Ottawa Senators prospect Tim Stützle is sidelined with an injury, the Carolina Hurricanes signed a recent second-round pick to an entry-level contract and the Philadelphia Flyers signed their fourth-round pick to an entry-level contract.
Stützle Requires Surgery For Injury
It was an impressive week for the Senators who landed Jake Sanderson and Tim Stützle at the draft and traded for/signed Matt Murray from the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, all good things come to an end and unfortunately, it looks like Stützle will miss some time due to an injury.
The third-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft broke a bone in his hand during training camp in Germany with the Mannheim Eagles. He is expected to undergo surgery to repair the damage and will miss approximately six to eight weeks according to Senators general manager Pierre Dorion who released a statement on Tuesday:
In consultation with doctors in Germany and with our own medical staff, it has been determined that Tim requires a surgical procedure to stabilize a fracture. The procedure is scheduled to take place in Germany later this week and has an expected recovery time of six to eight weeks. Our medical staff will remain in regular contact with Tim and his doctors as he begins his recovery through to the point that he is medically cleared.
– Pierre Dorion (from ‘Ottawa Senators’ top pick Tim Stuetzle will undergo surgery to repair broken hand,’ Ottawa Sun, 10/14/2020).
The good news is that there likely will not be any long-term residual effects from an injury like this. Stützle will be able to resume skating shortly and is projected to be back in early December. With the NHL season tentatively scheduled for Jan. 1, he’s on track to be back in time for Ottawa’s training camp.
Stützle is staying in Germany for the procedure because he’d have to quarantine for 14 days if he was to have it done in Canada. Mannheim general manager Jan-Axel Alavaara informed the media that the injury took place during a contact drill in practice. Stützle had seven goals and 34 points in 41 games during the 2019-20 season.
Hurricanes Sign Ponomaryov
The Hurricanes announced on Tuesday that they’ve agreed on a standard, three-year, entry-level contract for Vasiliy Ponomaryov. Drafted 53rd overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Ponomaryov has already begun his 2020-21 season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Shawinigan Cataractes where he has two goals and one assist in four games played. During the 2019-20 season, he had 18 goals and 49 points in 57 games played.
Canes’ president and general manager Don Waddell had this to say about Ponomaryov in the team’s press release:
Vasiliy is a strong two-way player with a high hockey IQ. We were excited to get a player of his caliber in the second round of the draft and believe he has a bright future.”
It somehow feels like Ponomaryov was signed to prevent him from heading to Russia if the QMJHL season is ever put on hold. That may seem pessimistic, and there haven’t been any rumors to support that notion, but with his history of playing in Russia’s MHL, it’s possible he would have wanted to return to Russia if the Cataractes’ season is suspended due to COVID-19.
Flyers Ink Wisdom To Deal
The Flyers announced on Tuesday that they have agreed to a standard, three-year, entry-level contract with Zayde Wisdom. Drafted 94th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Wisdom spent the 2019-20 season playing for the Kingston Frontenacs in the Ontario Hockey League where he amassed 29 goals and 30 assists in 62 games played. Fellow Frontenacs forward Martin Chromiak was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings.
In a press release, president of hockey operations and general manager Chuck Fletcher had this to say about Wisdom:
Somewhat surprising to us, Wisdom was still available in the late third and we scrambled to try to pick up an extra pick there to select him. I think he’s got an understated skill level. His hands are pretty good. He has a good shot. He has good instincts. He goes to the right places on the ice. When you combine that with his relentless pursuit of pucks, his ability to forecheck and finish checks, it’s a pretty attractive package.
Wisdom is the first of the Flyers’ five draft picks from the 2020 NHL Entry Draft to sign an entry-level contract. The team moved up to select Wisdom by sending two draft picks to the Tampa Bay Lightning. So, it’s no surprise that they wanted him locked in as soon as possible. He’ll likely stay in the OHL for 2020-21, and a full season with Shane Wright and Chromiak will do wonders for his development.