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Kaiden Guhle

Kaiden Guhle Receives One-Game Suspension

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The ruling is in for Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle.  After slashing Flyers winger Travis Konecny from the bench during their game yesterday, the Department of Player Safety announced (video link) that Guhle has received a one-game suspension.

The 22-year-old slashed Konecny in retaliation for a hit he threw on winger Juraj Slafkovsky seconds earlier in the dying seconds of the second period.  However, any contact with a player on the ice from the bench is prohibited.  In the ruling video, it’s noted that any contact that typically occurs from the bench can be handled with a penalty on the play or a fine.  However, Guhle’s actions rose above that, resulting in the one-game ban.

It’s the first supplementary discipline of any kind for Guhle who will forfeit just under $4.5K in salary based on his $863.3K AAV.  The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.  He will now miss their game against Carolina on Saturday which should allow Johnathan Kovacevic to return to the lineup.  Guhle will be eligible to return for Montreal’s contest versus Florida on Tuesday.

Metropolitan Notes: Guhle, Graves, Fast

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Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Friday for slashing Flyers winger Travis Konecny in Thursday night’s win. The 22-year-old sophomore slashed Konecny’s wrist from the bench in retaliation for a hit he’d just laid on Montreal winger Juraj Slafkovsky but did not draw a penalty on the play (video via RDS). Given the minimal severity of the incident, it likely won’t be a long absence for Guhle. Still, retaliatory plays plus being involved in on-ice action from the bench is normally a recipe for supplemental discipline. The 2020 first-round pick has neither been fined nor suspended over his two-year, 112-game NHL career. After missing nearly half his rookie season due to injuries, Guhle is back on track this season with six goals and 15 assists for 21 points in 68 games while logging over 21 minutes per outing. Johnathan Kovacevic remains on the roster as an extra defenseman and will draw into the lineup if Guhle misses time.

Other updates from the Metropolitan Division:

  • Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves sustained a concussion in last night’s win over the Blue Jackets, head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters today (via Rob Rossi of The Athletic). It’s unclear what play Graves was injured on, but he last skated with just over a minute left in the first period and did not return for the second. Pittsburgh thus rotated through five defenders for most of last night’s 3-2 victory, which kept their slim (2.9%, per MoneyPuck) playoff hopes alive. The Penguins haven’t issued a recovery timeline for Graves, although, given the nature of concussions, it’s feasible that he could be done for the regular season with 10 games remaining. If so, it ends a disappointing first season in Pittsburgh for the 28-year-old, who won himself a rather rich six-year, $27MM contract with limited trade protection from Penguins GM Kyle Dubas in free agency last July. He’s slowly fallen out of favor with head coach Mike Sullivan throughout the season, averaging 18:23 per game, the lowest since his 26-game rookie showing in 2018-19 with the Avalanche. He logged three goals and 14 points in 70 games, finishing in the middle of the pack among Penguins skaters in most advanced metrics.
  • Hurricanes winger Jesper Fast will likely return tomorrow against the Canadiens, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said. He’s missed Carolina’s last five games and hasn’t played since March 19 with an undisclosed injury. If he’s not quite ready to go, he’ll re-enter the lineup against the Bruins next Thursday, per Brind’Amour. The 32-year-old Swede has six goals and 18 points in 66 games for the Canes after signing a two-year, $4.8MM extension to remain in Raleigh last summer.

Snapshots: Pelletier, Guhle, Rempe, Romanov

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Rookie Calgary Flames forward Jakob Pelletier left the team’s Monday night game after receiving a hit from New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. Pelletier is being listed as sustaining an upper-body injury, though the hit seemed to specifically hit Pelletier’s left shoulder.

Pelletier started the season on season-opening injured reserve with a shoulder injury that required surgery. The injury has limited him to just eight games on the season – split evenly between the AHL and NHL. The 22-year-old winger has scored three points in the AHL and one point in the NHL on the year. Calgary acquired Pelletier in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. He has become a popular name on the Flames, injecting a burst of speed and energy that’s been missing form the 25-23-5 Flames lineup.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle is expected to make his return to the lineup on Tuesday. The 22-year-old defenseman suffered an undisclosed injury on Sunday and was questionable to miss time. That won’t be the case, though, as Guhle will look to build on the four goals and 12 points he’s managed through 48 games this season.
  • The New York Rangers have sent down centerman Matt Rempe, who was recalled to the NHL roster for a few days of inactivity. The move is largely a paper transaction, likely to get Rempe experience with the NHL club and NHL payroll. The 21-year-old forward has eight goals, 12 points, and 96 penalty minutes in 43 AHL games this season. He ranks in the top 10 of the league, and leads the Hartford Wolf Pack, in penalty minutes.
  • New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov has returned to the team’s practices as a full participant after missing their Saturday game. Romanov, 24, has appeared in 51 games this season and averaged over 22 minutes of ice time each game. He’s managed five goals and 13 points – a slightly lower scoring pace than the 22 points he managed in 76 games last season, his first year with the Islanders.

Canadiens Issue Multiple Injury Updates

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The Canadiens announced Sunday that winger Rafaël Harvey-Pinard will miss four to six weeks with a lower-body injury after placing him on injured reserve earlier in the day. The team also said that defenseman Jordan Harris is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and Kaiden Guhle is being evaluated for an undisclosed injury. Both Guhle and Harris were injured during Sunday’s 7-2 loss to the Blues.

It’s been a trying campaign for the 5-foot-9 Harvey-Pinard. He’s already missed over half the season with multiple lower-body injuries – sidelined for 27 of Montreal’s 51 games – and will miss another 12 to 18 contests if his recovery timeline holds true.

He’s also scored just once in 24 games this season after scoring 14 in only 34 games in 2022-23. The 25-year-old’s limited showing in a top-six role in the absence of Cole Caufield in the back half of last season earned him some All-Rookie Team consideration, but he hasn’t been able to carry that momentum into his first full NHL campaign.

Harvey-Pinard’s extended absence could translate to a long look at rookie Joshua Roy in the team’s top nine. Roy, who was recalled Saturday for the second time this season, suited up in a third-line role against the Blues today and has a goal and an assist through his first six NHL contests. The 20-year-old was a fifth-round pick less than three years ago and has been one of the best players at the minor-league level for Montreal, notching 32 points in 40 games with AHL Laval.

Harris left today’s game early on, while Guhle was injured late after a collision with Blues defenseman Marco Scandella. If both are not cleared to play in Tuesday’s game against the Ducks, Montreal will need to make at least one recall from Laval. Arber Xhekaj is the only extra defenseman on the Canadiens’ roster.

Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Guhle, Van Pottelberghe

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Sabres defenseman Erik Johnson told Peter Baugh of The Athletic (subscription link) that there were three or four other teams that had “intense talks” about a contract for him this summer with his former team in Colorado not being among those once the bidding started to go up.  The 35-year-old inked a one-year, $3.25MM deal of the opening day of free agency, a surprising price tag for someone who had just eight assists in 63 games last season.  Johnson already has a goal with his new team but is logging a career-low 15:13 per night this season.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle will return to the lineup tonight after missing the past four games with an upper-body injury, the team announced (Twitter link). The 21-year-old is in his second NHL season and logged more than 20 minutes a night in his rookie campaign.  With David Savard out of the lineup for at least the next six weeks, Guhle is likely to play a big role once again for a while.  Gustav Lindstrom will be a healthy scratch to make room for Guhle’s return.
  • Red Wings prospect Joren van Pottelberghe is expected to sign a three-year deal beginning next season with HC Lugano in the Swiss League, reports Watson’s Klaus Zaugg. The 26-year-old was a fourth-round pick back in 2015 (110th overall) but has yet to sign with Detroit.  As the NHL doesn’t have a direct player transfer agreement with Switzerland, the Red Wings will continue to hold his rights indefinitely.  He has a 2.49 GAA and a .914 SV% over parts of eight seasons in Switzerland’s top division so it’s possible Detroit will want to bring him over one day but that might be a little further down the road now.

East Notes: Bennett, Guhle, Bruins Injuries, Pysyk

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The Florida Panthers got some good news this morning. Center Sam Bennett has returned to practice for the first time this regular season, per Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards. Bennett sustained a lower-body injury during the preseason that’s kept him out through six games thus far.

If he can get back into playing shape within the next 48 hours, he could make his season debut Saturday against the Kraken. That would likely coincide with a return to the lineup for captain Aleksander Barkov, says Richards, who missed the Panthers’ Tuesday contest against the Sharks with an illness. Bennett, 27, is in the third season of a four-year, $17.7MM extension signed with the Panthers in 2021. Last season was arguably the best of his career, logging a career-high 17:24 while producing 16 goals, 24 assists and 40 points in 63 games. The 2014 fourth-overall pick also finished fourth on the Panthers in playoff scoring, notching five goals and ten assists for 15 points in 20 games.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference this Thursday morning:

  • Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle was a full participant in practice this morning and is nearing a return from an upper-body injury, notes The Athletic’s Arpon Basu. He will not enter the lineup tonight against the Blue Jackets, however, TVA’s Renaud Lavoie says. Guhle, who had an assist and a +4 rating through three games, has not played since October 17 against Minnesota. The Habs have gone 2-1-0 in his absence despite injuries also sidelining blueliner David Savard, forcing the emergency recall of Gustav Lindström from AHL Laval. The 16th overall pick in 2020 is in the second year of his three-year, entry-level contract, which counts $863K against the cap.
  • Despite still being on assignment to AHL Providence, Boston Bruins forward Jesper Boqvist is practicing with the NHL squad today, Bruins independent reporter Joe Haggerty relays. That comes with the news that forwards Jakub Lauko and Milan Lucic are both listed as day-to-day with injuries and will miss between one and two weeks, head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters today. That means recalling Boqvist (or signing PTO invite Danton Heinen) will be necessary to fill out the Bruins’ roster for tonight’s game against Anaheim, as the team has just 11 healthy forwards even after recalling Patrick Brown from Providence this morning.
  • Another unsigned player still with a team on a PTO is defenseman Mark Pysyk, who has returned to practice after sustaining a lower-body injury in preseason, relays Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Shelly Anderson. The 31-year-old spent last season under contract with Detroit but missed the entire campaign with an Achilles injury. He last suited up in an NHL game nearly 18 months ago, logging 12:51 in an April 29, 2022, game for the Sabres against the Blackhawks.

East Notes: Anderson, Stamkos, Guhle, Samuelsson, Bonino

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The Ottawa Senators are expected to sign free agent netminder Craig Anderson to a one-day contract to officially retire as a Sen, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports Thursday morning. It will likely come Tuesday, October 24, when the Senators host the Sabres, Anderson’s most recent team.

Anderson is arguably the best netminder in Senators history and certainly the longest-serving starter. After coming over via trade from the Avalanche in 2011, Anderson would go on to record a 202-168-46 record, a .914 save percentage and 28 shutouts in 422 starts and 13 relief appearances. He’s most remembered from the team’s storybook 2016-17 campaign when Anderson returned from a lengthy leave of absence to be with his wife, Nicholle, who was battling cancer. He recorded a sparkling .922 save percentage in the postseason as he guided the Sens to the Eastern Conference Final, losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime in Game 7.

He departed the Sens in free agency in 2020, serving as the Capitals’ taxi squad netminder for the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign before heading to the Sabres for the final two seasons of his 20-year, 709-game career. While there was never an official announcement, it became clear at the end of last season that Anderson would not return for a 21st year. PHR wishes him and his family the best in his post-playing career and looks forward to providing more coverage of Anderson’s career when an official announcement is made.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference today:

  • Lightning captain Steven Stamkos told reporters today he expects to make his return to the lineup Thursday night against the Canucks (via the Tampa Bay Times’ Eduardo A. Encina). Stamkos missed the last two games with a lower-body injury after a hot start to the season, already potting two goals and two assists in two contests. His return couldn’t come at a better time for the struggling Lightning, who begin a crucial five-game homestand tonight after going 0-2-1 on an early road trip against key divisional rivals.
  • The Canadiens announced Thursday that defenseman Kaiden Guhle is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, likely a wrist ailment. Guhle left Tuesday’s 5-2 drubbing at the hands of the Wild with the injury and has not practiced since. There was some concern in Habs circles that Guhle’s absence would be longer-term, but he appears to have avoided the worst. It’s the second injury to a core Habs player in a matter of days after a dual ACL-MCL injury costed center Kirby Dach the remainder of his 2023-24 season. Guhle, 21, had notched an assist and a +4 rating in three contests, the latter being the second-highest on the team behind Johnathan Kovacevic. Another 21-year-old defender, Justin Barron, is expected to make his season debut Saturday against the Capitals with Guhle out of commission.
  • In more positive news, Sabres head coach Don Granato said today that defenseman Mattias Samuelsson has avoided any further absence after leaving Tuesday’s win over the Lightning in the third period and will dress Thursday against the Flames. Samuelsson left the game with an upper-body injury but participated in morning skate today and seems no worse for wear. The 23-year-old is in the first season of a seven-year, $30MM extension signed just over a year ago and leads Sabres defenders with a +2 rating through three contests, adding one assist while averaging over 20 minutes per game.
  • After being listed as day-to-day yesterday morning, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette says center Nick Bonino will be a game-time decision for tonight’s tilt against the Predators. Bonino, who’s still looking for his first point as a Ranger, is dealing with a lower-body injury. The 35-year-old joined the Rangers on a one-year, $800K deal during free agency and has anchored their fourth line alongside a mixture of Barclay Goodrow, Tyler Pitlick and Jimmy Vesey to begin the season.

Evening Injuries: Vilardi, Samuelsson, Guhle

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For the first time since being acquired from the Winnipeg Jets this offseason, forward Gabriel Vilardi would take on his former team, the Los Angeles Kings. Unfortunately, Vilardi would only play around six minutes of the game before leaving with an apparent knee injury. Shortly thereafter, the Jets would announce that Vilardi would miss the rest of the game, and more would be known about the severity after the game.

Playing in their defensive zone early on the first, as they were both going into the corner, forward for the Kings, Blake Lizotte, appeared to get his stick behind the left leg of Vilardi, causing him to fall awkwardly on his right knee. Without the ability to put much pressure on his right leg after the fall, Vilardi immediately bolted for the locker room, where he is being attended to by team doctors (Link to video).

Although it is too early to tell, if Vilardi is set to miss significant time for the Jets, it would obviously be a big blow to both him and the team. There have been injury concerns for Vilardi in the past, but with him now playing on the top line in Winnipeg, it creates a much larger hole to fill. As it is well known throughout the league, Conor Garland of the Vancouver Canucks is on the trade block and could be a potential landing spot if Vilardi is set to hit the LTIR.

Other injuries:

  • The Buffalo Sabres announced that defenseman Mattias Samuelsson would sit out the remainder of the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning with an upper-body injury. Although the Sabres did add defensemen Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson to significantly improve the team’s defense, as far as the ability to shut down the opposing team’s forwards, Samuelsson is one of the best on the team. In the first season of a seven-year, $30MM contract extension signed at the start of last year, it would be a significant hurdle for Buffalo if Samuelsson is set to miss any time beyond tonight.
  • In one of the more chaotic games of the young season, the Montreal Canadiens announced that defenseman Kaiden Guhle would miss the rest of the team’s game against the Minnesota Wild after leaving late in the second period. In total tonight, before leaving the losing effort, Guhle played just over 10 minutes of action, taking one slashing penalty against Marcus Johansson.

Injury Updates: Comrie, Guhle, Sharks

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There should soon be a logjam between the pipes in Buffalo for the stretch run.  Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News relays that goaltender Eric Comrie has resumed skating and is expected to return soon from his lower-body injury.  The 27-year-old has had a rough first season with the Sabres, posting a 3.95 GAA with a .877 SV% in 17 starts.  When cleared, he’ll join Craig Anderson and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as available options for Buffalo (Luukkonen wasn’t papered down at the deadline and thus is ineligible to play there again this season).  Those three will also soon be joined by top prospect Devon Levi who is still waiting for his immigration paperwork to be finalized to allow him to officially join the team.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • Following their victory last night over Tampa Bay, the Canadiens announced that defenseman Kaiden Guhle will miss the remainder of the regular season due to a high ankle sprain. Despite dealing with injuries off and on, it was still a quality rookie campaign for the 21-year-old who had 18 points in 44 games while averaging over 20 minutes a night on a young Montreal back end.  The team also noted that surgery will not be required.
  • The Sharks could get a pair of veterans back on their current road trip which runs through Saturday as Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now notes (Twitter link) that blueliners Radim Simek (concussion) and Jacob MacDonald (upper body) are close to returning from their respective injuries. Neither player logs heavy minutes on the back end but their returns would allow Nikolai Knyzhov and Derrick Pouliot to return to the minors to try to help their farm team push for a play-in spot in the Pacific Division.  Meanwhile, Peng adds that Jonah Gadjovich isn’t close to returning; the winger has been out week-to-week for the last five weeks with an upper-body injury.

Kaiden Guhle Will Sit Out Tonight

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As their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning gets underway, the Montreal Canadiens announce that defenseman Kaiden Guhle will sit out of tonight’s game due to a lower-body injury. With quite a large amount of injuries already, Guhle will join the list of Canadiens unable to play.

In his first-ever season in the NHL, Guhle has fit in very well with Montreal this year. Drafted 16th overall in the 2020 NHL draft, the Edmonton Oil Kings alumni has put up 18 points in 44 games for the Canadiens this year. Although these may seem like rather modest numbers from a defenseman, he actually sits second on the Canadiens’ defense in points scored. With a list including Justin Barron, Jordan Harris, and Arber Xhekaj, Guhle complements a list of Montreal defensemen 22 years of age or younger.

As he has primarily played on a unit with David Savard, it appears that Mike Matheson will move up to the top unit tonight against the Lightning, and defenseman Chris Wideman will fill in for Guhle in tonight’s lineup.

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