Jeff Carter Out Indefinitely Following Surgery; Kings To Sign Brooks Laich
As a follow-up to this morning’s note on Jeff Carter, the Los Angeles Kings sent out a press release to LA Kings Insider Jon Rosen clarifying the situation somewhat.
Kings center Jeff Carter sustained a cut to his left leg during the first period of last night’s game and today is undergoing a surgical procedure to repair the injury. He is out indefinitely.
For what it’s worth, John Shannon of Sportsnet was hearing earlier today that it was tendon damage for Carter, which would likely keep him out long-term. While we don’t have a clear timeline yet, the Kings will have to move on without one of their star forwards for the time being. Bob McKenzie of TSN relays a six to eight week timeline as a best case scenario.
Carter, 32, was coming off one of the best seasons of his career in 2016-17 when he scored 32 goals and 66 points, single-handily almost dragging the Kings’ offense to the playoffs. This year had started out a little slower with just three points in his first six games, but he was obviously still a huge part of their team. Before missing most of last night’s game, he had been averaging over 18 minutes per game and was a key part of both special teams.
Perhaps most importantly, Carter’s absence will put an immense strain on the Kings at the center position, where he and Anze Kopitar provided so much ice time. Nick Shore, the third line pivot will now be thrust into an even larger role while Nic Dowd and youngster Adrian Kempe will step into the bottom two spots. For a team that was already lacking scoring depth, losing perhaps the best pure goal man on the team is an incredibly unlucky blow.
In his absence, the team will be signing Brooks Laich to an NHL contract according to Rosen. The two-way deal will be worth $650K at the NHL level. Laich had attended training camp with the Kings but hadn’t earned a contract. The 34-year old forward played the entire 2016-17 campaign with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, buried by Toronto thanks to his hefty cap hit. Scoring just nine points in 27 games, he battled both injury and a lineup of prospects that he couldn’t crack. The Marlies clearly were acting as a development program for the Maple Leafs, and didn’t have much ice time for several of their buried veterans.
Still, he did only score 14 points in the 2015-16 season that was split between Washington and Toronto. Laich was once a perennial 20-goal man, but hasn’t scored more than 20 points in a season since 2011-12. He had been practicing with the team still, and was likely always going to be one of the first injury replacements. Interestingly, McKenzie notes that the team had actually agreed to terms with Laich before the game. The timeline on getting him to the NHL though is obviously accelerated.
Boston Bruins Make Three Transactions
The Boston Bruins have completed three injury-related transactions, moving Ryan Spooner to injured reserve, activating David Backes and recalling goaltender Zane McIntyre to serve as backup in tonight’s game. Tuukka Rask, injured at practice yesterday will not dress for the Bruins when they take on the Vancouver Canucks.
Backes’ activation means that the veteran forward will make his season debut tonight after dealing with a bout of diverticulitis to start the year. His return will be a handy one for the Bruins, who have been leaning more and more on their young players recently. Patrice Bergeron, also close to a return is apparently a game-time decision but seems unlikely to play.
Rask’s injury has not been updated, but McIntyre will be on the end of the bench tonight as Anton Khudobin gets his second start of the year. Khudobin has stopped 38 of 40 shots in his two appearances this year, and may have to carry the load for at least a few games. The 27-year old has done it before, and actually has a .917 save percentage during his two separate stints in Boston.
If Khudobin falters McIntyre does actually have eight games of NHL experience, all of which came last season. The 25-year old has posted strong numbers in college and the minor leagues, but only posted a save percentage above .900 in one of his eight appearances. In the three games he started, he allowed 12 goals on 84 shots. Sufficed to say, the Bruins will cross their fingers that Rask’s injury is minor.
Snapshots: Josefson, Megan, Foligno
Injury news out of Buffalo today has Sabres’ forward Jacob Josefson out “week-to-week” with a lower-body injury sustained on Sunday. Josefson had been held scoreless through the first six games, but had been a key penalty killer for the team. The 26-year old signed a one-year, $700K contract with the Sabres this summer after not receiving a qualifying offer from the New Jersey Devils, and is looking to prove that he can be an effective bottom-six player for the team long-term.
Week-to-week doesn’t instill confidence that he’ll be back anytime soon, so the Sabres will have to find another way to fill out their forward group. Today at practice Sam Reinhart was back at center, with Justin Bailey jumping up beside Ryan O’Reilly on the second line. The Sabres are looking for some answer to their early season struggles as they take on Vancouver tomorrow night.
- Wade Megan cleared waivers for the St. Louis Blues and was assigned to the Chicago Wolves. Megan had been placed on waivers when Alex Steen was activated from the injured reserve, and had only played one game for the Blues. He’ll now return to Chicago where he played last season, breaking out for 66 points in 73 games. That kind of production had never been seen from the 27-year old previously, leading to him being a legitimate depth option for the Blues this year.
- Marcus Foligno will be back on the ice for the Minnesota Wild this weekend when they take on the Jets and Flames on back-to-back nights. Foligno was at practice today in a full face cage, protecting the fractured bone he suffered in a fight with John Hayden last week. Foligno expects to wear the cage for the next few weeks as his face heals.
Early Notes: Carter, Rask, Cehlarik
The Los Angeles Kings were already thin on scoring, relying on their top names to carry most of the load this season. Then, last night against the Montreal Canadiens Jeff Carter absorbed a hit from Jeff Petry and will be out “a little while” according to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. Bob McKenzie of TSN believes that means “multiple weeks”
Carter was cut by a skate blade in the collision, a fluke injury that will really hurt the Kings. Los Angeles is off to a great 5-0-1 record, extending their smooth start with a 5-1 blowout of the Canadiens last night. The team finally received some secondary scoring, as Adrian Kempe and Mike Cammalleri both broke out for four-point nights. Prior to last night neither player had any points, but stepped up in a fashion the team desperately needed.
- Anders Bjork crashed into Tuukka Rask at practice yesterday, and though the goaltender was helped off the ice the Bruins still haven’t made a roster move. As McKenzie reports, the team wanted to see how he was feeling this morning before making any decision. Remember, if Rask is out the team no longer has Malcolm Subban to turn to in the minor leagues, and would likely turn to Zane McIntyre as a backup for Anton Khudobin. If Rask deals with an injury for any length of time, the goaltending depth of the Bruins organization will really be tested.
- Still with the Bruins, the team has returned Peter Cehlarik to the AHL according to Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe. Cehlarik had been called up along with Kenny Agostino this week to help fill in for the injured forwards, but with David Backes and Patrice Bergeron nearing returns he’s no longer needed. Agostino will likely stay and fill some of the role of the injured Ryan Spooner, at least on the powerplay.
Injury Updates: Bonino, Parise, Nemeth, Borowiecki
Although the Predators are calling center Nick Bonino’s lower-body injury a day-to-day issue, his agent, Peter Fish, told Adam Vingan of The Tennessean that he’s likely to miss a couple of weeks instead. He did not play last night after suffering the injury on Saturday and Vingan notes that Bonino was spotted with a brace on his left ankle on Monday at practice. His first season in Nashville hasn’t been the healthiest as he missed the entire preseason while recovering from a fractured tibia sustained with Pittsburgh back in the Stanley Cup Final although Fish told Vingan that this current injury isn’t related to that one.
More injury notes from around the league:
- Despite leaving practice on Monday due to a setback, the Wild have yet to rule winger Zach Parise out of their next game on Friday, notes Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press. The veteran has yet to play this season due to continued back issues and has had his expected season debut delayed a couple of times already.
- The Avalanche received some good news when it came to defenseman Patrik Nemeth. Although there were some concerns that he may have dislocated or separated his shoulder in a fight with Stars center Tyler Seguin on Saturday, BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater reports that Nemeth could be given the green light to return to the lineup as early as Thursday.
- The Senators announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Mark Borowiecki is listed as day-to-day and will not play on Thursday night. He sustained what appeared to be a shoulder injury in a fight with Vancouver winger Derek Dorsett and did not return for the third period.
Snapshots: Schlemko, Wild, Aulie
David Schlemko‘s career with the Montreal Canadiens is off to an inauspicious start to say the least. After suffering a hand injury in training camp, Schlemko worked his way back and played in a conditioning game with the Laval Rocket before immediately being recalled to the NHL team. That game, or something afterwards, must have re-aggravated the injury, as the team today announced that the defenseman had undergone surgery to remove a bone fragment and would be out three to four weeks.
The Canadiens have already released Mark Streit after he couldn’t find a way into the lineup, meaning Victor Mete seems here to stay for good. The 19-year old defensman has performed admirably in his short stint, and will burn a year of his entry-level contract after he plays in another four games. With Schlemko unavailable for another few weeks, Mete will be needed more than ever.
- The Minnesota Wild have recalled Landon Ferraro, Luke Kunin and Zack Mitchell ahead of their upcoming road trip. The Wild has been dealing with several injuries to their key forwards, and will have to rely on youth to get them through the next couple of games. The team will have to retroactively move some players to injured reserve to make room, but since Mikael Granlund hasn’t played since the opening night of the season, and Zach Parise hasn’t suited up at all, it shouldn’t be a problem. The team is 1-1-2 in what was supposed to be a contending season, but just can’t seem to get their best players on the ice.
- Veteran NHL defenseman Keith Aulie has found a home for the time being, signing a professional tryout with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Aulie, who has suited up for 167 career NHL games with three different franchises, split last season between the Stockton Heat and Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. As surprising as it may seem, Aulie could have an outside shot at making the Canadian Olympic squad given his NHL and European experience. The 6’6″ defender was once considered an up-and-comer with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but never could quite turn his huge frame into a consistent defender.
Ryan Spooner Out Four To Six Weeks With Groin Injury
The Boston Bruins will be without another veteran forward for quite some time, as the team announced today that Ryan Spooner will be out for four to six weeks with a right groin adductor tear. The team already called up Kenny Agostino and Peter Cehlarik earlier today, and David Backes and Patrice Bergeron are on the cusp of returning to the lineup.
Still, losing a player like Spooner for this long is never a good thing. Groin injuries are notorious for lingering, and the 25-year old was already struggling to make an impact in the early going. He’s been the subject of much ire from Bruins fans for the past few seasons, who see an extremely talented offensive player who has trouble performing on a consistent basis. Losing a chunk of the season early on will do nothing to assuage that frustration.
The Bruins, already relying on several rookies in their lineup, will have plenty of opportunity for young players to make an impact. Spooner’s best role was on the powerplay, where the team will likely have to get creative in the face of his injury. Agostino is obviously a potential piece for the man advantage, as his offensive ability has shown in the minor leagues.
In a year that was supposed to be a launch pad for a long-term contract, Spooner now will miss at least a dozen games and likely come back with a bit of rust. With just one point in his first five, this could turn into a disastrous negotiation point for the Bruins in arbitration next summer. The forward is earning $2.83MM this season, and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Chicago Blackhawks Assign Nathan Noel To AHL
The Chicago Blackhawks have sent Nathan Noel back to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL, likely meaning he’s now healthy enough to resume playing. Noel started the year on season-opening injured reserve after missing most of training camp due to injury.
Noel, 20, is in his first professional season after being selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Last year in the QMJHL, he continued his consistent play with 24 goals and 50 points in 52 games. That marked the third straight season he’d recorded 20+ goals, and though he was overshadowed at times by higher profile prospects, Chicago thought highly enough of him to give him an entry-level contract this spring.
The small forward was passed over in his first eligible draft in 2015, despite being ranked 54th among North American skaters by the NHL’s Central Scouting. He had after all been a top bantam prospect, taken third overall in the QMJHL priority selection in 2013. His name never came though, and he had to wait several rounds once again in 2016. The next step will be showing the same versatility in Rockford that made him so valuable in Saint John. Noel is able to play several different styles effectively, and still has some offensive upside in his game.
St. Louis Blues Place Wade Megan On Waivers, Activate Alex Steen
After sitting out the first few weeks with a hand injury, Alex Steen has been activated by the St. Louis Blues and will be in the lineup tonight when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks. To make room for the returning Steen, Wade Megan has been placed on waivers. Megan had played in just one game with the Blues, and will likely be assigned to the AHL should he clear waivers tomorrow.
Steen is an important part of the Blues’ forward group, and he’ll rejoin a team that has lost a pair of matches after going 4-0 to start the year. The team has struggled to find much secondary scoring this season, something that Steen will look to change. With his return, the forward depth should improve as players are slotted into more familiar roles. Still, with Patrik Berglund, Robby Fabbri and Zachary Sanford out long-term, the team will need to get more from their bottom-six.
Megan is an AHL veteran who made his NHL debut last season, but was never likely in the plans as much more than a depth option. His 2016-17 season was impressive, with 66 points for the Chicago Wolves, but he hasn’t been able to carry that scoring ability over to the next level. He’ll serve as a valuable extra piece waiting to get recalled should he make it through waivers.
Snapshots: Brodzinski, Eriksson, Hunwick
Jonny Brodzinski has been assigned to the Ontario Reign of the AHL, as the Los Angeles Kings continue to make tweaks to their NHL roster. The team had called up Justin Auger earlier today, and actually didn’t need to make a corresponding move after they’d placed Kyle Clifford on injured reserve.
Now, the team has just 22 players on the active roster and as Jon Rosen of LAKings Insider writes, Marian Gaborik still isn’t much closer to getting on the ice. Gaborik continues to try and work his way back from a knee injury but is still some time away.
- Loui Eriksson‘s diagnosis came down, and the Vancouver Canucks announced that he’ll be out four to six weeks with a knee sprain. This continues the rough Vancouver career for Eriksson, who has scored just 11 goals in 69 games for the team now since signing in the 2016 offseason. That’s a far cry from what the Canucks were expecting to get for the six-year, $36MM contract they handed him.
- Ian Cole will come off injured reserve for the Pittsburgh Penguins as Matt Hunwick goes onto it, switching roster spots and healthy statuses. Cole is back in the lineup tonight for the Penguins, who have rebounded from their dreadful 10-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks to push their record to 3-2-1. With Hunwick down, Cole will slide in beside Justin Schultz on the second pair while Olli Maatta and Chad Ruhwedel bring up the rear. With that, the team has also decided they no longer require the services of Chris Summers, who was assigned back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Summers never did get into a game with Pittsburgh, but will be handy depth for any other injuries.