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Charlie Lindgren Expected To Start Game Four For Capitals

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Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery didn’t provide an injury update on Logan Thompson today, but did seem to clear a path for Charlie Lindgren to start game four against the Canadiens on Sunday, per NHL.com reporter Dan Rosen.

Thompson had a rough game three in multiple ways. He not only let in five goals but also collided with teammate Dylan Strome in the third period that resulted in his exit from the game. While his exact injury isn’t known, it appeared Thompson may have suffered a leg injury (though he also seemed to hold his head following the collision). And while Carbery didn’t provide an update on Thompson’s status, he did seem to clarify who would be between the pipes for game four. As Rosen notes, Carbery told reporters, “It’ll be next man up for us and we know ’Chucky’ Lindgren. He’s done a great job. He’s a great goaltender.”

While Lingren provides a solid veteran option for Washinton for the short term, his .894 save percentage this past season, in addition to his lack of playoff experience (four career starts), probably isn’t inspiring many within the organization if Thompson does miss significant time.

And while Thompson also doesn’t own a lot of playoff experience (seven career starts), he is coming off of a Vezina-candidate regular season where we produced a 31-6-6 record to go along with a .910 save percentage and 2.49 goals against average. His return to health, as well as efficiency, will be key to Washington’s Stanley Cup aspirations. The 27-year-old owns a career .912 save percentage and a 137-87-38 record.

Josh Anderson, Tom Wilson Fined For Unsportsmanlike Conduct

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For their part in a game three incident, Montreal Canadiens forward Josh Anderson and Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson were both fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct, per an NHL release.

The fine is the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. As players prepared to enter their respective locker rooms at the end of the second period, Wilson and Anderson engaged in a wrestling match that ended up spilling into Washington’s bench. Both players received roughing minors and 10-minute misconducts. Multiple players joined the fracas, and Washington’s Lars Eller and Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj were also assessed minor penalties. For his part, Wilson also took the opportunity to mock Montreal players directly following the incident.

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery told reporters following the game that the situation was, “Just two competitive teams, two competitive guys going at it.” He added that when the second period concluded, he was making his way to the locker room when he needed to reverse course to avoid Anderson and Wilson coming into Washington’s bench.

These types of situations are not uncommon for Wilson, who has been suspended five time in his career in additional to several fines he’s accumulated over the years. Playing on the edge is also what has made Wilson a successful power forward for the Caps. His 2,368 career hits only trail teammate Alex Ovechkin in Washington history, while his 835 career games rank eighth in team history.

Anderson has also played a physical brand of hockey over his career, though this represents the first fine of his career (he did receive a two-game suspension for boarding in 2022). With the Canadians pulling away to a 6-3 win in game three, and drawing closer in the series, it will be interesting to see if there is a follow-up between the two physical forwards as the series progresses.

Offseason Checklist: Nashville Predators

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The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs.  Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months.  Next up is a look at Nashville.

After a strong showing in the second half last season to make the playoffs, Predators GM Barry Trotz was a big spender in free agency, handing out long-term deals to forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault along with blueliner Brady Skjei.  Accordingly, expectations were quite high heading into 2024-25.  Instead, the team struggled mightily, becoming one of the worst teams in the NHL.  As a result, it could be a busy summer for Nashville once again.

Add Scoring Help

For a team that added two quality offensive threats in Stamkos and Marchessault that’s run by a coach whose teams were pretty high scoring in his two years behind a bench, offense was not supposed to be a problem for the Predators this season.  Instead, they went from being in the top ten in goals scored in 2023-24 to finishing second-last league-wide in that department with a drop-off in tallies of 44 or more than half a goal per game.

Assuming that Andrew Brunette is back behind the bench next season, he’ll be tasked with trying to turn things around on that front.  Objectively, there’s cause for optimism that some of the veterans should be poised to rebound; can they all have down years a second year in a row or will at least some of them bounce back?

But relying on internal improvement probably isn’t going to be enough to turn their fortunes around.  They’re going to have to look outside the organization to add someone.  More specifically, they need to add an impact center.

Ryan O’Reilly had a decent season overall but he certainly is not a true number one center.  They hoped that Thomas Novak would take on a bigger part of the scoring load.  Instead, he struggled and was shipped to Pittsburgh with Michael Bunting coming the other way.  A full season with Bunting will help offensively but the move further exacerbated how weak the center spot is.  Fedor Svechkov has some potential and could help in that regard down the road but counting on him to be a full-time top-six middleman next season would be asking for a lot.

It’s something that’s generally much easier said than done given that many other teams will be looking to add an impact center this summer, either through trade or free agency.  But the Predators certainly need to do just that unless they’re convinced that Stamkos can be a full-time middleman moving forward after spending considerable time on the wing the last two seasons.

Bring In An Impact Defenseman

When you think about the rosters the Predators have had over the years, they’ve been fortunate to have a steady supply of high-quality blueliners.  They had enough of them that they were able to move some out to fill other holes on the roster.  Unfortunately for them, that is no longer the case.

Roman Josi remains the mainstay on the back end and while he’s coming off a down year offensively like many others, he has three years left on his contract and there’s little reason to think he’s going anywhere.  Skjei had some ups and downs in his first year with Nashville but he is certainly a legitimate top-four defenseman and will be around for the long haul as he’s signed through 2031.  That’s a good start defensively.

The problem is that things go downhill from there.  Alexandre Carrier was a top-four regular but was moved to Montreal for Justin Barron, a youngster who has shown flashes of top-four skill but his consistency has been an issue.  Jeremy Lauzon was hurt for most of the year and is probably best suited for the third pairing.  Adam Wilsby and Nick Blankenburg showed some flashes but neither is a lock to be a top-four guy down the road while Marc Del Gaizo, Spencer Stastney, Jordan Oesterle, and Andreas Englund are more depth pieces.

Is it possible that one player from that group can emerge as a legitimate top-four down the road?  Sure.  But even if that happens, they’re still missing one impact blueliner at a minimum.  Long-term, prospects Tanner Molendyk and Ryan Ufko have shown some upside but they’re probably not NHL-ready yet; Molendyk has yet to play professionally.  There is a real need to add at least one top-four piece this summer.

It’s worth noting that Nashville is well-positioned to try to add impact players in the coming months.  They have over $17MM in cap room, per PuckPedia, giving them ample space to try to add multiple impact players for the second straight year.  They also have three first-round picks at their disposal and while they could use all three to really bolster their future depth, at least one of those could be dangled to add a key blueliner or fill the opening down the middle.

Re-Sign Evangelista

Almost all of Nashville’s roster is already under contract for next season, making their list of free agents about as small as can be.  A pair of depth players (Del Gaizo and Jakub Vrana) are pending UFAs while there’s only one full-timer who is slated to become a restricted free agent, winger Luke Evangelista.

The 23-year-old’s entry-level contract is coming to an end and it’s fair to say that Nashville got strong value on it with a cap hit just below $800K.  His first full season was in 2023-24 when he had 16 goals and 23 assists in 80 games and followed that up with 10 tallies and 22 helpers in 68 outings this season while logging a little under 14 minutes per game in both years.  In terms of secondary production from the middle six, he did relatively well all things considered.

Evangelista has four RFA-eligible seasons remaining which gives Trotz some options.  Given that he’s more of a role player at this point, a long-term contract seems unlikely although considering Nashville gave Colton Sissons a seven-year deal while being a role player, it can’t entirely be ruled out either.  More likely is that Trotz opts for a bridge contract between one and three years, ensuring he’ll still be a restricted free agent at its expiry where they could then determine if the time is right to sign him long-term.  With how he fared over his first couple of seasons, a two-year deal could land around $2.25MM while a three-year pact could run closer to $2.6MM with the extra year being an arbitration-eligible year.

Make Some Room

This was a stated goal by Trotz as the season went on and we saw the idea of it in the Carrier-for-Barron swap although they also gave up on Juuso Parssinen and Philip Tomasino.  It runs counterintuitive to the idea of adding impact veterans but both things can be done this summer.

Up front, Svechkov is ready for full-time duty after spending some time with AHL Milwaukee.  Matthew Wood showed some promise in a late-season stint and has the size and physicality to play the gritty game they’re looking for from their bottom six.  Ozzy Wiesblatt had a solid year with the Admirals and could be ready to make the jump as well.  If they want more offense, Joakim Kemell could get into the mix.  To make room, someone like Michael McCarron could be expendable while Sissons will be entering the final year of his deal and should have some trade interest from teams looking to add to their bottom six.  One or two moves like that would allow for a youngster or two to stick will still leaving room to add either via the trade market or free agency.

On the back end, there’s some work that needs to be done to open up a spot for an impact addition at a minimum, more if Ufko or Molendyk make a push for a top-six spot.  Beyond Josi and Skjei, Wilsby is the only other one signed beyond next season so there is some flexibility on that front.  Englund and Oesterle have been on waivers multiple times before and could land there or they could look to flip one for a late-round pick if there’s enough trade interest.  They’ve compiled some depth when it comes to depth defenders but some of that needs to be cashed in if they want to make room for upgrades.

Photo courtesy of Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.

Capitals Assign Ilya Protas To AHL

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One of Washington’s top prospects could soon be getting his first taste of playing in the pros.  The Capitals announced that they have reassigned winger Ilya Protas from OHL Windsor to AHL Hershey.

The 18-year-old was a third-round pick last June, going 75th overall after a solid first season in North America with USHL Des Moines after previously playing in Belarus’ junior program.  Having had some success with his brother Aliaksei (who had a breakout year with the Caps this season), Washington felt Ilya, who stands 6’5, was worth a mid-round look as well, making them the second set of brothers to be drafted by the team in franchise history (the others being Yvon and Rick Corriveau).

It’s a pick that certainly looks promising not even a year later.  Protas moved to the major junior level this season with the Spitfires and was nothing short of dominant, notching 50 goals and 74 assists in just 61 games, good for second in the OHL in scoring.  He became the first player since Alex DeBrincat to pot 50 goals in his first OHL campaign.

That production didn’t slow down in the playoffs either.  He is the leading scorer of the postseason thus far after tallying five goals and 20 assists in just a dozen postseason contests.

Hershey has yet to begin its playoff run as the team is awaiting the end of the opening round (or play-in series) to see who their first opponent will be.  It will be interesting to see if Protas will get a look at some point or if he’ll primarily serve as injury insurance.

Hurricanes Officially Register Alexander Nikishin’s Contract

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On Friday, a representative for Hurricanes prospect Alexander Nikishin expressed some frustration that his contract had yet to be registered with the NHL despite being agreed to in principle before the playoffs.  While it took longer than expected, it is now done as team reporter Walt Ruff relays (Twitter link) that the contract has been made official.  As expected, the deal begins this season, making him eligible to play in the playoffs.

GM Eric Tulsky also released the following statement:

“We had agreed with his agents to keep the options open for Alex to potentially play a game in Chicago at some point. But with their season now over, it makes sense to officially register an NHL contract for him, and we are excited for his future with the team.”

It was initially believed that Nikishin, one of the top blueliners outside the NHL in recent seasons, would make an immediate impact in Carolina’s lineup.  But when the coaching staff determined he wouldn’t be in their top six to start the postseason, the Hurricanes kept their options open in case they wanted Nikishin to get a game or two in with AHL Chicago on a tryout deal before registering the deal.  Chicago fell 5-0 to Rockford on Friday, ending their best-of-three series in a sweep so that option is no longer on the table, meaning there was no reason to delay things further.

The 23-year-old had 17 goals and 29 assists in 61 games with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL this season, a point total that was actually a bit lower than the last couple of years when he had 55 in 2022-23 and 56 in 2023-24.  He also logged more than 24 minutes a night while playing in all situations.  Head coach Rod Brind’Amour may not want to mess with a group that has gotten out to a two-to-one series lead on New Jersey just yet but now with Nikishin’s deal officially on the books, he has a very intriguing option to turn to at some point this postseason.

David Carle Withdraws From Consideration For Blackhawks Head Coaching Position

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The Blackhawks are one of a handful of teams looking to find their next head coach.  Among their perceived top candidates was Denver University bench boss David Carle.  However, they’ll have to turn their sights elsewhere as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that Carle has withdrawn from consideration for the position, adding that Chicago made an aggressive pursuit for his services.

The 35-year-old has been a mainstay at Denver since his playing days unexpectedly came to an end when he was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy just before his draft year.  The school honored his scholarship offer and he worked with the team as a graduate assistant coach for four years before he moved to the USHL, joining Green Bay as an assistant coach.

That only lasted parts of two seasons before Carle rejoined Denver in 2014 where he has been ever since.  He was an assistant with them until the 2018-19 when he took over as their head coach and his stock has been on the rise since then.

During his time with the Pioneers, Carle has three NCHC titles along with a pair of NCAA championships.  Internationally, he led Team USA to gold medals in each of the last two years.  With nothing left to prove at the collegiate level, Carle has been a speculative candidate for pretty much every coaching search thus far.

It’s unclear as to why Carle pulled his name out of the mix with the Blackhawks who would have been an intriguing fit for him as a young team that’s still developing but has plenty of young players including seven who played for him either in college or at the World Juniors, including top youngsters Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, and Sam Rinzel.

It’s possible that another team has emerged as a front-runner for Carle, resulting in the withdrawal as he focuses on finalizing a contract.  Alternatively, Carle could have withdrawn after not liking Chicago’s offer or wanting to go through what’s likely to be a couple more years of a rebuild.  It’s also possible that Carle decides to stay at Denver which has become a top program and is likely to add more quality prospects for next season.

In the meantime, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson will have to turn his focus elsewhere in terms of finding his next head coach.  At the moment, there aren’t any candidates who are known to have interviewed with Chicago while interim bench boss Anders Sorensen remains in consideration for the full-time position.

PHR Mailbag: Jets, Lottery Teams, Pastrnak, Hughes, Challenges, Kings, Mogilny

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Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include Winnipeg’s attractiveness to potential free agents, the Quinn Hughes situation in Vancouver following comments from management, and much more.  If your question doesn’t appear here, we’ll have one more mailbag next weekend so watch for it there.

Cla23: With the recent signings by the Jets of Alex Iafallo and Neal Pionk and long-term contracts to their star players, will this year FA‘s think hmmm, maybe Winnipeg has something I don’t know about or will it always be a hard no?

If the extensions to Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele didn’t materially improve Winnipeg’s perception among free agents, I’m not sure new deals for Iafallo and Pionk (or Vladislav Namestnikov who also re-signed somewhat recently) will move the needle all that much.  When a player is an unrestricted free agent with plenty of suitors, they’re generally not going to go to a small-market team with a fairly high tax rate unless there’s a specific opportunity they’re pursuing.  That’s not a shot at Winnipeg but rather a reality that some smaller-market teams face.  Especially this year with a big jump in the cap putting more money in the market than usual.

But one of those specific opportunities I just mentioned is winning.  If the Jets have a long and successful playoff run, that will go a long way toward bolstering their standing among free agents.  Lots of players want to win and if there’s an opportunity with a legitimate contender, it will be a more coveted spot even in a smaller market.  That’s what’s going to materially improve their standing as a free agent destination.

One thing that these extensions should do is give GM Kevin Cheveldayoff more confidence when it comes to acquiring rental players they want to re-sign.  While they haven’t kept them all over the years, it hasn’t exactly been a mass exodus of talent either.  While players could be reticent about the market when they’re acquired, enough of them decide to stay which should make Cheveldayoff feel more optimistic about the prospect of keeping them around should the opportunity present itself to acquire someone on an expiring or short-term contract.

frozenaquatic: Of the lottery teams trending up, who has laid the groundwork for future success? Calgary has Wolf, but relying too much on a keeper isn’t a recipe for success (Coronato looks great though), and are in reality a trending-down older team that happens to have a great keeper and a top D-man in Andersson. The Flyers are the opposite, and could build around Michkov, but their D is suspect, and they forever seem a good goalie away from being decent. Utah is pretty well-rounded, but got bit by the injury bug, and may need an upgrade in goal. The Wings have some nice pieces, but seem snakebitten, and who knows if the Sabres will ever make the playoffs again. My vote would be split between the Ducks and the Jackets — both have potential — though for the Jackets going into ’26 with Jet Greaves, hot as he was down the stretch, as the best option net feels a bit scary.

Long term, I’m more bullish on Utah than it appears you are.  They’re reasonably well-rounded now with an improved core crop and have one of the deeper prospect pools in the NHL, including Michael Hrabal, one of the better goalie prospects out there if Karel Vejmelka isn’t the long-term starter.  They also still have a surplus of future picks to try to trade from to add to their core plus ample cap space (more than $22MM this summer per PuckPedia), a clean long-term cap situation, and an owner that appears to be willing to spend.  That’s a team that feels like they’re poised to be on the rise in the near future with a deep enough system to sustain it for a little while.  And for how long they’ve struggled, it better be sustainable for a while to justify the years of pain.

If Anaheim’s young core forwards can live up to expectations, they have the chance to be a longer-term contender as well.  But whoever takes over as head coach is going to need to find a way to get more offensively out of those players.  Otherwise, things might start to stagnate.  Columbus is in solid shape as well but I feel like they’re a team that punched a bit higher than expected which might put expectations a bit too high.  They need to sort out their goaltending to really take a step forward and while Greaves could be part of the solution, he profiles as more of a backup than a starter.

Since you noted trending up, that takes some of the bottom teams out of the equation and some disappointing underachievers so Utah would be my top pick for this question.  Quickly touching on the other teams you listed, I agree that Dustin Wolf masked over some of Calgary’s deficiencies that will need to be addressed still while Philadelphia’s long-standing goalie trouble keeps me from being super bullish on their future.  Buffalo has to get it right one day but whether they can sustain it after losing this much is still in question and I’m not sure Detroit is trending up but rather treading water.  There’s a nucleus to work with but until that young nucleus gets a lot better or they bring in better veterans to elevate the floor, they look destined to remain in the middle for a while yet.

SoCalADRL: Zegras, Zelly, Pastujov, 2025 1st, 2026 1st for Pasta. Who says no?

With a no-move clause, David Pastrnak probably says no.  There’s no reason to think he’d want to leave Boston, especially to go to a team that hasn’t been good for a while.  Yes, as noted above, Anaheim is in solid shape from a long-term roster perspective but until they actually start winning, they’re not going to be the most appealing of teams for players to go to, especially ones who completely control their fate in a trade.  This is the type of move that Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek might be looking to make, bringing in someone to anchor their attack but Pastrnak would likely nix it, ending the thought quickly.

The Bruins also probably say no as well.  CEO Charlie Jacobs spoke this week about getting back to the playoffs next season, throwing any idea of a rebuild (even the short-term one I thought they might do) out the window.  So making a declaration like that and then trading your franchise forward for a package comprised primarily of future or still-developing assets wouldn’t make much sense.

I should also note that packages like this rarely actually work in trades.  While there is definitely some quality young talent in there (plus a fairly high draft pick this year), the Ducks aren’t going to get an elite or franchise-type of forward for it; quantity rarely yields a high-quality player in a swap.  That probably doesn’t change with this package.

SpeakOfTheDevils: I’M NOT SAYING THEY NEED TO GO THIS ROUTE BUT…What does a Quinn Hughes to New Jersey mock trade look like to you?

In case you missed it this week, Canucks president Jim Rutherford indicated that defenseman Quinn Hughes would like to play with his brothers one day.  Can I just say that I appreciate Rutherford’s all-too-rare candor?  It’s fun to have something meaty like this to ponder without it just being a pie-in-the-sky idea.

I know he’d love to walk back that comment as it has brought forth all sorts of speculation but I understand what he was trying to say in that they’re going to offer Hughes a bunch of money but lots of brothers desire to play on the same team and with Quinn being the first to reach UFA status, he could try to force his way there if he really wanted to do so.  For one, I think it’s largely overblown, especially if the brothers are able to play on the same teams internationally in best-on-best play, scratching that particular itch.

Call me crazy but the trade that makes the most sense to me is one that sends Luke Hughes the other way as the centerpiece.  New Jersey will need to offload a lot of money to afford a Quinn extension that will be in the double-digits in AAV.  I don’t see the Canucks wanting Dougie Hamilton as a key part of the return and I’m not sure carrying him plus Quinn and Luke is necessarily a good thing from a defensive standpoint or even a cap standpoint.  From there, the timing would then dictate the adds.  If it was now with Quinn only having two years of control left, it might be close to a one-for-one swap.  But if it’s a year later when Quinn can be extended, that probably means more has to come from the Devils.

It’s a fun hypothetical exercise but there’s only one way I see the three brothers playing together as a result of a trade and even it’s iffy at best.  That’s if Quinn goes to Vancouver management next summer and says no matter what, he’s signing with New Jersey.  But even then, Quinn doesn’t have any trade protection in his contract and the Canucks could look to get a strong return for a one-year rental over what would be more of a salvage trade where they look to get something in return for someone they’d lose for nothing.  But would the Devils pay the top value to ensure they got him?  Probably not which is why I said even this idea is iffy at best.

FearTheWilson: Since when can you use a Coach’s Challenge for a puck over the glass penalty? And will the NHL ever leave goal reviews strictly up to the War Room? Imo any decisions after the original call on the ice should fall on the War Room.

Challenging puck over glass is a new rule for this season.  The relevant section from the NHL Rulebook is 38.2 (d) which reads as follows:

Penalty situations for “Delaying the game – puck over the glass” – When a minor penalty for delaying the game has been assessed under Rule 63.2 (iii) for shooting or batting the puck out of play from the defending zone. This will only apply to delay of game penalties when the shot/batted puck is determined to have subsequently deflected off a player, stick, glass or boards, etc., and not a judgment call. No challenge can be issued for a non-call, in other words, no challenge is to be considered when the On-Ice Officials deem that it was not a violation of Rule 63.2 (iii). A challenge can only be used to rescind a penalty, not to have one assessed. In the event of a failed challenge, an additional minor penalty (or double-minor penalty, as appropriate) will be assessed (in addition to the existing delay of game penalty).

(Rule 63.2 (iii), if you’re wondering, is the one that establishes the minor penalty for the puck-over-glass infraction.)

With it only being challengeable to take a penalty off the board and not put one on, it’s fortunately something we haven’t seen too often.  I don’t mind that it’s an option as sometimes, the officials conferring can get it wrong so for something that’s supposed to be black-and-white, the reviews shouldn’t take long so I’m okay with it.

As for goal reviews being made by the War Room, I like the sentiment of the idea in that it takes some responsibility away from the on-ice official and makes it more of an independent decision.  But sometimes the on-ice official had the best angle and might be able to contribute something or fill in a blank that helps determine the final call.  If they still have that input, it’s not necessarily a War Room decision then.  And if you take away that input and have no communication between the War Room and the on-ice officials, you’re not necessarily getting the full picture which brings a fairness question into play.  I think this is why we don’t see it that way now and probably won’t any time soon.

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Metropolitan Notes: Karlsson, Islanders, Ashton

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Erik Karlsson’s tenure with Pittsburgh has been a bit underwhelming, to say the least.  While he has eclipsed 50 points in each of his first two years, his totals pale in comparison to the 101 he had in 2022-23 with San Jose.  In a recent 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman mused that once Karlsson’s signing bonus gets paid (July 1st is the payment date for most but not all), the 34-year-old will be more of a realistic trade target.  At that point, he’ll be down to just $11.5MM in cash owed over the final two years of the contract, a chunk of which the Sharks will be picking up.  If the Penguins are willing to retain further, they might find a relatively decent trade market for his services, especially among some of the lower-spending teams who might find extra value in having an AAV higher than cash owed.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Ethan Sears of the New York Post provides (subscription link) an overview of some questions the Islanders now face in the wake of Lou Lamoriello not getting his contract renewed. Chief among them is the fate of contract extension talks between the club and pending UFA winger Kyle Palmieri.  It looked as if a new deal was a matter of when, not if, but if the new GM wants to go a different direction, that could now be off the table.  Sears also flags the handling of Noah Dobson’s next contract as a key question.  While Lamoriello didn’t seem to view the pending RFA as a number one defender, his numbers suggest he’s about to be paid like one.  Does the new GM want to hand out a max-term contract or look for something shorter-term that might come in a little cheaper?
  • Blue Jackets prospect Luke Ashton has transferred to Cornell for next season, relays Brad Elliott Schlossmann of the Grand Forks Herald (Twitter link). The 20-year-old blueliner was a sixth-round pick last year after a strong offensive season with BCHL Langley that saw him tally 18 goals.  However, he only managed five goals along with eight assists with Minnesota State (Mankato), resulting in Ashton deciding to look for a change of scenery.  He is now one of three NHL-drafted blueliners on the Big Red.

Senators Recall Twelve Players

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With the Senators in the playoffs and their farm team in Belleville not making the playoffs, Ottawa has determined which players will be joining the team as their Black Aces.  The team announced (Twitter link) that forwards Zack MacEwen, Angus Crookshank, Stephen Halliday, Cole Reinhardt, Jan Jenik, Tyler Boucher, Garrett Pilon, and Wyatt Bongiovanni, along with defenseman Donovan Sebrango and goaltender Mads Sogaard have all been recalled from Belleville.

In addition, the Sens have also recalled two players from the major junior ranks.  Defenseman Carter Yakemchuk was brought up from WHL Calgary while blueliner Tomas Hamara was recalled from OHL Brantford.

Among the recalls, MacEwen saw the most game action with Ottawa this season, playing in 21 games where he had three points and 49 hits in a little under eight minutes a night of action.  Reinhardt had two points in 17 outings while Crookshank had an assist in eight contests.  Jenik, Sebrango, and Sogaard all got into a pair of games and were held off the scoresheet while Sogaard allowed eight goals on just 40 shots.

Looking at the AHL recalls who didn’t play with Ottawa this season, Halliday and Pilon were Belleville’s top scorers, checking in with 51 and 48 points, respectively.  Meanwhile, Bongiovanni tied Crookshank for the team lead in goals with 22.  Boucher, meanwhile, had just 10 points in 47 games this season, not a great showing for the tenth overall pick from 2021.

Yakemchuk very briefly made Ottawa’s roster out of training camp before being sent back without playing a game.  He was the seventh pick in last year’s draft and had a solid year with the Hitmen, picking up 49 points in 56 games.  As for Hamara, he also checked in just below the point-per-game mark with the Bulldogs, notching 55 in 58 appearances.

These recalls could be short-lived, however.  Ottawa is down 3-0 in their opening round series against Toronto so the series could be over as soon as tonight.  But regardless of how long their postseason push lasts, the Sens now have their extra skaters in place.

Brandon Hagel Receives One-Game Suspension

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Down 2-0 in their opening-round series to Florida, the Lightning will be without one of their top wingers for Saturday’s game as the league announced late Friday that Brandon Hagel received a one-game suspension for his hit on Aleksander Barkov on Thursday.

The incident occurred just before the midway mark of the third period with Hagel receiving a major penalty for interference on the play but not a game misconduct.  Barkov left the game and did not return; head coach Paul Maurice revealed Friday that the center hasn’t been ruled out or in for tonight’s contest.

In the video explaining the decision, the Department of Player Safety noted that supplemental discipline was warranted because Barkov was never in possession of the puck and therefore was not eligible to be checked.  After the puck was well past the players, Hagel delivered “a high, hard body check that makes some head contact.”

Hagel made the case that he approached the play as if Barkov would eventually play the puck as it came to him, but the ruling stated that “the onus is on Hagel to ensure that the player he is hitting is eligible to be checked” and that he intentionally delivered “an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent with sufficient force.”

This is Hagel’s first career suspension in 375 regular-season and 36 playoff games. However, it’s not his first supplemental discipline for a playoff incident against the Panthers as he was fined for boarding Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen back in May 2022.

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