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Scott Ratzlaff

Atlantic Notes: Tkachuk, Demidov, Ratzlaff

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Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk is “not that far off” from a return, head coach Paul Maurice said on WQAM’s The Joe Rose Show Monday morning (via Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald). “This week is a really important week for him,” Maurice continued. “If he’s not [ready for Game 1], he’s very, very close. We’re not missing this by two weeks.” Tkachuk hasn’t played since sustaining a groin injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off and, as alluded to yesterday, will return to practice this week after skating on his own a few times recently. Having a fully healthy forward lineup out of the gate in their first-round series will be important, with top right-shot defenseman Aaron Ekblad unavailable for two games while serving the end of his 20-game suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. Florida has rested many of its top forwards in recent games as a result and will continue to do so tonight against the Rangers.

Other notable items from the Atlantic Division:

  • Top Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov will make his NHL debut tonight against the Blackhawks with a playoff berth on the line, head coach Martin St. Louis confirmed this morning (via Eric Engels of Sportsnet). The winger will skate on a line with Joel Armia and Alex Newhook and see reps on the second power-play unit, Engels relays. The 19-year-old signed his entry-level contract last week after being released early from his commitment with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League. Barring any surprises, the 2024 No. 5 overall pick should be in Montreal’s playoff lineup – assuming they clinch – after leading SKA with 19-30–49 in 65 games this season and setting the KHL record for points in a season by a U-20 player.
  • The Sabres announced they reassigned goalie prospect Scott Ratzlaff to AHL Rochester to finish the season. Ratzlaff, 20, was also rostered for Rochester after his major junior season ended in 2023-24 but didn’t make his professional debut. It’s unclear if that will change this time around. The 2023 fifth-round pick capped off his fourth and final Western Hockey League season with a 3.16 GAA, .910 SV%, one shutout, and a 23-19-4 record in 49 games for the Seattle Thunderbirds. He’s now posted a save percentage north of .900 in four consecutive WHL seasons, a significant feat in the scoring-friendly league.

Sabres Sign Scott Ratzlaff To Entry-Level Contract

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The Buffalo Sabres have added some goaltending depth to their organization. The organization announced they have signed netminder Scott Ratzlaff to a three-year, entry-level contract although he is unlikely to play with the organization this season.

Buffalo drafted Ratzlaff with the 141st overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft and his development in the WHL has exceeded expectations. The young netminder finished last season with a 21-26-1 record with a .905 save percentage and 3.33 goals against average in 52 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds but has gotten off to a torrid start this year.

He has a 3-0-0 record through the Thunderbirds’ first three contests with an impressive .933 SV%. His strong start to the 2024-25 WHL season comes after a solid preseason with the Sabres where he secured a 1.000 SV% in two games with 10 saves against the Pittsburgh Penguins and 20 saves against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The rookie head coach for the AHL’s Rochester Americans, Michael Leone, was enthusiastic about Ratzlaff’s preseason performance saying, “He’s been great. He did a really good job controlling pucks. We had a lot of defensive-zone faceoffs and he made sure we didn’t face a lot of second and third chances. He’s a young kid and this is a big moment for him. For him and his development, it’s only going to be good for him to move on and take confidence from this experience with him as he continues to progress“.

Atlantic Notes: Ratzlaff, Bruins, Hedman, Point

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One of the Sabres’ goaltending prospects has taken an intermediate step toward joining the organization. 2023 fifth-round pick Scott Ratzlaff signed an ATO with their AHL affiliate in Rochester on Wednesday and could make his professional debut before the 2023-24 season draws to a close. The Sabres still have until June 1, 2025, to sign him to an entry-level contract before losing his exclusive signing rights, though, and the 19-year-old still has one season of major junior eligibility remaining. As such, the Alberta native will return to WHL Seattle for a fourth season in 2024-25. He took over the starting role for the first time this season, but his numbers dived along with the team in front of him, which lost multiple high-caliber talents to NHL clubs after capturing the WHL championship last year. He still managed a respectable .905 SV% and 3.33 GAA in 52 games – decent numbers for that level of hockey – and posted a 21-26-1 record with one shutout. The 6’1″, left-catching netminder was part of Canada’s contingent at this year’s World Junior Championship but didn’t see any playing time.

More notes out of the Atlantic Division:

  • The Bruins can become the second team to clinch a spot in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight by avoiding a regulation loss against the Lightning, per the league. Still in contention for the Atlantic title and the President’s Trophy, the franchise is poised to earn a postseason berth for the eighth consecutive season and for the 15th time in the last 17 years. While not on last season’s record-breaking tear, the retirements of team legends Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí haven’t thrown the ever-consistent Bruins into complete turmoil, and a 9-0-1 start to the season back in October has helped buoy them throughout the ups and downs of the campaign. A second-place finish behind the Panthers still seems likely, but after coming from behind late last night to defeat Florida 4-3 in regulation, a third division title in the last five years isn’t out of the question. Boston has not missed the playoffs for more than two seasons in a row since the Original Six era.
  • Lightning stars Victor Hedman and Brayden Point were on the ice for Tampa’s morning skate on Wednesday and are likely to suit up against Boston tonight, per Chris Krenn of the team’s official site. Both players carry day-to-day injury designations and missed Sunday’s 3-2 overtime win over the Ducks with lower-body ailments. The team is certainly ecstatic to have their second and third-leading scorers back in the lineup in what could be a key two points for playoff positioning, potentially helping them leapfrog the Maple Leafs for third place in the Atlantic down the stretch. After Toronto lost to the Devils on Tuesday night, Tampa is four points back with no games in hand.

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