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Andrej Sustr

Wild Place Marcus Foligno On IR, Re-Assign Andrej Sustr

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Dec 28: Sustr has been returned to the AHL, after Jacob Middleton was back at practice for the Wild today.

Dec 27: After recalling a pair of forwards yesterday, the Wild have made two more roster moves today.  They announced the recall of defenseman Andrej Sustr from AHL Iowa with winger Marcus Foligno being placed on injured reserve to create roster room for Sustr’s promotion.

Sustr is in his first season with Minnesota after signing a two-way deal with them at the beginning of free agency.  This is the 32-year-old’s second recall of the month although he didn’t see any NHL action in the week and a half that he was up earlier.  Sustr has six points in 20 AHL contests this season and will likely be a reserve defender on this recall as well as the Wild now have eight rearguards on their active roster.

As for Foligno, the veteran has had a bit of a tough year.  He missed time with an upper-body injury earlier this season while it’s a lower-body issue that will keep him out this time around.  The 31-year-old had 23 goals in 2021-22 but has managed just three so far this season in 27 games although he does lead the team with 90 hits.  Michael Russo of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that Foligno’s placement is back-dated to December 21st so he could be activated for Thursday’s game against Dallas if he’s ready to return.

Minnesota Wild Re-Assign Andrej Sustr

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On December 1st, the Minnesota Wild recalled veteran defenseman Andrej Sustr to their NHL roster. Today, the Wild announced that they’ve re-assigned Sustr to their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, meaning he’ll head back to the minors without skating in an NHL game.

Sustr, 32, is as mentioned a veteran defenseman who has significant NHL experience on his resume. He broke into the league as an undrafted college free agent on the Tampa Bay Lightning and played a regular role on their 2014-15 team that made a run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Sustr would continue in his regular role in Tampa until 2017-18, when he got into just 44 games, leading to him leaving the organization altogether in the offseason. Sustr signed with the Anaheim Ducks, spending most of 2018-19 in the AHL.

That run in the AHL motivated him to look elsewhere to continue his career, leading him to sign with the KHL’s Chinese franchise, the Kunlun Red Star.

After two years in China, Sustr returned to the Lightning organization and split time between Tampa and their AHL affiliate in Syracuse before being claimed off of waivers by, you guessed it, the Ducks.

This offseason, Sustr signed with the Wild and has spent most of the year in the AHL, save for this call-up. Having not played in a single NHL game for the Wild despite spending over a week on their roster, Sustr will head back to Iowa to resume playing an important role on their blueline.

Minnesota Wild Recall Andrej Sustr

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With Jonas Brodin dealing with an injury, the Minnesota Wild have recalled Andrej Sustr from the minor leagues. Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Brodin’s absence isn’t expected to be for very long, as the defenseman will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip.

Sustr, 32, was used repeatedly last season as an injury call-up, playing 15 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning and 23 for the Anaheim Ducks. He’s been stuck in the minors for this season, racking up five points in 15 games for the Iowa Wild. In terms of insurance options you could certainly do worse than the 6’7″ defender, who has 361 NHL games to his name and was once a regular with the Lightning.

Still, losing Brodin for any length of time is a hefty blow for Minnesota to deal with. The 29-year-old is one of the league’s best shutdown defenders and plays more than 22 minutes a night for the Wild. His offense hasn’t arrived this year, with just four points in 19 games, but he carries so much defensive responsibility for Minnesota that it’s hard to operate without him.

The group will have to step up tonight against the Edmonton Oilers, a team that Brodin has historically done quite well against as a Connor McDavid mark. The team was playing with seven defensemen when he went down, meaning Sustr doesn’t necessarily have to go into the lineup.

Andrej Sustr And Michal Kempny Clear Waivers

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Saturday: Sustr has cleared waivers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports.  No one was placed on waivers today.

Friday: With Jon Merrill set to get back into the Minnesota Wild lineup, the team has placed Andrej Sustr on waivers. Michal Kempny, who was placed on unconditional waivers yesterday, has cleared and will have his contract terminated.

Sustr, 31, hasn’t even played a game yet for the Wild, but is no longer even needed for insurance purposes. Merrill is expected to take Alex Goligoski’s spot in the lineup tomorrow, after the veteran defenseman played in his 1,000th game yesterday. Goligoski will become the player that rotates in when needed, and Sustr can report to the minor leagues.

That is, of course, if he clears waivers, which isn’t necessarily guaranteed. Just last season he was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks when the Tampa Bay Lightning tried to sneak him through, and he ended up playing in 23 games down the stretch. The 6’7″ behemoth has played in 361 regular season NHL games, and is a useful veteran to have on the roster as a seventh option.

For teams that might be dealing with injuries on the back end, Sustr and his one-year, two-way contract might not be a bad option. Still, he doesn’t offer much upside, so if he slips through the Wild will be able to keep him in the organization as an injury replacement. Sustr played in the minor leagues without complaint last season, registering 12 points in 25 games for the Syracuse Crunch. Because the team has designated him for assignment already, they’ll be able to activate Merrill even before his waivers resolve tomorrow afternoon.

Marco Rossi, Calen Addison Make Minnesota Wild Opening Night Roster

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The Minnesota Wild announced via video on their website that prospects Marco Rossi and Calen Addison have both made the team’s opening night roster. In the video, Wild GM Bill Guerin and Head Coach Dean Evason sit down with each player individually to let them know they’ve made the team, and in Addison’s case, discuss becoming a full-time NHLer. Both players have made their NHL debuts, Addison playing as much as 15 regular season games last season on top of three playoff contests, but now both appear to be on their way to regular NHL roles. Michael Russo of The Athletic also reports that veteran defenseman Andrej Sustr has also made the opening roster.

Russo dove deeper into the team’s decision to keep two of its exciting young players on the roster, speaking with both, who reiterated their excitement at the news. Addison, who was originally a draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins, was acquired by the Wild in February of 2020 in the deal that sent forward Jason Zucker to Pittsburgh. After finishing up his junior career in 2019-20 with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, Addison turned pro full-time in 2020-21, playing the majority of the season with the Iowa Wild of the AHL, making his NHL debut for Minnesota as well. Last season, Addison continued his AHL development, but appeared in 18 NHL games between the regular and postseason.

Rossi was Minnesota’s first round, ninth-overall selection in the 2020 draft coming off an impressive two-year stint with the Ottawa 67’s of the OHL, which included an incredible 120 points in just 56 games in 2019-20. However, a case of COVID that included long-term symptoms set Rossi back and raised concern that it could affect his development. The young forward was limited to just a single game in 2020-21 while playing in the Swiss league. Rossi would come over to North America for the 2021-22 season, and fears of his long-term hockey ability being set back were soon gone as the then-20-year-old scored 18 goals to go with 35 assists in 63 AHL contests for Iowa.

Now left in a precarious position with $12.7MM in dead cap in 2022-23 (going up to $14.7MM the following two seasons), Minnesota will need to find as much cost-controlled talent as it can get, especially after trading star forward Kevin Fiala. Though Addison and Rossi are largely unproven at this level, if Minnesota wishes to compete like it has the past few seasons, both will have to step up as regular contributors.

Anaheim Ducks Claim Andrej Sustr

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The Anaheim Ducks are bringing back a familiar face, as they have claimed Andrej Sustr off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning according to Chris Johnston of TSN.

Sustr, 31, has only played for two NHL organizations in his pro career, the Lightning and the Ducks–though the latter was for a very brief stint. In 2018 the hulking defenseman signed a one-year, $1.3MM contract with Anaheim and was expected to be a full-time part of the blueline. Instead, he played only five games in a Ducks uniform and spent most of the season in the minor leagues. That season spent in the AHL led to his departure from North America, as he left for the KHL to play two seasons after that one year in the Anaheim organization.

Now he’s back, though it’s still unclear how much playing time he’ll actually get with the Ducks. Sustr has played in 15 games with the Lightning this season but averaged just over ten minutes of ice time, and has spent much more time in the minor leagues with the Syracuse Crunch. Because he was claimed on waivers he’ll remain in the NHL for now, though Anaheim’s defensive depth chart isn’t much easier to crack than Tampa Bay’s.

In fact, his acquisition will raise some eyebrows around the league, given the pending unrestricted free agency of Josh Manson and Hampus Lindholm and general manager Pat Verbeek’s clear message that he will trade them if unable to reach extensions. Even with Manson on injured reserve the Ducks appear to have at least seven players that would be working ahead of Sustr, though perhaps head coach Dallas Eakins wants to insert some more size into the lineup.

At any rate, it means for now the 31-year-old will continue to earn his NHL salary and get a chance at NHL action, instead of returning to Syracuse where he would make significantly less.

Danny DeKeyser Clears Waivers

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March 8: DeKeyser has cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the minor leagues. With Vrana already confirmed for tonight’s game, the team will need to move someone off the roster to make room for his return. If they do assign DeKeyser to the AHL, $1.125MM of his cap hit would be buried. Sustr meanwhile was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks.

March 7: After claiming Olli Juolevi yesterday, the Detroit Red Wings have placed a veteran defenseman on waivers. Danny DeKeyser has been waived, along with Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Andrej Sustr, according to Chris Johnston of TSN.

DeKeyser, 32, cleared waivers multiple times last season but has spent this year on the active roster while he plays out the end of his long-term contract. Signed to a six-year, $30MM deal in 2016, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career this offseason. Where his career goes next is unclear, as the once stalwart two-way defender has found his role diminished in recent years.

Interestingly enough, at even-strength DeKeyser has played almost exclusively alongside rookie phenom Moritz Seider, giving the young defenseman a stable veteran partner to lean on as he transitions to NHL life. But it’s that even-strength ice time that has come way down, with DeKeyser averaging less than four other regular defensemen in Detroit. On the other hand, the penalty kill is where he still provides some nice value, logging the most short-handed time of any Red Wings player, but none of that would suggest that a team would take a chance on his $5MM cap hit through waivers. With Juolevi now in the fold–and a roster spot likely needed for Jakub Vrana’s impending activation–it’s not clear what role DeKeyser will have on the Red Wings down the stretch.

For Sustr, waivers is nothing new. He has already cleared them before the season began, and several other times throughout his NHL career. This season he has played in 15 games for the Lightning, basically serving more as a practice player and injury insurance than anything else. If he clears, he’ll likely be bounced up and down between the AHL and NHL for another chunk of the season.

Cirelli, Sustr Placed In COVID Protocol

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So much for Andrej Sustr’s recall to the taxi squad. The veteran defenseman and Anthony Cirelli have both entered the COVID protocol, the Tampa Bay Lightning have announced this morning.

That takes the number to six players and two coaches for the Lightning, as Sustr and Cirelli join Mikhail Sergachev, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brian Elliott, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare along with Jon Cooper and Rob Zettler in the protocol. Joe Smith of The Athletic reports that like the others, the two newcomers are either asymptomatic or have experienced minor symptoms to this point.

Interestingly enough, the Lightning had some good news at practice, as Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point were both present and skating together on a line with Alex Killorn. While Tampa Bay deals with plenty of other absences, they are also getting closer to getting two key players back.

With Tampa and Montreal both adding players to the protocol today, it’s unclear if the game tomorrow is going to be played. As of now, the Canadiens are still scheduled to fly to Florida and have made recalls to fill out a lineup.

Snapshots: Canadiens, Kane, Sustr

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In their final game before being shut down, the Montreal Canadiens welcomed the Philadelphia Flyers to town. Things were going normally until the provincial government instructed that the game be played without fans. That caused “a lot of grumbling” according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, who writes that there is real worry about the reduced capacity in Canadian markets affecting the league’s revenue projections.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic adds that if the Canadiens are still not allowed to have fans at their home games in January, some of them could be rescheduled to later in the season. Montreal is set to return after the holiday break on a three-game road trip, before the Washington Capitals come to town on January 4.

  • COVID-19 outbreaks are obviously not limited to the NHL, as many AHL teams have also seen players move in and out of the protocol throughout the year. One notable name today was Evander Kane, who entered the protocol along with Nick Cicek and Jasper Weatherby of the San Jose Barracuda. Kane, if you’d forgotten, has been playing in the AHL since his suspension ended last month and has eight points in five games with the Barracuda–the first five minor league games of his entire career. Now 30, Kane remains a potential trade candidate but he’ll have to isolate for the time being as he goes through the protocol.
  • There won’t be many minor league transactions today as the league goes dark, but the Tampa Bay Lightning did sneak in one more before things closed. Andrej Sustr has been reassigned to the AHL for the break, saving the Lightning a few dollars. The 31-year-old has been used in spot duty throughout the year, playing eight games for Tampa Bay and 12 for the Syracuse Crunch.

Zach Bogosian Out 4-6 Weeks

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The return of Zach Bogosian to Tampa Bay is off to a tough start. After the Lightning lost game one of this season to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Bogosian won’t get another chance to get on the ice for quite some time. The veteran defenseman is out four to six weeks with a lower-body injury, according to team reporter Bryan Burns. The team has recalled Andrej Sustr in his place.

It’s been a very interesting few years for Bogosian, who was a highly-paid member of the Buffalo Sabres as of February 2020. The Sabres decided to waive and then assign Bogosian to the minor leagues, which didn’t sit well with the veteran defenseman, so he decided not to report and forfeited the rest of his $6MM 2019-20 salary. Turned out it was quite the successful move, as after going through a contract termination, Bogosian signed on with the Lightning just in time to help them win the Stanley Cup.

Last season, he ended up with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a Cup-winning veteran that was supposed to bring playoff toughness, but failed to help that team slay their first-round demons. Why chase rings around the league when you can just stay in Tampa? That’s exactly what Bogosian did this offseason, signing a three-year deal with the Lightning with a full no-trade clause.

Now out more than a month, the Lightning will need to find an answer on their third pair that isn’t Bogosian. Cal Foote, the obvious choice, is still working his way back from his own injury and was wearing a red no-contact sweater at practice. So it’s Sustr for the time being, despite the 6’7″ behemoth last playing in the NHL during the 2018-19 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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