Artem Zub Facing Lengthy Absence
The Ottawa Senators are expected to be without their top defensive option once again, as Darren Dreger of TSN tweets Artem Zub could miss two to three weeks after taking a puck to the face. The defenseman is going through additional medical testing to get a more precise timeline.
Zub, 27, was already limited by injury this season and has played in just 14 games so far. The team is 7-7 with him in the lineup, compared to a 3-6-1 record without. With so much chaos surrounding the team this season, the Russian defenseman has been one of the most consistent options for head coach D.J. Smith, offering a steadying influence among a young group.
The team had just started to turn things around, winning four of their last five, several of which were in dramatic fashion. Ottawa’s big offseason expectations have been dashed in the early going but with some inconsistent performances throughout the Eastern Conference, the playoffs aren’t completely out of the picture just yet. At the very least, this can be an important development season for some of the team’s younger players.
In order for that to happen though, they’ll need to have some structure and some chance to win every night. Zub is a significant part of that, even without flashy point totals or dynamic puck skills.
Five Key Stories: 11/28/22 – 12/4/22
As the calendar turned to December, there was some notable news around the hockey world over the past seven days which is recapped in our key stories.
Another Stroke For Letang: Back in 2014, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang suffered a stroke which resulted in doctors finding a small hole in the wall of his heart and caused him to miss two months. He had played more than 500 games since then so it wasn’t expected that he’d have another one but that’s indeed what happened. Fortunately, this one isn’t believed to be as severe as the one from eight years ago but there is no timetable for when he might be able to return. Letang was off to a nice start to his season before this happened as he had a dozen points in 21 games while logging just shy of 24 minutes a night on their back end.
Clearing Waivers: A couple of years ago, Calvin Petersen was pegged to become the goalie of the present and future for the Kings and he was rewarded with a three-year, $15MM contract that began this season. However, he struggled last year with a save percentage of just .895 and that was even worse this season, checking in at .868 through his first ten appearances. That resulted in him being waived and clearing, resulting in a demotion to AHL Ontario where both he and the team hope that he’ll be able to turn things around. Veteran Pheonix Copley will be Jonathan Quick’s backup for the time being. Also clearing waivers this past week was veteran center Riley Sheahan who had his deal with Buffalo terminated; he quickly signed in Switzerland.
Eight For Hintz: The Stars weren’t able to reach a max-term agreement with Jason Robertson this summer but they were able to do so with one of their other core forwards as they inked Roope Hintz to an eight-year extension that carries a cap hit of $8.45MM. The deal, which kicks in next season, also contains a no-move clause for the final seven seasons, the only ones he was eligible for trade protection in. Hintz had a breakout year last season, notching 37 goals and 35 assists in 80 games and is off to an even better start points-wise this year, collecting 26 in his first 23 contests. Dallas now has four forwards that will carry a cap charge of at least $7.75MM next season with Robertson – the league leader in goals, being at the bottom of that group.
Formenton Ineligible To Play: It’s not very often that a restricted free agent makes it all the way to the signing deadline without a contract and it’s rarer that a player doesn’t sign by then. However, that’s what happened with Senators RFA winger Alex Formenton who now becomes ineligible to play in the NHL this season. Ottawa had been trying to trade him but was unable to find a taker at their asking price which was believed to be a second-round pick. Formenton now could try to find a team overseas to play with this season but it’s quite possible that won’t happen right away until the NHL releases its findings from its own investigation regarding the Hockey Canada World Junior 2018 sexual assault investigation; Formenton was part of that team. The Sens will retain his rights as a restricted free agent.
Injury News: Ryan Ellis was only able to play in four games last season but that will be four more than he’s able to play this year as he has been ruled out for the season. With him missing this much time, it’s fair to start to wonder if this is the end of his playing days even with four years left on his deal after this one. Meanwhile, Tyler Bertuzzi’s contract year continues to not go according to plan as he’ll miss the next six weeks after undergoing hand surgery. Injuries have limited the 27-year-old pending UFA to just nine games so far while the Red Wings will once again be down one of their top wingers for an extended stretch. Then there’s Blue Jackets winger Jakub Voracek, who has been out for the last month due to a concussion. GM Jarmo Kekalainen indicated this is a long-term issue while Voracek is set to meet the media on Monday to provide further clarity on the situation.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
West Notes: Iafallo, Dumba, Mrazek
The Kings are expected to welcome back winger Alex Iafallo to the lineup on their upcoming road trip, reports Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider. The 28-year-old suffered a lower-body injury back in mid-October after a strong start that saw him pick up at least a point per game in each of his first four contests and has been out since then. Last season, Iafallo was tied for fifth on the team in goals (17) while finishing sixth in points with 37 and his return will give Los Angeles another proven forward in the middle six to bolster what has already been a strong offense this season with the team averaging just over 3.4 goals per game so far. He skated on the third line in practice today and could be available as soon as Tuesday’s contest against Ottawa.
More from the West:
- Matt Dumba’s future with the Wild has seemingly been in question for years now as trade speculation has been plentiful but he has always stuck around. However, Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic feel (subscription link) that it will be different this time around and that Minnesota is likely to move the 28-year-old by the trade deadline in March. Dumba has struggled this season and has just seven points in 24 games and with prospect Brock Faber not far away from being NHL-ready (he’s expected to turn pro after his college season ends), it’s possible that they’d eye him for Dumba’s spot, allowing them to reallocate his $6MM elsewhere. Even with him struggling, Dumba would be an interesting addition to the trade block over the next few months.
- Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek will be out at least a week after suffering a groin injury in last night’s contest against the Rangers, relays Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). The veteran is no stranger to dealing with groin trouble over his career although fortunately for him, this one appears to be a shorter-term issue. The fact he’ll be out for at least a week will make him eligible to be placed on IR which would give Chicago an extra roster spot. They had one available yesterday but used that to bring up goalie Jaxson Stauber earlier today.
Decision Time Is Coming For Kings And Brandt Clarke
One of the underlying themes for junior-aged players in the NHL is noting when they officially burn the first year of their entry-level contract once they play in their tenth game of the season. Some teams are comfortable going past that point and are more concerned with the second threshold of 40 games on the active roster when a player accrues a year of service time towards UFA eligibility. Others try to drag out the decision as long as they can to allow for extra evaluation time.
The Kings are clearly in the latter category when it comes to defenseman Brandt Clarke. Los Angeles selected the 19-year-old eighth overall in 2021 following a strong season with Barrie of the OHL. He returned to the Colts last season and simply dominated, notching 59 points in 55 games and did well enough in six preseason games to earn a spot on the opening roster.
Before going any further, it’s worth noting that the agreement between the NHL and CHL prohibits junior-aged players from playing in the minors until their age-20 year (with the exception being if they’ve already played four seasons of major junior). With Clarke not in his age-20 year, his playing options this season are the NHL and the OHL only.
Los Angeles quickly burned through Clarke’s nine games, the last of which came on November 1st. At that time, they opted to hold him out of the lineup long enough to satisfy the conditions needed to make him eligible for a two-week conditioning stint with AHL Ontario which supersedes the NHL/CHL agreement in that one scenario and it’s not one that can be used repeatedly. Clarke went down, played in five games with the Reign, and was recalled on Sunday where he has been scratched ever since.
It’s certainly understandable that the Kings might not want to return him to junior, a league that Clarke has proven all that he really needs to prove. In that sense, dropping down to a lower level might be perceived as stagnating his development. However, simply not playing isn’t exactly helping his development either. There’s something to be gained from practicing with the big club, but that’s only for a certain amount of time before not suiting up becomes problematic. Plus, keeping a player up with no intention of playing him isn’t the most efficient use of cap space as the Kings could stand to benefit from banking some extra room to use closer to the trade deadline this season.
There’s one way that the Kings could kick this decision a little further down the road. If Clarke is invited to participate at Team Canada’s training camp for the upcoming World Juniors, Los Angeles could hold him on the roster for a few more days and then loan him to Canada’s squad. They would then reserve the ability to recall him at that time when they could evaluate him in a few more practices and then decide what to do. If they were to loan him to the OHL before Canada’s camp begins, they wouldn’t be able to recall Clarke back to Los Angeles.
That would then take them to the OHL trade deadline (January 10th) where they could see if he’s moved to a more favorable situation or if Barrie, who could add top draft prospect Eduard Sale after the World Juniors, loads up, creating a better opportunity for him to return to. At this point, it appears that this is the route that they’re likely to take.
In the meantime, barring a change of heart that puts him in the lineup in the coming days (they next play Tuesday against Ottawa), it appears the waiting game for Clarke will continue for at least a few more days but with Canada’s camp starting soon, they’ll have a decision to make in the near future.
Florida Panthers Recall Chris Tierney On Emergency Basis
Chris Tierney may finally be getting his chance to return to the NHL, as the Florida Panthers announced they’ve recalled the forward from the Charlotte Checkers on an emergency basis. No corresponding move was made, but the recall comes a day after the team was forced to play a man short when Anton Lundell was ruled out with an upper-body injury. Florida’s next game comes Tuesday evening in Winnipeg against the Jets.
Last night wasn’t the first time the Panthers were forced to play a man down and is the result of a somewhat risky strategy of carrying a roster of just 18 skaters and two goaltenders most of the time. This strategy isn’t a new analytical experiment or something of the kind, but is instead forced due to the Panthers’ tight cap situation, using nearly all of their available LTIR space before adding in reinforcements.
Because Florida played a man short last game, they’re able to recall Tierney on an emergency basis without carrying his cap hit, per CapFriendly. Tierney will now give Florida an extra skater for Tuesday’s game in the case that Lundell cannot play, or at least someone to draw in should a similar situation present itself.
As for Tierney, the veteran forward signed a one-year, two-way contract with Florida this summer for the league minimum after the Ottawa Senators failed to re-sign him. Once an exciting young piece of the San Jose Sharks, Tierney was dealt in the Erik Karlsson trade and hit a career-high in points with 48 in his first year with Ottawa before seeing his production steadily slip year after year. This will be Tierney’s first time back on an NHL roster since last season, and he’s earned his recall, recording 16 points in 19 AHL games thus far.
Colorado Avalanche Recall Charles Hudon
The Colorado Avalanche have recalled forward Charles Hudon, the team announced. No other corresponding move was made, though it does come on the heels of forward Artturi Lehkonen‘s injury that forced him to leave last night’s game. While there was no other move announced, this would seem to bring their roster over the 23-man limit, meaning that another transaction could come shortly. After placing defenseman Josh Manson on IR yesterday, the team had recalled defenseman Andreas Englund on an emergency basis.
Following a run to the Stanley Cup last season, Colorado’s injury woes have been a well-documented story so far in this young campaign, which seems to be compounded each day. At the very least, Hudon is no stranger to the NHL and should slot in nicely as a veteran presence, even if he can’t replace one of the several top-six forwards the team has lost.
The 28-year-old Hudon is a former Montreal Canadiens draft pick and veteran of 125 NHL games, all with Montreal, though none since 2019-20. His best season came back in 2017-18, where the forward scored 10 goals to go with 20 assists in 72 games. The Quebec native was off to a strong start to this season with the Colorado Eagles, the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, with 16 points in 20 games. Given all of their injuries, especially up front, the Avalanche will need Hudon to bring some of that magic up with him to help keep the team in the hunt.
Afternoon Notes: Capitals Injuries, Islanders Injuries, Fraser
After a long period of sustained success, many expected that the Washington Capitals would have to take a step back sooner or later, and it appears that might be happening here in 2022-23. The team currently sits four points back of a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference after 26 games, nearly one-third of the season. There is room for optimism though, not just because there’s 56 games left in their season, but much of their struggle can be blamed on injury issues in the first part of the season. While some players have come back, some are still missing and there is, of course, plenty more opportunity for more injuries.
The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir spoke with Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette earlier this afternoon to get updates on a number of Washington injuries. On defenseman Martin Fehervary and goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who both sustained upper-body injuries last night in Calgary, Laviolette tells El-Bashir that both are considered day-to-day. As discussed earlier, this may necessitate a goalie recall from the Hershey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate, and El-Bashir later confirmed that Fehervary will not play tomorrow in Edmonton. Finally, on Dmirty Orlov, who’s missed 12 games, the defenseman did skate today with the other Capitals scratches, but is unlikely to play tomorrow, according to El-Bashir. Overall, this seems to be good news for the Capitals, Orlov perhaps inching closer, discussed earlier as well, with Fehervary and Kuemper seemingly not expected to miss too much time.
- New York Islanders head coach Lane Lambert provided a few updates on his injured players ahead of tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. As Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports, both Kyle Palmieri, who is on IR, and Cal Clutterbuck, who is not, remain out of the lineup tonight, Lambert adding that Palmieri has yet to resume skating. Both players are dealing with upper-body injuries. On top of the two veterans, Lambert added that another forward is a game-time decision, not elaborating any further than that. The Islanders had called up forwards Simon Holmstrom, Cole Bardreau, and Hudson Fasching to fill the void, but have since sent Bardreau back to the AHL, recalling Robin Salo earlier this afternoon.
- A sad bit of news, as the Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson reports that longtime scout Barry Fraser passed away this morning at the age of 82. Professionally, Fraser was best known for being an instrumental piece in building the Edmonton Oilers. The entire staff of PHR sends their condolences to Fraser’s family and friends.
Jacob Bryson Returns To Buffalo Sabres Lineup
A day after announcing that the defenseman could be back in the lineup as soon as today, the Buffalo Sabres confirmed that Jacob Bryson will return to the lineup tonight when the team hosts the San Jose Sharks. Bryson will take the place of Lawrence Pilut on the blueline this evening. Bryson has missed the previous four Sabres games with a lower-body injury, last playing on November 23rd.
It’s no secret that Bryson has struggled so far this season, tallying six points in 20 games with his ice time decreasing steadily throughout, down overall from last season, and a -13 rating telling a good deal of the story. Still, Buffalo has had to deal with a bevy of injuries this season, primarily on the blueline, so getting an NHL defenseman back healthy is good news no matter who it is.
Even with Bryson’s struggles this season, the 25-year-old has shown the ability to be a capable NHL defenseman in the past and a closer look at his numbers does show positive signs that his game hasn’t completely gone away. For one, although his possession metrics aren’t superb, a 45.3 Corsi and 44.2 Fenwick, it is worth noting that 56.2% of his starts have been in the defensive zone.
Additionally, Bryson’s 10 takeaways compared to his three giveaways mark the first time in his career he’s taken the puck away more than he’s given it. Both of those are also on track to be career bests, at least on a per-game basis. The defenseman has also blocked 31 shots already in just 20 games, another number on track to be a career best.
It’s no secret there’s work to be done for Bryson, but coming back after a short time away could help to act as a reset, even if just on a mental basis, for a player Buffalo might be able to use as a part of it’s future plans on what is fast becoming an elite blueline.
New York Islanders Recall Robin Salo
December 4: The route between Bridgeport, CT and Elmont, NY is rather traffic heavy, and Robin Salo can probably confirm. The Islanders announced this afternoon that Salo has once again been recalled from the AHL. It’s unclear if he’ll slot into the lineup tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks, however he did play in Bridgeport’s game yesterday against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Newsday’s Andrew Gross was the first to report the transaction.
November 30: Salo is headed back to Bridgeport, the Islanders announced Wednesday afternoon. He was a healthy scratch for the game against the Flyers, and the team will likely keep shuttling him up and down so that he isn’t sitting for too long. He hasn’t dressed for the NHL Islanders since October 20.
November 28: After going down to play in yesterday’s Bridgeport Islanders game, Robin Salo is right back with the big club today. The young defenseman will be available for tomorrow’s match against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Salo, 24, recorded an assist for Bridgeport, his first point of the season at the AHL level. He’s only played twice at the minor league level so far, suiting up four additional times for New York in a season of scratches.
Selected 46th overall in 2017, Salo now has 25 NHL appearances under his belt, but can’t seem to find a regular place in the Islanders lineup. With so many nights in the press box, getting a game in at the AHL level was necessary to keep Salo sharp.
Toronto Maple Leafs To Place Calle Jarnkrok On IR
According to Sports Illustrated’s David Alter, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be placing winger Calle Jarnkrok on IR. In response, the Maple Leafs announced that they are recalling forward Semyon Der-Arguchintsev from the Toronto Marlies, their AHL affiliate. Jarnkrok’s IR placement was needed in order for the Maple Leafs to recall Der-Arguchintsev. Still, despite the need for a roster move to accommodate Der-Arguchintsev, the team has not confirmed Jarnkrok’s IR placement.
Jarnkrok suffered a groin injury during Wednesday night’s game against the San Jose Sharks, ultimately leaving the game early without a return. By Friday, Toronto was able to fully assess the forward and head coach Sheldon Keefe told the media the team would be without Jarnkrok for two weeks at the least. The Swede has fit in well with the Maple Leafs during the first of a four year, $8.4MM contract he signed this offseason, recording five goals and four assists in 25 games to date.
A third-round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2018, Der-Arguchintsev has shown to be a quality professional hockey player thus far. After a strong OHL career with the Peterborough Petes, the Russian-born forward returned home for part of the 2020-21 season, where he recorded six points in 17 KHL games before coming back to North America and suiting up for the Marlies, where he’s been since. The 22-year-old had 32 points in 51 games last season, showing he belonged in professional hockey, but has turned it up a notch this season with 18 points in 20 AHL games. If he gets into game action for the Maple Leafs, it’ll be his NHL debut and after his consistent improvement year over year, it’ll be a debut the Maple Leafs should be excited about.