The Canadiens-Sharks matchup in Montreal on Tuesday drew eyes from around the league, with scouts from 17 teams listed in attendance. Among the clubs represented were the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning, each with two scouts on hand, along with the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Utah Mammoth and Vegas Golden Knights.
One name that keeps surfacing in the goalie chatter is Karel Vejmelka, and Stephen Valiquette said he continues to hear him linked to the New York Rangers.
“Garand is playing at a high level. He wouldn’t be playing on a for a few reasons.
He could have been picked up on waivers, which he cleared. He could have been backing up maybe (Joonas) Korpisalo, and Korpisalo got hot.
But Korpisalo he hasn’t even started skating yet, so he’s a couple weeks away.
So I’m hearing (Karel) Vejmalka’s name a lot being linked to the Rangers, and Hellebuyck, by way of Vejmelka coming to New York, would be going to Utah. That’s the one I’m hearing more than UPL (Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen) coming to New York.
Like, it has to be a fit for three teams. That’s what’s going to make this Hellebuyck move very unique, and I can see the Vejmelka one.
Like Vejmelka, really good goalie. The only team last year that made the playoffs without getting 25 points from their backup was Utah.
Vejmelka did it on his own. He’s a game eater, and he can play.
Now, in the future, if it was Vejmelka - (Igor) Shesterkin at a lot of money, I guess around 15 million total. I don’t know if that’s something that works.
But I keep going back to the fact that once upon a time we did see (Dominik) Hasek in the same net as Cujo (Curtis Joseph) when they were both in Detroit. And teams find a way to figure it out.
But Garand himself, he’s been playing terrific.”
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The timing matters because Alex Wennberg is out day to day with an upper-body injury, leaving the Sharks thinner down the middle and leaning harder on Misa to help absorb some of that responsibility. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky has already acknowledged the adjustment period, saying Misa is dealing with the challenge of adapting to the leagues speed, and San Jose needs that process to keep moving in the right direction sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Suddenly Face A Center Depth Problem On This Road Trip
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For a team already leaning on every healthy body, losing a center of Wennbergs experience at this point adds another layer of uncertainty to the lineup decisions ahead. Hell be re-evaluated once the Sharks get back home, which at least gives the club a clearer checkpoint, but for now San Jose has to navigate the final two stops without one of the players it was counting on down the middle. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Suddenly Face A Bigger Wennberg Problem Than Expected
Alexander Wennbergs absence is becoming a bigger issue than the Sharks initially hoped for. The veteran center was hurt in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the club has had to move on without him as it heads through its road trip, keeping the same forward lines for the next game with Collin Graf sliding in at center in Wennbergs spot.
The immediate concern is less about one missed game than about how long San Jose may have to keep adjusting around him. Wennberg has already sat out the next stretch, and the Sharks wont get a clearer update until they are back in San Jose and he is re-evaluated, leaving the middle of the lineup in a holding pattern for now. [Read more 🡒]