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Justin Faulk Activated From Injured Reserve

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The Carolina Hurricanes have their best player back in the lineup and not a minute too soon. Fresh off of the team’s best win of the season, a 5-1 clobbering of the Washington Capitals on Saturday night, the Eastern Conference’s last ranked team may finally be righting the ship. They face a tough test tonight against the San Jose Sharks, but they’ll do so with the services of franchise defenseman Justin Faulk back in the lineup. The big-time blue liner missed the past three games with an upper body injury.

Originally described as a “week-to-week” injury, Faulk was placed on the injured reserve last week, only to miss just a few contests before making his return. The original diagnosis was not overly certain, and it appears as if the Hurricanes have gotten lucky with a quick return for their alternate captain.

Carolina’s second-round pick in 2010, Faulk has exceeded expectations and developed into the centerpiece for a rebuilding Hurricanes team. After becoming a regular player at just 19, the 24-year-old now sits in a leadership position and is know around the league as one of the best puck-moving defenseman in the game. Faulk has 161 points in 337 career games, all while logging top pair minutes. Thus far in 2016-17 he has only three points, but with the team hopefully turning the corner on a disappointing start, look for Faulk’s return to jump start the offense and help the Hurricanes build on their recent success.

Hurricanes Terminate Jakub Nakladal’s Contract

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The Carolina Hurricanes announced that they have terminated the contract of defenseman Jakub Nakladal.  Nakladal cleared demotion waivers on Saturday and was assigned to Carolina’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte.  Cap Friendly notes via Twitter that Nakladal was quietly placed on unconditional waivers on Sunday and cleared earlier today.

Jakub NakladalThe 28 year old signed a one year, $600K deal with the Hurricanes back on October 9th after suiting up for the Czech Republic at the World Cup of Hockey.  He logged an average of 21:03 in ice time in those matchups while being held off the scoresheet.  However, he didn’t see much action with the Hurricanes as he got into just three games, collecting zero points and a -4 rating while averaging just 14:30 per game.

Nakladal’s only other NHL experience came last season with Calgary, where he played in 27 games. He picked up two goals and three assists in those contests, averaging 14:11 in ice time. He also spent time with Calgary’s AHL affiliate in Stockton, suiting up in 35 games while collecting 14 points (2-12-14).

While several teams had shown an interest in signing Nakladal to a two-way deal over the offseason, he held out for a one-way pact and stated that he would sign overseas unless he got one.  Although he got one from the Hurricanes, it would seem likely that he will cross the pond and sign elsewhere.  He has experience overseas in several different leagues, including the SM-liiga in Finland, the Czech Extraliga, and the KHL.

[Related: Hurricanes Depth Chart]

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Islanders, Bickell, Hamilton

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Travis Hamonic is a tough player to play against, and it turns out he’s also a tough player to keep out of the lineup.

Eight days ago, the Islanders announced Hamonic would miss between 4-6 weeks with an upper body injury. Despite that prognosis, Hamonic will dress on Monday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. That’s a total of three games missed.

Islanders coach Jack Capuano told Arthur Staple and other reporters that the team would dress seven defensemen tonight, scratching forwards Alan Quine and Shane Prince.

Hamonic isn’t the only Islanders defenseman battling injury. Dennis Seidenberg was placed on Injured Reserve with an upper body injury, which Staple believes is a broken jaw. It’s a tough break for Seidenberg, who has been a success in Brooklyn after being bought out by the Bruins. Seidenberg has a nice statline, with 4 goals and 4 assists and a +10 rating in 15 games.

  • Carolina Hurricanes winger Bryan Bickell spoke to Chris Hine from the Chicago Tribune about his recent diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, telling Hine that he’s “just uncertain.” He says doctors were able to catch the disease “early in its progression” and he hopes to be able to return later this season. Bickell would not be the first NHLer to play with MS: Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding was diagnosed early in the 2012-13 season but went on to play for parts of two more seasons. Hine quoted Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews as hoping Bickell can “find ways to stay strong.”
  • Calgary Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton has already experienced his fair share of trade rumors during his time with the Boston Bruins. He was ultimately traded to Calgary for a first round pick and a pair of second round picks at the 2015 NHL Draft. Hamilton had a career-year in his first season with the Flames, but has just six points in 16 games this season, with half of those coming in just one game; he’s pointless and -10 in his last seven games. The Flames have not been good this year, with just five wins in 16 games. Two nights ago on Hockey Night In Canada, Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos reported that several teams have called Flames GM Brad Treliving to see about the big right-handed defenseman’s availability. Kypreos said he doesn’t “suggest for one second that Calgary is shopping this guy, but there are some teams inquiring.” He suggested Arizona and Pittsburgh have made calls about Hamilton. The Coyotes would love to have a big right-handed defenseman to compliment Oliver Ekman-Larsson, while the Penguins would just like to improve their defense. Hamilton told Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun that he saw Kypreos’ report, but that trade rumors are “part of the game” and the latest round is “just a distraction, if anything.”

Snapshots: Duchene, Trouba, Waiver Activity

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Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba made his presence felt in his first game of the season. It wasn’t on the scoresheet, however. Just ask Matt Duchene.

Trouba caught Duchene with a high hit to the head, causing the speedy Avalanche center to leave the game. Adrian Dater reported that the NHL’s concussion spotters may have pulled Duchene from the game. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said post-game that he has no update on his star’s condition.

The two players have been linked before, with some speculation the Avalanche offered Duchene up in a trade for Trouba. With Trouba signing a two-year contract with the Jets before withdrawing his trade request and Duchene leading the Avalanche in scoring, it seems unlikely that anything will come to fruition soon.

  • The Florida Panthers have claimed forward Seth Griffith on waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to Chris Johnston. The Leafs had previously claimed Griffith on waivers from the Bruins just last month, but he was held off the scoresheet in just three games in blue and white. The Leafs needed to make a move with Matt Hunwick returning from IR and Josh Leivo coming back from a conditioning stint. As Johnston points out, the young forward will have a much better chance to make an impact in Florida, where the Panthers are dealing with a handful of injuries. Griffith won’t have to wait long to face his former team; the Panthers are in Toronto this Thursday.
  • Defenseman Nicklas Grossmann is on unconditional waivers for the purpose of mutually terminating his contract with the Calgary Flames. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggests Grossmann may have an offer to play overseas. He’s been in and out of the Flames lineup after a successful PTO. Shortly after the signing, Christian Roatis of Flames Nation broke down why the Flames signed the aging defenseman to a one-year, league-minimum contract: to boost their LTIR savings on the injured Ladislav Smid.
  • Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jakub Nakladal cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. The Hurricanes have called up Matt Tennyson to take his place on the roster. Nakladal is -4 in three games this season; Tennyson has 7 points in 9 AHL games so far.  Also clearing waivers was Florida’s Shane Harper who was assigned to Springfield of the AHL.  Harper has two goals and an assist in 14 games with the Panthers this season.

Canes Recall Brock McGinn, Derek Ryan From Charlotte

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With the sad news regarding Bryan Bickell’s health and the assignment of Phillip Di Giuseppe to Charlotte earlier today, the Carolina Hurricanes have recalled forwards Brock McGinn and Derek Ryan from their AHL affiliate, according to a release on the team’s official site.

Ryan currently leads the Checkers in scoring with 13 points through nine games and in six career NHL contests, all of which came last season, the 29-year-old pivot has tallied two goals. He has spent a majority of his pro career playing in Europe, including three years in Austria and another in Sweden. Ryan originally signed with the Carolina organization in June of 2015.

McGinn was drafted by the Hurricanes in the second round of the 2012 entry draft out of Guelph of the OHL. He made his NHL debut last season, appearing in 21 games with the Canes and scoring three goals with one assist. At the time of his recall, McGinn was on a seven-game points streak with Charlotte and ranks third on the team in scoring with eight points.

The moves now leave Carolina with 13 healthy forwards – not including Bickell of course.

 

Bryan Bickell Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis

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The Carolina Hurricanes, via their official team website, announced today that forward Bryan Bickell has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Ron Franics, the team’s Executive Vice President and General Manager, made the announcement.

“First and foremost, the most important thing is for Bryan to take care of himself and our thoughts are with him and his family. He will need to take some time to rest in the immediate future, and we will support him as he takes the necessary steps for his health. We ask that his privacy be respected during the process.”

Bickell was also quoted in the team’s release:

“Since the 2015 playoffs, I’ve been struggling to understand what was going on with my body. Again during the past few weeks, it felt like something wasn’t right. Obviously this is a bit of shock for my family and me, but I am hopeful I will be able to return to the ice and continue playing the game that I love.”

Obviously it’s unclear when or even if Bickell will return to the ice, though as his comments above suggest, he has every intention of suiting up again. The rugged winger was acquired by Carolina in the summer along with forward Teuvo Teravainen from Chicago in exchange for draft picks and salary cap relief. Bickell had appeared in seven games for Carolina netting a single goal and averaging 9:42 of ice time.

Former Minnesota goalie Josh Harding was diagnosed with MS early in the 2013-13 season but would return to the NHL to play in 34 regular season contests with the Wild over the next two seasons. That should offer Bickell some hope of an eventual return.

The Pro Hockey Rumors staff would like to extend our thoughts and well wishes to Bryan and his family during this time.

Hurricanes Send Phil Di Giuseppe To Charlotte

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The Carolina Hurricanes have assigned left wing Phillip Di Giuseppe to Charlotte of the AHL, as first reported by Elite Prospects via Twitter. The move was later confirmed on the Charlotte Checkers official team website.

Di Giuseppe has appeared in 11 of Carolina’s 13 contests this year but has failed to record a point and carries a -6 plus-minus rating. The 6-foot, 200-pound forward made his NHL debut in 2015-16 and impressed tallying seven goals and 17 points in just 41 games for the Hurricanes.

It’s not clear whether there will be a corresponding move to recall someone to take Di Giuseppe’s spot. The Hurricanes have just 12 forwards on their roster now with Di Giuseppe off to Charlotte.

Carolina drafted Di Giuseppe in the second round of the 2012 draft out of the University of Michigan. He spent three years in Ann Arbor, playing in 115 games for the Wolverines and scoring 78 points. After signing with Carolina, Di Giuseppe saw action in 104 AHL contests over parts of three seasons and tallying 19 goals with 30 helpers.

Di Giuseppe is in the final season of his two-way, entry level contract which calls for a $867.5K salary while on an NHL roster and just $70K for suiting up in the AHL. Clearly a long-term stint in Charlotte will cost Di Giuseppe a fair amount of cash.

Jakub Nakladal, Shane Harper On Waivers

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First-year forward Shane Harper has been placed on waivers by the Florida Panthers tweets Bill Whitehead, who covers the team for the AP. The 27-year-old Harper made his NHL debut this season, seeing action in 14 games and recording three points for the Panthers.

Harper was signed by the Panthers in the summer of 2015 and spent the entire campaign with the AHL Portland Pirates. He scored 12 goals and 37 points in 59 games for the Panthers top minor league affiliate. It’s probable Harper will go unclaimed and be returned to the minors.

Elliotte Friedman adds that joining Harper on waivers this afternoon is defenseman Jakub Nakladal of the Carolina Hurricanes. Nakladal inked an unrestricted free agent deal last month with the Hurricanes and appeared in three contests for Carolina. Nakladal was held scoreless and finished with a -4 plus-minus rating while averaging 14:30 of ice time per game.

Given Nakladal remained unsigned until just days before Carolina’s 2016-17 season opener, it would seem likely he’ll clear waivers and be eligible to be sent to Charlotte of the AHL.

Justin Faulk Out “Week-To-Week”

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The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that All-Star defenseman Justin Faulk is considered “week-to-week” with an upper body injury. Faulk was injured in the third period of the Hurricanes game against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday and will be out of the lineup for the rematch tonight. Although Faulk has not yet been placed on injured reserve, that does not mean that he will not be out of the lineup long-term. Coach Bill Peters said that more will be known about the undisclosed injury once preliminary MRI results come back.

Carolina’s second-round pick in 2010, Faulk has quickly developed into a star on the blue line in Raleigh. After becoming a regular player at just 19, the 24-year-old now sits in a leadership position as the centerpiece of a young defense core for the Hurricanes. Faulk has 161 points in 337 career games, all while logging top pair minutes. Thus far in 2016-17 he leads the ’Canes in ice time and is fourth on the team in goals (3) and points (3).

Faulk’s rank among Carolina skaters is a good indication as to how well the team is playing. At 3-5-3, the Hurricanes sit at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. Not only have they been unable to score, but even with a healthy Faulk the defense has struggled. Carolina is currently allowing 3.5 goals per game, and with Faulk out of the lineup, the pressure is on for youngsters Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, and Noah Hanifin to prevent that mark from further inflation. Replacing the minutes and production of Faulk is a daunting task, and it seems like more hard times are on the way for the rebuilding Hurricanes.

New York Islanders Place Travis Hamonic On IR, Recall Adam Pelech

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As previously reported, the Islanders have lost the services of Travis Hamonic for 4-6 weeks after blocking a shot and being removed from the game Saturday night. Hamonic was officially placed on injured reserve today, retroactive to November 5th  and the Isles have recalled Adam Pelech from Bridgeport to replace him.

The loss of Hamonic is a big blow to the Islanders, who are struggling out of the gate this season. With just one win in their last six games, they’ve slipped to 15th in the Eastern Conference, only ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes. Andrew Ladd, the big free agent signing hasn’t transitioned well to New York State, and the ice is a huge problem at the Barclay’s Center.

[Updated: New York Islanders Depth Chart]

For a team that was thought of as a potential Stanley Cup contender, it’s been far from an easy ride through the first dozen games. They’ll try to use Pelech to turn it around, though with only nine games of NHL experience they likely can’t lean too heavily on the 22-year old. With the Islanders now having just a single right-handed option (Johnny Boychuk) on the blueline, someone will have to play on his off-side.

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