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Jack Rodewald

Minor Transactions: 12/29/18

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Saturday is an extremely busy day on the NHL calendar as there are the maximum 15 games on the slate with only Columbus getting the day off.  With that in mind, there is bound to be a lot of roster movement.  We’ll keep tabs of those moves here.

  • With winger Alex Chiasson headed for injured reserve, the Oilers announced the recall of winger Kailer Yamamoto from AHL Bakersfield. The 20-year-old has had some success in his first stint in the minors, collecting four goals and four assists in 11 games since being sent down last month.  Meanwhile, the loss of Chiasson certainly stings as his 16 goals place him third on the team in that department behind only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
  • The Stars have brought back winger Roope Hintz per a team release. The rookie has split the season between Dallas and Texas of the AHL and has had a fair bit of success offensively in the minors, posting 19 points in 17 games.  He has held his own in the NHL as well, logging 11:41 per night in 14 contests while picking up a pair of goals and an assist.
  • The Sabres announced the recall of goaltender Scott Wedgewood from AHL Rochester. He’s taking the place of goalie Linus Ullmark who missed practice on Friday due to illness.  Wedgewood does have some NHL experience under his belt after playing 20 games with Arizona last year and four with New Jersey before that but Buffalo will likely call on Carter Hutton to play in Ullmark’s absence.
  • Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen is day-to-day with a groin injury. Accordingly, Toronto announced the recall of goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo on an emergency basis from the AHLs Marlies.  The 25-year-old has struggled this season, posting a 4.12 GAA with a .866 SV% in 11 games thus far.
  • Two weeks ago, the Lightning weren’t planning to send defenseman Slater Koekkoek on a conditioning stint. They’ve had a change of heart as he has now been loaned to AHL Syracuse.  The 24-year-old last played on November 19th and has been a healthy scratch since then.  Koekkoek’s conditioning stint can last for up to two weeks.
  • Following the injury to Thomas Chabot on Friday, the Senators announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled defensemen Stefan Elliott and Christian Wolanin from AHL Belleville.  Ottawa had two vacant roster spots so no corresponding move needs to be made.  Elliott was acquired from Pittsburgh earlier this month and has already played in two games with the Sens but has spent most of the year at the minor league level.  Meanwhile, Wolanin has been quite productive in the minors with 18 points in 26 games while getting into one game with Ottawa back in late October. The Senators have also recalled forward Jack Rodewald, although it is unclear if he will play tonight. Rodewald has been a frequent call-up this season, but to this point has played in just one game for Ottawa.
  • The Islanders announced (via Twitter) that winger Michael Dal Colle has been recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL.  He takes the place of winger Jordan Eberle who was placed on IR retroactive to December 23rd.  The 22-year-old didn’t fare too well in his first NHL stint but he has been quite productive with the Sound Tigers, averaging a point per game over 28 appearances.
  • Dillon Dube is on his way back up to Calgary, as the Flames have recalled the impressive first-year pro from the AHL’s Stockton Heat. Dube began the season with the Flames, recording five points in 20 games, but since a late-November reassignment to the Heat, Dube has been a point-per-game player in the minors. Dube is expected to slot into the starting lineup right away tonight, taking the place of Michael Frolik.
  • The Minnesota Wild have recalled free agent addition Matt Bartkowski for the first time this season, as the veteran defenseman will finally get back to the highest level. Bartkowski has made double-digit NHL appearances in each of the past six seasons, including an 80-game effort with the Vancouver Canucks in 2015-16. However, Bartkowski was very much a part-time player for the Calgary Flames the past two years and has even struggled to make much of a difference for the AHL’s Iowa Wild this season. However, with Nick Seeler presently sidelined, Minnesota opted to go with the experienced 30-year-old rather than one of their younger defensive options.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have assigned forward Michael Bunting to the Tuscon Roadrunners of the AHL, according to AZ Sports’ Matt Layman. Bunting was recalled on Thursday and played against Los Angeles, playing 9:36 on the ice, registering only one hit. He will return to Tucscon where he has six goals and 18 points in 20 games there. Bunting was expendable with the return of Vinnie Hinostroza.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have assigned forward Adam Gaudette to the Utica Comets of the AHL, according to Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal. Gaudette was recalled on Oct. 15 due to injuries and managed to stay with the team even when those players returned in a bottom-line role. The 2018 Hobey Baker award winner was averaging just 10:09 of ATOI this season and had just two goals and six points. A return to the AHL where he can get more significant ice time would be better for the young forward in his development.
  • The Anaheim Ducks announced they have swapped out defenseman, recalling defenseman Andy Welinski from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, while assigning Andrej Sustr there at the same time. Welinski last played for the Ducks in November where he played 11 games for Anaheim, posting one assist, while averaging 15:09 of ATOI. Sustr has only appeared in five games for the Ducks this season. CapFriendly adds that the Ducks also returned goaltender Kevin Boyle to San Diego. He was recalled Friday to fill in as an emergency backup while John Gibson and Ryan Miller dealt with injuries. His demotion suggests that one of them is ready to return to the active roster.

Brady Tkachuk Activated From Injured Reserve

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The Ottawa Senators are about to get back a big piece of their lineup, as Brady Tkachuk is set to return to action tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights. Tkachuk has been activated from injured reserve, while Jack Rodewald has been sent back to the minor leagues to make room on the roster. Tkachuk last played on October 15th against the Dallas Stars, before tearing a ligament in his leg and ending up on the shelf. The young forward has just four games under his belt, meaning he can play another five before the Senators must decide whether to keep him around and burn the first year of his entry-level contract.

Tkachuk, the fourth overall pick from this June, started his NHL career with a bang by scoring six points in those first four games. His size and demeanor have given the Senators a bit of swagger when he’s in the lineup, as he’s willing to engage physically (and perhaps verbally as well) with anyone on the ice. While his brother Matthew Tkachuk is off to an outstanding start with the Calgary Flames—19 points in 16 games has him on track to shatter his previous high of 49—the younger Senators forward is trying to prove he’s ready for the NHL without any more development.

Since deciding to leave Boston University after just one season and sign with the Senators, there has been much debate over where he should spend the 2018-19 season. The 19-year old is eligible to go to the Belleville Senators of the AHL, but also could head down the highway to the London Knights of the OHL. That program is notorious for developing high end NHL stars—including his brother—and is beginning to look like a powerhouse destined for the Memorial Cup once again after both Evan Bouchard and Alex Formenton were returned from their respective NHL organizations—the latter in fact being Ottawa. If the Senators felt like winning a championship was important to Tkachuk’s development, sending him to London would certainly give him the best opportunity.

That opportunity may not be as important as what he could accomplish in the NHL though, as his early performance indicated. Getting his feet under him at the highest level and finding success on a team that is nowhere near as pathetic as some prognosticators expected could have huge dividends down the road when the Senators are ready to really compete for the playoffs once again. For an example the team needs to look no further than Thomas Chabot, who struggled at times last season on a poor Senators team but has started this year at a Norris-level pace with 20 points in his first 15 games. Chabot’s familiarity with the NHL is certainly an important part of that explosion, something he may not have felt had he spent 2017-18 in the minor leagues.

Minor Transactions: 11/02/18

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NHL action in Finland is back on the schedule for this afternoon, following Patrik Laine’s hat trick yesterday in front of his home country. Aleksander Barkov will try to get some revenge as the Florida Panthers look to split the European series. The rest of the NHL, save for four teams playing later this evening, will be assessing their rosters and making any moves necessary for the weekend. We’ll keep track of all those minor moves right here.

  • Nate Prosser has been sent back to the minor leagues on a conditioning stint by the Minnesota Wild, given he’s only played three minutes of ice time the entire season. Prosser dressed as the seventh defenseman two weeks ago, but hasn’t seen any game action since. He’ll try to change that by getting into a back-to-back-to-back series with the Iowa Wild starting tonight.
  • Connor Carrick has been placed on injured reserve by the Dallas Stars, meaning Dillon Heatherington will get his first chance of the season. Heatherington played six games with the Stars last season and is off to a strong start in the AHL, with four points in his first ten games for the Texas Stars. The 23-year old defenseman was selected 50th overall in 2013, but is still trying to establish himself as a full-time piece with Dallas.
  • Rookie forward Jack Rodewald is on his way back to Ottawa. The Senators have recalled Rodewald from their AHL affiliate in Belleville just one day after sending him down. Rodewald, 24, has logged limited minutes on the fourth line for Ottawa simply as forward depth while the team awaits the return of Zack Smith.

Ottawa Senators Make Five Roster Moves

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The Ottawa Senators have had a busy morning when it comes to roster moves, sending Jack Rodewald and Christian Wolanin to the AHL in exchange for Erik Burgdoerfer, Nick Paul and Mike McKenna. McKenna in particular is the name fans were waiting to hear, as he’ll be the option to replace Mike Condon in net for the time being. Condon is on waivers and is expected to be assigned to the AHL should he clear today.

Ottawa has a game tonight against the Buffalo Sabres, and will have Craig Anderson in net behind the suddenly struggling team. After a solid start to the year, the group has lost their last four matches and are plummeting towards the bottom of the Atlantic Division. Perhaps Burgdoerfer can give them some secrets on their opponent tonight, given he spent a season playing in the Buffalo organization in 2016-17. The team is currently carrying eight defensemen, given Mark Borowiecki’s ongoing suspension, and have dressed seven of them at times already this season.

If they don’t dress seven, they’ll be inserting Paul back into the lineup given they only have 12 forwards currently on the roster. The 23-year old forward does have six points in his first six AHL games, and is looking to get back into NHL action for the first time this season.

Minor Transactions: 10/27/18

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Rivalries are set to renew tonight, with the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens set to square off for the first time this season and the St. Louis Blues looking to bounce back from two early losses to the Chicago Blackhawks. Teams in action tonight as well as teams adjusting from a particularly painful slate of games last night will be making roster moves throughout the day. Keep up with the changes here:

  • One of those aforementioned injuries last night was sustained by the Ottawa Senators’ Zack Smith, who sustained a facial fracture in a loss to the Colorado Avalanche. With the Sens currently on a road trip and set to face the Vegas Golden Knights tomorrow, the team has worked quickly to replace Smith’s roster spot. The team announced the recall of forward Jack Rodewald from their AHL affiliate in Belleville. Rodewald skated in four games with Ottawa last season and was held scoreless, but is off to a hot start in the minors with seven points in eight games.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have activated defenseman Matt Benning from the injured reserve. Benning was placed on the IR last week with an undisclosed injury and has returned as soon as possible from the mysterious ailment. In a corresponding move, the Oilers have returned Kevin Gravel to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Gravel had been called up to replace Benning, but saw very limited ice time in two games with Edmonton. The free agent addition will have to return to the minors, where he had played well, and continue to show that he is worthy of an NHL roster spot.
  • Veteran forward Ryan White has signed a PTO with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets, the team announced. White, spent the entire 2017-18 season outside the NHL – split between the AHL’s San Diego Gulls and Iowa Wild – for the first time since his first pro season in the Montreal Canadiens’s system in 2008-09. The experienced grinder has had trouble locking down a job at all for this season, attending camp with the Minnesota Wild and then returning to Iowa, but to no avail. The owner of 313 NHL games (and 447 penalty minutes) could bring leadership and grit to Manitoba if he can prove that he can still skate at a pro level. White is the type of player who could even earn a pro-rated NHL contract late in the year with Winnipeg as fourth line depth. Only time will tell how this latest stop works out for the veteran.
  • The Jets have recalled defenseman Tucker Poolman from Manitoba, who makes his return to the Winnipeg lineup. The 25-year-old skated in 25 games with the Jets last year in his first pro season, but failed to break camp this year. The University of North Dakota stalwart is a more than capable defender, but suffers from playing in a deep organization. Blocked by Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien, and Tyler Myers on the right side of the blue line, Poolman is not guaranteed to see the ice on this recall, but will make the most of the opportunity if he does.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning decided to go with a veteran minor league defenseman to replace Victor Hedman in the lineup for the next week until he is re-evaluated while the all-star is forced to sit out with an upper-body injury. The Lightning announced they have recalled Cameron Gaunce from Syracuse of the AHL who likely will be used as an extra defender for the team. The 28-year-old has already played eight full seasons in the AHL, while only having appeared in 32 NHL games during that span. He currently has a goal and an assist in six games with the Crunch.

Senators Claim Gabriel Dumont Off Waivers

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The Ottawa Senators have made the best kind of in-season roster addition, the kind that doesn’t cost them anything. After trading away substantial resources for Matt Duchene, it would have been easy to assume that the Sens would stand pat for the remainder of the season. However, that is not the case, as Ottawa has announced that they have claimed forward Gabriel Dumont off of waivers.

Dumont, 27, has been a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the past year plus, after leaving the Montreal Canadiens to sign with Tampa in 2016. While it may not look like much, Dumont’s 39 games, two goals, and four points last season were all career highs, as the undersized forward carved out a role for himself as an energy liner and reliable AHL depth. Before coming to Tampa, Dumont was a high-scoring AHLer for the Canadiens, but has settled into a more gritty, two-way role that better serves his NHL pursuits. In seven games so far in 2017-18, Dumont has been held scoreless, but is averaging over ten minutes of ice time per night for the first time in his NHL career.

Yet, Dumont has cleared waivers multiple times since signing with the Bolts. Why now have the Senators claimed him? It may have less to do with Dumont’s talent and more to do with Ottawa’s lack of talent. Dealing with many different injuries this season, at times the Senators lineup has featured a majority of players best suited for their minor league affiliate in Belleville. Rather than continue to depend on the likes of Nick Paul, Chris DiDomenico, Jack Rodewald, Max McCormick and even defenseman Ben Harpur at forward, Dumont brings some experience and fourth-line reliability that the Senators could really use.

Senators Recall Filip Chlapik And Jack Rodewald

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The Senators announced (via Twitter) a pair of recalls up front; they’ve summoned center Filip Chlapik and winger Jack Rodewald from their AHL affiliate in Belleville.  It’s the first NHL recall for both players.

Chlapik was Ottawa’s second-round pick (48th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft and is in his first professional season.  He was in the mix for a roster spot at the beginning of training camp with the injuries up front but instead, that spot went to Logan Brown, who was returned to Windsor of the OHL earlier today.  The 20-year-old has three assists in seven games with Belleville.

As for Rodewald, it has been quite the week for him.  The undrafted winger was off to a strong start in the minors with three goals and an assist through five games and landed his entry-level contract at the age of 23 just yesterday.  That’s quite a jump for a player who has seen action at the ECHL level in each of the past two seasons.

With the roster moves, the Sens are back up to 13 healthy forwards (with Bobby Ryan, Zack Smith, and Clarke MacArthur all on injured reserve plus Colin White on season-opening injured reserve).  As a result, at least one of Chlapik or Rodewald will make their NHL debut on Thursday night as Ottawa plays host to Philadelphia.

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