COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/23/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is today’s list:
Calgary – Josh Leivo*
Colorado – Joonas Donskoi, Mikko Rantanen
New Jersey – P.K. Subban
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: Philipp Grubauer, Colorado Avalanche
The Flames canceled morning skate today after Leivo’s positive test but will play as scheduled this evening against the Canadiens.
For Colorado, getting Grubauer back is incredibly important as they try to get back on track and chase down the Golden Knights. The goaltender has been outstanding for the Avalanche this season, posting a .920 save percentage through 34 appearances.
*denotes new addition
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/22/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is today’s list:
Colorado – Philipp Grubauer, Joonas Donskoi, Mikko Rantanen
New Jersey – P.K. Subban
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: None
Great news for the NHL as the number of players in the COVID protocol remains at four. Colorado will resume their season tonight against the Blues and though they’ll be without three key players, it is good news just to be hitting the ice again.
*denotes new addition
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/21/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is today’s list:
Colorado – Philipp Grubauer, Joonas Donskoi, Mikko Rantanen
New Jersey – P.K. Subban
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: Dmitry Kulikov, Edmonton Oilers; Erik Gustafsson, Montreal Canadiens; Nick Foligno, Toronto Maple Leafs; Ben Hutton, Toronto Maple Leafs
Today’s report is about as good as the NHL could have hoped for. Just four names remain and the Avalanche did not have any further positive test results. Colorado is getting ready to return from their short shutdown, though they’ll still have to operate without three important players.
For the Maple Leafs, their trade deadline acquisitions have cleared, meaning they can use Foligno to help fill the role left by the injured Zach Hyman and Hutton to fill that left by Zach Bogosian. The team is coming off two embarrassing losses to the Canucks and will take all the help they can get.
*denotes new addition
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/20/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is today’s list:
Colorado – Philipp Grubauer, Joonas Donskoi, Mikko Rantanen*
Edmonton – Dmitry Kulikov
Montreal – Erik Gustafsson
New Jersey – P.K. Subban*
Toronto – Nick Foligno, Ben Hutton
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: Jon Merrill, Montreal Canadiens; Jackson Cates, Philadelphia Flyers; Riley Nash, Toronto Maple Leafs
The Avalanche had Bowen Byram come off the list yesterday and appeared on their way to clearing the board, but Rantanen’s appearance will complicate matters. The hope was that Colorado could get back to practice tomorrow after their recent postponements, but it is not clear if that plan will now be pushed. Again, it’s important to recognize that Rantanen’s appearance here does not necessarily mean he has tested positive.
*denotes new addition
West Notes: Saad, Schmidt, Turris
The Colorado Avalanche bolstered their offense during the offseason by trading for veteran winger Brandon Saad. The 28-year-old has done nothing but score goals over the last seven years, having scored 169 goals over his career and he should be a perfect fit with the Avalanche. Of course, Saad has just one year remaining on his contract, but has expressed interest in signing a long-term extension in Colorado.
However, what are the chances that the Avalanche bring him back?
NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz writes that there are quite a few factors that determine whether Saad comes back. However, while his numbers are solid, they don’t stand out either. However, Saad brings other aspects to his game, which Colorado might appreciate. He is a possession driver and really excels when around better players, which the Avalanche has a lot of.
However, while the Avalanche have done quite well with managing their cap space over the years, those days will soon be past. The team has already inked Mikko Rantanen to a six-year, $55.5MM deal (with five years still on it). Colorado also will have forward Gabriel Landeskog hitting free agency next season, while defenseman Cale Makar will be a restricted free agent. Those two deals are likely going to cost Colorado quite a bit.
Of course, how he performs in his one year in Colorado will have a huge impact, but unless he takes less to stay in Colorado, the team will likely have too many other contracts to deal with in the next season to bring Saad back.
- Much credit has been given to Vancouver for being able to acquire defenseman Nate Schmidt from the cap-strapped Vegas Golden Knights for just a third-round pick. The team had just lost Chris Tanev, so bringing in Schmidt is a solid if not significant upgrade to the defense. However, The Athletic’s Harman Dayal (subscription required) writes that the real question is will it be an upgrade defensively. Schmidt is mostly known for his puck-moving skills and his ability to move the puck up the ice quickly, not necessarily for his defensive prowess, while Tanev was basically the opposite — a ruthless defensive player. Dayal looks at Schmidt’s underrated defensive game, although he also notes that Schmidt’s defensive numbers took a significant decline this past season. Was it just a down season or is his game slipping in his late 20s. While it looks like Schmidt is a solid top-four acquisition, the scribe wonders if the team needs to acquire a defensive-first blueliner to fill in the unit’s current deficiencies.
- The Edmonton Oilers have emphasized the need for a solid third-line center for a number of years and feel good about the recent acquisition of Kyle Turris, who should fill that role. Of course, Turris, who has struggled for the past two years with the Nashville Predators and was bought out, could still struggle. If Turris can’t handle the Oilers’ No. 3 center position, the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes the team would then only have one option for that spot, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a player they really want in their top-six. The lack of depth centers could end up being a significant issue if Turris fails.
Snapshots: Hurricanes’ Roster Decisions, Avalanche’s Rantanen
The Carolina Hurricanes are going to be deeper and healthier than they’ve been all season for the Stanley Cup Qualifier matchup with the New York Rangers, assuming the NHL reboot kicks off on time. In particular, the Canes should be well-positioned to defend the goal. Coach Rod Brind’Amour, however, isn’t sure which particular bodies he’ll position in front of the net, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com. Petr Mrazek will most likely be in goal, but Brind’Amour needs eyes-on before he can set the lineups. Per Rosen, Brind’Amour said of starting Mrazek, “He may be in rough shape. I don’t know until I get to see them and see what they’re like.”
- The Hurricanes will also get the benefit of a beefed-up defensive unit. Dougie Hamilton was expected to be out for the year, prompting the acquisitions of Brady Skjei and Sami Vatanen. Thanks to the extended layoff, Hamilton will have the chance to play alongside his replacements. Rosen notes that Brett Pesce, who was also out for the season, is also expected to be ready for camp. Carolina has upwards of nine viable blueliners to deploy across three lines, per Rosen. Vatanen has yet to appear with the Hurricanes, and given their depth, it may be late to break him into the rotation. That said, the entire process will be an exercise in on-ice chemistry in fast-forward, so roster decisions could very well come down to who looks game-ready when the time comes. As our own Brian La Rose wrote recently, “When you add them to a back end that also features veterans Jaccob Slavin, Joel Edmundson, Trevor van Riemsdyk, and Jake Gardiner, you get a very deep back end. “
- Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche took to the ice today with teammates for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury on February 17th against the Tampa Bay Lightning, per NHL.com. Rantanen, 23, was well on his way to another 30-goal season when he was placed on IR. The Finish winger ended the year with 19 goals and 22 assists across 42 games. The Avalanche will return to the ice via a round-robin tournament to determine playoff seeding with other Western Conference stalwarts the St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, and Dallas Stars.
Central Notes: Wild, Rantanen, Letestu
After dealing away Jason Zucker to Pittsburgh and firing Bruce Boudreau as head coach, the Wild have turned things around and have gone 6-2 under new bench boss Dean Evason. As a result, they’ve pulled themselves right back into the playoff picture. However, don’t expect GM Bill Guerin to be content with that. In an appearance on Sportsnet 590 (audio link), he indicated that there is “absolutely there’s going to have to be some change somewhere within the organization”. How much of that there is will likely be affected by how they finish this year but for starters, it’s quite possible that the Zach Parise trade talks get revisited this summer while they have more than $10MM in money coming off the books with Alex Galchenyuk and Mikko Koivu slated to be unrestricted free agents. Former GM Paul Fenton made a few changes last year while Guerin has started to put his own stamp on the team but the changes don’t appear to be done just yet.
More from the Central:
- Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen skated before practice for the first time since sustaining a shoulder injury last month, notes Mike Chambers of the Denver Post. However, he’s still likely a little while away from returning considering that he still has to get cleared for contact. Still, it’s at least a little bit of good news on the injury front for Colorado which is something they haven’t had much of lately; on top of also being without goalie Phillip Grubauer, wingers Andre Burakovsky, Matt Calvert, and Colin Wilson plus center Nazem Kadri, blueliner Cale Makar will also miss his second straight game tonight against Anaheim due to an upper-body issue.
- Back in October, Jets center Mark Letestu was slated to miss six months after being diagnosed with myocarditis which effectively ended his season. Or so it seemed. Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun reports that the veteran has resumed skating and head coach Paul Maurice indicated that it’s a possibility that Letestu returns this season. Having been out for so long though, the 35-year-old will need a while to get back up to speed in terms of his conditioning but the fact that he has received the green light from team doctors is certainly good news.
Minor Transactions: 02/18/20
The NHL’s trade market is heating up with deals for Tyler Toffoli, Andy Greene and Blake Coleman in recent days, but there is also important action on the ice every night. This evening has seven games on the schedule including ones with huge playoff implications in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. As those teams and the rest of the league prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- Aaron Ness has been recalled by the Arizona Coyotes as they head out on the road for a two-game trip to Dallas and St. Louis. The Coyotes have won their last two games because of stellar performances from Antti Raanta and are now right back in the mix for the Pacific Division.
- As the Colorado Avalanche deal with severe injuries in their forward group, they have recalled prospect Martin Kaut from the minor leagues. Kaut, a first-round pick from 2018, will see his first time in the NHL thanks to a Mikko Rantanen injury last night. The young forward has 16 points in 31 games this season for the Colorado Eagles. Rantanen will be out “weeks” according to head coach Jared Bednar.
- After their game last night the Vegas Golden Knights sent Cody Glass back to the minor leagues. The 20-year old forward played just over 13 minutes in a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals, the Golden Knights’ third consecutive win over opponents that currently hold playoff spots. Glass hasn’t quite found his way in the NHL to this point, recording just 12 points in 39 games so far, but will likely be back up when the team plays again later this week.
- Aleksi Saarela has been recalled by the Florida Panthers, ahead of their game tomorrow against the Anaheim Ducks. The team is currently on a western road trip that will also see them play in Los Angeles, Vegas and Arizona over the next week and need some extra bodies. Saarela, 23, has played just three games for the Panthers this season and is still looking for his first NHL point.
Colorado’s Nazem Kadri Out “Weeks”
The surging Colorado Avalanche have suffered a setback in their pursuit to overtake the St. Louis Blues for the lead in the Central Division and Western Conference. Head coach Jared Bednar revealed to the media on Tuesday that center Nazem Kadri has suffered a lower-body injury and is set to miss “weeks, not days.” Kadri was injured in the second period on Sunday against the Minnesota Wild and return for just one shift in the third period before exiting the game.
Kadri, 29, has played an integral role for the Avalanche this season after coming over from the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer. In a campaign that has featured lengthy absences from the likes of Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog, Kadri has been a steady secondary scorer for Colorado, recording 19 goals – second only to Nathan MacKinnon – and 36 points. Had Kadri stayed healthy, he would have been on pace for the second-best season of his career. He has also been far and away the team’s best face-off man and among the leading forwards in power play time and hits.
Kadri’s absence, especially as the Avs are in the midst of a 7-1-2 run a rolling on all cylinders, is a stroke of bad luck for player and team. The good news is that the injury occurred prior to the trade deadline, with enough time to react and refocus their trade pursuits. Colorado was already considered a top buyer at the deadline, given their position in the standings and considerable cap space, but now they have even more incentive to add depth up front. It’s fair to consider the Avalanche players for nearly every top name on the market. In the meantime, the team will have to lean more heavily on their other secondary scorers, particularly centers J.T. Compher and Tyson Jost, and hope that slumping star Landeskog can rediscover his game. Colorado will need help in some way, shape, or form as they await a return from Kadri, likely not until next month.
Injury Notes: Juolevi, Spurgeon, Avalanche
The Vancouver Canucks issued an update on top prospect Olli Juolevi, explaining that his recent removal from the Utica Comets roster was precautionary but that he is now fit to return to action.
Juolevi hasn’t played an AHL game since November 17th, but will seemingly return soon for the Comets and continue his development. The 21-year old defenseman is such an important prospect for the Canucks after they used the fifth-overall pick on him in 2016, but he has yet to find any modicum of health during his relatively short professional career. In 14 games this season he has five points and still seems a long way from becoming a full-time NHL option.
- Jared Spurgeon will be out for two weeks after suffering an upper-body injury last night. The newly-extended defenseman is one of the Minnesota Wild’s most important players and averages close to 23 minutes a game. The team will also lose Mikko Koivu on a day-to-day basis with a lower-body injury.
- After returning to the Colorado Avalanche lineup and contributing four points in fewer than 11 minutes of ice time, Mikko Rantanen sat out the entire third period of Saturday’s contest against the Chicago Blackhawks and then missed a practice on Monday. He’s good to go for tonight’s game in Toronto however and will suit up against the Maple Leafs. Matt Calvert, who hasn’t played since taking a puck to the head against the Vancouver Canucks, will also return to the Colorado lineup tonight.