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Erik Haula

Metropolitan Notes: Chinakhov, Haula, Kuefler

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Earlier this week, the agent for Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov indicated that his client was unhappy with his role and while the youngster hadn’t asked for a trade, he’d like to be moved.  Speaking with reporters today including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Post-Dispatch, the 22-year-old tried to pour cold water on that notion to an extent.  He stated his affinity for the team and market but that he simply just wants to play.  Chinakhov started the season on IR and then was sent to the AHL briefly before being recalled early last month.  Since then, he has been a regular most nights but is playing under 14 minutes per game, lately spending time on the fourth line even but has five points in 13 games.  Clearly, the 2020 first-round pick is looking to have a bigger role; he will once again be a restricted free agent in the summer but will have arbitration rights at that time for the first time.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • While the Devils didn’t get center Erik Haula back in their lineup tonight against San Jose, he might not be out much longer. Ryan Novozinsky of The Star-Ledger notes that the veteran will accompany the team on their upcoming four-game road trip.  The 32-year-old suffered a lower-body injury last week against Buffalo.  Haula is coming off back-to-back 40-plus-point seasons and has produced at a better pace than that this season with a dozen points in 18 games.
  • The Islanders have activated winger Daylan Kuefler off season-opening IR and assigned him to AHL Bridgeport, CapFriendly reports (Twitter link). The 21-year-old is in his first professional season but wasn’t able to participate in training camp after suffering an injury in the WHL playoffs back in the spring.  Last season, Kuefler had 61 points in 54 games with Kamloops while adding seven more in 13 playoff contests and four more in as many Memorial Cup appearances.

Injury Notes: Chabot, Martin, Hamilton

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The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch shared that star defenseman Thomas Chabot will return to the lineup in the team’s Friday matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Chabot has missed the last 10 games with a broken right hand suffered on October 26th against the New York Islanders.

Chabot has appeared in seven games this season, recording three assists, two penalty minutes, and a -1. He’s coming off a career year, scoring 41 points in 68 games last season. It was the second-most that Chabot has scored in a single season, with his career-high coming in the 2018-19 season when Chabot scored 55 points in 70 games. Chabot, 26, is in the fourth season of an eight-year contract extension signed in 2019.

Other injury notes around the league:

  • New York Islanders head coach Lane Lambert shared that forward Matt Martin is close to returning to action, but that his activation from injured reserve was more precautionary than anything. Lambert said that forwards Simon Holmstrom and Cal Clutterbuck missed the team’s Monday practice with illness and were questionable for the team’s Tuesday night game against the New Jersey Devils. Both players suited up for the matchup – with Clutterbuck even scoring a goal – delaying Martin’s return.
  • New Jersey Devils head coach Lindy Ruff shared that there is currently no timetable for Dougie Hamilton’s return from an upper-body injury. He will remain questionable for the team’s Thursday night game in Philadelphia. Ruff also shared that center Erik Haula will be out against Philadelphia, and that Timo Meier returned to skating on his own on Wednesday.

Metropolitan Notes: Haula, Fox, Rust

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New Jersey Devils reporter Amanda Stein tweeted today that forward Erik Haula did not practice with the team today after suffering an injury on Saturday night. Haula was forced to leave the Devils 7-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres with an undisclosed ailment. The 32-year-old did not join the team on the bench for the third period leading to speculation about what might have happened to the native of Pori, Finland.

Haula has found a home in New Jersey after bouncing around to four different teams between 2019-2022. In 18 games this year Haula has six goals and six assists which is well above his average point production per game. His hot start can be credited to a shooting percentage of 17.1% which is well above his career average of 12%.

Star-Ledger reporter Ryan Novozinsky tweeted that Devils head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters that Haula probably won’t be available for the team’s game tomorrow night which would be another blow to a Devils team who have already sustained injuries to much of their forward group, including Timo Meier and Tomas Nosek who were also absent from practice this morning as they continue to deal with ongoing ailments.

In other Metropolitan notes:

  • Mollie Walker of the New York Post is reporting that New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox was an active participant in the team’s practice this morning and is eligible to return to the Rangers lineup on Wednesday night when they take on the Detroit Red Wings. The native of Jericho, New York was placed on the injured reserve after suffering an injury on November 3rd when he was hit by Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho. Fox had been on a torrid pace to start the season with three goals and eight assists in the first 10 games of the Rangers season. The 2021 Norris Trophy winner will add a jolt to a Rangers team that sits tied for first in the league with a 15-3-1 record to start the season.
  • Matt Vensel of Post-Gazette Sports is reporting that Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust was a full participant in Penguins practice this morning and he attempts to work his way back into the lineup after missing the team’s last three games with a lower-body injury. Rust practiced on the team’s top line along with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel and took reps of the Penguins’ first power play unit signalling that a return could come sooner than later. Shelly Anderson of Pittsburgh Hockey Now is reporting that Rust told reporters that he could play tomorrow night when Pittsburgh visits the Nashville Predators, but nothing is official yet. The Penguins could certainly use Rust back as they’ve had Drew O’Connor filling in during his absence. O’Connor did have an assist in Saturday night’s win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he lacks the offensive upside that Rust brings to the Penguins top-6 forward group.

Snapshots: Carlsson, Petry, Devils

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When the Anaheim Ducks made a somewhat unexpected choice at the 2023 NHL draft to select Swedish pivot Leo Carlsson over Hobey Baker winner Adam Fantilli, many had circled today as a date to watch on the NHL calendar. That’s because Carlsson’s Ducks are set to play Fantilli’s Blue Jackets tonight, and with both players likely to be in the NHL today’s contest was viewed to be the first chance to watch the two players go head-to-head.

Fans will have to wait to get that chance, though, as Ducks team reporter Aly Lozoff confirms that Carlsson will not dress for today’s game. Carlsson began this season dealing with an injury and the Ducks have reportedly been attempting to “ease” Carlsson into the rigors of the NHL schedule. That means he’ll sit tonight, and as a result, fans will have to wait until the Blue Jackets travel to Orange County in February to get the chance to see Carlsson and Fantilli face off.

  • Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry did not skate this morning and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, according to Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde. Petry, 35, was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins (via the Montreal Canadiens) this offseason and has thus far skated in four games for the Red Wings. The Red Wings’ defensive depth is an area of strength, so while Petry’s injury is definitely unfortunate, the Red Wings are well-equipped to survive in his absence.
  • As relayed by Devils team reporter Sam Kasan, forwards Erik Haula and Nico Hischier  “will be able to play” in tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, according to head coach Lindy Ruff. Hischier, the Devils’ captain, missed the later stages of the Devils’ last game with an upper-body injury, while Haula hasn’t appeared in the lineup since October 16th. With Tomáš Nosek out with an injury, these two players returning to health is an important development in helping the Devils maintain their impressive strength at the center position.

Devils Notes: Hischier, Haula, Recalls

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New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier did not practice today after leaving Friday’s overtime win over the Islanders with a reported shoulder injury, NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky notes. Head coach Lindy Ruff told Novozinsky that Hischier is “being evaluated right now” and will give another update on his status when the team reconvenes on Monday.

Hischier has had a slow start to 2023-24, at least on the scoresheet. He and Dawson Mercer are the only Devils forwards who have played in all four games this season and are yet to record a point. His 17:34 average ice time thus far is also the lowest since his rookie season, a further sign of the stranglehold Jack Hughes is taking as the team’s bonafide number-one center. He hasn’t taken a step back defensively, however, still showcasing the form that earned him a Selke Trophy nomination last season. He has a Corsi share of 57.1% at even strength, which ranks fourth among Devils forwards to play in all four contests.

Other Devils updates coming this weekend:

  • Depth center Erik Haula is continuing his recovery from the upper-body injury that sidelined him against the Islanders on Friday. Devils team reporter Amanda Stein said today that Haula skated on his own prior to practice, and the team is “hopeful” he’ll be available for Monday’s game against the Canadiens, limiting him to just one game missed. Haula’s line with Ondrej Palat and Alexander Holtz has provided solid secondary scoring so far, and Haula has two goals and one helper through three appearances. The 32-year-old signed a three-year, $9.45MM extension with the Devils to avoid free agency this summer.
  • While Hischier’s and Haula’s statuses are up in the air, don’t expect any recalls from AHL Utica until the last minute. Ruff told reporters today that their minor-league affiliate is dealing with some injuries of their own and that a recall would only be necessary on Monday if both Hischier and Haula are unavailable against Montreal. With 22-year-old Nolan Foote still on season-opening injured reserve, look for Shane Bowers or Tyce Thompson to get an NHL nod if they’re healthy.

Injury Notes: Devils, Penguins, Ducks

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NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky has shared that Erik Haula and Tomas Nosek will likely both miss New Jersey’s Friday night game with an upper-body and lower-body injury respectively. Haula was the only one of the two to play in the team’s most recent game, being named the game’s third star after a two-point performance. Head coach Lindy Ruff told Novozinsky that the duo will likely not travel with the team on their upcoming two-game road trip.

The absence of Haula and Nosek leaves a dent in New Jersey’s bottom six that’s expected to be filled by Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian. Bastian has been with the Devils for five of his six NHL seasons, briefly joining the Seattle Kraken for 12 games of the 2021-22 season before the Devils claimed him off waivers partway through the year. Lazar is a much more recent addition, joining the Devils via trade ahead of the 2022-23 trade deadline. He’s only played six games with the Devils between last season and this season and has yet to record a point. New Jersey could also turn towards summer signee Chris Tierney to fill an empty role. Tierney has yet to make his debut with the Devils.

Other injury notes:

Snapshots: Demko, Haula, Hintz

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Thatcher Demko was mysteriously pulled from the team’s season opener after just over 48 minutes of play. After the game, Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet shared that Demko was battling the flu before the game and tried to play through it but was pulled after getting sick. Despite the bug, Demko recorded 21 saves on 22 shots – a big piece of the staggering 8-1 win Vancouver would go on to notch. Recent trade acquisition Casey DeSmith relieved Demko and saved all five shots that he faced.

Vancouver hasn’t shared that they’re expecting Demko to miss any more time with this flu. They visit the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, October 14 to kick off a five-game road trip. The gap between games will likely be plenty for Demko, although his status will be one to monitor over the coming days. While DeSmith was suitable in relief, the Canucks will certainly still want as much of Demko as they can get this season. The 27-year-old goalie played in 64 games during the 2021-22 season, recording a .915 save percentage, but was held to only 32 games and a .901 save percentage last year as he battled with a groin injury.

Other notes from around the league:

East Notes: Devils Injuries, Blue Jackets Coaching, Slafkovský

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New Jersey Devils head coach Lindy Ruff issued injury updates to three players: expected third-line center Erik Haula, 2019 first-round pick Nolan Foote, and veteran netminder Keith Kinkaid. As relayed by Devils reporter Sam Kasan, Ruff revealed that Haula is “day-to-day while dealing with a “nagging” injury,” while Foote has an upper-body injury and Kinkaid is still dealing with his own injury.

The Devils have had an incredible preseason thus far, and are widely expected to be among the NHL’s best teams this upcoming season. While that has more to do with their superstars playing on their top-two lines, Haula is still a strong third pivot who scored 14 goals and 41 points last season. The Devils will be hoping that he can return in time for opening night so the club can hit the ground running this season, something they failed to do in 2022-23.

Some more notes from the Eastern Conference:

  • The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets are looking to make an addition to head coach Pascal Vincent’s coaching staff. (subscription link) The team lost longtime assistant Kenny McCudden this offseason, and according to Portzline is looking to replace him with the likely candidate coming from inside their organization.
  • 2022 first overall pick Juraj Slafkovský showed some promise in his rookie season, but ultimately finished without the box score numbers to show for it and ended his campaign recovering from an injury. His progress is a major storyline for the Canadiens this season, and it appears Slafkovský’s preseason performance has earned him a more significant role in the team’s lineup. The Athletic’s Arpon Basu reports that Slafkovský played an “excellent” preseason game on a line with Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook, and could end up on that scoring line full-time which would be a major step up from the role he received as a rookie. (subscription link)

New Jersey Devils Extend Erik Haula

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The New Jersey Devils have agreed to a three-year contract extension with center Erik Haula, the team announced Friday. The contract carries an average annual value of $3.15MM, paid out as follows:

2023-24: $2.9MM salary + $1MM signing bonus, full no-trade clause
2024-25: $2.15MM salary + $1MM signing bonus, full no-trade clause
2025-26: $2.4MM salary, six team no-trade list

PuckPedia reported the details of Haula’s signing bonuses and trade protection.

Haula, 32, was one of three Devils depth forwards destined for unrestricted free agency on July 1. He could be the only one returning out of himself, Miles Wood, and Tomas Tatar, as the Devils would like to keep some salary cap space open heading into the free-agent market.

The Finnish forward has bounced around quite a bit in the past few seasons. He hadn’t played for the same team in back-to-back seasons since his stint with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18 and 2018-19, a trend that will end next year.

He’s revived his career significantly in the past two seasons with the Devils and Boston Bruins, recording back-to-back 40-point campaigns after notching just nine goals and 21 points in 51 games with the Nashville Predators in 2020-21. Haula was a force in the faceoff circle for the Devils last year, winning 54.2% of his draws, and recorded his highest average time on ice (16:38) since his first season in Vegas.

Haula finished the 2022-23 campaign with 14 goals, 27 assists, and 41 points in 80 games, finishing seventh on the team in all those categories. He added four goals in 12 playoff games for the Devils, which was second on the team behind Jack Hughes, and played over 17 minutes per game.

Retaining Haula puts the Devils in quite a position of strength down the middle. A three-year extension could get hairy near the end, given he’ll be turning 35 in the deal’s final season, but he remains a high-end third-line center.

Behind Hughes and Nico Hischier, the team’s center depth in the Metropolitan Division is rivaled by perhaps the New York Rangers, with Filip Chytil as their third-line center – although most would rather have Hughes and Hischier over Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck on their top two lines.

Haula just completed the final season of a two-year contract signed with Boston in 2021 that paid him $2.375MM per season.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was the first to report the two sides were nearing an extension. NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky was the first to report the contract’s value.

Devils Notes: Severson, Graves, Haula

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The New Jersey Devils won their first playoff series in over a decade this past spring and now face the prospect of losing several key free agents in just under a month’s time. James Nichols of The Fourth Period reported today that Damon Severson’s camp isn’t sure whether the Devils want him to return or not. While it certainly doesn’t sound like the two sides are close to an agreement or even talking now, these types of agreements can be reached in a matter of days. Devils’ general manager Tom Fitzgerald has a lot of work to be done this summer and appears to have prioritized the Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier contract negotiations at this time.

Nichols reported yesterday that the Columbus Blue Jackets were interested in Severson’s services as well, and it isn’t a surprise given the players track record. Severson is sure to be in demand as he is a right defenseman coming off a season in which he put up 7 goals and 26 assists in 81 games. The veteran has spent his entire nine-year career with the Devils and could very well find himself in a different uniform come the fall.

In other Devils news:

  • Nichols also reported that defenseman Ryan Graves sounds like a player that is on his way out of New Jersey. Nichols spoke with Graves agent Allain Roy who said that New Jersey needs to figure out if they have room for his client and that a lot will have to happen before they do. Graves is another defenseman that is sure to be in demand, the 28-year-old posted eight goals and 18 assists in 78 games this past season and was a big part of a Devils penalty kill that finished fifth in the league with a success rate of 82.5%.
  • In positive news for New Jersey, Nichols reports that the Devils have engage in extension talks with Erik Haula. The left winger has stated his interest in returning to the Devils and Fitzgerald has said the Devils would like him back. While they are early in their discussions, Nichols says it would be hard to imagine them not working out a deal to bring the 32-year-old back into the fray. Haula came over from the Boston Bruins in a trade last summer and put up 14 goals and 27 assists in 80 games in his first year with the Devils.

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