Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Luca Del Bel Belluz, James Malatesta
The Columbus Blue Jackets have added another pair of talented youngsters to the organization, signing Luca Del Bel Belluz and James Malatesta to three-year, entry-level contracts. Del Bel Belluz is currently playing with the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL, while Malatesta is with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, where they will both remain for the rest of the season.
Del Bel Belluz, selected 44th overall in this year’s draft, was considered at one point as a potential first-round talent. The 19-year-old center has actually had a rather disappointing season so far, despite still scoring at a good pace. His 26 points in 21 games aren’t quite what many expected in his third full OHL season, especially after the pace he scored at in his draft year. There’s still plenty of time for the super-skilled forward to develop, and he’ll join a Columbus system that is packed full of offensive talent.
Another entry in that group is Malatesta, the 5’9″ forward with 19 goals in 23 games so far. Selected in the fifth round in 2021, he has bounced back nicely after some struggles last season and is once again one of the most dangerous players in the league when given space to operate. While there is still lots of work to do before Malatesta sniffs the NHL, earning an entry-level deal is a good start.
Neither player will count toward the Blue Jackets’ 50-player limit this season and neither one will burn the first year of their contract. Del Bel Belluz only turned 19 a few weeks ago, meaning his contract could slide again next season as well.
Ottawa Senators Recall Nikita Zaitsev
Another night another loss for the Ottawa Senators, who can’t seem to get things back on track for very long. The club was beaten 3-1 by the New York Rangers, and the pair of Nick Holden and Erik Brannstrom played fewer than 15 minutes each. Perhaps a change is coming, as Nikita Zaitsev has been recalled from the AHL today.
The 31-year-old defenseman has been pushed out of the lineup and off the roster this season, after playing at least 55 games in each of the last six years. In three games with the Belleville Senators, Zaitsev had no points and was a -3, similar numbers to those he had in his seven games with Ottawa.
Despite his cap hit, which places him as the second most expensive defensemen in the Senators organization, Zaitsev has been an inconsistent mess for the last few years. The player that scored 36 points as a rookie with the Toronto Maple Leafs is nowhere to be seen, and even his one-on-one defending – arguably his greatest skill when first arriving in North America – has deteriorated.
The Senators have to try something, though, as this season is slipping away from them one game at a time. The club is now 8-13-1 on the year, good for last in the Atlantic Divison.
Kyle Palmieri Placed On Injured Reserve
The New York Islanders are down a pair of important forwards, placing Kyle Palmieri on injured reserve and ruling out Cal Clutterbuck with an upper-body injury. Clutterbuck is listed as day-to-day while Palmieri’s IR stint has been made retroactive to November 21, meaning he can come off whenever healthy.
In their place, Cole Bardreau and Hudson Fasching have been recalled from the minor leagues. The former hasn’t played an NHL game since the 2019-20 season and has just ten under his belt. This season with the Bridgeport Islanders, Bardreau has five goals and nine points. One of the players ahead of him in scoring is Fasching, another minor league veteran who has little NHL experience.
The 27-year-old forward played 11 games for the Arizona Coyotes last season and has 38 in his career, but scored his one and only goal back in 2015-16. Fasching adds a lot of sizes, but not a ton of physicality, and doesn’t look like a long-term replacement.
New York will have to hope Palmieri and Clutterbuck return rather soon, as while Bardreau and Fasching are capable minor league players, neither one is challenging for a full-time NHL role.
Vancouver Canucks Recall Phillip Di Giuseppe
Nov 30: With Mikheyev fully back in the fold, Vancouver returned Di Giuseppe to Abbotsford Wednesday night, per the team.
Nov 29: After opting to waive him over a month ago, the Vancouver Canucks are bringing forward Phillip Di Giuseppe back up to the NHL. General manager Patrik Allvin announced his recall from the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks Tuesday night.
Di Giuseppe comes to the NHL to potentially relieve Ilya Mikheyev, who could miss tonight’s game against the Washington Capitals with an illness. Both Di Giuseppe and Mikheyev were on the ice for warmups ahead of the game.
Now 29, Di Giuseppe is in his second year with the Canucks organization. He’s yet to score a goal this season in Abbotsford but does have five assists through seven games after approaching a point-per-game pace last season.
He has 201 games of NHL experience split between Carolina, Nashville, and the New York Rangers, and his a capable fourth-line plug-in when required.
As he has not spent more than 30 days on an NHL roster since clearing, Di Giuseppe will not require waivers again when the team opts to return him to Abbotsford.
Minor Transactions: 11/30/22
As the NHL season eclipses its quarter point and the calendar turns to December, teams around the hockey world are beginning to identify areas of need. While sometimes than can manifest in trades, it can also manifest in call-ups and re-assignments. Follow along with today’s minor transactions from around hockey right here.
- The AHL’s Ontario Reign has called up left wing Justin Nachbaur from the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits. Greenville joined the Los Angeles Kings organization this year as a full-time affiliate and is now the leading destination (if they weren’t before) for Ontario’s extra players on AHL contracts. Nachbaur is one of those, and the 22-year-old brings a physical element to Ontario with some offensive upside. However, he has just three points in 15 games with Greenville this season.
- In the OHL, the Oshawa Generals today acquired defenseman Luca D’Amato from the Flint Firebirds in exchange for defenseman Blake Smith, along with a pair of 2023 draft picks swapped between the teams. Smith, 18, is eligible for the 2023 draft but has just six points through 63 OHL games the past two seasons. D’Amato was eligible for the 2022 draft, although on the young side, and brings a lot more offensive upside to Oshawa with 12 points in 24 games this season (and a +21 rating to boot).
Vancouver Canucks To Induct Roberto Luongo Into Ring Of Honour
Former Vancouver Canucks All-Star netminder Roberto Luongo will be inducted into the team’s Ring Of Honour next season at an undetermined home game, as announced by the team Wednesday night.
Luongo, 43, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame just a few weeks ago alongside a pair of Canucks legends, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The team’s all-time leader in wins (252), Luongo backstopped the Canucks to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, was twice a Vezina Trophy finalist, and won the 2011 Jennings Trophy alongside backup Cory Schneider.
While he was drafted by the New York Islanders and played more games for the Florida Panthers, he reached his greatest team success in Vancouver. Luongo never won a Vezina Trophy, but he was universally recognized as a top-five goalie in the league for most of his 1,044-game career. His .919 career save percentage is tied for eighth among goalies with at least 250 NHL games, and his 489 career wins are fourth all-time.
Luongo was so revered in the Canucks organization that the team even attempted to name him captain. Although he couldn’t wear the “C” on his jersey during games as a goaltender, he was technically the twelfth captain in franchise history from 2008 to 2010 before conceding the role to Henrik Sedin.
Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford gave a statement on the news:
We are proud to welcome Roberto to the prestigious list of Canucks Ring of Honour inductees. Roberto experienced many of his career highlights as a Vancouver Canuck and is deservingly viewed as one of the best goaltenders our game has ever seen thanks to those moments. He was a fierce competitor and a tremendous leader for this team, and we are honoured to be able to acknowledge his contributions to this organization and city.
Given the level of play Luongo delivered in Vancouver, and his legendary status in NHL history, having his name in the team Ring of Honour is full and well deserved. It’s a bit surprising to see the organization opt not to retire Luongo’s #1 completely, but it’s still an option should the team reconsider in the future.
Dan Belisle Passes Away At 85
Former Detroit Red Wings front office member Dan Belisle has passed away at age 85. The team released a statement announcing his passing Wednesday night.
While his name may not be well-known across hockey circles now, Belisle helped put together one of the greatest modern-day dynasties we’ve seen in the turn-of-the-century Red Wings. While Belisle last served as an assistant coach for the Red Wings in 1987, he stayed on with the team’s front office as a pro scout. He was vital in adding players via free agency that bolstered the 1997, 1998, and 2002 Stanley Cup-winning teams.
Belisle was also the head coach of the Washington Capitals for 1978-79 and part of the 1979-80 season. He also suited up in four NHL games, all in 1960-61 with the New York Rangers, scoring two goals.
PHR sends its best wishes to the Belisle family during this time.
Carolina Hurricanes Acquire Zack Hayes
According to a team release Wednesday, the Carolina Hurricanes have acquired defenseman Zack Hayes from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for future considerations.
Hayes, 23, goes to the Hurricanes organization after two-and-a-quarter years in the desert. An undrafted free agent, Hayes signed a two-year entry-level contract with Vegas for the 2021-22 season after spending 2020-21 on an AHL contract with Vegas’ affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights.
The 6’3″, 218 lb defenseman made his NHL debut last season, skating in three games while injuries decimated Vegas’ blueline. Things haven’t gone too well for him in the minors this year, though, registering a lone assist through 14 games after a ten-point year in 2021-22.
His game leans on the defensive side, though, and that’s what Carolina hopes Hayes provides to their organization. Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell called Hayes “an experienced leader who knows how to play physically on the back end.”
For the Golden Knights, the trade frees up a needed contract spot. The team was previously at the 50-contract limit, preventing them from making any additions. That can be especially tricky when injuries ravage an organization’s goalie depth, a situation Vegas knows well from their first year in the league.
It’s the second time this calendar year that the Hurricanes have exchanged future considerations for assets from the Golden Knights. Carolina more famously acquired Max Pacioretty and Dylan Coghlan from the Knights in a salary-motivated transaction before this season. While future considerations are rarely ever put into play anymore, the Hurricanes are working up quite a debt of gratitude toward Vegas.
Toronto Maple Leafs Activate Ilya Samsonov
One of the biggest question marks about the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer was whether their new goaltenders would be able to stay healthy. Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov didn’t exactly have a clean history in terms of injury, and those concerns have played out. Both goaltenders have spent time on the injured reserve list already, leading to Erik Kallgren appearing in ten games already.
Today, with the activation of Samsonov, the team finally has both of their top netminders healthy at the same time, something that hasn’t been true since the very start of the year. Kallgren has been sent back down to make room on the roster, as Samsonov is expected to be in the net tonight against the San Jose Sharks.
When they have been in the net, Murray and Samsonov have been excellent. The former has a .927 save percentage and is now 5-1-1 on the year, while the latter is at .921 and 6-2. If that kind of performance continues, general manager Kyle Dubas’ offseason risk will be worthwhile.
The question now is whether they can remain available for the rest of the year. It starts tonight, as Samsonov returns to try and extend a four-game winning streak for the Maple Leafs, one which has catapulted them into second place in the Atlantic Division, six points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Patrik Laine Will Travel With Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had just about everything go wrong this season, including two injured reserve stints by star forward Patrik Laine. The latest one, which has kept him out of the lineup since November 12, might be coming to an end soon. Laine is expected to travel with the Blue Jackets when they head to Winnipeg to take on his former team on Friday, though it is not determined yet whether he’ll play in that game, according to team reporter Jeff Svoboda.
The 24-year-old sniper just hasn’t been able to get anything going this season, after getting injured in the opener and then again after his eighth appearance. He does have two goals and four points, but there has been no rhythm to his season so far.
Big things were expected of Laine, after a point-per-game campaign in 2021-22 and the addition of Johnny Gaudreau in free agency. The two seemed like a strong match stylistically, with the smaller Gaudreau able to create shots for his teammates with ease. While the newcomer does lead the team in points with 22, it hasn’t generated many wins.
The Blue Jackets sit dead last in the Metropolitan Division, five points behind a team that just went through a ten-game losing streak. Laine is just one of the many injured Columbus players, a list that includes Jakub Voracek, Elvis Merzlikins, Jake Bean, Justin Danforth, Nick Blankenburg, Adam Boqvist, and – perhaps most importantly – Zach Werenski.
Getting Laine back would be a huge boost, though it’s hard to imagine the Blue Jackets getting back into the race at this point.