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Adrian Kempe, Kings Reportedly Resume Negotiations

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Thanks to a strong start to the year and several free agents having been taken off the board already, Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings is arguably the best pending unrestricted free agent forward for next summer. Up to this point, the last meaningful update to extension negotiations between the two sides came a little over a week ago, when David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that the two sides remained far apart.

Much of the gap between the Kings and Kempe is influenced by salary, with Martin Nečas ’s new extension reportedly prompting Kempe to ask for $ 11.5 million or more on his next deal. Before Nečas’s extension, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had speculated that Kempe would earn $10MM or more on his next deal.

After Pagnotta’s report on October 30, there was growing concern that the Kings might have a more difficult time than initially expected in making Kempe the next centerpiece of their roster. Fortunately, a new report from Pagnotta today indicates that the two sides have re-engaged on a new contract, and Kempe is confirmed to be asking for a contract similar to Nečas’.

Still, Pagnotta cautioned that nothing was close to coming out of the weekend, though Los Angeles has upped their salary offer from where they initially started. Regardless, Kempe has proved that he’s worthy of becoming Los Angeles’s highest-paid forward.

Since the start of the 2021-22 campaign, Kempe has scored 145 goals and 286 points in 334 games with a +56 rating, averaging 18:54 of ice time per game. In comparison, Nečas has scored 102 goals and 266 points in 332 games, with a +16 rating while averaging 17:55 of ice time per game. Further, in the postseason, Kempe has registered 15 goals and 29 points in 24 games while Nečas has recorded nine goals and 26 points in 47 contests.

If you’re only comparing Kempe to his most recent comparable, there’s no question he’s earned a similar contract from the Kings. As of right now, Los Angeles has approximately $33MM in cap space for next season, with Andrei Kuzmenko, Corey Perry, and Brandt Clarke being the only worthwhile free agents needing new contracts.

San Jose Sharks Activate Nick Leddy

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According to a team announcement, the San Jose Sharks have activated veteran defenseman Nick Leddy from the injured reserve. A few hours ago, Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News was the first to report that Leddy would be returning to the active roster.

It’s been nearly three weeks since Leddy last suited up with the Sharks. In the Sharks’ overtime win against the New York Rangers on October 23rd, Leddy left the game after one shift with an upper-body injury and hasn’t played since.

Leddy has skated in seven games for the Sharks this year, including the short game against the Rangers. He’s registered two assists in that brief timeframe with a -4 rating, averaging 17:12 of ice time per game.

It’s important to note that injuries have recently become a recurring theme for Leddy. In his first two full seasons with the St. Louis Blues in 2022-23 and 2023-24, Leddy skated in 160 out of 164 potential games, but only managed to appear in 31 last season due to injury issues.

Still, his importance in a lineup has decreased over the last few years. San Jose claimed Leddy in the early part of the offseason largely as a salary anchor to keep them above the salary cap floor. Understandably, given that he is a pending unrestricted free agent, and making a fairly modest $4MM salary this season, it would be unsurprising to see Leddy moved at the upcoming trade deadline in March.

Regardless, we’ll know tomorrow if Leddy will return to the lineup. The Sharks have played relatively well of late, so they may not be inclined to change things up despite Leddy returning to the active roster.

Pittsburgh Penguins Activate Kevin Hayes

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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they’ve activated veteran forward Kevin Hayes from the injured reserve. In a corresponding roster move, the team has placed Filip Hallander on the IR, who was diagnosed with a blood clot yesterday.

It’s been nearly seven months since Hayes last skated in an NHL contest. The 11-year veteran has been dealing with an upper-body injury since training camp, and initially garnered an expected return date in mid-October. Obviously, the injury kept him out a few weeks past the scheduled recovery timeline.

The belief is that Hayes will return to a familiar role this evening, centering Pittsburgh’s third line between Ville Koivunen and one other forward, given that Philip Tomasino has been scratched from the lineup. That spot was held by recently recalled Danton Heinen for the team’s last contest, who went scoreless while earning a -1 rating.

At his best, Hayes is a quality second-line center who’s two years removed from scoring 18 goals and 54 points with the Philadelphia Flyers, along with earning a spot in the All-Star Game. Unfortunately, Hayes has failed to match his 2022-23 scoring output in two years split between the St. Louis Blues and the Penguins. Over that stretch, he’s registered 26 goals and 52 points in 143 games with a -15 rating, averaging 13:23 of ice time per game.

Still, although his defensive metrics took a hit during his first year in Pittsburgh, Hayes is a capable third-line middleman with the capacity to average a 55.0% success rate in the faceoff dot. Further, he deepens the unexpectedly competitive Penguins down the middle behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Meanwhile, as noted yesterday, it’ll be some time before Hallander returns to the Penguins roster. Given the seriousness of the ailment, Hallander is expected to miss the next three months, which would position him for a return in early February. The 25-year-old former second-round pick scored one goal and four points through his first 13 games this season.

Bruins Place Elias Lindholm On IR, Recall Alex Steeves

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According to a team announcement, the Boston Bruins have placed forward Elias Lindholm on the injured reserve and recalled forward Alex Steeves in a corresponding roster move. Lindholm’s IR placement is likely retroactive to October 30th, when he originally sustained the injury.

The move was largely expected. Lindholm sustained a lower-body injury against the Buffalo Sabres on October 30th, and it was initially believed that he would miss several weeks. The Bruins confirmed the following day that the timeline was accurate after Lindholm underwent an MRI.

Before the injury, Lindholm had gotten off to a relatively solid start to the season. Through 13 games, Boston’s first-line center scored four goals and nine points with a 57.5% success rate in the faceoff dot. It wasn’t on par with his point-per-game average from the 2021-22 campaign with the Calgary Flames, though he would have bested last year’s performance by 10 or so points had he continued the pace.

Fortunately, the Bruins haven’t missed a beat since Lindholm exited the lineup. The team has utilized 23-year-old Marat Khusnutdinov in his stead, centering Morgan Geekie and David Pastrňák on Boston’s first line. The team has won three straight and has an important matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs this evening.

Meanwhile, the Bruins have recalled a former Maple Leaf to fill Lindholm’s void on the active roster. Steeves is in his first year with Boston after signing a one-year, $850K contract with them over the offseason. He cleared waivers on October 6th after failing to make the team’s roster out of training camp.

Thus far, Steeves has gotten off to a quality start with the AHL’s Providence Bruins, scoring three goals and eight points in nine games. Throughout his time with Toronto, which was largely spent with the AHL Marlies, Steeves scored one goal and three points in 14 NHL games from 2021 to 2025.

Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Joona Koppanen

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According to a team announcement, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled forward Joona Koppanen from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Since they only had 22 players on the roster before the recall, there was no need for a corresponding roster move.

Since the Penguins only had 12 forwards on their roster, Koppanen’s recall is likely linked to an injury or ailment of some sort. Forward Filip Hallander suffered an undisclosed injury at yesterday’s practice, so Koppanen may replace him in the lineup for this evening’s game against the Washington Capitals.

It’s been some time since Koppanen last suited up in an NHL contest. The Tampere, Finland native skated in 11 games for the Penguins last year, with his last coming on April 17th. In total, including his five appearances with the Boston Bruins during the 2022-23 season, Koppanen has scored one goal and one assist in 20 NHL games.

Therefore, it’s understandable that most of his professional playing experience has come in the AHL. Still, despite there being less overall talent, the former 135th pick of the 2016 NHL Draft has continued to struggle.

Since debuting with the Providence Bruins in the 2017-18 campaign, Koppanen has scored 54 goals and 139 points in 365 games with a +35 rating. That output is respectable for a third-line scorer at the AHL level, though it isn’t surprising he’s earned few looks in the NHL.

Given that he’s already 27 years old, Koppanen is no longer considered a prospect in the Penguins system. Still, since he has nearly a decade of professional playing experience, he’s a quality choice for one or two game stints as an injury filler.

Poll: Who Will Win The 2025-26 Calder Trophy?

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A month into the 2025-26 season, some rookies have already begun to separate themselves from the pack. Notably, recent first overall pick Matthew Schaefer and former fifth overall pick Ivan Demidov continue to make waves around the league.

There’s no questioning why the two are neck-and-neck in early Calder Trophy odds. Demidov is leading the way in rookie scoring with four goals and 12 points in 13 games with the Montreal Canadiens, while Schaefer is close behind with five goals and 11 points in 13 games with the New York Islanders.

At this point, if both players unexpectedly maintain a point-per-game scoring average, the voters will likely lean toward Schaefer, given that he’s a defenseman. Still, given the status of their respective clubs, Demidov has a far greater chance of pulling away from the pack. If Schaefer wins, it’ll be the first time that defensemen have won the award in consecutive years since Kent Douglas and Jacques Laperriere in 1962-63 and 1963-64.

Meanwhile, Schaefer and Demidov aren’t the only rookies making some noise this season. Although there are some questions regarding his play on the defensive side of the puck, blueliner Zeev Buium of the Minnesota Wild is scoring at a relatively high rate with three goals and nine points in 14 games.

Additionally, there are a pair of forwards looking to toss their hats in the ring. University of Minnesota alumnus Jimmy Snuggerud sits tied for second on the St. Louis Blues in scoring with four goals and eight points in 14 games. At the same time, recent seventh-round pick Emmitt Finnie has matched that level of scoring with the Detroit Red Wings.

Moving back to Montreal, Demidov’s performance so far hasn’t completely overshadowed the performance of his teammate, Jakub Dobes. Technically a rookie despite debuting last season, Dobes has managed a 6-0-0 record this season with a .930 SV% through the early part of the 2025-26 campaign. Unfortunately, he’s had to split the crease with Sam Montembeault, which would negatively affect his chances should that trend continue.

For most rookies, there’s about 80% of the regular season remaining, meaning there’s plenty of time for someone to pull away from the pack. Who do you think it will be?

Mobile users click here to vote.

Devils Reassign Seamus Casey, Recall Colton White

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The New Jersey Devils are making a slight change to their defensive core. According to a team announcement, the Devils have reassigned Seamus Casey to the AHL’s Utica Comets and have recalled Colton White in a corresponding roster move.

Today’s roster move ends a 10-day stint in the NHL for Casey, though he only appeared in two contests. He went scoreless in those games with a -3 rating, averaging 18:01 of ice time per game. The University of Michigan alumnus raised a few red flags on the defensive side of the puck, though he managed a CorsiFor% on the positive side of 50%.

Still, even when factoring in his performance from last season, there’s no doubting that Casey could use some more seasoning in the AHL. Since turning professional last year, he’s scored three goals and 19 points in 31 games for the Comets.

Fortunately, the Devils have one of the deepest defensive cores when healthy, so there’s no need to rush Casey to the game’s top level. Keeping that in mind, it’ll be far better for his development if he can play in more situations and have the opportunity for more ice time in Utica.

Meanwhile, at 28 years old, White is no longer considered a prospect. Although New Jersey selected him in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft, White took a brief leave from the Devils organization from 2022 to 2024, when he was playing in the Anaheim Ducks organization.

The 2025-26 campaign is the ninth professional year for White. Spending much of his time with the Devils’ AHL affiliates, he’s scored 20 goals and 91 points in 323 games with a -70 rating. In the NHL, he’s tallied 10 assists in 84 games with a -20 rating. Despite spending nearly a decade in the professional circuit, White has yet to play in a postseason contest in either the AHL or NHL.

Hurricanes Potentially On Nazem Kadri’s No-Trade List

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Even before their hot start to the 2025-26 campaign, the Carolina Hurricanes were known to be looking for a quality second-line center. Unfortunately, one of the top names on the market may be unwilling to relocate to Raleigh.

In a recent article from Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, the writer said, “Kadri has been linked to multiple teams, but we have to specifically mention the Carolina Hurricanes, who have been in a relentless pursuit for a top player since falling short on Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner last season. For now, the Hurricanes seem an unlikely destination for Kadri, as they are on his 13-team no-trade list.”

To be fair, Kypreos is one of the only prominent insiders attempting to confirm that the Hurricanes are on Kadri’s no-trade list. Typically, in trade negotiations, team names on no-trade lists are not disclosed unless shared directly by the player or their representatives.

Still, if the news is true, it would certainly put a wrench in Carolina’s plans this season. As of now, Kadri is one of the best centers known to be on the trade market, though that could change if the Pittsburgh Penguins pivot toward trading one or both of Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.

After scoring 28 goals and 87 points in 71 games for the Colorado Avalanche during the 2021-22 season en route to the only Stanley Cup ring of his career, Kadri signed a seven-year, $49MM contract with the Calgary Flames the following summer. The 2025-26 season marks the first year of Kadri’s deal without a full no-movement clause, providing the Flames with greater flexibility in considering a trade.

He has maintained a strong scoring rate during his time in Alberta while staying remarkably healthy. Since signing the deal in 2022, although he hasn’t reached the postseason, Kadri hasn’t missed a game for Calgary. He’s scored 91 goals and 208 points in 260 games for Calgary while averaging 18:26 of ice time per game.

Kadri also plays a possession-heavy game, making him a hypothetical fit within Rod Brind’Amour’s system. Additionally, it would allow younster Logan Stankoven, who’s been holding down the fort centering the second line, to move back to a more comfortable position on the wing.

Regardless, there are only five other teams that could afford Kadri outright at the time being, and none are in the same stage of competitiveness as the Hurricanes. If Kadri is traded this season, it will likely be at the trade deadline, when all the competitive teams have accrued as much cap space as possible, giving Calgary a larger list of potential suitors. Since the Hurricanes have until March, that gives them plenty of time to put together an enticing offer — one that could influence the Flames to put pressure on Kadri to alter his list.

Vancouver Canucks Reassign Kirill Kudryavtsev

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According to a team announcement, the Vancouver Canucks have assigned defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks. Vancouver did not make a corresponding roster move.

Even without Kudryavtsev on the roster for tonight’s matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Canucks still have seven defensemen to choose from. The team likely felt confident about captain Quinn Hughes’ performance on Monday, which led them to reassign Kudryavtsev. The 21-year-old Russian was originally recalled on October 26th — one day after Hughes sustained a lower-body injury against the Montreal Canadiens.

Unfortunately, given that seven healthy defensemen were ahead of him on the active roster, Kudryavtsev did not play for the Canucks despite spending 10 days with the team. After today’s reassignment, the only NHL playing time to his name came last season in mid-April.

He has spent most of his playing time in the North American professional circuit with the AHL Canucks. Last season, the first of his professional career, Kudryavtsev scored five goals and 26 points in 65 games with a +18 rating. Further, he registered one goal and 10 points in 21 postseason contests with a +18 rating, helping Abbotsford win the 2025 Calder Cup Final.

This season, he’s off to an encouraging offensive start, tallying five assists in five games. The team has had a challenging start to their Calder Cup defense, holding a record of 2-7-0-1 after their first 10 games, which places them last in the Western Conference.

Detroit Red Wings Reassign Austin Watson

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11/3/2025: The Red Wings announced today that they’ve reassigned Watson back to AHL Grand Rapids. The Red Wings played in three games from Oct. 30 through Nov. 3, but Watson didn’t dress for any of them.

The main benefit for Watson during this recall was financial: he will receive a prorated bump in pay, as he has a $775K NHL salary and a $375K AHL salary. That will make it more likely he will be able to exceed his $400K guarantee by the end of the season, should he be recalled again down the line. He also gains pension credits for those three games for which he was on the NHL roster.

Therefore, while this recall did not pay any on-ice dividends for Watson, the Red Wings’ choice to provide the veteran with some additional time on its NHL roster did have some financial benefits for the player.

10/30/2025: According to a team announcement, the Detroit Red Wings have recalled forward Austin Watson from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Detroit has had an open roster spot for the last few days after reassigning prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygard on Monday.

Despite taking Brandsegg-Nygard’s spot on the active roster, there’s little chance for consistent playing time for Watson. Even without veteran Patrick Kane for the foreseeable future, the team has Elmer Soderblom, who has a much higher ceiling than Watson, to fall back on.

If Watson does enter the lineup at any point over the current recall, the Red Wings will know exactly what to expect. The 11-year veteran is in his second year with the organization, scoring three goals in 13 games for Detroit last year, averaging 7:51 of ice time.

The only value Watson can provide is his physicality and aggression. Since debuting with the Nashville Predators during the 2012-13 season, Watson has accrued 722 PIMs in 528 games while collecting 1,245 hits. Interestingly, he’s been more of an offensive contributor in the AHL, scoring 94 goals and 176 points in 298 games while managing 221 PIMs. It’s important to note that before his time with the Griffins, Watson had only managed 90 PIMs in the AHL.

Detroit begins a four-game road trip through the NHL’s Pacific Division tonight against the Los Angeles Kings. Given that no teams on the trip are particularly physical, the earliest Watson could be expected to enter the lineup is next Friday against the New York Rangers, who have the third-most hits to start the 2025-26 campaign.

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