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Mack Guzda

Minor Transactions: 7/10/24

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As the NHL transaction activity dries up, we’re seeing an uptick in their farm teams making moves to add to their roster for the upcoming season.  Here’s a rundown of today’s movement.

  • After spending last season with AHL Charlotte on an NHL contract with Florida, goaltender Mack Guzda is returning to the Checkers but this time on a minor league deal as the team announced they’ve signed him to a one-year contract. The 23-year-old was limited to just two games last season due to injury but made 29 appearances in 2022-23 where he had a 2.88 GAA with a .897 SV%.  Guzda was non-tendered by Florida last month, making him an unrestricted free agent.
  • Former Calgary farmhand Riley Damiani is off to Germany as Augsberger of the DEL has signed him to a one-year deal per a team release. The 24-year-old split last season between Dallas and Calgary after being part of the Chris Tanev deal before the trade deadline.  Damiani had 11 goals and 13 assists in 67 games between the two teams which wasn’t enough to yield him a qualifying offer in June.
  • Boston’s farm team in Providence announced a pair of additions in forward Evan Vierling and defenseman Mason Millman on one-year deals. Vierling played his first professional campaign last season and the 22-year-old was productive in limited AHL duty, notching seven points in eight games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton while adding 25 points in 34 ECHL contests.  As for Millman, the 22-year-old picked up four assists in 15 games with AHL Lehigh Valley last season while adding 26 more in 44 ECHL appearances.
  • Veteran defenseman Robbie Russo is heading for a second stint in Tucson, per a team release. The 31-year-old spent two seasons with the Roadrunners before moving on in 2020.  Last season, Russo recorded 30 points in 69 games with Utica.  He has 19 career NHL appearances under his belt, all with Detroit back in the 2016-17 campaign.
  • Winger Marcel Marcel will remain in Rockford as the IceHogs announced that they’ve re-signed him to a one-year deal. Rather than return to major junior for a final season, the 20-year-old opted to turn pro and got into 26 games with Rockford where he had five assists.  With Chicago adding considerable depth over the summer, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Marcel spend more time with ECHL Indy next season.

Florida Panthers Recall Ten Players

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4:00 PM: The Panthers have officially announced the recalls, and added one name that wasn’t included in Richards’ report: goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick, 25, is a 2016 second-round pick who played in 17 games with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades and posted an 11-3-1 record and .921 save percentage in those games. Fitzpatrick saw action in one AHL game this season, stopping 23 of 25 shots in an April 1st overtime loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds. With Guzda, Lyon, and Bobrovsky ahead of him on the depth chart something would have to go quite wrong for him to see time in these playoffs, so this recall is more about adding some depth to the team than anything else.

10:37 AM: The Florida Panthers have brought up their complement of Black Aces for the remainder of the playoffs today ahead of Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Per Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards, the following players have been brought up from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers:

F Connor Bunnaman
F Grigori Denisenko
F Patrick Giles
F Aleksi Heponiemi
D Lucas Carlsson
D Matt Kiersted
D Santtu Kinnunen
D John Ludvig
D Calle Själin
G Mack Guzda

The recalls come after the Hershey Bears eliminated Charlotte from the Calder Cup Playoffs on May 4, taking their Atlantic Division semifinal series by a count of 3-1.

The two most intriguing names on this list are Denisenko and Heponiemi, both previously highly-touted prospects that have yet to make a notable NHL impact. Denisenko struggled in the minors this year and posted no points and a -1 rating in four playoff games for Charlotte. The 24-year-old Heponiemi, however, led the team with seven points in seven playoff games.

One name that Panthers fans will definitely recognize is Carlsson, who dropped back into an AHL role this season after appearing in 40 games for Florida during 2021-22. Carlsson was one of the best defenders in the AHL this season, recording 54 points in 61 games along with a +24 rating. He’s one of the more dependable recall options for Florida should injuries pop up among their defensemen.

The 24-year-old Kinnunen is also a name to watch for in the coming years. A seventh-round pick of the Panthers in 2018, Kinnunen broke out for 35 points in 69 regular-season games and six points in seven playoff games for Charlotte during his first season in North America.

Panthers Assign Mack Guzda To AHL

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There is some good news on the horizon for the Panthers on the injury front in goal as the team announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned Mack Guzda to Charlotte of the AHL.

The 22-year-old is in his first professional season after signing with Florida last year as an undrafted free agent.  Although Guzda has been up for the better part of the last month, he has yet to see any NHL action, instead serving as a backup netminder.  He has suited up in 26 games with the Checkers this season, posting a 2.86 GAA along with a .899 SV%.

Guzda’s demotion means that Sergei Bobrovsky has been cleared to return from the undisclosed injury that has kept him out of the lineup for the last week and a half; George Richards of Florida Hockey Now notes (Twitter link) that the veteran will serve as the backup tomorrow against Washington.  While it might seem odd that Bobrovsky won’t start right away, Alex Lyon is coming off a career-high 56 saves last night against Ottawa and has won his last five games.  If nothing else, they’ll have a capable second netminder behind him as they look to lock down a Wild Card spot in the final week of the season.

AHL Shuffle: 3/30/23

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent defenseman Topi Niemela to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, the Marlies announced on Twitter. Niemela finished his season with Karpat of the Liiga, Finland’s top league, earlier this month, and is set to cross the pond to get his first taste of North American pro hockey. Drafted in the third round by Toronto in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Niemela played 58 games for Karpat this season, tallying 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points. It was a dip in production, as he recorded 10 goals and 22 assists in just 48 games in 2021-22. He will join a Marlies squad that has already punched a ticket to the AHL playoffs, and the chance for Niemela to learn while on a playoff run will only be more beneficial. He will likely spend a decent amount of time with the AHL squad before suiting up for the Maple Leafs.

 

  • The Florida Panthers recalled goaltender Mack Guzda from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStart Bets. Johnston reported Wednesday that both Alex Lyon and Sergei Bobrovsky both took the morning skate before yesterday’s win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Lyon got the start, stopping 40-of-42 shots in the 3-2 Panthers win. The Panthers are set to take on the Montreal Canadiens tonight. Guzda, 22, has appeared in 26 games with Charlotte this season, posting an .899 save percentage and 2.86 GAA. If Guzda were to get into a game, it would be his NHL debut.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled defenseman Andrej Sustr on an emergency loan from the AHL, according to CapFriendly. Sustr, a veteran defenseman of more than 350 NHL games, has spent the entire season in the AHL. He played 39 games with the Iowa Wild, then was flipped to the Ducks in the John Klingberg trade, and has played seven games with the San Diego Gulls. Sustr suited up for the Ducks in both 2018-19 and 2021-22, making this his third stint with the team.

Snapshots: Panthers, Kuznetsov, Boldy, NCAA Bracket

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The Panthers have once again flipped their backup goalies, announcing (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled Alex Lyon from AHL Charlotte while sending Mack Guzda back to the Checkers.  Lyon was sent down on Wednesday to get in some game action with starter Sergei Bobrovsky in the middle of a 12-game consecutive start streak.  Lyon has a 3.89 GAA with a .887 SV% in six starts with Florida this season while he has been much better in the minors, putting up a 2.43 GAA with a .910 SV% in 23 contests.  Guzda, meanwhile, is in his first professional season after signing as an undrafted free agent a little over a year ago.  He hasn’t seen any NHL action while posting a 2.85 GAA and a .900 SV% in 25 games with Charlotte.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov was injured in today’s game against Minnesota. Roman Stubbs of the Washington Post relayed (Twitter link) that there was no word following the contest about how long he might be out.  The 30-year-old has 12 goals and 39 assists in 70 games so far this season.
  • After recording a hat trick today against Washington, Wild winger Matt Boldy has reached one of his Schedule A bonuses, triggering a $212.5K payout, notes Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). Minnesota is projected to finish well below the salary cap despite making several additions at the trade deadline so barring a significant rash of injuries, they should be able to absorb that on their cap this year instead of using the bonus cushion to push it to 2023-24.
  • The NCAA has released the official bracket for the tournament leading to the Frozen Four and the DI Men’s Ice Hockey Championship. The action gets underway on March 23rd and as teams get eliminated, there should be an influx of players signing with NHL teams soon after, both drafted prospects and undrafted free agents.

Minor Moves: Red Wings, Bruins, Kraken, Coyotes, Panthers

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This morning, the Detroit Red Wings assigned Matt Luff and Austin Czarnik to the AHL, as they await a game later this week. The Red Wings don’t play again until Saturday afternoon against the Colorado Avalanche, giving them a chance to save some money in the meantime.

Here are some other minor moves from around the league today:

  • The Boston Bruins have recalled Jakub Lauko under emergency conditions, after sending him down yesterday. Lauko hasn’t played since March 2 and has just 12 appearances this season, but has been bounced back and forth between leagues whenever the team is dealing with injuries. Through those 12 matches, he has five points in his first taste of NHL action.
  • The Seattle Kraken have recalled John Hayden from the AHL, as they hit the road for a game in San Jose tomorrow night. The Kraken are coming off consecutive losses to the Dallas Stars and have now slipped below the Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division playoff race. Hayden, 28, has just two points in five NHL games this year.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have reassigned forward Bokondji Imama to their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. The 26-year-old is an alternate captain for the Coyotes’ farm team, where he has provided hard-working physical play and 12 points of offense at that level. He’s played the last two games for the Coyotes, seeing time in both of the team’s consecutive overtime wins.
  • The Florida Panthers have swapped goalies on their NHL roster, sending down 2022 Calder Cup Champion Alex Lyon in favor of rookie Mack Guzda. The move allows the team’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, to get the more experienced goaltender as they look to clinch a spot in the Calder Cup playoffs.

Snapshots: Motte, Tarasenko, Guzda

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Yesterday, we covered how Ottawa Senators netminder Cam Talbot could be a name in play around the trade deadline. Today, The Fourth Period has added Senators forward Tyler Motte’s name to the mix, reporting that Senators GM Pierre Dorion has “started to get engaged in trade discussions” involving players such as Motte.

The Senators have been long-rumored to be seeking a blueline upgrade, and perhaps dealing Motte is one way they can reach that goal. Motte, who will turn 28 in March, signed with the Senators this past summer on a one-year, $1.35MM deal. He’s a well-regarded bottom-sixer who was dealt as a rental last year, helping the New York Rangers make a run to the Eastern Conference Final. Perhaps he’ll find himself in a similar situation this year.

Some other notes from across the NHL:

  • It has been widely reported that the New Jersey Devils are seeking to upgrade their forward corps by adding a top-six winger this deadline season. One option for the team could be St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman spoke on the 32 Thoughts podcast about this, stating that the Devils have had interest in acquiring Tarasenko in the past. Timo Meier’s name is also in the mix, but now it seems possible that the Devils could be targeting Tarasenko as well.
  • The Florida Panthers have sent netminder Mack Guzda back to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. With Spencer Knight seemingly close to returning to the ice for Florida, Guzda will head back to Charlotte, where he has a .911 save percentage in 17 games.

Snapshots: Islanders, Tanev, Guzda

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The New York Islanders have now lost six in a row, scoring just 11 goals in the process. A group that was once expected to be serious buyers at the trade deadline have nearly fallen out of the playoff race entirely, making it a much different situation as February approaches.

When discussing the team’s deadline plans (as best as he can figure, with Lou Lamoriello at the helm), Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted on today’s 32 Thoughts podcast that there was real interest in Jakob Chychrun at one point. Apparently, the Islanders balked at the asking price, something that Friedman understands, given their current position.

  • With Chris Tanev already ruled out through the All-Star break, the Calgary Flames have moved him to injured reserve. Brett Ritchie has been activated to fill his spot, and is expected to be in the lineup tonight when the team takes on the Seattle Kraken. Ritchie last played on New Year’s Eve, leaving the game after just six shifts.
  • The Florida Panthers will go with Alex Lyon in net again tonight, and are set to have Mack Guzda as the backup after recalling him this morning. To make room, Grigori Denisenko was returned to the minor leagues. Lyon has allowed 17 goals in four games so far, including seven on 49 shots Tuesday night.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Canucks, Knight

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The NHL released its Three Stars for last week, with Zach Hyman leading the way. The Edmonton Oilers swiss army knife had four goals and nine points in three games. Hyman has already flown past the 54 points he had last season and with every point is setting a new career high. It’s been an incredible run for the 30, who has been everything the Oilers hoped for (and more) when they signed him to a seven-year, $38.5MM deal in 2021.

Second and third place went to Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks, two players in very different stages of their careers. Stamkos reached the 500-goal mark last week, joining just 46 other players in the history of the NHL and essentially sealing his future in the Hall of Fame (if it was ever in doubt). Zegras, meanwhile, put up eight points in four games, taking his career total to 114. He’s got quite a way to catch the Lightning captain, but Zegras continues to excite fans every time he touches the puck.

  • The Vancouver Canucks now have three head coaches on the books, as they are still paying Travis Green, the bench boss that preceded the recently-fired Bruce Boudreau. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that Tocchet’s deal is for two years and carries a $2.75MM salary, meaning altogether, the team is forking out $7.5MM this season for head coaches.
  • The Florida Panthers have swapped Mack Guzda and Spencer Knight once again, with the latter coming back up to the NHL. Knight hasn’t played in the NHL since January 8, but did quite well in his two-game conditioning stint, recording a 23-save shutout for the Charlotte Checkers in his first AHL game since last season.

Florida Panthers Loan Spencer Knight To AHL

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8:05 PM: According to CapFriendly, veteran forward Eric Staal was placed on injured reserve today, making room for the recall of Guzda. Staal lands on injured reserve after leaving yesterday’s game after a big reverse hit from Mike Matheson. Matheson earned a fine for the hit earlier today.

4:16 PM: It’s been a wild 24 hours for goaltending in South Florida, as Sergei Bobrovsky left last night’s game against the Montreal Canadiens due to injury. Reigning Calder Cup champion Alex Lyon was forced into action, and he guided his team to a victory. Now, it seems there could be some more stability coming to the team’s equation in the crease.

The Panthers have announced that netminder Spencer Knight has been loaned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. The move has been made presumably with the intention of Knight staying in the American League for conditioning purposes. He’s working his way back from an injury that landed him on injured reserve ten days ago.

Knight has been solid this season even as the Panthers team around him has regressed. Through 19 games played, he has posted a .906 save percentage. He returns to the AHL level for the first time since last season, when he spent a total of eleven games in Charlotte. In his last tenure there he went 7-4 with a .905 save percentage.

With Bobrovsky’s health status still unclear, getting Knight back to full health will be crucial as the Panthers look to build momentum in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Along with Knight’s departure to the AHL comes the recall of netminder Mack Guzda to the Panthers’ roster. This recall is presumably of the emergency variety, as the Panthers currently don’t have room on their active roster for a third goalie.

Guzda, 22, is in the midst of his first professional season. He’s spent the entirety of this year in Charlotte, and has a 9-4-2 record and .908 save percentage in 16 games played for the Checkers. He’ll be expected to back up Lyon should Bobrovsky not be ready in time for Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

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