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William Carrier Returns To Lineup, Shayne Gostisbehere Remains Day-To-Day

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Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson began on-ice recovery today as he nears a return from an upper-body injury, Emily Kaplan of ESPN said on today’s broadcast of Washington’s loss in Columbus (via Tom Gulitti of NHL.com). He skated today along with the NHL’s new all-time goals leader, Alex Ovechkin, who stayed home to rest with the Caps’ place atop the Eastern Conference clinched. The presumptive Vezina Trophy finalist has missed the last four games with an upper-body injury and remains questionable for the beginning of Washington’s first-round playoff series against whichever team ends up in the second wild-card spot. Backup Charlie Lindgren hasn’t been particularly inspiring in his absence, posting a .866 SV% since taking over for Thompson when the latter left an April 2 loss to the Hurricanes. Lindgren was not in the crease today for the Caps’ 7-0 defeat; third-stringer Hunter Shepard was. Winger Aliaksei Protas is also expected to skate Monday for the first time since sustaining a laceration from a skate on his left foot on April 4, Kaplan said. “There is some concern about how the location of the skate cut (under skate tongue) will impact the rest of Protas’ foot, but they’re hopeful he’ll be ready for the start of the playoffs,” Gulitti relayed. The 24-year-old remains an invaluable part of the Caps’ league-best offense, erupting for a career-best 30-36–66 scoring line in 76 showings.

  • Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton continues to inch closer to a return but won’t play tomorrow against the Islanders, head coach Sheldon Keefe told the team’s Amanda Stein. Initially expected to be out until the second round of the playoffs after sustaining a lower-body injury in early March, he’s been upgraded to day-to-day. He will almost certainly be an option to begin their first-round series against the Hurricanes. He’s a key return amid a blue line missing Jonas Siegenthaler and a forward group missing star center Jack Hughes. Hamilton’s 40 points in 63 games rank seventh on the Devils and second among rearguards behind Luke Hughes’ 42.
  • The Hurricanes had winger William Carrier in the lineup against the Rangers today for the first time since he underwent lower-body surgery in January. An important depth add to their bottom six ahead of the postseason, the 30-year-old had an assist, four hits, and a plus-one rating in 10:48 of ice time in his return. They were without top backend point-producer Shayne Gostisbehere, though, who Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal relays is dealing with a lower back injury. It’s his second straight absence. The 31-year-old has 44 points in 68 showings this year, his fourth straight season above 40 points. He ranks fifth on Carolina in scoring while averaging 18:29 per game. He remains day-to-day and should be back for Game 1 against New Jersey.

Hurricanes, Alexander Nikishin Agree To Entry-Level Contract

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2:19 p.m.: As reported by PuckPedia, a fair amount of additional bonuses are available to Nikishin in his entry-level contract. As reported by Johnston earlier, the Hurricanes will pay Nikishin a $1.0375MM bonus should he win the Conn Smythe Trophy this postseason. Additionally, Carolina will pay Performance ’A’ bonuses up to $1MM and Performance ’B’ bonuses up to $2MM should Nikishin meet the criteria. As a side note on where he’ll immediately report, the team shared that Nikishin would play for their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, should he fail to acquire a work visa from the Canadian government for their upcoming matchups next week against the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.

9:17 a.m.: The Hurricanes announced Nikishin’s two-year deal for this season and next as official. He’ll earn a base salary of $832.5K each year, prorated for 2024-25, as well as an annual signing bonus of $92.5K. Chris Johnston of The Athletic reports the contract includes a performance bonus if he wins this year’s Conn Smythe Trophy, similar to what Montreal’s Ivan Demidov and Washington’s Ryan Leonard have landed in their deals to increase the performance bonuses they’re eligible for in the second year of the contract.

7:28 a.m.: Top Hurricanes defense prospect Alexander Nikishin will be finishing the season in Carolina. SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League announced this morning they’ve mutually terminated their contract with Nikishin, set to expire May 31, and will allow him to sign an NHL contract with the Hurricanes beginning this season. As expected, SKA will retain his KHL rights if he opts to return to his home country.

Selected by Carolina in the third round of the 2020 draft, Nikishin arrives in the NHL with a resume most first-round picks would love to have – even if he’s only signing his first contract at age 23. The 6’4″, 214-lb lefty established himself as arguably the best defenseman outside of the league a few years ago, dominating the KHL since his breakout season with SKA in 2022-23. He’s scored 45-112–157 in 193 games over the last three years, leading KHL rearguards by a wide margin.

Nikishin has also served as SKA’s captain since the 2023-24 season and claimed the league’s assist crown with 44 in 65 games back in 2022-23, beating out every KHL forward as well. He’s posted a cumulative +71 rating across his six total KHL seasons, including a league-high +32 mark in 2023-24.

This year was somewhat of a down season for Nikishin and SKA, but that’s easy to overlook with his overall resume as one of the KHL’s youngest superstars. He still managed 17 goals, tying his career high, and added 29 assists for 46 points in 61 games while ranking third on the club with a +19 rating. Nikishin also appeared on Russia’s Olympic squad in 2022 as a 20-year-old, although he didn’t register a point in six appearances.

Nikishin is eligible for a two-year ELC, so he’ll join the Canes immediately and be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2026. Where he fits down the stretch with Shayne Gostisbehere, Dmitry Orlov, and Jaccob Slavin ahead of him on the depth chart among lefties in Carolina remains to be seen, but he hopes to see action in at least one of the Canes’ final regular season games before the postseason begins. “If it were possible, I’d be ready to play tomorrow,” Nikishin told Sergey Demidov of Responsible Gambling. “If it works out, I’d be thrilled and would give it everything I’ve got.”

Still, his signing is far more impactful for next season. Nikishin will almost certainly step into Orlov’s role as the latter hits unrestricted free agency, giving the club north of $6.75MM in savings in cap room to spend elsewhere. Orlov has only averaged 18:32 per game for Carolina since signing there in 2023, minutes Nikishin should be able to easily swallow out of the gate without being overtaxed.

Even if he begins as a No. 7 option for the Hurricanes in the postseason, that gives them a level of insurance at the position few other teams have. He was ranked as the organization’s top prospect by NHL.com last offseason, and general manager Eric Tulsky said last August he expected to be able to land Nikishin immediately after his KHL season ended.

Afternoon Notes: Seguin, Orlov, Hutson, Ostman

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The Dallas Stars may take inspiration from their Central Division rival, the Colorado Avalanche, when it comes to easing a star player back into the lineup. Head coach Pete DeBoer shared that the team is deciding whether or not to place winger Tyler Seguin on an AHL conditioning loan as he eases his way back from a hip injury, per Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports. Seguin has missed Dallas’ last 55 games with injury. He is expected to be back to full health in time for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but may not be up to full speed in time to contribute to must-win games. Colorado recently assigned team captain Gabriel Landeskog to an AHL conditioning loan. Neither Seguin nor Landeskog have played any AHL games in their careers.

Seguin was a major piece of the Stars lineup at the beginning of the season. He scored nine goals and 20 points in 19 games to start the year, good for third on the team in points and fourth in goals at the time of his injury. It was an offensive explosion for Seguin, who has struggled to cross the 50-point mark in each of his last four healthy seasons. Regardless of a minor-league conditioning stint, Seguin will soon return to a very different Stars lineup – with feisty youngster Logan Stankoven replaced by high-upside veterans Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund. Adding another flashy winger to that mix could make Dallas a sneaky favorite to win games this postseason.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov is set to hit unrestricted free agency this season, and seems unlikely to receive a confident extension from the cap-strapped Hurricanes. Speculation has connected Orlov to his native KHL for much of the season, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman dispelled those rumors in his recent 32 Thoughts article. Orlov is instead expected to stick in the NHL, where he’ll no doubt get plenty of attention from needy teams this summer. Orlov fills a premium, well-rounded role in Carolina. He has scored six goals and 26 points in 71 games this season, averages 20 minutes of ice time each game, and leads the Hurricanes defense with 97 hits. Those marks fall closely in line with how Orlov has performed throughout his 13-year career in the NHL – maintaining the role of well-rounded bruiser through tenures with the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins. Orlov signed a two-year contract with Carolina in the summer of 2023 – his first time entering unrestricted free agency.
  • Friedman also reported that there’s plenty of Western Conference interest in Boston University forward Quinn Hutson, with the end of his collegiate career in sight. Hutson has been a major contributor to the Terriers offense over the last three seasons. His scoring has improved in every year – growing from 28 points, to 36, and to 50 this year. Those improvements have been coupled with clear growth in his game. He’s become a stronger skater and more confident in finding space in the middle of the ice. Those improvements – and his scoring track record – lend themselves to clear pro upside. Hutson, who had a late start to his juniors career, went undrafted through the 2020, 2021, and 2022 NHL drafts. With this news, a team could soon reverse their mistake in looking past him and award the third of four Hutson brothers with his pro hockey debut.
  • Finally, the Seattle Kraken have reassigned goaltender Victor Ostman to the minor leagues. Ostman made his NHL debut in relief of Joey Daccord on Tuesday, after the latter allowed seven goals on 22 shots through the first two periods. Ostman saved all 12 of the shots he faced in relief. The 24-year-old netminder is playing through his first season of professional hockey, after spending the last four years at the University of Maine. He’s spent the bulk of the year in the ECHL, where he’s recorded a 21-7-4 record and .903 save percentage in 32 games. Ostman has also contributed a stout 2-1-1 record and .927 save percentage in four AHL games this season. He will head back to the AHL with this move, and could get a chance at plenty more ice time with a clean sheet in the NHL under his belt.

Staal, Svechnikov Return; Kotkaniemi Out A Week

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There’s no question the Devils could use him. Hamilton scored nine goals and 40 points in 63 games for New Jersey this season, with 15 coming on the team’s powerplay. The Devils have slowed down since Hamilton and forward Jack Hughes exited the lineup, while their projected Round One opponent, the Carolina Hurricanes, have managed a 9-4-0 record since the trade deadline, meaning New Jersey will need every advantage available.

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  • Speaking of Carolina, the Hurricanes are expected to welcome forwards Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov back to the lineup for tonight’s contest against the Buffalo Sabres. Staal and Svechnikov had missed a handful of games for Carolina over the past week. Unfortunately, in the report from Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer, the Hurricanes are expected to be without center Jesperi Kotkaniemi for the next week. Still, Alexander did reiterate a sentiment from head coach Rod Brind’Amour indicating it’s not a serious ailment for Kotkaniemi.

Hurricanes Assign Joel Nystrom To AHL

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  • The Carolina Hurricanes have assigned defense prospect Joel Nystrom to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves after the end of his SHL season, per NHL.com’s Walt Ruff. Nystrom, 22, recorded six goals and 27 points in 51 games with Farjestads BK this season. That mark was an ever-so-slight bump up from his 26 points in as many games last year. Nystrom has been a fixture of Farjestads’ lineup for the last four seasons, and even supported the team to an SHL championship from a third-pair role in 2021-22. He’s a speedy, undersized defenseman who makes quick plays and creates strong offense from the perimeter. Those attributes might translate best to the minor ranks, but Nystrom’s explosive speed and Carolina’s knack for sheltering undersized players could make for a nice mix as the team looks for an offensive spark. Nystrom was drafted in the seventh-round of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Hurricanes Notes: Svechnikov, Staal, Carrier, Kotkaniemi, Robidas

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The Hurricanes are getting closer to full health at the right time. They’ve got a trio of forwards on the verge of returning to play, none more important than top-six winger Andrei Svechnikov. He participated fully in today’s practice and is tracking to return to the lineup tomorrow against the Sabres, although head coach Rod Brind’Amour wouldn’t confirm his availability one way or another (via the team’s Walt Ruff).

It’s been an extremely trying recent stretch for Svechnikov. He sustained an upper-body injury back on March 9 and missed seven games. His return only lasted three appearances until he sustained another undisclosed injury in a game against the Capitals last week. He’s missed a pair of games due to that one. The injury troubles come as Svechnikov is doling out his worst offensive performance since his rookie season. His 0.68 points per game pace is decently south of the 0.77 career average he’s set for himself over his seven seasons in the league.

He’s still one of the more important contributors on a Carolina roster that lacks a point-per-game contributor after trading Martin Nečas to the Avalanche earlier this season. Including Nečas, Svechnikov ranks fourth on the Canes with 19-26–45 in 66 showings. His 17:12 average time on ice is up slightly from last year’s 16:59, although his underlying are a tad concerning. While he’s controlling 58.7% of shot attempts at even strength, that’s on an exceptional two-way club in Carolina. He’s tracking to post a negative relative CF% for the first time in his career.

Nonetheless, they’d love to get Svechnikov back into the fold and hopefully on a hot streak entering postseason play. They’ve clinched a postseason berth and are essentially locked into second place in the Metropolitan Division with a first-round matchup against an injury-plagued Devils team, but more scoring from him is needed to make a deep run and advance to the Conference Final or further.

Elsewhere in Carolina’s forward group, captain Jordan Staal practiced ahead of tomorrow’s game and, like Svechnikov, remains questionable. He’s sat out the last four games with a lower-body injury and five of the last eight, so he’s clearly nursing something. The 6’4″ pivot remains a veritable two-way force in his 19th NHL season, posting his best offensive performance in three years while winning 53.9% of his draws, tying for fifth on the team with a +13 rating, and adding 42 blocks and 127 hits.

They’re also on the verge of getting depth winger William Carrier back in the lineup after a months-long absence. The 30-year-old was a full participant in today’s practice along with Staal and Svechnikov. He underwent lower-body surgery in late January and was ruled out indefinitely, although he never landed on injured reserve. He posted 4-5–9 in 39 games with 136 hits before exiting the lineup, averaging 11:37 per game in his first season in Carolina after signing a six-year, $12MM commitment last summer that could see him finish his career in Raleigh.

As they land some returnees, there might still be a departure from the lineup. Center Jesperi Kotkaniemi “tweaked something” in Saturday’s loss to the Bruins, Brind’Amour said, and he’s still being evaluated. It’s likely he’ll at least miss the Buffalo game after going without a point in his last six appearances. The 24-year-old has 11-20–31 in 76 games, an improvement from last year’s totals while averaging 14 minutes per game.

It stands to reason Carolina expects at least a net positive in terms of lineup influx for tomorrow’s contest. They returned rookie center Justin Robidas to AHL Chicago last night, per Ruff. The 22-year-old came up under emergency conditions late last week and recorded a point in each of his first two career NHL appearances, including Carolina’s lone goal in the loss to Boston. It was quite the initial showing from the 5’8″ centerman, who the Canes picked up in the fifth round of the 2021 draft. He has 17-31–48 in 65 AHL appearances after spending all of 2023-24 on assignment to ECHL Norfolk.

Jayden Perron To Transfer To Michigan

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  • Hurricanes prospect Jayden Perron is expected to transfer to the University of Michigan next season, reports Elite Prospects’ Cam Robinson (Twitter link). The 20-year-old winger entered the portal late last month.  A third-round pick back in 2023 (94th overall), Perron spent his first two college years at the University of North Dakota.  After putting up 18 points in 38 games in his freshman year, Perron notched ten goals and nine assists in 31 outings this season, finishing seventh in team scoring.

Hurricanes Recall Justin Robidas

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The Hurricanes announced they’ve recalled center Justin Robidas from AHL Chicago. The 5’8″ pivot could be in line to make his NHL debut tomorrow against the Red Wings.

Robidas, 22, was a fifth-round pick by Carolina in the 2021 draft. The son of longtime NHL defenseman Stéphane Robidas is in his second professional season but just his first in the AHL. He spent all of 2023-24 on loan to ECHL Norfolk, while the Canes spent the year without a dedicated AHL affiliate.

The smooth-skating playmaker has done well in his first look in the high-level minors. After posting a strong 12-15–27 scoring line in 32 ECHL games last season, he’s posted 17-31–48 in 65 AHL appearances and ranks third on the team in scoring. Before turning pro in 2023, he posted 95-144–239 in 223 major junior games in the QMJHL across four seasons, winning a league title and Memorial Cup with the Quebec Remparts in his final campaign.

While skilled, his size will remain a factor he needs to overcome to make a meaningful NHL adjustment. Because of that, he’s not viewed as a true impact prospect in Carolina’s middle-of-the-road pipeline. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic tabbed Robidas as the No. 13 prospect in the Canes’ system in his midseason rankings, calling out his defensive intelligence in addition to his high-level scoring skill at lower levels of the game. The latter will be hard to display in NHL minutes, especially down the middle, but there’s a path for him to carve out as a bottom-six energy piece over the coming years.

The Canes have William Carrier and Jordan Staal sidelined with injuries at present, explaining the opportunity for Robidas to join the streaking Hurricanes’ NHL roster. He’s got another year left on his entry-level deal and will be a restricted free agent in 2026.

Jordan Staal Doubtful For Tomorrow

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Lightning Acquire And Sign Lucas Mercuri

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Earlier this month, Lucas Mercuri informed the Hurricanes that he wouldn’t be signing with them.  It didn’t take Carolina long to find a team that the center was amenable to joining, as the Lightning announced that they acquired the prospect for a 2025 sixth-round pick and signed him to a two-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal, which begins next season, were not disclosed.

The 23-year-old was a sixth-round pick by the Hurricanes back in 2020, going 159th overall.  In essence, they’re going to land a pick that’s somewhat close to what they originally used on him which isn’t the worst return for a player who doesn’t want to sign with a team.  It wasn’t disclosed why Mercuri didn’t want to sign with Carolina.

Mercuri just wrapped up his college career with UMass, saving his best season for last.  In 40 games for the Minutemen this season, he notched 10 goals and 21 assists, both personal bests while finishing fifth on the team in scoring.  Over his four-year career with them, he recorded 28 goals and 57 assists in 148 games.

While Mercuri’s contract won’t start until next season, he will be able to get a head start on his professional career.  As part of the acquisition announcement, the Lightning revealed that he has signed a tryout deal with AHL Syracuse and will play with them for the rest of the season.

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