The New York Rangers are using this season as a development year for many of their young players, but at least one will now miss up to a month. Brett Howden has suffered an MCL sprain and will be out for three to four weeks.
Injury
Injury Notes: Jenner, Perron, Shaw
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without Boone Jenner for at least another week after a cut on his ankle has become infected. The team announced a one to three week timeline for Jenner today, noting that the laceration happened after Jenner blocked a shot on January 12th. This explains why Mark Letestu has been recalled, though the veteran center is still not expected in the lineup for the Blue Jackets tonight.
It comes at an unfortunate time for Columbus, given that the next three weeks could be the most important stretch of their season. With the decisions surrounding Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky looming, this could be the last stretch that this group has together before watching two of their best players head to a different locker room. Jenner meanwhile has been his effective two-way self this season, but has just nine goals and 21 points to show for it. That’s a far way off from the 30-goal campaign he put up in 2015-16, a distant memory at this point for the 25-year old center. He’ll need to pick things up in the second half if Columbus is going to continue to put pressure on the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
- David Perron has been moved to injured reserve by the St. Louis Blues, as he continues to deal with an upper-body injury. Perron was in the middle of his best stretch of the season with points in 13 consecutive games, while seeing almost 20 minutes of ice time a night. The veteran forward was listed as day-to-day originally, but has now missed three games for the Blues. His IR stint will be retroactive to January 17th, meaning he can come off whenever healthy.
- Andrew Shaw hasn’t played in a month for the Montreal Canadiens, but is getting a lot closer to a return. The feisty forward returned to the ice for practice today and skated on a line with Kenny Agostino and Michael Chaput. Shaw had 24 points in 36 games for the Canadiens before suffering what would eventually be classified as a neck injury at the end of December. His return would be a substantial boost for a Montreal team that is quietly pushing for second place in the Atlantic Division.
Justin Schultz Returns To Penguins Practice
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been without one of their best puck-moving defensemen since early October. That’s when Justin Schultz was put on injured reserve with a broken leg, following his collision with Tomas Plekanec in a game against the Montreal Canadiens—so long ago that Plekanec is no longer even in the NHL. Schultz hasn’t skated with the team in a formal setting at all during the months that followed, that is until today when he joined his teammates on the ice for their morning skate. By no means does this indicate that Schultz will suit up for the Penguins tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, in fact he may still be out a little while. But he’s getting closer, and head coach Mike Sullivan was clear how important this first on-ice session was:
It’s a big step. It suggests that he’s a whole lot closer, and the next step will be the contact part of the practices. We’re going to have some practices coming up over the next week, and we’re hopeful that we can get him to graduate into that step. That’s the last step before he gets into the lineup.
For the Penguins, getting Schultz back will be like making a huge trade deadline addition. It’s hard to overstate how important the right-handed defenseman has been when healthy for Pittsburgh since coming over from the Edmonton Oilers during the 2015-16 season. In 163 games, Schultz has recorded 90 points and is a +57, even garnering some Norris Trophy votes in 2017 for his work while Kris Letang dealt with injury. Once he gets back up to speed, the result will be felt throughout the entire defense corps as everyone will fall into more familiar positions.
Still, it also has some financial ramifications. Activating Schultz’ $5.5MM cap hit off long-term injured reserve will dramatically shrink what the Penguins have to work with at the deadline, even with their recent trade of Jamie Oleksiak to clear room on both the blue line and under the cap ceiling. While they won’t be pressed right up against it, they also won’t be able to take on a huge amount of salary at the deadline without moving someone else out. It just so happens that Derick Brassard has been rumored for months to be on his way out of Pittsburgh, but the team will have to be careful with who they target in return.
On the whole though, the idea of getting Schultz back before the deadline should be one of joy for Penguins fans. The offensive-minded defenseman should help an already lethal lineup score even more, as they try to climb back up the Metropolitan Division ladder—not to mention hold off the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes who are nipping at their heels for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Jake Muzzin
There have been many trades so far this season, but with less than a month to go before the NHL Trade Deadline, we finally the first that qualifies as a blockbuster. The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that they have acquired defenseman Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings. Going the other way is a package of forward prospect Carl Grundstrom, defense prospect Sean Durzi, and the Leafs’ 2019 first-round pick. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Toronto GM Kyle Dubas and L.A. GM Rob Blake had been discussing the framework for this deal for weeks before finally pulling the trigger tonight.
Muzzin, 29, is a major addition for the Maple Leafs. Dubas has been searching for help on the blue line all season long and adds a bona fide top-pair defender without having to move any pieces off his NHL roster. Muzzin is a well-rounded and versatile two-way defenseman. Although he is a left-shot, Muzzin often plays his off side and will likely slot next to Morgan Rielly on Toronto’s top pairing. Muzzin will also play a major role on the penalty kill, as he is a tough, durable defenseman who plays a steady game in his own end. Perhaps more than anything, Muzzin is known as a big game player, capable of playing his best when it matters most. Muzzin was a Stanley Cup champion in 2014 with the Kings and has 20 points and 125 hits in 50 playoff games. He has also starred for Canada on the international stage, including a 2015 World Championship in which he notched eight points in ten games. An experienced and clutch defenseman who excels in all three zones, Muzzin is truly a complete defender joining the back end in Toronto. Add in that he makes just $4MM against the cap and is signed for one more year and you get an acquisition that no one in Toronto should be unhappy with.
Los Angeles should be commended for this trade as well, though. Although Muzzin was one of their best players – arguably their top player this season – they maximized the return from a Leafs team that was unwilling to move any current roster players. Grundstrom and Duzri are two of Toronto’s very best prospects and each project to be NHLers sooner rather than later. Grundstrom, 21, was a second-round pick in 2016 out of Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League. In his first season in North America this year, Grundstrom had 29 points in 42 games for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Grundstrom will now join the Ontario Reign and could see action with the Kings before the season is out. The powerful winger is certain to compete for a regular job in L.A. next year. Durzi, 20, was considered the top overage player in the NHL Draft last year and was selected in the second-round as a result. The skilled defenseman has been better than a point-per-game in the OHL this year after returning from injury and has the experience and intelligent game that should translate to the pros easily next season. As for the first-round pick, the Kings have to hope that Muzzin’s addition isn’t enough to get the Leafs past likely playoff opponents in the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning, as Toronto’s pick could still very well end up in the early twenties. If the rest of Blake’s fire sale yields similar returns, L.A. is going to be in good shape moving into their rebuild phase.
Metropolitan Notes: Panarin, Hall, Blackwood, Pionk, Hayes
Despite rumors that he might want to sign with the New York Rangers and talk that he loves playing in Columbus, it looks like Columbus Blue Jackets winger Artemi Panarin still hasn’t started negotiating with Columbus. In fact, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that the agent for Panarin, Dan Milstein said he wants another meeting with his client before he lets Columbus know whether he’s willing to negotiate a contract extension with the Blue Jackets.
Milstein and Panarin met in Miami over the weekend, but Portzline writes that the two will need a second meeting to discuss their what their next step will be. Panarin, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, has been unwilling to sign an extension in Columbus with rumors that he wants to move to a city that can give him more exposure. However, Panarin has fit in well with Columbus and has said that he enjoys playing there.
The 27-year-old would be one of the most intriguing free-agent options if he chooses to test the open market as he’s having another strong year with 19 goals and 53 points in 46 games and could even break some of his career-highs if he can keep those numbers up. Even if Panarin opts not to negotiate a deal with Columbus, the rumor is that the Blue Jackets would keep him for their playoff run this year. Columbus is currently in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 59 points.
- NHL.com’s Amanda Stein reports that star forward Taylor Hall practiced on his own today, but it looks unlikely he will join the team on their road trip to face Pittsburgh on Monday. Hall has been out since Dec. 23 with a lower-body injury and missed the All-Star game because of it. However, the team was hoping the Hart Trophy winner would be ready after the break, which he apparently isn’t. Stein adds that head coach John Hynes said that Hall is progressing, but isn’t healing as quickly as originally thought.
- The New Jersey Devils also made several roster moves today, but didn’t recall goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood. NHL.com’s Amanda Stein reports that the Devils had already decided to go with Keith Kinkaid in goal on Monday. So New Jersey decided to recall Cam Johnson instead, so Blackwood could play in the AHL All-Star Game. The team didn’t want Blackwood to miss the opportunity while sitting on the bench as the team’s backup.
- While the New York Rangers recalled goaltender Alexandar Georgiev and forward Boo Nieves from Hartford earlier today, it’s been noted that the team didn’t bring back defenseman Ryan Lindgren, but much of that could be because defenseman Neal Pionk might be ready to return to the lineup. Pionk has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury, but the 23-year-old was practicing today with the team along with Kevin Hayes, according to New York Post’s Larry Brooks. Hayes has been out since Jan. 2.
Minor Transactions: 01/27/19
The All-Star festivities ended with Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby winning an award he’s never won before, All-Star MVP, as he scored two goal in the All-Star Game finals Saturday night and had eight points total as Team Metropolitan defeated Team Central, 10-5. Crosby has already won three Stanley Cups, two Hart Trophies, two Conn Smythe awards, three Lester B. Pearson (now Ted Lindsay) awards, two Art Ross Trophies and two Maurice “Rocket” Richard awards. Now he can add an All-Star MVP. However, with the 2019 All-Star games concluded, many teams will start making roster adjustments as several teams will be back on the ice on Monday. Check back to see continuing updates throughout the day.
- The New Jersey Devils announced a number of roster moves today as the team started by placing defenseman Ben Lovejoy on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, retroactive to Jan. 15. That means the team can activate Lovejoy whenever they are ready. The team also recalled forward Kevin Rooney, defenseman Egor Yakovlev and goaltender Cam Johnson from Binghamton of the AHL. Both Rooney and Yakovlev were sent down a week ago to get some playing time in while the Devils were on break. The Devils play Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- With a game coming up Monday as well, the Winnipeg Jets announced they have recalled defenseman Sami Niku from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. Niku was sent down to get some playing time while the Jets were on their bye week and now will return. Niku has made 10 appearances for Winnipeg this season, but picked up his first two points on Jan. 17. He will fill in for the injured Dustin Byfuglien and Ben Chiarot, although both are rumored to be close to returning.
- The Philadelphia Flyers are getting ready to return from their bye week and have announced they have recalled goaltender Carter Hart and forward Mikhail Vorobyev from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. The team also added they have assigned forward Dale Weise to Lehigh Valley to make room for both transactions. Weise cleared waivers on Jan. 16 and will now spend time with the Phantoms. Hart has been impressive in 12 games for the Flyers this year, posting a 2.66 GAA and a .918 save percentage and will continue his development in Philadelphia. Vorobyev struggled after making the team out of training camp, playing just seven games. However, the 22-year-old has been impressive in the AHL and will get another chance to prove that he belongs with the Flyers.
- The New York Rangers announced they have recalled two players as they return from their bye week in forward Boo Nieves and goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. Both were assigned to Hartford to get extra playing time while the Rangers were off. Nieves has played 16 games for the Rangers and has two goals and seven points, while Georgiev has struggled as New York’s backup goalie with a 6-8 record, a 3.66 GAA and an .883 save percentage.
- The Dallas Stars announced they have recalled defenseman Connor Carrick from the Texas Stars of the AHL from his conditioning loan. He played four games with Texas, putting up a goal and an assist along with 13 shots on goal. The 24-year-old came over in a trade with Toronto at the beginning of the season, but has dealt with a lower-body injury and has appeared in just 13 games this season.
Western Notes: Edler, Fiala, Jets Injuries, Berube
Many people expected to see the Vancouver Canucks sitting at the bottom of the Pacific Division this year. Instead, they are fighting for a playoff spot and suddenly the team has to decide whether they intend to be sellers like many anticipated. Of course, it wasn’t like the team had a lot of obvious trade candidates as the team only has one significant player who will be an unrestricted free agent — Alexander Edler, who is finishing up a six-year, $30MM deal he signed in 2013.
However suddenly, the team must decide whether they want to move the veteran defenseman or keep him around to help the team win a few extra games, and according to The Province’s Patrick Johnson, that’s a big dilemma in Vancouver right now. In the end, whether the Canucks move Edler will come down to three factors.
First, Edler must be willing to waive his no-trade clause. If he isn’t there will be no trade. Second, teams must show interest in him, which you assume they would. Finally, does Vancouver really want to trade him. After all, he is the team’s No. 1 defenseman, who plays good defense and plays on both the power play as well as the penalty kill. On top of that, he is a leader and is very good with helping the team’s younger players.
General manager Jim Benning said he will meet with Edler and his agent next week to figure out what Edler is interested in doing.
- With many recent complaints to the play of Nashville Predators’ winger Kevin Fiala, The Athletic’s Adam Vingan (subscription required) writes that while he can understand that fans are frustrated by Fiala’s play, most especially his high rate of turnovers (3.45 giveaways in 60 minutes), he’s only 22 years old, is still learning and is a very creative player. Fiala, who tallied 23 goals last season has just eight so far in 2018-19. Vingan suggests the team hold onto Fiala, rather than sell low on the forward and suggests the team re-sign the soon-to-be restricted free agent to a bridge deal, which could force him to prove his value to the team.
- Ted Wyman of the Winnipeg Sun writes the Winnipeg Jets should get healthier very quickly. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, who has been out since Dec. 29 with an ankle injury, is expected to be back soon after the break, while Ben Chiarot, who missed the team’s last three games, is expected to be ready for the team’s next game against Philadelphia. Wyman adds that winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who has been out for a month, is expected to return within a week after their break ends. The additions of Byfuglien and Ehlers should bring a huge boost to the team.
- In a recent mailbag, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that interim head coach Craig Berube may have a hard time getting his title changed to a permanent position. The scribe writes that just making the playoffs won’t be enough for the team to hand him the coaching reigns. The team would need to go on a real run and show they have momentum, then Berube might be able to keep his job.
Metropolitan Notes: Rangers, Hickey, Ladd, Kinkaid, Myers
After sending out a letter, telling fans that the team intends to rebuild last February, the New York Rangers rebuilding project is well underway, but The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman (subscription required) writes that there is one problem the team has — they aren’t losing enough.
One key aspect of a rebuilding team is to pick up top prospects and the best way to do that is through the entry draft. However, with the team’s 21-20-7 record this season under new head coach David Quinn, their 49 points would give them the 22nd best record in the league, which would not give them a chance at super prospects Jack Hughes or Kappo Kakko next season. While there is never a guarantee to picking up a top pick due to the draft lottery, had the team just five points fewer, 44 points would have put them 30th.
Of course, if New York trades off more players at the deadline such as Kevin Hayes or Chris Kreider, the team may continue to drop in the standings and improve their chances at a top pick. However, it could have a negative effect on the team’s environment that Quinn has developed this season.
- Andrew Gross of Newsday writes that despite the layoff, neither defenseman Thomas Hickey and winger Andrew Ladd of the New York Islanders have a timetable to return and remain on injured reserve. Hickey, who has been out with an upper-body injury since Dec. 17, could be out for some time as head coach Barry Trotz said the defenseman will need four or five practices before being able to play, which could mean he may not be back into the lineup until mid to late February. Ladd, who has been out with a lower-body injury and has been out since Nov. 15, and also may not be back until late February.
- NJ.com’s Chris Ryan analyzes the New Jersey Devils’ roster, looking at what players should stay and go and while even a few months ago, goaltender Keith Kinkaid was considered to be a key piece to the Devils’ success after proving last year that he can handle the full-time job well, it’s likely time to move on from the 29-year-old, who has struggled quite a bit of late. Kinkaid, who is in the final year of a two-year, $2.5MM deal he signed in 2017, has struggled this year with a 13-14-6 record, a 3.10 GAA and a .899 save percentage. Throw in the fact that MacKenzie Blackwood looks like the team’s long-term starter and the fact that the team can’t move Cory Schneider due to his lengthy and expensive contract and Kinkaid is likely to be looking for a new team this summer.
- The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (subscription required) answers mailbag questions, pointing out that the Philadelphia Flyers are likely to bring up more prospects over the next several months. The team will likely recall defenseman Philippe Myers at some point this season. O’Connor writes that Myers has been playing impressive hockey with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL for the past two months and looks to be a player ready to take over a spot on Philadelphia’s defense next season. To ensure that, the Flyers will need to bring him up and give him some playing time this season.
Nathan MacKinnon To Undergo MRI For Possible Foot Injury
Saturday: MacKinnon has officially avoided the worst-case scenario, NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin reports. MacKinnon did not suffer a broken left foot, but does have a major bruise on the inside of the foot. The Avalanche pivot called it “sore” and “swollen” and did not want to test it this weekend. Colorado is likely in agreement with that judgement call. They are likely to have MacKinnon back in the lineup following their upcoming “bye week”.
Friday: MacKinnon is flying to San Jose later today according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Colorado center is unlikely to participate in any on-ice events.
Thursday: It isn’t clear right now to what extent his foot his injured – so no cause for alarm yet Avalanche fans – but Nathan MacKinnon is set to undergo an MRI on his foot, per Sportsnet’s John Shannon. Shannon reports that the Colorado Avalanche are being cautious about a possible left foot injury and want to get a better sense of their superstar center’s health. Shannon adds that, regardless of the MRI results, MacKinnon could miss this weekend’s All-Star festivities in order to rest.
No one can blame the Avalanche for taking any health issue with MacKinnon seriously. The 23-year-old has accrued 71 points already this season and is on pace to shatter the career high of 97 that he set last year and that nearly won him the Hart Trophy. MacKinnon centers the top line with Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog that is responsible for a higher percentage of their team’s production than any other line in the NHL. A long-term MacKinnon absence would be devastating for a Colorado team that is already slumping; the Avs have won just three games in their last 15 and are one loss away from falling out of a playoff spot completely. They need MacKinnon now more than ever.
With that said, this seems to be purely cautionary, especially given Shannon’s insistence that sitting out the All-Star Game may be the only measure taken to ensure MacKinnon’s return to full health. The franchise center also logged approximately 21 and 19 minutes of ice time in each of his past two games and did not look uncomfortable. Perhaps this is just a minor nagging injury the team wants to look at – MacKinnon did suffer a foot fracture back in 2015 – or perhaps he was simply sore after an incident in last night’s contest against the Minnesota Wild and wanted to get checked out. Either way, this is news simply due to MacKinnon’s name value but right now does not look like anything major worth worrying about.
The biggest concern may actually be who replaces the Central Division captain at this weekend’s All-Star festivities. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that MacKinnon is still expected to be in attendance in San Jose, but would need a substitute if he cannot compete. With both Rantanen, an original selection, and Landeskog, the Central’s winner of the “Last Men In” fan vote, already going, it’s very unlikely that MacKinnon would be replaced by another Avalanche player. Other popular “Last Man In” candidates like the Winnipeg Jets’ Patrik Laine, the Minnesota Wild’s Zach Parise, or the Nashville Predators’ Filip Forsberg are possibilities to get the call if MacKinnon is unable to participate.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson To Undergo MRI For Lower-Body Injury
Thursday: Ekman-Larsson has been listed as “day to day” and will be evaluated further after the All-Star break. While nothing is certain, it sounds like the Coyotes may have avoided certain disaster.
Wednesday: It’s hard to imagine a team experiencing a more drastic streak of injuries than what the Arizona Coyotes have dealt with this year. Jason Demers, Antti Raanta, Christian Dvorak and Nick Schmaltz have all suffered long-term injuries, while Michael Grabner and Brad Richardson are also out for the time being. Now, captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson will have tests including an MRI on his knee tomorrow to determine the extent of the latest injury according to Craig Morgan of The Athletic and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Ekman-Larsson will obviously not play tonight in the Coyotes’ last game before the All-Star break.
Though there is no word on how long this injury will keep Ekman-Larsson out, even a short-term diagnosis would be a drastic blow for the Coyotes. The team is playing their best hockey of the season lately and has climbed back into the playoff chase in the Western Conference. Sitting at 23-22-4 through their first 49 games, Arizona is now just two points behind the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche for the final two wild card spots.
Ekman-Larsson has been his usual minute-munching self this season, logging almost 24 a night for the Coyotes through the first half. He’s also recorded 26 points, easily leading the team’s defense corps in scoring. The 27-year old signed an eight-year, $66MM contract extension this summer that will kick in next season, making him one of the highest-paid defensemen in the league and keeping him in Arizona through 2026-27.