Predators Recall Kevin Gravel, Nicolas Hague Out Day-To-Day
The Nashville Predators recalled veteran defenseman Kevin Gravel from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals before Saturday’s game over the Minnesota Wild. Gravel was a healthy scratch for the matchup but offered emergency depth for defenseman Nicolas Hague, who is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury per NHL.com’s Brooks Bratten. Predators captain Roman Josi was also questionable before the game started but did end up playing, filling the hole in the lineup left by Hague.
Gravel, Milwaukee’s captain, has been a reliable anchor at the top of the Admirals’ lineup. He has played in nearly all of the team’s games dating back to his move to Milwaukee in 2022, though did have a 23-game stint with the Predators in 2022-23. Gravel has often stood out on the defensive side of the puck, where his long reach and strong frame make scoring difficult for opponents. That has also largely kept him off the scoresheet in his years in the Preadators organization. He has two points in 29 NHL games, and 54 points in 238 AHL games in the last four seasons.
With questions around who was healthy and who was not, the Predators opted to bring Gravel up as a contingency option. He is unlikely to stick with the NHL club through the rest of the season, unless Hague or Josi need an extended stay out of the lineup. It’s more likely that Gravel returns to the minors soon, where he’ll look to lead the Admirals in locking up a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Meanwhile, Nashville will hope Hague can return to his versatile, depth role soon. The 27 year old has scored 15 points in 62 games this season, two points shy of his career-high reached twice with the Vegas Golden Knights. He is in his first season with the Predators and has averaged 19:38 a night while operating behind Brady Skjei on the depth chart.
Capitals’ Pierre-Luc Dubois, Rasmus Sandin Leave With Injury
The Washington Capitals lost two important players during Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Center Pierre-Luc Dubois sustained an upper-body injury after crashing into the boards on the first goal of the game, while defenseman Rasmus Sandin was helped off the ice with a lower-body injury later in the game. No update or timeline was provided for either player per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti.
Both players have filled key roles for the Capitals all season long. Dubois missed 48 games between November and February due to a lower-body injury that required surgery. He returned to a top-six role in early-February and has scored 17 points in 21 games since. That production has provided a nice spark after Dubois failed to score in his first six games of the season. The 27 year old notched a career-high 66 points in 82 games during his first season with the Capitals last year. Sandin has stayed glued into Washington’s top-four and has 29 points and a plus-four in 72 games this season. He scored 30 points in 82 games last year.
With the duo out of the lineup, Washington will need to lean more on rookies Ilya Protas and Cole Hutson to continue bringing an impact. Both players are off to hot starts in their NHL careers. Protas has four points in his first two games, while Hutson has scored eight points in his first 11 games. Both have already worked their way onto Washington’s top powerplay unit, which fired on all cylinders during Saturday’s win. They will look to directly make up for Dubois and Sandin, while forward Ethen Frank and defenseman Timothy Liljegren could be called down from the press box.
The Capitals have two games remaining in their season and sit well outside of playoff contention. A pair of injuries could quickly redirect Washington’s focus towards deploying their young hopefuls, and resting their veterans, in preparation for a better season next year.
Hurricanes Announce Eight Out With Injury
The Carolina Hurricanes have been hit with a wave of injuries with only three games left in the season. According to NHL.com’s Walt Ruff, the Hurricanes were without forwards Jackson Blake, William Carrier, Taylor Hall, Mark Jankowski, and Logan Stankoven; defenseman Jalen Chatfield and K’Andre Miller; and goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov in Saturday’s game against the Utah Mammoth. No details or timelines have been revealed for any injuries. That is except for Kochetkov, who is currently on a conditioning loan with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves after missing most of the season with a lower-body injury that required surgery.
The Hurricanes were forced to overhaul their lineup with so many players out. Skyler Brind’Amour, Josiah Slavin, and Bradly Nadeau were recalled from the AHL to make up Carolina’s fourth-line, while Nicolas Deslauriers stepped onto a line with Eric Robinson and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Defensemen Mike Reilly and Charles-Alexis Legault also stepped onto the blue-line. This is the second NHL game of the season for Brind’Amour and the younger Slavin. The duo have scored 34 and 25 points in 66 AHL games this season respectively. The NHL appearance is a bigger deal for Nadeau, a top Hurricanes prospect who notched 53 points in 51 AHL games this year. Nadeau also has two goals in nine NHL games this season. Leagult has matched Nadeau’s NHL scoring, with two points in nine games, on top of seven points in 22 AHL games.
It is not yet clear how the Hurricanes will move forward in the face of so many injuries. With only two games left after Saturday’s matchup, Carolina could afford to rest all seven injured NHL skaters for the rest of the regular season. The Hurricanes have locked up the top spot in the Metropolitan Division with a 51-22-6 record this season. They sit 10 points above the Pittsburgh Penguins in second place. Carolina is set to enter the postseason as a favorite to win the Stanley Cup out of the Eastern Conference. They will need to have all hands on deck to acheive that feat, with a first round matchup against the Boston Bruins or Ottawa Senators on the table.
Canadiens’ Michael Hage Expected To Return To College
The Montreal Canadiens will have to wait another season before they can entertain signing one of their top prospects. Center Michael Hage is expected to return to the University of Michigan for his junior season per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Hage and the Michigan Wolverines recently lost a double-overtime matchup against the Denver Pioneers in the Frozen Four. The Montreal prospect had one assist in the 3-4 loss.
Another season in college will give Hage a chance to push for Michigan’s first National Championship since 1998. More than that, the high-energy Hage will be a top candidate for Michigan’s captaincy after senior T.J. Hughes signed a deal with the Colorado Avalanche. Hage has been an integral part of the Wolverines’ offense since moving to school in 2024. He scored 13 goals and 34 points in 33 games with Michigan in his freshman season – becoming just the 10th Michigan freshman to score above a point-per-game since 2000.
The second-line flowed through Hage’s shooting ability in his freshman year. As a sophomore, he grew into a true starring role. Hage took over Michigan’s top-line center role and matched his 13 goals, en route to 52 points in 39 games – second-most on the Wolverines to Hughes’ 57 points. Hage proved to be a capable and confident playmaker, a mantra he carried through to his first international tournament. After being passed over at younger tournaments, while playing in America’s USHL, Hage finally made his Team Canada debut at the 2026 World Junior Championship. He stood out as the team’s star, leading the tournament with a staggering 13 assists and 15 points in seven games.
The World Juniors performance brought Hage’s stock to international acclaim – but the Michigan star is in no rush to turn that into pro hopes. The Canadiens are already stocked with young, emerging forwards – like Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen – while the Laval Rockets’ depth chart is crowded by Owen Beck, Sean Farrell, and Joshua Roy. Rather than fight through that crowd, Hage will return to one of the highest roles in college hockey. He will be a candidate for 20 minutes a night in his junior season and could set his sights on putting together a season worthy of the Hobey Baker Award. Those hopes will only be bolstered by Michigan’s additions, including the return of Henry Mews from injury and top 2026 NHL Draft prospect J.P. Hurlbert. The young Montreal roster has time on their side, a privilege Hage will use to chase another National Championship.
Maple Leafs Hire PBI Sports & Entertainment To Support GM Search
The Toronto Maple Leafs face a pivotal decision as the off-season approaches. They are in the midst of searching for their first general manager hire since 2023. To help make sure their decision works out, the Maple Leafs have hired Neil Glasberg’s PBI Sports & Entertainment to support their search per Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. The firm represents many coaches and executives in the NHL – including Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman, New Jersey Devils senior advisor Chuck Fletcher, and Florida Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta as pointed out by Chris Johnston of The Athletic.
Toronto will move forward targeting mid-May as when they’d like to have a decision made per Johnston. Some have expressed concerns about Glaser’s involvement in the search as he represents potential candidates for the role – but PBI Sports & Entertainment’s involvement does not violate any league rules and the firm has previously been used by the Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Seattle Kraken.
Still, Mehta could be a top candidate for the Leafs’ key role. MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley stated that the next Leafs GM will need to be data-centric, with an understanding of the importance of analytics in building a roster. Mehta served as an analytical consultant in the NHL and MLB prior to his role with the Panthers. He even spearheaded the first full-time analytics department in NHL history with the 2014-15 New Jersey Devils. Mehta was hired as the Panthers’ Vice President of Hockey Strategy and Intelligence in 2020 and promoted to the assistant GM chair, in addition to his role as Director of Analytics, in 2023. Florida won back-to-back Stanley Cups on the heels of that promotion. In addition to his track record in hockey and baseball, Mehta was also once a professional poker player and co-authored a top-selling gambling book.
Mehta will be one of many names considered for the Leafs GM chair. Other names who could be involved includes former NHL GMs John Chayka, Peter Chiarelli, and Kevyn Adams per Johnston.
Senators’ Thomas Chabot Could Return Ahead Of Schedule
The Ottawa Senators’ injury situation turned from bad to worse when Thomas Chabot was sidelined with a broken arm six games before Jake Sanderson returned from his own month-long absence. Chabot underwent surgery to address the injury and was expected to be out six-to-eight weeks, which would have placed his return in the Eastern Conference Finals if the Senators were still playing. Roughly two weeks later, it appears Chabot’s recovery is going better than expected. He has already returned to practice and could return ahead of his original window, head coach Travis Green told TSN’s Bruce Garrioch.
Ottawa’s blue-line has faced a long string of injuries since the start of March. The Senators were forced to lean on their few healthy veterans – Tyler Kleven, Jordan Spence, and Artem Zub – in the few games where both Chabot and Sanderson were out. They didn’t leave that plan unscathed, with Kleven sustaining a potential season-ending injury of his own. Sanderson has averaged over 25 minutes of ice time in his two games since returning to the lineup, similar to the deployment Chabot carried before his injury.
Ottawa has fought a war of attrition in their attempt to seal an Eastern Conference Wild Card. Battling through injuries, the Senators have managed the sixth-most wins in the NHL (11) since March 1st. That comes largely thanks to the offense’s scoring ability, with Ottawa also ranked eighth in total goals in that span (61). Even then, the Senators have totaled a measly 10-11-1 record in games without Chabot this season. His absence leaves a major hole in Ottawa’s top-four. He has 31 points in 55 games, second-most on the Senators’ blue-line behind Sanderson’s 49 points. He has also kept up his strong play away from the puck while usually facing opponents’ top players.
Adding Chabot back into the lineup will reinstill the Senators’ one-two punch on defense, no matter when it happens. While news of a quick recovery is an exciting boost, it seems Ottawa may still have to finish the season down a top defender. The Senators currently hold onto the second Wild Card spot with 90 points and five games left. They sit one point ahead of the New York Islanders, with a game in hand, and two points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets.
Capitals Recall Ilya Protas
The Washington Capitals have recalled top center prospect Ilya Protas from the AHL’s Hershey Bears. It is a headline that Capitals fans have waited all season for and comes just two days after a six-point night in the AHL. Protas leads Hershey, and all AHL rookies, with 28 goals and 62 points in 66 games this season. He could make his NHL debut as soon as Wednesday per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti.
Washington could give one of their top prospects a look with four games left in the season. All four games are against Eastern Conference and will be must-win contests with the Capitals sat one point outside of the second Wild Card. Protas could be an X-factor addition at the perfect time. He has continued a breakout performance that began with a move to the OHL in 2024.
Protas moved from his home country of Belarus to the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers for the 2023-24 season. He was an immediate, top-six impact and finished the year with 51 points in 61 games. The majority of that scoring came late in the season, helping the 6-foot-5 Protas slide under the radar enough to land in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft. He followed the selection with a move to the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, where his offensive skill quickly boomed next to New York Rangers prospect Liam Greentree. Protas led the Spitfires, and ranked second in the OHL, in scoring with an incredible 50-goals and 124 points in 61 games. His scoring was the second-most ever recorded by a European in the OHL behind compatriot and six-year NHL veteran Sergei Kostitsyn, who scored 131 points in 2006-07.
That hot scoring hasn’t left in Protas’ first pro season. Neither has his talent for creating chances, made evident by his five-assist performance in Hershey’s Saturday night win over the Hartford Wolf Pack. Protas has shown a strong ability to drive the puck into the slot. He offers an impressive amount of stickhandling ability and playmaking focus in a big frame. They’re the same traits that have helped his older brother, Washington’s Aliaksei Protas, notch a career-high 30 goals and 66 points in 76 games last season. The older Protas has 49 points in 72 games this year.
Now, the brothers could seek to make one final heave towards the playoffs together. It is not clear where the younger Protas will line up if he does make his NHL debut. He could step onto the third-line left-wing over Anthony Beauvillier or take on a center role and bump Justin Sourdif to the wing. Either move would likely bump Ethen Frank out of the lineup, after he posted no scoring and a minus-one in his last two games.
Canucks Recall Jiri Patera, Kevin Lankinen Out Day-To-Day
The Vancouver Canucks have recalled depth goaltender Jiri Patera under emergency conditions. His recall comes after Kevin Lankinen sustained a day-to-day, upper-body injury during Monday’s morning practice per Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK News. Patera will likely backup Nikita Tolopilo in Tuesday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights if Lankinen is not ready to return.
Lankinen has been Vancouver’s de facto starter since usual starter Thatcher Demko sustained a season-ending injury in January. Lankinen recorded just one win to go with a .885 save percentage in 11 games during the month of March. That performance brought his year-long totals up to nine wins and a .875 Sv% in 44 appearances. It is the second-most Lankinen has ever played in a single NHL season after he posted 25 wins and a .902 Sv% in 51 games last season. Tolopilo hasn’t yet topped Lankinen’s performance from the backup role, with only five wins and a .880 Sv% in 18 games this season.
Those performances will set a low bar for Patera if he needs to fill out Vancouver’s roster. The 27 year old has appeared in nine NHL games before, including one this season – his only appearance with Vancouver. He has three wins and a .892 Sv% in those appearances. Patera has also recorded 11 wins and a .907 Sv% in 29 AHL games this season. He has planted his feet as a career minor-league goalie after being drafted by the Vegas Golden Knights in the sixth-round of the 2017 NHL Draft. Patera’s stint on Vancouver’s roster will likely be limited to backup duties until Lankinen is back to full health.
Avalanche Still Big Winners In Martin Necas Acquisition
True NHL dynasties are often defined by more than their roster. It takes confident management decisions to stick at the top of the NHL year-over-year. The Colorado Avalanche proved their willingness to make a big swing in their handling of Mikko Rantanen‘s trade ahead of the 2025 Trade Deadline. Facing a costly contract extension, Colorado opted to trade Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in late-January. The sudden deal wouldn’t stick for Carolina – who flipped Rantanen to Dallas. The fruits of the move were much more direct for Colorado, who took a homerun swing on Martin Necas‘ ability to replace Rantanen’s role. One season later, as Necas rivals the first 100-point season of his career, it seems the Avalanche hit it well out of the park.
Necas was an instant impact for the Avalanche in the second-half of last season. He scored 11 goals and 28 points in 30 games to close out the regular season, bringing his year-long totals up to 83 points in 79 games. Even through a cloud of trade drama, that performance was a career-year for Necas, whose previous career-high was 71 points. A full summer to adjust to Colorado’s system has quickly made both of his previous heights look slim.
Necas has racked up 36 goals, 94 points, and a plus-46 through 72 games this season. All three of those stats are new personal-bests – eight goals, 11 points, and plus-21 higher than his previous bests. That success comes alongside a league-best performance from the Avalanche roster, led by superstar Nathan MacKinnon, Necas’ new batterymate. MacKinnon’s all-out energy and control over play has allowed Necas to focus on his strengths – but his improvements stand out apart from the top-tier support. Necas has looked explosive off the rush and added a goal-scorer’s ability to bury chances through traffic. He has been there to finish the chances that MacKinnon creates, one of the roles that Rantanen filled in his back-to-back 100-point seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24. With only four games left on Colorado’s schedule Necas likely won’t reach the 105 points that Rantanen scored in his best year – but he nonetheless brings century-scoring capability to the lineup.
The near-seamless replacement can make it easy to forget the rest of Colorado’s return. The Avalanche also brought in feisty, depth forward Jack Drury and draft capital from the Rantanen trade. They packaged one of those picks – a 2025 second-round pick – alongside William Zellers and Casey Mittelstadt to acquire Charlie Coyle and a pick from the Boston Bruins at the 2025 Trade Deadline. Colorado went one step further after the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, trading Coyle and Miles Wood to the Columbus Blue Jackets for prospect Gavin Brindley, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2025 third-round pick used on defense prospect Francesco Dell’Elce. Drury and Brindley have already shored up Colorado’s depth chart, while the additional capital boosted a bare Avalanche prospect room.
Reliable depth and future upside are fantastic additions to the value that Necas has brought to the top-line. Colorado also signed Necas to a deal $500K cheaper, and one year longer, than Rantanen landed in Dallas. The Avalanche have won every bet they made in a confusing, and surprising, trade of a top-line star. Even if the 2025-26 season stands as Necas’ career-year, his impact next to MacKinnon could help Colorado stick in Stanley Cup contention through the end of the 2020’s. The Avalanche sit confidently on top of the league – six points ahead of the second-place Hurricanes – with the end of the season nearing. They will enter the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the favorite out of the Western Conference, offering a chance to build on their 2022 Cup win.
Senators’ Tyler Kleven Out Indefinitely
The Ottawa Senators added top defenseman Jake Sanderson back to the lineup on Saturday – but their luck with injuries isn’t on the upswing yet. Sanderson’s return filled in for Tyler Kleven, who is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. This is the sixth injury that Ottawa’s blue-line has faced in the last month.
Kleven sustained the injury while blocking a shot just seven minutes into Thursday’s win over the Buffalo Sabres. The puck appeared to hit him in the face. Kleven will be re-evaluated on a week-to-week basis, a designation that could end his season with only six games left on Ottawa’s schedule.
Kleven stepped into a major role while Ottawa looked to make up for injuries to Sanderson and Thomas Chabot. He has averaged nearly 24 minutes of ice time over the last eight games, supporting Ottawa to a 4-3-1 record in that stretch. Kleven has contributed five assists, four penalty minutes, and a plus-three across that stretch. It has been a clutch performance from the usual third-pair defenseman as Ottawa fights to hang onto an Eastern Conference wild card. Kleven is up to 18 points, 53 penalty minutes, and a plus-two in 70 games this season. All three of those stats are new career-highs after Kleven posted 10 points, 27 penalty minutes, and a minus-11 in 79 games as a rookie last season.
Cameron Crotty stuck in the lineup in Kleven’s absence. Saturday marked the fifth NHL game of his career, and the second of his season. He has failed to score at the top level yet. Crotty has found a bit more production with the AHL’s Belleville Senators, where he has recorded 10 points, 29 penalty minutes, and a minus-four in 49 games this season. The 26 year old is in his sixth season in North American pros and could hang onto a bottom-pair role for the rest of the season if he can stick in Kleven’s spot.