Seeking Writers For Pro Hockey Rumors
Earlier this year, as the sports world started to return to some semblance of normalcy, Pro Hockey Rumors put out a call for new writers. We were lucky enough to find a suitable candidate and grow the PHR family with the addition of Josh Erickson. Now, with the calendar inching toward 2022, we’re looking to grow our staff again.
PHR is looking to hire a part-time contributor. The position pays on an hourly basis.
Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
- Exceptional knowledge of all 32 NHL teams, with no discernible bias.
- Knowledge of the salary cap, CBA, and transaction-related concepts.
- At least some college education.
- Extensive writing experience, with professional experience and a background in journalism both strongly preferred.
- Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics, and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is strongly preferred.
- Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
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- Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance creating quick copy with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers, or links to other relevant articles.
- Ability to use Twitter, Tweetdeck, and other relevant platforms. In general, you must be able to multi-task.
- Flexibility. You must be available to work on short notice.
If you’re interested, email prohockeyrumorshelp@
We understand that many of those who read this have applied in the past. If you have previously submitted an application for PHR and are still interested, please submit it again. Many will apply, so unfortunately we cannot respond to every applicant.
Igor Shesterkin Placed On Injured Reserve
The New York Rangers have moved starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin to injured reserve with a lower-body injury, but it appears as though he may have avoided a long-term absence. Head coach Gerard Gallant explained that the team is confident that Shesterkin will be back in a week, missing only the team’s next three games. An IR stint means he will be off the roster for a minimum of seven days.
The team has recalled Adam Huska in the meantime, as veteran Keith Kinkaid is believed to be in quarantine due to a COVID outbreak with the Hartford Wolf Pack, according to Arthur Staple of The Athletic. Huska was basically the only option, given 23-year-old Tyler Wall is the only other goaltender signed to an NHL contract in the organization. Wall has 19 games of professional experience, eight of them coming at the ECHL level this season.
Huska isn’t much further along in his career, but with Shesterkin only expected to miss a few games the 24-year-old likely isn’t going to make an appearance anyway. The team will lean on Alexander Georgiev for the time being, as they take on the Chicago Blackhawks (tonight and Tuesday) and Colorado Avalanche (Wednesday). Shesterkin could be activated in time for next Friday’s match, though obviously, the medical staff will have to see how he responds during his week off.
The Rangers have taken a huge step forward this season and much of that is thanks to the outstanding play of Shesterkin, who currently leads the NHL in wins with 13. The 25-year-old netminder has posted a .937 save percentage through 18 appearances and is very much in the mix (or perhaps leading) for the Vezina Trophy. Gallant points out that “rest won’t hurt” the young goaltender, and news of his return in just a week will allow Rangers fans to breathe a huge sigh of relief after what looked like a potentially serious injury last night.
Matt Murray Will Play Again For Ottawa
The Matt Murray era has been an unmitigated disaster in Ottawa. Since the Senators gave up a second-round pick and prospect Jonathan Gruden to acquire the up-and-down netminder from the Pittsburgh Penguins before the 2020-21 season and signed him to an unsubstantiated four-year, $25MM contract, they have seen almost all down and no up. Murray has a 10-18-1 record with an .892 save percentage and 3.35 GAA, easily the worst numbers of his career. The Senators ran out of patience with their overpriced and underperforming starter last week, placing Murray on waivers and, after he unsurprisingly cleared, reassigned him to the AHL’s Belleville Senators. It seemed like it could be the beginning of the end of a troubled relationship between team and player.
Yet, Pierre Dorion feels otherwise. The Ottawa GM made it clear when speaking with the media on Saturday that that Senators are not done with Murray. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that Dorion stated definitively that Murray will play for the Senators again and Dorion expects that to come at some point this season. “He’s just got to find his game, not be under the NHL microscope,” Dorion said. “At some point in time he’ll be back with Ottawa.” Dorion added that Murray has had factors working against him during his time in Ottawa, including injuries and a change in goaltending coach, but that the team remains confident that he can return to form and re-gain a role on the NHL roster.
Seeing as the Senators don’t need the cap savings afforded by having Murray in the minors nor will they part ways with trade capital to move Murray, it does seem likely that the veteran netminder will play out his contract in Ottawa barring a buyout or mutual termination or a major shift in the status quo of his trade value. However, that does not mean that Murray’s welfare needs to take precedence for the rebuilding Senators. Murray’s replacement on the NHL roster is Filip Gustavsson and the well-regarded 23-year-old is much more important to Ottawa’s future than is Murray, as evidenced by the club’s decision to protect the former over the latter in the Seattle Expansion Draft this past summer. With Anton Forsberg playing well and NHL experience of vital importance to potential future starter Gustavsson, why rush Murray back this season? What is more is that Ottawa also has several other impressive prospects pushing their way through the system, such as Mads Sogaard and Kevin Mandolese, who could also come into play next season and beyond and would seemingly be of greater importance than trying to force Murray to perform in the NHL. Unless Murray, at one point a budding star with an incredible postseason resume, can greatly improve his play – first in the AHL and then consistently in the NHL – Dorion and company should be careful not to confuse the priorities of a rebuilding team.
Injury Notes: Kucherov, Zboril, Farabee
When Nikita Kucherov was last sidelined due to injury, it took him the entire 2020-21 regular season to recover. This time around, the absence won’t be nearly as long for the 2018-19 Hart Trophy winner. Kucherov is right on track to return from the lower body injury he suffered back in October, for which he was given an eight-to-ten week recovery period after undergoing surgery. NHL.com reports that Kucherov was back at practice for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, his first time skating with the team since he was injured on October 16 – exactly seven weeks to the day. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was quick to qualify the appearance, stating that “this does not trigger anything new on his timeline; he’s still quite a ways off.” However, getting Kucherov back on the ice is the first major step toward getting the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs back to full strength. The Lightning are enjoying another solid season, even with Kuckerov and Brayden Point on the shelf, but are well behind the rival Florida Panthers for the lead in the Atlantic Division and could use the boost that a Kucherov return will bring to get back into the mix for the Eastern Conference crown.
- The Boston Bruins are still waiting on clarification on the injury to defenseman Jakub Zboril in their last game on Thursday night. Zboril took an awkward check from Nashville’s Tanner Jeannot and appeared to injure his knee. He was helped off the ice and did not return in what seemed to be a serious incident. However, the team has made no definitive statement as to Zboril’s status just yet. Boston only announced that Zboril will not play on Saturday night and will be re-evaluated in the coming days, which could mean that the injury was not as severe as it seems or it could simply be that they have not yet determined the severity. The hope is that Zboril can return as soon as possible, as the blue liner is playing the best hockey of his NHL career providing consistent and dependable play on the back end. With Zboril finally flashing the ability that made him a first-round pick in 2015, the Bruins want to keep that momentum going if at all possible.
- On the other end of the spectrum, the specifics have been revealed on the injury to Philadelphia Flyers forward Joel Farabee. The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor reports that Farabee has suffered a Grade II AC sprain in his shoulder. The typical recovery from the injury is up to six weeks, which O’Connor notes lines up with what Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault had initially suggested, even though Farabee was considered “week-to-week”. Philly will have to make do through at least the rest of the calendar year without the young scorer, who is tied for the team lead in goals.
Kings Place Blake Lizotte In COVID Protocol
The Kings have announced (Twitter link) a series of transactions highlighted with the placement of center Blake Lizotte into COVID protocol. Taking his place on the roster is Jaret Anderson-Dolan while T.J. Tynan has also been recalled to replace Kale Clague who was just claimed off waivers by Montreal.
Lizotte has played in all but one game so far this season for Los Angeles, tallying a goal and four assists while logging 11:36 per game primarily on the fourth line. The 23-year-old has also won a career-high 53.1% of his faceoffs, good for third on the team in that regard.
Anderson-Dolan was a regular with the Kings for the bulk of last season, getting into 34 games where he picked up 11 points before suiting up for Canada at the World Championships. However, with more depth down the middle this season, he has spent all of 2021-22 so far with AHL Ontario playing heavier minutes and he has responded with 13 points in 16 contests with the Reign. He should have an opportunity to move into Lizotte’s spot on the depth chart and play the type of role he had last season.
As for Tynan, the 29-year-old is in his first season with the Kings and cleared waivers back in training camp. He has been quite productive with Ontario, collecting 17 points in 12 games which puts him second in team scoring. Despite his consistent offensive numbers over the years, he has played in just 19 career NHL contests, the most recent coming back in the 2019-20 season with Colorado.
Canadiens Claim Kale Clague Off Waivers From Kings
Down multiple defensemen at the moment, the Canadiens have added some depth on the back end as they’ve claimed Kale Clague off waivers from the Kings, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports (Twitter link).
The 23-year-old somewhat surprisingly cleared waivers at the start of the season and picked up four assists in five games with AHL Ontario which helped him earn an opportunity when Los Angeles was really battling injury issues to their defense corps. Clague was actually relatively productive in his 11 games with the team, picking up five assists while logging nearly 18 minutes a game but with Drew Doughty recently returning and Clague sitting for nearly two weeks, they decided to try to send him down again.
The Canadiens have battled injury issues all season and find themselves without Jeff Petry (upper-body injury), Joel Edmundson (back injury), and Sami Niku (COVID protocol) so there is definitely a chance that Clague can secure a spot with Montreal in the short term at the very least. Laurent Dauphin was sent back to AHL Laval to make room for Clague on the roster; they will have to make another move later as well as they’ve already committed to activating Mike Hoffman off IR before tonight’s game.
Clague is making just over $761K this season and will be a restricted free agent with salary arbitration rights next summer.
Capitals Place Trevor Van Riemsdyk In COVID Protocol
Another day, another member of the Capitals in COVID protocol. After center Nic Dowd was placed there yesterday, the team announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk has been added to COVID protocol and will not be available for tonight’s game against Columbus.
After having a limited role last season where he played in only 20 games, van Riemsdyk had played in all 24 games for Washington this season, notching seven assists while logging over 17 minutes per night on their third pairing. The 30-year-old is also tied for the team lead in shot blocks with 36. The team did not confirm whether van Riemsdyk has tested positive for the virus, but if he has and is experiencing any symptoms, he’ll be out for a minimum of ten days.
Washington has been carrying eight defensemen lately so they won’t need to call anyone up to take van Riemsdyk’s spot on the roster. Instead, it appears that veteran Matt Irwin will draw in for him tonight based on practice lines. Irwin signed with the Capitals in free agency over the summer but he has been a healthy scratch for every game so far.
Canadiens Activate Mike Hoffman Off Injured Reserve
It has been a tough season for the Canadiens. After making the Stanley Cup Final, they’ve struggled mightily out of the gate this season and have been hit hard with injuries. While they’ve lost winger Josh Anderson for the next two to four weeks, Montreal will also get a player back for their game in Nashville tonight as the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Mike Hoffman will play which means he will be activated off injured reserve.
It hasn’t been a fun first year with Montreal for Hoffman who signed with them on the opening day of free agency last summer, inking a three-year, $13.5MM deal. An offseason training injury kept him out of training camp plus the start of the season and this injury has cost him three more weeks. In between those, he has recorded four goals and three assists in 13 games with five of those points coming on the man advantage.
The Canadiens are presently carrying a full 23-man roster even after transferring Anderson to IR on Friday. As a result, they will need to make some sort of roster move before the game in order to activate Hoffman and have him in the lineup tonight.
Prospect Notes: Peterka, Reichel, Zavgorodniy, Byfield
Sabres winger J.J. Peterka and Blackhawks winger Lukas Reichel were expected to anchor Germany’s entry into the upcoming World Juniors. However, neither player was on the preliminary camp roster that their federation announced yesterday. It’s not a matter of letting them stay in the minors a little longer before joining the team either as it was revealed that after consulting with both players, it was agreed that they will remain with their respective farm teams and not play in the tournament. Peterka is averaging more than a point per game with AHL Rochester this season while Reichel has a dozen points in 15 contests with Rockford. With both seemingly being on the cusp of a recall at some point, the decision has been made to not interrupt their progress even though it will make Germany’s attempt to stay in the top division that much harder.
More prospect news from around the hockey world:
- Flames prospect Dmitri Zavgorodniy is expected to leave AHL Stockton to return home to play in the KHL for the remainder of the season, reports Championat’s Pavel Panyshev. The 21-year-old forward has been limited to just six games this season with the Heat and going overseas would give him a chance at more playing time. He last played in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg but his rights in that league now belong with HC Sochi after they swung a deal for his rights earlier today.
- Kings center Quinton Byfield took part in a full practice on Friday as he continues to work his way back from a fractured ankle sustained in the preseason, relays Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider. The 2020 second-overall pick played in six games with Los Angeles last season plus 32 in AHL Ontario where he had 20 points in 32 contests, impressive numbers for someone that was basically a double underager in that league.
AHL Shuffle: 12/04/21
It’s Saturday which means it’s a busy slate on the schedule today with 20 teams in action which means there should be plenty of roster movement throughout the day. We’ll keep track of those moves here.
Atlantic Division
- The Senators announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled defenseman Dillon Heatherington from AHL Belleville. The 26-year-old played in three games with Ottawa last month, averaging more than 17 minutes a night in his first NHL action in more than two years. He’ll give the Sens some extra depth on their back end as they’re now carrying eight blueliners on their active roster.
- The Bruins have recalled center Oskar Steen and defenseman Jack Ahcan, per the AHL’s transactions log. Steen has two assists in as many games with Boston this season and has been quite productive with Providence, notching 13 points in 12 contests. Ahcan, meanwhile, made his NHL debut last season in his first professional campaign and is off to a strong start in the minors with 10 points in 17 AHL contests.
- After claiming Kale Clague and activating Mike Hoffman, the Montreal Canadiens needed to create some space. The team has announced that Laurent Dauphin and Corey Schueneman have been reassigned to the AHL’s Laval Rocket as the corresponding moves.
- The Florida Panthers have sent Aleksi Heponiemi and Matt Kiersted back to the minor leagues after this afternoon’s game, a shootout win against the St. Louis Blues. Neither one played, and the Panthers don’t hit the ice again until Tuesday.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have activated Ondrej Kase from injured reserve, moving Kyle Clifford to the Marlies to make room on the roster. Not only does that open a roster spot, but Clifford’s $1MM cap hit comes off the books.
Metropolitan Division
- The Devils have returned defenseman Colton White back to Utica, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 24-year-old was recalled nearly a month ago from the Comets but has only played sparingly since then, suiting up just four times over that stretch. He has logged just over 13 minutes a game in six NHL contests this season (including an earlier stint with the big club) but will have an opportunity for a bigger role back in the minors.
- The Rangers have recalled goaltender Adam Huska along with center Morgan Barron, per the AHL’s transactions log. Huska is needed with Igor Shesterkin leaving Friday’s game early due to an injury and will serve as Alexandar Georgiev‘s backup in the interim with Shesterkin now on IR. As for Barron, the 23-year-old has played in two games for New York this season but has spent most of the year with AHL Hartford, notching six goals and three assists in 15 games.
Central Division
- The Blackhawks have recalled defenseman Ian Mitchell from AHL Rockford, reports Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). After playing in 39 NHL games last season, the 22-year-old has spent most of this season with the IceHogs, notching seven points in 15 games. He played in three games with Chicago earlier in the year but averaged less than nine minutes a game.
Pacific Division
This post will be updated throughout the day.