Injuries Mounting Up Front For Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are off to an impressive start this season, with Max Domi and Jonathan Drouin leading an improved forward group that have contributed to the team’s 46 goals in 15 games (not counting tonight). Even as the team deals with the long-term recovery of captain Shea Weber, they’ve kept their heads above water with a 8-5-2 record. With Carey Price still not playing at the level he’s capable of, there is plenty of enthusiasm in Montreal.
Unfortunately, that enthusiasm took a hit today when the team released updates on a pair of forwards. Paul Byron, who is dealing with a lower-body injury, will now be evaluated on a week-to-week basis and is out for the foreseeable future. The 29-year old forward, who was signed to a four-year extension at the end of training camp, hasn’t played yet in November and now seems in danger of missing the rest of the month. A key player given his speed and penalty killing ability, Byron has also been one of the team’s best goal scorers at even strength the last two seasons.
Perhaps even worse than the news on Byron is that of Joel Armia, who suffered a knee injury against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night. Armia will be out for six to eight weeks, meaning he very well could be out until after Christmas. Armia had seven points in his first 15 games and had logged time on both the powerplay and penalty kill this season. That versatility will be sorely missed over the next couple of months, especially if Byron can’t come back soon.
Tomas Plekanec, who has played only three games this season, is getting closer to a return but isn’t the type of player who can make a huge impact anymore. What these injuries might mean is another chance for Nikita Scherbak, who has been playing on a conditioning stint in the minor leagues. As CapFriendly noted yesterday, the Canadiens can keep him in the minor leagues for another few days but will have to make a decision on what to do with him at some point. The team already lost Jacob de La Rose when they tried to sneak him through waivers, and wouldn’t want to risk Scherbak to the same fate.
Montreal hasn’t been able to deal with injuries very well over the last few years, but with some added depth thanks to the emergence of Jesperi Kotkaniemi and acquisition of Domi perhaps this season will be a different story.
Minor Transactions: 11/07/18
After an interesting night in the NHL that saw the Ottawa Senators prove they can still compete among all the noise, and one of the newest St. Louis Blues forwards finally record a hat trick, there’s plenty to do on this Wednesday morning. With just three games scheduled for tonight, teams will be making adjustments to their lineups and preparing for the next few days. As always, we’ll be here to keep track of all those minor moves.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have returned forward Trevor Moore to the minor leagues, now that they’re off for a few days. Moore didn’t suit up for the Maple Leafs this time around, but should be considered the first call-up if the team experiences any more injuries up front. That said, with a road trip coming up next week he could be back up to fill the extra roster spot in just a few days.
- Anthony Peluso has been recalled by the Calgary Flames after Dillon Dube was moved to injured reserve. Peluso took rushes with the team at practice as well, indicating that he’ll get into the lineup for the third time this season. Dube is dealing with a concussion, but his injured reserve stint is retroactive to November 3rd meaning he could come off whenever he is healthy.
- Alex Lyon and Tyrell Goulbourne have been returned to the AHL by the Philadelphia Flyers, indicating that at least one of Brian Elliott or Michal Neuvirth will be able to suit up tomorrow night against the Arizona Coyotes. Calvin Pickard is the only fully healthy goaltender on the roster now, but sitting Lyon at the NHL level with little to do wasn’t an option.
- The Vancouver Canucks have reassigned Jalen Chatfield to the Utica Comets of the AHL, ending his brief NHL taste before he actually played in a game. Chatfield, an undrafted free agent signing, has played seven games for the Comets this season but is still waiting to make his NHL debut.
- After just a day, the Detroit Red Wings have returned Christoffer Ehn to the minor leagues. Ehn got just 6:53 in ice time last night for the Red Wings, but managed to record four hits and a shot on goal in his 10th game of the season. The young forward will likely be the first call-up again down the road for Detroit.
- Kenny Agostino has been recalled by the Montreal Canadiens, giving the former AHL MVP another shot at the highest level. The minor league dynamo has another ten points in his first 12 games for the Laval Rocket this season, continuing his near point-per-game pace in the AHL through five seasons. Despite that success, he’s been given just 22 opportunities to suit up for an NHL game, something he’ll try to change with the Canadiens this season.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have brought up two young players once again, recalling Phillip Di Giuseppe and Clark Bishop from the Charlotte Checkers. To make room, Nicolas Roy has been sent back down after six games with the Hurricanes. Carolina has been swapping players in and out of their bottom-six all season trying to find a fit, and will give Di Giuseppe and Bishop another chance to make an impression in the coming days.
- The Anaheim Ducks have returned center Chase De Leo to San Diego of the AHL, just one day after recalling him. The 23-year-old didn’t play in Tuesday’s loss against the Kings. De Leo is off to a decent start in the minors with five points in eight games and will likely get another look with the big club later on this season.
Injury Updates: Red Wings, Hendricks, Byron, Radulov
The Red Wings’ battered back end is set to get a boost tonight as Danny DeKeyser is set to return after missing the last eight games due to a hand injury, reports Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. He gives Detroit another top-four defender that should be capable of logging more than 20 minutes a night to help take some pressure off of their young defensemen. However, it’s not all good news for the Wings as DeKeyser will be taking the place of veteran rearguard Jonathan Ericsson who is dealing with an undisclosed injury of his own. Tonight marks the 14th game of the season for Detroit and they have yet to have their entire defense corps healthy at the same time for any of them.
Other injury notes from around the league:
- Wild forward Matt Hendricks has resumed practicing and has been cleared to play following a leg injury sustained back in mid-October, notes Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. However, he won’t suit up tonight in St. Louis. The veteran has played in five games this season, logging just shy of ten minutes a night while winning just shy of 46% of his faceoffs.
- The Canadiens will be without winger Paul Byron for at least the next three games, the team announced (Twitter link). He missed Montreal’s last game due to a lower-body injury and if the team wants to free up a roster spot to bring up a replacement, he can be played on IR retroactive to October 30th.
- The Stars have sent winger Alexander Radulov home for treatment and he is expected to miss the remainder of their current road trip which has three games remaining, notes Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). The veteran missed four games before returning earlier this week against Montreal but was shut down again following that contest. Radulov ranks sixth in the league in points per game (1.57) so far this season.
Atlantic Notes: Point, Plekanec, Thompson
The six-year, $31MM extension that Tampa Bay gave winger Yanni Gourde on Friday raised more than a few eyebrows given his relative inexperience. Matt Larkin of The Hockey News suggests that the Lightning may have created another problem for themselves with the move as it pertains to pending RFA center Brayden Point. His agent has already indicated that his preference is to wait until the summer to get a new deal for Point finalized and with a strong start that has seen him collect 14 points in 12 games to start the season, the asking price is only going up at this rate. Accordingly, Larkin likens the situation to Toronto and RFA William Nylander where the team may be banking on Point taking a discount to keep the core intact. If he’s unwilling to do so (and doesn’t want to take a bridge contract), GM Julien BriseBois may have to move out a couple of players before next season to free up enough room to re-sign Point and fill out his roster.
More from the Atlantic:
- Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec returned to practice for the first time since sustaining a back injury in mid-October, notes TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie (Twitter link). The veteran has played in just three games this season after beginning the year as a healthy scratch and then suffering this injury just after reaching the 1,000 games played milestone. While he is still likely at least a few days away from returning, it’s worth noting that Montreal is carrying a full roster and they have already lost one player to waivers as a result of that crunch earlier this season.
- Sabres center Tage Thompson will be scratched for the sixth time already this afternoon which has led to some discussion about whether or not the 21-year-old would be better served playing with AHL Rochester instead. Head coach Phil Housley told Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald that they believe that there’s value in keeping him up for extra drills after practice and video sessions but acknowledged that playing time is still most important for his development. With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him sent down if he’s not back in Buffalo’s lineup over the next few games.
Jeremiah Addison Clears Unconditional Waivers
Saturday: The Canadiens announced that Addison has cleared waivers and that his contract has been terminated.
Friday: The trend of mutual contract terminations continues this season, as the Montreal Canadiens have placed Jeremiah Addison on unconditional waivers in order to terminate his deal according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Addison had been assigned to the Brampton Beast of the ECHL recently, but according to Patrick Friolet of RDS had refused the assignment and instead wants to go back to school.
Addison, 22, was a late-blooming offensive player in junior who only really broke out in 2014-15 with the Ottawa 67’s. That earned him a seventh-round selection by the Canadiens in 2015, but he only suited up for a total of 10 games in the AHL. That didn’t include a single contest this year, and it appears as though his professional hockey career is over at this point.
There’s still reason to keep an eye on his name, given that he easily showed enough skill to compete in the minor leagues, but should he clear tomorrow and see his contract terminated the Canadiens will no longer have any claim to him as a prospect.
Paul Byron (Lower-Body Injury) Questionable To Play Thursday
- Canadiens winger Paul Byron is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game against Washington after leaving Tuesday’s contest with a lower-body injury, notes Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette. He did not participate in practice today but Claude Julien doesn’t believe the issue is too serious. Byron, fresh off of signing a four-year extension just before the season got underway, is off to a good start with seven points through eleven games. If he can’t play, winger Andrew Shaw will likely take his place in the lineup.
Gustav Olofsson Out Six Months Following Shoulder Surgery
It has been a rough month for defenseman Gustav Olofsson. After suffering a shoulder injury in training camp with Minnesota, he eventually was waived and passed through unclaimed. He then was flipped to Montreal but in just his second game with their AHL affiliate in Laval, he suffered a recurrence of the injury. Arpon Basu of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that this latest injury will keep him shelved for six months after undergoing successful surgery today. Barring a faster-than-expected recovery, this will end his season.
Olofsson is no stranger to shoulder issues as he missed almost his entire rookie year with one back in 2014-15 as well as part of the 2015-16 campaign with another one. Despite that, he still showed some potential with the Wild and got into 41 games with the team last season. Clearly, Montreal liked his upside as they dealt a decent prospect in winger Will Bitten to acquire him after he cleared waivers to give them some more depth on the back end. Anticipating a lengthy recovery, the Canadiens signed blueliner Ryan Sproul to a minor league tryout deal to take Olofsson’s place on the roster last week.
The 23-year-old is in the final season of a two-year contract that pays him $775K. That means he’ll be owed a qualifying offer of just under $814K and given that this will be the second time in five seasons that he effectively is missing an entire year due to injury, it’s not exactly a given that Montreal will be tendering him that offer in June.
Montreal Canadiens Plan To Keep Jesperi Kotkaniemi In NHL, Will Continue To Evaluate
On Saturday night the Montreal Canadiens played their tenth game of the season, and with it Jesperi Kotkaniemi burned through the first year of his entry-level contract. The third-overall pick from June has impressed with his play in the early going, despite still looking for his first NHL goal. Four assists and a fine showing at both ends of the rink has kept him in Montreal, and will for the next few weeks at the very least. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin told reporters today that they’ll reassess the situation in 10-15 games, but that right now “the plan is to keep him in Montreal.”
The Canadiens have been better than many expected in the early part of the season, and trail the Toronto Maple Leafs by just two points for the Atlantic Division lead. They’ve only allowed 25 goals so far, thanks in part to a solid effort from their center group that was so derided in the offseason. While Max Domi has easily been the most impressive player in the middle for the Canadiens, Kotkaniemi has given them a legitimate third option that can be relied on for around 14 minutes a night. That is an outstanding feat for a player that won’t turn 19 until July, and one that hadn’t played in North America prior to this year.
One team that is hoping that the Canadiens change their mind is the Finnish World Junior squad, who look like they’ll be quite depleted this season. Kotkaniemi and Miro Heiskanen in Dallas would likely have been two of the best players in the tournament, but don’t look like they’ll be sent to take part. That could obviously change, but if Montreal believes he can help them compete for the playoffs this year, Kotkaniemi will remain in the lineup.
Max Pacioretty, Victor Hedman Exit Game With Head Injuries
UPDATE (10/27): Both teams have now issued updates statuses on the injured players. Despite the optics of each hit and the initial optimism from the Lightning, it seems that Hedman has likely suffered a worse injury than Pacioretty. Tampa Bay reports that their top defender will be re-evaluated in a week after an upper-body injury (while also noting that Ondrej Palat is day-to-day with a lower-body injury). Hedman will certainly miss the Bolts’ game against the Coyotes today and match-ups with New Jersey and Nashville later this week as well. His status for Tampa’s games against division rivals Montreal and Ottawa are in question. Meanwhile, Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant revealed that Pacioretty is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Given the time taken to update his condition, it is likely that Pacioretty was evaluated for a concussion but seemingly avoided one. Vegas also faces the Senators and Predators in upcoming games and the winger’s availability could be a game-time decision for each.
10/26: The Vegas Golden Knights are facing a possible absence from big off-season trade acquisition Max Pacioretty, while the Tampa Bay Lightning could be without defensive mainstay Victor Hedman. The veteran winger first left Friday night’s game between the two teams after suffering an apparent head injury. Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn was the culprit, as he delivered a high hit on Pacioretty just five minutes into the contest. (video) Hedman was then the victim of an awkward collision with Knights forward Ryan Reaves in the second period that sent him toppling into the boards. Hedman appeared to injure his head/neck area as he landed. (video)
As the video shows, Pacioretty was carrying the puck and Coburn was simply playing his man. As Pacioretty cuts to the right, Coburn lands a shoulder right to his face. Pacioretty did get right back up, but quickly skated off and looked uneasy. “Patch” did not return to the game and Vegas has not issued an update on his status. An update should be expected soon, with the Golden Knights set to host the Ottawa Senators on Sunday and potentially in need of a roster move.
In contrast, Tampa Bay was quick to rule out Hedman, as The Athletic’s Joe Smith received word before the end of the period. Reaves hit itself was not bad, but caught Hedman off balance. The superstar defenseman crashed into the boards and quickly skated off the ice once he was back on his feet. It was unclear whether his head injury was more of a concussion concern, like Pacioretty’s, or instead a possible neck issue as a result of an awkward landing.
If Pacioretty did indeed suffer a serious head injury that will sideline him for some time, Vegas will have to make up for his offense. The former Montreal Canadiens star has only two goals through nine games, but is a five-time 60+ point player. Between he and Paul Stastny, out with a lower-body injury, the Knights would be without their two major off-season additions and expected top-six core contributors. Fortunately, the team has Alex Tuch back from the injured reserve to help pick up the slack. Cody Eakin, who has four points in six games while dealing with injuries of his own, will also be expected to step up. A Hedman absence would be a major loss for the Bolts, but not one that would be impossible to overcome. Between Ryan McDonagh, Mikhail Sergachev, and Coburn, the Tampa lefties will be leaned upon more. Slater Koekkoek would also be likely to see some action, filling Hedman’s roster spot. With a game tomorrow at the Arizona Coyotes, it would be no surprise to see the reigning Norris Trophy winner sit at least one game. More information on the status of both players should be available soon.
Atlantic Notes: Backes, Kotkaniemi, Cholowski
A last minute scratch on Saturday has many people worrying that Boston Bruins forward David Backes might have a more serious problem when they look back to a hit that Backes took a shoulder to the head in Thursday’s game against Edmonton from defenseman Matt Benning in the first shift of the game. He was checked for a concussion and cleared to return, but only skated 6:28 during the game.
While the 34-year-old participated in Saturday’s morning skate, there are many concerned that Backes, who has suffered numerous concussions over the course of his career, has another, according to Matt Porter of The Boston Globe. Head coach Bruce Cassidy said he was “absolutely” worried about Backes.
“We’ll list it as an upper-body injury,” Cassidy said. “I think we all saw the hit. You want to be cautious, first of all. This is a player’s health, that left at the end of last year with a concussion.”
- The Montreal Canadiens got a great game out of 18-year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemi despite losing to Ottawa Saturday. The third-overall pick in this year’s draft is starting to show his skills and while he only has three points in seven games so far, he is clearly making a positive impact on the Canadiens, according to The Athletic’s Marc Dumont (subscription required). Throw in the fact that Kotkaniemi has made fewer than a half dozen mistakes on the ice, Montreal has a big piece in place for the future.
- Another player receiving quite a bit of praise is Detroit Red Wings defenseman Dennis Cholowski. The 20-year-old has received a big opportunity with injuries to Mike Green, Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson and Danny DeKeyser, and has taken advantage of it, according to Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James. The 2016 first-round pick has shown off smooth skating and on-ice intelligence and has shown an offensive instinct, posting two goals and five point in six minutes. Dylan Larkin believes that Cholowski is a big piece to their future. “His head is always up and he’s always there to make passes and get it in the forwards’ hands,” Larkin said of Cholowski. “He reminds me a lot of Zach Werenski in that sense, where their posture with the puck is almost if you’re forechecking him, you don’t know what he is going to do because he’s got his head up and his feet are moving. It’s awesome having him back there.”