St. Louis Blues forward Brandon Saad is skating Saturday after spending the past nine days on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list, per Blues reporter Chris Pinkert. Saad is expected to return to the lineup for their Wednesday game against the Los Angeles Kings. He’s ineligible to play in Saturday night’s game versus the Chicago Blackhawks. It appears to be a huge boost for the Blues, who are also without captain Ryan O’Reilly as he was placed on the COVID-19 protocol list on October 26. Saad had two points in three games before being placed in the protocol, but his absence has caused him to miss the last three (that number will be made four tonight). In his absence, younger forwards such as Klim Kostin and Jake Neighbours have gotten extended looks in the lineup.
Other injury notes from around the league on Saturday:
- Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater reports defenseman Samuel Girard will return to the lineup for tonight’s home game against the Minnesota Wild. Expected to play on a pairing with Erik Johnson, it’s another step closer to full health for a Colorado blueline that’s faced injuries to their best two left-shot defensemen early on this season. Girard missed Colorado’s last two games after suffering an injury on a hit from the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos at the end of a game on October 23.
- Seattle Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol issued injury updates today on forward Mason Appleton and goaltender Chris Driedger. Appleton was placed on injured reserve today and is now out indefinitely, while Driedger is now labeled as day-to-day. Kraken reporter Bob Condor relays information that Driedger practiced today, and could potentially work his way into game action as the Kraken have a back-to-back this Sunday and Monday. Appleton was in the midst of a rough start to his Kraken tenure, posting just one assist in seven games and playing just 11:14 per game.
- The Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope reports that Chicago Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson suffered an apparent arm or wrist injury during the team’s 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday and is expected to miss Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues, if not more time. Johnson was playing in a top-line role, flanking Kirby Dach along with Dominik Kubalik prior to the injury with Patrick Kane in COVID-19 protocol. Johnson’s scored one goal and two assists in eight games this season. Forward Dylan Strome could draw into the lineup tonight in his place.
To whomever may see this comment, did anyone else see or hear that Jonathan Drouin said Shea Weber is retired?
@vincent k. mcmahon – I just picked up the TSN 690 side of the game, and they haven’t mentioned that, but on the L.A. side (Kings iHeart Audio Network), Nick Nickson said that “he has played his last game” (basically). I plan on finishing the game on the TSN side, so if I hear something more, I’ll post it here.
@vincent k. mcmahon – Here is a link I found for that. I don’t know if it really sheds more light on this, though.
link to si.com
He is working in a scouting position with the team for the time being. It’s been believed he was done anyways and all drouin really said was that Webers playing days are over. It’s just coming from a player and not management but this was the belief anyways.
@wreckage – Yep, that pretty much sums it up. There was a bit of stink early on, thanks to what Tampa Bay did last year, but the league supposedly investigated to ensure that he was, in fact, too injured to play this year.
So how does that pan out in terms of his contract and Nashville?
He’s no longer playing.
@KAR 120C – Good question, Number 6. @Gavin had one of the latest writings about just that – link to prohockeyrumors.com
The way I read it is that if Weber retires just before the 2025-2026 season, the recapture penalty would, effectively, be lowered to his cap hit, per year, rather than a lump-sum-slam against the Preds. Full disclaimer, though, the legalese junk is not my forte. The full amount would still be repaid, just in installments, apparently.
While Weber may have played his last game in the NHL, he would more likely be placed on LTIR, rather than retire to earn his salary. Similar to Brent Seabrook’s situation. Then Montreal can use that salary space or trade it to another team needing room. Official retirement would goof all that up.