The NHL is set to return to action today, with three games still scheduled for this evening. While nothing is set in stone anymore, it appears as though the season is finally set to resume. With that in mind, there will be more taxi squad shuffling all across the league as teams prepare, with players coming in and out of the COVID protocol. We’ll keep track of all the taxi squad moves right here.
Atlantic Division
- The Montreal Canadiens have added Louis Belpedio to their taxi squad who has joined them in Tampa Bay ahead of the game tonight. Belpedio, 25, has eight points in 24 games with the Laval Rocket this season and does have four games of NHL experience in his career.
- As the Toronto Maple Leafs get players out of the COVID protocol, they’re making some changes to the taxi squad. Kristians Rubins has been added, while Brett Seney, Alex Steeves, and Joseph Woll have cleared it completely and were assigned to the Toronto Marlies.
Metropolitan Division
- The New York Rangers have recalled Morgan Barron, Jonny Brodzinski, Tim Gettinger, Adam Huska, Zac Jones, and Matthew Robertson to the taxi squad, showing off some of their organizational depth on defense especially. Robertson, 20, isn’t often mentioned when discussing the Rangers’ youngsters, but he too was a relatively high draft pick, selected 49th overall in 2019. The 6’4″ defenseman has five points in 23 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack this season, his first as a pro.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have assigned Kasper Bjorkqvist, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Juuso Riikola, and Louis Domingue to the taxi squad, four players that represent some strong depth for the organization. Joseph’s placement is perhaps the most surprising, given how important his development still is, but he’s proved already that he’s too good for the AHL. The 22-year-old defenseman has 11 points in 16 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season. (UPDATE: According to Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Joseph actually tested positive for COVID today and will not be recalled).
- The New Jersey Devils have assigned Jesper Boqvist and Kevin Bahl to the taxi squad, giving the team some more young talent to practice with in the coming weeks. Bahl, 21, has played four games for the Devils this season and 11 since arriving in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes in 2020.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Cam York, but it’s only to the taxi squad. The top prospect played three games for the Flyers last season but has spent this entire year in the minor leagues to this point.
Central Division
- The Winnipeg Jets have added Mikey Eyssimont to their taxi squad, taking it to two players for the time being. Ville Heinola was recalled to it yesterday, but with another Jets game postponed, they won’t play until Friday. (Update: Heinola has subsequently been loaned back to the Manitoba Moose)
- The Arizona Coyotes have recalled Matias Maccelli straight from the AHL to the NHL, where he’s expected to make his debut tonight. The 21-year-old forward has 21 points in 21 games for the Tucson Roadrunners in his first season in North America.
- The Nashville Predators have recalled Mathieu Olivier from the taxi squad, while sending Cody Glass all the way to the AHL. Glass, the sixth overall pick from 2017, has played just four games for Nashville this season.
Pacific Division
- The Los Angeles Kings have recalled Martin Frk, Jacob Moverare, and Alex Turcotte from the taxi squad, while also pulling Jaret Anderson-Dolan straight from the AHL to the NHL roster. The Kings are set to play the Vegas Golden Knights this evening, where Turcotte could potentially make his NHL debut.
- The Seattle Kraken have recalled both Kole Lind and Joey Daccord to the taxi squad, where they can provide a little insurance for the banged-up expansion team. Daccord leaving the Charlotte Checkers leaves them with Christopher Gibson and Devan Dubnyk, the latter of who is still there on a professional tryout.
This page will be updated throughout the day