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Metro Notes: Merzļikins, Greaves, Hughes, Pesce, Lafrenière

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The Columbus Blue Jackets took the ice this morning for practice before their matchup tomorrow night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Columbus notably had three goaltenders on the ice, and team reporter Jeff Svoboda confirmed that Elvis Merzļikins has resumed skating after nursing an upper-body injury.

It looks like Merzlikins is healthy enough to participate in tomorrow night’s contest with the team announcing they have returned netminder Jet Greaves to their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, after serving on an emergency recall. Greaves suited up in two games for the Blue Jackets on the recall but spent the entire time on the bench with fellow goaltender Daniil Tarasov taking both starts.

It’s anyone’s guess who the Blue Jackets will choose to start tomorrow night’s contest with Merzlikins and Tarasov producing similar numbers to start the 2024-25 regular season. According to Hockey Reference, the two have combined for a 2-3-0 record through five games with a .869 save percentage and a -4.0 goals save above average. The deciding factor may hinge on Merzlikins’ health summary tomorrow morning.

Other Metro notes:

  • The New Jersey Devils sent defenseman Seamus Casey to AHL Utica this morning in exchange for Daniil Misyul despite the former scoring three goals and four points in his first eight NHL contests. Team reporter Amanda Stein revealed additional content for the move mentioning that although defensemen Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce won’t suit up tomorrow night, their return “is imminent”. The two undoubtedly will improve New Jersey’s chances of returning to the NHL playoffs next spring as they currently sit ninth in the NHL in points percentage through eight games.
  • Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported mild injury news for the New York Rangers sharing forward Alexis Lafrenière is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Lafrenière has been one of the team’s best forwards out of the gate with three goals and six points in five games while averaging 17:45 of ice time per night. With it being the last game of the team’s current three-game road trip, he may be on the shelf tomorrow against the Montreal Canadiens depending on the injury’s severity.

East Notes: Penguins, Hughes, Pesce, Ullmark

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There were some expectations that Joel Blomqvist’s days with the Pittsburgh Penguins were numbered with the organization recalling Alex Nedeljkovic earlier today. We now know that isn’t the case as Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reports the team will carry both along with Tristan Jarry through the team’s upcoming four-game road trip.

Blomqvist has played his way into an extended stay with the club after securing a 2-2-0 record through four games with a .908 save percentage compared to a 1-1-0 record and .836 SV% from Jarry. It’s already been suggested there’s an open competition between the pipes to increase their chances of winning each game. There appears to be a pathway for Blomqvist to become the everyday starter for the Penguins if he continues to play well despite only being 23 years old.

Rorabaugh also mentions that forwards Blake Lizotte, Matthew Nieto, and Vasily Ponomarev skated this morning but will not travel with the team for their road trip. Each of the trio has been nursing injuries to open the 2024-25 campaign with the latter likely headed to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton once he’s medically cleared to return.

Other East notes:

  • The New Jersey Devils are eagerly awaiting the return of defensemen Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce to their active roster. Team reporter Amanda Stein shared that both defensemen skated with the team this morning but aren’t expected back sooner than anticipated. It’s a positive step in the right direction for both players but don’t tell New Jersey they’re supposed to be missing them. The team currently leads the Eastern Conference in points with 10 after a 5-2-0 start through their first seven games.
  • The strain afflicting Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark has been more severe than expected. It’s supposed to last much longer as TSN’s Bruce Garrioch reports he is close to a return despite potent caution from the team. The likely scenario is that the organization was concerned Ullmark may reaggravate the strain or develop a worse injury altogether if he returned sooner, so the slow return may prove beneficial in the long run.

Luke Hughes Recovering Slower Than Expected From Shoulder Injury

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Highly-touted Devils sophomore defenseman Luke Hughes is recovering slower than expected from his offseason shoulder injury and has been given a new five-to-seven-week timeline from today for his return, general manager Tom Fitzgerald told NHL.com’s Mike Morreale. The Devils initially announced on Sep. 12 that he was expected to miss six to eight weeks with the injury, which doesn’t require surgery, but he’ll no longer be making his season debut in that window.

Still just 21 years old, Hughes made his NHL debut at the tail end of 2022-23 and immediately looked like he belonged with a goal and an assist in a pair of contests. He kept up the momentum in his rookie season last year, posting 38 assists and 47 points in 82 games to tie the Wild’s Brock Faber for the scoring lead among first-year defensemen. He’s considered one of the best U-23 defensemen in the game, and while his -25 rating shows he has room for improvement away from the puck, his possession metrics were far from marking him as a true defensive liability.

Hughes was initially expected to return to action for the Devils in late October or early November, missing the first 10 to 13 games of New Jersey’s regular season. His new timeline puts his return between Nov. 6 and Nov. 20, meaning he could miss up to a quarter of the Devils’ regular-season schedule.

His absence provides a major opportunity for former University of Michigan teammate Seamus Casey, who’s on track to make the opening night roster and his NHL debut when the Devils open their regular season against the Sabres in Prague later this week. The 20-year-old has been skating in a third-pairing role alongside Simon Nemec after leading Wolverines defenders in scoring last year with 45 points in 40 NCAA games. The Devils will also be without Brett Pesce to begin the season while recovering from surgery to repair a fractured fibula back in May, leaving them without two likely top-four pieces for the beginning stretch.

Luke Hughes Out Six To Eight Weeks With Shoulder Injury

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Devils defenseman Luke Hughes is expected to miss training camp, preseason, and the start of the regular season after injuring his left shoulder while training earlier this month.

According to an announcement from the team, he’ll miss between six and eight weeks. That puts his season debut for New Jersey sometime during late October or early November.

It’s a tough break for both the Devils and the 21-year-old, who’s a pending restricted free agent entering the final season of his entry-level contract. He’s eligible to sign an extension at any time, and it’ll likely be a costly one after he led New Jersey defenders in scoring last season with 47 points (9 G, 38 A) in 82 games and finished third in Calder Trophy voting, losing out on Rookie of the Year honors to Connor Bedard and finishing well short of Wild counterpart Brock Faber for second place.

The fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Hughes is well on his way to joining his brother Jack as a core piece in the Garden State for years to come. The New Hampshire native has some work to do defensively before he’s a proper top-pairing option, finishing third-worst on the team with a -25 rating, but his 55% shot attempt share and 52.3 expected goals share at even strength were decent in sheltered offensive usage. Before turning pro with the Devils to close the 2022-23 campaign, Hughes’ 48 points in 39 games from the University of Michigan blue line helped them to a second straight Big 10 championship.

The left-shot defender is slated for second-pairing duties when healthy, allowing a more stay-at-home partner to complement a healthy Dougie Hamilton on the team’s top pairing. That spot will be up for grabs in training camp now, though, at least for the first few weeks of the campaign. New head coach Sheldon Keefe has plenty of options, but the most likely is a shutdown duo of free agent additions, Brenden Dillon and Brett Pesce, backing up Hamilton and his partner.

If Hughes doesn’t miss enough time to be eligible for long-term injured reserve, that could create complications for a Devils team that will likely be capped out after coming to an agreement with RFA forward Dawson Mercer. Putting Hughes on standard IR compared to LTIR could result in New Jersey not carrying an extra defenseman until he returns to health. His injury should provide plenty of opportunity early on for Johnathan Kovacevic, who was projected to start the year as the Devils’ No. 7 defender after being acquired from the Canadiens in June.

USA Hockey Announces Final 2024 World Championship Roster

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May 5: USA Hockey has invited nine more players to join their upcoming World Championship roster, including college hockey standouts Will Smith, Ryan Leonard, and Trey Augustine. The roster now carries 21 skaters and two goaltenders, one shy of the limit for both positions. There’s been no indication of who could round out Team USA’s roster, or if the team will look for additional hands at all.

It has also been announced that Dylan Larkin will no longer be able to participate due to injury, per Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Larkin has been removed from the official roster.

Apr. 24: USA Hockey announced the first 15 players named to their roster for the 2024 World Championship on Wednesday. The remaining eight-ish players will be announced before tournament action begins on May 10.

Only players on the 16 NHL teams who missed out on the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs are on the initial roster. Others will join in as their clubs are bounced from postseason action, even after the World Championship begins.

Early on, it’s clear that the promise of potential spots on the United States roster for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics is making this a more well-attended World Championship than in years past. Some big-ticket stars like Canadiens sniper Cole Caufield, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, and Blue Jackets stars Johnny Gaudreau and Zach Werenski highlight the initial roster. The full slate is as follows:

F Matt Boldy (Wild)
F Cole Caufield (Canadiens)
F Michael Eyssimont (Lightning)
F Joel Farabee (Flyers)
F Johnny Gaudreau (Blue Jackets)
F Kevin Hayes (Blues)
F Luke Kunin (Sharks)
F Ryan Leonard (Boston College, Capitals)
F Brock Nelson (Islanders)
F Shane Pinto (Senators)
F Will Smith (Boston College, Sharks)
F Brady Tkachuk (Senators)
F Trevor Zegras (Ducks)

D Luke Hughes (Devils)
D Seth Jones (Blackhawks)
D Jake Sanderson (Senators)
D Alex Vlasic (Blackhawks)
D Zach Werenski (Blue Jackets)
D Jeff Petry (Red Wings)
D Matthew Kessel (Blues)
D Michael Kesselring (Utah HC)

G Alex Lyon (Red Wings)
G Trey Augustine (Michigan State, Red Wings)

This year’s Worlds will take place in Ostrava and Prague, Czechia, although some pre-tournament action is taking place across the border in Bratislava, Slovakia. The U.S. is the highest-ranked country in Group B, which will play its round-robin schedule in Ostrava’s 10,004-seat Ostravar Aréna.

Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson is at the helm of this year’s men’s national team before Wild GM Bill Guerin takes the reins for the truly best-on-best 2025 and 2026 tournaments. The Americans have won bronze medals in four of the last 10 World Championships (2013, 2015, 2018, 2021) but haven’t won gold since 1960, as part of that year’s Winter Olympics in California. Wild head coach John Hynes will be behind the bench.

NHL Announces 2024 Calder Trophy Finalists

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Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, Wild defenseman Brock Faber and Devils defenseman Luke Hughes have been named finalists for this year’s Calder Trophy, awarded to the league’s top rookie.

Bedard, still just 18, led or tied for the lead in rookie (and Blackhawks) scoring with 22 goals, 39 assists and 61 points despite being limited to 68 games with a broken jaw sustained midseason. He’s the the second-youngest rookie in NHL history to lead their team in all three major offensive categories behind Sidney Crosby, who did so with 39 goals, 63 assists and 102 points in 81 games with the Penguins in 2005-06. Last year’s first-overall pick also led rookies league-wide in shots on goal and takeaways.

While he’s the favorite to win the award, there likely won’t be a very large gap between him and Faber when the voting breakdown among PHWA members is released. The 2020 second-round pick of the Kings had his signing rights dealt to Minnesota in the Kevin Fiala trade a few years back, and he turned pro last spring after three seasons at the University of Minnesota. He immediately jumped into the NHL lineup and stabilized the Wild defense this year with captain Jared Spurgeon missing most of the season with various injuries, posting eight goals and 47 points while playing in all 82 games. Faber averaged 24:58 per game – the most among qualified rookies since the stat has been tracked (1997-98), beating out Atlanta’s Toby Enström by a full 30 seconds.

Those advocating for Faber to take home the award will point to Bedard’s -44 rating, which sat near the bottom of the league. Both players had difficult usage against other teams’ top competition, especially Faber. Yet, compared to their teammates, Bedard was better at controlling possession than Faber, posting a 0.2 relative CF% at even strength compared to Faber’s -3.4 CF% impact. In a team context, though, Faber was much better at dominating possession quality with a 50.6 xGF% compared to Bedard’s 42.3 xGF%, per Hockey Reference.

Hughes’ chance at the award is minimal compared to his peers, but the nomination still puts a bow on a nice rookie season for the younger brother of Jack and Quinn. With Dougie Hamilton missing most of the campaign, New Jersey relied on Hughes as their top puck-moving and power-play option on the blue line. He responded well, tying Faber’s offensive totals with 47 points (nine goals, 38 assists) while also playing in all 82 games, a rarity for a Devils team that struggled to stay healthy this season. He averaged 21:28 per game and controlled possession well at even strength with a 55.0 CF% and a 52.3 xGF%, with his -25 rating largely sunk by the team’s poor goaltending.

Devils Notes: Barabosha, Meier, Foote, Hughes, Nemec

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According to James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now, the New Jersey Devils have lost one of their defensive prospects for the next three years. In the article, Nichols announces that defenseman Artyom Barabosha has signed a three-year extension with CSKA Moskva of the Kontinental Hockey League.

Nevertheless, it may be the best option forward for both player and organization, as Barabosha’s future with the Devils was always a longshot considering he was the 198th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. Now that he is committed to the KHL for the next three years, New Jersey can continue to let him develop in a comfortable environment while retaining his signing rights.

In his first year in the KHL this past season, Barabosha suited up in 21 games for CSKA Moskva, scoring one goal and five points in total. While offensive play is not his strong suit, Barabosha is a punishing defender, regularly laying devastating hits without remorse against his opposition overseas.

Other Devils notes:

  • In his first full season with the Devils, forward Timo Meier got off to an unexpectedly slow start. Thanks to team reporter Amanda Stein, we now have a little more information regarding Meier’s poor play from October into December. Stein reports that Meier was dealing with two separate MCL injuries, causing him to score just nine goals and 16 points in his first 30 games, while also causing him to miss stretches of games entirely.
  • Only managing to string together eight games combined between the NHL and the AHL, Nolan Foote had a season to forget. Stein reports that Foote was dealing with a lingering back issue that cost him the season, and has also caused him to miss time the last four years. Without alluding to the possibility of surgery, it is the most likely outcome for Foote to continue his professional career without missing any more time.
  • With most members of New Jersey having their eyes set on the 2024-25 offseason, some players are looking ahead to the 2024 IIHF World Championships that begin on May 10th. For the first time in his career, young defenseman Luke Hughes will join Team USA for the tournament (X Link). Only a year removed from international competition, Hughes was a member of the U20 Team USA roster that earned a bronze medal in the 2022-23 IIHF World Junior Championship.
  • Joining Hughes in the World Championships will be fellow defenseman Simon Nemec, who will be joining Team Slovakia (X Link). Unlike Hughes, Nemec did suit up for Team Slovakia in last year’s World Championships, while also scoring one goal and five points in five games in the 2022-23 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Avalanche Forward Colton Fined For Cross-Checking

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NHL.com is reporting that Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ross Colton has been fined $5,000 by the Department of Player Safety for his cross-check on New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier. Colton received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for cross-checking and has now been assessed the fine, which is the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

On top of the five-minute major and the game misconduct, Colton was also assessed a two-minute boarding penalty for a questionable hit he laid on defenseman Luke Hughes that kickstarted the Meier altercation. Hughes and Colton were racing towards a loose puck when Colton engaged contact from the side before Hughes had ever made a play on the puck. Hughes left the game for a bit but did ultimately return, while Meier remained in the game and scored on the power play that followed Colton’s penalty.

Colton is lucky, given how ugly the cross-check appeared to be on the initial replays. A $5,000 fine is a pretty favorable outcome for the Avalanche player, given that had he been suspended he would have forfeited roughly $50K for each game missed. Colton does not have any history of suspensions or fines during his four-year NHL career.

The money from the fine will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Snapshots: Letang/Karlsson, Lundell, Top 50 Prospects

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One potential aspect of concern for Pittsburgh Penguins fans regarding the acquisition of Erik Karlsson is the rather rocky history of his playing with another high-powered right-shot defenseman. While there were no off-ice issues between him and similarly offensively elite teammate Brent Burns with the San Jose Sharks, they didn’t seem to exactly benefit each other on the ice, and Karlsson’s performance diminished when he wasn’t the sole go-to offensive defenseman for his team (although injuries also became a factor). With Kris Letang heading things up for the Penguins, it was natural to wonder whether similar issues may arise this time around.

Letang himself says he’s not worried, telling the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Matt Vensel that Karlsson’s fit in Pittsburgh is “unbelievable.” The veteran Penguins defender alluded to the fact that Pittsburgh still has Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on separate lines and that having two elite puck-moving defenders to play with each at even strength will still allow both Letang and Karlsson to play to their strengths. Regarding his role on Pittsburgh’s power play, Letang said, “If they ask me to play in the pocket, if they ask me to play [in the left circle], on top, net front, it doesn’t matter.”

Elsewhere from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Florida Panthers are going to need contributions from everywhere in the lineup to keep their momentum rolling next season after last year’s breakthrough playoff performance, and The Hockey News’ David Dwork believes center Anton Lundell is primed for a breakout campaign in 2023-24. Dwork expects Lundell to see some more power play time next season after taking a small step back in the point production department last year, although he did have a strong postseason with ten points in 21 games. The 2020 12th-overall pick remains on track to become one of the better two-way talents in the game, following closely in the footsteps of teammate and fellow Finn Aleksander Barkov. Lundell will look to build on his rookie season form from 2021-22 when he recorded 44 points in 65 games to match a similarly stellar +33 rating and 56% Corsi For at even strength. He’s been relied upon to play solid penalty-killing minutes throughout both of his NHL seasons so far, too, an area where he did noticeably improve last season.
  • NHL Network released their yearly list of the league’s Top 50 Prospects, with 2023-drafted players taking the first four spots on the list. To no one’s surprise, Chicago Blackhawks projected first-line center Connor Bedard tops the list as a projected generational talent, but a fair amount would argue recency bias was quite strong in this year’s list. New Jersey Devils 2021 draft pick Luke Hughes was ranked as the top defenseman at number five on their list, while Minnesota Wild netminder Jesper Wallstedt was ranked as the top netminder at #21.

East Notes: Hughes, Raanta, Lightning

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For Devils’ fans, the moment they have been waiting for is finally here, as defenseman Luke Hughes will make his playoff debut in Game Three against the Carolina Hurricanes. Unfortunately for the New Jersey Devils, this comes with some unfortunate news, as Hughes will be filling in for defenseman Ryan Graves, who is out with an upper-body injury.

The speed that Hughes brings to the table to New Jersey’s back end will undoubtedly be a benefit to a team that has been unable to put together much offense in the second round of the playoffs this year. When asked about what Hughes offers the Devils, head coach Lindy Ruff said, “We know he’s going to skate. He got a little taste at the end of the year. We feel the skating can help us. We’re excited to see him get in and play.”

Averaging over 16 minutes a night in his two games with New Jersey during the regular season, Hughes scored one goal and one assist. Spending most of his season finishing off his career at the University of Michigan, the 2021 fourth-overall pick put together the best season of his collegiate career, scoring 10 goals and 38 assists in 39 games, helping lead his team to the 2023 NCAA Frozen Four.

As the Devils find themselves down two games to none against the Metropolitan Division champion Hurricanes, New Jersey definitely has a tall task ahead of them. As they toe the line of playoff hockey desperation, Hughes will be an exciting player to add to the mix for the Devils.

Other notes:

  • Tom Gulitti of the NHL reports that Antti Raanta will travel with the Hurricanes to New Jersey. In Game Two, the netminder was unable to serve as backup to Frederik Andersen, due to an illness. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour still says the netminder isn’t feeling great but is feeling good enough to travel with the team for Game Three. In five starts so far in this year’s playoffs, Raanta holds a 3-2-0 record, carrying a .906 SV% and a 2.59 GAA.
  • In a recent article summarizing the end of the season for the Tampa Bay Lightning, writer Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times adds an interesting note about the Lightning’s pending unrestricted free agents heading into the offseason. Although already signing trade deadline acquisition Michael Eyssimont to a contract extension yesterday, it appears that General Manager Julien BriseBois has an interest in retaining all of the Lightning’s soon-to-be free agents, as he has reached out to all of their agents already. Players such as Alex Killorn, Corey Perry, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Ian Cole, and Brian Elliott are all slated to hit the open market on July 1st.

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