Kings Sign Jan Chovan To AHL Tryout
Kings draft pick Jan Chovan will get the chance to make his pro debut with AHL Ontario down the stretch after inking an amateur tryout with the club, per a team announcement Tuesday.
Los Angeles selected Chovan in the sixth round of last year’s draft. The 6’3″ native of Slovakia had spent all of his pre-draft development playing in Finland’s junior circuit but opted to come to North America after his selection, having previously gone 36th overall in the 2024 Canadian Hockey League import draft to the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League.
Chovan’s fall was striking. A versatile playmaker with good size, he had 23 points in 39 junior games last season with Tappara’s under-20 club and added a goal and an assist for the Slovaks in five games at the 2025 World Junior Championship. Most had him tabbed as a third-round pick, even as high as a late second-rounder, with TSN’s Bob McKenzie’s polling of NHL scouts placing him 79th overall at the end of the year. Instead, he fell all the way to 184th overall – more than twice as many picks it was expected to take for him to come off the board.
Early on, it looks like the Kings were wise not to let him fall any further. He wasn’t touted as much of a goal scorer, but had 28 of them in 60 games for Sudbury this season, adding on 27 assists to lead the team in scoring with 55 points. He was one of two Wolves players with multiple goals in the playoffs as Sudbury was swept out of the first round by the Brantford Bulldogs by a combined score of 18-10.
Since Chovan was drafted out of Finland, the Kings don’t have to sign him until June 2029 to avoid losing his signing rights. He also isn’t subject to the NHL’s transfer agreement with the CHL and the Kings could have him play in the AHL full-time next season if they choose, either by signing him to his entry-level contract this offseason and assigning him there during training camp or simply having him sign a minor-league deal while retaining his NHL rights.
Despite that impressive production in a non-conducive offensive environment in Sudbury, Chovan didn’t earn a mention as a top-14 prospect in L.A.’s pool by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic earlier this month. He’ll now be looking to prove he can play a sound two-way game in a brief pro stint.
Lightning Recall Conor Geekie, Jakob Pelletier, Dylan Duke
The Lightning have added forwards Conor Geekie, Jakob Pelletier, and Dylan Duke on recall from AHL Syracuse ahead of tonight’s game against the Senators, Erik Erlendsson of Lightning Insider reports. They’ve reassigned winger Mitchell Chaffee to Syracuse in a corresponding move, Erlendsson adds.
All the roster shuffling comes on the heels of the Bolts’ banged-up forward corps sustaining another injury last night against the Sabres. Pontus Holmberg was checked into the penalty box door as the attendant was opening it for Buffalo’s Zach Benson to return to play in the third period after his roughing penalty had expired. He sustained an apparent left shoulder/upper arm injury on the play and was seen in a sling postgame, per John Wawrow of the Associated Press.
There’s no timeline for his return yet, although it stands to reason Holmberg will be unavailable tonight. With Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel already sidelined with short-term issues, the trio of recalls plus Chaffee’s demotion leaves them with an extra healthy forward.
Geekie sees his second recall of the season as Tampa looks to remain narrowly ahead of the Sabres and Canadiens for the Atlantic Division crown. The 2022 11th overall pick was acquired from Utah in the Mikhail Sergachev trade in 2024 and remains the Bolts’ top prospect. He’s still scratching the surface at the NHL level, but has been a dominant two-way piece throughout his junior and now minor-league career. This year, he’s lighting it up with a 17-42–59 scoring line in 56 AHL games, along with a +13 rating that ranks sixth on the team.
Geekie’s only other recall this season, aside from his brief stint on the roster after making it on opening night, came in early March when Dominic James went down with a leg injury that required surgery. He headed back to Syracuse 11 days later once Nick Paul was ready to come off injured reserve. He managed one assist in five games, bringing his season total up to two and 11, respectively. Even with so many mounting injuries, don’t expect head coach Jon Cooper to use Geekie in high-leverage situations. He hasn’t shown a willingness to recently, averaging only 12:20 of ice time per game last year and just 9:51 this season.
As for Pelletier, the 25-year-old signed one of the more unusual contracts of the 2025 offseason. He agreed to a three-year, league-minimum deal with Tampa after being non-tendered by the Flyers, who had acquired him just months earlier from the Flames in the Morgan Frost/Joel Farabee deal. The 2019 first-round pick is technically on a two-way deal this year before converting to a one-way pact for 2026-27 and 2027-28, but he still has enough pro experience to require waivers.
Pelletier cleared without incident in the preseason, and a handful of teams are likely regretting not putting in a claim. With 28 goals and 75 points in 61 games for Syracuse, he’s well set up to take home the AHL’s scoring crown. It’ll be the second time he’s hit over a point per game in the AHL and has brought his career average there up to 1.03.
Perhaps the most quintessential example of a ‘AAAA’ player in hockey, he still hasn’t managed to latch onto a full-time NHL job. Over the past four seasons, he has a respectable 11 goals and 29 points in 88 games while averaging a shade under 12 minutes per night. His 5’10”, 172-lb frame doesn’t lend him toward being a bottom-six checking threat, though, and his 1.26 career shots on goal per game are low for a player who’s made such a living putting up points in the AHL.
He may get another look tonight as the Bolts face a decision on whether or not to expose him to waivers again in the fall. He could be a natural low-cost replacement for pending UFA Oliver Bjorkstrand, who has essentially transitioned into a power-play specialist for Tampa this season.
Not to be overlooked is Duke, the Bolts’ fourth-round pick in 2021. The former Michigan standout has now had a pair of productive seasons to begin his pro career in Syracuse, upping his production to 31 goals and 55 points in 67 outings this season. This is his first recall of the year, but he did score a goal across a pair of games in his NHL debut late last season.
Given his lack of experience, though, he’s the likeliest candidate to sit in the press box tonight if the Bolts end up having a healthy extra to spare. Their clash with the Senators has a 31-point swing on their chances of finishing first in the division, while it’s got a 29% swing on Ottawa’s playoff hopes. A win for Tampa would move their Atlantic title chances up to 73%, a win for the Senators boosts their playoff odds to 85%, per MoneyPuck.
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Canadiens’ Kirby Dach, Alexandre Texier Cleared To Play
The Canadiens will be able to get forwards Kirby Dach and Alexandre Texier back into the lineup down the stretch if they so choose, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports. Both were given final clearance Tuesday morning and could dress as soon as tonight against the Panthers.
Dach has been out since March 15, sustaining an upper-body injury on a hit from Ducks winger Jeffrey Viel that night. He was given a two- to four-week return timeline, so his reincorporation is right on schedule. Since there’s no roster limit after the trade deadline, there was never a need to place him on injured reserve.
Injury-plagued seasons are nothing new for Dach, who’s hit the 60-game mark just twice in his seven-year career. The 25-year-old has been limited again this season to 32 appearances, missing two months with a foot fracture earlier in the year. When dressed, he’s taken a step forward from last year’s woeful performance with an 8-6–14 scoring line and an even rating. He’s yet to reach the heights of his 14-goal, 38-point debut season with Montreal in 58 games in 2022-23, though. He tore his MCL and ACL in his right knee early in the following season and hasn’t been as effective ever since.
Now 25, the Habs will appreciate Dach’s versatility. The 6’4″, 221-lb center is comfortable on the wing as well and can play virtually anywhere in Montreal’s top nine. His defensive impacts this season are middling, logging a 48.7% Corsi share and a 49.7% expected goals share to rank around the team median in both.
Texier, 26, hasn’t played since March 24. He’s missed the last seven with a lower-body issue. Before that, he proved to be a valuable plug-and-play option. He’s been healthy scratched for stretches this season, but has eight goals and 19 points in 38 games for the Habs since signing with Montreal in November following his release from the Blues. His 0.50 points per game are tied with Mike Matheson for eighth on the team.
The Habs have already clinched a playoff berth but are still fighting to see if they can eke out home-ice advantage in the first round. The Sabres’ win over the Lightning last night put them back over Montreal for second place in the Atlantic. Montreal is two points back of both the Lightning and Sabres, who are tied for the division crown, but Tampa sits in first on points percentage with one game in hand on Buffalo. With five games left on the schedule, the Habs also have a game in hand on the Sabres that they’ll look to use to their advantage tonight against the lottery-bound Panthers.
Maple Leafs Recall Luke Haymes
The Maple Leafs announced that they’ve recalled forward Luke Haymes from AHL Toronto on an emergency basis. The 22-year-old could be an option to make his NHL debut tomorrow against the Capitals.
Toronto signed Haymes as an undrafted free agent out of Dartmouth College this time last year. At the time, the Ottawa native was coming off a standout run over his sophomore and junior seasons that saw him accumulate 30 goals and 54 points in 53 games for the Big Green, taking home ECAC First Team All-Star honors in 2023-24.
Haymes joined the AHL club on an amateur tryout to end last season before his entry-level contract kicked in this year. He immediately made an impact with two goals and six points in nine games. That production has carried over in 2025-26, where he’s had a strong enough rookie campaign with a 17-15–32 line in 63 games with a -6 rating.
Haymes sits sixth on the club in scoring and remains under contract through next year at a cap hit of $875K. He’ll be waiver-exempt until 2028-29 unless he plays 70 NHL contests before then. An opening-night job in the fall is unlikely, but he’s tracking toward being a depth contributor with some real mid-season call-up potential. He’ll get an initial look now with five games left in the Leafs’ season, their first without playoff hockey since 2016.
The 6’1″, 203-lb Haymes can play both center and left wing and checks in as the #10 prospect in the Maple Leafs’ system according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. Wheeler touts him as a “solid, trustworthy player” who “makes good decisions around the ice, knows how to support play on both sides of the puck, has a pro build and average pro tools, and fits the play-the-right-way focus of the current Leafs brass and coaching staff.”
Penguins Recall Sergei Murashov
The Penguins announced Tuesday that they’ve formalized goaltender Sergei Murashov‘s recall from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Fellow netminder Taylor Gauthier was returned to ECHL Wheeling in the corresponding move after he was called up at the last minute to serve as Arturs Silovs‘ backup for Sunday’s win over the Panthers.
Murashov’s recall indicates that Stuart Skinner will remain unavailable as the Penguins return to action against the Devils on Thursday. He took a puck to the eye while on the bench backing up Silovs during the first half of Pittsburgh’s weekend back-to-back with Florida, forcing the latter to make two starts within 24 hours. They weren’t able to get Murashov to Pittsburgh in time for puck drop for Sunday’s game, forcing Gauthier to get the nod, but they will now work their third-stringer and top prospect between the pipes back into an NHL role before Skinner is ready to return.
Murashov, 22, was a fourth-round pick in 2022 but is tracking more like a first-rounder. The 6’2″ Russian has posted spectacular numbers at every level in Russia and now the North American minors as he climbs the latter, fully taking over as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s #1 option this season. In 35 AHL games, he has a .922 SV%, 2.13 GAA, three shutouts, and a 23-8-3 record. He got his first five NHL appearances over a pair of recalls in November and December, logging a more measured .897 SV% and 2.56 GAA. He still managed to record his first big-league shutout, a 21-save win over the Predators back on Nov. 16.
Skinner will almost certainly be Pittsburgh’s Game 1 starter in the first round later this month if he’s healthy. They haven’t quite clinched a playoff berth yet, but need just one more win to do so and could get some outside help before that’s necessary. As such, there likely won’t be much consideration of resting Silovs to keep him fresh for the postseason. There’s still home-ice advantage on the line. They do have a back-to-back this weekend against the Capitals, though, so it stands to reason Murashov should get one of those starts if Skinner isn’t back by then.
Meanwhile, Gauthier could be back up in a few weeks’ time to serve as Pittsburgh’s emergency backup in the playoffs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has clinched an AHL postseason berth, and the Penguins would certainly prefer Murashov getting high-intensity action there. Gauthier, 25, was on a minor-league deal for most of the season after Pittsburgh non-tendered him last year, but they brought him back on a two-way deal at the trade deadline to make him eligible for a recall. In 33 games with Wheeling, he’s looking to take home his second career ECHL Goalie of the Year award with a .932 SV%, 2.00 GAA, and 20-7-5 record.
Philipp Grubauer Leaves Start With Lower-Body Injury
The Kraken’s already slim playoff hopes were effectively dealt a death blow with last night’s 6-2 loss to the Jets. Now 1-7-2 in their last 10 games, the loss came with additional bad news as the team announced Philipp Grubauer‘s departure from the game in the second period was due to a lower-body injury, not a standard pull.
It may not have been anything more than a minor strain, considering his reason for leaving wasn’t immediately obvious. He departed the game roughly 1:10 after allowing a Kyle Connor power play one-timer that extended Winnipeg’s lead to 3-1.
Nonetheless, with six games left in Seattle’s season, it’ll be a year-ender for Grubauer if it’s anything serious. The Kraken aren’t mathematically eliminated from playoff contention yet, but would virtually need to win out in order to secure a playoff berth, along with the Kings failing to get five of 10 remaining points and the four other teams ahead of them – the Predators, Sharks, Jets, and Blues – all failing to gain significant ground.
If so, it’ll be a quiet end to what was a resurgent season in a lighter workload for Grubauer. The 34-year-old was arguably Seattle’s biggest free agent splash prior to its inaugural season, signing a six-year, $35.4MM contract in 2021 to serve as the team’s first starting netminder. At the time, he was coming off a third-place Vezina finish with the Avalanche and had posted a .918 SV% and 2.38 GAA in 113 games across three seasons as Colorado’s starter/1A option.
As Grubauer began to see 50-plus games a year for the first time in Seattle, his numbers immediately suffered. He was arguably the worst starter in the league from the drop, recording a .889 SV% and 3.16 GAA in 55 showings to allow 33.7 goals above expected behind an otherwise strong first-year Kraken defense, per MoneyPuck.
That string of sub-.900 save percentages continued over the next several years, while Grubauer consistently remained below-average in advanced stats like GSAx. By year three, he had lost the starting job to up-and-comer Joey Daccord and was even placed on waivers last season. Seattle’s lack of confidence in Grubauer was clear last summer when, after being unable to shed his contract, they opted to sign veteran Matt Murray as a high-cost third-string option to a one-year, $1MM deal and start the year carrying three netminders.
Daccord has remained Seattle’s clear-cut #1 in terms of usage, but Grubauer has done more than enough this season to re-establish himself as an NHL-capable backup heading into the final year of his contract. In 27 starts and four relief appearances, he’s compiled a 13-11-4 record with a .910 SV% and 2.59 GAA. Not only are those numbers better than Daccord’s, but he ranks 11th in the league in save percentage (min. 20 games played) and leads Seattle with 5.7 goals saved above expected, his best figure since his Cup-winning season as Braden Holtby‘s backup in Washington in 2017-18.
If Grubauer can’t return in the next week-plus, look for Murray to get at least one more start to close out his season. The veteran hasn’t dressed since Nov. 15 due to a lower-body injury, but was activated from injured reserve back on March 10, so he’s available.
Anaheim Ducks Reassign Nathan Gaucher
According to a team announcement, the Anaheim Ducks have reassigned forward Nathan Gaucher to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. That leaves the Ducks with 11 healthy forwards for tomorrow’s contest against the Nashville Predators.
Consequently, that means another roster move is expected. Anaheim will recall Gaucher for tomorrow’s contest, recall someone else, or welcome back Ross Johnston. Johnston was given a three-to-four week recovery timeline when he was initially injured on March 18th. If he enjoys the early end of that recovery timeline, that would place his return on April 8th, just two days away.
Still, if Johnston isn’t available, the Ducks could recall Gaucher tomorrow on an emergency basis relatively easily. An emergency recall means that Gaucher won’t have to play in AHL San Diego’s game tomorrow to be eligible for recall.
Gaucher, 22, has been called up two separate times over the last little while. The former 22nd overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft made his debut during those recalls, but is still looking for his first point. Regardless, he’s made his physical presence known early, collecting six hits in three games.
Although he may be on the playoff roster, it’s unlikely that Gaucher will get too much postseason playing time unless the team runs into more injuries. Jansen Harkins and Johnston are expected to return before the postseason, while Cutter Gauthier is believed to be day-to-day.
Minnesota Wild Sign Charlie Stramel
According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Minnesota Wild have signed collegiate prospect Charlie Stramel to his entry-level contract. The Wild later confirmed the news.
In Russo’s report, he indicated that it would be a three-year, $3.225MM ($1.075MM AAV) deal for Stramel, including schedule ‘A’ bonuses. Expectedly, Stramel’s deal won’t start until the 2026-27 season, and he’s not expected to play for the rest of this season.
The reason he isn’t expected to play is that Stramel broke his ankle in Michigan State University’s last game of the season against the University of Wisconsin. He blocked a shot early in the postseason contest and was removed from the game entirely before Wisconsin made its magical run at the end of the contest.
Still, it was clear that the Wild would want to sign him regardless. Stramel was scheduled to become a collegiate free agent this summer if he hadn’t signed his entry-level contract with Minnesota. Given his emergence as a legitimate top-six forward this season, it became highly unlikely that Minnesota was going to let him go for nothing.
Few would have expected this breakout just a few years ago. Throughout Stramel’s first two seasons in the NCAA, then with Wisconsin, he amassed eight goals and 20 points in 67 contests. Since transferring to Michigan State ahead of his junior season, Stramel has registered 28 goals and 71 points in 74 games.
It became clear quickly that Stramel responded well to Adam Nightingale‘s system, and the two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year was able to extract the most out of him. Given that the Wild are expecting several forwards to leave this summer via free agency, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see Stramel crack the opening night roster next season.
Outside of his raw production, Stramel plays a very mature game. He excels in tight quarters with a knack for winning battles in the small areas. He’s a very efficient give-and-go player, which should only help him excel next to some of Minnesota’s other top forwards.
Jets Activate Nino Niederreiter, Reassign Parker Ford
8:30 p.m.: The Jets made Niederreiter’s activation official via a team announcement. Additionally, the team has reassigned depth forward Parker Ford to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose in a corresponding roster move.
10:49 a.m.: Jets winger Nino Niederreiter is set to come off injured reserve to play in Monday’s game against the Kraken, Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press reports. They’ll also be getting center Vladislav Namestnikov back after he missed more than a month with a lower-body injury. However, he never hit IR prior to the roster limit being lifted at the trade deadline. It’s two steps forward, one step back, though, as head coach Scott Arniel told reporters that center Morgan Barron is now week-to-week with the lower-body injury he sustained Saturday against the Blue Jackets.
Niederreiter has not played since suiting up for Switzerland at the Olympics. He sustained a lower-body injury at some point during the tournament and required surgery upon returning to Winnipeg, which kept him out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis. After 20 games sidelined, he gets a chance to contribute – albeit in a limited role – as Winnipeg aims to hold onto its slim playoff hopes. He’ll be skating as the team’s fourth line left wing with Namestnikov and Brad Lambert.
A top-nine fixture for the vast majority of his 15-year NHL career, Niederreiter has had a tough go of things in 2025-26. That’s been the case for virtually every Jet outside their top line and Josh Morrissey, indicative of their offensive production tumbling from 3.35 goals per game last year to just 2.80 this season. His 8-11–19 scoring line in 55 outings works out to 0.35 points per game, his worst output since managing just one point in 55 games during his rookie season for the Islanders way back in 2011-12.
The 33-year-old, who had turned into a strong checking piece after playing a less physical two-way game earlier in his career, has also laid off the hits this year as his ice time dips below 14 minutes per game. He’s still returning to his usual spot on the second power play unit but has seen all of six seconds of shorthanded ice time this season. He has another year left on his contract at a $4MM cap hit to prove he can still be an effective piece heading into free agency in 2027.
Namestnikov managed to play in Winnipeg’s first game after the Olympic break but sustained a lower-body injury in his next game and has been sidelined since. Like Niederreiter, the 33-year-old has taken a tumble down the depth chart this year with captain Adam Lowry moving up to center the Jets’ second line behind Mark Scheifele. After back-to-back 30-point years for the Jets, Namestnikov has only produced seven goals and 13 points with a -11 rating in 57 outings while winning just 39.8% of his draws.
Losing Barron means losing one of the few Jets who’s taken a real step forward this season. Through 65 games, the 6’4″ pivot has a career-best 11 goals and 23 points with a +5 rating that sits fifth on the team. That’s a considerable depth loss as their playoff odds could jump back up to 10% with a win against Seattle, but drop below 5% with a loss.