Coyotes Notes: Ritchie, Imama, Injuries
PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reported Monday afternoon that Arizona Coyotes forward Brett Ritchie‘s status for tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers is uncertain for a second straight night due to illness. He will be a game-time decision after missing yesterday’s shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
Ritchie has scored two goals and added two assists in eight games since being acquired in a swap with the Calgary Flames at the trade deadline. The 29-year-old winger is having his best offensive season since he recorded seven goals and 14 points in 71 games with the Dallas Stars in 2017-18.
More from the Coyotes beat today:
- With Ritchie’s availability up in the air, Bokondji Imama is back up with the Coyotes on emergency loan from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. Defenseman Michael Kesselring was papered back to the Roadrunners to satisfy the emergency loan requirements. With Josh Brown ready to return to the lineup, this allows the Coyotes to play 12 forwards and six defensemen tonight, no matter what. Imama is still looking for his first point of the year in five games with the Coyotes.
- Also per Morgan, forwards Laurent Dauphin and Zack Kassian will remain out of the lineup with upper-body injuries. Kassian, who has just two goals in 51 games this season, has been absent from the lineup since March 21. Dauphin, who has no points in 16 games since being recalled from Tucson, has been out for three days.
Detroit Red Wings Sign William Wallinder
The Detroit Red Wings have announced the signing of defenseman William Wallinder to a three-year entry-level contract beginning with the 2023-24 season. Financial details will be added as they become available.
Wallinder will immediately report to North America. The Red Wings also revealed that he will report to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.
The 20-year-old Wallinder, born in Sweden, was the Red Wings’ second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, taken 32nd overall. He has spent the past two seasons playing for Rögle BK in the SHL, recording 45 points in 97 games.
Wallinder is a highly-touted prospect for the Red Wings and is known for his exceptional skating ability and offensive confidence. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 190 pounds, he’s got a pro-ready size that could help ease his transition to North American ice.
Wallinder appeared in seven games for Sweden at the 2022 World Junior Championship, recording three assists and a +3 rating in seven games. He also recorded the most points among all junior-aged SHL players in 2021-22 and was named the Swedish Junior Hockey Player of the Year.
Philadelphia Flyers Sign Emil Andrae
The Philadelphia Flyers have signed defenseman Emil Andrae to a three-year entry-level contract beginning with the 2023-24 season, according to a team release Monday.
The Flyers did not announce the financial specifics of the contract. However, they did note that Andrae is on an amateur tryout with their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, for the remainder of the season. There, Andrae has recorded two assists in two games, building on what’s been a successful 2022-23 campaign for the young defender.
Andrae, 21, who hails from Västervik, Sweden, played tough minutes for HV71 in the SHL this season, back in Sweden’s top league after a one-year demotion to the second-tier Allsvenskan. In 51 games, Andrae recorded six goals, 20 assists, and a -3 rating, sitting tied for fourth in scoring on the team.
Drafted 54th overall in 2020, Andrae stood out at the 2022 World Junior Championship, captaining Team Sweden and recording four goals and eight points in seven games en route to a bronze medal and an All-Star Team nod. The main knock against Andrae is his smaller stature, standing at 5-foot-9 and 176 pounds, but he plays with the confidence and strength of a bulkier player.
He has the playing mentality that Flyers head coach John Tortorella is known to appreciate and reward. Although he likely requires a bit more development time before he’s ready for a full-time NHL role, Andrae could be one of the key blueliners on next year’s Phantoms team. The possibility remains that Andrae could be loaned back to HV71 next season if he doesn’t make the NHL squad, especially considering he has one season remaining on his contract there. The transfer agreement between the two leagues allows the Flyers to buy Andrae out of his contract in Sweden.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Scott, Potential GMs/Coaches
The NHL announced its Three Stars of the Week for March 20 through March 26, with Viktor Arvidsson of the Los Angeles Kings earning the top spot. Arvidsson led the league with five goals and two assists, scoring in each of the three games he played. His performance helped the Kings extend their point streak to a franchise-record 12 games as they rocket up the Pacific Division standings.
Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki was named the Second Star after tallying eight points in three games. Suzuki’s four-point effort in an 8-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets was his first career four-point outing. The Third Star went to Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who posted a 2-0-0 record, a 0.96 goals-against average, and a .972 save percentage. Gustavsson’s 47-save performance in a 2-1 win of the New Jersey Devils was a career-high. The Wild have earned points in 12 of Gustavsson’s past 13 starts dating back to February 11. His excellence in goal for the Wild has helped them continue to climb the Central Division standings without the services of Kirill Kaprizov.
More from around the league this morning:
- Dave Scott, the chairman and former CEO of the Philadelphia Flyers’ ownership group, Comcast-Spectacor, will be retiring from his positive effective April 17th. Comcast-Spectacor announced the news Monday, ending Scott’s 30-year time at the helm of Philadelphia’s ownership. Dan Hilferty, who was recently appointed as CEO of the company, will take over as chairman and assume both of Scott’s former roles, per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.
- ESPN’s Emily Kaplan compiled a list of the top candidates for potential coaching and general manager vacancies, with a lot of familiar names near the tops of both lists. Former Florida Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette, Toronto Maple Leafs assistant Spencer Carbery, and Seattle Kraken assistant Jay Leach made Kaplan’s “ready right now” tier for coaching vacancies, while former Sabres general manager Jason Botterill, Flyers interim GM Daniel Briere, and Lightning assistant GM Mathieu Darche made the “ready right now” tier for GM vacancies.
Penguins Notes: Jarry, Petry, Bonino
Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry‘s current absence is related to a new lower-body injury, head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed to reporters on Monday. The injury is not an aggravation of Jarry’s previous lower-body injury, which cost him seven games in January.
Jarry was healthy enough to dress as the backup for Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals but has not played since last Wednesday. Casey DeSmith stopped 31 of 34 shots against Washington on Saturday to guide the team to a much-needed 4-3 win. Jarry’s injury troubles have been countered by DeSmith’s strong play in the month of March, recording a .921 save percentage in seven appearances to help keep the Penguins in playoff position. In contrast, Jarry’s save percentage has dipped to .908 on the season as he continues to battle injuries.
More notes from Sullivan on the status of his injured players today:
- Defenseman Jeff Petry‘s availability for Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings remains uncertain. Sullivan announced that Petry’s status will be a game-time decision after the 35-year-old blueliner has missed the past five games with an upper-body injury. Petry himself told reporters that today’s practice was “a step forward,” but wouldn’t comment on his status for Tuesday.
- Center Nick Bonino skated before practice on Monday, according to Sullivan. Acquired at the trade deadline, Bonino played just three games back in a Penguins uniform before a kidney laceration landed him on long-term injured reserve. It’s a good sign for the veteran center’s long-term health that a return to the ice seems to be a nearing possibility.
Columbus Blue Jackets Issue Injury Updates
In what’s becoming a tired refrain, the Columbus Blue Jackets have issued multiple injury updates after a blowout loss over the weekend. Defenseman Erik Gudbranson‘s season is over with a separated shoulder, while defenseman Nick Blankenburg is week-to-week with an ankle injury and could also be done for the year. Winger Mathieu Olivier may have also played his last game this season, as he’s out two to four weeks with a lower leg bone bruise. Goalie Elvis Merzlikins is also day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
For Gudbranson, the injury ends a rocky first campaign in Columbus after signing a four-year, $4MM average annual value contract in the offseason. The 31-year-old had 13 points in 70 games, seeing his defensive play regress back to some of the worst metrics in the league after a brief spike last season with the Calgary Flames.
Blankenburg has also struggled with injuries most of the year, but the 24-year-old rookie has played well. Some doubted Blankenburg’s NHL viability after signing with Columbus as a free agent out of college to end last season. Still, the 5-foot-9, 175-pound defender finished the year with 14 points in 36 games without being a complete defensive liability on a struggling team.
In his first season in Columbus, Olivier has set career highs in every offensive category, playing in 66 games and registering five goals and 15 points. The 26-year-old hard-nosed winger had found a consistent home on the team’s fourth line.
Without Merzlikins in the fold for the next few games, Columbus is down to minor-league veterans Michael Hutchinson and Jon Gillies as their netminders for the next few games.
St. Louis Blues Reassign Joel Hofer
The St. Louis Blues have returned goaltender Joel Hofer to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, according to a team release Monday.
Per the team, this was a planned transaction in order for Springfield to have Hofer in the fold as the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs begin. Springfield, which currently sits fourth in the Atlantic Division, has nine games remaining on their regular-season schedule.
Hofer earned an extended look in the big leagues after an impressive performance during an emergency recall earlier in the month, necessitated by a two-game suspension for starter Jordan Binnington. The 2018 fourth-round pick recorded a .915 save percentage in five appearances, going 3-0-1.
His status as a quickly-rising prospect was bolstered by last year’s playoff run in Springfield, where he helped guide them to the Calder Cup Final with a .934 save percentage in 10 playoff games. His hot play has continued this season, posting a .920 save percentage and four shutouts in 40 games with Springfield.
With backup Thomas Greiss slated for unrestricted free agency this summer, expect Hofer to take over the backup role full-time starting next year.
East Injury Notes: Sabres, Bastian, Aho, Joseph
The Buffalo Sabres are all but out of the playoff race after a tough stretch of games, and life won’t get any easier for them down the stretch run. The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski reports Tage Thompson is absent from morning skate, as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury that caused him to miss much of the team’s win last Friday against the New Jersey Devils. In response, Lukas Rousek has been added to the Sabres roster for the second time in three days on an emergency loan, per CapFriendly.
In more positive news for the Sabres, Lysowski also notes forward Vinnie Hinostroza has returned to the team after a personal absence that kept him out of the team’s last two games. Hinostroza had been a healthy scratch for the two games prior, meaning he’s not played in over a week. Left winger Jordan Greenway, who remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury, also rejoined the team at practice. He has just one goal in eight games and a -5 rating since the Sabres acquired him on deadline day.
Other injury notes from around the Eastern Conference this morning:
- Per New Jersey Devils team reporter Amanda Stein, winger Nathan Bastian is on the ice for morning skate for the first time since March 12. Bastian has missed just over two weeks since suffering an upper-body injury in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, his second lengthy injury-related absence this season. He missed nearly two months with an upper-body injury between Thanksgiving and mid-January, limiting him to 39 games on the season. When in the lineup, he’s been effective in a fourth-line role, recording 12 points and forming a solid unit with Miles Wood and Michael McLeod.
- New York Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho has returned to skating this morning, according to a report from Newsday’s Andrew Gross. Aho has missed three games with an upper-body injury sustained on March 18 against the San Jose Sharks. The 2017 fifth-round pick is enjoying a breakout season, recording 21 points in 66 games in a depth role while helping keep the team competitive in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
- Winger Mathieu Joseph will be a game-time decision for the Ottawa Senators tonight, says Bruce Garrioch of TSN and the Ottawa Sun. Joseph last played on March 12, leaving a game against the Calgary Flames after just a handful of shifts with a lower-body injury. The 26-year-old has scored three goals and added 14 assists in 47 games for the Sens this year, averaging 14:05 per game.
Florida Panthers Extend Zac Dalpe
The Florida Panthers have agreed to terms with veteran forward Zac Dalpe on a two-year, two-way contract extension, the team announced Monday morning. CapFriendly reports Dalpe will earn the league minimum $775,000 each season, with $400,000 in minors salary in 2023-24 and $350,000 in 2024-25. He’s guaranteed $400,000 in the second year of the deal.
The extension keeps him a Panther until the summer of 2025 when he’ll become an unrestricted free agent. Dalpe, 33, has suited up in 14 NHL games for Florida this season, his highest total since he played 21 games with the Buffalo Sabres in 2014-15.
A 2008 second-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, Dalpe has never carved out a lengthy full-time NHL career. He’s become one of the most recognizable names in the minors, however, and he’s become one of the highest-scoring players in Charlotte Checkers history, given they are Florida’s current AHL affiliate and the former affiliate of the Hurricanes.
Dalpe has been Charlotte’s captain for the past two seasons, and he’ll likely hold that title for the duration of his contract. With 14 AHL seasons and nearly 500 games under his belt, Dalpe is a valuable presence to developing Panthers making their way through Charlotte.
In the big leagues this season, Dalpe has scored two goals and two assists. He’s added 18 goals and 13 assists for 31 points in 41 games with Charlotte, sitting among the team’s points-per-game leaders.
General manager Bill Zito gave the following statement on Dalpe’s extension:
Zac is a natural leader and his impact on our franchise is felt on and off the ice. A high-character athlete and relentlessly competitive forward, we are grateful for his continued dedication to our organization.
Five Key Stories: 3/20/23 – 3/26/23
The final full week of March has come to an end. With most transactions being on hold until the offseason, the injury situation around the league dominates the key stories.
Pettersson To LTIR: The Penguins will be without one of their top four defensemen for the stretch run with Marcus Pettersson being placed on LTIR with a lower-body injury. It has been a bit of a resurgent season for the 26-year-old as he has upped his playing time by nearly five minutes per night while improving on his point total; his 24 points are one behind his career high. His absence certainly hurts Pittsburgh as they look to hold onto a Wild Card spot. However, the placement also alleviates their salary cap situation, putting them in a spot where they will be able to afford some recalls over the final few weeks without having to worry about having to play short a player while waiting for approval for a cap-exempt recall.
Carlson Returns: On the opposite side of the injury front, the Capitals welcomed back defenseman John Carlson. Washington’s top blueliner missed more than three months with an upper-body injury that Carlson himself later confirmed was a small skull fracture above his right ear and a severed temporal artery. While this isn’t going to help lead Washington to the postseason, it’s certainly a positive sign that he’s able to return. Carlson definitely came back in style, picking up two points in his first game back.
Bednar Signs Extension: Jared Bednar won’t be leaving Colorado’s bench anytime soon after the team signed him to a three-year contract extension. That deal won’t kick in until 2024-25 as the bench boss already had another year on his deal after this one. He earned himself quite a raise as CapFriendly notes that Bednar’s salary will jump from $2.25MM per season on this contract to $4.75MM on the new one. The raise and extra job security are certainly well-deserved. He helped lead the Avs to the Stanley Cup last season and the team has compiled a 282-191-52 record over seven seasons under his tutelage, good for a .587 points percentage. Bednar is second in franchise history in games coached (behind Michel Bergeron going back to their Quebec days) but will take over the all-time record early in the first year of this new contract.
College Signings: As NCAA teams are being eliminated, there has been an uptick in college prospects signing. The bulk of those have been players signing with their own teams but a few teams have turned to the free agent market. The Blue Jackets signed center Hunter McKown out of Colorado College and he has already made his NHL debut, getting into a pair of games while picking up an assist. Meanwhile, the Jets added forward Parker Ford out of Providence College while the Canucks agreed to terms with center Max Sasson. Their contracts will begin next season, allowing them to report to the minors for the rest of 2022-23.
More Injuries: There were quite a few other injuries of note around the league this week. Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort will miss the rest of the regular season due a lower-body injury. He won’t require surgery. Boston could now transfer him to LTIR to open up some cap flexibility for recalls down the stretch. Meanwhile, the Senators will be missing defenseman Jakub Chychrun for a couple of weeks with a lower-body injury of his own which will make their late playoff push a little harder. Up front, Canadiens winger Josh Anderson is out for the season with a high ankle sprain while the Blue Jackets won’t have Patrik Laine for two-to-four weeks because of a triceps strain. Columbus had been testing Laine down the middle before the injury.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.