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Avalanche place backup goaltender on waivers
Story by Brian La Rose, Pro Hockey Rumors • 6h

The league is largely shut down this weekend for the All-Star break but waiver activity continues. On Saturday, the Avalanche placed goaltender Ivan Prosvetov on waivers, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Colorado claimed the 24-year-old off waivers from Arizona in training camp with backup Pavel Francouz dealing with a groin injury. With Francouz since being ruled out for the season, Prosvetov has become the full-time backup for the Avs this season. However, his performance has been inconsistent as he has played to a 3.16 GAA and a .895 SV% in 11 appearances so far. The result has been starter Alexandar Georgiev leading the league in appearances by a goaltender at the break, hardly an ideal situation for someone whose career high in games played heading into last season was 34.

Prosvetov’s placement suggests that a change on that front is coming. Barring a trade on the horizon, the change should be in the form of prospect Justus Annunen. The 23-year-old has spent most of the year with AHL Colorado, posting a 2.65 GAA and a .908 SV% in 23 games while also making one start for the Avs. Annunen only has five career appearances at the top level under his belt but he is in his final season of waiver exemption so he’ll now get his chance to prove he’s worthy of the full-time second-string role. Otherwise, GM Chris MacFarland will have no choice but to turn to the trade market.

With goalie depth hard to come by, it wouldn’t be shocking to see someone claim Prosvetov on Sunday. If that team is the Coyotes and they’re the only team to do so, Arizona would then be able to send him to AHL Tucson. If the Coyotes aren’t the only team to put in a claim, they’d then be forced to re-waive him or keep him on the NHL roster.

The Vegas Golden Knights have placed defenseman Brayden Pachal on waivers.

Unrestricted free agent forward Jesse Puljujarvi signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins that spans through the 2024-25 season, the team announced Sunday. The deal carries an average annual value of $800,000 for Puljujarvi, who signed a professional tryout with Pittsburgh on Dec. 10 after undergoing double hip surgery in the offseason.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson will require surgery to repair an upper-body injury and will be out for the remainder of the season, the team announced Sunday. Samuelsson missed the last two games due to his injury, which coach Don Granato said he sustained during the Sabres’ 4-2 loss to Anaheim on Jan. 23.

The Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils and Calgary Flames have been informed by the NHL that they will receive salary cap relief for players charged in relation to the 2018 World Junior sexual assault case, Sportsnet can confirm.

Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov will be receiving care from the Player Assistance Program of the NHLPA and NHL, it was announced on Monday.

“(Kuznetsov) will be unavailable to his Club for an indefinite period while he receives care,” the statement read.

Axel Jonsson-Fjällby was placed on waivers by the Winnipeg Jets.
He's a fast skater, that's all I got.

Tampa Bay defenseman Mikhail Sergachev had to leave the ice on a stretcher after his left leg bent at an awkward angle seven minutes into the second period of the Lightning's game against the New York Rangers on Wednesday night. The 25-year-old defenseman grabbed his left knee as he went down along the boards in the Lightning end of the ice. Sergachev became tangled with Rangers forward Alexei Lafreniere after Lafreniere attempted a reverse hit on the approaching Tampa Bay player. Sergachev's left skate seemed to stick in the ice as his knee twisted at an unnatural angle. Sergachev had returned Wednesday after missing the previous 17 games with a leg injury suffered in December. The Lightning declared Sergachev out for the game with a lower body injury before the second period concluded. There was no further information on his condition after the game.

“Super tough. Sergei in his first game back to see him in such pain,″ Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said. ”You pray for the best but obviously it’s not looking great.”

Maybe they look at Matheson? Probably don't have much to offer.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares is taking the Canada Revenue Agency to court in a tax dispute of over $8 million.
Court documents show Tavares filed an appeal through his lawyers last week in the Tax Court of Canada seeking to have the CRA's reassessment of his 2018 tax return annulled. The CRA, according to the appeal, determined Tavares's 2018 income was $17.8 million higher than reported and ordered the player to pay $6.8 million in taxes — over 38 per cent — plus $1.2 million in interest. Tavares, a 33-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., signed a seven-year, US$77-million contract to join his hometown Maple Leafs on July 1, 2018. He previously played for the New York Islanders from 2009 to 2018. The $17.8-million sum accounts for a US$15.25-million signing bonus in the contract's first year, which "was integral to Tavares’ decision" to accept the deal, the appeal states. It adds the player rejected higher offers from other teams, including a seven-year, US$91-million contract from the San Jose Sharks.

Man. To have these kinds of problems!