Flyers Recall Adam Ginning
The Philadelphia Flyers are recalling some defensive depth ahead of tonight’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. According to a team announcement, the Flyers have recalled Adam Ginning from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Ginning, 26, is in his fourth season with the Flyers organization. He has primarily spent his time in the AHL, but has been recalled on multiple occasions to serve as defensive depth. He has appeared in only five games for Philadelphia this year, going scoreless while averaging 15:20 of ice time.
Still, he’s been a relatively solid two-day defenseman for the Phantoms. His scoring is down this season, with one goal and four points in 31 games, but he has typically reached the high-teens throughout his professional career in North America.
Depending on how the Flyers operate at this year’s trade deadline, Ginning could have access to more ice time down the stretch. Philadelphia is six points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and 10 points away from the final divisional spot in the Metropolitan.
Since the Olympics, there has been renewed interest in top-four defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen for the right price. Additionally, Philadelphia could look to move out the bottom-pair option Noah Juulsen, who will become an unrestricted free agent this summer after signing a one-year, $900K contract with the club last offseason.
If the Flyers move out one or both, there is a good chance they’ll keep Ginning on the NHL roster for the remainder of the season, unless they recoup an additional defensive option.
Update On St. Louis Blues’ Justin Faulk
Leading up to the trade deadline, there don’t appear to be many untouchables on the St. Louis Blues’ roster, if there are any. One player that has generated interest is defenseman Justin Faulk, whose price has been set.
Speaking on NHL Tonight, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Blues are looking for a return similar to the one that the Calgary Flames received for defenseman Rasmus Andersson. In that deal, the Flames acquired Zach Whitecloud, a 2027 first-round pick, a conditional 2027 second-round pick, and college prospect Abram Wiebe from the Vegas Golden Knights.
It’s unquestionably a lofty price, but it’s important to remember that Faulk remains a capable top-four option and is signed through next season at an affordable $6.5MM. Furthermore, he has the capacity to quarterback a competitive team’s second power-play unit.
Even as he enters the latter stages of his career, Faulk has remained reliable. Over the last three years, he has scored 17 goals and 94 points in 196 games, averaging 22:18 of ice time. 28 of those points came with a man advantage. He’s never managed high possession metrics with St. Louis, but has averaged a respectable 90.9% on-ice SV% at even strength.
Several teams might be interested in Faulk, particularly to enhance their power play. Surprisingly, the Colorado Avalanche have the league’s worst power-play percentage, and recently traded puck-moving blue liner Samuel Girard to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Still, with four capable right-handed defenseman on the roster, it’s far likelier the Avalanche will seek a left-handed defenseman if anything.
Meanwhile, the Utah Mammoth are known to be looking for an offensive-minded right-handed defenseman. In fact, they were linked to Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils earlier today. If the Devils opt to hang on to Hamilton for their own playoff desires, the Mammoth could consider pivoting to Faulk.
Lastly, the New York Islanders could be a team to watch on the trade market. Led by the breakout of rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer, the Islanders are eying the postseason this year, and General Manager Mathieu Darche is looking to reward his group. Considering that Faulk isn’t necessarily a long-term commitment, he would provide an obvious upgrade over Tony DeAngelo in New York’s second-pairing.
Panthers’ Cole Schwindt Out Long-Term
Coming out of the Olympics, the Florida Panthers were expecting several injured players back relatively soon, particularly to reinforce their bottom-six. Unfortunately, another void has been opened. Insider George Richards reported that forward Cole Schwindt is out long-term with a lower-body injury.
It’s the second major injury for Schwindt this season. Earlier this season, he suffered an arm fracture that caused him to miss a few months. Florida didn’t provide any specifics on Schwindt’s injury or recovery timeline. The only known information was that he suffered the injury yesterday evening against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Although Schwindt’s absence won’t create a massive hole for the Panthers, it adds another layer of uncertainty that the team has faced all season. Looking to repeat as Stanley Cup champions for the third consecutive season, Florida is in danger of missing the playoffs entirely. That situation has been greatly impacted by the numerous injuries the team has encountered this season.
Schwindt, 24, is in his first year back with the Panthers. The former third-round pick enjoyed a pair of stops with the Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights before returning to Sunrise last offseason.
Outside of his pair of injuries, he’s been a decent plug-and-play forward for the Panthers this season. He’s registered three goals and one assist in 22 games while averaging 8:51 of ice time per game. Additionally, he’s recorded 25 hits in his limited role, along with a 52.0% CorsiFor% at even strength.
Jets Place Nino Niederreiter On IR; Reassign Domenic DiVincentiis
According to a team announcement, the Winnipeg Jets have placed forward Nino Niederreiter on the injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Additionally, the Jets have reassigned netminder Domenic DiVincentiis to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
There’s not much known about Niederreiter’s injury. Head coach Scott Arniel told reporters a few days ago that Niederreiter was expected to miss the next few weeks, but didn’t offer any specifics. It’s assumed that Niederreiter suffered the injury while participating in the recent Olympics for Switzerland. Niederreiter finished the tournament with one goal in five games with a -3 rating.
Falling further down the lineup this season, Niederreiter hasn’t been as successful as in years past. At the time of writing, the 33-year-old winger has registered eight goals and 19 points in 55 games, averaging 13:54 of ice time. That ATOI is the lowest he’s averaged since his sophomore campaign in the 2011-12 NHL season.
Regardless, Niederreiter’s absence won’t put much of a speed bump in the Jets’ lineup. In Winnipeg’s last game, their first since the Olympics concluded, they utilized a third line of Gustav Nyquist, Jonathan Toews, and Vladislav Namestnikov en route to an overtime win.
Meanwhile, DiVincentiis returns to the AHL after serving as the team’s backup on Wednesday. He was originally recalled to serve as a practice player as typical starter Connor Hellebuyck reacclimated himself to the NHL. Hellebuyck is expected to start for the Jets tonight in his first action since an all-world Olympic performance where he won five out of five contests with a .956 SV%, including a 41-save showing against Canada in the Gold Medal game.
Canadiens Kicking Tires On Rasmus Ristolainen
Heading for their second consecutive postseason appearance, the Montreal Canadiens are looking on all fronts for trade deadline acquisitions. Earlier today, on 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Canadiens have checked in on Rasmus Ristolainen‘s availability.
The main roadblock for any target of Montreal will be their ability to shed cap space. According to PuckPedia, the Canadiens have $1.49MM in space for the deadline, leaving them with very few options. Ristolainen, who’s making a $5.1MM salary through next season, wouldn’t be affordable at this time.
Additionally, it’s not clear where exactly Ristolainen would fit in the Canadiens’ lineup. Montreal already has Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson, Mike Matheson, and Kaiden Guhle in its top four. There’s no indication that the team would be eager to move any of them in a potential trade for Ristolainen, nor should they.
That would only leave room in the bottom pairing for Ristolainen. Theoretically, the team could create a package around Alexandre Carrier ($3.75MM AAV) to make the money work, but it’s unlikely that the Philadelphia Flyers would be interested in him. Still, if Montreal wants to put its defensive corps over the top for the postseason, acquiring a blueliner like Ristolainen would certainly do that.
Injuries have limited his availability over the past few years, but he has consistently performed well when healthy. Over the last two years with Philadelphia, Ristolainen has recorded five goals and 25 points in 84 games with a -2 rating, averaging 20:25 of ice time. Additionally, he’s recorded 122 blocked shots and 118 hits over that stretch, proving his two-way effectiveness.
Regardless, given their financial and roster limitations, it’s unlikely that the Canadiens will acquire Ristolainen. Still, it doesn’t hurt to reach out about any available player leading up to the deadline, especially for a team in Montreal’s position. It is more likely that Ristolainen will end up with a team with a more significant void in their top-four, unlike the Canadiens, if he’s moved at all.
Blackhawks, Nick Foligno Discussing Trade Deadline Plans
After a surprising start, the Chicago Blackhawks have fallen out of the playoff conversation over the last few months. That being said, with six pending unrestricted free agents on the roster, they have the option to be a fairly active seller leading up to the trade deadline.
One of those pending unrestricted free agents is captain Nick Foligno, who’s approaching the final season of his NHL career if he isn’t already in it. According to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Blackhawks have held preliminary conversations with Foligno about his desires leading up to the deadline.
In Pope’s report, he included a quote from Foligno, saying, “When you’re in this situation where you’re not in the playoffs, there’s decisions the organization has to make, and then therefore there’s decisions you have to make. That’s something we’re going to go through the process of. It’s too early to say.”
At this stage of his career, complicated by his age and recent injuries, the Blackhawks would be doing Foligno a service by trading him to a contender. The 38-year-old winger has been limited to 34 games this season, recording two goals and 10 points while averaging 12:56 of ice time.
Despite playing in the middle-six of the Blackhawks’ forward corps the last two seasons, he’s been largely relegated to a bottom-six role this season. If he finds his way to a contending team by next Friday, he’ll undoubtedly continue in that role with his new club.
Theoretically, every playoff-bound team could use Foligno to some degree, especially if Chicago is willing to eat salary. He’s a veteran winger with the ability to play on both sides of the ice, a veteran of 1200+ games at the NHL level, and 68 postseason contests. While not a direct comparison, the Blackhawks trading Foligno would be similar to the Buffalo Sabres trading Kyle Okposo to the Florida Panthers at the 2024 trade deadline. Okposo only recorded two assists in 17 postseason games for the Panthers that spring, but he won the Stanley Cup for the first time in his 17-year career.
Predators’ Nick Perbix Generating Interest
Exactly one week away from the trade deadline, plenty of teams are on the prowl for defensemen, particularly those that are right-handed. Earlier today, Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff reported that teams have kicked the tires on Nashville Predators defenseman Nicklaus Perbix, and that the Predators remain open to just about anything.
Perbix, 27, signed a two-year, $5.5MM contract with Nashville last summer. His contract doesn’t include any trade protection. Before his time with the Predators, Perbix spent three years with the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring 13 goals and 63 points in 220 games with a +27 rating, averaging 15:45 of ice time.
If Nashville does move off of Perbix at the deadline, they would be selling at a low point. The Minneapolis, MN native has recorded only three goals and nine points in 55 games this season with a -14 rating. Additionally, his CorsiFor% and on-ice SV% at even strength have both hit career lowpoints.
Given that, it’s unlikely that the Predators’ asking price and other teams’ offers will match up by the deadline, unless Nashville becomes desperate to move him. Still, he’s signed through next season, and the Predators have worked their way back to the postseason conversation in their own right. Nashville could be tempted if a team were to blow them away with an offer, but, with all respect to Perbix, he doesn’t strike as a defenseman that contending teams would be willing to do that for.
Updates On Tyler Myers Trade Market
Last night, in the NHL’s return to action after the Olympics, multiple reports indicated that the Vancouver Canucks will be healthy-scratching veteran defenseman Tyler Myers for trade-related purposes. Speculation began surrounding a few teams, but Myers can control his destiny given the no-movement clause in his contract. It was believed at the time of reporting that Myers would be okay with a few destinations.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Myers and his representation have targeted the Detroit Red Wings as his preferred landing spot. Dreger noted that the Dallas Stars, among others, remain interested and that Myers is willing to wait a few days to let the process play out. Regardless, Rick Dhaliwal of The Athletic shared that Myers hasn’t been asked to waive his no-movement clause yet.
There’s no question that the Red Wings are looking to bolster their defensive core, particularly on the right side. Youngster Axel Sandin Pellikka has shown flashes of his elite potential, but it’s clear that Detroit, particularly head coach Todd McLellan, doesn’t yet trust the rookie in clutch situations. That being said, it would make sense for the Red Wings to acquire a veteran blueliner on the right side as they continue their push to the postseason.
Still, Detroit, or any team acquiring Myers, would arguably be acquiring him at a career lowpoint. The 17-year veteran has registered only one goal and eight points in 57 games for the Canucks this season with a -25 rating. While Myers has never been relied upon for his offensive prowess, that output projects as the lowest-scoring season of his career across a full season.
Additionally, even on the defensive side of the puck, he’s not playing particularly well. His 46.5% CorsiFor% at even strength is the lowest he’s managed since his time with the Buffalo Sabres, and his 88.3% on-ice SV% at even strength is the lowest of his career. If the idea is to replace Sandin Pellikka next to Ben Chiarot on the second defensive pairing, there’s no reason to believe that Myers would be a considerable improvement aside from a few items.
Sandin Pellikka is outscoring Myers by a considerable margin, has superior possession metrics, and has a similar on-ice SV%. Still, Myers is far more willing to sacrifice his body (blocked shots and hits) than Pellikka, and stands nearly a foot taller. If the Red Wings ultimately acquire Myers, they may believe he’ll perform better in an improved environment.
Regardless, since Myers hasn’t been asked to waive his no-movement clause, it’ll likely be a few days to see how it ultimately shakes out.
Stars Recall Arttu Hyry, Reassign Remi Poirier
The Dallas Stars will return to NHL action tonight without several forwards. In need of some depth, the team announced that they’ve recalled Arttu Hyry from the AHL’s Texas Stars, and reassigned netminder Rémi Poirier in a corresponding roster move.
Already without Tyler Seguin for the foreseeable future, the Stars have also placed Mikko Rantanen and Radek Faksa on injured reserve due to ailments suffered during the Olympics. Additionally, Roope Hintz isn’t expected to be in the lineup tonight, either, as he’s dealing with an illness.
Those absences should allow Hyry to participate in his first NHL contest since last January. He’s in his second year with the team after signing as an international free agent last season. Before his move to North America, Hyry spent several years with the Finnish Liiga’s Kärpät organization.
He has provided encouraging results. Last season, primarily with AHL Texas, Hyry finished his rookie campaign with 24 goals and 49 points in 67 games with a +15 rating. That output was good for sixth on the team in scoring. Furthermore, Hyry added one goal and six points in 14 postseason contests.
This year, he hasn’t been as explosive offensively, largely due to an injury earlier in the year, but he is still having a solid season. At the time of writing, Hyry is 12th on the team in scoring with seven goals and 17 points in 26 games with a -4 rating.
Meanwhile, Poirier will return to the AHL as expected. The Stars called him up a few days ago to serve as practice depth, given that fellow netminder Jake Oettinger remained in Milan with Team USA. He’s played exclusively for AHL Texas this season, managing a 16-14-5 record in 34 games with a .906 SV% and 2.74 GAA.
Tampa Bay Lightning Activate Brayden Point
According to team insider Erik Erlendsson, the Tampa Bay Lightning have activated forward Brayden Point and defenseman Emil Martinsen Lilleberg from long-term injured reserve. Additionally, the team has placed Nick Paul on the injured reserve in a corresponding roster move.
The transactions were largely expected on all accounts. Despite being sidelined with a significant knee injury since January 12th, there was a fringe chance that Point would suit up for Team Canada at the Olympics. Although that didn’t happen, the expectation is that he would return to the team for their first game back, while taking time during the break to complete his rehabilitation.
Tampa Bay has arguably been the most dominant team in the Eastern Conference this season, and they’ve mostly done so without Point at the top of his game. When he has been healthy, Point has scored only 11 goals and 30 points in 37 games, averaging 18:02 of ice time. Still, his possession and defensive metrics have remained stable throughout his career averages.
Still, the point production has been worrisome, and would have a bigger impact if the rest of the team hadn’t been filling in the gaps. Point is only a year removed from an impressive three-year stretch where he scored 139 goals and 267 points in 240 games. Hopefully, the Olympic break provided Point with the necessary time to fully rehabilitate from the injuries that have negatively impacted his 2025-26 campaign, allowing him to regain his form in the final stretch.
Meanwhile, the Lightning are also adding some defensive depth back into the lineup. Lilleberg has missed multiple months with an undisclosed injury and is one of many Tampa Bay defenders to suffer long-term injuries this season. Before exiting the lineup in mid-December, Lilleberg scored two goals and six points in 32 games, averaging 17:21 of ice time. There’s no word on whether he’ll enter the lineup tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Lastly, Paul, like Lilleberg, is dealing with an undisclosed injury from before the Olympics. Unfortunately, the Lightning haven’t provided any rigid timeline for his return. Already seeking middle-six depth leading up to the deadline, Paul’s absence could further influence this plan. The 30-year-old veteran has registered six goals and 12 points in 34 games for the Bolts this season.