Latest On Cale Makar
4/1/26: Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar addressed Makar’s status Wednesday morning, telling Altitude Sports that Makar is going to “miss some time here” but that the injury overall is “nothing serious.” Bednar stressed that the team is prioritizing ensuring Makar is 100% ready for the team’s playoff run when it comes to his recovery.
Reading between the lines, it appears the club is unwilling to risk rushing Makar back into the lineup when the team is already the likely Presidents’ Trophy winner, and the only thing at stake left for Makar this season is competing for a third Norris Trophy.
3/31/26: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar has suffered an upper-body injury and is set to miss some time, reports ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. According to Kaplan, Makar’s injury is “not believed to be long term” but the team is still evaluating his recovery timeline. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Makar will “likely miss a few games in order to get him to 100 percent before the playoffs.”
Makar’s injury has implications both for the Avalanche and rival teams. For Colorado, they are forced to play at least the next few games without their top defenseman. Not only is Makar the Avalanche’s top blueliner, but he’s widely considered to be one of, if not the best defenseman in the world.
The 27-year-old is a two-time Norris Trophy winner and has also won the Conn Smythe Trophy. His 2025-26 season has been strong, as he has 75 points in 73 games, marking his fifth consecutive campaign scoring above a point-per-game rate. While the uncharacteristic struggles of the Avalanche power play have lowered his scoring rate from last season, he’s still among the league’s highest-scoring defensemen.
Makar plays a massive role for the Avalanche, as one might expect, averaging nearly 25 minutes of ice time per game, including 4:10 on the power play and 1:58 per game short-handed. The Avalanche will need to find a way to replace those minutes while Makar is absent. It’s likely Devon Toews will play an even greater role with Makar absent, while veteran Brent Burns could get a turn on the top power play unit.
Beyond Colorado, this news has implications for other teams, namely those with defensemen vying for the Norris Trophy. Earlier this month, Makar tied with Columbus Blue Jackets star Zach Werenski in votes for the Norris Trophy in the anonymous poll of PHWA voters conducted by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. Given Werenski and Makar appear to be neck-and-neck for the Norris Trophy this season (Werenski finished No. 2 in voting behind Makar last year), Makar’s injury could end up being the factor that separates the two.
The injury is likely to cost Makar a few games, and those few games missed could cost him the chance to surpass Werenski in scoring. Consequently, this injury could be the difference-maker that allows the Blue Jackets defenseman to secure his first Norris Trophy. Of course, there are still a little over two weeks of games to be played, so there is room for things to change. But based on the way things have been tracking, this injury could be significant from an end-of-year awards perspective.
Morning Notes: Panthers, Tracy, Scheel
Florida Panthers defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Dmitry Kulikov each suffered injuries in yesterday’s win over the Ottawa Senators, head coach Paul Maurice announced postgame. Per team reporter Jameson Olive, both defensemen “sound like they could miss time” with these injuries.
Ekblad appeared to suffer the injury after blocking a shot with his hand. Maurice told the media, including Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards, that Ekblad doesn’t look good as a result of the injury, and while he is still being evaluated, is likely to miss some time. Ekblad has been Florida’s No. 3 defenseman this season and has 26 points in 72 games while averaging 22:28 time on ice per game. Kulikov has been Florida’s No. 5 defenseman and appeared to suffer his injury after taking a puck to the face. Per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald, Kulikov is set for a CT scan to help determine the full extent of his injury.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- The Henderson Silver Knights, AHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, announced yesterday the signing of NCAA free agent goalie Alexander Tracy to an AHL contract for the 2026-27 season. Tracy will report to the ECHL’s Tahoe Knight Monsters for the rest of 2025-26. He was ranked as the No. 9 player in this year’s NCAA free agent class by the team at Elite Prospects, who called him “a refined goaltender whose greatest asset is that he boasts very few flaws.” Tracy has been a strong goalie at just about every level he’s played at. Playing college hockey for Minnesota State (Mankato), he posted a .927 save percentage in 115 career games, won two conference titles, a conference goalie and player of the year award, and was a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist. He is also a Clark Cup champion and playoff MVP from his days in the USHL, and was a top goalie during his lone season in the NAHL. Now, he’ll hope to sustain that track record of brilliance at the ECHL level to begin his pro career.
- Adam Scheel, a former member of the Dallas Stars organization who proved to be a star goaltender in the NCAA and ECHL, has signed a contract for next season to join the Frankfurt Lions of the DEL. The 26-year-old concluded a four-year run playing pro hockey in North America last summer when he signed a one-year deal to be a tandem goalie for Barys Astana, a Kazakh club in the KHL. He ended up making the KHL’s All-Star Game, posting a .908 save percentage in 32 games despite owning a 10-18-1 record. Scheel is a significant signing for Frankfurt, as he has over 100 games of AHL experience under his belt and has proven himself in the KHL. He is set to join a Frankfurt team that ranked as the second-worst in the DEL this season and surrendered the second-most goals.
Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier Suffers Upper-Body Injury
Anaheim Ducks star forward Cutter Gauthier suffered an upper-body injury in the team’s overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs last night. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports Gauthier will not travel with the team on their upcoming trip to San Jose for their game against the Sharks, but adds that the Ducks are “hopeful he returns this weekend.”
While it’s certainly fortunate for the Ducks that Gauthier appears to have avoided a more serious injury, losing Gauthier for any period of time takes one of the team’s best players out of the lineup. The 22-year-old winger has had a breakout sophomore season, leading the team in scoring with 38 goals and 65 points in 73 games played.
The only player in franchise history to score more goals in a season before age 23 is Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Paul Kariya. Gauthier is, without question, one of the most promising young players on a team filled to the brim with high-upside skaters aged 25 or younger.
That’s what makes Gauthier’s injury so significant, even if it only ends up costing him a game or two. He’s the Ducks’ most lethal scorer and his loss will be felt as the team looks to secure its place atop the Pacific Division. As the Ducks are hopeful Gauthier will return at some point relatively soon, it’s likely the team will also hope that the injury he’s suffered won’t be something that lingers and hampers him even slightly after he’s been cleared to return to the ice.
With Gauthier out of commission, the Ducks will be forced to turn to other players to fill Gauthier’s role, which was most recently on the team’s third line alongside Ryan Poehling and Jeffrey Viel. Veteran Frank Vatrano, a healthy scratch, could draw into the lineup in Gauthier’s place. It would be a real opportunity for Vatrano to get his season back on track, at one game at a time. The 32-year-old has endured a nightmarish campaign, one where he’s scored just four goals and eight points in 46 games played, a career-worst scoring rate.
Edmonton Oilers Reassign Roby Jarventie
The Edmonton Oilers have reassigned forward Roby Järventie to their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. The move leaves the Oilers with 13 healthy forwards on their active roster.
Järventie was originally recalled on March 19 when the Oilers shifted star center Leon Draisaitl to long-term injured reserve. The 23-year-old made his Oilers debut on March 21 in the team’s loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and ended up dressing for three games in Edmonton, and serving as a healthy scratch for one. His trio of games on this most recent recall were Järventie’s first NHL contests since he played in seven games for the Ottawa Senators in 2023-24.
The No. 33 pick of the 2020 NHL draft, Järventie has yet to make real headway in the NHL in the limited opportunities he’s received. The 6’3″, 209-pound winger has been a solid AHL scorer for much of his time in North America, and has 17 goals and 36 points in 52 AHL games this season. In the NHL, he’s registered one point in his 10 career games, but is still waiting on his first NHL goal.
On this most recent recall, Järventie played sparingly, averaging 8:00 time on ice per game. His impact on the box score was limited to one hit, two shots on goal, and four blocked shots. Interestingly, Järventie’s solid AHL production hasn’t actually come in a significant lineup role. He’s not one of the team’s leaders among forwards in terms of how much ice time he receives per game, and is typically behind both veterans such as Seth Griffith and Max Jones, as well as younger forwards such as Quinn Hutson, Viljami Marjala, and Isaac Howard on the depth chart.
For Järventie to maximize his odds of earning another NHL call-up, he’ll likely want to find a way to get onto the Condors’ top power play unit on a more consistent basis, and also find a way to earn a more substantial lineup role, so that he can increase his production at that level even further.
Hurricanes Sign Charlie Cerrato To AHL Tryout
The Carolina Hurricanes signed center prospect Charlie Cerrato to a tryout contract with their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, according to a team announcement. Team reporter Walt Ruff reported that the team is keeping its options open regarding signing Cerrato to an entry-level contract, either for the remainder of 2025-26 or one slated to begin in 2026-27.
In the increasingly murky, uncertain world of NCAA eligibility, signing Cerrato to a tryout agreement rather than a full contract could allow him to maintain his eligibility to play college hockey. If he ends up not signing an entry-level deal, there could be a path for him to return to college hockey, in a similar vein to other players who have returned to the college ranks after getting their feet wet in the AHL and ECHL.
Cerrato, 21, recently concluded his sophomore campaign with the Penn State Nittany Lions. While injuries limited him to just 23 games played, he improved his scoring rate slightly, posting 27 points. He scored 42 points in 38 games as a freshman.
The Maryland native was a member of the U.S. National Team Development Program before spending a year as a No. 1 center at the USHL level with the Youngstown Phantoms. His stellar debut season in college got him drafted No. 49 overall by the Hurricanes, a relatively high selection for someone who had been passed over at both the 2023 and 2024 entry drafts. But it was a reflection of just how much progress Cerrato had made in his development in his freshman season.
Entering the season, the team at Elite Prospects rated Cerrato as the No. 17 prospect, crediting his “off-puck qualities” with giving him a “likely path to a bottom-six NHL role.” He appears to have raised his stock over the course of this season, with The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler recently ranking him as the No. 5 prospect in Carolina’s system. According to Wheeler, Cerrato’s “believers are very confident he has an NHL future.”
With today’s tryout agreement signing, Cerrato has taken a concrete step towards realizing that NHL future. While he’ll first need to prove he can handle the rigors of the pro game at the AHL level, his status as a double-overage selection and his pro-style game likely mean he’ll have an accelerated timeline towards making it to the NHL compared to other 2025 picks.
The fact that he signed a tryout agreement, and therefore may have kept open the possibility of returning to college, makes Cerrato one of the more intriguing prospects to track in the AHL at this later stage of the season.
Flyers Sign Porter Martone
12:00 PM: Martone’s signing has been made official, the Flyers announced. The entry-level deal carries the standard three years of term, and he will join the big club immediately.
The 19-year-old joins the group with high stakes still in play, as the Flyers are battling for an unexpected playoff berth. Despite their standing, things might be moving along quickly. Martone could debut as soon as Thursday against Detroit, according to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, but time will tell in the coming days.
9:00 AM: The Philadelphia Flyers are close to signing top prospect Porter Martone to an entry-level contract, reports Kevin Weekes of ESPN. The signing should happen at some point later today, per Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Yesterday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated the Flyers’ signing of Martone “could move very quickly.”
The news comes just one day after Martone’s NCAA season ended with Michigan State’s stunning loss to Wisconsin in the regional playoff finals held in Worcester, Mass. The Spartans held a 3-1 lead with just five minutes remaining in the contest, but the Badgers scored two goals in under a minute to tie the game before taking it in overtime.
The loss appears to have ended Martone’s NCAA career after just one season. The Canadian forward joined Michigan State after a three-year OHL career that saw him develop into not only one of the league’s best players, but also one of the game’s top prospects. Martone was recently ranked No. 27 on Elite Prospects’ ranking of NHL-affiliated players under the age of 23. He scored 25 goals and 50 points in his lone season of college hockey.
Martone’s unique blend of size and dynamic offensive talent have made him a highly anticipated prospect, and with today’s expected signing, he will enter the pro ranks during a crucial state of the Flyers’ season. They remain in the playoff hunt in an extremely competitive Eastern Conference, sitting at 84 points through 72 games played.
A 7-2-1 stretch in their last 10 games has given Philadelphia a slim chance to make the playoffs, as they’ll be just one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final wild card spot, with the same number of games played, if they can manage to defeat the Dallas Stars later today.
Given how important the next few games are for the Flyers, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Martone begin his pro career in the AHL, similar to how the Boston Bruins have handled fellow top prospect James Hagens. Hagens was taken one spot behind Martone at last year’s draft, and signed an ATO to allow him to begin his pro career at the AHL level.
With that said, it’s also possible the Flyers will simply sign Martone to his entry-level deal and plug him directly into their NHL lineup. There is an argument to be made that Martone is a little bit more NHL-ready than Hagens, but it ultimately comes down to what the Flyers and Martone believe is the best step for his development.
Chicago Blackhawks Recall Kevin Korchinski
The Chicago Blackhawks have announced the recall of defenseman Kevin Korchinski from their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.
The move returns the 2022 No. 7 overall pick to the NHL roster for the second time this month. Korchinski last played for the Blackhawks on March 1, was a healthy scratch March 3, and was sent down March 5.
The 21-year-old joins a Blackhawks roster that, before this recall, boasted just six healthy defensemen. Veteran Matt Grzelcyk has been sidelined since March 22 with an upper-body injury. He was ruled out for Chicago’s four-game road trip, a stretch that concludes tonight in Newark. Grzelcyk’s status beyond the road trip was not announced, but this transaction indicates the veteran could miss additional time.
Korchinski has had an up-and-down tenure in the Blackhawks organization since he was drafted in 2022, with the first top-10 pick of Chicago’s rebuild.
His ineligibility for the AHL due to a late June birthday led to Korchinski playing his entire rookie pro campaign in the NHL, averaging 19:36 time on ice per game, including 1:47 per game on the power play, in 2023-24. While he showed some flashes of the talent that made him such a high draft pick, his rookie year was undoubtedly a struggle.
Since that point, Korchinski has spent most of his time in the AHL, playing as a top defenseman for the IceHogs. Korchinski has been a top-pairing, all-situations player in Rockford this season, playing a heavy workload and on both sides of special teams. He’s scored 26 points in 53 games this season, and had 27 points in 56 games last season.
While he remains a quality prospect, some of his shine has faded as he’s been unable to secure a full-time NHL role with the Blackhawks, a team that has not been overflowing with veteran talent on the left side of its defense over the last few years. In 2023, he ranked as the No. 31 skater prospect across the NHL, according to Elite Prospects. By 2025, he ranked No. 83. Just a few days ago, the outlet released its newest rankings, and Korchinski was no longer in the top-100, settling in as an honorable mention.
With that said, although Korchinski’s stock has trended down since turning pro, that’s not to say he doesn’t still have a promising NHL future.
While third-party observers have lowered their projections for Korchinski as he’s remained in the AHL, the Blackhawks have a different view of his development. Assistant GM Mark Eaton told The Athletic’s Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus in January that he doesn’t believe “there’s any fear of [Korchinski] being in Rockford too long,” adding that he believes “the fear is him coming up too soon.” Eaton expressed confidence in Korchinski’s developmental direction, saying “he’s finally in a spot where he’s building that foundation to the player that he’s going to be at the NHL level.”
The Blackhawks aren’t playing for a playoff spot in what remains of the 2025-26 season, so player development is the key priority in the games that remain on schedule. Recalling Korchinski gives one of the team’s top prospects a chance to showcase his progress at the game’s highest level.
Set to be an RFA this upcoming summer, Korchinski is entering a stretch of games with significant individual stakes, even if the stakes for the team in the standings are minimal. The upcoming slate of NHL games Korchinski is set to dress for could go a long way in determining how comfortable the Blackhawks feel in penciling him into their NHL roster for 2026-27.
Photos courtesy of Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Boston Bruins Sign Max Lundgren
The Boston Bruins have signed NCAA free agent goaltender Max Lundgren to a one-year entry-level contract, per a team announcement.
The deal carries a $952.5K cap hit and will be for the 2026-27 campaign. This news comes just over a week after Lundgren told Mark Divver of New England Hockey Journal that he would be attending Bruins development camp this summer.
Lundgren, 23, was the No. 17-ranked NCAA free agent according to the team at Elite Prospects. The Swedish goalie has had a strong three-season run in North America since crossing the Atlantic in 2022. He put up a .913 save percentage in 41 games as the starter for the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers in 2022-23, and began a two-year run at Merrimack College in 2024-25.
He had a solid freshman campaign last season, posting a .909 save percentage despite going 8-13-0. But it’s his sophomore campaign that really positioned him to sign with an NHL team. In 39 games, Lundgren went 21-16-2 with a .920 save percentage.
Lundgren’s performance in his final NCAA game etched his name into Merrimack history. His 49 saves against UConn in the Hockey East tournament final gave his program, which entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed, its first-ever Hockey East playoff championship. Merrimack has been a member of the conference since 1989-90.
With his college career ending on a high note, Lundgren will now join the Bruins organization. It’s a big opportunity for Lundgren, who joins an organization with an excellent track record of developing goalies.
The Providence Bruins already have the reigning AHL Goalie of the Year in Michael DiPietro, who is under contract through next season. But the organization’s No. 4 and No. 5 goalies, Simon Zajicek and Luke Cavallin, respectively, are set to be RFAs this summer.
Cavallin, 24, has been excellent at the ECHL level (including a stellar playoff run last season that ended in a Kelly Cup title) but could end up seeking a spot in an organization with a goaltending depth chart more favorable to him getting AHL games. Zajicek, who is also 24, has a .920 save percentage in the AHL this season but has only gotten into 17 games. There is the possibility to consider that Zajicek, who led the Czech Extraliga in save percentage last season, could elect to return to Europe.
In any case, the Bruins have added a talented young goalie to an organizational pipeline at the position that is already well-stocked with talent. Whether the move is plainly about adding an additional young talent to their organization, or signals something more about the future of the Bruins’ other minor-league goalies, remains to be seen.
Morning Notes: McKenna, Protas, Gudas
Penn State University forward Gavin McKenna, a leading contender to go No. 1 overall at the upcoming 2026 NHL Entry Draft, had his collegiate season ended yesterday at the hands of the University of Minnesota-Duluth. While his time with the Nittany Lions this season may have concluded, it’s unlikely to be his final competitive game before the draft. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on the Saturday Headlines segment of Hockey Night in Canada that “the most likely next step” for McKenna is to represent Canada at the upcoming IIHF Men’s World Championships.
Friedman said that, “barring something very surprising,” McKenna will end up playing for Canada at Worlds. There is some precedent for top NCAA prospects to play for Team Canada at Worlds just shortly before they’re drafted. 2025 No. 6 overall pick Porter Martone played two games for Canada at last year’s tournament, while 2023 No. 3 pick Adam Fantilli scored a highlight-reel goal and won a gold medal at the 2023 edition of the games. With McKenna looking to secure his spot at the top of NHL teams’ draft lists, the World Championships will be a chance for him to showcase his qualities in a high-stakes tournament against competition largely made up of pro players. That could give teams an opportunity to directly compare McKenna to a fellow contender for the No. 1 draft slot, Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg. Stenberg has been competing at the pro level all season for Frölunda in the SHL.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Washington Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas was knocked out of yesterday’s shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights with an upper-body injury, according to a team announcement. The Hockey News’ Sammi Silber indicated Protas’ absence was due to a “big collision” with former teammate Nic Dowd, one that resulted in Protas being helped off the ice. The big 25-year-old forward is among Washington’s more promising offensive talents. He enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024-25, scoring 30 goals and 66 points. He has 23 goals and 47 points this season.
- Friedman also reported on Saturday Headlines that injured Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas is pushing to play the team’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night. Gudas is dealing with a lower-body injury and was sidelined for Anaheim’s last game. His timeline to return is still in question. What isn’t is Gudas’ desire to play against the Maple Leafs, per Friedman. Tomorrow’s contest will be Toronto’s first against the Ducks since Gudas’ highly controversial hit on Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews. Gudas was suspended five games for the play, returning to action March 22.
Islanders Recall Isaiah George
The rotation between major and minor lineups will continue for defenseman Isaiah George. The New York Islanders have again recalled George from the AHL, after moving him between rosters twice over the last two days. A lower-body injury will keep veteran defenseman Ryan Pulock sidelined on a day-to-day basis, so the team has added George from the AHL to help manage Pulock’s absence. Both Pulock and Alexander Romanov returned to New York’s practices on Thursday morning, with Romanov donning a no-contact jersey.
This isn’t George’s first season of routine recalls. He got into 33 NHL games last season, and has dressed for two this year. His last recall occurred in late January, and his most recent NHL game came Jan. 26. The 22-year-old has been a top-four defenseman in Bridgeport this season, also seeing time on both sides of special teams. In 45 games this season, George has set a career-high in production with 17 points. On a rate basis, his production is actually down somewhat from last season, though offense isn’t really a focal point of his game.
With Pulock injured, 2018 No. 8 overall pick Adam Boqvist drew back into the lineup, assisting on the Islanders’ game-winning goal during a crucial victory Sunday over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Although George has been recalled, it does seem somewhat unlikely at this stage that he’ll draw into the lineup, assuming the Islanders don’t suffer any more defensive injuries. New York sit in the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card playoff spot, but their lead over the Detroit Red Wings for that position is just one point – and Detroit has a game in hand.
The Islanders play Chicago tonight, Dallas on Thursday, and Florida on Saturday. They can’t afford to drop points in those contests, so it’s likely George’s recall has more to do with providing insurance for further injury, rather than their being any plans to integrate him directly into their lineup.
With that said, if George does end up dressing for any games, his performance in those high-stakes contests could be very meaningful for his short-term professional future. George has another year remaining on his entry-level deal, but because of how the contract slid in the 2023-24 campaign, George is not slated to receive any signing bonuses next season. With an AHL salary of $82.5K, George could see his ending pay cut in half if he spends all of next season in the AHL. As a result, he has extra financial motivation to acquit himself well in front of Islanders brass and seize on any NHL opportunities that come his way.