Appleton has missed the last three weeks with a lower-body injury.  The 29-year-old has been a capable depth contributor for several seasons now and has six goals and nine assists through 37 games.  As for Fleury, he missed a little more than three weeks with a knee issue.  The 28-year-old is in his first season with the Jets, picking up six assists in 25 games thus far.  Following the moves, Winnipeg’s roster now stands at the maximum of 23 players.

More from out West:

• While the Avalanche got some bad news about a key winger today, there’s some good news on the horizon for another one. In an appearance on Altitude Sports Radio (audio link), GM Chris MacFarland indicated that they’re hoping to get winger Miles Wood back within the next week or so, potentially at some point on their upcoming road trip.  The 29-year-old suffered an upper-body injury in late November and hasn’t played since.  Through 16 games this season, he has two goals and one assist in a little over 12 minutes a night of playing time.
• After bringing him up on an emergency basis last night, the Canucks announced (Twitter link) that goaltender Arturs Silovs has been sent back to AHL Abbotsford. The 23-year-old started the season as Vancouver’s backup but struggled considerably, posting a 4.11 GAA and a .847 SV% in seven games, resulting in his demotion once Thatcher Demko returned.  In the minors, Silovs has fared a lot better, putting up a 2.53 GAA and a .906 SV% in eight outings with Abbotsford.
• Utah’s efforts to find its full-time team name has run into some challenges. Their trademark applications for several team names was rejected by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, per KSL’s Ryan Miller.  The presumptive favorite, Yeti (or Yetis) was rejected due to a “likelihood of confusion” as were Blizzard and Venom.  Interestingly enough, their current moniker Hockey Club was also rejected though filing some additional paperwork would clear that one up.  The franchise is hoping to have its permanent name in place for next season but based on this news, they’re still a while away from that happening.

The move indicates defensemen Colin Miller and Haydn Fleury are nearing a return to full health giving Winnipeg eight healthy defensemen on the active roster. Factoring in today’s acquisition of Phillips, the moves have likely pushed Coghlan into a full-time AHL role unless injuries pile up in the NHL.

Coghlan cleared waivers on December 19th and given that he didn’t suit up in 10 games nor spend 30 days on the NHL roster he was waiver-exempt from today’s transaction. Winnipeg will maintain this flexibility with Coghlan assuming he spends the foreseeable future with AHL Manitoba.

He’s no stranger to AHL hockey, either. Coghlan nearly spent the entire 2023-24 campaign (aside from one game) in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds and had the best professional season of his career. He scored 16 goals and 41 points in 61 games for the Thunderbirds tying for second in scoring on the team.

The Moose could certainly use his expertise. They’re on the outside looking in for a position in the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs sitting last in the Central Division with an 11-19-1-1 record through the first 32 games. Additionally, Manitoba’s offense is the worst in the league with a 2.28 GF/G making Coghlan’s offensive capabilities all the more important.

The Golden Knights have the day off today and will return to practice tomorrow, head coach Bruce Cassidy was hopeful that the day off will allow Olofsson the chance to recover from whatever is ailing him (as per Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review Journal).

In other Western Conference notes:

• Winnipeg Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury skated in a non-contact jersey yesterday as he looks to return from a lower-body injury (as per Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press). Fleury hasn’t played since suffering a frightening-looking leg injury against Toronto on December 23rd, he was originally considered week-to-week and will likely remain so for now, as his return doesn’t appear to be imminent. The fact that Fleury is already back skating is a good sign for the former seventh-overall pick, but his eventual return will force the Jets to make some roster decisions as it will further crowd their back end.
• The Colorado Avalanche received some good news on the injury status of goaltender Scott Wedgewood (as per Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette). The veteran netminder’s scan came back negative, indicating that he does not have a high ankle sprain. The Avalanche have hopes that the 32-year-old will be able to get back into the lineup in the next two weeks but should receive confirmation soon as he is meeting tomorrow with a specialist. Wedgewood was acquired from the Nashville Predators on November 30th and has helped steady the Avalanche goaltending situation, posting terrific numbers in seven games with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.

Coghlan was acquired from Carolina back in July in exchange for future considerations, signing a one-year, two-way deal soon after.  He has been on Winnipeg’s roster for most of the year but that hasn’t resulted in much playing time as he has played just once with the Jets so far.  After clearing waivers last week, he got into two contests with the Moose, scoring once.  In the short term, Coghlan will likely resume his role as a reserve defenseman.

Fleury, meanwhile, tried to skate this morning after being injured on Monday against Toronto but it evidently did not go well, leading to this week-to-week designation.  The 28-year-old is in his first season with Winnipeg after signing a one-year, two-way deal with them in the summer and has held down a regular spot in the lineup most nights.  Fleury has six assists in 25 games thus far while blocking 44 shots in over 17 minutes a night of action.  With an extended absence on the horizon, he’s likely to land on injured reserve in the coming days.

As for Samberg, he missed the last month due to his foot injury.  Head coach Scott Arniel indicated that the blueliner will skate on his own for the next five days before being reassessed.  Speculatively, he’ll need a few days of practice and being cleared for contact from there so his return is still likely more than a week away.  Samberg has played in 21 games so far this season, notching three goals and three assists while logging over 20 minutes a night, nearly five minutes a game higher than his ATOI last season.

Shaw joins the second organization of his career after spending the last seven years with the Minnesota Wild organization. During the 2022-23 NHL season, Shaw put together a quality season as a bottom-six forward as he scored seven goals and 17 points in 59 games. Although he contributed nicely as a tertiary scoring option, Shaw had his season cut short by an ACL tear and would not play again until this past March.

The depth forward couldn’t muster up a repeat of his 2022-23 campaign as he only scored one goal and three points in 20 games for the Wild this past season. While playing for the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Iowa, Shaw operated more in a middle-six role as he scored 43 goals and 121 points in 197 games over seven years in AHL Iowa.

Fleury is much more of a journeyman compared to Shaw as he’s joining the fifth organization of his career. The former seventh overall pick of the 2014 NHL Draft also has much more experience at the NHL level as he’s competed in 268 games split between the Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, and Tampa Bay Lightning. Fleury should start as the seventh defenseman in Winnipeg as he offers the team a lot of flexibility in case of injury given that he can play on both sides of the blue line.

The native of Toronto, Ontario spent nearly five seasons toiling in the AHL before emerging this season as a solid depth option for the Lightning. In 82 games this year, Raddysh posted six goals and 27 assists while playing over 19 minutes a game. A late bloomer, Raddysh set career highs in almost every offensive category this season, while still providing the Lightning with solid work in the defensive zone.

In other Atlantic Division notes:

• Jon Cooper also told Chris Krenn that defenseman Haydn Fleury is healthy and available to play for the Lightning. The former seventh-overall pick hasn’t played since colliding with an official back on April 6th in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins and did take warm-ups last night with the team. While he is available for game 5, Fleury may serve as a healthy scratch given the depth Tampa Bay has on their back end. Fleury has never lived up to his top-10 draft status but remains a decent depth option for the Lightning should a defenseman go down to injury.
• TSN’s Chris Johnston tweeted that Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe spoke about superstar Auston Matthews saying that the illness he’s been suffering from has lingered and worsens when he gets on the ice and begins to push himself. Matthews left last night’s game early as the Maple Leafs fell into a deep hole and now trail the Boston Bruins 3-1 in their first-round matchup. The 26-year-old played just 14:16 yesterday, registering a single shot on goal and has just a goal and two assists in four playoff games thus far. Toronto will face elimination tomorrow night in Boston.

Meanwhile, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times adds (Twitter link) that blueliner Mikhail Sergachev also skated in a regular (full contact) jersey.  He has already been ruled out for the start of the playoffs since undergoing leg surgery back in February but this is certainly a key step toward potentially returning later in the opening round.  Sergachev logged over 22 minutes a night for the Lightning this season and his potential return down the road would undoubtedly give their back end a significant boost.

Other injury news heading into the opening games of the playoffs:

• Jets center Morgan Barron won’t be available for their series opener against Colorado tomorrow, relays Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press (Twitter link). The 25-year-old left Tuesday’s win over Seattle in the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return.  Barron was a quality fourth liner for Winnipeg this season, chipping in with ten goals despite logging just 10:30 per night.  One of David Gustafsson and Cole Perfetti will likely take Barron’s spot in the lineup.
• Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin practiced today in a non-contact jersey, notes NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link). The 24-year-old has missed the last two weeks with an upper-body injury and with the non-contact designation, it seems unlikely he’ll be able to suit up in the series opener against the Rangers on Sunday.  Sandin was an important part of Washington’s back end this season, logging over 21 minutes a night while collecting 23 points in 68 games.
• Sandin wasn’t the only injured Washington blueliner who took to the ice today as Gulitti adds (Twitter link) that Nick Jensen also practiced in a non-contact jersey. Jensen suffered an upper-body injury last week against Tampa Bay and was stretchered off the ice.  The 33-year-old spent a lot of time on the Capitals’ second pairing this season, picking up 13 points while averaging a little under 20 minutes a night.  Like Sandin, the non-contact designation likely means he won’t be available on Sunday either.

Notably, the return of Sergachev indicates that the top defenseman may be ready to go in Round One as the Lightning look to take on either the Boston Bruins or the Florida Panthers. In a season to forget for the top-pairing blue liner, Sergachev has only been able to register two goals and 19 points for Tampa Bay this year. Sergachev missed 17 games for the Lightning from a lower-body injury suffered in late December, and would then fracture both his fibula and tibia in his first game back on February 7th.

For the other players, although Tampa Bay would like to be as healthy as possible heading into the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, their organizational depth has helped keep the team afloat while other regular members of the lineup have missed time. Both Mitchell Chaffee and Emil Martinsen Lilleberg have managed more than 25 games at the NHL level this season, keeping some continuity within the roster for the Lightning.

Other Atlantic notes:

• In an update from Colby Guy of The Associated Press, both Aleksander Barkov and Oliver Ekman-Larsson could return to the lineup tonight as the Florida Panthers look to put themselves in the best position possible to capture the Atlantic Division crown. As both players are dealing with minor injuries sustained in their most recent game against the Buffalo Sabres on April 13th, the Panthers may opt to keep them out until the playoffs if they are not completely recovered. Nevertheless, the game tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs will likely serve as a preview of one of the Round One matchups of this year’s playoffs.
• During the team’s game last night against the Lightning, the Sabres lost forward Tage Thompson for most of the game due to a lower-body injury, officially ending his 2023-24 NHL season (X Link). With Buffalo’s season officially over, Thompson is not in any danger of missing any regular season action but could miss the IIHF World Championships for Team USA over the summer. Seeing a massive dip in his production from last year, Thompson will finish the season with 27 goals and 56 points over 71 games for the Sabres this year.
• In a similar fashion to Thompson, the Ottawa Senators announced yesterday evening that recent call-up Bokondji Imama would miss the rest of the game against the New York Rangers. Placed on the roster from an emergency loan on April 8th, Imama will likely finish the year with zero points in six games at the NHL level, with three goals and 10 points over 53 games at the AHL level spent with the Belleville Senators.

The appetite for playoff success in Toronto is at an all-time high. The team has played some of its best hockey down the stretch and won a playoff series in 2023 for the first time in 19 years. That first-round win over the Lightning was their first after a remarkable six straight first-round/qualifying-round losses, although they were quickly dispatched by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Panthers in five games in the second round.

A first-round exit in a likely rematch against the Panthers would likely result in the dismissal of head coach Sheldon Keefe, one of the longest-tenured bench bosses in the league now entering his fifth playoff run with the club. In terms of other executives that could get the axe, team president Brendan Shanahan has only one season left on his contract, according to Mirtle, and could be a candidate to be out of a job with new leadership in the Maple Leafs’ ownership group, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. After GM Brad Treliving was brought in only one summer ago, it seems unlikely he’d be relieved of his duties with such a small track record in the role for Toronto.

Other tidbits from the Atlantic Division:

• Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle remains out tonight against the Islanders, Patrick Friolet of RDS said. The young defenseman skated this morning as he rehabs an upper-body injury but is sitting out of his fourth straight contest. Guhle, 22, sustained the injury minutes into a clash with the Lightning one week ago and hasn’t played since. He’s now missed five of Montreal’s last seven games, also missing a March 30 contest against the Hurricanes while serving a one-game suspension for slashing Flyers winger Travis Konecny from the Habs bench. The sophomore blue-liner remains in a top-four role, averaging nearly 21 minutes per game. He’s amassed 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 70 games, a lower points per game pace than last year, but has logged improved possession metrics with a 44.4 CF% and 45.9 xGF% at even strength.
• Lightning goalie Jonas Johansson and defenseman Haydn Fleury still aren’t skating with the team and continue to be sidelined tonight against the Senators, per Chris Krenn of the team’s official site. Johansson hasn’t dressed in six straight due to a lower-body injury sustained outside of game action. He’s played sparingly behind starter Andrei Vasilevskiy after occupying the crease to begin the season with Vasy on the shelf, only making four starts since the beginning of February. The 28-year-old has made a career-high 24 starts and two relief appearances but has struggled despite his 12-7-5 record, logging a .890 SV% and 3.37 GAA while conceding 10.5 goals above average. Minor league call-up Matt Tomkins remains on the roster in his absence. Fleury, 27, hasn’t played since sustaining an undisclosed injury in a collision with referee Steve Kozari against the Penguins last Saturday that sent Kozari to the hospital. He’s logged 24 appearances for Tampa this season in a depth role, scoring five points with a +5 rating. With neither player on the ice for practice yet, they’re approaching doubtful territory for Game 1 of the playoffs.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

• Bruins forward prospect Quinn Olson has signed outside the organization, landing with AHL Ontario for the rest of the season, per Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal. Boston will lose their exclusive signing rights to Olson if they can’t agree to an entry-level contract by Aug. 15. 23 next month, Olson just wrapped up a five-year stint at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he served as an alternate captain in his senior and graduate seasons and totaled 27 goals and 96 points across 175 games. Not being offered a tryout by Boston’s AHL affiliate in Providence is a strong indication that the 2019 third-round pick will reach unrestricted free agency in August.
• Lightning defenseman Haydn Fleury left today’s loss to the Penguins and didn’t return after a freak neutral-zone collision with referee Steve Kozari, as relayed by Bally Sports’ Gabby Shirley. Kozari was briefly unconscious after the collision and required a stretcher off the ice, although the league confirmed in a statement that he has full use of his extremities and is expected to make a full recovery. Fleury was able to skate off the ice, but the severity of the hit will require further evaluation. The depth blue-liner has five points and a +5 rating in 23 showings this season, his second in a Lightning uniform.
• The Senators have parted ways with professional scouts Jim Clark and Rob Murphy, GM Steve Staios announced. This could end an illustrious front-office career for the 70-year-old Clark, who’s held roles with the Red Wings, Blue Jackets and Panthers as well since breaking into the league in 1990. He was brought on by the Sens in 2008 after being let go as Columbus’ assistant GM, serving on their scouting staff for six years before being promoted to their Director of Professional Scouting in 2014. Ottawa demoted Clark out of the head scout role ahead of this season, replacing him with Murphy, who’d been a pro scout for the organization since 2018. This was Murphy’s second run with the Sens, also serving in their pro scouting department from 2010 to 2014 before leaving for a Director of Scouting role with the Sabres.

If the reporting is accurate, and Pietrangelo will be out of the lineup until April 2nd, it will become a massive hurdle for the Golden Knight’s playoff chances. On the four-game road trip, Vegas squares off against two teams currently holding playoff positions in the Western Conference, as well as the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild, both of whom are currently trailing the Golden Knights in the standings by a few points.

Luckily, Vegas bolstered their depth on the blue line at the trade deadline, bringing in Noah Hanifin, who is more than comfortable holding down top-pairing minutes. Nevertheless, this road trip could define the Golden Knight’s playoff aspirations, as they look to correct their 7-10-1 record since the NHL trade deadline.

Other injury notes:

• In an update on two injured members of the Washington Capitals, Tom Gulitti of the NHL reports that the Capitals are hopeful that forwards T.J. Oshie (upper body) and Aliaksei Protas (lower body) will return to the lineup tomorrow against the Winnipeg Jets. As important members of the team’s top-six, and especially after the results of today’s matchups in the Eastern Conference, Washington will be well positioned moving forward to grab the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
• Having not played since the team’s game on March 14th, it does not sound like defenseman Haydn Fleury will return to the Tampa Bay Lightning soon, as Gabby Shirley of Bally Sports Florida is reporting that even though he is considered day-to-day, the Lightning are not rushing his return. Brought in as a depth defenseman two years ago, the former seventh overall selection has scored one goal and four points in 21 games for Tampa Bay this season, averaging just over 16 minutes of ice time per game.

Slipping further and further back in the standings, New York’s schedule won’t get any easier as their next three games come against teams currently holding a playoff position. Without Mayfield, the Islanders will have to re-shuffle their defensive core, and may even break apart the solid duo of Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov. Signed to a seven-year, $24.5MM contract this past offseason, Mayfield has left a lot to be desired, with his CorsiFor% and On-Ice Save Percentage in all situations falling below his career averages.

To fill in the spot on the active roster left by Mayfield, the Islanders did recall forward Kyle MacLean but had to maneuver him in a specific way to stay compliant with the salary cap (X Link). As an infrequent member of the team’s bottom six this season, MacLean has suited up in a total of seven games for New York, managing one goal and 14 hits in total.

Other injury notes:

• Talking to the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jon Cooper, this morning, Eduardo Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports that defenseman Haydn Fleury is considered day-to-day, while the team will also have to wait for the return of forward Tanner Jeannot. Although Fleury has generally been regarded as a depth option at defense for the Lightning, their injuries this season have led him to nearly 16 minutes of ice time per night over 17 games, a minute higher than his career average.
• Out since February 10th with an undisclosed injury, Heather Engel of the NHL is reporting that Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power is close to a return, and may even be cleared to play tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes. In the midst of a sophomore slump, Power is projected to finish short of his production last year without factoring in the missed games due to injury. Nevertheless, much of Power’s lack of production can be placed at the feet of his usual defensive partners Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton, both of whom have struggled immensely in their first season in Buffalo.

Although Karlsson has largely been one of the more productive scorers on Vegas’ roster this season, the team has produced a 7-4-1 record in his absence, garnering more appreciation as a Stanley Cup contender in the Western Conference. Before his lower-body injury took him out of the lineup, Karlsson scored 15 goals and 32 points in 38 games for the Golden Knights which still places him fourth on the team in scoring.

As Vegas continues to the Vancouver Canucks as the top team in the Pacific Division, Karlsson will be an important addition back in the lineup. After the All-Star break, to finish off the month of February, the Golden Knights have challenging games against the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins.

Other injury notes:

• After being placed on the injured reserve on January 16th with a lower-body injury, the St.Louis Blues will be expecting forward Kasperi Kapanen back after the All-Star break (X Link). As one of the more prominent depth offensive pieces on the Blues’ roster, Kapanen has struggled a bit over the course of the season, scoring four goals and 13 points in 42 games on the year.
• Sticking in St.Louis,  Justin Faulk suffered a lower-body injury in the team’s most recent game against the Calgary Flames and will be kept out until after the All-Star break (X Link). Sitting second on the team in scoring amongst defensemen, Faulk has scored two goals and 19 points in 40 games this season, with only two of those points coming on the team’s powerplay.
• In another activation from the long-term injured reserve, the Tampa Bay Lightning have done just that with defenseman Haydn Fleury, according to CapFriendly. Having been placed on the team’s LTIR since January 1st with an upper-body injury, Fleury has filled a similar role to which he has played in the past this season, averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time in 12 games for the team this year in a depth role.

More from the Atlantic:

• Before their game against Tampa Bay, the Red Wings announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled defenseman Brogan Rafferty from AHL Grand Rapids. It’s the second recall of the month for the 28-year-old although he didn’t see any NHL action in his first stint and barring injuries, it’s unlikely he’ll suit up much if at all this time around.  Rafferty is in his first season with Detroit’s farm team after signing a two-year, two-way contract back in July.  In 35 games so far with the Griffins, he has 15 points.
• The only injured Lightning player who could return before the All-Star break is defenseman Erik Cernak, relays Eduardo A. Encina of The Athletic (Twitter link). Cernak has missed a little more than a week with an upper-body injury but it appears he has a chance to come back in their final three games.  Meanwhile, Encina adds that winger Tanner Jeannot remains listed as week-to-week while blueliners Mikhail Sergachev and Haydn Fleury – both currently on LTIR – could return after the break.

Other notes from around the league:

• Both Haydn Fleury and Mikhail Sergachev are likely to miss a few more weeks, as Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper shares that neither are expected back before the break for February 3rd’s All-Star Weekend. Both players are on long-term injured reserve, as Fleury deals with a hand injury and would be eligible to return as soon as January 25th, though he hasn’t recovered fully just yet, while Sergachev nurses a lower-body injury that’s already held him out of 11 games.
• Carolina Hurricanes fan-favorite Pyotr Kochetkov is getting better from his concussion, returning to team practices for one-on-one work with the team’s goalie coach, shares team reporter Walt Ruff. But despite the return to the ice, Ruff shares that there is still no timetable for Kochetkov’s return to the lineup. Kochetkov last played in January 11th’s matchup against the Anaheim Ducks, saving 10 of 13 shots before leaving the game early. Ducks goaltender John Gibson also left that game early with injury.