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Canucks Place Vitali Kravtsov On Unconditional Waivers

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2:36 p.m.: It’ll be a three-year deal for Kravtsov back with Traktor Chelyabinsk, per Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK.

11:55 a.m.: The Canucks placed winger Vitali Kravtsov on unconditional waivers with the intent to terminate his contract, the team announced. It’s presumably a mutual decision, and he’ll become an unrestricted free agent tomorrow if he clears.

Kravtsov began his second stint in the Vancouver organization when he signed a two-way deal with them in August. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 draft last played in North America in the 2022-23 campaign, during which he was sent from the Rangers to the Canucks for William Lockwood, and had spent the last two seasons playing with Traktor Chelyabinsk in his native Russia. He remained on Vancouver’s reserve list during that time because they issued him a qualifying offer when his contract expired, so they were his only option for an NHL return this year if they didn’t trade his signing rights.

The 25-year-old Kravtsov was coming off a resurgent showing in the Kontinental Hockey League. He made 66 appearances for Chelyabinsk last season, notching 27 goals and 31 assists for 58 points with a +31 rating. He was among the most dominant two-way players in the KHL with the only professional club he’s ever suited up for in his home country. There was understandable optimism that he could be a contributor in Vancouver’s top nine as a result, but he didn’t have a great camp and only got into one preseason game. He cleared regular waivers at the beginning of October and began the year on assignment to AHL Abbotsford.

Kravtsov hasn’t had much of an impact in the minors through 10 games, limited to one goal and three assists with a -7 rating. That performance wasn’t going to get him an NHL recall anytime soon, and he’s already been passed over by options like Joseph LaBate and Mackenzie MacEachern during Vancouver’s recent spree of injuries to its forward group. With very little pathway to minutes and him essentially taking up a contract slot for little return in the minors, the Canucks likely have no qualms about losing his rights and letting him pursue a contract elsewhere, likely back in Russia.

Kravtsov will forfeit the remainder of his salary, which would have been $450K if he spent the remainder of the season in the minors. He’ll easily outpace that with a new deal in Russia.

Canucks Believed To Have Inquired About Steven Stamkos

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The Canucks have long been searching for extra help down the middle, a need amplified by the latest injury to Filip Chytil.  To that end, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic recently reported (audio link) that he has been told that Vancouver has kicked the tires on Predators forward Steven Stamkos as they continue to cast a wide net in their search for a center.

Stamkos was one of Nashville’s splashy signings in the 2024 offseason, a summer that also saw GM Barry Trotz bring in winger Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei in the hopes of establishing themselves as a contender in a tough Central Division.  While Marchessault has worked out reasonably well so far (though underachieving relative to expectations), the other two haven’t.

Stamkos is in the second season of a four-year, $32MM pact, signed with the belief that he could still be a steady scorer away from Tampa Bay where he spent the first 16 years of his career.  However, after putting up 40 goals and 81 points in his final season with the Lightning, the 35-year-old managed just 27 goals and 53 points last season.  This year, he’s off to a much slower start, managing just a goal and an assist through 13 outings.

It should be noted that on top of having a contract that looks to be well above market value with how he has played so far, Stamkos also has a full no-move clause.  That means that even if the two teams could agree on a trade, he has full veto power if he doesn’t want to go there.

At this point, there’s no indication that Stamkos is interested in even considering a change of scenery.  However, with how things went off the rails for the Preds last year, another quiet start this season, and his own struggles, it wouldn’t be shocking if he or the team decided to ponder the possibility.

Vancouver’s salary cap situation is quite tight; they’re nearly $2.8MM into LTIR, per PuckPedia.  That means that the Canucks would need to match money to make a move work, something that could be mitigated in part by Nashville retaining salary.  On the other hand, the Predators only have one retention slot remaining this season having already utilized them on Mattias Ekholm and Colton Sissons.  Considering his value has dropped considerably, does it make sense to use that last slot (retaining several million dollars a year for multiple seasons) to elicit what would likely be a middling return?  Or, would they be better off saving that last slot for someone else this season and revisiting the idea over the summer after those other two slots open back up?

While Stamkos is probably better off as a winger at this stage of his career, he has played with some regularity at center for the past few years after primarily playing the position before that.  Given Vancouver’s need for help down the middle, he would certainly help there.  However, considering how difficult it would be to make the cap fit work for the Canucks, Stamkos doesn’t seem like the most plausible of candidates at the moment.  That said, they appear to be examining all possibilities as they look to upgrade the center position.

Evening Notes: Couturier, Boeser, Blue Jackets, Avalanche

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Two notable players have left their respective games after taking hard shots: Sean Couturier and Brock Boeser. First, the Flyers announced mid-game their captain Couturier will not return vs Nashville. The 32-year-old’s injury was not disclosed, but he appeared bothered after blocking a shot in the first period. Couturier has been off to a great start so far this season, with nine points in nine games, looking like his old self after two straight seasons not passing the 45-point mark. 

Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks confirmed Boeser will not return after being struck in the midsection point-blank from his teammate Elias Pettersson (defenseman) on a slap shot just 33 seconds into the game vs St. Louis. It’s an extra tough blow considering that the team is already missing Conor Garland, Quinn Hughes, and several other forwards.

Elsewhere across the league:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets recalled defenseman Dysin Mayo from AHL Cleveland, per the team. With veteran Erik Gudbranson day-to-day, having already missed time this season, Columbus has called upon the 29-year-old with 82 games of NHL experience in advance of Saturday’s game vs St. Louis. Although Mayo is likely just insurance, if he is to appear, it will be his first NHL game since 2022-23, all 82 of his so far as an Arizona Coyote. The right-hander leads the Cleveland Monsters in points, with four helpers in five games. 
  • In what has been a big day for the Avalanche, after locking up Martin Necas, the team announced that they have recalled defenseman Wyatt Aamodt from AHL Colorado. While Samuel Girard remains sidelined, Jack Ahcan has drawn into the lineup for the last two games, but Aamodt will be added depth if needed, as the Avs head to Vegas, then San Jose, on a road trip this coming weekend. The 27-year-old has spent the last four seasons with the Colorado Eagles, earning a two-game stint with the Avalanche last year.

Latest On Conor Garland

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  • The Vancouver Canucks appear to have avoided the worst with an injury to winger Conor Garland, as CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported today that Garland’s injury is “not serious.” He did add that Garland “is not going” on the team’s upcoming three-game Central Division road trip. A loss of Garland for any timeframe is a major blow to the Canucks’ game-to-game competitive hopes: the 29-year-old leads the team with 11 points in 11 games this season and has been a reliable middle-six scorer throughout his time in Vancouver.

Canucks Reassign Nils Åman, Recall Mackenzie MacEachern

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The Canucks have assigned center Nils Åman to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks and recalled winger Mackenzie MacEachern from Abbotsford in a corresponding transaction, according to a team announcement on Wednesday. The swap saves them $50,000 in cap space, although they’re not accruing anything at the moment by using long-term injured reserve to keep them compliant.

Åman cleared waivers at the beginning of the season and began the year in the minors. The 25-year-old center, now in his fourth season in the Canucks organization, had three assists and a minus-five rating in four games with Abbotsford. He was recalled early last week in the wake of Filip Chytil’s upper-body injury that’s still keeping him out of the lineup.

The Swedish pivot played in Vancouver’s first two games following his recall, making appearances on Oct. 21 against the Penguins and Oct. 23 against the Predators. He averaged just 8:40 of ice time per game and was held off the scoresheet, skating on the wing in a fourth-line role. He’s now been a healthy scratch in three straight following the team’s acquisition of Lukas Reichel from the Blackhawks.

The longer the Canucks keep Åman on the active roster, the more time burns off his temporary waiver exemption. As such, after swallowing up nine days of his 30-day allowance on the roster after clearing waivers at the beginning of the month, they’ll swap him out to stop the clock.

Up comes MacEachern, who, like Åman, has north of 100 games of NHL experience. He hasn’t appeared in a big-league game since December 2023 with the Blues, though. The 31-year-old signed a two-year, two-way contract with Vancouver this summer after spending the prior two years in St. Louis. It was his second stint with the Blues, who drafted him in the third round in 2012 and have been his home for eight of his 10 professional seasons.

While usually a productive minor-league force, MacEachern has struggled heavily in his first few weeks with Abbotsford. He’s been limited to two goals and no assists in seven games while carrying a team-worst minus-nine rating. It’s been a tough start on the whole for the reigning Calder Cup Champions, though. They’re 2-5-0 through seven games and have only scored 12 goals.

Canucks Recall Tom Willander, Place Victor Mancini On IR

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Oct. 28: Willander has officially been recalled with Mancini being placed on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 26 as the corresponding transaction, the team announced. Mancini has been ruled out for the next three games as a result and will be eligible for activation against the Predators on Nov. 3. The Canucks also increased their spending flexibility by moving defenseman Derek Forbort to long-term injured reserve. Forbort was already on IR and has not played since Vancouver’s second game of the season back on Oct. 11 due to an undisclosed injury. An LTIR replacement requires 24 days missed, so he’ll be eligible to return on Nov. 5 against the Blackhawks.

Oct. 27: Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK shared this evening that the Vancouver Canucks are calling up top defensive prospect Tom Willander. The 20-year-old had been assigned to the AHL just two days ago, but now is back on the big club. The transaction may signal that he could be called up, as Willander had just been with the Canucks for salary purposes and has not actually debuted yet. 

Since being sent down, Willander appeared in one game with Abbotsford (AHL), adding an assist, now up to two points in his first 5 North American professional games. Drafted 11th overall in the 2023 draft by Vancouver, Willander is widely considered the club’s No. 1 prospect and one of the top defensive prospects in the league. 

Despite having limited professional experience so far, the Swede spent the past two seasons starring for Boston University in the NCAA, becoming acquainted with the North American game. Before his time in college, Willander made two appearances for Rögle BK of the SHL as a teenager. 

A smooth-skating right-hander at 6’1”, Willander’s ability in his own end could be NHL-ready. The offense may take some time, but not many have his acumen at this stage of their careers, with his quickness and agility. Vancouver could call on Willander for his awaited debut, partly out of necessity. With Quinn Hughes out day-to-day and Victor Mancini also banged up, the team is particularly depleted on the back-end as they prepare to host the Rangers tomorrow night. 

Although it may seem like a forgone conclusion given the circumstances, fans will watch closely for updates on whether the prospect will make his debut tomorrow. 

Avalanche Sign Tristen Nielsen

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The Colorado Avalanche have signed forward Tristen Nielsen to a two-year NHL contract. The deal is a promotion from the AHL contract Nielsen entered the season on. His new contract will run through the end of the 2026-27 season.

Nielsen has had a red-hot start to the AHL season. He has scored seven points in seven games, tying him for the Colorado Eagles’ scoring lead alongside Daniil Gushchin, who has seven points in five games. It’s a huge spike in production for Nielsen, who spent the last four years in a depth role on the Abbotsford Canucks. He reached a career-high 41 points in 64 AHL games during the 2022-23 season, but fell all the way to 28 points in 67 games last year.

A scoring decline pushed Nielsen towards a change of scenery this summer. He signed a minor-league deal with the Eagles in early August and joined the Avalanche for their training camp in September. He scored three points in three NHL preseason games throughout camp – an especially impressive milestone given Nielsen only played in two preseason games over the course of four years in the Canucks organization. He’s continued that hot scoring into the regular season, and earned a second-look from the NHL brass as a result.

Nielsen originally signed with Vancouver as an undrafted free agent, after appearing in parts of six seasons in the WHL. He split those years evenly between the Calgary Hitmen and Vancouver Giants, and racked up 175 points across 241 games in the league. That includes a team-leading, and career-best, 65 points in 61 games during the Giants’ 2022-23 season. The Canucks signed Nielsen as a local gem two years later, and while he was never able to strike in Vancouver, his new contract will open the door to a possible NHL debut with the Avalanche soon.

Hughes Day-To-Day With Lower-Body Injury

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The Canucks were without their top defenseman tonight against Edmonton as Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province notes that Quinn Hughes was scratched due to a lower-body injury.  Head coach Adam Foote indicated that the absence should be short-term, at least, as Hughes is listed as day-to-day.  The 26-year-old didn’t appear to be impacted by the injury on Saturday against Montreal as he picked up two assists and logged more than 26 minutes of playing time, right around his season average.  Hughes is off to another strong start to his season, picking up seven points in nine games while his 26:38 ATOI is an NHL high.

Canucks Recall Kirill Kudryavtsev, Assign Joseph LaBate

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The Vancouver Canucks have recalled defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev and assigned forward Joseph LaBate. The move once again shifts around roles near the bottom of the Canucks’ lineup, as they try to bear through seven different injuries.

Kudryavtsev’s recall will reward his impressive start to the Abbotsford Canucks season. He has points in four of the team’s five games so far, with five assists total. Kudryavtsev has looked strong and confident. He’s made plays on both ends of the ice, and excelled at creating plays off of the blue line. His performance has been a sure step forward from the 26 points and plus-18 he posted in 65 games as an AHL rookie last season.

It’s not yet clear if he’ll have a chance to crack into the NHL lineup. Vancouver also recently recalled Victor Mancini, who served as the extra defender in Saturday’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Kudryavtsev would seemingly need to leap over Mancini and Pierre-Olivier Joseph for a role on the team’s bottom-pair. Neither Joseph nor Mancini have scored in their NHL appearances so far – through three and four games respectively. Mancini also went  without a point in one AHL game. That lack of production could be the need that earns Kudryavtsev his NHL debut, should Vancouver need a spark plug at the bottom of their lineup. Kudryavtsev would most likely play on his off-side as the team’s third-pair right-defenseman, partnered with Marcus Pettersson or Elias N. Pettersson, sohuld he step into the lineup.

On the other side of this deal, LaBate will return to the minors after serving as a healthy scratch on Saturday. He made his NHL season debut in Tuesday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins and didn’t manage any notable stat changes. LaBate has recorded three points, eight penalty minutes, and six shots in four AHL games this season. He’s continued to be a chippy veteran in the minor-leagues, coming off 21 points and 81 penalty minutes in 51 games with the Cleveland Monsters last season.

LaBate returned to the Canucks organization on a one-year, two-way, league-minimum contract this summer. The team originally drafted him in the fourth-round of the 2011 NHL Draft, and awarded him with the first 13 games of his NHL career in 2016-17. Across his career, LaBate has totaled one assists and 31 penalty minutes in 20 NHL games; and 157 points and 781 penalty minutes in 460 AHL games.

Canucks Issue Several Injury Updates

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Following his acquisition of Lukas Reichel from Chicago on Friday, Canucks GM Patrik Allvin met with the media (video link).  While the trade itself was the focus of the scrum, Allvin also provided several updates on the status of some of their injured players.

Center Filip Chytil has been making progress as he works through his upper-body injury.  While the team won’t confirm it, Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province relays that the belief is that the 26-year-old has indeed suffered another concussion which is believed to be his sixth.  Allvin noted that Chytil still has to go through protocol and hasn’t been cleared yet.  That said, the fact they’re not talking about a possible extended absence – something he has endured multiple times – has to be considered a promising sign.

Meanwhile, winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki is expected to miss another two to three weeks with what is believed to be a shoulder injury.  The 21-year-old made the team out of training camp after spending most of last season in the minors and had a goal in his first four games after putting up six points in his rookie year in 24 games.

Center Teddy Blueger was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Sunday to open up a roster spot for Reichel, who they hope to have available tonight against Montreal.  However, while he’s eligible to return to the lineup as soon as Monday, Allvin relayed that the veteran is going to miss at least a couple of weeks with his undisclosed injury.

Meanwhile, there is also some bad news on the back end.  Allvin indicated that defenseman Derek Forbort suffered a setback in his recovery from his undisclosed injury sustained in the second game of the season.  Now, he’s listed as out week-to-week.

At the moment, Vancouver has a little over $1MM left in their LTIR pool, per PuckPedia.  That doesn’t leave them much flexibility should they have anyone else get injured over the next couple of weeks before some of their injured players start to return to the lineup.  Teams can rarely afford injuries but in the case of the Canucks, it’s especially true with no immediate help on the horizon.

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