Maple Leafs Reassign Luke Haymes, William Villeneuve
The Maple Leafs assigned forward Luke Haymes and defenseman William Villeneuve to AHL Toronto on Wednesday morning, per a team announcement. There’s a good chance these moves will be reversed later today. The Marlies, still fighting to clinch a Calder Cup Playoffs berth, have a morning home game against the Utica Comets today, allowing the duo to get some game time in there before rejoining Toronto’s NHL roster for their home tilt against the Capitals later tonight.
Haymes was recalled just yesterday. An undrafted free agent signing out of Dartmouth last year, he’s broken out for 17 goals, 15 assists, and 32 points in 63 games for the Marlies in his first professional season. He got to take part in his first NHL practice yesterday but wasn’t a part of regular line rushes, per Mark Masters of TSN, so it’s unlikely he’ll get to make his NHL debut later tonight after suiting up for the Marlies earlier in the day. He’ll likely travel with the team to Long Island with the hope of making his NHL debut tomorrow in New York on the second half of a back-to-back with travel.
The same goes for Villeneuve, who skated on the Leafs’ extra defense pairing yesterday. He’s been on the roster since April 4 but was scratched for the Leafs’ only game since then, an overtime loss to the Kings last Saturday. A fourth-round pick in 2020, that was the first time Villeneuve had even been rostered for an NHL contest, as he closes out his fourth season in the Leafs organization.
Toronto would be remiss to not get the 6’2″ righty into at least one game down the stretch. The 24-year-old has been among the AHL club’s most consistent two-way threats since beginning his pro career in earnest in 2022. The product of the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs has hovered right around half a point per game each season, aside from his 40-point breakout in 55 games last year. His production has regressed this season, but he still owns a 3-25–28 scoring line in 58 games to lead Marlies defensemen.
Capitals Recall Mitch Gibson
The Capitals recalled goaltender Mitch Gibson from AHL Hershey on Tuesday, the team announced. He is expected to dress as Logan Thompson‘s backup tonight against the Maple Leafs after Charlie Lindgren missed yesterday’s practice due to an undisclosed injury, head coach Spencer Carbery said (via Tom Gulitti of NHL.com).
Gibson started the season as Washington’s fifth-string netminder, sitting behind Thompson, Lindgren, and their initial AHL duo of Clay Stevenson and Garin Bjorklund. He wasn’t on an NHL contract, either. He was a fourth-round pick by the Caps in 2018 and has been playing pro in the organization since 2023, but he wasn’t issued a qualifying offer when his two-way deal expired last summer, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Nonetheless, he returned to Hershey on a minor-league deal and was assigned to ECHL South Carolina to start the season. The former ECAC champion with Harvard impressed with a .917 SV% and 2.32 GAA in 13 games before earning a recall to Hershey in December, as an injury to Lindgren caused an organizational domino effect. He’s essentially remained in the AHL ever since, leapfrogging Bjorklund and competing with Stevenson for positioning as Washington’s primary call-up option. In 22 outings with Hershey this season, Gibson has a .907 SV%, 2.79 GAA, and a 9-8-5 record with one shutout.
His numbers in Hershey prompted the Caps to sign him to a two-year, two-way deal in February, regaining his NHL rights and making him a call-up option. He was waived the same day and cleared. This will be the 26-year-old’s first time dressing for an NHL regular-season game; he’d previously only been rostered as a playoff emergency backup.
If Washington decides to shut Lindgren down for the final four games of the regular season, there’s a chance Gibson could make his NHL debut on either half of this weekend’s back-to-back against the Penguins. The Caps aren’t mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, trailing the Senators by five points for the second wild card spot with three other teams to leapfrog; time isn’t on their side. Their chances to make the playoffs are down to 3%, per MoneyPuck, and would only climb to 5% with a win over Toronto tonight.
Snapshots: Kadri, Chatfield, Predators
The Colorado Avalanche shared that Nazem Kadri wouldn’t return against St. Louis as a result of an upper-body injury. It was not immediately evident where the ailment occurred.
Since returning to the Avs at the trade deadline, Kadri has served a middle six role, few teams offering a player of his caliber at third line center. In 15 games so far he’s recorded nine points, clearly no longer the elite scorer at age 35, but a strong player nonetheless.
Kadri’s corsi for at five-on-five expectedly jumped to 55%, although his 52% mark in Calgary was already admirable on a struggling team as opposed to the league’s best. Fully evident of his role change, he’s starting just under 52% of shifts in the defensive zone under head coach Jared Bednar, a drastic flip from his nearly 67% on the attack as a Flame.
With this in mind, Kadri plays a crucial role with match-ups, should the Avalanche go on a deep run this spring. Postgame updates will be watched closely, with the hope that he’ll be good to go for the club’s next game, Thursday, as they host his former team of the Flames.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour had no postgame update on Jalen Chatfield, noted by Cory Lavalette of The North State Journal. The defenseman left in the third period, bothered with a lower-body injury, and didn’t return. Carolina clinched their Metropolitan Division crown with a back-and-forth overtime win over Boston, but it would be costly if they lost Chatfield for any extended period. At age 29, the shutdown man is averaging over 20 minutes for the first time in his career, continuing to show outstanding possession metrics in a real second pairing role. The Canes will hope Chatfield is back for one of their four remaining regular season games, as soon as Thursday in Chicago.
- Insider Frank Seravalli of Frankly Hockey believes the Nashville Predators will explore former Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald as a candidate, as noted in the April 7 edition of the podcast. Fired by New Jersey just yesterday, Seravalli suspects that the timing was with this in mind. The 57-year-old is a natural fit with the Predators, having served as their inaugural captain, playing alongside current head coach Andrew Brunette, under the departing general manager Barry Trotz, no less. Fitzgerald stands out as a candidate with over five years of general manager experience at the NHL level, a trait favorable compared to other options. The Predators are thought to be seeking an entirely new voice, but at the very least, Fitzgerald will garner consideration.
Evening Notes: Bahl, Rasmussen, Roadrunners
The Calgary Flames revealed mid-game that Kevin Bahl would not return in Dallas due to a lower-body injury. Bahl went in to deliver a routine check on Thomas Harley, catching an edge badly on his right leg. He completed the hit but immediately favored his knee.
The 25-year-old is hardly a household name, but he’s been a steady presence in Calgary all year. Bahl leads all Flames skaters in ice time at 22:13 a night, serving as a top pairing minute-eater, playing in 75 games and missing just one to this point. His efforts are worthy of a long term extension in Calgary which was inked last June.
Hardly expected to drive offense, Bahl has set a career high with four goals as part of his 18 points across the campaign. His 46.8% corsi for at five-on-five is respectable considering the 6’6” lefty’s workload on a bottom feeding team.
Calgary will hope he’s back for a tall task on Thursday in Colorado, but firmly in the basement, the priority will be Bahl reaching full health as they look ahead to 2026-27.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen left against Columbus with a lower-body injury and won’t return, per the team. It’s not immediately clear what happened, but his night ended after 10 shifts at 7:57. Turning 27 in 10 days, it’s abundantly clear that the 6’6” center won’t live up to his 9th overall selection billing. However, Rasmussen has also struggled in a grinder role, even point totals (14) aside. With his Red Wings facing the likely disappointment of another year missing the playoffs, they could benefit from exploring a change of scenery for Rasmussen, but he’s signed for two more years at $3.2MM per season. Regardless, the British Columbia native will hope to be back for the team’s four remaining regular season games.
- The AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners, affiliates of the Utah Mammoth, announced that their lease with the City of Tucson has been extended through 2027-28. Next season will mark a decade for the franchise in Arizona, coming over from Springfield, Massachusetts in 2016. Of course, the Roadrunners’ neighboring NHL club unfortunately departed their state two years ago. However, they thankfully remain as the primary professional hockey organization in Arizona, still adoring the classic former Coyotes color scheme as they develop the next members of the Mammoth, an NHL team also not far away geographically. The Roadrunners are currently 19th in the AHL this season, led by Ben McCartney, and supplemented by several standout prospects from Utah such as Dmitri Simashev.
Devils Head Coach Sheldon Keefe’s Future Under Evaluation
New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters, including James Nichols of NJD Hockey Now, that his future will be evaluated at the end of the season.
The news comes as not much of a shock, as the Devils fired general manager Tom Fitzgerald yesterday, the first step in what will be more changes in store. Keefe’s contract runs through the 2027-28 season, but that hardly provides security in itself, facing what has been a disappointing year in all areas.
Widely predicted to make the playoffs comfortably back in the fall, today New Jersey sits second to last in the Metropolitan Division. It wasn’t an immediate demise, as back in mid-November they proudly held the #2 spot in the entire league, only behind Colorado. It seemed like Keefe’s club were hitting their stride, on the path to make the playoffs again under his guidance. Instead, a lot has happened since then, some worthy of fueling critics, other aspects out of the coach’s control entirely.
In just one month’s time from their strong start, the Devils stumbled all the way to 16th in the league. The fall off was kick-started by Jack Hughes’ freak hand injury which required surgery. As if losing their top scorer to a restaurant incident wasn’t frustrating enough, in December they also had an opportunity to make a monumental acquisition in Quinn Hughes, proving unable to do so. Besides the obvious affinity the New Jersey faithful have for the franchise level defenseman, striking out on such a player did the group no favors, as they only slipped further. Had they pulled it off, Keefe’s standing would be in a very different position today.
Outside of the Team USA hero’s lost time, the Devils also missed integral shutdown defenseman Brett Pesce with his own health issues. The 31-year-old has played just 37 games all year, sidelined in the fall, and currently down again with a lower-body injury. Out of his 11 professional seasons to this point, 2025-26 will mark the campaign with the fewest games played for the righty.
Often trying to work with a thinner lineup, Keefe’s efforts have not materialized, as the Devils rank seventh-worst in goals scored (218) and a -16 goal differential. Timo Meier’s performance has dipped, just 42 points in 72 games this season. It’s an issue magnified by the 29-year-old’s contract, with questionable roster construction clearly playing a part in their on-ice results.
Depth scoring has also been a factor. Stefan Noesen has found the back of the net just three times in 38 games, battling through his own injuries, either way a serious drop off from last year’s breakout 22 tallies. By no means is it realistic to blame the Devils’ woes on the late-blooming 33-year-old, but it’s further evidence that the group could benefit from a new voice.
If the end is near for the Brampton, Ontario native’s time in Jersey, Keefe’s history will likely warrant another head coaching gig, and quickly. Unlike the newly hired John Tortorella and Peter DeBoer, who waited patiently for their next undertaking, Keefe could find another job in time for 2026-27 based on a number of openings, both current and to come.
With a 294 – 164 – 50 career record, good for a .628 win percentage, the once young up-and-comer in Toronto now has over 500 games leading at the NHL level. His results have dipped a bit in New Jersey, but when looking at the adversity they’ve gone through, it’s commendable nonetheless. He’s never had a losing record, and plenty of organizations would be happy to become his third.
The Los Angeles Kings present an intriguing opportunity on paper. Even if they manage to squeak into the playoffs, interim bench boss D.J. Smith is not expected to be a long term solution. Keefe’s structured approach would mesh nicely with the Los Angeles core, a group fully intent on winning right away.
It’s certainly a long shot, but fun nonetheless to imagine the possibility of a Toronto return given Keefe’s deep-rooted relationship with the organization. Perhaps it would be an attempt to return to a time which suddenly doesn’t seem as bad after all. Of course, the Maple Leafs have their own evaluations to make behind the bench before it could even become an option.
Ahead of new possibilities to even be considered, Keefe will aim to finish the campaign strong and make his case to stick around in Newark at a desirable job through its organizational change. His Devils will finish the campaign one week from today, April 14, and news could come quickly as management weighs their options. If he does survive the general manager transition, it would be intriguing to see what Keefe could accomplish in New Jersey with a roster not battered by injuries.
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.
Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin, Nicolas Roy Back From Injury
The Colorado Avalanche will have to shake up their lineup in Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. Forwards Valeri Nichushkin and Nicolas Roy are both set to return from their upper-body injuries per Corey Masisak of The Denver Post. Roy was knocked out of the lineup before March 24th’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was not clear when he sustained the injury, though head coach Jared Bednar emphasized that the team was being careful to not rush him back. Nichushkin sat out of Sunday’s loss to the Blues but has otherwise had a healthy stretch as of late.
The pair of additions will bring Colorado up to a fully healthy roster, except for one crucial piece. Star defenseman Cale Makar isn’t expected to return for “a few more games” Bednar told Masisak. Makar is still expected to return before the end of the season, which would set his return as one of Colorado’s three games next week.
Colorado will wield a fully-healthy offense, plus Trade Deadline additions Nazem Kadri and Roy, for the first time with this news. The top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Artturi Lehkonen is likely inseparable, which would leave Colorado’s middle-six as the housing for Roy and Nichushkin. The latter has spent much of the year alongside Gabriel Landeskog and Brock Nelson. The trio have recorded nine goals-for and six goals-against in their time together – but Kadri’s recent run of seven points in his last 10 games could force Colorado to bump him into the top-six. If it does, Nichushkin will move to Roy’s wing on the third line, likely across from Ross Colton.
That would bring some serious firepower to the Avalanche’s bottom-six. Nichushkin has scored 15 goals and 45 points in 66 games this season. That is a 56-point scoring pace across 82 games, a mark that would narrowly beat out Nichushkin’s career-high 53 points set in 54 games of the 2023-24 season. Roy has notched three goals, 13 penalty minutes, and a minus-two in nine games since joining the Avalanche at the Trade Deadline. The combination of skill and aggression between the pair could be a secret weapon as Colorado looks to make another deep run in the playoffs.
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.
Oilers Activate Colton Dach From Long-Term Injured Reserve
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters Tuesday that forward Colton Dach will be in the lineup tonight against the Mammoth, signaling he’s been activated from long-term injured reserve (via Jack Michaels of Sportsnet).
Dach, acquired from the Blackhawks before the trade deadline along with Jason Dickinson, hasn’t been an option for the last 12 games due to an undisclosed injury. The cap-strapped Oilers were able to quickly place him on LTIR once it was apparent he would miss at least 10 games and 24 days. That was, of course, before Leon Draisaitl‘s injury likely ended his regular season and gave Edmonton plenty of cap relief by virtue of his LTIR placement.
Ice time was limited for the 23-year-old Dach through his first few games in Alberta. The injury abbreviated his third performance, but he still didn’t see over 10 minutes in any of his three outings, averaging 5:24 per game with an assist and a -2 rating.
A 2021 second-round pick by the Blackhawks, he has some offensive upside but his impact for the Oilers, at least at present, will be most felt in his physicality. He’s totaled 10 points and 195 hits in 56 games on the year, a figure that would rank second on the Oilers behind Vasily Podkolzin had he spent the whole season in Edmonton.
Dach will be getting a look as Edmonton’s third-line left wing tonight alongside Dickinson and Trent Frederic. That line has combined for just 10 points in Oilers colors this season, with Frederic’s six points and -17 rating in 69 outings being especially woeful. The Oilers’ lack of production from their bottom six hasn’t stopped them from putting together a 7-3-0 run in their last 10, usurping the Ducks for first place in the Pacific if they can keep pace.
Kings Sign Jan Chovan To AHL Tryout
Kings draft pick Jan Chovan will get the chance to make his pro debut with AHL Ontario down the stretch after inking an amateur tryout with the club, per a team announcement Tuesday.
Los Angeles selected Chovan in the sixth round of last year’s draft. The 6’3″ native of Slovakia had spent all of his pre-draft development playing in Finland’s junior circuit but opted to come to North America after his selection, having previously gone 36th overall in the 2024 Canadian Hockey League import draft to the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League.
Chovan’s fall was striking. A versatile playmaker with good size, he had 23 points in 39 junior games last season with Tappara’s under-20 club and added a goal and an assist for the Slovaks in five games at the 2025 World Junior Championship. Most had him tabbed as a third-round pick, even as high as a late second-rounder, with TSN’s Bob McKenzie’s polling of NHL scouts placing him 79th overall at the end of the year. Instead, he fell all the way to 184th overall – more than twice as many picks it was expected to take for him to come off the board.
Early on, it looks like the Kings were wise not to let him fall any further. He wasn’t touted as much of a goal scorer, but had 28 of them in 60 games for Sudbury this season, adding on 27 assists to lead the team in scoring with 55 points. He was one of two Wolves players with multiple goals in the playoffs as Sudbury was swept out of the first round by the Brantford Bulldogs by a combined score of 18-10.
Since Chovan was drafted out of Finland, the Kings don’t have to sign him until June 2029 to avoid losing his signing rights. He also isn’t subject to the NHL’s transfer agreement with the CHL and the Kings could have him play in the AHL full-time next season if they choose, either by signing him to his entry-level contract this offseason and assigning him there during training camp or simply having him sign a minor-league deal while retaining his NHL rights.
Despite that impressive production in a non-conducive offensive environment in Sudbury, Chovan didn’t earn a mention as a top-14 prospect in L.A.’s pool by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic earlier this month. He’ll now be looking to prove he can play a sound two-way game in a brief pro stint.