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Chandler Stephenson Suspended Three Games

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The Department of Player Safety has come down hard on Vegas Golden Knights forward Chandler Stephenson, issuing him a three-game suspension for elbowing Los Angeles Kings defenseman Tobias Bjornfot last night. As the accompanying video explains:

It is important to note that while we accept Stephenson’s arguement that he did not attempt to hit Bjornfot in the head, this is not a case where a blow to an opponent’s torso or shoulder rides up and makes subsequent or glancing contact with his head. This is a direct and forceful elbow to an opponent’s head which caused an injury.

Bjornfot did not return to the game and is doubtful for the Kings game tomorrow. Stephenson has not been fined or suspended previously in his career and did receive both a major penalty and a game misconduct for the incident, but was still given a hefty ban today.

He’ll miss games against the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues over the next few days, two teams chasing the Golden Knights in the West Division standings.

Chandler Stephenson To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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The Department of Player Safety has another big day ahead of them. Not only is Nathan MacKinnon’s helmet throw likely being looked at for supplementary discipline, but Chandler Stephenson of the Vegas Golden Knights will also have a hearing today to determine his suspension for a high hit.

The incident occurred late in the second period of last night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings with the Golden Knights down 4-1. Stephenson tracked Tobias Bjornfot into the corner and after the puck had already been passed away, delivered a high hit that injured the Kings defenseman. After the referees huddled to decide his fate, Stephenson was given a five-minute major for elbowing and a game misconduct. Bjornfot would leave the game.

The Vegas center will likely have to face a suspension of at least one game, taking him out of the team’s match tomorrow against the Minnesota Wild. A ruling should come down later this evening.

Nick Holden, Liam O’Brien Clear Waivers

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March 31: Though Gostisbehere will still claim the headlines, Holden and O’Brien also cleared waivers today. Both players can be assigned to the taxi squad or, in O’Brien’s case, kept in the AHL.

March 30: While Shayne Gostisbehere got all the waiver attention, two more players were put on waivers Tuesday. The Vegas Golden Knights placed veteran defenseman Nick Holden on waivers again, while the Colorado Avalanche sent Liam O’Brien through waivers after signing him to a one-year deal earlier this morning, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Holden already cleared waivers earlier this season, but a player must pass through waivers again if he has played 10 games in the NHL. For Holden, the veteran is at 13 games and with everyday salary meaning so much, the team must attempt to pass him through waivers once again. Whether he will be claimed is a different story as more teams are eager to add to their ailing blueline. However, Holden is making $1.7MM AAV not only for this year, but for next year as well and many teams may want to avoid that second year, considering he is already 33 years old. Holden has one assist in 13 games for the Golden Knights, averaging 15:44 of ice time.

As for O’Brien, the Avalanche signed him and were forced to put him on waivers to either assign him back to the Eagles or put him on the taxi squad.

Golden Knights Sign Layton Ahac, Zack Hayes To Entry-Level Deals

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The Vegas Golden Knights announced they have signed two defensive prospects to entry-level contracts. The team signed Layton Ahac and Zack Hayes to three-year contracts, both which will begin for the 2021-22 season. No contract terms have been announced. Ahac has signed an AHL contract for the rest of the season, while Hayes is already playing for the Henderson Silver Knights.

The 20-year-old Ahac was the team’s third-round pick in 2019 (86th overall) and has spent the last two seasons with Ohio State University. The defenseman is considered a stay-at-home defenseman as he tallied three assists in his freshman year with the Buckeyes and then followed that up with one goal and nine assists in 27 games. His offense has improved as the blueliner hopes to develop into a solid two-way defensive player.

As for Hayes, the undrafted free agent signed a one-year deal during the offseason with Henderson and has impressed in 17 games, scoring a goal and four points, earning a NHL contract in the process.  The blueliner did score seven goals in his final season with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL, but was best known for his defensive prowess.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/30/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:

West Division

  • Late Monday, the Vegas Golden Knights made a number of roster moves, according to CapFriendly, which includes recalling forward Cody Glass and defenseman Dylan Coughlan, while also calling up goaltender Oskar Dansk on an emergency loan. Dansk was just filling in for Marc-Andre Fleury who got the day off. The team also called up forward Dylan Sikura, defenseman Carl Dahlstrom and goaltender Logan Thompson to the taxi squad.
  • Vegas also announced it has assigned center Cody Glass to the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL, which is somewhat surprising after the forward put up an impressive performance Monday against Los Angeles. Of course, that doesn’t mean he will play a game for Henderson, but something to keep an eye on as Vegas works the salary cap before the trade deadline.

North Division

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have reassigned three players to the taxi squad, including forwards Adam Brooks and Scott Sabourin as well as defenseman Timothy Liljegren. All three played in the Toronto Marlies victory over Stockton Monday with Brooks and Liljegren each picking up goals, while Sabourin picked up a five-minute major. The team also assigned forward Nicholas Robertson and defenseman Calle Rosen to the Marlies.

Central Division

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced they have recalled three players from the taxi squad to the NHL club, including forwards Zac Dalpe and Liam Foudy as well as recalling goaltender Cam Johnson on emergency conditions. That likely means that goaltender Joonas Korpisalo may not be ready to step into backup duties. After clearing waivers, the team has also assigned defenseman Scott Harrington to the taxi squad.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled forwards Givani Smith, Evgeny Svechnikov and Frans Nielson from the taxi squad, their standard roster moves before a game.
  • With a need of defensive help, the Florida Panthers announced the recall of veteran Anton Stralman to the NHL squad. The 34-year-old has three goals and nine points in 29 games this season.
  • Another day, another shuffle of forwards in Dallas. The team announced that Ty Dellandrea, Justin Dowling, and Tanner Kero have all been activated from the taxi squad, while Joel L’Esperance has been reassigned to the taxi squad. All four have been transaction fixtures this season.

East Division

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have recalled goaltender Maxime Lagace to the taxi squad from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. After an undisclosed injury to Tristan Jarry, the team may need Lagace closer to home. To make room on the taxi squad, the team has send forward Jonathan Gruden to the WBS Penguins.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Peter DiLiberatore To ELC

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The Vegas Golden Knights have agreed to terms with Quinnipiac University standout defenseman Peter Diliberatore on his entry-level contract. The 2018 sixth-round pick has been a rising star in the Vegas pipeline for years and has now turned pro following the Bobcats’ regional loss in the NCAA Tournament. The team announced that Diliberatore has signed a three-year ELC that is expected to begin this season and he will report immediately to the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. No financial terms have yet been disclosed.

Somewhat of an unheralded prospect, Diliberatore has made the most of his NCAA career. A prep school product with no junior hockey experience, Diliberatore was nevertheless able to make impact immediately as a freshman at Quinnipiac. The Nova Scotia native recorded 19 points in 38 games, while his +22 rating was among the best in college hockey. Diliberatore’s scoring pace has only improved in each season since, totaling 21 points in 34 games last year and 20 points in 29 games this year, all while remaining a plus player. A smooth-skating defender who handles the puck well and has great vision on the ice, Diliberatore impressed more than just Quinnipac fans over the past few years. He was included on the 2020 World Junior Development Camp roster for Team Canada as well – an impressive honor for a sixth-round pick, even though he was one of the final cuts.

The Golden Knights are surely happy with how their late-round flier has progressed since 2018 as well. The team actually tried to woo Diliberatore to the pro game last year, but he turned down the contract offer to return for his junior year with the Bobcats. Vegas clearly thinks highly of the puck-moving defender though and he could be put on the fast track for the NHL. With Alec Martinez headed for free agency after this season and Brayden McNabb and Nick Holden doing the same after next year, the Knights will likely allow their deep group of young pro defenders to compete for the jobs behind stalwarts Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore. Diliberatore has as good a chance as any of winning one of those regular spots over the next year or two.

Golden Knights Notes: Lehner, Fleury, Trade Deadline

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The Vegas Golden Knights finally got presumptive starting goaltender Robin Lehner back on Tuesday, activating the newly re-signed net minder from the Injured Reserve. Lehner had missed more than a month, leaving veteran Marc-Andre Fleury to carry a heavy load in this season’s condensed schedule. There was some confusion as to why it took Lehner so long to return from what was initially considered a minor lower-body injury. Unfortunately, some of that speculation brought up Lehner’s previous struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues. Looking to set the record straight, Lehner spoke with the media today and revealed that he not only was rehabbing his lower-body injury, but had also suffered a concussion. Lehner noted that normally he would not have disclosed this information, as teams and players are not typically open about injuries beyond what is required, but he felt that needed to clear his name, even though he was disappointed it had reached that point. Fortunately, Lehner appears to have moved past both injuries and is expected to return to action shortly now that he is back on the active roster.

  • As for Lehner’s partner in net, if former Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford would have had his way, Fleury would not even be in Vegas this season. Speaking with The Athletic’s Josh Yohe, Rutherford explained that he heavily pursued his former starter this past off-season. Despite a difficult 2019-20 season for the veteran, Rutherford was hoping to bring Fleury back to Pittsburgh to pair with young Tristan Jarry in the wake of Matt Murray’s departure. Rutherford began planning even before the off-season began, contacting the Knights during the playoffs to inform them of his interest. Rutherford also stated that he even went so far as to buy out Jack Johnson primarily to open up cap space to add Fleury. At the end of the day, trade talks never went too far, with Rutherford implying that they could not make the cap implications work. However, Vegas owner Bill Foley also previously hinted that he may not have signed of on a Fleury trade anyhow. Foley knows that Fleury is the face of the Golden Knights franchise and could not be happier about it. For his part, Rutherford told Yohe that allowing Fleury to go to Vegas in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft was the hardest thing he ever had to do as GM.
  • In just a few short years, the Golden Knights have shown that they are not afraid to make bold moves, such as signing Lehner to an expensive, long-term deal even with Fleury’s heavy contract already on the books. So, while the club looks to have few holes this season, don’t be surprised to see another eye-popping transaction ahead of the trade deadline. Even in what is shaping up to be a quiet trade market, TSN’s Frank Seravalli labels Vegas as one of just eight team that are considered to be legitimate buyers. He believes that they could target a top rental center to solidify their depth down the middle.

Golden Knights Activate Robin Lehner Off LTIR

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It appears as if the Golden Knights will have their goalie tandem intact once again as CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that they have activated Robin Lehner off LTIR.  He had been out for more than a month due to a lower-body injury, forcing Marc-Andre Fleury to take the bulk of the workload though the veteran did quite well in that stretch.

Still, having Lehner back will give Vegas head coach Peter DeBoer much more flexibility in setting his gameday roster, at least when it comes to his goaltending decisions.  Prior to the injury, the netminders were basically in a platoon situation and even with as well as Fleury played, it wouldn’t be surprising to see that trend resume soon with an eye on keeping Fleury fresh for the postseason.

As for Lehner, he had gotten off to a bit of a quieter start by his standards as he posted a 2.96 GAA along with a .890 SV% in his first five starts before the injury.  While he did spend some time on a conditioning stint with AHL Henderson, he didn’t see any game action.  Considering how long he has been off, he may be a little rusty when he gets into the lineup.

To make the finances work, Vegas had to make a long list of roster moves to get cap compliant which was required before Lehner could be activated.  Cody Glass, Nicolas Hague, Patrick Brown, and Dylan Coghlan were all sent to the taxi squad while Logan Thompson went from the NHL roster to the minors.  To make room on the taxi squad for those four assignments, Gage Quinney, Dylan Ferguson, and Carl Dahlstrom were all sent to Henderson.  The Golden Knights are back under the cap, albeit by less than $40K with a minimum-sized roster so while DeBoer has some flexibility in his goaltending choice, that’s about the only decision he’ll be able to make in terms of who plays and who doesn’t for a while.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Daniil Miromanov

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The Vegas Golden Knights have added an interesting name off the free agent market, signing Daniil Miromanov to a one-year entry-level contract for the 2021-22 season. The defenseman went undrafted out of the QMJHL and has already played in the ECHL, Czech league and the KHL.

Miromanov, 23, played this season with Sochi HC in the KHL, recording 29 points in 58 games. Though listed as a defenseman now, he has actually played forward before and has used those offensive instincts to rack up high point totals. The Golden Knights have introduced him as a defenseman and that is likely where he’ll play in their organization, though his versatility is an interesting nugget to keep an eye on.

He will not be eligible to join the Golden Knights this season but could sign a tryout with the Henderson Silver Knights to get familiar with the organization. The last time he played in North America he racked up 40 points in 49 games with the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL, but it’ll be a tougher task this time around at the higher levels.

Injury Notes: Bozak, Trocheck, Bruins, Kings

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After a month-and-a-half on the sidelines, St. Louis Blues forward Tyler Bozak is finally making some progress toward a return. Speaking to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, head coach Craig Berube displayed optimism when discussing the health of his veteran center, who was back at practice on Friday. “He’s gonna get some work here in the next few days and he could be available soon,” Berube said. “It’s good to see him out there and working… making some real good progress.” Bozak has not played since January 26th, when he was forced out of game against the Vegas Golden Knights with an apparent concussion. With the Blue about to embark on a six-game road trip, they will have to decide if bringing Bozak is the right move or if he requires additional time before his return. While St. Louis also just got Vladimir Tarasenko back and Oskar Sundqvist returned from a short-term injury, they could still use all the help they can get. Colton Parayko, Jaden Schwartz, Ivan Barbashev, Robert Thomas, Jacob De La Rose, and more are still among the Blues’ injured.

  • The news on Carolina Hurricanes forward Vincent Trocheck does not sound as optimistic. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour tells The Athletic’s Sara Civian that Trocheck’s recent upper-body injury will keep him sidelined for “longer than hoped”. The coach held back on providing any definitive timeline, but any long-term absence for Trocheck will be a major loss for the team. In his first full season with the Hurricanes, Trocheck has been a point-per-game player and is tied with Sebastian Aho for the team’s scoring lead. If there is one silver lining for Carolina, it is that the injury occurred before the trade deadline; with a considerable amount of cap space, the ’Canes still have time to bring in help to make up for an extended period without Trocheck.
  • Back on the positive side, the Boston Bruins have been dealing with an onslaught of injuries for some time, but there could be some help on the way. Head coach Bruce Cassidy announced today that veteran defenseman Kevan Miller has resumed skating and is likely to travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. Miller has been resting his surgically-repaired knee, but seems like he is ready to get back on the ice. Cassidy also said that defenseman Brandon Carlo is “coming around” and, while he is unsure if it will happen, there is at least some consideration that he could travel as well. This is the first concrete update on Carlo since he was hospitalized by a high hit from Washington’s Tom Wilson, but its seems that Carlo will not be out for a lengthy period as many feared.
  • It’s a scary time for any unknown illness given the shadow of the Coronavirus, so the Los Angeles Kings played it safe and cancelled practice this morning, citing an “illness” spreading around the group. Head coach Todd McLellan and the Kings do not believe that this is COVID, but a seasonal virus. However, the team will wait to see what their latest batch of test results say. Defenseman Olli Maatta is currently on the league’s COVID Protocal Related Absences list, though Alex Iafallo missed the team’s last game with similar symptoms and did not test positive for COVID. Obviously, the hope of all involved is that this is what McLellan believe it to be: some unrelated bug going around the locker room.

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