BOISE — Everett Sheen knows that having to adjust rosters throughout the season is part of the job as coach of the Idaho Steelheads.
Being in the ECHL, the Steelheads have to always be ready to replace players called up by their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars or getting professional tryout opportunity with another AHL club. When their NHL parent club, the Dallas Stars, makes a roster move, the reverberation can often be felt inside Idaho Central Arena.
Over the last week, however, the movements have felt more like earthquakes as the reintroduction of taxi squads at the NHL level — in response to the omicron surge of the COVID-19 pandemic — has shaken up rosters all the way down organizational charts.
“It’s definitely a unique situation for sure,” Sheen said. “We’ve been able to bring in a couple of good players in Nick DeVito and Conor Landrigan. As of now, we have a full roster, which is a nice thing. It’s definitely been a challenge. There’s a limited number of bodies out there this year with college kids getting a fifth year, the SPHL doesn’t really have their pool to pull from. Obviously, it’s happening to every team in our league. With all of us competing for the same guys, it’s definitely a smaller player pool.”
DeVito and Landrigan both joined the Steelheads during last weekend’s series in Allen, Texas, while defenseman Aaron Harstad, who had previously played for Idaho from 2016-18, rejoined the team for Wednesday’s 2-1 loss against the Utah Grizzlies back at home. Jimmy Lodge and Mason Mitchell were both acquired in a trade from the Cincinatti Cyclones this week, but neither made their Steelheads debut on Wednesday. DeVito also did not dress for Wednesday’s game.
“Especially for guys like myself and Connor, we both played (NCAA) Division III hockey, opportunities don’t come along like this that often,” said DeVito, a rookie out of Morrisville State College, who had been playing with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dogs of the SPHL before signing with Idaho on Dec. 29. “The taxi squads are definitely helping us out a lot.”
The NHL reintroduced taxi squads coming out of its holiday break in an effort to limit the number of games that are postponed. Teams are allowed to carry up to six reserve players on their roster, who they have ready to dress in case someone tests positive for the virus. Those players are generally taken from the AHL squad, which in turn calls players up from the ECHL level to fill the holes left by those players. The NHL used taxi squads a year ago, but with three AHL teams and 12 ECHL teams — including the Steelheads — and five SPHL teams opting out, there were plenty of more players available to take up the limited roster spots.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the AHL and NHL had made 109 signings or recalls of players in the ECHL since NHL teams returned to practice on Dec. 26, following a short COVID pause that coincided in part with a scheduled holiday break. Six the players were from Idaho’s roster.
Goaltenders Matt Jurusik and Jake Kupsky signed with the Texas Stars and Colorado Eagles, respectively, but both were assigned to remain in Idaho for the time being. Forward Colby McAuley was called up by the Hershey Bears last week, as well. And just before Sunday’s finale against Allen, Jurusik and Yauheni Aksiantsiuk were called up to Texas, while the AHL affiliate also signed forward Will Merchant and defenseman Evan Wardley.
“I had gotten a call from Coach Sheen right before I found out they were doing taxi squads,” said Landrigan, who has played with three other ECHL teams this season. “But once I heard about it it made sense. But I think it opens up a lot of opportunity for a lot of guys.”
Even though the ECHL has allowed teams to compete with 13 skaters and two goaltenders available, Idaho has so far been able to dress 16 skaters and two goalkeepers, the maximum allowed in all of its game since the Christmas break. Some ECHL teams have gotten creative with how they make sure they have enough players for a game.
Last week in Rapid City, the Utah Grizzlies started goaltender Brady Devries, who according to the Rapid City Journal is a 19-year-old Rapid City native who was home on Christmas break following his first semester at Grand Canyon University. Playing in Rapid City gear, Devries stopped 18 shots for Utah to earn a 4-3 overtime win.
The Steelheads also found a way to get creative last week, signing Steelhead legend Jeremy Yablonski out of retirement for the series against Allen. The 41-year-old Yablonski, who lives in Texas, was a member of the 2007 Kelly Cup Championship team. He had last played professionally with the Ontario Reign during the 2014-15 season, a team which Sheen also played on. He dressed for the final game of the series.
“Him and I played two years together, so we’re old teammates, ex-linemates, actually,” said Sheen. “Just being able to have him back on the ice, to be around him for three days, was awesome. He’s a great man, the boys loved having him around. He was a great teacher for the three days, telling his stories of where he’s been and what he’s seen. I think the guys enjoyed it, as well.”
On Wednesday, Utah’s Quinn Ryan broke a scoreless tie with 5:30 left in the second period, tapping in a centering pass. Just 43 seconds later, Michael Prapavessis tied it back up, putting a slapshot into the back of the net. Prapavessis returned to the team Saturday following a stint with AHL Ontario.
Kupsky made 33 saves of 35 shots, including two on breakaway chances with under five minutes to go. But Utah scored on the last shot of the game, with Charles-Edouard D’Astous putting a puck into the net with 1.7 seconds left in the game.
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