Vancouver Canucks Announce Home Opener At Full Capacity
After a change in provincial legislation today, the Vancouver Canucks announced via Twitter that their home opener on October 26 against the Minnesota Wild will be held with 100% fan capacity in the stands.
After a six-game road trip to start the season (which still has three games remaining, including Tuesday’s against Buffalo), the Canucks will return home to play in front of fans for the first time in over a year and a half. The team currently sits with a 1-1-1 record, their single win coming in the form of a 5-4 shootout victory against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Canucks, prior to today, remained the only NHL team that did not permit full capacity at games. Luckily for the team, restrictions were lifted in advance of their home opener.
A statement released by Canucks Sports and Entertainment mentions the following:
“Great news today from the Provincial Health Officer and the Province of BC,” said Michael Doyle, President, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, Business Operations. “As last season reminded us, there’s nothing like the energy and excitement that fans bring to Canucks games and live events. We’re thrilled to again be able to operate at full capacity at Rogers Arena. The Province of BC and our local health authorities have been strong partners through the pandemic, and we’ll continue to follow their vaccination guidelines to maintain a safe environment for everyone.
Vancouver’s home opener kicks off a seven-game homestand as they’ll try to gain traction in the Pacific Division standings.
Leo Komarov Assigned To AHL
It’s been quite some time since Leo Komarov suited up for an AHL match, but that’s exactly what may have to happen if he wants to continue to play professional hockey. The New York Islanders have assigned Komarov to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers after he cleared waivers earlier today, activating Matt Martin from injured reserve to take his place on the roster.
Komarov, 34, hasn’t played an AHL game since the 2012-13 season, his first year in North America after finally signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs out of the KHL. The 2006 draft choice spent years overseas before ever joining the Maple Leafs and actually returned for the 2013-14 season, but has been in the NHL ever since. In fact, it wasn’t so long ago that Komarov was lining up beside Mathew Barzal on the Islanders’ top unit–even though that became a point of amusement among many hockey fans as he clearly didn’t earn that spot on his offensive merit.
Waivers wasn’t an entirely new experience for Komarov, as he cleared three times last season. But he was never sent to the minor leagues because of the existence of the taxi squad, something that isn’t around this season. It will be interesting to see if he will actually report to Bridgeport and play in the minors, or something else will come of the veteran forward’s future. At the very least, the Islanders will receive $1.125MM in cap space by assigning him there, the maximum allowed to be buried. Komarov normally carries a $3.0MM cap hit on the final season of his four-year, $12MM deal.
It’s been years since he was effective at the opponent’s end of the rink, with just one goal and eight points in 33 games last season, but Komarov was actually once selected to an NHL All-Star Game because of his offensive contributions. In 2015-16 he recorded 19 goals in 67 games, a number that came very close to leading the rebuilding Maple Leafs. In his career, he has just 63 total tallies in 491 regular season games.
Seattle Kraken Activate Yanni Gourde
One of the Seattle Kraken with the highest expectations coming out of the expansion draft was Yanni Gourde, but that excitement was quickly squashed when GM Ron Francis announced that the former Tampa Bay Lightning forward would require shoulder surgery. Gourde was given a four-month recovery timeline, meaning he’d be back at some point in November or early December.
Hard work has paid off in this case, with Gourde activated from injured reserve well ahead of schedule. The talented center will make his Kraken debut this evening when Seattle takes on the New Jersey Devils in their fifth game of the season.
Unfortunately, good news rarely comes alone these days for the Kraken, and today is no different. The team has also moved backup goaltender Chris Driedger to injured reserve, recalling Joey Daccord from the minor leagues in his stead. Kole Lind has been moved to the AHL to make room for Gourde on the roster.
Missing just four games is a best-case scenario for Gourde, who is coming off consecutive Stanley Cup championships with the Lightning and represents the team’s best option down the middle. Though he has been known for his work as a checking-line player the last couple of years in Tampa Bay, Gourde does have exceptional offensive upside, and scored 17 goals and 36 points in 56 games last season. His career-highs of 25 goals and 64 points came in 2017-18 as Brayden Point was just breaking out and before Anthony Cirelli had established himself in the Lightning lineup. In Seattle, he should get the chance to get back to that level of offensive production given the minutes he is expected to receive.
It’s not clear exactly what happened to Driedger to put him on the shelf. He came into last night’s game in relief of Philipp Grubauer and was expected to start tonight in the second half of the back-to-back, but will now be out at least seven days. In the interim, Daccord will serve as the backup, a great chance for a young goaltender that looked very promising before injury robbed him of most of last season. In one start for the Charlotte Checkers this season, the 25-year-old Daccord stopped 26 of 27 shots for the win.
Snapshots: Draft Rankings, Golden Knights, Girard
NHL Central Scouting released their list of “players to watch” for the upcoming 2022 NHL Draft, and potential first-overall pick Shane Wright is one of 23 players ranked as an “A” prospect. The others, which include names like Brad Lambert, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Conor Geekie, and Matthew Savoie, are obviously all names to keep in mind as this year progresses.
Notably, there are only five defensemen and no goaltenders ranked as “A” prospects, with forwards dominating the top of the list this year. The group is also tilted slightly toward North American skaters, with 13 of the 23 coming from this side of the pond.
- The Vegas Golden Knights may have dodged a bullet when it comes to Mark Stone, who won’t need surgery according to Jesse Granger of The Athletic. The Golden Knights captain is somewhere “between day to day and week to week” says head coach Pete DeBoer. Mattias Janmark, meanwhile, is still in the COVID protocol and will not be available tomorrow night. DeBoer expects him to be cleared soon.
- The first three players on each Olympic roster have already been announced, but a few days ago each participating nation also had to submit a “long list” of potential NHL candidates. Though it hasn’t been released to the public yet, at least one name won’t be included. Samuel Girard told reporters including Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press that received a call from Canada GM Doug Armstrong, who explained that he did not make the long list. It certainly would have been difficult for Girard to make the team anyway, but his exclusion even from the possible targets shows just how deep the Canadian blue line is.
Two Players Placed On Unconditional Waivers
Oct 19: Both Maksimov and Timashov have cleared waivers and will see their contracts terminated.
Oct 18: While Alex Belzile and Leo Komarov hit regular waivers today, two other players are on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract terminations. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Kirill Maksimov of the Edmonton Oilers and Dmytro Timashov of the New York Islanders will become unrestricted free agents should the termination process go through tomorrow.
Maksimov, 22, is in the final year of his entry-level contract, originally signed in 2018 after the Oilers selected him in the fifth round the year prior. The young forward seems destined to return to the KHL, where he spent last season. In 16 games with CSKA Moscow in 2020-21, Maksimov scored just three points. That’s not all that much different than his production in the minors though, as he had just 13 points in 53 games for the Bakersfield Condors in 2019-20 and hadn’t yet suited up this year.
Timashov on the other hand has 45 games at the NHL level under his belt and has been a strong performer in the AHL as well. He signed a new one-year, two-way contract with the Islanders in September, but apparently is going to split ways with the organization just a month later. The KHL is certainly an option for him too, but there have been interested NHL clubs in the past.
One thing to note for the Islanders is that they were previously operating with 49 of their 50 allotted contract slots filled. Terminating Timashov’s deal will open up another, allowing them to make moves in-season to either bolster their current NHL group or add prospects like college free agents. They can’t just cut him, but if Timashov had other offers this termination would make sense for both sides.
Belzile, Komarov Clear Waivers
Oct 19: Both players have cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the minor leagues.
Oct 18: With Mike Hoffman ready to make his debut, the Montreal Canadiens have placed Alex Belzile on waivers. The team was at the maximum 23 roster spots after claiming Adam Brooks earlier this month, and needed to make room for Hoffman to come off injured reserve. The New York Islanders have also placed Leo Komarov on waivers after the veteran forward played just 10:50 on Saturday night in his only appearance of the season. Matt Martin is likely the cause in this case, as he too is ready to come off injured reserve and reclaim his spot on the team’s fourth line.
Belzile, 30, was the definition of a minor league journeyman until he appeared in the 2020 playoffs for the Canadiens, suiting up six times and registering his first NHL point. He appeared twice for the team last season, recording another assist, but is still without a goal at the NHL level. That’s certainly not the case in the minor leagues, where he is often among the scoring leaders on whatever team he suits up for. Belzile has donned the sweater of the Gwinnett Gladiators, Hamilton Bulldogs, Alaska Aces, Idaho Steelheads, Fort Wayne Komets, San Antonio Rampage, Colorado Eagles and Laval Rocket over his long career. His one-year, two-way contract carries an AHL salary of $250K, should he clear and be assigned to the Rocket once more.
Komarov meanwhile is much more expensive, as he’s in the final season of a four-year, $12MM contract signed in 2018. The 34-year-old forward will actually only earn $2MM this season but carries a $3MM cap hit, which only $1.125MM of can be buried should he be assigned to the minor leagues. Because of that, clearing waivers certainly shouldn’t be a challenge, just like he did in January, February, and March of this year. While Martin is set to jump back on the line with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck, Komarov will still likely be a useful call-up should the Islanders run into any injury trouble.
AHL Shuffle: 10/19/21
No taxi squads, no problem for teams this season as they continue to shuffle players up and down between the NHL and AHL rosters for cap purposes. Some of the more notable ones–like when a sixth-overall pick is sent down to continue his development–will be examined separately, but all the rest will be detailed here.
Atlantic Division
- The Florida Panthers have sent Matt Kiersted back to the AHL, assigning him to the Charlotte Checkers. The 23-year-old college free agent signing had an assist on Saturday night, his first NHL point. Kevin Connauton will re-enter the lineup tonight after being activated from injured reserve yesterday.
- After clearing waivers, Alex Belzile has been loaned to the minor leagues by the Montreal Canadiens. The team has Mike Hoffman making his season debut and will also insert Adam Brooks into the lineup tonight against the San Jose Sharks.
Metropolitan Division
- Egor Zamula has been activated from the injured/non-roster list and loaned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Philadelphia Flyers defenseman must be able to return to action in the coming days and will get his season started at the minor league level. The Flyers have also added Zack MacEwen, who was claimed off waivers last week, to the active roster. To make room for MacEwen, Max Willman has been loaned to the AHL.
Central Division
Pacific Division
- The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Peyton Krebs and Jake Leschyshyn from the AHL, bringing them both back up once again. The pair were both loaned down just a few days ago and seem likely to see many transactions throughout the year.
- The Edmonton Oilers have loaned Ryan McLeod to the Bakersfield Condors, after activating Devin Shore from injured reserve. McLeod has been almost invisible in the two games he has played for the Oilers this season, given just 6:21 and then 5:23 of ice time.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Pavel Buchnevich To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety
The Department of Player Safety has been busy through the first week of the season, and it won’t stop now. St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich will have a hearing today after an incident involving Arizona Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse.
Partway through the first period, the two came together in the corner and after the Coyotes forward delivered a cross-check, Buchnevich appeared to deliver a headbutt to the face of Crouse. The St. Louis forward was given a game misconduct and a match penalty–the latter of which comes with an automatic review from the DoPS–racking up 20 penalty minutes in one short lunge.
This isn’t the first headbutting controversy the league has dealt with in the early part of the season. Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames was given a $5,000 fine for roughing when it was determined his play–which many believed included a headbutt–did not rise to the level of a suspension.
That won’t be the case here, as Buchnevich is expected to be suspended.
Nick Robertson Out 10 Weeks With Broken Leg
If you were a Toronto Maple Leafs fan counting the days until top prospect Nicholas Robertson gets recalled, you might need to find a new hobby. The young forward suffered a broken right fibula in Sunday’s AHL contest and will be out a minimum of ten weeks. Robertson will not undergo surgery.
The uninspiring play of Nick Ritchie on the Maple Leafs’ top line through the first few games of the season has many wondering if Robertson would get a chance to play in Toronto’s top-six this season, but that idea will have to wait for quite some time. The young forward has been plagued by injury issues through the early part of his professional career, missing a good chunk of last season with a serious knee issue.
Now 20, the 2019 second-round pick has ten NHL and 23 AHL games under his belt since dominating the OHL a few seasons ago. After being drafted, he put up 55 goals in just 46 games for the Peterborough Petes, making scouts drool with his mix of finishing ability and relentless tenacity. Unfortunately, unlike his brother Jason Robertson, the Maple Leafs prospect stands just 5’9″ and to this point hasn’t been able to withstand the punishment of a full professional season.
Nathan MacKinnon Unavailable Due To COVID Protocol
Oct 19: MacKinnon has provided two consecutive negative tests, and traveled last night to meet the team in Washington. He is expected to make his debut tonight against the Capitals.
Oct 12: If you thought the COVID Protocol Related Absences list was a thing of the past, you might have jumped the gun. After both the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken announced key players were unavailable due to the protocol yesterday, the Colorado Avalanche dropped a bomb today. Nathan MacKinnon will not practice today, with the team announcing it is a protocol-related absence. Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic confirmed that MacKinnon has tested positive and will be out tomorrow. The star forward is asymptomatic and the team hopes he will be able to return in a few days.
To reiterate, inclusion in the protocol does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list–which actually won’t be released for the first time until tomorrow–are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol.
MacKinnon meanwhile is out indefinitely and could potentially miss tomorrow’s season opener if he is not cleared in time. The Avalanche recently were without head coach Jared Bednar after he tested positive, playing two preseason games without the bench boss. Hopefully, for Colorado’s sake, MacKinnon is not forced to miss even that much time.
In his absence, the Avalanche moved Nazem Kadri up to the first line according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic, with J.T. Compher sliding into the second-line center spot.