In today’s News & Notes, Zach Bogosian has undergone successful hip surgery, Joel Kellman has signed with the San Jose Sharks and two Game 7 match-ups are set to take place Tuesday night.
Bogosian Out 5-6 Months
Bogosian underwent successful hip surgery, according to the Buffalo Sabres. This procedure carries a five-to-six month recovery timeline that will put Bogosian on schedule to return in September or October of 2019. This should keep him out for all of Sabres’ training camp and could even stretch into the beginning of the season depending on how things go.
This is the second hip surgery that Bogosian has undergone in as many years as he also underwent successful surgery last season and was limited to just 18 games for the entire 2017-18 season. Fortunately, that first surgery worked well for Bogosian and he would end up averaging almost 22 minutes a game while scoring three goals and 19 points in 65 games.
The 28-year-old Bogosian is one of the Sabres more consistent defenders and this surgery is coming at the right time to help repair what’s been ailing him. While the procedure coming a few weeks earlier would have led to less uncertainty surrounding his status for the start of the season, it’s still better that he got this done now rather than finding out he needed it closer to the 2019-20 season.
Kellman Signs With Sharks
The Sharks have signed Kellman to a one-year, two-way contract, according to Renaud Lavoie. The 24-year-old spent the 2018-19 season with Byrnas IF Gavle in the Swedish Hockey League and scored 16 goals and 34 points in 45 games. He’s been consistent throughout his time in Sweden as well as he’s scored at least 15 goals and 30 points in three consecutive seasons in the SHL.
This move is a nice low-risk move for the Sharks who have found a ton of success with players from overseas in their lineup in recent seasons. The Swedish center will likely start with the San Jose Barracuda next season but could find himself in line for a call-up if he shows a consistent scoring touch at the AHL level.
The Sharks are currently preparing for their Game 7 match-up against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the postseason.
Two NHL Game 7 Match-Ups Set for Tuesday
Tuesday promises to be an exciting night of NHL hockey as it features two Game 7 playoff match-ups between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as the Sharks and Golden Knights.
The playoffs always promise to be a fun time in the NHL but nothing is more exciting than a series that goes the distance. These two games feature division rivals who know each other very well and who have grown a legitimate disdain for one another throughout the course of the season and the previous six playoff games. Something will have to come to a head Tuesday though as only one team from each match-up can move on.
The Bruins will host the Maple Leafs at 7:00 PM ET while the Sharks are set to host the Golden Knights at 10:00 PM ET.