Pacific Notes: Kuemper, Pettersson, Ohgren
Earlier today Zach Dooley, Manager of Editorial Content for the Kings, shared that Darcy Kuemper returned to practice and faced shots, working 1-on-1 with the team’s goaltender coach.
Los Angeles’ #1 netminder landed on injured reserve six days ago, after exiting mid-game with an apparent head injury, as Stars forward Mikko Rantanen fought to create a screen, and they collided. In the meantime, veteran Anton Forsberg has held things down, including a great performance in a win over Tampa Bay, and one loss to Florida. Phoenix Copley, once a Kings full-timer, was called up from the AHL but has yet to see action. Forsberg, 33, is a serviceable backup who had success at times over the past few seasons in Ottawa, but is still working to reach expectations from his two year deal worth $2.25MM inked over the summer with the silver and black.
Kuemper, now 35, has been a tremendous fit with the Kings. Originally a sixth-round pick, and eventually a Stanley Cup Champion, the Saskatoon native has been a model of determination throughout many highs and lows in his career. He has a .917 save percentage on the season, ranking among the league’s best. Thankfully, it appears Kuemper is gearing up for a return soon.
Elsewhere across the division:
- Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote told reporters, including Thomas Drance of The Athletic, that Elias Pettersson (center) had a setback from his upper-body injury and his return will be delayed past Christmas, if not slightly longer. The Swede has been out since early December, now eight games. During that timeline major changes have come to the organization, and with 22 points in 28 games, the club will be eager to welcome back their star and try to continue stringing together wins in their new era of sorts.
- Also in Canucks news, The Athletic’s Thomas Drance published an article on the team’s surge post-Hughes trade, focusing on things that have stood out, including Liam Ohgren’s play. Although the Canucks fell to the Flyers tonight, they had won four games in a row previously. Many had written them off, and the team appeared dead in the water, without their franchise star, no less. With all the rumors out of the way, and three young but immediate contributors coming over, it has brought fresh air to the group. Ohgren, a former first round pick, appeared to be more of a “throw in” that might end up in the AHL to try and find his game. The 21-year-old had no points in 18 games with the Wild. Instead, Ohgren has turned the page as a Canuck, with three points in five games, enough to be an instant middle-six contributor with untapped potential.
Evening Notes: Berggren, Sabres, Predators
St. Louis’ Jonatan Berggren has been off to a hot start after being claimed off waivers from Detroit, and Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic published an article looking into the surge, and how sustainable it can be. The new Blue jumped right up to the team’s first line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, posting four points in three games so far.
The Blues, with a forward core ravaged by injuries of late, would likely have been keen to add any NHL capable player from waivers. One such as Berggren was especially hard to pass up. After several years of lighting up the AHL but not quite putting it all together at the highest level, the 25-year-old became the latest former top prospect to hit the wire.
While many such players catch headlines, have some success early on, and eventually regress back to the mean, Berggren has caught high praise from Head Coach Jim Montgomery, and has a chance to have real success in a more low pressure environment for the time being. Interestingly in Rutherford’s article, an anonymous scout said his team also had interest in submitting a claim, as a player with valuable tools, who also had moments of being invisible.
Given the results so far, Berggren has likely found a home in St. Louis to finish the season at his $1.825MM cap hit. With pending restricted free agent status, he could become useful piece in their future as well if able to evolve his game a bit and strengthen ability in his own end.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Another figure could be joining the Sabres’ revamped front office, as Mike Harrington of Buffalo News Sports shared that Blue Jackets scouting director Ville Siren has generated a lot of “chatter” about rejoining new Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekäläinen. Siren was mentioned as a possible target of Kekäläinen just last week. The Finland native has been with Columbus since 2013, as well as nine seasons in St. Louis beforehand, where he played a large role in the team’s selection of longtime star Vladimir Tarasenko, among others. In Columbus, Siren has continuously stocked the small market team with young talent, most recently helping assemble a promising young core in the post-John Tortorella era. Nothing is set, as he remains firmly with Columbus, but Siren would be another notable addition to Kekäläinen’s brass as they look to turn things around in Buffalo.
- Pierre LeBrun published an article with The Athletic in which he discussed the Predators’ turnaround, staying calm despite rumors surrounding Head Coach Andrew Brunette as the season started to get off the rails. Winners of seven out of their last 10, Nashville is starting to find their game, and while fans may prefer the team go into a full rebuild route, veterans such as Ryan O’Reilly and Steven Stamkos are naturally intent on winning. As a former coach himself, Trotz has continuously stressed the importance of culture to develop young players. Even if veterans such as Stamkos or Jonathan Marchessault could still be shipped out in 2026, it is hard to imagine Trotz will want his group to totally bottom out, especially as long as Juuse Saros stands in net. Nashville will have a big opportunity tomorrow against Minnesota to prove they have turned the page and maybe push for a Wild Card berth.
Hurricanes Recall Joel Nystrom From AHL, Place Slavin On IR
This afternoon the Carolina Hurricanes shared that Joel Nystrom has been called up from AHL Chicago, while Jaccob Slavin has been placed on injured reserve.
Given that he was listed as week-to-week earlier today, with Nystrom the most likely candidate to get the call, the word is not a big surprise. Just over one week ago, the two were swapped for each other when Slavin was activated, only now to be injured again.
The season so far has not been kind to Slavin, who has dealt with a lower-body injury for the past few months. After an activation eight days ago, he was eased back gradually, a jump in ice time in each of three games. However, the vital defenseman was absent last Saturday in Tampa Bay, and now appears set to miss even more time. As such is categorized as an upper-body injury, it does not appear both are linked, instead simply brutal luck for the defender, who has never been thought to be injury prone. Now 31, he has played in no fewer than 76 games in the past five seasons, however, with only five so far, that streak will end this season.
Meanwhile, Nystrom finds himself back with the big club after a short stint with the Chicago Wolves. Besides being called up and down, December has been a busy month for the Swede, as he inked a four year extension just 10 days ago, avoiding restricted free agency status after the campaign. In limited North American experience so far, his stats haven’t jumped out, with two assists in nine games for Chicago, and five assists in 24 games for Carolina. However, the 23-year-old is just getting started on smaller ice, and clearly the organization is high on him. A right shot, Nystrom has shown no fear of carrying the puck, and transition is the name of his game. A major steal, chosen in the seventh round by Carolina in 2021, Nystrom figures to be an everyday player for the team into the future, and they’ve certainly already leaned on him to this point.
Carolina offers a deep blueline, relieved of their offseason acquisition of K’Andre Miller in times like these. Miller is currently averaging over 22 minutes of ice time, more than he ever had as a Ranger, and looking the part. Even so often without Slavin, the Canes boast a 22-10-3 record this season, good for fourth in the league.
While Slavin’s presence is undeniable, and another setback is especially frustrating, his Olympic status for the United States is not thought to be in jeopardy, meaning hopefully he will gear up for a return by mid-January.
Maple Leafs Fire Assistant Coach Marc Savard
The struggling Toronto Maple Leafs have finally made a move to shake things up, as Assistant Coach Marc Savard has been relieved of his duties, as per the team. According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the team is expected to turn in-house for the time being, with no immediate replacement.
The longtime NHLer was in his second season behind the bench on Head Coach Craig Berube’s staff. The two were reunited from one year together in St. Louis during the 2019-20 season, although Savard went on to serve as Head Coach of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires for two seasons, as well as a stop in Calgary, before ending up in Toronto starting in 2024-25.
Savard oversaw the the team’s power play, which has been at an abysmal 13.3%, dead last in the league. Going 12-for-90 is simply unacceptable for a team with as much firepower as Toronto. It was a different story last season, as with Mitch Marner in the fold, and the Leafs still firmly a 50+ win team, they ranked ninth-best, at 24.8%. Injuries have been a major factor in the Leafs’ struggles so far, but the likes of Anthony Stolarz, Chris Tanev, and Brandon Carlo are obviously unrelated.
All-world sniper Auston Matthews should be feasting on the power play, but he has just three such tallies to date. In order to put things into perspective, he had 18 power play goals two seasons ago. The captain’s play has been scrutinized throughout, with many wondering if he is dealing with lingering injury issues, but things could not be much worse.
As tired as the Marner talking point is by now, without him, the Toronto power play unit just does not evoke as much fear. Savard had deployed players such as Nicholas Robertson, Matias Maccelli, and Nicholas Roy, none of whom have made much of an impact. Robertson and Maccelli have the skill, and certainly need to play in such a role to maximize their abilities, but that does not necessarily bring enough results. Suffice to say, there may be more going on than what meets the eye, but regardless, Savard has caught the blame. His system emphasized rapid puck movement and creativity, and it clearly such was not a fit.
Currently in a skid which has left them in last place in the Atlantic Division, with many more tough questions on their future, Savard is the first in what could be more moves in 2026 for the blue and white. Despite his inability to get the most out of Toronto’s stars, Savard had strong results as a head coach in the OHL, and the highly respected former player could catch on with another NHL club down the road. Yet for now, today’s news, so close to the holidays, is a tough blow for the 48-year-old.
Avalanche Recall Ilya Solovyov
Ahead of their game tonight in Minnesota, the Colorado Avalanche announced that Ilya Solovyov’s AHL conditioning loan has been terminated, and he will return to the team as their seventh defenseman.
Solovyov, claimed off waivers from Calgary in October, was loaned on December 12, and returns well within the two-week threshold to avoid waivers and remain on the active roster. While he is often a healthy scratch for the Avalanche (including tonight), at just 25 years old there is still untapped potential as a solid bottom pairing blueliner with size (6’3”). Therefore, getting him some game action this month was of interest.
Solovyov did not record any points in three games with the Colorado Eagles, but he gave the group a nice boost, as they are on a hot streak and lead their division with a 19-6-1 record. Now back on the Avs, he is also scoreless at the highest level, in 9 games so far. Such is production which will never raise many eyebrows, but the lefty had 28 points in the AHL last season in the Calgary organization. Having been selected in the seventh round of the 2020 draft by the Flames, it has been a solid North American career, culminating in 24 NHL contests to date.
As is expected for most teams in a window such as Colorado’s, the team’s pool is very thin. Mikhail Gulyayev and Sean Behrens are intriguing defense prospects, but as both are still a ways away from NHL contribution, taking a flyer on Solovyov was worthwhile. With just a $775k cap hit at the NHL level, and pending UFA status this summer, he will look to make an impression and solidify his role as a depth defender on the league’s best team going into the future.
Evening Notes: Dickinson, Catton, O’Reilly, Maple Leafs
The Team Canada World Juniors roster appears set, with two final dominos falling: San Jose will not loan defenseman Sam Dickinson, per Frank Seravalli, and Seattle won’t loan forward Berkly Catton either, also noted by Seravalli.
Dickinson was a real candidate, as he would have brought key experience to Team Canada’s back end, as the only returning defenseman on the team. The 19-year-old has the distinction of being the only d-man under 20 to not be loaned out, other than Matthew Schaefer, which is to no surprise. Dickinson has not made quite the same impact as last summer’s first overall pick, as he has just three points in 27 games. Although helping lead Team Canada in a push for gold for a final time could have been a breath of fresh air for the exciting two-way defender, San Jose opts to hold onto Dickinson and not lose a true lineup contributor who continues to develop.
Similar to Dickinson, Catton has not exactly had a Schaefer-like impact yet either, with five points in 21 games, all assists. However, as emphasized by Seravalli, Catton is set to return from injury soon, and with Mason Marchment traded to Columbus, he will have a larger role on the Kraken once healthy, enough to keep the skilled forward from a Team Canada return.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Despite rumblings, Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly is not open to being moved at this time, as shared by Pierre LeBrun in an article for The Athletic. The respected veteran center is a pending free agent on an affordable ($4.5MM) contract, so naturally the appeal is there. However, although he has no such trade protection, O’Reilly and Nashville have a mutual agreement to treat it as if so, and for now, the 34-year-old will stay put. O’Reilly has 28 points in 34 games, continuing to play at a high level on both ends. However, GM Barry Trotz brought him in prior to 2023-24, when the Predators appeared firmly in a rebuild, before their attempted revival. Therefore, while on paper it would be wise to bring in a haul, O’Reilly’s impact in the locker room was always a major focus. Things could be revisited closer to the Trade Deadline, but O’Reilly simply playing out the deal is a real possibility, especially as the Ontario native has already won a Stanley Cup.
- Ahead of tonight’s game, Maple Leafs Head Coach Craig Berube told reporters, including David Alter of The Hockey News, that Easton Cowan and Calle Jarnkrok would be scratched, while Max Domi and Steven Lorentz entered the lineup in Dallas. Cowan’s designation comes as a bit of a surprise as he was in the starting lineup on the first line last night in Nashville, notching 16:17 of ice time, with an assist. The 20-year-old has 11 points in 26 games, but according to Berube, a reset is needed. Jarnkrok has been a solid third liner for years, but at 34, he has just four goals on the season and his scratching is less of a surprise. Meanwhile, Domi jumps right into Cowan’s slot on the first line, eager to find his game in a bid to extend his Leafs tenure. Finally, Lorentz returns to a fourth line deployment, a role familiar for the 29-year-old.
Oilers’ Tristan Jarry Out Week-To-Week, Frederic Scratched
Ahead of tonight’s game, multiple key updates came on the Oilers; new goaltender Tristan Jarry will be out a “few weeks”, as shared by Ryan Rishaug of TSN. Additionally, forward Trent Frederic will be a healthy scratch, per Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal, with Connor Ingram taking the net in his Oilers debut.
Just in his third game with the Oilers, Jarry left mid-contest against Boston on Thursday with an apparent lower-body injury. One day later, the team promptly placed Jarry on IR and recalled Ingram, so today’s news is not a total shock, however, the timeline is a tough blow as the team tries to climb up the standings and assert themselves into the playoff mix for good.
Jarry is off to a nice start with Edmonton, winning all three games (as he earned credit for the win in the Boston contest). Such wins have not necessarily come on the back of the new Oiler, as he has a .887 save percentage, however, the accomplished netminder just needs to be steady behind the high-octane team. Edmonton’s long awaited search for such stability between the net must go on for now, but once healthy, Jarry will help push the Oilers for another run and look to prove them right for bringing him aboard.
In the meantime, Ingram, set to start tonight, was an intriguing pickup by Edmonton from Utah in October, merely for future considerations. The 28-year-old has not met expectations so far in the AHL, with a 4.04 goals against average, and a losing record, but the Saskatoon native flashed legitimate potential during the Coyotes’ final season, appearing in 50 games in 2023-24.
Ingram, once a key prospect for the Lighting and Predators, has battled adversity throughout his career, entering the NHLPA Player Assistance Program at times. Although his AHL play has not inspired as much confidence, hopefully Ingram is reinvigorated by his new opportunity and can hold things down for the time being. Edmonton had been linked to Alex Lyon of late, but if Ingram can play up to his potential, it will prove to be a savvy move to acquire the insurance policy for no real assets.
On the other hand, Frederic’s healthy scratching is also a major event for the team. Despite Edmonton starting to string wins together and finding their groove, Head Coach Kris Kloblach has seen enough of Frederic for now. The 27-year-old has just three points in 36 games on the season, and is a -9. Signed to an eight year deal last summer worth $3.85MM per season, things could not be off to much worse of a start for the forward.
Although so many contracts are criticized with the benefit of hindsight, Frederic’s was always a bit of a head scratcher. A former first rounder who showed scoring touch as a high energy forward with Boston, eight years still felt like a big gamble for a player who had not yet shown much with the Oil. Any long term commitment to a trade deadline pickup is risky, with long term fit in mind, but especially so for a role player.
Frederic had just four points in 22 playoff games, which apparently was enough for GM Stan Bowman to count on him to be a vital piece for long term. Now, he has not brought much of anything offensively, and often plays fourth line minutes, just unable to find his fit with Knoblach’s system yet. Facing increased pressure and scrutiny, tonight’s scratch puts him into the spotlight even more. However, as he is set in Edmonton for better or worse, it may serve as a reset. Thankfully, Jack Roslovic is back tonight, after missing a month.
Whatever comes next, any player signed for eight years being healthy scratched for one such as Curtis Lazar, a journeyman fourth liner, is a one-of-a-kind scenario. The Oilers have had a turbulent season thus far from their goaltending and depth pieces, but few teams have the ability to simply outscore such problems and push on. Tonight’s game will be telling, to see how they respond to the latest developments.
Injury Notes: Kane, Montembeault, Bichsel
Red Wings Head Coach Todd McLellan told reporters, including Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press that Patrick Kane will not be back until after Christmas, due to an upper body injury. Kane last played on December 13 against his former Blackhawks, managing to finish the contest despite injury, but has been absent for the team’s last four games since, in which they’ve managed to win three.
Now 37, the future Hall of Famer has 23 points in 24 games, fifth on the team despite playing more than 10 less games, due to various injuries throughout the first half. John Leonard, a 27-year-old elite AHL scorer, earned a call up from his extraordinary numbers with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Leonard has filled in admirably for the icon Kane, as he has netted two goals in four games.
Today’s update guarantees Kane will not play next Tuesday against Dallas, but he could be due to return on December 27 as the team goes into Carolina, currently on a surge, sitting atop the Atlantic Division.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Similar to Kane, Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault will also return after the Christmas break, as shared by Eric Engels of Sportsnet. A steady presence over the last five years for the Habs as they entered their post-Carey Price era, Montembeault has struggled this season, with an .857 save percentage. The emergence of Jakub Dobes, along with high end prospect Jacob Fowler, who earned his first NHL action of late, has pushed Montembeault down slightly. The 29-year-old has made two appearances for AHL Laval on a conditioning loan, but will look to get back on track in 2026, as he is still signed through next season with Montreal.
- Sam Nestler, Dallas Stars Beat Writer, shared that Lian Bichsel is still at least one week away from any rehab work. Stars Head Coach Glen Gulatzan anticipates the defenseman to be out until around Olympics time in February. Based on the timeline, Bischel will likely return post-Olympic break, assuming the team eases him back into action. In early December, Bichsel was designated as out for around six weeks, after an awkward leg injury sustained against Ottawa, which ended up requiring surgery. Like many other young blueliners, at 21, Bichsel is still working through the adjustment to the NHL game. Standing at 6’7”, he offers little offensively, but if able to progress in a sheltered third pairing role for now, the former first round pick could become a strong middle-pair shutdown option in the future.
Canadiens Acquire Phillip Danault
A familiar face has returned to Montreal, as the Canadiens have announced that they have acquired Kings forward Phillip Danault in exchange for the Blue Jackets’ 2026 second-round pick.
Los Angeles finds a new home for Danault, just an hour before the holiday roster freeze kicks in. The Kings had been examining trade options for the veteran middleman over the past few weeks amid one of the more difficult offensive stretches of his career. In 30 games this season, he’s yet to score a goal and has only mustered five assists.
Defensive acumen was always the highlight of the 32-year-old’s game, though. That hasn’t trailed off at all, with the 6’1″ pivot still managing a +3 rating in tough deployment despite the lack of offensive production going through him on the ice thus far. The paucity of goal-scoring also shouldn’t be conflated with a lack of trying. He’s averaging 2.93 shot attempts per game, slightly below his career average but far from a career-low.
The Kings were left with something of an excess of down-the-middle depth, too. Moving Quinton Byfield back to center had shifted Danault to a third-line role at even strength after shouldering duties as L.A.’s second-line center behind Anže Kopitar ever since his arrival in Hollywood in free agency in 2021. The Habs, who have long been looking to add an impact top-nine center as their rebuild draws to a close, were in even more dire need of help down the middle after losing center options Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook to injuries.
They won’t find the offensive needle-mover they were looking for in Danault, but he’s still a meaningful upgrade in the No. 2 slot behind captain Nick Suzuki over rookie Oliver Kapanen, at least in terms of two-way play. Assuming he is deployed there by head coach Martin St. Louis and gets extensive playing time with Calder Trophy candidate Ivan Demidov, Danault’s point production should come back alive.
Danault’s inclusion should also provide a meaningful boost to the Habs’ underlying numbers. Kapanen and Demidov have controlled 49.1% of expected goals with Newhook on their left flank and a horrid 38% with Juraj Slafkovsky in that slot at 5-on-5 this season. Danault hasn’t recorded a sub-50 xGF% since his rookie season, split between Chicago and Montreal back in 2015-16.
Aside from the obvious fit, as underscored by the Habs’ reported interest, it’s a feel-good story to reunite Montreal with its top center during their last deep playoff run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. That was the last of Danault’s six seasons in Montreal during his first run there, often used as their top-line anchor alongside Brendan Gallagher, including a career-high 41 assists in the 2018-19 season. He was top 10 in Selke Trophy voting in each of his final three seasons for the Habs and recorded 194 points in 360 games for them.
He’s now set to add to that total as the Habs only need to part ways with one of two second-rounders they were ticketed to hold in next year’s draft. They retain their own selection, parting ways with a pick they acquired from Columbus in the Patrik Laine deal.
The Kings won’t be enthused with the return. Danault is cost-controlled through next season at $5.5MM, and L.A. was hoping to make any trade a player-for-player swap rather than taking back futures. Nonetheless, it was becoming clear the Kings wanted a quick resolution, short of Danault outright asking for a trade, giving themselves time to flip the pick for a replacement on the other side of the roster freeze if they so choose.
PHR’s Josh Erickson contributed significantly to this article.
Image courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Hurricanes’ Seth Jarvis Injured, To Miss Time
A significant injury has occurred tonight as Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis left tonight’s game after taking a hard spill into the net, as seen in a clip shared by Sportsnet. The incident occurred early into the three-on-three overtime period, as Jarvis drove to the net with the puck, he was tripped by Florida’s Evan Rodrigues, slamming into the left post. No penalty was called, as the Panthers prevailed in the shootout.
After the game, Carolina Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour has told reporters, including Cory Lavalette of North State Journal, that Jarvis is “going to be out for a while”.
Due to a brutal impact in the vulnerable rib area, Jarvis was immediately in serious pain, holding his right side. He was able to skate off the ice, alongside a team trainer, but went down the tunnel immediately.
The 23-year-old has been on pace to shatter his career high of 33 goals, with 19 in 33 games, not yet missing a contest this season. Not only has he become an elite first line winger for Carolina, Jarvis has made a real case to make the Team Canada Olympic roster, which may now be in jeopardy. A sign of Canada’s absurd forward talent however, the young sniper, if healthy, is still a bubble player on the potential roster.
The Hurricanes, currently atop the Metropolitan Division with room to spare, boast a tremendously deep roster built to handle such adversity. However, Jarvis’ impact in the lineup cannot be overstated. Despite showing high output, ranking fifth in the league in goals scored, he is far and away the Canes’ go-to shooter. Combining the team’s second and third leading goal scorers, Sebastian Aho (11) and Jordan Staal/Jackson Blake (9) only ranks one tally above Jarvis.
Somewhat unexpectedly given their firepower, Carolina’s powerplay ranks seventh-worst at 15.5%, and just three of Jarvis’ 19 goals have come on the man-advantage. Thus illustrates his impact at five-on-five.
Exact details on the injury, and subsequent timeline for return, remain unknown but based on Brind’Amour’s comments, the Canes are likely looking to head into the New Year without a major piece. The highly skilled Blake, proving to be a major steal at 109th overall in 2021, figures to be a top-line option for the time being. Two notable newcomers, Nikolaj Ehlers and Logan Stankoven, will also be leaned upon for more production.
With Team Canada’s roster set to be released on New Year’s Eve, a wrinkle might have been thrown into GM Doug Armstrong’s plans. However, Milan or not, Carolina will cross their fingers that Jarvis avoided major injury, and can return sometime in January.