AHL Shuffle: 04/15/22
All eyes will be on Montreal this evening, where two emotional moments will be held. Carey Price is expected to return to the Canadiens lineup for the first time this season and for the first time since losing game five of the Stanley Cup Final 1-0 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. His return, even for just a few games at the end of the year, should give the Canadiens fans something to cheer for as they undergo the next stage in a rebuild.
The game will also feature the New York Islanders, a fitting opponent following Mike Bossy‘s passing. The Montreal-born Bossy spent his entire NHL career with the Islanders and joined TVA Sports as a broadcaster after his retirement. There isn’t a better match to be held in his honor. As those teams and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Kristians Rubins from the Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis, giving them an extra defenseman. Rubins, 24, has played in three games with the Maple Leafs this season and is still looking for his first NHL point.
- With Carey Price being activated today, the Montreal Canadiens have sent Cayden Primeau back to the Laval Rocket. Primeau was recalled on an emergency basis when Jake Allen was injured on the weekend but with Price returning, Primeau either had to be sent back down or converted to a regular recall; Montreal only has one of those remaining.
- The Boston Bruins have recalled Troy Grosenick from Providence of the AHL on an emergency basis, per CapFriendly. The 32-year-old has a 2.02 GAA with a .931 SV% in 28 AHL games this season and will serve as Jeremy Swayman‘s backup with Linus Ullmark injured and listed as day-to-day.
Metropolitan Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have brought up goaltender Louis Domingue from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an emergency basis. The veteran won his lone NHL start this season back in January and is needed with Tristan Jarry unavailable for tomorrow’s game against Boston.
- The New York Islanders have recalled Ken Appleby from Worcester of the ECHL, per Kevin Kurz of The Athletic. Semyon Varlamov is day-to-day with a non-COVID illness so Appleby will serve as Ilya Sorokin‘s backup.
Central Division
- The Chicago Blackhawks have brought up goaltender Cale Morris from the Rockford IceHogs, per Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago. Collin Delia isn’t with the team at the moment due to a death in the family so Morris will serve as Kevin Lankinen‘s backup against Nashville.
Pacific Division
- The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled goaltender Jiri Patera from the Henderson Silver Knights. The 23-year-old has split the season between Henderson and Fort Wayne of the ECHL. Robin Lehner has returned to Vegas due to a health issue for a family member. To stay cap-compliant, forward Jonas Rondbjerg was sent down to Henderson.
- The Calgary Flames have returned center Adam Ruzicka to Abbotsford, per CapFriendly. He had been up on emergency loan but now with those emergency conditions no longer existing, he had to be sent down or converted to a regular recall. The 22-year-old has nine points in 25 games with Calgary this season.
This page is updated throughout the day.
Tampa Bay Lightning Extend Brian Elliott
The Tampa Bay Lightning have liked what they’ve seen from backup goaltender Brian Elliott. The two sides have agreed on a one-year contract extension for 2022-23 that will carry a salary of $900K.
When you have Andrei Vasilevskiy starting almost every game, you don’t need a lot of work from your backup. That actually makes the role harder than it looks though, as Tampa Bay netminders often go weeks without seeing any game action. Elliott, 37, has acclimated well to that role, and is 9-3-3 this season with a .921 save percentage in his 16 appearances.
A veteran of more than 500 NHL games, “Moose” has proven he can still hang at the NHL level in his reduced role. A netminder who twice led the league in save percentage–finishing fifth in Vezina voting in 2012 and ninth in 2016–Elliott appeared to be on his way out of the league before he signed in Tampa Bay. In a more substantial role for the Philadelphia Flyers he had posted two straight sub-.900 years, though he was still able to win more games than he lost during those difficult campaigns.
Now he’ll be asked to play around 20 games again in 2022-23, and offer veteran support to one of the best goaltenders in the league. At $900K he will earn the same amount as this season and comes with basically no risk for the Lightning.
While he isn’t likely to see much action, a dozen starts could easily push Elliott up into the top-50 for all-time wins. He currently sits at No. 55 on the list, just one win behind Felix Potvin and six from Kelly Hrudey and Bernie Parent, the gatekeepers of the top-50.
PHR Chatter: Playoff Posturing
As we head into the stretch run of the 2021-22 season, PHR is excited to announce a new feature aimed at encouraging discourse between reader and writer. On Friday mornings (and perhaps even more often than that), we’ll post a topic of discussion that we think will draw out varied and interesting perspectives from both our commenters and the other staff writers.
For too long there has only been a couple of outlets for our readers to interact with the PHR staff. Live chats and mailbags offer a chance at some discussion, but also run the risk of being too crowded or even outdated by the time the answer arrives. With this new feature, we’re hoping to get weekly chatter going on a topic that normally would have to be brought into the spotlight by a reader before even being discussed.
Last week, the discussion centered around the Hart Trophy and what “Most Valuable Player” actually means. This time, let’s discuss the NHL’s playoff format and how it could be improved.
Is the current divisional structure the best way to go about playoff matchups? Would a 1-8, or even a 1-16 format be better? How can the league continue to improve the way the postseason is consumed, especially with the new ESPN broadcasting deal in the U.S.? This will be a free-flowing discussion that doesn’t have a lot of guidelines, so make sure you chime in and check regularly to continue the conversation.
Mike Bossy Dies At 65
One of the greatest talents in NHL history has passed away, as several reports have confirmed the death of Mike Bossy. The legendary goal scorer was 65. In a statement from the New York Islanders, the only team Bossy ever played for, general manager Lou Lamoriello explained the loss:
The New York Islanders organization mourns the loss of Mike Bossy, an icon not only on Long Island but across the entire hockey world. His drive to be the best every time he stepped on the ice was second to none. Along with his teammates, he helped win four straight Stanley Cup championships, shaping the history of this franchise forever. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to the entire Bossy family and all those who grieve this tragic loss.
Four consecutive Stanley Cup championships aren’t even what most people will think of when they consider Bossy’s career. Instead, it’s his incredible, innate ability to score goals, arguably better than anyone else in the history of the game. While he only played in 752 games, the right-handed sniper racked up 573 goals, including five seasons of at least 60. He twice led the league and currently sits first in terms of goals per game at .762, ahead of Mario Lemieux‘s .754.
While it was goals that dominated his career, that’s certainly not the only thing Bossy was known for. A three-time winner of the Lady Byng trophy as the “player adjusted to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct,” Bossy was one of the most well-liked and cherished players of all time, even by fans of opposing teams. The Islanders retired his No. 22 in 1992, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the same year.
In 2017, Bossy wrote a letter to his 14-year-old self for the Players’ Tribune. It is a must-read for hockey fans young and old.
There are few players in the history of the game who have had such an impact. The hockey world, including all of us here at PHR, mourns the loss and sends condolences to the Bossy family.
Snapshots: Nash, Predators, Deslauriers
The oft-overlooked IIHF Men’s World Championship is drawing near, and Hockey Canada has added another former player and budding management star to the fold. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the organization has added Rick Nash as an assistant general manager, supplementing Shane Doan. Nash has three seasons of managerial experience now, all in his former stomping grounds in Columbus. After serving two seasons (2019-20 and 2020-21) as a special assistant to the general manager, he was named director of player development this season in addition to having his number retired by the organization. The tournament begins on May 13th.
Elsewhere from the NHL tonight:
- Injury trouble continues for the Nashville Predators as they try to solidify a Wild Card spot. Defenseman Mark Borowiecki is again marred by injury, with an upper-body ailment holding him out tonight, as well as Matt Luff, who sits with a non-COVID illness. Both have been used sparingly when in the lineup this season, but Borowiecki is still a valuable role player who’s still managed to get into 47 games this year despite injury. Luff, after tearing up the AHL with 31 points in 30 games, has six points in 21 games with the Predators.
- Instant fan-favorite Nicolas Deslauriers returns to the Minnesota Wild tonight after missing the team’s last two games. Deslauriers is averaging a penalty minute per game during his 10-game tenure in Minnesota, and he’s contributed two goals as well. The 31-year-old has looked like a natural fit in the team’s bottom-six forward group, adding a physical edge to an already gritty group of forwards.
Matthew Knies To Return To University Of Minnesota
After losing to Minnesota State in this year’s Frozen Four, Toronto Maple Leafs top prospect Matthew Knies won’t be signing his entry-level contract with the team this season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. Toronto’s second-round pick in 2021 will instead opt to return to the University of Minnesota for at least another season in search of a national championship.
The 19-year-old Knies took a seismic step forward in his development this season, his first year with the University of Minnesota after a pair of seasons with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm. Using his 6’3″, 205-lb frame to his advantage, the dynamic power forward was named to the Big Ten Conference’s All-Rookie Team and Second All-Star Team. He finished the season with 15 goals, 18 assists, and 33 points in 33 games, also adding a goal and an assist in four games while playing for the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
For Minnesota, this is a huge boost to their chances at a national championship next season. He’ll be there to help mentor a strong incoming class that includes top 2022 American prospect Logan Cooley, as well as potential first-round selections Ryan Chesley and Jimmy Snuggerud. With Hobey Baker finalist Ben Meyers opting to turn pro with the Colorado Avalanche, Knies is left as the bonafide best forward on the team as they aim for another strong season in 2022-23.
For any Maple Leafs fans concerned about Knies’ future in the organization, though, there’s little to worry about. While the organization believed Knies was ready to make the jump to turn pro, as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports, the team supports his decision. It’s important to remember that expectations have skyrocketed for the 51st overall selection over the past few months, and while he would add to the team’s forward depth in the short term, Knies and the team have his long-term interests in mind.
Julian Napravnik Signs In AHL
The NCAA scoring race this season was won by Philadelphia Flyers prospect Bobby Brink, who outpaced Arizona Coyotes prospect Nathan Smith‘s 50-point campaign with 56 of his own. Two undrafted free agents were tied for third at 49–Bobby Trivigno, who signed an entry-level contract with the New York Rangers, and Julian Napravnik, who has now found his own home for the 2022-23 season. Napravnik has signed an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears for next year, while also agreeing to an amateur tryout agreement for the rest of this season.
Napravnik, 24, is a German winger who came to North America in 2016 to join the USHL’s Des Moines Buccanneers, where he quickly found success. By 2018 he was joining Minnesota State-Mankato, and as a junior had developed enough to score at a better than a point-per-game pace. This season, his 49 points came in just 40 games, coming in just behind Smith for the team lead.
Given he will turn 25 next month, it’s not entirely surprising that Napravnik had to settle for an AHL deal, but he’s still a pretty substantial acquisition for the Bears. At the very worst, the team is adding a player that can help on the powerplay and add some offensive punch to the depth chart. At best, he could quickly become a strong contributor at the AHL level and be a name on NHL radars by next season.
Minor Notes: McNeely, Savory, Sillinger
After coming oh-so-close to a national championship, Jack McNeely is off to the professional ranks. The Minnesota State-Mankato alternate captain has signed an amateur tryout with the Stockton Heat, ending his college career after five seasons with the Mavericks. The 25-year-old defenseman had an excellent 2021-22, racking up a career-high 17 points in 44 games while continuing his physical, defensive game. A four-time WCHA champion and former Clark Cup winner in the USHL, the 6’3″ McNeely will get a taste of pro hockey down the stretch before ultimately needing a contract for next season.
More minor moves around the hockey world:
- The Laval Rocket have signed Owen Savory to a professional tryout, ending his own college career after an outstanding season for UMass-Lowell. The 24-year-old goaltender posted a .926 save percentage in 29 appearances, going 20-7-2 and earning a nomination for the Hobey Baker award. Originally recruited by RPI, Savory transferred to UMass in 2020 and will leave college with an overall save percentage of .922 over 86 NCAA appearances. The next part of his hockey journey starts with the Rocket, who needed another goaltender with Cayden Primeau in the NHL.
- If the Sillinger brothers are all going to be in the same organization, it’ll have to wait at least another year. Lukas Sillinger has transferred from Bemidji State to Arizona State for the upcoming season, following his breakout campaign where he scored 17 goals and 38 points in 37 games. His younger brother Cole Sillinger is a rookie for the Columbus Blue Jackets, while older brother Owen Sillinger joined the Cleveland Monsters a few weeks ago, also leaving Bemidji State. Perhaps Cole will be able to meet up with Lukas next season when the Blue Jackets visit the Arizona Coyotes–who will be sharing a building with the Sun Devils.
USA Hockey Announces 2022 World Championship Coaching Staff
The IIHF World Championship will begin next month in Finland, and former New York Rangers head coach David Quinn is set to lead the U.S. squad. Today, his staff has been announced, with Jeff Blashill of the Detroit Red Wings, Don Granato of the Buffalo Sabres, and Mike Hastings from Minnesota State University joining as assistants.
Blashill, head coach of the Red Wings for the last seven years, was actually head coach of the men’s national team at three previous World Championships. He also has experience with USA Hockey at the U18 and U20 levels and stops in both the AHL and NCAA. Several players that he is familiar with, including most prominently Dylan Larkin, could be in play for the U.S. at the event, as the Red Wings are set to miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
Granato, who took over as the head coach of the Sabres last season, has received many accolades for his work turning the team around. While they won’t reach the playoffs this year, huge developmental steps have been taken from several players. One of those is Tage Thompson, who could play a significant role if selected for the U.S. squad, along with several of his Sabres teammates.
Hastings meanwhile is the lone assistant from outside of the NHL, coming to the Worlds after leading his Minnesota State Mavericks all the way to the national championship game this year. Hastings has been with the program for a decade and helped turn it into one of the most dominant teams in the NCAA, posting winning percentages above .800 in each of the last three years. Nathan Smith, the Mavericks standout who recently debuted with the Arizona Coyotes seems a likely candidate for the team if they so choose, after his outstanding junior season. Dryden McKay, winner of the Hobey Baker and a Mavericks legend, could also be in the mix, depending on the team’s goaltending situation.
The tournament begins on May 13 in Tampere and Helsinki.
Detroit Red Wings Sign Magnus Hellberg
April 14: Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Hellberg has indeed cleared waivers and can now join Detroit for the last few games of the regular season.
April 13: The goaltending for the Detroit Red Wings hasn’t really been up to snuff this season, with 26-year-old Alex Nedeljkovic posting a .900 save percentage in 53 appearances. That’s what makes today’s signing of Magnus Hellberg so interesting. Hellberg has signed a one-year contract. CapFriendly reports that the contract is for this season and includes an $800,000 salary, He now has to clear waivers in order to be eligible to play for the Red Wings down the stretch, and then would be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
This makes things very interesting in Detroit’s crease. Hellberg, 31, was a second-round pick of the Nashville Predators in 2011 who had a few cups of coffee in the NHL before leaving for the KHL in 2017. Over the last five seasons he has posted very strong numbers there, registering a .927 save percentage in 169 KHL contests. Add in a .940 in 22 playoff appearances, a World Championship gold medal and a recent Olympic appearance for Sweden, and Hellberg’s resume is pretty impressive.
He could potentially take the spot of Thomas Greiss, who is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and offer a potential tandem option for Nedeljkovic who is set to become a UFA in the summer of 2023. The Red Wings have Sebastian Cossa on his way, but the first-round pick is still just 19 and still a ways off being an NHL starter.
Hellberg at the very least offers them a depth piece for the organization as they try to transition from rebuilding to contending, and an experienced one at that. The fact that he is 6’6″ and fills nearly the entire net certainly doesn’t hurt.