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Archives for February 2025

Trade Deadline Notes: Boeser, Sharks, Schenn

February 28, 2025 at 9:07 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 11 Comments

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser has reportedly turned down a five-year, $40MM contract extension per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, who adds that Boeser is looking for more term on his next deal. The $8MM cap hit on the rumored offer would be a $1.35MM bump from Boeser’s price tag this season.

Boeser is certainly due for a raise on his next deal, after posting the first 40-goal season of his career last year. His statement performance came after four straight seasons of failing to even reach 25 goals. It was largely helped along by a career-high 19.6 shooting percentage, over seven percent higher than his average of 12.7 percent in six seasons prior. And while Boeser has struggled to reach that same success rate this year, his 18 goals and 17.3 shooting percentage in 52 games suggest he may have really found a new gear to his scoring.

Boeser will be a top name leading into the Trade Deadline if Vancouver isn’t willing to commit to him for a longer term. His spike in scoring and inflated shooting percentage are certainly warning flags, but he could offer the experience of a 500-game pro for the cheap cost of a deadline rental. A short-sighted trade would leave Boeser open to pick his next team in unrestricted free agency, though if he’d get another $8MM offer could hinge on how well he scores through the end of the year.

Other Trade Deadline notes from out West:

  • An NHL executive pointed out the potential chemistry between the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram to Sheng Peng of NBC Sports. The 23-year-old Byram has been loosely circulated around trade rumors and could be a perfect addition to San Jose’s rebuild. The Sharks also have plenty to give up for the top-pair defender. Peng shares that there’s a sense Buffalo could use more size and grit. That motivation could make Sharks prospects like Quentin Musty or Kasper Halttunen enticing options. Both top prospects are performing well in the OHL this season. Musty has 43 points in just 26 games and Halttunen has 29 points in 27 games and 13 in his last 10. With the right mix of draft capital, either name could be enough to swing Byram away from Buffalo – though Peng notes he still doesn’t sense San Jose would pay such a price. He shares that the team could instead try and leverage some of their first-round draft picks to land big additions.
  • The St. Louis Blues could be asking for as much as two first-round draft picks for captain Brayden Schenn, per Seravalli in his latest trade board. That’s notably the same price St. Louis asked for Pavel Buchnevich, who has five more points than Schenn this season, at last year’s Trade Deadline. The Blues couldn’t find a suitor, and it’s hard to envision they’ll make a match for Schenn at this price either. With Schenn boasting a full no-trade clause, it may take a silver tongue to convince veteran Blues GM Doug Armstrong to trade his captain… once again.

NHL| OHL| Prospects| San Jose Sharks| St. Louis Blues| Vancouver Canucks Bowen Byram| Brayden Schenn| Brock Boeser

11 comments

Latest On Utah’s Trade Deadline Plans

February 28, 2025 at 7:23 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 5 Comments

The Trade Deadline is less than a week away and the bubble surrounding it appears ready to burst. There’s plenty of trade buzz circulating in the league, headlined by the Utah Hockey Club’s continued efforts to try to figure out their deadline approach. The Hockey Club was split between buyer and seller status during the 4-Nations Face-Off break, but general manager Bill Armstrong has now shared that the team won’t sell if they stay in playoff contention per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Utah has been on a heater since returning from break, posting a 3-1-0 record and outscoring opponents 13-to-eight. They’re also outshooting opponents 128-to-80, or an average of 32-to-20 per game.

Utah’s surge forward seemed inevitable. They’ve faced injuries to many of their key contributors and notable summer additions this season. That includes burly defender Sean Durzi, who missed four months with a shoulder injury sustained in Utah’s fourth game of the season. Durzi averaged a team-high 25:34 in ice time and recorded two assists through the year’s first three games. That includes a 29-minute performance in his last full game before getting injured. He’s scored two points in four games since returning on February 22nd – though he’s not yet back to his October ice time. In getting Durzi back, Utah effectively added a free top-four defender to a lineup that was already in contention for the Western Conference’s second wild card.

Utah has inched closer to that wild card with their recent hot streak. But Armstrong claiming the team won’t be sellers at the deadline doesn’t mean they’ll be free of action. The divide between winger Matias Maccelli and a routine lineup spot is growing wider over Utah’s last few games. He hasn’t played since February 8th, as pointed out by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in the latest 32 Thoughts. Friedman adds that the undersized Maccelli could find his spark with a trade away from the team – a claim that’d certainly have teams around the league excited.

Maccelli has just 18 points in 52 games this season, but he broke out as a strong, young playmaker over the last two years. Maccelli recorded 38 assists and 49 points in 64 games of the 2022-23 season – his first full year in the NHL – and followed it up with 40 assists and 57 points in 82 games last year. He’s still just 24 years old, and would likely be an exciting upside buy should a team convince Armstrong that he’s expendable.

While they might not look thrilling on paper, Utah has found a lineup that works this month. They are glaringly shallow at center, where Barrett Hayton and Jack McBain fill the middle-six roles – but it’s hard to point out a weakness anywhere else. Utah’s wingers have performed up to par and the return of Durzi brings some much-needed weight behind Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino on defense. With a gust of wind behind their sails, any of Utah’s moves would likely focus solely on beefing up their bottom three forward lines. They’ll have the money to pursue whoever they’d like on the open market – with a projected $28.52MM in deadline cap space, per PuckPedia.

That much cap space is bound to weigh down a wallet, and Armstrong’s indication that the team won’t sell assets could be a subtle indication that they’re looking to lean heavily into the post-break success.

NHL| Utah Mammoth Matias Maccelli| Sean Durzi

5 comments

Blues Sign Tyler Tucker To Two-Year Extension

February 28, 2025 at 6:22 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 1 Comment

The St. Louis Blues have signed defenseman Tyler Tucker to a two-year, $1.85MM contract extension. The deal will carry a $900K salary in year one and a $950K salary in year two. Tucker was set to be a restricted free agent this summer.

The Blues drafted Tucker with the 200th-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. He followed his draft selection with 59 points and 105 penalty minutes in 68 games during his age-19 OHL season. The performance stamped Tucker as a bruising enforcer – a role he embraced in full when he moved to the pros two years later. Tucker played his rookie AHL season during the shortened 2020-21 campaign and posted a quaint seven points and 34 penalty minutes in 27 games as a result. But he came to life in 2021-22, leading the Springfield Thunderbirds with 114 penalty minutes in 72 games – over 40 more than anyone else on the team.

Tucker made his NHL debut in the following year and very quickly found his role as St. Louis’ bruiser in reserve. He split the 2022-23 season between recording four points and 31 PIMs in 26 NHL games; and posting 21 points and 79 PIMs in 41 AHL games. He returned to the role of seventh-defender last season, posting two points and 42 PIMs in another 26 games – though routine injury held him to just six AHL games. Tucker has found a better balance between scoring and penalties this season, with four points and 30 PIMs in 20 NHL games and 10 points and 39 PIMs in 19 AHL games.

Tucker’s 72 career NHL games are more than anyone else drafted in 2018’s seventh round. His impact has proven fairly minimal, and is often limited to the defensive zone, but the Blues have clearly taken to the physical presence he brings to the lineup. Tucker is still only 24 years old. With a lineup spot carved out, this two-year deal will represent a chance for him to truly hone his style and push for routine minutes before he hits his prime years.

AHL| NHL| St. Louis Blues Tyler Tucker

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Senators’ Brady Tkachuk, Joshua Norris, Shane Pinto Nearing Return

February 28, 2025 at 5:59 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley Leave a Comment

Friday’s practice brought plenty of positive injury updates to the Ottawa Senators, captured by the Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch. Captain Brady Tkachuk has confirmed he’ll return on Saturday after missing Ottawa’s last two games with a lower-body injury sustained at the 4-Nations Face-Off. Centers Joshua Norris and Shane Pinto were also full participants at Friday’s practice and seem close to a return of their own, though they haven’t been confirmed just yet. Both centermen are recovering from upper-body injuries. Pinto has been out for Ottawa’s last four games, while Norris has missed the last six.

The Senators are in desperate need for this wave of replacement. They’ve dropped their last five games, dating back to before the 4-Nations break, while getting outscored eight-to-23. That imbalance is largely thanks to the absence of Tkachuk and Norris, the team’s top two goal scorers. Tkachuk has 21 goals and 44 points through 56 games, while Norris has 19 goals and 31 points in 50 games. They’re closely followed by Shane Pinto, who has managed 11 goals and 22 points in 46 games and grown to a second-line role. Tkachuk leads the Senators in shots-per-game, while Pinto and Norris rank third and sixth among the team’s forwards. Their return should instantly spur a Senators team that’s managed just 26.8 shots-per-game over their losing streak.

The wave of returnees will force the Senators to shake up their lineup once again. Forwards Angus Crookshank and Jan Jenik are likely the first on the chopping block, after making their first and second NHL appearances of the season in Ottawa’s last game. Neither has managed any scoring.

Ottawa will also need to shelve a defender after icing seven in their last effort – but deciding who could be a challenge. Top-four defender Nick Jensen left Ottawa’s Friday practice early nursing a limp, per Garrioch. No update on Jensen’s pain was provided, but Garrioch adds the defender was already playing through an injury. Tyler Kleven was also absent from practice with what head coach Travis Green referred to as a “strain”. Green did not rule out Kleven for Saturday’s matchup. Both defenders have found a routine groove on Ottawa’s right-side. Jensen has 18 points in 53 games this season. He also ranks second on the team with a plus-11. Kleven hasn’t been as lucky, with just four points and a minus-five in 58 games.

Injury| NHL| Ottawa Senators Brady Tkachuk| Joshua Norris| Shane Pinto

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Blue Jackets’ Cole Sillinger To Miss Time With Upper-Body Injury

February 28, 2025 at 4:48 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 2 Comments

The Blue Jackets will be without center Cole Sillinger for this weekend’s Stadium Series and at least a few games after, general manager Don Waddell said on Columbus’ 97.1 The Fan today (via Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers).

Sillinger, 21, left in the first period of yesterday’s game against the Red Wings after taking a hit from Detroit star Moritz Seider. He didn’t leave the game immediately after the hit, skating a couple of additional shifts, but went for the room with five minutes left in the frame and didn’t return.

It turns out Sillinger’s injury is what spurred the recall of winger Mikael Pyyhtia from AHL Cleveland this morning. The Jackets haven’t been carrying an extra forward coming out of the 4 Nations break, so they would have had to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen in this weekend’s outdoor game without a recall. Instead, Sillinger will be sidelined while Pyyhtia makes his 47th appearance of the season for Columbus.

It’s a tough break for Sillinger, who’s establishing his floor as a middle-six forward. The 2021 12th overall pick has had a few minor injury and illness-related absences this season, but when in the lineup, he’s produced at a 44-point pace over a full season. Averaging a career-high 17:18 per game, he’s notched 9-20–29 through 54 appearances. His -15 rating is the worst on the team, though, and his possession metrics paint a similarly disappointing picture defensively. Columbus allows 3.36 goals per hour with Sillinger on the ice at 5v5, the most of any lineup regular outside of Jack Johnson and James van Riemsdyk. The Jackets also allow more scoring chances per hour (30.85) with Sillinger on the ice than with any other active skater.

Nonetheless, he’s had to produce in important minutes with key forwards Yegor Chinakhov, Boone Jenner, and Sean Monahan all missing significant chunks of the season. His absence will likely turn up the urgency dial for Waddell to acquire a forward on deadline day – something that’s a clear priority with Columbus in position to end its five-year postseason drought.

With Chinakhov and Monahan still out, Justin Danforth figures to step into top-six minutes in Sillinger’s absence. The soon-to-be 32-year-old has 5-7–12 through 38 games this season, averaging a shade under 15 minutes per contest.

Columbus Blue Jackets| Injury Cole Sillinger

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Canucks’ Noah Juulsen Out Three Months Following Surgery

February 28, 2025 at 3:37 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

Feb. 28: The Canucks confirmed Juulsen underwent a lower-body procedure and will miss 12 weeks as a result. That’s season-ending unless Vancouver, teetering on the edge of a wild-card spot, makes a deep playoff run.

Feb. 27: Canucks defenseman Noah Juulsen won’t return this season following a hernia procedure, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic reports. Per the NHL’s media site, he was already on injured reserve and had been listed as out with an undisclosed injury since the team returned from the 4 Nations break.

Juulsen has not played since Feb. 2, ending Vancouver’s pre-break schedule with a run of three straight healthy scratches. The 27-year-old righty was a frequent scratch to begin the campaign but made 28 consecutive appearances from Nov. 16 to Jan. 14 while Derek Forbort and Filip Hronek were sidelined by long-term injuries.

That’s one of the more notable outcomes from an otherwise unremarkable campaign from the depth defenseman. He carries the dubious distinction of having the lowest rating (-12) among players who have yet to record a point this season. Only Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves (42) has played more games than Juulsen (35) without getting on the scoresheet. Juulsen does, however, lead Vancouver defensemen in hits with 101 and is tied for third on the team with 60 blocks.

A first-round pick by the Canadiens back in 2015, Juulsen has scratched and clawed to carve out an NHL career. Injuries derailed his development, including career-threatening concussion issues in the 2019-20 season. But after being claimed on waivers by the Panthers and later sent to the Canucks in an October 2021 trade, he revived his play with their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford and stuck around on the NHL roster for the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign.

Aside from his penchant for physicality, though, Juulsen hasn’t brought a ton to the table. He’s been a drag on the Canucks’ possession play, particularly this year. He’s controlled just 42.8% of shot attempts at even strength, ahead of last-place Carson Soucy by 0.1%.

Set for unrestricted free agency this summer, it seems unlikely he’ll be brought back unless it’s on another two-way contract. The 6’2″ defender hasn’t yet had the chance to test the open market in his NHL career.

Injury| Vancouver Canucks Noah Juulsen

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Bruins Recall Georgii Merkulov, Jeffrey Viel, Ian Mitchell

February 28, 2025 at 2:08 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 3 Comments

The Bruins swapped out multiple depth players on their roster today, announcing they’ve recalled forwards Georgii Merkulov, Jeffrey Viel, and defenseman Ian Mitchell from AHL Providence. The three players headed down to the minors in corresponding moves are wingers Riley Tufte, Oliver Wahlstrom, and defenseman Michael Callahan. Wahlstrom cleared waivers earlier this afternoon.

It’s by no means major turnover on the Boston roster given the minimal roles the three demotees were playing, but it does signal a wish for different skillsets down the stretch. That’s particularly evident in the call-ups of Merkulov and Mitchell, who offer head coach Joe Sacco more offensive upside than any of the players being sent down.

While a 2-1 loss to the Islanders last night represented a huge blow to their playoff chances, the Bruins still have a chance. Returning to the postseason picture will require more puck-moving support from their blue line in the absence of their top two defenders in Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. They don’t have much there in the interim aside from sophomore Mason Lohrei, and while Mitchell isn’t an impact piece by any stretch, he’s a more dynamic skillset than what the stay-at-home Callahan offered in his first NHL look.

Acquired from the Blackhawks in the 2023 Taylor Hall trade, Mitchell spent a chunk of last season on the Bruins’ roster as a healthy extra but hasn’t touched NHL ice in 2024-25. It’s his first recall since clearing waivers at the beginning of the season. The 6’0″ righty leads P-Bruins defensemen in scoring with 4-23–27 through 46 games, pairing that with a strong +11 rating. He managed two assists and a plus-six rating in 13 showings with Boston last year, averaging 15:18 per game.

Even just that stat line will be an upgrade over what Callahan’s brought to the table thus far. The 25-year-old got his first taste of NHL hockey over the past two months, posting a minus-two rating and averaging 13:08 per game over 11 appearances. The Bruins were outchanced 73-52 in his even-strength minutes. The 2018 fifth-round pick by the Coyotes will now return to Providence, where he has six points and a plus-two rating in 36 showings.

Meanwhile, Merkulov still checks in as one of the few offensively tantalizing players in the Bruins system. He doesn’t have much room left to grow at age 24, but the 5’11” center continues to hover around a point per game in the minors and is tied for the team lead in scoring with 13-31–44 through 47 games. He’s in his third year in the Bruins organization after signing as a free agent out of Ohio State in 2022, but he’s only recorded one assist in seven NHL games in previous trials. He should get a look higher up in the lineup with Trent Frederic sidelined for the time being, though.

Viel is a more direct replacement for the physicality they’re losing with Tufte’s reassignment. The 28-year-old winger got into his first NHL game since the 2022-23 campaign with the B’s earlier this season, recording a fight and 8:29 of ice time against the Blue Jackets on Nov. 18. The former Sharks and Jets farmhand stands at 6’2″ and 205 lbs and has 26 points, 130 PIMs, and a +15 rating in 51 games with Providence.

Tufte, 26, was recalled early last week and played in two of Boston’s first three games coming out of the 4 Nations break. He’s now made five NHL appearances on the year without a point and has a minus-three rating, one block, and six hits while averaging 8:05 per game.

Boston Bruins| Transactions Georgii Merkulov| Ian Mitchell| Jeffrey Viel| Michael Callahan| Oliver Wahlstrom| Riley Tufte

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Bruins Reassign Oliver Wahlstrom

February 28, 2025 at 1:04 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 1 Comment

Feb. 28: Wahlstrom cleared waivers, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. He’s on his way to Providence as expected, Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald confirms.

Feb. 27: The Bruins placed winger Oliver Wahlstrom on waivers today, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports.

Wahlstrom has only been a member of the Boston organization for two and a half months. Claimed off waivers from the Islanders in mid-December, the 24-year-old hasn’t panned out. He’s been a frequent healthy scratch and has only played in four of the Bruins’ last 10 games.

When dressed, the 2018 11th overall pick has remained a non-factor. He managed just a goal and assist in 16 appearances for Boston, averaging 10:30 per game and shooting at just 4.2%. A premier goal-scorer in his youth, potting 48 in 62 games with the U.S. National U18 Team in his draft year, he’s now on track to finish at a clip worse than six percent in back-to-back seasons.

All told, Wahlstrom has just four points in 34 games this season split between the Bruins and Islanders. His possession metrics were ghastly in New York but have notably improved since the move. He’s not broken even in shot attempts at even strength, still only controlling 47.8%, but that’s better than how the Bruins have fared without him on the ice whenever he’s been in the lineup. Still, there’s little evidence for him as an effective everyday NHLer, especially since a leg injury truncated a promising 2022-23 campaign at the halfway mark. He’s never fully rebounded, only scoring 12 points in 75 appearances since returning after he was on pace for 37 points over 82 games before the injury.

It’s notable that Wahlstrom is being removed from the roster even in the wake of an injury to top-nine forward Trent Frederic, who’s now out week-to-week and will likely be out the door by the trade deadline anyway. The likelihood of a claim is minimal after a failed change of scenery, so he figures to head to AHL Providence for his first minor-league action in five years.

The Bruins will have an open roster spot tomorrow after Wahlstrom clears or is claimed and could open a second one by moving Frederic to IR. It’s unclear what they plan on doing with the flexibility, although a corresponding recall from Providence should be expected before a two-game road trip that begins this weekend.

Boston Bruins| Transactions| Waivers Oliver Wahlstrom

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Canadiens’ Kirby Dach Undergoes Knee Surgery, Out For Season

February 28, 2025 at 12:47 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 4 Comments

Canadiens forward Kirby Dach will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on his right knee, the team announced today.

It’s the same knee that Dach needed surgery on in October 2023, when a hit from then-Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi caused an ACL and MCL tear and ended his season midway through his second appearance. He returned fully healthy for training camp in the fall, which Montreal said they expect to happen again this time.

Dach, 24, had been healthy all season before leaving last Saturday’s game against the Senators. He’d already sat out two contests with the injury before undergoing surgery. He hasn’t yet landed on injured reserve, but he will if Montreal needs additional roster flexibility ahead of next Friday’s trade deadline.

While uninterrupted until now, Dach’s 2024-25 campaign wasn’t one to write home about. The 2019 No. 3 overall pick ends his campaign with 10-12–22 in 57 games along with a career-worst -29 rating. His 0.39 points per game were a far cry from his 0.66 in the 2022-23 campaign, his first in Montreal after they acquired him from the Blackhawks for a pair of draft picks (the higher of which became Frank Nazar for Chicago).

The 6’4″ pivot did record a career-high 100 hits this year, but that’s more indicative of his newfound possession struggles than anything else. His 44.8 CF% at even strength was the worst of his career by far despite receiving the most advantageous offensive deployment of his young career. Dach’s 34.9 GF% at 5v5 is the worst among Canadiens skaters with at least 15 games played, per Natural Stat Trick, despite his 149 offensive zone starts leading the club.

A natural center, Dach has also consistently struggled in the faceoff dot since debuting with Chicago immediately in his post-draft season. His subpar 40.3 FOW% this year matched a career-high, leading Montreal head coach Martin St. Louis to deploy him on the wing more consistently. His most common linemates this year were Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook, the latter of whom has settled in as the Habs’ second-line center behind captain Nick Suzuki for the time being. That could change soon, though, as rookie Owen Beck has seen deployment in Dach’s place since being recalled earlier this week and has won 15 of his 28 draws this year. He recorded his first NHL point, an assist, in yesterday’s overtime win over the Sharks.

A second knee surgery in a year and a half rightfully calls Dach’s long-term standing in the organization into question. His first procedure stalled his initial breakout in Montreal, and his negative impacts this season post-surgery are clear. Whether he can get himself back on track to becoming a top-six-caliber player after going under the knife again remains to be seen.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Injury| Montreal Canadiens| Newsstand Kirby Dach

4 comments

Blackhawks Recall Andreas Athanasiou, Wyatt Kaiser

February 28, 2025 at 12:08 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

After a months-long stint in the minors, veteran forward Andreas Athanasiou is back on the Blackhawks’ roster. He’s been recalled from AHL Rockford along with defenseman Wyatt Kaiser, the Blackhawks announced Friday. Rookie blue-liner Nolan Allan was sent to Rockford in a corresponding move to keep Chicago at the 23-player limit.

Athanasiou, 30, returns to the NHL roster after captain Nick Foligno left yesterday’s game against the Golden Knights with an undisclosed injury. He hasn’t yet been ruled out for Saturday’s tilt against the Ducks, but Athanasiou gives Chicago a 14th forward on the active roster in case Foligno and another forward end up being unavailable.

The speedy 6’2″ forward is in the back half of a two-year, $8.5MM extension he signed with Chicago in the 2023 offseason. He’s made just 33 appearances for the Hawks since putting pen to paper on that deal, however. A lower-body injury cost him over half of the 2023-24 campaign, and he served as a healthy scratch for the overwhelming majority of Chicago’s games over the first few weeks of this season before clearing waivers and being sent down to Rockford in November.

Even in the minors, Athanasiou couldn’t avoid injuries. He sustained a wrist fracture almost immediately after his demotion and was sidelined for over a month as a result. When in the lineup, though, he’s been dominant in his first minor league stint in nearly a decade. The veteran of 492 NHL games posted 8-8–16 in 16 games on assignment to Rockford, checking in as their third point-per-game player this year alongside Joey Anderson and Frank Nazar – both of whom have been up with Chicago for a good chunk of the season.

Athanasiou made just five appearances for the Blackhawks this year, all coming in October. He went without a point and averaged a paltry 9:36 per game, and the Blackhawks were outchanced 31-17 when he was on the ice at 5v5, per Natural Stat Trick. It wasn’t a promising showing, so he’s unlikely to draw back into the NHL lineup unless another injury forces Chicago’s hand.

Kaiser, 22, has spent a much smaller portion of the season in the minors. He made the team’s opening night roster for the second year in a row and remained there until his first demotion on Dec. 20. He was back up in the NHL less than two weeks later but was reassigned back to Rockford on Jan. 23, where he’s remained since amid a lack of injuries on the Blackhawks’ defense.

A solid point producer in college and even during his first flashes of pro hockey in the NHL, offense has been hard to come by for the 6’0″ lefty in 2024-25. He has 1-5–6 in 52 combined appearances for the Blackhawks and IceHogs this year. However, he’s averaged 17:39 per game when up with Chicago and played decent defensively in those minutes despite a lack of a physical edge. Kaiser’s 46.7 CF% at even strength ranks third among active Blackhawks skaters behind Ethan Del Mastro and Teuvo Teräväinen. It’s unclear whether he’ll slot into the lineup immediately, but his two-way play has earned him another chance despite the lack of production.

The 21-year-old Allan hasn’t fared nearly as well defensively in a depth role, leading to his first demotion of the campaign. The 2021 first-rounder has made 43 appearances for the Hawks this year, the first of his NHL career, but has been a healthy scratch in six of their last eight games. He’s still a developing shutdown rearguard and would do well with more consistent playing time and extended minutes in the minors.

Allan contributed a 1-7–8 scoring line while averaging 15:08 per game, logging 48 blocks and 61 hits. His 41.5 CF% at even strength trails every defender on the team aside from Louis Crevier’s 41.4%, though, and Chicago has been outscored 34-19 in Allan’s 5v5 minutes. Among Blackhawks regulars, only T.J. Brodie and Philipp Kurashev have worse goal shares.

Chicago Blackhawks| Transactions Andreas Athanasiou| Nolan Allan| Wyatt Kaiser

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