Tampa Bay Lightning Activate Brayden Point
According to team insider Erik Erlendsson, the Tampa Bay Lightning have activated forward Brayden Point and defenseman Emil Martinsen Lilleberg from long-term injured reserve. Additionally, the team has placed Nick Paul on the injured reserve in a corresponding roster move.
The transactions were largely expected on all accounts. Despite being sidelined with a significant knee injury since January 12th, there was a fringe chance that Point would suit up for Team Canada at the Olympics. Although that didn’t happen, the expectation is that he would return to the team for their first game back, while taking time during the break to complete his rehabilitation.
Tampa Bay has arguably been the most dominant team in the Eastern Conference this season, and they’ve mostly done so without Point at the top of his game. When he has been healthy, Point has scored only 11 goals and 30 points in 37 games, averaging 18:02 of ice time. Still, his possession and defensive metrics have remained stable throughout his career averages.
Still, the point production has been worrisome, and would have a bigger impact if the rest of the team hadn’t been filling in the gaps. Point is only a year removed from an impressive three-year stretch where he scored 139 goals and 267 points in 240 games. Hopefully, the Olympic break provided Point with the necessary time to fully rehabilitate from the injuries that have negatively impacted his 2025-26 campaign, allowing him to regain his form in the final stretch.
Meanwhile, the Lightning are also adding some defensive depth back into the lineup. Lilleberg has missed multiple months with an undisclosed injury and is one of many Tampa Bay defenders to suffer long-term injuries this season. Before exiting the lineup in mid-December, Lilleberg scored two goals and six points in 32 games, averaging 17:21 of ice time. There’s no word on whether he’ll enter the lineup tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Lastly, Paul, like Lilleberg, is dealing with an undisclosed injury from before the Olympics. Unfortunately, the Lightning haven’t provided any rigid timeline for his return. Already seeking middle-six depth leading up to the deadline, Paul’s absence could further influence this plan. The 30-year-old veteran has registered six goals and 12 points in 34 games for the Bolts this season.
Penguins Place Sidney Crosby On IR, Activate Kris Letang
The lower-body injury Sidney Crosby sustained at the Olympics will significantly impact the rest of his season. According to a team announcement, the Pittsburgh Penguins have placed their captain on the injured reserve. Additionally, the team has activated veteran defenseman Kris Letang in a corresponding roster move.
Although Team Canada, largely out of respect for the Penguins, failed to clarify the extent of Crosby’s injury; Pittsburgh did. The team shared that Crosby is expected to miss the next four weeks at a minimum, putting his projected return toward the end of March in a best case scenario.
Obviously, Crosby’s absence will have a significant impact on Pittsburgh’s competitiveness to close out the regular season. Despite their strong performance this season, largely led by Crosby offensively, the team is only one point up on the New York Islanders and five points up on the Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals. Still, the Penguins have a few games in hand on the Islanders and Capitals, respectively.
Even if the Penguins commit to buying at the deadline, there are few options to fill the void left by Crosby, both on and off the ice. In his age-38 campaign, he’s remained a point-per-game player, registering 27 goals and 59 points in 56 games, averaging 19:35 of ice time per night. There’s a 15-point gap between Crosby and fellow veteran Evgeni Malkin for the team-lead in scoring.
If there’s any consolation, Pittsburgh will be able to move Malkin to the first-line center, where he’s filled in on occassion throughout Crosby’s career. Also incumbered by injuries throughout the season, Malkin has had a quality year when healthy, scoring 13 goals and 44 points in 41 games.
It’ll be interesting to see if Crosby’s injury will have any impact on the Penguins’ plans for the trade deadline. Given that they’re surprisingly competitive this season, General Manager Kyle Dubas has been able to add a few NHL pieces in a flurry of trades while also improving the team’s draft capital moving forward.
Meanwhile, Letang returns from injury after a month, though much of that was from the Olympic break. He had been recovering from a broken foot. The 20-year veteran has scored three goals and 25 points in 50 games for the Penguins this season. It’s expected that he’ll resume his role on Pittsburgh’s second defensive-pairing, alongside recent acquisition, Samuel Girard.
Trade Notes: Kane, Pettersson, Laine
On the trade market for nearly a month, the expectation remains that Vancouver Canucks forward Evander Kane will be moved in the next few days before the trade deadline. On Insider Trading, TSN’s Chris Johnston reported renewed interest in Kane from playoff-bound teams after the Olympic break.
He didn’t provide an exhaustive list, but Johnston stated that the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, among others, have each inquired about Kane to some capacity. Johnston doesn’t expect the price to be all that high, and he indicated that the Canucks have no issue retaining half of Kane’s salary for the rest of the season, making him much more financially palatable.
There’s no question that Kane has had a disappointing season by his standards, scoring nine goals and 25 points in 56 games with a -18 rating, averaging 16:50 of ice time per game. Still, he remains a physical middle-six winger who’s one year removed from scoring six goals and 12 points in 21 postseason games for the Edmonton Oilers.
Additional trade notes:
- On Insider Trading, TSN’s Darren Dreger spoke briefly about Kane’s teammate, Elias Pettersson. Although there is heightened interest in Pettersson, Dreger shared that the Canucks haven’t received any legitimate offers for their first-line center and haven’t had any reason to contact Pettersson or his agency about waiving his full no-movement clause. After scoring 73 goals and 191 points in 162 games from 2022 to 2024, Pettersson has only registered 28 goals and 79 points in 113 games since, making him a difficult player to assess. Factoring in his $11.6MM cap hit through the 2031-32 season, it’s becoming increasingly likely that Vancouver won’t find a suitable offer.
- After the injury to winger Kevin Fiala in the Olympics, the Los Angeles Kings have a near-drastic need for a scoring winger if they have any hopes of reaching the playoffs this year. One player that has been mildly linked to Los Angeles in the last few days is Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine, though that no longer appears to be in the cards. According to Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period, the Kings checked in on Laine over the last few days, but no longer believe there’s a fit between the two. Bernstein didn’t clarify if the Kings were turned off by the price, Laine’s injury history, a combination of the two, or something else entirely.
Golden Knights Make Multiple Roster Moves
The Vegas Golden Knights are inching toward a healthy roster. Yesterday, Jason R. Pothier and Ken Boehlke of SinBin.vegas reported that forwards Colton Sissons and Brandon Saad have been activated off the team’s injured reserve.
In addition to the two mentioned, the Golden Knights’ lineup has welcomed back defenseman Brayden McNabb, who was activated from long-term injured reserve, according to PuckPedia. Additionally, the team has placed Carter Hart and Brett Howden on LTIR, creating $3.1MM in salary cap space leading up to the trade deadline.
The return of Sissons and Saad won’t be incredibly impactful in a vacuum, though they should help improve the team’s depth moving forward. Sissons, 32, has scored three goals and six points in 41 games this season, whereas Saad, 33, has registered two goals and seven points in 39 games. Each veteran will become an unrestricted free agent next summer, assuming they don’t sign a contract extension with the Golden Knights.
Meanwhile, McNabb’s return will allow Vegas to see how the team’s defensive core operates since acquiring Rasmus Andersson. Barring something surprising, it’ll be the first time the Golden Knights have been able to deploy their best defensemen since trading for Andersson.
It’ll be interesting to see how Vegas utilizes McNabb with Andersson in the fold. A defensive stalwart for many years, McNabb has seemingly taken a step back in that category this season. Before going down with an upper-body injury on December 31st, McNabb was averaging an 89.0% on-ice SV% at even strength, the lowest mark of his career. Still, he remains a capable shot-blocker and will provide more value down the lineup.
Devils Reassign Dennis Cholowski
Feb. 24: Not surprisingly, New Jersey shared today that Cholowski has been re-assigned to AHL Utica. The former first round defenseman was able to practice with the team during the break, but will not add to his 15 game season total with New Jersey at this time. The Devils host Buffalo tomorrow in their first game post-Olympics.
Feb. 18: The Devils made Hameenaho’s and White’s recalls official today. They also summoned defenseman Dennis Cholowski and goaltender Jakub Malek from AHL Utica to serve as extra practice players while they await the return of their Olympians.
Feb. 13: The Devils will recall forward Lenni Hameenaho and defenseman Colton White back to the NHL roster after the Olympic break, per James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now. As things stand, they won’t need to make any corresponding moves.
Hameenaho, 21, appeared in the first nine games of his NHL career in the weeks leading up to the break. The early returns were strong for the 2023 second-round pick. He notched two goals and four points with a +1 rating. The right-winger played his natural position, usually on a line with Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass. That trio controlled a dominant 75% of expected goals at 5-on-5, per MoneyPuck. It’s easy to see why New Jersey wants to squeeze as much momentum as they can out of that group when league play reconvenes later this month.
Hameenaho’s adjustment to the NHL game is a great sign that a rough campaign for the club’s AHL affiliate in Utica hasn’t steered him too far off his development path. The 6’1″ Finn has a 9-13–22 scoring line and a -13 rating through 34 minor-league games, a figure that improbably leads the team in scoring.
He made his offensive ceiling evident with a pair of spectacular post-draft campaigns in his home country for Ässät. In 2024-25, he erupted for 20 goals and 51 points in 58 Liiga games to lead under-20 players in scoring.
Now, as one of New Jersey’s brightest prospects, he appears set to finish out the season in a top-nine role. While playoffs are essentially out of the question, a strong finish should position him well to crack the opening night roster next fall.
White, 28, has spent most of his pro career in the minors but has been a pleasant surprise as a call-up option when needed this season. Injuries have forced the lefty in 23 appearances, in which he’s recorded four assists and a +2 rating. They’re his first games at the top level since suiting up a career-high 46 times for the Ducks in 2022-23.
A stay-at-home specialist, White is averaging just 12:15 of ice time per game but has been a no-fuss option in bottom-pairing minutes. He’s controlled 47.7% of shot attempts and 53.9% of expected goals at even strength, so he’s done a good job of helping the Devils control quality scoring chances against lesser competition.
Central Notes: Toews, Jets Injuries, Predators
Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews can be marked off any trade deadline wish lists, as the future Hall of Famer says he will invoke his no movement clause if approached, as explained in a piece by Murat Ates of The Athletic.
The reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners welcomed Toews back into the NHL after a two-year hiatus. Joining his hometown club, there were slight hopes the 37-year-old could be a viable second line center, but even if not, he’d be a key presence in a smaller role. Unfortunately things have not gone to plan for Winnipeg, as injuries and a brutal 11-game winless streak at the New Year have sunk the team’s playoff hopes.
Toews’ 19 points in 56 games indicate decline, but he still shows a respectable 48.5% corsi for at even strength, an improvement from his final days as a Blackhawk in 2022-23. As a three-time Stanley Cup winner, practically any contender would welcome Toews with open arms, but the 37-year-old is perfectly content with his childhood favorite team, where he’ll focus on finishing the campaign strong.
Elsewhere across the division:
- Also in Winnipeg, Head Coach Scott Arniel told reporters, including Mitchell Clinton, team Color Analyst, that Neal Pionk is week-to-week with what’s called a “new” injury. The defenseman was nearing a return from a lower-body ailment which sidelined him since January 13, but is now dealing with another issue. With just eight points in 40 games, it figures that Pionk has not been up to full speed all season. Nino Niederreiter is also week-to-week, injured while playing for Switzerland in the Olympics. At 33, the usually dependable scorer has taken a step back with just eight tallies on the year. Finally, Josh Morrissey will miss the team’s road trip, but should return afterward, as soon as March 3 against Chicago. The top defender was injured against Czechia in the Olympics and will have to miss his first game of the campaign as a result.
- Trade discussions on Nashville Predators forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Erik Haula are expected to ramp up until the March 6 trade deadline, as reported in an article from The Fourth Period. Insider David Pagnotta mentioned that the Predators were working on deals which had to wait due to the Olympic trade freeze, although it’s unclear exactly which players were in discussion. While Steven Stamkos has come to life of late, Marchessault, 35, has been unable to find his footing as a Predator, with just 17 points on the season. Still signed through 2028-29 at $5.5MM and with a full no movement clause, Nashville would likely take back an unfavorable contract and a limited return if they could avoid retention. Meanwhile, Haula was picked up to be a stop gap center in his second stint as a Predator. A pending unrestricted free agent, he can veto trades to six teams, but would surely welcome a move to a contender, and will have interest in such a weak center market.
Stars Place Radek Faksa On Injured Reserve
Dallas Stars forward Radek Faksa was placed on injured reserve, as noted by Robert Tiffin of StarsThoughts.com. Representing Team Czechia at the Olympics, Faksa suffered an upper body injury which cut his time short.
The team has annouced the retroactive date as February 17, when the veteran was injured in Milan, meaning he could be activated as soon as Saturday. If such could be the case, he’d only miss one game, tomorrow against Seattle.
The ailment does not appear to be serious, but it’s another tough blow considering that top scorer Mikko Rantanen landed on the shelf from his own injury during the Olympic Games, and top center Roope Hintz is unlikely to play tomorrow as he is ill.
Chosen by the Stars back in 2012, Faksa returned to his long-term organization after a one year stint with St. Louis in 2024-25 to serve as a bottom six center. The 32-year-old has missed just one game, recording 17 points, already surpassing his output in the unusual Blues uniform last year. Faksa’s 43.3% corsi for in at five-on-five is a career worst, however he has started 72% of his shifts in the defensive zone, thanks to his trustworthy 56% face-off win rate. The fifth-ranked Stars hardly need offense from Faksa at this point in his career, as opposed to his usual shutdown play and penalty killing.
Dallas’ forward depth will be tested over the next few days as they return from the Olympic break, but in all likelihood, Faksa will return by next week in time for the team’s two-game Western Canada road trip which starts Monday in Vancouver.
Kraken Sign Ryan Winterton To Two-Year Extension
It has been an eventful evening for the Seattle Kraken, announcing that Ryan Winterton has been signed to a two-year contract extension worth $1.125MM per season. The forward would have become a restricted free agent after the season, now with a nice increase from his current $828k entry level deal. Winterton’s contract news came out tonight along with teammate Ben Meyers‘ extension.
A third round selection of Seattle in their inaugural 2021 draft class, Winterton has emerged as a nice find with a strong bottom six potential. Standing at 6’2″, the 22-year-old recorded at least 35 points in each of his two AHL seasons, now breaking through as a regular in the lineup. Across 54 games so far, the Ontario native has 15 points, missing just two contests to this point.
Back in August, Winterton was listed as the Kraken’s ninth-best prospect by Steven Ellis of The Fourth Period. A franchise whose efforts to build a contender immediately proved ineffective, with shuffling behind the bench, Seattle has finally started to assemble a formidable next wave of young players; Winterton helping round out the group with a high floor outlook.
Winterton’s development is still a work in progress, as his possession metrics at even strength remain below average, but he’s shown real improvement from last season’s -11 in just 12 games, now into the positives across his 54 games. Serving as a penalty killer in the team’s bottom six, he offers enough speed and puck skills to carve out a role under Head Coach Lane Lambert.
Now locked up until after the 2027-28 season, where he’ll still remain under team control, Winterton is expected to grow further over the next two seasons on his way to becoming a fixture of Seattle’s lineup.
Kraken Sign Ben Meyers To Two-Year Extension
The Seattle Kraken shared that Ben Meyers has been signed to a two-year extension worth $1MM per season. The forward’s one year deal worth $775k was set to expire this summer, where he would have become an unrestricted free agent.
Undrafted, the 27-year-old represented his home state as a Minnesota Golden Gopher from 2019-22, working his way up to becoming team captain and a Hobey Baker Award finalist. Notable considering recent events, Meyers was a proud member of Team USA at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. As NHL players were not allowed to participate, he landed into the global stage out of college, posting four points in as many games.
Upon the conclusion of his impressive collegiate career, Meyers caught the attention of Colorado, who signed him to a two-year contract, subsequently jumping right into the show and scoring in his NHL debut. Things came a bit harder for the forward after the blur of his first professional action, as in 2022-23 he scored four goals with no assists in 39 games with the Avs, leading to a split across the campaign with time in the AHL.
Meyers remained productive with the Colorado Eagles, posting 49 points in 62 contests across 2022-24, but opportunities proved limited with the elite Avalanche. In March of 2024, he was dealt to the Ducks for a 2024 fifth round draft selection. The trade gave him an opportunity to return to an NHL lineup, where Meyers played out his contract but after just two assists in 14 games, Anaheim chose not to keep him.
Undeterred, Meyers then signed a one-year deal with Seattle worth $755k for 2024-25, where he ended up spending the year with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Meyers lit it up with 51 points in 57 games, leading the team and earning another extension for this year with a shot to stay at the NHL level.
His patience has paid off, as Meyers is now a key depth player for the Kraken. Across 32 contests so far in 2025-26, he has recorded 11 points, a nice increase after just seven in his first 75 at the highest level. Important for any fourth line penalty killer, Meyers has spent just four minutes in the box all year. His 53.4% face-off win percentage is a career best.
Having addressed their depth forwards, GM Jason Botterill can turn his attention to key veterans such as Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle, Eeli Tolvanen who all expire after the season. Meyers’ Kraken are back in action tomorrow in Dallas, but as he’s currently on IR with a lower-body injury, it will be without the newly signed man, pending further announcement.
Image Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Lightning’s Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, Two Others Set To Return
Tampa Bay assistant coach Rob Zettler told reporters, including Benjamin Pierce, Beat Writer for the team, that Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, Charle-Edouard D’Astous, and Emil Martinsen Lilleberg are all expected to return tomorrow against Toronto.
Hedman, who already dealt with a nearly two-month long IR stint after elbow surgery, returned for the Bolts’ epic Stadium Series win over Boston on February 1, the first of his three games before the Olympic Break.
The Tampa captain then went off to Milan as a pillar of Team Sweden, where he sustained an apparent lower-body injury in warmups prior to last Wednesday’s game against the United States, ending his Olympic action. The 35-year-old won’t miss any more time, as he’ll look to settle in after just 21 games on the campaign so far, where he’s recorded 13 points (all assists) on 20:15 a night.
Also with ties to the Olympics, Point suffered a knee injury on January 12 that had fans fearing for the worst. Thankfully avoiding a long term recovery, Tampa’s top center attempted to get back in time for Milan and Team Canada, however, on February 5 the 29-year-old made the commendable decision to pass his spot, which was taken by Seth Jarvis.
Able to utilize the break to return to form, Point will give another boost to Tampa Bay, who maintained their elite play even without him. After a slower start to the year relative to his standards, with injuries a factor, Point was on a heater prior to his injury with 19 points in 16 games. All told, he has 30 in 37 on the season, good for sixth on the club despite missing considerable time.
Meanwhile, Lilleberg and D’Astous, both young defenseman who round out Tampa’s blueline, have been on injured reserve and are expected to be activated for tomorrow.
Lilleberg hasn’t played since mid-December, dealing with an undisclosed lingering injury. The 25-year-old had six points in 32 games before going down, averaging a career high 17:21 after emerging as a regular in the lineup in 2024-25.
D’Astous was placed on IR in late January, after a collision against Columbus on the 24th left him with a lower-body injury. The undrafted 27-year-old latched on with Tampa after three seasons in Sweden, and he looks to be the next under-the-radar contributor in the blue and white. The 6’2” lefty has 17 points in 43 games, playing over 19 minutes a night with a strong 53.4% corsi for at even strength.
The Lightning host the Maple Leafs tomorrow, and having won five in a row going into the break, it’s hard to imagine they’ll stop anytime soon, with several players back into the fold. Tampa is five points behind Colorado for first in the league.