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Minnesota Wild Recall David Spacek

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The Minnesota Wild announced today that David Spacek has been recalled their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild. In a corresponding move, Daemon Hunt has been placed on IR.

The move comes just a day after the Wild recalled another young blueliner: 2021 first-round pick Carson Lambos. Minnesota is dealing with some injuries on its defense, namely to veterans Jonas Brodin, Jacob Middleton, and Zach Bogosian, as well as the aforementioned Hunt.

Adding Spacek alongside Lambos, who shoots left, gives Wild head coach John Hynes an additional right-shot defenseman to work with. The 22-year-old, who is the son of former NHLer Jaroslav Spacek, is a draft-and-develop success story for the Wild. He was selected in the fifth round, No. 153 overall, at the 2022 Entry Draft.

While he’s yet to make his NHL debut, this isn’t his first call-up. Spacek was recalled in early November, but was sent down five days later after serving as a healthy scratch for the team’s Nov. 11 game against the San Jose Sharks.

Now in his third campaign playing pro hockey, Spacek has emerged as a call-up option for the Wild. He’s climbed the team’s organizational depth chart in that period. The former QMJHL star had an up-and-down rookie professional campaign, scoring only 12 points and spending a little bit of time in the ECHL. But Spacek took a major step forward in 2024-25, scoring 31 points and establishing himself as a two-way, top-four AHL force.

Entering the season, both The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler and the team at Elite Prospects ranked Spacek as the No. 11 prospect in the Wild’s system, with Wheeler saying specifically that Spacek is “on a path to becoming a No. 5-7 D.” David St-Louis, lead scout at Elite Prospects, wrote at the time that “Spacek could give the Wild some good games as a call-up.”

Spacek has now earned another call-up to the Wild’s roster, so it’s possible that St-Louis’ prediction could come true in short order. Should Spacek get the chance to make his NHL debut, he’ll do so in relatively favorable circumstances. The Wild are on a roll, winning five consecutive games and going 7-2-1 in their last ten.

Minnesota lined up with a third pairing of Matt Kiersted and David Jiricek on Tuesday. Kiersted has played in just two NHL games this season and is a candidate to be replaced in the lineup by Lambos.

The Wild have a significantly higher level of organizational investment in Jiricek compared to Kiersted, which may help him stay in the lineup. Minnesota dealt a slate of draft picks, including a 2025 first-rounder, 2027 second-rounder, and 2026 third-rounder, to acquire Jiricek last November. But seeing as he hasn’t registered a point through 15 games and is averaging 12:28 time on ice per game, he could be the right-shot defenseman to exit the lineup in the event the club wants Spacek to make his NHL debut.

New York Islanders Recall Marshall Warren

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The New York Islanders have recalled defenseman Marshall Warren from the club’s AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders.

The move comes shortly after the Islanders reassigned blueliner Travis Mitchell to Bridgeport after a nine-game recall. Mitchell is one NHL game away from becoming eligible for waivers, so reassigning him yesterday kept New York from potentially needing to expose him to waivers down the line if he was reassigned at a different, later point.

Like Mitchell, Warren also made his NHL debut in 2025-26. Warren was first recalled on Oct. 25 and ended up playing in two games for the Islanders before he was sent down on Oct. 28. Warren made an instant impact in his NHL debut, registering two assists in the club’s shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He skated 12:56 in the team’s following game before he was returned to the AHL.

Warren was also recalled in November, but didn’t dress for any games, instead serving as a healthy scratch for three contests. A 2019 sixth-round pick of the Minnesota Wild, Warren had a four-year NCAA career at Boston College before spending his final season of college hockey at Michigan. He scored 17 points in 53 games last season, his first playing pro hockey, and has 12 points through 17 games in the AHL this season.

He’s playing out the final year of his entry-level contract, one that pays him a $775K base salary at the NHL level and a $75K salary at the AHL level, with a $50K signing bonus. He’ll be an RFA with arbitration rights in the summer unless he signs an extension before that point.

Mitchell played on the left side of the Islanders’ third pairing alongside veteran Scott Mayfield, so his reassignment yesterday opened a spot in head coach Patrick Roy’s lineup. But Newsday’s Andrew Gross reported today that Adam Boqvist skated alongside Mayfield during practice, signaling that Warren is likely to begin his recall as a healthy scratch, at least for tomorrow’s game against the Canucks. Boqvist, the 2018 No. 8 overall pick, has been a healthy scratch in nine of the Islanders’ last 10 games.

Maple Leafs Assign Marshall Rifai To AHL On Conditioning Loan

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The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that defenseman Marshall Rifai has been assigned to the club’s AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, on a conditioning loan.

Rifai has spent the entirety of this season so far on long-term injured reserve after undergoing wrist surgery in September. He sustained the injury during a preseason contest against the Montreal Canadiens. The 27-year-old didn’t play any NHL games in 2024-25, but was looking to make a push for consideration to land on the NHL roster this year. His injury stopped him from making his case in preseason and training camp, but now he appears to be nearing a return to full health.

Rifai will be able to spend up to 14 days or five games, whichever comes first, on this conditioning loan. For Rifai to be eligible for reassignment to the Marlies on a permanent basis, he will need to clear waivers.

The 6’2″, 211-pound defenseman was an undrafted signing out of Harvard University that Toronto made in 2022. He scored 16 points and logged 118 penalty minutes in his AHL rookie campaign in 2022-23 and earned his first two NHL games in 2023-24, the only two NHL games of his career thus far.

While Toronto has had to deal with several defensive injuries so far in 2025-26, it’s unclear whether those absences will be enough to secure Rifai a spot on the NHL roster. Given his level of experience thus far, it feels as though the far likelier outcome is that he lands on waivers for reassignment to the Marlies permanently.

The fact that Rifai is signed to a one-way $775K AAV contract with an additional year of term on it does make it likelier that, in the event that he is waived, he’ll be able to clear.

While a team such as the Maple Leafs, who are one of the most deep-pocketed teams in the NHL, can afford to pay NHL salaries to key AHL call-up options, other clubs simply don’t have the same level of financial muscle and therefore are more frugal when it comes to expenditures on AHL players.

This impacts a team’s ability to protect its waiver-eligible depth from claims by rival teams, as players with a lower financial commitment required are often seen as more suitable, low-risk candidates to be claimed on waivers.

To illustrate this reality, one can take a look at the nearby Buffalo Sabres, as there is a clear comparable defenseman to Rifai: former Quinnipiac Bobcat Zach Metsa. Like Rifai, Metsa is also a 27-year-old undrafted player who signed out of the NCAA. While Rifai has an additional full year of AHL experience, which does matter, Metsa did have a notably superior college career. He captained Quinnipiac to a national championship and won numerous individual honors.

Both Metsa and Rifai are playing on two-year extensions and spent all of 2024-25 in the AHL; Metsa scored 46 points in 69 games as a two-way blueliner while Rifai scored 13 points in 63 games as more of a defensively-oriented, physical blueliner.

Despite their generally comparable levels of experience and Metsa’s arguably more pronounced level of on-ice value in the AHL, Rifai earned a one-way deal in each year of his extension, while Metsa got a two-way structure on his extension.

Metsa’s deal pays him $250K at the AHL level in its first year and has a $325K guarantee for 2026-27. Rifai, as mentioned, will make $775K per year over the course of his deal, regardless of what level he is rostered at.

There are some notable differences between the two players, to be clear, and one could make the argument that Rifai’s play style is more in line with what a team might be looking for out of a call-up option. But the differences in their levels of compensation do nonetheless serve as a useful illustration of the unique financial muscle the Maple Leafs are able to flex to help them build organizational depth.

While the NHL salary cap does limit player expenditure at the highest level, Rifai is an example of how a wealthier team can leverage its deeper pockets to create team-building advantages for itself on the margins.

As a result, if Toronto does end up waiving Rifai at some point down the line now that he is nearing a return from injury, the contract they gave him will most likely contribute to him clearing.

Islanders’ Maxim Tsyplakov Generating Trade Interest

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Things haven’t gone according to plan so far in 2025-26 for second-year New York Islanders forward Maxim Tsyplakov, as the talented Russian winger has been a healthy scratch in four consecutive games, bringing his total number of healthy scratches to 14 across the Islanders’ 34 total games played.

Earlier this month, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that “other teams are poking around” regarding Tsyplakov’s availability via a trade, but nothing more concrete has materialized yet.

Islanders head coach Patrick Roy has insisted repeatedly that Tsyplakov is routinely spending games in the press box not because he’s done anything wrong himself, but rather because the Islanders’ other forwards are simply playing too well to be left out of the lineup.

Tsyplakov addressed his situation yesterday, per The New York Post’s Ethan Sears, denying that any potential trade has been discussed with him and his agent. He told Sears, “It’s tough being the 14th forward, sometimes it’s not happy. Not enjoyable. I just want to play. Not under 10 minutes.”

When asked whether potential trades have been discussed with his agent, which is listed as Ryan Barnes of Quartexx per PuckPedia, Tsyplakov said “Not yet,” and “just see what they do. We’ll see.”

That Tsyplakov has reached this point in Long Island so quickly is something of a surprise given how successful his rookie campaign was. The Islanders beat out other contenders such as the Montreal Canadiens to sign Tsyplakov out of the KHL, and their faith in the player was instantly rewarded as he hit the ground running in the NHL, scoring 10 goals and 35 points as a 26-year-old rookie.

But so far this season, Tsyplakov hasn’t come close to the level of impact he reached as a rookie. He was New York’s No. 9 forward in terms of ice time last season, averaging nearly 15:00 time on ice per game with a minute and a half per game on the power play.

That usage has sharply declined this season, after the Islanders added another KHL free agent, Maxim Shabanov, over the summer. The addition of veteran Jonathan Drouin in free agency and breakout sophomore Emil Heineman via trade has also eaten into Tsyplakov’s role. As a result, the 27-year-old has seen his ice time decline sharply, and that’s when he’s not a healthy scratch.

So far in 2025-26, Tsyplakov is averaging just 9:29 time on ice per game, the fewest of any Islanders forward this season. He’s also only resumed his role on the power play in one game this season, his time on the man advantage almost completely evaporating year-over-year. Consequently, his production is nowhere close to what it was a year ago; he has just one goal and no assists through 20 games this year.

While it appears that the Islanders and Tsyplakov can continue in this situation into the near future, it’s fair to question whether keeping Tsyplakov in this kind of reserve role is sustainable over the long term.

Over the summer, the Islanders settled with Tsyplakov before arbitration, with the player signing a two-year, $2.25MM AAV deal to end his restricted free agency. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of that contract, and it’s unlikely that the Islanders pledged $2.25MM of cap space to Tsyplakov with the idea that he’d be spending much of the season as a healthy scratch.

With each passing game that Tsyplakov doesn’t play, the more likely it appears that he could be traded. Of course, just one injury or decision from Roy could change things, but at the moment, a trade could very well be the most suitable solution for both the Islanders and Tsyplakov.

Given the high level of interest in his services as a KHL free agent, his solid 35-point rookie campaign, and the fact that he remains under team control for another season at a reasonable cap hit, it’s unlikely that there would be any shortage of interest from rival teams in acquiring Tsyplakov.

The Islanders would be “selling low,” to an extent, but if they don’t plan on utilizing Tsyplakov beyond a very minor role this year, it could be best for both sides to work out a trade. If nothing else, Tsyplakov’s playing role in New York will be a key storyline to continue to monitor on Long Island moving forward.

Photos courtesy of Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

Latest On Rasmus Andersson

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Dec. 17th: In a recent interview with Andrew Knoll of RG Media, Andersson admitted that it was he himself who spurned a lot of the interest in him dating back to last season. Knoll quoted Andersson saying, “There were some reports saying I only gave one choice, and that’s just not true. We spoke many times during the summer and obviously there was some interest from other teams. But I just wasn’t ready to sign, and I didn’t really want to sign a deal [at all] after how last year ended. That was the kicking point for the other teams, that they needed an extension, and I just wasn’t willing to go there.”

Additionally, in typical hockey fashion, Andersson expressed his desire to remain with the Flames instead of going elsewhere, saying, “I’m not really looking that deep yet. I’m trying to focus on the Flames. I hope I remain here this season, and then we’ll see what happens in the future. I don’t know what’s gonna happen in the future. So, I try to take it day by day and just enjoy every day as it comes. Every game in this league is a grind. You’ve gotta grind it out more nights than you’d think. And I love playing for the Flames. I always have, and I always will.”

Dec. 16th: The NHL trade market was re-ignited last week with the blockbuster trade of Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild, but it wasn’t the only deal: the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins swapped starting goalies as well. Now, it appears more significant trades could be coming. Insider Pierre LeBrun reported on TSN’s Insider Trading segment that in the aftermath of last week’s Hughes deal, “the Calgary Flames suddenly got more calls on Rasmus Andersson.”

That Andersson’s name is popping up in trade rumors is not a new development. Andersson was front-and-center in transaction-related reporting throughout the summer, and LeBrun even noted on TSN that the defenseman was nearly traded at last year’s deadline. Capable, proven top-four defensemen are a rare commodity in the NHL, and Andersson figures to be one of the few available for trade at this moment. As a result, interest in acquiring him is robust.

As far as which teams might be interested in trading for the Flames rearguard, LeBrun highlighted one key player in the trade talks: the Toronto Maple Leafs, whose hockey operations decision-making is led by former Flames GM Brad Treliving.

Andersson was drafted No. 53 overall by the Flames during Treliving’s tenure as general manager. His emergence into a two-way NHL force has made him one of the best draft picks from Treliving’s time as GM of the Flames.

Treliving is far from the first general manager to covet a former player after switching jobs, but it appears interest between Toronto and Andersson is mutual. LeBrun reported on TSN that “the Leafs would be one of the teams that perhaps Andersson would consider extending with” in the event that he is traded.

Should Andersson be dealt in a sign-and-trade transaction, similar to the way Noah Hanifin was traded from Calgary to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Flames figure to benefit from a stronger return package than if he was dealt as a rental. As a result, the Flames could have an increased level of motivation to deal Andersson to Toronto compared to another destination where he might not be as interested in re-signing.

Another factor in these reported trade talks between the two teams is the relationship between Treliving and current Flames GM Craig Conroy. Treliving was hired as Flames GM in April 2014, and shortly afterward, in June 2014, Conroy was promoted to assistant GM. Conroy was a key lieutenant for Treliving before succeeding him as Flames GM, and its possible their prior working relationship could make for an easier path to reaching an agreement on a trade for Andersson.

Taking a look at Toronto’s defensive depth chart, it’s no great mystery why they’d be interested in adding Andersson, even if there was no previous connection between their GM and the player. Andersson is the top right-handed defenseman currently available for trade, and the right side of Toronto’s defense has been ravaged by injuries. Chris Tanev remains out and it was reported on Dec. 2 that Brandon Carlo would miss “extended time.” Carlo hasn’t played since Nov. 13.

Toronto lined up tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks with left-handed Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the right side next to Morgan Rielly, journeyman Troy Stecher on the second pairing, and left-handed Henry Thrun on the right side of their third pairing. While Stecher has played well in Toronto, that’s hardly an ideal situation for a team that hopes to contend for a Stanley Cup to be in.

It’s fair to question whether Toronto would be best suited surrendering its top trade assets for a rental player when the club sits one point off of last place in the Eastern Conference. But while Toronto’s play hasn’t merited it to this point in 2025-26, the organization is likely still operating with the goal of winning a Stanley Cup on an immediate basis, and trading for Andersson would support that goal. Whether an Andersson trade would be enough to morph this year’s Maple Leafs into a true contender, though, is the key question.

Photos courtesy of Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Latest On Jarmo Kekalainen’s Sabres Plans

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The Buffalo Sabres made a significant change at the top of their hockey operations department yesterday, swapping incumbent GM Kevyn Adams for experienced former Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen. Kekäläinen spoke to the media today and outlined his vision for the Sabres, as well as how he plans on ending the franchise’s playoff drought, one that currently stands as the NHL’s longest.

Per Jeff Marek of Daily Faceoff, Kekäläinen did not offer a firm commitment to incumbent head coach Lindy Ruff, instead stating that all aspects of the club’s hockey operations — including its head coach — would need to be evaluated.

Ruff, 65, is currently in his second season of his second tenure as Sabres head coach, and his 17th season as the Sabres’ head coach overall. Ruff is the Sabres’ all-time winningest coach by a wide margin, his 621 career wins dwarfing second-place Scotty Bowman, who had 210 wins coaching the team in the 1980s.

When looking at Ruff’s second tenure as head coach of the Sabres, it’s difficult to speculate as to which direction Kekäläinen might go.

On one hand, Ruff failed to end the club’s playoff drought in 2024-25 and has the team currently sitting in last place in the Atlantic Division. On the other hand, there were larger personnel issues out of Ruff’s control that contributed to the losing the Sabres have experienced, as indicated by the fact that Ruff has retained his position while Adams lost his.

In addition, Ruff’s Sabres are just six points behind the Boston Bruins for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, and hold a game in hand. It’s not inconceivable that the Sabres could go on a run and find their way into the postseason as soon as this spring, especially given how wide open the Eastern Conference’s playoff picture appears right now. That’s a sentiment Kekäläinen appeared to echo in his media availability, stating his belief that the Sabres could be a playoff team this season.

Beyond just the decision Kekäläinen has to make behind the Sabres’ bench, there are even more changes the new GM might make to the club’s overall hockey operations infrastructure. While Kekäläinen was running the Blue Jackets, the club drew widespread praise for its work in amateur scouting. Kekäläinen has long brought a specialization in talent identification to the table, which raises questions as to what Kekäläinen might want to do with the Sabres’ scouting staff. While a GM often receives the lion’s share of public credit or blame for their team’s draft choices, the reality is that there are lesser-known figures in a team’s front office that play a massive role in informing those draft choices as well, the chief figure being a team’s director of amateur scouting.

Kekäläinen himself served in that role earlier in his career, during his days with the St. Louis Blues, and when he was in Columbus, he brought along one of his trusted scouts, Ville Sirén, to operate as director of amateur scouting in Columbus. It’s entirely possible that Kekäläinen might try to see if he can bring Sirén into the fold in Buffalo, restoring a partnership that has worked so well in the past. The Sabres’ amateur scouting operation is currently run by Jerry Forton, who took up the position of director of amateur scouting in 2020-21.

He was promoted to assistant GM by Adams in 2024-25. Sirén does, of course, still work for the Blue Jackets, so right now it’s entirely speculative as to whether Kekäläinen might want to bring his old lieutenant to Buffalo, but it’s nonetheless worth bringing up as it relates to Kekäläinen’s future plans.

Kekäläinen might also, as part of the evaluations he’s pledged of the team’s operations, decide to retain Forton and keep much of the team’s amateur scouting staff intact. For all of the issues the Sabres have had in recent years, getting talent out of the draft has not been one of them. And it’s also not a foregone conclusion that if Kekäläinen were to want to bring Sirén to Buffalo, that would have to mean an exit for Forton; there is some precedent in the NHL for an incoming GM to bring in “his people” while also retaining the existing leadership.

When the Montreal Canadiens hired former New York Rangers GM Jeff Gorton to run their hockey operations department in 2021, he brought Nick Bobrov with him, someone who had served in a key scouting role during Gorton’s days with the Rangers. But Gorton also retained Martin Lapointe, a key existing voice in the team’s scouting department from the reign of former GM Marc Bergevin, and he now serves alongside Bobrov as co-director of amateur scouting. So it’s also possible Kekäläinen explores trying to add Sirén while also retaining Forton.

Fundamentally, the Sabres’ GM change has opened up a wide range of possibilities for its hockey operations department. When senior leadership changes, a trickle-down effect of changes typically follows, so it will be interesting to track what further staffing moves Kekäläinen makes, and how those moves might also impact other clubs.

Photos courtesy of James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

Sharks Notes: Smith, Kurashev, Mukhamadullin, Gaudette

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The San Jose Sharks have played themselves into contention for a playoff spot this season, their biggest concrete step forward in the standings since their rebuild began at the start of the decade. A key member of the team powering their ascent is 2023 No. 4 overall pick Will Smith. Unfortunately for the Sharks, Smith was injured Saturday in the team’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and is now set to miss at least a week, according to Sharks Hockey Digest’s Max Miller. Per Miller, Smith will be re-evaluated on Monday.

The loss of Smith is not only a blow due to the fact that the Sharks are losing what Smith himself provides on the ice; it’s also a loss due to his chemistry with franchise face Macklin Celebrini, chemistry that won’t be easily replicated by another player. Smith has scored 29 points in 33 games so far in 2025-26, and is emerging as a legitimate star forward. The Sharks are set to play their first game since losing Smith tonight against the Flames. It appears Smith’s spot on the team’s first line alongside Celebrini will be taken by 2024 No. 33 overall pick Igor Chernyshov, who will make his NHL debut tonight.

Other notes from the Bay Area:

  • Miller also reported that veteran forward Philipp Kurashev, who was also injured Saturday against Pittsburgh, will be out on a week-to-week basis. It’s a tough break for Kurashev, who was in the midst of a solid bounce-back season. After scoring 18 goals and 54 points playing alongside Connor Bedard with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023-24, Kurashev only managed 14 points in 51 games in 2024-25, paving the way for his exit from the Windy City. The Sharks signed Kurashev and he has rewarded them by scoring 15 points in 31 games, a 40-point full-season scoring pace. A pending arbitration-eligible restricted free agent, Kurashev will hope to recover as quickly and completely as possible in order to resume his season in the best fashion possible.
  • Sharks blueliner Shakir Mukhamadullin is back in the lineup tonight, according to San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng, after missing Saturday’s game due to injury. Mukhamadullin has been managing an upper-body injury, and has missed five of the last six Sharks games. He’s slated to play on San Jose’s third pairing tonight alongside former Washington Capital Vincent Iorio. In 15 games this season, Mukhamadullin is averaging 16:32 time on ice per game including a role on the club’s penalty kill.
  • Veteran forward Adam Gaudette won’t play against the Flames tonight as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury, per Miller. Gaudette missed a few games earlier this season with an upper-body injury but has otherwise had a healthy, reasonably productive debut campaign in the Bay Area. The 29-year-old was signed by the Sharks off the back of his 19-goal season with the Ottawa Senators in 2024-25, and he’s under contract at a $2MM AAV through next season. He’s scored 11 points in 29 games this year. Gaudette played fourth-line center with some power play time on Saturday, and his role now appears likely to be filled in his absence by fellow former Senator Zack Ostapchuk.

Minnesota Wild Activate Marcus Foligno, Reassign Hunter Haight

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Earlier today, the Minnesota Wild made their activation of veteran winger Marcus Foligno from injured reserve official, and reassigned Hunter Haight to their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild.

Foligno, 34, hasn’t played since Nov. 26 due to a lower-body injury, an injury that ultimately cost him nine games. Foligno is a key defensive forward and off-ice leader for the Wild, someone who provides value to head coach John Hynes even when he’s not producing. That’s been the case this season, as Foligno has just two assists and no goals in 23 games played. He managed 14 goals and 29 points last season, but that offense has seemingly dried up this year.

Foligno is still the Wild’s No. 4 penalty-killing forward in terms of ice time this season, behind Matt Boldy, Nico Sturm, and Joel Eriksson Ek. His return will give the Wild’s penalty kill a much-needed boost, as despite the team’s incredible run of form, their penalty kill only ranks 22nd in the NHL in success rate. Getting Foligno back should help increase that number, even if it may come at the cost of some offensive production.

Now healthy and back in the lineup, the clear mandate for Foligno, beyond just maintaining his level of consistency as a defensive forward, will be finding ways to get back onto the scoresheet with a little bit more regularity. While he could certainly maintain his lineup spot as a leader and pure defensive specialist, the level of investment the Wild have in him changes the expectations surrounding his play.

He’s set to cost the club $4MM against the cap through 2027-28, and at that rate, the Wild are likely looking for a level of production more in line with last season’s numbers. The Wild are unlikely to expect Foligno to do much offensive heavy lifting, but he’s capable of being a more impactful secondary scorer than he’s been so far in 2025-26.

Foligno’s return cost Haight his spot on the NHL roster, but that’s not a massive surprise as Haight has been shuffled between Iowa and Minnesota quite a few times this season.

The 2022 second-round pick has scored five goals and six points in 16 AHL games this season and has dressed for two NHL games, though the most recent was on Oct. 11. Haight’s contract carries a two-way structure with an $800K NHL salary and $82.5K AHL salary. While he didn’t play any games on his most recent recall, his time on the NHL roster did have a notable financial benefit.

Buffalo Sabres Reassign Isak Rosen

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The Buffalo Sabres announced today that forward Isak Rosén has been reassigned to the club’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. The move ends a recall for Rosén that began on Dec. 9, when the club placed veteran forward Jason Zucker on IR.

Zucker remains on IR, has missed three consecutive games and figures to remain sidelined for the foreseeable future. Rosén’s recall consisted of three games, two where he was a part of head coach Lindy Ruff’s lineup and one where he served as a healthy scratch. In the two games he played, Rosén wasn’t able to land on the scoresheet and played around nine minutes per night in each game. The Sabres went 3-0-0 with Rosén on their roster during this recall.

There was some hope when Rosén was recalled that he’d get the chance to play a scoring-line role and fill some of the minutes vacated by Zucker after the veteran’s injury. A 2021 first-round pick, Rosén has been under increased pressure to finally break into the NHL on a full-time basis.

Of the 30 skaters drafted in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Rosén is tied for 25th in terms of career NHL games played. He remains highly regarded in the eyes of most public-facing prospect evaluators, but those same voices would also likely concede that for him to achieve his full potential as a future NHL scoring-line player, he’ll need to find his footing at the NHL level sooner rather than later.

Rosén wasn’t able to do so during this most recent recall. Rosén played on the Sabres’ third line during this recall, skating alongside Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn. Both McLeod and Quinn are on pace to clear the 40-point plateau by the end of the season and the pair scored 53 points and 39 points last season, respectively. While playing on that line wasn’t exactly the top-line opportunity some were hoping Rosén would receive, that’s hardly an unfriendly environment to be playing in for a player seeking to build confidence and momentum as an NHL scorer.

But Rosén wasn’t able to make his presence felt in a tangible way, and by the time the club traveled to Seattle to take on the Kraken, Rosén had lost his spot in the lineup.

Rosén’s third-line role was taken by Zach Benson against the Kraken, and Benson’s vacated second-line left wing role, the kind of top-six deployment many coveted for Rosén, went to 2022 first-rounder Noah Ostlund. Ostlund scored his fourth goal of the season in Seattle as the Sabres managed a 3-1 win.

While it would be a mistake to assign too much long-term weight to this most recent call-up, it’s certainly not a great sign for Rosén that he lost his spot on the Sabres’ NHL roster so quickly, and wasn’t able to capitalize on the opportunity provided to him by Zucker’s injury.

While Rosén could very well still become an impactful NHL scoring winger, and his AHL strong AHL scoring suggests there’s still quite a bit of upside in his game, each passing unsuccessful recall raises more and more questions as to whether Buffalo is the place where Rosén will be best positioned to achieve his original NHL projection.

Philadelphia Flyers Activate Rasmus Ristolainen, Reassign Ty Murchison

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The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has been activated from injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the club announced that defenseman Ty Murchison has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Ristolainen’s activation places him in position to make his season debut tonight against the Montreal Canadiens. Ristolainen underwent right triceps surgery in the spring, a procedure that cost him all 31 games of the Flyers’ season so far. His return bolsters the right side of the Flyers’ defense to a significant degree, assuming he is able to hit the ground running after such a lengthy absence.

Once a player whose play drew a significant amount of criticism during his days with the Buffalo Sabres, Ristolainen has definitely raised his stock as a member of the Flyers, especially recently. He was Philadelphia’s No. 2 defenseman in terms of ice time last season, skating over 20 minutes per night including steady time on both sides of special teams.

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jackie Spiegel reported today that Ristolainen is set to take up a spot tonight on the team’s third pairing, partnering with veteran Nick Seeler.

As a result of Ristolainen’s return, Murchison has been returned to the AHL. The move ends what was the 22-year-old 2021 fifth-round pick’s first recall to the NHL. He was able to make his NHL debut on Dec. 9 and ended up playing in three games for the Flyers. He didn’t register a point but did manage five hits and two blocked shots.

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