Van der Gulik played just 5:15 on Thursday night in the only game he appeared in during his recall. Sending him back down indicated that Trevor Lewis and/or Anze Kopitar are ready to return to the lineup.
Because the Kings dressed only 19 players in Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime loss in Philadelphia, they are eligible to use an emergency recall on a player who carries a cap hit of under $650,000. That recall will be used Van der Gulik, who has 13 points in 48 career NHL games with Colorado and Calgary and carries a $550,000 cap hit. The Kings were not able to use the emergency recall on center Jordan Weal, whose $610,000 cap hit would have pushed them above the salary cap.
Van Der Gulik only played in two games with the Avalanche last season. He played 33 games in Lake Erie, where he tallied 13 goals and nine assists (22 points).
Van Der Gulik is a 30-year-old right-winger who has six goals in 14 games with Lake Erie. He has appeared in 46 career NHL games with the Flames and Avalanche, recording two goals and 11 assists.
Van Der Gulik likely heads back to the minors. He has a goal and six points in 25 games.
Van Der Gulik scored a goal and six points in 25 games. Interesting to see if some desperate team makes a claim on him.
The Abbotsford, British Columbia native has a goal and five points in 13 games, primarily centering the fourth line.
Van der Gulik has a goal and six points over 14 career NHL games but likely won't make a big impact on the fourth line.
van Der Gulik makes his season debut on the third line. Don't expect him to add too much offensively for the struggling Avs.
van der Gulik scored six goals and 19 points in 21 games while in the AHL.
