Snapshots: Kuzmenko, Hintz, Dach, Charron, Hayes

Kings forward Andrei Kuzmenko is set to draw into the postseason lineup for the first time for tonight’s Game 3 of the Avalanche, Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports. He took line rushes at morning skate on the left wing on the third line with Scott Laughton and Joel Armia. Rookie Jared Wright had occupied that slot for the first two games of the series but was bumped down to fourth-line duties this morning. Trade deadline pickup Mathieu Joseph was the odd man out and projects to head to the press box after playing in six straight. Kuzmenko hasn’t played since undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus on Feb. 28, but was activated from injured reserve at the beginning of the playoffs. After flourishing with 17 points in 22 games last season following his acquisition from the Flyers at the trade deadline, the Russian offensive weapon posted a more conservative 13-12–25 scoring line in 52 games this season and has been bumped off the top line thanks to Artemi Panarin‘s injection into the roster.

More from around the league Thursday:

• The Stars have now officially ruled center Roope Hintz out for Game 4 against the Wild, head coach Glen Gulutzan said (via Dan Rosen of NHL.com). He had initially left the door open for Hintz to join the team in Minnesota, depending on how he felt earlier in the week, but that won’t happen. Hintz did skate for the first time yesterday since sustaining a lower-body injury back on March 7, so while he’s still considered doubtful for Game 5 and questionable for the rest of the first round, there’s tangible progress toward his return. Dallas has eked out a 2-1 series lead without him, thanks to Wyatt Johnston‘s double-overtime heroics last night and an exceptional performance from their defense and penalty kill in Game 3, holding Minnesota to zero inner-slot shots the entire night despite the Wild having seven power plays.
• The AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins signed a trio of Pittsburgh unsigned draft picks to amateur tryouts ahead of their Atlantic Division Semifinal series kicking off soon, per a team announcement. Most intriguing among them is center Kale Dach, who, despite being drafted last out of the three in last year’s draft (seventh round, 201st overall), had the most impactful post-draft season. Some had viewed Dach as more of a mid-round pick, and they were proven right to some degree by him having a 34-goal, 75-point campaign in 63 games for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen after spending last season with the junior ‘A’ Sherwood Park Crusaders of the BCHL. He’ll be off to Penn State in the fall but maintains his collegiate eligibility by not signing an NHL contract. Also joining the Baby Pens for the postseason are right-winger Jordan Charron, a 2025 fifth-round pick and St. Lawrence commit who scored 25 goals and 47 points in 66 games this season for the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds, and Travis Hayes, selected in the fourth round last year. Hayes is the brother of now-teammate Avery Hayes and suited up alongside Charron in Sault Ste. Marie this season, posting a 16-24–40 scoring line in 63 games with a team-high +27 rating.