Sharks Place Ty Emberson, Ryan Carpenter On IR
The Sharks have made a pair of roster moves ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Islanders, placing defenseman Ty Emberson and forward Ryan Carpenter on IR, as Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group relays. Emberson is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury after missing yesterday’s loss against the Rangers. Meanwhile, Carpenter logged nearly 16 minutes in that game and is now out with an undisclosed injury.
Emberson, 23, has been a pleasant surprise for the Sharks after they claimed him off waivers from the Rangers in September, quickly emerging as a potential replacement for the steeply declining Marc-Édouard Vlasic as a top-four shutdown specialist. A relatively unknown name with no NHL experience entering this season, Emberson has played 16 of San Jose’s 25 games, recently forcing his way up to the team’s top pairing alongside Mario Ferraro. Recording a goal and three assists while averaging 17:51 per game, Emberson has recorded a relatively strong -3 rating on a defensively porous Sharks team and a Corsi share of 46.7% at even strength, far better than the team’s 42.7% overall mark. His pairing with Ferraro has allowed 1.96 expected goals against per 60 minutes, the best of any qualified pairing on the Sharks, per MoneyPuck.
Even if only short-term, his absence cannot be afforded for a team with such a thin blue line. In Emberson’s absence, Kyle Burroughs is expected to play top-pairing duties against the Islanders tomorrow. He has just two assists in 24 games with a -12 rating, averaging nearly 19 minutes per game.
Carpenter has been similarly excellent on the defensive side of the puck this season but figures a bit easier to replace, given he’s seen more limited minutes. The 32-year-old veteran of nearly 350 NHL games has lined up primarily at center for the Sharks this year, recording five points in 18 games and a relatively spectacular Corsi share of 49.3% at even strength despite seeing a majority of defensive zone starts.
After Carpenter cleared waivers and was assigned to AHL San Jose before opening night rosters were due, the Sharks recalled him in late October. He sat as a healthy scratch for one contest but has made 18 straight appearances. Without him, the Sharks are down to 11 healthy forwards (including defenseman-turned-forward Jacob MacDonald), so expect a recall from the minors before tomorrow’s contest.
Emberson will be eligible to return on December 10 against the Golden Knights, while Carpenter will be eligible to return two days later against the Jets. Both will miss at least three games during their mandatory retroactive seven-day stint on IR.
Wild Recall Dakota Mermis, Reassign Vinni Lettieri
The Wild recalled defenseman Dakota Mermis from AHL Iowa today, per a team announcement. Minnesota sent forward Vinni Lettieri to Iowa in a corresponding move to remain under the Upper Limit of the salary cap.
Mermis, 29, has appeared in 20 games for the Wild since signing as a free agent in 2020, recording two goals and three assists in 15:30 of average ice time. After clearing waivers, the Wild recalled Mermis early this season as injuries struck their blueline, playing him in a career-high 13 contests. After notching his only five points as a member of the Wild and recording a -1 rating, the Wild placed Mermis on waivers again in November, shortly after the return of captain Jared Spurgeon from injury, officially assigning him to Iowa less than a week later.
He’s only appeared in four games for Iowa since his November demotion. The left-shot defender has one assist, a -1 rating and 12 penalty minutes after recording 26 points in 63 games for Iowa last season. While Spurgeon likely won’t miss any time after departing yesterday’s win over the Blackhawks with an apparent lower-body injury, recent trade acquisition Zach Bogosian is banged up and likely to miss time on their upcoming Pacific Division road trip with an upper-body injury. With Bogosian not headed for long-term injured reserve, the Wild only have sufficient cap space for one extra player – meaning they’ll carry 12 forwards and seven defensemen for the trip instead of 13 forwards and six defensemen.
This is Letteri’s second demotion of the season after clearing waivers last month. The 28-year-old had played in two out of three games since his subsequent call-up on November 28, sitting as a healthy scratch against the Blackhawks yesterday and playing a limited role when in the lineup. A point-per-game threat in the minors, Lettieri has averaged 10:43 through 13 NHL appearances this season with two goals and one assist. The Minnesota-born center has 96 NHL games under his belt, dating back to the 2017-18 season with the Rangers, and remains a high-end AHL talent in his prime.
The Wild did not need to expose Lettieri to waivers because he had been on the NHL roster for less than 30 days and played less than 10 games since he cleared last month.
Snapshots: Senators Trade Rumors, Arber Xhekaj, Ridly Greig
The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch recently shared that teams have been reaching out to the Senators to see if top forward Drake Batherson is available. However, Garrioch reports that Ottawa isn’t looking for a large-scale trade, and is instead shopping around winger Dominik Kubalik. This could be in an effort to make space for Shane Pinto, who is currently serving a 41-game suspension after violating the league’s sports wagering rules.
Kubalik is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st and carries a $2MM cap hit this season. The 28-year-old has managed four goals and five points through 19 games this season, also adding six penalty minutes and a -10. Kubalik previously scored 30 goals and 46 points in the 2019-20 season, his rookie year in the NHL. His scoring took a step back following the exciting rookie year, but he managed 20 goals and 45 points in 81 games with the Detroit Red Wings last season.
And while those are certainly fine numbers for a cheap, depth forward, it’s easy to see why Batherson is the one teams are interested in. The 25-year-old winger currently has 14 points, split evenly, through 19 games this season. He’s coming off of a career-year that saw him record 22 goals and 62 points in 82 games last season. The breakout year was apart of a steady climb in scoring, with Batherson recording 34 points in 2020-21 and 44 points in only 46 games during the 2021-22 season. The young forward is also cost-controlled through 2026-27, carrying a cap hit of $4.975MM in each of the next four seasons.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Montreal Canadiens have activated 22-year-old defenseman Arber Xhekaj off of injured reserve and loaned him to the AHL. Xhekaj appeared in 17 games with Montreal this season, scoring three points and recording 47 penalty minutes, before being moved to IR with an upper-body injury. He will play in the first AHL games of his career on this loan, as he previously made the jump from the OHL straight to the NHL.
- Garrioch also shared that Ridly Greig is expected to play for the Senators in their Tuesday night matchup against the New York Rangers. Greig has been out of action for the last 10 games, after being moved to long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
Penguins Announce Several Injury Updates
Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has provided an update on the team’s injuries. He shared that Noel Acciari will travel with the team on their upcoming three-game road trip. The centerman is not yet skating after suffering a lower-body injury, but Sullivan doesn’t expect he’ll miss much time. Sullivan also shared that Matthew Nieto will not join the team on the road trip, while Rickard Rakell and Chad Ruhwedel are returning to the ice and will join the trip.
Nieto and Acciari are both in their first year with the Penguins and have both appeared in 22 games so far. Acciari has managed a modest two goals and three points, also recording four penalty minutes and a +4. He also ranks third among the team’s centermen in faceoff percentage, winning 52.2 percent of the 224 faceoffs he’s taken this season. Nieto has tallied one goal and four points on the year, adding a +5.
The two depth forwards currently rank last on the Penguins in CF% (Corsi-For percentage) and xGF% (expected-goals-for percentage), showing their struggles through the early season. Acciari, 32, is a veteran of 406 NHL games after signing with the Boston Bruins as an undrafted free agent in 2015. Nieto, 31, was a second-round selection in the 2011 NHL Draft and has appeared in 673 NHL games.
Rakell, who could see a return to action soon, has played in 17 games of his own this season, recording four assists, but is still looking for his first goal of the year. The 30-year-old winger is coming off of a 28-goal, 60-point performance last season – his first full year with the Penguins. Pittsburgh could also get back veteran defender Chad Ruhwedel, who has been with the Penguins since the 2016-17 season. Ruhwedel has appeared in 15 games this season, netting one assist and a -3.
Panthers Assign Uvis Balinskis To AHL
12/4: The Panthers have recalled Balinskis to the NHL roster, after sending him down on December 1st. He missed one Panthers game with his assignment.
12/1: The Panthers announced Friday that defenseman Uvis Balinskis has been assigned to AHL Charlotte. This is the first demotion of his NHL career after signing as an undrafted free agent with the Panthers last summer.
The 27-year-old Balinskis joined Florida after spending the first eight years of his professional career in Czechia and Russia. He’s been a fixture on the Latvian national team throughout that time, representing them at the World Juniors, World Championship (on multiple occasions), and the Olympics. Last season, Balinskis recorded a career-high 35 points in 50 games for Czech Extraliga team Bili Tygri Liberec, drawing NHL interest in the process. It earned him a one-year, two-way deal with an $870K cap hit.
In his first NHL season, Balinskis has largely been effective in a depth role. Skating in 15 games, he averaged just 13:50 per contest, notching a goal and an assist with a +1 rating. His possession numbers have been strong – a 53.9% Corsi share at even strength and strong advanced metrics – but he’s offered little in the way of play-driving ability. He’s been an effective signing for what the Panthers brought him in to do, but with Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour both returning from season-opening injuries last month, Balinskis’ role in the lineup evaporated.
As a first-year NHLer, Balinskis is exempt from waivers. The Panthers can ferry him up and down from the minors as they please this season, and he’ll likely be brought back up at some point. Sending Balinskis to the minors leaves them with six healthy defenders, as Josh Mahura remains on injured reserve and depth puck-mover Mike Reilly was claimed off waivers by the Islanders last week. Because of his age, Balinskis will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Jets Sign Nino Niederreiter To Three-Year Extension
The Winnipeg Jets have signed forward Nino Niederreiter to a three-year contract extension. The new deal carries a $4MM annual average value (AAV) and will begin next season. Niederreiter is in his first full season with Winnipeg, after joining the team via a trade with the Nashville Predators last season.
Niederreiter has appeared in 23 games with the Jets this season, recording six goals, 14 points, and a +9. He managed similar stats after joining the Jets last season, appearing in 22 games and scoring six goals and 13 points. He also added four points in five playoff games.
Winnipeg is the fifth franchise that the 31-year-old Niederreiter has played for across his 13-year career. He was originally drafted fifth overall by the New York Islanders in the 2010 NHL Draft and went on to make his NHL debut at the end of the 2010-11 season, joining the Islanders roster after the end of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks season. His rookie season came in 2011-12, and was marked by a string of challenges, with Niederreiter only recording one goal and a -29 through 55 games. He bounced back from the shaky start, though, going on to record 833 career NHL games and 423 career points. He ranks sixth in the 2010 Draft class in career games.
Niederreiter is averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time this season, providing strong support to Winnipeg’s middle-six. He is one of nine Jets with 10 or more points this season. The roster currently ranks third in the Central Division, with a 13-8-2 record. They also rank 11th in goal-differential, with a +10.
Senators’ D.J. Smith On The Hot Seat
The Ottawa Senators are falling flat this season, carrying a 9-10-0 record that currently has them ranked third-to-last in the NHL. They rank 28th in goals-for through the early season as well, despite having nine different skaters with 10 or more points. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch shared that, as the team continues to struggle, head coach D.J. Smith‘s seat is becoming one of the hottest in Ottawa. Garrioch added that new GM Staios isn’t looking to make a change yet, but continued losses could force his hand to make a change sooner rather than later.
Smith has been with the Senators since the 2019-20 season, stepping into his first head coaching role in the NHL after four seasons as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s commanded 310 games with Ottawa, setting a losing record of 129-149-32. Ottawa has also failed to make the playoffs under his leadership, although they’ve only managed three playoff berths since 2010.
It’s been a different coaching experience for Smith, who proved highly successful in his time as the head coach of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals from 2012 to 2015. Through his three years with the Generals, he led the team to three playoff runs, capping it off with a run to the J. Ross Robertson Cup and a Memorial Cup win. Smith’s championship-winning Generals lineup was led by Michael Dal Colle and Cole Cassels, with support from standouts like Anthony Cirelli, Michael McCarron, and Mitchell Vande Sompel.
Garrioch emphasized that Staios is hoping that Ottawa can right the ship before a coaching change is necessary. The team has played the fewest games in the league in the early season, three fewer than anyone else in the Atlantic Division, and ranks 23rd in the league in point percentage. The team could regroup as they catch up to their peers in games played. But if they can’t, changes could continue to flow in for a Senators team currently facing a new owner and general manager.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: Dallas Stars
As the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2023-24. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Dallas Stars.
Who are the Stars thankful for?
There were a number of different ways that we could have gone here, but it is hard to dismiss the agelessness of 39-year-old Joe Pavelski.
Many pundits thought the Dallas Stars had made a big miscalculation back in July 2019 when the club signed a then 34-year-old Pavelski to a three-year $21MM contract just ten days before his 35th birthday. And one season into the deal, it sure looked like the pundits were right. Pavelski looked lost and tired as he suffered through one of the worst seasons of his NHL career. But since that first year, he has registered 91 goals and 142 assists in 242 games.
Now part of those numbers are because Pavelski is playing fewer minutes than his career average, and he is also playing with very skilled teammates, but it is hard to discount all the intangibles Pavelski has brought to the Stars dressing room on top of being a bonafide top-6 forward. Pavelski hasn’t had to sacrifice any of his attention to detail when it comes to his defensive responsibilities and continues to remain in the conversation when it comes to Selke Trophy considerations year after year. All of this in his 18th NHL season, while he continues to play under a very team-friendly cap hit making just $3.5MM this season (plus $2MM in bonuses).
Pavelski might not be the biggest star in Dallas, but his reliability at both ends of the ice, and his ability to make everyone around him better continue to impress as he pushes towards his 40th birthday.
What are the Stars thankful for?
Their scouting staff.
Very few teams have hit on late first-round picks and second-round picks the way the Dallas Stars have over the last decade. The Stars were fortunate to pick the likes of Miro Heiskanen third overall. But most of their depth was built off smart picks later in the draft. All-star goaltender Jake Oettinger was a late first-round pick 26th overall in the 2017 NHL entry draft, Jason Robertson was selected 13 spots later at 39th overall and has emerged as a top-flight offensive talent. Roope Hintz was a late second-round pick in the 2015 draft while Wyatt Johnston was selected 23rd overall in 2021. The list goes on and it goes to show just how Dallas has built a team that can contend year in and year out.
The stars currently boast some of the best depth in the NHL evidenced by Johnston centering a third line that features Jamie Benn. They haven’t just hit on draft picks as they’ve also been able to make smart free-agent signings (see Pavelski above) and craft trades along the way. The scouts in Dallas at both the amateur and pro level have done a commendable job identifying available talent that other NHL clubs are undervaluing.
What would the Stars be even more thankful for?
Ryan Suter dialing it back.
At 39 years old it is unlikely that Ryan Suter is going to find another gear suddenly. The 11-time all-star defenseman has seen his offensive game fall into a decline since 2020, while his defensive game has been slipping away since 2015. Suter was once considered one of the top two-way defensemen in the NHL, but time has caught up to the Madison, Wisconsin native.
In Dallas, Suter has been thrust into a role that is probably outside of his current skillset as he has played significant minutes with Miro Heiskanen. Suter is averaging over 20 minutes a night, and while that is a steep decline from last season, it is still a rather large number for one of the oldest defensemen in the NHL.
The drop-in ice time has mostly come from Suter being removed from the Stars’ power play. With his speed and footwork in decline, the Stars have made the call to primarily use Suter at even strength on their top pairing. The good news for Suter is that he is partnered up with Heiskanen and can benefit from the youngster’s strong skillset. Suter hasn’t been terrible this year and has mostly been fine, but given the Stars’ Stanley Cup aspirations, it will be important that Suter finds another gear, or the Stars look for someone who can better log Suter’s minutes and perhaps bump him down the depth chart.
What should be on the Stars holiday wish list?
A defenseman.
As mentioned above, Suter could probably benefit from a more sheltered role in the Stars’ defense core. Esa Lindell could also use some help as well as he too has had his struggles. All this points to the Stars needing to shop for another defender.
Dallas is in the fortunate position to have a decent farm system from which they could trade, and also have some young roster players that could entice teams to part with a defenseman. Although I would avoid trading Johnston if possible.
The Stars could benefit from a right-side defenseman, and while it wouldn’t improve Suter’s position on the depth chart, it would allow Jani Hakanpää to slide down into the bottom pairing. Hakanpää has had a rough start to the season and would likely welcome some sheltered minutes on a 5-6 pairing.
If Dallas opts to trade for right-shot defensemen there will certainly be options available to them. Tyson Barrie of the Nashville Predators is out there, as is Chris Tanev of the Calgary Flames. If the Stars wanted to be bolder, they could take a run at Noah Hanifin as he would slot in beautifully on their top pair next to Heiskanen.
Cap space will be an issue for the Stars, but as we inch closer and closer to the trade deadline it will become less of an issue. Dallas is on the cusp of breaking through in the playoffs and one more defenseman could be just the thing that gets them over the hump and back to the Stanley Cup finals.
Cale Makar Will Not Play Tonight
Peter Baugh of The Athletic is reporting that Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar will miss tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings with a lower-body injury. Baugh relayed the news from Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar who said that Makar is out for tonight and that was all he knew for now.
Makar is currently one of the frontrunners for the Norris Trophy as his seven goals and 27 assists in 23 games have him tied for fourth in NHL scoring with Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes. He has finished in the top-3 in Norris Trophy voting in each of the past three seasons and is making a strong case for it to be four years in a row. He won the award back in 2022 and was also the Conn Smythe Trophy winner in the same year.
Makar left the Avalanche game last night against the Anaheim Ducks just before the end of regulation. He was unavailable during the overtime period and the shootout, which the Avalanche eventually lost.
If he is out for any length of time it would be a big blow to a Colorado club that currently sits atop the Central Division with a 15-6-2 record. They were on a hot streak having won seven of eight prior games to dropping their last two to the Ducks and Arizona Coyotes.
With Makar sidelined, it appears that rookie Sam Malinski will dress in his second career NHL game. The 25-year-old signed as an undrafted free agent this past March after playing four years at Cornell University. In 17 AHL games this season with the Colorado Eagles, Malinski has three goals and six assists.
Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Alex Nylander
12/03/23: Following the placement of Matt Nieto on injured reserve, the Penguins recalled Nylander to their NHL roster. Nylander dressed for three AHL games on his latest reassignment, collecting two assists.
11/29/23: The Pittsburgh Penguins have reassigned forward Alex Nylander to their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.
The 25-year-old former top prospect heads back to the AHL after plying in three games for the Penguins. He got a shot in the team’s top-six playing next to Evgeni Malkin and Reilly Smith, but wasn’t able to make the most of it. Despite receiving over 15 minutes of ice time per game during his call-up, Nylander did not record a point.
But while in the NHL Nylander struggles to be a factor, in the AHL he’s a top player. He scored 25 goals and 50 points for Wilkes-Barre Scranton last season and currently has eight points in 11 games with the club. He’ll now return to his starring role with the AHL’s Penguins just in time for their game tonight against the Hershey Bears.
The Penguins with this reassignment have cleared a spare open spot on their roster to make another move. They could end up bringing an extra forward up to replace Nylander, though it is likely that before the season is done Nylander will get another shot at the NHL level with the team.