Snapshots: Ekblad, Broberg, Janmark, Dach
At the time that the Panthers placed Aaron Ekblad on LTIR, there was no timetable for his return beyond that it was expected that he’d be back this season. In the latest TSN Insider Trading segment, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported that the blueliner is likely to miss somewhere between four and seven weeks. At a minimum, he has to miss 10 games and 24 days and if he’s ready to be back at the shorter end of that timeline, Ekblad might not miss much more than the minimum time. Florida isn’t expected to go out and acquire a short-term replacement as they’ll need to have enough cap space to activate Ekblad when he’s ready to return but fortunately for them, they shouldn’t be without their star blueliner for too long.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- At the beginning of the season, the Oilers were shuffling defenseman Philip Broberg back and forth between Edmonton and AHL Bakersfield. They haven’t lately and Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) why as the blueliner has been dealing with an upper-body injury for the last few days and is questionable to play this weekend. Accordingly, it’ll take a little longer before he gets his next chance with the big club. Meanwhile, Nugent-Bowman adds that the reason that veteran winger Mattias Janmark hasn’t played in Bakersfield yet despite being sent down nearly two weeks ago is that he has yet to receive his U.S. work permit.
- Blackhawks prospect Colton Dach has been placed in concussion protocol, notes Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription link). It’s the second time in a month that he has been moved there after entering protocol in mid-September. The 19-year-old had gotten off to a good start with WHL Kelowna with three points in as many games but now, it’s likely he’ll be shut down for a little while. Dach has already signed his entry-level deal with Chicago and will likely turn pro next season.
Edmonton Oilers Recall Philip Broberg
Saturday: Shore and Broberg have swapped places once again with Shore rejoining the Oilers.
Friday: As the Edmonton Oilers prepare for action against the Calgary Flames tomorrow night, they’ve made a slight change to the roster. Philip Broberg is back up from the minor leagues, while Devin Shore has been reassigned to the Bakersfield Condors. The move suggests that the Oilers will have at least one of the two forwards – Warren Foegele and Kailer Yamamoto – that missed Wednesday’s opener available for the next game.
The Oilers played a man short in their first game thanks to salary cap implications, something that hockey fans might have to get used to this season. With so many teams pushed right up against (or over) the cap ceiling, short-term injuries will have difficult complications. If a player is unavailable, but not out long enough to go on LTIR, some teams will be forced to play shorthanded to earn the emergency recalls to bring up minor league bodies.
As complicated as that sounds, it is a reality for the Oilers and others as they wait for the salary cap to increase in the coming years. For now, Edmonton will bring the young Broberg back up, meaning he’ll be earning the NHL portion of his two-way contract.
Whether he goes into the lineup is unclear. The team spread out the defensive minutes rather evenly on Wednesday, with even Ryan Murray seeing close to 16. Part of that is because of how much short-handed time they had, which all six defensemen helped out with, but it also just seems to be a group that head coach Jay Woodcroft is more confident in. Darnell Nurse still led the way with more than 26 minutes but that is to be expected from the $9.25MM man.
If Broberg does get into the lineup, it would be for just the 24th time in a regular season game. The eighth overall pick from 2019 played 23 games for the Oilers last season, recording three points.
Edmonton Oilers To Send Down Philip Broberg, Recall Devin Shore
Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland said today, appearing on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, that the team will send defenseman Philip Broberg down to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors and recall forward Devin Shore.
It appears the Oilers need to make this move out of salary cap necessity. With Edmonton’s tricky situation, it could actually cause them to start the season short a player. The team has basically maxed out their LTIR relief coming from Oscar Klefbom, Mike Smith, and Tyler Benson, who combine for a $7.117MM cap hit, meaning they can’t recall an extra player to fill in. Forwards Warren Foegele and Kailer Yamamoto are day-to-day with injuries, and if neither of them can suit up tomorrow against the Vancouver Canucks, the team would need to play with 11 forwards and six defensemen.
Why Broberg and Shore in this transaction? The Oilers had 21 skaters on the active roster, including Foegele and Yamamoto: 12 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goalies. With injuries threatening Edmonton’s forward health, the team opted to send down Broberg, who does not require waivers and was projected to be a healthy scratch for the season opener in favor of Ryan Murray, for Shore.
Shore carries a cap hit of $850,000 and cleared waivers earlier this week. Entering his third season with the Oilers, Shore had five goals, six assists, and 11 points in 49 games last year. He’ll draw into the lineup in the event that either one of Foegele or Yamamoto cannot play tomorrow.
Snapshots: Couturier, Hayes, Broberg
Last season was filled with injury and disappointment for the Philadelphia Flyers but with a new head coach in town, they are ready to try again. One of the biggest question marks was the health of Sean Couturier, who underwent back surgery in February.
All clear, says the veteran center, who spoke with the media today and explained that while there were “a lot of ups and downs” in his recovery, he is fully healthy and cleared for training camp. Couturier played just 29 games last season, recording 17 points.
- Not only that but Kevin Hayes is also fully healthy after his own surgery in January, telling reporters that he hasn’t had any other procedures since then – something that wasn’t clear given his recent history of re-injury. Hayes returned in March and played 28 games down the stretch, recording 22 points in them, to take his season total to 31. Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic expressed his optimism that Hayes can return to his previous form, given how well he played down the stretch.
- There’s an interesting sight at the Edmonton Oilers informal skates, as Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic notes that Philip Broberg is mostly playing the right side. Part of that may simply be the absence of Cody Ceci, who Nugent-Bowman reports was not there today, but given how many left-handed defensemen will be in camp. Adding some familiarity on the right side may help Broberg establish himself as a full-time NHL player after splitting time between the Oilers and Bakersfield Condors last season.
Edmonton Oilers Recall Seven Players
The Edmonton Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, were eliminated from the Calder Cup playoffs on Friday, and as a result, the Oilers became free to call up players without fear of their absences negatively impacting their affiliate team. Today, the Oilers announced that they have called up seven players from the Condors, a group that will form the team’s “Black Aces,” or players who practice, travel, and remain ready for their NHL teams but typically do not see game action. Those seven players are:
- Stuart Skinner
- Philip Broberg
- Markus Niemelainen
- Dmitri Samorukov
- Dylan Holloway
- Seth Griffith
- Brad Malone
Perhaps the most significant name there is the goaltender, Skinner. In the unfortunate and unlikely circumstance that the Oilers’ starting goaltender, Mike Smith, gets injured or is otherwise unable to play, it’s possible that coach Jay Woodcroft could prefer to start Skinner over backup Mikko Koskinen, given their respective performances in the regular season. Koskinen played in 45 games this regular season and had a .903 save percentage and a 3.10 goals-against-average. Skinner, on the other hand, posted a .913 save percentage this year, albeit in only 13 games of work at the NHL level.
The Oilers are obviously hoping that they won’t have to make such a choice, but now with Skinner and some top prospects such as Broberg, Holloway, and Samorukov in the fold, they have some more options in case this version of the Battle of Alberta proves to be especially violent.
Snapshots: Verhaeghe, Broberg, Sellgren
If the Florida Panthers are able to advance to the second round for the first time since 1996 (and only second time ever), Carter Verhaeghe might be the series MVP. The 26-year-old forward has ten points through the first five games, including five in the team’s come-from-behind game five victory. Unfortunately, with the Panthers looking to eliminate the Washington Capitals tonight, Verhaeghe may not be in the lineup. He’s a game-time decision according to head coach Andrew Brunette.
It’s been quite a rise to prominence for the 2013 third-round pick, who spent quite a bit of time in the ECHL before really getting his professional career on track. This season he set a career high with 24 goals and 55 points in 78 games after signing a three-year, $12.5MM extension last summer. Hopefully, he’s able to appear again soon, as Verhaeghe has been a force every time he touches the ice so far in the playoffs.
- With Darnell Nurse now back from suspension and the Edmonton Oilers still alive, Philip Broberg has been returned to the AHL. That’s certainly an important transaction for the Bakersfield Condors, who are looking to stave off elimination themselves in their Calder Cup playoff series against the Stockton Heat. They’ll try to do just that tonight and can now insert Broberg back into the lineup, while Nurse retakes his place on the Oilers bench after serving his one-game ban.
- Minor league defenseman Jesper Sellgren has once again been linked to the SHL for next season, once his contract with the Carolina Hurricanes comes to an end. There were reports last month that he had already agreed to a deal with Lulea HF for 2022-23, and now that seems even more likely. For now, Sellgren is still starring for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, where he had 26 points in 73 games this season. The 23-year-old defenseman’s rights could be retained by issuing a qualifying offer, as he is still just scheduled to be a restricted free agent when his entry-level deal expires this summer.
Darnell Nurse Suspended One Game
As expected, the Edmonton Oilers will be without star defenseman Darnell Nurse when they try to stay alive tomorrow night. The Department of Player Safety has announced a one-game suspension following last night’s head-butting incident, ruling Nurse out for game six. As the accompanying video explains:
It is important to note that this is not an accidental collision that occurs when two players are moving at speed and heads collide when attempting to throw a legal body check. This is an unacceptable head-butt delivered with the top of the helmet, delivered with the top of the helmet directly to an opponent’s face, with force.
The DoPS also handed out a $5,000 fine to his Oilers’ teammate Zack Kassian, for the cross-check he delivered on Los Angeles Kings defenseman Sean Durzi last night.
For Nurse, it is a brutal decision that will leave his team shorthanded in the most important game of the season. The incident occurred late in the second period with the Kings on the powerplay, and was not penalized by the on-ice officials. As the league notes, there is no significant history of this behavior from the Oilers defenseman (at least in terms of supplementary discipline) as he has just one previous suspension–a three-game ban for serving as the aggressor in a 2016 fight.
There was also no injury on the play for Phillip Danault, who would go on to score in the third period and finish the game. Those factors will at least keep Nurse available for a game seven, should the series reach that.
It was actually Kassian’s cross-check that put the Oilers on the penalty kill in the first place, as he delivered a hard shot to the back of Durzi after the Kings’ defenseman was hit by Evander Kane. As Kane and Blake Lizotte engaged and received matching roughing penalties, Kassian cross-checked Durzi and took his own two-minute minor. Luckily, at least for the Oilers, it will only cost Kassian some money and not a chance to play in game six when they will need all hands on deck to avoid a disappointing series result.
In a related move, Edmonton recalled Philip Broberg from Bakersfield of the AHL. He played in 23 games with the Oilers during the regular season and could be an option to take Nurse’s place in the lineup.
Minor Notes: Seeley, Broberg, Fucale
If you listed off the things that can help an NHL team become a true Stanley Cup contender, developing late-round picks would be very near the top. The Carolina Hurricanes seem to constantly be squeezing value out of their later picks, and it seems as though they might have done it again with Ronan Seeley. The 19-year-old defenseman was the 208th overall pick in 2020 and signed his entry-level deal with Carolina in September, before breaking out this season. With 44 points in 52 games for the Everett Silvertips, making the Team Canada roster at the World Juniors, and finishing with four points in the Silvertips’ short six-game playoff run, it’s been quite the season for the seventh-round pick.
Now, Seeley is heading to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves to continue his strong year. If he can climb his way into the lineup, he’ll be joining a Wolves team that has real Calder Cup potential and is currently on a first-round bye. More minor moves from around the league:
- The Edmonton Oilers have recalled Philip Broberg, at least while the Bakersfield Condors await their next playoff opponent. The AHL squad dispatched the Abbotsford Canucks in two games, meaning they will be dormant until they find out who they play next. With the Oilers now headed to Los Angeles to continue their series against the Kings, it makes sense for Broberg to join them for the time being. Whether he gets into the lineup is another story, as the Oilers don’t have an obvious spot for him right now unless they wanted to change the winning lineup from game two, or are dealing with an undisclosed injury.
- The Washington Capitals, now at home for the next two games, have re-assigned Zach Fucale to the Hershey Bears. The AHL squad kicks off their first-round series this evening, while Washington doesn’t play again until tomorrow afternoon, meaning he could still serve as the emergency backup at that point. Fucale, 26, had a .896 save percentage in 31 appearances for the Bears this season.
Injury Notes: Girard, Coyotes, Oilers, Walman
According to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh, the Colorado Avalanche will have defenseman Samuel Girard back in the lineup tonight, the first time since March 8th (link). Girard’s return comes at a good time for Colorado, who were already missing Ryan Murray on the left side before seeing Devon Toews go down last night after blocking a shot against the Winnipeg Jets. Though Toews is expected to be okay after the shot block, it’s unclear if he will have to miss any time.
Getting the 23-year-old Girard back in the lineup also helps to lengthen an already stellar Avalanche defense group as the team looks to get into a groove heading into the playoffs. Colorado is currently first in the entire NHL with 108 points, two ahead of the Florida Panthers, and 13 points ahead of the Calgary Flames for the top spot in the west. After a career year in 2020-21 with 32 points in 48 games, Girard has taken a small step back, having 27 points in 56 games this season, but has been a steady and reliable presence on the back-end for a dominant Avalanche team.
- There is positive injury news out in the desert, as Arizona Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny announced that defenseman Janis Moser is on the Coyotes’ road trip and is now considered day-to-day for the team (link). It’s unclear when exactly Moser, who has not played since March 15th, will return, but having the young defenseman return to finish out the season would be much-welcomed for Arizona. The Coyotes also expect prospect Jack McBain to make his NHL debut soon, says Tourigny. McBain, who the Coyotes acquired from the Minnesota Wild on March 21st, and signed on March 23rd, has been unable to play due to injury. Tourigny points to Arizona’s games at Vancouver and Calgary next week, or the following week at home as possible dates of McBain to debut. The 22-year-old spent this season and three prior as a standout for Boston College in the NCAA.
- Edmonton Oilers’ prospect Philip Broberg is expected to return from injury within the next two weeks for the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL, says Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Athletic (link). Broberg, who has split time between Bakersfield and Edmonton, has been out since March 18. Another Oilers prospect, Dylan Holloway, did not play last night and is expected to be out at least through this weekend, says Nugent-Bowman. A return timetable is not yet clear for Holloway, however Nugent-Bowman does believe that Holloway will make his NHL debut before the end of the season (link). The 14th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by Edmonton, Holloway has eight goals and thirteen assists in 32 games this season for Bakersfield.
- From Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, defenseman Jake Walman is out of the lineup tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets with an upper-body injury (link). Walman has been a reliable defenseman for both the Red Wings and the St. Louis Blues this season, coming to Detroit from St. Louis in the Nick Leddy trade back in March. No timetable for Walman’s return has been made available yet.
West Notes: Doughty, Sturm, Fleury, Broberg
The news for Kings defenseman Drew Doughty doesn’t appear to be good as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that the blueliner’s undisclosed injury is more significant than the team believed and that he’ll be out longer than expected as a result. The veteran suffered the injury back on March 7th against Boston and was placed on injured reserve back on Sunday. If Doughty winds up having to miss the next six weeks, his $11MM AAV could be shifted to LTIR, giving Los Angeles extra cap room to work with at the trade deadline. Of course, it must also be said that without their top rearguard, the Kings will face a tougher battle to make it to the postseason.
More from the Western Conference:
- Prior to trading him to Colorado, the Wild offered center Nico Sturm a long-term contract extension, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription link). Obviously, that offer was rejected and he was instead traded for Tyson Jost. Speculatively, that offer would have been around the $2MM that Jost is making.
- With the trade deadline just over 48 hours away now, it appears to be all quiet on the Marc-Andre Fleury front, suggests Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic (Twitter link). Fleury has been assured by the Blackhawks that he’ll have the final decision as to whether or not he’ll accept a trade even though he doesn’t have a full no-trade clause. LeBrun notes that at this point, there have been some general inquiries but none that could be described as serious.
- Oilers defenseman Philip Broberg suffered an injury in Friday’s AHL game and is set to undergo an MRI, notes Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 20-year-old has played in 22 games with Edmonton this season and if he’s going to miss any extended period of time, it could push them to look to add some extra defensive depth by the deadline.