Sharks’ Michael Misa Out Week-To-Week
The San Jose Sharks will be without the ace up their sleeves for the next few games. Rookie winger Michael Misa is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury sustained during practice, head coach Ryan Warsofsky told Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News (subscription required). Warsofsky emphasized that the medical staff was confident Misa’s recovery will only take a few weeks. He also said that the Sharks will continue to use video coaching and light skates to focus on Misa’s development.
Misa, the 2025 second-overall pick, has been rotated in-and-out of the lineup through the start of his NHL career. He has one goal and three points in seven games. More importantly, he’s posted five blocked shots and a 52.6 faceoff percentage. Those are positive signs of Misa’s adjustment to the NHL, especially on a Sharks team that’s allowed the sixth-most goals this season.
Misa is a true star prospect, coming off a near goal-per-game season in the OHL last year. He finished the season with 62 goals and 134 points in 65 games, the second-most from a draft-year OHL player since 2000, behind Patrick Kane‘s 145 points in 2006-07. San Jose’s lineup won’t be much affected by Misa’s absence, given his rotating role and Ryan Reaves‘ return from injury, but making sure their latest top-pick stays on the track will remain top priority.
Working through a frustrating injury and returning to a strong role in the lineup could be enough to earn Misa a crack at minutes in the top-six, or on the powerplay. He has been held out of both groups so far, but created a dynamic fourth-line alongside fellow rookie Collin Graf and veteran Adam Gaudette. The trio spent 20 minutes of even-strength ice-time together across three games in mid-October and outscored their opponents three-to-zero. Misa recorded a point on all three goals, stretched across a brief three-game point streak. It has become clear that the Sharks want to make Misa earn his path to top minutes, but his success in a depth role is an encouraging sign of things to come. He’ll jump right back into that climb up the lineup on the other side of the first injury of his career.
Flyers Recall Carl Grundstrom
The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled forward Carl Grundstrom from the AHL. This is Grundstrom’s first call-up in Philadelphia, after joining the organization via trade earlier this month. He was moved alongside defense prospect Artem Guryev in a deal that sent Ryan Ellis’ $6.25MM cap hit, and a 2026 sixth-round pick, to the San Jose Sharks.
The Flyers waived Grundstrom on the same day that they acquired him. That set the 27-year-old up for his first prolonged stint in the minor-leagues since 2020. He’s done well with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, recording three goals, six points, and a plus-four in 11 games.
Grundstrom previously won a Calder Cup Championship with the 2018 Toronto Marlies. He joined the ring-winning squad as only two games of the regular season, then torched the postseason for 14 points in 20 games. Grundstrom maintained the hot scoring through the next two AHL seasons, ultimately earning his NHL debut with the Los Angeles Kings in March of 2019. Since then, Grundstrom has totaled 43 goals and 76 points in 292 NHL games. His single-season best sits at 12 goals and 19 points, scored in 57 games of the Kings’ 2022-23 season.
Recalling Grundstrom will help the Flyers fill their extra-forward role after assigning Jacob Gaucher to the minors. Gaucher recently played in three games with Philadelphia, but managed no scoring and a minus-one in the efforts. Grundstrom’s recent AHL scoring streak – five points in his last three games – could bring a major spark over the minimal scoring offered by Gaucher and Rodrigo Abols, who has no scoring in nine games.
Golden Knights Activate Noah Hanifin Off IR
11/4: Vegas has officially activated Hanifin off of IR ahead of Tuesday night’s game versus the Detroit Red Wings. The top defenseman is expected to play after taking a full practice with the club Tuesday morning, per Jason Pothier of SinBin Vegas.
11/2: The Vegas Golden Knights are planning to have defenseman Noah Hanifin return to the game lineup for Tuesday’s matchup against the Detroit Red Wings, per Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Hanifin hasn’t played since Vegas’ season opener on October 8th. He’s missed the last 10 games with a lower-body injury, but returned to Vegas’ practices in a full contact jersey on Sunday, adds Webster.
Hanifin played 24 minutes of ice time in his sole game on the season – a shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings. He managed three shots and a minus-one in the outing. It appeared Hanifin was going to be heavily leaned on in the wake of a long-term injury to Alex Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights deployed him next to the burly Zach Whitecloud, offering a defensive cushion that could have spurred Hanifin’s offense. The 29-year-old defender scored 10 goals and 39 points in 80 games with Vegas last season. That production brought him up to 12 goals and 51 points across 99 games in the Vegas organization. His career year currently stands as the 2021-22 season, when he scored 10 goals and 48 points in 81 games with the Calgary Flames.
The Golden Knights will have to juggle their blue-line to fit Hanifin back into the fold. They’re expected to remove Ben Hutton from the lineup in favor of Jeremy Lauzon, despite Hutton sitting higher on the depth chart. Lauzon leads the Golden Knights with 41 hits, and ranks fourth on the team with 16 blocked shots. He’ll continue to bring that physical presence, while Hanifin looks to join Kaedan Korczak as the only Golden Knights defenseman to score a goal this season.
Penguins Announce Multiple Roster Moves
The Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted around their roster. Most notably, reigning AHL ‘Goalie of the Month’ Sergei Murashov has been recalled to the NHL lineup. Pittsburgh has also recalled forward Danton Heinen and defenseman Ryan Graves. To make space for those moves, the Penguins have placed forwards Noel Acciari and Justin Brazeau, and goaltender Tristan Jarry, on injured reserve. They have also assigned defenseman Owen Pickering to the minor-leagues.
These moves will most notably provide updates on the injuries to Acciari and Brazeau. Acciari left Pittsburgh’s Monday loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first period. It wasn’t exactly clear when he sustained his injury, though the team designated it as an upper-body injury. He only played in two shifts before the injury. Brazeau sustained his injury in last Thursday’s win over the Minnesota Wild. He was designated as out day-to-day with an upper-body injury, but will now be forced to miss a third-straight game on Thursday.
Despite clarity around Acciari and Brazeau, there seems to be no indication of exactly what Jarry is facing. He heads to IR with an undisclosed injury and will be forced to sit out of at least the next three games. In the interim, Arturs Silovs will serve as Pittsburgh’s starting goaltender, while Murashov steps in as backup.
That’s incredibly exciting for the red-hot Murashov, who has posted an impressive 1.67 goals-against-average across his last three games. He sits with a .931 save percentage and 1.73 goals-against-average in seven games this season – both the highest in the league among goalies with more than five starts. Murashov has truly looked the part, taking full advantage of a clear starter’s role while Joel Blomqvist recovers from injury. That performance will now earn the 21-year-old Russian his first chance at an NHL role. Murashov posted a .913 Sv% and 2.64 GAA in 16 AHL games, and a .922 Sv% and 2.40 GAA in 26 ECHL games, last season. He’s a sharp bet who Pittsburgh could be eager to test out.
Backing this slew of moves is a shift at the bottom of Pittsburgh’s lineup. Pickering will head to the minor-leagues after posting no scoring and a minus-three in four games on his latest NHL recall. He’s been a stronger play in the minors, where he’s racked up four points and a plus-four in seven games. Replacing Pickering will be Graves, who racked up three points and 13 shots on goal in his last four AHL games. He now sits with seven points and a plus-nine in 10 games on the AHL season, and will be rwarded with a chance to fill bottom-pair minutes for Pittsburgh.
Heinen will fill an opening left by Brazeau. He leads the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in scoring with five goals and 14 points in 10 games. That includes a recent six-game scoring streak that saw him rack up 12 points. Heinen is a veteran of nine NHL seasons. He’s amassed 96 goals and 241 points in 566 career appearances, including a career-best of 16 goals and 47 points in 77 games with the 2017-18 Boston Bruins.
Capitals Promote Tim Barnes To Assistant General Manager
The Washington Capitals have promoted Tim Barnes to an Assistant General Manager position. He had previously served as the team’s Director of Analytics since the 2017-18 season, and filled an analyst role from 2014 to 2017.
Barnes graduated from the University of Calgary in 1989 and worked in the oil and gas, petrochemical, and financial industries. Throughout those jobs, he became one of the hockey world’s earliest analytics-bloggers, covering early advanced statistics under the pseudonym ‘Vic Ferrari’. Barnes covered an array of topics, but most notably invented the statistics of ‘Corsi’ and ‘Fenwick’ – which track shot attempts on net. Both values count all goals, shots on goal, and missed shots – though Corsi also tracks blocked shots.
The invention of Barnes’ two stats was, in many ways, the precipice of hockey analytics as they’re seen today. It brought shrewd attention towards the importance of generating shots, and dangerous scoring chances, that would eventually, directly lead to the creation of expected-goal models. Barnes’ website ‘timeonice.com’, now defunct, was also a main contributor in the advent of league-wide, advanced analytics tracking in the 2007-08 season.
To the world of hockey statisticians, Barnes’ hire in Washington was cause for celebration in 2014. That excitement will follow him as he takes yet another step up the org chart. He will become one of three assistant general managers in the Capitals organization, alongside Ross Mahoney and Don Fishman. Barnes will undoutbedly handle statistical oversight, while Mahoney handles Washington’s drafting and Fishman handles roster management. The three align with general manager Chris Patrick, who worked to the top chair himself after three years as an assistant GM.
Flames’ Prospect Henry Mews Suffers Season-Ending Injury
Calgary Flames prospect and University of Michigan defenseman Henry Mews will miss the rest of the season with a lower-body injury, per Matthew Auchincloss of The Michigan Daily. Mews was on the receiving end of a knee-to-knee hit delivered by University of Notre Dame forward Sutter Muzzatti on Saturday. The hit came in the first period, behind Michigan’s net. Mews was on the ice for a moment after but did get to the bench and down the tunnel under his own power.
Mews is among the Flames’ top prospects. To many, he’s already outgrown his third-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, after being highly acclaimed for much of the prior year. He’s a high-motor, offensive-defenseman who excels at pushing the puck down the ice and creating plays on the blue-line. That talent earned Mews 82 points in 68 OHL games last season, second-most of any OHL defender behind ‘Defenseman of the Year’ Sam Dickinson.
That standing made Mews one of the top CHL talents to commit to the NCAA following the rule change this summer. He was expected to be an instant impact on Michigan’s blue-line, and lived up to the hype early on. Mews had nine assists and a plus-five through nine games before going down with injury, including four points in four games against tough opponents Notre Dame and Western Michigan University. His aggressive offensive immediately clicked with Michigan’s downhill style, and Mews looked noticeably stronger and more confident defensively than last season.
He was riding a four-game point-streak entering Saturday’s matchup. His promising start makes a painful, and long-term, injury all the tougher to bear. Now, it will stick as the silver lining to a missed year, and fuel confidence in Mews’ ability to take on a top-pair role in his sophomore season. The Wolverines – who are carrying an unusual 11 defensemen on their roster – will most likely turn towards Anaheim Ducks prospect Drew Schock, and undrafted defenders Matthew Mania and Hunter Hady, to step up in Mews’ absence.
Rangers Recall Jaroslav Chmelar, Assign Brennan Othmann
The New York Rangers have swapped rookies on the NHL roster. They have recalled right-winger Jaroslav Chmelar from the AHL, while reassigning left-winger Brennan Othmann back to the minor-leagues.
Othmann has been a healthy scratch for the last three games, after making his NHL season debut last Sunday. He managed no scoring and a minus-one in the outing, and generally failed to impress in his limited 12 minutes of ice time. The match was Othman’s 26th game in the Rangers lineup, dating back to the 2023-24 season. He’s recorded two assists and a plus-six through his early career, but still hasn’t found his first NHL goal. In fact, Othmann is still searching for his first goal of the AHL season as well, so far sitting on one assist in four games with the Hartford Wolf Pack. He was a major piece of the Wolf Pack lineup last season, when he managed 12 goals and 20 points in 27 games.
With the shoot-first Othmann headed back to the minors, New York will bring up the imposing size of Chmelar. The Czechia native has five points through nine games to start Hartford’s season, tying him for third on the team in scoring. He finished fifth on the Wolf Pack in scoring as an AHL rookie last season, netting 12 goals and 29 points in 71 games. Standing at 6-foot-5, 220-pounds, Chmelar offers the hard-nosed physicality that’s become much more accustom to the Rangers’ bottom-six. He could be an interesting addition as New York looks to address a long-term injury to enforcer Matt Rempe. Chmelar would be making his NHL debut if he cracked into the Rangers’ lineup. He has scored 36 points in 87 AHL games, and 28 points in 59 NCAA games, through his young hockey career.
Sharks Shake Up Lineup With Wlliam Eklund Out, Timothy Liljegren Back
The San Jose Sharks will once again shake up their lineup in the hours ahead of gametime. Top winger William Eklund is out with a lower-body injury, while Timothy Liljegren wil lreturn from a short-term absence, per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. The Sharks will operate with 11 forwards and seven defensemen on Sunday, with Ethan Cardwell stepping into the bottom-six for rookie Michael Misa.
Few players would be harder to lose than Eklund. He ranks second on the Sharks with five goals and 11 points through 12 games, only behind Macklin Celebrini (seven goals, 18 points). Eklund has averaged nearly 20 minutes of ice time through the early season, and played as much as 25:29 in a recent overtime win versus the Minnesota Wild. He’s returned as a core piece of the Sharks offense this season, after posting a career-year with 17 goals and 58 points in 77 games last season. His role in the lineup, and performance on the scoresheet, both continue to grow.
That will leave San Jose with an important decision as they reshape the lineup. Collin Graf should be the biggest beneficiary, moving into a top-six that also features Tyler Toffoli and Philipp Kurashev in heavy-use roles. Graf has only scored three points in 11 games this season, but his lack of offense could be offset by Kurashev, who has a dazzling seven points in his last four games.
Still, the need to replace Eklund’s offense makes the decision to scratch Msia all the more confusing. The reigning second-overall pick had a three-game point-streak between October 21st and October 26th, though hasn’t managed any scoring in his last two games. He has, however, offered up a 52.6 percent faceoff win-rate, third-highest among Sharks centers. Misa has experience at center, and on the wing, and could have been an interesting bet for top-six minutes in light of Eklund’s injury. Instead, San Jose will turn towards depth forward and grinder Cardwell, who has four points and 10 penalty minutes in seven AHL games. Cardwell was recalled on Sunday morning in a corresponding move to Ryan Reaves‘ placement on injured reserve.
The Sharks will find a silver lining in the return of Liljegren, who has served in a top-pair role for much of the season. Liljegren has only scored three points in nine games, but he and D-partner Dmitry Orlov have posted the best goal-differential of any Sharks pairing at even-strength. Getting him back into the fold after just one game out will be a major relief. Liljegren exited Saturday’s game in the first period, after a puck was deflected into the bunch and hit him in the face.
San Jose will return Liljegren to the lineup alongside rookie Sam Dickinson, who will play in his 10th game of the season. Dickinson hasn’t yet found his first NHL point through nine games. He should be rotated into favorable situations, while Liljegren steps back into an important role next to Orlov.
Flyers’ Tyson Foerster Out, Sean Couturier Returns
The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that winger Tyson Foerster will miss Sunday night’s game versus the Calgary Flames with a lower-body injury. Foerster played through Philadelphia’s Saturday loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but will now need to miss at least a few days. Head coach Rick Tocchet said Foerster will need to miss at least a few games, per Charlie O’Connor of All PHLY Sports.
Foerster will be replaced by the return of Flyers captain Sean Couturier, who sat out on Saturday after leaving Thursday’s game in the first period. Couturier sustained an upper-body injury after a shot from teammate Noah Juulsen caught him up high.
The Flyers will trade one top scorer for another with this news. Couturier has managed nine points in 10 games this season, more than any other Flyer except for Trevor Zegras, who has 13 points in 11 games. Foerster ranks third on the team in scoring, with seven points in 11 games. But while Philadelphia won’t lose much firepower with this swap, they will need to shuffle their lines around to fit their top-center back in. Couturier is expected to take over Zegras’ role centering Owen Tippett and Matvei Michkov, while Zegras fills Foerster’s role on the second-line wing. This shuffling will notably benefit Noah Cates, who should solidify a top-six center role for the time being.
Despite three games of four-or-more goals, the Flyers offense has only averaged 2.67 goals-per-game across their last week, and three games, of action. Bringing back top playmaker Couturier and spreading their top scorers across multiple lines could be enough to turn those tides. They face a hot-and-cold matchups over their next five game, with matchups against the bottom-dwelling Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators offset by bouts with the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Edmonton Oilers.
Sharks Recall Ethan Cardwell, Place Ryan Reaves On IR
The San Jose Sharks have placed winger Ryan Reaves on injured reserve and used the spot to recall winger Ethan Cardwell, per the NHL roster report and Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. Reaves sustained a lower-body injury in Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils. He sat out of Saturday’s win over the Colorado Avalanche. Now, Reaves will also be forced to miss at least the next two games.
The Sharks have spent the season rotating 16-year-pro Reaves in-and-out of the lineup with reigning second-overall pick Michael Misa. Reaves has racked up two goals, two fights, and a minus-three through 10 games. He’s already matched the two points he scored in 35 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. Reaves is a pure physical presence, and ranks sixth among all active players in career penalty minutes (1,110).
Cardwell will now step up to fill Reaves’ rotating role on the fourth line. He has managed two goals, four points, and 10 penalty minutes through seven AHL games this season. That production ranks Cardwell fifth on the San Jose Barracuda in scoring. Two players ranked above him have more NHL experience – Cameron Lund, who played in 11 NHL games last season, and Colin White, who has 323 NHL games to his name. The Sharks opt for Cardwell over either of those two, likely thanks to his persistence for making plays in the dirty areas of the ice. That drive, and a chippy style, would be welcome on San Jose’s fourth line.
But first, Cardwell will have to break into the lineup. Misa should keep his stake in the lineup with Reaves out. The rookie has generated three points and 11 shots on net over his last five games. He’s also posted an impressive 58.3 faceoff percentage on 24 draws. Should that production be enough to keep Misa in, Cardwell would be left sparring with Ty Dellandrea and Barclay Goodrow for bottom-line minutes.