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East Notes: Senators, Michkov, Rust

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The Senators are .500 through their first 10 games, but that’s been enough to stay on the verge of a playoff position in an Atlantic Division that’s been mainly underwhelming to begin the season. Injuries have played a significant factor, with new starter Linus Ullmark missing a few games and other essential pieces, namely center Shane Pinto and right-shot defenseman Artem Zub, currently sidelined with significant but not ultra-long-term ailments.

Those latter two absences have led the Senators to consider adding more depth to those positions in particular, general manager Steve Staios told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen yesterday. That’s likely an action item for later in the season, though. Staios still wants to give some runway to their internal options to prove they can step up in relief. “I believe that leads to stability as well as confidence in the group,” he said.

So far, those internal options have done the job and likely lessened Staios’ urgency to make a move. Depth pivot Adam Gaudette has five goals in nine games as an injury fill-in after spending most of last season in the AHL, while 24-year-old Jacob Bernard-Docker has posted solid possession numbers (57.7 CF%, 50.0 xGF%) while relieving Zub on the back end.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:

  • It’s been a bit of a rough stretch for current Calder Trophy frontrunner Matvei Michkov over the past couple of games. After going point-per-game through his first nine appearances and taking home NHL Rookie of the Month honors for October, he’s gone without a point in his past four and recorded a season-low 13:56 on Thursday against the Blues before posting a -3 rating in a shutout loss to the Bruins earlier today. That’s led to intermittent benchings from John Tortorella, something neither coach nor player views as a real cause for concern, writes Kevin Kurz of The Athletic. “I just wanted him to sit (on the bench), relax, think about what I said to him,” Tortorella said. “I think it was two or three rotations, we put him back out there. He may miss games, who knows? I don’t know what’s going to happen. But that’s part of the development of a 19-year-old kid.“
  • Penguins winger Bryan Rust skated today for the first time since landing on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, relays Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The 32-year-old has now missed a pair of games with the injury, which he sustained on Oct. 26 against the Canucks. He’ll be eligible to come off IR anytime but is still listed as week-to-week. He had three goals and an assist in eight appearances before exiting the lineup.

Artem Zub Resumes Skating

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  • In a positive injury update for the Ottawa Senators, TSN’s Bruce Garrioch reports defenseman Artem Zub has resumed skating for the first time since suffering a concussion on October 14th. Garrioch notes that Zub won’t be a full participant with the team until he’s fully medically cleared but it’s a positive step in the right direction. The right side of Ottawa’s defensive core has looked weak without Zub in the top four as the team sits 24th in the league in GA/G at 3.44.

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Senators Recall Adam Gaudette, Zack Ostapchuk

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Evening Notes: Senators, Rizzo, Musty

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The Ottawa Senators announced that they loaned forwards Adam Gaudette and Zack Ostapchuk to their American Hockey League affiliate the Belleville Senators. The move comes on the heels of a two-goal game for Gaudette last night against the St. Louis Blues. Gaudette has had an excellent start to the season with Ottawa, posting four goals and an assist in eight games this season.

Ostapchuk on the other hand had an assist in last night’s 8-1 win, in what was his first NHL game of the season. It was a special moment for the 21-year-old as the assist represented his first NHL point. Ostapchuk dressed in seven games last season for Ottawa, going pointless.

The move is likely to be a paper transaction as the Senators don’t play again until Friday against the New York Rangers and could very well recall either player in the next few days.

In other evening notes:

  • San Jose Sharks forward prospect Quentin Musty has returned to the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League and is expected to play this weekend (as per Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News). San Jose re-assigned Musty back to the OHL in late September, but a week later, it was reported that the 2023 first-round pick (26th overall) had requested a trade. That same day, Sudbury released a statement talking about Musty’s trade request, saying that they would field trade offers but would also welcome Musty back if he changed his mind. Musty’s return will be a big boost for the Wolves, who have started the OHL season with a 7-5 record.
  • Philadelphia Flyers prospect Massimo Rizzo has reportedly suffered an appendicitis that required him to have surgery a few weeks ago to get his appendix removed (as per Flyers reporter Bill Meltzer). The early reports indicate that Rizzo will require a six to eight-week timeline to recover from the appendectomy. The 23-year-old is slated to play in the AHL for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms but has yet to dress in a game this season. Rizzo was originally drafted in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes but was dealt to the Flyers in August 2023, along with a 2025 fifth-round pick in exchange for forward David Kase.

Senators Recall Zack Ostapchuk

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The Senators have called up center Zack Ostapchuk, per a team announcement. Forward Adam Gaudette is also back with the team after yesterday’s paper transaction sent him to AHL Belleville. However, left-winger Cole Reinhardt remains in the minors after being demoted along with Gaudette yesterday. No corresponding move is required with two open spots on the 23-man roster.

Ostapchuk, 21, was an early second-round pick of the Sens in 2021. He made his NHL debut last year with Ottawa, going without a point in seven games. He posted a -1 rating, had five shots on goal, averaged 10:30 per game, and won just 26.8% of his 41 faceoffs.

Unsurprisingly, he didn’t make the opening night roster for 2024-25 after that underwhelming late-season showing. The 6’3″, 205-lb pivot has taken it in stride, though, and is off to a raucous start in the minors with a goal and four assists in six games for Belleville. Last season was Ostapchuk’s first in the professional ranks, after all, making the jump after splitting his fourth and final junior season in 2021-22 between the Vancouver Giants and Winnipeg Ice of the WHL. If nothing else, he flashed his penchant for physicality in his brief NHL showing, laying the body 13 times and blocking six shots.

Per Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, Ostapchuk will make his season debut tonight against the Blues, centering Ottawa’s third line between Michael Amadio and Noah Gregor. Gaudette will center the fourth line, and Ridly Greig will remain on the wing while Ottawa deals with the absence of the top-nine fixtures David Perron and Shane Pinto.

With a pair of off-days after tonight’s game, expect Gaudette and Ostapchuk to be papered down tomorrow for the Sens to keep accumulating as much cap space as possible. Ostapchuk is waiver-exempt this season and likely will be until the 2026-27 campaign unless he lands a full-time role sooner than expected.

Senators Notes: Gaudette, Reinhardt, Subban

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The Senators assigned forwards Adam Gaudette and Cole Reinhardt to AHL Belleville today, per a team announcement. It’s just a short-term move to accrue cap space and delay both players’ temporary waiver exemption, relays Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. They should be back on the active roster before tomorrow’s game against the Blues.

It’s the second time Gaudette’s been involved in such a transaction this year. He was placed on waivers the day before opening night rosters were due but was never sent to the minors, sticking around to begin the season. He was assigned to Belleville on Oct. 15 before being recalled the following day without reporting to the minor-league club. The 28-year-old has appeared in seven of Ottawa’s eight contests this season, scoring twice and adding an assist with a +1 rating. He can play in three more games or remain on the active roster for nine more days before he needs waivers again to head to the minors, so his temporary waiver exemption will likely expire by mid-November.

Reinhardt, 24, has suited up in the Sens’ last two games with Shane Pinto now out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. The 2020 sixth-round pick recorded an assist in his season debut against the Golden Knights on Friday and is averaging just 7:03 across his pair of showings, adding two blocks and five hits. The left winger also has five points in three games with the B-Sens this year. Like Gaudette, he cleared waivers during the preseason. He was added to the NHL roster for a pair of days earlier this month for injury insurance, so combining that with this most recent recall, he’s been on the NHL roster for five days. That gives him 25 days on the active roster or eight NHL appearances before he needs waivers again to head back to Belleville.

Neither Pinto nor David Perron, who’s out on personal leave, have been placed on injured reserve or non-roster. That leaves them with only 12 healthy forwards with no flexibility when Gaudette and Reinhardt come back up. Perron and Pinto aren’t expected back by tomorrow’s game, so Gaudette and Reinhardt should once again play fourth-line roles against the Blues.

Additionally, the Sens added some goaltending depth with Belleville signing goaltender Malcolm Subban to an AHL contract. The 30-year-old had previously been on a professional tryout with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate, but didn’t get into a game and was released over the weekend. The 2012 first-round pick last played in the NHL with the Blue Jackets last season, stopping 32 of 35 shots in a loss to the Hurricanes on April 7.

Subban is essentially now the No. 5 option on Ottawa’s goalie depth chart. He’ll split the Belleville crease with Leevi Merilainen while Mads Søgaard, the Sens’ third-stringer, is out with an injury.

Senators’ Shane Pinto Out Week-To-Week With Undisclosed Injury

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Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto has been designated as out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury, head coach Travis Green shared with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Pinto was listed as a game-time decision for the team’s Friday game against Vegas but ultimately sat out. There seems to be no indication of when he could have picked up an injury, or what it would be. He played over 17 minutes of Ottawa’s 4-0 win over Utah on Thursday, showing no signs of limitation or wear.

Pinto has served a second-line role through Ottawa’s early season – recording three points, six penalty minutes, and four hits through the first six games. He’s continuing to earn hardy ice time after fighting his way back up the lineup last season. He missed the start of that season to a 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports betting policy, but still managed 27 points and top-line deployment in the year’s latter half. That’s an 82-game pace of 54 points – a boost from Pinto’s 20-goal, 35-point rookie season.

The Senators recalled Cole Reinhardt to fill Pinto’s lineup spot on Friday. He recorded one assist in just seven minutes of ice time – likely a strong enough showing to stick around as the Senators now plan for weeks with a vacancy. The team isn’t currently carrying any extra forwards to rival Reinhardt’s spot, with Adam Gaudette and Nick Cousins already filling lineup vacancies. Reinhardt also stands as the Belleville Senators’ leading scorer, with five points through three games so far.

Pinto’s injury adds to Ottawa’s list of absentees. Artem Zub (concussion) and David Perron (personal) are also missing from the lineup, with Zub unexpected to play today or on Tuesday per Sportsnet’s Alex Adams.

Senators Reassign Leevi Meriläinen, Recall Cole Reinhardt

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The Senators announced Friday morning that they sent goaltender Leevi Meriläinen back to AHL Belleville and recalled winger Cole Reinhardt.

That indicates Linus Ullmark is ready to return from a muscle strain that’s kept him out of the lineup for nearly two weeks. He was widely anticipated to return against Utah on Tuesday but was ruled out on the day of the game, prompting Meriläinen’s recall a few hours before puck drop. Meriläinen didn’t play against Utah, instead backing up Anton Forsberg, who pitched a 31-save shutout.

Unsurprisingly, Meriläinen didn’t get to add to his two-game NHL résumé. The 22-year-old netminder was a third-round pick of the Sens in 2020 and made his major league debut in a brief call-up in the 2022-23 campaign, posting a .878 SV%, 4.23 GAA, and a 0-1-1 record. The 6’3″ Finn has fared decently well in the minors, where he has a career 2.82 GAA, .906 SV%, two shutouts, and a 15-10-1 record in 31 appearances with the B-Sens over the past three years. He also had a sparkling .926 SV% in 13 games for the ECHL’s Allen Americans last season.

Reinhardt has been ferried between leagues a couple of times this season, most recently being sent down on Tuesday to make room for Meriläinen on the active roster. He’s back up today, meaning Shane Pinto remains a game-time decision at best for tonight’s contest against the Golden Knights after sustaining an undisclosed injury in Utah, per Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.

The 24-year-old Reinhardt has yet to be rostered for a Sens game in 2024-25 despite the transactions, but that will change tonight. They have 13 other forwards on the active roster, but with David Perron on personal leave, Reinhardt will make his season debut against Vegas if Pinto can’t play. The 2020 sixth-rounder has one NHL appearance to his name, coming against the Predators on April 7, 2022. He recorded a shot on goal and two hits in 8:35 of ice time. He’s been off to a hot start in Belleville, posting two goals and three assists through his first three games of the season.

Could Sens Turn To Tokarski For Depth With Sogaard Injured?

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  • Senators center Shane Pinto is listed as a game-time decision for their game on Friday, relays Sportsnet’s Alex Adams (Twitter link). The 23-year-old is off to a decent start to his season with three points in six games while logging nearly 18 minutes a night.  If he doesn’t play, Ridly Greig will likely move back to his natural position down the middle.
  • Still with the Senators, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch suggests that Ottawa might need to make a move to shore up their goaltending depth with Mads Sogaard being injured last weekend. If they do look to do that, he feels they could once again turn to veteran Dustin Tokarski.  Ottawa brought in the 35-year-old on a training camp tryout that ended without a contract but Tokarski hasn’t signed anywhere since.  He spent last season with AHL Rochester, posting a 3.32 GAA and a .890 SV% in 24 games and is a veteran of more than 400 appearances at that level over 14 seasons.

Senators Recall Leevi Meriläinen

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The Senators have added goaltender Leevi Merilainen to their roster ahead of tonight’s game against Utah with Linus Ullmark not quite ready to return from a muscle strain, the team announced. Left-winger Cole Reinhardt has been reassigned to AHL Belleville to keep the roster at the 23-player limit.

Ullmark was projected to make his return to the lineup tonight after the team sent No. 3 goalie Mads Søgaard back down to the minors over the weekend. But he’s evidently not quite 100%, and he’ll be held out again tonight in line with previous reports that the Sens are operating with an abundance of caution in returning their new starter to game action.

That’s left Anton Forsberg in charge of the crease for now, and his underwhelming showing last season has continued. Forsberg has a 1-1-0 record in three starts and has struggled to the tune of a .863 SV%, 4.16 GAA, and -2.6 GSAA. Søgaard didn’t do any better in his brief look, conceding four goals on just 17 shots in last week’s wild 8-7 win over the Kings. He then sustained an injury in a game with Belleville after being returned there Sunday, so it’s now Merilainen who gets the call to back up Forsberg tonight against Utah.

Merilainen, 22, has just two games of NHL experience. The Sens’ 2020 third-rounder got into a pair of contests in 2022-23 when injuries decimated their goaltending depth, and it was certainly earlier in his development than they anticipated him seeing NHL ice. He managed a .878 SV% and 4.23 GAA, conceding 1.3 goals above average.

Last year was the Finn’s first in North America full-time. He did okay in an extended run with Belleville, logging a .906 SV% and a shutout in 24 appearances. But he starred at the ECHL level for the Allen Americans, where he posted a .926 SV% despite seeing a heavy workload shot-wise in 13 games.

The 6’3″ netminder has a good glove hand and helped Finland to a silver medal back at the 2022 World Juniors. So far this year for the B-Sens, he has a 3.47 GAA, .852 SV%, and a 2-1-0 record in three appearances.

Reinhardt, meanwhile, has been between leagues this season as roster flexibility allows. He hasn’t yet managed to make an appearance for Ottawa in 2024-25, but he has torched the minors with five points in three games for Belleville. The 24-year-old passed through waivers unclaimed during the preseason but remains an intriguing depth scoring option, so Ottawa won’t hesitate to have him in the minors whenever necessary to delay the expiry of his temporary waiver exemption.

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