Michael Pezzetta Suspended Two Games
The Montreal Canadiens will be without depth forward Michael Pezzetta for a while after he was given a two-game suspension by the Department of Player Safety for his hit on Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie this weekend. As the accompanying video explains:
On this play, both elements of the illegal check to the head rule are satisfied. First, Oshie’s head is the main point of contact on this hit. Pezzetta hits forcefully through Oshie’s head with his right shoulder, making no meaningful contact with any other part of Oshie’s body. Second, the head contact on this play is avoidable. While Oshie does make a play on the puck, he does not change the position of his head or body just prior to contact in a way which significantly contributes to the head being the main point of contact.
Notably, Oshie did not suffer a serious injury on the play, even scoring on the subsequent powerplay, when Pezzetta was given a two-minute minor on the play. The Canadiens forward also does not have a history of supplementary discipline, though his NHL career to this point spans just 47 games.
That 47-game sample does include a huge amount of physicality though, as Pezzetta has racked up 143 hits and 74 penalty minutes during his rookie season. That bang-and-crash style will undoubtedly lead to some situations like this in the future, but he will now face increasing penalties for any further suspension-worthy incidents. He’ll also miss games against the Minnesota Wild and Philadelphia Flyers this week.
Michael Pezzetta To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety
The Montreal Canadiens may be down a forward for a few days, as Michael Pezzetta will have a hearing tomorrow with the Department of Player Safety. The hearing will determine supplementary discipline following his illegal check to the head of Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie in yesterday’s game.
The hit occurred partway through the third period, as Pezzetta contacted Oshie’s head as the puck went up the ice. He received a two-minute penalty from the on-ice officials, while Oshie did not suffer a serious injury–or at least not one that kept him off the ice last night. The Capitals forward would remain in the game and score his tenth goal of the season on the ensuing powerplay.
Pezzetta, 24, is in his first season in the NHL and provides a huge amount of physicality for the Canadiens, racking up 143 hits in just 47 games. He’s also added 74 penalty minutes, as he carves out a fourth-line role for himself at the highest level. With this hearing, a suspension is likely, meaning he not only will have to miss some time, but his hits will be scrutinized even further in the future.
The Canadiens don’t play again until Tuesday, when they welcome in the Minnesota Wild and try to stop a five-game losing streak.
Carey Price To Return For Montreal Canadiens
For the first time since July 7, 2021, Carey Price will start a game for the Montreal Canadiens this evening. The team confirmed that the star goaltender will be activated and play in tonight’s game against the New York Islanders, starting his first game since making 29 of 30 saves in a losing effort against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game five of last year’s Stanley Cup Final.
Without him this season, things have not gone according to plan. The Canadiens got off to a brutal start, costing head coach Dominique Ducharme and general manager Marc Bergevin their jobs, as the team floundered at the very bottom of the NHL standings. Since Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes, and Martin St. Louis have taken over things have been improving, though the Canadiens are still nowhere near good enough to compete in the Atlantic Division and were eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago.
Even with very little to play for, Price’s return is a huge positive for the Canadiens. One of the highest-paid players in the league, the netminder carries a $10.5MM cap hit that cripples Montreal’s roster construction if he’s not performing at his best. Looking ahead to next season, the team has little chance of competing for a playoff spot without Price healthy and playing on a regular basis.
His return tonight will be an incredibly emotional moment for the netminder and the organization as a whole. A franchise icon even among such a storied history, Price will turn 35 in August and is coming off another serious injury, along with mental health and substance abuse struggles that led him to take time away from the game earlier this season. In November, he released a long statement explaining his absence, asking for privacy as he checked into a residential treatment facility for substance abuse and entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
The question now becomes his long-term outlook and whether he can get back to the goaltender that led Montreal through the playoffs last season, or even the one who was seventh in Vezina Trophy voting in 2019. A career .917 save percentage has been dragged down considerably by his past two campaigns, when he posted a .909 in 2019-20 and a .901 in 2020-21.
At any rate, he’ll be back on the ice tonight searching for win 361, which would inch him even further up the all-time leaderboard and toward the storied 400-win club. Only 13 netminders in history have achieved that number, with Ryan Miller the next closest at 391. Price, who is signed through 2025-26, already sits comfortably in first among Canadiens goaltenders, 46 wins ahead of Jacques Plante.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Montreal Canadiens Place Jonathan Drouin On LTIR
If the Vegas Golden Knights’ flurry of moves wasn’t enough to satisfy those yearning for more long-term injured reserve (LTIR) machinations, the Montreal Canadiens have probably helped them out. The Canadiens have placed Jonathan Drouin on LTIR, according to PuckPedia. Drouin has been out since a late March contest against the Boston Bruins, and his season was ended by wrist surgery.
Drouin, 27, was the third-overall pick in the 2013 draft and has been known for his dazzling skills and somewhat enigmatic inability to parlay those skills into consistent production. He finishes this season with six goals and 20 points in 34 games, which is a 48-point pace. With next season being Drouin’s last before his $5.5MM AAV contract expires, it will be important for Drouin to put this injury-plagued year behind him and try to have as strong of a season as possible to set himself up for a valuable next contract.
For the Canadiens, placing Drouin on LTIR adds an interesting wrinkle to their season, which has largely been one to forget, save for the events following the hiring of interim coach Martin St. Louis. Because Drouin has been placed on LTIR, enough cap space has been “cleared” for the Canadiens to activate Carey Price, as noted by CapFriendly. Price has been practicing and seems to be recovered from the knee troubles that have cost him most of this season. He even traveled with the Canadiens for their road game in New Jersey. The Canadiens are a team in need of a lift, and Price’s return would undoubtedly represent a major one for their fanbase. With Drouin’s placement on LTIR, it seems that lift could arrive before this season comes to a close.
Justin Barron, Jake Allen Out Rest Of Season
The Montreal Canadiens season hasn’t gone according to plan, and it’s ending a little prematurely for another two players. The team announced today that Justin Barron and Jake Allen will not play again this season, though both are expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp.
Barron, 20, was acquired by the Canadiens at the trade deadline and played five games for the team before suffering an ankle injury. It will not require surgery, but he won’t be back in the lineup in 2021-22. The young defenseman was the big prize for the team in the Artturi Lehkonen sweepstakes and represents someone that can play a full-time, impact role as soon as next season. Selected 25th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2020, Barron had 20 points in 43 games this season for the Colorado Eagles before the trade.
Allen meanwhile has had just a nightmare season, missing several months due to injury already. He appeared in 35 games, won just nine of them and posted a .905 save percentage. He suffered a groin injury over the weekend, but is expected to be ready by training camp. At that point he is expected to once again be the backup, given Carey Price‘s expected return, though Allen will likely still see a lot of playing time. Signed through 2022-23 at a $2.875MM cap hit, he will hit unrestricted free agency at the end of next season.
The team also announced that Emil Heineman, another prospect acquired earlier this season and recently signed to an entry-level contract, is in Montreal being evaluated for an upper-body injury. There is no timeline for his return, meaning the Laval Rocket will have to wait to get a chance to see him on the ice.
AHL Shuffle: 04/10/22
After a dozen games on Saturday, seven more are on the docket today. After colliding yesterday, the Capitals and Penguins are back in action Sunday and again face stiff competition. Washington will face the Bruins this afternoon, while the Penguins square off with the Predators later in the day. The Stars are also facing a back-to-back this weekend and looking for a better result today versus Chicago after falling to New Jersey on Saturday. Every point matters at this point in the season and teams are working diligently to make sure they are prepared for each and every game. Keep up with all of those roster preparations here:
Atlantic Division
- After Jake Allen, who has been oft-injured this season, left with an injury yet again last night, the Montreal Canadiens have made a move to replace him. The team announced that Cayden Primeau has been recalled from the AHL’s Laval Rocket. The 22-year-old has played well in the minors this season, but struggled at the top level. In a dozen NHL games, Primeau has an .868 save percentage and 4.62 goals against average to the tune of a 1-7-1 record.
- The Ottawa Senators have re-assigned rookie Mark Kastelic to AHL Belleville, opening up a roster spot for the return of Tim Stutzle. Kastelic is a big, two-way center and the former captain of the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen who is asserting himself as a solid bottom-six option for Ottawa, recording 25 points in 56 AHL games this season, in turn earning him 11 NHL games.
Metropolitan Division
- Hayden Hodgson is heading back to the AHL after a brief recall to the Philadelphia Flyers. The team has announced that the recently-signed forward has been returned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. After pro four seasons, spent mostly in the ECHL, Hodgson is enjoying a breakout campaign with 19 goals and 31 points in 46 games in the AHL, leading to an NHL contract and three points in six games with the Flyers over the past few weeks.
- With center Casey Cizikas‘ one-game suspension served, the New York Islanders are returning forward Andy Andreoff to the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. Andreoff, 30, is a veteran of 185 NHL games and has 39 points in 55 AHL games this season.
Central Division
- The Nashville Predators have announced that with goaltender Juuse Saros out day-to-day with a non-COVID illness, goaltender Connor Ingram has been recalled from Milwaukee of the AHL. Ingram, 25, has appeared in 2 games so far this season and has a 1-1 record and a .906 save percentage. Ingram has a .914 in 50 games in the AHL this season.
Pacific Division
Prospect Notes: Misa, Savoie, Struble, Busdeker
Is another “exceptional” player arriving early to the OHL? Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports that Hockey Canada and the Ontario Hockey Federation are currently considering an application for Exceptional Player Status for 15-year-old forward Michael Misa. Those players granted Exceptional Status are allowed to join a CHL league a year early due to their generational talent. Previous OHL exceptions include John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Sean Day, and presumptive 2022 first overall pick Shane Wright. While Exceptional Status was clearly the proper decision in most of these cases, Day was a considerable error and has caused decision makers to tread more carefully in recent years. As a result. Marek notes that the applications for Misa and two others were expected to be declined. However, Misa’s recent efforts at the OHL Cup for his Mississauga Senators U-16 team have pushed the envelope. Misa recorded 10 goals and 20 points in seven games during the tournament en route to a championship and MVP honors, looking like a player ready to take his talents to the top junior level. A decision from Hockey Canada and the Ontario Hockey Federation is expected soon, with the OHL Draft coming up on April 29. If granted Exceptional Status, Misa would be the favorite to go first overall in the draft. If he is denied, Misa is expected to play in the USHL next season. Either way, the promising prospect is already a name to keep an eye on for the 2025 NHL Draft.
- Marek also reports that newly-anointed NCAA champ Carter Savoie is also eager to move to the next level. Although only a sophomore with two years of NCAA eligibility remaining, Savoie is expected to turn pro and sign with the Edmonton Oilers. A fourth-round pick in 2020, Savoie performed well with Denver last year but took his game to new heights this season, jumping out to an early scoring lead in the NCAA and ending the season with 23 goals and 45 points in 39 games. A key cog for the National Champion Pioneers, Savoie will hope to play a similar role in Edmonton before too long. The Oilers are always in need of affordable scoring and Savoie could play that part perfectly on his entry-level contract if he can make a quick transition to the pro game.
- One player who will not be leaving school early is Northeastern defenseman and Montreal Canadiens prospect Jayden Struble. When the Habs selected Struble in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft directly out of the prep school level, he was expected to be more of a long-term project. Instead, Struble went directly to Northeastern the following year and developed into a capable two-way defenseman. However, it seems that the two sides disagree one whether he is pro ready just yet. Sportsnet’s Elliott Friedman reports that Struble is expected to return to the Huskies next season for his senior year rather than turn pro. It does not seem as though this is related to Struble not wanting to play for the Canadiens, though he will be able to elect free agency after next season if he so chooses.
- Rockford IceHogs forward D.J. Busdeker has signed a one-year extension, the AHL club announced. It’s a nice move for the team, as Busdeker has been a reliable presence this season in just his second pro campaign. Busdeker leads the IceHogs in games played and is among the top scorers in points and assists. However, it begs the question of when or if Busdeker might earn an NHL contract from the Chicago Blackhawks. Just 22 and translating his ability well from the OHL, where he was also a consistent scoring threat for the Saginaw Spirit.
Jake Allen Leaves Game With Lower Body Injury
The Montreal Canadiens announced that goaltender Jake Allen has left tonight’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs and will not return. Allen went down after Auston Matthews‘ first goal of the evening and proceeded to head to Montreal’s dressing room, being relieved by Sam Montembeault.
It’s unclear how long, if at all, Allen will be out for Montreal beyond tonight, however the injury is yet another in a season plagued by injuries for the Canadiens, losing their second goaltender of the season, with Carey Price missing the entire season to date. On a brighter note, according to The Athletic’s Apron Basu, Price could make his season debut for Montreal on Monday (Twitter link).
Montreal Canadiens Activate Jeff Petry
Jeff Petry is expected to return to the Montreal Canadiens’ lineup Saturday night when the team faces the Toronto Maple Leafs, writes Sportsnet’s Eric Engels (link). Petry has been out of the lineup since suffering a lower-body injury against the Florida Panthers back on March 24th. The defenseman took warmups this evening in Toronto alongside Joel Edmundson.
Petry’s injury is yet another one in a historic season of man-games-missed due to injury for the Canadiens, however the veteran has managed to play a majority of games this season for Montreal. Despite his comparatively healthy season, Petry has struggled to an extent for Montreal, with four goals and 12 assists in 57 games and a -10 rating for the Canadiens.
Getting Petry back into the lineup is still good news for the Canadiens, as a strong finish for him could help to boost his trade value going into the offseason. Montreal had considered moving the defenseman at the trade deadline, but did not find a deal to their liking. The team could still move Petry in the offseason, but finding a return worth the 34-year-old’s talent may be difficult, as he still has three more seasons at a $6.25MM average annual value remaining on his contract.
Michael Pezzetta To Return Against Toronto
- The Canadiens announced (Twitter link) that winger Michael Pezzetta will return to the lineup tonight after missing the last couple of weeks with an upper-body injury. The 24-year-old has played in 44 games in his rookie season, collecting eight points along with 68 penalty minutes and 132 hits. Jesse Ylonen will be scratched to make room in the lineup for Pezzetta.