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Drew Doughty Returns To, Warren Foegele Leaves Kings’ Practice

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Thursday’s practice left the Los Angeles Kings with positives and negatives on the injury front. Star defenseman Drew Doughty return to the ice with individual drills, but isn’t expected back soon, while winger Warren Foegele left practice early with an injury per team reporter Zach Dooley. No update has been provided on Foegele’s injury.

Doughty has missed the last four games with a week-to-week, lower-body injury sustained on a blocked shot in Los Angeles’ November 15th matchup versus the Otttawa Senators. He had returned to his role as Los Angeles’ top defender before going down with injury. Doughty averaged a team-leading 22:33 in ice time through 19 games before going down with injury. He rewarded that top role with eight points, a plus-seven, and 30 blocked shots. The Kings haev been pushed to ice Joel Edmundson, on his off-hand, in a top-pair role with Doughty out of the lineup. That will make this injury update well-anticipated, even if Doughty still has a step to go until he’s back in full.

Meanwhile, Foegele’s absence could leave a glaring hole in the team’s bottom-six. Foegele has four goals, 18 hits, and 22 shots on goal in 18 games this season. He missed a few games with a right-shoulder injury in October, but returned with force on November 9th. He scored two goals in his first three games back, then spurred a four-game scoring drought with a goal in Los Angeles’ Monday matchup versus Ottawa.

The Kings will need to turn towards either Alex Turcotte or Jeff Malott, should Foegele be forced out of the lineup. Turcotte has recorded three assists, a minus-four, and 11 penalty minutes in 22 games this season. He sat out of Los Angeles’ most recent matchup, but could find a quick path back with Foegele’s absence. Malott would bring a much more enforcing style, already boasting two goals and 23 penalty minutes in 16 games this season. He stands at 6-foot-5, 208-pounds and offers a heap of grit, in comparison to Turcotte’s skill.

Lightning Re-Assign Maxim Groshev to AHL

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The Tampa Bay Lightning announced this afternoon that defenseman Maxim Groshev is being sent back to the AHL Syracuse Crunch. The 23-year-old was called up three days ago due to Erik Černák’s week-to-week injury, but he was unable to draw into the lineup, and is set to continue his development in the AHL. 

Along with Černák’s injury, the Bolts also are missing Ryan McDonagh and Victor Hedman, their defense corps ravaged for the time being. Darren Raddysh and J.J. Moser have had to step up and play big minutes. After a slower start to the season, the injuries to their blue line could have sunk the team, but impressively, the opposite has happened. Tampa Bay has won five in a row, and eight of their last 10, a sign of the franchise’s endless resilience and sustained success. 

Groshev, interestingly, has made the rare professional transition from a forward to a defenseman, which occurred late last season in the AHL. Drafted in the third round back in 2020, the Russian spent time in the KHL before coming over in 2023-24, playing for Syracuse ever since. At 6’2” Groshev never showcased enough offense as a forward to suggest a next step into the NHL, but has looked comfortable on the back end so far this season, with six points in 17 games with the Crunch. 

Although Jon Cooper has opted for Steven Santini and Declan Carlile for now, Groshev will be especially motivated to earn his way back to an NHL debut this season, as his contract expires this summer. 

Montreal Canadiens Claim Sammy Blais

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Sammy Blais is headed back to Montreal, as insider Elliotte Friedman has shared that the Canadiens claimed the forward this afternoon. 

The 29-year-old forward, signed to a one-year deal with the Habs last July, was lost on waivers to Toronto in October, before finding himself back on the wire yesterday. Given the current injuries affecting their forward corps, Blais provides needed depth, and perhaps the Quebec native will appear with Montreal at some point after all, although for now he will join AHL Laval. 

GM Kent Hughes picks up Blais’ manageable one-year contract worth $775k at the NHL level. Marco D’Amico of Research Ground Media updated that the Canadiens were the only team to submit such a claim, meaning they can send Blais directly to the AHL without waiver clearance. Blais will likely finish 2025-26 with the Canadiens organization, one way or another. 

Although becoming a bit of a journeyman, Blais has carved out a very respectable career for a former sixth-round pick (2014). After winning a Stanley Cup with St. Louis, the forward was eventually a key piece sent to New York in the Pavel Buchnevich trade. Blais suffered a torn ACL 14 games into his Rangers tenure, an injury which certainly changed the trajectory of his career. Although he returned in the 2022-23 season, Blais had just five assists and no goals in 40 games, landing in the AHL, and eventually returning to the Blues as a spare part in the Vladimir Tarasenko deal.

Clearly more comfortable back with his original team, Blais had a resurgence, with 20 points in 31 games to conclude 2022-23, which also earned an extension. However, he did not maintain such performance in 2023-24, and landed in the AHL last year. Blais helped lead the Abbotsford Canucks to a Calder Cup title, catching the attention of Montreal last summer who took a flyer on the 29-year-old. Unable to make the team, Blais rejoined his former coach Craig Berube in October as a depth option for Toronto. After posting three points in eight games, the Leafs are set to welcome back Auston Matthews and Nicholas Roy from IR. Blais became expendable, and now, finds himself back where he started the season.

With Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and Patrik Laine all missing time, Montreal has had to call upon the likes of Florian Xhekaj and Jared Davidson to fill in. Although both have been respectable players in the AHL, and the team has continued to win games, adding a familiar face with 265 games of NHL experience from their rivals appealed to the club.

Adam Engstrom Generating Trade Interest

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In an episode of The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro from earlier this week, insider Pierre Lebrun of TSN shared that several teams have looked into Adam Engstrom and considered what it would take to land the defense prospect. 

A third-round selection of Montreal in the 2022 draft, Engstrom’s play in the AHL with Laval has stood out, as he has 14 points in 18 games. Still early in just his second North American season, the Swede’s professional experience with Rögle BK has helped a transition into the Canadiens organization, boosting an already deep prospect pool. Engstrom made a strong case to make the team out of camp, and although he came short, he has excelled in the AHL since and earned a recall earlier this week.

Having just turned 22, and not set to reach RFA status until after the 2026-27 season, it is not like Montreal should be in any particular rush with Engstrom, especially with Kaiden Guhle set to miss 8-10 weeks. Engstrom only just made his NHL debut yesterday, with 10 minutes of ice time in a win over Utah. However, with their pursuit of a top six center well known, naturally Engstrom emerges as a candidate for a possible defense – forward swap. Montreal lacks another strong left-handed defenseman in their cupboard, but with Lane Hutson’s presence along with Guhle, and a wealth of right handers to boot, there is not so much a need at this time.

Montreal has fellow lefty Marc Del Gaizo, 26, in the system, who has continuously bounced between the NHL and AHL so far this year as he vies to make his team debut. Clearly the organization is high on Engstrom, who drew into the lineup first, fresh off being named AHL Player of the Week last Monday after tying a Laval franchise record with one goal and four assists in a single game. Del Gaizo though, signed on a one-year, two-way deal, brings enough to the table as a depth option between Montreal and Laval that they could potentially afford an Engstrom subtraction at some point. 

Engstrom offers poise and well-rounded play at 6’2”, projecting at the least as a high-floor, solid middle defenseman. However, he looks much more comfortable so far in 2025-26, especially offensively, and could flourish into a true top four. It is unlikely Montreal would jump to just any call on their prospect now, but Engstrom’s name could be worth watching as the season goes on, especially in a deal for a top six center.

The Canadiens have made strides this season as they aim to push for the playoffs and win a round for the first time since 2021. It is a luxury to have strong prospects like Engstrom on hand, allowing GM Kent Hughes to make a noteworthy addition without affecting the current group. Whatever may come next, in the meantime, Engstrom will look to build off his debut and continue to fill in for Guhle. 

Rangers Recall Scott Morrow

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The Rangers announced they’ve recalled defenseman Scott Morrow from AHL Hartford. Fellow rearguard Connor Mackey was sent back to Hartford in the corresponding move.

Mackey was recalled just yesterday to serve as a healthy extra after Juuso Pärssinen was sent down following his waiver clearance. The Rangers likely wanted to recall Morrow instead. However, starting this season, players must play at least one game on an AHL assignment before they’re eligible for another recall. Morrow hadn’t played since being sent down to the Wolf Pack on Monday, so they were unable to add him back to the roster. He suited up for Hartford last night, though, so he can come up today.

The Blueshirts have been in need of an extra defenseman since William Borgen left their game against the Golden Knights on Nov. 18 with an upper-body injury. He’s been out for four games and is now on injured reserve. He was a game-time decision yesterday against the Hurricanes, but adding Morrow back to the roster today suggests they don’t expect Borgen to be available for tomorrow’s matinee against the Bruins.

Morrow, 23, hasn’t had a great start to his tenure in the Rangers organization. A 2021 second-round pick, he was acquired from Carolina in last season’s K’Andre Miller deal and immediately slotted in as their most dynamic defense prospect. He ranked No. 2 overall in the system in NHL.com’s preseason rankings. After failing to make the opening night roster, though, he’s been limited to just three points in 12 games with Hartford and has a -6 rating, third-worst on the team.

The Connecticut native has made three appearances for the Rangers this season, in spot duty as injuries necessitated. He’s still looking for his first point as a Blueshirt and has a -2 rating while averaging 13:11 of ice time per game. He’s managed eight shot attempts and three blocks, but doesn’t have a hit. The Rangers have been out-attempted 50-36 in Morrow’s 5-on-5 minutes for a CF% of 41.9.

Wild Recall Nicolas Aubé-Kubel

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The Wild announced they’ve recalled winger Nicolas Aubé-Kubel from AHL Iowa. They’d been living with an open roster spot since placing Vinnie Hinostroza on injured reserve on Monday, so there’s no need for a corresponding move.

Aubé-Kubel, 29, is back in the big leagues after failing to make the opening night roster for the second time in the last three years. The right-shot agitator had been a relatively stable fourth-line piece for several seasons but saw significant time in the minors last season, limited to 22 appearances between the Sabres and Rangers. He’d appeared in 60 games for the Capitals the year prior. His only season with 70-plus games came with the Flyers and Avalanche in 2021-22, when he recorded a career-best 11-12–23 scoring line and suited up in 14 playoff games en route to Colorado’s Stanley Cup win.

A former second-round pick by Philadelphia, Aubé-Kubel made Minnesota his fourth organization in as many years when he signed a two-way deal during the first week of free agency. Initial projections labeled him as a bang-and-crash top-nine winger with enough offensive upside for third-line duties. While he’s satisfied the former part of that description, he’s rarely demonstrated enough offensive utility to push above a fourth-line job. In 304 career appearances, he owns a 32-48–80 scoring line while averaging 54 PIMs and 181 hits per 82 games. He’s had more offensive success in the minors but never really dominated offensively there, either, posting 58 goals and 125 points in 272 career AHL appearances.

This year is no exception. After clearing waivers during the preseason, Aubé-Kubel is off to a conservative start with two goals and eight points in 17 games for Iowa. However, that’s still second in points on a Wild affiliate club that’s destined for a third straight season in the AHL’s basement.

The Wild are hoping his more extensive NHL experience can bring a more dynamic element to a fourth line that hasn’t produced – literally. None of Liam Ohgren, Ben Jones, or Tyler Pitlick has a point in 36 combined appearances. Minnesota has been outshot 15-7 and outchanced 14-2 with that trio on the ice at 5-on-5. A natural right winger, Aubé-Kubel could presumably enter the lineup for Pitlick tomorrow against the Avalanche. Both could be in the mix if Marcus Foligno, who left yesterday’s overtime win over the Blackhawks in the second period with an undisclosed injury and didn’t return, isn’t able to go.

Breaking Down The Top Value Trades Of The 2025 Offseason

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We’re only just past the quarter mark of the regular season, but some of last offseason’s trades have already proven valuable for specific teams. While it’s difficult to judge a trade based on a small sample size, some moves have yielded such early gains that it’s clear the trade was a win, especially considering the low cost to acquire the player.

Notably missing from the list is Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner; however, since the move was expected in free agency, it was not included. Clearly, it’s been a significant acquisition for Vegas. Nonetheless, given the article’s tone, it was left off the list.

The first trade involves the Blackhawks acquiring forward André Burakovsky from the Kraken in exchange for forward Joe Veleno, who was subsequently bought out. Initially, this move didn’t attract much attention, but early this season, it’s clear that it’s a great deal for Chicago. Burakovsky, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, was a very productive scorer before joining the Kraken, surpassing 44 points in three consecutive seasons with the Avalanche before signing a five-year, $27.5MM contract as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2022. While Burakovsky addressed a definite need for Seattle, there were concerns at the time that head coach Dave Hakstol’s system might negatively affect his numbers. That’s precisely what happened, as his production dropped to 30 goals and 62 assists in 177 games over three seasons with Seattle. Multiple significant injuries didn’t help those numbers.

From Seattle’s perspective, this summer’s trade was a salary dump aimed at moving a player who wasn’t making a significant contribution. Chicago correctly saw an opportunity to acquire an offensive forward at a low cost, and it has worked out very well so far. The 30-year-old Burakovsky has scored seven goals and added eight assists in 18 games, and he is now being used in more favorable offensive roles with better zone starts and more ice time alongside Connor Bedard. However, several warning signs with Burakovsky could lead to issues later, including his unsustainable shooting percentage (26.9%) and a PDO (104.8) that is likely to decline.

When the Anaheim Ducks acquired Chris Kreider from the New York Rangers, many fans believed that Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek had done the Rangers a favor regarding salary cap issues. The trade sent Kreider and a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Ducks in exchange for prospect Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick. The cost to acquire Kreider was minimal, as the 34-year-old is set to earn $6.5MM in the final two years of his contract and had his stats drop significantly last season, with 22 goals and just eight assists in 68 games. The Ducks probably saw Kreider as a valuable veteran leader who could score goals and be tough to play against. He’s demonstrated that so far, with 10 goals and six assists in 19 games. Kreider isn’t going to shoot 24% for the rest of the season, but even if he regresses to his career average (15.3%), he should still score 30 goals again, making this trade a significant win for the Ducks.

Next on the list was a very quiet transaction that has paid off significantly so far: the Penguins’ trade for goaltender Arturs Silovs. The trade sent prospect Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round pick back to the Canucks. It was an interesting gamble for the Penguins, but one that made a lot of sense given their goaltending situation at the time. Silovs had just been named the MVP of the Calder Cup Playoffs with AHL Abbotsford and had shown potential as an NHL goaltender in previous seasons. With the Canucks locking in Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen on long-term deals, it seemed likely Silovs would be moved, especially since he might have been claimed on waivers at the start of this season. Vancouver did well to get what they did for him, but the Penguins have found a reliable netminder at a low cost, and given his age, he could be an NHL goalie for many years.

The risk with Silovs has always been his consistency, and that remains a concern even though he’s posted good numbers this season. In 11 games, the 24-year-old is 4-3-4 with a .908 SV% and a 2.74 GAA. His underlying numbers look even better as he’s posted a 5.8 goals saved above expected (per MoneyPuck). The season is still early, but so far, this looks like a big win for the Penguins. Silovs might not be an NHL starter long-term, but if he keeps up his current play, he could become a reliable backup to Pittsburgh’s goalie of the future, Sergei Murashov.

Sticking with the Metropolitan Division, we examine the Trevor Zegras trade to the Flyers. The 24-year-old was traded by the Ducks on June 23, in exchange for center Ryan Poehling, the Blue Jackets’ 2025 second-round pick (No. 45 overall), and Philadelphia’s 2026 fourth-rounder. The return to the Ducks seemed underwhelming at the time, and after Zegras’ start to the season, it feels even less impressive. Through 21 games in Philadelphia, Zegras has scored seven goals and 14 assists, while Poehling has just one goal and five assists in 16 games.

The Ducks essentially had to move Zegras, whose play had fallen off considerably in Anaheim and who needed a fresh start elsewhere. The Flyers were more than happy to take a chance, and so far, it has worked out well. While some of Zegras’ success this season has been due to favorable deployment and a fair bit of luck, his level of play feels the most sustainable among all the players on the list. He is shooting slightly above his career average, his PDO is marginally higher, and his usage aligns well with his skills. All that said, none of this is a significant departure from his time in Anaheim, but Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet and his staff have managed to get more out of Zegras. It’s worth noting that Tocchet has a track record of getting the best from enigmatic players, with Phil Kessel being a prime example during their time together in Pittsburgh. If Tocchet has truly found a way to maximize Zegras’ potential, it will go a long way in helping the Flyers regain relevance. 

Photo by Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Evgenii Dadonov To Miss Some Time

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It has been a tough season for Devils winger Evgenii Dadonov.  He missed 17 games due to a hand injury sustained in his debut with the team last month, returning to the lineup last week.  Now, he’s out of the lineup again as head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters today (video link) that the veteran will be out “for a period of time” due to another injury.  At this time, they are still doing testing so the timeline for his potential return is not yet known.

The 36-year-old is in his first season with the Devils after signing a one-year deal with them over the summer.  He ultimately accepted a bonus-laden pact, one that carries a $1MM base salary plus an additional $2.25MM in performance bonuses.  Some are tied to playoff performance and success but more than half are geared toward regular season outings, maxing out at 50.  Another extended absence could put the ability to hit that mark out of reach.

The undisclosed injury occurred in Monday’s victory over Detroit and it appeared to worsen on Tuesday, leading to further testing and this announcement that he’ll be out for at least a bit.  When healthy, Dadonov has been quiet offensively, being held off the scoresheet in his five outings while averaging a little over 11 minutes per night of playing time.

Juho Lammikko took Dadonov’s spot in the lineup tonight against St. Louis.  With blueliners Brett Pesce and Johnathan Kovacevic on LTIR, New Jersey has several million in flexibility at the moment per PuckPedia, so a recall from AHL Utica is likely coming in the near future.  Meanwhile, Dadonov joins those two along with center Jack Hughes and winger Zack MacEwen in New Jersey’s infirmary.

West Notes: Wedgewood, Brossoit, Mammoth, Canucks

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Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood has been added to Canada’s list for potential Olympic participation, reports TSN’s Darren Dreger (Twitter link).  It has been a breakout season for the 33-year-old who took on the starting job when Mackenzie Blackwood was injured to start the season and he hasn’t relinquished it.  Through 17 appearances, he has a 13-1-2 record with a 2.09 GAA and a .918 SV%.  While his international experience is also rather limited (just a World Juniors appearance in 2011), Wedgewood has certainly done well enough to warrant late consideration, especially with Canada’s goaltending group still in some question.

More from out West:

  • Laurent Brossoit’s tenure with the Blackhawks hasn’t gone as planned. Signed to a two-year deal in 2024, he hasn’t played a second of hockey since then thanks to multiple injuries.  That should be changing soon, however.  The netminder told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that he’s actually ahead of schedule in his recovery from his most recent hip surgery which has him likely nearing a conditioning stint with AHL Rockford in the near future.  Once cleared to do so, he can spend up to two weeks in the minors before needing to be added to Chicago’s roster or placed on waivers.
  • While the trade market is still in the process of getting established this early in the season, several teams know they will be looking to buy when the opportunity arises. One team that hasn’t done a lot of that in-season lately is the Mammoth but it appears that will be changing.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes in his latest 32 Thoughts column that Utah is definitely looking to add to its current group.  While they’ve scuffled a bit as of late in the win-loss column, they enter play tonight in a Wild Card spot and with them projecting to finish the year more than $5MM under the salary cap per PuckPedia, they have ample flexibility on that front to make a move along with one of the better prospect pools in the league.
  • Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen could rejoin the team on their current road trip, relays Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre (Twitter link). It was announced yesterday that he was taking a leave for personal reasons but it appears that his absence will be a short-term one.  Meanwhile, MacIntyre adds that their other netminder Thatcher Demko along with winger Nils Hoglander are expected in Los Angeles on Saturday to skate with the team, suggesting they’re nearing a return as well.  Vancouver has been decimated with injuries in the early going this season but some help could be on the horizon.

Calgary Flames, Craig Conroy Nearing Extension

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According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Calgary Flames are nearing an extension with General Manager Craig Conroy. Ryan Pike of Flames Nation relayed a note from Sportsnet’s Eric Francis indicating it’s a two-year agreement.

It’s a relatively expected outcome for the third-year front office leader. Outside of his nine-year career with the Flames on the ice in the early to mid-2000s, Conroy had spent the nine years preceding his appointment as the team’s General Manager as Calgary’s Assistant General Manager. Putting it all together — Conroy has spent the last quarter-century involved with the Flames in some capacity.

Embarked on a retool for his tenure up to this point, the Flames have yet to bear the fruits of Conroy’s labor. In the first few years as General Manager, Conroy shipped out several veterans, such as Tyler Toffoli, Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, and Jacob Markström, among others.

There’s consensus that Conroy has used the returned assets to good use. Although they haven’t returned to postseason contention under his stewardship yet, many rankings from before the 2025-26 season indicate that the Flames have a top-10 prospect pool in the league.

Additionally, Conroy had the task of finding a new bench boss for Calgary, ultimately landing upon Ryan Huska ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. Before this season, Huska had a 79-66-19 record as the Flames’ head coach, averaging 89 points a year.

Unfortunately, Calgary has seemingly taken a step backward this season. Finishing one regulation win outside of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Flames currently find themselves in 31st place with an 8-13-3 record. Much of that has to do with a lethargic offense, which has averaged 2.38 GF/G.

At any rate, Flames ownership appears happy with the work Conroy has done thus far and is giving him additional time to see the organization through the rebuild. Given their position in the standings, Conroy will have his work cut out for him leading up to this season’s trade deadline, as the Flames could once again offload several veteran players.

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