Condition
A month after collapsing on the ice prior to a home game in Tuscon, there has finally been a status update on the health of Roadrunners captain Craig Cunningham and a re-telling of the procedure that saved his life.
Cunningham, 26, suffered a heart attack on the night of November 19th, just minutes before puck drop for the Arizona Coyotes’ AHL affiliate. Cunningham collapsed onto the ice during warm-ups and began suffering convulsions. On-ice medics began chest compressions immediately before rushing Cunningham to the hospital. In this new press release, the details of that ordeal have been revealed. Cunningham was first brought to Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital, where chest compression CPR continued. Realizing that more desperate measures were needed, the staff at St. Mary’s decided that Cunningham needed to be transported to Banner – University Medical Center Tuscon, the only facility in the area that could perform the advanced ECMO treatment needed to save Cunningham’s life. ECMO, short for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, is a specialized process that circulates blood and adds oxygen, essentially working as an artificial lung needed to provide the heart with the vital oxygen it needs to heal. In the even that the heart cannot be re-started using traditional means, ECMO is a last-ditch life-saving effort. As the press release states, “(m)ost patients who need ECMO are almost certain to die” without it. Luckily for Cunningham, Banner dispatched a mobile team to St. Mary’s to begin the process as they transported him to their facility for further care.
Thanks to the life-saving efforts of the on-ice medics, St. Mary’s staff, and specially trained staff at Banner, Cunningham has returned from the brink of death and made a miraculous recovery. Cunningham was in critical condition for days following the incident, but a few weeks ago it was reported that he was awake and aware, spending time with family and friends. Now, against all odds, Cunningham is ready to leave the hospital. The timing could not be more perfect, as Cunningham expects to be back home for Christmas. It has been an amazing job by all involved, including Cunningham, who’s passion and hard-working attitude on the ice continued in the hospital room as he fought back and is now on his way to a remarkable recovery.
We here at Pro Hockey Rumors continue to send our support to Cunningham and his family and are happy to hear that a player who many describe as one of the true good guys of the game is on his way back to health.
Yzerman On Lightning’s Struggles
In an article by ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun, Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman provided some insight on the disappointing start to the 2016-17 season for his squad. A team thought to be major Stanley Cup contenders this year, the Bolts are just 15-13-2 and currently sit outside the playoff picture. Yzerman was frank in his comments, stating that “we’ve lost seven out of eight. But it really doesn’t change what we’re trying to do or what we’d like to do.” The Lightning are far from a team in need of a rebuild, but they certainly could use a shakeup to motivate the players.
A lot of the struggles are obviously due to the loss of superstar Steven Stamkos, currently on injured reserve with a torn meniscus. However, as LeBrun puts it, that is a “convenient” excuse for the team under-performing. Yzerman is not one for excuses. He acknowledges that Stamkos is a major loss, but also understands that the team’s difficulties are due to more than just the loss of one player. “We’ve been able to do it in the past,” Yzerman said, “(e)ven with Stammer or other players being injured, we’ve been able to generate offense… and keep the puck out of our net to win games.” Yet, that hasn’t been the case in 2016.
The Lightning are still scoring goals, with the dynamic Nikita Kucherov leading the NHL’s tenth-best offense, and the power play is prolific as usual. However, 2.83 goals per game only gets you so far when you give up 2.77 goals against per game, good enough for only 17th in the league. Tampa is also spending a lot of time in the box, with the fourth highest amount of penalty minutes, while also struggling to kill those penalties with the 23rd ranked shorthanded unit. The Lightning are also allowing over 30 shots per game. While Stamkos is a great all-around player, the team is clearly having issues with defensive play, rather than floundering on offense without the captain.
This starts with Ben Bishop. The incumbent starter came into the season with major questions about his future, as he prepares for free agency and the team prepares to move on without him and build around young backup Andrei Vasilevskiy. Whether or not the lack of commitment by the team or the uncertainty ahead of him have affected Bishop, his play has suffered this season. Bishop currently has a 2.87 GAA and a .905 save percentage, his worst numbers since taking over as Tampa’s starters. Now, Bishop is losing starts to Vasilevskiy and losing confidence in his ability. For the Bolts to get back on track, they need their all-world starter to return to his usual self.
The defense in front of Bishop is not without blame either though, and it’s no secret that the team would like to add a top four defenseman to the roster. “We’re constantly looking at ways to improve our team,” Yzerman said, “If there’s something that makes sense, we’re prepared to do that.” However, Yzerman is honest and realistic about the player market in 2016-17. “Everybody has concerns about the salary cap” he said, “everyone has concerns about the expansion draft. It is difficult to make a trade.”
Counting the Tampa Bay Lightning out this early in the season would be unwise. The team bounced back from similar struggles in 2015-16 and has plenty of talent to do it again this year. However, Yzerman is beginning to feel the pressure of a team many have expected a Stanley Cup from over the past five years or more. In need of a legitimate defenseman, would Yzerman be willing to move Bishop, his most valuable trade chip? Will the team’s cap crunch and a quiet market keep them from making any moves? Most importantly, can this team figure things out and get back to their winning ways? As we approach the midway point of the 2016-17 campaign, the Lightning are one of the more intriguing teams to watch in the second half.
Anders Lindback Signs In Sweden
Swedish goaltender Anders Lindback is headed home. After months spent hoping an NHL opportunity would arise, Lindback has finally made the decision to go overseas to continue his hockey career. Over the past few weeks, rumors and speculation have predicted the move, but today Lindback officially signed with Rogle BK of the Swedish Hockey League, the top pro league in Sweden.
Originally drafted by the Nashville Predators, a steal by GM David Poile in the seventh round of the 2008 NHL Draft, Lindback made a name for himself as the sturdy, young backup to Pekka Rinne. One of the larger goalies in the NHL at 6’6″, 200 lbs., teams saw the youthful Lindback as a bona-fide future starter. However, it didn’t play out that way. Lindback signed on to be the starter for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2012, but that never came to fruition. Lindback’s performance was lacking, and he ended up splitting time with Mathieu Garon in 2012-13, before being supplanted by Ben Bishop in 2013-14. After back-to-back seasons with a 2.90 GAA and more losses than wins, Lindback left Tampa having missed his opportunity. Lindback joined the Dallas Stars for 2014-15, but was traded mid-season for fellow disappointment Jhonas Enroth. He played the best hockey of his NHL career in 16 appearances for the Sabres, but it still wasn’t enough to earn him a starter role. Last season, Lindback played in 19 games for the Arizona Coyotes and had a career-worst .894 SV% and 3.11 GAA. Unable to even find a guaranteed contract this summer, Lindback joined the New Jersey Devils on a tryout agreement in training camp, but did not make the team. He then signed another PTO, this time with the Los Angeles Kings, who had lost Jonathan Quick and Jeff Zatkoff. However, the Kings decided to stick with their emergency backup duo of Peter Budaj and Jack Campbell, sending Lindback to the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Lindback left the team recently, signaling what very well could be the end of his pro career in North America at just age 28.
Ironically, Lindback’s new position with Rogle BK may include some adversity as well. Although he is likely to step in as the starter immediately, he will not be without competition. The team has two noteworthy young goalies, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Oscar Dansk and Boston Bruins property Lars Volden, already on the roster. The 22-year-old Dansk, a 2012 second-round pick by Columbus, was drafted out of Sweden after dominating at the junior level in his home country. However, Dansk failed to live up to expectations, with moderate to below-average numbers in the OHL, AHL, and even ECHL, before returning to Sweden. Now in his second season with Rogle BK, Dansk continues to disappoint, posting a 2.85 GAA and .907 SV% in 20 games thus far. Dansk’s backup, Volden, has never made the trip across the Atlantic to try his hand at North American hockey. Instead, the Bruins 2011 sixth-rounder has bounced around various leagues in Europe over his career and has been a member of the Norwegian national team as well. Volden finally settled in with Rogle BK a few years ago, but has not showed signs of improvement. Although his career stats are not as blemished as Dansk’s, he has not faced the same level of competition and has been wildly pedestrian. Volden has put up very similar numbers to Dansk the past two years, which is to say that he has not done enough to unseat the struggling starter. While the duo is consistent, they are consistently average which prompted the team to bring in the veteran Lindback for a boost.
Another interesting note on Rogle BK: playing in front of Lindback will be none other than top 2017 NHL Draft prospect Timothy Liljegren. Considered by many to be second only to Nolan Patrick in the upcoming entry draft and a foregone conclusion as the first defenseman off the board, Liljegren is a rare talent at just 17 years old. With a more experienced and reliable keeper in net now, Rogle BK can give Liljegren more ice time and more responsibility, which can only help the young blue liner’s draft stock.
Minor Transactions: Canucks, Predators, Leafs, Bruins
Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning announced today that a trio of players has been sent down to the Utica Comets of the AHL. Center Joseph Labate and defenseman Andrey Pedan, both recent promotions, will head back to upstate New York. For Labate, it was the first NHL call-up of his career. In three games, Labate failed to register a point, but was an effective physical presence on the ice. A 2011 fourth-round pick, Labate had a successful four-year career at the University of Wisconsin before joining Utica last year for his first full pro season. Pedan, a native of Lithuania, played in 13 games with the Canucks in 2015-16, but was held scoreless and fell victim to some noticeable defensive mistakes. He did not get into a game on this most recent call-up. The hulking blue liner had his best pro season with Utica last year, but still has yet to hit his stride at the pro level. His physical dominance with the OHL’s Guelph Storm led to him being selected by the New York Islanders in the third round in 2011, but has not been as noticeable at the next level.
Meanwhile, the third demotion is Anton Rodin, who heads to Utica for a conditioning stint. The reigning MVP of the Swedish Elite League, Rodin is still making his way back from the injury that shortened his season in Sweden last year. In a strange change of direction, Rodin, who looked healthy (and promising) in the preseason, was suddenly unable to play and placed on IR to start the regular season. The shifty, skilled winger now hopes to make his NHL debut soon, as the conditioning stint is the last stop on his road to recovery. It has been a long time coming for a player that Vancouver drafted in 2009. In need of a boost, the Canucks can only hope that Rodin immediately fits in at the NHL level, much like when Carl Soderberg finally made the trip across the Atlantic to join the Boston Bruins in 2013.
In other minor moves:
- In an identical series of moves, the Nashville Predators assigned two players to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals today and sent a third along as well on a conditioning stint. Forward Frederick Gaudreau, recently-signed defenseman Adam Pardy, and recently-claimed forward Reid Boucher are headed north to join the Admirals. The 23-year-old rookie Gaudreau (no relation) was recalled two weeks ago, but in eight games since he has just one point. In need of further seasoning, the Predators have sent down the former minor league free agent. Not quite a rookie, the 32-year-old Pardy was signed last month to provide some veteran depth on the blue line for a Nashville squad that prides themselves off of solid defensive play. Pardy has skated in just one NHL game thus far in 2016-17, but will continue to be the next man up for the Predators. In a much-maligned move, the New Jersey Devils placed Boucher on waiver on December 3rd, and Nashville GM David Poile was happy to scoop him up. In and out of the Devils lineup for years, the team decided to move on from the 23-year-old despite the fact that 2015-16 was his first real NHL chance and he scored 19 points in 39 games. Boucher has played in just one game for Nashville so far as he deals with lingering injury concerns, but expect him back with the squad shortly.
- Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Vladimir Bobylyov has left the KHL and returned to the WHL, his junior team revealed. The 19-year-old winger, a fifth-round pick by the Leafs this past June, had originally decided to leave the Victoria Royals and return home to Russia to play pro. However, after little production with the KHL’s Spartak Moskva and even a demotion to their minor league affiliate, Bobylyov decided that he preferred Canadian juniors. He now heads back to Victoria, where he scored 67 points in 72 games and was an astounding +45 last season. Showing a commitment to North American hockey is never a bad idea for a young Russian player like Bobylyov, and the move is likely preferable for Toronto. The Royals are surely happy to have him back too.
- The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver reports that the time limit on the tryout agreements for Matt Bartkowski and Peter Mueller has run out, but that the Providence Bruins have extended contract offers to both and they are expected to accept. Mueller has been a top six forward for the AHL team, with 14 points in 19 games while playing key roles on both the power play and penalty kill. His presence has also helped with the development of youngsters Jake DeBrusk, Peter Cehlarik, and Danton Heinen. Bartkowski has been less impressive, with seven points, a -2 rating, and 23 penalty minutes. He has been outplayed by another veteran looking to stay relevant in Alex Grant, as well as rookie Matt Grzelcyk. The Providence Bruins are currently on a league-best 12-game point streak.
Marc-Andre Bergeron Signs PTO
A veteran NHLer is trying to find a way to stay in North America. For Marc-Andre Bergeron, the next step in his fight back into the NHL ranks will begin with a professional tryout with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that an agreement is imminent between the reigning American League champions and the long-since-departed defenseman. Bergeron failed to secure a contract from his PTO with the parent club, the Columbus Blue Jackets, this preseason.
Bergeron’s return across the Atlantic this season comes as a bit of a surprise. The offensive blue liner has had three strong seasons in a row with the NLA’s ZSC Lions in Switzerland, recording a combined 78 points and helping to lead the team to the 2013-14 league championship and two subsequent playoff runs. However, at 36 years old, Bergeron is three years removed from playing the physical style of North American hockey. The biggest criticism of Bergeron over the years has been that his size (5’9″, 190 lbs.) and offense-first style make him a liability in his own zone. A -12 overall in his NHL career, there’s little question as to the lack of defensive effectiveness that Bergeron brought to the table. Age and unfamiliarity with the pace of NHL play made it very unlikely that Bergeron could convince a team to take a chance on him at this point in his career, yet he still signed on for a tryout with the Blue Jackets this fall. Bergeron was an early cut from camp then, and it is definitely possible that the Monsters also decide not to extend a contract to the journeyman.
Bergeron did have plenty of success in his NHL career, though. The Quebec native went undrafted, but after a 101-point season with the QMJHL’s Shawnigan Cataractes in 2000-01, he earned a contract with the Edmonton Oilers. In 189 games over four seasons with Edmonton, Bergeron recorded 88 points and a +9 rating, playing a tough and fast brand of hockey. Having built a reputation with the Oilers, Bergeron was able to put together a ten-year NHL career, playing with the New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes after his time in Edmonton. However, he was never truly able to replicate the level of play he showed early in his career. This is evidenced by his inability to stay in any one place for too long and also his label as a pure powerplay specialist. More than half of Bergeron’s career points have come with a man up. Armed with a strong shot and great skating and possession ability, Bergeron was a bona-fide offensive threat, but was unable to develop the solid defensive game he showed flashes of in his early days in Edmonton.
Set to join the AHL affiliate of the Blue Jackets, Bergeron likely has his eye on an NHL comeback. However, it won’t be with Columbus. The agreement between the two teams earlier this season seemed strange then, and it is an even worse fit now. The Jackets feature one of the best groups of offensive defensemen in the leagued, highlighted by breakout rookie sensation Zach Werenski, fellow recent first-round picks Seth Jones and Ryan Murray and veteran puck-mover Jack Johnson. The team is also second in the league on the power play, with a 24.6% success rate. Of all the teams likely to be desperate enough for blue line offense to sign Bergeron this year or next, Columbus is one of the least. For now, Bergeron should simply focus on carving out a role in Cleveland before getting ahead of himself. His competition for play time will include 2013 second-rounder Dillon Heatherington, the recently acquired Ryan Stanton, and former UMass fan-favorite Oleg Yevenko. If Bergeron is able to turn his PTO into a contract and secure some real ice time, he may turn some heads with his offensive ability. In the end though, Bergeron’s time in the NHL has likely come and gone and this AHL deal probably represents an opportunity to play and secure a pay check closer to home.
Shayne Gostisbehere Day-To-Day With Hand Injury
A surprise omission from the Philadelphia Flyers’ lineup tonight in Detroit was young defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. The team announced that their top blue liner would miss the game due to an upper body injury and that he is considered day-to-day. Gostisbehere in fact took a shot to the hand in yesterday’s game against the Dallas Stars, that forced him to leave. Although he was able to return before the end of the game, the injury appears to be more serious than originally thought, as it is now causing him to miss time.
Gostisbehere is in the midst of yet another strong year in his sophomore campaign, with 16 points in 29 games thus far. This mark is tops among Flyers defenseman, as his 46 points in 2015-16 was as well. After struggling through some defensive issues earlier in the season that earned him a healthy scratch, “Ghost Bear” has turned it around. He’s playing a more responsible defensive game, leading the team in ice time, and currently on a four-game point. The Flyers themselves are streaking right now, having won eight in a row and 10 of 13 since Gostisbehere was scratched.
With a hole on the back end now, Philadelphia is putting their great defensive depth to work by inserting Michael Del Zotto into the lineup. With the emergence of rookie Ivan Provorov and the return to form of Andrew MacDonald, to go along with what was already a strong corps of blue liners, Del Zotto has seen his role greatly reduced. Between some time lost to injury early in the season and several games spent in the press box with fellow defenseman Nick Schultz, Del Zotto has played in just 13 games this season. He’ll get a chance to earn more frequent play time with a strong performance as Gostisbehere’s fill-in.
Bruins Sign Jesse Gabrielle To Entry-Level Deal
For those of you out there who dislike Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand (and time and again that has proven to be a majority of NHL fans), you’re about to see double. The Bruins announced today that they have inked prospect Jesse Gabrielle to an entry-level contract, and Gabrielle models his game off of none other than his future teammate.
Gabrielle was Boston’s 2015 fourth-round pick, thought to be a bit of a project player when selected from the WHL’s Regina Pats. Gabrielle was part of Bruins GM Don Sweeney‘s first draft class, which included this season’s rookie revelation Brandon Carlo, recently-named World Juniors participants Jakub Zboril and Daniel Vladar of the Czech Republic and Zach Senyshyn and Jeremy Lauzon of Canada, Providence Bruins impact rookie Jake DeBrusk, Boston University star Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, and University of Wisconsin play-maker Cameron Hughes. However, Gabrielle has not let the immense amount of talent in his draft class overshadow his own ability.
When drafted by the Bruins, Gabrielle had put up just pedestrian numbers in parts of three WHL seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Regina Pats. His 70 points in 115 games wasn’t terrible, but the scrappy forward was known more for his great forechecking and gritty two-way play. Then, like idol Marchand, Gabrielle chose to put his full offensive ability on display last season. After an off-season trade to the Prince George Cougars, Gabrielle responded with 75 points and a team-best 40 goals in 72 games, as well as 101 penalty minutes. So far in 2016-17, he leads the team with both 19 goals and 31 points, as he continues to dominate the junior level in all facets of the game. Gabrielle even got to skate in three games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins at the tail-end of last season, and while he was unable to register a point, the hard-working winger showed that he could hold his own in the pros. At 6’0″ and 200 lbs., Gabrielle is bigger than Marchand, but plays the same agitating, elusive style that has made Marchand a fan favorite in Boston and hated throughout the rest of the league.
Now developing into a lethal combination of skill and grit, Gabrielle has been thrust into the forefront of Boston’s youth movement plans. Expect “Marchand Jr.” to get a shot at cracking the roster for the Bruins next fall, if he can beat out the plethora of top prospects in the Boston pipeline.
Snapshots: McDavid vs. Manning, Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets
Following last night’s 6-5 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid didn’t hold back in his criticism of Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning. The pair were at it all night, and after the game McDavid let the press know why. It was Manning’s check that injured McDavid last season, sending him crashing into the boards and costing the rookie 37 games with a broken collarbone and, according to McDavid, Manning admitted on the ice last night that he did it on purpose. Usually a quiet kid, McDavid was fired up after the game, calling Manning “classless” and saying that the dirty hit “shows what kind of guy he is”. The physical blue liner has since refuted this claim, but McDavid holds that he is telling the truth. He went as far as to say that he regrets standing up for Manning last season when the media blamed him for the injury, but McDavid felt it was an accident.
Playing against star players with increased physicality and sometimes an intent to injure is no stranger to the NHL. The man who would know best, Wayne Gretzky, came to McDavid’s defense on the matter. It’s Gretzky’s opinion that having that competitive fire and willingness to call competitors out is important for a superstar. Gretzky opined that “(McDavid’s) been tested since he was a kid and then playing junior hockey and now in the NHL and he’s always responded and done his part.” While off-ice trash talk is usually frowned upon, Gretzky’s philosophy is that a player of McDavid’s caliber needs to be able to keep opponents in check with his comments since he can’t always match up with them physically. Accountability when it comes to intent to injure is important, and a player with McDavid’s persona can help to eliminate dirty play against him on the ice by making it known off the ice.
In tonight’s marquee matchup:
- Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson was a surprise scratch from tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and the team has revealed that the veteran is dealing with an injury. Apparently, Ericsson could not play due to back spasms and he is currently listed as day-to-day. There has been no word on whether or not this was caused by a recent injury or if it is a chronic issue for the blue liner. Ericsson has looked off at times this season, but has five points already, which puts him well on his way to his career-high 15 points if he can stay healthy.
- Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno was also a surprise scratch from the same game tonight, but he is simply feeling under the weather, according to the team. With Foligno out sick, Oliver Bjorkstrand has drawn into the lineup. The 21-year-old has been used sparingly this season, appearing in just three games, after posting eight points and a +6 in 12 games last year. The young winger has plenty of talent, but head coach John Tortorella has been unimpressed with his consistency and effort at times. One of the top-scoring teams in the league does not need more offense right now, so Bjorkstrand will have to work on playing a more complete game if he wants to carve out a role in Columbus.
- Tonight’s game is a special one for Blue Jackets’ rookie sensation Zach Werenski, as it marks his return to Michigan for the first time as a pro. Werenski played two seasons with the University of Michigan Wolverines, scoring 61 points in 71 games. He was also the roommate of Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin when he was a freshman. It’s a homecoming of sorts for the college phenom and future All-Star.
Raman Hrabarenka Signs In KHL
Former New Jersey Devils prospect Raman Hrabarenka has become the latest player to put his NHL dreams on hold and head overseas. The 24-year-old defenseman signed on with Dynamo Minsk of the KHL today, affording him the opportunity to play in the capital city of his home country of Belarus.
An undrafted free agent in 2012, Hrabarenka went unnoticed by NHL teams looking for defensive depth and ended up signing a minor league deal with the AHL’s Albany Devils. His apparent transparency was not unfounded; Hrabarenka played just two seasons of major junior hockey and didn’t begin to pick up his play until the second half of year two. Hrabarenka joined the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles for the 2010-11 season, but by the midway point of the 2011-12 league year, he had contributed just 15 points in 80 games. At about 6’3″, 220 lbs., Hrabarenka is more of a physical, stay-at-home defenseman, but in a league fueled by offense like the QMJHL, players with little offensive upside don’t last long. The Eagles traded Hrabarenka to the Drummondville Voltigeurs, only to watch him hit his stride after a change of scenery. Hrabarenka recorded 14 points, and also played the best defensive hockey of his junior career, in 27 games with Drummondville. The Albany Devils must have noticed the improvement, as they were able to snag the big man in free agency that spring.
Able to settle into a more comfortable role as a shutdown defender in the AHL, Hrabarenka impressed many in his first pro season. Although he had just five points, he was a plus player that occasionally showed flashes of puck-moving ability. Not wanting another team to steal him away from their affiliate, the New Jersey Devils signed Hrabarenka to his first NHL deal in the summer of 2013, a three-year two-way deal worth $2.78MM. Hrabarenka looked like a strong investment over the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, with his points jumping up to 21 and 27 respectively and his defensive reliability remaining consistent. He even made his NHL debut in a late-season game in 2015. However, Hrabarenka was unable to win a spot in camp last season and over the course of the AHL season regressed back into a one-dimensional checking defenseman. Unable to find a guaranteed contract this summer, Hrabarenka joined the Toronto Maple Leafs on a professional tryout agreement, but was one of the final cuts from camp just days before the start of the new season.
Disappointed with the lack of interest in North America, Hrabarenka is now headed home to Belarus. Much like the QMJHL, the KHL is an offense-driven league that is often hard on defensive defenseman. If Hrabarenka is able to maintain his physical dominance and defensive instincts against the speed and skill in that league, especially the division rival SKA St. Petersberg squad, he’ll be on NHL radars next summer and may get the opportunity to pursue the dream yet again.
Snapshots: Nash, Edmonton, Pulkkinen
The New York Rangers announced today that Rick Nash is set to miss the next week with a groin injury. While the Rangers would rather their superstar miss no time at all, the prognosis is much better than it could have been. After the worst year of his pro career in 2016-16, Nash has looked rejuvenated this season with 11 goals and seven assists in 28 games. New York expects him back at full strength as soon as he’s cleared to play next week.
Unfortunately, the timing is not great for the Rangers. With just four wins in their last ten games, the team has cooled off after their hot start and other teams have taken advantage. With the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets set to take over the Metropolitan Division and a suddenly damaged-goods Montreal Canadiens team primed to give up the top spot in the East, New York needs their A-game right now. With Nash out of the lineup, line mate Jimmy Vesey day-to-day, and two games against the Chicago Blackhawks in the next five days, others will have to step up for the Rangers or they will be solidly in third in the division and have missed out on a chance to seize the conference by this time next week.
In other news:
- The Edmonton Oilers today announced that defenseman Mark Fayne has been placed on injured reserve and that David Musil has been recalled from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL to replace him. Fayne becomes the fifth Oilers defenseman currently on IR, joining Brandon Davidson, Darnell Nurse, Andrew Ference, and Eric Gryba. Rookie Matt Benning has already been pressed into regular service this season and now either Musil will make his first start since April 11th, 2015 tomorrow night against the Philadelphia Flyers or Dillon Simpson, called up on Saturday, will make his NHL debut.
- The Minnesota Wild have recalled forward Teemu Pulkkinen from the AHL’s Iowa Wild and he joined the team before their game tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, Pulkkinen will be a healthy scratch. After being claimed off of waivers before the season, the former Detroit Red Wings prospect played in eight games with Minnesota, but after scoring just one goal in that span, was demoted before the end of October. A point-per-game player with Iowa thus far, Pulkkinen appears to have outgrown the AHL and will look to earn a full spot with Minnesota this time around.
- The Boston Bruins have sent down Noel Acciari to the Providence Bruins of the AHL. Having just activated Acciari off of the injured reserve, it is likely that the Bruins simply wanted the young winger to get some game time in at the AHL level before re-entering the Boston lineup. With Matt Beleskey sidelined and Frank Vatrano yet to be activated, there is space on the roster for Acciari if they want to call him up sooner rather than later.