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Minor Transactions: 3/18/17

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Here is where we’ll keep tabs on today’s minor roster moves:

  • Tomas Nosek’s stint in Detroit only lasted a few hours as the Red Wings announced that he had been returned to Grand Rapids of the AHL after being recalled on an emergency basis this morning. The forward has yet to get into any games with the Wings this year but sits fifth in scoring with the AHL’s Griffins with 15 goals and 24 assists in 48 games.  Considering Darren Helm went down with an injury against the Avalanche this afternoon, there’s a chance Nosek could be back up with the big club before long.
  • With defenseman Paul Postma set to miss tomorrow’s game and Jacob Trouba out on more than a day-to-day basis, the Jets announced that they have recalled blueliner Brian Strait from AHL Manitoba. After spending the past three seasons exclusively in the NHL with the Islanders, the 29 year old has yet to suit up with Winnipeg this season.  In 50 minor league contests, Strait has two goals and 10 assists.
  • Flames goalie Brian Elliott returned to the lineup last night and as a result, they terminated the emergency recall conditions on Jon Gillies and assigned him back to Stockton of the AHL. Gillies is in his second professional season and has played in 34 games this season for the Heat, posting a 14-14-1 record with a 2.97 GAA and a .909 SV%.

Snapshots: Matthias, Western Playoff Race, Jagr

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The Winnipeg Jets will be without forward Shawn Matthias for the remainder of the season, the team announced Saturday.

The first sign of trouble was on Wednesday, when Matthias missed practice. He was held out of the Jets’ last game with an upper-body injury. Matthias has eight goals and 12 points in 45 games this season, his first in Winnipeg after signing a two-year, $4.25MM contract in free agency. He split last season between Toronto and Colorado.

Detroit’s second round pick in 2006 has played 524 NHL games, scoring 171 points with Florida, Vancouver, Toronto, Colorado, and Winnipeg.

  • With just 11 or 12 games remaining, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector broke down the schedules for the Western Conference teams involved in a tight playoff race. Anaheim, Calgary, and Edmonton are within two points of each other, and will likely finish two-through-four in the Pacific Division. The Oilers have a game in hand on both teams, and play the Canucks tonight. Spector gives Edmonton the advantage in home games, strength of opponent, and ease of the final week of the season. Calgary gets the nod for having back-to-backs and getting tired opponents. Anaheim’s biggest advantage comes during a home-and-home series with the Flames in early April; Calgary hasn’t won in Anaheim since January 2004. The next team in the Pacific, Los Angeles, is four points behind St. Louis for the second wildcard spot. At eight points back, they have a slim chance at catching the next three teams, but do get Edmonton and Calgary three times each.
  • With two assists last night, NHL legend and Panthers winger Jaromir Jagr passed Gordie Howe for most points scored by a player in his 40s, with 269. The 45-year-old told Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel that he’s “going to pass [Howe] for most points after 50.” For the record, Howe had 41 points in 1979-80 a 51-year-old in his return to the NHL after six years in the WHA.

Saturday Snapshots: Tkachuk, Stamkos, Stone

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Given his pedigree, it should come as little surprise that one of Matthew Tkachuk’s strengths is his advanced hockey sense. His father, Keith Tkachuk of course, played 18 seasons in the NHL and scored 538 career regular season goals. As Darren Haynes writes on his Flames From 80 Feet Above blog, the younger Tkachuk displays hockey awareness on par with that of a 10-year veteran as opposed to that of a 19-year-old rookie.

Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan certainly agrees with the sentiment, praising the young power forward’s “gamesmanship, his hockey sense (and) his ice awareness.” Haynes describes a subtle play made by the rookie in a recent win over Dallas in which Tkachuk touched the puck with a high stick and knew if he was the first to touch it that the officials would blow the play dead. Instead, Tkachuk tracked the puck into the offensive zone and waited for a Stars player to play the puck. Adam Cracknell did just that and Tkachuk picked his pocket and moved the puck to Mark Giordano whose shot deflected off of Stars defenseman Dan Hamhuis and into the net.

Tkachuk has tallied 13 goals and 46 points in 67 games this season which represents excellent production for any rookie, much less one just 19 years old and in his first professional campaign. Yet beyond his offensive output, it may be the little things Tkachuk brings to the table that makes him such a valuable contributor to a team that appears poised to make the playoffs.

Elsewhere in the NHL on this Saturday:

  • Steven Stamkos, out since November with a knee injury, returned to the ice as a full participant at the Lightning’s Friday practice. While that has to be considered a positive sign in his lengthy recovery, Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times writes that Stamkos’ return is still not “imminent.” The Lightning, who have surprisingly managed to resurface in the playoff race despite a trade deadline selloff of goalie Ben Bishop along with forwards Brian Boyle and Valtteri Filppula, would certainly welcome a healthy Stamkos with open arms but at this point it appears they’ll have to manage without their captain for a little while longer.
  • Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone, who has missed the last week with a lower-body injury, is still considered week-to-week and according to head coach Guy Boucher hasn’t skated while recovering from the leg issue, reports Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen. Stone, a terrific forechecker, has tallied 22 goals and 50 points in 63 games this season and is an important cog up front for the Senators. While the loss of Stone certainly stings, his absence has been mitigated somewhat by trade deadline acquisitions Alexandre Burrows and Viktor Stalberg, who have combined for six goals and nine points in the eight games since coming to Canada’s capital. Ottawa, at this point safely in possession of a postseason slot, will continue to look for production from the newest Sens as they work to secure a playoff berth.

Minor Moves: Driedger, Andersson, Stone

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It was a short and sweet call up for the Senators’ Chris Driedger, who will be sent down today according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia.  The goaltender was an emergency call up when Craig Anderson was injured this week, though he never got into a game. He has three appearances in his NHL career, but spent most of his time in the minor leagues.

Now with Anderson seemingly healthy enough, Drieger will head back to the Binghamton Senators and try to finish the season with a strong showing. The netminder has just a .906 save percentage in the AHL this season, though that is easily the best on the baby-Sens. The 22-year old is one of several goaltending prospects that Ottawa will make their mark on the NHL sooner or later.

  • According to Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet, the Calgary Flames have made Rasmus Andersson a regular call up in order to keep him with the NHL team. Originally recalled on an emergency basis, Andersson will stick around for at least a while to make sure the Flames have enough depth on defense. He actually hasn’t gotten into a game yet, as Dennis Wideman has figured into the lineup over the recent stretch of games.
  • It doesn’t look like Andersson will get in anytime soon, as Michael Stone will return to the lineup tonight in place of Wideman. Stone was injured in the March 9th game against the Montreal Canadiens, and has missed the last three games. He is still undefeated as a member of the Flames, as the team traded for him just before starting the 10-game win streak that ended on Wednesday against Boston. He’ll look to remain that way tonight when the Flames take on the Dallas Stars.

Unpacking The Court’s Decision On The Wideman Suspension

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Yesterday the Southern District of New York confirmed a neutral arbitrator’s decision to reduce Dennis Wideman’s suspension from 20 games to 10 games. Wideman incurred the suspension after striking a referee during a game late last season (video link). Unless the NHL decides to appeal—which is unlikely given the ruling—this ends the Wideman disciplinary issue between the NHL and NHLPA.

The controversy centered on whether Rule 40.2 (intent to injure an official) or 40.3 (no intent to injure an official) applies. The NHL initially suspended Wideman 20 games under Rule 40.2. Rule 40.2 states that any player who deliberately strikes an official and causes injury, or deliberately applies physical force with intent to injure shall be suspended no less than 20 games. The rule defines intent to injure as any physical force that a player knew or should have known could reasonably be expected to cause injury. The NHLPA argued that 40.3 applied instead, which carries a lesser minimum suspension of 10 games. The NHLPA argued that Wideman’s concussion sustained just prior to hitting the official made him unable to comprehend the situation enough to satisfy intent to injure.

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Minor Moves: Gillies, Froese, Bayreuther

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Brian Elliott is sick. Expected to start tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins and continue his recent hot streak, the netminder will be held off the ice entirely tonight. Chad Johnson will go in his stead, and Jon Gillies has been recalled to serve as the backup goaltender. This will serve as the prospect’s first taste of NHL action, despite him likely not getting onto the ice. According to Kristin Hallett of Flames TV, Gillies will be cutting it close for game time tonight as he caught a plane today to get to Calgary.

Wes Gilbertson of Postmedia reports that the Stockton Heat, where Gillies was set to play will be looking for an emergency backup of their own around San Diego. Emergency goalies are one of the best stories in hockey, ranging from video producers to bankers by day to professional hockey players by night. Someone in San Diego will likely be added to the trope tonight when the Heat take on the San Diego Gulls.

  • Byron Froese has been sent back down by the Tampa Bay Lightning after just a couple of days. The minor league forward played in one game while the Lightning continues to nurse Tyler Johnson and Vladislav Namestnikov back to health. Namestnikov played in Monday’s game as well, but aggravated the injury and is still questionable for tomorrow night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The re-assignment of Froese however does signal good news on one of the centers (no, it’s likely not Steven Stamkos).
  • After announcing his signing late last night, the Dallas Stars—or, more accurately the Texas Stars—have signed Gavin Bayreuther to an amateur tryout and will see him join the AHL squad right away. The NCAA standout should help them right away, though they don’t have any playoff aspirations any longer. Bayreuther will get some professional experience before trying to crack the Dallas team next fall.

Injury Notes: Scandella, Tkachuk, Leighton

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The Minnesota Wild came limping out of their matchup with the Washington Capitals last night in more ways than one. Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reports that Marco Scandella was absent from the team’s practice today after being seen favoring one leg after the game. If the Wild defenseman can’t go, Russo points to Mike Reilly as the potential replacement.

Reilly has been playing in Iowa for the past month after suiting up for 17 games with the Wild this season. The 23-year old has had a nice season in the AHL this year, recording 23 points in 41 games. The Wild are back at it tomorrow against the Carolina Hurricanes as they continue to battle for first place in the Western Conference.

  • Matthew Tkachuk will be a game time decision at tonight’s Calgary Flames game, as he is battling a lower-body injury and was held out of practice according to Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet. The rookie winger has 44 points in 65 games this season and most other years would be a runaway winner of the Calder Trophy. Tkachuk was the #6 draft pick this past June, and has already made an impact for the playoff-bound Flames.
  • Michael Stone is progressing according to Steinberg, who reports that he’ll go through a full practice tomorrow and be re-evaluated on Friday. The big defender was acquired at the deadline to help lengthen out the Flames blue line, but was injured in last week’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.
  • Former NHL goaltender Michael Leighton requires surgery and will be out for at least four to six weeks. Though it would have been a big blow for the Charlotte Checkers, the team acquired Tom McCollum at the deadline for just this situation. The AHL squad will now go after a playoff spot—which is very much in doubt as they lag behind Reilly and the Iowa Wild—with their newest addition instead of the veteran Leighton.

Snapshots: Avalanche, Stone, Foligno, Namestnikov

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Colorado Avalanche announced that they’ve recalled defenseman Anton Lindholm from the AHL San Antonio Rampage. The Swedish prospect is playing in his first season outside of Sweden and has 2G and 10A in  59 games. Lindholm was drafted 144th overall in 2014, and with the Avalanche firmly out of a playoff spot, now is the time to see what the team’s prospects have to offer at the NHL level.
  • The Calgary Flames received some good news regarding defenseman Michael Stone. Sportsnet Fan 960’s Pat Steinberg reports that Flames GM Brad Treliving told reporters that Stone’s upper-body injury is not going to be as long as it could’ve have been. Stone has excelled in Calgary since being traded from the Arizona Coyotes. He has 1G and 3A in 8 games, outpacing his 1G and 8A through 45 games in Arizona.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets forward and captain Nick Foligno will not play tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers, reports Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch. Foligno is ill and did not practice this morning either. Foligno has 24G and 23A in 65 games this season for the surprising Blue Jackets, who sit just three points out of first place in the NHL. Foligno is not the only prominent Blue Jacket missing tonights game. Defenseman Ryan Murray broke his hand and will miss 4-6 weeks.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning will have forward Vladislav Namestnikov back in the lineup tonight against the New York Rangers, reports Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. Namestnikov hurt his leg Thursday against the Minnesota Wild, but escaped serious injury. The Russian first round draft pick has 9G and 15A in 62 games for the Lightning, and will help close the gap on a playoff berth. The team is only three points out of the second wild card slot in the East.

Snapshots: College FA, Fasching, Hamilton

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After releasing our (partial) list of prominent NCAA free agents yesterday, Bob McKenzie of TSN has released his own today. While we looked at just the defensemen, McKenzie covers all the top prizes including Zach Aston-Reese and Gavin Bayreuther, both of whom are expected to sign within the next 48 hours. McKenzie lists Pittsburgh, Edmonton, Vancouver, San Jose, Los Angeles and Detroit among the suitors for Aston-Reese, who we learned was being pursued by as many as fifteen teams last week. McKenzie connects Buffalo, Dallas, New Jersey and Colorado to Bayreuther, a offensive defenseman who still lacks consistency in his own end.

McKenzie told us earlier today that Daniel Brickley would be heading back to Minnesota State next season, meaning that Bayreuther and the other top defensemen might be in even more demand. The insider has a ton of great information on the immediate future for several drafted prospects playing in college, like Adam Gaudette (Vancouver) and Luke Kunin (Minnesota). As teams continue to get eliminated from tournament contention, decisions will come quickly on their players. NHL clubs want to get them into their systems as soon as possible to help at the professional level.

  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Hudson Fasching from the AHL for the latest chapter in a very tumultuous season thus far. Fasching, a NCAA standout of his own last season, has played just six games with the Sabres this season. Still looking for his first point of the year in the NHL, Fasching has battled a groin injury all season. It has kept him out for months at a time, as he has just 31 combined games under his belt this season. The powerful winger out of the University of Minnesota made his NHL debut last spring after signing, and was expected to contribute more this year to a young Sabres squad. Hopefully now he’ll get into the swing of the NHL, and after another lost season from the Sabres lock down a role next fall.
  • It was a crazy first half of the season for Dougie Hamilton, as trade rumors swirled despite being repeatedly shot down by the Calgary Flames front office. As Eric Francis of Sportsnet writes, with that behind him Hamilton has turned into the elite defenseman the Flames had hoped for when they acquired him from the Bruins. The Flames have won nine straight games, and a big part of that should be placed at the feet of the 6’6″ defender. Still just 23-years old, Hamilton set a new career high this weekend in points and looks like he could challenge one day for a Norris trophy. Calgary has their sights set on the Anaheim and second place in the Pacific Division, as with a win tonight against Pittsburgh they could overtake the Ducks with just 13 games to go.

Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Josh Archibald From AHL

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The Pittsburgh Penguins may have another young winger ready to make an impact for them down the stretch. Today they called up Josh Archibald from the AHL prior to their game against the Calgary Flames tonight. The Penguins are on a five game winning streak and just a point behind the Metropolitan-leading Washington Capitals for first place in the entire NHL.

Archibald is a 24-year old winger who was selected in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. After completing—and dominating in—three seasons at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Archibald has steadily climbed through the ranks of the Penguins’ minor league system. Earlier this year he played two games for Pittsburgh, scoring two goals in a February 11th overtime loss against Arizona. Amazingly, he has scored on each of the only two shots he’s taken during his three game NHL career.

As Pittsburgh has shown over the years with the emergence of Bryan Rust and Conor Sheary, the team isn’t afraid to put young players into key roles during a playoff stretch. After seasoning them at the AHL level, they can find ways to let them impact the game without exposing their inexperience. While Archibald isn’t guaranteed to play that role for the Penguins this season, his ability to penalty kill and play a solid defensive game may lend itself to some fourth-line minutes down the stretch and into the postseason.

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