Kraken Recall Logan Morrison
The Seattle Kraken have recalled forward Logan Morrison from the AHL under emergency conditions. He will help Seattle address a slew of injuries, including to Jaden Schwartz, Jared McCann, and Ryan Winterton.
Morrison played in his NHL debut on March 26, 2024 – nearly two years ago to the day. He totaled four NHL appearances that season and recorded no scoring, no penalties, and a minus-one. Morrison has been with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds ever since. He carved out a top role on the Firebirds with back-to-back 40-point seasons over the last two years. With that footing, Morrison has taken off this year. He leads Coachella Valley in goals (27) and points (56) through 61 games. He has added 40 penalty minutes and a plus-22, also career-highs for the young professional.
The 23-year-old winger could be set to play in his fifth NHL game as the Kraken seek out a right-winger to fill out their depth chart. Seattle has operated with 11 forwards and seven defenseman recently, creating room for Cale Fleury to play in four games this month. He has one point and a minus-one in those appearances, bringing his season totals up to three points in 21 games. With that quiet stretch, and a 1-4-0 record in their last five games, Seattle could look back towards a traditional lineup structure to provide a spark.
Jets Recall Parker Ford, Danil Zhilkin
The Winnipeg Jets have recalled forwards Parker Ford and Danil Zhilkin under emergency conditions. The duo will help Winnipeg fill in for injuries to Vladislav Namestnikov, Nino Niederreiter, and Morgan Barron.
Zhilkin, 22, played through the first four games of his NHL career on a brief call-up in January. He managed no scoring, no penalties, and a plus-two in those appearances, while only playing more than 10 minutes in one game. He has planted his feet as a top center for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose in the months since, even despite scoring only 22 points in 54 games this season. He had a brief hot streak – five points in five games – in late December, leading up to his first NHL recall, but has otherwise struggled to post consecutive games with points for much of the year.
Ford has played through a fairly similar season. The 25-year-old winger began the season as an extra forward on Winnipeg’s roster. He appeared in 11 NHL games between October and November but only posted one point, four penalty minutes, and a minus-two. Ford was assigned to the AHL in November and has since recorded 21 points in 45 games with Manitoba. He has offered a responsible game around a young Moose lineup, helping to create space for Jets prospects Brayden Yager, Brad Lambert, and Zhilkin. Ford also appeared in three NHL games, and scored one point, last season.
The pair of call-ups will help Winnipeg stock the lineup as they prepare for a four-game road trip. Winnipeg now carries Zhilkin, Lambert, Isak Rosen, Ville Heinola, and Elias Salomonsson on the NHL roster. With the postseason well out of sight, they’ll embrace a chance to test out prospects with 10 games left on the schedule.
Sharks Recall Laurent Brossoit
The San Jose Sharks have recalled depth goaltender Laurent Brossoit from the AHL. He will help shore up the depth chart after starter Yaroslav Askarov was injured in the second period of Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Blues per Curtis Pashelka of Bay Area News Group. Askarov was injured after Blues winger Nathan Walker was knocked into the crease by Sharks defenseman Vincent Desharnais. The Sharks haven’t yet designated the nature of Askarov’s injury.
Thursday marked Askarov’s return from a previous injury that held him out of 16 days and seven games. He has served as San Jose’s go-to goaltender when healthy. Playing through his first season in a full-time NHL role, Askarov has recorded 19 wins, an .887 save percentage, and a 3.52 goals-against-average through 41 games.
Brossoit made his own return from injury in early December. He played his first games of the season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, after missing the entirety of the 2024-25 season with multiple lower-body injuries. The Sharks traded for Brossoit in early January. He quickly took over the starting role for the San Jose Barracuda, where he has posted an impressive 11 wins and .915 save percentage in 15 appearances. On the long haul back from injury, the former William M. Jennings Trophy-winner received his first call up to the Sharks roster on March 13th. He played in his first NHL game since April, 2024 two days later and allowed six goals on 23 shots in a 4-7 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
Brossoit moved to the backup role for the remainder of Askarov’s absence, then returned to the AHL with a 31-save performance on Wednesday. Now, another injury to Askarov will pull Brossoit back into the NHL, where he’ll continue to backup Alex Nedeljkovic. It is unclear if he’ll have a chance at returning to the starter’s crease, though another NHL appearance will mean a chance to get back on track after a rough return to the league.
Stars Promote Rich Peverley To Assistant GM
The Dallas Stars have made a change to their front office. Rich Peverley has been promoted to Assistant General Manager, in addition to his role as Director of Player Personnel. He becomes the third assistant GM in Dallas’ front office, alongside Scott White and Mark Janko. Peverley is in his 10th season in a managerial position with the Stars. His front office career began with six seasons as the Director of Player Development, before he was promoted to Director of Player Personnel in 2021.
Peverley’s history in Dallas stretches beyond his front office career. He played through nine seasons in the NHL, including one full season with Dallas to end his career. He was a valuable depth forward during his playing days, offering two-way responsibility and fearless physicality. His career was brought to an early end due to health issues in 2013. Peverley underwent a surgical procedure to address an irregular heartbeat before the 2013-14 season. Six months later, he collapsed on the Stars’ bench during a game, marking a lapse in his heart health. Peverley underwent further heart surgery to address the issue. He missed the final 18 games of Dallas’ season and ultimately wouldn’t play in another pro hockey game.
Peverley had one year on his standard player contract left when he experienced his health concern. He spent the final year as a volunteer coach with the AHL’s Texas Stars for the 2014-15 campaign, then began his managerial career in 2015-16. At the time, Dallas had only made one postseason in the last seven seasons. With Peverley’s help in player development, Dallas has grown far above those struggles, and now stands as a perennial top team in the Western Conference. Dallas made it to the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals and has lost in the Western Conference Finals in each of the last three seasons. Their push to the top of the standings has been driven by young stars Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnson, Miro Heiskanen, and Thomas Harley – each drafted by Dallas during Peverley’s time in the front office.
A move to assistant GM will mark another step forward in Peverley’s career, amidst another successful season in Dallas. The 43 year old will help Dallas approach an off-season with 10 pending free agents, including captain Jamie Benn and top restricted-free agents Robertson and Mavrik Bourque.
Penguins Recall Avery Hayes, Joona Koppanen
The Pittsburgh Penguins have added two forwards to the roster ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators. Winger Avery Hayes and center Joona Koppanen have been recalled from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Hayes’ recall will help the Penguins addresss a day-to-day injury for winger Anthony Mantha, while Koppanen will shore up the center depth per Taylor Haase of DK Pittsburgh Sports.
Hayes could have the clearer path to a lineup role if Mantha need to miss Thursday’s game. The 23 year old scored two goals in his NHL debut in early February but has struggled to keep scoring on the other side of the NHL’s Olympic break. He has no points in 10 NHL games since, though he has scored nine points in his last seven AHL games. That minor-league scoring brings him up to 32 points in 38 AHL games this season, fourth on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in scoring.
The Penguins will hope Hayes can rediscover his spark as he steps up for Mantha, who has eight points in his last nine games. All of that scoring was managed over a six-game stretch in mid-March, bringing Mantha up to 26 goals and 53 points in 71 games this season – a new career-high in scoring.
Koppanen hasn’t been in the NHL since November, when he played through a 10-game stint on Pittsburgh’s third-line. He recorded one assist, two penalty minutes, and a minus-one in that span. He also won 12 of the 25 faceoffs he took. Koppanen has filled a stout center role in his minor league minutes, netting 19 points and a plus-14 in 37 games. He brings reliable, two-way depth to the lineup and could help the Penguins make up for an injury to veteran Blake Lizotte.
The Penguins have turned towards Connor Dewar to fill a center role in Lizotte’s absence. He is putting together a career-year on Pittsburgh’s bottom line, with 14 goals, 27 points, and a plus-10 in 71 games – all career highs. That production has kept Dewar in a nightly lineup role, though his role as a faceoff-taker is new. With Koppanen on the roster, Pittsburgh will have the option to move Dewar back to the wing, in place of Elmer Soderblom.
Oilers Return James Hamblin From Emergency Recall
March 25th: Now that the emergency conditions have subsided, Hamblin is no longer needed on the Oilers roster. To that end, Edmonton announced that they’ve returned Hamblin to AHL Bakersfield from his emergency recall.
March 24th: 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.
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.
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.
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.