In today’s News & Notes, the Montreal Canadiens have signed Nate Thompson to an extension, Zach Hyman is set to undergo ACL surgery and Joe Pavelski is day-to-day.
Thompson Signs Contract Extension
While the last eight teams in the NHL are preparing for the second round of the playoffs, the Montreal Canadiens are one of the teams tending to offseason business a little bit early. They’d continue that Thursday when they signed the 34-year-old Thompson to a one-year deal worth $1 million for the 2019-20 season.
Thompson was acquired by the Canadiens from the Los Angeles Kings and scored one goal and seven points in 25 games in Montreal. He’d finish the 2018-19 season with five goals and 13 points in 78 games between Montreal and Los Angeles.
A veteran of 697 NHL games, Thompson has scored 58 goals and 141 points in his career split between the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, Ottawa Senators, Kings and Canadiens.
Hyman out at Least 6 Months
The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that Hyman will be out for a minimum of six months following ACL surgery. The 26-year-old suffered a torn ACL during the team’s first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins and is set to have surgery on April 29.
Hyman was seen favoring his leg and limping multiple times throughout the series but continued playing through what many believed was an injury. Now that the Maple Leafs are eliminated from the postseason, the severity of the injury is far worse than likely anyone anticipated.
The 6-foot-1, 209-pound forward set career-highs in goals (21) and points (42) this season despite only playing in 71 games, the fewest he’s played in a season since making the full-time jump to the league in 2016-17.
Pavelski Day-To-Day
After leaving Game 7 with an injury and sparking the San Jose Sharks’ comeback against the Vegas Golden Knights, Pavelski is now listed as day to day by the Sharks and is unlikely to play in Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche.
Pavelski, the captain of the Sharks, would score two goals and four points in seven games of the first round and is undoubtedly one of the best players not only on the Sharks roster, but in the entire league. He’d score 38 goals and 64 points in 75 games this season which is par for the course for the 205th pick from the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
This day-to-day distinction is as good as the news is going to get for the Sharks who could have certainly been without the 34-year-old for much longer than they actually are.
The Sharks and Avalanche are set to kick off their series Friday night in San Jose in what promises to be a very exciting and physical series between the two Western Conference teams.