Kyle Palmieri, Adam Pelech Activated From Injured Reserve
The New York Islanders are getting a huge boost ahead of their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, activating Kyle Palmieri and Adam Pelech from injured reserve. Hudson Fasching has been moved to IR and Dennis Cholowski loaned to the AHL to make room.
Palmieri, 31, has played just a single game since November, spending the rest of the time on the shelf. The veteran forward has six goals and nine points in 21 appearances this season, averaging more than 16 minutes a night. Given his $5MM cap hit (Palmieri is in the second season of a four-year deal), his absence was a significant blow to the forward group that has struggled of late.
In their last nine games, the Islanders have scored more than two goals just a single time, and that still resulted in a loss. They have been held to just a single goal in four of those games, and overall have fallen to sixth in the Metropolitan Division, just four points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Perhaps more important, however, is the return of Pelech, who hasn’t played since December 6. The 28-year-old defenseman tilts the ice so significantly in his 21 minutes a night that the team has outscored opponents 27-16 despite Pelech playing against top competition and receiving more defensive deployment.
Even though he isn’t considered an offensive defenseman, his ability to break up cycles, stop rushes at the line, and turn over the puck results in much better opportunities for his teammates.
With them back, it will be a lot closer to the lineup that the Islanders though they would have heading into the season (even if Cal Clutterbuck and Oliver Wahlstrom are on IR).
Snapshots: Three Stars, Canucks, Knight
The NHL released its Three Stars for last week, with Zach Hyman leading the way. The Edmonton Oilers swiss army knife had four goals and nine points in three games. Hyman has already flown past the 54 points he had last season and with every point is setting a new career high. It’s been an incredible run for the 30, who has been everything the Oilers hoped for (and more) when they signed him to a seven-year, $38.5MM deal in 2021.
Second and third place went to Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks, two players in very different stages of their careers. Stamkos reached the 500-goal mark last week, joining just 46 other players in the history of the NHL and essentially sealing his future in the Hall of Fame (if it was ever in doubt). Zegras, meanwhile, put up eight points in four games, taking his career total to 114. He’s got quite a way to catch the Lightning captain, but Zegras continues to excite fans every time he touches the puck.
- The Vancouver Canucks now have three head coaches on the books, as they are still paying Travis Green, the bench boss that preceded the recently-fired Bruce Boudreau. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that Tocchet’s deal is for two years and carries a $2.75MM salary, meaning altogether, the team is forking out $7.5MM this season for head coaches.
- The Florida Panthers have swapped Mack Guzda and Spencer Knight once again, with the latter coming back up to the NHL. Knight hasn’t played in the NHL since January 8, but did quite well in his two-game conditioning stint, recording a 23-save shutout for the Charlotte Checkers in his first AHL game since last season.
Rourke Chartier, Nikita Zaitsev Activated From Injured Reserve
It’s been an up-and-down (mostly down) day for the Ottawa Senators. First they recalled prospect Ridly Greig, but then followed it up with news that Josh Norris would be out for the rest of the season. Now, the team has activated two other players from injured reserve.
Rourke Chartier and Nikita Zaitsev are both active again, though the former was sent immediately to the minor leagues.
The return of Zaitsev gives the team six healthy defensemen again, after yesterday’s demotion of Jacob Bernard-Docker. The veteran was skating next to Erik Brannstrom on the third pairing today, and is expected to return to action on Wednesday. Zaitsev hasn’t played since December and has been rather ineffective when in the lineup. Through 19 appearances he has just three points (all assists) and is averaging fewer than 17 minutes a night.
For Chartier, it’s been even longer since he appeared in a game with Ottawa, last playing on December 22. The 26-year-old minor leaguer has six games under his belt this season but is still looking for his first point of the year. His previous 13 NHL appearances, all with the San Jose Sharks in 2018-19, resulted in one goal.
Anton Blidh, Dryden Hunt Clear Waivers
Jan 23: Both players have cleared waivers, meaning they can be assigned to the minor leagues.
Jan 22: Two players will be on today’s waiver wire, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The Colorado Avalanche have waived forward Anton Blidh, while the Toronto Maple Leafs have waived forward Dryden Hunt.
Blidh lands on waivers for the second time this season after clearing them before the start of the regular season. After signing a one-year, two-way deal to join the Avalanche last offseason, Blidh has made 13 NHL appearances as injuries have stricken the team’s forward corps. He’s yet to get on the scoresheet.
If Blidh clears, he’ll return to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. There, he has six goals, three assists, and nine points in 23 games. While he’s never been an offensive force in the minors, the 2013 sixth-round pick was brought to Colorado to provide a hard-nosed depth option, similar to the role Nicolas Aube-Kubel held last year.
Hunt, on the other hand, now runs the risk of suiting up for his fourth NHL team just this season. Waived by the New York Rangers a week into the season, he was claimed by the Avalanche to serve as an upgrade over Blidh’s role. After scoring once in 25 games with Colorado, he was dealt to the Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Denis Malgin.
With just one point (a goal) in nine games with the Leafs, though, the organization has opted to try and sneak him through waivers. Hunt was a full-time NHLer last season with the Rangers, recording 17 points in 76 games. He’s in the final year of a two-year contract carrying a cap hit of $762,500.
Chicago Blackhawks Make Several Roster Moves
The Chicago Blackhawks have placed Tyler Johnson on injured reserve, and sent Isaak Phillips to the AHL. In their place, Luke Philp and Filip Roos have been recalled.
Johnson played just five shifts last night before exiting with an ankle injury, and was seen in a walking boot after the game. It’s just the latest in a long list of setbacks this season, derailing what has looked like a strong bounce-back whenever Johnson is in the lineup.
Through 22 appearances, the 32-year-old forward has five goals and 14 points, already doubling his point total from last year. He just can’t seem to stay healthy, leading to multiple stints on injured reserve. One thing in his favor is his contract, which will ensure his financial stability for another year. Johnson is signed through 2023-24 at a $5MM cap hit.
Phillips, 21, has played in 11 games for the Blackhawks this season and recorded his fourth point of the year on Saturday. The young defenseman has seen inconsistent ice time and has looked overmatched at times, but generally showed that he will soon be ready for NHL action.
He’ll be replaced on the roster by Roos, who skated in 15 games earlier this year before a recent stint in the minor leagues. The 24-year-old undrafted defenseman has three NHL points to his name in this, his rookie season.
Should Philp enter the lineup, it will be his first taste of NHL action. Undrafted, the 27-year-old has battled through three years at the University of Alberta and parts of four minor league seasons before getting this opportunity. This year with the Rockford IceHogs he has been outstanding, scoring 30 points in 31 games so far.
Boston Bruins Recall Marc McLaughlin
It’s time for the hometown kid to get another chance. Marc McLaughlin has been recalled by the Boston Bruins, after some strong play in the minor leagues.
McLaughlin, 23, was signed last season as an undrafted NCAA free agent after captaining Boston College and suiting up at the Olympics for Team USA. The North Billerica native played in 11 games down the stretch for the Bruins, scoring his first three NHL goals in the process.
This year, he’s been with the Providence Bruins for the entire season, recording seven goals and 17 points in 39 games. Seven of those points have come in the last five games, as his game has hit a new level of late.
Boston is hitting the road for five straight, starting in Montreal tomorrow night before stopping to play Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, and Toronto before the All-Star break. Having another forward was necessary for the long road trip, meaning McLaughlin’s strong play came at the perfect time.
Toronto Maple Leafs Recall Pontus Holmberg
With Dryden Hunt on waivers, the Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Pontus Holmberg from the minor leagues. The young forward was sent there to get his legs back after a recent illness, and ended up registering two points in three games.
After a rather embarrassing loss to their rivals on Saturday night, the Maple Leafs will try to get things moving back in the right direction with a game against the New York Islanders tonight. Holmberg will likely be back in the lineup, given how well he has stabilized the bottom six this year.
The sixth-round pick looks like he is a classic late-bloomer, who became a star in Sweden before quickly making an impact for Toronto this year. In 28 games he has 11 points and has been excellent defensively.
With Hunt ticketed for the minors (or another team), the group may also be getting some reinforcements back on defense. T.J. Brodie is set to stay out with the main group for morning skate, according to Mark Masters of TSN. Brodie is working his way back from a rib injury and is currently on injured reserve.
Ottawa Senators Recall Ridly Greig
The Ottawa Senators have some more excitement in store for fans, recalling prospect Ridly Greig from the minor leagues today. This is the first call-up of Greig’s career.
Selected 28th overall in 2020, the 20-year-old Greig has been excellent with the Belleville Senators this year in his first full season of professional hockey. The former Brandon Wheat Kings star has 12 goals and 23 points in 28 AHL games, and has quickly pushed for a chance at the higher level.
If you have ever watched a game that Greig was in, you’ve certainly noticed him. There’s no blending into the background for the young forward, who never stops skating and is always involved in the play. In terms of adding energy to a lineup that has seemed rather lethargic lately, there’s no better option.
Whether his production can follow him to the NHL remains to be seen, but Greig will find a way to make an impact one way or another for Ottawa.
Another move should be coming for the Senators soon, as they currently only have five defenseman on the active roster after sending Jacob Bernard-Docker down yesterday.
Five Key Stories: 1/16/23 – 1/22/23
There was plenty of big news around the NHL over the past seven days including a big contract extension and a coaching change. Those are among the news that’s highlighted in our key stories.
Tocchet To Vancouver: After weeks, if not months of speculation, the long-expected coaching change in Vancouver happened with Rick Tocchet being hired to take the place of Bruce Boudreau. In addition, the Canucks hired long-time NHL blueliners Adam Foote (assistant coach) and Sergei Gonchar (development coach) while letting assistant Trent Cull go. This is the third head coaching role for Tocchet whose teams with Tampa Bay and Arizona played to a .475 points percentage over parts of six seasons. As for Boudreau, Vancouver played to a .549 points percentage over 103 games but the team had been struggling considerably this season and are 14 points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
More Canucks Changes? At a press conference early in the week, Canucks president Jim Rutherford indicated that “major surgery” on the roster will be needed for next season. Pending UFA center Bo Horvat appears likely to move in the coming weeks but clearly, he has more than that in mind. Moving pricey contracts is harder than ever so Vancouver’s management group will have their work cut out for them to do the shakeup that they’re seeking. One player that they’re hoping won’t be a part of those changes is rookie winger Andrei Kuzmenko as Rutherford stated that extension talks with the pending unrestricted free agent are underway. Kuzmenko has 41 points in 45 games this season and will be adding quite a few million per year to the $925K he’s getting on his entry-level deal over the coming months.
Seven For Boldy: With Minnesota’s cap situation getting even tighter next season as buyout costs for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter get higher, there was an expectation that they might have to do a bridge deal for young winger Matt Boldy. That wasn’t the case, however, as they inked the 21-year-old to a seven-year, $49MM extension that begins next season and runs through 2029-30. Boldy is in just his second NHL season but has been productive in his limited action with 29 goals and 42 assists in 92 career contests. Minnesota is banking on Boldy taking another step forward offensively and if he does, this could wind up being a bargain fairly quickly. They now have over $74MM in commitments to just 14 players for next season which won’t give GM Bill Guerin much flexibility with which to round out their roster.
Kane Returns: As the Oilers look to hold onto a playoff spot in the tight Western Conference, they welcomed back a key player as Evander Kane was activated off LTIR. Kane landed on there early in the season after having his wrist sliced by a skate and while he wound up being out for two months, he still returned well ahead of schedule. Kane has 13 points in 17 games so far this season and is already back on the top line alongside Connor McDavid. To create the cap space needed to activate Kane, Edmonton placed winger Kailer Yamamoto and defenseman Ryan Murray on LTIR. Yamamoto is expected to be out for a few weeks which buys them a little time but, barring further injuries, they will need to make some cap-clearing demotions once the winger returns.
Key Injuries: Unfortunately, Max Pacioretty’s return for the Hurricanes was short-lived. After working his way back from a torn Achilles that he sustained in the offseason, he suffered the same injury in just his fifth game of the year and will be out for the season. It’s hardly an ideal situation for the veteran as he’s eligible for free agency this summer while Carolina was certainly hoping to get more from a key offseason acquisition although they’ll be able to spend up to his $7MM AAV on a replacement. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have shut down winger Cole Caufield due to a shoulder injury that will require surgery in the coming days. The 22-year-old had 26 goals in 46 games this season, his final one before being eligible for restricted free agency in July.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Snapshots: Graves, Stanley, Gauthier
The Devils have yet to begin discussions regarding defenseman Ryan Graves, his agent Allain Roy confirmed to James Nichols of The Fourth Period. The 27-year-old is in the final season of a three-year, $9.5MM contract and has 16 points in 42 games for New Jersey so far this year despite seeing his playing time dip by nearly two minutes a night compared to 2021-22. He’s well-positioned to earn at least a small raise that could push him toward the $5MM mark on his next deal. At the moment, the Devils only have four regular blueliners signed for next season with Damon Severson joining Graves among the UFA-eligible defenders this summer. They already have nearly $19MM in commitments to the four they have so they might not want to keep both Graves and Severson in the fold for next season knowing those two could push the combined cost on their back end past the $30MM mark.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- Jets defenseman Logan Stanley wasn’t in the lineup tonight against Philadelphia but associate coach Scott Arniel told Jeff Hamilton of the Winnipeg Free Press (Twitter link) that the blueliner could be ready to return on Tuesday. Stanley has been out of the lineup for a little more than six weeks with a lower-body injury. The 24-year-old has been limited to just seven games this season which is a hardly ideal platform year for someone eligible for salary arbitration for the first time this summer.
- The Rangers are optimistic that winger Julien Gauthier will be able to return Monday against Florida, notes Ethan Sears of the New York Post. The 25-year-old has missed the last three games due to an upper-body injury and is currently on injured reserve although a roster spot was created when Jonny Brodzinski was sent down after clearing waivers earlier today. Gauthier started the season with AHL Hartford but has six goals in 32 games with New York since being recalled despite averaging just 8:29 per night.