Canucks recall D Ashton Sautner

With the day off today, the organization has recalled defenceman Ashton Sautner from the Utica Comets

As mentioned in the tweet, Ashton Sautner is being recalled under emergency conditions, which is outlined in the NHL/NHLPA CBA under Article 13.10m:

Since the Canucks only dressed six defencemen yesterday and with Chris Tanev being forced to leave the game for a period of the contest due to an apparent leg injury, it’s fair to believe that Tanev has been deemed unfit to play tomorrow and thus allowing the Canucks to use emergency recall conditions to add Sautner.

By doing it this way, the Canucks protect their last recall option from the deadline to the end of the year. They have used three of those four recalls already and may be protecting it to allow a forward or goaltender to get recalled later this year. If a defenceman like Ben Hutton or Chris Tanev is deemed healthy to play, then the Canucks will be forced to assign Sautner back to the AHL.

Sautner has appeared in 59 games for the Comets this season and has taken a step forward for the Utica. He has been a dependable minute eater for the Comets and is being rewarded for that with this recall. Sautner previously recalled for the Canucks but had never appeared in any games but given the emergency conditions of his recall, unless something changes, he will make his NHL debut tomorrow against Dallas.

The left-handed defender is in the last year of his entry-level contract but had recently signed a two year extension that runs through the 2019-2020 season.