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Latest On St. Louis Blues Defensemen

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After St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug left last night’s game midway through the first period with a lower-body injury, Blues head coach Craig Berube said today that he expected Krug to be out for “some time” (link). The loss of Krug is yet another in a growing list of St. Louis defensemen who are out with injury, joining Nick Leddy, Robert Bortuzzo, and rookie Scott Perunovich. Krug has been an important piece for a deep Blues team this season, playing a pivotal role on their powerplay while averaging 20:33 in time-on-ice in the regular season. No timetable, beyond Berube’s comments, has been given.

Looking at those other three names, returns for Leddy, Bortuzzo, and Perunovich could be fairly soon. According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who spoke with Berube, Perunovich is a possibility for Game Four against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday (link). Perunovich had been out since January 15th with a left wrist injury, which ultimately required surgery in March. The young defenseman’s regular season would end after just 19 NHL games, in which he tallied six assists.

A return for Leddy and Bortuzzo does not appear to be as imminent as that of Perunovich, however the pair did practice Saturday with St. Louis. Still, as Thomas reports, the team will have to wait and see on their status. Leddy, who played in Game One, missed games Two and Three against Minnesota with an upper-body injury. It’s unclear what exactly the nature of Leddy’s injury is, however he did take an awkward hit into the boards during Game One from the Wild’s Matt Boldy. Bortuzzo’s injury was more clear, having taken a puck to his face while attempting to block a shot during Game Two.

There was concern about Justin Faulk, as the defenseman did not practice with the team on Saturday. However, Thomas reports, Faulk’s absence was merely for rest, after playing heavy minutes in last night’s game. Faulk was not only one of the Blues’ best players this season, but one of the league’s best, recording 16 goals and 31 assists in 76 games along with a stellar plus-41 rating, all while averaging 23:12 time-on-ice.

Snapshots: Bordeleau, Megna, Leddy

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It has been a season to forget for the San Jose Sharks, but as their campaign winds down their fanbase may be treated to a night to remember. One of the team’s top prospects, Thomas Bordeleau, is set to make his NHL debut tonight in the team’s contest against the Minnesota Wild. According to coach Bob Boughner, Bordeleau will center a line with Rudolfs Balcers and Noah Gregor for his debut game.

Bordeleau, 20, has been one of San Jose’s most talented prospects since he was drafted 38th overall in 2020. As a freshman at the University of Michigan Bordeleau posted 30 points in 24 games, and this season he had 37 points in 37 games on a stacked Wolverines squad. Bordeleau’s professional career has gotten off to a decent start, with three points in two AHL games, and with the Sharks’ offensive issues in recent games Sharks fans have to hope that Bordeleau’s debut can add a spark to their team.

  • In another update for the Sharks, defenseman Jaycob Megna will be out for the game against the Wild (and perhaps even longer) after taking a puck to the head in the Sharks’ game against the Stars last night, The Athletic’s Corey Masisiak relays. Megna, 29, has been an NHL-AHL tweener for most of his nine-year professional career, although he has set a career-high in games played this season, getting into 37 ties for the Sharks.
  • The St. Louis Blues’ major trade deadline acquisition Nick Leddy had an injury scare on Saturday, leaving the game after being cut under the eye against the Wild. Today, Blues head coach Craig Berube issued an update on his situation, stating that he is “feeling better” but still is unable to play in tonight’s game. The Blues have serious intentions of going on a playoff run, so it will be important for Leddy to return to the lineup. As it stands with this update, it appears that Leddy’s injury will not be a major setback.

Central Notes: Leddy, Wild, Meyers

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There was good news and bad news today for the St. Louis Blues. The good news was the team clinched a playoff spot with a 6-5 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild. The bad news was defenseman Nick Leddy taking a high stick near his eye, causing him to leave the game. The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford spoke to Blues’ Head Coach Craig Berube, who said that the incident had blurred Leddy’s vision and he is not expected to play tomorrow against the Nashville Predators.

With the Blues clinching today, the need to have Leddy in the lineup is not so pressing, however the team paid a hefty price to acquire the defenseman, who is rich with playoff experience, to use down the stretch and in the playoffs. Berube did not appear to be overly concerned about this injury, however any time an injury involving a player’s vision comes into question, it can be scary, not only for their playing career, but their life away from the rink too.

  • The Athletic’s Michael Russo provided several updates on the Minnesota Wild, per Head Coach Dean Evason. Most notably, Tyson Jost, who took a big hit from Pavel Buchnevich earlier today, will not play tomorrow against the San Jose Sharks for precautionary reasons. Evason also notes that defenseman Jon Merrill is still out of the lineup going forward, having not played since March 31st with an upper-body injury. In more positive news for the Wild, Evason says that forward Jordan Greenway has started skating and star defenseman Mathew Dumba is getting closer to return as well.
  • The Colorado Avalanche announced that forward Ben Meyers will make his NHL debut tonight as the Avalanche take on the Carolina Hurricanes at home. Colorado signed the undrafted college free agent earlier this week after his season at the University of Minnesota had come to an end at the hands of Minnesota State. A finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, Meyers figures to provide solid scoring depth for a deep, talented Avalanche team as they head into the playoffs. Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar said he plans to have Meyers center Andrew Cogliano and Logan O’Connor in tonight’s game.

St. Louis Blues To Acquire Nick Leddy

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The St. Louis Blues have made their defensive addition, acquiring Nick Leddy from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Oskar Sundqvist and Jake Walman and a second-round pick in 2023. The Blues will also receive Luke Witkowski in the deal, giving them some more depth (at multiple positions, even). Lou Korac of NHL.com reports that the Red Wings will be retaining 50 percent of Leddy’s remaining contract.

Leddy, who turned 31 yesterday, is still one of the strongest skating defensemen in the league and can fit into a Blues team that has their eyes set on another Stanley Cup. After a career spent entirely in Chicago and New York, Leddy came to Detroit in an offseason trade that cost just Richard Panik–a contract the team didn’t want anyway–and a second-round pick.

After a few months with the Red Wings, he’ll bring back even more than that, as both Sundqvist and Walman project as potential NHL options for Detroit. There’s even potential for him to return to them anyway as a free agent, as Leddy is currently scheduled to hit the open market this summer. Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic tweets that there have not yet been any extension discussions between the Blues and Leddy, meaning this could just be a pure rental for the last part of the season.

Getting back players that can contribute right away is key for a Red Wings team that hopes to contend for a playoff spot next season. In Sundqvist, they’re getting a 27-year-old forward that carries a cap hit of $2.75MM through the 2022-23 season. While he still hasn’t turned into much of an offensive player, the 6’3″ forward is a physical force that can fit into a few different spots in the bottom of the lineup. In Detroit, the team can perhaps even squeeze more offense out of him, as the Blues did when he scored 14 goals and 31 points in 2018-19.

Walman too could get a much bigger chance in Detroit, who have now moved out a pair of defensemen following Troy Stecher’s deal yesterday. The 26-year-old has played just 57 games in his NHL career to this point and will be a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer if he fails to play in enough games down the stretch. He’ll likely enter the lineup on a regular basis to avoid that, at which point he’ll be an arbitration-eligible RFA in the offseason.

This has turned into a clear strategy for Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman, acquiring underutilized players for expiring assets. In fact, he might even end up flipping Sundqvist or Walman at some point as the team continues to build for the future.

But even though those players are tough to lose, the Blues are getting their big addition on defense ahead of a Stanley Cup push. Leddy can slot into the lineup and help take some of the pressure off of players like Marco Scandella who has struggled to maintain his previous level. The fact that he has over 120 games of playoff experience and won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 only adds to his appeal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Detroit Red Wings Sit Nick Leddy For Asset Protection

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The Detroit Red Wings will scratch defenseman Nick Leddy for the purpose of asset and injury protection tonight in Vancouver and potentially again on Saturday in Seattle, per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli. Leddy joins other defensemen like Ben Chiarot and Mark Giordano who have been scratched precautiously by their teams in anticipation of a trade prior to Monday’s trade deadline.

In Detroit this season, Leddy has been a valuable mentor to their duo of young right-shot defensemen on the rise in Moritz Seider and Filip Hronek. After general manager Steve Yzerman acquired him this offseason from the New York Islanders, he’s netted a goal and 15 assists for 16 points in 55 games, averaging 21:33 per game.

With that stat-line and the reputation that precedes him, Detroit should likely be able to at least recoup the second-round pick they gave up to acquire him, especially if they retain half of his $5.5MM cap hit. Still a skilled passer at this point in his career, he can be used more effectively in a sheltered, third-pairing role, potentially with limited power-play time as well. Leddy’s defensive metrics took a nosedive in Detroit this season, although that could very well just be a byproduct of the entire team’s struggles in that regard.

Recent waiver claim Olli Juolevi, now on his third NHL organization after the Vancouver Canucks drafted him fifth overall in 2016, will continue to get what could be his last real chance to impress in an NHL top-four setting in Detroit.

Injury Notes: Hamilton, Red Wings, Hayton

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New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton isn’t returning to the ice for the team’s Super Bowl Sunday matchup against Pittsburgh, but Devils team reporter Amanda Stein says he’s getting closer to returning to the lineup from a jaw injury that’s kept him out of the lineup since the beginning of January. Hamilton has been practicing with the team but is still getting comfortable with the helmet protection required for him to safely play as his jaw continues to recover. New Jersey has won just four out of 15 games with Hamilton out of the lineup. They undoubtedly miss his production and play-driving ability from the back end.

Some more injury notes from around the NHL:

  • Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill says forward Vladislav Namestnikov is questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Minnesota Wild, meaning that brothers Givani Smith and Gemel Smith could both draw in and play their first game together in the NHL. Defenseman Nick Leddy is also probable to return after sitting out with an upper-body injury for the past two weeks. Namestnikov has provided good value this season on his $2MM cap hit, proving to be an important depth piece for Detroit with 13 goals, 10 assists, and 23 points in 49 games. Detroit has played Gemel Smith in just one game since claiming him off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning almost a month ago.
  • Per PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan, Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong says that young center Barrett Hayton could return to the team’s lineup this coming week, potentially as soon as February 19th against the Los Angeles Kings. Hayton, selected fifth overall in 2018, had six points in 26 games this season prior to suffering a hand injury in early January. He’d been getting chances in a top-six role prior to the injury, something that’s likely to continue with his return.

Red Wings Add Two, Remove Two From COVID Protocol

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The Red Wings have lost a pair of players to COVID protocol but have also welcomed two back as the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Lucas Raymond and defenseman Nick Leddy have been placed into protocol while winger Robby Fabbri and center Michael Rasmussen have both been activated and placed on the active roster.

Raymond is off to a very impressive start to his rookie season and is an early contender for the Calder Trophy after recording 10 goals and 18 assists in 31 games placing him second in scoring on Detroit behind only Dylan Larkin.  As for Leddy, he has helped to stabilize their back end, logging nearly 22 minutes per game which places him third on the team in that category.

Fabbri returns after last suiting up on December 14th which also happened to be the day that he signed a new three-year extension.  He has 14 points in 29 games this season including eight goals which puts him in the top five in that category on the Red Wings.  Meanwhile, Rasmussen has held down a regular spot in Detroit’s lineup this season, picking up 10 points in 29 games while averaging 15:28 per game, the highest ATOI of his career.

The Red Wings are scheduled to return to game action on Wednesday against the Islanders with the standard caveat that the schedule is subject to change if further COVID-related postponements are deemed necessary.

New York Islanders Re-Sign Andy Greene

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The NHL’s pre-Expansion Draft roster freeze had ended and it appeared as if the New York Islanders had gotten themselves into quite the pickle. After trading Nick Leddy earlier this week, the Isles were left with just two defensemen who fit the exposure requirements for expansion – 27+ games played this year or 54+ games played over the past two years, plus term remaining on their current contract – and one of those two had to be exposed. However, those two defensemen were Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield, who alongside RFA Adam Pelech were expected to be protected from expansion. After all, that was the main catalyst of the Leddy trade.

Well, long after the deadline had passed it has now been confirmed that the Islanders did find a solution to their problem, with the timing suggesting this was perhaps a fallback plan in the event they could not add an exposure-eligible defenseman. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple was the first to report that New York has extended veteran defenseman Andy Greene with a one-year, $1MM contract. The deal carries a minimum $750K salary and a $250K signing bonus. Most importantly, Greene is now under contract and has more than enough games to his credit this past season to serve as the Islanders’ expansion exposure prop.

Greene, who will turn 39 early this season, is still a good player and a great locker room presence. However, re-signing the veteran may not have been GM Lou Lamoriello’s plan, even with a relatively inexpensive deal. Greene saw a 12-year low in ice time last season as his offense dried up, his puck movement suffered, and he was less disruptive on defense. Greene is still a smart, capable defenseman, especially in a third pair role, but at his age and ability his ceiling is low. Meanwhile, the Islanders have young defensemen like Noah Dobson, Sebastian Aho, Bode Wilde, Grant Hutton, Samuel Bolduc, Robin Salo, and more who are pushing for NHL opportunity and ice time. The Isles will have to toe the line between not blocking those young players and not upsetting the locker room by benching or demoting Greene, a veteran leader.

Red Wings Acquire Nick Leddy

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The Red Wings have added to their back end in advance of tomorrow’s transactions freeze, acquiring defenseman Nick Leddy from the Islanders in exchange for winger Richard Panik and the 52nd overall pick in this month’s draft.  Detroit is also retaining 50% of Panik’s contract, using their first of three salary retention slots in the process.  Both teams have announced the trade.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Leddy was being shopped to avoid the potential of losing him to Seattle in the upcoming expansion draft.  The 30-year-old had logged steady minutes over his seven years with the Islanders, averaging more than 21 minutes per game for each of the last six seasons.  Leddy even had a bounce-back year offensively this past season, tallying 31 points in 56 games.  However, with the Islanders having over $77MM in commitments for next season with several key players in need of new contracts, some money needed to be moved and Leddy’s $5.5MM price tag became the casualty.

Panik was acquired as salary ballast from Washington back at the trade deadline as part of the Anthony Mantha deal and is on the move again as salary ballast in this trade.  He has two years left on his deal with a $2.75MM AAV so with Detroit retaining half of that price tag, New York frees up $4.125MM in cap room with the move.  They also get a fairly high draft pick and Panik at a $1.375MM cost is serviceable for someone who is best served as a role player at this stage of his career after seeing his offensive numbers drop for four straight seasons to just 13 in 48 games in 2020-21.

Meanwhile, Leddy immediately becomes one of Detroit’s top defensemen but with his age and contract which expires next summer, it certainly doesn’t feel as if he’ll be a long-term fixture on their back end, especially since they’re still in rebuilding mode.  Instead, he’s someone that appears to be a strong candidate to be flipped closer to the trade deadline, perhaps with some salary retention as well to make it easier for a contender to add him later in the season where they may be able to recoup the second-rounder they’ve given up here.

As for New York’s expansion situation, this ensures they won’t lose Leddy for free but still poses some questions.  Each team must leave at least one signed defenseman unprotected that has played in at least 54 games over the past two years (or played in 27 games this season).  The Islanders only have three of those in Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, and Scott Mayfield.  Presumably, those are the three they want to keep so they will now need to acquire or sign a defenseman to serve as the mandatory unprotected player before the lists are submitted on Saturday.  Veterans Braydon Coburn and Andy Greene meet the games played requirement so a one-year contract for them would satisfy the requirement.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Islanders Shopping Nick Leddy

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With the expansion draft fast approaching, some teams are trying to find trade takers for some veteran players over running the risk of losing them for nothing to the Kraken.  One of those teams appears to be the Islanders as Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that they are shopping blueliner Nick Leddy for that very purpose; as things stand, it’s unlikely he’ll be protected when the lists are submitted on Saturday.

The 30-year-old isn’t the top pairing player he was when he first came to New York but he has logged steady minutes, averaging more than 21 minutes per game for each of the last six seasons.  He even had a bounce-back year offensively in 2020-21, notching 31 points in 56 games, his highest point per game average since 2016-17.  Of course, his play in his own end hasn’t always been the strongest but as a strong puck-mover, it would seem as if there should be some interest in him.

However, his contract could create some challenges.  Leddy, the highest-paid healthy blueliner on the Isles, is entering the final year of his deal but carries a $5.5MM AAV and a $7MM salary for next season.  That’s a high price tag to absorb in an offseason when many teams are looking to shed contracts even though the defense market in unrestricted free agency isn’t the strongest.  Accordingly, knowing there’s a firm deadline just three days away and a high price tag, New York may not be able to command much of a return.

However, any sort of return that doesn’t have a sizable contract attached to it would still be helpful for the Islanders.  They have over $77MM in cap commitments for next season (which does include LTIR-bound Johnny Boychuk and his $6MM deal) with defender Adam Pelech and winger Anthony Beauvillier as notable restricted free agents with winger Kyle Palmieri and Casey Cizikas as notable pending unrestricted free agents.  As things stand, they can’t afford them all.

That wouldn’t change with Leddy off the books but it would sure give GM Lou Lamoriello some extra flexibility at his disposal even if it means an extra spot to be filled on the back end.  Depending on who they’d then lose to Seattle, the Islanders might be able to keep more of those free agents around.  That process appears to involve Leddy’s contract being moved and if they want to have a shot at getting something for him, they have less than 72 hours to do so before the trade freeze kicks in.

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