It’s an extremely busy Tuesday in the NHL, with 11 games on the docket. That includes a big eastern matchup between the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins, and an incredibly important match between the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators. Those two central teams are neck and neck in the playoff race, meaning any head-to-head action is a huge opportunity to gain ground. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Ottawa Senators have reassigned Dillon Heatherington to the AHL, after he failed to get into any games on this most recent recall. The veteran minor league defenseman last played for Ottawa in December but continues to be a depth piece that’s recalled as injury insurance. He has zero points in nine NHL games this season.
- The Florida Panthers have sent Spencer Knight back to the AHL, after he stopped 29 of 30 shots yesterday against the Buffalo Sabres for his tenth win of the season. Knight continues to bounce up and down in order to get the most playing time possible, while the Panthers rely on Sergei Bobrovsky for the vast majority of the NHL action. Jonas Johansson, technically the NHL backup, has seen just a single game since being acquired in December.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs returned Mac Hollowell to the minor leagues today, as they welcomed Rasmus Sandin back to the ice after dealing with an illness. It’s unlikely Sandin plays tonight, though with him at least a possibility the team no longer needed Hollowell on the NHL roster.
Metropolitan Division
Central Division
- The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Alec Regula to the NHL once again, and he was skating on the third pairing at practice according to Charlie Roumeliotis of NBCS Chicago. The 21-year-old defenseman has played in four games for the Blackhawks this season and is still looking for his first NHL point.
- The Dallas Stars have sent Marian Studenic to the AHL on a conditioning assignment, something that’s understandable given he hasn’t played since the Stars claimed him off waivers last month. Studenic has appeared in 17 games this season, all with the New Jersey Devils, and has one goal.
- Per The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, the St. Louis Blues have recalled forward Alexey Toropchenko from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds (tweet). The forward has zero points in five games in the NHL this season, but does have a solid 20 points in 42 games at the AHL level.
Pacific Division
- The San Jose Sharks have reassigned Jasper Weatherby and Santeri Hatakka to the AHL, suggesting that some players–particularly Erik Karlsson—could be available to play in the coming days. Weatherby, meanwhile, has spent most of the season with the Sharks, playing in 45 games so far and racking up ten points. The 24-year-old forward is still waiver-exempt, meaning he can move up and down without issue whenever the team needs him again.
- Earlier today, the Edmonton Oilers sent defenseman Markus Niemelainen down to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. The 23-year-old has split time between the NHL and AHL this season, tallying 7 points in 23 games at the AHL level and just one assist in 20 games at the NHL level.
This page will be updated throughout the day