Penguins Make Tristan Jarry A Healthy Scratch
With the Pittsburgh Penguins recalling goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic from his conditioning loan without a corresponding roster move it was inevitable that the Penguins would have to healthy scratch one of their three netminders for today’s game. Their highest-paid goalie, Tristan Jarry, found his name on the chopping block when the roster was announced with the team opting for Nedeljkovic and youngster Joel Blomqvist.
Nedeljkovic started today against the Winnipeg Jets allowing five goals on 36 shots for an .861 save percentage in the loss. It was his first game back since suffering a lower-body injury in a preseason matchup against the Detroit Red Wings on September 30th.
Aside from Nedeljkovic making his season debut, the move speaks more to Pittsburgh’s confidence in Blomqvist and the ongoing lack thereof with Jarry. The 23-year-old netminder has managed a .906 SV% through the first three starts of his NHL career while Jarry has only mustered an .836 SV% including three goals allowed on five shots in only 11 and a half minutes of the team’s game against the Buffalo Sabres on October 16th.
The Penguins are only seven games into the 2024-25 regular season so there is more than enough time for Jarry to turn it around and take back the starting job. The bad part is that this issue extends before this season with Jarry losing the starting role to Nedeljkovic in the back half of last year.
Despite Jarry having enough time to turn his season around, there is some recent precedence for a team making a bold decision on a high-priced goaltender. The Edmonton Oilers placed Jack Campbell and his $5MM salary on waivers last season after only five games to start the season before buying him out this past summer.
There’s no indication Pittsburgh will act similarly to the Oilers last year but the organization’s response to his recent stretch of play, coupled with the healthy scratch today, likely shows Jarry that his spot in the lineup isn’t as secure as he would like.
The Penguins are just below the league’s average in save percentage to start the regular season but are not a unique club having early issues in the crease. Should Jarry’s uninspiring play continue into the American Thanksgiving season — he could force Pittsburgh’s hand in making a very difficult decision.
Islanders Place Julien Gauthier On Waivers
Julien Gauthier‘s short stint with the New York Islanders is now on hold. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the organization has chosen to place Gauthier on waivers for the next 24 hours, putting them at 12 healthy forwards without factoring in the late injury to Anthony Duclair last night.
To the surprise of some, Gauthier made the Islanders’ opening night roster out of camp instead of the relatively pricey Pierre Engvall. He hasn’t factored into much of the team’s success up to this point with his only game on the year coming last night against the Montreal Canadiens. He skated in 7:42 of yesterday’s game and managed two hits despite his name not finding the scoresheet.
Gauthier, who signed as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2023, is in his second year with the organization. His lack of NHL play during his time with the Islanders should make for a pass through the waiver wire by tomorrow afternoon.
He’s managed quality production in the American Hockey League, when healthy, throughout his career so there is an argument that a team could claim him to stash in the minors if they’re certain they’ll make the only claim. Gauthier’s appeared in 205 AHL contests since making his professional debut in the 2017-18 season scoring 78 goals and 115 points overall.
Devils Place Adam Beckman On Waivers
The New Jersey Devils have placed forward Adam Beckman on waivers. Beckman recently returned from starting the year on the injured non-roster list, taking part in a handful of Devils practices before this waivers designation. New Jersey acquired the 23-year-old winger in a June trade with the Minnesota Wild that sent Graeme Clarke the other way.
Beckman has struggled ot find his footing at a pro level since making his AHL debut with the Iowa Wild in 2020. He recorded 39 points across his first 77 AHL games, split between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons – just enough to earn the first three NHL games of his career. But Beckman only managed one assist in those outings and would continue the cycle of promising production in the minors followed by lackluster production in the NHL through last season. Beckman has totaled 108 points across five years and 181 games in the minors, but only three points – all assists – in 23 NHL games.
It’s been a far fall for Beckman, originally the 75th-overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft after a strong year with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. He followed the draft with a dazzling 107 points in 63 WHL games in the 2019-20 season. That hot scoring continued through 27 games of the next season, propelling his juniors scoring to 196 points in 153 games. He was scouted as a swift playmaker with strong shooting and passing – capable of exploding through the neutral zone and quickly finding teammates. But his explosivity hasn’t carried over to the pro flight, and he hasn’t yet found a way to lean into the physical upside of his six-foot-two, 185-pound frame. Beckman will need to first clear waivers, but seems set to return to productivity with the Utica Comets – and hopefully bring the strong production up to the top flight when he’s called up next.
Afternoon Notes: Ullmark, Sogaard, Stanley, Blumel, Petrovic
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark has returned to full health, prompting the team to return Mads Sogaard to the AHL, shares Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. Ullmark has been working back from a muscle strain that’s held him out of the team’s last three games. Previous reports shared that Ottawa wanted to be patient not to aggravate the injury as they worked Ullmark back to full speed.
Ullmark has been strong in the two games he’s played with Ottawa, saving 53 of 58 shots faced en route to a 1-1-0 record and .914 save percentage. The same hasn’t been true for Ottawa’s other goaltending options, with Anton Forsberg allowing 10 goals on 73 shots (.863 save percentage) and Mads Sogaard allowing four goals on 17 shots (0.765) in Ullmark’s absence. The Senators have managed to win in front of all three goalies regardless, largely thanks to each of Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, and Jake Sanderson recording seven points through the first five games of the season. Ullmark’s return could give Ottawa the back-end consistency to ramp up their early winning-record, though it seems the team could still be in the process of easing their franchise goaltender back to strength.
Other notes from around the league:
- Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley has been activated off of injured reserve and will step into the lineup for Haydn Fleury, per Mike McIntyre of The Winnipeg Free Press. Stanley missed the first four games of the season with a knee injury that required surgery during training camp. Stanley has played in just 44 games over the last two seasons, recording five points, 57 penalty minutes, and an average of 13:45 in ice time. He faces an uphill battle to an everyday role, but will get a chance to take the first step when the Jets take on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
- The Dallas Stars have returned forward Matej Blumel and defender Alexander Petrovic to the AHL. Blumel stepped into one game with Dallas during his recall, recording eight minutes of ice time and two shots on net. Petrovic spent the extent of his time in the press box, leaving two games and one point in the AHL as his only stats this year. The Texas Stars will get two big additions with this move – readding the stout, veteran presence of Petrovic and the 30-goal upside of Blumel back to the lineup.
East Notes: Woll, Bunting, Jarry
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll revealed to the media that he has been dealing with groin tightness (as per Nick Barden of The Hockey News). The issue has kept him out of regular-season action, but Woll feels as though he should be back sooner rather than later.
It’s possible that the issue could have occurred during training camp in early October, but Woll didn’t get into the specifics regarding where and when the groin issue began to surface. During the moment in question on October 3rd, Woll slid across his crease to make a save and looked to be in discomfort as he moved back to his feet.
The Maple Leafs are unlikely to rush Woll as Anthony Stolarz has been terrific this season thus far.
In other Eastern Conference notes:
- Michelle Crechiolo of Pens Inside Scoop tweeted the Pittsburgh Penguins line rushes yesterday, which appeared to show forward Michael Bunting as a healthy scratch. Bunting was moved off the second line in the Penguins loss to the Hurricanes on Friday night and he was also moved off the second power-play unit. Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports tweeted that Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan was asked on Friday by reporters about Bunting’s performance this season and replied, “I think our expectation is higher.” Bunting has struggled this season, with just a single assist in six games. However, his underlying numbers remain strong and could be an indicator of bad luck rather than bad play.
- Josh Yohe of The Athletic writes that Pittsburgh Penguins general manager doesn’t appear keen on placing goaltender Tristan Jarry on waivers as a way to address the team’s goaltending predicament, not yet anyway. Jarry has struggled dating back to last year when he didn’t start the Penguins’ final 13 regular season games and is arguably third in Pittsburgh’s current goaltending ranks. The Penguins are carrying three goaltenders on the roster and are bringing Jarry, Joel Blomqvist, and Alex Nedeljkovic on their road trip through Western Canada. Jarry currently has a .836 save percentage and a 5.47 goals-against average in three games but is owed $5.375MM this season and for an additional three years after that, making him nearly unmovable.
Senators Recall Cole Reinhardt, Mads Søgaard Sent To AHL
The Ottawa Senators have announced that they’ve recalled left winger Cole Reinhardt from the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League and are demoting goaltender Mads Søgaard. The move could be a signal that Senators star goaltender Linus Ullmark is set to return from a strain that has been keeping him out of action.
The Senators recalled Søgaard earlier this week and he dressed in one game, giving up four goals on 17 shots in just over 34 minutes of action against the Los Angeles Kings. The 23-year-old has yet to establish himself as a regular NHLer as his numbers are pedestrian at best. In 28 NHL regular season games, the former second-round pick has an 11-10-3 record with a .881 save percentage and a 3.53 goals-against average. Søgaard posted solid numbers in the AHL last season, registering a .916 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average in 32 games.
24-year-old Reinhardt is off to a terrific start in the AHL this season, posting two goals and three assists in three games with Belleville. Reinhardt has never been much of a scorer at any level, topping out at 34 points in 66 AHL games for his best offensive season as a professional. He is a strong skater and plays well in all facets of the game and will likely see time on the fourth line if he dresses during his NHL recall. The former sixth-round pick has seen NHL action before dressing in a game for the Senators back in April of 2022.
Islanders’ Anthony Duclair Leaves Game With Injury
The New York Islanders will be without their top free-agent acquisition for the rest of the game tonight and potentially for the foreseeable future. Forward Anthony Duclair left the game in the third period of New York’s contest against the Montreal Canadiens and appeared to have injured his left leg.
He took the puck into Montreal’s zone and drove toward the net when he twisted his left leg. There was some contact with Canadiens’ defenseman Jayden Struble, but the injury appears to be non-contact. This is a cause for concern, as non-contact injuries are often more serious.
There should be more information tomorrow about the extent of the injury or even later tonight. Duclair signed a four-year, $14MM contract with the Islanders this past offseason and has held a valuable spot on New York’s first line next to Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat.
He led the Islanders in scoring heading into tonight’s action with two goals and three points in four games but has now been surpassed by Barzal. New York has struggled on offense over the last few seasons and Duclair was brought in to elevate the organization’s top six.
Although an absence for any stretch would do nothing to help New York’s offensive difficulties, it could create an opportunity for one of the team’s newer players. Maxim Tsyplakov has gotten off to a strong start with one goal and two points in four games with another assist tonight and he could expand upon that with an opening on the top line.
East Notes: Penguins, Hughes, Pesce, Ullmark
There were some expectations that Joel Blomqvist‘s days with the Pittsburgh Penguins were numbered with the organization recalling Alex Nedeljkovic earlier today. We now know that isn’t the case as Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reports the team will carry both along with Tristan Jarry through the team’s upcoming four-game road trip.
Blomqvist has played his way into an extended stay with the club after securing a 2-2-0 record through four games with a .908 save percentage compared to a 1-1-0 record and .836 SV% from Jarry. It’s already been suggested there’s an open competition between the pipes to increase their chances of winning each game. There appears to be a pathway for Blomqvist to become the everyday starter for the Penguins if he continues to play well despite only being 23 years old.
Rorabaugh also mentions that forwards Blake Lizotte, Matthew Nieto, and Vasily Ponomarev skated this morning but will not travel with the team for their road trip. Each of the trio has been nursing injuries to open the 2024-25 campaign with the latter likely headed to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton once he’s medically cleared to return.
Other East notes:
- The New Jersey Devils are eagerly awaiting the return of defensemen Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce to their active roster. Team reporter Amanda Stein shared that both defensemen skated with the team this morning but aren’t expected back sooner than anticipated. It’s a positive step in the right direction for both players but don’t tell New Jersey they’re supposed to be missing them. The team currently leads the Eastern Conference in points with 10 after a 5-2-0 start through their first seven games.
- The strain afflicting Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark has been more severe than expected. It’s supposed to last much longer as TSN’s Bruce Garrioch reports he is close to a return despite potent caution from the team. The likely scenario is that the organization was concerned Ullmark may reaggravate the strain or develop a worse injury altogether if he returned sooner, so the slow return may prove beneficial in the long run.
Central Notes: Utah, Blackwood, Ritchie
The Utah Hockey Club is in an unenviable position right now with two top-four defensemen out long-term in the early days of the regular season. On the ALL Utah Hockey Podcast, Craig Morgan suggests the team will seek outside help rather than rush defensive prospects to fill the void.
Reports yesterday indicated that defenseman John Marino was “months” away from returning while Sean Durzi is headed for a similar trajectory. The team is keeping pace with the rest of the Central Division through the first two weeks of the regular season but will face increased difficulty the further they go without a complete blue line. Luckily, if Utah wants to be one of the few teams looking to be aggressive on the trade market early in the season, they have some options.
Shortly before the start of training camp, a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated the Anaheim Ducks were willing to explore trade options with veteran defenseman Cam Fowler. Utah has plenty of capital to send the other way with the financial flexibility to take on all of Fowler’s $6.5MM salary for the next two years. The hurdle to clear regarding Fowler is the four-team trade list attached to his contract. Fowler would have to waive his protection if Utah isn’t one of the four teams or a trade won’t get done.
A short-term option is David Savard of the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal would be better served by holding on to Savard for the trade deadline in the hope of sparking a bidding war but could be enticed out of Utah’s desperation. Savard doesn’t have any protection attached to his deal and he’s not expected back in Montreal next year thanks to several defensive prospects in the system.
Other Central notes:
- Subpar goaltending has been a major storyline for the Colorado Avalanche early in the 2024-25 NHL season. On his ’32 Thoughts‘ podcast, Elliotte Friedman reported the Avalanche had previous interest in San Jose Sharks’ goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and may circle back should their goaltending woes continue. Blackwood has struggled to start the season with a .875 save percentage through three games but is an obvious trade candidate on an expiring contract for a rebuilding organization. There’s no deal expected soon but don’t be surprised to see Colorado make a major push for Blackwood by American Thanksgiving if they can’t get their goaltending straightened out.
- Sticking in Colorado — Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette reports the Avalanche are undecided on returning forward Calum Ritchie to his junior team in Oshawa to save a year on his contract. Ritchie is five games shy of burning the first year of his entry-level contract and has scored one goal on the season. His -7 rating through five games doesn’t invoke positive thoughts but much of that can be laid at the feet of the goaltending with Ritchie managing a +0.7 E+/- according to Hockey Reference. Re-ignite.
Kent Johnson’s Injury Not A Short-Term One
It has been a rough first few weeks for the Blue Jackets on the injury front. Boone Jenner might not play this season, Dmitri Voronkov has yet to play, and Erik Gudbranson could be facing a longer-term absence, among others.
Now, Kent Johnson can be added to that list. Speaking after practice today, head coach Dean Evason told reporters including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch (Twitter link) that the upper-body injury for Johnson is not expected to be a short-term issue. While he has not yet been placed on injured reserve, that is expected to happen in the near future.
The 22-year-old was injured in Thursday’s victory over Buffalo after colliding with teammate James van Riemsdyk. It was actually the second game in a row the Blue Jackets had a ‘friendly fire’ injury with Gudbranson’s injury coming on a collision with Sean Monahan.
Last season, Johnson battled injuries and some ineffectiveness, limiting him to just 42 games with Columbus where he had just six goals and ten assists while also spending time with AHL Cleveland. That resulted in the two sides working out a bridge contract this summer, a three-year, $5.4MM agreement as while he’s still viewed as a long-term building block for the rebuilding Blue Jackets, he certainly hadn’t shown enough for a long-term contract to be viable.
Johnson was off to a nice start to his season before the injury as he had two goals and three assists through his first four appearances and had logged an average of just over 20 minutes a night in his first three full outings. However, it looks like it’s going to be a little while at least before he has a chance to build on that.