Maple Leafs Reassign Jacob Quillan, Expected To Activate William Nylander
The Maple Leafs announced they’ve sent center Jacob Quillan to AHL Toronto. They’re left with an open roster spot, which is expected to go to William Nylander as he comes off injured reserve ahead of his anticipated return to the lineup tomorrow against the Canucks.
Quillan, 23, had been up since Dec. 30 but only got into one game. He entered the lineup that night against the Devils, recording a +1 rating in 7:01 of ice time, before heading to the press box for four straight.
The undrafted free agent signing out of Quinnipiac has been one of Toronto’s best minor-leaguers this season, though. Despite getting just three NHL games across his two call-ups, he’s just shy of the AHL team lead in points per game with 0.88 after recording five goals and 18 assists through 26 contests to date.
Toronto increasingly relying on the 6’0″ Nova Scotia native as a call-up option indicates he has a decent chance of plucking a roster spot for a larger portion of next season, particularly if he settles for a reasonable extension or re-signs at a low cost. His entry-level deal is up following this season, and he’ll be eligible for arbitration should he choose to test restricted free agency.
Nylander, should he get back into action tomorrow, will return after missing the last six games with a lower-body injury he sustained against the Senators on Dec. 27. The Leafs’ top winger had scored three goals and two assists in his final two appearances before exiting the lineup, momentum he’ll hope to keep up as Toronto continues to gain ground in the East playoff race. They’re now six games above .500, their highest points percentage since winning their season opener, and are one point back of the Sabres for the final playoff spot after going 6-2-2 in their last 10. Their chances of making the postseason are up to 23.8%, per MoneyPuck.
The star Swede has been immensely productive this season, and his offense is one of the biggest reasons they’re still squarely in the race. Despite the missed time, his 27 assists and 41 points in 33 games still lead the team.
Blackhawks Activate Connor Bedard, Recall Kevin Korchinski, Drew Commesso
1:43 p.m.: The Blackhawks announced they’ve activated Bedard from injured reserve. They also recalled defenseman Kevin Korchinski and goaltender Drew Commesso from AHL Rockford to account for their game-time decisions tonight. Korchinski, the seventh overall pick in 2022, would be making his season debut if he draws into the lineup. He hasn’t exactly been lighting up the AHL, but has 19 points and a -12 rating in 32 showings for Rockford. Commesso, on the other hand, has been a strong starter with a .909 SV% and 2.72 GAA in 19 games.
12:00 p.m.: The Chicago Blackhawks will have their lineup star back from injury when they host the Washington Capitals on Friday night. Connor Bedard confirmed that he will return to the lineup after missing the last 12 games due to a shoulder injury to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times. Bedard skated on the top power-play unit at Friday morning’s practice.
Bedard was injured in the final second of Chicago’s Dec. 12th loss to the St. Louis Blues. He was on a scoring tear before his injury, with five goals and 11 points in his last seven games. Those marks brought Bedard up to 19 goals and 44 points in 31 games on the season. That ranked the Blackhawks youngster third in points and fourth in goals in the NHL.
Naturally, Chicago hit a skid once Bedard fell out of the lineup. Their average goals per game fell from 2.9 to 2.1 over their remaining eight games in December, leading to a 1-6-1 record to end 2025. Surprisingly, the young roster snapped out of that struggle in the New Year. Chicago is currently riding a four-game win streak, capped off by a 7-3 win over the Blues on Wednesday. That win was spurred by young forwards Oliver Moore, Nick Lardis, Landon Slaggert, and Ryan Greene.
With that quartet now clicking down the lineup, Chicago will be in a perfect position to add their top scorer back to the lineup. Bedard spent most of his time next to Greene and Andre Burakovsky prior to his injury. That line outscored opponents 13-to-6 at even-strength, the most of only four Blackhawks lines with a positive goal-differential. The chances that Bedard returns to that line on Friday could be slim, though, as Greene has taken on the second-line center role with Frank Nazar also injured.
Chicago will need to spread their depth after forwards Nick Foligno and Ilya Mikheyev, goaltender Arvid Soderblom, and head coach Jeff Blashill all missed Friday’s morning skate. The team isn’t yet sure which of those four will be available for Friday night’s game, per Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio. The four seem to have fallen victim to a flu bug making its way through the Blackhawks locker room right now. The injury-ridden Blackhawks have two extra forwards – Sam Lafferty and Landon Slaggert – but had to call upon famous emergency backup goaltender Scott Foster to backup at practice. They would be eligible for an emergency recall should they need to fill an additional spot.
Should Blashill need to sit on the side, Chicago would likely ask Anders Sorensen to fill the head coach spot. Sorensen coached the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs from 2022 to 2025, then earned a promotion to an interim head coach role partway through last season. He remains with Chicago as an assistant coach this year.
Blackhawks Assign Ethan Del Mastro To AHL
The Chicago Blackhawks shared earlier today that Ethan Del Mastro was assigned to AHL Rockford. No corresponding transaction was made.
Recalled in mid-December, the defenseman only got into one game, recording 15:07 of ice time in a loss at Toronto on December 16. At 22, Del Mastro is among the Hawks’ more notable prospects, forecasting as a long-term solid third pairing defender with untapped raw potential, so sitting in the press box was naturally not beneficial.
Del Mastro will rejoin an IceHogs club where he still ranks as the second highest scoring defender, despite spending the past few weeks away. Only ranking above is Kevin Korchinski, another intriguing lefty. A nice find in the fourth round of the 2021 draft by Chicago, the Ontario native Del Mastro stands at 6’4” and has shown real two-way upside in the AHL. He managed to make 24 appearances for the Blackhawks last season, notching six points as a respectable -3 on a bottom feeding team.
As veteran Matt Grzelcyk entered the fold this season, Del Mastro’s opportunities at the highest level have been more limited. Chicago, currently at .500, has turned the corner from their struggles in previous years. However, still a long shot for the playoffs, at some point GM Kyle Davidson could consider moving Grzelcyk, a pending unrestricted free agent, and opening a spot for the steady youngster in the spring to stay in the lineup.
Until then, Del Mastro figures to be the team’s top option to call upon if any injuries affect their blue line, and will continue his development in Rockford.
Golden Knights Place Brayden McNabb On Injured Reserve
Ahead of tonight’s game, the Vegas Golden Knights placed Brayden McNabb on injured reserve, according to SinBin.vegas. No corresponding transaction was required, however, later in the day, the club called up Dylan Coghlan to enter the lineup in place of Jaycob Megna, who returns to the AHL.
McNabb has not played since he left mid-game New Year’s Eve against Nashville. The defender was listed as out “multiple weeks” on January 2, so naturally, he figures to become likely available sometime mid-month.
Standing alongside William Karlsson and Shea Theodore as the final remaining original “misfits” of the Golden Knights franchise, and each of whom have dealt with injuries this season, McNabb, now 34, has slowed down noticeably of late. Unfortunately losing his streak of 82 games played in each of the last three seasons, even when healthy, McNabb has struggled at five-on-five, with career lows in CorsiFor%.
Offense has never been a focal part of the Saskatchewan native’s game, but usually capable of chipping in 15-20 points in a season, he has just three in 38 games, and is a -5, in the negatives for the first time since as a Sabres rookie in 2011-12. There is ample time to turn things around when he returns to the lineup, but it is a far cry from last season’s career best of +42.
Although the numbers aren’t necessarily pretty, McNabb is still leaned upon as a minutes-eater, averaging north of 20 a night. In recent games the club inputted Megna into the lineup, a 33-year-old who was brought in last offseason to serve as captain for AHL Henderson. At 6’6” he figured to bring a relatively similar skill set to the table, but it did not quite materialize, proving McNabb’s value even at this stage.
Still in his first year of a three year extension worth $3.65MM per season, once healthy, McNabb will continue to help lead the Pacific-leading Knights into a likely fourth straight postseason appearance. Until then, Coghlan slots in tonight, returning to his original club in Vegas.
Wild Activate Daemon Hunt, Assign David Jiricek
The Minnesota Wild announced earlier today that Daemon Hunt has been activated from injured reserve, while David Jiříček has been re-assigned to AHL Iowa in a corresponding transaction. Hunt is expected to return to the lineup tonight on the third pair alongside Jacob Middleton.
The defenseman has been out since mid-December due to an undisclosed injury. Claimed off waivers from Columbus in October, today’s transaction proves to be a bit ironic as Hunt was traded by Minnesota to Columbus in exchange for Jiříček last year alongside several draft picks.
Unable to make his mark as a Blue Jacket after the trade, Hunt quickly found his way back to the team that chose him in the third round of the 2020 draft. With two points in 12 games on the season, Hunt has some puck moving ability, untapped so far at the NHL level, but at age 23, he figures to be a steady third pair defender, still with just 25 games under his belt.
Jiříček, thought to have elite upside coming out of the 2022 draft, where he was selected sixth overall by Columbus, has been scoreless in 18 games with the Wild this season. Taking a swing on the Czech righty seemed to be worth a gamble, especially as Minnesota promptly snatched back the player they’d given up for him, but at some point Jiříček will need to show something to warrant a future in the NHL. A restricted free agent at season’s end, Jiříček’s play with Iowa has not inspired much confidence either, with 10 points in 40 games across the last two seasons. With offense hard to come by, the 6’4″ Jiříček has also struggled in his own end, ineffective even in smaller sheltered roles on Minnesota, a team with high ambitions.
Still just 22, the Wild are not necessarily in any rush with him, but as a contender with limited spots on their back end going into the future, Jiříček may be a name worth monitoring this spring in another deal.
For now, Hunt will rejoin the high flying Wild against Seattle tonight, while Jiříček will try to help the bottom-ranked Iowa Wild get on track, vying for another shot in the NHL.
Golden Knights Recall Dylan Coghlan, Assign Jaycob Megna
The Vegas Golden Knights have swapped defensemen in their cupboard, as Dylan Coghlan has been recalled from AHL Henderson, while Jaycob Megna has been assigned to the AHL in a corresponding transaction, per the team.
The exact move occurred on December 8th, and since then in the last several weeks, both players have cycled between the NHL and AHL.
Coghlan, in his second stint with Vegas, figures to take Megna’s spot in the lineup on the third pair tonight as the team hosts Columbus. A righty, he is a natural fit alongside Ben Hutton. The 27-year-old came to the Knights as an undrafted free agent prior to their first ever season, a high scorer out of the WHL, who immediately showed promise with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. Coghlan debuted with Vegas during the 2020-21 season, and played in 59 games the following year, figuring to be a piece in the team’s future.
As the Knights missed the playoffs in 2022, Coghlan was dealt to Carolina in the Max Pacioretty deal as management shook things up. After short stints in the Hurricanes and Jets organizations, he caught back on with his original team on a one-year deal worth $775k at the NHL level last summer. As usual, Coghlan has been highly productive in the AHL so far this year with 16 points in 28 games as a top defender.
On the other hand, Megna was last recalled on New Year’s day, making three appearances in the last week, his first action as a Golden Knight. In those contests, the left hander was a -5, the team going 1-1-1. The 33-year-old, originally a seventh round pick back in 2012, has managed to carve out a 12-year career in North America mainly due to his size (6’6”). In 196 career NHL games, he has 27 points, spending most time in the AHL, besides 40+ game campaigns with the Sharks and Blackhawks from 2021-2024.
Megna is in the first year of his two year deal with the Knights organization. As captain of Henderson, the plan was not for him to spend much time away, but due to several injuries on the blueline, the Florida native got to make his mark with his sixth NHL team, now to return as the group’s leader.
Set for a homecoming moment in Vegas after three years away for his first NHL action of 2025-26, Coghlan will look to bring more mobility and consistency to the lineup against Columbus.
Senators Activate Lars Eller, Move Linus Ullmark To Non-Roster List
The Senators announced they’ve activated center Lars Eller from injured reserve. To open a spot, they moved goaltender Linus Ullmark to the non-roster list. He’s on an indefinite leave of absence from the club that began on Dec. 28.
Eller’s return tonight against his former team, the Avalanche, comes nearly a month after he sustained a foot injury on Dec. 11 against the Blue Jackets. He’s now missed 14 of Ottawa’s last 16 games due to that and a separate undisclosed injury.
Signed to a one-year, $1.25MM deal in free agency, the 36-year-old has been a serviceable fourth-line piece. No longer expected to churn out the 30-40 points he was good for in his prime, he’s only gotten on the scoresheet six times in 28 games (two goals, four assists). However, he’s been one of the league’s top faceoff men at a 60.5% win rate and has been up to the task as a shutdown specialist at 5-on-5, ranking fourth on the team in GA/60 at 2.45.
For now, his return pushes rookie Stephen Halliday to the press box. It’s unclear how long that arrangement will last. The 23-year-old is still looking for his first NHL goal but has already demonstrated good playmaking skills in limited minutes, notching six assists in 18 games despite averaging just 8:12 of ice time per game. That’s a 27-point pace over a full season, and he’s also averaging a shot on goal per game.
There’s not really a top-nine spot up for grabs for Halliday to push for, though, and Ottawa’s veteran-laden fourth line has had success defensively. If Halliday isn’t going to be a regular, it might behoove the Sens to take advantage of the 6’4″ pivot’s waiver-exempt status while they still can and get him more development time in Belleville.
While the non-roster designation doesn’t stop Ullmark from counting against the cap, it does mean he’s no longer taking up one of the Sens’ 23 available roster spot while he’s on his leave of absence. There’s still no indication as to when Ottawa’s starter might return. In what’s now been six straight starts for backup Leevi Merilainen, he’s posted a .860 SV% with a 2-4-0 record.
Penguins Activate Evgeni Malkin
The Penguins announced they’ve activated Evgeni Malkin from injured reserve. They reassigned winger Ville Koivunen earlier in the day to open a roster spot, so no corresponding move is required.
Malkin will be in the lineup against the Devils tonight for the first time in 15 games. He’s been practicing for about a week as he works his way back from a lingering upper-body injury that he said had been plaguing him throughout the season, but got aggravated to the point where he needed to sit out.
Before exiting the lineup, the future Hall-of-Famer had arguably been having one of his most impressive seasons to date. Now 39 years old, he’s on pace to breach the point-per-game mark for the first time in three years. His eight goals and 21 assists are good for 29 points in 26 games, second on the Pens at 1.12 points per game.
The Penguins, still in the playoff hunt, didn’t shoulder the absence of a franchise icon well. The first game of his absence coincided with the beginning of an eight-game winless streak. They’ve won five out of six since to get back on track, but went 6-5-4 overall in his absence. They’re now 20-12-9, one point up on the streaking Sabres for the second wild-card spot.
Malkin will have some new linemates tonight in rookie Benjamin Kindel and countryman Yegor Chinakhov, recently acquired from the Blue Jackets, per Michelle Crechiolo of NHL.com. His usual wingers, Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha, drop to flank Thomas Novak on Pittsburgh’s third line. They’re likely looking to keep up the better underlying numbers that the duo posted with Novak in Malkin’s absence – they weren’t as productive but were more responsible defensively while still being good for a few scoring bursts.
Image courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Devils Activate Simon Nemec From Injured Reserve
The Devils announced they’ve activated defenseman Simon Nemec from injured reserve. He will be in the lineup for tonight’s game against the Penguins. They’ve had an open roster spot for several days, so no corresponding move is required.
Nemec will take to the ice for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury during a practice on Dec. 12. It’s the first NHL-level injury for Nemec, who’s had a rather spotless health record since being taken second overall in the 2022 draft.
In 12 games without Nemec, the Devils’ situation has gone from bad to worse. They have a 5-6-1 record in their last 12 while only scoring 1.8 goals per game. Nemec, one of their best puck-movers on the blue line, should help get their offense going. The 21-year-old is enjoying a long-awaited breakout campaign, leading New Jersey defenders in points per game (0.58) by posting seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 31 appearances. His +4 rating also leads Devils rearguards, although his middling possession numbers point to that figure being unfairly inflated.
While the team continues to grapple with Johnathan Kovacevic‘s knee injury that’s kept him out of action to date, Nemec’s return gives New Jersey its healthiest look on defense it’s had this season. He’s done a lot of work with Dougie Hamilton on the Devils’ second power-play unit, where he’ll slot back in tonight while being flanked by Brenden Dillon in third-pairing duties at even strength, per Sam Kasan of NHL.com.
Rangers Activate J.T. Miller From Injured Reserve
The Rangers have activated forward J.T. Miller from injured reserve ahead of tonight’s clash with the Sabres, Mollie Walker of the New York Post relays. They have an open roster spot, so there’s no need for a corresponding transaction.
Miller hasn’t played since Dec. 20 due to an upper-body injury, keeping him out of a seven-game stretch that included the Winter Classic. Outside of the resounding outdoor victory, the Blueshirts haven’t fared very well without their captain, going 2-3-2 to fall to a 20-18-6 record on the year that has them third-last in the Eastern Conference.
After missing the playoffs last season, the Rangers’ possession game has improved by several degrees under head coach Mike Sullivan, but has been plagued by a lack of finishing ability. Perhaps no player better encapsulates those struggles than Miller, who’s having his worst offensive showing in seven years. The Rangers gave up a first-round pick and young center Filip Chytil to net Miller from the Canucks last year and named him captain at the beginning of this season, but he’s responded with a conservative 10 goals and 22 points in 35 games.
The 32-year-old Miller is seventh on the team in scoring outright and fifth in points per game despite averaging nearly 21 minutes of ice time. He has provided value in other areas, leading the team with a 59.9 faceoff win percentage and ranking fourth with 74 hits, but his -11 rating is second-worst on the team behind William Cuylle.
For a team missing its starting goalie and top defenseman, as well as multiple depth forwards, they’ll take any help they can get, though. Miller will skate as the Rangers’ second-line left winger with Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafrenière in his return, according to Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic.