Predators Recall Reid Schaefer
The Nashville Predators have added some forward depth to their lineup ahead of tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild. According to a team announcement, the Predators have recalled forward Reid Schaefer from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals.
Schaefer, 22, is viewed as one of the better prospects in Nashville’s system. He was originally selected with the 32nd overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers moved off him relatively quickly, trading him to the Predators a year later in the deal that brought defenseman Mattias Ekholm to Alberta.
Since then, he’s been a relatively solid secondary contributor with AHL Milwaukee. Debuting in the 2023-24 season, Schaefer has registered 21 goals and 53 points in 103 games in the game’s second-highest league. That averages out to just over a point every two games.
Being nearly a point-per-game player with the Admirals this season, the Predators believed it was time to allow Schaefer the opportunity to contribute at the NHL level. The Edmonton, Alberta native was recalled for the first time in late November and remained with the team for nearly two months.
He didn’t make too much noise during his first stint in the NHL, though it wasn’t all bad. Schaefer scored four goals and six points across 25 games with a -9 rating, averaging 10:30 of ice time per contest. He showed flashes of decent physicality, averaging 2.5 hits per game, and was efficient on offense, shooting at a 17.4% clip.
Considering the recent news that Barry Trotz will be stepping down as the team’s General Manager, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Schaefer get another extended look at the NHL level. Depending on how the team approaches the upcoming trade deadline, the next leader of the front office will want a better understanding of what the team has in some of the younger players.
Penguins Reassign Melvin Fernstrom
The Pittsburgh Penguins are bringing one of their forward prospects to North America. According to a team announcement, the Penguins have assigned forward Melvin Fernström to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Fernström, 19, is only a few years removed from being drafted by the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver selected the Bålsta, Sweden native with the 93rd overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft. At the time, Fernström had been playing for the Örebro HK program, scoring 23 goals and 57 points in 48 games across three separate U20 divisions. The Canucks traded Fernström to the Penguins last season in the Marcus Pettersson trade.
He’s remained in the Örebro HK organization, making the jump to the SHL over the last few years. Fernström has been relatively successful after making the jump to professional hockey, particularly as a younger player, scoring 11 goals and 21 points in 84 games since the beginning of the 2024-25 season.
Making the jump to the North American professional circuit, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Fernström struggle offensively for some time. Still, standing at 6’2″ and 190lbs, he won’t look out of place with the WBS Penguins.
Most of the public scouting information available on Fernström suggests he has a tremendous hockey IQ, which is fairly common for Swedish forwards. He is credited with efficiently assessing where the puck is going, which makes up for his subpar shooting ability. Regardless, he’ll immediately join a contending team in the AHL and will benefit from better players around him.
Morning Notes: Panarin, Liljegren, Ekman-Larsson
There’s no question that the New York Rangers are looking to move pending unrestricted free agent Artemi Panarin before today’s 3 p.m. CT Olympic roster freeze. A handful of teams have already been prominently linked to Panarin, and a recent update from David Pagnotta alerted that the situation remains incredibly fluid, lowering the chances of a trade coming together by this afternoon.
In his update, Pagnotta suggested that the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks remain interested in acquiring Panarin with an extension. In contrast, the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Edmonton Oilers view him only as a rental. Additionally, Pagnotta mentioned that unless something changes relatively soon, the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, Utah Mammoth, and Washington Capitals are no longer in the running.
On yesterday’s edition of Insider Trading, TSN’s Chris Johnston reported that at least one team has put $40MM on the table for Panarin, which would presumably translate to a three-year deal with an AAV of $13.3MM or a four-year contract with an AAV of $10MM.
Other updates from this morning:
- In the same update from Pagnotta, he suggests that the Sharks are actively shopping Timothy Liljegren, as well as other pending-UFA defensemen, on the trade market. San Jose could ultimately sign a few of them to extensions over the next few weeks, though Pagnotta confirmed that Liljegren is not a part of the organization’s long-term plans. The former 17th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft has 10 assists in 41 games this season, averaging 20:15 of ice time per contest.
- Lastly, Pagnotta reported that if the Toronto Maple Leafs pivot toward selling ahead of the March 6th trade deadline, plenty of teams will be interested in acquiring Oliver Ekman-Larsson. It won’t be without hurdles, as the 34-year-old defenseman is signed through the 2027-28 season at a $3.5MM salary with a 16-team no-trade clause. Still, he’s having an excellent offensive year with Toronto, scoring eight goals and 34 points in 56 games, with most of that production coming at even strength.
Evening Notes: O’Connor, Laine, McCarron
Colorado Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar told reporters earlier today, including Meghan Angley of Guerilla Sports, that Logan O’Connor has resumed skating and is progressing. Bednar also emphasized that the upcoming Olympic break will benefit the forward as he works toward a debut this season.
The 29-year-old has been out long term after undergoing hip surgery in June, the second such procedure since 2024. Signed to an extension through the 2030-31 season, when healthy, the Avalanche are banking on the undrafted O’Connor to be a relentless bottom six forward with strong defensive capabilities and penalty killing. He is firmly a 20-30 point contributor at this point, but not needed for more on the high flying team.
Even without him, the Avalanche rank comfortably in first place, and O’Connor will be a classic case of “Trade Deadline at Home”, rejoining the team just in time for a run this spring.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Canadiens forward Patrik Laine is not expected to return tomorrow against his former club at Winnipeg, per Eric Engels of Sportsnet. The sniper will have to look past the Olympic break to make a return, after undergoing surgery in October, and not playing since. In just five games prior to going down, Laine recorded just one helper, as he continues to have highs and lows. The 27-year-old will be in a fascinating spot once healthy, as Montreal is holding firm playoff position without him and may not be so keen to shake up their lineup. On the flip side, the former 40-goal-scorer is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and will be anxious to showcase his worth for a new opportunity, likely elsewhere.
- Nashville Predators pending free agent Michael McCarron has interest from “a lot” of teams, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, shared on yesterday’s episode of the Real Kyper & Bourne podcast. The 30-year-old was listed as a possible trade candidate last week, and now a market is taking shape which may prove enough to sway Nashville to part with their respected grinder. A face-off specialist standing at 6’6″ with serious physicality and just a $900k cap hit, the former first-round pick of Montreal isn’t necessarily a “must” trade, given his improvement as a Predator, but GM Barry Trotz, who made headlines with his sudden resignation announcement yesterday, would be wise to capitalize on a seller’s market where a second or third round pick isn’t entirely out of possibility.
Trade Deadline Primer: New York Rangers
With the Olympic break approaching, the trade deadline is about a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with teams that have clear plans at the extremes of the standings, next with the Rangers.
After missing the playoffs last season, it was becoming apparent that New York’s rebuild was not materializing as envisioned, but few would have expected “The Letter: Part Two”. Eager to turn the corner under new Head Coach Mike Sullivan, the Rangers had a strange start to the season, losing their first seven at home, but winning enough on the road to stay afloat at first. Then came the injuries, as the group was battered, numerous key players going down, dropping them to 30th in the league. On January 16, GM Chris Drury shared a letter to fans detailing the team’s plans to “retool”, soon dealing veteran defenseman Carson Soucy to the rival Islanders. Now, franchise cornerstone Artemi Panarin is headed out the door at any moment, as New York finds themselves back where they started seven years ago.
Record
22-28-6, 8th in the Metropolitan (0% playoff probability)
Deadline Status
Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$4.77MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: NYR 1st, CAR 1st, CAR 2nd, NYR 3rd, NYI 3rd, NYR 5th, NYR 6th, VAN 7th
2027: NYR 1st, NYR 3rd, NYR 5th, NYR 6th, NYR 7th
Trade Chips
It’s far from a secret who Drury has set in his first order of business. 12 days after waiving a white flag on 2025-26, the major headline dropped that Panarin would be sat for roster-related reasons. Since then, a third of the league has been reported as having interest, most notably the Panthers, Hurricanes, Kings, Sharks, and Capitals. Wednesday’s 3 PM EST Olympic roster freeze stands as a roadblock, but the superstar has unfavorably had to sit for the last three games, and a deal seems imminent, even if shortly after the Olympics.
Suitors are working through the need to extend Panarin, but New York holds all three retention spaces. They would be wise to send their star with retained salary, and an extension set up, to maximize a return with their biggest chip.
Already aggressive enough to add Kiefer Sherwood, San Jose would be a fascinating fit, showcasing their intent on serious contention sooner rather than later. Panarin’s interest in Florida is well known, as he could reunite with Sergei Bobrovsky, but it would require unfathomable gymnastics to work out a deal. Finally, Panarin could be the star Carolina has been patiently waiting to add after Mikko Rantanen didn’t work out.
Besides the Blueshirts’ leading scorer and his expiring $11.6MM contract, it’s not as immediately clear who could be next. In the interest of their retool, it would be ideal to move on from at least one of their three 32-year-old centers; Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck.
Out of the bunch, Trocheck stands as the only real candidate, given his manageable $5.63MM cap hit. The contract runs through his age 35 season, not necessarily ideal, but given the majorly thin center market, Trocheck could bring a haul for the Rangers. The Pittsburgh native has 36 points in 42 games, enough that center-hungry teams such as the Hurricanes, Avalanche, and Red Wings could make a push. Minnesota is also in the market, however they would have to get creative given limited cap space and trade assets.
New York faces the challenge of having immovable contracts as they navigate a retool. Zibanejad, Miller, and the polarizing Alexis Lafrenière, aside, the issue extends on both ends of the lineup. Last summer’s big ticket, $7MM deal given to 30-year-old Vladislav Gavrikov doesn’t align with their latest plans, neither does 29-year-old Will Borgen’s $4.1MM, both defenders inked through 2029-30.
Jonathan Quick, 40, has an expiring deal worth $1.55MM, but the Stanley Cup winning Connecticut native may not have interest in moving on to a backup role on a contender. As Igor Shesterkin remains out with a lower body injury, Quick is in a favorable situation, able to play regularly as he closes the book on a tremendous career.
Brennan Othmann has been shopped throughout the season, as early as mid-October. The 23-year-old former first round pick is clearly not a traditional deadline piece, but no longer in the plans, he figures to be a “change of scenery” trade candidate, for a similar younger player in need of a new role.
Veterans Sam Carrick and Jonny Brodzinski could fetch middle round draft capital, both bringing strong results at the faceoff dot. Carrick is signed through next year at $1MM, while Brodzinski is a pure rental option, versatile enough to play center or wing.
Conor Sheary makes just $775k, but the 33-year-old has hardly been effective this year, with just one tally in 37 games, not to mention he is currently on LTIR with an upper body injury. When healthy, Sheary has respectable metrics and playoff experience, but he would not bring anything notable in return.
On the back end, Urho Vaakanainen, 27, could bring a bit of intrigue as a 6’2″ lefty penalty killing specialist, as he’s inked through next year at $1.55MM.
Team Needs
NHL-Ready Youth: Given Drury’s phrasing of “This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects” naturally, for better or worse, New York will seek young players capable of contributing as soon as next season, in all likelihood alongside veterans such as Miller and Zibanejad. Thankfully, as a result of the K’Andre Miller trade, they have an extra first round pick for the upcoming draft already, an asset always needed regardless of “rebuild” or “retool”. However, such a deal is indicative of Drury’s struggles as a whole, as it is players such as Miller who the Rangers are lacking if they can turn it around without entirely bottoming out. The club has a top heavy prospect pool, and a replenishment, especially on the blue line, would be beneficial.
Backup Goaltending: Although the Rangers aren’t in desperate need between the pipes, they could use a boost behind Shesterkin, with Quick’s days numbered. Prospect Dylan Garand’s development has stalled out a bit, still waiting on his NHL debut at age 23, and the Rangers are thin in the goaltending department elsewhere.
Image courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Sharks Place Ryan Reaves On Injured Reserve
The San Jose Sharks have placed Ryan Reaves on injured reserve, according to Curtis Pashelka, San Jose Sharks beat writer.
The team has one more game before the Olympic Break, taking on Colorado tomorrow night. Reaves has been designated with an upper body injury, despite playing as recently as last night. Although he will have to miss the next three games at a minimum, it doesn’t appear to be anything serious for the 39-year-old.
Today’s news suggests that Kiefer Sherwood, acquired from Vancouver on January 19, could be set to finally make his Sharks debut tomorrow, currently sidelined by an upper body injury as well.
Unsurprisingly, Reaves has not made an impact on the score sheet this season, but he’s managed to appear in 46 of the team’s 54 games to this point, with 32 penalty minutes. The grinder has found the back of the net three times, averaging 7:58 of ice time per game. His 41.8% corsi for in all situations is among the bottom of the league, but the respected veteran is a beloved teammate in San Jose, currently playing out his final year of a three year contract worth $1.35MM per season.
With Reaves’ leadership playing a key role, boosting the average of what is one of the youngest teams in the NHL, the Sharks are right in the playoff mix. They are vying to end their six year drought impressively ahead of schedule. Reaves figures to return soon after the break, the 2005 fifth round pick adding to his improbable 958 game journey as a lasting figure of a previous era.
Snapshots: Blue Jackets, Chytil, Benson
The Columbus Blue Jackets shared today that Rick Nash has been promoted to Director of Player Personnel, and Chris Clark has been promoted to Assistant General Manager. The two former NHLers have spent several years with the franchise, dating back to the Jarmo Kekäläinen/John Tortorella era.
Upon the end of his 1,060 game, 805 point career, Nash returned to the Columbus organization in 2019, starting out as Special Assistant to the General Manager, before promotions to Director of Player Development and Director of Hockey Operations in the last few years.
With his #61 alone in the rafters of Nationwide Arena, the 41-year-old has made an immeasurable impact in Columbus, starting with his first overall selection back in 2002. Nash spent nine seasons carrying the Blue Jackets as they got off the ground as an expansion franchise, followed by making his mark as a Ranger, as well as a stint in Boston, officially retiring in six years ago.
Meanwhile, Clark has been with the organization since 2012, starting out as a development coach, before moving up in 2019 to Director of Player Personnel and General Manager of the Cleveland Monsters, Columbus’ AHL affiliate. Under Clark, the Monsters have gradually improved year by year, making playoff runs in each of the last two seasons.
The 49-year-old Connecticut native was chosen by Calgary in the 1994 draft, going on to make 607 appearances in the NHL with the Flames, Capitals, and finally, the Blue Jackets, last skating at the highest level in 2010-11.
The franchise icon Nash, along with the highly respected Clark help round out General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Don Waddell’s top brass, the 67-year-old set to reach two years in the role this May. Currently below a Wild Card spot, the Blue Jackets have tremendously found their stride under new Head Coach Rick Bowness, winning eight of his first nine games. With a dynamic young core, the club figures to be on the cusp of another window in years to come, after reaching new heights as an organization in the late 2010s.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote told reporters, including Thomas Drance of The Athletic, that Filip Chytil will likely not return tomorrow in Vegas, which is the team’s last action before the Olympic break. The forward is dealing with migraines, concerning as he has struggled with concussions throughout his career, so far holding him back from breaking out as a legit top six forward. Chytil managed to return in late January from another concussion, skating in six games, but not recording a point. Limited to just 27 games as a Canuck, despite a trade from the Rangers which just reached one calendar year ago, unfortunately the 26-year-old is facing real questions about his long-term career in the NHL.
- Sabres forward Zach Benson won’t play tonight in Tampa Bay, as reported by Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News. The 20-year-old took a spill into the boards last night against the Panthers and did not return, due to an apparent upper-body injury which will require further evaluation. Buffalo has one more game before the Olympic Break, and will hope that Benson will not miss serious time. He has notched 26 points in 42 games, needing just five more to set a career high, making the most of a key top six role throughout the campaign.
Golden Knights Recall Kai Uchacz
The Golden Knights announced they’ve recalled forward Kai Uchacz from AHL Henderson. They sent center Tanner Laczynski and defenseman Dylan Coghlan back down to Henderson in corresponding moves.
It’s the first NHL recall for the 22-year-old Uchacz, and he could make his NHL debut this week before the freeze. He was an undrafted free agent signed out of WHL Red Deer in 2024 and has spent the last season-plus developing in Henderson, where he’s scored 21 goals and 50 points in his first 107 professional games.
During Uchacz’s time in juniors, he was cut from his first WHL team, the Seattle Thunderbirds, following the 2019-20 season after he and a teammate were suspended for directing racist taunts toward Black teammate Mekai Sanders. He was cleared to return to the WHL for the 2021-22 campaign after going through anti-racism training and went on to play three seasons for Red Deer, including being named captain in his final junior campaign in 2023-24.
With all of Brett Howden, Jonas Røndbjerg, and Brandon Saad on injured reserve, plus Colton Sissons remaining out with an upper-body injury, Uchacz will almost certainly draw into the lineup tomorrow against the Canucks. Laczynski’s removal from the roster in the corresponding move only leaves the Knights with 12 healthy forwards, including Uchacz. The 6’2″, 209-lb forward is a natural center, so it’s reasonable to expect him to replace Laczynski down the middle on the fourth line.
Laczynski, 28, has suited up nine times for Vegas since being recalled last month. The veteran NHL/AHL tweener has two assists and a -2 rating while averaging 10:13 of ice time per game, a new career-high. He’s now played 17 times for the Knights over the past two years since signing with Vegas as a free agent in 2024.
Meanwhile, Coghlan hadn’t played since being summoned from Henderson on Friday. He was up as a temporary extra defenseman with Brayden McNabb out, but he’ll head back to the minors to get some playing time while Vegas goes without an insurance policy on the blue line for the time being.
Three Players Placed On Unconditional Waivers
Three players from around the league won’t be back with their current clubs after the Olympic break. The Panthers’ Ryan McAllister, the Penguins’ Filip Larsson, and the Blues’ Samuel Johannesson were placed on unconditional waivers today for the purposes of contract terminations, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports.
McAllister, 24, will become an unrestricted free agent midway through a trying season. The Ontario native took a rare development path, inking his entry-level contract with Florida as an undrafted free agent in 2023 after just one season in college at Western Michigan. He’d erupted for 49 points in 39 games as a freshman, so making the jump to the pros wasn’t completely out of the blue.
The 5’10” pivot has never landed an NHL recall, but he’d put together some promising seasons in Charlotte – when healthy. He had 19 points in 37 games as a first-year pro in 2023-24 and averaged nearly a point per game last year, although he was available for only 16 games.
It seems whatever ailed him last year has made him a more limited threat this year. He had two goals and seven points with a -5 rating in 15 games to begin the year with Charlotte before the Panthers bumped him down to ECHL Savannah for the first time last month. He’s suited up twice, recording one assist and a -1 rating.
McAllister’s 0.64 points per game average in the AHL indicates he should be able to catch on somewhere else quickly, whether that’s on an AHL deal elsewhere to finish out the season or to join a pro team in Europe for the stretch run.
Larsson, 27, seems a sure bet to head back home to Sweden. He was a sixth-round pick by the Red Wings back in 2016 and had a one-year run with them in the AHL after coming out of college before being loaned back to Europe in 2020. He remained there until Detroit non-tendered him following the expiry of his entry-level deal.
Larsson later broke out as a top-tier starter in the Swedish Hockey League in 2023-24, racking up a .920 SV% and 1.93 GAA with five shutouts in 28 games. That put him back on the NHL radar, and the Penguins inked him to a two-year, two-way deal.
The Stockholm native was a good minor-league backup last season, notching a .910 SV% and 12-9-3 record in 26 showings for AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He’s barely gotten any playing time this season behind youngsters Joel Blomqvist and Sergey Murashov, though, appearing just nine times. He hasn’t been terribly effective when dressed, either, throwing up a .876 SV% and 3.51 GAA.
Johannesson could also be on his way back to Sweden alongside Larsson. St. Louis signed the 25-year-old righty in 2024 out of Örebro HK. He was a 2020 draft pick by the Blue Jackets, but his exclusive signing rights with Columbus had expired.
The offensive-minded righty has been a valuable puck-mover for their minor-league affiliate in Springfield, but hasn’t shown the defensive utility necessary to earn a look at the next level. After putting up 32 points in 66 games last season, his output has dropped to 11 points in 26 games in 2025-26. He hasn’t been in Springfield’s lineup since mid-January, either, mostly due to his -20 rating.
Canadiens Place Sammy Blais On Waivers
The Canadiens placed winger Sammy Blais on waivers Tuesday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. He’ll presumably be on his way to AHL Laval tomorrow if he clears.
Blais has been an increasingly rare inclusion in Montreal’s lineup. He ended up appearing in 13 straight contests for the club after they recalled him from Laval in December, more than a month after being re-claimed off waivers from the Maple Leafs. He last played on Jan. 15 against the Sabres, though, and has now been in the press box for eight straight.
Even with the risk of losing the 278-game veteran again on waivers, he was the logical candidate to come off the roster as soon as the Habs needed a spot because of how little he’d played as of late. The Quebec native made his first attempt to return home last summer, signing a one-year deal with Montreal in free agency after winning a Calder Cup with AHL Abbotsford. He was one of the Habs’ last cuts from training camp, though, and ended up getting snagged on the wire by Toronto.
Blais only ended up making eight appearances for the Leafs under head coach Craig Berube, under whom he won a Stanley Cup in St. Louis, notching three points and a -2 rating in a fourth-line role. Montreal was the only team to submit a claim for him when he ended up back on waivers around Thanksgiving, so they were able to send him directly to Laval upon getting him back in the organization.
The 6’2″, 205-lb agitator has had plenty of offensive success in the minors and had nine points in nine games in Laval. He found himself back in the NHL a few weeks later when the Habs needed an extra body in the wake of an injury to Jake Evans. He’s hung around since, but with only one game left before the roster freeze, it’s clear they’re doing a bit of advanced planning to ensure they can remove Patrik Laine from IR on the other side of the Olympic break – he’s expected to be all healed from his abdominal surgery by then.