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Tyler Toffoli

Pacific Notes: Markstrom, Vancouver, Calgary

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Without an official start date announced for the expanded NHL postseason, it is nearly impossible to guess when the Stanley Cup might be awarded this year and when the off-season may begin. All that Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning cares about is that by the time the off-season does arrive, goaltender Jacob Markstrom is back under contract. “He’s an important guy for us,” Benning told Ben Kuzma of The Province, adding “My intent is to figure out something that works for him and us. I’m hoping to get him signed.” Markstrom is part of a trio of key free agents for Vancouver that includes defenseman Chris Tanev and forward Tyler Toffoli, but the All-Star netminder appears to be Benning’s priority. The GM has been working to extend Markstrom all year, while Markstrom himself has said multiple times that he would like to remain in Vancouver. All that is left is for the two sides to meet on money in the confines of a potential flat salary cap and the Canucks’ hefty payroll. Markstrom enjoyed a career year in 2019-20 and could still boost his stock even further with a strong playoff performance. If the Canucks don’t pay him, someone else undoubtedly will.

  • The city of Vancouver is hoping to have a first-hand look at the coming postseason. The province of British Columbia has put together a formal proposal, designed and approved by its top healthcare professionals, that recommends Vancouver as one of the two “hub cities” for the NHL’s makeshift playoff format. Per the Canadian Press, this proposal will be presented to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for approval and then finally to the NHL. Vancouver was already on the shortlist of possible locations that the league was considering, but are now taking steps to be a front runner for the event. Whether or not the NHL would allow the Canucks to play at home or instead send the Eastern Conference teams to Western Canada remains to be seen.
  • Working against Vancouver’s odds of hosting a postseason tournament is Canada’s continued insistence on a 14-day quarantine for anyone entering the country. If this policy is still in place once the postseason is ready to commence, it would present a holdup that the NHL cannot afford. Before it even reaches that possible breaking point, the quarantine rule is already impacting training camp plans. Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving tells TSN’s Ryan Rishaug that the organization already has a plan in place to hold their July training camp in the U.S. if the quarantine rule is not lifted or an exception is not made. “I don’t want guys coming back to Calgary and sitting on their butts for two weeks,” Treliving stated, “It may make more sense for us to have camp in the U.S. so we can have guys together quicker and being productive. The quarantine issue is a big one.” There is no word yet on where exactly this fallback training camp would take place, but hockey-centric cities relatively close to Calgary include Spokane, Washington and Grand Forks, North Dakota.

West Notes: Lindholm, Garland, Josi, Boeser, Toffoli

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While the Anaheim Ducks blueline seems to be getting healthier with the pending returns of Josh Manson, Erik Gudbranson and Cam Fowler soon, the team didn’t get a positive update for the return of Hampus Lindholm. The defenseman, who is second on the team in ice time, has no timetable for a return yet and with just 14 games remaining, it’s legitimately possible that he could miss the rest of the season, according to The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (subscription required).

Lindholm has missed the last five games after falling awkwardly into the boards while battling for the puck with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl. The upper-body injury is part of the problem, although Stephens added that a back issue is also part of the issue. The 26-year-old has two goals and 22 points through 55 games with 71 blocks, while averaging 23:04 of ATOI.

Regardless, the team expects Manson (upper-body injury) to potentially return as early as today, while Gudbranson (upper-body injury) and Fowler (lower-body injury) are both a week or two behind him.

  • The Arizona Coyotes announced that forward Conor Garland will be out “week-to-week” after suffering a lower-body injury Friday against Calgary. The injury occurred when Garland collided with Flames’ goaltender Cam Talbot. It’s a tough blow for Arizona as Garland leads the team in goals scored with 22.
  • The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for cross-checking Dallas Stars forward Corey Perry. The incident happened at 15:13 of the second periond (video here) in which Josi cross checked Perry in the head after the play was over. Josi received a two-minute minor, although many have suggested that he should have received a five-minute major instead. Perry was a constant target in Saturday’s game after he received a five-game suspension during the Winter Classic after knocking Ryan Ellis out with a dirty hit. Ellis missed 20 games with a concussion.
  • The Vancouver Canucks look to be getting back forward Brock Boeser soon. The 23-year-old forward, who has been out since Feb. 8 with a rib injury, and while he is not expected to play today, Boeser feels that he “is close” to returning, likely later this week, according to Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma. He participated in a game-day skate with the team in full-contact gear. Boeser has 16 goals and 45 points in 56 games and should immediately upgrade the team’s top-six.
  • Sticking with the Canucks, Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre writes that Vancouver is unlikely to be able to retain the services of Tyler Toffoli after this season. The forward was acquired from Los Angeles at the trade deadline for Tim Schaller, prospect Tyler Madden a second-round pick and a conditional fourth-round pick based on whether the Canucks could sign him to an extension. Already dealing with cap issues, Vancouver still has to give out new contracts to goaltender Jacob Markstrom and defenseman Chris Tanev. Toffoli, who is currently making $4.6MM, might be too expensive to hold onto, although there is always the possiblity that the team moves out some contracts to make it happen. Toffoli has five goals and eight points in eight games since arriving in Vancouver.

Atlantic Notes: Kotkaniemi, Zadina, Sabres

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Jesperi Kotkaniemi hasn’t had the sophomore campaign that he had hoped for. After an impressive rookie season in which the Montreal Candaien scored 11 goals and 34 points, the 19-year-old was hoping to improve on those numbers. Instead it’s been one disappointment after another, which includes a slow start, demotion to the AHL and now a spleen injury.

The Laval Rocket, the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, announced (translation required) that Kotkaniemi suffered a spleen injury and spent Friday night in the hospital. He has been released, but there is no word on how long the young center will be out.

Kotkaniemi started the 2019-20 season with just six goals and eight points in 36 games, prompting the team to send him to Laval in hopes of getting increased playing time there as well as to find his confidence. So far through 13 games, Kotkaniemi has one goals and 13 points.

  • While the playoffs are out of reach for the Detroit Red Wings, the team’s main focus will be on developing their youth. That’s expected to include forward Filip Zadina, who has been out since Feb. 1 with a fractured ankle. MLive’s Ansar Khan reports that Zadina returned to practice Saturday and should be ready to return soon. “I just want to get stronger and get better and get back in the lineup,” Zadina said. “I just need to be a little more patient and get healthy 100 percent, get myself in shape and feel ready to go. Right now, I just want to (spend) most of the time on the ice and in the gym to get stronger.” Head coach Jeff Blashill said it won’t be Sunday, however.
  • The Athletic’s John Vogl (subscription required) looks into the future possibilities this summer when the Buffalo Sabres hit free agency. The scribe breaks down the team’s potential salary cap situation, cautiously estimating that Buffalo should have $21.5MM in available cap room. The team is in need of a second-line center, two right wingers and a left wing. With the right wing market likely to be the strongest at free agency, the team could focus on a player like Mike Hoffman or Tyler Toffoli to fill a need, but the team is unlikely to find help at the other two positions without making trades.

Trade Rumors: Barrie, Simmonds, Senators, Canadiens

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After years of mediocrity, the NHL’s Canadian teams have come to play in 2019-20 and are at the forefront of many of the trade deadline’s biggest story lines. However, perhaps the even bigger surprise than the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks being buyers is that the Toronto Maple Leafs could end up as sellers. In a very Canada-centric segment of TSN’s “Insider Trading”, Bob McKenzie reports that, following a difficult week, the Leafs have begun to receive calls on pending UFA defenseman Tyson Barrie, the team’s big off-season addition. McKenzie notes that this could have just as much to do with a suddenly barren defense market as it does with other teams doubting Toronto’s playoff chances, but regardless the team has not closed the door on a possible deal. Barrie has been a poor fit with the Maple Leafs but could benefit a number of other teams down the stretch and in the postseason. The team has seen the high prices that sellers have received so far and could be enticed to make a move of their own. However, McKenzie does note that Toronto is not expected to move Barrie without receiving a defenseman with term in exchange or without a second deal in place to flip picks and prospects for that elusive top-four right-shot defender.

  • The Vancouver Canucks already made a big splash with the acquisition of Tyler Toffoli, but they remain interested in the New Jersey Devils’ Wayne Simmonds as well, a target of theirs since last summer. However, Pierre LeBrun reports that the two sides have not been able to work out the salary cap details in a way that would make the addition work for the strapped Canucks. He suspects that this due to the likelihood that Brock Boeser will return from injury prior to the end of the regular season and the team must account for that cap increase. Seemingly at an impasse, talks are dead for the time being. However, Vancouver could circle back closer to the deadline if Simmonds still has not been dealt and the Devils are willing to be more flexible.
  • Yet again, the Ottawa Senators are one of the primary sellers at the deadline. While their offerings this year pale in comparison to last, they could still turn a nice profit with their current pieces. The insiders note that Vladislav Namestnikov is a healthy scratch tonight (and for the foreseeable future), as the Senators have at least four concrete offers on the table for the versatile forward. Toronto, Winnipeg, Colorado, and Columbus are named as the teams known to have interest, but there are likely more in play. Additionally, value veteran Tyler Ennis could be a nice depth piece for a contender and Edmonton is reportedly the front runner for his services. However, the biggest trade chip in Ottawa is center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and the news tonight is that the two sides have actually begun formal extension talks. While the Senators continue to field offers, it is believed that they have set a high asking price and would prefer to re-sign Pageau. LeBrun even wonders if they would risk keeping him past the deadline without a new deal if the camps are close, especially given the departure of homegrown talent at this time last year.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have a suspicious healthy scratch of their own tonight in Artturi Lehkonen, who has remained out of the trade deadline limelight until now. The 24-year-old winger can be streaky, but is on pace for a career high in points this season nonetheless and still has one year left on his contract before becoming a restricted free agent. It remains to be seen if this decision is even related to a possible deal and, if so, whether Lehkonen is for sale by himself or rather part of a bigger deal. Despite the newfound confusion surrounding Lehkonen, the focus in Montreal remains on Ilya Kovalchuk. The veteran scorer is definitely drawing interest, but LeBrun reports that a framework for a one-year, bonus-laden contract extension is also in place if the Habs opt to keep him. Kovalchuk has proven to be a tremendous fit in Montreal and the team may want to hold on to that positive note in an otherwise disappointing season.

Brock Boeser Out Eight Weeks

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Today while talking to reporters about the Tyler Toffoli acquisition, Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning explained that Brock Boeser will be out for eight weeks after the team discovered his injury is more serious than originally thought. That could mean Boeser is out for the rest of the regular season, though he will not require surgery. Benning also suggested that Josh Leivo and Micheal Ferland will both be out for the rest of the season.

Even though they should be used to it, Boeser’s absence is still a huge blow to the Canucks’ hopes down the stretch and into the playoffs. Their 22-year old sniper has now suffered major injuries in all three of his NHL seasons, ending with totals of 62, 69 and 56 games played. That’s hard for every hockey fan to accept, given the brilliance Boeser has shown whenever healthy.

In 196 career games, the University of North Dakota product has scored 75 goals, a 31-goal pace if extrapolated to a full 82 game season. His 161 points during that time similarly sets a strong pace, and he had clearly taken up the mantle as a star for the Canucks.

Though this news hurts the Canucks’ chances, it also does open up some interesting possibilities at the deadline. Not only did the team add Toffoli to the mix, but they can now put Boeser, Leivo and Ferland on long-term injured reserve to open up a ton of cap space. Even if Boeser and Leivo return at some point during the playoffs, the team can still us that extra space to add bodies. Of course, any additional trades the team makes will have to be considered thoroughly given the Canucks’ precarious position in the Pacific Division. They currently sit in third place but are only one point ahead of both the Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes.

Canucks Acquire Tyler Toffoli

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The Canucks are currently in a battle for top spot in the Pacific Division and GM Jim Benning has made a move to bolster their attack. They have acquired winger Tyler Toffoli from Los Angeles in exchange for winger Tim Schaller, prospect Tyler Madden, a 2020 second-round pick, and a 2022 fourth-round pick that is contingent on Toffoli re-signing with Vancouver.  Both teams have confirmed the trade and there is no salary retention on anyone.

The 27-year-old has already matched his point total from last season following a hat trick against Colorado in the Stadium Series game on Saturday.  Through 58 games this season, he has 18 goals and 16 assists; his 34 points ranked third on the Kings.

Vancouver has very quietly put together a top-ten attack this season and have a very balanced attack.  Toffoli’s addition will give the Canucks seven forwards with at least 16 goals and not many other teams can contend with that type of depth.

While that certainly bodes well for Vancouver, it may not be the best thing for Toffoli’s free agent fortunes.  He’s eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of the season and will likely be seeking a contract that’s close to his current $4.6MM AAV.  If he winds up spending time on the third line for the Canucks, that has the potential to hurt his value on the open market.

As for Schaller, his inclusion in the deal is solely to help make the money work.  Two years ago, he had a 22-point season with Boston but has failed to reach that mark over his two years in Vancouver combined.  Through 51 games this season, he has five goals and one assist which isn’t a great return on a $1.9MM AAV.  He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Even with Schaller’s inclusion, the money isn’t close enough to work under Vancouver’s salary cap.  Accordingly, CapFriendly notes (Twitter link) that wingers Josh Leivo and Tyler Motte plus center Tyler Graovac have all been transferred to LTIR which frees up enough room for now although there could be complications down the road when any of them are ready to be activated.  Micheal Ferland is also on LTIR but the Canucks announced (via Twitter) that he has been shut down for the rest of the season due to recurring concussion-like symptoms.  They also revealed that Brock Boeser will miss at least three weeks due to a rib cartilage fracture which likely was part of the impetus for this move.

Madden was a third-round pick of Vancouver (68th overall) back in 2018 but is quickly outperforming his draft stock.  He leads Northeastern in scoring in his sophomore season with 19 goals and 18 assists; his 37 points put him fourth in NCAA scoring.  However, he broke his finger over the weekend that will keep him out for the next month or so.  Los Angeles will have two years after this one to sign him and while he may still be a year or two away from turning pro, he is a nice addition to a Kings prospect pool that is quickly being stocked up.

With Toffoli now gone, the focus in Los Angeles will certainly shift towards defenseman Alec Martinez.  The 32-year-old is believed to be one of the more sought-after defenders that could move by next week’s trade deadline as he carries a $4MM AAV and unlike many of the players who will be moved between now and then, he’s not a rental player as he is signed through 2020-21.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

TSN’s Darren Dreger was the first to report that Toffoli had been dealt to Vancouver.

Latest On Tyler Toffoli’s Trade Market

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One of the teams that is a confirmed seller this year is the Los Angeles Kings, as they look to rebuild around a new wave of prospects that are close to making an impact at the NHL level. They have already sold off Jack Campbell and Kyle Clifford in a deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and now Tyler Toffoli is one of the top rental names in any trade speculation. Today, Frank Seravalli of TSN listed Toffoli at #6 on the latest edition of his Trade Bait board, and explained that even while the Kings’ forward impresses with his recent play, a return might not be exceptional.

’Every team is looking to get bigger, stronger and faster and [Chris] Kreider checks all of those boxes,’ one Eastern Conference executive said Monday. ’Toffoli doesn’t have that speed and power element. He doesn’t play with pace.’

That executive, whose team isn’t in trade talks for Toffoli, said he could see ’a package that looks like a second- and a fourth-round pick that might become a third with a condition’ or ’a second-round pick and a team’s fourth- or fifth-best prospect.’

Toffoli has four goals in his last two games, including a hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. With 18 through 58 games, it looks like he will clearly break the 20-goal mark for the fourth time in his career, and even has an outside shot at getting to 30 once again. For that kind of production one would think the Kings are looking for a little more than a package of mid-round picks, but teams seem less and less willing to part with a first-round selection in a deal for a pure rental.

The 27-year old forward is on the final season of his three-year, $13.8MM deal he signed in 2017 and comes with a $4.6MM cap hit. The Kings have plenty of room to retain if they choose, but can only do it for two more players after retaining $800K on Clifford.

Toffoli, Alec Martinez and Trevor Lewis all appear on the list, but the Kings have several other expiring deals. Derek Forbort, Ben Hutton, Joakim Ryan are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

Snapshots: Matheson, Toffoli, Handemark

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The Florida Panthers iced a unique lineup on Tuesday night with not one, but two defensemen skating as forwards. While Mark Pysyk has served in that hybrid role frequently this season, Michael Matheson also tried his hand. The result was a win and goal and two assists for Matheson. While Matheson does not receive a tremendous amount of attention, the Boston College product has been a reliable two-way blue liner for Florida since day one and other teams are beginning to take notice. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Panthers have explored the trade market for Matheson this season. He believes that a number of teams are interested and after Tuesday’s display of versatility and offensive touch, there may now be a few more. The stumbling block to any trade though would be Matheson’s contract. The dependable defender actually has a very fair $4.875MM cap hit, but it is term that could be a problem. Matheson is in just the second year of a maximum eight-year contract that carries through the 2025-26 season. Any team looking to acquire Matheson has to be more than just interested, they have to be dedicated, as Matheson could be around for a long time. The Panthers probably won’t take a discount on a return due to the term of the deal though. Florida was happy to have Matheson in the fold for many years to come just a couple of seasons back and they likely will not move the homegrown defenseman without a strong return.

  • Los Angeles Kings forward Tyler Toffoli continues to be one of the hottest names on the market with a number of potential suitors. However, some think that the Philadelphia Flyers have emerged as the favorite to land the two-way winger. Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer added fuel to that fire by reporting that former Flyers GM Ron Hextall, now an employee of the Kings, is in Florida scouting Flyers-Panthers on Thursday night. The Kings have been scouting the Flyers frequently, but Hextall’s presence takes things up a notch. No one in L.A. knows Philadelphia better than Hextall and the team would likely not make a move without his seal of approval. Perhaps they will get that nod from Hextall on a potential return for Toffoli after tonight’s game.
  • The Detroit Red Wings are hardly buyers in the trade market, but they will be looking to add in the off-season. One player that the team has been linked to is Swedish forward Fredrik Handemark. The 26-year-old center is a big, two-way center who has impressed for several years with the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL. In a season in which he has already matched his career high in points with weeks still to play, the consensus is that Handemark has outgrown Sweden and will look to make the jump to the NHL next season. Swedish news source Aftonbladet reports that there is interest from NHL teams, including the Red Wings, who Handemark calls his childhood favorite. Detroit has had great success with Swedes in the past, including a fellow two-way pivot in Henrik Zetterberg, and Handemark could be an affordable, effective addition for GM Steve Yzerman’s rebuilding club. Aftonbladet also mentions Orebro’s Mathias Brome, Farjestad’s Gustaf Rydahl, and HK Sochi’s Malte Strömwall as other Swedish standouts who have been linked to the Red Wings this season.

Trade Candidate: Tyler Toffoli

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we continue to profile players that have a good chance to be dealt by February 24th.

Last season, Kings winger Tyler Toffoli was drawing a fair bit of interest around the league but Los Angeles ultimately balked on selling low and held onto him for this season.  They’ve been somewhat rewarded for their patience as he has bounced back somewhat but they still find themselves well out of the playoff picture.  Accordingly, it seems quite likely that Toffoli will be on the move over the next few weeks.

Contract

Toffoli is in the final season of a three-year, $13.8MM contract signed back in 2017.  The deal was slightly back-loaded as his $4.8MM salary is a little higher than his $4.6MM cap hit.  There is no trade protection in the contract and he is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

2019-20

There haven’t been many bright spots in Los Angeles this season as the Kings are once again mired at the bottom of the standings in the Western Conference.  However, the 27-year-old has bounced back from a rough 2018-19 campaign and would have to be considered one of the few positives they’ve had this year.  He sits third on the team in points with 30 and has already surpassed his goal total from last season despite playing in 27 fewer games and averaging a lower amount of ice time.  While Toffoli hasn’t rebounded to the level of being a top liner like he was in his breakout 2015-16 campaign, he has done enough to restore some trade value to the point where teams will look at him as a top-six upgrade.  That should also bode well for his free agency prospects.

Season Stats

55 GP, 14 goals, 16 assists, 30 points, -7 rating, 16 PIMS, 149 shots, 16:27 TOI, 57.5 CF%

Potential Suitors

While Rangers winger Chris Kreider is the top potential prize of the deadline, Toffoli could very well be the Plan B option for quite a few teams.  That should bode well for the Kings as there will certainly be enough leverage to garner a fairly strong return.

In the East, the Bruins have been linked to Toffoli going back to last season and he’s certainly on their radar again.  Boston has been looking to add secondary scoring for a while and he would certainly help round out their attack and take some pressure off their number one line but they will need some help to make him fit on their salary cap.  The Penguins are known to be looking for a replacement for the injured Jake Guentzel and with him on LTIR, they have the cap room to bring him in.  The Flyers are one of the deeper offensive teams but they’re a team that is known to have some interest but making the money work will be difficult.  The Islanders should be sniffing around any sort of potential offensive upgrade while the Blue Jackets have played their way into the playoff picture despite a mediocre attack.  GM Jarmo Kekalainen may be hesitant to enter the rental market after what transpired last year but Toffoli would give them a nice boost offensively.

Out West, the Flames have been shopping for a replacement for Michael Frolik and Toffoli would represent an offensive upgrade at a similar price tag.  The Stars have fizzled offensively and could certainly use the upgrade if they’re willing to go into LTIR and all but ensure that they’ll be facing a bonus overage penalty next season.  Adding Taylor Hall and Phil Kessel hasn’t done much to boost the scoring punch for the Coyotes so more help would be welcome but they’d basically need to match money which could make things difficult.  The Avalanche don’t really need the offensive boost – they’re in the top-five in goals scored – but they have a short-term window to work with before some of their players need new, pricier contracts so the short-term commitment to someone like Toffoli may be enticing to them.

Likelihood Of A Trade

A trade has seemed inevitable going all the way back to last season.  While Toffoli is young enough to still be part of the future core for the Kings, it doesn’t appear as if there’s interest in that happening.  He has been in trade rumors for a couple of years now and within the next couple of weeks, one of those will come to fruition.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Kings, Ryan, Giordano

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The Los Angeles Kings are a team to watch as the trade deadline approaches, and they took up a pair of notes in Elliotte Friedman’s latest 31 Thoughts column. The Sportsnet scribe writes that even though Kings’ head coach Todd McLellan wanted to re-sign Tyler Toffoli, the forward will “more likely than not” be traded in the next few weeks. The Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers are all linked to Toffoli, who has turned around his season and has 17 points in his last 23 games.

Another player to watch according to Friedman is Alec Martinez, who is linked to the Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights in the piece. It’s clear the Kings are looking to rebuild their squad after struggling in consecutive seasons.

  • Bobby Ryan returned to the ice at Ottawa Senators practice today for the first time since taking an indefinite leave of absence to enter the player assistance program in late November. Head coach D.J. Smith told reporters that Ryan is still “a ways away” from returning to the lineup, but expressed his support for the veteran forward and explained how the rest of the team welcomed him back.
  • Mark Giordano is undergoing an MRI this afternoon after suffering an unfortunate injury on Tuesday night. The Calgary Flames captain fell as he shot a puck and seemed to injure his leg, but it is not clear how long he will be out for until the results come back. Eric Francis of Sportsnet examined the situation and the options the Flames have if Giordano does miss a significant stretch of time.

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