Sens’ Anderson Taking Leave of Absence, Recall Driedger
The Ottawa Senators have recalled goaltender Chris Driedger after the team allowed Craig Anderson to take a leave of absence from the club to deal with a personal matter, the Senators announced on Thursday.
“With the support of the entire organization, we’ve provided Craig with a leave of absence so that he can attend to a personal matter at home,” said Senators general manager, Pierre Dorion, in a press release by the club. “While we are uncertain of how long Craig may be away, he will continue to have our support for as much time as is needed. We will respect his privacy and will have no further comment at this time.”
Driedger, 22, has two games of NHL experience after appearing in one game in each of the past two seasons with the Senators. In 2016-17, he has played in two games with the Binghamton Senators in the American Hockey League and posted a 1-0-1 record with a 0.96 goals against average and a .961 save percentage.
Anderson has started five games with the Senators this season and posted a 4-1-0 record including one shutout.
Jets’ Little Looking to Return by End of November
Winnipeg Jets’ forward Bryan Little is hoping to return to the team by the end of November, according to Jets head coach Paul Maurice on Thursday.
Little has been on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury he suffered during the team’s season opening 5-4 overtime victory against the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 13. The 28-year-old forward was limited to 57 games in 2015-16 due to injury but managed to tally 17 goals and 25 assists.
Little is a first line center for the Jets when he is healthy, but suffered a season-ending fractured vertebrae injury last season and has been injured out of the gate to start 2016-17.
The Jets have started the season 2-4-0 and are currently sixth in the Central Division.
Rangers Injury Updates: Jooris Out, Kreider Skates, Buchnevich Set to return
Josh Jooris
The New York Rangers will be without forward Josh Jooris for the next three to four weeks as he recovers from a separated shoulder injury, Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault announced on Thursday.
Jooris, 26, signed with the Rangers as a free agent this summer and has registered one goal in five games with the club this season.
Chris Kreider
The Blueshirts’ Chris Kreider skated on his own prior to the team’s practice on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old forward has skated in five games and tallied a team leading seven points, but missed Wednesday’s game against the Boston Bruins with a strained neck. He is considered day-to-day and his progress is being monitored at this time.
Kreider may not be healed up in time to suit up for the team’s matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, but the fact that he is skating is an encouraging sign for the Rangers. The left winger signed a four-year contract as a restricted free agent this summer.
Pavel Buchnevich
Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich is set to return to the team for Friday’s game against the Hurricanes, according to Vigneault.
The Russian left winger made the Rangers out of training camp and looked promising in the first two games of his NHL career, registering an assist and a plus-one rating. However, he has missed the past five games with back spasms and was placed on the injured reserve.
Buchnevich, 21, was drafted by the Rangers 75th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He and fellow rookie Jimmy Vesey were two of the team’s closest watched young prospects this offseason.
Blues Activate Lehtera, Waive Paajarvi
The St. Louis Blues activated forward Jori Lehtera from injured reserve and waived Magnus Paajarvi in corresponding moves announced by the club.
Lehtera will return to the team’s lineup against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. The 28-year-old center has missed the past four games with an upper-body injury he sustained on Oct. 15. He has been held scoreless in three games this season and has a plus-one rating.
“It was tough (being out),” Lehtera said after an optional practice on Thursday, according to a press release by the Blues. “One week felt like one month, but I’m happy I’m back and excited.”
Paajarvi, 25, has skated in three games with the Blues and registered one goal. He played in a combined 58 games the past two seasons with the club and compiled 10 points.
The Blues have gotten off to a 4-2-1 start and are sitting first in the Central Division despite losing a handful of the team’s key forwards this offseason.
Odds and Ends
— Former NHL defenseman James Wisniewski has signed a contract with the Kontinental Hockey League’s Vladivostok Admirals, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. The deal reportedly includes an NHL out clause. Wisniewski attended training camp with the Tampa Bay Lightning on a professional tryout (PTO) but was released just before the start of the 2016-17 season.