Snapshots: Elick, Wutzke, Larsen
Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Charlie Elick will join the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters this week and embark on his professional career, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
A second-round selection in 2024 by the Jackets, Elick inked his entry-level contract last March. Since then, he wrapped up his final WHL chapter with 63 games for the Tri-City Americans, recording 20 points and 46 penalty minutes.
Standing at 6’3” and a right-handed shot, Elick came in at 10th in the Blue Jackets system last summer according to Steven Ellis of The Daily Faceoff. The Calgary native has solid mobility for a physical shutdown defender, and his ranking is more indicative of a well stocked Columbus system, as he’d come in higher in many other team’s pools. It won’t be immediate considering their wide age gap, but he naturally lines up as a long term replacement for veteran Erik Gudbranson‘s on-ice role, whose contract expires this summer.
Even if his ceiling is limited to a middle-pairing role, Elick’s reliable game has the chance to pan out nicely at the highest level, with physical tools sought after by general managers everywhere in today’s game. He’ll join the 12th-ranked Monsters who have had a nice season thanks to a strong defensive core well split between prospects and veterans.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Minnesota Wild goaltending prospect Chase Wutzke has been assigned to the Iowa Wild, per the team. The 19-year-old enters the professional circuit having concluded play with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors, where he posted a .906 save percentage and a 3.47 goals-against-average on the struggling junior club this year. Wutzke signed his ELC last September. Iowa ranks second-to-last in the AHL, so there’s good reason for him to get an audition, slotting into a goalie group led by former NHL standout Cal Petersen. With a Minnesota goaltending pipeline full, the 6’2” Saskatoon native is a long term project for any sustainable NHL role, but he could become a contributor for Iowa in the coming seasons.
- Former NHL defenseman Philip Larsen has retired at age 36, he announced in an interview shared by DirekteSport on Instagram. Larsen was drafted in the fifth round by Dallas in 2008, debuting in 2009-10, and eventually being dealt to Edmonton in exchange for Shawn Horcoff in the 2013 offseason. After not panning out in Edmonton at age 24, he left for the KHL, with rights being traded to Vancouver. It became a notable trade tree, as the pick the Oilers acquired for Larsen was eventually involved in another trade which allowed them to select Stuart Skinner in 2017. Larsen’s strong play in Russia brought him to the Canucks in 2016-17, his 26 games proving to be the last in the NHL. From there, the 5’11” righty spent the next several years with Ufa Salavat Yulayev of the KHL as a star blueliner. In 2022 he returned to his native Denmark with Esbjerg EfB Ishockey, where he spent the last four years of his career. With a strong two-way acumen, Larsen hangs it up after 151 NHL games, 361 in the KHL, and 136 representing his home country.
Oilers Recall James Hamblin On Emergency Basis
Set to take on Utah tonight, the Edmonton Oilers announced that James Hamblin has been recalled from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors on an emergency basis.
Already down several players, headlined by Leon Draisaitl, the transaction fuels speculation on if another key skater is out tonight. Such is not yet clear. If he’s actually able to draw into the lineup, it’ll be Hamblin’s first NHL action since January 2024. The last time that happened he skated alongside the retired Sam Gagner for the Oil, speaking to his long road back.
Fan interest in the Alberta franchise will be higher than usual from Bakersfield, California, as three of their key forwards are already filling in on the big stage, Roby Jarventie, Josh Samanski, and Max Jones, now Hamblin joining the group. It’s bad timing considering that Bakersfield is currently 10th in the AHL and looking to secure a playoff spot. There’s plenty of adversity in Edmonton too, with 11 games remaining in the regular season, but the Oilers should extend their postseason streak barring a major collapse.
For Hamblin, the 26-year-old Edmonton native ranks fifth in AHL team scoring with 37 points in 54 games. Undrafted, he’s impressively worked his way into 41 games with the Oilers, recording three points.
Standing at 5’10”, Hamblin was always a long shot to stick at the NHL level, but the pending unrestricted free agent has carved out a nice career with the Condors and will enjoy the call up to his hometown club no matter the duration.
Hurricanes Reassign Charles-Alexis Legault
6:15 PM: Legault has been re-assigned to Chicago within hours, per the team. Carolina moves forward with six healthy defensemen on their roster, suggesting Gostisbehere could return Saturday against New Jersey. Meanwhile, Legault won’t play against his hometown team, the prompt ticket back to Chicago a result of their schedule; he should be all set for the Wolves’ game in Iowa tomorrow night.
3:56 PM: The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have recalled defenseman Charles-Alexis Legault from their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. Legault, 22, made his NHL debut earlier this season but has spent most of the year at the AHL level.
With veteran defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere still sidelined by a lower-body injury, the Hurricanes had just six healthy defensemen on their active roster before this recall. Bringing Legault to the NHL gives the team a seventh defenseman and therefore cover in case an unexpected injury occurs. The Hurricanes are playing against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal tonight. While this was surely not the primary consideration motivating this recall, today’s transaction does give Legault the opportunity to travel for, and potentially dress for, tonight’s game.
Because that is happening in Montreal, it is a game in which his current team is competing against the NHL team nearest to where he grew up. With just eight NHL games on his resume, today’s recall could allow for Legault, a Laval native, to play an NHL game in front of scores of friends and family for the first time in his career. Even if he doesn’t dress, getting recalled for a road trip to his home city is still a nice reward for a player who has diligently worked his way up Carolina’s organizational depth chart this season.
The right-handed defenseman is in his second full season as a professional, spending two years at Quinnipiac University before turning pro. While there, he was a teammate of Skyler Brind’Amour, his current teammate with the Wolves and the son of Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour. He has been a clear developmental success story for the team as a 2023 fifth-round pick, and offers some defensive upside thanks to his size and strength. (He stands 6’4″, 220 pounds)
If he can continue to get more comfortable with the puck, he could eventually compete for a more permanent NHL role down the line. He is a regular penalty killer at the AHL level, and was the organization’s No. 22 prospect entering the season according to the team at Elite Prospects.
Islanders To Recall Isaiah George
The New York Islanders recalled defenseman Isaiah George from the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders today, reports The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner. A lower-body injury will keep veteran defenseman Ryan Pulock sidelined on a day-to-day basis, so the team has added George from the AHL to help manage Pulock’s absence.
This isn’t George’s first recall to the NHL roster. He got into 33 NHL games last season, and has dressed for two this year. His last recall occurred in late January, and his most recent NHL game came Jan. 26. The 22-year-old has been a top-four defenseman in Bridgeport this season, also seeing time on both sides of special teams. In 45 games this season, George has set a career-high in production with 17 points. On a rate basis, his production is actually down somewhat from last season, though offense isn’t really a focal point of his game.
With Pulock injured, 2018 No. 8 overall pick Adam Boqvist drew back into the lineup, assisting on the Islanders’ game-winning goal during a crucial victory Sunday over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Although George has been recalled, it does seem somewhat unlikely at this stage that he’ll draw into the lineup, assuming the Islanders don’t suffer any more defensive injuries. New York sit in the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card playoff spot, but their lead over the Detroit Red Wings for that position is just one point – and Detroit has a game in hand.
The Islanders play Chicago tonight, Dallas on Thursday, and Florida on Saturday. They can’t afford to drop points in those contests, so it’s likely George’s recall has more to do with providing insurance for further injury, rather than their being any plans to integrate him directly into their lineup.
With that said, if George does end up dressing for any games, his performance in those high-stakes contests could be very meaningful for his short-term professional future. George has another year remaining on his entry-level deal, but because of how the contract slid in the 2023-24 campaign, George is not slated to receive any signing bonuses next season. With an AHL salary of $82.5K, George could see his ending pay cut in half if he spends all of next season in the AHL. As a result, he has extra financial motivation to acquit himself well in front of Islanders brass and seize on any NHL opportunities that come his way.
Senators’ Thomas Chabot, Lassi Thomson Out “For A While” With Injuries
Ottawa Senators defensemen Thomas Chabot and Lassi Thomson each left the team’s contest against the New York Rangers tonight with an injury, per an official announcement.
After the Senators’ victory over the Rangers in New York, head coach Travis Green told the media, including The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie, that both Chabot and Thomson will “be out for a while” as a result of their injuries. Green indicated the team would be recalling two defensemen from their AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, tomorrow.
The more significant name here is undoubtedly Chabot, who has been Ottawa’s No. 2 defenseman ever since the emergence of Jake Sanderson. TSN’s Claire Hanna reported that Chabot left the ice “in obvious pain” and was “clutching his right wrist” as he headed for the locker room at Madison Square Garden at the end of the first period.
Chabot was spotted after the game with a splint on his wrist, per TSN’s Steve Lloyd.
The main point of concern in Chabot’s case appears to be the fact that his injured wrist is the same wrist he had surgery on in 2024.
The timing of this news is very difficult for the Senators. The Senators ended their lengthy rebuild last season by making the playoffs for the first time since their famous run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2017. The expectation in the Ottawa market was that their postseason berth, which ended with a first-round defeat at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs, was a sign of greater things to come. Ottawa has endured an uneven 2025-26 season, dealing with a litany of on and off-ice challenges.
Green, in his second year as head coach, has guided the team through those challenges and led them into a position where they could conceivably return to the playoffs. They have been on a bit of a run as of late, going 8-2-0 in their last 10 games, and are riding a three-game win streak. But they still sit two points behind the New York Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and are one point behind the Detroit Red Wings as well.
Ottawa plays Detroit tomorrow, and has a match up against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a fellow Eastern Conference playoff hopeful, on Thursday. On Saturday, they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning, and still have games against the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, and Islanders remaining, as well as a second game against Tampa Bay.
In short: their schedule is set to become extremely tough, full of contests the Senators are likely to classify as “must-win.” Because of today’s news, they’re set to play an indefinite number of their remaining games without Chabot, and Thomson.
Losing Chabot has a massive impact on the construction of the Senators’ defense. He plays 22:34 per night, including a notable role on both sides of special teams. He’s scored seven goals and 31 points in 55 games, which ranks second among the team’s blueliners and No. 8 in team scoring overall. With Sanderson sidelined since March 9, Chabot has assumed the role as the team’s No. 1 defenseman.
Sanderson has resumed skating, and is set to return in roughly a week. But his lingering absence means Ottawa will enter its aforementioned set of crucial games this week without their top two defensemen. How Green deployed his blueliners tonight in New York gives a hint as to how Ottawa’s defense might shape up with both Chabot and Sanderson sidelined.
Leading Senators blueliners in time on ice tonight was Jordan Spence, who played in 26:44. The fact that the Senators had seven power plays likely played a role here – Spence will be Ottawa’s top power play quarterback amidst these injuries, but is unlikely to play as much as others overall. No. 3 among team defensemen in ice time was Artem Zub, who skated 23:44. Zub has been the team’s No. 3 defenseman this season and a top penalty killer. He’ll likely receive an even greater workload while the team’s two defensive pillars are injured. Also set to receive a more substantial workload is Tyler Kleven, who played 24:30 tonight and has been Ottawa’s No. 5 defenseman this season, and a secondary penalty killer.
The Senators are also dealing with the week-to-week loss of veteran Nick Jensen to knee surgery, compounding their issues on the blueline. Green indicated the team would be recalling two defensemen from Belleville, and one of those two could be 2024 No. 7 overall pick Carter Yakemchuk. The 20-year-old has yet to make his NHL debut but has 10 goals and 36 points in 50 AHL games this season. Earlier this month, the Senators indicated they’d prefer to allow Yakemchuk to develop at his own pace at the AHL level, but the injuries that have piled up could force their hand.
Outside of Yakemchuk, the Senators do have some other options for a potential recall waiting in Belleville. 25-year-old Samuel Bolduc has played quite a bit since arriving in a trade from the Ontario Reign, and has four points in five games. He offers size (he stands 6’4″ 220 pounds) and has 52 games of NHL experience, all coming during his days with the New York Islanders. He could be an option.
2022 fifth-round pick Jorian Donovan is still waiting on the chance to make his NHL debut, but has developed into a top-four piece with legitimate penalty-killing utility in the AHL. He could get a shot in the NHL given the injuries Ottawa is dealing with, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team prioritize experience in their call-ups given just how important their upcoming games are.
While Chabot’s status as one of the team’s top defensemen means his injury is more notable for the Senators’ overall lineup construction, the implications are no less real for Thomson. Tonight was the 25-year-old’s first NHL game since 2022-23, but his night ended after just 4:25 time on ice. Thomson was lined up to be one of the real beneficiaries of the Senators’ injury situation, slated to get the chance to show off his talents in some high-stakes NHL contests.
For a player who spent last season in the SHL, and is a pending RFA, that was a massive opportunity. Now, as a result of Thomson’s injury, that opportunity may have slipped away.
Photos courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
San Jose Sharks Reassign Laurent Brossoit
The San Jose Sharks announced today that veteran goalie Laurent Brossoit has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda.
Brossoit was originally recalled on March 13, and he ended up serving as a backup for four of the five games the team played while he was on the roster. He got one start, a tough 7-4 road loss to the Ottawa Senators on March 15, in which he made 23 saves on 29 shots and was tagged with the loss.
Yaroslav Askarov, who is a full-time NHL goalie for the Sharks, had been sidelined for a little over a week with a lower-body injury. That’s what prompted Brossoit’s recall. Today, Askarov returned to practice in full. As Brossoit is San Jose’s organizational No. 3 goalie, Askarov’s return from injury has cost him his spot on the team’s NHL roster.
A tough start in Ottawa shouldn’t distract from what has been a solid campaign for Brossoit. He missed all of the 2024-25 season recovering from knee surgery and other lower-body issues, and ended up dealt from the team he originally signed with, the Chicago Blackhawks, earlier this year.
Chicago originally signed Brossoit to a $3.3MM AAV deal after he posted a stellar .927 save percentage in 23 games as a backup for the Winnipeg Jets, and at that point, he was a year removed from playing eight playoff games en route to a Stanley Cup Championship with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Injuries kept Brossoit from ever suiting up with the Blackhawks, but he’s earned his way back to the NHL with the Sharks. He’s had a strong season at the AHL level, going 11-2-1 in 14 games for the Barracuda, posting a .915 save percentage along the way.
NHL, CHL Nearing New AHL Loan Agreement
Last week, we covered reporting that indicated that the NHL was set to meet with the CHL to discuss potential changes to the league’s transfer agreement with the CHL, one that currently prevents NHL teams from, in most circumstances, loaning 19-year-old CHL players to their AHL affiliate. At the time, it appeared unclear what the exact nature of the rule change would be.
Yesterday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman provided some clarity in that area, reporting on the Saturday Headlines segment of the Hockey Night In Canada broadcast that the NHL, AHL, and CHL are nearing an agreement that would pave the way for 19-year-old CHLers to be eligible for the AHL, under specific circumstances.
Per Friedman, previously-ineligible 19-year-old CHLers drafted in the first round will be eligible to be loaned to the AHL, as soon as next season. There is no limit on how many players an organization can loan, the key stipulation is just that the player must be drafted in the first round. The agreement still needs to be approved by the NHLPA before it can be made official.
Ryan Pike of Flames Nation laid out a list of the 2007-born first-round picks who would be impacted by this rule, players who could be eligible for an AHL assignment if the rule is implemented before the 2026-27 season. There are thirteen players in total who would be impacted by this rule for next season, although some, such as Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, and Ben Kindel, figure to play next season in the NHL.
Where the rule change could have the most impact is with players who are not locks to be full-time NHLers next season. Two top centers drafted last year, Brady Martin and Caleb Desnoyers, could be prime candidates to benefit from an AHL assignment.
For organizations that have a strong track record of player development at the AHL level, this pending rule change will allow them to further lean into that competitive advantage. The Nashville Predators, for example, have a lengthy history of developing NHL players who first play with the Milwaukee Admirals. They have two players (Martin and No. 21 pick Cam Reid) who would be eligible to play in Milwaukee on a full-time basis under the new rule.
There are numerous players who, in the past, could have benefited from this rule change. 2022 No. 7 pick Kevin Korchinski is an example, as a young defenseman who played in 76 NHL games the year after he was drafted. The Blackhawks were unable to assign Korchinski to the AHL, and had to choose between the NHL and CHL.
The Blackhawks reportedly believed Korchinski did not stand to benefit much (developmentally) from a return to the CHL, given that he had won the WHL title the year prior and had already developed into an elite point-producing defenseman at that level. So, they kept him in the NHL for all of 2023-24, as they were not allowed to assign him to their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.
Korchinski struggled to keep his head above water as a rookie, and has played in just 20 NHL games since that year. He is, undoubtedly, an example of a top prospect who likely would have benefited from being able to start off his pro career in the AHL, rather than needing to start in the NHL because his options were limited by transfer restrictions.
With the rule change set to be implemented, it seems those days will be a thing of the past for first-round prospects. It’s also worth wondering whether teams targeting a specific CHL talent near the top of the second round of upcoming drafts might attempt to trade into the final few picks of the first round, just to make that player eligible for AHL assignment under this new rule.
There is a precedent for teams maneuvering in the draft in such a way – albeit in other professional sports leagues. Such a strategy would be similar to draft maneuvering that sometimes occurs in the NFL, where teams have traded for a late first-round pick in an effort to secure a fifth-year option on a targeted prospect’s rookie contract. The Baltimore Ravens famously did this in 2018 to secure a fifth year-option on the rookie deal of future MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.
While it’s too early to tell the full impact of this NHL/AHL/CHL rule change, it’s possible the implications of this change could stretch into the draft process itself.
Morning Notes: Gilbert, Ersson, Reedy
Ottawa Senators defenseman Dennis Gilbert was forced out of last night’s contest with an apparent injury, one he suffered after being on the receiving end of a big hit by Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Gilbert ended up down on the ice after Ekman-Larsson’s hit, and left the game shortly afterward without returning.
After the game, Senators head coach Travis Green told the media, including Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, that Gilbert is set to miss some time as a result of the injury he suffered. His exact return timeline and status are still being evaluated. It’s an undoubtedly unfortunate break for Gilbert, a 29-year-old journeyman depth blueliner. He had played in five consecutive NHL games including last night, representing five of his six total NHL games played this season. As a result of the injury, it’s possible the pending UFA has already played in his final NHL game of the 2025-26 season.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Late last month, we covered reports coming out of Philadelphia that indicated that Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson was entering a critical stretch of his season where his future in the organization would likely be finalized. While The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz wrote today that it “seems unlikely” Ersson will be back with the Flyers next season, it’s not for a lack of trying. Ersson has won his last three starts and has a .920 save percentage and 1.74 goals-against average in his last four games played. But despite that notable uptick in recent form, it’s worth noting Ersson’s season-long numbers are still weak, including an .864 save percentage across 28 games that remains the league’s worst among goalies with at least 20 starts.
- The New York Islanders’ AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders, released veteran forward Scott Reedy from his PTO, per Kenny Kaminsky of Isles In The Sound. Reedy, 26, got a tryout from the Islanders back in February but went scoreless in six games played for Bridgeport. It’s been a tough few years for Reedy as he’s tried to work his way back into NHL consideration after a strong 2021-22 campaign that saw him score 18 goals in the AHL and earn 35 NHL games with the San Jose Sharks, where he would score seven goals. Last season, Reedy scored nine points in 25 games for the Milwaukee Admirals.
Snapshots: CHL, Vaakanainen, Laba
In November, we covered reports indicating that the NHL was seeking to come to an agreement with the CHL on allowing 19-year-old CHL players to play in the AHL under specific circumstances. At the time, it appeared the league was seeking a deal that would allow each club to select one player, who would have previously been ineligible to play in the AHL, to be loaned to that league. The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Pierre LeBrun reported today that NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly had a meeting scheduled for today with the CHL’s President, alongside the three commissioners of the CHL’s leagues. Per Russo and LeBrun, “there will be some type of change” to the rule, and the negotiations are reportedly more about determining “the number of 19-year-olds that could be assigned” and “the criteria” of who would be allowed to be assigned.
Russo and LeBrun indicated that with the flow of CHL players to the NCAA, now that the NCAA’s rules permit CHLers to join the college ranks, NHL teams “want to maintain control of their drafted players.” Providing a player with the flexibility to turn pro might keep a player from playing college hockey, something that would accomplish that goal for teams. Recent history is littered with players who teams would likely have preferred to turn pro rather than return to the CHL, perhaps none more high-profile than 2022 No. 4 pick Shane Wright. The year after he was drafted, Wright got into eight NHL games, a handful of AHL games (on a conditioning loan), and was reassigned to the OHL after the World Juniors. It’s likely that Wright would have simply spent the year in the AHL had the rules been different, and with today’s reporting, it appears the next Wright might very well get the chance to do just that.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- The New York Rangers announced tonight that defenseman Urho Vaakanainen left the team’s contest against the New Jersey Devils after suffering an upper-body injury. The full extent of Vaakanainen’s injury is, of course, unclear at this time. The 27-year-old, who is under contract through next season at a $1.55MM AAV, has served as a seventh defenseman for the Rangers this season. He’s gotten into 32 games, scoring six points and averaging 14:08 time on ice per game.
- Vaakanainen isn’t the only Rangers player who left their game against the Devils with an injury: the team also announced that rookie center Noah Laba has been sidelined with a lower-body injury. Laba’s emergence has been one of the more positive storylines for the Rangers this season, as the 2022 fourth-round pick has been a developmental bright spot for a team whose track record in that area has come under scrutiny. The 22-year-old has 21 points in 64 games this season and has been operating as the team’s No. 3 center, averaging 13:33 time on ice per game including a secondary role on the penalty kill.
Florida Panthers To Recall Nolan Foote
The Florida Panthers have recalled forward Nolan Foote from their AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, per Five Reasons Sports’ Alex Baumgartner. The move has not yet been officially confirmed by the team.
Foote’s recall comes as the Panthers manage numerous injuries to their forward corps. Star Sam Reinhart is out for at least the team’s upcoming four-game road trip, and Sam Bennett is out on a day-to-day basis. The team is also dealing with older injuries to stars such as Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand.
While those injuries are undoubtedly unfortunate for the Panthers, and have greatly contributed to the team’s year-over-year decline, the injuries also present an opportunity for Foote. This recall gives the 2019 first-round pick the chance to play in his first NHL games of the season, and the chance to make his Panthers debut.
A 6’3″ winger, Foote has scored at a steady rate in the AHL over the last few years. He’s reached at least 32 points in each of the last four seasons he’s been healthy for, and last season scored a career-high 39 points in 53 games with the Utica Comets. While his star as a prospect has dimmed since his days in the New Jersey Devils organization, he’s still just 25 years old, and a lengthy NHL career could still be ahead of him.
For him to be able to have that kind of NHL career, the first step will be to seize on the opportunities he’s presented with. AHL players don’t get to pick and choose when their NHL opportunities arrive, and Foote is no different. NHL games are NHL games, and for Foote, any he’s able to dress for with the Panthers will be high-stakes contests.
As a pending RFA, he’s playing not only to prove he belongs in Florida’s plans moving forward, but perhaps also to earn a raise on his next contract. Foote’s current deal is a two-way pact with a league-minimum NHL salary and a $250K total guarantee. If he can string together some quality NHL performances, and perhaps find a way to stick in Sunrise for the rest of the season, he could make a serious push to earn a one-way contract – or at least an even greater guarantee – for next season.