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Noel Acciari

Bruins Recall Acciari And Kuraly On Emergency Basis

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The Boston Bruins don’t play again until tomorrow night, but that hasn’t stopped them from using an emergency recall on two AHL forwards this morning. The team announced that forwards Noel Acciari and Sean Kuraly have been called up from the Providence Bruins. The pair arrived in Boston earlier today in time for practice and are expected to join the team in Toronto for tomorrow’s game.

Though it is unclear why, both Patrice Bergeron and Drew Stafford did not participate in practice this morning, in addition to Tim Schaller, who remains out, so the team was forced to take steps to fill the gaps that those top nine forwards would leave if they cannot play against the Maple Leafs. The Bruins already have rookies Peter Cehlarik and Austin Czarnik on the roster, though inactive for the past few games, but these call-ups provide coach Bruce Cassidy with options should he have to replace Bergeron and Stafford for an important division matc-up with playoff implications on Monday night.

Acciari, 25, was a regular in the Bruins lineup earlier this season after breaking in to the NHL in 2015-16, but an injury kept him sidelined in Boston and led to a demotion to the P-Bruins for recovery purposes, only he was never recalled after healing. The former Providence College star and Johnston native may feel right at home in Rhode Island, but his strong two-way play and hockey sense suggest that he should be playing a checking line role in Boston next year. So far the points have been few and far between in the NHL, where he had one assist in 19 games last year and two assists in 19 games this year. However, his AHL scoring pace has increased this season and he continues to be one of the more dependable defensive forwards in the minors.

Kuraly has not had the same opportunity to show his skill set in Boston, as he has played in just five NHL games in this, his first pro season, and has yet to record a point in limited minutes. However, Kuraly may have some more upside and versatility than Acciari. The former Miami University captain and a fifth-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2011, Kuraly too is a defense-first two-way forward, but also contributes on the offensive side of the ice. Kurlay has 13 goals and 11 assists in 50 games with Providence in 2016-17 and has played a major role for the talented AHL team.

 

Matt Beleskey Out Six Weeks

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Boston left winger Matt Beleskey will miss the next six weeks with a right knee injury sustained on a hip check from Taylor Fedun on Saturday against the Sabres, the team announced.

Beleskey is off to a quiet start in his second season with the Bruins, collecting just two goals and three assists in 24 games despite averaging more than 15 minutes of ice time per game.  Last year, he posted a career high in points with 37 in 80 games.

The injury should open up a spot for Ryan Spooner on Boston’s third line left wing, at least in the short-term.  Spooner is believed to be on the trade block after a sluggish start to the season, one that has seen him collect nine points through 25 games.  Frank Vatrano, who is still believed to be a couple of weeks away from returning from a foot injury, also should garner some consideration for that spot in the lineup when he gets the green light to play.

[Related: Bruins Depth Chart]

The Bruins are close to getting a bit of good news on the injury front though as right winger Noel Acciari practiced with the team for the first time on Monday since suffering a lower body injury back in early November, notes CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty.  While he won’t directly slot into Beleskey’s spot, he’ll undoubtedly add some energy to Boston’s fourth line when he returns.

Boston Bruins Lose Noel Acciari For Four Weeks

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The Boston Bruins will be shorthanded for a while, as they announced today that forward Noel Acciari will miss four weeks with a lower-body injury. The rookie suffered the injury Monday night against the Buffalo Sabres.

Signed out of Providence College last summer, Acciari split time between the NHL and AHL Bruins lineups last season, scoring 20 total points in 64 games. The 24-year old centerman currently ranks third on the team in hits and provides an up-tempo game for the team’s bottom-six. Skating with Dominic Moore and Tim Schaller, he’s contributed two assists this season.

While losing Acciari doesn’t cripple the Bruins lineup, it does take out an effective checking forward who had been used often on the penalty kill. Jimmy Hayes made his way back into the lineup in his absence, and will try to show that he can still be an effective member of this team, after putting up 29 points last year. The 26-year old has started the season pointless in his first eleven contests.

Snapshots: Larsson, Sabres, Minor Moves

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It was one of the most controversial moves of the summer, but so far the Adam Larsson–Taylor Hall trade isn’t looking as bad as many in Edmonton expected, writes David Staples of the Edmonton Journal.

Staples notes Devils GM Ray Shero is one of the strongest proponents of the trade, and why wouldn’t he be? His Devils are in a playoff spot and Hall is tied for the Devils scoring lead. But he also believes the Oilers got what they needed, according to Kevin Allen of USA Today.

“The Oilers have taken a lot of grief over this, but has anybody sat down and watched Larsson? He’s actually pretty good.”

Shero pointed to Edmonton’s desperate need for a good, young defenseman to go with their young offensive forwards, while the Devils desperately needed an offensive catalyst like Hall.

“You have to make a team, and that is challenging in a salary cap world… They are off to a great start this season. That says something.”

Staples take on the trade is that he likes Larsson’s game, but doesn’t love it yet. He’s had the occasional struggle, but he’s also playing incredibly tough minutes with a skilled but inexperienced parter in Oscar Klefbom. Staples gives the trade a passing grade, with the note that Hall is clearly the better player but the Oilers got what they needed.

  • Meanwhile, only one defense core in the NHL has yet to score a goal this season. Despite having weapons like Rasmus Ristolainen and Cody Franson, none of the Buffalo Sabres defensemen have scored. They have contributed 14 assists, however eight of those belong to Ristolainen. Franson told Bill Hoppe that he couldn’t “care less if I scored one goal in a season,” saying he prefers to get assists. Coach Dan Bylsma isn’t concerned with the lack of production, but would like his defensemen to be more aggressive.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled LW Markus Hannikainen from the Cleveland Monsters. The undrafted Hannikainen has seven points in 11 games for the Monsters so far.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled LW Roman Lyubimov from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He was sent down to the AHL on Wednesday; Sam Carchidi reported it was simply a paper transaction made for salary cap reasons. Lyubimov has one goal in 11 NHL games so far this season. Carchidi also noted that it appears Chris Vande Velde will be a healthy scratch, despite scoring twice in the last four games.
  • Rookie center Noel Acciari did not take part in Boston Bruins practice on Thursday morning, according to Joe Haggerty. He hasn’t skated since suffering a lower-body injury on Monday night versus the Sabres.

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