Metropolitan Notes: Svechnikov, Flyers, Kulikov
The Carolina Hurricanes announced some tough injury news with regards to Andrei Svechnikov. The Russian winger is ruled out indefinitely with a knee injury. The 22-year-old winger is one of the Hurricanes best players, having scored 23 goals and 55 points in 64 games this season. The Hurricanes are currently tied for first place in the Metropolitan Division with the New Jersey Devils.
It sounds like Svechnikov’s injury could be a long-term one. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported the team is worried it could be a torn ACL which would rule Svechnikov out for the season. The player and the team are seeking out a second opinion and hoping for a more positive outcome. With Max Pacioretty already out for the season with an achilles injury, the Hurricanes are already missing a star winger. Losing Svechnikov as well would put a lot of pressure on the rest of their roster to find consistent playoff scoring.
- Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic reports Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart is sick and will miss tonight’s game against the Vegan Golden Knights. Backup Felix Sandstrom will start in Hart’s absence, which fortunately sounds like a short term one. O’Connor also mentioned Sean Couturier is skating in a non-contact jersey. Couturier has missed the entire season following back surgery and appears to be inching closer to full health. Head Coach John Tortorella said he would rather the star center just focus on being ready for next year’s training camp but if Couturier is cleared to play they will have a discussion about his future.
- Michelle Crechiolo of Pens Inside Scoop reports the Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their trade deadline acquisitions when they take on the Montreal Canadiens tonight. Dmitry Kulikov left Sunday’s game against the New York Rangers with a lower-body injury and did not join the team at practice this morning. Head Coach Mike Sullivan said after practice that Kulikov is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
Flyers Recall Foerster, Ersson
The Philadelphia Flyers announced a pair of players were called up to the NHL this morning. Forward Tyson Foerster and goaltender Samuel Ersson were both brought up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to fill out the NHL roster. The team also mentioned the Foerster recall was on an emergency basis.
Foerster had been called up earlier this month to make his NHL debut and played two games, though he did not register a point with the Flyers. He was sent back down to Lehigh Valley on Sunday, but returns in time to face the Vegas Golden Knights tonight. He is a 21-year-old forward who is playing his first full pro season and has 19 goals and 39 points in 57 games for the Phantoms.
Ersson has been called up to fill in as the team’s backup tonight. The Flyers number one goalie, Carter Hart, is out of the lineup with an illness. Felix Sandstrom will get the call tonight, while Ersson will serve as the number two option. Ersson has played ten NHL games this season, posting a 3.07 GAA with an .898 SV%. The 23 year old has played 31 AHL games this season with a 2.61 GAA and a .907 SV%.
Avalanche Recall Alex Galchenyuk
The Colorado Avalanche announced they have called up Alex Galchenyuk from the Colorado Eagles of the AHL. Galchenyuk was signed by the Avalanche last offseason and has played most of this season in the minor leagues.
The 29-year-old forward is having a successful season in the AHL, scoring 15 goals and 33 points in 33 games for the Eagles. He was called up earlier this season to play four games with the Avalanche but failed to register a point.
Galchenyuk is a skilled forward who was the third overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. He played his first six seasons with the Canadiens, but has bounced around the league since then. In the past five years, he has played for the Arizona Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Coyotes again and now the Avalanche.
This season was his first lengthy stint in the AHL, and he produced at a point-per-game pace. Perhaps he has gained some confidence and can rediscover a bit of the offensive tough that saw him score 30 goals and 56 points in 2015-16.
The Avalanche needed to call someone up with Artturi Lehkonen ruled out with a broken finger. Since the team no longer had 12 healthy forwards, the Galchenyuk recall is considered to be on an emergency basis so it does not affect the limit of four recalls the Avalanche are allowed to make after the trade deadline.
Artturi Lehkonen Out 4-6 Weeks With Broken Finger
The Colorado Avalanche have been dealing with a plethora of injuries all season, and they just continue to pile up as Artturi Lehkonen will be out of the lineup long term. Peter Baugh of The Athetic reported Lehkonen broke his finger and would require surgery. Head Coach Jared Bednar was on Vic Lombardi’s Altitude Sports Radio show this morning and confirmed it would be a 4-6 week absence.
The Avalanche crushed the Montreal Canadiens 8-4 last night, jumping out to a 3-0 lead before the midway point of the first period. It was a big night for the former Canadiens winger who scored two goals, including the 100th of his career, and added an assist against the team that traded him a year ago. But then he was forced to leave the game with injury.
Lehkonen has fit in perfectly with the Avalanche since being acquired for Justin Barron and a second-round pick. His goals last night brought him to 20 for this first time in his career and he also has a career high 49 points this season in just 62 games. He helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup last spring by playing a terrific defensive game and adding eight goals and 14 points in 20 postseason games.
Lehkonen now joins Gabriel Landeskog, Erik Johnson and Darren Helm on the Avalanche injured reserve. They have fought through all the injuries to sit comfortably in a playoff position today and still have a shot at winning the Central Division.
The playoffs will begin in almost exactly five weeks, which means Lehkonen could still be back for Game 1 of the opening round.
Artturi Lehkonen Leaves Game With Upper-Body Injury
The Colorado Avalanche have announced that Artturi Lehkonen will not return to tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens after leaving with an apparent upper-body injury.
It was quite an eventful night for Lehkonen who was playing in his first game back in Montreal since being traded to Colorado in March of 2022. Lehkonen received a video tribute and a standing ovation from the Montreal crowd, then followed it up by adding two goals and an assist in less than two periods of play. The injury puts a damper on what was an incredible return to Montreal for the former second round pick.
Lehkonen has been red hot as of late with seven points in his past five games. He’s been everything Colorado could have hoped for when they dealt a second-round pick and Justin Barron to Montreal for him just under a year ago. Lehkonen has flourished this season with a career high 49 points in 62 games. This after scoring 14 points in 20 games last postseason in Colorado’s magical run to the Stanley Cup.
Should Lehkonen miss any time it will be a big blow for an Avalanche team that has dealt with a multitude of injuries throughout this season. Colorado is already missing Josh Manson, Gabriel Landeskog, Darren Helm, Erik Johnson, and goaltender Pavel Francouz. Despite the injuries, Colorado has maintained stellar team defense this season as they rank seventh in the league in goals against. The Avalanche currently hold the final wild card spot in the west, but they have struggled as of late having dropped four of their last six games coming into tonight.
Injury Notes: Pageau, Fischer, Schmaltz
Kevin Kurtz of The Athletic is reporting that New York Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau could return to the Islanders lineup as early as tomorrow night. Pageau would be a welcome reinforcement to an Islanders squad that is currently occupying the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The 30-year-old Pageau has been out of the lineup since he suffered an upper body injury on February 11th in a game against the Montreal Canadiens. Pageau was later roughed up in practice a few days later and wasn’t put on IR until February 16th, although it was retroactive to February 11th.
The former Ottawa Senator has 29 points in 56 games in his fourth season with the Islanders and would be a welcome additional to a team that appears set to battle down to the wire for a birth in the postseason. Although he has spent most of the season on a line with Zach Parise and a carousel of other wingers, Pageau would give the Islanders a strong penalty killer and face-off man. Pageau has garnered Selke votes in each of the past five seasons and would add a strong defensive prowess to an already strong defensive team.
- Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports is reporting some updates on a couple of injured Arizona Coyotes players Nick Schmaltz and Christian Fischer. Morgan states that the Coyotes currently have no timeline on injured forward Schmaltz after he was a late scratch Sunday night against the Minnesota Wild. Schmaltz likely suffered the injury sometime on Saturday night in a game against the Colorado Avalanche. The 27-year-old had been heating up in recent weeks having notched 18 points in his past 15 games.
- Arizona next plays Tuesday night against the Calgary Flames and they could have Fischer back in the lineup as Coach André Tourigny said he could play and is day-to-day at this time. Fischer was also injured in Saturday’s game against the Avalanche with an apparently lower body injury. He too missed last night’s game against the Wild. Fischer has been having one of the better seasons of his young career with 24 points in 65 games. He looked to be gaining some traction having had three points in four games heading into Saturday night, it’ll be interesting to see if he can keep it going when he does return to the Arizona lineup.
Arizona Coyotes Reassign Bokondji Imama, Milos Kelemen
Monday, Mar. 13, 4:50 p.m.: Arizona reassigned both Imama and Kelemen to the minors today after yesterday’s overtime win against Minnesota. Both forwards played under 10 minutes and neither recorded a point, but Imama did fight Ryan Reaves early in the game.
Imama won’t be immediately eligible to play upon his return to Tucson, however. He received an automatic one-game suspension from the AHL for receiving an instigator penalty in the final five minutes of the third period of his last game. He’ll have to sit out Tucson’s game Friday against the Calgary Wranglers.
Sunday, Mar. 12, 5:31 p.m.: Forwards Bokondji Imama and Milos Kelemen are headed back up from the minors to the Arizona Coyotes, a team tweet Sunday afternoon reveals.
The reinforcements from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners come as an injury could affect the Coyotes’ lineup, per PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan. Winger Christian Fischer left last night’s game against the Colorado Avalanche with a lower-body injury.
Both Imama and Kelemen have seen recent paper transactions. Imama was reassigned to Tucson on March 8 after a one-game emergency recall, recording three hits and a blocked shot in 9:38 of ice time against the St. Louis Blues. Kelemen was sent down on March 4 after his second recall of the season.
Kelemen, an under-the-radar free agent signing out of Czechia last offseason, has put up some decent offensive numbers in Tucson, recording 14 goals and 27 points in 55 games. Another recall could give him the opportunity to register his first NHL point.
Imama, a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights, has 12 points in 41 appearances with Tucson this season.
Carolina Hurricanes Recall Jack Drury
The Carolina Hurricanes recalled forward Jack Drury from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves on Monday, per a team announcement.
Drury’s recall gives Carolina some flexibility at the forward position. While they weren’t short a player, Andrei Svechnikov is currently out with a lower-body injury, and the Hurricanes are without an extra forward to rotate into the lineup.
This marks Drury’s fourth recall of the season, his first since the calendar turned to 2023. The 23-year-old has suited up in 21 games, recording two assists. He’s doubled his career NHL point total, adding to his two goals in his first two NHL games last season.
The 42nd overall pick in 2018, Drury’s stock rose sharply after a stellar sophomore campaign with Harvard in 2019-20. Since then, he’s adjusted well to pro hockey, posting strong offensive numbers in both the SHL and AHL. On a contending Carolina roster, though, he hasn’t seen much ice time in the NHL.
This season with Chicago, Drury has 11 goals and 24 points in 37 games.
Chicago Blackhawks Sign Ryder Rolston
4:56 p.m.: CapFriendly has reported the breakdown of Rolston’s ELC, which is as follows:
2023-24: $775K salary, $92.5K signing bonus
2024-25: $800K salary, $92.5K signing bonus
2025-26: $832.5K salary, $92.5K signing bonus
Rolston earns an $80K minors salary in all three seasons of the contract. As a restricted free agent, upon expiry, Chicago will owe him a qualifying offer of $874,125, or 105% of the base salary in the final year of his contract. He’ll be eligible for arbitration if he plays at least 10 games in a professional league during every season of his contract.
3:52 p.m.: The Chicago Blackhawks have signed 21-year-old forward prospect Ryder Rolston to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Monday afternoon. Rolston’s first-ever NHL contract carries a cap hit of $895,000, per the team.
According to multiple reports, Rolston’s contract will start next season, carrying him through 2025-26. He will report to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs for the remainder of 2022-23.
Rolston, the son of long-time NHLer Brian Rolston, leaves the University of Notre Dame after three seasons of college hockey. He showed solid development there, recording 10 goals and 27 points in 38 games during his sophomore campaign in 2021-22.
Unfortunately, Rolston’s college year ended in late January due to an injury. He finished this season with 20 points in 27 games.
Rolston was originally a draftee of the Colorado Avalanche in 2020, but his signing rights were acquired by Chicago less than a year later, along with minor-league forward Josh Dickinson, in exchange for Carl Soderberg at the 2021 trade deadline.
The younger Rolston relies on his speed for success more than his father but employs the same work ethic that made him well-liked. A relatively well-rounded forward, Rolston’s current stock slightly exceeds that of his fifth-round selection.
Central Notes: Toews, Seguin, Foligno
As the season ticks away, Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews remains away from game action. Head coach Luke Richardson told reporters today that Toews’ activity has been limited to gym workouts, and the team still doesn’t have a timeline on his return to the ice from general illness that’s kept him out since the All-Star break.
With every day that passes, speculation increases that Toews has played his last game of the season — and potentially his career. Chronic immune response syndrome kept Toews sidelined for the shortened 2020-21 season. He told fans in a statement last month that those symptoms, along with those of long COVID, are impeding his ability to play effectively. In their captain’s absence, the team is 7-9-2.
Other notes on some Central Division injuries:
- The Athletic’s Joe Smith says not to expect an update on Minnesota Wild winger Marcus Foligno today. Foligno left yesterday’s game with a lower-body injury, and the team could provide an update at practice tomorrow. While he hasn’t missed an extended period of time this season, he has suffered multiple minor injuries. To make matters more concerning, CapFriendly lists Foligno’s current absence as his third lower-body injury in the span of a month. Expectedly so, the 31-year-old’s offense has taken a step back with six goals and 19 points in 53 games, down from a career-high 23 goals and 42 points last year.
- Dallas Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika reports that center Tyler Seguin is not currently with the team after sustaining a laceration to his left leg in last week’s 10-4 win against Buffalo. However, it’s a possibility he rejoins the team on their current road trip. Seguin is listed as day-to-day, and the team has four more games remaining on a Pacific Northwest swing.