Injury Updates: Labanc, Flyers, Muzzin, Terry
Not long ago, it looked like the Sharks would soon be welcoming winger Kevin Labanc back to the lineup for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury back in December. However, as Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News notes, the team is now considering shutting the 26-year-old down for the rest of the season. Labanc visited the surgeon who performed the surgery on Thursday and got the green light but with San Jose out of the playoff picture, they may err on the side of caution and avoid any possible risk of him reaggravating the injury.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler will miss some time due to a lower-body injury, relays Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The 28-year-old has been a depth defender this season, getting into 43 games with Philadelphia, averaging a little over 13 minutes per night. Meanwhile, Reiner adds that winger Zack MacEwen was injured on Saturday in his fight with Toronto’s Wayne Simmonds and was also unavailable for their game against the Rangers tonight. It’s only the third game that MacEwen has missed this season.
- Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin is expected to return at some point on this road trip but it won’t be tomorrow in Tampa Bay, notes Sportsnet’s Luke Fox (Twitter link). He has missed the last six weeks due to a concussion and is currently on LTIR. The veteran has had a quiet year offensively with just a dozen points in 41 games but still logs 21 minutes a night and will solidify Toronto’s top four heading into the playoffs.
- Ducks winger Troy Terry will miss tonight’s game against Edmonton due to the facial injuries sustained on Friday against Arizona, reports Eric Stephens of The Athletic. He’s expected to be re-evaluated later today with a determination of how much more time he might miss to be made at that time. The 24-year-old has had a breakout year, recording more points (57) than he had in his first 129 career games over parts of four seasons (48).
Canucks Activate Tucker Poolman, Jason Dickinson Off Injured Reserve
As the Vancouver Canucks attempt to chase down a Western Conference wild card spot, they are set to add two formerly injured players back into the fold. The team has announced that defenseman Tucker Poolman and forward Jason Dickinson have been activated off of injured reserve. Dickinson has been out since February 24th when he suffered a lower-body injury, and Poolman has been out since January 27th due to issues with headaches and migraines.
These two players have now been out for a not-insignificant amount of time just as the Canucks entered a crucial part of their season. They both are new arrivals to Vancouver, having each come aboard this past offseason. Dickinson was acquired from the Dallas Stars for a 2021 third-round pick, and Poolman was signed from the Winnipeg Jets as an unrestricted free agent to a contract costing $2.5MM against the cap each season through 2024-2025.
Before their injuries, each player was going through an underwhelming first season in Vancouver. Dickinson, 26, has only three goals and six points in his 49 games this year, which is 10 point pace, a significant decline from his usual form of around 20 points per season. Dickinson’s ice time has also declined from over 16 minutes per game last season to only 13:01 per game in Vancouver. Poolman, 28, is not known for his offense from the back end, and he has three points in 39 games this year. Poolman averaged just over 17 minutes per game before his injury and could help give coach Bruce Boudreau options on the team’s bottom pairing.
Both players are likely headed back into the lineup with significant motivations to salvage something positive from this season. The Canucks’ playoff odds are getting longer with each passing game, but they still have a chance. The impact of strong performances from any player is magnified in these circumstances, so as fresh arrivals off of injured reserve Dickinson and Poolman each have the opportunity to re-write the narratives surrounding their tenures in Vancouver, to improve their standing with fans who have been thus far left wanting more.
AHL Shuffle: 04/03/22
Today is a relatively busy day for games, with two contests having already concluded, including an Ottawa Senators win over the Detroit Red Wings that featured a Josh Norris hat trick. There should be some roster shuffling throughout the day and we’ll keep track of those movements here.
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
Central Division
- The Blue Jackets have recalled two players from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Defenseman Jake Christiansen and forward Carson Meyer have been elevated to the main squad. Christiansen’s recall is a regular one, while Meyer’s is an emergency recall, per Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers. Christiansen, 2s2, is an undrafted player who is looking like a savvy pickup for the Blue Jackets, as he has 42 points in 54 AHL games for the Monsters, which leads the team. He also has gotten into four NHL games this year and has a goal. Meyer, 24, was a 2017 sixth-round pick and has 16 goals and 27 points in 57 AHL games this year.
Pacific Division
- The Oilers have brought up goaltender Stuart Skinner from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors on an emergency basis. Mikko Koskinen will miss tonight’s game with a non-COVID illness so Skinner will back up Mike Smith. Skinner has played in 13 games for Edmonton this season, posting a 2.62 GAA along with a .913 SV%.
- The Kings have returned forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan to Ontario of the AHL, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 22-year-old was brought up on an emergency recall on Thursday but didn’t see any game action. Anderson-Dolan doesn’t have any points in seven games with Los Angeles this season but has been quite productive with the Reign, notching 41 points in 45 games.
This post will be updated throughout the day.
Tyler Ennis Out For Remainder Of Season
Ottawa Senators winger Tyler Ennis is out for the rest of the season, per Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun. This comes after Ennis was forced out of today’s win over the Detroit Red Wings after taking a hard hit along the boards. The Senators are 27th in the NHL with a 25-37-6 record, and are playing for pride more than anything else this season, so losing Ennis is not a major issue for the team, but it is an unfortunate development for a squad that values everything Ennis brings on and off the ice.
Ennis, 32, was in the middle of playing his 700th career game before a hard hit forced him out of the game and has now ultimately ended his season. This season has been Ennis’ second tour of duty with the Senators, as he first played for them in the 2019-20 season. He scored 14 goals and 33 points in 61 games before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers for a 2021 fifth-round pick. Ennis signed a one-year $900k deal with the Senators this offseason and has been a solid veteran in a younger lineup while also providing secondary scoring. Ennis has eight goals and 24 points in 57 games this season, which is a 12-goal, 35-point pace, production that is solid given his cap hit.
Ennis may never have reached the potential he flashed as a 20 goal scorer earlier in his career when he was a Buffalo Sabre, but he has settled into his role nicely as he’s aged. The Senators are sure to miss him as one of the veterans in their lineup, although his absence could pave the way for the team to get a look at a younger player in his spot in the lineup down the stretch. This season-ending injury is unlikely to be welcomed by Ennis within the context of his pending unrestricted free agency, as it could impact the offseason market for his services. But that being said, regardless of the injury, there is always a market for the veteran, affordable secondary scoring Ennis provides.
Looking At Darcy Kuemper’s Impending Free Agency
This past summer, the Colorado Avalanche looked to be in a precarious position with their goaltending. Philipp Grubauer, their regular starter, hit free agency and opted to sign a major $5.9MM AAV contract with the Seattle Kraken, leaving Colorado as a team with Stanley Cup aspirations but no goalie to backstop them to that point. To solve the issue, Avalanche GM Joe Sakic made a deal with the Arizona Coyotes, a soon-to-be division rival, to acquire goaltender Darcy Kuemper for Conor Timmins and two draft picks, including a 2022 first-round pick. The trade allowed Colorado to acquire an accomplished goaltender to get out of their difficult situation, but the long-term implications of the trade were cloudy. Kuemper was acquired as a player with only one year left until free agency, meaning there was no guarantee that this trade would be anything but a one-year marriage. But with the current state of the Avalanche, it’s likely both parties would like to continue their partnership.
The Avalanche sit first in the NHL with a 49-14-6 record, and Kuemper’s play has been a large part of their success. In 48 games this season Kuemper has a 32-9-3 record, a .925 save percentage, and a 2.37 goals against average. His save percentage ranks fourth in the league and this is all factoring in Kuemper’s difficult start to the season. Until Kuemper came back from a lower-body injury in early December his save percentage was mired in the low .900’s. As Peter Baugh of The Athletic notes, since that point when Kuemper returned from injury, he has cemented his place as one of the league’s top goaltenders and has a legitimate chance to finish the season as not only a Vezina Trophy contender but also a Stanley Cup champion.
It may seem like based on all those factors Kuemper is a lock to extend in Colorado, but the reality of his situation is not that simple. Sakic is a patient, calculated general manager who rarely makes deals he does not totally believe are in the best interests of his team. Kuemper is in line for a massive contract this offseason. Scoring is at a high point for this era of hockey, and fewer and fewer teams can truly be counted as having a “franchise” goaltender, meaning an offseason bidding war for Kuemper’s services could be a near-inevitability. Despite his accomplishments, one has to wonder if Avalanche are in the position to be able to outbid other suitors for Kuemper. The expiration of superstar Nathan MacKinnon‘s $6.3MM AAV deal after the 2022-23 season looms large on everything Colorado plans to do, and even with that in mind, the Avalanche have a tricky free agent situation this offseason.
Setting aside Kuemper’s situation, the Avalanche still have other major contributors set to hit free agency. Nazem Kadri, the team’s breakout star and crucial top-six centreman, is in line for a major raise having posted 83 points in 65 games this season. Andre Burakovsky is an important winger for the team, and he looks set for an improved contract given his 49 points in 67 games of production. Two strong two-way wingers, Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin (who is now scoring at a 30-goal, 64-point pace) are also on expiring contracts, as pending restricted and unrestricted free agents, respectively. And then there is Josh Manson, the team’s recent trade acquisition, who also is a pending free agent. This is all to say that Sakic and the entire Avalanche front office have a herculean task ahead of them if they want to keep the band together, and Kuemper could be the sort of player who slips through the cracks.
If the way the Avalanche let Grubauer walk is any indication, the team has a certain price they are willing to allocate to goaltenders and are unwilling to go above that number for a player if they don’t deem him worth it, regardless of the sort of dangerous situation holding such a line could get them into. So might they have that line with Kuemper? And if they do, will it be high enough to keep Kuemper away from the major offers he is set to receive from other teams?
Given his recent brilliance and overall resume since becoming a full-time starter with the Coyotes, as well as the overall lack of “franchise” goaltenders across the league, could Kuemper reasonably target an extension near $10MM AAV similar to Carey Price, Sergei Bobrosky, or Andrei Vasilevskiy? He doesn’t have the individual accolades those goalies had when they received their contracts, meaning a figure closer to $6MM AAV where Jacob Markstrom and Connor Hellebucyk sit would probably be more reasonable. But could the market say otherwise? And if so, will the Avalanche be able to keep up?
Photo Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Arizona Notes: Ladd, Moser, Imama
Arizona Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny announced that forward Andrew Ladd would play in today’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center, reports PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan. The veteran has not played since February 20th, after being placed on IR on February 28th. Ladd’s first game back in the lineup will be in a familiar building, as he spent parts of four seasons with the Blackhawks.
It’s been another season of struggles for Ladd, as he has not played up to his previous career numbers and has dealt with his share of injury, a theme that seemed to define his career with the New York Islanders. However, after being traded to the Coyotes in the offseason, Ladd has had a bright spot, being able to play most nights when healthy and mentor the next generation of Coyotes talent. In 42 games this season, Ladd has six goals and three assists.
- Also from Tourigny, defenseman Janis Moser is not expected back for a few more weeks, reports Jose Romero of AZ Central Sports. The 21-year-old rookie has been out since suffering an injury on March 15th against the Montreal Canadiens. Moser has been a welcomed addition to the Arizona blueline this year, with three goals and nine assists in 33 games so far this season.
- An interesting suspension was handed out to one of Arizona’s AHL players earlier this week. Tucson Roadrunners forward Boko Imama was suspended for one game after receiving his 10th fighting major of the season. As Morgan explains, this is part of AHL Rule 23.7, which issues the automatic suspension after a player’s 10th fighting major of the season. Per Rule 23.7, a player is automatically suspended for the next game after his 10th through 13th fights of the season, then is automatically suspended two games after his 14th or more fights of the season. If the opposing player in a fight is issued an instigator penalty, then the fighting major will not count towards the player’s total for the season. For more on the AHL’s rules, follow the link.
Looking Ahead To The Pittsburgh Penguins Offseason
After a record-breaking 15-straight playoff appearances, and a 16th seemingly a given, the Pittsburgh Penguins will head into the 2022 offseason with some difficult questions regarding their core. Once contracts expire, the Penguins will sit with a $51.5MM cap hit for the offseason, leaving $31MM in space, what should feel like a comfortable number. This $51.5MM cap hit includes the $8.7MM cap hit of the still-elite Sidney Crosby, the $6MM cap hit of star Jake Guentzel, goaltender Tristan Jarry, as well as core forward pieces Jason Zucker, Jeff Carter, and Teddy Blueger and all but one of their defensemen.
The problem for Pittsburgh rests with who is a free agent. In addition to key forwards such as Bryan Rust, the newly-acquired Rickard Rakell, and breakout star Evan Rodrigues, the Penguins have Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang both hitting unrestricted free agency. Presently, there doesn’t appear to be much concern that Malkin or Letang want to leave Pittsburgh, or that Pittsburgh doesn’t intend to re-sign them. However, Malkin and Letang are still high-caliber assets despite their ages (Letang will be 35 to start next season, and Malkin will be 36), and will be able to still command a fairly significant salary. Malkin currently holds a $9.5MM cap hit, while Letang has a $7.25MM cap hit.
If they were to re-sign for the same cap hits, that would cost the Penguins $16.75MM in cap space, leaving them with just over $14MM. Even if both take discounts to stay in Pittsburgh, the pair will still command a significant salary between the two of them. Due a significant raise is forward and pending UFA Bryan Rust, who has 56 points in 48 games for the Penguins this season, and 154 points in 159 games since a breakout 2019-20 season.
Rust, who is coming off of a four-year, $14MM contract he signed prior to 2018-19, which carries a $3.5MM cap hit, would likely have to sign somewhere between Zucker’s $5.5MM cap hit and Gunetzel’s $6MM cap hit. Recent UFA contracts like Brock Nelson, Anders Lee, and Kevin Hayes could realistically push Rust above that $6MM number on the open market, however COVID-related issues such as the flat-cap might push Rust into a comparable group of players like Zach Hyman and Jaden Schwartz. As compared to Nelson, Lee, Hayes, Hyman, and Schwartz, Rust should slot comfortably in the $5.5-6MM range.
Speculating on Malkin and Letang, if the Penguins can re-sign them on slightly discounted cap hits, perhaps at $8.5MM and $6MM respectively, they would be left with $16.5MM in cap space this offseason, and if they can sign Rust at $5.75MM, evenly between Zucker and Guentzel, they would then have $10.75MM leftover.
Rakell is coming off of a six-year, $22.8MM contract which saw an annual salary of $3.8MM. Despite a consistent downward trend since a career best 69 points in 77 games in 2017-18, he could still expect a modest raise from his previous salary, especially if he continues to play as well as he has for the Penguins so far, with five points in seven games since the trade. A comparable contract could be the four-year, $17MM contract Tyler Toffoli signed with the Montreal Canadiens last summer before his subsequent trade to the Calgary Flames (a $4.25MM cap hit).
With all of these proposed numbers, the Penguins would then have $6.5MM left. Problems begin, however, with Evan Rodrigues, who is a pending UFA coming off a breakout career year. It’s tough to speculate on what Rodrigues’ next contract would look like, as the 28-year-old forward has 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points in 70 games this season, his previous best being 29 points in 74 games in 2018-19. In addition to Rodrigues, the Penguins would need to re-sign backup goaltender Casey DeSmith, who has done well in his role and could expect a raise from his $1.25MM cap hit this season.
There is also the matter of pending RFA forward Kasperi Kapanen, who is coming off of a three-year, $9.6MM contract carrying a cap hit of $3.2MM. Although Kapanen has arguably not lived up to expectations, his 30 points in 68 games this season should be enough to command at least a similar cap hit going into next season. In an effort to alleviate some cap-issues, Pittsburgh could potentially choose to let Kapanen go.
Lastly, Pittsburgh will have to round out its roster, but is currently seeing forward Danton Heinen hitting RFA status and veteran forward Brian Boyle becoming a UFA. Pittsburgh holds Heinen’s rights as an RFA and could re-sign him to a similar cap hit as his current $1MM, and while Boyle could return on the same one-year, $750K contract he signed last offseason, the 37-year-old could choose retirement too.
One option for Pittsburgh to solve some of the cap crunch could be a possible trade of Zucker. The 30-year-old forward has seen his production drop off a bit in recent years and has faced several injuries in that time. With only one more year at $5.5MM, Zucker may not be difficult to move, but the Penguins will likely have to give up an asset to do so.
After looking at this Penguins’ offseason more in-depth, it’s not out of this world to think that the organization could bring back the same roster it has now, as long as the front office is able to do a good job of keeping salaries in-line with comparable players, and especially if they can work out somewhat lighter cap hits with Malkin and Letang. Further, letting go of Kapanen or trading Zucker and his $5.5MM cap hit could go a long way to solving some of their cap concerns. While the Penguins do have cap concerns, their problems are far from unsolvable, but to maintain a comfortable cap situation, some difficult conversations may have to come first.
Snapshots: Boudreau, Amirov, Rask
After an impressive run with the Vancouver Canucks since taking over as Head Coach on December 5th, Bruce Boudreau‘s future with the Vancouver Canucks is still uncertain. As discussed earlier in the week, Canucks’ GM Patrik Allvin would not commit to keeping Boudreau behind the bench after this season, looking to further evaluate. On the 32 Thoughts segment of Hockey Night in Canada yesterday evening, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shined some light on what he believes the contract situation looks like and what could happen with Boudreau this summer.
Friedman believes Boudreau’s contract contains multiple options, one for the club and one for him. If Vancouver chose not to exercise Boudreau’s option, Friedman believes the Canucks would have to buyout Boudreau in some form. In addition, Boudreau may have an option not to stay, even if Vancouver chooses to keep him, but in that scenario, he would not be compensated. Debating whether or not to keep Boudreau may seem surprising, after the veteran coach has lead the team to a 24-13-7 record since taking over, however it is worth considering that Boudreau was not Allvin’s pick for head coach, as he was hired nearly two months after Boudreau. If the organization wishes to have Allvin’s vision be the future of the franchise, they may have to trust his preference for a head coach.
- Also from 32 Thoughts, Friedman discussed Toronto Maple Leafs’ prospect Rodion Amirov, who was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. Friedman confirms that Amirov finished six weeks of chemotherapy and has four more weeks until his next round. In the meantime, Amirov has been in the gym five days per week and on the ice three times per week in a space rented by the Maple Leafs in Germany. Although Amirov is not out of the woods yet, seeing the young forward continuing to stay in shape and work on his development even in the toughest of times is certainly encouraging in many ways.
- After a comeback attempt fell short, legendary Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask announced his retirement from playing back on February 9th. It appears though that Rask’s days with the Bruins are far from over, as he has accepted a role within the organization and is considering a possible venture into coaching in the long-term, writes The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa. For now, Rask’s role will primarily consist of networking with sponsors, spending time with them at and away from the rink.
Nick Ritchie Suspended One Game For Slashing
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Saturday night that they suspended Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Ritchie for one game for slashing Anaheim Ducks defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk during last night’s game.
The incident occurred in the waning seconds of the first period, with the Ducks already commanding a 3-0 lead in the contest. Ritchie, who had pulled away from Shattenkirk after a clean check into the boards, raised his stick and, in the eyes of Player Safety, purposefully whacked the side of Shattenkirk’s helmet/face with his stick.
NHL DoPS’ rationale for the decision is as follows:
It is important to note that this is not a reckless or careless use of the stick, rather, this is a controlled and purposeful slash directed toward the head of an opponent that hits its intended target. And while the slash was delivered without substantial force, it is only because of the lack of force that this play is not met with more severe discipline.
Additionally, Ritchie has already been disciplined by DoPS four separate times during his seven-year, 400-game career, including one suspension and three fines.
Despite a tough start to 2021-22 after signing this offseason with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ritchie has eight goals and two assists for 10 points in 17 games since donning a Coyotes uniform for the first time. He’s one of their better offensive contributors at the moment, leaving a hole in the lineup, albeit just for one game.
Colorado Expects Nazem Kadri To Be Back Before Playoffs
During his postgame availability today after a nail-biting 3-2 over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said center Nazem Kadri will “miss some time” with injury but should be back for the start of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Kadri appeared to sustain an upper-body injury during Colorado’s 4-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on March 31st. Converged on by Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier, Kadri was sandwiched between the two and was attended to on the ice by a member of the team’s medical staff. Kadri missed a few shifts but returned and played the rest of the game with a pair of bandages on his face, getting two assists on the Avalanche’s third and fourth goals of the game.
Smashing his career-highs in assists (57) and points (83) as one of the team’s most consistent forwards this year, he now joins Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon as other top Avalanche forwards to miss time with injury this season. His production as the No. 2 man behind MacKinnon on the Colorado center depth chart is crucial for the team’s playoff success, and with the team being virtually a lock for the Western Conference regular-season title, let alone a playoff spot, the team will likely take his recovery slowly.
With less than a month left in the 2021-22 campaign, more will be asked of the team’s checking forwards to intensify their game. New acquisition Artturi Lehkonen could find himself in a top-six role for the time being with injuries to both Kadri and Landeskog.