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Matt Murray (b. 1994)

Alex Formenton, Matt Murray, Nikita Zaitsev Placed In COVID Protocol

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5:27 pm: Per the Senators’ communications team, defenseman Nikita Zaitsev has also been placed in COVID-19 protocol just a half-hour ahead of Thursday’s game. Lassi Thomson will make his NHL debut tonight in place of Zaitsev.

9:35 am: Another day, another pair of unavailable players for the Ottawa Senators. The team has announced that Alex Formenton and Matt Murray have been placed in the COVID protocol. Andrew Agozzino, Dillon Heatherington, and Lassi Thomson have all been recalled from the AHL as tonight’s game is still currently scheduled to proceed.

Formenton and Murray join a growing list of players in the protocol for Ottawa, which also includes Connor Brown, Victor Mete, Austin Watson, Nick Holden, Dylan Gambrell, Josh Brown, and assistant coach Jack Capuano. That is a huge chunk of the team, including several important pieces. The Senators are scheduled to play the Los Angeles Kings this evening, before welcoming in the Pittsburgh Penguins and Calgary Flames for a back-to-back over the weekend.

The team did not confirm whether Formenton and Murray tested positive, only that they have been entered into the protocol.

In terms of call-ups, Thomson is certainly an interesting one given his experience to this point. The 21-year-old defenseman has yet to play a game at the NHL level, but is showing well in the minor leagues. Selected 19th overall in 2019, he has two points in six games with the Belleville Senators this season.

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: 10/31/31

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It’s a slow news Sunday at the NHL level, save for a slew of COVID-19-protocol-related absences, but that doesn’t mean there’s no movement at any level of the hockey world. Keep up with a list of today’s minor transactions right here:

  • The AHL’s Belleville Senators have returned netminder Tyler Parks to the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators, per the Senators’ Twitter. Parks was called up to the Senators as the Ottawa Senators organization faced some goalie injuries, including Matt Murray at the NHL level and Mads Sogaard at the AHL level. As Sogaard is healthy and Murray is close to returning, Belleville has a full goalie roster once again and Parks is the odd man out. Parks didn’t make an appearance with Belleville during his callup.
  • The ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets have loaned defenseman Matt Murphy to Belleville, as listed on the ECHL’s transactions page. The 26-year-old Murphy was a Memorial Cup champion in 2013 with the Halifax Mooseheads, his second year in the CHL. After a solid college career with the University of New Brunswick, Murphy is now a reigning Kelly Cup champion with the Komets. In a brief AHL loan last year, Murphy had an assist in two games with the Chicago Wolves.
  • Per ECHL Week, the Rapid City Rush claimed forward Brett Gravelle off waivers from the Iowa Heartlanders today. A 25-year-old native of Forest Lake, Minnesota, Gravelle is playing in his first season of ECHL hockey. He had a three-point game in his only appearance with Iowa, a promising sign after similarly successful stints at lower levels of professional hockey.

Injury Notes: Klingberg, Senators, Dowd

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It looks like the Dallas Stars will receive a huge boost for their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night in the form of a healthy John Klingberg. Head coach Rick Bowness said Sunday morning that Klingberg “should” return, but that the team won’t have full confirmation until tomorrow. The 29-year-old defenseman was injured in the team’s season opener and missed the succeeding four games, playing just 10:21 before suffering a lower-body injury. He’ll look to provide a boost with his offensive instincts to a team that’s scored just ten goals through their first five games.

More injury notes from around the league:

  • There’s some updates on the injury front in Ottawa, as TSN reports goalie Matt Murray has been moved to injured reserve with a neck injury after being run into by the Rangers’ Chris Kreider on Saturday afternoon. He’ll miss at least the next ten days. It also appears center Shane Pinto will be out for a shorter term than expected, as head coach D.J. Smith he’s only expected to be absent for a week or two. A prompt return would be a good break for both him and the team, as Pinto had begun to impress in a top-six role.
  • Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette says the status of Nic Dowd for the team’s one-game road trip to Ottawa on Monday night is in question. Dowd is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He played in all of the team’s overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday, so even if he does miss that contest, it doesn’t appear he’ll be out for any sort of term. The native of Huntsville, Alabama has one goal in five games this season.

Atlantic Notes: Weber, Murray, Tkachuk, Mrazek

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The NHL has permitted the Canadiens to place defenseman Shea Weber on LTIR, reports Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic in the latest Insider Trading segment.  Shortly following the playoffs, Montreal announced Weber would not play at all this season and may not play again but there were reports that the league wanted to take a closer look at his case since he was able to play for the entirety of the playoffs.  To that end, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told LeBrun that “We are not currently challenging that Shea Weber satisfied the CBA requirements necessary to qualify for LTI”, allowing for the possibility for them to re-evaluate the situation later on.  Montreal will need to make use of Weber’s LTIR assuming goaltender Carey Price returns at some point this season.

More from the Atlantic Division:

  • Senators winger Brady Tkachuk has been ruled out of Saturday’s contest against Toronto, relays Postmedia’s Ken Warren. However, he’s expected to make his season debut either Sunday against Dallas or Thursday against San Jose.  Tkachuk signed his seven-year deal yesterday and will need some time to get up to speed before suiting up.
  • Still with Ottawa, the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve moved goaltender Matt Murray to injured reserve retroactive to October 12th. He has been dealing with a non-COVID-related illness that caused him to miss the opener and now it will keep him out through the weekend at the very least.  The retroactive placement makes him eligible to be activated for Thursday’s contest.
  • Given the fact that groin injuries can be longer-term than expected, Chris Johnston of the Toronto Star suggested in a recent appearance on TSN 1050 (audio link) that it’s unlikely that Maple Leafs goaltender Petr Mrazek will return in the near future. He left Thursday’s game against Ottawa due to the injury.  It sounds likely that a stint on IR is forthcoming which means they will need to call a goalie up from the minors, likely veteran Michael Hutchinson.

Senators Notes: Chabot, Brown, Murray, Prospects

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Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left Monday’s game against Winnipeg due to an upper-body injury.  Head coach D.J. Smith told reporters today, including Ian Mendes of The Athletic (Twitter link) that it’s unlikely that Chabot will return this season.  While the injury isn’t believed to be serious, Ottawa has been eliminated from playoff contention so there isn’t a lot to play for.  Chabot had been weighing the idea of playing at the upcoming World Championships but his presence there may be in jeopardy.

Smith also indicated that blueliner Josh Brown is likely to miss the final four games as well due to an undisclosed injury.  His first season with the Senators will end on a quiet note as the former Florida defender had just a single assist along with 30 PIMS in 26 games this season.

More from Ottawa:

  • While Matt Murray was expected to be their goalie of the future when they acquired him from Pittsburgh last summer, Postmedia’s Ken Warren suggests that at this point, it’s unlikely that he will be protected from Seattle in expansion this summer. With both Filip Gustavsson and Joey Daccord also requiring protection and showing some promise in limited action this season, he posits that one of them will be held back from the Kraken with the expectation that Murray’s deal – which carries a $6.25MM AAV through 2023-24 – will be too expensive for them to willingly take on.
  • Prospects Ridly Greig and Roby Jarventie are currently quarantining in Belleville and will see some AHL action down the stretch, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. Greig, a first-round pick last year, got a brief look in the minors at the start of the season before having to return to the WHL where he had 10 goals and 22 assists in 21 games with Brandon.  As for Jarventie, the 33rd pick last year recently signed his entry-level deal and had 14 goals and 11 assists in 48 games with Ilves of the SM-liiga this season.

North Notes: Senators Goalies, Scheifele, Oilers

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The Ottawa Senators seem to be running short on goaltenders. That became apparent Saturday when scheduled starter Anton Forsberg suffered an injury during warmups, forcing Matt Murray into net against the Canucks. However, Murray got tangled up with Jake Virtanen early in the second period and was forced to leave the game himself, leaving Marcus Hogberg as the only remaining goaltender.

In a unusual scare, Hogberg and Nikita Zaitsev collided within 10 seconds of Hogberg’s appearance in the game, scaring the coaching staff. Hogberg was OK and finished out the game, but with no emergency backup goalie in place due to COVID-19 restrictions, who would have taken Hogberg’s place had he been injured?

The Athletic’s Ian Mendes (subscription required) writes that while the team did consider goaltending coach Zac Bierk, but the team settled on putting the pads on Artem Anisimov, who was on the taxi squad, instead.

Murray is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

  • Much of the Winnipeg Jets season could find itself in the reaction of center Mark Scheifele, who was benched in the middle of Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Scheifele was benched for 17 minutes during the second and third periods while being on the ice during John Tavares’ goal, which gave the Maple Leafs a two-goal advantage. Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe writes that the team needs Scheifele to be at his best and the benching on national TV was meant to make a point. However, it is up to Scheifele and how he will respond. He was given a chance to return to the ice in the third period and performed well, according to Wiebe, although the star did not speak to the press after the game.
  • Edmonton Oilers head coach Dave Tippett said that defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is expected to make his Oilers’ debut on Monday, according to Sportsnet’s Jack Michaels. Kulikov was acquired at the trade deadline for a conditional 2021 fourth-round pick and has sat out the mandatory quarantine period. Tippett added that rookie Ryan McLeod has also completed his quarantine period since being recalled from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. The coach said McLeod was likely to play on Monday as well at the center position. The 21-year-old had 14 goals and 28 points in 28 AHL contests.

North Notes: Maple Leafs, Holloway, Senators Goalies

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For the past several weeks, the belief has been that the Maple Leafs would be targeting a top-six winger upgrade.  However, GM Kyle Dubas told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription link) that Alex Galchenyuk’s performance so far has reduced the urgency to make such a move.  The 27-year-old has a goal and three assists in nine games with Toronto and will require waivers to go back to the taxi squad once he suits up again.  Their cap situation is well-known – they’re pretty close to needing to match money in whatever moves they try to make – so it would definitely help if Galchenyuk can hold down that spot on the second line.

Dubas also indicated that he’s hopeful to have more information regarding Frederik Andersen’s availability over the next few days and that he expects that the Maple Leafs won’t have to make a move to bring in any extra goaltending depth.

More from the North Division:

  • In an interview with Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (subscription link) Oilers GM Ken Holland indicated that they have told top prospect Dylan Holloway that they would like him to turn pro. However, with his broken thumb, he’s still several weeks away from being available to play so that decision can be deferred for a while.  The 19-year-old had a very strong sophomore year at Wisconsin with 11 goals and 24 assists in just 23 games and if he’s healthy and willing to turn pro, he could be an interesting addition to Edmonton down the stretch.
  • The Senators could be getting their goalie tandem back soon. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch notes that both Marcus Hogberg and Matt Murray are skating and nearing returns; Hogberg has been out since mid-February while Murray was injured in the pregame warmup back on March 14th.  Anton Forsberg and Filip Gustavsson have served as the goalies in recent weeks and while the latter is waiver-exempt, Forsberg could once again find himself in the third-string reserve role that he has held for most of the season.

North Notes: Toronto Goalies, Sanderson, Ottawa Injuries, Canucks

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The Maple Leafs have ruled out goaltender Frederik Andersen from the Western leg of their road trip, notes Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun.  That means he will miss at least the next three games with head coach Sheldon Keefe indicating that the netminder will be re-evaluated after that.  Andersen continues to deal with the same lower-body issue that sidelined him in late February and resulted in some struggles upon his return which resulted in him missing time again.  That’s not an ideal spot to be in with a starting goalie.

To that end, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted in a segment on WGR 550 (audio link) that Toronto has spoken to Buffalo about Linus Ullmark.  The Sabres netminder is a pending UFA and would certainly be a viable replacement if Andersen was to miss extended time.  Friedman was quick to classify the talks as simply due diligence at this point and with the Maple Leafs having minimal cap space, they’d be hard-pressed to do a deal unless Andersen was to basically be out for the rest of the regular season.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • While the Senators have signed two of their top prospects this week, they won’t be doing the same with Jake Sanderson. The defenseman confirmed to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald that he will return to North Dakota for his sophomore season.  The 18-year-old was the fifth-overall pick back in October and fared quite well with 15 points in 22 games while playing a big role for Team USA at the World Juniors.
  • Still with Ottawa, head coach D.J. Smith indicated in his press briefing today (video link) that winger Micheal Haley is out for the rest of the season due to his groin injury. Meanwhile, while Matt Murray was activated from injured reserve on Thursday, he is still not ready to return.  Colin White, who left Thursday’s game early with an upper-body injury, is listed as day-to-day.
  • Despite the COVID-19 situation for the Canucks, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre that there has been “no consideration” given to shortening Vancouver’s schedule once they’re able to resume play. The league recently extended the regular season to May 11th to provide an extra buffer when Montreal was shut down for a week but given the severity of this outbreak, they may have to miss more than a week which would make playing their full schedule between their return and May 11th next to impossible.

2021 NCAA Tournament Preview: East Regional

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After an odd season played almost exclusively in-conference, the best of college hockey are finally about to collide. The 2021 NCAA Tournament is set to kick off on Friday, and by Sunday the 16-team field will be down to just four, the Frozen Four. Those teams will then meet next on April 8, with the champion being crowned on April 10. In a single-elimination, do-or-die tournament, the stakes are always high. In a season where almost no one has had the chance to face the top teams outside of their own conference, the bar has been raised even further.

Here is a look at the group in the East Regional, hosted in Bridgeport, Connecticut. No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3 take place on Friday, followed by the winners playing on Saturday for the chance to advance:

1) No. 4 Wisconsin
NHL Prospects:
F Dylan Holloway, Edmonton Oilers (R1, 2020)
F Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens (R1, 2019)
D Ty Emberson, Arizona Coyotes (R3, 2018)
F Sam Stange, Detroit Red Wings (R4, 2020)
F Ryder Donovan, Vegas Golden Knights (R4, 2019)
F Jack Gorniak, Montreal Canadiens (R4, 2018)
D Tyler Inamoto, Florida Panther (R5, 2017)
F Owen Lindmark, Florida Panthers (R5, 2019)
F Linus Weissbach, Buffalo Sabres (R7, 2017)
D Josh Ess, Chicago Blackhawks (R7, 2017)

Priority Free Agents: F Ty Pelton-Byce

Each of the first three regionals has a No. 1 seed that looks like a safe bet to emerge victorious. Sure, North Dakota faces a lose-lose scenario with the winner of Minnesota-Duluth or Michigan, but they’re the best team in the country and will be favored over either one. And Minnesota and Boston College may have potential in-state rivals awaiting them in the second round, but each has noticeable flaws. Fittingly, as we get to the lowest-ranked top seed, No. 4 Wisconsin, it really is a toss up between the top two teams in the East Region. Wisconsin’s case is pretty clear: they have elite offensive weapons that helped to form a top-five offense and a first line and top power play unit that rivals any in the country. No lead is safe when facing the Badgers, who can score in bunches with ease. Of course, that fact has been proven because defense and goaltending have been inconsistent in Madison this year and there was little room for error against the elite of the Big Ten. Barring a major upset of one team or the other, they will face that same pressure when they face UMass.

2) No. 5 Massachusetts
NHL Prospects:
D Zac Jones, New York Rangers (R3, 2019)
D Marc Del Gaizo, Nashville Predators (R4, 2019)
D Matthew Kessel, St. Louis Blues (R5, 2020)
G Filip Lindberg, Minnesota Wild (R7, 2019)

Priority Free Agents: F Carson Gicewicz, G Matt Murray

If UMass emerges from the regional, they will likely be the most battle-tested team in the Frozen Four. A veteran team that were finalists in 2019 and looked primed for a deep run before the 2020 cancelation, Amherst just won the Hockey East title and will need to knock off a preseason favorite in Wisconsin to advance. That isn’t possible without a championship caliber roster. Led by the best goaltending tandem in the land, UMass doesn’t sport the same level of talent that they did prior to major losses in each of the past two years, but brings experience and energy and a mobile, skilled blue line that makes it difficult to get a handle on the Minutemen. The question remains whether they can contain the Badgers’ top weapons, though. Even the best goalie is no match for too many opportunities from snipers like Caufield and Holloway.

3) No. 13 Lake Superior State
NHL Prospects: D Arvid Henrikson, Montreal Canadiens (R7, 2016)

Priority Free Agents: F Ashton Calder

Lake Superior State was a bubble team heading into their conference tournament, but thanks to an upset win over Bemidji State in the semis and an even bigger upset of Northern Michigan beating Minnesota State, the Lakers took the WCHA crown and an auto-qualifier bid into the national tournament. Heck, they even got a No. 3 seed out of it. Their reward? The Hockey East champion, UMass, who can be as good as any team in the country on a given day. Given that Lake State finished 32nd in offensive scoring this season despite playing exclusively in the relatively weak WCHA, it is fair to call them the worst offensive team in the tournament. To advance to round two, they have to beat the NCAA’s leader in save percentage (and face the nation’s best backup even if they chase the starter). It doesn’t look good for Lake Superior State.

4) No. 15 Bemidji State
NHL Prospects: None

Priority Free Agents: G Zach Driscoll

A semifinal win for Bemidji State over Lake State in the WCHA Tournament likely would have swapped the two teams’ seeds in the NCAA Tournament – though it matters little when the opponents are equally as dangerous. The only team in the tournament without an NHL prospect has to go up against a team with many, including two of the highest-profile names in college hockey. Bemidji had a good season, but after facing only WCHA competition it is difficult to assume they are ready to take on a powerhouse like Wisconsin, especially when neither their offense nor defense placed among the top 16 in the country even with a light schedule. It would be a stunning upset to see the Beavers take down the Badgers.

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