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Rangers Recall Gabriel Perreault

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The New York Rangers have announced that top prospect Gabriel Perreault has been called up from AHL Hartford, while Jaroslav Chmelar is headed back down in a corresponding transaction. The move will bring excitement to fans, especially given the team’s polarizing start to 2025-26. Perreault is back in the NHL after a scoreless five-game stint in 2024-25, fresh out of the NCAA. 

Although the Rangers have not bottomed out by any means, finding consistency under new Head Coach Mike Sullivan remains a work in progress. Most fascinating is their immense struggles at home (0-6-1) versus their success on the road (7-1-1). While blame has been cast out from the top of the Rangers lineup to the bottom, offense across the board has been a major issue. New York has scored just 35 goals, ranking last in the league. They have been shut out in five of their seven home games thus far. 16 games into the season, the offensive production is simply unacceptable, given the roster at hand. 

Now, New York has called upon their undisputed top prospect to help get things turned around. Perreault got some needed seasoning with AHL Hartford, where he leads the team with ten points in nine games so far. Drafted 23rd overall in 2023, Perreault, son of longtime NHLer Yanic Perreault, projects as a true top-six forward. With high-end playmaking ability, the Quebec-native could pan out as a legitimate first-line player, but first will need to become more responsible in other areas of the game. After jumping into the Rangers lineup right out of Boston College last season, where he was unable to find the scoresheet, fans will watch for such progress from the 5’11” left-handed shooter. 

GM Chris Drury was likely not counting on making the call for the prospect after just nine games with Hartford, but patience is quickly wearing thin for New York, especially after another shutout at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, a convincing 5-0 defeat at the hands of the Islanders. Now the club hopes Perreault will provide a needed spark. On the flip side, headed back to the AHL, Chmelar appeared in his first two NHL games, but did not record a point. While the 22-year-old was a nice find for New York in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, Chmelar offers more size and physicality (6’4”) than offensive flair. 

With the Rangers looking to finally enter the win column at home tomorrow against Nashville, nothing has been confirmed yet, but eyes will be on Perreault to enter the lineup and potentially record his first NHL point. 

Senators Recall Hayden Hodgson

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The Ottawa Senators have recalled forward Hayden Hodgson from the AHL’s Belleville Senators. This is Hodgson’s first call-up of the season. He is in his second year with the Ottawa organization, after signing a one-year, two-way contract on July 2nd.

Hodgson spent roughly a week on Ottawa’s roster last season. He made two appearances in that span, and recorded no scoring and one fight. The rest of his season was spent with Belleville, where he posted a team-leading 156 penalty minutes – and 11 points – in 43 games. Hodgson became known for his bruising, enforcer presence througout four years in the ECHL and five years in the AHL. That presence has earned Hodgson nine games in the NHL in total. He has recorded three points and 16 penalty minutes at the top flight.

Hodgson has returned to his usual role this season, again leading Belleville with 28 PIMs through their first 11 games of the season. Ottawa will now bring in that imposing presence ahead of a match against the Utah Mammoth, who have posted the fourth-fewest hits-per-game this season. This is the second game of a back-to-back for Ottawa, which could push Hodgson into the lineup in relief of Olle Lycksell. Ottawa also has gritty forward Kurtis MacDermid in the press box. MacDermid has posted no scoring and 11 penalty minutes in seven games this season.

NHL Seeking Agreement To Allow 19-Year-Olds Into AHL

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It appears a rumor from the preseason could soon come true. The NHL is seeking an agreement with the CHL that would allow teams to assign one 19-year-old to the AHL each season, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the latest Saturday Headlines. Friedman added that some general managers are seeking even more flexibility, and that negotiations will pull in voices from the NHLPA in addition to each league. A change to the format could be made as soon as next season.

This would represent yet another significant change in what Friedman dubbed “the Wild West of junior hockey in North America”. NHL draft picks make up the majority of top-end players throughout the CHL. They help drive attendance and sales, and losing even a few could be enough to bring noticeable change. At the same time, deciding where to assign CHL prospects who appear to have outgrown their junior league can often be an all-or-nothing choice.

The Calgary Flames are currently in a pickle with defense prospect Zayne Parekh, who sustained a week-to-week injury and could earn a brief AHL conditioning stint, but who could also benefit from prolonged AHL ice time after not yet finding his NHL footing. Parekh is currently ineligible for the AHL, facing the decision of whether to return to the OHL or continue fighting for NHL minutes, as the offensive defenseman recovers from injury.

The Nashville Predators faced a similar decision with reigning fifth-overall pick Brady Martin earlier in the year. Martin showed flashes of dominant play through the first three games of his NHL career. At his peak, he was playing alongside Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg, but the Predators opted to return him early after he scored only one assist. Martin has torn up the OHL since returning, netting 11 points in seven games with the Soo Greyhounds. It’s still early in the season, but Martin is on pace to rival the 100-point mark this season, after posting 72 points in 57 games last year.

In the cases of both Parekh and Martin, as well as numerous other NHL prospects, such as Seattle’s Jake O’Brien and St. Louis’ Justin Carbonneau, the AHL would seem to offer a smooth ramp into the systems and physicality of professional hockey. Instead of pursuing AHL eligibility, many teams have turned their attention to developing their prospects for the NCAA, where they face a significant jump in competition and play against players up to the age of 26. That bridge has led to the unprecedented decision to allow CHL players into the NCAA, which has built up pressure that offering a path to the AHL could relieve.

Finding a balance between player value in the CHL, NCAA, and AHL is the task the NHL and its general managers face. They will drive decision-making throughout the process, while also ensuring that each party is satisfied with their share. On the other side of those decisions lies a junior hockey landscape that is likely completely different from what the hockey world has come to know. With more precise, more incremental steps to the top flight laid out, the NHL’s relationship with its partner leagues could even become reminiscent of the MLB.

More information about the topic of 19-year-olds in the AHL is expected to be announced in March, following the next major meeting between the NHL, NHLPA, and general managers.

New Jersey Devils Reassign Brian Halonen

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The New Jersey Devils have reassigned forward Brian Halonen to their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, according to a team announcement. The move drops the Devils down to 13 forwards on their active roster with 22 of 23 spots filled.

Halonen, 26, has played in nine games with New Jersey this season, his original NHL recall coming on Oct. 12 as part of the team’s response to the injury suffered by veteran winger Evgenii Dadonov.

Of Devils players to play more than one game in the NHL this season, Halonen ranks last in average time-on-ice per game. He’s played in just a shade over seven minutes of ice time per game, with the entirety of that usage coming at even strength. He did manage to score his first NHL goal during this recall, in the team’s Nov. 1 contest against the Los Angeles Kings.

As a depth forward who did not present any special teams utility to the Devils, it is not a massive surprise to see Halonen sent down. The former undrafted NCAA free agent has mostly been an AHL scorer for the Comets since he signed his entry-level deal with New Jersey in 2022.

The Minnesota native has posted solid numbers at the AHL level, scoring 103 points across 168 career games. He’s been especially effective as a goal scorer, notching 27 tallies last season and 20 across just 35 games in 2023-24.

While he’s received just 13 total NHL games in his career, his nine-game stint on his most recent recall was by far his most extensive NHL opportunity so far in his career. His quality goal-scoring performances in the AHL have propelled him to the top of the Devils AHL recall pecking order, and it would be no surprise to see him back on the team’s NHL roster at some point down the line.

Halonen is playing out the final year of a two-year, two-way contract that pays him a league-minimum salary at the NHL level and a $275K salary at the AHL level. If Halonen can continue to earn NHL call-ups and put together another 20-plus goal season in Utica, he could push for a one-way contract (or at least a really high-end AHL guarantee) in his upcoming unrestricted free agency.

Flames Recall Daniil Miromanov, Place Zayne Parekh On IR

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6:00 p.m.: Huska provided some more clarity regarding Parekh’s timeline today, according to Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike. Huska told the media that Parekh’s injury is considered “week-to-week.” Pike also noted that while Parekh is on injured reserve, games played by the Flames will still “count” for Parekh regarding the 40-game threshold that would see him accrue a year of service time towards unrestricted free agency.

While there’s still a long way to go before the Flames have to begin seriously thinking about any looming UFA status for Parekh, who is just 19 years old, Parekh’s UFA timeline could come into play in future extension talks. It is generally viewed as more expensive for a team to sign a contract covering a year where a player would be eligible for unrestricted free agency compared to restricted free agency. As a result, even though any unrestricted free agency for the player seems to be far away at this point, it is still an aspect of this injury news that is notable.

11:57 a.m.: After losing defenseman Zayne Parekh to an upper-body injury last night against Chicago, the Flames are bringing up a replacement for him.  The team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled blueliner Daniil Miromanov from AHL Calgary.  To make room on the roster, Parekh was placed on injured reserve.

Miromanov broke camp with the Flames but playing time was rather difficult to come by as he was in the number eight role.  As a result, he was placed on waivers a little under three weeks ago and after clearing, he was sent to the Wranglers.  In seven games with them so far, the 28-year-old has done relatively well, picking up a goal and three assists.

Miromanov has 94 career NHL games under his belt, one coming this season.  He got into a career-best 44 games with the Flames in 2024-25 where he had nine points and 55 blocked shots while averaging 17:41 per night.  In the final season of a two-year, $2.5MM deal, he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and might be staring down a possible salary reduction.

As for Parekh, head coach Ryan Huska told reporters postgame including Postmedia’s Daniel Austin that the rookie was set to miss some time, even though they don’t yet know the full extent of the injury.  With this placement, he’ll be out for at least one week.  Parekh recently officially began the first season of his entry-level contract once he eclipsed the nine-game mark and has one assist in 11 outings in 2025-26 while playing a little under 15 minutes a night.

Capitals Activate Ethen Frank, Assign Spencer Smallman To AHL

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The Capitals have made a pair of roster moves heading into tonight’s game against Tampa Bay.  The team announced that they have activated winger Ethen Frank off injured reserve.  To make room on the roster, forward Spencer Smallman has been sent back to AHL Hershey.

Frank didn’t make Washington’s roster out of training camp but was recalled less than two weeks into the season.  However, the 27-year-old sustained an upper-body injury in his third game of the year, landing on IR soon after.  Frank has an assist in those three outings to go along with four goals and three assists in 24 games with the Caps last season in his first taste of NHL action.  He also had two goals and three helpers with the Bears prior to his recall.

As for Smallman, the 29-year-old received the first recall of his career last weekend.  However, he will have to continue to wait to make his NHL debut as he was the reserve forward for Washington while on recall.  Smallman had two goals and an assist in six outings with Hershey before the recall and has ranged between 21 and 34 points in his last four minor league campaigns.

With these roster moves, Washington’s active roster remains at the maximum of 23 players.

Rangers Place Matt Rempe On IR, Send Connor Mackey To AHL

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Nov. 8: The Rangers announced that Mackey has been sent back down to Hartford.  He didn’t see any game action while on recall.  They now have one open roster slot.

Nov. 3: The New York Rangers have recalled defenseman Connor Mackey from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. They have also placed enforcer Matt Rempe on injured reserve, per the NHL media site. Rempe is expected to be out long-term after sustaining an injury in a fight with San Jose Sharks bruiser Ryan Reaves.

Mackey has bounced between the NHL and AHL lineups this season, but has still found his way into all nine of Hartford’s games so far. He’s posted two assists, one penalty, and a minus-five in those appearances, and also serves as one of four alternate captains. Despite the routine call-ups to the Rangers roster, Mackey hasn’t appeared in the NHL since December 2024, when he appeared in two games and recorded no points and one fight. He’s played just three NHL games since 2023, and 42 across a five-year career. He’s posted 11 points, 80 penalty minutes, and a minus-one in the NHL.

Mackey will serve as an insurance option for New York’s extra defenseman Urho Vaakanainen, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury per Stephen Whyno of AP News. Vaakanainen has played in 10 games and recorded one assist, eight penalty minutes, and a plus-one this season. He is expected to be replaced in the lineup by fellow left-shot defenseman Matthew Robertson, who has one goal in seven NHL games this season.

To make room for Mackey’s recall, the Rangers will now move Rempe to the inactives list. The 6-foot-9 bruiser managed one goal, seven penalty minutes, and a plus-one in nine games before going down with injury. He looked noticeably more impactful when play was moving this season, taking a stride towards impact that helped round out his enforcer presence. New York has turned towards Jonny Brodzinski to fill Rempe’s fourth-line role. Brodzinski has two points in five games this season.

Wild Assign Tyler Pitlick To AHL

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The Wild have opened up a roster spot as the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Tyler Pitlick has been sent down to AHL Iowa.  They now have 22 players on their active roster.

The 34-year-old was recalled last month and got into nine games.  That’s particularly noteworthy as had he suited up one more time, he would have needed to pass through waivers to return to Iowa.  By sending Pitlick down now, they can hold onto his waiver exemption a little while longer.

In those nine outings, Pitlick was held off the scoresheet offensively but added 24 hits and 22 penalty minutes in 7:23 per game of ice time.  20 of those penalty minutes came on Thursday against Carolina after he was given a match penalty for a hit on Carolina’s Jalen Chatfield.  It appears the league rescinded that penalty as no supplemental discipline came his way.

In his career, Pitlick has played in 429 NHL games over parts of 11 NHL seasons and has 56 goals and 53 assists in those appearances.  He had two goals in three games with Iowa before being recalled last month.

Maple Leafs Recall Dennis Hildeby

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With Joseph Woll (conditioning stint) not yet ready to rejoin the Maple Leafs and Cayden Primeau’s performance as the backup landing him on waivers where he was claimed by Carolina, they need a new short-term second option.  That will be netminder Dennis Hildeby as the team announced (Twitter link) that he has been recalled from AHL Toronto.

Hildeby appeared to be set to be the backup heading into the season following Woll’s absence and James Reimer being released from his late-camp PTO but Primeau’s claim at the end of training camp ended those plans.  Instead, the 24-year-old was sent down to the Marlies with an eye on seeing more playing time than he otherwise would have received as the backup to Anthony Stolarz.

That hasn’t gone quite to plan, however.  Hildeby has only made five starts for the Marlies (Primeau made three for the Maple Leafs over that same stretch) so he didn’t wind up seeing much extra action.  Over those outings, he has a 2.74 GAA and a .890 SV%, a step back on his career averages of 2.54 and .908 respectively over 78 AHL appearances.  Hildeby has six career NHL outings under his belt, all coming last season when he posted a 3.33 GAA and a .872 SV%.

With Toronto kicking off a back-to-back set tonight, it stands to reason that Hildeby will likely get the nod on Sunday against Carolina.  But that might be his only action while on this recall with Woll likely to rejoin the big club and come off LTIR within the next week or so.

Hurricanes To Activate Two Off IR, Recall Gavin Bayreuther From AHL

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There are plenty of injury updates from Carolina heading into their game tonight against Buffalo.  Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer relays (Twitter link) that wingers Eric Robinson and William Carrier will suit up tonight, meaning they will be activated off injured reserve.  However, the news isn’t all good as defenseman Jalen Chatfield is now out indefinitely; head coach Rod Brind’Amour is uncertain if the blueliner is dealing with a concussion after taking a hit from Minnesota’s Tyler Pitlick on Thursday.  That resulted in the team announcing that blueliner Gavin Bayreuther has been recalled from AHL Chicago with Chatfield landing on injured reserve as the corresponding move.

Robinson had a breakout year last season, his first in Carolina.  He picked up 14 goals and 18 assists (both career bests) in 82 games, earning himself some much-desired job security as he signed a four-year, $6.8MM deal in advance of free agency back in June.  The 30-year-old got off to a nice start to this season as well, collecting three goals and an assist in seven outings despite his playing time dipping below 10 minutes a night.  He has missed a little more than two weeks with an upper-body injury, landing retroactively on IR ten days ago.

Carrier, meanwhile, was injured in the same game as Robinson last month, suffering a lower-body injury.  His first season with Carolina in 2024-25 was injury-riddled as he only was able to suit up in 43 games where he had 11 points and 156 hits, not a great return in the first season of a six-year deal.  This season, the 30-year-old has a goal and two assists through his seven outings in a little over 10 minutes a night of action.  With Carolina having two open roster spots following yesterday’s demotion of Bradly Nadeau to the minors, no other moves need to be made to activate Carrier and Robinson.

As for Chatfield, he has been his usual steadying presence on the back end.  In the second season of a three-year, $9MM deal, the 29-year-old has three assists and 14 blocks in his first 13 games while averaging just under 20 minutes a night.  He has once again been a big part of Carolina’s penalty kill, carrying the second-highest ATOI among their blueliners in that situation while they sit well above the league average in shorthanded success rate.  Chatfield will now miss at least a week as a result of the IR placement.

Bayreuther returned to North America for this season after spending the 2024-25 campaign in Switzerland, signing a one-year, two-way deal back in July.  He cleared waivers at the end of September and has spent the full season so far with the Wolves, tallying three goals and three assists in nine games.  Bayreuther has 122 career NHL games under his belt over parts of four seasons, the most recent of which came back in 2022-23 with Columbus.

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