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Aatu Raty, Robin Salo Returned To AHL

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With his ten-game threshold approaching quickly, the New York Islanders have sent Aatu Raty back to the minor leagues. Despite being 20, Raty’s contract can still technically slide forward if he plays fewer than ten games in the NHL this season. Robin Salo has also been sent back, as Adam Pelech continues to skate and approach a return.

Raty has played seven so far, scoring his first two NHL goals in the process. He has averaged just over eight minutes, but certainly did not look out of place even in his limited opportunity. The move will open a roster spot for the eventual return of Kyle Palmieri, though today, head coach Lane Lambert told Andrew Gross of Newsday that there is still no timetable, despite his recent participation in practice.

It of course could also have nothing to do with the ten-game threshold, with the Islanders instead just wanting Raty to get more consistent ice time in offensive situations. Many teams are now putting more importance on the 40-game mark that deems it a season toward unrestricted free agency. In fact, sometimes crossing the lower threshold with limited ice time can be beneficial to a team in the long-run. Contract negotiations coming out of entry-level deals have become much more complicated, with top players asking for long-term, big-money deals, and even players with a lesser impact demanding raises on bridge deals.

Limiting the production of a player like Raty in the first year of his ELC, could give the team a bit more leverage down the line. Counting stats are considered in both arbitration cases and RFA negotiations.

Either way, if the Islanders believe Raty is one of the 12 best forward options they have, there should be no hesitation to put him in the lineup. The team is still within striking distance of the playoffs, and could even challenge for the division with an extended hot streak. To do either, they’ll need to turn around the three-game losing streak they are currently on.

NHL Announces Coaches For 2023 All-Star Game

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The fan vote for the final player selections is still ongoing, but the NHL has finalized who will be behind the bench at the 2023 All-Star Game in Florida next month. Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour will be leading the Metropolitan, Boston Bruins bench boss Jim Montgomery leads the Atlantic, Peter DeBoer of the Dallas Stars will be running the Central, and Bruce Cassidy of the Vegas Golden Knights will be steering the Pacific.

The Hurricanes, Bruins, Stars, and Golden Knights currently lead their respective divisions, though it’s a close race in three of them. Only the Bruins have a substantial lead, with their 32-4-4 record pacing the entire NHL.

Interestingly enough, three of the four coaches named were involved in something of an employment carousel this offseason. Cassidy was fired by Boston and eventually took the job in Vegas after they dismissed DeBoer. DeBoer took a job in Dallas, one that had only been filled by Rick Bowness after Montgomery’s dismissal in 2020. Montgomery in turn took over in Boston, which gave him another chance as an NHL head coach.

Brind’Amour is the tenured professor of the bunch, taking over as head coach of the Hurricanes in 2018. He won the Jack Adams in 2021, and has an overall record of 199-95-35, plus four playoff series wins. It’s been an impressive transition from player to assistant to head coach for Brind’Amour, who basically never stopped working for the Hurricanes after arriving in 2000. He is reprising his role as head coach of the Metro, after being their last season.

The selections show just how quickly the NHL coaching wheel turns, with Cassidy and DeBoer both appearing at this game with their previous teams. DeBoer has actually gone with three in a row, appearing as the head coach of the Pacific in 2017 with the Sharks as well.

The final player selections will be announced on January 19, and the skills competition kicks off February 3.

Chicago Blackhawks Recall Jaxson Stauber; Reassign Brett Seney

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The Chicago Blackhawks have had famed soccer keeper (and semi-professional hockey goalie) Petr Cech filling in for them at practice the last few days, as Alex Stalock deals with a non-COVID illness. Unfortunately, we won’t get to see him dress as the backup for tomorrow’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. The Blackhawks have recalled Jaxon Stauber from the minor leagues, suggesting that Stalock won’t be ready. To make room, Brett Seney has been loaned back to the Rockford IceHogs.

Stauber, 23, was signed to a two-year entry-level contract last spring after two seasons at Providence College. The 6’3″ netminder was never drafted, but now finds himself in the NHL less than a year into his professional career. In 12 appearances for Rockford, he has posted an .896 save percentage and 3.06 goals-against average, splitting time with Arvid Soderblom, Dylan Wells, and even ECHL starter Mitchell Weeks on occasion.

This recall shouldn’t suggest that Stauber is now third on the organizational depth chart. That’s still Soderblom, who has played in 15 games for the Blackhawks this season. But after suffering a groin injury recently, he’s not available to help fill in. It’s getting awfully thin for Chicago in net, especially given the long injury history of Petr Mrazek, who figures to start tomorrow night.

So thin, in fact, that not only has Cech been helping out, but there was also an appearance at practice from emergency backup extraordinaire Scott Foster this week. Foster is the accountant that appeared in a 2018 game for the Blackhawks and made all seven saves to secure the victory. Despite all that, the team has won two in a row, including an impressive overtime victory against the Calgary Flames on Sunday.

Snapshots: Blue Jackets-Sabres, Greaves, Matthews

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Over the holidays, several NHL games were postponed because of a massive winter storm. Today, the league announced that the game originally scheduled for December 27 between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres will now be played on April 14.

That means both teams will now end the season with a back-to-back situation, as they were previously set to finish up on the 13th. The Blue Jackets will be at home for both games, but the Sabres will have to travel from Buffalo, where they play the Ottawa Senators the night before.

  • Speaking of the Blue Jackets, the team returned Jet Greaves to the minor leagues today, indicating that Joonas Korpisalo has recovered enough to return to action. Greaves very easily could have made his NHL debut last night in relief of Elvis Merzlikins, who was peppered with shots from the Tampa Bay Lightning. He stopped 40 of them but still lost after allowing six goals.
  • Auston Matthews will be out of the lineup for the Toronto Maple Leafs, with head coach Sheldon Keefe confirming to reporters including Mark Masters of TSN that the star center is dealing with a lingering injury. Matthews has not yet been ruled out for tomorrow’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.

Montreal Canadiens Recall Jesse Ylonen

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For the first time this season, the Montreal Canadiens have recalled Jesse Ylonen from the minor leagues. His addition brings in another young forward for Martin St. Louis to help mold as the team languishes at the bottom of the standings.

Ylonen, 23, was picked with the 35th overall selection in 2018, and played 14 games for the Canadiens last season. Scoring five points, he appeared to be in the mix for a more regular role this time around. Montreal added in the offseason though, bringing in Kirby Dach, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Sean Monahan in particular. That left the vacant roster spots few and far between, sending Ylonen back to the minor leagues.

The young winger has found success there, even on a struggling Laval Rocket club. Through 34 games, Ylonen has 27 points, trailing only Anthony Richard, who also recently got a chance with the big club.

Whether this recall lasts remains to be seen, but it’s about time the Canadiens see what they have in Ylonen. He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer and has just 15 NHL appearances to his name. Can he be a part of the future? Or is he nothing more than organizational depth? Getting him into the lineup is the only way to really find out.

Pavel Francouz Activated From Injured Reserve

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The Colorado Avalanche returned Jonas Johansson to the minor leagues earlier today, suggesting that Pavel Francouz was ready to return to the active roster. Indeed, Francouz no longer appears on injured reserve and should be ready to dress this evening against the Florida Panthers.

It’s been nearly a month since Francouz last appeared for the Avalanche, stopping 26 of 28 shots on December 13 against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 32-year-old goaltender had posted a .913 save percentage in nine games through the early part of the season, serving as the primary backup for Alexandar Georgiev.

Without him, it’s been Georgiev every night for the Avalanche, with Johansson only playing 23 minutes in relief on New Year’s Eve. The 29 appearances from Georgiev so far have him closing in on his career-high of 34, set in 2019-20 with the New York Rangers.

With that in mind, it’s a good time for Francouz to get back in the mix and start to split the load as Colorado pushes toward the trade deadline. The club sits in fifth place in the Central Division with a 20-15-3 record, after being decimated by injuries through the first part of the year.

Denis Malgin, the latest of those injuries, was called week-to-week by head coach Jared Bednar earlier today. Peter Baugh of The Athletic relays other updates from the coach, noting that Bowen Byram and Josh Manson are also skating but have no firm timetable yet.

Montreal Canadiens Return Anthony Richard To AHL

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The Montreal Canadiens have opened up a roster spot by sending Anthony Richard back to the minor leagues following last night’s loss. The minor league veteran didn’t dress, and played fewer than five minutes against the St. Louis Blues in his previous appearance. No corresponding move has been announced.

Richard, 26, has been excellent this season for the Canadiens organization, first at the minor league level and then again filling in for the NHL club. He had 31 points in 27 games for the Laval Rocket before being recalled on December 18, and chipped in his first NHL goal a few days later.

The Nashville Predators fourth-round pick from 2015 only has nine appearances in the NHL over the years, but has been a strong minor league contributor for quite some time. His return will be a big boost for the Rocket, who are 13-16-5 on the year but playing better of late. Had Richard stayed much longer, he would have needed to clear waivers again before being sent down.

By doing it now, the club protects him from any poaching teams that might have interest, while also saving some money. Richard’s one-year, two-way deal pays him $750K in the NHL and just $300K in the minor leagues.

Casey Fitzgerald Placed On Waivers

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2:00pm: It seems as though it won’t be Luukkonen after all. The team has used the roster spot to activate Jokiharju, and Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News relays news that the young goaltender woke up sick this morning.

1:15pm: The Buffalo Sabres, expecting to use a three-goalie rotation for a while, have started the process of clearing a roster spot by placing Casey Fitzgerald on waivers according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets. By including the purpose of assigning to the minor leagues, the team will be able to immediately recall Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who is expected to start tonight.

There’s certainly no guarantee that the 25-year-old defenseman clears, though. Fitzgerald has played in 59 NHL games over the last two seasons and is on an expiring league-minimum contract. If a club is looking for some defensive depth, there are worse options than the 2016 third-round pick, who can do a little bit of everything.

It’s unlikely that he ever becomes a difference-maker at the NHL level, but this move does include some risk for the Sabres. The team doesn’t have a ton of depth on defense, even with Henri Jokiharju returning soon. Beyond the group that is currently on the active roster, only four defensemen are signed to NHL contracts. A few injuries all at once could quickly put them in a tricky situation.

Jake Leschyshyn Placed On Waivers

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A few minutes ahead of the official announcement from the league, the Vegas Golden Knights tweeted that Jake Leschyshyn has been placed on waivers. He will be sent to the Henderson Silver Knights should he clear tomorrow – along with Brayden Pachal, who was assigned today.

It’s difficult to play regularly in the NHL and be completely held off the scoresheet but that’s exactly what Leschyshyn has done this year. The 23-year-old forward has exactly zero points in 22 games.

That performance will likely get him through waivers, but it should be mentioned that Leschyshyn was once one of the Golden Knights’ top prospects. Selected 62nd overall in 2017, there were high hopes after a nice finish to his WHL career. Last year he played 41 games with Vegas and scored six points, while adding 27 in 34 minor league games.

Given his relative youth, there may be teams interested in giving him a fresh start somewhere else. To do so, they would have to take on a three-year, one-way deal, though. The Golden Knights gave Leschyshyn that deal – which carries an average annual value of $766,667 – in August, locking him up at a league-minimum price.

If there is any hesitation, some clubs will balk at that kind of financial security, even though there might be a shred of upside remaining in the young forward. More likely, he’ll clear and head back to the minor leagues to await his next recall.

Snapshots: Tolvanen, Mintyukov, Matthews

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When the Nashville Predators put Eeli Tolvanen on waivers earlier this season, it surprised a lot of the hockey world. Sure, he hadn’t found a ton of success yet, but Tolvanen was just 23 and had a ton of obvious scoring talent. Since being claimed by the Seattle Kraken, the young forward has three goals and five points in five games, leading to some interesting comments from Predators general manager David Poile on Nashville radio this morning:

Did we give him enough opportunities? Should we have played him higher? Time will tell. Seattle plays differently than us – they rotate their four lines equally. Offensively they have put him in a higher position.

This could be a mistake on our part. That’s on me if he turns out to be really successful. But we thought we tried him on a lot of different areas, different places. We really hoped we could get him through on waivers so he could play in Milwaukee a bit. 

In Tolvanen’s 135 games with the Predators over parts of five seasons, he received 16 or more minutes of ice time just 19 times. While it’s gone well early for him in Seattle, it should be noted that they too are limiting his ice time – he’s averaging just 12:32 through five games, less than he received in Nashville.

  • The Ottawa 67’s have added another top talent, acquiring Anaheim Ducks’ prospect Pavel Mintyukov from the Saginaw Spirit. The 19-year-old defenseman was the 10th overall pick in last summer’s draft and scored 54 points in 37 games for Saginaw before the move. It’s a package of nine picks going the other way, including three second-rounders.
  • Auston Matthews was missing from Toronto Maple Leafs practice today, and while head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including David Alter of Sports Illustrated that it was a maintenance day, the star forward will be a game-time decision for tomorrow’s match against the Predators.

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