Mammoth Reassign Danil But
The Utah Mammoth have assigned rookie winger Danil But to the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners ahead of the NHL’s three-week break for the 2026 Winter Olympics. But received his first extended run in the NHL lineup after a call-up in mid-December – but earned a healthy scratch in Utah’s latest game. The Mammoth will now stick to that decision with one game left on the docket before the break.
But has gone through ups-and-downs through what is officially his rookie year in the NHL. He didn’t manage any scoring through his first six games, then pulled together seven points in 17 games, before landing in another scoring drought over his last five games. He has rotated throughout the lineup accordingly, filling roles from the second-line to the fourth-line.
Now, But will return head for his first minior-leagues games since December. He scored eight goals and 17 points in 19 games with the Roadrunners to start the year. That mark ranks third on the Roadrunners’ offense in points-per-game (0.89) behind Ben McCartney (0.98) and Cameron Hebig (0.92). Even with struggles at the top flight, the Russian rookie has adjusted well to North American pros after scoring 28 points in 54 games with 2025 KHL champions and hometown club Yaroslavl Lokomotiv last season. He should step right back into a top role with the Roadrunners, who play seven games before the Mammoth return on February 25th.
Golden Knights Place Jonas Rondbjerg On IR
2/2/26: The Golden Knights have placed Rondbjerg on injured reserve, according to Sin Bin Vegas.
Additionally, both Coghlan and Laczynski have been reassigned to AHL Henderson. Rondbjerg is out with an undisclosed injury, presumably suffered during yesterday’s game against the Ducks. Coghlan didn’t get to dress for any games during this recall, while Laczynski was able to get into the Golden Knights’ game yesterday. He played 7:35 in Vegas’ loss to the Ducks.
1/30/26: The Vegas Golden Knights have brought two players up to the NHL club with four games remaining before the Winter Olympics break. Forward Jonas Rondbjerg and defenseman Dylan Coghlan have both been recalled, while forward Tanner Laczynski has been reassigned.
Coghlan was assigned to the AHL just hours before the Henderson Silver Knights’ Wednesday game. The defenseman went on to score both goals in the team’s 2-1 overtime win. He has alternated between the NHL and AHL lineups over his last four games, after earning his first call-up of the season earlier this month. He ranks third on the Silver Knights’ blue-line in scoring with 18 points in 30 games. Coghlan hasn’t scored yet in two NHL games this season. The pair of games were his first with Vegas since the 2021-22 season, when he scored 13 points in 59 games with the Golden Knights. Coghlan spent the last three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets, where he combined for three points in 24 NHL games.
Rondbjerg has also rotated between lineups throughout the season. He ranks second on Henderson in scoring with 12 goals and 23 points in 36 games. He has also scored one assist in two NHL games this season. Rondbjerg has served as one of Vegas’ go-to call-ups for the last five seasons. He has notched 11 points and eight penalty minutes in 78 NHL games in that span, to go with 142 points and 54 PIMs in 269 AHL games.
Coghlan and Rondbjerg will bring some assured depth to the Golden Knights’ roster in their last slate before an extended break. Vegas is currently facing injuries to William Karlsson, Brett Howden, Brandon Saad, and Colton Sissons – leaving notable holes in the forward group. That should be enough to earn Rondbjerg a fourth-line role in place of Laczynski, while Coghlan will likely serve as the team’s extra defenseman. Meanwhile, Henderson will welcome the return of top-scorer Laczynski, who has 35 points in 32 AHL games this season.
Latest On Artemi Panarin
Jan. 31st: On Saturday Headlines, Friedman expanded on his reporting from 32 Thoughts. According to the Sportsnet insider, the Hurricanes, Red Wings, Panthers, Kings, Sharks, and Capitals are interested in acquiring Panarin with an extension, with varying degrees of interest. Additionally, Friedman shared that the Ducks, Avalanche, and Stars are attempting to convince Panarin’s camp to join their respective clubs without an extension in place, treating him solely as a rental for a postseason run.
Jan. 30th: A trade market is neatly coming together after the New York Rangers announced their plan to hold star winger Artemi Panarin out of the lineup until the Olympic break. Nearly every team in the league is weighing their chances to land the former 100-point scorer, though some are getting caught up on the contingency that any trade must come with a contract extension. The market, and the hangups, were outlined by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas in the latest 32 Thoughts podcast episode.
Most notably, it appears many of the league’s frequent buyers will be priced out by Panarin’s extension. That is the case for each of Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas, and Florida – though the player does have interest in joining the back-to-back Stanley Cup-winning Panthers. Panarin’s priority seems to be an extension rather than a championship, which should mean a new buyer in what’s sure to be one of the biggest trades in recent history.
While cap space is a barrier for many, building a proper trade package has proven to be an issue for the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings have leaned into stocking their cupboard of draft picks with recent moves and hold 10 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft as a result. But those pieces won’t be enough to build value next to a shallow Kings prospect pool. Meanwhile, player interest appears to be the issue for the Seattle Kraken, who are hoping to move Shane Wright for a top-six star per Friedman.
Through the fog, the Washington Capitals are emerging as early favorites. The Capitals are reportedly open to a contract extension and believed to be aggressively pursuing a deal that will work. Washington is projected to have $35.73MM in cap space this summer, per PuckPedia. That is more than enough to award Panarin with a salary at, or above, $10MM-per-season while still having the room to re-sign restricted free agent Connor McMichael.
More than that, the Capitals have the future capital to build an enticing return. Their prospect pool is led by NHL rookie Ryan Leonard, who played on a line with Rangers top prospect Gabriel Perreault for four years straight in junior hockey. Washington also has flashy scorer Andrew Cristall, productive big men Ilya Protas and Eriks Mateiko, and first-round picks Lynden Lakovic and Terik Parascak in their prospect pool. While it’s likely that multiple of those players are on Washington’s list of untouchables, the chance to make a Cup heave with Panarin could be enough to force their hand.
Friedman and Bukauskas also spoke about Panarin headed to the San Jose Sharks, adding that the player is interested in a move to the up-and-comers. San Jose making a major, veteran addition would be a major surprise. The Sharks have ranked in the bottom-three of the Western Conference in each of the last six seasons – but now find themselves in playoff contention on the back of young stars like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Adding Panarin could be their chance to catch lightning in a bottle and give the 34-year-old winger a chance at a few more years of meaningful hockey.
Panarin has continued to demand respect into this season. He leads the Rangers in scoring with 19 goals and 57 points in 52 games, despite the team ranking in the bottom-six of goals scored. Panarin reached 37 goals and 89 points in 80 games last season. It was his encore performance after he vindicated back-to-back 90-point seasons with a career-best 49 goals and 120 points in the 2023-24 season. He has averaged 35 goals and 100 points per 82 games played since turning 30 in 2021. With no signs of slowing down, it appears he’ll be worth the groundbreaking trade package he seems certain to land before the Trade Deadline. This move will push New York firmly into a rebuild, and could push a new name into the group of Stanley Cup contenders.
Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.
Devils’ Jack Hughes Out, Olympic Status Believed To Be Unaffected
Saturday: The Devils announced that Hughes won’t play against Ottawa and that he’s officially listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Friday: The New Jersey Devils will once again move forward without a star forward. Jack Hughes is back on the shelf after leaving Thursday’s win over the Nashville Predators early. Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said that the team has no update on Hughes’ injury, other than to mention that he will undergo further testing, per team reporter Amanda Stein. Hughes is not expected to travel with the team to Saturday’s game in Ottawa. The Devils return for a two-game homestand at the start of next week, before the NHL enters its three-week break for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Despite the poor timing, Hughes’ availability for the Olympics is not believed to be in doubt, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Hughes will undoubtedly be a focal piece of the Team USA roster, if healthy. The 24-year-old captained the U.S. National Team Development Program prior to his first-overall selection in 2019, but hasn’t had many chances to appear with USA since then, due to injury and playoff appearances. Hughes recorded one assist in four games at the 2025 4-Nations Face-Off – his first appearance with the country’s men’s team since making the NHL.
Hughes has remained an electric piece of New Jersey’s offense when he’s on the ice. He has scored 36 points in 36 games this season, making him the only Devil still scoring at a point-per-game pace. Hughes has met that scoring mark in each of the last five seasons. He scored 56 points in 49 games of the 2021-22 season, then set a franchise record with 99 points in 78 games of the 2022-23 campaign. Those performances served as his breakout years – but routine injury has kept the star forward from becoming the first Devil to break the century scoring mark.
Hughes has averaged 39 goals and 96 points per 82 games played over the last five seasons. He has also averaged 25 missed games per season in that span. Injury has been a recurring challenge for the dynamo scorer, whether short-term or long-term, or brought on by freak accident. Hughes falling out of the lineup once again will force another shakeup of New Jersey’s offense.
The Devils elevated Timo Meier to play next to Dawson Mercer and Jesper Bratt following Hughes’ exit on Thursday; while demoting Evgenii Dadonov to a line with Connor Brown and Paul Cotter. Those lines should stick through Saturday’s game against Ottawa, while Nico Hischier and Arseny Gritsyuk are flanked by Lenni Hameenaho or Maxim Tsyplakov. The Devils will certainly hope these adjustments are only temporary, and that Hughes’ further testing confirms what is believed to be a short-term injury.
Big Hype Prospects: Hurlbert, Cullen, Ruck, Hemming
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.
Five Big Hype Prospects
J.P. Hurlbert, C/RW, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
47 GP, 31 G – 42 A – 73 TP, 33 PIM, +15
The 2026 class has its own version of a game-breaking forward dominating CHL scoring on the back of impressive skill. This year, it’s Texas-born J.P. Hurlbert, who landed with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers after buying out of his contract with the U.S. National Team Development Program. That decision has proven incredibly fruitful in the season since, with Hurlbert now tied for the scoring lead among all CHL leagues. He has looked explosive all season long, with a next-level ability to operate the puck at full speed. That lets Hurlbert blaze by and through opponents en route to the net. His drives are capped off with strong finishing and playmaking abilities, focused on getting the puck into the low-slot. Hurlbert doesn’t shine as a physical player, but is rumored to be climbing NHL boards thanks to just how jaw-dropping his do-it-all offense can be. The NHL is currently watching Benjamin Kindel – a skill winger who faced an uphill battle physically – carve out his spot in the Penguins top-nine before his 20th birthday. Hurlbert will hope to be the next in line and could earn a top 20, or even top 15, selection.
Wyatt Cullen, LW/C, U.S. National Team Development Program (USA U18)
18 GP, 3 G – 12 A – 15 TP, 6 PIM, -4
The middle child of 21-year NHL veteran Matt Cullen is next up for the NHL Draft. Wyatt Cullen is pulling together a breakout season after sitting out parts of October and December due to an undisclosed injury. He has quickly made up for lost time, though, including pulling together a standout performance at this year’s CHL/NTDP Prospects Challenge. Cullen scored three points in three games in the cross-league matchup, a feat only matched by fellow 2026 prospect Mathis Preston and top 2027 prospect Sammy Nelson. That strong scoring has carried over to Cullen’s USHL action with the NTDP. He has four points in five USHL games – a mark that underscores just how central to the NTDP offense Cullen has been. He has been one of only a few NTDP forwards to truly flash this year, showing off an impressive ability to beat opponents head-on and find space through the neutral zone. Cullen is cool, calm,a nd collected with the onfidence needed to make plays tight around the net. He has brought a much-needed wave of skilled offense to the NTDP and ranks second on the club in points-per-game (0.81). With his mix of poise, size, and skill, Cullen could have a chance to beat out his dad’s draft selection – 35th overall in 1996.
Liam and Markus Ruck, RW and C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Liam: 47 GP, 28 G – 38 A – 66 TP, 26 PIM, +24
Markus: 47 GP, 12 G – 53 A – 65 TP, 18 PIM, +21
The highest-scoring offense in the CHL is led in scoring by a pair of identical twins – Liam Ruck and Markus Ruck. The duo play an immensely complementary game, with Liam’s sniper shot and drive to the net boosted by Markus’ nifty passing and sharp, two-way vision. They served as the foundation of Medicine Hat’s offense to start the season, then found another gear when Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Basha returned from injury and lined up between the twins. That line has proven nearly unstoppable since Basha’s return, in total combining for 19 goals over just the last 11 games. Medicine Hat has rooted their offense in the top line, which – while boosted by Basha – still leans heavily on the individual skill, and next-level chemistry, between the Ruck brothers. The two are a phenomenon. With their heap of offense, many fans are wondering just how high they could go in the draft – or if they’ll get drafted to the same club and get to build on two great years at Medicine Hat.
Oscar Hemming, LW/RW, Boston College (Hockey East, NCAA)
7 GP, 0 G – 4 A – 4 TP, 8 PIM, -1
One of many top Finns in the 2026 draft class didn’t get his start until the midway point of the year. Oscar Hemming went through a true saga as he attempted to move from the pro pipeline in Finland to North American juniors. His IIHF eligibilty was even pulled into question, ultimately forcing Hemming to forgo plans for an OHL move in favor of joining the NCAA’s Boston College. He became college hockey’s youngest player when he joined the league. Despite facing the challenge of age and international move, Hemming hasn’t looked one bit out of place in his first taste of the NCAA’s toughest conference. Part of that is thanks to the winger’s 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame, which makes him hard to miss anytime he’s on the ice.
More than that, Hemming has continued flaunting the strong stickhandling and heads-up playmaking that wowed scouts at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He is an intuitive playmaker who attacks the slot with confidence and aggression. With his build, Hemming is hard to knock off hte puck or force out of the slot. He has taken on many of the traits that made his older brother, Dallas Stars prospect Emil Hemming, worthy of a first-round selection. For Oscar, the chance to hone those talents as a young player in a tough league could be enough to push him high up draft boards. With a pro frame to boot, Hemming could be a surprise addition to the top 15, or maybe the top 10, come draft day.
Sharks Place Vincent Iorio On Waivers
The San Jose Sharks have placed defenseman Vincent Iorio on waivers per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. If he clears, Iorio will become eligible for assignment to the AHL, after spending the last six games as a healthy scratch. San Jose claimed Iorio off of waivers from the Washington Capitals in the second week of the NHL season. The Sharks wielded one of the top claim spots in the league at the time and will now face the risk of allowing the rest of the league a chance at claiming the young, two-way defender.
Iorio has had an up-and-down year since joining the Sharks’ depth chart. He has appeared in 21 NHL games – more than the nine games he combined for over the last two seasons – but only has three points and a minus-four to show for it. He’s failed to find a true groove near the bottom of a beat-up blue-line, but showed his prowess on a brief AHL conditioning stint earlier this season. Iorio was loaned to the minors for six games in November, after recovering from an injury that held him out of the first week of the month. He scored in five of those games, ultimately totaling seven assists and a plus-seven on the assignment.
Those numbers haven’t translated to the top flight yet, though Iorio did have a string of strong appearances at the turn of the new year. An assignment to the minors will allow the 23 year old to get back into a productive groove. It will also give the Sharks a bit more freedom to ice bruising veteran Vincent Desharnais, who has played in five of the six games that Iorio has been scratched. Desharnais has three points and 38 penalty minutes in 25 games this season.
Bruins’ Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha Expected To Miss Stadium Series
The Boston Bruins could be without two centers when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2026 NHL Stadium Series on Sunday. Both Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha will not be joining the Bruins on their trip to Florida due to injury per Conor Ryan of the Boston Globe.
Lindholm was designated as out day-to-day with an upper-body injury after leaving Boston’s Tuesday win over the Nashville Predators early. Zacha left Thursday’s win over the Philadelphia Flyers with an upper-body injury of his own, sustained on a hit from Philadelphia’s Nicolas Deslauriers. No timeline has been provided for Zacha’s injury.
Boston recalled Matthew Poitras to fill in for Lindholm’s absence on Thursday. Poitras, playing in his first NHL game of the season, recorded one penalty and five shots in 11 minutes of ice time. He filled a fourth-line, winger role while Tanner Jeannot and Marat Khusnutdinov moved into elevated roles.
The Bruins beat Philadelphia handedly – by a score of 6-3 – largely thanks to the performance of their sole healthy line. The trio of Viktor Arvidsson, Casey Mittelstadt, and Fraser Minten combined for three goals and seven shots on net in Thursday’s game. That brings Minten up to 14 poitns in 14 games in January, third-most on the team behind David Pastrnak (25 points) and Charlie McAvoy (16).
Now down yet another center, the Bruins are sure to lean on their high-performing second-line in a tough matchup on Sunday. That focus will leave Pastrnak and wing partner Morgan Geekie free to support a fill-in center to round out the team’s top-six. Through the mess of injuries, this could present a rare chance for Khusnutdinov to step between strong wingers. The 23-year-old, Russian centerman has an impressive 11 points in 14 games this month – fifth-most on the Bruins – to go with a plus-nine and 15 shots on net. He has looked capable of handling the tempo of his top teammates – but has struggled at the faceoff dot, with a bleak 45.1 faceoff percentage on the season.
That could push the Bruins to give Mark Kastelic – and his team-leading 60.0 faceoff percentage – a bit more responsibility. Kastelic platooned with Jeannot on Boston’s third-line following Zacha’s absence. His season has favored the other side of the scoresheet, marked by 15 points and 106 penalty minutes in 55 games. That will limit Kastelic’s ability to fit into the top of the lineup. It could also push Boston to move Minten or Poitras from the wing to center, while leaving Khusnutdinov and Kastelic as alternatives on the wing.
The Bruins are not currently carrying an extra forward. They will need to make a recall before Sunday if they want to ice 12 forwards. Top candidates for a call-up include Fabian Lysell and high-speed winger Matej Blumel. Blumel managed no scoring and a minus-three in four NHL games earlier this season, while Lysell hasn’t appeared in the NHL since last year, when he scored three points in the first 12 games of his NHL career. The former first-round pick ranks second on the AHL’s Providence Bruins in scoring with 34 points in 35 games.
Canucks Give Agent Of Evander Kane Permission To Facilitate Trade
1/26/2026: CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported today that the Canucks have given Kane’s agent, Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey, permission to help facilitate a trade for his client. There is no firm indication as to how close Kane is to actually being traded, but today’s report indicates that the Canucks are taking steps to try to help make one happen.
1/23/2026: The Vancouver Canucks are once again busying up with the Trade Deadline around the corner. A focal point this year could be moving winger Evander Kane, who joined Vancouver in a trade from the Edmonton Oilers at the 2025 NHL Draft. After not clicking in the Canucks lineup, Kane could be headed across the Western Conference, with the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche currently the favorites to make a trade per NHL.com’s Kevin Weekes.
Despite spending his junior hockey days in Vancouver, Kane hasn’t found much spark in his return to the city. He has nine goals, 57 penalty minutes, and a minus-18 in 49 games with the Canucks. He’s filled an important role in the lineup – averaging 16:55 in ice time each game, sixth among Canucks forwards – but Kane has ended up one of a few sputtering tires on Vancouver’s flanks. The club traded cornerstone defenseman Quinn Hughes earlier this season and could soon do the same with top center Elias Pettersson. With a teardown in progress, a part with the veteran Kane seems only natural.
Just as fitting are the teams in the mix for landing the former Atlanta Thrasher top pick. Both Dallas and Colorado have proved to be a comfortable spot for aging veterans. The Stars have continued to get the most out of franchise icons Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, while Colorado has leaned on big impacts from Jonathan Drouin and Brock Nelson in recent years. Kane’s game has noticeably slowed down on the other side of 30 but still plays a professional style that could click in the right system. He has offered reliable goal-scoring throughout his career, netting at least 20 goals in nine of his last 13 seasons in the league. He has also recorded at least 80 penalty minutes in seven seasons.
That mix of grit and shooting – as well as Kane’s 979 games of NHL experience – will be what the Central Division rivals eye as they try to find a trade. Kane is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, which should keep his price low. Dallas has two second round picks, and one third round pick, in the next two drafts, while Colorado only has two second-round picks in 2027. Those could end up the bartering chips in a deal and Dallas holds the taller stack.
Colorado’s advantage comes in the finance books. The Avalanche will have roughly $5.089MM in cap space at the Trade Deadline, while the Stars will only have $3.267MM in space per PuckPedia. That means that Colorado will only need some cap juggling to afford adding Kane, while Dallas will need to move a minor contract.
Acquiring Kane will surely fit into a larger scheme for both teams, who seem set to buy at the Deadline after hot starts to the season. Kane will step in as a middle-six winger wherever he ends up. Joining a team headed for playoff success may even spark a final hoorah for Kane. He proved to be a hard playoff opponent in four years with the Edmonton Oilers, where he recorded 42 points and 164 penalty minutes in 68 games. That grit, and the spark of a recent move, could make Kane a timely addition in the second half.
Flyers Activate Rasmus Ristolainen, Reassign Hunter McDonald
1/26/2026: The Flyers reversed these moves in advance of their game tonight against the New York Islanders, sending McDonald down to AHL Lehigh Valley and activating Ristolainen.
Ristolainen ended up missing six games as a result of his upper-body injury. The Flyers went 2-3-1 in Ristolainen’s absence.
Returning to the AHL after a little over a week at the NHL level is McDonald. McDonald didn’t dress for any games during his most recent recall, instead serving as a healthy scratch for four contests.
Although he didn’t play, this recall wasn’t without benefit for McDonald. Not only did he get to practice with the team and get some face time with the Flyers’ NHL coaching staff, he also got a significant pay raise for the duration of his recall. McDonald, who is still waiting on the chance to make his NHL debut, is playing out the final year of the two-year entry-level contract he signed in April 2024. The deal carries a $950K NHL salary, which dwarfs its AHL salary of $82.5K by a considerable margin.
The sizable pay bump McDonald enjoyed likely softens the blow of being reassigned before he could get the chance to make his NHL debut.
1/17/2026: The Philadelphia Flyers will embark on a three-game road trip without one veteran defender. Rasmus Ristolainen won’t be healthy for the road trip after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury. He has been placed on injured reserve to open a spot for Philadelphia to recall Hunter McDonald from the AHL.
Ristolainen’s IR designation can be made retroactive to his last game on January 12th. That means he has already missed five of the seven days required and could join Philadelphia on their road-trip after the first game. Ristolainen has carried a day-to-day designation through the last week. His absence isn’t expected to be long term, head coach Rick Tocchet told NHL.com’s Bill Meltzer.
The 31-year-old defenseman is again having a tough time staying healthy. He missed the first 31 games of the season while recovering from a ruptured tricep tendon suffered in March. Ristolainen played in 13 games after making his season debut in mid-December and before sustaining this upper-body injury. He recorded three assists, a minus-three, and four penalty minutes in those appearances.
Injuries have become routine for Ristolainen. He has missed 127 games across five seasons with the Flyers and only averages 49 appearances each year. In total, Ristolainen has posted 10 goals, 62 points, and a minus-19 in 247 games with the Flyers. His best season in Philadelphia came in 2022-23 when he scored 20 points in 74 games played.
The Flyers will brace for a road trip without Ristolainen by rewarding McDonald with the first in-season call-up of his career. The 2022 sixth-round pick is in his second full season in the AHL, after playing an 11-game sample at the end of the 2023-24 season. He has recorded 26 points and 172 penalty minutes in 115 AHL games – carrying forward the hard-hitting and antagonistic style he carved out through three seasons in the USHL and two seasons at Northeastern University.
McDonald will serve as Philadelphia’s extra defenseman for at least one game, while Noah Juulsen hangs onto his role in the lineup. Juulsen has two points in his last five games and seven points in 33 games on the season.
Penguins Recall Melvin Ferstrom From Loan, Assign To AHL
The Pittsburgh Penguins have opted for a change of scenery for a recent acquisition. Forward Melvin Fernstrom has been recalled from his loan to the SHL’s Orebro HK and assigned to the AHL, per a team release from Orebro and Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey.
Fernstrom had recently been assigned from the SHL to AIK of the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier league. He grew up playing in AIK’s youth hockey program before shifting to Orebro, and debuting with their U18 squad, at the age of 15. Now, Fernstrom will change teams once more, before he has a chance to debut with AIK’s top club.
Fernstrom racked up three goals, four points, and a minus-10 in 36 appearances with Orebro’s SHL lineup. This was his second season in the top league, after posting 17 points and a minus-10 in 48 games as a rookie last year. He settled into a third-line role this season and often faced a barrage of shots against on an Orebro club that’s allowed the fourth-most goals-against in the SHL. Fernstrom’s impact was often limited to shutting play down on one end and creating fastbreak chances on the other – though that posed an uphill battle for the pass-first center.
He was lauded ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft as a nimble playmaker capable of controlling the middle of the ice. That claim was enough to convince the Vancouver Canucks to draft Fernstrom in the third round, though his rights were traded in a package to Pittsburgh in exchange for Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor last year. The Penguins signed Fernstrom to his entry-level contract this summer and will now take advantage of the AHL elgibility it grants him.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins currently rank second in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. They are tied for the fifth-most goals in the league, largely thanks to hot performances from Penguins prospects Tristan Broz and Avery Hayes. Fernstrom will add a responsible, two-way touch to shore up Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s center depth. He is likely to be eased into the lineup and sits on the outside of NHL hopes this season, pending a quick breakout in North American minors.