Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Penguins Recall Ville Koivunen And Rutger McGroarty, Joona Koppanen Re-Assigned

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they’ve recalled forward prospects Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty while also re-assigning forward Joona Koppanen to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. The timing of the recalls is of note as the Penguins have looked lifeless in their last two games, losing to Tampa Bay and Buffalo by a combined score of 13-4.

McGroarty was acquired by the Penguins last summer from the Winnipeg Jets for forward Brayden Yager and made the team out of training camp but struggled to produce with no points in three NHL games. He was then sent to the AHL where he continued to struggle offensively, posting just a single assist in his first eight games. However, since November 9th, McGroarty has tallied 14 goals and 24 assists in 52 games and has looked dominant at times, displaying the skillset that made him the 14th overall pick in 2022.

Koivunen was acquired by the Penguins last March in the trade that sent forward Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. The deal is looking like a massive win for Pittsburgh as Koivunen has been exceptional this year in the AHL tallying 21 goals and 34 assists in 62 games. The 21-year-old brings a skill level that the Penguins hadn’t had in a prospect in nearly two decades and will get his first taste of NHL action after earning this recall. Koivunen currently leads the AHL Penguins in scoring and has done so in his first full season of hockey in North America.

Koppanen returns to the AHL where he has spent the bulk of this season and his professional career. The 27-year-old did dress in five NHL games for Pittsburgh and managed to score his first NHL goal on March 18th against the New York Islanders. Koppanen has appeared in 53 AHL games this season where he has six goals and 15 assists as well as a +7 plus/minus.

The Penguins are all but assured of missing the playoffs for a third consecutive year and with these callups, they will have an opportunity to see how close some of their top prospects are for NHL action next season.

West Notes: Foligno, Kiviranta, Stephenson

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno returned to the lineup last night, dressing for the first time in almost two weeks (as per Michael Russo of The Athletic). The 33-year-old missed five games due to an upper-body injury but suited up against Washington and was +1 in 18:10 of play. The veteran winger is having a routine season by his standards, tallying 11 goals and 11 assists in 68 games with 66 PIM and 221 hits.

The Wild are clinging to the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference despite dealing with injuries to some of their top players. The team welcomed defenseman Jonas Brodin back earlier this week, and with Foligno now returning it looks as though Minnesota should get most players back by the beginning of the postseason.

In other Western Conference notes:

  • Colorado Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta missed last night’s game with a lower-body injury (as per Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports). It’s the first game that Kiviranta has missed this season as he has made 72 appearances while averaging 12:30 of ice time per game. No word yet on how long Kiviranta is expected to be out but there should be an update before the Avalanche take on St. Louis on Saturday afternoon. The 29-year-old has set a career-high this season in goals (16), assists (7) and points (23) and likely won’t have to settle for a one-year deal at league minimum this summer when he re-enters free agency.
  • Seattle Kraken forward Chandler Stephenson practiced yesterday in a full-contact jersey but did not play last night against the Edmonton Oilers (as per Kate Shefte of The Seattle Times). Stephenson suffered an upper-body injury back on March 19th in a game against Minnesota and has missed the past two games. Given that he has returned to full contact, it seems likely that the 30-year-old will return to the lineup at some point in the next week. Stephenson signed a massive seven-year contract ($6.25MM AAV) with the Kraken last July, and while the deal was a massive overpay, Stephenson has provided depth offense this season in more of a defensive role, posting 11 goals and 37 assists in 69 games.

Blue Jackets Activate Erik Gudbranson, Sean Monahan

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

March 24: Gudbranson and Monahan will be coming off injured reserve and making their returns tonight, head coach Dean Evason confirmed. The team later announced they’ve both been activated.

March 23: Columbus Blue Jackets reporter Jeff Svoboda tweeted that center Sean Monahan and defenseman Erik Gudbranson may return to the lineup tomorrow night when the Blue Jackets take on the New York Islanders.

Monahan hasn’t played since January 7th, when he suffered a wrist injury in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 30-year-old was in the midst of a career year, having tallied 14 goals and 27 assists in 41 games. The Brampton, Ontario native signed with Columbus as a free agent last summer on July 1st, inking a contract that was largely panned by critics. However, Monahan has played well above expectations for the Blue Jackets and helped lead them into the playoff picture in a year where they weren’t expected to contend for the postseason. His return should give Columbus a boost as they try to snap a six-game losing streak.

Gudbranson hasn’t played since mid-October after he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. The 33-year-old has played just three times during the 2024-25 season, last suiting up on October 15th. The Ottawa, Ontario native had a career year last season, tallying six goals and 20 assists in 78 games while continuing to provide his usual physical presence.

The Blue Jackets sit four points back of Montreal for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and will certainly welcome the return of two veterans who should help them in their push for the postseason.

Penguins Should Look To Re-Sign Matt Grzelcyk

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Kelsey Surmacz of The Hockey News made the case that the Pittsburgh Penguins should re-sign pending UFA defenseman Matt Grzelcyk before he hits the market on July 1st. The veteran has been a good fit in Pittsburgh, and bringing him back on a short-term deal makes sense in a vacuum as the Penguins are very thin on the left side going forward. Grzelcyk has set career highs this season in multiple offensive categories, as the 31-year-old has a goal and 31 assists in 71 games while averaging over 20 minutes a night for the first time in his career.

He’s become an important piece of the Penguins’ defense core, and the team opted to hang onto him rather than move him at the NHL Trade Deadline. Grzelcyk’s veteran presence has mentored some of Pittsburgh’s younger players and could be valuable during a re-tool. Surmacz believes that Pittsburgh should look at a one or two-year deal for Grzelcyk, which would make sense as the Penguins don’t look like they’ll be bottoming out, and they likely won’t be making any major additions over the next year. Many Penguins insiders believe that Pittsburgh hopes to contend for the playoffs again in the 2026-27 season, and while Grzelcyk shouldn’t be a top-four defenseman on a contending team, he could serve as valuable depth when the Penguins are ready to make a push.

While a short-term deal would suit Pittsburgh, it likely wouldn’t be Grzelcyk’s preferred outcome. The Charlestown, Massachusetts native has rebounded this season and could be looking at his last opportunity to cash in a lucrative contract. Playing under a one-year,  $2.75MM deal that he signed in free agency last summer, it’s not hard to imagine him receiving three-year offers this upcoming summer with an increased salary cap and very few options available.

Islanders Sign Gleb Veremyev

at CDT | by 3 Comments

12:30 PM: The Islanders have made this signing official. Veremyev will join the Islanders on a two-year contract beginning in the 2025-26 season. His deal carries an $885K cap hit, per PuckPedia, and breaks down as follows:

2025-26: $775K base salary, $97.5K signing bonus, $102.5K games played bonus, $85K minors salary
2026-27: $800K base salary, $97.5K signing bonus, $77.5K games played bonus, $85K minors salary

10:00 AM: The New York Islanders are expected to ink one of the top available college free agents, Gleb Veremyev (as per Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff).  The center has good size, is solid defensively and is excellent on the draw, but he doesn’t project as much of an offensive player. This season, in 37 games, the 21-year-old has just nine goals and eight assists with Colorado College of the NCAA, this represented a significant drop from last year when he tallied 15 goals and 13 assists in 37 games.

Seravalli has called Veremyev a David Steckel-type player, which appears to be a fair comparison given the numbers and the style of game that Veremyev plays. Steckel was a former late first-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings, while the Islanders wouldn’t be giving up any assets (other than money) to sign Veremyev. It’s safe to guess that Veremyev will spend significant time in the AHL before beginning his NHL journey. Steckel spent three full seasons in the AHL before becoming a full-time NHLer, and Veremyev will likely need similar seasoning.

Veremyev stands 6’4” tall and while he doesn’t meet the definition of a power forward, he is a relentless forechecker and does have some skill around the net and could continue to develop some of the offensive elements to his game. Defensively he is described as having an active stick and being disruptive when it comes to physical battles.

Islanders’ general manager Lou Lamoriello has expressed a desire to get younger and bringing in Veremyev will certainly inch the organization in that direction.

Red Wings Recall Austin Watson And Brogan Rafferty

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they’ve recalled forward Austin Watson and defenseman Brogan Rafferty from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions.

The 33-year-old Watson has seen limited NHL action this season, dressing in just two games after signing a one-year, two-way deal with the Red Wings back in early October. Watson started out the season on a professional tryout with Detroit but showed enough in training camp and four preseason games to get an NHL deal. The Ann Arbor, Michigan native has spent the bulk of this season in the AHL with the Griffins, tallying 16 goals and 21 assists in 56 games, which is good for second on the team in scoring. Watson has also provided his usual physical presence, notching 94 PIM on the year.

Watson’s play this season has already landed him another one-year, two-way deal for next season, as the Red Wings felt good enough about his efforts to extend him another year.

Rafferty has an opportunity to see his first NHL action since he dressed for the Vancouver Canucks in January 2021. He has played three NHL games in his career, posting a single assist and three blocked shots. The 29-year-old has dressed in 50 games this season for Grand Rapids and has registered six goals and 13 assists along with 17 PIM. In five AHL seasons, the West Dundee, Illinois native has played in 306 games, totalling 30 goals and 138 assists.

Detroit current sits four points behind Montreal for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and will be back in action tomorrow night against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Free Agent Goaltending Market This Summer Will Be Thin

at CDT | by 10 Comments

Jesse Granger of The Athletic wrote an article the other day about the lack of impact options available in the goaltending market this summer. Granger highlights recent extensions to Adin Hill, Karel Vejmelka, Logan Thompson and Kevin Lankinen to back up his hypothesis. This season, 12 NHL goaltenders have signed contract extensions totalling just shy of $438MM.

The teams on the hunt for goaltending this summer will be hard-pressed to find a suitable target as supply will most certainly fall short of demand. There will be goalies available, but the free-agent market will be a mix of veteran backups and reclamation projects. Topping the list will be New Jersey’s Jake Allen and Carolina’s Frederik Andersen, and while both men are certainly capable NHL goaltenders, they aren’t likely to move the needle for a team that is in search of a netminder. Although Allen is making a case at the moment as he is on a heater with the Devils and has been exceptional this season with a goals saved above expected of 20.3 (as per Money Puck).

While this isn’t great news for teams looking to be buyers, it does create an opportunity for teams that will be looking to sell low on expensive veterans. The most obvious candidate for a move is Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 29-year-old has returned to the NHL after a stretch in the minors and has played well in five games for the Penguins. While a small sample size is unlikely to make teams forget about Jarry’s long-term play over the past two years, a solid stretch to end the year could entice a team to roll the dice on a former two-time NHL All-Star. Jarry has three years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $5.375MM, and with the cap going up, there may be a team so desperate to improve in the net that they pull the trigger and hope Jarry re-captures his game.

Another such name is Philipp Grubauer of the Seattle Kraken. Like Jarry, Grubauer is on an expensive long-term deal and spent part of this season in the AHL. Grubauer has two years remaining on his contract at $5.9MM per season, but at 33 years old he would certainly be a bigger risk than Jarry. Over the past four seasons, Grubauer has posted -55.8 goals saved above expected with the Kraken (as per Money Puck), while Jarry has posted +8.1 goals saved above expected (as per Money Puck).

Then, of course, there is John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks, who has had his name in trade rumors for what feels like forever. The 31-year-old has been good this season for the Ducks, and it’s hard to imagine he makes it another summer in Anaheim. The Ducks have an opportunity to move on while Gibson’s value is at the highest it’s been in a few seasons, and with so few alternatives, they should be able to net an asset or two.

Blue Jackets Loan Jet Greaves To The AHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Columbus Blue Jackets have loaned goaltender Jet Greaves to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. The Cambridge, Ontario native has made appearances in six NHL games this season for Columbus, posting a 2-2-2 record with a 2.83 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage. Greaves has seen limited NHL action this season but is the only Blue Jackets goaltender to post a goals saved above expected in the positive at +0.9 (as per Money Puck). The 23-year-old played last night against New Jersey and made 18 saves in a 2-1 loss.

Greaves made his NHL debut back in April 2023 and in his brief NHL career, he has dressed in 16 career games and owns a 5-9-2 record with a .910 save percentage and a 3.21 goals-against average. His AHL career is a much larger sample size as he has appeared in 152 career games and has a 77-50-17 record with a 2.93 goals-against average and a .907 career save percentage.

This season in the AHL, Greaves ranks sixth in the league in save percentage at .915 and is 12th in wins, sporting a 16-10-6 record in 34 games. He was named the AHL player of the week in the first week of the year and was solid in his only NHL appearance in January making 31 saves in a win over St. Louis. However, he followed that up with a bit of a mini-slump from mid to late January before settling back in around the middle of February. Since then, Greaves has allowed just 11 goals in his last six AHL games.

Sabres Assign Isak Rosen To The AHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

March 18th, 9:22 am: The Buffalo Sabres have loaned Isak Rosen to their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

March 16th, 10:03 am: The Buffalo Sabres announced that they’ve recalled forwards Isak Rosen and Brett Murray from their AHL affiliate the Rochester Americans. The move continues a busy week for Rosen, who was loaned to the AHL just 72 hours ago after being recalled due to several Sabres players being sick.

Rosen made his debut with Buffalo back on November 25th, 2023, and has dressed in 10 NHL games over two seasons, including three games this year. He has yet to record an NHL point but has topped 50 points in each of the last two AHL seasons, including this year where he has averaged nearly a point a game in 52 games (27 goals and 24 assists).

Rosen was the Sabres’ first round pick in 2021 (14th overall) and has had a difficult time getting traction in the NHL. His lack of offense is obvious, but his underlying numbers are even worse as his possession numbers have been brutal (40% CF% this season, 40.6% for his career).

Murray is a 26-year-old who has yet to play in an NHL game this season. The Bolton, Ontario native has posted some of the best offensive numbers of his career in the AHL this season, with 23 goals and 17 assists in 55 games with Rochester. The Sabres 2016 fourth round pick (99th overall) has dressed in 23 NHL games in his six-year professional career, registering two goals and four assists with a -3 plus/minus and 25 hits.

The Sabres are back in action on Monday night against the Boston Bruins as they play out the string. Buffalo will most likely miss the playoffs this season for the 14th straight year.

Penguins Recall Joona Koppanen

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled forward Joona Koppanen from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. The 27-year-old’s recall is on an emergency basis, and he will likely serve as insurance when the Penguins take on the New York Islanders this evening. Koppanen is in the second season of a two-year, two-way contract he signed with the Penguins back on July 1st, 2023.

Koppanen dressed in four games for the Penguins last season, tallying no points while playing 7:49 per game. It wasn’t his first taste of NHL action as the native of Tampere, Finland also played five games for the Boston Bruins during the 2022-23 season. He has never produced much offense at any level and has just a single assist in nine career NHL games.

In the AHL this season, Koppanen has served as a depth player for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, registering six goals and 15 assists in 53 games. His scoring numbers are almost a mirror image of last year’s totals which were six goals and 15 assists in 58 games.

The 6’5” Koppanen has been an AHL regular since the 2018-19 season, spending most of his career with the Providence Bruins. Despite a slow start offensively in his first four seasons, he has rounded into more of a contributor in recent years, topping 30 points twice with Providence. In 356 career AHL games, Koppanen has posted 51 goals and 84 assists.

While Koppanen might not see game action during his recall, he is coming into Pittsburgh on a bit of a heater, having notched two goals and three assists in his past four games.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top