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Erik Karlsson

Defensive Notes: Karlsson, Nemeth, Schlemko

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The Ottawa Senators will welcome back their captain and best player tomorrow night against the Vancouver Canucks, according to head coach Guy Boucher (via Ian Mendes of TSN). That’s a huge step for the Senators, though they haven’t seemed to need it yet. Ottawa is still undefeated in regulation, and have won their last two games with a combined score of 12-1.

Still, Karlsson is among the top handful of players in the league and will really stabilize a defense corps that has had some moving parts throughout the first few games. Nine different defensemen have already suited up for at least one game, with a ton of responsibility being heaped on the trio of Dion Phaneuf, Cody Ceci and Fredrik Claesson. Each of them are averaging at least 21 minutes a night, something that will likely change with as Karlsson gets his legs under him. Last year the captain averaged almost 27 minutes while finishing second in Norris voting.

  • Patrik Nemeth has left the Colorado Avalanche on their road trip and flown back to Denver for more tests according to Adrian Dater of BSN Denver. Nemeth suffered a shoulder injury while fighting former teammate Tyler Seguin in a game on Saturday night. Nemeth, who was claimed off waivers just before the season started, has been one of the Avalanche’s best defensemen in the early going.
  • David Schlemko was expected back in the Montreal lineup this week, but is not with the team in San Jose according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. The Canadiens take on the Sharks tomorrow night and then will head to Anaheim and Los Angeles before returning home. The 30-year old played one game on a conditioning stint in Laval and was immediately recalled to the team, but still hasn’t suited up for the Canadiens this season.

Minor Transactions: 10/15/17

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The Ottawa Senators announced they are sending defenseman Thomas Chabot to the Belleville Senators of the AHL and are returning Alex Formenton to London of the OHL. That means that Erik Karlsson’s return is close and Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun writes that head coach Guy Boucher said Saturday that Karlsson could be back for Tuesday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

Karlsson’s return will be welcome in Ottawa, who have been without him since last year. The team leader and quarterback of their power play, the 27-year-old defenseman scored 71 points last year and averaged 26:50 minutes of ice time. However with his return, the team freed up some roster space.

Chabot was called up last week, due to multiple defensive injuries, and fared well. In two games, the 2015 first-round pick picked up an assist and had a plus/minus rating of +3. The defense had been an issue without Karlsson, who had foot surgery this offseason. Both Johnny Oduya and callup Ben Harpur were also injured prompting Chabot’s call-up. However, the team has made it clear they want Chabot to get as many minutes as possible and Belleville will provide that for the time being.

Formenton, a surprise keeper after training camp, will be returned to his junior team, the London Knights, who he played with last year before Ottawa made him the 47th pick in the draft this year. He could have played up to nine games in the NHL before his entry-level contract started, but played in just one game and only for 4:54, picking up no points. Instead his contract will slide another year.

  • The Minnesota Wild also made a few transactions today, sending forwards Zach Mitchell, Christoph Bertschy, Landon Ferraro and Luke Kunin back to the Iowa Wild. All the forwards were recalled within the last day or two to help fill in holes in their lineup for their game against the Blue Jackets last night due to multiple injuries. Neither Mitchell, Bertschy or Ferraro, who formed the team’s fourth line last night, played more than six minutes in the game, but Ferraro, nonetheless, got on the scoreboard with a second-period goal assisted by Mitchell. Kunin, the team’s 2016 first-round pick, played 13:53 in his first game, but had no points. The Wild also promoted Mike Reilly, who had been demoted Saturday when Minnesota added Kunin to their roster. Reilly, played one game while in Iowa and scored a goal.

 

Injury Updates: Karlsson, Cole, Bogosian, Kronwall

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While the Senators were hoping that defenseman Erik Karlsson would be able to return to the lineup this weekend, GM Pierre Dorion told reporters, including Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, that he will not be able to do so and that they’re hopeful that he will be able to suit up at some point next week.  Dorion was quick to add that Karlsson had not suffered any setback.

The 27-year-old has yet to play this season after undergoing tendon surgery on his foot back in June on an injury he sustained in the Senators’ postseason run.  Garrioch adds that Ottawa could get one of their other defenders back this weekend as Johnny Oduya may be ready to play on Saturday in Calgary.  He suffered a lower-body injury in the season opener last Thursday.

More injury notes from around the league:

  • Penguins defenseman Ian Cole is making progress as he recovers after taking a shot to the mouth against the Predators over the weekend, notes Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Head coach Mike Sullivan wouldn’t estimate how much longer Cole will be out of the lineup but added that he is improving quicker than expected.
  • Although he has missed nearly two weeks now due a lower-body injury sustained at the end of the preseason, the Sabres continue to classify blueliner Zach Bogosian as out day-to-day, reports Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. However, he’s not expected to accompany the team on their four-game Western road trip which would suggest he’ll be out for at least another week.
  • Red Wings blueliner Niklas Kronwall is very close to returning to the lineup and could receive the green light to play on Thursday, notes Dana Wakiji on the Wings’ team site. Kronwall has been battling back spasms and a groin pull since late in training camp and has yet to play this season.  Even if he receives clearance to return, it’s possible that Detroit may hold him out another game as they have a back-to-back coming up and it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll ask Kronwall to play in both just coming off of injury.

Afternoon Notes: Duchene, Chabot, Lindholm, Vatanen

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While Colorado Avalanche’s Matt Duchene remains with the team despite the constant trade rumors that have hounded the 26-year-old center all offseason and entering the preseason. In fact, despite earlier reports that general manager Joe Sakic still has high trade demands for Duchene, there are others who look at the situation differently. Long-time Avalanche great Peter Forsberg was a guest in-studio analyst for a Swedish of the Avalanche-New Jersey Devils game said the team needs to “bench and trade” the disgruntled center, according to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post.

Duchene, who has reportedly been visibly unhappy to still be with the Avalanche and has said very little to the press, was a target for Forsberg during that broadcast, who believes that while putting up points might be important to raise his value, the center is not going go all-out to help his team.

“Doubtful that he should be allowed to play (with Colorado),” Forsberg, whose words were translated by Expression reporter Robin LIndgren, said in the Swedish broadcast. “Put him in the stands. If I were playing with a player that I know doesn’t even want to be in the team, it’s not like he is going to throw himself on the ice and block shots with his head. It is mostly difficult to have a player like that in the team, although he is skillful and is doing his best. I would rather play with someone that wants to be there. I would put him on the bench and trade him.”

  • CBS Sports reports that Ottawa Senators have recalled top defensive prospect Thomas Chabot Sunday to help fill in for their many defensive injuries. The team is currently without Erik Karlsson, who is still out after foot surgery this offseason, as well as Johnny Oduya, who is out with a lower-body injury. The team attempted to fulfil their defensive needs a couple days ago when they promoted Ben Harpur, who has two years of AHL experience, unlike Chabot who has just two games of AHL experience, but Harpur suffered an upper-body injury in last night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. The 20-year-old Chabot had a goal and an assist in his first two games with the Belleville Senators. The 2015 first-rounder was one of the team’s final cuts, which surprised many, but he was held responsible for a poor preseason performance, a 9-2 drubbing to the Montreal Canadiens, in which he finished the game with a plus/minus rating of -5.
  • Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register tweeted that Anaheim Ducks’ injured defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen were both full participants in practice today, suggesting the team may eventually be getting back their top defenders. They are not that close to returning, however, as they are both on LTIR, which requires them to miss 24 days and 10 games. Both required shoulder surgery at the end of last season.

2017-18 NCAA Players To Watch

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Just like their professional and junior counterparts, the college hockey season is underway. With each passing year, the NCAA’s influence on the world of hockey grows, and in 2017-18 the college ranks contain an impressive amount of talent:

The Recent Draft Picks

D Cale Makar, UMass (COL) – The fourth overall pick this past June, Makar arguably has the highest upside of any player in his draft class. He’s even drawn comparisons to Erik Karlsson. He would be a big deal at any school, but for a Minutemen team that has struggled greatly in recent years, Makar stands to revolutionize coach Greg Carvel’s program. Fans in Amherst hope that Makar won’t be “one and done”, but the Colorado Avalanche need him just as much as UMass does. This exceptional skater could be an offensive force in the NHL sooner rather than later.

C Casey Mittelstadt, Minnesota (BUF) – Mittelstadt may have slipped in the 2017 draft, but the eighth overall pick is a dynamic offensive talent with speed and creativity. Perhaps more than anything, Mittelstadt thinks the game at an advanced level. The Gophers have a special talent on their hands and he could make waves in the NCAA this season. The only concern is whether the high school star yet has the physical tools to play at a high level.

C Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud State (MTL) – The college ranks have already seen a year’s worth of Poehling, but as the two-way threat enters his sophomore season, he’s primed to show more of his offensive ability. The 25th overall pick is as solid a center as can be found at his age and simply needs to bring the same knack for scoring as he brings to defense. He’s developing into the type of player that Canadiens head coach Claude Julien loves. If Montreal struggles to acclimate to their new coach’s defense-first system, Poehling could even be a late-season addition.

The Soon-To-Be Draft Picks

RW Brady Tkachuk, Boston University – The trend of NCAA freshman going early in the draft may reach a new high in 2017, with Tkachuk leading the charge. The son of Keith Tkachuk and brother of Matthew Tkachuk, Brady brings the same physicality and knack for scoring to his power forward role. Already 6’3”, 200-lbs. and still growing, Tkachuk will one day be a force in the NHL like his family members, but first he’s going give the college game a run for its money. Tkachuk will be fun to watch this season, especially for fans of teams looking like lottery candidates.

D Quinn Hughes, Michigan – Hughes will push Tkachuk to be the first college player selected next June, but in reality both players could easily be top ten, even top five picks. An undersized, but unbelievably skilled blue liner, Hughes could be one of the top scoring defenseman in the NCAA. The Wolverines have become the recruiting capital for top American defenseman and Hughes is their poster boy. Expect a big season from the 17-year-old.

LW Michael Pastujov, Michigan – Joining Hughes in Ann Arbor is the Florida-native Pastujov, a raw, but high-ceiling forward. An underrated member of last year’s U.S. National Development team behind the likes of Tkachuk and recent draft picks/current college players Josh Norris, Grant Mismash, and Evan Barratt in the forward corps, Pastujov’s successes were often lost in the mix. However, Michigan may be strong on defense, but ranked only 42nd in scoring last year. Alongside Norris, the San Jose Sharks’ first-round pick whom he should have some leftover chemistry with, Pastujov could be one of the top offensive threats for the Wolverines. He’s primed for a breakout campaign that could vault him into first-round consideration.

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Minor Transactions: 10/6/17

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The NHL season is underway. NHL (and AHL) camps have shaken out and the final AHL signings of the off-season are filing in, as well as early season NHL adjustments. Here are some minor transactions from across the minors today:

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled defenseman Ben Harpur from their newly relocated affiliate, the Belleville Senators, the team announced. Harpur played in six regular season games for the Sens last season, but suited up for an additional nine playoff games and was given substantial ice time. However, with the off-season addition of Johnny Oduya, Harpur was pushed from the top seven on the organizational depth chart. In fact, many would say that Harpur is actually the second-to-next-man-up, behind star prospect Thomas Chabot, but in their first promotion of the season –  with Oduya dealing with a lower-body injury and captain Erik Karlsson still sidelined – Ottawa chose Harpur instead.
  • Back in Binghamton, the former home of the AHL Senators, new tenants the Devils, New Jersey’s former Albany affiliate, has made a couple notable moves of their own. The team announced today that they have brought in a pair of NHL veterans, inking forward Tim Kennedy to a one-year deal and signing defenseman Tim Erixon to a PTO. Kennedy, a 31-year-old journeyman forward who last played in the NHL in 2013-14, scored 29 points in 37 games for the divisional rival Rochester Americans in 2016-17. Erixon, a 2009 first-round pick, was one of many AHL veterans to man the blue line for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ affiliate in Wilke-Barre/Scranton last season. The 26-year-old is solid, if not unspectacular, but stands a good chance of earning a contract for the Devils, who lack minor league depth on the blue line.
  • The Stockton Heat, affiliate to the Calgary Flames, have added a pair of experienced defenseman to their own blue line, announcing the signings of Cody Goloubef and Colby Robak. Goloubef is particularly interesting as he played 33 games for the Colorado Avalanche last season and was a late camp cut by the Buffalo Sabres, performing well on a PTO. Goloubef is a major boost for Stockton, but he will certainly keep an eye out for NHL opportunities as the 2017-18 season progresses. Meanwhile, Robak has not played in the NHL since 2014-15 and hasn’t played a meaningful big league role since early in 2013-14 with the Florida Panthers. Yet, Robak continues plugging along and had a strong AHL season in 2016-17, one spent mostly with the Utica Comets but which began with the Stockton Heat. The team seemingly saw enough to bring him back.
  • The Hershey Bears signed forward Jeremy Langlois to a one-year AHL deal today, as reported by the ever-popular Washington Capitals affiliate. The hard-working forward from Tempe, Arizona is trying to get back to the NHL after a one-year deal with the San Jose Sharks in 2015-16 was spent entirely in the AHL. The Quinnipiac alum was an undrafted free agent that first impressed with big numbers in the ECHL and then the AHL, with the Sharks then-affiliate in Worcester, earning him an entry-level deal and a major role on the re-located Barracuda squad two years ago. However, he was unqualified and signed with the Rockford Ice Hogs in 2016-17, where his offense steeply declined. Langlois will look for a fresh start in Hershey this season.

Atlantic Notes: Senators, Reinhart, Krug, Frk

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Although they didn’t make any deals over the past few days, Senators GM Pierre Dorion had been actively trying to bring in some forward help before the season gets underway, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.  The Sens are already down one important forward in Clarke MacArthur and are set to have a pair of rookies in Logan Brown and Alex Formenton suit up in their opener on Thursday.  Colorado’s Matt Duchene has been a target but Garrioch adds that the two sides remain nowhere close on a potential trade.  Dorion also acknowledged that they feel they have enough defensive depth, even with Erik Karlsson set to miss the beginning of the season (although he’s not expected to miss more than a handful of games as he has nearly fully recovered from offseason foot surgery).

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • While the Sabres inked Jack Eichel to a massive extension on Tuesday, the team has no plans to pursue a new deal during the season with forward Sam Reinhart, reports Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News. The second overall pick from 2015 had a career-high 47 points in 2017-18 but saw his goal total drop from 23 to 17.  Buffalo has toyed with the idea of deploying Reinhart as their third line center this season and while the versatility to play down the middle is certainly an asset, playing in the bottom six won’t help his production in this, his contract year.
  • Although he has been placed on injured reserve, Bruins defenseman Torey Krug is progressing well in his recovery from a broken jaw, GM Don Sweeney told Stephen Hewitt of the Boston Herald. The team plans to have him go for further testing on Friday but the hope is that he won’t be out much longer than a week.
  • Red Wings winger Martin Frk gave serious consideration towards leaving the team to play overseas, notes Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. After being waived on multiple occasions last season, the soon-to-be 24-year-old played in just two NHL games last season (both with Carolina before rejoining Detroit via the waiver wire) but he was assured by head coach Jeff Blashill to get a long look in training camp.  The decision to stick around was a smart one as he was named to their season-opening roster on Tuesday.

Ottawa Cuts Suggest Karlsson, Brassard Ready To Play

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With three more cuts today, the Ottawa Senators have pared their roster down to 23 players and look ready to begin the season. The Senators put winger Max McCormick on waivers with the intention of sending him to Belleville of the AHL. The team also sent down defensemen Thomas Chabot and Ben Harpur. Those moves also suggest that two of their players, Erik Karlsson and Derick Brassard, might be closer to ready than many anticipated, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen.

According to Garrioch, both Karlsson and Brassard both have a chance to be ready for Thursday’s season opener against the Capitals. Karlsson, coming off foot surgery this offseason, hasn’t been cleared for physical contact yet, but the most recent roster moves suggest that he must be close as he is one of the seven defensemen on the roster. Karlsson, a two-time James Norris Memorial Trophy winner which goes to the top defensive player, has been the key to the Senators’ success including their playoff run last year. The defenseman finished the year with 17 goals and 54 assists for 71 points. Brassard underwent labrum surgery in June, which required a four to five months of recovery. It’s been four, but talk is that he is also close to returning for Ottawa. The 30-year-old center had a bit of a down year, putting up 14 goals and 39 points, but had a 27-goal season the year before.

The team did cut two of their young, future defensemen in Chabot and Harpur. Chabot, the team’s first-round pick from 2015, was considered a likely candidate to make the team, but a poor performance in the team’s final preseason game, a 9-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, ended his run to make the team. He finished the game with a -5 plus/minus rating. Harpur, a fourth-round pick in 2013, has worked his way up the minor league system. He’s played 11 games for the Senators, but also contributed in nine playoff games for the team last season.

The scribe writes that on offense, the move to send McCormick down means that center Logan Brown, their 2016 first-round pick, and Alex Formenton, their second-round pick this year, both made the team.

Morning Notes: Karlsson, Sanford, Rooney

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Erik Karlsson is the key to the Ottawa Senators, and with him still nursing an injury the team may get off to a rough start. Emily Sadler of Sportsnet broke down a Pierre Dorion interview, in which the Senators’ GM talks about a hopeful October return for the team captain.

If Karlsson doesn’t get back into the lineup quickly, the Senators will have to rely on other players to step up into a bigger role. One of the possibilities is Thomas Chabot, who has impressed in camp and looks about as ready as you can be to jump into the NHL. Chabot, one of the premiere prospects in the entire league, plays a different game than Karlsson and is left-handed, but has had a positive impact almost every time he’s touched the ice. The Senators play a very structured defensive system, and if he can familiarize himself quickly he could be an elite possession player right away.

  • Zach Sanford underwent successful surgery on his shoulder yesterday, and will be out the expected five to six months. Blues fans had hoped Sanford would push for a full-time spot this season after coming over from the Washington Capitals in the Kevin Shattenkirk deal, but will be out for most of the season after dislocating his shoulder this summer. The 22-year old scored five points in 13 games down the stretch for the Blues, but will have to fight to get back into the lineup in 2018.
  • The New Jersey Devils have recalled Kevin Rooney from Binghamton, in what was essentially a paper transaction. Though Rooney was sent down yesterday, he never actually left camp and will likely suit up for the Devils tonight against the Washington Capitals. He won’t crack the opening day roster, but there is potential for Rooney to see some time with the big club at some point this season. He made his NHL debut last year, but was held scoreless through four games.

NHL Snapshots: Penguins, Karlsson, Oleksiak, Callahan

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The Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins released a statement saying they will attend an invitation from President Trump to come to the White House. No date has been announced.

The Pittsburgh Penguins respect the institution of the Office of the President, and the long tradition of championship teams visiting the White House. We attended White House ceremonies after previous championships – touring the historic building and visiting briefly with Presidents George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama – and have accepted an invitation to attend again this year.

Any agreement or disagreement with a president’s politics, policies or agenda can be expressed in other ways. However, we very much respect the rights of other individuals and groups to express themselves as they see fit.

  • NHL.com’s Chris Stevenson writes that Ottawa Senators’ star Erik Karlsson skated with his teammates Saturday for the first time since having surgery to repair torn tendons in his left foot on June 14. The star defenseman wore a light blue non-contact jersey while skating, but did not participate in drills. “It’s a positive thing, but we don’t want to get too excited. It’s a second step,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said. “It’s a positive thing, but we don’t want to get too excited. It’s a second step.” Karlsson is expected to take a couple of days off to see how his ankle responds. No timetable has been set as the Senators regular season starts on Oct. 5.
  • NHL.com’s Scott Burnside writes that the Dallas Stars are close to identifying their top-four defenseman as the team is leaning towards Marc Methot, John Klingberg, Esa Lindell and Jamie Oleksiak. The scribe writes that Oleksiak has in particular garnered praise from head coach Ken Hitchcock. “This is now 10 days of hockey for Jamie that he’s played outstanding. If he continues at this pace he looks like a guy that can help,” the coach said. “I don’t think you can win in the National Hockey League unless you can lock down your top four guys.”
  • Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith writes that Tampa Bay Ligntning’s Ryan Callahan reported a successful preseason game after playing in his first contest Saturday since Jan. 7. He ended his season after that as a nagging hip injury plagued him to the point that he decided to undergo surgery to correct the problem. The 32-year-old wing only played 8:25, but he said he felt comfortable and felt good playing his physical style 0f game. “I didn’t think about my hip or anything when I was out there,” Callahan said. “It’s a big thing for me to get the first game out of my system, blocking shots, taking some hits, giving some hits. It’s a good step.”

 

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