Capitals Looking For Bottom-Six Forward Help
As most assumed, the Capitals’ top priority ahead of next week’s trade deadline is adding a piece to their bottom-six forward group, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic wrote Friday. Don’t expect a bigger splash than that, he cautions.
“Their main goal seems to be achieving balance in finding ways to improve the team while not tinkering too much with a team that has played so well all season and a group that trusts and plays for each other,” LeBrun wrote. “That may sound a bit corny, but one thing the Caps have learned over the years is not to overextend themselves at the trade deadline. There’s a feeling within the organization that there were some years when they were ‘all-in’ last decade that they added too much and upset the apple cart.”
Yet Washington’s roster has forced its front office into making at least one pickup of some significance. A major offseason retool has yielded their best regular season since winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2016-17, on pace for 117 points and the Metropolitan Division title all but secured.
While a forward upgrade may not seem like it should be the top priority for a team that leads the league in goals per game (3.63), it’s the most apparent need on paper. The Caps’ defense has performed well, ranking 11th in the league with 27.4 shots against per game, and Logan Thompson has checked in as a legitimate challenger to the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck for the Vezina Trophy between the pipes with Charlie Lindgren as a capable No. 2 option. There’s also not much flexibility on that defense core – all of their six regular blue-liners make at least $2.675MM against the cap – not exactly the kind of salary a cap-strapped Washington club can afford to have in the press box. A cheap upgrade on extras Alexander Alexeyev and Dylan McIlrath may be in the cards, though.
Nonetheless, the Caps’ lack of significant financial flexibility ($3.65MM in space on deadline day, per PuckPedia) and overall roster construction will inform the type of player they go after. As LeBrun notes, they also want to have some room for 2023 No. 8 overall pick Ryan Leonard, who’s tracking to turn pro following his sophomore season at Boston College. The 20-year-old center/winger is amid a 27-goal, 42-point campaign through 31 showings.
If they’re looking for a piece to slot into the third line, a physical edge will presumably be more desirable than a scoring touch. They don’t need any help putting the puck in the net – even AHL call-up Ethen Frank is helping out with 4-2–6 through his first 18 NHL games in a third-line role. There’s undoubtedly a playoff upgrade to be had on the 5’11” late-blooming 27-year-old, though. Veteran Lars Eller may be overtaxed as a No. 3 center with 6-6–12 in 40 games since being re-acquired from the Penguins in November, but he’s relieved by minute-munching fourth-line pivot Nic Dowd (who’s tracking for a career-high 29 points).
That leaves checking wingers like Seattle’s Brandon Tanev and Boston’s Trent Frederic as some of the more obvious targets. Both carry cap hits under the Caps’ available space, so they’d be feasible without retention or a roster player heading the other way. Pending Canadiens UFA Joel Armia is likely out there as a defensively responsible option, too.
Maple Leafs Recall Marshall Rifai
The Maple Leafs announced today they’ve recalled defenseman Marshall Rifai from AHL Toronto. Winger Max Pacioretty, who’s missed three games with an undisclosed injury, was placed on injured reserve in a corresponding transaction. Their active roster remains at the 23-player maximum.
Rifai fulfills Toronto’s need for an extra body on defense. They lost Chris Tanev to what’s believed to be a short-term shoulder injury Tuesday night in Boston, leaving them without an additional defender in case of further injuries for the remainder of their road trip. The left-shot Rifai will likely sit in the press box instead of replacing the righty Tanev in the lineup. The latter honor should go to 6’5″ depth piece Philippe Myers, who’s been passable when called upon this season but hasn’t played since the 4 Nations break.
Tanev not landing on injured reserve indicates the Leafs are hopeful he’ll be back within the lineup sometime over their three-game stretch between now and Monday. A retroactive IR placement would have ruled him ineligible until next Wednesday against the Golden Knights, Toronto’s final game before the trade deadline.
The 26-year-old Rifai lands his fourth recall of the season, although none have led to any playing time. The 6’2″, 213-lb depth rearguard remains with just two career NHL appearances to his name, both coming in February of last season. Signed by the Leafs as an undrafted free agent out of Harvard in 2022, his defensive acumen in the minors impressed the front office enough to sign him to a two-year, one-way $1.55MM extension at the beginning of the season. That would indicate they expect him to be in more serious consideration for playing time in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 campaigns.
While not known or depended upon for his point production, Rifai is amid his worst offensive season out of three AHL campaigns with Toronto. Now an alternate captain for the Marlies, he’s got 3-6–9 through 44 games this season after notching 2-17–19 in 57 showings last year. The hard-hitting blue-liner stands as the team’s PIMs leader with 57, and his plus-seven rating is tied for fifth on the team.
Notably, Rifai has spent 24 days on the active roster this season. If this recall lasts over six days, he’ll need to clear waivers again to return to the minors.
Since Pacioretty last played before the break, he’s already missed more than seven days and can come off IR anytime. The 36-year-old has now lost 17 games to injury this season, although thankfully none are related to the three consecutive Achilles surgeries that cost him the overwhelming majority of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns. When healthy, the veteran has 5-8–13 in 37 appearances, posting a minus-two rating and averaging 13:30 per game with an eye-popping 105 hits, already the fourth-most in a single season of his 17-year career. He’s already hit both of his performance bonuses and will earn the full $1.5MM value of the one-year contract he signed with the Leafs in October.
Latest On Scott Laughton
Expect the Flyers to give center Scott Laughton a say in where he ends up if he leaves Philadelphia at the trade deadline, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports Thursday. That is, of course, despite his contract’s lack of formal trade protection.
It’s an approach teams are beginning to take with unprotected veterans, much like the Predators‘ Ryan O’Reilly. In Laughton’s case, it’s fueled by general manager Daniel Brière‘s and president of hockey operations Keith Jones‘ desire to ensure “that Philadelphia becomes a desirable destination again,” Kurz writes.
Laughton isn’t the longest-tenured Flyer – captain Sean Couturier has him beat in that regard – but he is a Philly lifer. Selected 20th overall in 2012, he’s suited up in 12 NHL seasons for the orange and black and ranks 14th in franchise history with 657 games played. Trade speculation has swirled around the two-way center since the Flyers started their rebuild by trading former captain Claude Giroux at the 2022 trade deadline. Laughton signed a five-year, $15MM extension in the 2021 offseason, though, so there’s never been much urgency to move on from him with no risk of losing him for nothing until 2026.
The age-old question is whether a veteran player carries more value to a rebuilding club in their on-ice play and leadership or in the form of assets to build for the future. Now past the crux of their rebuild and with young names like Matvei Michkov in the system, the answer for Laughton is the latter. That’s led to consistently sky-high asking prices on the trade market for his services by Flyers’ leadership, something Kurz reports hasn’t changed. Darren Dreger of TSN said earlier this month that Philly still won’t part with him for anything less than a first-round pick. They’ve employed the same strategy regarding defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen‘s availability, which has led to an unexpected lack of calls less than two weeks ahead of deadline day.
Laughton has been far more consistent throughout the last half-decade, though, and carries a much more stomachable $3MM cap hit through next season compared to Ristolainen’s $5.1MM. The 30-year-old pivot has averaged around 40 points per season every year since the 2019-20 campaign, averages 15-16 per game, and can play top-unit penalty kill minutes. He’s comfortable at center and left wing, and while he isn’t a dynamo on draws, he’s serviceable with a career 49.7% win rate. Everything considered, they should have a much easier time fetching that additional first-rounder for either the 2025 or 2026 class (or equivalent asset, as Dreger said) for Laughton than with Ristolainen.
It comes down to who’s willing to pay that price. Kurz expects Laughton isn’t too willing to make a considerable jump westward after his father-in-law’s passing last month. That likely removes center-hungry teams in the Central and Pacific like the Jets, Canucks, and Wild from the list if the Flyers don’t receive a completely above-value offer. However, Kurz said clubs like his hometown Maple Leafs would be acceptable destinations if the return value threshold is met.
Ducks Recall Sam Colangelo, Place Robby Fabbri On IR
The Ducks announced they’ve recalled right-winger Sam Colangelo from AHL San Diego. Left-winger Robby Fabbri is headed to injured reserve to make room on the active roster.
Fabbri, 29, left Tuesday’s loss to the Sabres with an upper-body injury and didn’t return. He wasn’t at practice today, either, Derek Lee of The Hockey News reports. The team hasn’t issued a return timeline, but the upper-body designation at least means it’s unrelated to the meniscus tear that kept him out of the lineup for over a month earlier this season. The IR placement rules him out for Anaheim’s next three games at a minimum. He’ll be eligible to return next Wednesday against the Canucks, the Ducks’ final game before the March 7 trade deadline.
In the meantime, Colangelo is added back to the roster for the first time since mid-January. The 23-year-old has been a frequent call-up option for Anaheim this season, making 12 appearances after skating in three games at the tail end of the 2023-24 campaign to begin his NHL career. He has a pair of goals across those 15 career contests, posting a minus-seven rating while averaging 11:17 per game.
A second-round pick out of the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League in 2020, Colangelo had a decorated collegiate career with Northeastern and Western Michigan. After a 43-point senior season at WMU that earned him Hobey Baker consideration, he hasn’t missed a beat in his transition to the pros. While not quite ready for a full-time NHL role, he’s been among San Diego’s most productive players with 19-16–35 through 38 games. He suited up in this year’s AHL All-Star Classic and leads the club in goals.
Anaheim is tight on roster space with Trevor Zegras suspended and goaltender John Gibson dealing with a short-term injury, so Colangelo will re-enter the lineup for the first time since Jan. 14 on a line with Cutter Gauthier and Isac Lundeström. That’s an elevation from the fourth line with Jansen Harkins and Ross Johnston, where he’s spent most of his time as a call-up this year.
Wild Recall Brendan Gaunce
The Wild announced they’ve recalled forward Brendan Gaunce from AHL Iowa. The move, which allows them to carry an extra forward for their two-game road trip, gives them a full active roster.
Minnesota opened the roster spot to realign their positional makeup when they waived defenseman Travis Dermott earlier this week. They may have lost him back to the Oilers, who they claimed him from in December, but he was barely factoring into the lineup. Depth at forward is an immediate concern for the Wild, who have star Kirill Kaprizov and top-six pivot Joel Eriksson Ek on injured reserve and are without depth piece Ryan Hartman amid an eight-game suspension.
The Wild have given the 30-year-old Gaunce a few trials throughout the season, recalling him multiple times in December and January when they were also dealing with various injuries to their forward corps. He only factored into five games, though, and none since Jan. 4. He has no points and a minus-three rating in those appearances, averaging 9:29 per game and going 10-for-24 on draws (41.7%). Minnesota was shelled in his even-strength minutes, losing the shot attempt battle 63-26 with Gaunce on the ice this season.
A veteran of 182 NHL games and nearly 400 AHL contests, Gaunce is purely injury insurance at this stage of his career. He’s still a productive player in the minors, however. In 35 appearances for Iowa, the 6’3″ pivot is tied for second on the team in scoring with 15-14–29. His -15 rating is one short of tying for the worst on the farm, though.
The Ontario native is in his first season in the Minnesota organization after inking a two-year, two-way deal in free agency last summer. He’s now suited up in each of the last four seasons, the other three coming with the Blue Jackets. He’s also skated in games for the Bruins and Canucks pre-pandemic, the latter of which selected him 26th overall in the 2012 draft.
Predators Recall Marc Del Gaizo
The Predators announced they’ve recalled defenseman Marc Del Gaizo from AHL Milwaukee. Fellow blue-liner Jake Livingstone is headed down to the minors in a corresponding transaction to keep Nashville’s active roster with one open spot.
The recall marks Del Gaizo’s first time on the roster since mid-December, when he cleared waivers on his way down to Milwaukee. It was the second time the 25-year-old had cleared waivers this season after doing so late in training camp, but after starting the season in the AHL, he received his first recall less than two weeks into the regular season. He spent nearly two months up in the NHL aside from a handful of paper transactions, making a career-high 21 appearances with three assists and an even rating.
Del Gaizo’s only previous NHL experience came in Nashville last season, when the 2019 fourth-rounder posted three assists and a plus-two rating in nine games amid call-ups in November and March. The former UMass standout has had underwhelming possession impacts when given the chance with the Preds, posting a 47.3 CF% and -0.7 expected rating across 30 games since his debut. The 5’11” lefty does block shots with aplomb, averaging 5.11 per 60 minutes, and also averages just over three shot attempts per game.
You could do worse for a depth call-up, especially one who led Milwaukee defenders in scoring last season with 8-26–34 in 60 games. He hasn’t quite matched that pace this year with 8-4–12 through 30 appearances, although he does rank second on the club with a +10 rating.
This latest audition will be an important one for Del Gaizo, who will qualify for Group VI unrestricted free agency at the end of the season. He’ll draw into the lineup tonight against the league-leading Jets after captain Roman Josi sustained an upper-body injury against the Panthers on Tuesday. The latter is now listed as day-to-day, per head coach Andrew Brunette (via the team’s Brooks Bratten).
Nashville recalled Livingstone last week before announcing Adam Wilsby would be done for the year with an upper-body injury. He did not draw into the lineup and instead served as a healthy scratch for three contests. He returns to Milwaukee, where he has 5-4–9 in 40 appearances with 33 PIMs and a plus-nine rating.
Bruins’ Trent Frederic Out Week-To-Week With Lower-Body Injury
Bruins forward Trent Frederic is out week-to-week after sustaining a lower-body injury against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports. While it may keep him out through the March 7 trade deadline, the absence “won’t change any plans” regarding a deal for the pending UFA, per Johnston.
Frederic left the 5-4 overtime loss early in the second period. He fell awkwardly after attempting a check on Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe in the corner as a power play expired and, while he skated off under his own power, went to the dressing room shortly thereafter and did not return.
The 27-year-old is still on many trade boards despite a disappointing campaign. He’s been a productive middle-six piece for Boston over the past few years, recording 35-36–71 in 161 games in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 regular seasons. His point totals have been slashed in 2024-25, though. He’s clocked just 8-7–15 through 57 appearances and has posted a career-worst -14 rating, even while playing a career-high 13:50 per game.
The 2016 first-rounder remains an attractive pickup thanks to his 6’3″, 221-lb frame and his ability to play all three forward positions – a significant factor in an otherwise thin rental center market behind Brock Nelson. He’s not particularly good on draws, though. His 43.9% faceoff win rate this year is only a few percentage points south of his 44.4% career average. The bang-and-crash forward ranks fifth on Boston with 44 PIMs and is second on the club with 155 hits.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period lists the Canucks, Capitals, and Wild as teams reportedly linked to Frederic, but nearly any team in search of a third-line pickup will likely call Boston about him. His $2.3MM cap hit shouldn’t require much, if any, salary retention to move.
For now, top winger prospect Fabian Lysell remains in the minors for Boston following Frederic’s injury. AHL mainstay Riley Tufte skated in a top-nine role at today’s morning skate instead, per Scott McLaughlin of WEEI. That’s a tough ask of the 26-year-old, who has three points in 22 career NHL appearances.
Penguins’ Michael Bunting Out Indefinitely Following Appendectomy
Penguins left-winger Michael Bunting underwent surgery to remove his appendix yesterday, head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters, including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He doesn’t have a timeline for a return but will miss at least a few weeks.
The 29-year-old Bunting had two points in his last five games, including an assist in Tuesday’s 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Flyers. He’s the third NHLer to undergo an appendectomy this season (at least among what’s been publicly disclosed), joining Ducks netminder John Gibson and Canadiens blue-liner Kaiden Guhle.
His absence is relatively insignificant for Pittsburgh at this stage of the season. Now out of the Eastern Conference playoff race and on pace to finish the season with 75 points, the Penguins will likely be selling off additional assets ahead of the trade deadline after dealing Drew O’Connor and Marcus Pettersson to the Canucks before the 4 Nations break. Bunting, signed through next season at a $4.5MM cap hit, wasn’t expected to be one of them.
Acquired from the Hurricanes in last season’s Jake Guentzel trade, Bunting has been underwhelming in 2024-25 after finishing the 2023-24 campaign with 19 points in 21 games for the Pens. He’s been durable, playing 58 of 60 games, but his point production has dropped to 14-15–29. His 0.50 points per game are tracking as his worst offensive performance in his five seasons’ worth of extended NHL ice time, accompanied by his lowest usage at 15:15 per game.
A solid complementary top-six winger for Auston Matthews during his time in Toronto, the late-blooming Bunting burst onto the scene with a 23-goal, 63-point campaign for the Leafs at age 26 in 2021-22. He had just 26 NHL games to his name with the Coyotes before signing a two-year, $1.9MM deal in Toronto in the 2021 offseason, arguably the highest-value contract in the league during his time in the Canadian metropolis. He’s struggled to replicate that level play in a similar role alongside Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh, though, despite how promising his scorching finish to the 2023-24 campaign was. The duo hasn’t had a consistent right-winger this year, seeing names like Anthony Beauvillier, Cody Glass, and Philip Tomasino rotate through. With Bunting and Malkin on the ice together, the Pens have been outscored 19-10 at 5v5, per Natural Stat Trick. They’ve each fared far better apart from each other.
If Gibson’s and Guhle’s return timelines are any indication, Bunting should miss around four to six weeks. That means he should be back in the lineup with a few games left on the Penguins’ schedule, although it’s fair to describe his likelihood of returning this season as uncertain.
Pittsburgh’s injury list is relatively brief. Bryan Rust recently returned from a lower-body injury and illness, and recent AHL call-up Bokondji Imama is the only other forward carrying an injury designation. He’s on IR but could come off today to face the Flyers after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Bunting’s absence, however, could mean the Penguins wait before demoting Matthew Nieto to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if he clears waivers today.
PHR Live Chat Transcript: 2/26/25
PHR’s Josh Erickson held his weekly live chat today at 2:00pm Central. Use this link to view the transcript.
Oilers Claim Travis Dermott Off Waivers, Assign To AHL
Feb. 27: Dermott is heading to a familiar location. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Oilers have re-claimed off waivers after losing him to Minnesota in December. He’s already suited up in 10 games for Edmonton this season. Indirectly confirming they were the only team to place a claim on his services, the Oilers announced they’ve reassigned Dermott to their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.
Feb. 26: The Wild announced that defenseman Travis Dermott has been placed on waivers. The move will open up a roster spot for an additional AHL recall tomorrow after swapping out Jakub Lauko for Joel Eriksson Ek on injured reserve this morning.
Dermott has only been waived once during his pro career, which is how the Wild acquired him from the Oilers in December. Minnesota needed an experienced presence on the blue line then, with Jonas Brodin and Jacob Middleton on the shelf. However, Dermott’s role has evaporated since the Wild have gotten healthier on the blue line. He’s made nine appearances since the claim over two months ago, going without a point or hit while averaging a paltry 11:23 per game.
Minnesota has carried eight defensemen for much of the last few months. However, with the suspended Ryan Hartman taking up the usual roster spot they devote for an extra forward, they need another body on offense for their two-game road trip that starts Thursday in Utah. It’s unclear who exactly the corresponding recall from AHL Iowa will be, but a forward will be Dermott’s replacement on the active roster tomorrow.
If Edmonton submits a claim for Dermott before tomorrow’s deadline and is the only team to do so, they could send him directly to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield without having to expose him to the wire again. However, if he clears, it will mark Dermott’s first non-conditioning AHL assignment in seven years.
Appearing in each of the last eight NHL seasons, Dermott has a career 16-46–62 scoring line in 348 games with the Oilers, Wild, Coyotes, Canucks, and Maple Leafs. Injuries have limited Dermott’s playing time over the last few years, but the 28-year-old lefty can also play his off-side comfortably, making him a valuable depth asset. Selected 34th overall by Toronto in the 2015 draft, he has decent career possession numbers with a 50.9 CF% and cumulative +23.4 expected rating at even strength, so he remains a decent replacement-level player in bottom-pairing usage despite his lack of offense.