Tuukka Rask Weeks Away From Potential Return
When the Boston Bruins hit the ice today for the first practice after the holiday break, there was a familiar face leading the group. Tuukka Rask was the first player on the ice according to Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic, despite the veteran goaltender still not having a contract with the team.
Asked after practice, head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters that Rask is still a couple of weeks away from being ready to return to action. Tracey Myers of NHL.com writes that January 18 could be that return, though there are still medical–and contractual–hurdles to overcome before then.
Rask underwent hip surgery in the summer to repair a torn labrum but has been back on the ice for weeks now, working out at the Bruins facility. While he technically is an unrestricted free agent and could sign with anyone, the goaltender has been very clear about his intentions to finish his career in Boston.
Now 34, Rask would certainly add a lot of experience to the goaltending room for the Bruins, though it’s unclear what role he would be brought back for. Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark have both been very good lately, raising their save percentages to .917 and .922 respectively for the season.
Importantly, Swayman is still waiver-exempt and could be sent to the minor leagues, but does not appear eligible for the newly recreated taxi squad given his role on the team through the first part of the season. Rask would need to pass through waivers in order to go to the taxi squad, so that’s not an option for him either.
The answer to those questions doesn’t have to be given for a little while longer, but it appears as though Rask will in fact officially return to the Bruins at some point in the next few weeks.
Two Seattle Kraken Enter COVID Protocol
The Seattle Kraken tweeted Sunday evening that forward Ryan Donato and defenseman Vince Dunn entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
They join defensemen Carson Soucy, Adam Larsson, and Jamie Oleksiak on the protocol list for the Kraken.
Dunn’s been Seattle’s most productive defenseman in their inaugural season, posting 12 points through 28 games. Donato’s been fairly productive too after joining the team on a one-year deal, scoring eight goals and 13 points in 28 games.
If they’re confirmed positive tests, they’re likely out for Seattle’s next four games and could return January 5th.
NHL And NHLPA Recreate Taxi Squads Through All-Star Break
6:00 pm: The NHL has officially reintroduced the taxi squad system through the All-Star Break, per CapFriendly. Like last season, there is a six-player maximum to the taxi squads. However, there are some slight changes. Non-emergency-recalled-players who were on an NHL active roster, injured reserve, or NHL non-rostered on December 22 aren’t eligible to go on the taxi squad. Waiver-exempt players aren’t eligible, either, and neither are players who’ve dressed in 16 of their team’s past 20 games. There are other minor stipulations as well.
1:15 pm: Amidst a rapidly escalating number of players being unavailable due to their placement in COVID protocols, the NHL and NHLPA are working on a few different short-term solutions, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link). Among those is the recreation of taxi squads which would be optional for teams to use and would run through the All-Star break in early February.
The taxi squads were in use for all of last season with a record number of daily transactions occurring as teams shuffled players back and forth. Some were to keep players fresh and seeing game action in the minors while many were simply to get players off the salary cap on days where they weren’t playing. Assuming those same rules were to apply this season, there will be considerable activity on that front once again.
Of course, there are other considerations at play. AHL teams are already starting to have their rosters stretched thin due to outbreaks and recalls for players either in COVID protocol or out due to injury. There would be short-term pressures at the lower minor league levels with many ECHL players signing AHL deals, creating holes for the ECHL teams to fill and so on.
Friedman notes that there are other options being discussed as well. Cap-exempt emergency recalls with a player making less than $1MM is apparently on the table and that price point – which sits $250K above the minimum salary – is high enough for most teams to be able to call players up without much issue. Meanwhile, with several teams having to turn to emergency backups on one-day contracts – commonly referred to as EBUG’s – Friedman reports that teams may soon be allowed to simply recall a replacement netminder rather than having to have an EBUG dress for a game first to trigger a cap-exempt recall situation.
An official announcement on the schedule, as well as any changes to protocols such as these, is expected later today.
Arizona Coyotes Place Two In COVID Protocol
Arizona Coyotes forward Christian Fischer and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol today, per a team tweet.
They become the fifth and sixth additions to Arizona’s COVID list. Liam O’Brien, Alex Galchenyuk, Jay Beagle, and Lawson Crouse.
Arizona, for the time being, is losing out on some solid defensive presences. Fischer had three goals and three assists through 22 games before entering protocol, and he’s one of the better defensive forwards on the Coyotes, though, and a skilled penalty killer. His presence there will be missed.
Lyubushkin had six assists through 29 games, and while he was averaging just 18:08 per game, he’s a good defender at even-strength.
Fischer and Lyubushkin, if they’re truly COVID positive, are eligible to return January 6 against Chicago if they’re healthy.
Four St. Louis Blues Enter COVID Protocol
Four St. Louis Blues — forwards Dakota Joshua, James Neal, Ivan Barbashev, and defenseman Robert Bortuzzo — have entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols, per a team release.
There are now five Blues on the protocol list, joining Oskar Sundqvist on the list.
Barbashev’s been a shocking producer to start the year, going on a tear with 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 31 games. He’d been averaging over 17 minutes a game, too, so his absence can’t be taken lightly.
Joshua, Neal, and Bortuzzo had combined for just 11 points this year, but it’s just more depth missing from a Blues roster that’s been rocked by absences all year.
Barbashev entered protocol on December 23, so he’s eligible to return three days earlier than the other three players. However, due to an open schedule, all four could come back into action on January 5 against Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, it seems like all four will be unavailable for the Winter Classic on New Years Day.
Edmonton Oilers Place Zack Kassian In COVID Protocol
The Edmonton Oilers placed forward Zack Kassian in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol today, per a team tweet.
Edmonton also recalled defensemen Philip Broberg and Dmitri Samorukov from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors on an emergency basis.
Kassian’s got four goals and eight assists through 25 games this season. He joins Jesse Puljujarvi, Darnell Nurse, Duncan Keith, and William Lagesson in COVID protocol for the Oilers.
Broberg’s already played in eight NHL games this season, getting his first NHL point (an assist) in the process. Samorukov, however, is slated to make his NHL debut on Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues. The 84th overall selection in 2017 is in the final year of his entry-level contract and has three points in 15 games with the Condors this year.
Anaheim Ducks Add Two Players, Staff Member To COVID Protocol
The Anaheim Ducks announced via Twitter on Sunday afternoon that left wing Max Comtois, center Sam Steel, and a staff member entered the NHL’s COVID protocol.
Comtois had just been cleared to return to the lineup after missing nearly a month with a hand injury. The 22-year-old Canadian has really struggled to produce offensively this season, garnering only one assist through 14 games.
Steel’s solidified a role in the lineup after some healthy scratches early in the season. The 23-year-old has four goals and four assists in 25 games.
The Ducks previously had no extra healthy skaters on the roster. Expect a series of recalls soon from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.
Comtois and Steel will likely miss Anaheim’s next four games and could return on January 6 against the Detroit Red Wings.
Los Angeles Kings Activate Drew Doughty, Place Two In COVID Protocol
Defenseman Drew Doughty has exited the NHL’s COVID protocol, but the Los Angeles Kings added right wing Dustin Brown and defenseman Olli Maatta to the list today, per a team tweet.
In a corresponding move, the team assigned center Alex Turcotte, their fifth-overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft, to the taxi squad. Centers Quinton Byfield and Phillip Danault as well as goalie Cal Petersen remain in COVID protocol.
Doughty’s faced multiple injury and health concerns this season, but he’s been extremely productive for the Kings when in the lineup. He’s averaging 24:49 per game and has 13 points through 11 contests, and his return to the lineup will be hotly anticipated.
Brown has just four goals through 30 games and Maatta has struggled to stay in the lineup this year, but it’s still a hit to the Kings’ depth. They’ll likely miss the Kings’ next three games and are eligible to return on January 6 against the Nashville Predators.
New York Rangers Add Three To COVID Protocol
The New York Rangers added defensemen Patrik Nemeth and Ryan Lindgren as well as goaltender Alexandar Georgiev to the NHL’s COVID protocol, the team announced via a tweet Sunday afternoon.
New York was one of the few teams without any players in COVID protocol entering today. With left wing Artemi Panarin and defensemen Nils Lundkvist currently unavailable, expect multiple recalls from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack prior to the Rangers’ next game — if it happens. Their next scheduled contest is on December 29 against the Florida Panthers, who placed four players into COVID protocol today.
Lindgren and Nemeth had combined for just six points this year, but Lindgren’s been an integral piece of the Rangers defense on a pairing with superstar Adam Fox. He’s averaging 20:20 per game and leads the team in +/-. Nemeth has been solid enough in a third-pairing role as well.
Georgiev had struggled between the pipes to begin the season but was on a recent heater with more starts due to Igor Shesterkin‘s injury. He’s worked his way back up to a .902 save percentage on the year.
Nemeth, Lindgren, and Georgiev will be out for the Rangers’ next four games. If healthy, they’ll be eligible to return to the lineup on January 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Philadelphia Flyers Add Sean Couturier, Ryan Ellis To COVID Protocol
The Philadelphia Flyers announced Sunday that center Sean Couturier was placed in the NHL’s COVID protocol on December 21, while defenseman Ryan Ellis and two staff members entered protocol today.
There are now five Flyers skaters in COVID protocol, joining forwards Kevin Hayes, Morgan Frost, and Max Willman.
Couturier, after hovering near a point-per-game pace for the last three seasons, has just six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 29 games this year (0.59 points per game). Despite that, he’s still averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game and is steady as ever defensively.
Ellis was already out of the lineup with a lower-body injury, but was expected to return around the holiday break. Injuries have limited him to just four games this season, his first with the Flyers after arriving via trade from the Nashville Predators.
Couturier will miss the next two of Philadelphia’s games and could be eligible to return on New Years Day against the Los Angeles Kings. Ellis, as he was just added today, will miss more time. If healthy, he could return on January 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, missing the team’s next four games at the least.