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Jiri Patera

Pacific Notes: Tanev, Couture, Schultz, Thompson, Patera

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The Flames aren’t generating the level of interest they’d hoped for in pending UFA defenseman Chris Tanev as the March 8 trade deadline approaches, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman told CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal on Monday. Calgary GM Craig Conroy has only received offers consisting of second-round picks (and extras) for Tanev, not the first-round pick he’s holding out for.

Tanev, 34, isn’t performing up to his shutdown expectations this year – a tough spot for the Flames to be in as they try and recoup as much value as possible for his services over the past four years. He’s been one of the best pure possession-control blue-liners since signing with the Flames in 2020, even earning some Norris Trophy consideration in 2022, but his possession numbers this season look quite pedestrian. Despite his respectable +10 rating, Tanev’s expected rating is now in the negatives after posting a combined expected +37.3 rating over his first three seasons in Calgary. The Flames are generating less and allowing more at even strength with Tanev on the ice than in years past, and contending teams with keen analytics departments are likely tempering their trade offers in kind.

More updates from the Pacific Division to kick off the week:

  • Sharks captain Logan Couture is now listed as week-to-week after suffering a setback related to the groin issue that sidelined him for the first 45 games of the season, head coach David Quinn said Monday (via Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now). He will not travel with the team on their upcoming road trip and has been ruled out of the next two games as a result, but his absence now appears to be much longer than that. He’d played in just six games this season before the All-Star break, recording one assist and averaging 18:45 per game. With that news, the already basement-dwelling Sharks will be without each of their top two centers for the foreseeable future – Tomáš Hertl is undergoing knee surgery and could miss the rest of the season. For now, offseason trade pickup Mikael Granlund is expected to anchor the top line, while emerging rookie William Eklund will get a longer look at center on the second line.
  • Kraken defenseman Justin Schultz took part in Monday’s morning skate after missing Saturday’s game against the Flyers for personal reasons, Alison Lukan of Root Sports reports. As such, he’s expected to return tonight against the Devils, placing rookie Ryker Evans alongside Brian Dumoulin on the team’s bottom pairing. The 22-year-old Evans has been the far superior two-way player this season, but the Kraken’s 28th-ranked offense needs Schultz’s puck-moving ability and power-play expertise to help get the team on the scoresheet. Now in the second season of a two-year, $6MM deal, the 33-year-old Schultz has 16 points and a -11 rating in 42 contests this season while averaging 15:58 per game.
  • Golden Knights netminder Logan Thompson is dealing with an illness and is unavailable for Monday’s game against the Wild, per the team. The 26-year-old has started the majority of Vegas’ games this season, with Adin Hill missing a significant chunk of the campaign due to injury, posting a 16-10-4 record and .906 SV% in 31 games. Hill is now healthy, and he’ll be backed up tonight by Jiří Patera, who the team has recalled from AHL Henderson under emergency conditions with Thompson out. The 24-year-old has made four starts for the Golden Knights this year and one relief appearance, recording a passable .901 SV% and 3.75 GAA.

Vegas Golden Knights Reassign Daniil Miromanov, Jiri Patera

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Before the team’s game tonight against the New York Islanders, the Vegas Golden Knights have loaned defenseman Daniil Miromanov to their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights on a long-term injury conditioning loan, as well as reassigned goaltender Jiri Patera to the Silver Knights as well.

As an undrafted free agent, Miromanov came to the Vegas organization in 2022, signing away from HC Sochi of the Kontinental Hockey League. With plenty of high-profile injuries to their typical active roster, Miromanov is not necessarily a game-changing reinforcement to inject back into the lineup. Still, it will provide sufficient depth to the Golden Knights’ defensive core once he can fully return. Over both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 NHL seasons, Miromanov has played in a total of 25 games for Vegas, scoring two goals and seven points while averaging a little under 14 minutes of ice time per game.

The much more significant news in this team announcement is the reassignment of Patera, which likely spells the return of Adin Hill between the pipes. Largely serving in a backup role since Hill went down with injury once again in mid-December, Patera has been serviceable, producing a 1-3-0 record in five games played, carrying a .901 SV% and a 3.75 GAA. After having been out for over a month, it may take Hill a short while to get reacquainted with gameplay, but it will at the very least serve as a well-earned break to goaltender Logan Thompson, who has started in the majority of games in Hill’s absence.

In the first 10 games after Hill went down with an injury, the Golden Knights posted a disappointing 3-7-0 record, creating a sizeable gap between them and the first-place Vancouver Canucks in the Pacific Division. However, over the last five games, the team has begun to pick things up a tad, securing a 3-1-1 record, and outscoring their opponents by a margin of five over that stretch.

Pacific Notes: Markstrom, Kuznetsov, Golden Knights

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With trade season now in full swing, one member of the Calgary Flames who has found his name mentioned in several rumors is goaltender Jacob Markstrom. As the Flames enter a transitionary period in their organization, and with goalie prospect Dustin Wolf ready to make the jump to the NHL, the logic behind moving Markstrom has never been more clear for Calgary.

However, in an article by James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now, he includes a quote from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman pouring cold water on the idea of the Flames moving Markstrom as he says, “From what I understand, Calgary has a very high bar here in terms of they’re not going to bother Markstrom with just anything. It would have to be something massive for them or somewhere they absolutely believe Markstrom would want to go before they would even consider going to him. I think that’s where things stand with Markstrom, the Flames, and anything right now”.

Assuming that Friedman is accurate, Calgary’s asking price for Markstrom may push too many teams away, although something could come together over the offseason. With teams such as the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, and New Jersey Devils all looking to upgrade their situation in the crease, it would be incredibly rare for a team to part with a substantial amount of assets during the regular season.

Other notes:

  • Staying in Calgary, the Flames announced earlier today that they have sent down defenseman Yan Kuznetsov to their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers. Kuznetsov was recalled for the second time this year on January 9th and would make his NHL debut the same day against the Ottawa Senators. Skating in just under 12 minutes of the game against Ottawa, Kuznetsov was held scoreless in his debut, as he put two shots on the net and also blocked one.
  • After sending him down earlier this morning to make way for Brendan Brisson, the Vegas Golden Knights have recalled forward Byron Froese on an emergency basis due to the possibility of Chandler Stephenson missing time with an illness (X Link). Producing a 3-7-0 record in their last 10 games, the Golden Knights’ depth continues to be tested, as more and more of their typical players continue to miss games for the team.
  • In more news coming from Vegas, both Adin Hill and Jiri Patera are not ready to return to the team, although both goaltenders are currently skating (X Link). Relying on goaltender Logan Thompson heavily over the last few weeks, the Golden Knights are now relying on their fourth-string goaltender to serve in the backup role, as 23-year-old, Isaiah Saville was recalled yesterday on an emergency basis.

Vegas Recalls Isaiah Saville With Adin Hill, Michael Amadio Out

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The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled goaltender Isaiah Saville ahead of their Wednesday night game, as expected starter Adin Hill is not yet ready to return. The Golden Knights also shared that forward Michael Amadio will miss Wednesday’s matchup with illness.

Saville will serve as the team’s backup against the Colorado Avalanche, with Jiri Patera set to make his fourth start of the season. It’s only the sixth start of Patera’s career, which kicked off with two NHL appearances last season. He’s set a 3-2-0 record and .908 save percentage in his limited NHL career, though he’s spent more of his time operating as the starter for the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. He’s appeared in 14 AHL games this year, setting a 6-6-2 record and .900 save percentage. He’s been backed up by a platoon of goalies, including Saville, who has managed a 4-3-0 record and .914 save percentages in seven games of his own. The sudden recall is only the second of Saville’s career, though the 23-year-old has yet to play in his first NHL game.

Hill’s unexpected setback now makes nine consecutive games that he’s missed with an undisclosed injury. The 27-year-old has continued to look fantastic in the ice time he has managed, setting a league-leading .933 save percentage and 1.93 goals-against-average in the 15 games he’s played this season. His injury forces Vegas to turn to their AHL netminders, as the team is also missing Logan Thompson due to illness. Thompson has served as the de facto starter in Hill’s absence, setting a 12-8 record and .902 save percentage in 24 games.

Vegas Golden Knights Recall Jonas Røndbjerg, Jiří Patera

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The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled forward Jonas Røndbjerg and goalie Jiří Patera in advance of their game tomorrow against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Additionally, Sin Bin Vegas reports that defenseman Kaedan Korczak has been placed on injured reserve. Korczak suffered a lower-body injury in the Golden Knights’ game on December 10th, and has not played since. Korczak has played in 15 games this season and has scored seven points, averaging 16:29 time-on-ice per game.

Røndbjerg last played in the NHL on November 14th, while Patera got the start in the Golden Knights’ victory over the San Jose Sharks a little over a week ago. Patera was actually reassigned to Vegas’ AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, late last night, but today’s move has reversed that original decision.

Save for his one start against the Sharks, Patera has spent the year as the number-one goalie in Henderson. He’s currently sporting a 6-6-2 record with a .900 save percentage. Last season, he played 31 games with the Silver Knights and went 14-15-1 with a .911 save percentage. He’s now relatively established as Vegas’ third goalie, and will fill in on the NHL roster whenever a member of the team’s Adin Hill – Logan Thompson tandem is unavailable.

Røndbjerg is the team’s call-up at the forward position, and he’s a relatively experienced depth player for the Golden Knights. He has 49 career NHL games on his resume, all coming with Vegas over the last three seasons. The six-foot-two, 200-pound Danish forward has experience playing both center and the wing, though he has been preferred as a winger at the NHL level. He’s been a solid scorer at the AHL level (he has 11 points in 16 games this season) and has contributed offense sporadically in the NHL. So far this season, he has three points in six NHL games.

Sin Bin Vegas has indicated that forward Keegan Kolesar “may be ailing,” and therefore may be the player Røndbjerg replaces in the lineup if he does indeed dress for a game. That’s not an official confirmation of any unavailability for Kolesar, though, and it’s worth noting that the 11:19 time-on-ice he registered in last night’s game is right around his average ice time on the year.

Golden Knights Recall Jiri Patera

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Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill exited Thursday’s victory with an undisclosed injury with Logan Thompson taking over for the third period.  Now, prior to their game tonight against Washington, the team announced (Twitter link) that Jiri Patera has been recalled from AHL Henderson.

The 24-year-old is in his fourth professional season, the bulk of which has been spent with the Silver Knights.  Patera did get into a couple of NHL games last year, stopping 65 of 70 shots in a pair of victories.  This season, he has struggled a bit with Henderson, posting a 3.17 GAA with a .900 SV% in his first 14 appearances.

Patera signed a one-year deal worth the league minimum this summer coming off his entry-level deal.  He will be a restricted free agent with salary arbitration rights in July and will be eligible for waivers for the first time next season.

Vegas does not have an open spot on its 23-man roster so two things could happen here.  The first is they place a player on IR or send a waiver-exempt player (Kaedan Korczak is their lone option) to open a spot for Patera.  Alternatively, they can use the Goaltender Exemption provision in the CBA, allowing for a 48-hour recall without needing to take someone off the active roster.  However, that option can only be used twice in a season.  At this time, it’s not yet known which option they will utilize.

Vegas Golden Knights Re-Sign Jiri Patera

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The Vegas Golden Knights re-sign netminder Jiri Patera to a one-year, two-way contract. Per PuckPedia, the contract carries a $775k AAV, a $100k AHL salary, and a $145k total guarantee.

Patera, 24, is a member of the Golden Knights’ original draft class from 2017, when he was selected in the sixth round. The six-foot-two Czech netminder developed in the USHL before spending two seasons in the WHL with current Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon’s club, the Brandon Wheat Kings.

A First-Team All-Star in the WHL, Patera turned pro in 2020-21, splitting time with HC Ceske Budejovice in the Czech Extraliga and the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights.

Patera had a difficult start to life in Henderson but in 2021-22 he regrouped his game in the ECHL and ended the season with a .910 save percentage and 2.76 goals-against-average in the AHL.

This past season, Patera got used to a larger workload playing 31 games for Henderson. His numbers held steady despite getting a larger role in the AHL, and he even earned two starts for Vegas in the NHL, winning both with a .929 save percentage.

With this contract Patera secures his place for another season with Vegas’ AHL affiliate, and he’ll hope to earn more NHL call-ups as he makes a push to become a regular face at the game’s highest level.

Injury Updates: Golden Knights Goalies, Makar, Aho

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While the Vegas Golden Knights have maintained their place in contention for the Pacific Division title this season, it hasn’t been an easy road for them, especially in the crease. Injuries to the team’s stable of goaltenders (starting way back over the summer when Robin Lehner underwent hip surgery) forced them to acquire the legendary Jonathan Quick from the Columbus Blue Jackets and has also forced Jiri Patera, who spent time in the ECHL last season, to make two starts. Thankfully for Vegas, though, it seems there could be a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the health of their goaltenders.

As relayed by Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy has revealed that all three of Quick,  Logan Thompson, and Laurent Brossoit are traveling with the team on their three-game road trip. As a result of that trio nearing a return to the ice, the team sent Patera back to their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights. The return of Thompson in particular would come as a major boost to Vegas, as he had been the team’s number-one goalie before going down with an injury. He has posted a .914 save percentage in 36 games, and should he hit the ground running upon his return to the ice is in pole position to be the team’s playoff starter.

  • While he remains a player widely considered the best defenseman in the NHL, injuries have proved to be a roadblock for the Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar, and have caused him to fall behind in the Norris Trophy race when compared to players such as the San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson. While he has thankfully seemed to put the concussion issues that sidelined him earlier this year behind him, there’s a new injury for him to deal with. Per the Denver Post’s Bennett Durando, Makar is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said that the injury is “nothing too serious,” and that he is being held out for tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks as a precautionary measure. Makar has scored 61 points in 55 games this season and leads all NHLers in time-on-ice per game, averaging 26:36 TOI per game.
  • New York Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho left last night’s New York Islanders game with an injury, prompting the team to recall defenseman Samuel Bolduc to fill Aho’s spot in the lineup. Newsday’s Andrew Gross has more details on Aho’s injury, reporting that the Swede is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury. This season has been a breakout one of sorts for Aho, who has flown past his career-high in games played with 66 so far and seen his average time-on-ice tick upwards. He has scored 21 points this season and will hope to return to the lineup quickly to help New York clinch a return to the playoffs.

Vegas Golden Knights Recall Jiri Patera

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The goaltending pipeline in Vegas is getting awfully thin. The Golden Knights have recalled Jiri Patera under emergency conditions, after Adin Hill suffered a lower-body injury.

That leaves the Golden Knights with Jonathan Quick and Patera as their healthy tandem, with Hill, Logan Thompson, Robin Lehner, and Laurent Brossoit all injured. Michael Hutchinson was traded out at the deadline, and the only other goalie under an NHL contract in the organization is 22-year-old Isaiah Saville, who has ten professional appearances above the ECHL.

It is the Henderson Silver Knights who are in even more trouble. Behind Saville, there is nothing but 50-year-old goaltending coach Fred Brathwaite, who dressed as the backup last night after signing an AHL PTO.

Somehow, even through all of this, the Golden Knights remain in first place for the time being. The club visits the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight, before traveling to Carolina, St. Louis, and Philadelphia to finish out the road trip. Those two middle games, against the Hurricanes and Blues, are a back-to-back situation over the weekend, meaning Patera may have to make his NHL debut.

The 24-year-old netminder has a .916 save percentage in 27 games for the Silver Knights this season.

Robin Lehner To Undergo Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

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May 3: Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon announced today that Lehner will undergo shoulder surgery tomorrow. There’s no established timeline for his return.

April 25: The original reports from Emily Kaplan of ESPN and Jesse Granger of The Athletic have proven true, finally. The Vegas Golden Knights today announced that Robin Lehner will indeed undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. The team released the following statement:

Robin has done his best to battle through this injury he sustained February 9, and we were hopeful that rest and rehab would allow him to complete the season.

He initially rehabbed and was able to return to play March 1. At times rest and rehab were effective, but ultimately Robin, in consultation with team medical staff, determined that this is the best course of action.

Kaplan tweets that Lehner told the Golden Knights last Thursday that he was going to get surgery, and that the team doctor agreed to that course of action on the weekend. The team had him serve as backup on Sunday because of, according to Kaplan’s sources, cap implications.

Vegas has recalled Jiri Patera from the Henderson Silver Knights.

Lehner, 30, had a 19-12-1 record and posted a .910 save percentage in the 33 games before February 9, when the team states he suffered the injury. In the 11 games since (including that game against the Calgary Flames), he went 4-5-1 with an .898. During that time he suffered another injury, this time believed to be a lower-body issue, which kept him out for an additional few weeks.

It’s been a nightmare season, and one that may end up not resulting in the Golden Knights going to the playoffs at all. The team could still technically qualify, though it will be difficult as the Dallas Stars remain three points ahead of them. Tomorrow night when the two teams go head to head could very well eliminate Vegas for the first time since their inception, and cause a ripple of negative effects on the organization.

Most notable is the first-round draft pick that the team gave up to acquire Jack Eichel earlier in the year. While it is top-10 protected for this year, if it were to transfer to 2023 it does not have any protection. Missing the playoffs again next season still doesn’t seem likely for a team with so much firepower, but as the front office continues to make huge salary cap commitments, there is some uncertainty over how long the Golden Knights can stay competitive.

For Lehner specifically, major surgery will certainly complicate his own future. The 30-year-old goaltender is signed through the 2024-25 season and carries a $5MM cap hit, but the Golden Knights have proven that they hold no loyalty to a player if he isn’t providing them with what they believe is the best on-ice performance. With a no-trade clause that can only block deals to eight teams, there isn’t a lot Lehner could do if the team was looking at another switch in goal.

On the season, he’ll finish with a .907 save percentage through 44 appearances, his lowest mark since the 2014-15 season when he was still with the Ottawa Senators. The two-time Jennings Trophy winner will also likely face a long rehab, though no timeline on his recovery has been released at this point.

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