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Erik Karlsson Is Playing His Best Hockey In Years

December 5, 2025 at 4:43 pm CDT | by Josh Cybulski Leave a Comment

When the Penguins acquired defenseman Erik Karlsson from the  Sharks in August 2023, they envisioned him giving their big three (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang) one last push for a playoff run. Two and a third years into the experiment, the results haven’t been promising, as Pittsburgh missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons and has entered into a rebuild — or at least, that’s what they believed.

However, Karlsson and the big three have the Penguins in contention for a playoff spot some 26 games into the season, in a year when they expected to be one of the worst teams in the league. Karlsson is nowhere near the offensive producer he was during the 2022-23 season when he won the Norris Trophy and registered 101 points, but he has been in good form this year and has provided Pittsburgh with more of a two-way presence on their back end.

When Pittsburgh started the season, the left side of their defense looked like a black hole because they had very little depth at that position, and it was expected to be the team’s Achilles’ heel. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, recent signee free agent Parker Wotherspoon stepped up and claimed one of the spots in the top six.

Not long after, Wotherspoon was paired with Karlsson, and together they have become Pittsburgh’s top defensive pairing. There were no expectations for Karlsson or Wotherspoon this season. Still, under the guidance of first-year head coach Dan Muse, Karlsson appears to be a completely different player, and Wotherspoon has become a meaningful NHL defenseman for the first time in his short professional career.

Using the eye test, Karlsson looks like a different player compared to the past two seasons. He is playing a more focused defensive game and has shown more defensive awareness than he has in a long time. His skating in the defensive zone has been effective in recovering to get back into position, closing gaps, and, along with his instincts, breaking up plays.

On the offensive side, Karlsson remains a fantastic playmaker, still demonstrating the elite vision that has helped him win three Norris Trophies. Even if his goal-scoring isn’t what it once was, he is still an elite offensive player who could be ready to break out.

Even if his offensive stats hover around 55 to 60 points, which is about where they are this season (one goal and 17 assists in 26 games), Karlsson’s play away from the puck makes his lower offensive totals easier to accept. In fact, Karlsson and Wotherspoon have not only formed a solid defensive pairing, but they have also been highly effective at killing penalties and are Pittsburgh’s most-used defensive duo when shorthanded. Their even-strength play has been strong as well, with Karlsson and Wotherspoon limiting high-danger scoring chances, demonstrating a defensive awareness rarely seen in Karlsson’s game.

Karlsson appears more comfortable on the ice, playing loose and fast, a stark contrast to the last few years, when the 35-year-old seemed as though Father Time had caught up with him. A perfect example is this past Monday in a game against the Flyers.

With the game tied 1-1, Karlsson collects the puck, bursts out from behind his own net, skates straight to the middle of the ice in the offensive zone and drives right at the two Flyers defenders. He then cuts to the right and makes a tape-to-tape cross-ice pass to Bryan Rust, who spots the trailer (Crosby) for a one-timer that ends up in the back of Philadelphia’s net. It’s a goal that Karlsson didn’t start a year or two ago, and it highlights the change in his work rate.

It also makes one wonder where Karlsson and the Penguins will finish this season. It might even be better if not for a significant injury bug that swept through the room at the start of November, bringing down Noel Acciari, Rickard Rakell, and Justin Brazeau, among others. The injuries effectively removed one forward from each line and put the Penguins in a position where their depth was tested in November, and quite frankly, they don’t have much depth.

You could argue that Karlsson has been lucky, and that some of his mistakes are being offset by Wotherspoon’s consistent performance and the efforts of his goalies. This idea is valid, as Karlsson and Wotherspoon have been on the ice together for 14 goals for and 10 goals against (a 58.3% goals share) while their expected goals share is just 47.3%, with projections of 15.1 goals scored and 16.8 goals conceded (all numbers via MoneyPuck). These data points do tell a story, and there might be some truth to Karlsson being fortunate, but they don’t reflect Karlsson’s own defensive contributions, which have been excellent this year compared to previous seasons.

Speaking of the Penguins’ goaltending, there is a case to be made that many of the Penguins’ shortcomings as a team have been masked by the exceptional goaltending they’ve received so far. Tristan Jarry has been excellent to start the year, with a goals saved above expected of 8.2, and Arturs Silovs has also been good with a 2.5 goals saved above expected (all numbers courtesy of MoneyPuck). That kind of goaltending can’t be expected to continue for the rest of the year, especially in Jarry’s case, who has a history of struggling in the second half of the season. But, for now, it’s a significant reason that Pittsburgh is in contention for the postseason, along with the play of Karlsson and other veterans.

A consistent feature of Pittsburgh this year has been its veteran stars, including Karlsson. He’s remained a dependable presence for the team and could step up further as the season approaches the Olympics. Karlsson is clearly driven by something, and the Olympics are as good an assumption as any.

There is also the possibility that Karlsson understands the situation he’s in. Karlsson was expected to be traded in the summer, but that never happened, which means he might be stuck in Pittsburgh until next year or until his contract expires at the end of the 2027 season. The Penguins will likely make moves next summer to speed up their rebuild—Josh Yohe of The Athletic has repeatedly expressed this belief. Looking at the mix of young prospects and veterans still playing at a high level, it all makes sense. Pittsburgh isn’t a Stanley Cup contender right now and probably won’t be for a few more years. However, with the 2025 draft selections that they made and a potential superstar goalie in Sergey Murashov, that timeline could shift very soon.

If Karlsson stays with the team next season, it could be his best opportunity to chase a Stanley Cup. Even if he doesn’t, there will be motivation to extend his career beyond the 2026-27 season, and factors like money and his choice of destination will also serve as strong motivators. 

Photo by Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Penguins| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals Erik Karlsson

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Predators Place Ozzy Wiesblatt, Justin Barron On Injured Reserve

December 5, 2025 at 3:35 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 1 Comment

The Predators announced that winger Ozzy Wiesblatt has been placed on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury. Defenseman Justin Barron was also placed on IR with a lower-body injury (retroactive to Dec. 1). Wiesblatt will miss eight to 10 weeks, while Barron was given a week-to-week status.

Wiesblatt left last night’s overtime win over the Panthers just 15 seconds into his first shift. He collided with Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe while attempting to close him off in the offensive zone, spun out, and then got clipped by teammate Michael McCarron incidentally (via Nick Kieser of Lower Broad Hockey). He did not return to the game.

The final pick of the first round by the Sharks in 2020, Wiesblatt had a tough go of things in their minor-league system before Nashville acquired him in exchange for the signing rights to Egor Afanasyev in the 2024 offseason. After never recording more than 15 points in a season for San Jose’s AHL club, he arrived with the Preds’ affiliate in Milwaukee last season and exploded for 15 goals and 40 points in 64 games. That effort earned Wiesblatt his NHL debut, playing five games last year on various recalls between January and March.

Wiesblatt could have been a restricted free agent last summer, but signed a two-year, two-way extension way back in November 2024 to avoid that outcome. No longer waiver-exempt and on the heels of his minor-league breakout, Wiesblatt earned a spot on Nashville’s opening night roster in October. He sat as a healthy scratch for the season’s first three games but has appeared in every contest since. He hasn’t been a significant offensive threat – he has four points in 24 games and only scored his first NHL goal earlier this week – but has been a part of one of the league’s most defensively responsible forward trios. Nashville’s fourth line of Wiesblatt, McCarron, and Cole Smith has controlled 64.3% of expected goals at 5-on-5 and is allowing just 1.58 xGA/60, fifth-best in the league among lines with at least 50 minutes together (per MoneyPuck).

Unfortunately, the Preds have only been able to ice that line in 10 of 27 games this season, in part due to Smith sitting out the last month with an upper-body injury. There’s still another couple of weeks until he’s expected to return, and they’ll now be without Wiesblatt until likely after the Olympic break. In the meantime, Wiesblatt’s absence means a longer leash for recent call-up Reid Schaefer and extra forward Tyson Jost.

Barron’s IR placement is far less consequential. He’s only carried an injury designation for the last two games after getting banged up in practice but hasn’t played since Nov. 16, sitting as a healthy scratch in five straight before sustaining the lower-body issue. His absence, though, plus an upper-body injury to Nicklaus Perbix that has him out day-to-day, has caused some lineup construction issues on Nashville’s back end. Without those two, Nick Blankenburg stands as the only righty on the roster, meaning their top four group of Nicolas Hague, Roman Josi, Brady Skjei, and Adam Wilsby is made up solely of left-shot options.

Interestingly enough, the Preds’ underlying numbers have improved with Hague-Josi and Skjei-Wilsby deployed as their top two units. They’re controlling 58.7% and 59.1% of expected goals at 5-on-5, respectively, the top two figures among Nashville d-pairings with at least 30 minutes together.

Unless Perbix is healthy enough for tomorrow’s game against the Hurricanes, the IR placements leave Nashville without an extra skater on their roster – not an ideal position for a road game, even if it’s a relatively short travel distance. With two newly-opened roster spots, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them make a recall from AHL Milwaukee tomorrow.

Nashville Predators| Transactions Justin Barron| Ozzy Wiesblatt

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Hurricanes Reassign Domenick Fensore

December 5, 2025 at 2:53 pm CDT | by Ethan Hetu 1 Comment

Dec. 5: Fensore was returned to AHL Chicago today, the team announced. He wasn’t needed for last night’s 5-1 loss at the hands of the Leafs.

Dec. 4: The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that defenseman Domenick Fensore has been recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. The move comes as veteran defenseman K’Andre Miller manages an illness, according to team reporter Walt Ruff.

This isn’t Fensore’s first NHL recall of 2025-26. He was recalled by Carolina in late October while the team was dealing with a slate of defensive injuries. He made his season debut in the team’s Oct. 28 contest against the Vegas Golden Knights, a game where he received nearly 20 minutes of ice time. Outside of that one NHL game played, Fensore has largely served as a healthy scratch during his time spent on the NHL roster so far in 2025-26.

While it’s unclear at this point whether Fensore will dress for the team’s game tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs, it’s entirely possible he’s been recalled to once more serve as a spare defenseman and healthy scratch.

The 24-year-old former Boston University captain has proven himself to be a quality creator of offense from the back end at the AHL level. He scored 32 points in 67 games last season and has upped his production considerably so far this year. Fensore ranks second on the Wolves in scoring for 2025-26 with 15 points in 17 games, just behind forward Felix Unger-Sorum, who has 19 points in 20 games.

A pending RFA with arbitration rights, these repeated recalls are a positive sign for Fensore’s upcoming free agency. They signal the Hurricanes’ increased level of trust in Fensore as an NHL option, even if he hasn’t been able to crack Carolina’s lineup on a full-time basis.

The one-year contract extension Fensore signed in July of last year contained a two-way structure and an AHL salary of just $70K, with a $100K guarantee. Fensore’s on-ice value so far this season merits a significant pay raise, and the more call-ups he can receive, the more likely it is that Fensore will be able to earn a more significant AHL salary on his next contract, assuming his next deal also carries a two-way structure.

Carolina Hurricanes| Transactions Domenick Fensore

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Panthers Place Anton Lundmark On Unconditional Waivers

December 5, 2025 at 2:19 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

The Panthers placed winger Anton Lundmark on unconditional waivers today, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. He’ll have his contract terminated tomorrow after he clears, and will become an unrestricted free agent.

It’s a rapid end to Lundmark’s time in the Florida organization. The 24-year-old Swede signed a one-year, entry-level pact with the Cats in April as an undrafted free agent out of the Swedish Hockey League’s Timrå IK.

At the time, it was a highly puzzling move. The 6’4″, 192-lb Lundmark had never been on the public radar. Last season was the first time he’d ever suited up in the top tier of European professional hockey. All of his previous experience had come in the second and third divisions of Swedish hockey, even spending a few games in the fifth and sixth tiers earlier on in his development.

Even then, he wasn’t much more than a fourth-line penalty-killing piece for Timrå. In 49 games, he only registered five goals and nine points with a +2 rating.

Those numbers weren’t conducive to Lundmark having much of an impact in the minors, let alone coming anywhere close to landing an NHL job. In nine games with AHL Charlotte, he’s been held without a point and has a -2 rating. He’s been a healthy scratch for nearly half their schedule and has sat out of four of Charlotte’s last six games.

Lundmark’s previous contract with Timrå ran through 2025-26 and contained an NHL out-clause. Since they still hold his rights, he’s presumably returning there for the balance of the campaign.

Florida Panthers| Transactions| Waivers Anton Lundmark

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Penguins Place Joona Koppanen On Waivers

December 5, 2025 at 1:37 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 1 Comment

The Penguins placed forward Joona Koppanen on waivers Friday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. He’ll be assigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if he clears.

It’s Koppanen’s second time on the wire this season. He cleared during training camp and began the campaign in the minors before Pittsburgh recalled him in early November as the corresponding move for Filip Hallander’s blood clot diagnosis.

The 27-year-old played 10 games on his recall, just enough to require waivers again to return to the minors. Now in his ninth year in North America and third in the Penguins organization, he recorded one assist and a -1 rating with six shots on goal during his recent stint in the lineup. Those 10 appearances were consecutive after his recall; he was then scratched for their win over the Flyers last Monday and missed Thursday’s win over the Lightning with an illness.

Koppanen was a fifth-round pick by the Bruins back in 2016. He remained in the Boston organization until 2022-23, making his NHL debut for the B’s that year, before reaching Group VI unrestricted free agency and signing in Pittsburgh. He initially inked a two-year deal but re-upped with them on a two-way extension in June of this year.

The big 6’5″ center is a competent piece of organizational depth and a good middle-six producer in the minors, scoring 139 points in 365 career AHL appearances. He hasn’t been able to stick as a fourth-line piece in several NHL tries now, though. He averaged north of 12 minutes per game on this call-up and even received some penalty kill deployment – he also did in 11 games for the Pens last year. His possession impacts and lack of offense (one goal, three points in 30 career NHL games) haven’t offered enough justification to keep him in the lineup. Among 25 qualified Pittsburgh skaters this year, Koppanen’s 47.2 xGF% at 5-on-5 ranks 20th. After playing a physical brand with 40 hits in 11 games last season, he only recorded nine hits in 10 appearances this time around.

Teams who are in dire need of center depth could take a long look at placing a claim for Koppanen, but in all likelihood, he shouldn’t have much trouble clearing.

Pittsburgh Penguins| Transactions| Waivers Joona Koppanen

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Sweden Announces Roster For 2026 World Juniors

December 5, 2025 at 1:01 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 1 Comment

After USA Hockey announced its preliminary roster for the 2026 World Junior Championship at the beginning of the month, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association became the next gold medal contender to follow suit. Unlike the host country, though, Sweden released a 26-man list and therefore only has one cut to make before the tournament kicks off on Dec. 26 at the Wild’s Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul and 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, home to the University of Minnesota men’s team. Their roster is as follows:

F Jack Berglund (Flyers, 2024, 2-51)
F Viggo Björck (2026 draft eligible)
F Wilson Björck (Canucks, 2025, 5-143)
F Liam Danielsson (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
F Victor Eklund (Islanders, 2025, 1-16)
F Linus Eriksson (Panthers, 2024, 2-58)
F Anton Frondell (Blackhawks, 2025, 1-3)
F Milton Gästrin (Capitals, 2025, 2-37)
F Eddie Genborg (Red Wings, 2025, 2-44)
F Casper Juustovaara Karlsson (2026 draft eligible)
F Loke Krantz (Kraken, 2025, 7-218)
F Valter Lindberg (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
F Eric Nilson (Ducks, 2025, 2-45)
F Lucas Pettersson (Ducks, 2024, 2-35)
F Ivar Stenberg (2026 draft eligible)

D Sascha Boumedienne (Jets, 2025, 1-28)
D Felix Carell (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
D Alfons Freij (Jets, 2024, 2-37)
D Viggo Gustafsson (Predators, 2024, 3-77)
D William Håkansson (2026 draft eligible)
D Victor Johansson (Maple Leafs, 2024, 4-120)
D Felix Öhrqvist (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
D Leo Sahlin Wallenius (Sharks, 2024, 2-53)

G Måns Goos (Stars, 2025, 5-158)
G Love Härenstam (Blues, 2025, 6-179)
G Herman Liv (undrafted in 2024, 2025)

At forward, the Swedes are arguably bringing more true star power to the event than the Americans, who are seeking a three-peat. While the Bruins’ James Hagens is the only top-10 pick on the States’ roster, Sweden could have three – the reigning third-overall selection in Frondell, plus Stenberg and Björck, both of whom should hear their names called early on the first night of next year’s draft. Björck’s stock has slipped somewhat this year, but Stenberg’s has only risen to the point where he’s a legitimate challenger for first overall. With 23 points in 24 SHL games for Frölunda, he’s operating at the third-highest point-per-game pace all-time for an 18-year-old in that league behind Tomas Sandström and Markus Näslund. He and Frondell will form the centerpiece of Sweden’s attack.

The talent level drops off somewhat on the back end. They don’t have the top-15 talents like Axel Sandin Pellikka and Tom Willander that they’ve had at their disposal over the past couple of years. Boumedienne now takes the reins as their most high-profile name, along with the draft-eligible Håkansson, a 6’4″ lefty who most have pegged as a late first-round pick.

In goal, the Swedes have an open competition for the starters’ crease – in a good way. Härenstam and Liv are both off to great starts this season as starters for their respective teams in the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier pro league. It would be quite a story for the undrafted Liv to emerge as the No. 1 option, considering his last start for the Swedes at a major international tournament was at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. However, it’s looking like that could be the case. With a .923 SV% in 12 games for Almtuna IS, he’s second in the league. The 19-year-old is the son of former SHL and KHL star and Red Wings prospect Stefan Liv, who died in the 2011 plane crash that killed 26 players and three staff of the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

While Sweden has lost just four times in regulation in the group stage at the WJC since 2012, they haven’t won a gold medal in that span. In the past 13 tournaments, they’ve won silver four times (2013, 2014, 2018, 2024) and bronze twice (2020, 2022).

Team Sweden World Juniors

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Lightning Reassign Declan Carlile

December 5, 2025 at 11:50 am CDT | by Josh Erickson 2 Comments

The Lightning announced they’ve reassigned defenseman Declan Carlile to AHL Syracuse. The move leaves them with no extra defensemen and an open roster spot, an indication that they plan on activating captain Victor Hedman from injured reserve before Saturday’s match with the Islanders. He was a full participant in today’s practice, according to Erik Erlendsson of Lightning Insider.

Carlile, 25, was recalled from Syracuse in mid-November in the wake of injuries to Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Erik Černák. The latter two remain on injured reserve, but getting Hedman back to anchor the team’s top pairing with J.J. Moser is nonetheless a significant boon for a club that’s navigated its rash of injuries quite well. Since the Lightning lost both Hedman and McDonagh to injuries in their Nov. 8 game against the Capitals, the club has taken hold of first place in the Atlantic Division with an 8-4-0 record. Their .667 points percentage is sixth-best in the league during that frame.

Carlile, a fourth-year pro, had played in each of Tampa’s nine games since his recall. That set a new career-high in games played for the 6’3″ lefty, who made his NHL debut in 2023-24 and made three appearances last season.

The Lightning signed Carlile as an undrafted free agent out of Merrimack College near the end of a 2021-22 season in which he was a Hobey Baker Award nominee and was named to the Hockey East conference’s Second All-Star Team. The Michigan native has been a stable two-way presence at the minor-league level since making the jump to the pro ranks, but had appeared to find a new gear offensively to begin this season, rattling off two goals, eight assists, and 10 points in 15 games before being added to the Lightning’s roster. That’s already more than half the production he managed in 55 appearances for Syracuse last year.

As with his previous NHL stints, Carlile didn’t look entirely out of place in bottom-pairing duties. He scored his second career goal and managed a +1 rating while averaging 12:53 of ice time per game. He recorded eight blocks and nine hits. Among Lightning defensemen with at least 100 minutes at 5-on-5, only Moser has controlled a higher share of scoring chances than Carlile’s 57.1%. That comes from him playing a stout, low-event defensive game – per 60 minutes, no qualified Lightning skater has been on the ice for fewer scoring chances than Carlile at 17.9.

If Carlile played one more game, he would have needed to clear waivers again to return to Syracuse. With his strong play in bottom-pairing minutes and his offensive improvement in the AHL, that wasn’t a guarantee after he did so already during training camp. If he’s called up again and enters game action or is rostered for 13 days, then he’ll need waivers at the conclusion of that recall.

Tampa Bay Lightning| Transactions Declan Carlile| Victor Hedman

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Vegas Golden Knights Recall Jesper Vikman

December 5, 2025 at 10:00 am CDT | by Ethan Hetu 2 Comments

The Vegas Golden Knights announced this morning that they have recalled netminder Jesper Vikman from their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights.

Since Vegas already has two goalies on its active roster, Carter Hart and Akira Schmid, the move appears to, at this moment, bring a third netminder into the fold for head coach Bruce Cassidy to choose from. It’s possible this recall is a response to the expected unavailability of one of those two netminders, but nothing of the sort has been reported at this time.

This transaction appears to be Vikman’s first regular-season NHL recall. The 23-year-old has yet to make his NHL debut, and while it’s more likely he’s been recalled at this time to serve in a reserve capacity, today’s move does at least give him the chance to skate in an NHL game for the first time.

A 2020 fifth-round pick out of Sweden’s AIK, Vikman earned an entry-level contract off the back of two strong seasons as a No. 1 goalie for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. Vikman was an All-Star in the WHL, posting a .903 save percentage across 80 games, leading Vancouver to the postseason in both years he played there.

Vikman made the transition to pro hockey in 2023-24, and in each of the last two years, he’s split time between Henderson and the Golden Knights’ ECHL affiliates. Vikman has a career .885 save percentage across 31 AHL games, and a career .897 mark in 57 ECHL games.

So far this season, Vikman has gone 4-4-0 with Henderson, posting an .871 save percentage. Vikman is currently in one of the most important campaigns of his hockey career as a 23-year-old pending RFA. He is playing out the final year of his entry-level deal, and Vikman could be playing to secure his place in the Golden Knights’ organization beyond this season. Vegas already has prospect Cameron Whitehead signed beyond this season, and Carl Lindbom, who will also be an RFA, is the club’s strongest pro-level goalie prospect. Lindbom is widely considered to be a step above Vikman in terms of future projection.

While this recall won’t, in the grand scheme of things, impact Vikman’s chances of earning an extension as much as his performances in the AHL will, this recall still serves as an important opportunity for the player. Even if he doesn’t get the chance to make his NHL debut, he’ll still get to showcase his talents in front of Vegas’ staff in practice for the duration of his time on the NHL roster.

Vegas Golden Knights Jesper Vikman

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New Jersey Devils Recall Angus Crookshank

December 5, 2025 at 9:20 am CDT | by Ethan Hetu 1 Comment

The New Jersey Devils announced today that forward Angus Crookshank has been recalled from their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets.

Before this recall, the Devils had been operating without a spare forward on their NHL roster. That’s not entirely abnormal, but the Devils are set to play back-to-back games, something that typically tests a club’s depth more than a standard section of the schedule. As a result, the Devils have recalled a forward to add to their depth, and that forward is Crookshank.

A 26-year-old 2018 fifth-round pick, Crookshank had spent nearly all of his professional career thus far with the Ottawa Senators organization.

Crookshank became a Group Six unrestricted free agent this past summer, and New Jersey inked him to a two-year contract.

Crookshank’s deal has a two-way structure this season, pledging him a $475K guarantee to go along with his league-minimum NHL salary and $425K AHL salary.

Next season, Crookshank’s deal will become a one-way contract, providing him a solid pay bump regardless of what level he plays at.

Crookshank earned that two-year deal in New Jersey on the back of three quality, productive years as a depth player for the Senators. He scored 26 goals and 47 points for the AHL’s Belleville Senators in 2022-23, beginning a stretch of three seasons where he scored at least 40 points in the AHL.

Thanks to his emergence as a quality AHL scorer, Crookshank earned multiple NHL call-ups, ultimately playing in 21 NHL games across 2023-24 and 2024-25.

So far this season, Crookshank isn’t scoring at quite as high a level as he had in Belleville. His seven points in 17 games put him on pace for 29 points across a full 72-game schedule, but it’s worth noting the impact environment may be having on his production. Utica is the lowest-scoring team in the AHL, with just 36 goals scored across 18 games.

While Crookshank is obviously a part of that ranking, it’s worth noting when considering why his formerly hyper-consistent level of production seems to be trailing off a bit.

Given the fact that the Devils don’t appear to have an immediate opening in their forward lineup, it’s possible Crookshank is simply being recalled to serve as a healthy scratch for two games. But if he can draw into their NHL lineup, it would be Crookshank’s first chance to impress NHL viewers while playing in a Devils uniform.

Photos courtesy of James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports

New Jersey Devils Angus Crookshank

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Morning Notes: Sherwood, Hiller, Edvinsson

December 5, 2025 at 9:00 am CDT | by Ethan Hetu 5 Comments

The Vancouver Canucks are considering a significant re-adjustment in their immediate competitive priorities, and one of the first steps in that process is considering trades for the club’s pending unrestricted free agents. One of the top players for the Canucks to shop is veteran winger Kiefer Sherwood, who led the NHL in hits last season and is on pace for a career year offensively. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported this morning that the Canucks are “getting lots of interest” from teams interested in acquiring the veteran winger.

LeBrun specifically named the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, and Montreal Canadiens as clubs who have expressed interest in acquiring Sherwood. Sherwood clearly fits the mold of the kind of player Wild GM Bill Guerin appears to covet, as a hard-to-play-against forward who blends relentless physicality with some scoring ability. Both Dallas and Montreal have significant injuries to deal with in their forward groups, something that may ratchet up the pressure on each club to acquire external scoring help. It was previously reported that the Canucks were seeking, at minimum, a second-round pick for Sherwood. The more clubs enter the bidding to acquire the player, the more likely it becomes that the Canucks will be able to ultimately exceed that asking price once they pull the trigger on trading Sherwood.

Other notes from around the NHL:

  • The Los Angeles Kings have struggled offensively this season, ranking 29th in the NHL in goals scored per game. The club’s low-scoring loss to the Chicago Blackhawks last night only further raised questions about the state of the Kings as a Stanley Cup hopeful. Former LA Times sports columnist Helene Elliott reported that fans in attendance were vocal in their displeasure for how the team performed against Chicago. While the Kings’ offensive struggles have prompted some to consider whether it’s time for the club to consider a coaching change, John Hoven of Mayor’s Manor wrote that he is “not expecting a change in the LA Kings head coach anytime soon.” He noted that while the Kings have had great difficulty scoring at even strength and on the power play, “they’re still in every game,” and that the best path for the team moving forward would be for some of its scorers to return to their prior levels of offensive production.
  • Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson, a top pick at the 2021 draft, has firmly established himself as a core part of Detroit’s future on defense. As a result, interest is picking up on what exactly Edvinsson’s next contract will look like. The trend has been for teams to sign key young players to contract extensions with as much term as possible, and Edvinsson could be no different. The Athletic’s Max Bultman wrote today that “it’s very possible Edvinsson lands close to Moritz Seider’s $8.55 million AAV” on his upcoming extension. Bultman cited Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe, who will make $9MM AAV on his next deal, as a key comparable. LaCombe scored 43 points playing 22:18 time on ice per game in 2024-25, while Edvinsson scored 31 points and played 21:07 per game.

Detroit Red Wings| Jim Hiller| Los Angeles Kings| Vancouver Canucks Jim Hiller| Kiefer Sherwood| Simon Edvinsson

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