Senators Recall Bokondji Imama
The Senators have decided to bring up some extra grit for their game tonight against New Jersey. The team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled winger Bokondji Imama from AHL Belleville.
It’s the first recall of the season for the 27-year-old who is in his first season with Ottawa after signing with them as a Group Six unrestricted free agent last summer. Imama has played in 53 games in the minors so far this season, collecting three goals and seven assists along with 115 penalty minutes. It’s the fourth time in the last five years that Imama has surpassed 100 penalty minutes in the minors.
Imama also has nine career NHL appearances under his belt from his time with Arizona. In those, he has a goal and ten penalty minutes to his credit while averaging a little over six minutes a night. It has been more than a year since Imama has seen NHL action and getting a game or two in at the top level certainly can’t hurt his cause as he heads towards unrestricted free agency this summer.
Ducks Recall Alex Stalock On An Emergency Basis
With John Gibson unavailable to dress tonight against Seattle, the Ducks needed a backup goaltender. In a move they have made several times, the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve brought up Alex Stalock on an emergency basis. The emergency designation means he won’t count against their post-deadline recalls.
This is the sixth recall of the season for the 36-year-old who has been returned to the minors within 48 hours of the promotions each time; it wouldn’t be shocking if that trend continued as long as Gibson is clear to return on Sunday versus St. Louis. With his NHL time being short-lived this season, Stalock has yet to see regular season action with Anaheim so far.
Instead, Stalock has served as the veteran third-string option with AHL San Diego this season, playing in just 13 games behind prospects Tomas Suchanek and Calle Clang. With his playing time being limited, it’s no surprise that he has struggled, posting a 3.81 GAA and a .889 SV% in 13 appearances. Those numbers certainly won’t help his cause when he hits the open market as an unrestricted free agent in July.
Blue Jackets Recall Two, Assign Trey Fix-Wolansky To AHL
On the heels of providing several injury updates earlier in the day, the Blue Jackets have made several roster moves. The team announced that they’ve brought up defenseman Nick Blankenburg and goaltender Malcolm Subban on an emergency basis while winger Trey Fix-Wolansky was re-assigned to AHL Cleveland.
Blankenburg is in his third season with Columbus after signing as an undrafted free agent and has seen NHL action in all three years including six appearances this season where he has been held off the scoresheet. The 25-year-old has battled back issues in the minors which has limited him to just 21 games with the Monsters despite spending most of the season at that level. He has fared well offensively in the AHL, picking up 13 points. The pending restricted free agent won’t be waiver-exempt next year and is expected to push for a full-time spot next season.
As for Subban, he was acquired from St. Louis at the trade deadline to give them some extra organizational depth between the pipes down the stretch. The 30-year-old has a 3.12 GAA and .901 SV% in 35 AHL contests so far this season. Subban, a pending unrestricted free agent, also has 86 career NHL appearances under his belt but with Elvis Merzlikins and Vadim Tarasov unavailable, Jet Greaves will likely serve as the starter in the short term.
Fix-Wolansky, meanwhile, was recalled on an emergency basis yesterday but with Johnny Gaudreau expected to return Saturday, emergency conditions no longer exist so he had to be sent down. The 24-year-old is averaging more than a point per game in the minors for the second straight year, collecting 24 goals and 34 assists in 53 games so far. Fix-Wolansky has an assist in ten games with the Blue Jackets as well. He’s signed on a two-way deal through the 2024-25 season.
Metropolitan Notes: Phillips, Harkins, Werenski, Svechnikov
The Capitals have once again brought forward Matthew Phillips up from the AHL on an emergency loan, per a team release. It’s the fourth recall for Phillips in the past few weeks after Washington re-claimed him off waivers from the Penguins in March. Why exactly Phillips has been added to the roster ahead of tonight’s game against the Hurricanes is unknown – no Capitals forwards are carrying injury designations other than T.J. Oshie, and Nicolas Aubé-Kubel was already available as an extra forward. There may be a few undisclosed game-time decisions in the works up front. Phillips, 25, has a goal and four assists in 31 appearances with the Caps and Pens this season.
Other updates from the Metro:
- Moving over to Pittsburgh, winger Jansen Harkins was cleared for contact Friday and was a full participant in practice, head coach Mike Sullivan told Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The 26-year-old has been on LTIR since March after undergoing hand surgery and has now missed 15 games, but he could be an option for the final few tilts of the season as the Penguins try to sneak their way into the postseason. The high-end AHL scorer has had no offensive impact in 43 NHL appearances this season, going without a goal and posting four assists in 43 games while averaging just over eight minutes a night.
- Blue Jackets star defenseman Zach Werenski will join the United States national team after the end of the regular season in preparation for the 2024 World Championship in Czechia, he told Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch. In doing so, the 26-year-old is strengthening his candidacy for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics, as Team USA GM Bill Guerin has made it clear national team hopefuls for those big-ticket tournaments should attend this year’s World Championship if possible. Today, Werenski was named the Blue Jackets’ nominee for the 2024 Masterton Trophy, churning out All-Star-caliber minutes this year after missing most of 2022-23 due to shoulder surgery.
- The Hurricanes will be without winger Andrei Svechnikov at home against Washington tonight due to illness, per a team announcement. The 2018 second-overall pick has been limited by injuries to 55 games this season but has played solid hockey, churning out 17 goals and 46 points. He’s gone through quite a cold stretch over the past few weeks, though, only recording a goal and two assists in his last 12 games with a -5 rating. He’ll look to reset and rebound before the playoffs begin on April 20.
Avalanche Reassign Chris Wagner
The Avalanche have sent veteran forward Chris Wagner to AHL Colorado, the team announced. The move comes in anticipation of Valeri Nichushkin and Yakov Trenin both returning from multi-game absences due to injuries tonight against the Oilers.
Wagner signed a two-way deal with the Avs over the offseason after completing a three-year, seven-figure deal with the Bruins, most of which was spent in the minors. After registering five points in 41 games in 2020-21, the first season of his contract, he played just one NHL game in each of the following two campaigns and instead settled into a middle-six role with AHL Providence. He sustained an Achilles injury in training camp with Colorado, delaying his debut with the organization until January, and he’s since registered a goal and an assist in 11 major league games while averaging a minimal 7:39 per game.
He’s also done decently well in the minors, posting eight points and a +3 rating in 17 games with the Eagles. His all-around versatility and plug-and-play ability convinced the Avs to ink him to a one-year, two-way extension Wednesday, which is now confirmed to carry a $775K cap hit and $400K minors salary. He’s been recalled twice since returning to play with the Eagles in January, both coming under emergency conditions. His initial emergency loan was converted to a standard recall and carried him through the March 8 trade deadline, making him ineligible to play in the AHL postseason. As such, expect Wagner to return to the Avalanche as an extra when the Stanley Cup Playoffs kick off later this month.
Senators Assign Tyler Kleven To Minors
The Senators announced they’ve assigned rookie defenseman Tyler Kleven to AHL Belleville. His spot in the lineup will go to Thomas Chabot, who, according to multiple reports, has been cleared to return from a lower-body injury ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Devils.
Kleven, a 2020 second-round pick, had filled in for Chabot since the latter was injured in a March 27 contest against the Sabres. He played a limited role in his four-game recall, going without a point, posting a -2 rating, and logging five shots on goal while averaging 14:41 per game. That was up drastically from the minimal 11:01 per game he averaged during a five-game run on the roster in October and November.
Those will likely be his only two stints on the NHL roster in 2023-24, closing out what’s otherwise been a strong campaign for the shutdown prospect. The 6’4″, 200-lb blue-liner has made 45 appearances for the B-Sens, recording 17 points and a +13 rating. He’s in his first full professional campaign after spending three seasons with the University of North Dakota, with whom he won the NCHC tournament and regular-season championship in 2021, along with a gold medal while representing the United States at the World Juniors.
Signed to an entry-level contract with a $917K cap hit, Kleven is still one year away from his initial deal running out and will be an RFA in 2025. The North Dakota native should be a candidate to land a role on their opening night roster in the fall.
Ducks Recall Nikita Nesterenko, Issue Injury Updates
The Ducks announced that they’ve recalled forward Nikita Nesterenko from AHL San Diego amid multiple changing injury designations ahead of tonight’s game against the Kraken. Forwards Max Jones (upper body) and Mason McTavish (lower body) are out, Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune reports, as is standout rookie defenseman Pavel Mintyukov (lower body). Lee also relays that blue-liner Radko Gudas will return after missing 10 games with an upper-body injury. As a result of McTavish’s injury, the only new absence after their last outing, Nesterenko’s recall comes under emergency conditions. It does not count their two remaining standard recalls this season. Lee also reported on Nesterenko’s recall prior to the official announcement.
Nesterenko, 22, is in his first full professional season after signing with the Ducks out of Boston College to close out 2022-23. Drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 draft by the Wild, his signing rights were traded to Anaheim as part of the deal that sent defenseman John Klingberg to Minnesota at last year’s deadline. He ended last year with one goal in nine NHL games but didn’t crack the Ducks’ opening night roster this season, spending the entirety of 2023-24 thus far on assignment to San Diego. He’s settled in as their most competent two-way center, notching 15 goals and 33 points in 63 appearances. His +8 rating is the highest among forwards and second on the team behind veteran NHL defenseman Robert Hägg.
That strong showing on a bottom-five Gulls club may earn him some NHL viewings down the stretch. He wasn’t much of a factor in his first major league attempt, losing all three faceoffs he took and averaging 13:17 per game, but his otherwise poor 41.8 CF% at even strength was better than his teammates’ down the stretch, a testament to just how inept last season’s Ducks were at controlling possession. They’ve improved dramatically in that category under first-year head coach Greg Cronin, posting a 47.0 CF% at even strength compared to last year’s 42.6.
Anaheim is rather set down the middle with McTavish, Leo Carlsson, and Isac Lundeström doing decent work anchoring the top three lines, although a third-line checking unit anchored by Lundeström moving to the wing with Nesterenko down the middle is an appealing thought for Ducks fans. The club also has 2022 first-round pick Nathan Gaucher in the center pipeline. Trevor Zegras, who’s mustered only nine points in 25 games this season and has battled injuries seemingly non-stop, seems locked into a spot on the wing for the remainder of his tenure in SoCal.
With Ben Meyers and Jakob Silfverberg destined for unrestricted free agency this summer, there may be a spot for Nesterenko on next season’s opening night roster if GM Pat Verbeek doesn’t plug too many holes on the open market. His NHL performance to close out the season will likely go a long way toward dictating that likelihood. He’s set for restricted free agency in a few months after completing his two-year entry-level contract and still has five more years under team control until he’s eligible for UFA status.
Devils Assign Max Willman To Minors
The Devils have done some roster trimming before tomorrow’s game against the Senators, announcing the assignment of forward Maxwell Willman to AHL Utica. His reassignment signals that Nolan Foote, who hasn’t played since a four-game conditioning stint in Utica one month ago, could soon be cleared for game action. Foote participated in today’s practice, per Amanda Stein of the Devils’ official site, but line rushes indicate he’s unlikely to make his season debut for New Jersey tomorrow. Willman’s now-vacant roster spot could also go to a defense callup, as interim head coach Travis Green told Stein that blue-liner John Marino is questionable against Ottawa due to an undisclosed injury.
Willman, 29, was inked to a one-year, two-way deal last offseason and has logged significant action in both New Jersey and Utica. He’s been recalled six times, making 18 NHL appearances, but his four points, 40.1 CF% at even strength, and minimal usage (8:20 per game) have done little to put him in consideration for a full-time spot on the Devils’ roster.
His NHL career began with six points in 41 games with the Flyers in 2021-22, although his possession metrics were similarly poor in that span: a -13 rating and 42.9 CF%. He played only nine games the following campaign, spending most of it in the minors. Since turning pro five years ago, he’s held down a middle-six role with 88 points in 173 AHL games and 25 points in 20 ECHL games.
With six games remaining on their schedule and playoffs no longer a remote possibility, this will be Willman’s last transaction of the season unless a sudden rash of injuries strikes the Devils’ forward group. He’s not going to be a long-term NHL option for anyone at this rate, but with 11 goals and 21 points in 31 games with Utica this season, he’s proven his value to the organization as a veteran presence in the minors. A pending UFA, Willman likely won’t earn anything much higher than his current $150K guaranteed salary on his next deal.
Wild Sign Goaltender Samuel Hlavaj To Two-Year Deal
The Minnesota Wild have signed goaltender Samuel Hlavaj to a two-year, entry-level contract (Twitter link). Hlavaj served as the starting netminder for HC Plzeň of the Czechia Extraliga last season, after spending 2021 and 2022 with HC Slovan organization in Slovakia. With this deal, Hlavaj will return to America for the second time – after spending three years in the USHL and QMJHL between 2018 and 2021.
Hlavaj manned the net behind a HC Plzeň team that ranked third-to-last in the league this season with just 14 wins on the year. That meant tall orders for Hlavaj, who posted a measly 8-20-0 record and lost both playoff appearances. He wasn’t supported much by the skaters in front of him, with the HC Plzeň roster scoring the fifth-fewest goals in the league and allowing the fourth-most. Nonetheless, this season marked Hlavaj’s fourth-straight losing season, with his 2019-20 QMJHL season marking his last time on the positive side of the win column. He only lost five times that season, posting a 33-3-2 record and .915 save percentage in 39 games.
Minnesota bolsters the Iowa Wild’s goaltending room with this move, giving the team some certainty behind top prospect Jesper Wallstedt. Zane McIntyre has served as Wallstedt’s de facto backup this season, but he’s managed a meager .879 save percentage and 3-13-3 record. His missteps aren’t being made up for by Hunter Jones or Peyton Jones, with neither goalie recording a win in their spot starts. Hlavaj will add competition, and push for an AHL starting role when Wallstedt inevitably moves to the NHL.
Golden Knights Recall Brendan Brisson
The Golden Knights have brought Brendan Brisson back to the NHL roster, per a team announcement. His recall comes under emergency conditions after head coach Bruce Cassidy announced Tomáš Hertl won’t be ready to make his Vegas debut against the Coyotes tomorrow and said they’ll likely be without Nicolas Roy due to an undisclosed injury. Summoning Brisson guarantees them 12 healthy forwards in Arizona.
Brisson, 22, joins the Vegas roster for the first time since he was assigned to Henderson on March 13. The 2020 first-round pick has played in 13 games this season after making his NHL debut in January, doing quite well with two goals and seven points in limited ice time. A natural center, Brisson has mostly played wing throughout his first major-league stint, and he’ll likely do so again on a line with Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar if his services are needed tomorrow.
The Los Angeles native’s possession game has also been better than his -4 rating suggests. He’s recorded a 48.9 CF% and 50.0 xGF% at even strength, not jaw-dropping by any stretch but still better than the majority of his teammates when in the lineup. His positive impact on shot attempts has been strong in particular, as Vegas’ CF% with him on the ice is 4% better than without him across his limited run of play. He’s most frequently suited up alongside William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault, skating over 43 minutes with them across six games, but has also logged significant time on lines with Karlsson and Michael Amadio as well as Howden and Paul Cotter.
Vegas has space to absorb Brisson’s $925K cap hit without making any corresponding moves, but only because Hertl remains on LTIR for the time being. When he’s ready to go, likely now for Monday’s game in Vancouver, they’ll need to assign two contracts to Henderson to activate him. As such, Brisson’s stay in the majors will be brief.
Brisson’s decent initial showing makes him a candidate to crack the Golden Knight’s opening night roster in 2024-25, especially considering he’s also done well on a poor Henderson team with 16 goals and 36 points in 50 games. His ELC remains valid for next season, after which he’ll be an RFA.