Sabres, Devils deal with goalie shortages
With the top four goalies on their depth chart sidelined, the Sabres recalled former Sharks goalie Aaron Dell from Rochester of the American Hockey League and signed Michael Houser — who also had been at Rochester — to a one-year, $750,000 contract.
Buffalo, with goalies Craig Anderson (upper-body injury) and Dustin Tokarski (COVID-19 protocols) already out, added goalies Ukko-Pekka Luukonen and Malcolm Subban to their injured list after both were hurt Monday.
Luukonen is considered week-to-week with a lowerbody injury. Subban, who finished Monday’s game, has been diagnosed with what the team calls an upper-body injury that’s expected to sideline him for at least a month.
“It is shocking,” head coach Don Granato told the Buffalo News. “You just adjust and acclimate to it.”
Dell, who had a 2.76 goalsagainst average and .910 save percentage at Rochester, has a 4.52 GAA and .872 save percentage in seven games with Buffalo this season.
Houser appeared in four games with Buffalo last season.
⏩ Like Buffalo, New Jersey has issues at goalie after McKenzie Blackwood was placed in COVID-19 protocols. Goalie Akira Schmid went into protocols Tuesday.
With goaltender Jonathan Bernier on injured reserve because of a hip injury and minor-league goalie Nico Daws also hurt, Jon Gillies is the lone healthy goalie under contract with the organization as the team prepares to face the Islanders on Thursday.
Mareks Mitens, who has appeared in 13 games in the ECHL and six with Utica — the Devils’ AHL affiliate — this season, could be signed to back up Gillies.
More medical news: Forward Kyle Turris became the 11th Edmonton player in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols . ... Vegas’ Shea Theodore, Nicolas Roy and Nolan Patrick and Dallas’ Alexander Radulov also went into protocols . ... Dallas’ Tanner Kero was activated from injured reserve.
WEDNESDAY’S GAME
Bruins 5, Canadiens 1: Brad Marchand’s fifth career hat trick helped host Boston win for the sixth time in seven games.
Montreal has lost four in a row and 11 of 12.
Briefly: Boston head coach Bruce Cassidy told NHL.com that goalie Tuukka Rask, the Bruins’ career wins leader, will make his season debut Thursday . ... Montreal claimed forward Rem Pitlick on waivers from Minnesota.