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Canucks President Confirms Internal Rift

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Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford told the media today that there doesn’t appear to be a way forward with the current roster and the ongoing issues between forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson (as per Gary Mason of The Globe and Mail).

Rutherford told Mason that everyone involved in the situation has tried to work on a solution, including Pettersson and Miller, but whenever the group reaches a resolution, the issues reappear, and the rift grows.

No specific details are mentioned about what is the issue between the two players; Rutherford does say that the issue has had an impact on their entire locker room. Rutherford believes that the issues have impacted the Canucks ability to remain consistent, evidenced by their inability to put a string of wins together. After winning the Pacific Division last season, Vancouver came into the season with sky-high expectations but has stumbled to a 22-17-10 record.

Individually, both Miller and Pettersson have been impacted on the ice as their offensive numbers have taken a severe hit this season. Pettersson has just 11 goals and 20 assists in 43 games, which is well off the career-high 102 points he put up two seasons ago or even the 89 points he managed last year. Miller, on the other hand, has totalled nine goals and 25 assists in 39 games, which falls well below last year’s career year of 37 goals and 66 assists.

The trade talk around both players has been going on for quite some time but it has intensified in recent weeks. The Canucks are unlikely to get equal value on a one-for-one trade of either player, which Rutherford concedes in the interview. He believes the Canucks will have to take whatever assets they can accumulate and turn them into something else. Those words would lead one to believe that Vancouver intends to try and get back into Stanley Cup contention whenever this situation is resolved.

Andrei Vasilevskiy Out, Lightning Sign Kyle Konin To Emergency Contract

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The Tampa Bay Lightning Will be without star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy in Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Vasilevskiy missed Tampa’s morning practice due to an illness, per Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. Encina adds that backup Jonas Johansson will start the matchup, and that Kyle Konin has been signed to serve as an emergency backup.

In a rare occurrence for emergency backups, Konin has been in these shoes many times before. He filled an EBUG role for the Philadelphia Flyers earlier this season, supported Tampa Bay last April, and got a rookie lap with the St. Louis Blues in 2022. But despite multiple appearances, Konin hasn’t yet had to step into an NHL game. In fact, he hasn’t played since the 2018-19 season, when he set a .911 save percentage in 40 EHL games – a tier-three American juniors league. Konin now resides in Clearwater, Florida and works with a hockey-based scholarship program when he’s not being called to fill NHL benches.

But a warm story doesn’t reassure Tampa Bay’s chances on Tuesday. The Lightning are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. Johansson has supported the squad to a manageable 6-4-1 record in his starts, on the back of a .892 save percentage and 3.27 goals-against average. Tampa Bay will also be without heavy hitting defenseman Emil Martinsen Lilleberg, who was suspended two games for a late and high hit on Detroit’s J.T. Compher in Tampa Bay’s loss on Saturday. Declan Carlile has been tapped to fill in for Lilleberg and will hopefully help limit a barrage against Johansson.

Afternoon Notes: Kulich, Stolarz, Savage, Durzi

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The Buffalo Sabres cleared up space in their bottom six by placing winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers. After the team’s practice, head coach Lindy Ruff shared that the decision was influenced by how well 20-year-old Jiri Kulich has performed as of late, per Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News. Ruff elaborated that the team will face a roster crunch with Jordan Greenway expected to return to practice soon. An undisclosed injury has forced Greenway out of 28 of Buffalo’s last 32 games.

Through the weeds of roster moves, this news shines a spotlight on Kulich. The young center recorded the first three-point game of his career last Tuesday, and was promptly awarded with the most ice time of his career on Thursday. Kulich didn’t manage any scoring, but made sure to find the scoresheet in Buffalo’s Saturday game – scoring one goal on a career-high seven shots. He’s playing much more confident and determined than he was earlier in the year, and the Sabres seem ready to reward him with a hardier role and a chance to prove his worth.

Across the Atlantic Division, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube told media after practice that he won’t hold back goaltender Anthony Stolarz if he’s healthy before the league breaks for the 4-Nations Face-Off, captured in a video from TSN. Stolarz participated in his first full practice after missing the last 21 games with a knee injury. He’s been upgraded to day-to-day and nearing a return, but will have just five chances left to return before the Leafs go on a two-week break.

Stolarz effectively leads the league in save percentage among goalies with 10-or-more games played. He’s recorded a .927 through just 17 games this season, backed by a stout 9-5-2 record. Stolarz seemed to be the reliability in net that Toronto had been seeking, but his untimely injury has put the team in a challenging spot. The Leafs have been outscored 70-to-69 since Stolarz’s injury, though they’ve still managed a 12-9-0 record. His return will be hotly anticipated as, hopefully, the catalyzing piece of a second-half run in Toronto.

Traveling south of Toronto, Michigan State Spartans captain and Detroit Red Wings prospect Redmond Savage has suffered a season-ending injury, Spartans head coach Adam Nightingale told local reporter Conor Earegood of Detroit News Sports. Savage’s season will end with 11 points in 20 games – a dip in scoring pace from his 27 points in 38 games last season, but still a better pace than his two years at Miami University of Ohio. Detroit drafted Savage in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, but haven’t yet signed him to his entry-level contract. They will lose his rights next summer if he doesn’t sign.

Finally, out in the plains of the Western Conference, Utah Hockey Club defender Sean Durzi returned to the team’s practices on Tuesday. Durzi has missed Utah’s last 45 games with a shoulder injury. Head coach Andre Tourigny joked about the defender’s return to Belle Fraser of the Salt Lake Tribune, saying that Durzi looked a bit rusty but that the team is incredibly excited to have him back. Utah signed Durzi to a four-year, $24MM contract this summer, but he’s so far only played four games on the deal. He was still productive enough to illicit excitement in the brief showing – recording two assists, seven penalty minutes, and a +2. Durzi will likely return to a role on Utah’s second pair, once he eases his way back to full practice.

Golden Knights Recall Raphael Lavoie

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The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled forward Raphael Lavoie from the minor leagues, per a video of him at team practice on Vegas’ Twitter/X. The move was confirmed by The Daily Faceoff, who added that Lavoie is expected to make his season debut on Tuesday.

Lavoie was the subject of a sparring match between Vegas and Edmonton in the days leading up to the 2024-25 season. In a matter of five days, he was placed on waivers by Edmonton and claimed by Vegas; waived by Vegas and claimed by Edmonton; and then needed waived again by Edmonton since the Golden Knights were one of two teams to put in an original claim. Vegas was then able to put in a second claim and assign Lavoie to the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, where he’s been ever since.

After a winding path to land in Henderson and a slow start to the year, Lavoie finally seems to be finding his footing with the Silver Knights. He has nine points, 33 penalty minutes, and a +9 through his last 10 games, including the game-winning overtime goal in Henderson’s Saturday win over Colorado. Lavoie has more than doubled his scoring with the hot streak, moving up to 16 points in 29 games this season. The Golden Knights seem poised to reward his hard work as they plan to award him just the eighth NHL game of his career. Lavoie played in seven games with the Oilers last November, but failed to manage any scoring and received under 10 minutes of ice time in each game. He closed out the 2023-24 campaign by going on a tear in the minor leagues, finishing the year third on the Bakersfield Condors in scoring with 50 points in 66 games. At just 24, Lavoie now represents another low-risk, high-upside winger for the Golden Knights to mold.

Sabres To Reassign Nicolas Aubé-Kubel

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Jan. 28: Aubé-Kubel cleared waivers, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. The Sabres announced they’ve recalled forward Tyson Kozak from Rochester in a corresponding move.

Jan. 27: The Buffalo Sabres placed winger Nicolas Aubé-Kubel on waivers Monday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. He’ll head to AHL Rochester tomorrow if he clears.

This roster move marks the fourth time in his seven-year NHL career that Aubé-Kubel has been placed on the waiver wire. He was claimed by the Colorado Avalanche from the Philadelphia Flyers in 2021, claimed by the Washington Capitals from the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022, and went through unscathed at the beginning of last season. Granted, all those waiver claims came when Aubé-Kubel was making significantly less.

He signed the richest contract of his career this past summer with the Sabres. Buffalo gave Aubé-Kubel a one-year, $1.5MM contract in the hopes he would help reimagine the bottom six of their forward group. Unfortunately, Aubé-Kubel is amidst the least productive season of his career registering a measly one goal and one assist in 19 games with the Sabres.

Still, Aubé-Kubel lost a few games at the beginning of the season due to a lower-body injury which could help explain his decrease in productivity. He’s continued to be a very physical forward in Buffalo and is managing the third-highest CorsiFor% of his career at even strength with a 52.0% mark albeit in limited action.

Some less physical teams such as the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, and Capitals could use a player with Aubé-Kubel’s expertise. However, given his relatively high salary for a player destined for a lower-tier role, it would be unsurprising to see Aubé-Kubel go unclaimed over the next 24 hours.

Kirill Kaprizov To Undergo Lower-Body Surgery, Out Minimum Four Weeks

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1:34 p.m.: The Wild moved Kaprizov to IR to open up a roster spot, per a team announcement. They also shifted Brodin from IR to LTIR retroactive to Jan. 7 to open up the cap space for a forward recall, ruling him out of the team’s next two games at minimum.

10:35 a.m.: Wild star winger Kirill Kaprizov missed Tuesday’s practice and will undergo surgery to address his nagging lower-body injury, according to Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic. Russo and Smith report the surgery, which would address what’s believed to be a muscular issue in his groin and is scheduled for Friday, carries an expected recovery time of six weeks. General manager Bill Guerin handed down an official week-to-week designation with a minimum four-week window, per Jessi Pierce of NHL.com.

The loss of Kaprizov is less devastating than when he missed 12 games over the past month-plus, with most of his absence set to fall while the NHL schedule stops for the 4 Nations Face-Off. They still have six games left before the break, though, and their best player will join top shutdown defenseman Jonas Brodin and middle-six winger Marcus Johansson on injured reserve for that stretch. While the ageless Mats Zuccarello and breakout center Marco Rossi still form two-thirds of a formidable top line, there’s simply no replacement for Kaprizov as the Wild desperately try to hold onto their top-three spot in the Central Division heading into the break.

While second-line winger Matt Boldy is a top-line player in most markets and would likely do well with a bump in ice time, the 27-year-old Kaprizov has solidified himself as a top-three winger in the league this season. In 37 games, the 5’10” lefty has tallied 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points with a +19 rating. His 1.41 points per game are fifth in the league, and tops among left-wingers, not a level of production Boldy or the other few high-upside offensive options in the organization can aim to touch.

Boldy slid into Kaprizov’s minutes during his previous absence, doing well offensively but causing the line’s two-way dominance to falter. He posted five goals and six assists for 11 points over the 12-game span, but the Boldy-Rossi-Zuccarello trio has conceded 3.61 expected goals against per 60 minutes compared to just 2.38 xGA/60 with Kaprizov on that line, per MoneyPuck. With Johansson also missing from the top nine, 2022 first-round pick Liam Ohgren is likely to get an extended run in increased minutes. It’s a shot in the dark, though – Ohgren has just two points in 13 NHL showings this season, both assists against the Avalanche on Jan. 20.

Kaprizov will be back shortly after the trade deadline if he undergoes surgery this week and the six-week recovery window holds true. That won’t allow Minnesota to keep Kaprizov’s cap hit on long-term injured reserve for the remainder of the regular season, but it should allow them additional options for short-term flexibility as they look to add to their roster. They’ve been linked to Islanders pending UFA pivot Brock Nelson, and The Fourth Period reports they’ve at least demonstrated loose interest in Canucks stars J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. But they currently project to have just $200K in deadline space, requiring them to move out salary in any deal they make, plus asking for maximum retention on the other end.

Canucks Recall Aatu Räty

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The Canucks have recalled center Aatu Räty from AHL Abbotsford, per a team announcement. Vancouver had an open roster spot after sending down defenseman Mark Friedman over the weekend, so no corresponding transaction is required.

Räty, 22, is amid his second season of NHL action, spending his brief career with the Islanders and Canucks. The 2021 second-round pick was sent to Vancouver in the 2023 Bo Horvat trade, recording four goals and three assists for seven points across 35 games with the two clubs.

Räty ranks as the Canucks’ fourth-best prospect in Scott Wheeler of The Athletic’s most recent rankings, and for good reason. In addition to his most extended run in the NHL earlier this season, skating in 20 games over the first two months of the campaign, he’s developing a strong minor-league track record that includes 23 points (8 G, 15 A) in 23 games played for Abbotsford in 2024-25. The natural center has also remained down the middle for nearly all of his NHL call-ups instead of being shifted to the wing, a testament to his two-way instincts.

The Canucks have a crowded group of NHL/AHL tweeners and a banged-up forward group with Dakota Joshua and Kiefer Sherwood on the shelf, so it’s not a shock to see them give Räty another chance. Whether he enters the lineup tomorrow against the Predators remains to be seen, though, as they still have 13 healthy forwards available.

Flames Recall Tyson Barrie, Adam Klapka

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The Flames announced Tuesday they’ve recalled forward Adam Klapka from AHL Calgary and reinstated defenseman Tyson Barrie from his conditioning loan. They only had one open active roster spot, but that’s all they needed since Barrie still counted against the limit during his short-lived demotion.

Barrie could have stayed in the minors for up to 10 more days on his conditioning stint, but he once again finds himself available to dress in an NHL contest. That hasn’t happened since Nov. 12, though, the reason behind his first AHL action in 11 years. The offensive-minded veteran scored once and added a pair of assists in two appearances for the Wranglers over the weekend.

After signing Barrie to a one-year, $1.25MM deal following a successful PTO during training camp, Calgary has only played him in nine of their 48 games this season. The 33-year-old posted a goal and an assist with a minus-two rating while averaging a career-low 15:20 per game. He’ll now return to a battle for minutes with depth defenders Jake Bean, Joel Hanley, Daniil Miromanov, and Brayden Pachal – a battle he’s clearly lost thus far.

The hulking 24-year-old Klapka comes up to replace upstart Rory Kerins as a fourth-line option after the latter was demoted yesterday. The 6’7″ Czech forward skated in six games for Calgary over the first two months of the campaign, going without a point but recording 20 hits in 8:29 of average ice time. He ranks among the AHL club’s point-per-game leaders this season with 25 through 29 appearances, though.

Predators Reassign Kieffer Bellows, Recall Kevin Gravel

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The Predators reassigned left-winger Kieffer Bellows to AHL Milwaukee on Tuesday and used his roster spot to summon defenseman Kevin Gravel from the minors, per a team announcement. Their active roster remains at 22 players, with the open spot expected to be filled by winger Luke Evangelista coming off injured reserve in the next few days.

Bellows, 26, did not suit up for Nashville in their seven games since recalling him on Jan. 11. He suited up in four straight NHL seasons from 2019-20 to 2022-23 but has been out of the league for over a year and a half. The former first-round pick ranked as one of the organization’s top prospects for a few years but never adjusted well to the pro game.

Over his seven-year pro career, he’s seen far more AHL action than NHL action, playing in 220 minor-league games compared to 95 NHL contests. He’s produced at a decent 0.60 points-per-game rate in the AHL, where he has 76 goals and 55 assists, but that’s dropped to 0.29 across his NHL promotions.

Bellows has had a rocky past few years in particular. Nashville is his fourth organization since the beginning of the 2022-23 campaign, during which he headed from the Isles to the Flyers on waivers. He did not land an NHL contract for 2023-24 after being non-tendered by Philly, settling for a minor-league pact with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, but landed a two-way deal with the Preds for 2024-25 after breaking out for 27 goals and 49 points in 52 games.

The Minnesota native has continued to produce well while on assignment to Milwaukee. He leads the team with 12 goals through 31 games and ranks fifth with 22 points. However, he’ll have to wait until his next recall to get another crack at NHL minutes.

With Evangelista’s return imminent, his chances at playing time were set to get even slimmer in the coming days. The 22-year-old right winger has missed the last seven games with a lower-body injury but has been spotted in practice recently without a no-contact designation, suggesting he’ll come off IR before the 4 Nations Face-Off next month.

Meanwhile, Gravel replaces Spencer Stastney, who the team sent to Milwaukee over the weekend, as the Preds’ extra defenseman. Nashville has recalled the 32-year-old lefty twice already this season, resulting in a trio of appearances during which he has an assist and a plus-two rating. The 6’4″, 205-lb Michigan native has averaged 18:19 per game – the most of his NHL stints since debuting in the 2015-16 season – and controlled 45.9% of shot attempts at even strength.

While a stay-at-home defender first and foremost, Gravel’s 12 points in 35 AHL games also leads Milwaukee defensemen in scoring this season. He has another year left on the two-way extension he signed in January of last year and won’t be a UFA until 2026.

Ryan Lindgren Wants To Stay With Rangers Past Trade Deadline

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If he has things his way, Rangers pending UFA defenseman Ryan Lindgren will remain in New York past the March 7 trade deadline, he told Larry Brooks of the New York Post on Monday (subscription required).

Lindgren, whose stay-at-home play has been hampered by injuries over the past few seasons, spent nearly a month as a restricted free agent last summer before coming to terms on a one-year, $4.5MM deal three days before his scheduled arbitration hearing. Since the deal walked him to unrestricted free agency in 2025, most assumed this would be Lindgren’s last season in Manhattan, either because he’d be traded at the deadline or let loose on the open market.

His play this season hasn’t done much to change that assumption in the public eye. The soon-to-be 27-year-old missed the first five games of the season with an upper-body injury and has since embarked on a rocky campaign, posting overall negative possession impacts for the second season in a row.

He’s still spent most of his time on the Blueshirts’ top pairing with Adam Fox and is averaging nearly 20 minutes per game. However, the difference in Fox’s play away from Lindgren is jarring. The Fox-Lindgren pairing has controlled 49.7% of expected goals together through nearly 500 minutes, while Fox has controlled a league-leading 67.1% of expected goals in nearly 300 minutes with K’Andre Miller on his left side. Most of that difference is accounted for by Miller’s offensive prowess, but the Miller-Fox pairing also allows 0.7 fewer xG per 60 minutes than the Lindgren-Fox duo.

Of course, Lindgren continues to do what he does best – block shots. His 86 are tied with Braden Schneider for the team lead. It hasn’t translated into great shutdown results at 5-on-5, though, especially when paired with his lack of offensive upside.

His role moving forward got muddied when the Rangers signed righty William Borgen to a five-year, $20.5MM extension over the weekend. Borgen is a more direct and economical Jacob Trouba replacement after New York traded him to the Ducks earlier this year. However, he still eats into their cap space for next season and will likely mean the Rangers look to spend Lindgren’s cash on a different style of player – potentially a forward upgrade.

Lindgren has posted better results in the past few weeks, namely six assists and a plus-three rating in 13 games since New Year’s. But his rapidly increasing injury history and inconsistent play over the last two seasons make it understandable that his name pops up in trade speculation, even as the Rangers look to rebound and secure a playoff spot following a harrowing 4-15-0 record in their last 19 games of the 2024 calendar year.

“I just try and block it out,” Lindgren said about that speculation. “I don’t like hearing or seeing my name included in these rumors but I know where I am with my contract and I get it, I’m just trying to do my best, focus on hockey, with what the team needs and try and enjoy it.”

Lindgren didn’t comment on any potential extension talks with the Rangers, but did reaffirm he wanted to see out the season in New York. While drafted by the Bruins in the second round in 2016, he was traded to the Rangers in 2018 in the Rick Nash deal before making his NHL debut. He’s skated in all of his 377 career NHL games as a Ranger, posting 12 goals, 80 assists, 92 points, and a +99 rating while averaging just over 19 minutes per game.

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