Blues’ Robert Bortuzzo Suspended Four Games For Cross-Checking
4:24 PM — The Department of Player Safety announced they have suspended Bortuzzo four games for cross-checking Arvidsson, who is now listed as being out for four to six weeks because of the incident. Bortuzzo will sacrifice $67,073.16 in salary.
8:47 AM — Nashville Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson celebrated his 300th career NHL game with just 4:15 of ice time. While he managed to record an assist in that brief period, he left the game early in the first period with a lower body injury as a result of repeated cross-checks from St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo. Bortuzzo received a two-minute minor on the play, even though each of the two cross-checks likely deserved its own penalty. However, the league will make up for that on-ice error. The NHL Department of Player Safety announced last night that Bortuzzo will sit for a hearing. It has been scheduled for Sunday, ensuring that there is a decision before he could potentially face the Predators again on Monday night.
The play in question occurred just six minutes into Saturday night’s game (video). Arvidsson, standing in the St. Louis crease as the puck was loose in front of the net, initially receives a forceful check from behind from Bortuzzo, pushing him into the net. Bortuzzo actually turns and complains to the refs about how easily Arvidsson went down, even though the forward was completely blindsided by a hit from a much bigger, stronger player. Bortuzzo then turns back to Arvidsson and hits him with another cross check as he is trying to get up, one that is arguably harder and more dangerous and certainly more intentional. Arvidsson appears to feel this second check even more. For good measure, Blues goalie Jordan Binnington then shoves Arvidsson back into the goal again, although Binnington is not expected to receive any supplemental disclipline.
Few will be surprised to see Bortuzzo’s name linked to a player safety incident. The often-overly aggressive defender is a repeat offender, with his most recent suspension coming just last year after an elbow to the head of Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny. He lost two preseason games and one regular season games for that incident and the league will likely want to dole out a harsher penalty for yet another infraction. Bortuzzo has made his career off of being the biggest and toughest player on the ice, but has been known to lose his cool and end up in the penalty box or in trouble with the league. This was clearly a case of Bortuzzo purposefully committing a dangerous penalty against an opponent with an intent to injure. As such, Player Safety may choose to send a message to a player who clearly has yet to learn his lesson. Expect a suspension of at least two games for the St. Louis blue liner this time around.
Nashville’s Viktor Arvidsson Expected To Miss 4-6 Weeks
The Nashville Predators are already struggling in the standings and now took another hit, literally, as the team announced that forward Viktor Arvidsson is expected to miss four to six weeks with a lower-body injury after being cross-checked by St. Louis’ Robert Bortuzzo during Saturday’s game.
The injury is devastating to team that has been struggling of late, having won just two games in their last 10 as the Predators have slipped to fifth place in the Central Division. Arvidsson has six goals and 15 points in 22 games this year and is an anchor on the wing on the team’s first line. Arvidsson, who was playing in his 300th career NHL game Saturday, is coming off a 34-goal season last year and has averaged more than 30 goals for three straight seasons.
Bortuzzo is believed to be in a hearing with the Department of Player Safety right now, although it is not an in-person hearing which could limit how many games he could be suspended by the league. However, there is plenty of sentiment that the book should be thrown at Bortuzzo, who not only checked Arvidsson into the net, but also followed that up with a second hit, a cross-check into his lower back while he was down (video here).
Minor Transactions: 11/24/19
Saturday was a full day of exciting, close games, as 14 match-ups yielded a combined margin of victory of just 24 goals. This included eight one-goal games, five of which needed extra time to decide, and another four two-goal games. Sunday will be much quieter, with just six teams in action, but could feature more close finishes, with evenly-matched divisional contests in Sabres-Panthers and Oilers-Coyotes. For the other 25 teams not competing, watch for today to be used for evaluation of the week that was and preparation for a new slate of upcoming games. Follow along with all of the roster transactions right here:
- The New Jersey Devils recalled forward Brett Seney late yesterday afternoon from AHL Binghamton and added him to the lineup right away for their Saturday night tilt with the Detroit Red Wings. The Merrimack college product has been tearing up the minors with 11 goals and 18 points in 19 games, but received just 8:45 in ice time last night. Seney played in 51 games with New Jersey last season, but appears to still have work to do to re-claim a regular role again this year.
- The Washington Capitals announced that Michael Sgarbossa has been returned to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, which could indicate that another forward is ready to return to the NHL lineup. Injuries to Nicklas Backstrom, Carl Hagelin, and Nic Dowd and the suspension of Garnet Hathaway forced the Caps to recall multiple forwards just to ice a full group up front, so Sgarbossa’s demotion could mean one of those three injured forwards is set to return. However, the team is also off until Wednesday, which could make the move a cap decision or simply a chance to give Sgarbossa real ice time with the Bears in their game today. Sgarbossa’s play in Hershey this year has been strong, but his role has been severely limited while with Washington.
- Filip Zadina is back up with the Detroit Red Wings. The team announced that veteran defenseman Mike Green has been moved to the injured reserve and that the 2018 sixth overall pick has taken his place on the roster. Zadina, who only played in nine games with Detroit last year and has yet to see NHL action this season, will hope to make an impact on this recall, assuming he gets into the lineup. The Czech winger has strong AHL numbers, but Detroit has been hesitant to give him an extended look at the top level. Green’s IR placement is retroactive to November 19, so the clock is already ticking for Zadina to prove he is worthy of a longer stay in the NHL.
- The Florida Panthers have recalled defenseman Riley Stillman ahead of their game later tonight with the Buffalo Sabres. Stillman, 21, has played in three games with the Panthers already this season and has not looked out of place. Florida is far from deep on the blue line, especially after last month’s trade of Ian McCoshen, and they hope that Stillman can work his way into a regular NHL role soon.
- It looks like the Montreal Canadiens will continue to move forward Charles Hudon back and forth a while longer. According to the AHL transactions page, the Canadiens have assigned Hudon to the Laval Rocket of the AHL, but only as a paper transaction to save cap space. The team is expected to recall him before Tuesday’s game.
- The Colorado Avalanche have assigned forwards A.J. Greer and Jayson Megna to the Colorado Eagles, the AHL team announced. Megna has seen eight games of action with the Avalanche but has failed to register a point. However, the 29-year-old has fared much better with the Eagles, scoring three goals and five points in nine AHL games. Greer still hasn’t made his season debut with the Avalanche. He returns to the Eagles where he has two goals and 44 penalty minutes in nine games. The team also announced they have recalled defenseman Calle Rosen from the Eagles as well. Rosen, who came over in the Tyson Barrie–Nazem Kadri trade this summer, has fared well in 15 games with the Eagles, posting a goal and eight points. The recall might suggest that defenseman Erik Johnson could be out of the lineup after getting injured Saturday.
- The New York Rangers announced they have recalled forward Boo Nieves from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL, while returning forward Timothy Gettinger to the minors. Nieves, who appeared in 43 games with the Rangers last season, will be up for the first time this season with the Rangers. He has one goal and eight points in 20 games with Hartford this year. He appeared in two games recently for the Rangers, even picking up an assist on Friday, his first NHL point of his career.
- The St. Louis Blues have announced a trio of roster moves. They have recalled defenseman Derrick Pouliot and winger Nathan Walker from AHL San Antonio. To make room on the roster, they have designed Troy Brouwer as a non-roster player until he receives his work visa. Pouliot has been quite productive in the minors so far, leading all blueliners with 18 points in 20 games while Walker is averaging over a point per game with 22 in 20 contests.
Jay Bouwmeester Open To Playing An 18th NHL Season
Early last season, it looked as if Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester was playing his final year in St. Louis. He was coming back from hip surgery and there were some early struggles. However, he picked up his play and eventually signed the one-year, $3.25MM deal (which carries an extra $250K in bonuses) that he’s playing on this season. While he’s now 36, the veteran indicated to Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he’s open to returning for what would be his 18th NHL season. However, given their salary cap situation for next season (already nearly $74MM in commitments and Alex Pietrangelo still unsigned), Bouwmeester may have to take a more bonus-laden deal in order to stick around; he’s eligible to sign one of those as long as it’s a one-year pact. He’ll be eligible to put pen to paper on an extension starting in January.
Minor Transactions: 11/22/19
The hockey world may be talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ performance under new head coach Sheldon Keefe a lot today, but there was plenty of other action last night–some with real consequences. The Calgary Flames, who have struggled for an identity all season, were torn apart by the defending Stanley Cup champions and look like a team searching for answers in the wrong textbook. The Florida Panthers completed their second incredible comeback in just over a week and the New York Islanders stayed hot with another overtime victory. As teams take in some video sessions and examine what happened last night, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled J.C. Beaudin and Maxime Lajoie for their game tonight, as Vladislav Namestnikov is not expected to play. Beaudin is actually taking up residence as the fourth-line center, with Colin White moved over to the wing for the time being.
- Christian Djoos is back with the Washington Capitals, after starring with the Hershey Bears for the first month of the season. The 25-year old defenseman has played 108 games in the NHL over the last two seasons but due to cap restraints had to go down to start the year. Tyler Lewington has been returned to the AHL in his place.
- It is a day that ends in “Y” so Charles Hudon has been involved in a transaction once again. This time he’s back up with the Montreal Canadiens as they prepare for the weekend action.
- Matt Luff is heading back to the minor leagues, assigned to the Ontario Reign today by the Los Angeles Kings. The 22-year old forward played in four games during this most recent recall, after spending 33 games with the team last season.
- Givani Smith has been activated from injured reserve by the Detroit Red Wings, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to suit up for the NHL club. Smith was immediately reassigned to the minor leagues where he has played most of this season.
- The Nashville Predators have sent Steven Santini back to the minor leagues, as they prepare for a game tomorrow night against the St. Louis Blues. Santini has played two games for the Predators this year after being acquired in the P.K. Subban this summer.
- Nicolas Roy has been moved to the AHL by the Vegas Golden Knights, who have been doing this consistently all season to save some cap space. The team is banking room by having fewer than 23 players on the roster on non-game days.
- With Scott Laughton activated from injured reserve, the Philadelphia Flyers have sent Andy Andreoff back to the AHL. Andreoff has played in six games for the Flyers this season.
- The Colorado Avalanche have returned Jayson Megna to the minors. He has played in eight NHL games this season but has averaged less than seven minutes per night. The move suggests that Tyson Jost may be nearing a return.
Troy Brouwer Ineligible To Play For Blues Until He Receives Work Visa
- While Troy Brouwer has been with the Blues for more than a week and recently signed a one-year deal, he hasn’t been given clearance to play just yet. Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the winger is still awaiting his work visa and he can’t suit up until he gets that. Brouwer was expected to play on Thursday and is hopeful that the issue will be resolved in time for their next game on Saturday.
St. Louis Blues Sign Troy Brouwer
The St. Louis Blues brought in two veteran forwards on professional tryouts last week in Jamie McGinn and Troy Brouwer. While McGinn was released from his PTO this morning, Brouwer has had better luck. The Blues have revealed that forward Sammy Blais will undergo surgery on his right wrist and is set to miss at least ten weeks. Taking his spot on the roster will be Brouwer, who the team announced has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth a pro-rated $750K.
While Brouwer unofficially began his second stint with the Blues last week, the team had to decide by Thursday whether or not to sign the gritty forward. Given the absence of Blais, as well as Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Steen, the Blues clearly felt they could use the depth up front. Brouwer brings familiarity with the organization, having suited up for St. Louis back in 2015-16. In fact, that was the last season in which Brouwer cracked 25 points and was one of the more complete campaigns of his long career. A 13-year NHL veteran, Brouwer has developed a hard-nosed, two-way game that has proved dangerous in recent years with the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers, even as his overall offense dropped off slightly. Brouwer will be a nice depth piece for the Blues, who will take advantage of his experience and toughness in the bottom six.
However, Brouwer is not a seamless replacement for Blais. While the 23-year-old forward has a large frame and a physical style himself, Blais’ skating and offensive skill are superior to Brouwer’s at this point in their respective careers. In fact, Blais was enjoying a breakout season to this point, recording five goals and eight points through 20 games. That mark makes him a top-six scoring forward for St. Louis this season, a role than he has actually been playing more often since Tarasenko and Steen suffered injuries. The Blues will not expect Brouwer to jump in and play with the pace and scoring efficiency of Blais, but it is a convenient time for the team to be able to add a capable option to their forward corps.
St. Louis Blues Release Jamie McGinn From PTO
The St. Louis Blues have released Jamie McGinn from his professional tryout, but announced that Troy Brouwer will continue his. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet recently predicted that one of the two was going to earn an NHL contract, but it won’t be McGinn.
The 31-year old McGinn had previously suited up for the Charlotte Checkers on an AHL PTO this season, proving he was healthy enough to play after injuries derailed his 2018-19 season. A big, physical forward, McGinn had provided consistent goal scoring even from relatively limited roles throughout his career.
According to Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest, the team has until tomorrow to make a final decision on Brouwer, who is trying to keep his career alive with a familiar organization.
St. Louis’ Sundqvist Fined For Charging Anaheim’s Gibson
4:02 PM — The hearing is over and Sundqvist did not receive a suspension. He was fined just under $7,400, according to the Associated Press’ Stephen Whyno.
12:33 PM — The Department of Player Safety announced that St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist will have a hearing today for charging Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (video here) with 9:51 remaining in the second period of Saturday’s game.
While Gibson went behind the net to play the puck, Sundqvist came around and drove right into him, sparking a fight between the two teams. The 25-year-old was given two penalties, one for charging and another for roughing. Sundqvist has only been suspended once before. He received a one-game suspension on June 1 in the Stanley Cup Finals for a hit to the head against Boston’s Matt Grzelcyk.
Regardless, Sundqvist has been a popular player with the Blues, who received a new four-year, $11MM deal this summer. He scored 14 goals and 31 points last season as well as four goals in the Blues’ Stanley Cup victory run. He has three goals and seven points in 21 games this season.
St. Louis Blues Recall Klim Kostin
The St. Louis Blues recently brought in both Troy Brouwer and Jamie McGinn to compete for NHL contracts, but it is a young prospect that will get a chance for now. Klim Kostin has been recalled by the Blues for the first time (other than his stint with the “Black Aces” during last year’s playoffs).
Kostin, the 31st selection in 2017, came over to North America immediately following his draft and played in the AHL as a teenager. Though he certainly wasn’t dominant right from the start, he has continued to develop over nearly 150 minor league games and looks like he’s ready to take the next step.
Still just 20 years old, the 6’3″ forward brings a mix of physicality and skill that should fit perfectly into the Blues under head coach Craig Berube. With the team missing several forwards including Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Steen, there is opportunity for a young player to grab hold of an NHL job, and Kostin will get that chance.