Kraken Reassign Ryker Evans To AHL
The Kraken reassigned defenseman Ryker Evans to AHL Coachella Valley on Wednesday, a team announcement states.
Evans, 22, was a healthy scratch in four straight games. Seattle begins its bye week after Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Sharks, so the 2021 second-round pick will get some more routine playing time in the minors.
The high-end puck-moving prospect had been on recall since Jan. 8, logging over 20 minutes in three of his four games this month. This season is Evans’ first in the NHL, recording four assists in 13 games dating back to his debut on Dec. 7.
Evans led all rookie defensemen with 38 assists in the AHL last season and advanced to the Calder Cup Final with Coachella Valley before eventually losing to the Hershey Bears. It was an electric postseason performance for Evans, though, who put up 26 points in 26 games with a +13 rating.
This season hasn’t been as smooth for the Calgary-born blue liner, who has 12 points and a -1 rating in 22 showings for Coachella Valley. Still, he’s the best defense prospect in the organization and has put up dominant possession numbers in his limited NHL time. That should be taken with a grain of salt, however, as Evans has seen over 70% of his even-strength zone starts come in the offensive end.
Evans has one season remaining on his entry-level contract, which carries an $897.5K cap hit and makes him an RFA in 2025.
Ottawa Senators Place Rourke Chartier On Waivers
Jan. 31: Chartier has cleared waivers and can be sent to Belleville, TSN’s Chris Johnston reports Wednesday.
Jan. 30: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the Ottawa Senators have placed forward Rourke Chartier on waivers for the purpose of reassignment to their AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators. Due to the amount of injuries to start the season, Chartier was brought in to serve in a depth forward role for the Senators this season.
A surprise addition to the roster out of training camp, before this season in Ottawa, Chartier had not yet made an NHL team out of training camp before in his career. Before a handful of call-ups last year by the Senators, Chartier’s last previous game in the NHL came back on November 11, 2018. Nearly doubling his career totals in games played this season, Chartier has produced two goals and three points over 34 games for Ottawa this year.
Aside from his track record in the NHL, Chartier has been a solid AHL player throughout his career, suiting up for the San Jose Barracuda, Toronto Marlies, as well as Belleville. Since his professional career began during the 2016-17 season, Chartier has accrued 222 games played over seven years in the AHL, scoring 62 goals and 135 points in the process. Over those seven years, Chartier’s respective team has made the playoffs four times, allowing Chartier to score three goals and 11 points in 18 postseason contests.
Blue Jackets Assign Nick Blankenburg To AHL
The Blue Jackets assigned defenseman Nick Blankenburg to AHL Cleveland on Wednesday, per a team announcement.
Columbus recalled Blankenburg, 25, for the second time this season on Saturday to replace Adam Boqvist on the active roster, who landed on injured reserve. Blankenburg did not play in each of the Blue Jackets’ last three games, however, and heads back to Cleveland without adding to his 49 career NHL appearances.
After an intriguing rookie season in 2022-23 in which Blankenburg posted 14 points in 36 games, most expected the University of Michigan product to challenge for an NHL job out of training camp this year. An influx of veterans on the Columbus blue line limited the spots available for younger players, however, and the waiver-exempt Blankenburg started the season in Cleveland as a result.
Injuries on defense meant Blankenburg got a chance early last month, playing six games after a Dec. 7 emergency recall. However, he failed to get on the scoresheet and posted middling possession metrics before an upper-body injury knocked him out of the lineup, keeping him out of action for nearly a month. The Blue Jackets activated him from IR and reassigned him to Cleveland on Jan. 21, but brought him up less than a week later when Boqvist was injured.
With the Blue Jackets beginning their bye week/All-Star break after Tuesday’s 1-0 win over the Blues, they no longer required an extra defenseman on the roster. If Boqvist is not ready to return when Columbus plays next on Feb. 10 against the Lightning, Blankenburg could see his third summons of the season if the Blue Jackets don’t want to give disgruntled 2022 sixth-overall pick David Jiricek another shot.
The 5-foot-9, 177-lb puck-mover has done well in his first career AHL stint, posting three goals and nine assists with a +7 rating in 19 games with Cleveland. He will be an RFA with arbitration rights this summer upon completion of his two-year, $1.65MM contract.
Pacific Notes: Lindholm, Hertl, Karlsson
Flames center Elias Lindholm is one of the top players believed to be available between now and the trade deadline should the two sides fail to work out an extension between now and then. In an appearance on 630 CHED (audio link), Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli suggested that Calgary’s asking price could involve a first-round pick plus multiple pieces, one of which being NHL-ready or close to it with the team not necessarily motivated for a long-term rebuild. Lindholm is only two years removed from a 42-goal season but has just nine so far through 49 games so far in 2023-24. However, with his track record and defensive ability, there’s a good chance the Flames can land a package like that for the pending unrestricted free agent who will be seeing a sizable raise on his current $4.85MM AAV.
Elsewhere in the Pacific:
- With the Sharks in a full-scale rebuild, many have wondered about the futures of their remaining veteran forwards. One of those is Tomas Hertl and it appears he’s also wondering about his future and where he fits in San Jose’s long-term plans. The center told reporters including Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News that he’d like to discuss his fit with the organization moving forward. Before adding him to the speculative rumor mill, Hertl acknowledged that those discussions likely wouldn’t happen until the end of the season. The 30-year-old has six years left on his contract after this season with a cap hit of just over $8.1MM. Other teams will likely want San Jose to pay that down somewhat if Hertl and GM Mike Grier decide in the summer or down the road that a parting of ways makes the most sense for the franchise so a move, if one could be coming, could take a while.
- The Canucks announced (Twitter link) that Linus Karlsson has been returned to AHL Abbotsford. The 24-year-old has been shuffled back and forth frequently this month but it hasn’t resulted in much NHL playing time as he has suited up in just four games with Vancouver so far. Meanwhile, in the minors, Karlsson has produced close to a point-per-game, noting 25 points in 28 appearances so far.
Sharks Notes: Ferraro, MacDonald, Hertl
The Sharks moved blue-liner Mario Ferraro to injured reserve on Monday, per CapFriendly. Ferraro, 25, has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury sustained against the Kings over a week ago.
While he’s eligible to return at any time, given he’s been sidelined for at least seven days, Ferraro is likely to sit out the Sharks’ two remaining games before the All-Star break, according to the last update on his status. The Sharks have an odd schedule surrounding the break – after getting two games in on Tuesday and Wednesday before the league schedule shuts down for a brief prior, they’re off for an extended period of time after the break. Ferraro will have a full two weeks to recover after the Sharks’ back-to-back slate this week, and all signs point to him returning for their Feb. 14 contest against the Jets.
Signed through 2026 with a $3.25MM cap hit, Ferraro is the Sharks’ de facto number-one defender after trading Erik Karlsson to the Penguins last summer. It’s a tough spot for the 6-foot, 209-lb Canadian to be in, although he’s on pace to break his previous career-high in points. He’s scored once and added 13 assists in 47 games this season, averaging nearly 23 minutes per game. He’s boasted better even-strength possession numbers than the average Shark this season, but the team’s abhorrent defensive depth means he’s been on the ice for 90 total goals against – the most of any player in the league.
Other updates from San Jose:
- Ferraro was moved to IR to create a roster space for Jacob MacDonald, who the team activated from IR yesterday. The defenseman-turned-winger has been one of the team’s most effective goal-scorers when in the lineup this year, but a laundry list of appearances has limited him to 17 games. Despite that, his six goals are tied for sixth on the team. The 30-year-old’s latest absence was a lower-body injury that kept him out of the lineup since Christmas, resulting in a 15-game absence. It’s unclear whether he’ll draw into the lineup tonight for a Sharks team that’s gaining some relative momentum, winning three out of their last four games.
- Adding to their win total over the next two days may be tough without the services of first-line center Tomáš Hertl, who head coach David Quinn said is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury (via The Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka). The 30-year-old did not practice yesterday and may have been injured in the same collision against the Sabres last Saturday that sidelined Buffalo winger Jack Quinn for the next eight weeks. Unsurprisingly, Hertl’s 15 goals and 34 points lead the Sharks, as does his nearly 21 minutes of ice time per game among forwards. A Hertl absence would mean a slightly elevated role for captain Logan Couture, who has an assist in slightly over 18 minutes per game in four contests since returning from a lower-body injury.
East Notes: Kubalík, Hamonic, MacLean
Senators winger Dominik Kubalík could return to the lineup Monday against the Predators, interim head coach Jacques Martin said. The 28-year-old has missed four games with a hip injury, last suiting up on Jan. 20th against the Jets.
It’s been a rough year for the Czech winger, who arrived in Ottawa by way of a trade from the Red Wings in return for Alex DeBrincat last summer. He’s posted nine goals and 12 points in 41 games, down from 20 goals and 45 points in 81 games with Detroit last year. Before the injury, his role had been reduced dramatically, playing under 15 minutes in six straight contests. If he returns tonight, he’s projected to factor in on the third line alongside Shane Pinto and Vladimir Tarasenko.
With a $2.5MM cap hit and an expiring contract, Kubalík could very well be an option to move at the deadline and help recoup some value for the struggling Sens. His underlying metrics are poor this season, though, which could turn off some teams’ hopes for a rebound. His 45.2% Corsi share at even strength is the worst among Senators forwards with at least 10 games played.
Other notes from the Eastern Conference today:
- Sticking with Ottawa, defenseman Travis Hamonic skated in a non-contact jersey at Monday’s practice and will likely be ready to return from his upper-body injury after the All-Star break, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports. He last played on Jan. 21 against the Flyers, skating just over five minutes before leaving the game. He’s played only once in the last six contests, including his first two healthy scratches of the season on Jan. 18 and Jan. 20. Garrioch’s report rules him out of tonight’s contest against Nashville as well as Wednesday’s game against the Red Wings, meaning he’ll miss five games with the injury when all is said and done. The 33-year-old has struggled this season after returning to Ottawa on a two-year, $2.2MM deal in free agency, posting five points in 40 games, boasting team-worst possession metrics, and playing under 15 minutes per game.
- The Islanders assigned left wing Kyle MacLean to AHL Bridgeport on Sunday night, per CapFriendly. New York summoned the 24-year-old earlier this month to fill in on the fourth line with Casey Cizikas injured, giving MacLean his first five NHL games in the process. An undrafted free agent signing by the team last May, MacLean went pointless in his five appearances but recorded decent possession metrics in limited usage (only 8:22 per game). He struggled to sub in for Cizikas in the faceoff circle, winning 12 out of 36 draws. The pending RFA returns to Bridgeport over the All-Star break, where he has six goals and 19 points in 36 games.
Snapshots: Lightning, Perunovich, Tucker, Myers, Slaggert
Tampa Bay’s defensive depth has been tested this season with several players having extended stints out of the lineup. Accordingly, it appears GM Julien BriseBois would like to add some insurance on that end as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports (Twitter link) that the Lightning have spoken with several teams in both conferences and that they’d like to add a blueliner over the next six weeks before the trade deadline. Having said that, cap space is going to be at a premium once Mikhail Sergachev is activated off LTIR which should come soon after the All-Star break so making the finances work could be tricky. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay only has one pick in the first four rounds of the draft this year (a third-rounder) which limits what they might be able to move out on the trade front if they find a player they like and can afford.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- The Blues announced that defenseman Scott Perunovich suffered a lower-body injury during today’s overtime victory over Los Angeles. The 25-year-old has played in a career-best 31 games this season, notching a dozen assists including two today. There’s no word yet on how much time, if any, Perunovich will miss.
- Still with the Blues, they’ve recalled blueliner Tyler Tucker from his conditioning assignment, relays NHL.com’s Lou Korac (Twitter link). The 23-year-old played in six games with AHL Springfield while in the minors. Tucker, who is waiver-eligible, has been limited to just 15 games with St. Louis this season, collecting two points while averaging 12:31 per game.
- The Department of Player Safety announced that they’ve fined Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers $5K for an elbow on Columbus center Sean Kuraly on Saturday. The incident occurred in the third period and the initial major penalty on the play was given to Ian Cole before being changed to Myers after review. The fine amount is the maximum allowable under the CBA.
- Last summer, Blackhawks prospect Landon Slaggert declined an offer to turn pro, raising some concerns that he could opt for free agency this coming summer. However, the forward told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that he intends to sign with Chicago once his season with Notre Dame comes to an end. The 21-year-old was a third-round pick in 2020 and is faring much better offensively this season with 25 points in 26 games after putting up just 13 in 35 appearances in 2022-23.
Injury Notes: Karlsson, Kapanen, Faulk, Fleury
Having played their last game before the NHL All-Star break on Saturday night, the Vegas Golden Knights will get a reinforcement as soon as they return, as forward William Karlsson has been officially activated from the long-term injured reserve (X Link). Out with a lower-body injury since the team’s Winter Class game against the Seattle Kraken, Karlsson has missed a total of 12 games for the Golden Knight with this injury.
Although Karlsson has largely been one of the more productive scorers on Vegas’ roster this season, the team has produced a 7-4-1 record in his absence, garnering more appreciation as a Stanley Cup contender in the Western Conference. Before his lower-body injury took him out of the lineup, Karlsson scored 15 goals and 32 points in 38 games for the Golden Knights which still places him fourth on the team in scoring.
As Vegas continues to the Vancouver Canucks as the top team in the Pacific Division, Karlsson will be an important addition back in the lineup. After the All-Star break, to finish off the month of February, the Golden Knights have challenging games against the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins.
Other injury notes:
- After being placed on the injured reserve on January 16th with a lower-body injury, the St.Louis Blues will be expecting forward Kasperi Kapanen back after the All-Star break (X Link). As one of the more prominent depth offensive pieces on the Blues’ roster, Kapanen has struggled a bit over the course of the season, scoring four goals and 13 points in 42 games on the year.
- Sticking in St.Louis, Justin Faulk suffered a lower-body injury in the team’s most recent game against the Calgary Flames and will be kept out until after the All-Star break (X Link). Sitting second on the team in scoring amongst defensemen, Faulk has scored two goals and 19 points in 40 games this season, with only two of those points coming on the team’s powerplay.
- In another activation from the long-term injured reserve, the Tampa Bay Lightning have done just that with defenseman Haydn Fleury, according to CapFriendly. Having been placed on the team’s LTIR since January 1st with an upper-body injury, Fleury has filled a similar role to which he has played in the past this season, averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time in 12 games for the team this year in a depth role.
Transaction Notes: Flames, Golden Knights, Wild, Blackhawks, Lightning
While most teams prepare for an informal roster freeze over the upcoming NHL All-Star break, many are also stripping their roster down to the bare minimum to save as much cap space for the encroaching trade deadline in early March. Today, the Calgary Flames activated forward Martin Pospisil from the injured reserve, while optioning Matthew Coronato, Adam Klapka, and Cole Schwindt to their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.
According to Ryan Pike of Flames Nation, this set of transactions by the Flames will save the organization approximately $497K in cap space, just by sending them down over the All-Star break. As one of the expected sellers leading into this year’s trade deadline, the nearly half a million in cap space could allow Calgary to weaponize their cap space, as many deadline sellers have done.
For development’s sake, with the NHL returning to regular season action on February 5th, the trio of players sent down by the Flames today will have the opportunity to play in three games for the Wranglers. Coronato projects to factor in the most, still leading Calgary’s AHL team in points, having already scored 12 goals and 29 points in 27 games for the Wranglers this season.
Other transaction notes:
- Similarly to the Flames, the Vegas Golden Knights have optioned Brendan Brisson, Sheldon Rempal, and Jonas Rondbjerg to their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, per a team announcement. Having been recalled on January 18th via an emergency loan, Rempal has largely been the most successful of the bunch over the last several games for the Golden Knights, scoring a goal against both the New York Islanders and New York Rangers over the last four contests.
- In an announcement earlier this afternoon, the Minnesota Wild sent down forward Jake Lucchini and goaltender Jesper Wallstedt to their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild. Not only one of the best prospects in the Wild organization but one of the best prospects across the league, Wallstedt was able to make his NHL debut in his previous call-up coming in early January, stopping 27 of 34 shots in the team’s loss against the Dallas Stars on January 10th.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have sent down forward Cole Guttman and defenseman Louis Crevier to their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, per a media release this afternoon. Guttman has been the much better player in Rockford this season, playing with the team through much of October and November. Over that stretch, Guttman scored three goals and nine points in 12 games for the IceHogs, tying him for 12th on the team in scoring for the season.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning made similar roster moves today, sending down Maxwell Crozier, Mitchell Chaffee, and Waltteri Merela to their longtime AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. Although neither of the three have made a large impact in their limited NHL experience, Chaffee has been the most successful over the last stretch, earning a goal and an assist in the team’s recent victory against the Arizona Coyotes on January 25th.
Metropolitan Notes: Kochetkov, Leschyshyn, Mackey
The Hurricanes loaned netminder Pyotr Kochetkov to AHL Chicago on Sunday, according to the league’s transactions log. However, it’s not a permanent assignment and is only a transaction to bank additional cap space ahead of the trade deadline, per Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey. Kochetkov will not suit up for the Wolves and will instead rest over the All-Star break after recently being activated from injured reserve.
Kochetkov, 24, has stepped into the starter’s role in Carolina with veteran Frederik Andersen still sidelined due to blood clots. With Antti Raanta stumbling heavily between the pipes this year, Kochetkov has been a stabilizing force with a .900 SV% and an 11-7-3 record in 23 showings. His 21 starts are the most on the team, but he hasn’t played since entering concussion protocol during a game against the Ducks on Jan. 11. He’s now cleared protocol and is healthy enough to play, but the team opted to dress him as the backup to Raanta in Saturday’s win over the Coyotes.
He’s still waiver-exempt and will re-join the Hurricanes when the All-Star break ends. Their 2019 second-round pick is in the first season of a four-year, $8MM extension signed in Nov. 2022.
Also from the Metropolitan Division today:
- The Rangers assigned center Jake Leschyshyn and defenseman Connor Mackey to AHL Hartford, per the team’s public relations department. Both have served as recent roster fill-ins with New York dealing with some depth injuries. Leschyshyn has one appearance this season, coming on Jan. 11 against the Blues, but he did not play on his most recent two-game recall this week. The 24-year-old has been surpassed on the depth chart by players like rookie William Cuylle and AHL veteran Jonny Brodzinski since being claimed off waivers last season from the Golden Knights. His production in limited action with Hartford this season has been underwhelming as well, recording seven points in 16 games after operating near a point-per-game pace in his last two minor-league stints. Meanwhile, Mackey did suit up in Saturday’s dominant win over the Senators with Jacob Trouba suspended and Ryan Lindgren unavailable with an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old logged over 16 minutes in his Rangers debut, recording a +1 rating and a shot on goal. Neither player needs waivers to return to Hartford because they’ve spent less than 30 days on the active roster since they last cleared.