Goalie Notes: Forsberg, Andersen, Hellberg
When Ottawa was forced to recall Kevin Mandolese yesterday in the wake of Anton Forsberg’s injury, there were concerns about whether this was the next of a long list of significant injuries the Senators have dealt with this season. Fortunately for them, it doesn’t appear that this is the case. Head coach D.J. Smith told reporters, including Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, that while Forsberg won’t play tomorrow in Los Angeles, he isn’t expected to be out much longer with the team classifying him as out day-to-day. It has been a bit of a tough start to the season for Forsberg as he has a 3.43 GAA and a .904 SV% in his first 13 games which is part of the reason that the Sens enter play today at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
Other goalie news from around the NHL:
- Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen has yet to start skating as he continues to work his way back from an undisclosed injury that has kept him out for the last couple of weeks, relays Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal. However, head coach Rod Brind’Amour indicated that while Andersen has been out longer than expected, he’s at least improving a little bit. It’s hardly the start to the season that the pending UFA was looking for as he has a save percentage of just .891 through his first eight games and for a goalie that has often been injured throughout his career, recovering from this issue slower than expected doesn’t help.
- When the Red Wings claimed Magnus Hellberg off waivers from Seattle earlier this week, the move raised some eyebrows considering that both Ville Husso and Alex Nedeljkovic are healthy. Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press indicates that GM Steve Yzerman’s idea for the claim was to simply give them some insurance knowing that their schedule starts to get a bit more compressed in the coming weeks (they have 28 games over the next two months even with the holiday break). If something happens, they’re more comfortable with Hellberg over pulling someone up from AHL Grand Rapids. While Hellberg will get to stick on an NHL roster for a little longer now, it appears as if he’ll still be waiting a while to have a shot at making his second appearance of the season.
Injury Notes: Ullmark, Smith, Slafkovsky, Howden
The Boston Bruins today became the first team in NHL history to record twelve straight home wins to start a season, but amid that history-making came some bad news. Number-one goalie Linus Ullmark, whose heroics this season have played a major role in the Bruins’ rise, went down with an injury and needed to be relieved by backup netminder Jeremy Swayman. Additionally, forward Craig Smith also left the game with an injury.
Thankfully for Boston, though, the team is optimistic about the status of their two players. Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub reports that the Bruins believe both Ullmark and Smith are out on just a day-to-day timeline. That being said, though, he does add on that they “don’t know anything definitive yet.” While the Bruins remain optimistic about their two injured players, this will definitely be something to monitor moving forward.
Now, for some other injury notes from across the NHL:
- The Montreal Canadiens had a bit of an injury scare today when Juraj Slafkovsky got shaken up by a hit from Chicago Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson. Slafkovsky did return to the bench by the end of the game to witness his team’s shootout victory, and after the game coach Martin St. Louis sounded optimistic about the state of his team’s prized young forward. While we don’t have full confirmation that Slafkovsky wasn’t injured on the play, it does seem like he and the Canadiens escaped the worst there.
- The Vegas Golden Knights have announced that forward Brett Howden will miss tonight’s game with a lower-body injury. No further details beyond that were released. Howden, 24, has been a bottom-six forward for the Golden Knights this season and has three points 21 games.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: Dallas Stars
As American Thanksgiving and the holiday season are upon us, PHR is taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Dallas Stars.
Who are the Stars thankful for?
Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill has taken his fair share of criticism in his nearly 10-year tenure as GM of the Dallas Stars, with a good deal of that criticism coming lately. He signed the injury-prone Tyler Seguin to along-term, big money deal, as well as the (formerly) struggling Jamie Benn to the same. He established what was supposed to be a lockdown goaltending due of Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin, neither of whom worked out for the most part. And, he failed to re-sign or trade defenseman John Klingberg, who left in free agency. All fair criticisms, however the veteran executive is getting rebound performances from both of those forwards, managed to replace that goaltending duo with young superstar Jake Oettinger and capable backup Scott Wedgewood, and sure Klingberg is gone, but that has allowed Miro Heiskanen to flourish.
Looking back on recent Stars history, the team has missed the playoffs just once since the start of the 2018-19 season, which came in the shortened 2020-21 season, made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, and have transitioned an already terrific core of Benn, Seguin, and Klingberg into a core of Oettinger, Heiskanen, and Hart Trophy contender Jason Robertson, featuring those other names, all of this coming under Nill’s watch. Not only does the team now have a young, controllable core leading the way, but they boast some of the best prospects in the league with rookie Wyatt Johnston leading the way along with Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque and others.
Finally, Nill hired head coach Jim Montgomery, who was let go after off-ice issues. Still, Montgomery was considered to be among the best coaches in the league, and losing him put Dallas in a tough situation. Nill was able to replace him with Rick Bowness, who helped bring the team to the Stanley Cup Finals. With the awareness that Bowness may not be the right fit anymore, Nill moved on and hired Peter DeBoer this offseason, who as of this afternoon, has Dallas fifth in the NHL in points.
The ultimate goal for any executive is to get the team at least one Stanley Cup, and Nill has yet to deliver. However, he’s been able to create long-term stability already, with apparently much more to come considering the strong veteran contribution, the talented young core, and the top notch prospects waiting to make their mark.
What are the Stars thankful for?
Rebounds from Seguin and Benn
$19, 350,00.00. That’s the combined cap-hit between both Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. It’s a hefty number, but certainly worthwhile for a pair of superstar players any day. But, if one or both of those players is hurt, or struggles, that number doesn’t look so rosy.
For Seguin, he played in just three games in the 2020-21 season, and tallied 50 points and 49 points respectively in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons. A 50 point season is far from poor, but for a player like Seguin, who had been a regular point-per-game player or close in his career, commanding a $9.85MM cap hit, that may not cut it. This season however, Seguin has begun to turn things around, playing in all 20 of the Stars’ games this season, recording 16 points. That’s not necessarily the prime Seguin point-production Dallas had signed up for, but is a strong tick up from the prior three seasons.
Seguin’s rebound is promising, especially given his injury issues in the past, but the new-found superstardom from Benn has served to propel the team up the standings this year. Once an Art Ross winner, Benn was a consistent point-per-game, physical forward for Dallas. The team signed Benn to an eight-year, $76MM deal starting in the 2017-18 season. The veteran turned in a 79 point campaign that year, but hasn’t repeated that production since. This season, however, Benn’s return to his previous ways, scoring nine goals to go with 13 assists in just 20 games thus far.
The season is still early and whether either player’s production is sustainable over 82 games, or the remainder of their contracts, is difficult to predict. But, coming into this season, it appeared the Stars were resolved to appreciate whatever they could get from the pair, while relying on players like Robertson, Heiskanen, Joe Pavelski, and Roope Hintz for the bulk of their offense. Getting the value back from the two players is not only important, but the simple boost in production from both has appeared to turn the Stars from a solid team to an elite one.
What would the Stars be even more thankful for?
A breakout performance from Denis Gurianov
This year, Gurianov has been, in a word, streaky. The forward began the year without a point in his first nine games, but has since turned in four points in his last five games. The twelfth overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, Gurianov has not lived up the ceiling that Stars hoped for when they drafted him.
Supposed to be an elite point-producer, Gurianov’s best season came in the shortened 2020-21 season, where he had 30 points in 55 games. Now 25, Gurianov’s play has certainly not been terrible, but his production has been frustratingly light given his potential, and at times non-existent. It could very well be time for the Stars to move on from him, but one recent event may have left them feeling burned. That recent event was the breakout of Valeri Nichushkin.
Dallas took Nichushkin 10th overall in 2013, and much like Gurianov, the winger was just about fine, just not what the Stars had hoped for. After three seasons, Nichushkin returned to Russia, but came back to Dallas for the 2018-19 campaign, where he had just 10 points, all assists, in 57 games. After that, Dallas opted to move on, and Nichushkin settled with the Colorado Avalanche, where he had much of the same solid, but not great, production. Last year, however, Nichushkin broke out with 52 points in 62 games, receiving Selke votes en route to a Stanley Cup Championship, one he played a major role in.
Given their experience with Nichushkin, it’s understandable why the Stars might not want to move on from Gurianov just yet. Still, the team has plenty of young talent and only so many roster spots to go around. With the large cap hits being held by players like Benn and Seguin, and the need for long-term contracts for Robertson and Oettinger in a couple years, they’ll also need every dollar of cap space they can get. If Gurianov proves he’s replaceable at a lower cost, Dallas may just have to go down that road.
What should be on the Stars holiday wishlist?
A trade partner for Anton Khudobin
At the moment, with no imminent needs or holes in their lineup, the Stars can be patient with finding a suitor for veteran goaltender Anton Khudobin, who is currently buried in the AHL. The goaltender was once one of the more important players on the Stars roster, leading the team in net during the run to the Cup Finals back in the bubble season. That performance earned him a three-year, $10MM contract. However, after injury and poor performance, and the team needing to save as much as they can on their cap hit, the team chose to bury him in the AHL. There, his $3.333MM cap hit is reduced by $1.125MM, reflecting a $2.208MM figure.
Khudobin has been good enough with the Texas Stars, Dallas’ AHL affiliate, posting a .905 save-percentage and 2.96 goals-against average in nine games, but any trade with the goaltender included will presumably be billed as a cap-dump in nature. The goaltender’s cap hit isn’t so bad that there won’t be a suitor to take it for the remainder of this season for the right price, but just what the market for this sort of trade is, especially during the season, is tricky.
The Stars don’t necessarily need to make this trade to be compliant, however the team will likely need to move Khudobin if they wish to be players at this year’s trade deadline. Given their place in the standings, should it hold steady, Dallas will most likely wish to be active at the deadline. The more Dallas seems handcuffed, however, the price may rise. It could be its highest if cap compliance is at play, but needing to add a player or two with Cup aspirations on the mind and an open Cup window that can only last so long, does seem to tie Dallas’ hands a good deal.
Today’s Nashville-Colorado, Tomorrow’s Nashville-Columbus Game Postponed
3:16 pm: Not much of a surprise, the NHL has announced that tomorrow’s game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena has been postponed as well. Like today’s game, this one also has not yet been rescheduled. The Blue Jackets host the New York Islanders tonight, but will now stay home to take on the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday. Nashville’s next game is currently scheduled for Tuesday at home against the Anaheim Ducks, but the team hits the road after. The NHL hasn’t announced a decision on Tuesday’s game just yet.
8:58 am: Happy Thanksgiving, Nashville – the rink is flooded. The NHL has announced that because of a water main break in Bridgestone Arena, today’s game between the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche will be postponed. There has not yet been a makeup date announced.
The “significant impact” on the event level has even put tomorrow’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets in jeopardy, though the league has not made a decision yet on whether it will be held.
That means it could be a rather significant break for the Predators, who last played on Wednesday and wouldn’t again until Tuesday if tomorrow’s match is also postponed. With that much time off now, it just means that later down the road the schedule will be even tighter.
After losing on Wednesday, Nashville is now treading water with a 9-9-2 record and sit sixth in the Central Division.
Colorado, meanwhile, got the rare opportunity of spending Thanksgiving in a Nashville hotel – flying in, staying overnight and now leaving for their home game against the Dallas Stars tomorrow night.
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Jordan Dumais
Never a bad day when you can sign the CHL scoring leader. The Columbus Blue Jackets have inked Jordan Dumais to a three-year, entry-level contract. The young forward will stay with the Halifax Mooseheads, where he is dominating in his post-draft year.
Dumais, 18, was picked 96th overall in 2022 after an incredible 109-point season (68 games). He went back to the QMJHL this year and picked up right where he left off, and now has 19 goals and 49 points through his first 22 games.
While his size – Dumais stands just 5’9″ – may have kept him from being a top pick in the draft, it’s hard to play much better than the diminutive winger. If he’s going to make it in the NHL, what better organization to do it with than the one that just signed Johnny Gaudreau.
The contract will be registered right away, but Dumais won’t burn the first season this year. It will slide, and could even slide again next season given he won’t turn 19 until April. He joins a loaded prospect group for the Blue Jackets that could quickly lead to some long-term success in Columbus.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Hornqvist, Columbus, Colorado
When Anthony Duclair is eventually ready to return from his Achilles injury, the Florida Panthers are going to need to make some moves. The team is using up nearly all of his $3MM in long-term injured reserve flexibility even with a roster of 20 players, meaning that much will need to come off the books to activate him.
While the easy answer might be to trade Patric Hornqvist, who is playing fourth-line minutes on an expiring $5.3MM cap hit, it might not happen. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet discussed the situation on the 32 Thoughts podcast, and noted that even if there wasn’t a “guarantee” handed over that Hornqvist wouldn’t be traded, to get him to Florida in the first place that kind of agreement was made. While there isn’t anything technically stopping general manager Bill Zito from going back on his word, Friedman doesn’t expect it.
- Also on the podcast, Friedman and co-host Jeff Marek also brought up the Columbus Blue Jackets as the latest team connected to Jakob Chychrun. While the Blue Jackets aren’t going anywhere this year, they have plenty of young assets that could be of interest to the Arizona Coyotes and expect to be better next season when not dealing with a huge number of injuries. Chychrun looked quite good in his latest game for the Coyotes, recording an assist, eight shots on goal, and a +3 rating in a win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
- Now that the Colorado Avalanche don’t need to play today, they’ve returned Sampo Ranta and Anton Blidh back to the AHL. The depth forwards could be back up as early as tomorrow, when the team welcomes the Dallas Stars in.
Injury Notes: Bryson, Lafferty, Chinakhov
The Buffalo Sabres updated a few injuries today, with some good and bad news coming along. Kyle Okposo will be back in the lineup tonight, and Rasmus Asplund is only out day-to-day. Unfortunately, Jacob Bryson is on the shelf on a week-to-week basis after leaving Wednesday’s game with a lower-body injury.
Some Sabres fans may argue it’s no big loss, given how Bryson has played of late – his usage has been steadily declining – but losing defensive depth is never a positive. The 25-year-old was a solid piece for Buffalo last season and despite recent challenges, is still an important player to keep in the mix. The Sabres will take on the New Jersey Devils tonight, a tough task (especially after the chaos that surrounded New Jersey’s last game).
- Sam Lafferty will be out for a few games, according to Charlie Roumeliotis of NBCS Chicago. The Chicago Blackhawks forward is dealing with an upper-body injury, leaving the door open for Boris Katchouk to re-enter the lineup. Lafferty, 27, has three goals and seven points in 19 games this season after signing a two-year, $2.3MM contract extension in the spring.
- After missing one game, Yegor Chinakhov is getting back into the Columbus Blue Jackets lineup where he can continue his solid start to the year. The 21-year-old has ten points in 18 games, good for third on the Blue Jackets behind only Johnny Gaudreau and Boone Jenner. To make room for him, Liam Foudy will come out. Chinakhov will skate with Cole Sillinger and recent recall Carson Meyer, who is in for Emil Bemstrom.
Edmonton Oilers Recall Philip Broberg
Though he has played in 15 games this season, Markus Niemelainen does not have the trust of the Edmonton Oilers coaching staff. The 24-year-old defenseman has logged more than ten minutes of ice time in just four of those games, and less than nine in each of his last five. Today, after two straight losses, the Oilers have made a change.
Philip Broberg, top prospect and AHL standout, has been recalled. Niemelainen has taken his place with the Bakersfield Condors, with neither one eligible for waivers.
Broberg, 21, was the eighth overall pick in 2019 and played 23 games with the Oilers last season, registering three points at the highest level. The rest of his North American professional career has been with Bakersfield, where he has 27 points in 38 games.
A brilliant skater, the left-shot defenseman hasn’t quite been able to show that he’s ready for the next step. His movement with the puck is excellent, but his consistency and defensive game still need work. Perhaps that development can come at the NHL level, though if he inherits Niemelainen’s role, he won’t be seeing the ice much.
The chance here for Broberg is that several other veteran defensemen have also been struggling for the Oilers. If he can show he’s ready for full-time NHL minutes, the opportunity is there for him. We’ll see how they deploy the group tomorrow when the Oilers finish up an eastern road trip against the New York Rangers.
Ottawa Senators Recall Kevin Mandolese
Recalling a goaltender is not usually a good sign. The Ottawa Senators have brought up Kevin Mandolese from the AHL, sparking questions over which NHL goalie is out. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports that in this case, it’s Anton Forsberg out with a minor injury.
This isn’t the first injury in net the team has dealt with this year. Cam Talbot missed a month at the start of the year, forcing the team to claim Magnus Hellberg off waivers for a little while. They just barely missed the chance to grab Hellberg again, as he was nabbed off waivers by the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
Now they’ll have to turn to Mandolese for however long Forsberg is out, with Talbot likely seeing every minute of action in the meantime. The 22-year-old Mandolese has never played in the NHL and has an .868 save percentage in six games with the Belleville Senators this season.
The Senators, on a three-game losing streak, are set to play the Anaheim Ducks this afternoon.
Central Notes: Wild, Rossi, Rodrigues
Minnesota has slowly shaken things up a bit in recent days with them waiving and losing Tyson Jost while adding Ryan Reaves in a trade yesterday. However, when speaking with reporters including Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link), GM Bill Guerin acknowledged that he’s also on the lookout for scoring help although, at this time, the hope is that they can get more production from their current group.
Last season, the Wild ranked fifth in the NHL in goals with 310, or 3.78 per game. While a lot of the roster is back from last year, the goal output hasn’t been as they are currently 25th in that regard with 55 in 19 games, or 2.89 per contest. Thus far, they’ve been able to hang around the playoff race in the West due to a stingy defense that has also allowed just 55 goals so an offensive improvement from some of their veterans would certainly go a long way. At the moment, Minnesota has just under $3.7MM in cap space to spend now, per CapFriendly, a number that jumps to $12.4MM on deadline day. Accordingly, patience from Guerin makes a lot of sense here as by waiting, he’ll be able to afford a more impactful upgrade if he can’t get the improvement from within that he’s seeking.
More from the Central:
- Also from Russo’s tweet, Guerin acknowledged that they’re in the process of determining if Marco Rossi should be sent down to the minors for a temporary stint. Things haven’t gone well for the 21-year-old center this season as he has just one assist in 16 games thus far. Rossi had a strong rookie campaign with AHL Iowa last year that saw him put up 53 points in 63 games which helped him earn a full-time spot on the roster but after being scratched the last two games and Reaves being added to the roster, going back to the minors for now might be the best move even if it is a step back.
- The news appears to be pretty good for Avalanche forward Evan Rodrigues. Head coach Jared Bednar told reporters including Peter Baugh of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the 29-year-old has a lower-body “tweak” but is feeling okay. Rodrigues won’t accompany the team to Nashville for Friday’s game but it looks like he might not be out for too long. He’s off to a nice start in his first season with Colorado with six goals and three assists in 18 games so far.