Bruins Place Elias Lindholm On IR, Recall Jordan Harris
The Boston Bruins announced today that forward Elias Lindholm has been placed on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the Bruins recalled defenseman Jordan Harris from his conditioning loan with their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.
Lindholm has been out since Jan. 27 with an upper-body injury, costing him two games. While Lindholm would technically be eligible to return for the Bruins’ game Thursday against the Blue Jackets, it appears highly unlikely he’ll be back before the Olympic break begins.
Replacing Lindholm on Boston’s roster is Harris. The 25-year-old underwent ankle surgery in October after playing in just five games for the Bruins, and missed a few months before his conditioning stint in the AHL began on Jan. 22. Harris played in four AHL games in Providence, scoring three points.
Back at full health, the rest of the season will be very significant for Harris given the time he’s missed. He’s slated to be an RFA with arbitration rights this upcoming summer, when his one-year, one-way $825K contract expires. Finding a way to land a consistent role on the Bruins defense will be key for him to position himself to earn the best possible contract in the summer.
Harris had built quite a bit of positive developmental momentum early in his career, earning himself an NHL role quickly after signing with the Montreal Canadiens at the conclusion of his four-year NCAA career. He was able to show some flashes as a third-pairing defenseman in Montreal, and it’s worth noting that this conditioning stint in Boston was actually Harris’ first trip to the AHL. But he was unable to gain traction with the Columbus Blue Jackets after his inclusion in the Patrik Laine trade, and landed in Boston after being non-tendered by Columbus.
There was some hope that he’d be able to pick up where he left off in Montreal now as a member of his hometown team, but the injury scuttled any chance of that happening earlier in the year. Now healthy, that opportunity is in front of him once again.
Dallas Stars Acquire Jeremie Poirier
The Dallas Stars announced today that they have acquired defenseman Jeremie Poirier from the Calgary Flames in exchange for defenseman Gavin White.
At face value, this appears to be a transaction more focused on each club’s AHL affiliate, with limited immediate NHL implications. Neither player involved in this deal has made his NHL debut.
While this trade has limited relevance to the NHL depth charts of each involved team, the transaction is a significant one for each of the two involved prospects. Both Poirier and White are pending RFAs, and by landing in new organizations, they each get a clean slate to prove themselves in front of a new set of hockey decision-makers.
Poirier is the bigger name involved in the trade, just based on his pedigree as a prospect. The Flames selected Poirier in the third round of the 2020 draft, 72nd overall out of the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs. The Flames’ selection of Poirier was lauded at the time, as the public sphere ranked Poirier far higher than where he was ultimately picked. The No. 8 pick in the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft, Poirier was the No. 26 prospect in the 2020 draft class according to Elite Prospects, No. 22 according to TSN’s Craig Button, and No. 33 on Bob McKenzie’s list for TSN.
Early in his pro career, it looked as though the media’s higher ranking of Poirier was entirely justified. He scored 41 points in 69 games in his debut AHL campaign, was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie team, and looked to be on the cusp of making a real push for an NHL call-up. After that season, he was ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Flames’ system by Corey Pronman of The Athletic, who called his debut pro campaign “very successful,” but added that Poirier’s “big issue” was his defensive play.
That was the prevailing narrative surrounding Poirier’s development as a prospect. While his offensive talents were never in question, some scouts had reservations as to whether he’d develop enough defensively in order to be trusted enough to play in the NHL. In his draft year, scouts in the public sphere appeared more optimistic than scouts within the NHL on Poirier’s future as a player, and while his pro debut was strong, Poirier never was able to fully silence his doubters and land an NHL role with the Flames. Poirier’s offensive game remained steady, but questions surrounding his defensive game persisted.
Since Poirier’s value proposition as a player is entirely concentrated in his ability to generate offense from the back end, his status on a depth chart was always going to be highly vulnerable in the case his offense ever dried up. Consequently, the fact that Poirier has only managed six points in 35 AHL games this season is likely what spelled the end for of his tenure in Calgary.
Poirier was the Wranglers’ top power play quarterback in prior years, but other prospects have entered the picture, such as Hunter Brzustewicz and more recently Zayne Parekh, which has cost him that spot. Poirier is no longer considered one of the Flames’ top prospects, and this season, it has looked like he is drifting further from an NHL opportunity, not closer. It’s understandable that the team elected a change-of-scenery trade for a 23-year-old soon-to-be RFA in that kind of developmental position.
By trading him now instead of simply non-tendering him this summer, they get the chance to add a defenseman from outside the organization and evaluate whether he’s a fit to retain beyond this season. They also do a favor to Poirier, who thanks to landing in a new organization, gets a fresh opportunity that could help his development and renew his push for an NHL role. The move is also a worthwhile gamble for the Stars, who lack a true offensive defenseman in their regular AHL lineup. He’s likely to be Texas’ top power play quarterback, a role he lost with the Wranglers.
White, the defenseman headed to Calgary in this trade, is unlike Poirier in several notable ways, including in that he does not have a past as a top-rated prospect. The Stars selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, and he’s spent the entirety of his pro career with AHL Texas, outside of a handful of games in the ECHL.
Although White played a limited role in each of his first two AHL seasons, his development trajectory looks positive. Through 23 games this season, he’s averaging a greater dosage of minutes than he received last season, and is even appearing regularly on the Stars’ penalty kill.
As a right-shot defensive defenseman, White holds almost the exact opposite kind of profile as Poirier, meaning his addition better fits the current construction of the Wranglers’ defense. Ryan Pike of Flames Nation wrote that the Wranglers have “regularly been playing left-shot D on the right side out of necessity,” meaning White will likely get the chance to play a greater role in Calgary than he did in Cedar Park.
Flames Reassign Justin Kirkland
Feb. 2: Kirkland has cleared waivers, per Friedman. The team later announced he’s been reassigned to Calgary.
Feb. 1: The Calgary Flames have placed forward Justin Kirkland on waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
This is Kirkland’s second waiver placement of the year, as he was also waived in November. Kirkland has been on the Flames’ NHL roster since mid-December, serving largely as a spare forward option. He’s played 20 NHL games this season and has been a healthy scratch for eight, including yesterday.
In the 20 contests he was dressed for, Kirkland managed one goal and two points across 9:49 time on ice per game. He also managed to play a role on the Flames’ penalty kill, averaging nearly two minutes per game of short-handed ice time.
At the AHL level, Kirkland has been a steady top-six scoring option for the Flames’ affiliates, both when they were based in Stockton and now Calgary. Kirkland, who joined the Flames organization in 2019-20, has five goals and seven points in 14 AHL contests this season and had 30 points in 43 AHL games last year.
While there are some qualities that would suggest Kirkland is a candidate to be claimed — namely, the fact that he can play center and has played on an NHL penalty kill with some regularity — it seems more likely he’ll once again clear waivers. The fact that he’s set to make $900K this year as an owner of a one-way contract increases the likelihood that teams pass on claiming him.
While it’s certainly not impossible he gets claimed, largely for those aforementioned reasons, the most likely outcome is that Kirkland will remain in the organization he’s contributed to for the entirety of the 2020s.
Oilers To Reassign Calvin Pickard
Feb. 2: Pickard cleared waivers, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Feb. 1: The Edmonton Oilers announced today that netminder Calvin Pickard has been placed on waivers, presumably for the purposes of reassignment to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.
Taking the move at face value, it appears Pickard has lost his place in the Oilers’ crease as a result of the emergence of Connor Ingram. Ingram made his first appearance with the Oilers in late December and, since joining their NHL roster, has posted a .901 save percentage and a 2.55 goals-against average. Those numbers are a significant step up from what Pickard was offering the Oilers this season, as the veteran has just an .871 save percentage across 16 games. Among goalies with 10 or more games played this season, Pickard’s .871 save percentage ranks inside the bottom ten.
But while Pickard’s 2025-26 season has been a struggle, it’s still somewhat surprising to see him land on waivers. He was a reliable backup for the club in each of the last two seasons, even appearing in a total of 13 playoff contests across the team’s back-to-back runs to the Stanley Cup Final. Pickard managed a 7-1 record in last season’s playoffs.
With the Oilers, like most teams, unlikely to have much of an appetite to carry three healthy goalies on their active roster, Pickard was the odd man out of Edmonton’s goalie picture. Mid-season trade acquisition Tristan Jarry has struggled mightily since arriving in Edmonton, but seeing as the Oilers have $5.375MM committed to Jarry for an additional two years after this one, it’s understandable that they’d want to give Jarry the priority to keep his NHL roster spot over Pickard.
As for whether Pickard might end up claimed, it seems entirely dependent on how much stock rival teams will place in his performance this season, weighed against his play over the past two years. There does not appear to be an abundance of avenues for goaltending-needy teams to find upgrades. Because of how reliable Pickard was in 2023-24 and 2024-25, he likely stands a strong chance of being claimed.
Metro Notes: Thompson, Roy, Monahan
Washington Capitals starting goalie Logan Thompson has missed two straight games as he deals with an upper-body injury, but could be getting closer to a return. Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post reported that Thompson was on the ice this morning in what was a “very optional” practice for the Capitals. Per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, it’ll likely take until tomorrow to hear more firm word on Thompson’s availability, as Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery didn’t speak to the media.
Should Thompson be nearing a quick return to the ice after his injury, both the Capitals and Hockey Canada, stand to benefit. The Capitals need every standings point they can get their hands on to make a push for one of the Eastern Conference playoff spots, and getting Thompson back between the pipes would greatly help in their efforts to pick up wins. Thompson has a .912 save percentage and 2.46 goals against average in 38 games this season. Canada also stands to benefit if Thompson returns to health, as he’s a contender to be the team’s starter at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy. While Jordan Binnington brought Canada to victory at the 4-Nations Face-Off, he’s performed considerably worse than Thompson in NHL action so far in 2025-26.
Other notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- Injured Capitals defenseman Matt Roy also skated this morning, despite being moved to injured reserve yesterday. Roy has missed three straight games with a lower-body injury, though he could end up returning to the roster relatively quickly after his mandated week-long stay on IR concludes. Roy has been Washington’s No. 3 defenseman this season, averaging 20:46 time on ice per game, including 2:27 per game on the penalty kill. As is the case with Thompson, getting Roy back quickly would be extremely beneficial as the Capitals look to enter the playoff picture.
- Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan left the team’s victory yesterday as a result of an illness, not as a result of a hit he took in the first period of the game, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline. Portzline added that the Blue Jackets’ locker room has been somewhat under the weather recently, as Mathieu Olivier played through an illness on Friday. While leaving a game due to an illness is certainly serious, given Monahan’s past injury history, it’s undoubtedly a relief that the veteran center’s absence is likely to be very limited. Monahan has nine goals and 26 points in 50 games this season, and scored 19 goals, 57 points in just 54 games in 2024-25.
Latest On Yegor Sharangovich
As the NHL’s March 6 trade deadline inches closer, one of the teams that looks overwhelmingly likely to count themselves as one of the league’s sellers is the Calgary Flames. Calgary has struggled in a variety of areas this season, and does not appear to have a clear path to the playoffs.
While significant attention has been paid to a few of the Flames’ key trade chips, such as veteran center Nazem Kadri, some have wondered whether other Flames players beyond just a few older veterans could be moved.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported last week that while Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich has been named as a trade candidate by some, he does “not get the sense there is any activity surrounding the 27-year-old.” Unless something changes, it appears the Flames won’t be dealing Sharangovich before the trade deadline.
The forward had been named as a trade candidate in large part due to his offensive struggles over the last season and a half. Sharangovich broke out in his first year with the Flames, scoring 31 goals and 59 points in the 2023-24 season. Looking to ensure they had team control over Sharangovich as he inched closer to UFA status, the Flames acted early, signing Sharangovich to a contract extension on July 1, 2024.
At this moment, it appears the Flames might regret acting so decisively to re-sign Sharangovich. At the time, signing him to that extension at that moment was an entirely defensible calculated risk.
The Flames likely believed that if he could at the very least sustain his level of production, the deal would be an entirely fair one. If he could build on it, he would quickly provide surplus value on his cap hit. If Calgary believed Sharangovich was unlikely to decline too far from his scoring numbers in his debut season as a Flame, signing that deal at that point made too much sense — his price tag would only rise as he got closer to UFA status.
But unfortunately for the Flames, his offensive production declined the following year, going from the aforementioned 31 goals and 59 points to just 17 goals and 32 points. So far this season, that decline has persisted, as he has 11 goals and 20 points in 50 games.
While the expected steep rise of the salary cap softens the blow, without question, it’s clear Sharangovich isn’t living up to his $5.75MM cap hit, at least from a production standpoint.
Given his offensive decline and the contract he’s owed (2025-26 is the first of five seasons on the contract), it’s understandable that those in the Calgary market might want to see the Flames move on from Sharangovich. But his difficulty getting back to his prior level of offensive production, combined with the weight of his contract, makes him a difficult player to move. That’s a sentiment Pagnotta’s report echoed, and it’s also worth noting that Sharangovich’s deal comes with the protection of a 10-team no-trade list.
With limited league interest in trading for his services, Sharangovich’s best path forward will, undoubtedly, be to find a way to develop more chemistry with some of the Flames’ other top-six forwards.
It’s not as though Sharangovich is lacking in terms of opportunity, as he’s averaging 16:04 time on ice per game including 1:52 per game on the power play. He just hasn’t been able to capitalize the way he did in his debut season in Alberta.
As the Flames chart their course back to contention at some point down the line, getting Sharangovich’s scoring back on track will have to be a key priority.
Photos courtesy of Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Buffalo Sabres Recall Isak Rosen, Reassign Zac Jones
The Buffalo Sabres announced today that forward Isak Rosén has been recalled from their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. In a corresponding move, defenseman Zac Jones was reassigned.
By swapping out a defenseman for a forward on their roster, the Sabres are left with just six healthy defensemen on their active roster. There are two Sabres blueliners on injured reserve at this moment: Conor Timmins and Jacob Bryson. Timmins broke his leg in the middle of December and was originally given a six-to-eight week return timeline. While we are now squarely within that originally projected return window, there has been no indication Timmins is nearing a return to game fitness.
Bryson has missed four straight games and landed on IR with an upper-body injury. Head coach Lindy Ruff told the media on Jan. 22 that Bryson would miss “some time,” so it seems unlikely Jones has been sent down because any Bryson return is imminent.
Looking at the motivations behind this move, a few, unrelated to injuries, can be identified. First and foremost, the Sabres could simply be interested in returning Rosén to the NHL roster, and are willing to carry just six healthy defensemen in order to make that happen. It’s understandable that the Sabres would want to get a look at Rosén back at the NHL level.
The 22-year-old 2021 first-round pick is a pending RFA, and is reaching a crucial fork in the road in his development. Either he’s going to be able to carve out a spot in the Sabres’ long-term NHL plans, or the Sabres are going to build around other pieces as they pivot to focusing more on contending in the immediate future.
Rosén has been a strong scorer in Rochester for several years now, but has thus far been unable to gain significant traction at the NHL level. While he has seven points in 13 games played this season, he still hasn’t been able to maintain a firm grip on an NHL roster spot. This recall gives him another opportunity to land in the NHL lineup and try to stay there.
From Rochester’s perspective, getting Jones back is a major help to the team’s ability to win games at this point in the season. The Americans are looking to gain ground in their divisional playoff race, and currently sit in fifth place in the North Division. Jones is the team’s leading scorer with 37 points in 32 games, and is their most productive defenseman by a wide margin.
If the Sabres prefer to use Zach Metsa as their No. 6 blueliner at the NHL level, it could make more sense to keep Jones in Rochester, to put that team in the best position to win, rather than keeping him in an NHL press box.
East Injury Notes: Texier, Rielly, Laba, Drouin
Montreal Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier missed last night’s victory over the Buffalo Sabres with a lower-body injury, according to a team announcement. Texier missed two games, on Jan. 20 and Jan. 22, with a lower-body injury, before returning for three games from Jan. 24 through Jan. 29. It is unclear at this time whether Texier’s current lower-body ailment is related to the one that cost him those two games, though it would certainly not be a huge surprise. The Canadiens did not issue a timeline related to Texier’s injury, so as of right now, he should be considered day-to-day.
Texier plays an important role in the Canadiens’ lineup, serving as the third wheel on the team’s top line alongside Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. In a role formerly occupied by 2022 No. 1 pick Juraj Slafkovsky, Texier has managed seven goals and 17 points in 30 games as a Canadien. His solid play earned him a two-year, $2.5MM AAV contract extension last month. 2019 No. 3 pick Kirby Dach skated in Texier’s vacated top line role against the Sabres, making a crucial play along the boards to help set up the team’s game-winning goal. For as long as Texier is injured, Dach, a pending RFA, figures to get the significant opportunity that is playing alongside two star forwards on Montreal’s top line.
Other injury notes from around the NHL:
- Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Morgan Rielly left yesterday’s victory over the Vancouver Canucks with an upper-body injury, according to a team announcement. Rielly, 31, has missed just a single game this season, meaning if his absence is in any way extended, it would have significant implications for how head coach Craig Berube is able to staff his lineup. While Rielly’s play has come under increased criticism this season as Toronto has struggled to gain ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race, he still plays a significant role on the team. He’s scored 31 points in 54 games, and is Toronto’s No. 2 defenseman in terms of average ice time per game, skating 21:33 per night in a role that includes key power play responsibilities.
- New York Rangers rookie forward Noah Laba left yesterday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins with an upper-body injury, according to a team announcement. The Rangers did not have any further update on Laba’s status after the game, other than to say that he will continue to be evaluated. Laba, 22, has broken into the Rangers organization as a full-time NHL bottom-six center in what is his first full campaign of professional hockey. The former Colorado College pivot has scored 16 points in 53 games and is playing 13:17 time on ice per game, including a limited role on both sides of special teams. If Laba’s absence is extended, the Rangers could struggle to adequately replace the role Laba fills in their lineup, and that’s especially true if the club elects to trade 33-year-old veteran center Sam Carrick, who is under contract for an additional year at a $1MM cap hit and could draw interest from contending teams.
- New York Islanders forward Jonathan Drouin missed the team’s loss yesterday with an illness, per a team announcement. Drouin, who has 20 points in 48 games this season, had been skating on a top-six line with the Islanders alongside Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair. Head coach Patrick Roy elected to elevate rookie Maxim Shabanov into Drouin’s role as his response to Drouin’s illness. While it’s not known exactly how long Drouin will miss as a result of being under the weather, it would be safe to consider him day-to-day.
Injury Notes: Malkin, Letang, Halliday, Glass
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced today that veteran center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang both will not practice today. The club did not divulge any additional details as to why the pair will not practice, only adding that “their statuses will be updated tomorrow.” According to Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Malkin “has been laboring with an apparent shoulder injury since December,” something that could be the source of his absence today. As for Letang, there is no indication as to if he is injured, but Rorabaugh noted he “had some struggles” during the team’s win Thursday over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Both Malkin and Letang have been pillars of the Penguins franchise for the last two decades, though their contributions have, to varying degrees, declined as they’ve gotten deeper into their thirties. Malkin, 39, is having a vintage season with 41 points in 39 games, but Letang, 38, has struggled and is no longer widely considered Pittsburgh’s best blueliner. Any extended absence faced by the two of them would deal a blow to the Penguins’ ability to hold onto their current position in the standings, which is second in the Metropolitan Division.
Other injury notes from around the NHL:
- Ottawa Senators center Stephen Halliday missed the team’s game against the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 28 due to an upper-body injury, and was classified as day-to-day. Today, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reported that Halliday was at Senators practice, albeit in a non-contact jersey. That would appear to indicate that Halliday is working his way back, but still has some way to go before he’s fully ready to return to head coach Travis Green’s lineup. Halliday, 23, has 10 points in 21 NHL games for the Senators this season, and 26 points in 22 AHL games.
- New Jersey Devils center Cody Glass will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip to Ottawa, per team reporter Amanda Stein. Glass missed the Devils’ game Thursday against the Nashville Predators with an undisclosed injury. The 26-year-old has carved out a steady role in the middle of the Devils lineup and has scored 13 goals and 18 points in 42 games so far this year.
Flyers Could Explore Trade Options For Samuel Ersson
At one point this season, it looked as though the Philadelphia Flyers might be buyers, not sellers, in the lead-up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. First-year head coach Rick Tocchet had the club primed to make a run to the playoffs, a clear step forward in the team’s retooling process.
Those Flyers look like a distant memory at this point, though, as the team has lost three consecutive games and endured a 2-7-1 stretch in its last 10 contests. They currently sit 10 points behind the Boston Bruins for the Eastern Conference’s final wild card spot, and eight points behind the New York Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Flyers’ downturn has shifted the focus on the team heading into the trade deadline. Instead of identifying potential targets around the league the team might add, the Flyers now look more like a team that will subtract from its roster, rather than add. Last week, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported the Flyers were likely to have a “quiet deadline” unless a potential core player, perhaps at their key position of need, center, becomes available.
One name the Flyers could end up moving on from is netminder Samuel Ersson. Kurz wrote regarding Ersson that it “feels like it’s time for a change of scenery” for the player and club. There don’t appear to be a large number of goalies available for trade at this time, and the key name on the market, Jesper Wallstedt of the Minnesota Wild, figures to have a significant price tag attached.
For most teams, acquiring Ersson is a far more realistic possibility than shelling out high-end assets to land Wallstedt. Of course, Ersson isn’t of the same caliber of talent as Wallstedt, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have what it takes to help an NHL team.
The 26-year-old has been relied upon heavily by the Flyers over the course of the last few years.
The Swedish netminder played in 51 games in 2023-24, earning the vast majority of starts after the team’s No. 1 netminder, Carter Hart, became unavailable in the middle of the year.
He struggled at times, and his final save percentage of .890 certainly isn’t strong, but there were moments in the season where he showed the kind of talent that gave the Flyers faith brighter days could be ahead.
The following season, Philadelphia again trusted Ersson to be their leading man in the crease, as he played in 47 NHL games, the most of any netminder in the organization. Once again, Ersson showed flashes, but those quality starts began to become more infrequent. His final statistics regressed even further, as he finished with an .883 save percentage, and was one of the league’s weakest goalies in several metrics.
The Flyers signed Dan Vladar to stabilize their goaltending this past summer, and Vladar has validated their investment with a strong 2025-26 campaign. But while Vladar has stood out this year, Ersson’s struggles have persisted. Through 24 games this year, he has just an .856 save percentage, the lowest among netminders with at least 15 games played in 2025-26.
It’s fair to question, given his poor numbers and highly inconsistent performance over the last few years, whether other NHL teams would truly be interested in adding Ersson. But the netminder is a pending arbitration-eligible RFA with a cap hit of just $1.45MM.
He’s likely to be one of the more experienced netminders readily available for trade at this point in the season, and can likely be acquired for a relatively low cost.
If a team is confident in its goaltending department, and believes it can maximize Ersson’s talent in a way the Flyers have thus far been unable to, he could end up on the move.
Ersson could also be a fit for a team looking to simply enhance its depth at the position, especially if an injury strikes. If a team in the playoff race loses a netminder to injury at some point between now and the trade deadline, Ersson’s name will be one to watch.
Photos courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images