Leipsic put on waivers, Virtanen shows wheels
Brendan Leipsic could have added some sizzle to the Super Skills show Sunday at Rogers Arena.
He has a quick stride and could have pushed Jake Virtanen in the fastest-lap competition. He could have been a force in the team-oriented puck-control relay.
However, the Vancouver Canucks’ left winger, who has seen first-line and second-unit powerplay time, was put on waivers Sunday.
If he clears Monday, he could add something to the Utica Comets that was missing at this level.
Leipsic has two goals in 17 games, a minus-10 rating and had yet to earn the trust of coach Travis Green. The 24-year-old Leipsic, who’s on an expiring contract, could have little clout in arbitration if he doesn’t get back to the NHL.
“He has played some good games and some where he has just been OK,” Canucks general manager Jim Benning said Sunday.
“He needs to be put into offensive situations, but if he’s not playing in a certain part of your lineup, he’s not going to get those looks.”
The Leipsic move allows rookie Adam Gaudette to keep growing his game at the NHL level.
And making roster room for centre Jay Beagle, who will play Tuesday after recovering from a fractured forearm on a shot block in the fifth game of the season, means Markus Granlund can move to wing.
Gaudette has four points (1-3) in 23 games and just 10:31 of average ice time, but Green has lauded the Hobey Baker Award winner’s willingness to sell out on every shift.
“We want to keep Gaudette around because every game he’s showing some good things,” Benning added. “And we feel he’s helping us.”
For Gaudette, the Sunday shuffle buys the 22-year-old more time until Brandon Sutter recovers from a shoulder injury, but franchise faith isn’t lost on him.
“The hard work in adjusting to the speed and strength is paying off,” said Gaudette.
“When I came in for those five games last season and even in pre-season, I looked a little lost and struggled a bit. But now I feel much better and confident with and without the puck.”
The transaction also placed a microscope on free-agent acquisition Tim Schaller.
The 28-year-old left winger was signed to a two-year, US$3.8-million contract July 1 to bolster the penalty kill and score some goals.
He had a dozen with the Boston Bruins last season, including three short-handed, but has yet to score in 25 games.
As much as he helped the penalty kill get off to a fast start — six perfect nights in the first nine games — injuries to Sutter and Beagle resulted in just three perfect nights in the past 17 games and a 24th ranking at 76.8-per-cent proficiency.
As for the Super Skills competition, Virtanen easily defended his fastest-lap crown.
The winger completed a lap at 13.465 seconds to beat Tyler Motte (14.225), Nikolay Goldobin (14.332), Derrick Pouliot (14.878), Gaudette (15.130) and Alex Biega (15.602).
In the hardest-shot show, Elias Pettersson won with a blast of 99.4 m.p.h He beat Michael Del Zotto (97.5), Ben Hutton (96.3), Alex Edler (94.2), Biega (93.8) and Schaller (93.2).
Defending champ Erik Gudbranson (neck) didn’t compete and nobody came close to his 103.4 effort.
In the shooting-accuracy competition, Bo Horvat won after nailing four targets in four shots in just 11 seconds.
We want to keep Gaudette around because every game he’s showing some good things.