Latest On Ottawa Senators Ownership Interest
Since nearly the moment the Ottawa Senators initiated a process of sale, actor Ryan Reynolds has been linked to the team. What began as a playful emoji response on Twitter grew some legs, and last night on The Tonight Show, Reynolds directly addressed the speculation. Admitting that he is trying to get involved, he noted that he would need financial partners with “deep pockets” to put a bid together.
The 46-year-old Hollywood star purchased Wrexham AFC, a low-level professional football club in Wales last year and has a stake in FuboTV, a sports streaming service that includes the NHL in certain regions.
Another potential buyer is Jeff York, brother of former NHL player Jason York and Farm Boy executive. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reported a few days ago that while York is also trying to put together a group to make the purchase, the NHL would prefer a single owner with a large majority stake. York was part of a group with a rival bid on the LeBreton Flats development project in 2016 when former Senators owner Eugene Melnyk appeared to be close to a downtown arena before lawsuits derailed the process.
The Senators have hired Galatioto Sports Partners to assist in the transaction and there is no risk of relocation at this time.
Snapshots: Canucks Direction, Tanev, Clutterbuck
The Vancouver Canucks have been the center of significant attention early in this NHL season. They were the last team to earn their first win of the campaign, and they now sit 27th in the league standings with just three wins in a year where the franchise added Ilya Mikheyev and Andrei Kuzmenko with the intention of making the playoffs. It could take longer for the Canucks to reach true contention than they may have believed it would this summer, and that fact has forced the team’s front office to ponder a possible change of course.
In conversation with Dan Riccio and Satiar Shah on Sportsnet 650, as relayed by Frank Seravalli of DailyFaceoff, Vancouver Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford shed some more light on the organization’s current mindset. Rutherford mentioned that the team’s goal heading into next offseason would be to clear some major contracts off the team’s books in order to get the necessary cap space to make moves. That goal may be motivated by the Canucks’ desire to retain their captain Bo Horvat beyond this season. Horvat is a pending unrestricted free agent and could be seeking a contract in line with other top-six centers, meaning at or above a $7MM AAV.
For some other notes from across the NHL:
- Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev has now missed three straight games with an injury, something that has concerned those who remember Tanev’s repeated struggles to remain fully healthy as a member of the Canucks. Tanev has been remarkably healthy as a member of the Flames, though, and it appears that Tanev’s injury may not be a major setback. Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson reports that Tanev’s injury is not related to the shoulder he had surgically repaired this summer, which is good news for the Flames, who rely on Tanev as a key defensive contributor.
- New York Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck left tonight’s game against the Flames in the first period after taking a hit from Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov. Of note is the fact that Clutterbuck missed the Islanders’ Friday practice for maintenance. Clutterbuck has a goal in eleven games for the Islanders so far this season and his absence could pave the way for Ross Johnston to get some games in on the team’s fourth line.
Carolina Hurricanes Recall Jack Drury
The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that prospect forward Jack Drury has been recalled from their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.
While the Hurricanes have as a team excelled so far this year, veteran forward Derek Stepan has struggled to make an impact as their fourth-line center. Stepan has just one point in 12 games and has seen limited ice time in recent games.
This recall could be the Hurricanes’ way of pushing Stepan while also getting a different look on their fourth line, assuming the fourth line is where coach Rod Brind’Amour does end up slotting Drury.
Drury, 22, is the son of former NHLer Ted Drury and the nephew of New York Rangers GM Chris Drury. Like the Wolves as a whole, Drury has gotten off to a slow start in the AHL this year, although he was exceptional last season.
Last year, Drury scored 52 points in 68 regular-season games and then potted nine goals and 24 points in 18 playoff games as the Wolves captured the Calder Cup.
A second-round pick at the 2018 draft, this recall could be Drury’s chance to seize a spot in the Hurricanes’ lineup for good. He has been solid in his limited NHL experience thus far, with two goals in two games, and should help the Hurricanes continue to build on their hot start.
Minor Transactions: 11/07/22
We have a trio of games on the schedule tonight, with the New York Islanders hosting the Calgary Flames, the Boston Bruins taking on the St. Louis Blues in a 2019 Stanley Cup Final rematch, and the Edmonton Oilers up against the Washington Capitals. Amid all the NHL action, some minor league and overseas teams have made changes to their rosters. We’ll round up those moves here.
- 2010 first-round pick and former NHL forward Quinton Howden signed a contract with Jukurit of the Finnish Liiga today. Howden, 30, spent last season playing for Kolner Haie of the German DEL and had 18 points in 45 games there. He joins a Jukurit side looking to improve their fortunes as they currently sit eleventh in the Liiga standings.
- Former Nashville Predators prospect Patrick Harper has changed clubs. Per a team announcement, Kristianstads IK have signed the 24-year-old winger from fellow HockeyAllsvenskan side Mora IK. Harper had six points in 12 games for Mora and joins a Kristianstads team that boasts another former NHL prospect: 2016 fourth-round pick Jack Kopacka.
- Veteran minor league defenseman Brandon Fehd is headed back to North America after a season in Europe. The 31-year-old blueliner spent most of last season with HC Vita Hasten in Sweden and has now signed with the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder.
Columbus Blue Jackets Recall Emil Bemstrom
When Emil Bemstrom was sent down at the beginning of the season, it was somewhat of a surprise. The young Columbus Blue Jackets forward had played regular minutes in the NHL each of the last three seasons and had barely any experience in the AHL. Well, after just ten games with the Cleveland Monsters, Bemstrom is on his way up.
It’s hard to get off to a better start than Bemstrom did. In ten games, he scored seven goals and 14 points, good enough to put him on top of the AHL scoring leaderboard. With the Blue Jackets in the middle of a five-game skid and sitting at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division, the group obviously needs a shake-up. Whether Bemstrom can provide that remains to be seen but there is still plenty of upside in the 23-year-old forward.
Selected 117th overall in 2017, he quickly became a special talent in Sweden and would burst onto the NHL scene during the 2019-20 season. The ten goals and 20 points he put up that year would be difficult to replicate though, and between 2020-21 and 2021-22 combined, he failed to even reach the totals of that first season.
Perhaps this early success with Cleveland can get him back on track contributing at the highest level because Columbus needs it. The team has scored just 30 goals in 12 games, one of the worst totals in the league. That includes zero from 19-year-old Cole Sillinger, who is experiencing the dreaded “sophomore slump” in his second year. Sillinger, Mathieu Olivier, Liam Foudy, Eric Robinson, Jakub Voracek, and Jack Roslovic have combined for just two goals on the year, something that can’t continue if the team has any thoughts of competing for the playoffs.
Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Filip Hallander
The Pittsburgh Penguins, mired in a seven-game losing streak, have recalled Filip Hallander from the minor leagues. The move follows the assignment of Drew O’Connor to the AHL yesterday.
Hallander, 22, made his NHL debut last season, playing in a single game with the Penguins. He ended up seeing fewer than six minutes of ice time that game, meaning his next appearance will likely be more impactful.
He also might be more suited for the NHL this time around. Hallander has been excellent in the AHL this year, posting four goals and nine points in ten games for the Wilkes-Barr/Scranton Penguins. While he was selected four years ago and has already been included in two trades, it’s easy to forget just how little experience he has in North America.
Last season was his first taste of the AHL, and he scored 14 goals and 28 points in 61 games. If given an entire year he looks poised to blow those numbers out of the water, even if his offensive profile isn’t expected to be what gets him to the NHL.
That would be his defensive game, as a versatile option whose natural position is center. If the Penguins decide to mix up the bottom six, Hallander will be an interesting piece to insert.
Boston Bruins Assign Jakub Lauko To AHL
With the Boston Bruins now at home for two games, they’ve returned extra forward Jakub Lauko to the AHL. The Providence Bruins don’t actually play until Friday, meaning Lauko will be available for an immediate recall if needed.
Lauko, 22, scored his first NHL goal earlier this month and should get another chance to get into the Boston lineup before long. The third-round pick hasn’t been used much but has two points and 14 hits in seven contests. Should he stay down long enough to play for Providence it would be his first of the season, after scoring just three goals in 54 games a year ago.
While he isn’t expected to be a huge offensive performer, Lauko will be quality depth for the bottom six throughout the year. Still waiver-exempt, he can bounce up and down whenever necessary. He’s already been involved in seven transactions since the beginning of the year.
New York Islanders Recall Robin Salo
Nov 7: After playing yesterday for Bridgeport, Salo is back up with the Islanders today. He’ll be available for them tonight against the Calgary Flames.
Nov 6: The New York Islanders announced a roster move this morning, sending defenseman Robin Salo to their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders. This is not the first time this season that Salo has been sent to the AHL, although he is yet to play a game in Bridgeport this year.
Salo, now 24, was the Islanders’ top draft pick at the 2017 draft, getting selected 46th overall. At the time, Salo was seen as a safer selection, having already established himself as a regular contributor in his native Finland’s top professional league.
Since that point, the Islanders have been extremely patient with Salo’s development, and he spent a full half-decade playing as a regular Liiga defenseman before finally making the jump to North American pro hockey last season.
In 2021-22, Salo played 40 games in Bridgeport and 21 on Long Island, scoring 20 points at the AHL level and five in the NHL. This year Salo has played in just four of the Islanders’ games, and has lost out a regular spot next to partner Scott Mayfield in favor of veteran Sebastian Aho.
The Islanders did not announce a corresponding call-up after this move, hinting at the possibility that this send-down is merely a paper transaction to bank cap space for the trade deadline. The move leaves the Islanders with just six defensemen on their active roster, so unless the team plans to call up a different blueliner the paper transaction would seem like the most likely explanation for this move.
That being said, the possibility that the Islanders simply prefer to get the young Salo some time in Bridgeport to keep him from spending too long as a healthy scratch cannot be ruled out.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Blackwood, Ristolainen
The NHL released its Three Stars for last week, with three Western Conference superstars making the cut. Jason Robertson is on top after scoring four goals and eight points in three games. After missing training camp, Robertson has picked up right where he left off last season and now has eight goals and 18 points in 12 games.
Second and third went to Nathan MacKinnon and Erik Karlsson, who each had their own impressive weeks. The Colorado Avalanche center had seven assists in the two games overseas, both wins in Finland, to become the league’s all-time scoring leader in games played outside of North America. Karlsson meanwhile had four goals and eight points in three games including a hat trick and has already matched his goal total from last year (ten) in just 14 games.
- Mackenzie Blackwood has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain, and will meet with doctors tomorrow for further evaluation according to New Jersey Devils team reporter Amanda Stein. Blackwood left a game against the Edmonton Oilers on November 3, leaving the Devils with Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid as their tandem for the time being.
- After being scratched on the weekend, some wondered whether Rasmus Ristolainen was still dealing with the effects of his previous injury. Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella told reporters including Giana Han of the Philadelphia Inquirer that Ristolainen’s injury isn’t the issue and that “everything about his game needs to be better” when he gets back into the lineup.
Chicago Blackhawks Activate Petr Mrazek; Waive Dylan Wells
The Chicago Blackhawks have activated Petr Mrazek, while moving Alex Stalock to injured reserve. With a goaltender coming back, they have also placed the recently-signed Dylan Wells on waivers, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets.
Mrazek, 30, has played just three games for the Blackhawks this season, posting a .873 save percentage so far. That performance is actually even worse than his dreadful 2021-22 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs which led the team to trade away a draft pick so Chicago would take on the rest of his contract.
He’ll now presumably take over as the team’s starter, though Arvid Soderblom has been excellent through his four appearances, posting a .924. Those Blackhawks fans hoping for a true tank and the best chance at the first-overall pick might want Mrazek starting every game, given the younger netminder’s impressive performance. That is of course if Soderblom is even healthy enough to play, given he left his last start after two periods.
Stalock, meanwhile, is still in concussion protocol after taking a hard hit from Casey Cizikas (who received a suspension for the play) a few days ago. It is not clear when he will return to action but his IR placement is retroactive to November 1, meaning he can be activated at any time.
Things worked out pretty nicely for Wells, who earned an NHL deal out of the situation and his debut at the highest level. The 24-year-old entered the game in relief of Soderblom and stopped 12 of 13 shots in his NHL debut. His placement on waivers suggests that Soderblom will be okay but the team has not updated that situation yet.