Injury Notes: O’Connor, MacKinnon, Ekblad, Tavares
The Colorado Avalanche will be without the services of forward Logan O’Connor tomorrow night, as Meghan Angley of DNVR Avalanche reports the team will hold him out of the lineup so that he can play more continuously when fully healthy. O’Connor has missed the last two games for Colorado as he suffered a lower-body injury in the team’s recent contest against the Florida Panthers.
Amid a career year offensively, the typical bottom-six player for the Avalanche has already reached a career-high total in goals with 13 and is only one point behind his career-high in points with 25. Shaping up to be an integral part of their postseason aspirations, O’Connor still has one year and $1.05MM remaining on his contract after this season.
Either in practice or in the team’s most recent game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now reports that Nathan MacKinnon had broken his nose after taking a puck to the face. MacKinnon is not expected to miss any time with the injury but could be seen wearing a bubble on his helmet tomorrow night.
Other injury notes:
- Before their game tonight against their in-state rivals, the Panthers announced that defenseman Aaron Ekblad would miss the game due to a lower-body injury. Ekblad had previously missed the majority of the start to the 2023-24 campaign due to offseason shoulder surgery. Upon his return in mid-November, Ekblad has regained most of his previous form, scoring three goals and 14 points in 37 games while averaging over 21 minutes a night for the Panthers.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without their captain tonight, as John Tavares is reportedly considered day-to-day with a minor injury (X Link). Taking a bit of a step back from his previous scoring pace in Toronto, Tavares still sits fifth on the team in scoring with 15 goals and 40 points in 51 games.
Ducks Activate Alex Killorn, Place Brock McGinn On IR
The Ducks have made a pair of roster moves in advance of their game tonight versus Toronto. The team announced (Twitter link) that winger Alex Killorn has been activated off IR. To make room on the roster, winger Brock McGinn has been placed on IR retroactive to February 10th with an upper-body injury.
Killorn is in his first season with Anaheim after signing a four-year, $25MM contract with them back in July. However, it’s been a campaign riddled with injuries. The 34-year-old fractured his finger in the preseason, causing him to miss the first month of the season. Then last month, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. Fortunately for him and the Ducks, Killorn recovered quicker than anticipated as he was supposed to miss four to six weeks and came back a little before the four-week mark.
In between recovering from those injuries, Killorn got off to a decent start offensively with his new club, collecting 19 points in 34 games. While those numbers are down from a year ago, it would have been unrealistic for Anaheim to expect Killorn to beat his career-best numbers from a much deeper Tampa Bay team in his first year with a rebuilding club that was expected to be near the bottom of the league in the goal department.
As for McGinn, he last played back on January 25th, making the placement back to February 10th a bit of an odd choice. However, since the placement has been dated back by a week, he’s eligible to be activated at any time. The 30-year-old has had a very limited role this season, suiting up in just 24 games where he has three points in 37 hits while averaging just over 11 minutes per game.
Injury Updates: Soucy, Sanderson, Zub, Chinakhov
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet provided an update on Carson Soucy, telling reporters (video link) that the blueliner is currently listed as week-to-week. The 29-year-old has missed close to a month with a hand injury sustained while blocking a shot. In his first season with the Canucks after signing a three-year, $9.75MM deal with them back in July, Soucy has six points and 39 blocked shots in 21 games while logging a career-high 17:25 per night. As things stand, the Canucks don’t have enough cap space to call anyone up from the minors so if someone else has to be promoted, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Soucy transferred to LTIR retroactively.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- The Senators will welcome back a pair of defensemen on Saturday as Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch relays that Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub will return from their respective lower-body injuries against Chicago. Sanderson has missed nearly three weeks with his injury and he certainly has been missed as he logs nearly 23 minutes a night for them in the final year of his entry-level deal. As for Zub, he was out for the last two games, resulting in Ottawa having to dress only 17 skaters earlier this week before being eligible for an emergency cap-exempt recall. The Sens now have 21 players on their active roster and that’s all they’ll be able to afford as they have less than $75K in cap space, per CapFriendly.
- Blue Jackets winger Yegor Chinakhov will return to the lineup on Saturday versus San Jose, notes Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch (Twitter link). The 23-year-old started the season on IR and then spent a bit of time in the minors. However, since being recalled, Chinakhov has started to live up to his potential as a former first-round pick, collecting 14 goals and 10 assists in 40 games so far. He winds up missing just one game due to the upper-body injury he sustained last weekend.
Canucks Recall Arshdeep Bains, Assign Jett Woo To AHL
The Canucks made a pair of roster moves on Friday, announcing (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled forward Arshdeep Bains from AHL Abbotsford. In a corresponding move, defenseman Jett Woo was re-assigned to the AHL.
It’s the first career recall for Bains, who signed with Vancouver as an undrafted free agent two years ago. The 23-year-old is the top scorer for Abbotsford, notching nine goals and 30 assists, sitting a dozen points clear of second-place Max Sasson. Bains is expected to take the place of Dakota Joshua who is listed as week-to-week after injuring his hand in a fight on Tuesday.
As for Woo, his first NHL recall came back on Monday but it winds up being a short-lived one; the 23-year-old didn’t suit up with Vancouver during that time. Woo is on his second NHL contract having inked a one-year, two-way deal worth the league minimum at the NHL level. He has 16 points in 42 games so far this season, sitting just five points high of his career high set last season.
While Vancouver could have made an open roster spot available by placing Joshua on injured reserve, they didn’t have enough cap space to afford Bains’ recall on its own, resulting in Woo having to be sent down.
Snapshots: Hoglander, Blue Jackets, Lightning
Largely expected today, the Department of Player Safety has fined Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander a total of $2,864.58 for high-sticking Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman last night, per a press release. The fine was the maximum allowable according to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA.
Originally, there was no penalty called on the play as Hoglander swung his stick into the side of Walman’s head as both players battled for position in front of Detroit’s net. Nevertheless, even though the in-game referees did not decide to penalize Hoglander last night, the Department of Player Safety decided the incident warranted a punishment.
This is the second time this season that the Department of Player Safety has decided to fine Hoglander with the first incident coming on November 21st for slew-footing San Jose Sharks forward Kevin Labanc. Aside from a couple of fines, Hoglander has had quite a productive season for Vancouver, scoring 17 goals and 24 points in 53 games.
Other snapshots:
- Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reports that defenseman Ivan Provorov and forward Yegor Chinakhov have both returned to practice for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Reportedly suffering from an undisclosed injury in the team’s most recent game against the Ottawa Senators, Provorov will likely not miss any time with the injury. Chinakhov, on the other hand, did miss the game against the Senators completely but should be available tomorrow night against the San Jose Sharks.
- In a similar fashion to Columbus, Eduardo Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports that Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nick Paul will be a game-time decision tomorrow night against the Florida Panthers. Missing the entire third period in last night’s game against the Colorado Avalanche, Paul did miss the team practice today putting his availability up in the air. In the same report, Encina also suggests that Tanner Jeannot will likely be out another week after being activated from the team’s long-term injured reserve on February 13th.
Central Notes: Lundkvist, Beauvillier, Raddysh
After leaving last night’s game against the Nashville Predators with a reported upper-body injury, it appears Dallas Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist could miss Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers as well. Speaking about the injury this morning, Bruce LeVine of 96.7 The Ticket reported that Lundkvist is experiencing concussion-like symptoms and the team would know more about his status tomorrow.
If Lundkvist is set to miss a significant amount of time with a concussion, it may motivate Stars General Manager Jim Nill to make a move for a defenseman well before the trade deadline, as the team has reportedly been sniffing around the defensive market. Including a few minutes in last night’s game, Lundkvist has registered two goals and 15 points in 43 games for Dallas this season while averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time per game.
With Joel Hanley being the likely candidate to fill in for Lundkvist, the Stars will likely find more pressure on themselves to round out their defensive core. Although the top unit of Thomas Harley and Miro Heiskanen has played well for the team up to this point in the season, a right-handed shot defenseman to put next to Esa Lindell should become the team’s top priority over the next three weeks.
Other Central notes:
- Now that forward Connor Bedard has returned to the Chicago Blackhawks after missing time with a broken jaw, Tracey Myers of the NHL suggests the team could see the return of another forward very soon. Since joining the Blackhawks via a trade on November 28th, Anthony Beauvillier has only managed 15 games for the team, suffering a left wrist injury on January 2nd against the Nashville Predators. In the report, Myers mentions that Beauvillier was a full participant in today’s practice, indicating that Beauvillier could return tomorrow or Monday.
- It is not all positive news on the injury front for Chicago; however, as Myers also reported that forward Taylor Raddysh missed today’s practice with an injury to his right quad. Managing a 20-goal campaign as recently as last year for the Blackhawks, Raddysh’s offensive output has certainly stagnated this season, only registering five goals and 11 points in 49 games up to this point.
Blake Wheeler Placed On LTIR, Out For Regular Season
After appearing to hurt his leg in last night’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, Chris Johnston of TSN is reporting that the New York Rangers are placing veteran forward Blake Wheeler on Long-Term Injured Reserve, and the injury will keep him out for the remainder of the regular season. Johnston also indicated that Wheeler could be out for the rest of the year, but that will largely be dictated by his recovery process and how deep the team goes in the playoffs.
It is unpleasant news for both player and team, as this injury will likely become the unceremonious end to Wheeler’s first season outside of the Winnipeg Jets organization since 2010-11. After being bought out by the Jets this past summer, Wheeler settled for a one-year, $800K contract with the Rangers with $100K bonuses after 10, 20, and 30 games played, respectively.
Although coming off another solid offensive year in Winnipeg throughout the 2022-23 season, his first campaign in New York did not start particularly well. Even with the team getting off to a strong start, it would take Wheeler 11 games to record his first assist, and another two games after that to register his first goal with the club.
Even as the month turned over into December, Wheeler’s offensive output had completely cratered, managing only two goals and six points through the organization’s first 26 games. However, since the team’s December 12th game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Wheeler had certainly reacquired some offensive touch, scoring seven goals and 15 assists over the next 28 contests.
For the Rangers specifically; the team has already been keeping tabs on the forward market for this season’s upcoming trade deadline, as they’re hoping to replace some of the lost value of center Filip Chytil who will also miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season. Now that Wheeler has suffered the same fate, it is almost certain the Rangers will make a move to beef up their forward depth by the end of the day on March 8th.
Coyotes Recall Matt Villalta, Place Liam O’Brien On IR
The Coyotes recalled netminder Matt Villalta from AHL Tucson on Friday, per a team announcement. Forward Liam O’Brien was moved to injured reserve to create a roster spot.
Villalta, 24, gets his first recall as a member of the Coyotes with starter Connor Ingram sidelined day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Ingram left Wednesday’s game against the Wild after the second period and did not return.
Karel Vejmelka will get the majority of the action while Ingram is out of the lineup. Originally expected to form a tandem with Ingram this year, he’s fallen squarely into the backup position after posting a .897 SV% and 6-12-2 record through 19 starts and four relief appearances.
Villalta is in his first season with the Coyotes after not receiving a qualifying offer from the Kings last summer. He’s suiting up in his fifth season of pro hockey after the Kings selected him 72nd overall in the 2017 draft.
The Kingston, Ontario, native was on an upward trajectory throughout his four seasons for the Kings’ affiliate in Ontario, so it was puzzling to see Los Angeles cut him loose. Villalta has assumed the undisputed starting role in Tucson, logging a .913 SV%, two shutouts, and a 22-11-1 record in 34 games. He leads the league in wins and games played, while his SV% ranks 18th.
He’s a high-end third-string goalie at this stage in his development, and a potential NHL debut with Ingram out of the lineup could go a long way toward demonstrating he has value as an NHL backup as soon as next season. Ingram’s shoes are giant ones to fill, however – he’s been one of the best stories in the NHL this season with a .912 SV% and 17-13-2 record in 35 games, along with 10.8 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck.
O’Brien, 29, was already listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He last suited up on Feb. 10 against the Predators and will be eligible to return to action for Sunday’s game against the Avalanche, although Arizona will need to clear a roster spot to take him off IR. The team’s primary enforcer has 116 PIMs in 49 games this year, adding three goals and eight points.
Penguins Place Jake Guentzel On Injured Reserve, Recall Three
In an announcement coming from the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team has placed forward Jake Guentzel on injured reserve while recalling Jonathan Gruden, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Valtteri Puustinen from their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In a subsequent announcement, Chris Johnston of TSN reports that Guentzel is expected to be out for around a month, putting his trade deadline candidacy into question.
Ultimately, Guentzel’s injury status will likely not steer any teams away from acquiring his services by March 8th, given that his playoff track record has been so strong since he first entered the league. As a team already on the bubble of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoff race, the absence of Guentzel will almost certainly hurt Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes.
If the Penguins wait until March 8th to trade Guentzel, the acquiring team will only be missing Guentzel for about a week, unless there is an unexpected setback with his current injury. Because he may only miss a few games on a new team, Guentzel’s price tag likely won’t drop by the time the trade deadline rolls around.
In regards to the trio of players recalled in this transaction, Gruden and Hinostroza have both been in the AHL for a month or more. Of the three, Puustinen has been the most successful playing in Pittsburgh this season, scoring one goal and eight points in 21 games serving in a depth role.
Pacific Notes: Labanc, Kallionkieli, Joshua
Suffering from what is becoming a career-worst season, San Jose Sharks forward Kevin Labanc is looking for a fresh start outside of the Bay Area. In an article today, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now confirmed that both Labanc and his agent made the request clear, and referenced that they would like a resolution by the trade deadline or the offseason.
The resolution will eventually come, as Labanc is in the last year of a four-year, $18.9MM contract signed with the Sharks, allowing him to sign with any of the other 31 teams regardless of San Jose’s desires. Unfortunately, with only seven points in 32 games, Labanc may find his market to be incredibly limited both at the trade deadline and when free agency eventually rolls around.
In the article specifically, Peng notes that the Vancouver Canucks had an interest in acquiring Labanc as recently as last offseason, but could not confirm if they still hold any desire for him, especially with some of their additions already this season. Nevertheless, if the Sharks are unable to find a taker for Labanc by the trade deadline, a strong finish to the season should certainly be a priority for him in the hopes of boosting his free-agency stock by the summer months.
Other Pacific notes:
- Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported today that the Vegas Golden Knights have placed forward Marcus Kallionkieli on waivers for the purpose of contract termination. Having been drafted 139th overall by Vegas back in the 2019 NHL Draft, Kallionkieli has only managed 11 games in the Golden Knights under his belt with six of those coming in the AHL, and other five coming in the ECHL. Currently rostered for Kiekko-Espoo of the Finnish Liiga, Kallionkieli has scored one goal and five points in four games.
- For their game tonight against the Detroit Red Wings, the Vancouver Canucks will be without valuable depth forward Dakota Joshua (X Link). Supplementary reporting indicates that Joshua has injured his hand by way of a fight coming on Tuesday against Mackenzie Entwistle of the Chicago Blackhawks.