Hurricanes Activate, Reassign Riley Stillman
Nov. 13: Stillman cleared waivers and is on his way to the AHL, according to Friedman.
Nov. 12: The Hurricanes have placed defenseman Riley Stillman on waivers with the intent to assign him to AHL Chicago, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The move indicates he’s been activated from season-opening injured reserve after missing the past couple of months with a lower-body injury.
Stillman, 26, hasn’t played in the NHL since April 2023 with the Sabres. He spent all of last season on assignment to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, where the heavy-hitting 6’2″ defender struggled with only six points in 47 games with a -4 rating.
The 2016 fourth-round pick of the Panthers was hoping to get his career back on track with the Canes, who inked him to a two-way deal ($775K/$150K) in the first few days of free agency. There was a small opening for him to potentially stick on the roster as a seventh defenseman, but without a full training camp to evaluate him, it was a foregone conclusion that he’d end up on waivers after he was medically cleared to play.
Over the course of five seasons, Stillman has 158 NHL games under his belt with the Panthers, Blackhawks, Canucks, and Sabres. He’s scored four goals and 22 assists for 26 points, compiling a -19 rating with 197 blocks and 318 hits while averaging 15:49 per game.
Sabres Reclaim James Reimer Off Waivers From Ducks
Nov. 13: The Sabres have reclaimed Reimer off waivers from the Ducks, per Friedman. It’s unclear if they were the only team to submit a claim, but regardless, he’ll likely remain on the active roster for now with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
Nov. 12: The Ducks have placed goaltender James Reimer on waivers for the purpose of assignment to AHL San Diego, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports Tuesday.
Anaheim acquired Reimer, 36, off waivers from the Sabres in early October, just before the regular season began. If Buffalo submits a claim for Reimer over the next 24 hours and is the only team to do so, they can send him directly to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.
The Ducks claimed Reimer to provide veteran support to breakout starter Lukáš Dostál while John Gibson was on the shelf for the first few weeks of the season after undergoing appendectomy surgery. With Dostál putting up some of the best numbers in the league in the early going, Reimer made only two starts over the past month, winning neither of them and posting a subpar .864 SV%, 4.50 GAA and -2.4 GSAA. Gibson came off injured reserve last Friday, meaning Reimer was no longer needed on the active roster.
Reimer is coming off a solid campaign with the Red Wings, where he recorded a .904 SV% and 3.11 GAA in 20 starts and five relief appearances. Those numbers indicate he still has it in him to be a solid backup option and could certainly handle a No. 3 role. That’s what the Sabres were banking on when they signed him to a one-year, $1MM contract over the summer, likely hoping that a seven-figure price tag was high enough to deter teams from claiming off waivers when they attempted to send him down at the beginning of the year.
That didn’t happen, but they’ll get another chance to have him starting for their minor-league affiliate while providing a much more stable recall option in case of injury to either Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Devon Levi than what they currently have. Their current No. 3 option, former Flyer Felix Sandström, has a .900 SV% in five appearances for the Amerks.
Bruins Recall Jordan Oesterle
The Bruins have recalled defenseman Jordan Oesterle from AHL Providence, per Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe. He’ll slot into the lineup for his Bruins debut if Hampus Lindholm, who left Tuesday’s game against the Blues with a lower-body injury, can’t play Thursday in Dallas.
Oesterle, 32, is in his first season with the Bruins after inking a two-year, two-way deal in free agency over the summer. The veteran of 371 NHL games is no longer a full-time fixture at the game’s highest level and has now seen minor-league assignments in back-to-back seasons, but he’s still a capable call-up option who can log third-pairing minutes without much fuss.
The Michigan native spent last season with the Flames, posting two assists and a -6 rating in 22 games while averaging 13:31 per night. He controlled 48.6% of shot attempts at even strength, his highest number since the 2017-18 season.
Oesterle is off to a hot start with the P-Bruins, where he serves as an alternate captain and leads defensemen in scoring with three goals and five assists in nine games. The Bruins had a pair of open roster spots after sending down Matthew Poitras earlier in the week, so no corresponding roster fanfare is needed to accommodate Oesterle’s recall.
It’ll be a tough break for the hot-and-cold Bruins if Lindholm misses any length of time, although he hasn’t been labeled anything aside from day-to-day yet. The 30-year-old is the only Boston defender to post a Corsi share over 50% at even strength this season and leads Bruins blue-liners in scoring with seven points (3 G, 4 A) in 17 games.
Maple Leafs Activate Jani Hakanpää From Long-Term Injured Reserve
The Maple Leafs announced Wednesday that they’ve reinstated defenseman Jani Hakanpää from his conditioning loan and activated him from long-term injured reserve. He’s expected to make his Toronto debut tonight against the Capitals.
It’s been a long road back for Hakanpää, who last played an NHL game on March 16 with the Stars before a knee injury ended his season. The 32-year-old reportedly had arthroscopic surgery over the summer before agreeing to terms on a two-year, $3MM contract.
But weeks came and went without the Maple Leafs registering the deal. That’s because Hakanpää and Toronto’s medical staff had a difference of opinion on what type of rehabilitation he still needed for his knee before they would clear him to play. After more than two months of additional discussions, the two sides finally put pen to paper on a one-year, $1.47MM contract with an eight-team no-trade list.
That didn’t mean Hakanpää was healthy, though, and he skated only briefly during camp and started the season on long-term injured reserve as expected. He was assigned to AHL Toronto on a conditioning loan at the beginning of the month, posting zeros across the board in two appearances – his first minor-league action since the 2019-20 season.
While all signs point to him playing tonight, it’s unclear who he’ll replace. Given he’s a right-shot defender, though, it’ll likely be Conor Timmins heading to the press box. The 26-year-old sitting as a healthy scratch is a good problem to have for Toronto, though. He’s done quite well in a third-pairing role this season, posting four points and a +5 rating through 15 games while controlling 52.4% of shot attempts at even strength.
Hakanpää, who checks in at 6’6″ and 225 lbs, has been a serviceable fringe top-four option with the Stars for the past three years and routinely was among the league’s leaders in hits. The 2022-23 campaign saw him record career-highs across the board with six goals, 16 points, a +18 rating, 128 blocks, and 86 shots on goal while averaging 19:20 per game.
The Maple Leafs had an open roster spot after assigning Matt Benning to the minors yesterday, so no corresponding transaction is required.
Ducks Recall Jansen Harkins, Drew Helleson
The Ducks have recalled forward Jansen Harkins and defenseman Drew Helleson from AHL San Diego ahead of Wednesday’s home game against the Golden Knights, Patrick Present of The Hockey News reports.
The moves give Anaheim some necessary reinforcements, especially up front. The team placed Robby Fabbri and Cam Fowler on injured reserve yesterday with lower-body and upper-body injuries, respectively, while also announcing that Mason McTavish was day-to-day with an undisclosed injury and uncertain for tonight’s game. Without Fabbri and McTavish, the Ducks would have only had 11 forwards and six defensemen on hand.
Harkins and Helleson thus come up to fill the two roster spots vacated by Fabbri and Fowler’s IR placements. While Helleson is likely ticketed for the press box, Harkins will likely find himself making his second appearance of the season should McTavish miss the game.
Harkins, 27, signed a two-year, $1.58MM contract with Anaheim in free agency over the summer. Despite inking a one-way contract, though, he failed to make the team out of camp and cleared waivers at the end of the preseason.
He’s been recalled once, recording a shot, hit and block in 10:11 of ice time in an overtime loss against the Avalanche on Oct. 18. The versatile 6’2″ forward has continued to be a high-end point-producer in the AHL – his 17 points (5 G, 12 A) in 11 games for San Diego are tied with Vinnie Hinostroza for the league lead.
Despite producing over a point per game in the AHL over the last three seasons, Harkins still hasn’t had much offensive success in the NHL. The 2015 second-round pick has made 200 career appearances with Anaheim, Pittsburgh and Winnipeg but has only 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points with a -12 rating while averaging just 9:22 per game. Last season, his only one in the Penguins organization, was especially difficult for him. He made 45 appearances but failed to score a goal on 37 shots, only totaling four assists.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Helleson will look to play in his first NHL game since the 2022-23 season while Fowler is on the shelf. The 2019 second-rounder has struggled heavily with San Diego this season, though, posting no points and a -5 rating in 12 outings. The 6’3″ right-shot defender scored once and averaged 13:39 per game across three NHL contests two years ago, his only top-level audition to date.
The Ducks’ active roster is now full, although that will likely change this afternoon. Goaltender James Reimer is on waivers and his roster spot will open up, either by virtue of him being claimed or being assigned to San Diego.
Predators Recall Adam Wilsby
The Predators have recalled defenseman Adam Wilsby from AHL Milwaukee, Alex Daugherty of the Tennessean reports Wednesday. The 24-year-old replaces the roster spot vacated by Dante Fabbro, who was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Wilsby, a fourth-round pick in 2020, is in his third season suiting up for the Preds’ farm club in Wisconsin. The smooth-skating left-shot defender has one goal and two assists for three points in 11 games this season while recording a +4 rating, tied for fourth on the team.
The Stockholm native has been under consideration for a recall for quite some time, but he’s narrowly lost out over the past couple of seasons to competitors like Marc Del Gaizo and Spencer Stastney. Del Gaizo had established himself ahead of Fabbro on the depth chart while Stastney remains on an extended personal leave, so it’s now Wilsby’s chance to compete for NHL minutes.
The last-place Predators have six healthy defensemen available, but they may look to make a lineup change after going 1-3-1 in their past five games. If so, Wilsby could make his NHL debut on Thursday against the Oilers. Either way, Nashville will have a much-needed extra defenseman on hand for their four-game road swing through Canada and the Pacific Northwest should an injury arise.
Since making his AHL debut for Milwaukee in the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs, Wilsby has 10 goals, 32 assists, 42 points, and a +21 rating in 144 regular-season minor-league games. He’ll remain waiver-exempt through 2024-25 but will require them to head to the minors beginning next season. After a brief stint on the restricted free agent market last summer, he signed a two-way deal to return to Nashville. He’ll be up for RFA status again with arbitration eligibility at the end of the campaign.
Lightning Recall Gage Goncalves
The Lightning announced Wednesday that they’ve recalled forward Gage Goncalves from AHL Syracuse. It’s the second recall of the month for the 23-year-old after he made his season debut in a pair of games last week.
His recall indicates that star center Brayden Point, who sustained a lower-body injury in a loss to the Jets on Nov. 3 and is still listed as day-to-day, may not be available when Tampa takes on Winnipeg again on Thursday night. Point was expected to slot back into the lineup tomorrow with the Bolts having a week-long break in their schedule, and he practiced in his usual top-line role as recently as Sunday, per Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida.
The Lightning have only been carrying an extra forward on the roster this season when necessary to bank as much cap space as possible ahead of the trade deadline. Point remains on the active roster and not on injured reserve, but they still have an open roster spot after Goncalves’ recall. If Point can’t play, Goncalves will make his third straight appearance for the Bolts tomorrow.
Goncalves, the latter of the team’s two second-round selections in the 2020 draft, has one shot on goal, two hits and averaged 10:12 of ice time over his pair of appearances last week. The British Columbia native has also made five appearances for Syracuse, tying for the team lead with six assists and leading the club with 1.20 points per game.
Goncalves is no longer waiver-exempt, so every game he plays and every day he spends on the active roster shaves precious time off his temporary exemption after clearing waivers at the beginning of the regular season. His previous recall lasted four days, so he can appear in eight more games or stay on the roster for 26 more days, whichever comes first, before he needs waivers again to return to Syracuse.
The 6’1″, 183-lb center will be a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration eligibility. He signed a one-year, two-way extension in June to avoid hitting restricted free agency last summer as his entry-level contract was set to expire.
Jets Reclaim Kaapo Kähkönen From Avalanche, Place Logan Stanley On IR
Nov. 12, 1:33 p.m.: The Jets confirmed Kähkönen’s claim and also announced they’ve placed defenseman Logan Stanley on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 9. It was reported earlier Tuesday that Stanley would miss the team’s three-game road trip this week with a mid-body injury. He’ll be eligible to come off IR when the Jets return home.
Nov. 12, 1:05 p.m.: The Jets submitted a claim and were the only team to do so, reports Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. He’ll report to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
Nov. 11: After the Avalanche claimed Kaapo Kähkönen off waivers from the Jets last month, the team announced they’ve placed him back on the wire today.
Issues with Kähkönen’s work visa significantly delayed his arrival in the Mile High City. Colorado claimed Kähkönen from Winnipeg on Oct. 11, and he was held out of action for over a week until the Avs got him some AHL action on a conditioning loan.
Kähkönen made two appearances on his brief stint with the Colorado Eagles, his first minor-league action since the 2019-20 campaign. He lost both contests but still put up solid numbers, recording a .919 SV% and 2.57 GAA. He’d been on the NHL roster since Oct. 29 but only made one appearance for the Avs, allowing four goals on 20 shots in a loss to the Lightning on Halloween Eve. He’s dressed as a backup or been a healthy scratch for every game since.
24-year-old Justus Annunen has been passable, and starter Alexandar Georgiev appears to be getting his feet back under him with a .904 SV% in his last three games. Thus, there was no longer much of a need for the Avs to carry three goalies on their roster, especially with injuries continuing to plague their forward group. Kähkönen, who signed a one-year, $1MM deal with the Jets in free agency over the summer, now must hope for a third team to take a flyer on him this season if he wants to keep an NHL roster spot.
If Winnipeg submits a claim for Kähkönen and is the only team to do so, they may directly assign him to their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. The 28-year-old has a 49-68-15 record, four shutouts, a 3.34 GAA, and a .898 SV% in 140 career NHL appearances over the past six years.
Maple Leafs Reassign Matt Benning
Nov. 12: Benning cleared waivers, per Friedman. The Maple Leafs will likely continue to explore trade options, which may be easier now that an acquiring team could send him to the minors without risking losing him on the wire. He’s been assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies to give him a chance to play in the meantime.
Nov. 11: The Maple Leafs have placed newly-acquired defenseman Matt Benning on waivers, Chris Johnston of The Athletic and TSN reports.
Toronto acquired Benning, 30, from the Sharks with a pair of draft picks in exchange for Timothy Liljegren nearly two weeks ago. It was immediately apparent the veteran was included for roster/salary cap purposes and that he wasn’t expected to stick around with the Leafs. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet quickly reported that they were looking to move the blue-liner, while James Mirtle of The Athletic suggested last week that Toronto would waive Benning in short order if they couldn’t find a trade partner.
The Leafs and Benning will now hope that another team takes a flyer on him for no acquisition cost over the next 24 hours. He has one season after this remaining on the four-year, $5MM contract he signed with San Jose as a free agent in 2022. He carries a $1.25MM cap hit and will cost $100K against the cap for the Maple Leafs if he clears waivers and is assigned to AHL Toronto.
Benning, an Edmonton native, has not played for the Maple Leafs since the trade and has been a healthy scratch in six straight games. Before the trade, he went without a point and had a -5 rating in seven games for the Sharks while averaging a career-low 13:02 per contest. He had issues staying in the lineup with San Jose, too, going four straight games as a healthy scratch in late October.
In fact, Benning has made just 21 appearances since the beginning of last season. He missed the last four-plus months of 2023-24 after undergoing hip surgery in December.
The 6’1″ right-shot defender was a sixth-round pick by the Bruins in 2012, although he never signed with them and instead began his NHL career with his hometown Oilers after signing there as a free agent in 2016. In 464 NHL games in nine seasons, Benning has 17 goals, 85 assists and 102 points while averaging 16:37 per game.
Blackhawks Reassign Andreas Athanasiou
Nov. 12, 1:12 p.m.: Athanasiou passed through waivers unclaimed and will be on his way to Rockford, according to Friedman.
Nov. 11, 1:05 p.m.: Athanasiou is indeed on waivers today, per Friedman.
Nov. 11, 8:14 a.m.: Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Blackhawks will place veteran center Andreas Athanasiou on waivers this week, potentially as early as Monday. The move will leave Chicago with an open roster spot, although it’s unclear what they plan to do with it.
Athanasiou, 30, was signed to a two-year, $8.5MM extension in 2023 after a resurgent 20-goal, 40-point showing with the Blackhawks the preceding season. The club banked on Athansiou’s demonstrated ceiling when healthy and his historical status as one of the league’s fastest skaters to help energize their top nine through their rebuild, even with injuries limiting Athanasiou to fewer than 70 games all but three times in his decade-long career.
The pending waiver placement underscores how poorly things have gone for Athanasiou in the year-plus since. He missed 53 games last season with a lower-body injury, and while he’s managed to avoid IR this season, he’s still barely played. Athanasiou has no points and is averaging 9:36 per game through five contests, and he’s now sat in the press box for nine straight games dating back to Oct. 22.
Even when healthy last season, Athanasiou was limited to two goals and seven assists in 28 appearances. The high-motor pivot has broadly posted relatively solid possession numbers during his time in Chicago, and his ability to slot in at center and on either wing carries some value. Still, he’s not producing enough offensively for his skill set to justify a spot in the lineup or his $4.25MM cap hit.
If he was on a league-minimum deal, or close to it, there’s a high chance at least one team would have banked on his past upside as a 15-to-30-goal scorer in middle-six usage. But his struggles the past two seasons mean no team is willing to risk the pickup at such a high cap hit, even if he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Teams interested in Athanasiou will likely wait until after he clears waivers to initiate or accelerate trade talks with the Blackhawks, who could flip him to a club with some salary retained and the newfound flexibility of an AHL assignment. Chicago still has two available retention slots and could make him as cheap as $2.125MM against the cap for an acquiring team, who could bury him in the minors for a $975K penalty, compared to the $3.1MM he’ll still cost against Chicago’s books after he assumedly clears and is assigned to AHL Rockford.
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