Barrett Hayton Out Week-To-Week With Upper-Body Injury
Mammoth head coach Andre Tourigny said Thursday that center Barrett Hayton is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury, per Brogan Houston of the Deseret News.
Hayton’s outing against the Oilers on Tuesday lasted just 17 seconds. He left the game following an awkward collision with teammate Jack McBain, leaving Utah with only 11 forwards for virtually the entire game, which ended up being a 5-2 loss for the Mammoth.
It’s another blip in what has been a disappointing campaign from the former fifth overall pick. The 25-year-old finally looked like he could be a solid, two-way top-six threat last season with 20 goals and 46 points in 82 games, suiting up almost exclusively beside Clayton Keller as the team’s top-line pivot to give Logan Cooley some easier matchups in the #2 slot.
Hayton’s production drove speeding off a cliff to begin 2025-26, though. He had just five points in 23 games through the end of November and was quickly moved out of a top-line job, with Tourigny opting to promote the resurgent Lawson Crouse while shifting Nick Schmaltz from the wing to his natural center position.
Hayton’s role in the lineup has shifted frequently in the several weeks since. His production picked up a bit in January and February but has gone cold again following the trade deadline. All in all, he’s managed a 10-15–25 scoring line in 67 games – 0.37 points per game after reaching a career-high 0.56 mark last year.
While he may not be scoring as much as they’d like, Hayton has remained a valuable defensive presence. The 6’1″, 200-lb pivot isn’t an overly physical threat but has won 52.6% of his faceoffs this year while posting a strong 54.1% Corsi for percentage at even strength. That’s despite Hayton starting 53.9% of his shifts in the defensive zone, the fourth-highest figure among Utah forwards.
2023 first-rounder Danil But, recalled from AHL Tucson yesterday, will be stepping into the lineup tonight alongside Cooley and Dylan Guenther as the club’s second-line left wing, per Houston. He’s amassed seven points through his first 28 NHL games.
Artturi Lehkonen Returning To Avalanche Lineup
Avalanche left-winger Artturi Lehkonen will make his return to the lineup from an upper-body injury on Thursday against the Jets, head coach Jared Bednar told reporters after morning skate (via Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press).
Lehkonen, who’s remained a top-line fixture with Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas this season, will instead return in a more limited role as Colorado looks to spread out their scoring depth while easing him back into the lineup. He’ll be skating on a new-look third line with trade deadline acquisition Nazem Kadri down the middle and Logan O’Connor, who made his season debut after hip surgery and various unrelated complications had him sidelined long-term, on the right wing, per Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now.
The 30-year-old left a March 2 game against the Kings with his upper-body injury and was subsequently ruled out indefinitely. There weren’t many updates in the interim, but they’ll be happy to get him back in the rotation tonight after going 7-3-1 in 11 games without him, especially after receiving news that they’ll be without Nicolas Roy for several games as well.
Injuries have been a constant for Lehkonen ever since joining the Avs at the 2022 trade deadline. He’s yet to play more than 70 games in a season, but could finally hit that mark this year if he plays in 11 of Colorado’s 12 remaining games.
Had he been healthy over the past four years, he would be money in the bank for at least 55 points a year. Instead, he’s only technically hit the 50-point mark once in his career, back in 2022-23. He’s nonetheless been quite consistent when healthy and is averaging 0.71 points per game this season with a 19-23–42 scoring line in 59 games, the third-highest rate of his 10-year career.
Rookie Zakhar Bardakov will be the one exiting the lineup to make way for Lehkonen’s insertion. The versatile 25-year-old Russian has played in all but one game since the Olympic break and has been a fine fourth-line piece, scoring 10 points with a +5 rating in 56 games despite averaging just 7:09 of ice time per game.
Wild To Activate Marcus Foligno From Injured Reserve
Wild left-winger Marcus Foligno will play in tonight’s game against the Panthers, Joe Smith of The Athletic reports. He will need to be activated off injured reserve before then, which will bring Minnesota’s active roster up to 26 – including 16 forwards, all of which are now healthy, so they have no shortage of depth options available heading into the final ten games of the regular season.
Foligno, 34, has been out with a lower-body injury since the beginning of the month. After missing 12 games, he’ll dress alongside his older brother Nick Foligno, acquired from the Blackhawks at the trade deadline for future considerations, for the first time at any level.
Widely regarded as one of the league’s better defensive wingers, Foligno had some tough sledding this year before landing on the shelf. He previously missed nine games with another lower-body issue in November and December and hasn’t been all that effective when he’s dressed. In 48 games, he has a 6-5–11 scoring line with a -11 rating, the latter figure being the second-worst of his 15-year career.
Foligno began the season on a 14-game pointless streak and a 30-game goalless streak, and things haven’t gotten much better from there on the offensive side of the puck. Half of his total goal production on the year came in one game, recording a hat trick against the Maple Leafs on Jan. 19.
He will return in a fourth-line role, suiting up alongside his brother and Yakov Trenin to form a heavy checking unit that averages 6’2″ and 212 lbs. The elder Foligno brother, who’s a natural left-winger like Marcus but has played a good bit down the middle, will center that line after starting his Wild tenure 18-for-33 (54.5%) on faceoffs, per Smith.
Evidently, rookie Danila Yurov is exiting the lineup to make way for Foligno. That’s surprising at first glance – his 10-15–25 scoring line in 65 games is 10th on the team. However, he’s gone without a point in his last five outings and has seen his ice time slip amid Ryan Hartman being elevated back to a top-six center role. Foligno and McCarron have both been staking their claim for regular spots in the lineup with some strong defensive play since their acquisitions as well.
Flyers Sign Riley Thompson To Entry-Level Contract
With the 16-team NCAA tournament now set, we know which teams are still playing and those whose seasons are done. In the latter category, their players can now start signing professional contracts; we’ve seen several over the past week with more to come.
It appears that one of those is forward Riley Thompson. PuckPedia reported on March 22nd (Twitter link) that the Flyers have signed the 23-year-old to a one-year, entry-level deal for next season with a $1.025MM cap charge. The Flyers confirmed this deal on Thursday.
Thompson has spent the last two seasons at Ohio State University after playing at the University of Alaska-Anchorage in his freshman year. He had one season of eligibility remaining that he appears to be foregoing. His sophomore year proved to be the most productive of the three, when he tallied 17 goals and 16 assists in 40 games. This season, Thompson’s output dipped to 13 goals and 14 helpers in 37 appearances.
Thompson’s entry-level contract will be coupled with a professional try-out agreement with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the rest of this season. This will allow him to get his feet wet at the professional level and start to make his case for a full-time assignment to that level in 2026-27. The 23-year-old winger has shined as a responsible, two-way impact at the college level. He has shown strong skating and a long reach, helping him control play along the boards and push the pace of play. He projects as a responsible, depth forward who could bring strong awareness to a Flyers offense that continues to grow.
Blues’ Robert Thomas Out Day-To-Day
After a few days to assess the injury, top St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas will indeed be forced to miss games with a day-to-day, upper-body injury sustained in Tuesday’s win over the Washington Capitals per NHL.com’s Lou Korac. Thomas was injured on a body-slam from Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois in the third period. Dubois was assessed a match penalty for intent to injure, while Thomas was removed from the game by concussion spotters. He cleared concussion protocol, per head coach Jim Montgomery, but has still missed St. Louis’ last two practices with a minor injury.
Injury ended a quiet night for Thomas on Tuesday. He has otherwise been red-hot as of late, with five goals and 13 points in 11 games since the start of March. Thomas has averaged 20 minutes of ice time and a 25.0 shooting percentage over that span. His performance has helped St. Louis drive to a 8-1-2 record in March. It is also an encouraging turnaround after Thomas’ name was mentioned in many rumors around the Trade Deadline. The 26 year old has assumed even more responsibility following the trade of Brayden Schenn.
Thomas missed the entire month of February, and 13 games in total, with an injury sustained on January 10th. In his absence, St. Louis leaned heavily on Pavel Buchnevich and Schenn to fill holes at the center position. Buchnevich scored five goals and 12 points in his move to the center role, though he only managed a 40.4 faceoff percentage. Jordan Kyrou led the team in scoring during Thomas’ previous injury, with 15 points. It will be those two veterans who have to step up once again with Thomas out. Buchnevich will likely shift back to center, while Pius Suter and Otto Stenberg continue to split reps filling Schenn’s third-line role.
St. Louis faces a shifting lineup as they approach mathchups with teams in similar spots. Both the San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs have also struggled through points this season, which could support the Blues’ attempt to keep their hot streak rolling without their top center. They will need to lean on their proven scorers, and emerging goaltender Joel Hofer, to lift up the lineup until Thomas can return to his starring role.
Senators’ Thomas Chabot Undergoes Surgery, Out Six To Eight Weeks
Bad injury luck has struck at the worst time for the Ottawa Senators. Top defenseman Thomas Chabot will have to miss six-to-eight weeks after undergoing surgery to address a broken arm, per Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Citizen. Chabot suffered the injury on a cross-check from New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller in the first period of Monday’s game. A two-month timeline will likely keep Chabot out until at least the Eastern Conference final, if the Senators make it that far.
The Senators are also facing injuries to defensemen Lassi Thomson (day-to-day) and Dennis Gilbert (two to three weeks), per Garrioch. Thomson made his season debut in Monday’s game against New York but only played four minutes. Gilbert served a bottom-pair role through five games in mid-March but hasn’t played since Saturday’s win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Senators will have a slight silver lining. Defenseman Jake Sanderson has returned to skating at practice and will join the Senators on their upcoming two-game road trip to Florida, per Garrioch. Sanderson has been out of the lineup since March 7th, missing nine games since. He routinely plays upwards of 24 or 25 minutes a night when fully healthy, a role that could increase as Ottawa looks to make up for Chabot’s absence. Sanderson leads the Senators’ blue line in scoring with 11 goals and 48 points in 62 games. It has been a career-year for the 23-year-old, who won an Olympic Gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in addition to scoring at the highest pace of his NHL career.
But even with Sanderson progressing towards a return, the Senators will be losing major firepower with Chabot on the shelf. The alternate captain was a focal point of the lineup after Sanderson was injured, even playing 31 minutes of ice time in Ottawa’s regulation win over the New York Islanders on Saturday. Chabot has nine points in his last 12 games, dating back to the last day of February. His hot streak has brought him to 31 points in 55 games this season, a scoring pace well on par with Chabot’s trend of 45-point seasons.
Chabot faced injury at multiple points this season, including missing 13 games between November and December. He has found his way back to consistent performance in the new year, netting 10 points in 16 January games, followed by nine points in 16 games since the start of February. It was a difficult season, capped off by a long-term injury at the worst time, but the year will support Chabot’s hold over a starring role on the Senators’ blue line leading into next season. He could also spur the bad luck with a quick recovery and a return to Ottawa’s playoff run, if the team can stay alive until he’s back.
Ottawa rotated its defense pairings with both of its star blue-liners out of Tuesday’s game against Detroit. Artem Zub and Jordan Spence filled the main play-driving roles, each receiving roughly 11 minutes of even-strength ice time in the process. The openings also made room for top defense prospect Carter Yakemchuk to make his NHL debut. He scored two points, a goal and an assist, in the effort. Yakemchuk could become a focal point of the Senators’ blue line until Sanderson is back to full health. He leads all AHL rookie defensemen in per-game scoring this season with 10 goals and 36 points in 50 games. Yakemchuk is well-known for his all-out style, focused on throwing big hits and driving the puck 200 feet.
Islanders Recall Isaiah George
The rotation between major and minor lineups will continue for defenseman Isaiah George. The New York Islanders have again recalled George from the AHL, after moving him between rosters twice over the last two days. A lower-body injury will keep veteran defenseman Ryan Pulock sidelined on a day-to-day basis, so the team has added George from the AHL to help manage Pulock’s absence. Both Pulock and Alexander Romanov returned to New York’s practices on Thursday morning, with Romanov donning a no-contact jersey.
This isn’t George’s first season of routine recalls. He got into 33 NHL games last season, and has dressed for two this year. His last recall occurred in late January, and his most recent NHL game came Jan. 26. The 22-year-old has been a top-four defenseman in Bridgeport this season, also seeing time on both sides of special teams. In 45 games this season, George has set a career-high in production with 17 points. On a rate basis, his production is actually down somewhat from last season, though offense isn’t really a focal point of his game.
With Pulock injured, 2018 No. 8 overall pick Adam Boqvist drew back into the lineup, assisting on the Islanders’ game-winning goal during a crucial victory Sunday over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Although George has been recalled, it does seem somewhat unlikely at this stage that he’ll draw into the lineup, assuming the Islanders don’t suffer any more defensive injuries. New York sit in the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card playoff spot, but their lead over the Detroit Red Wings for that position is just one point – and Detroit has a game in hand.
The Islanders play Chicago tonight, Dallas on Thursday, and Florida on Saturday. They can’t afford to drop points in those contests, so it’s likely George’s recall has more to do with providing insurance for further injury, rather than their being any plans to integrate him directly into their lineup.
With that said, if George does end up dressing for any games, his performance in those high-stakes contests could be very meaningful for his short-term professional future. George has another year remaining on his entry-level deal, but because of how the contract slid in the 2023-24 campaign, George is not slated to receive any signing bonuses next season. With an AHL salary of $82.5K, George could see his ending pay cut in half if he spends all of next season in the AHL. As a result, he has extra financial motivation to acquit himself well in front of Islanders brass and seize on any NHL opportunities that come his way.
Penguins Recall Avery Hayes, Joona Koppanen
The Pittsburgh Penguins have added two forwards to the roster ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators. Winger Avery Hayes and center Joona Koppanen have been recalled from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Hayes’ recall will help the Penguins addresss a day-to-day injury for winger Anthony Mantha, while Koppanen will shore up the center depth per Taylor Haase of DK Pittsburgh Sports.
Hayes could have the clearer path to a lineup role if Mantha need to miss Thursday’s game. The 23 year old scored two goals in his NHL debut in early February but has struggled to keep scoring on the other side of the NHL’s Olympic break. He has no points in 10 NHL games since, though he has scored nine points in his last seven AHL games. That minor-league scoring brings him up to 32 points in 38 AHL games this season, fourth on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in scoring.
The Penguins will hope Hayes can rediscover his spark as he steps up for Mantha, who has eight points in his last nine games. All of that scoring was managed over a six-game stretch in mid-March, bringing Mantha up to 26 goals and 53 points in 71 games this season – a new career-high in scoring.
Koppanen hasn’t been in the NHL since November, when he played through a 10-game stint on Pittsburgh’s third-line. He recorded one assist, two penalty minutes, and a minus-one in that span. He also won 12 of the 25 faceoffs he took. Koppanen has filled a stout center role in his minor league minutes, netting 19 points and a plus-14 in 37 games. He brings reliable, two-way depth to the lineup and could help the Penguins make up for an injury to veteran Blake Lizotte.
The Penguins have turned towards Connor Dewar to fill a center role in Lizotte’s absence. He is putting together a career-year on Pittsburgh’s bottom line, with 14 goals, 27 points, and a plus-10 in 71 games – all career highs. That production has kept Dewar in a nightly lineup role, though his role as a faceoff-taker is new. With Koppanen on the roster, Pittsburgh will have the option to move Dewar back to the wing, in place of Elmer Soderblom.
Snapshots: Mantha, Granato, Rasmussen
Penguins winger Anthony Mantha has been a pleasant surprise this season, having a resurgent campaign. However, that’s now on hold for the time being as the team announced (Twitter link) that he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The 31-year-old missed most of last year due to injury, allowing him to sign a one-year deal with incentives this season. He has made the most of it, tallying 26 goals and 27 assists in 71 games, setting new career highs across the board offensively. He has reached the first seven levels of his various games-played bonuses (totaling $1.75MM) but will need to play in nine of Pittsburgh’s 11 remaining games in order to receive an additional $250K, giving him some extra incentive to return quickly beyond their battle for a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Former Sabres head coach Don Granato is set to run a bench once again. USA Hockey announced that Granato has been named as their head coach for the upcoming World Championship. The 58-year-old led Buffalo to a 122-125-27 record over parts of four seasons before being dismissed following the 2023-24 campaign. This will be his first coaching opportunity since then. The tournament is set to run from May 15-31 in Switzerland.
- Red Wings center Michael Rasmussen has yet to resume skating as he continues to work his way back from an undisclosed injury, relays MLive’s Ansar Khan (Twitter link). At this point, he’s still in treatment mode according to head coach Todd McLellan, who noted that he’s still probably at least a week away from returning. While Rasmussen hasn’t been particularly productive this season – just 14 points in 61 games – he’s still an important part of Detroit’s bottom six and penalty kill; getting him back would certainly help in their late-season playoff push.
2026 College Free Agency Preview: Forwards
The NCAA tournament has been set and those who aren’t participating have seen their seasons come to an end. With that in mind, it’s time to take a look at some of the free agents that could be drawing attention from NHL teams in the coming weeks.
As always, note that not all of these players will sign entry-level contracts as some will ultimately elect to return to college for another season (or more) while quite a few others not on this list will be signing NHL or AHL deals in the coming weeks.
Forwards
Hank Cleaves (Dartmouth) – Two years ago, Cleaves wasn’t generating much attention in the BCHL. However, big centers tend to stand out and big centers who average well over a point per game in their sophomore year really catch the attention of the scouts. Given that he’s still a sophomore, there’s a legitimate chance that he stays for one more year. However, he should get considerable NHL interest and that might be enough to get him to make the jump.
Matthew DiMarsico (Penn State) – Generally speaking, a lot of the players who sign in college free agency are likely to be role players and not necessarily core producers. Some will look for size, some for skill, and others will prioritize smarts. DiMarsico certainly checks the latter category and as a player in the top 20 in NCAA scoring this season as a junior, the skill is there as well. There’s a high floor to work with which should appeal to some teams.
Josh Eernisse (Western Michigan) – After being limited to just one goal in his junior year, Eernisse has hovered closer to the half-point-per-game mark. That’s not why he’s on this list, however. He’s a big, physical winger with a responsible defensive game. That profile is one that would fit on some NHL fourth lines down the road.
T.J. Hughes (Michigan) – A player who has been on this list before, there is no option for Hughes to stay in college any longer. He has been one of the more skilled players in the NCAA level in recent years and it has resulted in him averaging well over a point per game for two of the last three seasons. There’s a question as to whether he can play an offensive role in the NHL but even if not, a productive AHL player would still be a worthwhile addition in free agency.
Aleksi Kivioja (Providence) – This is more of a projectable signing than some of the others on this list. Kivioja hasn’t been a top offensive producer even going back to his junior days in Finland. However, he has shown some strides this season with the Friars in that regard. He’s also a physical six-foot-five center. His ceiling might not be too high but there should be teams that see his frame and style and think there’s some fourth-line potential. Staying one more year and honing his offensive game is a viable option, however.
Jack Musa (UMass) – Viewed as a strong playmaker, Musa has also shown some scoring potential over the last couple of seasons. While he’s on the smaller side, he’s a strong enough skater and does well in transition which are elements that scouts will appreciate. He still has one more year of eligibility but after boosting his stock this season, making the jump now would make sense. Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal recently reported (Twitter link) that Musa will decide very soon about turning pro or not.
Nathan Pilling (St. Thomas) – More of a speculative add on this list, the ability to go from the CHL to the NCAA has worked well for Pilling. As a 21-year-old freshman, he put up 15 goals and 14 assists in 38 games this season, suggesting that his breakout final season with WHL Seattle wasn’t a one-off. Given that he’s a six-foot-four center who won over 53% of his draws this year, he should be on some radars now. Players don’t often turn pro after one year of college but Pilling is a candidate to do so.
Ellis Rickwood (North Dakota) – While his offensive production hasn’t been quite as high compared to his final season at Clarkson, Rickwood has been a top performer on a team loaded with NHL prospects. He has a pro frame already with a reasonable two-way game and has won over 60% of his faceoffs this season. Rickwood isn’t known as a strong skater, however, which could scare off some suitors but there’s a fourth-line NHL profile if a team thinks they can improve that facet of his game.
Hayden Stavroff (Dartmouth) – One of the youngest players in this group (he’s only 21), Stavroff showed some offensive upside in the BCHL and had a decent freshman year. This season, all he did was lead all of Division I in goals with 29 in just 34 games, a number higher than his point total (22) a year ago. Some teams might want to wait to see if this type of performance is repeatable but it wouldn’t be shocking if enough believe in his scoring ability to sign him now.
Jack Stockfish (Holy Cross) – One of a few players on this list who also appeared on last year’s version, Stockfish ultimately decided to stay in school over turning pro last season. He didn’t really boost or hurt his stock but the same elements that made him appealing a year ago are still there – he’s big, a center, and has shown enough offensive upside to make him intriguing.
J.J. Wiebusch (Penn State) – After playing big minutes in his freshman year last season, the influx of talent this year hasn’t affected Wiebusch’s output as he has been hovering around the point per game mark. He’s a strong enough skater to keep pace in the pros and brings enough skill and compete to the table to have a chance to fit as a bottom-six forward. The question is if he’ll opt to stay for one more year and try to up his production again to give himself a stronger market next spring. If not, he’ll draw some interest in the coming weeks.