Minor Transactions: 01/01/23
With the new year now upon us, today features the first slate of games of 2023. With the Winter Classic coming up tomorrow, there’s quite a bit on the calendar for NHL fans to get excited about. As these games go on, teams in minor and overseas leagues are making tweaks to their rosters. We’ll keep track of any notable moves here:
- 2016 Vancouver Canucks draft pick and established SHL scorer Rodrigo Abols will be changing clubs this summer. The Latvian forward has announced that he will be leaving his current club, Orebro, to sign with Rogle for next season. Abols has 20 points in 27 games this season and last played in North America in 2019-20, scoring 23 points in 36 games for the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds.
- Former Montreal Canadiens prospect Martin Reway has parted ways with his current club, EHC Freiburg of the German DEL2. Reway arrived in the German second division after playing last year in the Czech second division. He has scored 23 points in 20 games this year for Freiburg.
- The Erie Otters have completed a trade with the Niagara IceDogs, landing Pano Fimis, the number-two pick of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection. Fimis, who went undrafted last year, has scored 24 points in 28 games this year. He’ll arrive in Erie likely that this trade can spark increased production and give him a shot at getting drafted in the summer.
- Tim Soderlund, perhaps best known for being a part of the 2021 trade of Duncan Keith to the Edmonton Oilers, has parted ways with his current club, Djurgardens IF. The 24-year-old winger, a 2017 fourth-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, has scored 14 points in 29 HockeyAllsvenskan games this season. He last played in North America in 2021-22, splitting time between the AHL and ECHL before heading to Djurgarden.
Anaheim Ducks Activate Anthony Stolarz
The Anaheim Ducks have announced that goaltender Anthony Stolarz has been activated off of injured reserve.
In a corresponding move, the team has assigned netminder Lukas Dostal to their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.
A few days ago, we covered that Stolarz had begun skating once again, a development that hinted at a soon-to-come return from the injured list.
Stolarz has been out of action since December 12th, when he suffered a lower-body injury. Now, with his activation, the Ducks have gotten John Gibson‘s backup back onto their active roster.
The Ducks have been one of the worst teams in the NHL this season, and Stolarz has had his share of struggles. After posting a .917 save percentage in 28 games last year, Stolarz is down to an .889 through 13 contests this year.
Stolarz will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the league year, barring an extension. His expiring deal mans it’s imperative that Stolarz puts together a solid stretch of starts, in order to put himself in the best position possible for a potential trip to the open market.
To make room for Stolarz on their roster, the team has sent down their number-three goalie, Dostal. The 22-year-old Czech netminder has been a bright spot for the Ducks, posting a .909 save percentage through seven games. He’s been good in the AHL as well, with a .916 in 20 games.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Right Wingers
With the new year upon us, the NHL season is in full swing. Teams are jockeying for playoff position, and many players with expiring contracts across the NHL are playing games that could ultimately determine what type of payday they might receive in the summer.
In a multi-part series, we’ll take a look at each position group of the upcoming free agent class, and do a rundown on how those upcoming unrestricted free agents have performed this year. Which players have increased their odds of landing a massive contract? Which players have potentially hurt their earning potential with their play? We’ll break it all down here.
The Marquee Names
David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins
With a Rocket Richard in his back pocket and a half-decade of play at or above the point-per-game mark on his resume, Pastrnak is the great jewel of next summer’s free agent class.
He’s one of the best wingers in all of hockey, period. He scored 40 goals and 77 points last season and this year, he’s scoring at a 57-goal, 114-point pace.
Helping Czech countryman David Krejci make an instant impact upon his return to the NHL, Pastrnak is the type of winger who is a playmaking center’s dream. The Bruins have been the best team in the NHL so far this year, and a major reason for that success has been Pastrnak.
While the Bruins have in the past signed their forwards to team-friendly contract extensions arguably below the signing player’s true market value, they should be willing to go to extreme lengths to get Pastrnak signed to a long-term deal.
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Kane is one of the greatest players of this generation of hockey and his exploits during this era of Blackhawks hockey, a golden era for one of the league’s original six franchises, have made him into a Chicago sports icon.
He’s also having his least-productive season in a half-decade as the team around him has been stripped for parts and sent away in order for the team to be able to amass a stockpile of draft picks and prospects.
As a result, it’s easy to say Kane’s stock is down from where it once was. That assessment isn’t without its merit, as Kane normally cruises past the point-per-game threshold, and hasn’t done so this season.
But it’s likely that Kane will remain one of the most sought-after players in free agency, and it’s unlikely that a small downturn in production will reduce the line of motivated suitors he’ll have to sift through next summer.
And if Kane ends up traded to a contending team, where he promptly returns to his prior form and leads them on a long playoff run, his slower-than-usual start to the year will be an afterthought.
We’re not at that point yet, though. Kane’s form on this talent-deficient Blackhawks team may put the faintest thought in some teams’ heads that maybe the 34-year-old star is finally showing some age-related decline.
Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues
Just a few short years ago, Tarasenko’s career seemed to be somewhat in peril. The superstar forward had missed major time due to shoulder surgeries and had played in just 34 games over the span of two seasons.
Tarasenko got the chance to be a healthy member of the Blues’ lineup once again in 2021-22, and he went out and had the best campaign of his career.
He scored 34 goals and 82 points in 75 games, the first time in his NHL career that he crossed the point-per-game mark.
This year, it’s been more of the same. While the Blues themselves have struggled mightily to play with any sort of consistency, Tarasenko has been solid, scoring 29 points in 34 games.
Tarasenko just turned 31 years old, and should be a coveted option for teams looking to add a star scorer on the open market, should the Blues allow him to get there.
The Solid Contributors
Alex Killorn, Tampa Bay Lightning
Through his hard work, durability, and consistency, Killorn has been one of the most valuable “glue” players on the Lightning. He’s played a consistent role since he was a rookie in 2012-13, and has been reliable to score at least at a 40-point pace each year.
More recently, Killorn’s offensive production has ticked up, as he has 117 points in his last 173 games, a 55-point pace. Playing on both special teams units, Killorn is the type of consistent all-around presence that coaches adore.
With some significant pay raises set to kick in next year, it doesn’t look like the Lightning will be able to offer Killorn the type of contract extension that could match the offers he’d receive on the open market.
At the age of 33, Killorn doesn’t represent a youthful investment for interested teams. But he has two Stanley Cup rings, significant playoff experience, brings off-ice leadership value, and has seen his scoring numbers increase in recent years.
He may not bring the star power of the three names listed above him, but Killorn still has his valued place in next summer’s free agent class.
Conor Sheary, Washington Capitals
Standing at just five-foot-nine, 180 pounds, Sheary doesn’t bring the sort of physical dimension to his game that Killorn offers. But the undrafted product has some similarities to Killorn that will benefit him on the open market.
First and foremost, he’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion. While that’s a team accomplishment first and foremost, teams have valued free agents with that championship pedigree.
Sheary’s offensive numbers have also ticked up in recent years, going from 22 points in 2020-21 to 43 in 2021-22 and 26 in 39 games so far this year. He also contributes on both the power play and penalty kill, another similarity to Killorn.
Those factors will all help Sheary either land a solid contract extension with the Capitals or garner interest on the open market. While Sheary hasn’t always been the most consistent producer and at 30 years old isn’t young anymore, he’s been a valuable member of the Capitals and his stock is up as a result.
Gustav Nyquist, Columbus Blue Jackets
Nyquist, 33, has been a quality second-line scoring option for many years now. Arriving in Columbus on a $5.5MM AAV deal, Nyquist provided the Blue Jackets with a 42-point season (in 70 games) and a 53-point campaign. That’s healthy, reasonable production that didn’t set the world on fire but also didn’t leave Blue Jackets fans with very much buyer’s remorse.
Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen paid for Nyquist knowing exactly what he’d receive, and Nyquist has largely held up his end of the bargain.
Nyquist’s scoring rate has admittedly slowed down from last season, as he’s on pace for 42 points, but that’s still not out of line with what he posted in his first year in Ohio.
Nyquist still plays on both the Blue Jackets’ power play and penalty kill, and while Columbus has struggled mightily, it’s difficult to pin significant blame on Nyquist’s shoulders.
If he enters the open market, the relatively minor but still notable decline in his offensive production could cost him some money on his next deal. He’ll still remain a reasonable option for any team looking to fortify its middle-six, though.
Connor Brown, Washington Capitals
Brown received some horrible news as he was just beginning his free agency platform season, as he tore his ACL in his right knee and had to undergo surgery in order to repair it.
The injury in all likelihood turned this 2021-22 campaign into a lost one for Brown, who could have put forth a convincing platform year in advance of his first trip to unrestricted free agency.
The 28-year-old winger provides all-situations value for his team, able to serve as a valuable defensive contributor as well as a complementary offensive piece.
This significant injury injects some uncertainty into his free agent profile. What Brown offers on the ice is normally quite consistent and clear, but now as he’s recovering from a major injury teams may hold off on making a long-term investment until they can see how well he fares when he comes back.
The Role Players
Corey Perry, Tampa Bay Lightning
Perry, now 37 years old, isn’t what he once was as a player. The 2010-11 Hart Trophy winner won’t be able to lead his team in scoring, but if there’s anything he’s shown in the past few years, it’s that his declining physical talents won’t stop him from being a valuable contributor to his club.
Perry scored 19 goals and 40 points last season, helping the Lightning reach the Stanley Cup final. This year, he has 14 points in 35 games.
While he’s gotten slower and isn’t quite able to match the physical intensity he once played with, Perry’s slick hands and smooth puck skills remain an asset.
He’s helped the Canadiens and Lightning in recent years as a net-front presence on the power play, and even though he’s not scoring at a 40-point pace this year, if he can finish in the mid-thirties in terms of points his stock heading to free agency will likely go unscathed.
Jesper Fast, Carolina Hurricanes
Fast is the sort of winger whose free agency could go one of two ways. On one hand, the veteran Swede scored 14 goals and 34 points last year and is a valued two-way presence who chips in on the penalty kill. He brings a valuable set of skills to the table, and could land a nice contract as a result.
On the other hand, Fast is the sort of middle-class free agent who could be squeezed by the salary cap remaining relatively flat for another season. While his overall profile is certainly valuable, he plays best in the sort of bottom-six role many teams may prefer to fill with a cheap internal option.
All Fast can do himself is continue to play well. If he can reach the 15-goal, 35-point marks he just missed out on last season, he’ll have his fair share of suitors on the open market.
Evan Rodrigues, Colorado Avalanche
Rodrigues lingered on the open market quite a bit longer than many might have anticipated, signing a contract with the Avalanche in September. He was coming off of a season where he scored 19 goals and 43 points, and many believed the $2MM guarantee he received to be not a fair reflection of his overall value.
This year, Rodrigues started off a bit slow and dealt with an injury, but has really started to heat up more recently. He has five points in his last four games, bringing his season-long total up to 16 points in 26 games. That’s a 50-point pace, and he’s done that while also chipping in on the Avalanche’s penalty kill.
If he can continue to score at a reasonable rate and help the Avalanche make a playoff run, he could have a more fruitful trip to the market than he had last year. As of right now, with Rodrigues on a hot streak, it’s hard to say his stock is anything but up.
Phil Kessel, Vegas Golden Knights
Kessel is an interesting case. He’s accomplished just about everything he’d likely want to accomplish in his NHL career, having won two Stanley Cups and becoming the NHL’s reigning “iron man.”
He signed a cheap one-year deal with the Golden Knights in the summer, and it’s clear that he’s reaching the tail end of what has been a fantastic run in the NHL. Kessel is on pace to score just 30 points, and his longstanding defensive issues have forced the Golden Knights to play him in a sheltered offensive role.
If Kessel can go on a second-half tear, it’s possible that performance could keep him in the NHL for another year. But based on how things are looking, it’s going to be a challenge for Kessel to find a deep market of teams interested in adding him next summer for his age-36 season.
Others Of Note
Jimmy Vesey, New York Rangers
Vesey’s second go-around on Broadway has been decent, with the 29-year-old’s true NHL role now far more clear. He’s no longer miscast as a top-scoring prospect, and in a more focused role, he’s excelled.
Vesey is scoring at a 27-point pace and is helping out as a second-unit penalty-killer on the Rangers’ above-average shorthanded unit. He’s providing competent, if decidedly no-frills bottom-six play in New York, and as long as he isn’t asked by coach Gerard Gallant to play higher in the lineup than he’s capable of, he’ll likely continue to impress.
Making just $750K after spending the preseason on a PTO, Vesey is providing competent, cheap bottom-six play, and is the sort of cheap role player any contender in a cap league could use.
If he hits free agency next summer his market is unlikely to be robust, but if he keeps playing the way he’s playing he may not have to settle for a PTO for a second-straight year.
Vladislav Namestnikov, Tampa Bay Lightning
Another veteran winger on his second tour of duty with the first club he ever played with, Namestnikov has provided decent fourth-line play for the Lightning.
He’s scored 11 points in 34 games, although that number could be a decent bit higher if he had any shooting luck. (his 4% shooting percentage this year is a steep decline from the 17.6% mark he posted last year)
Namestnikov has spent time on both of coach Jon Cooper’s special teams units, although his role hasn’t been extensive.
His declined shooting percentage means his offensive production is down, but Namestnikov is nonetheless a trusted veteran forward who should continue to play well enough to earn another NHL deal, even if it’s not quite at the $2.5MM cap hit he costs this year.
Garnet Hathaway, Washington Capitals
A grinder through and through, Hathaway has been a regular face in his team’s NHL lineup since 2017-18. Last year, Hathaway’s offensive production got a bump, and he finished with 14 goals and 26 points in 76 games.
He scored those 14 goals with virtually no power play time, and his 26-point performance was the best of his career. This season, Hathaway hasn’t been as good on offense, and he’s on pace for just eight goals and 21 points.
Hathaway’s game away from the puck remains solid, though. He’s a leading penalty killer for Washington, helping their kill rank inside the league’s top ten.
Even if his offense doesn’t quite reach the heights it did last year, the 31-year-old Hathaway is still playing well enough to garner some interest on the open market.
Pierre Engvall, Toronto Maple Leafs
After scoring 15 goals and 35 points last season, Engvall’s start to this year was a bit underwhelming. More recently, though, Engvall has heated up. He’s got eight points in his last nine games, including a five-game points streak.
That’s brought his overall scoring pace this season up to a 16-goal, 33-point pace, which is right around where he was last year.
Obviously, it’s highly unlikely that Engvall will be able to sustain his current hot streak. But if he can manage to score around the 15-goal, 35-point mark, he’ll be in a great place entering the open market.
At just 27 years old, he’ll be a younger option than many other teams will be considering, and standing six-foot-five, 220 pounds, he brings intriguing size to the table as well.
Trevor Lewis, Calgary Flames
At this point in his career, we know what Lewis, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, brings to the table. A trusted bottom-sixer of head coach Darryl Sutter, Lewis has been a constant presence on the Flames’ penalty kill for the past two seasons.
Lewis helped Sutter’s shorthanded unit to a top-six finish last year, and playing in a fourth-line role he’s been crucial in helping Sutter establish his desired culture in Calgary. He doesn’t score much (he notched just 16 points last year) but he brings many other valued skills to the table.
His points production has actually ticked up this year (he’s on pace to score 26 points) but the Flames have regressed as an overall unit. He’ll turn 36 next week, and will likely remain at Sutter’s side in Calgary beyond this season rather than take a trip to the open market.
Patric Hornqvist, Florida Panthers
While Hornqvist has been a crucial culture-builder and locker-room presence for the Panthers, a club that won the President’s Trophy last season, his on-ice value has eroded considerably.
The 36-year-old scored 11 goals and 28 points in 65 games last year, which rounds out to a 14-goal, 35-point pace. That’s not bad by any means, but it’s not quite the 32 points in 44 games he posted in his first year in South Florida.
This season, the production has totally bottomed out for Hornqvist, and he has just three points in 22 games. Hornqvist has been sidelined since early December with a concussion, an injury that has thus far cost him an opportunity to go on a hot stretch and improve his box score numbers.
While Hornqvist’s leadership and physicality make him a candidate to receive a contract next summer, it’s difficult to ignore the steep decline in his offensive numbers.
Picture courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Vegas Golden Knights Reportedly Place Alec Martinez On Injured Reserve
2:25 PM: As reported by The Las Vegas Sun’s Danny Webster, Martinez’s absence has been indeed been extended. The team has reportedly placed him on injured reserve, which could put Korczak in a position to push Brayden Pachal for some ice time as the team’s third-pairing right-shot defenseman.
2:20 PM: The Vegas Golden Knights have announced a series of roster moves, recalling forward Byron Froese and defenseman Kaedan Korczak from their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights.
Additionally, the team has sent forward Sheldon Rempal back down to the AHL, just two days after calling him up.
These roster moves put Korczak and Froese in a position to make their season debuts in the NHL. Korczak, 21, was a second-round pick by Vegas at the 2019 draft. After spending a little over a year developing in the WHL, Korczak has stepped into the AHL and been a quality everyday piece of Henderson’s back end.
He got into an NHL game last year as the Golden Knights dealt with a rash of injuries, and is now back on an NHL roster with a chance to get some more game action. Veteran blueliner Alec Martinez didn’t play in yesterday’s game, so it’s possible that this recall is Vegas adding some reinforcements in case his absence gets extended.
In Froese, the Golden Knights have recalled a physical AHL veteran who has played well in Henderson. The 31-year-old has been a quality scorer at the AHL level for years and has even served as an AHL captain. He’ll be able to fill in a depth role in coach Bruce Cassidy’s lineup if he’s called upon.
To make room for these recalls, the team sent down Rempal, just after he made his NHL debut. The 27-year-old was an elite scorer in the AHL last year, scoring 69 points in just 55 games, and he’s been solid in Henderson this year as well.
He played just under 8 minutes in last night’s game, and without having registered a major positive impact he’ll head back down to the AHL.
New Jersey Devils Activate Ryan Graves
According to a team announcement, the New Jersey Devils have activated defenseman Ryan Graves off injured reserve today.
Graves has missed the past three games after sustaining a lower-body injury early in a December 21 game against the Florida Panthers. The Devils have gone 1-2-0 in his absence.
The skilled defensive defenseman has nine points in 33 games this season, and he leads all Devils defensemen with a rating of +18. He’s spent most of the campaign on a premier shutdown pairing with John Marino, who’s out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
New Jersey is in a bit of a slide after a franchise-record stretch earlier in the season, and they’re just 2-7-1 in their past 10 games. They’re hoping a bit cleaner bill of health helps stop the slide.
Dallas Stars Extend Joe Pavelski
The Dallas Stars have signed veteran forward Joe Pavelski to a one-year extension with a base salary of $3.5MM, as originally reported by team reporter Mike Heika. EP Rinkside’s Sean Shapiro adds that Pavelski’s deal has up to $2MM in performance bonuses with CapFriendly clarifying that he’ll receive $1MM at 10 games played and $1MM at 20 games played.
Taken all the way back in the legendary 2003 NHL Draft with the 205th overall pick, Pavelski has evolved into perhaps one of the most consistent players in league history. In his 17th NHL season at age 38, Pavelski is still rolling along with 37 points in 38 games while playing top-line minutes.
He had a somewhat disappointing first season in Dallas after signing there as a free agent in 2019. However, he’s been nothing short of spectacular ever since, alongside the team’s developing stars, Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. Pavelski’s 54 assists and 81 points last season were both career highs.
Still, a Stanley Cup has eluded him throughout his time in Dallas and with the San Jose Sharks. He’s reached the Final twice, with San Jose in 2016 and Dallas in 2020, but has come up short both times. With the Stars flying high in a wide-open Western Conference this season, though, he should remain optimistic about his chances of getting back there a third time.
Pavelski’s 35+ contract eligibility allows Dallas to keep his cap hit lower (at the $3.5MM mark) while barely decreasing his total potential compensation. His potential performance bonuses of $2MM are up from $500,000 on his current one-year deal, meaning his actual pay cut is much lower than the decrease in cap hit suggests.
It’s an important contract for Dallas to get on the books for next year, and they made it clear they feel the same way by signing an extension on the first possible day. The team does have a sizable chunk of cash (~$75MM) committed to next year’s roster now, but the team can expect to rely on younger players like Wyatt Johnston, Ty Dellandrea, and potentially Logan Stankoven to play considerable roles in 2023-24 and ease cap constraints.
Pavelski had the following comments on his time in the Lone Star State:
I am grateful for the opportunity to continue being a member of the Stars organization. Sarah, Nate and I have loved being part of this team and Dallas/Fort Worth community for the past four years. We have an incredible group of players in this locker room, and I am excited to continue to work with my teammates toward our goal of winning the Stanley Cup.
For “Captain America”, the extension allows him to build on an illustrious career that has him as one of the best American-born players to lace up the skates. His 433 career goals are eighth all-time, just three behind Patrick Kane.
Main photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Minnesota Wild Reassign Adam Beckman, Sammy Walker
The Minnesota Wild have sent forwards Adam Beckman and Sammy Walker back to the AHL’s Iowa Wild, according to a team tweet today.
Both Beckman and Walker were called up on December 26 after Marcus Foligno didn’t travel with the team to Winnipeg for the game against the Jets on the 27th. The young players traveled with the team for their last two games of the year. Walker had one goal, and Beckman didn’t get on the scoresheet.
In the AHL, both players are doing considerably well. Beckman has 15 points in 25 games, and Walker has 24 points in 23 games.
Walker especially has been a nice surprise for the Wild after signing as a free agent out of the University of Minnesota. He’s gotten into six contests with the Wild over the course of the year, scoring just the one goal, but has used his speed to draw attention early on in his career. In no time, he’s worked his way up to the top of the organizational depth chart in terms of AHL call-up options.
Canada Adds Owen Beck To 2023 World Juniors Roster
Hockey Canada announced Sunday morning they have added Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck to their roster for the remainder of the 2023 World Junior Championship. He replaces forward Colton Dach, who will miss the team’s playoff games with an injury suffered yesterday against Sweden.
Beck, the 33rd overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, was one of the last cuts from Canada’s original Selection Camp roster for the tournament announced in early December. He’s dominating on both sides of the puck in the OHL this season, potting 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points in 30 games with the Mississauga Steelheads.
The Peterborough, Ontario-born Beck had an impressive training camp with the Canadiens, getting fans excited for a potential draft steal. Still 18 years old, this will be Beck’s debut for Canada’s national team at any level.
It’s the second time in recent memory that Canada has lost a Dach brother to injury. Kirby Dach, who was expected to be one of the most dominant players at the 2021 tournament, was injured in preliminary action and missed much of the following NHL season with Chicago.
His brother Colton remains a Blackhawks prospect after Kirby was traded to Montreal this summer, and he had two assists through four group-stage games for Canada. Hopefully, the captain of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets can resume his final season of junior hockey soon.
Canada’s 3-1-0 record in the group stage got them a second-place finish in Group A. They begin their push for gold tomorrow with a quarterfinal game against Slovakia.
Evening Notes: Guhle, Tarasenko, Simek, Maple Leafs
After a tough 9-2 loss today at the hands of the Washington Capitals, the Montreal Canadiens received some more bad news. Rookie defenseman Kaiden Guhle, who missed today’s game with a lower-body injury, has already been ruled out of Tuesday’s game in Nashville against the Predators, the team says. Guhle will be reevaluated when the team returns to Montreal after the Tuesday contest. The 20-year-old was injured during the third period of Thursday’s game against the Florida Panthers.
Losing Guhle is a tough break for the Canadiens, who have had a respectable bounce-back in the standings thus far as compared to last season, but have had their recent struggles, giving up 16 goals in their last two games, 20 in their last three. The 16th overall pick of the 2020 NHL draft, Guhle is known for his physical playstyle, throwing 72 hits and blocking 65 shots through 36 games. Though he’d be considered more of a stay-at-home defenseman, the rookie has contributed nicely on offense too, recording 14 points through those 36 games.
- The St. Louis Blues announced winger Vladimir Tarasenko would not return to today’s game against the Minnesota Wild, dealing with an upper-body injury. The injury happened during the first period when Tarasenko stepped in front of a Minnesota shot, appearing to catch him in the right hand. The Blues will surely hope the injury isn’t too serious, as Tarasenko could be an enticing trade deadline pickup for a number of teams, should St. Louis find itself still on the outside of the playoff picture in a couple of months.
- San Jose Sharks defenseman Radim Simek left tonight’s game with an undisclosed injury and will not return, reports Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group. With his two points this season, Simek isn’t exactly challenging Erik Karlsson, however given that San Jose came into today 31st in the NHL in goals against, they’ll need the shutdown defenseman back in the lineup in order to work on their defensive issues.
- On tonight’s 32 Thoughts segment of Sportsnet’s Hockey Night In Canada, Elliotte Friedman discussed the potential trade strategy of the Toronto Maple Leafs as they approach the trade deadline. Friedman explains that the belief early in this season was that the Maple Leafs would take one big “swing” at a defenseman to add to the team. However, as Friedman says, that may have changed now with how the team’s defense has played thus far. Players like Mark Giordano and Rasmus Sandin have upped their game, while newly-acquired Conor Timmins is showing he may in fact be the player teams were expecting when he was a budding prospect. Given Toronto’s limited flexibility, operating close to the roster limit and salary cap, a pair of smaller moves to complete the team, perhaps one up front and one on defense, may make the most sense.
Snapshots: Nedeljkovic, Draisaitl, Latimer, AHL Trade
Not too many players receive Calder Trophy votes in two separate seasons. Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is one of those players. The former Carolina Hurricanes netminder lead an impressive rookie campaign down south before a surprising trade to the Red Wings that summer. Since the trade though, Nedeljkovic has struggled to adjust, slipping to a 3.31 goals-against average and .901 save-percentage. Things haven’t gone his way this season either, slipping further to a troubling 4.09 goals-against and .880 save-percentage.
With those struggles, many have wondered what Detroit will do with the goaltender, who is now the third-string behind starter Ville Husso and backup Magnus Hellberg. Some have wondered if a conditioning stint will be next for Nedeljkovic, who hasn’t played since December 8th. Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde told Michigan Live’s Ansar Khan that discussion of a conditioning stint hasn’t happened yet, but “[e]verything is on the table.” Lalonde added that the team will need that roster spot eventually with players coming back from injury, so “something will probably shake down.”
- Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl, who missed last night’s game against the Seattle Kraken, is unlikely to play tonight against the Winnipeg Jets, says TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. Draisaitl, who Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft said was nursing some bumps and bruises, didn’t practice Thursday either. The 27-year-old has 21 goals and 36 assist through 36 games this season. With Edmonton’s struggles, despite having Draisaitl and Connor McDavid in the lineup, they’ll need the former back in the lineup as soon as possible to keep things rolling.
- Ottawa Senators prospect Carson Latimer has been dealt in the WHL. The former Prince Albert Raiders forward will be heading to the Kootenay Ice in exchange for forward Aiden Oiring, a third-round pick in 2024, and a conditional third-round pick in 2025. Latimer has spent parts of four seasons with Prince Albert and the Edmonton Oil Kings, sitting on 28 points through 31 games thus far in 2022-23.
- The Colorado Eagles and Hartford Wold Pack completed a small trade in the AHL earlier today, reports NHL.com and AHL.com’s Patrick Williams. Forward Ben Tardif is heading to Hartford while defenseman Luke Martin will be heading to Colorado. Tardif, 22, has four points through 15 games in the AHL this year, as well as nine points in seven ECHL games. The ability for offensive dominance is there for Tardif, who had 59 points over 53 ECHL games last year. Martin, 24, was a second-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes back in 2017, and though he hasn’t made his NHL debut yet, he’s also dominated the ECHL with 68 points in 84 games on the backend over this season and last.