Avalanche Reassign Gavin Brindley
The Avalanche announced following Thursday night’s win over the Jets that they’ve reassigned right-winger Gavin Brindley to AHL Colorado.
Brindley, 21, has not yet played in the AHL this season but was sent to the Eagles for a few hours at the trade deadline to make him eligible for reassignment down the stretch. He had played in every game for the Avs since Jan. 3 before exiting the lineup for this week’s games against Pittsburgh and Winnipeg, falling victim to a roster crunch created by the returns of Logan O’Connor, Ross Colton, and Artturi Lehkonen from injuries.
The undersized but high-energy winger impressed early in a depth role in Colorado this season after being acquired from the Blue Jackets last summer in the deal that sent Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to Columbus. An early second-round selection in 2023 (34th overall), Brindley has a 6-7–13 scoring line in 56 games but only has two points and a -6 rating over his last 25 outings, so he’s hit a tough stretch in the second half of the year.
Colorado saw enough out of Brindley to sign him to a cost-effective two-year, $1.75MM extension back in November. He still has another season of waiver-exempt status after this one, so, especially considering they structured the first year of that extension as a two-way deal, he may still see some AHL time in 2026-27 before ideally transitioning to a full-time role in a couple of years.
The Florida native was a star offensive producer at the University of Michigan but struggled as a first-year pro in the Columbus organization last season, limited to a 6-11–17 scoring line in 52 AHL games. Given how he’s fared in his NHL minutes this season, Brindley should be in line for an expanded role with the Eagles with a corresponding increase in production.
The Avs have carried a thin roster through much of the season, so the fact they only have 13 healthy forwards without Brindley on the roster isn’t anything new. His demotion is less about resolving a roster crunch and more about getting the still-developing winger some playing time.
Oilers Sign Tomas Cibulka To Entry-Level Deal
The Oilers announced Friday that they’ve signed undrafted free agent defenseman Tomas Cibulka to an entry-level deal beginning next season. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Cibulka, 22 next week, makes the jump back across the Atlantic after spending the last two years in Czechia’s top division, Extraliga, with HC Motor Ceske Budejovice, his hometown team. Before that, he played through most of his junior career in Eastern Canada, suiting up for the Val-d’Or Foreurs and the Cape Breton Eagles of the QMJHL from 2021-24.
The lefty checks in at 6’0″ and 170 lbs. There were some defensive flaws in his game dating back to junior that haven’t really gone away, but Edmonton hopes his puck-moving ability is enough to help him challenge for a depth role in the NHL.
Over the past two seasons in Ceske Budejovice, he racked up a 13-29–42 scoring line in 90 games with a -10 rating. He was part of the Czechs’ bronze-medal-winning effort at the 2024 World Juniors, posting a pair of goals in seven games.
There’s no path toward a regular NHL role for Cibulka next season. Darnell Nurse, Mattias Ekholm, and Jake Walman are all signed for several more seasons and will make up the Oilers’ left side for now.
They have three non-roster lefties signed through next year – Damian Carfagna, Atro Leppanen, and Riley Stillman. All of them have put up good numbers in AHL Bakersfield this season, so for Cibulka to land regular playing time, it’s looking like he or someone else will need to shift to their offside.
Cibulka’s deal will make him a restricted free agent in 2028. The Oilers have now used up 31 of their 50 contract slots for next season.
Maple Leafs Sign Hayes Hundley To Entry-Level Deal
The Maple Leafs announced Friday that they’ve signed college free agent defenseman Hayes Hundley to a three-year, entry-level deal. Financial terms were not disclosed, but they did confirm the deal begins next season. He will finish out the current league year with AHL Toronto on a tryout.
Hundley, 21, turns pro after only one year in the NCAA with the University of St. Thomas. The 6’3″, 207-lb righty contributed a 6-6–12 scoring line and a +10 rating in 38 games for the Tommies, ranking fourth on the team’s blue line in scoring.
It’s a surprising development to see a previously unheralded, undrafted name go pro after only one year in the college circuit, but the Leafs were far from the only team to show interest in the shutdown rearguard, Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff reports. He’s the third free agent signing the Leafs have made from the NCAA in this year’s cycle, joining Northeastern defenseman Vincent Borgesi and Union forward Brandon Buhr.
An Ohio native, Hundley played several years in the Blue Jackets’ youth program before jumping to Tier II juniors with the Johnstown Tomahawks of the NAHL in 2023-24, which would have been his post-draft season if he had been selected when he was initially eligible. He then moved up to high-level juniors with the USHL’s Fargo Force, again staying just one year before heading to St. Thomas. If Hundley plays for the Marlies down the stretch, that will mean he’s jumped up four development levels in less than three calendar years, a rapid ascension.
Hundley’s contract gives Toronto 32 deals on the books for next year, with 18 contract slots remaining. He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2029.
Blackhawks Sign Jiri Felcman To Entry-Level Deal
The Blackhawks announced Friday that they’ve signed center prospect Jiri Felcman to a three-year, entry-level deal that begins next season. The contract carries a cap hit of $996.7K and will make him a restricted free agent in 2029.
Per PuckPedia, the deal includes a European assignment clause through 2027-28 if he’s assigned to the ECHL, allowing Felcman to trigger a loan back to the SCL Tigers of the Swiss National League, where he’s spent the last three years. The full breakdown of the contract, which carries a $1.045MM qualifying offer upon expiry, is as follows:
| Year | NHL salary | Signing bonus | Minors salary |
| 2026-27 | $850K | $95K | $82.5K |
| 2027-28 | $900K | $95K | $82.5K |
| 2028-29 | $950K | $95K | $82.5K |
Felcman had already signed a tryout with AHL Rockford earlier in the week, but landing him on an NHL deal now ensures they retain his signing rights past their June 2027 expiration. The 6’4″ pivot, who turns 21 next month, was a third-round choice in 2023.
Since then, he’s been grinding away to make his mark professionally in Switzerland, where the Czech forward has spent all of his development despite still representing his home country internationally. He’s suited up for the Tigers in Langnau over the past three years, but didn’t really have a significant presence on the club until this season.
Felcman, who could top out as a third-line checking center, broke out for a 3-17–20 scoring line with a -4 rating in 52 games to lead junior-aged NL players in scoring. He’s an afterthought in a loaded Chicago prospect pool – few would even consider him in a top-20 ranking there – but did take enough steps forward this season to help the Hawks determine he’s at least worth the initial investment of an ELC and the contract slot for the next few years to see if he can continue climbing up the ladder.
Peter Chiarelli, Kevin Maxwell Departing Blues Front Office
Blues vice president of hockey operations Peter Chiarelli and pro scout Kevin Maxwell will not return to the club next season, Darren Dreger of TSN reports. Chiarelli’s departure comes as he’s progressed in the interview process to fill the Predators’ pending general manager vacancy, while Maxwell will be joining the Rangers in a yet-to-be-disclosed management role, Dreger adds.
It may not be the only front office turnover St. Louis will see in the coming weeks. This is Doug Armstrong’s last season in the GM role. The team announced way back in 2024 that following the end of the 2025-26 campaign, Armstrong would elevate to president of hockey operations, while Alexander Steen, who played 765 games as a Blue and has been a special assistant to Armstrong over the past two years, would step into the GM’s chair.
It’s not a complete overhaul – Armstrong will still hold a fairly powerful role – but one that will nonetheless lead to a bit of a shakeup. Chiarelli, 61, had been part of the Blues’ front office for the past seven years. He first joined Armstrong as a senior advisor following their Stanley Cup win in 2019 and was promoted to his current VP role two years later.
As one of the league’s more experienced executives, it’s no surprise the Predators have reached out to him about succeeding Barry Trotz. It would be Chiarelli’s third go-around as a GM, first heading up the Bruins from 2006-15 (and winning a Stanley Cup in the process) before managing the Oilers from 2015-19.
The Predators have cast a wide net in their search, opening themselves up to experience-heavy candidates like Chiarelli while also considering up-and-comers. They’ve previously been linked to former Habs GM and current Sabres AGM Marc Bergevin as well as Panthers AGM Brett Peterson. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported today that they’ve also interviewed Oilers AGM Bill Scott.
Meanwhile, Maxwell has been with the Blues since 2022. In addition to his scouting duties, he’s also served as the GM for their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, a role normally reserved for an AGM. St. Louis will need to find a replacement there.
The 65-year-old Maxwell has been in scouting roles as far back as the late 1980’s with the Flyers, and has also logged stints with the Whalers, Islanders, and Stars. He then joined the Rangers, where he’s set to return now, as a pro scout in 2008 and was promoted to their director of pro scouting in 2011. He held that role until his departure from the organization to join the Blues in 2022.
That the Blues are willing to part ways with Maxwell is unsurprising. Springfield is on track to miss the playoffs for the second time in four seasons under Maxwell – a hard feat in a league where 23 of 32 teams qualify. The year before he took over, Springfield had advanced all the way to the Calder Cup Final.
Islanders’ Tony DeAngelo Out One To Two Weeks
The Islanders won’t have their #2 right-side defender for the next three to five games. The team announced at puck drop of last night’s 2-1 win over the Stars that Tony DeAngelo will miss one to two weeks with a lower-body injury.
DeAngelo was unable to go last night, his first time sitting out a game this season. He left Tuesday night’s game against the Blackhawks midway through the first period after appearing to strain something while rushing back to defend a 2-on-0.
Luckily, it’s not worse as the Isles try to emerge victorious in the fierce battle for playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. After joining the team as a stopgap option from the Kontinental Hockey League midway through last season amid a rash of injuries, DeAngelo played well enough to earn a one-year, $1.75MM to return to Long Island at the beginning of free agency.
DeAngelo has rewarded the Isles’ faith by re-establishing himself as an everyday NHL option, ranking sixth on the team with a 5-28–33 scoring line through 72 contests. His -3 rating and 45.2 xGF% at 5-on-5 (per Natural Stat Trick) indicate he remains the imperfect defensive threat he’s been throughout all of his 10-year NHL career, but he’s been valuable as their second-unit power play quarterback behind standout rookie Matthew Schaefer and has found good chemistry with shutdown partner Adam Pelech at even strength.
A pending unrestricted free agent again, the Islanders will likely make a push to retain the 30-year-old. Depth option Adam Boqvist is a non-tender candidate, and with no right-shot options in the system set to challenge for an NHL job, they’d prefer to have him back to fill out that side with Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield unless they feel a meaningful upgrade is both available and affordable in free agency.
While Pulock was able to return to action last night after missing two games with a lower-body injury, DeAngelo’s absence now means that Isaiah George will stay on the NHL roster as their #7 option after being jockeyed between New York and AHL Bridgeport a couple of times this week.
Can The Canucks Move Elias Pettersson?
The Canucks are wrapping up a difficult season, set to finish at the bottom of the standings after trading their captain, Quinn Hughes. This rebuild came just a year after another disappointing season, during which they traded their arguably best forward, J.T. Miller.
It’s been a tumultuous period in Vancouver, and with numerous bad contracts on the books, the outlook doesn’t seem much better. The worst of those deals, and possibly the worst in the NHL, concerns Canucks forward Elias Pettersson, who is ending another disappointing season, his second in a row.
With two subpar seasons on his record and six years remaining on his contract at $11.6MM annually, is it even practical for the Canucks to move on from Pettersson, or are they stuck with the 27-year-old for the foreseeable future?
To provide some context, let’s start by examining Pettersson’s contract, which was signed just over two years ago on March 2, 2024, when Pettersson was a year removed from a 102-point season and was amid an 89-point year. The contract committed Vancouver and Pettersson to an agreement that Vancouver hoped would see him through his prime years and lead to significant success.
However, with roughly $63.8MM still remaining on the deal, Vancouver has not received good value for its investment, and, even more concerning, it is tied to arguably the most unmovable contract in hockey.
The deal is effectively designed to be buyout-proof, thanks to the five separate $5MM bonuses spread across the final five seasons of Pettersson’s contract. These signing bonuses don’t offer much savings for Vancouver if they choose a buyout, meaning Pettersson remains their problem unless they can trade him.
Now, if Pettersson were a $5MM or $6MM center, there would be no problem. He would be a relatively productive middle-six centre with some offensive flair.
But, given that he earns the money he does, Vancouver can’t afford to insulate Pettersson or give him the additional support needed to bring out the best in his game. It’s a problem for both sides, and one without an easy fix.
So, is there a solution? It’s possible, and Elliotte Friedman has previously discussed an Eastern Conference team showing interest in Pettersson, likely the Red Wings.
Besides the clear Swedish connections in Detroit, Pettersson could fit well as a second-line center behind Dylan Larkin, where he would face less pressure and scrutiny. Detroit could afford Pettersson’s salary, but probably wants Vancouver to cover some of the cap hit, something the Canucks are unlikely to be interested in.
If Vancouver isn’t interested in retaining significant money on Pettersson, they essentially have only two options left. The first is to keep Pettersson and hope he works his way out of his slump long enough to be traded. This is similar to what the Penguins did with Tristan Jarry, and it has worked well for them, although it has been disastrous so far for the Oilers, who paid the price to acquire him.
The other option for Vancouver would be to trade Pettersson for another expensive contract or multiple poor-value deals. Vancouver might also look beyond provincial borders to Alberta, where two players – the Flames’ Jonathan Huberdeau and Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse — are currently tied to hefty, hard-to-trade contracts.
Like Pettersson, both Huberdeau and Nurse have buyout- and trade-proof contracts, thanks to the high price tags attached to them for the foreseeable future. Huberdeau has five years remaining on his deal at $10.5MM annually, while Nurse has four years left at a $9.25MM AAV.
Considering their performance, these players could be candidates to be traded for Pettersson. However, another major obstacle to any trade involving these players is the trade protection embedded in their contracts.
Nurse has a full no-movement clause through the 2026-27 season, which then becomes a 10-team no-trade list for the last three years of his deal (per PuckPedia). While Huberdeau carries a full no-move clause for another three years after this one, it then shifts to a 12-team no-trade list for the final two seasons of his contract.
Although both Nurse and Huberdeau could benefit from a fresh start, the Canucks are about to rebuild, and veteran players won’t be lining up to join Vancouver at the bottom of the league standings.
All of that doesn’t put Vancouver in a strong position, and unless a team takes a big risk on Pettersson, Vancouver is likely stuck with him and his $11.6MM contract. Even though it seems like a deal that’s hard to move, it’s not unheard of for large cap hits to be traded.
Dion Phaneuf carried a $7MM cap hit on a long-term deal a decade ago while he was mainly a third-pairing defenceman, but that didn’t stop Ottawa from acquiring him and his full cap hit, which they eventually traded to the Kings in 2018 while retaining 25% of the cap hit.
The same applies to Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who was acquired by the Vancouver Canucks along with Conor Garland in exchange for a ninth overall pick, a 2022 second-round pick, and forwards Antoine Roussel, Loui Eriksson, and Jay Beagle. The deal mainly helped Vancouver offload several spare parts with high cap hits, but make no mistake, Ekman-Larsson was a failure in Vancouver, which is why he was bought out in June 2023.
Trades involving Phaneuf and Larsson show that trades for bloated contracts are possible. However, there are many cases like Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who could never be dealt because his play declined so much that no matter what assets were included, no team wanted him. Pettersson isn’t quite there yet, but another season or two like this past one and he probably won’t be moved without 50% retention of his cap hit.
Photo by Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Sidney Crosby Leaves Game With Apparent Lower-Body Injury
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left Thursday’s game against the Senators early in the second period and was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the contest, per a team announcement.
Crosby went down the tunnel and didn’t return after taking the opening shift of the period. He previously left the bench late in the first period, favoring his left leg following a seemingly innocuous collision with Ottawa forward Nick Cousins (video via Gino Hard on X).
If there’s a saving grace, that’s not the same knee Crosby sustained a Grade 2 MCL sprain in last month when he fell awkwardly on a hit from Czechia’s Radko Gudas while representing Canada at the Olympics. That cost the three-time Stanley Cup champion 11 games coming out of the Olympic break, returning to the lineup just over a week ago.
In Crosby’s first four games back in the lineup, he was immediately back to being his old self offensively. He had at least one point in each outing, totaling a goal and four assists with an uncharacteristic -4 rating. He had a +1 rating and one shot on goal in 6:39 of ice time tonight before bowing out of the contest.
Pittsburgh’s injury situation, particularly among its forwards, has been tenuous of late. Evgeni Malkin is dealing with an upper-body injury and is missing his second consecutive game tonight. Anthony Mantha missed Wednesday’s practice with a lower-body injury but was healthy enough to dress tonight. Blake Lizotte is likely done for the regular season with an upper-body issue, but should be an option for the first round of the playoffs.
That’s if the Penguins can weather the storm – both from inside and out – and hold onto a playoff berth. The Blue Jackets’ recent surge has unseated the Pens from the second-place spot they’ve held in the Metropolitan Division for most of the season. They’re still a relatively safe bet to make it at 74.2%, but have next to no cushion. At the time of writing, they’ve been leapfrogged by the Islanders, who defeated the Stars in regulation tonight, for third in the division and have slipped to the second wild-card slot.
Red Wings Recall Michal Postava
The Red Wings announced Thursday that they’ve recalled goaltender Michal Postava from AHL Grand Rapids under emergency conditions. He is expected to back up John Gibson tomorrow against the Sabres after head coach Todd McLellan ruled Cam Talbot out earlier today due to a minor tweak (via Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press).
It will be Postava’s first time dressing for an NHL contest. The 24-year-old is in his first season in the organization, having signed an entry-level deal as an undrafted free agent last summer.
Before coming stateside, the 6’2″, 205-lb netminder spent several years climbing the ladder in his native Czechia. Only in 2024-25 did he emerge as a full-time option in the country’s top division, Extraliga, doing so with a bang.
In 42 showings for HC Kometa Brno, he erupted for a .921 SV%, 2.39 GAA, three shutouts, and a 23-18-0 record. He went on to author a Cinderella run for the mid-tier Brno all the way to an Extraliga championship, posting a league-leading .940 SV% in 17 playoff games.
Now in Grand Rapids, he’s played second fiddle to top prospect Sebastian Cossa. In most any other environment, he would have emerged as a clear-cut #3 by now. Through 21 games, he’s logged a .932 SV%, 1.86 GAA, two shutouts, and a 13-6-0 record.
Postava remains under contract through next season before becoming a restricted free agent. Given his play, it’s hard to see a universe in which he or Cossa aren’t the backup option to Gibson next season, replacing the pending UFA Talbot.
Flyers’ Nikita Grebenkin Out At Least A Week
Flyers winger Nikita Grebenkin won’t be an option for at least the next four games as Philadelphia aims to keep its slim playoff hopes alive. The team announced Thursday that he’ll be out at least seven to 10 days before being reevaluated.
Grebenkin was scratched for the first time in two months when the Flyers suffered a hugely damaging 3-2 regulation loss to the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. It’s still unclear if he was hurt or sustained his upper-body injury separately.
The 22-year-old was a fifth-round pick by the Maple Leafs in 2022. He suited up seven times for Toronto last year, making his NHL debut, before being sent to the Flyers in the deadline deal that brought Scott Laughton to Toronto.
After finishing out last season in AHL Lehigh Valley, Grebenkin broke camp with the Flyers last fall and hasn’t looked back. The 6’2″, 210-lb always projected as a depth checking forward with a bit of a scoring touch and has already lived up to his billing less than five years after being a fifth-round pick.
In 55 outings this season, the Russian has a 4-10–14 scoring line with a -7 rating. He’s averaging 11:17 per night and ranks seventh on the club with 86 hits.
Shot generation is something Grebenkin will look to improve; he has only 32 shots on goal for a 0.58 shots-per-game rate, which is nearly the worst figure on the team. Nonetheless, his defensive impacts have been strong – a relative Corsi for percentage of +1.1% at 5-on-5 grades out well.