One of the headline moves this offseason was the New York Rangers trading center Derek Stepan and goalie Antti Raanta to the Arizona Coyotes.
As of Tuesday, both of that 21st pick (which turned out to be Filip Chytil) and Anthony DeAngelo have been assigned to the Rangers' AHL squad, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
DeAngelo had been the Rangers' seventh defenseman to this point in the season. He had only a single point in eight games, averaging just 12:38 TOI. Meanwhile, Stepan has seven points and is averaging over 20 minutes of ice time for the winless Arizona Coyotes through 10 games (0-9-1).
It's a situation that reflects the tone of their season thus far.
Canes Players Contribute to True Defenders Program
Carolina Hurricanes players Justin Faulk and Noah Hanifin will be helping facilitate quality NHL game experiences for active military members and veterans this season, per an article on the News and Observer:
For six games during the season, the True Defenders program will host 20 military members and their guests in a True Defenders branded lower-level suite at PNC Arena. Along with suite tickets, participants receive VIP parking, buffet and beverages inside the suite, and a meet-and-greet with Faulk and Hanifin after each game. – Staff, News and Observer
Faulk also designed the new True Defenders logo for this season.
Under My Thumb
Andre Burakovsky, a key young player for the Washington Capitals, is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after undergoing surgery on his thumb, ESPN reports. Burakovsky has four points in nine games with 15:45 average TOI to this point in the season, and will miss somewhere around 19 games as a result of the injury.
Chandler Stephenson has been recalled from the AHL to fill the open roster spot.
Flying without MacDonald
John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Veteran defenseman Andrew MacDonald blocked 151 shots and averaged over 20 minutes on the ice, and was on pace for similar numbers through eight games this year. He used his left knee to block yet another shot in a game against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday and left the ice with what appeared to be a stinger, re-entering the contest later.
It wasn't a stinger.
The puck that hit MacDonald will cost him 4-6 weeks, and the Flyers will have to find a replacement for one of their leaders on defense. Likely options to take his place include Brandon Manning, who is already on the Flyers' roster, and Samuel Morin, a 6-foot-7 monster who is looking to be recalled from AHL Lehigh Valley.
Ho-Sang It
The New York Islanders have sent talented 21-year-old winger Josh Ho-Sang to their AHL affilliate in Bridgeport, per Elite Sports New York.
Ho-Sang recorded four assists in four games to begin the season, but something must be lacking, because he hasn't seen game action since the second period of the Islanders' fifth game of the season. It's been a while.
Bringing Back Boyle
The biggest surprise in the Metropolitan Division to start this season continues to be the New Jersey Devils, who sit 6-2-0 after a 1-1-0 stint since last week's Metropolitan Notebook.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Devils have been without two key pieces this entire time, both of them centers. Those players are Travis Zajac and Brian Boyle, the latter of which has been battling with leukemia.
As of Sunday, it appears that Boyle will be returning to practice, per an ESPN report.
Although there is no timetable set for his return to game action, this is some good news for the already red-hot Devils. Boyle has been a consistent 20-point contributor as a third-line center throughout his NHL career and signed with the Devils this summer in free agency.
Can't Buy a Healthy Defense
The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to be one of the top teams in the NHL, but something else they continue to deal with is injuries at the defensive position, according to an article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
It’s as certain as death, taxes and make-you-nuts traffic on the Liberty Bridge. Drop the puck on a hockey season. A Penguins defenseman will inevitably get hurt. [...] Your current injured Penguins defensemen include Matt Hunwick and Justin Schultz. Both have concussions. Neither is likely to play Thursday against Winnipeg; after Wednesday’s practice, coach Mike Sullivan termed them “doubtful.” – Jason Mackey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Penguins had to play much of their game Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers with only five defensemen, but none of these problems have stopped them from leading the Metropolitan Division to this point in the season.
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