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Scott Wedgewood Undergoes Surgery, Out Six Months

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The New Jersey Devils announced today that goaltender Scott Wedgewood underwent successful shoulder surgery today and will be sidelined for approximately six months. The surgery was to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Wedgewood suffered the injury on Friday November 19th, when he relieved AHL backup Mackenzie Blackwood against the Binghamton Senators.

This is the same shoulder that Wedgewood injured last season and forced him to miss time. This summer, the netminder was one of the final cuts from the New Jersey training camp to the surprise of many. With outstanding AHL numbers in 2015-16 (when he was healthy), many believed that he was ready to step up to an NHL job. Instead, he cleared waivers and was assigned to Albany where he’d been playing well again. In 10 games this season he was 5-3-0 with a .912 save percentage and a 2.18 GAA.

The baby-Devils will now ask two rookie goaltenders to fill the pipes for them, as Blackwood and Ken Appleby are the current duo. While Blackwood has struggled in eight games, Appleby has performed extremely well since a callup from the ECHL. In three games, the 21-year old is undefeated with a .932 save percentage. While Blackwood was the Devils’ second-round pick in 2015, Appleby went undrafted after playing his junior hockey with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL.

Roster Notes: Pulock, Hammond, Newbury

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After a much-needed win last night over the Calgary Flames, the New York Islanders have some more good news this morning. 22-year old defenseman Ryan Pulock has been activated off injured reserve and loaned to Bridgeport of the AHL. The former 15th-overall pick has played in just three games between the two levels this season as he dealt with a broken foot early on.

For the Islanders, Pulock’s return might be an important step in turning their season around. Expected to play a substantial role on the NHL blueline this year, the right-handed shot would slide in nicely beside Calvin de Haan if the team chose that route. He’ll look to get his game back on track at the lower level and force a callup. Last season, Pulock played in 15 NHL contests, notching four points. Even without him, the Islanders have one of the youngest bluelines in the league with Dennis Seidenberg out with a broken jaw.

  • According to the AHL transactions page, recently waived goaltender Andrew Hammond has been recalled by the Ottawa Senators prior to tonight’s matchup with the Buffalo Sabres. Despite the call up, Bruce Garrioch reports that Craig Anderson was first off the ice and will start tonight after winning both games this weekend, allowing just a single goal in the process. The Senators are on a four-game winning streak thanks in big part to the 35-year old netminder who currently carries a .936 save percentage through 17 games.
  • Veteran AHL forward Kris Newbury has signed on with the Charlotte Checkers after being released from his Bakersfield PTO. The 34-year old has never been able to find NHL success despite scoring at an impressive rate in the AHL. Newbury has 567 career minor-league points, but has been used exclusively as a fourth-liner grinder and fighter during his short NHL stints around the league.

Snapshots: Ivan Hlinka Tournament, Three Stars, Staal, And More

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The Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup is making its way from Europe to North America. Hockey Canada announced today that the premiere under-18 hockey tournament will be hosted by Edmonton, Alberta in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Named after Czech legend Ivan Hlinka, the tournament has been operated by the Czech Ice Hockey Association and the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation since 1991. Traditionally held in August, the eight-nation summer tournament brings together the best of the best in teenage hockey players, as well as fans from around the world. Canada has won the tournament 20 times and will now get it’s first chance to take home the title in front of a home crowd.

In other league news:

  • The NHL named it’s 3 Stars of the Week today, pegging Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson, New Jersey Devils winger Mike Cammalleri, and San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns as first, second, and third respectively. Anderson continues to play well this season, despite dealing with the difficult news of his wife’s cancer diagnosis in October. He improved to 12-4-1 this week, including wins over Eastern Conferences forces Montreal, Boston, and the New York Rangers. Returning from injury, Cammalleri potted four goals and added four helpers as well, as the Devils continue to defy expectations. The veteran scorer leads the team with seven goals, despite missing six games. Fresh off of a major long-term extension, Burns contributed six points in four games for the Sharks, including an impressive goal from about center ice.
  • Jordan Staal suffered a concussion in the Carolina Hurricanes’ game against the Florida Panthers yesterday, reports ’Canes beat writer Chip Alexander. GM Ron Francis has yet to issue any more information, and there is currently no timetable for the return of the Carolina star.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have a bug going around the locker room. Just a few days after forward Rene Bourque missed practice with an illness, defenseman Erik Johnson has fallen victim to what is believed to be the same sickness, but the team is hopeful that he will be ready for the Avs’ game tomorrow night. Terry Frei of the Denver Post spoke with coach Jared Bednar who said “it’s been going through our team a little bit, but we’ve contained it and it’s only been a 24-hour thing, so (Johnson) should be able to go tomorrow.”
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled forward Chris Wagner and defenseman Shea Theodore from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. Wagner was just sent down recently and has yet to even play an AHL game. In 19 games in Anaheim thus far, the energy-liner has contributed two goals. Theodore, a 2013 first-round pick, has played in eight games with the Ducks this season, but was demoted as a result of the Hampus Lindholm resolution. With the extraordinary defensive depth of the Ducks, Theodore’s trip to Anaheim may be a short one.

Senators Call Up Forward McCormick From Binghamton

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Preparing to play the second half of back-to-back games tonight, the Ottawa Senators apparently have a few players battling some nagging injuries. Accordingly, the team has called up forward Max McCormick from Binghamton, as reported on Ottawa’s official website. McCormick, along with defenseman Fredrik Claesson will skate in the team’s warm-up before head coach Guy Boucher decides on the lineup for tonight.

McCormick, 24, has already appeared in four games this season for the Sens, failing to register a point while averaging just 7:26 of ice time. In 12 games for Binghamton, he has tallied three goals and four points along with 11 penalty minutes. He was originally selected by the Senators in the sixth-round of the 2011 entry draft. In 24 career NHL games, McCormick has two goals, four points and 37 penalty minutes.

Claesson has played in six games for Ottawa this season, also without netting a single point. He’s seen action in 22 NHL contests with two career assists. Claesson, like McCormick, was a 2011 draft choice, selected in the fifth-round by the Senators.

The 2016 All UFA Bargain Team

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Organizations generally wait until around the quarter mark of the campaign before making determinations on their team. Are they contenders or pretenders? Do they anticipate being buyers or sellers at the deadline? These are among the questions teams begin to ponder at this point in the season. Subsequently, now seems like a good time to look back at the summer’s free agent signings to see which are outperforming expectations and can safely be called free agent bargains.

Forward

Eric Staal (Minnesota) – Three years, $10.5MM: After a down season in 2015-16 split between Carolina and the New York Rangers, questions surfaced about whether Staal was a legitimate top-line center or if his decline in production was representative of a player past his prime. Staal recorded 10 consecutive seasons – 2005-06 through 2014-15 – in which he recorded at least 53 points but stumbled to a 39-point output last season. Those concerns led to a discounted contract which compensates Staal at the level of a well-paid third liner as opposed to a top-line player.

Staal has rebounded this season and through 20 games with the Wild, the 13-year veteran has registered 15 points. Perhaps a better sign his early-season production may be based more on ability than on luck, Staal is back to averaging close to three shots per game. Last season he averaged just 2.4 shots per contest and for his career he is at 3.3. Staal is currently tied for 57th among forwards in points-per-game; a rank perfectly in line with that of a top-line forward.

Jonathan Marchessault (Florida) – Two years, $1.5MM: Marchessault could prove to be the steal of the summer. He signed a two-year deal with the Panthers worth just $1.5MM this summer after failing to find a permanent role in either Columbus or Tampa Bay. Through 20 games in South Florida, the 25-year-old forward has nine goals and seven helpers and is on pace for a 65-point campaign.

While Marchessault struggled to earn regular NHL work prior to this season, he has an excellent junior and minor league track record. In 306 AHL games, the 5-foot-9, 174-pound wing tallied 98 goals and 262 points. That success at least suggests Marchessault can continue to produce at the level of a top-six forward. That’s a steal for $750K.

Michael Grabner (New York Rangers) – Two years, $3.3MM: Grabner was a solid producer while with the Islanders, averaging 0.30 goals-per-game over parts of five seasons. But after registering just nine goals and 18 points in 80 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2015-16 campaign, Grabner was available at a bargain price for the Rangers.

All he’s done for the Blue Shirts is register 12 goals, all at even strength, and 16 points in 22 games with the Rangers. He ranks third overall in goals scored while his total at even strength leads the league. He’s also tops in the NHL in plus-minus with a rating of +20. His penalty-killing ability has also been welcome on Manhattan. Perhaps he won’t continue to produce at this level but even then, he’s well on his way to a 20-goal campaign which would be a tremendous return on a $1.65MM investment.

Defense

Brian Campbell (Chicago) – One year, $1.5MM: Campbell was dead set on returning to Chicago as a free agent this summer and he did, at a rate the cap-strapped Hawks could afford. Campbell has eight points in 22 games this season, despite seeing nearly four fewer minutes of ice time per contest than he averaged in 2014-15. Currently, the 37-year-old blue liner is on pace for a 29-point campaign, which is pretty good value relative to Chicago’s minimal commitment.

Patrick Wiercioch (Colorado) – One year, $800K: Wiercioch inked a one-year contract with Colorado after his previous employer, the Ottawa Senators, elected not to submit a qualifying offer to the restricted free agent. Wiercioch has been a good fit on the Avalanche blue line, ranking fifth on the team in scoring with eight points and leading the club with a +2 plus-minus rating. The 26-year-old has been utilized primarily as a third-pair defender and is fifth among the team’s blue liners in average ice time at 17:27 per game.

Goaltender

Chad Johnson (Calgary) – One year, $1.7MM: Johnson was signed by Calgary to ostensibly serve as the understudy to summer trade acquisition Brian Elliott. But while Elliot has struggled in his new surroundings – 3.43 GAA and a 0.882 Save % – Johnson has provided the Flames with steady play between the pipes. In 11 starts this season, Johnson has a GAA of just 1.98 and a Save % of 0.928. Only five goalies who have appeared in at least 10 games have a better GAA than Johnson.

 

Atlantic Division Snapshots: Sabres, Huberdeau, Stralman, Ottawa Arena

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Two years ago the Buffalo Sabres finished with the worst record in the NHL and were outscored by an astounding 113 goals. This was largely by design as the team was in the midst of a full rebuild and the 2015 entry draft boasted two top talents in Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. Sabres management knew if they wanted to secure a true franchise player they would need to finish at the bottom of the NHL standings.

That season the Sabres scored the fewest goals in the league and as bad as their offense was then, this year’s edition is so far even worse. During the 2014-15 campaign Buffalo averaged a meager 1.96 goals-per-game. This season the team is averaging just 1.86 goals-per-game. The team has struggled even more in the month of November, tallying just 19 goals in 13 games.

Even without Eichel, who has been out all season with an ankle injury, the Sabres were expected to mount a more prolific offensive attack. But as John Vogl of the Buffalo News writes, while the team is struggling to put the puck in the net, they are generating plenty of chances.

Ryan O’Reilly, who was acquired from Colorado in a blockbuster deal during the summer of 2015, has been counted on to lead the offense with Eichel on the shelf. He has nine points in 15 games on the campaign, but just one goal in his last 12, and he expects more from himself.

“It’s frustrating. It’s scoring goals again is the problem, and that’s my job. I’m not doing it right now.”

“We’ve got to shoot the puck better. It’s that simple. We’re moving it well. We’re supporting each other. We’re getting these good looks, but it’s beating the goalie. That’s all it is. It starts with myself. I’ve got to do that.”

Goaltender Anders Nilsson feels that the team is overdue for a little luck.

“We don’t get those dirty goals, and we don’t get those goals off the post and in or off a shin pad and in. We have to work really hard for every goal we score. Hopefully, we can turn that around and get the bounces with us.”

It does appear as if Eichel should be back in the lineup in relatively short order but even without their franchise center, the Sabres boast a talented group of forwards who are capable of putting the puck in the net. Kyle Okposo has topped the 20-goal mark three times in his career while Evander Kane has done so twice, including last season. Matt Moulson has three 30-goal campaigns on his resume and O’Reilly has tallied at least 50 points in four of the last five seasons. Once Eichel is back on the ice, the Sabres should be able to get their offense back on track.

  • Like Buffalo, the Florida Panthers have been without one of their top players all season. Jonathan Huberdeau injured his Achilles during training camp and was expected to miss three to four months. According to George Richards of the Miami Herald, Huberdeau is progressing in his rehab but is still not expected back in action for a while. Panthers bench boss Gerard Gallant described the recovery time line as between four and six months, which indicates Huberdeau could be out for much of the regular season.
  • The news is better for the other Florida team as Anton Stralman appears to be nearing a return to the Tampa Bay Lightning lineup. Bryan Burns, who covers the Lightning for NHL.com, tweeted that head coach Jon Cooper said the blue liner could see action on the team’s upcoming road trip. Stralman has been out the last two weeks with an upper-body-injury. Stralman has seven points in 15 games this season and is averaging better than 22 minutes per contest.
  • A new arena for the Ottawa Senators appears to be one step closer to a reality, as Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen writes. The National Capital Commission (NCC) has given its formal approval for negotiations between the federal government and RendezVouz LeBreton to proceed. Garrioch adds that the Rogers Place Arena Ice District in Edmonton has provided the perfect model for what the Senators want to build in Ottawa. One NCC board member is impressed with how the Rogers project revitalized the downtown area in Edmonton and hopes a new arena will do the same in Canada’s capital.

Injury Update: Palmieri, Eichel, Oshie, Dzingel

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Injury updates from around the NHL this morning:

  • Kyle Palmieri will return to the New Jersey Devils tonight against the Detroit Red Wings, notes Andrew Gross of the New Jersey Record. Devils Coach John Hynes has not yet decided who will sit to make room for Palmieri. The speedy forward has missed the past two games with an upper-body injury, and his return should boost New Jersey’s anemic offense. The team currently sits 26th in scoring, and while Palmieri only has 3G and 4A in 17 games, he scored 30 goals last season.
  • The Buffalo Sabres may get forward Jack Eichel back soon. The former 2nd overall pick participated in contact drills for the second straight practice. Eichel, however, did not join the team in Washington to face the Capitals tonight. Coach Dan Bylsma said that Eichel would get a harder skate staying home in Buffalo, reports the Buffalo News’ John Vogl.
  • T.J. Oshie skated with the Washington Capitals this morning, but is still week-to-week with an upper body injury, reports Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. Oshie missed the last three games after being hit by the Detroit Red Wings’ Riley Sheahan. The Capitals miss Oshie and his scoring touch. Oshie had 8G and 4A in 17 games before the injury, and the Capitals need all the scoring they can get in the tight Metropolitan Division.
  • The Ottawa Senators forward Ryan Dzingel received over thirty stitches last night after taking a puck to the side of the head, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. Dzingel required ear reconstruction but managed to return to the game in the third period. Given his return, he is in no danger of missing any time. Scoring-wise, however, Dzingel has cooled off significantly since his hot start. He only has 1G and 2A in the past ten games.

Recalls and Reassignments

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Recalls and Reassignments this morning in the NHL:

  • The Dallas Stars assigned defenseman Stephen Johns to the AHL Texas Stars today, reports Mark Stepneski of the Dallas Stars website. Johns’ demotion was foreshadowed by being scratched for two straight games. The big defenseman—6-4, 230lbs—has struggled of late, going pointless since November 5th and racking up 2G and 2A in 16 games.
  • The Montreal Canadiens assigned defenseman Zach Redmond to the St. John’s IceCaps for conditioning purposes, announced the AHL club. Redmond broke his foot six weeks ago, and will join St. John’s to get back up to speed. Redmond surprised many when he made the Canadiens out of training camp, and the team is hoping that the injury will not derail what they saw in the young defenseman.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have officially placed Matt Calvert on IR retroactive to Monday. The team has called up Justin Scott to replace him. Calvert hasn’t played since he took a slapshot to the face—and then scored the game winning goal in overtime—but the team has not announced his underlying injury. Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch notes that calling up Justin Scott is a bit of a surprise given the candidates available. The Blue Jackets passed on both Sonny Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand, arguably better players in the system. Scott has 3G and 3A in 18 games with the AHL Cleveland Monsters.
  • The Calgary Flames have recalled forward Mark Jankowski from the Stockton Heat today. Jankowski—Calgary’s 1st round pick in 2012—is lighting up the AHL with 3G and 9A in 13 games so far this season. The forward spent the last four years with Providence College in the NCAA and coincidentally returns nearby as the Flames play the Boston Bruins tonight. Despite the geographical connection, the Flames confirmed that he will not play tonight but could see time in the future.
  • The Ottawa Senators have reassigned forward Max McCormick to the AHL Binghamton Senators. McCormick did not get much ice-time with the big club, averaging under 10 minutes a night, and only 5 minutes in his last game. The smaller forward will look to improve his game back in Binghamton, where he has 3G in 10 games.

How Will The Expansion Draft Impact Canadian Teams?

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Continuing our look at different expansion draft angles,  CBC’s Amy Cleveland examines how the draft will affect the seven teams in Canada. Laying out the rules for the draft, Cleveland looks further and prognosticates who she sees as “potentially protected” versus those players who would be “intriguing” in being exposed. She further writes that all seven Canadian teams will be able to protect the bulk of their important players. The Flames sit prettiest without any non-movement clauses in contracts while the Leafs and Senators have only one player with an NMC (Nathan Horton, and Dion Phaneuf respectively).

Below are Cleveland’s picks for each team. Going to CBC’s page with the story includes in depth reasoning behind each of Cleveland’s choices.

Calgary Flames
NMC protected players: None.

Potentially protected: 

Intriguing exposed:

Edmonton Oilers
NMC protected players: Milan Lucic (F), Andrej Sekera (D), Cam Talbot (G)

Potentially protected: 

Intriguing exposed:

Montreal Canadiens
NMC protected players: Carey Price (G), Jeff Petry (D)

Potentially protected: 

Intriguing exposed: 

Ottawa Senators
NMC protected players: Dion Phaneuf (D)

Potentially protected: 

Intriguing exposed: 

Toronto Maple Leafs
NMC protected players: Nathan Horton (F)

Potentially protected: 

Vancouver Canucks
NMC protected players: Loui Eriksson (F), Daniel Sedin (F), Henrik Sedin (F)

Potentially protected: 

​Intriguing exposed: 

Winnipeg Jets
NMC protected players: Dustin Byfuglien (D), Toby Enstrom (D)

Potentially protected: 

Intriguing exposed:

 

Roster Moves: Kuraly, Shaw

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The Boston Bruins have decided to change things up, after their 4-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reports that Sean Kuraly has been returned to the AHL after just four games. In five total this season, the 23-year old has yet to record a point, playing just eight minutes a night.

While Kuraly isn’t a core piece, the Bruins were hoping to get just a bit more from the former fifth-round pick. His big body and physical style may eventually slot into the bottom six, but for now he’ll return to Providence to play in the AHL.  The Bruins expect David Pastrnak to return tonight against the Ottawa Senators.

In Anaheim, the team has recalled Logan Shaw from the San Diego Gulls. This will mark Shaw’s debut in Anaheim after being acquired from Florida earlier this month. The team dealt Michael Sgarbossa for the 24-year old winger, hoping that he can slide into the fourth line for the majority of the season.

Playing in 53 NHL games last year, Shaw contributed 7 points. He also dressed for three of the Panthers’ playoff matches, but was held without a point. At the time of his acquisition, Ducks’ head coach Randy Carlyle said that he could “play right side or center”.

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