Injury Notes: Tarasenko, Bruins, Walker, Stenlund
There appears to be some good news at least on the horizon for the Blues. Speaking with reporters today (video link), GM Doug Armstrong indicated that winger Vladimir Tarasenko has resumed skating as he works his way back from offseason surgery:
His shoulder certainly isn’t 100 percent right now, but it’s at a point where the safety mechanisms are in place where we feel he can skate. He can receive passes, make passes, and shoot to a level of his comfort. He’s still aways away. We won’t see him for a number of weeks, but he certainly is on the right track.
Tarasenko has been out since re-aggravating his previous shoulder injury back in the bubble which played a role in the Blues signing Mike Hoffman just before the season started. While it will be several weeks yet before he returns, he’s on track to be a big second-half addition to a team that has gotten off to a solid start this season with a 7-2-1 record.
More injury news and notes from around the league:
- Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Matt Grzelcyk have resumed skating as they continue to recover from their respective lower-body injuries, notes Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey Now. Neither player is expected to suit up on Friday when their current road trip comes to an end while their next two games against Buffalo have already been postponed. That would appear to have them in line to return a week tonight against the Rangers.
- Kings defenseman Sean Walker will have surgery on his nose and is expected to miss the next two-to-four weeks, reports Lisa Dillman of The Athletic (Twitter link). He took a slapshot to the face in the third period of Thursday’s game and hasn’t played since. Los Angeles placed Walker on injured reserve yesterday.
- The Blue Jackets announced that they have activated Kevin Stenlund off injured reserve. The center suffered an upper-body injury last week that held him out of the last four games. Stenlund had gotten off to a good start before getting injured with a goal and an assist in his first two games.
L.A. Kings Re-Sign Sean Walker
The Los Angeles Kings have come to terms on a long-term extension with one of their more under-rated contributors. Defenseman Sean Walker has signed a four-year extension with the club after completing just his first full NHL season. The contract carries a $2.65MM AAV, all in base salary, with the following salary breakdown: $2MM in 2020-21, $2.25MM in 2021-22, $3MM in 2022-23, and $3.35MM in 2023-24. When the contract expires in 2024, Walker will be an unrestricted free agent.
Walker, 25, played in all 70 games for the Kings this year, logging more ice time than all defensemen but Drew Doughty. Walker’s five goals and 24 points also trailed only Doughty among club defenders. Walker is also a capable checker and shot-blocker, but his true talent lies in moving the puck and creating offense. A standout at Bowling Green State University who made an immediate impact in the AHL with the Ontario Reign as well, Walker showed in 39 games with L.A. last season that he was already ready to help at the NHL level as well. However, a major boost in per-game scoring and possession led to an increase in ice time and a role that few expected for Walker in his first full NHL season. The Kings are ow hoping that he can continue to improve and take on more responsibility over the course of his next extension.
With Walker signed long-term, avoiding arbitration, the Kings’ greatest RFA hurdle of the off-season is already complete. Only the likes of Nikolai Prokhorkin, Matt Luff, and Sheldon Rempal remain meaningful RFA’s in need of a new contract. On defense, Doughty and the Kings’ young core are all signed through at least next season. The team will have to make a call on UFA’s Ben Hutton and Joakim Ryan, but could instead opt to search the free agent and trade markets for another impact veteran to complement Walker and company.