Devils Place Dougie Hamilton On IR With Torn Pectoral Muscle, Tomáš Nosek Undergoes Foot Surgery
The injury news regarding Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton is worse than initially feared. The team announced Friday that they’ve placed their star defender on injured reserve after a successful surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle, retroactive to November 28, and there is no timetable for his return. Additionally, center Tomáš Nosek has re-aggravated a right foot injury that’s sidelined him for all but six games this season and has undergone successful surgery to repair the issue. He, too, is out indefinitely.
New Jersey also confirmed the call-up of top defense prospect Šimon Nemec from AHL Utica, as reported earlier today. He will make his NHL debut tonight against the Sharks, playing a third-pairing role alongside veteran Colin Miller.
This is a tough blow for the Devils and Hamilton, who played all 82 games last season and finished sixth in Norris Trophy voting after recording 74 points and a +23 rating. This is his first stint on IR since a broken jaw kept him out for 17 games in the middle of the 2021-22 season.
The 30-year-old right-shot defender was off to a strong start, leading Devils defensemen with five goals and 16 points in 20 contests. He missed Thursday’s contest against the Flyers after sustaining the pectoral tear in Tuesday’s game against the Islanders. Hamilton, who was also boasting a career-high Corsi share of 58.3% at even strength, is in the third season of a seven-year, $63MM deal carrying a $9MM cap hit and, for now, a full no-movement clause.
No team is well-positioned to lose their number-one defenseman, and it makes for tough waters to navigate as the Devils look to rebound from a sluggish start to the campaign. Hamilton’s absence does, however, provide increased opportunities for rookie Luke Hughes. The 20-year-old is now tasked with top pairing duties alongside Jonas Siegenthaler, which will certainly help his case for being a Calder Trophy nominee at season’s end. He’s already off to an impressive start offensively, notching three goals and 14 points through 21 games – not very far behind Hamilton’s production.
Hughes’ possession numbers are similarly strong, albeit in slightly easier minutes. He’ll now be given a prime chance to flash what his ceiling can be – first-pair duties and, expectedly, first power-play unit duties will be quite the test for the youngster, whom the Devils selected fourth overall in the 2021 draft.
Meanwhile, Nosek exited the Devils’ lineup earlier in the month and had already been placed on IR. He last played November 18 against the Rangers and skated just 2:55 in that game, his fourth since returning from the initial injury sustained in mid-October. He, like Hamilton, will presumably be out long-term, although it doesn’t change the picture much for the Devils, given how little he’s played.
Devils’ Brendan Smith Suspended Two Games
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Friday that they’ve suspended Devils defenseman Brendan Smith for two games for slashing Flyers forward Travis Konecny in last night’s contest. Konecny was also fined $5K, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for cross-checking Smith on the same play. Smith will be eligible to return to play on December 7 against the Kraken.
NHL Player Safety described the incident as follows:
With the puck having been cleared to the other end of the ice, Konecny delivers a sharp cross-check to the body of Smith, for which he has been fined. In retaliation, and in complete control of his actions, Smith turns towards Konecny, winds up, and delivers a forceful two-handed strike to Konecny’s arm with his stick.
Regarding their determination around supplemental discipline, Player Safety issued the following statement:
It is important to note that this is an intentional and forceful slash delivered well away from the puck and solely for the purpose of retribution. This is not a hockey play, nor is this a battle where players are physically engaged and a stick comes up carelessly due to the body contact between the players. Smith is in complete control of his stick at all times, and while we recognize Smith’s assertion that he is cross-checked first in this sequence, players are not excused from illegal acts just because of a prior foul by an opponent.
Smith has been suspended once before, an eight-game ban during the 2011 preseason while a member of the Red Wings for a hit to the head of then-Blackhawks forward Ben Smith. Given the distance between the two incidents that required supplemental discipline, the previous suspension was not factored into this punishment.
With Smith ineligible to play and star blueliner Dougie Hamilton sidelined with a short-term injury, 2022 second-overall pick Šimon Nemec is expected to make his NHL debut tonight against the Sharks after being recalled this morning.
The 34-year-old Smith had played in all 21 Devils contests this season, oftentimes suiting up as the fourth-line left wing with injuries affecting the team’s forward group. He plays the veteran utility player role well, providing solid possession numbers while averaging 14:43 per game. He does have just two assists on the season, although the 2007 first-round pick hasn’t been relied upon for offensive production in quite some time.
Smith is in his second season with the Devils after spending the majority of his 13-year, 652-game career with the Red Wings and Rangers. In those 652 games, Smith has 33 goals, 92 assists, 125 points, a -5 rating, and 725 penalty minutes.
Predators To Recall Spencer Stastney, Alexandre Carrier Out Week-To-Week
The Predators will recall defenseman Spencer Stastney from AHL Milwaukee while fellow defender Alexandre Carrier is sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury, Nick Kieser of Nashville Hockey Now reports. Carrier sustained the injury early in yesterday’s loss to the Wild, skating less than two minutes in the contest. The Predators had two open spots on the 23-man roster and, therefore, do not need to place Carrier on IR to accommodate Stastney’s recall.
After signing a one-year, $2.5MM contract as a restricted free agent in July, Carrier continues to see a more limited role than the top-four duties that earned him a tenth-place Calder Trophy finish in 2021-22. He has, however, been a steady fixture in the lineup. He’s played in all 22 of Nashville’s games thus far after appearing in just 43 out of 82 contests last season. He’s been paired almost equally with Jeremy Lauzon and Ryan McDonagh this year, posting high-quality possession numbers with the latter and posting a goal and eight points.
Stastney, 23, returns to the NHL roster just three days after being returned to the minors. After being cut from the roster during training camp, the Predators recalled Stastney for a two-week stint with the team in late November, playing him in five contests. The 2018 fifth-round pick now has 13 NHL appearances to his name after finishing out last season in the NHL, notching one goal, two assists, and a strong +9 rating in 16:44 of average ice time. The Notre Dame grad, now in his second full season of pro hockey, remains a strong two-way prospect who could convert these early call-ups to an eventual long-term role on the Predators’ second or third pairing.
The Woodbridge, Illinois-born defender will battle depth defenders Dante Fabbro and Luke Schenn for playing opportunities while on the roster, although he projects to serve as a healthy scratch with Carrier as the only injured defenseman. Stastney is in the final season of a two-year, entry-level contract and will be eligible for salary arbitration in the summer.
Kraken Recall Max McCormick, Issue Injury Update On Jaden Schwartz
The Kraken have called up veteran winger Max McCormick from AHL Coachella Valley, a team statement released Friday afternoon reads. In a corresponding transaction, another minor-league veteran, Andrew Poturalski, was returned to their minor-league affiliate. Additionally, after placing him on injured reserve yesterday, the team announced that winger Jaden Schwartz‘s upper-body injury is expected to keep him out for approximately six weeks.
This is McCormick’s first recall of the season. He was summoned to the NHL roster on two brief occasions last season without appearing in a game. The 31-year-old cleared waivers during training camp and can be returned to Coachella Valley if he stays on the Kraken roster for less than 30 days and plays less than ten games. McCormick, a veteran of over 450 AHL games, is off to a spectacular start, serving as Coachella Valley’s captain and leading the team with eight goals and 17 points in 16 games.
The 2023 AHL Second Team All-Star has been a frequent recall option for teams ever since making his NHL debut with the Senators in 2015-16. He’s accumulated 93 games of NHL experience across six campaigns, most recently in a ten-game stint with the Kraken in their inaugural season in 2021-22. McCormick has been used exclusively in depth roles, however, averaging just 8:28 per contest while managing a respectable eight goals and 13 points across his career. He’s rarely been a significant defensive liability and is a solid, replacement-level option to fill bottom-six injuries.
McCormick will slide into the lineup Saturday against his former team, the Senators, if Brandon Tanev cannot return from his second lower-body injury of the season. He is expected to skate in a fourth-line role alongside Pierre-Édouard Bellemare and recent fellow call-up Marián Studenič. He would replace Poturalski in the lineup, who now returns to the minors after recording no points and a -1 rating in 6:52 of average ice time across the Kraken’s last two contests.
Missing Schwartz for such a significant period of time is a blow to the Kraken’s depth in no uncertain terms. The veteran winger had 15 points in 23 games on the season, on pace for his best offensive showing since joining the expansion Kraken during free agency in 2021. It’s not great news for a Seattle team that’s now fallen two games below the .500 mark and remains outside of the Western Conference playoff picture.
Snapshots: Zadorov, Sillinger, Smith
Although Nikita Zadorov has yet to make his debut for the Vancouver Canucks, talk has already begun on his longer-term future with the club. The pending unrestricted free agent defenseman would be open to extending his contract with the team, according to his agent, Dan Milstein. Milstein said in an interview with CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal that he and the Canucks “will sit down and exchange thoughts,” adding that “hopefully there is a deal” to be had on a new contract.
Zadorov, 28, is currently playing on a $3.75MM cap hit. Whether or not he can match that kind of yearly outlay on his next contract will likely depend on how he fits into Vancouver’s overall defensive structure and coach Rick Tocchet’s system. Without much offense to speak of in his game, it’s fair to wonder whether Vancouver can afford to offer Zadorov a pay raise. With Filip Hronek on pace to score 79 points and in need of his own contract extension, the Canucks may not have the kind of room to pay Zadorov on a market-rate contract.
Some other notes from across the NHL:
- Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury, according to team reporter Jeff Svoboda. That’s less than ideal news for Columbus, as Sillinger is still widely seen as a core part of the team’s future. While he hasn’t quite reached the heights of his 16-goal, 31-point rookie season, Sillinger has managed nine points in 24 games this year and seemed to build some solid chemistry with other young Blue Jackets forwards such as Dmitri Voronkov and Yegor Chinakhov.
- The Hockey News’ Max Miller relays word from San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn, who says forward Givani Smith will be a game-time decision for tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils. Smith, 25, is dealing with a “mid-body injury” according to Quinn. A relentless, physical forward, the injury cost Smith most of yesterday’s game against the Boston Bruins. He has three points and 29 penalty minutes in 21 games this year.
New Jersey Devils Expected To Recall Šimon Nemec
According to NJ.Com’s Ryan Novozinski, 2022 second-overall pick Šimon Nemec is being recalled by the New Jersey Devils.
Nemec has yet to make his debut in the NHL, having spent the entirety of his North American pro career with the Devils’ AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. Also according to Novozinski, the Devils have placed defenseman Dougie Hamilton on injured reserve in a corresponding move.
The defensive depth of the Devils has allowed Nemec to develop in the AHL for over a year, a luxury many other teams would have been unable to afford. The 19-year-old right-shot blueliner was solid last season, playing a heavy dose of minutes and scoring 34 points in 65 games.
So far this season, Nemec has resumed his role near the top of the Comets’ defensive depth chart. Exceptional in the transition game, Nemec has gotten off to a fast start for Utica with eight points in just 13 games played. Nemec, who scored 17 points in a 19-game playoff run in the Slovak league during his draft year, has an Olympic Bronze medal and is likely ready for the NHL.
With defenseman Brendan Smith potentially facing supplemental discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety, Nemec could very well make his NHL debut in short order.
Calgary Flames Recall Ilya Solovyov
The Calgary Flames’ trade of Nikita Zadorov to the Vancouver Canucks opened a spot in their lineup for a younger blueliner to claim, and now it appears Ilya Solovyov will get the first chance to claim it. The team has recalled Solovyov from its AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.
The 23-year-old blueliner in somewhat similar to Zadorov in terms of profile. While he’s not quite as physically overwhelming as Zadorov, Solovyov still possesses above-average size (he’s six-foot-three, 208 pounds) and plays with a bit of an edge. He’s been a minutes-eating defenseman for one of the top teams in the AHL and made his NHL debut earlier this year.
Although Jérémie Poirier offers a more dynamic skill set than Solovyov, the blueliner underwent surgery earlier this year and is still out indefinitely. So while Poirier, who scored 41 points in his rookie professional season last year, may have gotten the call-up under normal circumstances his injury paves the way for a massive opportunity for Solovyov.
With Zadorov now on another team, the path for Solovyov to establish himself as an NHL player is now clear, he just has to seize it.
Detroit Red Wings Reassign Jonatan Berggren
12/01/23: The Red Wings have reassigned Berggren to AHL Grand Rapids.
11/28/23: The Detroit Red Wings have recalled forward Jonatan Berggren from their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Berggren, 23, has been recalled fresh off of a three-game goal-scoring streak. The Swedish forward was the 33rd overall pick at the 2018 draft and has developed steadily for the Red Wings.
After a stellar first season in North America where he scored 64 points in 70 AHL games, Berggren made it to the NHL full-time in 2022-23. He scored 15 goals and 28 points, showcasing the potential to potentially become a top-six winger down the line.
As Detroit made aggressive moves this offseason to upgrade its team in the pursuit of a playoff berth, Berggren was pushed out of the regular lineup by arrivals such as Daniel Sprong. As a result, Berggren has played all of this season, save for two games, at the AHL level. He’s continued his success there, scoring 11 points in 11 games.
With Dylan Larkin out for tomorrow’s game against the New York Rangers, its possible Berggren replaces him in the lineup, albeit not in Larkin’s first-line center spot. With Patrick Kane set to arrive, though it’s likely Berggren’s stay on the NHL roster will be brief.
Minor Transactions: 12/01/23
Just two NHL games are on the schedule today, although things in overseas and minor professional leagues are notably more busy. Highlights from today’s schedule include a battle between two of the AHL’s better teams in Dustin Wolf‘s Calgary Wranglers and Brendan Brisson‘s Henderson Silver Knights, as well as a massive game in college hockey with third-ranked University of Denver up against second-ranked North Dakota.
The business of the daily hockey schedule is only matched by the activity on professional hockey’s transaction wire. As always, we’ll keep track of notable moves here.
- Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward and QMJHL rookie of the year Dmytro Timashov has had his trial contract with the Swiss National League’s HC Ajoie converted into a full one-year deal. Ajoie has picked up their club option for the rest of the year on Timashov’s contract thanks to the Swedish international’s stellar production in his first seven games with the club. Although Timashov hasn’t registered on the scoresheet in back-to-back losses against Lausanne and EV Zug, before that he had scored seven points in just five games. A Calder Cup champion and former 49-point scorer in the AHL, Timashov left the North American pro circuit in 2021-22 to join Brynäs IF in the SHL. His 43 points in 52 games last year were not enough to save Brynäs from relegation, and as a result, he’s transferred to Switzerland where he’ll now spend the rest of the season.
- Once an NHL third-round pick and then a star forward for Boston College, Logan Hutsko left the North American professional game after just two seasons in the AHL. Now, a report coming out of Sweden from SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson indicates that Hutsko could be on his way out from his current club, the SHL’s IK Oskarshamn. It’s been a disastrous season for Oskarshamn, who look to be a genuine relegation candidate. They currently sit at the bottom of the SHL with a 5-16-1 record, their 16 regulation losses five more than the next-worst team. Two key offseason additions, Hutsko and 2023 10th overall pick Dalibor Dvorský have not paid dividends. Dvorský hit the eject button and left for the OHL after just 10 games played, while now it appears Hutsko is back on the market after scoring just seven points in 20 games. Perhaps a new club could be what Hutsko, who scored 38 points as an AHL rookie in 2021-22, needs to set the right first impression in European hockey.
- 2019 Montreal Canadiens draft pick Frederik Dichow, who was not extended an entry-level contract before his rights expired this past summer, has made the decision to transfer from Frölunda HC to a rival SHL team: HV71 Jönköping. The 22-year-old netminder served as Frölunda’s backup last season and into this year, but could not manage to hit .900 in terms of save percentage. He has fared better outside the SHL, though, such as in HockeyAllsvenskan when he posted a .930 save percentage for Kristianstads IK, in the most recent IIHF Men’s World Championships where he had a .911 save percentage in five games played for his native Denmark, or in the Champions Hockey League where he posted a .917 save percentage last season. Dichow signed a one-year deal with an HV71 team in need of improved goaltending. Former Calgary Flame Joni Ortio has just a .884 save percentage in 19 games played so far this year. Dichow will hope to take the number-one job in HV71’s crease from Ortio, helping a club that currently ranks second-to-last in the SHL in both standings points and goals surrendered avoid relegation.
- 2017 second-round pick Grant Mismash has left HockeyAllsvenskan’s Ostersunds IK in order to sign with Stjernen Hockey of the EliteHockey Ligaen, the top league of professional hockey in Norway. A U.S. National Team Development Program product, Mismash began his pro career in 2021-22 with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. After scoring just 12 points in his 57-game rookie year, Mismash was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the deal that sent Ryan McDonagh to Nashville. Away from the organization that invested a second-round pick to draft him, Mismash dropped from the AHL to the ECHL in 2022-23, spending 32 games with the Orlando Solar Bears compared to just five with the Syracuse Crunch. Mismash was then non-tendered this past season, and he signed with Ostersunds. He only managed seven points in 16 games for the Swedish side, though, and has now elected to join one of the better clubs in Norwegian hockey.
- Accomplished Czech netminder Miroslav Svoboda has signed a two-year contract extension with his current club, Liiga’s Vaasan Sport. Once a Nashville Predators prospect, Svoboda would dip his toes into the waters of North American pro hockey in 2018-19, fresh off of a stellar rookie year in the Czech Extraliga in which he posted a .920 save percentage in 47 games as the starter for HC Plzeň. After just 14 ECHL games Svoboda returned to Europe and in 2019-20 re-established himself as a top netminder in his home country. He spent the last two years as a tandem goalie for Plzeň, posting a .920 in 28 games last year. So far this season, Svoboda has just an .893 save percentage for Sport. But seeing as he’s provided improved goaltending from what the club got last year from starter Rasmus Reijola, the club has elected to sign him for two more seasons.
- Journeyman veteran defenseman Joonas Järvinen has had his original two-month contract with Liiga’s Lukko Rauma converted into a full one-year contract. The six-foot-two left-shot defenseman has played in 15 games for the club, and represented the team in four Champions Hockey League contests. Not much of an offensive defenseman, Järvinen brings a wealth of poise and experience to Lukko’s back line. He’s played pro hockey in Finland, Germany, China, and Wisconsin and has represented Finland at two IIHF Men’s World Championships. With Lukko still seeking glory in the Champions Hockey League, Järvinen’s experience will undoubtedly serve as an asset.
This page may be updated throughout the day.
Montreal Canadiens Sign Sam Montembeault To Three-Year Extension
9:49 AM: This new extension does not include trade protection, per Sportsnet’s Eric Engels.
9:06 AM: The Montreal Canadiens have signed goaltender Sam Montembeault to a three-year extension. The new deal will carry an average salary of $3.15MM.
Montembeault has been in the midst of extension talks for much of the season, as Montreal has weighed the options of re-signing or trading the 27-year-old goaltender. There’s been no shortage of trade rumors surrounding the Montreal crease, as the team is currently carrying three goaltenders in Montembeault, Cayden Primeau, and Jake Allen. What’s more, they haven’t decided a starter between the trio yet – with Montembeault playing 10 games on the season, Allen playing in nine, and Primeau playing in five.
Montembeault has proven the most effective of the three options through the early season, recording a 5-3 record and .910 save percentage in his 10 outings. This continues his trend of improving performances with the Canadiens, after setting a .891 save percentage in 2021-22 and a .901 save percentage last year. Montreal acquired Montembeault off of waivers from the Florida Panthers ahead of the 2021-22 season and signed the netminder to a two-year, $2MM contract prior to the 2022-23 season. Montembeault has totaled 113 games through his five-year NHL career, setting a 38-48-13 record and .897 save percentage.
With Montembeault now extended, Montreal has all three of their goaltenders signed through next season. With stability in net, the team can turn their focus to their six pending free agents. This includes Sean Monahan and Tanner Pearson, the only pending-UFAs on the roster. The team is slated to have $2.42MM in cap space at the trade deadline and $8.1MM in space next summer, per CapFriendly.