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Reaves out.
The Sharks don't roster a designated enforcer meaning Reaves is useless in tonight's lineup.
San Jose Sharks News
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There’s probably going to be tighter checking on myself and Clowe as well. Obviously with the big line out there you don’t want to take away your best defenders off them, but teams will have video of me and my tendencies and how I play so I’ll have to find different ways to produce and play well.
Couture scored 32 goals and 56 points over 79 games last season while centering the second line. With Martin Havlat on his wing, look for Couture to add some assists to his repertoire.
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Skinner, Staal, Ruutu
Skinner playing on the top line should do wonders for his fantasy hockey value. Last season he scored 31 goals and 63 points over 82 games in his rookie season. As a natural goal scorer, he very well could score 40 goals at some point in his career.
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But he was one of the final cuts, which is not surprising given what everyone around the Caps had to say about him Sunday and Monday. Coach Bruce Boudreau called Orlov's final exhibition game “mediocre” while general manager George McPhee, in an interview with The Washington Times, wondered if the young Russian needed more seasoning.
At this point the team has six healthy veteran defenders with two starting the year on IR. Last season, the Russian expatriate scored two goals and nine points in 19 games with the Bears. He should find a place in the lineup by next season.
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#Blackhawks coach Joel Quenenville said defensive pairings to start will include Hjalmarsson playing with Seabrook and Keith with Leddy.
Leddy will start the season on the top defensive unit. Last season he scored four goals and seven points over 46 games with the Blackhawks. Look for him to improve his totals in his sophomore season.
Call up / Send down
Cuts came Tuesday in the form of defenseman Dmitry Orlov and centers Cody Eakin and Mattias Sjogren, who were sent to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League.
No immediate fantasy hockey value in the AHL.
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The 20-year-old Russian was in the lineup as the sixth defenseman in place of Jeff Schultz and it appeared possible that the Caps could start with the pairings of Karl Alzner and John Carlson, Roman Hamrlik and Mike Green and then Orlov and Dennis Wideman.
Sounds like Orlov makes the team in place of John Erskine and Jeff Schultz. Last season, the Russian expatriate scored two goals and nine points in 19 games with the Bears. He should get a chance to play on the bottom pairing and could even chip in some points if paired with Dennis Wideman.
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Reaves learned after the Blues' preseason finale that he had made the final cut, and in the same few hours, he realized his role could be magnified following news that B.J. Crombeen suffered a broken left shoulder in Saturday's 4-0 loss to Dallas and will be sidelined indefinitely.
With Crombeen out, Reaves takes his spot on the fourth line. Last season he posted an impressive 78 PIM in 28 games for the Blues and has posted 130 or more over the past three seasons in the AHL. If you need PIM, expect Reaves to approach 200 while adding no more than five goals.
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At first, it looked like great news for defenseman Dmitry Orlov, who has been more than impressive dating to rookie camp. The 20-year-old was Hershey's “most dominant defenseman” last year, coach Mark French said recently.
Sounds like Orlov makes the team in place of John Erskine. Last season, the Russian expatriate scored two goals and nine points in 19 games with the Bears. He should get a chance to play on the bottom pairing and could even chip in some points if paired with Dennis Wideman.
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Part of the reason for Orlov remaining in Washington could also be that the Capitals might need an extra defenseman if John Erskine is unable to suit up for the start of the regular season.
Orlov probably tops the team's depth chart in Hershey. Last season, the Russian expatriate scored two goals and nine points in 19 games with the Bears. He should get a chance to play on the bottom pairing and could even chip in some points if paired with Dennis Wideman.
Call up / Send down
Assigned to Manchester of the American Hockey League were forwards Andy Andreoff, Ray Kaunisto, Brandon Kozun and Linden Vey, defensemen Nicolas Deslauriers, David Kolomatis and Patrick Mullen and goalie Martin Jones. Tyler Toffoli was re-assigned to his junior team.
No immediate fantasy value in the CHL.
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Toffoli isn’t expected to make the Kings’ roster out of camp — he has one more season of junior eligibility, and skating and conditioning still need some improvement — but Toffoli did well for himself in the Kings’ 3-2 victory over the Coyotes last night, according to Terry Murray…
Toffoli should be returned to Juniors shortly. The right wing dominated the OHL last season, posting 57 goals and 108 points with the Ottawa 67s. Keep an eye out for him in a few years.
Vlasic, who came down with a cold/flu just before the start of training camp and missed the first three days, said his initil initial full practice went great.
Vlasic should be fine in a few days and paired with Brent Burns. The former QMJHL standout could see his best offensive season while paired with the team's new offensive weapon. Three years ago, Vlasic experienced a career year while paired with Rob Blake, more terrorizing but comparable defender.
Whenever Vlasic gets back, he can expect to be matched with Brent Burns on the blue line. The two did talk last weekend, Vlasic said, but that was before word got out on the pairings.
Vlasic should be fine in a few days and paired with Brent Burns. The former QMJHL standout could see his best offensive season while paired with the team's new offensive weapon. Three years ago, Vlasic experienced a career year while paired with Rob Blake, another elite weapon.
While there may not be a spot for Orlov on the NHL roster when the season starts, it would hardly be surprising to see him in Washington at some point if the Capitals are in need of a call-up.
In his North American debut, Orlov posted two goals and nine points in 19 games for the Hershey Bears. Ranked the Caps' third prospect by Hockey's Future, the 6 foot 197 lb defender should earn a spot in the lineup by next season if he continues to develop.
San Jose has locked up another big part of the team’s future by giving young center Logan Couture a two-year contract extension. No word on dollar figures. Couture, 22, who is due to make about $1.25 million this season, would have been a restricted free agent after this year.
Sharks have signed D Colin White to a one-year, $1-million contract. White will actually be earning $3 million this season, with New Jersey paying two-thirds of that under the buyout that went through yesterday and turned the 6-foot-3, 215-pound White into an unrestricted free agent.
Devils defenseman Colin White and forward Trent Hunter cleared waivers and are unrestricted free agents.
The Devils have placed defenseman Colin White and right wing Trent Hunter on waivers.
The Blues signed their final restricted free agent today, agreeing to terms with forward Ryan Reaves.