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Gavin Brindley

Metro Notes: Johnson, Brindley, Eller, Ersson

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Aaron Portzline of The Athletic is reporting that Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson is back practicing today for the first time since he injured his shoulder back on October 17th in a game against the Buffalo Sabres. Johnson has missed ten consecutive games due to the injury he suffered when colliding with a Blue Jackets teammate.

The former fifth-overall pick played in just four games before the injury but was very productive, posting two goals and three assists while averaging 16:46 of ice time per game. Johnson looked as though he was ready to break out two seasons ago when he recorded a 40-point season as a 20-year-old. However, last season, his play fell off dramatically, as he tallied just six goals and ten assists in 42 games.

In other Metropolitan Division notes:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated forward Gavin Brindley off injured reserve and loaned him to the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League. Brindley broke his finger in a preseason game on October 1st and ended up missing the first 15 games of the regular season. The 20-year-old  made his NHL debut at the end of last season in April after he was drafted by the Blue Jackets in the second round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. An undersized forward, Brindley had a very successful run in the NCAA with the Michigan Wolverines, recording 37 goals and 54 assists in 81 career games from 2022-24.
  • New acquired Washington Capitals forward Lars Eller will make his return to the Capitals lineup tomorrow night after he was acquired via trade from the Penguins this week (as per Tarik El Bashir of the NHL Network). Eller practiced today with the Capitals and centered the third line where he was flanked by Andrew Mangiapane and Jakub Vrana. Eller was one of the few bright spots for the Penguins this season and dealt with very difficult deployment in Pittsburgh, starting over two-thirds of his shifts in the defensive zone. Despite the unfavorable zone starts, the 35-year-old still managed to put up four goals and three assists in 17 games.
  • Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson left practice early yesterday after suffering a small tweak (as per Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia). The issue is apparently not something that will keep Ersson out long-term, but it will keep him out of the lineup this evening as Aleksei Kolosov will be the backup to starter Ivan Fedotov. The Flyers already have three goaltenders on their roster and won’t need to make a roster in order to replace Ersson.

Metropolitan Notes: Miller, Islanders Injuries, Brindley

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With a big-ticket contract already given to Alexis Lafreniere and a hefty extension expected at some point for Igor Shesterkin, the Rangers are set to face a cap crunch next summer with several other players in need of pricey new deals as well.  Arthur Staple of The Athletic recently provided (subscription link) an overview of the situation while suggesting a creative way to potentially solve it by moving pending RFA defenseman K’Andre Miller.  The 24-year-old will be owed a $4.646MM qualifying offer in the summer but could conceivably push past $6MM on a longer-term deal.  With a couple of years of club control remaining, New York would undoubtedly have considerable interest in his services, allowing them to help alleviate that crunch while still getting a strong return in a trade.  Of course, losing him would be a big blow to their back end so it’s safe to say that’s not their preferred route at this point.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • The Islanders picked up the win in Buffalo on Friday night but it came as a price as Ethan Sears of the New York Post relays that defensemen Mike Reilly and Adam Pelech both left the game with injuries while Alexander Romanov, who just came back from injury, was also banged up. Reilly hit his head on the ice in the second period while Pelech was seen holding his jaw after the game.  The Isles only have seven blueliners on the active roster so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them recall someone from AHL Bridgeport, especially since they have a bit of short-term cap flexibility with Anthony Duclair on LTIR.
  • Blue Jackets forward Gavin Brindley has been skating as he continues his recovery from a broken finger sustained in the preseason, notes Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers (Twitter link). The 20-year-old made his NHL debut late last season after a dominant year at the University of Michigan that saw him put up 53 points in 40 games in his sophomore season.  However, despite that output in college and their injuries up front, it appears Columbus plans to have Brindley start in the AHL with Cleveland once he’s cleared to return.

Blue Jackets Place Gavin Brindley On Season-Opening Injured Reserve

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Blue Jackets prospect Gavin Brindley sustained a broken finger in Tuesday’s exhibition win over the Blues and will miss four to six weeks in recovery, general manager Don Waddell said. He’s been placed on season-opening injured reserve and won’t count against the 23-man limit to start the season. The Jackets also assigned defenseman Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm to AHL Cleveland, cutting him from their training camp roster.

It’s a tough break for Brindley, who was in the running to crack Columbus’ roster in his first training camp with the club. A spectacular 2023-24 season at the University of Michigan vaulted the 19-year-old up the organizational depth chart, leading the Wolverines in scoring with 25 goals and 53 points in 40 games while being named the Big Ten’s player of the year. He signed his entry-level contract following Michigan’s elimination from the national tournament and made his NHL debut in the Jackets’ final game of the season against the Hurricanes, posting zeros across the board in 12:20 of ice time.

The diminutive 5’9″, 168-lb forward was viewed as a potential first-round threat in 2023 but fell to Columbus in the early second at 34th overall, largely due to concerns over his size. It hasn’t stopped the high-end playmaking winger from making a major impact at the collegiate and international junior levels, though. Brindley also scored six goals and 10 points in seven games at this year’s World Juniors en route to a gold medal with the United States. He also made his senior national team debut with a goal in five games at the World Championship.

Brindley’s timeline for a return puts his potential season debut during the first half of November. Whether that comes with the Jackets or AHL Cleveland remains to be seen. He doesn’t require waivers, so upon returning to health, he can be ferried directly to the minors without any hassle.

With Justin Danforth still likely on the shelf to start the year due to a wrist injury, there’s one forward spot open in Columbus that Brindley was in contention for. That competition is now down to a more experienced list of Dylan Gambrell, Owen Sillinger, and 23-year-old Mikael Pyyhtia to open the season as the Jackets’ fourth-line left wing.

Morning Notes: Brindley, Soucy, Reichel, Rangers

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Team USA has added Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Gavin Brindley to their World Championship lineup, per Steven Ellis of the Daily Faceoff (Twitter link). Brindley becomes the fourth collegiate athlete to join the squad, stepping into a room with World Juniors teammates Will Smith, Ryan Leonard, and Trey Augustine. The quartet played a major role in USA’s drive towards the 2024 World Juniors Gold Medal – and they’re now rewarded with an opportunity with the Men’s National Team. Brindley isn’t expected to line up for USA’s Monday matchup against Team Slovakia, instead joining Leonard and Matt Kessel as the team’s healthy scratches.

Brindley is continuing to have a fruitful off-season, signing his entry-level contract and making his NHL debut in early April. He received 12 minutes of ice time but wasn’t able to change his stat line. With Columbus’ season ending soon after, Brindley’s scoring this season was limited to the 25 goals and 53 points he managed in 40 games with the University of Michigan. He also added 10 points in seven World Juniors games.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The NHL Department of Player Safety is expected to hold a hearing for Vancouver Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy, shares Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link). Soucy could be facing punishment for cross-checking Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid in the face, after McDavid was knocked over by Nikita Zadorov, during a late-game scrum. Soucy has been suspended once in his career, receiving a one-game booking for charging Conor Garland in March of 2021. He was also assessed a $2,500 fine for a roughing penalty in November of 2022. It will likely be Noah Juulsen who steps in should Soucy miss any time. Juulsen has played in one postseason game this Spring, recording a -1 in 11:24 of ice time. Juulsen is coming off a career-high 54 NHL appearances this season, though he only managed seven points.
  • Team Germany has also made a lineup addition, bringing in Chicago Blackhawks forward Lukas Reichel, per Ellis (Twitter link). Reichel has been a key piece of Germany’s international presence, recording 11 points in 13 games across the last two World Championships. He also joined the team at the World U18 Division 1-A Championship in 2019 and the World Juniors in 2020. Reichel is coming off an up-and-down year, scoring just 16 points in 65 NHL games. He’ll look to reestablish his scoring spark in the familiarity of international play, with five games remaining on Germany’s slate before the quarter-finals.
  • The New York Rangers welcomed forward Filip Chytil back to practice on Monday, after he missed Game 4 with an illness. Blake Wheeler is also progressing from injury, upgrading to a full-contact jersey, shares Vince Mercogliano of USA Today Sports (Twitter link). Both Chytil and Wheeler should slot right back into the lineup, should both be cleared to play, likely bumping Jonny Brodzinski and Will Cuylle back to the skybox. Wheeler made a strong impact on the Winnipeg Jets’ first round run last season, scoring six points in five games to bring his career playoff scoring up to 45 points in 65 games.

Blue Jackets Sign Gavin Brindley To Entry-Level Deal

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The Blue Jackets have signed forward prospect Gavin Brindley to his entry-level contract, per a team release. While the team did not disclose financial details, the three-year contract begins immediately. He’s in line to make his NHL debut tomorrow against the Hurricanes, Columbus’ final game of the regular season.

Brindley is one of the Jackets’ best forward prospects, going to them in the early second round (34th overall) of last year’s draft. He was billed as a mid-to-late first-round talent by many and was coming off a strong freshman season at the University of Michigan, but his 5’9″, 168-lb frame scared enough teams off to let him fall to the second.

Now turning pro after his sophomore campaign came to an end in the semifinals of the NCAA national tournament last week, the 19-year-old wraps up his time with the Wolverines after racking up 37 goals, 54 assists and 91 points with 50 PIMs and a +38 rating in 81 games. He led the Big 10 tournament champions in overall scoring this season, posting 53 points (25 goals, 28 assists) in 40 games with a +17 rating to eclipse teammates such as Blackhawks prospect Frank Nazar and Lightning prospect Dylan Duke, both of whom signed their ELCs in the past few days.

That performance earned him three Big Ten year-end honors, including Player of the Year, and was named to the First All-American Team for the NCAA’s West Region. He also won gold with Team USA at this year’s World Juniors and was named one of their top three players after posting six goals and 10 points in seven games while serving as an alternate captain.

Brindley would be considered a top-two organizational prospect on several teams but slotted in as the fifth-best in a stacked Columbus system in Scott Wheeler’s 2024 rankings for The Athletic. He can play both center and wing, although his smaller frame means he’s likely slated for more action on the latter over his NHL career. Described by Wheeler as a “debatably elite skater,” his speed and acceleration give him the tools to be a legitimate two-way threat – something that should carry over to the pros thanks to his rather intelligent style of play. His frame may prevent him from winning the majority of board battles, but he’s got an Energizer bunny-like quality that should make him an effective checker.

That’s not to slight his skills with the puck. His finishing isn’t the hallmark of his game, and projecting him as a 30-goal scorer might be ambitious. His high-end view of the game lends itself to making smart plays, though, something he can execute consistently with strong puckhandling and stickhandling abilities that make him a great set-up man.

Signing his ELC now makes him ineligible to join AHL Cleveland for their playoff run, so his season will end after tomorrow’s game. Inked through 2026, he’s a strong candidate to make the Jackets’ opening night roster next fall as part of their next wave of young forwards.

Metro Notes: Brindley, Jensen, Hinostroza

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Earlier today, as expected, forward prospect Frank Nazar opted to leave the University of Michigan as he signed his entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. Following in his footsteps, his now-former teammate Gavin Brindley is expected to do the same and sign his entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

However, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic is reporting that Brindley may sign an entry-level contract starting in the 2024-25 NHL season, while he would join the Cleveland Monsters for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs on a PTO. Although Brindley firmly believes he is ready to turn pro, he would not be put in a position to play meaningful games for the Blue Jackets this season.

It is difficult to disagree with Brindley, who just capped off one of the more impressive offensive seasons in the NCAA. Playing for the Frozen Four-bound Wolverines, Brindley played in a total of 40 games, scoring 25 goals and 53 points overall.

Other Metro notes:

  • In the first period of tonight’s game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals, a scary moment took place between forward Michael Eyssimont and defenseman Nick Jensen. After a fierce collision, Jensen needed to be stretchered off the ice but was conscious and had full control over his extremities (X Link). As the organization’s medical personnel continue to monitor Jensen’s condition, the public will likely know more tomorrow about his long-term health status.
  • Before the team’s important game tonight against the Boston Bruins, the Pittsburgh Penguins made a transaction to thin out their roster for tonight’s matchup. Per a team announcement, the organization has reassigned forward Vinnie Hinostroza to their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Unfortunately, Hinostroza will not be able to play in any games for the organization this evening, as the transaction took place after the puck dropped for the WBS Penguins.

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