Avalanche Activate Valeri Nichushkin From Injured Reserve
Feb. 26: Colorado has confirmed yesterday’s news, announcing they’ve activated Nichushkin from the injured reserve. Bednar confirmed after today’s morning skate that Nichushkin would be in the lineup tonight.
Feb. 25: The Avalanche are tracking to activate Valeri Nichushkin from injured reserve before tomorrow’s game against the Devils. Head coach Jared Bednar told Meghan Angley of Guerilla Sports that the winger will be an “option” for the contest after missing nearly two months with a lower-body injury. They have an open roster spot and won’t need to make a corresponding transaction.
Nichushkin is coming off his second lengthy absence of the season, although only this one was injury-related. He missed the first 17 games of the campaign while serving the tail end of his automatic six-month suspension for entering Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program during the 2024 postseason.
The soon-to-be 30-year-old Russian remained a top-line threat in his short stint in the lineup between suspension and injury. He made 21 appearances, lighting the lamp 11 times while adding six assists for 17 points while averaging nearly 20 minutes per game. He wasn’t as physically involved as usual, averaging under a hit per game, but that’s to be expected for a player getting off to a late start.
An injury against the Jets on New Year’s Eve sidelined that momentum. He was initially ruled day-to-day but sustained multiple setbacks in his recovery, delaying his return to the lineup until after the 4 Nations break. His return couldn’t come at a better time for the Avs, who are now trapped in a wild-card spot after a 9-9-2 run in their last 20. They still have an 87.9% of making the postseason but have just a 27.5% chance of claiming a divisional berth in the Central, per MoneyPuck. They have a 44.8% chance of remaining in their current standing as the first wild card at season’s end.
Nichushkin adds another dynamic offensive weapon for Nathan MacKinnon‘s wing. Martin Nečas has been good since being acquired from the Hurricanes in the Mikko Rantanen blockbuster, but with nine points in 10 games, he hasn’t been as explosive as the latter was for the Avs. They’ve gotten admirable performances from depth pieces like Jonathan Drouin (23 points in 26 games), but injuries have been a major concern for him too. In fact, save for captain Gabriel Landeskog, tomorrow’s contest will be Colorado’s first with a fully healthy forward group this season.
Nichushkin has scored at a 36-goal, 75-point pace per 82 games since signing his eight-year, $49MM extension in Colorado following their Stanley Cup win in 2022. He’s only played in 128 of 223 possible regular-season games during that time, though – just 57.4% of the Avs’ schedule. Ankle surgery was the culprit in 2022-23, while multiple stints in the PAP were to blame for his lack of availability last season.
Lightning Reassign Matt Tomkins
The Lightning announced today they’ve reassigned goaltender Matt Tomkins to AHL Syracuse. They’re back to having two open spots on the active roster.
Tomkins’ demotion is a positive sign for the availability of their usual No. 2 option, Jonas Johansson. The 29-year-old remains on the roster but hasn’t played since Jan. 28, missing eight games with a lower-body injury. Tomkins and Brandon Halverson have rotated in as Andrei Vasilevskiy‘s backup in his absence, although neither has seen game action since Johansson got hurt.
The 30-year-old Tomkins is in his second season in the Tampa organization after inking a two-year, two-way deal early in the 2023 offseason. He’s served as their third-stringer throughout. He hasn’t seen any NHL action this year and only made six appearances in 2023-24 – the first of his NHL career. He posted a 3-2-1 record with a below-average .892 SV% and 3.33 GAA but stopped 0.4 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck.
Things have mainly gone well for Tomkins in Syracuse this season, fueled by a recent hot streak. He’s not played quite as much as Halverson but has nearly matched him in SV% (.911) with a 2.54 GAA and a 9-9-4 record in 22 appearances with three shutouts. It’s an overall improvement on last season’s numbers on the farm when he logged a .904 SV% and 2.53 GAA in 29 games for Syracuse with a 15-12-2 record.
While he’ll make way for Johansson’s return, the latter hasn’t outplayed Tomkins significantly. Since arriving in Tampa for the 2023-24 campaign, Johansson has managed just a .890 SV% and 3.33 GAA in 36 starts and three relief appearances, combining for 12.2 goals allowed above expected across a year and a half. Before his injury this year, he’d logged a .892 SV% and 3.24 GAA in 13 showings behind Vasilevskiy.
The backup netminder position hasn’t been a concern in Tampa for nearly a decade, given Vasilevskiy’s increasingly rare ability to remain a top-tier netminder while making 60-plus starts. Johansson’s underwhelming play likely isn’t a massive influence on the Bolts’ deadline plans. However, it’s reasonable to assume they could look to at least add another depth option to complement him, Halverson, and Tomkins heading into the postseason should Vasilevskiy sustain an injury.
Flyers Not Receiving Expected Interest In Rasmus Ristolainen
The Flyers have received fewer calls than expected on defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen ahead of the March 7 trade deadline, sources tell Kevin Kurz of The Athletic. There’s a “decent chance” the 30-year-old stays in Philadelphia down the stretch with two years left on his contract.
Ristolainen’s resurgence as a dependable piece outside of a top-pairing role made his name pop into trade speculation as far back as November. The Flyers haven’t been in the playoff conversation for an extended period like they were in 2023-24, allowing general manager Daniel Brière to more firmly cement his team’s status as a retooler/seller on deadline day and gain more traction on moving non-rental assets. While that may still hold for players like center Scott Laughton, they haven’t had a ton of urgency surrounding Ristolainen discussions. A high asking price (speculated as a first-rounder) likely deterred some interest from teams before they even called to initiate talks.
Right-shot defensemen are always in need, but even for a cost-controlled asset who will be 32 years old upon expiry, Ristolainen’s $5.1MM cap hit remains steep, considering past years’ performance. It’s probably right on track for his value in 2024-25, though. The much-maligned Finn is having arguably his best all-around season since he entered the league. While not clicking at his 40-point heights early in his career with the Sabres, he’s produced a respectable 1-17–18 line through 56 games. Backing up his offensive totals are the best defensive metrics of his career while averaging north of 20 minutes per game for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign.
Ristolainen has anchored the team’s second pairing at even strength behind Travis Sanheim and Cameron York up top, also routinely flexing into their top penalty-kill unit. The results have been good – a plus-five rating tied for third on the team, plus a strong +2.6 expected rating, considering he’s started over 60% of his shifts in the defensive zone for just the second time in his 12-year career. He may not be much of a power play option anymore, although he has averaged 48 seconds per game with the man advantage for Philly and hasn’t been on the ice for a shorthanded goal against this season. He has desirable size at 6’4″ and 208 lbs and ranks third on the Flyers in blocks and hits with 86 each.
That should make him a desirable pickup for a contender, in theory. However, this is likely a case where a player being under contract for a few more years hurts their trade value rather than helping it. The 2013 No. 8 overall pick has had wildly inconsistent year-to-year performances in the past, so while teams may have had interest in capitalizing on his strong rebound and letting him walk in the summer, they won’t be able to do so with him locked in through the 2026-27 campaign. There’s also the fading but still-present stain on his reputation from his Buffalo days when he was vastly overtaxed as their No. 1 until Rasmus Dahlin‘s arrival and failed to have much effectiveness outside of power-play contributions and physical play.
If Ristolainen doesn’t get moved by the deadline, there’s still a non-zero chance he finishes his contract with the Flyers, depending on how quickly they turn the page in their rebuild. A return to playoff contention next year likely means continued strong play from the defender, which wouldn’t give Brière much reason to shop him again a year from now. If they find themselves in a similar position in the standings, though, Ristolainen should generate more interest with only one year left on his deal, assuming his play doesn’t nosedive.
Penguins Activate Bryan Rust From Injured Reserve
Penguins winger Bryan Rust will be back in the lineup tonight against the Flyers after a brief absence. The team announced he’d been activated from injured reserve after missing three games with a lower-body injury, which he sustained before the 4 Nations break. They placed winger Bokondji Imama on IR in a corresponding transaction.
Pittsburgh is now entirely out of the playoff picture. Their record is 23-27-9, and based on points percentage, they only slightly lead the Sabres for last place in the Eastern Conference. They’ve already begun selling off pieces ahead of the trade deadline and could do more, but Rust won’t be one of them with a full no-movement clause and three seasons left on his contract at a $5.125MM cap hit.
Things got off to a tough start for Rust in 2024-25. He limped out of the gate along with the rest of the team, limited to eight points and a staggering -16 rating through 16 games. A three-point effort against the Canucks just before Thanksgiving re-ignited his season, however. He’s now up to 20-22–42 in 48 appearances, and while his -21 rating is still set to be the worst of his career, he’s at least stopped the bleeding in that regard. He continues to see solely first-line deployment alongside Sidney Crosby, averaging over 19 minutes per game, and has secured his sixth consecutive 20-goal season.
One of the most consistent secondary scorers of the last decade, Rust will return to his usual spot on the top line with Crosby and Rickard Rakell. He’s now missed 11 games with lower-body issues this season, cause for concern as he turns 33 this offseason, but the 5’11” winger remains one of the Penguins’ top few scorers.
While Pittsburgh’s goaltending issues have dragged down nearly every skater’s rating this season, concerns about Rust’s defensive impact are legitimate. His -3.4 expected rating is better than only Noel Acciari and Matt Grzelcyk among active Penguins, and his 49.2 CF% at even strength is the worst of his career. The Crosby-Rakell duo has also posted higher expected goal shares at 5v5 when paired with either Anthony Beauvillier or Evgeni Malkin, per MoneyPuck.
Nonetheless, he looks to end the season on a high note in advance of his NMC expiring on July 1. If the Penguins continue to aggressively retool their roster, he could find himself on the move later in the offseason after his trade protection lapses.
Imama, a 28-year-old enforcer, has been on the roster since a recall from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in late January. He’s been out since sustaining an upper-body injury against the Rangers on Feb. 7, so he can return at any time. The 221-lb winger has a plus-one rating and seven penalty minutes in six showings for Pittsburgh since being called up, averaging just 5:28 per game.
Penguins Shopping Erik Karlsson
The Penguins have star defenseman Erik Karlsson‘s name on the trade market and would move him “in a heartbeat” if the opportunity arises, sources tell Josh Yohe of The Athletic.
A move would mark the third trade of the three-time Norris Trophy winner’s career and the second within two years. Pittsburgh acquired him from the Sharks following his renaissance 2022-23 campaign when he erupted for a career-high 76 assists and 101 points on a San Jose team that won just 22 games. They paid a significant price to do so in the three-deal deal with the Canadiens, parting ways with assets like a 2024 first-round pick and serviceable backup, Casey DeSmith, but also partially shedding some dead-weight contracts like Mikael Granlund‘s and Jeff Petry‘s.
That return meant the Sharks aren’t retaining much salary on the high-paid, aging defenseman. His initial cap hit of $11.5MM, attached to his contract that runs through the 2026-27 season, was reduced to $10MM for Pittsburgh. As Yohe reports, the Penguins must retain additional cash to move him. For a contract with two years left on it, there’s a limit to how far they’re willing to go. They only have one salary retention slot remaining until Petry’s and Reilly Smith‘s deals come off the books on July 1. If he moves before the deadline, they won’t be able to retain additional salary on potential trade chip Rickard Rakell.
Any trade talk could also be thrown out the window if Karlsson isn’t willing to waive his no-movement clause upon being asked. He initially waived it to facilitate the move to Pittsburgh, but it travels with him, retaining his power to block a move or waiver placement. While “many assume he would be willing to move on if asked,” Karlsson “seems to genuinely like playing for the Penguins,” Yohe said.
In any event, he and Rakell will remain Pittsburgh’s highest-value trade bait heading into the March 7 deadline after they shipped Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor to the Canucks a few weeks ago. Any rumors regarding players like Kris Letang‘s or Bryan Rust‘s availability are unfounded, as Yohe adds general manager Kyle Dubas remains unwilling to ask them to waive their NMCs before the end of the season.
Individual defensive acumen has always been Karlsson’s biggest weakness, and it’s come to a head in Pittsburgh amid his age-34 season. The dynamic Swede remains a minute-muncher, averaging over 23 minutes per game for the Pens, but his overall possession numbers have continued to deteriorate. He remains an above-average player in that regard because of the sheer amount of offense he generates, though, logging a 52.4 CF% and -2.0 expected rating at even strength that still checks in above a good chunk of his Penguins teammates.
That, plus his three points in three games for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off, is beginning to draw out trade interest, Yohe writes. A move remains possible ahead of the deadline but is more likely to happen this summer, a league executive told him.
Karlsson has played in all 59 games for the Pens this season and hasn’t missed a game since the 2021-22 campaign, so injury concerns won’t be much of a limiting factor. But after his explosion in San Jose, he’s averaged just 56 points per 82 games as a Penguin. He still leads Pittsburgh defenders with 6-34–40 this year, and a good portion of that has come at even strength. Whether that’s enough point production to sway teams to take a flyer on him at a cap hit that’s still likely to be in the $7MM-$8MM range with retention remains to be seen.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Red Wings’ Andrew Copp Out For Season
The Red Wings announced this morning that center Andrew Copp underwent surgery to repair his left pectoral tendon and will miss the remainder of the season. He’ll miss four to six months as a result, meaning he should be ready for training camp in the fall.
Copp landed on injured reserve yesterday and was replaced on the roster by veteran AHL call-up Sheldon Dries. The latter will serve as Detroit’s extra forward while Michael Rasmussen nurses an upper-body injury. At the same time, J.T. Compher will continue to see a bump in minutes centering Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane, as he did in Sunday’s overtime win over the Ducks without Copp.
The loss of Copp is a significant but not season-ending blow for the Wings, who are currently in position to end their eight-season playoff drought. They aren’t carrying any other long-term injuries among their forward corps. While the 30-year-old has been a strong depth piece for Detroit, ranking sixth on the team in scoring with 10-13–23 through 56 games, he’s averaged under 15 minutes per game and won’t be overwhelmingly complicated to replace internally.
His unavailability likely shifts general manager Steve Yzerman‘s trade deadline plans somewhat, though. Detroit probably won’t need to move Copp to long-term injured reserve ahead of March 7 – they can currently add up to $13.65MM in cap hits as things stand, per PuckPedia. But while acquiring a top-four defenseman was and likely still is Yzerman’s top priority, Copp’s absence does bump the acquisition of a rental center up his wish list. The only big-ticket option on the rental market is the Islanders’ Brock Nelson, but they won’t be moving him – especially to a conference rival – if they’re still in competition for one of the East wild-card spots in 10 days. Lesser rental options (and more suited for a middle-six role) include Chicago’s Ryan Donato, Montreal’s Jake Evans, Boston’s Trent Frederic, and Seattle’s Yanni Gourde. The most expensive among that group is Gourde, who costs a shade over $5.1MM, still leaving them with plenty of flexibility to add on defense.
Of course, Copp’s injury could also increase Yzerman’s urgency to add a younger center with term. It’s something he’s been weighing for most of the season, namely in connection to the Sabres’ Dylan Cozens. But Buffalo, looking to end their own playoff drought next season, likely won’t risk moving the high-ceiling pivot to a division rival.
Copp arrived in Detroit in the 2022 offseason, inking a five-year, $28.125MM contract in free agency. He’s in the third year of that deal, which carries a cap hit of $5.625MM. It’s largely been an overpay, as he’s produced much closer to his career-average 82-game pace of 13 goals and 35 points in Detroit than his platform year of 21 goals and 53 points between the Jets and Rangers. His ice time this season was its lowest in six years, although his possession metrics (46.7 CF%, -1.9 expected rating at even strength) responded well to the decrease in usage.
Wild Place Joel Eriksson Ek On Injured Reserve
Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek has landed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury he sustained in yesterday’s practice, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. He’s been ruled out for a week as a result but will be out “a lot longer” than that, according to Russo. Left-winger Jakub Lauko will be activated off injured reserve in a corresponding move. The team later confirmed Eriksson Ek sustained a lower-body injury and has been given a week-to-week designation.
Injuries just won’t stop piling up for Minnesota. They’re now without their All-Star scorer, Kirill Kaprizov, and their top minute-munching center, Eriksson Ek, for the foreseeable future. The former was initially expected to return around the trade deadline after undergoing lower-body surgery late last month. However, general manager Bill Guerin said last weekend that he’s likely to blow past his four-to-six-week return target and won’t be back in the lineup until later in March at the earliest.
It remains to be seen how much longer Eriksson Ek will be sidelined beyond Minnesota’s next four games in seven days. Each game is crucial for the Wild, who still have a 97.7% chance of making the playoffs (per MoneyPuck), but that number undoubtedly takes a marginal hit without Eriksson Ek’s services. Luckily for them, only four out of their next 10 games are against teams currently in playoff position. Less fortunately, two of those four games are against the Avalanche – the team with the best chance of knocking Minnesota out of third place in the Central Division. The Wild still have a four-point cushion on the Avs with two fewer games played, though, so they would require a serious slide to lose their divisional berth.
Eriksson Ek has already had an injury-plagued campaign. He missed a pair of contests in October with a nasal fracture and has since missed 13 total games with lower-body injuries. Sources tell Russo it’s a lower-body issue keeping him sidelined again this time, although it’s unclear if it’s related to his previous absences. As a result, his offensive production has deteriorated. He’s managed 9-15–24 through 42 appearances, a 47-point pace over 82 games. That comes on the heels of back-to-back 60-point showings for the Swedish center, who notched a career-high 30 goals and 64 points in 77 games for the Wild in 2023-24.
For as long as Eriksson Ek is out, 23-year-old pivot Marco Rossi is Minnesota’s undisputed No. 1 center. For most of this season, he’s skated on the “top” line alongside Kaprizov (when healthy). However, he doesn’t see penalty kill usage like Eriksson Ek and has thus averaged 1:26 less ice time per game in all situations. The latter’s injury surely takes the developing Rossi out of any trade conversations – even if Guerin was planning to leverage the pending RFA in a blockbuster, they can’t afford to lose him now. He’s tied for the team lead in assists (29) and ranks third in goals (20) and points (49).
The center group behind Rossi is uninspiring. Ryan Hartman has spent most of this season on the wing but has played a lot of center for the Wild in the past. He likely would have been their top choice to shift into top-six minutes in lieu of Eriksson Ek, but he, too, has been ruled out for the next four games after having his initial 10-game suspension for roughing Ottawa’s Tim Stützle before the 4 Nations break reduced to eight upon appeal by commissioner Gary Bettman yesterday. As things stand, Frédérick Gaudreau, Marat Khusnutdinov, and Lauko, who’s taken less than 30 faceoffs over his three-year NHL career, will anchor Minnesota’s other three lines.
Regarding Lauko, the 24-year-old has been limited to 33 appearances this season with a recurring lower-body issue, believed to be a muscle strain. He last suited up on Feb. 4 against his former team, the Bruins, and missed the final three games before the break. He’s made just 12 appearances since Thanksgiving.
Ducks’ Trevor Zegras Suspended Three Games
The league’s Department of Player Safety announced today they’ve suspended Ducks center Trevor Zegras for three games for interference against Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen. Zegras will remain on Anaheim’s active roster while serving the suspension and can return to the lineup on March 4 against the Oilers.
It’s the first suspension of Zegras’ five-year, 245-game career and the second incident that required any sort of supplemental discipline. He was fined $1.5K back in November 2022 for slashing then-Sharks defenseman Matt Benning.
This infraction, however, was far more egregious. The incident occurred late in the second period of last night’s overtime loss, during which Zegras laid a late hit that he left his feet to deliver, forcing his shoulder into Rasmussen’s head. Detroit head coach Todd McLellan said Rasmussen has since been listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and isn’t traveling with the team for their game against the Wild tomorrow. On-ice officials failed to assess a penalty to Zegras on the play.
The most pertinent part of the league’s video explanation is transcribed here:
Players who are not in possession of the puck are never eligible to be checked. However, the intereference rule provides a brief window where the player who initiates the check while his opponent is in possession of the puck may finish the hit. This is not such a play. Here, Zegras begins his hitting motion after Zegras releases the puck, and contact is made outside the window where a check may be legally finished. In addition to the lateness, what causes this hit to rise to the level of supplemental discipline is the significant head contact on this play combined with the force.
It’s hard to disagree with DoPS’ description of the play, although a three-game ban could be seen as steep for a first-time offender. It comes amid another injury-plagued and difficult offensive season for the 23-year-old, who has 7-9–16 through 34 games – a 17-goal, 39-point pace over 82 games. That’s a far cry from the back-to-back 60-point campaigns he put up leading into the 2023 offseason when he landed a three-year, $17.25MM deal after months on the RFA market. So far, it’s been a prudent move from general manager Pat Verbeek to hold out for a lower cap hit than expected for a player who finished second in Calder Trophy voting in 2022.
Zegras has looked better since returning from right knee surgery last month. Since coming off injured reserve, he has six points in 10 games, an even rating, and an average ice time of 17:15 per night. It’s not world-beating, but certainly a step in the right direction for the 6’0″ center, who again finds himself in trade rumors ahead of the March 7 deadline.
Without Zegras, Anaheim doesn’t have a healthy extra forward for tomorrow’s road game in Buffalo. They don’t have an open roster spot and would need to make a corresponding transaction to get one up from AHL San Diego.
Kraken Recall Niklas Kokko
The Kraken have swapped backup netminders. They announced they’ve summoned rookie Niklas Kokko from AHL Coachella Valley, sending down Ales Stezka in a corresponding move after he made his NHL debut in yesterday’s loss to the Lightning. Seattle also returned defenseman Cale Fleury to Coachella.
It’s the first NHL recall for Kokko, who Seattle selected 58th overall in 2022. Now the organization’s top goaltending prospect, the 20-year-old is having a strong rookie season in the AHL – especially considering his age. The 6’4″ goalie has made 21 appearances for the Firebirds with a 2.44 GAA, .909 SV and a 15-4-1 record. He leads qualified rookie netminders in wins and GAA, although he’s one of two who’s yet to record a shutout.
He made the jump stateside last summer after spending the 2023-24 campaign on loan to Kärpät and Pelicans in Liiga in his native Finland. He finished the year with a .926 SV% in 13 games for the latter club and led them to the league’s final postseason round. Kokko didn’t crack The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler’s recent ranking of Seattle’s top 15 prospects, but it’s hard to ignore the numbers he’s put up over the last couple of seasons.
Stezka, 28, surrendered three goals on 22 shots against the Bolts for a .864 SV% in his debut. The 28-year-old Czechia native had been serving as Joey Daccord‘s backup ever since the Kraken waived and reassigned ex-starter Philipp Grubauer to Coachella Valley but only got into a game after Daccord made six consecutive starts on either side of the 4 Nations break. A free agent signing out of the Extraliga’s HC Vítkovice in 2023, he’s posted a .902 SV% and a 2.99 GAA in 25 AHL games this year with a 9-12-8 record. That’s down considerably from last year, where he logged a .914 SV% and a pair of shutouts in 27 games.
Kokko is waiver-exempt, while Stezka isn’t. Seattle won’t want Kokko to sit without playing as Daccord’s backup for long periods. Still, it does make sense to have him come up occasionally for spot duty to delay the exception of Stezka’s temporary waiver exemption.
Maintaining waiver-exempt status is also the chief reason for Fleury’s demotion. He’s been sent between leagues endlessly this season whenever the Kraken need injury insurance on defense, but he hasn’t spent enough time on the roster to warrant clearing waivers again after initially passing through them during the preseason. The 26-year-old has squeaked into Seattle’s lineup seven times this year, recording an assist with a plus-two rating while averaging 12:20 per game with a 48.4 CF% at even strength. He’s tied for the team lead in the minors with a +10 rating and has 6-12–18 in 32 appearances.
Ryan Hartman’s Suspension Reduced Upon Appeal
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has reduced Wild forward Ryan Hartman‘s suspension for roughing Senators center Tim Stützle from 10 to eight games, the league announced. He will now be eligible to return to the Minnesota lineup on March 4 against the Kraken instead of March 9 against the Penguins.
The break in the schedule for the 4 Nations Face-Off initially meant Hartman was due to miss more than a month of action after he drove Stützle’s head into the ice immediately following a faceoff, which got him tossed from the game – a 6-0 loss – for intent to injure. As a result, he earned an in-person hearing with the Department of Player Safety. The NHLPA filed an appeal on Hartman’s behalf two days after their decision, which Bettman heard over the break. Hartman can again appeal to an independent arbitrator since the reduced length is still at least six games. That process will take longer than the remainder of the suspension, so doing so would only result in him getting some money back in his pocket.
Bettman rarely reduces a suspension. He’s only done it twice in the past nine times they’ve come across his desk, most recently decreasing a suspension to then-Maple Leafs forward Jason Spezza from six to four games in December 2021. Bettman notes the reduction to eight games came at the request of the NHLPA, saying neither Hartman nor the NHLPA contested the fact that a suspension was appropriate for his actions.
The full ruling, available here, is incredibly detailed. While Bettman calls Hartman’s recent track record of suspensions (four within the last 22 months) “an unenviable record and a pattern of malfeasance,” he did agree with the NHLPA’s assertion that an increase of seven games from Hartman’s most recent discipline “is excessive in this case and that the quantum of increase should be reduced.”
Hartman, 30, has struggled this season with 7-10–17 through 48 games. He missed a significant chunk of games in October with an upper-body injury. His 0.35 points-per-game pace is his lowest since his first campaign in Minnesota in 2019-20, although a career-worst 6.5% shooting rate has a lot to do with that and should rebound somewhat after he returns to the lineup.