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Lightning Expected To Activate Andrei Vasilevskiy From IR

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The Lightning announced today that they’ve reassigned goaltender Brandon Halverson and winger Scott Sabourin to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. Halverson’s demotion means they’ll use one of the open roster spots to activate Andrei Vasilevskiy from injured reserve before Thursday’s game against the Kings.

What was initially expected to be a one-game absence for Vasilevskiy turned into seven games. He hasn’t dressed since losing to the Islanders on Dec. 2. Since then, backup Jonas Johansson has played every minute for the Bolts, aside from a six-second span against the Islanders over the weekend, where Halverson had to enter play due to an equipment issue.

Injuries to Vasilevskiy have forced Johansson to start 14 of Tampa’s 33 games, on pace to clear his previous career high of 24 starts by a wide margin. The 30-year-old Swede has given the Bolts some of the best hockey of his unremarkable career, recording a .897 SV% and 2.76 GAA while saving 4.1 goals above expected, per MoneyPuck.

Still, Tampa will be thrilled to get its star back between the pipes, especially as it’s lost six of eight games in November. The five-time Vezina Trophy finalist has made a solid case for his sixth nomination early on this year, recording a .916 SV%, 2.31 GAA, and an 11-6-2 record in 19 starts. Among goalies with at least 18 appearances, Vasilevskiy’s 0.736 GSAx/60 ranks fifth behind Logan Thompson (1.047), Ilya Sorokin (1.003), Jeremy Swayman (0.790), and Spencer Knight (0.766).

Meanwhile, Halverson’s duties as the Bolts’ No. 3 see his recall end without him facing a shot. The 29-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent and has a .901 SV%, 2.58 GAA, two shutouts, and a 9-4-0 record in 13 starts for Syracuse.

Sabourin, 33, has been yo-yoed between Tampa and Syracuse multiple times this season. However, he’d played in four straight for the Lightning after being recalled last week. The career enforcer has been a surprisingly effective fourth-line piece when called upon this year, recording a goal and two assists in seven games with 13 hits. Averaging 9:17 of ice time per game, he’s also posted strong 5-on-5 possession metrics with a 55.9 CF% and a team-high 71.3 xGF%.

As a result, his demotion could be to help stretch out his waiver-exempt status. Syracuse plays tomorrow night against Bridgeport, so the Lightning would be eligible to recall him again before their next game Thursday.

Maple Leafs To Activate Joseph Woll From Injured Reserve

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Maple Leafs starter Joseph Woll will return to action tonight against the Blackhawks, head coach Craig Berube told reporters (including Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic). Toronto will need to open a roster spot to activate him from injured reserve. In all likelihood, that will mean returning goaltender Artur Akhtyamov to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies after they summoned him earlier this month in the wake of Woll’s injury.

Woll has missed the Leafs’ last four games after sustaining a lower-body injury in their win over the Hurricanes on Dec. 4, leaving the game after the second period. It was the 27-year-old’s second multi-game absence of the season. He missed the first 18 games of Toronto’s schedule while on personal leave.

While the 2016 third-round pick’s availability has limited him to eight starts, he’s played some of the best hockey of his career while doing so. He doesn’t have the best goal support – the Leafs offense has only averaged 2.75 goals per game with him in net – but he’s held up his end of the bargain with a .923 SV% and 2.44 GAA to come up with a 4-3-1 record.

When healthy, Woll’s $3.67MM cap hit through 2027-28 ranks among the best value contracts for a goalie in the NHL. He’s posted above-average save percentages in each of his five NHL seasons and has saved 29.5 goals above expected in 75 appearances since emerging as a full-time option in 2023-24, per MoneyPuck.

However, the former top prospect has started more than 30 games in a season only once. He could still feasibly do it this season if he stays healthy, only needing to start 22 times in 51 games, but that’s a big if.

His availability is critical as Toronto remains without Woll’s tandem partner, Anthony Stolarz, indefinitely. After Stolarz stumbled out of the gate with a .884 SV% and -5.3 GSAx in 13 games, he sustained an upper-body injury on Nov. 11 and hasn’t played since. Today, Berube confirmed he’s not dealing with a concussion but that he’s still far from a return and will see another specialist (via Johnston).

Yet the emergence of third-stringer Dennis Hildeby has removed a lot of drama from Toronto’s crease over the last several weeks. Stepping in for Stolarz and Woll, the gargantuan 24-year-old is making a serious push for a full-time NHL job with a .920 SV%, 2.72 GAA, one shutout, and a team-leading 7.2 GSAx in seven starts and four relief appearances. Since Woll’s injury, Hildeby has recorded a .934 mark, seventh in the league among goalies with multiple starts since Dec. 4.

Hildeby’s hot hand should allow the Leafs to keep Woll fresher in a reduced workload, getting the best out of both goalies until Stolarz is ready to return – if he can return this season. The 2022 fourth-round pick signed a three-year, $2.53MM contract as a restricted free agent this past offseason that pays him the league minimum salary through the 2027-28 campaign, a deal that’s now quietly one of the biggest wins from Toronto’s summer.

As for Akhtyamov, the 24-year-old made his NHL debut on Saturday when he entered a 6-3 loss to the Oilers in relief of Hildeby in the third period. In the final 10:32 of regulation, he faced five shots and did not allow a goal. He still looks like he’s a few years away from challenging for an NHL role, posting a .896 SV% and 3.04 GAA in 12 appearances for the Marlies this year.

Stars Place Vladislav Kolyachonok On Waivers

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The Stars have placed defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok on waivers, according to Frank Seravalli of Victory+. He’ll be reassigned to AHL Texas tomorrow if he clears.

Dallas is the 24-year-old Kolyachonok’s fourth NHL organization. Drafted by the Panthers in the second round in 2019, he was flipped to the Coyotes two years later as a sweetener for them to take on Anton Strålman’s deal. He first broke into the NHL with Arizona the following season and remained in the organization through their move to Utah. The Mammoth lost him waivers last season to the Penguins, who then flipped him to the Stars over the summer in the Mathew Dumba deal.

While the Belarus native joined as an intriguing potential No. 7/8 option, he didn’t crack the opening night roster. This time, he successfully cleared waivers to begin the season on his way down to Texas. He remained there for the first six weeks of the campaign until injuries to Thomas Harley and Ilya Lyubushkin created a recall opportunity in mid-November.

Kolyachonok was routinely in the lineup until Harley returned. He’s now sat out two of the last three games. While Dallas still has one injured defenseman – Lian Bichsel, who’s not expected back until late January – they’re carrying eight on the active roster, making Kolyachonok something of a redundancy, particularly as one of five lefties.

The 6’2″ rearguard did well as a stopgap, recording three points and a +3 rating in 11 games. He saw just 12:37 of ice time per game but posted the best possession numbers of any Star this season at 5-on-5, controlling 51.7% of shot attempts and 54.1% of scoring chances.

He’s still got a fairly high-ceiling defensive game, one that may result in a waiver claim tomorrow. He’s making the league minimum and is a pending restricted free agent. If not, he’ll return to Texas, where he had three assists in 10 games to begin the year.

Golden Knights Reassign Dylan Coghlan

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The Golden Knights announced they’ve assigned defenseman Dylan Coghlan to AHL Henderson. Vegas now has an open roster spot, likely meaning they’ll operate without an extra defenseman for their brief return home against the Devils this week before heading back out on a two-game road trip.

Vegas has needed some additional defensive insurance ever since Jeremy Lauzon went down with an undisclosed injury in mid-November. He remains listed as day-to-day but is on injured reserve and has now missed nearly a month. In the interim, they’ve been shuffling veteran depth names like Coghlan and Jaycob Megna up from the AHL to serve as healthy extras.

They haven’t needed them to actually enter game action, though. Since Lauzon exited the lineup on Nov. 15, Vegas has dressed the same six defenders – Noah Hanifin, Ben Hutton, Kaedan Korczak, Brayden McNabb, Shea Theodore, and Zach Whitecloud – in 14 straight games.

Coghlan thus returns to Henderson after not getting any playing time over the last week. The 27-year-old made his NHL debut with the Knights back in 2020-21, playing in two seasons with them before he was traded to the Hurricanes in 2022 in the Max Pacioretty deal. After spending the last three years in the Carolina and Winnipeg organizations bouncing between the NHL and AHL, he returned to Vegas on a league-minimum contract over the offseason in free agency.

In 20 games for Henderson this season, the 6’2″ righty has five goals and 10 points with a +4 rating. An AHL All-Star in 2023-24, he ranks third among Silver Knights defensemen in scoring.

Red Wings Place Jonatan Berggren On Waivers

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The Red Wings placed winger Jonatan Berggren on waivers Monday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. Whether he’ll be assigned to AHL Grand Rapids if he clears or if they’re purely exposing him to the rest of the league for a change of scenery remains to be seen.

Berggren has been a frequent healthy scratch this season after he made a career-high 75 appearances last season. The 25-year-old has only played 15 of Detroit’s 33 games and has been in the lineup just once since Nov. 24.

Defensive deficiencies and a lack of physicality have long kept the 5’11” Berggren from advancing higher in the Wings’ lineup. However, he’s always made the most of his limited minutes offensively. Since entering the league with Detroit in 2022-23, he’s averaged 15 goals and 31 points per 82 games despite seeing under 13 minutes of deployment per night.

He’s kept up that reputation in 2025-26 despite increased role instability. His six points in those 15 outings are good for 0.40 points per game, eighth on the team. With middle-six names like Marco Kasper (four points in 33 games) and J.T. Compher (11 points in 33 games) having such bearish seasons offensively, it’s a tad surprising Berggren hasn’t gotten more of an extended look to help jumpstart the Wings’ depth.

Now, the 2018 second-rounder lands on waivers for the first time in his career and could have a new home as soon as tomorrow. If he’s not claimed, the fact that he’s already cleared waivers could boost his trade value since there wouldn’t be a concern about surrendering assets for him only to lose him on the wire if he doesn’t work out.

Berggren is making $1.825MM this season as part of a one-year extension he signed shortly before free agency opened. He’ll be arbitration-eligible at the end of the season.

Sharks Place Will Smith, Philipp Kurashev On IR

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The Sharks will be without forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev for at least their upcoming three-game homestand, if not longer. The team announced both have been placed on injured reserve with undisclosed issues and did not issue timelines for their return. Their roster spots have gone to wingers Ethan Cardwell and Igor Chernyshov, who were recalled from AHL San Jose.

Smith and Kurashev both departed Saturday’s 6-5 comeback win over the Penguins prematurely. Smith was forced out early in the third period after taking a crushing hit from Pittsburgh defender Parker Wotherspoon (video via JD Young of Locked on Sharks). Kurashev left in the second period after losing his balance on the forecheck and sliding hard into the boards.

Smith’s absence is of special concern to the Sharks, who are hanging onto the second wild-card spot in the West despite continued league-worst underlying numbers. The 2023 No. 4 overall pick has firmly emerged as a top-line piece, stapled to Macklin Celebrini’s wing since the beginning of the campaign. Unsurprisingly, he’s second on the team in scoring with 12 goals and 29 points in 33 games, averaging 17:55 of ice time per game. That’s up by more than two minutes over his rookie outing last year, putting him on pace to easily surpass his 18-27–45 scoring line in 74 games in 2024-25.

That is, of course, assuming his absence isn’t an extended one. The Sharks have a relatively easy upcoming schedule with three out of their next five games against teams that didn’t make the playoffs last year. Getting out of that stretch with three wins, particularly if Smith doesn’t miss much more than the week required by IR, would be a major gain in their still-slim but increasingly realistic playoff hopes.

Kurashev’s absence is also of significant consequence. He’d logged time with Celebrini and Smith this season on occasion when Tyler Toffoli wasn’t with them on the top line. He would have been the first name to step in alongside Celebrini and Toffoli with Smith out, leaving San Jose without two top-six options for the time being.

The 26-year-old was non-tendered by the Blackhawks last summer. San Jose picked him up on a one-year, $1.2MM deal when free agency opened. So far, it’s been one of the better buy-low signings of the offseason. He hasn’t recaptured the heights of his 54-point campaign with Chicago two years ago, but he has been a versatile piece for the Sharks, providing valuable secondary scoring. He’s seventh on the team with 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 31 outings while averaging over 16 minutes per night, routinely featuring on their second power-play unit.

San Jose, still not fully exited from its rebuild, still has a pair of fairly high-ceiling options to replace them with. Cardwell, 23, has already worked his way up into being a trusted recall option for the Sharks after being a fourth-round pick in 2021. He’s got 10 NHL appearances to his name over the past year and has scored his first two NHL goals. It’s his second recall of the campaign after being summoned for more than a week in early November.

Cardwell was an immediate scoring threat in the minors, scoring 23 goals in 71 games for the Barracuda as a rookie in 2023-24. He’s kept his point production up and has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 14 appearances this year. A high-motor winger, he doesn’t have the raw offensive skillset to truly stand out in a San Jose prospect pool ripe with first-round picks and more high-end sleepers, but he hasn’t looked out of place at all in his first few NHL chances.

The real headliner, though, is Chernyshov. The 20-year-old Russian was the first pick of the second round in 2024 at No. 33 overall, later than most thought he would go. So far in his development, he’s proven the Sharks – and the public – right. After spending his pre-draft development in his native Russia, Chernyshov immediately signed his entry-level deal with San Jose and came to North America for the 2024-25 campaign. While an injury limited him to 23 games with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, he was the top scorer in major junior hockey on a per-game basis. With 19 goals and 36 assists for 55 points, he racked up an incredible 2.39 points per game.

What’s perhaps most intriguing is the niche he fills in San Jose’s prospect pool. At 6’3″ and 205 lbs, he could bring a needed power forward element to the Sharks’ top six forward group in short order. Now making the jump to the pros this year, he’s well on his way toward doing so. He leads the Barracuda in scoring with 11 goals and 23 points in 25 games. He entered the season as the Sharks’ No. 7 prospect (according to Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff) but has moved up at least two spots with Yaroslav Askarov and Sam Dickinson graduating to full-time roles.

If the Sharks don’t want to do major surgery on their lineup, it stands to reason Chernyshov could get dropped into the fire as a direct replacement for Smith on the top line with Celebrini and Toffoli, while Cardwell fills in a familiar depth role.

Sabres Fire Kevyn Adams, Name Jarmo Kekalainen GM

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The Sabres announced they’ve relieved general manager Kevyn Adams of his duties. Former Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen, who had been working with the team as a senior advisor to Adams this season, was named as his replacement. There’s no interim tag attached to Kekäläinen.

The change in leadership was widely expected after reports emerged Friday that the Sabres were seriously considering moving on from Adams following the conclusion of their road trip, which ended last night in Seattle with a three-game win streak. Matthew Fairburn and Tim Graham of The Athletic, who broke the story, indicated Kekäläinen was the likely name to take over but was in his native Finland on personal leave. He said on Instagram this morning that his father, Kari, passed away Sunday after a long-term illness.

Understandably, there likely won’t be a presser introducing Kekäläinen for a while as a result. The announcement likely couldn’t wait until after last week’s reporting, though. Owner Terry Pegula’s full statement on the matter is as follows:

I would like to thank Kevyn for his dedication and loyalty to the Buffalo Sabres. He has been a reliable presence, and we are appreciative of his enduring care and commitment. I personally wish him and his entire family all the best.

We are not where we need to be as an organization, and we are moving forward with new leadership within our hockey operations department. We are dedicated to building an organization that is competitive year after year, and we have fallen short of that expectation.

I have named Jarmo Kekäläinen as general manager of the Buffalo Sabres and he will be overseeing hockey operations, effective immediately. The hiring of Jarmo was the result of an extensive search process in which Jarmo stood out as our top choice for the senior advisor position. Jarmo has distinguished himself over the last eight months, and his experience, professionalism, and drive speaks for itself. I am looking forward to him leading our organization to the next level.

Adams, 51, had been Buffalo’s GM since his hiring during the 2020 offseason to replace the fired Jason Botterill. It was a surprising decision at the time, given his lack of managerial experience. The 2006 Stanley Cup champion, as a player with the Hurricanes, had never worked a high-level front office role. However, he was highly familiar to the organization and ownership – a decision likely made to help Pegula better put his finger on the pulse as their playoff drought neared a decade.

Five and a half years later, the Sabres still haven’t made it back to the postseason. Today’s news ends a lengthy run for Adams in the organization that began back in 2009-10, one season prior to their most recent playoff appearance. He served as a development coach from 2009-11 and an assistant coach from 2011-13 before moving away from a bench role. From 2013 to 2020, he worked mainly with the Sabres’ youth hockey program and took on a job as their senior VP of business administration in 2019-20 before getting the promotion to the GM’s chair.

From Buffalo’s last playoff appearance in 2011 to Adams’ hiring in 2020, the Sabres’ 260-343-88 (.440) record was last in the NHL. Adams has gotten them out of the cellar – they haven’t had a top-five pick since his first year on the job – but not back to playoff contention. Adams ends his tenure with a 178-196-42 (.478) record, only a marginal improvement that’s good for 26th in the league since the 2020-21 season. The closest they got to the postseason came in 2023, missing the cut by one point.

The Sabres’ 14-14-4 record out of the gate this season made moving on from Adams an inevitability. Another losing season risks core pieces Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson running out of patience and demanding moves – although with both signed through 2030 or longer, the Sabres have leverage on their side. There is a bevy of important pieces who aren’t locked up long-term, namely pending UFA Alex Tuch and pending RFAs Zach Benson and Josh Doan, who to some extent control their own destiny. That’s top of mind for a Sabres club that was essentially forced into trading RFA JJ Peterka to the Mammoth last summer because of an unwillingness to re-sign, although they made out rather well in that deal by recouping one of this year’s top breakout scorers in Doan.

Now, it’s Kekäläinen’s turn at the helm to instill a clear path toward playoff contention – whether that comes via long-term oriented moves or a potential in-season shake-up to vault Buffalo up a tight Eastern Conference. While they’re tied for last with 32 points, they’re only six points out of a playoff spot.

The appeal in Kekäläinen not only lies in his previous GM experience – he’s the first non-first-timer the club has hired since Scotty Bowman in 1979 – but in the type of market he worked for. Kekäläinen assumed control of a stagnant Columbus team that had yet to record a playoff win in franchise history midway through the 2012-13 season. Within a year, the Blue Jackets made it back to the postseason. Over his first seven full seasons in Columbus, the Jackets made the playoffs five times and recorded their first series victory in franchise history, an extremely memorable upset over the Lightning in 2019.

Kekäläinen was fired by the Jackets midway through the 2023-24 season after essentially being forced into rebuilding following the departures of Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky in free agency. Nonetheless, his proven track record of instituting a culture change in Columbus is of extremely understandable appeal.

Pegula didn’t announce any other front office or coaching changes. For now, Lindy Ruff and his staff remain intact behind the bench, as do assistant GMs Jerry Forton, Mark Jakubowski, Jason Karmanos, and special assistant Eric Staal.

Blackhawks Place Laurent Brossoit On Waivers

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Blackhawks goaltender Laurent Brossoit won’t be sticking on the roster after his conditioning loan to AHL Rockford ended today. He’ll be placed on waivers at 1:00 p.m. Central and will head back to Rockford if he clears tomorrow, head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters (including Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times).

Brossoit was never expected to report to Chicago after returning to practice last month and eventually being sent to Rockford for his first playing action in more than a year. He’s been permitted to seek a trade to find a new NHL home, but with no takers so far, he’ll end up on the wire to extend his stay in Rockford.

In all likelihood, the 32-year-old will never play a game for the Blackhawks after signing a two-year, $6.6MM contract in free agency in 2024. There’s no longer a place for him on the roster with Spencer Knight and Arvid Söderblom now entrenched as Chicago’s two NHL options. Late-summer surgery on his meniscus spiraled into more knee surgeries that eventually cost him the entire 2024-25 campaign, and a hip procedure this past summer kept him on the injured list to begin this year.

When Brossoit appeared for Rockford on Dec. 5, it was his first playing action since a relief appearance for the Jets in the 2024 playoffs. The veteran netminder was coming off back-to-back seasons with an exceptional .927 SV% in a backup role before reaching the open market and signing with Chicago.

While his knee and hip issues ended up taking out a solid chunk of his prime, his stint with Rockford showed he’s still a pro-level netminder and could easily find a home elsewhere if Chicago is willing to retain some of his $3.3MM cap hit. He logged a .900 SV% in three starts for the IceHogs – even scoring a goalie goal – and recorded a 2-1-0 record with a 3.39 GAA.

Teams can now have Brossoit for free over the next 24 hours, but they’ll need to take on his full cap hit if they don’t want to pay an acquisition cost. While he counts $3.3MM against the cap, his salary is only $2.3MM this season after Chicago paid out a $1MM signing bonus at the beginning of the season. That could be attractive to cash-conscious teams with cap space to burn.

Oilers Recall Quinn Hutson

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The Oilers announced they’ve recalled winger Quinn Hutson from AHL Bakersfield. After making his NHL debut late last season, the 23-year-old is expected to make his 2025-26 debut tomorrow night against the Penguins. Edmonton already had an open roster spot, so no corresponding move is required.

Hutson, the older brother of star Canadiens defender Lane Hutson and Capitals prospect Cole, went undrafted in 2020 after spending his draft year in an under-18 travel league, multiple steps below major junior hockey. He spent the following two seasons with USHL Muskegon, recording well over a point per game, before beginning his collegiate career as a 20-year-old with Boston University in 2022.

It was there, teaming up with his brothers, where the 5’10” winger put himself on the map. He immediately slotted in as a top-six piece for the Terriers before an outright eruption in his junior year in 2024-25, leading the team with 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists) in 38 games. While that was only enough to get him Second Team All-Star honors from the Hockey East conference, it squarely put him on the map in terms of landing an NHL deal.

Edmonton won the sweepstakes, inking Hutson to a two-year, entry-level deal in April. It began immediately, permitting him to skate in two regular-season games for the Oilers down the stretch. However, since he wasn’t on their reserve list at the trade deadline, he wasn’t eligible to suit up for them in the playoffs.

He was viewed as a legitimate candidate to make a push for a roster spot in training camp, but the Oilers’ addition of Isaac Howard to their prospect pool and depth spots being taken up by free-agent pickups Curtis Lazar and David Tomasek iced him out of a spot. That likely ended up being a blessing in disguise. Hutson has dominated the minor-league circuit as a first-year pro. He leads Bakersfield and is fourth in AHL scoring with a 16-12–28 line in 24 games. He’s been particularly hot as of late, with 10 of those goals coming in his last 10 outings.

The Oilers hope to take advantage of Hutson’s momentum and use him to help jumpstart what’s been a woeful performance from their secondary offense. Just four players – Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Connor McDavid, and the injured Jack Roslovic – have combined for 47% of Edmonton’s total goal output this season. They’re still third in the league overall at 3.33 goals per game, but they need a boost from lower in their lineup as those players’ shooting percentages, all floating near 20%, inevitably cool off.

How much head coach Kris Knoblauch uses Hutson will likely be the deciding factor in how long he stays up. His usage of Edmonton’s younger talent – viewed as important pieces to help shoulder the loss of multiple veterans to free agency last summer – has been a point of contention. Howard averaged just 9:30 of ice time per game to begin the season before being sent to Bakersfield. Tomasek, an elder rookie at age 29 but coming off a Swedish Hockey League scoring title, has averaged under 11 minutes per game. The only under-25 name to make a dent in the Oilers’ top nine has been Matthew Savoie as of late, now averaging north of 14 minutes per game on the year with 11 points in 33 games to show for it.

Blues Place Dylan Holloway On IR With Right High Ankle Sprain

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The Blues announced forward Dylan Holloway will miss six weeks due to a right high ankle sprain and has been placed on injured reserve. Winger Alexey Toropchenko was activated from IR in the corresponding move.

Holloway sustained the injury in Sunday’s practice, not during game action. He was inadvertently tripped during a drill and wasn’t able to put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the ice.

The 24-year-old is now in for his second extended absence of the calendar year. Holloway sustained a season-ending oblique injury with just five games left in the 2024-25 regular season, holding him out of their first-round loss to the Jets.

A pending restricted free agent after signing his two-year, $4.58MM offer sheet with St. Louis in 2024, Holloway’s production has taken a hit from last season’s breakout. After putting together a 26-37–63 scoring line in 77 appearances in 2024-25, he’s come out of the gate with eight goals and 17 points in 33 games this year. Expressed in points per game, that’s a drop from 0.82 to 0.52 – a 37% decrease.

That’s due mainly to natural ebbs and flows in luck. His shot and chance generation numbers are nearly identical to last season. His shooting percentage has dipped by over four percent from 14.6% to 10.5%, though. Combined with the team’s general lack of finishing ability – their 10.0 shooting percentage is 25th in the league – and his production has suffered.

He’s still second on the team in scoring and a weapon the offense-starved Blues can’t afford to lose for any length of time, particularly with three other forwards – including top-nine names Jordan Kyrou and Jimmy Snuggerud – on IR. He’s averaged 17:52 of ice time per game, third among St. Louis forwards, and is among their most impactful drivers of possession. At 5-on-5, his 49.8 CF% and 53.3 xGF% are both top three among Blues forwards, even if his -11 rating doesn’t indicate a great run of two-way play from him at a glance.

Despite the rash of injuries, the Blues have somewhat recovered from their dreadful start. They’re 5-4-1 in their last 10 games and have climbed up to 31 points, four out of a playoff spot. However, a tight Western Conference picture and dwindling underlying numbers combine to give them just an 8.4% chance at postseason play, per MoneyPuck.

They’ll at least recoup some depth in Toropchenko. The 26-year-old fourth-line piece has been a double-digit goal scorer before, but isn’t on track to do so this year with one goal and two points in 17 outings. He’s been out since the beginning of the month after sustaining burns to his legs in an off-ice incident.

The Blues already had an open roster spot with Toropchenko on IR, so they’ll stick with one now as Holloway takes his place. A six-week timeline puts Holloway back in action on Jan. 26 at the earliest, meaning a 19-game absence at minimum.

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