Robby Fabbri Out Four Weeks With Lower-Body Injury
The Detroit Red Wings have announced that forward Robby Fabbri will be out for four weeks with a lower-body injury. The team also clarified that this injury is not related to Fabbri’s knee, which is notable as Fabbri’s knee has been the cause of significant injury troubles in the past.
Fabbri has not appeared on the ice for the Red Wings since the team’s season-opening loss to the New Jersey Devils on October 12th. Fabbri’s absence was originally believed to only be for a single game, but seeing as Fabbri failed to return to the ice it seems that original projection may have been too optimistic.
Fabbri’s one game so far this season was spent on the Red Wings’ second line alongside Lucas Raymond and offseason signing J.T. Compher.
Although he only played in 28 games last season, Fabbri scored at a 47-point pace. There was some hope that the 27-year-old, who is making $4MM against the cap through 2024-25, would be in line for a potential career-best season on a top-six line with Compher and Raymond. The Red Wings will now have to wait to see if those hopes will end up materializing into actual production, though, as Fabbri will be out of commission into the middle of November.
As for how the Red Wings have fared in Fabbri’s absence, Derek Lalonde’s squad has collected three consecutive wins and has scored 16 goals in that span of time. While a healthy Fabbri would hardly have hurt the team’s offensive attack, the Red Wings look well-positioned to remain highly competitive despite losing Fabbri.
Buffalo Sabres Zach Benson, Devon Levi Out Day-To-Day
Two crucial young Buffalo Sabres players are out with lower-body injuries: Zach Benson and Devon Levi. According to the team, both Benson and Levi are considered day-to-day at this stage.
While both injuries could very well be minor and cause only brief absences for each player, the immediate implications of the loss of these two players is significant for the Sabres. Head coach Don Granato’s forward lines have undergone major surgery. Dylan Cozens was moved from second-line center to first-line right winger, Jordan Greenway was also elevated to the first line, and among other changes veteran Victor Olofsson re-entered the regular lineup pitcture in Benson’s place.
The loss of Benson is somewhat minimized by the fact that the Sabres had Olofsson (who scored 28 goals last year) as a healthy scratch. Their surplus of quality forwards is not mirrored in net, though, where any loss of Levi would be more significant.
Although the team does have a surplus of goalies in terms of numbers, (they are carrying three netminders on their active roster) they do not appear to have a surplus in terms of quality.
Neither Eric Comrie or Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have performed exceptionally at the NHL level for the Sabres, and Levi has started all of the Sabres’ games so far this season. This is a season where Buffalo is looking to end the NHL’s longest playoff drought, and their slower-than-expected start has been something of a concern.
With an important rematch against the Islanders coming up tomorrow, the Sabres will have to hope that the lower-body injuries that kept Levi and Benson out of practice today won’t cost them much more than that.
Toronto Maple Leafs Recall Pontus Holmberg, Loan Simon Benoit To AHL
The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that center Pontus Holmberg has been recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. In a corresponding move, defenseman Simon Benoit was sent to the Marlies.
The recall of Holmberg could have been motivated by a few factors. First and foremost, with Tyler Bertuzzi playing through an injury, it’s possible the Maple Leafs may want to give him a some time away from the ice to focus more on recovery. In that case, Toronto would need a forward to replace Bertuzzi in their lineup, which would be Holmberg. The Maple Leafs only have the cap space to carry one spare player, so with a need up front rather than on defense it’s easy to see why Benoit would be sent to the AHL in favor of Holmberg.
There’s another factor that may have motivated this recall, and it relates to rookie forward Fraser Minten. If the Maple Leafs are okay continuing with Bertuzzi in their lineup and playing through injury, this recall may instead have been made to allow for Minten to be re-assigned back to the WHL and the Kamloops Blazers.
While Minten had an undoubtedly stellar training camp and preseason, it was always unlikely that the 19-year-old rookie would remain the third-line center for a full season on a team with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations.
Minten scored 31 goals and 67 points in 57 WHL games last season, and this year he would likely become the centerpiece player on a Blazers team currently struggling due to the graduations of key players. Minten would also stand a strong chance of playing an important role for Team Canada at this year’s IIHF Men’s World Junior Championships.
The Maple Leafs could very well view this WHL-plus-WJC development path as more optimal for Minten’s future than playing 11-12 minutes per night in their NHL lineup, and as a result, this recall of Holmberg could allow them to re-assign Minten to take up that path.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Injury Notes: Dvorak, Mayfield, Penguins
Montreal Canadiens forward Christian Dvorak has so far missed the entirety of his team’s young season, though his absence could be quickly coming to an end. The Canadiens announced today that Dvorak “wore a standard practice jersey during the on-ice session” of today’s practice. It can be inferred from this that a return to game action for Dvorak is on the horizon.
Dvorak’s return would come at an important time for the Canadiens, who are reeling from the season-long loss of second-line center Kirby Dach. Dvorak isn’t Dach, but he has scored at a 42-point pace as a Canadien and offers genuine value at the faceoff dot. There’s a possibility Dvorak takes the second-line center job Dach vacated, shifting Alex Newhook back to the wing. It’s possible Dvorak ends up on the third line with Brendan Gallagher in a move that might land Sean Monahan with Newhook and Juraj Slafkovský, the latter a player Monahan showed genuine chemistry with last season.
Some other notes from across the NHL:
- New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield will miss tonight’s game due to his lower-body injury, according to head coach Lane Lambert. (as relayed by Newsday’s Andrew Gross) Mayfield did skate this morning, something Lambert called a “first step” toward a return to full game action. The Islanders have gotten off to a strong 2-0-0 start, but maintaining that momentum could be more difficult without Mayfield, who is one of the Islanders’ more important defensemen. Mayfield ranked second on the team in time on ice per game last season, skating in 21:01 per night including a team-leading 2:41 logged short-handed.
- According to Pittsburgh Penguins team reporter Michelle Crechiolo, defenseman Kris Letang and forward Noel Acciari were both back on the ice for this morning’s practice. The pair had missed yesterday’s practice due to injury, and there was some uncertainty over how long those ailments would keep the players out of head coach Mike Sullivan‘s lineup. Thankfully for the Penguins, though, it appears both Acciari and Letang won’t have to face extended absences due to those injuries.
Snapshots: Kane, Zub, Werenski
In the most recent 32 Thoughts podcast episode, Elliotte Friedman added credence to the idea that star free agent Patrick Kane could sign with the Dallas Stars. Friedman says that a very reliable source shared the likelihood of Kane landing in Dallas, adding that the stylistic fit could be good for the aging veteran.
The Stars rapidly rise up the power rankings of teams likely to land Kane, leapfrogging the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Buffalo Sabres. Dallas has flexed a very deep forward group this season, providing nearly identical ice time to each of their top three lines. The only weak spot is likely 34-year-old winger Evgenii Dadonov, who’s spent the year alongside Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn. This could be the role that Kane takes over if he joins the Stars; bringing a little more mobility and finesse to the line.
Only three forwards in Dallas’ top nine have scored a goal at this point in the year: Joe Pavelski, Benn, and Roope Hintz. Kane’s all-out-offensive style may be enough to kickstart the Stars’ scorers.
Other notes from around the league:
- Artem Zub left the Senators’ Thursday night game after taking a puck to the head. It’s been revealed now that Zub is doubtful for the team’s Saturday matchup against the Detroit Red Wings, although head coach D.J. Smith shared he doesn’t think the defender will be out long-term.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets are hoping top defenseman Zach Werenski can slot back into the lineup tonight. Werenski was placed on injured reserve exactly one week ago, making Friday the first game he’s eligible to return to. The Blue Jackets recalled David Jiricek to the NHL in response to Werenski’s injury. They’ll need to send someone down to make room for Werenski’s return, and Jiricek is the only defender with waiver-exemption. Both Werenski and Jiricek’s status will be one to monitor as the Friday night matchup approaches.
Marc Staal Reportedly Out Four To Six Weeks
Per The Fourth Period’s Anthony Di Marco, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Marc Staal is reportedly set to miss significant time after an awkward collision with Warren Foegele forced him out of Thursday night’s game.
Staal was noticeably uncomfortable on the bench after the hit, and exited the game with a period left to play. No update was provided on the nature of his injury, however, he is listed as having sustained an upper-body injury. Staal is in his first year with the Flyers, signing a one-year, $1.1MM contract with the team this summer. This was a raise from Staal’s last deal with the Florida Panthers, which only paid the defender $750K. The 36-year-old is turning into a journeyman, playing for three teams in the last three years, after spending the first 13 seasons of his career with the New York Rangers. He’s amassed a staggering 1105 career NHL games, scoring 229 points throughout them. He is four games into his tenure in Philadelphia and has yet to score, although he has recorded two minor penalties and two hits while operating on the team’s third pair.
Emil Andrae and Yegor Zamula have been cycling time between the team’s third pair and the seventh defenseman role. With Staal’s injury, both could have a chance to slot into the lineup consistently. At least, in the short term, as Rasmus Ristolainen‘s return from injury could again force one of the two young defenders back into the press box. Ristolainen is on the Flyers’ injured reserve but is eyeing a return soon, taking extra reps at the team’s recent practices. When he’s able to return, and how it impacts the role of Andrae and Zamula, will be noteworthy for a Flyers blue line now down one of their most seasoned talents.
Central Notes: Trotz, Fabbro, Vilardi
Predators GM Barry Trotz was a long-time NHL coach, spending 23 years behind the bench with a pair of Jack Adams Awards while sitting third in league history in victories. To that end, it was a bit surprising when he eschewed coaching opportunities last season and eventually replacing David Poile in the managerial role with Nashville. Don’t expect him to have another change of heart as he told Newsday’s Andrew Gross that his coaching days are over:
I can honestly say I have no intentions of coaching again. My coaching career, you can put it in an envelope.
Trotz was active this summer, hiring Andrew Brunette (a more offensive-oriented coach) to replace John Hynes, making several front-office moves, and changing things up with their forward group, parting with Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen while bringing in several veterans in free agency to change up the core. It’s fair to say he jumped in with both feet into his new role and is leaving his old one behind.
More from the Central:
- Still with the Predators, defenseman Dante Fabbro is no stranger to trade speculation as it has followed him for basically the last couple of years. Speaking with Penalty Box Radio’s Alex Daugherty (Twitter link), the blueliner expressed that his goal is to remain in Nashville for the long haul. The 25-year-old averaged a career-low 17:27 per game last season with his average through his first few games a bit below that this year as well; as a result, he’s no longer viewed around the league as a prominent part of their future back end.
- The Jets announced (Twitter link) that they’ve placed forward Gabriel Vilardi on injured reserve. The move comes as no surprise as it was revealed yesterday that he’ll miss at least the next month with a sprained MCL. While Winnipeg is eligible to place Vilardi on LTIR given how long he’ll be out for, that move doesn’t make sense for them yet as they have ample cap space to bring up someone to replace him if they so desire. That move wasn’t made prior to their game tonight but should be coming soon as they’re currently down to 12 healthy forwards.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Calgary Flames
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2023-24 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Calgary Flames
Current Cap Hit: $85,943,500 (over the $83.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Matthew Coronato (two years, $925K)
F Jakob Pelletier (one year, $863K/$406K SOIR charge)
Potential Bonuses
Coronato: $850K
Coronato turned pro after a strong college season last year, burning the first year of his entry-level deal in the process even though he only played in one game. That makes assessing his second contract next to impossible at this point but it’s fair to say they’re counting on him playing an important role before too long. His four bonuses are of the ‘A’ variety so if he’s able to stay in a top-six role, it’s possible that one or two of those could be hit.
As for Pelletier, he was up for close to half of last season which is what makes his season-opening IR charge harder than most. Until he’s cleared to play, that will stay there. At that time, he can be set to the roster, making the full cap charge come into effect or he can be sent down, taking it off entirely. With the way things went last season where his playing time was limited and now with his shoulder injury, it’s reasonable to think a low-cost bridge deal is heading his way.
Signed Through 2023-24, Non-Entry-Level
F Dillon Dube ($2.3MM, RFA)
D Dennis Gilbert ($762.5K, UFA)
F A.J. Greer ($762.5K, UFA)
D Noah Hanifin ($4.95MM, UFA)
D Oliver Kylington ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Elias Lindholm ($4.85MM, UFA)
D Jordan Oesterle ($925K, UFA)
F Kevin Rooney ($1.3MM, UFA)
F Adam Ruzicka ($762.5K, RFA)
D Chris Tanev ($4.5MM, UFA)
D Nikita Zadorov ($3.75MM, UFA)
Lindholm’s future with the team (or lack thereof) has been a discussion point for several months now. At one point, it looked like he might not have much interest in staying. That doesn’t appear to be the case now but the two sides still aren’t believed to be close on a new deal. While a repeat of his 42-goal performance in 2021-22 isn’t likely, Lindholm is still a top center in terms of all-around usage and someone is going to pay him accordingly. At the moment, he’s one of the top middlemen that will be set to hit the open market and recent contracts handed out likely peg the low end of his price around the $8.5MM while the high end will start with a nine on a max-term deal or close to it.
Dube has shown steady improvement throughout his young career and is coming off a career year that saw him put up 45 points. Another season like that will have him well-positioned to earn a fair bit more than the $2.4MM qualifier he’s owed; a long-term deal would push past the $4MM mark. Rooney spent most of last in the minors but since he has a one-way contract, he’s counting in full against Calgary’s cap for the time being. He’s likely looking at a deal close to the minimum next summer. Greer did alright on Boston’s fourth line last year, resulting in a preseason waiver claim by Calgary. That said, that role in the lineup is usually filled by someone making the minimum or close to it. Ruzicka has shown some offensive promise but his NHL minutes have been limited. As things stand, a deal just past the $1MM mark is doable but with a bigger role this season, there’s room for him to beat that.
While there is a bit of optimism with Lindholm, there still isn’t a ton when it comes to Hanifin even though he said last month that he’s open to the idea. As a number two defender, he’s in line for a considerable increase on a long-term deal regardless of who gives it to him. He’ll be 27 next summer so a max-term contract surpassing the $7MM mark should be heading his way. Tanev is a throwback shutdown defenseman, the type of player that isn’t seen as frequently now as it was a few years ago. However, he has managed to stay relatively healthy with Calgary which will help his value. It’d be a bit surprising if he beat this on his next deal but with his reputation, it could be possible.
Zadorov had a surprisingly strong season last year from a goal perspective, notching 14 after his prior career high was seven. His size and physicality have allowed him to get some decent-sized contracts thus far despite being more of a fourth or fifth defender but a repeat of that performance offensively could really boost his market next summer. If he reverts back to his usual level of production though, he still could push for something in the $4.5MM range. Kylington missed all of last season for personal reasons and after vowing to be ready for this year, is back on LTIR for personal reasons once again. At this point, it’s hard to pinpoint what his next deal might look like until he’s actually back in uniform.
Oesterle came to Calgary in free agency after spending the past two years in Detroit. Until he can lock down an every-game role, he’s likely to stay below the $1MM mark. As for Gilbert, he has yet to play a full NHL season and is therefore also likely to be below $1MM on his next deal. The fact he has an AAV below the league minimum might help his chances of sticking at the top level, however.
Signed Through 2024-25
F Walker Duehr ($825K, UFA)
F Dryden Hunt ($775K, UFA)
F Andrew Mangiapane ($5.8MM, UFA)
F Yegor Sharangovich ($3.1MM, UFA)
G Daniel Vladar ($2.2MM, UFA)
Mangiapane wasn’t quite able to live up to his 35-goal breakout year in 2021-22, scoring instead at a second-line level. That’s not a poor performance but from a value perspective, they’re paying him to be one of their go-to scorers, not a secondary piece. Sharangovich was acquired in the Tyler Toffoli trade this summer, basically buying themselves an extra year of control with this contract that they quickly gave him. The 2021-22 version is worth a bigger deal than this one on the open market while the one from last year wouldn’t be likely to get much more than this. We’ll see which version he is for Calgary.
Duehr spent more time in the minors than the NHL last season but still managed to earn a one-way deal for his troubles. Now, it’s about establishing himself as an every-game player and if that happens, he could land a deal a bit better than this one. If his seven goals over 27 games translates to full-season production at that level though, then the $2MM mark is achievable. Hunt bounced around the league last season, twice claimed on waivers before being traded at the deadline. He’s a player on the fringes right now and those ones usually stay pretty close to the minimum.
Vladar has been in trade speculation dating back to the summer with Dustin Wolf showing that he’s ready for some NHL action. However, they likely don’t want Wolf playing just once a week so how willing they are to move Vladar at this point is far from a certainty. He’s still relatively inexperienced with one good and one not-so-good year under his belt. More of the former could push him toward the $3MM mark but more years like last season will likely result in a dip on his next deal.
Signed Through 2025-26
D Rasmus Andersson ($4.55MM, UFA)
F Mikael Backlund ($5.35MM in 2023-24, $4.5MM in 2024-25 and 2025-26)
G Jacob Markstrom ($6MM, UFA)
Backlund was originally planning to wait things out before deciding about possibly extending but had a change of heart and was immediately named captain thereafter. He had a career year last season and if he stays at that level, this deal would be a team-friendly one quickly. That’s not realistic but if he goes back to his career averages, this is a fair-value contract that will carry him through 18 seasons with the Flames.
Andersson started out his career in more of a supporting role but former GM Brad Treliving thought that the blueliner had another level to get to, handing him this six-year deal. He was certainly proven right. The 26-year-old had a 50-point showing in 2021-22 (his previous benchmark was 22) and followed it up with a 49-point effort last season while pushing his ATOI past the 24-minute mark. Those are basically number one defenseman numbers for a player who is being paid like a third or fourth option. Lots can happen over the next three seasons that could change things but if Andersson has three more years like the last two, he has a chance to push for double his current price tag in 2026.
Markstrom is coming off a down season but remains one of the more consistently reliable goalies across the NHL which helped land him this contract back in 2020 at a time when the cap was just starting to tighten. It’s a deal that puts him in the top ten for cap hits among NHL netminders (including those that will be on LTIR for the entire year) but when he’s on his game, he’s worth the premium.
Minor Transactions: 10/19/23
With the ECHL starting up its season tonight, NHL and AHL teams have been shuffling players to that level in recent days. Some of those recent moves are highlighted in our latest batch of minor transactions.
- The Senators’ AHL affiliate announced the assignments of forward Philippe Daoust and defenceman Donovan Sebrango to ECHL Allen. Daoust was a sixth-round pick back in 2020 but was limited to just nine games last season due to injury. He had seven points with Belleville but will get more time to work on his rehab at the ECHL level. Meanwhile, Sebrango was acquired from Detroit as part of the Alex DeBrincat trade this summer and split last season between their AHL and ECHL affiliates. Both players are entering the second year of their entry-level contracts.
- Colorado’s AHL squad announced that they’ve sent goaltender Trent Miner, forward Ryan Sandelin, and defenseman Gianni Fairbrother to ECHL Utah. Miner posted a 3.04 GAA along with a .910 SV% in 37 games with the Grizzlies last season and is in the final season of his entry-level deal. Sandelin wrapped up his college career last year with Minnesota State (Mankato), putting up 29 points in 38 games which helped him earn a minor league deal. As for Fairbrother, the Avalanche acquired him as part of the Alex Newhook trade this summer but missed all of last season with a knee injury. He’s also in the final season of his entry-level pact.
- Former NHL blueliner Christian Jaros is on the move to the KHL as he has signed with Severstal Cherepovets, per a team release. The 27-year-old received a two-year deal. Jaros has 94 career NHL games under his belts over parts of five seasons between Ottawa, San Jose, and New Jersey but opted to head overseas last season, seeing action with two separate KHL squads.
Snapshots: NHL Draft Format, Phil Kessel, Jesse Puljujarvi
NHL teams have begun requesting that the draft be decentralized, so front offices have more time to prepare for the draft and free agency in their home markets, rather than needing to travel to the draft city. On TSN’s latest Insider Trading segment, Pierre LeBrun shared that the league sent a memo out to teams on Wednesday of this week discussing this idea, requesting that all teams vote on it by Tuesday of next week. Pierre shared that he’s heard from over a dozen teams on this topic and is expecting that the league will ultimately vote in favor of the change. If this decision goes through, the NHL Draft could mirror the NFL or NBA Draft, where players are greeted by the commissioner after being selected, while teams draft from their own offices.
Insider Trading co-panelist Chris Johnston added that the NHL is confident in their ability to find a location for the 2024 NHL Draft, with the new Vegas sphere as a top option. Even if the sphere doesn’t work out, Vegas still sounds like the league’s preferred host city, with the NHL already identifying alternate locations in the city. If nothing in Vegas pans out, Johnston mentions two unnamed cities are also in the running.
Other notes from around the league:
- Johnston also spoke about Phil Kessel‘s continuing free agency on Insider Trading, sharing that the forward is generating NHL interest and could ink a deal soon. Kessel is the NHL’s current iron man, with a consecutive game streak stretching over 1000 games. But Johnston says that isn’t important for Kessel in his new deal, he just wants to play through the year. Kessel scored 14 goals and 36 points with Vegas last season, en route to his third Stanley Cup win. The 36-year-old winger is eight points away from his 1,000th NHL point.
- In addition to discussing Kessel on Insider Trading, Johnston also touched on Jesse Puljujarvi‘s free agency in a recent article for The Athletic. He shared that Puljujarvi, who is recovering from surgery on both hips, is slated for a return in late November or early December and could be receiving a lot of interest from NHL clubs. Puljujarvi split time between the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes last season, playing in 75 games and notching a mere 16 points. He’s continuing to train in Finland while he recovers from injury.