Big Hype Prospects: Letourneau, Lindstrom, Surin, Pulkkinen
Welcome to PHR’s Big Hype Prospects series. Like the MLB Trade Rumors series of the same name, we’re taking a look at the performances of top prospects from across the hockey world. We’ll look at drafted prospects who are rising, others who are struggling, and prospects for the upcoming draft who are notable.
Four Big Hype Prospects
Dean Letourneau, C, Boston Bruins (Boston College, NCAA)
14 GP 6G 8A 14pts
When the Bruins selected Letourneau with the 25th pick at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the pick was widely classified as a significant gamble. On one hand, Letourneau offered a rare combination of size and skill, a combination that’s even more rare – and coveted – in a natural center. Letourneau stands 6’7″, 220 pounds, and managed to score 152 points in 70 games for St. Andrew’s College, at the Canadian U18 prep school level. That’s impressive production, even if it didn’t come against the highest level of competition for a draft-eligible prospect.
But with those attractive qualities came some serious risks. David St-Louis, lead scout at Elite Prospects, called Letourneau “the ultimate development pick,” highlighting his positive traits as well as the long development road required to bring those positive qualities to the NHL. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman wrote that the Bruins’ pick of Letourneau was “a big swing,” and noted that his level of competition made it “hard to gauge” Letourneau’s hockey sense and compete level.
Those reactions to the Bruins’ pick are reflective of the risk most viewed as inherent in the Letourneau selection. Likely as a result of that risk, Letourneau was a divisive prospect in the public sphere. NHL Central Scouting ranked him No. 23 among North American skaters, and the public source highest on Letourneau appears to have been Pronman, who ranked him No. 28.
Other public-facing scouts were lower on Letourneau. He was ranked No. 69 by TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button, and Future Considerations, which has since shut down, ranked him No. 135. The Bruins ended up drafting Letourneau at a higher slot than he was ranked by any major public-facing scouting outlet, a clear show of faith by the organization both in Letourneau’s qualities as a player, and also the organization’s ability to properly oversee his development.
The early returns, unfortunately, were not positive for both the Bruins and Letourneau. San Jose Sharks prospect Will Smith‘s departure from Boston College to sign an entry-level deal prompted Letourneau to start his NCAA career in the fall after he was drafted. Letourneau’s original plan was to spend the year in the USHL, but with Smith’s departure, he took the opportunity to begin his development in college.
Letourneau only scored three points across 36 games in his freshman season, and by the end of the year, Bruins management admitted to the media (including NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin) that Letourneau’s choice to bypass the USHL for the NCAA may not have been the best choice for his development.
But 14 games into Letourneau’s sophomore season, many of those concerns appear to be fading away. Letourneau now ranks second on the Eagles in scoring with 14 points in 14 games, behind only fellow Bruins prospect James Hagens. Elite Prospects scout Whittaker Heart noted in an October game report that Letourneau “had a noticeable jump in his skating” and now is “starting to look like an NHLer.”
If Letourneau can continue to build on his apparent developmental leap over the course of the full season, it appears his projection as a future NHL scoring center would be significantly strengthened. Letourneau’s development is crucial for the Bruins, who don’t currently have any young centers on their roster who project as long-term top-six fixtures.
Hagens, Letourneau’s teammate, most readily projects as the Bruins’ future No. 1 center, but if Letourneau can continue his steep developmental climb, he could very well end up slotting in behind Hagens at the professional level, the same way he’s slotted in at Chestnut Hill.
Cayden Lindstrom, C, Columbus Blue Jackets (Michigan State, NCAA)
9 GP 1G 1A 2pts
In their entire history as a franchise in the NHL, the Blue Jackets have lacked one key asset: a high-scoring true number-one center. They’ve had some quality centers, but most Blue Jackets pivots have been more of the high-end middle-six variety. So when the club spent the No. 4 overall pick at the 2024 draft on Lindstrom, the selection made sense: Columbus was looking to acquire a center who offered a rare blend of size, strength and high-end offensive ability.
Players who fit that mold to the extent Lindstrom did are typically contenders to be selected No. 1 overall. But clouding Lindstrom’s projection, significantly, was a lingering back injury. The Blue Jackets felt confident enough in Lindstrom’s health to draft him at such a high position, but their investment instantly hit a roadblock as Lindstrom’s back injury cost him most of the 2024-25 season. He ended up playing in only four games – four playoff contests during the playoff run of the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Lindstrom entered 2025-26 with a cleaner bill of health, and the hope was that he’d enter one of the top programs in college hockey (Michigan State), get to center some high-end talent (perhaps 2025 No. 7 pick Porter Martone) and put his lost 2024-25 campaign behind him. So far, that hasn’t happened. Not only has Lindstrom missed time due to injury, his production and role have fallen below expectations for someone of his draft slot. He missed five games due to injury before returning for the team’s Nov. 28 game against Colgate, and slotted in as the Spartans’ third-line center, behind 2025 second-rounder Eric Nilson and 2023 first-rounder Charlie Stramel on the depth chart.
While there isn’t one simple explanation as to why, Lindstrom’s start, in terms of production, has been below the expectation of someone selected at his draft slot. While 2024 No. 3 pick Beckett Sennecke and No. 5 pick Ivan Demidov are battling for the rookie scoring lead in the NHL, Lindstrom is still searching for his third NCAA point. Lindstrom scored a goal and an assist in an Oct. 18 victory over Boston University, but hasn’t found his way onto the scoresheet at any other point.
For comparison, Sascha Boisvert, who is another 2024-drafted NCAA center (No. 18 overall to Chicago) has scored nine points through nine games. Of course, it isn’t exactly a fair comparison. Boisvert gets to play a steadier diet of minutes and centers higher-scoring linemates. And perhaps most importantly, Boisvert didn’t have to spend most of the past calendar year recovering from a back injury.
But while Lindstrom has certainly had circumstances out of his control working against him, the bottom-line production, through nine games, simply hasn’t been where most would expect from such a talented offensive creator and a top draft pick.
That’s not to say, of course, that the Blue Jackets erred in selecting Lindstrom fourth overall. It’s still far too early to pass final judgement on the pick. If Lindstrom puts his injuries behind him and becomes a dynamic top-six center to pair with Adam Fantilli, the Blue Jackets will likely look back on the pick more than happy taking Lindstrom over the other available options. But he has to get there first, and so far, Lindstrom’s developmental road has been a bumpy one.
Yegor Surin, C, Nashville Predators (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL)
34 GP 13G 12A 25pts
Other than the Columbus Blue Jackets, another NHL franchise that has long been searching for a true play-driving number-one center is the Nashville Predators. Historically speaking, the Predators have been able to develop defensemen and goaltenders at an impressive rate, but generating quality scoring centers has been more of a challenge.
Looking towards the future, the Predators do have a few prospects who could end up breaking that trend and becoming homegrown top-six centers in Nashville. The big name in the Predators’ system is undoubtedly 2025 No. 5 overall pick Brady Martin, but a name that likely isn’t receiving as much attention as it deserves is Surin, Nashville’s 2024 first-round pick.
While there are some who were likely disappointed that the Montreal Canadiens selected USHL standout Michael Hage with the pick directly before Surin, all Surin has done since he was drafted was continue to develop his game and impress coaches and scouts alike. He spent most of his draft campaign in the MHL (Russia’s top junior league), but broke into the KHL as a full-time player in 2024-25, at the age of 18.
The KHL is notorious for being an extremely difficult league for young players, especially teenagers, to find a way to contribute in. But despite those historical headwinds, Surin was able to stick with Lokomotiv for all of 2024-25, scoring 14 points in 41 regular-season games. He added on seven points in 19 playoff games, helping his club win the Gagarin Cup championship.
Surin’s standout competitiveness allowed him to stick in the KHL, and entering the season, most public-facing scouts were confident in his projection as a future NHLer, although most classified him as a potential future middle-six center rather than a top-six talent. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman wrote in August that Surin “has the traits to be an NHL third-line center,” while Scott Wheeler, also of The Athletic, wrote in February that Surin will “be a top-nine forward someday.” Elite Prospects Russia scout Dylan Griffing succinctly classified where Surin was in his development, writing before the season that Surin needed to “round out his offensive game to grow beyond a checking-line projection.”
So far, through 34 KHL games in 2025-26, Surin’s offensive production has taken a major step forward: his points-per-game scoring rate is up from 0.34 to 0.74. Surin is one of just two teenage players in the KHL with double-digit points production, and ranks second in scoring among all KHL players aged 22 and under, behind only Blackhawks prospect Roman Kantserov, who is 21.
Put simply: Surin’s offensive step forward, if sustained over the course of this KHL season, has the potential to materially alter his NHL projection in a positive direction. Most public-facing scouts saw a future NHL middle-sixer when watching Surin in the KHL last season. Watching how impressive he’s been this season, it’s likely that many of those same scouts now see a potential future NHL top-six talent.
Surin’s breakout also has the potential to alter how Nashville plans for its future. With 2021 first-rounder Fedor Svechkov already in the NHL and Martin on the way, Surin’s development gives the Predators three young potential NHL pivots to build around.
Development is not linear, and it’s no guarantee any player of the trio ends up reaching their potential. But in what has been a disappointing 2025-26 season for Nashville so far, Surin’s breakout is a much-needed positive development and one that could pay serious dividends for the organization at some point down the line. Surin’s KHL contract runs through the 2026-27 season.
Jesse Pulkkinen, LHD, New York Islanders (Bridgeport Islanders, AHL)
9 GP 0G 1A 1pt
Pulkkinen, a Finnish blueliner, has quite a few traits that scouts covet in defensive prospects. He’s big (6’6″, 215 pounds), he has high-level professional experience (29 games in the Finnish Liiga in his draft year) and he’s shown flashes of real value on both ends of the ice. But despite being an overage player when the Islanders selected him in the second round (No. 54 overall) at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, he hasn’t yet looked like a real contender to make a push for an NHL call-up.
While his time in North America’s pro circuit has been relatively brief (comprised entirely of his late-season move to AHL Bridgeport at the end of 2024-25 and the start of 2025-26), his time on this side of the Atlantic has been a bit of a challenge.
On Oct. 30, Pulkkinen was reassigned to the Islanders’ ECHL affiliate, the Worcester Railers. That came after Pulkkinen played in just two games at the AHL level. Pulkkinen has been one of Bridgeport’s most sparingly deployed defensemen so far this season, with limited third-pairing usage and short-handed usage that ranks fifth among Bridgeport blueliners.
Given Pulkkinen’s experience in Finland, his draft pedigree, and his impressive set of traits, it’s somewhat surprising to see him struggle to earn the trust of his AHL coaches, and it was certainly surprising to see him sent down to the ECHL.
There have been some factors outside of his control that have complicated his development. He suffered a knee injury that cost him quite a bit of time, and also necessitated that he devote time he could have otherwise spent developing his game further on recovering from that injury. But while some things have been out of Pulkkinen’s control, the reality is he just hasn’t played up to the standard he set earlier in his career.
The Islanders have other promising defensive prospects in their system, so the organization is under no great pressure to fast-track Pulkkinen’s development. He was always seen as more of a long-term project, and his performances in North America only underline that fact. He’s still just 20 years old, and could have a bright future ahead. But as of right now, his start to his North American pro career has been an uphill battle.
San Jose Sharks Reassign Pavol Regenda, Set To Activate Jeff Skinner
The San Jose Sharks announced today that forward Pavol Regenda has been reassigned to the club’s AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky told the media, including San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng, that veteran forward Jeff Skinner will be activated off of injured reserve and dressed for the Sharks’ game Friday in Dallas against the Stars.
Regenda was recalled on Monday when the Sharks placed Vincent Desharnais on injured reserve. He ended up playing in both of the Sharks’ games during his time on their NHL roster, and he found a way to make his mark in each.
Regenda scored a power play goal early in the Sharks’ Monday win over the Utah Mammoth. Regenda scored a similar goal late in the Sharks’ 7-1 defeat at the hands of the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. Regenda averaged 12:43 time on ice per game in this two-game recall, although just 8:56 of that average came at even strength. Regenda averaged nearly four minutes per game on the power play.
While Regenda would surely have liked for his recall to extend a little bit longer, it’s hard to classify his most recent stay on the NHL roster as anything other than a success due to his goal-scoring. The 25-year-old has been a productive AHL player since crossing the Atlantic to sign with the Anaheim Ducks in 2022.
The former Slovak Extraliga star has scored 107 points in 195 career AHL games, a 40-point 72-game scoring pace. Standing 6’3″, 219 pounds, Regenda offers size and some scoring touch in a depth role, which is likely why he was counted on as a sporadic call-up option during his time with the Ducks.
Regenda signed with San Jose this past summer as a Group Six unrestricted free agent, and got a hefty $400K guarantee on his contract. While he’ll now return to making his $350K AHL salary, this recall not only provided Regenda with a brief pay bump, but it also helped him pave the way for more extensive (and lucrative) stays on the NHL roster down the line.
What appears to have cost Regenda his spot on San Jose’s NHL roster is the return of Skinner from IR. Skinner, 33, is playing out a one-year, $3MM deal with the Sharks. He scored 16 goals and 29 points in 72 games with the Edmonton Oilers last season, and currently has seven points in 17 games this season.
Skinner has been out since Nov. 13 with a lower-body injury, an injury that cost him the chance to play in 10 games. When he returns to the lineup, he’ll play on the third line alongside Collin Graf and Ty Dellandrea, and should likely step into Regenda’s vacated power play role as well.
Photos courtesy of David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Boston Bruins Reassign Riley Tufte
The Boston Bruins announced today that forward Riley Tufte has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.
Tufte, 27, was originally recalled on Nov. 17. He made an instant impact, scoring a late power play marker to break what would have been a shutout victory for the Carolina Hurricanes. That moment proved to be the high point of this recall for Tufte, as he was a healthy scratch for Boston’s game against Anaheim on Nov. 19. Tufte was in-and-out of the lineup for the next two weeks or so, skating in three additional games and serving as a scratch for four total contests.
The 2016 first-round pick earned this most recent recall on the back of a stellar start to his season with AHL Providence. Tufte scored eight goals and 18 points in just 13 games this season, and his record of solid production dates back to last year as well; Tufte scored 21 goals and 42 points in 58 games for the AHL Bruins in 2024-25.
While Tufte hasn’t been able to translate his scoring success at lower levels of the game to the NHL, the fact that he has been able to develop from low-scoring AHL bottom-sixer to a true top-six AHL scoring threat has at least helped him massively improve his odds of receiving NHL call-ups.
Standing 6’6″, 234 pounds, it’s fair to wonder whether Tufte has more value to give as an NHLer than he’s shown so far. Teams are always searching for players who blend overwhelming size with some scoring touch. But as mentioned, Tufte’s AHL scoring ability has yet to translate to NHL ice, and this most recent recall was no different.
Tufte is playing out a one-year, two-way contract that carries a league-minimum $775K NHL salary and a hefty $450K AHL salary, with a $500K total guarantee. Tufte’s progress as an AHL scorer has him on the cusp of earning a role as a full-time NHL bottom-sixer or spare forward, and his hefty AHL guarantee reflects that.
If he can continue his point-per-game AHL scoring pace and earn some more NHL call-ups, he could position himself to earn a one-way contract once again in his upcoming unrestricted free agency. Tufte played 2024-25 on a one-way $775K deal, and could be aiming to restore at least that level of compensation this summer.
Tyler Seguin Suffers ACL Injury, Out Long Term
Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan told the media today, including radio analyst Bruce LeVine, that veteran forward Tyler Seguin has suffered an ACL injury and will “probably” be out for the rest of the 2025-26 season.
The news comes after Seguin had to be helped off the ice last night during the team’s overtime loss to the New York Rangers. This unfortunate development comes almost exactly one year after it was announced that Seguin would miss most of the rest of the 2024-25 season due to hip surgery. Seguin ended up returning in time for the Stars’ regular-season finale, and managed to play in 18 playoff games.
So far this season, Seguin had kept up his standard of solid offensive production. While he wasn’t scoring at the point-per-game clip Stars fans grew accustomed to in the late 2010s, his 17 points in 27 games still set an 82-game pace of 52. He currently ranks fifth among Stars forwards in 2025-26 scoring.
Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News reported that the Stars “are still awaiting more input from doctors to determine the exact timeline” of Seguin’s recovery, as well as whether he’ll be available to play in the playoffs, which the Stars will almost assuredly qualify for. Assimakopoulos added that “it doesn’t seem like” the Stars “are too optimistic” that Seguin will be available to play again this season.
Seguin had been playing on Dallas’ second line alongside Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz, and he was succeeding in that capacity. But now for a second straight year, a significant injury will cost him the chance to play in even 30 regular-season games.
Owen Newkirk of DLLS Sports relayed word from Gulutzan that veteran forward Matt Duchene, who is dealing with his own injury, is currently “day-to-day” and is inching towards a return to the lineup. It appears likely that whenever Duchene is ready to return, he’ll slot into Seguin’s vacated spot as the team’s second-line right winger behind Mikko Rantanen.
Since Seguin is under contract for another season after this one at a $9.85MM AAV, this injury won’t cost him the chance to put together a healthy, productive platform season. But it will most likely cost Seguin the chance to compete for a second career Stanley Cup championship. The Stars will still chase their franchise’s second title without Seguin, and now that the extent of his injury is all but confirmed, expect focus on potential fits for Dallas on the trade market to increase.
The Stars have been the NHL’s second-best team so far in 2025-26, with their 39 points trailing only the Colorado Avalanche (who have one regulation loss all year) in the standings. The Stars have all the makings of a true Stanley Cup contender this season, and it would be a surprise if GM Jim Nill went the entire season without acquiring additional scoring help.
The Stars traded for both Rantanen and veteran Mikael Granlund to bolster its attack last season, and while a trade on the scale of the Rantanen deal will be almost impossible to complete, expect Dallas to be in the mix for the top rental scoring options. That may have been the case even before this development regarding Seguin, but Seguin’s ACL injury will only further heighten the team’s need to add scoring reinforcements for what it hopes will be a long playoff run.
Assuming Seguin is indeed out for the rest of the season, including the playoffs, the team does at least gain a significant amount of financial flexibility. Seguin could be placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), which would give the Stars quite a bit of room to make additions without running afoul of the league’s payroll limits.
Photos Courtesy of Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Colorado Avalanche Recall Trent Miner
The Colorado Avalanche announced today that goalie Trent Miner has been recalled from their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. This roster move comes in the aftermath of an injury suffered by netminder Scott Wedgewood. Wedgewood left the team’s Dec. 2 contest with an upper-body injury and did not return.
Head coach Jared Bednar said last night that he wasn’t sure whether the organization would need to recall a third goalie for its upcoming road trip, but today’s recall indicates that the organization is at least preparing for the possibility that Wedgewood could miss time. The Avalanche play tomorrow on Long Island and continue on the road until their Dec. 11 game against the Florida Panthers.
Miner, 24, returns to the Avalanche’s NHL roster for the second time this season. Miner was in the NHL in October, playing in two games and recording a .909 save percentage. Since being sent down to AHL Colorado, Miner has gone 4-1 with a .908 save percentage. He’s proven himself to be a capable AHL goalie over the last few years, posting an impressive career save percentage of .919 in more than 70 games played.
Miner is under contract through next season on a two-way basis with a $775K NHL AAV, and looks poised to serve as the Avalanche’s organizational No. 3 goalie through the end of this season at least. Looking forward to next year, the one-year, $2.5MM AAV contract extension Wedgewood signed on Nov. 13 does appear at this point to block Miner’s path to becoming part of Colorado’s NHL tandem.
But if he can keep putting together quality AHL performances, and find a way to show his talent in his limited NHL opportunities, he could get looks this summer as a potential candidate to become an NHL backup outside of Colorado.
Metro Notes: Ristolainen, Rangers, Horcoff
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was on the ice for the Flyers’ morning skate today wearing a no-contact jersey, reports NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jordan Hall. Per Hall, this is Ristolainen’s first skate with the team in 2025-26. Ristolainen is still recovering from the right triceps surgery he underwent in March. While it’s unclear at this point how far Ristolainen is from fitness to play in games, today’s sight is an encouraging one for the Flyers, who stand to benefit greatly whenever Ristolainen is back to full health.
The 31-year-old had a strong 2024-25 season in Philadelphia. While he only managed 19 points, which is a far cry from the production he used to post consistently as a member of the Buffalo Sabres, he made his mark defensively. Standing 6’4″ and 208 pounds, Ristolainen provided valuable size to the Flyers’ defense, and managed to kill penalties at a decent clip. He was the Flyers’ No. 2 defenseman in terms of ice time last season, averaging 20:31 time on ice per game including time on both special teams units. The Flyers have relied more heavily on Cam York and Jamie Drysdale in Ristolainen’s absence, with each player currently at a significantly higher average time on ice per game in 2025-26 compared to last season. Getting Ristolainen back at some point should allow for more balance in terms of how the Flyers coaching staff is able to deploy their blueliners.
Other notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- In 2022, the New York Rangers made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final, and their run was greatly aided by their “kid” line made up of a trio of top draft picks: Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil. While two of those three players have since been traded away, it appears the Rangers could be in the process of discovering another third line made up of its youngest players. The Athletic’s Peter Baugh wrote today that “The Rangers’ third line of Will Cuylle, Noah Laba and Brett Berard was buzzing” during the team’s win over the Dallas Stars, and brought up that the Rangers held a decisive lead in high-danger scoring chances whenever that line was on the ice. While it’s too early to tell if that line will stick long-term, those early results are promising. Cuylle is the most experienced player on the line (195 career NHL games played, 45 points last season) while Laba is in his rookie campaign and Berard has just 40 career NHL games. While the Rangers’ track record of developing its top forward draft picks has come under some recent scrutiny, each member of the aforementioned trio is a success story for the organization. Both Cuylle and Berard were second-day NHL draft picks who spent time in AHL Hartford before reaching the NHL, while Laba is a fourth-round pick who spent time in the NCAA.
- When the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted center Will Horcoff at the No. 24 slot at the 2025 NHL Draft, their selection came earlier than where Horcoff had been ranked by most public-facing outlets. While he was ranked No. 27 by TSN’s Bob McKenzie and No. 28 by Corey Pronman of The Athletic, many other outlets, such as the team at Elite Prospects and TSN’s Craig Button, ranked him more as a second-rounder. So far, Horcoff’s performances have easily justified his first-round draft slot. He’s currently tied for the overall scoring lead in all of college hockey with 26 points in 18 games. He also leads the country in goal-scoring by a wide margin, his 18 markers quite a bit higher than the next-highest scorer. (DET’s Max Plante, who has 13) While it’s unclear whether Horcoff’s incredible start to 2025-26 has materially impacted how scouts view his long-term projection, it is clear that the early returns on Pittsburgh’s investment of a first-round draft choice have been wholly positive.
Morning Notes: Tourigny, Dowd, Verhaeghe
The Utah Mammoth have been one of the league’s more confounding teams so far in 2025-26, as at one point, they looked like one of the NHL’s top teams and seemed a likely candidate to reach the postseason. But Utah has won just two of its last 10 games and is currently on a four-game losing streak, a stretch that has brought their record back to .500 and left them one point adrift of a Western Conference Wild Card spot, which is occupied by the Seattle Kraken, who hold three games in hand on Utah.
Utah’s recent downturn could potentially have an impact on its head coach. Frank Seravalli said yesterday on Bleacher Report’s Insider Notebook that it’s “fair to suggest that Andre Tourigny’s hot seat is getting turned up a bit.” Seravalli did add that he doesn’t feel Tourigny is under any immense, immediate pressure just yet, but rather that his status could increasingly come into question given the fact that Utah feels it can, and should, be a legitimate playoff contender in the Western Conference this season. Tourigny has been the head coach of the Mammoth (who were previously the Utah Hockey Club and the Arizona Coyotes) since 2021-22, and has overseen both strong development outcomes for individual players and a gradual, steady improvement of the team’s fortunes. But that gradual improvement hasn’t yet materialized into an actual playoff appearance, which could be contributing to the level of pressure felt in Utah this season.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Washington Capitals forward Nic Dowd missed his eighth consecutive game due to an upper-body injury last night, and The Hockey News’ Sammi Silber relayed word from head coach Spencer Carbery who said there is currently no timetable for when Dowd might return. Dowd, 35, has been a reliable fourth-line center in Washington for more than a half-decade, dating back to when Washington signed him in July of 2018. His loss as a defensive specialist is a significant one for the Capitals: he leads the team in shorthanded ice time per game by a wide margin and even got down-ballot Selke Trophy consideration in each of the last two seasons.
- Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe didn’t play in the team’s loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs last night, but it wasn’t an injury that kept the former 40-goal scorer out of the lineup. TSN’s Mark Masters reported yesterday that Verhaeghe instead missed the game due to personal reasons, or more specifically, due to the fact that his wife is expecting a child. That Verhaeghe’s absence appears to be an entirely temporary one is very important to the Panthers. The team has struggled immensely with injuries so far in 2025-26 and losing a player like Verhaeghe (who has 16 points in 24 games) to injury would only further deplete their lineup.
Snapshots: Fox On IR, Ekman-Larsson, Blue Jackets
1:00 PM: Further updates have come on Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, as per Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic, the star will be placed on long-term injured reserve. Fox is expected to miss multiple weeks due to the shoulder injury. ESPN reporter Emily Kaplan shared that, at least, a longer term injury was avoided, and Fox should be set for the Olympics. However, it is a major blow to the struggling team nonetheless, to trudge into December without their #1 defenseman.
The 27-year-old alternate captain is tied for the Rangers’ team lead in points, with 26 in 27 games. In a season which has certainly not gone to plan, Fox has been a bright spot, playing at a franchise level, right on track with his best production to this point, which has been the 70+ point level.
Now, eyes may turn to GM Chris Drury to make a move to help out a seriously deflated defense corps, which has come at such an inopportune time. While questions exist on if Rangers can even keep up healthy or not, the franchise is at a serious crossroads. Now with Fox going down, Drury’s hand could be forced to try and provide reinforcements, although further mortgaging the future in an attempt to right the ship would be risky, as prior such moves to this point have already not panned out as initially hoped.
10:00 AM: The New York Rangers have not played up to expectation thus far in 2025-26, and their chances of making a serious push to climb the Eastern Conference standings may have taken a serious hit yesterday. Fox left yesterday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning with an injury, and head coach Mike Sullivan told the media after the game, including Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic, that Fox has suffered an upper-body injury and is still being evaluated.
While we are still waiting on official word on the extent of Fox’s injury, Daily Faceoff’s Arthur Staple cited sources this morning who said that Fox’s injury situation “doesn’t look good.” If Fox does indeed miss any kind of extended time, the Rangers would be left in an even more perilous position. Fox, the 2020-21 Norris Trophy winner, quarterbacks the Rangers’ top power play unit, a unit that the team has been heavily reliant on during its most recent competitive period. The team’s third-leading scorer, Mika Zibanejad, has been highly reliant on the power play for most of the offense he generates, so in the absence of Fox, it’d be fair to wonder where the Rangers’ offensive production will come from. The club doesn’t have another player with clear-cut power play quarterback ability. The team’s No. 2 defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov scored 30 points last season, but would be an imperfect fit in that role. Prospect Scott Morrow has gotten into some NHL games and has that kind of natural offensive ability, but Mercogliano wrote on Nov. 15 that “the early whispers” he’d heard from AHL Hartford regarding Morrow’s play were not “overly positive.” Morrow, who was ranked as the Rangers’ No. 2 prospect by Elite Prospects entering the season, has three points in 12 AHL games this season and one point in four NHL games.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson couldn’t finish yesterday’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins due to an upper-body injury, head coach Craig Berube told the media yesterday. (via The Hockey News’ David Alter) Berube added that Ekman-Larsson would be evaluated today and that the injury isn’t expected to be serious. If the Maple Leafs lose Ekman-Larsson for any time due to this injury, it would cost them a very valuable player. Ekman-Larsson has been stellar in 2025-26, scoring 20 points in 25 games. That’s a 66-point pace over 82 games, a steep increase from the 29 points he scored in all of 2024-25. Ekman-Larsson also contributes on the penalty kill, albeit on a less regular basis compared to his contributions on the man advantage. The 34-year-old has two seasons left on his deal beyond this one at a $3.5MM AAV rate.
- Columbus Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda reported today that veterans Zach Werenski and Sean Monahan did not participate in today’s practice, and that the two players “have been battling through some things of late.” Werenski has been managing an upper-body injury, but thus far it hasn’t impacted his ability to dress for games. Werenski is Columbus’ most important player, skating in 26:30 per game with 24 points in 25 contests. Monahan dealt with an upper-body injury earlier in November, but it’s unclear at this time if his current ailment is related to what he was managing earlier this month. The 31-year-old pivot has had a slower-than-expected start to 2025-26, scoring just 11 points in 25 games. He scored 57 points in 54 games last season and was awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy for 2024-25.
New York Islanders Recall Marc Gatcomb
The New York Islanders announced today that forward Marc Gatcomb has been recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders. This recall comes in the aftermath of an injury suffered by veteran winger Kyle Palmieri. Palmieri is expected to miss six to eight months with a torn ACL.
The team also announced that Palmieri has been placed on injured reserve, retroactive to his injury date of Nov. 11. The IR placement created the necessary room on the team’s NHL roster to allow for the addition of Gatcomb.
This recall of Gatcomb allows the Islanders to further reinforce their forward group, a group that has been left depleted due to Palmieri’s injury, as well as an injury to center Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Pageau is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
Gatcomb is, of course, not a one-to-one replacement for either injured veteran. Palmieri had scored 18 points in 25 games before his injury, while Pageau had 12 points in 22 games and led all Islanders players in short-handed time on ice per game. Gatcomb, 26, has just nine points in 40 career NHL games, and has not been an overwhelming scorer at the AHL level either. It’s extremely unlikely the Islanders will be able to replace the production they’ve lost with this recall, but it’s also extremely unlikely that the Islanders made this recall in order to get Gatcomb’s offensive production.
Instead, it’s far more likely the Islanders are looking for a call-up player with competitiveness, a strong work rate, positional versatility, and the ability to occupy a specific depth role while they elevate other players to fill the larger roles left open due to these injuries. Rookie Maxim Shabanov is likely to be elevated to the top-six to fill Palmieri’s role, and after scoring 67 points in 65 KHL games last season, he’s a more obvious fit for a scoring line than Gatcomb.
Gatcomb is likely to slot into the Islanders’ bottom-six, and at 26 years old, it’s likely that if he is to become a full-time NHLer, that’s the kind of role he’d occupy. This recall is a significant opportunity for the former UConn Husky, who went undrafted and originally signed with the Canucks organization coming out of college. He’s a pending RFA (with arbitration rights) playing out a one-year, one-way $900K contract.
Gatcomb’s 40 NHL games without a doubt helped Gatcomb earn a one-way contract for 2025-26, and this recall now gives him a pretty extensive runway to get into some NHL games and carve out a more regular spot on the Islanders’ NHL roster. While there’s no direct financial difference in his salary between the NHL and AHL, the more NHL games he gets into, and plays well in, the better his contract options are likely to be this summer. And while it’s unlikely his upcoming restricted free agency reaches that point, getting into NHL games would also aid his case in a future arbitration battle.
West Notes: Oilers Goaltending, Garland, Brossoit
The Edmonton Oilers have surrendered the most goals of any team in the NHL so far this season, and that’s something many believe to be the primary driver of Edmonton’s less-than-stellar start to 2025-26. But while there are those who hope that the Oilers move on from netminders Stuart Skinner (.885 save percentage in 19 games) and Calvin Pickard (.847 in nine games), it doesn’t appear the Oilers feel any rush to get a deal done for a new goalie.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on yesterday’s Saturday Headlines segment that Edmonton has “made enough calls” to know which goalies are likely available to them, but are not willing to make a trade that they would view as a “lateral move.” Whether or not swapping Skinner for a goalie such as Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry, Columbus’ Elvis Merzlikins, or a member of Buffalo’s goalie trio would represent a real upgrade is a matter of fair debate, but as of right now, it appears that debate is settled as far as Edmonton’s management is concerned. According to Friedman, they’d rather continue ahead with Skinner, with whom they’ve reached back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, than make what they’d view as a less-than-optimal goalie swap.
Other notes from the Western Conference:
- Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland missed yesterday’s game with an injury, but Friedman reported that the ailment is “not believed to be serious.” Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre reported that Garland’s injury is not concussion-related, and while he will remain with the team for their road trip, he is questionable to play in the Canucks’ next game, Tuesday, in Denver. Garland is a key play-driver for the Canucks and has 15 points in 21 games so far in 2025-26.
- Aside from Edmonton, Friedman also reported a development regarding the goalie situation of another Western team: the Chicago Blackhawks. Veteran goalie Laurent Brossoit is set to return from a year-and-a-half injury absence, but finds himself outside of Chicago’s goaltending plans. Friedman reported that the Blackhawks have given other teams permission to speak with Brossoit, likely with the hopes that opening the lines of communication will make it easier to complete a trade involving Brossoit. The fact that Brossoit makes $3.3MM against the cap complicates things, but the 32-year-old’s most recent NHL performances (.927 save percentage as a backup in both Winnipeg and Vegas) should help him garner some real interest from other teams.