San Jose Sharks Acquire Jack Studnicka
Confirmation coming by way of the Vancouver Canucks, the San Jose Sharks will acquire forward Jack Studnicka in exchange for defenseman Nick Cicek, and a sixth-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Acquired by the Canucks in October of last season, Studnicka was originally a member of the Boston Bruins, playing in a total of 38 games wearing the spoked ‘B’. Last season in Vancouver, Studnicka played in a total of 47 games, scoring four goals and eight points overall.
Unfortunately for Studnicka, even after a solid showing at preseason camp, he became a victim of the glut of forwards in the Vancouver organization. With 13 players already on the roster, and a few above still above him in the organizational depth chart, Studnicka’s future with the team was entirely blocked.
Now in San Jose, even with a healthy roster, Studnicka should still have access to adequate playing time. However, with three forwards already on the team’s injured reserve, the Sharks now have even more of a need to round out their forward depth as we approach the dog days of the regular season.
Averaging just under 11 and a half minutes of ice time per game throughout his career, Studnicka should continue to average similar ice time in the Bay Area. Given the current makeup of San Jose’s roster, Studnicka should effectively replace either Justin Bailey or Givani Smith in the team’s bottom six of their forward core.
Going the other way to the Canucks, Cicek suited up in 16 games for the Sharks last season, notching four assists before November 30th. Although born in Winnipeg, Cicek spent his junior career playing for the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL, a little under a six-hour drive to Vancouver over the border.
Only playing for the Sharks’ AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, this season, Cicek has suited up in 18 games, scoring one goal and three points. Given the Canucks’ current depth in their defensive core, it is likely that Cicek will suit up for their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks.
Kings Place Vladislav Gavrikov On Injured Reserve, Recall David Rittich
The Los Angeles Kings have officially placed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov on injured reserve, and have recalled goaltender David Rittich on an emergency basis. Given that players must be on the injured reserve for a minimum of seven days after placement, the timeline of Gavrikov’s return will not change much, given that it was reported he would be week-to-week.
As one of the more frustrating defenders to line up against in the NHL, the Kings will be hard-pressed to find an internal option to replace Gavrikov in their lineup adequately. Since the team is unwilling to carry more than three right-handed shot defensemen, they will likely fill in the hole with Jacob Moverare and Tobias Bjornfot.
Being the second-highest-paid defenseman on the team, Gavrikov ranks fourth amongst Los Angeles defensemen in average time on ice, scoring three goals and nine points in 25 games. On the defensive side of the puck, Gavrikov is fourth on the team in blocked shots and continues to post above-average possession numbers from the blue line.
In the case of Rittich, it was reported earlier this afternoon that regular backup goaltender Pheonix Copley was helped off the ice toward the end of today’s practice (X Link). Currently, there has been no update as to the status of Copley, although it is likely he will not suit up in the team’s game tomorrow night against the Seattle Kraken.
Although Rittich has operated as a backup goaltender for much of his career, this will be his first callup with the Kings since signing a one-year, $875K contract this past summer. In 16 games played for Los Angeles’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, Rittich holds a 7-6-3 record with a .901 SV% and a 2.63 GAA.
Detroit Red Wings Reassign Jonatan Berggren
The Detroit Red Wings have announced that forward Jonatan Berggren has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. The news comes shortly after the Red Wings reassigned another forward, Zach Aston-Reese, to the AHL.
With J.T. Compher set to return and Dylan Larkin inching closer to a return of his own, the Red Wings seemingly have decided to send down two of the three players who were originally recalled after Compher and Larkin were placed on injured reserve.
The subject of early-season trade rumors, Berggren has been shuffled between Detroit and Grand Rapids a few times already this season. The 33rd overall pick at the 2018 draft had a promising rookie season last year when he scored 15 goals and 28 points, and does have one stellar AHL campaign on his resume from 2021-22, when he potted 21 goals and 64 points in 70 games.
Berggren would likely be a top-nine regular on another NHL team, but the Red Wings made aggressive moves in the offseason to bolster their lineup. As a result, Berggren got squeezed out, and has played in 16 total AHL games this year compared to just seven in the NHL.
Berggren has remained a top-end AHLer, and has 15 points with Grand Rapids this season. With this reassignment, he’ll likely re-join the squad for the foreseeable future, although another recall or even a trade to a different organization can not be ruled out.
New York Islanders Place Scott Mayfield On Injured Reserve
The New York Islanders have placed defenseman Scott Mayfield on injured reserve, retroactive to December 11th. Mayfield has been out with an upper-body injury since that date.
With Mayfield out, the Islanders are now missing three of their four most important defensemen. Just Noah Dobson remains in the lineup, as Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock are also out with their own injuries.
This has left head coach Lane Lambert short on options as to how to staff not only his even-strength defensive pairings, but also (and especially) his penalty kill. Pelech, Pulock, and Mayfield all play massive roles on the team’s short-handed unit, and with the trio injured the Islanders are relying on players who don’t typically see heavy ice time on the penalty kill.
The Islanders have made two external additions to bolster their defensive depth, adding veterans Mike Reilly and Robert Bortuzzo, and those moves have helped. The Islanders are on a four-game winning streak and making a serious push for position in the Metropolitan Division.
But one has to think that a defense patched together with depth blueliners alongside relatively unestablished names such as Sebastian Aho and Samuel Bolduc can only hold down the fort for so long, regardless of how good the team looks in the immediate term.
The Islanders have won a ton of close victories, and while it’s true that close victories count the same amount in the standings as blowouts, one wonders how the conversations surrounding the team would be different if a few of those results were flipped.
That being said, it must be pointed out that this Islanders team is one seemingly constructed to thrive in close games, using goaltending and a balanced forward corps to grind out victories. So while the injuries that have struck their defense appear to be significant, the Islanders could very well continue their winning ways by following that clear blueprint.
Seeing as Mayfield’s IR placement is retroactive, there appears to be hope that the player will be able to return to the ice without a lengthy absence. But even if he is out longer than expected, the Islanders have found ways to win despite losing important players to injury. There’s no reason to believe that the team can’t do the same for as long as Mayfield is on IR.
Libor Hájek Signs In Czechia
The AHL’s Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins and defenseman Libor Hájek have mutually agreed to terminate the AHL deal that was signed in October. Hájek signed a contract with HC Dynamo Pardubice that will run until 2028, according to an announcement from the Czech club.
These two moves appear to bring to an end Hájek’s time playing high-level hockey in North America. The 25-year-old moved from Czechia’s HC Kometa Brno to the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades in 2015-16, and ended up selected 37th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in that year’s draft.
While he was still in junior, Hájek was moved to the New York Rangers as a key part of the blockbuster Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller trade.
Hájek’s professional debut came in the Rangers organization with their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. Although some scouts were optimistic about how Hájek’s offensive game would develop, the growth he showed in his later WHL seasons never translated to the professional level.
He scored just five points in 58 AHL games as a rookie, and he never scored double-digit points in any season in his professional career. Hájek still grew in terms of role and importance in New York thanks to his size, physicality, and defensive acumen. He ultimately played in over 100 games for the Rangers, mostly occupying a sixth or seventh-defenseman role. He was non-tendered by the Rangers this past offseason, and there was some belief that he might be able to fill in a similar role with another organization to the one he filled in New York.
That never came to be, though, and Hájek settled on an AHL deal with the Penguins. Now, after 11 games in Wilkes-Barre Scranton, Hájek has elected to forgo the chance at returning to the NHL on a short-term basis (and the instability that comes with that pursuit) in favor of significantly increased stability around the familiar surroundings of his home country.
He joins one of Czechia’s top teams in Pardubice, a club that reached the Champions Hockey League quarterfinals and has reached the Czech postseason in three consecutive years. He has a real chance of earning some hardware this year, as Pardubice currently sits first in the Czech standings with a 20-3-4 record.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Penguins Notes: Rakell, Ruhwedel, Acciari
The voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins Josh Getzoff tweeted today that Penguins winger Rickard Rakell is back at the team’s practice today in a regular practice jersey. Rakell is eligible to come off the LTIR tomorrow and has been skating for about a week. Rakell has been out of the lineup with an upper-body injury since November 19th.
Rakell has struggled this season with just four assists in 17 games. It’s difficult to believe that he hasn’t scored yet given that he’s played with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby for the bulk of his shifts. Rakell hasn’t played poorly, he continues to drive play when he is on the ice, but he’s been unable to finish when he’s had chances, and he has continued to get chances this year with 38 shots on goal.
His return will be something to keep an eye on as he has played primarily with Malkin and Reilly Smith but has historically played better with Crosby and Jake Guentzel who are flanked now by fourth-liner Drew O’Connor.
If Rakell can get going, it would be a big boost for the Penguins who have struggled to score goals in recent weeks.
In other Penguins notes:
- Getzoff also tweeted that Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel is back in regular practice jersey as well. Ruhwedel is week-to-week right now with a lower-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup since November 19th. No word on a return date yet for the 33-year-old, but when he does re-join the lineup, it will create a further logjam for the Penguins’ bottom defensive pairing. Ruhwedel has a single assist in 15 games this season and has struggled at times defensively which is uncharacteristic given that he typically plays a safe and simple brand of defense.
- Getzoff also offered an update on forward Noel Acciari stating that the 32-year-old was back at Penguins practice today in a white no-contact jersey. Acciari was put on the injured reserve about a week ago and is eligible to play if he can. His first season for Pittsburgh has been a rollercoaster thus far as early on he was part of a fourth line alongside Jeff Carter and Matt Nieto that just couldn’t get anything going offensively. None of the three players registered a point in the Penguins’ first ten games, however, once the line was broken up Nieto and Acciari seemed to play better. Acciari still doesn’t contribute much offensively but has settled in nicely on the Penguins penalty kill.
Sabres Appear Unlikely To Send Benson To World Juniors
Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News is reporting that it seems likely that the Buffalo Sabres will hold on to 18-year-old Zach Benson rather than sending him overseas to play for Team Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Nothing concrete has been decided yet, but as Lysowski writes, the Sabres will likely need the 2023 13th overall pick to fill in for the injured Jeff Skinner.
Hockey Canada is hoping to finalize their roster by the end of this week and purposely left a roster spot vacant because they were hoping to see if an NHL player could be made eligible at some point this week. With Skinner out, the Sabres have lost a top-line left winger and will have to try to fill that void by committee, and Benson could be a big part of that.
Benson has dressed in 20 games thus far this season posting three goals and five assists. While his offensive numbers don’t jump off the page at first glance, his analytics are quite good and he’s done a very good job of driving play at 5 on 5.
The Sabres are dealing with a bunch of injury issues at the moment and likely won’t be able to spare a forward when they are already missing Skinner, Jordan Greenway, Jack Quinn, and Zemgus Girgensons.
TSN’s Darren Dreger also weighed in on the situation and echoed what Lysowski had said. Dreger believes that Benson is not expected to be loaned to Team Canada.
Red Wings Assign Zach Aston-Reese To AHL
The Detroit Red Wings announced this morning that they’ve assigned forward Zach Aston-Reese to their American Hockey League affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins. Aston-Reese was recalled earlier in the week along with two others to help the Red Wings deal with a multitude of injuries to members of their forward group.
The 29-year-old did see action during his recall as he dressed for Detroit’s 6-3 loss on Monday night at the hands of the Dallas Stars. Aston-Reese played just 6:21 in that game on 11 shifts and was held scoreless while dishing out two hits.
The Staten Island, New York native has been one of the most polarizing forwards in recent memory as his defensive analytics and impacts are among the best in the NHL, while his offensive abilities are very limited. Aston-Reese has never topped 17 points in an NHL season, and his 10 goals last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs were a career-high. This year with the Griffins in the AHL, Aston-Reese has dressed in 20 games, registering four goals and three assists.
For the second consecutive year, Aston-Reese was a fall signing as he inked his one-year, two-way deal with Detroit back on October 8th. Aston-Reese is currently making $775K in the NHL while being paid $300K during his time in the AHL.
Despite being sent down, Aston-Reese will likely remain one of the Red Wings best options should they need to make a recall later in the season.
Patrik Laine Sidelined For Six Weeks
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that forward Patrik Laine suffered a clavicle fracture in last night’s 6-5 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The fracture happened in the second period when Laine fell to the ice and crashed into the boards to the left of the Maple Leafs net. He skated off the ice holding his left shoulder and exited the game.
This year has been one to forget for the 25-year-old as he has just six goals and three assists in 18 games thus far this season and is a -10. Laine hasn’t been as dynamic in Columbus as he was during his time with the Winnipeg Jets, but he has been close to a point-a-game player the last two seasons.
Despite putting up good numbers before this year, this is not the first time Laine has missed significant time. Laine was out of the lineup for nine games earlier this season after he suffered an upper-body injury. He also missed an additional three games this month due to an illness. Last season, Laine missed 24 games due to a variety of injuries as well as an additional two games when he had COVID-19.
Moreover, Laine was a healthy scratch about a month ago in what he called, “the most embarrassing thing to happen to me.”
Gene Carr Passes Away At 72
The Los Angeles Kings have shared that former top NHL prospect Gene Carr has passed away at the age of 72. Carr was drafted fourth overall in the 1971 NHL Draft and went on to appear in 465 career NHL games. He appeared with five different franchises throughout his eight-year career, including five seasons with the Kings and three years with the New York Rangers.
Carr was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 1971, the same draft that saw Guy Lafleur and Marcel Dionne go first and second overall; also boasting Hall of Fame talent with 20th-overall choice Larry Robinson. Carr appeared in the 15th-most NHL games of the draft class, making his debut with the Blues in the 1971-72 season. He was traded to the Rangers after only 14 games and five points with the Blues, though, as part of a seven-player swap between the two teams. Carr finished his rookie season with 60 games and 16 points in New York and would appear in one more modest season with the Rangers before being traded to the Kings for a first-round draft pick.
The move to L.A. kicked off the strongest years of Carr’s career. He scored 17 points in his first 21 games with the franchise in 1974 and would go on to become iconic for his long, blonde hair and charming personality, making him a recognizable face of the early Kings franchise. But despite spending the heat of his career in Los Angeles, Carr’s career year came in 1977-78, when he appeared in five games and scored two goals with L.A. before being moved to the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he recorded 17 goals and 54 points in 70 games, bringing his total on the season to 19 goals and 56 points, both career-highs. It would be Carr’s only season in Pittsburgh and he would go on to retire at the age of 27 after one season with the Atlanta Flames.