Panthers Recall Noah Gregor
The Panthers recalled winger Noah Gregor from AHL Charlotte on Tuesday, according to a team announcement. The veteran of over 300 NHL games has been stashed in the minors for over two months after clearing waivers in January, but now returns under emergency conditions to give Florida 12 forwards for their contest against the Kraken tonight.
Results don’t matter much for the Panthers at this point. The back-to-back Stanley Cup champions are ticketed to become the first reigning winners to miss the playoffs since the Kings in 2015. Still, their current injury list, particularly among forwards, is the stuff of nightmares. In addition to Aleksander Barkov, Jonah Gadjovich, Brad Marchand, and Cole Schwindt all being stashed on long-term injured reserve, they’re without four other names – A.J. Greer due to a suspension, plus Anton Lundell, Sam Reinhart, and Mackie Samoskevich due to undisclosed, day-to-day injuries. That’s five out of their regular top-nine forwards when healthy, in addition to multiple serviceable depth pieces.
Gregor will thus get the call in a fourth-line role until Florida can get some bodies back. He opened camp with Florida on a professional tryout contract before landing a two-way deal at the beginning of the regular season. He was limited to a goal and two assists in 24 games before being waived after the holiday break. Down in Charlotte for his first minor-league action in four years, the speedy depth winger has tallied 11 goals and 17 points in 25 outings.
The 27-year-old Gregor will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Once a 10-goal, 20-point piece with the Sharks earlier in the decade, he’s averaged only seven goals and 13 points per 82 games over his last three NHL seasons with stops in Toronto, Ottawa, a second stint in San Jose, and now Florida. If the Cats bring him back this summer, it’ll almost certainly be on another two-way pact.
Blackhawks Recall Anton Frondell
March 24: The Blackhawks announced Tuesday morning that they’ve officially recalled Frondell from Djurgardens. He has joined the team on their road trip ahead of tonight’s game against the Islanders, and he will be available to play. Head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters earlier this week (including Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times) that Frondell would “play right away” once he arrives, so there’s a good chance he’s in the lineup tonight.
March 21: Chicago’s already young roster is about to get even younger for the stretch run. Top prospect Anton Frondell’s playoff run in the SHL came to an end today, paving the way for him to officially make his debut in North America. To that end, Scott Powers of The Athletic relays (subscription link) that the Blackhawks are expected to recall the youngster and he could make his NHL debut as soon as next week.
The 18-year-old was the third overall pick last June and the second forward to come off the board. Frondell spent most of his draft year in Sweden’s second-tier Allsvenskan level, helping his club team Djurgardens earn a promotion to the SHL for this season. He fared quite well, tallying 11 goals and 14 assists in 29 regular season games while adding seven points in 16 playoff contests.
Although Frondell is a natural center, he spent the bulk of this season playing on the wing with Djurgardens. It allowed his scoring side to come out as he potted 20 goals (with eight assists) in 43 games, good for a tie for seventh league-wide in tallies. He also played a big role for Sweden at the World Juniors, chipping in with eight points in seven games en route to a gold medal. Now, he’s ready to take that next step and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him deployed on the wing in Chicago to allow him to ease in.
While Sacha Boisvert’s debut is presently on hold while he waits to receive his work visa, that won’t be the case for Frondell. The team clarified that Frondell already went through the visa process when he signed his entry-level deal over the summer. Accordingly, he’ll be eligible to play as soon as he joins the team.
But even with that, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Chicago manage Frondell’s minutes somewhat. While it rarely comes up at this time of the season, the Blackhawks would officially burn the first season of his contract if he plays in ten or more games. A Sunday debut seems highly unlikely but if he joins the team on their upcoming road trip, there will be a dozen games left in the season. It doesn’t seem worth burning a year to get him three extra games so the Blackhawks will likely limit Frondell’s game action to nine appearances or less to ensure he’ll still have three years left on his contract heading into next season. But even with that, Frondell will have some runway to get his feet wet at the top level before making a push for a full-time opportunity in 2026-27.
Senators’ Thomas Chabot, Lassi Thomson Out “For A While” With Injuries
Ottawa Senators defensemen Thomas Chabot and Lassi Thomson each left the team’s contest against the New York Rangers tonight with an injury, per an official announcement.
After the Senators’ victory over the Rangers in New York, head coach Travis Green told the media, including The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie, that both Chabot and Thomson will “be out for a while” as a result of their injuries. Green indicated the team would be recalling two defensemen from their AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, tomorrow.
The more significant name here is undoubtedly Chabot, who has been Ottawa’s No. 2 defenseman ever since the emergence of Jake Sanderson. TSN’s Claire Hanna reported that Chabot left the ice “in obvious pain” and was “clutching his right wrist” as he headed for the locker room at Madison Square Garden at the end of the first period.
Chabot was spotted after the game with a splint on his wrist, per TSN’s Steve Lloyd.
The main point of concern in Chabot’s case appears to be the fact that his injured wrist is the same wrist he had surgery on in 2024.
The timing of this news is very difficult for the Senators. The Senators ended their lengthy rebuild last season by making the playoffs for the first time since their famous run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2017. The expectation in the Ottawa market was that their postseason berth, which ended with a first-round defeat at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs, was a sign of greater things to come. Ottawa has endured an uneven 2025-26 season, dealing with a litany of on and off-ice challenges.
Green, in his second year as head coach, has guided the team through those challenges and led them into a position where they could conceivably return to the playoffs. They have been on a bit of a run as of late, going 8-2-0 in their last 10 games, and are riding a three-game win streak. But they still sit two points behind the New York Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and are one point behind the Detroit Red Wings as well.
Ottawa plays Detroit tomorrow, and has a match up against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a fellow Eastern Conference playoff hopeful, on Thursday. On Saturday, they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning, and still have games against the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, and Islanders remaining, as well as a second game against Tampa Bay.
In short: their schedule is set to become extremely tough, full of contests the Senators are likely to classify as “must-win.” Because of today’s news, they’re set to play an indefinite number of their remaining games without Chabot, and Thomson.
Losing Chabot has a massive impact on the construction of the Senators’ defense. He plays 22:34 per night, including a notable role on both sides of special teams. He’s scored seven goals and 31 points in 55 games, which ranks second among the team’s blueliners and No. 8 in team scoring overall. With Sanderson sidelined since March 9, Chabot has assumed the role as the team’s No. 1 defenseman.
Sanderson has resumed skating, and is set to return in roughly a week. But his lingering absence means Ottawa will enter its aforementioned set of crucial games this week without their top two defensemen. How Green deployed his blueliners tonight in New York gives a hint as to how Ottawa’s defense might shape up with both Chabot and Sanderson sidelined.
Leading Senators blueliners in time on ice tonight was Jordan Spence, who played in 26:44. The fact that the Senators had seven power plays likely played a role here – Spence will be Ottawa’s top power play quarterback amidst these injuries, but is unlikely to play as much as others overall. No. 3 among team defensemen in ice time was Artem Zub, who skated 23:44. Zub has been the team’s No. 3 defenseman this season and a top penalty killer. He’ll likely receive an even greater workload while the team’s two defensive pillars are injured. Also set to receive a more substantial workload is Tyler Kleven, who played 24:30 tonight and has been Ottawa’s No. 5 defenseman this season, and a secondary penalty killer.
The Senators are also dealing with the week-to-week loss of veteran Nick Jensen to knee surgery, compounding their issues on the blueline. Green indicated the team would be recalling two defensemen from Belleville, and one of those two could be 2024 No. 7 overall pick Carter Yakemchuk. The 20-year-old has yet to make his NHL debut but has 10 goals and 36 points in 50 AHL games this season. Earlier this month, the Senators indicated they’d prefer to allow Yakemchuk to develop at his own pace at the AHL level, but the injuries that have piled up could force their hand.
Outside of Yakemchuk, the Senators do have some other options for a potential recall waiting in Belleville. 25-year-old Samuel Bolduc has played quite a bit since arriving in a trade from the Ontario Reign, and has four points in five games. He offers size (he stands 6’4″ 220 pounds) and has 52 games of NHL experience, all coming during his days with the New York Islanders. He could be an option.
2022 fifth-round pick Jorian Donovan is still waiting on the chance to make his NHL debut, but has developed into a top-four piece with legitimate penalty-killing utility in the AHL. He could get a shot in the NHL given the injuries Ottawa is dealing with, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team prioritize experience in their call-ups given just how important their upcoming games are.
While Chabot’s status as one of the team’s top defensemen means his injury is more notable for the Senators’ overall lineup construction, the implications are no less real for Thomson. Tonight was the 25-year-old’s first NHL game since 2022-23, but his night ended after just 4:25 time on ice. Thomson was lined up to be one of the real beneficiaries of the Senators’ injury situation, slated to get the chance to show off his talents in some high-stakes NHL contests.
For a player who spent last season in the SHL, and is a pending RFA, that was a massive opportunity. Now, as a result of Thomson’s injury, that opportunity may have slipped away.
Photos courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Bruins Sign James Hagens To ATO
3/23/26: The Bruins announced late Monday night that Hagens has signed an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) with the franchise, and will report to the club’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.
As part of the team’s announcement, GM Don Sweeney said:
We’re very excited to have James join the Bruins organization and take this next step. James is an important part of our future, and this is a great opportunity for him to get experience at the professional level in Providence and continue preparing for what’s ahead. We’ll take this day by day and do what’s best for both James and the Boston Bruins.
With the Bruins in the midst of a high-stakes playoff race, one in which they can’t afford to drop very many games the rest of the way, the Bruins have elected to begin their top prospect’s pro career in the AHL. Sweeney’s statement indicated the Bruins haven’t closed the door on a potential NHL debut for Hagens this season, but want to give him his first taste of the pro game in a lower-stakes environment first.
There is a precedent in terms of teams taking this route with their top college prospects. The Montreal Canadiens had Hobey Baker winner Cole Caufield begin his pro career in the AHL, and he quickly proved he was capable of handling the rigors of professional hockey. After he scored four points in his first two AHL games, the Canadiens called Caufield up to the NHL, where he was an instant sensation. His late-season addition to the lineup helped Montreal make a stunning run to the Stanley Cup Final.
The Bruins are likely hoping Hagens will follow a similar path. He’ll be able to get his feet wet in Providence first, helping the Bruins pad out their lead in the Atlantic Division. And then once he shows himself as undoubtedly NHL-ready, which could happen quite quickly (as it did with Caufield), an NHL role could be waiting for him.
The most natural landing spot in the NHL for Hagens could end up being on the wing, given how well the team’s centers, including Fraser Minten, Pavel Zacha, and Elias Lindholm are playing. Hagens could end up slotting into a line with Lindholm and Morgan Geekie, on a left wing spot currently occupied by Lukas Reichel. While Reichel has certainly played well in his two games with the Bruins, Hagens’ importance to the Bruins’ future means his development is likely to be prioritized.
If Hagens does end up staying in Providence, it would represent a massive boost for the AHL Bruins. Providence currently stand as the top team in the AHL, and their lineup would only get that much more lethal with the addition of Hagens. If he does end up staying at the AHL level for the rest of 2025-26, Providence would enter the playoffs as even stronger favorites to win the Calder Cup than they already may be.
3/21/26: It’s possible that the Bruins will add a piece to their roster as they look to continue their playoff push in the tight Eastern Conference standings. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported earlier this week on Daily Faceoff Live (video link) that Boston expects that they will be signing prospect James Hagens to an entry-level contract.
Boston College was eliminated last night in the Hockey East semifinals and with them not being high enough in the NPI rankings to land one of the ten at-large bids to the end-of-season tournament, a deal could come together quickly.
One of six Boston prospects on the Eagles, Hagens was the seventh overall pick in the draft last June, falling a bit after coming into the year as a potential number one selection. With the Bruins needing some impact pieces down the middle in their system, they were certainly quite pleased that he dropped to them.
After a solid freshman year that saw him average a point per game with 11 goals and 26 assists in 37 appearances, Hagens improved upon some of those numbers this season. In 34 games, he potted 23 goals and 24 assists, leading the team in scoring by eight points. (Dean Letourneau, another Boston first-rounder, was second on Boston College in scoring.)
Assuming that Hagens eventually signs a deal that begins this season, he’d become eligible to play for the Bruins down the stretch and in the postseason if they qualify. Given his success at the NCAA level, it’s likely that Hagens would slot into the lineup right away (though potentially as a winger) and if he can give their forward group a small boost, that might be a big difference-maker in their playoff push.
PHR’s Ethan Hetu contributed to this article.
Cayden Lindstrom, Jackson Smith To Return To NCAA
Cayden Lindstrom and Jackson Smith, two of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ top prospects, will not turn pro at the conclusion of their respective freshman campaigns in college hockey. Instead, each will return and play their sophomore season in college, The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reported today.
That Lindstrom has decided to remain in college hockey is not a massive surprise. The 20-year-old, who plays at Michigan State, missed all of 2024-25 as he managed a back injury that ultimately required surgery. Health issues stalled Lindstrom’s first year of development after he was selected No. 4 overall at the 2025 draft, and that has left Columbus likely more willing to be patient with his growth.
In addition to the impact his back surgery had on his development, another factor contributing to Lindstrom’s decision is his uneven freshman campaign. Portzline wrote that Lindstrom “has been challenged by NCAA-level hockey, perhaps more than most expected,” as he posted just three goals and 10 points in 29 games. He became more productive as the season went on, and showed real flashes of the talent that made him such a tantalizing prospect in his draft year.
But the reality Columbus has had to deal with is simply because of just how much time Lindstrom missed due to injury (even dating back to his draft campaign, when he was limited to 36 regular season and playoff contests in the WHL), he’s not on the same developmental timeline as the players drafted around him.
Both Beckett Sennecke (2025’s No. 3 pick) and Ivan Demidov (2025’s No. 5 pick) have been two of the league’s most impressive rookies this season. Columbus and Lindstrom would surely prefer for his development, in an ideal world, to have played out on an accelerated track the it has for those two wingers. But both Sennecke and Demidov have enjoyed good health over the last two years in a way Lindstrom simply has not.
With the Blue Jackets making a push for the playoffs this season, and boasting a deep group of centers that includes Adam Fantilli, Charlie Coyle, Sean Monahan, Cole Sillinger, and Boone Jenner (who has played more wing since the team added Monahan, but is a natural center), there is not an immediate roster need that might push the team to bring Lindstrom to the pro ranks early.
Instead, the team’s success at the position gives them the flexibility to keep Lindstrom in college and allow him to develop at his own pace. If he can have a healthy, productive sophomore campaign with the Spartans, it’s entirely possible we’ll see Lindstrom in the NHL next spring. Despite his injuries, Lindstrom could still very well end up a dynamic No. 2 center behind Fantilli for the team, giving the club an enviable set of promising young players at the position.
Pivoting to Smith, his return to Penn State for his sophomore season is more of a surprise. The No. 14 pick of the 2025 draft has had a strong debut campaign with the Nittany Lions, scoring 11 goals and 26 points in 34 games. He was named a second-team Big Ten All-Star and set the record for the most goals in a single season by a defenseman in Penn State program history.
According to Portzline, “the Blue Jackets have been delighted” with the improvement in Smith’s defensive game over the course of the season, and are content to have him spend another year in an environment where he’s excelling.
Columbus has been one of the league’s best teams since bringing veteran coach Rick Bowness behind their bench, and stand a real chance of reaching the playoffs. But despite having a real chance to play into the spring, it does not appear the Blue Jackets will be doing so with the help of some of their top prospects. Instead, Blue Jackets fans will likely be able to see both players at another rink in Columbus – at Ohio State, whenever the Spartans or Nittany Lions make the trip to play the Buckeyes.
Snapshots: Winterton, Pilling, Jarry
The Seattle Kraken announced today that forward Ryan Winterton has taken a temporary leave of absence to attend to a family matter. The Kraken did not provide further detail and requested that the privacy of Winterton and his family be respected. As is always the case with situations like these, what happens on the ice is secondary. With that said, Winterton’s absence does have lineup implications for a Kraken team that is still under pressure to chase down a playoff spot.
Winterton had missed Seattle’s last two games with an illness. Before then, he had been on one of the stronger runs of his young NHL career. He scored a goal and an assist in Seattle’s 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers on March 15, and had a solid five points in his last 11 games playing largely in a bottom-six capacity. When he was last in the lineup, Winterton occupied a fourth-line left wing spot, skating alongside Ben Meyers and Jacob Melanson. 21-year-old Jani Nyman, who has 18 goals and 27 points in just 29 AHL games this season, was placed into that fourth-line role with Winterton sidelined.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- The Minnesota Wild have interest in signing NCAA free agent center Nathan Pilling of the University of St. Thomas, Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic reported today. Pilling, who turns 22 in June, ended his first campaign of college hockey with 15 goals and 29 points in 38 games. The Calgary native, who was a point-per-game pivot in his final campaign in the WHL, has previously been tied to two NHL teams. He attended the development camp of the San Jose Sharks in 2024, and the Ottawa Senators in 2025. Pilling was ranked as the No. 5 NCAA free agent by the team at Elite Prospects, with the outlet projecting him as a “potential bottom-6 checker” with “versatile upside.”
- Veteran netminder Tristan Jarry will return to the crease for the Edmonton Oilers at some point during the team’s upcoming two-game road trip, head coach Kris Knoblauch told the media today. Jarry hasn’t made a start since surrendering seven goals in a loss to the Dallas Stars, which was on March 12. The 30-year-old began the season with a strong 14 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins, posting a .909 save percentage and 9-3-1 record. He’s struggled mightily since his trade to Edmonton, though, putting up a grisly .855 save percentage and 4.17 goals-against average in 15 games. With the Oilers looking to build momentum and lock down a playoff spot in a wide-open Pacific Division, they’ll be hoping Jarry can rediscover some of the form he had at the start of the season.
San Jose Sharks Reassign Laurent Brossoit
The San Jose Sharks announced today that veteran goalie Laurent Brossoit has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda.
Brossoit was originally recalled on March 13, and he ended up serving as a backup for four of the five games the team played while he was on the roster. He got one start, a tough 7-4 road loss to the Ottawa Senators on March 15, in which he made 23 saves on 29 shots and was tagged with the loss.
Yaroslav Askarov, who is a full-time NHL goalie for the Sharks, had been sidelined for a little over a week with a lower-body injury. That’s what prompted Brossoit’s recall. Today, Askarov returned to practice in full. As Brossoit is San Jose’s organizational No. 3 goalie, Askarov’s return from injury has cost him his spot on the team’s NHL roster.
A tough start in Ottawa shouldn’t distract from what has been a solid campaign for Brossoit. He missed all of the 2024-25 season recovering from knee surgery and other lower-body issues, and ended up dealt from the team he originally signed with, the Chicago Blackhawks, earlier this year.
Chicago originally signed Brossoit to a $3.3MM AAV deal after he posted a stellar .927 save percentage in 23 games as a backup for the Winnipeg Jets, and at that point, he was a year removed from playing eight playoff games en route to a Stanley Cup Championship with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Injuries kept Brossoit from ever suiting up with the Blackhawks, but he’s earned his way back to the NHL with the Sharks. He’s had a strong season at the AHL level, going 11-2-1 in 14 games for the Barracuda, posting a .915 save percentage along the way.
Sharks’ Ryan Reaves Out Week-To-Week
A top enforcer will be out of the San Jose Sharks lineup for the short-term. Winger Ryan Reaves is out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury, head coach Ryan Warsofsky told Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Reaves only played 19 seconds of Saturday’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He injured his finger in a fight with Flyers winger Garrett Wilson just two minutes into the game, though it’s not clear if that is the injury he faces now, or what specifically went wrong.
Either way, the Sharks will move forward without one of the few remaining enforcers in the NHL. Reaves has racked up 37 penalty minutes in 50 games this season, including five fights. He also leads the Sharks in hits with 160.
Those numbers are well below the heights that Reaves reached through his 16-year NHL career. He posted a career-high 126 penalty minutes in 63 games of the 2013-14 NHL season, including 12 fights. His career-high in hits came in the 2019-20 season, when Reaves racked up 316 hits in 71 games with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Years later, Reaves continues to serve as a valuable fighter protecting a young Sharks roster. He has been sparingly used over the second-half of the season, with only five appearances since February started. He only averaged 7:15 in ice time in those appearances, excluding his early exit on Saturday.
San Jose will turn to Pavol Regenda to step back into the lineup for Reaves. Regenda has nine goals and 10 points in 21 NHL games, and 12 points in 28 AHL games, this season. At 6-foot-4, he brings the physical presence that Reaves leaves behind, though San Jose may also have to lean on Kiefer Sherwood to match Reaves’ hit totals. Meanwhile, Reaves will look to get back to full health in time to step into one of San Jose’s remaining 14 games this season.
Golden Knights Sign Pavel Moysevich
The Vegas Golden Knights have signed 2024 third-round pick Pavel Moysevich to a three-year, entry-level contract per Moysevich’s agent, Dan Milstein. The Golden Knights later confirmed the deal.
Moysevich, 21, has long been regarded as one of many high-end goalie prospects in the SKA St. Petersburg pipeline. He was one of eight goalies to play for SKA’s VHL club this season, which limited his chance at routine starts all season long. Moysevich was also out of the lineup from mid-November until late-January. In total, Moysevich earned just 10 starts this season. He recorded five wins, a .917 save percentage, 2.41 goals-against-average, and one shutout in those appearances and dressed for an additional 23 games as backup. His stat line fell from the numbers he posted through the last two VHL seasons – a 14-8-2 record, .926 SV%, and 2.17 GAA. Around those games, Moysevich also played in 31 KHL games, netting a .912 SV%, 2.45 GAA, and nine wins.
Moysevich now measures in at six-foot-seven, two inches taller than his draft-year measurements. He still moves with speed and athleticism despite that, giving Vegas an exciting prospect to add to a shallow goalie depth chart. Moysevich should immediately compete with Carl Lindbom and Cameron Whitehead, both 22, for starts in Henderson. Lindbom has posted a .922 SV% in 27 games while Whitehead, playing in his first pro season, has a .878 SV% in 14 games. When he moves to North America, Moysevich could take on the role of Jesper Vikman, who played 18 games with the Silver Knights before being traded to the Washington Capitals in Vegas’ Trade Deadline acquisition of Nic Dowd.
Predators Sign Fedor Svechkov To Two-Year Extension
The Predators announced this afternoon that they’ve signed center Fedor Svechkov to a two-year extension worth $2.5MM, yielding an average annual value of $1.25MM. He was set to be a restricted free agent this summer without arbitration rights.
Svechkov, 23 next month, is in his second NHL season after being drafted 19th overall in 2021. Since making his debut for the club in November 2024, he’s been a serviceable fourth-line piece but not much more. He’s put up an 11-19–30 scoring line in 110 career games with a -23 rating. Touted as a two-way center, he’s made progress in that department this year with a 51.1 CF% and 50.7 xGF% at 5-on-5, but his limited offensive utility thus far has kept him from climbing above 11 to 13 minutes of ice time per game.
This year, he’s shooting at just 5% and has three goals and 13 points through 58 games. He’s struggled on faceoffs, although his 42.9% win rate is up from his untenable 36.7% mark as a rookie. Given that he hasn’t excelled in any particular area outside of his possession impacts this year, he’s been in and out of the lineup. The Preds took advantage of his continued waiver-exempt status to assign him to AHL Milwaukee in late January, where he had five goals and eight points in just 10 games before being added back to the roster in early March.
Nashville’s trades sending Michael McCarron and Cole Smith out of town at the trade deadline have provided more security in the lineup for Svechkov in the last couple of weeks. He’s still only averaging 11:06 per game since the deadline as the Preds’ fourth-line center between fellow developing first-rounders Reid Schaefer and Joakim Kemell, but has a 1-2–3 scoring line and 14 shot attempts in eight games in that span. His new deal, which makes him an RFA in 2028, should lock him into Nashville’s #4C slot again next season.