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Chicago Blackhawks Recall Kevin Lankinen

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The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled goaltender Kevin Lankinen from the minor leagues under emergency conditions, as Robin Lehner is dealing with the flu. Lankinen will serve as the backup for Corey Crawford tonight when the Blackhawks take on the St. Louis Blues. Ian McCoshen has also been returned to the AHL. The team was already without Dylan Strome and Duncan Keith, but now Lehner and Andrew Shaw, who is undergoing further evaluation on an injury, will be out for the important matchup against the Blues. That’s a tough situation for any team, but especially one that has struggled so much and is trying to drag themselves out of the basement of the Western Conference.

Lankinen, 24, was signed by the Blackhawks in 2018 as an undrafted free agent and has just 33 professional appearances in North America. Eight of those have come with the Rockford IceHogs this season, where he has a .924 save percentage. The young Finnish goaltender is certainly not expected to take over a full-time role in Chicago this season, but perhaps the team will get a chance to see what he can do should Lehner’s illness last.

Shaw meanwhile would be another big loss for the team if he’s held out for any length of time. The 28-year old has been welcomed back into the Chicago organization after three seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, and has ten points and 33 penalty minutes through 26 games. The feisty forward set a career-high with 47 points last season (in just 63 games), but isn’t playing quite the same offensive role for the Blackhawks. Still, his physicality and agitation will be missed should he be held out.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Makar, Nugent-Hopkins

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With another month having passed, the NHL revealed its Three Stars for the month of November and no surprise that Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid heads the list. The two-time Art Ross Trophy winner dominated November in 14 games, leading the league with 13 goals, 26 points, six power play goals and 11 power play points over the month. That performance has put Edmonton at the top of the Pacific Division with a 7-5-2 record in November.

The Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and Chicago Blackhawks Patrick Kane round out the top three. MacKinnon ranked second in the NHL in points in November with 10 goals and 25 points in 14 games and did it while being without his two linemates, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog for most of that month. Kane, meanwhile, scored a point in all 15 games that he played, scoring 11 goals and 24 points.

  • The NHL also announced the NHL ’Rookie of the Month,’ handing the award to Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, who dominated the month of November. The 21-year-old led all rookies with seven goals, 16 points, three game-winning goals, +10 plus/minus and ATOI, averaging 21:25. Makar became the fifth rookie to score seven or more goals in a month and the last to do it since Brian Leetch did it in 1989. Makar beat out New York Rangers’ Adam Fox, Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes, Carolina Hurricanes’ Martin Necas, Buffalo Sabres Victor Olofsson and Pittsburgh Penguins’ John Marino.
  • The Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes that despite rumors that Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a surgical procedure last week on his hand, he did not. Instead, Nugent-Hopkins received an injection, suggesting that the injury is more pain-related than anything else. The Oilers hope to get the top-six forward back sometime later this week.

Snapshots: Russian WJC Coaches, Crawford, Werenski

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The Russian National team announced it has upgraded its coaching staff for the upcoming World Junior Championships, starting next month with Russian greats Igor Larionov and Nikolai Khabibulin taking roles with the team under head coach Valeri Bragin.

Larionov, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and three-time Stanley Cup Champion, will take over as an assistant coach after maintaining a role as an advisor for the senior national team. Khabibulin, a four-time all-star in the NHL, will take over as the WJC goaltending coach for Russia. He has served as goaltending coach for the Russian Olympic team. They will be replacing Yuri Babenko and Vladimir Kulikov, who were re-assigned.

Both coaches are expected to join the Russian team for training camp on Dec. 9. The tournament begins on Dec. 26 in the Czech Republic.

  • The Daily Herald’s Barry Rozner wonders whether this will be Corey Crawford’s last season with the Chicago Blackhawks. The 34-year-old has fared well after several injury-plagued seasons, posting a 2.94 GAA and a .913 save percentage in 13 games while splitting time with Robin Lehner. Unfortunately, Lehner who is six years younger, is having an even better season, and with both goaltenders hitting unrestricted free agency this summer, the team will have to pick one, which would suggest they will retain Lehner, although the scribe notes that it’s too early in the season to make any assumptions. However, with another young goalie close to ready in Kevin Lankinen, the team might have no choice but to move on from their longtime star goaltender.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that defenseman Zach Werenski suffered a upper-body injury and would not return for the remainder of the game against the New York Islanders. The injury looked serious as he collided with the Islanders’ Anders Lee less than four minutes into the game and hit him in the left shoulder, the same shoulder that Werenski had surgery on in July. The Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger reports that there was no update on Werenski after the game and an update isn’t likely to be revealed until Monday. However, the 22-year-old leads the Blue Jackets’ defensemen with six goals and 16 points.

Duncan Keith Won't Play Saturday Due To Groin Injury

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  • Blackhawks blueliner Duncan Keith will miss Saturday’s game against Colorado due to a groin injury, head coach Jeremy Colliton told reporters, including Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago. He has been skipping practices lately for maintenance purposes but it appears the team will give him at least one game off to see if that helps. To replace him on the roster, the team announced (via Twitter) the recall of blueliner Ian McCoshen from AHL Rockford while winger Matthew Highmore has been sent back to the IceHogs.

Poll: Which Teams Will Buck The Thanksgiving Playoff Trend In 2019-20?

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Just how important is playoff position in just the second month of the regular season? Very, if you look at recent results. Over the past six years, more than 70% of teams in a playoff position at American Thanksgiving have held on to their spot. While last year was slightly below the mark – 11 of 16 teams (69%) in a playoff position on November 22 qualified – the standings at the time were even more predictive than usual. The Lightning, Predators, Flames, Maple Leafs, Jets, and Sharks all finished in the same divisional seed that they occupied at Thanksgiving.

So who were the outliers in 2018-19? Obviously, the St. Louis Blues’ return from the basement of the league standings to win the Stanley Cup is a story that will stand the test of time. However, four other clubs also turned their seasons around: the Islanders, Penguins, Hurricanes, and Golden Knights. And the teams whose seasons took a turn for the worse: the Sabres, Wild, Rangers, Canadiens, and Ducks. Ironically, the Canadiens were narrowly inside the playoff window on Thanksgiving and ended up just barely outside in the spring. Meanwhile, the Ducks, Oilers, and Coyotes were all tied for the lowest playoff-qualifying record on Thanksgiving, with the Ducks getting the tiebreaker at the time, and all three failed to qualify for the postseason.

This season has gotten off to an unpredictable start, which could potentially threaten to derail the Thanksgiving trend. Several teams considered Cup contenders are currently outside the playoff picture, while multiple surprises currently occupy a spot. With Thanksgiving arriving tomorrow, this is the current status of the NHL standings (reminder – points percentage is the ideal way of viewing NHL standings):

Eastern Conference

M1 New York Islanders (.773)
A1 Boston Bruins (.771)

M2 Washington Capitals (.740)
M3 Carolina Hurricanes (.646)

A2 Tampa Bay Lightning (.619)
A3 Florida Panthers (.604)

W1 Pittsburgh Penguins (.625)
W2 Philadelphia Flyers (.604)

Outside the Playoff Picture: Montreal Canadiens (.563), New York Rangers (.545), Columbus Blue Jackets (.522), Buffalo Sabres (.521), Toronto Maple Leafs (.520), Ottawa Senators (.479), New Jersey Devils (.435), Detroit Red Wings (.327)

Western Conference

C1 St. Louis Blues (.680)
P1 Edmonton Oilers (.673)

C2 Dallas Stars (.615)
C3 Colorado Avalanche (.609)

P2 Arizona Coyotes (.620)
P3 Vancouver Canucks (.560)

W1 Winnipeg Jets (.604)
W2 Nashville Predators (.543)

Outside the Playoff Picture: San Jose Sharks (.540), Chicago Blackhawks (.521), Anaheim Ducks (.500), Vegas Golden Knights (.500), Calgary Flames (.481), Minnesota Wild (.480), Los Angeles Kings (.417)

2018-19 playoff teams jump off the page as potential candidates to disrupt the status quo. Particularly in the Pacific Division, it is hard to image none of the Golden Knights – who beat the Thanksgiving odds last year – the Sharks or the Flames will make the playoffs, especially as they look up at the Oilers, Coyotes, and Canucks.  There could also be hope in West for the Ducks and Blackhawks, who sit at .500 currently. Over in the East, the Maple Leafs stick out like a sore thumb among non-playoff teams and could be line for improvement following their coaching change. But will it be enough given their difficult start? The Canadiens will also hope for a reverse of fortunes from last year, going from first team out in the conference at Thanksgiving to in the postseason come April. The Sabres have started hot and collapsed two years in a row, but there is still time for them to turn things back around. All three Atlantic clubs see a Panthers team with plenty of problems ahead of them in the standings right now. Meanwhile, the Rangers and Blue Jackets will look to make an unlikely run to the postseason as they chase down the Flyers.

What do you think? Which of these teams will find their way into the playoff picture and which will fall victim to the Thanksgiving postseason trend? Select as many teams below as you like, but remember that for every addition, there has to be a subtraction of a current playoff team.

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Minor Transactions: 11/25/19

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A new week is upon us in the NHL and nine games will kick things off tonight. That schedule includes the struggling Calgary Flames heading to Pittsburgh to try and get another win to slow the bleeding, while the super-hot Dallas Stars welcome the Vegas Golden Knights into their arena. With plenty of action on the schedule we’ll keep track of all the minor moves teams make to prepare.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Matthew Highmore from the minor leagues, his first opportunity at the NHL level since the 2017-18 season. That year Highmore played in 13 games for the Blackhawks and scored two goals, but missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
  • Riley Stillman has been sent back to the AHL by the Florida Panthers, while the team takes a few days off. Florida doesn’t play again until Wednesday, when they will try to stop their short two-game losing streak in its tracks.
  • After just a couple of days in the minors for cap reasons, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee have been recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers. Both players were in the lineup when the Flyers took on the Calgary Flames on Saturday and were sent down just to bank some cap space on the off day.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Jean-Sebastien Dea from the AHL, giving them another option with Evan Rodrigues unavailable for tonight. While Dea gives the Sabres a fine option, the team is really testing their organizational depth with all the recent injuries.
  • Daniel Carr has been recalled by the Nashville Predators, a little more than a month after he cleared waivers and was sent down. Carr absolutely tore up the AHL during that time, posting 21 points in 16 games. The 28-year old is an elite AHL offensive weapon, but has just 103 NHL games under his belt.
  • Jack Studnicka and Brendan Gaunce have both been recalled by the Boston Bruins. The team will not have Patrice Bergeron, Brett Ritchie or Par Lindholm for their two-game road trip that starts tomorrow in Montreal.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Michael Hutchinson, sending Kasimir Kaskisuo back to the minor leagues. The backup goaltender usage under new head coach Sheldon Keefe isn’t clear, but the Maple Leafs do have a back-to-back situation coming up this weekend.

Western Notes: Lehner, Crouse, Bear

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After another shootout loss suffered by the Chicago Blackhawks, it’s blatantly obvious that goaltender Robin Lehner is bad at shootouts. Including Chicago’s 2-1 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars Saturday, Lehner has accumulated 22 shootout losses, allowing 45 goals on 94 shots for a .521 save percentage. Considering the average goalie’s numbers are closer to .700 or .800 on the shootout, Lehner is way below average.

However, The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus (subscription required) writes that swapping out Lehner for Corey Crawford at shootouts isn’t likely to happen either, despite the fact that Crawford boasts a career save percentage of .713 on shootouts. The problem is that on days that Lehner plays, Crawford would be ice cold when the shootout comes around. Not necessarily a much better option.

“That’d be tough,” head coach Jeremey Colliton said. “Listen, Robin played really well. I don’t think it’s fair to talk about the shootout, as well as he played for the rest of the 65 minutes. He was really good.”

  • After colliding into the boards headfirst Saturday, Arizona Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet said that forward Lawson Crouse is sore today and will not be playing Sunday against Edmonton, according to AZSports’ Richard Morin. Crouse got tangled up with Los Angeles Kings defenseman Alec Martinez and slid into the boards at high speed during the third period of Saturdays’ game. Tocchet said that the injury isn’t necessarily a head injury, but he did enter concussion protocol and will continue to be monitored. Michael Grabner will take his place in the lineup.
  • Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal writes that one of the top reasons for the Edmonton Oilers success has come with the emergence of Ethan Bear, who has quickly established himself as a first-pairing defenseman who can consistently transition the puck from the defensive zone to a forward on their way out of the defensive zone. The scribe writes that Bear has already replaced Adam Larsson on that top line and four goals and 21:04 ATOI as a rookie has made quite the difference to the team as the 22-year-old came into camp in the best shape of his career and has taken advantage of every opportunity so far.

Drake Caggiula Placed On Injured Reserve

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  • The Blackhawks announced (Twitter link) that they have placed center Drake Caggiula on injured reserve.  He has been out for two weeks already and the placement is retroactive to November 10th so he can be activated at any time.  However, the move allows them to bring someone up to take his place on the roster.

Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks Complete Minor Trade

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired Graham Knott from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Joseph Cramarossa. Knott will be assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins immediately, while Cramarossa is headed to the Rockford IceHogs.

This move doesn’t look like it will have much of an impact at the NHL level, given that Knott has spent this season in the ECHL and Cramarossa hasn’t sniffed the NHL since the 2016-17 season. The pair of minor league forwards will get fresh starts in new organizations to try and keep their careers moving forward.

Pittsburgh does get the younger player, as Knott is still just 22. Selected in the second round of the 2015 draft he hasn’t been able to produce much at the minor league level and will likely go unqualified this summer at the expiry of his entry-level contract. Cramarossa meanwhile is also an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and is just minor league depth at this point.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Gilbert, Calvert

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The NHL has released the Three Stars for last week, and it will surprise absolutely no one to see Connor McDavid on the top. The Edmonton Oilers captain scored ten points in three games including an incredible six-point game against the Colorado Avalanche. McDavid is on pace to score 149 points this season.

Speaking of the Colorado Avalanche, Nathan MacKinnon takes home the second star after his own excellent week with seven points in three games. Keith Yandle took the third spot after posting eight points and now sits sixth among all NHL defensemen in scoring.

  • The AHL has suspended Chicago Blackhawks prospect Dennis Gilbert for two games after an interference incident on Saturday night. Gilbert is still looking for his first point at any level this season after going scoreless through seven AHL games and three NHL games.
  • Matt Calvert has been sent back to Colorado and is out indefinitely after taking a puck to the head over the weekend. Calvert’s injury was the subject of much discussion in the hockey world after the officials did not blow the whistle even with him bleeding profusely on the ice. The Denver Post’s Mike Chambers reports that Logan O’Connor has been recalled from the AHL Eagles, likely indicating that Calvert is headed for a stint on the injured reserve.

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