Snapshots: Bouwmeester, Chabot, Grundstrom
The top team in the Western Conference just got better. The St. Louis Blues, who have an impressive 15-5-1 record already, have announced that they have activated All-Star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester from the injured reserve. Bouwmeester has not yet played this season, sidelined with an ankle injury suffered in training camp, but could be ready to go as early as Tuesday. Bouwmeester has scored 37 or more points in five seasons over his fourteen-year NHL career, though his role with the Blues has been much more two-way than purely offensive since arriving in St. Louis. With Alex Pietrangelo scoring nearly a point per game thus far and youngsters Colton Parayko and Joel Edmundson contributing offense as well, a more two-way minded Bouwmeester makes the Blue even more balanced and that much more dangerous.
- With Mark Borowiecki sidelined, the Ottawa Senators announced the recall of highly-touted defensive prospect Thomas Chabot. Many expected Chabot to have a regular NHL role in 2017-18, but he has instead spent his first pro season almost exclusively with the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Yet, Chabot has seven points and a -7 rating in twelve AHL games and two points and a +4 rating in three NHL games. The high-end offensive skill that the 2015 18th-overall pick possesses makes his transition to the highest level and easier one and another successful stint in Ottawa could make it difficult for the Senators to return him to the minors, despite their ample blue line depth.
- Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Carl Grundstrom suffered a major knee injury and underwent knee surgery today. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler gives Grundstrom’s rehab time as a wide range of four weeks to twenty weeks, while others see the injury as season-ending. The 2016 second-rounder had five goals in eleven games for the Swedish club Frolunda, whom the Leafs had loaned him to for the 2017-18 season.
Bouwmeester Could Be Taken Off IR Today
- St. Louis Blues head coach Mike Yeo said the plan is to take defenseman Jay Bouwmeester off injured reserve today and is expected to return to the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas. The 34-year-old blueliner has not played yet this year due to an ankle fracture, but should provide a big boost to the team’s penalty killing unit immediately. Thomas also notes that Patrik Berglund will not play versus Edmonton on Tuesday, but is inching closer to a return to the ice after missing the entire season so far after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Minor Transactions: 11/19/17
There are only five games on tap today, but teams may use their time to make some roster adjustments in preparation of a new week of play. Keep up with everything right here:
- Winnipeg Jets insider Jamie Thomas tweets that the Jets will recall defenseman Tucker Poolman to replace defenseman Toby Enstrom, who will reportedly miss eight weeks due to a lower-body injury. Poolman has been up with the team before and has played three games for Winnipeg. He had played seven games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, picking up an assist. The 24-year-old blueliner signed with the club earlier this year after playing three years with the University of North Dakota.
- The St. Louis Blues announced they have sent Wade Megan to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Megan was recalled Friday by the Blues for Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, but was a healthy scratch. The 27-year-old center has played in just one game for the Blues, but has played 10 games with the Wolves and has three assists in that span.
- According to Ducks beat writer Eric Stephens, Anaheim has returned rookie Kalle Kossila to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. After making his NHL debut with one game in 2016-17, the French-Finnish forward has already skated in seven games for the Ducks this season and has performed well. A four-year product of St. Cloud State, Kossila was a major scoring threat for the Gulls last year and has shown flashes for the Ducks, with a goal and an assist already. Undersized, but strong on the puck, Kossila is likely to get another shot at the NHL soon enough.
- The Florida Panthers have announced that Curtis Valk is headed back to the AHL, as they have loaned him to their affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. Valk made his NHL debut on Tuesday, albeit he played only 3:25 and contributed only three face-off losses, but in doing so reached a level that likely seemed impossible at a time. Despite a solid junior career in the WHL, Valk spent almost all of his first two pro seasons in the ECHL, a rare way for a future NHLer to start out. It was only after a breakout AHL campaign with the Utica Comets last season that he drew any big league attention, signing a one-year deal with Florida on July 1st. Valk is small, but has a scoring touch that should keep him in the AHL for a while and could afford him some more looks at the highest level.
- Arizona Coyotes promising defender Dakota Mermis is on his way back to the AHL, the team announced. Mermis has played in seven games for the ‘Yotes thus far, but can get some more work in with the Tuscon Roadrunners, especially with the likes of Niklas Hjalmarsson and Jakob Chychrun soon returning from injury. However, Mermis has looked good in his limited exposure and will continue to be the next man up on the Arizona blue line.
- Following the first two games of his NHL career, Andrew Crescenzi has been reassigned to the AHL’s Ontario Reign, their parent club, the L.A. Kings, announced. The 6’5″ forward debuted on Tuesday vs. the Vancouver Canucks and skated again on Thursday against the Boston Bruins, but failed to make much of an impact in limited ice time. He’ll head back to the minors for some more seasoning.
Western Notes: Little, Tanev, Stecher, Sundqvist
Winnipeg Jets’ forward Bryan Little has seen a lot over the 11 years he’s been with the Jets franchise. However, one thing he hasn’t seen is his team dominating out of the gate in a season. After Saturday’s 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils, Little finds his team boasting a 12-4-3 record good enough for second place in the Western Conference.
That may not be entirely true. Little was with the Atlanta Thrashers (before they moved to Winnipeg) and witnessed a 12-3-3 start, but that was the year before he joined the franchise, writes Winnipeg Sun’s Paul Friesen. Little, however, is thrilled to see Winnipeg finally work their way into a position where they are not chasing a playoff spot.
“It takes a bit of the pressure off,” Little said. “You’re able to play more relaxed and more confident. When you’re fighting to get back early in the season, it’s mentally stressful. You know you’ve got to win games, and that puts a lot of pressure on everyone.”
- Steve Ewan of The Province writes that Vancouver Canucks defensemen Chris Tanev and Troy Stecher are closing in on returning to the lineup. Tanev, who is recovering from a thumb injury and has missed four games, and Stecher, who is recovering from a knee injury and has only appeared in eight games this season, are both expected to travel with the team on their upcoming roadtrip which opens in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Both skated with the team today, but skated late suggesting they are not expected to play tonight against the St. Louis Blues.
- The St. Louis Post Dispatch’s Jim Thomas writes that center Oskar Sundqvist, who left Thursday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers after taking a puck to the foot, was a full participant in practice today and is expected to play in tonight’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Wade Megan Recalled From Chicago (AHL)
- The Blues have recalled center Wade Megan from Chicago of the AHL, per a team release. The 27-year-old has recorded three assists in ten games at the minor league level so far this season while being held off the scoresheet in his lone NHL appearance on October 9th.
Berglund Getting Closer To Returning, To Be Evaluated Next Week
- Blues center Patrik Berglund will be re-evaluated by the team next week as he continues his rehab from offseason shoulder surgery, notes Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The 29-year-old has been with St. Louis throughout their current road trip and is hopeful that he could get the green light to return before his original target of early December.
Prospect Notes: Gawdin, Plant, Rising Stars
The Calgary Flames have inked another young CHL player to an entry-level deal, signing Glenn Gawdin to a three-year contract. Gawdin was originally a fourth-round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2015 but never signed, becoming a free agent. He’s currently playing as a 20-year old in the WHL for the Swift Current Broncos.
Though Gawdin has been an effective player throughout his junior career, this season has been spectacular as he plays against younger competition. With 40 points in 18 games, he ranks third in the WHL in scoring and only trails two of his own teammates. He’ll be heading to the AHL next year in all likelihood, but with experience at center ice could be on a fast track to Calgary.
- Mike Chambers of the Denver Post gives us an early snippet of NCAA free agent interest, reporting that Colorado Avalanche assistant GM Chris MacFarland has been scouting the University of Denver’s home games with an eye on defenseman Adam Plant. Plant is a small, mobile defenseman who serves as an alternate captain for DU and would be the latest in something that has become somewhat of a trend in Colorado. Over the last six months they’ve acquired both Cale Makar and Samuel Girard, both smaller, mobile defenders themselves.
- NHL.com’s resident prospect guru Mike Morreale profiles seven 2018-eligible prospects that have raised their stock so far this season, and includes Bode Wilde from the US National Team Development Program. It’s not the last time you’ll hear Wilde’s name, as he appears near the top of most prospect lists so far. TSN’s Craig Button even has him ranked sixth overall on his list, noting that he commands every game he plays in. Wilde is the latest big, strong two-way defenseman developed in the NTDP, and could hear his name called in the top third of the first-round next June. He’s committed to the University of Michigan for 2018-19.
Blues’ Beau Bennett Reassigned To AHL
When Beau Bennett signed with the St. Louis Blues as a free agent this summer, he saw it as a fresh start in a career that has been marred by injury and missed opportunity. After an impressive rookie campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2012-13, following his surprise early departure from the University of Denver, Bennett looked lay he may be a long-term option for the Eastern Conference dynasty. Yet, in three more seasons with Pittsburgh, Bennett would never play a full-time role for the team nor top his 14-point total from his first campaign. A move to New Jersey last season in exchange for a third-round pick – showing that the league still believed in the 25-year-old’s ability and potential – was supposed to be a new start for Bennett. However, even in a career-high 65 games, Bennett only managed 19 points and was not qualified for the Devils.
Cue the Blues, who signed Bennett right away when free agency opened on July 1st. While the contract was only for the league minimum of $650K, it looked like the young winger still had a shot at a depth role in St. Louis. Those dreams were deterred early on, as Bennett was loaned to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves before even the end of September. Yet, Bennett was recalled to the NHL squad three weeks ago and since had been given six games to prove he could stick in St. Louis. In those six contests, Bennett failed to record a point and took only six shots. He may have seen only 11 minutes or so of ice time per game, but Bennett was still invisible in that sample size.
Unsurprisingly, the once-promising forward is now back in the AHL, according to the Wolves. Bennett had three points in five games for AHL Chicago prior to his call-up, so he may have found a fit with the minor league team. However, when he’ll get his next chance with the Blues and just how many chances he has left in the NHL have now become legitimate questions.
Poll: Which Team Needs Help At Forward The Most?
In last night’s Insider Trading on TSN, the panel—comprised of Pierre LeBrun, Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger—spoke about the increased demand for top forwards around the league. According to them, the supply isn’t quite there for all these teams to go out and acquire someone impactful, so it’ll have to come down to the highest bidders.
The list of ten teams that McKenzie gave that are in the market for a forward include some surprises like Tampa Bay—who LeBrun clarified are currently looking for a winger to play with Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn—and obvious choices like Anaheim and Montreal.
Columbus put together a trade offer for Matt Duchene, and as LeBrun stated on TSN radio yesterday they’re still in the hunt for an upgrade down the middle. There’s no clear option at center as impressive as Duchene (or Kyle Turris, who was included in the same trade), but players are sure to shake loose as the season progresses.
So, who on this list needs the forward help the most this year? While deciding your vote, make sure to not just take in the offensive struggles but the proximity to Stanley Cup contention for each club. Which team will be the most willing to spend at the deadline, and go after the big fish to put them over the edge?
We’ve included all the teams on McKenzie’s list, but if you feel strongly that another should join the pursuit of another forward make sure to leave your comments below.
[Mobile users click here to vote!]
Berglund, Bouwmeester Will Travel With Team On Upcoming Roadtrip
- The St. Louis Blues got some good news as Tom Timmermann of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that center Patrik Berglund and defenseman Jay Bouwmeester practiced with the team today and are expected to travel with the team on their upcoming three-game road trip. While coach Mike Yeo said that neither is expected to play on the road trip, both are close to returning to the lineup. Berglund was not projected to return until December after undergoing shoulder surgery and could be ahead of his timetable. Bouwmeester only practiced today for the first time since fracturing his ankle earlier this season.