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Senators, Shane Pinto To Meet Again On Contract Extension

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The Ottawa Senators will resume one of their most important conversations of the season later this week. High-scoring centerman Shane Pinto is set to become an arbitration-eligible, restricted free agent this summer, after closing out the two-year bridge deal he signed in 2024. The Senators have already started offering new deals to the 24-year-old, including a six-year, $52MM extension offered last month, per Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch. That deal would have set Pinto’s cap hit at $6.5MM each season – though Garrioch points out that Pinto likely wouldn’t have liked the money or term of that deal.

Pinto has certainly garnered the right to ask for a few favors on his next contract. He’s scored eight goals and 14 points through 16 games this season, good for third on the team in scoring behind Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle (16 points each). More than that, Pinto has posted a 57.8 faceoff percentage on 199 draws – ranking him 16th in the league among eligible players (>100 faceoffs). He also ranks among the top-five Senators forwards in blocked shots per game. That performance has cemented Pinto as Ottawa’s second-line center this season – a role the team was desperately looking for, even acquiring Dylan Cozens to fit the bill last season.

Pinto saved his career-year for his contract-year, but his performance doesn’t appear to be a total fluke. He leads the Senators’ offense in total expected-goals with 7.0 – a mark he’s just narrowly outperformed with eight goals on the year. He also leads the bunch in shot attempts per game – averaging 5.8, one full shot more than Stutle’s 4.8 in second-place. Pinto has recorded an 18.6 shooting percentage in total – a mark that sits far above his career-average of 13.2 percent. That could indicate that the young center is set to fall back to Earth in due time, though it could also be elevated by Pinto’s growing lineup role.

In full, Pinto is on pace to score 41 goals and 72 points this season. That would blow his previous best – 21 goals and 37 points scored last year – out of the water. It would also command far more than $6.5MM each season, especially against the growing salary cap.

Few players have found themselves in Pinto’s shoes – with a productive, top-end role still a few years away from their prime. Many comparable free agents have opted to avoid max-term contracts – including Marco Rossi, who signed a three-year, $15MM deal with the Minnesota Wild, and Connor Zary, who signed a three-year, $11.325MM deal with the Calgary Flames.

Pinto and his agent Lewis Gross could point towards Chicago Blackhawks’ recent extension of Frank Nazar as a baseline. Chicago inked Nazar to a seven-year, $46.2MM contract ahead of his second full season in the NHL. Nazar has gone on to score just below a point-per-game pace – 11 points in 15 games – enough to cement his spot as Chicago’s number-two behind Connor Bedard. Pinto is three years older than Nazar, and likely won’t be able to carve out as much importance on a top-heavy Senators offense. Nonetheless, shooting for roughly $7MM each season could be a sensible mark, especially if Pinto continues his dominant season.

The salary cap is expected to grow by up to $8.5MM between this season and next. That will be more than enough room for Ottawa to afford a player-friendly extension with Pinto – or earn some savings by pulling him closer to their first offer. Either way, it seems the Senators are well on their way towards cementing yet another young, high-potential forward into their future.

Photo courtesy of Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports.

Senators Recall Hayden Hodgson

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The Ottawa Senators have recalled forward Hayden Hodgson from the AHL’s Belleville Senators. This is Hodgson’s first call-up of the season. He is in his second year with the Ottawa organization, after signing a one-year, two-way contract on July 2nd.

Hodgson spent roughly a week on Ottawa’s roster last season. He made two appearances in that span, and recorded no scoring and one fight. The rest of his season was spent with Belleville, where he posted a team-leading 156 penalty minutes – and 11 points – in 43 games. Hodgson became known for his bruising, enforcer presence througout four years in the ECHL and five years in the AHL. That presence has earned Hodgson nine games in the NHL in total. He has recorded three points and 16 penalty minutes at the top flight.

Hodgson has returned to his usual role this season, again leading Belleville with 28 PIMs through their first 11 games of the season. Ottawa will now bring in that imposing presence ahead of a match against the Utah Mammoth, who have posted the fourth-fewest hits-per-game this season. This is the second game of a back-to-back for Ottawa, which could push Hodgson into the lineup in relief of Olle Lycksell. Ottawa also has gritty forward Kurtis MacDermid in the press box. MacDermid has posted no scoring and 11 penalty minutes in seven games this season.

NHL Seeking Agreement To Allow 19-Year-Olds Into AHL

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It appears a rumor from the preseason could soon come true. The NHL is seeking an agreement with the CHL that would allow teams to assign one 19-year-old to the AHL each season, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the latest Saturday Headlines. Friedman added that some general managers are seeking even more flexibility, and that negotiations will pull in voices from the NHLPA in addition to each league. A change to the format could be made as soon as next season.

This would represent yet another significant change in what Friedman dubbed “the Wild West of junior hockey in North America”. NHL draft picks make up the majority of top-end players throughout the CHL. They help drive attendance and sales, and losing even a few could be enough to bring noticeable change. At the same time, deciding where to assign CHL prospects who appear to have outgrown their junior league can often be an all-or-nothing choice.

The Calgary Flames are currently in a pickle with defense prospect Zayne Parekh, who sustained a week-to-week injury and could earn a brief AHL conditioning stint, but who could also benefit from prolonged AHL ice time after not yet finding his NHL footing. Parekh is currently ineligible for the AHL, facing the decision of whether to return to the OHL or continue fighting for NHL minutes, as the offensive defenseman recovers from injury.

The Nashville Predators faced a similar decision with reigning fifth-overall pick Brady Martin earlier in the year. Martin showed flashes of dominant play through the first three games of his NHL career. At his peak, he was playing alongside Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg, but the Predators opted to return him early after he scored only one assist. Martin has torn up the OHL since returning, netting 11 points in seven games with the Soo Greyhounds. It’s still early in the season, but Martin is on pace to rival the 100-point mark this season, after posting 72 points in 57 games last year.

In the cases of both Parekh and Martin, as well as numerous other NHL prospects, such as Seattle’s Jake O’Brien and St. Louis’ Justin Carbonneau, the AHL would seem to offer a smooth ramp into the systems and physicality of professional hockey. Instead of pursuing AHL eligibility, many teams have turned their attention to developing their prospects for the NCAA, where they face a significant jump in competition and play against players up to the age of 26. That bridge has led to the unprecedented decision to allow CHL players into the NCAA, which has built up pressure that offering a path to the AHL could relieve.

Finding a balance between player value in the CHL, NCAA, and AHL is the task the NHL and its general managers face. They will drive decision-making throughout the process, while also ensuring that each party is satisfied with their share. On the other side of those decisions lies a junior hockey landscape that is likely completely different from what the hockey world has come to know. With more precise, more incremental steps to the top flight laid out, the NHL’s relationship with its partner leagues could even become reminiscent of the MLB.

More information about the topic of 19-year-olds in the AHL is expected to be announced in March, following the next major meeting between the NHL, NHLPA, and general managers.

Capitals’ Pierre-Luc Dubois Undergoes Surgery, Out 3-4 Months

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11/09/25: The Washington Capitals announced today that Dubois underwent surgery on Friday in order “to address injuries to his abdominal and adductor muscles.” The Capitals added that Dubois is “expected to miss 3-4 months” as he recovers.

While it had been announced previously that Dubois would miss an “extended period” due to the injury, today’s announcement provides clarity on the nature of Dubois’ injury and a timeline for his return.

Dubois is a key contributor in Washington, and losing him for such a significant amount of time will likely damage the Capitals’ efforts to push for a playoff spot in a competitive, deep Eastern Conference. In four games since Dubois’ injury, the Capitals have gone 1-2-1.

In Dubois’ absence, Washington has shifted McMichael back to center and had him take Dubois’ spot as the team’s second-line pivot. After breaking out last season and scoring 26 goals and 57 points, McMichael is down to just four points through 15 games this year, and just one point since moving to the 2C role.

The other two centers playing behind first-liner Dylan Strome in Washington’s lineup, Hendrix Lapierre and Nic Dowd, have a combined six points this season.

If the Capitals’ centers behind Strome continue to struggle to produce offensively, Dubois’ injury could place Washington firmly in the market for an external center addition. The list of teams looking to acquire a capable NHL center is far more crowded than the list of teams with a quality NHL pivot they’re willing to trade, and this injury to Dubois may only further complicate that trade market.

11/03/25:The Washington Capitals have received bad news on center Pierre-Luc Dubois’ lower-body injury. He will be out for an “extended period”, head coach Spencer Carbery told The Washington Post’s Bailey Johnson. The Capitals are continuing to evaluate the injury and aren’t yet sure if Dubois will need surgery, per Johnson.

Dubois’ knee buckled on a defensive-zone faceoff in Friday night’s loss to the New York Islanders. He needed assistance getting off the ice. No specifics have been revealed about Dubois’ injury, though Carbery did note that it is unrelated to the lower-body injury that forced Dubois out of five games earlier in the season. The 27-year-old was making his return from that prior injury on Friday, but only managed six minutes back in the lineup before going down again.

Dubois has only been in the lineup for five full games this season. He is still searching for his first point of the season, currently sitting with just nine shots on goal and six hits to his name. Dubois was a core piece of Washington’s offense last season. He reached 20 goals and 66 points while filling the second-line center role for all 82 games. That scoring tied Dubois with Aliaksei Protas for third on the team in scoring, though Protas managed 30 goals and only played 76 games. Dubois centered Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson, who both posted career-highs in scoring.

Last season marked a phenomenal start to Dubois’ time in Washington. He finished the year with a plus-27, an incredible surge after recording a negative plus-minus in four of the prior five seasons. He had previously reached solid scoring marks, though, achieving four 20-goal seasons and three 60-point seasons prior to 2024-25. Those performances spanned a tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets, though Dubois has seemed to find his firmest roots in the Capitals organization. He’s a pillar of the offense when healthy, and should return to a top-six role on the other side of this indefinite injury.

Sharks Activate Ryan Reaves, Place William Eklund On IR

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The San Jose Sharks have placed top winger William Eklund on injured reserve, retroactive to his last game on November 1st, per Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Eklund will be forced to miss Saturday’s matchup against the Florida Panthers, but he could be activated before the team’s next game on Tuesday.

This move opens the roster space needed to activate Ryan Reaves off of IR without having to reassign Zack Ostapchuk. Reaves has missed the last four games with a lower-body injury sustained on October 28th. He returned to the lineup on Saturday.

Reaves has continued his role of fourth-line enforcer through his 16th year in the NHL. He has two goals and two fights, while averaging fewer than seven minutes a night, through 11 games this season. He has been a welcome veteran presence to a young Sharks squad, but also stands as a barrier to the lineup for many top prospects.

Reaves is the fifth-oldest player in the NHL this season. His lack of career scoring glares around company like Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby at the top of the NHL’s age chart. Despite that, Reaves expressed interest in continuing his career through his age-40 season on the latest Spittin’ Chiclets episode. One more year would give Reaves a chance to reach 1,000 games – a mark that would be particularly impressive for the pure enforcer. He is currently 77 games away from the feat.

San Jose won’t let that pursuit interfere with Eklund’s return to the lineup once he’s back to full health. The 2021 seventh-overall pick has emerged as a fixture of the Sharks’ top line, and reached 41 assists and 58 points in his first season next to Macklin Celebrini last year. He scored 11 points in 12 games to start this season, before falling to injury. The Sharks offense has taken off while Eklund has been out, and could improve even further with his return. San Jose will have to decide who to scratch between Reaves and Ethan Cardwell when Eklund returns.

Former Flyers Center Mel Bridgman Passes Away At 70

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Former Philadelphia Flyers centerman and general manager of the 1992 Ottawa Senators, Mel Bridgman, has passed away at the age of 70. Bridgman was the first-overall selection in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. He played through 14 seasons in the NHL, then returned to school to support a front office career with the Senators.

Philadelphia drafted Bridgman on the heels of the Broad Street Bullies era. Coming off of back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, the Flyers managed to acquire the first-overall pick from the Washington Capitals in exchange for Bill Clement, Don McLean, and a later first round pick. Naturally, the Flyers took a player that fit right in with their gritty style. Bridgman was coming off a 157-point season in the WCHL, the predecessor to the modern WHL. He didn’t keep quite that spark in the NHL, but still put together a solid rookie year, with 50 points and 86 penalty minutes in 80 games. That presence helped Bridgman climb into a major role with the Flyers at only 20-years-old, and earned him a fifth-place finish in 1976 Calder Trophy voting.

Bridgman found his groove as a hard-nosed grinder over the next five seasons. He became the seventh Flyer to cross the mark of 200 penalty minutes when he reached 203 PIMs in the 1997-78 season. He continued to rival that mark through 1981, all while routinely rivaling 50-to-60 points. Bridgman reached his scoring peak in the 1981-82 season, though the bulk of his points would come with the Calgary Flames, after a contentious November trade swapped him for Brad Marsh. Bridgman put up 75 points and 94 penalty minutes in 63 games with Calgary, bringing him up to a year-long total of 87 points and 141 penalty minutes after nine games with Philadelphia to start the season.

His scoring fell back to normal in the following year, prompting a move to the New Jersey Devils in 1983. Bridgman, once Philadelphia’s captain for three years, took on the Devils’ captaincy and led the team in scoring (61 points) in the 1984-85 season. He continued to wear the ’C’ until being traded to the Detroit Red Wings at the 1987 Trade Deadline. Bridgman continued his career for two more years, and retired with the Vancouver Canucks in 1989.

Soon after ending his playing days, the well-known Bridgman was named GM of a 1992 expansion team, the revitalized Ottawa Senators. He brought in eight-year pro John Ferguson as his Director of Player Personnel, and built a Senators squad headlined by Peter Sidorkiewicz, Norm Maciver, and Brad Shaw. The team ranked dead-last in scoring in their inagural season, leading to an attempt to spur the offense with Alexei Yashin and Alexandre Daigle, the second-overall pick in 1992 and first-overall pick in 1993 respectively. The duo led the Senators in scoring as rookies, but failed to pull Ottawa from the league’s depths, prompting Bridgman to launch a flurry of roster transactions that would end with his firing at the end of the 1992-93 season.

Bridgman stepped away from the NHL following his ousting in Ottawa. To some, he’s remembered as a great Flyer who led the team through the first years after their dynasty era. To others, he’s among the most imposing players of the NHL’s most physical era, as described by Mike Bossy in his biography and NHL Player’s Tribune letter. Bridgman’s tenure in the NHL often sparked controversy, but was never short of action. He was tapped to lead clubs through dark times, as a player and manager, and did both with breakneck pace. Pro Hockey Rumors sends condolences to Bridgman’s family, friends, and fans.

Rangers Place Matt Rempe On IR, Send Connor Mackey To AHL

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Nov. 8: The Rangers announced that Mackey has been sent back down to Hartford.  He didn’t see any game action while on recall.  They now have one open roster slot.

Nov. 3: The New York Rangers have recalled defenseman Connor Mackey from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. They have also placed enforcer Matt Rempe on injured reserve, per the NHL media site. Rempe is expected to be out long-term after sustaining an injury in a fight with San Jose Sharks bruiser Ryan Reaves.

Mackey has bounced between the NHL and AHL lineups this season, but has still found his way into all nine of Hartford’s games so far. He’s posted two assists, one penalty, and a minus-five in those appearances, and also serves as one of four alternate captains. Despite the routine call-ups to the Rangers roster, Mackey hasn’t appeared in the NHL since December 2024, when he appeared in two games and recorded no points and one fight. He’s played just three NHL games since 2023, and 42 across a five-year career. He’s posted 11 points, 80 penalty minutes, and a minus-one in the NHL.

Mackey will serve as an insurance option for New York’s extra defenseman Urho Vaakanainen, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury per Stephen Whyno of AP News. Vaakanainen has played in 10 games and recorded one assist, eight penalty minutes, and a plus-one this season. He is expected to be replaced in the lineup by fellow left-shot defenseman Matthew Robertson, who has one goal in seven NHL games this season.

To make room for Mackey’s recall, the Rangers will now move Rempe to the inactives list. The 6-foot-9 bruiser managed one goal, seven penalty minutes, and a plus-one in nine games before going down with injury. He looked noticeably more impactful when play was moving this season, taking a stride towards impact that helped round out his enforcer presence. New York has turned towards Jonny Brodzinski to fill Rempe’s fourth-line role. Brodzinski has two points in five games this season.

Evening Notes: Nazar, Girard, Brindley, Cuylle

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The Chicago Blackhawks will hold their breath through Friday night. Top forward Frank Nazar exited their game against the Calgary Flames in the first period, after a subtle cross-check from Flames forward Joel Farabee. Emerging Blackhawks bruiser Colton Dach stepped up to fight Farabee after the collision.

Nazar’s importance to the Blackhawks can’t be understated. He has recorded 11 points and a plus-three through 14 games this season, placing him second on the team in scoring behind Connor Bedard. The duo are growing into a true one-two punch for Chicago, something the organization bet on when they signed Nazar long-term this summer. The Blackhawks would face a difficult decision should Nazar need to miss gametime.

They would likely need to promote Ryan Greene in the lineup, and move Oliver Moore from left-wing to center. That would place even more stake on the rookies on a Blackhawks team currently ranked fifth in the Central Division.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar issued updates on a pair of injuries, captured by Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now. Defenseman Samuel Girard won’t join the team on their two-game road-trip as he continues to recover from a week-to-week, upper-body injury. That could prompt the team to recall an extra forward, though rookie Gavin Brindley was a full participant at Friday’s practice. Brindley has missed two games with a concussion sustained last week. He would give the Avalanche 12 healthy forwards for their upcoming road-trip. Brindley has scored two points in 12 games this season. Should he remain out, Colorado would have to choose who to recall between minor-leaguers Tristen Nielsen, Jayson Megna, and Alex Barre-Boulet.
  • The New York Rangers will also have a young forward to keep an eye on. Centerman William Cuylle left Friday’s game versus the Detroit Red Wings after blocking a shot with his knee in the third period, per Peter Baugh of The Athletic. He appeared noticeably hurt, and needed help from teammates to get off the ice and down the tunnel. Somehow, Cuylle managed to return to the bench before the end of the game, per Baugh, prompting a sigh of relief among the Rangers’ faithful. Still, with the weight of the shot, Cuylle could still need a few days off once the bruise sets in. New York’s Saturday practice will bring a clearer picture of Cuylle’s prognosis. He managed a power-play goal prior to exiting on Friday, marking his seventh point in 15 games this season.

Hurricanes Reassign Bradly Nadeau

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The Carolina Hurricanes have assigned top prospect Bradly Nadeau back to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. Nadeau played six games and scored his first NHL goal on this recall. That was his only point, though, and he’ll now return to the minor-leagues after no scoring in his last three games.

Nadeau has carved out a reserved seat in Chicago’s top-six this season. He scored four points in three games before being recalled to Carolina. That mark ranked third on the team in scoring at the time, though he’s fallen to eighth in six games since his call-up. He’ll face the challenge of climbing back up Chicago’s scoreboard following this move, a task that should prove easy for the former first-round pick. Nadeau scored 58 points in 64 games of his rookie AHL season last year, the most of any Wolves rookie since 2007. He carved out a top-line spot next to Ryan Suzuki and Justin Robidas, one that stuck around through the first two weekends of this season. He’ll return to that spot when Chicago takes on rivalry matchups versus the Iowa Wild and Grand Rapids Griffins this weekend.

Nadeau was also a hot scorer in junior hockey. He scored 45 goals and 113 points with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees in the 2022-23 season, the most of any draft eligible prospect in the BCHL since Beau Bennett (120 points) in 2009-10 and Kyle Turris (121 points) in 2006-07. That scoring earned Nadeau the 30th-overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft. He followed that up with 19 goals and 46 points in 37 games at the University of Maine, again a milestone mark – the most from a teenager in the Maine roster since Steve Kariya (50 points) in 1996-97 and Paul Kariya (100 points) in 1992-93. Nadeau has found impressive scoring at every step from juniors to the AHL, and while his impact away from the game will need to continue improving, his breakthrough in the NHL seems on its way.

Sharks’ Michael Misa Out Week-To-Week

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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.

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