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Author: Josh Erickson

Czechia Announces Roster For 2026 World Juniors

By | at December 26, 2025 9:39 am

The 2026 World Juniors get underway today in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. The Czechs are one of the teams opening their tournament schedule with a high-powered Group B clash against Canada. However, injuries have prevented them from releasing an official tournament roster as compared to their preliminary list that exceeded the 25-player maximum.

Below are the players they’ve registered for today’s opener – a bare-bones roster of 12 forwards, six defenders, and three goalies. There are four spots the Czechs can fill from now until the medal games if players become available to return.

F Adam Benák (Wild, 2025, 4-102)
F Vojtech Cihar (Kings, 2025, 2-59)
F Max Curran (Avalanche, 2024, 5-161)
F Stepan Hoch (Mammoth, 2025, 3-78)
F Jiří Klíma (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
F Matej Kubiesa (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
F Vaclav Nestrasil (Blackhawks, 2025, 1-25)
F Adam Novotny (2026 draft-eligible)
F Tomas Poletin (Islanders, 2025, 4-106)
F Petr Sikora (Capitals, 2024, 6-178)
F Adam Titlbach (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
F Richard Zemlicka (undrafted in 2024, 2025)

D Vladimír Dravecký (2026 draft-eligible)
D Jakub Fibigr (Kraken, 2024, 7-202)
D Tomas Galvas (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
D Adam Jiříček (Blues, 2024, 1-16)
D Matyas Man (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
D Max Psenicka (Mammoth, 2025, 2-46)

G Matyas Marik (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
G Michal Orsulak (undrafted in 2025)
G Ondrej Stebetak (undrafted in 2025)

Most notably absent is Sabres prospect Radim Mrtka. The reigning No. 9 overall pick, who was jockeying for position as their No. 1 right-shot defenseman, sustained an injury in a pre-tournament game and won’t dress tonight. He’s not been ruled out for Saturday’s tilt against Denmark, but he’s a big loss against their toughest group-stage opponent.

Another notable name listed on the preliminary roster but not here is Blues 2024 third-rounder Adam Jecho. The 6’4″ center also left a pre-tournament game – this time with a hand injury – and will not be available after recording seven points in seven games last year in Czechia’s march to a bronze medal, their third straight year coming home with hardware.

The four open spots will be filled with Mrtka, undrafted center Samuel Drancak, Bruins fourth-rounder Vashek Blanár, and 2026 draft-eligible defenseman Jakub Vanecek as they become available or are needed.

Without Mrtka, Jiříček will be the Czech’s unquestioned top defender and minutes-eater. Rostered for the third straight year, the mobile puck-mover has exploded for 29 points and a +17 rating in 25 games for the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs this season.

Offensively, they’re nearly at full strength aside from Jecho, who was ticketed to be a top-six piece. Instead, the headliners will be Nestrasil and Novotny, an 18-year-old winger who should be a top-20 pick – if not top 15 – next June with 35 points in 29 OHL games for the Peterborough Petes. The undersized Benák was left off the roster last year but enters the tournament tied for fifth in OHL scoring with 43 points in 26 games alongside Jiříček in Brantford.

The goaltending should be a bit of a competition. Marik is the oldest and carries by far the least impressive resume heading into this season, but has been spectacular in the Czech junior circuit, recording a .954 SV% in 20 games. Orsulak and Stebetak have faced much tougher competition in the WHL this year. Orsulak, with his .908 SV% in 16 games for Prince Albert, likely gets the nod.

0 comments Team Czechia

NHL Players Who Can Veto Trades In 2025-26

By | at December 25, 2025 4:45 pm

Trade and movement protection is becoming increasingly common in the NHL. There are three forms. A no-movement clause, in addition to giving the player the right to veto any trade, allows them to block waiver placements and subsequent minor-league reassignments as well. No-trade clauses are the simplest, giving the player full veto power over a trade, but also the rarest.

The most common form of trade protection is the modified no-trade clause, which allows a player to submit a list of teams they can or can’t be traded to. An M-NTC can also include kicker dates that change the level of protection the player has. Most every team has at least one of these on their books.

To be eligible for an NMC, NTC, or M-NTC, the player must be at least 27 years old at the beginning of the league year or have accumulated seven years of service – in other words, the same requirements for unrestricted free agency.

With those criteria in mind, here are the players who must give their consent to some degree if their teams want to trade them during the 2025-26 league year. Players with M-NTCs have the amount of teams they can block a trade to in parentheses (with noted exceptions for rare ‘yes’ or approved trade lists).

Anaheim Ducks

No-movement clauses: none

No-trade clauses:

Modified no-trade clauses:

Boston Bruins

No-movement clauses:

No-trade clauses:

Modified no-trade clauses:

Buffalo Sabres

No-movement clauses:

No-trade clauses: none

Modified no-trade clauses:

Read more

5 comments Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

2027 NHL Free Agents

By | at December 25, 2025 2:15 pm

Pro Hockey Rumors’ up-to-date list of 2027 free agents is below. These are players who are eligible for restricted or unrestricted free agency after the 2026-27 season. The player’s 2027 age is in parentheses.

Players who are currently free agents or on our 2026 free agent list are not shown here. Players who have team or player options for the 2026/27 season aren’t listed below, but will be added to this list eventually if they remain on their current contracts.

This list will be continually updated. You’ll be able to access it anytime under the “Pro Hockey Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or under the Flame icon on our mobile menu. If you have any corrections or omissions, please get in touch with us.

Updated Jan. 15, 2025 (11:12 a.m. CT)

Unrestricted Free Agents

Centers

Left Wingers

Right Wingers

Left-Shot Defensemen

Right-Shot Defensemen

Goaltenders

Restricted Free Agents

Centers

Left Wingers

Right Wingers

Left-Shot Defensemen

Right-Shot Defensemen

Goaltenders

4 comments 2027 Free Agency Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

2026 NHL Free Agents By Team

By | at December 25, 2025 10:53 am

Pro Hockey Rumors’ up-to-date list of 2026 free agents by team is below. These are players who are eligible for restricted or unrestricted free agency after the 2025-26 season.

Restricted free agents are marked with (RFA). Potential Group VI unrestricted free agents are marked with the games played total they need to reach to be eligible for RFA status, if attainable. Players not currently on a team’s active roster, injured reserve, non-roster list, or buried list are not listed.

This list will continue to be updated throughout the 2025-26 season, so be sure to use it and our list of 2026 free agents by position/type as points of reference. Players are ordered by expiry status and cap hit.

Both lists can be found anytime under “Pro Hockey Rumors Features” on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site, or under the Flame icon on our mobile menu. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.

Updated March 6, 2026 (10:09 a.m. CT)

Anaheim Ducks

  1. D Jacob Trouba
  2. G Petr Mrázek
  3. D Radko Gudas
  4. LW Ross Johnston
  5. C Jansen Harkins
  6. LW Jeffrey Viel
  7. LW Cutter Gauthier (RFA)
  8. C Leo Carlsson (RFA)
  9. D Ian Moore (RFA)
  10. D Pavel Mintyukov (RFA)
  11. D Olen Zellweger (RFA)

Boston Bruins

  1. RW Viktor Arvidsson
  2. D Andrew Peeke
  3. LW Matěj Blümel (Group VI)
  4. D Michael Callahan (Group VI)
  5. D Jordan Harris (RFA)

Buffalo Sabres

  1. RW Alex Tuch
  2. LW Beck Malenstyn
  3. D Jacob Bryson
  4. C Joshua Dunne
  5. C Peyton Krebs (RFA)
  6. D Michael Kesselring (RFA)
  7. LW Zach Benson (RFA)
  8. LW Isak Rosen (RFA)

Calgary Flames

  1. D Rasmus Andersson
  2. LW Ryan Lomberg
  3. D Jake Bean
  4. C Justin Kirkland
  5. D Daniil Miromanov
  6. C John Beecher (RFA)

Carolina Hurricanes

  1. G Frederik Andersen
  2. D Mike Reilly
  3. C Mark Jankowski
  4. D Alexander Nikishin (RFA)

Chicago Blackhawks

  1. D Shea Weber
  2. LW Nick Foligno
  3. D Connor Murphy
  4. C Jason Dickinson
  5. RW Ilya Mikheyev
  6. G Laurent Brossoit
  7. RW Sam Lafferty
  8. D Matt Grzelcyk
  9. C Connor Bedard (RFA)
  10. D Ethan Del Mastro (RFA)
  11. LW Colton Dach (RFA)

Colorado Avalanche

  1. LW Victor Olofsson
  2. LW Joel Kiviranta
  3. D Brent Burns
  4. D Ilya Solovyov (Group VI)
  5. C Jack Drury (RFA)
  6. C Zakhar Bardakov (RFA)

Columbus Blue Jackets

  1. C Charlie Coyle
  2. LW Mason Marchment
  3. D Erik Gudbranson
  4. C Boone Jenner
  5. G Ivan Fedotov
  6. D Brendan Smith
  7. LW Zach Aston-Reese
  8. C Brendan Gaunce
  9. C Cole Sillinger (RFA)
  10. LW Yegor Chinakhov (RFA)
  11. C Adam Fantilli (RFA)
  12. G Jet Greaves (RFA)

Dallas Stars

  1. LW Jamie Benn
  2. RW Nathan Bastian
  3. D Kyle Capobianco
  4. LW Adam Erne
  5. D Alexander Petrovic
  6. LW Jason Robertson (RFA)
  7. D Nils Lundkvist (RFA)
  8. C Mavrik Bourque (RFA)
  9. D Vladislav Kolyachonok (RFA)

Detroit Red Wings

  1. RW Patrick Kane
  2. G Cam Talbot
  3. D Justin Holl
  4. D Travis Hamonic
  5. LW James van Riemsdyk
  6. D Erik Gustafsson
  7. LW John Leonard
  8. D Simon Edvinsson (RFA)
  9. D Jacob Bernard-Docker (RFA)

Edmonton Oilers

  1. C Adam Henrique
  2. RW Jack Roslovic
  3. RW Kasperi Kapanen
  4. C David Tomasek
  5. G Connor Ingram
  6. LW Max Jones
  7. G Calvin Pickard
  8. C Curtis Lazar
  9. C Noah Philp
  10. D Spencer Stastney (RFA)

Florida Panthers

  1. G Sergei Bobrovsky
  2. G Daniil Tarasov
  3. LW A.J. Greer
  4. D Jeff Petry
  5. RW Luke Kunin
  6. C Tomáš Nosek
  7. LW Noah Gregor
  8. C Jack Studnicka
  9. RW Cole Schwindt (Group VI – needs 33 GP this season for RFA)
  10. RW Mackie Samoskevich (RFA)
  11. D Donovan Sebrango (RFA)

Los Angeles Kings

  1. C Anže Kopitar
  2. LW Andrei Kuzmenko
  3. RW Corey Perry
  4. G Pheonix Copley
  5. D Jacob Moverare
  6. LW Jeff Malott
  7. D Brandt Clarke (RFA)

Minnesota Wild

  1. RW Vladimir Tarasenko
  2. RW Mats Zuccarello
  3. D Zach Bogosian
  4. LW Marcus Johansson
  5. RW Vinnie Hinostroza
  6. D David Jiříček (RFA)
  7. D Daemon Hunt (RFA)

Montreal Canadiens

  1. LW Patrik Laine
  2. LW Sammy Blais
  3. C Kirby Dach (RFA)
  4. D Arber Xhekaj (RFA)
  5. C Joe Veleno (RFA)
  6. RW Zachary Bolduc (RFA)

 Nashville Predators

  1. LW Michael Bunting
  2. C Erik Haula
  3. LW Cole Smith
  4. C Michael McCarron
  5. D Nick Blankenburg
  6. LW Tyson Jost
  7. D Justin Barron (RFA)
  8. C Fedor Svechkov (RFA)

New Jersey Devils

  1. RW Evgenii Dadonov
  2. C Juho Lammikko
  3. D Dennis Cholowski
  4. C Luke Glendening
  5. RW Zack MacEwen
  6. D Colton White
  7. LW Arseny Gritsyuk (RFA)
  8. D Simon Nemec (RFA)
  9. LW Paul Cotter (RFA)

New York Islanders

  1. LW Anders Lee
  2. C Jean-Gabriel Pageau
  3. D Carson Soucy
  4. D Tony DeAngelo
  5. G David Rittich
  6. RW Max Shabanov (RFA)
  7. C Marc Gatcomb (RFA)
  8. D Adam Boqvist (RFA)
  9. D Marshall Warren (RFA)

New York Rangers

  1. G Jonathan Quick
  2. RW Jonny Brodzinski
  3. LW Conor Sheary
  4. D Braden Schneider (RFA)
  5. D Scott Morrow (RFA)
  6. LW Brett Berard (RFA)
  7. LW Brennan Othmann (RFA)
  8. D Vincent Iorio (RFA)

Ottawa Senators

  1. D Nick Jensen
  2. LW David Perron
  3. RW Claude Giroux
  4. C Lars Eller
  5. LW Nick Cousins
  6. G James Reimer
  7. D Jordan Spence (RFA)
  8. G Leevi Merilainen (RFA)
  9. C Stephen Halliday (RFA)

Philadelphia Flyers

  1. LW Carl Grundström
  2. LW Nicolas Deslauriers
  3. D Noah Juulsen
  4. C Rodrigo Abols
  5. C Trevor Zegras (RFA)
  6. D Jamie Drysdale (RFA)
  7. RW Bobby Brink (RFA)
  8. G Samuel Ersson (RFA)
  9. D Emil Andrae (RFA)
  10. LW Nikita Grebenkin (RFA)
  11. RW Philip Tomasino (RFA)

Pittsburgh Penguins

  1. C Evgeni Malkin
  2. C Kevin Hayes
  3. D Connor Clifton
  4. D Brett Kulak
  5. LW Anthony Mantha
  6. G Stuart Skinner
  7. D Mathew Dumba
  8. LW Danton Heinen
  9. C Noel Acciari
  10. C Connor Dewar
  11. D Ryan Shea
  12. G Arturs Silovs (RFA)
  13. LW Ville Koivunen (RFA)
  14. D Egor Zamula (RFA)

San Jose Sharks

  1. G Carey Price
  2. D John Klingberg
  3. D Nick Leddy
  4. D Mario Ferraro
  5. D Timothy Liljegren
  6. D Vincent Desharnais
  7. RW Ryan Reaves
  8. C Ty Dellandrea (RFA)
  9. RW Philipp Kurashev (RFA)
  10. D Shakir Mukhamadullin (RFA)
  11. RW Collin Graf (RFA)
  12. C Zack Ostapchuk (RFA)

Seattle Kraken

  1. LW Jaden Schwartz
  2. RW Jordan Eberle
  3. D Jamie Oleksiak
  4. LW Eeli Tolvanen
  5. G Matt Murray
  6. C Ben Meyers
  7. RW Ryan Winterton (RFA)
  8. RW Jacob Melanson (RFA)

St. Louis Blues

  1. RW Mathieu Joseph
  2. C Oskar Sundqvist
  3. LW Robby Fabbri
  4. LW Dylan Holloway (RFA)
  5. RW Jonatan Berggren (RFA)
  6. D Matthew Kessel (RFA)

Tampa Bay Lightning

  1. RW Oliver Bjorkstrand
  2. D Darren Raddysh
  3. D Declan Carlile (Group VI)
  4. C Curtis Douglas (Group VI)

Toronto Maple Leafs

  1. LW Calle Järnkrok
  2. C Scott Laughton
  3. LW Bobby McMann
  4. D Troy Stecher
  5. D Matt Benning
  6. LW Matias Maccelli (RFA)
  7. LW Nicholas Robertson (RFA)
  8. D Henry Thrun (RFA)

Utah Mammoth

  1. RW Nick Schmaltz
  2. LW Alexander Kerfoot
  3. D Ian Cole
  4. C Kevin Stenlund
  5. D Juuso Välimäki
  6. G Vítek Vaněček
  7. D Nick DeSimone
  8. LW Michael Carcone
  9. RW Kailer Yamamoto
  10. C Barrett Hayton (RFA)

Vancouver Canucks

  1. LW Evander Kane
  2. D Derek Forbort
  3. C Teddy Blueger
  4. C David Kämpf
  5. D Pierre-Olivier Joseph (RFA)
  6. C Lukas Reichel (RFA)

Vegas Golden Knights

  1. D Jeremy Lauzon
  2. LW Brandon Saad
  3. RW Reilly Smith
  4. C Colton Sissons
  5. D Ben Hutton
  6. LW Pavel Dorofeyev (RFA)
  7. G Akira Schmid (RFA)

Washington Capitals

  1. LW Alex Ovechkin
  2. D John Carlson
  3. D Trevor van Riemsdyk
  4. LW Sonny Milano
  5. LW Brandon Duhaime
  6. C Connor McMichael (RFA)
  7. C Hendrix Lapierre (RFA)

Winnipeg Jets

  1. RW Gustav Nyquist
  2. D Luke Schenn
  3. C Jonathan Toews
  4. D Colin Miller
  5. D Logan Stanley
  6. LW Tanner Pearson
  7. LW Cole Koepke
  8. G Eric Comrie
  9. RW Cole Perfetti (RFA)
9 comments 2026 Free Agency Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

Hockey Canada Announces 2025 Spengler Cup Roster

By | at December 24, 2025 4:19 pm

The Spengler Cup isn’t viewed as a major tournament on the world stage, but it’s among the most historic. First held in 1923, it’s the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world and is hosted by Swiss National League club HC Davos, which is tied for the all-time lead with 16 tournament titles. It’s run annually from Dec. 26 to 31, with a series of round-robin matchups and a brief playoff bracket.

Team Canada is the other competing body with 16 championships. Each year, the governing body compiles what’s always an interesting list of names, usually with plenty of representation among former NHLers, even if just in the form of forgotten call-up names.

The squad is compiled of the top Canadian names in the National League who aren’t on the Swiss teams in the tournament – a list of just two this year in Davos and reigning champion Fribourg-Gottéron. More frequently in recent years, they’ve gotten NHL teams to loan minor-league fixtures to them on two-way deals for the event, as well as nabbing some Canadian talent contracted at the AHL and ECHL levels, and other European leagues.

Out of the 25 names on this year’s roster for Canada, 16 of them have a degree of NHL experience. This year’s tournament also includes a new face: a team compiled of some of the NCAA’s top talents who aren’t otherwise occupied with this year’s World Juniors.

This week, Hockey Canada revealed their contingent for the tournament. As follows, it’s made up of 14 forwards, eight defenders, and three goalies.

F Andy Andreoff (ZSC Lions, NL)
F Drake Caggiula (Lausanne HC, NL)
F Graeme Clarke (Hershey, AHL) under contract with Capitals
F Jean-Luc Foudy (Iowa, AHL)
F Tanner Fritz (SC Rapperswil-Jona, NL)
F Derek Grant (ZSC Lions, NL)
F Jonathan Hazen (HC Ajoie, NL)
F Tyler Morley (EHC Kloten, NL)
F Matthew Peca (Springfield, AHL)
F Anthony Richard (Lehigh Valley, AHL) under contract with Flyers
F Nate Schnarr (Kölner Haie, DEL)
F Brett Seney (Rockford, AHL)
F Michael Sgarbossa (HC Lugano, NL)
F Mason Shaw (Manitoba, AHL) under contract with Jets

D Calen Addison (Utica, AHL) under contract with Devils
D Nolan Allan (Rockford, AHL) under contract with Blackhawks
D Trent Bourque (JYP, Liiga)
D Nikolas Brouillard (San Diego, AHL)
D Gabriel Chicoine (Vlci Zilina, Slovakia)
D Jesse Graham (HK Nitra, Slovakia)
D Joe Hicketts (Ontario, AHL) under contract with Kings
D Jake Livingstone (Charlotte, AHL)

G Taylor Gauthier (Wheeling, ECHL)
G Connor Hughes (Lausanne HC, NL)
G James Reimer (UFA)

1 comment Team Canada

USA Hockey Announces Roster For World Juniors

By | at December 24, 2025 11:08 am

Dec. 24th: The United States team has gotten its roster down to 25 players. The back-to-back World Junior Championship gold medalists announced the group of players they’ll be bringing to Minneapolis and St. Paul in the next few days. Trevor Connelly (injury), Jacob Kvasnicka, Henry Brzustewicz, Blake Fiddler, are the four that didn’t make it from the preliminary roster, while Will Zellers (Bruins, 2024, 3-76) was a late addition.

Dec. 1st: USA Hockey has announced its 28-player preliminary roster for the upcoming World Junior Championship in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They only need to make three cuts by the time final rosters are due Dec. 24, two days before round-robin action begins. They’ll do so over the course of their selection camp, which they’ll hold a few hours north of the Twin Cities in Duluth. That will begin on Dec. 15 and run for a week, including two pre-tournament friendlies against Finland and Germany. The initial squad is as follows:

F Kamil Bednarik (Islanders, 2024, 2-61)
F Trevor Connelly (Golden Knights, 2024, 1-19)
F Cole Eiserman (Islanders, 2024, 1-20)
F James Hagens (Bruins, 2025, 1-7)
F Will Horcoff (Penguins, 2025, 1-24)
F Jacob Kvasnicka (Islanders, 2025, 7-202)
F Ryker Lee (Predators, 2025, 1-26)
F Cole McKinney (Sharks, 2025, 2-53)
F Brendan McMorrow (Kings, 2025, 7-196)
F L.J. Mooney (Canadiens, 2025, 4-113)
F Max Plante (Red Wings, 2024, 2-47)
F A.J. Spellacy (Blackhawks, 2024, 3-72)
F Teddy Stiga (Predators, 2024, 2-55)
F Shane Vansaghi (Flyers, 2025, 2-48)
F Brodie Ziemer (Sabres, 2024, 3-71)

D Asher Barnett (Oilers, 2025, 5-131)
D Henry Brzustewicz (Kings, 2025, 1-31)
D E.J. Emery (Rangers, 2024, 2024, 1-30)
D Blake Fiddler (Kraken, 2025, 2-36)
D Logan Hensler (Senators, 2025, 1-23)
D Cole Hutson (Capitals, 2024, 2-43)
D Adam Kleber (Sabres, 2024, 2-42)
D Luke Osburn (Sabres, 2024, 4-108)
D Chase Reid (2026 draft-eligible)
D Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen (undrafted in 2025)

G Caleb Heil (Lightning, 2025, 7-193)
G Nick Kempf (Capitals, 2024, 4-114)
G A.J. Reyelts (undrafted in 2024, 2025)

The contingent will have University of Minnesota bench boss Bob Motzko as its head coach as they aim for their third straight gold medal. It’s a rather star-studded contingent – particularly up front, where five of the 15 forwards selected were first-round picks.

Perhaps the most dynamic player among the group is neither a forward nor a first-round pick. Hutson, much like his older brother Lane Hutson, has quickly outpaced his second-round billing and will be one of the league’s most anticipated prospects when he makes his arrival with Washington, presumably next spring. The 5’11” lefty was instrumental in the United States’ win at this tournament last year, leading the circuit with 11 points in seven games. After taking home NCAA top rookie honors in 2024-25, he’s rattled off seven goals and 18 points through his first 15 games at Boston University.

Alongside Hutson, seven others – Connelly, Eiserman, Hagens, Hensler, Kleber, Plante, Stiga, and Ziemer – are returning from last year’s squad.

While it’s an established skater group, it’s the most questionable group of goaltenders they’ve brought to the event since 2022. Kempf, a sophomore at Notre Dame who’s sporting a .902 SV% and 4-9-1 record in 14 games this year, is the likely No. 1. Reyelts, also 19 years old, has no previous national team experience and has a .901 SV% in 19 games for WHL Penticton this season. Heil previously suited up for the U.S. at the U18 World Juniors but has struggled with a .891 SV% in 16 games this season for USHL Madison.

5 comments Team USA

Capitals Recall Ivan Miroshnichenko, Reassign Bogdan Trineyev

By | at December 19, 2025 5:37 pm

The Capitals announced they’ve recalled winger Ivan Miroshnichenko from AHL Hershey and returned winger Bogdan Trineyev to Hershey in the corresponding move. Washington’s active roster remains at the 23-player limit.

The Caps have been dipping into the minor-league depth since Ryan Leonard went down with a shoulder injury earlier this month. Trineyev was the name to get recalled in the immediate aftermath. Although he’s remained on the active roster since, his playing time has been limited with just two appearances.

Those games, a Dec. 13 showing against the Jets and yesterday’s outing against the Maple Leafs, were the first two outings of Trineyev’s NHL career. The 23-year-old was a fourth-round pick in 2020 and had notched 50 points and a +32 rating in 143 career appearances for Hershey before the recall.

Trineyev held his own in a fourth-line role but didn’t really move the needle. Averaging 10:32 per game, he managed three shot attempts, two blocks, and a hit, but didn’t get on the scoresheet. He was part of a dominant defensive effort with linemates Brandon Duhaime and Nic Dowd, only allowing 1.06 xGA/60 at 5-on-5.

Perhaps there’s a place for the 6’3″, 203-lb winger down the line as a cheap fourth-line option, but he’s not a roster lock yet. He’ll return to Hershey, where he’s tracking for a career year offensively with 12 points in 16 games.

Miroshnichenko, Washington’s first-round pick in 2022, gets his first NHL look of the season in his countryman’s wake. The 6’1″ sniper has gotten lengthy looks on the Caps’ roster in each of his first two seasons in North America, logging 21 appearances in 2023-24 and 18 last year. He’s got a 3-7–10 scoring line and a -3 rating to show for it across 39 games.

The 21-year-old has been a top-scoring presence for Hershey since his arrival over two years ago, and that hasn’t changed in 2025-26. Miroshnichenko missed half their schedule with an injury but has been productive when in the lineup, notching four goals and nine points in 12 games. He’ll look to keep that momentum up in a familiar depth scoring role, presumably until Leonard returns in the next couple of weeks.

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Flyers Recall Denver Barkey For NHL Debut

By | at December 19, 2025 4:44 pm

The Flyers announced they’ve recalled center prospect Denver Barkey from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. To open a roster spot, the team sent down defenseman Egor Zamula to Lehigh Valley after he cleared waivers earlier Friday. Barkey is expected to make his NHL debut Saturday afternoon against the Rangers.

Barkey, 20, is in the early stages of his first professional season after being drafted in the third round (No. 95 overall) by Philadelphia in 2023. He slipped a few spots past where most expected him to go in the draft, but he wasn’t viewed as much more than a potential mid-second round pick at best.

His stock exploded during his post-draft season. In 64 games for the OHL’s London Knights, he rattled off 35 goals and 102 points to lead the team in scoring and be named to the league’s Second All-Star Team. Last season, he captained the Knights to the second of back-to-back titles, took home a Memorial Cup ring for good measure, and averaged two points per game in the OHL playoffs.

At 5’10” and 172 lbs, Barkey plays bigger than his size. He’s one of the more energetic skaters in the Flyers’ system with above-average playmaking. Still, prospect evaluators are split on his ceiling. In preseason rankings, Elite Prospects named him the 13th-ranked prospect in Philly’s pool, projecting him as a third-line checking center or left-winger at best. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman had Barkey outside his top 13 rankings altogether, while Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff put him at No. 6, labeling him as a versatile top-nine piece.

Evidently, the Flyers have liked what they’ve seen from Barkey through his first 26 games with the Phantoms. His seven goals are tied for second on the team, and he’s fourth in points with 16. He’ll now get his first chance to show what he can do in NHL minutes, even if it’s not expected to be a lengthy call-up with 13 healthy names ahead of him on the depth chart.

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Jets Activate Haydn Fleury From Injured Reserve

By | at December 19, 2025 3:47 pm

The Jets announced they’ve activated defenseman Haydn Fleury from injured reserve. They’ve been operating with an open roster spot ever since sending Elias Salomonsson back to AHL Manitoba earlier this month, so no corresponding transaction is required.

Fleury has been in concussion protocol for over a month. He took a seemingly innocuous hit to the head in the second period in a game against the Canucks on Nov. 11, but had to leave the contest. It was the third documented concussion of Fleury’s career after he sustained two in the 2018-19 season with the Hurricanes.

While Fleury was a frequent healthy scratch last season, routinely serving as Winnipeg’s seventh defenseman, he’s yet to sit for a game for non-injury-related reasons this year. His concussion, though, plus a minor knee injury in October, has limited him to 15 appearances. He’s gone without a point, posting a -5 rating while averaging 14:52 of ice time per game.

The left-shot Fleury will skate on his off side in third-pairing duties alongside Logan Stanley as he returns to the lineup tonight against the powerhouse Avalanche, per Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press. He replaces Luke Schenn, who’ll sit as a healthy scratch for the first time in six games.

Playing on the right is a new look for Fleury, who spent most of his time in the early going alongside Neal Pionk while Dylan Samberg was rehabbing a broken wrist, sometimes dropping to third-pairing duties with Schenn. In fact, tonight marks Winnipeg’s first game of the season with a fully healthy defense corps. Fleury exited the lineup one game before Samberg made his return.

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Wild Reassign Ben Jones, Carson Lambos

By | at December 19, 2025 3:10 pm

Dec. 19: Minnesota announced it has reassigned Jones to AHL Iowa after clearing waivers, along with defenseman Carson Lambos. The 22-year-old Lambos made his NHL debut in Columbus last night after being recalled on Wednesday, recording a +1 rating and a shot on goal in 10:16 of ice time. After reassigning Nicolas Aubé-Kubel and David Spacek to Iowa earlier today, the Wild now has four open roster spots with only 11 forwards and six defensemen available for tomorrow’s game against the Oilers, ensuring multiple IR activations are coming between now and then.

Dec. 18: The Wild placed forward Ben Jones on waivers today, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. If he clears, he’s still expected to remain with the team, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.

Jones clearing waivers now means they won’t need to expose him again if they decide to send him to the minors in the 30 days following his clearance. It also makes him eligible to be assigned to the AHL during the holiday roster freeze if they need a spot to activate a player from injured reserve.

The 26-year-old will make his 20th appearance of the season and 48th of his career tonight against the Blue Jackets. He’s gone the previous 47 without recording a point, setting a post-expansion era record for most career games without an appearance on the scoresheet. The only player in league history to log more appearances with zero career points is defenseman Gord Strate, who played 62 games for the Red Wings in the late 1950s.

A lack of surplus options in the minors, plus a continually rotating cast of injuries to Minnesota’s forward group, has kept him in the lineup. For what it’s worth, the former seventh-round pick of the Golden Knights hasn’t been given many opportunities to score. He’s started just 22.2% of his even-strength shifts in the offensive zone, getting understandably shelled with a 35.0 CF% and getting outscored 6-1.

Jones brings two things to the table: faceoff acumen and physicality. The 6’0″ pivot leads the team with a 57.8% win rate on the dot this year (min. 100 draws) and ranks fourth with 2.47 hits per game.

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