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Matt Benning

Injury Notes: Joseph, Benning, Martin, Jones, Merzlikins

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Placing defenseman Dmitri Samorukov on waivers yesterday, after he cleared today, the Pittsburgh Penguins have assigned him to their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and have subsequently activated Pierre-Olivier Joseph off of the injured reserve. Being placed on the injured reserve with an undisclosed injury dating back to November 18th, Joseph has not played in a game since the team’s route against the San Jose Sharks on November 4th.

Given that he is returning from injury, Joseph will likely slot into the Penguins’ bottom-pairing alongside John Ludvig. Although he is a much better internal option on the blue line compared to Samorukov, Joseph will not be a factor in improving the team’s current offensive struggles on the powerplay.

Last season, in what has been his best to date, Joseph scored five goals and 21 points on the back end, also carrying an impressive oiSV% of 91.5%. With a 3-4-3 record in the last 10 games, the Penguins currently find themselves six points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and will need all hands on deck to get back into the playoff race.

Other injury notes:

  • The San Jose Sharks announced today they have placed defenseman Matt Benning on the injured reserve. Dealing with a lower-body injury, Benning has been out of the lineup since the team’s game against the New York Rangers on December 3rd. Already starting the season with limited depth as an organization, Benning joins a growing list of Sharks on the injured reserve, making him the sixth player overall currently.
  • Retroactive to December 2nd, the New York Islanders have placed depth forward Matt Martin on the injured reserve with an upper-body injury. This will now be the third time this season that Martin has been placed on the IR, having missed stretches in both October and November. In only 14 games played this season, Martin has one goal and two points, only maintaining approximately eight and a half minutes of ice time per game.
  • Already confirmed to be out of the lineup in tonight’s matchup against the Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks’ defenseman, Seth Jones, received X-rays during the team’s game against the Washington Capitals on Sunday. Although there has been no official update on the status of Jones, team doctors indicated that he was only feeling a ’little sore’ and should be able to make it back to the lineup after the team’s road trip (X Link).
  • Although he is still on the team’s injured reserve due to an illness, Brian Hedger for the Columbus Dispatch reports that goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Elvis Merzlikins returned to practice with the team today. Largely the most competent goalie on the Blue Jackets this season, Merzlikins holds a 6-8-4 record in 19 starts, carrying a .910 SV% and a 3.10 GAA.

Injury Notes: Ducks, Lehkonen, Benning, Puljujarvi, Blue Jackets

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The Anaheim Ducks are nearing the return of two of the most important players in their organization, Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale. Zegras, who is dealing with an undisclosed injury, has been out of the lineup since November 10th, while Drysdale, has been out with a lower-body injury since October 19th.

There is no firm date for the eventual return of either player, but Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune reports that both players returned for practice this morning. In the same report, Lee also mentioned that breakout center, Mason McTavish, was still absent from practice after suffering an upper-body injury last week.

Anaheim could certainly use the reinforcements on both sides of the puck, as the team has recorded only one win in the last 11 games. Aside from just returning to the lineup, the Ducks will need both players to step up their game, as Zegras has only registered two points in 12 games, while Drysdale has only been in the lineup 10 times in the last 108 regular season games.

Other injury notes:

  • Without much specificity into the severity of the injury, the Colorado Avalanche have been without top-six forward, Artturi Lehkonen, for the last month after he suffered a neck injury in the team’s game against the Seattle Kraken on November 9th. After joining the team for practice yesterday, the expectation is that Lehkonen will not return for another six to eight weeks, narrowing his return to January or February (X Link). Currently sitting at fourth in the Western Conference, Colorado will only have a few weeks to see how Lehkonen returns before potentially making a move at the trade deadline on March 9th.
  • Missing nearly a month to an undisclosed injury in early November, beat writer Curtis Pashelka reports that San Jose Sharks defenseman Matt Benning is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. In arguably the weakest defensive core in the NHL, Benning is one of 11 defensemen to play at least one game for San Jose this season, averaging just under 18 and a half minutes of ice time per night, placing him sixth on the team amongst defensemen in that category.
  • Hoping to make his return to the NHL soon, Chris Johnston of TSN is reporting that unrestricted free agent forward, Jesse Puljujarvi, has fully recovered from his hip surgery and has been cleared for full-contact training by doctors. Even when healthy, Puljujarvi’s market is going to be extremely limited, if one develops at all. The former fourth overall pick of the 2016 NHL Draft, Puljujarvi has scored 114 points in 334 career games, including a 36-point season for the Edmonton Oilers back in the 2021-22 season.
  • Aaron Portzline of The Athletic is reporting that in the Columbus Blue Jackets game tomorrow against the Florida Panthers, forwards Cole Sillinger and Patrik Laine may be making their return to the lineup. Sillinger has missed the last five games due to an upper-body injury suffered on November 29th, while Laine has been out through the last three games with an illness.

Sharks’ Jan Rutta Placed On IR, Matt Benning Activated

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Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now is reporting that San Jose Sharks defenseman Jan Rutta has been placed on the injured reserve while fellow defenseman Matt Benning has been activated off IR. Rutta left the second period of the Sharks game Wednesday night against the Seattle Kraken with an undisclosed injury and did not return. Very little is known about Rutta’s ailment at this time, but the 33-year-old did miss nearly a third of last season due to injury when he was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Rutta underwent core muscle surgery in the offseason before he was eventually dealt to the Sharks in August as part of the package that the Penguins put together to acquire reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. In 19 games this season with the Sharks, Rutta has posted a single assist, 36 blocks, 10 hits and a -11 rating.

In Rutta’s absence there is the possibility that Marc-Edouard Vlasic might make his way back into the Sharks lineup. The four-time all-star hasn’t played since November 14th and has no points in 13 games this season.

There is also the possibility that Benning could take Rutta’s spot as he is now available after being activated off IR today. Benning has dressed in eight games this season for the Sharks and has registered seven hits and 18 blocks while posting a single assist.

West Notes: Vilardi, Harley, Benning

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Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi is nearing a return to action from an MCL sprain that’s cost him the last 14 games. Associate coach Scott Arniel said today that Vilardi will travel with the team on their upcoming three-game road swing through Tampa Bay, Florida and Nashville and is an option to play during the trip.

The 24-year-old has played in just two full games this season, sustaining the injury early in the team’s third contest of the year against his former team, the Kings, on October 17. Vilardi was the main aspect of the trade return from Los Angeles in exchange for center Pierre-Luc Dubois this summer. After a strong camp, Vilardi had earned himself a spot in the team’s top six, registering an assist through his first two contests while playing over 20 minutes per game. A first-round pick of the Kings in 2017, injuries have largely delayed Vilardi’s development, but he still managed a career-high 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games last season. He remains on injured reserve, and the Jets will need to open a spot on the 23-man roster to activate him.

Other notes out of the Western Conference to open the holiday week:

  • Stars defenseman Thomas Harley will remain out of the lineup tonight when they host the Rangers, Brien Rea of Bally Sports Southwest reports. The 22-year-old is sidelined with an upper-body injury sustained November 12 against the Wild on a hit from forward Brandon Duhaime and is listed as day-to-day. This will be Harley’s third straight absence after playing in 14 straight games to start the season. The team’s 2019 first-round pick is looking quite at home in the NHL, posting five points and a +2 rating while averaging 17:24 per game.
  • After getting Jacob MacDonald back in the fold earlier today, another injured Sharks veteran is on the precipice of a return to the lineup. Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports defenseman Matt Benning could come off IR before Wednesday’s game against the Kraken. Benning will miss his ninth straight contest tonight against Vancouver with an undisclosed injury. The 29-year-old has played in eight games this season, recording an assist and a -6 rating in 18:29 of average ice time.

Sharks Notes: Gushchin, Lindblom, Benning, MacDonald

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When the Sharks returned high-ceiling winger prospect Daniil Gushchin to the minors yesterday, most thought he would be back up quickly after getting some playing time over the weekend. However, head coach David Quinn told Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now that Gushchin’s demotion is of a more permanent nature.

Gushchin, 21, was the 76th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Quinn called the second of two games on Gushchin’s recent call-up “a little bit of a hard game for him” and thought he got “overwhelmed defensively.” While he would likely provide a bit more offensive punch than many currently on the Sharks’ roster, the organization obviously believes in playing the long game with Gushchin and thinks dominating the AHL, where he has 13 points in 11 games with the San Jose Barracuda, is better for his development at this stage.

Elsewhere around the Sharks conversation today:

  • Also, speaking to Peng earlier today, Quinn said forward Oskar Lindblom’s recovery timeline from his lower-body injury is week-to-week. Lindblom landed on IR five days ago after a recent call-up, playing just one game before sustaining the injury – which prompted Gushchin’s initial recall. The former Flyers winger, who recovered from a diagnosis of Ewing’s sarcoma in 2020, did not get on the scoresheet in his lone appearance and has just two points in eight games with the Barracuda this season.
  • Quinn also confirmed that a pair of injured Sharks defenders, Matt Benning and Jacob MacDonald, are close to returning to the lineup and will likely travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. The veteran pair have played just a combined ten games this season and are likely to return within the next week, while the Sharks have two games against more northern Pacific Division neighbors. MacDonald has taken line rushes as a forward in his return to practice with the team and will likely suit up in a fourth-line role when he does play, while Benning, in the second season of a four-year deal, could be slated for a top-four role on a very fluid Sharks backend. No corresponding moves will need to be made to activate them while center Nico Sturm, who carries a non-roster designation while on personal leave, is away from the team.

Pacific Notes: Sharks, Benning, Golden Knights, Hamblin

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While the Sharks snapped their season-long losing streak at 11 games yesterday with a win over the Flyers, clearly, there’s a lot of work to be done still.  However, don’t expect any reinforcements coming from the minors.  Speaking with Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News, GM Mike Grier indicated that while they’ve thought about bringing up some of their better prospects from the minors (including defensemen Henry Thrun and Shakir Mukhamadullin plus forward Daniil Gushchin), they’d like to see things get more stabilized first over putting those youngsters into a less than ideal situation from a development perspective.  Getting captain Logan Couture back would help on that front but with him suffering a recent setback in his recovery lately, there’s no timeline for when he’ll be able to join the lineup.

Elsewhere in the Pacific Division:

  • Still with the Sharks, Pashelka reports in a separate piece that blueliner Matt Benning has resumed skating as he works his way back from an undisclosed injury. The 29-year-old is coming off a career year offensively but, like many San Jose players, is off to a rough start this year with just a single point in his first eight appearances while averaging 18:29 per night.  Benning is on injured reserve but has already been on there for more than a week, meaning they’ll be able to activate him as soon as he’s cleared to return.
  • Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal relays (Twitter link) that Vegas center Chandler Stephenson will miss at least the next two games with an upper-body injury. The 29-year-old is off to a strong start in his contract year with 10 points in his first 12 games, good for fifth on the Golden Knights in scoring.  Jonas Rondbjerg was recalled yesterday for the fifth time in less than a month and is expected to take Stephenson’s spot in the lineup.  Meanwhile, Gotz adds that blueliner Zach Whitecloud is with Vegas on the road and could potentially be back as soon as Friday.  The 26-year-old has yet to play this season due to an upper-body injury and is currently on LTIR but is eligible to be activated as he has missed both 10 games and 24 days.
  • PuckPedia notes (Twitter link) that the Oilers have converted forward James Hamblin’s emergency exception recall into a regular one. When they sent Jack Campbell and down and recalled Calvin Pickard earlier today, Edmonton had enough cap space to fit Hamblin into its cap structure, meaning they were no longer eligible for the cap exemption he was recalled with.  The 24-year-old logged nearly 11 minutes in his season debut back on Monday.

Sharks Issue Multiple Injury Updates

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Tuesday’s practice brought a lot of news from the San Jose Sharks, none of which was positive. Defenseman Matt Benning has been placed on IR with an undisclosed injury, per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, who also added that team captain Logan Couture has sustained a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury and will stop skating for the next while. He also confirmed that forward Alexander Barabanov, who sustained a broken finger a few days back, will not have surgery and will miss four to six weeks.

Benning played 16:45 in Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Capitals, recording a -1 rating, one shot on goal, and two blocked shots. The 29-year-old, who’s in the second season of a four-year, $5MM deal, has just one assist in eight games on the season and has struggled defensively even relative to his teammates, posting a career-low Corsi share of just 35.2% at even strength.

No corresponding recall will be necessary, as the Sharks were already carrying three extra defensemen on the active roster. 22-year-old Nikita Okhotyuk, who was recalled from a conditioning loan to AHL San Jose earlier today, could make his Sharks debut in place of Benning when they host the Canucks on Thursday.

It’s been an extremely trying start for the Sharks, who have managed to slide below already ground-level expectations. The team has scored just nine goals through nine games and is the only winless team remaining in the league with a 0-8-1 record. Couture’s season-long absence is a major factor in their poor performance, as the Sharks’ wingers have failed to produce much of any offense unless stapled to center Tomas Hertl on the first line. Before exiting the lineup with injury, Barabanov had been held off the scoresheet through six games and was a non-factor.

Perhaps what’s most concerning is that the development of their forward group, including youngsters like William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau, was supposed to be the team’s lone goal for 2023-24. Instead, it’s a miracle they haven’t put up worse results – Mackenzie Blackwood and Kaapo Kähkönen have been surprisingly solid in the crease, both posting .907 save percentages while splitting duties. In doing so, they’ve kept the Sharks from having a worse goal differential than their already abysmal -26.

San Jose Sharks Sign Three Players

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San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier told reporters including Curtis Pashelka of Bay Area News Group that the team has signed three more free agents, inking Nico Sturm, Markus Nutivaara, and Matt Benning.

Sturm, 27, has agreed to a three-year deal worth a total of $6MM, giving him a substantial raise over the $750K he made in 2021-22. The Stanley Cup champion can be a valuable bottom-six forward, though his offensive limitations make this kind of contract something of a surprise. In 132 games in the NHL, Sturm has scored 20 goals and 39 points. What he does bring is a big, physical presence that can win faceoffs and contribute at the defensive end of the rink, something that should bring stability to the Sharks as they transition into a rebuild.

Nutivaara, 28, signed for just one year, coming off a 2021-22 season that was almost entirely lost to injury. The left-handed defenseman played just one game for the Florida Panthers and because of that, is eligible for performance bonuses in the upcoming season. PuckPedia reports that his deal will carry a salary of $1.5MM, while also including bonuses for games played up to a maximum of $250K. Once a very promising option for the Columbus Blue Jackets, his recent history has been ruined by injury, with ust 68 games played over the last three seasons.

Benning’s deal is for four years keeping him in San Jose through the 2025-26 season. That’s an impressive get for a player who rarely more than third-pairing minutes, and has moved in and out of the lineup for basically his whole career. Still, the 28-year-old defenseman offers a physical presence and does have more than 350 games of NHL experience under his belt.

Injury Notes: Benning, Wood, Sorokin

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The Nashville Predators announced this afternoon that the team activated defenseman Matt Benning off injured reserve. Benning has been listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury for almost two weeks now, last playing in the team’s March 13th win against Minnesota. In his second season in Nashville, Benning has tallied 10 assists in 53 games and is again providing solid defensive depth at the bottom of the lineup. The team’s defensive depth is being stretched thin with injuries to both Mark Borowiecki and Dante Fabbro, so his return to the lineup carries some extra importance as the Predators look to lock down a playoff spot as the season winds to a close.

More from around the NHL today:

  • Another name is coming off injured reserve — New Jersey Devils forward Miles Wood. He’ll play his first game of the season tonight against the Canadiens, sitting out all year up until this point with a hip injury sustained during training camp. Wood is likely to draw in on the fourth line alongside youngsters Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastian, and his physical game should give New Jersey’s forward group an edge that it’s lacked all season long. Up until this year, Wood had at least 10 goals and 20 points in four straight seasons.
  • New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said after today’s game against Tampa Bay that goalie Ilya Sorokin suffered an upper-body injury that took him out of the game after the second period. It’s unclear whether Sorokin will travel with the team to Columbus for their next game. If he’s out of the lineup, it’s a huge blow to any sliver of hope the Islanders had at making a miracle run into the playoffs. Quietly, Sorokin has been one of the NHL’s best this season, buoying the Islanders with his six shutouts and .927 save percentage in 42 starts. Coming into the game against Tampa Bay, he hadn’t had a save percentage under .929 in his last five games.

 

Three Players Out Tuesday For Nashville Predators

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The Nashville Predators will play Tuesday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings with an injury-hampered lineup. Per the team, goalie Juuse Saros and defensemen Matt Benning and Mattias Ekholm are all unavailable for the tilt against Detroit.

Saros and Ekholm are both out with non-COVID-related illness, a growing trend across the NHL as cold and flu season hits. Benning is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Benning played all of Nashville’s last game, a win against the Montreal Canadiens. He had an assist in 15:51 of ice time. The nature of the upper-body injury is unknown.

The losses of Saros and Ekholm are tough to swallow. Saros has once again been the rock of this Predators team that still finds itself in playoff contention with a .921 save percentage in 20 games played. Ekholm, while he hasn’t produced much on the scoresheet (just five assists), is second on the team in ice time per game (23:18).

David Rittich gets the start in goal in place of Saros, while call-up Connor Ingram will serve as the backup. Ben Harpur and Philippe Myers re-enter the lineup in place of Benning and Ekholm.

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