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Jake Dotchin, Valentin Zykov Placed On Waivers

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The roster freeze is over, and teams can use waivers once again to try and move players to the minor leagues. The Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers have done so, placing defenseman Jake Dotchin and forward Valentin Zykov there. Both players found themselves on waivers earlier this year, with Dotchin seeing his contract terminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning and Zykov claimed from the Carolina Hurricanes. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Michal Cajkovsky and Joonas Lyytinen have also been placed on unconditional waivers by the Hurricanes and Nashville Predators respectively.

Dotchin, 24, is still in a grievance over how his deal was terminated earlier this year when the Lightning found him in “material breach of contract” when he showed up to camp out of shape. Though he was cut loose from the Tampa Bay organization, the young defenseman found a new team in Anaheim and worked hard to get back to the NHL level. He has played 16 games for the Ducks, though saw the end of the bench for much of his last one, playing fewer than seven minutes in a loss to San Jose.

The physical—and sometimes dangerous—Dotchin looked like a promising asset for Tampa Bay just a few years ago, when he recorded 11 points in 35 games down the stretch in 2017. Right-handed, he seemed like a perfect complement to some of the more skilled defenders on the Lightning blue line and was extremely inexpensive. Even the draft capital invested in him was minuscule, as the Lightning had found Dotchin in the 2012 sixth round after just a single year of junior hockey. He could be claimed by another team, but after inconsistent play and the recent trouble, some organizations may look the other way.

Zykov on the other hand just can’t seem to make good on his limited opportunities in the NHL. Claimed by the Oilers to give them some more offense on the wing, the 23-year old forward didn’t score a single point during his five-game stint and now finds himself in limbo. The Hurricanes could reclaim the second round pick, and if they are the only team that tries they would be allowed to immediately move him to the minor leagues. If not, Edmonton might try to build up his confidence and performance at the minor league level before giving him another opportunity.

Pacific Notes: Oilers Depth, Vilardi, Edler

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The Edmonton Oilers looked to be a team on the rise after Ken Hitchcock took over coaching duties back on Nov. 20. The team went on a 9-2-2 run and looked to be heading to the top of the Pacific Division. However, suddenly after a three-game losing streak and a tough loss to the NHL’s best team in the Tampa Bay Lightning, many questions are being raised whether the team has enough offense to compete with the Lightning or other top teams in the league.

In fact, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector writes that there is practically no depth on this team as the Oilers are fielding two lines that can score and another two that aren’t posing any offensive threat at all. Only six forwards have more than 10 points and only four of them have 20 points or more. Unfortunately for the team, the Oilers have invested a lot of money unwisely as it’s well known that the team is paying Milan Lucic $6MM and he has totaled just one goal and seven points this year. Ryan Spooner, who is making $3.1MM, has scored just two goals and five points between Edmonton and the New York Rangers, while Tobias Rieder hasn’t scored a goal yet at his $2MM contract.

The scribe adds that the team needs that depth scoring even if they have to find it in Bakersfield. However, at the moment, the team is relying more and more on their top players. Connor McDavid played 23:27 on Saturday against Tampa Bay, which is too much.

  • The Los Angeles Kings have had quite a bit to worry about when it comes to prospect Gabe Vilardi, who was cut from Canada’s World Junior roster last week as he still remains out with a back injury. The 19-year-old has played a total of 36 games in the past season and a half, 32 with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL last season and four with the AHL’s Ontario Reign in a conditioning stint this year. While Vilardi is expected to return to the OHL as soon as he’s healthy enough, there is concern about his development as well as whether he can get healthy, according to Josh Cooper of The Athletic (subscription required). General manager Rob Blake’s main concern is his health. “We’re more concerned about getting him healthy,” Blake said. “I’m not looking at the other part of that. We want to make sure he gets healthy first.”
  • TSN’s Jason Brough writes that the Vancouver Canucks need to start thinking about moving some of their defensemen, especially defensive blueliner Alexander Edler. The veteran has been playing big minutes for Vancouver as he averages 22:46 of ATOI and played 27:30 in Saturday’s game against Winnipeg. The scribe writes that the team needs to convince Edler to waive his no trade clause, so the team get some assets for him and then maybe re-sign him for next year to help work with the incoming youth.

Pacific Notes: Karlsson, Wagner, Miller, Puljujarvi

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The Department of Player Safety announced that San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson will have a hearing tomorrow for an illegal check to the head on the Los Angeles Kings’ Austin Wagner during the second period of Saturday’s game. Karlsson has never been suspended in his career and was fined just once for a slash in 2012.

While there was no penalty on the ice, Wagner was forced to leave the game and never returned. While there was some contact to the head, it might be more challenging for the Department of Player Safety to determine if the hit was intentional and meant for the head. Wagner and Karlsson also had an issue earlier in the shift, which could suggest that there may have been payback involved, something the league will factor into their decisions as well.

  • As for Wagner, the 21-year-old left the game not long after the hit and a representative of the team referred to him out with an upper-body injury. The hope is that he isn’t out long, if at all. The team is already without a number of key players, including Trevor Lewis, Alec Martinez, Carl Hagelin, Jonny Brodzinski and Dion Phaneuf. However, Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times writes that Wagner is expected to join the team for their road trip to Las Vegas for Sunday’s game against the Golden Knights, although that doesn’t mean he will be cleared to play.
  • Speaking of the Vegas Golden Knights, David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes that defenseman Colin Miller remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury after missing his second straight game. He, however, has not been placed on injured reserve. However, Miller is expected to be back soon. Miller has been critical to the team’s offense since the return of Nate Schmidt. Miller has two goals and six assists since Schmidt returned from a suspension in mid-November.
  • Sportsnet’s Mark Spector writes that Edmonton Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi has gotten a second life with new head coach Ken Hitchcock as the struggling 20-year-old has gone from a exiled player in the AHL to a first-line winger next to Connor McDavid. However, the scribe writes one of the biggest challenges that Puljujarvi has struggled with is the language barrier, considering he knew no English when he come over to North America two years ago. “It’s more challenging for a Euro player who’s played in Europe to just come over and play in the NHL,” said Hitchcock. “What happens is, when you’re not comfortable in the lifestyle, you kind of stay to yourself. So you’re worried about how you fit in, you’re worried about the length of the season, you’re worried about a lot of things. Now, we’re starting to see his natural personality.”

Andrej Sekera Likely To Return Next Month

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The Oilers are getting closer to getting one of their top defensemen back in their lineup.  Postmedia’s Jim Matheson reports that Andrej Sekera has been cleared for contact and is eyeing a return to action early next month.

The veteran has missed the entire season after undergoing offseason surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon.  It’s the second straight year that he has missed significant time due to an injury as he underwent ACL surgery back in 2017 as well.  Last season, Sekera opted to not bother with an AHL conditioning stint but he indicated to Matheson that he’d like to do so.  Considering he’s cleared for contact, that assignment may not be too far away and could come shortly after the holiday break.

When healthy, Sekera can be a key part of Edmonton’s back end.  In his previous two healthy seasons, he has been a staple in their top four, logging over 21 minutes a night while collecting at least 30 points.  His ability to play both sides will also be a significant asset for them.

As Sekera is currently on LTIR, the Oilers will need to get back into salary cap compliance before they can activate him which will require some roster movement.  In the short term, Oscar Klefbom could be transferred to LTIR as he’s out until late January or early February but in the weeks to come, it wouldn’t be surprising to see GM Peter Chiarelli try to free up some salary cap space knowing that this is on the horizon.

Kris Russell Should Return After The Holiday Break

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  • While the Oilers will be without defenseman Kris Russell for their next game on Saturday, the team announced (Twitter link) that there’s a good chance that he’ll be available for their first game after the holiday break. He’s dealing with an undisclosed injury and Saturday will be the fourth straight game he sits out.  Meanwhile, although Adam Larsson didn’t skate with the team on Thursday after blocking a shot with his foot last game, he is expected to suit up on the weekend.  With Edmonton already without Oscar Klefbom and Andrej Sekera, they can ill afford to lose another of their core defenders.

Edmonton’s Jujhar Khaira Suspended Two Games For Cross Checking

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The decision was prompt by the Department of Player Safety and Edmonton Oilers forward Jujhar Khaira will now take a seat. Player Safety announced a hearing with Khaira this afternoon and apparently already had time to meet with the winger and make their decision already. The department has now announced a two-game suspension for Khaira for cross checking, stemming from an incident with St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn last night.

In the third period of Tuesday night’s contest, Dunn and Khaira went back and forth in front of the St. Louis net following a hard, but legal check by Khaira in the corner. Dunn made first contact, appearing to cross check Khaira in the shoulder. For his part, Player Safety already issued Dunn a maximum $1,942.20 fine for cross checking. However, in response, Khaira hit Dunn with a much harder cross check aimed at the head and neck area. In their descriptive video, Player Safety ruled the following:

While Dunn is the first player to deliver a cross check on this play, his cross check does not land as forcefully or directly as the one delivered by Khaira… Illegal actions by one player do not mean that their opponent can retaliate however they see fit. On this play, while Khaira is justifiably angered by Dunn’s illegal and unnecessary response to a legal hit, raising his arms to head level and delivering a sharp, forceful blow to his opponent’s head with his stick is not excusable.

This is Khaira’s first incidence of supplemental discipline, somewhat impressively given his hallmark physical style. However, the optics on this cross check did not work in his favor, as the shot to Dunn was far worse than the one he received himself. A two-game suspension is well within the realm of a reasonable response by player safety. Khaira will now miss the next two match-ups for the Oilers, as they continue their home stand against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday and the Vancouver Canucks next Thursday. Khaira is seventh in scoring for Edmonton, fifth among forwards, and his production will be missed in addition to his checking game while he sits for a week.

Jujhar Khaira To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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The Department of Player Safety has some work to do today, after announcing they will have a hearing with Edmonton Oilers forward Jujhar Khaira today. Khaira cross-checked St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn in the face after the two had collided and Dunn had delivered a cross-check of his own. For his actions, which appeared to hit Khaira in the shoulder first, Dunn has received a $1,942.20 fine— the maximum allowable under the CBA—but will avoid suspension.

Khaira has established himself as a relatively effective physical bottom-six presence this season, recording 13 points in 33 games. Despite only two of those points being goals, the total actually puts him (amazingly) fifth among all Edmonton forwards in scoring on the season. He’s done that despite averaging fewer than 10 minutes of even-strength ice time per game, and seeing virtually no powerplay time. While he doesn’t project as a big-time scoring threat, that kind of production will be missed on a team that still struggles to find any consistent secondary scoring.

Since the hearing is not of the in-person variety, Khaira will receive a suspension of fewer than five games if at all. It seems likely that he could get one or two given the violent nature of the cross-check, though nothing is certain until the hearing is over.

Snapshots: Blues, Bieksa, Bakos

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For fans of the Blues, hoping that the team can turn the season around, as well as fans of other teams hoping for a chance at acquiring their top players, today’s news comes as a welcome change to the status quo in St. Louis. The Blues announced that three players were back at practice today and looking healthy and ready for game action. Alex Pietrangelo, Carl Gunnarsson, and Robby Fabbri all took the ice today and are expected to return to the lineup as early as tonight, when St. Louis takes on the Edmonton Oilers on the road. “Obviously we missed those guys tremendously”, said teammate Patrick Maroon, one of a number of Blues players who spoke about their excitement to have three difference-makers back at practice. Pietrangelo is clearly the greatest addition to the lineup, but Gunnarsson is also a regular on the Blues blue line and Fabbri has struggled with constant injurie issues for parts of three seasons and St. Louis would like to see him stay healthy for the rest of the campaign. At full strength, the Blues do have plenty of talent on paper and could put together a comeback of sorts this season. However, if that doesn’t happen, the team will continue to take calls on nearly anyone on the roster. GM Doug Armstrong won’t trade anyone whose value has dipped, so getting Pietrangelo and company back to health also improves his asking price should he decide to make some moves down the stretch.

  • On a recent appearance on the “31 Thoughts” podcast with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek, veteran defenseman Kevin Bieksa made it clear that he is not retired. In fact, Bieksa has already committed to play with Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland later this month. A strong performance from the 37-year-old could earn him a contract from a contender for the second half of the NHL season. Brian Gionta and Chris Kelly accomplished similar feats after the Olympics last year and Bieksa has the experience and claims to still have the physical conditioning to follow suit. The long-time Vancouver Canuck and Anaheim Duck was unwilling to sign long-term with any team far from his family in California this off-season, but on a half-season deal he will likely be more open to taking the offer that gives him the best chance at an elusive Stanley Cup title.
  • After his time with the Boston Bruins didn’t go according to plan due to an early-season injury and a lack of opportunity, Martin Bakos had his contract terminated last week after clearing unconditional waivers. He’s now on to a new opportunity, as HK Sochi of the KHL announced that they have inked Bakos to a contract for the remainder of the season. Bakos has several seasons of KHL experience on his resume, but this is first time playing for one of the league’s many Russian squads after previous stints with HC Bratislava in his native country of Slovakia, as well as a year in China with the Kunlun Red Star. Bakos only managed to record four points in 16 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins, a skilled minor league squad, so it will be interesting to see how he performs on a Sochi roster that lacks much talent up front. Bakos joins recent NHLers Jyrki Jokipakka and Yohann Auvitu in Sochi, hoping to push for a playoff spot with the team this season.

Pacific Notes: Chiarelli, Haula, Tanev

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The Edmonton Oilers have been a team that has languished in mediocrity the last couple of years until the team fired head coach Doug McLellan and replaced him with Ken Hitchock. Since then the team seems almost unbeatable as the Oilers have produced a 9-2-2 record under the veteran head coach. Much of that credit might fall to general manager Peter Chiarelli.

With the sudden success of the team, The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman (subcription required) interviewed Oilers’ CEO and vice-chair of Oilers Entertainment Group Bob Nicholson, who stated emphatically that if Edmonton makes the playoffs, Chiarelli’s job is safe.

“Yeah. There’s no question,” Nicholson. “I think there’s a lot of things that Peter hasn’t gotten credit for. He’s really started to build. You’re starting to see some of them come up now with the [Caleb] Joneses and the [Evan] Bouchards. We have a lot of assets, which this organization hadn’t had for a while. Peter deserves a lot of credit for that.”

Chiarelli has been highly criticized over the years after being hired in 2015, which included trading No. 1 overall pick Taylor Hall to New Jersey for defenseman Adam Larsson. He also made a few questionable acquisitions, including signing Milan Lucic to a seven-year, $42MM deal, which already looks like an albatross of a contract as there are still five years remaining, while Lucic is playing more of a bottom-six role for the team. Chiarelli also traded the team’s first and second-round picks to the New York Islanders for defenseman Griffin Reinhart, who played just 29 NHL games and is mired in the AHL for the Vegas Golden Knights. That first-round pick turned out to be Mathew Barzal.

However, the addition of Hitchcock and the signing of goaltender Mikko Koskinen have looked like solid moves this season. If the Oilers can continue on their torrid pace, Chiarelli may have done enough to stay on for a while longer.

  • While Vegas Golden Knights’ Erik Haula was listed as “month-to-month” a month ago, Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen reports that general manager George McPhee admitted that Haula actually had surgery in November after suffering the lower-body injury after being driven into the boards by Toronto Maple Leafs’ Patrick Marleau on Nov. 6. “He did have surgery,” McPhee said, who added that the injury was not an ACL injury. “It’s a unique injury.” McPhee has no timetable on Haula’s injury and wouldn’t even speculate as to whether last year’s 30-goal scorer would return for the regular season or even the playoffs. “It’s really hard to know,” McPhee said. “It’s going to be some months, but we don’t know because it’s just such a different injury than any of us have seen before.”
  • It’s possible that the Vancouver Canucks have waited too long to move defenseman Chris Tanev as a trade chip. According to Harman Dayal in The Athletic (subscription required), Tanev’s value has fallen quite a bit in the last few weeks and may not be a tradeable asset anymore. It’s believed that his inability to stay healthy is one problem and even though Tanev has played in 29 games this year, there are rumors that he’s hurt now and isn’t playing at his usual level of play. Whether his underwhelming play is a result of playing injured or rapidly declining play, it’s unlikely that Tanev could bring in anything back in value at the moment.

Oscar Klefbom Out Six To Eight Weeks After Finger Surgery

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Saturday: John Shannon of Sportsnet reports that Klefbom had surgery on his injured finger and is expected to be out between 6-8 weeks.

Wednesday: The Edmonton Oilers are rolling right now after installing a more defensive structure under new head coach Ken Hitchcock, but will now be without one of their best defensemen. Oscar Klefbom has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a hand injury in last night’s game that should keep him out “weeks.” The team has also activated Drake Caggiula while assigning Cooper Marody to the AHL. To make up for Klefbom’s absence, the team has recalled defenseman Caleb Jones, who could make his long-awaited NHL debut soon.

In the first ten games of the Hitchcock era in Edmonton, he made it very clear that he would lean heavily on the players who he thought gave him the best chance to win. Klefbom was one of them, averaging over 26 minutes a night before going down to injury against Colorado. The 25-year old had also recorded seven points in those ten games, including two game-winning goals. That’s nearly half his production for the entire season, and was a stretch that had him closer to the 2016-17 version that helped the Oilers reach the playoffs.

Losing him means someone else—almost surely Darnell Nurse—will have to carry the load defensively and play nearly half the game. Nurse got a taste of that when he recorded 30:44 of ice time last night, the highest total of his career by three full minutes. Along with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Nurse will have to really excel in this period without Klefbom on the blue line and help the Oilers maintain their quick ascension of the Western Conference standings. Edmonton has gone 8-2-1 with Hitchcock in charge, and now sit just one point out of second place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand on both the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks.

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