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Metropolitan Notes: Santini, Ho-Sang, Hunwick, Niskanen, Vesey

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The New Jersey Devils got back into the win column Saturday after failing to win their previous four games. Despite that fact, New Jersey remains in first place with a 10-4-2 record in a tough Metropolitan Division. Yet, the team’s 2-1 victory Saturday against the Florida Panthers was a defensive effort in which many players praised the play of unheralded defenseman Steven Santini, according to The Record’s Andrew Gross.

The physical 22-year-old defenseman only played in 38 games a year ago, but is a mainstay on the team’s defense this year. The former second-round pick from 2013, showed off his physicality against Florida with big hits, most notably a hit in which he dumped the Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov into his team’s own bench in the second period. Santini got plenty of ice time with 23:42, was credited with four hits and was smart enough to avoid a penalty when challenged by Panthers’ enforcer Micheal Haley in the third period.

  • New York Islanders Joshua Ho-Sang made the most of his emergency recall Saturday when he scored a goal against the St. Louis Blues last night, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday. Ho-Sang, the team’s first-round pick in 2014, had played six games with the Islanders to start the season, but was sent down to work on improving his in-game mentality — knowing when to drive to the net and when to dump the puck. Ho-Sang had put up two goals and four assists in six games during that span with the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers, but with Anthony Beauvillier day-to-day, Ho-Sang got his chance to redeem himself. He can stay up on an emergency basis for 30 days or 10 games, but the team could always officially recall him as well.
  • Jonathan Bombulie of The Trib Live writes that Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Hunwick, who has already missed 12 games due to a concussion diagnosed on Oct. 17, has hit a plateau in his recovery and will be held off the ice for a few more days. “He’s been having a tough time getting over that last hurdle, and so they want to take a little bit of a different approach to try to get him over that last hump,” coach Mike Sullivan said.
  • NBC Sports Tarik El-Bashir writes that Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen will travel on the team’s upcoming road trip to Nashville and Colorado, according to head coach Barry Trotz. Niskanen, who has been on LTIR since Oct. 14 due to an upper-body injury, will not suit up tonight against the Edmonton Oilers, but could be ready to suit up for one or both of the away games this week. The Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan tweets that Niskanen has been cleared for contact, but is not “full go” and may or may not be ready for games this week. A key veteran defender, the team’s defense would get a big boost upon his return.
  • New York Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey went straight to the dentist after Saturday’s victory over the Edmonton Oilers, according to Newsday’s Steve Zipay. The 24-year-old wing took a Zack Kassian skate to the mouth in the second period. Two of Vesey’s teeth had to be removed from his lip. Despite the injury, Vesey returned for a shift in the third period and wore a protective plastic cage attached to the lower part of his helmet. He is day-to-day.

Travis Zajac Well Ahead Of Schedule, Expected To Return Next Week

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It appears that the Devils will be getting center Travis Zajac back a lot earlier than originally anticipated.  He underwent surgery on August 17th to repair a torn pectoral muscle and was supposed to miss between four-to-six months.  However, the team announced via Twitter that Zajac has been cleared to return to practice and that he should suit up sometime next week.

Dec 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) looks on against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. The Penguins won 4-1.Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY SportsZajac’s return would be a big boost for a New Jersey team that has been one of the more pleasant surprises in the early going this season.  He has been one of their more consistent players in recent years that plays in all situations while routinely being above average at the faceoff dot.

Once cleared to return, the Devils will be an enviable team when it comes to their depth down the middle.  2017 top pick Nico Hischier has adapted nicely in his rookie campaign while Adam Henrique has skated as their other top-six center so far.  Brian Boyle recently returned to the lineup after battling leukemia while Blake Coleman has handled the fourth line duties nicely.  They also have Pavel Zacha who is out the outside looking in at a lineup spot at the moment plus Marcus Johansson (who can play all three forward positions) although he’s out with a concussion.  When everyone is healthy, that’s one of the deeper groups in the league and that type of depth could potentially be used to make a move or two as we get closer to the trade deadline.

[Related: Devils Depth Chart from Roster Resource]

New Jersey also received good news regarding 2016 first rounder Michael McLeod.  Andrew Gross of The Record notes that the 19-year-old has also been cleared to return to practice.  He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee back on October 12th.  Head coach John Hynes acknowledged to Gross (Twitter link) that no decision has been made yet as to whether or not he will play with the Devils or be returned to his junior team, the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Notes: Devils, Sabres, Maple Leafs

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The New Jersey Devils have activated Kyle Palmieri from injured reserve, and could get him back in the lineup for the first time since October 20th. Palmieri had been dealing with a lower-body injury, which derailed what was an excellent start to the season. The 26-year old had seven points in his first seven games, and looked well on his way to a third straight 50-point season.

To make room, the Devils have moved Marcus Johansson to IR with his concussion issues. His stint is retroactive to November 1st when he last played, meaning he is eligible to come off as soon as he’s ready to play. Johansson left after crashing hard into the boards on his first shift of a game against the Vancouver Canucks, and hasn’t played since.

  • Buffalo Sabres head coach Phil Housley has updated Rasmus Ristolainen’s injury, now calling the defender week-to-week in his recovery. The team should get Nathan Beaulieu and Josh Gorges back soon, but missing Ristolainen for any length of time is a big hit to the Sabres defense corps. The 23-year old was originally day-to-day with an upper-body injury, but it’s unclear now when he’ll return to the team. With Buffalo sitting at 5-8-2 on the season, a loss of their best defenseman for very long could put them in an impossible hole.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t have Auston Matthews at practice again as he continues to deal with his upper-body injury, but there were also two conspicuous absences. Jake Gardiner and Frederik Andersen were both given what have been called maintenance days according to Kristen Shilton of TSN. Andersen took a blow to his blocking hand in last night’s game that was reminiscent of the injury to Roberto Luongo earlier this year, but stayed in the game to earn the Maple Leafs the win. For a team that was so injury-free last season, any lengthy absence from a single member of that trio would be something new to overcome. They’ll be careful not to aggravate any minor injury.

Kyle Palmieri Expected To Be Activated Thursday

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  • The Devils are expected to activate winger Kyle Palmieri off injured reserve in advance of Thursday’s game against Edmonton, North Jersey’s Andrew Gross reports. He could possibly take the place of center Pavel Zacha in the lineup as the 20-year-old skated as the 13th forward in practice.  While New Jersey will need to make a move to bring Palmieri back, they have yet to place Marcus Johansson (concussion) on IR so that should open up a roster spot without affecting any of their currently-healthy players.

Marcus Johansson Diagnosed With Concussion, Kyle Palmieri Resumes Skating

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Devils forward Marcus Johansson has been diagnosed with a concussion, head coach John Hynes confirmed to reporters, including The Record’s Andrew Gross.  The injury was sustained on Wednesday against the Oilers and there is no timetable for his return; the team is calling him out indefinitely.  Johansson, New Jersey’s most prominent offseason acquisition, is off to a decent start with his new team, posting three goals and two assists through ten games.

The Devils do have some good news on the injury front, however, Winger Kyle Palmieri resumed skating on Thursday and also took to the ice on Friday as he continues to work towards a return from his lower-body injury.  He’s currently on injured reserve but when he gets the green light to return, it’s likely that they’ll simply place Johansson on IR to free up the roster spot.

The Unleashed: Group VI Free Agency

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Normally in the NHL, players aren’t allowed to reach unrestricted free agency before they turn 27. Even then, most players end up trading away some of their free agent years for pay raises and long-term contract stability. Sometimes though, you end up with a player like Steven Stamkos who in the summer of 2016 was set to become a free agent at the age of 26.

Stamkos debuted in the league at such a young age because of his outstanding talent, that he had already accrued the necessary seven seasons in the league. He actually could have become a free agent in the summer of 2015 had he not signed a contract including the 2015-16 season several years earlier. Almost every star does this, as you can see around the league. Connor McDavid is already locked up until he’s 29, signing away four years of free agency in his recent $100MM extension.

But, there is another way to hit free agency early and it’s at the opposite end of the spectrum. Players that are stuck in the minors and never really given a chance to play in the NHL can become free agents at age-25, as Jordan Weal did this summer. Weal, who dominated for several years in the AHL without ever getting a full-time look in the NHL became a Group VI free agent this summer. To do so, he had to meet three requirements (via CapFriendly):

  1. The player is 25 years or older (as of June 30th of the calendar year the contract is expiring).
  2. The player has completed 3 or more professional seasons – qualified by 11 or more professional games (for an 18/19 year old player), or 1 or more professional games (for a player aged 20 or older). This can include NHL, minor league, and European professional league seasons played while under an SPC.
  3. The player has played less than 80 NHL games, or 28 NHL games of 30 minutes or greater for a goaltender.

Every year there are several players who qualify as Group VI free agents, and 2018 will likely be no different. Here are a few notable candidates.

Mark McNeill – Dallas Stars – 2 GP

Dallas would have had to play McNeill all season long to break the 80-game threshold. The 18th-overall pick from 2011 has been dominant at times in the AHL, but was never given a chance in Chicago. Dealt last season in a move for Johnny Oduya, McNeill will hit free agency and could look for a brand new start somewhere else. Whether another opportunity will ever come in the NHL is a different story, as McNeill has fallen off the prospect map in recent years.

"<strongTyler Wotherspoon – Calgary Flames – 30 GP

Wotherspoon was once considered a top prospect that looked like a lock for a long NHL career, but without showing any real top-four potential the excitement has died in recent years. The 14 games he played with the Flames when he was just 21 would end up being the most he would see in any single season so far, and he’d need to jump into the lineup quite soon (and stick) to avoid being granted free agency this summer.

 

Josh Leivo – Toronto Maple Leafs – 43 GP

Leivo has once again been pulled from the Maple Leafs’ lineup prior to their matchup against the Los Angeles Kings, a feeling he must be getting used to by now. He’s never played in more than 13 games in a single season with the Maple Leafs, and would need to suit up for 47 more this season in order for the team to hold onto his rights. The third-round pick from 2011 has actually fared quite well in his sporadic games, recording 11 points in his last 15 contests.

"<strongStefan Noesen – New Jersey Devils – 53 GP

Noesen has been a solid player for the Devils since being selected off waivers from Anaheim last year, and has played 39 of his 53 games in that time. He isn’t a full-time player for them though, and he was scratched on Wednesday when Brian Boyle returned to the lineup. The question will be can he get into another 27 games this season to crack that 80-game mark, or does the first-round pick—that once was a key part of getting Bobby Ryan to Ottawa—hit the open market this summer.

There are many, many more candidates for Group VI free agency and we’ll be taking a look at some of the others throughout the season depending on how their season progresses. 

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Kyle Palmieri Officially Moved To IR, Brian Boyle To Make Debut

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The New Jersey Devils will see Brian Boyle make his debut tonight after they activated him from season-opening injured reserve. The team has moved Kyle Palmieri to injured reserve to make room. Boyle will be playing in his first game since being diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia just prior to the season, a condition that was caught early enough to battle with medication. Boyle was signed in the offseason to a two-year, $5.5MM contract after spending last year with Tampa Bay and Toronto.

In what should be an incredibly emotional night, Boyle will suit up against the Vancouver Canucks and is expected to play left wing on the fourth line beside Miles Wood and Blake Coleman. Amazingly, his debut comes on the first day of Hockey Fights Cancer month, in which the entire league helps to raise awareness and funds for fighting the disease. Boyle will surely be front and center the entire month, along with Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson’s wife Nicholle, who will be one of the spokespeople for the NHL’s movement.

Palmieri’s IR stint is retroactive to October 22nd, when he injured his foot in practice. As Andrew Gross of The Record reports, Palmieri hasn’t skated since the incident. While Boyle certainly doesn’t fill his shoes offensively, he’ll help fill out some of the depth that was missing in Palmieri’s absence.

Nikita Popugaev Leaves WHL For KHL

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It’s been a whirlwind twelve months for Nikita Popugaev and likely not in a good way for the career prospects of the New Jersey Devils prospect. The once-highly regarded young forward saw his stock drop prior to the draft and has struggled again to begin this season, leading to a departure from juniors that could have a major impact on his career.

Popugaev, 18, was hoping for 2017 to be a year to remember. Instead, it has been a year to forget. Heading into last season, the 6’6″, 205-lb. Russian import was considered a surefire first round pick. In 2015-16, he impressed in his first junior season, recording 47 points in 70 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors. The first half of 2016-17 was even better; Popugaev had an incredible 51 points in his first 40 games, including a team-leading 22 goals to that point. Yet, the Warriors decided to trade Popugaev to another WHL contender, the Prince George Cougars, in early January. The Cougars would eventually go on to win the WHL’s B.C. Division, but due in little part to the contributions of Popugaev. The young scorer’s production dropped off entirely in Prince George, as he registered only 18 points in 31 games following the trade.

Suddenly, the draft status of the big winger came under serious fire. The initial thought was that Popugaev had the scoring touch and stick skills to be a bona fide NHLer, but also size and strength that made him more pro-ready than many of his peers. However, his struggles with the Cougars exposed Popugaev as a selfish player who preferred trying to beat defenders one-on-one rather than using his new teammates. With a skating game that was still in development and a nonexistent defensive game, the doubts over Popugaev’s offense sent him quickly sliding down draft boards. Popugev ended up as a fourth-round pick of the Devils this June, the 98th overall selection when this time last year some considered him to be a top-15 possibility.

Yet, Popugaev had the chance to bounce back in a full season with Prince George in 2017-18 and prove wrong his critics. Only, through his first thirteen games, Popugaev has only two goals and seven points, accompanied by a -13 rating. Likely fed up with the downward spiral his career has been on since his trade to the Cougars in January, Popugaev decided today that enough was enough. They young Russian has decided to return home, as the KHL announced (link in Russian) that Popugaev has signed with CSKA Moskva. Not only is jumping ship to the KHL generally not a good move for young players, but Popugaev’s willingness to cross the Atlantic at his earliest opportunity to play Canadian junior had lessened some of the concerns regarding the “Russian factor”. Now, he has done exactly what many team fear and has abandoned one of the top developmental pathways in hockey to  instead join the KHL, where he will have much less exposure and will adjust to a different style of game, even in what will likely be few minutes. In fact, Popugaev’s contract specifically allows him to be demoted not one but two levels below the KHL. Not only that, but it is a two-year deal.

In one year, Popugaev has gone from a top scorer in one of the best feeder leagues in North America and a potential NHL asset in short time to an afterthought returning to Russia out of frustration with his role and his draft slot. It’s certainly not the best look for the New Jersey prospect, but hopefully the move helps to get his career back on track.

Domingue, Reinhart Placed On Waivers

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Monday: Both Domingue and Reinhart have cleared waivers and will be assigned to their respective AHL clubs.

Sunday: Arizona goaltender Louis Domingue and Vegas Golden Knights’ defender Griffin Reinhart were both placed on waivers this morning, according to Elliotte Friedman. Assuming both players clear waivers on Monday, they will be assigned to their respective AHL teams.

Domingue became expendable yesterday after the Coyotes traded for New Jersey Devils goaltender Scott Wedgewood. Domingue has received the lions’ share of minutes in goal for Arizona this year with the injury woes that starter Antti Raanta has sustained. The Coyotes’ backup for the past two years has struggled this year with a 4.33 GAA and a miserable .856 save percentage in seven games, prompting the team to look for a replacement in Wedgewood. The transaction also likely indicates that Raanta might be ready to return to action after having sit out for all, but three games so far this year with multiple injuries.

Reinhart has been one of the Vegas Golden Knights multitude of defensemen who general manager George McPhee has been protecting on their roster, forcing other players such as Shea Theodore to have to sit in the AHL, waiting for an opening. The former fourth-overall pick in the 2012 draft has never been able to break through at the NHL level and along with his size (6-foot-4, 212 pounds) and draft status has been considered to be a guy that could develop into a legitimate NHL player and has been given numerous chances to succeed. However, Reinhart was a healthy scratch for the Golden Knights’ first seven games before they sent him to the Chicago Wolves on a conditioning stint. He has struggled there in two games, prompting the decision to put him on waivers.

Metropolitan Notes: Vigneault, Atkinson, Johansson, Reinhart

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New York Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault might not have much time left to repair the sinking ship. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that he believes that Vigneault has one more game left to prove he can turn the Rangers disastrous start of 3-7-2 around. He will get that game Tuesday against the 8-1 Vegas Golden Knights.

While Brooks admits that it is his belief and he’s heard nothing to suggest that will happen, he points out that the team’s struggles to start the season, especially falling behind 3-0 in the first period to the equally struggling Montreal Canadiens shows that Vigneault may not be the answer. A coaching change may be the only way to breathe some life into the franchise who were heavily criticized for their efforts in thejr 5-4 loss.

Brooks also points out that the team’s poor start in first periods has been a key issue for New York. The team has been outscored 3-0 in the first two minutes of 12 games this season; 5-1 in the first three minutes of games; 6-2 in the first four minutes; 8-3 in the first six minutes; 10-4 in the first 10 minutes and 12-4 in the first 12 minutes of games. He writes this is inexcusable and is bad enough to physically allow so many early goals, but the team is also unengaged mentally the moment the puck is dropped.

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets may have to do without winger Cam Atkinson for a little while as he suffered a lower-body injury, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required). The team’s leading scorer for the past two years had a rough game, suffering a lower-body injury in the first period, a puck to his helmet during the second period and then sustained another hit to his lower body that knocked him out of the game in the third period. Portzline said an announcement won’t be made until Monday as the team didn’t practice today. Atkinson has four goals and an assist in 11 games this year. Rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois moved up to replace Atkinson for the remainder of the game.
  • Andrew Gross of Northjersey.com writes that winger Marcus Johansson is day-to-day after tweaking his lower body in pre-game warm-ups before Saturday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. The scribe wrote that it was not a pre-existing injury, but the team choose to hold him out as a precaution. Johansson, who the Devils picked up in an offseason trade with the Washington Capitals, has been a solid contributor for New Jersey this year, having put up three goals and two assists in nine games this year.
  • NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti wonders whether the Washington Capitals might not consider claiming defenseman Griffin Reinhart, who was put on waivers this morning by the Vegas Golden Knights. At $800K and at just 23 years of age, Reinhart might be a good investment for a team that has little cap room and little blue line depth. Reinhart, the fourth overall pick in the 2012 draft, could be claimed by several teams in need of depth on defense. Unfortunately, the Capitals cannot take solace that they will get a high waiver claim even though the team presently sits at 5-5. CapFriendly reported today that current waiver priority is still based on last year’s record. Priority will switch to present standings starting on Nov. 1.

 

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