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Colton Parayko

West Notes: Wild, Parayko, Lemieux

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Minnesota has had a strong first half to their season and are sitting comfortably in a playoff spot in the West Division and remain within striking distance of the top two seeds in Colorado and Vegas.  However, Wild GM Bill Guerin suggested to Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the team may not be overly active between now and April 12:

I’m really happy with our team right now. I’m happy with the job our players have done, and obviously our coaches have done a great job. Chemistry-wise, I think our team’s good. Unless something really makes us better, I don’t really feel the need to disrupt this group. If something will make us better, then we’ll do it. But I do see the chemistry that our team has, and that’s very important. To mix that up could be dangerous, but we’ll see.

Like many teams, one element that will limit what they even try to do is the salary cap.  Per CapFriendly, the Wild can only add about $2MM on deadline day which is hardly enough to try to make a splash.  If Guerin does opt to make a move then, it will likely have to be one that simply shores up their depth.

More from the West:

  • The Blues won’t have Colton Parayko back this weekend but his return appears to be on the horizon. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the defenseman is not with the team for their two-game set in Colorado but he has been skating for more than a week now as he works his way back from a back injury.  The team has not yet ruled him out for Monday’s matchup against Vegas and he would be a huge boost to a St. Louis squad that has struggled as of late, dropping four straight and nine of their last 11 games.
  • The acquisition of Brendan Lemieux by the Kings over the weekend came as a bit of a surprise but Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that the 25-year-old had asked for a trade from the Rangers which accelerated the process. Lemieux was believed to be seeking a larger role after averaging just over 10 minutes per game with New York prior to the move.  While he’s still in quarantine, Lemieux should be able to get that with Los Angeles, especially if they wind up moving a forward or two out between now and the trade deadline.

Injury Notes: Bozak, Trocheck, Bruins, Kings

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After a month-and-a-half on the sidelines, St. Louis Blues forward Tyler Bozak is finally making some progress toward a return. Speaking to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, head coach Craig Berube displayed optimism when discussing the health of his veteran center, who was back at practice on Friday. “He’s gonna get some work here in the next few days and he could be available soon,” Berube said. “It’s good to see him out there and working… making some real good progress.” Bozak has not played since January 26th, when he was forced out of game against the Vegas Golden Knights with an apparent concussion. With the Blue about to embark on a six-game road trip, they will have to decide if bringing Bozak is the right move or if he requires additional time before his return. While St. Louis also just got Vladimir Tarasenko back and Oskar Sundqvist returned from a short-term injury, they could still use all the help they can get. Colton Parayko, Jaden Schwartz, Ivan Barbashev, Robert Thomas, Jacob De La Rose, and more are still among the Blues’ injured.

  • The news on Carolina Hurricanes forward Vincent Trocheck does not sound as optimistic. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour tells The Athletic’s Sara Civian that Trocheck’s recent upper-body injury will keep him sidelined for “longer than hoped”. The coach held back on providing any definitive timeline, but any long-term absence for Trocheck will be a major loss for the team. In his first full season with the Hurricanes, Trocheck has been a point-per-game player and is tied with Sebastian Aho for the team’s scoring lead. If there is one silver lining for Carolina, it is that the injury occurred before the trade deadline; with a considerable amount of cap space, the ’Canes still have time to bring in help to make up for an extended period without Trocheck.
  • Back on the positive side, the Boston Bruins have been dealing with an onslaught of injuries for some time, but there could be some help on the way. Head coach Bruce Cassidy announced today that veteran defenseman Kevan Miller has resumed skating and is likely to travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. Miller has been resting his surgically-repaired knee, but seems like he is ready to get back on the ice. Cassidy also said that defenseman Brandon Carlo is “coming around” and, while he is unsure if it will happen, there is at least some consideration that he could travel as well. This is the first concrete update on Carlo since he was hospitalized by a high hit from Washington’s Tom Wilson, but its seems that Carlo will not be out for a lengthy period as many feared.
  • It’s a scary time for any unknown illness given the shadow of the Coronavirus, so the Los Angeles Kings played it safe and cancelled practice this morning, citing an “illness” spreading around the group. Head coach Todd McLellan and the Kings do not believe that this is COVID, but a seasonal virus. However, the team will wait to see what their latest batch of test results say. Defenseman Olli Maatta is currently on the league’s COVID Protocal Related Absences list, though Alex Iafallo missed the team’s last game with similar symptoms and did not test positive for COVID. Obviously, the hope of all involved is that this is what McLellan believe it to be: some unrelated bug going around the locker room.

Blues Activate Vladimir Tarasenko From LTIR

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The Blues are getting a big boost to their lineup for their game versus Los Angeles tonight as the team announced that winger Vladimir Tarasenko has been activated off LTIR and will be in the lineup for his season debut.  He had missed the entire season so far due to shoulder surgery and this will be his first regular season game in nearly 17 months.

When he has been in the lineup, Tarasenko has been one of the more consistent scoring threats in the league.  Between 2014-15 and 2018-19 (before the injuries began), he had at least 33 goals in every one of them, averaging just over 36 per year, making him a reliable top-liner in St. Louis’ lineup.

Of course, it would be hard to expect that from the 29-year-old now with how much time he has missed.  He played in just ten regular season games last season plus four more in the bubble so there is definitely going to be some rust to work off.  Fortunately for him and the Blues, the team is sitting in second place in the West Division and are eight points ahead of fifth-place Los Angeles.  They don’t necessarily need Tarasenko to step in and play a big role right away; they’ll be able to ease him in and allow him to work his way up.

Heading into the season, one of the storylines for Tarasenko’s eventual return was going to be how they would get back into salary cap compliance.  However, that has effectively been mitigated for now with so many other injuries.  Tyler Bozak, Carl Gunnarsson, and Ivan Barbashev have all been placed on LTIR in recent weeks with their combined cap hits ($8.225MM) exceeding that of Tarasenko’s $7.5MM while Alex Steen ($5.75MM) is also there.

With St. Louis carrying the maximum 23 players on their active roster, they needed to make a move before they could activate Tarasenko.  That move is the placement of Colton Parayko on regular injured reserve.  The blueliner has missed eight straight games due to an upper-body injury and is eligible to be activated at any time but considering he’s not with the team on their current road trip, that’s unlikely to be happening soon.  Assuming he misses another two games as expected, he could also be transferred to LTIR if they need to.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Notes: Blues, Kuznetsov, Larkin

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As the St. Louis Blues embark on a six-game road trip, they are leaving many of their top players behind. While Vladimir Tarasenko appears ready to be activated from the Long-Term Injured Reserve, many other Blues are not as lucky. Alex Steen and Carl Gunnarsson are out for the year, placed on LTIR, while Tyler Bozak, Ivan Barbashev, and Robert Thomas all remain sidelined on standard IR, and you can now add two more to the lengthy list of absences, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Colton Parayko and Jaden Schwartz also did not travel with the team. Due to the length of the trip, this implies that both are currently dealing with substantial injuries and will not be recovered within the next two weeks. This aligns with a recent report from The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford that suggest Parayko had been playing through a back injury but simply could not keep going, especially as his performance suffered. Surgery is a potential option for Parayko, but for now he is being given substantial rest and rehab in hopes that it can be avoided. Schwartz remains more unknown, only termed day-to-day thus far, but clearly his injury is more of the “week-to-week” variety. The Blues will have to hope for the best from their top options and trust their depth, as a long bout of the injury bug can be especially debilitating in a shortened season.

  • In some surprising news from earlier, Evgeny Kuznetsov was ruled out for the Washington Capitals’ Saturday matinee match-up. Kuznetsov has been diagnosed with an undisclosed upper-body injury and is considered day-to-day, but it is unknown when and how the injury occurred. According to The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, Kuznetsov was a full participant in practice on Friday, even getting in some early solo work. There is no word on if he will be available to the Capitals tomorrow for their re-match with the New Jersey Devils.
  • The Detroit Red Wings will be without their captain and leading scorer this weekend, the team announced. Dylan Larkin has been ruled out for Saturday and Sunday meetings with the rival Chicago Blackhawks and is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. With Tyler Bertuzzi still sidelined as well, the league’s second-lowest scoring teams loses another major name from its short list of weapons.

West Notes: Karlsson, Lehner, Parayko, Walker

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The Sharks will be without defenseman Erik Karlsson for at least the next two games, notes Jon Williams of NBC Sports Bay Area.  The veteran is dealing with another groin injury though it’s not believed to be related to his previous groin injuries.  Nevertheless, head coach Bob Boughner indicated yesterday to reporters, including Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News, that Karlsson’s injury is a nagging one that he had been playing through.  However, with just four assists in 13 games this season, it’s certainly fair to wonder if the veteran would be better served by sitting for a little while and trying to come back at full strength.  With a record-setting $11.5MM AAV, San Jose needs much more offense than they’ve received from Karlsson thus far and perhaps this groin issue is at least partially to blame.

Elsewhere in the West Division:

  • Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner isn’t expected to travel with the team for this weekend’s outdoor game at Lake Tahoe, reports David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). However, he is expected to return to the Vegas lineup sooner than later.  Lehner last played on February 7th and has been battling an upper-body injury.  Marc-Andre Fleury has been quite strong in his absence as he tries to retake his former number one role.
  • While the Blues are getting Marco Scandella and Torey Krug back tonight from their respective upper-body injuries, it’s not all good news for their back end as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch relays that Colton Parayko’s nagging injury is enough to keep him out of the lineup. The 27-year-old was expected to have a big season following the departure of Alex Pietrangelo but has managed just a goal and seven assists through 16 games and was only able to play 15 minutes on Monday against Arizona.
  • The Kings are close to welcoming back Sean Walker to their lineup as Lisa Dillman of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the defenseman is expected to play at some point on their six-game road trip. The 26-year-old has missed the last six games after undergoing nasal surgery after he took a slapshot to the face in late-January.

St. Louis Blues Name Ryan O’Reilly Captain

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The St. Louis Blues not only lost a Norris-level defenseman but also lost their captain when Alex Pietrangelo decided to sign with the Vegas Golden Knights in free agency. Today, one of those things has been restored, with the Blues’ announcement that Ryan O’Reilly will serve as captain moving forward. O’Reilly will be the 23rd captain in franchise history and is joined by Vladimir Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn, and Colton Parayko, who will serve as alternates. Blues head coach Craig Berube explained just why O’Reilly was the choice:

Ryan’s work ethic on and off the ice and his commitment day in and day out is second to none. He leads by example with how hard he works during practices and our games and he relays the right message from our coaching staff to our entire team.

O’Reilly, 29, has actually only been in St. Louis for two seasons but is already a franchise icon. The team’s second Conn Smythe winner, he led the Blues to the Stanley Cup in 2019 with a playoff-leading 23 points in 26 games. That followed a 77-point season, a career-high of O’Reilly, but it’s really not even his offense that is so important to the team. The 2019 Selke Trophy winner is one of the very best defensive forwards in the entire world, shutting down the middle of the ice while always among the league leaders in faceoff wins. He has received votes for the Selke in each of the last ten seasons, starting when he was just a 19-year-old for the Colorado Avalanche.

Not only does O’Reilly drive offense and shut down opponents, but he also almost never takes a penalty, recording just 106 PIM over his 804-game career, 46 of those coming in his first three seasons. He won the Lady Byng trophy in 2014 when he took just a single minor penalty, a feat he repeated in 2017-18. Though that lack of penalties isn’t a flashy stat, it’s more important than you might think given that O’Reilly is so important on the penalty kill. When it’s never him serving, he’s always available to take crucial defensive-zone draws for the Blues.

All of that makes O’Reilly one of the best players on the Blues, but his leadership off the ice and camaraderie with teammates also likely made this an easy choice for the coaching staff. With three years left on his contract, St. Louis has found their leader for at least the next few seasons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Morning Notes: Ingham, Robertson, Parayko

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Despite eight teams opting out of the upcoming ECHL season, we’re now just a few weeks from scheduled game action. Friday, December 11 will serve as opening night for the minor league, with five games scheduled. With that in mind, several transactions were announced today, including the addition of Jacob Ingham to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits roster.

Ingham, 20, was a sixth-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2018 and signed his entry-level contract earlier this year. The young goaltender had an excellent 2019-20 season at the OHL level, going 33-8-5 for the Kitchener Rangers and winning the Humanitarian of the Year award.

  • One other OHL prospect that is hoping not to have to go back is Nick Robertson, the Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick that made his NHL debut in the bubble. As Chris Johnston explains in his latest piece for Sportsnet, Robertson never left Ontario after Toronto was eliminated, avoiding any quarantine time by staying in Canada to train for the upcoming season instead of returning to his family in the U.S. After Toronto added a handful of bargain bin forwards this offseason Robertson has his work cut out for him if he wants to make the roster.
  • Colton Parayko certainly doesn’t have to worry about making a roster, but there will be increased expectations with the St. Louis Blues after the team watched Alex Pietrangelo leave in free agency. No one is doubting the 6’6″ defenseman though, as Lou Korac writes for NHL.com. Pietrangelo especially is excited to see what Parayko does in his absence, calling his former teammate “elite” and telling him to have a sort of “arrogance” on the ice as the leader of the defense.

NHL Announces Player Gaming Challenge

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The NHL is trying desperately to stay relevant even as their season sits in limbo and have today announced a new feature for fans to tune into. The NHL Player Gaming Challenge will be a tournament of EA SPORTS NHL 20 games featuring players from each of the 32 organizations. The tournament will go for four weeks starting on April 30th. The league and EA will donate a combined $100,000 in support of COVID-19 relief.

Because the Seattle expansion franchise doesn’t have any players to represent them at this point, Luke Willson from the Seattle Seahawks of the NHL will carry the torch.

The full list of participants:

Anaheim Ducks: Cam Fowler

Arizona Coyotes: Conor Garland, Clayton Keller

Boston Bruins: Jake Debrusk, Charlie McAvoy

Buffalo Sabres: Brandon Montour

Calgary Flames: Noah Hanifin, Matthew Tkachuk

Carolina Hurricanes: Warren Foegele

Chicago Blackhawks: Drake Caggiula, Alex DeBrincat

Columbus Blue Jackets: Elvis Merzlikins, Zach Werenski

Colorado Avalanche: J.T. Compher

Dallas Stars: Stephen Johns, Jamie Oleksiak

Detroit Redwings: Madison Bowey, Anthony Mantha

Edmonton Oilers: Caleb Jones, Darnell Nurse

Florida Panthers: Jonathan Huberdeau

Los Angeles Kings: Michael Amadio, Blake Lizotte

Minnesota Wild: Devan Dubnyk, Jordan Greenway

Montreal Canadiens: Victor Mete, Nick Suzuki

Nashville Predators: Filip Forsberg

New Jersey Devils: MacKenzie Blackwood

New York Islanders: Matt Martin

New York Rangers: Chris Kreider

NHL Seattle: Luke Willson, Seattle Seahawks (NFL)

Ottawa Senators: Brady Tkachuk, Chris Tierney

Philadelphia Flyers: James van Riemsdyk

Pittsburgh Penguins: Zach Aston-Reese, Bryan Rust

San Jose Sharks: Evander Kane, Marcus Sorensen

St Louis Blues: Colton Parayko, Robert Thomas

Tampa Bay Lightning: Tyler Johnson

Toronto Maple Leafs: Zach Hyman

Vancouver Canucks: Thatcher Demko, Adam Gaudette

Vegas Golden Knights: Ryan Reaves, Alex Tuch

Washington Capitals: Evgeny Kuznetsov

Winnipeg Jets: Anthony Bitetto, Kyle Connor

Select games can be seen on NBC Sports and Sportsnet ONE. All matches will also air within NHL Network’s on-air programming or its Twitch channel.

Central Notes: Pietrangelo, Lowry, Radulov, Boqvist

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The St. Louis Blues got some good news last week when they learned from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman when he announced that the 2020-21 salary cap is expected to rise between $84MM and $88.2MM. With the current salary cap set at $81.5MM this season, that would give the Blues franchise a significant amount of cap space that it could use to re-sign defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who is currently slated to become a unrestricted free agent this summer.

In his latest mailbag, The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford (subscription required) writes that while those numbers sound promising, the NHL was projected to have a salary cap set at $83MM for the 2019-20 season and it ended up being $81.5MM, which suggests that all teams shouldn’t expect a significant increase. However, as far as Pietrangelo is concerned, the scribe believes that St. Louis has no intention of paying out any more than $9.5MM AAV, and the team would prefer a number closer to $8.5MM regardless of the increase in salary cap. The team believes that if other teams are willing to go to $10MM per season, the Blues will not match that.

Rutherford adds that if that’s the case and Pietrangelo opts to sign elsewhere, the team is unlikely to make any significant additions as there aren’t many significant free-agent defenseman this summer. That means the Blues would then hand the reins to Colton Parayko as the defensive leader next season.

  • The Athletic’s Ken Wiebe reports that Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry is likely to return to the lineup Monday for their game against Arizona. Lowry has been out since Jan. 19 with an upper-body injury and should be able to give the Jets a much-needed boost. The 26-year-old has four goals and 10 points in 47 games with 132 hits.
  • The Dallas Stars were without Alexander Radulov Saturday due to illness, while forward Justin Dowling was able to re-enter the lineup since late January. Dowling immediately moved onto the top line next to Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. However, with the team desperate to put up some offense after being held to one goal in the past three games, The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro (subscription required) writes that if Radulov has to miss extended time, the Stars should consider in recalling forward Jason Robertson. The 20-year-old prospect has 25 goals in his rookie campaign with the Texas Stars and has appeared in three NHL games already.
  • NBC Sports’ Charlie Roumeliotis reports that after missing Friday’s game with a wrist injury on Saturday, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Adam Boqvist is expected to enter the Blackhawks lineup today against the St. Louis Blues. He fills a gap with rookie Lucas Carlsson out with a concussion.

Colton Parayko Activated From Injured Reserve

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After nearly a month out of the lineup, Colton Parayko is ready to make his return to the St. Louis Blues. The star defenseman has missed seven games due to an upper-body injury, but was activated from injured reserve today. Parayko is expected to play tonight against the Vancouver Canucks.

The extremely durable Parayko had only missed six games through the first four seasons of his career, suiting up nearly every night for the Blues while logging big minutes in all situations. The 26-year old returns to a club fighting to stay ahead of the Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division. St. Louis sits six points ahead of the pushing Avalanche, but lost a head-to-head matchup in the final game before their bye week. The Blues now start a four-game road trip through western Canada made up of two back-to-back situations.

Getting Parayko back is huge for the Blues, who are trying to repeat as Stanley Cup champions and still look like the favorite to come out of the west. The team cleared some roster room by sending Troy Brouwer to the minor leagues and are also expected to get Sammy Blais back soon.

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