Snapshots: Grzelcyk, Vatrano, Liljegren
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was fined $2,604.17 by the NHL Department of Player Safety for cross-checking Ottawa Senators’ center Tim Stutzle on Saturday. It is the maximum allowable fine under the CBA for this infraction. Grzelcyk cross-checked Stutzle in the face during a scrum in front of the net and was awarded a double-minor penalty. He will avoid suspension for the incident, allowing him to stick in a true utility role for the Blackhawks. Grzelcyk has averaged over 20 minutes of ice time in his last five games, far above the 16 minutes he’s averaged across the full season. He’s a veteran two-way defender with six points, all assists, and a plus-three in 35 games this season.
Other quick notes from around the league:
- Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano was also fined $5,000 by the NHL DPS for unsportsmanlike conduct against Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson. Vatrano ragdolled Robertson after a shoving match in front of the net turned into a scrum on the boards. He has 34 penalty minutes in 35 games this season, to go with only five points and a minus-11. This news will keep Vatrano in a daily, depth role for the Ducks.
- The San Jose Sharks could be without defenseman Timothy Liljegren when they face the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. Liljegren was designated as day-to-day and doubtful for Tuesday due to an upper-body injury, per Curtis Pashelka of Mercury News. Liljegren has averaged top-line minutes over in 28 games this season, though he only has four assists and a minus-10 on the year. Still, the 26 year old has stepped into an important, veteran role on a young Sharks lineup. He’ll be tough to replace, but rookie defender Sam Dickinson and depth defender Vincent Iorio could be the one to benefit from the need for a bigger presence.
New Jersey Devils To Activate Jack Hughes
The New Jersey Devils are expected to receive a big boost tonight, as franchise center Jack Hughes told the media today, including NHL.com’s Mike Morreale, that he expects to be in the lineup for the team’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.
In addition, the club will see winger Timo Meier return to the lineup after a five-game absence and rookie Arseni Gritsyuk return after a four-game absence.
Hughes has not played since Nov. 15 after reportedly injuring his hand in an off-ice accident. He underwent finger surgery in the aftermath of the injury, and ended up missing 18 games. When healthy, Hughes is the Devils’ most dangerous offensive player. His 20 points in 17 games this season leads the team on a points-per-game basis, and his return should provide a massive boost to the Devils’ ability to score goals.
Despite significant injury losses, the Devils have managed to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They currently sit in the second wild-card spot, but the return of Hughes, Meier, and Gritsyuk, as well as the recent return of defenseman Brett Pesce, figures to give the team a jolt that will likely be reflected in the standings.
At the moment, it isn’t entirely clear who will slot in next to Hughes on what will undoubtedly be the Devils’ most relied-upon scoring line. Per team reporter Amanda Stein, Hughes skated with Gritsyuk on his wing in morning skate, as well as “a rotation” of veteran Stefan Noesen and Marc McLaughlin alongside them.
But seeing as not everyone was on the ice for the Devils’ optional morning skate, those practice reps should not be seen as a firm indication of where Hughes will land in head coach Sheldon Keefe’s lineup.
Hughes skated alongside Gritsyuk and Dawson Mercer in his most recent game on Nov. 12, so it’s possible Keefe will elect to reassemble that line tonight. With Hughes out, Mercer has most recently slotted in as New Jersey’s first line right winger, lining up next to captain Nico Hischier and team leading scorer Jesper Bratt.
Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski Out Day-To-Day
The Columbus Blue Jackets suffered a tough loss to the Anaheim Ducks last night, falling 4-3 after a late game-winning goal by Ducks center Mason McTavish. But perhaps even worse than the final result was an apparent injury suffered by Zach Werenski, the Blue Jackets’ best and most important player.
Werenski blocked a shot from Anaheim’s Troy Terry with a little over two minutes left in yesterday’s game, and he needed to be helped off of the ice while in what appeared to be quite a bit of pain. After the game, Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason did not have any update on Werenski’s status, but this morning The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reported that “X-rays late Saturday in Anaheim confirmed” that there were “no broken bones” in Werenski’s right leg, and as a result, he is “considered day-to-day.”
It goes without saying that any longer-term loss of Werenski would have dealt a significant blow to Columbus’ hopes of staying in the Eastern Conference’s playoff race. At the moment, the Blue Jackets sit last in the conference with 34 points in 35 games, and are seven points behind the New Jersey Devils for the final wild-card spot.
Werenski is a force for the Blue Jackets, someone whose presence is felt in all aspects of the game. Last season’s Norris Trophy runner-up leads the team in scoring this season with 40 points in 35 games. His 40 points are tied with Cale Makar for the scoring lead among blueliners this year. The two are in a league of their own when it comes to offense this year. The No. 3 defenseman in terms of scoring this season, Edmonton Oilers blueliner Evan Bouchard, is seven points behind Makar and Werenski.
Werenski’s value to the Blue Jackets is more than just his scoring. He averages almost 27 minutes of ice time per game, quarterbacking the team’s efforts on the power play and playing a secondary role on the penalty kill. Werenski is No. 2 in the NHL in time on ice per game.
Columbus plays tomorrow in Los Angeles, and if Werenski can’t dress against the Kings, he’d be extremely difficult for Columbus to attempt to replace. His role on the top power play unit would likely be filled by veteran Damon Severson, who has 10 points in 35 games this season, and second-year blueliner Denton Mateychuk figures to see a bump in overall ice time in the event Werenski is sidelined.
That Werenski appears to have avoided a longer-term injury is great news for not just Columbus, but also USA Hockey. He’s expected to be one of the key defensemen on the United States’ team for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. With the tournament now under two months away, any longer-term injury would have seriously threatened his availability for those games. Based on today’s reporting, it appears Werenski’s availability for those games is not under any threat.
Injury Notes: Evans, Kleven, Samoskevich
The Montreal Canadiens lost an impact center in Saturday’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jake Evans left the game partway through after his knee was awkwardly hit by Pittsburgh’s Justin Brazeau. He promptly left the game and didn’t return.
Evans will move forward with a questionable tag, while Canadiens fans hold their breath hoping the knee-to-knee collission doesn’t result in a long-term absence. The 29 year old has served an important depth role for Montreal through the first half of the year. He has racked up 10 points, split evenly, and a minus-13 through 33 appearances while averaging third-line minutes. Evans scored a career-high 13 goals and 36 points last season – but generally hasn’t been one to rack up the scoring. He’s instead found impact with a strong, physical play and consistent lineup presence. He has only missed one game since 2023 – a streak that could change with this latest injury.
More injury updates from around the league:
- Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven left the team’s win over the Chicago Blackhawks with a lower-body injury. The injury occured on an awkward fall against the boards, after getting his foot swept out from under him. He has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Boston Bruins, head coach Travis Green told TSN’s Claire Hanna. Kleven has four assists and a minus-12 in 31 games this season. He has offered stout depth for the Senators, and will be replaced by Jordan Spence in the short-term.
- Ahead of Saturday’s loss to the St. Louis Blues, the Florida Panthers announced that forward Mackie Samoskevich is day-to-day with a lower-body injury sustained on Friday, per NHL.com’s Jameson Olive. Samoskevich has 17 points and a minus-four in 34 games this season, operating from a third-line role. He’s been on a hot streak as of late, with three points in his last five games. That run will halt for the time being, while Florida turns towards Jack Studnicka to fill Samoskevich’s hole in the lineup.
Blackhawks’ Frank Nazar Expected To Miss Four Weeks With Injury
Injury news turned from bad to worse during the Chicago Blackhwaks’ Saturday loss to the Ottawa Senators. Already without star Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks also lost top forward Frank Nazar after he took a slapshot from Ottawa’s Claude Giroux hit him in the face. Nazar went straight to the locker room and was announced as out soon after. The puck appeared to hit him square in the cheek.
Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill said postgame that Nazar is expected to miss four weeks with his resulting injury per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
This is another blow in a difficult season for the Blackhawks’ second-string star. Nazar missed two games earlier in the year with a separate injury. He has also been hit with a scoring drought – going six consecutive games without a point and 21 games without a goal. Both of those streaks snapped on Thursday night, when Nazar scored Chicago’s only goal in a 1-4 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
Despite the struggles, the 22 year old has still emerged as a key part of Chicago’s offense this season. He has 21 points in 32 games, good for fourth on the Blackhawks in scoring. That’s strong standing after the team made the shocking decision to sign Nazar to a seven-year, $46.2MM contract extension in August, with only 56 games of NHL experience under his belt. That new deal kicks into effect next summer, while Nazar looks to prove his worth on the last year of his entry-level contract this season.
Now without two of their top four scorers, the Blackhawks offense could be in some trouble. Veteran center Jason Dickinson should elevate to a top-line role in Nazar’s absence, while rookie Ryan Greene assumes a top-six role for one of the first times in his career. Neither player has lit the lamp all too often this season – with Dickinson boasting six points in 21 games and Greene holding 10 points in 34 games. Amid the shuffle, Chicago could also recall depth forward Landon Slaggert, who has served as a go-to fill-in for much of the year. Slaggert could assume the role of bottom-line center – or Chicago could move Oliver Moore, Ryan Donato, or Sam Lafferty off of the wing to fill their gap. Through the decisions, one thing is clear: Chicago is in for a tight squeeze with five games remaining in December. Nazar will miss the start of 2026, while Bedard injury won’t be re-evaluated until early-January.
Hurricanes Recall Bradly Nadeau, Place Seth Jarvis On IR
More bad news has come through for the Carolina Hurricanes. Top winger Seth Jarvis will be forced out for an extended period after crashing into the net post in overtime of Friday’s loss to the Florida Panthers. The Hurricanes placed Jarvis on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and recalled winger Bradly Nadeau on Saturday.
The timing could work to Carolina’s benefit. This move will force Jarvis to miss at least two games but he could be activated before the Hurricanes’ match against the Detroit Red Wings next Saturday.
Carolina will hold their breath hoping that timeline works out. Jarvis has, again, been one of their best. He leads the team with 19 goals, and ranks second with 29 points, through 34 games so far. More than that, he was riding a streak of good health, not missing any games to start the year after he missed nine last season. Jarvis was still able to net 32 goals and 67 points last season, matching his point totals from – and one goal less than – he managed in 81 games of the 2023-24 season.
Filling Jarvis’ role has proven to be a difficult task for Carolina, marked by a 4-5-0 record without him last season. This time around, Jarvis’ absence should pave way for Jackson Blake to take on top-line minutes. Blake has 21 points in 34 games this season. He also ranks third on the offense in takeaways (14) behind Jarvis (19) and Sebastian Aho (17). Blake has proven his ability to fill any role throughout the last two seasons but this opening could be a chance to step up and cement his spot in the Hurricanes’ top-six long-term.
It will also offer a chance for Nadeau to finally find his stride at the NHL level. He is in the midst of a five-game scoring streak in the AHL and has 13 points in his last 10 games. That stretch has brought the 20 year old up to 20 points in 18 games this season, good for third on the Chicago Wolves in scoring. Nadeau finished second in scoring for Chicago last season, with 58 points in 64 games. Despite the streak of strong offense, he hasn’t yet found his production at the top level. Nadeau has just two points in nine career games with Carolina, including one goal in six games this season. He should slot into a bottom-six role as Blake, Taylor Hall, and Eric Robinson step up in Jarvis’ absence, but could offer much more upside if he finally finds his touch.
Canadiens Place Kaiden Guhle And Kirby Dach On LTIR
When the Canadiens acquired Phillip Danault a little before the holiday roster freeze, they added a $5.5MM price tag to their books. Even after assigning Jared Davidson to the minors, they still weren’t cap-compliant. As a result, GM Kent Hughes revealed during his media availability today (video link) that the team has placed defenseman Kaiden Guhle and center Kirby Dach on LTIR.
Guhle has been out of the lineup since mid-October due to an adductor injury. The original plan was to simply rehab it but after returning to the ice a few weeks later as he tried to work his way back to full health, the decision was made to have the surgery. The recovery timeline for that procedure is eight to ten weeks, meaning he’s still four to six weeks away from returning. Guhle has averaged over 20 minutes a night of playing time in each of his first three NHL seasons and, when healthy, is a top-four fixture on Montreal’s back end.
As for Dach, he has missed the last month after sustaining a fractured foot. The initial recovery timeline was six to eight weeks and it appears he’s on track as he has resumed skating. Hughes indicated that the 24-year-old won’t be back before the holiday break but shouldn’t be out much longer than that. Dach has five goals and two assists in 15 games this season, his last one before becoming a restricted free agent with a $4MM qualifying offer and arbitration rights next offseason.
With the two placements, Montreal now has around $2.5MM in its LTIR pool, per PuckPedia. That gives them ample room to afford recalls if more injuries strike in the short term. Meanwhile, if they still need LTIR room when Dach returns, they can transfer either Patrik Laine or Alex Newhook on there; both are out for multiple months as well.
Lightning Recall Jakob Pelletier And Jack Finley, Place Brandon Hagel On IR
The Lightning have brought up a pair of wingers in advance of their game tonight against Carolina. The team announced that they have recalled Jakob Pelletier and Jack Finley from AHL Syracuse.
Pelletier is in his first season with Tampa Bay after signing a three-year deal with them in free agency. However, he didn’t make the team in training camp and cleared waivers, paving the way for him to be sent down.
The 24-year-old played in one game with the Lightning in mid-November but has been with the Crunch exclusively beyond that. Pelletier has been quite productive in Syracuse as he’s tied for the league lead in scoring with 15 goals and 16 assists in just 24 games. Nearly a career point-per-game player in the minors (161 points in 163 outings), it will be interesting to see if he gets more of an offensive look with some of Tampa Bay’s better forwards banged up.
To that end, team reporter Benjamin Pierce relays that winger Brandon Hagel will miss his second straight game with an upper-body injury sustained earlier in the week against Florida. While not announced by the team, he has been moved to injured reserve, per the NHL’s Media Site, meaning he’ll likely be out through the holiday break. The 27-year-old has been one of Tampa Bay’s top performers this season, collecting 18 goals and 13 assists in 31 games. Meanwhile, winger Nikita Kucherov is listed as a game-time decision due to illness.
Finley, meanwhile, returns from a conditioning stint that lasted just three games. He did well in those outings, picking up a goal and two assists while getting a chance to play a much bigger role than he did with Tampa Bay. The 23-year-old has been limited to just 11 games with the Lightning this season where he has a goal and an assist while averaging 8:49 per game of ice time. More specifically, he had only suited up twice since November 25th so the timing was right for him to go down and get some work in with the Crunch.
Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore Out Week-To-Week
This afternoon, Vegas Head Coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters that Shea Theodore is expected to be week-to-week with an upper-body injury, as shared by Sin Bin Vegas. The ailment will sideline the top defenseman for longer than anticipated, however, Cassidy affirmed that it should not affect his prospects for the Olympic Games in February (Team Canada). For the Golden Knights however, Theodore will not travel on the team’s road trip.
Theodore started the season with just five points in his first 15 games, all assists, a step back from his career high 57 points in 67 contests last season. Since then, however, the elite puck-mover really picked up the pace before the injury, right back to high end production.
2025-26 marks year one of Theodore’s seven year extension worth $7.425MM per season. The timing also symbolizes a passing of the torch of sorts; as Alex Pietrangelo is unlikely to play again, Theodore is set to lead the Vegas defense core into his thirties. He, Brayden McNabb, and William Karlsson stand as the only original “misfits” remaining on the team. Despite all the changes on the roster though, the Golden Knights remain elite, currently fifth in the league.
Wednesday’s game against New Jersey marked the first of the campaign without Theodore in the lineup, and Vegas lost in a shootout, missing their top defender who averages 24:01 a game. Thankfully, the team brought back Jeremy Lauzon from injury. A fellow lefty, Lauzon can help alleviate the loss of Theodore on paper, but he is much more of a bottom pairing contributor with major physicality. For now, Noah Hanifin will step into a larger role, an assignment the 28-year-old is certainly capable of. Usually bringing more offensively, he has just six points in 22 games this season. In Theodore’s absence, Hanifin will have more opportunities, especially on the power play, to get going.
In the interest of the Olympics, Team Canada is expected to release their roster on New Year’s Eve. No defender outside Cale Makar has been locked in, but Theodore is considered a near-lock. In the meantime, both Vegas and Team Canada will monitor the elite defender’s status for a early-to-mid January return, leaving plenty of time to ramp up for the Olympics and the eventual playoff push ahead.
Sabres’ Conor Timmins Out Multiple Weeks With Broken Leg
After last night’s win over the Philadelphia Flyers, the Buffalo Sabres announced that defenseman Conor Timmins would miss the next six to eight weeks with a broken leg.
Since Michael Kesselring returned to the lineup last night, the Sabres don’t necessarily need to place Timmins on the injured reserve since they have seven healthy defensemen on the roster. However, due to the severity of the injury and the length of the recovery timeline, they’ll likely place him on it to allow the recall of additional depth.
The injury happened fairly late in the game as Timmins exited the contest with 5:20 remaining in the final frame. Video replay suggests that Timmins’ skate caught a rough spot in the ice, causing his leg to bend awkwardly and fracture.
Timmins, 27, is in his first year with the Sabres after being traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins last offseason. He has skated in every game this season, leading up to the injury, tallying six assists with a -11 rating while averaging 19:14 of action. In fact, his 33 games played this year are the second-highest season total of his career.
Given that, he was well on his way to matching his career-high in points, though it’s unrealistic to think he wouldn’t have scored at least one goal over the course of the regular season. Unfortunately, since he won’t play again until late January or early February, Timmins may have to wait another season to set a new personal benchmark.
Regardless, Timmins’ injury will mean more ice time for at least one defenseman on Buffalo’s roster. The team will likely move Kesselring into a top-four role and rely on 27-year-old Zach Metsa or 28-year-old Jacob Bryson to fill in the void on the bottom pairing.