Snapshots: Penguins Injury Updates, Trade Deadline, Del Bel Belluz, Del Mastro
Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan issued several injury updates earlier today. Firstly, Penguins forward Ryan Poehling did not practice due to injury, and his status is considered out day-to-day. Accordingly, Sullivan stated that Poehling is unlikely to play in the Penguins’ game tomorrow against the Arizona Coyotes. Next, Sullivan revealed that injured defenseman Jeff Petry skated after the official portion of practice. Petry has been out since December 10th and is on long-term injured reserve.
Sullivan also updated the media on the status of Tristan Jarry and Josh Archibald, stating that both are away from the team rehabbing in Pittsburgh, their statuses unchanged from the last update he issued. Finally, Sullivan noted that top defenseman Kris Letang remains away from the team with his family. Letang originally took a step back from the team for personal reasons on January 2nd.
For some other notes from across the NHL:
- The NHL trade deadline is still a ways away, but it isn’t too early to start taking a look at what deadline season might look like. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli did just that, taking a look at the market for third-party “cap brokers” who could use the retained salary function to help facilitate trades, in exchange for some compensation. (typically in the form of draft picks) Seravalli reports that the teams most interested in serving as a “cap broker” are the Coyotes, the Chicago Blackhawks, and Anaheim Ducks. He also listed the Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and Florida Panthers as teams to potentially look out for in this space.
- Both Blue Jackets prospect Luca Del Bel Belluz and Blackhawks prospect Ethan Del Mastro were part of a major trade in the OHL today. Del Bel Belluz, a 2022 second-round pick, and Del Mastro, a 2021 fourth-rounder, were sent to the Sarnia Sting in exchange for a package of forwards and draft picks. Both players are expected to play major roles for the Sting going forward, with Del Bel Belluz having scored 41 points in 34 OHL games so far this season, while Del Mastro played a role in Team Canada winning gold at the World Junior Championships.
Atlantic Notes: Edmundson, Jokiharju, Beck, Joseph
After a relatively hot start, the Montreal Canadiens’ season has seemingly gone off the rails. The team is mired in a six-game losing streak, and has lost nine of their last ten games. The team also came in last place in the entire NHL last season, but the difficulties that have hit the Candadiens haven’t stopped some of their players from wanting to remain a member of the NHL’s most storied franchise.
One of those players who’d like to stay is defenseman Joel Edmundson, whose contract is expiring at the end of next season. As reported by The Athletic’s Marc Antoine Godin, Edmundson has communicated a desire to remain in Montreal despite trade rumors featuring his name. (subscription link) The 29-year-old blueliner didn’t have the best season last year, but he remains a crucial member of the team’s leadership group and had an impressive campaign two years ago as the Canadiens made a run to the Stanley Cup final. One does wonder, though, if the Canadiens would be best suited to retain Edmundson beyond the trade deadline and into next season when instead they could potentially trade Edmundson to another team seeking a rental defenseman in order to net a younger player or draft pick.
Some other notes from across the Atlantic Division:
- Buffalo Sabres coach Don Granato told the media, including the Olean Times Herald’s Bill Hoppe, that defenseman Henri Jokiharju could return to play in a week. The 23-year-old defenseman was placed on injured reserve on December 11th. Should Jokiharju return at that point, the Sabres will likely need to create room on their roster, as they’re currently running a full roster of 23 players. Since they have seven defensemen currently active, it stands to reason that a depth blueliner such as Kale Clague would be the odd man out.
- Ottawa Senators forward Mathieu Joseph has made progress in his recovery from a lower-body injury that’s kept him sidelined since early December. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that Joseph wore a contract jersey during practice this morning, meaning he could be nearing a return to full health. The former Tampa Bay Lightning winger has scored nine points in 25 games this season and has scored 21 points in 36 games in his Senators career.
- The Sabres have announced that two of the team’s top prospects, Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen, have been re-assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Both Kulich and Rosen are returning from the World Junior Championships. Kulich has had a wildly successful year in the AHL so far, scoring 16 points in 24 games as an 18-year-old rookie, while Rosen has been solid, scoring 15 points in 25 games.
- Canadiens prospect Owen Beck has been traded to another OHL club, sent to the Peterborough Petes as part of a major blockbuster deal. Beck, 18, was drafted 33rd overall by the Canadiens at the 2022 draft and has 40 points in 30 games in the OHL this season.
Arizona Coyotes Re-Assign Michael Carcone To AHL
The Arizona Coyotes have announced that forward Michael Carcone has been re-assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners.
The move comes after Dylan Guenther was recalled back to the Coyotes roster, following the conclusion of the World Junior Championships. With Carcone sent down, the Coyotes now have an open spot on their roster in advance of tomorrow’s contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The move is one of major significance for the Roadrunners, as they get the AHL’s leading scorer back on their roster. The Coyotes called Carcone up to their active roster on December 27th, and he got into a total of six games for the team. In that six-game stretch, Carcone played over 13 minutes per game and managed to pot two goals.
The 26-year-old undrafted forward hasn’t been able to find sustained success at the NHL level just yet, but he’s been elite at the level below. In 27 AHL games this season, Carcone has scored 16 goals and 42 points. His numbers were strong last year as well, when he scored 41 points in 48 games, a performance that earned him a total of 21 games in the NHL.
The Roadrunners currently sit in the middle of the pack of the AHL’s Pacific division, so adding Carcone back to their roster will do wonders as they attempt to climb their league’s standings.
St. Louis Blues Recall Tyler Tucker
The St. Louis Blues have announced that defenseman Tyler Tucker has been recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.
In order to create room to add him to their roster, the team has placed forward Logan Brown on injured reserve.
This move brings Tucker back to the Blues roster just a few days after he was sent back down to the AHL. With Steven Santini up to the Blues roster as part of that transaction, this recall gives the Blues eight defensemen on their active roster.
The recall of Tucker, then, could be motivated by recent news that Nick Leddy will miss tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens due to injury. With Leddy out of commission, Tucker’s recall gives the team seven healthy blueliners to work with.
Tucker, 22, is a nice developmental success story for the Blues. St. Louis selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, 200th overall, and let him marinate for a few years in the OHL. He had a solid season in the AHL last year, helping the Thunderbirds reach the Calder Cup final, and earned his first few NHL games this season.
He’s averaging 13 minutes per game in the NHL this season and has registered six blocked shots and eight hits through four games of action. At the AHL level, Tucker has played in a top-four capacity and has posted 13 points and 45 penalty minutes in 25 games.
West Notes: Leddy, Dach, Knyzhov, White
The Blues will be without defenseman Nick Leddy tonight against Montreal due to an upper-body injury, relays Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). The 31-year-old is in his first full season with St. Louis after being acquired back at the trade deadline from Detroit last year. While Leddy isn’t putting up the points that he did earlier in his career, he has been a steady presence in the top four, logging more than 21 minutes a night while contributing 11 assists in 39 games. Head coach Craig Berube indicated that this injury is one that has been lingering for a while for Leddy and that he’s not sure how long the blueliner will be out. Leddy joins a rapidly growing injured list for the Blues that also includes Ryan O’Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Torey Krug, among others.
More from the West:
- Blackhawks prospect Colton Dach is on the move as Seattle of the WHL announced that they’ve acquired the 20-year-old from Kelowna for two players and three draft picks. The center was injured while playing for Canada at the World Juniors but is expected to recover well before the playoffs begin in March. Dach has already signed his entry-level deal with Chicago and will be able to play in the minors next season making this a pure rental on the part of the Thunderbirds. Dach has 17 points in 14 games so far this season.
- Sharks defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov appears to be well ahead of schedule as he works his way back from Achilles surgery, reports Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Knyzhov has yet to play in nearly 20 months due to a variety of injuries with this latest one coming in August and carrying a six-month recovery timeline. The 24-year-old was a regular on San Jose’s blueline when he last played in 2020-21 and while he’ll undoubtedly need some time in the minors to get back up to speed, he has been participating in full practices which suggests that game action could be coming sooner than later.
- Stars prospect Gavin White is on the move in the OHL as Peterborough announced that they’ve acquired the blueliner as part of a multi-player swap. The 20-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Dallas last year (112th overall) and was quite productive for Hamilton before this move, averaging a point per game in 22 contests. White, who hasn’t signed yet with Dallas, is eligible to play in the minors next season but could also return for his overage year in junior.
Pacific Notes: Kylington, Golden Knights, Fanti
While the Flames have been without defenseman Oliver Kylington all season so far due to a personal matter, GM Brad Treliving told Sportsnet’s Eric Francis that they’re not giving up on the idea that he will be back at some point in the second half. Kylington had a breakout year in 2021-22, collecting 31 points in 73 games, earning himself a two-year, $5MM contract in the process and his return would certainly be a big boost to Calgary’s back end. At the moment, there haven’t been any discussions with him about when he might be able to return but with the trade deadline now less than two months away, it stands to reason that those conversations will be taking place at some point in the near future as if Kylington isn’t able to return, Calgary may have to make a move to find a replacement for the stretch run.
Elsewhere in the Pacific:
- There’s more help on the horizon when it comes to the Golden Knights. After getting center Jack Eichel and winger Paul Cotter back on Thursday, they could get winger Jonathan Marchessault back in the lineup tonight against Los Angeles, reports Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The 32-year-old has missed six straight games with a lower-body injury but still sits third on the team in goals with 14. Gotz adds that defenseman Alec Martinez also has a chance to return tonight although, with the team off until Thursday after this game, they could opt to give him a few more days of rest. The veteran has been out for four straight games after being injured in the Golden Knights’ first game after the holiday break. He has five assists in 37 contests this season.
- The Oilers have re-assigned goaltender Ryan Fanti to Fort Wayne of the ECHL, per the AHL’s transactions log. Edmonton signed the 23-year-old to an entry-level deal back in March but he has struggled in his first full professional season, posting a save percentage below .900 in both the AHL and ECHL. He had a 3.46 GAA and a .895 SV% in seven games with AHL Bakersfield during his seven-week stint with the Condors.
Oilers Assign James Hamblin To AHL
The Oilers have made a pair of roster moves today in advance of their game tonight against Colorado. The team announced (Twitter link) that forward James Hamblin has been assigned to Bakersfield of the AHL. So too has Justin Bailey after he cleared waivers earlier today following having his AHL deal converted to an NHL one on Friday.
The 23-year-old has been a nice success story for Edmonton this season. After playing well with the Condors last season, the team gave the undrafted free agent a two-year, entry-level contract back in March with the hopes he’d eventually play his way into an NHL opportunity. He had a strong stretch in training camp before being one of their final cuts.
Hamblin got off to another good start in the minors with nine points in 15 games, earning himself a recall in late November. He had been up with Edmonton since then, seeing action in ten games. While he didn’t record a point, he won over 64% of his faceoffs while logging just shy of nine minutes a night. However, Hamblin has played just once in the last two and a half weeks which isn’t ideal for a prospect so he’ll head back to the Condors where he’ll see more regular ice time. As a result of his demotion, the Oilers now have an open spot on their active roster.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Justin Bailey
Saturday: Bailey has cleared waivers, NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnston reports. He’ll now be allowed to rejoin the Condors.
Friday: The Edmonton Oilers have announced that forward Justin Bailey has been signed to a one-year, $750k two-way deal.
The contract comes after Bailey was signed to an AHL deal with their affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, in September. As part of the signing, Bailey has been placed on waivers for the purpose of officially assigning him to the AHL.
Bailey, 27, is a veteran of 82 NHL games, playing sporadically in the world’s top league over the past seven years. In that time frame, even as Bailey’s NHL opportunities were inconsistent, Bailey developed himself into a valuable AHL scorer.
Last season, Bailey scored 27 points in 30 games for the Abbotsford Canucks, the Vancouver Canucks’ AHL affiliate. In 2019-20, he scored 47 points in 53 games for the Utica Comets. This season, he has 10 points in 16 games for the Condors.
Now that he’s signed to an NHL deal, the Oilers will have the opportunity to recall Bailey from Bakersfield should that be something they wish to do. Before this signing, the Oilers had just 44 contracts on their books, meaning this deal is of little significance when it comes to the 50-contract limit.
Overall, this signing is great news for Bailey, as he likely receives a pay raise as part of the deal as well as the chance to possibly get into some games for the Oilers should the opportunity to do so present itself.
Flames Recall Two, Place Brett Ritchie On IR
The Flames announced (Twitter link) a trio of roster moves today in advance of their five-game road trip. They’ve recalled wingers Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr from AHL Calgary and to make room on the active roster, they’ve transferred winger Brett Ritchie on injured reserve.
Pelletier is one of Calgary’s top prospects and will get his first chance at making his NHL debut. The 21-year-old was a first-round pick (26th overall) back in 2019 and has been quite productive at both the junior and AHL level since then. This season, Pelletier sits second on the Wranglers in scoring with 15 goals and 19 assists in 31 games. The only player that he’s behind is Matthew Phillips but the Flames opted to sit the winger for most of the games he was up with the big club for so it’s not surprising that they’re trying Pelletier now instead.
As for Duehr, the 25-year-old has one career NHL appearance under his belt which came in November 2021. This season at the AHL level, he’s tied for third on the Wranglers in goals with ten, just one shy of his output from a year ago in 28 fewer games. This is only his second full professional campaign after signing a two-year entry-level deal with Calgary as a college free agent in 2021.
Meanwhile, Ritchie suffered what appeared to be a wrist injury last weekend against Vancouver and hasn’t played since then. Technically, that means that Calgary could back-date the placement to then, effectively making him eligible to be activated as soon as Sunday’s game in Chicago. The fact they’ve placed him on IR means he’ll be out longer than that but there is no timetable for his return. The 29-year-old has six goals and two assists in 30 games with the Flames so far this season.
Tom Wilson To Make Season Debut On Sunday
The good news for Washington keeps on coming. After revealing earlier today that center Nicklas Backstrom will make his season debut on Sunday against Columbus, they’ve now announced (Twitter link) that winger Tom Wilson will also suit up for the first time in 2022-23 against the Blue Jackets.
The 28-year-old underwent surgery back in May to repair a torn ACL. Originally diagnosed with a recovery period of six to eight months, this return date falls pretty much in the middle of that range.
While Wilson has gotten himself into trouble from a league disciplinary standpoint over the years, he has also become one of the premier power forwards in the NHL. He has reached the 20-goal mark in three of the last four seasons with the one he didn’t being the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign where he scored at a 23-goal pace.
As is the case with Backstrom, Wilson will certainly need some time to get back into prime playing shape but he’ll be a big addition to what has already been a fairly deep attack so far this season. He has spent a lot of time in recent years on Washington’s top line and while it will likely take a little while for him to get there, that could very well be the spot he winds up in eventually.
With Aliaksei Protas being sent down to make room for Backstrom, the Capitals will likely have to turn to the waiver wire to create a spot for Wilson to be activated into. Wingers Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Joe Snively appear to be the likeliest casualties with them having limited roles when they’ve been in the lineup. While the Capitals could designate one of them as waivers/non-roster tomorrow, it’s possible that they could make that waiver placement today, freeing up the roster spot and cap space on Sunday before formally activating both Wilson and Backstrom.