Metro Notes: Capitals, Couturier, Johnson, Letang
Washington Capitals general manager Chris Patrick spoke openly about the team’s direction with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic after reacquiring veteran forward Lars Eller from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Patrick told LeBrun that he got the sense that Eller would be traded somewhere else before the Trade Deadline, or even the New Year, prompting the Capitals to act sooner rather than later. Despite the early buy, Patrick said he still sees the move as a Deadline deal. He told LeBrun, “We said, ‘Maybe at the deadline, we should be looking at center depth. We were looking at (pending) UFAs and players who might be available, and Lars is obviously top of that list.”
Eller may be a defense-first depth forward in his old age, but reacquiring him is a strong statement of confidence from the Capitals after a 10-4-1 start to the season. They find themselves tied with the New York Rangers – who swept Washington in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs – and Patrick emphasized that the on-ice product feels much improved. That’s in part a result of strong performances from Washington’s young talents – like Aliaksei Protas, Connor McMichael, and Rasmus Sandin. Those players give Washington a foundation to build on, and Patrick closed by pointing towards the retooling of teams like Dallas and Florida – who each managed to build lineups with strength top-to-bottom without sacrificing their future. That will be the long-term path that Washington tries to mimic, though they’ll first try to match the playoff success of the top-end teams they now find themselves among.
Other notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier is questionable for the team’s Saturday matchup against the Buffalo Sabres shares Kevin Kurz of The Athletic. Couturier missed Philadelphia’s Thursday game against Ottawa with a lower-body injury. He’s managed eight points in 16 games so far this season, while also filling a routine role on the team’s power-play. Morgan Frost will likely slot in for Couturier in the event of another absence, after playing 13:44 in the team’s Thursday win. He contributed one hit and five faceoff wins to the game.
- Despite the lineup facing injury concerns, Saturday’s game will be celebratory for 2006 first-overall pick Erik Johnson, who sits one game shy of 1,000. He spoke openly about the achievement with Jackie Spiegel of The Philadelphia Inquirer, sharing how “mind-blowing” it is to near 1,000 games after nearly retiring a few years ago. Johnson spoke about the list of injuries he endured between 2019 and 2021, capped off by a concussion in January of 2021. Johnson cites that injury as giving him the mental reset he needed to reprioritize his health. He’s now set to become the 12th player from the 2006 NHL Draft – and the 133rd defender – to pass the 1,000-game mark.
- Star Pittsburgh Penguins defender Kris Letang is sick and didn’t travel with the team to their Friday game in Columbus, shares Josh Getzoff of Sportsnet Pittsburgh. Letang has one point in Pittsburgh’s last five games and six points in 18 games on the full season. He remains a clear top-pair defender despite the lagging scoring, averaging 23 minutes of ice time and remaining a focal point of the power-play. He could be replaced by rookie Owen Pickering, who Pittsburgh recalled earlier today. Pickering is the Penguins’ top defense prospect and hasn’t yet made his NHL debut.
Lars Eller Likely To Dress Tomorrow Night
Aaron Portzline of The Athletic is reporting that Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson is back practicing today for the first time since he injured his shoulder back on October 17th in a game against the Buffalo Sabres. Johnson has missed ten consecutive games due to the injury he suffered when colliding with a Blue Jackets teammate.
The former fifth-overall pick played in just four games before the injury but was very productive, posting two goals and three assists while averaging 16:46 of ice time per game. Johnson looked as though he was ready to break out two seasons ago when he recorded a 40-point season as a 20-year-old. However, last season, his play fell off dramatically, as he tallied just six goals and ten assists in 42 games.
In other Metropolitan Division notes:
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated forward Gavin Brindley off injured reserve and loaned him to the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League. Brindley broke his finger in a preseason game on October 1st and ended up missing the first 15 games of the regular season. The 20-year-old made his NHL debut at the end of last season in April after he was drafted by the Blue Jackets in the second round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. An undersized forward, Brindley had a very successful run in the NCAA with the Michigan Wolverines, recording 37 goals and 54 assists in 81 career games from 2022-24.
- New acquired Washington Capitals forward Lars Eller will make his return to the Capitals lineup tomorrow night after he was acquired via trade from the Penguins this week (as per Tarik El Bashir of the NHL Network). Eller practiced today with the Capitals and centered the third line where he was flanked by Andrew Mangiapane and Jakub Vrana. Eller was one of the few bright spots for the Penguins this season and dealt with very difficult deployment in Pittsburgh, starting over two-thirds of his shifts in the defensive zone. Despite the unfavorable zone starts, the 35-year-old still managed to put up four goals and three assists in 17 games.
- Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson left practice early yesterday after suffering a small tweak (as per Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia). The issue is apparently not something that will keep Ersson out long-term, but it will keep him out of the lineup this evening as Aleksei Kolosov will be the backup to starter Ivan Fedotov. The Flyers already have three goaltenders on their roster and won’t need to make a roster in order to replace Ersson.
Matt Irwin Announces Retirement
Unrestricted free agent defenseman Matt Irwin is stepping away from the game, the NHLPA announced. He confirms his retirement after 10 NHL seasons and 461 appearances.
“As I reflect on my career, I can’t help but feel incredibly grateful and fortunate to have lived out my childhood dream of playing in the NHL,” Irwin said in a statement released by the players’ association. “My success would not have been possible without the support of my family, my in-laws and especially my wife, Chantel, and two kids, Beckem and Lennon. You all pushed me to be the best version of myself on and off the ice.”
“I’m fortunate to have been surrounded by the best group of teammates that I could have possibly asked for,” Irwin continued. “Each and every one of them made coming to the rink the best years of my life. I hope our paths cross somewhere down the road.”
Now 36, Irwin never played major junior hockey and instead jumped straight from the junior ‘A’ BCHL to NCAA hockey with UMass. The left-shot defender spent two seasons there before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Sharks in 2010, kicking off his professional career.
Irwin spent two full seasons with San Jose’s AHL affiliate, then in Worcester, Massachusetts, before receiving his first NHL recall in 2012-13. He appeared in 38 of 48 games for the Sharks during the lockout-shortened season, recording 12 points and a -1 rating while averaging 19:06 per game and finishing 19th in Calder Trophy voting. Irwin also played in all 11 of San Jose’s playoff games as he got an audition in top-pairing minutes at even strength alongside Dan Boyle.
The Victoria, British Columbia native managed to stick around as a full-time NHLer for the following two seasons in the Bay Area but steadily saw his minutes reduced. After a 2014-15 campaign that saw him record a career-high eight goals, Irwin became an unrestricted free agent and signed with the Bruins.
However, Irwin only made two NHL appearances in a Boston sweater, instead spending nearly all of the 2015-16 season on assignment to AHL Providence. Understandably, he was one-and-done with the Bruins, and landed a deal with the Predators in free agency the following offseason.
It was the right choice for Irwin, who ended up playing 195 games in parts of four seasons in Nashville – the most of the six NHL franchises he appeared for. Aside from four appearances for AHL Milwaukee in 2016-17, Irwin managed to avoid being sent to the minors for the next seven years, sticking around in bottom-pairing/press box roles for the Predators, Ducks, Sabres, and Capitals.
Irwin’s last NHL games came with Washington in 2022-23. He recorded five points, a -8 rating and 36 PIMs in 61 games along with 75 blocks and 117 hits. He signed a two-way contract with the Canucks for 2023-24 but didn’t make the team, instead spending all of 2023-24 on assignment to AHL Abbotsford, where he recorded 16 points (5 G, 11 A) and a +2 rating in 65 games while serving as an alternate captain.
Irwin closes the book on his NHL career with 25 goals, 68 assists, 93 points, and a -9 rating in 461 games. He also logged 211 PIMs, 725 shots and a respectable 50.6 CF% at even strength while averaging 15:26 per game. He also appeared in 47 playoff games for the Sharks and Preds in 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2018, most notably playing in all 22 postseason contests as Nashville advanced to the only Stanley Cup Final in franchise history in 2017.
Irwin also logged 314 AHL appearances in parts of seven minor-league seasons, totaling 32 goals and 103 assists for 135 points. All of us at Pro Hockey Rumors extend our best wishes to Irwin in retirement.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Lars Eller Not Playing Tonight, Milano Remains Out
Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone will remain out of the lineup tonight when Vegas takes on the Anaheim Ducks tonight (Twitter link). Alexander Holtz will take Stone’s spot on the top line as Stone is dealing with a lower-body injury and will miss his third straight game. The Golden Knights play again on Friday against Utah and will presumably update Stone’s status before then. The 32-year-old has been exceptional this season when healthy, posting six goals and 15 assists in 13 games.
Stone has long had issues with his health, having played 80 or more games only once in his 13-year NHL career. His health has been a major concern over the past three seasons as Stone has missed 110 games dating back to the 2021-22 season.
In other evening notes:
- Newly acquired Washington Capitals forward Lars Eller didn’t participate in the team’s optional morning skate today and did not dress for their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs this evening (as per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News). Eller was acquired yesterday by the Capitals in exchange for two draft picks and likely won’t suit up for his new team until Friday night when they take on one of Eller’s former teams, the Colorado Avalanche.
- Injured Capitals forward Sonny Milano is still not skating and remains sidelined with an upper-body injury (as per Sammi Silber). Milano remains on the injured reserve and has no definite timeline to return to the lineup (as per Silber). Milano has played just 21:38 this season in three games and has been a scratch even when healthy. His spot in the NHL lineup was precarious at best, and now with the Eller trade, it’s possible that the 28-year-old could be the odd man out.
Capitals Assign Sgarbossa To Hershey
- Following their acquisition of Lars Eller, the Capitals announced that they’ve re-assigned center Michael Sgarbossa to AHL Hershey. The 32-year-old has played in three games with Washington this season, picking up a goal and an assist. Sgarbossa has a goal and eight helpers in seven games with the Bears so far this season.
Washington Capitals Acquire Lars Eller From Penguins
Lars Eller is headed back to the Washington Capitals. The organization announced they have acquired Eller from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a third-round pick in 2027 and Chicago’s fifth-round pick in 2025.
Eller spent much of his career with the Capitals from 2016-17 until being traded to the Colorado Avalanche at the 2022-23 trade deadline. He’s not well known for his offensive exploits but did score one of the most important goals in Capitals history, the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in Game 5 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.
His time in Washington was certainly the prime of his career. Eller scored 87 goals and 208 points for the Capitals in 488 games, with another nine goals and 31 points in 59 postseason contests. He was also an effective asset down the middle of the ice securing over 3,000 faceoff wins in the District of Columbia with a 50.1% success rate.
The Capitals jumped early on an obvious area of need. The team had recently been deploying Michael Sgarbossa as the center of the team’s third line making Eller a huge improvement. The Danish veteran had scored four goals and seven points in 17 games for the Penguins this season with a 56.0% faceoff success rate. Eller could also help the Capitals on the penalty kill although there’s little room for improvement with the team already fourth in the league with a 86.96% penalty kill.
While one team gains something, another team loses something. The Penguins currently own a 6-9-2 record on the year and are only one day removed from being blown out by the Dallas Stars. Moving Eller may be the first sign of things to come for Pittsburgh.
He wasn’t the only veteran on an expiring deal for the Penguins. Should the team continue barreling toward the bottom of the NHL standings; Marcus Pettersson, Drew O’Connor, Anthony Beauvillier, and Matt Grzelcyk could become available via trade. Given how disappointing the team has been to start the 2024-25 campaign, they may not limit themselves to only moving out expiring deals.
East Notes: Jarry, Grebenkin, Sgarbossa, Martin
The Pittsburgh Penguins goaltending room has been thrown for a loop to start the season. A clear hierarchy set up in training camp was quickly dismantled when Tristan Jarry was sent to the minor leagues for a five-game conditioning stint. His absence gave Joel Blomqvist and Alex Nedeljkovic a chance to plant their feet in the Penguins’ starting crease – and while the former has performed well, Pittsburgh’s 6-8-2 record could give Jarry a golden chacne to work his way back into the lineup.
At least, that’s the path laid out by NHL.com’s Wes Crosby, who spoke with Jarry on his path back to the NHL. The netminder told Crosby, “Hopefully, that’s the way it goes. I want to come back here, and I want to play well. That’s my goal. That’s what I want to do. I want to help this team as much as possible. Whenever I’m in the net, I think giving them a chance to win and helping this team get in a good place.”
The 29-year-old Jarry posted a 4-1-0 record and .926 save percentage in five AHL games – far better than the .836 save percentage he’s managed through three NHL games this year. He stood up to 51 games last season, though his 19-25-5 record marked the first losing season of his five-year tenure as Pittsburgh’s go-to goalie. He’s managed a 137-86-34 record in his nine-year career, working above future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury and the less-successful Matt Murray in his climb to an everyday role. Jarry will now look to get back to his rightful spot, as Pittsburgh tries to buck a 3-5-2 record in their last 10.
Other notes from out East:
- The Toronto Maple Leafs could have a hidden gem in 21-year-old winger Nikita Grebenkin, who’s managed seven points and no penalties through his first nine AHL games. The bruising winger brings a welcome mix of grit and skill to the Toronto depths, which Steven Ellis of Leafs Nation says could lead to a hardy lineup role someday soon. Ellis points out that Grebenkin’s climb to the lineup is blocked by a long list of bottom-six wingers, including Nicholas Robertson and the soon-to-return Connor Dewar – but Grebenkin could be quick to take advantage of his next chance. The young forward is already a seasoned pro, totaling 41 points in 67 games for Magnitogorsk Metallurg last season as the team pursued their first KHL Championship since 2016. That winning mindset will make Grebenkin a name to watch, especially if Toronto chooses to part ways with some of their crowded bottom-six.
- The Washington Capitals have returned minor league centerman Michael Sgarbossa to the AHL’s Hershey Bears just two days after he was recalled to the NHL, per AHL transaction logs. He appeared in 11:25 in ice time and recorded one goal and one assist in Washington’s 8-1 dousing of the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. They were Sgarbossa’s first NHL points since late March of last season, and brought his NHL scoring up to par with the nine points he’s managed in seven AHL games this season. No Capitals player has been involved in more roster moves to start the early season, and it’s likely that another shot at NHL ice time isn’t too far out of reach for the 32-year-old Sgarbossa.
- The Carolina Hurricanes also returned a player to the minors, per transaction logs, sending goaltender Spencer Martin back down after he allowed the Colorado Avalanche to score five goals on 28 shots on Saturday. Martin was recalled to help fill-in for the injured Frederik Andersen, who head coach Rod Brind’Amour dubbed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury on October 31st. Pyotr Kochetkov has taken over starting duties in response, but his .896 save percentage through eight games – and Martin’s poor performance this weekend – could have the team looking for other outlets. Martin currently leads the AHL’s Chicago Wolves in save percentage (.920), well ahead of Ruslan Khazheyev (.898) and Yaniv Perets (.825) despite each playing only a few games
Capitals Make Three Roster Moves
The Capitals have shuffled things up roster-wise in advance of their game tonight against St. Louis. The team announced that they have activated defenseman Jakob Chychrun off injured reserve. Additionally, winger Sonny Milano has been placed on IR while center Michael Sgarbossa has been recalled from AHL Hershey. Washington’s roster now stands at the maximum of 23 players.
Chychrun has missed the last couple of weeks with an upper-body injury but appears poised to return tonight. The 26-year-old is in his first season with the Caps after being acquired on the opening day of free agency from Ottawa and it’s fair to say he has made an early impact. Chychrun has four points in eight games so far this season and was logging over 21 minutes a night before getting injured. A pending unrestricted free agent, Chychrun has helped bolster the left side of Washington’s back end so his return will certainly be a welcome one.
As for Milano, it has been a rough year for him thus far. He played less than six minutes in the season opener and then was scratched for nine straight games before returning to the lineup two games ago. However, he suffered an upper-body injury in his most recent outing, one that will keep him out for the next week at least. He hasn’t recorded a point in his three appearances this season after putting up 15 goals and 23 points in 49 games in 2023-24.
Sgarbossa, meanwhile, has been up and down with Washington in recent days. The 32-year-old has suited up twice with the Capitals this season, averaging a little over eight minutes a night. Meanwhile, with the Bears, he’s off to another strong start, recording a goal and eight assists in seven appearances with them. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Washington continue to shuffle him back and forth between there and Hershey, allowing them to delay his waiver clock in the process.
Poll: Who Will Win The 2025 Jack Adams Award?
Of all of the trophies in hockey, the Jack Adams Award has become the most debated. Meant to award the coach determined to have most contributed to their team’s success, the trophy has instead become a way to award coaches that tally extended win-streaks, resilient comebacks, or unexpected runs to the postseason. Recent winners include Vancouver’s Rick Tocchet, Boston’s Jim Montgomery, and now-replaced Calgary head coach Darryl Sutter. All three kicked off their award-winning year with hot starts in the first two months, making now a great time to check in on this year’s early favorites.
The easy early choice has to be Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel, who’s inspired an incredible 13-1-0 record to start the new year. Arniel was promoted to replace Rick Bowness full-time this summer, after covering for the 800-game pro coach at multiple points last season. The hire was hotly debated at the time, with Jets fans split between whether Arniel’s role as the team’s penalty-kill coach would push slow-paced defense onto a roster that clearly needed to lean into fast-paced offense. But that hasn’t proven a worry on the ice, with Winnipeg’s 63 goals and +11 goal-differential both proudly leading the league. That’s been inspired by the usual suspects playing well – with Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Josh Morrissey rightfully leading the team in scoring. But the depth of production is perhaps the biggest testament to Arniel’s impact. Winnipeg has 10 players with at least 10 points, including Cole Perfetti and Mason Appleton – who both struggled to find their scoring consistency under Bowness. Arniel’s Jets also boast the best power-play in the league (42.1 percent) and a league-average penalty-kill (80 percent success).
Arniel headlines a long list of first-year head coaches finding immediate success. John Hynes has led his Minnesota Wild to a second-place 10-2-2 record, and Sheldon Keefe has made the New Jersey Devils the playoff-favorites that many expected them to be last year. But it’s the mentality shift of Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube that seems to be making the biggest ripples in a new setting. The hard-nosed former pro has led a defensive charge in Toronto, with the team allowing their fewest goals-against per-game since 2020-21 under Berube’s reign. That’s helped along by summer additions like Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but the team as a whole has shifted towards a grittier, dump-and-chase style. The downside of that shift has been Toronto’s drop from averaging 3.63 goals-per-game last year, to just 3.07 this year – though the team has still managed a hardy 8-5-2 record through their first 15 games. Berube may not be inspiring as much as his other first-year peers, but the culture shift he’s instilled could make him a strong Jack Adams candidate if the Leafs find another layer.
There’s also Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery, who won a tight race for the Eastern Conference’s second Wild Card last season. And while Washington didn’t inspire much in the postseason – getting swept by the New York Rangers – they’ve clearly used the appearance as motivation in the new year. Washington is red-hot, sat with a 9-4-0 record and ranked in the top 10 of goals-for, goals-against, and penalty kill percentage. The Capitals’ season is undeniably headlined by Alexander Ovechkin’s chase for Wayne Gretzky‘s scoring record – only 34 goals away! – but Carbery has pulled together a quietly-thriving team in the backdrop. It’s a record more inspired by emerging lineup pillars – like Dylan Strome, Aliaksei Protas, and Connor McMichael – more than being led by individual stars. The Capitals still need to squeeze more out of new additions like Andrew Mangiapane and Pierre-Luc Dubois. A spark in net wouldn’t hurt either. But the momentum that Carbery has built up in his second year has Washington looking much more the part of a strong playoff hopeful than they did last year, even despite an injured blue-line.
The NHL season has hardly begun, but plenty of new and inexperienced head coaches have found their groove right out of the gates. Their momentum could spell out the Jack Adams finalists far ahead of an official announcement, or they could soon be uprooted by settled veterans like Florida’s Paul Maurice, Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour, or Vegas’ Bruce Cassidy. All have started strong, providing plenty of options for who could run away with this year’s Jack Adams Award. Who do you think will keep their hot start going and take home this year’s ‘Coach of the Year’ trophy?
Jakob Chychrun Questionable For Friday, Sonny Milano Out With Upper-Body Injury
After fellow first-year Capital Matt Roy returned to action from a lengthy injury absence on Wednesday, Jakob Chychrun is close to following in his footsteps. Chychrun shed his no-contact designation in practice this morning, per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, who adds that he’s questionable to come off injured reserve for tonight’s game against the Penguins.
Prior to sustaining an upper-body injury against the Rangers last week, Chychrun had two goals and two assists while averaging 21:14 through Washington’s first seven games, around the average level of production we’ve come to expect from him after some wild year-to-year swings.
It’s a big year for Chychrun, who’s in the final season of the six-year, $27.6MM extension he signed with the Coyotes way back in 2018 and will be an unrestricted free agent next July. The Caps surrendered Nick Jensen and a third-round pick to acquire him from the Senators, who held onto him for just over one season after sending a trio of draft picks to Arizona to acquire him at the 2023 trade deadline. He put up 41 points (14 G, 27 A) from Ottawa’s blue line last season in 82 games, his highest offensive totals in three years. He’d been skating in a top-pairing role in Washington alongside John Carlson, controlling 56.1% of expected goals, per MoneyPuck.
While Washington may get Chychrun back, they’ll be without winger Sonny Milano after he sustained an upper-body injury versus the Predators on Wednesday, head coach Spencer Carbery told Gulitti. Before the injury, Milano had been a healthy scratch in all but three Caps games this season. Jakub Vrána will re-enter the lineup in his place after sitting in favor of Milano for the last two games, while they’ll likely recall a forward from AHL Hershey to have a healthy extra for their one-off road game in St. Louis on Saturday.
Here’s more on the Metropolitan:
- Almost nothing has gone right this season for the Penguins, who now sit seventh in the Metro with a 5-8-2 record entering tonight’s rivalry matchup with Washington. It’s the second half of a back-to-back for them – they outshot the Hurricanes last night 36-18 but still lost 5-1. “I thought we had a lot of guys who played really hard and didn’t get rewarded for their efforts,” head coach Mike Sullivan said postgame (via Josh Yohe of The Athletic). “But I think there were a few guys that didn’t live up to the expectations. It’s hard. We need everybody to bring it every night to have a chance to win.” Yohe wrote that he’s “never heard him question the effort of individual players in the manner in which he did after this game.“
- Hurricanes depth defenseman Riley Stillman is “getting close” to being cleared to play after sitting out the first month with a lower-body injury, head coach Rod Brind’Amour told the team’s Walt Ruff. He’ll travel with the club on their upcoming three-game road swing. After spending all of last season in the AHL with the Sabres’ affiliate in Rochester, the 26-year-old inked a two-way deal with the Canes in free agency and could stick around as a seventh defenseman.