Florida Panthers netminder Roberto Luongo will be out longer than initially thought, as he's scheduled to miss two-to-four weeks with a Grade 1 MCL injury, head coach Bob Boughner said Monday.
On Sunday, it was reported that Luongo would miss at least a week after teammate Frank Vatrano fell on his leg in the Panthers' season opener.
With Luongo out, James Reimer will take over the starter role. Michael Hutchinson has been recalled from the AHL to serve as the backup.
The 39-year-old Luongo missed 27 games with a lower-body injury last season while posting a .929 save percentage across 33 starts. His health going forward will be a key factor for the Panthers and their playoff hopes.
Van Riemsdyk took a puck off the leg in the first period and was unable to return.
After posting a career-high 36 goals with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, the Flyers inked van Riemsdyk to a five-year, $35-million contract on July 1.
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without Brandon Dubinsky for the next four-to-six weeks after the forward strained an oblique muscle during practice, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced Sunday.
It marks the second consecutive season Dubinsky has been forced to miss a significant chunk of time. In 2017-18, he missed 20 games as he dealt with a broken orbital bone and other personal issues. He finished the season with a career-low 16 points.
Dubinsky, 32, was off to a strong start to begin the new campaign, registering a goal and an assist in the Blue Jackets' first two games.
The injury bug has taken a significant bite out of the San Jose Sharks early in the season, as forward Joe Thornton has been placed on the injured reserve after experiencing swelling in his surgically-repaired right knee, according to Paul Gackle of the Mercury News.
Thornton flew back to the Bay Area amid the club's four-game road trip to visit doctors, but head coach Peter DeBoer says it's only precautionary.
"He had a little bit of swelling after the last game, and rather than continue on the road and risk anything with it, we're going to take the safe route and get him home and get it looked at," he said.
The earliest Thornton could rejoin the Sharks would be in one week, but at this point, there's no clear timetable on a return.
Thornton has been battling frequent knee problems as of late. The 39-year-old was sidelined for the final 35 games and the playoffs last season after tearing his ACL and MCL in his right knee, nine months after doing the same to his left.
He signed a one-year contract to remain with the Sharks over the offseason, and sits on the cusp of two major milestones, needing just five more games for 1,500 and three goals for 400 in his Hall of Fame career.
One season among the game's elite isn't going to cut it for reigning Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall.
The New Jersey Devils winger broke out in a big way in 2017-18, establishing new career-highs across the board with 93 points in 76 games. His efforts were enough to clinch the club's first playoff appearance since 2012 before he was named the NHL's most valuable player in June.
As he enters a new campaign, however, Hall isn't resting on the laurels of his banner season.
"I’ve kind of included myself in a tier of players now and I want to stay there," Hall told The Athletic's Scott Burnside. "You see the guys who do it season after season, every season, you know the Crosbys, the Malkins, the Benns, they’re just there every year. So now that I’ve kind of included myself there I want to stay there so I just tried to prepare myself as best as possible."
Hall was every bit as valuable as each of the players he listed last season. He won the team's scoring race by a whopping 41 points, and went on a historic 26-game point streak from January to March.
Now, it's about finding a way to be that same player year after year.
"We had a lot of a success as a team. For me, I found that I took my game to another level," Hall told Under Armour at a recent photo shoot. "As an athlete, when you accomplish that much in one season you want to make sure you come back the next and play the same way. So it was definitely an exciting feeling, but also huge motivation for the upcoming season."
As for how Hall plans on maintaining his excellence into 2018-19, the 26-year-old will rely on a skill-based offseason training regimen that helped spark his breakout showing a season ago.
"In previous years, I would take 2 to 3 months off the ice and let my body relax," Hall said. "This past summer, I made a commitment to skate, play hockey and work on my skills all summer long, and I think that’s what really made the difference for me this season."
It's time to drop the puck on the 2018-19 NHL season. While we're all brimming with excitement, plenty of questions about what lies ahead over the next seven months remain.
Here, we'll address one issue each Western Conference team is facing entering the new campaign.
Anaheim immediately faces a major uphill battle as injuries to Corey Perry, Patrick Eaves, and Ryan Kesler create significant holes in the roster. That will lead to opportunities for lesser-known winger Ondrej Kase and forward prospect Troy Terry. But if another Ducks regular goes down, it could be a long season in Orange County.
The Coyotes will get another crack at making progress during their ongoing rebuild. Arizona improved when it added Alex Galchenyuk and Michael Grabner over the summer, and believe it or not, Antti Raanta led the NHL in save percentage (.930) among goalies with 40-plus appearances in 2017-18.
Calgary Flames: How will their offseason acquisitions pan out?
Calgary did it all this offseason. They hired a new coach in Bill Peters, made a big trade splash when Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm were added, dipped into the free-agent market and lured James Neal, then also acquired Austin Czarnik and Derek Ryan, two supplemental pieces. Will all that lead to a playoff appearance? General manager Brad Treliving better hope so.
Chicago Blackhawks: Was last season a one-off, or the beginning of the end?
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The Blackhawks' run of consecutive playoff appearances ended at nine last spring, and finding their way back won't be an easy task. Corey Crawford's health is the club's ultimate X-factor, but Chicago's fate in 2018-19 can't fall solely on his shoulders. Numerous key Blackhawks underachieved last season, and similar performances won't cut it in the league's most competitive division.
After surprisingly earning a playoff berth last season, the Avs' biggest move of the summer was acquiring goaltender Philipp Grubauer from the Washington Capitals and signing him to a three-year contract. He'll battle with the oft-injured Semyon Varlamov for the starting job, and whoever takes the reins will play an integral role in whether Colorado is competitive again.
Dallas is on its third head coach in as many years, and rookie bench boss Jim Montgomery is tasked with getting an underachieving Stars squad back into the playoffs. Dallas has a loaded top line and some nice young pieces on the blue line. But the Stars have missed the postseason in three of the last four years, and another futile campaign could lead to some serious roster revamping.
Edmonton's 2017-18 season was a nightmare, and the Oilers opted to give virtually the same roster another shot rather than undergoing a significant overhaul. To avoid a repeat disaster, Cam Talbot needs to be better in goal, and someone other than Connor McDavid has to step up offensively.
The Kings have a top-heavy roster and a talented core that's produced two Stanley Cups. But they aren't getting any younger, and the poor supplemental pieces surrounding Los Angeles' nucleus make it tough to believe this team is a championship contender. Signing Ilya Kovalchuk will help, but an injured Dustin Brown and an underwhelming bottom six will be a lot to overcome.
The Wild have found a way into the playoffs in three straight seasons, only to be ousted in the first round each time. Other than naming Paul Fenton general manager, Minnesota didn't undergo any changes since its five-game elimination in April, and this club appears stuck on the bubble. Bruce Boudreau never misses the playoffs, and Devan Dubnyk is good enough to rely upon every year. But finding a way to get past the first round is priority No. 1 in 2018-19 for the Wild.
The Predators are set to be a Stanley Cup contender again, but questions surrounding Pekka Rinne's future linger. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner faltered against Winnipeg in the playoffs to sour what was otherwise a stellar campaign in 2017-18. Rinne is a pending unrestricted free agent next summer, so this could be the 35-year-old's last shot at winning a ring with the club he's backstopped for 12 seasons.
An aging club with a shrinking championship window has turned back into a powerhouse thanks to general manager Doug Wilson, and now the Sharks look poised to make a run at the top of the Western Conference standings. The addition of Erik Karlsson, along with a full year of Evander Kane, gives San Jose one of the deepest rosters in the NHL, and their new-look lineup will lead to must-watch hockey.
After a summer filled with big-name acquisitions, the Blues' most significant question for the upcoming campaign is the play of goaltender Jake Allen. The 28-year-old's .906 save percentage sunk St. Louis' playoff hopes in 2017-18. Now with a more complete roster in front of him, Allen will need to bounce back for the Blues to keep pace with their fellow Central Division contenders.
The Canucks' rebuild is nowhere near complete, but fans will get a glimpse of the team's future in 2018-19. The arrival of dynamic center Elias Pettersson adds excitement to the organization, and Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat will be bright spots during another year of development for a team not expected to contend for a while yet.
Vegas advanced to the Stanley Cup Final during its first season as an expansion team, setting a pretty high bar going forward. That may have seemed like a fluke at the time, but these Golden Knights are legit. Adding Paul Stastny and Max Pacioretty gives Vegas one of the deepest top-six groups in the NHL. This club can easily contend again.
Winnipeg Jets: How will the loss of Paul Stastny effect the attack?
Speaking of Stastny, how will the Jets overcome losing their big trade deadline acquisition? Stastny's passing prowess added a new element to Winnipeg's attack, and he was a key contributor as the club advanced to the Western Conference Final, tallying 15 points in 17 playoff games. The Jets are still deep up front, but there's no question Stastny's departure is an immediate downgrade up the middle.
Alzner is in the second season of a five-year, $23.125-million contract he signed with the Canadiens last July. The 30-year-old played over 20 minutes per night on Montreal's blue line in 2017-18 and hasn't missed a single game since the 2009-10 season.
Plekanec, meanwhile, rejoined the Canadiens on a one-year contract after a trade-deadline move to the Maple Leafs last season. He recorded 26 points in 77 games split between the two teams.
It's time to drop the puck on the 2018-19 NHL season and while we're all brimming with excitement, there are plenty of questions about what lies ahead. Here, we'll address one question each Eastern Conference team is facing entering the new campaign.
There's no question the Bruins have the best top line in hockey in Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak, but their depth is far more uncertain. Boston needs its kids to contribute, and its veterans to bounce back in order to keep pace in the top-heavy Atlantic Division.
Buffalo Sabres: Is this the year they take a step forward?
The Rasmus Dahlin era is underway, Jack Eichel is healthy and has a new running mate in Jeff Skinner, and the Sabres expect to make some progress this season. It's highly unlikely Buffalo will compete for a playoff spot, but finishing higher than eighth in the division - something the Sabres have done only once in the last five years - would be a nice start.
The Canes first offseason under owner Tom Dundon featured some considerable shakeup. Former captain Rod Brind'Amour is now head coach and Carolina also dealt Jeff Skinner and acquired Dougie Hamilton in separate trades. It's tough to say whether the roster got better, but either way, a 10th consecutive season outside the playoff picture isn't going to cut it.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Will Bobrovsky's, Panarin's futures affect the team's psyche?
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On the surface, the Blue Jackets have the pieces to contend in the Eastern Conference, but the uncertain contract situations of both Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin loom large over a club that can ill-afford losing both to unrestricted free agency.
General manager Ken Holland has said he's not much of a believer in long-term rebuilds, but that's the task that lies ahead. Although the Red Wings lack talent on their current roster, they had a tremendous draft in June and set themselves up for another with 11 picks accumulated for 2019. Now it's up to the organization to ensure that trend continues and fully commit to the future.
A late-season surge saw the Panthers miss the final wildcard spot by a single point, and a reinforced top six with the addition of Mike Hoffman puts Florida on the prowl to contend for the playoffs once again. Unfortunately for the Cats, a trio of behemoths lies ahead of them in the Atlantic, but a bubble spot is theirs for the taking should things come together in Florida.
Simply put, the 2018-19 Canadiens can only go as far as Price takes them. In years past, that was a strength, but he's coming off a season in which he battled injuries and posted a dreary .900 save percentage. Price's potential resurgence alone won't guarantee anything for the Habs, but it would be reassuring if he returned to close to his old form.
The Devils were the Cinderella story of the East last season, using Taylor Hall's marvelous MVP season to clinch a wildcard berth. There's nothing to suggest Hall can't be among the league's top producers once again, but if his teammates don't help ease his workload, New Jersey's playoff appearance could be a one-off.
New York Islanders: Can a new staff steer things in the right direction?
The Islanders hired a new general manager and coach over the summer, but their captain still opted for greener pastures. Now, it's up to Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz to establish stability and build for a future centered around Calder-winner Mat Barzal.
New York Rangers: What do the kids have to give in Year One of the rebuild?
New York opted to bail on its slim playoff chances midway through last season, choosing to publicly announce a rebuild instead. The spotlight is now on a collection of kids tasked with becoming the building blocks of a sustained future on Broadway. It could be a long year, but the Rangers should be able to get an idea of what lies ahead with a good chance of adding another high pick in the process.
No Erik Karlsson, no first-round pick, and Matt Duchene and Mark Stone could be traded by the deadline. The puck hasn't even dropped yet, and the Sens' outlook is as bleak as it gets after one of the most tumultuous offseasons in the history of the sport. But as general manager Pierre Dorion would put it, at least they're a team.
The Flyers have a deadly attack and an elite-top pairing in Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov, but the club's biggest question mark comes between the pipes. The tandem of Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth instills little confidence, but super-prospect Carter Hart lurks in the weeds. Who's going to be the one to step up and give this team a chance to contend?
Believe it or not, even with three top-10 scorers, the league's best power play, and 100 points in the standings, the Penguins underachieved last season. Pittsburgh ranked 29th in five-on-five PDO (Corsica), mired by a mediocre shooting percentage and a dismal save percentage. Based on their talent alone, it's highly unlikely this occurs again - which is a terrifying proposition for the rest of the conference.
Nothing is guaranteed in this league, but the success of Tampa's season will undoubtedly be judged by what it accomplishes in the postseason. The Lightning are a championship-caliber team with no glaring roster holes, and falling short in the playoffs once again will be considered a massive disappointment.
In case you hadn't heard, the Maple Leafs signed John Tavares over the summer, and like it or not, the spotlight will be shining bright on Toronto all season as it ices its most competitive roster in ages. Now, it's up to them to drown out the noise and push even closer to the top of the standings and win a playoff round for the first time since 2004.
"Championship hangover" is a common moniker in the sports world, but the Caps may have taken the adage a smidge too literally after finally winning the Stanley Cup in June. Washington will be ready to go once their championship banner is raised, but Alex Ovechkin's crew now has a target on their backs, and netminder Braden Holtby will need to carry over his playoff form for the club to have an answer for their adversaries.
Veteran winger Radim Vrbata retired Monday, ending a 16-year NHL career.
He made the announcement through a statement released by his agent, Rich Evans.
Longtime client Radim Vrbata announcing his retirement from the NHL today. Selected #212 overall in 1999, only 3 players from that draft class played more games and scored more points. His statement: pic.twitter.com/fJvjC0Jwff
