Taxi Squad Shuffle: 02/09/21

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

• The Anaheim Ducks made another in their daily series of roster moves, per CapFriendly.  Anthony Stolarz was recalled on an emergency basis with Lukas Dostal taking Stolarz’s spot on the taxi squad.  Andy Welinski was also recalled to Anaheim’s roster with Max Jones being sent to the taxi squad.
• Michael Chaput has been shuffled back to Arizona’s taxi squad, CapFriendly reports.  The 28-year-old center has played in three games with the Coyotes so far this season, averaging 11:36 per game.
• The Los Angeles Kings made several roster moves according to CapFriendly.  Up from the taxi squad are Lias Andersson and Austin Strand while Tobias Bjornfot was recalled from AHL Ontario.  Markus Phillips, Bokondji Imama, and Mark Alt all went from the AHL to the taxi squad while Drake Rymsha was sent to Ontario.
• The San Jose Sharks have brought back Sasha Chmelevski and Nicolas Meloche from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Chmelvski had an assist in his NHL debut back on Friday.
• Mackenzie MacEachern and Jacob de La Rose are on their way back to the Blues’ taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Both have been sent back and forth multiple times so far this season.
• The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Dylan Coghlan from the taxi squad, notes David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.  While Alex Pietrangelo was taken off the CPRA list, he is not yet ready to return to the lineup.

North Division

• The Ottawa Senators have sent Joey Daccord from the taxi squad to the AHL while recalling Filip Gustavsson to take his place as the third-string goaltender. Daccord, 24, was a seventh-round pick in 2015 but has turned himself into a legitimate NHL goaltending prospect who will need playing time.
• The Montreal Canadiens recalled Nick Suzuki from the taxi squad while sending Jake Evans down, per CapFriendly.  When their roster has been fully healthy, they have been shuffling their waiver-exempt players on two-way contracts down one at a time to bank a bit of extra cap room.
• The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Kristian Vesalainen and David Gustafsson from the taxi squad while also officially activating Pierre-Luc Dubois who makes his debut tonight.  Vesalainen and Gustafsson have both played in four games with the Jets so far this season in very limited roles on the fourth line.
• Calgary has brought up Connor Mackey from the taxi squad with Brett Ritchie being sent down.  Byron Froese was also recalled in a separate transaction.  It’s the fourth time this season Mackey has been recalled although he has yet to make his NHL debut with the Flames.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs continue their daily roster shuffle with Timothy Liljegren being recalled from the taxi squad and Pierre Engvall being sent down, per CapFriendly.  In addition, Kalle Kossila was assigned to the minors.

Central Division

• Mathias Brome and Givani Smith have been recalled from the Detroit Red Wings taxi squad, an expected game day move. Smith is quickly turning into quite the story for the Red Wings, with four points in his first six games. The 6’2″ forward was the 46th overall pick in 2016 and is finally working his way into a full-time roster spot.
• The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned Liam Foudy and Cam Johnson to the taxi squad. Foudy, 21, has played in 12 games this season but was made a healthy scratch on Monday night. Johnson served as the backup during that game but still has not actually made his NHL debut. The 26-year-old is basically a practice goaltender for the Blue Jackets at this point, given he hasn’t even played an AHL game since 2018-19 (in seven ECHL games this season, he registered a .941).
• The Nashville Predators have recalled Sean Malone from the taxi squad, moving Eeli Tolvanen down in his place. Anthony Richard has also been brought up from the AHL to the taxi squad. If Malone gets into the Predators lineup, it would be just the second NHL game of his career. The Harvard University star played in a game for the Buffalo Sabres at the end of the 2016-17 season, but has spent the last three years exclusively in the AHL.
• Ryan Lomberg has been recalled to the Florida Panthers’ active roster after playing in one game for the team last month. The 26-year-old forward isn’t known for his scoring ability but can add some energy to the fourth line if put back in the lineup.
• The Dallas Stars have recalled Tanner Kero from the taxi squad while also activating Joel Kiviranta from injured reserve.  Kero has played in seven games so far this season, recording two assists while Kiviranta missed the last seven games due to a lower-body injury.
• After being recalled on emergency loans yesterday, the Carolina Hurricanes have returned Morgan Geekie and Alex Nedeljkovic to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Geekie has played in eight games with Carolina so far this season while Nedeljkovic is serving as the backup with Petr Mrazek out after thumb surgery and allowed three goals on 22 shots in his 2020-21 debut last night.
• The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Madison Bowey, notes Mark Lazerus of The Athletic.  Bowey’s insertion in tonight’s lineup allows Chicago to meet the criteria needed to expose him to Seattle in expansion, permitting them to potentially protect Connor Murphy.  Coincidentally, Bowey is taking Murphy’s spot in the lineup with the latter dealing with a hip injury.
• The Tampa Bay Lightning have Callan Foote from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, with Christopher Gibson being sent down.  Foote, who isn’t in the lineup tonight, has a goal in seven games so far this season.

East Division

• The Buffalo Sabres have sent Jean-Sebastien Dea to the AHL, giving him a chance to play after spending the last week on the taxi squad. Dea scored 39 points in 57 games for the Rochester Americans last season and has just 32 gams of NHL experience.
• The Boston Bruins have recalled Trent Frederic from their taxi squad while promoting Steven Kampfer to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Frederic has been shuffled back and forth routinely although he has played in all 11 games so far this season.
• The New York Islanders have sent three players down, per CapFriendly.  Oliver Wahlstrom, who has played in four games so far this season, has been sent to the taxi squad while Otto Koivula and Dmytro Timashov were both sent to AHL Bridgeport.
• The New York Rangers continued their recent trend of roster moves with Kaapo Kakko, K’Andre Miller, and Libor Hajek being loaned to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  To make room for them on the taxi squad, Justin Richards and Patrick Newell were both sent to the minors.
• Washington has flipped goaltenders, as CapFriendly notes that Craig Anderson has been sent to the taxi squad with Zach Fucale being recalled to take his place.  In addition, Daniel Carr was sent to the taxi squad.