Dennis Cholowski Clears Waivers
Saturday: Cholowski has cleared waivers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. The team quickly announced that he was sent down to Utica.
Friday: The Devils announced they’ve placed defenseman Dennis Cholowski on waivers with the intent to assign him to AHL Utica. New Jersey will be left with an open roster spot tomorrow after he is reassigned or claimed.
Cholowski’s waiver placement is likely the first in a complicated series of transactions to activate fellow rearguard Johnathan Kovacevic from long-term injured reserve. The Devils need to free up roughly $3MM in cap space to do so, and they’re running out of time after he began skating with the team at practice earlier this week, per Kristy Flannery of The Hockey News.
Removing the 27-year-old Cholowski from the roster gets them $775K closer to their goal. The Devils acquired him from the Islanders at last year’s trade deadline after he’d re-emerged as a press-box option in New York. He played six games for the Devils as an extra body down the stretch and re-signed with the club on a one-year, one-way deal for the league minimum in July.
Cholowski stuck around on New Jersey’s opening night roster, in large part due to Kovacevic’s knee surgery, but hasn’t been relied upon heavily. He’s been a frequent healthy scratch, particularly with Brett Pesce and Simon Nemec recently returning from injuries, and hasn’t suited up in nearly a month. He’s now been scratched in 11 straight and has only played in 15 of the Devils’ 44 games.
When dressed, the puck-mover has been overused in defensive situations, ranking last among Devils defenders with a 42.6 offensive zone start percentage at even strength. As a result, he only has one assist with a -5 rating while posting a 46.1 CF%, also the worst figure among New Jersey rearguards. Far from being known for his physicality, the 6’2″ lefty has only logged 15 blocks and three hits as well.
Now, he hits waivers for the first time in 2025-26 after clearing them multiple times with the Isles over the past few seasons. The 2016 first-round pick last suited up in the AHL in March of last year with Bridgeport. He has 18 goals and 123 points with a -46 rating in 241 career minor-league games.
Flyers Place Jamie Drysdale On Injured Reserve, Recall Adam Ginning
8:00 p.m.: Philadelphia has quickly replaced the void left by Drysdale on the active roster. According to a public announcement, the Flyers have recalled Adam Ginning from AHL Lehigh Valley. He’s gone scoreless in five games for the Flyers this season, averaging 15:20 of ice time per night.
2:26 p.m.: The Flyers placed defenseman Jamie Drysdale on injured reserve today, per Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer. With six healthy defensemen still on the active roster and a two-game homestand upcoming, there’s no immediate need to fill his roster spot.
Drysdale has already sat out one game after getting rocked by Ducks winger Ross Johnston on Tuesday night. Johnston was ejected for the hit but wasn’t given any further discipline. While Drysdale is still officially day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, the move rules him out of Philadelphia’s next two games. He’ll be eligible to return on Jan. 14 against the Sabres.
The sixth overall pick in the 2020 draft is having his best all-around season. He’s battled through a lengthy list of injuries throughout his development to overcome some defensive warts in his game. His 3-15–18 scoring line in 41 appearances isn’t the offensive ceiling expected from him, but he’s averaging over 21 minutes per night for the Flyers while posting good possession numbers as their right-shot second-pairing anchor with either Emil Andrae or Nick Seeler on his left flank.
On track to finish the season with a plus rating for the first time in his six-year career, he’s been splitting top power-play quarterback duties with Cameron York. A long-term absence could be tough to swallow for the Flyers, who haven’t gotten a ton of offensive output from their blue line. They also haven’t seen good two-way numbers from Rasmus Ristolainen, next up on the right-shot depth chart behind Drysdale, since his return from injury last month.
Capitals Activate Aliaksei Protas
The Capitals have activated winger Aliaksei Protas from injured reserve, per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News. He’ll be back in the lineup tonight against the Blackhawks. Winger Tom Wilson took his spot on IR to open a roster space, but he’ll be eligible to be activated as soon as Sunday.
Protas missed Washington’s last three games, sustaining a lower-body injury against the Senators on New Year’s Day. Now that he’s back, he’ll be looking to pick up where he left off. He’s on a five-game point streak, during which he has four goals and five assists for nine points.
The 6’6″ Belarusian hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down following last season’s 30-goal, 66-point breakout. His 16-15–31 scoring line through 41 appearances this year makes for a slightly decreased overall point pace, but he’s scoring goals at the same rate. He’s also doing so in a more sustainable manner, compensating for a 3.1% dip in shooting percentage by averaging 16% more shots on goal per game than he did in 2024-25.
He continues to be one of the Caps’ most feared possession threats at even strength, too. His +21 rating is second on the team behind Jakob Chychrun, and his 55.8 CF% is inferior only to Wilson’s.
That’s a big boost for a Washington team that’s dropped three out of its last four, now out of the playoff picture for the time being. Their strong advanced numbers and +14 goal differential suggest they should get back into position sooner rather than later, though, especially with key bodies in Protas and Wilson returning in short order.
Wilson, who left the lineup one game after Protas did with a lower-body issue, could get his feet back on the ice in Nashville this weekend. The newly tabbed Olympian is enjoying a career year at age 31, leading the Caps in scoring with 22 goals and 42 points in 41 games. His 22.7% shooting rate is nearly 10 points above his career average and won’t hold up, but the added offense is greatly appreciated in addition to his trademark hard-nosed play, leading Washington with 110 hits.
Sharks Reassign Patrick Giles
Jan. 9: Giles was returned to the AHL today, the team announced. He was scratched for both games of his call-up on Tuesday and Wednesday. The move indicates one of the Sharks’ IR-bound defenders – Klingberg, Vincent Desharnais, and Shakir Mukhamadullin – could be returning to action tomorrow.
Jan. 5: The Sharks recalled center Patrick Giles from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda on Monday, per a team announcement. To open a roster spot, the Sharks placed defenseman John Klingberg on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 31.
It’s the second recall of the season for Giles, who last appeared on the roster in November. The 26-year-old, who was acquired from the Panthers in last year’s Vítek Vaněček trade, has 20 games of NHL experience, including three on his previous recall this season.
The Chevy Chase, Maryland, native will provide the Sharks with an extra forward for Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jackets. While they now have 14 forwards on the active roster, Adam Gaudette has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury – although Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News reports he could be an option to return to the lineup against Columbus.
The 6’5″, 218-lb Giles grades out as a fine fourth-line pivot for a few games at a time, but shouldn’t be relied upon more than that. His possession numbers weren’t inspiring in more extended action with Florida last season, and he has a team-worst -10 rating with nine points in 28 games for the Barracuda.
As for Klingberg, San Jose’s top power play quarterback sustained a lower-body injury against the Wild on New Year’s Eve that caused him to sit out Saturday’s loss to the Lightning. He’s been ruled out of the Sharks’ upcoming back-to-back but will be eligible to return this weekend against the Stars, per Max Miller of Sharks Hockey Digest.
His absence means more opportunities for youngsters Sam Dickinson and Vincent Iorio while veteran Nick Leddy gets some added reps as well, despite serving as a healthy scratch for most of the campaign. Klingberg’s nine goals and 16 points in 31 games have him on pace for his best offensive showing since departing Dallas in free agency in 2022.
Hurricanes Reassign Joel Nystrom
The Hurricanes announced they’ve reassigned defenseman Joel Nystrom to AHL Chicago. While there’s no corresponding transaction yet, the open roster spot could indicate that top shutdown man Jaccob Slavin will come off injured reserve on Saturday before their clash with the Kraken.
Nystrom is having an impressive enough rookie season to warrant a four-year, $4.9MM extension from the Canes last month. His waiver-exempt status means he’s still a logical candidate to get ferried between the NHL and AHL when roster space is needed, but he’ll be a full-timer from the drop on Carolina’s roster starting in 2026-27.
This might be the second time in a month that Nystrom’s roster spot is sacrificed for Slavin returning from IR. The latter initially attempted to return from his lower-body injury on Dec. 14 but sustained an upper-body issue three games later that put him back on the inactive list. Nystrom was sent down then, too, to make room for his activation, but was immediately recalled again when Slavin got re-injured.
Averaging 15:37 per game across 33 contests, the 23-year-old Nystrom has eight assists with a +4 rating. That’s already far more than anyone expected out of the right-shot Swede, who was a seventh-round pick in 2021. He’s posted spectacular possession numbers, including a 62.0 xGF% and 60.0 CF%, while bouncing up and down the lineup.
Nonetheless, the 5’11” puck-mover has yet to score a goal since arriving in North America at the end of last season. In nine career AHL contests, he’s got two assists with a +3 rating. That comes after Nystrom led his Swedish Hockey League team, Färjestad BK, in scoring from the blue line with 27 points in 51 games last year.
Slavin has been absent from Carolina’s lineup for all but five games this season. His limited workload in his brief return to the lineup means he’s only averaged 17:24 of ice time per game after starting his career with a 10-year streak of 20 or higher. Regarded as one of the league’s best defensive defensemen for the last decade, the missed time means he’s likely to go without earning a Norris Trophy vote since his rookie year.
Maple Leafs Reassign Jacob Quillan, Expected To Activate William Nylander
The Maple Leafs announced they’ve sent center Jacob Quillan to AHL Toronto. They’re left with an open roster spot, which is expected to go to William Nylander as he comes off injured reserve ahead of his anticipated return to the lineup tomorrow against the Canucks.
Quillan, 23, had been up since Dec. 30 but only got into one game. He entered the lineup that night against the Devils, recording a +1 rating in 7:01 of ice time, before heading to the press box for four straight.
The undrafted free agent signing out of Quinnipiac has been one of Toronto’s best minor-leaguers this season, though. Despite getting just three NHL games across his two call-ups, he’s just shy of the AHL team lead in points per game with 0.88 after recording five goals and 18 assists through 26 contests to date.
Toronto increasingly relying on the 6’0″ Nova Scotia native as a call-up option indicates he has a decent chance of plucking a roster spot for a larger portion of next season, particularly if he settles for a reasonable extension or re-signs at a low cost. His entry-level deal is up following this season, and he’ll be eligible for arbitration should he choose to test restricted free agency.
Nylander, should he get back into action tomorrow, will return after missing the last six games with a lower-body injury he sustained against the Senators on Dec. 27. The Leafs’ top winger had scored three goals and two assists in his final two appearances before exiting the lineup, momentum he’ll hope to keep up as Toronto continues to gain ground in the East playoff race. They’re now six games above .500, their highest points percentage since winning their season opener, and are one point back of the Sabres for the final playoff spot after going 6-2-2 in their last 10. Their chances of making the postseason are up to 23.8%, per MoneyPuck.
The star Swede has been immensely productive this season, and his offense is one of the biggest reasons they’re still squarely in the race. Despite the missed time, his 27 assists and 41 points in 33 games still lead the team.
Senators Activate Lars Eller, Move Linus Ullmark To Non-Roster List
The Senators announced they’ve activated center Lars Eller from injured reserve. To open a spot, they moved goaltender Linus Ullmark to the non-roster list. He’s on an indefinite leave of absence from the club that began on Dec. 28.
Eller’s return tonight against his former team, the Avalanche, comes nearly a month after he sustained a foot injury on Dec. 11 against the Blue Jackets. He’s now missed 14 of Ottawa’s last 16 games due to that and a separate undisclosed injury.
Signed to a one-year, $1.25MM deal in free agency, the 36-year-old has been a serviceable fourth-line piece. No longer expected to churn out the 30-40 points he was good for in his prime, he’s only gotten on the scoresheet six times in 28 games (two goals, four assists). However, he’s been one of the league’s top faceoff men at a 60.5% win rate and has been up to the task as a shutdown specialist at 5-on-5, ranking fourth on the team in GA/60 at 2.45.
For now, his return pushes rookie Stephen Halliday to the press box. It’s unclear how long that arrangement will last. The 23-year-old is still looking for his first NHL goal but has already demonstrated good playmaking skills in limited minutes, notching six assists in 18 games despite averaging just 8:12 of ice time per game. That’s a 27-point pace over a full season, and he’s also averaging a shot on goal per game.
There’s not really a top-nine spot up for grabs for Halliday to push for, though, and Ottawa’s veteran-laden fourth line has had success defensively. If Halliday isn’t going to be a regular, it might behoove the Sens to take advantage of the 6’4″ pivot’s waiver-exempt status while they still can and get him more development time in Belleville.
While the non-roster designation doesn’t stop Ullmark from counting against the cap, it does mean he’s no longer taking up one of the Sens’ 23 available roster spot while he’s on his leave of absence. There’s still no indication as to when Ottawa’s starter might return. In what’s now been six straight starts for backup Leevi Merilainen, he’s posted a .860 SV% with a 2-4-0 record.
Penguins Activate Evgeni Malkin
The Penguins announced they’ve activated Evgeni Malkin from injured reserve. They reassigned winger Ville Koivunen earlier in the day to open a roster spot, so no corresponding move is required.
Malkin will be in the lineup against the Devils tonight for the first time in 15 games. He’s been practicing for about a week as he works his way back from a lingering upper-body injury that he said had been plaguing him throughout the season, but got aggravated to the point where he needed to sit out.
Before exiting the lineup, the future Hall-of-Famer had arguably been having one of his most impressive seasons to date. Now 39 years old, he’s on pace to breach the point-per-game mark for the first time in three years. His eight goals and 21 assists are good for 29 points in 26 games, second on the Pens at 1.12 points per game.
The Penguins, still in the playoff hunt, didn’t shoulder the absence of a franchise icon well. The first game of his absence coincided with the beginning of an eight-game winless streak. They’ve won five out of six since to get back on track, but went 6-5-4 overall in his absence. They’re now 20-12-9, one point up on the streaking Sabres for the second wild-card spot.
Malkin will have some new linemates tonight in rookie Benjamin Kindel and countryman Yegor Chinakhov, recently acquired from the Blue Jackets, per Michelle Crechiolo of NHL.com. His usual wingers, Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha, drop to flank Thomas Novak on Pittsburgh’s third line. They’re likely looking to keep up the better underlying numbers that the duo posted with Novak in Malkin’s absence – they weren’t as productive but were more responsible defensively while still being good for a few scoring bursts.
Image courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Devils Activate Simon Nemec From Injured Reserve
The Devils announced they’ve activated defenseman Simon Nemec from injured reserve. He will be in the lineup for tonight’s game against the Penguins. They’ve had an open roster spot for several days, so no corresponding move is required.
Nemec will take to the ice for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury during a practice on Dec. 12. It’s the first NHL-level injury for Nemec, who’s had a rather spotless health record since being taken second overall in the 2022 draft.
In 12 games without Nemec, the Devils’ situation has gone from bad to worse. They have a 5-6-1 record in their last 12 while only scoring 1.8 goals per game. Nemec, one of their best puck-movers on the blue line, should help get their offense going. The 21-year-old is enjoying a long-awaited breakout campaign, leading New Jersey defenders in points per game (0.58) by posting seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 31 appearances. His +4 rating also leads Devils rearguards, although his middling possession numbers point to that figure being unfairly inflated.
While the team continues to grapple with Johnathan Kovacevic‘s knee injury that’s kept him out of action to date, Nemec’s return gives New Jersey its healthiest look on defense it’s had this season. He’s done a lot of work with Dougie Hamilton on the Devils’ second power-play unit, where he’ll slot back in tonight while being flanked by Brenden Dillon in third-pairing duties at even strength, per Sam Kasan of NHL.com.
Rangers Activate J.T. Miller From Injured Reserve
The Rangers have activated forward J.T. Miller from injured reserve ahead of tonight’s clash with the Sabres, Mollie Walker of the New York Post relays. They have an open roster spot, so there’s no need for a corresponding transaction.
Miller hasn’t played since Dec. 20 due to an upper-body injury, keeping him out of a seven-game stretch that included the Winter Classic. Outside of the resounding outdoor victory, the Blueshirts haven’t fared very well without their captain, going 2-3-2 to fall to a 20-18-6 record on the year that has them third-last in the Eastern Conference.
After missing the playoffs last season, the Rangers’ possession game has improved by several degrees under head coach Mike Sullivan, but has been plagued by a lack of finishing ability. Perhaps no player better encapsulates those struggles than Miller, who’s having his worst offensive showing in seven years. The Rangers gave up a first-round pick and young center Filip Chytil to net Miller from the Canucks last year and named him captain at the beginning of this season, but he’s responded with a conservative 10 goals and 22 points in 35 games.
The 32-year-old Miller is seventh on the team in scoring outright and fifth in points per game despite averaging nearly 21 minutes of ice time. He has provided value in other areas, leading the team with a 59.9 faceoff win percentage and ranking fourth with 74 hits, but his -11 rating is second-worst on the team behind William Cuylle.
For a team missing its starting goalie and top defenseman, as well as multiple depth forwards, they’ll take any help they can get, though. Miller will skate as the Rangers’ second-line left winger with Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafrenière in his return, according to Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic.