Cale Makar Receives One-Game Suspension
1:10 PM CT: The league has announced their decision, giving Makar a one-game suspension which will keep him out of the lineup for Game Five. If not one of the more interesting series already up to this point, Game Five will see the Kraken without one of their best forwards on the team, and also see the Avalanche without their best defenseman. As the series is now tied at two games apiece after the Kraken’s win last evening, Game Five will give one team control over the series.
8:04 AM CT: The Colorado Avalanche lost the game last night and now could be without the services of their best defenseman. Cale Makar will have a hearing today for his hit on Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann, suggesting a potential suspension is coming down the pipe. McCann has already been ruled out for game five after suffering an injury on the play.
Makar was initially given a five-minute major for interference, but after an officials review, it was reduced to a two-minute penalty. The league apparently disagrees with that decision, if they are preparing to hand out some supplemental discipline for the Avalanche defenseman.
If they do lose him, Colorado will be in a vulnerable position. They are heading home, but the series is now tied after Jordan Eberle‘s overtime dramatics. Removing Makar, who played 27 minutes in the loss, leading all skaters, will put a ton of pressure on the other Avalanche defenders. Already the team was basically operating a four-man rotation, with Erik Johnson and Josh Manson each playing fewer than 13 minutes in the overtime contest.
The league may be exercising some proactivity with this discipline, as the Kraken would likely have been trying to take some liberties with Makar had he faced nothing after the game. While he suggested there was no intent to injure McCann, the entire Kraken team has expressed their displeasure with the hit, and the decision to reduce it to a two-minute penalty.
Boston Bruins Notes: Bergeron, Krejčí
Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now is reporting that it appears as though center Patrice Bergeron will be dressing in game five for the Boston Bruins. Bergeron has been sidelined for all four of Boston’s first round games against the Florida Panthers after sustaining an injury in the regular season finale against the Montreal Canadiens.
Yesterday both head coach Jim Montgomery and general manager Don Sweeney had stated that Bergeron would likely return to practice Tuesday morning. Bergeron did in fact skate with the team today and led the stretching. After practice he said that he didn’t foresee any issues keeping him from playing in his first game of the playoffs.
Boston will have an opportunity on Wednesday to eliminate the Florida Panthers after taking both games three and four in Florida. The Bruins will return home with an opportunity to punch their ticket to a second-round matchup with either the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In other Boston Bruins notes:
- While it appears that Bergeron will be returning, Jimmy Murphy tweeted that head coach Jim Montgomery told the media that David Krejčí will be unavailable for game five. Krejčí dressed for the first two games of the series in Boston, but then was a late scratch for game three and hasn’t dressed since. He struggled mightily in game two of the series going -3 and getting beat up in the faceoff circle. Not much is known about Krejčí’s injury and Boston has been tight lipped about it other than to offer updates on his status. NHL.com’s Eric Russo writes that Don Sweeney has said that Krejčí is slated to undergo further testing and an update could come after the team hears from the doctors.
Edmonton Oilers Have Recalled Goaltender Calvin Pickard
In a curious move the Edmonton Oilers recalled veteran goaltender Calvin Pickard from the Bakersfield Condors. The move was announced this morning by the Oilers; however, the team hasn’t commented on any reason for it. Stuart Skinner took most of the starts for Edmonton during the regular season and playoffs, however he was pulled in game four after allowing three goals on 11 shots. Jack Campbell came in to replace Skinner and performed admirably as he backstopped the Oilers to a comeback win to pull even with the Los Angeles Kings at two games each.
Pickard didn’t see any game action this season with Edmonton and has only played in 36 NHL games in the past six seasons. The former second round pick was once viewed as the goaltender of the future for the Colorado Avalanche after posting a save percentage over .920 in his first two NHL seasons. However, since those initial seasons Pickard hasn’t posted a single season with a save percentage above .900 and has bounced back and forth between the AHL and the NHL.
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, is said by the Oilers about Pickard’s recall. The Oilers did practice this morning, with Oilers radio analyst Bob Stauffer observing that Stuart Skinner was in the starters net and TSN has reported that Skinner will indeed start game five. The debate amongst Edmonton fans since game four has been about who to start in net for game five after Campbell stood on his head stopping 27 of 28 shots. Campbell was expected to be the starter for the Oilers coming into this season but lost the net as he struggled with a .888 save percentage in just 36 games. Skinner jumped on the opportunity to start and posted a .913 save percentage in 50 games.
Carl Dahlstrom Linked To SHL
At the beginning of the season, it appeared as though Carl Dahlstrom had positioned himself to be one of the first call-ups for the Toronto Maple Leafs, receiving NHL pay (and ice time) whenever the team suffered an injury on defense. Instead, Dahlstrom suffered the injury, going down with a shoulder issue that required surgery.
After months on the sidelines recovering, he has recently re-joined the Toronto Marlies for their playoff run, playing eight games over the last few weeks. Whenever the Marlies’ season ends, it might be the last we see of Dahlstrom on North American ice—at least for now.
The veteran defenseman has been linked to Farjestad BK of the SHL, with former Rockford IceHogs teammates speaking highly of him for the club. A return to Sweden could end any chance of another NHL stint for the 28-year-old defenseman, who has 67 games under his belt at the highest level.
Just three of those have come since the end of 2019-20, though, as he struggled with injuries for multiple clubs. With so much depth currently on the Maple Leafs, there’s no way he’ll get into the NHL playoff lineup, and as a pending unrestricted free agent, finding a home for next season is a priority.
Skyler Brind’Amour Signs AHL Contract
After telling the Edmonton Oilers that he wasn’t signing with them and instead joining the Charlotte Checkers on a professional tryout, Skyler Brind’Amour has committed to playing in North Carolina next season. The recent NCAA champion has signed a two-year AHL contract that begins in 2023-24.
Brind’Amour, 23, was initially selected in the sixth round by the Oilers, but after spending two years in the BCHL and then another four with Quinnipiac University, he won’t join the team that drafted him. He would have become an unrestricted free agent in August, but Edmonton likely gave him free rein to seek another option, resulting in his trip to Charlotte.
The gig has geographical perks, as his father—Rod Brind’Amour—coaches the Carolina Hurricanes just across the state. The Checkers, a long-time affiliate of the Hurricanes, switched their partnership to the Florida Panthers a few seasons ago.
Brind’Amour scored 14 goals and 32 points in 41 games this season and is known for his never-ending work ethic more than anything else. The checking center still has a long road ahead of him if he’s to crack an NHL roster.
Jared McCann To Miss At Least One Game
The Seattle Kraken were able to take down the Colorado Avalanche in overtime to even their first-round series at two games apiece but will now have to go into game five without their top offensive player. Head coach Dave Hakstol told reporters including Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet that Jared McCann will miss the next game and possibly longer after leaving early last night.
After a partial breakaway during the first period that was stopped by Philipp Grubauer, McCann was run hard into the boards by Cale Makar and suffered an injury. The Colorado defenseman was originally given a five-minute major, but after review, it was reduced to a two-minute minor.
Makar was booed the rest of the night after removing Seattle’s top forward, a player that experienced a breakout campaign this year. McCann scored 40 goals for the Kraken and reached the 70-point mark for the first time in his career. His scoring came in all forms, with 30 goals at even strength, seven on the powerplay, and three short-handed.
For Seattle, losing McCann will be a huge blow to their chances. While their lineup is built on depth and versatility, there’s no question he brings the most offensive juice.
The series continues tomorrow, back in Colorado.
Snapshots: Castonguay, Flames GM Search, Canucks Free Agent Needs
In the latest edition of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet gives an update on a vacant general manager search. He had previously speculated that the Philadelphia Flyers GM search included discussing the possibility of speaking with Emilie Castonguay, who is the assistant general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.
Now, it sounds like Castonguay will not be going anywhere. While her name did come up as the Flyers cast a wide net to begin their hunt for a new GM, Castonguay is happy where she is currently and is not looking to move on from the Canucks to replace Chuck Fletcher in Philadelphia. This past season was her first full season with the Canucks after being hired midway through the 2021-22 season.
- Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 discusses the possibilities for the next Calgary Flames general manager and points out one very likely candidate. Steinberg says the team isn’t looking for a veteran retread for the job as they have Don Maloney in place as an experienced executive after naming him the team’s President of Hockey Operations. Steinberg discusses Flames assistant general manager Craig Conroy, the most likely candidate. The 51-year-old has been in the Flames front office since 2010, acting as a special assistant to the GM or the assistant GM.
- Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet breaks down the Vancouver Canucks biggest needs this offseason, pointing to a big hole down the middle. While the team has Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller at center, there is really not an ideal third-line center on the team. He suggests the team will need to address this in free agency, possibly by signing Ivan Barbashev, Pius Suter or Max Domi, none of whom will come cheap. He also discusses the team’s need to move out a pricey winger like Brock Boeser or Conor Garland in order to create the cap space to fill that need down the middle.
NHL Notes: Zucker, Drury, Andersen
Seth Rorabaugh of Trib Live Sports is reporting that free agent winger Jason Zucker has made it clear that he wants to remain a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zucker was able to remain healthy this season for the first time since the 2018-19 season when he was a member of the Minnesota Wild. Zucker flourished in a top six role for the Penguins this year, which was a pleasant, albeit unexpected surprise. Zucker spent much of last summer as a possible trade or buyout candidate, but the Penguins never found a suitor for the California native and elected to hang onto him.
Zucker rewarded Pittsburgh with his best season as a Penguin. He tallied 27 goals and 48 points in 78 games while playing on a second line with Evgeni Malkin. Zucker was also one of the few Penguins who showed an emotional pulse as the team was free falling out of a playoff position in the dying weeks of the regular season. There were many nights in which Pittsburgh appeared to be sleepwalking through the game only to be awakened by a huge hit by the small forward.
Zucker will have suitors and could very well fetch a contract that exceeds his previous cap hit of $5.5MM. Zucker is just 31 years old, and while injuries are certainly a concern given his track record, the lack of game breaking forwards on the free agent market should allow Zucker to cash in on his bounce back season.
In other notes from around the NHL:
- Chip Alexander of Raleigh News & Observer is reporting that Rod Brind’Amour said that Jack Drury is feeling better today. This comes on the heels of Drury leaving game four yesterday after taking a hard hit into the boards in the first period. The center is in the midst of a 14-game goalless drought and played just 1:20 in the Hurricanes 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Drury had just eight points in 38 games in the regular season, but with the Hurricanes battling through various injuries the 23-year-old played over 15 minutes in both games two and three of Carolina’s first round series.
- Alexander also tweeted that Brind’Amour said goaltender Frederik Andersen is good to go for the Carolina Hurricanes. Andersen will likely be relegated to a backup role as Antti Raanta has backstopped the Hurricanes to a 3-1 series lead against the Islanders. Raanta has posted a solid .915 save percentage for Carolina after going 19-3-3 in the regular season. While it seems likely that Andersen won’t see action until the second round, he could get into a game should Raanta stumble in any of the next few games.
Calgary Flames Sign Walker Duehr To An Extension
The Calgary Flames have announced that they’ve re-signed forward Walker Duehr to a two-year one-way contract extension. Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the deal comes with an annual cap hit of $825K, not a bad payday for a player who had played in just a single NHL game prior to the start of the 2022-23 season.
The 25-year-old enjoyed a solid first season in the NHL putting up seven goals and 11 points in 27 NHL games. Duehr also holds the unusual distinction of being the first South Dakota born player to score a goal in the NHL.
Prior to his breakthrough last season Duehr had spent two plus seasons playing in the AHL with Calgary’s AHL affiliates and four seasons in the NCAA with Minnesota State University. Despite his 11 points with the Flames last season in limited action, Duehr has never been one to put up much in the way of offense. He hasn’t eclipsed 27 points at any level dating back to 2011-12, however given his low cap hit and his track record, he likely won’t be relied upon for anything more than bottom six minutes.
It’s a gamble for Calgary, but given the work to be done this summer re-tooling a team that disappointed in the regular season, it was a safe, low risk move to make with a player they are quite familiar with.
Bruins Notes: Bergeron, Krejčí, Steen
Conor Ryan of Boston.com tweeted out today that Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told the media that Patrice Bergeron will skate with the Bruins tomorrow. Bergeron hasn’t dressed for Boston in these playoffs after suffering an injury in the team’s season finale against the Montreal Canadiens. Despite his absence, the team has jumped out to a 3-1 series lead over the Florida Panthers. Bergeron has taken more of an advisor role in the first four games of the series but would certainly welcome the opportunity to return to his main role of centering Boston’s first line.
In a separate interview with head coach Jim Montgomery, the first year Bruins head coach hinted that if Bergeron is cleared to play, he would dress in game 5. The Sports Hub writer Ty Anderson tweeted that the if Bergeron was ready to go, he would play and the Bruins wouldn’t prioritize rest, even with a two-game series lead.
Bergeron would bring a wealth of big game experience back into the Bruins lineup should he be cleared to play in game five. Not only that, but Boston would be getting back one of the best two-way centers in the game at a time when the team is dealing with multiple injuries to other key players.
In other Boston Bruins notes:
- Conor Ryan also tweeted that Don Sweeney doesn’t think David Krejčí will be able to skate with the Bruins tomorrow. Sweeney added that the center was undergoing further testing, which doesn’t point to an imminent return for the 36-year-old. Krejčí is dealing with an upper body injury, although not much more is known about the ailment. He played in the first two games in this series, notching a single assist, but Krejčí struggled badly in game two of the series going -3 in 19:26 of ice time and winning just 42% of the faceoffs he took.
- The Boston Bruins also announced that they’ve assigned Oskar Steen to Providence of the AHL. The 25-year-old Swede skated in just three games for the Bruins this season, notching a single goal. He hasn’t dressed in any of the Bruins four postseason games against the Florida Panthers. Steen looked like a possible candidate to secure a role in Boston’s bottom six this season, but with the depth in the Bruins forward rank, the numbers game appears to have pushed Steen back into the minors. Steen has been a solid but unspectacular option for Providence this season, putting up 14 goals and 31 points in 64 games.