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Bruins Open To Moving Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha

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For the first time in recent memory, the Bruins have made the call to sell at the trade deadline in earnest. After trading pending UFA forward Trent Frederic to the Oilers earlier today and following previous reports that defenseman Brandon Carlo and forward Morgan Geekie are available for the right price, they’re now open to hearing offers for centers Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.

Their availability adds some depth to a relatively thin center market ahead of Friday’s deadline, although neither are rental pickups. Coyle is signed through 2026-27 at a $5.25MM cap hit and carries a full no-movement clause for the duration of his deal, per PuckPedia, so the Bruins’ options for moving him will be extremely limited. Meanwhile, Zacha is under contract through 2027-28 with a $4.75MM cap hit and has a 10-team no-trade list until July 1.

Neither has had a season to write home about, especially Coyle. Fresh off his 33rd birthday, the hometown kid has churned out just 14-7–21 through 62 games after recording a career-high 25 goals and 60 points last season. It’s not for a lack of usage – he’s averaging 17:39 per game, the second-highest mark of his career behind last year. He’s shooting at a strong 15.6% but not generating nearly as many chances. His 1.45 shots on goal per game mark the second-lowest rate of his 13-year run in the NHL, ahead of only his rookie season with the Wild 12 years ago. He’s also tracking to post a career-worst -13 rating.

That doesn’t paint a rosy picture in terms of the likelihood of a trade. He only has a three-team no-trade list if he waives his no-movement clause, but whether or not he’d even waive his NMC to depart his home city is uncertain, even as Boston enters sell-off mode. His $5.25MM cap hit is also immovable given his performance this season without retention, and it’s unlikely Boston would be willing to do so for a contract that runs past this season as they look to reload for 2025-26.

The 27-year-old Zacha is thus a far more intriguing candidate. His offensive totals have dropped too, but not as much. He’s still third on the team in scoring with 12-25–37 in 62 games, all while averaging 19:23 per game and serving as the Bs’ de facto No. 1 center for the second year in a row. He’s averaged 0.69 points per game in a Bruins uniform since they acquired him from the Devils in 2022 and wouldn’t command any retention to move. Limited trade protection also increases his market, and at his cap hit, he’s a better value proposition – especially with two years left on his deal – than most other centers out there.

The 6’3″ Zacha is also a full-time pivot with good faceoff numbers, more than what can be said about names like Ryan Donato or Scott Laughton. After spending most of his career below 50%, he’s won 54.2% of his draws since the beginning of 2023-24.

Moving either would represent a more aggressive retooling than most would have expected out of the Bruins. Still, their names floating into rumors at least signal an openness to moving out some of their lower-ceiling offensive talents in hopes of landing a top-six impact piece (or multiple) this summer.

Oilers Acquire Trent Frederic

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The Oilers are acquiring forward Trent Frederic from the Bruins in a trade that will also involve the Devils as a third team, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Winger Max Jones is also headed from Boston to Edmonton in the deal, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports. The Devils announced they’ve acquired the rights to left-wing prospect Shane Lachance from the Oilers and will retain half of Frederic’s salary in the trade after the Bruins’ initial 50% retention, bringing his cap hit for Edmonton down to $575K from $2.3MM. New Jersey also dealt the signing rights to right-winger Petr Hauser to the Oilers to complete their involvement. Edmonton announced the full trade, which reads as follows:

Oilers receive: Frederic, Jones, signing rights to Hauser
Devils receive: Signing rights to Lachance
Bruins receive: D Maximus Wanner, the Blues’ 2025 second-round pick, and the Oilers’ 2026 fourth-round pick.

Frederic is currently week-to-week with a lower-body injury, and Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports there’s a possibility he won’t be cleared to play until the playoffs. In that case, the Oilers could place Frederic at his reduced cap hit on long-term injured reserve to open up additional spending flexibility for further moves ahead of Friday’s deadline.

Boston selected Frederic 29th overall in the 2016 draft, ahead of higher-ceiling forwards Alex DeBrincat and Jordan Kyrou who both went in the second round. After a brief but successful two-year collegiate stint at Wisconsin, the versatile depth piece took a couple of years to simmer in the minors, only emerging as a roster regular for the Bruins in the 2020-21 campaign.

Frederic spent a pair of seasons as a fourth-line fixture without much offensive pop, but the physical 6’3″ forward popped big time in Boston’s historic 65-win season in 2022-23. Skating primarily on the wing, he recorded 17-14–31 in 79 games despite averaging under 12 minutes per night, also finishing second among Bruins forwards with 105 hits.

In addition to spending more time down the middle, Frederic amped up his production last season. The Missouri native recorded a career-high 18-22–40 scoring line in 82 games, adding 204 hits while seeing a slight bump in his special teams deployment. But despite skating a career-high 13:55 per game in 2024-25, he hasn’t been able to keep up his scoring. Snakebit like the majority of his Boston teammates, Frederic has just 8-7–15 in 57 games with a career-worst -14 rating. His shooting percentage has regressed to 10.5% after hovering north of the 14% mark the prior two years.

While the drop in point totals is concerning, he’s established his floor as a high-end fourth-line piece with middle-six upside and will likely see an uptick in production depending on how he’s deployed amid a far more talented offensive group in Edmonton. His struggles this season, his expiring contract, and Boston’s slide down the standings made it almost a guarantee he’d be moved at the deadline. The 27-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time this summer after finishing out the year with the Oilers.

Frederic has posted similar offensive numbers to the Oilers’ current pair of third-line wingers in Connor Brown and Mattias Janmark, so it’s unclear if he’ll unseat either for a top-nine role. While faceoffs aren’t his strong suit (a career average of 44.4%), his experience playing down the middle also addresses an immediate need for an Edmonton squad without a legitimate fourth-line center. He could slot in there once he’s ready to return, relieving natural wingers like Kasperi Kapanen who have had to step into the role lately.

They also pick up Jones, who amounts to a failed offseason pickup for Boston. He managed only seven appearances for the Bs after signing a two-year, $2MM deal last offseason, going without a point and averaging 10:01 per game. Selected a few spots ahead of Frederic by the Ducks in the 2016 draft, Jones will remain on his minor-league assignment after clearing waivers in November but now reports to the Oilers’ affiliate in Bakersfield. His $1MM cap hit is completely buriable in the minors and thus carries no cap impact for Edmonton. Before the move, he posted 13-8–21 with a plus-one rating in 38 games for the P-Bruins.

Rounding out Edmonton’s haul in the deal is Hauser, who New Jersey selected in the fifth round in 2022. The 21-year-old is amid a tumultuous campaign in his native Czechia, playing for three different squads across the top-level and second-tier professional leagues. He has 1-10–11 in 63 Czech Extraliga games dating back to his top-level debut in the 2022-23 season. While he has great size at 6’4″ and 207 lbs, he wasn’t considered a meaningful prospect in the Devils organization by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic in his January ranking. He’s a low-ceiling, low-floor option whose signing rights will expire in June 2026.

The Oilers give up a decently intriguing prospect in Lachance for the Devils’ additional salary retention. The son of ex-NHLer and Devils head scout Scott Lachance was the No. 6 prospect in an already-thin Edmonton system, per Wheeler. The 6’5″ winger has suited up for Boston University the past two seasons after Edmonton selected him in the sixth round in 2021, posting 23-29–52 in 72 games while also serving as captain this season. New Jersey will hold his signing rights until the Aug. 15 following his final collegiate season.

In what’s been a strong rental market, Boston landing what’s slated to be a mid-tier second-round pick is some decent work by general manager Don Sweeney. Edmonton previously acquired the second-rounder from St. Louis as compensation for signing defenseman Philip Broberg to an offer sheet last August. The Bruins didn’t have a second-rounder in this year’s draft before the trade – they traded theirs to the Capitals in the 2023 Dmitry Orlov three-team deal.

Wanner was also one of the Oilers’ more notable prospects, checking in at No. 10 in Wheeler’s rankings. The 6’3″ righty isn’t a legitimate needle-mover for a Bruins pool that lacks high-end talent, though. Now 21, he was a seventh-round pick in the 2021 draft and projects as a likely No. 7/8 option on an NHL depth chart at his peak. He’s been limited to just two points in 22 games with Bakersfield this year after posting 7-10–17 in 68 games with a +13 rating in his first pro season last year. He’ll now report to Providence.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Bruins’ Brad Marchand Out Week-To-Week

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Bruins head coach Joe Sacco announced that left-winger Brad Marchand is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury (via Joe Haggerty of the Boston Sports Journal). The captain missed Sunday’s loss to the Wild after exiting the prior day’s game against the Penguins in the first period following a massive hit from defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph. He has not been placed on injured reserve but could be ahead of Thursday’s road game against the Hurricanes to allow Boston to carry an extra forward.

The aging star has been remarkably durable over the past few seasons, only missing a handful of games since offseason hip surgery ate into the beginning of his 2022-23 campaign. He’d also been on a hot streak entering the game against Pittsburgh, totaling 4-6–10 in his last 10 games. The injury designation comes just three days ahead of the trade deadline, but while Marchand is on an expiring contract, he doesn’t want to be moved and isn’t among the expanding group of players Boston is listening to trade offers for, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.

Of course, his injury also limited Boston’s minimal likelihood of gaining ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They’ve gone 1-2-2 coming out of the 4 Nations break, and while they only sit two points back of the Red Wings for the second wild card spot, there’s three teams between them and Detroit. They’ve also played more games than the teams they’re chasing. As such, their playoff odds have dropped to 9.4%, per MoneyPuck.

Overall, this season has evidenced the 36-year-old’s slow but noticeable decline. With 21-26–47 in 61 games, he’s on pace for his lowest offensive output since the 2014-15 season. The team’s overall struggles to generate scoring chances this year also mean Marchand is on track to post a minus rating for the first time since his initial 20-game trial in Boston in 2009-10. Still, he’s been the best forward Boston has to offer outside of star David Pastrňák, still significantly outpacing their other top-six names like Charlie Coyle, Elias Lindholm, and Pavel Zacha.

With Marchand and Trent Frederic both on the shelf at the moment and the latter expected to be moved before Friday’s deadline, recent call-up Georgii Merkulov will get the opportunity to fill their top-six hole. The 24-year-old has just one assist in nine career NHL games but is tied for second on AHL Providence in scoring with 44 points in 47 games.

Bruins Recall Georgii Merkulov, Jeffrey Viel, Ian Mitchell

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The Bruins swapped out multiple depth players on their roster today, announcing they’ve recalled forwards Georgii Merkulov, Jeffrey Viel, and defenseman Ian Mitchell from AHL Providence. The three players headed down to the minors in corresponding moves are wingers Riley Tufte, Oliver Wahlstrom, and defenseman Michael Callahan. Wahlstrom cleared waivers earlier this afternoon.

It’s by no means major turnover on the Boston roster given the minimal roles the three demotees were playing, but it does signal a wish for different skillsets down the stretch. That’s particularly evident in the call-ups of Merkulov and Mitchell, who offer head coach Joe Sacco more offensive upside than any of the players being sent down.

While a 2-1 loss to the Islanders last night represented a huge blow to their playoff chances, the Bruins still have a chance. Returning to the postseason picture will require more puck-moving support from their blue line in the absence of their top two defenders in Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. They don’t have much there in the interim aside from sophomore Mason Lohrei, and while Mitchell isn’t an impact piece by any stretch, he’s a more dynamic skillset than what the stay-at-home Callahan offered in his first NHL look.

Acquired from the Blackhawks in the 2023 Taylor Hall trade, Mitchell spent a chunk of last season on the Bruins’ roster as a healthy extra but hasn’t touched NHL ice in 2024-25. It’s his first recall since clearing waivers at the beginning of the season. The 6’0″ righty leads P-Bruins defensemen in scoring with 4-23–27 through 46 games, pairing that with a strong +11 rating. He managed two assists and a plus-six rating in 13 showings with Boston last year, averaging 15:18 per game.

Even just that stat line will be an upgrade over what Callahan’s brought to the table thus far. The 25-year-old got his first taste of NHL hockey over the past two months, posting a minus-two rating and averaging 13:08 per game over 11 appearances. The Bruins were outchanced 73-52 in his even-strength minutes. The 2018 fifth-round pick by the Coyotes will now return to Providence, where he has six points and a plus-two rating in 36 showings.

Meanwhile, Merkulov still checks in as one of the few offensively tantalizing players in the Bruins system. He doesn’t have much room left to grow at age 24, but the 5’11” center continues to hover around a point per game in the minors and is tied for the team lead in scoring with 13-31–44 through 47 games. He’s in his third year in the Bruins organization after signing as a free agent out of Ohio State in 2022, but he’s only recorded one assist in seven NHL games in previous trials. He should get a look higher up in the lineup with Trent Frederic sidelined for the time being, though.

Viel is a more direct replacement for the physicality they’re losing with Tufte’s reassignment. The 28-year-old winger got into his first NHL game since the 2022-23 campaign with the B’s earlier this season, recording a fight and 8:29 of ice time against the Blue Jackets on Nov. 18. The former Sharks and Jets farmhand stands at 6’2″ and 205 lbs and has 26 points, 130 PIMs, and a +15 rating in 51 games with Providence.

Tufte, 26, was recalled early last week and played in two of Boston’s first three games coming out of the 4 Nations break. He’s now made five NHL appearances on the year without a point and has a minus-three rating, one block, and six hits while averaging 8:05 per game.

Bruins Reassign Oliver Wahlstrom

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Feb. 28: Wahlstrom cleared waivers, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. He’s on his way to Providence as expected, Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald confirms.

Feb. 27: The Bruins placed winger Oliver Wahlstrom on waivers today, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports.

Wahlstrom has only been a member of the Boston organization for two and a half months. Claimed off waivers from the Islanders in mid-December, the 24-year-old hasn’t panned out. He’s been a frequent healthy scratch and has only played in four of the Bruins’ last 10 games.

When dressed, the 2018 11th overall pick has remained a non-factor. He managed just a goal and assist in 16 appearances for Boston, averaging 10:30 per game and shooting at just 4.2%. A premier goal-scorer in his youth, potting 48 in 62 games with the U.S. National U18 Team in his draft year, he’s now on track to finish at a clip worse than six percent in back-to-back seasons.

All told, Wahlstrom has just four points in 34 games this season split between the Bruins and Islanders. His possession metrics were ghastly in New York but have notably improved since the move. He’s not broken even in shot attempts at even strength, still only controlling 47.8%, but that’s better than how the Bruins have fared without him on the ice whenever he’s been in the lineup. Still, there’s little evidence for him as an effective everyday NHLer, especially since a leg injury truncated a promising 2022-23 campaign at the halfway mark. He’s never fully rebounded, only scoring 12 points in 75 appearances since returning after he was on pace for 37 points over 82 games before the injury.

It’s notable that Wahlstrom is being removed from the roster even in the wake of an injury to top-nine forward Trent Frederic, who’s now out week-to-week and will likely be out the door by the trade deadline anyway. The likelihood of a claim is minimal after a failed change of scenery, so he figures to head to AHL Providence for his first minor-league action in five years.

The Bruins will have an open roster spot tomorrow after Wahlstrom clears or is claimed and could open a second one by moving Frederic to IR. It’s unclear what they plan on doing with the flexibility, although a corresponding recall from Providence should be expected before a two-game road trip that begins this weekend.

Bruins’ Trent Frederic Out Week-To-Week With Lower-Body Injury

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Bruins forward Trent Frederic is out week-to-week after sustaining a lower-body injury against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports. While it may keep him out through the March 7 trade deadline, the absence “won’t change any plans” regarding a deal for the pending UFA, per Johnston.

Frederic left the 5-4 overtime loss early in the second period. He fell awkwardly after attempting a check on Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe in the corner as a power play expired and, while he skated off under his own power, went to the dressing room shortly thereafter and did not return.

The 27-year-old is still on many trade boards despite a disappointing campaign. He’s been a productive middle-six piece for Boston over the past few years, recording 35-36–71 in 161 games in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 regular seasons. His point totals have been slashed in 2024-25, though. He’s clocked just 8-7–15 through 57 appearances and has posted a career-worst -14 rating, even while playing a career-high 13:50 per game.

The 2016 first-rounder remains an attractive pickup thanks to his 6’3″, 221-lb frame and his ability to play all three forward positions – a significant factor in an otherwise thin rental center market behind Brock Nelson. He’s not particularly good on draws, though. His 43.9% faceoff win rate this year is only a few percentage points south of his 44.4% career average. The bang-and-crash forward ranks fifth on Boston with 44 PIMs and is second on the club with 155 hits.

David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period lists the Canucks, Capitals, and Wild as teams reportedly linked to Frederic, but nearly any team in search of a third-line pickup will likely call Boston about him. His $2.3MM cap hit shouldn’t require much, if any, salary retention to move.

For now, top winger prospect Fabian Lysell remains in the minors for Boston following Frederic’s injury. AHL mainstay Riley Tufte skated in a top-nine role at today’s morning skate instead, per Scott McLaughlin of WEEI. That’s a tough ask of the 26-year-old, who has three points in 22 career NHL appearances.

Bruins, Trent Frederic Haven’t Progressed On Extension Talks

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The Boston Bruins seem headed for a separation with centerman Trent Frederic at this year’s Trade Deadline. The two sides haven’t made progress on a potential extension per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, who adds that Frederic’s enforcer style and scoring upside could be an interesting mix for deadline buyers. Seravalli names teams like the New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers as potential buyers, as both look to add bulk to protect their stars.

Frederic has found a strong role as an enforcer in Boston’s bottom-six. He has 21 fights over the last three seasons, including four this year. But he’s also shown flashes of interesting scoring upside, netting 17 goals and 31 points in the 2022-23 season after scoring 23 points in the first 119 games of his career. Frederic backed up the breakout season with 18 goals and 40 points last year, seemingly giving him the momentum for a big year this season. He’s instead looked more like he did early in his career – boasting 44 penalty minutes and 152 hits in 56 games this season, backed by just 15 points.

That downtick seems largely thanks to Frederic’s shooting percentage deflating to just 10.5 percent this year, after sitting north of 14 percent over the last two seasons. But his physical presence has kept him on Boston’s third line despite low scoring. Young enforcers aren’t often the feature of deadline conversation, and the chance to buy Frederic before he enters unrestricted free agency this summer could be enticing for a team in need of grit.

Frederic’s market value in a trade or on an extension will be hard to gauge. His dock in scoring likely limits his asking price. He’s also largely expendable after Boston signed the team’s fights leader, Mark Kastelic, to a three-year extension earlier this year. But Frederic is just 26 years old – and offers a proven physical track record, willingness to fight, and potential for resurged shooting percentage. For playoff hopefuls, those traits could be desirable enough to inspire a bidding war – especially amid a quiet deadline season.

Hampus Lindholm Unlikely To Return This Season

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One of the oft-forgotten aspects of the Boston Bruins’ disappointing 2024-25 campaign is the lack of one of Hampus Lindholm for much of the regular season. This reality isn’t likely to change anytime as general manager Don Sweeney shared (publicized by Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe) that Lindholm isn’t expected to return this season.

The injury update concludes a lost season for Lindholm. The 12-year veteran will finish the 2024-25 season with three goals and four assists in 17 games averaging 20:51 of ice time per night before fracturing his patella on November 12.

If there’s any silver lining for Lindholm, injuries haven’t followed him throughout his career. This year is only the second time he’s played less than 80% of his team’s games. The last time he failed to play in at least 50 games came during the 2020-21 season with the Anaheim Ducks when a wrist injury limited him to just 18 contests.

Still, injuries aside, Lindholm’s performance has declined over the past two years. In Lindholm’s defense, the 2023-24 season wouldn’t have been such a disappointment had he not had a breakout season the year prior. The Helsingborg, Sweden native scored 10 goals and 53 points in 80 games during his first full year in Boston carrying a league-leading +49 rating. It shattered Lindholm’s previous career-high 34 points scoring in 2014-15.

Lindholm’s impressive 2022-23 season earned him a fourth-place finish for the James Norris Memorial Trophy. Unfortunately, he took a dramatic step back last year. He finished the campaign with three goals and 23 assists in 73 games despite increasing his average ice time by six seconds.

Nevertheless, a bone fracture rarely becomes a lingering issue for many players giving Lindholm multiple months to prepare for the 2025-26 season. He’s still a capable top-four defenseman signed to a modest $6.5MM salary until the 2029-30 season giving the Bruins at least some long-term consistency on their blue line.

Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy Out Week-To-Week

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Feb. 19: McAvoy is out week-to-week for Boston after undergoing a procedure to remove an infection stemming from his upper-body injury, sources told Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff on Tuesday evening. He’s likely bound for injured reserve to make room for the multiple recalls the Bruins made yesterday. Boston head team physician Dr. Peter Asnis confirmed Seravalli’s report, issuing the following statement on McAvoy’s health:

Charlie McAvoy sustained an injury to his right shoulder acromioclavicular joint in Team USA’s 4 Nations Face-Off game against Finland on February 13. He underwent treatment, which was administered by Team USA’s medical staff. Upon returning to Boston, he developed increasing pain, for which he was evaluated by the Boston Bruins’ medical staff. After undergoing X-rays, MRIs, and bloodwork, he was diagnosed as having an infection in his right shoulder, as well as a significant injury to his AC joint. He underwent an irrigation and debridement procedure at Massachusetts General Hospital on February 18. He remains in the hospital, where he is being treated with IV antibiotics, and his condition is improving.

Feb. 18: According to a statement from the Bruins, McAvoy has been ruled out of the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game on Thursday. Boston shared he’s undergoing testing at Massachusetts General Hospital for an upper-body injury and the team will pass along additional information as it becomes available.

Feb. 17: It’s already been confirmed through multiple reports this morning that Team USA would be resting defenseman Charlie McAvoy for tonight’s matchup against Team Sweden. Unfortunately, there appears to be another layer of context for McAvoy’s absence as Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub reports McAvoy is out with an upper-body injury and is questionable to play in Thursday’s championship game.

McAvoy would be a major missing piece for the Americans should he not be available for Thursday’s re-match against Team Canada. Although he went scoreless in the first North American rivalry contest, the Boston Bruins’ blue-liner landed five hits in 19:27 of ice time, including a momentum-altering body check against Connor McDavid.

Team USA has a more than capable in-house replacement in Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson but they’ll have a slight abundance of left-handed shots on the blue line. Sanderson, nor any other member of the United States defensive core, is as physical as McAvoy, but he can hold his own on the offensive side of the puck.

Aside from his immediate availability for the United States to close out the 4 Nations Face-Off, there’s no telling if McAvoy’s injury will affect his availability with the Bruins. Anderson didn’t offer a timeline for McAvoy’s recovery but it could be somewhat serious if he’ll miss an entire week of hockey.

Boston will emerge from the 4 Nations Face-Off break exactly one point back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, with two additional games played compared to the Detroit Red Wings. Time is abundant for the Bruins to recapture a playoff spot but their probability will shrink without their top defenseman. Again, there’s no confirmation McAvoy will miss any time with the Bruins although it’ll be a situation to monitor.

Minor Transactions: 2/18/25

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The transaction wire is active again today, with many teams hosting their first practices in over a week. The regular season schedule after the 4 Nations Face-Off resumes this weekend, so the players who teams reassigned to the minors over the break to continue playing will be added back to rosters today and tomorrow to make them eligible to practice with their NHL teammates. Here are all of today’s moves that largely constituted reversals of pre-break demotions.

  • The Hurricanes announced they’ve promoted defenseman Riley Stillman from AHL Chicago. While he’d been off the roster for a few days already prior to the break, he’s been a frequent traveler between Carolina and Chicago this season. He was last rostered for a game on Jan. 28 against the Rangers – his season debut, in which he recorded a fight and a shot on goal in 7:40 of ice time. A routine healthy scratch/extra defenseman, Stillman is close to requiring waivers again to head to the minors after clearing them in November. The 26-year-old has 2-3–5 with 41 PIMs and a minus-three rating in 20 AHL contests this year.
  • The Stars announced they’ve recalled defenseman Lian Bichsel from AHL Texas. He was quietly shuttled down on Feb. 8 after making eight straight appearances for Dallas leading into the break. The 2022 first-rounder has 2-3–5 and a plus-six rating through his first 16 career NHL games, all coming this season, and will continue in a regular role for the time being with Miro Heiskanen and Nils Lundkvist on the shelf.
  • The Canucks announced they’ve promoted all of center Nils Åman, forward Arshdeep Bains, and defenseman Elias Pettersson from AHL Abbotsford. They also added goalie Arturs Silovs from the Baby Canucks on an emergency loan and will have Nikita Tolopilo around as a practice goaltender until Kevin Lankinen is ready to return from representing Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off, although the latter won’t take up a roster spot. Åman and Pettersson were sent to Abbotsford on Feb. 8, but this is Bains’ first recall since late November. The 24-year-old winger had one goal and a minus-four rating in 11 games earlier this season but has remained a near point-per-game threat in the minors, posting 7-20–27 in 32 AHL games. He’ll now get another crack at NHL minutes in the final season of his entry-level contract. Silovs, who’s struggled to the tune of a 1-4-1 record and .847 SV% in seven NHL appearances this season, will come up to serve as Lankinen’s No. 2 with Thatcher Demko still dealing with the undisclosed injury that caused him to leave Vancouver’s last pre-break game against the Maple Leafs. Tolopilo’s stay will be brief, and the 24-year-old will return to Abbotsford as soon as Lankinen is available.
  • The Penguins called up winger Emil Bemström and goalie Joel Blomqvist from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and returned netminder Tristan Jarry to the minors in a corresponding transaction, the team announced. It’s a pure reversal of the moves Pittsburgh made after their last game on Feb. 8. Bemström has no points and two shots in two games since being recalled for the first time this season on Feb. 7, while Blomqvist has a 3-8-0 record with a .896 SV% and 3.54 GAA in 11 appearances on the year. The 23-year-old has struggled since taking over for Jarry on the roster, posting a .868 SV% in three starts since the veteran was waived in mid-January. The 29-year-old Jarry will continue to bide his time in the minors as he awaits another NHL chance, knocking on the door with a .924 SV% and 2.11 GAA in nine games.
  • The Rangers announced they’ve recalled goaltender Dylan Garand from AHL Hartford. The 22-year-old comes up to serve as Jonathan Quick’s backup with Igor Shesterkin not ready to return from the upper-body injury that kept him out of New York’s final game before the break. He’s sporting a .914 SV%, 2.73 GAA, three shutouts, and a 13-7-5 record in 25 showings with Hartford this year.
  • The Blackhawks summoned defenseman Ethan Del Mastro from AHL Rockford, a team announcement states. Chicago sent the 22-year-old down at the beginning of the break for additional playing time in the minors, where he posted three shots and a plus-one rating in four games over the past couple of weeks. He has one assist in six NHL games since first being called up in late January and will continue competing for bottom-pairing minutes while Louis Crevier is on injured reserve with a concussion.
  • The Bruins recalled defenseman Michael Callahan, center Matthew Poitras, and left-winger Riley Tufte from AHL Providence – the latter coming up under emergency conditions, per the team. Goaltender Michael DiPietro will also practice with the team while Jeremy Swayman remains with Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off but won’t count against the active roster. Callahan’s and Poitras’ recalls are reversals of pre-break assignments, with the former’s recall serving as confirmation that Hampus Lindholm won’t be ready to come off LTIR before Saturday’s game against the Ducks. Tufte’s recall is his first since November, and his inclusion is a solid indication that Charlie McAvoy will be IR-bound after sustaining an upper-body injury and subsequent infection at the 4 Nations.
  • The Jets announced they’ve recalled Kaapo Kähkönen from AHL Manitoba to serve as a practice player with Connor Hellebuyck slated to start for the Americans in Thursday’s 4 Nations championship. He’s played one NHL game since signing a one-year, $1MM deal in Winnipeg last offseason – although it was for the Avalanche, who claimed him off waivers in October but lost him back to the Jets on the wire the following month. The 28-year-old has taken a tumble in Manitoba with a .885 SV% in 20 games – a worse save percentage than he posted on last year’s league-worst Sharks.
  • The Sharks announced they’ve recalled forward Collin Graf and defenseman Jack Thompson from AHL San Jose. They were both assigned to the minors after their final pre-break game, although notably, veteran Andrew Poturalski remains in the minors after being demoted along with Graf and Thompson. The rookies are both likely to play next Sunday against the Flames.
  • Utah announced they’d recalled winger Josh Doan from AHL Tucson after the previously reported summons of goaltender Jaxson Stauber. His reinstatement to the roster suggests Logan Cooley won’t be quite ready to return from his lower-body injury this weekend against the Kings, but general manager Bill Armstrong said yesterday he’s not expected out for much longer. Doan has 4-5–9 in 25 NHL games and 11-15–26 in 28 AHL games this year.
  • The Blues will have goaltender Will Cranley join them for practice while Jordan Binnington remains with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the club announced. Cranley, 22, was a sixth-round pick of 2020 and is in his second season of pro hockey. He’s spent almost all of his time in the ECHL, where he has a .911 SV% and 2.28 GAA in 16 appearances with the Florida Everblades this year.
  • The Predators recalled goalie Matt Murray to join them as a practice player while Juuse Saros returns from repping the Fins at the 4 Nations, Emma Lingan of The Hockey News reports. Murray has yet to appear in a game for Nashville after spending the past few years in the Stars organization but has been recalled a few times as injury insurance this season. The 27-year-old has a sparkling .930 SV%, 2.17 GAA, two shutouts, and a 17-7-6 record for Milwaukee.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forwards Gage Goncalves and Gabriel Fortier to join as practice players. Goncalves has served as Tampa Bay’s extra forward for much of the year. His NHL career is still young, and his one goal and seven points in 33 games with the Lightning marks the first scoring of his career. Goncalves has also scored 18 points in 14 AHL games this year. Fortier has spent his whole season in the minors and scored 10 goals and 17 points in 37 games. He ranks third on the Syracuse Crunch in goals and seventh in points.

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