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Injury Updates: Sutter, Daley, Johnson, Myers

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Canucks center Brandon Sutter has been out of the lineup since suffering a lower-body injury back on November 12th but it appears that he’s ready to return.  The team announced (Twitter link) that the veteran could be in uniform tomorrow night against Toronto.

That means that Vancouver is going to have to do some cap juggling in order to activate Sutter off LTIR.  The team has less than $3MM in cap room to work with per CapFriendly and Sutter’s AAV checks in at $4.375MM.  Tyler Motte ($975K) is eligible to be transferred to LTIR as he has already missed a month but that still won’t be enough to activate him.  The Canucks are carrying seven defensemen at the moment and may be forced to drop that to six by sending Jalen Chatfield back to AHL Utica.  If Sutter is cleared to play, expect some roster movement from Vancouver in a hurry.

Other injury notes from around the NHL:

  • Detroit defenseman Trevor Daley could return to the lineup tomorrow after missing 16 straight games due to a lower-body issue, notes Arthur J. Regner of the Red Wings’ team website. He has received the green light to return from team doctors so now it’s a matter of seeing if he needs extra practices before seeing game action.  On the surface, it appears that the team is expecting him to play with the placement of Madison Bowey on waivers today will be the roster spot that’s used to activate Daley off IR.
  • Lightning center Tyler Johnson is day-to-day with a lower-body issue, the team announced (via Twitter). Head coach Jon Cooper indicated that there’s no timetable for his return and that he will not play on Tuesday.  The 29-year-old is off to a relatively quiet start offensively with 14 points in 27 games, the lowest full-season point-per-game rate of his career.
  • Travis Konecny isn’t the only injury the Flyers are dealing with today. Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News reports that defenseman Phillipe Myers left practice early today due to back spasms that have been an issue in recent days.  That leaves his availability for Wednesday against Colorado in question.  Myers has very quietly been a surprising factor offensively on Philadelphia’s back end as he has chipped in with nine points in just 17 games this season.

Philadelphia Flyers Recall Three Players

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The Philadelphia Flyers have made several roster moves on Thursday morning, recalling Philippe Myers, German Rubtsov and Carsen Twarynski from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. To make room, the team has loaned Mikhail Vorobyev and Samuel Morin to the AHL, the latter on a conditioning stint. Scott Laughton, who underwent surgery on his right index finger yesterday, was placed on long-term injured reserve. He will be out for three to four weeks.

While Myers got his first look in the NHL last season and Twarynski started this year with the club, it is Rubtsov that will draw the most fanfare. This is the first recall for the 21-year old forward, who was drafted 22nd overall in 2016.

It’s been a long and winding road since that draft, as Rubtsov first stayed in the KHL before leaving to join the Chicoutimi Sagueneens partway through the 2016-17 season. He was on the move again the following year when he was traded from Chicoutimi to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, where he finally found some stability and went on a long QMJHL playoff run. Last season was spent in the minor leagues with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but Rubtsov suffered a shoulder injury after just 14 games and had to sit out the rest of the year.

Now back flying around the rink, the Russian forward has six points in seven games with the Phantoms and is now getting his first chance in the NHL. Even if it is just a short-term recall, it’s good news for his development and future as a Flyer.

Metropolitan Notes: Milano, Texier, Morin

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Despite losing all that forward talent this summer, the Columbus Blue Jackets find themselves in quite a roster jam. With 12 spots all but locked up, there is just one spot remaining for the bubble players. Amongst those is Sonny Milano, the team’s first-round pick in 2014, who looked like a impressive top-six option after the 2017-18 season when he tallied 15 goals as a rookie. However, he found himself instead spending most of 2018-19 with the Cleveland Monsters in the AHL and there is no guarantee that he will make the team this year. To make matters worse, Milano would have to pass through waivers if Columbus decides to cut him from the team, which would almost certainly result in another team claiming him.

The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required) writes that the Blue Jackets would prefer to trade him than pass him through waivers, but the market for Milano has been cold. The team could opt to keep him and consider moving on from one of its veteran players, such as Markus Hannikainen or Brandon Dubinsky. However, the team wouldn’t be able to bury Dubinsky in the minors with his $5.85MM salary. However, Hannikainen might be an easier option as he makes just $750K.

  • Sticking with the Blue Jackets, Portzine, in a separate article, writes that Columbus is considering giving former star Artemi Panarin’s first-line position into the hands of rookie Alexandre Texier this season. Panarin, the team’s lead winger last season, left for the New York Rangers over the summer, but the team believes that the 20-year-old may be able to succeed in that role this year. Texier scored one goal in two late regular season games and played in all eight playoff games for Columbus, scoring two goals and three points. The scribe adds that if Texier does win the top-line job, he could become a top candidate for the Calder Trophy.
  • Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi believes that the Philadelphia Flyers are likely to keep eight defensemen out of training camp. The team has a numbers problem with defensemen and with only one of them waiver exempt, Philippe Myers, who is a lock to make the team, the Flyers would have to put a player on waivers, likely Samuel Morin. Philadelphia believes there is a good chance they would lose Morin if they put him on waivers and are more likely to keep the extra defenseman instead.

Snapshots: Monarchs, Myers, Wagner

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The Manchester Monarchs are no more. The ECHL team announced today that they would be ceasing operations after 18 seasons, meaning the Los Angeles Kings no longer have an affiliate in the league. According to Jon Rosen the Kings are expected to share an ECHL affiliate with another NHL team, though it is not yet clear who that will be.

The Monarchs franchise was actually founded in 1993 as the Huntington Blizzard, and have gone by several other names over the years including the Ontario Reign—the two minor league affiliates swapped in 2015, keeping a professional team that had been there since 2001 in the city. During their four-year run as the Monarchs in the ECHL, the team made the Kelly Cup playoffs every season and advanced to the third round in 2017. Several NHL players have spent time with the team, including 2018-19 rookies Jayce Hawryluk, Josh Brown and Jacob Middleton.

  • Team Canada is now without Brandon Montour for the rest of the IIHF World Championship, so were desperately trying to find a defenseman who could be added in the final roster spot. That defenseman is Philippe Myers, who today was added from the Philadelphia Flyers. Myers finally made his NHL debut this season and will now get the chance to represent his country on the world stage.
  • The Boston Bruins have received huge contributions from depth forwards like Chris Wagner in the postseason, but will have to find another source for the time being. Wagner has returned to Boston for further tests on his injured arm, one that was seen in a sling after he blocked a shot against the Carolina Hurricanes and was forced to exit game three. The Bruins will insert Noel Acciari into the lineup for game four in Carolina. If Wagner does not return in these playoffs he’ll end the postseason with an impressive 44 hits in 12 games while contributing two goals.

Philadelphia Flyers Recall Mark Friedman

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The Philadelphia Flyers are set to debut another young defenseman, as the team recalled Mark Friedman today from the minor leagues. In his place Philippe Myers was returned to the AHL to help the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Friedman will wear #59 for the Flyers as they get ready for the final game of the season tomorrow night.

It’s been something of a pipeline of young talent on the blue line for Philadelphia in recent years, who already have players like Shayne Gostisbehere (25), Robert Hagg (24), Travis Sanheim (23), Samuel Morin (23) and Ivan Provorov (22) on the NHL roster. While Friedman obviously doesn’t come with as much hype as some of those other names, he has had a solid development path since being selected in the third round in 2014.

Attending Bowling Green State for three seasons, Friedman was named to the NCHC All-Rookie, Third and First All-Star Teams during his time there. He finished his college career in 2017 with 68 points in 121 games and jumped to the professional ranks with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. In two seasons there he has continued to develop his two-way game, recording 24 points in 71 games this year. For that hard work it appears as though he’ll be rewarded with a game at the NHL level, which will also give him a little extra salary for the last few days of the season.

With one year left on his entry-level contract it still seems unlikely that Friedman will spend much time in the NHL before he hits restricted free agency, but giving him a taste of what it’s like can only help his development going forward.

Minor Transactions: 02/25/2019

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With the trade deadline upon us, roster restrictions have now been lifted so there should be an influx of recalls today.  On top of that, there should be plenty of “paper transactions” post-deadline as teams send down and then recall players in order to preserve their AHL postseason eligibility. Only players on AHL rosters at 3pm ET are eligible to play in the league’s playoffs. While all eyes are on the deadline, today is also one of, if not the, busiest day of the season for minor transactions. Try to keep up right here:

  • The Canadiens announced the recall of winger Dale Weise from Laval (AHL). He was sent down last week to accommodate the return of Paul Byron from IR but this move was expected with the 23-man roster limit now removed.  Weise played in three games with the Rocket, scoring twice.  He will likely battle for fourth line ice time down the stretch.
  • The Devils have shuffled their forward group, announcing that they have sent wingers Joey Anderson and Brett Seney to AHL Binghamton while recalling forwards Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian, and John Quenneville. Anderson has just three points in 19 NHL games this season while Seney has spent the bulk of the year in New Jersey, collecting 13 points in 50 NHL contests.  McLeod, a 2016 first-rounder, has played just once with the big club this season but sits second on Binghamton in scoring and should now get a longer look to assess his development.  Bastian has also played just once in New Jersey but leads Binghamton in goals with 17 in 56 games.  They also announced that goalie MacKenzie Blackwood has been recalled from Binghamton following the trade of Keith Kinkaid, as well as defenseman Egor Yakovlev, with Eric Gryba heading back to the AHL.
  • For the time being at least, the Senators have re-assigned defenseman Cody Goloubef, centers Logan Brown and Filip Chlapik, and winger Drake Batherson to Belleville of the AHL, per a team announcement.  The team also made forward Rudolfs Balcers and defenseman Christian Wolanin paper transactions for the inevitable reality of last-place Ottawa having an early end to their season, but Belleville continuing on to the postseason.
  • The Flyers have brought back defenseman Samuel Morin from his conditioning stint with AHL Lehigh Valley.  He has been working his way back from ACL surgery from an injury sustained in the minor league playoffs back in May and played in a pair of games with the Phantoms.  It’s likely that Morin won’t be thrown into action with Philadelphia right away but with the roster limit gone, they can have him on the active roster from here on out. The team also made defenseman Philippe Myers and forward Corban Knight paper transactions. The young Myers was the top defender for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantom prior to his recall, while Knight is an experienced AHLer who can lead a team. Their return for the postseason would be a major boost for the Phantoms.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Matt Donovan from the AHL, placing Dan Hamhuis on injured reserve. Donovan is leading all Milwaukee Admirals defensemen in scoring with 29 points through 55 games, but hasn’t played an NHL game since 2014-15.
  • Christian Dvorak has officially been recalled from his conditioning stint with the Tucson Roadrunners, meaning he’ll be back on the ice for the Arizona Coyotes soon. The young forward has missed the entire season up to this point, but could give the Coyotes a much needed offensive boost down the stretch.
  • Matt Luff was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings today, only to be returned to the AHL’s Ontario Reign later on alongside Michael Amadio. It’s unclear if this move was intended for AHL postseason means, seeing as the Reign are in last place in the entire league and aren’t going to be heading to the postseason.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have returned goaltender Marek Mazanec and forward Zack MacEwen to the AHL’s Utica Comets, the team announced. Mazanec’s demotion is good news for the Canucks; Thatcher Demko has been cleared for action and will dress for the Canucks as the backup tonight.
  • Teddy Blueger has been reassigned to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, but could be on his way back up shortly. With Tanner Pearson shipped out of town, Pittsburgh needs another forward and Blueger has been the next man up. He should get a chance at regular minutes down the stretch.
  • Collin Delia will return to the minors upon the activation of Corey Crawford, Chicago announced. Delia has performed admirably in net during Crawford’s absence and even earned a contract extension with his play, but needs the starts available in the AHL rather than sitting behind Crawford and Cam Ward.
  • With the Toronto Maple Leafs trading away Par Lindholm today, stating their desire to open up regular NHL minutes for Trevor Moore, it is no surprise that Moore was an emergency recall by the team. Moore has been the epitome of consistency through his time with the University of Denver and AHL Marlies and now hopes to bring that same dependable production to the NHL.
  • The Arizona Coyotes made a pair of paper transactions, assigning defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and forward Conor Garland to the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners – to ensure their AHL postseason eligibility – and then called them back up.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes followed suit, making forwards Saku Maenalanen and Warren Foegele paper transactions, so that they may compete with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers if need be.
  • The Dallas Stars are without Mats Zuccarello after just one game with the trade addition. To fill his roster spot for the time being, the team has recalled Denis Gurianov from AHL Texas. Gurianov has shown flashes, but inconsistency in the pros, but now Dallas needs him to be a reliable option over the next four weeks.
  • Daniel O’Regan seemed like a likely trade candidate as a young impending free agent who has not been a fit in Buffalo. The Sabres even showcased him this past week, but to no avail. The deadline has come and gone and Regan is still a Sabre, or more accurately a Rochester American after being demoted today. Tage Thompson was a paper transaction for the club.
  • Dylan Sikura was made a paper transaction by the Chicago Blackhawks, as well. While the team would like to see what he can do in the NHL over the next month, the Blackhawks are trending away from the postseason, making Sikura’s best bet at postseason play a return to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. The move today maintains his eligibility to do so.
  • The Colorado Avalanche made dependable depth forward Sheldon Dries a paper transaction, but the reassignments of fellow forwards A.J. Greer and Andrew Agozzino were not just formalities. The pair will head back to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, having presumably lost their roster spots to the healthy Colin Wilson and the acquisition of Derick Brassard.
  • Goaltender Harri Sateri, defenseman Filip Hronek, and forward Filip Zadina were all made paper transactions by the Detroit Red Wings. Sateri and Hronek are currently filling in as injury replacements and will likely return to the AHL for real in short time, but Detroit wants to see what top prospect Zadina can do in the NHL down the stretch. The Red Wings surely won’t be making the playoffs though, so they made sure the trio can all still experience a postseason run this year.
  • The Edmonton Oilers made veteran minor league forwards Brad Malone and Josh Currie paper transactions. The duo is currently helping out in the NHL, but with the Oilers’ playoff hopes all but dead, their major role the rest of the way will likely be as experienced leaders guiding the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors into the postseason.
  • Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin, and new addition Ryan Donato were all made paper transactions today by the Minnesota Wild. The trio is very much part of the Wild’s immediate plans this season, as well as their future, but Minnesota may not make the playoffs this year and the forwards could benefit from making a run with AHL Iowa.
  • New York Islanders defenseman Devon Toews was another paper transaction. Toews has carved out a role for himself with the club, which currently leads the Metropolitan Division, but should be be available to the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers come playoff time, a return to the team at a critical time would only further his development.
  • Lukas Radil was a paper transaction for the San Jose Sharks today. The Sharks are hoping to make a deep playoff run this year, but on the off chance that doesn’t materialize, the experienced forward Radil would be of benefit to the AHL Barracuda.
  • The Vancouver Canucks currently have defensemen Ashton Sautner and Guillaume Brisebois on the roster as the team battles injuries. However, to make sure the AHL’s Utica Comets were not stripped of two of their top defenders this season, Vancouver made the pair paper transactions today.
  • The Winnipeg Jets announced that they have reassigned defenseman Tucker Poolman to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose today. The move was expected after the Jets traded for not one but two defenseman today. The move also serves to ensure Poolman can play in the AHL postseason if need be. The same goes for forward Mason Appleton, who was also sent down.
  • Peter Cehlarik and Karson Kuhlman have both been returned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins, but it remains unclear if this is a paper transaction or an actual move by Boston. With the deadline passed and roster restrictions nullified, one would think that Cehlarik and Kulhman – who have both player regular minutes for the Bruins of late – would be back up. However, no such move has been made and perhaps the team simply wants to give the duo some more ice time in the minors now that their NHL roster includes several more veteran members up front.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have demoted defenseman Andy Welinski and forward Sam Steel in favor of defenseman Korbinian Holzer and goaltender Angus Redmond. The move may have something to do with AHL playoff eligibility, but more than anything it is about Redmond’s recall. The Ducks, who continue to struggle with injuries in net, will dress Redmond as their backup tonight with Ryan Miller sidelined with a lower-body injury. It is the first NHL experience for a keeper who has played almost exclusively in the ECHL as a pro.

Metropolitan Notes: Rangers, Hickey, Ladd, Kinkaid, Myers

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After sending out a letter, telling fans that the team intends to rebuild last February, the New York Rangers rebuilding project is well underway, but The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman (subscription required) writes that there is one problem the team has — they aren’t losing enough.

One key aspect of a rebuilding team is to pick up top prospects and the best way to do that is through the entry draft. However, with the team’s 21-20-7 record this season under new head coach David Quinn, their 49 points would give them the 22nd best record in the league, which would not give them a chance at super prospects Jack Hughes or Kappo Kakko next season. While there is never a guarantee to picking up a top pick due to the draft lottery, had the team just five points fewer, 44 points would have put them 30th.

Of course, if New York trades off more players at the deadline such as Kevin Hayes or Chris Kreider, the team may continue to drop in the standings and improve their chances at a top pick. However, it could have a negative effect on the team’s environment that Quinn has developed this season.

  • Andrew Gross of Newsday writes that despite the layoff, neither defenseman Thomas Hickey and winger Andrew Ladd of the New York Islanders have a timetable to return and remain on injured reserve. Hickey, who has been out with an upper-body injury since Dec. 17, could be out for some time as head coach Barry Trotz said the defenseman will need four or five practices before being able to play, which could mean he may not be back into the lineup until mid to late February. Ladd, who has been out with a lower-body injury and has been out since Nov. 15, and also may not be back until late February.
  • NJ.com’s Chris Ryan analyzes the New Jersey Devils’ roster, looking at what players should stay and go and while even a few months ago, goaltender Keith Kinkaid was considered to be a key piece to the Devils’ success after proving last year that he can handle the full-time job well, it’s likely time to move on from the 29-year-old, who has struggled quite a bit of late. Kinkaid, who is in the final year of a two-year, $2.5MM deal he signed in 2017, has struggled this year with a 13-14-6 record, a 3.10 GAA and a .899 save percentage. Throw in the fact that MacKenzie Blackwood looks like the team’s long-term starter and the fact that the team can’t move Cory Schneider due to his lengthy and expensive contract and Kinkaid is likely to be looking for a new team this summer.
  • The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (subscription required) answers mailbag questions, pointing out that the Philadelphia Flyers are likely to bring up more prospects over the next several months. The team will likely recall defenseman Philippe Myers at some point this season. O’Connor writes that Myers has been playing impressive hockey with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL for the past two months and looks to be a player ready to take over a spot on Philadelphia’s defense next season. To ensure that, the Flyers will need to bring him up and give him some playing time this season.

 

Training Camp Cuts: 9/30/18

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It’s the last day of September and the start of the regular season is mere days away. Final cuts are looming and the decisions are going to get much tougher. While the drama really lies with the waiver wire over the next few days, keep track here of all the players otherwise sent down right here:

Buffalo Sabres (via team Twitter)

F Justin Bailey (to Rochester, AHL)
F Nicholas Baptiste (to Rochester, AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (via CapFriendly)

F Patrick Brown (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Greg McKegg (to Charlotte, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (per CapFriendly)

G Collin Delia (to Rockford, AHL)
F Dylan Sikura (to Rockford, AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

G Jean-Francois Berube (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Tommy Cross (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Zac Dalpe (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Dan DeSalvo (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Nathan Gerbe (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Miles Koules (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Mark Letestu (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Ryan MacInnis (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Michael Prapavessis (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Dillon Simpson (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Sam Vigneault (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Justin Wade (to Cleveland, AHL)

Dallas Stars (via Mark Stepneski of NHL.com)

F Erik Condra (to Texas, AHL)
F Michael Mersch (to Texas, AHL)

Detroit Red Wings (per team Twitter update)

F Jussi Jokinen (released from PTO, via MLive’s Ansar Khan)
F David Pope (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Vili Saarijarvi (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
G Harri Sateri (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Givani Smith (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Dominic Turgeon (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Filip Zadina (to Grand Rapids, AHL)

Edmonton Oilers (per team Twitter update)

D Jakub Jerabek (awaiting assignment)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

G Charlie Lindgren (to Montreal, AHL)

New York Rangers (per team Twitter update)

D Brandon Crawley (to Hartford, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (per team release)

D Mark Friedman (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Carter Hart (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Philippe Myers (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning (per team release)

D Erik Cerna (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Mitchell Stephens (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Alexander Volkov (to Syracuse, AHL)

Toronto Maple Leafs (per team Twitter update; Dhiren Mahiban)

D Andreas Borgman (to Toronto, AHL)
F Jeremy Bracco (to Toronto, AHL)
F Adam Brooks (to Toronto, AHL)
F Emerson Clark (to Toronto, AHL)
F Rich Clune (to Toronto, AHL)
F Pierre Engvall (to Toronto, AHL)
F Colin Greening (to Toronto, AHL)
F Carl Grundstrom (to Toronto, AHL)
D Timothy Liljegren (to Toronto, AHL)
F Mason Marchment (to Toronto, AHL)
F Trevor Moore (to Toronto, AHL)
D Calle Rosen (to Toronto, AHL)
F Dmytro Timashov (to Toronto, AHL)
D Sean Durzi (from Toronto, AHL to Owen Sound, OHL)
D Mac Hollowell (from Toronto, AHL to Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)

Washington Capitals (via The Athletic’s Chris Kuk)

F Riley Barber (to Hershey, AHL)
F Liam O’Brien (to Hershey, AHL)

Minor Transactions: 9/29/18

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Even with waivers and training camp cuts, teams continue to make minor transactions as they need to recall players for their final preseason games.

  • The Philadelphia Flyers announced they have recalled defenseman Philippe Myers from Lehigh Valley of the AHL to play in their preseason game today against the Boston Bruins. The 6-foot-5, 202-pound blueliner was a top candidate to make the team out of training camp, but was sent down recently. The 21-year-old played his first AHL season last year, posting 21 points in 50 games.
  • The St. Louis Blues announced they have recalled seven players from the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL for their game Sunday against the Washington Capitals, including forwards Brian Flynn, Klim Kostin, MacKenzie MacEachern and Adam Musil, as well as defensemen Chris Butler, Mitch Reinke and Tyler Wotherspoon. The Blues are looking to fill that game’s roster with a bunch of minor leaguers to get them experience as well as give some of the veterans some rest before the season starts. Besides Butler, who has spent parts of four seasons with the Blues, Klostin may be the most well-known as the 2017 first-rounder posted 28 points in the AHL last year as an 18-year-old.
  • The Dallas Stars have recalled goaltender Colton Point for their preseason finale against Colorado, according to NHL.com’s Mark Stepneski. He is expected to play the entire game Sunday after both Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin both missed practice today due to mild muscle strains. Point came over from Colgate University last year after posting a 1.79 GAA and a .944 save percentage there. He’s also fared well in limited time in the preseason, where he’s allowed just three goals on 33 shots in 32:29 minutes of ice time.

Metropolitan Notes: Capitals, Nelson, Zibanejad, Myers

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If it ain’t broke. Don’t fix it. At least that seems to be what the Washington Capitals believe. After capturing the Stanley Cup last season, the team completed one of its final moves when it locked up forward Tom Wilson to a six-year, $31-year deal. And suddenly, the team miraculously has managed to bring back almost its entire roster for next season, according to J.J. Regan of Yahoo Sports.

While all teams are forced to shake up their roster and allow for the losses of free agents after each season, the Capitals are an unusual situation, considering the number of potential free agents as well as how tight their salary cap has been over the past two years. It wasn’t going to get any better, yet still, the team still was able to re-sign stud defenseman John Carlson (eight years, $64MM) as well as find a creative way to trade defenseman Brooks Orpik to Colorado and then bring him back after the Avalanche waived him. They also managed to hold onto trade deadline acquisition Michal Kempny (four years, $10MM).

Sure, the team did suffer a couple of losses, including the loss of fourth-line center Jay Beagle and backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer. However, the team has people ready to step into those positions, including prospect Travis Boyd, free agent acquisition Nic Dowd as well as place long-time minor leaguer Pheonix Copley to fill in for a year, while the team waits for superstar prospect Ilya Samsonov to develop in the AHL for a year.

  • Andrew Gross of Newsday wonders whether the New York Islanders would consider moving center Brock Nelson for a defenseman, now that the 26-year-old has agreed to a one-year, $4.25MM deal with the team. With quite a bit of youth in the wings and the team in desperate need for blueline help and the fact that Nelson could walk away from the team as an unrestricted free agent next season, a trade might make a lot of sense. Nelson has been quite productive for New York, posting at least 19 goals in his last four seasons.
  • The Athletic’s Rick Carpinello (subscription required) analyzes and grades the season of New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, who took over the team’s No. 1 center position last season after the team traded away Derek Stepan. Many of the same questions about Stepan not being a No. 1 center now have fallen to Zibanejad. Yet, the 25-year-old definitely took his game up a notch, posting a career-high 27 goals in 72 games, but once again suffered an injury that interrupted his season. It marks the second straight year that Zibanejad has struggled with injuries, which is a concern and the center still must work on his consistency, including the fact that he posted no goals and one assist in the final seven games.
  • Dave Isaac of the Cherry Hill Courier Post writes that if the Philadelphia Flyers are impressed by the play of 6-foot-5 prospect Philippe Myers in training camp this year, that could impact the role of defenseman Radko Gudas, who could then be on his way out as Myers physicality could replace Gudas role as well as the fact that Myers and Travis Sanheim were a great pair when they were together with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL.

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