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Afternoon Notes: Thompson, Reichel, Ovechkin

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It has been an up-and-down year for Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson. He was excluded from Team USA’s roster at the Four Nations Face-Off in February, prompting a monster run through the rest of his games last season. He scored 33 goals in 57 games following the mid-year break, then added nine points in 10 games at the summer’s World Championship, including the decisive goal to earn the United States their first Gold Medal in recent history. As part of an extended interview, Thompson told Michael Russo of The Athletic that he’s hoping that goal can advance his spot on the watchlist as the USA prepares for the Olympics. He said:

I would hope scoring that goal would make a difference, but it’s also one play. It doesn’t define me as a player or mean that I had a great tournament or anything by that means… I want to be an Olympian, but getting the Sabres back into the playoffs is always at the forefront.

Thompson is undoubtedly one of America’s biggest scoring threats. His 120 goals in 225 games is the second-most from any American in the NHL since 2022, behind only Auston Matthews (142 goals in 222 games). Thompson has managed that feat despite playing for the only team to score more than 800 goals, and still get outscored, in the same timeframe. He’s the standing pillar of a struggling team, a point made literal by Thompson’s 6-foot-6, 220-pound frame. The United States tied Canada for the most goals (10) during their three games at the 4-Nations Face-Off. Adding a player of Thompson’s caliber to the lineup could be enough to will the Americans over their rival on the biggest stage next February.

Other notes from around the NHL:

  • Chicago Blackhawks winger Lukas Reichel told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun Times that he hasn’t been able to dodge trade rumors – even hearing them on the streets of his native Germany. Despite that, Reichel emphasized that his focus is squarely on carving out a big role with the Blackhawks next season. He scored a career-high eight goals and 22 points in 70 games last season, but still seems well capable of achieving more. The Blackhawks will have plenty of new faces challenging Reichel for minutes next year, including newcomer Andre Burakovsky and rookies Oliver Moore and Landon Slaggert. That competition will push Reichel to a breaking point. If he can show his might in the NHL, he’ll earn a strong role in the middle-six. If not, he could soon find a path away from the Blackhawks organization.
  • NHL legend Alex Ovechkin has departed from his native Russia to return to the United States for the 2025-26 season, shares Sammi Silber of The Hockey News. Ovechkin will kick off his 21st season in the NHL when he lands back in Washington D.C. That mark will make him one of just 42 NHL players to appear in at least 21 seasons. The future Hall-of-Famer broke the league’s record for all-time goals last season, en route to an incredibly 44 goals and 73 points in just 65 games. It will be hard to relieve those numbers as he inches as he prepares to play in his age-40 season. Even then, managing even half of that scoring pace would put Ovechkin on pace for the highest-scoring age-40 season since Teemu Selanne posted 80 points in 2010-11.

Aaron Dell Announces Retirement

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Goaltender Aaron Dell announced his retirement late last night. The 36-year-old wrote on his Instagram page that he’s hanging up his skates after a lengthy professional career that included seven NHL seasons.

“After 13 seasons of professional hockey the time has come for me to hang up the skates and leave my playing days behind me,” Dell wrote. “I wanted to thank all of the people that believed in me and supported me throughout my career. Lots of ups and downs. An undrafted 6 foot tall goalie that was given a chance by the San Jose Sharks organization. When I look at some of the names I had the privilege of working with like Nabokov, Thornton, Pavelski, Marleau, Couture, Karlsson, Burns and so many great players that I will always consider friends, I feel very fortunate.”

The Alberta native began his pro career with the Central Hockey League’s Allen Americans in 2012 after a three-year stint at the University of North Dakota. He split the following season with ECHL Utah before formally joining the Sharks organization in 2014-15, landing a deal with their AHL affiliate at the time in Worcester. After he exploded for a .927 SV% in 26 games for the Woo Sharks down the stretch, Dell landed his first NHL contract and signed a two-way deal with San Jose.

He spent the following year back in the AHL, this time with the San Jose Barracuda, but won a spot on their opening night roster for 2016-17 as Martin Jones’ backup. That began a four-year run for Dell as the Sharks’ primary No. 2 option, including a standout rookie season. He only made 17 starts and three relief appearances behind the workhorse Jones but was excellent when relied upon, posting a .931 SV% and 2.00 GAA with an 11-6-1 record in his first taste of NHL action.

That would end up being the peak for Dell, who was already 27 when he burst onto the scene. He remained a serviceable backup for the coming years and even cracked 30 starts in 2019-20, but by the time he hit free agency that fall amid the pandemic, his averages over his four years in San Jose were a .908 SV% and 2.76 GAA – right around league average for that period.

Dell’s play dipped after that. He signed with the Maple Leafs in 2020 but was claimed by the Devils off waivers before ever playing a game for them. In seven games as New Jersey’s No. 3 option in the shortened 2021 season, he only managed a .857 SV% and 4.14 GAA. From that point forward, he spent most of his time back in the AHL, although he did have brief stints back in the NHL with the Sabres in 2021-22 and a second go-around with the Sharks in 2022-23 as a call-up option. He spent most of 2023-24 on an AHL contract with the Ontario Reign but got an NHL deal from the Kings at the trade deadline to serve as an emergency recall option in the postseason.

Last season, Dell returned to the Sharks organization for a third time on an AHL deal with the Barracuda. He had an .890 SV% and a 3-3-3 record in 10 games for them and a .914 SV% and a 6-6-1 record in 13 games for their ECHL affiliate, the Wichita Thunder.

Dell put a pin in his playing career after recording a .905 SV%, 2.92 GAA, five shutouts, and a 50-50-13 record in 130 NHL appearances. He also had a .912 mark and 11 shutouts with a 70-57-20 record in 155 AHL games in parts of eight seasons.

We at Pro Hockey Rumors congratulate Dell on his career and wish him the best in his post-playing endeavors.

Atlantic Notes: Meloche, McTavish, Hildeby

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Sabres goaltending prospect Samuel Meloche has committed to Northeastern University, he announced on Instagram. It’s unclear if the 18-year-old will join the school for the upcoming 2025-26 season or return to the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, where he emerged as a starter in his draft year, before heading to the college ranks in 2026-27. He was a fourth-round selection in June and checked in as one of the more athletic goalies in this year’s class. The 6’2″, 190-lb netminder had a .900 SV%, 2.90 GAA, five shutouts, and a 30-14-6 record for the Huskies last year – now committing to a school with the same moniker.

Other updates from the Atlantic Division:

  • As the Bruins continue to overhaul their center pipeline, swinging a trade for Ducks restricted free agent Mason McTavish may be among the most realistic options they have to add a top-six piece, Conor Ryan of the Boston Globe opines. “If McTavish is actually available, the Bruins likely would need to relinquish a first-round pick or two, along with an intriguing prospect or young NHL player,” Ryan wrote. “There’s plenty of risk involved with moving first-round picks — especially for a retooling team that could land another top-10 pick next June. But a player such as McTavish also represents a high-upside addition with established production and room to grow — especially given his age.“
  • After signing a three-year deal this morning, Maple Leafs goalie Dennis Hildeby will have a $945K qualifying offer due upon expiry in 2028, PuckPedia reports. His one-way salary in the final year of the deal will be $900K after earning a $775K NHL/$350K AHL breakdown this season and an $850K/$450K split in 2026-27.

Sabres Face Difficult Decision With Isak Rosen

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It was only a few years ago that the Buffalo Sabres selected forward Isak Rosen with the 14th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Unfortunately, since then, he’s earned very little playing time at the NHL level, despite achieving successful AHL campaigns.

In a recent mailbag from Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News, a question was answered on Rosen, to which Lenzi argued that the Sabres could be better off trading Rosen rather than trying to make him work in the top six. Although Rosen has shown considerable talent with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, he’s unlikely to beat out any of Buffalo’s forwards for a top-six role as the roster is currently constructed.

Still only 22, Rosen has spent the last three years in North America after departing from the SHL’s Leksands IF. Since then, Rosen has recorded 62 goals and 142 points in 194 regular-season games with Rochester, along with 11 additional goals and 16 points in 27 playoff contests.

Despite that track record, the Sabres have only given Rosen 15 opportunities in Buffalo, leading to only one assist while averaging 9:09 of ice time per game. Not having the skill set for a bottom-six role, the Sabres are left with very few options for Rosen if they’re unwilling to give him more ice time.

There are a few teams that could have interest in Rosen for a top-six role, with the Edmonton Oilers standing out as an interesting fit. Given that winger Zach Hyman is unsure if he’ll start the regular season on time, Rosen could be a sufficient stopgap in the Oilers’ top-six, especially if Isaac Howard’s transition to the NHL is less than ideal.

Although it’s been quiet on the trade front for a few weeks, the Sabres could conceivably get quite the haul in a deal, especially if they’re willing to include Rosen in a Bowen Byram trade. There’s no indication a deal is close, or still being considered, but Buffalo may now have another arrow in its quiver.

There’s certainly no rush for the Sabres to trade Rosen, as they hold his contractual rights for the next few years. Still, they’re getting dangerously close to Rosen simply being a very good AHL piece, without ever having developed the necessary skill to play at the game’s top level.

Alex Tuch Not Expected To Rush Into Extension

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Friedman believes players like Tuch and Connor are in similar situations. Both are coming off what could be considered the best seasons of their careers, and both have one year remaining on their current contracts. Tuch matched a career high with 36 goals last season for the Sabres, while Connor finished just three points shy of 100 with the Jets.

Trevor Kuntar Hoping For Turnaround With Sabres Organization

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  • Forward Trevor Kuntar, 24, signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Sabres’ AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, seeking not only a fresh start but also the opportunity to follow in his father’s footsteps and play for his hometown team, per team reporter Andrew Mossbrooks. Kuntar, a native of the Buffalo area, signed with Rochester after spending the last two seasons in the Boston Bruins organization. After three seasons at Boston College, Kuntar signed with the Boston and appeared in 124 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins, posting 13 goals and 32 points. Kuntar is now set to wear the same jersey his father, Les Kuntar, wore for Rochester during the 1996-97 season.

Sabres Won't Bring Back Brett Murray

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  • Winger Brett Murray has been with the Sabres for the better part of a decade after he was drafted by them back in 2016. However, now that he’s on the open market, he’ll be looking for a new team as his agent Dave Gagner told Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald that the organization has informed Murray that they won’t be offering a contract to him.  The 27-year-old played in three games with Buffalo last season and has 26 appearances at the top level under his belt.  Murray spent most of last year with AHL Rochester where he had 27 goals and 22 assists in 66 games.  However, he now qualifies as a veteran under AHL roster rules which has likely limited his marketability so far.

Chad Ruhwedel Announces Retirement

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Longtime NHL defenseman Chad Ruhwedel has decided to hang up his skates. In an announcement from the NHLPA, Ruhwedel has officially retired after a 13-year NHL career.

Ruhwedel’s NHL career began in the 2012-13 NHL season, signing as an undrafted collegiate free agent after a successful tenure with the University of Massachusetts – Lowell. He signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres and played in seven games for them down the stretch of the regular season.

He spent the next three years with the Sabres, primarily serving as an immediate injury call-up. Throughout his tenure with the Sabres, Ruhwedel finished with two assists in 33 games, averaging 16:22 of ice time per night. He performed much better with their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, scoring 24 goals and 90 points in 178 games played.

Becoming an unrestricted free agent after the 2015-16 season, Ruhwedel signed with the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh is easily where Ruhwedel enjoyed the most success of his career, even outside of winning the first and only Stanley Cup ring of his career in his first season with the club.

The San Diego, CA native served as a depth defenseman for the Penguins, remaining primarily on the NHL roster rather than being sent down to their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He played nearly 10 times as many games with Pittsburgh compared to Buffalo, finishing with 13 goals and 47 points in 326 games, averaging 15 minutes and 2 seconds of ice time per game. Although he wasn’t known for his offensive capabilities, he managed productive defensive metrics, earning a 51.1% CorsiFor% at even strength and a 91.8% on-ice save percentage at even strength.

After seven and a half years with the Penguins, the team traded Ruhwedel to the New York Rangers during the 2023-24 season for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Despite staying with the team for another year, Ruhwedel only managed one assist in 10 games with the Rangers. He spent much of this past season with their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, scoring three goals and 18 points in 50 games, with a +12 rating.

Over his 13-year career, Ruhwedel retired with 13 goals and 50 points in 369 NHL contests while going pointless in 25 postseason matchups. In the AHL, he finished with 32 goals and 129 points in 261 games, scoring another two goals and five points in five Calder Cup playoff contests.

All of us at PHR congratulate Ruhwedel on his lengthy career and wish him well as he begins the next chapter of his life.

Sabres Won't Resign Brett Murray

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  • The Edmonton Oilers’ top affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, signed four players to AHL deals, per a team announcement. The team signed forwards Matt Brown and Trevor Janicke and defensemen Mats Lindgren and Luke Prokop. Of note, Propkop was a third-round selection of the Nashville Predators in the 2020 draft, while Lindgren was a fourth-round selection of the Sabres in the 2022 draft.

Sabres Sign Devon Levi To Two-Year Deal

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The Sabres announced that they have signed restricted free agent goaltender Devon Levi to a two-year deal. It’s a cap hit of $812,500, presumably paying him a league-minimum salary in each of the next two years on a one-way deal for a total value of $1.625MM.

Levi, 23, was Buffalo’s last unsigned RFA. The promising netminder had little to no leverage in contract talks this summer as a dual-threat 10.2(c) player – not only was he ineligible to file for salary arbitration, he was also ineligible to receive and sign offer sheets.

His time in the Sabres organization has been marked by a clear disconnect between his NHL and minor-league performances. Overall, he has 39 NHL appearances (36 starts) to his name over the last three years, underwhelming with a 3.29 GAA and .894 SV%. Those numbers are even propped up by a strong showing in his first taste of NHL action in late 2023; he only has a .892 SV% in the last two seasons with a subpar .448 quality start percentage.

Combining that with his excellent performance with the AHL’s Rochester Americans over the last two seasons has put him in an odd spot between being a true No. 2 or No. 3 on the Sabres’ depth chart. He’s logged 68 games for the Amerks since the beginning of 2023-24, posting a .922 SV% and 41-19-10 record with seven shutouts. He’s arguably been the league’s best goalie during that time, usurping the Flames’ Dustin Wolf after he landed a full-time NHL gig.

Those numbers come on the back of Levi serving as the best goalie in college hockey for two seasons with Northeastern, making his ceiling all the more tantalizing. Initially a 2020 seventh-round pick by the Panthers from the Carleton Place Canadians of the CCHL, a junior ’A’ league, he had a coming-out party with Canada at the following year’s World Juniors and was eventually traded to Buffalo in the Sam Reinhart deal. In his two years with Northeastern before turning pro with the Sabres, he posted a .942 SV% and 16 shutouts in 66 games and was given the Mike Richter Award as the NCAA’s top goaltender both times.

The Sabres were hoping Levi could take a significant step forward in his development last season, even waiving veteran James Reimer at the beginning of the year to make Levi the opening-night backup. He had just a .870 SV% through his first seven games before Buffalo was able to reclaim Reimer off waivers from the Ducks, allowing them to return Levi to the AHL. He only made two more NHL appearances the rest of the way for a 2-7-0 record, .872 SV%, 4.12 GAA, and -8.0 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck.

That undoubtedly left a sour taste in the Sabres’ mouth and left them unwilling to dole out a contract with a seven-figure cap hit, something we’ve seen teams do with high-ceiling but unestablished netminders to try and squeeze some value out of them while they’re breaking out into NHL minutes. For Levi, it’s not as if he had much choice if he wants a legitimate chance to fight for an NHL job in camp and leapfrog veteran Alex Lyon, who the Sabres signed in free agency as veteran insurance, as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s backup to begin the year.

His lack of leverage in talks means a league-minimum deal if he cracks the NHL roster. Still, he’ll at least be much more well-compensated if he returns to Rochester after spending the last two seasons under the two-way structure of his entry-level contract.

Image courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images.

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