Mackenzie MacEachern To Miss Remainder Of 2023-24 Season
Currently playing for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the St.Louis Blues organization, Mackenzie MacEachern will have to wait until next season to make his way up the organizational depth chart. The team announced today that MacEachern suffered a shoulder injury in the Thunderbirds’ game on January 27th and that he will undergo season-ending surgery.
Besides a one-year pit stop with the Carolina Hurricanes organization a few years ago, MacEachern has been a part of the Blues organization for the majority of the time since 2016-17. Originally drafted by the team with the 67th overall pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, MacEachern has struggled to carve out a path in the NHL.
Largely destined for a bottom-six role in his future with St.Louis, MacEachern has played in a total of 123 regular season games wearing the blue note, scoring 11 goals and 20 points in the process. This year specifically, MacEachern will finish with one assist over eight games with the Blues, and six goals and 19 points in 34 games with Springfield.
Playing for the last three AHL affiliates for St.Louis, MacEachern has faired much better in the minor leagues, scoring 49 goals and 111 points throughout 252 games split between Springfield, the Chicago Wolves, and the San Antonio Rampage. A quality postseason producer in the AHL as well, MacEachern has scored eight goals and 16 points in 28 games through two Calder Cup playoff runs.
Thankfully for MacEachern, he does have a bit of security on his current deal, given that he is on the first year of a two-year, $1.55MM contract signed with the Blues this past summer. Now taking the foreseeable future rehabbing from shoulder surgery, MacEachern will once again try his luck next season to carve out a full-time role in St.Louis.
Injury Notes: Kane, Perunovich, Kapanen
Heading into the team’s game tomorrow night against the Ottawa Senators, there was some hope from the Detroit Red Wings that forward Patrick Kane could be healthy enough to return, after missing the team’s last six games with a lower-body injury. Nevertheless, Ansar Khan of MLive reports that Kane will not be in the lineup tomorrow night for Detroit, and the team will allow him to rest and recover over the upcoming All-Star break.
With Kane making a strong comeback after offseason hip resurfacing surgery, the saving grace to this injury is that all signs are pointing to it being unrelated to his hip. However, with Kane making such an unexpectedly impressive return from resurfacing surgery, having to deal with a separate issue could likely lead to some frustration for the veteran forward.
Even though he has become one of the better forwards in the lineup, the Red Wings have faired well in his absence, producing a 4-2-0 record and picking up important victories against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Once he does return after the All-Star break, Kane will look to improve on his 16-point total and reinforce Detroit’s current momentum.
Other injury notes:
- Suffering a lower-body injury in the team’s most recent game against the Los Angeles Kings, Lou Korac of The Hockey News reports that St.Louis Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich was seen wearing a boot on his left foot this morning, and would be out through the All-Star break. Thankfully, the injury does not sound as serious as expected, meaning that Perunovich should be able to return shortly thereafter. On the season, Perunovich has suited up in 31 games for the Blues, tallying 12 assists while averaging about 14 and a half minutes a night.
- Sticking in St.Louis, although it has already been confirmed that forward Kasperi Kapanen will be out through the All-Star break, Lou Korac reports that he was back at practice this morning for the team. Residing on the team’s injured reserve for the last two weeks, Kapanen was on a much slower pace compared to last season before the injury, only scoring four goals and 13 points through 42 games.
Sharks Notes: Ferraro, MacDonald, Hertl
The Sharks moved blue-liner Mario Ferraro to injured reserve on Monday, per CapFriendly. Ferraro, 25, has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury sustained against the Kings over a week ago.
While he’s eligible to return at any time, given he’s been sidelined for at least seven days, Ferraro is likely to sit out the Sharks’ two remaining games before the All-Star break, according to the last update on his status. The Sharks have an odd schedule surrounding the break – after getting two games in on Tuesday and Wednesday before the league schedule shuts down for a brief prior, they’re off for an extended period of time after the break. Ferraro will have a full two weeks to recover after the Sharks’ back-to-back slate this week, and all signs point to him returning for their Feb. 14 contest against the Jets.
Signed through 2026 with a $3.25MM cap hit, Ferraro is the Sharks’ de facto number-one defender after trading Erik Karlsson to the Penguins last summer. It’s a tough spot for the 6-foot, 209-lb Canadian to be in, although he’s on pace to break his previous career-high in points. He’s scored once and added 13 assists in 47 games this season, averaging nearly 23 minutes per game. He’s boasted better even-strength possession numbers than the average Shark this season, but the team’s abhorrent defensive depth means he’s been on the ice for 90 total goals against – the most of any player in the league.
Other updates from San Jose:
- Ferraro was moved to IR to create a roster space for Jacob MacDonald, who the team activated from IR yesterday. The defenseman-turned-winger has been one of the team’s most effective goal-scorers when in the lineup this year, but a laundry list of appearances has limited him to 17 games. Despite that, his six goals are tied for sixth on the team. The 30-year-old’s latest absence was a lower-body injury that kept him out of the lineup since Christmas, resulting in a 15-game absence. It’s unclear whether he’ll draw into the lineup tonight for a Sharks team that’s gaining some relative momentum, winning three out of their last four games.
- Adding to their win total over the next two days may be tough without the services of first-line center Tomáš Hertl, who head coach David Quinn said is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury (via The Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka). The 30-year-old did not practice yesterday and may have been injured in the same collision against the Sabres last Saturday that sidelined Buffalo winger Jack Quinn for the next eight weeks. Unsurprisingly, Hertl’s 15 goals and 34 points lead the Sharks, as does his nearly 21 minutes of ice time per game among forwards. A Hertl absence would mean a slightly elevated role for captain Logan Couture, who has an assist in slightly over 18 minutes per game in four contests since returning from a lower-body injury.
Evening Notes: Fantilli, Capitals, Zadorov
Star Columbus Blue Jackets rookie Adam Fantilli suffered a cut on the back of his leg in the team’s Sunday night loss to the Seattle Kraken. He was seen leaving the game on crutches and the team announced today that he will miss their Tuesday night game against the St. Louis Blues. Fantilli has been a bright spot in a dark Blue Jackets season, tied for second on the team in scoring with 27 points through 49 games. The 19-year-old is one of only four Blue Jackets to play in all 49 of the team’s games this season.
Columbus drafted Fantilli with the third-overall pick in last year’s draft and now becomes the last of the top-three picks to face an injury this season. Chicago Blackhawks sensation Connor Bedard is currently grappling with a jaw injury that’s limited him to 39 games, while Leo Carlsson faced a knee injury that’s held him to just 30 games this season. The trio of top picks is joined by Zach Benson – who has played in 38 games – as the only players to jump directly into the NHL. Despite playing in more games than anyone else in the class, Fantilli doesn’t lead the group in scoring – as Bedard has managed 15 goals and 33 points despite his injury.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Washington Capitals have signed a six-year extension with their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. The new deal carries the partnership through the 2029-30 season. Hershey has been Washington’s affiliate since 2005, when they were coached by NHL-coaching veteran Bruce Boudreau. Hershey won the Calder Cup Championship in their first year under the Capitals, and have since become a legacy team in the minor leagues, winning three other championships. This includes last season when they toppled the Coachella Valley Firebirds in a seven-game series. With six more years ahead of them, Hershey will look to continue to add to their trophy cabinet.
- Player agent Dan Milstein has shared that his client Nikita Zadorov is not expecting to be traded by the Vancouver Canucks before the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. Speculation arose after Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman discussed Vancouver’s desire to clear up cap space, listing Andrei Kuzmenko and Zadorov as options for moving out cap. Zadorov joined the Canucks on November 30th, with Vancouver sending a 2024 fifth-round pick and 2026 third-round pick to the Calgary Flames. The 28-year-old defender has since played in 24 games with the Canucks, scoring four points and recording 39 penalty minutes. He carries a $3.75MM cap hit through the end of the season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
Afternoon Snapshots: Perunovich, Binnington, Skinner, Three Stars
St. Louis Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich underwent an MRI on Monday for the lower-body injury he suffered in St. Louis’ Sunday night win over the Los Angeles Kings. Team reporter Lou Korac shares that Perunovich will be out on Tuesday but that the team is hoping the All-Star Break will be enough time for Perunovich to recover.
Perunovich has appeared in 31 games this season, netting 12 assists, six penalty minutes, and -4. The 25-year-old also played in 19 games and recorded six assists in the 2020-21 season, though he’s still searching for the first goal of his career. The oft-injured defender missed the majority of last season with a fractured shoulder that required surgery in October. His only action was 22 AHL games, where he scored two goals and 20 points.
The Blues have recalled Tyler Tucker from his conditioning stint in the AHL to replace Perunovich. Tucker appeared in six games with the Springfield Thunderbirds, recording no points, six penalty minutes, and a +2. He’s also managed two points and 22 penalty minutes in 15 NHL games this season
Other notes from around the league:
- Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared on the recent 32 Thoughts Podcast that Jordan Binnington would be a top starting goaltender option for Team Canada, sharing, “Someone was saying to me the other day, if Canada was playing Game 1 of the World Cup right now… Jordan Binnington would be in the conversation to be your starter.” Friedman also mentioned Stuart Skinner as a second option. Binnington and Skinner have both gone through ups and downs throughout their careers but boast winning pedigrees, with Skinner winning the WHL championship in 2018 and Binnington winning the OHL championship in 2011 and Stanley Cup in 2019. Both were also runners-up for the Calder Trophy in their rookie seasons. They have each played in 34 games this season, with Skinner managing 23 wins a .910 save percentage while Binnington has 17 wins and a .907 save percentage.
- The NHL has announced their ‘Three Stars of the Week’ for the last full week of January. Matthew Tkachuk wins Third Star with eight points, split evenly, in four games; Connor McDavid gets the Second Star by matching Tkachuk’s stat line in just three games; and Nikita Kucherov takes the First Star with four goals and nine points in just three games. The hot week brought Kucherov’s scoring totals up to a league-leading – and frankly dazzling – 85 points in 49 games.
East Notes: Kubalík, Hamonic, MacLean
Senators winger Dominik Kubalík could return to the lineup Monday against the Predators, interim head coach Jacques Martin said. The 28-year-old has missed four games with a hip injury, last suiting up on Jan. 20th against the Jets.
It’s been a rough year for the Czech winger, who arrived in Ottawa by way of a trade from the Red Wings in return for Alex DeBrincat last summer. He’s posted nine goals and 12 points in 41 games, down from 20 goals and 45 points in 81 games with Detroit last year. Before the injury, his role had been reduced dramatically, playing under 15 minutes in six straight contests. If he returns tonight, he’s projected to factor in on the third line alongside Shane Pinto and Vladimir Tarasenko.
With a $2.5MM cap hit and an expiring contract, Kubalík could very well be an option to move at the deadline and help recoup some value for the struggling Sens. His underlying metrics are poor this season, though, which could turn off some teams’ hopes for a rebound. His 45.2% Corsi share at even strength is the worst among Senators forwards with at least 10 games played.
Other notes from the Eastern Conference today:
- Sticking with Ottawa, defenseman Travis Hamonic skated in a non-contact jersey at Monday’s practice and will likely be ready to return from his upper-body injury after the All-Star break, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports. He last played on Jan. 21 against the Flyers, skating just over five minutes before leaving the game. He’s played only once in the last six contests, including his first two healthy scratches of the season on Jan. 18 and Jan. 20. Garrioch’s report rules him out of tonight’s contest against Nashville as well as Wednesday’s game against the Red Wings, meaning he’ll miss five games with the injury when all is said and done. The 33-year-old has struggled this season after returning to Ottawa on a two-year, $2.2MM deal in free agency, posting five points in 40 games, boasting team-worst possession metrics, and playing under 15 minutes per game.
- The Islanders assigned left wing Kyle MacLean to AHL Bridgeport on Sunday night, per CapFriendly. New York summoned the 24-year-old earlier this month to fill in on the fourth line with Casey Cizikas injured, giving MacLean his first five NHL games in the process. An undrafted free agent signing by the team last May, MacLean went pointless in his five appearances but recorded decent possession metrics in limited usage (only 8:22 per game). He struggled to sub in for Cizikas in the faceoff circle, winning 12 out of 36 draws. The pending RFA returns to Bridgeport over the All-Star break, where he has six goals and 19 points in 36 games.
Filip Chytil To Miss Remainder Of 2023-24 Season
Rangers center Filip Chytil will miss the rest of the 2023-24 season after sustaining a setback in his recovery from a suspected concussion last week, the team announced Sunday.
Chytil sustained the upper-body injury in a Nov. 2 game against the Hurricanes in a collision with opposing winger Jesper Fast and has not played since. The 24-year-old had recently returned to practice with the Rangers after spending a portion of his rehab process skating in his native Czechia.
It’s a tough blow for a young pivot looking to build on his breakout 2022-23 campaign. The 2017 first-round pick posted career-highs across the board last year with 22 goals, 23 assists, 45 points, and a +15 rating.
Chytil’s $4.44MM cap hit will remain on long-term injured reserve for the rest of the season. They haven’t dipped much into their LTIR pool for relief, so they’ll likely have around that figure to spend on added salaries at the March 8 trade deadline. Through 10 games this season, Chytil had six assists with a spectacular 59.1% Corsi share at even strength while getting an extended look in the top six for the first time in his career.
Most of that cap space will likely go toward finding a replacement for Chytil down the middle. AHL call-up Jonny Brodzinski has performed admirably in a third-line role, producing 11 points in 30 games with positive possession metrics, but a team with Stanley Cup aspirations will want a more tested performer behind Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad at center. Brodzinski’s services would be ideal on the fourth line, which hasn’t seen a solid option in the middle this season. Nick Bonino was recently waived and assigned to AHL Hartford, while Barclay Goodrow has struggled heavily with only one goal in 47 games and negative defensive impacts.
The Rangers hope the extended time off can permit Chytil to focus fully on his rehab and aid him in returning to NHL play for the 2024-25 campaign. PHR sends its best wishes to Chytil as he continues in his recovery.
Blue Jackets Place Adam Boqvist On IR, Recall Nick Blankenburg
The Blue Jackets have made a pair of roster moves in advance of their game tonight against Vancouver. The team announced that they have placed defenseman Adam Boqvist on injured reserve with an upper-body injury; taking his place on the roster is Nick Blankenburg who has been recalled from AHL Cleveland.
Boqvist was injured in Thursday’s victory over Calgary when he took a puck to the face on the bench. Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch relays (Twitter link) that the blueliner lost teeth and something worse as a result. Boqvist is in the middle of a rough season as injuries and scratches have limited him to just 20 games where he has seven assists. Last season, the 23-year-old looked to turn the corner offensively with 24 points in 46 contests but he just hasn’t been able to get back to that type of performance this year. There’s no word on how long Boqvist will be out with the team simply saying that he’s out through the All-Star break.
Blankenburg, meanwhile, was a full-timer on the roster for Columbus last season though he missed time due to injury. This year, however, he has primarily played in the minors, suiting up in 19 games for the Monsters where he has three goals and nine assists. The 25-year-old has played in six games with the Blue Jackets, averaging nearly 18 minutes a night. This is his final season of waiver exemption.
Columbus recently sent David Jiricek back to Cleveland so it might be a bit surprising that he didn’t get the promotion to return. However, with Jiricek’s ice time being limited lately, it might be more beneficial to have an extended stretch with the Monsters where he’ll get big minutes consistently over being sent back and forth as injuries come and go.
Injury Updates: Jarnkrok, Islanders, Red Wings, Amadio
The Maple Leafs will be without Calle Jarnkrok for the foreseeable future as David Alter of The Hockey News mentions that the winger will be out week-to-week with a fractured knuckle. The injury was sustained in practice on Friday. Jarnkrok has been a valuable and versatile middle-six player this season, playing in a variety of roles while chipping in with ten goals and nine assists through 46 games. Tyler Bertuzzi returns to the lineup after missing Thursday’s game due to the birth of his child while Ryan Reaves will play his first game in six weeks, replacing the injured Bobby McMann.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, relays Newsday’s Andrew Gross (Twitter link). He took an elbow to the head from Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher on Thursday, a hit that landed Gallagher a five-game suspension. Injuries have limited the 29-year-old to just 29 of 48 games this season, where he has four assists and 42 blocked shots while logging over 19 minutes a night. Gross adds that winger Hudson Fasching is also listed as day-to-day due to a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old also left Thursday’s game early after less than three minutes of ice time. After collecting 19 points in 49 games last season, Fasching hasn’t been able to put up similar numbers so far, notching just three goals and five helpers in 35 games.
- Ben Chiarot’s upper-body injury will hold him out of Detroit’s lineup through the All-Star break, notes 97.1 The Ticket’s Daniella Bruce (Twitter link). The 32-year-old has missed the last week with an upper-body injury. He’s in his second season with the Red Wings and has a dozen points in 45 games so far along with 93 blocks and 84 hits. Meanwhile, Bruce adds that winger Patrick Kane could still suit up before the break against Ottawa on Wednesday. Kane has missed the last two weeks with a lower-body injury and has been a nice addition to Detroit’s lineup, collecting 16 points in his first 19 games.
- Speaking with reporters postgame on Friday including NHL.com’s Dan Rosen, Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated that winger Michael Amadio has been cleared to return tonight against Detroit. The 27-year-old has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury. Amadio has been one of the better waiver claims in recent years, becoming a capable depth producer for Vegas, notching 33 goals in 162 games; he has 17 points in 42 games so far this season.
A.J. Greer Out Eight Weeks With Foot Fracture
The Flames got some bad news on the injury front on Saturday. While they were hopeful that winger A.J. Greer avoided a fracture on his foot, that wasn’t the case as the team announced (Twitter link) that he will miss the next eight weeks due to a foot fracture.
The 27-year-old is in his first year with Calgary after being claimed off waivers late in training camp from Boston. Since then, Greer has been a regular on the fourth line for the Flames, playing in 47 of 48 games, picking up six goals and four assists while chipping in with 77 hits despite averaging less than nine minutes a night of ice time.
Notably, Calgary hasn’t brought anyone up from the AHL’s Wranglers despite Blake Coleman also being banged up. Instead, Coleman will play through his hand injury per Sportsnet’s Eric Francis (Twitter link), giving them 12 available forwards against Chicago.
Winger Martin Pospisil took part in the morning skate, giving hope that he’d return but they’ll give him the extra rest instead. The 24-year-old has held his own in his first taste of NHL action, collecting four goals and seven assists in 33 games. He has been out a little more than a week due to his lower-body injury.
Once Pospisil is officially activated after the break, Calgary’s roster will be at 23 skaters although Greer can easily be shifted onto injured reserve. Considering their tight cap situation, there’s a good chance that Greer will eventually land on LTIR although with a cap hit of just $762.5K, the extra flexibility they’d gain from that would be quite limited but it would be enough to get a recall up from the Wranglers if needed.