Flames Recall Matvei Gridin
The Flames announced they’ve recalled winger Matvei Gridin from AHL Calgary. With only 11 forwards on their active roster, including the injured Jonathan Huberdeau, it stands to reason he’ll be sticking with the team out of the break, not just for practice purposes this week.
Gridin, still just 19, was the Flames’ second first-round choice in 2024, going 28th overall after they selected defenseman Zayne Parekh ninth overall. Prospect evaluators were split on the pick. He entered the season as Calgary’s No. 10 prospect according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic, but was ranked as high as No. 4 – the second-best forward prospect in the system behind last year’s first-rounder Cole Reschny – by NHL.com.
The difference in projection lies in Gridin’s all-around game. The 6’1″, 190-lb winger’s skill is undeniable, but there were concerns that his offensive game relies too much on perimeter play and he lacks the physicality necessary to create quality scoring chances for himself at the NHL level. After playing in the USHL during his pre-draft season, he moved to a slightly more competitive junior league, the QMJHL, for his post-draft season. Gridin scored 36 goals and 79 points in 56 games for the Shawinigan Cataractes, ranking fifth in the league in points per game (1.41) while being named the league’s rookie of the year.
The Flames saw a more NHL-ready talent in Gridin than some scouts did. He turned a strong training camp into a spot on Calgary’s opening night roster, scoring in the season opener but otherwise going pointless with a -3 rating in four games before the Flames assigned him to the AHL. He was recalled again in mid-January, appearing in nine consecutive games before the break, before Calgary sent him back down to continue playing during the Olympics.
All told, it’s been a smooth transition to pro hockey for the Russian. He was productive on his second call-up and now has three goals and six points through his first 13 NHL appearances. Averaging 14:05 per game, his 0.46 points per game are already good for eighth place on an offensively woeful Flames team. With Huberdeau done for the year thanks to hip surgery, there will be even more opportunity for Gridin to tamp down a top-nine role heading into next season.
Things went similarly well for Gridin in the AHL. He’s scored 10 goals and 29 points in 36 games, including a +1 rating on an offensively dynamic but defensively porous Wranglers squad.
Blackhawks Recall Kevin Korchinski, Sam Rinzel
The Blackhawks announced Wednesday that they’ve recalled defense prospects Kevin Korchinski and Sam Rinzel from AHL Rockford. Defenseman Wyatt Kaiser was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 4 in the corresponding move.
Chicago doesn’t have any defensemen in Italy suiting up at the Olympics, so it’s likely these recalls will result in actual playing time for the two youngsters. Korchinski, the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft, especially stands to benefit as a lefty, more directly replacing Kaiser’s slot on the depth chart. Since recording 15 points in 76 games for the Hawks as a rookie in 2023-24, Chicago has been much more restrictive with his development, leaving him mostly in the AHL to work on developing his all-around game.
His minor-league stats indicate the Hawks are still working to undo any damage they may have done by rushing him into the NHL lineup as a 19-year-old two years ago. He’s posted a respectable 5-45–50 scoring line in 101 games for Rockford over the last two years but that’s come with a -39 rating, including a team-worst -22 mark this year. He nonetheless leads Rockford in scoring from the blue line with 23 points in 45 games. For a Chicago blue line that’s struggled to get offense from anyone not named Artyom Levshunov this year, he could be of benefit to their 26th-ranked offense until Kaiser is ready to get back into the fold.
Rinzel, taken several spots after Korchinski in the first round in 2022, broke camp with the Hawks after a strong finish last season that saw him record five assists in his first nine NHL games after wrapping up his sophomore year at the University of Minnesota. Ice time was harder to latch onto as a full-timer, though, averaging 17:09 per game through the first two months of this year after getting top-pairing deployment down the stretch in 2024-25.
After Rinzel had an even rating and nine points in 31 games, Chicago opted to send Rinzel to Rockford in early December for additional development. The well-rounded righty has looked solid there, rattling off 14 points in 23 games with a -8 rating on a team with an ugly -30 goal differential.
He’s now one of four righties on the Hawks’ active roster, so the path to playing time is murkier than what Korchinski has at the moment. Head coach Jeff Blashill has opted to dress seven defensemen frequently this season, though, so he should have a decent shot at getting in the lineup, even if his ice time isn’t extensive.
Kaiser sustained a lower-body injury in Chicago’s final game before the Olympic break. Head coach Jeff Blashill said yesterday that he’ll miss a couple of games on the other side but will be back at some point down the stretch.
Lightning’s Maxwell Crozier Out For Regular Season
Lightning defenseman Maxwell Crozier underwent surgery to repair a core muscle injury during the Olympic break, the team announced Wednesday. He’ll be out for approximately 10 weeks, putting his projected return date in late April – after the end of the regular season. He hasn’t yet been placed on injured reserve or long-term injured reserve, but will presumably land there closer to when the Bolts get back into game action on Feb. 25.
The 25-year-old Crozier has been out for a multi-game stretch several times this season. The 2019 fourth-round pick has worked his way into a full-time role with all the injuries on Tampa’s blue line this season, but he’s also lost 19 games to undisclosed injuries and illness. Whether or not his core muscle is what’s been plaguing him since first exiting the lineup in mid-October remains to be seen, but in any event, he won’t be an option for the Bolts again until late in a potential first-round playoff matchup.
Crozier has emerged as a valuable bottom-pairing piece, especially with how much the Bolts have had to rely on their defensive depth. In a career-high 34 appearances, he’s logged a goal and nine assists for 10 points with strong possession control numbers at even strength, including a 53.7 CF% and a 53.4 xGF%. It’s his third straight year seeing NHL ice, logging 13 appearances in 2023-24 and another five last year. The righty has good size at 6’3″ and 204 lbs and has averaged 16 minutes per night.
With the Bolts’ hot streak leading into the deadline giving them a 92% chance of taking home the Atlantic Division crown (per MoneyPuck), Crozier’s absence isn’t an insurmountable obstacle by any stretch. Still, with Charle-Edouard D’Astous and Emil Martinsen Lilleberg both questionable to be ready coming out of the break, they’ll be down another depth option if injury-prone veterans Victor Hedman or Ryan McDonagh end up needing another IR stint.
It’s worth noting the Bolts do have the fourth-most difficult remaining schedule, according to Tankathon. Missing Crozier for the stretch run could up the urgency for general manager Julien BriseBois to pursue a depth addition at the deadline to help fill Crozier’s role as a No. 6/7 option.
Paul Coffey Rejoining Oilers Coaching Staff
After transitioning from a bench role to an advisory position last summer, Paul Coffey is returning to his job as an assistant coach under Kris Knoblauch for the remainder of the season, the Oilers announced Wednesday.
Coffey hasn’t been particularly active in off-ice roles since ending his playing career in 2001, but he has been recently. He first rejoined the franchise where he won three Stanley Cups as a skills coach in January 2018. He remained in that post for just a season and a half before eventually becoming a senior advisor ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. When the Oilers replaced Woodcroft with Knoblauch as head coach early in the 2023-24 campaign, Coffey was added to the bench as an assistant overseeing Edmonton’s defense as part of the reconstruction.
The Hall-of-Famer ended up being a key part of revitalizing the effectiveness of the Oilers’ depth defense en route to back-to-back Cup Final appearances. Without him on the bench this season, their team structure has collapsed. Last season, the Oilers were ninth in the league in xGA/60 at 5-on-5 at 2.29, per MoneyPuck. This year, that number has jumped to 2.54 – all the way down to 24th.
As the Oilers look to hang on to a divisional berth in the Pacific down the stretch, they’re hoping to get a defensive boost from Coffey in the process. They never replaced his spot on the staff after he transitioned out, so they’ve only been operating with two assistants this year.
Flyers Recall Oliver Bonk, Hunter McDonald
The Flyers have recalled defensemen Oliver Bonk and Hunter McDonald from AHL Lehigh Valley as expected, per a team announcement. They’ll get some practice reps in while Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen are still representing their countries at the Olympics.
While Bonk likely won’t be sticking around past the next week, it’s still a nice reward for Philly’s top-ranked defense prospect. Viewed as the only future top-four piece in their pipeline, the 21-year-old has had a trying first professional season. An upper-body injury sustained during rookie camp kept him out of the lineup until December. Since returning, he’s had two goals and six points with a -5 rating in 22 games for Lehigh Valley.
Bonk was the 22nd overall selection in 2023. He’s a two-time OHL champion with the London Knights and recorded 150 points in 189 career junior games with a +88 rating across four seasons. The early lack of offensive production in the AHL likely isn’t too concerning for the Flyers, who drafted the right-shot Bonk as more of a defensive-oriented two-way piece, but they’ll look to continue to grow his defensive game in the minors until likely giving him a more extended look on the roster in either 2026-27 or 2027-28.
McDonald, also a shutdown-type piece, got a brief recall in January while Rasmus Ristolainen was sidelined, but was scratched in three games before being returned to Lehigh Valley. The 23-year-old 6’4″ lefty has five assists and a +9 rating in 40 games for the Phantoms this year.
Wild Recall Boris Katchouk, Ben Gleason, Matt Kiersted
The Wild announced they’ve recalled forward Boris Katchouk and defensemen Ben Gleason and Matt Kiersted from AHL Iowa. All will likely be on their way back to Iowa once Minnesota’s Olympians return stateside.
Katchouk started the season with the Lightning, kicking off his second stint with the team that drafted him 44th overall in 2016 by signing a two-way deal in free agency. All three of his NHL appearances this season – his first in two years – came in a Tampa sweater back in November. He went pointless while averaging 12:11 of ice time per game, going 7-for-19 (36.8%) on faceoffs.
After being returned to the minors, Katchouk remained in the Bolts organization for a month before being sent to the Wild in exchange for Michael Milne shortly after Christmas. The Wild were looking to jumpstart their AHL affiliate’s hapless offense with Katchouk’s veteran presence and 179 games of NHL experience, but it hasn’t worked out that way. An injury kept Katchouk out of the lineup for nearly a month in January, and he’s been limited to a goal and an assist in five games for Iowa as a result.
Gleason and Kiersted are also in their first years in the organization, although both of them arrived in free agency last summer rather than via trade. Gleason, 28 next month, hasn’t played in the NHL since his four-game debut with the Stars in 2018-19 but has been a desirable minor-league asset for the past eight years thanks to his steady two-way game. The cousin of longtime Hurricanes rearguard Tim Gleason has one goal and 17 points with a -16 rating in 44 outings for Iowa, tied for sixth on the team in scoring and second among blue-liners.
Kiersted is the only one of the group to see NHL time for the Wild this season. He’s suited up four times as an injury fill-in, posting one assist and a -1 rating with five blocks while averaging 13:42 of ice time per game. The Minnesota native hasn’t had much of an offensive impact on the farm, though, only notching six points and a -7 rating through 31 games.
Bruins Recall Michael DiPietro
The Bruins announced Wednesday that they’ve recalled goaltender Michael DiPietro from AHL Providence on an emergency basis. He’ll serve as Boston’s lone NHL-contracted practice netminder for the time being, as Jeremy Swayman (USA) and Joonas Korpisalo (Finland) are still representing their respective countries at the Olympics.
Back during training camp, there was concern DiPietro wouldn’t make it through waivers on his way to Providence. The 26-year-old had emerged as one of the AHL’s top netminders over the previous two seasons, including a .927 SV% in 40 games last year that earned him the Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the league’s best goaltender.
He’s well on his way to taking home that hardware for a second straight season. In 28 appearances for the P-Bruins, he’s put up a downright ridiculous .942 SV% and 1.64 GAA with a 21-5-0 record – but somehow only has one shutout to his name. Nonetheless, he has a 12-point lead in save percentage on the second-place netminder with at least 20 appearances.
He’s signed through next season at a $812,500 cap hit, giving the Bruins almost no choice but to work with Korpisalo’s 10-team no-trade list and find a new home for the veteran backup this summer. If they can’t, they’d essentially be forced into trading DiPietro to avoid the near certainty of losing him for nothing on waivers next October.
Devils Recall Four Players
Feb. 18: The Devils made Hameenaho’s and White’s recalls official today. They also summoned defenseman Dennis Cholowski and goaltender Jakub Malek from AHL Utica to serve as extra practice players while they await the return of their Olympians.
Feb. 13: The Devils will recall forward Lenni Hameenaho and defenseman Colton White back to the NHL roster after the Olympic break, per James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now. As things stand, they won’t need to make any corresponding moves.
Hameenaho, 21, appeared in the first nine games of his NHL career in the weeks leading up to the break. The early returns were strong for the 2023 second-round pick. He notched two goals and four points with a +1 rating. The right-winger played his natural position, usually on a line with Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass. That trio controlled a dominant 75% of expected goals at 5-on-5, per MoneyPuck. It’s easy to see why New Jersey wants to squeeze as much momentum as they can out of that group when league play reconvenes later this month.
Hameenaho’s adjustment to the NHL game is a great sign that a rough campaign for the club’s AHL affiliate in Utica hasn’t steered him too far off his development path. The 6’1″ Finn has a 9-13–22 scoring line and a -13 rating through 34 minor-league games, a figure that improbably leads the team in scoring.
He made his offensive ceiling evident with a pair of spectacular post-draft campaigns in his home country for Ässät. In 2024-25, he erupted for 20 goals and 51 points in 58 Liiga games to lead under-20 players in scoring.
Now, as one of New Jersey’s brightest prospects, he appears set to finish out the season in a top-nine role. While playoffs are essentially out of the question, a strong finish should position him well to crack the opening night roster next fall.
White, 28, has spent most of his pro career in the minors but has been a pleasant surprise as a call-up option when needed this season. Injuries have forced the lefty in 23 appearances, in which he’s recorded four assists and a +2 rating. They’re his first games at the top level since suiting up a career-high 46 times for the Ducks in 2022-23.
A stay-at-home specialist, White is averaging just 12:15 of ice time per game but has been a no-fuss option in bottom-pairing minutes. He’s controlled 47.7% of shot attempts and 53.9% of expected goals at even strength, so he’s done a good job of helping the Devils control quality scoring chances against lesser competition.
Penguins Assign Filip Hallander On Conditioning Loan
The Penguins announced Wednesday that they’ve assigned forward Filip Hallander to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning loan. Since Hållander is on standard injured reserve and not long-term injured reserve, the loan can last for up to two weeks for him to get back into game shape.
Hallander’s return to the ice comes more than three months after the 25-year-old was diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg. He was ruled out for at least three months at the time, so his pending return to game action in the minors roughly comes on schedule.
Hallander participated in NHL practice yesterday after the Penguins were eligible to reconvene, so it stands to reason his time in the AHL should be more game-focused than practice-focused since he’s already got one under his belt. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has three games on the schedule before Pittsburgh makes its post-Olympic debut on Feb. 26. One of them is against Springfield tonight, meaning Hallander is more likely to suit up at least once during their back-to-back against Bridgeport this weekend.
A second-round pick back in 2018, Hallander is already in his third stint in the Pittsburgh organization. He was traded to the Maple Leafs in 2020 for Kasperi Kapanen, only to be re-acquired the following summer in the Jared McCann deal. He then opted to return to Timrå IK in his native Sweden following the 2022-23 campaign, but the Pens retained his signing rights with a qualifying offer. After Hallander was named the SHL’s Forward of the Year in 2024-25, he activated the NHL out-clause in his deal with Timrå and returned to Pittsburgh on a two-year, league-minimum contract.
Hallander made Pittsburgh’s opening night roster and, after being a healthy scratch on opening night, got into 13 straight games before the blood clot took him out of the lineup. He recorded the first four points of his NHL career – a goal and three assists – with a +4 rating while averaging 13:09 of ice time per game. He slotted in at left wing up and down the lineup, as high as first-line duties with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust and as low as fourth-line reps with Blake Lizotte and Connor Dewar.
The rookie had decent even-strength possession impacts and averaged about a minute per game on the penalty kill, but with Pittsburgh’s forward group fully healthy coming out of the break, it’s hard to see where he fits into the lineup. Egor Chinakhov was acquired from the Blue Jackets while Hallander was out and, with 12 points in 18 games, has solidified his spot alongside countryman Evgeni Malkin on the second line. Veteran Noel Acciari slots in with Lizotte and Dewar, and that trio has some of the best defensive metrics in the league. In all likelihood, he’ll serve as a versatile plug-and-play extra for the stretch run while allowing prospects like Avery Hayes and Rutger McGroarty more seasoning in the AHL.
Maple Leafs Recall William Villeneuve
The Maple Leafs announced they’ve recalled defenseman William Villeneuve from AHL Toronto. He’ll give the Leafs an extra defenseman at practices for the time being while they await Oliver Ekman-Larsson‘s return from representing Sweden at the Olympics.
Villeneuve hasn’t gotten a recall yet this season. Some have questioned that decision given the lack of puck-moving ability on Toronto’s blue line outside of Ekman-Larsson and Morgan Rielly. The 23-year-old was a fourth-round pick in 2020 and is now in his fourth pro season.
Last year marked a breakout for the 6’2″ righty. After a pair of decent showings lower in the Marlies’ lineup, he had his minutes elevated and exploded for 36 assists and 40 points in 55 games, leading the team’s defense in scoring along with a team-high +17 rating. His stock has tanked in 2025-26, though. With 18 points in 40 games, he’s on pace for the worst offensive performance of his professional career and has flipped to a team-worst -8 rating. His drop-off is part of a larger decline from the Marlies’ roster, though – he still leads their blue line in scoring.
His NHL-ready size and longer body of two-way success in the AHL still has him ranked as Toronto’s No. 5 prospect and No. 2-ranked defenseman, Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun opined earlier this month. A pending restricted free agent, he’s a clear bet to receive a qualifying offer for the second year in a row and could be in line for his NHL debut down the stretch if Toronto sells off a defender or two ahead of the trade deadline.