Alexandre Texier Out Four Weeks With Fractured Finger
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without young forward Alexandre Texier for the next month, as he suffered a fractured finger in last night’s game. He is expected to miss approximately four weeks, keeping him out through most of February.
Texier, 22, has turned things around since a disappointing 2020-21 campaign, and now sits with 11 goals and 20 points in 36 games. Both of those numbers are career highs, though he still hasn’t found a lot of consistency even with the increased production. Playing almost exclusively on the wing, the second-round pick is averaging fewer than 15 minutes a night and hasn’t scored a goal since the beginning of the month.
He’ll now face a long period out of the lineup and likely miss upwards of ten games. The Blue Jackets will have to find someone else to find those minutes and hope to help pull them out of their recent skid. Columbus now sits 18-21-1 on the season and 3-7 in their last ten, well behind the Washington Capitals for fourth place in the Metropolitan Division.
Snapshots: China, Malkin, Letang, Viveiros
China has revealed the roster that will take part in the upcoming Olympics, a group that includes 12 players born in North America. Some of those have NHL experience in the past, including Spencer Foo, Ryan Sproul, and starting goaltender Jeremy Smith. These players are allowed to participate even without Chinese heritage given how long they have been playing for Kunlun Red Star in the KHL, which served as a proxy for the national team, according to the Associated Press.
Brandon Yip, a 36-year-old forward that played nearly 200 games in the NHL, will serve as captain of the club, which gained entry to the tournament as host nation. Yip scored 32 goals and 62 points in his 190-game NHL career, which ended after the 2013-14 season. After a stint in the AHL and another in Germany, he joined Kunlun in 2017. China will be in tough at the event, as they find themselves in a group with the U.S., Canada, and Germany. They open the tournament on February 10.
- When Jeff Carter‘s two-year extension was announced yesterday, some immediately wondered what it meant for Evgeni Malkin‘s future with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Josh Yohe of The Athletic writes that representatives for the star forward and Penguins GM Ron Hextall have discussed a new contract, and Malkin is “eager” to remain in Pittsburgh. For teammate Kris Letang things aren’t so rosy, as the defenseman believes he will get a raise on the current $7.25MM cap hit he currently carries, according to Yohe.
- Henderson Silver Knights coach Manny Viveiros has been medically cleared to return to his duties, effective immediately. Viveiros was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and has been away from the team for much of the season. In a statement, the veteran coach notes that his “prognosis is very good” and thanks his family, coaches, players, medical team, and Golden Knights organization for all the support he received over the past few months.
Jake Virtanen Charged With Sexual Assault
The Vancouver Police Department has charged former NHL forward Jake Virtanen with one count of sexual assault, stemming from an incident in 2017 while he was playing for the Vancouver Canucks. Virtanen, 25, is currently playing for Spartak in the KHL where he has 16 points in 36 games.
In May of last year, the Canucks placed Virtanen on leave following the original allegations. In July, they bought out the final year of his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. The team will carry a $500K cap hit next season as a result of the buyout, after carrying $50K this season.
A civil lawsuit was filed in May 2021 and in a response, Virtanen denied the allegations. The Canucks have issued a statement today:
We have been made aware of the charges laid by the Crown against Jake Virtanen. When the allegations first came to our attention, we immediately placed Jake Virtanen on leave. He is no longer a member of the organization.
We have been in contact with the Vancouver Police Department throughout their investigation and will continue to provide support as needed. Our organization is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming environment and will not tolerate sexual misconduct of any kind. We will not be commenting further on this matter.
Virtanen is not currently in custody.
Nick Paul Open To Extension With Ottawa Senators
Over the last few weeks, Nick Paul has emerged as a top target in trade deadline speculation, because of his versatility and inexpensive expiring contract. The 26-year-old carries a cap hit of just $1.35MM this season and has shown an ability to play all over the lineup. Even if teams were interested, he may not actually be available. Paul’s agent Paul Capizzano of Quartexx Management told Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia that his client would “love to stay in Ottawa if it can work.”
On TSN radio earlier this week, Paul himself gave a similar sentiment:
I love Ottawa. My agent works on the business side but we want to be here. My fiance is from here, she works at CHEO. We live here year round. We want to be here and be a part of the community.
While a contract extension would seem like an easy thing to accomplish, given his pedestrian offensive numbers and obvious desire to stay, it may not actually be the best thing for the Senators. The team is not yet as far along with their rebuild as they believed last summer, and depending on the price they could generate at the trade deadline, could use the additional assets. There is also the potential to bring Paul back in the offseason after a deadline move, when he hits unrestricted free agency for the first time.
In 35 games this season the versatile forward has six goals and nine points, while filling in at center or the wing depending on the rest of the Senators lineup that day. He’s been given heavy defensive responsibility, usually alongside Connor Brown, and often been used as a veteran safety net for young forward Tim Stutzle. At just $1.35MM he’s a useful, inexpensive player, though if the number gets much higher than that he’ll have to bring a bit more offensive production as well in order to continue to provide excess value to the team on the ice. His leadership and other intangibles are also something to consider, especially in a market that doesn’t always get players publicly announcing their hope to be part of the community.
Sami Niku, Brett Connolly Clear Waivers
Jan 27: Both players have cleared waivers according to James Mirtle of The Athletic, meaning they can be sent to the minor leagues.
Jan 26: The Montreal Canadiens have placed Sami Niku on waivers, as they continue to get players back from injury on the back end. This is actually the second time Niku has been on waivers this season, though the first was in training camp with the Winnipeg Jets when he agreed to a contract termination in order to pursue a different opportunity.
While it’s easy to wonder why anyone would target a defenseman from a team that sits 31st in goals against, Niku actually may draw some interest on the wire. The 25-year-old defenseman has shown he can dominate at the minor league level, including posting a 16-goal, 54-point season in 2017-18, and has generated 16 points in 67 career NHL games. Still, his size and defensive ability raise enough questions that it’s hard to envision him stepping into a regular role on a contender at this point, meaning he might end up in the minor leagues once again.
He isn’t alone, though, as Chris Johnston of TSN reports that Brett Connolly has also been placed on waivers by the Chicago Blackhawks. Connolly cleared waivers in October and was assigned to the minor leagues, where he has spent a good chunk of the season. Now, he’s spent enough time on the NHL roster that he needed waivers again in order to be sent down.
The thing hurting Connolly’s chances at NHL playing time right now is his contract, which carries a $3.5MM cap hit through 2022-23. While he likely could catch on somewhere if he had a more reasonable price tag, there’s little chance that someone would agree to take that contract off waivers. Should he clear, the Blackhawks will be able to once again bury $1.125MM of his cap hit in the minor leagues.
Jacob Panetta Suspended Rest Of ECHL Season, Released By Jacksonville
Jan 27: Panetta has been suspended for the remainder of the ECHL season, which amounts to 38 games. Commissioner Ryan Crelin released the following statement:
Insensitive actions and gestures, regardless of intent, cannot be tolerated in our game. We all need to learn and grow from this incident, and remain steadfast to further educating and advancing our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our league.
Panetta will have a conditional opportunity to apply for reduction of the suspension and reinstatement after March 17, 2022, pending successful completion of a learning experience conducted in conjunction with the NHL’s Player Inclusion Committee.
Jan 23: The ECHL has announced an indefinite suspension for Jacksonville Icemen defenseman Jacob Panetta in response to racist gestures made toward South Carolina Stingrays counterpart Jordan Subban on Saturday. The final determination of Panetta’s suspension will be made following a hearing in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Panetta will find it hard to defend his racist actions in last night’s game, which were clearly caught on camera during overtime of the ECHL contest. The video was then shared all over the internet, most notably by the eldest Subban, NHL star P.K. Subban.
The AHL just recently suspended San Jose Barracuda forward Krystof Hrabik for 30 games for racist actions, though it took more than a week to make that decision. The ECHL wasted no time in taking Panetta off the ice.
Panetta is in his second pro season, both with Jacksonville, after four years at Colgate University. Subban is a former NHL prospect, drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the fourth round of the 2013 Draft. He last played on an NHL contract in 2018-19 and is in his first season playing primarily in the ECHL.
The Jacksonville Icemen, after initially stating this morning that the team would wait to take any action until a league review had concluded, announced they’ve released Panetta. Team CEO Andy Kaufmann, in the statement, pledged to “continue [their] mission of sharing our love of community and hockey.”
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/27/22
It’s a busy night in the NHL with ten games on tap, including a rematch of the St. Louis Blues-Calgary Flames. The two battled on Monday in what turned into a lopsided loss for the Blues as the red-hot Flames poured seven goals in on Jordan Binnington. Calgary has taken 110 shots on goal over the last two games, including a franchise-high 62 against the Columbus Blue Jackets last night. As they and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league and taxi squad shuffling:
Atlantic Division
- The Buffalo Sabres have reassigned Casey Fitzgerald to the taxi squad, as they prepare for their three-game road trip that starts on Saturday. Buffalo has been absolutely decimated by injuries this season and now sit at 13-22-7 on the year.
- Another young face is coming up to the Ottawa Senators, as Egor Sokolov has been recalled from the AHL. Clark Bishop and Lassi Thomson have been moved to the taxi squad, but it’s Sokolov that will generate a lot of the headlines today. The 21-year-old has played in four games for Ottawa this season but is still waiting on his first NHL point. For Belleville, he has 21 in 27 games.
- Matt Kiersted has been loaned back to the taxi squad by the Florida Panthers, as Gustav Forsling returned to practice after his stint on the COVID protocol. He’s officially a game-time decision for tonight.
Metropolitan Division
- The New York Rangers have recalled Jonny Brodzinski and Zac Jones to the active roster, while backfilling the taxi squad with Tim Gettinger, Nils Lundkvist, Lauri Pajuniemi, and Tarmo Reunanen. With Jones up, Libor Hajek could potentially be coming out of the lineup after playing just 11 minutes against the Kings earlier this week.
- The Washington Capitals have recalled Joe Snively to the taxi squad, replacing Michael Sgarbossa who is headed to the AHL. The 26-year-old Snively made his NHL debut last month, recording an assist in just under seven minutes of ice time.
Central Division
- Kyle Rau is back from the AHL and will join the Minnesota Wild taxi squad, not for the first time. Rau has played four games for Minnesota this season, to go along with the outstanding 26 contests he’s finished in the AHL. The 29-year-old forward has 25 points in the minor leagues, continuing what has been a strong AHL career to this point.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Collin Delia, sending Cale Morris and Arvid Soderblom to the AHL in his place. Delia, 27, has a .910 save percentage in 14 AHL appearances this season and plenty of previous experience at the NHL level.
- With Nathan MacKinnon injured last night, the Colorado Avalanche have recalled Dylan Sikura from the Colorado Eagles. Sikura has been outstanding for the Eagles this season, scoring 14 goals and 31 points in 29 games.
- Johnathan Kovacevic is set to make his NHL debut after the Winnipeg Jets recalled him from the taxi squad today. The team assigned Leon Gawanke to the taxi squad from the AHL to take his place. Kovacevic, 24, was a third-round pick of the Jets in 2017 and has 14 points in 32 games for the Manitoba Moose this season.
- Gawanke has now come up to the active roster, along with forward Kristian Reichel. The move comes after defenseman Dylan Samberg was moved to injured reserve. Gawanke and Reichel are both projected to be scratched for tonight’s game against Vancouver.
- On a day where more arena rumors took hold of the news cycle, the Arizona Coyotes recalled defenseman Cam Dineen to the taxi squad from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. Arizona has shuffled Dineen up and down this season, as he’s notched four points in five games in the AHL and four points in 14 games in a third-pairing role in the NHL.
- Matt Luff and Matt Tennyson continue their shuffle up and down between the active roster and taxi squad. The Nashville Predators recalled them today, and they’ll likely find themselves in the lineup against Edmonton tonight.
Pacific Division
This page will be updated throughout the day
Ottawa Senators Extend Nick Holden
The Ottawa Senators have announced a new contract for Nick Holden, avoiding unrestricted free agency later this year. The veteran defenseman has inked a one-year extension that will carry a salary of $1.3MM in 2022-23. Senators’ general manager Pierre Dorion released a statement:
Nick has seamlessly integrated himself into our lineup and into our dressing room. His veteran presence and leadership qualities have been instrumental in helping our young group this season, while his strong defensive play and accountability on the ice has really helped with the maturity of our young defensive core.
Holden, 34, currently carries a $1.7MM cap hit in the second season of a two-year deal signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020. Last summer, he was acquired by the Senators along with a third-round pick in exchange for Evgenii Dadonov, who hadn’t really worked out in his short time in Ottawa. Holden on the other hand has been a good reliable option for head coach D.J. Smith, averaging more than 19 minutes a night while seeing almost exclusively tough defensive deployment.
Once a player that could contribute on the powerplay, Holden had a career-high of 34 points in 2016-17 with the New York Rangers. He isn’t at all used in that way for the Senators, who have several young defensemen to take on those offensive responsibilities. Instead, he’ll slot in as a depth option to help cover some of the mistakes those young players make as they grow and learn in the NHL.
Trade Rumors: Chiarot, Oilers, Coyotes, DeBrusk
While the Marc-Andre Fleury-Washington Capitals connection was the highlight of the most recent “32 Thoughts” column from Sportnset’s Elliotte Friedman, the insider had plenty else to say about the burgeoning trade market. Though just a small note, the inclusion most likely to come to fruition is Friedman’s report that several teams are pursuing Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot. Chiarot’s name has been out there among trade candidate all season and it isn’t going away. As the top impending free agent on the NHL’s worst team, Chiarot is a near lock to be dealt. Friedman reports that the Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, and St. Louis Blues are among the teams confirmed to have interest in Chiarot, but Friedman also keys in on another possibility: the Toronto Maple Leafs. The rumblings out of Toronto suggest that the Leafs are targeting a defenseman at the trade deadline and they may very well need one to escape the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division. Friedman notes that the club kicked the tires on Chiarot when he was a free agent and could be a top contender to land him this time around.
- Another report that is hardly outside the box is Friedman’s suggestion that the Edmonton Oilers have looked into just about every goalie that could potentially be traded this season. Among the list of names are some who have already been linked to Edmonton, such as Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo and Dallas’ Braden Holtby and Anton Khudobin, but other interesting targets include Philadelphia’s Martin Jones and Washington’s Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek. However, the key piece of Friedman’s report is that the Oilers may end up empty-handed if they aren’t willing to improve their offer. Friedman hears from potential trade partners that Edmonton is not willing to move their first-round pick and increasingly hesitant to move their second-rounder as well. Without a third- or fourth-round selection this year, the Oilers are seemingly only peddling late-round picks, with top prospects likely off the board as well. That won’t get it done in a sellers’ market.
- One goalie who likely won’t wind up in Edmonton is Arizona’s Karel Vejmelka. Though there have been few bright spots in the Coyotes’ dismal season, Vejmelka’s play has given fans in the desert some hope. The 25-year-old rookie, an unheralded import from the top level in Czechia, has performed well this season. By league standards, his .901 save percentage and 3.40 GAA may not seem like much to be excited about, but as a first-year NHLer playing behind one of the worst rosters in the league, the keeper has held his own in 25 appearances. Rather than quickly flip Vejmelka to another team, the ‘Yotes seem insistent on extending the goaltender instead, including him as a core piece in their rebuild.
- Still in Arizona, where rumors circle the struggling squad, Friedman reports that young forward Lawson Crouse is unlikely to be traded despite recent speculation. The hulking power forward is not without his flaws, but with 10 goals and 20 points in 40 games, Crouse is well on his way to a career year. Although the Coyotes have shown their willingness to move on from high-potential players for the right price by placing Jakob Chychrun on the block, Friedman states that they have begun telling suitors that they would prefer to keep Crouse.
- Elsewhere, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa writes that the market for Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk is in fact as cold as it seems. There was a flurry of speculation when DeBrusk first requested a trade, but it has quieted down significantly since Boston’s play improved in the new year. This isn’t because the Bruins aren’t listening though. Instead, Shinzawa reports that teams seem hesitant to make the commitment to DeBrusk, at least at the Bruins’ asking price. While his play has improved of late, it is still far off his performance earlier in his career and not up to the level that his $4.41MM qualify offer demands. The challenge for the Bruins is to find a team willing to pay the asking price that either is willing to qualify or otherwise negotiate an extension with DeBrusk or conversely a team that sees him as a rental, as recent rumors have suggested the New York Rangers might. Neither the Bruins nor DeBrusk want to extend their relationship, but it may be easier said than done to find the right deal.
Aaron Dell Suspended Three Games
It’s not often that you see a goaltender receive a suspension for interference, but that’s exactly what Buffalo Sabres netminder Aaron Dell has received today. The Department of Player Safety has suspended Dell three games for his hit on Ottawa Senators forward Drake Batherson last night. As the accompanying video explains:
It is important to note that this is a body check, not merely a collision. Dell is looking up ice and is aware of the path that Batherson is taking in order to avoid contact with Dell. Dell is the player that initiates the contact on this play. This is also not a mere pick play or a last second brace for impact in which a player impedes the path of his opponent without substantial force. Dell takes an active step into Batherson, shifting his weight and delivering a hit to an unsuspecting player that causes a dangerous fall into the boards.
Finally, it is also important to note that Batherson does not have the puck and is therefore not eligible to be checked on this play in any manner.
Unfortunately, Batherson suffered a serious ankle injury and is expected to be out long-term. That will cost him a chance to continue his strong season, and an opportunity to play in his first All-Star Game as Ottawa’s representative. He’ll be replaced by Brady Tkachuk at the event.
Dell meanwhile was not issued a penalty by the on-ice officials and did not have a history of supplementary discipline, despite previous instances of a similar nature. This suspension will be on his record though and taken into account for any future punishment from the DoPS.
The Sabres are now down to a single healthy goaltender, though Craig Anderson is nearing a return from injury and could be ready to go this weekend. Still, it will likely be Michael Houser in net for the team when they take on the Arizona Coyotes Saturday night.