Snapshots: Jets, Edmundson, PHF
The Winnipeg Jets are could have additional positive COVID-19 results overnight, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. Winnipeg is set to host their home opener tomorrow night against the Anaheim Ducks and already had captain Blake Wheeler ruled out.
If they do lose more players before tomorrow’s game, it’s brutal news for a team that is already off to a very slow start. The Jets haven’t won a game in their first three and have already allowed 14 goals. (Update: Seravalli reports that it might not be as bad as originally feared, as some tests that originally came back as positive have now been confirmed as negatives.)
- Montreal Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson is recovering from injury, but he won’t be back with the team just yet. GM Marc Bergevin explained to reporters today including John Lu of TSN that Edmundson is taking a leave from the team to be with his father who is suffering from cancer. Edmundson has not yet played this season.
- The Premier Hockey Federation, formerly the NWHL, has announced a broadcast deal with ESPN that will see all 60 regular season games streamed on ESPN+. PHF commissioner Tyler Tumminia calls it a “significant step” in the league’s history, and gives them an enhanced standard of delivery.
AHL Shuffle: 10/20/21
It’s a quiet day on the NHL schedule with only two games scheduled, so the AHL transaction wire is equally silent. Still, there have been a couple of moves and as always we’ll keep track of any further ones right here.
Atlantic Division
- The Ottawa Senators have sent Filip Gustavsson to the AHL, as Matt Murray is expected to make the start tonight against the San Jose Sharks. Murray is still “the guy” according to head coach D.J. Smith, despite his struggles last season and the emergence of Gustavsson as an NHL option.
Metropolitan Division
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Gabriel Carlsson from the AHL, giving them another defensive option after Zach Werenski took a “maintenance day” and wasn’t at practice. Carlsson, 24, played in 14 games for the Blue Jackets last season and recorded four points.
Central Division
Pacific Division
- After clearing waivers, Nic Petan has been officially assigned to the Abbotsford Canucks. The 26-year-old will once again be forced to ply his trade in the minor leagues, where he has been a point-per-game player for some time.
Nic Petan Clears Waivers; Brock Boeser Activated
Oct 20: Petan has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.
Oct 19: The Vancouver Canucks have placed Nic Petan on waivers, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The forward had yet to appear in a game for the Canucks this season, and with Brock Boeser nearing a return, the team needed to open up a roster spot. In fact, Vancouver announced that Boeser has been activated and Petan has been designated for assignment, meaning should he clear, he’ll automatically be assigned to the Abbotsford Canucks.
Petan, 26 has bounced between the minors and NHL for years now, playing a handful of games each season and routinely dominating the minor leagues. In fact, since the start of 2017-18 he has been a better than point-per-game player in the AHL, racking up 98 points in 91 games. There just hasn’t been that kind of production in the NHL though, and the shifty, undersized playmaker has found himself watching from the outside more often than not.
For the Canucks, Boeser’s return is essential if they want to compete in the Pacific Division playoff race. They were held to just one goal by the Detroit Red Wings in their last match, despite posting 41 shots on net. Boeser’s elite finishing ability will come in handy, giving them another weapon at both even-strength and on the powerplay.
Snapshots: Kravtsov, Thornton, Bertuzzi
The New York Rangers were hoping to convince Vitali Kravtsov to return and play for the Hartford Wolf Pack, but with the disgruntled forward back in Russia, it appears as though that’s off the table. That doesn’t mean there isn’t interest in him around the league though, as Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet tweets that as many as 15 teams have inquired.
Though he doesn’t list all of them, Kypreos does report that the Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, and Ottawa Senators are among those 15. Inquired is certainly not a trade offer, but it does appear as though the Rangers will have suitors if they decide to move Kravtsov at some point this season.
- The NHL Department of Player Safety has fined Joe Thornton of the Florida Panthers $1,875 for “slashing” Tampa Bay Lightning forward Boris Katchouk last night. While battling for a puck, Thornton completed a cup check on the young Katchouk, sending him to the ice in a heap of pain. The veteran forward received a two-minute penalty on the play and will have to pay a little bit extra for the trouble.
- Tyler Bertuzzi is off to a scorching hot start to the season, with a league-leading five goals in three games. The Detroit Red Wings forward is coming off a season lost to injury and ready to show the league he’s still as dangerous as ever. Unfortunately, that hot start will be put on pause after tomorrow’s game against the Calgary Flames. The Red Wings will travel to Montreal for Saturday’s matchup against the Canadiens, and Bertuzzi confirmed to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press that he’ll be watching from home. One of the few unvaccinated players in the league, Bertuzzi is unable to travel to Canada without serving a quarantine, so will remain in Detroit while the team goes on the road.
Dmytro Timashov Signs In SHL
When Dmytro Timashov agreed to terminate his contract with the New York Islanders this week, just a month after signing it, there was a good chance he already had an agreement somewhere else. That proved to be true, as Timashov has signed a two-year contract with Brynas IF of the SHL.
Still just 25, Timashov played in the NHL as recently as last season, suiting up for one game with the Islanders–the 45th of his career. A fifth-round pick in 2015, he has shown an ability to score in bunches in the minors, but has a difficult time locking down a full-time role at the highest level. With this new deal, he’ll put that battle behind him and focus on a Swedish league that he’s very familiar with.
Despite being born in Ukraine, Timashov actually came up through the Swedish minor hockey system and even played three SHL games for MODO before leaving for North America. A return home should help him get his career back on track and at least provide him with reliable, consistent minutes. Unlike some other players who depart for Europe near the end of their playing days, Timashov should be considered a potential free agent down the road who could return as a depth option.
Artem Anisimov Signs In KHL
After failing to earn an NHL contract, Artem Anisimov has left for the KHL. The 33-year-old center was in training camp with the Colorado Avalanche, but after being released earlier this month has now signed a one-year deal with HC Lokomotiv, his old team.
It’s been years since Anisimov played in Russia, and even longer since he spent a whole season with Lokomotiv. Selected in the second round in 2006, it was clear that Anisimov’s heart was set on coming to North America and making a name for himself in the NHL. By the 2007-08 season he was grinding in the minor leagues with the Hartford Wolf Pack, a team he would spend two full years with before making the jump to the NHL.
Once he made it, the big center never looked back. Anisimov played in 771 NHL games over 12 seasons, only appearing back across the pond during the 2012-13 lockout. As soon as the NHL resumed, Anisimov was back playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets, providing his consistent two-way play.
Never a star, Anisimov was still a valuable piece for the Rangers, Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks for many years. Even in 2019-20 with the Ottawa Senators, he recorded 15 goals in 49 games, though it was clear by then his NHL career was coming to an end. Still just 33, he should be able to play for several more years overseas, but it seems unlikely that he’ll be an impact player on this side of the ocean ever again.
NHL Department Of Player Safety Suspends Pavel Buchnevich For Two Games
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday night that St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich has been suspended two games for a headbutt to the Arizona Coyotes’ Lawson Crouse.
Per TSN’s Chris Johnston, Buchnevich is considered a repeat offender and forfeits $141,463.41 in salary over the course of the two-game suspension.
Buchnevich holds that repeat offender status due to a one-game suspension handed out in May 2021 for high-sticking Anthony Mantha of the Washington Capitals. It occurred during the New York Rangers’ first match against the Washington Capitals after the now infamous Tom Wilson incident, which Buchnevich was notably a victim of when Wilson delivered a punch to the head of Buchnevich while he was down on the ice.
The Blues have gotten good scoring distribution from throughout their lineup, and they’ll attempt to continue that in the absence of Buchnevich. Look for Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours, two up-and-coming young wingers, to get more ice time with this hole in the lineup.
Anaheim Ducks Place Mason McTavish, Max Jones On Injured Reserve
Per CapFriendly.com (Twitter links), the Anaheim Ducks placed forwards Mason McTavish and Max Jones on the injured reserve list Tuesday night ahead of their contest against the Edmonton Oilers.
In their place, the team has recalled forward Sonny Milano and forward Sam Carrick from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. They’ll likely serve as healthy scratches tonight, allowing Sam Steel to draw into the lineup for the first time this season and for Derek Grant to return to the lineup.
It’s a rough break especially for the 18-year-old McTavish, who was drafted third overall this past year and has a goal and an assist through his first three games. He’ll miss at least the next ten days’ worth of action.
Milano and Carrick could make their season debuts during their callups. Milano missed a good portion of last season due to injury but still carries scoring upside. Carrick had the most productive year of his career at the NHL level last season, notching six points in 13 games during his time with the big club.
Minor Transactions: 10/19/21
While a long list of NHL games caps off this Tuesday night, there was a lot of movement at lower levels of the North American hockey depth chart today. As NHL teams deal with a trend of injuries across the league, it carries a ripple effect across both the AHL and ECHL, forcing roster moves. Here are today’s minor transactions:
- The AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders, affiliate of New York, have recalled forward Erik Brown from the ECHL’s Worcester Railers, per the Connecticut Post’s Michael Fornabaio. Brown has been a fringe AHL player since ending his collegiate career with the Rochester Institute of Technology, but the 26-year-old logged his first AHL point, an assist, in 13 games last year with Bridgeport. It was his first full professional season after missing the entirety of 2019-20.
- The Chicago Wolves assigned goalie Beck Warm to the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals today. Warm, who’s on a two-way NHL deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, will make his ECHL debut if he stays but already has one full professional season under his belt. An undrafted free agent, Warm impressed in 14 AHL games with Chicago last year, posting an 8-4-1 record and .914 save percentage. He’s been forced down the depth chart with the addition of NHL-experienced Alex Lyon into the organization as the team’s third goalie, however, and he could take a starting role in Norfolk.
- The St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, assigned forward Shawn Cameron to the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits, per the ECHL’s transaction page for October 19. Cameron split last season between Greenville and the AHL’s Utica Comets, where he scored three points (including his first AHL goal) in 11 games. He fared much better in Greenville, notching 10 points in 23 games.
Injury Notes: Hughes, Dunn, Stars
The Vancouver Canucks have yet to play with a healthy core this season, and unfortunately, that trend will continue tonight. While winger Brock Boeser will be back in the lineup as reported earlier today, now defenseman Quinn Hughes is injured and will miss tonight’s game, per The Athletic’s Thomas Drance. After signing a six-year, $47.1MM extension prior to the season starting, Hughes has performed well with two points in three games while logging 27:39 a night. Veteran defenseman Brad Hunt draws into the lineup in his place, according to the team’s line rushes.
More injury notes ahead of tonight’s games:
- After missing the past two games with an injury, The Athletic’s Ryan S. Clark reports Seattle Kraken defender Vince Dunn will return to the lineup. Slotting back onto a pair with Jeremy Lauzon, Dunn has an assist in two games but has played just 15:08 per game, a far cry from the role he was expected to play with the team. He’ll have to work overtime now in order to work his way back into the team’s top-four.
- The Dallas Stars are missing both John Klingberg and Jason Robertson for tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, per the Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks. Both remain day-to-day as Robertson has yet to slot into the lineup this season, while Klingberg played just 10:21 of the Stars’ first game. It’ll be tough to knock off the Penguins, who have yet to lose in regulation, without two key players.