Alexander Romanov To Miss 5-6 Months, Will Have Shoulder Surgery
The New York Islanders announced the fate of Alexander Romanov this afternoon after a scary hit into the boards from Mikko Rantanen last Tuesday. The defenseman will have shoulder surgery and will be out 5-6 months. Based on the timeline, any return by season’s end would be favorable.
While the 25-year-old does not jump out on the stat sheet most games, Romanov brings a very steady defense-first game, usually playing north of 20 minutes a night, which earned him an eight-year deal last summer worth $6.25MM per season.
With the Islanders exceeding expectations greatly so far this season, on a nice 6-3-1 streak in their last ten games, good for third place in the Metropolitan, it is devastating news. New York has a steady core of veterans on the backend, along with the emergence of young superstar Matthew Schaefer who remarkably is already a major minute-eater at 18-years-old, but Romanov’s stay-at-home play will be difficult to replace. The team recalled Marshall Warren earlier in the week with Romanov landing on IR, but the hope then was certainly that Romanov’s season would not be in jeopardy.
New York hosts Seattle this evening, and eyes will be on GM Mathieu Darche if he is to make an addition at some point to fill for Romanov’s void. With Pavel Mintyukov‘s name floating around lately, such a move could allow the Islanders to maintain their momentum while simultaneously getting younger on the back end. Regardless, it will be critical to protect Schaefer and continue to keep him in the right situations. For now, losing Romanov is an especially tough blow from an avoidable hit which immediately caught the attention of the league.
Mikko Rantanen Suspended One Game
This afternoon the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen has been suspended one game. As a violation under Rule 23.6, Physical Infractions Category, Rantanen incurred two game misconduct penalties in his last 41 games, which automatically carries a one game suspension. Such infractions have occurred in an especially short timeline however, just the last three games for Rantanen. It is a bit unusual for the 29-year-old, who has never been categorized as much of a dirty player.
Late in last Tuesday’s loss versus the Islanders, Rantanen was ejected after shoving Alexander Romanov into the boards in a dangerous play where the defenseman skidded into the boards with no chance to stop. The hit landed Romanov on injured reserve, but ultimately, the league chose not to suspend Rantanen.
Meanwhile, apparently unperturbed, just last night Rantanen viciously boarded Calgary forward Matthew Coronato, where he again was thrown out of the game with a misconduct. Although Coronato turned away at the last second, making himself especially vulnerable, Rantanen was already flying in, set to deliver a hard hit on the numbers. Thankfully Coronato returned to the game, but with a noticeable nose injury, as the Flames triumphed in a shootout.
Now, given that the current one game suspension is automatic with no further mention, additional discipline could come to Rantanen for the Coronato incident as well, especially considering what all transpired with the 29-year-old’s reckless play throughout the week. For now, Dallas will prepare to take on Edmonton on Tuesday without their superstar, who is tied for the team lead in points.
Sabres Activate Zach Benson, Assign Isak Rosen To AHL
Ahead of today’s game, the Buffalo Sabres shared that forward Isak Rosen is headed to AHL Rochester, and in a corresponding move, fellow forward Zach Benson has been activated off injured reserve.
It had been speculated yesterday that Benson was nearing a return, and now Buffalo eagerly welcomes back the skilled youngster ahead of a big matinee tilt hosting Carolina. Sidelined with a lower-body injury throughout the month, the 20-year-old returns with a point-per-game pace in eight games so far, all assists. Somewhat unusually for a player drafted 13th overall (2023), Benson wasted no time becoming an NHLer, already with 154 games to his name at age 20. The winger has not yet jumped off the page statistically, with a career high of 30 points, but now healthy, Benson could be in for a major breakout going into 2026.
On paper, the move to send down Rosen is a bit of a head scratcher. The 22-year-old former first round pick has shown serious improvement so far this year, with seven points in ten games, especially while filling in during Benson’s absence. However, with waiver exemptions in mind, the choice essentially came down to Rosen or Noah Ostlund, another first round selection. Head Coach Lindy Ruff has opted to keep the true center Ostlund in the lineup, set to hold things down on the third line today. Elsewhere, 26-year-old depth forward Joshua Dunne also appears set on Buffalo’s fourth line for the foreseeable future, as clearly they chose Rosen to go down, not risking losing Dunne on waivers.
Such a transaction for Rosen may be short-term, but Rochester will be glad to have the Swede for the time being. Despite playing in half the games as his counterparts, Rosen is right amongst the Americans’ leaders in points, with 12 in eight games. Buffalo’s performance this afternoon may indicate if another shake-up is in order, with Rosen coming back sometime before December.
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.