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Gavin Bayreuther

Dean Kukan Out Eight Weeks With Broken Wrist

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Columbus Blue Jackets have moved Dean Kukan to injured reserve after he suffered a wrist fracture in last night’s game against the Dallas Stars. Kukan is expected to miss eight weeks with the injury. In his place, the team has recalled Gavin Bayreuther from the AHL.

Kukan, 28, is in the second season of a two-year contract signed in 2020 that carries an average annual value of $1.65MM. The Swiss defensemen has been a part-time player for the Blue Jackets in each of the last several seasons, totaling 114 regular season games since coming to North America in 2015. This season he has appeared in two games, failing to record a point in nearly 30 minutes of total ice time.

While not a key player for Columbus, Kukan’s injury will certainly weaken the depth of the blue line as the team continues to try and compete in the difficult Metropolitan Division. Adam Boqvist is also dealing with a minor injury, necessitating the recall of Bayreuther who will be the eighth defenseman on the active roster.

The 27-year-old Bayreuther has just 28 games at the NHL level in his career but is a well-respected minor league veteran that can step into the lineup in a pinch. In five games with the Cleveland Monsters this season, he has three points. Interestingly enough, Bayreuther was actually given a two-game AHL suspension just today after a cross-checking incident over the weekend. That will not affect his NHL availability, but means he’ll have to sit out whenever he returns to the Monsters.

21 Players Clear Waivers

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Oct 5: The Minnesota Wild claimed Pitlick from the Nashville Predators, but the other 21 players have cleared and can now be assigned to the minor leagues if necessary.

Oct 4: The waiver list for October 4 is out, and it includes another 22 players that have been cut from their respective NHL teams. The full list is as follows:

Alexander True (SEA)
Carsen Twarynski (SEA)
Pheonix Copley (WSH)
Matt Luff (NSH)
Cole Smith (NSH)
Rem Pitlick (NSH)
Matt Tennyson (NSH)
Frederic Allard (NSH)
Jordan Gross (COL)
Austin Poganski (WPG)
Luke Johnson (WPG)
Mikey Eyssimont (WPG)
Michael Carcone (ARI)
Tyler Sikura (CBJ)
Brendan Gaunce (CBJ)
Jean-Francois Berube (CBJ)
Gavin Bayreuther (CBJ)
Nicholas Caamano (DAL)
John Stevens (VAN)
Devante Stephens (VAN)
Spencer Martin (VAN)
Sheldon Rempal (VAN)

There are several names on this list that could be claimed, including both players from the Seattle Kraken. The pair of forwards were each part of the team’s expansion draft, selected from the San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers respectively. While both seemed like odd decisions at the time, this may have been the plan all along; acquire some young players who are capable of playing in the NHL, but who could also slip through waivers before the season begins in order to have some injury insurance in the minor leagues.

Other names, like Copley, could potentially be targeted as an extra goaltender by those clubs currently dealing with some injuries in net.

Metropolitan Notes: Korpisalo, Bayreuther, Kreider, Hallander

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Although Columbus recently inked goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to a five-year extension, fellow netminder Joonas Korpisalo told reporters, including Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch, that he hopes to still be able to remain with the Blue Jackets beyond the expiration of his current contract next summer.  The 27-year-old has spent his entire career with the organization after being drafted in the third round back in 2012 but has largely been in a backup role during that stretch.  With the commitment they’ve made to Merzlikins, Korpisalo, who is hoping to be cleared to return from his lower-body injury soon, will have a hard time landing a lot more than his $2.8MM AAV as the high-end backup market is typically in the mid-to-high $3MM range.

More from the Metropolitan Division:

  • Still with Columbus, while defenseman Gavin Bayreuther’s time with Seattle was limited, it wasn’t due to a lack of interest from the Kraken. The blueliner told Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets’ team site that he did receive a two-way offer from Seattle but knew that he’d be viewed as a player that was likely ticketed for the minors.  Instead, he went to free agency and returned to Columbus where he feels he’ll have a better chance of sticking with the big club.  Bayreuther averaged just over 15 minutes in nine games with Columbus last season.
  • The Rangers are shifting winger Chris Kreider to his off-wing, notes Larry Brooks of the New York Post. The lefty will play on the right side with sophomore Alexis Lafreniere not being comfortable in that spot at this time.  The move should allow Kreider to play a little higher in the lineup with youngsters Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov not yet ready for heavier workloads though that could change in-season.
  • Penguins prospect Filip Hallander returned to full practice today after missing the start of training camp due to a lower-body injury, relays Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The 21-year-old was re-acquired from Toronto back in July for forward Jared McCann and could push for a spot at the end of the roster to start the season.

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