Lightning Assign Jakob Pelletier To AHL
The AHL’s top scorer is on his way back to the minors. The Lightning announced today that they’ve reassigned winger Jakob Pelletier to AHL Syracuse.
The 25-year-old was brought up earlier this week with Tampa Bay fighting the injury bug up front. He got into two games during this promotion, bringing his season total to four. The 2019 first-rounder is still looking for his first NHL point of the season, however, while he’s averaging a little under nine minutes per night of playing time.
But things have gone much better for him in the minors. In his first season with AHL Syracuse since inking a three-year, one-way deal with the Lightning in free agency, Pelletier is in the middle of his best showing at that level by far, tallying 28 goals and 47 assists in 61 games. That gives him a seven-point lead in the points race despite missing seven games. He’ll now have a chance to add to those numbers as the Crunch continues to chase down the top spot in the Atlantic Division.
Pelletier’s demotion signaled some good news on the injury front, at least, as Brandon Hagel returned to the lineup today against Boston. He had missed the last week and a half due to a lower-body injury. Hagel entered play today sitting third on the Lightning in scoring with 35 goals and 38 assists in 69 games.
Penguins Recall Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, And Joona Koppanen
With the Penguins now having secured a playoff spot, they’re electing to get some players with nagging injuries some rest. That means that several players needed to be recalled to have a full roster available for their game today against Washington. Those promotions have been made as the team announced (Twitter link) that forwards Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, and Joona Koppanen have been recalled on an emergency basis from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. With the emergency designation, none of them will count toward their post-deadline recall limit of five.
McGroarty is up with Pittsburgh for the fourth time this season. He has suited up in 21 games so far in a bottom-six role, picking up two goals and three assists while averaging 11:46 per night. The 2022 first-round pick has been much more productive in the minors, however, with eight goals and 22 assists in 28 games. With many key players out of the lineup today, McGroarty should have a chance to play in more of an offensive role than he has had most nights with Pittsburgh this season.
Koivunen, meanwhile, is also up for his fourth stint of the season. But unlike McGroarty, he has spent more time with Pittsburgh than in the minors. In 36 games at the top level, the 22-year-old has two goals and five assists while averaging 12:29 per night. Unsurprisingly, he has been a much better producer in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, tallying 11 goals and 25 assists in 32 appearances.
As for Koppanen, he’s also getting his fourth promotion of the year. While he hasn’t played a lot with Pittsburgh, he has had to clear waivers twice already this season. In 10 NHL outings, the 28-year-old has just one assist. In the minors, he has fared better, picking up eight goals and 15 assists in 42 contests. A pending unrestricted free agent, a report surfaced last month that suggested he’s likely to sign in Sweden for next season.
For their game today, the team announced (Twitter link) that numerous players are unavailable due to day-to-day injuries. Those include forwards Sidney Crosby (lower body), Benjamin Kindel (upper body), Evgeni Malkin (upper body), and Bryan Rust (lower body). On the back end, Erik Karlsson (lower body), Kris Letang (upper body), and Parker Wotherspoon (upper body) are all sidelined. Additionally, center Connor Dewar is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury of his own, putting his availability to start the playoffs in jeopardy.
Mammoth Assign Kevin Rooney To AHL
April 11: The Mammoth announced that Rooney was returned to the Roadrunners. Despite being up for a little more than a week, he didn’t get into any games, keeping his total this season at one.
April 3: The Mammoth recalled center Kevin Rooney from AHL Tucson on Friday, per a team announcement.
His addition to the roster comes after fellow middleman Jack McBain left Thursday night’s 6-2 win over the Kraken in the second period with a lower-body injury. It wasn’t clear what caused the departure, and the team hasn’t issued an update on his status yet. They likely won’t until they hold their morning skate before tomorrow’s clash with the Canucks.
In any event, Utah is guaranteed at least 13 healthy forwards this weekend if McBain has to miss time. Adding Rooney to the mix allows them to insert a natural center into the lineup in his place, rather than shifting anyone from the wing. Enforcer Liam O’Brien was their lone healthy scratch up front last night, and Alexander Kerfoot is their only regular winger with tangible experience down the middle who could shift over.
Utah has recalled Rooney several times this season; this is now his sixth distinct recall. He’s cleared waivers twice during that time but has rarely been needed in the lineup, only dressing once back on Nov. 28 against the Stars, scoring a goal in his Mammoth debut. That may change now with their specific need for centermen – Barrett Hayton has also been sidelined for the last three games with an upper-body injury and is week-to-week.
Rooney, a veteran of 331 NHL games over parts of 10 seasons, landed a two-way deal with Utah at the beginning of the regular season after being released from his professional tryout with the Devils. The 32-year-old has been a shrewd pickup for Tucson, posting 12 goals and 23 points through 43 games. A grinder, he was never that much of an offensive centerpiece in his previous minor-league stints.
Valtteri Puustinen Linked To SHL
Only two seasons ago, winger Valtteri Puustinen looked as if he might have locked down a regular NHL role. However, since then, his playing time at the top level has been quite limited. Accordingly, as he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, it appears he has turned his focus overseas. Expressen’s Mattias Persson and Johan Svensson report that Puustinen is expected to sign with SHL Lulea for next season.
The 26-year-old played in 52 games for Pittsburgh in 2023-24, recording 20 points despite averaging less than 12 minutes per night of playing time. But while that earned him a two-year, one-way deal, that didn’t give him a leg up on a spot for last season as he ultimately spent the majority of it in the minors. He had 16 goals and 19 assists in 48 outings with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton while seeing just 13 games with the Penguins, notching just one goal and two assists.
Meanwhile, Puustinen has yet to see action at the top level this season. Waived by the Pens in training camp, he passed through unclaimed and hasn’t been recalled since then. Back in January, the Avalanche acquired him in a swap for defenseman Ilya Solovyov but while they’ve used several different recalls on the fourth line at times, they’ve not yet given him a chance to do so. Between their two AHL affiliates, Puustinen has 12 goals and 28 assists in 58 games.
Given how things have gone this season, it’s unlikely that Puustinen would be able to land an NHL spot heading into 2026-27 while another one-way deal probably isn’t in the cards either. Accordingly, rather than continue on as a minor leaguer, it appears he’s going to try his hand at playing in Europe for the first time since the 2020-21 season when he played for HPK in Finland.
Florida Panthers Recall Wilmer Skoog
Awaiting an official announcement, the AHL transactions log indicates that the Florida Panthers have recalled some additional forward depth. According to the log, the Panthers have recalled Wilmer Skoog from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.
Skoog, 26, has the opportunity to make his NHL debut on this call-up. Florida signed Skoog from Boston University after he scored 16 goals and 31 points in 37 games for the Terriers in the 2022-23 NCAA season. Since then, it’s been mostly AHL duties.
Although his offense hasn’t taken off, the Stockholm, Sweden native has remained a solid secondary contributor to the Checkers. Through his first three years of professional hockey, Skoog has registered 49 goals and 92 points in 180 AHL contests, averaging just over a point every two games.
Given his developmental trajectory, he’s unlikely to become anything more than a bottom-six forward at the NHL level. Still, given the number of injuries that the Panthers have dealt with this year, they’ll spend the summer acquiring as much depth as they can afford.
Ultimately, that wouldn’t be a bad role for Skoog. Standing at 6’2″, 196lbs, he has the frame many teams would want in a bottom-six forward, and if he can chip in a goal or two along the way, the Panthers will have some value.
If he draws into the lineup tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs, it’ll likely be in a fourth-line role in place of Nolan Foote or Vinnie Hinostroza. Florida recognizes what it has in those two already, so it wouldn’t hurt to give Skoog an opportunity at the highest level of the game.
Poll: Who Will Capture The Final Wild-Card Spot In The West?
Now that every team is below five games remaining in the regular season, it’s scoreboard-watching time in the NHL. There are still a few things to sort out in the Eastern Conference, though the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference remains a wide-open race.
As it currently stands, the Los Angeles Kings own the spot with 85 points and four games left in their regular season. The Nashville Predators (84 points), Winnipeg Jets (82 points), and San Jose Sharks (81 points) are all within striking distance.
The Kings should be considered the favorites. Three out of their final four games are against teams well outside the postseason chase, although teams in their position love playing spoilers, especially against inter-divisional opponents. Still, Los Angeles will continue to ride the hot hand of Anton Forsberg, who has put up a .950 SV% over his last three appearances, winning them all.
However, the Predators aren’t going down without a fight. Playing much more competitively than last season, Nashville has three games left against the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks. If they win all three and finish with 90 points, they would have a strong likelihood of getting in since the Kings don’t have a pathway to usurp them in the first tiebreaker (regulation wins).
Meanwhile, the Jets and Sharks, despite having four games remaining, have the hardest path. According to Moneypuck, Winnipeg has a 12.4% of reaching the playoffs, whereas San Jose has a 2.4% chance. The Jets have an ace in the hole in Connor Hellebuyck, who can win four games in a row mostly by himself. Still, even if they do win their last four, they would need some serious good luck.
Now, it’s your time to vote. Which team will win the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference and secure a date with the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round of the playoffs?
Who Will Capture The Final Wild-Card Spot In The West?
West Notes: Avalanche, Dickinson, Daccord
The Avalanche clinched themselves a trophy on Thursday night, securing the Presidents’ Trophy as the team with the best regular season record. They did so without a pair of key veterans in defenseman Cale Makar and center Nazem Kadri. Speaking with reporters postgame including Kyle Newman of The Denver Post, head coach Jared Bednar indicated that he’s hoping to see Makar get back into a game before the playoffs. Sidelined since the end of March due to an upper-body injury, he sits third on the Avs in scoring with 75 points in 73 games. As for Kadri, he’s listed as day-to-day with a finger issue. Acquired just before the buzzer at the trade deadline last month, he has fit in well in his second stint with the team, collecting nine points in 16 games, three of those being power play goals.
More from out West:
- The Oilers will be without center Jason Dickinson for their game on Saturday against Los Angeles. Team broadcaster Bob Stauffer notes (Twitter link) that the veteran is unavailable after suffering a leg injury on Wednesday against San Jose. Acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline, the 30-year-old has a goal and three assists in 17 games with his new team while averaging a little over 15 minutes per game of ice time. He has been their most-used penalty killer since being acquired as well. There’s no word yet on a timeline for Dickinson’s return.
- Already missing Philipp Grubauer, the Kraken could be without their other netminder as they look to keep their very faint playoff hopes alive. Team radio host Mike Benton relays (Twitter link) that Joey Daccord was feeling sore after Thursday’s game and was undergoing evaluation today. If he’s unable to suit up Saturday against Calgary, the team will have to recall someone (likely Victor Ostman) from AHL Coachella Valley with Niklas Kokko probably in line to make his first NHL start in a must-win game if they want to avoid elimination from the playoffs. Daccord has a 3.03 GAA with a .896 SV% in 47 games this season.
Stars Provide Several Injury Updates
The Stars have been one of the top teams in the NHL all season and have done so despite missing several key players for extended stretches. They also happen to be without quite a few regulars in the stretch run of the season. In an appearance on 96.7 The Ticket earlier today (audio link), head coach Glen Gulutzan provided updates on several of his players.
Earlier today, the team revealed that defenseman Miro Heiskanen was undergoing imaging for a lower-body injury. He’s set to miss the remaining three games of the regular season while Gulutzan added that he is “certainly hoping” to have his top blueliner back when the playoffs start. If he isn’t able to return, it would be the second straight postseason in which Heiskanen would miss time as he was sidelined for 10 of their 18 contests in 2025.
The other high-end player that remains sidelined for Dallas is center Roope Hintz. He sustained a lower-body last month (in his first game back following an illness that kept him sidelined after the Olympic break) and while the original hope was that he wouldn’t miss much time, he hasn’t played since. Recently, the plan was for him to get back into action before the end of the regular season but that is no longer the case. Now, the hope is that Hintz, who is still listed as week-to-week, will be ready for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Heiskanen isn’t the only Dallas defender who’s now banged up. Gulutzan indicated that Tyler Myers reaggravated an old injury on Thursday and could miss Saturday’s game against the Rangers as a result. Acquired just before the trade deadline from Vancouver, the veteran is averaging over 16 minutes per night in 13 games with his new team as he has helped stabilize the back of their back end.
It isn’t all bad news on the injury front though. Gulutzan added that center Radek Faksa and winger Michael Bunting are expected to play in multiple games before the season ends with Bunting potentially being ready on Saturday. Center Sam Steel is day-to-day with the team being hopeful that he’ll be able to return for the regular season finale on Wednesday versus Buffalo.
Max Plante Wins 2026 Hobey Baker Award
After the Frozen Four tournament was whittled down to two on Thursday with Denver and Wisconsin moving on to the final on Saturday, there was other business to attend to on Friday off the ice with the presentation of the Hobey Baker Award. Given to the top player in college hockey, this year’s winner is University of Minnesota-Duluth sophomore Max Plante, a prospect of the Red Wings.
The sophomore was a second-round pick by Detroit back in 2024, going 47th overall. Plante got to play on a line with his brother, Zam, and Jayson Shaugabay, comprising one of the higher-scoring trios in Division I. The 20-year-old followed up a solid rookie showing by nearly doubling his point totals this season, notching 25 goals and 27 assists in 40 games, finishing two points ahead of his brother to lead the Bulldogs in scoring. His 52 points put him in a tie for third overall in NCAA scoring.
Unsurprisingly, Plante received many accolades with how his season went. Among the other awards he won this season was the NCHC Forward of the Year, NCHC Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference, and the College Hockey News Player of the Year. He indicated to reporters including Joe Smith of The Athletic (Twitter link) after the trophy presentation that he will return for his junior year and isn’t turning pro with Detroit just yet. In doing so, he becomes the first winner of the award to not turn pro since 2007 when Ryan Duncan did so, relays Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald (Twitter link).
The other two finalists for the award were Michigan senior T.J. Hughes and Denver junior Eric Pohlkamp. Hughes is expected to sign his first NHL contract in the very near future while Pohlkamp, the lone defenseman among the three finalists, is a fifth-round pick of the Sharks.
Other awards handed out this evening:
Red Wings prospect Trey Augustine took home the Mike Richter Award for the top NCAA goalie. The 21-year-old posted a 2.11 GAA with a .929 SV% in 34 games with Michigan State in his junior year and turned pro after their season came to an end. A Detroit second-rounder, he’s making his AHL debut tonight with Grand Rapids. Augustine was a Top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and won the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year for the second straight year.
Flames prospect Ethan Wyttenbach won the Tim Taylor Award for Rookie of the Year. The 19-year-old was a fifth-round pick (144th overall) last June and had quite the freshman year at Quinnipiac. He played in 40 games, tallying 25 goals and 34 assists. That was good enough to not only lead his team in scoring but all of Division I. Unsurprisingly, he was also a Top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
NHL Announces 2026 King Clancy Memorial Trophy Nominees
Earlier this week, the NHL revealed the 32 nominees for the Masterton Trophy. Today, they unveiled another set of award nominees with the 32 finalists for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The award is presented “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”
Unlike the Masterton finalists which were voted on by each chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, each team picked one player to serve as their nominee. Also unlike most awards, there won’t be a media or player vote to determine the winner. Instead, the winner will be picked by a committee consisting of Commissioner Gary Bettman as well as former winners of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the NHL Foundation Player Award.
The team nominees are as follows:
Anaheim Ducks: G Lukas Dostal
Boston Bruins: D Jordan Harris
Buffalo Sabres: F Alex Tuch
Calgary Flames: F Jonathan Huberdeau
Carolina Hurricanes: D Jaccob Slavin
Chicago Blackhawks: D Alex Vlasic
Colorado Avalanche: D Sam Malinski
Columbus Blue Jackets: F Boone Jenner
Dallas Stars: G Jake Oettinger
Detroit Red Wings: F Dylan Larkin
Edmonton Oilers: F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Florida Panthers: F Sam Bennett
Los Angeles Kings: F Kevin Fiala
Minnesota Wild: F Marcus Foligno
Montreal Canadiens: F Nick Suzuki
Nashville Predators: F Ryan O’Reilly
New Jersey Devils: F Jack Hughes
New York Islanders: F Kyle Palmieri
New York Rangers: D Adam Fox
Ottawa Senators: G Linus Ullmark
Philadelphia Flyers: F Garnet Hathaway
Pittsburgh Penguins: F Bryan Rust
San Jose Sharks: F Alexander Wennberg
Seattle Kraken: G Joey Daccord
St. Louis Blues: D Colton Parayko
Tampa Bay Lightning: D Ryan McDonagh
Toronto Maple Leafs: F John Tavares
Utah Mammoth: F Alexander Kerfoot
Vancouver Canucks: F Brock Boeser
Vegas Golden Knights: F Jack Eichel
Washington Capitals: F Alex Ovechkin
Winnipeg Jets: F Gabriel Vilardi
The award was first handed out in 1988. The winner will receive a $25K donation to benefit a charity or charities of his choice. The winner will also be eligible to elect that his team receives a grant from the NHL for up to $20K to help organize a special activation related to his humanitarian cause.