Mammoth Assign Kevin Rooney To AHL
The Utah Mammoth announced today that forward Kevin Rooney has been assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL. Rooney has been bouncing between Utah and their affiliate throughout November, being last recalled to the big club last week, only to now be headed back down.
Signed by Utah in October on a one-year, two-way deal, after a PTO stint in camp with New Jersey where he had hoped to return to his original club albeit unsuccessfully, the veteran center figures to be surefire organizational depth to slot in if needed. Despite considerable time spent with Utah so far this season, Rooney has yet to play in a game. In six AHL appearances he had netted three goals out of the gate.
Originally undrafted out of Providence, Rooney made stops with the Devils, Rangers and Flames, establishing himself as a legitimate NHLer with relentless penalty killing efforts but never posting more than 14 points in a season. Despite setting a career high 70 appearances with Calgary in 2024-25, now 32, it appears Rooney’s NHL opportunities are sparse.
With 330 NHL games under his belt however, Rooney figures to be strong leadership for Tucson alongside longtime AHL star Andrew Agozzino and fellow veteran Kevin Connauton. Still, Utah seems to have Rooney on speed dial, and at some point the center could earn his way into the Mammoth lineup in 2025-26, extending an admirable underdog career in the NHL.
Auston Matthews, Anthony Stolarz Leave Due To Injury
9:18 p.m.: Toronto Head Coach Craig Berube has provided updates, shared by Jonas Siegel of The Athletic: Stolarz is expected to be “fine”, while Matthews’ injury has no timeline or severity yet, as Berube told Siegel.
8:18 p.m.: Tonight’s game in Boston has dealt a blow to the Maple Leafs: the team announced that Auston Matthews and Anthony Stolarz will not return due to injury. Matthews has been diagnosed with a lower-body injury after taking a hit from behind into the boards from Nikita Zadorov. Meanwhile, Stolarz exited after playing the entire first period. With the Leafs off to a rough start, it appeared the team was just shaking things up between the pipes, but now, the team’s #1 goaltender has been listed with an upper-body ailment on top of their superstar captain’s injury.
Toronto is still trying to find its way in its new, post “Core-Four” era. 8-7-1, the team has fallen to second-to-last in the Atlantic, despite scoring the most goals in their division entering tonight. Sinking the Leafs has been in good part their own end, as they’ve allowed 60.
Matthews, always subject to criticism whether more warranted or not, has done his part with nine goals in 16 games. Now 28, he has been mostly durable in his first nine professional seasons, averaging just shy of 70 games a year. While a hit into the boards from behind from a player like Zadorov sounds highly alarming, it was a relatively routine play. Matthews got up, finished a check on Zadorov moments later in the corner, then skated to the bench without seeming bothered. The captain went to the locker room, but all things considered, it is hopefully not a major injury.
Meanwhile, Stolarz completed the first frame before Dennis Hildeby took over in the net. Given that he had let in three goals on 10 shots, the update from the team that Stolarz is injured came as a bit of a surprise. The 31-year-old former top Flyers prospect is the latest example of a late-blooming goaltender, tasked with holding things down for Toronto into the near future. Stolarz was extended for four more years at $3.75MM after a strong 2024-25, where he posted a .926 in 34 games in his first campaign wearing the blue and white.
Thankfully, Stolarz appears to have avoided a serious injury, as Toronto awaits the return of Joseph Woll from personal leave. Woll has been practicing with the team and appeared with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies last weekend, but has no timetable to return yet. Cayden Primeau was a waiver casualty to Carolina last week after a short stint. Hildeby, currently serving as backup, has just eight NHL games under his belt.
The Maple Leafs are back in action on Thursday, hosting the Kings, and further details on the status of their superstar, Matthews, will be closely watched in the meantime.
Evening Notes: Devils, Chabot, Olympics
Amanda Stein, Devils team reporter, shared updates ahead of the team’s five game road trip. Dougie Hamilton and Connor Brown did not travel. Hamilton was noted over the weekend as out for around a week due to an undisclosed injury, after leaving mid-game against Montreal on November 6th. Brown has yet to appear in November, apparently hampered by an upper-body injury, and has missed the last five games.
Unfortunately such injuries have become common for Hamilton, 32, at this point in his career. Currently in year five of his seven year deal signed with New Jersey, his unscathed 82-game campaign in 2022-23 was far and away his best as a pro with 74 points, but since then he has not managed to play in more than 64 games in a season.
Brown, signed last summer to a four-year deal, was off to a start worthy of the eyebrow raising contract, with five goals in 11 games. In his absence, Dawson Mercer has stepped up and provided great secondary scoring, currently just shy of a point-per-game pace, and eight goals in 16 games.
New Jersey remains third in the league, and the five game road trip will be a test, as they’ve handled business at home, 7-0-1. As noted by Stein, the club will split the trip into two legs, so perhaps Brown or Hamilton could rejoin the team by the end.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Ottawa Senators shared mid-game that defenseman Thomas Chabot will not return tonight versus the Stars, due to an upper-body injury. The skilled defender was seen attempting to return for the second period, but quickly going back down the tunnel before puck drop. Further details have not been provided, but considering that Chabot nearly returned, hopefully the ailment is not serious. The 28-year-old has not missed a game so far this season.
- Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet shared earlier today an interesting article: NHL representatives are headed to Milan next week to check progress on the 2026 Olympic Games arena in person, as the main hockey arena is behind schedule. Such a situation is not unheard of in the Olympic Games, considering the scale of such projects, but we may find out if there is real concern shortly, with February rapidly approaching. As mentioned by Friedman, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has been reassured continuously, however, for representatives of the league to make the trip upon the completion of the Stockholm Series, it is a situation worth monitoring.
Rangers Recall Gabriel Perreault
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.
Injury Notes: Perfetti, Nazar, Lightning
Murat Ates of The Athletic shared that Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti participated in morning skate alongside Jonathan Toews and Vladislav Namestnikov, fueling speculation that the 23-year-old could make his season debut soon. Sure enough, the Jets officially announced Perfetti will play tonight in Anaheim.
Perfetti suffered a sprained ankle in the preseason after going down awkwardly, which while unfortunate, was feared to be even worse. The Jets are 9-5-0 in his absence, and now welcome back Perfetti, an 82-game player last year, who will aim to move past the setback and build off last year’s 50-point production. As mentioned by Ates, Perfetti took reps on the Jets’ top power play unit, and the youngster could be an immediate factor tonight as Winnipeg looks to end the Ducks’ six-game winning streak.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar was a last-minute scratch due to injury today, as reported by Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio. Nazar left Friday’s game after being cross-checked by Joel Farabee, but it appears he will not be sidelined long, given that he took warmups before being deemed unable to go against his hometown Detroit Red Wings. Nazar, 21, is among the club’s top point-getters with 11 in 15 games. Barring any setbacks, he is expected to set career highs across the board in 2025-26, after 56 professional games in the last two seasons.
- Benjamin Pierce, Tampa Bay’s beat writer, shared multiple updates on Lightning players currently banged up. Veteran Ryan McDonagh is still under evaluation after departing last night’s game. Pierce went on to say that Anthony Cirelli is day-to-day, and the team hopes he is all set for the next game. Cirelli’s ailment was first noted yesterday. Thankfully, the Bolts have some time to rest up, as they won’t be in action until Wednesday, hosting the Rangers.
Ryan O’Reilly Emerging As Trade Candidate
On an episode of Oilersnation Everyday earlier this week, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period mentioned Ryan O’Reilly’s name, saying that it is starting to make the rounds again. With Nazem Kadri making headlines in recent days, the demand for centers is already taking shape in November, and is expected to heat up as the season goes on. If Nashville does not go on a serious push soon, perhaps O’Reilly, a pending free agent, could be on the move again at some point.
The 34-year-old center has appeal not only for his ongoing production and leadership, but also that he comes in at just a $4.5MM cap hit, one of Barry Trotz’s first signings as a general manager in 2023. Given O’Reilly’s declining production at the time, it appeared he would be a perfect stop-gap, set to mentor the Preds’ youth and age into a third-line center by contract’s end. Instead, he had a resurgence, posting 69 points, and even despite Nashville’s major struggles last season, O’Reilly still notched 53 points in 79 games, and is maintaining such levels so far this year.
Now, with the contract coming to an end, O’Reilly remains a key presence for the Predators, but if things do not change, offers for the center could be too much for Barry Trotz to pass up. In a market where the Hurricanes and Canadiens have been speculated as wanting centers, along with outside possibilities such as the Red Wings or Devils (who showed interest in O’Reilly last year), Nashville could take advantage and get a haul for an aging player, while also giving him another chance at contention. It’s likely O’Reilly would fetch a first-round pick as long as he can maintain such offensive production. Even as he turns 35 and beyond, with his skillset, O’Reilly can be a serious bottom-six asset.
Although it is mostly speculation at this point, Steven Stamkos’ name has floated around of late as well, and it may, at long last, be time for the Predators to waive the white flag and tear things down by any means necessary. If an O’Reilly deal is indeed made at some point this season, Trotz would likely look to bring back a short-term center. The young Fedor Svechkov has flashed potential, but does not appear ready for a true top six role, with just one point in 13 games. Erik Haula, another pending free agent, could also be a flip candidate for Trotz, but again, he is a placeholder, and without the two Nashville would be dangerously thin down the middle.
Trotz’s hesitance to deal O’Reilly for now could be two-fold; wanting to see if his group can make one more push, along with not wanting to deplete his forward core and hurt morale. However, O’Reilly’s name is one worth following if the Predators cannot turn things around, and at some point, teams like the Hurricanes could make a push.
Injury Notes: Chatfield, Beecher, Hamilton
Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield will not return to tonight’s game, per the team, after sustaining a brutal hit to the head from Wild forward Tyler Pitlick. Chatfield was helped off the ice and left the game immediately, while Pitlick received a match penalty from the game, which carries an automatic suspension pending review from the league. It stands as the first match penalty of the 2025-26 NHL season.
Already missing Jaccob Slavin and Shayne Gostisbehere, the Canes can seldom afford to lose another defenseman. They have already called upon Joel Nystrom, who is getting his first NHL action this season after coming over from Sweden, being drafted by the club in the seventh round back in 2021. Meanwhile, Chatfield was signed to a rather unassuming two-way deal in 2021, but since then has become a highly reliable and steady presence for the Hurricanes on the backend, not playing in less than 72 games in the past three seasons.
Pitlick, 34, has never been known as an overly aggressive player, but since making it back to the NHL this season with his hometown Minnesota Wild, the veteran has tried to bring physicality, and unfortunately, crossed the line in doing so. Pitlick has yet to record a point in nine games with the Wild, having last played in the NHL with the Rangers in 2023-24, splitting time between New York and the AHL in that season. Now, eyes will be on any further discipline on the journeyman forward.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Boston Bruins confirmed mid-game that forward John Beecher will not return due to an upper-body injury. Beecher, 24, went down hard and appeared to be favoring his shoulder. The 24-year-old former first-round pick is still working to find his offense, with 26 points in 78 games last season, and one goal in five games so far in 2025-26. Yet even when not appearing on the scoresheet, Beecher brings imposing size in the bottom six at 6’3”.
- Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton left during the second period against Montreal, and has not returned, as confirmed by Amanda Stein, Devils team reporter. Hamilton, 32, has unfortunately only one injury-free season in five as a Devil, his major breakout 74-points in 82 games campaign in 2022-23. New Jersey already placed fellow standout defender Brett Pesce on IR earlier today. The team has not disclosed further details on Hamilton at this time.
Sabres Activate Tyson Kozak, Place Jiri Kulich On IR
Ahead of tonight’s game vs the Blues, the Buffalo Sabres activated Tyson Kozak and placed Jiri Kulich on injured reserve, as shared by Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550. Kozak originally landed on IR in late October, due to a lower-body injury suffered against the Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, Kulich’s ailment is not hockey related, as he is dealing with an issue related to his ear, as shared by the team, and hopefully will not be out for long.
Kozak has jumped right back into the Sabres lineup tonight, centering Jordan Greenway and Jack Quinn. The 22-year-old has two goals in seven games. Kozak was a great find from Buffalo, drafted in the seventh round in 2021, and projects as a solid bottom six center with a hard-nosed style and high motor. Having missed the last five games, Kozak has 28 NHL games under his belt across the last two seasons.
On the other hand, Kulich, a more highly touted young forward, drafted 28th overall by Buffalo in 2022, has had an up-and-down season so far. The Czech native caught some blame from Head Coach Lindy Ruff during the team’s brutal start. Tested right out of the gate, it appeared Kulich’s future in Buffalo could be in limbo. However, since then, the club has worked its way out of the early hole, currently above the .500 mark, and Kulich has been a mainstay in the lineup until the ear issue, with five points in 12 games. Still just 21, Kulich will look to come back shortly and keep pushing to solidify himself as an NHLer, potentially surpassing last year’s output of 15 goals, and 24 points.
Oilers Looking To Move Troy Stecher
In today’s episode of Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet referenced Troy Stecher, that a move could be happening soon. According to Friedman, Stecher and the Oilers could be working on a resolution, as he has not been in the lineup often, and looking for a new opportunity.
With Alec Regula activated from IR earlier today, the news is not necessarily a surprise. Rumblings about the Oilers and their logjam between the likes of Regula, Stecher, and Ty Emberson have gone on since last month. Now, Friedman’s comments indicate Edmonton has youth in their best interest, as Stecher, 31, could be moving on, currently in his third season on the team.
Originally undrafted out of North Dakota, the British Columbia native has carved out a very respectable 566 game career to this point, despite being on the smaller side at 5’10”. While many in that mold have a more offensive game full of polarizing play, Stecher has never posted more than 24 points in a season, a career high set back as a rookie in 2016-17. His steady, dependable two-way game has been enough of a commodity that he has not appeared in a single AHL game since that rookie season nine years ago.
Acquired in 2024 by Edmonton from Arizona, in exchange for just a fourth-round pick, Stecher played in 66 games last season, but now the club has favored more size along with youth, in the form of Regula. A pending free agent with a cap hit of just $787k, the Stecher market could be interesting. It is hard to imagine that rebuilding teams, where he could be a viable top-six defender, would have much interest in the veteran. He is a more bona-fide seventh-defender at this point, a role similar blueliners north of 30 his mold could envy, being on a team such as the Oilers. Perhaps the Red Wings could be interested in a reunion, with their promising start despite a thin backend. An injury-ridden team such as the Devils or Canucks, who Stecher began his career with, could also have interest. His sub-$1MM cap hit is certainly an asset.
Regardless, GM Stan Bowman has a decision to make, and hopefully the respected veteran finds a more preferable role soon, whether with Edmonton, or elsewhere.
Evening Notes: Murphy, Josi, Team Canada
Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote today on Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy and his falling role with the club. Murphy is the longest-tenured Blackhawk, whose timeline overlapped with the likes of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Patrick Sharp in 2017-18. A steady presence throughout Chicago’s tougher times, it appears the 32-year-old is on the outside looking in. His ice time has fallen dramatically this season, some of the lowest of his entire career.
The veteran has handled it professionally, saying he understands the decision, as mentioned by Pope. Injuries have not been a factor either, as it seems that Murphy’s seat has simply been taken by the younger 6’8″ Louis Crevier, and fellow veteran Matt Grzelcyk, who offers more mobility in new Head Coach Jeff Blashill’s system.
It is not ideal for a player in his ninth season with the Blackhawks, with the team finally showing progress, to only now lose his role. However, Murphy could have interest from teams looking for a veteran rental on the back-end. His $4.4MM cap hit may need retention for a deal to work, however Chicago has the room to retain. One way or the other, GM Kyle Davidson will surely do the veteran right, considering his contributions over the years.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Nick Kieser of Lower Broad Hockey shared earlier today Predators GM Barry Trotz’s update on Roman Josi. The Preds’ captain is still a few weeks away from a return. Josi was listed late last month as week-to-week with an upper-body injury. In his absence, Nashville remains above bottom-feeder status, an improvement from last year, but their play has not evoked much confidence of contention either. The Swiss defenseman’s presence is critical for the group, but at 35, it is hard to imagine Josi can sustain his usual workload into 2026 and beyond. If he can stay healthy for 30 more games this year, Josi will reach the esteemed 1,000 game mark.
- Marco D’Amico of RG Media shared that Don Sweeney, Bruins GM, and Doug Armstrong, Blues GM, are both in attendance for tonight’s game between the Canadiens and Flyers. While this may raise some eyebrows, both are with Team Canada ahead of the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy, set to start next February. The matchup features a wealth of players to scout for Team Canada; and D’Amico mentioned Nick Suzuki, Noah Dobson, Sam Montembeault, Travis Konecny, and Travis Sanheim as all possibilities.