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Alex Ovechkin Out Day-To-Day With Lower Body Injury

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Ovechkin left last night’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Flyers when he fell awkwardly after laying a hit on Philadelphia’s Travis Konecny.

Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic notes that Ovechkin was seen walking around the Capitals’ facility this morning without a brace, wrap, or limp.

The fact that Ovechkin is walking around without assistance so soon is extremely promising, especially when considering how dangerous the fall looked at first glance. While his day-to-day status still puts his availability for their home opener against the New York Rangers on Wednesday in doubt, a long-term absence now seems extremely unlikely at this point. Capitals forward Lars Eller had this to say on Ovechkin’s health:

I never seen [the Russian machine] break. And it gets repaired pretty quickly. It’s not broke for long.

If Ovechkin can’t play on opening night, the Capitals would be without their two best forwards. Center Nicklas Backstrom remains sidelined with a hip injury with no timetable for a return.

The 36-year-old Russian enters the 2021-22 campaign with 730 career goals, good enough for sixth all-time and just one goal behind Marcel Dionne, who holds fifth place. Ovechkin had led the league in scoring for seven out of the past nine seasons, only losing out on the Rocket Richard trophy in 2016-17 (Sidney Crosby) and 2020-21 (Auston Matthews).

Ducks, Flames Leading Candidates To Acquire Jack Eichel

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Jack Eichel has been on the trade block for what seems like forever and has not been on the ice for the Buffalo Sabres this preseason as he continues to await neck surgery. Yet, his market is heating back up. As TSN’s Darren Dreger wrote earlier this week, the Sabres have been pushed by Eichel’s new agent, Pat Brisson, to share medical files with interested parties. The result has been more clarity as to Eichel’s serious suitors, which could finally lead to a trade.

Eichel’s desired surgical cure, which has been at the center of his ongoing feud with the Sabres, is a disc replacement surgery that has never been attempted on an NHL player. By sharing the specifics of Eichel’s injury, teams can gain more insight into the nature of Eichel’s condition and whether they would agree to his preferred route rather than the typical fusion procedure. As Pierre LeBrun reports for The Athletic, this has helped Kevyn Adams and the Sabres strengthen their trade pitch, as some of the unknowns of an Eichel deal have been cleared up. While LeBrun believes that there will still be a conditional aspect to any deal, Buffalo now finally has a chance to finally close a deal and closer to full value.

Among the teams that LeBrun feels have backed off of the Eichel pursuit are the Minnesota Wild and Philadelphia, and even the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings who seemed like top contenders at one point. However, LeBrun notes that the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames have done their due diligence on Eichel’s condition and the ADR surgery and remain interested in the star center.

Though the cost for Eichel remains a mystery, especially with the suspected conditional component, there will still be a considerable price to pay. Anaheim offers a number of young roster forwards, as well as numerous talented prospects. Calgary offers more current star talent, some of whom would have to move for cap purposes, as well as some top prospects. Both teams would be able to make a strong pitch for Eichel and have good reason for doing so. The Flames may be one major piece away from jumping into Stanley Cup contention, while the Ducks have a budding young core and know that Eichel has expressed some desire to play on the west coast.

While LeBrun stops short of saying a trade is imminent, this is first time that concrete conversations have been had with a media source confirming that Eichel talks are occurring. Eichel needed surgery “like yesterday” per LeBrun and both he and the Sabres desperately need to move on, so for the good of all involved, including NHL fans, hopefully this situation will be resolved before too long.

Injury Notes: Reaves, Bennett, Guentzel

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Despite suffering an injury on Wednesday night that forced him to be helped off the ice, New York Rangers free agent addition Ryan Reaves may not miss any regular season time. The grinder has not been practicing since the injury occurred, but head coach Gerard Gallant is optimistic that he could return by opening night. “I think it’s going to be close,” Gallant told Collin Stephenson on Newsday. “When we left the game, I said no, but… the last couple of days it’s going in the right direction… I can’t really say, but I think it’s going to be real close.” The Rangers prioritized adding grit and physicality this summer, adding Reaves, Barclay Goodrow, Sammy Blais, and Patrik Nemeth, so they hope to be able to roll out their full complement of toughness for Opening Night.

  • Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett missed the team’s preseason match-up on Saturday night as he has been placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol, the team announced. Depending on the context of Bennett’s absence, the two-way forward could miss more than just one game. The Panthers certainly hope that the physical center is good to go for the start of the season; Bennett was an excellent addition to the Florida roster at the deadline last season, recording 15 points in ten games while averaging a career-high 18:04 time on ice. As the Cats look to compete in the Atlantic Division this year, every game matters and a healthy Bennett is a difference-maker.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins expect to have Jake Guentzel back sooner rather than later from COVID Protocol. Head coach Mike Sullivan told The Athletic’s Rob Rossi that Guentzel is asymptomatic and going through the steps of the protocol. Though he has missed a week of practice, Guentzel will jump right back into the lineup if he is healthy. The 27-year-old has scored at a point-per-game pace over the past three years and will be relied on even more with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin injured.

Matt Boldy Out Four To Six Weeks With Ankle Fracture

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Matt Boldy’s quest to earn a spot with the Wild to start the season has come to an early end as the team announced (Twitter link) that he will miss four-to-six weeks due to a left ankle fracture.  The injury was sustained in Thursday’s game against Chicago.  Michael Russo of The Athletic adds (Twitter link) that the news, while still disappointing, is better than the team was initially expecting.

The 20-year-old is one of Minnesota’s top prospects after being the 12th-overall pick back in 2019.  Boldy wrapped up his college career last season at Boston College with 31 points in 22 games to lead the Eagles in scoring before turning pro and finishing up the year in the minors with AHL Iowa.  He averaged over a point per game there as well with 18 points in 14 contests, putting him in a spot to make a legitimate push for a regular role in Minnesota’s lineup coming into training camp.

Instead, Boldy will be placed on season-opening injured reserve and since he is on a two-way contract and didn’t spend any time on the NHL roster, the SOIR designation will keep him off the salary cap while he’s injured.  Once recovered, he’ll likely need to return to Iowa and wait for an injury to arise before making his NHL debut.

Atlantic Notes: Ryan, Watson, Power, Lazar

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Decisions have been made on many of the players who were attending NHL training camps on tryouts but one call that hasn’t been made yet is Red Wings winger Bobby Ryan.  The veteran was in Detroit last season but settled for a PTO deal at the beginning of training camp.  MLive’s Ansar Khan suggests that Ryan has done well enough to earn a spot and could slot into their top six following the long-term injury to Jakub Vrana.  While he’s not an ideal fit in that role at this stage of his career, the 34-year-old managed seven goals in 33 games last season and could still contribute a little bit in a middle-six role.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • Senators winger Austin Watson suffered an ankle injury in Thursday’s game against Montreal and there is no timetable for his return, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. Entering his second season in Ottawa, the 29-year-old was likely to start the season in an energy role once again after recording 100 hits in 34 games last season but that appears to be in question now.
  • Postmedia’s Michael Traikos spoke with Sabres top draft pick Owen Power regarding his decision to return to college over signing and debuting with Buffalo this season. Power indicated that he’s “in no rush to get to the NHL” and feels that some young players would be better off being more patient and take an extra year before turning pro.  The defenseman will be on a loaded Michigan team this season and could very well wind up seeing some action with the Sabres this season once his college campaign gets to an end.
  • Bruins center Curtis Lazar is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury, relays Matt Porter of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). The 26-year-old crashed into the net in Wednesday’s preseason contest against Washington.  While viewed as an afterthought in the Taylor Hall trade last year, Lazar carved out a regular role on Boston’s fourth line, logging nearly 13 minutes a game with Boston following the swap.

Caleb Jones Out Six Weeks With Wrist Injury

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The Chicago Blackhawks have announced another serious injury to a depth defenseman, this time ruling Caleb Jones out for six weeks with a wrist injury. He joins Wyatt Kalynuk on the sideline, taking out two options for the team to start the year.

Jones, 24, was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers as part of the package that sent Duncan Keith north, and was immediately seen as a precursor to Chicago’s eventual trade for his brother Seth Jones. The two were united with the Blackhawks (though their compensation is a touch different) and set to start the season together for the first time in their NHL careers.

It wasn’t exactly clear what Caleb Jones’ role would be with the team, but given Kalynuk’s injury, there were plenty of minutes to go around on the bottom pair. Ian Mitchell may be the beneficiary of these injuries as a spot has opened for him on the NHL roster, though newcomer Jakub Galvas could also potentially slot in on his off-side. Regardless of how they work it out, losing two legitimate NHL options so early puts a lot of pressure on the depth chart immediately.

Not to be forgotten though is the cap situation, which is actually positively affected by this injury. Jones was unlikely to be sent to the minor leagues, meaning the team has a little more added flexibility in terms of who to place on LTIR and when to do it. The Blackhawks will be dancing a delicate routine this season after acquiring big-ticket players like Seth Jones, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Tyler Johnson this summer.

Colin White Out Months With Upper-Body Injury

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Oct 7: Smith explained to the media today including Kyle Bukauskas of Sportsnet that White requires surgery on a dislocated shoulder and will be out four to six months. That means the young forward will miss the majority of the upcoming season, though a chance remains that he could return before the end of the schedule.

Oct 5: The Ottawa Senators lost last night in preseason action against the Toronto Maple Leafs but may have a much bigger concern than the final scoresheet. Colin White, who suffered a shoulder injury in the game, will be out a “significant” amount of time according to head coach D.J. Smith. A more specific timeline will be given in the coming days.

White, 24, was set to be one of the Senators’ top centers this season and currently sits as the team’s second-highest-paid forward. He’ll now join Clark Bishop on the sideline, taking out–as Smith puts it–two of the team’s top five options down the middle. Not only that, but the coach also explained that he’s now preparing as if Brady Tkachuk won’t be in the lineup for the start of the regular season, as the restricted free agent continues negotiations with the club. Suddenly the Senators forward group is looking awfully thin in terms of high-end talent.

With every injury there is an opportunity though, and White’s absence will likely open even more time for youngster Shane Pinto. The 20-year-old stepped right into the NHL lineup after leaving the University of North Dakota last season and has been impressive this preseason. Selected 32nd overall, Pinto has a strong presence at both ends of the rink and could quickly find himself in competition for the first-line center role. Smith explained that he’ll try Pinto between Nick Paul and Connor Brown for the next little while as he tries to create an “identity line” which will be difficult to play against.

White meanwhile now faces another tough season ahead. The 2015 first-round pick made quite the impact in 2018-19 with 41 points in 71 games, but hasn’t been able to come close to those numbers in the years since. Last season he had just ten goals and 18 points in 45 games while averaging fewer than 15 minutes a night. A long rehab won’t help, especially as other young talents show what they can do.

Snapshots: Extensions, Varlamov, Francouz

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As is human nature, the 2021-22 season has not even started and discussion of the 2022 off-season has already begun. Tracking the impending free agent class, whose numbers inevitably decrease each year, is part of every season. Some will sign extensions soon, others will wait and see how the season progresses, and others are bound for the open market (and possibly the rental trade market beforehand). Pierre LeBrun writes for The Athletic that some of the biggest names among potential 2022 UFA’s are unlikely to become available. In fact, he believes the prize of the market, Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, has quietly been making steady progress on a new deal and could sign soon. LeBrun also reports that the Dallas Stars and John Klingberg are having “good and constant dialogue” on an extension while, unsurprisingly, future Hall of Famer Patrice Bergeron will have the deal of his choosing from the Boston Bruins if he feels healthy this season and decides to extend his career. Less certain are the futures of Tomas Hertl and Morgan Rielly, who could be the top targets on the free agent market if they don’t re-sign with their current teams. The San Jose Sharks are still hopeful they can re-sign Hertl, but that could very well depend on their success this season and whether a continued relationship makes sense, especially if Hertl could be a trade deadline gold mine. LeBrun feels Hertl’s days in San Jose are numbered. Barring an unforeseen disaster, Rielly will remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs all year, but the team will have to do some serious work early next summer in order to clear the cap space for an extension. LeBrun does not expect a resolution, one way or another, until after the season. Pittsburgh Penguins veterans Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are expiring contracts whose futures are still too early to call, among many others across the league including restricted free agents as well. There will plenty to watch, as usual, over the course of the coming season.

  • The New York Islanders are already facing some concerns in net. The team was taking a risky approach to their net depth as is by entering the season with cold veterans Cory Schneider and Ken Appleby as the backups to their NHL tandem of Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov. They may now be forced to call upon one of the two right away, as Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports that Varlamov will not play in either of the Isles’ final two preseason games and is unlikely to be available for opening night, per head coach Barry Trotz. Schneider and Appleby played a combined nine games last season, all with AHL Bridgeport. Appleby has not played an NHL game since 2017-18 and Schneider has a .903 save percentage and 3.07 GAA over his last 79 NHL appearances. If the Islanders need to rely on either at the NHL level for an extended period of time this season, it could mean trouble. New York is hoping Varlamov can get back to action soon.
  • The Colorado Avalanche dealt with their own goaltending depth problems last season when backup Pavel Francouz was lost for the year. While Philipp Grubauer was a workhorse for Colorado, the absence of an established understudy led to young Hunter Miska receiving NHL experience and eventually the acquisition of Jonas Johansson, who performed well late in the year. Fortunately for the Avs both are back this season, as Francouz is already back in the injury spotlight. Francouz suffered a lower-body injury in Tuesday night’s preseason game, reports Colorado Hockey Now’s Scott MacDonald. While head coach Jared Bednar denied that the issue was related to Francouz’s 2020-21 issues, it is hard to feel confident about the veteran goaltender playing on two surgically-repaired hips when he is already experiencing another injury. There is expected to be an update on Francouz’s condition later this week. Johansson would be the next man up if Francouz is unable to start the season, though new starter Darcy Kuemper is capable of being a workhorse himself if need be.

Kings’ Quinton Byfield Out Indefinitely With Fractured Ankle

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When the Los Angeles Kings recalled four players early on Wednesday, they included that 2020 second overall pick Quinton Byfield had suffered an injury in team’s preseason game on Tuesday night, which at least partially prompted the early promotions. An update later in the day stated that Byfield was considered week-to-week but that more information would soon be available. The Kings have now fully disclosed the nature of Byfield’s injury and it seems “week-to-week” was even understated. Byfield has suffered a fractured left ankle and is out “indefinitely”. L.A. will place the young forward on the injured reserve and he will be re-evaluated in a matter of “weeks”.

This is not how the Kings wanted to start the 2021-22, in which they hope their young talent can support their veteran core in taking a step forward. Byfield is not only L.A.’s best prospect, he is one of the best in the entire NHL. The big center is a budding power forward who recorded 20 points in 32 AHL games as a first-year pro last season while also skating in six NHL games. Expected to take on a larger role this season, Byfield’s start is now on hold for an extended period of time. Recent broken ankles in the NHL have ranged from a one-to-two month absence – and that is if surgery can be avoided. It could be even longer for Byfield, which also doesn’t include the time needed to get back into game shape. Byfield’s season, once it is ready to begin, now likely starts back with the AHL’s Ontario Reign rather than with the Kings.

The silver lining is that L.A. has no shortage of centers, veterans and prospects alike. Free agent addition Phillip Danault joins captain Anze Kopitar as a strong one-two punch down the middle, while the team will not hesitate to give other promising youngsters like Gabriel Vilardi, Lias Andersson, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Alex Turcotte, Rasmus Kupari, and Akil Thomas a look in the third-line pivot role that Byfield was expected to fill. Yes, they are that deep in NHL-ready prospect centers. Perhaps the silver lining of the injury to Byfield, a surefire future starter, is that the Kings can get a better look at some of their other young options.

Wyatt Kalynuk Out A Few Weeks With Ankle Injury

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One of the more interesting things to watch at the start of the 2021-22 season will be the Chicago Blackhawks’ overhauled defensive group. Seth Jones and Jake McCabe are two new members of the team’s top-four, while it looked like youngsters Riley Stillman and Wyatt Kalynuk could be in the opening night lineup as the third pair. That won’t be true anymore, as Kalynuk is likely out a few weeks with an ankle injury according to head coach Jeremy Colliton, who spoke with reporters including Scott Powers of The Athletic today.

As Mark Lazerus of The Athletic points out, Kalynuk was expected to play his off-side to start the year, meaning there is now an opening on the right for one of the team’s other young defensemen. Ian Mitchell or Alec Regula seem the most likely candidates, though given both are waiver-exempt it could end up being a rotation of some sort. That is unless one of the other left-handed options–Calvin de Haan, Caleb Jones, or Stillman–move to the right side to start.

Either way, this is a disappointing start for Kalynuk, who showed last season that he’s far from the player that fell to the seventh round in 2017. After three seasons at the University of Wisconsin, the 24-year-old was a legitimate NHL defenseman in his rookie season, recording nine points in 21 games and strong possession statistics. Entering the second year of his entry-level contract, there was a good chance he will be a regular for the team when healthy. Of course, missing the start of the year is never ideal, and Kalynuk will now have to not only work to return from injury, but also overtake whoever gets the minutes in his place.

The Blackhawks kick off their regular season schedule on October 13 when they take on the Colorado Avalanche.

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