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Injury Notes: Bouwmeester, Klefbom, Aston-Reese

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After suffering a cardiac episode and being revived on the bench earlier this month, St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester has released a statement thanking all the medical professionals for their hard work in his recovery:

I would sincerely like to thank all of the trainers from both the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks, as well as all of the first responders, the Anaheim medical staff and the team at the UCI Medical Center for their quick actions on Feb. 11.

Our family has felt the support of the entire National Hockey League family and the city of St. Louis during this time. We have all been greatly comforted by your genuine concern.

On Sunday evening, I returned to St. Louis and I am on the road to recovery. My wife and daughters are forever grateful for everyone’s support and we will continue to have a positive outlook for our future.

It is great news to hear that Bouwmeester has returned to St. Louis and will continue his recovery at home. The entire hockey community wishes him well as he gets better.

  • In other injury news, the Edmonton Oilers have lost another key player for several weeks. Oscar Klefbom will miss two-to-three weeks with a shoulder injury, weakening the Oilers’ already shaky defensive group. It’s hard to overstate how important Klefbom has been this season, logging more than 25 minutes a night and leading all Oilers’ defensemen in scoring with 33 points in 59 games.
  • Speaking of teams that have been injury-riddled, the Pittsburgh Penguins have lost another forward. Zach Aston-Reese has been listed as week-to-week by head coach Mike Sullivan, taking him out of the lineup for the time being. The 25-year old Aston-Reese has been a staple in the Penguins lineup all year, recording 13 points in 57 games while logging significant time on the penalty kill. Though he obviously isn’t as impactful as some of the other Pittsburgh stars who have missed time, his absence will be noticed.

Shea Weber Returns To Practice (3-5 Weeks Early)

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Tuesday: Weber will indeed suit up for the Canadiens tonight, returning just six days after being ruled out for four-to-six weeks.

Monday: Montreal Canadiens captain Shea Weber returned to practice today after missing the past week and a half with an injury. Normally, that wouldn’t be big news. However, just last week Weber was given a timeline of four-to-six weeks to recover from his ankle strain. Five days later, Weber is back at practice and questionable for Tuesday night’s game more than three-to-five weeks ahead of schedule.

Weber’s seemingly miraculous healing powers are earning him a new nickname among hockey pundits: Wolverine. And for good reason. Not only is Weber returning to action far ahead of schedule, but even that initial timeline was considered good news after initial reports about the ankle injury were that it could cost him the season. On top of that, Weber was not only skating today, but was a full participant in practice alongside regular partner Ben Chiarot and was even working with special teams units as if he is expecting to play sooner rather than later. While Weber, 34, has dealt with his fair share of injuries, this is not the first time that he has reportedly returned from injury well before most or has braved pain that most would not endure to return to the lineup.

Of course, timeline aside, the injury is still in play and could limit the veteran. After speaking with Weber after practice, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels relays that Weber was told that he could not do any further damage to his ankle, but that he is certainly not at 100%. Yet, Weber says that he feels good to go, which is good news for the Canadiens. Their slim playoff hopes likely ride on whether or not Weber can contribute, so even a limited version of their captain is far better than what they believed could be four-to-six weeks of his absence.

Adding to the idea that Weber could be returning right away on Tuesday is Montreal’s other move today, sending defenseman Christian Folin as well forward Jake Evans to the AHL’s Laaval Rocket. The team needs to open up a roster spot before activating Weber from the injured reserve.

Ottawa Senators Claim Jayce Hawryluk Off Waivers

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There seemed to be a fair amount of anticipation that now-former Florida Panthers forward Jayce Hawryluk would be claimed off waivers today. The 24-year-old has struggled with injury setbacks this season and has been unable to carve out a role for himself in Florida, but was a point-per-game player in the AHL last season before being called up an playing at a 24-point pace in the second half of the season with the Panthers. It seems that the expectations that teams would look beyond this season and grab Hawryluk for his previous displays of potential were well-founded. The young forward only lasted until the No. 3 waiver priority, as the Ottawa Senators announced that they have claimed Hawryluk.

The Senators are again heading toward a trade deadline in which they are expected to move a number of roster players. By claiming Hawryluk, the team adds a young player who can move into a regular role in the place of some of those absences. An increase in ice time should also give Ottawa a better idea of Hawryluk’s identity at the NHL level. A dynamic scorer in his junior days, Hawryluk has flashed that ability briefly in the minors but it has yet to show at the top level. Perhaps an expanded role could help him to re-discover that scoring touch. On the other hand, Ottawa may also be looking toward next year as the true test for Hawryluk, as he is an impending restricted free agent with arbitration rights and the cost-sensitive Senators may be hoping to re-sign him at a low cost before trying to inflate his stats.

Joining the waiver wire today are the Sabre’s Taylor Leier, who just signed a two-way NHL contract with the team today, and the Islanders’ Cole Bardreau, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Neither is expected to be claimed, but Bardreau has at least seen NHL action this year. The 26-year-old has skated in ten games with New York and another 29 with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, but has five points combined and is not likely a threat to be claimed. His waiving does indicate that the Islanders are opening up a roster spot for some other corresponding move, however.

Sabres Sign Taylor Leier To NHL Contract

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Last January, the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers swapped prospects, with Justin Bailey heading to Philly and Taylor Leier going to Buffalo. The duo had remarkably similar numbers at both the NHL and AHL levels and were each headed to restricted free agency, but the teams hoped a change of scenery might help to push them into NHL roles. However, when the time came for qualifying offers, both players found themselves as free agents rather than sticking with their new teams. The reasons however were very different.

Bailey got an immediate tryout with Philadelphia last season, skating in 11 games with the Flyers down the stretch. Unfortunately for the big winger, he failed to impress with just one point in that span and was not much of a difference-maker in the AHL either. The Flyers let him walk and he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Vancouver Canucks this summer, which has so far paid off with immense minor league production and even a pair of NHL appearances.

Leier, on the other hand, spent the remainder of last season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans and was a valuable asset. By all accounts, the Sabres had planned to re-sign him. However, the young forward suffered a freak accident while training in May that completely changed the status quo. While practicing his stickhandling on rollerblades at a local tennis court near his Saksatoon home, Leier fell and put his arm out to break his fall. His shoulder popped out, tearing his labrum. Suddenly, his future was in doubt. With a long road ahead of him, including surgery and rehab, Leier knew that an extension with Buffalo was likely no longer an option. Yet, finding employment anywhere else was likely even more unlikely. The team and player agreed that staying where he was, that being AHL Rochester, was the best course of action, and so Leier signed a one-year AHL deal with the Americans.

Leier returned to game action in late December, finally having healed from his accident. In the 17 games since, the skilled forward has recorded seven goals and eight points, among the team’s scoring leaders. Regardless of whether they need him this season or not, the Sabres have decided to reward Leier’s hard work and dedication. The team announced today that they have signed him to an NHL contract for the remainder of the season. While it is a two-way deal worth the minimum $700K, the move is more of a symbolic gesture anyhow that shows Leier that the club continues to support him. It will also keep him under team control into next season as a restricted free agent.

Of course, Leier will have to clear waivers today before he can be re-added to the Rochester roster. If he continues to produce in the AHL, the Sabres could finally give him an NHL look down the stretch as well, especially if they move out current roster pieces at the trade deadline. Leier has 55 NHL games and seven points under his belt and after working hard to return from injury and earn an NHL contract, the hope is that the young forward will have the chance to build upon those totals moving forward.

Trade Deadline Primer: New Jersey Devils

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With the trade deadline now less than two weeks away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the New Jersey Devils.

It’s been quite a disappointing season for the New Jersey Devils who looked to be a contender before the season started. The team was planning to do everything it could to prove to soon-to-be free-agent Taylor Hall that they would be contenders. They struck the jackpot at the draft, netting top pick Jack Hughes and then traded for defenseman P.K. Subban and KHL star Nikita Gusev, while signing Wayne Simmonds as a free-agent. However, it all backfired as all of their offseason acquisitions have struggled and Hall, in the meantime, has been traded to Arizona, while general manager Ray Shero has been fired as well. With the team looking to undergo a rebuild, the team are extremely likely to move on from a number of players at the trade deadline.

Record

21-26-10, eighth in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$28.697MM in a full-season cap hit, 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 45/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: NJ 1st, ARZ 1st*, NJ 4th, BOS 4th, NJ 5th, NJ 6th, NJ 7th
2021: NJ 1st, NJ 3rd, ARZ 3rd**, NJ 4th, NJ 5th, NJ 6th

* If Arizona’s pick falls in the top three, then the Devils will get Arizona’s 2021 first-round pick.
** The 2021 third-round pick is conditional and can upgrade into a second-round pick if Arizona wins a playoff round this year or if Taylor Hall re-signs with the Coyotes.

Trade Chips

The team isn’t overloaded with pending UFAs, but one name that is likely to garner significant attention is defenseman Sami Vatanen. The blueliner is in the final year of his contract and with the rate that defensemen are getting injured, Vatanen’s price could be rising. The 28-year-old may not post big offensive numbers, but he is a solid second-pairing defenseman, who is averaging 21:45 of ice time with the Devils and should be able to offer a significant upgrade to many playoff teams. Vatanen has five goals and 23 points, which is pretty good for the blueliner, but also adds some physicality with 80 hits already this year to go with 50 blocked shots. Unfortunately for the Devils, bad timing hits as well, as Vatanen was placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury on Thursday. However, he is eligible to come off whenever he is ready, so the team hopes he may be back on the ice on Sunday or soon thereafter, which shouldn’t limit his trade value.

The team also is likely to consider moving Simmonds, who signed just a one-year deal with the Devils, and could provide a team with some bottom-six depth. While his skills have declined significantly over the last few years, the 31-year-old still can give a playoff team some much-needed physicality, although his $5MM price tag could be a challenge for many playoff teams to take on, although New Jersey does have the cap space to retain half of Simmonds salary, making a $2.5MM contract more palatable. His leadership skills in the locker room shouldn’t be dismissed either. Simmonds has just seven goals and 23 points this season, but does have 120 hits this season.

Andy Greene’s $5MM expiring contract is another option for playoff teams looking for a veteran blueliner who could make a difference in the playoffs. Once again, the Devils could retain half his salary if needed, but even at $2.5MM, several teams may balk at that. However, despite already being 37 years old, Greene could give a team a top penalty killing blueliner and play between 20-22 minutes a game, making him a valuable commodity.

Five Players To Watch For: F Blake Coleman, D Andy Greene, F Kyle Palmieri, F Wayne Simmonds, D Sami Vatanen

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks: While the Hall trade brought back a first and a conditional third-round pick (which could become a second in 2021), the Devils moved several picks, including two second-rounders for Subban and a second and a third-rounder for Gusev, leaving the team that is looking to rebuild with a shortage of draft picks. That likely will be their top focus.

2) Young Players: The team is building around their two star centers in Nico Hischier and Hughes, so they need to find as many young players and prospects who can step in as soon as possible to hasten the team’s rebuild. Especially if the Devils trade off a number of their players, New Jersey will have to replace them as quickly as possible.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Muzzin, Flyers, Bogosian, Hischier

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently in discussion with pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Jake Muzzin. However, with the team’s cap situation next season and the fact that their top two blueliners, Muzzin and Tyson Barrie, will both be UFAs this summer, it becomes quite an interesting negotiations.

In fact, The Athletic’s James Mirtle (subscription required) writes that the Maple Leafs have a challenging negotiations in front of them. While Muzzin is a local, the team has to consider his age before signing him as he will turn 31 next week and the team cannot afford to be loaded down with a player down the road with a long-term deal. Unfortunately, Mirtle writes that Muzzin isn’t signing with Toronto on a short-term deal and suggests that it likely would be a four to five-year pact at about $5MM.

If the team does sign him to a contract similar to that, it is important that Toronto signs him to a front-loaded contract, which might make him more attractive to other teams later in the deal, which might allow Toronto to move him later on in the deal if he doesn’t age well. That might be the best-case scenario for the franchise, according to Mirtle.

  • The Philadelphia Flyers are in an interesting position as the trade deadline nears. After falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday, the Flyers are now holding onto the last wild card playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Yet, The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (subscription required) writes that the Flyers will be buyers no matter what at the trade deadline. Regardless, the team likely won’t be going after the big names on the market as the team lacks the cap space to do that and in reality, Philadelphia isn’t really a Stanley Cup contender just yet. Nor is the team ready to move a first-round pick for player either. However, O’Connor adds that the team is far more likely to add a lower-level target, most likely upgrading at the wing.
  • The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski reports that while defenseman Zach Bogosian has cleared waivers and been assigned to the Rochester Americans of the AHL, Bogosian’s agent, Darren Ferris said the two will meet in the next couple days and to discuss his next step, which will include whether Bogosian accepts the assignment to Rochester. The injury-prone 29-year-old has only appeared in five AHL games in his career, back during the 2008-09 season and may not be too keen on returning there at this point in his career.
  • NHL.com’s Amanda Stein reports that there is a good chance that all-star center Nico Hischier could return to the team on Sunday. Hischier, who has been out of the lineup since Feb. 1 with a knee injury, would give the team a significant boost if ready to return. Hischier has 13 goals and 32 points in 46 games.

Pacific Notes: Ferland, Vlasic, Burns, Tuch, Ryan

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All signs were pointing to the likelihood that the Vancouver Canucks were going to get back forward Micheal Ferland soon. The forward has been out since Dec. 10 with what the team described as an upper-body injury, but has practiced with the team and was assigned to the Utica Comets of the AHL for a conditioning game Friday. However, Ferland’s stint didn’t last long as the Canucks announced he was removed from the game as a precaution after indicating that he was suffering from concussion-like symptoms.

TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that Ferland is still in Utica and is being monitored by staff. It’s a disappointment as the team was hoping Ferland might be ready to return next week to the Canucks’ lineup. Ferland was signed to a four-year, $14MM contract last summer to provide both offense and a physical presence to the team’s middle six, but so far has just one goal in 14 games.

“If fans think its frustrating, how do you think Micheal Ferland feels,” said Ferland’s agent, Jason Davidson. “He wants to play. It was Micheal ’s decision to go to Utica.“

  • NBC Sports’ Brian Witt wonders whether the San Jose Sharks should look at more drastic measures to rebuild the franchise. With the demand for defensemen increasing due to injuries, the team could create a quicker rebuild if they attempt to move one of their veterans, either Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Brent Burns. Vlasic has a full no-movement clause in his contract for the next three years, but would he be willing to return to his hometown of Montreal, now that the Canadiens just lost Shea Weber? Burns has a modified trade clause, but he has just a three-team trade list, severely limiting where the team could trade him. However, if the Sharks could find a way to get a big return for either defenseman, it could hasten their rebuild.
  • The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that the Vegas Golden Knights forward Alex Tuch will be out week to week with a lower-body injury. The forward went down Thursday night after crashing feet first into the boards against the St. Louis Blues. It hasn’t been a great season for Tuch, who has struggled this year after a 20-goal season in 2018-19. This season, the 23-year-old has just eight goals in 42 games as a member of the third line in Vegas as he has seen his ice time drop by nearly two minutes from last year.
  • The Calgary Flames will be without center Derek Ryan Saturday as the third-liner did not skate with the team this morning due to illness, according to NHL.com’s Torrie Peterson. The 33-year-old has 10 goals and 28 points so far this season, but will likely be replaced at center by Sam Bennett, who will move over from the wing.

Bryan Little Out For The Season

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Jets center Bryan Little has been out of the lineup since taking a puck to the head in early November and he’s going to be out for a while yet.  Head coach Paul Maurice told reporters, including Ken Wiebe of The Athletic (Twitter links) that while the veteran has gone through a variety of tests that have yielded some positive results, they are shutting him down for the rest of the season and he will undergo surgery to help repair his perforated eardrum.  The procedure carries a three-month recovery period.

The 32-year-old only played in seven games with Winnipeg this season but was relatively productive in that span, picking up two goals and three assists.  While his days of playing on the top line have come and gone, he has still been a reliable secondary scorer and the Jets were certainly hoping he’d be able to come back down the stretch and give their offense a boost.

Now, it appears that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff will need to turn to the trade market to get that improvement.  While they’re believed to be wary of going after a prominent rental again, they will have plenty of LTIR space to work with as Little and his $5.291MM AAV can be moved onto there while they have enough confirmation regarding suspended defenseman Dustin Byfuglien’s status to spend on a short-term replacement for him.  All of a sudden, Winnipeg could be a team to watch for between now and the trade deadline.

Meanwhile, Maurice provided an update to reporters, including Mitchell Clinton of the Jets’ team website (Twitter link) regarding two of their other injured forwards.  Adam Lowry (upper body) and Mathieu Perreault (upper body) are both listed as week-to-week with the latter likely to return first.  That will likely only increase the need for them to try to add a forward over the next week or so.

Erik Karlsson Out For The Season

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The nightmare season in San Jose just continues to get worse.   Already down two key forwards in Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl while being well out of playoff contention, the Sharks announced that defenseman Erik Karlsson will miss the remainder of the season due to a broken thumb on his left hand that will require surgery.  He is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp.

Karlsson’s second season in San Jose has not gone as well as anyone had hoped following him signing a record-setting eight-year, $92MM deal to avoid free agency back in June, the richest contract given to a defenseman in NHL history.  After seeing his production dip to 45 points last season (albeit in 53 games), his lowest since he recorded 45 in his sophomore year in Ottawa back in 2010-11, his output went a bit lower this year as he picked up six goals and 34 assists in 56 games this season.  After being one of the top goal scoring threats from the back end in his prime with the Senators, he will now have gone three straight years where he scored less than ten times.

To make matters worse for the Sharks, they don’t have their first-round pick this season as it was dealt without any sort of trade protection as part of the trade to land Karlsson back in 2018.  Losing Karlsson, despite his struggles, is a huge blow for their back end, a group that is likely to be weakened even further when Brenden Dillon is inevitably dealt between now and the February 24th trade deadline.

Taking Karlsson’s place on the roster will be defenseman Jacob Middleton who has been recalled from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda.  The 24-year-old has played in four games with the Sharks this season and has been held off the scoresheet while chipping in with a goal and five assists in 31 games at the minor league level.

Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that Karlsson was out for the season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sami Vatanen Placed On Injured Reserve, Nick Merkley Recalled

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The New Jersey Devils have made a few interesting transactions today, moving Sami Vatanen to injured reserve while recalling Nick Merkley. Vatanen of course is the subject of many trade rumors at the moment, but remains out with a bruised leg. His IR stint is retroactive to February 1st, meaning he can be activated at any point.

Merkley, 22, was acquired as part of the Taylor Hall trade earlier this year and has played exceptionally well for the Binghamton Devils. In 21 games with the AHL team he has seven goals and 18 points, earning a call-up to the NHL. The 30th overall pick in 2015, Merkley has just a single NHL game under his belt and has a lot to prove still.

Vatanen’s injury still doesn’t seem extremely serious, making his absence from the lineup a potential bonus for any acquiring team. The Devils also scratched Hall for several games before eventually trading him, though that was to prevent injury not avoid further complications.

While Kevin Bahl may have been discussed with more hope after the deal with the Arizona Coyotes was made, Merkley still represents a potential impact player for the Devils. If he’s given the opportunity to play an offensive role at the NHL level perhaps he can fulfill some of that promise he showed as a junior player. If he does, it will make for an interesting negotiation in the summer. Merkley is currently scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season after his entry-level deal expires.

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