Senators Notes: Mandolese, Zub, Sanderson
The Ottawa Senators have assigned goaltender Kevin Mandolese to the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Mandolese’s demotion comes as no surprise given that the Senators activated netminder Anton Forsberg off the IR earlier today. The 23-year-old didn’t see any NHL action during his most recent recall and hasn’t played in the NHL since last season when he dressed in three games for Ottawa going 1-2 with a .916 save percentage.
Mandolese’s AHL numbers have remained comparable to the ones he posted last season as the native of Montreal, Quebec is sporting a 6-7-2 record with an .895 save percentage and a 3.38 goals-against average with Belleville. The former sixth-round pick has good size at 6’4” tall but he hasn’t been able to put it all together or fill out his frame as he plays smaller than most netminders of his stature.
In other Senators notes:
- The Ottawa Senators were forced to play tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets without the services of defenseman Artem Zub. The 28-year-old has been dealing with a lower-body injury and was unable to dress this evening. Zub had been playing in the top four and was rolling offensively as of late with seven assists in his last 11 games. Zub could return to the lineup on Thursday night when the Senators take on the Anaheim Ducks but there is no word yet on his status going forward.
- The Ottawa Senators were also without the services of defenseman Jake Sanderson. Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun tweeted that the Senators would be forced to dress just five defensemen tonight with Zub and Sanderson out of the lineup. The 21-year-old is also dealing with a lower-body injury and told reporters earlier today that he would like to get back into the lineup at some point during the team’s upcoming Florida road trip. Given that timeline, it is fair to guess that the former fifth-overall pick will miss the next two or three games as Ottawa doesn’t visit the state of Florida until early next week. Sanderson has been good this season as he has taken another step forward for Ottawa registering seven goals and 17 assists in 47 games.
Morgan Rielly Receives 5-Game Suspension
Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has been assessed a five-game suspension as a result of his actions at the end of Saturday’s loss to the Senators, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports Tuesday night. Rielly had an in-person hearing today with the NHL Department of Player Safety for cross-checking Senators forward Ridly Greig after he scored an empty-net goal with seconds remaining in the game.
In their video statement addressing the incident, DoPS ruled that Rielly “used his stick as a weapon to exact retribution on an opponent.” Rielly, who checked Greig after he scored his empty-net goal via a slapshot, has not been suspended in his 11-year career.
Rielly’s hearing Tuesday was virtual due to inclement weather at league offices in New York but was treated as an in-person hearing regardless. Notably, DoPS did not take advantage of their ability to suspend Rielly for more than five games by offering him an in-person hearing.
By issuing a five-game suspension, DoPS also made their decision ineligible for an appeal process to reach an independent arbitrator. Rielly may still appeal the suspension to league commissioner Gary Bettman, but his decision will be final. Bettman has upheld all three suspensions that have been sent to him for appeal this season – both four-game bans for Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (link) and the Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy (link), plus a six-game suspension for Red Wings forward David Perron (link).
Rielly’s absence already puts them in a tough spot over the next week and a half without much depth behind him on defense. An illness bug exacerbates things in the short term, too, as both Mitch Marner and John Tavares are listed as out for tonight’s game against the Blues with an illness. Toronto has shuffled their roster in response, returning defenseman Maxime Lajoie to AHL Toronto from his emergency loan while recalling forward Alex Steeves, who will make his season debut, under emergency conditions.
23-year-old Timothy Liljegren slides up to Toronto’s top pairing in Rielly’s absence, while the left-shot Jake McCabe will take his spot on their top power-play unit. Rielly, 29, leads Toronto defenders in goals (7), assists (36), points (43), and average time on ice (24:21) this season.
Penguins Place Noel Acciari On IR
The Penguins placed depth forward Noel Acciari on injured reserve Tuesday, per a team announcement. The 32-year-old was diagnosed with a concussion after a hit from Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon on Feb. 6, which warranted a three-game suspension.
Acciari has missed two games already, and it’s unclear when he’ll be ready to return to the lineup. Concussion recovery timelines can range wildly, and although he’ll be eligible to come off IR at any time, it could still be a weeks-long absence.
The Rhode Island native has struggled in his first season in Pittsburgh, scoring three goals and adding one assist in 39 games. His 0.10 points per game are his worst since his first stint as an NHLer with the Bruins in 2015-16 when he notched one assist in 19 games (0.05 per game).
His usage under head coach Mike Sullivan is the main culprit behind his dropoff in production. He’s started just 12.9% of his even-strength shifts in the offensive zone, nearly 22% below his career average.
Acciari’s 41% Corsi share at even strength also paints him as a defensive liability, but that number is inflated due to his extreme shutdown usage. In terms of controlling expected goals, he’s been a fine shutdown presence when paired with Jeff Carter and Jansen Harkins. That line has controlled 55% of expected goals through 105 minutes together, per MoneyPuck, but two-thirds of the unit is now on IR. Harkins, who is also out with a concussion, landed on the list Monday.
Regardless, the three-year, $6MM deal with trade protection he signed when free agency opened in July seems quite steep less than a year in. The three-time 10-goal scorer is an evident favorite of GM Kyle Dubas, who also acquired him as a member of the Maple Leafs before last season’s trade deadline alongside Ryan O’Reilly.
With Acciari out, the Penguins are now down to the bare-minimum 20 players on the active roster and only 11 forwards. Without moving one of Acciari or Harkins to LTIR, however, they do not have the cap space for an additional recall from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. As such, they may be forced to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen against the Panthers on Wednesday.
Lightning Activate Tanner Jeannot From LTIR
Lightning head coach Jon Cooper has confirmed that winger Tanner Jeannot will return to the lineup Tuesday against the Bruins via Gabby Shirley of Bally Sports Florida. The NHL’s media portal reflects that Jeannot has been activated from long-term injured reserve.
The 26-year-old has not played since sustaining a lower-body injury on Jan. 6 in Boston. His absence concludes after five weeks and 12 games.
Jeannot will make his return in a fourth-line role alongside Mitchell Chaffee and Luke Glendening. Alex Barré-Boulet comes out of the lineup and will be a healthy scratch for the fourth time in six games.
The Saskatchewan native’s first full season in Tampa Bay after a trade from the Predators last year has been underwhelming given the five draft picks the Lightning surrendered for him, posting six goals and 12 points in 41 games with a -11 rating while averaging 12:36, nearly two minutes below his career average. He was pointless in eight straight games before his injury.
It’s seeming increasingly unlikely that Jeannot will recapture his 24-goal rookie form, especially if his ice time remains limited. On the bright side, his possession impacts this season have been strong. His line with Anthony Cirelli and Michael Eyssimont has a striking 80.4% expected goals share in over 50 minutes together, and his 50.8% Corsi share at even strength is slightly above the team’s overall Corsi share without him on the ice.
Jeannot is in the first season of a two-year, $5.33MM contract signed following an arbitration filing last summer. He will be a UFA upon expiry in 2025 and has a 16-team no-trade list that kicks in next season.
Senators Assign Zack MacEwen To AHL
Feb. 13: MacEwen passed through waivers unclaimed, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. The team assigned him to AHL Belleville later on Tuesday.
Feb. 12: The Senators placed Zack MacEwen on waivers Monday, per Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. This is the veteran grinder’s second time on the wire this season.
MacEwen, 27, is in his first season with the Senators after signing a three-year, $2.325MM deal in free agency. His $775K cap hit is fully buriable in the minors, where he’ll likely spend a significant amount of time during his tenure in Canada’s capital.
The waiver placement comes ahead of netminder Anton Forsberg‘s pending return to action from a groin injury that’s kept him out for the last month, per Garrioch. Forsberg will likely dress Tuesday against the Blue Jackets, and the Senators need to clear $1.55MM in cap space to take him off long-term injured reserve. Assigning MacEwen to AHL Belleville, plus returning backup netminder Kevin Mandolese to Belleville from his emergency loan, will clear the necessary space.
MacEwen has played in 22 games with Ottawa, scoring twice and adding an assist while averaging 6:23 per game. He hasn’t been a significant defensive liability in his limited minutes, although his point-producing ability at the junior- and minor-league levels still hasn’t translated to the NHL.
Prior to landing on waivers, MacEwen was a healthy scratch in six of Ottawa’s last eight games, including five straight.
Maple Leafs To Recall Dennis Hildeby
The Maple Leafs will recall rookie netminder Dennis Hildeby for the second time this season ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Blues, TSN’s Mark Masters reports. Backup Martin Jones is unavailable with an undisclosed injury after missing Monday’s practice.
That means Toronto needs to clear two roster spots in the next few hours – one to allow them to temporarily carry three goalies, and one to activate center David Kämpf off injured reserve. Head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed Tuesday morning that Kämpf will return against St. Louis after missing three games with an undisclosed injury (via Masters).
To do so, the Maple Leafs will likely place defenseman Conor Timmins on injured reserve and return Maxime Lajoie to AHL Toronto from his emergency loan. Timmins, 25, is out indefinitely with mono, Keefe said Tuesday.
The 22-year-old Hildeby spent nine days on the Maple Leafs roster last month with Joseph Woll sidelined with a high ankle sprain and starter Ilya Samsonov on a short-term AHL assignment after a difficult start to the season. The 6-foot-7, 223-pound Swede is having a strong first professional season in North America, logging a .913 SV% and four shutouts in 24 AHL games, although he’s yet to make his NHL debut.
Jones, 34, stopped 27 of 31 shots faced in a 5-3 loss to the Senators on Saturday, ending a run of five straight starts for Samsonov. A pair of underwhelming showings now has Jones’ SV% on the year down to .908, although it’s still his best in six years. He’s started 16 games and made two relief appearances for Toronto this year in a third-string role behind the inconsistent Samsonov and the injured Woll, posting a 9-7-1 record and two shutouts.
Evgenii Dadonov Out Indefinitely With Lower-Body Fracture
Stars winger Evgenii Dadonov will miss “extended time” after undergoing imaging Monday that revealed a lower-body fracture, head coach Peter DeBoer said (via Stars radio host Owen Newkirk). Dadonov, 34, sustained the injury during the second period of Saturday’s 3-2 win over the Canadiens but later returned to the game, skating three shifts in the third period.
The 536-game NHL veteran has played in all but two games for the Stars this year, ranking ninth on the team in goals (12) and 11th in points (23) through 50 games. Once a top-six threat with the Panthers in the late 2010s, Dadonov has settled in nicely to a third-line role in Dallas and signed a two-year, $4.5MM extension to remain with the Stars after a pre-deadline acquisition from the Canadiens last season.
If the Stars expect him to miss over 10 games and 24 days, they can place him on long-term injured reserve and open up a significant chunk of cap space ahead of the March 8 trade deadline. Unless he’s projected to be out for the remainder of the regular season, though, they would need to keep some flexibility available to activate Dadonov when he’s ready to return.
While a decent complementary scoring piece, Dadonov’s two-way play at even strength has been middling. His expected -1.2 rating is the second-worst on the team, only ahead of shutdown specialist Jani Hakanpää.
Dadonov is only a few months removed from a strong postseason showing, recording four goals, 10 points, and a +5 rating in 16 contests with the Stars in their run to last year’s Western Conference Final. While spending most of his prime playing in his native Russia, he’s been a solid complementary piece with 301 points in 481 games since returning to the NHL with Florida in 2017.
Dallas has been one of the league’s healthiest teams, only utilizing 20 skaters this season. That’s meant 22-year-old Mavrik Bourque and 20-year-old Logan Stankoven, their pair of breakout prospects recording over a point per game with AHL Texas, have remained in the minor leagues all season long.
They aren’t going to immediately get a shot with Dadonov out – 2018 first-round pick Ty Dellandrea will get a chance to prove he can hold his own in a third-line role. If more injuries strike or if Dellandrea struggles, however, at least one of Bourque or Stankoven will make their NHL debuts in the coming weeks.
Snapshots: Pelletier, Guhle, Rempe, Romanov
Rookie Calgary Flames forward Jakob Pelletier left the team’s Monday night game after receiving a hit from New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. Pelletier is being listed as sustaining an upper-body injury, though the hit seemed to specifically hit Pelletier’s left shoulder.
Pelletier started the season on season-opening injured reserve with a shoulder injury that required surgery. The injury has limited him to just eight games on the season – split evenly between the AHL and NHL. The 22-year-old winger has scored three points in the AHL and one point in the NHL on the year. Calgary acquired Pelletier in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. He has become a popular name on the Flames, injecting a burst of speed and energy that’s been missing form the 25-23-5 Flames lineup.
Other notes from around the league:
- Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle is expected to make his return to the lineup on Tuesday. The 22-year-old defenseman suffered an undisclosed injury on Sunday and was questionable to miss time. That won’t be the case, though, as Guhle will look to build on the four goals and 12 points he’s managed through 48 games this season.
- The New York Rangers have sent down centerman Matt Rempe, who was recalled to the NHL roster for a few days of inactivity. The move is largely a paper transaction, likely to get Rempe experience with the NHL club and NHL payroll. The 21-year-old forward has eight goals, 12 points, and 96 penalty minutes in 43 AHL games this season. He ranks in the top 10 of the league, and leads the Hartford Wolf Pack, in penalty minutes.
- New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov has returned to the team’s practices as a full participant after missing their Saturday game. Romanov, 24, has appeared in 51 games this season and averaged over 22 minutes of ice time each game. He’s managed five goals and 13 points – a slightly lower scoring pace than the 22 points he managed in 76 games last season, his first year with the Islanders.
Maple Leafs’ Conor Timmins Out Indefinitely With Mono
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins has contracted mono and is out indefinitely, head coach Sheldon Keefe tells team reporter David Alter. Timmins started the season out on season-opening injured reserve after suffering a lower-body injury in a pre-season game against the Montreal Canadiens. The absence held him out until late November. He’s since appeared in 16 games and scored six points.
Timmins is running into tough luck this season, again facing the likelihood of playing minimal games. The 25-year-old played in 27 games last year – the second-most he’s appeared in one NHL season. He scored two goals and 14 points, both career-highs, while also appearing in six AHL games and scoring three points. Timmins was originally drafted 32nd overall in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche. He kicked off a second round that featured plenty of current NHL talents, including Nicolas Hague, Jason Robertson, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. He made his NHL debut with Colorado in the 2019-20 season and played through his rookie season in 2020-21, scoring seven assists through 31 games. He didn’t score his first NHL goal until his 2022-23 season in Toronto.
Keefe also shared with Alter that Mark Giordano and David Kampf should make their return on Tuesday. This gives the team some relief in Timmins’ absence, though Giordano has managed just one goal and six points through 34 games this season. He’s averaging just 17 minutes of ice time each game, his lowest average since the 2008-09 season. The 40-year-old defenseman has amassed 1136 career NHL games and 574 career points.
Owen Power To Miss A “Few Games” With Upper-Body Injury
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power will miss the team’s Tuesday night game, per head coach Don Granato, who shares that the former first-overall pick could miss a few games. Power left the team’s Monday practice with an apparent hand injury and isn’t expected to be out long-term.
Power becomes the third impact player to suffer injury recently, with Buffalo also set to be without Mattias Samuelsson for the remainder of the season and Jack Quinn for the next eight weeks. Power plays the biggest role of the trio, averaging over 22 minutes a game through 51 games this season. He’s scored two goals and 18 points, a step down in his scoring pace from last season when he totaled 35 points in 79 games. The 21-year-old is in his second full NHL season since being drafted with the top selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. He’s totaled 138 career games and 56 points – ranked third in his draft class in career games behind Cole Sillinger and J.J. Moser.
Power’s absence will likely open space for rookie Ryan Johnson to take on an expanded role. Johnson was the Sabres first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut this season – playing in a total of 32 games and recording six assists. It’s Johnson’s first season of professional hockey, with the 22-year-old also tallying four assists in nine AHL games this season. He’s still searching for his first professional goal – though scoring goals has never been his forte, as he totaled just nine goals across four seasons and 143 games with the University of Minnesota. Jacob Bryson will also benefit from Power’s absence. The 26-year-old has appeared in just five NHL games this season and is still searching through his first point of the year.