Bruins Sign Frederic Brunet To Two-Year Extension
The Bruins announced they’ve signed defense prospect Frederic Brunet to a two-year contract extension. The deal carries a cap hit of $875,000 and is two-way in 2026-27, then converts to a one-way deal in 2027-28.
Brunet, 22, was a fifth-rounder by the Bruins in 2022 after going undrafted the year prior. He has played almost exclusively for AHL Providence since turning pro out of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League at the end of the 2022-23 season. The 6’3″, 201-lb lefty has steadily developed his two-way game since then and is now one of the B’s’ more intriguing call-up options. He’s logged an 18-49–67 scoring line in 173 career AHL outings with a +38 rating. That includes career-highs in goals (11) and points (28) set this year.
With all that positive development trending toward Brunet becoming perhaps a long-term third-pairing staple in Boston (with potential utility even higher in the lineup), it’s a surprise he hasn’t received a longer look in the NHL. He debuted in Game 82 of the regular season last year against the Devils and has gone the entire season this year without a call-up. It’s been the more experienced Michael Callahan and Victor Söderström getting the bumps to the NHL roster if needed, and although they’re having strong seasons in their own right, the talent gap between them and Brunet isn’t all that significant.
His consistently strong two-way numbers in Providence, plus his NHL-ready frame, should translate into more meaningful call-up opportunities over the next two seasons. Boston being willing to hand out a one-way pact for the second half of the deal indicates they are expecting him to make a push for a roster spot by 2027-28. For now, he avoids restricted free agency this summer, coming off his entry-level contract, with another chance to be an RFA in 2028.
Five Key Stories: 3/2/26 – 3/8/26
As always, trade deadline week provided a flurry of activity around the league, even if the volume of trades over the past seven days wasn’t quite as high as it has been in previous years. As expected, that activity highlights the bulk of this week’s key stories.
Islanders Make A Splash: After a division rival added a key veteran forward (Columbus adding Conor Garland from Vancouver), Islanders GM Mathieu Darche made another move to add to his roster. New York acquired center Brayden Schenn from St. Louis in exchange for winger Jonathan Drouin, 2026 first and third-round picks, and goalie prospect Marcus Gidlof. While Schenn’s offensive numbers are starting to drop, he’s still a capable two-way center on a reasonable contract as he has two years left on his current deal at a $6.5MM cap charge. Schenn didn’t have to go very far to join his new team as the Blues and Islanders were both in the same hotel in San Jose. Meanwhile, Darche kept another middleman in the fold, signing Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a three-year, $14.55MM contract extension. The 33-year-old figures to be New York’s third-line center for the next little while and is taking a small pay cut from his current $5MM price tag to stick around.
Contract Extensions: While the trade deadline is a time for players to be moved, it’s also often a time for pending UFAs to sign contract extensions and this year was no exception. With rumblings that he could be flipped once again just after being acquired, the Sharks and Kiefer Sherwood worked out a five-year, $28.75MM extension. He already has 19 goals for the second straight year and set the single-season hit record last year and will make more in one season of this deal than his combined earnings to this point of his career. Meanwhile, the Ducks inked center Ryan Poehling to a four-year, $15MM pact, taking another center off the open market. In his first season with Anaheim, he’s on pace for his second straight 30-point season. This deal made it easier for the Ducks to then flip Ryan Strome to Calgary for a seventh-round pick, knowing they’d have the stability with Poehling locked up. Lastly, the Kraken signed captain Jordan Eberle to a two-year, $11MM pact. The 35-year-old is their leading scorer with 22 goals and 22 assists this season and the price tag is certainly fair for someone still producing as a top-six piece.
Colorado Swings Big: Already the top team in the NHL with decent depth down the middle, the Avalanche made two moves to shore things up. First, they parted with a first-round pick and a fifth-round selection to pick up Nicolas Roy from Toronto. Roy is having a down season but was a quality third-line center in Vegas and should help stabilize their bottom six. Then, just before the deadline, they swung a bigger move, bringing back Nazem Kadri from Calgary. They received Kadri and a 2027 fourth-round pick in exchange for winger Victor Olofsson, forward prospect Max Curran, a 2028 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-rounder. Calgary will retain 20% of Kadri’s $7MM cap charge (that runs through 2028-29) as part of the swap. Kadri was Calgary’s top scorer before the swap and has lots of experience with Colorado, having played three seasons with them, the last of which saw him win a Stanley Cup. All of a sudden, the Avs now have one of the deepest center groups in the NHL.
Defensemen Getting Dealt: There were some notable blueliners who found themselves on the move as well. The Flames parted with another veteran defender, sending MacKenzie Weegar to Utah for Olli Maatta, prospect Jonathan Castagna, and three 2026 second-round picks. Weegar is having a down season but had 99 points over the last two years combined and is an all-situations player. The Mammoth are taking on his full $6.25MM cap charge through 2030-31. Meanwhile, the Ducks made a splash on the rental front, acquiring long-time Capitals defender John Carlson for a conditional 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 third-rounder. The 36-year-old is on pace for his third straight 50-point season and will give a big boost to an Anaheim group that quietly leads the Pacific Division heading into today’s action as they look to reach the playoffs. Lastly, the Red Wings added a key piece as well in Justin Faulk from St. Louis. The Blues received veteran Justin Holl, prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov, plus 2026 first and third-round picks. Faulk will provide Detroit with some secondary offense plus an ability to log big minutes in all situations to help them try to end their playoff drought.
Defenseman Doesn’t Get Dealt: In a week that featured lots of trades, one of the bigger stories was one that didn’t happen. The Sabres had reached an agreement with the Blues that would have landed them defenseman Colton Parayko. Top prospect Radim Mrtka and a first-round pick were believed to be part of the return while Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman added in a Saturday Headlines segment (video link) that AHL Rochester’s roster would have been decimated, suggesting St. Louis was getting more as well. However, Parayko declined to waive his no-trade protection, nixing the move. Parayko, who missed his fifth straight game tonight with back spasms, will now stick around for at least the rest of the season but given the potential strong return, it wouldn’t be shocking if incoming GM Alex Steen tried to revisit the idea of dealing him over the summer. Meanwhile, Buffalo pivoted to Plan B on the back end, acquiring blueliners Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn from Winnipeg. In exchange for the pending UFAs, the Jets picked up prospect Isak Rosen, defenseman Jacob Bryson, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round selection.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry-Imagn Images.
Sharks Recall Nick Leddy, Assign Nolan Allan To AHL
The Sharks have shuffled up their depth defense. The team announced (Twitter link) that veteran Nick Leddy has been recalled from AHL San Jose while after being recalled just yesterday, blueliner Nolan Allan was sent down to the Barracuda.
Last offseason, the Sharks decided to claim Leddy off waivers from St. Louis, absorbing the final year and $4MM left on his contract. Coupled with some of their veteran additions on the back end (including Dmitry Orlov and John Klingberg), they were hoping to raise the floor of their defensive group. Orlov and Klingberg were able to do so but things haven’t gone anywhere near as well for Leddy.
The 34-year-old has only played in 19 games for the Sharks this season, picking up four assists and 26 blocks while averaging 17:30 per night of ice time. In mid-January, San Jose decided to put him on waivers to open up a roster spot and sent him down to the Barracuda. However, with them, he has only suited up once. He may be a more logical option to serve as a reserve defender for the stretch run with him heading for unrestricted free agency in the offseason over having a younger player watching from the press box.
Allan’s recall didn’t yield any playing time so he’s still looking for his first NHL opportunity of the season after getting into 43 contests last season with Chicago. Acquired midseason as part of the Laurent Brossoit pickup, the 22-year-old has been fairly successful with the Barracuda, notching two goals and eight helpers in 20 outings since the swap.
The quick demotion is fairly curious, given that they burned one of their five post-deadline regular recalls when they brought Allan up. By sending him back down and bringing Leddy up, they’re now using another one in short order to fill a roster spot that’s unlikely to see much playing time.
Rangers Recall Brendan Brisson, Move Taylor Raddysh To Non-Roster Status
The Rangers have made a pair of roster moves heading into tomorrow’s game against Philadelphia. The team announced (Twitter link) that winger Brendan Brisson has been recalled from AHL Hartford. In a corresponding move, winger Taylor Raddysh is being moved to non-roster status, according to Newsday’s Colin Stephenson (Twitter link). Raddysh will miss the next two games to attend his father’s funeral.
It’s the second recall of the campaign for Brisson. The first one ended just a few days ago as he spent a little over two weeks with New York, getting into three games where he had an assist while averaging 10:35 per night. The 2020 first-round pick has spent the majority of the year with the Wolf Pack, picking up 15 goals and 12 assists in 49 games. With the team having 12 other healthy forwards on their roster, Brisson’s promotion should count as one of New York’s five post-deadline regular recalls.
As for Raddysh, he’s in his first season with the Rangers after signing a two-year, $3MM deal with them over the summer. He has spent the bulk of the campaign in a bottom-six role but has held his own offensively despite the limited minutes, collecting nine goals and eight assists in 59 games while averaging just under 12 minutes per game. He’s expected to rejoin the team for Thursday’s contest against Winnipeg.
Snapshots: Brazeau, Horvat, Kleven
The Pittsburgh Penguins called on trade acquisition Elmer Soderblom to make his team debut on Sunday after Justin Brazeau was ruled out with an undisclosed injury, head coach Dan Muse told Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports. The injury ended Brazeau’s streak of 37 consecutive games played, which was the seventh-longest streak on the team, as pointed out by Rorabaugh.
Brazeau’s absence will mark another blow to the Penguins offense after star Evgeni Malkin was handed a five-game suspension for slashing. Brazeau has three points in his last four games and 30 points in 48 games this season. He has accelerated a hot streak that began with the Boston Bruins last year, where he scored 20 points in 57 games. Pittsburgh brought rookie Avery Hayes back into the lineup in response ot Malkin’s absence. Now, they’ll turn towards the towering Soderblom to try and keep things going. He has only scored three points in 39 games this season.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- New York Islanders centerman Bo Horvat was fined $2,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct in the Islanders’ Saturday win over the San Jose Sharks per Frank Seravalli of Victory+. While delivering choice words to the Sharks’ bench, Horvat reached over and flicked the visor of winger William Eklund. He was not assessed a penalty on the play. Horvat has 27 goals and 44 points in 55 games this season, including one goal scored in Saturday’s 2-1 victory. He will stick in a premier lineup role and hope to make up his decreased funds with his on-ice performance.
- Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven was also assessed a fine by the NHL Department of Player Safety. He was forced to hand over $4,166.67, max allowable under the CBA, for cross-checking Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann in the face in Saturday’s match between Ottawa and Seattle. Kleven was assessed a two-minute slashing, five-minute cross-checking, and 10-minute game misconduct penalty on the play, which occurred with just under four minutes left in regulation. He scored his second goal of the season prior to his ejection. Kleven is now up to 12 points and a minus-two in 57 games this season. He will continue in his role offering the Senators defensive depth.
Oilers Recall Josh Samanski Under Emergency Conditions
The Edmonton Oilers have recalled forward Josh Samanski under emergency conditions. This call-up will not count against Edmonton’s remaining regular season recalls. Samanski was moved to the AHL ahead of the Trade Deadline to ensure his eligibility for the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs.
The Oilers could face a hole in their fourth-line center spot if Adam Henrique is ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. Henrique is a game-time decision due to an undisclosed injury per head coach Kris Knoblauch. The Oilers are already relying on trade acquisitions Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach to fill roles in their bottom-six and could now lean on another rookie to shore up their depth.
Samanski filled a fourth-line role in Edmonton’s March 3rd win over the Ottawa Senators but hasn’t had an extended tenure in the NHL since early-February. He played the first five games of his NHL career after a late-January call-up and scored two assists. Samanski has made a much bigger impact in a top-six center role with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, where he’s racked up 31 points in 45 games this season. He also represented Team Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics, scoring two points in five games.
Samanski is in his first professional season in North America after spending the last four seasons in Germany’s DEL. He totaled 40 goals and 93 points in 193 games at Germany’s top-level. That set a club record for U23 scoring with the Straubing Tigers, exceeding the previous record by 29 points. Samanski is still searching for his spark in the NHL but should still provide solid depth if Edmonton needs to call on him.
Big Hype Prospects: Morozov, Ignatavicius, Klepov, Henriquez, Hrenak
Welcome to PHR’s Big Hype Prospects series. Like the MLB Trade Rumors series of the same name, we’re taking a look at the performances of top prospects from across the hockey world. We’ll look at rising prospects for the upcoming draft who are worth keeping in mind.
Five Big Hype Prospects
Ilia Morozov, C, Miami University Red Hawks (NCHC)
35 GP, 8 G – 12 A – 20 TP, 27 PIM, +2
Among the many climbing into a spot in this year’s top 15, it may be bulky center Ilia Morozov who has most caught the eye of pro teams. He has played with an overwhelming layer of grit and energy to his game despite starting the year out as college hockey’s youngest player – a title that now belongs to Oscar Hemming, highlighted in our last Big Hype Prospects piece. Morozov’s hard work has translated to more ice time and success in the standings. Miami improved by 15 wins this season, the biggest jump of any Division I team this century excluding the Covid season per ESPN’s John Buccigross. That is in no small part thanks to Morozov, whose tenacity and two-way responsibility helped fortify Miami’s top-six. His game took a major stride from last season in the USHL and Morozov is still among the youngest players in the draft class. That added development time, and his six-foot-three, 205-pound frame, could be enough to convince teams to spend an early pick on the Russian power-forward.
Simas Ignatavicius, LW, Geneve-Servette (National League)
51 GP, 7 G – 8 A – 15 TP, 43 PIM, +6
Another major riser is winger Simas Ignatavicius, who is looking to become the first Lithuanian to be drafted into the NHL since Dainius Zubrus was selected in the 1996 first-round. Coincidentally, Zubrus has made his mark on Ignatavicius’ development path, and helped him elevate his game to a pro level very early on. Ignatavicius shines as a responsible and poised shooter, who knows how to fill his role on the forecheck and wait for the right moments to strike. He has an athletic, six-foot-three frame and smooth skating that come in handy on the forecheck. From there, Ignatavicius can work the cycle and connect with his teammates to create sustained offense. He has been a responsible, bottom-six forward in Switzerland’s top league – but recently boomed on a loan to the country’s second-tier pro league, with seven goals and 11 points in eight games. It was a nice reminder of the scoring upside that Ignatavicius can bring – and an even better reminder that Lithuania seems set to go three-for-three on draft prospects selected in the first round.
Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
61 GP, 35 G – 52 A – 87 TP, 35 PIM, +7
Very few 2026 draft prospects have seen as much of a breakout this season as winger Nikita Klepov. He is hunting down the rare 100-point mark in his first OHL season. If he hits it, Klepov will become the first rookie to reach the century mark since Patrick Kane – though Kane had the benefit of two years with the U.S. National Team Development Program, while Klepov is only one season removed from playing 16U AAA. In between youth hockey and the CHL, he scored 31 points in 59 USHL games, after going completely undrafted in the league. Klepov has had a propensity for living above the moment – and shown off the toolkit to make it possible. He is explosive on the puck, capable of turning slow-moving breakouts into fast-moving offense that generates multiple scoring chances. Better yet, the 6-foot Klepov has shown no fear in crashing through opponents to force play in the slot. He has not caught the eye of every scout – but holds a big spot in the minds of those who favor him. Klepov will be one of many upside buys in this year’s draft, which could place him all over the board.
Roberto Leonardo Henriquez, G, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
29 GP, 17 W – 0.925 Sv% – 2.06 GAA, 2 SO, 1 A
The recent rise in goalie goals and goalie fights have opened the door to more ‘Goalie Gordie Howe Hat-Tricks’ – when a netminder records a goal, assist, and fight all in one season. Even then, the feat is hockey’s immaculate inning, maybe occurring once per season and always carrying a special air behind them (though, immaculate innings have become more popular as well). Roberto Leonardo Henriquez will have that rare feat on his resume as he enters the 2026 draft, to go along with the highest save percentage and lowest goals-against average in the USHL. He has been phenomenal after putting together a standout season in the NAHL that unfortunately did not result in a draft selection last season. The six-foot-two, Slovakia/Dominican Republic dual citizen, and University of New Hampshire commit has put together a year that should demand a draft selection in a quiet year for goalies.
Samuel Hrenak, G, Fargo Force (USHL)
4 GP, 3 W – 0.942 Sv% – 1.71 GAA, 0G, 1 SO, 0 A
There is a new challenger for Henriquez’s spot on top of USHL goaltending. Copatriot Samuel Hrenak has been stellar since joining the Fargo Force in February. He has allowed only seven goals through 13 periods of action, after posting a commendable .912 Sv% in 23 games in Slovakia’s U20 league to start the season. Hrenak also filled the dismal role of starting goalie for Team Slovakia’s U18 club, who compete in a handful of exhibition games in Slovakia’s second-tier pro league. That deployment meant a tough start to the year for Hrenak but he is now proving just how impactful he can be in games against his peers. He was ranked in the top-10 of European goalies in the NHL Central Scouting Service’s most recent update and should climb their final list if his dominant USHL start continues. He will be eyeing a mid-round pick, and an NCAA commitment, as the summer roles around – and should be a major addition wherever he ends up.
Avalanche’s Gabriel Landeskog Out Week-To-Week
The Colorado Avalanche will be without a second-line winger for the short future. Captain Gabriel Landeskog has been designated as out week-to-week with a lower-body injury after taking a shot from Cale Makar to the groin per Corey Masisak of The Denver Post. Landeskog had a puck-sized dent in his athletic cup after the game, adds Masisak.
Landeskog has already missed 14 games to various injuries this season. Luckily, none of them have been connected to the knee injuries that held Landeskog out of three regular seasons, from 2022 to 2025. He made a brief return for the playoffs in 2022 and 2025 – combining for 26 points in 25 games. That momentum set Landeskog up for a major, and important, return this season. Through some bouts with injury, he has found a way to match the bill, netting 29 points in 47 games and returning to his clear-cut role as Colorado’s second-line left-wing.
Landeskog’s playmaking has helped spark veteran center Brock Nelson in his first full season with the club. Nelson has a tremendous 30 goals and 53 points in 61 games, helped along by a 21.1 shooting percentage. When he’s not playing off of Nelson, Landeskog has been deployed on Colorado’s top line, next to high-tempo scorers Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas. He has matched that duo’s pace and outscored opponents 15-to-three in his top-line minutes.
It is that layer of versatile scoring that Colorado will now have to replace. They’ll, luckily, find the perfect source of offense in Trade Deadline pickup Nazem Kadri. Kadri reached his career-high in scoring – 87 points – in Colorado’s Cup-winning 2021-22 season. He has spent the last four years in a clear #1 role on a middling Calgary Flames offense. The jolt of rejoining a red-hot Avalanche club could be enough to spark Kadri’s scoring once again. He will assume Landeskog’s role on the second-line wing, at least until the Avalanche’s captain is back to full health.
Colorado sits comfortably on top of the Western Conference, with seven more points and a game in hand over the second-place Dallas Stars. Even better, they have a fairly light schedule through the next few weeks, with multiple matchups against the Winnipeg Jets, Pittsburgh Penguins, and St. Louis Blues. Those games are intercut with tough tests against the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars but Colorado should have plenty of runway to find a spark headed into those games. They will lean on Kadri to adjust quick and keep the offense firing, while envisioning what their lineup could look like at full health, when Landeskog and Artturi Lehkonen are in their proper spots.
Poll: Which Deadline Day Pickup Will Make The Biggest Impact?
The 2026 Trade Deadline was stalled before it had a chance to launch thanks to a rare December blockbuster that sent Quinn Hughes across the Western Conference. Hughes has since scored 39 points in 31 games with the Minnesota Wild, putting together an impact with his new team that no player in the league could hope to match. Through a quiet Deadline, a few moving pieces could bring enough of a boost to bolster their new team’s chances of making the playoffs or contending for the Stanley Cup.
The top candidate to make a big splash is center Nazem Kadri, who rejoins the Colorado Avalanche after averaging 27 goals and 64 points per 82 games played with the Calgary Flames, across four seasons. Kadri was a constant source of offense on a Flames deep who saw their supplies diminish as the years went on. Then again, he reached his career-high in scoring with an 87-point season in 2021-22, his final year in Colorado. Kadri earned his first Stanley Cup ring that year and now rejoins the Avalanche in the middle of their best season since. He will hold an important, middle-six role either in relief of Brock Nelson‘s second-line role or in bringing a power-punch to Colorado’s depth. Leaving behind a #1 role in Calgary could kneecap Kadri’s offense but joining a team like Colorado could be enough to bring it back up.
Another easy choice is Anaheim’s acquisition of career-Washington Capital defenseman John Carlson. The deal was finalized just after 1 AM ET on March 6th, when much of the hockey world, and Carlson himself, were asleep. In the quiet of the night, Anaheim pulled off a monumental move to bring in one of the league’s top offensive-defensemen. Even in his age-36 season, Carlson has racked up 10 goals and 46 points in 55 games with the Capitals. He has proven to still be an effective scorer even into his sunset seasons, though got bumped out of Washington’s top-defender role by the emergence of Jakob Chychrun. Instead, he will head to the West coast to challenge Jacob Trouba for the role of top-right defense on the Pacific Division’s top team. He is currently nursing a day-to-day, lower-body injury but Carlson could really click with Anaheim’s fast-moving, hard-working offense when he steps into the lineup.
A pair of St. Louis Blues will look to do enough to join this list as they head to the Eastern Conference. Defenseman Justin Faulk was acquired by the Detroit Red Wings for an expensive package. The Red Wings will need to pipe him into a key role to justify their pricey buy. Luckily, they’re in need of a high-motor, third-string defender who can bring oomph behind the top pair of Simon Edvinsson and Moritz Seider. Faulk stood as St. Louis’ top defenseman, and main play-driver from the blue-line, even as his overall performances began to slip. In competition with Ben Chiarot and Axel Sandin Pellikka, it should be easy for Faulk to emerge as the caterer of offense away from Detroit’s top pair.
Meanwhile, Brayden Schenn will hope for improved minutes as he joins a playoff-contending New York Islanders club. Schenn’s role in St. Louis dwindled to a support presence in his final years, usually spent platooning the center role with one of the Blues’ young prospects. He hit an offensive wall this season as a result – just 28 points in 62 games – but is only one year removed from scoring 18 goals and 50 points, with a positive plus-minus. Schenn has slowed substantially in his mid-30s, but he remains a dangerous shooter and effective playmaker. If the Islanders can help him find some pseudo-tempo, he could be a candidate for a streak of shooting luck.
Who do you think will leave the biggest mark for his new club? Use the 2025-26 In-Season Trade Tracker to see the list of Trade Deadline day moves and vote below!
Which NHL Trade Deadline Pickup Will Make The Biggest Impact?
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COL - Nazem Kadri, C 39% (338)
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ANA - John Carlson, D 25% (216)
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DET - Justin Faulk, D 17% (142)
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NYI - Brayden Schenn, C 12% (104)
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Other (Comment Below!) 7% (58)
Total votes: 858
Photo courtesy of Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports.
Stars Recall Arttu Hyry
The Stars announced they’ve recalled forward Arttu Hyry from AHL Texas. He was sent down last week to make room for Michael Bunting on the active roster after his acquisition from the Predators. With the roster limit no longer in effect, he can come back up as Dallas still has $1.96MM of cap space left in their LTIR pool.
Unless there’s another forward who’s questionable for tonight’s game against the Blackhawks, Hyry’s recall doesn’t fall under emergency conditions and will take up the first of five allotted post-deadline recalls in Dallas. The Stars do have 13 forwards on the active roster, but only 12 are available after news that top center Roope Hintz is week-to-week with the lower-body injury he sustained Friday night against the Avalanche. Now, Dallas has an extra one on hand to rotate in at will.
Hyry, 24, had spent the entire season in the AHL until being recalled at the end of February, also due to a period of unavailability from Hintz (that time due to illness). The undrafted free agent is in his second year in the organization, which signed him to an entry-level contract out of Kärpät in Finland’s top division, Liiga, in 2024.
The 6’3″, 211-lb forward can play both center and right wing and has appeared in nine games for Dallas over the past two seasons, recording an assist and a +1 rating in 10:17 of average ice time. He’s been exceptional on draws as a stopgap fourth-line piece, winning 65.5% of his faceoffs – including going 25-for-39 in a larger sample this year.
He’s also been nearly an All-Star-level threat in the AHL. Some injuries and his stints on the NHL roster have limited him to 27 appearances this season, but he’s scored nine goals and 19 points with a -1 rating in 27 games when in the lineup. That’s on the heels of a 24-goal, 49-point showing as a rookie in 67 games last year. A pending restricted free agent, he’s been a highly valuable depth piece so far and is almost guaranteed to receive a qualifying offer.