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Archives for February 2024

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Ilya Lyubushkin From Anaheim

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks. The deal formally sent Lyubushkin from Anaheim, who retained 50 percent of his cap hit, to the Carolina Hurricanes, who retained another 25 percent, and then to the Leafs. Lyubushkin carries a $2.75MM cap hit, meaning that Toronto is only due $687,500 against their cap – less than a league-minimum contract.

In return, Toronto sent Anaheim a 2025 third-round draft pick and Carolina a 2024 sixth-round pick. The trade broke after Lyubushkin was surprisingly absent from Anaheim’s Thursday night game against the San Jose Sharks.

This marks the second time that Toronto has traded for Lyubushkin, with the previous coming during the 2021-22 season when they sent Nick Ritchie and a 2025 second-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes for Ryan Dzingel and Lyubushkin.  Lyubushkin would go on to play in 31 games for the Leafs, recording six points and 25 penalty minutes. He signed with the Buffalo Sabres in the following summer and was traded to Anaheim from Buffalo last season. The formerly undrafted defenseman has totaled 334 games across his journeyman career, adding 43 points and 181 penalty minutes. He joined the league in the 2018-19 season, making his debut with the Arizona Coyotes after four seasons with the KHL’s Yaroslavl Lokomotiv.

Toronto has also received the rights to Kirill Slepets from Carolina, to facilitate their retention of Lyubushkin’s cap hit. Slepets has played in the KHL  since the 2018-19 season, growing up through Russia’s juniors league. He remains unsigned in the NHL. Carolina originally drafted him in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Injury Notes: Andersen, Norris, Liljegren

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Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen will hopefully return within the next week, per Hurricanes general manager and president Don Waddell. Andersen has been out since November 2nd, battling a deep-vein thrombosis with a subsequent pulmonary embolism. Andersen was cleared to resume skating on January 31st. Now nearly a month later, Andersen is progressing back to game readiness – a sigh of relief for a Carolina team that’s leaned on five different goalies this season.

Andersen played in six games this season before stepping away, recording four wins and a .894 save percentage. He served as Carolina’s most frequently used goalie last season, playing in 34 games and recording a .903 save percentage. It was a step down from the  2021-22 season, his first year in Carolina, when he managed an impressive 35 wins and a .922 save percentage in 52 games. The 34-year-old Andersen is signed through the end of the 2024-25 season, carrying a $3.4MM cap hit.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Ottawa Senators are expecting to miss forward Joshua Norris for an extended time, per the team’s head coach Jacques Martin. Norris recently underwent an MRI to assess the severity of an upper-body injury. He sustained the injury in Ottawa’s Tuesday night game against the Nashville Predators, crashing hard into the boards. The collision seemed to come close to Norris’ left shoulder, which was surgically-repaired after the 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship. This news could make Norris a candidate for long-term injured reserve, which would provide Ottawa with enough cap space to recall extra bodies to fill in for Norris.
  • Timothy Liljegren is continuing to carry a day-to-day injury designation and won’t play in the team’s Thursday night game against Arizona, per head coach Sheldon Keefe. Liljegren has been out since February 4th, battling an undisclosed injury. He’s recorded 16 points in 40 appearances this season.

Canucks, Hurricanes Discussed Elias Pettersson Trade Before Extension Talks

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The Vancouver Canucks came close to trading star centerman Elias Pettersson, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. Friedman shared that Vancouver was engaged in trade talks with the Carolina Hurricanes that advanced a serious enough point that Vancouver was forced to make a decision – ultimately opting to take another pass at extending the top-scoring 25-year-old. News of the trade talks was enough to inspire Pettersson to allow his representative Pat Brisson to continue discussing a new deal in Vancouver. The two sides remain steadfast on finding an extension, as reported earlier this week.

While Pettersson rumors have swirled around in light of few extension talks, there has yet to be serious weight to any trade talks. That’s now changed, as the Canucks inched towards dealing their star to one of the NHL’s premier teams. There’s no doubting that any deal involving Pettersson would go down in history. The young forward has 29 goals and 75 points in just 61 games this season, scoring at an 82-game pace of 39 goals and 101 points. That would fall just narrowly short of the career-high Pettersson recorded last season, when he managed 39 goals and 102 points in 80 games.

Pettersson’s scoring this season leads all U26 players in the NHL, ahead of major names like Cale Makar, Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes, and Tim Stutzle. Speculating a price for such one of the league’s top players is never an easy feat – and Pettersson’s case is made even more difficult by the lack of clear assets on either side. The most recent comparable deal is likely when the Calgary Flames traded Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, and a first-round pick.

But that trade swapped one 100-point scorer for another, something that Carolina neither has nor would be willing to part with. The Hurricanes’ greatest value sits in 26-year-old Sebastian Aho, 21-year-old Seth Jarvis, and 23-year-old Andrei Svechnikov. One of these names would likely need to move in a Pettersson deal – both to add value and create lineup space – though Carolina would still likely need to add value. That could come in the form of reliable centerman Martin Nečas, who has come into his own in recent seasons, or defense depth such as Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, or Dmitry Orlov. Carolina also has their first-round pick in each of the next three drafts, all of which could have come into play.

Vancouver is, for now, aiming towards extending Pettersson – likely poised to offer him a record-setting contract. If they do, they’ll lock up their forward of the future to lineup alongside defenseman of the future Quinn Hughes, who has three more seasons left in a six-year, $47.1MM contract signed in October of 2021.

Maple Leafs Activate Joseph Woll, Loan Maxime Lajoie To AHL

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have activated goaltender Joseph Woll off of long-term injured reserve. He’s missed the team’s last 35 games, sitting out since December 7th with an ankle injury. Toronto also loaned defenseman Maxime Lajoie to the minor leagues, in order to make space for Woll’s return.

Woll is expected to start for Toronto when they take on the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night. He’s now one of three goalies on the Leafs’ active roster, alongside Martin Jones and Ilya Samsonov. Samsonov is expected to back up Woll on Thursday, though the Leafs are planning to continue carrying three goaltenders for the foreseeable future, head coach Sheldon Keefe shares.

This list could grow quickly, though, as veteran netminder Matt Murray is progressing from bilateral hip surgery, and rookie Dennis Hildeby is continuing to post strong numbers in the minor leagues. While Murray hasn’t played any games this season, and Hildeby has yet to make his NHL debut, both goalies could quickly challenge the security of Toronto’s crease.

But a goalie race could be good for the Maple Leafs, who boast impressive young talents in Woll and Hildeby, serviceable veterans in Samsonov and Murray, and a reliable pro in 34-year-old Jones. It’s Woll that seemingly has a leg up on his competition, recording an impressive eight wins and .916 save percentage in the 15 games he’s been healthy for this season. He and Jones are the only Leafs goalies carrying a save percentage above .900 this season, though Murray posted a .903 in 26 games last year. He’s recovering from a similar surgery to Jesse Puljujarvi, who is still fighting his way back into an everyday NHL role. Answering how quickly Woll can return to form after two months out, and how limited Murray will be after intense surgery, will go far in helping Toronto identify the goalie that will lead them into the postseason.

Afternoon Notes: Tanev, Islanders, Granato, Keefe

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The newest Dallas Stars defenseman, Chris Tanev, isn’t expected to slot into Dallas’ lineup immediately, per Sportsnet’s Eric Francis. Francis added that Tanev will stay in Calgary for a few days while he secures a visa. The Stars acquired Tanev from the Calgary Flames on Wednesday, sending two draft picks and defensive prospect Artem Grushnikov back to the Flames. Dallas also sent a fourth-round pick to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for the Devils retaining 50 percent of Tanev’s cap hit.

Tanev, 34, was arguably the top name on the trade market, with a long list of teams interested in adding his defensive prowess. He only has 14 points in 56 games this season, but he led active Flames defensemen in both CF% (Corsi-For Percentage) and xGF% (expected goals-for percentage), speaking to his ability to control possession and scoring opportunities. Tanev has been in the league since the 2010-11 season, when he debuted with the Vancouver Canucks, who signed him as an undrafted free agent ahead of the season. He’s played in the NHL every season since, totaling 185 points and 773 games in the league. Dallas will mark the third team of Tanev’s career, after 10 years in Vancouver and four in Calgary.

Other notes from around the league:

  • New York Islanders defenseman Robert Bortuzzo is still not skating, shares Ethan Sears of the New York Post. Bortuzzo rehabbing a lower-body injury that’s earned him a place on the team’s long-term injured reserve. He hasn’t played since January 2nd, forcing the Islanders to once again test their defensive depth. Sears also shared that the Islanders are expected to recall Hudson Fasching from his AHL conditioning stint, though he won’t be immediately activated off of LTIR. Fasching has one goal in three AHL games this season.
  • The NHL has fined both Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato and Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe for unprofessional conduct directed at officials. Each coach was docked $25K. Keefe received a game misconduct for arguing with the refs about a Mitch Marner tripping call, continuing to question the refs even after Toronto had killed off the penalty. Granato received a bench penalty for arguing a Zach Benson tripping penalty, with the opposing Florida Panthers scoring the game-winning goal on the resulting five-on-three power-play. These fines follow a precedent set by the league that aims to reduce abuse of officials.

Snapshots: Johnson, Eichel, Gadjovich, Konecny

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Buffalo Sabres defenseman Erik Johnson missed the team’s Thursday morning practice with an illness, team reporter Lance Lysowski shares. Johnson was also limited to just three minutes of ice time in Buffalo’s Tuesday night loss to the Florida Panthers. His availability for the team’s Thursday night game is uncertain.

Johnson has appeared in 50 games with the Sabres, scoring three goals and setting a -5. This season marks the first time that Johnson has scored a regular season goal since the 2021-22 season, when he netted eight in Colorado, though Johnson did score once in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The former first-overall pick is sitting at 970 career NHL games, though his 1,000th will have to wait until next season, with the Sabres left with 23 games this season. Johnson’s absence will likely pull rookie Ryan Johnson back into the lineup. Ryan Johnson has appeared in 37 games this season, recording seven assists and a +1. He’s still searching for his first goal as a pro hockey player, also yet to score in the AHL, where he’s tallied four assists in nine games.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Vegas Golden Knights star Jack Eichel has returned to full contact at practice, suggesting he’ll be ready to return soon. The team plays the Boston Bruins on Thursday night, and the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. Eichel’s availability for these outings hasn’t been clarified yet. His return will be big news for Vegas, who just lost Mark Stone to a lacerated spleen. Eichel is Vegas’ last skater scoring above a point-per-game, with 19 goals and 44 points in 42 games.
  • Florida Panthers forward Jonah Gadjovich will miss the team’s Thursday night game with a “minor” injury, per team reporter Colby Guy. Head coach Paul Maurice shared with Guy that he thinks Gadjovich will rehab quickly. The 25-year-old winger has four points and 90 penalty minutes in 31 games this season. He’s expected to be replaced by William Lockwood, who has one assist in 24 games of his own this season.
  • Top Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny has not yet returned to the team’s practices. He’s missed the last three games with an upper-body injury, seemingly suffered at the team’s Friday practice, which Konecny left early. He’s been a force for Philadelphia when healthy, scoring 27 goals and 54 points in 57 games.

Injury Notes: Johnson, Keller, Acciari, O’Connor

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Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury suffered in the team’s Wednesday night game against the New York Rangers. Johnson didn’t miss any time in the game, playing until the final minute and assisting on Columbus’ only goal. Johnson is in the midst of an extended scoring drought, with his last goal coming on January 2nd. He’s managed three assists in the 19 games since.

Johnson has gone through a sophomore slump of sorts this season, recording just 16 points in 42 games after scoring 40 in 79 games last season. His struggles have resulted in a healthy scratch and even the first AHL assignment of his career. Johnson spent most of November in the minors, scoring 15 points in 10 games with the Cleveland Monsters. He’s totaled 13 points in 34 NHL games since getting called back up to the Blue Jackets roster on December 1st. He now joins top rookie Adam Fantilli and star winger Patrik Laine on the team’s inactive list, with Fantilli battling a lower-body injury and Laine currently in the NHLPA’s Players Assistance Program.

Other injury notes around the league:

  • Arizona Coyotes top forward Clayton Keller is set to miss the team’s next two games, per team reporter Patrick Brown. Keller is battling an upper-body injury suffered in the team’s Sunday loss to the Winnipeg Jets. He’s already missed one game with the injury, and is now set to miss two more, though head coach Andre Tourigny designated Keller as day-to-day.  Keller has an emphatic lead on Arizona’s scoring title, with 22 goals and 52 points in 57 games. He’s the only Coyote to break 40 points this season.
  • Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Noel Acciari and Drew O’Connor are both expected to play on Thursday, after getting banged up in the team’s Tuesday night win over Vancouver, per team reporter Matt Vensel. Acciari injured his forearm while blocking a shot and O’Connor got hurt after taking a hit from Filip Hronek.

Washington Capitals Share Multiple Injury Updates

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Washington Capitals team reporter Tarik El-Bashir with the Monumental Sports Network has shared a string of injury updates following the team’s Thursday morning skate. Per El-Bashir, Nick Jensen and Sonny Milano are expected to return to the lineup, recovering from a lower-body injury and illness respectively. The team also saw progress in Nic Dowd’s return from an upper-body injury and Martin Fehervary’s lower-body injury, though both players are set to remain out – as is veteran T.J. Oshie. Finally, Tom Wilson’s return is still undetermined, as he deals to personal matters. Washington’s next game is on Friday when they’ll host the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Capitals are being forced to stay flexible with their forward group while they grapple with the absences of four different players. This has given Michael Sgarbossa an extended look in the lineup, scoring four points in 11 games as a de facto injury fill-in. It’s the most Sgarbossa has played in the NHL since the 2016-17 season when he appeared in 29 games and scored seven points with the Florida Panthers. Sgarbossa has instead spent much of his career as a top AHL option, totaling 436 points in 574 career games. That includes six seasons and 262 games with the Hershey Bears.

Sonny Milano is also benefiting from an open lineup, likely set to take on a notable role quickly after his return. The 27-year-old winger has played in just 27 games this season, scoring 11 points. He missed nearly two months of action with an upper-body injury sustained in early December and has also lost games to being a healthy scratch at multiple points this season. Milano will battle with Aliaksei Protas and Beck Malenstyn for a role in the team’s top six, if they remain without Oshie on Friday.

Penguins Place Bryan Rust On IR, Recall Jonathan Gruden

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have placed winger Bryan Rust on injured reserve. The team designated Rust as week-to-week on Tuesday, as he’s recovering from an upper-body injury. Many of the details around the injury, including when exactly Rust may return, are still unclear.

This news comes with an extra sting, as Rust’s linemate Jake Guentzel is also out until mid-March with an upper-body injury of his own. This leaves Sidney Crosby as the last healthy member of the team’s top line, now flanked by Reilly Smith and Rickard Rakell. The Penguins have had Guentzel and Rust both healthy for just 37 games this season. They’ve outscored opponents 108-to-103 in those matchups, setting a 15-16-6 record. Guentzel is one of just two Penguins, along with Crosby, still scoring at a point-per-game pace, with 52 points in 50 games. Rust has fallen a bit behind his co-leads, scoring 36 points in 42 games of his own.

Pittsburgh recalled forward Jonathan Gruden in response to Rust’s IR placement. Gruden has already played in five NHL games this season, going without a point and setting a -2. The outings have brought his career totals up to eight NHL games – the other three coming last season – with Gruden still looking for his first appearance on the scoresheet. The 23-year-old centerman has also appeared in 41 AHL games this season, scoring 13 goals and 23 points. Gruden will join a Penguins lineup with spots open – likely set to battle with Jesse Puljujarvi, Valtteri Puustinen, and newcomer Matthew Phillips for key depth roles.

Sabres Recall Dustin Tokarski

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The Sabres have recalled netminder Dustin Tokarski from the AHL’s Rochester Americans, according to a team announcement Sunday.

It’s unclear why the Sabres added a third goalie to the roster ahead of tonight’s game against the Lightning. Tokarski has joined the team in Tampa Bay, but multiple reports from practice indicate that expected starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and backup Eric Comrie are both present.

Additionally, Buffalo does not have an open roster spot. They will need to remove someone from the active roster to recall Tokarski, which will likely come in the form of an injured reserve placement. Defenseman Erik Johnson is not with the team at practice this morning after playing just 3:31 against the Panthers on Tuesday, per WGR Sports Radio 550’s Paul Hamilton.

The 34-year-old Tokarski has been recalled multiple times this season after the Sabres opted to keep top prospect Devon Levi in Rochester for the rest of the year, but he hasn’t seen any NHL action. He’s struggled in the minors this year, posting a 7-7-3 record and .892 SV% behind a strong Rochester team. Levi, in contrast, has a .924 SV% in his 13 AHL showings this year.

Tokarski has mainly served as AHL depth throughout his professional career but did have time as a full-time backup in Buffalo from 2020 to 2022. He’s made 67 starts and 13 relief appearances since making his major-league debut in 2010, compiling a 23-34-12 record, 3.15 GAA, and .902 SV% with Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Anaheim, and Montreal.

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