CarterHud

                Los Angeles Kings center Jeff Carter is out indefinitely after being cut by the skate of Montreal Canadiens defensemen Jeff Petry in their eventual 5-1 win on Wednesday. The injury will require surgery. To replace him, forward Brooks Laich was signed to a contract.

                Losing Carter will be hard for the Kings. An all-star last year, Carter has scored at least 24 goals a season since being traded to Los Angeles in 2012. Rookie Alex Iafallo will get a higher role now. They are depending on some bottom six players to step up. Carter is the center on the famous 70s line featuring Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson.

                Carter, 32, has three points (all assists) in six games this season. He scored 32 goals and 34 assists for 66 points last year. In his NHL career for Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers , Carter has scored 339 goals and 314 assists for 653 points in 883 games.

                 Laich could be one of two things. He could replace Carter\’s roster spot and be a depth forward. Or, he could go to the Ontario Reign (AHL), and get called up if another injury strikes. The veteran has a long NHL career, and could help the team chip in a few goals.

                  Laich, 34, scored two goals and 12 assists for 14 points in 81 games in 2015-16 (his last NHL season) for the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs. In his NHL career for those two teams, plus one game for the Ottawa Senators, Laich has scored 134 goals and 197 assists for 331 points in 764 games.

                  Today, the Minnesota Twins decided not to pick up the option for 2018 on LHP and former closer Glen Perkins. If the option was exercised, Perkins would earn $6.5 million. This makes him a free agent.

                   From his age 30 season to age 32 season (2013-15), Perkins was an all-star, and had over 30 saves each season, but then, the injury bug came. Perkins has pitched in just 7.2 innings since the start of 2016, and has allowed eight runs, all earned, in them. Shoulder surgery is the reason for this.

                    Perkins, 34, has a 3.88 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 120 saves and 504 strikeouts in 624.1 career innings, all for the Twins in 12 seasons. He\’s only walked 158 batters in that span.

                   The Stillwater, Minnesota native said he\’d be open to a minor league deal with his hometown team after his final performance on October 1st. Though he isn\’t expected to sign elsewhere, and could retire, Perkins could get a minor league deal anywhere and battle his way up the depth chart in one year.

                   The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled C Vadim Shipachyov from the Chicago Wolves (AHL).

                    Due to the fact that he\’s exempt for waivers, Shipachyov was sent to the minors before the season started. Then, he was held out of the first two AHL games. But he\’s still probably one of the best players on the team. Shipachyov signed a two year, $4.5 million deal in the offseason from St. Petersburg (KHL). His season debut will be his NHL debut.

                     Shipachyov, 30, scored 26 goals and 50 assists for 76 points in 50 games in Russia last year. That was his third consecutive point-per-game season.

                       The corresponding move was placing F Erik Haula on IR. Haula was injured while participating the first fight in Knights history, vs the Red Wings\’ Tomas Tatar in a 6-3 loss.

                        Haula, 26, was selected in the expansion draft by the Golden Knights from the Minnesota WIld. He has a goal and an assist in four games for the Knights this young season. In his NHL career for Vegas and the Wild, Haula has scored 43 goals and 48 assists for 91 points in 270 games.

                The Philadelphia Flyers have acquired goalie Dustin Tokarski from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for future considerations. Also, Leland Irving, another goalie, was traded from the Phantoms (Flyers AHL) to the Gulls (Ducks AHL) for future considerations.

                The Flyers have Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth as their goalies, and Anthony Stolarz and Alex Lyon in their organization, so Tokarski is just some depth. Also, Stolarz is injured. Tokarski will take Irving\’s place on the depth chart. Irving was just Lyon\’s backup in Lehigh Valley, and with prospect Carter Hart in the juniors, Irving didn\’t have a chance to make the NHL again.

                 Tokarski, 28, played one game in relief last year for the Ducks, making five saves on as many shots. He has a 2.84 GAA and .904 SV% in 34 career games for Anaheim, the Canadiens and the Lightning.

                 I\’m not really sure why the Ducks did this, since I think Tokarski is better, and is a year younger. Irving will also take Tokarski\’s spot on the Ducks\’ chart.

                 Iving, 29, had a 2.18 GAA, and .923 SV% overseas last year. In his NHL career years ago for the Flames, he has a 3.25 GAA and a .902 SV% in 12 games.

                   The New York Rangers have claimed forward Adam Cracknell off waivers from the Dallas Stars.

                  After claiming Cracknell, the Rangers have 24 men on their roster, one more than the league maximum. Something I\’m thinking is that so they don\’t burn a year on his entry level deal, Filip Chytil, an 18 year old who made the team, will go back to the Czech Republic. Maybe Paul Carey will be waived. Since they have eight defensemen, maybe Steven Kampfer goes. We will soon find out what the Rangers do. But anyways, Cracknell is a solid 4th line or 13th forward type player. He will most likely be a scratch most nights, but he will probably get 30-40 games this year.

                   Cracknell, 32, played in one game for the Stars this year, not scoring a point in just under nine minutes of ice time. Last season, he set career highs in goals (10), assists (6) and obviously points (16) in 69 games for Dallas, another career high. In his eight year NHL career for the Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues, Cracknell has scored 21 goals and 22 assists for 43 points in 204 games.

                   After waiving Cracknell, the Stars have 12 forwads, eight defensemen, and Kari Lehtonen and Ben Bishop on their roster. That\’s 22 men, which is one less than the 23 men you normally have. This means that either Curtis McKenzie or Brian Flynn can be called up from Texas (AHL). I think it will be McKenzie over Flynn. Probably because of McKenzie\’s experience in the organization, while Flynn is a newcomer from Montreal.