Less than 24 hours before Rick Tocchet's group is set to take on the Buffalo Sabres in a Black Friday matinee, the Vancouver Canucks have announced a call-up from the American Hockey League following following the news of an injury to Filip Hronek that may keep him out 'for a while'.
While the team hasn't made it official just yet, Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet is reporting, citing the NHL's media site, that Patrik Allvin has called up defenseman Mark Friedman from the Abbotsford Canucks, while sending Arshdeep Bains down to the AHL.
It's been a bit of a tough season for Mark Friedman in the AHL, only appearing in eight of Abbotsford's 19 games, partly due to a hit back at the end of October that forced him to be taken away on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital.
The 28-year-old, who joined the Canucks through a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins in October 2023, signed a one-year contract extension with the club back in June.
In those eight games this season with Abbotsford, the Toronto native has four points (one goal, three assists), no penalty minutes and is a plus-five.
As for Arshdeep Bains, who has been up-and-down between Vancouver and Abbotsford this season countless times, he was a healthy scratch for Wednesday's game in Pittsburgh and the most likely option to be sent down in any roster move by Allvin.
In 11 games with Vancouver, Bains has one goal and is a minus-four, while registering four points in four games with AHL Abbotsford this season.
The Vancouver Canucks will be back in action on Friday afternoon at 3 pm ET against the Buffalo Sabres on Sportsnet Pacific.
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