Blackhawks Expected To Activate Frank Nazar
The Chicago Blackhawks are on the precipice of having a fully healthy forward core. According to The Athletic’s Scott Powers, the Blackhawks expected youngster Frank Nazar to return to the lineup tomorrow, meaning he’ll be activated from the injured reserve.
Chicago has an open roster spot, so they won’t need to make a corresponding roster move. Still, they already have 14 forwards, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Blackhawks swap a depth forward for a defenseman in the AHL.
Nazar, 22, has been absent from the Blackhawks’ roster for a month. After taking a puck to the face, he broke his jaw in Chicago’s December 20th matchup against the Ottawa Senators. He has been skating for the last few days and will make his official return tomorrow against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Before the injury, Nazar was having a solid junior campaign. Registering six goals and 21 points in 33 games, Nazar remains only five points away from matching last year’s totals, which took 53 games to reach. Being one of the best offensive forwards on the team, he’s earned a huge bump in ATOI this season, going from 15:52 last season to 18:15 this year.
Still, Nazar was clearly slowing down in the lead-up to the injury. The Detroit, MI native had scored five goals and 13 points in his first 17 games of the year. In the next 16 games, in which the Blackhawks had recorded a 3-11-2 record, Nazar had only registered one goal and eight points. Since he exited the lineup in late December, Chicago has improved, managing a 7-6-1 record in his absence.
Regardless, despite missing a month of action, Nazar remains tied for fourth on the team in scoring. He’s largely considered the highest-upside forward option for the Blackhawks behind Connor Bedard, and the team will hope that he can maintain his health through the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign.
Bruins Sign Alex Steeves To Two-Year Extension
The Boston Bruins are keeping around one of their bottom-six forwards for the next few years. According to a team announcement, the Bruins have signed Alex Steeves to a two-year, $3.25MM ($1.625MM AAV) extension.
Steeves, 26, has been a success story for Boston this season. Still, he had a longer path to the NHL than expected after failing to garner much consideration when he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After a strong collegiate career at the University of Notre Dame, Steeves signed with the Maple Leafs as an undrafted talent ahead of the 2021-22 season.
Despite having a relatively deep forward core the past few years, it became puzzling that Toronto didn’t give Steeves more of an opportunity. Considering that some of their issues stemmed from a lack of impact in the team’s bottom six, Steeves was always seen as a positive and inexpensive option.
There’s no question that he earned himself an opportunity. Throughout four years with the Maple Leafs organization, Steeves spent much of his time with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Over that duration, the Bedford, NH native scored 105 goals and 216 points in 247 games. Nonetheless, he only appeared in 14 games for the Maple Leafs, registering one goal and three points while averaging 9:04 of ice time per game.
Becoming an unrestricted free agent last summer after being non-tendered by Toronto, the Bruins moved quickly, signing Steeves to a one-year deal on the opening day of free agency. By no means was he projected to be a top-six option for Boston, but the team knew he had some upside they could tap into.
After another strong start in the AHL, the Bruins recalled Steeves on November 8th, and neither player nor team has looked back. He’s already matched his output across four years in Toronto, scoring eight goals and 14 points in 33 games for Boston. Additionally, his 91.0% on-ice SV% at even strength shows that Steeves can hold his own on the defensive side of the puck, as well.
Despite being the highest cap hit of his career, Steeves only projects to be the ninth-highest paid forward on the Bruins next season. Furthermore, it will only account for approximately 1.5% of the salary cap, which is more than justifiable after his solid campaign.
Jackson LaCombe Named To U.S. Olympic Team
USA Hockey announced a change to its roster for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Per their official release, Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones has been removed from the roster due to being “injured and unable to participate,” and in his place, Anaheim Ducks blueliner Jackson LaCombe has been named to the roster.
Jones suffered an injury early this month and was originally considered week-to-week. At the time, his status for the Olympics had only been downgraded to questionable — he had not been ruled out. The Panthers shifted Jones to LTIR on Monday, indicating that he would not be ready to go in time for the Olympics.
It’s a tough blow for Jones, who was undoubtedly looking forward to the chance to represent his country on such a big stage. The defenseman, who won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers last year, has represented the United States at several IIHF Men’s World Championships, including captaining the team in 2022.
While this news is undoubtedly a severe disappointment for Jones, it’s also a massive opportunity for LaCombe. The Minnesota native helped the United States win a gold medal at last year’s IIHF Men’s World Championship, serving as one of that team’s top defensemen.
The 2019 second-round pick has emerged as a true No. 1 defenseman in the NHL, averaging 24:26 time on ice per game this season, including a heavy workload on both sides of special teams. He scored 43 points in 75 games last season and has 31 points in 49 games this year. The Ducks rewarded his NHL breakout in October, signing him to an eight-year, $9MM AAV deal.
What’s notable about LaCombe’s addition, when it comes to Team USA as a whole, is his status as a left-shot defenseman. His addition to Team USA, alongside the loss of Jones, leaves the Americans with just two right-shot blueliners (Brock Faber and Charlie McAvoy). Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox is widely considered the top right-shot defenseman not on the American roster, but he’s currently on LTIR, which is likely to have impacted his chances of selection as an injury replacement.
Montreal Canadiens star Lane Hutson may also have been considered, as he has been one of the NHL’s most valuable defensemen since entering the league. While he does have some experience playing the right side at the NHL level, which may have helped his case, GM Bill Guerin may have been wary about adding another undersized defenseman to a roster that already includes superstar Quinn Hughes.
In any case, LaCombe is an extremely well-rounded defenseman capable of contributing in all situations, and was likely very close to making the roster outright in the first place. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun indicated as much, writing “LaCombe had been seriously considered by Team USA to begin with.” Now, due to an injury, he gets his chance.
Boston Bruins Reassign Billy Sweezey
Jan. 21st: The Bruins announced today that Sweezey’s emergency recall has concluded, and he’s been reassigned back to AHL Providence. During his recall, Sweezey served as a healthy scratch for Boston’s 6-2 loss to the Dallas Stars.
Jan. 18th: The Bruins announced Sunday they’ve recalled defenseman Billy Sweezey from AHL Providence under emergency conditions and designated Henri Jokiharju as a non-roster player due to a family matter. Their active roster count remains at 23.
Sweezey was sent down just yesterday to make room for fellow rearguard Hampus Lindholm as he came off injured reserve. That was only a one-day recall, coming after a Friday emergency summons due to concerns about Andrew Peeke‘s availability.
Sweezey did not play in yesterday’s 5-2 win over the Blackhawks, only because Lindholm was able to re-enter the lineup after a six-game absence. Now, with Peeke still listed as day-to-day with his lower-body injury and Jokiharju being essentially confirmed unavailable for Tuesday’s game against the Stars, Sweezey has a legitimate shot at making his Boston debut this week.
The B’s signed the 29-year-old righty to a two-year, two-way contract in free agency in 2024. The undrafted Yale grad had spent the majority of his professional career in the Blue Jackets organization prior to arriving in Boston, including several call-ups late in the 2022-23 campaign that resulted in him making his NHL debut.
In nine games for Columbus that season, he recorded an assist and a -3 rating while averaging 17:07 of ice time per game. The defensive-minded 6’1″, 202-lb depth man then spent all of 2023-24 on assignment to the AHL before reaching unrestricted free agency and landing with his hometown Bruins.
After spending the totality of last season in Providence after clearing waivers, Sweezey now has a shot at his first NHL game in nearly three years. He’s having a career year for the P-Bruins, tying his career high in AHL points (11) in just 34 games. His +22 rating not only leads Providence blue liners but is also tied for third in the league overall behind teammate Patrick Brown and the Red Wings’ William Lagesson, who share a +23.
He’ll be relieving Jokiharju, who’s been a fine addition to Boston’s blue line since being acquired from the Sabres at last year’s trade deadline. The shutdown-minded righty has nine assists and a +3 rating in 32 outings this season, averaging 17:53 per game with strong possession numbers – a 50.7 CF% and 52.0 xGF% – at even strength.
Colorado Avalanche Recall Jack Ahcan, Taylor Makar
The Colorado Avalanche announced today that defenseman Jack Ahcan and forward Taylor Makar have been recalled from the club’s AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles.
The Avalanche had just 20 players on their 23-man active roster, so these recalls were able to be made without any corresponding moves. With the recent trade of Ilya Solovyov to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado was left without a seventh defenseman on their roster. Today’s recall of Ahcan rectifies that. The 28-year-old undrafted blueliner is undersized at 5’8″, but has nonetheless emerged as a valuable go-to depth option for the Avalanche.
Ahcan spent two consecutive years as a full-time AHL player (2022-23 and 2023-24) but his solid production in 2024-25 (41 points in 69 games) earned him his first NHL recall in a few years. He got into two NHL games in 2024-25, and already has six NHL games played in 2025-26. He’s also scoring at a career-best rate in the AHL with 24 points in 29 games. With Devon Toews still sidelined (but getting closer, relays the Denver Gazette’s Evan Rawal) it appears the Avalanche will keep Ahcan on their NHL roster so that Bednar has an extra defenseman at his disposal.
Makar, 24, is the younger brother of Avalanche star Cale Makar and has emerged as a call-up option in 2025-26. This is Makar’s first full year as a professional after spending four years playing college hockey, and he has scored seven goals and 13 points in 32 AHL games. He’s skated in Bednar’s NHL lineup for five games this season, averaging just 5:29 time on ice per game. He’s still awaiting his first NHL point.
Recalling Makar gives the Avalanche extra cover at forward with as several of the team’s regular players recover from injury. Gabriel Landeskog, Joel Kiviranta, Valeri Nichushkin, and Logan O’Connor are all sidelined at this time, with recovery timelines that vary significantly.
Ivar Stenberg Emerging As Potential First Overall Pick
Entering the 2025-26 season, the scouting community following NHL draft prospects generally shared a clear consensus: the top prospect for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft was WHL star Gavin McKenna. McKenna, who was an otherworldly scorer with the Medicine Hat Tigers, was slated to begin his NCAA career with Penn State. Most believed he’d ride a highly productive college season all the way into the summer, where he’d become the No. 1 overall pick.
So far, things haven’t quite played out that way, and the tide has begun to shift at the top of public-facing NHL draft rankings. The early rumblings began on Nov. 18, when The Athletic’s Corey Pronman wrote that McKenna’s path to becoming the No. 1 pick was now “in question.”
At the time, he cited a lack of clear alternatives for the No. 1 slot as a reason why he believed McKenna was still likely to be the No. 1 pick, even if he was no longer a lock. Then, in his rankings on Dec. 10, he ranked McKenna No. 4 in the class, behind center Tynan Lawrence, defenseman Keaton Verhoeff, and winger Ivar Stenberg.
It was the World Junior Championships later that month that provided the stage for a true alternative to McKenna to emerge as a candidate to become the No. 1 pick: Stenberg, a winger in the SHL.
Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala, who is a former NHL scouting director, wrote on Jan. 13 that Stenberg was his new No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class. Yesterday, two of the more prominent public-facing NHL draft rankings were released, coming from The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler and the team at Elite Prospects. Both Wheeler and Elite Prospects ranked Stenberg as their No. 1 prospect, in both cases overtaking McKenna, who fell to No. 2.
This emerging trend in public-facing rankings is, without question, the storyline to watch regarding the upcoming entry draft. McKenna, as mentioned, entered the season as not only the consensus No. 1 player, but a skater widely believed to be a future No. 1 pick of above-average quality relative to other players selected at that slot. An exceptional status player who entered the CHL at the age of 15, McKenna managed 97 points as a 16-year-old winger for Medicine Hat, and was absolutely brilliant in 2024-25, scoring 129 points in 56 regular-season games and 38 points in 16 postseason contests.
That production hasn’t translated to the same extent to the NCAA, where McKenna has 24 points in 20 games. While that’s still very impressive production for a freshman player, to be clear, it remains below what many expected of McKenna. 
Other top prospects in the past have had more productive freshman campaigns, such as Adam Fantilli (65 points in 36 games during his draft year) and Jack Eichel (71 points in 40 games). McKenna was widely believed to be of that caliber as a prospect, so the fact that his production, while still good, isn’t on that level, appears to have hurt him in the rankings.
Wheeler wrote in his rankings this week that McKenna “increasingly has frustrated evaluators” this season.
It is worth noting, when considering McKenna’s production, that the NCAA isn’t what it has been in the past. That is to say, the quality of competition in college hockey has reached new heights thanks to a recent rule change that allowed players with CHL experience (and even pro experience, in some cases) to play college hockey. That massive influx of new, higher-level talent into the collegiate ranks has likely made it more difficult for younger players such as McKenna to excel to the same extent that Fantilli and Eichel, for example, were able to.
But one factor totally outside of McKenna’s control that appears to have impacted his odds of becoming the No. 1 pick considerably has been the emergence of Stenberg. The Swedish winger is having one of the best seasons by a draft-eligible SHL forward in the recent history of the draft process. The 18-year-old has 26 points in 27 games for Frölunda, and he added alongside that 10 points in seven games at the World Juniors, leading Sweden to a gold medal.
The key aspects of Stenberg’s game, according to public-facing scouts, that have allowed him to close the gap on McKenna and emerge as a real contender to be the No. 1 pick are his competitiveness, physical development, and ability to impact the game away from the puck.
Elite Prospects wrote that Stenberg “looks ready to make an NHL impact as soon as next fall,” and Wheeler noted in his own rankings that Stenberg is “very, very strong in hockey terms” and “wins a ton of battles along the boards.” When it comes to predicting whether a teenage player will be able to make an impact at the NHL level quickly after being drafted, those are key traits that come into focus. That Stenberg has made those traits some of the standout elements of his game is, per the indications of the public scouting sphere, one of the key factors as to why he’s become a potential No. 1 pick.
Of course, there is still quite a bit of time before any player hears his name called in Buffalo at the 2026 draft. There’s still more than enough time for evaluations to change, for other players to stand out and make a push for the No. 1 slot (such as defenders Verhoeff or Chase Reid, for example). There’s also enough time for McKenna to address some of scouts’ concerns about his game and make a push for the No. 1 status Stenberg appears to have now grabbed hold of.
But at this point, the tide appears to be changing in the public scouting sphere, and it’s entirely possible if not likely, that the tide could also be changing in the eyes of NHL scouts. A Swedish player has not gone No. 1 overall at the NHL draft since Rasmus Dahlin in 2018, and Dahlin was the first since 1989’s Mats Sundin.
Photos courtesy of Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Morning Notes: Shea, Kuemper, Malenstyn
The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a better season than most expected of them in 2025-26, and it’s been elevated contributions from players throughout the lineup that have powered them to this point. (Alongside to-be-expected star-level performances from players such as Sidney Crosby.) One player who has meaningfully improved his NHL stock as a Penguin is defenseman Ryan Shea. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe wrote yesterday that “the Penguins would like to keep [Shea] around,” and that he is a real candidate to receive a contract extension that keeps him from hitting the open market as a UFA this upcoming summer.
Shea is a textbook illustration of one of Penguins GM Kyle Dubas’ standout traits — his ability to work the margins of NHL rosters to uncover quality players, players he can acquire for very little and hand over to his coaching staff, who promptly turn them into legitimate NHLers. Dubas signed Shea to a one-year, league-minimum deal in 2023, handing the player a one-way contract despite him having zero NHL experience to that point. Shea rewarded Dubas with 31 NHL games played in his first year in Pittsburgh, and this season he’s emerged as a full-time NHLer. He’s scored 16 points in 48 games and is averaging 18:57 time on ice per game, including 2:07 on the penalty kill. Given how he’s earned head coach Dan Muse’s trust as a defensive defenseman, it’s no surprise Pittsburgh appears to want to keep him from hitting the open market as a UFA.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Los Angeles Kings starting netminder Darcy Kuemper left the team’s victory over the New York Rangers last night early after appearing shaken up by a collision with Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski. The Kings announced his exit was due to an upper-body injury. It’s worth noting that Kuemper missed some time earlier this month with an upper-body injury. Kuemper has been solid for Los Angeles this season, though not quite as brilliant as 2024-25. He has a .904 save percentage in 32 games played.
- Buffalo Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn left the team’s victory over the Nashville Predators early after blocking a shot, and while the team did not announce any injury to the player, his status is nonetheless worth monitoring. The 27-year-old is a key bottom-six player for head coach Lindy Ruff, offering aggressive forechecking and physicality on a nightly basis. He has seven points in 48 games this season playing fourth-line minutes, with a regular role in the team’s rotation of penalty killers.
Panthers’ Jack Studnicka Clears Waivers, Reassigned To AHL
Jan. 21st: Although it’s come a day later than expected, the Panthers officially reassigned Studnicka to AHL Charlotte today.
Jan. 20th: As expected, Studnicka has made it through waivers unscathed per Friedman. The Panthers are expected to assign Studnicka to AHL Charlotte at some point today.
Jan. 19th: Now that Matthew Tkachuk is back in action for the Florida Panthers, the team was likely to clear a forward from their active roster. They have done just that, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that they’ve placed Jack Studnicka on waivers.
Studnicka, 26, has been on the Panthers roster since December 1st. He’s been in an extremely isolated role since, going scoreless in 18 games with a -6 rating, averaging 7:04 of ice time. Furthermore, given his 46.3% CorsiFor% and 85.2% on-ice SV% at even strength, Studnicka provided little to no value to Florida’s lineup even when he was playing.
Still, there wasn’t much indication that the Panthers needed much more from Studnicka, anyway. He signed a one-year, league minimum deal with the organization last summer, meaning it was always likely he would exclusively serve as an injury replacement. Given how many injuries the Panthers have dealt with this year, Studnicka got a longer stay on the NHL roster than he may have expected.
Despite offering little production at the NHL level, the same can’t be said for his play in the AHL. Last season, while playing for the AHL’s Ontario Reign, Studnicka scored 16 goals and totaled 45 points in 72 games, finishing with a +4 rating. Before being recalled by the Panthers this year, he scored one goal and six points in eight games for the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.
Evening Notes: Cirelli, Doughty, Merzlikins
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli sustained an undisclosed injury in tonight’s win over San Jose, and after the game, Head Coach Jon Cooper had no further updates, as reported by Eduardo A. Encina of The Tampa Bay Times. Cooper went on to say “we’ll see tomorrow”, but avoided more details.
Despite just one shift in the entire third period, Cirelli still recorded 13:22 of ice time, indicative of the extent of which the team has had to lean on him during Brayden Point’s absence. Impressively, the wins keep coming for the Bolts, thin not only down the middle but also on the blueline. They’ve vaulted themselves into second place in the league after tremendous play, including a franchise best-tying 11-game winning streak recently.
Tampa Bay is back at it on Friday in Chicago, and Cirelli’s status until then will be closely watched. The 28-year-old has 30 points in 44 games this season, and with a center group which is missing their #1 in Point, the Lightning have had to rely on Dominic James as a 2C, a 23-year-old in his first professional season. Already down Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh along with Point, losing Cirelli for any considerable time would be another major hurdle.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Ahead of their game against the Rangers, the Los Angeles Kings announced that Drew Doughty would not play due to illness. The stalwart had appeared in 41 of the team’s 48 games prior to tonight, and will need just two more to hit the 1,250 mark, all with his original club. With the game faster than ever, naturally it has not come so easy for Doughty, who turned 36 in December. The veteran continues to play heavy minutes, as his 22:51 average is good for most on the team, but he has just 13 points in 41 games, production not seen since his rookie campaign in 2008-09. Doughty was activated from injured reserve in early December from a leg/foot injury, and is still working to find his stride. He will look to return by Saturday against the Blues, but as for tonight, depth lefty Jacob Moverare has slotted in on the third pairing.
- Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins left tonight’s game after the first period due to illness, per the team, and did not return. The 31-year-old had allowed two goals on seven shots, leaving Jet Greaves to take over in a 2-1 game. The Jackets ended up losing 4-1 to Ottawa. Now in his seventh year with Columbus, Merzlikins has lost the crease to Greaves full time this season, as he continues to struggle to find consistency. The Latvia native has an .882 save percentage along with a 3.81 goals-against-average so far on the year, with an 8-8-1 record. Unfortunately, such numbers are more of the same over his last few seasons. Merzlikins will look to be healthy again by Thursday, as the group hosts Dallas.
Snapshots: Texier, Soucy, Dube
The Montreal Canadiens shared earlier today that Alexandre Texier is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. As expected, the forward was not in the lineup tonight against Minnesota, as Kirby Dach, activated earlier today from LTIR, is back in the fold.
It is not immediately clear where the injury came from, as Texier finished last Saturday’s win over Ottawa without apparent issue. Since coming over to Montreal in November, Texier has found new life, with 16 points in 27 games as he’s enjoying a top six role. Although still a small sample size, such production is the best in his career, as his best campaign to this point was a 30-point effort as a Blue Jacket in 2023-24. The 26-year-old could be back as soon as Thursday, as the Habs host Buffalo.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The New York Rangers will welcome back Carson Soucy tonight in Los Angeles, as Head Coach Mike Sullivan told reporters, including Peter Baugh of The Athletic. Soucy missed the team’s last two games, a win and loss split, due to personal reasons (maternity). The 31-year-old has skated in 44 games so far this season, averaging 17:18 per night in a second-pairing role. With the team on the brink of another shake-up, Soucy, a pending unrestricted free agent, has been speculated as a trade candidate at some point. In the meantime, Urho Vaakanainen is expected to drop out of the lineup for Soucy.
- Former Washington Capitals forward Pierrick Dube is headed back to North America, as first reported by Patrick Williams of TheAHL.com. Dube has signed with the Bridgeport Islanders to a standard player contract, as announced by the team. The 25-year-old left the AHL for the KHL this season, spending time with Chelyabinsk Traktor and St. Petersburg SKA, posting 16 points across 28 total games. While abroad on the two teams, Dube played alongside fellow former NHLers including Josh Leivo and Rocco Grimaldi. A Calder Cup Champion with three NHL games under his belt, Dube will join the 24th-ranked Islanders, in need of forward help. The France native is an accomplished AHL player, with a career-best 48 points in 66 games with the Hershey Bears in 2023-24.