Afternoon Notes: Vrbata, Fontaine, Khaira
Radim Vrbata is an interesting case this summer, as he heads into free agency once again following a very successful bounce-back campaign. In 81 games for the Arizona Coyotes, Vrbata scored 20 goals and 55 points showing that he is still a capable offensive player even at his advanced age. He’ll be 36 this summer, and told Craig Morgan of AZ Sports today that if he came back to the Coyotes it would be on a one-year deal.
It’s unclear whether that means he would consider a multi-year deal somewhere else, but after not trading him at the deadline it was clear that Arizona hoped he would stay past this season. The winger would be an early candidate for trade deadline fodder again, as the Coyotes will have a hard time competing again next season as they continue their rebuild.
- The New York Rangers have signed Gabriel Fontaine to an entry-level contract, despite him still being deep in a playoff run with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. The sixth-round pick had 52 points in 59 games this season and projects and will likely join the Rangers’ AHL affiliate next season. Though he has the size to make the NHL one day, it is still a long way away for Fontaine as he’ll need to perfect his two-way game. Without the high-end skill that would allow him to play in the top-six, he will make it in professional hockey by continuing to play solid defensively and improve in the faceoff dot. The Huskies will continue their series against Chicoutimi tomorrow night.
- Edmonton has brought Jujhar Khaira back up prior to their playoff series against the San Jose Sharks. The 22-year old forward played 10 games for the Oilers this season, registering just a single goal. Khaira represents some center depth for the Oilers and a heavy forward who could be inserted onto the fourth line if the team feels it needs a change.
- According to Dan Rosen of NHL.com, the Los Angeles Kings have sent Adrian Kempe, Jonny Brodzinski and Paul LaDue back to the AHL for the Ontario Reign’s playoff run. The three have all played the majority of the season in the minors and will be a big part of any Calder Cup aspirations the Reign may have.
- In a similar move, the Tampa Bay Lightning have sent Cory Conacher, Jake Dotchin, Gabriel Dumont, Adam Erne and Yanni Gourde all back down to the Syracuse Crunch to help the AHL team in the playoffs. The sheer amount of players that Tampa Bay had pulled from their minor league team shows how decimated they were by injury this year, while still only missing the playoffs by one point. The Crunch were in first place for much of the season, but after losing almost half their starting lineup to the NHL slipped slightly in the last month. They’ll go in as one of the favorites now that they have this group back.
- Both Joe Thornton and Logan Couture were back at San Jose Sharks’ practice today according to Kevin Kurz of NBC. The two centermen were both in regular sweaters, though Couture skated with a full cage on his helmet. It wouldn’t be surprising to see both of them suit up for game one of their series on Wednesday night, which would be a huge boost to a Sharks team that struggled down the stretch.
Playoff Injury Notes: Senators, Bruins, Canadiens
With the long regular season finally over, a new challenge has appeared for sixteen teams. The Stanley Cup playoffs represent one of the toughest grinds in all of professional sports, where intensity and physical play is increased and players are expected to skate through injuries. That said, some of the teams will start the postseason nursing injuries to some of their biggest stars, while others will welcome them back into the fold after a short rest. Here are some injury updates from around the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
- The Ottawa Senators will welcome back Erik Karlsson and Zack Smith for game one of their series against the Boston Bruins, GM Pierre Dorion confirmed today. The team may also get Marc Methot back into the lineup, less than three weeks since his finger was “shattered” by a Sidney Crosby slash. Inserting those three into the lineup will give the Senators a huge boost at both ends of the ice, as they continue to try and play their shutdown style.
- The Bruins on the other hand will be without Torey Krug for the entire first round, and miss Brandon Carlo for at least game one. The team signed and activated Charlie McAvoy earlier today to replace them, though losing Krug for the whole round is a devastating blow. Whether McAvoy makes an immediate impact or not, Krug has been the Bruins’ best puck-moving defenseman this year and will be sorely missed. Carlo on the other hand has looked like a veteran this year while paired with Zdeno Chara, making up for some of the captain’s decline in effectiveness. The team will also be without Noel Acciari for game one according to Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com.
- Montreal welcomed back an important face to practice today, as Shea Weber rejoined the team in a regular jersey and is expected to play in the first game of their series against the New York Rangers. Weber hasn’t played since March 1st, but will be a huge part of a Canadiens blue line trying to slow down the high-powered Rangers. While technically Montreal is the much higher seed, the Rangers finished with just one fewer point than them in the standings and should be considered at least even odds going into the series. Montreal needs all hands on deck to brush off what has been a roller coaster season and find some success in the playoffs this year.
Evening Snapshots: Zaitsev, Polak, Bickell
News and notes from around the NHL this evening:
- Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Nikita Zaitsev suffered an injury tonight in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus captain Nick Foligno hit Zaitsev just as time expired in the first period, and Zaitsev left the ice awkwardly. The young defenseman tried to return in the second before leaving again. The Leafs hope the injury is not serious as they are close to signing Zaitsev to a seven-year deal.
- Making matters worse for the Toronto Maple Leafs, defenseman Roman Polak also went down with an injury tonight. Polak collided with Blue Jackets’ Boone Jenner in front of the Toronto net and labored back to the bench. He soon after left the bench and went to the dressing room. Polak’s injury leaves Toronto with only four defensemen for the rest of the game. And while this game has no impact for the Blue Jackets, the Maple Leafs’ playoff position depends on whether they gain a point tonight. One point will move the team to 3rd in the Atlantic and set to face the Ottawa Senators. If Toronto fails to gain a point, they will play the Washington Capitals as the second wild card seed.
- Carolina Hurricanes forward Bryan Bickell plays his last NHL game tonight as the Hurricanes take on the Philadelphia Flyers. Bickell was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and just recently made his return last week. He announced yesterday that he will retire at season’s end. Bickell will finish his career with 66G and 70A in 394 games, and three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Maple Leafs Call Up Garret Sparks On Emergency Basis
Per usual, the last day of the regular season has already provided a flurry of activity. Recalls abound as teams heading to the playoffs rest their starters and those remaining teams, with nothing left to play for, begin to take a look ahead with some new additions to the lineup. However, one move already today is an outlier: the Toronto Maple Leafs have announced an emergency call-up of goaltender Garret Sparks from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
The move comes not as a luxury, but as a necessity. The Leafs may have the most important game of the day, as they get set to square off with the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight with major playoff seeding implications on the line. A regulation loss and Toronto faces the Washington Capitals in the first round, a match-up many consider to be a quick elimination for any team, as the Eastern Conference’s second wild card team. If they are able to pick up even one point, Toronto leap frogs the Boston Bruins and gets to play the rival Ottawa Senators in the Atlantic Division pairing. So who will be in net for this big game? It won’t be starter Frederik Andersen. Andersen left yesterday’s game, a playoff-clinching win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, early due to injury and will not suit up tonight. It remains unclear what kind of condition Andersen is in, having been pulled due to injury twice in recent weeks, but Toronto will play it safe with their starter. Curtis McElhinney will get the call instead today against his former team, and played admirably in relief of Andersen yesterday, but has not played in back-to-back games all season.
Cue Sparks, who may end up seeing the ice in relief in one of the most important games of the season for a team he has yet to appear with in 2016-17. With Jhonas Enroth the backup in Toronto earlier this season, a brief reprieve by Antoine Bibeau, and then the subsequent claim of McElhinney, Sparks has not had the opportunity to take the ice for the Maple Leafs this season. Could that change tonight? Sparks started 17 games for Toronto last year, and while his .893 save percentage and 3.02 goals against average were unspectacular, Sparks played relatively well for a 22-year-old. This season with the Marlies, Sparks has been exemplary despite sharing the net with Bibeau, recording a .926 SV% and 2.07 GAA in 29 appearances. Sparks has shown that he deserves another shot at the NHL, but will he get that chance tonight? Could Andersen’s injury be worse than indicated and afford Sparks a playoff roster spot? That all remains to be seen, but what’s clear is that, at least for now, Toronto needs depth in net for a big game and Sparks is the guy to provide it.
Brandon Carlo Leaves Game; Will Not Return
Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo has left this afternoon’s game with an upper-body injury, and will not return.
Carlo took a big hit from Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin in the corner. After being attended to by medical personnel, he left the game. There has been some debate over the legality of the play, as Ovechkin appeared to hit Carlo in the numbers as the young defenseman lost his balance (GIF of hit). There was no penalty on the play.
If Carlo is out of the lineup for any extended period of time, it would be a big loss for the Bruins. His 16 points in 81 games are good for third among Bruins defensemen, behind only Torey Krug (who is currently injured) and Zdeno Chara. Carlo has been a steadying presence as a rookie, averaging 21 minutes of ice-time per game. He was the Bruins’ second-round pick in 2015.
The Bruins have already clinched a playoff spot with 95 points in 81 games. The two possible matchups are the Ottawa Senators or the Capitals. In either series, Carlo would be counted on to contribute defensively against stars like Erik Karlsson and Ovechkin.
At the time this article is being written, the Bruins and Capitals are tied 1-1 in the second period. Should the Bruins win, they would clinch third in the Atlantic Division and a first round matchup with the Ottawa Senators. A loss would give the Maple Leafs the opportunity to pass them (Toronto would have to sweep Pittsburgh and Columbus this weekend). In that case, the Bruins would face the Capitals, who they’re playing right now. If today’s game is any indication, it would be a hard-fought series.
Minor Transactions: 4/8/2017
With the NHL set to wrap up the 2016-17 regular season this weekend, several clubs with postseason seeds locked in are taking the opportunity to rest key players. This gives several minor league players a chance to earn a late season call-up and to see some NHL action in the season’s closing days. We’ll recap the day’s minor transactions in this post.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins announced via Twitter that they have recalled forward Kevin Porter and netminder Tristan Jarry from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. Porter has spent the entire season so far with the baby Penguins but does bring plenty of NHL experience to the table with 247 regular season appearances over parts of seven seasons. For his career, the 5-foot-11, 191-pound winger has netted 29 goals and 58 points while averaging 12:39 of action per game. Porter was a key penalty killer last season in Pittsburgh and saw action in 41 game s before suffering a season-ending injury. He has 46 points in 67 AHL games this season, helping Wilkes-Barre/Scranton earn their 15th consecutive playoff berth. Jarry, who has yet to make his NHL debut, has been outstanding between the pipes for the baby Pens. He’s won 25 of 45 decisions and posted a GAA of 2.15 and a Save % of 0.925 in 45 contests. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette suggests the recalls mean the Penguins intend on resting “someone.” After wrapping up the second seed in the Metro Division and a first round playoff date set with Columbus, it wouldn’t be shocking if the team gave superstar center Sidney Crosby and #1 goalie Matt Murray the weekend off, though that is simply my own speculation. That scenario would give Jarry a solid shot at making his NHL debut.
- The Buffalo Sabres have inked center Sean Malone, their sixth-round draft choice in 2013, to a two-year, entry level deal, the club announced this morning. Malone, a native of West Seneca, New York, recently concluded his senior year at Harvard and finished the 2016-17 campaign with 18 goals and 42 points in 36 games. Malone and his Harvard teammates saw their season end in stunning fashion during their Frozen Four semifinal game when Minnesota-Duluth broke a 1 – 1 tie with 26.6 seconds remaining in regulation. Malone closes out his college career with 42 goals and 99 points in 115 NCAA games.
- Taylor Beck, who was recalled from Hartford yesterday, will make his New York Rangers debut tonight, the club announced via Twitter. The 25-year-old RW was acquired by the Rangers from Edmonton at the trade deadline in exchange for fellow forward Justin Fontaine. Beck has had a terrific AHL campaign, registering 63 points in 54 games split between Bakersfield and Hartford. In 9 career NHL contests, the 6-foot-2, 203-pound Beck has tallied 11 goals and 23 points. He failed to record a point in three earlier appearances with the Oilers this season. Beck will draw into the lineup for New York as the Rangers plan to rest forwards Derek Stepan, Jesper Fast, Mats Zuccarello and Rick Nash, the latter three for the second straight game.
- Montreal has recalled junior defenseman and 2016 first round pick Mikhail Sergachev from Windsor of the OHL. Normally, once a prospect has been returned to junior by his parent club, they cannot be recalled but the Canadiens took advantage of a little-used provision that allows them to do so in certain scenarios. Cap Friendly, via Twitter, provides the details of this provision in the CBA. In this case, since Windsor’s season is now over following their elimination from the OHL playoffs and with Montreal having already recalled a defender from the minor leagues on an emergency basis, the Habs were able to bring Sergachev up, also on an emergency basis. Sergachev appeared in three games earlier this season with Montreal before being returned to Windsor. The blue liner, still just 18, registered 43 points in 50 regular season games and another three in the playoffs for the Spitfires.
- Philadelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall announced this morning that the club has recalled goaltender Anthony Stolarz from Lehigh Valley of the AHL. Stolarz has appeared in six games with the Flyers on the season, starting three times. He has posted a 0.932 Save % and a GAA of just 1.93 in his first taste of NHL action. Sam Carchidi, who covers the team for the Philadelphia Inquirer adds via Twitter that Stolarz will back up Steve Mason tonight with the Flyers on the road in Columbus and will likely get the starting assignment tomorrow as the team closes out its campaign at home against Carolina.
Snapshots: Lyubimov, Beck, Devils, Foligno
Since the Olympic decision came down, details have continued to come out about Russian-born players and their desire (and pressure) to play in the Games anyway. We heard from Nikita Zaitsev on the matter yesterday, saying that it hasn’t changed his plans on staying in North America, but now one Flyers’ forward isn’t so clear. Roman Lyubimov, the former CSKA Moscow winger who signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia this summer and has suited up for 46 games told Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer that it will be a “tough decision” whether or not to return to the KHL next year.
Zaitsev of course has a huge contract extension waiting for him, while Lyubimov has been a healthy scratch for much of the year. The 24-year old forward likely isn’t sure of his place in the NHL after struggling this year and sometimes only seeing five minutes of ice time. He’s a restricted free agent at the end of the year, and if there isn’t a clear role for him in Philadelphia, it may just not fit for him anymore.
- Taylor Beck has been recalled by the New York Rangers for the first time since being acquired at the trade deadline. The 25-year old forward is having a huge year at the AHL level, with 63 points in 54 games. He’ll likely draw into the lineup as the Rangers give some key players the night off heading into the playoffs.
- The New Jersey Devils, on the other hand have sent both Steven Santini and Luke Gazdic back down to the Albany Devils as they prepare for the Calder Cup playoffs. The AHL Devils are in third place in the North division but haven’t actually locked up a spot just yet as Utica and St. John’s are right on their tail. With just five games remaining for the team before the end of the regular season, both Santini and Gazdic will help their chances of making it into the postseason.
- Marcus Foligno‘s season is over, according to John Vogl of the Buffalo News. The forward has been given a 7-10 day timeline on his knee injury, which will take him through the end of the year. Foligno set a career high in goals with 13 and has found a niche as a fast, physical presence in the league. His 279 hits rank fifth in the league and second among forwards behind only Matt Martin of the Maple Leafs. A restricted free agent in the summer, he’ll be looking for a slight raise over the $2.25MM he earned this season, and could earn a long-term deal if he agrees to a sub-$3MM salary.
- The Vegas Golden Knights have sent their only player to the Chicago Wolves on a professional tryout, as Reid Duke starts his journey into pro hockey. The Wolves have been long rumored as the future affiliate of the Golden Knights, and though this doesn’t guarantee that it is another hint that there is already a handshake deal in place. Duke should get used to his surroundings, as he’ll have a tough time cracking the NHL roster next year even if his name is already in the history books.
Minor Moves: Caamano, Wilcox, Ullmark
After previously signing Nicholas Caamano to an amateur tryout, the Dallas Stars have inked the prospect to a three-year entry-level deal. The contract will begin during the 2017-18 season, though Caamano is expected to go back to the OHL for next season. A fifth-round pick in 2016, Caamano put together his best season this year with 64 points in 67 games for the Flint Firebirds. Though they were knocked out of the playoffs early, it was a solid step for the development of the young forward.
Registering a point in his first AHL game, Caamano will unfortunately have to either make the NHL team or return to the OHL next year. His age restricts him from playing in the AHL. With some older players likely leaving the Firebirds for bigger and better things next season, Caamano should be counted on as their top offensive weapon. An increase in responsibility should benefit his growth, as the Stars look to turn a late-round pick into a professional player.
- The Florida Panthers have sent Adam Wilcox back to the AHL, signalling a return for James Reimer. Wilcox only backed up Reto Berra during his NHL stint, and will now return to the Thunderbirds where he had found a ton of success since being acquired at the trade deadline. Unfortunately, Springfield won’t be heading to the Calder Cup playoffs this year, meaning the end is close for Wilcox this season. The goaltender is a restricted free agent this summer for the first time, as his entry-level deal will expire.
- The Buffalo Sabres have also sent a goaltender back down, re-assigning Linus Ullmark to the AHL today. Anders Nilsson‘s injury had been deemed minor, and he should be back in net for one of the final two games this weekend. The Sabres face off against the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning on back-to-back nights, ending what has been a frustrating season. Ryan O’Reilly put it into words yesterday when he told Joe Yerdon of NHL.com “it’s so frustrating coming to the rink right now. Practicing, there’s no purpose right now. You’re seeing other teams gearing up for the playoffs and seeing teams, like Toronto who’s young too, seeing them in the spot we should be in.”
Injury Updates: Wild, Okposo, Carlson, McDonagh
Minnesota received some good news on the injury front on Wednesday as winger Jason Zucker will return to the lineup tomorrow night, notes Dan Myers on the Wild’s team website. Zucker missed the last three games with a lower body injury and is in the midst of a career season with 46 points in 77 games.
The team also learned that defenseman Jared Spurgeon, who left Tuesday’s game early with a lower body issue of his own, isn’t expected to be out for long. In fact, head coach Bruce Boudreau wouldn’t rule him out from playing in one of the final two games before the playoffs get underway.
Still with the Wild, winger Chris Stewart is questionable to play on Thursday night as he continues to battle an illness.
Other injury notes from around the league:
- The Sabres have ruled out right winger Kyle Okposo for their remaining three games, reports Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News (Twitter link). Head coach Dan Bylsma noted that Okposo isn’t dealing with a case of the mumps although he added that team doctors are still trying to diagnose what the exact issue is. The mystery illness has kept Okposo out of the lineup for the past week. Okposo finishes his season with 19 goals and 26 assists in 65 games, matching the lowest output in a full campaign since 2011-12.
- Capitals blueliner John Carlson will sit for a second straight game tonight with a lower body issue. Head coach Barry Trotz noted to CSN Mid-Atlantic’s Tarik El-Bashir (Twitter link) that it’s not a serious issue, classifying it as “day-to-day, hour-to-hour”. With Washington close to locking down top spot in the East (which could happen as early as tonight), they can afford to be cautious in order to ensure the team is as healthy as possible for the playoffs.
- Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh will resume skating tomorrow, notes NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link). The captain has missed two straight games with an unspecified injury. Head coach Alain Vigneault suggested that he’d be comfortable with inserting McDonagh back into the lineup for the first game of the playoffs without getting him into another regular season game so it appears he will likely be out through the weekend as well.
Ducks Notes: Kase, Fowler, Lindholm, Holzer
Ondrej Kase has been recalled by the Anaheim Ducks after less than a week in the AHL. The 21-year old forward has shown that he can compete at the highest level, and will get another chance playing alongside Antoine Vermette and Corey Perry according to Eric Stephens of the Orange Country Register. With his promotion, Nick Ritchie has been demoted to the fourth line for the time being.
Kase has 14 points in 51 games this season, a fine showing for a rookie playing less than 12 minutes a night. His possession numbers are excellent, as he has limited opponent shot opportunities while on the ice. Though his performance in that regard isn’t necessarily where his talent will lie going forward, he has already eclipsed the expectations Anaheim had when selecting him 205th overall in 2014.
- Cam Fowler was absent from practice today and underwent an MRI on the knee that was injured in a collision with Flames’ captain Mark Giordano last night. While the Ducks wouldn’t comment further on his injury, he’s considered day-to-day as they continue to evaluate him. Giordano will be given no supplementary discipline for the hit.
- The Ducks were also missing a couple of other defenders in Hampus Lindholm and Korbinian Holzer from practice. Lindholm continues to rehab an upper-body injury and is expected to rejoin the club on the ice tomorrow. Holzer on the other hand is back in Germany dealing with a personal matter and won’t return until next week at some point. With just five healthy defencemen in practice, it will be interesting to see if the team calls up a player as insurance in case Lindholm isn’t able to play tomorrow night. It seems as though every team is having trouble staying healthy as the season winds down, but losing Fowler or Lindholm would be a huge blow to the Ducks chances in the playoffs.
- Even though the Ducks are four points up in the Pacific Division, the possibility that they drop out of that first seed is still very real if they lose their next two games. Facing the Blackhawks and Kings the team needs to gain at least one point to stay ahead of the Sharks, and hope the Oilers slip up in their remaining three contests. Should they fail to do so, they would be giving up the opportunity to face off against the first wildcard spot, and instead have to take on one of San Jose or Edmonton in the first round. After defeating the Flames—who currently hold that top wildcard spot—and extending their whopping 25-game home ice win streak against Calgary last night, it’s clear which would be the best matchup.