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Austin Czarnik

Red Wings Place Austin Czarnik On Waivers

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11/19: Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Czarnik has cleared waivers, and can safely be assigned to Grand Rapids.

11/18: With Detroit’s trip to Sweden now over, they’ve opted to make a roster move.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the Red Wings have placed forward Austin Czarnik on waivers.

The 30-year-old cleared waivers in training camp but has spent most of the season with Detroit so far.  Czarnik played in two games with the Griffins where he had two goals and an assist before being recalled in mid-October.  He was sent back down at the end of the month but one day later, he was brought up on an emergency basis and was converted to a regular recall soon after.

Czarnik has played in 11 games so far for the Red Wings on their fourth line but has been limited to just a single assist while averaging 8:35 per night.  Last season, he had a bit more success at the top level, collecting two goals and three helpers in 29 games, the most NHL games he played in since the 2018-19 campaign.

Since Czarnik has been in more than ten games since last clearing waivers, he now must once again pass through unclaimed to make it back to the Griffins.  He’s in the second and final year of a two-year, minimum salary contract which carries a $762.5K AAV.  Teams will have until 1 PM CT on Sunday to place a claim on Czarnik if they so desire.

Atlantic Notes: McCabe, Klingberg, Bennett, Montour, McAvoy, Czarnik

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Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe will draw back into the lineup Friday against the Calgary Flames after missing six games with a groin injury, head coach Sheldon Keefe informed reporters today (via David Alter of Sports Illustrated). The shutdown defenseman is expected to factor in on the second pairing, playing on his off-side along 40-year-old veteran Mark Giordano.

McCabe sustained the injury on his first shift in an October 26 game against the Dallas Stars, skating only ten seconds before leaving the game. The 2023 trade deadline acquisition from the Chicago Blackhawks hasn’t registered a point yet this season and has a -4 rating in seven games, and his possession metrics have dipped significantly (albeit in a small sample) from last season’s strong play.

That dip can’t be entirely attributed to him, however. His partner for most of the season before exiting the lineup was John Klingberg, who Keefe said will not suit up against Calgary as he deals with an undisclosed injury. Klingberg has five assists through 13 games but has posted a -8 rating, including two -3 performances in his last three games.

Klingberg’s logged the worst defensive numbers of any Maple Leafs defender this season and will be looking for a reset once he gets back to full health. McCabe, meanwhile, has excelled this season in small increments away from Klingberg – his pairing with the now-injured Timothy Liljegren has been the Leafs’ best at controlling shot quality this season, posting an expected goals share of 58.1% in nearly 50 minutes together, per MoneyPuck.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • Things are looking up in the Sunshine State for the Florida Panthers, as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with a .625 points percentage. They’re about to get some reinforcements, too, as head coach Paul Maurice said today that center Sam Bennett is possible (but unlikely) to return from a lower-body injury on Sunday against the Blackhawks. Even if he doesn’t return to the lineup this weekend, that likely means Bennett could factor in next Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks. The feisty secondary scorer has missed all but one game this season due to separate lower-body injuries, last appearing October 30 against the Boston Bruins and playing just 7:54. The 27-year-old had 16 goals and 40 points in 63 games last season and will immediately help bolster their top six upon returning. 22-year-old Anton Lundell, who’s filled in as their second-line center in Bennett’s absence, has scored just once in 12 games.
  • Florida is also likely to get defenseman Brandon Montour back soon, with Maurice saying the two-way defender could make his season debut as early as next week. Montour, who underwent shoulder surgery following the Panthers’ run to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, was initially expected back around training camp but had his recovery timeline extended over the summer. The 29-year-old finished 12th in Norris Trophy voting last season, exploding for a career-high 73 points in 80 games and adding eight goals in 21 playoff games in Florida’s run to the Final. Florida’s defense has held up surprisingly well in his (and Aaron Ekblad’s) absence, but his return to action is still something to look forward to.
  • Another big-time defender returning to action imminently is Boston Bruins star Charlie McAvoy, who has completed his four-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and is eligible to return to the lineup Saturday against the Canadiens. McAvoy had easily been the Bruins’ best defenseman through nine games, scoring two goals and six assists with a +6 rating while averaging 23:52 per game. McAvoy’s return to the lineup, along with shutdown defender Derek Forbort’s return from injury, meant the Bruins were able to return depth defenseman Parker Wotherspoon to AHL Providence earlier today.
  • Detroit Red Wings forward Austin Czarnik will be unavailable for Saturday’s game against the Blue Jackets for undisclosed reasons, per head coach Derek Lalonde. Czarnik has made 11 appearances for the Red Wings this year but has recorded just one assist and a -3 rating in less than nine minutes per game of ice time. The 30-year-old is in the second season of a two-year, two-way deal carrying a $762.5K cap hit and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

East Notes: Jiricek, Dach, Czarnik, Mazur

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While Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek is eligible to be sent to the minors which would allow the team more time to decide whether or not they should burn the first year of his entry-level deal, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that the blueliner is expected to remain with the big club through his tenth game.  Doing so means that he would officially burn the first season of his entry-level contract.  The 19-year-old has two points in eight games so far this year in Columbus while logging a little under 14 minutes a night.  His presence on the roster means that two rearguards (Andrew Peeke and Adam Boqvist) are on the outside looking in but it appears that will be the case for the foreseeable future.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:

  • The Canadiens announced that center Kirby Dach underwent successful knee surgery today. Dach sustained a season-ending torn ACL and MCL in Montreal’s second game of the season earlier this month while playing against Chicago, his former team.  Surgery was delayed until today to allow the swelling to go down.  Dach is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp next fall.
  • CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that the Red Wings have assigned forward Austin Czarnik to AHL Grand Rapids. The 30-year-old has played in eight games this season, picking up a single assist while logging just under 10 minutes a game.  The move puts Detroit at just 18 healthy skaters which isn’t likely viable so a recall – likely Czarnik – will come in advance of Thursday’s game against Florida.  Once Czarnik plays in ten games or is on the roster for 30 days, he’ll need to clear waivers again so this transaction stops the clock on the latter counter for now.
  • Still with Detroit, the Red Wings announced that they have activated forward Carter Mazur from season-opening injured reserve and assigned him to Grand Rapids. The 21-year-old suffered a lower-body injury in the opening game of Detroit’s prospect tournament back in September.  Mazur spent most of last season in college with Denver but managed to get in six games with the Griffins down the stretch where he had six points.  Because Mazur wasn’t on Detroit’s roster last season, there was no cap charge for his SOIR placement.

Detroit Red Wings Recall Austin Czarnik, Send Down Zach Aston-Reese

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Per a team announcement, the Detroit Red Wings have recalled forward Austin Czarnik, while sending down forward Zach Aston-Reese to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Aston-Reese was recently recalled by the team in preparation for last night’s win against the Tampa Bay Lightning but ultimately did not dress.

Based on the severity of forward Robby Fabbri’s undisclosed injury, this may not be the last time that Detroit cycles through depth forwards over the coming days. Even if Czarnik does not stay with Detroit for long, the Red Wings also have forward depth such as Jonatan Berggren, Elmer Soderblom, and Taro Hirose who could see more NHL minutes in the future.

Playing on the last season of a two-year, $1.525MM contract signed with Detroit before the 2022-23 season, Czarnik has spent much of his time as a part of the Griffins during his stay with the Red Wings organization. In 43 games played last year in Grand Rapids, Czarnik would chip in 14 goals and 23 assists, as well as getting off to a hot start this season scoring two goals and one assists in the team’s first two games.

Aston-Reese, on the other hand, is much newer to the Red Wings organization, signing a one-year, $775K contract only a week ago. He did go scoreless in his first career game with the Griffins but could be a solid bottom-six player for Detroit throughout much of the season. Playing in a similar role last year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Aston-Reese would chip in 10 goals and four assists in 77 games played.

Training Camp Cuts: 10/7/23

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While teams have considerably whittled down their rosters compared to where they were just a weekend ago, there are still plenty more cuts to be made in the coming days.  Here are today’s roster trimmings excluding earlier waiver placements.

Buffalo Sabres (via team Twitter)

D Ryan Johnson (to Rochester, AHL)
F Lukas Rousek (to Rochester, AHL)

Calgary Flames (via team release)

D Nick DeSimone (to Calgary, AHL)
F Mathias Emilio Pettersen (to Calgary, AHL)
F Martin Pospisil (to Calgary, AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

G Yaniv Perets (to Norfolk, ECHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

D Marcus Bjork (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Jake Christiansen (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Joshua Dunne (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Brendan Gaunce (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Carson Meyer (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Billy Sweezey (to Cleveland, AHL)

Dallas Stars (via team Twitter)

D Alexander Petrovic (to Texas, AHL)

Detroit Red Wings (via team Twitter)

F Austin Czarnik (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Timothy Gettinger (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Taro Hirose (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
G John Lethemon (to Toledo, ECHL)
D Jared McIsaac (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Wyatt Newpower (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Brogan Rafferty (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Nolan Stevens (to Grand Rapids, AHL)

Nashville Predators (per ESPN’s John Buccigross)

D Marc Del Gaizo (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (via team Twitter)

D Santeri Hatakka (to Utica, AHL)
G Isaac Poulter (to Utica, AHL)

New York Rangers (per team Twitter)

F Jonny Brodzinski (to Hartford, AHL)
D Ben Harpur (to Hartford, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (via team Twitter)

F Wade Allison (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

San Jose Sharks (via team Twitter)

F Ryan Carpenter (to San Jose, AHL)
F Oskar Lindblom (to San Jose, AHL)
F Quentin Musty (to Sudbury, OHL)
F Jacob Peterson (to San Jose, AHL)

Seattle Kraken (per team Twitter)

D Ryker Evans (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Shane Wright (to Coachella Valley, AHL)

Washington Capitals (per team Twitter)

F Nicolas Aube-Kubel (to Hershey, AHL)
G Mitchell Gibson (to Hershey, AHL)
F Alex Limoges (to Hershey, AHL)
D Dylan McIlrath (to Hershey, AHL)
F Joe Snively (to Hershey, AHL)
F Michael Sgarbossa (to Hershey, AHL)
G Hunter Shepard (to Hershey, AHL)

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Detroit Red Wings Recall Austin Czarnik, Simon Edvinsson

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The Detroit Red Wings recalled center Austin Czarnik and defenseman Simon Edvinsson from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins today under emergency conditions, as announced in a team release.

This is Edvinsson’s first recall to the NHL, and it could mean the 2021 sixth-overall pick makes his NHL debut over the weekend. He takes the place of Ben Chiarot on the roster, who is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

The 20-year-old Edvinsson has five goals, 27 points, and a -3 rating with the Griffins this season, his first in North America. Detroit inked him to an entry-level contract at the end of last season after Edvinsson broke into professional hockey full-time with Frölunda HC of the SHL.

Czarnik returns to Detroit after the team returned him to Grand Rapids earlier in the week. The diminutive, versatile forward has two goals and an assist in 15 appearances with the Red Wings this season. He will likely center the fourth line between Adam Erne and Alex Chiasson in tomorrow’s game against Colorado.

While a late-season slide unfortunately took Detroit out of the playoff picture just as the deadline approached, the benefits of selling can be seen here for a young team. Getting Edvinsson into some NHL games down the stretch could go a long way toward creating an NHL-ready player for next season.

Minor Moves: Red Wings, Bruins, Kraken, Coyotes, Panthers

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This morning, the Detroit Red Wings assigned Matt Luff and Austin Czarnik to the AHL, as they await a game later this week. The Red Wings don’t play again until Saturday afternoon against the Colorado Avalanche, giving them a chance to save some money in the meantime.

Here are some other minor moves from around the league today:

  • The Boston Bruins have recalled Jakub Lauko under emergency conditions, after sending him down yesterday. Lauko hasn’t played since March 2 and has just 12 appearances this season, but has been bounced back and forth between leagues whenever the team is dealing with injuries. Through those 12 matches, he has five points in his first taste of NHL action.
  • The Seattle Kraken have recalled John Hayden from the AHL, as they hit the road for a game in San Jose tomorrow night. The Kraken are coming off consecutive losses to the Dallas Stars and have now slipped below the Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division playoff race. Hayden, 28, has just two points in five NHL games this year.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have reassigned forward Bokondji Imama to their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. The 26-year-old is an alternate captain for the Coyotes’ farm team, where he has provided hard-working physical play and 12 points of offense at that level. He’s played the last two games for the Coyotes, seeing time in both of the team’s consecutive overtime wins.
  • The Florida Panthers have swapped goalies on their NHL roster, sending down 2022 Calder Cup Champion Alex Lyon in favor of rookie Mack Guzda. The move allows the team’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, to get the more experienced goaltender as they look to clinch a spot in the Calder Cup playoffs.

Detroit Red Wings Recall Austin Czarnik On Emergency Basis

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The Detroit Red Wings have announced that forward Austin Czarnik has been recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, on an emergency basis.

The move comes as Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri looks set to miss time due to an injury. Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde told the media today that Fabbri would miss Detroit’s game against the Boston Bruins, but remained “fairly optimistic” that Fabbri will eventually return this season.

Czarnik, 30, has spent most of this season in AHL Grand Rapids, where he has played well as a leading scorer for the team. He’s a veteran of over 150 NHL games, and while he’s scored just three points in 12 games this season, he can typically be counted on to give some competent depth minutes to a team in a pinch.

Czarnik last appeared in the NHL in December, with his most recent game coming on a December 19th loss to the Washington Capitals. While it’s unclear if Czarnik will directly replace Fabbri’s spot in the Red Wings’ lineup, he will give Lalonde another option to work with as he looks to stay afloat in a highly-competitive Eastern Conference.

Five Players Clear Waivers

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Dec 19: All five players have cleared waivers. Soshnikov and Zhuravlyov will have their contracts terminated.

Dec 18: Considering the amount of roster moves taking place today in advance of tomorrow’s roster freeze, it’s no surprise to see a crowded waiver wire this afternoon. As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman writes, Craig Smith (BOS), Austin Czarnik (DET), Jason Demers (EDM), Nikita Soshnikov (NYI), and Danil Zhuravlyov (COL) have all been placed on waivers.

Soshnikov and Zhuravlyov have both been placed on waivers for the purposes of contract termination, meaning that if they clear, they will be released by their organizations. As reported earlier, Demers is on waivers after signing an NHL contract with the Edmonton Oilers today, though little will change if he’s not claimed as he’s been playing with their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, this season. Lukas Sedlak, who was placed on unconditional waivers yesterday, has cleared.

Zhuravlyov, 22, was a fifth-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche back in 2018 but only came to North America this year, joining the Colorado Eagles. In that time, the defenseman has played in 14 games and while it hasn’t exactly been a resounding success, recording just an assist in that time, it was far from a poor performance for the developing blueliner. It’s unclear what the next step would be should he clear, but perhaps an opportunity closer to home could be available. Zhuravlyov spent the previous three seasons with AK Bars in the KHL.

Soshnikov, who had just returned to North America after a three year stint in the KHL, had made the New York Islanders roster out of training camp, however he had seen rather limited playing time before being placed on waivers and sent down in mid-November, getting into just three games on the Island. Like Sedlak and Zhuravlyov, perhaps an opportunity closer to home is on the table for Soshnikov, though nothing’s confirmed for the latter two.

Czarnik is no stranger to the waiver wire himself, claimed twice last season, once by the Seattle Kraken from the Islanders, then again by the Islanders from the Kraken. The forward signed with the Detroit Red Wings this season, placed on waivers just prior to the start of the regular season, and now finds himself on the wire for the fourth time in roughly 10 months. Known as a solid depth option wherever he goes, the 30-year-old Czarnik has three points in 11 NHL games this season to go with an impressive 14 points in 12 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s AHL affiliate.

Perhaps the most intriguing name on this list is Smith. A veteran of 12 NHL seasons, the forward is in the final year of a three-year, $3.1MM AAV contract he signed with the Boston Bruins prior to the 2020-21 season. The 33-year-old has struggled to start this season with just four points in 17 games, playing just 9:51 per night, far less than his career 14:44 average. By placing him on waivers, it’s likely the Bruins, who are operating right along the edge of the salary cap ceiling will be hoping Smith is claimed, relieving them from his cap hit.

Given the Bruins impeccable start to this season and the possibility of their competitive window closing shortly, considering Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci’s age and David Pastrnak’s uncertain contract status, one would think the team will be looking to make a splash at or before the trade deadline. Having Smith claimed isn’t the be-all-end-all of making a big acquisition, but would get the ball rolling in Boston, or at the very least, allow them to hand off his cap hit without having to give up an asset to do so.

Detroit Red Wings Place Tyler Bertuzzi On Injured Reserve

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Dec 2: Bertuzzi underwent successful surgery this morning and will be out for six weeks.

Dec 1: Despite being activated less than a month ago, Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi is headed back to the injured reserve list. Detroit announced today that they have placed their star forward on injured reserve.

In a corresponding move, they have recalled forward Austin Czarnik from their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.

This is not Bertuzzi’s first run-in with injury struggles. A back injury caused Bertuzzi to miss most of the 2020-21 season. Earlier this year, Bertuzzi was sidelined with a broken hand, one that he sustained after just two games played.

During Wednesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, Bertuzzi’s left hand was struck by a point shot from teammate Ben Chiarot. It’s another moment of poor luck for the 27-year-old power forward, and one that will come as bad news for the Red Wings overall.

When healthy, Bertuzzi is an important part of Detroit’s offensive attack. He scored 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games last season and has four points in nine games so far this year.

Bertuzzi’s replacement on the roster, Czarnik, is also a centerpiece offensive contributor, albeit for AHL Grand Rapids. So far this year Czarnik has 14 points in 12 AHL games, and he has 46 points in 146 career NHL games.

With Bertuzzi out of the picture, Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde will have to decide whether to deploy Czarnik in Bertuzzi’s vacated spot on Michael Rasmussen and David Perron’s line or to give that opportunity to someone lower on the depth chart.

Despite their injury troubles, the Red Wings are off to a strong start this season and will look to weather Bertuzzi’s absence as they build toward a possible playoff berth.

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