Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

AHL

East Notes: Richard, Lajoie, Smith, Vaněček, Foerster

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Bruins reassigned winger Anthony Richard to AHL Providence on Monday, per CapFriendly. Richard, 27, was summoned from the minors on Thursday and made his Boston debut in Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Capitals, recording one shot on goal in 10:38 of ice time.

Bruins GM Don Sweeney will likely make a corresponding recall ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Lightning, whether it’s bringing up Richard again or someone else. After sending Richard down, the Bruins are carrying 13 forwards on the NHL roster, but only 12 of them are healthy. Rookie Matthew Poitras remains on the roster despite requiring season-ending shoulder surgery, meaning he’ll end up on long-term injured reserve at some point, but they remain without an extra forward to insert into the lineup if a game-day injury strikes or if head coach Jim Montgomery wants to tinker with his personnel.

Despite being undersized, Richard has leveraged his speed to be a point-per-game producer in the AHL over the past two seasons. He has 49 goals and 105 points in 101 games since the beginning of 2022-23 and has posted 19 goals and 38 points in 41 games for Providence. After spending last season in the Canadiens organization and playing a career-high 13 NHL games as a result of his strong production with their AHL affiliate in Laval, Richard earned a relatively lucrative one-year, two-way deal from the Bruins in free agency that guarantees him $475K in salary.

Drafted 100th overall in the 2015 draft by the Predators, Richard is in his eighth season of professional hockey after wrapping up his junior career with the QMJHL’s Val-d’Or Foreurs, during which he won a league championship in 2014. He will be a UFA this summer upon the expiration of his contract.

Other morning updates from the Eastern Conference:

  • The Maple Leafs returned left defenseman Maxime Lajoie to AHL Toronto from his emergency loan on Monday, according to CapFriendly. Lajoie was rostered for Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Senators but was a healthy scratch, as he has been eight other times this season for Toronto. The 26-year-old was brought up in case all three Maple Leafs defensemen who were questionable for Saturday’s loss were unable to play, but only Mark Giordano and Conor Timmins were ruled out of the contest due to a lower-body injury and an illness, respectively. Lajoie has averaged 9:31 per game in his four showings with Toronto this year and has two goals, 15 assists, 17 points, and a +5 rating in 31 AHL games. The 2016 Ottawa draft pick is in his first season with the Maple Leafs after signing a one-year, two-way deal worth $775K in the NHL and $450K in the AHL in free agency.
  • Devils defenseman/left wing Brendan Smith participated in their morning skate on Monday but won’t return from a knee sprain tonight against the Kraken, Amanda Stein of the Devils’ official site reports. His return to the lineup seems imminent, however, and New Jersey will have an open roster spot to activate him from injured reserve after left wing Max Willman clears waivers or is claimed later today. He has not been ruled out of Tuesday’s game against the Predators. The 35-year-old has been out for nearly a month, sustaining the injury in the first period of a Jan. 15 game against Boston. He has one goal and five points in 34 games, averaging 14:25 per game with average possession metrics. The 2007 first-round pick will be a UFA this summer upon completion of his two-year, $2.2MM contract signed in free agency in 2022.
  • One Devil absent from practice is goaltender Vítek Vaněček, who Stein says is dealing with both an illness and a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old has started New Jersey’s four games and has seen a rare hot streak in an otherwise poor season, recording a 1-2-1 record and .914 SV%. If he’s not healthy enough to back up presumptive starter Nico Daws tonight, the Devils will summon farmhands Akira Schmid or Erik Källgren on an emergency basis.
  • Flyers forward Tyson Foerster is doubtful for Monday’s game against the Coyotes with an undisclosed injury, head coach John Tortorella said (via The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz). Foerster, 22, was absent from this morning’s practice. The rookie has played in 52 consecutive games after being scratched for the season opener, recording ten goals and 21 points while averaging nearly 17 minutes per game and cementing himself in the team’s top nine. Their 2020 first-round pick has also controlled possession well with a 53.7% Corsi share at even strength, third on the team behind Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny.

Wild Expected To Recall Adam Beckman

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Wild are expected to announce the recall of winger Adam Beckman from AHL Iowa on Sunday, The Athletic’s Michael Russo said. He joins the team in place of winger Marcus Foligno, who left Minnesota’s 3-2 win over the Penguins on Friday early in the third period with an undisclosed injury and did not practice Sunday morning, per Russo.

This is Beckman’s second recall in the last six days. The Wild summoned him on Monday to fill out their forward depth, but with Vinni Lettieri returning from a lower-body injury before Wednesday’s game against the Blackhawks, Beckman didn’t slot into the lineup and was returned to Iowa before Friday’s game.

The 22-year-old is in his third pro season since being selected in the third round, 75th overall, by the Wild in the 2019 draft. With 10 goals and 10 assists (20 points) in 39 games for Iowa, he’s on pace to fall short of last season’s 24 goals and 36 points, both of which were career-highs, set in 53 games.

Now an alternate captain at the minor-league level, Beckman’s high-end scoring during his time in junior hockey with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs hasn’t fully translated to the pro level. Projecting as more of a top-nine threat than a top-six one if he works his way onto the Minnesota roster full-time, the Saskatchewan-born winger has one assist in 12 NHL appearances over the last three years.

Beckman could make his season debut Monday against the Golden Knights if Foligno is unable to play. The Wild do not have another forward on the roster to draw into the lineup and would need to dress seven defensemen if they opt to sit Beckman again.

With an open roster spot and ample cap space, given captain Jared Spurgeon’s long-term injured reserve placement, Minnesota will not need to execute a corresponding transaction to recall Beckman. He is in the final season of his entry-level contract, which carries an $894.2K cap hit, and will be an RFA this summer.

Foligno, 32, will miss his fifth game of the season due to illness or injury if he is not cleared to play. The 13-year veteran has again been a solid two-way force for Minnesota in a third-line role, recording 20 points in 47 games while posting an expected +3.8 rating, good enough for fifth on the team.

Evening Notes: Schultz, Coyotes Arena, Chinakhov, Malinski

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Kraken defenseman Justin Schultz has left the team for personal reasons, relays Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.  However, head coach Dave Hakstol is hopeful that the veteran will be able to rejoin the team in the coming days on their four-game road trip.  The 33-year-old is having a bit of a quieter year offensively with just 16 points in 42 games so far; he had 34 in 73 contests last season.  Seattle is still trying to climb back into the playoff picture but if they wind up selling closer to the deadline, Schultz could be an interesting addition to the market as a right-shot blueliner on a $3MM expiring contract.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • The long-running arena saga in Arizona could be taking another direction. PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reports (video link) that a local government source suggested that a new arena deal in North Phoenix could be wrapped up in the next three months.  Their situation was discussed in an executive session (not open to the public) at a council meeting earlier this week with the meeting believed to have gone well.  While there’s a long way to go before shovels are in the ground, it’s possible that the Coyotes could wind up with a new arena plan in the near future which could delay any potential talk of relocation.
  • The Blue Jackets announced (Twitter link) that forward Yegor Chinakhov left tonight’s game versus Tampa Bay with an upper-body injury. After a slow start to his campaign following his early-November recall, the 23-year-old has become a capable contributor for Columbus, notching 14 goals and 10 assists in 39 games heading into tonight’s action.
  • Following their loss to Florida, the Avalanche announced (Twitter link) that they’ve returned defenseman Sam Malinski to AHL Colorado. The 25-year-old was recalled on Tuesday and played that night but was scratched for their past two games.  Malinski has 10 points in 23 games with the Avs so far while logging a little over 14 minutes a night and will likely be brought back up again in the coming days.

Montreal Canadiens Recall Joshua Roy

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Montreal Canadiens have recalled forward Joshua Roy from the AHL’s Laval Rocket. This move comes in response to Rafaël Harvey-Pinard leaving Saturday’s game after awkwardly bending his leg in a collision with teammate Joel Armia. Harvey-Pinard previously missed seven weeks of the season with a lower-body injury, limiting him to just 23 games this year.

This is just the second recall of Roy’s career, with the first coming on January 12th. Roy was with the NHL club for 12 days before being reassigned to Laval. He played in his first six NHL games in that stretch, recording one goal, one assist, one penalty, and a -2. Roy has also managed 32 points across 40 AHL games, ranking second on Laval in scoring behind Brandon Gignac, who is also currently called up to the NHL lineup.

Harvey-Pinard’s injury adds to a list of absentees in Montreal, with the team also missing Christian Dvorak and Kirby Dach due to injury. Brendan Gallagher is also out of the lineup for three more games, serving the latter end of the first suspension of his career. That leaves Montreal with no extra forwards to fill in for Harvey-Pinard, meaning the 20-year-old Roy should slot immediately into the lineup.

Montreal drafted Roy in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft. He’s one of just two players to be selected after 2021’s Third Round to have already made his NHL debut; the other being Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Martinsen Lilleberg, who has played in 12 games and scored two points this season. The Arizona Coyotes drafted Martinsen Lilleberg in the fourth round but left him unsigned, leaving him open to signing with Tampa this past summer.

Maple Leafs Recall Maxime Lajoie

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Maple Leafs recalled defenseman Maxime Lajoie from AHL Toronto on Friday, per the team’s public relations department.

Toronto’s 23 active roster slots are all full, so a corresponding move must happen for the recall to be registered with the league. It’s unclear whether that will come in the form of an injured reserve placement or another move, such as a trade. The Hockey News’ David Alter reports center David Kämpf may be heading to IR to create space for Lajoie.

Kämpf, 29, has not played since the All-Star break with an undisclosed injury and is expected to miss at least one more game. He will be eligible to come off IR at any time.

For now, the Maple Leafs will have only 12 forwards and nine defensemen on the active roster. The lopsided totals won’t last long – veterans Jake McCabe and Mark Giordano were absent from practice yesterday for maintenance, so Lajoie comes up in the worst-case scenario that both are ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Senators.

The 26-year-old has four appearances with Toronto this year, last suiting up in the NHL in December. He’s averaged just 9:32 per game and has no shots on goal, although he does have a respectable 52.5% Corsi share at even strength in his limited minutes.

Lajoie will be a restricted free agent upon completion of his one-year, two-way deal this summer. Through 31 AHL games with the Marlies, he has two goals and 17 points with a +5 rating.

Leon Gawanke To Sign With DEL’s Adler Mannheim

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Feb. 9: Gawanke has cleared waivers and will now sign with Adler Mannheim of the Deutsch Eishockey Liga, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports Friday.

Feb. 8: The San Jose Sharks have placed defenseman Leon Gawanke on waivers for the purpose of contract termination, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The 24-year-old has spent all season with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, where he leads defensemen in scoring with eight goals and 27 points through 38 games – the highest point-per-game pace of Gawanke’s five-year AHL career. This success comes after Gawanke tied for the league’s lead in goals scored by a defenseman last season, with 20 through 68 games.

The Sharks acquired Gawanke in a minor-league swap this summer, sending Artemi Kniazev to the Winnipeg Jets in return. Winnipeg has also seen their acquisition move away, with Kniazev starting the season in the AHL but moving to the KHL’s Kazan Ak-Bars in the new year. Gawanke signed a one-year, two-way, $775K contract with the Sharks that he is now poised to terminate. If he does clear waivers, he will get the change to negotiate as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.

Gawanke was a fifth-round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft. He made his professional debut two seasons later and has since spent all of the last six years in the AHL – save for a six-game stint with Germany’s Berlin Polar Bears during the 2020-21 season. Gawanke has been the top-scoring defenseman on his team in four of his pro seasons, but whether that will be enough to earn him a new deal is yet to be seen.

Islanders To Activate Casey Cizikas, Reassign Kyle MacLean

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Islanders will activate center Casey Cizikas from long-term injured reserve ahead of tonight’s game against the Lightning, as implied by his full participation in Thursday’s morning skate (via Newsday’s Andrew Gross). Center Kyle MacLean has been returned to AHL Bridgeport to open a roster spot.

Cizikas, 32, is still listed as a game-time decision after being upgraded Wednesday night. However, with Hudson Fasching still out with a lower-body injury, the Islanders don’t have an extra healthy forward on the roster and would need to dress seven defensemen if Cizikas is a late scratch.

As expected, Cizikas will return to his long-time home on the team’s fourth line between Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck. Now in his 13th season with the team, Cizikas has five goals and 11 points in 39 contests while averaging 13:30 per game. He remains under contract until 2027 with a $2.5MM cap hit.

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old MacLean returns to Bridgeport on a more permanent basis after being ferried up and down in Cizikas’ absence. The son of Isles assistant coach John MacLean scored his first NHL goal Monday night against the Maple Leafs, his only point during the first six games of his NHL career.

MacLean saw limited action under new head coach Patrick Roy, averaging 8:11 per game. He struggled in the faceoff dot, winning 14 out of 44 draws, and recorded a 47.8% Corsi share at even strength.

The New Jersey native has six goals and 19 points in 38 games with Bridgeport this season, on pace for AHL career-highs. He will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer upon completion of a one-year, two-way contract worth $800K in the NHL and $82.5K in the AHL.

Blues Recall Calle Rosén

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Blues recalled defenseman Calle Rosén from AHL Springfield on Thursday, per a team release.

Rosén, who turned 30 earlier this month, joins the Blues with Justin Faulk and Scott Perunovich out of the lineup with lower-body injuries. The recall gives them seven healthy defensemen on the active roster in case their two injured defenders can’t re-join the team by Saturday’s game against the Sabres, their first after the All-Star break.

This is Rosén’s first recall since clearing waivers during training camp and heading to the minors in October. He’s scored twice and added 23 assists – which ranks first among Springfield defensemen – in 44 games, along with a +3 rating.

23-year-old right-shot defenseman Matthew Kessel drew into the lineup in 14 straight games before the break, averaging 17:17 per contest. He didn’t get on the scoresheet, however, and despite his even rating, his 43.1% Corsi share at even strength left something to be desired. If the Blues opt to replace Kessel with Rosén in the lineup, or if one of Faulk or Perunovich is ready to return, Kessel would not need waivers to return to Springfield.

After playing in a career-high 49 NHL games last season, it’s surprising it took until February for Rosén to see his first recall of 2023-24. He was quietly one of the best depth defenders in the league, posting eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points with a +19 rating despite logging only 15:36 per game. His 46.8% Corsi share at even strength was third among Blues defensemen behind Torey Krug and Tyler Tucker, and his expected +2.5 rating was second on the entire team behind depth winger Josh Leivo.

The Blues’ roster size is now at the 23-player maximum after Rosén’s recall. He is in the second season of a two-year, $1.525MM extension signed in 2022 that carries a $762.5K cap hit. A pending UFA, Rosén can return to Springfield without clearing waivers if he plays less than 10 games and stays on the roster for less than 30 days.

Joining the league as an undrafted free agent signed by the Maple Leafs in 2017, Rosén has since appeared in 87 games across five seasons for Toronto, Colorado and St. Louis. He’s played more of a role since coming to St. Louis in 2021, recording 10 goals and 25 points in 67 appearances.

Central Notes: Lucchini, Brodin, Johnson

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After sending him down at the beginning of the All-Star break, the Wild recalled forward Jake Lucchini from AHL Iowa on Monday, per The Athletic’s Michael Russo. The move gives them a 12th healthy forward for Wednesday’s game against the Blackhawks. Pat Maroon, Connor Dewar and Vinni Lettieri remain on injured reserve and are not expected to be available.

Lucchini, 28, has yet to record a point in eight games with the Wild, averaging 8:21 per contest and posting a -1 rating. It’s been a much better showing in the minors for the veteran depth forward, who ranks among Iowa’s best point-per-game producers with 11 goals and 23 points in 30 appearances.

He’s dangerously close to losing his temporary waiver exemption after passing through unclaimed during training camp. If he plays in two more contests, a likely scenario given the Wild’s injury situation, he’ll need waivers once again to head to Iowa.

Notably, the Wild did not recall top goaltending prospect Jesper Wallstedt today. He’d been on the active roster leading into the All-Star break with Marc-André Fleury on the shelf with an upper-body injury, meaning the veteran is likely ready to dress against his former team later this week. Wallstedt allowed seven goals on 34 shots in his lone NHL appearance this season.

Elsewhere from the Central Division:

  • Sticking with Minnesota, top shutdown blue-liner Jonas Brodin was absent from today’s practice with an illness, according to Russo. The 30-year-old had three assists in his last four games heading into the All-Star break, and his status for Wednesday is unknown. The 12-year veteran missed 17 games earlier this season with an upper-body injury, putting immense pressure on rookie Brock Faber to shoulder all-situations responsibilities in his first NHL campaign. Faber’s done so well, leading Wild defenders in points (29) and average ice time (24:51). Brodin has one goal through his 32 showings this year and is second behind Faber in ice time, averaging 23:42 per game.
  • Blackhawks veteran Tyler Johnson is expected to return to the lineup against the Wild on Wednesday, head coach Luke Richardson said (via NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis). The 33-year-old missed all of Chicago’s 14 games in January with a foot fracture sustained on New Year’s Eve against the Stars. His pending IR activation brings Chicago’s injured forwards count to four, and he’s expected to resume a top-six role in his return in the continued absence of rookie Connor Bedard due to a broken jaw. The pending UFA has nine goals, 13 points, and a -15 rating in 35 contests.

Atlantic Notes: Woll, Kämpf, Poitras, Forbort, Chaffee, Jeannot

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Maple Leafs netminder Joseph Woll is ramping up his workload in practice as he recovers from a high ankle sprain, head coach Sheldon Keefe said Monday (via Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun). However, the 25-year-old’s return to game action remains up in the air as his absence stretches into its third month.

Keefe said the Leafs are targeting Woll’s return sometime in the middle of February, but his status has not yet been upgraded to day-to-day. Woll has also not been a full participant in practice since returning to the ice.

The team’s leader in SV% (.916) and goals saved above average (6.2) has been sidelined since a rather innocuous play in the third period of a Dec. 7 contest against the Senators. Luckily for Toronto, they’ve been able to get some solid goaltending performances in his absence – Ilya Samsonov has a 3-1-0 record and .939 SV% in four appearances since clearing waivers at the beginning of January, and third-string veteran Martin Jones has held the fort with a .911 SV% and two shutouts in 17 appearances, along with a 9-6-1 record.

Elsewhere from the Atlantic Division:

  • Sticking with Toronto, Keefe said center David Kämpf will miss at least a week with an undisclosed injury after undergoing an MRI yesterday (via TSN’s Mark Masters). He’s been ruled out for the next three games, opening the door for 24-year-old Pontus Holmberg to get an extended look on Toronto’s fourth line. Kämpf’s status will be upgraded to day-to-day next Monday and could return for the team’s Feb. 13 contest against the Blues. The Maple Leafs do not have cap space to recall a player to replace Kämpf, so they’d likely dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen if an additional injury occurs on offense in the next week.
  • Bruins rookie Matthew Poitras is questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Flames, head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters (including independent Bruins reporter Ty Anderson). He’s only played in three out of Boston’s last nine games and missed the final contest before the All-Star break with an undisclosed injury. The 19-year-old has two assists in six games since returning from representing Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Juniors, in which they failed to medal for the first time since 2019.
  • Montgomery also said defenseman Derek Forbort, who also missed Boston’s last game with an undisclosed injury, won’t be ready for tomorrow’s contest. He confirmed this injury isn’t related to the lower-body injury that’s limited him to 24 games this season and has been lingering since training camp. He played only four games in January after returning from a 20-game absence, logging a +3 rating in bottom-pairing minutes.
  • The Lightning recalled winger Mitchell Chaffee from AHL Syracuse on Monday, per team reporter Chris Krenn. Chaffee, 26, had played in Tampa Bay’s final two games before the All-Star break but was loaned back to Syracuse during their bye week. With Tanner Jeannot and Austin Watson still sidelined, Chaffee will draw into the lineup for his fourth appearance of the season on Wednesday against the Rangers. He’s scored once and added an assist in his three showings thus far, averaging 8:25 per game.
  • While Jeannot remains out Wednesday, it won’t be long until the middle-six grinder is ready to return. Head coach Jon Cooper informed reporters Monday that the team expects him to return at some point during their upcoming four-game road trip, which concludes with a Feb. 13 contest in Boston. Jeannot has struggled in his first full season in the Sunshine State, scoring six goals and 12 points in 41 games while averaging 12:35 per game. It’s the production or role expected of him after Lightning GM Julien BriseBois swung big for his services ahead of last season’s trade deadline, parting with five draft picks, including a 2025 first-round selection. He’s been out of the lineup for nearly a month, sustaining a lower-body injury against the Bruins on Jan. 6.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top