Predators Send Michael McCarron, Kevin Gravel To AHL
As Ryan McDonagh re-enters the lineup in tonight’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, Nashville Predators general manager David Poile announces that the team has sent defenseman Kevin Gravel and forward Michael McCarron to their AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals.
Filling into the lineup for the injury to McDonagh, Gravel managed to play in four games for the Predators, averaging about 14 minutes of action a night. Over the entire year, that makes 18 games played for Gravel, only mustering one point this season. Playing in the minor leagues for most of the year, Gravel has put up two goals and 11 assists in Milwaukee. The transaction made by the Predators today marks the fifth time this year that Gravel has been sent down to the minors, clearing waivers twice.
Much like Gravel, McCarron has been caught in a call-up carousel of late. Having returned to hockey from a stay in the NHLPA player assistance program, this will mark his second demotion in one week. Although a valuable depth option for Nashville last season, McCarron’s production in the NHL has undoubtedly dipped this season. Playing in a total of 22 games for the Predators, McCaron has one goal and one assist. He’s fared a bit better in Milwaukee, scoring six points in 13 games, a 38-point pace over an entire season.
Predators Recall McCarron, Send Down Afanasyev
The Nashville Predators announced a forward swap between the NHL team and their AHL affiliate. Michael McCarron has been called up from the Milwaukee Admirals while Egor Afanasyev has been sent down to the AHL. Afanasyev was up on an emergency basis, and McCarron’s recall was also on an emergency basis, so these do not count towards the four recalls the Predators are allowed to make after the trade deadline.
McCarron, a big, physical winger at 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds has split hit time between the NHL and AHL this season. He has played 19 games for the Predators, scoring one goal and two points while also suiting up for 13 AHL contests and scoring two goals and six points. He was sent down just two days ago so the team would have room to call up defenseman Kevin Gravel, but now McCarron returns to the NHL roster.
Afanasyev was called up on March 11 to make his NHL debut. He has played three games since then recording four shots on goal while averaging just under ten minutes of ice time per game. The 22-year-old Russian winger is having a decent season in the AHL, putting up 13 goals and 26 points in 55 games.
McCarron, at 28 years old gives the Predators a bit more experience in their lineup over Afanasyev. The Predators were sellers at the trade deadline, but sit just four points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the final playoff spot and have played three less games than the Jets. They will continue their unlikely playoff push tonight when they host the Chicago Blackhawks.
Predators Recall Kevin Gravel; Michael McCarron Sent To AHL
According to a press release from the Nashville Predators, the team has recalled defenseman Kevin Gravel, and Michael McCarron has been sent to their AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals.
Playing in his first season within the Predators organization, Gravel has suited up for 14 games in the NHL this season, notching one assist in just over 13 minutes of average ice time. Playing the majority of his season in Milwaukee, the blue-liner has managed to score 13 points in 45 games. With already seven defensemen currently listed on their roster, the move by the Predators allows for more, albeit unexciting, depth on their back end.
Unlike Gravel, McCarron has actually spent more time in the NHL than in the minor leagues this season. Taking a month off in December to enter the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, McCarron has been a depth forward for the Predators for the last several seasons. Recording six points in 13 games for the Admirals so far this year, he will join the team on their stretch run to the playoffs. In a tight race, the Admirals currently sit in second place in the Central Division, which would earn them a first-round bye into the best-of-five division semifinals if their position in the standings is maintained.
Vinnie Hinostroza, Michael McCarron Clear Waivers
Jan 19: Both Hinostroza and McCarron have cleared. They can now be sent to the minor leagues. For Buffalo, that means JJ Peterka can come back up, after being sent to the AHL this morning.
Jan 18: The Buffalo Sabres were trying to find a new home for Vinnie Hinostroza, and now they might just let him go for nothing. The veteran forward has been placed on waivers today, along with Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Friedman reports that McCarron is returning to play after entering the Player Assistance Program last month, and would be headed to the Milwaukee Admirals if he clears.
Hinostroza’s $1.7MM cap hit makes him a tough asset for teams to acquire, but clearing waivers actually could facilitate a trade. Any team would then be able to stash him in the minor leagues, burying $1.125MM until he gets back up to speed. A veteran of more than 350 NHL games, Hinostroza has played just 19 this year and doesn’t have a single goal.
If he goes unclaimed, the Sabres will at least be able to give him some playing time with the Rochester Americans. It’s not perfect, but at least would get him back on the ice regularly.
McCarron, meanwhile, hasn’t played since early December and has just two points in 15 games this season for the Predators. If there’s any chance of him suiting up for Nashville down the stretch, he needs some time in the AHL to get his legs back.
The 27-year-old forward costs just $750K, but is an unlikely target for claim given his recent absence.
Michael McCarron Enters Players Assistance Program
The NHL and NHLPA jointly announced this afternoon that Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron has entered the Players Assistance Program effective immediately. McCarron will be away from the team for an indefinite amount of time while he receives the care he needs through the program.
McCarron will be eligible to return to on-ice activity once cleared by the program administrators, per the release. His care will be administered pursuant to the NHL/NHLPA assistance program.
The 27-year-old, a former first-round pick, has played parts of six seasons with Nashville and the Montreal Canadiens. The forward has split this season between the AHL and NHL, last playing on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Everyone here at PHR wishes McCarron the very best while he gets the help he needs.
Snapshots: Michigan, Meyers, Penguins, McCarron
7:14 pm: Denver University forward, and Edmonton Oilers draft choice, Carter Savoie, came up big, scoring the overtime winner for Denver to defeat Michigan and send Denver to the men’s college hockey championship on Saturday, with Minnesota State and the University of Minnesota playing tonight for the other spot in the final. With the conclusion of Michigan’s season, attention will now turn to Michigan’s core of future NHL talent to see if and when they sign their first professional contracts.
6:55 pm: According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, seven or eight Michigan University players are expected to turn pro after their NCAA season comes to an end (link). Most notable among them are Sabres’ number one overall draft choice in 2021, Owen Power; the second overall selection in 2021 and the first draft pick in Seattle Kraken history, Matty Beniers; and the fifth overall choice in 2021 by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Kent Johnson. Another premier name on the highly-talented Michigan team, Luke Hughes, who was selected fourth overall in 2021 by the New Jersey Devils, is not expected to turn pro and will return to Michigan next year. The NCAA men’s hockey championship game is scheduled for Saturday night at 8:00 pm ET.
- Another player expected to turn pro is forward Ben Meyers, says Kaplan. The 23-year-old Meyers, who went undrafted, has been a standout for Minnesota, scoring 39 goals to go with 56 assists in 101 games with Minnesota over three seasons. Prior to Minnesota, Meyers spent parts of three seasons with the Fargo Force of the USHL.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins are dealing with an array of non-COVID illnesses and will miss several pieces tonight, including captain Sidney Crosby, in their game against the New York Rangers. The Penguins announced they will be missing Crosby, John Marino, and Radim Zohorna for the game. The team has not confirmed if any of the players are expected to be out beyond tonight’s game. The Penguins next play Saturday afternoon at home against the Washington Capitals.
- Michael McCarron will be out of the lineup for at least a couple of weeks, as the Nashville Predators announced the forward is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old has split time between the NHL and AHL this season for Nashville, providing seven goals and seven assists in 46 games at the NHL level, using his 6’6″ frame to provide a physical presence for Nashville. There is no firm time-table yet for McCarron’s return, but the Predators will hope to get him back in time for the playoffs, if the Predators qualify, where his play style will be quite helpful in winning tough playoff-style games.
Roman Josi Activated From COVID Protocol
The Nashville Predators have their captain back just in time. The team will take on the Chicago Blackhawks this afternoon in their first game of 2022 and Roman Josi has been activated from the COVID protocol in time to participate. Josi returns along with Colton Sissons, who has also been activated. Meanwhile, Michael McCarron has been recalled from the taxi squad and Mathieu Olivier takes his place.
Unfortunately, just a few minutes later, the team announced that Dante Fabbro has entered the protocol.
Nashville has lost the first two games following the holiday break, both played without Josi in the lineup. The 31-year-old defenseman is the most important skater on the Predators roster, playing in all situations and driving the offense almost single-handedly at times.
In 30 games, the 2020 Norris Trophy winner has ten goals and 29 points, good for the team lead (tied with Mikael Granlund). Josi averages almost 25 minutes a night, though it remains to be seen whether he’ll see that much ice time in his first game back.
Sissons too is an important player to have back in the lineup, given his role as one of the team’s regular centers. While not a huge offensive contributor, his 13 points in 29 games are still a good bit of secondary scoring.
With these two back, the Predators were almost completely out of the woods when it comes to their current COVID placements. Fabbro’s presence will obviously be missed, meaning they won’t be at full strength for a little while longer.
Predators Place Three In COVID Protocol, Activate Eight
There was plenty of COVID-related activity for the Predators on Monday. The team announced that defenseman Roman Josi, center Tommy Novak, and winger Colton Sissons have all been placed in COVID protocol. However, they also got several players back from protocol in wingers Nick Cousins and Philip Tomasino, center Mikael Granlund and Ryan Johansen, and defensemen Mark Borowiecki and Ben Harpur. Josi, Novak, and Sissons will be out for at least the next ten days as a result; today’s announcement from the CDC that cuts the quarantine period from ten days to five doesn’t automatically apply to the NHL.
Josi is easily the biggest loss of the three for the Predators as he’s their leading scorer with 29 points in 30 games while averaging just shy of 25 minutes per game. Sissons isn’t a minor loss either as he’s logging nearly 16 minutes a night on the wing while chipping in with 13 points in 29 contests.
The returns of Granlund and Johansen should certainly help Nashville’s offense. Granlund is averaging just shy of a point per game with 27 in 28 games, sitting second behind Josi in team scoring. As for Johansen, he is having a nice bounce-back campaign with 24 points in 27 contests.
On top of these moves, the Predators assigned wingers Matt Luff and Michael McCarron to the taxi squad. Both players had been up in recent weeks to cover for injuries and absences before hitting COVID protocol themselves but with more players returning than leaving today, there wasn’t room on the NHL roster for them to be placed back there.
Predators, Red Wings Announce COVID Protocol Absences
The sweeping outbreaks of COVID-19 continue, this time with the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings. The Predators have announced that six players and six staff members have been placed in the COVID protocol. Mikael Granlund, Ryan Johansen, Matt Luff, Michael McCarron, Philip Tomasino, and Ben Harpur are now unavailable for the team, along with head coach John Hynes, assistants Dan Lambert and Todd Richards, and goaltending coach Ben Vanderklok.
For now, Nashville is still scheduled to take on the Colorado Avalanche tomorrow night. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff tweets that the team is preparing to make the necessary recalls from the AHL (including coaches) to play.
Not to be outdone, the Red Wings have announced that Robby Fabbri and Michael Rasmussen have entered the protocol. Both players were in the lineup last night against the New York Islanders.
The Red Wings are scheduled to take on the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow, a game that was in doubt after yesterday’s postponement. That doubt has been cleared up, at least for now, as the Hurricanes did not have any further positive tests today. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that the plan is for Carolina to play short two skaters, given how tight they are to the cap ceiling.
The NHL appears ready to push through these outbreaks as best they can, hoping to not disrupt the schedule for the entire league.
Ryan Johansen Enters COVID Protocol
The last thing that the Nashville Predators need right now is to be without Ryan Johansen. Despite an off-season shake-up that many thought would hurt the Predators’ playoff chances this season, the team currently sits fourth in the competitive Central Division and would be the first wild card team in the Western Conference if the postseason started today. Nashville is one a four-game winning streak and 10-5-0 over the past month. A big contributor to their success thus far has been Johansen, who has finally re-discovered his scoring touch after a pair of very disappointing seasons. The $8MM center has already surpassed his 2020-21 point total with 24 points in 27 games, putting him on pace for a career-best 73 points.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 does not discriminate by skill level or hot streak. The virus continues to wreak havoc on NHL rosters and Johansen is the latest victim. The Predators have announced the Johansen has been added to the league’s COVID Protocol and will not play tonight against the New York Rangers. As usual, no cause was given for Johansen’s placement and the hope is that he may be able to exit the protocol after just one game, especially with a tough slate of games approaching against the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, and Carolina Hurricanes over the next week. The absence of Johansen’s fellow resurgent scorer Matt Duchene with an upper-body injury makes Johansen’s unexpected unavailability even more concerning.
In Johansen’s place, the Predators have recalled Michael McCarron from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. Though a first-round pick in 2013, McCarron is not a player capable of filling a scoring role in Johansen’s place. The 26-year-old has been held scoreless in six games so far this season, which is his same stat line from last season. McCarron has eight points, a -14 rating, and 10 minutes of average ice time in 81 career NHL games.