Sharks Place Jeff Skinner On Unconditional Waivers
The Sharks have placed winger Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers for purposes of contract termination, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent tomorrow if no one claims the remainder of his existing $3MM cap hit for this season.
The timing of the maneuver suggests Skinner has tangible interest from at least one other NHL team, but they weren’t interested in acquiring him from the Sharks – even for future considerations – at his current cap hit. With San Jose only carrying one salary retention slot until the end of next season, they’ll be picky about how they use it and likely aren’t willing to retain money on the veteran winger to complete a trade.
As such, he’ll need to walk away from the remainder of his guaranteed $3MM salary for this season and sign on elsewhere for close to, if not at, the league minimum for the stretch run. He signed with the Sharks nearly two weeks into free agency last summer to give them some additional top-nine scoring help, but the fit just hasn’t been there. He’s been limited to six goals and 13 points in 32 appearances and was relegated to the press box for 10 straight games heading into the Olympic break, last suiting up on Jan. 11.
With Michael Misa being thrust into top-six duties on the other side of the World Juniors and their pickup of Kiefer Sherwood from the Canucks pushing Skinner down the depth chart, there was no longer a home or need for him in a depth scoring role. He finishes his Sharks tenure averaging 12:21 of ice time per game with a -8 rating.
If a playoff contender is looking for a third-line boost with boatloads of NHL experience, they’ll have a perfect pickup in Skinner. The 2010 seventh overall pick crossed the 1,100-game threshold earlier this season and has averaged 28 goals and 53 points per 82 games for his career, although he’s produced closer to a 30-point pace since the beginning of last season.
More to come…
Hurricanes Sign Brandon Bussi To Three-Year Extension
The Hurricanes announced they’ve signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a three-year extension. The deal is worth $1.9MM annually for a total value of $5.7MM. He was set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but the new deal will keep him under contract with Carolina through the 2028-29 campaign. He’ll earn a $850K salary and $150K signing bonus in 2026-27, a $1MM salary and $850K signing bonus in 2027-28, and a $1MM salary with a $1.85MM signing bonus in the last year, per PuckPedia. He’ll also carry a 10-team no-trade clause in 2028-29.
Bussi, 27, has had a dream start to his NHL career. Claimed off waivers from the Panthers at the beginning of the season to serve as the third-stringer behind Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, the undrafted free agent has since emerged as the Canes’ clear starting option in what’s been a tumultuous season for the rest of their crease.
While the Western Michigan product had a strong AHL track record entering the year, he didn’t have a single NHL start to his name. He’s now made 27 of them with a raucous 23-3-1 record, putting up a .906 SV% and 2.16 GAA with two shutouts. Just before the break, he broke into the top 10 in the league in terms of goals saved above expected with 11.0, per MoneyPuck.
With the struggling Andersen set to ride off into the open market this summer and Kochetkov likely done for the year with a hip injury, Carolina has a ton invested in Bussi being able to keep up that level of play. With no blue-chip prospects ready to succeed Andersen as the starter and no high-end long-term options set to be available in free agency, the Canes needed some insurance past this season as well. Retaining Bussi at such a marginal cap hit gives them that insurance with virtually no risk, even if his numbers regress and he settles back in as more of a No. 2/3 option.
Bussi’s strong career minor-league numbers suggest he’s got a good chance of being able to keep this up, though. Signed by the Bruins as an undrafted free agent in 2022, he was an AHL All-Star as a rookie while putting up a .924 SV% and 22-5-4 record in 32 games for Providence. He remained in the Boston organization until reaching unrestricted free agent status last summer, landing a two-way deal with the Panthers before being lost on waivers in training camp. In four AHL seasons before hitting the open market, he made 111 appearances with a 2.61 GAA, .915 SV%, eight shutouts, and a 63-31-13 record.
His lack of NHL experience was always going to make it hard for him to land an eye-popping cap hit on his next deal, though. Reports emerged last month that the Canes were working to get him extended. The few reasonable comparables for Bussi’s camp in the last several years all topped out in the high $1MM range on a short-term multi-year deal, so this one doesn’t push the envelope by very much.
It’s nonetheless a shrewd signing by general manager Eric Tulsky, who’s essentially given Carolina a worst-case scenario of Bussi and Kochetkov as next season’s tandem if Andersen walks and they don’t pursue an external replacement via trade or free agency. Bussi will be 31 years old when his deal is up, joining a potential 2029 UFA goalie class of Thatcher Demko, Spencer Knight, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Linus Ullmark.
AHL Free Agents To Watch For Ahead Of The Trade Deadline
The list of players in an NHL organization doesn’t end with those actively signed. AHL and ECHL affiliates can have players under contract, too, so while they’re playing with an affiliated farm team, their signing rights aren’t directly tied to their NHL parent.
That doesn’t stop NHL clubs from snapping up talent that was initially brought in on minor-league deals, though. It’s common for teams to do at the trade deadline, making them eligible for a recall down the stretch or participate in playoff action if needed. There are a few standout names worth monitoring this season that might be worthy investments for teams to add as options on two-way deals.
Ben Berard, LW (Vancouver Canucks)
At 27, Berard doesn’t have the upside of anyone else here. The 6’0″ winger is in his third pro season after a lengthy run at Cornell. He entered the year with just six points in 34 career AHL games on his resume and spent nearly all of last season in the ECHL.
He’s been one of the better stories on an Abbotsford team that’s had a dreadful follow-up season to last year’s Calder Cup championship, though. On a club that’s scoring just 2.18 goals per game, he’s tied for the team lead in points with 23 in 46 games. There isn’t much of an NHL future for him given his age and development curve, but considering Vancouver might sell off more assets for futures ahead of the deadline and they’re light on capable recall options, a two-way deal might be in the cards to reward his efforts.
Atley Calvert, C (Pittsburgh Penguins)
The 22-year-old Saskatchewan native has no relation to former NHLer Matt Calvert. He’s nonetheless made an impression in the Pens organization in his second professional season. Undrafted, he played his junior hockey for his hometown Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL before signing with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2024.
As a first-year pro on a minor-league deal, few batted an eye when Calvert spent a good chunk of 2024-25 in the ECHL. He was impressive in his AHL call-ups, though, recording 14 points in 26 games. He carried that momentum through to this season, where he’s stuck on WBS’ roster full-time and ranks fourth on the team in scoring with a 9-17–26 line in 48 games. He’s got good size at 6’0″ and 194 lbs. Breaking through a crowded Pens prospect pool for a full-time NHL role is unlikely, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the organization reward one of their depth breakout talents with an NHL commitment.
Philippe Daoust, C (Ottawa Senators)
Daoust will be a familiar name to Sens fans. He was under contract with the club for the last three seasons, signing his entry-level deal after being selected in the sixth round in 2020. He was non-tendered in June, ending his formal NHL relationship with Ottawa, but he chose to stick around in the organization on an AHL-only deal with Belleville.
The 24-year-old center has now exploded for 12 goals and 40 points in 46 games. He’s tied for second on the team in scoring behind Arthur Kaliyev and is top-30 in the AHL in points. That’s a remarkable spike for a player who looked like a non-factor throughout most of his entry-level deal, with injuries limiting him to just 18 combined AHL and ECHL appearances from 2022-24.
Kyle Keyser, G (Colorado Avalanche)
There aren’t many non-NHL contracted goalies who have played more than 10 games in the NHL this season. In fact, there are only two of them.
Keyser, at 11 games, leads the league with a .943 SV% and has an 8-1- 1 record with two shutouts. For an Avs team with largely unproven and young depth options behind their two bona fide NHLers, he’d be a shrewd signing to serve as their emergency backup in the postseason.
The 26-year-old is in his seventh AHL season, most of which were spent in the Bruins organization. He’s got a .907 SV% in 84 career games at the level.
Gabe Klassen, C (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Klassen wasn’t drafted despite being a junior standout with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. His stock was harmed by his draft year coming after the truncated 2020-21 season. After that, though, he was the Winterhawks’ captain for two years and rattled off three straight 30-plus goal seasons, including a 106-point dominant showing in 2023-24.
The undersized pivot caught on with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last year but was buried in the ECHL – a product of being at the bottom of the ladder as a first-year pro on a minor-league deal. He’s avoided any time with ECHL Wheeling this season, though, and is now a regular contributor in the Baby Pens’ top nine. With 12 goals and 22 points in 40 games, he ranks fourth and eighth on the team in those respective categories. His 5’10” frame will be his biggest obstacle to being an NHLer, but it’s clear he produces more with increased opportunities.
Trade Deadline Primer: Detroit Red Wings
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Red Wings.
Although they’ve gotten frustratingly close the past two years, the Red Wings are wholly poised for postseason competition for the first time in a decade. Not only are they projecting toward making the playoffs, but there’s a decent chance they’ll have home-ice advantage in the first round. There are noticeable flaws in the roster, raising concerns that the team’s success relies heavily on John Gibson‘s remarkable performance since early December. Regardless, given the ridiculous amount of cap space available to him, general manager Steve Yzerman has the opportunity to turn this team into a formidable playoff opponent.
Record
33-19-6, 3rd in the Atlantic (78% playoff probability)
Deadline Status
Conservative Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$59.38MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: DET 1st, DET 2nd, DET 3rd, CBJ 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, CGY 7th, DET 7th
2027: DET 1st, DET 3rd, DET 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, DET 7th
Trade Chips
The Red Wings have selected at least one player in the first round for 13 consecutive years. Not all of those have landed, though it has been enough for Detroit to restock its cupboards. Assuming an acquiring team wouldn’t expect the Red Wings to reach the Stanley Cup Final or even the Eastern Conference Final, their first-round selection this year could have significant value with the expectation that it falls around the 20 to 25 mark.
With their numerous first-round picks, Detroit can trade some prospects, depending on the magnitude of additions they want to make. The Red Wings’ biggest trade chips come from between the pipes. A few days ago, we peddled the idea of Detroit trading Cam Talbot to a desperate team around the deadline, with the idea they would call up prospect Sebastian Cossa in his stead. Cossa, being the heir-apparent, wouldn’t affect Talbot alone, however.
Detroit has one of the best goaltending prospects not currently in professional hockey. Trey Augustine, 20, is in his third year at Michigan State University, managing a 20-6-0 record with a .932 SV% and 1.96 GAA. Coupled with his pair of gold medals from the World Junior Championships, Augustine could fetch a massive return at the deadline. Famously, the Florida Panthers used Devon Levi and Spencer Knight to acquire Sam Reinhart and Seth Jones, respectively, each of whom had a hand in their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.
While the Red Wings will likely want to retain prospects such as Carter Bear, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, and Nate Danielson, some lower-level prospects may be traded. While circumstances may change, Amadeus Lombardi, Carter Mazur, and Shai Buium don’t seem likely to have a long-term future in Detroit, making them potential candidates in trade packages for acquiring high-level talent.
Team Needs
Top-Four Defenseman: Of all the playoff-bound teams, Detroit has one of the most obvious flaws. After Simon Edvinsson suffered a lower-body injury on January 22, the Red Wings concluded play before the Olympics with a record of 2-3-1. Even before losing Edvinsson, the need was obvious. It’s clear that head coach Todd McLellan doesn’t trust rookie Axel Sandin Pellikka (yet) in high-leverage situations, and veteran Ben Chiarot is a better fit for strong bottom-pairing play. Throughout the season, Detroit has been loosely connected to top-four defenseman such as Dougie Hamilton and Justin Faulk, both of whom make sense to fill the need. Even if a player like Morgan Rielly becomes available, or another top-four blue liner with term, the Red Wings should be the first team calling.
Some Jam Up Front: This is one of the more obscure talking points of the Red Wings’ makeup. As of now, the leading forwards on the team in hits are Marco Kasper (131) and Emmitt Finnie (86). This is not an argument that Detroit needs to pursue a punch-heavy forward like Ryan Reaves or Matt Rempe, but they should aim to become nastier to play against, especially with an eye on playoff competition. Coupled with their need for an additional boost of offense, Kiefer Sherwood would have been the ideal fit had he not already been dealt to the San Jose Sharks. Still, would a player like Evander Kane make sense? He’s scored nine goals and 25 points in 56 games for the Vancouver Canucks this season, and has only failed to clear the 100-hit mark twice throughout his 16-year career. He would help provide the Red Wings with a mild boost of offense, playoff experience, and much-needed grit.
Image courtesy of Robert Killips of Lansing State Journal.
Evening Notes: Team France, Sharangovich, Lund
Hockey France announced earlier today that defenseman Pierre Crinon will meet with Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, president of the FFHG and deputy head of the delegation. Crinon will be summoned “to shed full light on this incident”. In other words, he will need to answer for his actions and may face discipline.
Crinon, a 30-year-old 6’4” defenseman who made stops in the USHL and NAHL over a decade ago, has since played professionally in France. He has been a controversial player, punching an opposing goaltender earlier this season in Ligue Magnus. In the midst of a resounding 10-2 defeat to Team Canada today, Crinon delivered a high hit on Nathan MacKinnon, and more notably, fought Tom Wilson late in the contest.
It was already revealed that Wilson will not face suspension for his role in the incident, but Crinon may have a different fate as he’s brought unwanted negative attention to the French team. While making his way off the ice after the fight, the defenseman was seen egging on the crowd. The Olympics allow for a one-of-a-kind event in which players such as Crinon have the opportunity to compete against the best NHL players in the world. Doing so in honor of their countries, naturally such lesser heralded players want to make a mark, but incidents such as today’s are never a good look.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Calgary Flames may have trouble finding a new home for forward Yegor Sharangovich, as reported by David Pagnotta on February 13’s episode of The Sheet with Jeff Marek. As the team works through what could be a heavy sell-off, Pagnotta says Sharangovich’s name is the least mentioned. On paper, the 27-year-old should have interest in a change of scenery deal, as a former 30-goal-scorer. The Flames were right to lock him up after such a great first campaign in Calgary, but unfortunately things have soured since. The forward has just 20 points on the season, in the first year of a five year contract worth $5.75MM per season. Sharangovich still has strong metrics; a 53.5% corsi for in all situations, and a 87.5% corsi for on the man advantage. His struggles are indicative of a weaker Calgary team, but regardless, it appears he’ll be a Flame for the near future as he works to get back on track.
- San Jose Sharks prospect Cameron Lund will miss multiple weeks due to an upper-body injury, reported by Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. The 2022 second rounder has 25 points in 37 games with the San Jose Barracuda, in his first full professional season after three years at Northeastern University. Lund jumped right into the NHL last year after college, making 11 appearances for San Jose and recording three points. In such a deep prospect pool, Lund is a bit overshadowed, but he has size (6’2”) with enough scoring touch and speed to be a future complementary scorer. The tenth-ranked Barracuda will move forward without Lund having won seven of their last 10 games.
Kings’ Kevin Fiala Suffers Sustains Multiple Left Leg Fractures, Out For The Season
Sunday: The Los Angeles Kings updated today that Fiala underwent successful surgery due to fractures in his lower left leg. As expected, he will miss the remainder of the season, and will be reevaluated in the spring.
Saturday: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Fiala is having surgery today. There still is no word on the precise nature of the injury but Friedman adds that it is indeed season-ending, a significant blow for both Switzerland and the Kings. Fiala will now be eligible to be placed on LTIR but with Los Angeles having ample cap space, it’s unlikely they’ll need to put him there.
Friday: One of the main reasons NHL teams opposed player participation in the Olympics was the concern over injuries that could be avoided. That fear has come to fruition for the Los Angeles Kings. Toward the end of today’s game between Canada and Switzerland, Kevin Fiala had to be stretchered off the ice due to an apparent leg or knee injury.
As mentioned, the injury happened with approximately three minutes left in the game. Fiala absorbed a hit from Tom Wilson and was in immediate pain on the ice. Although the hit was leveled, the incident causing the injury seemed accidental, and more like a freak play. According to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, after the game, Wilson said, “It’s the Olympic Games and I feel terrible that he may not be able to keep playing. Just sending his family and him my best. You never want to see a guy go down, in a tournament like this, especially.”
Still, accident or not, it doesn’t make the situation any easier for the Kings. Fiala is the team’s second-highest scorer with 18 goals and 40 points in 56 games while averaging over 19 minutes of ice time per game.
Considering how starved Los Angeles is for offense, it’s a worst-case scenario. The team recently acquired high-scoring Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break, but that didn’t relieve all of the team’s goal-scoring woes. No, the Kings haven’t yet played with Panarin on the ice, but losing a player with Fiala’s goal-scoring capabilities will objectively make it more difficult for them to put the puck in the net.
There haven’t been many updates regarding Fiala’s immediate status. Arpon Basu of The Athletic reported that Fiala has been taken to a local hospital, and there are concerns that the injury could be season-ending. If that’s the case, the Kings’ uphill climb toward playoff contention just became remarkably more difficult.
Trade Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Oilers.
Coming up just short of the Stanley Cup in the last two seasons, the Edmonton Oilers have had an up and down season so far but the door is as open as ever. 2025-26 marks a decade since the Connor McDavid/Leon Draisaitl era began, and although the franchise is facing mounting pressure, it’s not like they haven’t been close, simply running into a buzzsaw in the Florida Panthers. Back in October, the Oilers locked up McDavid on a two year extension, meaning until at least 2027-28, it’s all systems go. GM Stan Bowman was busy in December, finally addressing goaltending, acquiring Tristan Jarry, as well as depth offensive defenseman Spencer Stastney. Jarry has not fared much better than the off-cast Stuart Skinner so far, but Edmonton hopes he can hold things down behind a dynamic group. Firmly in the playoff hunt yet again, with their nemesis in Florida possibly out of the picture, the Oilers will look to return to the Finals for a third straight time, last done by Tampa Bay from 2020-22.
Record
28-22-8, 2nd in the Pacific (74.9% playoff probability, per MoneyPuck)
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$2.88MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
2027: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 5th, BOS 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
Trade Chips
With limited draft capital and salary cap limitations, Edmonton will primarily look at moving out roster players to iron out their group. The most obvious candidate is Andrew Mangiapane, who has been subject of rumors all year, most recently linked to Ottawa as well as Anaheim, Detroit, and Winnipeg. With just 12 points in 49 games, the usually dependable secondary scorer has not been a fit with the Oil, and it seems all but guaranteed he’ll be moved before March 6. The only issue besides his struggles; the 29-year-old is signed through next year at $3.6MM and has trade protection, although he’d surely welcome a fresh start.
Elsewhere it’s not as clear. Mattias Janmark, a key role player over the past several seasons, has just one goal all year. The veteran’s possession metrics have steadily declined, currently at a 39.4% corsi for in all situations, a career-low at age 33. Similar to Mangiapane though, he’s signed through 2026-27, coming in at a $1.45MM cap hit. Janmark’s value would likely be limited to a 1-1 player swap for another comparable bottom sixer with a similar contract.
As their 2026 first round pick is expected to end up in the hands of San Jose from the Jake Walman deal, if Bowman decides it’s essentially now or never, he could tap into a prospect pool which is not surprisingly bottom ranked, but offers some interesting names. On the defensive side, Beau Akey stands out, the 2023 second round selection a righty with raw offensive potential, just 31 games into his professional career with AHL Bakersfield. NCAA standout Paul Fischer, a lefty, figures to have more of a path forward in the organization, assuming the team locks him up on an entry-level contract this spring.
Expected to search for supporting cast rather than big game hunting, top prospect Isaac Howard is still a name hard to ignore in any trade speculation. The 21-year-old has 31 points in 24 AHL games this season, also making 28 appearances at the highest level in his first pro season. Seemingly a full time NHLer as soon as next year, where his energy and skill are exactly what the team needs, the Oilers would be showing keen patience by holding onto the youngster, rather than falling into the classic short term gains trap. Regardless, if Bowman were to pull off a surprise splash, Howard, along with their 2027 first round pick, would be in the conversation.
Team Needs
1) Third-line Center: Having just turned 36, Adam Henrique is no longer a viable option at 3C, should Edmonton make another deep run. The respected veteran has just 10 points all season. Henrique is still dependable at the faceoff dot, but he is currently on LTIR with an undisclosed injury. Even once healthy sometime post-Olympics, an upgrade would be beneficial. Columbus captain Boone Jenner would be a tremendous acquisition, but in the midst of a remarkable turnaround, the Blue Jackets may be content to hold onto their longest tenured player. Even so, the team also offers Charlie Coyle as an intriguing higher end rental candidate, but his $5.25MM cap hit would be difficult to sneak in even if Bowman put together a compelling trade package. Elsewhere, Winnipeg offers two viable options, the club already being linked to Mangiapane. Vladislav Namestnikov emerges as a capable center with similar contract term in a possible swap. Bowman could also try to bring in his former Chicago captain in Jonathan Toews, but the 37-year-old is clearly not ring chasing at this stage, and may be hesitant to depart his native Jets in a sentimental final chapter. The future Hall-of-Famer firmly holds all cards in terms of his future.
2) Middle-Six scoring depth:
Somewhat surprisingly it came out just yesterday that the team is not likely to target defense, so besides an anchor down the middle in Henrique’s mold, Edmonton also could use a winger to bring what Mangiapane was signed for. If Nashville holds onto their bigger ticket veterans, they could retain on Michael Bunting’s expiring $4.5MM, the 30-year-old already known to have a skillset complementary of elite centers from his time in Toronto. Speaking of the Maple Leafs, Bobby McMann and his highly manageable $1.35MM cap hit would be a huge addition by the Oilers, filling a Corey Perry-type void. However, Toronto will not part with their surprise 20-goal-scorer easily, and Edmonton’s limited offerings make a deal difficult to pull off. Finally, Calgary’s Blake Coleman would thrive wearing the blue and orange, but he would require salary retention along with Edmonton likely having to move out Henrique’s $3MM cap hit, not to mention the two clubs being divisional rivals. Dealing Henrique would be difficult as he holds trade protection, and Bowman has limited draft capital sweeteners to work with. Whatever the case, the Oilers have no shortage of names to pursue as they work toward a seventh straight playoff berth.
Image Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Trade Deadline Primer: Montreal Canadiens
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Canadiens.
After an unexpected playoff appearance last season, expectations were a little higher heading into this season in Montreal. So far, they’ve lived up to them as they’re well ahead of their standings pace from a year ago, giving them a bit of a leg up in a very tight Atlantic Division. But with the team still taking a longer-term view, they might not be inclined to take a big swing just yet. Instead, they could shop for some help around the margins and look to make their next significant move in the offseason.
Record
32-17-8, 2nd in the Atlantic Division (83% playoff probability, per MoneyPuck)
Deadline Status
Buyers with an eye on the longer-term
Deadline Cap Space
$1.49MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: MTL 1st, MTL 2nd, MTL 3rd, MTL 4th, NJD 4th, MTL 6th, CAR 7th, MTL 7th
2027: MTL 1st, MTL 2nd, MTL 3rd, MTL 4th, MTL 5th, MTL 6th, MTL 7th
Trade Chips
This is an odd situation where arguably their worst contract is also their biggest trade chip. Patrik Laine is in the final season of his contract with an $8.7MM cap charge. He also hasn’t played since mid-October due to an abdominal injury although he’s expected to be activated after the Olympic break. A high-end scoring threat earlier in his career, he has done okay on that front in Montreal with 20 goals in 57 games over parts of two seasons but on the surface, it appears he’s lost his spot in the lineup. It will take full retention and perhaps taking a contract back to move him but if GM Kent Hughes wants to add to his roster, he needs to free up some cap space first and that means getting at least some of Laine’s contract off the books.
The Canadiens have really cut the playing time for both Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble as of late. Xhekaj has played below 10 minutes in 12 of his last 18 games while Struble has been below that mark in six of his last 10 outings. It’s fair to suggest they’re starting to fall out of favor. However, they’re still just 25 and 24, respectively, with cap hits below $1.5MM apiece; Xhekaj is a pending restricted free agent while Struble has another year on his deal. A rebuilding team could potentially have a spot to give them a bigger opportunity, especially if they have a defender to spare that head coach Martin St. Louis might trust more.
On the prospect side of things, NHL readiness is an attribute that’s always sought after at the trade deadline. Defenseman Adam Engstrom fits that bill. He is within striking distance of the point-per-game mark in the minors and held his own in a pair of stints with Montreal this season, spanning 11 appearances overall. He’s probably ready for a longer look at the top level and considering he has another year left on his entry-level contract, the 22-year-old should be garnering some attention on the trade front.
Up front, Joshua Roy is in the final season of his entry-level pact and has seen some NHL time in all three of his professional campaigns. However, given Montreal’s depth up front and in the system, it seems unlikely that he’s a long-term fit on the roster. Roy is waiver-eligible next season so there are teams that might want to get a look at him beforehand. Owen Beck is having a tough year in the minors but has some NHL-ready attributes as a center with a high floor which should be appealing to some teams. Jared Davidson got his first NHL look earlier this season and has a profile of being an energetic fourth liner down the road; again, the Canadiens’ forward depth could make him expendable as well.
Team Needs
1) Top-Line Winger: Let’s use one of their reported wants to start this section off. With Juraj Slafkovsky anchoring the second line, there’s an opening on the top trio with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. It’s clearly not going to be Laine filling that spot. Zachary Bolduc, Alexandre Texier, and Kirby Dach have all seen time up there with varying degrees of success and Alex Newhook could land there when he comes back from his ankle injury. But none of those players are optimal fits for a number one line at this point of their respective careers. This would be a bigger swing
2) Improved Goal Prevention: The Canadiens are 23rd in the league terms of goals allowed with a penalty kill that ranks 25th. Given the limited goaltending options out there, it’s unlikely they’ll make a move on that front and will hope for more consistency from Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes. But they can certainly try to upgrade on Xhekaj and Struble for that sixth defenseman spot while adding another defensive forward (they picked up Phillip Danault to help on that front earlier this season) could help get them closer to the middle of the pack defensively which would help their late-season push to hold onto a playoff spot.
Photo courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images.
Canada’s Tom Wilson Will Not Face Suspension For Olympic Fight
There will be no supplemental discipline for the fight between Team Canada’s Tom Wilson and Team France’s Pierre Crinon at the end of Canada’s 10-2 win on Sunday per Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The Olympic rulebook has long been strict about fighting, even calling it out as “not part of international hockey’s DNA”. Fighting majors result in automatic match penalties and are reviewed for supplemental discipline after the game. In this case, neither player will face a suspension for their actions, keeping two of the top enforcers in the tournament on the ice.
Wilson has been strategically rotated onto Canada’s top line for much of the tournament. His intense physicality has filled a gap next to superstar Connor McDavid and Canada’s youngest player, Macklin Celebrini. Wilson has earned three points in three games in that role, though he’s averaged less than 12 minutes of ice time a game – partially thanks to an ejection in the third period on Sunday.
Crinon has long been known as a bruiser. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound defenseman currently has 66 penalty minutes in 29 games in France’s Ligue Magnus, the country’s top league. He served a seven-game suspension earlier in the league’s season for knocking out an opposing goalie with a punch during a scrum. Cronin racked up 95 penalty minutes in only 36 games of the 2023-24 Ligue Magnus season.
This decision will allow Wilson to stick with Canada as they head into the quarterfinals. At their current pace, Canada seems likely to face one of Germany, Latvia, or Czechia. Crinon will bring his enforcer presence to the qualifying rounds against Italy and Denmark.
Latest On Eemil Vinni
Edmonton Oilers goalie prospect Eemil Vinni was loaned to a different team in Finland’s second-tier league today, according to an official announcement. The 2024 second-round pick has thus far spent the entire season with Mestis side JoKP, and has now been loaned to Ketterä.
Ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Oilers’ system entering the season by the team at Elite Prospects, Vinni has had an uneven 2025-26 season. He got into 37 Mestis games for JoKP in 2024-25, but has just 17 this season. His .884 save percentage across those 17 contests ranks last among the three goalies who have seen time for JoKP this season, behind 27-year-old Juho Ahopelto (.891) and former AHL All-Star Kasimir Kaskisuo (.888).
Vinni has not played since Jan. 10, so this loan should give him the chance to get into games on a more regular basis, a key factor in the development of goaltenders.
While Vinni is unlikely to challenge incumbent starter Reima-Ville Roos, whose .917 save percentage ranks No. 2 among all goalies in Mestis, he should be an upgrade over backup Väinö Tanninen. Tanninen, 21, has gone 2-6-3 with an .865 save percentage in 13 games this season.
Since Vinni is playing out a contract that only runs through the end of the season, his development path should open up this summer. Vinni will likely have several options to choose from when it comes to continuing his hockey journey. While staying in his native Finland appears to be the most likely choice, the possibility that Vinni takes an alternative development path cannot be ruled out.