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John Ludvig

John Ludvig Receiving Interest From Dynamo Pardubice

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While it remains to be seen if the Avalanche will issue pending restricted free agent defenseman John Ludvig a qualifying offer next month, it appears as if he’ll have at least one other option on the table.  iSport’s Miroslav Horak relays that the blueliner is on the radar of Dynamo Pardubice in the Czech Extraliga for next season.

The 24-year-old was claimed off waivers in training camp for the second straight year, this time by Colorado.  However, this time around, he cleared waivers in mid-January after spending a lot of the first half of the season as a scratch.  All told, Ludvig played in just eight games for the Avs, notching two assists in a little under 13 minutes a night of playing time.  He also got into 30 games with AHL Colorado, picking up a goal and 11 helpers.

Ludvig played in 33 NHL games with Pittsburgh in his only other taste of action at the top level but his first three professional seasons – largely mired with injuries – were spent in the minors.

Ludvig will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this summer and that eligibility could work against him as his NHL experience could allow him to command more than the minimum salary.  It’s unlikely Colorado would like him making closer to the $1MM mark so if they can’t reach a deal beforehand, there’s a decent chance he will be non-tendered late next month which could make a decision to go play back home much more palatable.

Avalanche To Reassign John Ludvig

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Jan. 16: Ludvig has cleared waivers and will be on his way to the AHL, Seravalli reports.

Jan. 15: The Avalanche placed defenseman John Ludvig on waivers Wednesday to assign him to AHL Colorado, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports.

Ludvig, 24, has made just eight appearances for the Avs since they claimed him off waivers from the Penguins at the end of training camp. He recently spent two weeks in the minors on a conditioning stint that didn’t require waivers, and Colorado’s decided he didn’t show enough to keep a spot on the NHL roster.

His last NHL appearance came on Dec. 5 against the Hurricanes, ending a three-game stretch where he was in the lineup each game but posted a minus-four rating. The 6’1″, 214-lb lefty had one assist and a minus-three rating in five AHL appearances over the past few weeks, and he now appears destined for more time there.

A third-round pick by the Panthers in 2019, Ludvig got his first crack at NHL minutes when Pittsburgh claimed him off waivers at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. He missed time due to concussions but managed 33 appearances, posting five points and a -12 rating, averaging 11:48 per game.

Ludvig has provided little upside thus far in his professional career outside of being a physical bottom-pairing piece, not enough to stick around on the Avs. He managed two points and a minus-four rating in his eight total appearances for the club.

Assuming he clears waivers, the Avalanche will hold onto Ludvig for the rest of the season. He’s in the back half of a two-year, two-way deal and will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights in July, although he risks being non-tendered.

Avalanche Recall John Ludvig From Conditioning Loan

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After two weeks spent in the American Hockey League with the Colorado Eagles, defenseman John Ludvig will return to the NHL. The Colorado Avalanche announced they’ve recalled Ludvig from his conditioning loan to the NHL roster.

According to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the rules stipulate that a team can send a player down via a standard conditioning loan for 14 consecutive days, meaning the Avalanche kept Ludvig in the AHL for the maximum allotted time. Furthermore, during his entire stint with the AHL Eagles, Ludvig counted against the 23-man roster for the Avalanche and was paid his full NHL salary for the duration of the loan.

During his 14-day span in Loveland, CO, Ludvig tallied one assist in five games for the Eagles with a -3 rating. It’s not dissimilar from his production in the NHL this year with the Avalanche as he’s tallied two assists in eight games with a -4 rating.

Although Colorado has struggled with injuries this season, they have operated quite well in Ludvig’s absence. Should the organization want to continue with only seven available defensemen on the active roster, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Ludvig end up on waivers within the next week.

He could get some consideration from the team’s wanting another minimum-salary defenseman on the NHL roster but he’ll likely clear given his production over the last two years. This would ultimately prove a benefit to Ludvig as the Avalanche may be more comfortable taxiing him from the AHL should he be exempt from waivers for a few weeks.

Avalanche Make Four Roster Moves

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It was a busy day for the Avalanche on top of their trade with Nashville earlier today.  The team announced (Twitter link) that they have loaned defenseman John Ludvig to AHL Colorado on a conditioning assignment while also assigning forward Givani Smith to the Eagles.  Meanwhile, the Avs also recalled defenseman Keaton Middleton and winger Jere Innala from the Eagles, per the AHL’s transactions log.

Ludvig was claimed on waivers back in October but playing time has been hard to come by as he has been limited to just eight games so far.  He has a pair of assists and 16 hits while averaging just under 13 minutes a night.  Ludvig has only played three times since November 10th and hasn’t suited up once since December 5th so he’ll be well-served getting some game action in with the Eagles.  The conditioning assignment can last up to two weeks.

As for Smith, he was acquired earlier this month from San Jose after he cleared waivers.  Since then, he has gotten into seven games, bringing his season total to 13.  For the season, the 26-year-old doesn’t have a point while adding 18 penalty minutes and 20 hits in a little over six minutes a night of playing time.  He can only play in three more NHL games before needing to pass through waivers again.

Middleton and Innala, meanwhile, were reassigned to the minors before the holiday break, allowing the Avs to save some money (though not bank cap space since they’re in LTIR).  Middleton has nine blocks and 13 hits in nine games so far while Innala has been held off the scoresheet in his first three NHL appearances.

Islanders Looking To Add Left Defense Amid Injuries

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Injury ruled out all three of the New York Islanders’ starting left-defensemen in their loss to the New York Rangers on Sunday. And while both Alexander Romanov and Mike Reilly are only listed as day-to-day, Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News shares that the absences could push New York to add more defensive depth via waivers or trade. Rosner points out that the move would be similar to the Islanders’ acquisition of Robert Bortuzzo and Reilly.

The Islanders are once again in a very difficult spot because of injuries to their blue-line. It’s the same spot that held them back last season, and their only response this season has so far been sheltered roles for Dennis Cholowski, Samuel Bolduc, and Grant Hutton. The depleted blue-line is only propped up by star Ryan Pulock, who’s had to take on a role playing on his off-side. But his 30 minutes of ice time on Sunday is unsustainable – and the holes in the lineup have shown that more support is quickly needed to keep the left-side afloat.

New York won’t find much help on a free agent market crowded with right-defenders but depleted of left-shots. Mark Giordano stands as perhaps the top option. He skated as the NHL’s oldest player last season but has expressed interest in playing out one more season. He managed a measly nine points in 46 games with Toronto last year, serving in an often inconsistent role. But despite changing responsibilities, Giordano showed a routine ability to move the puck up the ice – even as he seemed slow elsewhere. He won’t bring too much of a spark, but could man a depth role without needing much oversight.

For more of a kick, New York will have to turn towards a currently dried-up trade market. Cheap and quick acquisitions could sit a the bottom of some NHL depth charts. That’s presently where Jake Bean, John Ludvig, and Brendan Smith slot into their respective lineups – and all three stand to bring the same impact of the Bortuzzo and Reilly acquisitions last year. They’re each on a new team this year – Bean and Smith choosing their landing spots in unrestricted free agency, and Ludvig landing in Colorado via waivers. It’s a trio that brings a spectrum of abilities – Bean the offensive-defenseman and Smith the shutdown depth-role, with Ludvig finding his footing in between. Those similarities could be the perfect mix to both pique the interest of both parties in potential trade talks. New York similarly bought Bortuzzo and Reilly from the bottom of depth charts last season, and will need the same confident trading if they want to bring in support quickly.

With waivers mentioned alongside trades, it’s not likely that the Islanders spend much on any new pieces. But their season is slipping quickly, with star Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair also catching the injury bug alongside multiple defenders. The Islanders boast a 4-6-2 record through 12 games, second-to-last in the Metropolitan Division. They’ll hope to be aggressive on any imminent waiver placements, but general manager Lou Lamoriello may need to take the initiative to make a trade before things fall too far.

Waiver Wire: 10/5/24

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With season-opening rosters due in just over 48 hours, it’s going to be a busy weekend on the waiver front across the NHL.  A total of 14 players are on waivers today.  The players below were first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link) unless otherwise specified.  Meanwhile, Friedman relays (Twitter link) that of the 25 players on the wire yesterday, all cleared aside from John Ludvig who was claimed by Colorado.

Anaheim Ducks

G Oscar Dansk

Colorado Avalanche

F T.J. Tynan
F Chris Wagner

Dallas Stars

D Kyle Capobianco
G Magnus Hellberg
F Cameron Hughes
F Kole Lind
D Alexander Petrovic
F Emilio Pettersen

Florida Panthers

D Matt Kiersted

Minnesota Wild (per team release)

F Ben Jones

New York Rangers

D Connor Mackey

Seattle Kraken (per team announcement)

F John Hayden
F Josh Mahura

These players will be on waivers until 1:00 PM CT on Sunday.

Avalanche Claim John Ludvig Off Waivers

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The Avalanche have added some defensive depth via the waiver wire.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that they’ve claimed blueliner John Ludvig off waivers from Pittsburgh.

It’s the second year in a row that the 24-year-old has been scooped off waivers in training camp.  Last year, it was the Penguins claiming him from Florida.

Last season, Ludvig saw regular action with Pittsburgh when he wasn’t injured.  However, injuries were an issue for him as he missed time with a concussion and an upper-body injury before undergoing offseason wrist surgery.  In between, he played in 33 games, his first taste of NHL action.  In those, he had three goals and two assists along with 47 penalty minutes, 33 blocks, and 72 hits in a little under 12 minutes per night.

Colorado is an interesting landing spot for Ludvig as they have already brought in three new blueliners this summer to shore up their depth in Oliver Kylington, Erik Brannstrom, and Calvin de Haan.  They also have Sam Malinski who is now waiver-eligible so adding to that group comes as a bit of a surprise.  Assuming he makes their opening roster on Monday, he’ll give them some extra physicality for games that he’s in the lineup.

Ludvig is in the second and final season of his two-year, two-way deal.  The agreement pays $775K in the NHL and $150K should he make it to the minors.  He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration eligibility if he plays in 47 games or more.  Otherwise, he’ll qualify for Group Six unrestricted free agency.

Waiver Wire: 10/4/24

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According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman all 17 players on waivers yesterday have cleared. There are again several players to hit the wire today as reported by Friedman:

Anaheim Ducks

F Jansen Harkins

Boston Bruins

G Michael DiPietro
F Vinni Lettieri
D Jordan Oesterle

Florida Panthers

F William Lockwood

Los Angeles Kings

F Taylor Ward

New Jersey Devils

F Justin Dowling
F Mike Hardman
F Samuel Laberge
F Nathan Légaré
F Maxwell Willman

Philadelphia Flyers

F Olle Lycksell
F Anthony Richard

Pittsburgh Penguins

F Emil Bemström
D Nate Clurman
F Jonathan Gruden
F Joona Koppanen
D Filip Král
D John Ludvig
F Samuel Poulin

Tampa Bay Lightning

G Matt Tomkins

Toronto Maple Leafs

F Alex Steeves

Washington Capitals

D Ethan Bear
F Luke Philp
F Michael Sgarbossa

Kris Letang, John Ludvig, Matt Nieto Undergo Surgeries

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Three Penguins have gone under the knife in recent weeks, general manager Kyle Dubas announced Wednesday. Defenseman John Ludvig and winger Matt Nieto could miss the beginning of the 2024-25 season after undergoing successful extensor tendon and MCL surgeries, respectively. Star defenseman Kris Letang also underwent surgery to repair a fractured finger on his left hand on Friday but isn’t expected to miss out on any training camp action with an eight-week recovery timeline.

Ludvig had his left wrist surgery done back on April 24, the team said. His recovery window is four to six months, meaning he may be ready for training camp but could also miss the first few weeks of the regular season. Nieto will miss a more significant portion of next season, undergoing reconstructive MCL surgery on his left knee at the beginning of this month. He has a six-to-seven-month recovery timeline, putting his return to game action well into November or December 2024.

Today’s news offers some clarity into Dubas’ open-ended comments at his end-of-season media availability last month. The GM said Letang was searching for a second opinion on an undisclosed injury that he played through down the stretch, putting some speculative doubt into his availability at the beginning of next season.

A finger fracture falls firmly in the best-case scenario category for the 37-year-old, who should begin training camp ready to go as he enters Year 3 of his six-year, $36.6MM extension. He played in all 82 games last season for the second time in his 13-season NHL career, finishing just behind Erik Karlsson in Penguins defense scoring with 10 goals and 51 points.

Nieto is undergoing his second knee surgery in 2024. In January, he had laparoscopic surgery on his right knee, which was initially expected to sideline him for six to eight weeks but ended up costing him the rest of the season.

Dubas said last month that Nieto was also seeking a second opinion on whether surgery or rehab was required for his MCL injury. He obviously opted to go with the former. He sustained the initial right knee injury in late November, ending his 2023-24 season after just one goal and four points in 22 games. The 31-year-old inked a two-year, $1.8MM deal with Pittsburgh shortly after free agency opened last summer. Upon returning to the lineup next season, he likely won’t factor into anything more than a fourth-line role.

Ludvig’s rookie year was also stunted by injuries, namely a concussion sustained in his NHL debut that kept him out for nearly a month. After being claimed off waivers from the Panthers during training camp, the 23-year-old had three goals, five points and a -12 rating in 33 contests in a third-pairing role. He’s under contract next season at a $775K cap hit but will become eligible to sign an extension on July 1.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Penguins Place Ryan Shea On Waivers, Assign Three

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April 19: Shea has cleared waivers and can head to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, per CapFriendly.

April 18: The Pittsburgh Penguins have placed defenseman Ryan Shea on waivers (Twitter link). It’s his second time on waivers this season, after passing through unclaimed in December. The Penguins also assigned Valtteri Puustinen, Radim Zohorna, and Jack St. Ivany to the minor leagues (Twitter link).

Shea has served as one of many rotating through Pittsburgh’s seventh defenseman role, ultimately slotting into 31 games. He recorded just one point – an April 4th goal – in those appearances this season, though he did manage six points in 22 AHL games.

Shea made his NHL debut earlier this year, joining the Penguins as an unrestricted free agent last summer. It was the first move of Shea’s young career, after spending his first three pro seasons with the AHL’s Texas Stars. Shea was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks but went on to sign with the Dallas Stars after going unsigned by the Blackhawks. He managed 66 points in 163 games with the Texas Stars.

These assignments come after the Penguins’ 2023-24 season ended with no playoff berth. Shea will, if he clears waivers, join the trio of assignees as reinforcements to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who are bound for a strong playoff spot of their own, currently ranked third in the AHL’s Atlantic Division.

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