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Minor Transactions: 12/20/19

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It’s always a date to circle on the NHL calendar when the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers meet, as battles between Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid never fail to impress. Unfortunately tonight one side will be without their superstar as Crosby continues to recover from injury, meaning Evgeni Malkin and company will have to try and hold off McDavid on their own. That is just one of the four matchups this evening, and as teams prepare we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

  • It’s not just Crosby who is hurting for the Penguins, meaning they needed even more bodies from the minor leagues today. The team has recalled Thomas Di Pauli and Kevin Czuczman from the AHL in time for tonight’s game.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have sent Brian Gibbons back to the minor leagues. Gibbons has been the team’s insurance forward all season, bouncing up and down whenever they need another body. The 31-year old has played in 15 NHL games, but hasn’t scored a single point.
  • David Kase has been sent back to the minor leagues after just a single day in the NHL. This is already Kase’s fourth transaction this month, serving as an insurance policy for the Philadelphia Flyers on game days.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Curtis Lazar after Jack Eichel was made a late scratch last night. The captain was out with an upper-body injury, technically ending his 17-game point streak.
  • Yakov Trenin has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Nashville Predators, who will conclude their road trip with a date against the Boston Bruins tomorrow. Trenin, 22, has played in six games with the team this season but has been a force in the AHL.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled both Jakob Lilja and Ryan MacInnis from the minor leagues. MacInnis, 23, has actually still not made his NHL debut despite being a second-round pick from 2014 and playing regularly in the minor leagues.
  • Zack MacEwen has been recalled by the Vancouver Canucks, after Josh Leivo was injured in last night’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights. MacEwan has become a favorite call-up of the Canucks after signing as an undrafted free agent, with eight games already played in the NHL this season.

Andrew Peeke Out Four To Six Weeks

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The Columbus Blue Jackets won’t be using Andrew Peeke in the lineup for the next while, after the young defenseman suffered a broken finger on Tuesday night. Peeke has been moved to injured reserve and is expected to miss four to six weeks. In his place, the team has recalled Gabriel Carlsson from the AHL under emergency conditions.

Peeke, 21, is just the latest injury for the Blue Jackets, whose roster page is starting to look like an infirmary as the season goes on. Josh Anderson, Markus Hannikainen, Brandon Dubinsky, Emil Bemstrom and Ryan Murray are all already out of the lineup, stretching the team’s depth incredibly thin.

Even the young defenseman Peeke wasn’t expected to play big minutes in the NHL this season, his first after leaving Notre Dame. The 34th overall selection in 2016 has just 28 professional games under his belt but projects to be a regular for the Blue Jackets down the line.

Minor Transactions: 12/18/19

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Taylor Hall’s debut with the Arizona Coyotes went according to plan as the star winger set up Oliver Ekman-Larsson for the game-winner, but it wasn’t so easy for several other Western Conference hopefuls last night. Not only were the Winnipeg Jets defeated easily by the Carolina Hurricanes, but Andrei Svechnikov scored his second lacrosse-style goal of the season to rub it in. As six teams prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.

  • The Ottawa Senators have sent Maxime Lajoie to the minor leagues as they get ready for their game tomorrow against the Nashville Predators. Who needs depth defensemen anyway when you have Thomas Chabot playing more than 37 minutes a night?
  • Kole Sherwood has been activated from injured reserve by the Columbus Blue Jackets and sent to the minor leagues. The 22-year old suffered an oblique tear earlier in the year but is approaching a return to action.
  • Robbie Russo has been returned to the AHL by the Coyotes, with Jordan Gross replacing him on the roster. Gross, 24, has 15 points in 26 games with the Tucson Roadrunners this season and has never been recalled previously.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent all three emergency call-ups, Adam Brooks, Timothy Liljegren and Martin Marincin to the minor leagues. Brooks and Liljegren are both waiting to make their NHL debuts, but will have to patiently bide their time in the AHL.
  • Noah Gregor has been sent to the AHL by the San Jose Sharks after spending the last month in the NHL. The 22-year old has played in 18 games, scoring his first career NHL goal at the end of November. Also headed to the Barracuda are Dylan Gambrell and Jacob Middleton. The move leaves the Sharks with just 20 active skaters, as they both looked to save some cap space and get their young players some extra minutes in the AHL.
  • The back-and-forth continues for Gerald Mayhew, who today was reassigned to the minors by Minnesota, the Iowa Wild announced. Mayhew’s 14 AHL goals lead the team and are tied for third in the league even though he has spent considerable time in the NHL as well.
  • Veteran enforcer Zac Rinaldo is on his way to the AHL’s Stockton Heat, the team announced, after he was demoted today by the Calgary Flames. Rinaldo has actually carried his weight offensively in the minors so far this season, recording seven points in 14 games, not to mention three points in five games with Calgary as well.
  • The Boston Bruins have activated winger Zachary Senyshyn from the injured reserve and have sent him down to AHL Providence. Senyshyn continues to be an enigmatic player for the Bruins, playing well in the NHL but disappointing in the AHL. Right now there is no room for him in Boston, though.
  • With Mathieu Perreault and Andrew Copp both hitting the injured reserve, the Winnipeg Jets have called up reinforcements in the form of Mason Appleton and Jansen Harkins. While Appleton is the  frequent member of the Jets, playing in nine games with the team this year, Jansen may have the higher upside of the two. Harkins’ 24 assists lead the AHL while his 31 points are best on the team and third in the AHL. Harkins was even named the AHL Player of the Month for November. The 22-year-old is more than deserving of making his NHL debut.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have promoted two of their top young forwards, announcing that Isac Lundestrom and Max Jones have re-joined the team. The pair of first-round picks are not having huge years at either level, but still present tremendous NHL upside.

Ryan Murray Out Week-To-Week

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  • Staying healthy has been an issue for Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray and he is on the shelf once again. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that the blueliner is listed as week-to-week due to a lower-body injury.  Murray is someone that Columbus has held trade talks for earlier in the season but his inability to stay in the lineup consistently certainly has hurt his value.

Columbus Blue Jackets Activate Werenski, Place Anderson On IR

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The Columbus Blue Jackets provided some good news and bad news for their fans today. The team has activated Zach Werenski from injured reserve, but replaced him with Josh Anderson who is expected to miss four to six weeks. Anderson suffered a shoulder injury over the weekend.

It is brutal news for Anderson, who injured his shoulder in a fight with Mark Borowiecki and will miss another long stretch in a contract year. The physical winger had broken out last season with 27 goals and 47 points, showing he could be an elite power forward in the NHL if given the chance. This season though has been marred by injury and Anderson has just four points in 26 games.

That’s huge news, given the 25-year old will be entering a contract negotiation this summer. Anderson will be a restricted free agent for the final time and looking for a substantial raise on his current $1.85MM cap hit. Of course, he could always select arbitration to get a one-year deal and take him right to unrestricted free agency, hoping a healthy year gets him back to the level he had shown previously.

All of that is complicated by the fact that the Blue Jackets are struggling to stay in the playoff race this season. The team has scored just 82 goals this season (third worst in the Eastern Conference) and have a 13-14-6 record. While getting Werenski back will help, the team may be looking to sell off some assets before long.

Emil Bemstrom Out Six To Eight Weeks

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The Columbus Blue Jackets didn’t have any good news to give fans today on the status of Emil Bemstrom. The young forward will be out six to eight weeks with a dislocated rib and broken cartilage. Bemstrom was injured on a play against the Florida Panthers over the weekend in which Brian Boyle cross-checked him in the ribs.

The 20-year old forward has made quite the impression on the Blue Jackets organization so far, even if his overall production hasn’t been outstanding. Recording nine points in 28 games so far, the fourth-round pick is at least showing that he can handle himself at the NHL level—a feat in itself given his age. When the Blue Jackets picked Bemstrom in 2017 he was a tiny player that had just nevertheless had an excellent season in the Swedish junior ranks, but it was hard to forecast much of an NHL career. After two more years of development and an SHL Rookie of the Year award—while leading the league in goals—it was obvious that many had overlooked his upside.

Now a regular in the NHL, there are high hopes that Bemstrom can not only be a fixture in the lineup but a real key building block for GM Jarmo Kekalainen to use moving forward. Missing so much time due to injury is obviously not ideal, but at least it is happening in a season where the team doesn’t look like they will compete for the Stanley Cup anyway.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Columbus Blue Jackets

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

What are the Blue Jackets most thankful for?

A rock-solid scouting staff.

There hasn’t been a ton to celebrate in Columbus over the past few months. The team watched several of their best players leave for greener pastures (or sandier beaches) this summer and have now struggled through the early part of the season en route to a 11-14-4 record. The hopes that Pierre-Luc Dubois, Seth Jones and Zach Werenski could take the next step and keep them competing for a divisional playoff spot have been dashed so far, as the offense and goaltending have desperately missed Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky (at least the one that played for Columbus).

There is reason to be hopeful for the future however. Players like Alexandre Texier, Emil Bemstrom and Andrew Peeke all selected outside of the first round, have made contributions in the NHL this season, despite each being under 22. The team’s most recent first-rounder, Liam Foudy, is one of the most dynamic skaters in the CHL and has a good shot at representing Canada at the upcoming World Juniors. If Columbus decides to hang onto their picks, or even collect some new ones, their staff have the skills to rebuild this pipeline quickly.

Who are the Blue Jackets most thankful for?

Seth Jones.

Through all the noise and disappointment, the Blue Jackets best defenseman has quietly logged huge minutes for the team while still being one of the best at both ends of the rink. Jones may not be having the best season of his career, but is a stabilizing presence for the organization that can be relied upon every night.

With an excellent contract that keeps him under control through the 2021-22 season, Jones can still be the core of whatever GM Jarmo Kekalainen tries to build in Columbus.

What would the Blue Jackets be even more thankful for?

A few more saves.

It’s not that Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins have been dreadful this season, it’s just that neither one is well suited to be a starting goaltender in the NHL right now. The former had played in 90 NHL games before this year and hadn’t been very effective since the 2015-16 season, while the latter had only been really tested against players of this caliber at the World Championships. Merzlikins had always shown quite well at international competitions, but the grind of the NHL is a much different animal.

Blaming a pair of goaltenders with such little experience for the struggles this season would be foolish, but getting an extra save or two would certainly make things look a lot better.

What should be on the Blue Jackets’ Holiday Wish List?

A draft lottery horseshoe.

If Kekalainen and head coach John Tortorella were speaking honestly, they probably would admit that the team isn’t going to win the Stanley Cup this season. While the St. Louis Blues showed everyone to not give up at this point in the year, the Blue Jackets are only three points ahead of the New Jersey Devils and 13 points out of a divisional playoff spot. It would be an incredible story if they were to turn things around, meaning they may soon end up focusing on the upcoming draft instead.

Columbus doesn’t have their second- or third-round picks thanks to the Ryan Dzingel and Ian Cole trades, but could very well end up as sellers at the deadline to recoup some of those lost assets. A draft lottery win would certainly be something to celebrate and build around moving forward.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Injury Notes: Chicago, Minnesota, Columbus, Montreal

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The Chicago Blackhawks have placed both Duncan Keith and Andrew Shaw on injured reserve, though both of their designations are retroactive and allow the team to activate them at any point. Without them, the team is down to just 21 players on the active roster meaning they could potentially bring up some more bodies to help out.

More injury placements from around the league:

  • The Minnesota Wild have sent Mikko Koivu back home to see the team doctor, placing him on injured reserve in the process. Greg Pateryn has been recalled from his conditioning stint and placed back on injured reserve, while Nico Sturm has come up from the AHL.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets meanwhile have moved Zach Werenski to injured reserve, retroactive to November 30th. The young defenseman is expected to miss four weeks thanks to a shoulder injury, which opened the door for Andrew Peeke to get his first NHL chance.
  • For the Montreal Canadiens, Jesperi Kotkaniemi has suffered a concussion from the big check he took last night. Kotkaniemi was leveled by Nikita Zadorov in the corner and is out indefinitely, though avoided any other significant damage.

Kirill Marchenko Re-Signs In KHL

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If Columbus Blue Jackets’ fans were looking at Kirill Marchenko’s production as a teenager in the KHL fondly and hoping he could be a potential addition to their group next season, think again. Marchenko has signed a new three-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg that will keep him in the KHL through the 2021-22 season.

Marchenko, 19, was the 49th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and impressed by making his KHL debut last season. He was also included on the Russian World Junior team a year ago, something not many 18-year old players accomplish. He’ll be there again this year in a more prominent role, especially because of the six points in 14 games he’s put up during his short time with SKA.

As with any young Russian, using a high draft pick on them comes with some risk that they will not decide to come over to North America. The Blue Jackets will retain Marchenko’s draft rights indefinitely, but he’ll sit just out of their reach for the time being. There are ways of getting out of KHL deals, but Columbus will have to wait for Marchenko to express a desire to leave his home country.

Toronto Marlies Hire Greg Moore As Head Coach

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Since the promotion of former head coach Sheldon Keefe to the same position with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies have been searching for his replacement. The team has decided to go outside of the organization to tab their next bench boss, a rare move in-season, and have announced that Greg Moore has been named head coach. Moore was hired away from the USHL’s Chicago Steel midway through his second season with the team.

Moore, 35, is very familiar with developmental hockey. A young head coach, Moore was himself an NHL prospect not long ago. The Maine native played for the U.S. National Team Development Program in the early 2000’s and then played his college hockey at home at the University of Maine. He was drafted by the Calgary Flames after his freshman year, but his rights were traded to the New York Rangers before he turned pro. Moore made his NHL debut with the Rangers in 2007-08 overall made ten NHL appearances with the Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets over five pro season in North America. He also played a leadership role with nearly every AHL club he played for. Moore moved to Germany in 2011 and extended his playing career another four years before calling it quits in 2015. He immediately jumped into the coaching ranks, becoming an intern assistant coach with the USNTDP. After two seasons as an intern, he became full-time in 2017-18 only to be named head coach for USHL rival Chicago a year later.

Moore is well-regarded among young NHL coaching prospects. His Steel team went all the way to the Clark Cup in his first season and recorded a 52-25-5 record overall in 82 games with Moore behind the bench. His name had already been in the mix for possible NCAA openings this off-season, but he gets an even better deal with an AHL promotion mid-season. The Leafs organization has seemingly had an eye on Moore for some time, as they invited him to be a guest coach at development camp this summer and worked quickly to hire him just ten days after the firing of Mike Babcock and promotion of Keefe. Moore will be in the spotlight with the Marlies, but has a bright future ahead of him following this major career move.

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