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Latest On Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have quietly put together an excellent season. The team found themselves heading into tonight’s action just two points behind the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division and could have all the pieces in place for a Stanley Cup run. Unfortunately though, two of those important pieces are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, keeping them in the rumor mill even though the team must dread parting with either.

Those two are Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky, of which the latter was recently involved in an incident that earned him the equivalent of a one-game suspension from the team. According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required), Bobrovsky immediately undressed and showered after getting pulled from a game earlier this month, instead of remaining available to go back in if required. That incident, though only keeping Bobrovsky away from the team for a single day, prompted many fans and media members alike to question his future in Columbus.

They weren’t the only ones to question the veteran goaltender’s future with the Blue Jackets, as according to Portzline’s colleague Pierre LeBrun, Bobrovsky himself apparently indicated to the team that he is willing to waive his no-movement clause for the right trade destination—and he indicated that months ago.

As LeBrun notes, it does not sound like the Blue Jackets have asked him to waive it or presented him with any possible destination, and it’s easy to understand why. The two-time Vezina winner is a huge part of the Blue Jackets hopes this season even if he hasn’t performed up to his lofty standards to this point. Going into the playoffs as a Stanley Cup contender with Joonas Korpisalo as your starter is a tough place to be in, meaning that Columbus would need to replace Bobrovsky with someone else. At that point, unless you’re getting someone with term and upside, there’s not going to be a better rental option than keeping your in-house goaltender.

With just under six weeks until the NHL trade deadline, a deal for Bobrovsky still seems unlikely—even to our readership. Prime goaltenders rarely bring back their true value in-season given that contenders are usually in that position because of their strength between the pipes. Even so, we now know that the goaltender is willing to waive his clause if necessary, and that will only generate more interest if an elite goaltender goes down in the next month.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Schedule For Upcoming NHL “Bye Weeks”

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For the third year in a row, the NHL has scheduled a mandated multi-day break for each team in the middle part of the season. Meant to give each team a rest, much like the bye week in the National Football League, this break also includes limits on practice, including several days in which all team activities are prohibited. A seven-day break this season, on paper an increase from the original five-day break, the “bye week” is actually less intrusive this season than it has been in the past despite the longer length. All 31 teams will take their break either right before or right after the upcoming All-Star Weekend, with those two days counting toward the seven and simply extending what has always been a short break for non-participants. Below are the lists of teams who will take leave on one side of All-Star festivities or the other:

Before All-Star Weekend (January 20 – 24)

Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Tampa Bay Lightning
Winnipeg Jets

After All-Star Weekend (January 27 – 31)

Anaheim Ducks
Arizona Coyotes
Calgary Flames
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
Detroit Red Wings
Edmonton Oilers
Florida Panthers
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
Montreal Canadiens
Nashville Predators
New York Islanders
Ottawa Senators
San Jose Sharks
St. Louis Blues
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks
Vegas Golden Knights
Washington Capitals

How each team feels about taking an extended break in the middle of the season generally varies based on situational factors. While many players would enjoy getting to spend some time away with their families, others would rather keep the pedal to the metal mid-season. More specifically, a team that is playing well and stringing together wins would rather keep playing and not lose out on that momentum. Another team may be in a slump or struggling with injuries and desperately in need of a break. Either way, not every team will be in favor of the bye week each season.

There also remains some scheduling flaws with the mandated break, as most teams will only get the actual seven days or an eighth day off for travel, but others are set to go ten or eleven days without a contest. The “bye week” seems to be a move by the NHL that has enough support to continue in future seasons, but the league could work on sharpening the schedule so as to give teams as close to an even break as their competition as possible.

Minor Transactions: 01/14/19

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Just six games on the schedule for Monday night but that does include an old-fashioned rivalry game between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. The two Eastern Conference franchises will face off with plenty on the line given their places in the standings. Boston currently has a three point lead on Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division. As teams prepare for tonight’s action we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The Ottawa Senators have sent Darren Archibald and Stefan Elliott back to the minor leagues, given they don’t play again until Wednesday. That leaves the Senators with just 21 players on the roster, meaning another move is likely before they take the ice. For Senators fans, that move is hopefully going to be the activation of Thomas Chabot who was at practice this morning in a regular jersey.
  • Stefan Noesen has been placed on injured reserve by the New Jersey Devils in order to make room for Egor Yakovlev on the roster once again. Noesen’s IR stint is retroactive to January 12th, though it’s not clear when exactly he’ll return from this lower-body injury.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent Gabriel Carlsson and Kole Sherwood back to the minor leagues, meaning they’ll have to wait to get into the NHL lineup. Carlsson has played only a single game with the Blue Jackets this season, while Ohio native Sherwood is still waiting on his NHL debut.
  • Michael Hutchinson has been returned to the minor leagues by the Toronto Maple Leafs as Frederik Andersen prepares to return to the crease. Toronto will also get Garret Sparks back on the end of the bench as the backup, meaning Hutchinson can return to the AHL and serve as valuable depth.
  • Similarly Adin Hill has been sent back to the AHL by the Arizona Coyotes, who instead will use Darcy Kuemper in the starting role moving forward. Hill has shown himself to be a capable NHL netminder in his short career, but will be served better by starting every game in the minor leagues to continue his development.
  • After trading away Devin Shore earlier today, the Dallas Stars have recalled Michael Mersch from the minor leagues. Mersch has just 17 games under his belt at the NHL level, all with the Los Angeles Kings in 2015-16. He does however have 20 points in 29 games for the Texas Stars and can be used as forward insurance as the team gets Andrew Cogliano up to speed.

Brandon Dubinsky And Markus Hannikainen Out For "A While"

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Minor Transactions: 01/13/19

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It’s a relatively busy Sunday for the NHL as six games are scheduled for today, including an afternoon tilt between the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes. While the league prepares for another important week, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The San Jose Sharks have sent Rourke Chartier back to the minor leagues, given the team doesn’t play again until Tuesday. The 22-year old forward has played 13 games with the Sharks this season but has just a single goal. He very well could be recalled once again in a few days.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Kole Sherwood, a 21-year old forward that spent time in the ECHL earlier this year. The hometown kid has seven points in 22 games for the AHL Cleveland Monsters, but will get a shot to see what life is like in the NHL for at least a little while.
  • Jordan Kyrou and Jordan Nolan have bother been recalled by the St. Louis Blues, giving the team two forward options in very different situations. Kyrou is still trying to get his footing in his first season as a professional, but has recently found his way as the AHL Rookie of the Month for December. Nolan meanwhile is just trying to hold onto his NHL career after finding himself in the minor leagues this season for the first time since 2012-13.
  • In a minor transaction, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that St. Louis Blues’ goalie prospect Evan Fitzpatrick has been re-assigned from the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL to the Tulsa of the ECHL. The scribe adds the transaction is significant because it likely suggests that prospect Ville Husso might be ready to return from injury, which could provide the Blues with a solid emergency goaltender down the road. The 20-year-old Fitzpatrick has served as an emergency backup already, but has spent most of his season in Tusla.
  • The Vancouver Canucks announced they have assigned center Adam Gaudette to the Utica Comets of the AHL as the team expects the return of Josh Leivo, who has been out with back spasms. The former Hobey Baker Award winner spent the early portion of the season with Vancouver, learning as a bottom-line player, but was sent to Utica to get more playing time in. He has been producing in Utica, posting three goal and seven points in seven games, including a two goal, three-point performance on Jan. 5th. He was then recalled after Elias Pettersson went down with his knee injury and scored a goal in his one appearance on Thursday against Arizona.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have recalled goaltender Calvin Pickard from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL now that his conditioning stint is over. The team claimed Pickard off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers due to injuries to both Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper. However, with Kuemper healthy once again and the emergence of Adin Hill, the Coyotes would have to keep Pickard around as a third goaltender, which they may not want to do. Pickard struggled in four appearances in Tuscon, despite a 3-0 record, posting a 3.47 GAA and a .889 save percentage.

Metropolitan Notes: Bobrovsky, Claesson, Weal, Varone

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While the Colombus Blue Jackets intend to start backup goaltender Joonas Korpisalo against Washington Saturday, Sportsnet’s John Shannon writes the team intends to start Sergei Bobrovsky Sunday against the Rangers after the veteran goaltender did not dress Thursday after a team “incident.”

Bobrovsky practiced Friday and then made a statement to the media:

“I let my emotions get to me when I shouldn’t,” Bobrovsky said regarding the incident that caused him to miss Thursday’s game against Nashville to NHL.com. “I pride myself to being a good teammate all the times… We cleaned the air and we’re ready to move on.”

Bobrovsky worked with goaltending coach Manny Legace in Washington this morning while the rest of the team did not have a morning skate, according to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, suggesting that Bobrovsky is ready to return to the team.

“That’s what solving things and moving on is all about,” General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “Sometimes you can use these types of things to become tighter as a group and as a team. But it’s really important you always air them out face-to-face and you move past them and learn from it rather than letting it linger and doing the talking behind their back. That’s why we always bring it all out in the open.”

Of course, it seems more and more likely that Bobrovsky is heading elsewhere when the season ends unless the team truly considers moving him at the trade deadline. However, while many have suggested that Bobrovsky is heading to the New York Islanders this offseason, New York Post’s Larry Brooks suggests that Islanders’ general manager Lou Lamoriello may already have a different plan with the impressive play of Robin Lehner so far this year. The scribe writes that Lamoriello has an amazing knack for finding impressive goaltenders throughout his tenure, including Martin Brodeur, Cory Schneider and Frederik Andersen as well as Lehner.

  • The New York Rangers took another hit today as the team may have lost defenseman Fredrik Claesson for some time after Saturday’s game against the Islanders, according to the New York Post’s Brett Cyrgalis. Claesson hit the boards hard after a hit by the Islanders’ Matt Martin. While nothing official has been announced, head coach David Quinn said it “doesn’t look good.” Quinn also added that defenseman Neal Pionk could be ready Sunday to replace Claesson in the lineup although he’s still considered day-to-day.
  • While the Philadelphia Flyers sent off forward Jordan Weal Friday to Arizona, The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (subscription requried) writes that the team made the move because the 26-year-old was no longer in the team’s plans. The team got little in return other than a sixth-rounder and defenseman Jacob Graves, a 23-year-old currently playing in the ECHL, and included because the Coyotes were already at 50 contracts and needed to send one back in the deal. Weal, a favorite of former general manager Ron Hextall, was deemed expendable by new management, but the improved play of Phil Varone also may have had quite a bit to do with the move. Varone, a similar player to Veal, has played in 14 of the team’s last 17 games, while Weal has been a healthy scratch often of late.

Minor Transactions: 01/12/19

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As they prepare to square off tonight, the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs are also on the board with some minor moves already. The Atlantic Division battle between likely first round opponents highlights a busy twelve-game Saturday slate. The Metropolitan Division gets the action started, with marquee matinee match-ups between the Rangers and Islanders and the Devils and Flyers. Other notable games later on include the Avalanche and Canadiens, both fighting to stay in the playoff picture in their respective conferences, the Blue Jackets and Capitals, two of the teams jockeying for position at the top of the Metro, and the Senators and Sharks, as Erik Karlsson faces his former team in his new home. With lots of action across the league, including some high stakes contests, expect some maneuvering to be made on several rosters. Keep up with all of the transactions here:

  • Urho Vaakanainen made his return to the AHL’s Providence Bruins lineup last night, indicating that he had been sent down, despite a formal announcement. Vaakanainen had been on the Boston Bruins’ injured reserve in December and was loaned directly from there to Team Finland for the World Junior Championship, a venture that ended in a gold medal. With the Bruins in enough of a roster crunch as is, it makes sense that the promising rookie would head back to the AHL, where he can continue to develop while also serving as the next man up on the Boston blue line.
  • In what has become a daily occurrence over the last several weeks, the Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo on an emergency loan from the AHL Marlies, the team announced. There was hope that starter Frederik Andersen may be able to return from injury for tonight’s game, but he has added a bout with the flu to his list of ongoing issues and will remain sidelined. Michael Hutchinson will instead make his fifth straight start, with Kaskisuo again suiting up as the backup. The struggling minor league keeper has yet to see any game action in the NHL.
  • The New Jersey Devils have returned goalie Cam Johnson to their AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Devils, in response to activating MacKenzie Blackwood from the injured reserve, who will get the start today for New Jersey. Johnson did not make an appearance in net for the team on his recall, which comes as little surprise given his struggles in the AHL this season. Johnson, who has also spent time in the ECHL, was a standout at the University of North Dakota, but is still adjusting to the pro game in his first season. The Devils also announced that injury-prone forward Marcus Johansson has been activated from the IR as well. If the Devils have any chance of getting back into the playoff picture, Johansson will need to be at the top of his game the rest of the way. Worst case scenario, they can flip the impending free agent before the trade deadline.
  • With Ryan Murray out sick, the Columbus Blue Jackets needed an extra defenseman and have elected to recall Gabriel Carlsson. Carlsson, a first-round pick back in 2015, has only played in one game with Columbus this season and has struggled to carve out a role for himself with the NHL club. The big stay-at-home defender will use this latest recall to try to prove he’s worthy or more play time.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have reassigned forward Michael Bunting to the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunner, per a team release. Following the acquisition of Jordan Weal and the return of Josh Archibald, the team had a surplus of forwards and Bunting is the man tabbed to head back to the minors. Bunting scored in his debut with the team and played in four games overall on the recall.
  • After being sent to the San Jose Barracuda Friday, the San Jose Sharks have recalled forward Rourke Chartier from the AHL once again, according to CapFriendly. The 22-year-old has split his season evenly between the Barracuda and the Sharks. He’s played 12 games in the AHL with three goals and 10 points, while struggling a bit more with the Sharks as he has one goal in 13 appearances so far this season.

Minor Transactions: 01/11/19

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Just four games are on the schedule for this evening, but one will feature the return of a former franchise player. Jeff Skinner returns to Carolina for the first time as a Buffalo Sabres forward and has his team on track for the playoffs. The Sabres sit just two points behind the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division and could tie them with their game in hand tonight. Skinner’s 29 goals are a huge part of Buffalo’s success, and have him on pact for a new career high.

  • Kasimir Kaskisuo has been returned to the minor leagues by the Toronto Maple Leafs, but won’t be there for long. Frederik Andersen is not expected to play until Monday according to Lance Hornby of Postmedia, meaning Michael Hutchinson will likely get another start in net tomorrow night.
  • With MacKenzie Blackwood on injured reserve and potentially staying in the NHL long-term, the Binghamton Devils have signed Evan Cormier to an AHL contract for the rest of the season. Cormier had been playing on an amateur tryout previously, but has a .938 save percentage in four games.
  • Speaking of the Devils, the New Jersey variety have sent Egor Yakovlev back down to Binghamton today. Yakovlev is expected to suit up for the minor league game tonight, his ninth game with Binghamton this season.
  • The Ottawa Senators have placed Colin White on injured reserve, recalling Stefan Elliott in his place. White suffered an upper-body injury against the Los Angeles Kings last night when he was crushed by defenseman Jake Muzzin.
  • Troy Grosenick is heading back to the AHL after filling in for Juuse Saros on the bench last night. The minor league goaltender was called up under emergency conditions when Saros was sick, but won’t get into an NHL game just yet.
  • The San Jose Sharks have returned both forward Rourke Chartier and defenseman Jacob Middleton to the AHL Barracuda, the team announced. Considering the Sharks and Barracuda share a building, every recall and reassignment in San Jose is a paper transaction. The duo are expected to play for the Barracuda tonight, but could very well be called up tomorrow when the Sharks host the Ottawa Senators. With both Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun still sidelined, there’s a a good chance that at least Middleton’s return is only temporary.
  • In search of more offense, the Buffalo Sabres recalled top AHL forward C.J. Smith last month. After recording, one point in four games, he’s headed back down. The team announced that Smith has been reassigned to the Rochester Americans. No corresponding move has been made as of yet.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have shuffled their lineup, sending emergency backup J-F Berube and winger Eric Robinson back to the AHL and promoting center Kevin Stenlund, per a team release. The 6’4″ pivot has yet to make his NHL debut, but has performed well in his second season in North America and has the makings of a strong bottom-six center. A second-round pick by Columbus back in 2015, Stenlund’s arrival to the Blue Jackets roster has been long-awaited.

Poll: Where Will Sergei Bobrovsky Finish The Season?

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It seems every day there is a new name dominating the headlines around the NHL as we approach the February 25th trade deadline, and today that name is Sergei Bobrovsky. The veteran goaltender will not dress for the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight after an incident took place which “failed to meet expectations and values” of the club. Though a spokesperson for the team originally said the goaltender was expected back at practice on Friday night, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required) did a bit more digging and found out that GM Jarmo Kekalainen will have a meeting with Bobrovsky first to determine the next step.

No matter how that meeting goes, there is a bigger question than when Bobrovsky will return to practice—will he be with the team at the end of the season? The 30-year old goaltender will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2018-19 season if he and the Blue Jackets don’t come to an extension, something that seemed extremely unlikely even before this latest incident. Now the team must decide whether they even want to keep him past the trade deadline and put him out there for a playoff run, or cash in to get whatever assets they can from a contender looking for an upgrade in net.

It’s clear that even if Bobrovsky is mired in one of the worst seasons of his career that he would still be an upgrade for many potential contenders. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner hasn’t completely lost his game and is still at an age where goaltenders can usually find success. Even his .906 save percentage is still better than names like Martin Jones, Philipp Grubauer, Jake Allen, Cam Talbot and Mike Smith, all expected to be front line starters at the beginning of the season for their respective clubs. There’s little doubt there would be some interest if Bobrovsky was made available.

The problem is that it’s not necessarily even Kekalainen’s decision. When we asked a similar question yesterday regarding pending UFA forward Wayne Simmonds, less than seven percent of votes believed he would finish the year with Philadelphia. After all, Simmonds has limited no-trade protection (names 12 teams he will not go to) and a struggling team. But Bobrovsky is a different situation not only because of the strength of the Blue Jackets, but also the full no-movement clause he holds. If he doesn’t want to go to another team there is no way the team could force it, meaning he also would have a big say in where he ended up.

So where will his season end? Does Bobrovsky get another chance to lead the Blue Jackets back to the playoffs, a place where he has traditionally struggled? Or will a contending team blame the rest of the Columbus organization for failing to win a single playoff series and acquire the veteran goaltender to take that next step in a different uniform? Cast your vote below and explain your reasoning in the comments.

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Sergei Bobrovsky Will Not Dress Due To Team Incident

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have issued a press release indicating that Sergei Bobrovsky will not dress for the team’s game against the Nashville Predators tonight, citing an “incident” which has caused the team to basically suspend (though not in those words) the veteran goaltender. GM Jarmo Kekalainen explains:

There are certain expectations and values that we have established for our players that define our culture. An incident occurred in which Sergei failed to meet those expectations and values, so we made the decision that he would not be with the team for tonight’s game. This is an internal matter and we will have no further comment at this time.

In Bobrovsky’s place the team has recalled Jean-Francois Berube while also moving Brandon Dubinsky and Markus Hannikainen to injured reserve. The veteran goaltender is expected to be back with the team at practice on Friday, and head coach John Tortorella would not go into any more detail about the situation when pressed by media.

The development is certainly an interesting one given the situation that is brewing in Columbus. Bobrovsky is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and has been considered a potential trade target for months. Pulled in his last game after allowing four goals, the 30-year old goaltender now sits on just a .906 save percentage for the year, a far cry from his career average of .919 or the heights he reached as a two-time Vezina Trophy winner.

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