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AHL Shuffle: 12/05/21

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It’s a perfect, snowy Sunday morning for hockey across much of Canada and the northern United States. As the NHL gears up for a six-game slate tonight, expect there to be some moves in the recall and reassignment department. Keep up with a list of today’s movement between the AHL and NHL today right here:

Atlantic Division

  • After recalling forward Oskar Steen and defenseman Jack Ahcan from AHL Providence on Saturday, the Boston Bruins have returned the duo to the minors today, per NHL.com’s Mark Divver. Only Ahcan played against the Tampa Bay Lightning last night, a last-minute replacement for the ill Charlie McAvoy.
  • In order to make room for Kyle Clifford, who was seemingly floating in the ether on neither the NHL or AHL roster, the Toronto Maple Leafs have returned Michael Hutchinson to the AHL Marlies. With Petr Mrazek also in the AHL on a conditioning loan, this leaves impressive youngster Joseph Woll on the Maple Leafs roster as the understudy to starter Jack Campbell. 

Metropolitan Division

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have activated forward Patrick Brown from the injured reserve and have given him Max Willman’s roster spot. The team announced that Willman has reassigned to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms in order to activate Brown, who has only played in six games since being claimed off waivers earlier this year.

Central Division

  • In response to activating Riley Stillman from injured reserve, the Chicago Blackhawks sent defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk down to the Rockford IceHogs this morning. The 24-year-old undrafted left-shot defenseman had no points in three games this season with the big club. He’ll return to Rockford, where he’s got a very strong 13 career points in just 12 games.

Pacific Division

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Injury Notes: Kucherov, Zboril, Farabee

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When Nikita Kucherov was last sidelined due to injury, it took him the entire 2020-21 regular season to recover. This time around, the absence won’t be nearly as long for the 2018-19 Hart Trophy winner. Kucherov is right on track to return from the lower body injury he suffered back in October, for which he was given an eight-to-ten week recovery period after undergoing surgery. NHL.com reports that Kucherov was back at practice for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, his first time skating with the team since he was injured on October 16 – exactly seven weeks to the day. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was quick to qualify the appearance, stating that “this does not trigger anything new on his timeline; he’s still quite a ways off.” However, getting Kucherov back on the ice is the first major step toward getting the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs back to full strength. The Lightning are enjoying another solid season, even with Kuckerov and Brayden Point on the shelf, but are well behind the rival Florida Panthers for the lead in the Atlantic Division and could use the boost that a Kucherov return will bring to get back into the mix for the Eastern Conference crown.

  • The Boston Bruins are still waiting on clarification on the injury to defenseman Jakub Zboril in their last game on Thursday night. Zboril took an awkward check from Nashville’s Tanner Jeannot and appeared to injure his knee. He was helped off the ice and did not return in what seemed to be a serious incident. However, the team has made no definitive statement as to Zboril’s status just yet. Boston only announced that Zboril will not play on Saturday night and will be re-evaluated in the coming days, which could mean that the injury was not as severe as it seems or it could simply be that they have not yet determined the severity. The hope is that Zboril can return as soon as possible, as the blue liner is playing the best hockey of his NHL career providing consistent and dependable play on the back end. With Zboril finally flashing the ability that made him a first-round pick in 2015, the Bruins want to keep that momentum going if at all possible.
  • On the other end of the spectrum, the specifics have been revealed on the injury to Philadelphia Flyers forward Joel Farabee. The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor reports that Farabee has suffered a Grade II AC sprain in his shoulder. The typical recovery from the injury is up to six weeks, which O’Connor notes lines up with what Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault had initially suggested, even though Farabee was considered “week-to-week”. Philly will have to make do through at least the rest of the calendar year without the young scorer, who is tied for the team lead in goals.

Jake DeBrusk Linked To Rangers, Canucks, Canadiens, And Others

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  • News surrounding Boston Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk has evolved quickly over the past 24 hours, with news of his trade request breaking last night and rumors today that he was drawing significant trade interest. Now, on that same episode of Insider Trading, Dreger said that the Rangers, Canucks, Canadiens, Flames, and Coyotes have all expressed interest in the young forward. He also notes that while they haven’t necessarily called recently, the Blues have been historically involved in DeBrusk trade talks. Regardless, the situation seems favorable for a good return for the Bruins as a bidding war emerges.

Jake DeBrusk Drawing Trade Interest

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When news came out recently that Jake DeBrusk had requested a trade from the Boston Bruins, it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. The 25-year-old forward had seen his place in the Bruins lineup change dramatically since his outstanding 27-goal season in 2018-19, to the point of a healthy scratch over the weekend. What wasn’t clear is whether there was really a ton of interest in the struggling winger, especially because of the healthy salary that he comes with.

DeBrusk earns $4.85MM in the second season of a two-year deal which carries a $3.675MM cap hit, which means he’ll also be due a $4.41MM qualifying offer in the summer just to retain his RFA rights (and risk arbitration). He won’t be a cheap player for the next team he plays for, meaning he’ll have to produce much more than the eight goals and 20 points he has since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

Still, it appears as though that previous production and obvious skillset are intriguing to teams around the league. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet tweets that the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, and Carolina Hurricanes are all among the teams that have expressed interest in the Bruins winger. Ryan Rishaug of TSN, who first broke the news of a trade request, tweeted earlier today that as many as eight teams have reached out to the Bruins. The level of interest isn’t clear, and other reports–including one from Sara Civian of The Athletic–seem to dispute even those teams listed. There is also the issue of the salary cap for almost all of the real contenders in the league, meaning a move would be even more difficult to pull off.

For what it’s worth, DeBrusk will be back in the Bruins lineup tonight as Brad Marchand deals with his suspension. General manager Don Sweeney did confirm the trade request to reporters today, explaining that the disgruntled forward would “prefer a new opportunity.”

Bruce Cassidy Placed In COVID Protocol

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The COVID announcements are coming fast and furious this morning. After the Edmonton Oilers canceled practice for precautionary reasons, the Boston Bruins report that head coach Bruce Cassidy has entered the protocol. The Bruins are scheduled to take on the Detroit Red Wings this evening. Don Sweeney explained that Cassidy does have mild symptoms and Joe Sacco will take over primary coaching duties in his absence.

It’s certainly not an ideal time for Cassidy to be put in isolation, as the Bruins are win-starved lately and actually sit behind the Red Wings in the standings (though they’ve played four fewer games). Since the head coach has tested positive and is experiencing symptoms, he’ll be held away from the team for a minimum of ten days. That could mean five games without their bench boss, right as the Bruins’ schedule starts to ramp up after a slow first two months.

Remember the team is also without Brad Marchand after he was issued a three-game suspension, meaning the Bruins will be short-handed as they try to leapfrog Detroit and climb back up the Atlantic Division standings. Jake DeBrusk, who is currently hoping for a trade out of town, was at the morning skate and on the fourth line with Erik Haula and Curtis Lazar. The team actually doesn’t currently have the ability to recall anyone from the Providence Bruins, as that team is in their own COVID lockdown after positive cases reached double digits.

As with any COVID designation, but especially that of older coaches and executives, the focus obviously lies on Cassidy’s health. The hockey world hopes the 56-year-old comes through without any serious symptoms and is back on the bench in no time.

Jake DeBrusk Requests Trade

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The Boston Bruins made Jake DeBrusk a healthy scratch again over the weekend, and it appears as though there is finally a split coming between the two sides. Ryan Rishaug of TSN confirmed with DeBrusk’s agent that he has requested a trade out of Boston, and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet notes that the two are working to find him a fresh start.

DeBrusk, 25, is one of the infamous three first-round draft picks the Bruins made in 2015 and for quite some time, was regarded as the only one that had “worked out.” While Jakub Zboril and Zachary Senyshyn toiled in the minor leagues, DeBrusk was playing in the NHL, recording 62 goals over his first three seasons in the league.

Those numbers have dropped considerably since the start of 2020-21 though, with just eight goals and 20 points in 58 games over the last two seasons. With that decreased production the winger has also found inconsistent playing time, moving up and down the lineup.

On the second season of a two-year, $7.35MM ($4.675MM AAV) deal signed in November 2020, DeBrusk can become a restricted free agent once again next summer. It’s just a “could” because whatever team owns his rights at that point would need to issue him a $4.41MM qualifying offer just to retain them as an RFA. That’s certainly not a slam dunk given the way he’s played recently, especially when it would also come with the risk of arbitration.

Still, it’s easy to see how a team would think they can squeeze a top-six player out of DeBrusk. He has all the skills to score at a high level, as shown by his 27-goal season in 2018-19, he can be a physical presence when he wants to be, and there’s powerplay upside if deployed properly. If the asking price isn’t prohibitive, both contending teams and those that are rebuilding could be interested in the winger.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Brad Marchand Suspended Three Games

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The Department of Player Safety has issued a three-game suspension to Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand for slew-footing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson last night.

As the accompanying video explains:

It is important to note that there are many occasions during the course of a game where players use either their legs or their stick and upper body to restrain or impede opponents, or to gain leverage during a puck battle. When these players rise to the level of being illegal, the vast majority of them can be adequately punished with in-game penalties.

What causes this play to rise to the level of supplementary discipline, is Marchand’s use of both his upper and lower body to take Ekman-Larsson to the ice in a dangerous fashion and the speed at which the players are traveling towards the boards. 

While the video includes reasoning on why it rises to the level of supplementary discipline, it’s Marchand’s lengthy history with the DoPS that makes it a three-game ban. The Bruins forward has been suspended six times in the past, including once for a slew foot in 2015.

Ekman-Larsson did not suffer a serious injury on the play. Marchand was also not penalized, but he will have to sit down for the Bruins next three games and forfeit more than $90K in salary.

Brad Marchand To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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The Department of Player Safety still has Brendan Lemieux to deal with tomorrow, but will focus on Brad Marchand today. The Boston Bruins forward will have a hearing today for slew-footing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver-Ekman Larsson.

The incident occurred partway through the first period of last night’s game and Marchand did not receive a penalty on the play. Ekman-Larsson also did not suffer a serious injury, going on to play more than 24 minutes in the game.

This is not the first slew foot to draw the attention of the DoPS this season, in fact, it appears as though this season is going to be ruled by the offense given how often it has been in the headlines so far. P.K. Subban has been involved in several incidents (which were notably referred to as trips, not slew foots), while Ryan Hartman earned a $4,250 fine recently. Kevin Labanc is the only one to have earned a suspension for a slew foot this season, drawing a one-game ban for his incident earlier this month.

In Labanc’s video explanation, the league used the following language to explain the suspension:

What causes this play to rise to the level of supplemental discipline is the speed the players are traveling, and their proximity to the boards. 

Ekman-Larsson also collided with the boards after the Marchand incident, though the pair weren’t traveling at an exceptional speed. It will be interesting to see if the league decides on a fine or suspension in this case.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Boston Bruins

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads towards the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Boston Bruins.

What are the Bruins most thankful for?

A light early schedule.

Normally, if you said that November was coming to an end and the Bruins were seven points out of a divisional playoff spot, alarm bells would be ringing all across Boston. But with just 15 games played so far–tied for the lowest total in the league–there’s plenty of time to make up that ground. In fact, the Bruins have played five fewer games than the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings, two teams ahead of them in the Atlantic standings. Sure, things aren’t going perfect for Boston through the early part of the year with a 9-6 record, but it’s not panic time just yet.

Who are the Bruins most thankful for?

The “Perfection” line.

Despite two of its members being in their mid-thirties, the Bruins’ top line is just as devastating as ever. Brad Marchand is off to an incredible start with 20 points in his first 15 games (a points/game pace that has him fifth in the league), David Pastrnak has 15 points despite shooting at a career-low 7.6%, and Patrice Bergeron continues to be arguably the most effective two-way center in the league. The 36-year-old Bergeron has 13 points in 15 games, has been on the ice for just six goals against at even-strength (compared to 11 for), and has won 62.7% of his faceoffs to this point, easily the highest mark in the league from any full-time center.

Like they have for years now, the top line of the Bruins is carrying the offensive load while they try to figure out the rest of the lineup. While players like Craig Smith and Erik Haula struggle to find the back of the net, Pastrnak, Bergeron, and Marchand are keeping the team in the top half of the league for goals for per game. It’s not going to last forever, but it still is for now.

What would the Bruins be even more thankful for?

Tuukka Rask’s return.

One of the biggest differences in Boston this year is the goaltending tandem, a brand new duo of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. Neither one has been exceptional, or even above-average so far, with a flat .908 save percentage for each of them. That’s not the end of the world, but it’s also not what the Bruins have been used to for the last decade-plus. In each of the 12 seasons that Rask played at least 23 games for the team, he posted a save percentage of at least .913. Overall in his career, that number was .921, one of the best in the history of the NHL.

It doesn’t mean Swayman and Ullmark can’t play to a level better than they have so far, but there’s certainly no guarantee that they will. The issue is, there’s also no guarantee that Rask can play up to the level he has in the past, even if he comes back to the team in 2022 at full strength. The veteran netminder has been clear about his desire to play for Boston once he recovers from hip surgery, even skating at their facility lately. If the Bruins have their eyes set on another postseason run, it still seems likely that it will include Rask, at least in some fashion.

What should be on the Bruins’ Holiday Wish List?

A second-line center.

If the change in net was the most noticeable, perhaps the most important was the one at the second-line pivot position. David Krejci’s departure and subsequent return to the Czech Republic left a massive hole in the Bruins lineup, one that to this point has been filled mostly with Charlie Coyle. It’s not that Coyle has played poorly in that role, in fact quite the opposite, he leads all non-first-line Bruins’ forwards in goals and points through the first 15 games. But the team has said many times in the past that they think he is most effective on the wing, and having him there or even on the third line instead would only help to lengthen out what has become a top-heavy group.

By acquiring a legitimate top-six center at some point, it would slot everyone else in the Bruins’ lineup down a peg and make them seem like a much more well-rounded group. It’s not always easy to find that kind of player, but the team does actually have some extra cap space this time around to make an addition at the deadline. In fact, if they don’t make any drastic changes over the next few months, they could have more than $10MM in space to make a big splash. Whether they’ll have the assets to do that is another question, as is whether they’ll be in the right spot standings-wise for it to make sense.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 11/23/21

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Once the hockey season kicks into full gear, few transactions outside of NHL trades, claims, recalls, and reassignments garner much attention from the masses. Yet, some notable moves in other league do continue throughout the year. A handful have taken place today in fact:

  • The rare AHL trade has not been as uncommon so far this season, as the third trade of the season has been completed. As the narrative of the Senators’ poor organizational depth on the blue line continues to be an issue for both Ottawa and Belleville, the farm team brought in some help today. The AHL Senators announced that they have acquired defenseman Jack Dougherty from the Providence Bruins in exchange for future considerations. Dougherty is a name familiar to fans in Belleville, having played for the team the past two seasons. He only played one game with Providence this season, so his usage could have just as much to do with the deal to send him back to Belleville as does the Senators’ own needs. Dougherty, 25, was a second round pick of the Nashville Predators back in 2014 and a standout for both the U.S. National Team Development Program and in the WHL for the Portland Winterhawks. While he never panned out, with no NHL experience to speak of, Dougherty has settled nicely into a role as a useful, two-way defenseman in the AHL.
  • Sometimes very capable pros slip through the cracks in the off-season and are forced to settle for ECHL contracts and the hopes of proving on AHL injury loans that they can still play at a high level. Such is the case for goaltender Jon Gillies and forward Nick Lappin, who have both joined the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms on PTO’s today, on loan from their respective ECHL clubs. Gillies, 27, was on a PTO this fall with the New York Islanders that did not result in a contract. His time with the Maine Mariners has actually been spent mostly with their AHL parent club, the Providence Bruins, where he posted stellar numbers in three games, but again without a new contract in the end. The accomplished collegiate goalie and experienced pro is hoping Lehigh Valley finally takes notice of his ability and rewards him with an AHL deal. Lappin is hoping for the same result from his time with the Phantoms. The 29-year-old forward is not the same player he was as a regular call-up of the New Jersey Devils for several years, but also hasn’t had the chance to play a complete season in the past two years. Lappin will try to take advantage of this AHL opportunity to show he still plays with the same physicality and grit and that his scoring touch is not lost.
  • In a quirk of the transfer process in Switzerland’s National League, former NHLer Chris DiDomenico has already signed a new contract… with a different team… for next year. The 32-year-old journeyman has signed a two-year deal with SC Bern, but first will complete the current season with HC Fribourg-Gotteron in a strange arrangement. DiDomenico actually made his name initially in Switzerland (and Italy) from 2012 to 2017 before signing with the Ottawa Senators. When he left North America after two seasons with the Sens, he returned immediately to Switzerland and started producing at an elite level once again. As dangerous as he looks this season with Fribourg, tallying 26 points in his first 24 games, he could be even better next year in Bern with fellow former NHLers Cory Conacher, Kaspars Daugavins, and Dominik Kahun.

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