Morning Notes: Puljujarvi, Heritage Classic, Matheson
Earlier this week, an interview with Edmonton Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi in a Finnish newspaper came out, with Puljujarvi saying in sum that he wants to be a productive first line forward, but isn’t sure if he can do that in the NHL. His frustration and lack of confidence is a bit understandable, the former fourth-overall pick struggling to just six points in 28 games to start the season. Last night on Hockey Night in Canada’s 32 Thoughts segment, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman gave an update on the winger and where things stand with Edmonton. According to Friedman, the Oilers and Puljujarvi’s representatives agreed before the season that if things did not go well for Puljujarvi, that Edmonton would try to move him.
It’s not exactly a new story that Edmonton would be interested in moving on from Puljujarvi, the team trying to do so this summer for salary cap purposes, but now it appears both sides are interested in the idea for the benefit of the player. Friedman adds that he does expect the trade to happen eventually, but that it might take time. One reason for this is Edmonton’s injury issues at forward and the fact that they don’t currently have any salary cap issues, at least not until Evander Kane returns to the lineup. There’s no doubt Puljujarvi has struggled to meet expectation this season, however he still can be better than some alternatives while the team works through its injury troubles.
- Also from Hockey Night In Canada’s 32 Thoughts last night, the NHL has confirmed that the Heritage Classic will be returning to Edmonton next season. The game is expected to be played at Commonwealth Stadium sometime in October and will feature a Battle of Alberta between the Oilers and the Calgary Flames.
- After he didn’t play last night against the Los Angeles Kings, the Montreal Canadiens confirmed that defenseman Mike Matheson is in-fact injured, dealing with a lower-body injury. Fortunately, this doesn’t seem to be as bad as the abdominal injury that kept him out the first 17 games of the season., the team announcing the injury as day-to-day. The veteran has only played in nine games so far this season while dealing with injury, but does have an impressive six points in that span. Matheson is in his first season with Montreal after coming back the other way from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Jeff Petry trade.
Snapshots: Schenn, Chychrun, Muzzin
Few players currently active in the NHL have had as stunning career revivals as Luke Schenn has had in recent years. Just a few seasons ago the 2008 fifth-overall pick would be known to most as a Toronto Maple Leafs draft disappointment who ultimately settled in as a bottom-of-the-lineup depth defenseman. Then Schenn signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, won two Stanley Cups, and went to Vancouver where he has become a steady rock on an otherwise volatile defense. Now, his agent is singing Schenn’s praises on social media as a potential trade deadline acquisition for a contending team.
According to Schenn, though, a trade isn’t his first choice for how to proceed on his expiring contract. Per The Athletic’s Harman Dayal, Schenn “wants to re-sign with the Canucks” and has said that his top priority “is to be part of a winning team” in Vancouver. (subscription link) Can the Canucks devote some of their limited financial flexibility to Schenn, who for all his virtues remains a 33-year-old physical defenseman? Schenn’s side of the equation seems settled, so the open question is whether Schenn’s interest in signing an extension is shared by his team.
Now, for some other notes from across the NHL:
- The Jakob Chychrun situation in Arizona remains unsettled, as the team has still not found a suitable trade deal for their star defenseman. Per PHNX’s Craig Morgan, they’re not going to budge on their asking price any time soon. According to Morgan, that price is two first-round picks and a second-rounder or a “good prospect,” and teams such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, and Florida Panthers, among others, are “still believed to be in the mix.”
- The Toronto Star’s Kevin McGran penned a closer look at the Maple Leafs’ situation with defenseman Jake Muzzin, examining not only whether he can return from the neck injury that sidelined him, but whether he should. Based on the comments of the health experts McGran interviewed, it seems Muzzin is facing the choice of whether to potentially risk his long-term personal health in order to get back on the ice.
Injury Updates: Letang, Duhaime, Hartman, Mrazek, Krug
When it was revealed that legendary Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang suffered a minor stroke, the first thoughts most had weren’t hockey-related. Everyone involved, including the Penguins, emphasized the importance of prioritizing Letang’s health over any hockey-related concerns. Now, just 12 days after his health scare, Letang is firmly back in the mix for a lineup spot in Pittsburgh.
Per Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, as relayed by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Letang returned to practice and is available for tonight’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. It’s a remarkable turn of events for the veteran defenseman and a development that speaks to the strength, resilience, and immense toughness he’s displayed over the course of his NHL career.
Some other injury updates from across the NHL:
- The Minnesota Wild have been without forwards Ryan Hartman and Brandon Duhaime as they each work back from upper-body injuries. Per The Athletic’s Michael Russo, both skaters are expected to return to practice with the Wild next week, when the team returns from its road trip. (subscription link) Hartman’s return is important for the Wild, whose thin crop of centers has forced them into using Sam Steel as their first-line center. Hartman, who scored 34 goals and 65 points last season, should be a better fit for that role, while Duhaime’s return should add some snarl to the team’s bottom-six.
- Chicago Blackhawks starting netminder Petr Mrazek suffered his second groin injury of the season, but thankfully for Chicago, it seems to have been just a minor setback. Per NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis, Mrazek is aiming to return for the Blackhawks’ game against the Washington Capitals.
- The St. Louis Blues are set to get a defenseman back when Torey Krug returns to the ice tomorrow, per Blues coach Craig Berube. (via NHL.com’s Lou Korac) Krug has missed the Blues’ last two games, and his return should help the team shore up a blueline that has surrendered goals at an alarmingly high rate for the past two weeks.
Anaheim Ducks Recall Lukas Dostal
The Anaheim Ducks have announced the recall of goaltender Lukas Dostal from their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.
According to Lisa Dillman of the Orange County Register, Ducks backup netminder Anthony Stolarz is out with a lower-body injury, an injury that would necessitate this recall.
This recall puts Dostal, 22, in a position to play in just his fifth NHL game. Anaheim starter John Gibson left last night’s game against the San Jose Sharks due to an illness, and it’s unclear if that will keep him from starting the Ducks’ next game, which is Monday in Ottawa.
The Ducks do play the very next night in Toronto, so since Stolarz didn’t make the trip to Canada with the team it looks as though Dostal is in line to get one of those two starts.
The Czech netminder has been the Gulls’ number-one goalie this season, occupying the same role he took over last year. Through 20 games played Dostal has a solid .916 save percentage and a 2.88 goals-against-average. In four career NHL games, Dostal has a .907 save percentage and a 2.98 goals-against average.
Jamie Oleksiak Suspended Three Games
4:00 PM: The NHL Department of Player Safety has announced that Oleksiak will serve a three-game suspension for his hit to the head on Alexeyev. He will be eligible to return when the Kraken take on the Winnipeg Jets on December 18th.
9:16 AM: It will be a busy day for the Department of Player Safety today. After previously announcing a hearing for Buffalo’s Jeff Skinner, they also announced (Twitter link) that they will have a hearing today with Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak.
The veteran defender received a match penalty in the second period yesterday for a hit to the head on Washington blueliner Alexander Alexeyev. Alexeyev, who recorded his first career point earlier in the game, left with an upper-body injury and did not return. A clip of the hit can be seen here courtesy of NBC Sports Washington’s Matt Weyrich (Twitter link).
Oleksiak has been suspended once before in his career back in 2016. Notably, that was a two-game ban for an illegal check to the head, the same issue he’s being looked at for here. Seattle isn’t in action today with their next contest coming Sunday against Florida so if they want, the league can hold off on a decision for any potential supplementary discipline until tomorrow.
East Notes: Panthers, Anisimov, Benn
While the Panthers were without center Anton Lundell and goaltender Spencer Knight today, both players might be available for tomorrow’s contest against Seattle, relays Florida Hockey Now’s Colby Guy (Twitter links). Lundell is dealing with a mild upper-body injury but is skating and his absence is supposed to be a short-term one. He’s off to a quieter start to his sophomore campaign but still has 13 points in 24 games. As for Knight, he’s working his way back from an illness and while he won’t dress as the backup goalie this afternoon, head coach Paul Maurice indicated that there’s a chance that he’ll be able to start on Sunday. The youngster has been much better than Sergei Bobrovsky in the early going this season with a GAA nearly a full goal below the veteran.
More from the Eastern Conference:
- The Flyers have converted veteran center Artem Anisimov’s AHL PTO to a full-season contract, notes Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey (Twitter link). The 34-year-old has played six games since joining them in mid-November and has been productive with three goals and an assist in that stretch. At the beginning of the month, it was reported that Philadelphia was hoping to convert Anisimov’s deal into an NHL one which would allow them to recall him but they remain at the maximum 50 contracts on the books. Until they’re able to free one up, Anisimov will have to settle for this full-season AHL agreement.
- Maple Leafs defenseman Jordie Benn took part in the morning skate today for the first time as he works his way back from an upper-body injury, reports Sports Illustrated’s David Alter (Twitter link). The veteran has been out for a little more than two weeks due to the issue, his second extended absence of the season after missing the first 13 games due to a groin injury. Benn has a goal and an assist in six games so far while logging a little over 17 minutes a night on Toronto’s back end.
Minor Transactions: 12/10/22
There have been a few international transactions today with some sort of present or former NHL connection. We’ll run through those here plus an early minor move at the NHL level.
- Veteran winger Pontus Aberg has joined the SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in Switzerland, per a team announcement. The 29-year-old had been playing in the Czech Extraliga until now as he notched 13 points in 26 games. Aberg has 132 career NHL games under his belt over parts of four seasons and has been quite productive at the AHL level with 199 points in 277 games. He last was under contract with Ottawa last season before having his deal terminated to go play in Sweden.
- It didn’t take long for Victor Berglund to find his next team. After clearing unconditional waivers yesterday, the Bruins terminated his contract and he has caught on with HIFK in Finland who announced they’ve signed the defenseman for the rest of the season. The 23-year-old had played in just five games with AHL Providence this year and it was looking likely that he wouldn’t be tendered a qualifying offer this summer.
- After splitting time this season between two different teams in Finland’s SM-liiga, Maple Leafs prospect Kalle Loponen will be dropping down a level as Kettera of the Mestis announced they will the defender on a long-term loan during the Christmas break. Loponen spent seven games with them last season after having a limited role in the top division. Toronto has until June 1st to sign the 2019 seventh-rounder who has two assists in 18 games so far this season.
- Following their game last night, the Avalanche announced (Twitter link) that they’ve sent forward Cal Burke back to AHL Colorado. Burke played just under seven minutes last night in his second career NHL appearance. The Avs are off until tomorrow and at that point, it’s possible that Burke will be recalled.
Jeff Skinner Suspended For Three Games
With Buffalo and Pittsburgh playing the back end of a back-to-back set tonight, the Department of Player Safety had to make a quick decision on what supplemental discipline Sabres winger Jeff Skinner would receive. That decision has now been made as the league announced (Twitter link) that the veteran has been suspended for three games.
The incident occurred late in Friday’s contest. Skinner took exception to Jake Guentzel making contact with Craig Anderson after the netminder froze the puck, delivering two cross-checks. The first hit the shoulder with the second getting Guentzel’s face; that’s the one that draws the suspension; in the video, it was noted that Skinner “aggressively and purposefully struck Guentzel… with sufficient force to merit supplemental discipline”. He received a major and a match penalty on the play for cross-checking.
Skinner will miss tonight’s rematch against the Penguins as well as Tuesday’s game against Los Angeles and Thursday’s contest in Colorado. He’ll be eligible to return on Saturday in Arizona. It’s the second suspension of his career with the first incident occurring more than a decade ago and didn’t play a factor in this three-game ban. He forfeits nearly $146K in salary which goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Golden Knights Sign Jakub Brabenec To Entry-Level Deal
The Golden Knights have agreed to terms with one of their prospects, announcing the signing of forward Jakub Brabenec to a three-year, entry-level contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 19-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Vegas in 2021 (104th overall) after he was able to hold down a somewhat regular role in the Czech Extraliga which is something that typically isn’t the case for draft-eligible players. Brabenec was selected in the first round of the CHL Import Draft back in 2020 and the Golden Knights indicated that their preference was for him to play at the major junior level and that is where he has been since then.
Last season, Brabenec was the QMJHL’s Rookie of the Year after leading all first-year players in assists (47) and points (64). He’s on pace for very similar numbers this season as he leads the Charlottetown Islanders with eight goals and 17 assists in 27 games, a pace of 42 assists and 62 points over a full season. Vegas had until June 1st to sign Brabenec but clearly felt they didn’t need to wait that long to make a decision.
Officially, the contract begins this season but since Brabenec is already back in junior, he’s not going to be seeing any NHL action in 2022-23. Accordingly, his deal will be eligible to slide this season and still have three years remaining on it in 2023-24.
Canadiens Notes: Hoffman, Matheson, Gallagher, Monahan
The Canadiens got both some good news and bad news on the injury front today. The team announced (Twitter link) that winger Mike Hoffman will be activated off injured reserve and suit up tonight against Los Angeles. The veteran has five goals and three assists through his first 16 games of the season and will at least give Montreal 12 healthy forwards to use after finishing up their road trip with only 11 healthy ones.
Meanwhile, defenseman Mike Matheson will be unavailable tonight due to an undisclosed injury. He left practice early on Friday and while he took part in the morning skate, he obviously isn’t healthy enough to play. The 28-year-old has six points in his first nine games with Montreal while logging a team-high 24:25 per night on the back end.
More from Montreal:
- To make roster room for Hoffman’s activation, the Canadiens moved winger Brendan Gallagher to injured reserve. The veteran has missed the last four games due to a lower-body injury and is expected to miss at least a few more days before being cleared to return. Montreal was eligible to back-date the placement and if they did so, Gallagher could be activated at any time.
- Center Sean Monahan is still sporting a walking boot, notes Marc-Antoine Godin of The Athletic (Twitter link). He was able to play through his foot injury for a few games but left Monday’s game early and hasn’t skated since then. There’s no timetable for his return. Monahan figures to be one of the more prominent middlemen available at the trade deadline after putting up 17 points in his first 25 games so it’s likely that Montreal will play things safe with the injury and not rush him back.