Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny is on the mend. Kempny has yet to play this season due to a concussion – one he doesn’t even remember suffering – after ending up on the receiving end of a high hit from the St. Louis Blues’ Robert Bortuzzo. Bortuzzo was suspended for the Blues’ opening night match-up, but is already back in action for St. Louis. Kempny hopes to follow suit, telling NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti that he hopes to make his season debut on Wednesday. Kempny practice in full today and was feeling good, but admits the final call will come from head coach Todd Reirden. The Capitals have fared fine without Kempny, winning in blowout fashion against the Boston Bruins before falling in overtime to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins, but Kempny would be a welcome addition back to the Washington lineup. The 2017-18 trade deadline acquisition found instant chemistry on the team’s top pair with John Carlson and brings high expectations into the new season.
- The Bruins bounced back well from their beating at the hands of the Capitals on Wednesday, shutting out the Buffalo Sabres the next night with a rearranged forward lineup. However, WEEI’s Matt Kalman reports that the team is still not content with the play of Sean Kuraly as the third line center. The Bruins gave youngsters Jack Studnicka, Trent Frederic, and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson – all recent high draft picks – the chance to win that job in training camp, but none could seize the opportunity. Kuraly began the year in the top nine by default, but has underwhelmed playing with both Ryan Donato and David Backes and Danton Heinen and Anders Bjork. As a result, Kalman states that the team is prepared to move Backes back to center, a position he has played infrequently since arriving in Boston two years ago, but almost exclusively played during his years in St. Louis. Kalman spoke to head coach Bruce Cassidy, who seemed optimistic about transitioning Backes back down the middle and his fit with Heinen and Bjork. It may not be a long-term solution, but should improve the contributions of the third line while the team continues to evaluate their options. The move would presumably return Kuraly back to the fourth line, where he and Noel Acciari starred last season and should again find success lining up with new additions Chris Wagner and Joakim Nordstrom.
- New Jersey Devils prospect goaltender Akira Schmid has reportedly had enough of North American junior hockey already, early on in the new campaign. Schmid, a fifth round pick in June, had joined the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes this year after developing in his native Switzerland. However, after failing to win the starter’s job and his first, disastrous appearance – Schmid allowed seven goals on 27 shots – he appears to be ready to move on. European news source “Sonntagsblick” reports that Schmid is set to return to the SCL Tigers of the NLA in Switzerland, the program in which he developed. Schmid is likely to make most of his appearances with Langnau, the team’s top junior program. The question now, after such a rough experience in North America, is how long it takes Schmid to return. The Devils hope that this setback doesn’t stunt the growth of their promising goalie prospect.
Think it’s pretty obvious that Don Sweeney royally “dropped the ball” concerning NOT re-signing BOTH Riley Nash AND Tim Schaller to 2-3 year contracts as BOTH guys could AND would be helping the Bruins win games right now. Majorly disappointing offseason, John Moore signing aside. Clearly not time to panic, but Kuraly is likely a 4th line guy, he just can’t score enough (2nd game breakaway for instance) to justify 3rd line status. Perhaps he’ll improve, but he likely is WHO he is as far as player development goes.
On the plus side, Boston does have solid players like Peter Cehlarik at the AHL level and they could always opt to give Lee Stempiak a shot to see what he still has left in the tank. Still, hard to justify KEEPING Acciari and bringing in guys like Nordstrom and even MA born Wagner, when there were TWO solid guys who signed small money contracts this summer with OTHER teams.
Just a quick add on. Am fairly sure Austin Czarnik WOULD LOOK pretty good in a black and gold Bruins sweater right now. Regardless of his height/weight issues as a small player, the kid is a gamer. Sure glad the Bruins front office GAVE HIM away to the fruity flamers of calgary for FREE. Nice decision.
I would’ve paid to keep Schaller and Nash, definitely Nash. I wouldn’t have minded Jay Beagle either, and I think Wagner will be a solid replacement for Schaller. The thinking must’ve been that they can only hand out one year contracts because the young guys will be ready next year.
I think they also thought one of the young guys would be ready this year but none of them really jumped off the page and earned it. I think we’ll see Forsbacka Karlsson by the end of the season in that position.
Keeping Nash and Schaller for at least 2 seasons was necessary based on the question of EXACTLY HOW MUCH LONGER will it take before 2 or more of those guys at Providence are realistically ready to play in the NHL for the Bruins? That is the obvious dilemma now and IMO, trying to rely on KIDS like Studnicka, Frederic and JFK is highly illogical at this point.
Yeah, Boston has some skilled/talented young players at Providence, but they’re NOT ready for the “big time” quite yet. Could see them ALL being 2 years AWAY from regular NHL play honestly, their time will come, just isn’t now. Next guy UP should be Cehlarik AND Czarnik, though for some reason Austin was GIVEN AWAY in the off-season. Donato, Bjork, Heinen are the chance players right now, with DeBrusk highly unlikely to ever go back to the AHL.