Ottawa Senators Re-Assign Dillon Heatherington
Dec 13: A few days later and Heatherington has been returned to the minor leagues, suggesting Zub is close to a return. The minor league veteran has still not actually seen any NHL action this season.
Dec 7: The Ottawa Senators saw their short winning streak come to an abrupt halt last night when they allowed five goals to the Los Angeles Kings, and now they’re headed on the road for two games against the Central Division. With Artem Zub sidelined due to a broken jaw, they’ve recalled Dillon Heatherington from the AHL to give them some extra defensive depth on the trip.
Heatherington, 27, has already played nine games for Ottawa this season, filling in when Zub and Thomas Chabot were out earlier this year. The minor league veteran failed to record a point during that time but does offer size and physicality, something that the group can lack at times.
The Senators defensive results have been tied almost directly to Zub’s health this year. When he’s in the lineup, they do fine, and when he’s not, they don’t. In the 14 games he has played, the team is 7-7. In the 11 he’s missed, 3-7-1. That combined record puts them last in the Atlantic Division and falling out of the playoff race as we approach Christmas.
Ottawa has been linked to every potential defenseman on the market but haven’t pulled the trigger yet on a trade to reinforce the back end. At some point, if they want to compete for the playoffs and a Stanley Cup, an addition of some sort will have to be made. Nikita Zaitsev logged the second-most minutes among defensemen last night, just days after being sent to the minor leagues.
Mackenzie Blackwood Sent To AHL On Conditioning Loan
After rehabbing a knee injury for the last month, Mackenzie Blackwood is ready to get back on the ice and into game action. He’ll do it first at the minor league level, where the New Jersey Devils have loaned him on a conditioning assignment. This allows Blackwood to play a handful of games before coming off long-term injured reserve.
The 26-year-old Blackwood has struggled both to stay healthy and perform at the NHL level in recent years, with an .880 save percentage through seven appearances this season. The team’s primary goaltending spot has been firmly handed over to Vitek Vanecek, who sits 12-2-2 on the year with a .912. The most interesting part will be whether Blackwood can retake the backup spot at all, given the other young netminders in the Devils’ system.
Akira Schmid has looked calm and efficient in his six appearances, posting a .940 and going 5-1. The 22-year-old appears to be playing at a higher level than he did as a rookie last season, when he was forced to play NHL games in his first year as a professional due to all the injuries in New Jersey. The 21-year-old Nico Daws, who actually saw 25 games last year with the Devils, is also grinding away in the minor leagues waiting for another opportunity.
With the team’s newfound contender status, they can’t wait around for Blackwood to regain his form. As a pending arbitration-eligible RFA due a $3.36MM qualifying offer, there’s a real chance that this is his last year with the team. If that’s the case, and his performance doesn’t improve, a longer stint in the minor leagues may eventually be in order. Blackwood would have to clear waivers to do it, but it is no longer rebuild time in New Jersey; the team will have to make some tough decisions to push for the Stanley Cup.
Winnipeg Jets Make Several Roster Moves
Dec 13: After the Jets returned Stenlund to AHL Manitoba for a short time, he’s back up under a regular recall now. That means he can stay even when everyone is healthy.
Dec 11: Earlier today, we covered how Winnipeg Jets players Logan Stanley and Saku Maenalanen would not be playing in today’s game against the Washington Capitals. Now, we have some more detail on each player’s situation.
The Jets have announced that Stanley and Maenalanen will be placed on injured reserve, which makes them unavailable until next weekend at the earliest. In a corresponding move, forward Kevin Stenlund has been recalled on an emergency basis from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moore.
This IR placement means Stanley, 24, will spend even more time away from the ice. The 2016 18th overall pick has skated in just seven games so far this season. He was activated off of injured reserve just three days ago, and had been out with a fractured foot since late October. Now, he’ll head back to injured reserve.
Maenalanen, 28, has not faced as much injury trouble this season as Stanley has. In 25 games Maenalanen has four goals and six points and has even seen some time on the Jets’ penalty kill. Maenalanen is in the middle of his return season after spending the past three seasons playing in his native Finland.
To fill a roster spot, the Jets have called up Stenlund. The 26-year-old Swede has been an important contributor for the Moose this season, scoring 14 points in 19 games. The big six-foot-four forward has 71 career NHL games on his resume and has 11 career goals.
Injury Notes: Caufield, Stützle, Tanev
After exiting tonight’s game early in the second period with an upper-body injury, Montreal Canadiens star sniper Cole Caufield will not return, according to the team. He was hit hard in front of the Canadiens’ net by Flames forward Trevor Lewis and reached for his head after the collision.
Caufield and Nick Suzuki‘s chemistry have been instrumental in helping the Habs hover around the .500 mark this far into the regular season. Caufield’s 16 goals lead the team, and his 25 points in 27 games are second behind Suzuki’s 29. Any long-term absence from their top goal-scorer will be extremely difficult to overcome.
- Another Canadian team also lost an important young forward tonight. Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle left their game against the Anaheim Ducks and did not return after sustaining an upper-body injury in the first frame, per the team. He was checked by Ducks forward Brett Leason, who was given an interference penalty on the play. Stützle’s 27 points are second on the team, and they’re already without their other top center in Josh Norris.
- For Calgary, they lost defenseman Chris Tanev after taking a puck to the face. The veteran stayed down on the ice after the impact but didn’t require a stretcher and was helped off the ice by teammates. If Tanev is to miss time, Calgary will need to recall another defenseman with MacKenzie Weegar battling an illness.
Snapshots: Flames, Board Of Governors, Capitals
The Calgary Flames are without two key players tonight as they take on the Montreal Canadiens. Before puck drop, the team announced center Elias Lindholm and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar are out with an upper-body injury and a non-COVID illness, respectively.
Mikael Backlund slides up to the top line in Lindholm’s absence, while Connor Mackey makes his sixth appearance of the season in place of Weegar. Lindholm isn’t quite producing at last year’s clip, but he still leads the team in scoring with 23 points in 28 games. Weegar’s yet to score his first goal as a member of the Flames, but has six assists in 28 games and is averaging over 20 minutes per game. Still, Calgary would like some more offense out of Weegar, who had a career-high 44 points last season as a member of the Florida Panthers.
- Today wasn’t the most eventful opening day of the NHL’s Board of Governors’ meeting in Florida, but NHL.com’s Dan Rosen expects that to change tomorrow. Rosen notes that tomorrow’s docket includes salary cap projections for the 2023-24 season, updates regarding the ongoing sale process for the Ottawa Senators, and a potential fan code of conduct. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will likely issue an update after tomorrow’s meetings conclude.
- Speaking to reporters, including ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said the team won’t enter a rebuild while Alex Ovechkin is still chasing the NHL’s all-time goals record. Ovechkin has noted a desire to remain competitive while chasing the record, vying for team and individual success. Leonsis also noted that Wayne Gretzky himself will be in attendance for all Capitals games as Ovechkin inches toward his record of 894 career goals.
San Jose Sharks Activate James Reimer, Reassign Eetu Mäkiniemi
The San Jose Sharks have activated goaltender James Reimer from injured reserve and reassigned Eetu Mäkiniemi to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda; the team announced Monday evening.
Reimer landed on injured reserve back on November 28 after playing through a lower-body injury. The injury caused him to miss eight games, dating back to a pre-Thanksgiving contest against the Seattle Kraken on November 23.
A free agent acquisition a year and a half ago, Reimer’s numbers flattened out after a strong October. Still, his .903 save percentage and 3.00 goals-against average are much better than his counterpart Kaapo Kähkönen, and he’ll undoubtedly return to the starter’s role now that he’s healthy.
Mäkiniemi got into two games during his callup, the first of his NHL career. Acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes this past offseason in the Brent Burns trade, the 2017 fourth-round pick got the win in his only start against the Anaheim Ducks on December 9, making 23 saves on 24 shots. With a strong AHL track record so far (.920 save percentage across the last year and a half), expect Mäkiniemi to continue to get callups when injuries strike and even potentially unseat Kähkönen if his poor play continues.
Hockey Canada Announces Final 2023 WJC Roster
The selection camp is over and Hockey Canada has chosen the 22 players that will represent their country later this month at the IIHF World Junior Championship. There were 29 players originally named to the camp but after several others were loaned from NHL teams, ten players ended up cut today.
Carson Lambos, Evan Nause, Ethan Samson. Owen Beck, Zachary Bolduc, Jordan Dumais, Ryan Greene, Riley Kidney, Tyler Brennan, and William Rousseau were all sent back to their respective teams.
The roster that will compete:
F Caedan Bankier – Kamloops, WHL (MIN 86th overall, 2021)
F Connor Bedard – Regina, WHL (2023 draft-eligible)
F Colton Dach – Kelowna, WHL (CHI 62nd overall, 2021)
F Zach Dean – Gatineau, QMJHL (VGK 30th overall, 2021)
F Adam Fantilli – Michigan, NCAA (2023 draft-eligible)
F Nathan Gaucher – Québec, QMJHL (ANA 22nd overall, 2022)
F Zack Ostapchuk – Vancouver, WHL (OTT 39th overall, 2021)
F Brennan Othmann – Peterborough, OHL (NYR 16th overall, 2021)
F Joshua Roy – Sherbrooke, QMJHL (MTL 150th overall, 2021)
F Reid Schaefer – Seattle, WHL (EDM 32nd overall, 2022)
F Logan Stankoven – Kamloops, WHL (DAL 47th overall, 2021)
F Shane Wright – Seattle, NHL (SEA 4th overall, 2022)
F Dylan Guenther – Arizona, NHL (ARI 9th overall, 2021)
D Nolan Allan – Seattle, WHL (CHI 32nd overall, 2021)
D Ethan Del Mastro – Mississauga, OHL (CHI 105th overall, 2021)
D Tyson Hinds – Sherbrooke, QMJHL (ANA 76th overall, 2021)
D Kevin Korchinski – Seattle, WHL (CHI 7th overall, 2022)
D Jack Matier – Ottawa, OHL (NSH 124th overall, 2021)
D Olen Zellweger – Everett, WHL (ANA 34th overall, 2021)
D Brandt Clarke – Los Angeles, NHL (LAK 8th overall, 2021)
G Benjamin Gaudreau – Sarnia, OHL (SJS 81st overall, 2021)
G Thomas Milic – Seattle, WHL (undrafted)
Vegas Golden Knights Place Jack Eichel On Injured Reserve; Recall Three Players
The Vegas Golden Knights are dealing with several injuries, and have made a few changes to the roster in preparation for their upcoming road trip. Jack Eichel and Zach Whitecloud have been moved to injured reserve, while Jonas Rondbjerg, Brayden Pachal, and Kaedan Korczak have been recalled from the AHL.
Eichel missed last night’s game against the Boston Bruins. Though he was skating recently, his IR stint will be retroactive to his last appearance on December 9, meaning he’ll be forced to miss both of the team’s upcoming road games. The club is headed to Winnipeg and Chicago this week, before returning home for a game against the New York Islanders on Saturday night. Eichel would be eligible to come off IR by then, if healthy enough to do so.
Whitecloud, meanwhile, left last night’s game clutching his leg after fewer than nine minutes of ice time. The 26-year-old defenseman had been averaging huge minutes of late while Alex Pietrangelo is away from the team for personal reasons, but now looks like he’ll miss some time. No timeline has been given to this point, but an IR placement means he’ll miss at least a week.
Rondbjerg has already played one game this season with the club but Pachal and Korczak have been limited to AHL duties. Korczak, 21, was the 41st overall pick in 2019 and has six points in 24 games this season for Henderson. The 6’3″ defenseman has just one NHL game under his belt and is one of the team’s most interesting prospects. Whether all three will enter the lineup remains to be seen.
Nashville Predators Make Several Roster Moves
After losing Eeli Tolvanen on waivers, the Nashville Predators recalled Kevin Gravel and Roland McKeown to help their bruised and battered defense corps. The team also announced updated timelines for two players with upper-body injuries. Alexandre Carrier will be out week-to-week, while Jeremy Lauzon is now listed as day-to-day.
Adding help on defense is one of the biggest reasons why the Predators were forced to waive Tolvanen in the first place, though neither one of the players coming up should be expected to make a huge impact. Gravel is the more experienced of the two with 109 NHL games under his belt, though his last appearance was in 2019-20. The 6’4″ left-shot defenseman can be a useful penalty-killing option but offers almost no offense, with just one goal and 12 assists in his career.
McKeown, meanwhile has a bit more well-rounded game, though it has landed him only ten NHL appearances so far. The 26-year-old was the 50th overall pick in 2014 and played all ten of those games with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2017-18. He is the right-shot that can help replace Carrier, though certainly won’t be able to fill his shoes entirely.
Seattle Kraken Claim Eeli Tolvanen
As expected, Eeli Tolvanen‘s time with the Nashville Predators is over (at least for now). The former top prospect has been claimed off waivers by the Seattle Kraken, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Given Seattle’s place in the standings, quite a few teams passed on the chance to take the 23-year-old sniper. Sean Shapiro of EP Rinkside tweets that the Predators’ front office was “pretty confident” that Tolvanen would clear, likely because of the $1.45MM cap hit that Seattle will be taking on in full. Signed to a three-year, $4.35MM deal in 2021, Tolvanen has just two goals and four points this season in 13 games. He hasn’t played since November 19, and even then was seeing limited minutes.
Expansion clubs are often where a player can rejuvenate their career, though, and perhaps the Kraken can do it for Tolvanen, the 30th overall pick in 2017. A rather similar player, Daniel Sprong, had experienced his own rollercoaster ride through waivers and trades before arriving in Seattle, where he seems to have found a home with 15 points in 20 games so far this season.
There is no shortage of skill in Tolvanen, who possesses one of the hardest shots in the league and has scored at every level – including the NHL. In his rookie season, he had 11 goals and 22 points in just 40 games, totals that were only barely matched in his sophomore year.
It is important to remember that several teams could not have claimed Tolvanen because of cap space, and the Philadelphia Flyers didn’t have a contract slot available. Still, it is somewhat surprising that he reached the Kraken, who were 23rd in line.