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Golden Knights Sign Carter Hart To Two-Year Deal

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Oct. 25: The Golden Knights have registered the contract, PuckPedia reports.  The deal carries a $1.45MM signing bonus this season with a league-minimum salary of $775K.  In 2026-27, Hart will make $1.775MM in salary with no signing bonus.

Oct. 24: Vegas will be converting Hart’s tryout into a two-year contract as expected. It’ll be worth $4MM with an average annual value of $2MM, Darren Dreger of TSN reports.

Oct. 16, 12:31 p.m.: The Golden Knights announced that Hart will be joining the organization, although there isn’t a guaranteed contract yet – he’ll begin his work on a tryout with AHL Henderson, Chris Johnston of The Athletic and TSN reports. Vegas’ full statement is as follows:

Following the reinstatement decision agreed on by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association, goaltender Carter Hart will be joining the Vegas Golden Knights organization. The Golden Knights are aligned with the process and assessment the NHL and NHLPA made in their decision. We remain committed to the core values that have defined our organization from its inception and expect that our players will continue to meet these standards moving forward.

Oct. 16, 8:30 a.m.: The Vegas Golden Knights are nearing a deal with free agent netminder Carter Hart, insider Frank Seravalli reported on his Victory+ show yesterday. Seravalli said, “I’d expect Hart’s deal to be two years,” a bit north of the league-minimum salary.

Elite Prospects’ Cam Robinson seconded Seravalli’s report and provided a little more detail, stating that Hart’s deal is expected to be a two-year, $1.8MM AAV pact. Hart, who Wasserman’s Judd Moldaver reps, became eligible to sign an NHL contract yesterday but is not eligible to play until December 1st.

That Hart isn’t eligible to play until December is notable given a recent injury to starter Adin Hill during the team’s road win against the Calgary Flames two days ago. There has been no further update on Hill’s status, but since Hart remains ineligible to play for the next month and a half, the Golden Knights will have to look elsewhere to reinforce their position in the crease should Hill miss any time.

While no deal with Hart has been officially announced to this point, Vegas’ interest in Hart has been widely reported, even going back to September, when The Athletic’s Chris Johnston called the team a front-runner to secure the netminder’s services.

It was reported earlier that month that Hart would receive interest from multiple NHL teams, which is notable as the other four Hockey Canada players acquitted of charges this summer in connection to an alleged sexual assault have been met with more muted NHL interest.

Center Michael McLeod was at one point expected to sign a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, but ultimately agreed on a three-year extension with Avangard Omsk of the KHL, the side he played for in 2024-25.

A month ago, Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios commented that both his organization and forward Alex Formenton agreed that “a fresh start” would be the best option for both sides. Still, thus far, Formenton hasn’t been able to secure another NHL team to play for. He is currently playing out a four-month contract (that contains an option to extend for the rest of the 2025-26 season) with Swiss National League side HC Ambri-Piotta.

The final two players involved in this past summer’s trial, defenseman Cal Foote and forward Dillon Dube, remain free agents. Foote spent 2024-25 with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas of the Slovak Extraliga, while Dube played for Dinamo Minsk in the KHL. There has not yet been much reporting indicating serious NHL interest in either player. The only notable report that was issued regarding either player came from The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, who noted that the Toronto Maple Leafs would not be interested in signing Dube.

As a result, it appears Hart is, by far, the most likely candidate of this group of players to receive an NHL contract in the short-term future. Hart is also, among the group, arguably its most accomplished NHL player.

The 27-year-old was once one of the more promising goalies in the sport, playing to solid results (.906 career save percentage across 227 games) for the Philadelphia Flyers. While the Flyers mostly struggled during Hart’s tenure, especially later on, he did backstop them on one playoff run, posting a .926 save percentage in 14 games during the 2019-20 season. That Flyers team fell in seven games to the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

In Vegas, Hart would potentially have the opportunity to get a real chance to play games for one of the NHL’s leading Stanley Cup contenders. The Golden Knights, who currently sit first in the Pacific Division with a 2-0-2 record, are loaded with high-end veteran talent, including center Jack Eichel, defenseman Shea Theodore, and wingers Mitch Marner and Mark Stone.

Hill, the team’s starter, backstopped the team to its first-ever Stanley Cup championship in 2023, but the 29-year-old doesn’t have an extensive resume as a number-one goalie. While he started to achieve real success on a Stanley Cup-winning team, he has also made 50 starts in a season just once in his career.

Whether Hart has a path to being Vegas’ long-term number-one goalie is unclear at this stage.

Hill was signed to a six-year, $6.25MM AAV contract extension in March, signaling the Golden Knights’ commitment to him as their top netminder moving forward. But the Golden Knights have shown a willingness to make aggressive moves to maximize their competitive chances in the past, especially in net, such as when they acquired and extended netminder Robin Lehner despite the presence of Vezina winner Marc-Andre Fleury on their roster.

As a result, assuming Hart does sign in Vegas, and assuming he can play well upon his return to the NHL, a potential long-term future in Vegas cannot be counted out, even though Hill has signed that hefty extension. If the Golden Knights feel, down the line, that Hart gives them the best chance to win long-term, everything they have done and accomplished as an organization thus far suggests they won’t hesitate to re-sign Hart, even with Hill signed. Worth noting here is that under the reported terms of Hart’s expected contract (two years, $1.8MM AAV), Hart would become eligible to sign a contract extension on July 1st.

Bringing that up may be getting a little bit ahead of things, though, as the reality is Hart has not played competitive hockey since he left the Flyers in January of 2024. While he was once seen as a promising young netminder, it’s difficult to project how a player will perform, especially a goalie, after missing so much time. The Golden Knights, though, based on all of the available reporting, clearly believe in Hart’s NHL future, and appear poised to sign a two-year contract with the player that reflects that belief.

Photo courtesy of Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Injury Notes: Rempe, Gudas, Leddy

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New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe left tonight’s game against the San Jose Sharks with an upper-body injury, according to a team announcement. Rempe left the game just after fighting veteran enforcer Ryan Reaves. This was not Rempe’s first bout with Reaves – the two fought during Rempe’s 2023-24 rookie season as well. The fight was Rempe’s tenth in the NHL, per Hockeyfights.com’s tracking, a total he’s reached in just 68 career games.

Interestingly, in Rempe’s media availability today, he noted that becoming an enforcer in the NHL isn’t something that came naturally for him – it’s not something that he viewed as a core part of his game at previous stops in his hockey career. He told the media “In junior, I was never a fighter or anything like that,” but added that he “did what he had to do” to carve out a path to the NHL in the pro ranks. The hope for Rempe will be that the upper-body injury that knocked him out of tonight’s game won’t be a significant one that costs him any additional time. Rempe has scored one goal in eight games for the Rangers this season, and is currently playing out the first year of a two-year, one-way $975K AAV contract.

Other injury updates from around the NHL:

  • The Anaheim Ducks announced that defenseman Radko Gudas will not return to tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins. Based on the footage of the game, it appears Gudas suffered the injury crashing into the boards while attempting to protect and make a turn with the puck while being pressured by Bruins forward Jeffrey Viel. Gudas is a key veteran leader for the Ducks, serving as their captain and leading penalty-killer. For as long as his injury keeps him off the ice, expect veteran right-handed blueliner Jacob Trouba to take on an increased role and fill in for some of Gudas’ vacated minutes.
  • Rempe wasn’t the only player to leave tonight’s Rangers vs. Sharks contest – the Sharks announced that veteran defenseman Nick Leddy will not return to the game after suffering an upper-body injury. Leddy looked visibly in pain after taking a hit from a forechecking Will Cuylle, and left the ice shortly afterward. Leddy, 34, has been the Sharks No. 4 defenseman so far this season in terms of ice time, playing a role on the penalty kill and registering two points in six games. The Sharks have seven healthy defensemen on their NHL roster beyond Leddy, so they should be well-positioned to absorb any absence this injury might cause. Leddy is playing out the final year of a four-year, $4MM contract he signed with the St. Louis Blues in 2022.

Carolina Hurricanes Recall Joel Nystrom

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8:20 p.m.: The Hurricanes announced that Miller will miss tonight’s game with a lower-body injury, so Nystrom will indeed make his NHL debut, wearing the colors of the Hartford Whalers.

8:00 p.m.: The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled defenseman Joel Nystrom from their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. The move positions Nystrom to potentially make his NHL debut in the Hurricanes’ game tonight against the Colorado Avalanche.

With star defenseman Jaccob Slavin placed on injured reserve on Tuesday, the club has recalled Nystrom to provide additional cover on defense. Nystrom, 23, fits a very different profile from the Hurricanes’ previous defensive recall, Charles-Alexis Legault. While Legault is a 6’4″, 215-pound right-shot blueliner with a game built around maximizing his size and strength, Nystrom is a 5’11”, 178-pound left-shot defenseman whose game is built around his quickness and ability to contribute on both ends.

Nystrom doesn’t arrive on the Hurricanes’ NHL roster with a huge amount of North American pro experience, though. He joined AHL Chicago in April after the conclusion of his SHL season with Färjestad BK, and has played in just seven games in North America, scoring two points. Hurricanes team reporter Walt Ruff even wrote today that Nystrom’s recall came “probably sooner than the team wanted,” even though the team’s hockey operations department thinks highly of his game.

Because of that, it’s possible Nystrom only gets the chance to participate in some NHL practices, travel with the team, and see NHL hockey up-close during this recall, rather than dress for any games. The team currently has K’Andre Miller, Alexander Nikishin, and Mike Reilly occupying its left-side blueline spots, and each player offers more North American pro experience than Nystrom.

In any case, the recall is a signal of the organization’s belief in Nystrom to make his presence known in the NHL sooner rather than later. This recall also has a potentially significant financial benefit for Nystrom, regardless of if he dresses for any games or not. As he’s playing out the final year of his entry-level deal, his salary is tied to a two-way structure. So, for as long as he can spend on the Hurricanes’ NHL roster, he’ll earn the prorated portion of his elevated $925K NHL pay rate, rather than the $80K salary he makes while he’s rostered in the AHL.

Atlantic Notes: Sabourin, Woll, Shanahan

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The Tampa Bay Lightning recalled forward Scott Sabourin from their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, today. The move is the second recall for Sabourin in this early portion of the season, and has been made, presumably, with the intention of allowing the veteran to serve the four-game suspension he was levied in the preseason. Sabourin was recalled on Oct. 17 and was on the Lightning’s roster for two games. As he will be on the roster for tonight’s Lightning game against the Chicago Blackhawks, after tonight, Sabourin will have to serve one more game before he is eligible to dress for NHL games once again.

Sabourin’s suspension does not apply to the AHL, though, where he has played all of this season so far. The 33-year-old is off to a decent start in Syracuse, scoring one goal and an assist in four games. Sabourin spent almost all of 2024-25 in the AHL as well, scoring 25 points in 68 games for the San Jose Barracuda, racking up 111 penalty minutes in the process. A pending UFA this upcoming summer, Sabourin is playing out a one-year deal he signed in Tampa, one that contains a $775K NHL salary, $250K AHL salary, and a hefty $350K total guarantee.

Other notes from the Atlantic Division:

  • PuckPedia noted today that the Toronto Maple Leafs shifted injured netminder Joseph Woll from standard injured reserve to long-term injured reserve (LTIR). Puckpedia also noted that after their recall of defenseman Dakota Mermis today, the club has $3.63MM in cap space remaining with 23 healthy players on its roster. Woll took a personal leave of absence in September, and no further update on his status has been provided, nor has there been any further reporting on the matter. Today’s roster move does suggest the Maple Leafs could be without Woll for some time, though. The 27-year-old was expected to share a tandem with Anthony Stolarz this season after putting together a solid 2024-25, a year where he posted a .909 save percentage in 42 games. Woll’s absence prompted the club to claim Cayden Primeau off of waivers before the season, and Primeau has won his only start as a Maple Leaf thus far – a 7-4 victory on Oct. 14 in which Primeau saved 26 of 30 shots.
  • Former Maple Leafs GM and Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee Brendan Shanahan has taken up a role with the NHL’s Hockey Operations department, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. Dreger added that he “would expect Shanahan would be a leading candidate if a team makes a significant change and an opportunity presents to lead another NHL club.” There is a precedent for such a move – Ken Holland worked for the league office for a relatively brief period before his hire as GM of the Los Angeles Kings. This isn’t the first time Shanahan, who ran the Maple Leafs’ hockey operations department for 11 years, has worked for the league office: he previously served as head of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety from 2011-12 through 2013-14.

Snapshots: Laine, Ristolainen, Hill, Barron, Khaira

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Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine has struggled with injury issues throughout his NHL career, and unfortunately 2025-26 has been no different. The Canadiens announced on Saturday that Laine would be out with a lower-body injury on a day-to-day basis, and given that day-to-day designation, it appeared this Laine absence would be relatively straightforward. But today, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reported that Laine “has gone for a second opinion on his lower-body injury,” and although he’s still listed as day-to-day, the report raises questions about whether he could be looking at a more extended absence.

It’s an important time for Laine and the future of his career as he nears the expiry of his $8.7MM AAV deal. Laine is set to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer, and there were times during his debut campaign where he looked like he’d found a long-term place to play with the Canadiens. He scored 20 goals and 33 points, and was particularly lethal on the power play, but injuries limited him to just 52 games. With Ivan Demidov almost certain to command a first-unit power play spot at some point down the line, and Zachary Bolduc’s addition already moving Laine down to the second unit, it’s fair to question if the Canadiens have a place for Laine going into the future. He has gotten off to a slow start this season with just one point in five games, and a potentially longer-term absence could further complicate things. For a player who has at times looked like, and performed like, a star in the NHL, today’s report is an undoubtedly discouraging development.

Other notes from across the NHL:

  • Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has not made his 2025-26 debut yet as he recovers from the season-ending surgery he underwent earlier this year, and today DailyFaceoff’s Anthony Di Marco reported that the player is targeting a return at some point in December. Ristolainen was the Flyers’ No. 2 defenseman by ice time last season, playing in 20:31 per night including a role on both special teams units. So far this season, right-shot blueliner Jamie Drysdale is playing nearly two additional minutes per night compared to what he played last season, likely in part due to Ristolainen’s absence. The Flyers have gotten off to a decent 3-2-1 start, and getting Ristolainen back in December should only boost their competitive chances.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights recalled netminder Carl Lindbom today as part of their response to the injury suffered by starting goalie Adin Hill, and it was confirmed today by head coach Bruce Cassidy that Hill would be out on a week-to-week basis. (Report via Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal) Cassidy added that Hill won’t travel with the team on its road trip to Florida and North Carolina, a trip that concludes Oct. 31 with Vegas’ home game against the Colorado Avalanche. It’s an unfortunate development for Hill, who has played in five games so far this season to a .888 save percentage and 2.73 goals-against average.
  • One of the breakout players of this early portion of the 2025-26 Winnipeg Jets season, Morgan Barron, will be out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, according to The Athletic’s Murat Ates. Barron, as mentioned, has been one of the Jets’ more productive players so far this season. The hefty 6’4″ forward has scored three goals and five points in six games, which already puts him one-third of the way to his scoring total from 2024-25, one he managed across 74 games. With Barron injured, Parker Ford is likely to draw into the lineup in Barron’s vacated fourth-line role.
  • 337-game NHL veteran Jujhar Khaira played out 2024-25 on an AHL contract, and a mid-season trade to the Abbotsford Canucks allowed Khaira to help the Canucks to a Calder Cup championship. Khaira hasn’t found a team for 2025-26, but today Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV reported that the Canucks “are talking” with Khaira “about re-joining the team.” Assuming they’re talking about a potential AHL contract, it’s unlikely Khaira would be a cheap addition to the AHL payroll as a player with so much NHL experience and a Calder Cup championship on his résumé.

Minor Transactions: 10/22/2025

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It’s a lighter night on the NHL calendar, with just three games to be played. Recent waiver claim Colten Ellis will receive his first NHL start tonight as the Buffalo Sabres take on the 5-1-0 Detroit Red Wings, in a game that will be nationally broadcast in the United States. In Newark, the Devils will host the Wild, while the Canadiens face the Calgary Flames in a rematch of the 1986 and 1989 Stanley Cup Finals.

While teams around the hockey world play out the early portion of their season, there is still quite a bit of activity in terms of player movement. Here is a rundown of the notable player transactions from around the world of professional hockey:

  • Former NHL forward Jean-Sebastien Dea has signed a contract with Eisbären Berlin of the DEL, the top pro hockey league in Germany. It was announced yesterday that Dea’s contract with his former club Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk had been terminated amidst the forward’s poor start to the season. Dea had just three points through 16 games in Russia this season, after scoring 16 goals and 31 points last season, good for fourth on Nizhnekamsk in scoring. A former QMJHL star, Dea went undrafted and worked his way up from the ECHL to the NHL, eventually playing in 37 total games in the world’s top league. He left for the KHL in 2023-24 after scoring 50 points in the AHL the year prior, and after playing just over two years in the KHL, he’s now set to begin his tenure in Germany.
  • Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, the Vegas Golden Knights’ top draft choice at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, was loaned by his SHL side Luleå HF to IF Björklöven, a side in HockeyAllsvenskan, the Swedish second division. The 55th overall pick of last year’s draft, Ihs-Wozniak scored 57 points in just 40 games at the J20 Nationell level last season, but only managed two points in 13 games whilst playing for Luleå’s senior team. Ihs-Wozniak was once again struggling to get consistent opportunities in the SHL with Luleå, so they’ve elected to loan him to a lower division, likely so he can develop with more consistent ice time. Ihs-Wozniak made his debut for Björklöven earlier today and scored a goal in the team’s 5-2 win over Almtuna IS.
  • Former AHL forward Erik Brown has signed a contract in Germany, landing with Düsseldorfer EG of the second-tier DEL2. Per the team’s release, Brown had been with the team since August, participating in training camp and preseason. Now, the former RIT captain has signed a full-time contract. Brown was an AHL regular from late in the 2018-19 season through 2022-23, ultimately scoring 11 goals and 26 points across 98 total regular-season games. He left the AHL to sign in the Finnish Liiga in 2023-24, scoring seven points in 12 games for Sport. He signed in Germany for 2024-25 and scored eight points in 32 games for the Frankfurt Lions. Düsseldorf have fallen rapidly over the last two years – they made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23, but missed the playoffs in 2023-24 and were relegated from the DEL last season. Now, this signing of Brown adds an experienced pro player to help them make their push for promotion back to Germany’s top division.
  • The NCAA’s St. Cloud State University has obtained a commitment from 20-year-old defenseman Nolan Stevenson, who currently captains the Penticton Vees of the WHL. Stevenson is a 6’2 right-shot blueliner who was a 2020 fourth-round pick of the Swift Current Broncos in the WHL Prospects Draft, but elected to take the BCHL route in junior hockey, likely to preserve his NCAA eligibility. At the time, CHL players were ineligible to play in college hockey, but that restriction is no longer in place, which was also a factor in the Vees’ elevation from the BCHL to the WHL. Stevenson has skated in 11 WHL games for the Vees so far, scoring six points. He led the team’s blueliners in scoring last season with 39 points in 51 games.
  • A trade was completed in the USHL today, with the Sioux City Musketeers sending forward George Lovell to the Omaha Lancers in exchange for forward Dakotah Bailey. It’s a swap between teams who have each endured (varying degrees of) sub-par starts to their respective USHL campaigns. The Musketeers are 3-5-1 and have acquired Bailey, 17, who has scored three points in eight games so far this season. Bailey is repped by Newport Sports Management and split last season between the USHL and NAHL. The Lancers are 2-9 through 11 games this season and have added Lovell, an ASU commit who had one goal in five games for Sioux City this season.
  • On Monday, Italian international Giordano Finoro agreed to a mutual contract termination with IF Troja-Ljungby, the HockeyAllsvenskan club he began the season playing for. Today, the EIHL’s Fife Flyers announced that Finoro signed a contract with the club, confirming where Finoro would continue his 2025-26 campaign. The 27-year-old center was described by Fife as “a two-way centre and energy forward,” and brings to Scotland a solid track record for their league’s  level of competition. Finoro was once a point-per-game player for Asiago in the ICEHL, a league made up of mostly top Austrian clubs and other teams in Central Europe. He wasn’t able to make his mark in Sweden, but was also an impact player in the late 2010’s in the QMJHL, and could very well make an impact for the Flyers. The Flyers could certainly use the reinforcement, as they currently sit last in the EIHL standings with an 0-5 record in league play.

Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Dominic James

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The Tampa Bay Lightning announced today that forward Dominic James has been recalled from their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.

James, 23, was originally a draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, selected in the sixth round, 173rd overall. The selection was made after James’ freshman season at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he scored six goals and 18 points in 39 games and helped the school win its third NCHC Tournament title.

After his freshman season, James quickly grew into a key player in Duluth. He was tied for the team lead in scoring as a sophomore with 28 points in 35 games. Although he missed almost all of 2023-24 after undergoing shoulder surgery, he rebounded very well in 2024-25. James led Duluth in scoring with 30 points in 35 games, and although the program didn’t reach the same highs they’d reached in his freshman season, James had nonetheless positioned himself well to earn an entry-level contract.

James signed a two-year entry-level deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning in September, and it’s possible he and/or his representatives (led by Wasserman’s Chris Lepkowski) felt James would have a clearer path to NHL action in Tampa Bay compared to Chicago. Had he signed in Chicago, James would have joined an organization with an extremely crowded prospect pool – they were recently ranked No. 5 in the NHL by EliteProspects. By contrast, the team at EliteProspects ranked the Lightning’s prospect pool last in the NHL.

While it’s impossible to say for sure what kind of opportunity to play in the NHL James would have received had he signed in Chicago at any point while his rights were held by the team, it’s clear that if his decision to sign in Tampa was indeed motivated by potentially seeing a fast-track to the NHL, James’ decision has been rewarded. This call-up is James’ first, and positions him to potentially make his NHL debut tomorrow against the Blackhawks.

James didn’t just earn this recall through his exemplary NCAA play, though, it’s his fast start to his first pro campaign that likely sealed the deal. James is currently tied for the Crunch’s team lead in scoring Jakob Pelletier, who is a 2019 first-round pick with 86 games of NHL experience. James has scored three goals and five points in four games, helping Syracuse to a strong 4-0-0 start. James’ performance in front of the Lightning coaches and executives during training camp and the preseason also likely helped his case. Per Natural Stat Trick, he registered two assists in four preseason games to go alongside 10 hits.

As for where James might play should he be dressed for tomorrow’s game, it’s possible he gets a look in the fourth-line left wing spot. According to team reporter Benjamin Pierce, Jack Finley and Curtis Douglas both got looks in that spot at practice today. While both Douglas and Finley have a size and strength advantage over James, the Lightning may turn to James for more of an offensive spark.

Devils Notes: Markstrom, Hamilton, Glass

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It’s been an active day for the New Jersey Devils, as they’ve not only made a few roster moves, but the team’s general manager, Tom Fitzgerald, spoke on a variety of topics with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. One of those topics was the status of starting netminder Jacob Markstrom, who is currently out with an injury. Fitzgerald expressed confidence that Markstrom would eventually return from his injury this season, stating “Marky is on the ice. He’s skating,” while adding that the team “won’t rush him back.” LeBrun noted that the team’s “hope is to extend Markstrom,” who is playing out the final year of a $6MM AAV deal.

Fitzgerald said that Markstrom’s agent, Newport’s Pat Morris, and he “have been talking for a long time,” and will have another talk this week. LeBrun noted that “term will be the most delicate part of that negotiation” of Markstrom’s next deal, as he is set to turn 36 before next season. Markstrom has certainly lined himself upfor a healthy next contract over the course of his most recent deal. He was the runner-up for the Vezina Trophy as a member of the Calgary Flames and helped the Devils reach the playoffs last season. Markstrom has made 51 starts in his Devils career, going 28-17-6 with a 2.56 goals-against average and .898 save percentage.

Other notes from Newark:

  • LeBrun’s interview also covered the status of top blueliner Dougie Hamilton, who is now one of two Devils blueliners making $9MM per year thanks to the recent signing of Luke Hughes. LeBrun noted that “there are certainly other NHL front offices keeping a close eye” on Hamilton’s status now that Hughes has signed, “in the event Hamilton becomes available at some point.” Fitzgerald downplayed the impact of Hughes’ signing on Hamilton’s future in New Jersey, though. The Devils’ GM indicated that the team feels having each defenseman capable of quarterbacking a power play is an asset, not an inefficiency in need of correction.
  • The Devils announced today that center Cody Glass will miss their game against the Minnesota Wild as he manages an upper-body injury. Glass lined up as the Devils’ third-line center yesterday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and head coach Sheldon Keefe re-structured his team’s lines to account for Glass’ absence. Dawson Mercer moved down from the second-line right wing spot next to Nico Hischier to center the third line and was replaced by rookie Arseni Gritsyuk, whose own third-line spot was filled by Paul Cotter. Cotter was elevated from the fourth-line and replaced by Stefan Noesen, who will make his 2025-26 debut tonight. Glass, who has dealt with persistent injury troubles throughout his NHL career, got off to a decent start to the season in New Jersey, scoring two goals in six games.

Sharks Reassign Luca Cagnoni

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Oct. 22: The Sharks announced Wednesday they’ve reassigned Cagnoni back to AHL San Jose. He did not play in the lone game he was rostered for, a 4-3 loss to the Islanders last night. His demotion indicates John Klingberg should be back in the lineup tomorrow against the Rangers after missing three games with a lower-body injury. While he didn’t play yesterday, he was a full participant in morning skate, Max Miller of Sharks Hockey Digest relays.

Oct. 19: The San Jose Sharks have recalled Luca Cagnoni, one of their top defensive prospects, from their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. In a corresponding move, the team placed defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin on injured reserve. Mukhamadullin is dealing with an upper-body injury and is now set to miss the team’s upcoming four-game road trip.

Although the Sharks have one of the NHL’s more crowded bluelines at this point (this recall gives them eight healthy defensemen, per Puckpedia’s tracking) this move is nonetheless an opportunity for Cagnoni. The 20-year-old 2023 fourth-round pick had an exceptional debut campaign in pro hockey last year, amassing 52 points in 64 AHL games en route to AHL All-Rookie Team honors.

An undersized left-shot defenseman, Cagnoni’s calling card has always been his ability to generate offense from the blueline. While it’s still likely too early in the season to assess overall trends for teams, the Sharks currently rank 28th in goals scored per game and have scored just four goals in their last three games.

Should Cagnoni get into any NHL games due to this recall, the move could potentially help spark the Sharks’ offense due to the creativity Cagnoni offers from the blueline. Cagnoni has six NHL games on his résumé from last season, wherein he registered two points.

While Cagnoni appears unlikely to displace Dmitry Orlov or Mario Ferraro as one of the Sharks’ top-two left-side blueliners (at least at this point in his career), it’s possible the Sharks could give Sam Dickinson (who is still just 19 years old) a breather and dress Cagnoni for a game instead.

Such a move would not be without precedent: the Pittsburgh Penguins scratched rookie blueliner Harrison Brunicke as part of a larger development plan to keep their young blueliner “fresh” and capable of sustaining a high level of play.

Since Dickinson is occupying a second-unit power play role with John Klingberg injured, it’s also a possibility that Cagnoni gets a look there should they elect to give Dickinson a game off.

Regardless of whether Cagnoni ultimately gets into NHL games as a result of this recall or not, it’s nonetheless an encouraging sign for the young blueliner’s long-term future that he’s already being called upon as an option for the NHL roster.

Central Notes: Hague, Duchene, Foligno

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The Nashville Predators were dealt a blow in the preseason when defenseman Nicolas Hague suffered an upper-body injury, but the team has adapted well to his absence. The club is off to a solid 2-2-2 start, a notable improvement from where they began last year, and now they’re set to get Hague back from his injury. The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty noted today that it’s been four weeks since Hague was originally ruled out and prescribed a four-to-six week recovery timeline, and he added that one shouldn’t be surprised if Hague returns to the lineup at some point this week. Later in the day, Daugherty reported that Hague was on the ice for the Predators’ practice, further underscoring the likelihood that his return is coming sooner rather than later.

Hague was first seen back on the ice on Oct. 11, per team reporter Brooks Bratten, for an optional morning skate. He was originally injured during the team’s second preseason game against the Florida Panthers. At that time, Hague was paired with team captain Roman Josi on the club’s first pairing. Josi was paired with Adam Wilsby during the team’s most recent game, and Hague could end up claiming that spot back from Wilsby when he’s ready to make his Nashville debut. The 6’6 blueliner has played in 364 career NHL games and won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. Nashville acquired him (and a conditional 2027 third-round draft choice) in June, sending Colton Sissons and Jeremy Lauzon to Vegas in return.

Other notes from the Central Division:

  • Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene missed the team’s practice today, reports the Dallas Morning News’ Lia Assimakopoulos. Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan expressed confidence that Duchene would be able to play tomorrow when the Stars host Duchene’s former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, but added that Duchene has been battling an upper-body injury suffered last week. Duchene is one of the Stars’ key offensive producers; he led them in scoring last season with 82 points in 82 games.
  • Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno returned to practice today after stepping away to tend to a personal matter, reports NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis. Foligno’s leadership has helped the Blackhawks to a surprisingly strong start to their season. The team, which was projected by many media outlets to be among the NHL’s worst for 2025-26, has gone 3-2-2 to start the season, good for 13th in league standings. Foligno has been a core veteran for the club since arriving in 2023, scoring at least 15 goals and 35 points in each of his two seasons there.

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