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Minor Transactions: 02/05/20

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While the MLB dominates the newsstands with some blockbuster deals yesterday, hockey fans will soon turn back to their beloved NHL and the race to the trade deadline. Things are heating up around the league with rumors swirling around any team within a few points of the playoffs, and there is bound to be some movement in the coming weeks. As teams prepare for all that action they have games to play and minor moves to make in order to ice full rosters. We’ll keep track of all those smaller moves right here:

  • The Washington Capitals have returned Martin Fehervary and Vitek Vanecek to the minor leagues after just one game, which only the former took part in. Fehervary ended up playing nearly 20 minutes for the Capitals last night in their comeback win against the Los Angeles Kings, and will likely be back up at some point for the team. Vanecek meanwhile was just insurance after Ilya Samsonov left practice, but Braden Holtby got the start and stopped 29 of 31 shots.
  • Matiss Kivlenieks, Jakob Lilja and Andrew Peeke have all been sent to the AHL by the Columbus Blue Jackets, with some other names nearing a return. Josh Anderson and Ryan Murray are both close to jumping back into the lineup for the Blue Jackets, who outlasted the Florida Panthers last night for a 1-0 overtime win.
  • Taro Hirose and Gustav Lindstrom appear ready to get a chance at the NHL, after being recalled by the Detroit Red Wings. To make room on the roster both Frans Nielsen and Mike Green have been placed on injured reserve. Hirose has played 23 games for the Red Wings this season, but Lindstrom will be making his NHL debut whenever he gets in the lineup. The 21-year old defenseman was selected 38th overall in 2017 and is in his first year of North American professional hockey.
  • Speaking of making a debut, Andrei Chibisov has been recalled by the Winnipeg Jets for the first time this season. The 26-year old was signed out of the KHL last summer and has 24 points in 46 games for the Manitoba Moose. To make room, Cameron Schilling has been returned to the AHL.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Scott Wilson from the minor leagues, while sending Jean-Sebastien Dea back down. The Sabres are dealing with a long list of injuries at the NHL and AHL levels while also plummeting in the standings.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have assigned Mark Barberio to the AHL for a conditioning stint, while recalling Calle Rosen. Rosen, acquired last summer in the deal that brought Nazem Kadri to town, played eight games earlier in the season for the Avalanche and recorded two points.

Eastern Notes: Georgiev, Kravtsov, Matthews, Green

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The New York Rangers have a lot going on as the trade deadline nears, but the team does know that with three goaltenders on the roster, they are going to be forced to move one by the deadline. In fact, unless something extraordinary happens, that goaltender will be Alexandar Georgiev.

However, Larry Brooks of the New York Post writes that the Rangers shouldn’t even wait until the trade deadline to move Georgiev. The team needs to move him now while teams are still looking for goaltending as well as the fact that there is no reason to play three goalies at once. Veteran Henrik Lundqvist has played just once since Jan. 2, while Igor Shesterkin has proved his worth and both need regular playing time with Lundqvist there to help Shesterkin out.

One other issue is that Georgiev hasn’t been that good. Since Dec. 12, Georgiev has just a 4-5 record with a 3.78 GAA and a .882 save percentage. Brooks feels the team needs to get what it can now just in case he becomes untradeable in the near future and are forced to trade him for just a second or third-rounder.

  • Sticking with the Rangers, The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello (subscription required) writes that prospect Vitaly Kravtsov, the team’s 2018 first-round pick, has been developing nicely since the team convinced him to return from the KHL. Kravtsov has had a rough road this year, failing to make the NHL squad out of training camp, being sent to their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, then opting to return to the KHL, where they demoted him to their junior league. “I think there was, one, disappointment from (being demoted by) the Rangers, and two, the uncertainty of what’s best,” said Hartford coach Kris Knoblauch. “I’m sure he was getting some direction about playing in Russia, and maybe Hartford wasn’t best. … But since he’s come back to us, his attitude has been outstanding. He’s worked really hard. He’s wanting to learn. He’s playing the right way. So we’re happy to have him.”
  • The Star’s Kevin McGran writes that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, who skipped the All-Star Game due to a wrist injury, is expected to be back in the lineup on Monday for the team’s game against the Nashville Predators. Matthews didn’t miss any regular season games due to the injury and because he attended the all-star event in St. Louis, will not face the one-game suspension that many others opted for.
  • NBC Sports’ J.J. Regan suggests that Washington Capitals’ fans shouldn’t expect the Capitals to re-acquire former defenseman and current Detroit Red Wing Mike Green, who is on the trade block as the trade deadline approaches. The scribe writes that the Capitals are loaded in right-handed defensemen, so adding the right-handed Green wouldn’t make any sense for a team that needs a top-four left-hander.

East Notes: Trade Bait, Red Wings, Bruins

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Trade season is starting to heat up, and Frank Seravalli of TSN has put together his latest Trade Bait board for all those who want to know who might be on the market. The top name on the list is Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers, but he’s not the only Eastern Conference player that might be on the move.

In fact, eight of the first ten assets on Servalli’s board are from the east, with only the Los Angeles Kings taking a couple of spots away. The Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes all have pieces near the top.

  • Speaking of the Red Wings, with the playoffs already out of the question, it is hard to get excited about their games on a daily basis. That apathy is only amplified when top players are out of the lineup, as will be the case for the next several weeks. Anthony Mantha is “still a ways away, a month maybe” according to head coach Jeff Blashill, who also told reporters today that Mike Green will also be out “a couple weeks” with an upper-body injury.
  • With only a handful of games left before the All-Star break, the AHL transaction page hasn’t been as busy as usual this week. The Boston Bruins did make a move today however, recalling Jeremy Lauzon and assigning Steven Kampfer to the minor leagues. Lauzon will skate on a pair with Matt Grzelcyk, playing in an NHL game for just the second time this season.

Red Wings On Pace For Worst Record Of The Century

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With an overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night and a regulation loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday, the Detroit Red Wings have fallen to 12-33-4 on the season. The team’s points percentage now sits at an abysmal .286. At this rate, the 2019-20 Red Wings will not go down in the history books as bad, but rather the worst.

Well, at least the worst of the 21st century. Detroit is now on pace to fall short of the previous century low, set by the Colorado Avalanche in 2016-17. That year, the Avalanche finished 22-56-4 with 48 points, but even that ugly mark was a points percentage of .293. Barring an improvement in play in Detroit, Colorado looks like they will be able to remove the title of worst single season since 2000. As it stands, the Red Wings are on pace for only 47 points on the year.

Fortunately for Detroit fans, they at least don’t have to worry about being the worst ever. In fact, in the salary cap era of the NHL, it would be next to impossible for any team to ever have the worst record in league history. Should the Red Wings finish the year with their current .286 points percentage, it would rank just 43rd-worst in the league’s record books. The 1974-75 expansion Washington Capitals will likely always sit alone in the bottom spot with an 8-67-5 record and .131 points percentage that is almost inconceivable at any level of the sport.

However, the Red Wings and their supporters would probably like to avoid the “worst” title, even if it limited to this century. Luckily, there is a glimmer of hope. In 2016-17, the Avalanche traded away Jarome Iginla, one of their top-six forwards, and struggled even more down the stretch as a result. By all accounts, there is no equivalent for this year’s Red Wings. Detroit’s roster is mostly made up of promising young players that they do not want to trade or overpaid veterans that they cannot trade. Either way, the team is not expected to lose a major piece via trade this season – unless you count Mike Green or Trevor Daley as a key contributor – and what you see is likely what you get for the rest of the year from this team. If they are just consistently bad instead of becoming even worse as the year wears on like 2016-17 Avalanche, they may just have a chance of avoiding the title of worst team of the century.

Atlantic Notes: Red Wings, DeMelo, Clifton, Kovalchuk

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Heading into the season, it looked as if veteran defensemen Mike Green and Trevor Daley were going to be two of Detroit’s better trade chips heading towards the trade deadline.  However, as MLive’s Ansar Khan points out, both veterans have struggled mightily this season.  Green hasn’t provided the Red Wings with the offense he once did while Daley has dealt with three separate injuries and hasn’t done much when he has been healthy.  They’re Detroit’s top-paid defensemen (Green at $5.375MM and Daley at $3.167MM) and at this point, they may have to pay down a good chunk of the rest of their deals to find a taker.  They can cover up to half of the contract and have not used any of their three retained salary slots yet.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Senators defenseman Dylan DeMelo is aiming to return to the lineup on Tuesday from his broken finger, notes Postmedia’s Ken Warren (Twitter link). He sustained the injury back on December 13th against Montreal.  The 26-year-old is in the final year of his contract and could be a potential trade candidate in the coming weeks for a team looking for defensive depth assuming that he’s able to return and stay healthy between now and then.
  • The Bruins have transferred defenseman Connor Clifton to injured reserve, reports Matt Porter of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). The move opens up a roster spot which will be filled by Steven Kampfer who is back with the team per the AHL’s Transactions page.  Kampfer had only been sent to Providence on Friday.
  • While the Canadiens expect Ilya Kovalchuk to arrive in town today, GM Marc Bergevin told reporters including Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette that it’s not likely that he’ll be available to play tonight against Pittsburgh as they’re in the process of getting him a work visa. Even though he hasn’t played in nearly two months, it doesn’t sound as if he’ll get a conditioning stint to get back into playing shape and will instead debut with Montreal as soon as the paperwork clears.

Poll: Who Is The Top Target On The Rental Market?

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When the NHL’s Holiday Roster Freeze comes to an end, attention will again turn to the trade market as many teams begin to address their weaknesses in the second half, leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline in late February. With Taylor Hall off the market, now a member of the Arizona Coyotes, it is no longer obvious who the top rental candidate is. There are many potential names and their values will depend on the suitor’s specific needs or the emphasis placed on certain abilities. But from an overall, objective perspective, who do you think the top rental target is?

Note: For the purposes of this poll, a rental player will be defined as an impending unrestricted free agent whose current team holds a points percentage below .550.

F Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild

2019-20: 28 games – 2 goals, 10 assists, 12 points, +2, 17:34 ATOI
2018-19: 48 games – 8 goals, 21 assists, 29 points, -2, 18:18 ATOI
Cap Hit: $5.5MM

Could this be the end for Koivu in Minnesota? The long-time Wild captain is arguably the biggest name on the rental market with Hall gone, but his best years are behind him. Last season was marked by injury for Koivu, but this year he has seen his production slip along with his ice time and has not looked the same. Even in decline though, Koivu is a good two-way center who can benefit a team on the penalty kill and at the face-off dot if not on the score sheet. His price may be hard to swallow and the Wild may be reluctant to move him, but teams will undoubtedly make calls on Koivu regardless.

D Mike Green, Detroit Red Wings

2019-20: 30 games – 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points, -22, 21:23 ATOI
2018-19: 43 games – 5 goals, 21 assists, 26 points, -1, 21:41 ATOI
Cap Hit: $5.375MM

Like Koivu, Green’s value is more in name than production at this point in his career, especially given his injury concerns over the past couple of years. Yet, Green has quietly played in 30 games with Detroit already this season and is maintaining high ice time numbers. You can pin that jarring plus/minus on the overall struggles of the team too. His scoring isn’t what it once was, but a healthy Green could be a real asset to a playoff team, if they can afford to take on his cap hit. Fortunately, that may be all that is expensive about Green, as the already-dead Red Wings will be selling any and all rentals for whatever they can get in this throwaway season.

G Robin Lehner, Chicago Blackhawks

2019-20: 21 games – 9 wins, .924 save percentage, 2.86 goals against average
2018-19: 46 games – 25 wins, .930 save percentage, 2.13 goals against average
Cap Hit: $5MM

The name with most recent history of elite play on the rental market is also the one shrouded in the most mystery. Are the Blackhawks willing to move Lehner? Is he in their long-term plans? And is there a market for a goalie of his price? The reigning Jennings Trophy winner was one of the league’s best goalies last season with the Islanders and his strong play has continued with his new team. That fact alone could entice a team with needs in net to make a play for Lehner.

D Sami Vatanen, New Jersey Devils

2019-20: 32 games – 5 goals, 11 assists, 16 points, -4, 21:29 ATOI
2018-19: 50 games – 4 goals, 13 assists, 17 points, -17, 21:44 ATOI
Cap Hit: $4.875MM

Vatanen is another veteran defenseman who has dealt with recent injury issues. Yet, this season he has returned to form, even in the midst of a poor campaign by any measure for the Devils. Vatanen has already topped his goals mark from last season and will soon do the same in assists and points. Vatanen is the most productive rental defenseman available and the Devils have established themselves as sellers and will definitely be looking to move him. With a lesser cap hit and more points than Green and others, Vatanen should be a highly sought-after blue line piece, if teams feel they can trust his defense and overlook his inconsistency.

F Chris Kreider, New York Rangers

2019-20: 36 games – 10 goals, 11 assists, 21 points, +4, 17:35 ATOI
2018-19: 48 games – 28 goals, 24 assists, 52 points, +4, 17:24 ATOI
Cap Hit: $4.625MM

Kreider may be the closest thing to a Taylor Hall left on the rental market, although admittedly not that close. An established power forward with several 20-goal seasons under his belt, Kreider is a true 200-foot player who could play a top-nine role for any team in the league, if not top-six. The real question is whether Kreider will be worth the cost to acquire him? His track record as a scoring threat boosts his trade value, but his numbers so far this year suggest that he may be declining. Kreider is on pace to fall well below his goal total from last year, as well as his overall point total, despite logging more ice time and playing on a more talented Rangers roster. Kreider certainly has value, but it may be difficult for teams to determine just how much relative to a high asking price.

F Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings

2019-20: 38 games – 9 goals, 12 assists, 21 points, -4, 15:45 ATOI
2018-19: 82 games – 13 goals, 21 assists, 34 points, -16, 17:13 ATOI
Cap Hit: $4.6MM

Toffoli is somewhat of the opposite case of Kreider. He struggled last year but has shown some resurgence of late and could wind up as a great value addition at the deadline. Despite limited ice time and special teams responsibilities this year, Toffoli is already more than halfway to besting his offensive totals from last year, which had represented a major dip in his production. Toffoli, who has multiple 20-goal seasons to his credit and has been a deft penalty killer in the past, has the potential to continue his upward trajectory this season by joining a more talented team than the lowly Kings. At the right price and with the right fit, Toffoli could be a game-changer.

F Vladislav Namestnikov, Ottawa Senators

2019-20: 35 games – 8 goals, 10 assists, 18 points, -6, 15:37 ATOI
2018-19: 78 games – 11 goals, 20 assists, 31 points, -7, 15:48 ATOI
Cap Hit: $4MM

Namestnikov has already been traded once this season and it worked out nicely that time. Many speculated right away that the Senators were acquiring the UFA forward on the cheap only to flip him later for a profit, and judging by Namestnikov’s production since his arrival in Ottawa, that could very well be the case. A complimentary player whose production improves exponentially with the more talent he plays with and the greater role he is given, Namestnikov is the perfect hired gun. A dynamic asset in the right situation, Namestnikov could also flop if not placed in an ideal scenario. He could continue his 20-goal pace on one team, or completely disappear on another, as he did at times with the Rangers. How much a team is willing to pay to take a chance on Namestnikov will determine his market value.

F Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Ottawa Senators

2019-20: 38 games – 18 goals, 10 assists, 28 points, +21, 18:51 ATOI
2018-19: 39 games – 4 goals, 8 assists, 12 points, -12, 17:51 ATOI
Cap Hit: $3.1MM

On one hand, Pageau has the best production this season, total and per-game, of anyone on this list. On the other hand, he has no history of producing remotely near these levels in years past. His breakout could really be a product of his role in Ottawa, leading a club with few play-makers up front. Pageau has always been a good two-way forward, but he has more than doubled his scoring output from last year’s injury-shortened season. Much of that can be attributed to an increase in ice time and responsibility, but how much? Are interested teams acquiring a player on pace for nearly 40 goals this season or will Pageau revert to a role player on a new team? The other key questions is whether or not the Senators are willing to move the 27-year-old center. Given the exodus of core players from Ottawa in recent years, they may not make this season’s breakout star available.

D Erik Gustafsson, Chicago Blackhawks

2019-20: 37 games – 4 goals, 11 assists, 15 points, -4, 20:57 ATOI
2018-19: 79 games – 17 goals, 43 assists, 60 points, -6, 22:35 ATOI
Cap Hit: $1.2MM

The only player on this list whose cap hit can be considered a true “value” based on cap hit, it can safely be assumed that the 27-year-old Gustafsson will be made available by the Blackhawks, whose hopes of playoff contention have been sunk by inconsistency and injury. Gustafsson’s numbers from last season jump off the page, especially at his price point. While he will likely finish far from 60 points this year, that can be attributed to a sizeable drop-off in ice time due to a remodel of the Chicago back end this off-season. The offensive ability is there though, and as an affordable rental addition, Gustafsson has the chance to do some serious damage on another team’s blue line. Of course, he won’t come cheap and there is not a lot of NHL experience to look back on to see how he may perform with a change of scenery, especially making the transition to playoff pace.

What do you think? Who is the top target on the post-Taylor Hall rental market?

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What Your Team Is Thankful For: Detroit Red Wings

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Detroit Red Wings.

What are the Red Wings most thankful for?

Very little has gone right for Detroit this season as the team finds itself dead last in the league, four points out of 30th place and nine points out of 29th place, suggesting the team is likely to land another significant lottery in June. And while none of that is worthy of being thankful for, Detroit’s general manager Steve Yzerman, is eager to complete the team’s rebuild and likely has no qualms about seeing this franchise at the bottom in hopes of completely rebuilding the franchise up. It has plenty of complementary pieces and several players who could be stars, but a picking up a franchise player in a stacked draft might be the most valuable piece to this franchise.

Who are the Red Wings most thankful for?

Anthony Mantha.

Mantha missed eight games with a knee injury, returning today, but continues to be the team’s leading scorer with 12 goals and 23 points this season, which puts him on pace for almost a goal per game. After posting 48 points for the past two seasons, Mantha looks ready for a potential breakout season if he can remain healthy. He is third on the team among forwards in TOI, averaging 18:54 and looks to have taken his game to another level this year.

Considering that Dylan Larkin has seen a slight decline in his play so far, the team should be thankful that Mantha continues to improve season after season.

What would the Red Wings be even more thankful for?

Defense.

Detroit has struggled defensively this season with injuries as the team has been without several of their veteran blueliners for chunks of the season already. Other than Filip Hronek, the defense has looked to be in serious trouble. Danny DeKeyser has missed all but eight games so far this season. Trevor Daley has missed 20 games, Mike Green has missed eight games and isn’t the same player he once was, while Jonathan Ericsson has been waived and used just eight times this season. Even Dennis Cholowski has failed to live up to expectations this year and has been sent to the AHL as well.

The team needs the defense to get healthy and more importantly, they need some of their young blueliners to take that next step and provide some defense to give the team a chance.

What should be on the Red Wings’ Holiday Wish List?

Goaltending.

The teams goaltending has hit some hard times. The star of the team is Jonathan Bernier, who is boasting a 3.34 GAA and a .890 save percentage in 20 appearances. And yes, that’s the best of the bunch. 35-year-old Jimmy Howard, who is currently out with a strained groin, is struggling even worse with a 3.94 GAA and a .887 save percentage in just eight appearances. The team did add Eric Comrie to the team in a trade with Arizona. However, so far there hasn’t been any indication that he’s the answer in two appearances, although it’s still early.

Unfortunately, the team may not find the answer during the holidays. They may be more likely to fix that problem by making a big splash in the free agent market this summer when some interesting names might be available, including Washington’s Braden Holtby, Jacob Markstrom, Robin Lehner amongst others.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jimmy Howard Placed On Injured Reserve

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The Detroit Red Wings have activated Mike Green from injured reserve and is available for this afternoon’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The same can’t be said about Jimmy Howard, who has been moved to injured reserve. Head coach Jeff Blashill would only say that Howard is out at least seven days from when he was injured against the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this week. Jonathan Bernier and Calvin Pickard will be the tandem this afternoon.

Green hasn’t played in ten days since leaving a game against the Ottawa Senators, and hasn’t been quite his effective self this season. In 19 games he has just four points, only two of which have come at even-strength. The 34-year old is still averaging more than 21 minutes, but that is more an indictment of the rest of the Red Wings’ defenders than it is a celebration of his play.

If he can get back to full health and show a glimpse of his former self however, there’s a good bet that Green’s name will start coming up in trade speculation as the season continues. The veteran right-handed defenseman is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year and though he currently holds a full no-trade clause, it will change into a 10-team no-trade list on February, 2020.

Minor Transactions: 11/24/19

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Saturday was a full day of exciting, close games, as 14 match-ups yielded a combined margin of victory of just 24 goals.  This included eight one-goal games, five of which needed extra time to decide, and another four two-goal games. Sunday will be much quieter, with just six teams in action, but could feature more close finishes, with evenly-matched divisional contests in Sabres-Panthers and Oilers-Coyotes. For the other 25 teams not competing, watch for today to be used for evaluation of the week that was and preparation for a new slate of upcoming games. Follow along with all of the roster transactions right here:

  • The New Jersey Devils recalled forward Brett Seney late yesterday afternoon from AHL Binghamton and added him to the lineup right away for their Saturday night tilt with the Detroit Red Wings. The Merrimack college product has been tearing up the minors with 11 goals and 18 points in 19 games, but received just 8:45 in ice time last night. Seney played in 51 games with New Jersey last season, but appears to still have work to do to re-claim a regular role again this year.
  • The Washington Capitals announced that Michael Sgarbossa has been returned to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, which could indicate that another forward is ready to return to the NHL lineup. Injuries to Nicklas Backstrom, Carl Hagelin, and Nic Dowd and the suspension of Garnet Hathaway forced the Caps to recall multiple forwards just to ice a full group up front, so Sgarbossa’s demotion could mean one of those three injured forwards is set to return. However, the team is also off until Wednesday, which could make the move a cap decision or simply a chance to give Sgarbossa real ice time with the Bears in their game today. Sgarbossa’s play in Hershey this year has been strong, but his role has been severely limited while with Washington.
  • Filip Zadina is back up with the Detroit Red Wings. The team announced that veteran defenseman Mike Green has been moved to the injured reserve and that the 2018 sixth overall pick has taken his place on the roster. Zadina, who only played in nine games with Detroit last year and has yet to see NHL action this season, will hope to make an impact on this recall, assuming he gets into the lineup. The Czech winger has strong AHL numbers, but Detroit has been hesitant to give him an extended look at the top level. Green’s IR placement is retroactive to November 19, so the clock is already ticking for Zadina to prove he is worthy of a longer stay in the NHL.
  • The Florida Panthers have recalled defenseman Riley Stillman ahead of their game later tonight with the Buffalo Sabres. Stillman, 21, has played in three games with the Panthers already this season and has not looked out of place. Florida is far from deep on the blue line, especially after last month’s trade of Ian McCoshen, and they hope that Stillman can work his way into a regular NHL role soon.
  • It looks like the Montreal Canadiens will continue to move forward Charles Hudon back and forth a while longer. According to the AHL transactions page, the Canadiens have assigned Hudon to the Laval Rocket of the AHL, but only as a paper transaction to save cap space. The team is expected to recall him before Tuesday’s game.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have assigned forwards A.J. Greer and Jayson Megna to the Colorado Eagles, the AHL team announced. Megna has seen eight games of action with the Avalanche but has failed to register a point. However, the 29-year-old has fared much better with the Eagles, scoring three goals and five points in nine AHL games. Greer still hasn’t made his season debut with the Avalanche. He returns to the Eagles where he has two goals and 44 penalty minutes in nine games. The team also announced they have recalled defenseman Calle Rosen from the Eagles as well. Rosen, who came over in the Tyson Barrie–Nazem Kadri trade this summer, has fared well in 15 games with the Eagles, posting a goal and eight points. The recall might suggest that defenseman Erik Johnson could be out of the lineup after getting injured Saturday.
  • The New York Rangers announced they have recalled forward Boo Nieves from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL, while returning forward Timothy Gettinger to the minors. Nieves, who appeared in 43 games with the Rangers last season, will be up for the first time this season with the Rangers. He has one goal and eight points in 20 games with Hartford this year. He appeared in two games recently for the Rangers, even picking up an assist on Friday, his first NHL point of his career.
  • The St. Louis Blues have announced a trio of roster moves.  They have recalled defenseman Derrick Pouliot and winger Nathan Walker from AHL San Antonio.  To make room on the roster, they have designed Troy Brouwer as a non-roster player until he receives his work visa.  Pouliot has been quite productive in the minors so far, leading all blueliners with 18 points in 20 games while Walker is averaging over a point per game with 22 in 20 contests.

Ottawa Senators Seeking A Defenseman

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Heading into this season, few would have expected the Ottawa Senators to be active buyers on the trade market. Few would have expected them to be a .500 team on November 23 as well, though. The Senators are playing well and their first substantial acquisition of the season, former New York Rangers forward Vladislav Namestnikov, has worked out nicely (although he’s currently injured). The team has been open about their desire to add more veteran pieces and, while previous reports indicated their preference was to acquire another forward, The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the team is now hoping to trade for a defenseman.

The Senators were not overly strong or deep on the blue line when the season began. Behind Thomas Chabot, it was mostly a unit composed of role players and unproven prospects. However, the situation has become even more dire due to injuries. Young Erik Brannstrom remains sidelined with a hand injury, depth defender Cody Goloubef left Friday night’s game with an undisclosed injury, Andreas Englund suffered an injury in the minors, and Christian Wolanin has yet to play this season as he returns from a shoulder injury. Nikita Zaitsev is also currently in his native Russia tending to personal matters. Garrioch writes that this left Ottawa no choice but to recall both Maxime Lajoie and Christian Jaros from the minors on Friday, leaving AHL Belleville with just two NHL prospects – first-year AHLers Lassi Thomson and Olle Alsing – and a defense corps otherwise composed of tryout players and ECHL call-ups. Clearly, Ottawa could use a blue line addition purely from a numbers perspective.

However, performance is also an issue on the blue line, particularly when it comes to scoring. Zaitsev, who is expected to return soon, has not contributed much offensively despite considerable ice time. Fellow former Maple Leaf Ron Hainsey and 2018-19 standout Dylan DeMelo have also been non-factors in the scoring department. This has left Chabot carrying the load and Mark Borowiecki contributing on offense, which has not typically been his strong suit. If the Senators are going to trade for a defenseman, they may as well target a player who can take on a regular role and assist the team offensively.

With that said, don’t expect Ottawa to target any of the big names on the rumor mill. While it would be comical for the Senators to add yet another former Toronto player, Tyson Barrie is likely not a target. Nor is New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen, Pittsburgh’s Justin Schultz, or Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin. The Senators will likely target upside at a low cost. Unsigned RFA Julius Honka of the Dallas Stars seems like an intriguing option, so long as they can swing a deal before the December 1st signing deadline. An impending UFA, like Namestnikov, would also make sense for the Senators, who could flip that player at the trade deadline if need be. Chicago’s Erik Gustafsson, L.A.’s Ben Hutton, and San Jose’s Radim Simek are all interesting options. Detroit’s Mike Green, who has name value but disappointing numbers so far this season, could also be a potential buy low/sell high candidate if he could turn his game around. There are plenty of options available for the Senators to make a move, but the question remains when and who.

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