Snapshots: Mangiapane, Ersson, Canucks
The Edmonton Oilers continue to shop veteran winger Andrew Mangiapane and are expected to trade him before the March 6 trade deadline, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported today. Pagnotta has previously reported on Mangiapane’s situation over the last month, writing that numerous teams, including the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks and Winnipeg Jets have had varying levels of interest in Mangiapane.
In past years, Mangiapane might have been a somewhat tough player to move, as he has an additional year on his contract at a $3.6MM AAV. While that’s not a salary that’s going to break any team’s cap sheet, the reality is his on-ice value this season has not been commensurate with his compensation, as he has just 12 points in 49 games. But Mangiapane has had his moments over the course of his career, including in 2021-22 when he scored 35 goals, or when he won tournament MVP at the 2021 IIHF Men’s World Championships, so it’s easy to see why a team with some financial flexibility might be interested in adding him at a minimal asset cost.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson is entering a crucial stretch of the season, one where his future in the Flyers organization could be decided, writes The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz. According to Kurz, “it’s make-or-break time for Ersson in a Flyers sweater” and “If he doesn’t finish strong, it’s difficult to envision the Flyers tabling a qualifying offer this summer to extend him.” A pending RFA, Ersson has been one of the league’s weakest goalies this season. He has a .856 save percentage in 24 games this season, and was only marginally better in 2024-25, when he posted an .883 in 47 games. He’s making $1.45MM against the cap on his current contract.
- The Vancouver Canucks have a whole host of trade possibilities to consider as the trade deadline inches closer, and most attention has been paid to the team’s pending UFAs, including veterans Evander Kane and Teddy Blueger. But that’s not the only trade avenue the Canucks are looking at in their quest to add more future assets to their team. The Athletic’s Thomas Drance reported that the Canucks are “actively exploring” their options in terms of “weaponizing” its cap space in order to add assets. While Drance noted that the more favorable cap environment likely takes deals such as the Canadiens’ acquisition of Sean Monahan and a first-round pick off the table, Vancouver could still have some options with how to utilize its projected $5.7MM (or more) cap space set to be available by deadline day.
Central Notes: McKenna, Thomas, Sundqvist
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for top 2026 draft prospect Gavin McKenna. He began the month with some legal trouble as he was arrested, but later returned to the ice and scored eight points in a single game against Ohio State. McKenna’s season has been subject to quite a bit of conversation, with many speculating that the Canadian winger, who had long been considered this year’s top draft prospect, might be losing his grip on his status as the presumptive No. 1 overall pick. It’s unclear how the events of the past month – both the legal issue and the uptick in production – will impact McKenna’s draft stock, but at least one team appears to now hold an improved view of the player. Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reported today that the Chicago Blackhawks “have noticed McKenna improving his all-around game,” and that “they were skeptical about him earlier this season,” but “that’s no longer the case.”
In addition, Pope reports that McKenna’s “felony charge is unlikely to affect his NHL draft stock now that it has been dropped.” Whether the Blackhawks will be in a position to draft McKenna is, of course, not clear at this time. They are No. 27 in the league standings, and would likely need some lottery luck to have a shot at McKenna. Regarding other options for their top draft choice, Pope noted that the Blackhawks “have also long been interested in Canadian center Tynan Lawrence,” who is widely ranked as one of the top centers in this year’s class. While Pope’s reporting only relates to one team, it does shed some light on how other NHL scouts might view McKenna given the events of the past month, assuming the Blackhawks are not alone in their reported view of things.
Other notes from the Central Division:
- St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas is one of the key names as the league rapidly approaches the trade deadline, with The Athletic’s Chris Johnston listing him No. 5 on his trade board. Complicating what would already be a complex trade to pull off is the recent injury suffered by Thomas. Jeremy Rutherford, Johnston’s colleague at The Athletic, relayed word from Blues head coach Jim Montgomery who said that Thomas underwent a “minor leg procedure” and currently has an unclear return timeline. Rutherford noted that Thomas did skate on Friday, but it remains unknown when Thomas will be fit to return in full. The 26-year-old center scored 21 goals and 81 points in 70 games last season and has 11 goals and 33 points in 42 games this year.
- Veteran Blues winger Oskar Sundqvist had a minor procedure during the Olympic break, reports Rutherford. He skated alongside Thomas on Friday, but like his teammate, is currently dealing with an uncertain return timeline. The 31-year-old veteran has 14 points in 43 games this season and when healthy is a regular bottom-six contributor for the Blues, including on both sides of special teams.
Latest On Josh Morrissey
Winnipeg Jets star Josh Morrissey suffered an upper-body injury at the recently-concluded men’s hockey tournament at the Winter Olympics, the full extent of which has yet to be revealed. Morrissey was unable to get back onto the ice for Canada after suffering the injury, and TSN insider Darren Dreger said today that Morrissey is expected to miss “a good chunk of time” as a result of the injury.
Jets head coach Scott Arniel didn’t go as far when asked about Morrissey after Jets practice today. As relayed by Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press, Arniel confirmed that the defenseman won’t play on Wednesday when the team resumes its schedule against the Vancouver Canucks, but added that he could meet the team on its upcoming road trip after he is evaluated by team doctors.
It goes without saying that the Jets hope their evaluation of Morrissey’s injury ends up in a more positive prognosis. The blueliner, who has finished inside the top-10 of Norris Trophy voting in each of the last three seasons, is easily Winnipeg’s most important defenseman.
He’s a true No. 1 in every sense, averaging 24:37 time on ice per game, which is the most on the Jets by a wide margin. That level of usage per game places him No. 11 in time on ice per game among all defensemen in the NHL. Morrissey is also Winnipeg’s top power play quarterback, averaging 3:09 time on ice per game on the man advantage, and has scored 10 goals and 42 points in 56 games.
Losing Morrissey for an extended period would not only take the Jets’ most important blueliner out of their lineup, the trickle-down effect of losing him would also be felt by the rest of the defense, who would have to play increased roles as a result of his absence.
Of course, even if Morrissey does miss some time and the Jets suffer as a result, their overall direction for the season is unlikely to change dramatically. Even with a healthy Morrissey, the Jets entered the Olympic break No. 28 in the NHL with a 22-26-8 record. Their playoff odds sit at just 5.5% according to Moneypuck, so Morrissey’s injury and its exact timeline is unlikely to make or break their season.
But in any case, the team is still likely hoping to get Morrissey back as soon as possible, so that they can at least put up a fight down the stretch and hope to potentially shock the hockey world and make a push upwards in the standings.
Trade Deadline Primer: Boston Bruins
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at teams at the ends of the standings, we shift our focus to teams fighting for a playoff spot. Next up are the Bruins.
The Bruins remain in contention despite many having them pegged to miss the playoffs this year by a fairly significant margin. The Bruins were sellers at last year’s trade deadline but have shifted toward a more promising retool. Boston still has a solid core to build around in David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman, so they will be incentivized to continue adding to their lineup while that core is in the prime of their careers. General manager Don Sweeney has been criticized in the past for some of his moves, particularly in the wake of the Bruins’ record-setting 2022-23 season. Still, he has done solid work over the last year, steering the Bruins through a tough time and back into playoff contention.
Record
32-20-5, 5th in the Atlantic (61% playoff probability)
Deadline Status
Conservative Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$3.98MM on deadline day, 1/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: BOS 1st, TOR 1st, BOS 2nd, BOS 3rd, BOS 4th, PHI 4th, TB 4th, BOS 6th, BOS 7th
2027: BOS 1st, FLA 1st, BOS 2nd, BOS 4th, BOS 6th, BOS 7th
Trade Chips
The Bruins’ best trade chips at the moment are the four first-round picks they hold in the next two entry drafts. Those picks, should Boston opt to move any of them, would be a significant piece of a package for an impact player at the deadline. It remains to be seen whether Sweeney has the stomach to do that this year, but the option is available.
Aside from the picks, Boston doesn’t have a deep prospect system, and they are unlikely to move their best prospect, James Hagens, whom they drafted last June with the seventh overall pick. The 19-year-old profiles as a center, and the Bruins have a good amount of long-term depth down the middle, so it’s possible they could consider a move. However, Hagens has seen a good amount of usage on the wing this year at Boston College, which means the Bruins have options when it comes to their top prospect.
Beyond Hagens, there is a major drop-off in talent throughout the Bruins’ prospect system, with some of their top players already having graduated to the NHL. Fraser Minten is one of those former prospects who is now a full-time NHLer at 21, and another young player Boston probably has no interest in trading. Minten has posted 14 goals and 15 assists in 57 games this season while providing a steady physical presence. The Bruins have decent center depth throughout the system, but it’s hard to imagine them trading a young center who is just scratching the surface of his potential.
Sticking with young forwards, Fabian Lysell is the Bruins’ 2021 first-round pick (21st overall). He had a cup of coffee in the NHL last season, playing 12 games and recording one goal and two assists. The winger returned to the AHL this season, where he is having the most productive offensive season of his career, with 15 goals and 21 assists in 42 games. At 23, Lysell is on the older side for a prospect, but he’s shown enough offense in the AHL to be viewed as a decent trade piece. Lysell is an excellent skater with good vision through traffic, which should help him when he gets to the NHL full-time and is looking to provide support and opportunities for his teammates. Lysell won’t net the Bruins a top piece via trade, but he could be packaged with other picks and prospects to acquire top-end talent.
Dans Locmelis was a fourth-round pick in 2022 (119th overall) and is another center in the Bruins system, though he doesn’t have the same shine as some of his more well-known peers. Locmelis began his pro career last year, appearing in six AHL games and recording three goals and nine assists. While he hasn’t maintained the same scoring pace this season, Locmelis has remained productive with 28 points in 43 games and an appearance at the Olympics, where he played for Latvia and scored a couple of goals in four games. The Bruins are high on the 22-year-old, and there is a possibility he breaks the NHL roster this season. The Bruins could dangle Locmelis as a potential trade candidate, but given that he isn’t a well-known name and his play has been largely understated, they might not get enough value to entice them to move on from him.
Team Needs
A Right Shot Defenseman: The Bruins made a great move last year, trading defenseman Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The move has turned out to be a huge win; however, the Bruins have never actually replaced Carlo, leaving a big hole on the right side of their defense. There are plenty of options available in Boston that should meet just about any price point, and it will be interesting to see whether they go the rental route or make a move for a player with some term remaining on their contract, such as Justin Faulk of the St. Louis Blues. While Faulk has been a solid pro for a long time, he would be a downgrade from some other options the Bruins were considering, such as Rasmus Andersson, who was traded a few weeks ago to the Vegas Golden Knights. Boston was reportedly in on the Andersson sweepstakes and went as far as negotiating an extension with the soon-to-be UFA (as per Elliotte Friedman).
Top Six Forward Help: The Bruins are dealing with a few injuries at the moment, which isn’t the worst timing, given the extended break for the Olympics. Centers Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha should be back in the lineup when NHL play resumes, and their injuries have pushed other forwards in Boston into other roles in the team’s hierarchy. Despite the team getting healthy in time for a playoff push, it is clear that Boston needs to add to its top six if it wants any chance of a playoff run. This would allow a player such as Casey Mittelstadt to push down the depth chart and play in a role that better suits his skill set. The Bruins might not want to pay premium prices for a forward, but given that they didn’t send any assets out the door for Andersson, they likely have some options to facilitate a trade for forward help.
Photo by Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Sharks Activate Ryan Reaves From Injured Reserve
The Sharks announced Monday that they’ve activated winger Ryan Reaves from injured reserve. They do not have an open roster spot and will need to make a corresponding move, although that can be as simple as transferring Macklin Celebrini to the non-roster list while they wait to reincorporate him into team activities following his electric run for Team Canada at the Olympics.
The Olympic break saved Reaves from a longer absence. The veteran enforcer sustained an upper-body injury against the Blackhawks on Feb. 2, although it wasn’t clear when it happened. He only missed the following game against the Avalanche before San Jose’s schedule paused.
Most thought Reaves would be a press-box fixture after San Jose picked up the final year of his deal at a $1.35MM cap hit from the Maple Leafs last offseason, especially if the rebuilding Sharks were to take a step forward. He’s instead been a regular in a fourth-line role, suiting up 46 times already after only making 35 appearances all season with Toronto last year. His offense has been as limited as always, notching three goals with no assists, but his possession impacts haven’t been a huge drag considering he’s playing under eight minutes per game.
He’ll be stepping back into a consistent fourth-line role with a mix of Adam Gaudette, Barclay Goodrow, and Zack Ostapchuk on the other side of the break. A three-game losing streak didn’t do San Jose any favors earlier this month, and they resume play five points out of a playoff spot with one game in hand. They have the Ducks, Kings, and Predators now to leapfrog to get back into playoff position, with MoneyPuck giving them a 21.6% of ending up in the picture.
Sabres To Activate Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Josh Norris From IR
The Sabres are expected to have goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and center Joshua Norris back in the lineup when their schedule resumes against the Devils on Wednesday, according to the team’s daily injury report. They’ll need to come off injured reserve, but with two open roster spots, there won’t be any corresponding moves required.
Buffalo will get their highest-paid goaltender back for their playoff push after a lower-body injury ultimately prevented him from repping Finland at the Winter Olympics as planned. He departed a Jan. 27 start against the Maple Leafs in the first period with a lower-body injury and subsequently missed five games leading into the break. He returned to practice late last week, though, and has been a full participant since.
Luukkonen was deployed more as a starter for the final few weeks before his injury, but on the whole, he’s dropped down from the clear-cut No. 1 into more of a tandem rotation with journeyman Alex Lyon. The latter has arguably been one of the best free agent signings of 2025, delivering immense value on his $1.5MM cap hit with a 14-8-3 record, .912 SV%, and 2.72 GAA in 27 appearances.
Various injuries and increased competition from Colten Ellis as a result of Buffalo’s three-goalie rotation have limited Luukkonen to 21 appearances this year. However, he’s largely rebounded from a tough start and has put up above-average play on the whole. He’s logged an 11-7-2 record with a .902 SV%, 2.73 GAA, and 1.2 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck. While he may not be starting Game 1 of a potential playoff series for the Sabres thanks to Lyon’s play, he’s still delivering dependable play at a $4.75MM cap hit that’s now more representative of a strong 1B option in today’s market anyway.
As for Norris, he’s been Buffalo’s best-producing forward not named Tage Thompson this season – when healthy, of course. Various upper-body concerns, the latest being a rib fracture, have continued to hamper his availability. He’s played just 22 games for the Sabres since being acquired from the Senators last season, but has been playing some of the best hockey of his career when dressed, notching six goals and 17 points in 19 outings this year.
He hasn’t played since Jan. 14, missing 12 games leading into the break. The absence would have been worse if not for the break in the schedule. He has, however, been skating since the end of last month and has been a full participant in practice since teams reconvened last week.
Canucks Reassign Aku Koskenvuo, Recall Nikita Tolopilo
The Canucks announced Monday that they’ve reassigned goaltender Aku Koskenvuo to AHL Abbotsford and recalled fellow netminder Nikita Tolopilo in his place. They continue to carry three goaltenders on the active roster, with Kevin Lankinen still working his way back into the mix after representing Finland at the Winter Olympics.
Koskenvuo, 22, wraps up a brief look in practice amid his first professional season. A fifth-round pick in 2021, he played three years at Harvard before signing his entry-level contract with Vancouver last March.
He’s spent the year bouncing between Abbotsford and ECHL Kalamazoo, receiving relatively equal workload in both leagues, although he’s been rostered with Abbotsford since mid-January thanks to the organizational ripple effect of Thatcher Demko‘s season-ending hip surgery. He hasn’t jumped off the page at either level. He has a 3.20 GAA, .895 SV%, and one shutout with a 2-5-0 record in nine appearances with Abbotsford, and a .898 SV% and 2-4-0 record in six games with Kalamazoo.
Tolopilo, 25, continues to jockey for position with Jiří Patera to serve as the third goalie on the depth chart behind Demko and Lankinen, a spot that will earn someone the backup job for the stretch run due to Demko’s absence. Tolopilo’s numbers lag behind Patera’s in the AHL, but the Belarusian has been the far superior option when given NHL spot starts this season.
In seven starts and nine appearances, he’s put up a 3-3-1 record with a .910 SV% and 3.04 GAA – excellent numbers, especially considering the porous defense Vancouver’s exhibited this year. He leads Canucks netminders with 3.5 goals saved above expected this season, per MoneyPuck. It wouldn’t be all too surprising to see the 6’6″ netminder usurp Patera quickly if given the chance and help relieve Lankinen’s workload down the stretch.
Mammoth Reassign Ben McCartney, Kevin Connauton, Maksymilian Szuber
The Mammoth announced Monday they’ve reassigned forward Ben McCartney and defensemen Kevin Connauton and Maksymilian Szuber to AHL Tucson. That wipes their active roster of all the players they’ve summoned for practice purposes over the Olympic break, signaling they expect both of their Olympian skaters who advanced to the medal games, Clayton Keller and Olli Määttä, to be available Wednesday night against the Avalanche.
McCartney, 24, is in his fifth pro season, all in the Utah and Arizona organizations. He was a seventh-round pick by the Coyotes in 2020 and has panned out nicely for them and now the Mammoth as an impact winger for Tucson. He only has two NHL games to his name, coming with Arizona back in 2021-22, but has been a consistent scoring piece for Tucson in the interim and has been an alternate captain for the club since 2023.
This season, the physical winger’s game has assumed new heights. He’s already set new career highs with 21 goals and 46 points in 47 games and leads Tucson in scoring. Along with 2023 first-rounder Daniil But, who Utah returned to Tucson last week, he’ll be among the Mammoth’s top forward recall options down the stretch.
While McCartney had been practicing with the Mammoth for the better part of a week, Connauton and Szuber were both just summoned over the weekend. The two defenders are at polar opposite stages in their careers and have had wildly different campaigns in Tucson. Connauton, who turns 36 today, is a veteran of 360 NHL games but hasn’t played at the top level since 2022. He likely won’t be adding to that total as he’s had a nightmarish season in the AHL, recording just two assists and a -11 rating in 23 games.
Szuber, meanwhile, continues to build his way toward competing for an NHL roster spot. The 23-year-old has far outpaced the development the Coyotes expected of him when using a sixth-round pick on him in 2022. The Polish-born German ranks sixth on Tucson in scoring this season with a 10-14–24 line in 44 games, along with a +5 rating. That’s promising production for someone touted as a potential third-pairing shutdown piece on the left side.
Predators Sign Jake Lucchini To Two-Way Extension
The Predators announced they’ve signed forward Jake Lucchini to a two-way contract extension for the 2026-27 campaign. It will be worth the new league minimum of $850K at the NHL level, Alex Daugherty of the Tennessean reports. Defenseman Kevin Gravel, a pending unrestricted free agent, also agreed to a two-year contract extension that will take him off Nashville’s books but keep him with AHL Milwaukee, the team announced.
Lucchini, 30, is solely a veteran top-six AHL option at this stage of his career, but can serve as an experienced call-up option when needed. He inked a two-year, two-way deal with Nashville as a free agent in 2024. He’s yet to see a recall for them this season, but suited up three times for the Predators last year, going without a point.
The British Columbia native has now spent time in the Penguins, Canadiens, Senators, Wild, and Predators systems since turning pro out of Michigan Tech in 2019. He’s been on two-way NHL contracts for most of that time, managing three goals and six points in 54 games with Ottawa, Minnesota, and Nashville across the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 campaigns.
Lucchini established himself as an AHL impact piece with a 20-goal, 51-point breakout for the Belleville Senators in 2021-22 and hasn’t looked back. He’s kept up similar point paces in every season since and currently ranks second on Milwaukee in scoring with 13 goals, 25 assists, and 38 points in 48 games.
He’ll now gain even more stability with a one-year extension. It’s rare enough for a journeyman AHL type to suit up for the same franchise in back-to-back seasons, let alone three in a row. Lucchini should be a contender to serve in a leadership capacity for Milwaukee next season as well, as he looks to continue anchoring a Nashville prospect pool that includes Joakim Kemell, David Edstrom, and Ryan Ufko, among others.
Jets Recall Four Players
Feb. 23: DiVincentiis is back up today to practice with the Jets, the team announced. As the team waits to see if Hellebuyck will arrive in time to join the team in Vancouver for their first game back against the Canucks on Wednesday, DiVincentiis might need to stick around to back up Eric Comrie for that game if Hellebuyck isn’t available until later in the week.
Feb. 22: The Jets announced this morning that DiVincentiis has been reassigned to AHL Manitoba. Since the league is still on break for the Winter Olympics, DiVincentiis’ recall did not come with any NHL games played. With Hellebuyck returning as an Olympic hero (although not for most Jets fans), he’s going to resume his place as Winnipeg’s undisputed No. 1 goalie.
The path for DiVincentiis to return to the NHL roster and perhaps even make his NHL debut in 2025-26 is likely to come as a result of either injury. That’s especially true since the Jets are highly unlikely to reach the playoffs and therefore would not have a pressing need to rest Hellebuyck for one of the final games of the season.
Feb. 17: NHL teams are permitted to practice today starting at 1:00 p.m. Central. Everybody will be down at least one player while the Winter Olympics are still ongoing in Milan-Cortina, so clubs will have the option to add practice players from their AHL affiliate in the meantime. The Jets were the first team to announce such a move Tuesday morning, recalling forward Walker Duehr, defensemen Ville Heinola and Elias Salomonsson, and goaltender Domenic DiVincentiis from AHL Manitoba.
Salomonsson was rostered right up until the break began, with blue-liners Haydn Fleury, Colin Miller, and Neal Pionk on injured reserve. Depending on their status next week, he could remain on the roster. There’s also a question mark surrounding star Josh Morrissey, who hasn’t played since Canada’s first group-stage game at the Olympics due to an undisclosed injury, though he returned to practice today ahead of tomorrow’s quarterfinal matchup against either Czechia or Denmark.
The 21-year-old Swede has surpassed Heinola as Winnipeg’s top-ranked defense prospect. A right-shot coming in at 6’2″ and 185 lbs, the smooth skater has a goal and 10 points in 29 AHL games with Manitoba this season. It’s his second year stateside after earning an AHL All-Star nod as a rookie. Now nearly four years removed from his second-round selection in 2022, he’s suited up in the first 13 games of his NHL career over the last several weeks with no points and a -5 rating. He’s averaging 16:58 of ice time per game and controlling 47.8% of shot attempts at even strength, a strong figure considering he owns a relatively low offensive zone start percentage of 43.8.
Heinola, the 20th overall pick back in 2019, will turn 25 next month and looks to be in the final months of his time in Winnipeg. Because he’s played fewer than 80 career NHL games, he’ll become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s yet to log any NHL time this season after making a career-high 18 appearances in 2024-25. The Finnish lefty remains Manitoba’s best offensive weapon on the blue line, though, ranking fifth on the team in scoring with 21 points (three goals, 18 assists) in 44 games.
Duehr had played at least 20 NHL games in three consecutive seasons but hasn’t seen any this year after passing through waivers during training camp. The 28-year-old was a free agent signing by the Flames out of Minnesota State in 2022 and remained in the organization up until he got claimed off waivers by the Sharks in January 2025. He hit unrestricted free agency last summer and landed a two-way deal with Winnipeg, recording 12 goals and 26 points with a +12 rating in 39 games for Manitoba.
DiVincentiis was recalled to back up Eric Comrie for a handful of games in December while Connor Hellebuyck was recovering from knee surgery, but didn’t see any ice. The 21-year-old was a seventh-round pick in 2022 but has impressed in his pro career so far. He’s split Manitoba’s crease with fellow youngster Thomas Milic and has posted a .908 SV%, 2.68 GAA, and a 10-11-3 record with two shutouts in 24 games as a second-year pro.