Minnesota Wild Recall Dakota Mermis
The Minnesota Wild have recalled defenseman Dakota Mermis from the AHL’s Iowa Wild under emergency conditions, the team announced Wednesday afternoon.
While the Wild appear to have seven healthy defensemen on the roster, The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith report that Mermis’ emergency recall comes in anticipation of injury or illness-related absences. Smith notes that an unnamed defender was banged up in last night’s win against the Los Angeles Kings and that Jonas Brodin isn’t in full health. Brodin’s missed time with a lower-body injury on two separate occasions this season.
Mermis, 29, is a versatile defenseman in his third season with the Wild organization. Stationed on taxi squad duty in his first year, 2020-21, he’s since put up eight goals and 40 assists in 105 AHL games with the Iowa Wild, maintaining his status as one of their top defenders.
He made two appearances with the Wild last season, going without a point. If he does appear in a Wild uniform on this call-up, it will be his first appearance of 2022-23.
Florida Panthers Reassign Spencer Knight, Grigori Denisenko
The Florida Panthers announced Wednesday that the team has reassigned goalie Spencer Knight and winger Grigori Denisenko to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Alex Lyon has been recalled to replace Knight’s spot on the roster.
While some eyebrows might raise at Knight getting demoted to the minors, this is purely a cap-related transaction. With winger Anthony Duclair expected to make his season debut Friday as he returns from an Achilles tear, the Panthers need to scratch and claw for every dime of cap space possible in order to take Duclair’s $3MM cap hit off long-term injured reserve.
Reassigning Knight, Denisenko, and Chris Tierney, who Florida waived hours ago, would free up an additional $2.6MM in space to bring their projected cap hit down to roughly $85.1MM. While over the $82.5MM Upper Limit, Patric Hornqvist‘s $5.3MM cap hit remains on LTIR to keep them compliant.
While Knight will surely return after the Panthers’ cap situation is resolved, it’s not a guarantee Denisenko receives an immediate call-up. The 15th overall pick in 2018 has again been limited to a fourth-line role and has three assists in 17 games with Florida this year.
Lyon has made six appearances for the Panthers in 2022-23, recording a .887 save percentage and a 3-2-1 record.
Trade Rumors: Boeser, McCabe, Smith
Few fits between player and team in the NHL are more evident than Brock Boeser and the Minnesota Wild. As the Vancouver Canucks still look to remain active on the trade market and the Wild debate whether or not to make a deadline-day splash, the door to a union between Boeser and his home team remains open.
Boeser’s agent, Ben Hankinson, threw fuel on the rumor fire on a Wednesday edition of The Athletic Hockey Show. Hankinson said Vancouver had permitted him to contact Wild general manager Bill Guerin directly about making a trade work, and “they’re trying to move some things around, potentially,” to make the acquisition happen. The Wild are certainly a fringe playoff team, battling it out with teams like the Calgary Flames for wild card positions in the West, but there’s an obvious Kevin Fiala-sized hole in the team’s top six that Boeser could help fill. Salary considerations remain a concern, though, as Hankinson notes. Boeser’s $6.65MM cap hit through 2025 could be tough to swallow as the full effects of the Ryan Suter and Zach Parise buyouts kick in over the coming seasons.
- Sportsnet senior columnist Mark Spector reports that Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jake McCabe has listed the Edmonton Oilers on the latest no-trade list he’s submitted. McCabe is one of the top defense targets available at the deadline, save for Jakob Chychrun and Vladislav Gavrikov, and he has a seven-team no-trade list as part of his four-year, $16MM contract with Chicago. One of the better defensive blueliners in the league, McCabe’s value is increased by his cost certainty — he’s only in year two of his contract, meaning he’s set at a $4MM cap hit through 2025. The 29-year-old veteran of nearly 500 NHL games has two goals and 17 assists in 53 games with Chicago this year.
- While the Carolina Hurricanes have been very publically linked to San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier, that may not be the only move they make before the March 3 deadline. With more cap space available than a standard contender, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes they’ve spoken to the Boston Bruins about winger Craig Smith. Smith’s offensive numbers have taken a nosedive this season, recording just 10 points in 42 games in the final year of a contract carrying a $3.1MM cap hit. With Boston looking to offload salary to make other deadline moves, Smith could provide an added veteran presence in a Carolina bottom-six. Boston would likely compensate them for taking the contract off their hands. Carolina is a rare contender with a favorable salary cap situation, as they still have over $10MM in potential deadline cap space.
Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Dysin Mayo
The Vegas Golden Knights have added some defensive depth, acquiring Dysin Mayo from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick and the contract of de facto retired defenseman Shea Weber. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was first to report the deal.
Vegas immediately assigned Mayo to the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights.
Mayo may not be an NHL impact player for Vegas, but he does provide a huge boost in organizational depth for the future. He has recent experience as a full-time NHLer, forced into tough minutes with the Coyotes last year on a paper-thin blueline. After recording four goals and eight assists in 67 games, Mayo was rewarded with a three-year, $2.85MM contract extension from the Coyotes.
That means Mayo will be a Knight for two seasons after this, and the 26-year-old could be an important piece for Henderson as the relatively new AHL franchise continues to settle into life in the desert. In 26 games with AHL Tucson this season, where he’s spent more than six seasons, he recorded two goals and five assists in 26 games. He had 15 games up with the Coyotes, failing to record a point in his second NHL tryout.
A fifth-round pick is certainly fair value for a call-up option with a full season’s worth of NHL experience. Shedding Weber’s contract, which was due at a $7.86MM cap hit through 2026, makes maneuvering the offseason salary cap much easier for Vegas as they look to build some long-term financial stability.
PuckPedia notes that the Coyotes only owe Weber under $3MM in actual money for the remainder of the contract. Acquiring the deal also aids Arizona in reaching the salary cap floor, as they still have just $52.8MM in cap charges next season.
Vancouver Canucks Recall Aatu Raty, Guillaume Brisebois
The Vancouver Canucks announced Wednesday that they’ve recalled forward Aatu Raty and defenseman Guillaume Brisebois from their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, also assigning forward Phillip Di Giuseppe to Abbotsford.
This could be Canucks fans’ first look at Raty in the NHL. Raty, still just 20 years old, was the centerpiece of the trade return for captain Bo Horvat when he was dealt to the New York Islanders late last month. After a strong start with the Islanders’ farm team in Bridgeport, though, it’s been a tough adjustment for Raty in Abbotsford. He has just one assist in eight games since joining the AHL Canucks.
It’s likely best not to read too much into Raty’s offensive struggles post-trade. A mid-season, coast-to-coast move across country borders would be understandably taxing on the young Finn. He’ll now get his second chance in the NHL this season after recording two goals in 12 games with the Islanders before the trade.
Raty and Brisebois will join the Canucks in St. Louis as they wrap up a road swing through the Central Division. Brisebois, a 25-year-old defenseman, has posted a goal and five assists in 36 games with Abbotsford this season. He saw time up with Vancouver in late October 2022, recording his first NHL point in a brief three-game stint.
Di Giuseppe, who signed a one-year, two-way contract to return to the Canucks last July, has recorded two goals and an assist in nine games with Vancouver this season. The 29-year-old will look to continue his strong offensive pace in Abbotsford, where he’s combined for 25 goals and 41 assists in 75 games since 2021.
Three Players Placed On Waivers
Three forwards have hit the waiver wire today. Toronto Maple Leafs winger Joey Anderson, Florida Panthers center Chris Tierney, and Anaheim Ducks winger Justin Kirkland are on today’s list, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
For the Maple Leafs, this is one more step in a long list of salary cap management moves this season. As the team looks to add one more small piece after acquiring Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues, every dollar of salary cap space matters. If Anderson clears waivers, they have the flexibility to shuttle him and his cap hit up and down to the AHL through the trade deadline.
Anderson has slowly moved up the Toronto depth chart over his three seasons there, and he’s played more NHL games this season than the last two combined. The 24-year-old has two goals and an assist in 14 games this year.
With Anthony Duclair nearing a return to action, the Panthers need to create some roster flexibility as well. Tierney had already cleared waivers once preseason, but after spending most of the past three months on the NHL roster, he’ll need to clear again in order for Florida to assign him to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Tierney, 28, is averaging under nine minutes of ice time this year and has three points in 13 games with Florida.
Kirkland landing on waivers today signifies he’s healthy again after sustaining an undisclosed injury in early January. The 26-year-old AHL mainstay made his NHL debut this season but has yet to register his first NHL point.
Jesper Froden Recalled From AHL
The Seattle Kraken have recalled Jesper Froden from the Coachella Valley Firebirds, potentially giving him a chance to make his season debut against his old team. This is Froden’s first call-up since joining the Kraken last summer on a one-year, two-way deal.
The 28-year-old undrafted forward has been outstanding for the Firebirds, scoring 25 goals and 47 points in 44 games. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given how well he played for the Providence Bruins in his first year of North American professional hockey in 2021-22. That success didn’t carry over to his short stint with Boston, though, as Froden scored just a single goal in seven games.
If you want an example of hard work and determination, consider that Froden played six full seasons in the Swedish second tier before even getting a chance to play in the SHL. He would be named the SHL Rookie of the Year in 2020 after his long-awaited debut, and join the Swedish World Championship squad in 2021, scoring four points in five games. A contract with the Bruins followed, and now his chance to make an impact with Seattle.
While he is not a prospect, there must be a little excitement for the Kraken if Froden gets into the lineup. He has scored at every level so far; perhaps he can continue that trend in the NHL with a team willing to offer a fresh start to struggling offensive talents.
Injury Updates: Johansen, Danforth, Muzzin
Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting that Nashville Predators center Ryan Johansen will be out of the lineup after surgery this morning. While little is known about the specifics of the procedure, it is worth noting that Johansen left the Predators’ 5-4 shootout win last night with an apparent leg injury.
Johansen has struggled at times throughout this season, with just 28 points in 55 games. Nashville as a team has failed to live up to pre-season expectations and could be an interesting team before the trade deadline as they sit seven points out of the final wild card position. Predators GM David Poile has never been shy about adding to his team in previous deadlines, but Johansen’s injury may push the veteran GM to be a seller.
Some other injury updates:
- Although the Columbus Blue Jackets are gearing up to be sellers at this year’s trade deadline, it does appear that one player could be returning to their lineup this season. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that forward Justin Danforth is skating 4-5 times per week and hopes to play again this year. Danforth was expected to miss 4-6 months after his surgery in late October to repair a labral tear, meaning that a late-season return could fall right in his expected recovery window.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have addressed the short term future of defenseman Jake Muzzin this afternoon. After meeting several specialists it was announced that Muzzin will be kept out of the lineup for the rest of the season. Muzzin suffered a cervical spine injury in October and has only appeared in four games for the Maple Leafs. Muzzin is signed through 2023-24 at a cap hit of $5.625MM, and his absence has left a large gap on Toronto’s backend. Many NHL insiders expect the Toronto Maple Leafs to add to the defense before the March 3rd trade deadline as they push to win a playoff round for the first time since 2004.
Dylan Larkin Avoids Suspension, Earns Fine
The Detroit Red Wings will escape Washington with two points and their captain’s availability intact. Dylan Larkin has avoided a suspension and was instead given a $5,000 fine—the maximum allowable under the CBA—for his cross-check on T.J. Oshie last night.
Larkin was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for the play, which happened partway through the first period. Missing more than two periods likely impacted the decision, though the Red Wings were still able to fight off the Capitals for a 3-1 win, thanks to two unassisted goals from Pius Suter.
Whether intentional or not, Larkin delivered a forceful blow directly to the face of Oshie as he tried to slow him down coming out of the zone. He is rather fortunate to escape without at least a one-game ban, especially given the important match tomorrow against the New York Rangers.
Detroit is in a race for one of the wildcard positions in the Eastern Conference and sit just two games behind the Florida Panthers with four games in hand. If they can continue their recent hot streak—the Red Wings are winners of seven of their last ten—they have a chance of making the playoffs this season. Larkin, with 56 points in 55 games, is a big part of that.
The incident ended a pretty significant streak, too. Larkin had scored seven goals and 13 points over a seven-game point streak going into the game against Washington but had it snapped when he played just 2:54 before exiting.
New York Islanders Recall Otto Koivula
The New York Islanders have made a roster swap, sending Andy Andreoff to the AHL while recalling Otto Koivula ahead of tonight’s game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Andreoff, 31, has played in three games so far this season, recording one assist in just 22 total minutes of ice time. The veteran winger has been mostly a minor league player for his decade-long professional career and has suited up just nine times with New York since joining the organization in 2021.
For the Bridgeport Islanders, though, he’s been a key player, scoring 20 goals in just 46 games this season. With Bridgeport entering a key three-in-four stretch over the next few days, he’ll be a welcome reinforcement.
Koivula, meanwhile, has played just one game for New York, the 21st of his NHL career. The 24-year-old forward has 25 points in 45 games for Bridgeport and continues to bounce up and down whenever the organization needs an extra body at the NHL level.