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Scott Wedgewood

Central Notes: Wild, Murphy, Wedgewood

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On November 28th, the Minnesota Wild became one of a handful of teams to change behind the bench, firing former head coach Dean Evason after a disastrous 6-10-4 start to the season. After John Hynes took over as the new head coach of the team, the Wild appeared to be turning a corner, producing a 10-3-0 record in the next 13 games, re-entering the wild card conversation in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, since that hot stretch in December, Minnesota is 2-7-1, falling to 27th in the league standings and now sits six points behind the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with four more games played.

With a decent majority of the team playing on contracts with term, it would be difficult for the Wild to sell at this year’s deadline, although it would be reasonable for them to do so in hopes of resetting for the 2024-25 season. However, in an article by Michael Russo in The Athletic, the General Manager of the Wild, Bill Guerin, has no plans to wave the white flag on the season and is still holding out on this team to make the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Although the faith coming from Guerin is appreciated by the players, the pathway for Minnesota to make the playoffs is dwindling if it hasn’t already dissipated completely. The top three in the Central Division are some of the best teams in the league, and the Wild are failing to maintain pace with the Seattle Kraken, Nashville Predators, and the red-hot Edmonton Oilers. Even though Guerin is relying heavily on the team rebounding as they become healthier, his mindset may change in the next several weeks leading up to the trade deadline.

Other notes:

  • Joining the growing list of injured members of the Chicago Blackhawks, defenseman Connor Murphy is out with a lower-body injury according to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic. He will not play in the team’s game tonight against the San Jose Sharks, but the team is hoping Murphy can draw back in tomorrow against the Buffalo Sabres. Now one of the longest-tenured Blackhawks on the team, Murphy has scored two goals and eight points in 43 games, averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game.
  • Radio host of the Dallas Stars, Owen Newkirk, reports that the injury to goaltender Scott Wedgewood is not serious, and he is only considered to be day-to-day. Before the return of Jake Oettinger on January 13th, Wedgewood was the de facto starter in Dallas for nearly a month, producing a 6-3-2 record in 12 games played.

Dallas Stars Sign Christopher Gibson To A PTO

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The Dallas Morning News announced this morning that the Dallas Stars had released their training camp roster and on it is former New York Islanders netminder Christopher Gibson. The 30-year-old Gibson has reportedly signed (Elite Prospects) a PTO to attend Stars training camp and figures to be a long shot to make the big club as Dallas has Jake Oettinger and Scott Wedgewood firmly entrenched between the pipes.

Gibson last saw NHL action with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2020-21 pandemic-shorted season going 1-1 with an .875 save percentage and a 2.66 goals-against average. The native of Karkkila, Finland has seen limited action over his four-year NHL career dressing in just 16 games with a record of 4-5-3 while sporting a 3.33 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.

As one might expect, Gibson’s numbers in the AHL are superior to his NHL numbers. Over the course of his ten-year AHL career, Gibson has played 244 games going 124-77-28 while posting 14 shutouts and a .910 save percentage. Although his AHL numbers are better, they haven’t been particularly good the past two seasons and are well off his career average. Last year with the Coachella Valley Firebirds Gibson went 10-5-4 with a 2.99 goals against average and a .894 save percentage.

He might be unlikely to land with the Stars in Dallas, but Gibson will have a good opportunity to audition for AHL work and could land himself a minor-league deal with a good showing. Gibson was a second-round pick 49th overall in the 2011 NHL entry draft and at one point looked like he would be a big part of the Islanders’ future. He has good size, and terrific athleticism, but has never been able to put it all together at the NHL level.

Roster Notes: Meyers, Wedgewood, Kasper

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The Colorado Avalanche announced Ben Meyers has been called up to the NHL roster. The 24 year old is playing his first full pro season after a great college career at Minnesota and has split that time between the AHL’s Colorado Eagles and the Avalanche. Though he has played well at the minor-league level, Meyers has struggled with the Avalanche this season.

In 20 AHL games, Meyers has scored six goals and 24 points, but in 33 NHL games he has just one goal and is yet to register his first NHL assist of his career. The Avalanche will use Meyers as a depth part as they try to claim the top spot in the Central Division. There is currently just one point separating the first-place Minnesota Wild from third-place Dallas Stars with Colorado currently holding on to the second seed with just seven games to play in the regular season.

  • Speaking of the Dallas Stars, they announced Scott Wedgewood would return to the lineup today after a long absence. The veteran goaltender has been out of the lineup since February 18 with a lower-body injury but is finally ready to return after missing six weeks. He has played 18 games with the Stars this season, posting a 2.92 GAA and a .913 SV%. He will be in goal when the Stars face the Nashville Predators tonight.
  • Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News reports Marco Kasper is dealing with a lower-body injury and he is currently listed as day-to-day. Kasper, the Red Wings first-round draft pick last June, just made his NHL debut on Sunday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 18 year old played 14:59 in his debut and had one shot on goal, but he may have to wait a few days before he gets into the second NHL game of his career.

Dallas Stars Recall Scott Wedgewood

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From a press release earlier this morning, the Dallas Stars announced they have recalled goaltender Scott Wedgewood from his conditioning assignment. In a corresponding move, the team has sent down Matt Murray to their AHL affiliate Texas Stars.

The return of Wedgewood will be an important one for the Stars. The team has been without him since their February 18th game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Wedgewood will not be the primary starter in Dallas, but his presence allows their regular netminder, Jake Oettinger, to get more rest before the playoffs begin. Oettinger currently sits third amongst all goalies in games played, as Juuse Saros and Connor Hellebuyck have both played one more.

This season, Wedgewood has made 16 starts, going 7-8-3 in the process, posting a save percentage of .913% and a GAA of 2.92. As the season winds down for the Stars in the regular season, expect Wedgewood to make several more stars to allow for a fully rested Oettinger come playoff time.

In their last 10 games, the Stars are 5-4-1, moving back to 3rd place in the incredibly tight Central Division playoff race. Losing a big game last night to the Colorado Avalanche, the Stars only play one playoff team in their remaining six games.

AHL Shuffle: 3/31/23

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled forward Radim Zohorna on an emergency recall, according to CapFriendly. Zohorna was acquired from the Calgary Flames for forward Dryden Hunt, having suited up for eight games with the Flames. He posted strong numbers in the AHL, with 31 points in 46 games between the Calgary Wranglers and Toronto Marlies.

Zohorna’s recall gives the leaves a hulking presence at center, as he stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 220 pounds. He has 10 points in 33 career games at the NHL level.

 

  • The Dallas Stars have loaned goaltender Scott Wedgewood to the Texas Stars on a conditioning assignment, the team announced on Twitter. Wedgewood has not played for Dallas since Feb. 18, and will likely play a few games in the AHL before joining the NHL squad as it gears up for a playoff run. In 18 games with Dallas this season, Wedgewood sports a .913 save percentage and 2.92 GAA.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent down defenseman Marcus Bjork to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, according to CapFriendly.Bjork, 25, has seen his first taste of NHL action with Columbus this season, recording 11 points (3G, 8A) in 28 games. He has actually been more productive in the NHL, as he has 13 points in 40 games at the AHL level. As Columbus has had a tough season from the get-go, the slight emergence of Bjork is a bright spot for a team that has not had much go its way this season.

Scott Wedgewood To Start Conditioning Stint In AHL

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The Dallas Stars have their eyes set on more than just a playoff appearance. The club has the best goal differential in the Western Conference and hopes to go on a long postseason run, contending for the Stanley Cup. While their hopes rest on the shoulders of star goaltender Jake Oettinger, getting his backup healthy enough to contribute down the stretch is a priority.

Scott Wedgewood hasn’t played since February 18, leaving Oettinger to start nearly every game since, given the lack of NHL-level depth behind the two netminders. Now, Wedgewood appears to be on the brink of a return.

Team reporter Mike Heika reports that the veteran netminder will go on a conditioning stint to the AHL and start for the Texas Stars on Friday. He could be back up with the NHL club as early as next week, allowing Dallas to give Oettinger a couple of nights off before the playoffs begin.

The Stars finish the season with a home-and-home with the St. Louis Blues on consecutive nights, games that could have serious significance depending on how things go from here. They currently sit three points behind the Minnesota Wild for the Central Division lead, and are tied with the Colorado Avalanche for the other two division playoff spots.

Home ice advantage in the first round – or even avoiding a matchup with the defending champs entirely – may come down to how they perform in that back-to-back.

West Notes: Fiala, Stars, Sharks

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Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala is injured and listed as day-to-day according to Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider. Fiala will miss tonight’s contest when the Kings host the Nashville Predators. Fiala left the Kings game on Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche after a knee-on-knee hit from Andrew Cogliano. Of course the Kings don’t want Fiala to miss any time, but the fact he is only listed as day-to-day is great news as the collision looked like it could possibly result in a much more serious injury.

Fiala is leading the Kings in scoring with 68 points this season. He has been terrific in Los Angeles after being acquired from the Wild for a first-round pick and Brock Faber in the offseason. The 26-year-old winger plays a great two-way game and has fit in on the team’s top line with Anze Kopitar and also fills in on a tremendous all-around trio with Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson from time to time. It sounds like his absence will be short term and that is great news for Kings fans who were holding their breath since Thursday night.

  • The Dallas Stars have provided a bit of an update on their injured players. Mike Heika of NHL.com reports Tyler Seguin is not skating today which means he is not close to returning to action. The veteran center left Thursday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres after suffering a laceration above his knee from the skate of Jordan Greenway. Luke Glendening and Scott Wedgewood did skate today, meaning they are close to getting back into the lineup. Glendening has not played since February 17 and Wedgewood’s last game was February 18.
  • Curtis Pashelka of Bay Area News Group reports San Jose Sharks defensemen Radim Simek and Jacob MacDonald are out week to week. Simek is dealing with concussion symptoms and MacDonald left Monday night’s game early after taking a high hit. There is no update on what the injury is, but the timeline sounds like the Sharks will be without a couple of depth defenders for the next few weeks. In better Sharks news, winger Jonah Gadjovich is getting closer to returning but is not quite ready. He has three goals and seven points in 35 games this season but hasn’t played since February 12 with an upper-body injury.

Injury Notes: Wedgewood, Yamamoto, Roy

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Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer told reporters today, including The Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks, that goalie Scott Wedgewood is day-to-day after leaving last night’s game on a stretcher. DeBoer noted that Wedgewood felt better today, but did not practice.

Wedgewood could still take a skate tomorrow but is still doubtful to dress Saturday against the New York Islanders. The netminder sustained the injury by making a pair of saves on Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell. It’s expected that Matt Murray will receive his second recall of the season to backup Oettinger for tomorrow’s game.

  • Edmonton Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto has yet to skate since suffering an undisclosed injury in a 7-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on November 10, according to head coach Jay Woodcroft. Woodcroft called the young forward day-to-day, but said it was doubtful he’d play Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Yamamoto has a paltry three assists through 13 games this season despite receiving top-six minutes.
  • On the other side of that matchup, Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy doesn’t expect forward Nicolas Roy to travel today with the team to Edmonton. The 25-year-old is out with a lower-body injury suffered in their last game and is day-to-day. He’s been an important depth scoring piece for Vegas to start the year, notching four goals and seven assists in 18 games.

Snapshots: Pastujov, Wedgewood, Kings Defense

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We are, presumably, still a few months away from the NHL’s blockbuster trading season, however the hot stove in the WHL, QMJHL, and OHL is red hot, with a few blockbusters already completed. The OHL’s Sarnia Sting managed to make one of their own tonight too, acquiring forward and Anaheim Ducks prospect Sasha Pastujov from the Guelph Storm. Heading back to Guelph will be forward Max Namestnikov along with a 2022 second-round pick, 2024 third-round pick, 2025 fifth-round pick, and 2026 fifth -round pick, all in the OHL draft.

Pastujov, 19, was a third-round selection by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2019 NHL Draft, who has put up massive numbers for Sarnia since joining them after a stint with the USNTDP prior. In just 14 games to start this season, Pastujov has 11 goals and eight assists, building on his sensational 2021-22 campaign where he recorded 34 goals and 42 assists in 65 games.

  • Having recently got goaltender Jake Oettinger back from injury, the Dallas Stars were surely hoping to keep their goaltending duo intact for as long as possible, however backup netminder Scott Wedgewood was forced to leave tonight’s game against the Florida Panthers, and it did not look good. The injury happened as Wedgewood made a stop against forward Anton Lundell on a breakaway. Lundell was kept off the scoresheet, but Wedgewood remained on the ice for some time before a stretcher was brought out to help the ailing goaltender off the ice. Through seven games to start the season coming into tonight, the 30-year-old carries a 3.21 goals-against average and .903 save-percentage. The Stars added that Wedgewood is “okay” and being further evaluated in their locker room. In this sense, okay may not necessarily mean uninjured, but instead as a reference to the scary situation as Wedgewood was unable to leave the ice himself.
  • Earlier today on TSN’s Insider Trading segment, Pierre LeBrun touched on the Los Angeles Kings and their envious predicament of having too many defenseman. As a response, the team has placed defenseman Brandt Clarke on a conditioning loan in the AHL and Jordan Spence, who has proven to be a capable NHL defenseman, is currently a teammate of Clarke’s with the Ontario Reign of the AHL. LeBrun notes that teams have been wondering if the Kings are or will be willing to trade from their defensive depth, however it appears Los Angeles has indicated they are planning to hold onto their defenseman, at least for now.

Jake Oettinger To Be Re-Evaluated In A Week

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The Dallas Stars have lost young star goaltender Jake Oettinger for the next little while, after he pulled himself out of Saturday’s game. General manager Jim Nill told reporters including Saad Yousuf of The Athletic that Oettinger will be re-evaluated in a week’s time for the lower-body injury he is dealing with.

Now, the Stars face a difficult issue. The team cannot recall Anton Khudobin without making a significant cap move, like putting Oettinger on long-term injured reserve. The only other two netminders signed to NHL contracts are Adam Scheel and Remi Poirier, who both are playing in the ECHL. Matthew Murray, Khudobin’s partner, is signed to an AHL contract and would have to be signed to an NHL deal in order to be recalled. None of the three has any NHL experience.

That mean’s it is the Scott Wedgewood show, for the time being, something that would’ve been difficult to predict when he was being claimed off waivers by the Arizona Coyotes almost exactly a year ago. While Wedgewood has shown an ability to play at the NHL level in the past, he only actually has 80 appearances and is 0-2-1 this season with an .880 save percentage.

These in-between injuries – ones that don’t keep a player out for more than ten games, thus removing the possibility of LTIR – have become increasingly difficult for some teams to deal with, given cap constraints. As clubs continue to push their salary chart right up to the cap ceiling, they remove any room for in-season maneuvering.

For Oettinger, it’s a difficult break during what was shaping up to be his true breakout season. After starring in last year’s playoffs, he had an incredible .952 save percentage so far, only allowing nine goals on 186 shots. Hopefully the 23-year-old will be able to quickly recover from this injury and get back in the net to continue his early Vezina contention.

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