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Archives for December 2021

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 12/29/21

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The return from the holiday break brought plenty of offense around the NHL last night, with 32 goals (plus a shootout winner) in just three games. Six more are on the table for this evening, meaning we could see the red lamp light quite a few more times. As teams prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league and taxi squad shuffling right here.

Atlantic Division

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Remi Elie to the taxi squad, giving them another forward as they travel to Sunrise to take on the Panthers tomorrow night. The Lightning narrowly escaped with a win against the Canadiens last night, but in positive news, Brayden Point appeared to hit the ground running with two goals and three points in his return.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have sent Luke Witkowski and Victor Brattstrom back to the AHL from the taxi squad, giving the Grand Rapids Griffins some extra bodies. Brattstrom, 24, has split the season–his first in North America–between Grand Rapids and the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have brought Michael Hutchinson up to the taxi squad, while sending Joey Anderson, Kyle Clifford, Carl Dahlstrom, Filip Kral and Kristians Rubins down to the Toronto Marlies. The Marlies are expected to return to action tomorrow night for the first time in more than two weeks and will now have several key players back in the lineup.

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

  • The Minnesota Wild have officially recalled Calen Addison to their taxi squad, with the expectation that he will slide onto the active roster to replace Jonas Brodin this weekend. Brodin entered the COVID protocol yesterday, meaning the Wild will be without several key players for the Winter Classic.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have made a whole bunch of transactions after last night’s game. The team has assigned Blake Speers and Jan Jenik to the taxi squad, Michael Carcone and Vladislav Kolyachonok to the AHL, and moved Bokondji Imama and Josef Korenar back to the AHL from the taxi squad. Alex Galchenyuk has been activated to take one of the roster spots.
  • The St. Louis Blues have recalled Alexei Toropchenko from the AHL to the active roster and expect to have him in the lineup tonight. The young forward has played in three games so far this season but is still looking for his first NHL point.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Michael McCarron from the taxi squad. They’ve also recalled Tomas Vomacka all the way from the ECHL to join the taxi squad, giving them an extra goaltender for the time being.

Pacific Division

  • The Los Angeles Kings have activated Cal Petersen from the COVID protocol, meaning Garret Sparks can be loaned back to the AHL. He won’t be going alone though, as Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Martin Frk, and Jacob Moverare will also all report back to the AHL.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have assigned Ashton Sautner and Spencer Martin to the team’s taxi squad, after two players entered the COVID protocol today. The pair will give them some extra bodies on the current road trip, including an additional goaltender just in case. Martin, 26, has three NHL games under his belt but has been excellent for the Abbotsford Canucks this season, going 5-0-1 with a .930 save percentage.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Jacob Bryson Enters COVID Protocol

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The Buffalo Sabres have made a few transactions today after Jacob Bryson entered the COVID protocol. The team has recalled Casey Fitzgerald to the active roster while moving Ethan Prow up to the taxi squad. (UPDATE: Prow has been recalled from the taxi squad ahead of the game, while Alex Tuch was activated from injured reserve)

Bryson joins Vinnie Hinostroza, Zemgus Girgensons, Jeff Skinner, Mark Jankowski, Dylan Cozens, and head coach Don Granato in the protocol, who will all be unavailable for tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils. Like any team trying to play through a COVID outbreak, it will drastically limit the depth available for the Sabres as they restart their season.

Bryson, 24, has played in 29 games for the Sabres this season, quietly establishing himself as a reliable option for the team on defense. The undersized skater is averaging almost 20 minutes a night and has seven points in those 29 games.

Notably, Fitzgerald will be playing in front of a familiar face tonight as the Sabres take on the Devils. Tom Fitzgerald was in the crowd as a supportive father for Casey’s NHL debut earlier this season but will now watch as the general manager of the opponent. Tom played nearly 1,100 games in the NHL–Casey’s working on number 2.

Kasperi Kapanen Enters COVID Protocol

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have placed Kasperi Kapanen in the COVID protocol, raising their current number to eight if you count Pierre-Olivier Joseph, who tested positive just after being recalled to the taxi squad yesterday. Sam Lafferty is also absent from the team with a non-COVID illness.

Kapanen joins Joseph, Dominik Simon, Teddy Blueger, Evan Rodrigues, Mike Matheson, John Marino, and Tristan Jarry in the protocol, with the latter six all going in on December 27. That leaves the Penguins quite a bit shorthanded for the moment, though given the postponements that have already happened they won’t play again until Sunday.

Still, that doesn’t give any of these players time to exit the protocol if they’re serving the usual ten-day quarantine. Kapanen and the others will likely miss Sunday’s game against the San Jose Sharks, leaving the team with some work to do in order to put together a competitive roster. With Jason Zucker out with an injury as well, the depth will be tested in Pittsburgh.

Snapshots: Canucks, AHL, Svejkovsky

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When Jim Rutherford took over the front office in Vancouver, he vowed that he would take his time to evaluate his new team and to choose from a multitude of potential GM candidates – and he is sticking to it. In an interview with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre, Rutherford details his plans for the hockey operations hierarchy, including hiring two additional assistant GMs in addition to the GM, but shares that he is still evaluating a number of options for the top job. Rutherford is exploring some female options, as he tells MacIntyre that he appreciates the diversity within the Canucks organization and would not mind furthering those efforts. However, he has also been impressed with internal candidates as well, such as player development director Ryan Johnson and analytics lead Aiden Fox. Rutherford hopes to begin in-person interviews next month, but a hiring announcement could still be a ways away and to this point Rutherford has stuck with his plan not to make any major moves before bringing in another mind to share in the decision.

  • The NHL is not alone in dealing with the current COVID surge. The AHL has announced the postponement of three upcoming games, with the Stockton Heat and San Jose Barracuda on Wednesday and the San Diego Gulls and Tucson Roadrunners on Thursday and Sunday being moved to a later date. The league states that California clubs San Jose and San Diego are both in COVID-19 Protocols and unable to compete. Unlike the NHL, if rescheduling these games within the reasonable confines of the teams’ schedules, they could very well become cancellations rather than postponements.
  • Down another level, a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect has been moved in the WHL – and for a decent price. 2020 fourth-rounder Lukas Svejkovsky was traded to the Seattle Thunderbirds by the Medicine Hat Tigers in exchange for a 2022 first-round pick, a conditional 2023 second-round pick, and a conditional 2025 third-round pick. Though of Czech descent, Svejkovsky was in fact born in Florida and is an American citizen and even attended USA Hockey’s junior selection camp. While he did not make the WJC roster, Svejkovsky is still having a banner year. The small, but skilled forward recorded 30 points in 24 games with the Tigers before the move and now heads to a Seattle club that touts the fifth-best record in the WHL.

Coyotes Add Travis Boyd, Matias Maccelli To COVID Protocol

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The latest victims of the Coronavirus surge across the NHL come from the desert. Ahead of their Tuesday night game against the San Jose Sharks, the Arizona Coyotes have announced that forwards Travis Boyd and Matias Maccelli have in the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol. The ’Yotes do not play again until January 2, so this could be the only missed game for the duo.

This news is still brutal for Maccelli though, who was set to make his NHL debut tonight. Arizona had expressed its excitement for the rookie forward to join the team just earlier this afternoon. Yet, in the current state of the NHL even the reinforcements are no safe bet to make it into the lineup. Maccelli has been a point-per-game player for the Tucson Roadrunners this season and was named the AHL Rookie of the Month for November, so it is understandable why the rebuilding Coyotes are eager to get the promising 21-year-old into some NHL action.

Boyd is quietly one of the Coyotes’ top players this season. Admittedly, the last-place squad is not scoring many goals, but Boyd is still second on the team with seven tallies as well as fourth in points and first with an unbelievable (though unsustainable) 29.2% shooting percentage. Arizona is fortunate that this is likely just a one-game absence, as they can ill-afford to lose Boyd for an extended period of time.

Mike Smith, Jujhar Khaira Nearing Return From Long-Term Injuries

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Two of the NHL’s more high-profile injury absences should be coming to an end shortly. Both Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith and Chicago Blackhawks forward Jujhar Khaira are in play to return to their respective lineups this week. Sportsnet reports that Smith will be “available” on Wednesday, while relaying an Associated Press story that has Khaira could be ready to go on Saturday.

Smith, 39, has had a season to forget thus far but hopes that he can stay healthy the rest of the way for the Oilers. The veteran netminder has been out of the lineup for over two months with an undisclosed lower-body injury, which he calls “one of the most difficult injuries of my career”. Smith was injured back on October 19 in just his third start of the season and has not played since. He returned to practice briefly last month before returning to the injured reserve. This sounds less like an in-game injury and more like a nagging issue that became too much to handle, but has since been resolved to some extent. While Smith sounds eager to resume play, Edmonton will not attempt to rush him back yet again, which is likely why the team has not yet named a starter for Wednesday. Smith was excellent for the Oilers last season and will be a key piece of their success this season, but with rookie Stuart Skinner playing well behind serviceable starter Mikko Koskinen, the team does not need to rush Smith back or overwork him either.

The former Oiler Khaira, in his first season with Chicago, has neither the name recognition of Smith nor the lengthy recovery time. However, any time a player is stretchered from the ice his injury status becomes headline news. This was the case with Khaira, who was knocked out by a check from New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba on December 7. Khaira was sent to the hospital and has been on the injured reserve since while going through the NHL’s concussion protocol. Fortunately, it seems the big winger has dealt with what appeared to be a serious head injury rather well. If Khaira does suit up on Saturday, it will be just three-and-half weeks since he suffered the concussion, a stretch made even more tolerable for both he and the Blackhawks by postponements that have kept Chicago out of action since December 18. Khaira has missed just five games as a result.

NHL Announces More Postponments

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The count is now 80. The league has postponed another match this week, this time between the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. The Islanders continue to place new players in the COVID protocol–Brock Nelson went in today.

There have also been nine games postponed due to attendance restrictions in Canadian markets. The following will be rescheduled for later this season:

  • Pittsburgh @ Ottawa, December 31
  • Winnipeg @ Calgary, December 31
  • Carolina @ Toronto, January 3
  • Washington @ Montreal, January 4
  • Toronto @ Montreal, January 6
  • Buffalo @ Montreal, January 8
  • Seattle @ Winnipeg, January 8
  • Columbus @ Montreal, January 10
  • Minnesota @ Winnipeg, January 10

The game between Bruins and Canadiens originally scheduled in Montreal on January 12 will now be played in Boston. A make-up date for the Bruins-Canadiens game that needs to be played in Montreal will be announced at a later date.

The Islanders are expected to get two players out of the protocol tomorrow but still will have Nelson, Anthony Beauvillier, Cal Clutterbuck, Zach Parise, and Oliver Wahlstrom unavailable tomorrow. The Red Wings, meanwhile, added Lucas Raymond and Nick Leddy on Sunday and have several other players still in the protocol.

For the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets, in particular, moving home dates to later this season would give them a chance to collect some if not all of the expected revenue. With the players still owing a huge amount of escrow debt to the owners, keeping hockey-related revenues as high as possible is important if the league is to rebound to the high levels commissioner Gary Bettman explained earlier this month.

Trevor Zegras Placed In COVID Protocol

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Hockey fans will have to wait a little while for the next Trevor Zegras highlight, as the Anaheim Ducks have placed their dynamic playmaker in the COVID protocol. Zegras joins Max Comtois and Sam Steel, who were added to the protocol on Sunday.

It’s hard to find a more exciting player in the league right now, as Zegras constantly attempts–and often completes–passes that are rarely seen in the NHL. It’s not just his behind-the-net flip to Sonny Milano either, but routine plays he turns into outstanding chances for his linemates. With 25 points in 30 games this season he’s a big reason why the Ducks are tied for first place in the Pacific Division and looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

If Zegras tested positive, he’ll most likely miss the next few games for Anaheim as he isolates away from the team. The Ducks are set to go on the road for two games after tonight’s match, before returning for another four-game homestand in early January. Without their talented youngster, Ryan Getzlaf and the rest of the group will have to pick up the slack and keep the Ducks humming along at the top of the Pacific.

Darren Helm Enters COVID Protocol

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The Colorado Avalanche had both their games this week postponed already, but that doesn’t mean the COVID testing has slowed down. Darren Helm is the latest to enter the protocol, where he’ll join Mikko Rantanen, Logan O’Connor, and Pavel Francouz. Nazem Kadri joined the team at practice today after exiting the protocol.

Helm, 34, has played in 27 games for the Avalanche this season after signing a one-year, $1MM contract in the offseason. The veteran forward has scored four goals and six points in those games while averaging fewer than 12 minutes a night. Still, when you’re already down several players due to COVID absences, quality depth is hard to come by.

The Avalanche are set to take on the Anaheim Ducks on January 2, a game that Helm would likely miss if he’s forced out with a positive test result. If he is showing any symptoms he’ll be held out for a minimum of ten days. If asymptomatic, two consecutive negative tests 24 hours apart could get him out of the protocol early.

Florida Panthers Add Jonathan Huberdeau, Three Others To COVID Protocol

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Dec 28: Olli Juolevi is the latest Panther to enter the protocol, joining the four added on Sunday who are still unavailable.

Dec 26: The Florida Panthers announced Sunday afternoon that wingers Jonathan Huberdeau and Owen Tippett, center Eetu Luostarinen, and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

An expected day of COVID news continues as teams return to practice after the holiday break. It now makes 12 Florida players in COVID protocol. Wingers Frank Vatrano, Carter Verhaeghe and Ryan Lomberg, center Sam Bennett, and defensemen Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, Radko Gudas, and Brandon Montour were already in protocol.

After the NHL postponed all games on December 27, the team was supposed to return to play on December 29 against the New York Rangers. With these four skaters at the least likely being unavailable for this game, it’s entirely a possibility that the game could get postponed as well.

It’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility that the NHL could postpone the entire schedule further as these cases continue to come in. Nearly every team’s roster is seriously affected by COVID cases at this point.

For the Panthers though, returning to play without these four is tough. Huberdeau is their team leader in scoring with 10 goals and 23 assists for 33 points through 29 games, while Tippett and Luostarinen have been good depth pieces, combining for 19 points in 29 games each. Weegar is playing nearly 24 minutes a night and is an integral part of the defense.

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