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Minor Transactions: 3/8/20

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With 20 teams in action Saturday, there was plenty of playoff implications, which included a big win for the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Boston Bruins in a rough, physical matchup. However, many other teams furthered their quest to get into the playoffs or pick up a higher seed with Carolina, Washington, Nashville, Florida, Philadelphia and Edmonton all picking up key wins. Several teams have made roster moves as teams juggle their lineups. We’ll keep track of all minor moves right here:

  • Late last night, the Anaheim Ducks announced they have assigned defenseman Brendan Guhle to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. Guhle didn’t see much time in the second half of Friday’s game against Toronto, playing just 14:43. The 22-year-old has four goals and eight points in 30 games for the Ducks this year.  The Ducks have also recalled goalie Anthony Stolarz from San Diego, reports Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register.  John Gibson is unavailable after suffering a groin injury against Toronto on Friday.
  • The New York Islanders sent defenseman Thomas Hickey to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL, according to the AHL transaction page. The Islanders brought up Hickey on an emergency loan Saturday due to the injury to Johnny Boychuk, but have opted to return Hickey after just one game.
  • The Buffalo Sabres announced they have assigned defenseman John Gilmour to the Rochester Americans of the AHL. Gilmour was recalled Saturday as a seventh defenseman after the team learned that Lawrence Pilut would not be able to play Saturday night.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, according to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch. Kivlenieks has served as the backup to Joonas Korpisalo recently with Elvis Merzlikins injured. However, Merzlikins served as the backup Saturday, which allows the Blue Jackets to give Kivlenieks more playing time in Cleveland.
  • CapFriendly reports that after recalling Janne Kuokkanen from Binghamton Saturday, the New Jersey Devils have already assigned the forward back to his AHL affiliate. The team did not use him in their game on Saturday against the New York Rangers.
  • The Ottawa Senators announced they have assigned goaltender Filip Gustavsson to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. With Anders Nilsson and Marcus Hogberg both out, the Senators recalled Gustavsson last Monday, but he never got into a game. However, Hogberg is back at practice, meaning he will take over backup duties for Craig Anderson.

Ryan Murray Nicked Up, No Word On How Long He'll Miss

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Ryan Murray’s injury history is a lengthy one and the Blue Jackets defenseman finds himself on the shelf again.  Columbus head coach John Tortorella told reporters, including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Post-Dispatch (Twitter link) that Murray is “nicked” and that he doesn’t yet know if it’s going to be a day-to-day issue or something longer.  The 26-year-old just returned to the lineup on Sunday after missing 34 games due to a lower-body injury and certainly made an immediate impact, picking up two assists in two games while logging over 20 minutes in each contest.  Markus Nutivaara will be back in the lineup to replace Murray.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Jake Christiansen

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If you’re an undrafted member of the Everett Silvertips, today is signing day apparently. After Bryce Kindropp was inked by the Anaheim Ducks, the Columbus Blue Jackets have now signed defenseman Jake Christiansen to a three-year entry-level contract. It will begin with the 2020-21 season, while Christiansen will finish the year with Everett.

The 20-year old Christiansen actually played nine games with the Stockton Heat at the start of this season on a professional tryout, but returned to Everett in early December. It seems as though his time in the AHL taught him a few things, as the left-handed defenseman sits with 20 goals and 47 points in just 35 games with the Silvertips.

Columbus adds another lottery ticket and some depth for their minor league club with the signing, and will hope that Christiansen can continue on his current development path.

Oliver Bjorkstrand Out 8-10 Weeks

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March 3: Bjorkstrand underwent successful surgery to repair his broken ankle, meaning the eight to ten week timeline starts now.

February 21: If you though the Columbus Blue Jackets’ injury luck couldn’t get any worse, you were wrong. The team announced today that Oliver Bjorkstrand will be out for eight to ten weeks with a sprained and broken ankle. They have not yet made a decision on whether surgery will be required.

Bjorkstrand, when eventually placed on injured reserve, will join a list that currently includes Cam Atkinson, Brandon Dubinsky, Seth Jones, Alexander Wennberg, Ryan Murray, Josh Anderson, Alexandre Texier, Dean Kukan and Joonas Korpisalo. It also will make it even more difficult for them to grab a playoff spot in a tight Eastern Conference race.

The Blue Jackets have been an impressive bunch this season, fighting through injury and finding a way to win on a regular basis. A big part of that success was thanks to Bjorkstrand himself, who easily leads the team in goals with 21 and is third in points. The 24-year old has become a legitimate top-six force and was on pace to blow by his career-high of 40 points. That won’t happen now, though perhaps he could return at some point in the playoffs if the Blue Jackets make it and advance past the first round.

Blue Jackets’ Josh Anderson Done For The Year

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The 2019-20 campaign is over for Josh Anderson. The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that the power forward has undergone surgery to repair the labrum tear in his left shoulder that has plagued him this season. The operation requires four-to-six months to make a full recovery. The timeline should have Anderson ready for the start of the 2020-21 season.

Anderson suffered the injury in question all the way back on December 14th in a match-up with the Ottawa Senators. Almost immediately, the team was faced with a decision of having Anderson undergo this surgery, effectively ending his season barring a deep playoff run, or instead hoping that rest and rehabilitation would allow him to return to the lineup. The team opted for rest and rehab, but GM Jarmo Kekalainen stated in today’s press release that “unfortunately, the injury has not responded as any of us had hoped to the latter and the decision was made to have the surgery now so that Josh will be fully healthy and ready to go next season.”

Even prior to the injury, this was shaping up to be a tough season for Anderson. The winger recorded just one goal and four points in the first 26 games of the year, a far cry from the pace that led to 27 goals and 47 points last season. Anderson continues to be a difficult player to nail down, which also put him on the trade block at this year’s deadline. The Blue Jackets have already had one contractual battle with Anderson during his young career and feared another this summer. However, Anderson’s injury played a major role in his value at the deadline and Columbus opted to retain him. Whether or not they decide to revisit trade talks this summer after he has received a clean bill of health remains to be seen.

Not only did the Blue Jackets not trade Anderson at the deadline, they came very close to standing pat altogether. The club made a hockey trade with the Anaheim Ducks, swapping Sonny Milano for Devin Shore, and essentially gave away Markus Hannikainen to the Arizona Coyotes, and that was it for Kekalainen and company. After going all in last year, Columbus is left to rely on the players in place to get into the postseason. Anderson is now one less reinforcement that they can rely on as they compete for a wild card spot. Seth Jones and Oliver Bjorkstrand likely won’t be back during the regular season and the returns of Cam Atkinson, Alexandre Texier, and Dean Kukan remain up in the air, so the Blue Jackets have their work cut out for them down the stretch.

Evening Notes: Marleau, Stamkos, Timashov, Merzlikins

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Just a handful of months ago, veteran winger Patrick Marleau made it clear he only wanted to play for the San Jose Sharks after he was bought out of his previous contract. He did eventually sign with them, but with Marleau’s approval, the Sharks traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline in hopes he might be able to chase a Stanley Cup.

However, with just 51 games remaining before he breaks Gordie Howe’s games played record, many wonder if Marleau might opt to re-sign with the Sharks this summer. When asked, Marleau admitted that might be a possibility, according to Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka.

“Yeah, I think the door’s open maybe to come back,” said Marleau. “I definitely would like to play another season, so that would be good.”

  • Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said that the decision to allow forward Steven Stamkos to undergo muscle core surgery was a tough one, but was the result of multiple tests and discussions with Stamkos and doctors, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith. Stamkos will have the surgery on Monday and will miss six to eight weeks, meaning he is likely to miss some of the playoffs. The timing is tough, but Cooper added, “Good thing is when it gets done, it’s done, and now we never have to worry bout it again.”
  • Detroit Red Wings forward Dmytro Timashov, claimed off waivers last Monday, will make his debut with the Red Wings Saturday in Ottawa. However, the forward will not travel with the team back home, however, as the forward is still dealing with visa issues and can only play with Detroit because they are in Canada at the moment, according to NHL.com’s Dana Wakiji. “He’ll have to stay in Canada here,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “He has to pick up his passport. So he’s hoping to get that Monday and get back for the game Monday night.”
  • The Athletic’s Alison Lukan reports that Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who left last Monday’s game after colliding with Ottawa’s Anthony Duclair, is out with a concussion. The scribe writes that the head injury is considered to be minor, but Columbus is taking the injury cautiously. Merzlikins has a 2.53 goals against and a .922 save percentage in 32 appearances. However, with Joonas Korpisalo back in the fold, the team doesn’t have to rush Merzlikins back quickly.

Columbus Blue Jackets Activate Ryan Murray

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The Columbus Blue Jackets should get some much-needed help on their blueline after the team announced they have activated defenseman Ryan Murray from injured reserve. Murray has missed the past 34 games due to a lower-body injury he sustained on Dec. 14.

Murray has appeared in just 24 games with the Blue Jackets as a top-four option. The 26-year-old has two goals and seven points this season after putting up a career-high 29 points last season. Murray has dealt with injuries his entire career, having only played in an full season once in his career, back in 2015-16. He also missed three weeks earlier this season when he broke his hand.

With several defensemen still out, including Seth Jones and Dean Kukan, Murray should immediately slide back into the team’s top-four in hopes of helping the team reach the playoffs. However, the team’s biggest hope was to get Murray back before the trade deadline as he might have been a useful trade chip. The former No. 2 overall pick in 2012 is a solid shutdown defender, but still has one more year remaining on his contract at $4.6MM.

Minor Transactions: 02/29/20

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Today is leap day and a number of NHL teams will be looking to do just that when it comes to the standings. Saturday’s slate of a dozen games features ten games with at least one team in the thick of the playoff race, including six collisions between current playoff teams. The Bruins and Islanders kick off the action this afternoon; New York has a chance to pull into a tie with the Penguins for the final Metropolitan Division spot, but Boston has won their past ten road games versus the Isles. Later this afternoon, the Lightning – losers of four straight – look to get back on track as they host the Flames. The nighttime lineup begins with the Panthers, desperate for a win to keep up with the Maple Leafs, hosting head coach Joel Quenneville’s former club, the Blackhawks. Toronto will have their hands full themselves as they face the Canucks, who need to make the most of their games in hand to catch the red-hot Golden Knights. The new-look Hurricanes must do the same to keep up in the wild card race, as they visit the Canadiens. The Central Division could be in for a shake-up, as the streaking Avalanche take on the Predators while the equally hot Blues face the Stars. Finally, in late night action for those not on the west coast, the Jets and Oilers collide in a game that could make waves in the Western wild card chase, while the Penguins look to end the league’s worst current losing streak against the Sharks. With plenty of action, there very likely could be plenty of roster adjustments as well. Keep up with all those minor transactions right here:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that they have recalled Ryan MacInnis from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. MacInnis, 23, has been up and down a number of times this season, but has recorded just one assist in nine games with Columbus. However, he has already set a new career high in points in the minors, with 30 points in 45 games. The two-way center appears to be adding more of an offensive touch to his game, but just needs to transition that ability to the top level.
  • With the news that Blackhawks forwards Andrew Shaw and Zack Smith will not be returning this season due to their current injuries, there are opportunities for others to step up in the Chicago lineup. Brandon Hagel will get his chance, as the team has recalled the 21-year-old from the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. The first-year pro has 19 goals and 30 points in 55 games with Rockford in an impressive debut campaign and will continue a year of firsts when he takes the ice for the first time with the Blackhawks. UPDATE: Unfortunately, for Hagel, the team announced they opted to return him just hours later as the Blackhawks did not need him.
  • CapFriendly reports that the Colorado Avalanche have reassigned forward Logan O’Connor to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. The University of Denver product has been a fixture of Colorado hockey for many years now, but still has yet to make much of an impact at the NHL level with just one point in 14 games over the past two seasons.
  • The New Jersey Devils announced they have recalled forward Jesper Boqvist from the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. The team has been playing with 12 forwards and no reserves lately, but with three games in the next four days out on the West Coast, New Jersey is likely going to need some insurance at forward. Boqvist spent most of the season in New Jersey, posting four goals and no assists in 34 games, but was sent to the AHL on Jan. 19 to get more playing time. He has five goals and eight points in 15 games in Binghamton.
  • CapFriendly reports that the Montreal Canadiens have activated defenseman Xavier Ouellet off of injured reserve. The blueliner has missed more than a week with a concussion, but could be in the Canadiens’ lineup later today. That move could also signal the end for Karl Alzner, who replaced him on the roster and is likely headed for Laval.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers announced they have recalled forward Joel Farabee from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. Farabee was sent to the AHL last Monday, which allowed him to be eligible for the AHL playoffs. The 20-year-old has had an inconsistent rookie season with the Flyers, having posted seven goals and 20 points in 49 games, which included a January demotion to the Phantoms. He has two goals and three assists over his last nine games.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights announced they have recalled forward Brandon Pirri from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. That likely suggests that forward Tomas Nosek, who left Friday’s game with an undisclosed injury. Pirri was expected to play a bigger role in Las Vegas this season after potting 12 goals last year. However, after going scoreless after 11 games, he was sent to Chicago where he has had 15 goals and 35 points in 38 games.

Columbus Blue Jackets Activate Alexander Wennberg

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The Columbus Blue Jackets finally got some good news on the injury front this morning, activating Alexander Wennberg. The 25-year old forward has missed the last dozen games with an upper-body injury.

Though Wennberg still hasn’t been able to recapture the performance that led him to a 59-point season in 2016-17, just the return of an NHL-level body will be a welcome one for the Blue Jackets. The team has been decimated by injury all season, and getting arguably their best defensive center back on the ice should help in their last ditch effort to claim a playoff spot.

With five goals and 20 points in 52 games it is another forgettable offensive season, but Wennberg can make good on his $4.9MM cap hit if the Blue Jackets turn things around. The team is 1-4-5 in their last ten and are in danger of slipping out of the Metropolitan Division race altogether, as the New York Rangers push hard.

Wennberg’s activation leaves the Blue Jackets’ injured reserve list with seven names: Cam Atkinson, Brandon Dubinsky, Seth Jones, Ryan Murray, Josh Anderson, Alexandre Texier and Dean Kukan.

Latest On Josh Anderson

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It’s now been almost 11 weeks since Josh Anderson has played a game for the Columbus Blue Jackets. When he was injured on December 14th, the team announced that it was expected to be a four-to-six week absence. That lengthy period on the sideline complicated any talks at the deadline regarding Anderson, and there may be even worse news in the coming days.

Darren Dreger of TSN tweeted today that Anderson could be done for the rest of the season thanks to his shoulder injury, which may need surgery. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) also wrote on the subject in his latest column, suggesting that things were “likely headed to an offseason divorce” between Anderson and the Blue Jackets, given the player is a restricted free agent this summer.

Missing the rest of the season and then leaving the organization would be a brutal end for a player who just a few months ago looked like a core piece. Anderson scored 27 goals during the 2018-19 season and was a true power forward, something that seems to be disappearing from today’s game. The 6’3″, 222-lbs winger is a force when healthy and playing his best, but it’s not clear when he’ll get back to that.

Anderson will be an RFA for the final time and is arbitration eligible, a process that would walk him right into unrestricted free agency if allowed to take place. Should Dreger’s information prove true and the forward is shut down for the season, it could mean he has played his last game for the Blue Jackets.

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