Flyers Sign David Jiricek To Two-Year Extension
5:15 p.m.: The team over at PuckPedia revealed the financial details of Jiricek’s new two-year extension:
| Year | NHL Salary | Signing bonus | Potential performance bonuses | Minors salary |
| 2026-27 | $850K | $450K | NA | $1.3MM |
| 2027-28 | $1.7MM | NA | NA | $1.7MM |
3:43 p.m.: The Philadelphia Flyers will keep a Trade Deadline addition around for a few years longer. Defenseman David Jiricek has signed a two-year, $3MM extension with the club per his agent, Allan Walsh. Philadelphia has confirmed the extension. The deal will carry a $1.5MM annual-average-value. Philadelphia acquired Jiricek in exchange for winger Bobby Brink in early-March.
Jiricek hasn’t yet made his debut in the Flyers lineup, instead spending 10 games with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He has two goals and 10 points in those appearances, matching his scoring in 24 games with the Iowa Wild to start the season. He also appeared in 25 games with the Minnesota Wild this season but managed no scoring, 14 penalty minutes, and an even plus-minus.
Jiricek’s young career has been a story of expectations versus reality. He was a popular draft prospect in 2022, hype that culminated in the 6-foot-4 defender being selected sixth-overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets. He joined the Blue Jackets’ ranks in the following season, beginning the year with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters but receiving routine call-ups throughout the season. In total, Jiricek scored 38 points in 55 AHL games, and no points in four NHL games, in his first pro season in North America. That production, supported by seven points in seven games at the 2023 World Junior Championship, seemed to set Jiricek up for a breakout year in 2023-24.
Instead, the defender ran into a struggle to produce at the major or minor levels. He scored just 10 points in 43 NHL games, and 19 points in 29 AHL games, in his second season. He also had a negative plus-minus in both leagues. Quickly, the hype from Jiricek’s draft year seemed to be dwindling, as the puck-mover struggled to branch his game out against top-level competition.
As those struggles continued into his third season, Columbus made the decision to trade Jiricek to the Minnesota Wild in November 2024 in exchange for Daemon Hunt and one pick in each of the top-four rounds. Wild general manager Bill Guerin called the deal a “no-brainer” at the time and Jiricek was quickly pipelined into the NHL rotation. A move didn’t spark his scoring, though, and Jiricek was quickly assigned to the minor leagues. The struggling year hit a peak when his season was ended by a lacerated spleen in late-March.
Jiricek made a quiet return this season – but seems to finally be catching sparks in the Flyers organization. He has filled meaningful minutes in the minor leagues and could be primed for bigger minutes with a new extension under his belt. It is a one-way deal, which could ensure a trial run in the Philadelphia lineup next season, at the very least. With the Flyers, Jiricek will have a chance to learn from similar puck-movers like Rasmus Ristolainen and Jamie Drysdale. He’ll hope that mentorship can help him stick when he inevitably tries for a role with his third NHL club.
Flames’ Ethan Wyttenbach To Stay In NCAA For Sophomore Season
Calgary Flames fans will have to wait a little while longer to see a breakout prospect take pro ice. Winger Ethan Wyttenbach has announced he will return to Quinnipiac University for his sophomore season after leading the country in scoring as a freshman. It was a breakout performance for the 2025 fifth-round pick that culminated in a top-10 finish in Hobey Baker Award voting, awarded annually to the NCAA’s MVP.
Wyttenbach became only the fifth freshman to lead college hockey in scoring since 2000. He joins an exclusive list of NHL stars, including Jack Eichel, Kyle Connor, Adam Fantilli, and Will Smith. In each instance, the breakout performance was followed by an immediate pro contract. Wyttenbach will break that mold by returning for a second season.
The Quinnnipiac Bobcats led college hockey in scoring this season but fell well shy of an ECAC conference championship. They haven’t acheived that feat since 2016, despite winning the NCAA National championship in 2023. That is another course they were knocked off of this season, losing to the University of North Dakota in the first round this season.
Wyttenbach’s return will help the Cougars attempt to right both wrongs. He was a main play-driver all year long, playing well off of fellow freshmen Antonin Verreault and Markus Vidicek. Their support helped Wyttenbach reach a staggering 58 points in 40 games on the year. It also, more importantly, allowed Boston Bruins prospect Christopher Pelosi to remain in a second-line role, giving Quinnipiac a top-six that was hard to beat. Verreault and Vidicek are both expected to return to Quinnipiac next season, as is top defender and Bruins prospect Elliott Groenewold.
Those returnees will keep Quinnipiac’s lineup formidable into the 2026-27 season. Wyttenbach will undoubtedly continue on as the team’s top forward. He faces a tough challenge repeating his historic freshman season but managing the feat could go far in cementing his spot as one of Calgary’s top prospects. Wyttenbach is only two seasons removed from playing youth, AAA hockey in New England. Before moving to college, he scored 51 points in 44 games with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede.
Sabres Sign Maxim Strbak To Entry-Level Deal
The Buffalo Sabres have moved forward with one of their top prospects. Defenseman Maxim Strbak has signed a three-year, entry-level contract following the end of his junior year at Michigan State University. The new deal will begin in the 2026-27 season, while Strbak will close out this season on an amateur try-out with the AHL’s Rochester Americans.
Strbak was an energy defender during his time with the Spartans. He contributed on both sides of the puck, passing 15 assists in each of the last two seasons and posting a postive plus-minus in all three years. That includes a plus-20 in 37 games this season, which co-led the Spartans’ blue-line alongside defense partner and St. Louis Blues prospect Colin Ralph. Strbak added 18 points and 10 penalty minutes to that stat-line. Despite a tendency for hard-hitting defense, Strbak only racked up 43 penalty minutes across 102 games at Michigan State. His knack for level-headed hockey made him a reliable piece of the Spartans’ penalty-kill, a role that helped him average just shy of 20 minutes a night this season.
Strbak has also been a major presence for Slovakia’s U20 international roster. He participated in the World Junior Championship in every season between 2021 and 2025. His initial appearances on the international stage were relatively quiet – marked by three points in nine games through his first two World Junior tournaments. He kicked that quiet scoring over his last two appearances, netting a combined 13 points in 10 games. Those performances helped Strbak plant his feet as a two-way impact, a style that carried into his final year with the Spartans.
Now Strbak will face the test of translating that impact to the pro level. The Americans have 10 games remaining on the schedule and sit just within playoff contention. That could extend Strbak’s runway for his first pro reps, before he prepares to try and push into the Sabres lineup next season. Buffalo has seen a rotation at the right-defense position in the face of injuries, ultimately icing 10 defensemen on their blue-line through points this season.
Flames Sign Axel Hurtig To Entry-Level Contract
The Calgary Flames have signed defenseman Axel Hurtig to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal begins in the 2026-27 season. Hurtig was a seventh-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, after a year in Sweden’s U20 league. He played one more season in Sweden after his draft, before moving to the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen for the last two seasons.
Hurtig, 20, is a towering defenseman who took on a top-four role soon after joining the Hitmen. His 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame made Hurtig an effective rush-defender, where his long reach and strong physicality created little space for opponents to push past. He was quick to move the puck up ice after forcing turnovers but often left the role of joining the rush to his defense partners. In 119 games with the Hitmen, Hurtig only racked up 35 points – just narrowly more than the 21 points he scored in 77 games at Sweden’s U20 level.
Despite quiet scoring totals, Hurtig found his way towards routine impact. He played in all seven games of Sweden’s fourth-place finish at the 2025 World Junior Championships, recording 10 minutes of ice time on average to go with one point and a plus-two. That experience, and a knack for stepping up physically, helped Hurtig earn the Hitmen’s captaincy for the 2025-26 season. He became the first European captain in the team’s history. With a letter on his chest, Hurtig racked up 19 points, a team-best plus-21, and eight five-minute major penalties this season. His defensive presence helped the Hitmen finish the WHL season in eighth place.
Hurtig’s size should help him bridge the gap between junior and pro hockey. He will add another strong stick to the Flames’ left-defense depth chart and could fight for his NHL debut next season with an entry-level contract in place. The Flames have leaned heavily on young left-defenders, including Yan Kuznetsov and Kevin Bahl, through much of this season. They have also promoted puck-movers Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz on the right-side. With a heap of young potential on the blue-line, Hurtig’s defensive presence will hope to round out Calgary’s future on the blue-line.
Panthers Sign Tyler Muszelik
The Florida Panthers have signed 2022 sixth-round draft pick Tyler Muszelik to a two-year, entry-level contract set to begin in the 2026-27 season. Muszelik recently saw his college career come to an end after two years at the University of New Hampshire and two years at the University of Connecticut. It was not indicated if Muszelik will sign a minor-league contract for the remainder of the season.
Florida moved goaltender Kirill Gerasimyuk from the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers roughly an hour before signing Muszelik, which may create a crowded goalie room in the AHL.
Muszelik moved to the college level immediately after two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. He split starts with Detroit Red Wings prospect Trey Augustine at the NTDP and managed a middling stat line: a 15-13-4 record and 0.880 save percentage in 34 USHL games. A quiet junior career and early start in college led Muszelik to a backup role for his underclass seasons in New Hampshire. His time with the Wildcats was fairly quiet, marked by a 9-10-2 record and 0.879 save percentage in 21 games.
Seeking more, Muszelik moved to Connecticut for his junior season in 2024-25. He moved straight into the starting role vacated by Nashville Predators’ prospect Ethan Haider and Calgary Flames’ prospect Arsenii Sergeev. Muszelik was quickly successful with routine ice time. He posted a 12-6-3 record and a .912 save percentage in 23 games. His performance was strong enough to help UConn push to the Hockey East championship game, where they lost to the University of Maine. Not to be deterred, Muszelik managed to improve on his strong numbers this season. He posted a 19-11-5 record and .926 save percentage in 35 games and again led the Huskies to the Hockey East championship, only to lose to Merrimack College.
Even with a pair of conference championship losses shadowing over him, Muszelik’s upperclass seasons were shining performances. He showed an impressive layer of athleticism and focus – and seemed to only get better the more frequently he took the starter’s crease. On the back of heavy minutes this season, Muszelik could get a chance to take an early break in preparation for his first pro season.
If he instead signs a minor-league contract for the remainder of the season, Muszelik would get a chance to compete with Gerasimyuk and Cooper Black for pro minutes. Black has held a firm grip on Charlotte’s starting role this season, marked by 24 wins and a .903 save percentage in 39 games. Gerasimyuk has recorded eight wins and a .904 save percentage in 17 AHL games. The pair of goaltenders will be Muszelik’s competition through the first year of his entry-level contract.
Avalanche’s Nicolas Roy Will Return Before Playoffs
The Colorado Avalanche are slowly assembling their playoff roster after a wave of acquisitions and injuries. They’ll soon add another piece back to the depth chart, with center Nicolas Roy progressing back from an upper-body injury sustained on March 22nd. He has already missed three games with the injury, but returned to practice in a regular jersey on Monday. That progress will put Roy on track to return to the lineup within Colorado’s final 10 games of the season, head coach Jared Bednar told Corey Masisak of The Denver Post.
Roy appeared in nine games with Colorado before going down with injury. He recorded three goals and 13 penalty minutes in those appearances. Despite taking 556 faceoffs with the Toronto Maple Leafs prior to his Trade Deadline move, and winning 52.9 percent of those draws, the bulk of Roy’s minutes with Colorado were spent on Brock Nelson‘s wing. The duo recorded a 66 expected-goals percentage (xGF%) per Natural Stat Trick.
Roy was a productive third-liner for the Maple Leafs prior to his move. He scored 20 points in 59 games with the Maple Leafs, after joining the team in a summer swap with the Vegas Golden Knights for the rights to star winger Mitch Marner. Roy filled a similar depth role with Vegas for six seasons prior to his move. He rivaled 30 points in his final four seasons with the Golden Knights, including posting a career-high 41 points in 70 games of the 2023-24 campaign.
Colorado built out a deep depth chart with the additions of Roy and Nazem Kadri at the Trade Deadline. When Roy is back to full health, the two will compete with Nelson for a spot at their natural center position, while the odd-man-out likely moves to the a top-nine winger role. Roy could be the one to land in that position, alternating faceoffs with Nelson who has a 50.7 faceoff percentage this season. His return will add another pillar to Colorado’s league-best offense just in time for another run towards the Stanley Cup.
Avalanche Sign Matthew DiMarsico
The Colorado Avalanche will once again dip into the pool of college free agents. They have signed Penn State winger Matthew DiMarsico to a two-year, entry-level contract set to begin in the 2026-27 season. DiMarsico will join the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on an AHL contract for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
This will be another boost to a big season for DiMarsico. The undrafted forward posted a career-high 18 goals and 42 points in 37 games with Penn State this season – one more goal and nine more assists than he managed in 39 games last year. He was also selected to represent the NCAA at the 2025 Spengler Cup, as part of a historic U.S. Collegiate Selects squad. DiMarsico posted two goals and a minus-two in four games at the international tournament. Much of his season was spent alongside, or behind, star prospect Gavin McKenna on the depth chart. Where McKenna offered flashy playmaking, DiMarsico brought poised drive and finishing around the net. His 6-foot, 180-pound frame stood tall against college competition, helping DiMarsico win his battles and fill multiple roles on the forecheck.
The 22-year-old has spent three seasons in college hockey’s Big Ten. He slowly worked his way up the Nittany Lions roster, propelled by a breakout year across from Nashville Predators prospect Aiden Fink last season. DiMarsico only had one year of junior hockey experience before his days as a college athlete – scoring 25 goals and 46 points in 59 games with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in the 2022-23 season, the season after his first year of draft eligibility. He spent his age-18 season playing 18U hockey with the Buffalo Regals and high school hockey at Avon Old Farms.
DiMarsico was a workhorse talent for the Nittany Lions. He played upwards of 23 minutes a night in must-win games and helped push the puck downhill when Penn State broke out. He will get his first chances to translate that to the pro level with eight games left in the Eagles’ regular season. The Eagles are well-positioned for a playoff spot, though they haven’t yet clinched it. DiMarsico’s hot offense could be a major playoff boost and help him work towards the goal of one day slotting into the Avalanche’s bottom-six.
Kraken Reassign Logan Morrison
3/29: Morrison has been re-assigned to AHL Coachella Valley, the team announced this morning. The forward was scratched in both games on the big club, as McCann returned last night. Seattle will be back at it Tuesday in Edmonton in dire need of points in an attempt to sneak into Wild Card berth. Meanwhile, the 12th ranked Firebirds will be pleased to have their leading scorer back.
3/27: The Seattle Kraken have recalled forward Logan Morrison from the AHL under emergency conditions. He will help Seattle address a slew of injuries, including to Jaden Schwartz, Jared McCann, and Ryan Winterton.
Morrison played in his NHL debut on March 26, 2024 – nearly two years ago to the day. He totaled four NHL appearances that season and recorded no scoring, no penalties, and a minus-one. Morrison has been with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds ever since. He carved out a top role on the Firebirds with back-to-back 40-point seasons over the last two years. With that footing, Morrison has taken off this year. He leads Coachella Valley in goals (27) and points (56) through 61 games. He has added 40 penalty minutes and a plus-22, also career-highs for the young professional.
The 23-year-old winger could be set to play in his fifth NHL game as the Kraken seek out a right-winger to fill out their depth chart. Seattle has operated with 11 forwards and seven defenseman recently, creating room for Cale Fleury to play in four games this month. He has one point and a minus-one in those appearances, bringing his season totals up to three points in 21 games. With that quiet stretch, and a 1-4-0 record in their last five games, Seattle could look back towards a traditional lineup structure to provide a spark.
Jets Recall Parker Ford, Danil Zhilkin
The Winnipeg Jets have recalled forwards Parker Ford and Danil Zhilkin under emergency conditions. The duo will help Winnipeg fill in for injuries to Vladislav Namestnikov, Nino Niederreiter, and Morgan Barron.
Zhilkin, 22, played through the first four games of his NHL career on a brief call-up in January. He managed no scoring, no penalties, and a plus-two in those appearances, while only playing more than 10 minutes in one game. He has planted his feet as a top center for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose in the months since, even despite scoring only 22 points in 54 games this season. He had a brief hot streak – five points in five games – in late December, leading up to his first NHL recall, but has otherwise struggled to post consecutive games with points for much of the year.
Ford has played through a fairly similar season. The 25-year-old winger began the season as an extra forward on Winnipeg’s roster. He appeared in 11 NHL games between October and November but only posted one point, four penalty minutes, and a minus-two. Ford was assigned to the AHL in November and has since recorded 21 points in 45 games with Manitoba. He has offered a responsible game around a young Moose lineup, helping to create space for Jets prospects Brayden Yager, Brad Lambert, and Zhilkin. Ford also appeared in three NHL games, and scored one point, last season.
The pair of call-ups will help Winnipeg stock the lineup as they prepare for a four-game road trip. Winnipeg now carries Zhilkin, Lambert, Isak Rosen, Ville Heinola, and Elias Salomonsson on the NHL roster. With the postseason well out of sight, they’ll embrace a chance to test out prospects with 10 games left on the schedule.
Sharks Recall Laurent Brossoit
The San Jose Sharks have recalled depth goaltender Laurent Brossoit from the AHL. He will help shore up the depth chart after starter Yaroslav Askarov was injured in the second period of Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Blues per Curtis Pashelka of Bay Area News Group. Askarov was injured after Blues winger Nathan Walker was knocked into the crease by Sharks defenseman Vincent Desharnais. The Sharks haven’t yet designated the nature of Askarov’s injury.
Thursday marked Askarov’s return from a previous injury that held him out of 16 days and seven games. He has served as San Jose’s go-to goaltender when healthy. Playing through his first season in a full-time NHL role, Askarov has recorded 19 wins, an .887 save percentage, and a 3.52 goals-against-average through 41 games.
Brossoit made his own return from injury in early December. He played his first games of the season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, after missing the entirety of the 2024-25 season with multiple lower-body injuries. The Sharks traded for Brossoit in early January. He quickly took over the starting role for the San Jose Barracuda, where he has posted an impressive 11 wins and .915 save percentage in 15 appearances. On the long haul back from injury, the former William M. Jennings Trophy-winner received his first call up to the Sharks roster on March 13th. He played in his first NHL game since April, 2024 two days later and allowed six goals on 23 shots in a 4-7 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
Brossoit moved to the backup role for the remainder of Askarov’s absence, then returned to the AHL with a 31-save performance on Wednesday. Now, another injury to Askarov will pull Brossoit back into the NHL, where he’ll continue to backup Alex Nedeljkovic. It is unclear if he’ll have a chance at returning to the starter’s crease, though another NHL appearance will mean a chance to get back on track after a rough return to the league.