Rangers Recall Adam Sykora, Reassign Connor Mackey
The Rangers announced Tuesday that they’ve recalled left wing prospect Adam Sykora from AHL Hartford. They sent defender Connor Mackey back down to Hartford in the corresponding move. Sykora could make his NHL debut tomorrow in Toronto, but it’s not a guarantee.
Sykora, 21, was the 63rd overall pick in 2022. While relatively small at 5’11” and 192 lbs, he was viewed as one of the highest-energy forwards in the draft with the potential to end up as a versatile middle-six piece.
Offensively, his journey through the pro ranks with Hartford has been rocky. He’s never popped as they hoped but has managed to hit double-digit goals for the first time this season, accumulating a 12-17–29 line in 62 outings to date. Across parts of four seasons for the Wolf Pack, he’s notched 29 goals and 82 points in 201 games with a -25 rating.
It’s incredibly rare for a player as young as Sykora to arrive in the NHL with that much professional experience in North America. He was one of the youngest players in his class to begin with, born just over a week before the cutoff date for 2022 draftees, and came over from his native Slovakia at the end of his post-draft season. He’s still fairly early in his development curve, but the lack of offensive progression to date in Hartford shows his game may already be close to topping out in that regard. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic ranked him as the #7 player in the Rangers’ pool in this year’s rankings, while Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff had him #10 on his list last summer.
With all that in mind, it would actually make a good bit of sense for the Blueshirts to give Sykora a trial in a bottom-six role. His lack of point production in Hartford indicates that’s where his long-term home in the NHL would be anyway if he can carve out a career, so they’d be helping both parties by trialing him there for a bit this year to help them see if he’ll be worth a qualifying offer in 2027 when his entry-level contract is up.
As for Mackey, he’d appeared in three straight for the Blueshirts in place of Urho Vaakanainen, who’s sidelined with an upper-body injury. The 29-year-old lefty was held without a point and posted a -3 rating while averaging 12:47 per contest. It marks his sixth straight season seeing NHL action, his third with the Rangers. He did post relatively strong possession numbers in his limited minutes despite the end result not being too positive, logging a 50.9 CF% and 51.3 xGF% at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick.
His demotion implies that fellow lefty Drew Fortescue should be ready to step in and make his NHL debut tomorrow. New York signed the 20-year-old out of Boston College last weekend, but he was scratched for their Sunday-Monday back-to-back.
Devils Expect To Sign Anton Silayev
The Devils are expected to sign 2024 10th overall pick Anton Silayev to his entry-level contract this offseason, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.
Silayev, 20 next month, is in the final weeks of his contract with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. Torpedo is up 1-0 in their first-round playoff series against Severstal Cherepovets, but unlike with prospects in most other leagues, the timing of when Silayev’s postseason schedule ends is irrelevant to his ability to sign an entry-level contract this season.
KHL contracts run through May 31, and due to the lack of a transfer agreement with the NHL, it’s rare for Russian clubs to release players to sign with an NHL team before the legal expiry of their deals. With the Devils out of the playoff picture, they won’t be able to sign him until well after their season is over, but the hope is to get him to North America in time for their development camp following the draft, Pagnotta reports.
The monster 6’7″, 207-lb lefty was drafted with the hope he could be New Jersey’s top shutdown threat long-term. Getting him under wraps two years after his draft is better than the usual case for Russian prospects, so that’s a definite positive to take away from today’s news.
Silayev was viewed by some as a risky bet to take that high in the draft due to his evident lack of offensive upside, but he still grades out as the organization’s top prospect according to Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff and their #2 according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. Still, this season was tough for him.
He’s continued to demonstrate defensive development, but his already limited offensive utility was almost nonexistent this year, recording just three points in 61 regular-season games for Torpedo after hitting low double-digit totals each of the prior two seasons. His ice time was lessened as a result.
With that in mind, expecting him to emerge with a roster spot in the fall is hasty. A likely outcome is that Silayev anchors a top-four job with AHL Utica, with the expectation that a strong start will lead to a quick call-up. Players with similar archetypes over the last few seasons have adjusted well to minor-league duties but don’t routinely make the immediate jump to a full-time NHL role.
There were similar concerns in Dmitriy Simashev‘s game when the Coyotes, now Mammoth, selected him sixth overall in 2023, but he’s produced nearly a point per game upon his arrival in the AHL this season after a similar lack of offensive success in Russia. He has just one assist and a -9 rating in 25 NHL outings this year, though, so Utah has opted to keep him stashed in the minors amid their push for the franchise’s first playoff berth.
Islanders Sign Josh Kotai To Two-Year Contract
The Islanders announced they’ve signed college free agent goaltender Josh Kotai to a two-year, entry-level contract. Terms were not disclosed, although the deal presumably begins next season. If he wants to play pro hockey this year, he’ll have to sign a tryout with the Isles’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.
Kotai, 23, turns pro after helping author one of the best stories in Division I hockey this year. The 23-year-old has been with Augustana University since its inception as a DI program in 2023, committing there after playing for the Battlefords North Stars of the junior ‘A’ league in Saskatchewan. He took over the starter’s crease as a sophomore last season and, this year as a junior, nearly helped backstop them to an at-large bid to the national tournament. Augustana did end up 15th in the year-end NPI rankings with an overall record of 22-11-4, but with lower-ranked Merrimack and Bentley both winning autobids as a result of their conference championships, Augustana fell just short of the cutoff.
The South Dakota university’s success over the past two years has fallen mostly on Kotai’s shoulders. The British Columbia native churned out a .931 SV%, 2.17 GAA, eight shutouts, and a 39-30-9 record in 79 career outings for the Vikings. That includes a sub-2.00 GAA in each of his two seasons as a starter. Only one goalie in college hockey (min. 10 games) had a better save percentage than Kotai’s .938 mark this season – Denver rookie backup Johnny Hicks, who’s posted a .958 mark in 17 outings entering tournament play.
At 6’1″ and 165 lbs, Kotai lacks size. It’s still hard to make the argument that he wasn’t the best undrafted goaltender available in this year’s NCAA free agent market, given what he’s done for the Vikings to date. He joins the Islanders’ pipeline, where he will challenge as the highest-ceiling option in the organization to support Ilya Sorokin long-term. None of their current AHL options are particularly inspiring, although 2024 fourth-round pick Dmitri Gamzin has now emerged as the starter for Russia’s CSKA Moscow with some great numbers. It’s unclear when, if at all, he plans to come stateside, but he’ll remain in Russia through at least the end of his current contract, which ends in 2027-28.
Senators Recall Jorian Donovan, Carter Yakemchuk
The Senators’ push for the playoffs got a lot murkier despite last night’s defensive standout win over the Rangers. The two points cost them both Thomas Chabot and Lassi Thomson on the blue line, who, head coach Travis Green said, would miss multiple games with apparent right wrist injuries and undisclosed injuries, respectively. Ottawa was already without Dennis Gilbert, Nick Jensen, and Jake Sanderson on defense, so they would need to recall a pair of rearguards from AHL Belleville before tonight’s game against the Red Wings to have six healthy ones. Those two beneficiaries are Jorian Donovan and Carter Yakemchuk, the team announced Tuesday morning.
Both will be making their NHL debuts tonight. It comes right on schedule for Yakemchuk, who, at seventh overall in 2024, Ottawa hopes will be the last high pick of their years-long rebuild. The 6’4″, 207-lb righty was a physically dominant offensive threat in his draft year for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, leading the league in goals by a defenseman that year with 30.
Since then, Yakemchuk’s development has hit some speed bumps. His post-draft year with the Hitmen immediately raised some red flags as his offensive production took a step back from 1.08 points per game in 2023-24 to 0.88 in 2024-25, particularly concerning considering he was already one of the oldest players in his class. Those concerns have only persisted as he made the adjustment to professional life in Belleville this season. He’s slotted in as their top offensive weapon on the blue line as expected, ranking fourth on the team in scoring with a 10-26–36 line in 50 games, but that’s been accompanied by a team-worst -30 rating and some glaring concerns regarding his defensive play.
He’ll need to work on that moving forward to ensure he doesn’t top out as a third-pairing threat at even strength to limit his minutes while serving as a power-play quarterback for the Sens. For now, while everyone involved hoped it would be under better circumstances, he’ll at least get his first taste of NHL play this year while getting a chance to boost his shot at a roster spot next October with a strong run of play in the absence of Ottawa’s two top two-way threats on defense in Chabot and Sanderson.
Donovan is a more unheralded prospect but an intriguing talent nonetheless. A fifth-round pick in 2022, the 6’2″ lefty is now 21 years old in his second season with the B-Sens. He’s coming along nicely as a well-rounded two-way piece who can wash out opponents with ease, recording a 4-17–21 line in 58 outings this season with a -12 rating and 70 penalty minutes.
His development at this stage significantly outpaces the normal curve of a fifth-rounder. Donovan now ranks #5 in Ottawa’s prospect pool and is their top left-shot option in the system, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic opined this month. The Calgary native “has the tools to become a No. 5-8 D and play NHL games” with “pro size and excellent skating,” Wheeler wrote.
Penguins Recall Ville Koivunen, Evgeni Malkin Day-To-Day
The Penguins announced that they’ve recalled winger Ville Koivunen from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. His elevation to the roster is connected with an upper-body injury to star Evgeni Malkin, whom the club said is day-to-day and has been ruled out for tonight’s game versus the Avalanche.
With Kevin Hayes not dressing for a contest since March 3, it appears Koivunen will slot right back into the lineup as Pittsburgh’s third-line left wing alongside Benjamin Kindel and Justin Brazeau. Anthony Mantha moves up to take Malkin’s place on the right flank on the second line with Egor Chinakhov and Thomas Novak, PuckPedia projects.
Koivunen had just been sent down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Sunday before the Pens’ loss to the Hurricanes. He played for the Baby Pens that night, making him eligible to come back up to rejoin the NHL squad today.
The 22-year-old hasn’t had the season the Penguins hoped for, at least in the NHL. A second-round pick in 2021 by the Hurricanes, subsequently acquired in the Jake Guentzel deal a couple of years back, he’s been a downright elite producer in his native Finland and in the minors over the last few years. After notching seven assists through his first eight NHL contests last year as well, most had him penciled in for an opening night job.
Koivunen initially made the team but hasn’t stuck. He’s been recalled and sent down on a couple of occasions, most recently spending nearly two months in the minors before getting the call back to the NHL at the trade deadline. Across 33 games in Pittsburgh, he’s only averaging 12:38 of ice time per game with a 2-5–7 scoring line and a -5 rating. For a lanky 6’0″ winger with extremely limited physical involvement, if he’s not producing in a top-nine role, there’s little place for him in the lineup. Add in the immense success of Pittsburgh’s depth wingers this season, plus the Pens being outscored 14-10 with him on the ice at 5-on-5, and it’s no surprise that Koivunen hasn’t seen a ton of action lately.
He hasn’t let the lack of an NHL breakthrough this season affect his play in the minors one bit, though. After an All-Rookie Team worthy showing last season, he’s now clicking over a point per game in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with an 11-22–33 line in 29 games and a +7 rating. While his time on the roster is likely to last only as long as Malkin’s injury keeps him out, it’s still another chance for Koivunen to make a strong impression on Pittsburgh’s brass as a potential playoff option and to improve his standing entering next season’s training camp.
As for Malkin, it’s not clear what’s keeping him out. He wasn’t limited against the Canes, although he did struggle with a -2 rating in 16:05 of ice time. The lack of an apparent cause is more concerning than not – he missed nearly a month with an upper-body issue earlier in the season, so there’s a chance it’s a reaggravation or continuation of that issue.
The 39-year-old franchise icon remains invaluable, even as he’s been shifted off his natural center slot. His 52 points in 50 games this year are his best pace since before the pandemic and sit fifth on the team in scoring despite all the missed time. The Pens would surely prefer to rest him as much as possible to make sure he gets back to 100% before the playoffs, but with their chances at a favorable but still uncomfortable 77.3%, per MoneyPuck, they don’t have that luxury.
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.