Schedule For Upcoming NHL “Bye Weeks”
For the third year in a row, the NHL has scheduled a mandated multi-day break for each team in the middle part of the season. Meant to give each team a rest, much like the bye week in the National Football League, this break also includes limits on practice, including several days in which all team activities are prohibited. A seven-day break this season, on paper an increase from the original five-day break, the “bye week” is actually less intrusive this season than it has been in the past despite the longer length. All 31 teams will take their break either right before or right after the upcoming All-Star Weekend, with those two days counting toward the seven and simply extending what has always been a short break for non-participants. Below are the lists of teams who will take leave on one side of All-Star festivities or the other:
Before All-Star Weekend (January 20 – 24)
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Tampa Bay Lightning
Winnipeg Jets
After All-Star Weekend (January 27 – 31)
Anaheim Ducks
Arizona Coyotes
Calgary Flames
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
Detroit Red Wings
Edmonton Oilers
Florida Panthers
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
Montreal Canadiens
Nashville Predators
New York Islanders
Ottawa Senators
San Jose Sharks
St. Louis Blues
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks
Vegas Golden Knights
Washington Capitals
How each team feels about taking an extended break in the middle of the season generally varies based on situational factors. While many players would enjoy getting to spend some time away with their families, others would rather keep the pedal to the metal mid-season. More specifically, a team that is playing well and stringing together wins would rather keep playing and not lose out on that momentum. Another team may be in a slump or struggling with injuries and desperately in need of a break. Either way, not every team will be in favor of the bye week each season.
There also remains some scheduling flaws with the mandated break, as most teams will only get the actual seven days or an eighth day off for travel, but others are set to go ten or eleven days without a contest. The “bye week” seems to be a move by the NHL that has enough support to continue in future seasons, but the league could work on sharpening the schedule so as to give teams as close to an even break as their competition as possible.
Minor Transactions: 01/14/19
Just six games on the schedule for Monday night but that does include an old-fashioned rivalry game between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. The two Eastern Conference franchises will face off with plenty on the line given their places in the standings. Boston currently has a three point lead on Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division. As teams prepare for tonight’s action we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- The Ottawa Senators have sent Darren Archibald and Stefan Elliott back to the minor leagues, given they don’t play again until Wednesday. That leaves the Senators with just 21 players on the roster, meaning another move is likely before they take the ice. For Senators fans, that move is hopefully going to be the activation of Thomas Chabot who was at practice this morning in a regular jersey.
- Stefan Noesen has been placed on injured reserve by the New Jersey Devils in order to make room for Egor Yakovlev on the roster once again. Noesen’s IR stint is retroactive to January 12th, though it’s not clear when exactly he’ll return from this lower-body injury.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent Gabriel Carlsson and Kole Sherwood back to the minor leagues, meaning they’ll have to wait to get into the NHL lineup. Carlsson has played only a single game with the Blue Jackets this season, while Ohio native Sherwood is still waiting on his NHL debut.
- Michael Hutchinson has been returned to the minor leagues by the Toronto Maple Leafs as Frederik Andersen prepares to return to the crease. Toronto will also get Garret Sparks back on the end of the bench as the backup, meaning Hutchinson can return to the AHL and serve as valuable depth.
- Similarly Adin Hill has been sent back to the AHL by the Arizona Coyotes, who instead will use Darcy Kuemper in the starting role moving forward. Hill has shown himself to be a capable NHL netminder in his short career, but will be served better by starting every game in the minor leagues to continue his development.
- After trading away Devin Shore earlier today, the Dallas Stars have recalled Michael Mersch from the minor leagues. Mersch has just 17 games under his belt at the NHL level, all with the Los Angeles Kings in 2015-16. He does however have 20 points in 29 games for the Texas Stars and can be used as forward insurance as the team gets Andrew Cogliano up to speed.
Minor Transactions: 01/12/19
As they prepare to square off tonight, the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs are also on the board with some minor moves already. The Atlantic Division battle between likely first round opponents highlights a busy twelve-game Saturday slate. The Metropolitan Division gets the action started, with marquee matinee match-ups between the Rangers and Islanders and the Devils and Flyers. Other notable games later on include the Avalanche and Canadiens, both fighting to stay in the playoff picture in their respective conferences, the Blue Jackets and Capitals, two of the teams jockeying for position at the top of the Metro, and the Senators and Sharks, as Erik Karlsson faces his former team in his new home. With lots of action across the league, including some high stakes contests, expect some maneuvering to be made on several rosters. Keep up with all of the transactions here:
- Urho Vaakanainen made his return to the AHL’s Providence Bruins lineup last night, indicating that he had been sent down, despite a formal announcement. Vaakanainen had been on the Boston Bruins’ injured reserve in December and was loaned directly from there to Team Finland for the World Junior Championship, a venture that ended in a gold medal. With the Bruins in enough of a roster crunch as is, it makes sense that the promising rookie would head back to the AHL, where he can continue to develop while also serving as the next man up on the Boston blue line.
- In what has become a daily occurrence over the last several weeks, the Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo on an emergency loan from the AHL Marlies, the team announced. There was hope that starter Frederik Andersen may be able to return from injury for tonight’s game, but he has added a bout with the flu to his list of ongoing issues and will remain sidelined. Michael Hutchinson will instead make his fifth straight start, with Kaskisuo again suiting up as the backup. The struggling minor league keeper has yet to see any game action in the NHL.
- The New Jersey Devils have returned goalie Cam Johnson to their AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Devils, in response to activating MacKenzie Blackwood from the injured reserve, who will get the start today for New Jersey. Johnson did not make an appearance in net for the team on his recall, which comes as little surprise given his struggles in the AHL this season. Johnson, who has also spent time in the ECHL, was a standout at the University of North Dakota, but is still adjusting to the pro game in his first season. The Devils also announced that injury-prone forward Marcus Johansson has been activated from the IR as well. If the Devils have any chance of getting back into the playoff picture, Johansson will need to be at the top of his game the rest of the way. Worst case scenario, they can flip the impending free agent before the trade deadline.
- With Ryan Murray out sick, the Columbus Blue Jackets needed an extra defenseman and have elected to recall Gabriel Carlsson. Carlsson, a first-round pick back in 2015, has only played in one game with Columbus this season and has struggled to carve out a role for himself with the NHL club. The big stay-at-home defender will use this latest recall to try to prove he’s worthy or more play time.
- The Arizona Coyotes have reassigned forward Michael Bunting to the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunner, per a team release. Following the acquisition of Jordan Weal and the return of Josh Archibald, the team had a surplus of forwards and Bunting is the man tabbed to head back to the minors. Bunting scored in his debut with the team and played in four games overall on the recall.
- After being sent to the San Jose Barracuda Friday, the San Jose Sharks have recalled forward Rourke Chartier from the AHL once again, according to CapFriendly. The 22-year-old has split his season evenly between the Barracuda and the Sharks. He’s played 12 games in the AHL with three goals and 10 points, while struggling a bit more with the Sharks as he has one goal in 13 appearances so far this season.
New Jersey Devils Could Be Active Deadline Sellers
The New Jersey Devils surprised the world last season by fast-forwarding their rebuild and making the playoffs. However, that success was fueled by an MVP effort from Taylor Hall and a surprising takeover in net by Keith Kinkaid. The 2018-19 campaign has been a little different; Hall has battled injuries and is currently on a scoring pace far below his 93 from last year and Kinkaid has struggled greatly in goal. Elsewhere in the lineup, injuries and under-performing players have sunk the Devils season, as a career campaign from Kyle Palmieri and the emergence of now-injured MacKenzie Blackwood have not been enough to keep them in the playoff picture.
The question for GM Ray Shero and company now is whether to chalk the season up to a minor setback or consider last season the outlier and return to their rebuild. During a radio segment on TSN 1290 in Winnipeg yesterday, Darren Dreger stated that he feels the team will opt for the latter and are ready to move out several pieces. Just a year after being one of the more active buyers on the trade deadline market, acquiring both Michael Grabner and Pat Maroon, it appears the Devils could instead be major sellers this season.
Dreger noted that the likes of Hall and Palmieri, signed for one and two more years respectively, are nevertheless untouchables, while Sami Vatanen, considered the team’s No. 1 defenseman, is also part of that group. Of course, the team’s many young roster players are also part of the long-term solution and most likely won’t be dealt away either.
Yet, that still leaves a long list of intriguing trade options, perhaps none more so than the aforementioned Kinkaid. Despite having a down season this year, Kinkaid was already considered a high-end backup prior to his breakout last year and would now certainly have value on the trade market for teams in need of an upgrade to their goaltending depth. An impending free agent making just $1.25MM, Kinkaid is affordable and risk-free to any team willing to acquire him. With 22-year-old Blackwood and the virtually immovable contract of Cory Schneider on the books moving forward, Kinkaid may not have a role with the Devils moving forward and the team is likely to get what they can while they can. The same goes for forward Marcus Johansson, whose injury struggles have kept him from being a difference-maker over two years in New Jersey and have almost certainly ruled him out of the team’s future plans as an impending free agent, barring a discounted contract. Although his health concerns could drive down his price on the trade market, Johansson’s offensive upside is worth more to a contender than it is to the Devils down the stretch and they could seemingly find a taker so long as his current injury is not considered season-ending. Reliable veterans (and prototypical deadline rentals) Brian Boyle and Ben Lovejoy also seem likely to move. Boyle, one of the biggest forwards in the league and a defensive specialist, is also on pace to approach his career high of 35 points this season. While he has been embraced completely by the Devils faithful and plays an important locker room role, Boyle should still be dangled at the deadline if the team is truly committed to adding pieces to their rebuild. Boyle could always re-sign with the team as a free agent. There won’t be a similar attachment to Lovejoy, who is as solid as they come as a stay-at-home defenseman and penalty killer, but merely stands to block New Jersey’s budding defensive depth. Lovejoy will be very valuable to a contender as a depth addition on the blue line and is as good as gone at the approaching deadline.
Where things begin to get interesting is whether or not the Devils would – or could – move long-time teammates and locker room leaders Andy Greene and Travis Zajac. Greene, 36, is signed for one more year and Zajac, 33, is signed for two more years, both with salaries that aren’t great on paper, but look better in the midst of bounce-back season. Both veterans have been around the team since 2006-07 and are entrenched in Devils culture. However, if New Jersey is committed to a rebuild, this is likely their best time to get rid of one or the other and get a substantial return back. Zajac has been more involved in the offense this season than he has in years and could potentially reach 50 points for the first time since 2009-10. He has also been automatic at the face-off dot and plays a smart two-way game. A number of teams might be willing to take on the remainder of his contract this season, but might not be as willing the next time around if he regresses in the second half or next season, well within the realm of possibility. The same goes for Greene, who needs just one point for a new season high over the past four years. Greene continues to play big minutes for the Devils, is an elite shot blocker, and an experienced, intelligent presence in his own zone. His game is not without flaws, but just when it looked like he was really slipping over the past couple of seasons, Greene has bounced back this year. His value at the deadline this season, as a year plus rental, will be far more than next deadline, when he will be months away from a likely retirement. Do the Devils capitalize on the improved status of their two elder statesmen? Or do they preserve the culture of the team at the cost of the rebuild?
Minor Transactions: 01/11/19
Just four games are on the schedule for this evening, but one will feature the return of a former franchise player. Jeff Skinner returns to Carolina for the first time as a Buffalo Sabres forward and has his team on track for the playoffs. The Sabres sit just two points behind the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division and could tie them with their game in hand tonight. Skinner’s 29 goals are a huge part of Buffalo’s success, and have him on pact for a new career high.
- Kasimir Kaskisuo has been returned to the minor leagues by the Toronto Maple Leafs, but won’t be there for long. Frederik Andersen is not expected to play until Monday according to Lance Hornby of Postmedia, meaning Michael Hutchinson will likely get another start in net tomorrow night.
- With MacKenzie Blackwood on injured reserve and potentially staying in the NHL long-term, the Binghamton Devils have signed Evan Cormier to an AHL contract for the rest of the season. Cormier had been playing on an amateur tryout previously, but has a .938 save percentage in four games.
- Speaking of the Devils, the New Jersey variety have sent Egor Yakovlev back down to Binghamton today. Yakovlev is expected to suit up for the minor league game tonight, his ninth game with Binghamton this season.
- The Ottawa Senators have placed Colin White on injured reserve, recalling Stefan Elliott in his place. White suffered an upper-body injury against the Los Angeles Kings last night when he was crushed by defenseman Jake Muzzin.
- Troy Grosenick is heading back to the AHL after filling in for Juuse Saros on the bench last night. The minor league goaltender was called up under emergency conditions when Saros was sick, but won’t get into an NHL game just yet.
- The San Jose Sharks have returned both forward Rourke Chartier and defenseman Jacob Middleton to the AHL Barracuda, the team announced. Considering the Sharks and Barracuda share a building, every recall and reassignment in San Jose is a paper transaction. The duo are expected to play for the Barracuda tonight, but could very well be called up tomorrow when the Sharks host the Ottawa Senators. With both Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun still sidelined, there’s a a good chance that at least Middleton’s return is only temporary.
- In search of more offense, the Buffalo Sabres recalled top AHL forward C.J. Smith last month. After recording, one point in four games, he’s headed back down. The team announced that Smith has been reassigned to the Rochester Americans. No corresponding move has been made as of yet.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have shuffled their lineup, sending emergency backup J-F Berube and winger Eric Robinson back to the AHL and promoting center Kevin Stenlund, per a team release. The 6’4″ pivot has yet to make his NHL debut, but has performed well in his second season in North America and has the makings of a strong bottom-six center. A second-round pick by Columbus back in 2015, Stenlund’s arrival to the Blue Jackets roster has been long-awaited.
Mackenzie Blackwood Moved To Injured Reserve
The New Jersey Devils have moved impressive young goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to injured reserve, retroactive to January 2nd. Kevin Rooney has been recalled to take the roster spot, but Blackwood will be eligible to return on Saturday if fully healthy.
That means that the Devils will be going with Keith Kinkaid again tonight as they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs, a tough ask of any goaltender this season. Kinkaid has struggled since getting back into the net last week, recording an .870 save percentage since Blackwood’s injury. That injury happened last Friday against the Arizona Coyotes, and though it is not considered serious is a tough break for such a young and promising career.
Blackwood, 22, was originally selected in the second round of the 2015 draft as the second goalie off the board. His NHL career got off to a shaky start against those very same Maple Leafs when he allowed two goals on ten shots in a relief effort in mid-December. Since then though the goaltender has been almost unbeatable, stopping 190 of 199 shots and recording two shutouts. With Cory Schneider‘s future unclear due to injury and inconsistency, Blackwood looks just about ready to take over for the Devils full-time.
Kinkaid meanwhile is a pending free agent who is playing for his NHL future, something that seems far less certain after his recent struggles. The backup goaltender has had the opportunity to steal the starting job in New Jersey over the past few seasons, but will probably have to look for a new home this summer if Schneider can find any semblance of health. A strong run in any opportunity he does get will go a long way to landing Kinkaid that next gig, whether in New Jersey or elsewhere.
Blues’ Patrick Maroon Likely To Be Traded
Last season, Patrick Maroon was moved by the Edmonton Oilers at the NHL Trade Deadline to the New Jersey Devils for a third-round pick and prospect Joey Dudek. Maroon had 30 points in 57 games with the Oilers, on pace for the best offensive season of his career, but was even better on the other side of the deal, adding 13 points in 17 games to finish with 43 points on the year. This off-season, Maroon was expected to cash in on that success as a free agent. Instead, he signed an unexpectedly small one-year, $1.75MM deal with his hometown St. Louis Blues. Even with the local connection, many speculated that there must be a handshake agreement between the two sides for a more substantial extension once some salary could be moved off the roster this upcoming summer, an idea fueled by the unusual combination of a full no-trade clause on a single-year contract.
Well, it appears that won’t be happening after all. The season has not gone according to plan for Maroon or the Blues. The team has been struggling greatly despite several prominent off-season additions and Maroon has been part of the problem. The big winger has just three goals and eleven points in 32 games for St. Louis and has frequently been a healthy scratch. The Blues are not quitting on the season; in fact, the team with the fewest games played in the league looks far worse in the standings than their actual points percentage rank would indicate. The playoffs are not an impossibility for St. Louis, but the team is listening on all offers and would not be opposed to moving anyone who isn’t actively helping them win. According to The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, that includes Maroon, who he expects to be traded by the deadline for a second year in a row.
What about that no-trade clause? Rutherford made the revelation that Maroon’s NTC status changes after January 31st. In the final month ahead of the trade deadline, Maroon no longer has a full no-trade clause, but instead must submit a measly eight-team no-trade list, allowing him to be moved to 22 other teams. So while Maroon is protected through the next few weeks – although Rutherford suggests the team might ask him to waive the clause earlier – the time is coming when the Blues should be able to move Maroon relatively easily.
Of course, the return this season won’t quite be what the Oilers netted last year in a mid-round pick and middling prospect. Especially in the current buyers’ market, the 30-year-old Maroon in a down year will not cost much to a team simply looking to add a bottom-six depth forward. Maroon is a hard-working forward with the versatility to play a scoring role or checking role. Even in a down year, Maroon has the size and motor to be an intriguing addition. He also assured Rutherford that he is not being bothered by any injuries nor has he stopped playing as hard as possible. St. Louis just simply hasn’t been a fit for Maroon, despite his hopes, and no longer looks like a long-term landing spot. The Blues have little reason not to shop him ahead of the deadline and sell him off to the highest bidder. Expect just that to happen by February 26th.
Minor Transactions: 01/06/19
Despite many eyes across North America focused on the NFL Wild Card playoffs, the NHL has a busy Sunday scheduled this weekend. Seven games are on tap today, with the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators—two teams that are in the rumor mill—kicking things off this afternoon. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league today.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo back to the minor leagues once again, and could have him dressed for the Toronto Marlies game this afternoon. Kaskisuo has been serving as the backup for Michael Hutchinson while the team deals with injury, but still hasn’t gotten into an NHL game. With Frederik Andersen expected to return soon, he may have to wait for another opportunity.
- Though the terminology varies on the ECHL and AHL websites, minor league defenseman Nolan De Jong will be playing for the San Jose Barracuda for the time being. With Jacob Middleton recalled by the Sharks, the Barracuda have acquired De Jong to give them some more depth on the back end. The former University of Michigan captain has nine points in 22 games with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL this season.
- The New Jersey Devils announced they have recalled goaltender Cam Johnson from the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. He was recalled with the recent injury to MacKenzie Blackwood, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Johnson will serve as the backup today against Vegas. The former University of North Dakota standout has had an up and down season between the ECHL and Binghamton. While he has had quite a bit of success with the Adirondack Thunder, he hasn’t been as successful in 14 AHL games. Johnson has a 3.91 GAA and a .866 save percentage. To make room for Johnson, the team assigned defenseman defenseman Egor Yakovlev to the AHL.
- The Calgary Flames announced they have assigned forward Dillon Dube and goaltender Jon Gillies to the Stockton Heat of the AHL. Dube has appeared in 23 games with Flames, but if the team is sending him down, it’s likley that forward Andrew Mangiapane is ready to return from injured reserve. And with David Rittich healthy and ready to go, the team didn’t need Gillies, who was serving as an emergency backup. He has yet to make an appearance for Calgary.
- The Anaheim Ducks have assigned both forward Ben Street and defenseman Jake Dotchin to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Both players had cleared waivers recently. The team also sent defenseman Korbinian Holzer to San Diego. The moves are expected to open up roster spots for the return of center Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler, who have been on injured reserve. Rackell has been out since Dec. 5 with a ankle injury, while Fowler has been out since Nov. 12 with a facial fracture. UPDATE: Stephens adds that Fowler has officially been activated off of injured reserve.
- The Edmonton Oilers will get back a key defenseman as they announced they have activated Kris Russell, while placing forward Kailer Yamamoto on injured reserve. Russell has been out since Dec. 11 with a groin injury and has been badly missed in Edmonton, who have since acquired multiple defenseman to add depth to their team. Russell has eight points and a plus-four rating for the Oilers. Yamamoto, the team’s first-round pick in 2017, is still trying to gain a full-time position with the team, but has just a goal and two points in 13 appearances, while having eight points in 11 games in the AHL.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have recalled Chad Ruhwedel from his conditioning stint with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The 28-year-old defenseman has played the role of the team’s seventh defenseman for several years now, but found himself in the press box for a long stretch of time, since Nov. 19, and the team opted to send him to the AHL to get him back into game shape. Ruhwedel played five games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, posting one goal, five points and a plus-eight.
New Jersey Devils Extend John Hynes
The New Jersey Devils have taken a big step backwards from their impressive 2017-18 campaign, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be making a change behind the bench. The Devils have signed head coach John Hynes to a multi-year extension. Hynes’ current deal was set to expire at the end of this season. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet adds that he expects GM Ray Shero to also receive an extension. Shero explained his decision to extend the New Jersey head coach:
John’s leadership has been instrumental in building both culture and systems that are focused on the development of our players. He has cultivated a group of veteran leaders, while helping our young players develop and gain experience. John is to be commended for the progress the team has made under his direction and this commitment shows that we are confident in the role he will play in our future success.
Hynes has been behind the bench for the Devils since 2015 and carries a .505 winning percentage in that time. He led the club to a playoff berth last season just a year removed from winning the first-overall draft pick, but has seen his team struggle to find that kind of success this time around. The Devils currently sit 15-17-7 and are near the very bottom in the Eastern Conference standings.
Still, last year was a completely unexpected occurrence in the rebuild and shouldn’t put expectations too high for this club. Shero and Hynes have been patient in their approach, and are trying to set up the team for long-term success. That success could very well hinge on this offseason, when Taylor Hall and Nico Hischier could both potentially negotiate long-term extensions. The pair of star forwards are signed through the 2019-20 season but no further, with Hall scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent following next season.
In fact, only Cory Schneider, Damon Severson and Miles Wood are signed for longer than two years following this season, meaning Hynes and Shero can build and mold this roster as they see fit. Whether the team is willing to spend their ample cap space is still to be seen, but there was no reason to move on from Hynes at this point.
New Jersey Devils Place Taylor Hall On Injured Reserve
The New Jersey Devils announced that they have placed Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, retroactive to Dec. 23, meaning the forward can be activated at any time.
While Hall still leads the Devils in points scored, he isn’t having the immense season he had a season ago when he accumulated 39 goals and 93 points. Through 33 games, Hall has 11 goals and 37 points. He wasn’t even missed much in the past three games as the team won all three on the strong goaltending of rookie MacKenzie Blackwood.
Hall last played on Dec. 23 and has since missed three games with that lower-body injury. NJ.com’s Chris Ryan writes that even though he can be activated at any time, he did not accompany the team on their four-game roadtrip that starts Wednesday in Dallas. However, Hall could meet up with the team when he is ready to return to action. In the meantime, the Devils have recalled defenseman Egor Yakovlev and forward Blake Pietila from the Binghamton Devils of the AHL, to join the team on the roadtrip.
The 27-year-old Yakovlev has already played 11 games for New Jersey, posting four points. A free-agent signing out of the KHL this summer, Yakovlev has provided solid insurance depth for the franchise. The 25-year-old Pietila has not made an appearance with New Jersey this season, but has appeared in 19 games over the last four years. He has been playing well with Binghamton with 12 goals and 22 points in 34 games.