Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Zach Aston-Reese

Patric Hornqvist Suffers Concussion

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As if Patric Hornqvist hadn’t already had enough bad injury luck, he is now out with another concussion according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Hornqvist was hit by a puck in Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers, a match that also forced Zach Aston-Reese out of the lineup with an upper-body injury. Mackey reports that Aston-Reese will be out “longer term.”

Hornqvist has already missed time earlier this season with a concussion, but has been extremely effective for the Penguins when in the lineup. The tenacious, physical forward has 15 goals and 26 points in 34 games, which would put him on pace for the best season of his career if he had been able to play in all 82 games. Unfortunately that isn’t going to happen, and it’s not clear how long he’ll now be out. Mackey notes on Twitter that this is Hornqvist’s fifth concussion since December 2014.

The Penguins do have some time off coming up later this month, when they’ll go eight full days between games thanks in part to the All-Star break. That time will hopefully help their forward group get healthy, and ready for a second half run to put them back in Stanley Cup contention. After starting the season slowly, the Penguins are 9-1 in their last ten and have climbed within just two points of the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division. It’s not only Hornqvist and Aston-Reese getting them there, but having those two healthy and in the lineup gives them a dimension that few others can.

Minor Transactions: 01/09/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

It’s a day off for all but six NHL teams today, with only three games scheduled for this evening. Of those three the clash between Colorado and Calgary strikes as the most important, given their respective positions in the Western Conference. The Flames are trying to hold onto first place in the Pacific Division while Colorado is just trying to hold onto a playoff spot, meaning these two points are extremely important to both clubs. While they and the rest of the league prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves of the day.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Garrett Wilson from the minor leagues, after placing Zach Aston-Reese on injured reserve. Aston-Reese suffered an injury in last night’s game and could be out for a while, providing Wilson with another opportunity at the NHL level. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins captain has just two points in 14 NHL games this season but provides a physical presence for the club that may be lacking elsewhere.
  • Dan Renouf is on his way back to the Charlotte Checkers after just a day in the NHL, a reward for the hard work he has put in at the AHL level this season. Renouf has just one NHL game to his name during three years of professional hockey, but has been the Checkers’ most reliable defenseman for much of the season.
  • Michael Bunting will join the Arizona Coyotes today, giving the team another option while Josh Archibald is awaiting the birth of a child. Bunting has 18 points in 22 minor league games this season.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have brought up goaltender Maxime Lagace from Chicago of the AHL.  He will take the place of Malcolm Subban who is day-to-day with an illness.  Lagace has played in 18 games with the Wolves this season, posting a 2.72 GAA and a .898 SV%.

Pittsburgh Penguins Make Three Roster Moves

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Zach Aston-Reese and Garrett Wilson from the minor leagues, sending down Derek Grant in their place. This shakeup was expected after the team lost their fourth consecutive game last night when they were dismantled by a speedy and tenacious New Jersey Devils team. The Penguins are now tied with the Capitals, Blue Jackets and Flyers for second in the Metropolitan Division, having lost all of the lead they built early in the year.

Some onlookers had expected Aston-Reese to be with the team right from the start of the season, and his play for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins so far has shown why. The 24-year old undrafted forward has six goals and nine points through his first 11 games this year, and has looked out of place at times among his minor league contemporaries. That is, other than Wilson, who is off to another excellent start with 11 points in 11 games. The 27-year old veteran minor league forward has routinely put up big numbers in the AHL, but has just 34 NHL games to his credit—none of them with the Penguins despite this being his third year in the organization.

Grant meanwhile has struggled to find any success in the NHL this season, failing to register even nine minutes of ice time in any of the four recent losses. After scoring 24 points when pressed into service with the Anaheim Ducks last season, Grant looked like he might be able to be more than just a depth forward for the Penguins. That doesn’t appear to be true, and the team already cleared him through waivers just after the season began. With zero points so far in six games, he hasn’t made much of an impact for the Penguins and will head to the minor leagues to get his game back on track.

Prospect Notes: Aston-Reese, Loewen, Jaillet

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese has fully recovered from the broken jaw and concussion he sustained on a hit in the second round of the postseason, notes NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman.  Prior to the injury, he had played a regular role for Pittsburgh in the playoffs and should get a chance to push for a full-time spot on the wing in training camp after the team dealt Conor Sheary to Buffalo while non-tendering Tom Kuhnhackl back in June.  However, with a cap hit ($925K) that’s higher than some of the other veterans on the depth chart, there’s a chance that the team could still opt to start him in the minors to keep a bit more cap space available for midseason movement as well; the 24-year-old still has one year of waiver exemption remaining.

More prospect notes from around the hockey world:

  • While Stars prospect Jermaine Loewen is eligible to turn pro for the upcoming season, Player Development Coordinator Rich Peverley told NHL.com’s Jeff Miller that the current plan is for the winger to return to Kamloops of the WHL next season. Loewen, who was selected 199th overall back in June, is the first ever Jamaican-born player to be drafted into the NHL and led the Blazers in goals (36) and points (64) last season.  The 20-year-old has not signed his entry-level deal as of yet and likely won’t do so until next year at the earliest as his deal would not be eligible to slide a year unlike many players picked from this draft class.
  • Tanner Jaillet was one of the top goalies in college hockey last season after posting a 1.88 GAA and a .928 SV% at the University of Denver in his senior year which landed him on our list of top college goalie free agents back in March. Despite that, he wasn’t able to land an NHL contract and has instead inked a tryout with Wolfsburg, the DEL team announced (link in German).  A lack of size clearly worked against the back-to-back NCHC Goalie of the Year winner as he stands just 5’11 but it appears he’ll have to prove himself overseas before landing an NHL deal.

Pittsburgh Re-Signs Tobias Lindberg

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Tuesday: The team has officially announced the signing, confirming that it is a two-way deal worth $650K at the NHL level.

Monday: It’s easy to forget that Derick Brassard was not the only player acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the three-team blockbuster that brought him over from the Ottawa Senators through the Vegas Golden Knights. The Penguins also added minor league forward Tobias Lindberg as compensation for sending an extra draft pick to Vegas. However, Lindberg remained with the Knights’ AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, for the remainder of the season and has yet to really be associated with the Penguins organization.

That is, until now. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that the Penguins have signed Lindberg to a one-year, two-way extension worth the league minimum  $650K at the NHL level. In terms of adding the affordable depth and upside that GM Jim Rutherford is looking for, this deal is right on track. Lindberg, 22, already has six NHL games and 164 AHL games under his belt in three pro seasons. A fourth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2013 out of Djurgardens of the Swedish Hockey League, Lindberg has experience playing – and producing – at several different levels already.

His next challenge will be fighting for his place in the Penguins organizational pecking order when he joins the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins next season. It would be a stretch to assume that Linberg would earn a spot in Pittsburgh out of camp, especially with fellow youngsters like Daniel Sprong and Zach Aston-Reese having been promised increased roles next year, but Lindberg should be among the group of primary call-up candidates at the AHL level. Not only did Lindberg get a taste of the NHL with six games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016-17, but he also has experience playing on both wings and playing both scoring and checking roles. That versatility is extremely valuable as a minor league depth option. Rutherford has been honest that some of the Penguins’ restricted free agents may not be re-signed this off-season, so Lindberg’s speedy extension would seem to indicate that the team envisions a role for him moving forward.

Tom Wilson Suspended Three Games For Illegal Check

at CDT | by 33 Comments

The decision is in, and the Department of Player Safety has suspended Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson for three games, following his hit on Zach Aston-Reese last night. Aston-Reese suffered a concussion and broken jaw on the play, while Wilson was not penalized.

In the video from the league explaining the suspension, there were three factors that led to the ban.  One was the hit to the head (and that head contact could have been avoided), another was Wilson’s history, while Aston-Reese’s injury also played a role.  That last one is particularly interesting as teams don’t often release detailed information about injuries in the postseason so that typically doesn’t come into play.

Wilson has walked a fine line for some of his hits and while he has had quite a few hearings with the league, he hasn’t been banned with regularity.   This is his third career suspension (but one of those came in the preseason).  This postseason, he has already been under scrutiny a couple of times, one for a hit on Alexander Wennberg of the Blue Jackets and one for a hit on Brian Dumoulin in Game Two of this series.

The Caps lead the best-of-seven matchup two games to one with the next contest set for Thursday night.  Wilson will be eligible to return for a potential seventh game of the series if it makes it that far (or will have to miss the opener of the next round if Washington wins the next two).

Tom Wilson To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

at CDT | by 11 Comments

After another incident involving contact to the head, Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals will receive a hearing with the Department of Player Safety. Wilson hit Zach Aston-Reese in last night’s game, causing a concussion and broken jaw for the Pittsburgh Penguins forward.

This is not the first incident involving Wilson during these playoffs to be reviewed by the league, after also colliding with Brian Dumoulin and Alexander Wennberg. Neither of those incidents resulted in supplementary discipline.

In this latest incident, as with the others, there is plenty of debate over whether it deserves a suspension. Wilson does make considerable contact with Aston-Reese’s body, driving through him in a manner which would normally be deemed a legal hit. His right foot however does leave the ice, and substantial contact is made with the shorter player’s head. The injury that resulted, as well as recent events, will also likely be taken into account.

Wilson is known for playing right up to (if not over) the line, but was not penalized on the play. He was however suspended twice during the preseason, once for a late hit on St. Louis Blues prospect Robert Thomas, and once for boarding Samuel Blais.

Injury Notes: Penguins, Blue Jackets, Bruins

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Pittsburgh Penguins could be without rookie forward Zach Aston-Reese long-term. Actually, head coach Mike Sullivan described the injury as “longer-term”, though he refrained from putting any specific timeline on his return. He did say that Aston-Reese suffered an upper-body injury in practice, which is why he missed last night’s game, a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, and will presumably miss many more. While the Penguins made a splash with their acquisition of center Derick Brassard at the trade deadline, Aston-Reese has been a point-per-game player since being recalled to Pittsburgh, spending ample time beside Sidney Crosby. Fortunately for the two-time defending Cup champs, they are also deep at wing and should have no trouble making up for the loss of Aston-Reese in their top-nine.

  • While the Penguins lose a man to injury, the rival Blue Jackets add one. Columbus announced today that captain Nick Foligno has been activated from injured reserve. Foligno missed more than a week with a lower body injury suffered against the Penguins back on the 18th. However, he’s returning to the lineup sooner than expected. The Blue Jackets are thankful for Foligno’s quick bounce back; not only are they looking to solidify their playoff position, but they also lost forward Josh Anderson to long-term injury recently. Fortunately, Foligno’s return and the additions of Thomas Vanek and Mark Letestu at the trade deadline make for a timely situation to replace Anderson.
  • Speaking of trade deadline injury replacements, the Bruins could not be happier with how their additions played in the absence of Patrice Bergeron last night. When a player of Bergeron’s caliber goes down, the team always suffers. Bergeron will be out at least two weeks with a fractured foot and it showed right away last night on the defensive side of the match-up, as Boston surrendered three easy first period goals to the Carolina Hurricanes. However, it was Rick Nash and Tommy Wingels leading the charge to a comeback victory. The pair of new Bruins combined for two goals and an assist in 32 minutes of ice time as Boston won 4-3.

Minor Transactions: 2/3/18

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With 26 teams in action today, there will likely be plenty of roster shuffling around the league.  Here’s where we’ll keep tabs on those moves.

  • As expected, the Stars have recalled a goaltender to take Ben Bishop’s spot on the roster, summoning Landon Bow from AHL Texas, per the AHL’s transactions page. The 22-year-old has yet to play at the NHL level but has been a regular in the AHL this season, posting a 2.81 GAA with a .905 SV% in 28 appearances this season.
  • The Blue Jackets announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled defenseman Cameron Gaunce from Cleveland of the AHL. He has two goals and ten assists in 36 minor league games so far this season and gives them some more depth with Ryan Murray still injured.
  • The Penguins have recalled winger Zach Aston-Reese from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, per a team release. Aston-Reese was highly sought after in college free agency last season and is off to a good start to his first full professional season with 29 points (9-20-29) in 41 games.  To make room for him on the roster, winger Conor Sheary has been placed on injured reserve.
  • The Bruins announced that they have summoned winger Austin Czarnik from Providence (AHL) on an emergency basis.  The diminutive forward has been very productive in the minors so far this season as he sits tied for sixth in league scoring with 42 points (13-29-42) in 38 games.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have assigned forward Nicholas Baptiste back to the Rochester Americans of the AHL, according to NHL.com’s Joe Yerdon. The 22-year-old was called up on Jan. 19 and played four games for the Sabres. He scored his first NHL goal on that stint with a goal last week against Vancouver. He likely was sent down as the team is ready to activate defenseman Nathan Beaulieu off of injured reserve. Beaulieu has been on IR since Jan. 23.

Early Look At Some 2017-18 Impact Rookies: Part II

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Last week we took a look at some of the most interesting rookie names around the league, profiling Clayton Keller, Dylan Strome, Tyson Jost, Brock Boeser, Charlie McAvoy and Julius Honka. Each of those names have a chance at making a real impact for their respective clubs in 2017-18, and at least a few could be in the running for a Calder trophy as Rookie of the Year. Again, this series is avoiding the 2017 draftees as they’ll be profiled individually as we get closer to camp and have a better idea of who will be staying in the NHL right away.

For this part, we’ll take a look at some other young players who may not have the same draft pedigree of Strome, or early impact that Boeser, McAvoy and Honka have shown.

Josh Ho-Sang – New York Islanders

Josh Ho-SangOne of the most mentioned names in comments after releasing the first group of players was Ho-Sang (along with Mathew Barzal). While part one was certainly not meant to rank any of the upcoming young players, Ho-Sang’s exclusion was certainly noticeable. After making his NHL debut this season under some (silly) controversy, Ho-Sang is ready to take the next step and be a full-time contributor to the Islanders this year. Regardless of the number on his back, he showed during his 21 game stint that he can compete at the highest level and registered 10 points. No one would be shocked by a 40-point season from the young forward, and if given a full-time opportunity in New York’s top six he could push even higher than that.

Thomas Chabot – Ottawa Senators

One of the most impressive players in junior hockey last year, Chabot spent a single game with the Senators and is just about ready to take the NHL by storm. It’s hard for a defenseman to step right into a big role in the NHL, but with Erik Karlsson and Cody Ceci still around Chabot can easily be sheltered to start his career. It’s unclear where exactly he’d fit though as the team still has Chris Wideman, but if given the opportunity Chabot could provide a dynamic option on the right side. The Senators also brought in Johnny Oduya and have at least eight names that could take up six spots, so that opportunity may have to wait for an injury.

Anders Bjork – Boston Bruins

The Bruins team bus will be a rowdy place this year given how many rookies and young players could be on the roster, and Bjork isn’t one to overlook. The fifth-round pick dominated for Notre Dame as a junior before signing this spring, and looks ready to jump right into a top-six role with the NHL club. There seems to be a natural fit for him across from David Pastrnak to make a dynamic second unit for the Bruins, but how it all shakes out still isn’t clear. It’s not even set that he’ll start the year in the NHL, but after 52 points on a Fighting Irish club that relied almost solely on his production and Cal Petersen’s outstanding goaltending he sure seemed ready to take the next step.

Zach Aston-ReeseZach Aston-Reese – Pittsburgh Penguins

Another college name, this time of the free agent variety continues to impress in Aston-Reese. A finalist for the Hobey Baker trophy, Aston-Reese has done nothing but score since being passed over in the draft several times. The 22-year old put up 63 points in 38 games for Northeastern, before jumping right into the AHL and showing off with eight points in 10 games. He’s big enough to play in Pittsburgh’s bottom-six right away, and there is a glaring hole at center that the team still needs to address. Pittsburgh is notorious for turning college players into immediate producers, and it could be no different for the bang-and-crash two-way player in Aston-Reese. The forward depth of the Penguins could lead to big minutes with players like Phil Kessel or Patric Hornqvist, a situation no young player would pass up.

Alex DeBrincat – Chicago Blackhawks

78 goals, 165 points and the disappointment of being cut from the US World Junior team and losing the Memorial Cup should be more than enough motivation for DeBrincat coming into Blackhawks camp, who will try to crack the squad at 19 and show that his small stature doesn’t hold him back on the ice. In junior he was almost always the most skilled player in the game and has showed it by scoring more than 100 points in three straight years. There are doubts about his durability and even some about his top-end speed—though his first-step acceleration and quickness was among the best in the OHL—but it’s clear that he knows how to score. For a team desperate for cheap forward options that can play up with their top names, DeBrincat could come into a perfect scenario and compete for the rookie scoring title.

*Note: There are many other rookies that have impact potential that will be profiled throughout the summer as we approach the season. These are in no particular order or ranking.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top