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As the New York Islanders return home after a lengthy road trip, one player will return to the lineup after a lengthy hiatus.
Defenseman Adam Pelech has been activated off long-term injured reserve and will likely play in his first game in over six weeks tonight versus the Vancouver Canucks. In order to make the roster space necessary for Pelech, the Islanders placed goalie Semyon Varlamov on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 2.
#Isles have activated Adam Pelech off LTIR and moved Semyon Varlamov to IR retroactive to Jan. 2, per team.
— Andrew Fantucchio (@A_Fantucchio) January 9, 2024
Pelech, 29, has missed the last 20 games with an upper-body injury he endured against the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 24
If he does play for the Islanders tonight, Pelech will fill a major void that’s existed within the team’s lineup ever since he got hurt.
“He’s a key piece to the backend,” Noah Dobson said. “He plays in a lot of situations for us back there. It’s definitely a huge boost. He’s a guy we’ve missed back there.”
As for which defenseman will come out of the lineup if Pelech does play, the unfortunate one appears to be Samuel Bolduc.
The young defenseman has played in all but one game since Pelech went down, averaging 14:43 of ice time per game. Although none were particularly flashy, Bolduc has displayed moments of undeniable improvement in the recent matchups.
Nevertheless, with the Islanders now holding a surplus of healthy defensemen, it looks as if he’ll once again be a healthy scratch.
Pelech’s injury was the first in a long line the Islanders endured on their backend. Only minutes after Pelech was hurt, Sebastian Aho went down with an upper-body injury of his own and spent eight games on the shelf.
Since then, Scott Mayfield, Ryan Pulock and the recently acquired Robert Bortuzzo have all missed time as well. Pulock and Bortuzzo still remain out.
The Islanders will host the Canucks at UBS Arena tonight at 7:30 p.m. EST as part of a brief two-game homestand.
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Rumored Targets to Fill 'Marner-Sized Hole' on Maple Leafs’ Roster
The Toronto Maple Leafs have made several moves this offseason, including the high-profile sign-and-trade that sent Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights. While the team added forwards Nicolas Roy, Dakota Joshua, and Matias Maccelli to help shore up its depth, NHL analyst Shayna Goldman of The Athletic believes the Leafs still have a major issue to address. “There is still a Mitch Marner-sized hole in the top six,” Goldman wrote, noting that while Marner’s playoff production often fell short, his ability to produce 100 points during the regular season hasn’t been replaced. Captain Auston Matthews and William Nylander remain elite offensive weapons, and John Tavares re-signed on a more team-friendly deal, but Tavares is expected to take on a reduced role. Young forward Matthew Knies is developing nicely, but Goldman argues internal improvements alone won’t fill the void left by Marner. “With most top-tier free agents signed and just $2.9 million in cap space remaining, Toronto’s only real path to addressing this gap may come via trade,” she added. Who Might the Maple Leafs Be Targeting? The Maple Leafs have a few options still out there on the trade market. First, they might be eyeing Evan Rodrigues as a potential trade target amid the Florida Panthers’ cap crunch. With Florida $3.7 million over the cap, Rodrigues’ $3 million AAV and playoff pedigree make him an appealing, affordable top-six option to help fill the post-Marner scoring gap. Lyle Richardson of Bleacher Report has predicted a major trade deadline move that could see the Leafs landing Anders Lee from the New York Islanders. Lee, 35, is in the final year of his eight-year, $7M AAV deal. While the Islanders insist they aren’t rebuilding, Lee could become a trade chip if they slip from playoff contention. His 29 goals and 25 assists last season should draw interest across the league. With Yegor Chinakhov requesting a trade out of Columbus, the Maple Leafs have emerged as a potential suitor. The skilled winger could help fill Toronto’s top-six void. Nick Robertson may be a trade chip, though his value is uncertain. Chinakhov’s upside and affordable cap hit make him an intriguing target for GM Brad Treliving. According to Nick Kypreos, Nazem Kadri may be willing to help facilitate a move to Toronto if the Calgary Flames are open to a deal. Kadri is a center, but his production certainly would help. Finally, the Maple Leafs may target Penguins winger Rickard Rakell to fill their top-six hole. Rakell, coming off a 35-goal season, fits Toronto’s cap structure and could thrive alongside Matthews or Tavares. However, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas will demand significant value, likely starting with Easton Cowan.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Aaron Boone Makes Feelings Clear After Yankees’ Big Trade
The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.
Packers rookie could miss time after suffering injury in training camp
The Green Bay Packers offense was dealt a bit of a blow early in training camp. Friday, third-round rookie wide receiver Savion Williams was a spectator for practice after suffering a concussion. Williams, chosen by the Packers with the No. 87 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, is aiming to climb the depth chart at a crowded wide receiver position this summer. At 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, Williams ran the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.48 seconds during the NFL Combine and has the profile of potentially becoming a reliable possession receiver and after-the-catch weapon for quarterback Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense. Reaching those benchmarks and climbing the depth chart will have to wait, though, as Williams works his way through the concussion protocol and back onto the field for practices during training camp and the preseason this summer.
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