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Calgary Flames Reassign Rory Kerins

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For the second time in two weeks, the Calgary Flames announced they’ve reassigned forward Rory Kerins to their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers. However, given they’re down to 13 healthy forwards after losing Walker Duehr to waivers last week, Kerins should return to the Flames’ active roster tomorrow.

Kerins debuted in the NHL relatively quickly especially given he was a sixth-round pick of the Flames in the 2020 NHL Draft. He scored 16 goals and 32 points in 54 games in AHL Calgary last year during his first full season of AHL hockey.

The Flames finally recalled Kerins in early January after he started the AHL campaign at a point-per-game pace. He’s continued his productivity in the NHL, tallying four assists through his first five NHL contests.

Although today’s move is likely a paper transaction, Kerins shouldn’t expect to have a spot on the Flames’ roster for the rest of the season. He’s only one of two waiver-exempt forwards aside from Matthew Coronato and Calgary will need to open a roster spot for Connor Zary once he returns from his left knee injury.

Still, Kerins shouldn’t be any worse off once he returns to a full-time role with the Wranglers. They are on pace to qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs for the third consecutive year after relocating from Stockton, CA ahead of the 2022-23 AHL season. Kerins would assist in that endeavor and help the Wranglers reach beyond the Division Finals for the first time.

Central Injury Notes: Murphy, Jones, Martinez, Smith, Landeskog

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The Chicago Blackhawks blue line could be thin before tomorrow’s game against the Minnesota Wild. Thankfully for the Blackhawks, this situation is not expected to last long.

Defenseman Connor Murphy, currently on the injured reserve list due to a groin injury, is nearing a return to the active roster after fully participating in today’s practice. However, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that he will not be ready for tomorrow’s game. Additionally, he mentioned that defensemen Seth Jones and Alec Martinez may also miss the game due to illness.

If Chicago has only five healthy defensemen available, they will probably make a brief call-up. With two open roster spots, they don’t need to make any corresponding roster moves. However, this would result in having an abundance of left-handed defensemen for at least one game.

Other injury notes from the Central Division:

  • In Chicago, Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio reported that forward Craig Smith has returned to practice wearing a non-contact jersey. Smith has been recovering from a persistent back injury for the past two months, during which he missed 12 days in mid-December and another 17 days in January. So far this season, he has scored six goals and recorded 11 points in 30 games with the team.
  • Outside of more immediate news, the potential return of captain Gabriel Landeskog has been a major storyline for the Colorado Avalanche over the last two years. Speaking to that, Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette reported today that Landeskog has been on the ice more than ever since the 2022-23 season, and fell short of designating him as week-to-week. Landeskog’s hypothetical return could make the loss of Mikko Rantanen more palatable for Colorado’s top-six.

Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan Expected Out Six To Eight More Weeks

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The Columbus Blue Jackets will remain thin down the middle for the foreseeable future. Columbus announced that center Sean Monahan is expected to miss an additional six to eight weeks due to the wrist injury he suffered on January 7th.

The injury update will likely change the Blue Jackets’ plans for the trade deadline. They had been looking forward to captain Boone Jenner’s return, which would have significantly boosted the team. However, now they will be without a top-six center until mid-March.

Despite missing the last three weeks, Monahan is still the third-highest-scoring player on the team. He’s tallied 14 goals and 41 points in 41 games for Columbus since signing a five-year, $27.5MM contract as an unrestricted free agent last summer.

Given the organization’s renewed playoff aspirations, the Blue Jackets should enter the market for a rental center in the next few weeks. Adam Fantilli has filled the void nicely, scoring five goals and nine points in eight games since Monahan’s injury, but they could use another center regardless. Furthermore, it would be a nice reward for a team that has shattered all preseason expectations. 

Thankfully for Columbus, there should be plenty of talent available. In no particular order, Trent Frederic, Ryan Donato, Jake Evans, Yanni Gourde, and Alexander Kerfoot all come to mind as potential options. The Blue Jackets have both an abundance of draft picks and cap space which conceivably puts them in the market for any available player if they’re willing to meet the price.

New York Rangers Extend Will Borgen To Five-Year Contract

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5:50 p.m: Per a team announcement, the Rangers have made the five-year contract official.

5:13 p.m: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the New York Rangers are closing in on a five-year, $20.5MM extension with defenseman William Borgen. He’s been a stable top-four defenseman for the Rangers since being acquired from the Seattle Kraken in mid-December.

It’s a significant increase over Borgen’s current $2.7 million salary. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career on July 1, but he will sign on for another five years with the Rangers.

It’s also a major vote of confidence from the Rangers organization. Borgen is only 17 games into his tenure with New York after being the main piece acquired in the Kaapo Kakko trade with the Seattle Kraken.

After primarily serving in a bottom-pairing role with the Kraken through the beginning of the season, Borgen has been thrust into a top-four role with the Rangers. He’s scored one goal and two assists in 17 games averaging 18:35 of ice time per game. He’s continued being a physical defenseman in New York, racking up 30 hits and 29 blocked shots.

His peripherals are also solid, averaging a 48.2% CorsiFor% at even strength and an 89.8% on-ice save percentage in the same situation — higher than he ever produced in Seattle. Should he continue producing at the same level in New York, his $4.1MM salary could become a steal through the expected prime years of his career.

It’ll also give the Rangers more clarity regarding their blue line. Borgen gives them three right-handed defensemen signed through next season. Braden Schneider will become a restricted free agent next year but they’ll still have two years of team control.

Unfortunately, the same doesn’t hold for the left side of the defense. Every remaining blue liner on the active roster becomes a restricted free agent or unrestricted free agent at season’s end giving the Rangers plenty of remaining work.

Fallout From The Mikko Rantanen Trade

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After one of the biggest in-season acquisitions since the New Jersey Devils acquired Ilya Kovalchuk for a massive haul in the 2009-10 season, more information has begun trickling out regarding Mikko Rantanen and the Carolina Hurricanes.

In an article in The Athletic (Subscription Required), Pierre LeBrun explains that only a few teams knew Rantanen was available. LeBrun indicates that Colorado’s first intention was to extend Mikko, but general manager Chris MacFarland had already called a few teams, saying they may call back about the Finnish sniper. 

Extension talks between Rantanen and the Avalanche had increased over the last few weeks. However, the ’Nathan MacKinnon-internal cap’ gave MacFarland the sense that Mikko wouldn’t sign an extension in the next five months. LeBrun believes Rantanen would have taken less money than Leon Draisaitl received from the Edmonton Oilers ($14MM) but wasn’t willing to make such a drastic cut that he made less than MacKinnon’s $12.6MM salary.

Unsurprisingly, Cory Lavalette from the North State Journal reports the Hurricanes have already had preliminary extension discussions with Rantanen’s agent. Given their history together on Team Finland, Rantanen is already familiar with Sebastian Aho, but he’ll want to get comfortable in Carolina before talks can progress.

As far as what that hypothetical extension may look like — Harman Dayal took a stab at that in a recent article on The Athletic (Subscription Required). Dayal argues that Rantanen’s fairest comparable is Boston Bruins’ forward David Pastrňák who was given 13.5% of the salary cap for the first year of his current contract.

Assuming the salary cap increases to the reported $97 million for next season, that would place Rantanen around the $13.1 million range. It’s already been made clear that Rantanen and his agent have other ideas, as he and the Avalanche likely could have worked out an agreeable salary should that have been the starting point.

Lastly, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman offered some insight regarding the main piece heading back to Colorado — Martin Nečas. Friedman asserts that the Avalanche were not the only team Nečas had been offered to. He believes Nečas was a part of recent trade discussions with the Vancouver Canucks for Elias Pettersson, but not for J.T. Miller.

The acquisition of Rantanen and Taylor Hall likely wraps up all of the headling-making trades for the Hurricanes. Still, despite the cap surgery required for the move, the Hurricanes could circle back on Miller if the Canucks are open to other players on Carolina’s roster.

Devils’ Jacob Markstrom Out 4-6 Weeks With Knee Sprain

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Jan. 24: Markstrom’s absence will likely stand in the four-to-six-week range, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said on Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast. That keeps him out of the 4 Nations tournament and potentially up until the trade deadline, but all indications point to him being back between the pipes for the stretch run.

Jan. 23: A frightening situation from last night’s game against the Boston Bruins has worsened for the New Jersey Devils. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported that Devils’ goaltender Jacob Markstrom has been diagnosed with a knee sprain and could be sidelined until after the 4 Nations Face-Off, which concludes mid-February.

Weekes states that the diagnosis is more favorable than anticipated, but it adds insult to injury for a team that has struggled recently. Bruins’ forward Justin Brazeau collided with Markstrom early in the second period of yesterday’s game, causing the Swedish goaltender to awkwardly hit his net. Markstrom exited the game after 23:09 of action, having stopped six out of seven shots.

After managing three straight wins against intra-divisional opponents in mid-December, New Jersey has amassed a 3-6-3 record in their last 12 games falling to third place in the Metropolitan Division. It’s difficult to blame Markstrom for the rough patch given he’s managed a respectable .907 save percentage over the same span. Throughout the regular season, Markstrom has been exactly what the Devils needed with a 21-9-5 record in 36 starts with a .910 SV% and 2.20 goals-against average.

While Jake Allen may not be as skilled as Markstrom, he is certainly a better option than many backup goaltenders. This season, he has started 14 games for New Jersey, recording a 6-8-1 record with a .901 save percentage and a 2.66 goals-against average. New Jersey only has seven games between now and the end of February’s international tournament so he won’t have too much to shoulder. Although it may be challenging to count on Allen to steal wins for the Devils, he remains a capable veteran goalie.

In addition to the impact of Markstrom’s injury on the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference playoff race, it could pose a significant challenge for Team Sweden. The team is already facing the potential unavailability of Linus Ullmark due to his injury status, and Filip Gustavsson has struggled with a .839 save percentage over his last four starts, which has not instilled much confidence. Multiple sources indicate that Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson would be called to fill the role if neither Markstrom nor Ullmark can participate in the Four Nations Face-Off because of injury. 

Winnipeg Jets Reassign Dominic Toninato

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After nearly a month on the NHL roster, Dominic Toninato is heading to the AHL. The Winnipeg Jets announced they’ve reassigned Toninato to their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.

It’ll likely be his last stint with the Jets. Toninato has been on the active roster for 24 days, so if he spends six more days in Winnipeg, he’ll need to clear waivers again this season. The Jets are back down to 12 healthy forwards after the roster move thanks to Mason Appleton’s recent activation from injured reserve and Adam Lowry’s placement on it.

Winnipeg hardly used him during his recent call-up, as he went scoreless in four games and averaged 8:03 of ice time per game. Still, it’s reasonable to think the Jets will want another forward on their roster in case of additional injuries.

Toninato has the most NHL experience of any prospective forward call-ups but not the only one. Winnipeg could recall any of Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Mason Shaw, or Axel Jonsson-Fjällby should they want a depth forward familiar with the top level.

The Jets’ most pressing need is down the middle of the ice after Lowry’s injury giving Anderson-Dolan the inside track for a potential call-up. He’s spent the entire season with AHL Manitoba scoring two goals and two assists in 24 games.

Boston Bruins Recall Michael DiPietro

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Michael DiPietro, American Hockey League All-Star for the Providence Bruins, will get his first look on the bench with the Boston Bruins this evening. The Bruins announced they’ve recalled DiPietro from their AHL affiliate to fill in for Jeremy Swayman as he deals with a minor injury.

Still, aside from an injury to Joonas Korpisalo or a lopsided affair against the Ottawa Senators, DiPietro will have to wait to debut with the Bruins. Should he be needed; however, it will be exactly three years to the day that DiPietro last suited up in an NHL contest.

Boston acquired DiPietro from the Vancouver Canucks in the 2022-23 season as a part of the package that sent Jack Studnicka to British Columbia. He spent much of that year for the Bruins’ ECHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners, posting a 19-9-0 record in 29 games with a .918 save percentage.

DiPietro hasn’t looked back since becoming a full-time netminder with AHL Providence. He split the net with Brandon Bussi last season posting an 18-9-2 record in 30 games with a .918 SV% and 2.51 goals-against average, including four shutouts. For better or for worse, Providence tasked Bussi with playoff duties despite DiPietro’s marginally better output, and they were ousted in four games against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The Windsor, Ontario native is still sharing the net with Bussi this season albeit starting a few more games. DiPietro has already been named to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team with a 14-5-4 record in 22 games with a .930 SV%. Not only is DiPietro leading Providence in save percentage by a large margin, he sits second only to Devin Cooley in the entire AHL for netminders that have started in 20 or more contests.

Toronto Maple Leafs Recall Matt Murray, Reassign Dennis Hildeby

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Although they don’t play until Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs are making a small move between the pipes. Toronto announced they’ve recalled veteran netminder Matt Murray and reassigned goaltender Dennis Hildeby to their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.

It’ll be Murray’s first opportunity back in the NHL over the last month. Due to injuries, the veteran puck-stopper hadn’t played a game for the Maple Leafs since April 2, 2023, and returned to the NHL toward the end of the 2024 calendar year.

His first start in 628 days came against the Buffalo Sabres when Murray stopped 24 of 27 shots and secured the win. His next start wasn’t as productive, stopping only 27 of 31 shots for a .871 save percentage in a loss against the Washington Capitals.

Still, his time with AHL Toronto has been more than fruitful this year, earning an 8-4-3 record in 15 games with a .934 SV%, 1.68 goals-against average, and three shutouts. The 30-year-old native of Thunder Bay, Ontario is in a difficult situation where he hasn’t recently been healthy enough to be a consistent netminder in the NHL and is almost too good for the AHL.

Hildeby returns to a familiar environment after playing backup duty for Joseph Woll for the last month. He was hardly used by the Maple Leafs during that stretch, posting a 1-2-0 record in three starts against the Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, and Columbus Blue Jackets, respectively, with a .868 SV%. His track record this year and beyond has been much better for the Marlies where Hildeby has managed a .916 SV% in eight games on the current campaign.

Ottawa Senators To Activate David Perron, Move Linus Ullmark To LTIR

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Jan. 23rd: The Senators needed to create additional cap space to activate Perron for tonight’s game. PuckPedia reports that Ottawa has moved goaltender Linus Ullmark and his $5MM to LTIR opening up the necessary room for Perron and another $1MM in space. Unfortunately, PuckPedia added that the organization would need to clear an additional $1.9MM from their books when they eventually activate Ullmark.

Jan. 22nd:  Longtime veteran winger David Perron is expected to return for the first time since before American Thanksgiving. Although no official announcement has come from the Ottawa Senators, Matt Porter of The Boston Globe reports Perron will suit up tomorrow night against the Boston Bruins.

The timing couldn’t be better for Perron or the Senators. The former has been limited to nine games this season due to unfortunate complications in the birth of his daughter and a nagging back injury for the last few weeks. Even if Perron stays healthy enough to play in Ottawa’s remaining 35 games, it’ll be the first time since the 2010-11 season he’s failed to play 45 or more regular season contests.

Still, his return can’t be seen as anything other than a positive. Thanks to a 14-8-3 run over their last 25 games, the Senators are hanging on to the top wild-card position in the Eastern Conference. Given that Ottawa is the eighth youngest team in the NHL and Perron is only one of three former Stanley Cup champions on the roster, his experience should prove a boon as they compete for a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

Perron’s return should also help alleviate some issues in the team’s bottom six. Because the Senators are closer to the salary cap ceiling than they’ve been in seasons past, the bottom six of their forward core is largely composed of spare parts.

The veteran winger should provide more consistency to that group assuming he stays healthy the rest of the way. Ottawa has more pressing needs on the blue line during the trade deadline season which is where much of their focus is expected to go.

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