Kraken Recall Jacob Melanson, Place Ben Meyers On IR
The Seattle Kraken will be down a hot hand for the final two games of their current homestand. Depth forward Ben Meyers has been placed on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury that has him out week-to-week. Meyers scored three points in his last two games. The Kraken have responded to his injury by recalling forward Jacob Melanson in a corresponding move.
It isn’t entirely clear when Meyers sustained his injury. He played through the final minute of action in Wednesday night’s win over the New York Islanders and recorded one point and one shot in the contest. Meyers didn’t appear to be nursing an injury in his final shift but will now land on the shelf for a minimum of one week and three games. He will be eligible to return on January 29th, when the Krkaen host the Toronto Maple Leafs to close out a six-game homestand.
Meyers has chipped his way up to Seattle’s third-line with a strong, two-way effort as of late. He ranks third on the offense in hits (15) and second in penalty-kill ice time (20:41) since the start of 2026. On the year, Meyers has recorded 11 points, 36 hits, and 40 shots on goal in 31 games. He’s proven to be a responsible veteran near the bottom of Seattle’s lineup, a role that could be hard to replace with an AHL call-up.
Melanson has been a responsible piece of the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ lineup this year, with 16 points and 28 penalty minutes in 26 games. He has carved out a top-six role and ranks third among Firebirds forwards in plus-minus with a plus-seven. That diligence hasn’t quite translated to the top flight, with Melanson boasting only four points and a minus-two in 15 NHL games this season. They are the first NHL games of his career, except for his NHL debut, which he made at the end of last season.
That inexperience could be a motivator as Melanson looks to make himself comfortable in a bottom-six role in place of the toolsy Meyers. He will compete with Tye Kartye for a spot in the lineup. Kartye has recorded seven points and a minus-seven in 37 games this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins Activate Erik Karlsson
According to a team announcement, the Pittsburgh Penguins have activated defenseman Erik Karlsson from the injured reserve. In a corresponding roster move, the Penguins have placed defenseman Ryan Graves on the injured reserve.
Pittsburgh will have their highest-scoring defenseman back in the lineup tonight against the Edmonton Oilers. Karlsson, 35, has been sidelined the last nine days with an undisclosed injury and has returned somewhat earlier than expected.
In a resurgent year, the former Norris Trophy winner has registered four goals and 33 points in 44 games for the Penguins this season. He’s led all defensemen in Pittsburgh in ATOI with a 23:46 mark.
He has played a crucial role in the Penguins’ surprising return to contention this season. Not only is Karlsson 20 points away from matching his point totals from last season, but he’s managed a robust 54.3% CorsiFor% at even strength. Despite his 88.6% on-ice SV% being below what most teams would expect from their top defenseman, it’s an improvement from where Karlsson was at as recently as last year.
It couldn’t have come at a better time for the player or team, either. Being the subject of trade speculation throughout Pittsburgh’s retool, a resurgent year from Karlsson has put the Penguins in a better spot regarding his future. The team may be more comfortable retaining Karlsson, given his strong play this season, or have better luck trading him now that interested parties may be more inclined to acquire him.
Meanwhile, Graves will head to the injured reserve after initially being recalled to replace Karlsson’s spot on the active roster. Assuming the rest of the defensive core can remain healthy, Graves will likely be reassigned to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins upon his activation. He cleared waivers at the end of December and hasn’t met the requirements to need waivers again.
Infamously signed through the 2028-29 season at a $4.5MM cap hit, Graves has been scarcely used by the Penguins this season. Serving in a depth role, he’s registered one goal in 19 games while averaging 15:29 of ice time per game. Playing in the AHL for the first time since the 2018-19 season, Graves has recorded two goals and nine points in 13 contests.
Injury Notes: Wild, McDonagh, Huberdeau
The Minnesota Wild could have a few reinforcements for their upcoming game tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. According to NHL reporter Jessi Pierce, Zach Bogosian, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Marcus Johansson all took part in Minnesota’s practice this morning.
Pierce went on to indicate that both Eriksson Ek and Johansson could return to the lineup tonight. Unfortunately, Bogosian and Boldy will remain on the sidelines. In the latter’s defense, given the stipulations of putting a player on the injured reserve, Boldy would be ineligible for tonight’s contest regardless of how he feels.
The Wild could certainly use the help. After having an outstanding record through November and December, Minnesota has stalled of late, managing a 4-4-2 record in January. If Eriksson Ek and Johansson return tonight, the Wild would have two of their top four scorers back in the lineup.
Additional injury notes:
- The long-awaited return of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh is on the horizon. According to team insider Erik Erlendsson, McDonagh’s recovery timeline has been upgraded to day-to-day, and head coach Jon Cooper guaranteed that he would play before the upcoming Olympic break. Due to varying injuries, the Lightning have been without McDonagh for most of the 2025-26 campaign. The 16-year veteran has registered four goals and eight points in 18 games on the year, averaging 20 minutes of ice time per game.
- According to Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg, winger Jonathan Huberdeau will return to the lineup tomorrow night for the Calgary Flames. The former Calder Trophy winner missed the Flames’ most recent game due to a lower-body injury.
Latest On Maple Leafs’ Defense
In last night’s loss to the Detroit Red Wings, the Toronto Maple Leafs suffered another serious blow on defense, losing Oliver Ekman-Larsson partway through the game to a lower-body injury. Earlier today, on TSN’s Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun posited that Ekman-Larsson is expected to miss some time. Still, there’s no concern about his availability for Team Sweden at the Olympics.
As bad as it is to lose your highest-scoring defenseman, that’s not the only injury Toronto’s defensive core suffered last night. According to TSN’s Chris Johnston, there is concern from the Maple Leafs that Brandon Carlo is also suffering from an ailment. Carlo only recently returned from a foot injury that cost him two months of the 2025-26 campaign.
Factoring in the long-term groin injury to Chris Tanev, Toronto may be without 75% of the top-four of their defensive core for the foreseeable future. Few teams would be able to absorb that many losses, and it couldn’t come at a worse time for the Maple Leafs, who currently sit one point back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Still, although the team has yet to provide an update on the status of Ekman-Larsson or Carlo, LeBrun indicated on Insider Trading that the new injuries have motivated the Maple Leafs to increase their efforts to acquire a defenseman.
LeBrun specifically mentioned Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils and Luke Schenn of the Winnipeg Jets as likely options. Each defenseman has been linked to the Maple Leafs rather significantly over the last few weeks.
Still, there are a few reasons for pause. It’s not to suggest that Toronto couldn’t use an outside acquisition to bolster its defensive core, but desperation typically leads to overpayment. That’s not something the Maple Leafs can afford to do with so little prospect and draft capital.
Furthermore, the possibility of a Hamilton trade in the near future has taken a steep decline over the last few days. New Jersey recently lost defenseman Luke Hughes for the next month or more with a shoulder separation, opening a spot in the top four for Hamilton. As long as Hughes remains out, the Devils will be less inclined to move Hamilton despite the perceived benefits of doing so.
Meanwhile, it’s not obvious that Schenn would be a significant upgrade over Toronto’s other options. He’s had a disappointing year with the Jets, scoring one goal and six points in 35 games, averaging 13:51 of ice time per game. Furthermore, his defensive metrics have declined, showing a CorsiFor% of 45.2% and an on-ice SV% of 89.2% at even strength.
It’s clear that the Maple Leafs will need to bring in some help at any rate. Toronto has seven more games until the upcoming Olympic break, and their record over that stretch could have significant ramifications for the rest of the season.
Senators’ David Perron Out Five To Seven Weeks
The Ottawa Senators have lost one of their veteran forwards until the end of February at the very least. Relayed from TSN’s Bruce Garrioch, head coach Travis Green told reporters today that winger David Perron would miss the next five to seven weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia.
Perron’s recovery timeline indicates that he will return well after the upcoming Olympic break. On the earlier side, he could return as soon as Ottawa’s February 26th matchup against the Detroit Red Wings. If it takes closer to seven weeks for him to return, his absence could extend until the middle of March.
Regardless, it’s the second consecutive year that Perron has dealt with a significant injury. During his first season with the Senators, Perron missed two months due to a back injury shortly after he returned from a family medical emergency. He finished the campaign with nine goals and 16 points in 43 games.
Healthy to start the 2025-26 campaign, Perron has been a solid tertiary contributor to the Senators. Largely in a middle-six role, the 37-year-old winger has scored 10 goals and 25 points in 49 games, averaging 13:26 of ice time per game. Additionally, he’s been productive on the defensive side of the puck, managing a 53.5% CorsiFor% and 90.6% on-ice SV% at even strength.
Fortunately, because of the Winter Olympics, Perron doesn’t stand to lose as much time as he otherwise could have. Despite being out for over a month, the expected recovery timeline projects him to miss anywhere from eight to 15 games.
The injury will certainly have implications regarding Perron’s future in Ottawa or elsewhere. At his age, suffering major injuries in back-to-back years can invoke career-ending ramifications. Being a pending unrestricted free agent, Perron will have some work to do upon his return to ensure that there’s interest in him next summer.
Bruins Assign Jordan Harris To AHL On Conditioning Loan
The Boston Bruins are nearing a fully healthy defensive core. Earlier today, the Bruins announced that they’ve assigned defenseman Jordan Harris to the AHL’s Providence Bruins on a conditioning loan.
Harris, 25, is in his first year with his hometown team. The Haverhill, MA native signed a one-year, $825K contract with Boston last summer after being non-tendered by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Before his one-year stint with Columbus, he had spent three years with the Montreal Canadiens before being traded in 2024 for Patrik Laine and a 2026 second-round pick.
Unfortunately, his time with the Bruins hasn’t gone to plan. Due to suffering a fractured ankle in October, Harris has been limited to five appearances for Boston this season. In those five contests, Harris has registered one goal and one assist, averaging 15:38 of ice time per game.
Furthermore, unless there’s another injury, Harris may not have access to much ice time upon his return. Due to multiple injuries on the blue line, the Bruins have given Jonathan Aspirot a larger opportunity this season, and he’s run with it. He’s been a bright spot in Boston this year, achieving a +19 rating in 30 games with an exceptional 94.6% on-ice SV% at even strength. The Bruins rewarded him a little over a week ago, signing Aspirot to a two-year extension.
That may push Harris into a depth role for the rest of the campaign through no fault of his own. Assuming no additional injuries occur, Harris would become the fifth left-handed defenseman on the active roster. Still, given that the Bruins have struggled to remain healthy, primarily on defense, being limited to a depth role is far from guaranteed for Harris.
Devils Place Luke Hughes On LTIR, Recall Colton White
Jan. 21st: Confirming the reports regarding the shoulder separation, the Devils announced that they’ve placed Hughes on the long-term injured reserve. Due to the upcoming Olympic break, he won’t be eligible to return until New Jersey’s matchup on February 25th against the Buffalo Sabres. Additionally, the Devils shared that they’ve recalled Colton White, who recently cleared waivers, in Hughes’ stead.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan went on to update that Hughes will not get surgery at this point, but the young star will need to rehab, facing LTIR through the Olympic break.
Jan. 20th: The New Jersey Devils may have lost one of their best young defensemen for quite some time. According to insider Frank Seravalli, the initial diagnosis on Devils’ defenseman Luke Hughes is that he dislocated his shoulder last night against the Calgary Flames.
New Jersey is believed to be seeking a second opinion on Hughes’ injury, though the team is confident he will miss some time, which team reporter Amanda Stein confirmed after the game. The Devils won’t return to New Jersey until January 27th (they are currently on a Pacific Division road trip), so it could be some time before they publicly reveal the severity of Hughes’ injury.
Although it’s not beneficial to speculate about injuries, it’s difficult to tell from the video exactly what happened. Hughes was racing Flames forward Justin Kirkland for a loose puck, and Hughes immediately dropped his stick and clutched his right shoulder. There was no significant contact on the play.
In terms of a recovery timeline, it largely depends on the severity of the separation. A month ago, Chicago Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard suffered a dislocated shoulder against the St. Louis Blues, causing Bedard to miss 12 consecutive games. If Hughes is on pace for a similar recovery, he won’t return after the Olympic break in February.
Regardless, the Devils continue their trend of suffering long-term injuries to their high-level performers. Before going down with an injury, Hughes had scored five goals and 26 points in 48 games, averaging 23:20 of ice time per game. He was New Jersey’s leading scorer among defensemen by a healthy margin, and sat behind Dougie Hamilton in CorsiFor% at even strength.
Outside of what the injury means for Hughes specifically, it certainly won’t help the team in their efforts to climb back into the playoff conversation. Although much of the Eastern Conference has been streaky this season, the Devils have been one of the worst-performing teams since December 1st, largely nixing any idea of this simply being a “bad streak”.
In the team’s defense, few organizations would be able to sustain the number of injuries that New Jersey has suffered over the years. Regardless, their window to make the playoffs this season is quickly closing. For comparison, since December 1st, the New York Rangers, who have already punted on the 2025-26 season, have earned 20 points in the standings, whereas New Jersey has only claimed 19 with an additional game played.
East Notes: Malkin, Tanev, Robinson, Lightning
Back in June, a report from Josh Yohe of The Athletic indicated that the Pittsburgh Penguins had little interest in extending franchise icon Evgeni Malkin beyond the 2025-26 campaign. Additionally, Pittsburgh’s play-by-play voice, Josh Getzoff, shared that General Manager Kyle Dubas would meet with Malkin during the Olympic Break to discuss his future.
In a new update from Yohe, that remains the plan from the Penguins’ perspective. Yohe indicated that Malkin wants to sign a one-year extension in Pittsburgh, is willing to take a paycut on his current salary, and doesn’t want to play anywhere, regardless of whether it’s with a playoff contender or not.
He’s turned back the clock this season, scoring 10 goals and 35 points in 33 games — already 15 points away from matching last year’s totals. Additionally, in an unexpected fashion, the Penguins are remarkably competitive this season, currently in a divisional playoff spot in the Metropolitan.
Still, injury troubles have plagued Malkin in the past two years, and Pittsburgh may be more interested in moving its available dollars elsewhere. Despite their competitiveness this season, the team has already shown a willingness to move out veterans, evidenced by their trade of netminder Tristan Jarry last month. Regardless, considering they will meet in a few weeks, more will be known about Malkin’s future relatively soon.
Additional notes from the Eastern Conference:
- A few weeks ago, David Alter of The Hockey News reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs and defenseman Chris Tanev have not decided upon surgery to repair his groin injury. According to Nick Barden of The Hockey News, that remains the status quo. Barden relayed a quote from head coach Craig Berube saying, “He’s still working through things. He hasn’t got surgery yet. We’re still working through things.” Berube went on to add that Tanev is the one who is hesitant about surgery, not the Maple Leafs.
- The Carolina Hurricanes are expecting to be without one of their bottom-six forwards for the foreseeable future. The Hurricanes shared that forward Eric Robinson will be “out for an extended period [of time]” with an upper-body injury. He was seen at the rink today in a sling. Carolina will likely place the nine-year veteran on the injured reserve.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning aren’t moving anytime soon. According to Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times, the Lightning have signed a six-year lease extension with Benchmark International Arena, keeping them in the stadium through the 2042-43 NHL season. Additionally, Hillsborough County has agreed to include $250MM in the agreement for arena renovations, while the organization will contribute $75MM.
Flames Prospect Cullen Potter Sustains Season-Ending Injury
The Calgary Flames have been dealt bad news for a 2025 first-round pick. Arizona State University centerman Cullen Potter, the 32nd-overall pick in last year’s draft, sustained a season-ending upper-body injury in a January 10th match against Miami University. The injury occured on a hard hit from 2026 draft prospect Kocha Delic. Potter will undergo surgery and face a three-to-four month recovery process, head coach Greg Powers told reporters including Gabriella Chernoff of the Sun Devil Source.
Potter was a feature piece of a strong Sun Devils offense this season. He leads the team with 12 goals and has 26 points in 24 games. His season has been an encore to the breakout freshman season Potter had at ASU last season. He bought out of his contract with the U.S. National Team Development Program before his U18 season, opting instead to go to college for his draft season. The move seemed like a tall bet for the undersized, skilled-scorer but Potter stood up to the test. He scored 13 goals and 22 points in 35 games, second-most of all draft eligibles in college behind James Hagens.
Potter is the son of Jenny Potter, a former star of Team USA’s women’s national team. The elder Potter won one Olympic Gold, four World Championship Golds, and nine other international medals through a 20-year career that began when she was named an Olympian at 19. She was a high-speed, high-finesse scorer with a knack for filling all roles on offense. The younger Potter plays a similar style to his mom, bringing explosive speed and high skill to the offense.
Those talents have made Potter one of Calgary’s top prospects, a status that’s sure to stick even through an early end to his sophomore season. He will return to a starring role with the Sun Devils next season, flanked by fellow NHL draft picks and incoming recruits Benjamin Kevan, Nathan Behm, Brandon Gorzynski.
Penguins’ Kris Letang Day-To-Day With Upper-Body Injury
The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without both of their star defensemen for the short-term. After facing an injury to Erik Karlsson, the Penguins have announced that Kris Letang is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Letang missed practice on Tuesday and will be questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Calgary Flames.
It is not clear when Letang’s injury occured. He played 22 minutes of ice time and recorded a plus-three in Monday’s win over the Seattle Kraken. The Penguins still have three games on their road trip through the Pacific Northwest before returning home to host the Chicago Blackhawks on January 29th.
Letang has filled a major role in the lineup since Karlsson’s injury, averaging more than 24 minutes of ice time in the last four games. He has recorded three assists in that stretch, bringing his season scoring up to 25 points in 48 games. Even in his age-38 season, Letang has continued to answer the bell as a top offensive-defenseman for the Penguins. His role will be impossible to replace, particularly so for a Penguins blue-line that hasn’t been known for depth in recent years.
Ryan Shea seems set to benefit most from the extra minutes. He recorded 20:14 in ice time on Monday, marking his 15th game this season with more than 20 minutes of ice time. In Letang’s absence, Shea – a left-handed defender who has played on the right-hand side – could assume top-pair duties next to Brett Kulak.
That shift will bring right-defenseman Jack St. Ivany down from the press box. St. Ivany has scored three assist in 14 games this season. His plus-three ranks third on the blue-line, behind Shea (plus-14) and Letang (plus-five). Pittsburgh also has left-defenseman Ilya Solovyov on the active roster.