Ville Husso Placed In COVID Protocol
The St. Louis Blues didn’t have Ville Husso on the ice at practice this morning, and it’s because he has been added to the COVID protocol. He joins Ryan O’Reilly, who has been unavailable the last several days. Brandon Saad, who had previously been in the protocol, rejoined the team this weekend and was on the ice this morning. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff tweets that his colleague and former pro goaltender Mike McKenna will strap on the pads again to help out the Blues at practice.
If Husso is a confirmed positive and held out for the next little while, the Blues will need to find a new backup goaltender for their games later this week. The team is off until Wednesday, giving some flexibility for testing, but it seems likely that Charlie Lindgren could be recalled for the first time this season. The 27-year-old Lindgren signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Blues this summer after hitting free agency, and has played in two games for the Springfield Thunderbirds so far.
There have been many players ruled out because of COVID testing this year, but goaltenders, in particular, are obviously a tough situation for any team. This is exactly why some clubs expressed a desire to keep a taxi squad of sorts for that specific position, allowing every team to travel with a third netminder. If the Blues were playing in Los Angeles tonight instead of Wednesday, it may have been difficult to get someone across the country in time–McKenna’s appearance at practice exemplifies that.
Injury Notes: Saad, Girard, Kraken, Johnson
St. Louis Blues forward Brandon Saad is skating Saturday after spending the past nine days on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list, per Blues reporter Chris Pinkert. Saad is expected to return to the lineup for their Wednesday game against the Los Angeles Kings. He’s ineligible to play in Saturday night’s game versus the Chicago Blackhawks. It appears to be a huge boost for the Blues, who are also without captain Ryan O’Reilly as he was placed on the COVID-19 protocol list on October 26. Saad had two points in three games before being placed in the protocol, but his absence has caused him to miss the last three (that number will be made four tonight). In his absence, younger forwards such as Klim Kostin and Jake Neighbours have gotten extended looks in the lineup.
Other injury notes from around the league on Saturday:
- Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater reports defenseman Samuel Girard will return to the lineup for tonight’s home game against the Minnesota Wild. Expected to play on a pairing with Erik Johnson, it’s another step closer to full health for a Colorado blueline that’s faced injuries to their best two left-shot defensemen early on this season. Girard missed Colorado’s last two games after suffering an injury on a hit from the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos at the end of a game on October 23.
- Seattle Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol issued injury updates today on forward Mason Appleton and goaltender Chris Driedger. Appleton was placed on injured reserve today and is now out indefinitely, while Driedger is now labeled as day-to-day. Kraken reporter Bob Condor relays information that Driedger practiced today, and could potentially work his way into game action as the Kraken have a back-to-back this Sunday and Monday. Appleton was in the midst of a rough start to his Kraken tenure, posting just one assist in seven games and playing just 11:14 per game.
- The Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope reports that Chicago Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson suffered an apparent arm or wrist injury during the team’s 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday and is expected to miss Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues, if not more time. Johnson was playing in a top-line role, flanking Kirby Dach along with Dominik Kubalik prior to the injury with Patrick Kane in COVID-19 protocol. Johnson’s scored one goal and two assists in eight games this season. Forward Dylan Strome could draw into the lineup tonight in his place.
Injury Notes: Penguins, Golden Knights, Avalanche, Wood
The Pittsburgh Penguins received some extremely welcome news today, as head coach Mike Sullivan says centers Sidney Crosby and Jeff Carter are game-time decisions for tomorrow’s contest against the New Jersey Devils as they begin the journey to full health. That’s only 40% of the key contributors they have currently out of the lineup, however, as Kris Letang remains in COVID-19 protocol and Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust are on injured reserve. Still, seeing one of the best players in the world close to full health again and nearly ready to make his season debut is always promising news. The return of Carter shouldn’t be overlooked either, as the veteran forward had four points in four games before entering COVID-19 protocol.
More injury notes from around the league:
- The Golden Knights, along with the Penguins, have been one of the most injury-affected teams in the NHL this season. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger issued updates on the health of many Golden Knights today, as the team has six regulars currently sitting out with injury. The most notable of those updates is Mark Stone, who is still out indefinitely but skated today for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury on October 15. However, it could potentially become seven regulars out of the lineup for tonight’s game as William Carrier suffered an injury Wednesday night against Dallas and is a game-time decision.
- Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen is day-to-day with a lower-body injury per head coach Jared Bednar, but defenseman Devon Toews is expected to make his season debut during the next two games. Rantanen was scratched from Thursday night’s game against the Blues. Toews’ return will give Colorado a fully healthy defense core for the first time this season, as Samuel Girard is also ready to go.
- Devils head coach Lindy Ruff gave an update today on forward Miles Wood, who he calls “the furthest away” from returning out of all the Devils’ injuries. Considering Jack Hughes was issued a five-week timeline today, that’s not promising news. Wood has not played this season after suffering a lower-body injury just prior to the start of the campaign.
Ryan O’Reilly Placed In COVID Protocol
The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t the only team dealing with COVID-related absences. Today, the St. Louis Blues announced that Ryan O’Reilly has joined Brandon Saad in the COVID protocol while recalling Dakota Joshua from the AHL to take his place on the roster.
The team did not confirm whether O’Reilly has tested positive, but head coach Craig Berube did tell reporters that the captain is expected to miss at least ten days, suggesting that he has a confirmed case. The veteran center played 19:04 last night against the Los Angeles Kings, registering a point in the 3-0 win. Saad meanwhile hasn’t played since last Wednesday, and has now also been moved to the non-roster list.
St. Louis is scheduled to take on the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night, a team that both O’Reilly and Saad are very familiar with. Both played for Colorado in the past and will be sorely missed if they are unavailable to the Blues. The team is then scheduled to welcome the Blackhawks on Saturday, though with so many Chicago players on the COVID protocol, it’s unclear who will actually be on the ice for them.
Minor Transactions: 10/23/21
A slow news day Saturday at the NHL level doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been movement in other parts of the hockey world. The season is in full swing at all tiers of the game, and movement at the minor and junior levels of the game is a constant. Here are some of today’s minor moves from around the hockey landscape.
- The AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds have added a duo of youngsters to the squad, as the St. Louis Blues reassigned Keean Washkurak and Mathias Laferriere there from the ECHL’s Worcester Railers per the ECHL’s transactions page. The 20-year-old Washkurak was a Blues fifth-round selection in 2019 and will play his first full professional season in North America this year. He spent last season with HK Levice in the second-tier Slovakian league. Laferriere is a year older but will play his first professional season in 2021-22 after spending last season as an overage player with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL, scoring 39 points in 30 games.
- The WHL’s Victoria Royals acquired hulking defenseman Anson McMaster via trade from the Winnipeg Ice today. McMaster, now 19, is a long shot to be drafted with just seven points in 80 career WHL games. Yet his 6′ 6″, 209-pound frame is appealing and makes him a candidate to succeed at the minor-league level when his junior career has concluded. The Alberta native enters his final year of junior eligibility next season.
Brandon Saad Ruled Out With COVID
Another COVID Protocol case has popped up in the NHL, this time in St. Louis. The Blues have announced that forward Brandon Saad will be unavailable on Saturday due to COVID Protocol. Saad, as well as the entire Blues roster, is vaccinated. With Saad sidelined and Pavel Buchnevich suspended, the Blues will be without their two major off-season additions for their home opener against the L.A. Kings.
The Blues have not revealed the cause of Saad’s entry into the COVID Protocol. However, the fact that he has already been ruled out of a game that is 48 hours away would imply that he has tested positive. This is the third positive test among a prominent player today alone, as Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele and Pittsburgh’s Jeff Carter have also been sidelined by COVID. It’s a sobering reminder that the pandemic is still a factor in the NHL this season.
As for Saad, the Blue’s newest addition is off to a hot start with a goal and an assist in his first three games. The talented forward has averaged 24 goals per 82 games over his career and was expected to help make up for the loss of Jaden Schwartz this summer. For the time being though, St. Louis will have to make do without him.
NHL Department Of Player Safety Suspends Pavel Buchnevich For Two Games
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday night that St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich has been suspended two games for a headbutt to the Arizona Coyotes’ Lawson Crouse.
Per TSN’s Chris Johnston, Buchnevich is considered a repeat offender and forfeits $141,463.41 in salary over the course of the two-game suspension.
Buchnevich holds that repeat offender status due to a one-game suspension handed out in May 2021 for high-sticking Anthony Mantha of the Washington Capitals. It occurred during the New York Rangers’ first match against the Washington Capitals after the now infamous Tom Wilson incident, which Buchnevich was notably a victim of when Wilson delivered a punch to the head of Buchnevich while he was down on the ice.
The Blues have gotten good scoring distribution from throughout their lineup, and they’ll attempt to continue that in the absence of Buchnevich. Look for Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours, two up-and-coming young wingers, to get more ice time with this hole in the lineup.
Minor Transactions: 10/19/21
While a long list of NHL games caps off this Tuesday night, there was a lot of movement at lower levels of the North American hockey depth chart today. As NHL teams deal with a trend of injuries across the league, it carries a ripple effect across both the AHL and ECHL, forcing roster moves. Here are today’s minor transactions:
- The AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders, affiliate of New York, have recalled forward Erik Brown from the ECHL’s Worcester Railers, per the Connecticut Post’s Michael Fornabaio. Brown has been a fringe AHL player since ending his collegiate career with the Rochester Institute of Technology, but the 26-year-old logged his first AHL point, an assist, in 13 games last year with Bridgeport. It was his first full professional season after missing the entirety of 2019-20.
- The Chicago Wolves assigned goalie Beck Warm to the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals today. Warm, who’s on a two-way NHL deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, will make his ECHL debut if he stays but already has one full professional season under his belt. An undrafted free agent, Warm impressed in 14 AHL games with Chicago last year, posting an 8-4-1 record and .914 save percentage. He’s been forced down the depth chart with the addition of NHL-experienced Alex Lyon into the organization as the team’s third goalie, however, and he could take a starting role in Norfolk.
- The St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, assigned forward Shawn Cameron to the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits, per the ECHL’s transaction page for October 19. Cameron split last season between Greenville and the AHL’s Utica Comets, where he scored three points (including his first AHL goal) in 11 games. He fared much better in Greenville, notching 10 points in 23 games.
Pavel Buchnevich To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety
The Department of Player Safety has been busy through the first week of the season, and it won’t stop now. St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich will have a hearing today after an incident involving Arizona Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse.
Partway through the first period, the two came together in the corner and after the Coyotes forward delivered a cross-check, Buchnevich appeared to deliver a headbutt to the face of Crouse. The St. Louis forward was given a game misconduct and a match penalty–the latter of which comes with an automatic review from the DoPS–racking up 20 penalty minutes in one short lunge.
This isn’t the first headbutting controversy the league has dealt with in the early part of the season. Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames was given a $5,000 fine for roughing when it was determined his play–which many believed included a headbutt–did not rise to the level of a suspension.
That won’t be the case here, as Buchnevich is expected to be suspended.
Could David Perron Take Another Team-Friendly Contract?
- In a recent reader chat, Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggested that he thinks Blues winger David Perron could take another team-friendly deal around the $4MM mark if he has a similar showing to last season. While he could likely garner more on the open market, the 33-year-old hasn’t hidden his desire to be in St. Louis, signing back there each time he has reached free agency. In order for him to remain there, Perron will need to take a below-market deal with St. Louis having over $72MM in commitments to just 14 players for next season, per CapFriendly, not leaving much wiggle room to fill out the rest of the roster.