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Noel Acciari

Evening Notes: Acciari, Hamonic, Simpson

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Winger Noel Acciari has joined the list of Pittsburgh Penguins forwards on the trade market, as Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now shares that he and Lars Eller are among the likeliest to be moved. Kingeski adds that Eller could be the preferred option for the Penguins, though moving either player will only serve to open room for recent acquisitions Cody Glass, Blake Lizotte, and Anthony Beauvillier.

Acciari is the younger of the two by three years but could still prove the cheaper acquisition. He’s played for four teams over the last four seasons, scoring just 38 points in 152 games across that span. His per-game scoring decreased in each season, ending with a measly seven points in 55 games with the Penguins this year. Acciari’s aggression and physicality have kept him in the lineup –  though he was still subject to healthy scratches last year. Acciari is signed at a $2MM cap hit through the 2025-26 season – $450K cheaper than Eller, who expires next summer – a reasonable price for teams needing to bolster their bottom lines.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Defenseman Travis Hamonic has fully recovered from the knee injury that cut his 2023-24 campaign in half shares Steve Warne of The Hockey News. Hamonic recorded just six points in 48 games last season, though he also continued a track record of lacking poise with 40 penalty minutes. Hamonic is in the final year of a two-year, $2.2MM deal signed with the Senators last summer – though Warne mentions that he’ll have to fight for a lineup spot as players like Max Guenette and Jacob Bernard-Docker find their footing in the NHL.
  •  Longtime Montreal Canadiens scout and former pro Reid Simpson has stepped down from his role to pursue another opportunity in the NHL, confirms Le Journal de Montréal. The details of Simpson’s new role, including where he’s headed, haven’t yet been revealed, though it will mark his first move as an NHL staffer, after spending the last eight seasons in Montreal. Simpson’s playing career guided him through stints with nine NHL teams – including Philadelphia, Montreal, Nashville, and Pittsburgh. He carried those talents to Vityaz Chekhov of Russia’s top league in 2005, recording a daunting 531 penalty minutes across 77 games and two seasons with the team. Simpson is poised for new opportunity as an NHL staffer, now well past his career as a bruiser and his inaugural stint with the Canadiens.

Penguins Recall Sam Poulin, Noel Acciari To IR

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled former first-round pick Sam Poulin from their AHL affiliate and placed center Noel Acciari on the injured reserve.

The 23-year-old Poulin was taken 21st overall by the Penguins in the 2019 NHL entry draft and has spent the bulk of his professional career playing in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. His callup is no surprise given that he has found traction this season posting 13 goals and 14 assists in 36 games. Several Penguins pundits speculated that Poulin would get an extended look after the NHL trade deadline as the Penguins are looking toward next season and which of their younger players can make an impact soon. Poulin has yet to dress for an NHL game this season but did have an assist in three games last year during a short NHL audition.

Acciari on the other hand is back on injured reserve for the third time this season as injuries have limited him to just 55 games in which he has produced just four goals and three assists. The 32-year-old was signed last summer to a three-year $6MM contract as a free agent but hasn’t had the kind of season he or the Penguins were hoping for. Not much is known about Acciari’s injury other than that it is a lower-body injury that will keep him out of the lineup until at least the last game of the regular season as he is designated as LTIR according to Seth Roarbaugh of Tribune-Review Sports.

The Penguins welcome Jake Guentzel back to Pittsburgh tonight for the first time since trading him to the Hurricanes just before the NHL trade deadline.

Metropolitan Notes: Seeler, Koppanen, Acciari

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One of the most popular names on the rumor mill may be out until the trade deadline. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic is reporting that defenseman Nick Seeler of the Philadelphia Flyers will be out for a short period with an injury and that the injury is not serious.

In now his third season with the Flyers organization, Seeler has taken upon more responsibility this year, averaging nearly 17 minutes a night for the first time in his career. A valuable shutdown defenseman, Seeler sits first on the team in blocked shots with 184, and first on the team amongst defensemen in hits with 112 on the year up to this point.

As a pending unrestricted free agent, Philadelphia is at least gauging the trade interest across the league for Seeler’s services, but are notably asking for a first-round pick in return. If the Flyers asking price is not met, they will carry Seeler and pending UFA Sean Walker into the postseason as they currently sit comfortably in third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Other Metropolitan notes:

  • Pittsburgh Penguins forward Noel Acciari is being evaluated for an upper-body injury and will not play tonight according to a team announcement. Acciari’s absence will open up a spot in the bottom six of Pittsburgh’s forward core, allowing the team to make a call-up. In 45 games for the Penguins this season, Acciari has averaged a total of 13 minutes of ice time per night, scoring two goals and five points overall.
  • To fill the void left by Acciari, the Penguins have called up forward Joona Koppanen from their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (X Link). Koppanen has already played in three games for Pittsburgh this year, registering zero points overall. At the AHL level, Koppanen has seen plenty of action, suiting up in 49 games for WBS, scoring five points and 16 points up to this point.

Injury Notes: Johnson, Keller, Acciari, O’Connor

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Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury suffered in the team’s Wednesday night game against the New York Rangers. Johnson didn’t miss any time in the game, playing until the final minute and assisting on Columbus’ only goal. Johnson is in the midst of an extended scoring drought, with his last goal coming on January 2nd. He’s managed three assists in the 19 games since.

Johnson has gone through a sophomore slump of sorts this season, recording just 16 points in 42 games after scoring 40 in 79 games last season. His struggles have resulted in a healthy scratch and even the first AHL assignment of his career. Johnson spent most of November in the minors, scoring 15 points in 10 games with the Cleveland Monsters. He’s totaled 13 points in 34 NHL games since getting called back up to the Blue Jackets roster on December 1st. He now joins top rookie Adam Fantilli and star winger Patrik Laine on the team’s inactive list, with Fantilli battling a lower-body injury and Laine currently in the NHLPA’s Players Assistance Program.

Other injury notes around the league:

  • Arizona Coyotes top forward Clayton Keller is set to miss the team’s next two games, per team reporter Patrick Brown. Keller is battling an upper-body injury suffered in the team’s Sunday loss to the Winnipeg Jets. He’s already missed one game with the injury, and is now set to miss two more, though head coach Andre Tourigny designated Keller as day-to-day.  Keller has an emphatic lead on Arizona’s scoring title, with 22 goals and 52 points in 57 games. He’s the only Coyote to break 40 points this season.
  • Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Noel Acciari and Drew O’Connor are both expected to play on Thursday, after getting banged up in the team’s Tuesday night win over Vancouver, per team reporter Matt Vensel. Acciari injured his forearm while blocking a shot and O’Connor got hurt after taking a hit from Filip Hronek.

Penguins Activate Noel Acciari Off IR

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have activated forward Noel Acciari off the injured reserve, and he is in their lineup tonight as they take on the Montreal Canadiens. The 32-year-old has missed the past six games after suffering a concussion back on February 6th in a game against the Winnipeg Jets. Acciari was hit up high in the neutral zone by Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon in a scary incident that led to a match penalty and game misconduct for Dillon.

Like many Penguins forwards, Acciari has struggled to produce much in the way of offense this season. He has spent most of the season as the team’s fourth-line center and is back there tonight sandwiched between Jansen Harkins and Jeff Carter. Acciari has dressed in 39 games this season and has three goals and one assist. Last season the Johnston, Rhode Island native posted 14 goals and nine assists in 77 games.

While his offensive production has been the lowest of his career, Acciari has been good defensively and, on the penalty kill. He has had nearly 90% of his zone starts in the defensive zone and has been one of the few Penguins who has been consistently physical. Acciari has also been solid in the faceoff circle which has been a key contributor to Mike Sullivan using him for so many defensive zone faceoffs.

Metropolitan Notes: Panarin, Vesey, Acciari, Fasching

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Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and Jimmy Vesey missed Wednesday’s practice and are out on a day-to-day basis with lower-body injuries, per the team’s public relations department. Both players were banged up in yesterday’s win over the Stars but did not miss significant chunks of the game.

Panarin has been on a tear this past week, notching a goal and six assists in his last three games. The 32-year-old is on pace to break the 40-goal barrier for the first time and is tied for fifth in points league-wide with 75 in 56 games.

Vesey is one of the Rangers’ most valuable depth talents, posting 12 goals and 18 points in 54 games despite extreme even-strength shutdown usage. Now 30 years old, Vesey is in his second go-around with the Rangers after spending the first three seasons of his NHL career there from 2016 to 2019.

Averaging 12:26 per game, Vesey has been elevated into the top six alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad after Blake Wheeler sustained a season-ending leg injury last week. Alex Belzile is on the roster as a 13th forward and will make his season debut against the Devils tomorrow if one of Panarin or Vesey can’t play, and the Rangers have roster and cap space for an additional recall if both miss time.

More updates from the Metro:

  • Penguins forward Noel Acciari is on a fast-track recovery from his concussion, skating in a regular jersey at Wednesday’s practice after being cleared for non-contact practice yesterday (via Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports). He’s missed six games after sustaining the concussion on a hit from Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon, which earned him a three-game suspension. It’s been a trying first season in Pittsburgh for the 32-year-old, who’s mustered three goals and one assist in 39 games despite averaging nearly 13 minutes. Acciari joined former Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas on the Toronto-to-Pittsburgh pipeline last summer, signing a three-year, $6MM contract with a modified no-trade clause that’s looking like a regrettable decision for the Penguins’ front office.
  • The Islanders moved winger Hudson Fasching to LTIR on Wednesday, per a team announcement. The move is retroactive to Jan. 25; he’s missed seven games with a lower-body injury and is now dealing with an illness. He has been ruled out of the Islanders’ next three contests as a result and will be eligible to return on Feb. 29 against the Red Wings. Placing him on LTIR frees up the necessary roster and cap space for the Islanders to recall a forward from AHL Bridgeport after fourth-line anchor Casey Cizikas sustained a hand injury in last night’s win in Pittsburgh. Fasching, 28, has scored three times and added five assists in 35 games.

Injury Notes: O’Connor, Murphy, Acciari

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Missing the team’s last three games due to a lower-body injury, Logan O’Connor will once again not be an option for the Colorado Avalanche as they match up against the Vancouver Canucks tonight (X Link). Still considered day-to-day, the Avalanche are waiting for O’Connor to fully recover so that he may be in the lineup more continuously.

Already setting a career-high in goals this season with 13, O’Connor is well on his way to setting career-highs in assists and points, as well. Not only has been playing considerably better compared to his career averages, but he is also tied for fourth on the team in goals while leading the team in short-handed tallies.

With O’Connor set to miss his fourth straight game, it will also allow the team to give an extended look to Chris Wagner, who was recalled on February 16th. In his first game back in an Avalanche sweater since the 2015-16 season, he skated in a little over six minutes of the team’s recent contest against the Arizona Coyotes, putting up zero points.

Other injury notes:

  • Still rehabbing his way back from a groin injury that has kept him out of the lineup since January 13th, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy is looking for a second opinion on his injury according to Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago. Offering no timeline for his return, it appears that Murphy will still be out for the foreseeable future. Registering a full season last year; Murphy has had plenty of injury concerns in the past and has only suited up in 46 games for the Blackhawks up to this point in the season.
  • Out with a concussion ever since a blow to the head from Winnipeg Jets’ defenseman Brenden Dillon on February 6th, Pittsburgh Penguins’ forward Noel Acciari has returned to practice in a non-contact jersey (X Link). Brought in as an unrestricted free agent last offseason, the Penguins were hoping that Acciari could give a major boost to Pittsburgh’s bottom-six. In 39 games before entering concussion protocol, Acciari scored three goals and four points for the Penguins as well as delivering 92 total hits to opponents.

Penguins Place Noel Acciari On IR

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The Penguins placed depth forward Noel Acciari on injured reserve Tuesday, per a team announcement. The 32-year-old was diagnosed with a concussion after a hit from Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon on Feb. 6, which warranted a three-game suspension.

Acciari has missed two games already, and it’s unclear when he’ll be ready to return to the lineup. Concussion recovery timelines can range wildly, and although he’ll be eligible to come off IR at any time, it could still be a weeks-long absence.

The Rhode Island native has struggled in his first season in Pittsburgh, scoring three goals and adding one assist in 39 games. His 0.10 points per game are his worst since his first stint as an NHLer with the Bruins in 2015-16 when he notched one assist in 19 games (0.05 per game).

His usage under head coach Mike Sullivan is the main culprit behind his dropoff in production. He’s started just 12.9% of his even-strength shifts in the offensive zone, nearly 22% below his career average.

Acciari’s 41% Corsi share at even strength also paints him as a defensive liability, but that number is inflated due to his extreme shutdown usage. In terms of controlling expected goals, he’s been a fine shutdown presence when paired with Jeff Carter and Jansen Harkins. That line has controlled 55% of expected goals through 105 minutes together, per MoneyPuck, but two-thirds of the unit is now on IR. Harkins, who is also out with a concussion, landed on the list Monday.

Regardless, the three-year, $6MM deal with trade protection he signed when free agency opened in July seems quite steep less than a year in. The three-time 10-goal scorer is an evident favorite of GM Kyle Dubas, who also acquired him as a member of the Maple Leafs before last season’s trade deadline alongside Ryan O’Reilly.

With Acciari out, the Penguins are now down to the bare-minimum 20 players on the active roster and only 11 forwards. Without moving one of Acciari or Harkins to LTIR, however, they do not have the cap space for an additional recall from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. As such, they may be forced to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen against the Panthers on Wednesday.

Penguins Notes: Letang, Harkins, Malkin

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Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports is reporting that Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang left practice today for what is being described as precautionary reasons. Not much else is known about the 36-year-old’s status, but head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters that Letang is banged up a little bit.

Letang could be dealing with a nagging issue as his play has slipped as of late. He has just a single point in his last seven games despite having been elevated to the team’s top power-play unit in place of Erik Karlsson. Overall, he is having one of the finest seasons of his career with four goals and 26 assists in 49 games while playing some of his best defensive hockey. He has flourished in a different role this season even if his play has trailed off as of late.

In other Penguins notes:

  • Rorabaugh is also reporting that Penguins forward Jansen Harkins has been placed on the injured reserve with a concussion. The 26-year-old had become a regular on the Penguins fourth line alongside veterans Noel Acciari and Jeff Carter and had been taking much of the team’s defensive zone starts in recent weeks. Harkins has been okay in a depth role for the Penguins, although he hasn’t provided much in the way of offense with just four assists in 34 games this season. No word yet on a timeline for Harkin’s return but he will presumably miss the Penguins games this week.
  • Rorabaugh has also reported that Pittsburgh forward Evgeni Malkin had a maintenance day today and did not practice with his teammates. The 37-year-old skated briefly in a sweatsuit before the team’s practice while he was monitored by Penguins medical staff. Malkin hasn’t been himself this season as it appears the aging curve has started to catch up with the former Hart Trophy winner. In the last ten games, Malkin has struggled with just a single goal, and this is the second maintenance day he has received in the last few weeks leading to speculation that he could be dealing with a nagging injury of his own.

Afternoon Notes: Clarke, Turcotte, Acciari, Richard

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The Los Angeles Kings have recalled forward Alex Turcotte and defenseman Brandt Clarke from the minor leagues. This move was largely expected, with both players getting assigned to the AHL on February 1st, ahead of the NHL All-Star Break.

Turcotte appeared in his first two games of the season just before getting sent down. He recorded two points in the latter matchup – representing his first NHL goal and his first NHL assist through 14 career games. He played in two AHL games during the All-Star Break, recording one assist. Clarke also saw his first appearance of the season in January, playing in six games and recording one assist. He appeared in a career-high 18:38 in his most recent NHL outing and managed one goal in the two AHL games he played during the Break.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Pittsburgh Penguins centerman Noel Acciari has been diagnosed with a concussion, per team reporter Seth Rorabaugh with the Tribune-Review. Acciari was on the receiving end of a hit to the head from Winnipeg’s Brenden Dillon, who received a three-game suspension for the hit. It forced Acciari out of the game and will now force him out of the lineup for the team’s upcoming two-game road trip. He’s already missed eight games this season due to a lower-body injury that placed him on injured reserve and an upper-body injury in early-January. He has scored four points in the 39 games he has appeared in.
  • The Boston Bruins have recalled centerman Anthony Richard to the NHL. It’s the first recall of Richard’s stint with Boston, who signed the forward to a one-year, two-way, $775K contract with the club on July 1st. Last season marked the first time Richard has played in more than one NHL game in a season, appearing in 13 outings and scoring five points with the Montreal Canadiens. The 27-year-old has been in the AHL since the 2015-16 season, totaling 463 games and 282 points in the league. That includes his 37 points in 41 games with the Providence Bruins this season.

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