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Jets’ Gabriel Vilardi Out Indefinitely With Enlarged Spleen

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Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi has an enlarged spleen and will be out indefinitely, shares head coach Rick Bowness after the team’s Friday practice. Vilardi has missed the team’s last seven games and will now miss at least five more, as the Jets take off on an extended road trip that Vilardi won’t join. Bowness added that this issue was recently discovered and that Vilardi is receiving treatment.

Vilardi has been limited to just 38 games this season, missing six weeks of play earlier in the season after suffering a sprained MCL and suffering scattered day-to-day injuries throughout the year. It’s been far from an ideal start to Vilardi’s time in Winnipeg, after joining the team alongside Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a 2024 second-round pick in the deal that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings. It’s unfortunate to see injuries marring Vilardi’s season, which has been incredibly productive when he is healthy. The 24-year-old centerman has 16 goals and 30 points on the year, scoring at an 82-game pace of 35 goals and 65 points. It’s the highest scoring-pace of Vilardi’s career, continuing the strong pace he set last season when he totaled 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games.

Missing Vilardi has left a notable hole in the Jets’ top-six. And while extra ice time to Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton helped supplement that absence, the Jets were still in need of an extra spark – leading them to acquire the New Jersey Devils’ leading goal-scorer in Tyler Toffoli. Winnipeg sent a second and third round pick to New Jersey for Toffoli and, while he hasn’t scored a point in two games with the Jets, the 31-year-old veteran is clearly feeling comfortable, maintaining his high-volume shooting with nine shot attempts in his pair of games. The Jets will hope that comfortability turns into goals very quickly, as they’re now down Vilardi for the short term, at least.

Penguins Recall Jack St. Ivany, Assign Ryan Shea

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Jack St. Ivany and assigned Ryan Shea to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Twitter link).

This marks the first recall of St. Ivany’s career, coming in his second pro season. St. Ivany was originally drafted 112th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2018, though he signed his first pro deal with the Penguins in 2022 after going unsigned by Philadelphia. St. Ivany took his talents to Yale University in the year after his draft, playing two seasons in the Ivy League before transferring to Boston College for his final two years of college. Despite never being known for his high scoring, St. Ivany managed 60 points across 115 NCAA games, including a collegiate-high 24 points in his senior year. He made his jump to the AHL last season, recording eight assists, 33 penalty minutes, and a -17 in 63 games but failing to score his first professional goal. That feat had to wait until this season, where St. Ivany has managed a much more serviceable four goals, 12 points, 30 penalty minutes, and +14 in 52 games. The 24-year-old is currently riding a 10-game cold streak, though, failing to score a point since a two-goal performance on February 14th.

St. Ivany now jumps to the NHL level, where he’ll serve in a depth role that was previously maintained by Shea. The two defenders aren’t far off, both posting meager scoring totals but bringing an impact with their long reach and poised passing. The Penguins will hope St. Ivany can produce a little bit more than Shea, who has yet to record his first NHL point through 22 career games. But with the Penguins defense healthy and, for the most part, clicking – it may be a bit before St. Ivany receives his NHL debut.

Doug Armstrong Named Canada GM For 2026 Winter Olympics

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Hockey Canada has named St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong as General Manager for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Other announced roles include Ryan Getzlaf as the Player Relations Advisor, Scott Salmond as Senior Vice-President of High Performance and Hockey Operations, Katherine Henderson as President and CEO, and Pat McLaughlin as COO and Executive Vice-President of Strategy.

Armstrong has become a key piece of Canada’s representation overseas. He’s been a part of two other Olympic Games, both in an assistant general manager capacity, and seven different World Championship or World Cup tournaments. Canada has won big under his leadership, with Armstrong boasting two Olympic gold medals and three World Championship gold medals. He’ll now get a chance to field what may be one of the best Canadian teams of all time, with the end of Sidney Crosby’s career, the prime of Connor McDavid’s career, and the start of Connor Bedard’s career all lining up perfectly. The team could also bring star defenseman Cale Makar, if the restrictions placed on members of Canada’s 2018 World Juniors Championship team are lifted before 2026.

One question that Armstrong will face is who the proper goaltender for Team Canada really is. His appointment is great news for Jordan Binnington, who served as a pivotal piece of Armstrong’s sole Stanley Cup win and continues to thrive in St. Louis. But Binnington isn’t the best Canadian goaltender on paper, with Vegas’ Adin Hill also championing his team to a Stanley Cup and consistently fighting for the NHL’s lead in save percentage, when he’s healthy. There’s also 25-year-old Stuart Skinner, who emphatically claimed an NHL starting role last season and has since posted 59 wins and a .911 in 98 games. Skinner hasn’t found his way into any hardware yet, but could offer a stronger impact when the Olympics role around in two years. With Team USA boasting Connor Hellebuyck and Jeremy Swayman, and Russia likely to bring Igor Shesterkin or Ilya Sorokin if they participate, Team Canada will need to make sure they’re as strong in net as they will be everywhere else. Those decisions will now be left up to one of the NHL’s longest-tenured general managers in Doug Armstrong.

New Jersey Devils To Circle Back On Juuse Saros Trade

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The New Jersey Devils made valiant efforts to acquire a top goaltender this Trade Deadline but weren’t able to grab a bona fide star, instead landing Kaapo Kahkonen from the San Jose Sharks and Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens. That will have to be enough to get the Devils through the end of the season, but James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now reports that the team isn’t done searching for their top netminder, planning to “investigate” a trade for Juuse Saros this summer. The Devils were interested in Saros ahead of the Deadline, though the Nashville Predators weren’t then eager to move their top goalie.

Only one goaltender – Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck – has played in more games than Saros since 2019. And only five goalies have managed better save percentages in that stretch – Linus Ullmark, Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin, Jeremy Swayman, and Hellebuyck. Saros is apart of elite company, and boasts some of the best consistency in the league, with a save percentage above .910 in seven of his nine NHL seasons. That includes his career-high .927 set in 36 games during the 2020-21 season. The strong performances have earned him Vezina Trophy votes in each of the last three seasons – finishing sixth, third, and fourth in voting respectively. And while his streak of Vezina voting may end this year, Saros has still been solid, posting 28 wins and a .907 – 17th among the league’s starting goalies (minimum 30 games played).

Saros, 28, has been simply fantastic in Nashville, posting a career .918 save percentage in 339 games. His departure would leave big shoes to fill – and an exciting opportunity for top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov, who Nashville selected 11th-overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. Askarov has since carved out a major role in the minor leagues, posting 22 wins and a .915 save percentage in 33 games this season. It’s his second year in the starting cage of the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, with Askarov posting an impressive stat line of 26 wins and .911 in 48 games last year. His success has extended to the three NHL games he’s received over the last two years as well, with Askarov saving 58 of the 64 shots he faced while posting a 1-1-0 record. There’s a lot to be excited about with Askarov, who is still just 21 and already has the bravado needed to carry his teams to hard-earned wins, ranking second in the AHL with five shutouts.

Nashville could charge a very, very high price for the consistently-effective Saros. But the deal would be unprecedented, with the St. Louis Blues’ Deadline acquisition of Ryan Miller in 2014 likely the closest trade in terms of scale. That move cost the Blues their current starter – Jaroslav Halak – two depth forwards, and a first and third round draft selection. And that move came without a contract extension, with Miller playing just 25 games in St. Louis before moving on to the Vancouver Canucks. While Saros will also be in the last year of his contract next season, the Devils – or any interested team – will have all season to work out a long-term extension. That opportunity provides value in its own right, likely boosting the already pricey return.

New Jersey currently possesses a first-round pick in 2024, 2025, and 2026, as well as a healthy deal of mid-round selections. They also have plenty of promising young talent in Alexander Holtz, who hasn’t yet carved out a strong NHL role, or Seamus Casey, a fantastic defense prospect who could struggle to find his own role on New Jersey’s impressive blue-line. Nashville will be embracing the future when they move from Saros to Askarov, and high-value picks or prospects will need to be the focus of a return as a result. Hockey fans are set up for an exciting summer, as the Predators see just how much they can receive for their top-notch starter.

Thoughts On Sidney Crosby’s Future In Pittsburgh

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When the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to part ways with forward Jake Guentzel last Friday, it was not only emblematic of a retooling period for the storied organization but could be a sign of things to come. Still the oldest team in the National Hockey League by over a year on average, the current iteration of this Penguins team is certainly going quietly into the night.

With the main core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson on the wrong side of 30, Pittsburgh is quickly encroaching upon a future where Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Marcus Pettersson lead the team. Not to be taken as a knock on either of those three players, but it will certainly not be good enough for the Penguins to be a competitive team in the Eastern Conference unless some major changes take place.

As difficult as it is to imagine Crosby wearing the sweater of any other team, it is becoming a disappointing end to one of the greatest careers in the history of the game. Last season, Pittsburgh failed to make the playoffs for the first time in Crosby’s career since his rookie season, and are headed for the same outcome again this year.

Having one year remaining on his 12-year, $104.4MM contract after this season, Crosby will have the option to leave the only team he has ever known in an attempt to finish his career on a high note. However, being one of the most humble athletes in the game today, there is little to no insight into which way Crosby is leaning.

In this week’s edition of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman shows a lot of empathy with Crosby’s current frustration with the Penguins organization but believes the organization should do everything in its power to retain their franchise player. Friedman believes that if Pittsburgh were to offer Crosby a three-year, $30MM contract; that should be enough to get Crosby to remain with the Penguins.

However, to push back, Friedman’s ideas appear to be an oversimplification of the factors that have driven Crosby in his career. Even when he signed his mega-contract with Pittsburgh back in 2012, paying Crosby an AAV of $8.7MM was a bargain contract for the Penguins.

Owning three Stanley Cup championship rings, two Conn Smythe Trophy victories, and three Olympic Gold Medals, it is more than clear what has driven Crosby throughout his career. Being one of the most competitive athletes in sports history, Crosby is first and foremost concerned about winning, which is something Pittsburgh is not built to do over the next few years.

Of the top-10 highest point scorers in NHL history; Steve Yzerman, Mario Lemieux, and Joe Sakic are the only three to have stayed with the same team throughout their careers, with the others not having the privilege of spending their entire career in one spot. Given that it is not irregular to see a generational player make a move like this, it would be inappropriate to think it would impact Crosby’s legacy in any way.

Nevertheless, if Pittsburgh pulls off some crafty moves this upcoming offseason, there is a legitimate chance they could turn things around. However, it is becoming increasingly likely that this organization is headed for a lengthy rebuild, which is something Crosby may not want to be a part of to finish off his incredible career.

Injury Notes: Marner, Eriksson Ek, MacDonald

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Missing the team’s most recent game against the Montreal Canadiens, concerns began to arise regarding the status of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner. However, in comforting news surrounding the star forward, it was revealed that Marner was only dealing with a mild ankle sprain, and would take a few more days to fully recover (Article Link).

Down the stretch, with Marner playing in nearly all of Toronto’s games this season, the Maple Leafs may opt to keep him out of the lineup for several games due to load management. Taking into account the recent downturn from the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto now holds a comfortable playoff position in the Atlantic Division by a margin of eight points.

The Maple Leafs could theoretically catch up to the Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division race, but they would only be playing for home-ice advantage in the first round, as it is unrealistic to imagine the team catching up with the Florida Panthers. Keeping this in mind, it will be more important that all the star players on Toronto’s roster are fully healthy for the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, which will inevitably influence the organizational decision-making over the next several weeks.

Other injury notes:

  • Before the team’s game tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, the Minnesota Wild announced that center Joel Eriksson Ek would miss the game due to a lower-body injury. It is a tough loss for Minnesota, as the team has willed their way back into the Western Conference playoff conversation. Eriksson Ek has been a focal point of that effort, scoring four goals and 15 points in his last 12 games for the Wild.
  • On a minor note, the San Jose Sharks announced that defenseman Jacob MacDonald would miss the team’s game tonight due to an illness. Recently recalled on March 9th after the Sharks’ trade deadline day moves, MacDonald has played in two games since that transaction. Over the season, on the whole, MacDonald has played in a total of 24 games, scoring six goals and seven points overall.

Oilers Showed Interest In Extending Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick

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The Edmonton Oilers didn’t have much cap space or buying power ahead of the Trade Deadline, heavily limiting the lineup upgrades they could bring in. And rather than fight through the nitty-gritty of the cap, Edmonton instead opted to make one very calculated, and very impactful, trade – acquiring Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a first-round pick in 2024 and a fourth and fifth-round pick in 2025. Aside from quietly acquiring veteran depth defender Troy Stecher, the big-name buy from Anaheim was Edmonton’s only Deadline move. And now it seems the Oilers are trying to stretch out the impact of the deal, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting that the team showed interest in extending both of their new faces.

Now, it’s no surprise to see Edmonton trying to get the most out of what they paid for, especially with both Henrique and Carrick set to become unrestricted free agents this summer. But Henrique is 34 and Carrick 32, likely limiting any contract negotiations to the short-term. That’ll be a change of pace for the veteran Henrique, who’s had just three contracts across his 14-year NHL career. What’s more, he’ll be roughly one full season away from his 1,000th game in the NHL when this season ends – meaning wherever Henrique signs next is likely where he achieves that tremendous feat. He’s shown plenty of loyalty throughout his career – playing eight years in New Jersey and seven years in Anaheim – but a looming retirement could leave the 34-year-old considering if Edmonton is where he wants to finish out. There would be no shortage of interested parties if Henrique did hit the open market, though extending him would go far in solidifying Edmonton as a top team over the next few years.

But while Henrique is an established veteran newly exposed to the world of short-term deals, Carrick is on the eighth contract of his eight-year career in the NHL. He’s in just his third full-time NHL season, finally carving out a confident role on the 2021-22 Ducks roster. He’s totaled 22 goals and 37 points across 180 games since then, adding a strong 50.5 faceoff percentage and 362 hits. Carrick fills a lot of the boxes teams look for in fourth-liners, and he’s admirably serving in that role for the Oilers. But after cap retention in the trade, Carrick is contributing just $425K to Edmonton’s salary cap. That’s a great price for an effective fourth-liner, but richer prices could be too much to bear for an Oilers team that could afford space for young players. Carrick likely doesn’t demand much on the open market, but how Edmonton decides to approach his extension could serve to lock up their bottom six.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Bruins, Perry, Johnson

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The NCAA free agency frenzy has kicked off and the Boston Bruins could be in the mix for one of the top names, with the Boston Globe’s Matt Porter sharing that the team is interested in Notre Dame’s Ryan Bischel. Bischel has been with the Fighting Irish for the last five seasons, confidently taking over the team’s starting role over the last two. And he’s been tremendous with the opportunity, posting 16 wins and a .931 save percentage in 37 games last season and 15 wins and a .924 in 36 games this year. He managed his high marks while facing an average of 33 shots against each game this season. The performances have earned Bischel plenty of recognition, getting named a finalist for Big Ten Goaltender of the Year this season, after winning the award last year.

Goaltending has been a major sore spot for countless teams this year and any team in need of goaltending depth is likely trying to find out their chances of signing Bischel. That could make it hard for Boston – who already boasts fantastic depth with Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman, and Brandon Bussi – to find an advantage in negotiations. But Bischel’s addition could be aptly timed, with Boston also entertaining trading Ullmark around the Trade Deadline. How NCAA free agency negotiations play out could go a long way toward determining what the Bruins want to do next.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The NHL, NHLPA, Chicago Blackhawks, and Corey Perry have reached a settlement relating to Perry’s termination from the Blackhawks on November 29th, as first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Rather than have Perry file a grievance with the league, the two sides agreed to a financial settlement. Perry signed with the Edmonton Oilers on January 22nd and has since scored five goals and seven points in 20 games with the Canadian club. This settlement marks a success in the Player’s Association’s protection of guaranteed contracts.
  • Chicago Blackhawks forward Reese Johnson has entered concussion protocol and didn’t practice with the team on Thursday, per Charlie Roumeliotis of NBCS Chicago. Johnson has been a routine depth forward for Chicago, scoring five points in 42 games. It’s his second season of full-time NHL action, after posting four goals and six points in 57 games last year. Rookie Landon Slaggert is set to make his NHL debut in Johnson’s absence, joining Chicago after the conclusion of Notre Dame’s season.

Western Notes: Scheifele, Vilardi, Dunn, Kovalenko

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The Winnipeg Jets could be getting major reinforcements back soon, with the team hopeful that Mark Scheifele will return to the lineup on Friday, per Scott Billeck with the Winnipeg Sun. Billeck also shared that Gabriel Vilardi will remain out on Friday. Vilardi has been out since February 29th with an upper-body injury, missing the team’s last seven games. The extended absence has continued a season of injuries for Vilardi, who has now missed 27 games on the season.

Scheifele missed Winnipeg’s Wednesday night game with illness. He continues to lead the Jets in scoring, with 19 goals and 57 points in 58 games. The Jets simply haven’t been the same team without Scheifele, averaging a measly 1.57 goals-per-game in his absence compared to 3.22 goals-per-game with him in the lineup – leading Winnipeg to a 2-5-0 record without their top forward.

Scheifele’s importance to the Winnipeg roster can’t be understated, placing plenty of weight on his game-time decision ahead of Friday’s matchup. If he can’t go, the Jets will need to rely on one of David Gustafsson or Rasmus Kupari. Gustafsson has been Winnipeg’s de facto fill-in this year, with four points in 31 games, though Kupari’s role as a natural center could earn him a leg-up, even despite his sole assist through 27 games this season.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Seattle Kraken will be without defenseman Vince Dunn for the fourth straight game, per Scott Malone with Root Sports. Dunn has been Seattle’s top defender this year, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time for the second-straight season. Dunn has managed 11 goals and 45 points in 57 games on the season, scoring at nearly the exact same pace as he did last season, when he posted a career-high 14 goals and 64 points in 71 games. Without Dunn, Seattle has promoted top young defender Ryker Evans back into an NHL role. Evans has five assists in 19 games this season – the first games of his NHL career – though he’s still searching for his first career goal. Evans has also managed two goals and 15 points in 25 AHL games this year.
  • The Colorado Avalanche could be adding a major boost even after the Trade Deadline, with Russian forward Nikolai Kovalenko reportedly headed to America soon, per Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now, as well as a social media post from Kovalenko’s barber. The Avalanche drafted Kovalenko in the sixth-round of the 2018 NHL Draft, with the winger since emerging as a strong option for the KHL’s Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo. The 24-year-old scored 11 goals and 35 points in 42 KHL games this season, after posting a career-high 21 goals and 54 points in 56 games last season. He will look to carry that same scoring energy onto the high-offense Colorado lineup.

Afternoon Notes: Bennett, Rodrigues, Filppula, Seguin, Penguins

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The Florida Panthers’ forward depth will take a major hit on Thursday, as both Sam Bennett (undisclosed) and Evan Rodrigues (lower-body) are set to miss the bout with the Carolina Hurricanes. This will be Rodrigues’ second straight absence after being forced out of the team’s Saturday game early – needing help off the ice after blocking a shot off of his left ankle. Bennett was able to play in the team’s last game, scoring one goal on four shots and playing in his usual role.

The absence of Rodrigues and Bennett leaves a notable hole on Florida’s third line. The pair has been incredibly effective this season, with Rodrigues boasting 10 goals and 36 points in 65 games and Bennett touting 16 goals and 32 points in 54 games. They play in a modest role, averaging around 15 and 16 minutes of ice time respectively, but their ability to produce down the lineup has proven to be crucial to Florida’s success.

Jonah Gadjovich will return to the lineup in their absence, marking his first game since March 5th. The 25-year-old winger is in his third season as an NHL depth forward, scoring two goals and four points in 33 appearances this season. The pair of injuries will also give way to newcomer Kyle Okposo, who is filling Rodrigues’ spot as the third-line right-wing. Okposo failed to record a point in the 10 minutes he played in his Panthers debut, though he did have 12 goals and 22 points in 61 games with the Buffalo Sabres prior to being traded. The 17-year veteran Okposo brings fantastic experience to the Panthers lineup that will likely earn him a spot even after Bennett and Rodrigues return.

Other notes from around the league:

  • NHL veteran Valtteri Filppula’s time with Switzerland’s Genève-Servette HC is set to come to an end, with the team sharing that the two sides will part ways at the end of the season. Filppula, now 39, has been in Switzerland’s top league since he left the NHL in 2021-22. He’s since totaled 131 points in 145 games with Genève-Servette. Filppula previously played in 1,056 NHL games across a 16-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders.
  • Tyler Seguin is progressing back from a lower-body injury that’s held him out since February 22nd, per Brien Rea of Bally Sports SouthWest. Rea shares that head coach Pete DeBoer said “everything is on the table” as the Stars approach the end of their five-game homestand. Seguin has stayed effective despite injuries and age, scoring 20 goals and 45 points in 58 games this season. It’s his third consecutive season and 10th overall where he’s reached the 20-goal mark – an impressive feat for the 14-year pro.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins are facing troubles straight out of a 1990s sitcom, as a shipment of Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads meant to commemorate the winger’s jersey retirement was stolen in transit. The investigation is currently ongoing, and fans of tonight’s game will receive a voucher for the bobbleheads that can be redeemed at a later date. Penguins President of Business Operation Kevin Acklin told NHL.com, “We were shocked to be a victim of cargo theft… While this unfortunate incident adds to the legend of Jaromir Jagr, who will be in attendance as our guest at tonight’s game, we look forward to resolving this theft and delivering the prized Jagr bobbleheads to their rightful homes, with our fans.”

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