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Grigori Denisenko

Snapshots: Murphy, Tkachuk, Michkov

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While the New York Rangers filled the final head coaching vacancy in the league today, officially hiring Peter Laviolette, their offseason work is far from over. The Rangers and Laviolette will need to fill out the rest of his staff, which, per The New York Post’s Mollie Walker, will not include assistant coach Gord Murphy.

Goalie coach Benoit Allaire will be the only returning member from last year’s coaching staff. The Rangers relieved former head coach Gerard Gallant’s other assistants, Mike Kelly and Jim Midgley, early last month.

Murphy had been on the Rangers’ staff only as long as Gallant had: two seasons. He was an internal promotion, though, spending two years with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack as an associate head coach from 2019 to 2021. The long-time NHL defender and father of Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy, Gord also spent lengthy stints with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, and Philadelphia Flyers as an assistant.

More from around the league today:

  • Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice offered no update on the status of star winger Matthew Tkachuk before tonight’s do-or-die Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. Tkachuk has not practiced with the team since their Game 4 loss, and his availability for tonight remains up in the air after a hard hit from Vegas Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar in Game 3. Already without the services of Eetu Luostarinen at forward as well, either Givani Smith or Grigori Denisenko could slot into the lineup tonight if Tkachuk can’t go. Smith played just over five minutes in one game during the First Round against Boston, while it would be Denisenko’s playoff debut.
  • Yesterday, reporting indicated that early presumptive top-two pick Matvei Michkov could fall completely out of the top 10 choices when the 2023 NHL Draft occurs this month. Today, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman spoke to a panel of anonymous NHL executives and scouts about a myriad of topics, including the perception of Michkov around the league. Multiple executives and scouts still had Michkov pegged in the top two or three spots in the draft, even considering his contract situation and the Russian geopolitical climate. Others were harsher on his play, with one scout saying, “you have a [5-foot-9] not-amazing-skating, average-compete winger.” What did appear clear in the responses, though, was that the extraneous factors surrounding Michkov’s development and NHL future weren’t a huge concern.

Florida Panthers Recall Ten Players

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4:00 PM: The Panthers have officially announced the recalls, and added one name that wasn’t included in Richards’ report: goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick, 25, is a 2016 second-round pick who played in 17 games with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades and posted an 11-3-1 record and .921 save percentage in those games. Fitzpatrick saw action in one AHL game this season, stopping 23 of 25 shots in an April 1st overtime loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds. With Guzda, Lyon, and Bobrovsky ahead of him on the depth chart something would have to go quite wrong for him to see time in these playoffs, so this recall is more about adding some depth to the team than anything else.

10:37 AM: The Florida Panthers have brought up their complement of Black Aces for the remainder of the playoffs today ahead of Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Per Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards, the following players have been brought up from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers:

F Connor Bunnaman
F Grigori Denisenko
F Patrick Giles
F Aleksi Heponiemi
D Lucas Carlsson
D Matt Kiersted
D Santtu Kinnunen
D John Ludvig
D Calle Själin
G Mack Guzda

The recalls come after the Hershey Bears eliminated Charlotte from the Calder Cup Playoffs on May 4, taking their Atlantic Division semifinal series by a count of 3-1.

The two most intriguing names on this list are Denisenko and Heponiemi, both previously highly-touted prospects that have yet to make a notable NHL impact. Denisenko struggled in the minors this year and posted no points and a -1 rating in four playoff games for Charlotte. The 24-year-old Heponiemi, however, led the team with seven points in seven playoff games.

One name that Panthers fans will definitely recognize is Carlsson, who dropped back into an AHL role this season after appearing in 40 games for Florida during 2021-22. Carlsson was one of the best defenders in the AHL this season, recording 54 points in 61 games along with a +24 rating. He’s one of the more dependable recall options for Florida should injuries pop up among their defensemen.

The 24-year-old Kinnunen is also a name to watch for in the coming years. A seventh-round pick of the Panthers in 2018, Kinnunen broke out for 35 points in 69 regular-season games and six points in seven playoff games for Charlotte during his first season in North America.

Snapshots: Stanley, Red Wings, Panthers

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Entangled in all of the trade deadline chaos, Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest reports that Winnipeg Jets’ defenseman Logan Stanley has requested a trade from the team. Strickland also notes that Winnipeg is not guaranteed to move on from the young defenseman.

Drafted in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft, Stanley hasn’t entirely found his footing in Winnipeg. Last year, Stanley played relatively well throughout the season, racking up a modest 13 points in 58 games played. Also, as he is a defenseman that plays to his size, the 6’7″ defenseman managed to accrue 131 hits and 100 blocks over the course of last year. With a couple of trips to the injured reserve this season, Stanley desires a fresh start outside of Winnipeg. Because of his youth and contract status with the team, it is possible that Winnipeg could retain Stanley and try to repair a relationship that has soured for at least one side. If the relationship can’t be repaired, the playoff-hopeful Jets could send him to another team in an individual trade, or look to include Stanley in a larger deal.

Other notes:

  • The Detroit Red Wings announced today that Jordan Oesterle has been activated off of injured reserve, while forward Michael Rasmussen has been placed on the IR. Rasmussen appeared to have a lower-body injury after taking a shot off the knee in Detroit’s Saturday night game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Now in his 4th season in the NHL, Rasmussen never seemed to live up to his ninth overall draft selection. Topping out at 27 points in 80 games last year, Rasmussen has played far better this year under new head coach Derek Lalonde. Playing in only 56 games so far this season, Rasmussen has produced a new career high of 29 points. After the trade of Tyler Bertuzzi earlier this morning, the Red Wings will now be without another valuable forward in the lineup.
  • Florida Panthers announce that forward Grigori Denisenko has been loaned back to the Panthers’ AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers. A frequent call-up of the Panthers this season, Denisenko has appeared in 18 games, scoring a total of three points. Denisenko will now join the third-place Checkers as he helps the team push for the playoffs in the AHL

Florida Panthers Recall Grigori Denisenko, Zac Dalpe

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The Florida Panthers have announced the recall of forwards Grigori Denisenko and Zac Dalpe from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. The move comes as the Panthers are dealing with injuries to key players, including captain Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett, who are both day-to-day with “lingering injury issues,” per head coach Paul Maurice.

Denisenko returns to the NHL after being sent to the minors two days ago. The 21-year-old Russian has appeared in 17 games for the Panthers this season, recording three assists. The Panthers’ first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Denisenko is known for his speed and skill, but his NHL opportunities have been limited, and he’s still searching for his first NHL goal.

Dalpe, 31, has scored 14 goals in 32 games for the Checkers this season and remains the team’s captain. A veteran of nearly 500 AHL games, Dalpe also has two goals and two assists in 11 appearances with Florida this season. He provides veteran depth in a fourth-line role for the Panthers after they lost Chris Tierney on waivers to the Montreal Canadiens yesterday.

In addition to the recalls, the Panthers will get a boost tonight in perhaps their biggest game of the year against the Buffalo Sabres, as the two teams remain in a tight Eastern Conference Wild Card race. As expected, Maurice confirmed Anthony Duclair will make his season debut after completing his recovery from an Achilles tear. The 27-year-old was a key contributor for the Panthers last season, recording 31 goals, 27 assists, and 58 points in 74 games.

To create the salary cap flexibility needed to activate Duclair and allow for the recalls, it’s expected that Givani Smith was placed on long-term injured reserve. The 24-year-old forward was hit in the face by a shot from teammate Radko Gudas during a game Monday. Smith has appeared in 22 games for the Panthers this season, recording a goal and three assists after he was acquired in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings.

Florida Panthers Reassign Spencer Knight, Grigori Denisenko

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The Florida Panthers announced Wednesday that the team has reassigned goalie Spencer Knight and winger Grigori Denisenko to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Alex Lyon has been recalled to replace Knight’s spot on the roster.

While some eyebrows might raise at Knight getting demoted to the minors, this is purely a cap-related transaction. With winger Anthony Duclair expected to make his season debut Friday as he returns from an Achilles tear, the Panthers need to scratch and claw for every dime of cap space possible in order to take Duclair’s $3MM cap hit off long-term injured reserve.

Reassigning Knight, Denisenko, and Chris Tierney, who Florida waived hours ago, would free up an additional $2.6MM in space to bring their projected cap hit down to roughly $85.1MM. While over the $82.5MM Upper Limit, Patric Hornqvist’s $5.3MM cap hit remains on LTIR to keep them compliant.

While Knight will surely return after the Panthers’ cap situation is resolved, it’s not a guarantee Denisenko receives an immediate call-up. The 15th overall pick in 2018 has again been limited to a fourth-line role and has three assists in 17 games with Florida this year.

Lyon has made six appearances for the Panthers in 2022-23, recording a .887 save percentage and a 3-2-1 record.

Panthers Recall Grigori Denisenko

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The Panthers have been carrying an open roster spot since the All-Star break and they now have elected to fill it, announcing (Twitter link) the recall of winger Grigori Denisenko from Charlotte of the AHL.

It is the third recall of the season for the 22-year-old who is viewed as one of the top prospects in the organization.  After playing just once with Florida last season, Denisenko has suited up a dozen times for them so far in 2022-23, picking up three assists while logging 11:20 per night in what has largely been a bottom-six role.

Things have gone better for him offensively in the minors as he has nine goals and a dozen helpers in 37 games with the Checkers.  However, that’s basically the same rate he produced at last year (18 points in 30 games) and considering he’s in his third season in North America, it’s also reasonable to infer that they were hoping for a bit more progress offensively from Denisenko.

With the recall, the Panthers now have two extra forwards on their active roster; Colin White was the healthy scratch against Colorado on Saturday.  It wouldn’t make sense for Florida to recall Denisenko to then turn around and sit him so it stands to reason that someone that suited up against the Avs will be scratched for their next game on Monday against Minnesota.

Snapshots: Islanders, Tanev, Guzda

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The New York Islanders have now lost six in a row, scoring just 11 goals in the process. A group that was once expected to be serious buyers at the trade deadline have nearly fallen out of the playoff race entirely, making it a much different situation as February approaches.

When discussing the team’s deadline plans (as best as he can figure, with Lou Lamoriello at the helm), Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted on today’s 32 Thoughts podcast that there was real interest in Jakob Chychrun at one point. Apparently, the Islanders balked at the asking price, something that Friedman understands, given their current position.

  • With Chris Tanev already ruled out through the All-Star break, the Calgary Flames have moved him to injured reserve. Brett Ritchie has been activated to fill his spot, and is expected to be in the lineup tonight when the team takes on the Seattle Kraken. Ritchie last played on New Year’s Eve, leaving the game after just six shifts.
  • The Florida Panthers will go with Alex Lyon in net again tonight, and are set to have Mack Guzda as the backup after recalling him this morning. To make room, Grigori Denisenko was returned to the minor leagues. Lyon has allowed 17 goals in four games so far, including seven on 49 shots Tuesday night.

Florida Panthers Recall Grigori Denisenko

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After waiving Zac Dalpe over the weekend, the Florida Panthers have replaced him on the roster with Grigori Denisenko. The young forward is expected to play with Eetu Luostarinen and Nick Cousins this afternoon when the Panthers take on the Buffalo Sabres.

Denisenko, 22, was the 15th overall pick in 2018 but still hasn’t done anything to establish himself at the NHL level. In 14 career games, spread across parts of three seasons, the Russian winger has failed to score a single goal and has just five points for his troubles.

Even in the minor leagues things haven’t gone according to plan. Denisenko has just 18 points in 32 games with the Charlotte Checkers this season, the same total he had in 2021-22.

There’s still time for him to find a place in Florida, but the high hopes that followed his draft year have fizzled out. Instead of a top-line player, the Panthers will have to hope they can just coax an NHL regular out of Denisenko. Perhaps that starts today with this latest recall, though with Anthony Duclair set to return relatively soon, it may not be an extended one.

Florida is going to need to make some additional roster moves to fit in Duclair’s salary, and Denisenko’s waiver-exempt status makes him a ripe option to be sent back down when they need the room.

Florida Panthers Recall Grigori Denisenko

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With the Florida Panthers struggling lately, losing three of their last four by wide margins, it’s time to try something new. The team has recalled Grigori Denisenko from the minor leagues, while moving Radko Gudas to injured reserve. Given Gudas has been out for ten days already, he can be activated whenever healthy enough to return.

Denisenko, 22, was the 15th overall pick in 2018 but still hasn’t lived up to the hype he had throughout his draft year. While there have been flashes – including two excellent performances at the World Juniors – his play hasn’t been consistent at the minor league level. This season, he has just three goals and 11 points in 24 games with the Charlotte Checkers.

Those numbers don’t tell the whole story, however. Eight of those 11 points have come in his last ten games, and he has racked up at least two shots on goal in each of his last nine. The consistency that Florida has been waiting for is starting to bubble up to the surface, and Denisenko’s recent strong play has now earned him a call-up.

Interestingly, George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reports that Carter Verhaeghe isn’t warming up with the team ahead of their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, which could explain the timing Denisenko recall. Either way, it’s a great opportunity for a young player that has thus far struggled to make an impact in the organization.

Evening Notes: Denisenko, Kadri, Cogliano, Kane, Peter MacTavish

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A somewhat mysterious injury for a top Florida Panthers prospect has been cleared up, with Grigori Denisenko confirmed to have suffered a broken kneecap back on January 12th while playing with the Charlotte Checkers. The Checkers announced the injury today. The injury occurred in what would prove to be an incredible effort from the Russian winger, who broke his kneecap on a blocked shot, but continued to play, scoring the game winner. Denisenko would ultimately have surgery on his knee, but appears to be in good spirits and confident that he will be ready to go in time for Florida Panthers training camp.

Florida’s first-round pick in 2018, 15th overall, Denisenko’s development has not exactly been meteoric, however the team still has high hopes for him. Prior to being drafted, Denisenko was a standout for Yaroslavl in the KHL as a part of their development program and on Russia’s junior teams. After being selected by Florida, Denisenko made his KHL debut with Yaroslavl, though he didn’t take the steps forward Florida, and Yaroslavl, might have hoped, recording just 18 points in 63 games over two seasons. The forward made the jump to North America ahead of the 2020-21 season, but due to injuries and the COVID-19 situation, he was limited to just 45 AHL games and 8 NHL games over two seasons. In his limited time, Denisenko was solid, putting up 27 points in those 45 AHL games, and an impressive four assists in seven games in his NHL debut in 2020-21. Once healthy, if Denisenko hopes to have an impactful NHL career, he will have to continue to take steps forward in his production, especially if he wants to appear regularly in an incredibly deep Panthers lineup. The good news for Denisenko on that front is, with the flat salary cap and the Panthers being near the ceiling, they will need affordable pieces that they can rely on, and one of their top prospects may be a solution.

  • After being listed as day-to-day with speculation about when either could return, Colorado Avalanche forwards Nazem Kadri and Andrew Cogliano are now officially listed as scratches for tonight’s Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals, confirms ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. Though not particularly surprising, being without either player is a tough blow for Colorado who is tasked with defeating the reigning two-time Cup Champions in the Tampa Bay Lightning, who appear to be icing their regular lineup, which includes for the first time since Game Seven of the first round, playoff standout Brayden Point. Brandon Hagel, who’s status for Game One was questionable and considered a game-time decision is in the lineup tonight, taking the place of Riley Nash.
  • Earlier this evening, when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly conducted their media availability ahead of the Stanley Cup Finals, they touched on a range of NHL news and important topics, including the status of Evander Kane’s contract dispute with the San Jose Sharks. Today’s update was, in essence, not to expect an update all too soon, as Daly disclosed that it is likely Kane’s arbitration will not be decided until after the NHL’s free agency opens on July 13th (link). The reason, Daly added, is that the arbitrator in the matter is not available to conduct the next hearing until next month. Still, as TSN’s Chris Johnston’s notes, this isn’t expected to inhibit his ability to sign a contract for the 2022-23 season, or beyond.
  • A few days ago, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Ottawa Senators could be looking to make some hires in their front office after letting go of executive Pierre McGuire less than a year after they hired him (link). Now, it seems a bit more clear why that is, as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Senators Assistant GM Peter MacTavish has departed the organization to join Quartexx Hockey, a full service agency with notable NHL clients such as Patrice Bergeron, Josh Anderson, Drake Batherson, Anthony Beauvillier, and more.

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