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Archives for December 2018

Marcus Johansson Placed On Injured Reserve

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The New Jersey Devils will be without the services of Marcus Johansson for at least the next seven days. Johansson has been placed on injured reserve, while Stefan Noesen was activated today. It’s an upper-body injury for the Devils forward, suffered early last night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Johansson has certainly not had an easy ride since being acquired by the Devils in the summer of 2017. Dealing with multiple injuries last year, the versatile forward played in just 29 regular season games and was limited to just 14 points. That’s easily the lowest total of his career, a number he had already surpassed this season with 15 points in 31 games. Any more offensive contribution will have to wait, though it’s not clear yet for how long.

The Devils haven’t been able to recreate the magic that took them all the way to the playoffs last season, but still have plenty of time to turn things around. If they don’t, and continue to fall towards the bottom of the standings, you can bet some changes might be in order at the trade deadline. One of those changes could very well be Johansson, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the year finishes. The 28-year old does have a modified no-trade clause, but it only blocks trades five teams. His salary might be the bigger impediment, as a cap hit of $4.58MM is more than some will be able to take on even at the advanced date.

New Jersey could obviously decide to keep Johansson and try to re-sign him, but with more young players coming through the pipeline and a Taylor Hall extension coming quickly he might find himself on the outside looking in. This injury certainly doesn’t help his cause, especially if he’s out for more than a few games.

Urho Vaakanainen To Play For Finland At World Juniors

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Urho Vaakanainen is no longer listed on injured reserve on the Boston Bruins website, but he won’t be coming back to play in the NHL for the next little while. That’s because the 19-year old defenseman is off to join Finland at the World Junior Championship in Vancouver, adding another legitimate force to a team that has gained a few over the last week.

Vaakanainen hasn’t played since taking a Mark Borowiecki elbow to the head in late October, a play on which he suffered a concussion. He has been working his way back slowly and skating with the Bruins, but he’ll make his return to game action for Finland instead. That kind of an upgrade is incredibly important for the country’s hopes in the tournament, especially given the recent additions of Eeli Tolvanen and Henri Jokiharju as well.

In fact, Vaakanainen projects to play alongside Jokiharju on Finland’s top pairing, one that could very well challenge for the best in the entire tournament. The two have both shown an ability to compete at the NHL level already, and could very well return there after a medal run in early January. Boston has gotten a little more healthy on the blue line of late, but could decide to insert the 19-year old if they feel he can help.

At the very least, this is a good sign for Vaakanainen’s future after the uncertainty surrounding his concussion. It’s hard to know how early brain injuries can affect a player’s career, but we’ll get to see if he can shake off the rust quickly and show off his smooth defensive ability against some of the talented forwards around the world.

Matt Dumba To Undergo Surgery, Out “Significant” Amount Of Time

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Just moments after we published a note about Matt Dumba’s upper-body injury, news broke out of Minnesota that the Wild defenseman will have surgery next week. Dumba will be out a “significant” amount of time, though GM Paul Fenton wouldn’t give an exact timeline or reveal what the injury is. Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) yesterday suggested that if surgery was required, Dumba could be months and it would “potentially put his season in jeopardy.” Fenton didn’t want to get ahead of himself when talking about the injury:

He will be out for a significant time. We don’t know [how long] until they get in there. I’ve talked to three different doctors, and yes they’re giving me a general timeline for it but I don’t want to say anything that comes back and haunts us. Let’s just make sure first, see how the surgery goes then we’ll make a statement from there. 

Dumba, 24, has developed into one of the premiere right-handed offensive defensemen in the league. Armed with a heavy, accurate shot, he has added more playmaking ability to his repitoire and registered 22 points through 32 games. He also brings a level of physicality rarely seen in offensive defensemen, something that perhaps may have played a part in the injury. Dumba himself isn’t sure when it occurred exactly, but he didn’t return to the game after fighting Calgary’s Matthew Tkachuk on Saturday night.

This is extremely tough news for the Wild, who are struggling to stay in the Central Division race and have lost their last three games. The team now sits at 17-15-2 on the year and holds just a +5 goal differential. That’s a long way from the dominant team they looked like in the first part of the year, now putting them in a position to perhaps miss the playoffs entirely. That would surely spark a change to the core group, something that Fenton has hinted at already in the past.

Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter have been rumored available at various times, but losing Dumba could really push the Wild to make a move in-season to address the defense. The team wouldn’t confirm such a desire, but any team that loses 23+ minutes on the right side normally has to do something to fill it if they want to continue competing for a playoff spot. We’ll have to keep a close eye on the Wild after the holiday transaction freeze lifts, and see if they move to get better this year or begin a retool for 2019-20.

Injury Notes: Dumba, Hyman, DeMelo

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It’s not good news leaking out of Minnesota, as Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) reported last night that Mathew Dumba could be out “anywhere from weeks to months” with a “significant” injury. Russo even goes so far as to suggest that Dumba’s season could be at risk if he needs surgery, a determination that has not been made yet (Update: Dumba will indeed have surgery to correct the upper-body injury and will be out long-term)

Dumba, 24, has been on fire through the first two months of the season, recording 12 goals and 22 points through 32 games. That outstanding start comes on the heels of a career-high 50-point campaign in 2017-18, one that put Dumba on the map as an all-around offensive force from the blue line. Armed with a lethal point shot from the day he entered the league, the seventh-overall pick from 2012 has improved his breakouts and creativity through the neutral zone. Losing him would leave a big hole on the right side for the Wild, who are fighting to stay relevant in the Central Division playoff race.

  • Missed in the Toronto Maple Leafs annihilation of the Florida Panthers last night was the loss of Zach Hyman, ruled out before the game due to an ankle injury suffered earlier this week. The team quietly revealed that Hyman will be out for at least three weeks, leaving the Maple Leafs searching for another forward to fill his spot next to John Tavares and Mitch Marner. Andreas Johnsson was that lucky forward last night, but it’s not clear if the role will be his for the entire three weeks.
  • It won’t be just Matt Duchene that returns for the Ottawa Senators tonight, as Dylan DeMelo has also been activated off injured reserve and will be in the lineup when the team takes on the New Jersey Devils. DeMelo hasn’t played since December 8th, and was just starting to really come into his own for the Senators. After averaging just over 18 minutes a night through his first 20 games for the team, DeMelo had recently seen that number jump to almost 21 and a half per game while holding down added responsibilities. The 25-year old was part of the package received for Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks, and could potentially be a trade deadline target given his extremely inexpensive contract. DeMelo carries just a $900K cap hit through next season.

Minor Transactions: 12/21/18

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Just three games grace the NHL schedule tonight, but there will still be plenty of intrigue when the upstart Buffalo Sabres take on the defending Stanley Cup champions. Buffalo is off to a great start after retooling their roster, but will be in tough against the Washington Capitals as they look to repeat on the back of Alex Ovechkin. While the rest of the league sits and waits for Saturday night, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • Late last night the Colorado Avalanche recalled Anton Lindholm from the minor leagues, giving the team another option while Nikita Zadorov deals with injury. Lindholm played 48 games for the club last season but has yet to suit up for an NHL contest this time around. In 20 games for the Colorado Eagles of the AHL, Lindholm has five points.
  • After Jordan Staal and Micheal Ferland were healthy enough to play last night for the Carolina Hurricanes, the team has assigned Clark Bishop back to the minor leagues. Carolina plays the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night, but could keep their roster at just 12 forwards if everyone is healthy enough to play.
  • Michael Bunting has been recalled by the Arizona Coyotes, giving them another forward option while the freeze is in place. Bunting was sent down just a few days ago, but he’ll try to work his way back into the NHL lineup and prove he should be kept around even after the holiday season is over.
  • Michael Amadio, Austin Wagner and Sean Walker are back in Los Angeles, bounced between leagues again to help the Kings save some cap room. The three waiver-exempt players will continue to shuffle between leagues for the time being without actually making the trip, giving the team some more deadline space that may be needed down the line.
  • Buddy Robinson’s NHL tenure didn’t last long, as the 6’6″ forward was sent back down to the Stockton Heat today. Robinson failed to get into a game with the Calgary Flames during his short call-up, but will remain an option for them moving forward.

Allowable Movement During The Holiday Roster Freeze

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The annual Holiday Roster Freeze is now in effect although there are several exceptions that allow for roster movement to occur over the next several days.  While there won’t be any trades or regular waiver activity during that time, here are the allowable transactions that can occur during the freeze.

Recalls

While there is a limitation on players being sent to the minors during this time, players can still be recalled at any point so if someone gets hurt over the next couple of days, a replacement can be brought up.

Demotions For Players On Emergency Recalls

Anyone designated as an emergency recall can be assigned back to the minors at any point during the freeze as long as they don’t have to pass through waivers to return.  The threshold for a normally waiver-eligible player to require waivers to be sent back down after being brought up on an emergency recall is ten games.

Demotions For Players On Regular Recalls

Anyone brought up on a regular recall as of December 11th is eligible to be sent down through December 23rd at 11:59 PM local time.  There will likely be an influx of demotions this weekend once teams have played their final game before the Holiday Break to get those players off the salary cap for a few days.  The exception to this rule is any player that becomes waiver-eligible between the 11th and the 23rd by playing their tenth game or spending their thirtieth day on an NHL roster since last clearing waivers.

Activating Someone Off Of LTIR

Section 16.5(d)(i) of the CBA grants teams the ability to make any transactions necessary in order to get back into salary cap compliance after activating a player off long-term injury reserve.  Teams using that provision are allowed to exceed the cap during that time but must get back under it in order to bring the injured player back onto the active roster.

With all of this in mind, there will still likely be a fair amount of transactions through the weekend before the league shuts down for three days beginning on the 24th.  Teams will be permitted to resume making trades or placing players on waivers on December 28th at 12:01 AM local time.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: New York Islanders

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As the holiday season quickly approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. Let’s take a look at what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the New York Islanders.  Click here for the other articles in this series. 

What are the Islanders most thankful for?

The fact that the departure of John Tavares to Toronto has not significantly affected the production of their top players.  Josh Bailey had a career year last season after spending a lot of time with the former captain but he’s producing at a level not far off of last year’s number while leading the team in scoring.  Meanwhile, new captain Anders Lee is at the same point-per-game mark as last year as well.  There’s no denying that they miss Tavares but they’re certainly thankful that his frequent linemates from the past aren’t missing a beat without him.

Who are the Islanders most thankful for?

Mathew Barzal.  While his numbers have dipped a little bit, the second-year center hasn’t really been hit by the sophomore slump and has adapted well to becoming their top pivot.  It’s not looking as if he’s going to be a big scorer in the NHL but he is already a premier playmaker.  They’re also quite thankful that they have five more years of team control on him so it’s safe to pencil him in as part of their long-term future.  New York is also quite thankful with the way the trade to get him worked out – the Oilers gave up first and second round picks for young defenseman Griffin Reinhart and the Islanders landed Barzal with the first rounder.  (They traded up on the second rounder they got, getting into the first round to select Anthony Beauvillier who is tied for second on the team in goals.)  That trade just keeps on giving.

What would the Islanders be even more thankful for?

A rebound from defenseman Nick Leddy.  He has been a go-to fixture on their back end since he was acquired from Chicago back in 2014.  That has not been the case this season.  He has struggled defensively while his offensive game has been non-existent.  They need him to shore things up at both ends of the ice as that would go a long way towards helping them stay in the playoff hunt.

Getting Lee locked up long-term is something they’d also be thankful for.  They’re running a risk in naming a pending UFA as team captain as the optics of losing a captain for free in free agency for two straight years won’t be pretty.  It would also get their top scoring threat locked up and give them another piece to build around.

What should be on the Islanders’ Holiday Wish List?

Goaltending has surprisingly been a strong point for them which makes it less of an immediate priority.  That said, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Lou Lamoriello look to add another proven option between the pipes.  A top-four defender would also be a huge addition for a back end that goes by more of a by-committee approach.  New York is also in the bottom ten of the league in goals scored so some top-six help (preferably a center to give them some more versatility) would also be useful.  The Islanders are doing well to hold onto a playoff spot so filling even one of these skater vacancies would go a long way towards helping their cause.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Timothy Liljegren Ruled Out Of The World Juniors

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Maple Leafs prospect defenseman Timothy Liljegren has been ruled out of participating in the World Juniors, the team announced (Twitter link).  He suffered a high ankle sprain at the beginning of the month with Toronto’s AHL affiliate and is currently classified as being out week-to-week.

Liljegren, Toronto’s first-round pick (17th overall) back in 2017, is in his second season with the Marlies and was off to a strong start before suffering the injury.  He currently has eight points (2-6-8) in 19 games after collecting 17 (1-16-17) in 44 contests last year.  This would have been his second time in this tournament after playing a regular role last year.

This is a tough blow for a Sweden back end that’s projected to be their strength.  However, they still have quite a few first rounders on their defense corps in Adam Boqvist (Blackhawks), Erik Brannstrom (Golden Knights), Rasmus Sandin (Maple Leafs), and Nils Lundkvist (Rangers) while projected 2019 first rounder Philip Broberg is also in the mix for a spot.  Sweden still has to cut one more defender before they finalize their roster for the tournament which gets underway on Wednesday against Finland.

Pacific Notes: Raanta, Kovalchuk, Russell, Larsson

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In an interview with 98.7 Arizona Sports (audio link), Coyotes GM John Chayka provided an update on goaltender Antti Raanta’s situation.  While the team had acknowledged there was a possibility that he could return this season, Chayka indicated that this scenario doesn’t appear to be likely now:

“It’s probably more hopeful than realistic that he’s back at some point this year. So, he’s probably going to miss the rest of the year. He had a repair done, the repair was very well done. His long-term health is probably even better than what it could be if you tried to take a shortcut. Unfortunately that means for this year you’re losing your starting goalie.”

That means that Arizona will be looking to Darcy Kuemper and Adin Hill to shoulder the load (with Calvin Pickard available as well).  Neither goalie has much in the way of experience of being a starter in the NHL but Chayka stated earlier this month that the Coyotes don’t plan to look to the trade market for help between the pipes.

More from the Pacific:

  • Kings winger Ilya Kovalchuk has recovered quicker than expected and is expected to play on Saturday against San Jose, notes Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. The veteran was supposed to miss four weeks after undergoing a bursectomy on December 2nd but instead, he’ll be back after just three weeks.  Los Angeles doesn’t need to make a corresponding roster move after they sent down three players on Wednesday.  Kovalchuk got off to a good start to his season but tailed off in the weeks leading up to his procedure.
  • While the Oilers will be without defenseman Kris Russell for their next game on Saturday, the team announced (Twitter link) that there’s a good chance that he’ll be available for their first game after the holiday break. He’s dealing with an undisclosed injury and Saturday will be the fourth straight game he sits out.  Meanwhile, although Adam Larsson didn’t skate with the team on Thursday after blocking a shot with his foot last game, he is expected to suit up on the weekend.  With Edmonton already without Oscar Klefbom and Andrej Sekera, they can ill afford to lose another of their core defenders.

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