Afternoon Notes: Formenton, Merkulov, Penguins
The Ottawa Senators have until Monday to re-sign or trade former winger Alex Formenton. If they wait beyond then, Formenton will become an unrestricted free agent. A few days out, it appears that will be exactly what happens, per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. Formenton was one of five players accused in the high-profile sexual assault trial that reached a verdict earlier this year. Formenton briefly retired from professional hockey to work in construction full-time during 2024 and 2025, while awaiting his trial date.
He returned to hockey this season, re-signing with Ambri-Piotta of Switzerland’s National League, where he spent the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. Formenton has nine points and a minus-10 in 20 games this season. That mark is far below the 29 points he posted in 46 games in his prior two seasons in Switzerland.
Ottawa will lose Formenton’s rights in the coming days with this update. He will continue to find his footing in Switzerland’s top league, and seems far away from any hope of returning to an NHL contract.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Boston Bruins have reassigned Georgii Merkulov to the AHL’s Providence Bruins per Ty Anderson of Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub. He did not appear in the NHL lineup on his latest call-up, which only lasted a few days. Merkulov did play one NHL game earlier this season and posted no scoring and a minus-one. He has been a far larger presence in the minor leagues, where he’s scored 14 points in 17 games. The AHL Bruins are in the midst of a three-game win-streak, during which they’ve outscored opponents 17-8. Now, they’ll get a major piece of their offense back from the NHL club ahead of three games this week.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins could soon be forced to lean on their young rookies per Josh Yohe of The Athletic. Yohe points out the struggles of Pittsburgh’s bottom-six forwards, including Joona Koppanen, who has just one assist in 10 games this season. Pittsburgh could be much better off relying on prospects Rutger McGroarty and Tristan Broz, who have looked sharp for the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. McGroarty leads the team in points-per-game with seven points in five games. Broz has 13 points in 18 games of his own, good for third on the team in total scoring. Now, they could be asked to bring their high-skill offense to a Penguins squad that’s struggled to score with their superstars off of the ice. McGroarty recorded three points in his first eight NHL games last season, while Broz went scoreless in his NHL debut last week.
Rangers Face Uphill Battle With Adam Fox On LTIR
The New York Rangers were riding a three-game win-streak into Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was tied for their longest win-streak of the year, and their second three-game streak in November. But on the back of that fortune, the Rangers have been dealt a major lineup blow. Star defenseman Adam Fox sustained an upper-body injury that has landed him on long-term injured reserve. The Rangers avoided worst-case-scenario, with Fox expected to return before the end of the year. Even then, New York will face their toughest challenge of the season with at least 10 games without Fox.
Fox fills a clear #1 role for the Rangers. He has averaged 23:50 in ice time through 27 games this season, his highest usage since the 2022-23 season. He’s scored 26 points in those appaerances, tied for most on the team with Artemi Panarin. Fox also leads the defense with 51 shots on goal and ranks in the top-three with 31 blocked shots. He is a focal piece of play in all three zones when he’s on the ice, and now leaves a hole that will take multiple Rangers to fill.
New York has proven capable of filling the void in the past. They posted a 3-2-3 record in eight games without Fox last season, and a 7-2-1 record in 10 games without him in 2023-24. It was Erik Gustafsson who stepped up for Fox in 2023. He posted 11 points and averaged 20 minutes of ice time in those 10 games, while Jacob Trouba and K’Andre Miller averaged 24 minutes in a more defense-oriented role. The offense was a bit more spread in Fox’s absence last year – with Miller netting four points, while William Borgen and Zachary Jones each scored three, in eight games.
The Rangers have turned over the bulk of those difference-makers over the last two seasons, but did just gain Borgen back from an extended injury of his own. He was leaned on heaivly following Fox’s departure from Saturday’s game, and should continue to fill an important all-zones role in the short-term. New York will also have Vladislav Gavrikov, who has looked sharp on both sides of the puck as of late. He has nine points and a plus-four in 15 games this month, and 11 points in 27 games on the full season.
Filling Fox’s absence has proven to be a job for two or three players. The Rangers will have to wait and see who can step up to support Borgen and Gavrikov. Carson Soucy has four points and a plus-five in 23 games this season and Braden Schneider has five points in 27 games. Both play a physical and responsible game, and have shown an ability to stand up to tough minutes when called upon.
But if they can pillar the Rangers through the next month is yet to be seen. New York has had a positive month – posting an 8-7-0 record and +2 goal-differential. They’ve avoided the depths of the league that they landed in last season, but still need another push to stand out in a crowded Eastern Conference. Now, they will have to make that heave without one of their most impactful players. The team has proven up to the test before, and aren’t doomed to struggles just yet, but this will be the toughest test that head coach Mike Sullivan has faced yet in his first year with the Rangers.
Photo courtesy of Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports.
Senators Looking To Add But Won’t Go “Big Game Hunting”
The Ottawa Senators have been on a gradual climb since being taken over by owner Michael Andlauer and general manager Steve Staios. That ascension helped justify their acquisition of center Dylan Cozens and winger Fabian Zetterlund at the 2025 Trade Deadline. Those additions helped push the Senators to their first playoff appearance since 2017 – but the team’s rise isn’t over yet. Ottawa ranks second in the Atlantic Division through the early season and is now hoping to land a forward and defenseman on the trade market, per TSN’s Darren Dreger and Jamie Duthie in their intermission segment during Friday’s loss to the St. Louis Blues and captured by Julian McKenzie of The Athletic.
Dreger added that he doesn’t expect the Senators to be “big game hunters” and that top prospect Carter Yakemchuk would be off the table in trade negotiations. Yakemchuk is playing through his first professional season and currently has 14 points and a minus-11 in 20 games with the AHL’s Belleville Senators. He’s a hard-hitting, offensive-defenseman who seems well equipped to bring his flashy offense to Ottawa sooner rather than later.
If Yakemchuk is off the table, Ottawa is likely to exclude any of their top prospects in negotiations. That could include University of Wisconsin defender Logan Hensler who the team acquired after trading back in this year’s draft, and winger Stephen Halliday who scored his first NHL point last week. That could leave Ottawa in a bit of a bind. Their acquisition of Zetterlund revolved around a package of future assets, and the Senators sit in the top-half of oldest rosters in the NHL.
That could make draft capital their shiniest asset headed into the trade season. The Senators are without their first and second round picks in the 2026 draft, but have all of their top picks in the drafts beyond that. They also have Buffalo’s second-round pick in 2026, which could be valuable if the Sabres stay near the bottom of the league. A couple of high-value draft picks should be enough to land Ottawa a few difference-makers on the open market, especially if they’re willing to package them with a prospect like Blake Montgomery or Gabriel Eliasson.
Who Ottawa could go after will be a tough question. Calgary Flames assets Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson are both #1’s at their position, and likely represent that big game hunting Dreger mentioned. Instead, Ottawa could find a match pursuing St. Louis Blues veterans Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk. Or maybe they could benefit from the Nashville Predators continued struggles and acquire winger Jonathan Marchessault or Michael Bunting. Ottawa could even find a package deal from the San Jose Sharks, who are bound to be offering center Alexander Wennberg and defender Mario Ferraro on the open market.
The range of price could vary widely, and change significantly before the Trade Deadline in March. But there’s no doubt that Ottawa will be a welcome addition to a buyer’s market. There are plenty of former Stanley Cup champions and hopefuls available for trade, and landing one or two could go far in boosting Ottawa’s offense to Conference Final aspirations. The Senators are projected to have $13.68MM in cap space at the Trade Deadline and $22.57MM by next off-season, per PuckPedia. That should be more than enough room to squeeze one or two more players into the top of the Senators lineup. As proven last year, those mid-season additions could take Ottawa far.
Sabres, Alexandar Georgiev Terminate Contract
Nov. 24: Georgiev cleared unconditional waivers, per Friedman, meaning he’s had his contract with Buffalo terminated and is free to sign with Spartak.
Nov. 23: Insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet shared this afternoon that Sabres goaltender Alexander Georgiev has been waived with the intent of contract termination. Georgiev is set to move on to Russia and join Spartak of the KHL.
Georgiev was waived last month, then cleared and joined the AHL’s Rochester Americans. There, the Sabres affiliate had a wealth of goaltending, arguably at a legitimate NHL level, with Devon Levi alongside Georgiev, as well as prospect Topias Leinonen. Before the season, Buffalo had significant question marks in net with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen banged up, and the respectable but not exactly standout Alex Lyon tasked with holding things down.
As it has turned out, Lyon has performed steadily, and waiver pickup Colten Ellis has also exceeded expectations. There was no real path forward for Georgiev in the organization. The Bulgarian native played in two games for Rochester, both ending in losses with a 3.57 GAA. He now seems to be in greener pastures, joining a solid Spartak club, which has needed help in net, where he will be a star at the KHL level.
Originally undrafted out of the Finnish Liiga, an unusual path for most Russian players, Georgiev made an impression with the Rangers, who signed him in 2017. Making his NHL debut in 2018, Georgiev has the distinction of serving as backup for franchise icon Hendrik Lundqvist in his final season as a Ranger, gradually taking a higher workload. With the emergence of star Igor Shesterkin, though, Georgiev’s future in New York became uncertain.
After the 2021-22 season, Georgiev was dealt to the freshly minted Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche for draft picks in order to replace Darcy Kuemper. Georgiev emerged as a low-stakes, affordable option for a team strong enough up front to make up for any shortcomings in net. Sure enough, Georgiev posted his best season as a pro, leading the NHL with 40 wins and becoming an NHL All-Star.
Unfortunately for Georgiev, despite twice leading the league in wins, all while still remaining under 30 years old, Colorado quickly pulled the plug in 2024-25 amidst his shaky play. While unusual for a team to do so with a former All-Star, it appeared the success was largely driven due to the team in front of him. Georgiev was dealt to the hardcore rebuilding San Jose Sharks, where Colorado brought back Mackenzie Blackwood in return.
In the thick of an aggressive rebuild, getting heavily outshot most nights, Georgiev naturally did not have as much success in San Jose in a role that is especially tough on any goaltender. GM Mike Grier let his contract expire after 2024-25.
Georgiev was signed in September by Buffalo, with an opportunity to re-establish himself as an NHLer; however, with the emergence of other netminders in the organization, doors shut quickly. Still just 29, it is not impossible he could make an NHL return, but for now, Georgiev will likely be eager to return closer to home as a major standout player in the KHL.
Kraken Looking To Add Impact Winger, Re-Sign Jaden Schwartz
The Seattle Kraken are searching for a balance between bolstering the lineup and not breaking the budget as the season goes on. Adding a top-six winger will be a top priority, but Seattle is taking a cautious approach with seven players headed for free agency, per David Pangotta of The Fourth Period on the latest episode of DFO Rundown. Of their free agents, re-signing winger Jaden Schwartz could be the fisrt to get something done, with Pagnotta adding that the two sides have already begun discussions that could ramp up in the Spring.
It is no surprise that re-signing Schwartz sits high on Seattle’s to-do list. The 33-year-old is a core piece of a young Seattle lineup. He has averaged over 17 minutes of ice time through 20 games this season and filled roles on both the power-play and penalty-kill. He’s recorded 15 points, 23 hits, and 40 shots on goal in the key role.
Schwartz’s performance is well in-line with what he’s offered Seattle through the last four seasons. He has challenged 40-point scoring pace in every year, and peaked with 26 goals and 49 points last season, his highest-scoring year since the 2019-20 season. He has held his role in Seattle’s lineup since he was selected by the club in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Before then, Schwartz filled a similar locked-in role through 10 seasons with the St. Louis Blues. His career-year came in 2014-15, when he scored 28 goals and 63 points in 75 games, though Schwartz scored more than 50 points in half of his years with the Blues. He was also a key part of the 2019 Stanley Cup winning Blues, scoring 20 points in 26 playoff games that year.
His veteran presence offers major support to the Kraken’s young forwards, especially with ramped-up scoring this year. But while his next contract could carry him through the 169 games he has left to reach 1,000, it will also likely be Schwartz’s last.
That will ramp up Seattle’s need for another heavy imapct in the top-six. The team has plenty of value in their prospect pool to afford some major additions on the trade market. They promoted Tyson Jugnauth, Carson Rehkopf, Kaden Hammell, Caden Price, and Lukas Dragicevic to the AHL this season – while 21-year-old Jagger Firkus ranks third in the AHL with 18 points in 15 games. Many of those players are destined to support Seattle’s next era, but they could clear the overstock in a buyer’s market next year.
The trade market features strong veterans like Nazem Kadri and Boone Jenner, or youngsters like Brad Lambert and Nicholas Robertson. With the model set by vets like Schwartz and Jordan Eberle, a 10-5-5 record this season, and plenty of buying power – the Kraken could be a perfect candidate to make one of the year’s biggest deals.
Then again, they could opt to wait until free agency when they have roughly $35MM in cap space to make a big purchase, per Pagnotta. The 2026 free agency market has dried up with a wave of key extensions but high-impact forwards Alex Tuch, Nick Schmaltz, and Evgeni Malkin still remain on the market. The trio will each challenge a salary north of $9MM should they make a team-change, but an exodus of unrestricted free agents will give Seattle enough turnover to build a new star into the lineup.
The Kraken seem set on taking their time with a big move, but a big move seems a matter of when and not if. Seattle has allowed the fourth-fewest goals in the NHL this season, but ranks third-to-last in goals scored. They’re in desperate need of another spark, even amid a 4-1 record over their last five games. That will set them up to be major buyers as the Trade Deadline and free agency roll around.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports.
Charlie McAvoy, Viktor Arvidsson Hurt In Bruins Win
The Boston Bruins left Montreal with a win on Saturday night, but could pay the price with two veteran injuries. Star defenseman Charlie McAvoy sustained an upper-body injury after being struck in the jaw by a shot from the blue-line. He was helped off the ice by a trainer and did not return tot he contest. Meanwhile, winger Viktor Arvidsson sustained a lower-body injury later in the contest. Arvidsson is expected to miss “some time” while McAvoy will undergo further testing, per head coach Marco Sturm (via WEEI radio).
McAvoy’s importance to the Bruins can’t go understated. He had averaged more than 25 minutes of ice time across his last six games entering Saturday night, and rewarded the heavy usage with six assists. The Bruins set a 5-1-0 record in that span. McAvoy has worked his way up to 14 points, all assists, in 19 games on the year. That mark leads all Bruins defenders in scoring, with Mason Lohrei (10 points) the only other with double-digit scoring. McAvoy also leads the Bruins’ blue-line in shots on goal (25), average ice time (23:46), and ice time on both the power-play and penalty-kill. He would leave massive shoes to be filled. The Bruins would need to lean on a committee approach in his absence, likely looking to Lohrei stepping up as a vital piece of the offense and Nikita Zadorov growing into an even bigger defensive role.
Arvidsson may not carry the same lineup role, but his role will be just as tough to replace. The 33-year-old has scored three points across his last four games, including the game-winning goal on Saturday prior to his injury. He now has 10 points in 20 games this season. Arvidsson also ranks second on the Bruins in shots on goal (52) behind star scorer David Pastrňák. He has provided shrewd depth scoring to a Bruins team that sorely lacked that last season. With his help, the Bruins have leaped from the fifth-fewest goals-for last season, to the second-most so far this season.
Boston is already facing a littany of injuries. Elias Lindholm was placed on injured reserve in early November, and both Casey Mittelstadt and John Beecher are nursing injuries from the press box. That will force the team to call someone up form the AHL to fill Arvidsson’s bottom-six role. Former first-round pick, and 6-foot-6 winger, Riley Tufte co-leads the Providence Bruins in scoring with 16 points, split evenly, in 13 games. He’s tied with 10-year pro Patrick Brown, who has six goals and 10 assists. Both players would be strong options to bring up, though Boston may want to reward top prospect Fabian Lysell, who has 12 points in 12 games while working through a shifting lineup role.
Senators, Shane Pinto To Meet Again On Contract Extension
The Ottawa Senators will resume one of their most important conversations of the season later this week. High-scoring centerman Shane Pinto is set to become an arbitration-eligible, restricted free agent this summer, after closing out the two-year bridge deal he signed in 2024. The Senators have already started offering new deals to the 24-year-old, including a six-year, $52MM extension offered last month, per Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch. That deal would have set Pinto’s cap hit at $6.5MM each season – though Garrioch points out that Pinto likely wouldn’t have liked the money or term of that deal.
Pinto has certainly garnered the right to ask for a few favors on his next contract. He’s scored eight goals and 14 points through 16 games this season, good for third on the team in scoring behind Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle (16 points each). More than that, Pinto has posted a 57.8 faceoff percentage on 199 draws – ranking him 16th in the league among eligible players (>100 faceoffs). He also ranks among the top-five Senators forwards in blocked shots per game. That performance has cemented Pinto as Ottawa’s second-line center this season – a role the team was desperately looking for, even acquiring Dylan Cozens to fit the bill last season.
Pinto saved his career-year for his contract-year, but his performance doesn’t appear to be a total fluke. He leads the Senators’ offense in total expected-goals with 7.0 – a mark he’s just narrowly outperformed with eight goals on the year. He also leads the bunch in shot attempts per game – averaging 5.8, one full shot more than Stutle’s 4.8 in second-place. Pinto has recorded an 18.6 shooting percentage in total – a mark that sits far above his career-average of 13.2 percent. That could indicate that the young center is set to fall back to Earth in due time, though it could also be elevated by Pinto’s growing lineup role.
In full, Pinto is on pace to score 41 goals and 72 points this season. That would blow his previous best – 21 goals and 37 points scored last year – out of the water. It would also command far more than $6.5MM each season, especially against the growing salary cap.
Few players have found themselves in Pinto’s shoes – with a productive, top-end role still a few years away from their prime. Many comparable free agents have opted to avoid max-term contracts – including Marco Rossi, who signed a three-year, $15MM deal with the Minnesota Wild, and Connor Zary, who signed a three-year, $11.325MM deal with the Calgary Flames.
Pinto and his agent Lewis Gross could point towards Chicago Blackhawks’ recent extension of Frank Nazar as a baseline. Chicago inked Nazar to a seven-year, $46.2MM contract ahead of his second full season in the NHL. Nazar has gone on to score just below a point-per-game pace – 11 points in 15 games – enough to cement his spot as Chicago’s number-two behind Connor Bedard. Pinto is three years older than Nazar, and likely won’t be able to carve out as much importance on a top-heavy Senators offense. Nonetheless, shooting for roughly $7MM each season could be a sensible mark, especially if Pinto continues his dominant season.
The salary cap is expected to grow by up to $8.5MM between this season and next. That will be more than enough room for Ottawa to afford a player-friendly extension with Pinto – or earn some savings by pulling him closer to their first offer. Either way, it seems the Senators are well on their way towards cementing yet another young, high-potential forward into their future.
Photo courtesy of Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports.
NHL Seeking Agreement To Allow 19-Year-Olds Into AHL
It appears a rumor from the preseason could soon come true. The NHL is seeking an agreement with the CHL that would allow teams to assign one 19-year-old to the AHL each season, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the latest Saturday Headlines. Friedman added that some general managers are seeking even more flexibility, and that negotiations will pull in voices from the NHLPA in addition to each league. A change to the format could be made as soon as next season.
This would represent yet another significant change in what Friedman dubbed “the Wild West of junior hockey in North America”. NHL draft picks make up the majority of top-end players throughout the CHL. They help drive attendance and sales, and losing even a few could be enough to bring noticeable change. At the same time, deciding where to assign CHL prospects who appear to have outgrown their junior league can often be an all-or-nothing choice.
The Calgary Flames are currently in a pickle with defense prospect Zayne Parekh, who sustained a week-to-week injury and could earn a brief AHL conditioning stint, but who could also benefit from prolonged AHL ice time after not yet finding his NHL footing. Parekh is currently ineligible for the AHL, facing the decision of whether to return to the OHL or continue fighting for NHL minutes, as the offensive defenseman recovers from injury.
The Nashville Predators faced a similar decision with reigning fifth-overall pick Brady Martin earlier in the year. Martin showed flashes of dominant play through the first three games of his NHL career. At his peak, he was playing alongside Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg, but the Predators opted to return him early after he scored only one assist. Martin has torn up the OHL since returning, netting 11 points in seven games with the Soo Greyhounds. It’s still early in the season, but Martin is on pace to rival the 100-point mark this season, after posting 72 points in 57 games last year.
In the cases of both Parekh and Martin, as well as numerous other NHL prospects, such as Seattle’s Jake O’Brien and St. Louis’ Justin Carbonneau, the AHL would seem to offer a smooth ramp into the systems and physicality of professional hockey. Instead of pursuing AHL eligibility, many teams have turned their attention to developing their prospects for the NCAA, where they face a significant jump in competition and play against players up to the age of 26. That bridge has led to the unprecedented decision to allow CHL players into the NCAA, which has built up pressure that offering a path to the AHL could relieve.
Finding a balance between player value in the CHL, NCAA, and AHL is the task the NHL and its general managers face. They will drive decision-making throughout the process, while also ensuring that each party is satisfied with their share. On the other side of those decisions lies a junior hockey landscape that is likely completely different from what the hockey world has come to know. With more precise, more incremental steps to the top flight laid out, the NHL’s relationship with its partner leagues could even become reminiscent of the MLB.
More information about the topic of 19-year-olds in the AHL is expected to be announced in March, following the next major meeting between the NHL, NHLPA, and general managers.
Former Flyers Center Mel Bridgman Passes Away At 70
Former Philadelphia Flyers centerman and general manager of the 1992 Ottawa Senators, Mel Bridgman, has passed away at the age of 70. Bridgman was the first-overall selection in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. He played through 14 seasons in the NHL, then returned to school to support a front office career with the Senators.
Philadelphia drafted Bridgman on the heels of the Broad Street Bullies era. Coming off of back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, the Flyers managed to acquire the first-overall pick from the Washington Capitals in exchange for Bill Clement, Don McLean, and a later first round pick. Naturally, the Flyers took a player that fit right in with their gritty style. Bridgman was coming off a 157-point season in the WCHL, the predecessor to the modern WHL. He didn’t keep quite that spark in the NHL, but still put together a solid rookie year, with 50 points and 86 penalty minutes in 80 games. That presence helped Bridgman climb into a major role with the Flyers at only 20-years-old, and earned him a fifth-place finish in 1976 Calder Trophy voting.
Bridgman found his groove as a hard-nosed grinder over the next five seasons. He became the seventh Flyer to cross the mark of 200 penalty minutes when he reached 203 PIMs in the 1997-78 season. He continued to rival that mark through 1981, all while routinely rivaling 50-to-60 points. Bridgman reached his scoring peak in the 1981-82 season, though the bulk of his points would come with the Calgary Flames, after a contentious November trade swapped him for Brad Marsh. Bridgman put up 75 points and 94 penalty minutes in 63 games with Calgary, bringing him up to a year-long total of 87 points and 141 penalty minutes after nine games with Philadelphia to start the season.
His scoring fell back to normal in the following year, prompting a move to the New Jersey Devils in 1983. Bridgman, once Philadelphia’s captain for three years, took on the Devils’ captaincy and led the team in scoring (61 points) in the 1984-85 season. He continued to wear the ‘C’ until being traded to the Detroit Red Wings at the 1987 Trade Deadline. Bridgman continued his career for two more years, and retired with the Vancouver Canucks in 1989.
Soon after ending his playing days, the well-known Bridgman was named GM of a 1992 expansion team, the revitalized Ottawa Senators. He brought in eight-year pro John Ferguson as his Director of Player Personnel, and built a Senators squad headlined by Peter Sidorkiewicz, Norm Maciver, and Brad Shaw. The team ranked dead-last in scoring in their inagural season, leading to an attempt to spur the offense with Alexei Yashin and Alexandre Daigle, the second-overall pick in 1992 and first-overall pick in 1993 respectively. The duo led the Senators in scoring as rookies, but failed to pull Ottawa from the league’s depths, prompting Bridgman to launch a flurry of roster transactions that would end with his firing at the end of the 1992-93 season.
Bridgman stepped away from the NHL following his ousting in Ottawa. To some, he’s remembered as a great Flyer who led the team through the first years after their dynasty era. To others, he’s among the most imposing players of the NHL’s most physical era, as described by Mike Bossy in his biography and NHL Player’s Tribune letter. Bridgman’s tenure in the NHL often sparked controversy, but was never short of action. He was tapped to lead clubs through dark times, as a player and manager, and did both with breakneck pace. Pro Hockey Rumors sends condolences to Bridgman’s family, friends, and fans.
Sharks Shake Up Lineup With Wlliam Eklund Out, Timothy Liljegren Back
The San Jose Sharks will once again shake up their lineup in the hours ahead of gametime. Top winger William Eklund is out with a lower-body injury, while Timothy Liljegren wil lreturn from a short-term absence, per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. The Sharks will operate with 11 forwards and seven defensemen on Sunday, with Ethan Cardwell stepping into the bottom-six for rookie Michael Misa.
Few players would be harder to lose than Eklund. He ranks second on the Sharks with five goals and 11 points through 12 games, only behind Macklin Celebrini (seven goals, 18 points). Eklund has averaged nearly 20 minutes of ice time through the early season, and played as much as 25:29 in a recent overtime win versus the Minnesota Wild. He’s returned as a core piece of the Sharks offense this season, after posting a career-year with 17 goals and 58 points in 77 games last season. His role in the lineup, and performance on the scoresheet, both continue to grow.
That will leave San Jose with an important decision as they reshape the lineup. Collin Graf should be the biggest beneficiary, moving into a top-six that also features Tyler Toffoli and Philipp Kurashev in heavy-use roles. Graf has only scored three points in 11 games this season, but his lack of offense could be offset by Kurashev, who has a dazzling seven points in his last four games.
Still, the need to replace Eklund’s offense makes the decision to scratch Msia all the more confusing. The reigning second-overall pick had a three-game point-streak between October 21st and October 26th, though hasn’t managed any scoring in his last two games. He has, however, offered up a 52.6 percent faceoff win-rate, third-highest among Sharks centers. Misa has experience at center, and on the wing, and could have been an interesting bet for top-six minutes in light of Eklund’s injury. Instead, San Jose will turn towards depth forward and grinder Cardwell, who has four points and 10 penalty minutes in seven AHL games. Cardwell was recalled on Sunday morning in a corresponding move to Ryan Reaves‘ placement on injured reserve.
The Sharks will find a silver lining in the return of Liljegren, who has served in a top-pair role for much of the season. Liljegren has only scored three points in nine games, but he and D-partner Dmitry Orlov have posted the best goal-differential of any Sharks pairing at even-strength. Getting him back into the fold after just one game out will be a major relief. Liljegren exited Saturday’s game in the first period, after a puck was deflected into the bunch and hit him in the face.
San Jose will return Liljegren to the lineup alongside rookie Sam Dickinson, who will play in his 10th game of the season. Dickinson hasn’t yet found his first NHL point through nine games. He should be rotated into favorable situations, while Liljegren steps back into an important role next to Orlov.