Josh Manson Out With Oblique Injury
The Anaheim Ducks will be without one of their top defensemen for the next six weeks. Josh Manson has been ruled out with an oblique muscle injury suffered on Monday against the Minnesota Wild and has been placed on injured reserve.
Manson, 29, was forced from the game on Monday after just six minutes of ice time but has long been one of the most important players on the ice for Anaheim. Combined with Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, and Kevin Shattenkirk, he formed an exceptional top-four that was expected to carry most of the defensive responsibility. In his absence, Jani Hakanpaa has been pushed up the depth chart, logging 19 minutes in each of the last two games. Though Hakanpaa has certainly held his own so far, the 28-year-old has just nine games under his belt at the NHL level, a lack of experience that will certainly be tested over the next six weeks.
Anaheim is already without Brendan Guhle, who was given his own six-week recovery timeline in early January after spraining his MCL. Suddenly, the Ducks defensive depth is quickly disappearing with only seven names between the NHL roster and taxi squad. For a team that was already in tough against a West Division that includes several top teams, losing part of the team’s biggest strength will be a challenge.
Snapshots: Ullmark, Tryamkin, Thornton
The Buffalo Sabres have been taking the ice without Linus Ullmark for the last two games and this morning the goaltender explained why. After Monday’s morning skate, Ullmark received news that his father had passed away in Sweden. Carter Hutton took the net that evening, but captain Jack Eichel awarded Ullmark with the game puck after a 6-1 victory. He expressed his gratitude towards the whole organization for how they’ve come to his support in the days since.
Ullmark plans on traveling with the team to Washington and could be available for Friday’s game against the Capitals. Hutton meanwhile will not be on the trip as he deals with an injury and is listed as day-to-day.
- The Vancouver Canucks have a very interesting relationship with Russian defenseman Nikita Tryamkin, who is still playing in the KHL despite a long negotiation last year. The 26-year-old defender is still technically a restricted free agent and can only sign with the Canucks if he chooses to return to the NHL. Now, Rick Dhaliwal of TSN gives an update on the situation and spoke with Yekaterinburg executive Maxim Ryabkov, who expressed how much Tryamkin has improved in the last year, even calling him “one of the best defensemen in the KHL.” The 6’7″ behemoth pairs incredible size with excellent skating ability to shut down rushes and move the puck quickly. If he is not signed this offseason, Tryamkin can actually become an unrestricted free agent after the 2021-22 season.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs had the blender out at practice today following a loss to the Edmonton Oilers that included Joe Thornton‘s early exit with an injury. Thornton will undergo further testing to determine the extent of the injury but is expected to miss some time. Interestingly, Auston Matthews also left practice just before it began, though all head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Kristen Shilton of TSN that the star center “wasn’t feeling great.” Adam Brooks, Pierre Engvall, and Alexander Barabanov were all skating with the main group as the Maple Leafs try to figure out their lines moving forward.
Nick Robertson To Miss Four Weeks
Jan 21: The Maple Leafs have now moved Robertson to long-term injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least ten games and 24 days.
Jan 18: Though Toronto Maple Leafs head coach classified it as good news, Nick Roberston still won’t be making his return to the lineup for the next while. The rookie forward is expected to be out four weeks with a knee injury he sustained on Saturday night, Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Kristen Shilton of TSN today.
Robertson, 19, was making his regular season (but not NHL) debut but managed just over two minutes of ice time before colliding with Drake Batherson and injuring his knee. The second-round pick is arguably Toronto’s top prospect and had worked his way onto the squad while the OHL stays in limbo. Undersized but insatiable, Robertson scored 55 goals in just 46 games for the Peterborough Petes last season and made his Maple Leafs debut in the postseason bubble.
In his place, it appears as though the Maple Leafs will be going with seven defensemen tonight, allowing Mikko Lehtonen to make his NHL debut. The former KHL Defenseman of the Year has plenty of offensive upside but is still getting used to playing on the smaller rink. The Maple Leafs take on the Winnipeg Jets this evening.
Philadelphia Flyers Announce Multiple Injuries
Morgan Frost of the Philadelphia Flyers has suffered a dislocated left shoulder and is out indefinitely. The young forward has been placed on injured reserve. Philippe Myers, who was also forced from action recently, has suffered a fractured rib and is considered week-to-week. One of the only reasons Frost had even been playing was because of an injury to Sean Couturier, who hasn’t played since last Friday.
It’s important to remember that missing even a few weeks can mean up to a quarter of the season in this condensed schedule. Should Couturier be able to return soon, the absence of Frost may not be that noticeable, but Myers was and will continue to be a huge loss. Even with very little NHL experience, the 23-year-old defenseman was given a three-year, $7.65MM contract this winter and was expected to be a key part of the Flyers back end.
Frost meanwhile is just trying to get his foot in the door, after spending most of last season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The 21-year-old forward was a first-round pick in 2017 and has just 22 NHL games to his name so far. His best opportunity to prove his value may have been while Couturier was out, but now he’ll miss a huge chunk of the season himself.
The Flyers are back in action this evening against the Boston Bruins as they look to maintain their lead in the East Division.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/20/21
It appears as though there will be daily movement this season between the active roster and taxi squad. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of shuffle news each day.
- The New Jersey Devils finally have Eric Comrie out of the COVID protocol and have added the goaltender to the active roster. In response, Gilles Senn, who had been serving as the third goalie on the taxi squad, has been sent to the minor leagues. In his place, the team has added defensive prospect Kevin Bahl to the taxi squad.
- The Winnipeg Jets have moved Ville Heinola and Kristian Vesalainen back to the taxi squad while assigning David Gustafsson to the Manitoba Moose. On off days, you’ll often see the Jets rotate players on entry-level contracts through the taxi squad to save money, though this also could be opening up a spot for Tucker Poolman to return from the CPRA list or another transaction.
- With concerns that Philippe Myers could miss considerable time after leaving last night’s game with an injury, the Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Derrick Pouliot to the taxi squad. The 27-year-old defenseman played two games last season for the St. Louis Blues, spending most of the season in the AHL and recording 39 points in 58 games. The eighth-overall pick in 2012, Pouliot has 202 NHL regular season games to his name.
- The Nashville Predators have sent Mathieu Olivier back to the taxi squad, returning Ben Harpur to the AHL in the meantime. Olivier has played in two games this season and seemed likely to stay in the lineup for last night’s match, but the game was postponed due to several positive COVID-19 results on the Carolina Hurricanes. The 23-year-old has yet to record his first NHL goal through the first ten games of his career.
- Sam Montembeault has been sent to the Syracuse Crunch by the Florida Panthers, as the team waits out another COVID-related break in the schedule. The team has moved Riley Stillman into the resulting taxi squad spot for the time being, allowing them to save some cash and cap space while they wait to get back on the ice.
- The Los Angeles Kings have returned young defenseman Tobias Bjornfot and off-season addition Lias Andersson to the taxi squad. Veteran Mark Alt replaces Bjornfot on the active roster while forward Boko Imama has been reassigned from the taxi squad to the AHL’s Ontario Reign. The Kings seem as if they will take advantage of their nearby affiliate to switch up their active roster and taxi squafd fequently when playing at home.
This page will be updated throughout the day as more moves are officially announced.
Snapshots: Hurricanes, Babcock, Avalanche
Not only have the Carolina Hurricanes had three forwards test positive for COVID-19 today, but Sara Civian of The Athletic also confirms that the reason Jordan Staal was placed on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list was because of a positive test result last week. Staal, who played the Red Wings the night before his positive result, has missed the last two games and is still in Detroit according to Civian. The three new players are likely to isolate in Nashville, while the rest of the team—those who have tested negative—fly back to Raleigh.
Though the Dallas Stars have still not begun their season thanks to an outbreak in training camp, this is the first incident of games being postponed day-of. It almost certainly won’t be the last.
- Mike Babcock has broken his media silence, as he prepares to work with the NBC broadcast team this weekend. In an exclusive interview with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, Babcock talks about the much-publicized incidents with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner and Detroit Red Wings forward Johan Franzen. The veteran coach also explains that it is very unlikely that he would be back in the NHL this season and notes that it is “someone else’s turn” behind the bench for Canada at the Olympics, scheduled for next year in Beijing.
- If you noticed some late-night roster movement by the Colorado Avalanche and wondered why they would need a goalie on an emergency recall, it was answered today when the team announced that Pavel Francouz is out with a lower-body injury. He’s joined on the sideline by Andre Burakovsky who is dealing with an upper-body ailment, with both players listed as day-to-day. The Avalanche will go with seven defensemen tonight and Hunter Miska will serve as the backup to Philipp Grubauer in net.
Morning Notes: Penguins, Stützle, Fines
The Pittsburgh Penguins will finally have Kasperi Kapanen in the lineup when they battle an old foe this evening, taking on the Washington Capitals for the second time in three nights. Kapanen has missed training camp and the first few games because of the COVID protocols, but his debut with Pittsburgh should be a welcome one given they are 1-2 through the early part of the season, having dropped two games already to the Philadelphia Flyers.
After winning their first game on Sunday with Casey DeSmith in net, he’ll be back in again over Tristan Jarry this evening. Though DeSmith didn’t post incredible numbers himself, Jarry looked lost at times during the first two games and currently carries a brutal .727 save percentage and 7.57 goals-against average. The Penguins certainly aren’t giving up on their young starter, but DeSmith offers a reliable option that they can go to frequently until Jarry gets his game in order.
- The Ottawa Senators will be without top prospect Tim Stützle when the team welcomes in the Winnipeg Jets this evening, as he is dealing with a minor injury. The 19-year-old forward is listed as day-to-day and will be replaced by Alex Galchenyuk in the lineup. Stützle has been as advertised so far in the early season, scoring a highlight-reel goal for his first NHL tally and generally being one of the more dangerous offensive players in the lineup.
- While the NHL decided against any suspensions from last night’s action, the Department of Player Safety did issue three fines. Nicolas Aube-Kubel has been fined $4,633.62 for roughing Rasmus Dahlin, Elias Pettersson has been fined $3,987.07 for his slash on Sean Monahan and Greg Pateryn has been fined $5,000 for his cross-check on Sonny Milano. All three fines are the maximum amount allowed under the CBA and are based on salary.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson To Miss Several Weeks
Though he was listed as day-to-day over the weekend, the recovery timeline for Arizona Coyotes captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson appears to have changed. The team confirmed to Jose M. Romero of AZ Central that the captain will be out for three to four weeks with a lower-body injury. Kyle Capobianco is expected to be inserted into the lineup in his place.
Ekman-Larsson, 29, was embroiled in trade rumors over the offseason that included him willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to Vancouver or Boston, but after nothing came of it he focused on the season and the Coyotes. In Saturday’s game he had three assists before exiting in the third period following a hit from San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, ending what was a brilliant start to his season. Missing the next several weeks in such a condensed schedule means he’ll be out for a good chunk of games.
In fact, four weeks would mean he could miss 14 games, a quarter of the 56-game schedule. That’s a huge blow for an Arizona team that is competing for the playoffs in a lopsided West division. While many expect the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and St. Louis Blues to easily make the playoffs, that fourth spot is certainly up for the taking and the Coyotes are off to a nice start with three points in their first two games. In Ekman-Larsson’s absence, they’ll need a huge effort from some of their other veteran defenders to pick up the slack.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/18/21
It appears as though there will be daily movement this season between the active roster and taxi squad this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of shuffle news each day.
- Pierre Engvall has been promoted from the AHL roster to the taxi squad by the Toronto Maple Leafs after Nick Robertson suffered a knee injury on the weekend. Engvall’s $1.25MM contract actually makes it difficult for him to see the active roster given how tight the cap space is for Toronto, though it could be possible in the coming days should Aaron Dell and Jason Spezza both clear waivers today.
- Given it is a game day for the Montreal Canadiens, Alexander Romanov has been recalled from the taxi squad. The rookie defenseman has been excellent so far for Montreal but will find himself on the taxi squad between games in order for the Canadiens to accrue extra cap space throughout the season.
- The Winnipeg Jets have recalled both Ville Heinola and Kristian Vesalainen from the taxi squad, while moving Tucker Poolman to non-roster status. Poolman has been listed on the COVID Related Protocol Absences list for the last two days.
- The same can be said about Shayne Gostisbehere of the Philadelphia Flyers, who today was given the non-roster designation as well. Connor Bunnaman has been recalled from the taxi squad for the Flyers, who are expected to be without Sean Couturier when they take on the Buffalo Sabres this evening.
- Mackenzie MacEachern has been assigned to the taxi squad by the St. Louis Blues, while Jake Walman is up in his place. Colton Parayko missed practice today but is expected to play, meaning Walman’s recall may just be precautionary.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Kevin Czuczman to their taxi squad from AHL camp, adding some depth to the traveling group after placing Mike Matheson on injured reserve. The team also assigned Sam Lafferty to the taxi squad, while sending Anthony Angello and Frederick Gaudreau to the AHL. Given that Kasperi Kapanen practiced today and is clear of the COVID protocols, expect him to be added to the active roster before tomorrow’s game.
- Linus Ullmark will miss tonight’s game for the Buffalo Sabres due to personal reasons, so the team has recalled Jonas Johansson from the taxi squad. Carter Hutton, the team’s other goaltender, allowed five goals on 27 shots in his first appearance this season.
- The Nashville Predators have recalled Mathieu Olivier from the taxi squad, replacing him with Ben Harpur who was recalled from the AHL. Olivier played in the Predators game on Saturday, recording six hits in just under 12 minutes of ice time.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Penguins Place Mike Matheson On Injured Reserve
The Pittsburgh Penguins played Sunday without one of their recently acquired defensemen in Mike Matheson. With plenty of questions, head coach Mike Sullivan said that the blueliner would be out “longer term,” with an upper-body injury that he sustained in the team’s previous game against Philadelphia on Friday, according to Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is not expected to play Tuesday against the Capitals either.
The 26-year-old was placed on injured reserve too, according to Seth Rorabaugh of Trib Sports. No word on how long Matheson will be out or what is wrong with him, although he did have his right shoulder worked on the bench during Friday’s game.
Matheson was brought in to re-shape the team’s defense, adding some grit and much-needed physicality to the team when the Penguins traded Patric Hornqvist for him in the offseason. Matheson fell out of favor in Florida, but was averaging more than 20 minutes per game before last season. The team turned to Juuso Riikola to take Matheson’s spot and could conceivably recall prospect Pierre-Olivier Joseph from the taxi squad, if the team feels he’s ready.