Minor Transactions: 01/15/19
If you like to see the best teams in the NHL face off, you’ve arrived at the right day on the schedule as several matchups this evening will be star-studded. The Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets clash in a battle of 60-point Western Conference teams, while the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins hit the road to face the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks respectively. While those teams prepare for war, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- With Andrew Cogliano expected to make his Dallas Stars debut tonight, the team has sent Michael Mersch back to the minor leagues. Mersch was only recalled yesterday, likely as insurance should Cogliano have faced any difficulties getting situated with his new club.
- Joseph Gambardella has been sent to the minor leagues by the Edmonton Oilers in order to make room for the newly acquired Colby Cave. Cave is expected to immediately enter the lineup, while Gambardella will have to return to the Bakersfield Condors for the time being.
- Meanwhile in Boston, the Bruins have recalled Peter Cehlarik to replace Cave’s roster spot. Cehlarik has 29 points in 37 games for the Providence Bruins and will try to establish himself at the NHL level given the team’s bottom-six needs.
- Dylan Gambrell is on his way back to the San Jose Sharks after dominating at the minor league level. With 24 points in 27 games, Gambrell is showing exactly why he was selected in the second round and found so much success at the University of Denver.
Schedule For Upcoming NHL “Bye Weeks”
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.
Anaheim Ducks Trade Andrew Cogliano To Dallas Stars
The Anaheim Ducks have decided it’s time to shake things up, trading iron man Andrew Cogliano to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Devin Shore. The deal includes no other assets or retained salary.
It’s not surprising that the Ducks’ front office has decided something needed to change, given the 11-game losing streak they are currently experiencing. Anaheim was once safely in the playoff picture in the Western Conference, but have plummeted down out of the race in the Pacific Division and find themselves grasping for anything to keep them afloat. Whether this is the first move in a fire sale or just one to try and spark some offense isn’t clear, but they’ll head into the second half of the season with a new face on the ice.
Not only do the Ducks get younger in this transaction, but they’ll also add some extra depth down the middle with the 24-year old Shore. With 17 points this season he’s on pace for basically the exact same offensive season he’s had the past two years when he recorded 33 and 32 points for the Stars. It’s hard to imagine there is a lot more upside there, but perhaps a fresh start in Anaheim will spark the second-round pick. He hasn’t played center regularly since 2017, but could potentially see time there on an Anaheim team that has struggled to stay healthy down the middle.
In Cogliano, the Stars are receiving a depth option of their own to plug into the middle part of their lineup. The 31-year old has just 11 points on the season but still skates extremely well and can add value on the penalty kill. Dallas GM Jim Nill explained as much in a released statement:
In acquiring Andrew, we are able to add a conscientious player who brings a veteran-presence to our room. His explosive speed, 200-foot game and iron-man mentality will help our team both on and off the ice.
That mentality helped Cogliano reach the fourth-longest games played streak in NHL history earlier in his career when he suited up for 830 consecutive games. A suspension broke that streak, leaving him still without a single game missed due to injury in his 12-year career. There’s no doubt that Cogliano will be able to add some consistency to the Dallas lineup, but there is also no shortage of risk in a deal of this nature.
While Shore is under contract for one season after this one at a cap hit of $2.3MM before becoming a restricted free agent, Cogliano is still working on a deal that extends through 2020-21. That contract was signed almost exactly a year ago, and carries a $3.25MM cap hit. The Stars have plenty of cap room going forward after Jason Spezza‘s deal expires at the end of the year, but if Cogliano can’t turn things around and contribute at least a little bit offensively he could represent a quite overpaid asset. His 11 points puts him on pace for the worst season of his entire career.
Overall, this is a swap between two teams looking for answers. Neither has lived up to the lofty expectations many placed on them, and though Shore and Cogliano are not game-changing talents, a fresh start could invigorate both. It will be interesting to see if the Stars get Cogliano up to speed quickly enough for him to appear in tomorrow’s game, and not risk missing just the third contest of his career.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Central Notes: Montgomery, Jokiharju, Myers, Staal
Dallas Stars head coach Jim Montgomery was hoping for a more impressive performance Saturday against the St. Louis Blues. He spoke to the players about the importance of coming out strong against St. Louis in the second game with them in five games. Instead, the team didn’t come out at all and suffered a disappointing 3-1 loss, frustrating the head coach to no end as the team, according to NHL.com’s Mike Heika.
“It’s frustrating,” Montgomery said. “I’m very frustrated that I haven’t been able to gain consistency in our performance and I haven’t been able to change the culture of mediocrity.”
The team was already coming off a disappointing loss to the struggling Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday as the team looked uninterested throughout much of the game. The team hired Montgomery to turn the franchise around and develop a talented team into a constant playoff threat, but the team has been quite inconsistent despite being third in the Central Division with a 23-19-4 record for 50 points. Unfortunately, six teams are within five points of them in the Western Conference, so there is no guarantee that Dallas will even make the playoffs.
“There have been some times, after a horrible period, where it’s their room,” Montgomery said of finding ways to motivate the team. “‘You guys need to bring it forth.’ Unfortunately, there have been too many times where we have to think about how to motivate these guys. That’s a problem in and of itself that we have had to do that so many times this year already.”
- The Chicago Blackhawks, who continually are making adjustments on their defense, made a minor tweak to their defense Saturday night when the team moved right-handed defenseman Henri Jokiharju to the left side of the blueline, according to Jimmy Greenfield of the Chicago Tribune. The team hopes Jokiharju will make the conversion now because 2018 first-rounder Adam Boqvist is also a right-shot defenseman and would likely be more comfortable on the right. “I think he was pretty good (on the left),” head coach Jeremy Colliton said. “He looked comfortable to me, made some plays, defended pretty well. So that’s a positive.”
- Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun reports that Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice said that if defenseman Tyler Myers continues his progress, the veteran defenseman could be an option to return to the lineup Tuesday against Vegas. Myers missed Friday’s game against Detroit with a lower-body injury and is not expected to play tonight against Anaheim. The 6-foot-6 Myers is an instrumental figure in the team’s defense, especially while the team is without Dustin Byfuglien.
- Mike Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that if anyone is going to need a break when the all-star game hits, it will be the Minnesota Wild’s Eric Staal, who has really looked slow lately and is in one giant rut. The 34-year-old forward, who could end up being a potential trade candidate as the trade deadline nears, struggled throughout the game Saturday against Detroit and continues to commit multiple turnovers. He has just one goal in his past 13 games and has just 13 goals at the midway point in the season.
Extensive Power Forward Trade Market Forming
If the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline is deep at any one type of player, it is power forward. As the February 25th deadline grows closer and teams begin to make tough decisions about who goes and who stays, it is becoming clear that many big, physical scoring forwards are about to be up for grabs before they hit free agency. Just this past week, it was reported that the Philadelphia Flyers’ Wayne Simmonds was likely to be moved and inferred that the Carolina Hurricanes and Micheal Ferland were unlikely to come to terms ahead of the deadline. And that’s just the beginning.
Outside of the 6’2″ Simmonds and 220-lb. Ferland, there are plenty of other names out there that fit the power forward mold. Since this summer, the New York Rangers’ Kevin Hayes has been earmarked for a deadline trade. If they cannot agree to an extension, the Ottawa Senators may be forced to move star Mark Stone. Should the New York Islanders or Colorado Avalanche fall out of the playoff race, Brock Nelson and Colin Wilson – neither of whom look like long-term fits on their respective teams – should be on the block. To some surprise, Patrick Maroon‘s time with his hometown St. Louis Blues appears to be already running out. Even role player power forwards like New Jersey’s Brian Boyle and Florida’s Troy Brouwer should draw interest.
Many of these players feature on the trade bait lists from both The Athletic and TSN, as well as some non-UFA power forwards like the Blues’ Brayden Schenn, the Rangers’ Chris Kreider, the Wild’s Nino Niederreiter, and even young Jesse Puljujarvi of the Edmonton Oilers. While it may seem like too many names for too few teams – and it is a buyer’s market this year for sure – The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun mentioned a number of suitors for a power forward who could make a move for one or more of these trade candidates in the coming weeks. At the top, LeBrun sees some of the biggest contenders as likely landing spots, naming the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, and Calgary Flames as good fits for Simmonds, Ferland, and the like. He also adds the Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights into that group. Of course, the Bruins and Jets also have needs down the middle and could be more ideal fits for Hayes or Nelson, while the wingers would appeal more to Tampa Bay and Nashville. While LeBrun casts doubt on the Toronto Maple Leafs being interested, if an arms race begins the team could feel pressured to add to their forward corps as well. The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, both in need of secondary scoring, could also jump in on the action, while the Patric Hornqvist injury could prompt the Pittsburgh Penguins to make another move.
With so many power forwards potentially available and prices expected to be low, it could be that the majority of playoff-bound teams decide to add a hired gun up front this season. You can never have too much size and grit in the postseason, not to mention scoring touch, and the 2019 deadline could be defined by many players possessing those exact traits heading to new teams. With plenty of talent available, one of the aforementioned players might just end up being the x-factor for the eventual Stanley Cup champions this year.
Minor Transactions: 01/03/19
The Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs kick off a busy NHL schedule today with an afternoon game which will see Michael Hutchinson suit up with his new organization, while the Los Angeles Kings will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in a David vs Goliath matchup to wrap things up. Six other games will be played around the league, and as teams prepare we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor movement.
- Tomas Jurco has landed a one-year AHL contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds for the rest of this season, giving the minor league squad some extra firepower for the second half. It wasn’t so long ago that Jurco was an up-and-coming forward prospect with the Detroit Red Wings, and even last season he recorded 10 points in 29 games for the Chicago Blackhawks.
- Speaking of forward prospects, the Dallas Stars have sent Denis Gurianov back to the minor leagues after he played just 7:44 last night. Gurianov has looked like a completely different player this season in the AHL, but still can’t seem to establish himself at the NHL level.
- The St. Louis Blues have recalled Zach Sanford from San Antonio, but will play with seven defensemen tonight after activating Carl Gunnarsson. Sanford will sit out for now, but could get into some action if Vladimir Tarasenko misses any more time with the illness that will keep him out tonight.
- Stefan Elliott has been returned to the minor leagues by the Ottawa Senators, leaving them with just six active defensemen on the roster currently. The Senators don’t play again until Saturday, giving them a chance to activate another player or recall someone tomorrow.
NHL Releases Special Events Schedule for 2019-20
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced a new schedule for all the special events happening in the 2019-20 season. While it was reported Monday that the 2020 Winter Classic will be in Dallas, Bettman also announced that the St. Louis Blues will host the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star game, Regina will host the 2019 Tim Horton’s NHL Heritage Classic between the Winnipeg Jets and the Calgary Flames, while Colorado will host the 2020 Stadium Series at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium.
There is no word yet on who the Dallas Stars will play next year at the 2020 Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl. The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro reports that the opponent will be determined by the Stars, NBC and the NHL in a group effort and will be made within the next few weeks. However, with no regional rival, there isn’t an obvious opponent, although some are already suggesting that the Minnesota Wild might be a good match. It’s not expected to be the Blackhawks, who played in the event this year and has already played in six outdoor games. This marks the first time that Dallas will play in an outdoor game.
Bettman said that other venues were considered and will continue to be considered. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reports that Bettman said that there has been conversations between both Florida teams of a future night game on Jan. 1. The Athletic’s Joe McDonald adds that Bettman said the league will have discussions with the Bruins after their renovations at TD Gardens are complete about receiving another event.
The Blues will host the 2020 all-star game, which will be held on Jan. 24-2. It will be the first time that St. Louis has hosted an all-star game since 1988. It will be the third all-star game in the city as the team also hosted one in 1970. St. Louis hosted the Winter Classic two years ago, but its success only helped the Blues bring in another big event.
“St. Louis was a great host for us for the Winter Classic, and in the final analysis, the total circumstances including the substantial renovation that they’ve done of the Enterprise Center made it the right time to go back. We have no doubt it will be a huge success,” Bettman said (via The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford).
The Winnipeg Jets announced earlier today they will host the Heritage Classic, but the opponent hadn’t been announced. Bettman announced that the Calgary Flames will make their second appearance in the occasionally-held Canadian outdoor game which will be on Oct. 26, 2019.
The Avalanche will get a chance to host their second Stadium Series. They hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Coors Field in 2016. It also marks the second time a game will be at a U.S. service academy. The Washington Capitals hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium at the U.S. Naval Base in Annapolis, Maryland in March last year. Just as with the Winter Classic, an opponent has yet to be named and will be determined in a few weeks.
2020 Winter Classic Expected To Be Held In Dallas
Tuesday: Commissioner Gary Bettman announced on SiriusXM NHL Radio this morning that the game will indeed be in Dallas and will be held at the Cotton Bowl.
Monday: There hasn’t been much to cheer about in Dallas over the last few days as the fallout from Stars CEO Jim Lites’ expletive-laden rampage continues to drop. Tomorrow there will be something to distract from the recent controversy, as John Shannon of Sportsnet reports that the league will announce that Dallas will be the host of the 2020 Winter Classic outdoor game. Shannon does not know who the Stars will play in the game.
Playing an outdoor hockey game in Texas might seem like a stretch, but there are plenty of reasons for the NHL to attempt it. The league has been routinely criticized for putting the same handful of teams in the outdoor circuit, and branching out to a non-traditional market should reinvigorate the event. At times it seems as though the schedule has contained far too many outdoor games for the event to keep any of it’s original novelty, and though attendance stays strong interest has waned. Dallas, and perhaps another newcomer like the Vegas Golden Knights, would inject some excitement into the Winter Classic once again.
Even as the Stars face controversy from their own front office, the team sits in the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. That has come even with some apparently sub-par performances from their best players, meaning that next season could be much better. The forward group in Dallas is extremely lackluster, but with this event on the horizon a year from now perhaps they’ll be active players in free agency or through the trade market to provide an improved product for the fans in attendance. Regardless, outdoor hockey in Texas will certainly be an event to remember.
Central Notes: Dallas Stars, Byfuglien, Hellebuyck, Crawford
The Dallas Stars made the news Friday when Dallas Stars CEO Jim Lites went on a rant due to the poor play of franchise stars Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. The must-read rant suggests that ownership is not happy with the duo’s production and expect to see immediate changes on the ice.
In hopes of getting more answers and whether ownership is ready to make some major changes regarding those two players or whether general manager Jim Nill‘s job is in jeopardy, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman interviewed owner Tom Gaglardi.
“Our best players have to be our best players,” Gaglardi said. “This is not about trading anyone. This is not about firing anyone. We are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year, and this team is built to win and contend now. We need to take advantage of the opportunity we have in front of us.”
While Gaglardi made it clear that the franchise hopes to impart the importance of turning their season around now, Friedman believes that major changes are coming if the team fails to make the playoffs again. The Stars are currently in fourth place in the Central Division with a 19-16-3 record and 41 points, just two points in front of Minnesota. The Vancouver Canucks, in the Pacific, are one point out of that wildcard spot with 40 points.
- The Winnipeg Jets have to hold their breath after Dustin Byfuglien went down with an apparent leg injury during the third period of Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild and didn’t return. Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice had no update on their star blueliner after the game, according to Sportsnet’s Emily Sadler. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound defenseman collided with Minnesota’s Luke Kunin midway through the period and replays show that Kunin’s leg collided with Byfuglien’s knee. The 33-year-old is having a solid season, posting four goals and 29 points in 32 games. Any long-term loss could be crippling for a team that is trying to hold off both Nashville and Colorado in the Central Division.
- Staying with the Jets in the Central, Luke Fox of Sportsnet wonders how long they can keep up their solid play with the play of goaltender Connor Hellebuyck this year. A Vezina finalist just last year, the 25-year-old ranks 27th in the NHL in save percentage (among goalies that have appeared in 12 or more games) with a .909 percentage, same as the league average. Last year, Hellebuyck had a .924. Hellebuyck was vocal at the beginning of the year about the shrinking goalie equipment and more recently about players entering the crease with more frequency. “They don’t want it to change,” Hellebuyck told reporters, referring to the league. “They like the goals. They want more goals and want to take more from us … What needs to happen is a penalty needs to be called.”
- Chicago Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton said that there remains no timetable on a potential return for starting goaltender Corey Crawford, who suffered another concussion on Dec. 16, according to the Daily Herald’s John Dietz. Colliton said he’s reached out to Crawford via texts, but he refuses to push the veteran goaltender for a timeline on when he may be ready to return. “That’s part of what my experience (is) going through this,” said Colliton, who retired at age 28 due to concussions himself. “There is no timeframe. You get better when you get better, and putting pressure or me asking him everyday how he’s feeling, that serves no purpose. When he feels better, I’ll know. And then we’ll proceed accordingly.”
Minor Transactions: 12/29/18
Saturday is an extremely busy day on the NHL calendar as there are the maximum 15 games on the slate with only Columbus getting the day off. With that in mind, there is bound to be a lot of roster movement. We’ll keep tabs of those moves here.
- With winger Alex Chiasson headed for injured reserve, the Oilers announced the recall of winger Kailer Yamamoto from AHL Bakersfield. The 20-year-old has had some success in his first stint in the minors, collecting four goals and four assists in 11 games since being sent down last month. Meanwhile, the loss of Chiasson certainly stings as his 16 goals place him third on the team in that department behind only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
- The Stars have brought back winger Roope Hintz per a team release. The rookie has split the season between Dallas and Texas of the AHL and has had a fair bit of success offensively in the minors, posting 19 points in 17 games. He has held his own in the NHL as well, logging 11:41 per night in 14 contests while picking up a pair of goals and an assist.
- The Sabres announced the recall of goaltender Scott Wedgewood from AHL Rochester. He’s taking the place of goalie Linus Ullmark who missed practice on Friday due to illness. Wedgewood does have some NHL experience under his belt after playing 20 games with Arizona last year and four with New Jersey before that but Buffalo will likely call on Carter Hutton to play in Ullmark’s absence.
- Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen is day-to-day with a groin injury. Accordingly, Toronto announced the recall of goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo on an emergency basis from the AHLs Marlies. The 25-year-old has struggled this season, posting a 4.12 GAA with a .866 SV% in 11 games thus far.
- Two weeks ago, the Lightning weren’t planning to send defenseman Slater Koekkoek on a conditioning stint. They’ve had a change of heart as he has now been loaned to AHL Syracuse. The 24-year-old last played on November 19th and has been a healthy scratch since then. Koekkoek’s conditioning stint can last for up to two weeks.
- Following the injury to Thomas Chabot on Friday, the Senators announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled defensemen Stefan Elliott and Christian Wolanin from AHL Belleville. Ottawa had two vacant roster spots so no corresponding move needs to be made. Elliott was acquired from Pittsburgh earlier this month and has already played in two games with the Sens but has spent most of the year at the minor league level. Meanwhile, Wolanin has been quite productive in the minors with 18 points in 26 games while getting into one game with Ottawa back in late October. The Senators have also recalled forward Jack Rodewald, although it is unclear if he will play tonight. Rodewald has been a frequent call-up this season, but to this point has played in just one game for Ottawa.
- The Islanders announced (via Twitter) that winger Michael Dal Colle has been recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL. He takes the place of winger Jordan Eberle who was placed on IR retroactive to December 23rd. The 22-year-old didn’t fare too well in his first NHL stint but he has been quite productive with the Sound Tigers, averaging a point per game over 28 appearances.
- Dillon Dube is on his way back up to Calgary, as the Flames have recalled the impressive first-year pro from the AHL’s Stockton Heat. Dube began the season with the Flames, recording five points in 20 games, but since a late-November reassignment to the Heat, Dube has been a point-per-game player in the minors. Dube is expected to slot into the starting lineup right away tonight, taking the place of Michael Frolik.
- The Minnesota Wild have recalled free agent addition Matt Bartkowski for the first time this season, as the veteran defenseman will finally get back to the highest level. Bartkowski has made double-digit NHL appearances in each of the past six seasons, including an 80-game effort with the Vancouver Canucks in 2015-16. However, Bartkowski was very much a part-time player for the Calgary Flames the past two years and has even struggled to make much of a difference for the AHL’s Iowa Wild this season. However, with Nick Seeler presently sidelined, Minnesota opted to go with the experienced 30-year-old rather than one of their younger defensive options.
- The Arizona Coyotes have assigned forward Michael Bunting to the Tuscon Roadrunners of the AHL, according to AZ Sports’ Matt Layman. Bunting was recalled on Thursday and played against Los Angeles, playing 9:36 on the ice, registering only one hit. He will return to Tucscon where he has six goals and 18 points in 20 games there. Bunting was expendable with the return of Vinnie Hinostroza.
- The Vancouver Canucks have assigned forward Adam Gaudette to the Utica Comets of the AHL, according to Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal. Gaudette was recalled on Oct. 15 due to injuries and managed to stay with the team even when those players returned in a bottom-line role. The 2018 Hobey Baker award winner was averaging just 10:09 of ATOI this season and had just two goals and six points. A return to the AHL where he can get more significant ice time would be better for the young forward in his development.
- The Anaheim Ducks announced they have swapped out defenseman, recalling defenseman Andy Welinski from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, while assigning Andrej Sustr there at the same time. Welinski last played for the Ducks in November where he played 11 games for Anaheim, posting one assist, while averaging 15:09 of ATOI. Sustr has only appeared in five games for the Ducks this season. CapFriendly adds that the Ducks also returned goaltender Kevin Boyle to San Diego. He was recalled Friday to fill in as an emergency backup while John Gibson and Ryan Miller dealt with injuries. His demotion suggests that one of them is ready to return to the active roster.