Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for February 2024

Morning Notes: Broberg, Stadium Series, Hakanpaa

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Edmonton Oilers aren’t planning on trading former top prospect Philip Broberg for a rental, says Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Saturday Headlines. Friedman added that he thinks Broberg has been garnering plenty of interest thanks to his strong AHL play. The 22-year-old defenseman has one goal and 19 points in 29 games with the Bakersfield Condors this season. He’s also appeared in 10 NHL games, going without a point and recording a -2.

Broberg was originally selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, seeing his name called amidst a historic first round. But he’s one of just two players in that year’s Top 10 to not yet play in at least 100 NHL games. Broberg has managed just 79 appearances with the Oilers since making his NHL debut in 2021-22, scoring a measly two goals and 11 points in those outings. Scoring wasn’t Broberg’s strength before his NHL career, totaling just 21 points across 89 games in the SHL, but his performances in North America have still left a lot to be desired. Still, per Friedman, there are still teams interested in whether they can turn around Broberg’s career. With the Oilers not looking to move him for a rental, it’s likely that the team will still want a hardy return for their most recent Top 10 draftee.

Other notes from around the league:

Noah Hanifin Likely To Test Free Agency

at CDT | by 7 Comments

The agents for Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin have informed the team that he will not sign an extension ahead of the March 8 trade deadline and instead intends to test unrestricted free agency this summer, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports on “Saturday Headlines.”

TSN’s Chris Johnston reported earlier in the month that Hanifin’s camp was expected to inform Flames GM Craig Conroy of his re-signing intentions in the coming days. Hanifin indicated last summer he was not willing to extend in Calgary, but became amenable to a deal closer to the beginning of the season and was reportedly offered an eight-year deal with a $7.5MM AAV shortly thereafter.

That deal was still on the table by all indications heading into their discussions this month, but Hanifin likely believes he can attract richer offers over the summer – or with a new squad in the coming months. He’ll now surely be dealt by the deadline and, at 27 years old, becomes the top rental option remaining on the market at any position with Penguins winger Jake Guentzel injured.

With one foot in the “stay in Calgary” door, there haven’t been many documented suitors for Hanifin in recent weeks. The Coyotes had demonstrated interest earlier in the season, but a 2-7-1 stretch in their last 10 games has them far out of the playoff picture and takes them out of the conversation for making a rental acquisition.

Some contenders and playoff hopefuls with obvious holes on defense, such as the Maple Leafs and Lightning, would likely be willing to give up assets for Hanifin without a guarantee of an extension. The minute-munching defender, who has 30 points and a +11 rating in 54 contests, carries a reasonable cap hit of $4.95MM, although that’s still likely too much to swallow for most contenders without moving money the other way.

It’s worth noting that Hanifin has some control over his short-term destiny. His deal affords him an eight-team no-trade list, per CapFriendly. Whether Hanifin would consider an extension with his post-deadline team is unclear.

The coming weeks will end a six-year tenure for Hanifin in Calgary. The Flames acquired him, along with Elias Lindholm, from the Hurricanes in a June 2018 blockbuster, sending Micheal Ferland, Dougie Hamilton, and the signing rights to future Rangers superstar Adam Fox in return.

Hanifin’s averaged a career-high 23:44 this season, and his 0.56 points per game is the second-highest mark of his career. His expected +1.3 rating is pedestrian compared to recent seasons, however, as is his career-worst Corsi-for percentage of 49.6 at even strength.

East Notes: York, van Riemsdyk, Fehérváry, Harris

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Flyers defenseman Cam York is in the lineup for tonight’s Stadium Series game against the Devils, head coach John Tortorella confirms (via PHLY Sports’ Charlie O’Connor). The 23-year-old sustained an upper-body injury Thursday against the Maple Leafs and told The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz yesterday that he was “not sure yet” about his status for tonight.

The 2019 14th-overall pick is handling the most responsibility of his young career, averaging a career-high 21:47 per game while posting six goals, 12 assists and 18 points in 55 appearances. He’s on pace for a career-high 27 points and has not missed a game this season.

More advanced metrics are less kind to his performance this year, however. His pairing with Travis Sanheim is the Flyers’ most used, logging 645 minutes together but controlling a mediocre 48.9% of expected goals in the process, per MoneyPuck. York’s 47.6 Corsi-for percentage at even strength is also the worst among Philadelphia’s full-time defensemen, but some growing pains are to be expected for an under-25 defenseman shouldering over 20 minutes per game for the first time.

Other updates from the Eastern Conference:

  • Capitals veteran blue-liner Trevor van Riemsdyk draws in tonight against the Canadiens, The Washington Post’s Bailey Johnson reports. The Middletown, New Jersey, native had missed the last four games with an illness and has only played in four of Washington’s last 11 games due to a handful of healthy scratches. He’s fallen down the depth chart after the team picked up Ethan Bear in free agency, a concerning development given he has two years remaining on a deal carrying a $3MM cap hit. He has eight assists and a -11 rating while averaging 18:30 in 40 games.
  • As one returns for Washington, another defenseman departs as Martin Fehérváry sustained a lower-body injury early in tonight’s game against Montreal and will not return, the team says. The 24-year-old Slovak suffered a non-contact injury after falling awkwardly behind the Capitals net, per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. He’s remained in a top-pairing role alongside John Carlson for most of the season, recording 12 points and a -6 rating in 46 games while logging 19:08 per game, down from an even 20 last season. The 2018 second-round pick also missed five games with a lower-body injury in November.
  • Also absent on the blue line for tonight’s Habs/Caps tilt is Montreal’s Jordan Harris, who remained in a non-contact jersey at practice this morning, The Athletic’s Arpon Basu reports. Harris, 23, remains listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury that’s now cost him three games. It’s been a trying season for the 2018 third-round pick, who played just 1:34 against the Blues last Sunday after being a healthy scratch in four of the previous five games. Injuries have also taken a fair chunk out of his games played total this year, including a 15-game absence due to a lower-body injury in November and December. He has one goal and six points in 31 games while averaging 17:02 with a -5 rating and is locked into a $1.4MM cap hit through 2025.

Injury Notes: O’Connor, MacKinnon, Ekblad, Tavares

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Colorado Avalanche will be without the services of forward Logan O’Connor tomorrow night, as Meghan Angley of DNVR Avalanche reports the team will hold him out of the lineup so that he can play more continuously when fully healthy. O’Connor has missed the last two games for Colorado as he suffered a lower-body injury in the team’s recent contest against the Florida Panthers.

Amid a career year offensively, the typical bottom-six player for the Avalanche has already reached a career-high total in goals with 13 and is only one point behind his career-high in points with 25. Shaping up to be an integral part of their postseason aspirations, O’Connor still has one year and $1.05MM remaining on his contract after this season.

Either in practice or in the team’s most recent game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now reports that Nathan MacKinnon had broken his nose after taking a puck to the face. MacKinnon is not expected to miss any time with the injury but could be seen wearing a bubble on his helmet tomorrow night.

Other injury notes:

  • Before their game tonight against their in-state rivals, the Panthers announced that defenseman Aaron Ekblad would miss the game due to a lower-body injury. Ekblad had previously missed the majority of the start to the 2023-24 campaign due to offseason shoulder surgery. Upon his return in mid-November, Ekblad has regained most of his previous form, scoring three goals and 14 points in 37 games while averaging over 21 minutes a night for the Panthers.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without their captain tonight, as John Tavares is reportedly considered day-to-day with a minor injury (X Link). Taking a bit of a step back from his previous scoring pace in Toronto, Tavares still sits fifth on the team in scoring with 15 goals and 40 points in 51 games.

Trade Deadline Primer: Minnesota Wild

at CDT | by 8 Comments

With the All-Star break in the rearview, the trade deadline looms large and is now just a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Minnesota Wild.

After making the playoffs a total of 10 times in the last 11 seasons, the Wild were once again looking to compete for the Stanley Cup this upcoming spring. Unfortunately, things have not gone according to plan, with Minnesota now on the outside looking in when it comes to the Western Conference playoff race. After a head coaching change earlier in the season, the Wild are certainly still within reach, and will likely look to add around the fringes in the hopes of making Lord Stanley’s tournament.

Record

25-23-5, 6th in the Central Division.

Deadline Status

Conservative Sellers

Deadline Cap Space

$4.53 MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2024: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, BUF 5th, MIN 6th
2025: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN  3rd, TOR 4th, MIN 6th

Trade Chips

With Minnesota signing most of their would-be trade chips to extensions last offseason, there only remains one veteran on the roster that could attract any sort of interest on March 8th. Now in his 20th year and an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, the Wild could look to peddle goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury with many contending teams looking to improve their situation between the pipes.

Fleury has been relatively productive this season, sporting a 10-9-3 record in 25 contests, carrying a .902 save percentage and 2.83 goals against average. Although he does carry a no-move clause, Fleury may waive that to join a contender in hopes of winning a Stanley Cup to cap off his career.

Teams like the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs could be interested in Fleury’s services, where he would primarily be utilized in a backup role to give their regular netminders more rest in between starts. Furthermore, teams such as the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils may be in desperation mode when it comes to fixing their goaltending woes and may prefer Fleury to start the majority of games down the stretch.

Outside of Fleury, considering the organization will likely be nibbling around the edges when it comes to the trade market this March, it is unlikely Minnesota will consider moving either of their first-round selections in the next two upcoming NHL Drafts. They may consider moving out a thin pool of mid-round selections, but it will not be enough for the Wild to make any significant improvements to the roster.

Team Needs

1) Get Younger – Currently, the Wild ranks as the fourth-oldest team in the NHL, with the average age sitting at 29.4. Outside of the numerous overseas prospects looking to make the jump to North America next year, Minnesota has defensive prospects Carson Lambos and Daemon Hunt who are certainly on the cusp. Keeping in mind the stardom of goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, the Wild certainly have plenty of young talent ready to bring to the top level. Factoring in these upcoming players, they make the early extensions given to the likes of Ryan Hartman, Marcus Foligno, and Mats Zuccarello more difficult to comprehend, as their contracts are not only difficult to move out, but are blocking a few prospects from regular playing time.

2) A Right-Shot Defenseman – In the short term, if Minnesota is looking to make the playoffs in the 2023-24 season, they need to replace the lost minutes of captain Jared Spurgeon sooner rather than later. Rookie defenseman Brock Faber has certainly held his own on the right side of the top unit, but it quickly falls apart behind him. Last season, the team chose to acquire John Klingberg from the Anaheim Ducks to strengthen the right side of their defense, and they certainly could use another top-four defenseman within that caliber of player.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Washington Capitals

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR concludes its look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2023-24 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Washington Capitals

Current Cap Hit: $85,054,827 (over the $83.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Connor McMichael (one year, $863K)
F Aliaksei Protas (one year, $789K)

Potential Bonuses
Protas: $82.5K

Last season was a step back for McMichael who went from being a regular in Washington to a regular in Hershey.  This year, he’s back to being a regular but hasn’t been all that productive despite seeing a lot of top-six minutes.  While he’s still almost certainly part of their future plans, he’s likely heading for a bridge contract around double his current price tag.  Protas has already signed a new deal which we’ll cover later but it’s worth noting his bonuses are based on games played.  A full-time regular, Protas should max out on those as long as he stays healthy.

Signed Through 2023-24, Non-Entry-Level

F Nicolas Aube-Kubel ($1.25MM, UFA)
D Joel Edmundson ($1.75MM, UFA)*
F Beck Malenstyn ($762.5K, RFA)
F Anthony Mantha ($5.7MM, UFA)
F Max Pacioretty ($2MM, UFA)
D Rasmus Sandin ($1.4MM, RFA)

*-Montreal is retaining an additional $1.75MM on Edmundson’s contract.

Potential Bonuses
Pacioretty: $2MM

After struggling with consistency in Detroit, Mantha hasn’t been able to improve on that with the Capitals.  At times, he plays like a top-liner and at others, he’s barely noticeable.  While he has played better as of late, it’s hard to see him matching his current contract.  A one-year pillow deal could be a viable option while a multi-year agreement likely starts with a four.  Pacioretty missed more time than expected while recovering from his second Achilles surgery and has been relatively quiet since returning.  Meanwhile, $1.5MM of his games-played bonuses have already been met while the final $500K should be reached this week.  There will still be a market for Pacioretty this summer but it’s likely to be a deal structured similar to this one with some performance bonuses in there.

Aube-Kubel cleared waivers at the beginning of the season but has done relatively well with Washington where he has still spent most of the year.  That said, as a long-term fourth liner, his earnings upside is going to be limited this summer and a small cut in pay isn’t out of the question.  The same can’t be said for Malenstyn who has locked down a full-time roster spot, spending a lot of time on the third line.  His offensive numbers are low enough that his next deal won’t be too expensive but he should at least double his current cap hit, especially with arbitration eligibility.

Edmundson battled injury issues early in the season and has been limited to duty on the third pairing since returning.  With injuries causing him to miss significant time over the last few years, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Edmundson’s next deal come closer to what Washington is paying him now compared to his full $3.5MM AAV.  As for Sandin, he hasn’t been able to keep up the level of production he had down the stretch last year but he is still logging top-four minutes and is a part of their longer-term plans.  He’s owed a $1.6MM qualifying offer but could more than double that on a long-term agreement that buys out some of his UFA-eligible seasons.

Signed Through 2024-25

D Alexander Alexeyev ($825K, RFA)
F Nicklas Backstrom ($9.2MM, UFA)
D Ethan Bear ($2.0625MM, UFA)
F Nic Dowd ($1.3MM, UFA)
F Evgeny Kuznetsov ($7.8MM, UFA)
G Charlie Lindgren ($1.1MM, UFA)
F T.J. Oshie ($5.75MM, UFA)
F Michael Sgarbossa ($775K, UFA)

Backstrom was able to return from hip resurfacing surgery last season where he performed relatively well, not so much relative to his contract but simply for coming back and being a top-six player.  However, he struggled early on this season before shutting it down with lingering pain.  He’s on LTIR and may very well stay there through next year.

The hope was that Kuznetsov would rediscover his offensive touch under new head coach Spencer Carbery after a trade failed to materialize in the summer.  Instead, he struggled through the first half of the year and is now in the Player Assistance Program.  Assuming he returns from that, it’s quite unlikely that he’ll be able to command anywhere close to this type of contract in 2025; something in the $4MM range might be the more realistic target.

Oshie provided plenty of value on this deal early on but it was always expected that the final couple of years could be a drag on Washington’s cap.  He’ll be 38 when this deal is up so if there is another contract for him, it’s likely to be a bonus-laden one with a base price tag between a quarter and a third of what it is now.

Dowd has worked his way from being a depth player to a capable third liner since joining the Capitals.  He doesn’t provide enough scoring to really top out his earnings but as a good penalty killer and someone who can hold his own at the faceoff dot, he could plausibly double his current cost on a multi-year deal in 2025.  As for Sgarbossa, he’s up with Kuznetsov out of the lineup and has been an AHL recall for several years now.  That doesn’t seem likely to change unless he can grab hold of a full-time spot while he’s up.

Bear recently signed this contract and will be looking to rebuild some value after an injury sustained at the Worlds kept him out for nearly half the season.  His contract is backloaded – next year’s salary sits at $2.75MM – and that price tag is likely where he’s hoping his next contract will land, assuming he can move into a more prominent spot in the lineup next season.  Alexeyev is a waiver-blocked young defender who has had a hard time cracking the lineup so far this season.  Until he’s able to grab a hold of a spot, it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to command much more than this.

Lindgren has slowly worked his way from a third-string goaltender for the first several years of his professional career to a decent backup early in his time with Washington to now a strong-side platoon netminder as he is in the midst of a career year.  Considering the market value for a decent platoon option is three times his current price tag (if not a bit more for some), the Capitals are getting great value here.  Meanwhile, if Lindgren can keep up his level of play through next season, he will be in line for a substantial jump in pay, one that could push past the $4MM mark on a multi-year agreement based on contracts handed out to similar netminders in recent years.

Signed Through 2025-26

D John Carlson ($8MM, UFA)
D Martin Fehervary ($2.675MM, RFA)
D Nick Jensen ($4.05MM, UFA)
F Sonny Milano ($1.9MM, UFA)
F Alex Ovechkin ($9.5MM, UFA)
D Trevor van Riemsdyk ($3MM, UFA)

Ovechkin provided a decent return on the first two years of his contract but he has slowed down considerably this season despite a recent hot stretch.  This is a legacy deal as he tries to chase down the all-time goal record.  It wouldn’t be surprising if this is his last NHL contract unless he winds up just a few tallies short and takes a one-year agreement to take one final crack at Wayne Gretzky’s mark.  In that instance, a bonus-laden deal with a much lower base salary would be quite likely.  Milano had to settle for a league-minimum contract in-season last year but played well enough to get some stability.  A back-to-back 30-plus-point player, he’ll give Washington some good value if he can stay around that level of production while setting himself up for a small raise down the road.

At his peak, Carlson was one of the premier point producers from the back end.  Those days are gone now although he’s still above average on that front while logging number one minutes.  As long as that continues to be the case, they’ll get a reasonable return on this contract.  Having said that, by the time he goes to sign his next deal, it will almost certainly come in a few million below this.  Jensen had a career year last season to earn this contract but hasn’t been able to play at the same level.  As a right-shot defender who can play on the second pairing, it’s not all bad news but right now, this contract looks like a bit of an overpayment especially with him being 33 already.  Accordingly, it’s hard to see him looking at a raise in 2026.

The same can be said for van Riemsdyk who turned his best year into a three-year deal as well but hasn’t been able to repeat it this season.  More of a player best suited as a fifth option on a third pairing, this price tag is also a bit on the high side based on van Riemsdyk’s current level of performance.  If he stays at that level for the rest of the deal, he’ll be looking at a pay cut as well.  Fehervary has become a capable checking blueliner, one that plays with plenty of physicality.  With a limited offensive skill set, he won’t produce enough to command a significant raise with his arbitration rights in 2026 but a small one should be coming.  With his deal being front-loaded, his qualifying offer checks in at just over $1MM so that won’t be a factor in discussions.

Read more

Metropolitan Notes: DeAngelo, Blue Jackets, Brodzinski, Harkins

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Tony DeAngelo’s second stint with the Hurricanes hasn’t gone as planned.  After being a key contributor his first time around, the 28-year-old has been a frequent healthy scratch this season.  However, Cory Lavalette notes in his latest piece for The Athletic (subscription link) that he hasn’t asked for a trade from the team.  DeAngelo has played in just 23 games so far this season, notching two goals and seven assists while averaging a career-low 14:12 per contest.  Just last season, DeAngelo had 42 points with Philadelphia after putting up 51 with Carolina the year before.  On an affordable $1.675MM contract, Carolina may move DeAngelo to give him a shot to play regular minutes elsewhere although they’d either need to get a depth defender in return or have a trade in place to acquire a replacement soon after.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson talked about the importance of experience in filling their now-vacant GM position with Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch. They’re not necessarily focusing on someone who has experience as an NHL GM but rather that they’ve had some level of success in a front office, be it as an assistant GM or the major junior ranks.  Columbus won’t be filling the position before the end of the season with the team taking somewhat of a by-committee approach when it comes to the upcoming trade deadline.
  • With Filip Chytil out for the season, many have expected the Rangers to target center help before next month’s trade deadline. However, Newsday’s Colin Stephenson wonders if the recent performance of Jonny Brodzinski might lessen the need for New York to target a middleman.  The 30-year-old is up to 14 points in 30 games since being recalled in late November while the line he’s on has had some recent success.  With impact centers in very short supply, Brodzinski maintaining this level of production would certainly lessen the need to pay a big price to get one in the coming weeks.
  • Penguins forward Jansen Harkins was a full participant in practice today after missing the last two games with a concussion, relays Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link). The 26-year-old has been on the waiver wire a couple of times this season but still has played in 34 games with Pittsburgh, recording four assists while averaging a little over eight minutes per night.

Ducks Activate Alex Killorn, Place Brock McGinn On IR

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Ducks have made a pair of roster moves in advance of their game tonight versus Toronto.  The team announced (Twitter link) that winger Alex Killorn has been activated off IR.  To make room on the roster, winger Brock McGinn has been placed on IR retroactive to February 10th with an upper-body injury.

Killorn is in his first season with Anaheim after signing a four-year, $25MM contract with them back in July.  However, it’s been a campaign riddled with injuries.  The 34-year-old fractured his finger in the preseason, causing him to miss the first month of the season.  Then last month, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.  Fortunately for him and the Ducks, Killorn recovered quicker than anticipated as he was supposed to miss four to six weeks and came back a little before the four-week mark.

In between recovering from those injuries, Killorn got off to a decent start offensively with his new club, collecting 19 points in 34 games.  While those numbers are down from a year ago, it would have been unrealistic for Anaheim to expect Killorn to beat his career-best numbers from a much deeper Tampa Bay team in his first year with a rebuilding club that was expected to be near the bottom of the league in the goal department.

As for McGinn, he last played back on January 25th, making the placement back to February 10th a bit of an odd choice.  However, since the placement has been dated back by a week, he’s eligible to be activated at any time.  The 30-year-old has had a very limited role this season, suiting up in just 24 games where he has three points in 37 hits while averaging just over 11 minutes per game.

Capitals Activate Sonny Milano Off Injured Reserve

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Capitals will be welcoming back a key winger into their lineup as team reporter Mike Vogel relays that Sonny Milano has been activated off injured reserve and will suit up tonight against Montreal.

The 27-year-old has missed more than two months (27 games in total) with an upper-body injury.  Before he was injured, Milano, like many of Washington’s players, had gotten off to somewhat of a quiet start offensively, notching four goals and four assists in his first 23 games while averaging a little over 12 minutes a night of action.

However, after recording back-to-back seasons of double-digit goals and at least 30 points, Milano’s return will be a welcome one to a Capitals team is the lowest-scoring team in the Eastern Conference, a big reason why they enter play today six points out of the final playoff spot.  It’s expected he’ll line up on the third line with Michael Sgarbossa and Max Pacioretty.

Washington had an open roster spot so no corresponding move was needed to activate Milano.  Their roster now stands at the maximum of 23 players.

Atlantic Notes: Maple Leafs, Sabres, Fabbri

at CDT | by 6 Comments

With the Maple Leafs not having a second-round pick until 2027 and an anticipated unwillingness to move their first-round pick, their trade chips are certainly limited.  Accordingly, Chris Johnston of The Athletic noted on a recent TSN Insider Trading segment that Toronto has gone with a volume approach when it comes to offering up draft picks for rentals; clearly, nothing has materialized in terms of an accepted trade yet.  They have two extra fifth-round picks and an extra seventh-rounder among their nine selections in June so if they are indeed trying to move some of those extra picks, they’ll likely be forced to shop more towards the depth side of the trade market.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • With Buffalo being in a spot where they were carrying three goalies for a good chunk of the season, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News wonders if that could affect their pursuit of a veteran netminder this summer. If it’s determined that Devon Levi needs more time with AHL Rochester, it stands to reason that the Sabres would want a veteran on a short-term deal to partner with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.  However, most of the quality second-string or platoon options will be looking for more than one year on the open market so Lysowski suggests that they might have to turn to the trade market to get a netminder on a short-term deal.
  • Red Wings winger Robby Fabbri will return to the lineup today against Calgary, relays Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News (Twitter link). The 28-year-old missed Thursday’s contest due to the birth of his daughter.  When healthy, Fabbri has been a capable secondary scorer for Detroit this season, collecting 13 goals and eight assists in 39 games so far, surpassing the half-point-per-game mark for the fifth straight year.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top