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Capitals Place Ryan Leonard And Charlie Lindgren On IR, Recall Two

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The Washington Capitals this morning announced a series of transactions: they have placed forward Ryan Leonard and netminder Charlie Lindgren on IR, and recalled forward Bogdan Trineyev and goalie Clay Stevenson from their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears.

Both IR placements are retroactive to Friday, meaning the earliest they’ll be able to return is Dec. 12.

The biggest name in these transactions is that of Leonard, the No. 8 overall pick at the 2023 draft and one of the Capitals’ top young players. Leonard was on the wrong end of a hit from Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba in the team’s game Dec. 5, and appears to have suffered an upper-body injury as a result. Head coach Spencer Carbery said today that Leonard will miss “an extended period of time” with his injury.

Since the game, members of the Capitals, including Carbery and star forward Tom Wilson, have expressed frustration at Trouba’s hit on Leonard. Carbery said today of the hit: “it looks old school to me, like hunting a player that’s in a vulnerable spot.”

Wilson was critical of Trouba, saying the Ducks veteran “knows exactly what he was doing” and adding that Leonard was “in a vulnerable spot” when he was hit. Wilson has himself been suspended multiple times in the past for illegal checks, including a 20-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head delivered in a 2018 preseason contest.

Losing Leonard to IR as a result of Trouba’s hit is an unfortunate development for the Capitals. The rookie has impressed to start 2025-26, scoring 18 points in 29 games. His blend of competitiveness and skill is one many teams covet, and a combination of traits the Capitals have benefited from greatly whenever he’s been on the ice.

The forward the Capitals recalled to fill Leonard’s spot on the roster, Trineyev, isn’t likely going to be able to match what Leonard is able to contribute on a nightly basis. The 23-year-old has yet to make his NHL debut. He scored 22 points in 62 AHL games last season, but has seen his production tick upward so far this year. Trineyev has 12 points in 16 games for Hershey so far in 2025-26. Standing 6’3″, 206 pounds, Trineyev may at least be able to replace some of the physical edge Leonard provides, even if he is less likely to match Leonard’s offense.

Lindgren last played Dec. 3 and has been dealing with an upper-body injury. The 31-year-old is in his fourth season in Washington, and has established himself as a quality full-time NHLer in the American capital. He played a career-high 50 games in 2023-24, posting a .911 save percentage. His performance that season earned him a third-place Vezina Trophy vote and a fifth-place Hart Trophy vote, coming from The Hockey News’ Sammi Silber who covers the Capitals.

Lindgren hasn’t been quite as good since that point, ceding the No. 1 role in Washington to Logan Thompson. Lindgren has a .893 save percentage in 10 games this season and posted an .896 in 39 games last year. Lindgren’s replacement on the NHL roster while he’s on IR is Stevenson. Stevenson is part of a tandem with Garin Bjorklund in Hershey, and has impressed thus far in his AHL career.

He has a .910 save percentage in 11 games this season, and while he was not as good in 2024-25, he had a .922 in 36 starts as an AHL rookie in 2023-24. Stevenson has played in one career NHL game to this point, an April 17 contest last season where he made 33 saves in a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Flyers Recall Ty Murchison

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The Philadelphia Flyers have rewarded a top prospect with the first call-up of his NHL career. Defenseman Ty Murchison has been recalled to the NHL roster in the wake of an injury to top defender Cameron York. Murchison could make his NHL debut on Sunday, if York isn’t able to play.

Murchison is in his first year of pro hockey, after spending the last four years at Arizona State University. He made his AHL debut at the end of last season, and posted two points and a plus-two in his first four games. He’s stayed positive through his first full season this year with four points and 30 penalty minutes in 21 games. He also leads the Lehigh Valley Phantoms with a plus-nine.

Murchison is a hard-nosed, gritty defender. He has posted lofty penalty totals dating back to his days in AAA. He recorded 96 penalty minutes in 92 games, and two seasons, with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2019 to 2021. That physical presence earned Murchison a fifth-round selection to Philadelphia in 2021. He’s only grown in the years since and now stands at 6-foot-2, 207-pounds. While he may not rack up the scoring, Murchison offers a responsible, two-way game that could gel well at the bottom of Philadelphia’s lineup. He will compete with Emil Andrae for a depth role if he sticks on the roster. Andrae has six points in 16 NHL games – and five points in seven AHL games – this season.

Rangers Recall Jaroslav Chmelar, Reassign Brennan Othmann

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The New York Rangers have rewarded a rookie for a recent hot-streak in the AHL. Winger Jaroslav Chmelar has been recalled to the NHL after posting five points in his last five games for the Hartford Wolf Pack. That scoring brings him up to 11 points in 19 games on the year – fourth-most on Hartford. New York has reassigned wigner Brennan Othmann to make room for Chmelar’s addition.

New York is riding high entering December, witha 5-1-0 recor dacross their last six games. Othmann has served as the team’s extra forward for their last two games, but hasn’t pushed his way into the lineup since making his season debut in New York’s October 26th loss to the Calgary Flames. He posted no scoring and a minus-one in that match. Othmann has also recorded seven points and 29 penalty minutes in 15 games in the AHL. A return to the minors will give him a chance to play in his first game since November 29th.

Meanwhile, Chmelar will return to the NHL to compete with Sam Carrick and Jonny Brodzinski for a spot on the fourth-line. He played in the first two games of his NHL career earlier this season and posted no scoring and one fight. His lineup competition hasn’t been much more productive – with Carrick sat at six points, and Brodzinski at five points, on the year.

Chmelar is in his third pro season, after spending two years at Providence College. In that short span, he has posted 42 points and a minus-33 in 97 AHL games. He’s on the rise this year, and could cement his spot as New York’s go-to rookie, depth forward with a strong return to the lineup.

Avalanche Reassign Tristen Nielsen

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Saturday: It was a short-lived recall for Nielsen.  Following their game this afternoon (in which he didn’t play), the Avs announced (Twitter link) that he has been sent back to the Eagles.

Friday: The Avalanche have added some extra depth up front in advance of their game against the Rangers on Saturday.  The team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled forward Tristen Nielsen from AHL Colorado.

The 25-year-old started the season on a minor league deal but a strong showing early on with the Eagles resulted in the Avs converting him to a two-year, two-way NHL pact that carries a $775K cap charge.  This is now his third recall since signing that contract in late October.

Nielsen has played in four games with the Avalanche, picking up an assist, three shots on goal, and nine hits in 6:18 of playing time per night on their fourth line.  He has been much more productive with the Eagles, tallying 10 goals and five assists in 18 outings in the minors.

Colorado already had a full 23-player roster following Wednesday’s recall of Trent Miner from the Eagles with Scott Wedgewood injured.  Accordingly, another roster move needed to be made before officially adding Nielsen to the roster but that was not announced by the team.  If Wedgewood is going to miss some time, he could land on injured reserve while Gavin Brindley – though returning soon – is eligible to retroactively be placed on IR.

Canadiens Reassign Adam Engstrom And Florian Xhekaj To AHL

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Following last night’s victory over Winnipeg, the Canadiens announced a pair of roster moves.  The team has assigned defenseman Adam Engstrom and winger Florian Xhekaj to AHL Laval.

Engstrom, a 2022 third-round pick, got off to a hot start in the minors this season, posting five goals and nine assists in 18 games, the last of which was a five-point effort to earn him the promotion.  The 22-year-old got into a pair of games with Montreal in his first NHL stint, blocking a pair of shots while averaging a little over 12 minutes of ice time.

As for Xhekaj, he also was in his initial NHL stint.  He got into five games with the Canadiens, recording an assist in his NHL debut and added nine hits while logging 9:36 of playing time per contest.  The 21-year-old was a fourth-round pick in 2023 and while he had a promising rookie year in 2024-25 with Laval where he had 24 goals in 69 games, he has been limited to just two goals and two assists in 16 games in the minors this season.

With these moves, Montreal is now at the minimum of 20 players on the active roster.  With a back-to-back set coming up this weekend including a road game in Toronto, it stands to reason that they’ll likely be bringing a player or two up from Laval in the near future.

Boston Bruins Reassign Riley Tufte

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The Boston Bruins announced today that forward Riley Tufte has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.

Tufte, 27, was originally recalled on Nov. 17. He made an instant impact, scoring a late power play marker to break what would have been a shutout victory for the Carolina Hurricanes. That moment proved to be the high point of this recall for Tufte, as he was a healthy scratch for Boston’s game against Anaheim on Nov. 19. Tufte was in-and-out of the lineup for the next two weeks or so, skating in three additional games and serving as a scratch for four total contests.

The 2016 first-round pick earned this most recent recall on the back of a stellar start to his season with AHL Providence. Tufte scored eight goals and 18 points in just 13 games this season, and his record of solid production dates back to last year as well; Tufte scored 21 goals and 42 points in 58 games for the AHL Bruins in 2024-25.

While Tufte hasn’t been able to translate his scoring success at lower levels of the game to the NHL, the fact that he has been able to develop from low-scoring AHL bottom-sixer to a true top-six AHL scoring threat has at least helped him massively improve his odds of receiving NHL call-ups.

Standing 6’6″, 234 pounds, it’s fair to wonder whether Tufte has more value to give as an NHLer than he’s shown so far. Teams are always searching for players who blend overwhelming size with some scoring touch. But as mentioned, Tufte’s AHL scoring ability has yet to translate to NHL ice, and this most recent recall was no different.

Tufte is playing out a one-year, two-way contract that carries a league-minimum $775K NHL salary and a hefty $450K AHL salary, with a $500K total guarantee. Tufte’s progress as an AHL scorer has him on the cusp of earning a role as a full-time NHL bottom-sixer or spare forward, and his hefty AHL guarantee reflects that.

If he can continue his point-per-game AHL scoring pace and earn some more NHL call-ups, he could position himself to earn a one-way contract once again in his upcoming unrestricted free agency. Tufte played 2024-25 on a one-way $775K deal, and could be aiming to restore at least that level of compensation this summer.

Flyers Activate, Reassign Oliver Bonk

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Earlier today it was announced out of AHL Lehigh Valley that Flyers defenseman Oliver Bonk has been activated from injured reserve, and assigned to Lehigh Valley. The top prospect had a real chance to make the Flyers roster out of camp prior to going down in early October with an upper-body injury. It had been thought to be week-to-week, but finally, he is set to return. 

Selected 22nd overall by Philadelphia in the 2023 draft after a tremendous career with the London Knights (OHL) where he finished as a +82, Bonk is finally set to embark on his professional career. He will join a successful Phantoms squad and provide a major boost to their defense corps headed into December, far and away the blueliner with the highest upside on the team. 

As the Flyers have held their own, surpassing expectations and seemingly solving their question marks on the back end for now, they do not have to feel rushed with Bonk. Especially considering the injury, it is best for him to start out with the Phantoms and ease back gradually. The son of longtime NHLer Radek Bonk, Oliver, 6’2″, has a real chance to become a top pair defender. Although playing a different position, he has the same reliable traits as his father did, steady defensively and suited for any situation. 

Outside of Cam York, Philadelphia has not hit on defensemen in their pipeline in the last few years relative to expectations, so Bonk’s performance in the AHL will be watched closely. As he is a righty, there is a very clear path forward in the organization for Bonk, and thankfully he is finally set to get going with the Phantoms.  

 

Flyers Recall Carl Grundstrom

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The Philadelphia Flyers announced this evening that forward Carl Grundström has been recalled from AHL Lehigh Valley. After receiving the tough news that Tyson Foerster is out for two to three months earlier today, the Flyers naturally needed to add a forward to the mix, and opt for Grundström, who brings 293 games of NHL experience. 

The 28-year-old was acquired by the Flyers in October from San Jose in a deal where Ryan Ellis’ contract was moved out. Although Grundström is no longer a viable full time NHLer at this point, and therefore has a slightly inflated contract at $1.8MM (set to expire after this season) adding a solid depth option for a LTIR player was a favorable move for GM Daniel Briere. The Swede has been a top scorer for Lehigh Valley, and considering his contract rate, there is virtually no chance he will be claimed on waivers by another team, so his appeal as a stop-gap forward is obvious.

Once a standout prospect for the Maple Leafs, Grundström was a useful bottom sixer for the Kings for four years after coming over in the Jake Muzzin deal. He never reached 20 points in a season, but brought a simplified, gritty game to the lineup each night. After it was apparent he had lost his role as the Kings returned to contender status, Grundström was sent to the Sharks, but was unable to stick after nine points in 56 games, helping the team weather the storms of their hardcore rebuilding days. 

Now, with Foerster out, Grundström will have an opportunity to re-establish himself in the NHL, bringing a playing style very friendly to the orange and black. The Flyers host Buffalo tomorrow as they look to fend off a throng of teams set on contention below themselves, and hold onto their spot in the wild card mix. 

Blue Jackets Place Mathieu Olivier On IR, Recall Luca Del Bel Belluz

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The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that Mathieu Olivier has been placed on injured reserve, and forward Luca Del Bel Belluz has been recalled from AHL Cleveland on an emergency basis. Thankfully the team will have some time to settle, as they are not in action again until Thursday when they host Detroit. 

Olivier is thought to be week-to-week, absent since leaving mid-game against Washington on November 24th with an apparent upper-body injury. The 28-year-old epitomizes the modern-day grinder. Undrafted out of the QMJHL, he caught on with the Predators organization but never broke out. After the 2021-22 season, Olivier got a fresh start as Columbus gave up a fourth round pick for the winger, which at the time felt like a lot for a grinder with limited NHL upside. Instead, Olivier established himself as a Jacket in 2022-23, playing in 66 games and setting career highs across the board. He took a massive step last season with 18 goals and 32 points, earning a well deserved six-year extension worth $3MM per season. 

With three goals in 23 games so far, the scoring touch has fallen a bit, but once healthy, Olivier will return as a vital cog in the Jackets’ bottom six, a role he will likely hold for years to come. 

On the other hand, Del Bel Belluz, 22, is a top prospect for Columbus after being selected in the second round of the 2022 draft. The Ontario native’s path to the NHL has been a bit clouded with the additions of veterans such as Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood, along with their group of exciting young forwards, but he has certainly held his own in the AHL. Del Bel Belluz has 11 points in as many games with Cleveland this year, and had 53 in 61 games last season. The center got into seven games with the Jackets already this season, but in a limited fourth line deployment, it wasn’t the best scenario for the youngster. 

Now, with Olivier down for the time being, Del Bel Belluz has another crack to make his mark, with seven NHL points to his name at this point, and help the Blue Jackets close out 2025 on the right note. 

Senators Reassign Hayden Hodgson To AHL

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The Ottawa Senators announced this afternoon that forward Hayden Hodgson has been sent back to AHL Belleville. The bruising winger was called up to the big club on November 9th, since then appearing in eight contests, with no points, and 11 penalty minutes, playing in a limited capacity. 

Hodgson, 29, has three career NHL points in 17 games between Ottawa and the Flyers, not exactly a world-beater, but considering his path to this point, etching himself into a Senators lineup is seriously impressive. The Ontario native was undrafted out of the OHL, and spent the next several seasons grinding away in the ECHL, even making a short stop in Slovakia before coming back to North America. The decision to return paid off, as he eventually earned an opportunity with the Flyers in the 2021-22 season, scoring a goal in a short NHL run, in his debut, no less.  

After catching on with Ottawa on a two-way deal, last season Hodgson led the Belleville Senators with 156 penalty minutes, and in 10 games with them so far in 2025-26, he has three goals. In an age where players in his mold are largely phased out of the NHL, impressively Hodgson has managed to make a name for himself, and is signed through 2026-27 with the Senators organization. Although headed back to Belleville for now, the Sens could call upon their bruiser again in the near future as a reliable fourth line option with serious physicality. 

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