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Pacific Notes: Arvidsson, McTavish, Jones

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Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson skated in a full-contact jersey Friday for the first time since sustaining back and lower-body injuries during the preseason, Zach Dooley of the team’s official site reports. The 30-year-old’s return to the lineup is not imminent, but it’s a major step forward toward Arvidsson making his season debut before the March 8 trade deadline.

The 5-foot-9 sniper has not played since Los Angeles’ loss to the Oilers in Game 6 of last year’s first-round series. His absence has left a significant hole in the cap-strapped Kings’ top-nine, and as such, their 18th-ranked offense has performed under expectations.

Arvidsson has been skating with a non-contact designation for a few weeks, so his conditioning is likely close to game action after the extended absence. Interim head coach Jim Hiller has not commented on when Arvidsson could make his season debut.

The Swede is in his third season in Hollywood, notching 46 goals and 108 points in 143 games since a 2021 trade brought him West from Nashville. He’s in the final season of a seven-year, $29.75MM deal signed with the Predators in 2017 and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Other updates from SoCal:

  • Ducks sophomore Mason McTavish is out Friday against the Oilers with an upper-body injury, head coach Greg Cronin said. It’s unclear whether this is a recurrence of the upper-body injury that sidelined McTavish for seven games in December. The 2021 third-overall pick looks well on his way to holding down a long-term center spot in Anaheim’s top six, ranking fourth on the team in scoring with 13 goals and 31 points in 43 games. His 54.2 faceoff win percentage is the highest on the team, and while his possession metrics this season are mediocre, they don’t suggest he’s been a defensive liability.
  • Replacing McTavish in the lineup will be winger Max Jones, who was activated off injured reserve Friday, according to the NHL’s media portal. The 25-year-old has not played since sustaining an upper-body injury on Jan. 5 against the Jets that caused him to miss Anaheim’s last 12 games. A pending RFA upon completion of his three-year, $3.885MM deal, the 2016 first-round pick has four goals and eight points in 34 games.

Canadiens Reassign Lucas Condotta

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Feb. 9: The Canadiens reassigned Condotta to AHL Laval on Friday, per a team announcement. He logged a +1 rating and one shot on goal in a season-high 10:34 of ice time against the Capitals on Tuesday.

Feb. 4: The Montreal Canadiens have recalled forward Lucas Condotta to the NHL roster. Condotta was up with the Canadiens roster for three days last week, playing in two games and going without a point. It was just the second and third games of Condotta’s career, with the 26-year-old making his NHL debut and scoring his first career goal last season.

Condotta has otherwise spent the entire 2023-24 season in the AHL, playing in 40 games and scoring 13 points with the Laval Rocket. He’s in just his third professional season, joining the Canadiens organization following the end of UMass-Lowell’s 2021-22 season. The undrafted free agent appeared in 17 AHL games through the end of the year, between the end of the regular season and the postseason, scoring a combined five points. He had a much stronger showing in his official rookie AHL season last year, netting 16 goals and 31 points in 72 games.

Condotta isn’t the only new face at Montreal’s Sunday practice, with the team also inking Brandon Gignac to a two-year NHL contract and recalling him to the top club. Gignac is currently leading the Rocket in scoring, with 42 points through 43 games. It’s a career year for the 26-year-old, who has already outscored his previous career-high of 33 points set in 49 games last season.

Gignac and Condotta will battle for a spot in a Montreal lineup that’s opted to ice 11 forwards and eight defensemen since recalling Arber Xhekaj on January 22nd. The Canadiens are without Brendan Gallagher for their next four games, after the winger earned the first suspension of his career with an elbow to Adam Pelech’s head. They are also without Christian Dvorak, Alex Newhook, and Kirby Dach, with all three forwards on injured reserve for varying amounts of time. These absences could provide a chance for the pair of minor-league forwards to find ice time, though which of the two will slot in and for how long is yet to be seen.

Injury Notes: Tinordi, Kapanen, Smith

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Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi has a lower-body injury and will be a game-time decision against the Rangers on Friday, head coach Luke Richardson said Friday (via Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago). 22-year-old rookie Louis Crevier will make his first appearance since Chicago recalled him from AHL Rockford on Wednesday if Tinordi can’t play, Richardson said.

Tinordi, 31, last played with 6:53 remaining in Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to the Wild. He did not take the ice for his defensive partner Isaak Phillips’ final two shifts.

The physical depth blue-liner has played in 30 of Chicago’s 51 games this season, recording six assists and a -19 rating while averaging 15:44 per game. A first-round pick of the Canadiens in 2010, Tinordi has worked his way into a stable NHL job with the rebuilding Blackhawks after they claimed him off waivers from the Rangers at the beginning of the 2022-23 season.

His value to Chicago comes in the form of pro experience and leadership, however – not so much from his on-ice performance. Tinordi’s 38.7% Corsi share at even strength is the worst among qualified Blackhawks skaters, although that figure is no doubt exacerbated by his sparingly low usage in the offensive zone.

Crevier hasn’t been much of an upgrade in his first 15 NHL showings. The 2020 seventh-round pick has similar offensive and possession numbers to Tinordi in nearly the same usage.

The 6-foot-6, 229-pound Tinordi will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He signed a one-year, $1.25MM extension to remain with Chicago last April after playing a career-high 44 games that season.

Other minor injury updates from around the league to close out the week:

  • Blues winger Kasperi Kapanen is ready to return from a lower-body injury ahead of Saturday’s game against the Sabres, interim head coach Drew Bannister said (via Lou Korac of NHL.com). Kapanen, 27, missed seven games with a lower-body injury sustained on Jan. 15 against the Flyers. St. Louis has an open roster spot and won’t need to make a corresponding transaction to take Kapanen off injured reserve. Despite scoring only four times in 42 games this season, he’s projected to return in a top-six role alongside Jake Neighbours and Brayden Schenn. Now in the second year of a two-year, $6.4MM contract ($3.2MM cap hit), the 2014 first-round pick has 12 goals and 27 points in 65 games with the Blues after they claimed him off waivers from the Penguins in February 2023.
  • Devils defenseman Brendan Smith will remain out on Saturday against the Hurricanes with a knee sprain, head coach Lindy Ruff said (via Amanda Stein of the Devils’ official site). The 35-year-old has been upgraded to day-to-day after landing on injured reserve over three weeks ago, however, and could be an option as soon as Monday against the Kraken. A depth free-agent add in the summer of 2022, Smith has logged time on both defense and left wing this season while occupying a veteran enforcer role. Signed to a contract with a $1.1MM cap hit that expires this summer, he’s posted a goal and four assists in 34 games while averaging 14:25 per contest. AHL call-up Santeri Hatakka has been serviceable in Smith’s absence, posting an assist and a +6 rating while shouldering bottom-pairing minutes in five games.

Leon Gawanke To Sign With DEL’s Adler Mannheim

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Feb. 9: Gawanke has cleared waivers and will now sign with Adler Mannheim of the Deutsch Eishockey Liga, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports Friday.

Feb. 8: The San Jose Sharks have placed defenseman Leon Gawanke on waivers for the purpose of contract termination, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The 24-year-old has spent all season with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, where he leads defensemen in scoring with eight goals and 27 points through 38 games – the highest point-per-game pace of Gawanke’s five-year AHL career. This success comes after Gawanke tied for the league’s lead in goals scored by a defenseman last season, with 20 through 68 games.

The Sharks acquired Gawanke in a minor-league swap this summer, sending Artemi Kniazev to the Winnipeg Jets in return. Winnipeg has also seen their acquisition move away, with Kniazev starting the season in the AHL but moving to the KHL’s Kazan Ak-Bars in the new year. Gawanke signed a one-year, two-way, $775K contract with the Sharks that he is now poised to terminate. If he does clear waivers, he will get the change to negotiate as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.

Gawanke was a fifth-round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft. He made his professional debut two seasons later and has since spent all of the last six years in the AHL – save for a six-game stint with Germany’s Berlin Polar Bears during the 2020-21 season. Gawanke has been the top-scoring defenseman on his team in four of his pro seasons, but whether that will be enough to earn him a new deal is yet to be seen.

Flames Place Daniel Vladař On IR, Recall Dustin Wolf

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Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg is reporting that the Calgary Flames have placed goaltender Daniel Vladař on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury and recalled netminder Dustin Wolf from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers.

According to Julian McKenzie of The Athletic, Vladař’s injury occurred in warm-ups last night and not in any game action. The 26-year-old hasn’t played since a 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on January 20th. The native of Prague, Czech Republic has struggled this season with a 7-7-2 record with a 3.27 goals against average and a .888 save percentage. While those metrics sometimes don’t paint the whole picture of a goaltender’s performance, Vladař’s underlying numbers have been poor as well. In 16 games this season, Vladař has posted a goals saved above expected of -6.7 (Money Puck).

Wolf hasn’t fared any better at the NHL level, going 1-2-1 in five games with a 3.46 goals against average and an .893 save percentage. His underlying numbers have been even worse as Wolf has given up 5.2 more goals than expected despite playing just five games. At the AHL level, Wolf’s numbers have been a different story, as the 22-year-old has appeared in 28 games and has a sparkling .927 save percentage to go along with a 2.27 goals-against average and an 18-7-2 record.

The Flames used an EBUG today at practice as they are out East to take on the New York Islanders tomorrow and Wolf has yet to arrive. There has been speculation that the club could move out a goaltender and it will be interesting to see if Vladař’s injury cools those rumors.

Jonas Brodin Returns To Lineup, Adam Beckman Reassigned

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Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune is reporting that Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin is set to return tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins after missing the past few games with an illness. The 30-year-old hasn’t played since before the All-Star break back on January 27th against the Anaheim Ducks and should slide into the lineup on the team’s second pairing alongside Zach Bogosian.

Brodin missed a few weeks back in December with an upper-body injury and has dressed in just 32 games this season. The native of Karlstad, Sweden has averaged almost 24 minutes of ice time per game when he has been healthy and has a goal and 12 assists this season, nearly matching last season’s offensive output in half the games.

Brodin’s return will likely push Alex Goligoski into the press box and has also led the Wild to reassign Adam Beckman to the AHL. Beckman was recalled earlier in the week and was healthy scratched on Wednesday night when the Wild took on the Chicago Blackhawks. Beckham was once viewed as a solid prospect for Minnesota, but it appears time could be ticking on his chance of playing in the NHL for the Wild. The 22-year-old has just a single assist in 12 career NHL games and in the AHL this season he has nine goals and 10 assists in 37 games.

Beckham has received four NHL recalls in his career but has been passed over on multiple occasions recently when the Wild have needed to recall a player from their AHL affiliate.

Morning Notes: Johnson, Lindholm, Lightning

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Mike Harrington of Buffalo News Sports is reporting that Buffalo Sabres defenseman Erik Johnson isn’t looking to move on from the Sabres and has not approached management for a trade. The 35-year-old is a former Stanley Cup champion with the Colorado Avalanche and could be in demand according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Johnson was the 2006 first-overall pick, and although he never reached the levels scouts had predicted for him. He has remained a stable defensive defenseman and solid penalty killer throughout his career. He was a good offensive contributor early in his career but hasn’t topped 27 points in a year since the 2013-14 season.

Things could change for Johnson, but at this point, he told Harrington that his focus is on Buffalo, and he doesn’t want to abandon the team midseason. Johnson signed a one-year contract in the off-season as a free agent with an AAV of $3.25MM.

The Sabres entered the season with hopes of competing for a playoff spot but currently sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and are 10 points back of the Detroit Red Wings for the final playoff spot.

In other morning notes:

  • Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic wrote today that newly acquired Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Lindholm and the team are both comfortable with waiting to see how he adjusts to the team and how the rest of the season and the playoffs go. It makes for both sides given that Lindholm is just four and a half months away from unrestricted free agency and the Canucks have to also consider a potential long-term extension for superstar Elias Pettersson. LeBrun adds that he believes the Canucks want to sign both players long-term and have coveted Lindholm for quite some time. The 29-year-old had an incredible debut with Vancouver, notching two goals in a 3-2 win. However, his second game was a disaster as Lindholm went -4 in a 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins.
  • Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic wrote today that he believes that the injury to Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev could prompt Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois to enter the market for a defenseman as there is a possibility that Sergachev could be out for the rest of the regular season due to injury. If the young defenseman is done playing until the playoffs it would open the door for BriseBois to go $8.5 million to go above the cap on LTIR. The issue Tampa Bay might run into is having the assets to make the move given that they don’t have a first-round pick until 2026 and their farm system is one of the worst in the NHL.

Trade Deadline Primer: Detroit Red Wings

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With the All-Star break in the rearview, the trade deadline looms large and is now just a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Detroit Red Wings.

The Detroit Red Wings season has gone as well as they could have hoped for. The team hasn’t had overwhelming success, but they are in the heat of the Eastern Conference Wild Card race and are averaging their highest goals-per-game total since the 2008-09 season. Detroit has 12 different skaters with over 20 points through their first 50 games and has finally found a goaltender to lead them forward thanks to Alex Lyon’s breakout year. Things are coming together for the Motor City and, with a fruitful trade deadline, the team could be poised for their first playoff trip in eight years.

Record

26-18-6, 5th in the Atlantic

Deadline Status

Conservative Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$12.6 MM on deadline day, 1/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2024: DET 1st*, DET 2nd, DET 3rd, DAL 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, DET 7th
2025: DET 1st, DET 2nd, DET 3rd, BOS 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, DET 7th, STL 7th

* Detroit has the option to send either Boston’s 2024 1st Round pick or their own to the Ottawa Senators as a part of the trade package to acquire Alex DeBrincat.

Trade Chips

The Red Wings are approaching the deadline with plenty of flexibility. They could serve in their usual role as a moderate seller, sending off depth pieces and extra contracts to teams looking to gear up for the Spring. But Detroit has spent nearly the last decade building out a robust prospect pool that now features top names like Nate Danielson, Marco Kasper, and Simon Edvinsson. They’re at a position where they can begin betting on the present, which could mean draft picks are the hottest commodity Detroit possesses. The team has held on to their top three picks in each of the next three drafts – and all three are

projected to be strong classes. A first round pick has been the focal piece of both the Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan trades, and is rumored to be the asking price for many other players currently on the open market. With Detroit boasting such a deep prospect pool, being willing to part with draft capital – and maybe even a prospect or two – could give them a major leg-up in any trade negotiations.

Of course, that’s if Detroit decides to buy. It seems just as likely they could prepare to sell off some more pieces – a luxury they’re afforded thanks to a forward group with an average age of just 26.5. The Wings are getting everything they could want from their young talents, and they could decide to lean into that this deadline. They certainly have the pieces to move – including veteran defenders like Olli Määttä and Justin Holl. Or they could try and bank on a hot goaltending market by moving one of their many NHL-quality backups, including Ville Husso, James Reimer, and Michael Hutchinson.

But if Detroit really does lean into the seller’s approach, it’s likely that Patrick Kane could find himself back on the move. Kane has scored 16 points in his 19 games with the Red Wings, proving the potency he can bring when healthy. The future Hall-of-Famer knew that trade rumors might surround him as the deadline approaches, with TSN’s Chris Johnston speaking to the likelihood back in December. Now, Kane has since faced an injury that’s held him out of the team’s last seven games – and the Red Wings’ 9-2-2 record since the start of January certainly has them focused on the present. Both of those facts could dissuade the Wings from selling any part of their lineup – though, if they do, Kane’s name will surely be at the top of the list.

Team Needs

1) Younger Defensemen: In a season of positives, one negative has dragged on in Detroit. It’s become very clear that Moritz Seider, as capable as he may be, is simply being relied on too much. The 22-year-old is averaging over 22 minutes a game, over two minutes more than anyone else on the roster. He’s in one of the top-10 hardest roles among NHL defensemen, according to Evolving Hockey’s Quality of Competition statistic (requires subscription) which argues that Seider’s role is comparable to top defenders like Noah Hanifin and Adam Pelech. Seider has taken it on with no hesitation, but the only teammate able to keep up with him has been Jake Walman. He’s otherwise receiving inconsistent help from the likes of Ben Chiarot or Jeff Petry. There’s a near three-year gap between the average age of Detroit’s forwards (26.5) and their defenders (29.7), and it’s beginning to create a rift between Detroit’s speedy youngsters and their slower old guard. If the Wings are eyeing a deep playoff push, they should also be eyeing younger defensemen that can better match the pace of their lineup. There’s no shortage of names on the market, with Hanifin recently topping Daily Faceoff’s Trade Board. Detroit could also go after Jakob Chychrun, who the team has previously expressed interest in but never landed. Both players would bring a significant boost to a Red Wings defense that’s been largely commanded by one 22-year-old German. Both players play on the left side and could provide a significant boost to Seider’s already-strong play.

2) Depth Scoring: Detroit is in a lucky position of not needing too much more depth. They have plenty of goaltending, healthy scratches like Klim Kostin and Justin Holl provide strong immediate relief, and minor leaguers like Zach Aston-Reese and Simon Edvinsson could realistically provide a spark if needed. But the Red Wings shouldn’t turn their nose up to the chance to add even more scoring to their lineup. There’s been speculation that Pavel Buchnevich could be made available by one of Detroit’s favorite trade partners in the St. Louis Blues. That could be a tremendous addition, with Buchnevich’s 182 points in 183 games with the Blues proving his capability to thrive in a confused lineup. Detroit could also target a player like Vladimir Tarasenko, who has 13 goals and 33 points in 45 games this season despite operating on Ottawa’s third line. Tarasenko would be significantly cheaper to acquire than Buchnevich, and is a pending free agent where Buchnevich has one more season left on his contract. Other options could include Anthony Mantha or Anthony Duclair, two more pending free agents with seemingly more to offer. It’ll be an exciting deadline for the Red Wings, who have the cap space, the assets, and the successful lineup to seemingly choose whatever path forward they would like.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Deadline Primer: Dallas Stars

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With the All-Star break in the rearview, the trade deadline looms large and is now just a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Dallas Stars.

Things have gone mostly according to plan for the Stars this season.  They’re among the top-scoring teams in the NHL and have been in a battle for the top spot in the Central Division for the majority of the season.  However, they’ve been a bit shakier on the defensive side of things so if GM Jim Nill is able to add to his roster, the back end could very well be the area he tries to shore up in the coming weeks.  However, with very limited cap space, they may be limited in what they’re able to accomplish on the trade front.

Record

31-14-6, 1st in the Central

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$1.924MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2024: DAL 1st, DAL 2nd, DAL 5th, DAL 7th
2025: DAL 1st, DAL 3rd*, DAL 5th, NJ 5th DAL 6th, DAL 7th

*-If Nils Lundkvist gets 55 total points between 2022-23 and 2023-24, the Rangers would get this pick instead of Dallas’ 2025 fourth-rounder.  Lundkvist has 30 points in a Dallas uniform heading into tonight’s action so this condition is unlikely to be met but the pick will be encumbered for trade purposes.

Trade Chips

As a team that won’t be intent on moving impactful pieces off its roster, Dallas will undoubtedly be fielding inquiries about Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque.  They are the top two scorers in the AHL but have yet to see NHL action so far given the depth that the Stars have up front.  If it’s only a depth move that they’re able to make, these two won’t be in play but if Nill wants to make a significant upgrade, one of these two could help yield Dallas a strong roster player.

If Dallas does look to make a move to add a piece on the back end, Lundkvist could also be someone who generates some interest.  The 23-year-old has basically been limited to full-time third-pairing duty at even strength while seeing some secondary power play time.  Accordingly, the points weren’t exactly piling up as the Stars hoped when they traded for him in 2022.  That said, Lundkvist is still on his entry-level deal and he’d likely be of interest to quite a few rebuilding teams although his $925K cap hit doesn’t help much when it comes to matching money.  It’s unlikely Nill would move him for a rental player but if they could get an impact blueliner with some salary retention signed beyond this season, Lundkvist could conceivably be part of the package heading the other way.

In terms of other depth players who could go to help match money in a trade, Craig Smith and Sam Steel come to mind.  Both forwards (who are pending free agents) have fared relatively well on the fourth line but could slip out of the lineup should an upgrade be acquired.  Smith makes a bit more at $1MM while Steel is a little cheaper ($850K) but has one more year of team control though it comes with arbitration eligibility.  Neither player has much trade value directly but as pieces to help make the finances work, they’re candidates to be moved.

If they look to bring in someone with a bigger contract, the money-matcher going the other way could very well be Radek Faksa.  The 30-year-old is a strong defensive player but his offense simply hasn’t come around.  At $3.25MM through next season, he might be a luxury they can no longer afford if they add a bigger-ticket player.

One prospect who isn’t quite at Bourque and Stankoven’s level offensively in the minors but should draw some interest is Matej Blumel.  The 23-year-old is coming to the end of his entry-level deal and has 77 points in 99 career AHL games with Texas.  He also has six games of NHL experience under his belt.  Blumel will still have another year of waiver exemption after this one, giving him some extra value in a move.

Other Potential Trade Chips: F Oskar Back, F Nicholas Caamano, F Riley Damiani

Team Needs

1) Defensive Upgrade: There’s a definite gap between Dallas’ top three defensemen and the rest.  Getting a proven second-pairing option would certainly give that unit a boost while also hedging against injuries.  If the player happens to be a right-handed shot, that would be even more beneficial although, as always, impact right-defenders are in short supply and high demand.  If they can’t land a top-four player, adding some extra depth to hedge against injuries would be beneficial and affordable in their cap structure.

2) Experienced Third Goaltender: When Jake Oettinger missed time earlier this season, they leaned heavily on Scott Wedgewood with third-string option Matt Murray having very limited NHL experience.  If Dallas isn’t comfortable using Murray at this point, it would be worth trying to find a veteran third option, one who could be stashed in the minors and come up if one of Oettinger or Wedgewood go down.  This is the type of move where one of their AHL skaters could be on the move as the return for that insurance policy between the pipes.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Updates: Miromanov, Senators, Killorn, Bedard, Raanta

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The Golden Knights welcomed back one of their blueliners for their game tonight versus Arizona as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve activated Daniil Miromanov from injured reserve.  The 26-year-old had yet to play with Vegas this season as he worked his way back from ACL and meniscus surgery in the summer.  He got into five games with AHL Henderson last month on a conditioning stint and fared quite well, notching a goal and five assists before being recalled a couple of weeks ago.  However, Vegas opted to play it safe with Miromanov, allowing him more time to skate with the team before officially having him suit up for his season debut with the big club.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • The Senators are expected to welcome back goaltender Anton Forsberg and defenseman Travis Hamonic for their next game on Saturday, relays Sportsnet’s Wayne Scanlan (Twitter link). Forsberg is currently on LTIR and Ottawa will need to make some roster moves to get cap-compliant before activating him.  The 31-year-old has a save percentage of .889 in 16 games so far this season.  Meanwhile, Hamonic has missed the last couple of weeks due to an upper-body injury but has remained on Ottawa’s active roster so no roster move is necessary for him to return.  The 33-year-old has five points and 69 blocked shots in 40 appearances.
  • Ducks winger Alex Killorn skated before practice today as he works his way back from knee surgery, relays Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune (Twitter link). The 34-year-old had the procedure two weeks ago and it carried a four-to-six-week recovery period.  While he didn’t stick around for Anaheim’s full practice, the fact Killorn is back on the ice is a promising sign that his return date could come closer to the earlier part of that range.  He has 19 points in 34 games so far this season, his first with the Ducks.
  • While Connor Bedard has been holding out hope that he could return earlier than expected, Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson poured cold water on that idea today. He told reporters, including Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) that the rookie center’s return is unlikely to come before the original six-week mark.  Despite missing more than a month now, Bedard still leads all rookies in points with 33 in just 39 games.
  • After coming into tonight’s game in relief of Pyotr Kochetkov, Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta suffered a lower-body injury, per a team announcement (Twitter link). Raanta made nine saves in his lone period of work.  It has been a rough year for the 34-year-old who had a save percentage of just .870 coming into tonight’s action and cleared waivers back in December.

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