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Chicago Blackhawks Recall Anton Khudobin

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In the Max Domi trade, which saw the Dallas Stars send a second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks, another contract was included to even out the money. That was veteran goaltender Anton Khudobin, who had been playing in the AHL with the Texas Stars all season.

Now, after Petr Mrazek’s latest groin injury, the Blackhawks have recalled Khudobin from the minor leagues. The 36-year-old goaltender will get a chance to appear in the NHL for a 14th season and add to his 114 wins.

When Khudobin led the Stars to an improbable Stanley Cup Finals appearance in the 2020 bubble playoffs, posting a .917 save percentage in 25 playoff games, he was rewarded with a three-year, $10MM contract. After the first year, the team already regretted it as young Jake Oettinger started to make his mark, and Khudobin’s performance dropped.

As he nears the end of that deal, the 36-year-old netminder has been buried in the minor leagues all season, collecting his full $3.75MM salary but playing AHL competition. He went 13-4-4 with Texas, but posted an .899 save percentage that doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence.

Still, with nothing to lose for the Blackhawks, they can give Khudobin a chance at the highest level again. Where his future lies after this season isn’t clear, but for now, he’ll be suiting up for the sixth team of his career.

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Ryan Tverberg

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have inked one of their interesting young prospects, signing Ryan Tverberg to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal will start next season and Tverberg will join the Toronto Marlies on a professional tryout for the rest of 2022-23.

General manager Kyle Dubas released a statement:

The Maple Leafs organization is very thankful to the University of Connecticut. Ryan’s development through his three seasons with the Huskies and subsequent signing today is a testament to the tireless work of head coach Mike Cavanaugh and all the staff within the UConn men’s hockey program.

Tverberg’s entry-level deal will carry an average annual value of $851,667.

It is rare for a player drafted so late to earn an NHL contract well before his eligibility runs out, but Tverberg has shown he’s not the average seventh-round pick. The 21-year-old was selected 213th overall in 2020 and quickly showed he could be a difference-maker at the NCAA level.

In three years at UConn, he racked up 69 points in 85 games, was selected as a Hockey East First-Team All-Star, and was nominated for the Hobey Baker. The undersized center was the engine on many nights, and will now see if his game can translate to the professional ranks.

Because the contract starts next year, it still leaves Toronto with one slot left for this spring—expected to be used on Matthew Knies.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Jayden Struble

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The Montreal Canadiens have signed prospect Jayden Struble to a two-year, entry-level contract that begins next year. That removes any concern that Struble could wait until August to become an unrestricted free agent.

The contract will carry an NHL salary of $775K, and includes a $92.5K signing bonus in each season. Struble is headed to the Laval Rocket, where he’ll sign a professional tryout to play the rest of the season.

There have been moments over the last few years, when the 21-year-old defenseman appeared ready to step directly into the NHL. Struble is a mix of skill, and power that should lend itself well to the next level, after a four-year career at Northeastern ended recently.

While not a huge player, Struble is one of the strongest defensemen in college hockey and racked up 190 penalty minutes in his 104-game career. The 2019 second-round pick should be competing for a spot with the Canadiens as soon as next season, though with the number of young defensemen in the system, he will have some stiff competition.

He joins the likes of Justin Barron, Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Arber Xhekaj, Mattias Norlinder, and other young options that will be looking for spots on the NHL roster alongside some of the more veteran names that are still signed for next season.

Andrei Svechnikov To Undergo Knee Surgery

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The Carolina Hurricanes will have to try to win the Stanley Cup without Andrei Svechnikov. The team has officially announced that Svechnikov will undergo season-ending knee surgery on Thursday to repair a torn ACL. His months-long recovery will keep him out for the playoffs.

General manager Don Waddell released the following statement:

After further consultation with global experts in this field, it has been determined that the best course of action for Andrei’s future is to have this surgery, and to have it done by our team orthopedist, Dr. Marty Isbell. We’re confident that Andrei will make a full recovery.

It is brutal news for a Hurricanes team that had already lost Max Pacioretty for the playoffs but still looked like a legitimate contender. The 22-year-old Svechnikov is a difference-maker for them, coming off his first 30-goal season and sitting at 55 points through 64 games this season.

One of the true power forwards in the game, he mixes skill, physicality, and puck protection to drive play for the Hurricanes, elevating his linemates by giving them more room to maneuver. Svechnikov’s 140 hits lead Carolina, as do his 18 even-strength goals and 205 shots on net.

In what has become a gauntlet in the Eastern Conference, the Hurricanes must now rely on the rest of their forward group to step up. Jesse Puljujarvi, acquired at the deadline, could receive an opportunity to play higher in the lineup and establish himself as a key member moving forward.

More responsibility could also be given back to Teuvo Teravainen, amid his worst season in years. The 28-year-old has just ten goals and 33 points on the year after scoring at least 63 points in each of his last four full seasons. In Sunday’s game without Svechnikov, Teravainen logged nearly 19 minutes, his tenth-highest of the year.

There is certainly enough talent to fill out an imposing lineup sheet, but losing Svechnikov is a serious blow. The team is running out of time with this core group, as free agency looms for several key players in the next few years.

Snapshots: Tortorella, Moore, Capitals

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The Philadelphia Flyers have a long offseason ahead of them, figuring out what to do in the front office after firing Chuck Fletcher a few days ago. One of the people that figures to be there—regardless of how the titles shake out—is Daniel Briere, who took over as interim general manager in Fletcher’s absence.

In that case, you can also keep John Tortorella’s name jotted down in pen for next year. Briere spoke with Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports today, and explained that Tortorella was his first choice to coach the Flyers last year and is “the man for the job” still. The veteran coach signed a four-year deal worth $16MM last June.

  • There’s an interesting name among those invited to the 2023 National Team Development Program evaluation camp later this month: William Moore. The Toronto native holds dual citizenship and is nearing a crossroads in his hockey career. He is a potential first-overall selection in the OHL draft if he indicates that is the path he’ll follow. He could also join the NTDP or USHL to maintain his college eligibility. Just 15, he isn’t eligible for the NHL Draft until 2025.
  • With how well Rasmus Sandin has played in the early going for the Washington Capitals, the team may have found an inexpensive option for big minutes on the blueline next year. As Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic writes, that would open up money for the team’s biggest offseason target, a top-six forward (or two). The group currently has Craig Smith, Conor Sheary, Connor Brown, and Carl Hagelin all scheduled for unrestricted free agency this summer, opening up plenty of room for a significant addition.

Ryan O’Reilly Expected Back Before Playoffs

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The Toronto Maple Leafs spent big at the NHL trade deadline to try and improve their team before the playoffs but ended up losing Ryan O’Reilly after just a few games when he was accidentally hit with an Auston Matthews shot. Today, general manager Kyle Dubas told reporters, including Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets that O’Reilly should be able to return ahead of the playoffs.

After breaking a finger, the veteran forward was moved to long-term injured reserve on March 6, meaning he can return at the end of the month. The team has eight games in April to get him back up to speed, should he be ready to go for April 1.

It seemed like a perfect fit for the Maple Leafs and O’Reilly through his first few games with the team. After scoring just 19 points in 40 games with St. Louis, he had five in his three with Toronto, including an impressive hat trick performance against the Buffalo Sabres. However, things had gone quiet before the injury, as O’Reilly was scoreless in his other five games with the Maple Leafs.

While he won’t be asked to carry the load offensively, his addition was meant to give the team another high-impact forward for the playoffs. Winning faceoffs and playing strong defense is one thing, but it’s not exactly what the team was hoping for when they used several high draft picks to acquire him from the St. Louis Blues.

Luckily for Toronto, the other player they received in that deal—Noel Acciari—has also been making an impact, including a pair of goals against the Edmonton Oilers a few days ago. The bang-and-crash forward has already recorded 40 hits in his 11 games as a Maple Leaf, taking him over 200 on the season.

Shakir Mukhamadullin Returning To North America

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One of the most significant pieces of the Timo Meier trade was prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin, the 20th overall pick from 2020. The San Jose Sharks nabbed the big defender as a potential long-term piece of their blueline, but there is still some debate over when he’ll actually debut for the organization.

Mukhamadullin is coming to San Jose this week, according to Sheng Peng of SJ Hockey Now, but it is not clear if he will play pro games down the stretch for the Sharks or the AHL Barracuda.

It’s been a long season already for the 21-year-old defenseman, who played in 67 regular season games for Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL, before a grueling six-game first-round exit in the playoffs, which included three overtime losses.

If he does suit up for the Barracuda, it wouldn’t be his first time in the AHL. Mukhamadullin played three playoff games for the Utica Comets last season after his KHL year ended, recording two points. He signed his entry-level contract back in 2021 and has just been on loan to his Russian club, meaning the Sharks could also add him to the NHL roster, if they choose.

With 15 games left to play, the team could give him a short taste of the NHL to see where his game is before he heads into the offseason. Mukhamadullin might be a full-time option for San Jose next season, especially if they continue to pull veterans out of the lineup and move toward a younger core.

Tyler Boucher To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

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It has been a disappointing year for Tyler Boucher, a top prospect of the Ottawa Senators.

In January 2022, he decided to leave Boston University after just 17 underwhelming games and sign an entry-level contract with the Senators. He scored just three points in college hockey while racking up 34 penalty minutes, so he decided to go a different path for his development.

He was dealing with an injury at the time, but after eventually joining the Ottawa 67’s in the OHL, he scored just eight goals and 16 points in 28 games, including a four-game sweep at the hands of the North Bay Battalion.

This season was supposed to be his big breakout, with an offseason of preparation with the 67’s and a likely place on the U.S. World Junior team. He landed that spot, but would be replaced before the bronze medal game due to injury.

Following the tournament, the shoulder injury would keep him out until late February. After just four games back, Boucher has aggravated the injury and is now scheduled for surgery to repair a torn album. His season is over, meaning it will end with just ten goals and 18 points in 21 games for the 67’s.

Selected tenth overall in 2021, it’s been a brutal start to his time in the Senators organization. Boucher still has plenty of upside and only turned 20 in January, but now faces a three to four-month recovery. Hopefully, this lost development time won’t keep him from reaching his ceiling at the professional level.

Los Angeles Kings Activate Trevor Moore

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The Los Angeles Kings are red hot, and now they’re getting back an important reinforcement. Trevor Moore has been activated from injured reserve and will be available for the team tonight.

Moore, 27, has been out of the lineup since February 21, and his return will bring up some questions about where he fits moving forward. The speedy two-way winger has played almost exclusively with Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson this season, seeing less than 60 minutes of even-strength ice time with any other forward.

That duo, though, has been excellent of late playing with Kevin Fiala, meaning Moore might have to slot in somewhere else (at least to start).

Either way, his addition to the roster makes the Kings all the more dangerous. While Moore has just seven goals and 20 points in 42 games this season, he has proven his worth as a versatile possession player that head coach Todd McLellan leans heavily on in tight games.

Averaging more than 17 minutes a night, Moose will be a big part of any playoff success the Kings have this year. Getting healthy and up to speed only helps them chase that goal.

Minnesota Wild Sign Kyle Masters

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The Minnesota Wild have inked another prospect, signing Kyle Masters to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal starts in 2023-24 after Masters’ junior career ends.

Selected 118th overall in 2021, the 19-year-old defenseman hs experienced a breakout this year after a trade brought him to the Kamloops Blazers. The fourth-round pick has 11 goals and 59 points in 58 games so far, putting him seventh among all WHL defenders in scoring.

With the Blazers, Masters is headed for a Memorial Cup berth, as Kamloops will host the junior hockey tournament this year. With a chance to go out on top, he’ll head into professional hockey next year with an ELC in hand.

It’s been a busy little while for the Wild front office, who have also signed Hunter Haight, Caedan Bankier, and David Spacek, to contracts that start next season.

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