Predators Sign Zachary L’Heureux To Two-Year Extension
The Predators announced that they’ve signed left-winger Zachary L’Heureux to a two-year extension carrying a cap hit of $875K. The lefty, who lands just a slight pay bump over his expiring entry-level contract, would not have been eligible for arbitration as a restricted free agent this offseason. It’ll split as $850K in 2026-27 and $900K in 2027-28, all in base salary and all in one-way structure, via Renaud Lavoie of TVA.
L’Heureux, 22, has had an up-and-down development path. The 21st overall pick in 2021, he had a strong rookie showing in the minors when he turned pro two years later and turned that into a roster spot in Nashville for the majority of the 2024-25 campaign. Drafted as a top-nine skill piece with a laundry list of on-ice disciplinary issues in junior hockey, the hope was that he could rein that in to become an effective agitator without hurting his team with penalties more than he helped.
In 62 games last season, L’Heureux managed a 5-10–15 scoring line. Naturally, his 63 penalty minutes were up there, and he earned a midseason three-game suspension after multiple lengthier bans while starring for Halifax in the QMJHL. He also led Nashville forwards with 198 hits. His defensive impacts were a mixed bag. According to Natural Stat Trick, he ranked ninth out of 14 Nashville forwards last season (min. 200 minutes at 5-on-5) with a 49.7% Corsi share, but his 52.1% expected goals share was a strong sixth.
This year, the injection of 2023 first-rounder Matthew Wood into an NHL role, plus other young names like Joakim Kemell and Reid Schaefer earning long looks, has limited his playing time. L’Heureux remains waiver-exempt until next season, and Nashville has taken advantage of that to stash him in AHL Milwaukee for a good chunk of the year. It’s not usually a great sign developmentally to drop back into a minor-league role after challenging for a full-time job as a rookie, but he’s been exceptional in the AHL with 14 goals and 28 points in only 28 games.
He’s also been added back to the NHL roster down the stretch after the Preds sent out Michael McCarron and Cole Smith at the deadline. Through 10 games, he’s averaging 11:51 per contest and has one goal with a +3 rating and 19 hits.
L’Heureux won’t be heading back to the minors next season. It would be shocking to see the still-retooling Preds opt to expose a recent first-round pick to the waiver wire. He would almost certainly be claimed given his AHL production. The question now becomes whether Nashville will opt to deploy him in an everyday role from the jump next season, or if he’ll be used more as a traditional 13th forward-type enforcer. He remains under team control until 2030.
Ducks’ Ross Johnston Out Three To Four Weeks
The Ducks will be without enforcer Ross Johnston for the next three to four weeks with a lower-body injury, head coach Joel Quenneville announced (via Derek Lee of The Hockey News).
After spending a good chunk of last year in the press box, Johnston has been Anaheim’s primary option in the fourth-line left wing slot, playing in 62 of 67 games. Only one of those absences was due to an illness, although he did sit out of the Ducks’ last three games as a healthy scratch before landing an injury designation. While he’s now been passed on the depth chart by midseason pickup Jeffrey Viel, Johnston has still managed an impressive season in his own right.
Entering the year, the 32-year-old had only topped the 40-game mark twice in nine NHL seasons. Now at his second time over 60 in the last three years, he’s also doubled his previous career-high in points with a 3-11–14 scoring line. The 6’5″, 232-lb lefty has fully retained his mean streak while getting involved in the play a bit more, leading the team with 107 penalty minutes and 192 hits. Averaging 9:45 of ice time per game, his 19.06 hits per 60 rank 16th in the league (min. 20 games).
Anaheim’s final regular-season game is on April 16, one day after the four-week mark handed down today. There’s a chance he’s done for the regular season as a result, but he could also be back as early as April 8 with four games left on the Ducks’ schedule. In any event, with his Ducks the favorite to take home the Pacific Division in what’s been a slog to the finish line for everyone involved, he should be an option to suit up in the first round for the second postseason appearance of his career. In parts of seven seasons with the Islanders before being claimed off waivers by Anaheim in 2023, he only suited up once for them in the playoffs, appearing in five games in the 2020 bubble.
Kraken Recall Jani Nyman On Emergency Basis
The Kraken announced that they’ve recalled winger Jani Nyman from AHL Coachella Valley under emergency conditions. Seattle hadn’t yet burned through any of its five post-deadline standard recalls anyway. They have 14 forwards on the active roster but are dealing with injuries to Jaden Schwartz (face, indefinite) and Eeli Tolvanen (upper body, day-to-day), leaving them without any healthy extras. Evidently, the Kraken believe somebody else may be questionable for tomorrow’s contest against the Predators, making Nyman eligible for an emergency recall.
Nyman, 21, started the season on the NHL roster but was assigned to Coachella Valley before the Christmas break. The 2022 second-round pick has remained there since. He’s still in the second year of his three-year entry-level deal and has another two seasons left before he requires waivers, so there’s no reason to rush his development.
The 6’2″, 212-lb Finn is in the minors to prove he’s more than a one-trick pony aside from his elite shooting ability. He doesn’t play a physical style for his size but has scored at a torrid pace in the AHL since arriving in North America in 2024, including 18 goals in 29 games this season since his demotion. He’s now up to a 48-25–73 scoring line in 92 AHL games.
Nyman’s results have been tempered in an NHL role. He’s slotted into the lineup 36 times over the past two seasons, scoring seven goals and 12 points. That’s fine production considering he’s averaging 11:48 of ice time per game, but his defensive impacts have been disastrous. Seattle has only controlled 46.1% of shot attempts with Nyman on the ice at 5-on-5 despite him starting over 60% of his shifts in the offensive zone, indicative of how the Kraken might plan to use him long-term as a bottom-six supplemental piece and a power-play specialist.
He could get another brief chance here to make an impact in the Kraken’s lineup as they chase down the second playoff berth in franchise history. Seattle sits tied with the Kings for the second wild-card spot in the West at 71 points, sitting just inside the playoff picture as they hold the regulation wins tiebreaker over Los Angeles. With the Sharks, Predators, and Jets all within striking distance, though, their postseason odds only sit at 36.4%, according to MoneyPuck. That’s the second-best odds out of the group after the Kings’ 50%.
Stars Sign Jack Anderson To Entry-Level Deal
The Stars have signed college free agent defenseman Jack Anderson to a two-year, entry-level deal, per a team announcement. He’ll report to AHL Texas on a tryout to finish the season before his NHL contract goes into effect for 2026-27, Stephen Meserve of 100 Degree Hockey writes.
The 23-year-old Anderson spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at Lindenwood but transferred to Michigan Tech for his senior season. The shift from independent play to the CCHA unlocked the towering 6’6″, 225-lb lefty, as he posted career-highs across the board. Anderson was the Huskies’ clear-cut #1, finishing fifth on the team with an 11-13–24 scoring line in 39 games while adding 33 penalty minutes and a +13 rating.
Anderson had never topped two goals or 10 points in a season with Lindenwood before transferring, so it was a rather significant breakout for the St. Louis native. He’ll now find his professional footing in Texas, where the Stars only have four defensemen signed through next season who are ticketed for minor-league roles. He immediately becomes the largest and heaviest player on the AHL roster for a team that’s shown a propensity for adding size on the blue line in recent years, drafting 6’7″ Lian Bichsel in the first round in 2022 and acquiring 6’8″ Tyler Myers at this year’s trade deadline.
Dallas will see Anderson reach restricted free agency for the first time in 2028. They’ll have him under team control until 2030.
Penguins Expected To Activate Sidney Crosby From IR
Penguins star Sidney Crosby was a full participant in this morning’s skate and is expected to come off injured reserve for tonight’s game against the Hurricanes, per Josh Getzoff of SportsNet Pittsburgh. Crosby had been out since the Olympic break with a Grade 2 MCL sprain he sustained in Team Canada’s quarterfinal win over the Czechs. The Penguins said Crosby would miss at least four weeks when they placed him on IR on Feb. 25, putting his return well ahead of schedule.
The 38-year-old pushing the envelope to get back in the lineup is no surprise. He pushed as hard as he could to get back into Canada’s lineup for the gold medal game, but ultimately couldn’t go, as they ended up with silver in an overtime loss to the United States. He’ll now return to help the Penguins battle through a tough playoff race in the Eastern Conference after sitting out what surely felt like an excruciating 11 games.
Pittsburgh is 5-3-3 without its captain and franchise icon. That’s been enough to keep pace and is about as good as can be expected, considering they were also missing Evgeni Malkin for a five-game stretch due to a slashing suspension. They’ve scored 3.45 goals per game during that time while allowing 3.18 goals per game. Their possession metrics have lagged, controlling 48.5% of 5-on-5 shot attempts. They’re also winning a league-worst 41.0% of faceoffs since the break.
Crosby will help immensely in all of those areas. Aside from his usual stature as the club’s leading point-getter, he’s won a team-high 55.4% of his draws this season, which should get the Pens much closer to league average in that department. Surprisingly, Crosby’s defensive results this season aren’t great – he’s only a +1 on a team with a +35 goal differential, and his possession numbers are dead average – but his return importantly allows Rickard Rakell to shift back to his preferred position on the wing after stepping in for Crosby as the Pens’ top-line center over the last few weeks.
With no roster limit and plenty of cap space, Pittsburgh won’t need to make a corresponding move to activate Crosby. They could still opt to reassign prospects Avery Hayes or Ville Koivunen back to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if their NHL playing time is going to be limited following Crosby’s return. Hayes was already a healthy scratch when Malkin was reinstated for Monday’s dominant road win over the Avalanche, so that could be an indication he’ll be on his way back down after being ferried to the minors on deadline day to make him AHL-eligible for the rest of the season.
Crosby, who’s got another year left at his $8.7MM cap hit, now hopes to anchor the Pens’ skaters to a playoff appearance after a three-year absence from postseason play, the only time in Crosby’s career he’s missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons and the first time at all since his rookie year. They’re in a good spot, holding serve for second in the Metropolitan Division. They’re tied with the Islanders at 83 points but have done so in one fewer game, giving them a higher points percentage. Per MoneyPuck, they have an 81.8% chance of making the playoffs.
Panthers Place Brad Marchand On LTIR, Expected To Activate Seth Jones
The second half of the season is becoming clearer for the Florida Panthers, who saw multiple players progress and regress from extended injuries. Defenseman Seth Jones and center Jonah Gadjovich, both on long-term injured reserve, have each taken a step forward but both still aren’t ready to return yet, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters including Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson.
Maurice spoke more in depth about winger Brad Marchand who will see doctors on Tuesday to determine if he needs surgery for a nagging, undisclosed injury. Marchand has dealt with the injury for most of the season, pushing Maurice to try and control his rest. That task has become tougher as a condensed back-half of the season rolls around. Marchand hasn’t been able to stand up to his top-six role since March rolled around, averaging just 13:30 in ice time over his last four games – over four minutes under his season-long average. The team expects to have an answer on his status for the rest of the season before the week ends.
After a week to weigh his decision, Marchand will indeed land on long-term injured reserve for the Panthers. This move will give the Panthers enough cap room to activate Jones off of LTIR per George Richards of Florida Hockey Now. Marchand will be eligible to return as soon as April 6th, when the Panthers have five games remaining in the regular season. If he will be healthy enough to play those games – or, if they’re worth the risk at all – will be the next question facing the Panthers winger.
Marchand has been a cornerstone of Florida’s offense, even while playing through injuries. He has scored 54 points – split evenly – in 52 games, making him one of only two Panthers scoring above a point-per-game alongside Matthew Tkachuk. Marchand’s ability to produce consistently from the first or second line has supported Tkachuk as he’s eased back from a season-opening injury and heavy role at the Winter Olympics.
The Panthers will turn towards trade acquisition Vinnie Hinostroza to fill in the lineup chart with Marchand on the shelf. He scored three goals and 10 points in 48 games with the Minnesota Wild before moving to Florida at the Trade Deadline for future considerations. He will step into a fourth-line role with the Panthers, while Eetu Luostarinen earns a bump into unrivaled, top-six minutes. Luostarinen has 24 points in 55 games this season and is in the midst of a seven-game scoring drought. He and Carter Verhaeghe should be the biggest beneficiary of Marchand’s available minutes.
Florida is missing another major piece in Jones, who ranks second on the defense in scoring with 24 points in 40 games. He led the team in ice time per-game before going down with injury, averaging 23:29 – a good stride above Gustav Forsling‘s 22:44 ranked second. Jones has stood up to a top role in Florida’s offense after being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks for a steep price in 2025. Jones’ return will fortify Florida’s blue-line alongside Aaron Ekblad.
Meanwhile, Gadjovich’s return will round out Florida’s depth alongside waiver acquisition Cole Reinhardt. Gadjovich recorded three assists in 10 games before going down with injury on October 25th. He has missed 53 games, and the Winter Olympics, since.
The Panthers will move forward with a dented lineup as they try to climb back from an 11-point deficit in the standings. It seems they are much more likely to miss the postseason on the heels of back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, an outcome that – at the least – would allow more time for stars Tkachuk, Marchand, and Jones to work to full health by next season.
Penguins Want To Keep Erik Karlsson, Anthony Mantha
At the beginning of the 2025-26 season, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Pittsburgh Penguins would trade Erik Karlsson and use Anthony Mantha as a half-year rental before dishing him at the trade deadline. Now, according to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, the Penguins want both players on their opening night roster for the 2026-27 campaign, if not longer.
Before this season, Karlsson looked like a shell of himself, far removed from the Norris Trophy campaign during the 2022-23 season with the San Jose Sharks. From 2023 to 2025, Karlsson scored 22 goals and 109 points in 164 games with a -20 rating, averaging 23:45 of ice time per game. Additionally, his 87.2% on-ice SV% at even strength last season was the worst of his career.
Although that’s typically respectable production from a puck-moving defenseman in his mid-30s, it didn’t justify his $11.5MM salary, $1.5MM of which was being paid by the Sharks. It was particularly his drop-off defensively that had the writing on the wall in Pittsburgh.
However, under head coach Dan Muse, Karlsson has found new life. He’ll finish with similar point totals this year, but he’s been much more responsible in the defensive zone. His 53.8% CorsiFor% at even strength is the best he’s had since he was 28, and his 89.7% oiSV% at even strength is right on line with his career average.
According to Yohe, instead of trading Karlsson this offseason, the Penguins may look to extend him for a few more years. It would be an interesting gamble, given that Karlsson will be 37 for his next contract. However, if he maintains his production level and assumes a significantly lower salary, it might not be a bad idea.
Meanwhile, Mantha has made the most of his one-year, $2.5MM prove-it deal in Pittsburgh. After losing much of the 2024-25 season due to an ACL injury, Mantha has rebounded in a big way, scoring 26 goals and 52 points in 67 games for the Penguins.
Furthermore, as Yohe points out, Mantha is only 31, meaning he’s not necessarily old by NHL standards. It’s unlikely that the Penguins will engage in a bidding war if Mantha makes it to the open market this summer, but a four-year deal shouldn’t be out of the question given how he’s played this season.
Regardless, as much as the influx of youth has benefited Pittsburgh this season, its top five scorers are in their 30s. They’re a primary reason that the Penguins are poised for a postseason run for the first time since the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Sabres Sign Gavin McCarthy To Entry-Level Contract
According to a team announcement, the Buffalo Sabres have inked defensive prospect Gavin McCarthy to his entry-level contract. Last summer, Daily Faceoff had McCarthy as an honorable mention in their list of the Sabres’ top prospects.
Shortly after Buffalo’s announcement, PuckPedia revealed the breakdown of his contract over the life of his new entry-level deal:
- Year 1: $850K salary, $102.5K signing bonus, $82.5K minors salary
- Year 2: $900K salary, $107.5K signing bonus, $82.5K minors salary
- Year 3: $950K salary, $112.5K signing bonus, $82.5K minors salary
Although the Sabres didn’t confirm it, McCarthy will likely begin his professional career in the AHL with the Rochester Americans. Not only is McCarthy probably a year or two away from being a consistent defender for Buffalo, but the team is far too deep to warrant his being on the NHL roster.
McCarthy, 20, was drafted 86th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Sabres. He has spent the last three years with the NCAA’s Boston University Terriers, and this past season as the team’s captain.
He’s not much of a point producer, but that’s not where he makes his value, either. Throughout his tenure with the Terriers, McCarthy scored eight goals and 42 points in 113 games with a +27 rating and 132 PIMs.
Still, Buffalo is likely more excited about the defensive intangibles of the Clarence Center, NY native. McCarthy has been one of the most physical defensemen in the NCAA since his debut, never shying away from hitting his opponents in open ice or along the boards. Additionally, his 6’2″, 187 lbs frame is arguably already ready and durable for NHL action.
Although he’s more of a shutdown archetype, McCarthy retains the ability to pass through traffic, which is fairly typical of every blueliner developed in the Boston University program. Once he’s deemed ready for the top league, the Sabres will plug in an instantly physical defenseman on their blue line.
Maple Leafs Sign Vincent Borgesi To Entry-Level Deal
The Maple Leafs usually dip their toes into the college free agent market. That isn’t changing this year. The club announced they’ve signed Northeastern captain Vincent Borgesi to a two-year entry-level contract beginning next season. He will report to AHL Toronto for the remainder of this season, making his pro debut in the process.
The contract carries a cap hit of $987.5K, according to PuckPedia. Borgesi will earn an $877.5K salary if he’s in the NHL next season, along with a $97.5K signing bonus. Those numbers jump to $900K and $100K, respectively, for 2027-28. He will take home a minor-league salary of $85K each season.
Borgesi, 22, was an absolutely torrid puck-moving defenseman at lower levels of the game. He once had 100 points in just 61 games at the under-15 level, and 38 points and a +33 rating in 57 games for the USHL’s Tri-City Storm back in his draft year, 2021-22. As a result, he’s always had some interest from NHL clubs, but everyone has been scared off by his size. He checks in at just 5’8″ and 174 lbs.
Over four years in college, Borgesi didn’t earn overwhelming national recognition but was still a consistent piece on the back end for the Huskies. His collegiate career came to an end last weekend against UMass in the Hockey East tournament, drawing to a close a 16-64–80 scoring line in 134 career outings with a +15 rating. Borgesi also served as the captain of the U.S. Collegiate Selects team that reached the Spengler Cup Final against top-level European pros this season, ultimately losing to hosts HC Davos.
Borgesi will now look to overcome his stature and make an impact at the pro level for Toronto. The organization is light on offensive help from the blue line from head to toe. The aging Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Morgan Rielly are the only names at the NHL level who have made a big impact from the point this season, and they don’t have a defender who’s topped 25 points in the minors this year.
Flyers Sign Cole Knuble To Entry-Level Deal
The Flyers signed forward prospect Cole Knuble to his entry-level contract today, the team announced. It’s a two-year pact starting next season, but he’ll make his pro debut in the coming days with AHL Lehigh Valley on a minor-league deal for the last few weeks of 2025-26.
Knuble was a fourth-round pick back in 2023. The Michigan native and son of former Flyer Mike Knuble is an undersized but stocky 5’10” center and put up 30 goals and 66 points in 57 games in his draft year with the USHL’s Fargo Force. A Notre Dame commit, he joined the Fighting Irish in the season following his selection. He’s remained there since, wrapping up his junior season with a loss to Michigan in the Big 10 playoffs last week.
While Knuble’s offensive game shifted more from goal-scoring to playmaking in college, he was still a reasonably productive threat. He hit at least 20 points in all three seasons, including a career-best 39-point effort in 34 games as a sophomore to lead the team. His production took a step back this season, though, in what was the program’s worst showing in 21 years. As Notre Dame only mustered a 9-21-2 record, Knuble churned out a 9-22–31 scoring line in 36 games with a -19 rating.
He will now look to shake off the bad taste in his mouth and bring his skilled, high-energy checking game to the Flyers. His offensive step back this year will likely make it hard for him to win a roster spot in training camp in the fall, but the Flyers have shown a willingness to reward their young players for strong training camp and AHL showings sooner than anyone expected (Denver Barkey and Jett Luchanko being some recent examples).
The Flyers have one of the better prospect pools in the league. Knuble wasn’t viewed as a top-10 name in the pool, even entering the season on the heels of his sophomore breakout, but he has real upside. Philly won’t be keen on using a player with his height primarily as a bottom-six checking piece down the middle long-term, though, so he’ll need to hit the ground running on the scoresheet, too, to give himself a shot.