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Filip Gustavsson

Senators Add Several To COVID Protocol

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Dec 27: Less than a week later the Senators have added Anton Forsberg to the protocol, leaving the team without any active goaltenders on the roster. With postponements already announced yesterday, the team is not scheduled to play again until Friday.

Dec 21: The Ottawa Senators have added goaltender Filip Gustavsson, head coach D.J. Smith, video coach Mike King and three members of the team’s support staff to the COVID protocol. While the team is doesn’t have any games left this week, absences like this could leak over into the post-holiday schedule.

While Smith’s availability is obviously important, it’s Gustavsson’s placement that might be the most disappointing. The young netminder certainly doesn’t need to miss any time during this crucial development season, his first with regular playing time in the NHL.

With him out, it will be interesting to see if Matt Murray gets the call back to the NHL, something the Senators had promised would eventually happen after he was sent down earlier this season. Murray has a .918 save percentage in the minor leagues, but it’s been in only two appearances as he has dealt with injuries.

The Senators already dealt with a serious outbreak earlier this season, hopefully, this one will remain contained to just a few people.

Matt Murray Will Play Again For Ottawa

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The Matt Murray era has been an unmitigated disaster in Ottawa. Since the Senators gave up a second-round pick and prospect Jonathan Gruden to acquire the up-and-down netminder from the Pittsburgh Penguins before the 2020-21 season and signed him to an unsubstantiated four-year, $25MM contract, they have seen almost all down and no up. Murray has a 10-18-1 record with an .892 save percentage and 3.35 GAA, easily the worst numbers of his career.  The Senators ran out of patience with their overpriced and underperforming starter last week, placing Murray on waivers and, after he unsurprisingly cleared, reassigned him to the AHL’s Belleville Senators. It seemed like it could be the beginning of the end of a troubled relationship between team and player.

Yet, Pierre Dorion feels otherwise. The Ottawa GM made it clear when speaking with the media on Saturday that that Senators are not done with Murray. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that Dorion stated definitively that Murray will play for the Senators again and Dorion expects that to come at some point this season. “He’s just got to find his game, not be under the NHL microscope,” Dorion said. “At some point in time he’ll be back with Ottawa.” Dorion added that Murray has had factors working against him during his time in Ottawa, including injuries and a change in goaltending coach, but that the team remains confident that he can return to form and re-gain a role on the NHL roster.

Seeing as the Senators don’t need the cap savings afforded by having Murray in the minors nor will they part ways with trade capital to move Murray, it does seem likely that the veteran netminder will play out his contract in Ottawa barring a buyout or mutual termination or a major shift in the status quo of his trade value. However, that does not mean that Murray’s welfare needs to take precedence for the rebuilding Senators. Murray’s replacement on the NHL roster is Filip Gustavsson and the well-regarded 23-year-old is much more important to Ottawa’s future than is Murray, as evidenced by the club’s decision to protect the former over the latter in the Seattle Expansion Draft this past summer. With Anton Forsberg playing well and NHL experience of vital importance to potential future starter Gustavsson, why rush Murray back this season? What is more is that Ottawa also has several other impressive prospects pushing their way through the system, such as Mads Sogaard and Kevin Mandolese, who could also come into play next season and beyond and would seemingly be of greater importance than trying to force Murray to perform in the NHL. Unless Murray, at one point a budding star with an incredible postseason resume, can greatly improve his play – first in the AHL and then consistently in the NHL – Dorion and company should be careful not to confuse the priorities of a rebuilding team.

Victor Mete Added To COVID Protocol

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When Victor Mete wasn’t on the ice this morning with the Ottawa Senators, it raised concerns over whether he too would be ruled out. The Senators have made it official, placing Mete in the COVID protocol for the time being. With his roster spot, Ottawa has recalled Filip Gustavsson from the AHL. Anton Forsberg will not be able to dress for tonight’s game because of a non-COVID illness.

Mete joins Austin Watson, Nick Holden, Connor Brown, Dylan Gambrell, and assistant coach Jack Capuano in the protocol, leaving them very shorthanded for tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins. Young players like Egor Sokolov are getting an opportunity because of the absences, but this isn’t exactly how the team hoped to be operating a month into the season. The group is already without Shane Pinto, Clark Bishop, and Colin White due to injury, meaning tonight will see a forward group that includes just a handful of players from their expected roster.

The Senators have lost four games in a row and now sit just one point out of last place in the Atlantic Division. There have been flashes of hope throughout the lineup, but overall the team hasn’t been able to take the next step in their rebuild.

Mete’s status has not been confirmed at this time, but he’s currently out indefinitely. Young defender Erik Brannstrom is expected to be back in the lineup for the first time this season, after being sent back to the AHL to start the year.

Ottawa Senators Assign Filip Gustavsson To AHL

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Per the Ottawa Senators communications department, the team re-assigned goalie Filip Gustavsson to the AHL’s Belleville Senators on Sunday.

The Senators have largely operated with a trio of netminders this season as starter Matt Murray’s health has been an issue at multiple points already so far in the season. But as he returns to full health, the team has opted to send Gustavsson, who does not require waivers, to Belleville.

It’s worth noting that the team currently has an active roster of 22 players and could indeed carry a third goalie as a healthy scratch.

Gustavsson has performed the best out of Ottawa’s three netminders this season with a .911 save percentage through five games played. Neither Murray’s or Anton Forsberg’s save percentage eclipses the .900 mark.

While many believe that the 23-year-old Swede has played himself into a backup or even starting role with Ottawa, the organization continues to value the positional depth, not willing to expose Forsberg to waivers in order to assign him to Belleville.

It’s highly likely that Gustavsson will return to the Ottawa roster at some point this season as he continues what’s been a strong development path since arriving in the Ottawa Senators organization.

Minor Transactions: 10/24/21

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It’s been a busy day across the hockey world as leagues elsewhere adjust their rosters. Moves at the NHL level can have ripple effects everywhere else, especially in North America in the AHL and ECHL. Here’s a list of today’s minor transactions from across the hockey world.

  • The Belleville Senators brought up goalie Tyler Parks from the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators today in place of Filip Gustavsson, who was brought up to the big club in Ottawa. Parks, a 29-year-old undrafted netminder from Missouri, has a .885 save percentage in a single loss with Atlanta this year. Parks is somewhat of a late bloomer but performed well during his most recent AHL stint, posting a 2-1-2 record and .920 save percentage with the Tucson Roadrunners in 2019-20.
  • The Colorado Eagles reassigned former Avalanche prospect Luka Burzan to the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies today. Burzan was a sixth-round draft pick of the team in 2019, but let his rights expire this offseason. Burzan chose to stay in the organization, but for now, he’ll likely make his ECHL debut this season. He posted four points in 14 games last year with the Eagles.

Brady Tkachuk To Make Season Debut On Thursday

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Winger Brady Tkachuk will make his season debut for the Ottawa Senators on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks, Senators head coach D.J. Smith confirms.

The Senators have a three-day break ahead of them after playing three games in four nights to open the season. Without their best forward in the lineup, the team impressed, starting the season off 2-1-0.

Tkachuk’s season debut will come at home after appearing in street clothes during the team’s season opener last Thursday at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs to a standing ovation. The Senators signed Tkachuk to a seven-year, $57.5MM contract earlier on that Thursday.

He’ll undoubtedly get slotted on the team’s first line in his return, reuniting as a trio with Josh Norris and Drake Batherson. That line impressed all last season in its first year of existence, seeing its members score 17 goals apiece and at least 30 points apiece in a shortened 56-game season.

The team has risen to its 2-1-0 start largely due to the impressive play of Anton Forsberg and Filip Gustavsson in the net. Despite that record, the Senators have scored only seven goals in their first three games, averaging 2.33 per contest. Tkachuk’s infusion into the lineup and the depth advantage that it provides will undoubtedly go a long way towards boosting those numbers.

Training Camp Cuts: 10/10/21

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A variety of final or close-to-final cuts will be made to rosters today, as opening-night rosters are due tomorrow. Here are today’s training camp cuts:

Buffalo Sabres (via team Tweet):

F Brandon Biro (to Rochester, AHL)
D Casey Fitzgerald (to Rochester, AHL)

Calgary Flames (via The Athletic’s Hailey Salvian):

F Walker Duehr (to Stockton, AHL)
F Byron Froese (to Stockton, AHL)
F Justin Kirkland (to Stockton, AHL)
D Connor Mackey (to Stockton, AHL)
G Adam Werner (to Stockton, AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (via team release):

D Joey Keane (to Chicago, AHL)
G Alex Lyon (to Chicago, AHL)
F Ryan Suzuki (to Chicago, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (via NBC Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis):

F Alexander Nylander (to Rockford, AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (via team release):

D Gavin Bayreuther (to Cleveland, AHL)
*D Gabriel Carlsson (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Justin Danforth (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Liam Foudy (to Cleveland, AHL)
*D Mikko Lehtonen (to Cleveland, AHL)
*F Kevin Stenlund (to Cleveland, AHL)
G Daniil Tarasov (to Cleveland, AHL)

Dallas Stars (via team release):

D Dawson Barteaux (to Texas, AHL)
F Mavrik Bourque (to Shawinigan, QMJHL)
D Joseph Cecconi (to Texas, AHL)
F Tye Felhaber (to Texas, AHL)
D Thomas Harley (to Texas, AHL)
F Jordan Kawaguchi (to Texas, AHL)
D Ryan Shea (to Texas, AHL)
F Riley Tufte (to Texas, AHL)

Detroit Red Wings (via team Tweet):

G Calvin Pickard (to Grand Rapids, AHL)

Edmonton Oilers (via team release):

G Stuart Skinner (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Nashville Predators (via team Tweet):

F Egor Afanasyev (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jeremy Davies (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (via The Athletic’s Corey Masisak):

F Jesper Boqvist (to Utica, AHL)
*F Frederik Gauthier (to Utica, AHL)
G Akira Schmid (to Utica, AHL)

Ottawa Senators (via team Tweet):

G Filip Gustavsson (to Belleville, AHL)

San Jose Sharks (via team Tweet):

F Dylan Gambrell (to San Jose, AHL)

St. Louis Blues (via The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford):

F Logan Brown (to Springfield, AHL)
F Mackenzie MacEachern (to Springfield, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (via team release):

*F Justin Bailey (to Abbotsford, AHL)
*D Madison Bowey (to Abbotsford, AHL)
*F Phillip Di Giuseppe (to Abbotsford, AHL)
*D Travis Hamonic (to Abbotsford, AHL)

Washington Capitals (via team Tweet):

*G Zach Fucale (to Hershey, AHL)
*F Garrett Pilon (to Hershey, AHL)

Winnipeg Jets (via team release):

F David Gustafsson (to Manitoba, AHL)
*D Nelson Nogier (to Manitoba, AHL)
*F Dominic Toninato (to Manitoba, AHL)

* – Player must clear waivers prior to assignment

Atlantic Notes: Cozens, Seider, Sogaard

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With the never-ending rumors of Jack Eichel’s eventual trade on top of the departures of several other core Sabres this summer, its fair to wonder who will fill the leadership vacuum in Buffalo. However, young standout Dylan Cozens is more than ready to take on that role. Appearing on WGR 550 in Buffalo, the 2019 seventh overall pick stated that he is confident in his ability to lead this next generation of Sabres. “I think definitely I could go out and be a leader on this team,” Cozens said. “Just by the way I play, leading by example and being a voice in the room. I think it’s something I’m ready to do. I want to lead by example and be a guy that guys can look to if they need anything or look to to inspire them. That’s what I’ve always been growing up – the guy that wants to lead and do things the right way.” Part of what makes Cozens a great candidate to lead Buffalo for years to come is an optimism that has been missing from other core members through a dark stretch for the franchise. “I think that we’re going to surprise a lot of people this year,” Cozens believes. “Everyone’s doubting us because we’re a young team, but if you look at the second half of last season, we were beating those veteran teams. So I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people and we’re going to have a good year.”

    • The Detroit Red Wings are looking forward to prodigious defenseman Moritz Seider developing into a leader for their club in the future. Yet, he was nowhere to be found on the team’s roster for the upcoming Traverse City Prospects Tournament. However, Red Wings Director of Player Development Shawn Horcoff tells The Athletic’s Max Bultman that this is actually an endorsement of Seider’s position in the organization rather than an indictment. Although Seider has yet to see any NHL action, Detroit is so confident in his ability to make the roster this season that they did not feel they needed to use a roster spot on him in the development tournament. “With Moritz, he’s played two years of pro now – he spent a full year in Grand Rapids, spent a full year over in Europe playing,” Horcoff explained. “Frankly, there’s some younger players that we wanted to see on the (Traverse City Tournament) roster and we just wanted to make sure that Mo was ready to go for main camp.” Fear not, Wings fans; the team clearly has no concerns about their top prospect stepping into the NHL lineup and making an impact this year.
    • The Ottawa Senators could face a difficult decision with young goaltender Mads Sogaard this season. As Bruce Garrioch details for the Ottawa Sun, the impressive prospect keeper could very well be in line for a roster spot at the Olympics for Team Denmark, making their first men’s hockey appearance at the Winter Games. Sogaard served as the team’s backup in qualifying tournaments this summer and while the those contests were played without presumptive starter, the Carolina Hurricanes’ Frederik Andersen, Sogaard is still likely to be the Danes’ first choice at third-string behind Andersen and qualifying starter Sebastian Dahm. The problem is that the AHL does not have an Olympic break like the NHL. While Ottawa’s players will have full flexibility to attend the Games if selected, Belleville’s may not. Garrioch points out that the farm team has ten games during the NHL’s Olympic break and, depending on how the organization’s goalie depth plays out this season, that could be a number of missed starts for Sogaard and a detriment to Belleville as well. The massive 6’7″ keeper had a strong first pro season last year and if fellow promising youngster Filip Gustavsson cracks the Ottawa roster, Sogaard could be the starter for Belleville. Will the Senators allow him to leave the team for an extended period in order to ride the bench for his country?

Ottawa Senators Sign Filip Gustavsson

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6:00 PM: The Senators have officially announced the signing.  GM Pierre Dorion released the following statement about his young netminder:

We were very pleased with Filip’s performance last season. After spending the early part of the year playing in Sweden, it was evident to us that he is committed to continually improve his overall game. He’s someone we regard as a high-end talent and we’re looking forward to seeing his progress in 2021-22.

4:59 PM: The Ottawa Senators have inked young goaltender Filip Gustavsson to a two-year contract according to CapFriendly. The deal will be two-way in 2021-22, paying him $750K at the NHL level and $125K in the AHL before turning to a one-way, $825K contract in 2022-22. That means Gustavsson’s new average annual value and cap hit are set at $787,500 moving forward.

Acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of a three-way deadline deal in 2018, Gustavsson represents the future of the Senators’ crease. Though the team has Matt Murray locked up at a high price for the next three years, it was Gustavsson who was most impressive this season and subsequently protected in the recent Seattle Kraken expansion draft.

Though he played just nine games, the 23-year-old netminder posted a 5-1-2 record and a .933 save percentage for the Senators, showing that he’s already ready for an NHL role of some sort. Whether that comes this season is actually not clear though, as the team obviously has Murray installed and signed Anton Forsberg to a one-year deal in May.

One of the biggest things in Gustavsson’s favor is actually the fact that the Kraken selected Joey Daccord through expansion, taking one of the organization’s other young goaltenders out of the picture. It’s still a crowded depth chart though, with three other young netminders signed to their entry-level deals. Daccord was the only one anywhere near the NHL level though, meaning with him gone it’s just Gustavsson if the team wants to make a switch at some point.

The fact that Senators GM Pierre Dorion got him to agree to a second year seems like a big win, as there’s no doubt he’ll be ready to at least serve as a backup in 2022-23. That means the team has already secured a cheap complementary piece to Murray, or even potentially a new starting option if the veteran continues to struggle. Murray has posted a save percentage under .900 in each of the last two seasons, including a dreadful .893 mark in 2020-21 with Ottawa. If that number doesn’t improve, there’s no way the Senators can realistically take a step forward in their rebuild without handing the crease to someone else. The waiver-exempt Gustavsson will certainly be waiting for his next opportunity and he may not give it back if he’s given the chance.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

North Notes: Hamonic, Maple Leafs, Gustavsson

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Going back to his time with the Islanders, Canucks defenseman Travis Hamonic has wanted to play in Western Canada.  At the trade deadline this year, it’s believed that he vetoed a trade as he wanted to stay close to home.  However, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link), the 30-year-old is willing to consider all options around the league this time around as he heads for unrestricted free agency again next month.  Hamonic isn’t going to put up many points (he last surpassed the 20-point plateau in 2015-16) but he has a reputation as a sound stay-at-home defender that can play top-four minutes.  His location limitations hurt his market last fall which resulted in a one-year, $1.25MM pact but with him being open to more teams now, he may be able to beat that this time around.

More from the North Division:

  • With Toronto facing significant cap challenges with their four high-paid forwards, it would stand to reason that they shouldn’t be going after a high-priced free agent. However, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox posits that the Maple Leafs should at least consider taking a run at Carolina blueliner Dougie Hamilton, who has permission to speak to other teams about a contract.  Such a move would require at least one significant contract coming off the books – perhaps Morgan Rielly – but Fox notes that they kicked the tires on Alex Pietrangelo last fall which suggests that GM Kyle Dubas may be willing to ponder a big swing again.
  • The Senators appear to be leaning towards protecting Filip Gustavsson over Joey Daccord for their protected goaltender from Seattle in expansion, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. While the 23-year-old doesn’t have great AHL numbers (a 3.20 GAA with a .894 SV% in 75 games), the pending restricted free agent certainly impressed in a late-season run with Ottawa with a 2.16 GAA and a .933 SV% in nine appearances.  Daccord, meanwhile, has better career numbers in the minors but hasn’t had much NHL success and posted a 3.27 GAA and a .897 SV% in eight games this season.  He has one year left on his deal at the league-minimum $750K.

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