Ottawa Senators Reassign Stephen Halliday
Mar. 25: Halliday’s first call-up was short-lived, as the Senators announced they’ve reassigned him to AHL Belleville. The roster move indirectly confirms that Tkachuk should be in the Senators’ lineup tonight when they match up against the Buffalo Sabres.
Mar. 24: The Senators announced they’ve recalled center Stephen Halliday from AHL Belleville. It would be his NHL debut if he enters the lineup tomorrow against the Sabres. That’s a distinct possibility as captain Brady Tkachuk was absent from today’s practice, Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports, after logging only 13:23 of ice time against the Devils on Saturday.
It’s been a huge year for Halliday, who the Sens selected in the fourth round (No. 104 overall) in the 2022 draft. Selected after being passed over in the 2020 and 2021 drafts, the 6’4″, 212-lb pivot headed to Ohio State immediately following his selection after four years in the United States Hockey League. The big, playmaking pivot averaged nearly a point per game across two seasons for the Buckeyes, posting 19-58–77 in 78 appearances and finishing as a nominee for the Hobey Baker Award in 2023-24. Ottawa signed him to his entry-level contract last March, paving the way for him to jump to the pros.
Here in 2024-25, Halliday has flourished in Belleville. After impressing with nine points in seven Calder Cup Playoff games to end last season, he leads the B-Sens in scoring with 15-28–43 in 59 games. He has some work to do defensively; his -19 rating is the worst on the team by a significant margin. It’s nonetheless an impressive step for the 22-year-old, who’s tied for fifth in AHL rookie scoring.
That impressive offensive performance will, at the very least, get him his first appearance on an NHL roster, even if he doesn’t play. If he does, the left-shot forward could slot in on the wing instead of down the middle with Tkachuk absent. The captain has seen his minutes managed carefully since returning from the lower-body injury he sustained at the 4 Nations Face-Off, only seeing more than 19 minutes in a game twice this month. He’s clearly still nursing the injury, so with a five-point cushion on a playoff spot with 13 games to go, they may opt to give him some rest against a Buffalo squad that’s slated to finish last in the conference.
Halliday still has another year left on his ELC, which carries a $950K cap hit. Ottawa has just $130K in cap space after the recall, even while using Nick Cousins‘ LTIR placement to stay compliant. The Sens, who haven’t been carrying an extra forward for a while now, will presumably send Halliday back to Belleville once Tkachuk is ready to play again.
Rangers Recall Nicolas Aubé-Kubel
Per a team announcement, the Rangers have recalled winger Nicolas Aubé-Kubel from AHL Hartford. He could make his Blueshirts debut tomorrow against the Kings, but it’s far likelier he’s an extra body for injury insurance on their California road trip.
Aubé-Kubel, 28, was acquired from the Sabres in the trade that sent defenseman Erik Brännström to Buffalo before the deadline. After being waived by the Sabres on Jan. 27 and subsequently reassigned to the minors, he’s posted a combined 5-4–9 scoring line in 15 games between the two organizations’ AHL affiliates this year, including one goal in three games with Hartford since the swap.
A second-overall pick by the Flyers back in 2014, Aubé-Kubel was an NHL regular on a championship-winning team with the Avalanche three years ago. His stock has tumbled since, though, leading to multiple waiver placements and a handful of AHL stints for the first time since the pandemic.
He was a strong piece on the Capitals’ fourth line last season, posting 6-10–16 in 60 games with a plus-four rating and 159 hits. That landed the grinder a $1.5MM commitment from the Sabres on a one-year deal last summer, but he wasn’t nearly as effective in Buffalo. Injuries limited him to a goal and an assist in 19 games for the Sabres before he landed on waivers.
The 6’0″, 207-lb winger still counts $350K against the cap when he’s in the minors because of his salary checking in above the maximum buriable threshold, so the Rangers only add $1.15MM to their books with the recall. New York now has an active roster of 25 players, including the injured Arthur Kaliyev, who’s done for the year. Aubé-Kubel is a pending unrestricted free agent.
Jets’ Gabriel Vilardi Out Week-To-Week
Jets head coach Scott Arniel told reporters today that Gabriel Vilardi is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury (via the team’s Mitchell Clinton). While Arniel declined to say what exactly is ailing the winger, he confirmed it’s unrelated to the puck he took to the ear in yesterday’s loss to the Sabres. The injury will leave Vilardi out of the lineup for the first time this season and will lead to either David Gustafsson or Rasmus Kupari re-entering the lineup.
Who moves up to Vilardi’s spot on the top line with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele remains to be seen, especially since the line has barely been touched this year. Vilardi’s appeared with Connor and Scheifele in all 71 of his appearances this season, and their 907 minutes together makes them the most frequent forward line combination in the league, per MoneyPuck. No other forward unit has more than 650 minutes together.
A week-to-week designation could presumably end Vilardi’s regular season. Winnipeg has 11 games remaining, and even a two-week absence – likely optimistic – means he’ll return with only four games left. Without a firmer timeline, it’s possible he may remain unavailable for a portion of their first-round playoff series as well.
That’s bad news for a Jets team that didn’t land a big fish at the trade deadline, instead opting for depth pickups Luke Schenn and Brandon Tanev. The 25-year-old Vilardi has set career-highs across the board with his 71 appearances, 27 goals, 34 assists and 61 points. Averaging over 18 minutes per game, he seemed to have finally overcome his career-long injury bug that caused him to average just 40 games per season over the first five years of his NHL career.
He’ll now miss significant time again as the Jets teeter on the verge of clinching a playoff spot. They’re almost certainly slated for a Central Division title and a first-round matchup against the second wild-card team in the West, whoever that may be, but doing so without a player who accounts for 11% of their goals this season is a significant blow. Vilardi is humming at a 20.8% shooting rate but, as per usual for Winnipeg’s top line, has struggled to control possession at even strength. They’re all underwater in their shot-attempt numbers but have managed to control 52.6% of expected goals, per MoneyPuck.
Vilardi’s season hits pause amid a cold streak. He’d gone without a point in his last four games, compiling a minus-three rating during that stretch. Nonetheless, he’s a huge loss during the final month of the regular season as Winnipeg looks to seal the deal on their best regular season in franchise history.
Stars Hopeful Tyler Seguin Can Return Before End Of Regular Season
Stars forward Tyler Seguin will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip after recently returning to practice, head coach Peter DeBoer told reporters today (including Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports). He’ll still likely be sidelined well into April, but the possibility of him coming off long-term injured reserve – or at least getting a conditioning stint with AHL Texas – before the postseason is coming into view.
Seguin hit the injured list 19 games into the season, undergoing two surgeries on his left hip in December. He was initially given a four-to-six-month return timeline, so the possibility of April game action isn’t too surprising. It’s nonetheless a great sign for Seguin, who had multiple issues in his recovery from a similar surgery on his right hip at the beginning of the decade that threatened his career.
Getting Seguin acclimated in a forward group that’s since acquired Mikael Granlund and Mikko Rantanen is a legitimate priority for Dallas heading into the postseason. The 33-year-old started the season on a tear, posting 9-11–20 with a +14 rating in 19 games. Assuming he doesn’t add to that total, it will stand as his first season above a point-per-game pace since 2015-16. He did so on a line with Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment, a role that’s been filled by Granlund since his acquisition from the Sharks last month. The Finn hasn’t been quite as productive as Seguin was in those minutes, though, posting 3-9–12 in 18 games since the trade.
Even if Seguin’s playoff scoring over the past few years isn’t particularly outstanding, adding him back to a top-nine role – potentially bumping Granlund down or reuniting on a “third” line with Jamie Benn and Wyatt Johnston – is a mouth-watering prospect for DeBoer. Getting him back up to speed to kick off Game 1 of a likely first-round meeting with the Avalanche is paramount, especially since they’ll likely need to focus their efforts on outpacing Colorado’s similarly well-constructed offense to win the series. Star defenseman Miro Heiskanen likely won’t be returning from his knee injury until the second round if they make it.
Seguin still has two years remaining on his deal with a $9.85MM cap hit, so this playoff run won’t be a last hurrah with Dallas. They are, however, likely to lose nearly all of their pending free agents with just $5.32MM in cap room for 2025-26 and up to seven roster spots to fill, per PuckPedia. Since returning from his first hip surgery, Seguin has 79-92–171 in 244 games.
The Stars don’t quite have enough cap space to activate Seguin at present, but it’s doable if they send one player down to the minors. That would likely be rookie Mavrik Bourque, who was a healthy scratch this weekend.
Flames To Sign Owen Say To Entry-Level Contract
The Flames have signed goaltender Owen Say to a one-year contract worth $872,500 for the 2025-26 campaign. While the team announced it as a two-way deal, it’ll be an entry-level one since his age on Sep. 15 of the calendar year the agreement was signed will be 24.
Say, who turns 24 in June, is an undrafted free-agent pickup out of Notre Dame. He started his collegiate career at Mercyhurst in 2022-23 but transferred to the Fighting Irish for his junior year last summer.
The 6’2″ Canadian has steadily upped his numbers in the NCAA ranks, averaging a .914 SV% and a 3.09 GAA across 69 career appearances for the two schools. He posted a .903 and .913 in his two seasons behind a weak Mercyhurst club before bettering himself with a 2.82 GAA and a .920 SV% in 27 games for Notre Dame. While they finished last in the Big 10, Say had a 10-15-0 record and posted those numbers behind the conference’s worst defense.
Assuming they filed this deal as a standard two-way contract, as they announced it, instead of an entry-level one, the league will likely reject it, and they’ll need to re-file it properly as an ELC. Calgary made the opposite mistake last season when attempting to sign forward Sam Morton out of college – while he was 24 at the time of signing, he turned 25 before Sep. 15. He was thus ineligible for the entry-level contract they attempted to sign him to. The league rejected the deal and had to re-file it as a two-way agreement.
Say will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2026. Calgary now has 24 contracts on the books for next season.
Lightning Sign Cooper Flinton To Entry-Level Deal
The Lightning have signed left-winger Cooper Flinton to a two-year, entry-level deal beginning next season, according to a team release. The forward just wrapped up his junior season at Dartmouth College. He will finish the season with the Bolts’ AHL affiliate in Syracuse on a tryout agreement.
Flinton, 21, was a seventh-round selection of the Lightning in the 2021 draft but barely played that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He spent his post-draft season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League before making the jump to Division I NCAA play with Dartmouth.
The 6’2″, 205-lb winger was more of a power forward in his junior days, but he’s shifted his game to be more scoring-oriented since joining the Big Green. In 2022-23, he made a decent impact as a freshman – ranking fifth on Dartmouth in scoring with 6-9–15 in 27 games. He’s upped that production over the last two years, posting 15-10–25 in 30 games last season and 11-13–24 in 32 games this year. He’s a strong top-six forward on a Dartmouth team coming off an 18-win season, its highest total since 2015-16.
Flinton doesn’t earn mentions in most public rankings of the Bolts’ prospect pool. A recall is certainly possible before his deal runs out at the end of the 2026-27 season, but he’s likely destined to play a full-time role with Syracuse. His performance there will dictate whether he receives a qualifying offer that summer to remain in the Tampa organization. The Bolts now have 28 out of the maximum 50 contracts on their books for next season, per PuckPedia.
Canucks Expected To Activate Thatcher Demko
The Canucks are expected to reinstate goaltender Thatcher Demko from injured reserve today, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said on today’s 32 Thoughts podcast. Vancouver plans to start the netminder for tonight’s Hughes bowl against the Devils.
Demko, 29, was a Vezina Trophy nominee for the first time in 2023-24 but sustained a knee injury in Game 1 of the postseason that ended his campaign. The injury, later revealed to be a complex issue with his popliteus muscle, also kept him on the sidelines through the first two months of 2024-25. Upon returning to the lineup, he wasn’t himself – posting a .881 SV% and a 2-1-3 record in seven starts before briefly exiting the lineup again with a back injury. That one only cost him a couple of starts, and he returned a week later. He logged an improved but still underwhelming .899 SV% in 10 appearances leading into the 4 Nations break.
In Vancouver’s final game before the break, Demko left midway through the first period of his start against the Maple Leafs with a lower-body injury and hasn’t played since. While unrelated to his popliteus muscle issues, it kept him off the ice for over a month. He only returned to practice as a full participant yesterday, but Friedman reports he’s been doing “a lot of work behind the scenes” in an attempt to return to play as soon as possible for the stretch run.
Demko’s return could make a considerable impact in the Western Conference wild-card race. Back-to-back losses have slashed Vancouver’s playoff chances to 11.3%, per MoneyPuck, now sitting five points back of the Blues with two games in hand, but the Flames are still ahead of them in the catch-up race. While Demko hasn’t been great this year, his season numbers are better than what Kevin Lankinen has given them since the break. After signing a five-year, $22.5MM extension last month, he’s posted a 5-6-1 record and a .885 SV% in 12 appearances. Fatigue has likely played a factor for Lankinen, who’s started 10 of Vancouver’s 11 games in March. His 44 starts and 46 appearances on the year are already career-highs by a significant margin.
Since we’re past the trade deadline, the Canucks won’t need to make a corresponding move to activate Demko from IR. Nonetheless, they’ll presumably return current backup Arturs Silovs to AHL Abbotsford unless they have a desire to carry three goalies.
List Of NHL Prospects In The 2025 NCAA Championship Tournament
Today, the NCAA confirmed the 16 schools set to participate in the 2025 Division I men’s ice hockey championship tournament. With the regionals confirmed, we know the NHL prospects to watch over the next couple of weeks as they pursue the national collegiate crown. Prospects are listed along with their drafted team along with their point of selection.
Manchester, NH Regional
#1: Boston College
Jr.-F Andre Gasseau (Bruins, 2021, 7-213)
Jr.-F Oscar Jellvik (Bruins, 2021, 5-149)
So.-F Ryan Leonard (Capitals, 2023, 1-8)
Fr.-F Dean Letourneau (Bruins, 2024, 1-25)
So.-F Gabe Perreault (Rangers, 2023, 1-23)
Fr.-F Teddy Stiga (Predators, 2024, 2-55)
So.-D Drew Fortescue (Rangers, 2023, 3-90)
Sr.-D Aidan Hreschuk (Blue Jackets, 2021, 3-94) Selected by Hurricanes, acquired in 2022’s Max Domi trade
So.-D Aram Minnetian (Stars, 2023, 4-125)
Gr.-D Eamon Powell (Lightning, 2020, 4-116)
Fr.-D Will Skahan (Utah, 2024, 2-65)
So.-G Jacob Fowler (Canadiens, 2023, 3-69)
#2: Providence College
Fr.-F Trevor Connelly (Golden Knights, 2024, 1-19)
So.-F Hudson Malinoski (Maple Leafs, 2023, 5-153)
Fr.-F John Mustard (Blackhawks, 2024, 3-67)
Fr.-F Logan Sawyer (Canadiens, 2024, 3-78)
Gr.-F Chase Yoder (Penguins, 2020, 6-170)
Sr.-D Taige Harding (Blackhawks, 2021, 3-91)
Gr.-D Connor Kelley (Blackhawks, 2021, 7-204)
Fr.-D Tomas Machu (Islanders, 2021, 7-221)
Sr.-D Guillaume Richard (Blue Jackets, 2021, 4-101)
Jr.-G Philip Svedebäck (Bruins, 2021, 4-117)
#3: University of Denver
Fr.-F Hagen Burrows (Lightning, 2024, 4-128)
Sr.-F Jack Devine (Panthers, 2022, 7-221)
Fr.-F Jake Fisher (Avalanche, 2024, 4-121)
So.-F Sam Harris (Canadiens, 2023, 5-133)
Jr.-F Rieger Lorenz (Wild, 2022, 2-56)
Fr.-F James Reeder (Kings, 2024, 7-198)
Jr.-F Samu Salminen (Devils, 2021, 3-68)
Jr.-F Aidan Thompson (Blackhawks, 2022, 3-90)
Jr.-F Jared Wright (Kings, 2022, 6-169)
So.-D Garrett Brown (Jets, 2022, 4-99)
So.-D Zeev Buium (Wild, 2024, 1-12)
Fr.-D Tory Pitner (Avalanche, 2024, 6-185)
So.-D Eric Pohlkamp (Sharks, 2023, 5-132)
#4: Bentley University
none
Fargo, ND Regional
#1: Western Michigan University
So.-F Alex Bump (Flyers, 2022, 5-133)
Sr.-F Matteo Constantini (Sabres, 2020, 5-131)
Fr.-F Ty Henricks (Rangers, 2023, 6-183)
Fr.-F Zachary Nehring (Jets, 2023, 3-82)
Sr.-F Wyatt Schingoethe (Maple Leafs, 2020, 7-195)
Fr.-D Joona Väisänen (Penguins, 2024, 6-175)
Fr.-G Hampton Slukynsky (Kings, 2023, 4-118)
#2: University of Minnesota
So.-F Jimmy Clark (Wild, 2023, 7-213)
Fr.-F Beckett Hendrickson (Bruins, 2023, 4-124)
Sr.-F Aaron Huglen (Sabres, 2019, 4-102) *injured, won’t play
Jr.-F Connor Kurth (Lightning, 2022, 6-192)
Jr.-F Brody Lamb (Rangers, 2021, 4-104)
So.-F Oliver Moore (Blackhawks, 2023, 1-19)
Fr.-F Erik Påhlsson (Predators, 2024, 7-213)
Jr.-F Jimmy Snuggerud (Blues, 2022, 1-23)
Jr.-F Matthew Wood (Predators, 2023, 1-15)
Fr.-F Brodie Ziemer (Sabres, 2024, 3-71)
Jr.-D Ryan Chesley (Capitals, 2022, 2-37)
Gr.-D Mike Koster (Maple Leafs, 2019, 5-146)
Jr.-D Luke Mittelstadt (Canadiens, 2023, 7-197)
So.-D Sam Rinzel (Blackhawks, 2022, 1-25)
Jr.-D Cal Thomas (Utah, 2021, 6-171)
Fr.-D John Whipple (Red Wings, 2024, 5-144)
#3: University of Massachusetts
Jr.-F Kenny Connors (Kings, 2022, 4-103)
So.-F Dans Locmelis (Bruins, 2022, 4-119)
Sr.-F Lucas Mercuri (Hurricanes, 2020, 6-159)
Jr.-F Cole O’Hara (Predators, 2022, 4-114)
So.-F Cameron O’Neill (Senators, 2022, 5-143)
So.-F Aydar Suniev (Flames, 2023, 3-80)
So.-F Nicholas Van Tassell (Senators, 2023, 7-215)
Fr.-D Larry Keenan (Red Wings, 2023, 4-117)
So.-G Michael Hrabal (Utah, 2023, 2-38)
#4: Minnesota State University (Mankato)
Fr.-D Luke Ashton (Blue Jackets, 2024, 6-165)
Allentown, PA Regional
#1: University of Maine
Sr.-F Taylor Makar (Avalanche, 2021, 7-220)
#2: University of Connecticut
So.-F Joey Muldowney (Sharks, 2022, 6-172)
So.-F Jake Richard (Sabres, 2022, 6-170)
Jr.-G Tyler Muszelik (Panthers, 2022, 6-189)
#3: Quinnipiac University
Fr.-F Christopher Pelosi (Bruins, 2023, 3-92)
So.-D Nate Benoit (Wild, 2021, 6-182)
Fr.-D Elliott Groenewold (Bruins, 2024, 4-110)
Jr.-D Charlie Leddy (Devils, 2022, 4-126)
#4: Penn State University
So.-F Aiden Fink (Predators, 2023, 7-218)
So.-F Reese Laubach (Sharks, 2022, 7-217)
Jr.-G Arsenii Sergeev (Flames, 2021, 7-205)
Toledo, OH Regional
#1: Michigan State University
Jr.-F Isaac Howard (Lightning, 2022, 1-31)
Sr.-F Red Savage (Red Wings, 2021, 4-114)
Jr.-F Charlie Stramel (Wild, 2023, 1-21)
So.-D Patrick Geary (Sabres, 2024, 6-172)
Sr.-D David Gucciardi (Capitals, 2022, 7-213)
Fr.-D Vladislav Lukashevich (Panthers, 2021, 4-120)
So.-D Maxim Strbak (Sabres, 2023, 2-45)
So.-G Trey Augustine (Red Wings, 2023, 2-41)
#2: Boston University
Fr.-F Kamil Bednarik (Islanders, 2024, 2-61)
Sr.-F Matt Copponi (Oilers, 2023, 7-216)
Fr.-F Cole Eiserman (Islanders, 2024, 1-20)
Jr.-F Ryan Greene (Blackhawks, 2022, 2-57)
So.-F Jack Harvey (Lightning, 2023, 7-193)
Sr.-F Jack Hughes (Kings, 2022, 2-51)
Jr.-F Devin Kaplan (Flyers, 2022, 3-69)
So.-F Shane Lachance (Devils, 2021, 6-186) Selected by Oilers, acquired in 2025’s Trent Frederic trade
Fr.-F Brandon Svoboda (Sharks, 2023, 3-71)
So.-D Aiden Celebrini (Canucks, 2023, 6-171)
Fr.-D Cole Hutson (Capitals, 2024, 2-43)
So.-D Gavin McCarthy (Sabres, 2023, 3-86)
So.-D Tom Willander (Canucks, 2023, 1-11)
Fr.-G Mikhail Yegorov (Devils, 2024, 2-49)
#3: Ohio State University
Gr.-F Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (Predators, 2020, 7-202)
Sr.-D Brent Johnson (Capitals, 2021, 3-80)
Fr.-D Chris Romaine (Avalanche, 2022, 6-193)
So.-D Theo Wallberg (Senators, 2022, 6-168)
#4: Cornell University
So.-F Jonathan Castagna (Utah, 2023, 3-70)
So.-F Luke Devlin (Penguins, 2022, 6-182) *injured, won’t play
So.-F Ryan Walsh (Bruins, 2023, 6-188)
So.-D George Fegaras (Stars, 2022, 3-83)
Sr.-D Hank Kempf (Avalanche, 2021, 7-208) Selected by Rangers, acquired in 2025’s Ryan Lindgren trade
So.-D Hoyt Stanley (Senators, 2023, 4-108)
Penguins Reassign Matthew Nieto
The Penguins announced today they’ve reassigned winger Matthew Nieto to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. While he’s been shuttled between leagues frequently in the past couple of weeks as an emergency recall, this demotion is of a more permanent nature, per Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Despite the recalls, Nieto hasn’t appeared in a game for the Pens since Feb. 23. The 32-year-old has struggled mightily – as expected after missing a good portion of the past two years due to multiple knee surgeries. Since signing a two-year, $1.8MM deal in Pittsburgh during the 2023 offseason, Nieto has just 2-5–7 with a minus-three rating in 53 games.
Those struggles led to Nieto landing on waivers for the second time in his career in February. He hadn’t been on the wire since January 2017, when the Avalanche claimed Nieto off waivers from the Sharks. He promptly had a career-high 15 goals the following campaign. While on assignment to the Baby Pens, Nieto has a goal and two assists for three points in eight games.
An unrestricted free agent this summer, a return to the Penguins organization seems unlikely for Nieto – as does an NHL contract. The 5’11” forward’s calling card has always been his speed, something that’s obviously taken a hit with his knee issues. An AHL deal, a commitment from a European club, or even retirement could be on the table for the 12-year veteran in a few months.
As for the Pens, they intend to give Bokondji Imama and Joona Koppanen extended runs in their bottom six until injured forwards Emil Bemström and Thomas Novak are ready to return from their day-to-day ailments. Nieto’s demotion likely suggests one of Bemström or Novak could be an option to return against the Panthers on Sunday. They’ve both already been ruled out of tonight’s game against Columbus.
Sharks Sign Cameron Lund To Entry-Level Contract
The Sharks announced today they’ve signed forward Cameron Lund to a three-year entry-level contract. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal begins immediately and will see him report to San Jose to finish the season, Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News reports.
Lund, who checks in at 6’2″ and 195 lbs, was picked up by San Jose early in the second round (No. 34 overall) of the 2022 draft. The 20-year-old pivot, whose junior season with Northeastern University ended last night, led the school with 18 goals and finished second on the Huskies in assists (22) and points (40) in 37 appearances. All were career highs.
A two-time nominee for the Hobey Baker Award for the top collegiate player (2024, 2025), Lund was also named to the Hockey East conference’s All-Rookie team in his freshman campaign in 2022-23. He ends his tenure at Northeastern with 36-57–93 in 107 games, tied for 26th in NCAA scoring over the last three years.
The sharp-shooting Massachusetts native would likely stand as a top-five prospect on more than a few teams, but he’s the No. 11 prospect in the league’s deepest system, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic opined in February. However, he is the No. 2 ranked center in the Sharks’ pool who’s not currently on the NHL roster (Will Smith was ranked No. 1, while Macklin Celebrini wasn’t included as he’s played the entire year in a top-six role). Most of San Jose’s “next wave” is coming on the wings, defense, and in goal.
His ceiling likely isn’t much higher than that of a middle-six scoring forward – likely a third-liner, Wheeler opines – but he enters the Sharks’ ranks with a pro-ready game that should see him get an audition down the stretch. San Jose still has 13 games left on their regular season schedule, so it could be a longer run than usual for Lund compared to other late-season additions out of college.
Since Lund’s deal goes into effect immediately, it runs through the 2026-27 season – after which he’ll be an RFA. San Jose now has 47 contracts on their books, three short of the maximum.