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Afternoon Notes: Kulich, Stolarz, Savage, Durzi

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The Buffalo Sabres cleared up space in their bottom six by placing winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers. After the team’s practice, head coach Lindy Ruff shared that the decision was influenced by how well 20-year-old Jiri Kulich has performed as of late, per Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News. Ruff elaborated that the team will face a roster crunch with Jordan Greenway expected to return to practice soon. An undisclosed injury has forced Greenway out of 28 of Buffalo’s last 32 games.

Through the weeds of roster moves, this news shines a spotlight on Kulich. The young center recorded the first three-point game of his career last Tuesday, and was promptly awarded with the most ice time of his career on Thursday. Kulich didn’t manage any scoring, but made sure to find the scoresheet in Buffalo’s Saturday game – scoring one goal on a career-high seven shots. He’s playing much more confident and determined than he was earlier in the year, and the Sabres seem ready to reward him with a hardier role and a chance to prove his worth.

Across the Atlantic Division, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube told media after practice that he won’t hold back goaltender Anthony Stolarz if he’s healthy before the league breaks for the 4-Nations Face-Off, captured in a video from TSN. Stolarz participated in his first full practice after missing the last 21 games with a knee injury. He’s been upgraded to day-to-day and nearing a return, but will have just five chances left to return before the Leafs go on a two-week break.

Stolarz effectively leads the league in save percentage among goalies with 10-or-more games played. He’s recorded a .927 through just 17 games this season, backed by a stout 9-5-2 record. Stolarz seemed to be the reliability in net that Toronto had been seeking, but his untimely injury has put the team in a challenging spot. The Leafs have been outscored 70-to-69 since Stolarz’s injury, though they’ve still managed a 12-9-0 record. His return will be hotly anticipated as, hopefully, the catalyzing piece of a second-half run in Toronto.

Traveling south of Toronto, Michigan State Spartans captain and Detroit Red Wings prospect Redmond Savage has suffered a season-ending injury, Spartans head coach Adam Nightingale told local reporter Conor Earegood of Detroit News Sports. Savage’s season will end with 11 points in 20 games – a dip in scoring pace from his 27 points in 38 games last season, but still a better pace than his two years at Miami University of Ohio. Detroit drafted Savage in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, but haven’t yet signed him to his entry-level contract. They will lose his rights next summer if he doesn’t sign.

Finally, out in the plains of the Western Conference, Utah Hockey Club defender Sean Durzi returned to the team’s practices on Tuesday. Durzi has missed Utah’s last 45 games with a shoulder injury. Head coach Andre Tourigny joked about the defender’s return to Belle Fraser of the Salt Lake Tribune, saying that Durzi looked a bit rusty but that the team is incredibly excited to have him back. Utah signed Durzi to a four-year, $24MM contract this summer, but he’s so far only played four games on the deal. He was still productive enough to illicit excitement in the brief showing – recording two assists, seven penalty minutes, and a +2. Durzi will likely return to a role on Utah’s second pair, once he eases his way back to full practice.

Knies Listed As Day-To-Day

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  • Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies briefly skated before practice on Friday with head coach Craig Berube telling reporters including Nick Barden of The Hockey News that Knies is listed as day-to-day. He sustained an upper-body injury on Wednesday against Columbus.  The 22-year-old has already set a new career best for goals this season with 18 in 47 games, positioning him well when it comes to contract discussions this summer when he’ll be a restricted free agent.

Maple Leafs Place Connor Dewar On Injured Reserve, Recall Nikita Grebenkin

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The Maple Leafs have made a pair of roster moves heading into tonight’s Battle of Ontario against Ottawa.  The team announced (Twitter link) that they have placed center Connor Dewar on injured reserve.  Taking his place on the roster is winger Nikita Grebenkin who was recalled from AHL Toronto.

Dewar was acquired by the Maple Leafs at the trade deadline last season in a move intended to add some extra depth down the middle and help on the penalty kill.  He wound up with 11 goals and eight assists in 79 games between Minnesota and Toronto while suiting up in six of their seven playoff contests.  That helped earn him a one-year, $1.18MM deal from the Maple Leafs this past summer.  He’ll be an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent at that time.

But things haven’t gone as well for the 25-year-old this season.  Dewar, who is dealing with an upper-body injury at the moment, missed 14 games with a shoulder injury earlier in the year and has even been healthy scratched periodically as well.  When he has played, Dewar has been quite limited as he has just three assists in 29 games while his playing time is just over ten minutes a night compared to nearly 13 down the stretch with them last season.  The placement is retroactive to January 20th so he’ll be eligible to return as soon as Wednesday against his former team in Minnesota.

As for Grebenkin, he’s in his first season in North America after putting up 41 points in 67 KHL games last season.  He has spent the bulk of the campaign with the Marlies, posting eight goals and eight assists in 29 games.  He did get into seven games with the Maple Leafs earlier in the season and was held off the scoresheet while recording 13 hits in 8:45 of playing time per night.

Stolarz Ahead Of Schedule In Recovery, Shouldn't Be Out Much Longer

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  • Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz is ahead of schedule in his recovery from his knee injury, relays David Alter of The Hockey News.  He has missed nearly six weeks due to the injury but head coach Craig Berube believes the goalie won’t be out for much longer.  Before getting hurt, Stolarz was off to a very strong start to his season, putting up a 2.15 GAA with a .927 SV% in his first 17 starts; that save percentage still leads the league among qualifying netminders.

Toronto Maple Leafs Recall Matt Murray, Reassign Dennis Hildeby

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Although they don’t play until Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs are making a small move between the pipes. Toronto announced they’ve recalled veteran netminder Matt Murray and reassigned goaltender Dennis Hildeby to their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.

It’ll be Murray’s first opportunity back in the NHL over the last month. Due to injuries, the veteran puck-stopper hadn’t played a game for the Maple Leafs since April 2, 2023, and returned to the NHL toward the end of the 2024 calendar year.

His first start in 628 days came against the Buffalo Sabres when Murray stopped 24 of 27 shots and secured the win. His next start wasn’t as productive, stopping only 27 of 31 shots for a .871 save percentage in a loss against the Washington Capitals.

Still, his time with AHL Toronto has been more than fruitful this year, earning an 8-4-3 record in 15 games with a .934 SV%, 1.68 goals-against average, and three shutouts. The 30-year-old native of Thunder Bay, Ontario is in a difficult situation where he hasn’t recently been healthy enough to be a consistent netminder in the NHL and is almost too good for the AHL.

Hildeby returns to a familiar environment after playing backup duty for Joseph Woll for the last month. He was hardly used by the Maple Leafs during that stretch, posting a 1-2-0 record in three starts against the Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, and Columbus Blue Jackets, respectively, with a .868 SV%. His track record this year and beyond has been much better for the Marlies where Hildeby has managed a .916 SV% in eight games on the current campaign.

Berube: Pacioretty Probably Out Longer Than Day-To-Day

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  • Originally believed to be out day-to-day with an upper-body injury sustained versus Montreal on the weekend, Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty is now expected to miss more time. Head coach Craig Berube told reporters including Nick Barden of The Hockey News (Twitter link) that the veteran is now expected to be out “probably a little bit longer” than day-to-day.  Pacioretty has dealt with multiple injuries this season but has still suited up in 32 games this season, picking up five goals and seven assists.  He was placed on IR earlier today but it now appears that he’ll be out longer than the required seven days.

Maple Leafs Recall Jacob Quillan, Max Pacioretty To IR

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled forward Jacob Quillan from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and placed forward Max Pacioretty on injured reserve retroactive to January 18th.

Quillan has played most of this season as the Marlies’ third-line center and has provided light offensive contributions with six goals and nine assists in 35 games. The 22-year-old was originally signed last April out of the NCAA, inking a two-year entry-level deal. Quillan famously scored the overtime winner that clinched the NCAA national championship for Quinnipiac in 2023.

His recall comes in his first full professional season, and if he does play while with the Maple Leafs, it will mark his NHL debut. It might surprise some people to see the Dartmouth, Nova Scotia native get a recall, given his offensive numbers. However, he has been heating up as of late, posting three goals and two assists in his past five games.

As for Pacioretty, the 36-year-old is out of action with an upper-body injury after he took a puck to the ear in Saturday’s win over the Montreal Canadiens.  He’s been a regular for most of this season, dressing in 32 games and providing modest offensive contributions with five goals and seven assists. With Pacioretty officially on IR, he won’t be available tonight against Columbus or Saturday night against Ottawa. The earliest that Pacioretty is likely to return would be next Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild.

Morning Notes: Klingberg, Tanev, Mittelstadt

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Nick Barden of The Hockey News is reporting that free agent defenseman John Klingberg is close to deciding on which team he will sign with for the remainder of the season. Klingberg hasn’t played an NHL game since November 2023 and is attempting to come back after having hip resurfacing surgery. He is hoping to latch on with a contender for the rest of this season. His decision is expected in the next 2-3 days, and Klingberg’s former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, are reportedly still in the mix to sign the 32-year-old, as are a few other teams.

It was just a few years ago that Klingberg was considered a top-pairing offensive defenseman, however, those days are over, but if he is healthy Klingberg could certainly give a boost to a playoff team without costing an asset other than cap space. Through 633 NHL games, Klingberg has racked up 81 goals and 331 assists while playing with four different teams.

In other morning notes:

  • The Seattle Kraken announced last night that forward Brandon Tanev would miss their game with an apparent illness. Tye Kartye took Tanev’s spot in the lineup Thursday against Winnipeg and played just 7:12. The 33-year-old Tanev last dressed on Tuesday against Pittsburgh and played 13:14 in that game. The Kraken are back in action tomorrow night against Los Angeles and it seems likely they will have an update on Tanev before the puck drop. The Toronto, Ontario native has eight goals and seven assists in 44 games this season.
  • Colorado Avalanche forward Casey Mittelstadt has gone through a miserable slump this season and has now found himself demoted from the second-line center role and could find himself on the trade block soon (as per Avalanche reporter Adrian Deter). Mikko Rantanen took his spot in last night’s game against Edmonton, with Mittelstadt skating just 14:54 and playing on the third line. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar has reportedly become unhappy with Mittelstadt’s play, after the 26-year-old looked like a true second-line center to start the season, posting 13 points in his first ten games. However, since that hot start, Mittelstadt has just 13 points in his last 36 games.

Maple Leafs Reassign Marshall Rifai, Activate Jake McCabe

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Jan. 16: The Leafs announced they’ve activated McCabe as expected. Their active roster is full once again.

Jan. 15: The Maple Leafs reassigned defenseman Marshall Rifai to AHL Toronto on Wednesday, according to an announcement from the club. Toronto now has an open roster spot, which could be used to activate fellow blue-liner Jake McCabe from injured reserve before Thursday’s game against the Devils.

Rifai, 26, had been on Toronto’s roster since Jan. 6. Serving as an extra defender in McCabe’s absence, he was scratched for all four games on his recall.

The 6’2″, 213-lb lefty has been recalled from the AHL three times since clearing waivers during training camp, but they haven’t resulted in any game action. His only two career NHL appearances came with the Leafs last season, recording a plus-one rating and a shot on goal with four hits while averaging 11:40 of ice time.

Signed as an undrafted free agent to an AHL contract out of Harvard in 22, Rifai has slowly but surely worked his way up the organizational ladder over the past three years. The feisty defender’s continued development in the minors and strong training camp performances earned him a two-year, one-way extension worth $1.55MM in September, so while he hasn’t gotten any looks yet this season, the Leafs still envision him playing contests for them in the future.

Between call-ups, Rifai has two goals, two assists, four points, 24 PIMs, and a plus-eight rating in 26 AHL games. He’s serving as an alternate captain for the first time.

McCabe, 31, has missed four games with an upper-body injury he sustained on Jan. 5 against the Flyers when he hit his head on the ice following a fight with Garnet Hathaway. It’s his second upper-body injury, both suspected concussions, since the beginning of December.

Head coach Craig Berube told reporters Monday that McCabe is “doing really well” after he skated on his own before practice (via Nick Barden of The Hockey News). The stalwart lefty has missed nine games in total due to injury this season but is averaging a career-high 20:52 per game when in the lineup.

Maple Leafs Place John Tavares On Injured Reserve, Out Week-To-Week

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The Maple Leafs announced they’ve placed center John Tavares on injured reserve with the lower-body injury he sustained in practice yesterday, ruling him out of the club’s next four games.  Youngster Fraser Minten was recalled from AHL Toronto in a corresponding transaction and will likely suit up in tonight’s game against the Devils.

Tavares left practice favoring his right leg after getting tangled up with defenseman Chris Tanev during a power play drill. The team later said he’ll be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.

It’s a big blow for the Leafs down the middle in particular but also for the forward group as a whole, which was as healthy as it had been all season save for the lingering absence of Calle Järnkrok after he underwent sports hernia surgery in November. Tavares had been running cold before the injury, going without a point in his last three games, but he still ranks second on the club in both goals (20) and assists (22) as he looks replenished following a trying 2023-24 campaign. His usual line with Max Pacioretty and William Nylander has outscored opponents 9-7 at even strength in over 155 minutes together this season.

Whoever moves up to replace Tavares down the middle on the second line remains to be seen. It could be the 20-year-old Minten, who didn’t look entirely out of place during a call-up earlier this season with a pair of goals and assists for four points in 11 games. His possession numbers weren’t good, only controlling 39.9% of shot attempts at even strength, but those should be boosted if he’s playing with better competition. His minutes earlier this season primarily came between Steven Lorentz and Nicholas Robertson while Toronto was dealing with injuries to nearly half their forward group.

It could also be a chance to jumpstart the struggling Max Domi, who’s shooting at an abysmal 5.5% for just three goals through 37 games. He’s still managed 12 assists for 15 points, tying for eighth on the team in scoring, but it’s not the production the Leafs envisioned from the 29-year-old after they signed him to a four-year, $15MM extension last offseason.

In any event, the Leafs are now without the services of one of their top point-getters as they look to reverse a three-game losing streak against former head coach Sheldon Keefe tonight. After tonight, three of their next four games are against divisional opponents, and they’re all potential playoff previews against the Lightning, Canadiens, and Senators.

Minten, selected 38th overall in 2022, has 10 points and a minus-four rating in 16 AHL appearances this season. He missed significant time at the beginning of the campaign with a high ankle sprain sustained in rookie camp.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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