Canucks Make Several Roster Moves
On top of having a potential trade on the horizon to shake up the roster, the Canucks have made several roster moves today. The team announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Brock Boeser, and center Marco Rossi have all been activated off injured reserve. To make room on the roster, center Filip Chytil was placed on IR retroactive to February 18th.
Buium was the centerpiece of the return in the Quinn Hughes trade back in December. He’s in his first full NHL season (after a brief stint with Minnesota in the playoffs last year) and has shown some flashes of the dynamic offensive upside that made him the 12th overall pick in 2024. While he’s still going through the ups and downs of his first taste of NHL action, Vancouver has been deploying him in a top-four role when he has been healthy and he has six points in 20 games since the swap. Buium had been out for the last month due to a fractured cheekbone.
Boeser, meanwhile, missed the last month with a concussion. The 29-year-old has struggled by his standards this season, potting 12 goals and 13 assists in 50 games. Two years ago, he had a career-high 40 goals and 73 points and reached the 50-point mark for the fifth time last season, earning him a seven-year, $50.25MM agreement to remain with Vancouver in the opening day of free agency last summer. While this season is a write-off for the Canucks in terms of the standings, he’ll certainly be looking for a big finish to show he can still be a top contributor.
Rossi also came to Vancouver in the Hughes trade but hasn’t had a chance to showcase himself much since then. Injured at the time of the swap, he only got into eight games with his new team before sustaining a lower-body injury in late December, one that took nearly two months to return from. With the Canucks lacking capable options down the middle, it’s fair to say that they will be giving Rossi a big role over these next couple of months to try to determine what the best spot on the depth chart will be for him moving forward.
As for Chytil, his tough injury luck continues. While this particular injury isn’t a recurrence of the concussion symptoms he has battled frequently in recent years, it’s one he sustained in practice after taking a puck to the face. Chytil was also supposed to be a part of Vancouver’s solution down the middle after being acquired last season but has played in just 27 games with the Canucks since then, including 12 this season where he has three goals. The retroactive placement makes him eligible to be activated at any point moving forward once he’s cleared to return.
Ducks Activate Leo Carlsson
Anaheim’s push to hold onto a playoff spot will get a boost tonight as center Leo Carlsson has been activated off injured reserve, according to the NHL’s Media Site. The Ducks had an open roster spot so no corresponding move needed to be made but their roster is now at the maximum of 23.
Carlsson underwent a procedure in mid-January to treat a Morel-Lavallée lesion in his left thigh. The initial recovery timeline was three to five weeks. At the time, the hope was that he’d be able to suit up for Sweden at the Olympics but ultimately, he wasn’t able to participate.
Before being sidelined, Carlsson had been one of the breakout performers in the first half of the season. Head coach Joel Quenneville had the 21-year-old playing a more prominent role compared to his sophomore campaign and the center responded with 44 points in 44 games, a total that made him Anaheim’s leading scorer prior to the injury.
Despite missing a dozen games, Carlsson has only slipped to a share of second place in team scoring, behind only winger Cutter Gauthier. He’s also tied with fellow youngster Beckett Sennecke and veteran winger Troy Terry for that number two spot in points.
It’s not all good news on the injury front for Anaheim, however. Derek Lee of The Hockey News relays that forward Mikael Granlund will miss tonight’s game against Edmonton due to an upper-body injury sustained at the Olympics. Fortunately for them, he’s expected to skate on Thursday and hasn’t been ruled out of Friday’s contest versus Winnipeg.
Kraken Activate Berkly Catton And Ben Meyers
The Kraken welcomed back a pair of forwards to their lineup tonight against Dallas. The team announced (Twitter link) that forwards Berkly Catton and Ben Meyers have been activated off injured reserve.
Catton is in his first NHL season and it has been one with multiple starts and stops between injuries and early-season game management while they decided on if they’d keep him up for the full year. The 20-year-old was a prolific point producer in junior but prime offensive minutes have been harder to come by this season as he has just 11 points in 40 games while logging just 12:23 of playing time per game.
Catton had been dealing with an upper-body sustained late last month against Toronto. However, thanks to the Olympic break, he wound up only missing three games despite being sidelined for a month. While he would have been eligible for a short-term AHL conditioning stint coming off an injury – he’s not eligible to play there otherwise this season – that won’t be the route that Seattle takes.
As for Meyers, it has been a good week for him. Not only has he been cleared to return from his lower-body injury that cost him more than a month, but he also signed a two-year extension just yesterday. The 27-year-old has 11 points in 31 games this season after having just eight over his first 75 appearances, spanning four years.
Seattle had one open spot prior to these moves. To create the other spot, winger Tye Kartye was designated as a non-roster player. There is no word on what has happened for him to be placed there or when he might return. The 24-year-old has eight points and 98 hits in 40 games so far this season.
Flyers Reassign Aleksei Kolosov And Adam Ginning
2/25: Ginning has now been returned to Lehigh Valley as well. The Flyers now have one open spot on their active roster.
2/22: After a day of practice, the Flyers have opted to return Kolosov to the minor leagues. He will continue to suit up for Lehigh Valley while Philadelphia rides Daniel Vladar and Samuel Ersson as their top two goalies.
2/21: The Flyers continue to shuffle their roster around to ensure that they have ample bodies for practice before games resume next week. The team announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled goaltender Aleksei Kolosov and defenseman Adam Ginning from AHL Lehigh Valley.
Kolosov has had multiple stints with Philadelphia this season, one of those coming before the Olympic break with Samuel Ersson dealing with a lower-body injury. The 24-year-old has made four NHL appearances this season, allowing eight goals on just 47 shots. Kolosov fared a little better at the top level last season, however, putting up a 3.59 GAA and a .867 SV% in 17 outings with the Flyers.
Kolosov has made 24 appearances in the minors with the Phantoms and has performed much better at that level. He has a 2.65 GAA and a .909 SV% in those outings along with a pair of shutouts. While Ersson was initially expected to be back after the Olympic break, Kolosov could find himself up with the big club for more than a few days if Ersson ultimately needs a bit more time to recover.
As for Ginning, he made Philadelphia’s roster out of training camp but was primarily in a reserve role. Accordingly, he has only played in five games with the Flyers this season and is still looking for his first point. Ginning ultimately cleared waivers in mid-November and aside from a brief stint with Philadelphia in January (where he didn’t play), he has been with Lehigh Valley since then. He’s played in 29 games for the Phantoms and has a goal and three assists.
With Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen still in Italy for the Olympics, it’s fair to say that Ginning’s promotion will be a short-term one for practice purposes only and that it will take an injury or two for him to have a realistic shot of getting back into Philadelphia’s lineup. To make room for the recalls, both Olympic blueliners have been moved to non-roster status.
Mammoth Activate Logan Cooley And Alexander Kerfoot
The Mammoth appear to be set to key a pair of forwards back in their lineup tonight against Colorado. Centers Logan Cooley and Alexander Kerfoot have been activated off injured reserve, according to the NHL’s Media Site. Utah had a pair of open roster spots available following today’s returns of defenseman Dmitriy Simashev and Maveric Lamoureux to the minors.
Cooley has been out since the first week of December due to a lower-body injury. At the time, he was expected to miss eight weeks. This comeback comes a few weeks past that point but had it not been for the Olympics, he likely would have been back earlier.
Prior to the injury, the 21-year-old’s point-per-game rate was down but he was scoring at a much better clip, potting 14 goals in just 29 games. Accordingly, even after missing the last 28 games, Cooley should be able to reach the 20-goal mark for the third straight season.
Signed to an eight-year, $80MM extension that cemented him as the top-line center of the present and future, Cooley will certainly be a welcome return to a Utah group that is around the middle of the league in scoring while also fighting for a playoff spot. At this stage, it’s highly unlikely that the Mammoth will be able to catch Dallas for third place in the Central Division, given that they’re 13 points behind them. Instead, they’ll hope to hold onto a Wild Card spot over the next eight weeks.
As for Kerfoot, he has missed the last month and a half with an upper-body injury. It’s the second significant injury he has dealt with this season, limiting him to just nine games played so far as a result. Kerfoot has been limited to just one goal in those outings while averaging a career-low 10:20 of playing time per game.
Given the long layoff and his struggles, it’s likely that Kerfoot would fill more of a depth role compared to Cooley. However, he’s one of Utah’s more versatile players which will help his cause as he looks to put together a strong finish before hitting unrestricted free agency in July.
Wild Reassign David Spacek
2/25: After a few days of practicing with the top club, Spacek has been reassigned to the AHL.
2/21: Fresh off playing for Czechia at the Olympics, defenseman David Spacek is getting his next NHL opportunity. The Wild announced that they’ve recalled the blueliner from AHL Iowa.
It’s already the fourth recall of the season for the 23-year-old. However, he didn’t see any action in his first two stints although he was able to make a pair of appearances for Minnesota last month, his first games at the top level. He recorded a pair of blocked shots over a total of 21:30 of playing time.
Spacek, a fifth-round pick back in 2022, has played in 37 games in the minors this season. He has been productive offensively in those outings, picking four goals and 16 assists. His assist total leads all Iowa players while his 20 points pace the way among their defensemen. Spacek also suited up in five games at the Olympics, recording an assist while playing 14:33 per game.
With Spacek’s addition to the roster, Minnesota’s roster now stands at the maximum of 23 players.
Five Key Stories: 2/16/26 – 2/22/26
With the NHL continuing its break for the Olympics, it was a relatively quiet week around the league. However, on top of the Olympic tournament ending, there was still some notable news around the hockey world which is recapped in our key stories.
Gold For USA: Heading into the Olympics, a Canada versus the USA matchup was one that many fans were hoping to see after their two memorable matchups at the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025. With both teams going undefeated through their first five games, that meeting came in the Gold Medal contest. Matt Boldy opened the scoring for Team USA while Cale Makar tied it up for Canada late in the second. After a goalless third period, that set the stage for a three-on-three overtime where Jack Hughes fired home the winner to win USA the gold. It’s a measure of revenge after losing in overtime last year at the 4 Nations while it’s their first gold medal in the men’s tournament since 1980. Meanwhile, on the injury front, Canada’s Sidney Crosby and Finland’s Mikko Rantanen both missed medal round games due to injuries which will be something to keep an eye on.
Back On The Market: When Jeff Skinner signed a one-year, $3MM deal with San Jose in free agency, it felt like one of those cases where the Sharks could give him some playing time, increase his value, and flip him for future assets at the trade deadline. That clearly isn’t happening now after the two sides reached a mutual agreement to terminate the remainder of his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. The 33-year-old notched just six goals and seven assists in 33 games this season and had been scratched for several weeks before his release. While he’s walking away from more guaranteed money than he’ll get when he gets his next contract, Skinner appears to be willing to make that trade off to land either more guaranteed playing time or a chance to play with more of a contender.
Three For Bussi: Brandon Bussi has been one of the feel-good stories of the season. Claimed off waivers in training camp to serve as Carolina’s third goalie despite never seeing NHL action before, he has since taken on a bigger role and won 23 of his 27 starts. He was rewarded for his efforts as the Hurricanes signed him to a three-year, $5.7MM contract extension that begins next season. With Pyotr Kochetkov likely done for the season with a lingering hip injury and Frederik Andersen having some up-and-down performances, Bussi is likely to be Carolina’s top netminder down the stretch. Meanwhile, assuming Kochetkov is able to return next season, the Hurricanes’ goalie tandem will cost just $3.9MM next season, a significant bargain.
Injury News: The Ducks won’t be getting their backup goalie back to aid in their push for a playoff spot. Instead, Petr Mrazek will miss the rest of the season after undergoing hip surgery. The veteran is in the final year of his contract, one that carries a $4.25MM cap charge, and finishes with just ten appearances. Ville Husso, who started the season as a pricey third-string option, is now the full-time backup behind Lukas Dostal. Meanwhile, Filip Chytil’s rough year continues. After the Canucks center returned from a suspected concussion, he’s now out indefinitely once more after suffering a facial fracture in a mini-game in practice earlier in the week. A key part of the return for J.T. Miller last season, Chytil has been limited to just 27 games in total since then, a number that won’t be increasing for a while.
Back Behind The Bench: The Oilers will have a familiar face behind the bench when play resumes this week. The team announced that Paul Coffey has rejoined their coaching staff. He has held a variety of roles with Edmonton in recent years but joined the staff as assistant coach when Kris Knoblauch took over as head coach in 2023 and helped stabilize their back end. Coffey had moved back into an advisory role ahead of this season but is now being tasked with repeating history and shoring up that group once again to give them a boost for the stretch run.
Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.
Alex Ovechkin Undecided On Playing Future Beyond This Season
With this being the final season of Alex Ovechkin’s contract, there has been plenty of speculation as to whether the future Hall of Famer would be hanging up his skates, returning to play in Russia, or staying in the NHL. At various times, it has been speculated that this would be it for him in the NHL while at others, some have suggested that an extension could be coming.
Now several months into the 2025-26 campaign, it doesn’t seem as if Ovechkin is any closer to making a decision on what comes next. Speaking with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti earlier this week, the 40-year-old indicated that he doesn’t know what comes next. He added that his family and the Capitals organization would be part of the decision-making process, with a final decision unlikely to come until after the season.
Ovechkin has spent his entire 21-year NHL career with Washington after the Caps drafted him first overall back in 2004. He has set multiple league records along the way. On top of taking over the all-time goal record last season (he’s up to 919), he’s also the record-holder for power play goals (330), game-winning goals (140), and shots on goal (7,028). Clearly, there’s nothing left to prove but he can certainly keep adding to his records.
While Ovechkin clearly isn’t the elite winger he was for many years, he’s still a very capable contributor. He has 22 goals and 26 assists this season in 59 games while still logging nearly 18 minutes per night of playing time. His 48 points are one behind Tom Wilson for the team lead. While a decline is likely to come given his age, Ovechkin could certainly contribute for another year.
If Ovechkin decides to re-sign with the Capitals, it’s fair to say that the AAV of the deal wouldn’t check in at the $9.5MM that it’s currently at. However, if he were to re-sign on a one-year pact, he’d become eligible for performance bonuses, which would give Washington some extra flexibility and also give Ovechkin a chance to maximize his earnings.
While the Capitals would undoubtedly like some certainty with Ovechkin’s situation heading into the trade deadline to know if this is his final run or not, it appears that they’ll have to wait a while yet to see what the captain plans to do.
Oilers Expected To Activate Adam Henrique, Kasperi Kapanen Injured Again
The Oilers will get a veteran center back in the lineup when their schedule resumes on Wednesday. Head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters today (video link) that Adam Henrique is “doing really well,” and it appears that he’ll be ready to play against Anaheim. However, the news isn’t all good, as winger Kasperi Kapanen has picked up a little ailment that could keep him out of the lineup for the first couple of games of their three-game California road trip.
Henrique has been out of the lineup for more than six weeks due to an undisclosed injury, missing the last 15 games as a result. He had a rough first half by his standards, as he has just two goals and eight assists in 43 games, putting him on pace for the worst offensive numbers of his career. However, he’s still winning nearly 55% of his faceoffs and playing an important role on Edmonton’s penalty kill so those areas should at least be bolstered by his return.
As for Kapanen, this has been a rough season for him on the injury front. He returned to Edmonton’s lineup last month after missing more than two months with a lower-body injury. Soon after, he missed three more games with another lower-body issue. This latest setback is not believed to be related to the first two. In between, the 29-year-old has been fairly productive, notching five goals and seven assists in just 19 games, giving the Oilers some decent secondary scoring.
Edmonton is only carrying the minimum of 20 players on its active roster following the recent demotion of Matthew Savoie so there won’t be any roster-related issues in order to activate Henrique. However, putting him back on the active roster would only give them 12 forwards, one of which is Kapanen, who isn’t going to play on Wednesday. Accordingly, the Oilers will have to either dress seven defensemen until Kapanen returns or they will need to call up a forward before Wednesday’s game.
Blue Jackets Not Planning To Trade For More Pending UFAs
Earlier this season, the Blue Jackets surprised many when they traded for pending unrestricted free agent winger Mason Marchment and made a coaching change, bringing in Rick Bowness. So far, those moves have worked out rather well. Marchment has nine goals and four assists in 14 games since being acquired, while Columbus has won 10 of 11 with Bowness behind the bench to get back within striking distance of a playoff spot.
However, don’t expect the Blue Jackets to add further rentals before the March 6th trade deadline. In an interview with Jeff Svoboda on the team’s website, GM Don Waddell indicated that the one thing he’s not looking to do is add more veteran rentals:
“Because you look at it, the one thing we probably won’t do is go out and try to add UFAs at the deadline. You might go around the edges a little bit, but having in particular three forwards that play good roles on our team, to add another (UFA) and give up assets probably doesn’t make sense.”
The three forwards that Bowness speaks of are Marchment, along with centers Charlie Coyle and Boone Jenner. Bringing in another impactful piece of note with that much talent potentially set to go elsewhere in the summer would carry some risk. That said, Waddell spoke of being amenable to trading for an impactful piece that’s signed or under club control beyond this season, so it’s not as if he’s not looking to add to his group.
Meanwhile, Waddell noted that the biggest focus at the moment revolves around discussing contracts with their pending free agents. Not just the group of pending UFAs, either, but pending RFAs like Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger as well. Getting some extra certainty about their future costs would certainly help their decision-making process leading into the deadline so it stands to reason that some of those discussions will intensify over the next week or so. But in terms of pure rental players, the focus in Columbus is clear: they’re looking to keep the ones they have and not add to that group.