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Blake Lizotte

Alex Nedeljkovic Out Week-To-Week With Lower-Body Injury

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The Penguins announced that goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury, with Wes Crosby of NHL.com among those to relay the news. The news puts the netminder’s availability for their season opener against the Rangers on Oct. 9 in serious doubt.

Nedeljkovic departed his start on Monday midway through the first period. In the likely scenario that he’s not ready to go by the time the opening night roster is due, expect him to start the year on the non-roster list with 22-year-old Joel Blomqvist, the organization’s top goaltending prospect, backing up Tristan Jarry in his stead.

It’s tough news to swallow for the Penguins, who kept Nedeljkovic off this offseason’s UFA market with a two-year, $5MM extension. He stole the crease from Jarry down the stretch last season as Pittsburgh tried but failed to avoid missing the postseason for the second year in a row.

Nedeljkovic, 28, put up perfectly average numbers in a 1B role behind Jarry last year. The former Hurricanes second-rounder made 38 appearances, the second-highest mark of his career, and posted an 18-7-7 record with a .902 SV% and a 2.97 GAA with one shutout.

In the meantime, there are certainly worse fallback options than Jarry and Blomqvist. Jarry is entering his fifth season as the Pens’ starter, and while his .903 SV% last year was certainly underwhelming, he’s long been an above-average starter and has finished in the top 10 in Vezina Trophy voting twice. Blomqvist was likely due for some NHL looks this season anyway after shutting the door with a .921 SV% and 2.16 in 45 games for AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2023-24, earning himself a spot on the league’s All-Rookie Team.

The Pens also announced a bevy of other minor injury updates. Chief among them is defenseman Erik Karlsson, who skated again today as he attempts to heal from an upper-body injury before the season opener. The three-time Norris winner has yet to be a full participant in camp but is still listed as day-to-day. They also said that potential fourth-line piece Blake Lizotte is out with a concussion and has no timeline yet for a return. Forward Vasiliy Ponomarev is also day-to-day with an upper-body injury but will likely be ready for the beginning of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s season.

Penguins Sign Anthony Beauvillier, Blake Lizotte; Three Others

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The Penguins have signed winger Anthony Beauvillier to a one-year contract in a deal that will pay him $1.25MM next season per a team announcement. Additionally, Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the team has also come to a contract agreement with Blake Lizotte on a two-year, $3.7MM contract.

Pittsburgh also announced they’ve signed forward Jimmy Huntington to a one-year deal. His pact carries the league minimum $775K cap hit. They’re also bringing in 26-year-old right-shot defenseman Nathan Clurman on a one-year, two-way deal worth $775K NHL/$125K AHL, per PuckPedia. They also re-signed 25-year-old forward Emil Bemstrom to a one-year, one-way deal worth $775K after not issuing him a qualifying offer yesterday, PuckPedia reports.

Beauvillier finds a new home after a tough 2023-24 season that saw him bounce between three different clubs. In 60 games with the Canucks, Blackhawks and Predators, the 27-year-old had only five goals and 17 points with a -8 rating. That’s a far cry from the 15-goal form he consistently flashed with the Islanders from 2017 to 2023 until his involvement in the Bo Horvat trade sent him to Vancouver.

Pittsburgh will bank on a bit of a rebound from Beauvillier on a deal that’s almost fully buriable in the minors. After moving out Reilly Smith to the Rangers today, there could be an opening for him in the top nine and on the second power play to help him rediscover some offense. He’ll challenge players like Drew O’Connor and Rickard Rakell for a potential top-six spot but should be relatively guaranteed a third-line wing spot at worst unless more additions are coming.

Lizotte slots in nicely to the fourth-line center position, taking away some responsibility from Noel Acciari, who struggled in his first campaign with Pittsburgh last year. The former King has had good possession metrics throughout his six-year, 320-game career and is coming off a solid 15 points and +11 rating in 62 games last year. Interestingly, he’s only one year removed from a breakout campaign that saw him post 34 points in 81 games – if he can recapture that kind of offensive production, that would be a major jolt of energy into a Pittsburgh bottom six that was abysmal offensively in 2023-24.

Bemström should likely stick around on the NHL roster after inking a one-way deal, but whether he opens the season in the lineup or as an extra forward is a different question. The 25-year-old Swede has been a prolific offensive producer in the minors but hasn’t carried it over to the NHL on a consistent basis, finishing the year with a mediocre three goals and five points in 24 games with Pittsburgh after they acquired him from the Blue Jackets. There are certainly worse options to insert into the lineup in a pinch, though, and there’s always hope he can rediscover his rookie season form (10 goals, 20 points in 56 games with Columbus in 2019-20).

Huntington and Clurman will head to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and are highly unlikely to see NHL action next season. Neither has any major league experience to their name thus far in their professional careers. Huntington, 25, spent last season on a minor-league deal with the Hershey Bears, where he finished the season with 14 points in 20 playoff games en route to a Calder Cup win. Clurman, a stocky 6’2″, 205-lb defender, is 26 years old and played only 37 games for the Colorado Eagles last season, recording a goal and four assists with a +5 rating.

Kings Activate Blake Lizotte, Place Viktor Arvidsson On IR

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Top Los Angeles Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson has reportedly been placed on injured reserve, per the NHL media site. The Kings have also activated forward Blake Lizotte off of long-term injured reserve. Lizotte has been out since January 15th, missing the team’s last 14 games. He has nine points in the 34 games he’s been healthy for this season.

Arvidsson is falling out of the lineup after just four games back from a back injury that delayed his season debut until February 15th. He’s dealing with an undisclosed injury suffered in L.A.’s Thursday night win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. ESPN broadcaster Kevin Weekes shared that this new injury could hold Arvidsson out on a week-to-week basis, though that hasn’t been confirmed by new head coach Jim Hiller yet.

Arvidsson recorded two assists, two penalties, and a +1 in his four games back, though he’ll still be searching for his first goal of the season. At the rate that his injuries are coming in, this season could end up as the first time since the 2015-16 season that Arvidsson hasn’t scored at least 10 goals in a season. The Kings will certainly hope that isn’t the case, with Arvidsson ranked third in goals on the Kings between 2020 and 2023.

Lizotte is slated to fill Arvidsson’s role on the team’s third line, playing alongside Quinton Byfield and Pierre-Luc Dubois. He was placed on IR alongside Carl Grundstrom, who is currently ineligible to return until March 9th. Los Angeles will be forced to juggle their depth forwards until then, with Lizotte, Arthur Kaliyev, and Jaret Anderson-Dolan likely rotating between roles in the team’s bottom six.

Los Angeles Kings Activate Viktor Arvidsson, Place Two On LTIR

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The Los Angeles Kings have officially activated winger Viktor Arvidsson off of long-term injured reserve. Arvidsson has yet to play this season, sitting out with a back injury. He will make his season debut against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. The Kings have also placed both Carl Grundstrom and Blake Lizotte on long-term injured reserve with lower-body injuries. LTIR rules will require Grundstrom to miss the team’s next 10 games, making him eligible to return on March 9th, while Lizotte has already missed the required time and can be activated whenever he’s healthy.

Getting Arvidsson back could mark a turning point in L.A.’s season. The 30-year-old forward scored 26 goals and 59 points in 77 games last season, his second-straight season of 20 or more goals. It was the first time he’s flirted with 60 points since the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons when he scored 61 points in back-to-back years. He also boasts a career-high of 34 goals, managed in just 58 games in 2018-19. His return to the lineup gives Los Angeles a lot more flexibility with their winger combinations, and will likely give third-line centerman Pierre-Luc Dubois an upgraded linemate.

Arvidsson’s return also helps L.A. fill the absences left by Lizotte and Grundstrom, who have currently been replaced by Alex Turcotte and Jaret Anderson-Dolan. Turcotte has appeared in four games this season, with his only scoring coming through the first goal and assist of his career, scored in the same game. Anderson-Dolan is also struggling to find his production, with just four points in 22 games.

Kings Recall Samuel Fagemo

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With center Blake Lizotte listed as doubtful for tonight’s game against Dallas, the Kings opted to make a roster move to add some extra forward depth.  The team announced that they’ve recalled winger Samuel Fagemo from AHL Ontario, filling their one vacant roster spot.

It has been an interesting start to the season for the 23-year-old.  A late cut in training camp, Fagemo was claimed off waivers by Nashville and spent nearly six weeks on their roster.  However, playing time was hard to come by as he played in just four games, scoring once.  That landed him back on waivers in November where Fagemo was scooped up once more by Los Angeles.  As no other team put in a claim at that time, they were able to send him down to the Reign.

Since then, Fagemo has been a high-end scorer, notching 20 goals in just 24 games, ranking second in the AHL in that department despite the fact he missed the first 11 games of their season.  It’s the third straight year that he has reached the 20-goal mark although he needed 46 games to get there last season.  Now, he’s being rewarded for his efforts with a recall where he’ll look to have more success than his first couple of stints with the Kings which saw him collect two goals and an assist in 13 games over two seasons.

As for Lizotte, he left last night’s game against Carolina early with a lower-body injury and did not return.  The 26-year-old has struggled a bit offensively this year compared to 2022-23 when he had a career-high 11 goals and 23 assists in 81 games.  This season, he checks in at five goals and four helpers in 34 contests with his playing time dipping to just above 11 minutes a night, the lowest ATOI mark of his career.

West Notes: Lizotte, Lindholm, Namestnikov

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Los Angeles Kings writer Zach Dooley reported today that Kings forward Blake Lizotte has progressed to a regular practice jersey today as he moves closer to the returning to the lineup. The 25-year-old missed his sixth straight game this evening but could return on Thursday night when the Kings take on the Montreal Canadiens. Kings head coach Todd McLellan told reporters today that the plan is to see how Lizotte feels after practice tomorrow before making any decisions on a potential return later this week.

Lizotte has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury he suffered in a game against the St. Louis Blues back on November 18th. He took a hard open-ice hit from Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo and immediately went to the bench and up the tunnel with the training staff. He did not return to the game.

In 16 games this season, the Lindstrom, Minnesota native has four goals and three assists and is +7.

In other West notes:

  • TSN’s Salim Nadim Valji is reporting that Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm was back at practice today after missing yesterday’s practice due to an illness. All signs point to the 29-year-old dressing in the Flames game tonight against the Minnesota Wild as Calgary tries to get back to .500 after starting the season 2-7-1. Lindholm has played fine this season with seven goals and 10 assists in 24 games, but he has struggled to score goals with a shooting percentage of just 10.9%, well off his career average of 12.5%.
  • Winnipeg Jets analyst Mitchell Clinton is reporting that Winnipeg Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov will join the team on their upcoming road trip but is unlikely to play in Thursday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. The 31-year-old has missed the Jets’ last two games after suffering a lower-body injury during a puck battle with Darnell Nurse in the Jets’ 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers last Thursday. Namestnikov signed a two-year deal with the Jets in the summer and has had a decent start to the season with two goals and nine assists in his first 22 games.

Injury Notes: Jeannot, Eyssimont, Lizotte

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The Tampa Bay Lightning will look to avoid elimination in Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and will have to do so without their big trade deadline pickup. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Tanner Jeannot was not on the ice when the team stepped out for warmup, and is dealing with an injury. The Lightning surprisingly traded first, second, third, fourth and fifth round draft picks as well as prospect Cal Foote for Jeannot in February.

Jeannot had one goal and four points in 20 regular season games for the Lightning after the trade, and has been held pointless in three postseason games. He was injured late in the regular season in what looked like a serious injury. Scott Mayfield of the New York Islanders fell on him and his right leg bent in such a way that a broken fibula seemed likely. Jeannot was back in the lineup shortly after, but is apparently dealing with something nagging as he will miss a potential elimination contest.

  • While Jeannot is out of the lineup, the Lightning did get some good news as Michael Eyssimont will return to the ice according to Mark Masters of TSN. Eyssimont was also acquired at the trade deadline this season and scored one goal and two points in 15 regular season games with the Lightning. He was injured in Game 1 of the postseason when Jake McCabe hit him in open ice but made a little head contact.
  • Out west, the Los Angeles Kings may get some reinforcements to their lineup during the three days off between Game 5 and 6 in their series with the Edmonton Oilers. Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reports Blake Lizotte has not played since Game 2 due to a lower-body injury. Lizotte practiced Thursday in a regular white jersey, signalling he is healthy and ready to return to the lineup. He is a key penalty killer on the Kings which is much needed against the dangerous power play of the Oilers, though there is no official confirmation that he will play in Game 6 just yet.

Blake Lizotte Out For Game Three, Latest On Kevin Fiala

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The Los Angeles Kings will remain without Kevin Fiala for tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, according to team reporter Zach Dooley. In addition, center Blake Lizotte has suffered a lower-body injury, and will also miss tonight’s game. Kings head coach Todd McLellan said Gabriel Vilardi would shift to the third-line center slot vacated by Lizotte.

This update on Fiala is not wholly unexpected since he has yet to play in his team’s first-round playoff series. It is nonetheless unfortunate news for Kings fans, though, as Fiala is the team’s most important offensive generator, having posted 72 points in 69 regular-season games.

Fiala last played in a March 1st victory over the Seattle Kraken, a game where he posted a goal and an assist. Before his injury, Fiala had compiled a stretch of eight points in six games, and that’s exactly the sort of production the Kings may need to keep up with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the high-flying Oilers offense.

Lizotte’s absence, unlike Fiala’s, is more unexpected. The energetic undrafted forward has played in both of the Kings’ playoff games this year and is an important bottom-sixer for the team. He set a career-high scoring 11 goals and 34 points this season and is a valued second-unit penalty killer.

Since the Kings are facing an Oilers team who boast one of the most lethal power plays in recent NHL history, the loss of Lizotte heightens Los Angeles’ need to remain disciplined this series.

While the fact that they are heading back to Los Angeles with a tied series and a win on the road should inspire confidence for the Kings, this new absence of Lizotte will undoubtedly make taking a series lead on the Oilers a more daunting task.

Blake Lizotte Suspended One Game

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2:25 PM: The NHL Department of Player Safety has suspended Lizotte one game for his infraction. As was expected, the suspension mirrors the punishment received by Greer for his cross-check on Hoffman, and the punishment means Lizotte will be unavailable to coach Todd McLellan for the Kings’ game tonight against the St. Louis Blues.

10:00 AM: During last night’s win against the Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings forward, Blake Lizotte, was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking Jets’ defenseman Josh Morrissey. The two had been battling across the ice, and Morrissey would leave the ice after the incident, requiring 10 stitches on his face, with another eight on the inside of his mouth.

This morning, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that Lizotte will indeed have a hearing for the incident from Saturday night. The event from Saturday night’s game was very similar to the cross-check delivered to Mike Hoffman of the Montreal Canadiens by Boston Bruins’ forward A.J. Greer. It is worth noting that Greer was handed a one-game suspension for his cross-check.

Lizotte, now in his fifth year in the NHL, has not been suspended once throughout his career. Through 70 games during the 2021-22 season, Lizotte accrued a total of 28 PIM, while this year, in 72 games played, already has 54 PIM. Aside from earning more time within the penalty box, Lizotte has become a key depth forward for Los Angeles, scoring 10 goals, and 20 assists for 30 points, a new career high.

Nominees Announced For 2022 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

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The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is given out annually to the NHL player who exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The award has been voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association since 1968, and today they announced their nominees for 2022.

Past winners of the award include Oskar Lindblom (2021), Bobby Ryan (2020), Robin Lehner (2019), Brian Boyle (2018), Craig Anderson (2017), Jaromir Jagr (2016), Devan Dubnyk (2015), Dominic Moore (2014), and Josh Harding (2013).

Below are the nominees from each team:

Anaheim Ducks – Ryan Getzlaf

Arizona Coyotes – Andrew Ladd

Boston Bruins – Jake DeBrusk

Buffalo Sabres – Kyle Okposo

Calgary Flames – Chris Tanev

Carolina Hurricanes – Antti Raanta

Chicago Blackhawks – Dylan Strome

Colorado Avalanche – Jack Johnson

Columbus Blue Jackets – Justin Danforth

Dallas Stars – Tyler Seguin

Edmonton Oilers – Kris Russell

Florida Panthers – Anthony Duclair

Los Angeles Kings – Blake Lizotte

Minnesota Wild – Jared Spurgeon

Montreal Canadiens – Carey Price

Nashville Predators – Mark Borowiecki

New Jersey Devils – Nico Hischier

New York Islanders – Zdeno Chara

New York Rangers – Chris Kreider

Ottawa Senators – Anton Forsberg

Philadelphia Flyers – Kevin Hayes

Pittsburgh Penguins – Brian Boyle

St. Louis Blues – Vladimir Tarasenko

Seattle Kraken – Jaden Schwartz

Tampa Bay Lightning – Alex Killorn

Toronto Maple Leafs – Ondrej Kase

Vancouver Canucks – Luke Schenn

Vegas Golden Knights – Jack Eichel

Winnipeg Jets – Josh Morrissey

Washington Capitals – Nicklas Backstrom

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