East Notes: Rangers, Mikkola, Malenstyn
Earlier today, Rangers Head Coach Mike Sullivan told Mollie Walker of the New York Post that Vincent Trocheck is still not skating. Although they sit in the middle of the pack at .500, it has not been the smoothest of starts for New York, in a year where the group faces real pressure to turn the corner from a turbulent 2024-25.
Trocheck appeared in the Rangers’ first two games before being injured vs Buffalo. Earlier it had been announced that the forward is week-to-week. Despite now being 32, Trocheck has been very reliable, being an 82-game player in his first three seasons in New York. Now the team hopes to have their vital center back soon.
More injury news has come out of New York, as Colin Stephenson of Newsday confirmed that Noah Laba left tonight’s game vs Minnesota after taking a puck to the face. The rookie forward was helped off the ice, however, Stephenson went on to update that Laba has returned to the game.
Elsewhere across the league:
- David Dwork of The Hockey News noted earlier today that Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola has returned to practice. Mikkola left Saturday’s game in Buffalo with an upper-body injury. The wear-and-tear of back to back Stanley Cups is certainly a possibility this year, for a Panthers group which has lost four straight games, already sorely missing Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. Thankfully Mikkola appears ready to help the team get back on track.
- The Buffalo Sabres announced today that forward Beck Malenstyn will be absent for the next few days due to a personal matter. The team did not elaborate, however, Head Coach Lindy Ruff’s comments suggest it is likely due to paternity leave. 26-year-old Josh Dunne, an organizational depth forward, has drawn into the Sabres lineup in place of Malenstyn.
NHL Wants $2 Billion Expansion Fee
In today’s episode of The FAN Hockey Show, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet discussed the NHL’s possible expansion, noting that the league wants a “large number”, around $2 Billion.
Despite many recent rumblings of further expansion in the league, perhaps such a staggering amount will slow the roll somewhat. In the last few months it has been a hot topic. Atlanta has been brought up continuously, along with Arizona, Houston, and even Austin, Texas.
Given all the change in the last several years, even the most hardcore NHL fans back in the mid 2010s would be stunned to see the Golden Knights, Kraken, and Mammoth in existence. And while the idea of the league surpassing 32 teams is questionable, there is no denying that expansion has done tremendous things for the development of the sport as a whole. From California, to Florida, Dallas, Nashville, Vegas, and all the others, youth hockey hotbeds emerge as a result of the NHL coming to town, and it is hard to ignore.
Interestingly, just four years ago, the Seattle Kraken paid an expansion fee of $650 million, along with the Golden Knights’ $500 million in 2016. Clearly, if the NHL is going to go even further on expansion, it will only be to the most serious suitors who are willing to pay an exorbitant amount.
Friedman’s comments suggest that a possible league expansion is further away than it may seem. While it is a very exciting concept for fans of untapped and deserving markets, the NHL having the most teams of any major North American professional sports league is a debatable concept, especially if they were to return to a city which has already had an NHL franchise come and go.
Predators Confident Amidst Improved Start
Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News wrote earlier today on how Nashville has turned the page, and there is a feeling of fresh air in the organization. Although they lost to Toronto last night, in a small sample size, there are signs the group has rounded a corner, and that Head Coach Andrew Brunette’s adjustments could prove effective. At this point he, along with members of the team, are tired of talking about last season’s failure and are looking ahead.
When GM Barry Trotz took over for icon David Poile, it appeared that the organization was finally set to do a full rebuild. Trotz picked up an assortment of veterans headlined by Ryan O’Reilly, who were mainly expected to lead through the team’s dog days. Brunette, Trotz’s former player, who scored the team’s first goal in franchise history, was brought in as head coach.
Instead, in 2023-24 Nashville surprised everybody, and although they were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by Vancouver, it appeared the core may not be done. Likely motivated to give stalwarts such as Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg one more shot, Trotz stunned the hockey world, signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei in free agency.
As glamorous as the signings were, Trotz lost key role players in Kiefer Sherwood and Jason Zucker, both who have proven their value with their new clubs. And as we all know, the big signings did not translate. Nashville got off to a brutal start to 2024-25 and never clawed their way out of the hole. Trotz made questionable moves such as waiving defenseman Dante Fabbro, who immediately revitalized his career in Columbus. It was a brutal season all around.
The struggles rewarded the Preds with the #5 pick in the draft, which was sorely needed, considering that the last time the team had picked in the top 10 was Seth Jones in 2013. While the streak is impressive, it’s equally incriminating, showing the organization’s long time stuck in the middle. Trotz fell for the well-rounded game of Brady Martin, passing on potentially higher offensive upside players. So far Martin has made a great impression; however he is expected to return to the OHL soon, as the team looks to properly develop the young center.
Trotz also went for a less-flashy offseason this time around, and so far, the team is off to a good start. Juuse Saros looks the part, while the team’s defense corps look improved, with Nick Perbix playing well, along with the emergence of a more under-the-radar prospect in Adam Wilsby. As Kennedy noted, the team has a more balanced scoring attack as well. Nashville is caught in a brutal division, but with the way the roster is constructed, a turnaround is in their best interest, even if modest.
For as long as Saros, Josi, and Forsberg are on the team, perhaps Nashville has no choice but to push for contention. Three games in, there’s a long way to go, but the group looks rejuvenated and they hope to prove doubters wrong.
Evening Notes: Red Wings, Motte, Matheson
In today’s episode of The DFO Rundown, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period speculated that the Red Wings have been looking for offense, especially down the middle, and could be looking to move defensemen to make it happen. The Wings have top prospect Nate Danielson in the fold, however he is out indefinitely, after making a strong case to make the team. Detroit’s search for another top forward is nothing new, however, given that they are forced to lean on their young defensemen, trading one of them seems unlikely. Pagnotta affirmed this, noting that Travis Hamonic or Erik Gustafsson could be candidates, but their value is limited at this point.
One such young Red Wing defenseman that likely should be untouchable is Axel Sandin-Pellikka. In an article shared by NHL.com columnist Nick Cotsonika today, which was written by NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman, the electric Swede is off to an impressive start, averaging 21 minutes a night. His three NHL games have already surpassed his AHL total, two with Grand Rapids last season, but the 20-year-old appears up to the challenge.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Journeyman Tyler Motte has been signed to a professional tryout with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, as announced by the team. Motte, 30, was unable to secure an NHL contract after being released from the Panthers in training camp. Originally drafted 121st overall by Chicago in 2013, the Michigan native carved out 455 games in the NHL, not appearing in the AHL since 2017-18. Now, Motte will look to earn a role with Charlotte in a bid to extend his career.
- In yesterday’s edition of Insider Trading, TSN’s Pierre Lebrun mentioned that Mike Matheson is at the forefront for Montreal. Given all their activity from Noah Dobson to Lane Hutson, Matheson was put off a bit, however now the team will look to lock up the pending UFA. Lebrun said that Matheson is interested in the possibility, but that he does not want a short-term deal. The 31-year-old took a step back last season after a 62-point explosion in 2023-24, but Montreal should expect a raise from his current $4.8MM value, as much as $7MM according to AFP Analytics.
Injury Notes: Klingberg, Liljegren, Lindholm
A trio of Swedish defensemen have been banged up, but are not expected to miss much time. First, out of San Jose, Sheng Peng of NBC Sports California updated earlier today that John Klingberg and Timothy Liljegren are out day-to-day, and are questionable for Friday, when the Sharks go to Utah. Both players were hurt last night, as San Jose was drubbed by Carolina, although each played high minutes. Liljegren is considered upper-body, which aligns with when he appeared shaken up after going down hard in an attempt to pin a Hurricane along the boards.
Peng also added a key note, that fortunately, given that it was listed as lower-body, Klingberg’s ailment is not related to his ongoing hip trouble. For now, the Sharks could turn to Vincent Desharnais to make his season debut, along with the more intriguing young Shakir Mukhamadullin, who posted two assists in his only game this season.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Bruins Head Coach Marco Sturm recently told Belle Fraser, Multimedia Producer of the team, that Hampus Lindholm is also day-to-day, but is expected to resume skating tomorrow. The veteran enjoyed a major career resurgence in Boston in 2022-23, but unfortunately has been chasing it since, especially with an injury riddled 2024-25. Thankfully, Lindholm has managed to skate in two games for Boston so far, as he looks to get back on track and hope to help lead the team back to the playoffs come spring.
Sabres Could Scratch Jiri Kulich
Oct. 15: The message has evidently been received for Kulich, who will be in the lineup tonight after all, Ruff told reporters this morning. “If you really want to know, he’s playing,” Ruff told Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News. “I want to see his response tonight.”
Oct. 14: In yet another brutal start for the Buffalo Sabres, who are 0-3, young forward Jiri Kulich has caught blame from Head Coach Lindy Ruff and could be scratched, as mentioned by the Times Herald’s Bill Hoppe earlier today.
The 21-year-old forward has had a rough go of it so far this season, with no points in three games and a -4 rating. As Ruff told Hoppe, Kulich “hasn’t been good enough”, noting that his skating has not been at the level it was last year. In practice today, Kulich was seen with Jordan Greenway and Mason Geertsen. As Hoppe wrote, it is not exactly a promising sign for the youngster in advance of tomorrow’s game vs Ottawa.
Despite the struggles and dissatisfaction from his coach, Kulich has not played less than 16 minutes a night so far in each of the club’s games. Although sheltering a young former first-round pick who doesn’t appear ready is not necessarily the wrong move, Ruff’s comments are interesting, throwing such blame at Kulich when the team has scored just two goals all season. Thankfully, Zach Benson is expected back tomorrow; however, with Josh Norris out long-term, it has been a terrible start for the Sabres. With the Senators set to move forward without their injured star captain Brady Tkachuk, tomorrow’s game will be a huge opportunity for Buffalo to finally get into the win column.
Many eyes will turn to stars such as Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin to lead Buffalo out of the hole they find themselves in, but unfortunately, without Norris, it will be an uphill battle. If they prove unable to do so, at some point, it may be time to look at the team’s deeper issues than a player such as Kulich’s performance, and major changes could be on the horizon.
Adin Hill Leaves Game Due To Injury
A rough sequence from tonight’s game in Calgary has dealt a blow to the Golden Knights. Vegas’ starting goaltender Adin Hill left after the first period due to a lower body injury, as noted by Jesse Granger of The Athletic.
First, Hill appeared shaken up due to a shot that knocked his mask off, but in the following scrum, the 29-year-old seemed bothered by a lower body ailment as well. Akira Schmid took the crease to start the second period for the Golden Knights.
As mentioned by Granger, Carter Hart will become eligible to sign with a team tomorrow, but will not be able to play until December. The Knights have been speculated as a possible fit in the past, and while the hope is certainly that Hill will not be sidelined for long, it will be interesting to follow what comes next.
Matvei Michkov Seeing Fewer Minutes In Slow Start
Having yet to record a point in the Flyers’ first three games, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic wrote earlier today on Matvei Michkov’s early season struggles. The ultra-talented Russian has been lightly benched at times by new Head Coach Rick Tocchet. Although this may raise some eyebrows, there are reasons for this outside of his play alone, as noted by Kurz.
Philadelphia broke into the win column yesterday, pulling away late from the defending champion Panthers. While such a triumph could be encouraging, it is key to mention that Florida opted to start backup goalie Daniil Tarasov. As the Flyers sit at a bit of a crossroads this season, trying to etch a new identity with a roster that finally offers real youth, the 20-year-old Russian is their biggest piece for the future. Michkov led all rookies in goals in 2024-2025, with an impressive 63 points, all during a bit of a tumultuous season for the Black and Orange.
Therefore, a scoreless first three games for Michkov isn’t ideal, along with falling ice time, down to 14:26. Interestingly, fellow young Russian Nikita Grebenkin appeared in Michkov’s place on a line with Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny in crunch time vs Florida. However, Tocchet emphasized that the swap was primarily to reward Grebenkin, who has made an impression so far.
Additionally, there are other factors which have worked against Michkov, painting a picture perhaps a bit misleading. Tocchet mentioned that he has been getting up to speed from an ankle ailment over the summer, along with the fact that the Flyers have been highly penalized, often keeping their young star off the ice. Finally, Tocchet is wanting to implement an approach of balancing up-and-down the lineup, as the club searches for their identity. Philadelphia has made it clear that they will move into the future still leaning into their gritty playing style as always, but they will need to ensure it does not stunt the development of a potential offensive superstar.
With all of this in mind, Tocchet’s utilization of Michkov will be interesting to monitor, but just three games in, it is still too soon to sound the alarms. With Michkov’s ability, it is likely just a matter of time.
Evening Notes: Brunicke, Crozier, Hurricanes
The Penguins announced tonight that young defenseman Harrison Brunicke will not play tonight versus Anaheim. Brunicke has looked the part in his first three NHL games, notching a goal, but at just 19-years-old, the Penguins are taking it easy with their key prospect. Although fans may be disappointed, the silver lining is that Kris Letang could return. New Head Coach Dan Muse emphasized the need to put Brunicke along with fellow youngster Ben Kindel in positions to succeed, and given his strong pedigree coaching across junior, collegiate, and professional hockey, it seems the Penguins have the right eyes on their young prospects, as they face a fascinating crossroads which will play out this season.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Lightning have announced mid-game that defenseman Max Crozier will not return due to injury. The 25-year-old more unassuming player, who has spent most of his professional career in the AHL after being drafted 120th overall in 2019, has been off to a great start for Tampa Bay this season with three assists in as many games. Further details on the severity of the injury are unknown at this time.
- On today’s episode of Bleacher Report’s Insider Notebook, Insider Frank Seravalli said that the Carolina Hurricanes are watching the waiver wire closely for goalies, and that it would be no surprise if the team made some sort of move for one. Thankfully for the team, Frederik Andersen has won both games so far, but given his injury history, along with Pyotr Kochetkov’s inconsistency and current injury, the Canes could be looking for more stability. Carolina claimed Brandon Bussi on waivers earlier this month, but as a 27-year-old yet to debut in the NHL, and with AHL numbers which don’t necessarily jump off the page, GM Eric Tulsky could have another trick up his sleeve soon; especially if the team wants to reach new heights come spring.
Pacific Notes: Oilers, Sherwood, Kings, Golden Knights
The Edmonton Oilers, who were hit by the injury bug out of the gate, have a number of players expected back soon. Mark Spector of Sportsnet shared today that Head Coach Kris Knoblauch “hopes” that Mattias Janmark and Alec Regula are set to return this weekend, Jake Walman next Thursday, and finally, Zach Hyman’s November 1st estimated return is still on track.
Hyman originally suffered a very untimely major wrist injury in last year’s Western Conference Finals. Meanwhile, newcomer Andrew Mangiapane is off to a hot start with 2 goals, in the coveted seat of Connor McDavid’s wing. It will be interesting to see how the Oil work Hyman back into the lineup, along with the recent addition of Jack Roslovic.
Walman and Janmark have both been out with undisclosed injuries not thought to be serious. Regula has appeared in both of the Oilers’ games to start the season, but is out tonight with yet another undisclosed injury. The 25-year-old was claimed off waivers from Boston last year, offering imposing size and a right handed shot, filling a bottom-pair role perhaps missed by the team since the departure of Vincent Desharnais.
Elsewhere across the division:
- In an article published by The Fourth Period earlier today, referencing word from their own David Pagnotta, Kiefer Sherwood and the Canucks have not begun contract discussions yet. A late-bloomer who established himself as a full-time NHLer with Nashville, Sherwood signed with Vancouver last season on a two-year deal and took another step, posting 40 points, and most notably, breaking the NHL single-season record for hits. Sherwood is a prototypical fourth liner in today’s game, and perhaps the club is feeling out his performance this year before they take next steps toward a considerable pay increase.
- The Kings have updates of their own; as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet shared on today’s episode of the FAN Hockey Show, that star Adrian Kempe wants to stay. Friedman said that talks had been in the $9-10MM range, but now, given the market explosion, it could go higher. The 29-year-old broke out in a steal of a 4-year deal at $5.5MM which finally ends this season. Additionally, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period also shared that the team is in no rush with an extension for young standout Brandt Clarke, as published today. Given such huge contracts given out to Luke Hughes and Lane Hutson, the Kings will be content to play the long game and see how Clarke’s season unfolds.
- SinBin.vegas noted tonight from the Golden Knights Insider Show, that forward Brett Howden will be out of tonight’s game in Calgary, and Cole Reinhardt will make his Vegas debut. It is not clear if it is an injury or scratch for Howden, who has one goal in the team’s first three games. Reinhardt signed a two-year deal coming over from the Senators, where he spent most time in the AHL, but notched two points in 17 games for the big club last year.