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Five Key Stories: 2/17/25 – 2/23/25

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The 4 Nations Face-Off is in the books with Canada defeating the United States in a 3-2 overtime thriller and the stretch run is underway.  We didn’t see any activity on the trade front but there was still plenty of notable news across the league which is highlighted in our key stories.

Battered Boston Blueline: This was not a good week on the injury front for Boston’s back end.  Top defenseman Charlie McAvoy sustained an upper-body injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off, one that was revealed when he was examined by Bruins team doctors.  He sustained an infection and ultimately underwent surgery to remove it and is now listed as out week-to-week.  Meanwhile, rearguard Hampus Lindholm (who is second on the team in ATOI behind McAvoy) likely will not return this season.  He has undergone surgery to repair a fractured patella tendon and hasn’t played since mid-November.  Boston is already on the outside looking in at a playoff spot and they’ll be hard-pressed to stay in the mix while missing their top two blueliners.

More Expansion Options: It feels like only a matter of time before the NHL expands past its current 32 teams.  Over the years, we generally see the same speculated cities in the mix, Kansas City, Houston, or returns to Atlanta and now Phoenix.  But another city has emerged as representatives from a prospective ownership group in New Orleans met with the league.  At this point, discussions were almost certainly on the preliminary side as at this point, a formal expansion process hasn’t been started yet.  New Orleans doesn’t have a long history with hockey with the only team in the city being the ECHL’s Brass from 1997-98 to 2001-02.

Five For Lankinen: Kevin Lankinen was a late signee this offseason, inking a one-year, $875K contract to serve as injury insurance for Thatcher Demko.  Instead, the 29-year-old has taken over the number one job and even became the starter for Finland at the 4 Nations.  He was rewarded for his efforts with a five-year, $22.5MM extension, one that increases his current cap charge by more than 500% while also securing him more trade protection.  With Demko back on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, Lankinen will be counted on to help keep them in the playoff picture and with there being some concerns about Demko’s long-term health given the knee issue he dealt with earlier in the season, Lankinen at a minimum will continue to serve as injury insurance for 2025-26, just as a much more expensive option.

Jones Open To A Trade: Seth Jones initially joined a Chicago team that was hoping to be a playoff contender.  Instead, the team quickly pivoted and is now in the midst of a full-scale rebuild.  After a few years of that, the defenseman indicated that he’d welcome a move if the team can find one although he has not formally requested a trade.  Of course, it’s not quite that simple.  While Jones remains a legitimate top-pairing defender, he also carries a $9.5MM AAV through the 2029-30 season and has a full no-move clause.  For the Blackhawks to find a suitable swap, they would probably need to retain a fair-sized chunk of that contract which will only increase the asking price from the acquiring team.  At first glance, this feels like something that’s more likely to be resolved in the offseason when more teams have cap flexibility but his name will undoubtedly come up in trade speculation before March 7th.

Rantanen On The Move Again? When the Hurricanes picked up Mikko Rantanen, it sent a message that they were going for it and felt they could sign the pending UFA winger to a long-term contract extension.  It appears an offer has been made that would give him the highest AAV for a winger in NHL history but Rantanen hasn’t given the club an answer just yet.  Meanwhile, he’s off to a quiet start offensively with his new team with just three points in seven games.  That has led to some speculation that Carolina could look to flip Rantanen if an agreement on a new deal can’t be reached by the trade deadline.  In theory, that would allow them to at least recoup some of the assets they gave up to get him but before it gets to that point, expect them to take another run at trying to get him to put pen to paper on an extension that will surpass the $100MM threshold.

Photo courtesy of Imagn Images.

Teams Exploring Uniting Brayden Schenn, Luke Schenn Via Trade

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The Trade Deadline is right around the corner and the list of difference-makers on the open market is few and far between. Of the list of names circulating trade rumors, only two players offer the experience of being a 1,000 game veteran, former Stanley Cup champion, and wearing a letter for their team – Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn, and St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn. With both players seemingly expendable options on teams that aren’t headed for the playoffs, other teams are beginning to wonder what it’d take to acquire both brothers at the deadline, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared on the latest Saturday Headlines.

The Schenn brothers have each continued their consistent, impactful play through their mid-30s. Brayden has served as St. Louis’ captain for the last two seasons, while supporting the team’s middle lines with center and wing flexibility. He has 11 goals and 32 points in 56 games on the year, while adding 48 penalty minutes, a minus-seven, and a 50.1 faceoff percentage. St. Louis acquired Brayden ahead of the 2017-18 season, and quickly pushed him into a top-six role. He embraced the opportunity out of the gates, netting a career-high 28 goals and 70 points in his first year in St. Louis. He’s leveled out as a routine mid-50s scorer in the years since, ultimately averaging 52 points a year with the Blues – though he did reach 65 in the 2022-23 campaign.

Brayden also been a stout playoff performer in the Blue-note, with 26 points in 51 games over four postseason appearances with the Blues. He has found his groove as an impactful, two-way centerman with the versatility to fill a wide variety of roles, even at 33 years old. Those traits, and his Cup-winning precedent, will make him a desirable deadline option.

But as is natural, the older brother can boast the better numbers. Luke has played in 55 more games, and won one more Stanley Cup, than Brayden while serving as a journeyman defensive-defenseman for the last 17 seasons. Luke’s career started when Toronto drafted him fifth-overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. He joined the Leafs in the following year, and quickly jumped out as a heavy-hitting, low-scoring shutdown option – stamped by his 206 hits in 70 games as an NHL rookie, an NHL record for rookie defenders at the time. Luke tamped down his hitting and penalty minutes in the name of more scoring through the first seven years of his career, but it became apparent as he entered his prime years that his best impact came in his own end.

Through trips to Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Arizona, and more – Schenn built up his propensity for winning the title of heavy-hitter everywhere he went. He averaged 15 points, 53 penalty minutes, and a staggering 245 hits each season through his 20s – stout enough to land with the golden age of the Tampa Bay Lightning when he turned 30 in 2019. Schenn only played in 63 regular season games across two years in Tampa Bay, but his bottom-pair role was enough to earn a name on both Stanley Cups when the Bolts accomplished their back-to-back wins in 2020 and 2021. Luke has continued his wandering career in the years since, leaving Tampa for Vancouver following the second Cup win, then returning to Toronto, and now spending the last two seasons in Nashville.

Brayden has been granted long-term stability, while Luke has moved seemingly every other year – but one more move could await the Saskatchewan brothers. Luke carries a manageable, $2.5MM cap hit through the end of next season, while Brayden’s $6.5MM cap hit through 2027-28 might be a bit tougher to bring in. St. Louis has all of their retention spots available, and could support the finances of a Schenn deal with the right sweeteners – though they’d have to carry the dead cap through the next three seasons. Logistics aside, the on-ice impact of the Schenn brothers likely wouldn’t command too rich of a return. Brayden has settled in as a capable third-line forward with second-line upside, while Luke seems more comfortable serving from the depths of his team’s blue-line. Both are important roles to fill when planning out a long playoff run – and finding a way to land both brothers could be a quick way for postseason hopefuls to shore up their front and back ends.

Jets’ Nikolaj Ehlers Chance Of Re-Signing Will Fuel Trade Rumors

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With the 4-Nations Face-Off out of the way, fan attention is starting to turn towards the looming NHL Trade Deadline on March 7th. The Winnipeg Jets are among the teams still figuring out their deadline approach, with popular winger Nikolaj Ehlers at the top of their docket. Ehlers has provided a decade of serviceable hockey to the Jets franchise – but is set to land in unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career this summer. Winnipeg’s confidence in their ability to re-sign him could directly influence if they shop him at the deadline, shares Murat Ates of The Athletic.

Ehlers is coming off a seven-year, $42MM contract with a manageable $6MM cap hit. He’s seemed to improve in every year of the deal, working his way up to a proud 48 points in 47 games this season. That’s a pace of 74 points in 73 games on the year – which would confidently pass his current career-high of 64 points set in 2016-17. That scoring burst comes after Ehlers broke 60 points for the first time in five seasons last year. At 29-years-old, the winger seems firmly in the midst of his prime – making now a golden opportunity for Winnipeg to sell high. Ates points out that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has made a point to capitalize on outgoing players in the past – moving each of Jacob Trouba, Andrew Copp, Patrik Laine, Jack Roslovic, and Pierre-Luc Dubois at optimal times to receive a hefty return.

If Ehlers is looking to test his chance at a bigger lineup role before he’s in his golden years, moving as a rental with the freedom of choice this summer could be ideal for both sides. Ehlers has been the subject of trade rumors for many years – largely thanks to just how sequestered his offense seems on Winnipeg’s second-line. The Jets reportedly made Ehlers available for the right return at the 2024 NHL Draft, but weren’t able to find a suitor to take on the final year of his contract. Ehlers faced a routine injury bug from 2019 to 2023 – but found his footing and played all 82 games of the 2023-24 campaign, with great results. It was hard to imagine Winnipeg not asking for a first-round draft pick to start negotiations after that uptick – and Ehlers has only improved his standing this season.

That could make a trade pretty rich for the rest of the league. But Winnipeg do have motivation to clear up minutes in their offense. 2022 first-round pick Brad Lambert is leading the AHL’s Manitoba Moose in scoring this season with a stout 19 assists and 22 points in 38 games. He earned the lead-scorer title last year as well, with 21 goals and 55 points in 64 games. Lambert is still just 21 years old, but he’s already seemed to grow out of the AHL mold. Adjusting to an NHL role will take time but – with an offense firing on all cylinders – the Jets could be poised to find a cushy role for the versatile forward, who can play all three positions. Fellow right-shot, top prospect Nikita Chibrikov has also been performing well in the minors – with 18 points in 30 games suggesting a trial run in the NHL could be in order. Chibrikov scored three points in four NHL games earlier this season.

Cheveldayoff likened the process of seeing Ehlers grow into his own as watching one’s child grow up. But he also told Ates that business is business – and that the Jets would be diligent to put themselves in the best position they can. Winnipeg currently leads the Western Conference by a stride, with 81 points putting them nine points ahead of the three-way tie for second between Edmonton, Vegas, and Dallas. Even better, Winnipeg is entering the deadline with a thriving trade chip who, with a hefty return, could push the Jets in one of many directions. A swap of roster players or a return of draft capital could each go a long way towards shaping Winnipeg’s short and long-term future, while opening roles up for emerging youngsters. The looming question will be if Winnipeg is willing to reach for those benefits at the expense of a tenured pro.

Evening Notes: Utah, Samoskevich, Morrissey, Harley

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The 4-Nations Face-Off championship has full grip of the hockey world’s attention, but there’s still plenty of buzz circling the NHL. The updates start with the Utah Hockey Club, who will be somewhere between buyers and sellers at this year’s Trade Deadline per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports.  Armstrong added that the team would be interested in adding, but many of their weaknesses are addressed by recent additions like Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino, Kevin Stenlund, and Nick DeSimone. That certainly paints the picture of a team eyeing defensive depth, but the return of top-four defender Sean Durzi could mitigate any insecurities.

Durzi has been out of the lineup since October 14th with a shoulder injury that required surgery. He played four games in a top-pair role before falling to injury – recording two points, a plus-two, and over 21 minutes in average ice time. The 26-year-old emerged as a legit top defender in the Los Angeles Kings’ 2022-23 season. He scored 38 points in 72 games and averaged roughly 20 minutes that year – his second NHL season. Durzi continued to improve with the Arizona Coyotes last year, improving to 41 points in 76 games and over 22 minutes of ice time. This year seemed to be a chance to continue growing before it was derailed by injury. How he returns from the prolonged absence, and what impact it has on the Utah blue-line, could go a long way towards determining the Hockey Club’s deadline approach.

Across the NHL, Florida Panthers youngster Mackie Samoskevich has shared he’ll be clear to play when the team returns on Saturday, per NHL.com’s Jameson Olive. Samoskevich was injured on February 6th – his first game back from a three-game absence due to illness. He missed an additional two games with the injury, but found his way back to full health during the 4-Nations break. The 22-year-old Samoskevich has 17 points in 48 games this season – marking the first scoring of his NHL career.

In other news, Team Canada was forced to scratch Josh Morrissey in the 4-Nations championship due to illness. He was replaced by injury fill-in Thomas Harley, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Harley was eligible to play despite not being on the initial lineup as Morrissey’s illness, and Shea Theodore’s upper-body injury left the team without six healthy defenders. Harley scored his first point of the tournament in the finals after playing in both matchups against Team USA. Morrissey also didn’t post any scoring during three tournament games – though he does have an impressive 46 points in 56 NHL games this season.

Igor Shesterkin Expected To Return, Rangers Assign Two To AHL

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The New York Rangers will be returning from the 4-Nations Face-Off break with good news. Starter Igor Shesterkin has shared he expects to be healthy before Saturday’s game against Buffalo per Peter Baugh of The Athletic. The Rangers made the move to back his claim by reassigning temporary backup goaltender Dylan Garand. New York has also assigned defenseman Zachary Jones to the minors on a conditioning loan. Matthew Robertson has been recalled in his place.

Shesterkin will return from an upper-body injury sustained in New York’s February 7th loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played through the entirety of that matchup but received a designation of out one-to-two weeks before the Rangers visited Columbus the next day – in what was their last game before the break. Shesterkin was in the midst of a cold spell leading up to his injury, posting a 1-4 record and .835 save percentage in his last five games. The performance spurred what was otherwise a great January for the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner. He recorded a 6-0-1 record and .948 save percentage in his first seven games of the month, helping the Rangers find solid footing in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race. The Rangers are still three points outside of playoff standing, putting the pressure on Shesterkin to bounce back to form after an extended break.

Garand filled in as the backup in Shesterkin’s lone absence. The 22-year-old has been one of the AHL’s best young netminders this year – ranked second in save percentage (.914) and third in wins (13) among U23 goalies with at least 20 games. It’s been a big step up for Garand – who claimed the AHL starting role two seasons ago but hasn’t yet posted a year-long save percentage above .900.

Jones will join Garand in the move to the AHL looking to get back to match shape. He spent 18 games out of the lineup through December and January, with a pair of scoreless spot starts in February marking his first games since the holiday break. Jones has served as New York’s seventh defenseman for the entire season – a role that’s led him to eight points, 10 penalty minutes, and a plus-two in 28 games. New York will turn towards Robertson to fill that during Jones’ temporary assignment. Robertson has 18 points and 47 penalty minutes in 47 AHL games this season and would make his NHL debut should he find a way into the Rangers lineup.

Seth Jones, Blackhawks Discussing Trade Possibilities

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Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones has been the focal point of trade rumors spanning the last few seasons, but it seems the chances of a move are heating up ahead of next month’s Trade Deadline. Jones told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that he’d welcome a move if Chicago can find one, though he hasn’t yet formally requested a trade. Jones said, “If it happens, it happens. Obviously, while I’m here with the Blackhawks, they have my full effort [and] full attention.” He added that he’d hope a trade would give him a chance to join a playoff contender.

The Blackhawks have reportedly been contacted by multiple teams interested in acquiring Jones, but his lofty contract is a wedge in any negotiations. He’s in year three of an eight-year, $76MM contract signed on the same day he was traded to Chicago in July of 2021. His $9.5MM cap hit makes Jones the seventh-most expensive defender in the NHL, but his 26 points in 38 games this season ranks 14th in points-per-game among defensemen. Jones’ stat-line is rounded out with a minus-12, 16 penalty minutes, and 55 hits – continuing to paint him as a high-offense, low-defense puck-mover.

Jones has stood as Chicago’s number-one defenseman through each of the last four seasons, rivaling an average of 25 minutes of ice time in every year. He’s totaled 145 points in 255 games with the Hawks – the third-most of any Chicago defender since 2000, behind Blackhawks legends Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. Jones hasn’t led the team to the same heights as his company, but he has provided a consistent, veteran presence in front of a rebuilding Chicago lineup. The Hawks haven’t helped Jones along too much either. They’ve finished seventh or eighth in the Central Division and ranked in the bottom-four of NHL scoring in every year he’s spent with the club. Jones has been vocal about the emotional weight of that persistent losing in the past, telling Pope last season that the losing nature isn’t fun for anyone involved.

A timely trade to a playoff contender could go a long way towards spurring the 30-year-old Jones. He’s still a productive scorer capable of filling important roles at even-strength and on special teams. If a team can work around his hefty cap hit, Jones could be a quick way to boost the blue-line on a playoff hopeful. Chicago will likely need to retain part of his salary to make that happen, and may need convincing before they part ways with their clear-number-one. But top prospects like Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel are both commanding more respect in Chicago’s pipeline, and could be apt replacements for Jones should his top-end role open up.

Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin To Return, Squashes Retirement And Trade Rumors

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Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin has shared that he is planning to play when the team returns from break on Saturday, per Rob Rossi of The Athletic. Malkin has missed Pittsburgh’s last six games after suffering an injury in the team’s January 25th loss to Seattle. He sustained the injury roughly halfway through the first period, after the skate of Kraken forward Chandler Stephenson seemed to catch Malkin in the thigh. He attempted to return for a brief shift later in the first, but was ruled out before the game’s second period. Pittsburgh placed Malkin on injured reserve just two days later. He’ll need to be activated off of IR before Saturday’s game, which will force Pittsburgh to reassign a player like Vasiliy Ponomarev or Bokondji Imama.

The return of one of their lineup pillars will be great news in Pittsburgh. Malkin has continued to perform at a premier level this year, with his 34 points in 47 games ranked fifth on the team in total scoring. In even better news, Malkin went on to emphasize to Rossi that he has no intentions of retiring this summer or playing anywhere else. He told The Athletic, “[I’ll] retire with Pittsburgh. The Penguins are my team… When I retire, [it’ll be] here.” Malkin added that, despite speculation, he has no plans of playing anymore Russian hockey either – save for potentially a one-game send-off with his hometown Metallurg Magnitogorsk when all is said and done.

Malkin is signed through the end of the 2025-26 season, setting him up for at least one more full year in Pittsburgh’s black-and-gold. He’s squashed talks of a potential retirement this summer, which will naturally push attention back until his deal ends in 2026. But Malkin continues to hold down a strong, middle-six role for the Penguins, averaging north of 18 minutes of ice time each game this season. Fellow Penguins legend Sidney Crosby is signed through the end of the 2026-27 campaign, which could be enough to convince Malkin to find an extra gear and retire alongside his longtime partner-in-crime. Malkin entered the NHL in 2006-07, one year after Crosby’s debut. Crosby scored a career-high 120 points in his first year alongside Malkin, while the latter managed his career-high of 113 points in their second year together.

Few duos in hockey history have stood as tall as Crosby and Malkin. The two have led three Stanley Cup wins and recorded the sole assist on each the other’s 500th NHL goal. They’re a ubiquitous tandem, and Malkin’s imminent return from lower-body injury sets him up to continue his role second to Crosby on the depth chart.

Malkin’s return will likely push one of Ponomarev, Blake Lizotte, or Emil Bemstrom out of the lineup. Lizotte and Bemstrom have each scored one goal through their last 10 games, while Ponomarev is still searching for his first point after four NHL games this season. Should Ponomarev be the odd man out, he’ll likely head back to a red-hot minor-league season. Ponomarev ranks fourth on the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in scoring with 29 points in 34 games.

Oilers Expected To Recall Matthew Savoie, Derek Ryan

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The Edmonton Oilers are expected to recall forwards Matthew Savoie and Derek Ryan after the pair joined Edmonton for their Tuesday practice, per Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic. Nugent-Bowman added that Savoie is also expected to join Edmonton on their upcoming five-game road trip to the East coast.

Savoie has yet to make his Oilers debut, but he’s been red hot in the AHL as of late. The Oilers top prospect has 10 points in his last 10 games and 37 points in 43 games on the year. His scoring ranks second on the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors and leads all U21 players in the AHL. The Oilers have to be excited about Savoie’s early showings, after acquiring him for Ryan McLeod last summer. It was a shocking trade, moving Savoie on from the Buffalo Sabres just over two years after they drafted him ninth overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. Savoie played in seven pro games with the Sabres organization. He didn’t score in his sole NHL appearance, but did manage five points in six AHL games.

Savoie returned to the WHL after his short stint with the Buffalo organization, but his hot AHL scoring has carried into his formal rookie season this year. He’ll be a high upside bet for an Oilers offense with all of the firepower to lift him up – though there have been concerns about how his five-foot-nine, 180-pound frame will translate to the top flight.

Edmonton could get a chance to test those concerns this weekend. If Savoie struggles, they’ll turn quickly towards veteran depth forward Derek Ryan. Ryan played in 33 games with the Oilers earlier this year, recording one goal, five points, and 12 penalty minutes. He’s also scored two points in three AHL games – the first minor-league appearances Ryan has made since the 2016-17 campaign. He’s been a perennial fourth-line forward ever since, spanning tenures with the Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, and now Edmonton. Now 38, Ryan won’t rival the upside and energy that Savoie could bring to the lineup – but he will bring hardy veteran depth behind a shifting Oilers’ bottom-six.

Devils Place Jacob Markstrom, Jonas Siegenthaler On IR

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The New Jersey Devils have made a flurry of move with the hockey world’s attention turning back towards NHL rosters. Most notably, the team has placed starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom (knee) and top-four defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (lower-body) on injured reserve. Markstrom has missed New Jersey’s last seven games after suffering an MCL sprain in New Jersey’s win over Boston on January 22nd. He was announced as out four-to-six weeks at the time of his injury. Markstrom has posted a dazzling 21-9-5 record and .912 save percentage in 36 appearances this year. His starting role has been filled by veteran Jake Allen, who also has a .912 save percentage but just a 9-11-1 record in 21 games.

Siegenthaler’s injury is less clear. He left New Jersey’s February 7th game against the Pittsburgh Penguins after taking an awkward hit from Anthony Beauvillier. Siegenthaler missed New Jersey’s last two games. He is expected to miss an additional two-to-three weeks after undergoing a procedure to address his injury during the 4-Nations break, per head coach Sheldon Keefe. Siegenthaler has been one of New Jersey’s top defenders this season. He has just nine points in 55 games, but formed a strong pairing with Johnathan Kovacevic.

In corresponding moves, New Jersey also recalled defensemen Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey, and goaltender Tyler Brennan, to join the team’s Tuesday practice. The pair of defenders stand as perhaps New Jersey’s top two prospects. Nemec and Casey lead the Utica Comets’ blue-line in scoring, with 23 points in 34 games and 15 points in 22 games respectively. Meanwhile, Brennan has spent his last two seasons with the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder. He’s begun vying for the starting role this year, leading all Thunder netminders with 22 games played and posting a 6-14-2 record and .870 save percentage. Brennan likely won’t stick with the roster when games start back up, but one of Casey or Nemec could hold onto a spot depending on how long Siegenthaler misses.

New Jersey has utilized 22 of 23 roster slots with both defense prospects up. That final roster spot could soon be taken up by captain Nico Hischier’s return. Keefe told NHL.com that Hischier didn’t seem to be dealing with any sort of discomfort in New Jersey’s first day back, though he’ll need to be approved by doctors before he can return. Hischier added that he felt like his break, and Tuesday’s practice, both went well. The top Swiss has missed New Jersey’s last six games with an oblique injury after taking a cross-check to the ribs in the Devils’ January 25th win over the Boston Bruins. He’s been one of New Jersey’s top forwards when healthy, with 24 goals and 43 points in 51 games. Hischier will immediately return to a top-line role, should he be healthy enough to play this weekend.

Senators Recall Cole Reinhardt

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Feb. 18: Reinhardt is back up with the NHL club today, per a team announcement. He had a goal and two assists in four games for the B-Sens over the break with a plus-three rating and six shots on goal. He’ll likely suit up in Ottawa’s return to action against the Canadiens this weekend.

Feb. 9: The Ottawa Senators announced that they’ve loaned forward Cole Reinhardt to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. With the 4 Nations Face-Off set to get underway, the Senators don’t play again until February 22nd and have likely assigned Reinhardt to Belleville to get the 25-year-old some playing time.

Reinhardt has seen 16 games of NHL action this season; however, his usage has been very light, averaging just 7:58 of ice time per game. Reinhardt has used the limited minutes to make his presence known, throwing 30 hits, however, his name has rarely appeared on the scoresheet as he has just one goal and a single assist in the NHL. He hasn’t exactly been put in a spot to provide much offense, as he has started 61.9% of his shifts in the defensive zone.

In the AHL, the Calgary, Alberta native has had a bigger offensive impact but hasn’t been much more than a depth scorer for most of his professional career. However, this season, he has been a point-per-game player, tallying seven goals and ten assists in 16 games, which nearly matches the 23 points he had in 56 games last season.

Reinhardt could very well be recalled in less than two weeks when the NHL break ends, but in the meantime, he should see significant minutes with Belleville.

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