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Canadiens Update Injury Status For Several Players

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As Montreal looks to secure a playoff spot in the North Division, they’re doing so without several of their more prominent veterans who are out of the lineup with various injuries.  The team announced updates on the majority of those players and it appears as if most of them could be back for the postseason.

Goaltender Carey Price has resumed skating as he works his way back from a concussion suffered last month against Edmonton but there remains no timetable for his return.  In the meantime, Jake Allen will continue to shoulder the majority of the workload between the pipes.

Winger Brendan Gallagher has also resumed skating and remains on pace to return within the six-week timeframe listed a month ago when he was diagnosed with a thumb injury.  With the North Division schedule being extended due to their and Vancouver’s COVID-pauses, that could give Gallagher an opportunity to return at the start of the playoffs.  Meanwhile, Paul Byron has missed the last two weeks with a lower-body injury.  He remains considered as day-to-day but the team did not indicate that he has resumed skating yet.

Defenseman Shea Weber has missed five straight games with an upper-body injury but has resumed skating and is also listed as day-to-day.

Joining that group of players in the infirmary is center Phillip Danault.  He left Thursday’s game against Toronto in the first period due to an upper-body injury.  He has returned to Montreal for evaluation and as a result, he will not be available for the rematch against the Maple Leafs on Saturday.  Arpon Basu of The Athletic clarifies (Twitter link) that Danault travelled by a car service, allowing him to remain in the bubble and not be subject to a seven-day quarantine to rejoin the team.  If Montreal wants to dress 12 forwards tomorrow, they will have to use an emergency recall on either Michael Frolik or Alex Belzile who are the only two healthy forwards on their taxi squad, a group that also consists of three other injured forwards from the AHL.

The Canadiens are also without winger Jonathan Drouin who was placed on LTIR late last month after taking a leave of absence for personal reasons.  There remains no update on his situation with the team at the time of the announcement asking everyone to respect his privacy.

While it certainly sounds as if some of their veterans should be ready to play if they can make it, there won’t be any immediate help on the horizon as they look to officially clinch a spot in the playoffs.

Dustin Brown Out Rest Of Season

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The Los Angeles Kings are technically still alive in the West Division playoff race, but will have to complete the final five games of the season without Dustin Brown. The veteran forward has been ruled out for the rest of the year with an upper-body injury he suffered earlier in the year. The Kings released a statement indicating that he will “continue to undergo treatment and rehabilitation.”

Brown, 36, has had a very strong season for the Kings, scoring 17 goals and 31 points in 49 games. That matches the goal total he had last year in 66 games and actually leads the kings, three ahead of Adrian Kempe. He was part of both wins against the Arizona Coyotes this week that kept the Kings’ playoff hopes alive, playing 17:41 on Wednesday. That will end up being his last appearance of at least the regular season.

The Kings, who sit at 21-24-6 on the season, are eight points back of the St. Louis Blues with five games left, meaning they likely won’t make the playoffs for a third consecutive season. The team hasn’t had a winning record since 2017-18, John Stevens’ only full year as head coach. Brown has been effective but will turn 37 in November and has just one year left on his current contract, meaning the end of his time in Los Angeles is coming soon, one way or another.

Snapshots: Kempny, Dach, Danforth

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The Washington Capitals have sent Michal Kempny to the AHL Hershey Bears on a long-term injury conditioning stint, suggesting that the defenseman is closing in on a return. In October, Kempny underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon suffered in offseason training and was given a six to eight-month recovery timeline. He has been skating with the Capitals for the last little while, but it was still unclear if he would actually play this season.

A conditioning stint would indicate that the 30-year-old Kempny may actually be able to play for Washington, at least once the playoffs start. The team does not have the cap space to activate him from LTIR right now, but that issue would go away in the postseason when the salary cap ceiling is lifted. Where he fits into the lineup at this point isn’t clear, especially coming off such a long injury, but adding depth at the position for the playoffs is never a bad thing.

  • Speaking of coming off a long injury, Chicago Blackhawks’ Kirby Dach won’t play again this season after reaggravating the problem in his wrist. Dach “continues to have some post-operative discomfort” according to team physician Dr. Michael Terry and he will be held out the final three games of the year. The 20-year old forward didn’t make his season debut until March 27, but that was much earlier than his initial timeline suggested. The team didn’t hold him back, letting Dach play more than 20 minutes in each of his first two games of the year. While there’s no guarantee this situation could have been avoided, it is a frustrating end to a disappointing season for the young forward. After scoring 23 points in 64 games as a rookie, Dach will finish this year with two goals and 10 points in 18 games.
  • Interested in seeing what all the fuss is about with new Columbus Blue Jackets forward Justin Danforth? Tune into the IIHF World Championship later this month, where Danforth is expected to represent Canada according to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch. The undrafted 28-year-old signed his first NHL deal just a few days ago after three dominant seasons overseas. Danforth recorded 23 goals and 55 games in the KHL and will get to test his skills alongside some other NHL players at the tournament.

Ryan Poehling To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

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It wasn’t so long ago that Ryan Poehling was the star prospect for the Montreal Canadiens. On this day two years ago, after a strong junior season at St. Cloud State, Poehling burst onto the scene in his NHL debut, scoring three goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played just 11:22 that night, but expectations and excitement exploded, with many believing he would never leave the Canadiens lineup again.

After all, this was the 25th overall pick from 2017 and Poehling had the size and skill necessary to succeed at the NHL level. Now, two years later, Poehling has been passed on the prospect depth chart by several exciting Canadiens forwards and spent all of 2020-21 in the minor leagues. His AHL season is ending early, as the team announced he suffered a wrist injury that will require surgery.

Now 22, Poehling was dominant for the Laval Rocket this year. He scored 11 goals and 25 points in 28 games, leading the team in both categories. In his last game, which occurred on April 24, he had three assists and was the game’s first star.

Following the injury, Poehling now enters an uncertain offseason. He will be a restricted free agent for the first time but is not eligible for arbitration. His waiver-exempt status will not expire next year, meaning he could be on the way down the minor leagues once again. Luckily, because of his age when he made that 2019 debut, he is still exempt from the expansion draft and will not require protection. He’ll need a new contract through and with just five points in 28 career NHL games, doesn’t have much leverage to ask for a raise.

Injury Notes: Rangers, Kukan, Pacioretty

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The New York Rangers will be without several key players for their last few games of the season, as Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba, and Ryan Lindgren were all ruled out today. Head coach David Quinn confirmed that the lower-body injury that will end Panarin’s season early was suffered on last night’s Tom Wilson incident, but didn’t give any specifics on what the ailment was.

It’s been an up-and-down season for the Rangers, who were one of the youngest teams in the league and look poised to take another step forward in 2021-22. They won’t be making the playoffs, but can certainly be pleased with the development of several young players and know that in any other division their 26-21-6 record (with a +25 goal differential) would be right in the mix.

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets are another team out of the playoff race, so many of their players are likely being targeted as potential options for the upcoming IIHF World Championship. According to a report out of Switzerland, the tournament isn’t an option for Dean Kukan, who will need surgery instead. The Swiss-born Kukan played over 15 minutes last night for Columbus and it is not clear if the report means that he will get surgery after the season, or that he suffered an injury recently and will have to miss the last few games. The Blue Jackets have three matches left and will finish their regular season schedule on Saturday. (UPDATE: Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch spoke to Kukan’s agent, who denied that his client needs surgery.)
  • Max Pacioretty was forced from the action over the weekend for the Vegas Golden Knights and missed last night’s game, but head coach Peter DeBoer doesn’t believe it will be a long-term injury according to Jesse Granger of The Athletic. Pacioretty is listed as day-to-day. It’s been another excellent season for the 32-year-old forward, who has rediscovered his game in Vegas and has 51 points in 48 appearances this season. The Golden Knights have five games remaining and currently sit just two points ahead in the race for the West Division crown.

Tyler Seguin Activated From Injured Reserve

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For the first time this season, the Dallas Stars now have Tyler Seguin on the active roster. The 29-year-old forward has been on the non-roster injured list the entire year as he worked his way back from hip surgery but has now been activated and is a game-time decision for the Stars matchup this evening. Seguin’s long, difficult recovery which included surgical delays and rehab setbacks was detailed by Saad Yousuf of The Athletic ahead of the match.

Seguin is returning at the most important time for the Stars, who still have a shred of hope in the Central Division playoff race. The team currently sits three points behind the Nashville Predators for the final spot but has a game in hand. If their highest-paid forward can make a difference, there is still a chance the Stars sneak in and try to make another Cinderella run like last year.

Though he hasn’t suited up for an NHL game since September, it’s hard to not think Seguin could make an impact right away. The Stars have scored just a single goal in their last three games combined and still have Denis Gurianov listed as a game-time decision with his upper-body injury. Even just a little bit of offensive pressure from Seguin could go a long way for a team desperate for any positives.

North Notes: Andersen, Holl, Koskinen, Lerby

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The Toronto Maple Leafs might be getting back a familiar face in net as goaltender Frederik Andersen, who has been on the ice for more than a week now saw his practice routine ramped up Sunday. Head coach Sheldon Keefe, who said today was a “good step” in his recovery from a knee injury he suffered in mid-March, according to TSN’s Mark Masters.

He is not expected to join the team on their road trip to Montreal, but is expected to participate in Wednesday’s practice as they build up his workload.

TSN’s Kristen Shilton reports that Justin Holl, who left Saturday’s game in the third period after being hit in the face with a puck, was not at practice Sunday. He was replaced in the lineup by Timothy Liljegren. Keefe said that Holl “is doing well,” but will not be travelling to Montreal with the team, according to NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger. However, Holl is not expected to be out for a significant amount of time.

  • Sportnet’s Mark Spector reports that the Edmonton Oilers are expected to give some starts to goaltender Mikko Koskinen over the team’s final seven games. Koskinen, who lost his job as the team’s starting netminder, got his first start Wednesday since April 7 and fared quite well, stopping 29 of 30 shots against Winnipeg. Despite the impressive play of veteran Mike Smith, the team might want to kick the tires on Koskinen and see what he has to offer after struggling earlier this year. He has posted an 11-11 record this season with a 2.99 GAA and a .906 save percentage this season, allowing Smith to overtake him as the team’s No. 1 option.
  • The Calgary Flames may be losing a prospect as defenseman Carl-Johan Lerby is close to signing a new contract with Malmo of the SHL after his two-year deal with Calgary expires this offseason, according to Johan Svensson of KvallsPosten (translation required). Of course, nothing has been confirmed, but the 23-year-old Lerby, who signed with the Flames as an undrafted free agent in 2019, has yet to make his NHL debut and doesn’t look on track to do it this season. He spent the first season of the contract on loan to Malmo and has spent this season with the Stockton Heat of the AHL where he has seven assists in 22 games.

Snapshots: Women’s Worlds, Norris, Bemstrom

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The IIHF has agreed in principle to a new set of dates for the 2021 Women’s World Championship, which will now be scheduled to take place between August 20-31. The event was originally supposed to start next week in Halifax, but was canceled just as players were set to arrive for their quarantine period. The venue for the rescheduled tournament is still to be determined, but several locales have expressed interest in hosting. The dates announced are obviously much later than anticipated, but IIHF president Rene Fasel explained:

The players, the teams, Hockey Canada, and the IIHF have been placed in a difficult position due to the sudden cancellation. But this is not an excuse to operate this tournament as a half-measure. We needed a range of dates that can work for the teams and also would allow for comprehensive broadcast coverage as well as a chance for spectators to be able to attend the games.

The tournament also needed to be over well before Olympic qualification begins in November and other leagues around the world start up. The IIHF is working with Hockey Canada to evaluate potential venues and expects to make a choice in the coming weeks.

  • While the women’s worlds look for a new venue, management teams are starting to prepare for the upcoming men’s tournament which is set to begin in just under three weeks. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports that Josh Norris of the Ottawa Senators has been contacted by Team USA as a candidate to take part and he is “definitely interested.” The 21-year-old center has blossomed into quite the player this season for the Senators, scoring 15 goals and 32 points in his rookie season. Originally selected by the San Jose Sharks in 2017, he came to Ottawa as part of the Erik Karlsson deal and is on a path to stardom with the Senators.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets may not have much left to play for this season, but don’t tell Emil Bemstrom. The 21-year-old forward has missed most of the season with a lower-body injury and doesn’t have a single goal, but was activated today from injured reserve. Bemstrom was a strong performer for the team a year ago and would be a nice late-season story if he can get going in the final few games.

Carter Hart Out For Rest Of Season

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The Philadelphia Flyers have just seven games left, but Carter Hart won’t be playing in any of them. The team announced today that Hart has been ruled out for the rest of the regular season with an MCL sprain in his left knee.

It’s a fitting end for an extremely disappointing season, in which Hart saw his numbers plummet across the board. The 22-year-old netminder posted a 9-11-5 record in 27 appearances, registering just an .877 save percentage and 3.67 goals-against average. Those numbers aren’t good enough for an NHL backup, let alone one of the most exciting up-and-coming goaltenders in the league that was supposed to challenge for the Vezina Trophy in short order.

The young netminder will have to find a way to put this season behind him and get his career back on track, but this injury certainly won’t help. There was a good chance that even with his struggles he could have been on Team Canada at the upcoming IIHF World Championship. Canada’s goaltending for the 2022 Olympics (assuming NHL players attend) is far from set, with names like Carey Price and Jordan Binnington dealing with their own struggles.

Perhaps more importantly, this poor season could have an effect on Hart’s contract negotiations this summer. The young goaltender is a restricted free agent for the first time and will not have arbitration rights. It was assumed that he would be locked up long-term at the first chance Philadelphia had, but most players wouldn’t want to ink a multi-year deal coming off such a poor season. It will be interesting to see if the two sides go for a bridge contract instead, allowing Hart to get his game back on track while also leaving enough cap space to bring in (or back) a proven veteran.

Currently, the Flyers have just a single goaltender—22-year-old Kirill Ustimenko who underwent major hip surgery in December—under contract for the 2021-22 season.

Snapshots: NWHL, Kekalainen, Boqvist

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The NWHL has officially announced a salary cap increase to $300,000 for each team, doubling the cap that it had previously used. Commissioner Tyler Tumminia released the following statement on the increase:

The NWHL is committed to its vision of providing opportunities for elite women’s hockey players to earn a living playing the game they love. This increased investment by ownership, especially following a challenging and shortened season, is a significant step forward and exemplifies the strength of our league and our developing business model as we continue to advance professional women’s hockey and inspire the next generation of female athletes.

The league is coming off a successful conclusion to its shortened 2020-21 campaign, which dealt with continual delays and cancellations that threatened to keep the Isobel Cup off the ice. In late March, the playoffs were broadcast on NBCSN for the first time, with hundreds of thousands watching the Boston Pride take home the championship. Just a few days ago, it was announced that the 2021 NWHL Draft will be held virtually on June 29, broadcast live on Twitch, the league’s streaming partner.

  • Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen has a tall order of building his NHL team back to relevance, but some of his time will also be spent representing his country. The veteran executive has been named assistant general manager of Team Finland for next year’s Winter Olympics, helping former NHL forward and Finland GM Jere Lehtinen in the selection of players. Of course, there are a few names on the Columbus roster currently that could be considered for the team, most notably sniper Patrik Laine. The 23-year-old Laine has had the worst season of his career so far this year, scoring just 12 goals and 21 points in 42 games, 18 of which came with the Blue Jackets after an early-season trade. Newcomer Mikko Lehtonen could be in the running after dominating in the KHL, and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo could make it depending on what happens with aging netminders like Pekka Rinne and Tuukka Rask.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have not yet announced a recovery timeline, but don’t expect to see Adam Boqvist back on the ice this season. Head coach Jeremy Colliton told reporters including those at The Athletic that the young defenseman suffered a broken wrist in last night’s game. It is unclear yet how long he’ll be out, but Colliton explained this morning that he does not believe Boqvist will need surgery.

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