Schenn headed back to L.A. Kings? Don’t press panic button, Blades fans
Saskatoon Blades centre Brayden Schenn was surprised to learn Saturday that he’d been a topic of discussion on Hockey Night in Canada’s Hotstove League. After Los Angeles Kings centre Anze Kopitar suffered a broken ankle, hockey pundits pointed out that the embattled NHL club could summon Schenn if they suffer one more injury. “Really?” Schenn asked after helping the Blades beat Prince Albert 8-1 in Game 1 of their WHL playoff series.
Yes, really.
But before you sweat too much, Saskatoon fans, it’s unlikely to happen. According to NHL rules, teams cannot recall a player once he’s returned to junior unless it’s an emergency.
Schenn won’t be filling in for Kings yet: Hotstove
Hockey Night in Canada’s Pierre LeBrun realizes the magnitude of the loss, but says Schenn can’t become the Kings’ saviour just yet. “I think Kopitar was playing the best hockey of his career,” said LeBrun. “There was talk about a dark horse Hart Trophy or Selke Trophy vote for him. It’s a gigantic loss and just to go back to Schenn, even if [the Kings] do suffer another injury and suddenly have the possibility of calling him up I don’t think they’re sold on that idea either. That’s a tough spot to put a young kid in.”
[…] Schenn wouldn’t be able to make the jump to the big club due to the rule book. According to NHL guidelines, once a player has been sent down to the junior level by a NHL team, he cannot be recalled unless it is on an emergency basis. In the case of the Kings, another significant player ailment would have to happen. “Technically they cannot [call Schenn up] right now,” LeBrun said. “They need to suffer one more injury before they have an emergency call-up so they’re not going to call anyone up right now.”
CBA Article 13.2(m) Emergency Recall
(i)
A Player on Loan to a club of any league affiliated with the League may be Recalled from such Loan under emergency conditions at any time for the duration of the emergency only following which he must be returned promptly to the club from which he was Recalled.
(ii)
Emergency conditions shall be established when the playing strength of the Loaning Club, by reason of incapacitating injury or illness or by League suspension to its Players is reduced below the level of two (2) goalkeepers, six (6) defensemen and twelve (12) forwards. Proof of the existence of the emergency conditions including the incapacity shall be furnished to the Commissioner of the League upon request made by him.
Like when Schenn was recalled for one game last year, under emergency conditions, namely that Loktionov dislocated his shoulder and they couldn’t get a player from Manchester in time, and Schenn was nearby. I don’t see how emergency conditions could ever exist in the Kopitar situation since there is plenty of time to call someone up from the AHL. I see where they’re getting the “one more injury” and Schenn can be recalled thing, because the Kings are down to 12 forwards and one more would drop them below 12.
But I still don’t see how that creates an emergency condition for more than one game (after which, a forward arrives from Manchester and Schenn goes back to the WHL).