The taxi squad is back! As of yesterday and through the All-Star break, teams are once allowed to carry a few extra players with them as they try to navigate a tricky schedule. There are several restrictions in place to stop teams from using it as a cap haven, but there will still likely be daily transactions to and from the extra designation. As those come in, we’ll keep track of them right here.
Atlantic Division
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Andrej Sustr and Darren Raddysh to the taxi squad, where they will be available at a moment’s notice. Sustr especially has nothing to prove in the minor leagues, given he has more than 330 NHL games under his belt to this point. Later in the day, they recalled goaltenders Maxime Lagace and Hugo Alnefelt as well as defenseman Sean Day from AHL Syracuse to fill in for their players in COVID protocol including their goalie tandem.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs recalled Joseph Woll, Filip Kral, Carl Dahlstrom, Kyle Clifford, and Alex Biega to their taxi squad, filling it up with some experience as they try to get their own COVID situation under control. Toronto has basically the entire organization–NHL and AHL–in the protocol at the moment, though a few names are expected to exit it today.
- The Detroit Red Wings have assigned Riley Barber, Dan Renouf, Luke Witkowski, and Victor Brattstrom to the taxi squad. The team received good news today when several players and coaches exited the COVID protocol, meaning these taxi squad types may not be needed right away.
Metropolitan Division
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Joshua Dunne and Tyler Sikura to the taxi squad. The pair of minor league forwards have combined for 19 points at the AHL level this season but add some size and experience to the traveling party. The Blue Jackets don’t play until Thursday after seeing another game postponed.
- The New Jersey Devils have assigned Marian Studenic to the taxi squad, where he can help fill in during the current COVID situation. Studenic has played in nine games this season for New Jersey but is still looking for his first point.
Central Division
- Ville Heinola has been recalled to the taxi squad for the Winnipeg Jets, showing again how he is stuck just between being too good for the AHL and not good enough for the NHL. The 20-year-old defenseman has 14 points in 20 games for the Manitoba Moose but has yet to get into an NHL game this season.
- The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Hunter Miska to the taxi squad, giving them another goaltender to use at a moment’s notice. The 26-year-old Miska has split this season between the ECHL and AHL, suiting up just a handful of times. Cal Burke, who only recently signed an NHL contract, has also been added to the taxi squad, along with Mikhail Maltsev and Trent Miner.
- The Arizona Coyotes have added Michael Carcone, Cam Crotty, Bokondji Imama, Vladislav Kolyachonok, Josef Korenar, and Blake Speers to their taxi squad. Jan Jenik has also been recalled but he’ll join the active roster.
Pacific Division
- The Anaheim Ducks have announced their initial taxi squad, assigning Lukas Dostal, Jacob Larsson, Vinni Lettieri, Greg Pateryn, and Buddy Robinson to it for the time being. The four skaters all have experience at the NHL level, while Dostal is the most realistic depth goaltending option in the organization.
- Jacob Moverare and Martin Frk are the taxi squad for the Los Angeles Kings, at least to start. The 23-year-old Moverare has been recalled before, but is still waiting for his first taste of NHL game action. Frk, a veteran who has spent most of his career in the minor leagues, is off to another outstanding start in the AHL, scoring 13 goals and 26 points in 21 games with Ontario.
This page will be updated throughout the day