In today’s News & Notes, the Montreal Canadiens have provided a medical update on Noah Juulsen, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers made a trade and the NHL has announced their three stars of the month.
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Medical Update on Juulsen
The Canadiens released an update Friday regarding Juulsen and his health.
The release reads as follows:
“Noah Juulsen is out indefinitely with a vision-related issue that will require time to heal. The Canadiens organization is expecting Noah to make a full recovery. Out of respect to the player and the healing process, we will have no further comment at this time.”
Canadiens defenseman Noah Juulsen (Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports)
The 21-year-old defender has played 21 games this season at the NHL level, scoring one goal and five points in that time. He’s also played in three AHL games this season though he was held without a point.
Juulsen got his first shot at professional hockey last season when he’d split the season between the Laval Rocket of the AHL and the Canadiens at the NHL level. With the Rocket, he’d score a goal and six points in 31 games. He’d score one goal and three points in 23 games, chipping in a little offense where he could.
Penguins and Panthers Trade
The Penguins and Panthers pulled off a pretty significant trade for the present and future Friday as trade deadline discussions start to ramp up.
The Penguins would send forwards Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan along with a second-round pick and two fourth-round picks in 2019 for forwards Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann. This deal allowed the Penguins to get something for two expiring contracts while the Penguins were able to get some contracts off of their books heading into the offseason.
Pittsburgh Penguins center Derick Brassard scores on New York Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner (AP Photo/Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke)
Though there wasn’t necessarily a blockbuster name involved in the deal, this trade has serious implications for the future as the Panthers aimed to free up cap space for the future with the intent of making a play at both Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky.
The Panthers are also likely to shop Brassard and Sheahan again before the deadline as they look to maximize their assets.
NHL Stars of the Month
Patrick Kane has been named the NHL’s third star of the week after the veteran forward scored seven goals and 21 points in just 10 games. Kane has been having an excellent season that’s included 29 goals and 71 points in just 50 games. He’s been one of the lone bright spots on an otherwise bleak Chicago Blackhawks season.
CHICAGO, IL – MARCH 20: Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (88). (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Kane ended January on a nine-game point streak, producing points in every game but the opening game of the month. Included in his point streak is an eight-game assist streak.
Robin Lehner has been named the NHL’s second star of the week. One of the better kept secrets in the league this season, Lehner has been among the NHL’s best netminders all season long and January was no exception.
Anaheim Ducks’ Devin Shore and Derek Grant fight for the puck with New York Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
In eight appearances, Lehner would compile a 6-1-1 record with a 1.73 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage with one shutout.
Lehner is now up to a 15-7-4 record while leading the NHL in goals-against average (2.02) and save percentage (.931).
Johnny Gaudreau has been named the NHL’s first star of the week. The Calgary Flames’ star would score eight goals and 18 points in 11 games, producing a point in every game outside of the Flames’ final game of the month.
Calgary Flames Johnny Gaudreau (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Gaudreau has seemingly been on a point-streak all season long and was named the NHL’s second star of the month in December. He’s scored 29 goals and 73 points in just 51 games this season.