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Minor Transactions: 01/19/19

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Today marks the last day of game action for many teams across the NHL before their mandated “bye week”, which runs seven days long this season to include All-Star weekend. Among those getting set for the hiatus are the Central Division-rival Jets and Stars, squaring off in Dallas later, and the Rangers and Bruins, in their first meeting of the season in Boston tonight, as well as the Devils and Lightning, who each host a Western Conference foe before taking time off. Expect several of these teams to make last-minute changes today, while the remainder of the league gets ready for another week of action:

  • The New Jersey Devils have made a flurry of moves, highlighted by placing forward Miles Wood on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury. His retroactive placement will allow Wood to return to the lineup in the Devils’ first game back from the break, if he is ready. New Jersey also reassigned Blake Pietila to the AHL’s Binghamton Devils, leaving the team in need of two replacement forwards. They have elected to recall veteran enforcer Kurtis Gabriel and young power forward Nathan Bastian. It is unclear right now which one will suit up for the Devils today in their matinee against the Anaheim Ducks, but it would be Bastian’s NHL debut if he gets the call.
  • Following their 3-2 loss to Anaheim today and the fact that the team heads out on their bye week and don’t play again until Jan. 28, the Devils announced another group of roster moves, sending Bastian, Kevin Rooney, defenseman Egor Yakovlev and goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL to get playing time. The team also announced they have activated goaltender Cory Schneider from injured reserve. Bastian played 9:32 in his NHL debut.
  • Colin Blackwell has been called up by the Nashville Predators, the team announced. It marks the first career recall for the former Harvard University forward, who was highly productive in the AHL last season with the Rochester Americans and signed with Nashville as a free agent this summer. Blackwell will look to make the most of his first opportunity with the team if given play time in his first call-up.
  • The Ducks announced that they’ve recalled center Sam Carrick from San Diego of the AHL.  The 26-year-old is tied for the Gulls’ lead in team scoring with 37 points in just 32 games.  He suited up in three games with Anaheim earlier in the season, his first NHL action since the 2015-16 campaign.  To make room for him on the roster, winger Ondrej Kase was transferred to injured reserve.
  • The Hurricanes have sent center Clark Bishop back to Charlotte of the AHL, per a team release.  He recently was cleared to return from a lower-body injury suffered early this month but he’ll work his way back into playing shape at the minor league level instead.  Bishop has three points in 20 games with Carolina so far this season.

Kyle Palmieri Named All-Star Replacement For Taylor Hall

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When reigning MVP Taylor Hall was named an All-Star earlier this month despite being sidelined with a lower-body injury, it always looked like a long-shot that he would even be back in the New Jersey Devils’ lineup by All-Star weekend, nevertheless willing to participate in the exhibition event. That prediction has come to fruition, as Hall has officially backed out of All-Star participation. Fortunately, the Devils will be well-represented anyway. Kyle Palmieri, enjoying a career season, has been named Hall’s replacement on the Metropolitan Division squad, New Jersey announced.

Palmieri, 27, is making his first All-Star appearance in his ninth NHL season. It also happens to be the best season of his career to date. Palmieri has already registered 22 goals and 38 points in 47 games, putting him on pace for 38 goals and 66 points, both of which would shatter his previous career highs. Palmieri leads the Devils in goals, points, power play production, and shots in what has been an offensively dominant campaign. More than any season before, Palmieri deserves the All-Star nod and will be a fitting addition to the festivities.

Palmieri’s success – and now league-wide recognition – is also why he is considered an untouchable asset for the struggling Devils. New Jersey has fallen short of expectations this season just one year after a surprise run to the postseason, but Palmieri has been one of the lone highlights. Although his trade value has never been higher, the Devils are reportedly not willing to consider offers in the days leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline that revolve around Palmieri, who has two years remaining on his contract at a bargain $4.65MM if he keeps up this level of production. Many other pieces could be moved by New Jersey in the coming weeks, but their 2019 All-Star is here to stay.

Snapshots: Berglund, Stempniak, Niedermayer

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Patrik Berglund will not be returning to the NHL this season. He won’t be playing any hockey at all, in fact. A month after the veteran forward was suspended by the Buffalo Sabres for failing to report to the team and then subsequently waived and terminated, Berglund has opened up to the local newspaper in his home town of Vasteras, Sweden. Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News dissected that article for North American audiences, filling in the gaps of the strange series of events that led to Berglund’s departure. Playing in his first season in Buffalo following the trade that sent Ryan O’Reilly to the St. Louis Blues, Berglund states that he “lost his passion and joy for hockey”. As a result, Berglund opted not to join the Sabres for a two-game road trip, which earned his suspension and eventually his release. Even though Berglund walked away from more than $12MM in the four remaining years of his contract, he doesn’t regret the decision, saying that his mental health means more than money right now. It is for that exact same reason that he has decided not to resume playing, in the NHL or in Europe, this season. Berglund did express remorse for leaving the Sabres short-handed – even if his termination does help the team long-term –  and reiterated that the club and his teammates did nothing wrong. Instead, it simply seems Berglund was so disappointed in his exit from St. Louis that he lost the will to play. Berglund stated that “I hope I can find the joy to play again. Right now, I can’t tell whether I will play again or not. I’m in the process of healing.” A well-regarded two-way forward and only 30 years old, Berglund will have the opportunity to play again somewhere if he so chooses, but it seems that the decision of his next steps professionally is still a ways off.

  • Lee Stempniak joined the Boston Bruins on a PTO in training camp this fall, but did not earn a contract. Yet, months later, he continues to practice with the team on a regular basis. At this point, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Stempniak will be earning a contract with the team once rosters expand for the stretch run and postseason, much like how the Bruins added Brian Gionta late last season. Stempniak, 35, is not the player he once was, but surely could have found employment overseas this season if not for the promise of a future payoff with Boston. Stempniak is just a year removed from an 82-game, 40-point season with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2016-17 and the year before that he recorded 51 points, including ten in 19 games with these same Boston Bruins. With the emergence of Peter Cehlarik over the past week as a good match on the second line with David Krejci and Jake Debrusk, paired with the additional option the signing of right-shot Stempniak would bring, the speculation is that the Bruins could be content with their second-line right wing situation and instead be focused on adding a third-line center at the trade deadline. However, given his familiarity with the roster and determination to return to the NHL, Stempniak could end up being the most valuable piece that the Bruins add in the coming weeks.
  • The son of Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Niedermayer has made his college selection and it will turn some heads. Southern California-native Jackson Niedermayer has opted to stay close to home and has committed to Arizona State University. His current team, the BCHL powerhouse Penticton Vees, announced the decision, adding that Niedermayer expects to play two more seasons with the team before making the jump to the NCAA. Niedermayer, 17, had his season cut short by a hip injury this year, making his NHL Draft stock in his first year of eligibility a question mark. Nevertheless, his hockey genes and previous production at the U-16 level in California could be enough to earn a selection this year. Regardless of his draft status, when Niedermayer joins Arizona State, he will easily be the biggest name to have played for the fledgling independent program that is still gaining its foothold in college hockey.

Anders Bjork Out Five To Six Months Following Shoulder Surgery

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The Boston Bruins were hoping for big things from young forward Anders Bjork this season after finding some success in 2017-18. The 22-year old had improved his prospect stock greatly during his time at Notre Dame and then recorded 12 points in 30 games during his rookie season. This year hasn’t gone swimmingly though as Bjork struggled at the NHL level and has now been ruled out for the next five to six months with a shoulder injury. He underwent surgery on his left shoulder and will be out for the rest of the year.

Bjork injured the shoulder while playing in Providence, and will now miss a huge part of his development time as he tries to climb the Bruins organizational ladder. More importantly perhaps he’ll now be heading into the final season of his entry-level contract as a 23-year old fifth-round pick with just 15 points in 50 NHL games. That kind of production will certainly limit his earning potential almost regardless of what he does in 2019-20.

This injury also removes a potential trade chip for the Bruins as they head towards the upcoming deadline. The team obviously wants to improve their forward group and young players like Bjork could have been moved while they still had value. It seems unlikely that any buyer would want to touch a player in his situation now even with his upside, given the uncertainty around how he will return from injury.

Josh Norris To Miss Remainder Of College Season

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Though just nominated for the Hobey Baker yesterday, Ottawa Senators prospect Josh Norris will not play again this season for the University of Michigan. According to Brad Galli of WXYZ Detroit, Norris suffered an injury at the World Juniors that will keep him out for the remainder of the season. The 19-year old was in his sophomore season with the Wolverines, and had 19 points in 17 games.

The question now becomes whether the Senators will try to convince Norris to leave college and sign his first pro contract, given his apparent readiness to contribute next season. Acquired from the San Jose Sharks as part of the Erik Karlsson trade, Norris was first selected as the 19th overall pick in the 2017 draft. After a solid freshman season he had been arguably the best forward on the Michigan roster for the first part of the season and looked ready to make the jump to professional hockey. Whether that will be in Ottawa next season is likely a big selling point, as he very well could choose to stay in college instead of playing in the minor leagues.

Ottawa though will likely have plenty of opportunity in 2019-20 for a player like Norris. A two-way center with enough size and strength to compete all over the ice, he has grown into his playmaking potential over the last year and could look extremely dangerous next to offensive wingers like Brady Tkachuk or Mark Stone. Given the uncertainty around the future of center Matt Duchene, the team could have a young replacement ready to step into some of those minutes if they can convince Norris to leave school.

Minor Transactions: 01/16/19

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Just five games are on tap for tonight in the NHL but those matchups feature some of the brilliant young stars around the league. The Colorado Avalanche kick things off when they travel to see Matt Duchene and the Ottawa Senators in a chance to get back moving in the right direction. Colorado beat the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday to record just their second win in the last ten games, far from a dominant stretch for a team expecting to be in the playoffs this season. As the Avalanche and other teams prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league.

  • The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Cameron Schilling from the minor leagues, an insurance policy with Ben Chiarot dealing with a minor injury. Schilling played four games with the Jets earlier this season, his first NHL action since 2014-15.
  • After six games with the Dallas Stars, Erik Condra is heading back to the AHL. Condra was reassigned today after registering just one point in those six games. The 32-year old veteran is one of the Texas Stars’ best players and leads the club with 35 points in just 32 games.
  • Karl Alzner was sent back to the minor leagues late last night, something the Montreal Canadiens can still do without putting him through waivers again. The Canadiens don’t play again until Friday and can save a substantial amount of cap space with each day Alzner spends in the minor leagues, though he is expected to travel with the team tomorrow when they head to Columbus.

Paul Byron To Face Disciplinary Hearing

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The NHL’s Department of Player Safety is hard at work this morning reviewing all the questionable hits from last night, and have decided that one in particular is deserving of further discipline. Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron will have a hearing today after charging Florida Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. Weegar suffered an injury on the play.

Byron has been an excellent performer once again this season for the Canadiens, tallying nine even-strength goals in just 34 games despite averaging just 12 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5. The speedy forward is a lethal counter-puncher, and provides a solid balance for the more skilled Montreal players who can sometimes be hesitant to leave the perimeter. Losing Byron for any length of time would hurt the Montreal attack, and force the team to use someone else on the penalty kill for at least a few games.

Frederik Andersen Activated From Injured Reserve

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have gone 2-3 in the five games started by Michael Hutchinson, an emergency fill-in acquired from the Florida Panthers just before the team lost their two NHL goaltenders. Today, both of those goaltenders will be back on the ice as Frederik Andersen has been activated off of injured reserve and Garret Sparks has cleared the concussion protocol. Andersen will start against the Colorado Avalanche with Sparks serving as backup, while Hutchinson has been returned to the AHL for the time being.

Goaltending has been an interesting position for the Maple Leafs, who lost both Calvin Pickard and Curtis McElhinney on waivers just before the season began. That meant at one point Eamon McAdam was just a Sparks injury away from being the team’s starter, a far cry from the deep group they had a year ago. Hutchinson has returned some order to the position with his reliable presence in net the last few games, though the team is obviously thrilled with getting Andersen back.

In fact, the time off may have helped the Danish goaltender immensely. Andersen admitted recently that his groin injury had been affecting his play since December, a month in which he recorded just a .903 save percentage and allowed more than three goals per game. Those are a far cry from his numbers the previous month, where Andersen was playing like a potential Vezina candidate and making the Maple Leafs look like a real contender in the Eastern Conference.

His return comes with just 38 games remaining on the season, meaning he will almost definitely not reach the mark of 66 games he has played in each of the past two years. The team is hoping that rest will keep him fresher for the postseason, given the team’s consecutive first-round exits.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Pacific Notes: Talbot, Quick, Donskoi, Merrill

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With rumors that the Edmonton Oilers are looking to add a quality top-six forward at the trade deadline, there is one question that keeps coming up, which is where is the money going to come from to pay that winger. The team only has $2.2MM in available cap space, which won’t be enough to acquire the type of forward they want to add. Even if a team retains some salary, the Oilers are going to be forced to move a significant salary.

However, the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins suggests that the team should look into trading goaltender Cam Talbot, whose $4.17MM salary could open up the money to acquire a top-six forward. With both of Edmonton’s goaltenders expected to hit unrestricted free agency next summer, it’s not likely the team will keep both and considering that Mikko Koskinen has a no-movement clause, Talbot would make the most sense to move to a contender who needs goaltending help. Unfortunately, Talbot’s numbers aren’t that impressive this year as he has a 3.17 GAA and a .896 save percentage – not likely to bring a significant return back.

  • The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman and Josh Cooper (subscription required) debate the merits of whether the Los Angeles Kings should trade long-time goaltender Jonathan Quick at the trade deadline. With the impressive play of both Jack Campbell and Calvin Petersen, the team does have the luxury of moving Quick who could bring the team a significant return. The fact that he lacks a no-trade clause also is beneficial. However, each scribe also points out that with so many struggling teams this season, this might not be the best time to move a goaltender as there are so many of them out there. Plus, Quick’s leadership and ability to mentor both Campbell and Petersen might be invaluable to both players as well.
  • Paul Gackle of the Mercury News report that the San Jose Sharks could be without forward Joonas Donskoi after he left Saturday’s game against Ottawa with an apparent head injury after taking a hit from defenseman Mark Borowiecki during the first period. While he returned not too long after the hit, he left immediately after that and didn’t play the final two periods. “He tried to come back. He couldn’t come back,” said head coach Peter DeBoer. Since the Sharks are off today, there will be no official update until Monday, but if the Sharks are without Donskoi for a significant amount of time, the team’s depth will be surely challenged.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights chose Jonathon Merrill in the expansion draft last year and he has been used sparingly as an emergency defenseman in the past year and a half, yet Steve Carp of Sinbin.vegas writes that the play of the 26-year-old blueliner has improved dramitcally recently while the team has been without defenseman Colin Miller as he has averaged more than 17 minutes a game and he has a three-game point streak. Although Miller is expected back within the week, Carp writes that his play might get him more opportunities down the road with the team potentially resting players like Nick Holden and Deryk Engelland more often.

Central Notes: Montgomery, Jokiharju, Myers, Staal

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Dallas Stars head coach Jim Montgomery was hoping for a more impressive performance Saturday against the St. Louis Blues. He spoke to the players about the importance of coming out strong against St. Louis in the second game with them in five games. Instead, the team didn’t come out at all and suffered a disappointing 3-1 loss, frustrating the head coach to no end as the team, according to NHL.com’s Mike Heika.

“It’s frustrating,” Montgomery said. “I’m very frustrated that I haven’t been able to gain consistency in our performance and I haven’t been able to change the culture of mediocrity.”

The team was already coming off a disappointing loss to the struggling Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday as the team looked uninterested throughout much of the game. The team hired Montgomery to turn the franchise around and develop a talented team into a constant playoff threat, but the team has been quite inconsistent despite being third in the Central Division with a 23-19-4 record for 50 points. Unfortunately, six teams are within five points of them in the Western Conference, so there is no guarantee that Dallas will even make the playoffs.

“There have been some times, after a horrible period, where it’s their room,” Montgomery said of finding ways to motivate the team. “’You guys need to bring it forth.’ Unfortunately, there have been too many times where we have to think about how to motivate these guys. That’s a problem in and of itself that we have had to do that so many times this year already.”

  • The Chicago Blackhawks, who continually are making adjustments on their defense, made a minor tweak to their defense Saturday night when the team moved right-handed defenseman Henri Jokiharju to the left side of the blueline, according to Jimmy Greenfield of the Chicago Tribune. The team hopes Jokiharju will make the conversion now because 2018 first-rounder Adam Boqvist is also a right-shot defenseman and would likely be more comfortable on the right. “I think he was pretty good (on the left),” head coach Jeremy Colliton said. “He looked comfortable to me, made some plays, defended pretty well. So that’s a positive.”
  • Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun reports that Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice said that if defenseman Tyler Myers continues his progress, the veteran defenseman could be an option to return to the lineup Tuesday against Vegas. Myers missed Friday’s game against Detroit with a lower-body injury and is not expected to play tonight against Anaheim. The 6-foot-6 Myers is an instrumental figure in the team’s defense, especially while the team is without Dustin Byfuglien.
  • Mike Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that if anyone is going to need a break when the all-star game hits, it will be the Minnesota Wild’s Eric Staal, who has really looked slow lately and is in one giant rut. The 34-year-old forward, who could end up being a potential trade candidate as the trade deadline nears, struggled throughout the game Saturday against Detroit and continues to commit multiple turnovers. He has just one goal in his past 13 games and has just 13 goals at the midway point in the season.

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