Drake Batherson Removed From COVID Protocol
Finally, the Ottawa Senators have no one left in the COVID protocol. Drake Batherson was officially activated this morning, giving the team their full complement of non-injured players for the first time in nearly a month.
Batherson in particular hasn’t played since November 13, a game in which he scored four points to lift the Senators over the Pittsburgh Penguins. In fact, the 23-year-old forward has been one of the few bright spots in Ottawa this season and still leads the team in scoring (by three points) despite missing the last two weeks.
His return should help the team right away, but things are rolling right off the tracks in Ottawa lately. The team has lost five in a row, allowing at least four goals in each game and being outscored 25-10 overall. They’ll get a chance to right the ship tomorrow night against the reeling Vancouver Canucks, who have been battling for the label of worst circus in Canada over the past few weeks as well.
It’s important to get Batherson back on the ice and contributing, given the long-term contract he signed this offseason. Inking a six-year, $29.85MM contract is no small feat for a team like Ottawa that works under an internal budget, and it actually made him the team’s highest-paid forward until Brady Tkachuk finally signed his own RFA deal. We’ll have to wait and see if Batherson is ready to contribute at the same high level right away, but getting him out of the protocol and back on the active roster is a positive step.
Edmonton Oilers Issue Injury Updates
The Western Conference-leading Edmonton Oilers had a number of names back at practice on Monday, but head coach Dave Tippett was quick to qualify these appearances. As the Oilers look to stay hot and cement themselves as the team to beat out west, they want to be at full strength and are heading in the right direction. However, some players are further along than others in their recoveries.
Defensemen Darnell Nurse and Duncan Keith are the closest to returning to the lineup, per Tippett. Keith has been dealing with a nagging upper-body injury that was reaggravated early last week and has sidelined him since. Nurse landed on injured reserve two weeks ago with a broken finger, but appears ready to go. While Tippett stated that Nurse needs to be officially cleared by the team’s medical staff, which could keep him on the shelf through his three-week recovery timeline, Keith is more of a matter of how he is feeling and when he personally believes he is ready to return. Nurse is the Oilers’ leader in average time on ice while Keith is unsurprisingly the team leader in career time on ice, so Edmonton is eager to get both back on the blue line.
Also within a week or so of returning is forward Devin Shore. While not quite ready to return just yet from an undisclosed upper-body injury, Tippett did not rule out that he could return next week. Though Shore has played a limited role for the Oilers so far, the 27-year-old forward is a useful piece for a team constantly looking for depth up front.
They could receive more reinforcements up front at some point from rookie Dylan Holloway as well. However, of all the players back on the ice at practice, Holloway is the furthest from returning. Holloway initially suffered a fractured wrist back in March which required surgery in September, with Holloway receiving a three-month recovery timeline. Tippett expects the 2020 first-round pick to see his recovery through in full, making it unlikely that he plays at all in December. Still, the fact that he is back skating is encouraging for the Oilers, who would very much like to see the talented young forward in NHL action.
Finally, the most high-profile injury in Edmonton this season has belonged to expected starting goaltender Mike Smith. Smith landed on injured reserve in October and it was unclear how long the veteran netminder would remain on the shelf. The situation became more muddied earlier this month when he suffered a setback just as he was expected to return. Well, Smith has been on the ice four days in a row now according to Tippett, including taking live shots for the first time today. With Mikko Koskinen playing well, the Oilers won’t rush the 39-year-old Smith back into action, but it seems like he is poised to return sooner rather than later.
Minor Transactions: 11/29/21
Perhaps the American Thanksgiving break spurred some action in players and teams alike, as there has been a flurry of intriguing moves of late – and not just in the NHL. Keep up with the action in the minors, Europe, and more right here:
- After clearing unconditional waivers on Thursday and seeing his contract terminated by the Nashville Predators, Patrick Harper has found a new home. HPK of Finland’s Liiga has announced a deal with the former Boston University standout for the remainder of the season. While Harper recorded 115 points in 128 NCAA games, that scoring touch has all but disappeared in the pros. He recorded only two points in 15 AHL games last season, which earned him a demotion to the ECHL, and was held scoreless through nine AHL games this game as well. Harper seemingly feels a fresh start in a new league could be the answer to this development hiccup – and at just 23 years old he could be right – but a move to Europe via contract termination isn’t a strong signal of a long career to come in North America.
- Another college star at a crossroads is defenseman Will Cullen. After an excellent 2020-21 season with Bowling Green State University, Cullen was on NHL radars this off-season and could have signed an AHL contract. Instead, Cullen decided to extend his NCAA career as a graduate transfer at Miami University, likely hoping to earn an entry-level contract this spring. However, this lasted just seven games, as Cullen has departed the RedHawks early to sign an AHL deal with the Bridgeport Islanders. While this could be seen as just a delayed inevitability, Cullen’s late transition means that he will head to the ECHL to begin his pro career. He now has to climb a couple of pro ranks if he wants to make his way to the NHL. A puck-moving defenseman who logged 25 points and a +20 rating in 28 games last season, Cullen has the ability but needs to make the most of an unusual midseason transition.
- NHL veteran David Booth is not quite done. After taking last season off, Booth is back in the game, signing in Norway where he last suited up in 2019-20. The 37-year-old has inked a one-year deal with Valerenga, the team announced. Booth last played in the NHL in 2017-18 with the Detroit Red Wings, but has spent five of his past six seasons in Europe after nine years in the NHL to begin his pro career. With over 500 games and 230 points in the NHL to his credit, Booth is still a major addition for Valerenga – or any roster in Norway – despite his age.
- The WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes are potentially buying low on a 2022 NHL Draft prospect, hoping he can help turn their season around or at least become a core piece down the road. Forward Tristan Zandee has been acquired from the Calgary Hitmen at the meager price of a 2022 fifth-round pick, the Hurricanes announced. Zandee has desirable size at 6’3″ and 200 lbs. but has struggled to score in the WHL with nine points in 21 games in last year’s shortened campaign and only three points through 15 games so far this year. However, that hasn’t stopped some NHL Draft sources from eyeing Zandee as an intriguing prospect given his stature and previous production in the AJHL. Getting a fresh start in Lethbridge, Zandee could find himself with more scoring opportunity and a chance to boost both his development and his draft stock.
Jake DeBrusk Requests Trade
The Boston Bruins made Jake DeBrusk a healthy scratch again over the weekend, and it appears as though there is finally a split coming between the two sides. Ryan Rishaug of TSN confirmed with DeBrusk’s agent that he has requested a trade out of Boston, and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet notes that the two are working to find him a fresh start.
DeBrusk, 25, is one of the infamous three first-round draft picks the Bruins made in 2015 and for quite some time, was regarded as the only one that had “worked out.” While Jakub Zboril and Zachary Senyshyn toiled in the minor leagues, DeBrusk was playing in the NHL, recording 62 goals over his first three seasons in the league.
Those numbers have dropped considerably since the start of 2020-21 though, with just eight goals and 20 points in 58 games over the last two seasons. With that decreased production the winger has also found inconsistent playing time, moving up and down the lineup.
On the second season of a two-year, $7.35MM ($4.675MM AAV) deal signed in November 2020, DeBrusk can become a restricted free agent once again next summer. It’s just a “could” because whatever team owns his rights at that point would need to issue him a $4.41MM qualifying offer just to retain them as an RFA. That’s certainly not a slam dunk given the way he’s played recently, especially when it would also come with the risk of arbitration.
Still, it’s easy to see how a team would think they can squeeze a top-six player out of DeBrusk. He has all the skills to score at a high level, as shown by his 27-goal season in 2018-19, he can be a physical presence when he wants to be, and there’s powerplay upside if deployed properly. If the asking price isn’t prohibitive, both contending teams and those that are rebuilding could be interested in the winger.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Brad Marchand Suspended Three Games
The Department of Player Safety has issued a three-game suspension to Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand for slew-footing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson last night.
As the accompanying video explains:
It is important to note that there are many occasions during the course of a game where players use either their legs or their stick and upper body to restrain or impede opponents, or to gain leverage during a puck battle. When these players rise to the level of being illegal, the vast majority of them can be adequately punished with in-game penalties.
What causes this play to rise to the level of supplementary discipline, is Marchand’s use of both his upper and lower body to take Ekman-Larsson to the ice in a dangerous fashion and the speed at which the players are traveling towards the boards.
While the video includes reasoning on why it rises to the level of supplementary discipline, it’s Marchand’s lengthy history with the DoPS that makes it a three-game ban. The Bruins forward has been suspended six times in the past, including once for a slew foot in 2015.
Ekman-Larsson did not suffer a serious injury on the play. Marchand was also not penalized, but he will have to sit down for the Bruins next three games and forfeit more than $90K in salary.
William Karlsson Enters COVID Protocol
Though he’s still on long-term injured reserve and hasn’t played in a month, William Karlsson has been moved into the COVID protocol, according to Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer, who spoke with reporters including Jesse Granger of The Athletic today. Karlsson was moved to long-term injured reserve recently when the team activated Max Pacioretty, as the Golden Knights continue to perform a delicate salary cap dance.
It’s been four weeks since Karlsson broke his foot and was given a six-week recovery timeline, meaning this doesn’t necessarily take him out of the picture for any game action. It could however set his rehab back, as if Karlsson tested positive and is experiencing any symptoms, he’ll have to isolate for a minimum of ten days. After a solid few years in Vegas it’s been a hard start to the season for the 28-year-old center, who has just eight games under his belt and registered just three points in that time.
DeBoer provided updates on some other players, indicating that Nolan Patrick has taken some positive steps in his recovery but is not close to returning. Patrick hasn’t played in over a month and remains a “What could have been?” candidate now nearly five years into his NHL career. It’s been nothing but injuries for the 2017 second-overall pick, including a migraine issue that kept him out the entire 2019-20 season. Patrick is signed through the 2022-23 season, but it is completely unclear whether he’ll ever be able to get his career back on track. He has just five goals and ten points since the end of the 2018-19 season.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Penguins, Avalanche
The NHL has released the Three Stars for last week, and Alex Ovechkin has taken home the top spot once again. The Russian Machine notched his 28th career hat trick and totaled seven points on the week, taking him ahead of Connor McDavid and into second place in the league scoring race. His 19 goals in 22 games (at age-36 no less) have brought him within 145 of Wayne Gretzky‘s all-time record and has him just 17 behind Jaromir Jagr for third place. With four years left on his new extension and still 60 games left this season, it seems to be a matter of when, not if, Ovechkin will set the NHL record for goals.
Second and third place have been given to Tristan Jarry and Cale Makar respectively, after two more fantastic weeks. Jarry stopped 91 of 93 shots he faced to win all three games for the Pittsburgh Penguins, bringing his overall record to 10-4-3 on the year. The 26-year-old netminder has now played more minutes than any other goalie in the league and has a .936 save percentage on the year. Makar meanwhile is showing once again why he has been a Norris nominee through his first two seasons in the league, as the 23-year-old defenseman now has nine goals and 20 points in 16 games. That’s just two points behind John Carlson for the most by a defenseman, despite having played six fewer games so far and his 1.25 points-per-game rate ties him for sixth among all players (not just defensemen) that have suited up at least ten times.
- While Jarry has led the Penguins to a better record of late, he might be getting some help soon. Evgeni Malkin was on the ice at practice today in a non-contact sweater, and though there’s still no exact timeline for his return to action, it’s good to see him back with teammates. The 35-year-old hasn’t played yet this season after offseason surgery but would obviously be a huge boost to the Penguins when healthy. That’s especially true now that Bryan Rust has been listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. He’s not with the team on their current road trip, which starts tonight against the Calgary Flames and lasts through December 10.
- Speaking of teams that may soon receive help, the Avalanche could have Nathan MacKinnon back on Wednesday according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic, who tweets that though nothing is official, it’s “looking like” the superstar center will return against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, that news also comes with a bad injury update, as Ryan Murray is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury that the team is still evaluating. Murray lasted just 11 seconds before leaving the team’s game against Nashville on Saturday.
Evander Kane Clears Waivers, Has “Multiple Options”
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane has cleared waivers and is expected to be assigned to the AHL. Previous reports have made it clear that the Sharks would retain salary in order to facilitate a trade of the veteran forward, and Kane’s new agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey told Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV that there are “multiple options on the table.” Milstein even included the Vancouver Canucks specifically as one of the teams he will be contacting as he tries to get his client a new home.
Remember that once Kane is activated from his suspension, assigning him to the minor leagues will not remove his entire cap hit from the Sharks books, nor will it mean the team owes him any less in salary. His $7MM cap hit would only be reduced by $1.125MM and the remainder of his salary would need to be paid out. So far in the season his cap hit was removed because of the 21-game suspension he received for violating league COVID protocols, but that expired when the Sharks defeated the Chicago Blackhawks last night.
It’s unclear at this point whether Kane will actually suit up for the Barracuda, but perhaps playing AHL games would be beneficial to both sides if a trade is to be worked out. Of course, despite all of the off-ice issues that have followed Kane around for most of his career, he’s coming off an excellent season with the Sharks in 2020-21. In the team’s 56 games, he registered 22 goals and 49 points, the best per-game rate of his career.
Professional sports organizations are often willing to overlook off-ice (or field, or court) transgressions because of the skill of a player, and it is important to note that Kane was cleared of both the gambling and domestic abuse investigations that the NHL held this offseason. Whether a team will take the chance on him remains to be seen, but his time with the Sharks does appear to be over, at least for now.
Logan Shaw Clears Waivers
Nov 29: Shaw has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the AHL.
Nov 28: In addition to the Sharks’ Evander Kane hitting waivers today, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Ottawa Senators are waiving forward Logan Shaw as well.
With forward Drake Batherson becoming the last Senator to be activated from COVID-19 protocol, Ottawa needed an additional roster spot with waiver claim Adam Gaudette joining the team.
Shaw’s gotten into 16 games with the Sens this season, scoring a goal and two assists while averaging just 9:26 of ice time per game. He spent the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign with the AHL’s Belleville Senators, which is where he’ll be going if he clears waivers on Monday.
Shaw, a veteran of 231 NHL games with Ottawa, Winnipeg, Montreal, Anaheim, and Florida, is in the second year of a $1.45MM two-way contract.
Daniel Briere Linked To Montreal Canadiens GM Job
Montreal Canadiens president and CEO Geoff Molson met with the media for more than an hour today to discuss the recent changes in senior leadership. He discussed several things, including the dismissal of former general manager Marc Bergevin, the appointment of the new executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton, and the search for the team’s next GM. The team continues to explain to fans that the next GM will speak french, which immediately set off speculation across the hockey world on who could be a candidate for the job.
One interesting point Molson made, however, is that the Canadiens are open to hiring someone who does not have previous GM experience. The executive pointed to the fact that Bergevin himself did not have any GM experience when he was hired in 2012, and the new front office boss will have Gorton to lean on in a partnership.
With that in mind, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports that Daniel Briere is “very high up on the list” of candidates for the GM job. That would certainly make sense, given his familiarity with the language, market, and Gorton. The Gatineau native played the 2013-14 season for the Canadiens and has been running the Maine Mariners of the ECHL–a team that was affiliated with the New York Rangers when Gorton was in charge–since 2017. Briere is considered an up-and-coming executive after his long, successful NHL career, though jumping from the ECHL directly into the Montreal GM job would certainly be a leap.
Of course, the Canadiens are likely to hire several people after firing not only Bergevin but also assistant GM Trevor Timmins and seeing assistant GM Scott Mellanby resign. Even Molson admitted today that the job is too big for one person, explaining his regret that he didn’t insulate Bergevin further with another high-ranking executive. Obviously, Gorton–who signed a long-term deal–will be one of the decision-makers, but whoever does take the GM job will need assistants as well.
In all, this should be an exciting search that could result in a huge opportunity being given to someone who has yet to lead an NHL front office. Briere is very high up on the list, but that list is long.