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.
Minor Moves: Gillies, Ullmark, Bondra, Morin
According to John Shannon of Sportsnet, the Calgary Flames will recall goaltender Jon Gillies prior to their game in Los Angeles tomorrow night. The Flames sent Chad Johnson home for precautionary reasons following his lower-body injury on Tuesday night. Even though the last two games are very important for the Flames in determining their playoff seeding Shannon wouldn’t be surprised to see the team give Gillies the start tomorrow.
Gillies, 23, had an outstanding career at Providence College before debuting in the AHL last year. A hip injury derailed his rookie season, needing surgery in December of 2015 to correct a long-standing issue. This year his game hasn’t come all the way back, posting just a .909 save percentage through 38 games at the AHL. He remains one of the top goaltending prospects in the league though, and may get his chance to start a game in the NHL for the first time tomorrow night.
- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Linus Ullmark for much the same reason, with Anders Nilsson suffering a minor injury. Robin Lehner will get the start tonight again Montreal, as the team winds down their season. Ullmark, still just 23, hasn’t gotten back on the ice in the NHL this season despite his impressive 20-game stint with the club last year. Registering a .913 save percentage in those games, the former Swedish pro has shown that he can handle the NHL game. This season hasn’t gone as well in the AHL, but he still remains part of the Sabres future in net going forward.
- Scott Powers of The Athletic tells us that Radovan Bondra will join the Rockford IceHogs for their last few games before negotiating an entry-level contract. The 20-year old power forward had 63 points in 62 games split between the Vancouver Giants and Prince George Cougars of the WHL. At 6’5″ 220-lbs, the Slovakian winger already has more than enough size for professional hockey, but actually needs to improve his consistent physical game as he floats to the perimeter at times.
- The Arizona Coyotes announced today that Kyle Capobianco will join the Tucson Roadrunners for the end of the season. Capobianco already signed his entry-level deal in October, and has just completed his fourth season with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves. The defenseman racked up another 45 points this season, his third straight excellent offensive campaign for the Wolves. While the defensive game is still a big question mark for Capobianco, his size and skating ability should lend itself to a solid development path as he inches towards the NHL. He’ll be 20 next year and will probably play all season with the Roadrunners.
- Samuel Morin and Colin McDonald are on their way back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, though one or both could be back in time for Saturday’s matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Morin debuted successfully on Tuesday night, skating almost 18 minutes alongside Shayne Gostisbehere and registering seven hits in the game. While his game still needs work—as even he admitted after the game, saying that he still needed to mature physically—he provides hope for Flyers’ fans for the future of their blue line.
- The Blue Jackets have assigned Oscar Dansk to the AHL following his season with Rogle of the Swedish Hockey League. The second-round pick from 2012 has continued to develop in Sweden while the Blue Jackets kept Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg here in North America. The three young netminders represent one of the strongest goaltending pipelines in the league at the moment, as each has shown high potential at times. They’ll compete for the NHL backup spot next season, and for starts in the AHL.
Metropolitan Notes: Weight, Murray, Werenski, Sprong, Manning
The Islanders will have several decisions to make at the end of the season, one that will likely see them miss the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14. One of those will be the future of interim head coach Doug Weight, who admitted to Newsday’s Neil Best that he hasn’t given much thought yet as to whether or not he even wants to return behind the bench next season.
New York has a 20-12-4 record with Weight behind the bench after he replaced Jack Capuano back on January 17th and the team has played their way back into the playoff discussion, even if they have just a slim chance at making it now. However, the 46 year old is also their assistant GM and may prefer to go back to working full-time on the management side of the game.
Elsewhere in the Metropolitan:
- Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray may not be ready to return to the lineup by the time the playoffs start, GM Jarmo Kekalainen told Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch. Murray has been out since March 12th with a broken hand and the team was hopeful he’d be able to return with a month. Columbus will also be without rookie blueliner Zach Werenski who is listed as day-to-day with a shoulder issue although the team doesn’t know at this point if he will be cleared to return by next week.
- Despite a prolific regular season where he averaged better than a goal per game at the junior level, the Penguins do not plan to add prospect winger Daniel Sprong to their roster once his CHL postseason ends, reports Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Instead, the team plans to assign him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton once Charlottetown (QMJHL) is eliminated from the playoffs. In the first round sweep, Sprong led the way with eight points.
- After returning to the lineup a couple of weeks ago from an upper body injury, Flyers blueliner Brandon Manning is once again out with an upper body issue, notes CSN Philly’s Jordan Hall. He’s listed as day-to-day and joins Radko Gudas (upper body) on the sidelines. His departure paves the way for Samuel Morin, who was recalled earlier today, to make his NHL debut.
Snapshots: Franson, Bean, Senators
Cody Franson hasn’t had a very successful Buffalo Sabres career. In two seasons marred by injury, the right-handed defender has failed to reach the 30 point mark that he had broken the past two seasons and will miss the playoffs once again. Today, when he was back in Toronto to face the Maple Leafs he was asked about a possible return to his former team in the offseason. Franson is a pending unrestricted free agent, and will have to make a decision on where he wants to try and rebuild his value.
To several reporters including Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, Franson made it very clear that he would be open to a return. “Oh yeah, for sure” he told Johnston, before explaining that playing in Toronto was a “dream come true” for him and his family. Despite having poor point totals and injury concerns, Franson actually still has solid possession numbers and is a candidate for a nice value contract on the open market. He’s clearly not a lock-down defender and never will be, but since he moves the puck so efficiently he doesn’t spend as much time in his own zone. For Toronto fans screaming for the heads of Roman Polak and Matt Hunwick, Franson would likely be welcomed back with open arms.
- Jake Bean is headed to the Charlotte Checkers to get a taste of professional hockey now that his Calgary Hitmen have been eliminated from the WHL playoffs. The first-round pick (13th overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes last summer, Bean is about as good of a defensive prospect as you’ll find around the league. His 45 points in 43 games this season in junior showed once again that his offensive game is ready for the next level, and he is starting to fill out physically. The 18-year old will have to make the NHL team out of camp next season or return to the Hitmen for a fourth year and anchor a Team Canada blueline at the World Juniors.
- The Ottawa Senators are in a fight with the Maple Leafs for second place in the Atlantic Division, and they keep getting hit with injuries. According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, Cody Ceci, Marc Methot and Zack Smith will all not return before the end of the regular season, while Erik Karlsson again missed practice today and is out for tonight’s game. The team will have one reinforcement though, as Colin White will make his NHL debut on the fourth line alongside Tommy Wingels and Chris Kelly. Ryan Dzingel will be scratched in favor of the top prospect, who signed his entry-level contract just yesterday.
Joe Thornton Suffers Knee Injury, Leaves Game
Toward the end of the first period in tonight’s San Jose Sharks contest against the Vancouver Canucks, Sharks veteran Joe Thornton collided with Canucks forward Michael Chaput and injured his left knee. As you can see, Thornton’s knee appeared to bend backward and then buckle under his weight. Thornton was helped to the bench and labored toward the tunnel. Thornton reportedly “crawled” toward the locker room, unable to put any weigh on his left leg. There is no word yet on the specifics or severity of the damage, but as of now it looks to be a serious injury. The Shark announced that Thornton’s return was questionable, but the optics of the hit suggest that, at the very least, Thornton is done for the night.
Thornton, likely a future Hockey Hall of Famer, has still been putting up big numbers at age 37, with 50 points through 78 games thus far. However, at 6’4″, 220 lbs., “Jumbo Joe” has less margin for error when it comes to injury relative to his aging peers. With a big frame and a powerful stride, Thornton can ill-afford to have a lower body injury, but that is certainly how things appear as of now. Serious injury or not, Thornton can expect to miss some time as a result of the collision. The defending Western Conference champions normally have the depth to deal with a loss up front, even one as major as Thornton, but with Logan Couture already sidelined, things may become difficult in San Jose. The Sharks have already been struggling of late, with just two wins in their last ten games, and Thornton missing time won’t help the matter. Rather than battling the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers atop the Pacific Division, the Sharks may now be using their stretch run to fend off the Calgary Flames and to jostle for position with the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators in hopes of not playing the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round. Regardless of their final position, the Sharks Stanley Cup hopes would take a major hit if Thornton’s season is over.
Beyond just 2016-17, a serious injury for Thornton could raise major concerns over his future and the Sharks’ off-season plans. Thornton is an unrestricted free agent this summer, previously ranked third overall of the class by PHR, and many expected the Sharks to retain their star veteran at all cost. However, a heavy forward in his late 30’s coming off a career-low in goals already has some red flags, and adding a major knee injury could take extending Thornton off the table for San Jose and could potentially make it hard for him to find a job this summer. For Thornton and all Sharks fans, the hope is that the injury is not that serious and this scenario never comes to fruition. For now, the assumption is otherwise.
Snapshots: Neuvirth, Gudas, Jerabek, Karlsson, Harpur
The Flyers received some good news regarding goaltender Michal Neuvirth today as he was discharged from the hospital, less than 24 hours after collapsing on the ice in the first period against the Devils on Saturday. GM Ron Hextall told reporters, including CSN Philly’s Tim Panaccio, that all tests came back normal. Neuvirth has been battling a respiratory infection for more than a week and it’s believed that his collapse was largely attributable to that.
Hextall noted that the netminder will be re-evaluated by team doctors during their off day on Monday before making any further determination on his status.
Still with the Flyers, they will be without defenceman Radko Gudas tonight against the Rangers, the team announced via Twitter. He’s listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury that was also sustained last night against New Jersey.
Other news from around the hockey world:
- Czech defenseman Jakub Jerabek is mulling over multiple NHL offers and will make a decision on where to sign over the next week, agent Allan Walsh reports (Twitter link). The 25 year old recently wrapped his first season in the KHL with Vityaz Podolsk where he led the team in points by a blueliner with 34 (5-29-34) in 59 games. Jerabek suited up for the Czechs in the 2016 World Championships and should be a strong candidate to play again in the 2017 edition which kicks off next month.
- Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson is highly doubtful to play in tomorrow’s game against Detroit, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link). While it has been believed that Karlsson’s lower body issue isn’t too serious, the fact that he appears set to miss his third straight game starts to call that diagnosis into question. Earlier today, Ottawa was pushed into a Wild Card spot for the time being as a result of Boston’s victory over Chicago. Between his issue and the injury to Cody Ceci last night, the Sens announced via Twitter that they have recalled blueliner Ben Harpur from AHL Binghamton. The rearguard has 28 points in 63 minor league games this season while being held off the scoresheet in his lone NHL contest in 2016-17.
Blackhawks Notes: Division Champs, Kane, Panarin, Hossa
Despite a slow start and a roster that doesn’t glimmer like some of those from seasons past, the Chicago Blackhawks topped the 50-win mark and clinched the #1 seed in the Western Conference. The Chicago Tribune’s Chris Hine writes that the Hawks added a division title as well in a fight that was carried by the Minnesota Wild for most of the season. But as the Wild began to fade in March, the Hawks steamrolled their way to an impressive season finish. Hine writes that it’s only the second time the Blackhawks have reached 50 wins, and thanks to a run that saw 17 victories in 20 games, Chicago finds themselves sitting pretty as the playoffs are just a week away. As has been the custom over the past decade, the Hawks continue to defy the odds of a league built on parity.
- The Chicago Sun-Times’ Mark Lazerus notes that a key ingredient to the Blackhawk resurgence has been the timely arrival of the core players. Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin, and Jonathan Toews have rotated in their importance as Chicago rolled through February and March. Lazerus writes that Panarin is ending this season strong with five points (4-1) in his last three games and is just one of many in Chicago getting hot at the right time. Kane was named the third star of the month for March, registering 22 points (12-10) in 16 games. Toews started his ascent months earlier in the winter after a challenging start that saw him miss time due to a back injury. The ageless Marian Hossa has four goals in his last six games and younger players Richard Panik, and Nick Schmaltz have been nearly point-per-game players in their last half dozen contests. Though he’ll rest his starters as the season winds down, head coach Joel Quenneville believes that with the Hawks’ top players playing so well, it only bodes well for the team during the grueling playoff run.
- Hine also pens an article about Hossa, who is more than happy to show “he’s still got it” after an off year in 2015-16. Seeing a silver lining in last year’s early playoff exit, Hine writes that Hossa took the time to recuperate and train to be better for this season. The 38-year-old winger also credits his ice time with younger players like Tanner Kero for helping him “feel fresher” with the Blackhawks. Hine adds that Hossa’s scoring knack is a key ingredient for a long playoff run in Chicago.
Metropolitan Notes: Mason, Stolarz, Archibald
Shortly before warm-ups began for the Philadelphia Flyers tonight, ahead of their match-up with the New Jersey Devils, the team announced that goaltender Steve Mason was sick and would not be able to suit up for the game. Mason, who holds an 0-9-0 record, 3.93 GAA, and .852 SV% versus the Devils in his career, was not expected to start the contest, but left the Flyers scrambling to find a backup with less than two hours to puck drop. His condition also casts some doubt on whether or not he’ll be available for Philly’s game against the New York Rangers tomorrow, which Mason was expected to start.
- To replace Mason tonight, the Flyers promoted young goalie Anthony Stolarz from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms on an emergency basis. However, by the time Stolarz got the call, the two hour drive from Wilkes-Barre, PA, where the Flyers’ AHL affiliate was visiting the rival Penguins’ affiliate, to Philadelphia did not get him to rink in time for warm-ups. Stolarz will back up Michal Neuvirth tonight, completely cold, and if Mason is unable to play tomorrow as well, Stolarz may get the start if the team wants to avoid playing Neuvirth in back-to-back games with their slim playoff hopes on the line. The rookie keeper would certainly be up for the task; Stolarz has a 1.79 GAA and .938 SV% and even a shutout in four impressive appearances with the Flyers in 2016-17.
- The injury bug continues to run rampant through Pittsburgh, and with the recent news that Chris Kunitz has been added to the injured list, the Penguins announced that they have recalled Josh Archibald from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to fill the gap. Archibald was just recently sent back down to the AHL amid the Pens’ losing streak, but necessity has called the young forward back up. The rookie right winger has two goals in five games this season playing minimal minutes, but the Penguins will have to hope he can take advantage of increased play time down the stretch as the team continues to plug holes in their lineup.
Chris Kunitz Injured With No Timetable For Return
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ injury-plagued season continues, as winger Chris Kunitz is out with a lower-body injury.
Coach Mike Sullivan told the media that “there currently isn’t a timetable” for his return (via the Penguins’ Twitter). Kunitz took a regular shift on Friday night in New York, but didn’t play during the overtime period or shoot in the shootout, per Josh Cooper of PuckDaddy. It’s not yet clear what caused the injury.
The 37-year-old winger has 29 points this season, after back-to-back 40-point campaigns. He has just three assists in his last 21 games. Nevertheless, it’s another body-blow to the Penguins’ depth.
Even with Jake Guentzel and Ron Hainsey returning in the last week, the team is still missing forwards Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin with upper and lower-body injuries respectively, while defensemen Trevor Daley, Kris Letang, and Olli Maatta are also out, and have missed substantial time this season. Malkin is expected to return soon, and Sullivan believes Letang will be ready for the playoffs.
Snapshots: Zaitsev, Richardson, Flames Arena
Earlier this week, news broke that the Maple Leafs were closing in on a seven-year extension for defenseman Nikita Zaitsev.
The deal is expected to be around $4.5MM per season, which would be a big raise for the 25-year-old rookie coming off his entry-level deal. The expected terms would be comparable to at least 20 top-four defensemen, at around 5-7 per cent of the salary cap and 5-8 years.
Zaitsev has been a solid addition to the Maple Leafs’ blue line, with four goals and 30 assists so far. He’s closing in on Borje Salming‘s record of 33 assists for a rookie defenseman. He’s also leading the team in average ice-time, at 22:16 per game. Despite his good season paired with Morgan Rielly, the Maple Leafs need to be careful. The contract would take him to age 32, an age where defensemen begin to physically break down. In addition, Zaitsev has played just 76 games in the NHL. That’s not a long track record; Shayne Gostisbehere was very good in his rookie year but hasn’t found the same dominance this season as opponents figured out how to shut him down more effectively. The two defensemen play different styles, but the comparison illustrates the potential risk of judging a player based on one season. While a bridge deal minimizes that risk, the team then risks having to pay the player more should he develop further.
The rumored cap hit of $4.5MM is fair value for a top-four defenseman, but the term is risky. Nothing has indicated Zaitsev will struggle, but seven years is a long time.
- Arizona Coyotes forward Brad Richardson will not play again this season, the team announced Saturday. Richardson hasn’t played since mid-November, when he broke his tibia and fibula in a collision with Canucks defenseman Nikita Tryamkin. GM John Chayka said Richardson underwent a procedure to “remove hardware” from the previous surgery. He’s expected to be ready for training camp. Richardson was having a very good season before the injury, with nine points in 16 games.
- The same week that his team clinched a playoff spot, the Calgary Flames President and CEO Ken King made some less-than-popular remarks on Fan 590. Should the team and the city be unable to agree on a new arena deal, then King said “there would be no threat to move, we would just move, and it would be over” (via CBC). It’s not an unprecedented strategy to get public money for a new arena – Edmonton owner Darryl Katz publicly visited Seattle in 2012, months before the deal was finalized to build Rogers Place. Even so, it’s a risky ploy, especially as the team begins selling playoff tickets.