Morning Notes: Kulak, Chernyshov, Blue Jackets
The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired veteran defenseman Brett Kulak from the Edmonton Oilers as part of the trade between the two clubs that swapped netminder Tristan Jarry for Stuart Skinner. While Kulak adds a level of experience to Pittsburgh’s back end that could be valuable, the club only recently ended an eight-game losing streak that raised significant questions about their ability to compete for a playoff spot this season. That losing streak raised a few questions as to whether the Penguins are best served keeping Kulak for the rest of the year (his $2.75MM AAV deal expires at the end of the season) or if they would benefit from trading him to another team.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that before Kulak was traded to Pittsburgh, “there were teams interested” in acquiring him from the Oilers, but a trade never materialized largely for salary cap reasons. Friedman cited the Penguins’ trade of Luke Schenn to the Winnipeg Jets, very shortly after acquiring him from the Nashville Predators, as a notable precedent here that the team set regarding its willingness to quickly flip a veteran blueliner. While there has not been any concrete indication that Pittsburgh is actively exploring this route with Kulak, Friedman’s reporting indicates it’s something to keep in mind at the very least.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- While the injury suffered by San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith was certainly not something the Sharks have benefited from, the opportunity provided by his absence in the lineup has at least been something other young players have so far been able to take advantage of. 2024 second-round pick Igor Chernyshov has played in the first three NHL games of his career, landing on franchise pivot Macklin Celebrini‘s wing as a result of Smith’s absence. He’s managed three assists in his first three games, playing at an impressive level for a player with no prior experience at the NHL level. That has raised questions as to whether the Sharks would benefit from keeping Chernyshov in the NHL, even after Smith returns, and per San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng, Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky admitted the team “didn’t think he was gonna be this quick to help us,” and added that Chernyshov has far exceeded expectations thus far in the NHL.
- New Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekäläinen brought one of his former longtime lieutenants, Columbus Blue Jackets assistant GM Josh Flynn, to Buffalo this week in order to fill the same role but for the Sabres. In the aftermath of that move, The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline wrote today regarding which other Blue Jackets hockey operations staff might join Flynn in heading to Buffalo. Portzline specifically cited Blue Jackets director of pro scouting Basil McRae, who was formerly an assistant GM before shifting titles after the arrival of current Columbus GM Don Waddell, as a possibility. He also named director of amateur scouting Ville Sirén and goaltending coach Nicklas Backstrom as two other names who Kekäläinen might look to add to his staff in Buffalo.
Metro Notes: Helenius, Leonard, Foerster
The Buffalo Sabres will not be sending top prospect and Team Finland star Konsta Helenius to the 2026 World Championships, reports Finnish hockey outlet Kiekko Uutiset. Helenius ranked second on Finland’s World Juniors roster in scoring at last year’s tournament. His command over the top center role was a crucial piece in Finland’s run to a silver medal.
But after a fourth-place finish at age 17, and a Silver Medal win at age 18, Helenius now won’t have a chance to reach the summit this season. Instead, he’ll stick in his role as a pillar of the Rocheester Americans’ offense. Helenius leads all Americans forwards in scoring with 26 points in 27 games. It’s a breakout year after he scored 35 points in 65 games as an AHL rookie last season, and could result in Helenius receiving his NHL debut sooner rather than later. With those hopes in sight, the Sabres will choose to keep Helenius close to home, while Team Finland will have to lean on Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen to fill their top center role.
Other notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- Washington Capitals forward Ryan Leonard has not played since Dec. 5 due to an upper-body injury, but he’s now considered only day-to-day and appears to be nearing a return to the lineup, per The Washington Post’s Bailey Johnson. Leonard, 20, is one of the key young forwards on the Capitals, and has 18 points in 29 games this season. The 2023 No. 8 overall pick was playing on Washington’s third line alongside Nic Dowd and Ethen Frank for the game in which he suffered his injury.
- On Dec. 17, the Philadelphia Flyers announced that forward Tyson Foerster was set to miss five months after undergoing surgery, effectively ending his 2025-26 regular season. Yesterday, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz relayed word from general manager Daniel Briere regarding Foerster’s injury timeline. Briere noted that the original announcement of five months was more of a “range” than a specific timeline, noting that Foerster’s actual recovery timeline “could be a little less” or “a little more” and that the club does not know “exactly for sure” when Foerster will be able to return. That’s not out of the ordinary given that teams can’t fully predict the future in terms of how a player’s body will respond to a recovery process, but it does provide at least a little bit of room for optimism that Foerster may not miss quite as much time as has been projected. The 23-year-old 2020 first-round pick scored 10 goals and 13 points in 21 games this season.
New Jersey Devils To Activate Jack Hughes
The New Jersey Devils are expected to receive a big boost tonight, as franchise center Jack Hughes told the media today, including NHL.com’s Mike Morreale, that he expects to be in the lineup for the team’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.
In addition, the club will see winger Timo Meier return to the lineup after a five-game absence and rookie Arseni Gritsyuk return after a four-game absence.
Hughes has not played since Nov. 15 after reportedly injuring his hand in an off-ice accident. He underwent finger surgery in the aftermath of the injury, and ended up missing 18 games. When healthy, Hughes is the Devils’ most dangerous offensive player. His 20 points in 17 games this season leads the team on a points-per-game basis, and his return should provide a massive boost to the Devils’ ability to score goals.
Despite significant injury losses, the Devils have managed to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They currently sit in the second wild-card spot, but the return of Hughes, Meier, and Gritsyuk, as well as the recent return of defenseman Brett Pesce, figures to give the team a jolt that will likely be reflected in the standings.
At the moment, it isn’t entirely clear who will slot in next to Hughes on what will undoubtedly be the Devils’ most relied-upon scoring line. Per team reporter Amanda Stein, Hughes skated with Gritsyuk on his wing in morning skate, as well as “a rotation” of veteran Stefan Noesen and Marc McLaughlin alongside them.
But seeing as not everyone was on the ice for the Devils’ optional morning skate, those practice reps should not be seen as a firm indication of where Hughes will land in head coach Sheldon Keefe’s lineup.
Hughes skated alongside Gritsyuk and Dawson Mercer in his most recent game on Nov. 12, so it’s possible Keefe will elect to reassemble that line tonight. With Hughes out, Mercer has most recently slotted in as New Jersey’s first line right winger, lining up next to captain Nico Hischier and team leading scorer Jesper Bratt.
Tampa Bay Lightning Reassign Jakob Pelletier
The Tampa Bay Lightning announced today that forward Jakob Pelletier has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.
Tampa recalled Pelletier on Saturday, and he served as a healthy scratch for the club’s comeback win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The 24-year-old 2019 first-round pick has been stellar for the Crunch this season. He leads the team in scoring with 31 points in just 24 games, a total that also ties Laval Rocket forward Laurent Dauphin for the scoring lead across the entire AHL.
Pelletier’s recall cost the Crunch their most lethal offensive player during their two-game weekend swing through Hartford and Providence. The Crunch defeated the Wolf Pack on Friday night but fell to the Bruins on Saturday, results that kept them tied with Laval for the division lead.
While he didn’t get to play during his brief stint on the Lightning’s roster, the recall did come with a marginal financial benefit for Pelletier. He signed a three-year contract with the Lightning over the summer, one that carries a $775K NHL salary across all years. While his deal has a one-way structure in year two and year three of the deal, Pelletier is playing on a two-way contract structure this season. Pelletier’s AHL salary this season is $250K, and his guarantee is $350K.
This most recent recall slightly improved Pelletier’s chances of pushing past that guarantee in terms of total compensation by the end of the season in the event that further, more lasting recalls are in store for him down the line.
Montreal Canadiens Recall Sammy Blais
The Montreal Canadiens announced today that forward Sammy Blais has been recalled from the club’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
The move appears to be a response to an injury suffered last night by veteran forward Jake Evans. Evans left the game with an apparent lower-body injury. Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reported last night that Evans would not travel with the team to Pittsburgh for their game tonight against the Penguins, and remains under evaluation. Per TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie, the Canadiens placed Evans on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss at least a week.
By recalling Blais, the Canadiens have given themselves another forward to work with as they plot their response to Evans’ injury. The recent trade acquisition of veteran pivot Phillip Danault will certainly help the team absorb any Evans injury, though it is not clear at this time if Danault will be able to play in Pittsburgh.
Evans is currently slotted in as Montreal’s third-line center, playing in between Josh Anderson and Alexandre Texier. That figures to be where Danault will eventually slot in, but if he’s not able to play tonight, the Canadiens could shuffle their lines a little bit to make room for Blais since he is not a natural center.
The Canadiens have two natural pivots on their fourth line, veteran Joe Veleno and rookie Owen Beck. The Canadiens could move Beck to center for tonight’s game, put Blais on the wing in Beck’s spot, and then elevate Veleno to Evans’ position in the event Danault can’t play tonight.
Looking at this move from Blais’ perspective, this recall is his first chance to play for the Canadiens in the regular season. He signed a one-year, league-minimum one-way deal with Montreal over the summer, but didn’t make the Canadiens’ roster out of training camp. He was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and ended up scoring three points in eight games there before landing on waivers once again.
The Canadiens claimed Blais and, as the only team to do so, were able to send him down to the AHL, where he has remained until today.
Blais won the Calder Cup with the Abbotsford Canucks last season and has a notable amount of championship experience. He won the Stanley Cup in 2019 as a member of the St. Louis Blues and scored some important goals for Canada at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championships, winning a gold medal with his country. More recently, Blais scored nine points in nine games in the AHL for the Rocket en route to today’s recall.
Buffalo Sabres Hire Marc Bergevin, Josh Flynn
9:00 a.m.: The Sabres have now officially announced both additions. Flynn’s departure was also confirmed by Columbus, who in an official statement thanked Flynn for his service to the organization.
Kekäläinen issued a statement of his own regarding the additions, saying:
Both Marc Bergevin and Josh Flynn bring a wealth of unique experience and perspective, and I am excited to welcome them to the Buffalo Sabres organization. Adding both to an already strong group adds versatility and helps us continue to build a well-rounded hockey operations staff.
Marc has firsthand experience as an NHL general manager and a track record as a strong talent evaluator at the highest level. He will be invaluable as we continue to identify and develop talent throughout the organization. Josh’s strength lies within salary cap management, analytics, contract negotiations, and scouting. Having worked alongside him in Columbus for many years, I know that his attention to detail and nuanced understanding of league processes will help enhance how we support our broader organization.
8:05 a.m.: Things appear to be moving quickly in Buffalo. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reported Sunday morning that the Sabres are hiring Flynn from the Blue Jackets. Flynn had been with Columbus since 2008, serving as assistant GM since 2019.
8:00 a.m.: The Buffalo Sabres are reportedly hiring Los Angeles Kings senior advisor Marc Bergevin to the role of associate general manager.
The move has not yet been officially announced. It was originally reported by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, whose reporting was corroborated by The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
The Sabres are in the middle of a significant amount of turnover at key leadership positions in their hockey operations department. GM Kevyn Adams was replaced in his position by former Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen.
In his first major move as GM, Kekäläinen fired associate GM Jason Karmanos, who also served as GM of the club’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Today’s reporting makes it clear that Kekäläinen has already found the person who will replace Karmanos in that role.
In Bergevin, the Sabres have found another executive with a significant amount of high-level hockey operations leadership experience. Like Kekäläinen, Bergevin has significant previous experience as a GM in the NHL, serving as GM of the Montreal Canadiens for nearly a decade, from 2012 to 2021. Before his time in Montreal, Bergevin served in numerous roles with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning a Stanley Cup as director of player personnel in 2010.
Sabres owner Terry Pegula came under significant fire for the process of how he hired Adams, picking someone to serve as GM of the struggling Sabres who had no significant prior hockey operations experience.
The hire of Bergevin further underscores what appears to be a commitment from Pegula to going in the opposite direction with his next hires. The addition of Bergevin as one of the top lieutenants of Kekäläinen’s front office gives Buffalo a deeply experienced pairing of executives at the top of the organization.
Bergevin’s nearly decade-long run as Canadiens GM made him one of the league’s more recognizable executives, and his legacy in Montreal is still debated. In some respects, his tenure was an undeniably successful one. The Canadiens instantly rebounded from a poor 2011-12 campaign to win the Northeast Division in his first season there.
Montreal reached the playoffs in four of his first five seasons as GM, even making a run to the Eastern Conference Final before an injury to star netminder Carey Price cost them a chance at seriously challenging the New York Rangers for the Prince of Wales Trophy.
Bergevin’s Canadiens struggled in the latter period of the 2010s, but ultimately returned to the playoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020-21 Canadiens went on a dramatic run to the Stanley Cup Final, winning the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl before losing the Stanley Cup to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was the Canadiens’ first trip to the Final since their victory in 1993.
Montreal fired Bergevin early in the following season as the Canadiens endured one of the worst starts to a season in franchise history. Bergevin was credited in Montreal with acting boldly and creatively to try to solve his team’s problems, an approach perhaps no better illustrated by his attempt to offer sheet Carolina Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho, or his franchise-altering trade of star defenseman P.K. Subban for future Hall of Famer Shea Weber.
Bergevin made numerous transactions that paid significant dividends for the Canadiens, and one could make the argument that he “won” far more trades than he “lost.” His tenure was littered with savvy moves, such as when he acquired future captain Nick Suzuki (among other assets) in a trade for Max Pacioretty, acquired Phillip Danault and the pick that became Alexander Romanov for two rental wingers in Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise; or when in January 2020, he traded a fourth-round pick for Marco Scandella, only to flip Scandella a few months later and receive a second-round pick (and a fourth-rounder) in return.
But with those big moves, many of which worked out for Montreal, also come a few high-profile mistakes. His major free agent signing of Karl Alzner was nothing short of a disaster, and his move to trade Mikhail Sergachev for Jonathan Drouin did not age well.
Bergevin also came under fire later in his tenure as GM for reportedly failing to “modernize” the Canadiens’ hockey operations department. The team reportedly lagged behind its peers in terms of the modernization, as Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reported in 2022 that the Canadiens did not have an in-house analytics department or at the time employ a dedicated skills coach.
From the Sabres’ perspective, the positives and negatives of Bergevin’s Canadiens tenure aren’t hugely relevant. What matters most is what Bergevin will be able to bring to Buffalo in his capacity as associate GM, and the key thing he’ll offer Kekäläinen is an immense amount of high-level hockey operations decision-making experience.
Kekäläinen’s work is far from over, as The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported yesterday that the Sabres requested permission from Columbus to speak with assistant GM Josh Flynn, someone Kekäläinen worked closely with during his days running the Blue Jackets. According to LeBrun, permission was granted.
Flynn’s background is specifically within hockey administration, and in Columbus, Flynn is responsible for leading “salary cap management” and “contract negotiation,” according to his listing on the team website.
After firing Karmanos, the Sabres have two remaining assistant GMs on the staff who are holdovers from the Adams regime: Jerry Forton, who oversees amateur scouting, and Mark Jakubowski, who per Fairburn “mostly handles contracts.” It remains to be seen if Kekäläinen’s plans for his front office involve any other departures, or only just additions such as Bergevin’s.
There is no clarity at this time as to what major responsibilities Bergevin will hold in the Sabres front office. Karmanos’ significant responsibility was building and managing the AHL’s Americans, and it’s unclear whether Bergevin will directly take on that role.
Photos courtesy of Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski Out Day-To-Day
The Columbus Blue Jackets suffered a tough loss to the Anaheim Ducks last night, falling 4-3 after a late game-winning goal by Ducks center Mason McTavish. But perhaps even worse than the final result was an apparent injury suffered by Zach Werenski, the Blue Jackets’ best and most important player.
Werenski blocked a shot from Anaheim’s Troy Terry with a little over two minutes left in yesterday’s game, and he needed to be helped off of the ice while in what appeared to be quite a bit of pain. After the game, Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason did not have any update on Werenski’s status, but this morning The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reported that “X-rays late Saturday in Anaheim confirmed” that there were “no broken bones” in Werenski’s right leg, and as a result, he is “considered day-to-day.”
It goes without saying that any longer-term loss of Werenski would have dealt a significant blow to Columbus’ hopes of staying in the Eastern Conference’s playoff race. At the moment, the Blue Jackets sit last in the conference with 34 points in 35 games, and are seven points behind the New Jersey Devils for the final wild-card spot.
Werenski is a force for the Blue Jackets, someone whose presence is felt in all aspects of the game. Last season’s Norris Trophy runner-up leads the team in scoring this season with 40 points in 35 games. His 40 points are tied with Cale Makar for the scoring lead among blueliners this year. The two are in a league of their own when it comes to offense this year. The No. 3 defenseman in terms of scoring this season, Edmonton Oilers blueliner Evan Bouchard, is seven points behind Makar and Werenski.
Werenski’s value to the Blue Jackets is more than just his scoring. He averages almost 27 minutes of ice time per game, quarterbacking the team’s efforts on the power play and playing a secondary role on the penalty kill. Werenski is No. 2 in the NHL in time on ice per game.
Columbus plays tomorrow in Los Angeles, and if Werenski can’t dress against the Kings, he’d be extremely difficult for Columbus to attempt to replace. His role on the top power play unit would likely be filled by veteran Damon Severson, who has 10 points in 35 games this season, and second-year blueliner Denton Mateychuk figures to see a bump in overall ice time in the event Werenski is sidelined.
That Werenski appears to have avoided a longer-term injury is great news for not just Columbus, but also USA Hockey. He’s expected to be one of the key defensemen on the United States’ team for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. With the tournament now under two months away, any longer-term injury would have seriously threatened his availability for those games. Based on today’s reporting, it appears Werenski’s availability for those games is not under any threat.
Minnesota Wild Recall David Spacek
The Minnesota Wild announced today that David Spacek has been recalled their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild. In a corresponding move, Daemon Hunt has been placed on IR.
The move comes just a day after the Wild recalled another young blueliner: 2021 first-round pick Carson Lambos. Minnesota is dealing with some injuries on its defense, namely to veterans Jonas Brodin, Jacob Middleton, and Zach Bogosian, as well as the aforementioned Hunt.
Adding Spacek alongside Lambos, who shoots left, gives Wild head coach John Hynes an additional right-shot defenseman to work with. The 22-year-old, who is the son of former NHLer Jaroslav Spacek, is a draft-and-develop success story for the Wild. He was selected in the fifth round, No. 153 overall, at the 2022 Entry Draft.
While he’s yet to make his NHL debut, this isn’t his first call-up. Spacek was recalled in early November, but was sent down five days later after serving as a healthy scratch for the team’s Nov. 11 game against the San Jose Sharks.
Now in his third campaign playing pro hockey, Spacek has emerged as a call-up option for the Wild. He’s climbed the team’s organizational depth chart in that period. The former QMJHL star had an up-and-down rookie professional campaign, scoring only 12 points and spending a little bit of time in the ECHL. But Spacek took a major step forward in 2024-25, scoring 31 points and establishing himself as a two-way, top-four AHL force.
Entering the season, both The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler and the team at Elite Prospects ranked Spacek as the No. 11 prospect in the Wild’s system, with Wheeler saying specifically that Spacek is “on a path to becoming a No. 5-7 D.” David St-Louis, lead scout at Elite Prospects, wrote at the time that “Spacek could give the Wild some good games as a call-up.”
Spacek has now earned another call-up to the Wild’s roster, so it’s possible that St-Louis’ prediction could come true in short order. Should Spacek get the chance to make his NHL debut, he’ll do so in relatively favorable circumstances. The Wild are on a roll, winning five consecutive games and going 7-2-1 in their last ten.
Minnesota lined up with a third pairing of Matt Kiersted and David Jiricek on Tuesday. Kiersted has played in just two NHL games this season and is a candidate to be replaced in the lineup by Lambos.
The Wild have a significantly higher level of organizational investment in Jiricek compared to Kiersted, which may help him stay in the lineup. Minnesota dealt a slate of draft picks, including a 2025 first-rounder, 2027 second-rounder, and 2026 third-rounder, to acquire Jiricek last November. But seeing as he hasn’t registered a point through 15 games and is averaging 12:28 time on ice per game, he could be the right-shot defenseman to exit the lineup in the event the club wants Spacek to make his NHL debut.
New York Islanders Recall Marshall Warren
The New York Islanders have recalled defenseman Marshall Warren from the club’s AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders.
The move comes shortly after the Islanders reassigned blueliner Travis Mitchell to Bridgeport after a nine-game recall. Mitchell is one NHL game away from becoming eligible for waivers, so reassigning him yesterday kept New York from potentially needing to expose him to waivers down the line if he was reassigned at a different, later point.
Like Mitchell, Warren also made his NHL debut in 2025-26. Warren was first recalled on Oct. 25 and ended up playing in two games for the Islanders before he was sent down on Oct. 28. Warren made an instant impact in his NHL debut, registering two assists in the club’s shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He skated 12:56 in the team’s following game before he was returned to the AHL.
Warren was also recalled in November, but didn’t dress for any games, instead serving as a healthy scratch for three contests. A 2019 sixth-round pick of the Minnesota Wild, Warren had a four-year NCAA career at Boston College before spending his final season of college hockey at Michigan. He scored 17 points in 53 games last season, his first playing pro hockey, and has 12 points through 17 games in the AHL this season.
He’s playing out the final year of his entry-level contract, one that pays him a $775K base salary at the NHL level and a $75K salary at the AHL level, with a $50K signing bonus. He’ll be an RFA with arbitration rights in the summer unless he signs an extension before that point.
Mitchell played on the left side of the Islanders’ third pairing alongside veteran Scott Mayfield, so his reassignment yesterday opened a spot in head coach Patrick Roy’s lineup. But Newsday’s Andrew Gross reported today that Adam Boqvist skated alongside Mayfield during practice, signaling that Warren is likely to begin his recall as a healthy scratch, at least for tomorrow’s game against the Canucks. Boqvist, the 2018 No. 8 overall pick, has been a healthy scratch in nine of the Islanders’ last 10 games.
Maple Leafs Assign Marshall Rifai To AHL On Conditioning Loan
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that defenseman Marshall Rifai has been assigned to the club’s AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, on a conditioning loan.
Rifai has spent the entirety of this season so far on long-term injured reserve after undergoing wrist surgery in September. He sustained the injury during a preseason contest against the Montreal Canadiens. The 27-year-old didn’t play any NHL games in 2024-25, but was looking to make a push for consideration to land on the NHL roster this year. His injury stopped him from making his case in preseason and training camp, but now he appears to be nearing a return to full health.
Rifai will be able to spend up to 14 days or five games, whichever comes first, on this conditioning loan. For Rifai to be eligible for reassignment to the Marlies on a permanent basis, he will need to clear waivers.
The 6’2″, 211-pound defenseman was an undrafted signing out of Harvard University that Toronto made in 2022. He scored 16 points and logged 118 penalty minutes in his AHL rookie campaign in 2022-23 and earned his first two NHL games in 2023-24, the only two NHL games of his career thus far.
While Toronto has had to deal with several defensive injuries so far in 2025-26, it’s unclear whether those absences will be enough to secure Rifai a spot on the NHL roster. Given his level of experience thus far, it feels as though the far likelier outcome is that he lands on waivers for reassignment to the Marlies permanently.
The fact that Rifai is signed to a one-way $775K AAV contract with an additional year of term on it does make it likelier that, in the event that he is waived, he’ll be able to clear.
While a team such as the Maple Leafs, who are one of the most deep-pocketed teams in the NHL, can afford to pay NHL salaries to key AHL call-up options, other clubs simply don’t have the same level of financial muscle and therefore are more frugal when it comes to expenditures on AHL players.
This impacts a team’s ability to protect its waiver-eligible depth from claims by rival teams, as players with a lower financial commitment required are often seen as more suitable, low-risk candidates to be claimed on waivers.
To illustrate this reality, one can take a look at the nearby Buffalo Sabres, as there is a clear comparable defenseman to Rifai: former Quinnipiac Bobcat Zach Metsa. Like Rifai, Metsa is also a 27-year-old undrafted player who signed out of the NCAA. While Rifai has an additional full year of AHL experience, which does matter, Metsa did have a notably superior college career. He captained Quinnipiac to a national championship and won numerous individual honors.
Both Metsa and Rifai are playing on two-year extensions and spent all of 2024-25 in the AHL; Metsa scored 46 points in 69 games as a two-way blueliner while Rifai scored 13 points in 63 games as more of a defensively-oriented, physical blueliner.
Despite their generally comparable levels of experience and Metsa’s arguably more pronounced level of on-ice value in the AHL, Rifai earned a one-way deal in each year of his extension, while Metsa got a two-way structure on his extension.
Metsa’s deal pays him $250K at the AHL level in its first year and has a $325K guarantee for 2026-27. Rifai, as mentioned, will make $775K per year over the course of his deal, regardless of what level he is rostered at.
There are some notable differences between the two players, to be clear, and one could make the argument that Rifai’s play style is more in line with what a team might be looking for out of a call-up option. But the differences in their levels of compensation do nonetheless serve as a useful illustration of the unique financial muscle the Maple Leafs are able to flex to help them build organizational depth.
While the NHL salary cap does limit player expenditure at the highest level, Rifai is an example of how a wealthier team can leverage its deeper pockets to create team-building advantages for itself on the margins.
As a result, if Toronto does end up waiving Rifai at some point down the line now that he is nearing a return from injury, the contract they gave him will most likely contribute to him clearing.