Linus Omark Announces Retirement
The NHL Alumni Association has announced that Linus Omark has officially retired from professional hockey. Omark last played in the NHL during the 2013-14 season with the Buffalo Sabres.
Omark, 39, began his professional career in 2007 when he was selected with the 97th overall pick by the Edmonton Oilers. Despite being a fourth-round selection, Omark’s prospect status began to rise after a pair of quality seasons with the Elitserien’s (SHL) Luleå HF.
Playing on loan with the KHL’s Dynamo Moskva in 2009-10, Omark scored 20 goals and 36 points in 56 games. The next season, the Oilers felt Omark was ready for North American hockey. He played in 28 games for the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons, scoring 17 goals and 31 points with a +7 rating. That was enough for Omark to earn his NHL debut with Edmonton, finishing the season with five goals and 27 points in 51 games.
It was at this point that Omark was viewed as a true diamond in the rough as the Oilers continued to build an up-and-coming team. This era of hockey in Edmonton coincided with the team adding Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall, and Nail Yakupov with first overall picks, and adding other youngsters such as Magnus Paajarvi and Jordan Eberle.
Unfortunately, that was the last quality season Omark had in North America. Although he had a strong introduction during his rookie season, he struggled to establish himself with the Oilers, frequently being shuffled between the NHL and AHL for several years.
During the shortened 2012-13 season, Omark enjoyed a successful year with the NLA’s EV Zug, scoring 17 and 69 points in 48 games. It was after this successful campaign overseas and continued lack of opportunity in Edmonton that Omark was traded to the Sabres for a conditional sixth-round pick.
Since then, it’s been all overseas for Omark. He finishes his career with eight goals and 32 points in 79 career NHL games, 95 goals and 257 points in 365 games in the SHL, and 106 and 353 points in 401 KHL contests. We at PHR congratulate Omark on his career, particularly in Europe, and wish him the best in his next chapter.
Macklin Celebrini, Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid Named Ted Lindsay Award Finalists
The NHL kicked off award season today, announcing that Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks, Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers have been named finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award.
Although the Hart Memorial Trophy has more name recognition, there’s a concrete argument that the Ted Lindsay Award carries more weight for the players. It’s awarded annually to the most outstanding player of the regular season as voted on by members of the NHL Players Association. Instead of being judged by writers, the winning player receives the award as judged by their peers.
Even if he doesn’t win, Celebrini’s finish as a finalist is a testament to the year he had. The 19-year-old had an outstanding season, scoring 45 goals and 115 points in 82 games, almost single-handedly leading the Sharks to the postseason. It wasn’t enough to crack the top-three in scoring leaders for the NHL, but he led the under-25 group by a long shot. The next closest was Wyatt Johnston (22) of the Dallas Stars, who scored 45 goals and 86 points in 82 games.
It would be a disservice to write about Celebrini’s regular season with the Sharks without also mentioning his performance with Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Despite falling to the United States in the Gold Medal game, Celebrini was unstoppable, scoring five goals and 10 points in six contests throughout the international tournament.
Meanwhile, Kucherov’s spot as a finalist for the award is par for the course. The high-scoring Russian is the defending winner of the award, also winning it in the 2018-19 season after leading the league in scoring. Unfortunately, unlike the past two seasons, Kucherov didn’t lead the league in scoring or the assist category, which has become a common occurrence for him. Regardless, with the amount of injuries the Lightning sustained this season, it’s hard to argue that Kucherov’s play provided the stability the team needed to remain competitive.
Then there’s McDavid. If he hasn’t done so already, the 29-year-old may want to invest in another trophy closet relatively soon. He’s already claimed the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer, something he has already done five additional times. Furthermore, regarding the Ted Lindsay Award, McDavid has already had that honor on four occasions.
Given their seasons, it’s hard to argue against any of the finalists. Still, although it’s difficult to remove any of the finalists, it’s surprising that Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche didn’t finish in the top three of votes. MacKinnon was the most dominant player on the most dominant team, scoring 53 goals and 127 points in 80 games with a +57 rating.
East Notes: Sabres, Heineman, Holmstrom, Schaefer
The Buffalo Sabres will look to eliminate the Boston Bruins tonight with a mostly healthy roster. According to Joe Yerdon of Bleacher Report, the Sabres will have Joshua Norris, Jason Zucker, and Tyson Kozak available to play tonight.
Zucker, 34, is the only one of the group who hasn’t missed any games in Round One against Boston. Still, he was banged up in Game 4 and didn’t return. There was concern that he might be unavailable for Game 5. However, Buffalo justified keeping him out due to the game’s lopsided score, which reduced the urgency to rush him back for the contest.
Norris and Kozak have replaced each other in the lineup halfway through the series. Norris hasn’t played since Game 2 due to an undisclosed injury. Like Zucker, Kozak was banged up in Game 4 after replacing Norris in the lineup, though he likely won’t play tonight unless the Sabres make an additional lineup change.
Additional notes from the Eastern Conference:
- According to Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News, the New York Islanders will send Emil Heineman and Simon Holmstrom to Team Sweden for the 2026 IIHF World Championships. It’ll be the first appearance in the international tournament for Holmstrom. Heineman, on the other hand, played for Team Sweden last summer, scoring one goal and three points in 10 games with a +2 rating.
- Unfortunately, Team Canada will not get the same boost as Team Sweden from the Islanders. In a separate report from Rosner, he shared that rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer won’t be participating in the international competition. Still, after finishing his rookie season, it’s more important for Schaefer to rest, recover, and build up for next season to avoid a dreaded sophomore slump.
John Garrett Passes Away At 74
In an unfortunate announcement, Sportsnet shared that John Garrett, 74, has passed away. Garrett enjoyed a six-year career in the NHL as a netminder, though most will know him as a color commentator with Sportsnet Pacific.
His professional career began in 1971, when he was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the NHL Draft. Instead of making his way through the Blues’ affiliates to NHL playing time, Garrett signed with the WHA’s Minnesota Fighting Saints ahead of the 1973-74 season. He spent two and a half years with Minnesota, managing a 77-63-6 record in 150 games with a 3.38 GAA. Unfortunately, the franchise folded toward the end of the 1975-76 season, and Garrett finished the season with the Toronto Toros.
The Toros didn’t stay much longer. Garrett remained with the organization even after they relocated to Birmingham despite the team having several difficult seasons. In an act of mercy, Birmingham traded Garrett to the New England Whalers and remained with the team through the 1979 WHA/NHL merger.
Finally, in the NHL, nearly a decade after being drafted by the Blues, Garrett hopped around a few times, playing for the Whalers, Quebec City Nordiques, and Vancouver Canucks. Throughout his six-year NHL career, Garrett earned a 68-91-37 record in 207 games with a .866 SV% and 4.28 GAA. Although he didn’t receive credit for years, largely because the NHL didn’t track netminder assists for many decades, Garrett was given an assist to Gordie Howe‘s last goal in his illustrious career.
Garrett retired after the 1984-85 season and was immediately offered the role of Assistant General Manager with the Canucks. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen management changes, the offer was withdrawn relatively quickly. Needing to pivot, Garrett began his broadcasting career with CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada.
During that time, he covered many games for the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames before joining Sportsnet in 1998. Beginning in the 2002-03 season, Garrett became the lead commentator for the Canucks organization, a role he held until his retirement in 2023.
We at PHR offer our condolences to the teammates, colleagues, organizations, and fans who have grown close to Garrett throughout his playing and broadcasting career.
Vladislav Kolyachonok Connected To KHL’s Dinamo Minsk
According to a report from Belarus, defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok, currently of the AHL’s Texas Stars, is considering a return to the KHL next season. The KHL’s Dinamo Minsk currently holds his contractual rights, and he must rejoin them unless his rights are traded.
That’s something the Minsk attempted to do at this year’s trade deadline. Dinamo reportedly attempted to bring Kolyachonok back last summer and began assessing interest around the league after a contract did not materialize. CSKA Moscow and Traktor Chelyabinsk were known to have interest, though no trade took place.
It wouldn’t be entirely surprising if Kolyachonok headed back to the KHL this summer. The 24-year-old blueliner has played for four different teams over the past two years, jumping from the then Utah Hockey Club, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, and Dallas Stars, mostly changing hands on the waiver wire.
Despite being a second-round pick of the Florida Panthers in 2019, Kolyachonok has never quite lived up to his draft billing. He has never been known as an offensive threat, usually earning his value as a mean-spirited defender who played with intense physicality.
He’s been a quality performer in the AHL, scoring 14 goals and 57 points in 184 games with a +14 rating and 90 PIMs. Still, despite having multiple opportunities, he hasn’t made such an impact in the NHL. Since debuting in the 2021-22 season with the Coyotes, Kolyachonok has scored five goals and 17 points in 84 career games with a -5 rating, averaging just below 14 minutes of ice time per night.
Additionally, he hasn’t demonstrated sufficient physicality to maintain his position for long. Over his 84 career NHL contests, he’s blocked 88 shots and delivered 77 hits. Additionally, his career 47.0% CorsiFor at even strength, and -6.5 Expected +/- show he’s typically been a net negative when on the ice.
It’s been a while since he played in the KHL, but Dinamo wouldn’t be an unfamiliar environment. He spent the 2020-21 season there on loan from Arizona, scoring one goal and six points in 46 games with a -3 rating.
Nashville Predators Sign Vitali Pinchuk
Earlier today, agent Dan Milstein shared that his client, Vitali Pinchuk, had agreed to a one-year, entry-level contract with a mystery team. A few hours later, Milstein announced that the Nashville Predators had won the sweepstakes. The Predators confirmed the signing, though they didn’t release any financial details of the one-year pact. According to PuckPedia, the entry-level contract carries a $922,500 base salary, $102,500 signing bonus, $85K AHL salary, and $1MM in potential performance bonuses.
Pinchuk, 24, has been the topic of much speculation over the last two years. Despite going undrafted through his years of eligibility, the Belarusian has made quite a name for himself with the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk. Last month, reports indicated that nearly every team, 29 in fact, had contacted Pinchuk’s representation about bringing him to North America.
His production speaks for itself. Over the last two years, Pinchuk has scored 56 goals and 109 points in 131 games, with an additional seven goals and 18 points in 19 postseason contests. It wasn’t enough to lead the league in scoring, but Pinchuk was the only under-25 player to finish top-10 in KHL scoring this past season.
Pinchuk stands at 6’3″, 203 lbs. He is overtly physical, but uses his larger frame to protect the puck. Still, he largely utilizes his offensive skill, which he has plenty of, to make the most impact.
Unless something unexpected happens, Pinchuk should begin the 2026-27 season on the Predators’ opening night roster. Still, depending on training camp and preseason play, he could use a month of seasoning with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, though the expectation is that he spends most of the year in Nashville.
Given his frame, he won’t be out of place starting on the third line. He has the offensive firepower to offer Nashville tertiary scoring immediately, and the team could easily move him up the lineup if he performs well. Still, the Predators will want to make some room for him, as they already have 14 forwards signed for next season (including Pinchuk) with others looking to crack the roster.
East Notes: Muller, Zadorov, Arvidsson
According to a team announcement, assistant coach Kirk Muller is moving on from the Washington Capitals this summer. Muller’s contract expires in a few months, and he will be pursuing other opportunities this summer.
In the announcement, General Manager of the Capitals, Chris Patrick, said, “Kirk has expressed his desire to explore other opportunities within the National Hockey League, and we respect and support his decision. We thank Kirk for his dedication, professionalism, and the many contributions he made during his three years with our organization. He is an experienced and highly respected coach whose work ethic, leadership, and commitment to player development had a meaningful impact on our team both on and off the ice. We wish him and his family all the best in the next chapter of his career.”
Muller began his professional coaching career ahead of the 2006-07 season as an assistant coach with the Montreal Canadiens. He remained in that post until the 2011-12 season, when he took on the role as the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes until 2013-14. Since then, he has been in a supporting role, serving in assistant or associate capacities with the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Montreal, and Washington.
Additional notes from the Eastern Conference:
- The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov has been fined $5K, the maximum allowable, for cross-checking Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin in Game 4. It was an expected, albeit underwhelming outcome. In yesterday’s contest, well after the whistle, Zadorov calmly skated up to Dahlin and delivered a cross-check to Dahlin’s back, which caused Zadorov’s stick to break. It’s hard to argue that there wasn’t intent to injure based on the video, making the NHL’s decision not to suspend him a bit perplexing.
- Regardless, it appears that Zadorov may be out for Game 5 anyway. According to Steve Conroy of The Boston Herald, Zadorov and winger Viktor Arvidsson are questionable for tomorrow’s contest. Zadorov has been playing through injury to start the postseason, and it seems that it has caught up with him. Additionally, Arvidsson suffered an upper-body injury in yesterday’s blowout loss after being hit by Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson.
Poll: Will Brady Tkachuk Be On The Senators Next Season?
After being eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in Round One of the Stanley Cup playoffs, speculation has already begun regarding Brady Tkachuk‘s future with the Ottawa Senators. Tkachuk is one year away from being eligible for an extension, and the Senators may look to capitalize before it’s too late.
Tkachuk, 26, is a known commodity at this point. Outside of this season, he has remained healthy over his entire career, despite playing a notorious crash-and-bang style of hockey. He’s become a consistent top-six scorer over the last five years, to boot, registering 153 goals and 338 points in 374 games, averaging 18:26 of ice time.
Additionally, as mentioned, he does what many top-six wingers fail to do: embrace the physicality of the game. Averaging 3.36 hits per game since debuting in the 2018-19 season, Tkachuk has never shied away from the fight, always looking for a way to give his team an edge wherever he can.
Still, like many of his teammates, Tkachuk was a ghost against the Hurricanes. It was a much different performance than last postseason, when Tkachuk tallied four goals and seven points in six games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, totalling 30 hits. This spring, he went scoreless in the series sweep with a -4 rating, finishing with 13 hits.
Although it was a second consecutive year that Ottawa made the postseason, many feel that the team took a step back, and with good reason. Due to inconsistent goaltending, the Senators finished one win short of last season and did not demonstrate much, if any, competitiveness in the playoffs.
That’s not to say it’s Tkachuk’s fault, but he is billed as the heart and soul of the team, which the organization showed very little of against Carolina. Furthermore, if he is unhappy in Canada’s capital and has his heart set on returning to the United States, it would make some sense for the Senators to trade him this offseason in an attempt to shake up the locker room and avoid losing him for nothing in a few years.
Regardless, it’s not something Ottawa necessarily needs to think about right now. Tkachuk is signed through the 2027-28 season, and it’s hard to imagine Tkachuk’s trade stock radically changing, especially if he’s willing to negotiate an extension with any interested club. He also has a full no-movement clause in his contract, which began this season, so the terms will be dictated by him, anyway.
Now it’s time for you to take the crystal ball. Will the Senators move on from Tkachuk this offseason to jump-start the team, or will they pursue other changes, like a coaching hire or other roster-related moves in the meantime before deciding on Tkachuk’s future after next season? Vote below!
Will Brady Tkachuk Be On The Senators Next Season?
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No 61% (759)
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Yes 39% (492)
Total votes: 1,251
Red Wings Could Trade J.T. Compher, Michael Rasmussen
Extending their playoff drought to 10 years this season, there are plenty of changes expected for the Detroit Red Wings this summer, particularly to the team’s bottom-six. Outside of letting a few of their pending unrestricted free agents walk, Max Bultman of The Athletic argues that J.T. Compher and Michael Rasmussen are candidates to be traded this summer.
Compher, 31, will be entering year four of a five-year, $25.5MM contract signed in Detroit ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. The Red Wings had already signed Andrew Copp the previous offseason, but he hadn’t (and still hasn’t by many metrics) become the second-line center that Detroit believed he would be.
At the time, the thought process was that Compher would continue his upward trajectory. He was coming off a solid year with the Colorado Avalanche, scoring 17 goals and 52 points in 82 games with a 48.8% success rate in the faceoff dot. Some will argue that since the Avalanche lost Nazem Kadri the year before, Compher was moved to the top six in Colorado based on circumstance and benefited from having stronger wingers next to him.
Nevertheless, that’s not necessarily accurate. The Avalanche faced numerous injuries during the 2022-23 season, leading to a fluid lineup on most nights. Still, Compher spent most of the year next to Andrew Cogliano and Logan O’Connor, not necessarily All-Star candidates.
He had a strong start to his tenure in Detroit, scoring 19 goals and 48 points in 77 games with a -5 rating, averaging 19:23 of ice time. However, since then, he has been absent on most nights, scoring 22 goals and 60 points in 158 games with a -20 rating, averaging 16:09 of ice time. He has a relatively solid 48.0% faceoff rate in that stretch, and starts most of his shifts in the defensive zone.
Meanwhile, Rasmussen has had a similar trajectory. He topped out with a 13-goal, 33-point performance in 75 games during the 2023-24 season, but hasn’t gotten close since. In the last two years, the former ninth overall selection has registered 17 goals and 35 points in 141 games, usually playing on Detroit’s third line.
Standing at 6’6″, 222 lbs, Rasmussen is definitely a big body to have toward the bottom of the forward corps, but has not turned into the reliable power forward the Red Wings thought he would become when they drafted him. He doesn’t have the defensive metrics to warrant him playing in big situations, and if he isn’t scoring 15-20 goals a year, there’s no real point to having him in the lineup on a nightly basis. Like Compher, Rasmussen is signed for the next two years, albeit for a smaller $3.2MM cap hit.
As to what the Red Wings will target is anyone’s guess. Compher does have some trade protection (10-team no-trade list), but it’s not an insurmountable hurdle. If Detroit’s primary goal is to unload contracts and replace them with younger players, the Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, and Vancouver Canucks may be interested in enhancing their bottom-six in the short term. However, the Devils would face significant financial constraints.
Additionally, the Red Wings could package both in a larger trade, along with other assets such as a prospect or two and their 2027 first-round pick, for a much larger splash. It’s not uncommon for teams to attach a veteran (Compher), a flyer (Rasmussen), and a prospect plus draft capital to get a trade over the line.
Montreal Canadiens Reassign David Reinbacher
After last night’s Game 4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Montreal Canadiens announced that they’ve reassigned defenseman David Reinbacher to the AHL’s Laval Rocket. The Rocket will begin the Division Semifinals against the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday.
Reinbacher, 21, was recalled with only a few games remaining in the regular season. The former fifth overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft debuted over that time, registering one assist in two games while averaging 13:09 of ice time. The Canadiens sheltered him quite a bit, as Reinbacher began 75.0% of his shifts in the offensive zone.
In the postseason, Montreal has expectedly relied on more veteran options. Even if the team experienced an injury or two, it was unlikely that they would have relied on Reinbacher in any meaningful capacity. The Canadiens are already without Noah Dobson for the time being, but have used depth defensemen Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj instead. Furthermore, Montreal still has youngster Adam Engstrom on the roster, who likely would have been the next man up.
If Laval is eliminated from the playoffs by the Marlies, or if the Canadiens suffer additional injuries on the blue line, then a case should be made for Reinbacher to return to the NHL as a Black Ace at the very least. He had a solid season in the AHL after recovering from injury, scoring five goals and 24 points in 57 games with a +18 rating.
Regardless, he’ll now help the Rocket defeat their North Division rivals. Since relocating to Laval ahead of the 2017-18 season, the Rocket have advanced to the Eastern Conference Final twice, losing to the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2022 and the Charlotte Checkers last year.