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Los Angeles Kings Recall Jaret Anderson-Dolan

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The Los Angeles Kings are ready to take another look at part of their future. Jaret Anderson-Dolan has been recalled, technically for the first time in his career. The 20-year old forward did play five games for the Kings at the beginning of last season before being sent back to the WHL.

This year, Anderson-Dolan has been playing for the Ontario Reign of the AHL where he has 19 points in 36 games. The second-round pick from 2017 is one of the building blocks for the Kings moving forward, and in another rebuilding season they might as well see what they have.

Anderson-Dolan may not have as high an offensive ceiling as some of the other top prospects in the Kings system, but his two-way ability and experience at center ice makes him one to watch. The Reign are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the AHL meaning his 19 points actually puts him in a tie for second on the club, only behind Martin Frk.

Prospect Notes: Zamula, Thomas, Tomasino

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Yegor Zamula turned a ton of heads at the recent World Junior Championship, recording five points in seven games for the Russian team while proving he can hang with the best players in the world at his age. That impressive performance may have been even better if he wasn’t fighting through injury.

Sport-express in Russia is reporting that Zamula will miss the rest of the CHL season with an injury after playing through it the entire tournament. Zamula apparently didn’t tell anyone about the ailment–which is not specified–until afterwards, but will need three to four months to recover. An undrafted free agent signing by the Philadelphia Flyers, Zamula currently plays for the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL.

  • Another medalist from the World Juniors, Akil Thomas, is on his way to join the Peterborough Petes for the rest of the season after a trade was made official this morning. Thomas scored the gold medal-winning goal for Team Canada, and landed the Niagara IceDogs a package that includes Cameron Butler, two second round picks, a third round pick and a fourth round pick. The Los Angeles Kings prospect is in his final year of junior and will get another chance at the OHL playoffs with the Petes.
  • Thomas wasn’t the only player the IceDogs traded today though. Philip Tomasino, the Nashville Predators first-round pick, was dealt to the Oshawa Generals for a package that dwarfs what they received for Thomas. Niagara will receive six second round picks, a third round pick, two fourth round picks and the rights to David Gucciaridi, who is currently playing in the USHL.  Tomasino is still just 18 and has 57 points in 36 games for the IceDogs this season.

Injury Notes: Klingberg, Kupari, Ducks

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The Dallas Stars buried the lede on Tuesday night, announcing that they had recalled defenseman Joel Hanley from AHL Texas. The reason behind the move was far more important, as the team has placed top defenseman John Klingberg on injured reserve. Klingberg has not played since the Winter Classic, considered day-to-day with a nagging lower-body injury. His IR placement is in fact retroactive to January 1, meaning he could return to action as early as Friday. However, there is no time frame for Klingberg’s return and Hanley’s promotion ahead of a four-game road trip for the Stars suggests that the valuable defender could remain sidelined for a while still to come.

  • Los Angeles Kings prospect Rasmus Kupari had not made his NHL debut prior to being loaned to Team Finlnd for the recent World Junior Championship tournament and now it is certain that he will not make that debut at all this year, his first in North America. Kupari was knocked out of the WJC with an injury and the Kings announced today that he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee. The 2018 first-round pick will undergo surgery later this month and will miss the remainder of the season. The greater concern now is ensuring that Kupari is as close to full strength as possible before next season so as not to slow the development of a player that has already had his issues adjusting to the pro game.
  • The Anaheim Ducks are one of the more banged-up teams in the NHL, but things are looking up. The team issued an update on multiple injured players, including announcing a return to the lineup for core contributor Rickard Rakell, who has been out for two weeks. Perhaps the biggest news though is that young forward Troy Terry, expected to miss ten weeks with a broken bone in his knee suffered in mid-December, has instead been cleared to play after just four weeks and is considered day-to-day. Defenseman Korbinian Holzer has also been cleared to return, although not in Tuesday night’s lineup, while forwards Derek Grant and Nick Ritchie have been cleared to skate and are expected to return after the All-Star break. Perhaps a Ducks team at full health can turn around the team’s 14th-ranked record in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles Kings Make Several Roster Moves

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The Los Angeles Kings have activated Trevor Lewis from injured reserve, meaning he, Dustin Brown and Derek Forbort are all expected to make their returns tonight. Because of the roster crunch, Martin Frk has been sent to the minor leagues. He’ll be joined there by Tobias Bjornfot and Rasmus Kupari who have both been recalled from their World Junior loans. Kupari was forced from the tournament due to injury, but there is no update on his condition yet.

Getting Lewis and Forbort back in the lineup may not change the Kings’ fortune this season, but both are potential trade deadline assets for the club. They only become assets if they’re healthy and playing though, meaning their return will help build up some value over the next several weeks.

Bjornfot meanwhile is coming back after a disappointing bronze medal finish at the World Juniors. He was part of an elite defensive group playing mostly alongside Edmonton Oilers prospect Philip Broberg, and will come back to continue his development in the minor leagues.

Snapshots: Team Canada, Kreider, Nutivaara, Copp

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The World Junior Championships got a gold medal game to remember as Canada pulled off a big comeback victory Saturday to win the gold as Los Angeles Kings’ prospect Akil Thomas scored the go-ahead goal to give Canada a 4-3 win over Russia on Sunday.

Canada was down 3-1 to Russia in the third, but got key goals from Washington Capitals’ prospect Connor McMichael and Arizona Coyotes forward Barrett Hayton to come back and tie the game. It’s the third time in six years that Canada has won the World Championships, but the first time since 2008 that they have won the title on Europe ice. Russia finished with the silver, while Sweden topped Finland for the bronze medal earlier today.

Projected top pick in the 2020 draft, Alexis Lafreniere was named the MVP of the tournament, by the IIHF, as well as the top forward. Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin was awarded the top defenseman award, while St. Louis prospect Joel Hofer won the top goaltender award.

  • One reason the Montreal Canadiens went through with signing forward Ilya Kovalchuk last week was that they realized they had little chance of acquiring New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks notes that Kreider, who has a modified no-trade clause in which he has submitted an 11-team no-trade list, has all the Canadien teams on his list, meaning he has no interest in playing there. Kreider remains the top trade candidate at the trade deadline.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets got some much needed depth back on their blueline as the team announced they have activated Markus Nutivaara off of injured reserve. The 25-year-old has been out since Nov. 5 when he suffered an upper-body injury and has now missed 27 games. The blueliner has two goals in 10 games this season, but should add a helping hand as the team has several defensemen on IR, including Ryan Murray, Dean Kukan and Andrew Peeke.
  • The Winnipeg Jets may have forward Andrew Copp back in the lineup as The Athletic’s Ken Weibe reports that the 25-year-old was a full participant in practice. Head coach Paul Maurice said that if he comes to the rink feeling as good as he left Sunday, that Copp should find himself back in the lineup. The forward has missed the past eight games with an upper-body injury.

 

Injury Notes: Glass, Atkinson, McDonagh

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After a horrible spill in which many feared that Vegas Golden Knights rookie Cody Glass might have suffered a significant knee injury Saturday against St. Louis, The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reported that he’s heard from multiple sources that Glass suffered a bone bruise and is not expected to require surgery.

The 20-year-old suffered a similar injury last season with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL, but this injury is the opposite knee. The forward could still miss a significant amount of games, but there is no ACL/MCL tear, which means Glass should be back when they need him, at the very least. Glass has been a fixture on Vegas’ third line as he has five goals and 12 points in 37 games.

  • NHL.com’s Jeff Svoboda reports that Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson is a 50-50 proposition for playing on Monday against the Los Angeles Kings. The veteran has been out since Dec. 19 with a high ankle sprain. Atkinson did practice today and was on the top power-play unit, suggesting he might be ready. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline adds that high ankle sprains are tricky and there is a big difference between practicing and games. Atkinson said that he still feels a high ankle sprain to his left ankle that he suffered several years ago.
  • The Athletic’s Joe Smith reports that Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh will miss Sunday’s game against Carolina with an upper-body injury. The veteran defenseman went down Saturday and left the game. There is no report on the severity of the injury, so more could come on Monday. McDonagh has had a tough season after a 46-point campaign last year. He currently has just one goals and 11 points in 40 games.

Snapshots: Crosby, Avalanche, Kase

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are playing a number of youngsters from their AHL affiliate as multiple players sit on injured reserve. However, the team may get a big boost soon as center Sidney Crosby could be coming back soon, according to NHL.com’s Wes Crosby. Crosby practiced on Friday in a non-contact jersey.

The Penguins have been without their star center for the past 23 games after the veteran opted to have core muscle surgery on Nov. 14. Crosby is expected to skate on his own again this weekend. While Crosby is not expected to join the team for Sunday’s game against Montreal, the Penguins believe that the 32-year-old could join the team for their three-game road trip that starts on Tuesday, although he has yet to be cleared for contact, so nothing is definite.

“That’s a big step,” Crosby said. “Once you’re cleared for contact, you see how things respond from there. But I’m not ready for that yet. Until then, I think I’ll probably flip-flop between doing my own stuff and skating with the injured guys, and then going with the team depending on the practice.”

  • Although New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider has been predominantly in the news when it concerns trade rumors with the Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater writes that he’s hearing more recent rumblings the team might be interested in acquiring Los Angeles Kings forward Tyler Toffoli. Dater adds that the Kings had a scout at Saturday’s Colorado game and the scribe believes the two squads will make a trade together before the deadline. The 27-year-old might be a good fit for the Avalanche, who could use a player with size and scoring ability and wouldn’t cost too much. It might cost Colorado a first-rounder to get Toffoli, but considering where they likely will be at in the standings, it might be a trade worth making.
  • The Anaheim Ducks could be without forward Ondrej Kase for a bit as head coach Dallas Eakins said the 24-year-old has a bone bruise somewhere on his lower body and wasn’t even able to put his equipment on today, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Kase has struggled with injuries throughout his career as he has never played more than 66 games in his short career. The forward gotten some top line minutes so far this year in 35 games, but only has three goals so far this season.

 

 

Los Angeles Kings Make Several Roster Moves On Defense

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The Los Angeles Kings made a few roster moves with their defense in advance of Saturday night’s game against the Nashville Predators. The team is expecting back one of their top defenseman as Alec Martinez has been activated off of injured reserve. The team has also recalled defenseman Derek Forbort and placed defenseman Joakim Ryan on injured reserve, according to Los Angeles Times’ Jack Harris.

Martinez went down on Nov. 25 when he suffered a laceration to his wrist against the San Jose Sharks in which he underwent surgery to repair a radial artery and two superficial radial nerves. He has been out week-to-week, but has now missed 18 games, a tough pill for a struggling L.A. team to deal with. Next to veteran Drew Doughty, Martinez is the most experienced blueliner the team has and relies on him greatly, especially his defense. While the 32-year-old’s offense has decreased over the last couple of years, he has been a steady influence on the other side of the ice.

The team will also get back Forbort, who has spent the past five games on a conditioning stint with the Ontario Reign in the AHL. Forbort, has sat out all season so far with a back injury, but if he can prove to be healthy, could add another defensive blueliner to their team. Forbort played five games with the Reign, scoring one goal. However, much will be determined by Ryan’s absence. He was placed on IR with an undisclosed injury retroactive to Dec. 27, which means he’s eligible to be activated at any time. If Ryan is ready to return, however, Forbort could be sent back to Ontario.

Kurtis MacDermid Suspended Two Games

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The Los Angeles Kings will be without big defenseman Kurtis MacDermid for the next while after the Department of Player Safety handed out a two-game suspension today. MacDermid was given the ban after an illegal check to the head of Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov earlier this week. As the accompanying video explains:

On this hit, it is clear to us that while MacDermid may make glancing contact with Provorov’s shoulder, Provorov’s head absorbs the brunt of the impact and is therefore the main point of contact. It is also important to note that the head contact on this play is avoidable. Rule 48 does provide situations where a body check may be excused. None of these exemptions apply on this hit.

The check was not penalized by the on-ice officials, but Provorov did not suffer an injury on the play. Both of those things come into play in the decision, along with MacDermid’s clean history of supplemental discipline. That history only covers 71 games of NHL action, and will now be marred by this incident. Any future discipline will be increased because of it.

MacDermid will miss games against the Nashville Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets, and is eligible to return for the Kings’ game agains the Dallas Stars on January 8th.

Snapshots: Mikheyev, Phillips, Stalock

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If you were in a foreign country where you didn’t speak the language well, were away from your entire family and had just undergone emergency surgery to repair slashed tendons in your wrist, it might be a little overwhelming. That’s why Toronto Maple Leafs’ GM Kyle Dubas stayed with injured forward Ilya Mikheyev in New Jersey while he recovered from surgery. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports however, Dubas’ goodwill may actually have a positive impact on player acquisition down the road. Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey, the agent for Mikheyev and many other Russian players, explained to Johnston that he has already told his other clients of how the situation was handled:

The agent has KHL free agents currently drawing significant NHL interest for next season and has made sure they’re all aware of the humanity the Leafs exhibited with Mikheyev, telling them: “You should know how Toronto took care of this particular accident.”

While that obviously doesn’t guarantee the Maple Leafs will get any sort of discount down the road, it certainly can’t hurt when they’re trying to convince the KHL’s top talent to come over to North America. The team will also have a negotiation with Mikheyev at some point, given that he will be a restricted free agent this summer.

  • The Los Angeles Kings have assigned minor league defenseman Markus Phillips to the Guelph Storm of the OHL, sending him back despite already having played in the ECHL and AHL this season. The 20-year old will re-join the Storm for the rest of his overage season, another addition to a team that is already 21-8-5 this season. Phillips was selected 118th overall in 2017 and had six points in 20 games for the Fort Wayne Komets this season.
  • Alex Stalock has been fined $2,000 for embellishment, following an incident that occurred against the Winnipeg Jets on December 21st. It was the second cited case of diving by Stalock, following an earlier incident against the Pittsburgh Penguins that incurred a warning from the league. Though it obviously isn’t a lot of money, embellishment comes with escalating fines that eventually are levied against the coach as well—something that never helps a player’s career.

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