The Predators recalled Mathieu Olivier from Milwaukee (AHL).
Olivier has scored two goals with five assists in 17 games with Milwaukee this season. The undrafted free agent could make his NHL debut vs. the Jets on Tuesday.
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Columbus Blue Jackets News
The Bruins have recalled Brendan Gaunce from Providence (AHL).
Gaunce has spent the entire season with Providence, where he has recorded four goals and three assists (seven points) in 11 games. He spent the first five years of his career with the Canucks, where he had 15 points (6G / 9A) in 117 career NHL games.
The Blue Jackets recalled Elvis Merzlikins from Cleveland (AHL).
Merzlikins went down to get some playing time with Cleveland but was called back up quicker than originally planned. Joonas Korpisalo struggled last week, so Merzlikins returns after one game and will start Tuesday.
Goalie Start
Merzlikins will start Tuesday in Montreal.
Merzlikins was sent to Cleveland (AHL) late last week to get some playing time but returned quicker than originally planned because Joonas Korpisalo struggled in Colorado on Saturday. Merzlikins hasn't been great this year either, going 0-1-2 with a. 3.90 GAA and .882 SV%. The Canadiens are 5-3-0 with 3.50 goals per game in eight games in Montreal.
The Blue Jackets have sent Elvis Merzlikins to Cleveland (AHL).
With Columbus heading out on a three-game road trip that does not have a back-to-back, Merzlikins heads to Cleveland just to get some playing time. The 25-year-old is 0-1-2 with the Blue Jackets so far this season and will get some AHL starts before likely returning to the NHL next week. Matiss Kivlenieks comes up to take his spot as the backup goalie.
Goalie Start
Merzlikins will start Friday in St. Louis.
Merzlikins stopped all 19 shots that he faced after replacing Joonas Korpisalo in the Blue Jackets loss to the Oilers on Wednesday. Tonight will be Merzlikins' first start since October 18th and he comes in having allowed a combined 10 goals on 92 shots (.891 SV%) in three appearances this season. Even without Vladimir Tarasenko, the Blues present a difficult road test--there are better options than Merzlikins tonight.
The Ducks acquired Gudbranson from the Penguins in exchange for forward Andreas Martinsen and a 2021 seventh-round pick.
Gudbranson will be back on the Penguins blueline on Saturday.
Goalie Start
Merzlikins will start in Chicago on Friday.
Goalie Start
Merzlikins was the first goalie off of the ice at the Blue Jackets morning skate.
The Ducks have reassigned Isac Lundestrom to San Diego (AHL).
Goalie Start
Merzlikins will make his NHL debut on Saturday.
With Joonas Korpisalo starting the season opener vs. Toronto, it sets Merzlikins up for a date with the Pittsburgh Penguins in his NHL debut. The Blue Jackets have high hopes for the 2014 third-round pick, who turned in a .921 SV% in two straight seasons while playing with Lugano of the Swiss-A League. He will have spot-start value this season, but this is a tough spot for him.
Lundestrom has been re-assigned to San Diego (AHL).
The Flyers have re-signed Ivan Provorov to a six-year deal worth $40.5M ($6.75M AAV).
Provorov and the Flyers wrap-up their RFA stalemate with a six-year extension that makes him the highest-paid defenseman on the team (per PuckPedia). After a breakout 2018 campaign, Provorov had a disappointing 26 points (7G / 19A) in 82 games last year. He has not missed a game in three years and is poised to lead the Flyers in ice-time again in 2020.
The Blue Jackets have re-signed Zach Werenski to a three-year contract worth $15 million ($5.0M AAV).
Werenski has been excellent since breaking into the NHL in 2017, scoring double-digit goals in all three seasons and 40-plus points in two out of three. Overall, he is 11th among defensemen in goals (27) and 24th in points (81) over that span.
The Penguins have re-signed Zach Aston-Reese to a two-year contract extension worth $2.0 million ($1.0M AAV).
Aston-Reese spent most of the 2018-19 season with the Penguins, where he had eight goals and nine assists (17 points) in 43 games. The 24-year-old posted ridiculous numbers at Northeastern University and solid AHL numbers but will be limited by his bottom-6 role with the Penguins.
The Bruins have signed Danton Heinen to a two-year extension worth $5.6 million ($2.8M AAV).
The Coyotes have signed Hudson Fasching to a two-year, two-way contract.
The Bruins have signed Brendan Gaunce to a one-year, two-way contract.
The Blue Jackets signed Elvis Merzlikins to a one-year, one-way contract.
Merzlikins, 25, was selected by the Blue Jackets in the third-round back in 2014 but remained with Lugano in Switzerland, where he had a 2.44 GAA and .921 SV% in 43 games this season. Merzlikins represented Latvia at the World Championship, where he had a 2.78 GAA and .914 SV% in five games.