Five Key Stories: 3/13/23 – 3/19/23
With now less than a month remaining until the playoffs, the stretch run is upon us. Unfortunately for some teams, they’ll be playing that stretch without a key player as some important injuries highlight our key stories.
Levi Turns Pro: The Sabres made it known that they wanted prospect Devon Levi to forego his remaining college eligibility and turn pro. They got their wish as they inked the goaltender to a three-year, entry-level deal that begins this season. Levi was immediately added to Buffalo’s roster. The 21-year-old, who was also named a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award this week, was a seventh-round pick (212th overall) back in 2020 and was part of the trade that sent Sam Reinhart to Florida. Levi’s contract is quite impressive for someone picked that late as he received the maximum signing bonus and guaranteed salary for each season while getting four ‘A’ bonuses in his deal in 2023-24 and 2024-25 as well.
Two For Binnington: Goalie suspensions don’t typically happen very often but that’s what happened to Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington who received a two-game ban for roughing/unsportsmanlike conduct against Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman. Hartman made light contact with Binnington after scoring and that sent the netminder off as he went after Hartman with his blocker before attempting to fight Wild netminder Marc-Andre Fleury. It’s the first suspension of Binnington’s career. With him out of the lineup, St. Louis called up prospect Joel Hofer to take his place with the youngster making two starts, winning both of them.
Svechnikov Out For The Season: The Hurricanes have been one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference all year long but they were dealt a serious blow when it was revealed that winger Andrei Svechnikov is out for the season due to a knee injury (torn ACL) that requires surgery. He becomes the second key winger that is done for the year, joining veteran Max Pacioretty. Svechnikov was on pace to meet his career highs offensively set last season that saw him pick up 30 goals and 69 points while his physical style of play certainly fits the higher intensity that the playoffs provide. As expected, Carolina has placed him on LTIR, giving them ample cap space to fit in any extra recalls from the minors between now and the end of the season.
End Of The Road For Toews? Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews has been dealing with both long-COVID symptoms as well as Chronic Immune Response Syndrome which has kept him out of the lineup since late January last season while also sidelining him for the entire 2020-21 campaign. As his contract is set to expire this summer, a report has surfaced suggesting that the veteran is considering retirement. Toews has spent his entire 15-year career with the Blackhawks, placing sixth in team history in goals (371), eighth in assists (509), and sixth in points (880) and while it’s still possible that he might be able to return late in the year, it could be the end of the line for the 34-year-old.
More Injuries: Artturi Lehkonen’s return to Montreal was a mixed bag. He picked up three points against his former team but the Avalanche winger also suffered a broken finger in the game, one that will keep him out for the next four to six weeks. The 27-year-old has already set career highs across the board offensively with 20 goals and 29 assists in 62 games but the Avs will be missing him for most of the stretch run as they battle for position in the Central. Meanwhile, Canadiens center Christian Dvorak is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery. His numbers took a small step back this season as the 27-year-old posted 10 goals and 18 assists in 64 games. Dvorak is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Snapshots: Panthers, Kuznetsov, Boldy, NCAA Bracket
The Panthers have once again flipped their backup goalies, announcing (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled Alex Lyon from AHL Charlotte while sending Mack Guzda back to the Checkers. Lyon was sent down on Wednesday to get in some game action with starter Sergei Bobrovsky in the middle of a 12-game consecutive start streak. Lyon has a 3.89 GAA with a .887 SV% in six starts with Florida this season while he has been much better in the minors, putting up a 2.43 GAA with a .910 SV% in 23 contests. Guzda, meanwhile, is in his first professional season after signing as an undrafted free agent a little over a year ago. He hasn’t seen any NHL action while posting a 2.85 GAA and a .900 SV% in 25 games with Charlotte.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov was injured in today’s game against Minnesota. Roman Stubbs of the Washington Post relayed (Twitter link) that there was no word following the contest about how long he might be out. The 30-year-old has 12 goals and 39 assists in 70 games so far this season.
- After recording a hat trick today against Washington, Wild winger Matt Boldy has reached one of his Schedule A bonuses, triggering a $212.5K payout, notes Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). Minnesota is projected to finish well below the salary cap despite making several additions at the trade deadline so barring a significant rash of injuries, they should be able to absorb that on their cap this year instead of using the bonus cushion to push it to 2023-24.
- The NCAA has released the official bracket for the tournament leading to the Frozen Four and the DI Men’s Ice Hockey Championship. The action gets underway on March 23rd and as teams get eliminated, there should be an influx of players signing with NHL teams soon after, both drafted prospects and undrafted free agents.
Nashville Predators Recall Jordan Gross
With captain Roman Josi out day-to-day with an upper-body injury, the team has recalled defenseman Jordan Gross from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals.
This is Gross’ third recall of the season, per CapFriendly, and his first since the calendar turned to 2023. In 10 games with Nashville across his previous two recalls, he recorded three goals and averaged 18:48 of ice time.
Gross joined the Predators organization last offseason, inking a two-year deal after he recorded over a point per game with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. He hasn’t hit that offensive mark in the minors this year, but he does have a strong 31 points in 45 games for Milwaukee.
The undrafted 27-year-old is expected to step into a top-four role tonight for Nashville. Additional injuries to Ryan McDonagh and Alexandre Carrier are stretching their defensive depth to the limit.
Of note, Gross’ contract is set to convert from a two-way deal to a one-way deal next season. With Nashville’s retool in full swing after a series of trade deadline moves, Gross is an outside candidate to play a more significant role with the Preds next season.
Detroit Red Wings Sign Antti Tuomisto
Per a team release, the Detroit Red Wings have signed defenseman Antti Tuomisto to a two-year entry-level contract, beginning in 2023-24. The team did not disclose financial details.
Tuomisto, a 2019 second-round pick of Detroit, signs on with the organization after his first taste of professional hockey last season with Liiga’s TPS Turku. He finished tied for the team lead among points from defensemen with 20, along with former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Teemu Kivihalme.
At 22 years old, Tuomisto does already have some North American experience, and a fruitful one at that. Tuomisto was a member of last year’s University of Denver team that won the national championship, recording a goal and eight assists in 35 games. It was his sophomore campaign at the school.
Tuomisto is a two-way defender with towering size, measuring 6’5″ and 205 pounds. It was a smooth transition to pro hockey for Tuomisto, whose college numbers were somewhat disappointing.
While a solid prospect, the list of players drafted immediately after Tuomisto in 2019 makes the pick seem less appealing in hindsight. Goalies Pyotr Kochetkov and Mads Sogaard, as well as forward Nils Hoglander and top defense prospect Jackson LaCombe, were selected closely after Tuomisto.
It’s unclear whether Tuomisto will join the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on a tryout for the remainder of the season or wait until fall to make his return to North America.
Injury Notes: Lindgren, Lazar, Foligno
The New York Rangers are beginning to roll after some big-ticket trade deadline additions but still have been without a notable piece to their defense core. That may change this week, as Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant told reporters today that he would “bet a lot” on defenseman Ryan Lindgren returning to the lineup on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Lindgren, the normal partner to Adam Fox on the team’s top pair, is widely regarded as the team’s best defensive specialist. The stats back it up, with solid advanced defensive metrics and a team-leading +27 rating. They’ve been without his services for the past three weeks with an upper-body injury, however, forcing depth defender Niko Mikkola into a top-pairing role. He’ll miss his 11th straight game today, but the team is hoping his return this week adds to an already strong stretch of hockey for New York.
- New Jersey Devils team reporter Amanda Stein notes that forward Curtis Lazar will be evaluated for an undisclosed injury upon the conclusion of the team’s road trip this week. A deadline day addition, Lazar left yesterday’s loss to the Florida Panthers with the injury and did not return. Lazar had played just three games in New Jersey after missing time due to work visa complications, and he’s still looking for his first point in his new uniform.
- The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports winger Marcus Foligno will join the Minnesota Wild on their upcoming road trip, signaling a potential return from a lower-body injury that’s held him out of action this week. The news means that Foligno could return to the lineup either Tuesday against New Jersey or Thursday against Philadelphia, a promising development for a Wild team getting hot at the right time. With Marcus Johansson re-emerging as a middle-six force after being acquired from Washington, Foligno could slot back into a more comfortable bottom-six role in his return.
Minor Transactions: 03/19/23
We’re already deep into today’s NHL slate of games, but this weekend has been busy for other teams around the hockey world as European, junior, and college seasons all near a close. We’ll keep a running list of today’s minor transactions here.
- The DEL’s Löwen Frankfurt today announced that multiple players would not be returning to the team next year, including a trio of former NHL-contracted players. Goalie Callum Booth, who played just one game for Frankfurt after a mid-season departure from the Seattle Kraken organization, is one of the three, opening the door for a potential return to the North American ranks on an AHL or ECHL contract next year. Winger Jerry D’Amigo, who played 31 NHL games across two seasons with Toronto and Buffalo, was also released after scoring four goals and 14 points in 38 games. 34-year-old Carson McMillan, who saw NHL action in the early 2010s with the Minnesota Wild, will also not return to Frankfurt next season.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
San Jose Sharks Reassign William Eklund, Recall Andrew Agozzino
The San Jose Sharks have officially sent top prospect William Eklund back to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, recalling forward Andrew Agozzino in his place, per a team tweet today.
The move comes after Eklund skated in eight games this month on his first call-up of the year, recording two goals and an assist. Sending Eklund back to the minors before he plays his 10th game this year will once again defer the start of his entry-level contract to next season, the last time San Jose is eligible to make such a maneuver with him.
Drafted seventh overall in 2021, Eklund’s yet to see extended time in the NHL, but a move to North America this season has proved fruitful after spending 2021-22 in Sweden. In his first season in the AHL with the Barracuda, he’s cemented himself as one of the team’s best players with 17 goals and 41 points in 52 games.
San Jose certainly got the most out of Eklund during his call-up, routinely deploying him over 20 minutes per game. With that sort of production in the minors at age 20, Eklund could very well cement his place on the Sharks full-time next year.
The only player with more points on the Barracuda than Eklund is Agozzino, who gets his first recall to the NHL after signing with the Sharks last offseason. The 32-year-old minor-league veteran has 52 points in 55 games with the Barracuda this year and is nearing 50 games of NHL experience.
Roman Josi Listed As Day-To-Day
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet is reporting that Roman Josi is day-to-day after leaving the Nashville Predators 3-2 overtime loss to Winnipeg yesterday. Josi did not make Nashville’s scheduled trip to New York for tonight’s game against the Rangers.
Not much is known about Josi’s injury as he joins a long list of Predators players who are out of the lineup. Nashville is already short on manpower as they are without the services of Ryan Johansen, Juuso Parssinen, Alexandre Carrier, Filip Forsberg, and Ryan McDonagh. Now they will be forced to navigate Josi’s injury as they try and chase down a wild card spot in the Western Conference.
Nashville has struggled to score this season with just 191 goals in 67 games, good enough for 28th in the NHL. Josi’s injury could further complicate matters as he leads the Predators in scoring with 59 points on the season. Despite the offensive struggles, Nashville sits just five points back of Winnipeg for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, with three games in hand.
It seems improbable that Nashville could make the playoffs given the recent injuries as well as the recent trade deadline sell off, but somehow they have hung around, largely due to the play of Josi and goaltender Juuse Saros. Josi has been a horse for the Predators having averaged over 25 minutes of ice time a night. The former Norris Trophy winner hasn’t had the kind of offensive production he enjoyed last season, but he has led a defensive unit that is ranked ninth in the league in goals against.
Darcy Kuemper Will Not Dress Today For Washington Capitals
Washington Post reporter Roman Stubbs is reporting that the Washington Capitals will be without starting netminder Darcy Kuemper today when they battle the Minnesota Wild. Kuemper left the Capitals practice yesterday with what is being called an upper body injury. He is now listed as day-to-day. Charlie Lindgren will start in Kuemper’s place.
This recent development is a tough break for the Washington Capitals as they currently sit five points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals have just 12 games remaining on the season and need to scoop up every point they can if they want to leapfrog the Florida Panthers and the Penguins to grab the final wild card spot.
The Capitals were conservative sellers at the trade deadline after recognizing the precarious position they were in. Despite moving on from several players they have managed to tread water in the difficult Eastern Conference. Should Kuemper be out for any length of time one would have to think that the Capitals will be unlikely to qualify for the postseason.
Kuemper has had a challenging first year in Washington after signing a five-year contract in the offseason on the heels of a Stanley Cup run with the Colorado Avalanche. The Capitals had hopes that he could stabilize their goaltending situation after years of uncertainty between the pipes. Kuemper’s play has been uneven this season as his save percentage has dropped from .921 to .910, while his goals saved above expected has gone from 21 last season to just 7.9 this season. He’s been okay for the Capitals, but given the contract they handed out last summer, his play has been underwhelming.
Ottawa Senators Recall Dylan Ferguson
The Ottawa Senators recalled goaltender Dylan Ferguson from the AHL’s Belleville Senators on Sunday morning, according to a team announcement. Goaltender Kevin Mandolese was also re-assigned to Belleville.
Belleville is in action today against the Cleveland Monsters, meaning this could be a paper transaction for Mandolese to suit up in the minors and get some game action. Ottawa doesn’t play again until Monday and could opt to reverse the transaction tomorrow morning.
It could also be a performance-based recall for Ferguson, who’s excelled in Belleville since he was acquired via trade from the Toronto Marlies. On an AHL contract at the time, Ferguson was signed to an NHL deal by the Senators at the beginning of the month. Through six games with Ottawa’s affiliate, the 24-year-old has posted a 5-1-0 record and a .935 save percentage.
If Ferguson does appear in a game, it won’t be his NHL debut. Hardcore fans of the Vegas Golden Knights will remember Ferguson, who stepped into action for them during their inaugural season after being recalled from juniors when injuries ravaged their goaltending depth chart.
Ferguson’s only recently graduated to the AHL full-time, appearing in 13 games for AHL Henderson last season and 11 games split between Toronto and Belleville in 2022-23.