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Central Notes: Yandle, Stars, Ryan

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Barring a sudden change of heart, it appears as if Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle’s ironman streak of 866 games will come to an end tomorrow as George Richards of Florida Hockey Now relays (Twitter link) that the veteran was once again not skating with the group that’s expected to play.  He has clearly fallen out of favor but his contract ($6.35MM through 2022-23 with a no-move clause) will make such a move tricky.  Nevertheless, Yandle’s agent Jerry Buckley told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription link) that he views this situation as nothing more than public pressure to get him to accept a trade:

This doesn’t have anything to do with performance. Keith is one of the top offensive defensemen in the NHL. He was last year, he has been over the last three years. And this decision was made a week before training camp. So it doesn’t have to do with performance. This is the general manager’s attempt to pressure Keith and make him uncomfortable and to waive this no-trade clause.

While Yandle has certainly been prolific offensively over the last three seasons – only four blueliners have more points than him in that span – it’s his play in his own end that has deteriorated as well in that span.  Panthers GM Bill Zito will have his work cut out for him to try to move Yandle (assuming he’s willing to waive his trade protection).

More from the Central Division:

  • While most teams have gotten down to the NHL-mandated maximum roster size of 23, Dallas remains nowhere near that number. Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News examines the composition of their roster which currently has 36 players with various designations on it.  They sit just $228 under their LTIR-inflated cap ceiling but with the way their roster is constructed, they’ll have plenty of cap flexibility when they eventually get down to the proper roster size.
  • Red Wings winger Bobby Ryan will make his debut with his new team on Saturday, notes MLive’s Ansar Khan. He missed the last few days of training camp and Thursday’s game against Carolina due to an undisclosed injury which he has recovered from.  The 33-year-old signed a one-year, $1MM deal with Detroit after being bought out by Ottawa this offseason and is expected to immediately jump onto the number one power play unit.

Islanders Loan Josh Ho-Sang To The SHL

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After not being invited to training camp and clearing waivers, Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang has a place to play this season but it’s not New York’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.  Instead, the team has loaned him to Orebro of the SHL, reports Arthur Staple of The Athletic (Twitter link).  The agreement will be in place for the duration of the season overseas although Ho-Sang will be eligible to return to North America after the SHL playoffs are finished.

It has been a rocky road for the 24-year-old to say the least.  While he was a quality offensive player back in junior, it has failed to materialize into success at the professional level.  He has just 53 career NHL games under his belt where he has seven goals and 17 assists and after clearing waivers last year, he held out of reporting to the minors in the hopes of forcing a trade.  That didn’t occur and he eventually reported to the Sound Tigers before being flipped to San Antonio before the AHL trade deadline in a move that was believed to end his tenure with the Islanders.

Clearly that didn’t happen as the team tendered Ho-Sang a qualifying offer and avoided arbitration in late-October with a one-year, two-way deal worth $700K in the NHL and $225K in the minors.  With both sides agreeing already that it’s better for him to not be around the team, it’s hard to imagine there will be another contract for him with the Isles beyond this one.

Oilers Place Mike Smith On LTIR

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Mike Smith’s season debut was originally thought to be coming on Thursday in the second half of their back-to-back set against Vancouver.  However, he was a late scratch with Stuart Skinner joining the Oilers from their taxi squad as Mikko Koskinen’s backup.  Whatever the issue is will hold him out for a little while as Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports (Twitter link) that Smith has been placed on LTIR, meaning he will miss at least 10 games or 24 days.

The 38-year-old is in his second season with Edmonton after signing a one-year deal with them in October after other options didn’t materialize in free agency.  Noteworthy is that the contract contains up to $250K in games played bonuses at varying thresholds between 20 and 40 games; any extended absence will all but cement the top ones becoming unachievable and make the smaller ones a little tougher to get.  With Edmonton well into LTIR, any earned bonuses this season will be charged against the 2021-22 salary cap.

Smith’s expected absence and Skinner’s inexperience (two minor pro seasons with no NHL action) could force GM Ken Holland to try to make a move for a more proven short-term backup.  That was supposed to be Anton Forsberg’s role but he has since been claimed off waivers twice, the second of which came today by Winnipeg.  With players needing to go through a quarantine period (seven days for Canadian-based players, 14 for those elsewhere), if such a move is coming, it’s one that will need to happen sooner than later.  In the meantime, Olivier Rodrigue has been recalled to the taxi squad but he was playing in Austria so he is facing a lengthy quarantine before he can join them so that recall alone may not be enough.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 01/15/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 protocol.  Today’s list is as follows:

Carolina – Jordan Staal
Colorado – Erik Johnson
Columbus – Mikko Koivu
Detroit – Christian Djoos; Darren Helm
Los Angeles – Kurtis MacDermid, Calvin Petersen, Sean Walker
Minnesota – Alex Stalock
Nashville – Mikael Granlund
New Jersey – Eric Comrie
NY Rangers – Justin Richards
Philadelphia – Shayne Gostisbehere
San Jose – Maxim Letunov
Vancouver – Jordie Benn, J.T. Miller
Winnipeg – Anton Forsberg

Staal is the big addition today after playing last night for the Hurricanes against the Red Wings. Both Comrie and Forsberg are likely included because of their change in teams after being claimed off waivers. It’s important to note that someone’s presence on this list doesn’t necessarily mean that they have tested positive. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

As was the case yesterday, the league declined to identify anyone from Dallas and will hold off on doing so until they are able to play in their first game, now scheduled for January 22. They had a significant outbreak early in camp as 17 of the 27 players that tested positive in training camp were from the Stars.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/15/21

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It appears as though there will be daily movement this season between the active roster and taxi squad, and although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of shuffle news each day.  The last five bullets are all courtesy of CapFriendly’s transactions log.

  • The Nashville Predators have placed Luca Sbisa on the active roster after being claimed off waivers earlier this week. To make room, Cole Smith has been moved to the taxi squad. Smith made his NHL debut last night but received just six shifts and failed to record a point. Sbisa, who signed a one-year deal with the Winnipeg Jets in October, has more than 500 games of NHL experience.
  • As it is an off day for the Calgary Flames, the team has moved Derek Ryan to the taxi squad in order to continue banking some cap space. Louis Domingue has also been placed there, suggesting that David Rittich will return from his family emergency in time for tomorrow’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. Artyom Zagidulin, who had been recalled to the practice squad, has been reassigned back to the AHL.
  • As expected after the Winnipeg Jets claimed Anton Forsberg, the team has moved both Kristian Vesalainen and Logan Stanley to the taxi squad. The team must keep Forsberg on the active roster until he clears waivers, something that doesn’t seem possible at the moment with teams looking for goaltending depth.
  • The Canucks have recalled Loui Eriksson from the taxi squad and replaced him with Justin Bailey, the opposite of a move they made just yesterday. Though it may seem counterintuitive, keeping Eriksson on the active roster and Bailey on the taxi squad during off days actually saves the Canucks money. The team is already in LTIR relief meaning they can’t bank cap space and have to pay Eriksson his one-way NHL salary regardless of where he plays. Bailey on the other hand earns less on his two-way deal whenever he is assigned to the taxi squad or minor leagues.
  • The Bruins have made a trio of moves.  Forward Karson Kuhlman has been assigned to AHL Providence while wingers Jack Studnicka and Trent Frederic were both sent to the taxi squad.  Studnicka played just under 12 minutes in Boston’s season opener while Frederic saw just under 11 minutes of ice time.  Chances are at least one will be recalled on Saturday.
  • With Cory Schneider being moved onto the Islanders’ roster giving them three goalies, they don’t have to carry one on the taxi squad.  As a result, they’ve shifted Jakub Skarek to Bridgeport.  He is their only other goaltender that isn’t currently up with the Isles.  Defenseman Thomas Hickey has also been shifted to the taxi squad after being scratched for their opener.
  • The Sharks have shifted four players around.  Defensemen Nicolas Meloche and Nikolai Knyzhov were both sent to the taxi squad after serving as their third pairing in their opener.  Meanwhile, wingers Jeffrey Viel and Fredrik Handemark were both sent to AHL San Jose.  With five healthy blueliners on the roster, at least one of the blueliners will soon be recalled again.
  • The Maple Leafs recalled Alexander Barabanov from their taxi squad prior to tonight’s game against Ottawa.  Defenseman Mikko Lehtonen was sent to the taxi squad, making the swap a cap-neutral move as both players are receiving the maximum entry-level salary.
  • Tyler Johnson is back on the NHL roster after being recalled from the taxi squad, as is defenseman Luke Schenn and both are in their lineup against Chicago.  Meanwhile, blueliner Andreas Borgman was loaned to the taxi squad.  He cleared waivers back on Tuesday but had remained on the Lightning’s roster until now.

Six Dallas Stars Players Test Positive For COVID-19

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January 15: The Stars will begin their season on January 22 against the Nashville Predators. Games scheduled for January 14, 15, 17, and 19 have been rescheduled for later in the season, as the NHL details in today’s release. Several other games have been rescheduled as well, though they’re much further down the road.

The changes mean that Florida and Tampa Bay, the two opponents that were supposed to take on the Stars to start the season, will have substantial breaks. Tampa Bay for instance plays tonight and then will not play again until next Thursday, while the Panthers are still waiting until Sunday to start their year. The Stars will now play a 56-game schedule in just 108 days.

January 8: The Dallas Stars will not start the season on time. The team has released the following statement, explaining the sudden cancelation of practice today:

The National Hockey League announced today that six Dallas Stars players and two staff members have recently confirmed positive tests for the COVID-19 virus. Those individuals are self-isolating and following CDC and league protocols. As a result of the positive tests, and as an appropriate precaution, the team’s training facilities have been closed, effective immediately, and will remain closed for several days while further daily testing and contact tracing is conducted. The league is in the process of reviewing and revising the Stars’ regular season schedule with the expectation that the team will not open its 2020-21 season earlier than Tuesday, January 19.

The Stars organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state and national agencies.

The Stars were set to open the season against the Florida Panthers on January 14, a game that will obviously have to be postponed. Games on January 15 and 17 are also in jeopardy as well.  The league did not release the names of the players that have tested positive.

If the other major professional sports are any indication, this is the first of many outbreaks this season. The league and teams will need to be flexible and adapt to changing schedules and protocols on a near-daily basis, leaving roster depth as arguably the most important thing in the NHL this year. It’s hard to imagine that the Stars will have their full contingent of players even by January 19, though no specifics have been released in regards to that.

Casey Nelson Opts Out Of The Upcoming Season, Retires

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January 15: Not only will Nelson be absent this season, but his playing career has ended. The defenseman has announced his retirement on Instagram, ending any speculation on his future in Buffalo. The 28-year-old will finish his career with 93 NHL games and 18 points.

December 27: The deadline for players to opt out of the upcoming season has come and gone with only one player exercising the option to do so.  TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that Sabres defenseman Casey Nelson has elected not to play this season due to concerns surrounding the ongoing pandemic.  It is not known at this point if this is precautionary or if there is a pre-existing condition that could be worsened if he contracted the virus.  If it’s the latter, Buffalo will still be required to pay him.

The 28-year-old re-signed with Buffalo on a one-year, two-way deal back in October.  He spent all of last season with their AHL affiliate in Rochester, picking up four goals and eight assists in 48 games.  Nelson last saw NHL action back in 2018-19 when he got into 38 games with Buffalo and has 93 career NHL contests under his belt, all with Buffalo.  As a result, he would have been a candidate to be on their taxi squad.

The Sabres will now have the option to toll Nelson’s contract.  If they do, his deal will roll over to the 2021-22 season with his NHL salary being boosted from $700K to $750K to account for the pending increase in the minimum salary.  If not, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent again next offseason.

Zach Trotman Undergoes Surgery

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will be down a depth defenseman for the next while, announcing today that Zach Trotman has undergone successfully knee surgery. The procedure was to repair a torn meniscus and comes with a recovery timeline of four to six weeks. Trotman had previously been placed on injured reserve, where he will remain for at least the next month.

Trotman, 30, played just eight games with the Penguins last season, spending much more of the season at the minor league level. In fact, he’s played in just 24 games since arriving in Pittsburgh in 2017, filling in on occasion when the team dealt with injuries on the back end. The 6’3″ defenseman has just 13 points in his 91-game NHL career and wasn’t likely to see a ton of action this season anyway.

Still, losing defensive depth at any point in a condensed season is troubling, but perhaps even more so when the Penguins are already dealing with some struggles at the position. Cody Ceci was moved out of the starting lineup at morning skate today, replaced on the third pairing by Chad Ruhwedel after a brutal opening night.

There’s more than enough depth in Pittsburgh to deal with this injury for now, but things can quickly get whittled down in a season like this. Six weeks would put a return for Trotman at the end of February after a good chunk of the schedule is already completed.

Ben Hutton Signs With Anaheim Ducks

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The Anaheim Ducks have officially signed Ben Hutton to a one-year contract for the rest of the season. The deal is worth $950K according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. It was clear that a deal was coming when Hutton appeared on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list yesterday. It’s not clear when he will be removed from that list so that he’s available to play, but the Ducks have finally announced the deal.

Hutton, 27, was one of the players that felt an offseason squeeze, forced to sign a professional tryout despite a relatively impressive NHL resume. While he likely shouldn’t be deployed on a top pairing, Hutton has nearly 350 games of experience and has averaged just under 20 minutes a night over his five-year career. In 2019-20 he played in 65 games for the Los Angeles Kings and registered 16 points, while putting up strong possession numbers once again.

The Ducks relied heavily on their top two pairs last night to open the season, with Cam Fowler, Kevin Shattenkirk, Josh Manson, and Hampus Lindholm all logging at least 20 minutes. If Hutton can add a little depth to the bottom-pair rotation perhaps they won’t have to put so much responsibility on those top names, at least not every game.

One other thing to remember with Hutton in Anaheim is that he could be another trade deadline piece for them to flip. The one-year, low-money deal will be attractive to contenders partway through the year, especially if he’s able to prove he can still play at a high level.

Snapshots: Quarantine, Lundqvist, Hoffman

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A lot of the focus for trade watchers right now is on Pierre-Luc Dubois and the Montreal Canadiens, but Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports pours some cold water on the wild speculation today, noting how difficult it will be for trades to be completed in-season. If Dubois—or anyone on a U.S.-based team for that matter—were to be acquired by the Canadiens, he’d face at minimum a 14-day quarantine. That means missing seven or eight games, a huge amount in a shortened 56-game schedule.

Still, for a player like Dubois who would be a core piece for the next several years, missing seven games doesn’t seem like it should really matter that much. If he does get traded midseason (which is far from a sure thing), dropping out of the bidding because of a two-week quarantine would probably be a mistake.

  • Henrik Lundqvist left the hospital yesterday after his open-heart procedure, tweeting out how happy he was to head home to his kids. The veteran goaltender will not play this season and instead is focusing on his health, though has not officially retired from playing yet. The Washington Capitals signed Craig Anderson this week and are using him instead as the third goaltender this season, while Lundqvist recovers from surgery. His one-year contract expires at the end of the season.
  • After getting his work visa issues dealt with, Mike Hoffman will be in the lineup for the St. Louis Blues this evening. He’ll be on the second line with Jaden Schwartz and Robert Thomas where he spent most of training camp. Sammy Blais, who is serving a two-game suspension, will come out of the lineup. Hoffman comes to St. Louis on a one-year deal to reset his free agent market after waiting nearly the entire offseason to sign.

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