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Nikolaj Ehlers Skating As He Waits For Medical Clearance

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TSN’s John Lu is reporting that winger Nikolaj Ehlers is skating with the Winnipeg Jets healthy scratches while he waits to see if he can get a medical clearance to return. The 27-year-old suffered an upper body injury in a game against the Minnesota Wild back on April 11th and hasn’t played since.

The Denmark native missed a great deal of the regular season with multiple injuries including a sports hernia that required surgery. He played the first two games of the regular season and then missed nearly three months before returning in January.

Ehlers was productive this season when healthy, he had 12 goals and 38 points in 45 games despite playing the lowest average ice time of his entire eight-year career. He’d been on a heater in the games leading up to his injury, having scored seven points in the five games prior to getting hurt.

Ehlers will be assessed on Monday while he waits to see if he can get that medical clearance to return to the Jets lineup. Winnipeg has battled hard in their series with the Vegas Golden Knights, including a massive comeback that resulted in an overtime loss in game three. They’ve already lost defenseman Josh Morrissey, and should Ehlers remain out, the underdog Jets will have an even bigger hill to climb if they want to survive the first round.

Injury Notes: Morrissey, Hedman, Ehlers

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Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights after playing just over a minute and did not return. According to John Lu of TSN, the news went from bad to worse for the Jets as Head Coach Rick Bowness announced the star defender will be out for the remainder of the series. He appeared to be hit with a knee as he delivered a body check and then blocked a shot early in the first period before being ruled out with a lower-body injury.

This is a huge blow for the Jets. Morrissey’s name was in the Norris Trophy conversation in a season where he scored 16 goals and 76 points in 78 games. Morrissey led the Jets in average ice time per game this season and is the quarterback of their star-studded power play. The Jets played almost all of Game 3 without him, and it resulted in their five other defenders having to play against tougher competition than they are used to facing every night. Neal Pionk  played over 41 minutes in a game that Winnipeg eventually lost in double overtime.

The Jets now trail the series 2-1 and will look to even it up at home in Game 4 on Monday. It is going to be a tall task for the group of Jets healthy defenders to shut down the Golden Knights deep offensive lineup.

  • Another star defenseman who is dealing with injury is Victor Hedman. Fortunately, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Tampa Bay Lightning defender returns to the lineup for Game 3. Hedman missed Game 2 and the team missed his presence as they fell 7-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs to even the series at 1-1. Hedman played just 6:35 in Game 1 before leaving with injury at the start of the second period.
  • Jeff Hamilton of The Winnipeg News reports Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets remains out of the lineup for Game 3. The 27-year-old winger scored 12 goals and 38 points in 45 games this season but battled a few injuries during the year. His most recent injury came when he was hit by Ryan Hartman of the Minnesota Wild late in the regular season on a play that was deemed interference since Ehlers had never touched the puck. The skilled winger is missed as the Jets try to upset the top-ranked Western Conference Vegas Golden Knights in a first round series.

Central Notes: Morrissey, Avalanche, Eriksson Ek

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As the Winnipeg Jets look to take back the lead in their first-round matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, they will have to do it without Norris candidate Josh Morrissey. The team announced that Morrissey will not return to Game Three due to a lower-body injury.

On the heels of far and away the best season of his career, Morrissey will be a huge missing presence on the ice for the Jets. The team hasn’t made any mention of his status for Game Four in their series, as they will likely give updates after tonight’s game or tomorrow. In two games played so far for Morrissey in the playoffs, he has managed one assist, dishing the puck to teammate Kyle Connor for the opening goal in this series.

Although it will be near impossible to replicate the kind of offense that Morrissey is able to bring from the back end, the one player who could hold down the fort in the meantime is defenseman Neal Pionk. Pionk has been a steady presence on the blue line for the Jets over the last four seasons, hovering around 30 points every year, including a 45-point season in 2019-20.

Other notes from the Central Division:

  • In his media availability this morning, the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche, Jared Bednar relayed to the press that he is unsure if either Andrew Cogliano or Lars Eller will play tonight (Twitter Link). Cogliano has yet to play for the Avalanche in their series against the Seattle Kraken, as he is still working his way back from an upper-body injury suffered toward the end of the regular season. Eller, on the other hand, has played in both games so far for Colorado but did appear to be shaken up after receiving a hit in Game Two.
  • Sarah McLellan of Star Tribune Sports reports that Joel Eriksson Ek is being evaluated by the Minnesota Wild, and would likely know if he will be in the lineup before their game tomorrow. Eriksson Ek returned to the Wild for Game Three and only managed to play for 19 seconds before leaving for the rest of the game. Although Minnesota has a 2-1 lead so far in the series, Eriksson Ek was one of four Wild players to score more than 60 points this season, and will certainly be missed by Minnesota.

Central Notes: Morrissey, Meyers, Smith, Stienburg

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After missing last night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, Winnipeg Jets’ defenseman Josh Morrissey is expected back Sunday according to John Lu of TSN. As the Jets look to hang onto the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference, Morrissey is projected back into the lineup as the team faces off against the New Jersey Devils next.

Playing in the best statistical season of his career, Morrissey is likely to finish top five in Norris voting after this season. With 69 points in 73 games, Morrissey is fourth overall in scoring by a defenseman in the NHL this year. Unfortunately for his team, they have slipped further and further back into the Western Conference playoff picture.

Since the trade deadline, the Jets have gone 7-7-1, holding their spot as the last wild-card team in the West. As the season concludes, the Jets hold a two-point advantage over the Calgary Flames and a three-point lead over the Nashville Predators. The Jets will play both teams this upcoming week, and having Morrissey back in the lineup will help their odds considerably in those matchups.

Other notes:

  • The Colorado Avalanche have sent down forward Ben Meyers to their AHL affiliate Colorado Eagles. Bennett Durando of the Denver Post explains that Meyers was initially called up in case of an emergency, but the Avalanche will not need him in the lineup tonight as they take on the Dallas Stars. In 38 games played in the NHL throughout his young career, Meyers has scored two goals total.
  • As the Arizona Coyotes continue to move players up and down from the minor leagues, the team has announced that forward Nathan Smith will be returned to their AHL affiliate Tuscon Roadrunners from an emergency loan. Smith has played a majority of this season in the AHL, scoring 11 goals and 14 assists in 58 games for the Roadrunners. In the NHL, unfortunately, he has been unable to find the scoresheet in four games played this season.
  • The Colorado Eagles have announced they have signed former 63rd overall pick of the 2019 NHL draft, Matt Stienburg to an AHL tryout contract. Playing four seasons at Cornell University, the forward has scored 20 goals and 26 assists in 73 regular-season collegiate games. Thankfully for Stienburg’s benefit, the Eagles have already clinched a playoff position and will be a valuable asset in helping his team on the quest for the Calder Cup.

Blake Lizotte Suspended One Game

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2:25 PM: The NHL Department of Player Safety has suspended Lizotte one game for his infraction. As was expected, the suspension mirrors the punishment received by Greer for his cross-check on Hoffman, and the punishment means Lizotte will be unavailable to coach Todd McLellan for the Kings’ game tonight against the St. Louis Blues.

10:00 AM: During last night’s win against the Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings forward, Blake Lizotte, was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking Jets’ defenseman Josh Morrissey. The two had been battling across the ice, and Morrissey would leave the ice after the incident, requiring 10 stitches on his face, with another eight on the inside of his mouth.

This morning, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that Lizotte will indeed have a hearing for the incident from Saturday night. The event from Saturday night’s game was very similar to the cross-check delivered to Mike Hoffman of the Montreal Canadiens by Boston Bruins’ forward A.J. Greer. It is worth noting that Greer was handed a one-game suspension for his cross-check.

Lizotte, now in his fifth year in the NHL, has not been suspended once throughout his career. Through 70 games during the 2021-22 season, Lizotte accrued a total of 28 PIM, while this year, in 72 games played, already has 54 PIM. Aside from earning more time within the penalty box, Lizotte has become a key depth forward for Los Angeles, scoring 10 goals, and 20 assists for 30 points, a new career high.

Jets Notes: Morrissey, Dubois, Gagner

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Dan Robertson of TSN reports the Winnipeg Jets will have an impact player back in the lineup this evening. Josh Morrissey missed the Jets past two games after leaving early against the Florida Panthers last Saturday. He had been listed as day-to-day all week, but is ready to go tonight when the Jets face a tough test against the league-leading Boston Bruins.

Morrissey has had a tremendous season, scoring 15 goals and 67 points in 66 games. The 27 year old is a candidate to win the Norris Trophy for his fantastic play, so the team will be happy to have him back in the lineup. The Jets will need him at the top of his game right away as they have slipped to the second wildcard spot in the Western Conference. They are just four points ahead of the Nashville Predators who have played three less games than the Jets.

  • Pierre-Luc Dubois was on the ice at the team’s morning skate, but according to Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet, Dubois will not play tonight. The 24-year-old center has played just one game since February 26, dealing with two separate injuries in that time. It does appear he is getting close to returning, but it will not be this evening.
  • Murat Ates of The Athletic reports Sam Gagner’s season is over. The 33-year-old forward has already had surgery on one hip and will also get surgery on the other side in the near future. Ates mentions it is an injury that Gagner has been dealing with for a while but is now going to get fixed. The veteran forward scored eight goals and 14 points in 48 games for the Jets this season before being shut down on February 28.

Injury Notes: Ovechkin, Stamkos, Morrissey

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Shortly after the announcement that Alex Ovechkin would be a game-time decision for the Washington Capitals tonight, the team confirmed that their captain will be sitting out with a lower-body injury. This will only be the 53rd game that Ovechkin has missed due to injury in his entire career.

The Capitals chose to be sellers at the deadline, but they still sit only a few points back of the Eastern Conference wild-card race. As they looked to pick up a crucial two points against their Metropolitan rival tonight, it will now be even more difficult without their top scorer in the lineup. Replacing Ovechkin in the lineup will be recent callup, Joe Snively. Although Snively has yet to score at a consistent level in the NHL, he has been a very productive forward for the Capitals’ AHL affiliate Hershey Bears.

Other notes:

  • Similar to Washington, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that their captain will also be sitting out tonight with a lower-body injury. During a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on March 11th, Steven Stamkos awkwardly collided with Blackhawks forward Joey Anderson, sending him to the dressing room for the remainder of the game. Although he did play Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets, he will not play in tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils, likely to make sure his left leg has fully recovered.
  • After sitting out on Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet reports that Jets’ defenseman Josh Morrissey will not play in tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes as well. In his absence, the Jets will give depth defenseman Kyle Capobianco the nod as he will replace Morrissey in the lineup.

Jets Injury Notes: Morrissey, Dubois, Lowry

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The Winnipeg Jets will have some notable absences from the lineup when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight. The most notable of them is breakout star Josh Morrissey, who head coach Rick Bowness says is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Morrissey, 27, left yesterday’s game against the Florida Panthers with a non-contact injury, appearing to favor his hip. It won’t be a long-term absence, though, as Morrissey hopes to play Tuesday when the Jets wrap up their Southeastern road trip. The 13th overall pick in 2013 has trampled over his previous career-high in points, recording 67 in 66 games this year. Any extended absence is a tough blow for Winnipeg, who’s sliding fast as the playoffs approach.

Some other injury notes from Winnipeg:

  • The news isn’t so positive for Pierre-Luc Dubois, who Bowness doesn’t expect to see return for another two games at least. Dubois has missed five of the last six games with two different injuries and is now listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The 24-year-old is on pace for career-highs in goals and points, recording 24 goals and 55 points in 61 games.
  • Adam Lowry is “feeling better” after leaving last night’s game late in the third period with an undisclosed injury and is a game-time decision against Tampa, per Bowness. Bowness told reporters last night that both Morrissey and Lowry were “very doubtful” for today’s game, so it’s certainly a positive development for Lowry’s status. With 27 points in 66 games, Lowry is Winnipeg’s highest-scoring bottom-six forward and a crucial piece in the lineup at the third-line center position.

NHL Announces 2023 All-Star Player Assignments

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The 2023 NHL All-Star Skills competition will take place tomorrow night, and today the league announced the full lineup of participants. Players from around the league will get to show off their unique abilities in several events, with each individual winner taking home $30,000.

Fastest Skater

Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild
Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Chandler Stephenson, Vegas Golden Knights
Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes

Breakaway Challenge

Roberto Luongo, Celebrity goaltender
Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals*
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins*
David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers

*Ovechkin and Crosby are listed as “teaming up”

Tendy Tandem

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers
Stuart Skinner, Edmonton Oilers
Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders
Logan Thompson, Vegas Golden Knights
Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

Splash Shot

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers
Adam Fox, New York Rangers
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers

Accuracy Shooting

Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Kevin Hayes, Philadelphia Flyers
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Nazem Kadri, Calgary Flames
Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Brock Nelson, New York Islanders
Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers
Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues

Pitch ’n Puck

Johnny Gaudreau, Columbus Blue Jackets
Clayton Keller, Arizona Coyotes
Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars
Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens

Hardest Shot

Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
Seth Jones, Chicago Blackhawks
Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks

NHL Announces Initial All-Star Rosters

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According to a league release, the NHL has named the first eight selections to the four divisional All-Star teams for the 2023 NHL All-Star Game in Sunrise, Florida.

The league names one player to represent each team at the game, a rule in standing since the league switched to a divisional format for its mid-season talent showcase. A public fan vote will decide the three remaining players per division next week.

Each division’s leader in points percentage after gameplay concludes on January 11 will determine coaches for these teams. The Boston Bruins have already clinched the best such number in the Atlantic at that time, meaning Jim Montgomery will be behind the bench for the star-studded Atlantic Division, arguably the league’s best contingent of talent.

The initial rosters for each division are as follows:

Atlantic Division

Boston: G Linus Ullmark (1st appearance)
Buffalo: C Tage Thompson (1st appearance)
Detroit: C Dylan Larkin (3rd appearance)
Florida: RW Matthew Tkachuk (2nd appearance)
Montreal: C Nick Suzuki (2nd appearance)
Ottawa: LW Brady Tkachuk (3rd appearance)
Tampa Bay: RW Nikita Kucherov (4th appearance)
Toronto: RW Mitch Marner (2nd appearance)

Metropolitan Division

Carolina: LW Andrei Svechnikov (1st appearance)
Columbus: LW Johnny Gaudreau (7th appearance)
New Jersey: C Jack Hughes (2nd appearance)
NY Islanders: C Brock Nelson (1st appearance)
NY Rangers: G Igor Shesterkin (1st appearance)
Philadelphia: C Kevin Hayes (1st appearance)
Pittsburgh: C Sidney Crosby (5th appearance)
Washington: LW Alex Ovechkin (8th appearance)

Central Division

Arizona: LW Clayton Keller (3rd appearance)
Chicago: RD Seth Jones (4th appearance)
Colorado: RD Cale Makar (2nd appearance)
Dallas: LW Jason Robertson (1st appearance)
Minnesota: LW Kirill Kaprizov (2nd appearance)
Nashville: G Juuse Saros (2nd appearance)
St. Louis: RW Vladimir Tarasenko (injured) (4th appearance)
Winnipeg: LD Josh Morrissey (1st appearance)

Pacific Division

Anaheim: RW Troy Terry (2nd appearance)
Calgary: C Nazem Kadri (2nd appearance)
Edmonton: C Connor McDavid (6th appearance)
Los Angeles: LW Kevin Fiala (1st appearance)
San Jose: RD Erik Karlsson (7th appearance)
Seattle: C Matthew Beniers (1st appearance)
Vancouver: C Elias Pettersson (3rd appearance)
Vegas: G Logan Thompson (1st appearance)

The most important note on these rosters is obviously that of Tarasenko’s status. The 31-year-old is on injured reserve with a hand injury, and likely won’t be able to suit up. His replacement will be named shortly.

More to come…

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