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Injury

Shea Theodore Week-To-Week After Successful Surgery

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The Vegas Golden Knights have announced that top defenseman Shea Theodore is out week-to-week after undergoing a successful surgery. The surgery addressed the upper-body injury that has held Theodore out since November 22nd, although no other specifics were shared.

Theodore was in the midst of a fantastic start to the season, netting four goals and 18 points in 20 games so far this year. That mark leads the Golden Knights’ defensemen in scoring, despite Theodore missing the team’s last three games. In fact, the team’s second-highest-scoring defender, Alex Pietrangelo, only has nine points this season – half of Theodore’s total. Theodore also leads the team’s blue line in xGF% (expected goals-for-percentage) and ranks third in CF% (corsi-for-percentage), speaking to the prowess he’s had on the offensive side of the puck this year.

Theodore’s hot start comes in the wake of an impressive 2022-23 season, where the defenseman netted 41 points in 55 games, or 0.75 points per game. That was the second-highest point-per-game pace of Theodore’s career, only matched by the 42 points he scored in 53 games in the 2020-21 season. He has totaled 470 NHL games through his nine-year career, scoring 70 goals and 282 points. 417 of these games have come with Vegas, who took him from the Anaheim Ducks in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.

Vegas is currently rostering ten different defenders, with Theodore and Daniil Miromanov on the team’s injured reserve, Alec Martinez currently day-to-day with injury and scratched, and Brayden Pachal serving as the healthy extra defenseman. Pachal slotted into the lineup while Zach Whitecloud was out with injury, playing in 13 games and recording one point.

Noah Cates Out Six-To-Eight Weeks

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The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that forward Noah Cates has suffered a lower-body injury that will keep him out of the lineup for six to eight weeks.

It’s not immediately clear the nature of Cates’ injury nor where or how he suffered it. In any case, this is a significant loss for a Flyers team that has impressed early this season. John Tortorella’s club currently sits third in the Metropolitan Division with an 11-9-1 record.

A center by trade, Cates most recently lined up as a left winger on Tortella’s third line, alongside center Ryan Poehling and right winger Joel Farabee. It’s been a more difficult season for Cates, who was excellent as a rookie last year.

A 2017 fifth-round pick by the Flyers, Cates looked to be a home run for the team’s scouting staff last season. The 24-year-old didn’t put up massive scoring numbers at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, save for in his sophomore season. But that didn’t stop him from scoring 13 goals and 38 points as a rookie, all while averaging 17:46 time on ice per game including nearly two minutes on each special teams unit.

That performance earned Cates votes for the Selke, Calder, and Lady Byng trophies, as well as the NHL’s All-Rookie team. He hasn’t been able to carry over that success into this campaign, though, and has seen his ice time decline.

This injury serves as a major setback in a campaign that, in its early stages, had the makings of a sophomore slump for Cates. Making $2.625MM through next season, the hope will be that Cates can return from this injury and re-discover some of the form that made him such a strong rookie in 2023-24.

Capitals Place T.J. Oshie On Injured Reserve, Activate Martin Fehérváry

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The Capitals made some roster moves this afternoon, most notably placing winger T.J. Oshie on injured reserve with an upper-body injury retroactive to November 24, according to the NHL’s media portal. Defenseman Martin Fehérváry was activated off IR in a corresponding transaction and replaced Oshie on the 23-man active roster.

While Washington has impressed this season and sits in playoff position in the Metropolitan Division, Oshie hasn’t been a significant factor. Oshie has seen ice time worth of a top-six forward, averaging 16:39 per game, but the 37-year-old is producing at (by far) the worst rate of his NHL career. Injuries have been a factor the last few seasons, but he still managed to stay relevant last year with 35 points in 58 contests. Now, he’s as snakebitten as ever, notching just one goal and one assist through 17 games. It’s worth noting he’s shooting at just 3.3% – the only time in his 16-year, 975-game career that he’s shot in the single digits.

This is not an unexpected move. He is listed as day-to-day, and it was reported last weekend that he would not travel with the team on their five-game West Coast road swing. Hopefully, the veteran can return to action when the team returns home, and he can continue on his quest to 1,000 games.

In placing Oshie on IR, the Capitals create space for the much younger Fehérváry to return to play tonight against the Sharks. The 24-year-old landed on IR over two weeks ago and missed five games with a lower-body injury sustained November 10 against the Devils. Selected 46th overall in 2018, the budding top-four defender has logged two assists in 12 games this season, averaging 18:20 per contest. His 50.3% Corsi share at even strength is a marked improvement over his first two full seasons in the NHL, and he continues to grow into a trusted complementary player who can handle significant defensive zone usage. He’ll assume a top-pairing alongside John Carlson in his return to the lineup tonight.

Coyotes List Vladislav Kolyachonok As Week-To-Week

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The Coyotes announced Monday that defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok is out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury. No corresponding transaction has been made. However, PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan notes that injured defenders Mathew Dumba and Travis Dermott practiced with the team today and could return to the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Lightning. Dermott is on injured reserve and must be activated before returning to play.

Kolyachonok sustained the injury on a hit from Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault midway through the second period of Saturday’s 2-0 win. The 22-year-old Belarusian defender, who was making his season debut, skated just 6:09 through the first half of the game and did not return. Arizona recalled him earlier in the month after injuries to Dermott and Juuso Välimäki. However, he was a healthy scratch for four games to begin his first recall of the season.

A 2019 second-round pick of the Panthers, the Coyotes acquired Kolyachonok as a sweetener in the July 2021 trade that saw Arizona receive aging defender Anton Strålman, whom the Panthers no longer had cap space to afford. A puck-mover by nature, he’s failed to truly jump out in the NHL or AHL but remains on track to be a dependable long-term call-up option at minimum. He has 35 NHL games with the Coyotes, although 32 came in the 2021-22 season. The Coyotes stashed him in the minors for all but two games in 2022-23.

Kolyachonok was off to a decent start with the Tucson Roadrunners before his call-up, recording just three points in 11 games but had a +5 rating that is still tied for the team lead. He was the most polished call-up option to provide low-risk depth minutes for a Coyotes team that fully intends to make noise in the Western Conference Wild Card race.

Atlantic Notes: Klingberg, McMann, Benoit, Korpisalo, Samuelsson

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Maple Leafs defenseman John Klingberg will meet with a doctor in New York this week to determine whether surgery is required to correct his nagging hip injury, GM Brad Treliving informed the media Monday afternoon (via David Alter of Sports Illustrated/The Hockey News).

Klingberg, 31, has missed five out of the last six games with the injury and is currently on long-term injured reserve retroactive to November 11. The soonest he can return to the lineup is December 12 against the Rangers. However, all indications point to a more prolonged absence regardless of the clarity gleaned from his appointment this week. While Klingberg has reportedly been battling various hip issues for multiple seasons, Treliving confirmed Klingberg sustained a specific injury on October 19 versus the Panthers, keeping him out of the lineup. Klingberg did not miss any games immediately after sustaining the injury.

A free-agent signing by the Maple Leafs last summer, Klingberg’s presence in the lineup quickly deteriorated after a strong showing in the team’s season opener against the Canadiens. After notching two points, a +1 rating, and over 24 minutes of ice time in his Toronto debut, his defensive game again lapsed significantly. It caused head coach Sheldon Keefe to reduce his ice time gradually gradually. He has five assists through 14 games this season, and his 0.35 points per game mark is by far the worst of his NHL career. He is averaging under 21 minutes per game for a second straight season after skating over that mark in eight consecutive seasons to begin his career.

Other snapshots from the Atlantic Division:

  • Sticking with Toronto, depth forward Bobby McMann and defenseman Simon Benoit took line rushes with the Maple Leafs at practice today, Alter reports. This suggests both players will be recalled from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies before tomorrow’s game against the Panthers. In recent days, McMann and Benoit have repeatedly been ferried between leagues to extend their waiver-exempt period. Both players were placed on waivers before the start of the season, allowing the Maple Leafs to assign each player to the AHL freely until each spends 30 days on the NHL roster or plays ten games. While McMann took reps as a healthy scratch in practice today, Benoit skated on the third pairing alongside Conor Timmins and could re-enter the lineup. The 25-year-old has played six games this season, recording a +2 rating, five shots on goal, and a strong Corsi share of 57.4% at even strength while averaging 13:13 per game.
  • Senators goalie Joonas Korpisalo will be an option in goal against the Panthers tonight, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch relays. After making 37 saves on 41 shots in the Senators’ first Global Series game against the Red Wings on November 16, Korpisalo sat out the second overseas contest against the Wild as well as last Friday’s game against the Islanders with a minor undisclosed ailment which the team described as general soreness. This was an expected development after the Senators returned top goalie prospect Mads Søgaard to the minors yesterday. The 29-year-old is improving after a rocky start to his Senators career, solidifying himself as the team’s number-one option with a 5-4-0 record, .906 SV%, and 1.3 goals saved above average through ten starts.
  • Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson will be a game-time decision tonight against the Rangers as he deals with an upper-body injury, head coach Don Granato told reporters this morning (via Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News). The oft-injured blueliner left Saturday’s blowout loss to the Devils after taking a stick to the face and receiving multiple stitches to repair a cut on his lower lip, which is still causing him significant pain. Per Granato, he was held out of the remainder of the contest to clear concussion protocol. If Samuelsson does not play tonight, it will be his second injury-related absence of the season. A lower-body issue cost him three games at the beginning of the month. The 23-year-old is averaging a diminished 19:27 per game this season through 18 games, recording one goal, two assists, a -1 rating, and a middling Corsi share of 47.6% at even strength.

Sharks Sign Justin Bailey To NHL Deal, Place Filip Zadina On IR

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The San Jose Sharks have announced that they’ve signed forward Justin Bailey to an NHL contract and placed forward Filip Zadina on the injured reserve. Bailey has signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Sharks with an NHL salary of $775K and a salary of $300K at the AHL level.

Bailey had a professional try-out with the Sharks this season, which he converted into an AHL contract with their affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. The 28-year-old dressed in 16 games in the AHL, posting six goals and five assists, which was good enough to lead the team in scoring. After signing his contract, Bailey was quickly recalled by the Sharks to replace the injured Zadina. Bailey has five goals and four assists in 82 NHL games with three different NHL teams.

The Sharks also announced today that Zadina has been placed on the IR. The former sixth-overall pick left the Sharks game on Friday night against the Montreal Canadiens and did not return. He reportedly was dealing with an upper-body injury and did not dress for San Jose’s game against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. Zadina signed a one-year deal with the Sharks in the offseason to ignite his NHL career after struggling through five seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. Thus far with San Jose, Zadina has been unable to find any traction, as he has just three goals and two assists in 20 games while posting a -19.

Metropolitan Notes: Haula, Fox, Rust

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New Jersey Devils reporter Amanda Stein tweeted today that forward Erik Haula did not practice with the team today after suffering an injury on Saturday night. Haula was forced to leave the Devils 7-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres with an undisclosed ailment. The 32-year-old did not join the team on the bench for the third period leading to speculation about what might have happened to the native of Pori, Finland.

Haula has found a home in New Jersey after bouncing around to four different teams between 2019-2022. In 18 games this year Haula has six goals and six assists which is well above his average point production per game. His hot start can be credited to a shooting percentage of 17.1% which is well above his career average of 12%.

Star-Ledger reporter Ryan Novozinsky tweeted that Devils head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters that Haula probably won’t be available for the team’s game tomorrow night which would be another blow to a Devils team who have already sustained injuries to much of their forward group, including Timo Meier and Tomas Nosek who were also absent from practice this morning as they continue to deal with ongoing ailments.

In other Metropolitan notes:

  • Mollie Walker of the New York Post is reporting that New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox was an active participant in the team’s practice this morning and is eligible to return to the Rangers lineup on Wednesday night when they take on the Detroit Red Wings. The native of Jericho, New York was placed on the injured reserve after suffering an injury on November 3rd when he was hit by Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho. Fox had been on a torrid pace to start the season with three goals and eight assists in the first 10 games of the Rangers season. The 2021 Norris Trophy winner will add a jolt to a Rangers team that sits tied for first in the league with a 15-3-1 record to start the season.
  • Matt Vensel of Post-Gazette Sports is reporting that Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust was a full participant in Penguins practice this morning and he attempts to work his way back into the lineup after missing the team’s last three games with a lower-body injury. Rust practiced on the team’s top line along with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel and took reps of the Penguins’ first power play unit signalling that a return could come sooner than later. Shelly Anderson of Pittsburgh Hockey Now is reporting that Rust told reporters that he could play tomorrow night when Pittsburgh visits the Nashville Predators, but nothing is official yet. The Penguins could certainly use Rust back as they’ve had Drew O’Connor filling in during his absence. O’Connor did have an assist in Saturday night’s win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he lacks the offensive upside that Rust brings to the Penguins top-6 forward group.

Islanders Place Sebastian Aho On Injured Reserve

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The New York Islanders announced on Monday that defenseman Sebastian Aho has been placed on injured reserve, retroactive to last Friday. As of now, no corresponding recall has been made. Aho was injured early in the team’s Friday night game, along with fellow defender Adam Pelech. Both players have since been placed on IR, with Pelech being put on long-term injured reserve.

Aho has appeared in 19 games so far this season, netting four assists, four penalty minutes, and a -3. He’s also managed 18 shots and nine hits. This year becomes the fifth season that Aho has played in the NHL and follows up a strong 2022-23 season that saw the defenseman score 23 points and record a +9 in 71 games. Aho is in the last year of a two-year, $1.6MM contract extension signed last summer.

The 27-year-old Aho was originally drafted by the Islanders in the fifth round of the 2017 NHL Draft, after scoring 30 points in 50 SHL games in the 2016-17 season. He immediately came over to the NHL, playing in 22 NHL games in the following 2017-18 season. He’s managed 151 career games throughout his five-year career, scoring nine goals and 45 points.

This news knocks the Islanders down to just six healthy NHL defensemen, including recent waiver claim Mike Reilly. Reilly has yet to make his debut with the Islanders but did appear in two games with the Florida Panthers earlier in the year, going without a point while also recording two penalty minutes and a -2. The Islanders become the sixth NHL team that Reilly has been apart of. The 30-year-old defender originally signed a one-year, $1MM contract with Florida on July 1st, after being bought-out by the Boston Bruins.

Injury Notes: Walman, Theodore, Martinez, Mahura

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Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde shared an update on defenseman Jake Walman’s injury, calling him day-to-day and questionable for the team’s Saturday night game. If Walman doesn’t play on Saturday, he’s likely to return when the team plays on Wednesday.

Walman has continued to perform well with the Detroit Red Wings, scoring eight points in 18 games this season – his second full year with the club. Walman has become the go-to partner for top defenseman Moritz Seider, with Walman spending 87 percent of his even-strength ice time next to the former Calder Trophy winner. They’ve accounted for an admirable 49.59 xGF% (expected goals-for percentage) and 49.8 CF% (Corsi-for percentage) when they’re on the ice togehter, speaking to their ability to control possession and scoring chances. Seider takes a small hit to both of those statistics when he plays with any other partner. Getting Walman back into the lineup helps a Red Wings lineup that hasn’t been too impacted by injuries get back to normal.

Other injury updates from around the league:

Coyotes Notes: Trade Rumors, Dumba, Dermott

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Arizona Coyotes insider Craig Morgan recently shared that the team is actively looking to trade away prospects and draft picks for lineup upgrades. Morgan says this trade interest is inspired by the success of Sean Durzi, who the Coyotes acquired from Los Angeles this summer. Durzi has 12 points in his first 19 games in Arizona while averaging a monster 23-and-a-half minutes a night, three minutes more than any other Coyotes skater. The Yotes only traded away a 2024 Second Round pick for the 25-year-old defenseman and, after a modest 8-9-2 start to the season, are hoping that lineup upgrades like Durzi could kick them into gear sooner than expected.

Arizona certainly has the pieces to build around. Durzi has provided a strong boost of scoring to the blue-line, alongside J.J. Moser, who has 10 points in 19 games. The duo backs up a forward group that’s leveled out, after a top-heavy start to the year. Arizona currently has nine players with 10 or more points this season, led by Clayton Keller’s 18 points in 19 games. Matias Maccelli has continued to rack up the assists and Logan Cooley is settling into the NHL well. With the right upgrades, there’s reason to be excited about what’s going on in Mullett Arena.

Other Coyotes notes:

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