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Predators’ Adam Wilsby Out For Season With Upper-Body Injury

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Fresh off a two-year extension, Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby’s season is over. The team announced he’s been placed on injured reserve and will miss the rest of the 2024-25 campaign with the upper-body injury that cost him nine of the Preds’ final 17 games before the break. In additional moves, the team issued winger Zachary L’Heureux a week-to-week designation for his upper-body injury and moved him to IR. They also activated veteran Mark Jankowski from injured reserve, so at least he’ll be available coming out of the break after missing the last month with an upper-body issue.

The 24-year-old Wilsby’s first NHL campaign ends after 23 games. Drafted 101st overall in 2020 out of Swedish second-tier club Södertälje SK, he’s played stateside since 2022 and was working his way up the organizational ladder. His point totals in the minors never jumped off the page, posting 10-34–44 in 146 career appearances with AHL Milwaukee to date, but he’s a well-rounded talent with good passing ability who hasn’t posted a negative rating at any level since his draft year in the HockeyAllsvenskan.

Wilsby’s entry-level contract expired last summer, so he signed a two-way deal to cover the 2024-25 campaign nearly three weeks into restricted free agency. He didn’t make the team out of camp, but he continued to chug along the minors and got his first look in the NHL lineup in late November after a lower-body injury sidelined Jeremy Lauzon, who’s also now out for the rest of the year.

He’s stuck around on the roster since his debut, not at all looking out of place. It might be easy to overlook his one goal and four assists on the year, but he’s logged significant even-strength minutes for the Preds and has even seen some shorthanded action. The 6’1″ lefty averaged 18:06 per game with a plus-three rating – second on the team behind Nick Blankenburg’s plus-nine – and recorded 17 blocks and 18 hits. He may not be overly physical, but his +4.5 expected rating at even strength leads Nashville defenders and his 52.8% Corsi share at even strength is quite respectable as well. That well-rounded initial showing earned him some security – albeit a league-minimum salary with a two-way structure the first year – for the next two seasons.

While Nashville will be disappointed not to see how he performs down the stretch, especially since he’d seen more than 20 minutes of deployment in recent outings, he’s done enough to put himself under serious consideration for a roster spot coming out of camp next season. They’ll have some turnover on the back end with waiver claim Andreas Englund and recent call-up Jake Livingstone slated for unrestricted free agency, and it stands to reason they’ll look to move the aging Luke Schenn as he enters the final year of his deal. There will be an opportunity for Wilsby to play important minutes for the retooling Preds and prove he can be a long-term second or third-pairing option on the left side.

Meanwhile, L’Heureux is ticketed for his second multi-game absence since the Preds recalled him from Milwaukee in the early weeks of the season. He missed three games in January while serving a suspension for slew-footing Wild captain Jared Spurgeon. The 21-year-old has done well in limited minutes, scoring 4-9–13 in 45 appearances while averaging 11:39 per game. The hard-nosed 2021 first-rounder leads Nashville forwards with 143 hits, although that physical play hasn’t yet translated into above-average defensive impacts. He sustained his injury on Feb. 7 against the Blackhawks and missed the Preds’ final pre-break contest as a result.

Jankowski, 30, returns after missing nine games with an upper-body issue. The 2012 first-rounder has topped out as a depth option at best, but he was actually one of the Preds’ more effective per-game producers last season with 15 points in 32 games amid AHL call-ups. The same can’t be said for Jankowski this season, who’s scored at less than half the rate with 3-5–8 in 37 appearances. He’s carried increased value defensively, though. He’s seen more deployment at center, winning half of his 210 draws, and grades out as one of Nashville’s best possession players with a 55.5 CF% and +6.8 expected rating. Opponents only score 2.2 goals per 60 minutes with Jankowski on the ice at even strength, one of the lowest numbers on the team.

Predators Recall Kieffer Bellows, Jake Livingstone

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The Predators have recalled forward Kieffer Bellows and defenseman Jake Livingstone from AHL Milwaukee, per an announcement from the club. Nashville’s active roster is now full ahead of their return to play against the Avalanche tomorrow.

Bellows, 27, skated in four NHL seasons with the Islanders and Flyers from 2019-20 to 2022-23. The 2016 19th overall pick was once one of the top prospects on Long Island but never elevated above a bottom-six role, posting a 14-14–28 scoring line in 95 career top-level appearances.

He’s since settled in as an AHL fixture, even spending last year on a minor-league contract in the Maple Leafs’ system. He broke out for 27-22–49 in 52 games with the AHL’s Marlies, landing some renewed NHL interest, and landed a two-way deal from Nashville last summer. He’s been recalled once this season, spending a couple of weeks on the roster in January, but was a healthy scratch in seven straight contests before being returned to Milwaukee.

Bellows’ offense has taken a step back from last season’s nearly point-per-game showing in Toronto. He ranks third on Milwaukee in scoring with 14-15–29 in 41 games but is tied with Jake Lucchini for the club lead in goals. The 6’1″ winger has also added 54 PIMs and an even rating. He’ll return to the NHL ranks for now to serve as an extra forward amid some injury concerns. Winger Zachary L’Heureux missed the final game before the break with an upper-body injury, while Luke Evangelista was absent for the last three with a lower-body issue. There’s been no update yet on their status for Saturday’s game. Mark Jankowski also remains on injured reserve with the upper-body issue that’s kept him out since Jan. 18, and he still carries a week-to-week designation.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Livingstone lands his first NHL recall in nearly two years to give Nashville eight defensemen on the roster while Adam Wilsby deals with an upper-body issue. He signed as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State near the end of the 2022-23 campaign but hasn’t seen NHL ice since skating in five games with the Preds to end that season. The 6’3″, 205-lb righty has 7-19–26 with a sparkling +27 rating in 108 appearances for Milwaukee over the past two years, failing to provide the offense they’d hoped for after a 35-in-39 junior year in Mankato but still serving as a good two-way option. He recorded an assist and a minus-two rating in his first NHL stint, taking three shots on goal and averaging 15:27 per game with 11 blocks and six hits.

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.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Predators’ Jeremy Lauzon Out For Season With Lower-Body Injury

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The Predators announced Tuesday that defenseman Jeremy Lauzon will miss the next four to six months with his lower-body injury, putting him out for the remainder of the season. He hasn’t played since leaving their Dec. 31 game against the Wild.

Lauzon initially exited the lineup with the LBI around Thanksgiving, leaving a game against the Devils on Nov. 25 prematurely. He missed 10 games before returning to the lineup, appearing in six straight before aggravating the issue against Minnesota. While the team didn’t confirm, today’s announcement likely indicates he’ll need or already has undergone surgery.

Lauzon is in his fourth season with the Predators, who paid a second-round pick to acquire him from the Kraken at the 2022 trade deadline. Initially drafted by the Bruins in 2015, he spent parts of three seasons in Boston before being claimed by Seattle in the 2021 expansion draft. He’d played in 60-plus games for three consecutive seasons leading into 2024-25, a streak that obviously won’t continue.

Over the past three years, Lauzon has been a serviceable bottom-pairing defenseman. He consistently posts below-average possession numbers with few offensive merits, but he does one thing quite well – hit. The 6’3″, 225-lb lefty set an all-time record in 2023-24 with 383 hits in a single season, although Vancouver’s Kiefer Sherwood has 294 in 51 games this season and could surpass that figure. His void on the Preds was filled last week when they claimed Andreas Englund off waivers from the Kings.

Lauzon has one year left on his four-year, $8MM contract, so he’ll assumedly be fully healthy for training camp next fall if his timeline doesn’t stretch past six months. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

Predators Acquire Grigori Denisenko From Golden Knights

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The Predators have acquired winger Grigori Denisenko from the Golden Knights in exchange for future considerations, the latter club announced. He was previously on assignment to AHL Henderson and will now report to Nashville’s affiliate in Milwaukee. He does not need to clear waivers.

Denisenko, 24, is best known for his time in the Panthers system as a top prospect. His professional career never got off the ground after being selected 15th overall in 2018, though, and after failing to make Florida’s roster out of camp last season, he was waived and claimed by the Golden Knights. He’s appeared in just seven games with Vegas since the beginning of 2023-24, spending nearly all of his time in Henderson instead. Only one of those games came this season. He’s yet to record a point in a Knights uniform and has a minus-three rating while averaging 10:30 per game and recording five shots on goal.

This season, Denisenko cleared waivers in September and returned to Henderson. After recording a respectable 56 points in 65 games there last year, 2024-25 hasn’t been nearly as productive for the Russian forward. He’s posted 10-14–24 in 42 games with a -21 rating, although that was still good enough for sixth place on the scoring-challenged Silver Knights. His lone NHL appearance this year came on Nov. 13 against the Ducks, taking a minor penalty and recording five hits with no shots in 8:27 of ice time.

Now in the Nashville organization, Denisenko will look to get his AHL scoring numbers back up in search of another NHL recall. He doesn’t have a lot of runway to do it with two months left in the regular season, though. He’s also due to reach Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer as a result of him playing fewer than 80 NHL games while being at least 25 years old on July 1 with at least three seasons of professional experience. That makes him ineligible for a qualifying offer, and he’ll hit the open market without an extension.

With the move, the Knights open up a contract slot ahead of the trade deadline. They now have three with 47 out of a maximum 50 on the books.

Trade Deadline Primer: Nashville Predators

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With the 4 Nations Face-Off break here, the trade deadline looms large and is less than three weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Nashville Predators.

Things were not supposed to be like this in Nashville.  After a stellar second half to last season, the Predators were one of the most active teams in free agency, signing a trio of core players to long-term contracts, making them a trendy preseason pick to be a safe playoff team, if not a viable contender in the Western Conference.  Instead, they currently sit 18 points out of a Wild Card spot, meaning they’re likely to be on the outside looking in, barring a fantastic run like they had a year ago.

Record

19-28-7, 7th in the Central

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$32.381MM on deadline day, 1/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: NSH 1st, TB 1st, VGK 1st, NSH 2nd, TB 2nd, NSH 3rd, NSH 4th, NSH 5th, COL 6th, NSH 6th
2026: NSH 1st, NSH 2nd, NSH 3rd, NSH 4th, NSH 5th, NSH 7th

Trade Chips

This season hasn’t been a great one for Gustav Nyquist.  The 35-year-old has just nine goals and 11 assists in 52 games despite logging over 17 minutes a night.  However, he’s only one season removed from a career year, one that saw him put up 23 goals and 52 assists in his first season with the Preds.  With that in mind, it’s quite reasonable to think that the veteran is more than capable of rebounding and bouncing back in the right situation although he’d likely be playing a little lower in the lineup.  Nyquist has a $3.185MM AAV and Nashville could pay that down by up to 50% which would make him easier for a lot of teams to afford.  He’d probably land them a mid-round pick in return.

The other veteran of some note up front isn’t a rental.  That would be center Ryan O’Reilly.  This is only the second year of a four-year contract and considering he’s Nashville’s top middleman, he’s not necessarily a logical trade candidate.  But the belief is that GM Barry Trotz is allowing teams to make pitches for the 34-year-old who is being treated as if he has full trade protection even though he doesn’t have any in his contract.  However, his $4.5MM cap charge is team-friendly for someone who would be a second or third-line option on most playoff teams and with it being difficult for teams to add impact centers, it stands to reason that the Preds could command a significant return for O’Reilly’s services which might be enough for Trotz to approach him about a move.

Veteran forward Michael McCarron hasn’t lived up to his first-round draft billing back in 2013 but has become a quality fourth liner.  As someone who can play both center and the wing, kill penalties, and play with an edge, he’s likely to generate some interest.  Considering he’s signed through next season at $900K, his market could be stronger than it might seem.  With Colton Sissons only having one year left after this on what was once a seven-year contract worth $2.857MM per season, he’s likely to attract some attention from teams looking to add some grit and versatility to their bottom six.  Center Thomas Novak has struggled this season after two straight years of more than 40 points.  With two years left at $3.5MM, he isn’t someone Nashville might be ready to give up on but if they are looking to shake things up, there should be teams interested in him as well.

The options aren’t as plentiful on the back end but veteran Luke Schenn is someone to keep an eye on.  He’s no stranger to being moved at the trade deadline and would be of interest to teams looking to add some grit to their third pairing while the fact he’s a right-hand shot will make him a bit more appealing.  A $2.75MM price tag through next season for someone who’s best served as a sixth defender tempers that appeal a bit, however.  Even so, Nashville might be able to unload the full contract for a light return while if they retain some money, he could bring back a mid-round selection.

Team Needs

1) Young, NHL-Ready Pieces: While Nashville has traded some of its younger players away this season, they’ve also added one in Justin Barron in exchange for veteran Alexandre Carrier.  With an older roster in general and a couple of months of likely just playing out the stretch, this feels like a good time for Trotz to take a flyer on two or three younger players that could potentially benefit from a change of scenery.  Not all will pan out, obviously but if they could even pick up one player who could be part of the plans beyond this season, that would be a good step in the right direction while hedging against some concerns they seem to have about rushing their top prospects with AHL Milwaukee to the big club.

2) Impact Center: With three first-rounders, they could possibly take a bigger swing on the trade front as well and look to bring in someone more established.  Someone like Buffalo’s Dylan Cozens, for example, is young enough to be a key player for a while so even though buying might not make a lot of sense right now, if the right opportunity presents itself, they could strike.  If Trotz goes that route, getting a center should be the priority.  With O’Reilly in possible trade discussions and Novak struggling, targeting a longer-term player down the middle would be a reasonable target.  That feels like more of an offseason move but if the opportunity presents itself now, the Predators could plausibly try to land that player even while selling some of their veterans.

Photo courtesy of Imagn Images.

Predators Claim Andreas Englund

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The Predators have claimed defenseman Andreas Englund off waivers from the Kings, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. No corresponding transaction is necessary after Nashville opened multiple roster spots yesterday with reassignments ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Englund, 29, was a second-round pick by the Senators back in 2014 and has skated in parts of seven NHL seasons since making his debut in Seattle in 2016-17. He’s only recently emerged as a roster fixture, though, factoring in solely as a bottom-pair enforcer. He played in all 82 games for Los Angeles last year after signing a two-year, $2MM contract, leading the club with 81 PIMs and 189 hits while averaging 13:13 per game. His career 2-16–18 scoring line with a -17 rating in 173 NHL games doesn’t inspire confidence that he’ll ever be anything else, and as such, he lost his regular spot with the Kings in 2024-25 and has only factored into 11 games, including an active run of 13 consecutive scratches leading into the break.

The move marks Englund’s third stint in the Central Division. He skated in 47 games split between the Avalanche and Blackhawks in 2022-23, his first year back in the NHL after spending two years buried in the minors.

His claim doesn’t spell good news for injured defender Jeremy Lauzon, who Alex Daugherty of the Tennessean now suspects could sit out the remainder of the season with the lower-body injury that’s kept him out of the lineup since New Year’s Eve. The 6’4″ Englund is an apt replacement for the heavy hitter, who led the league with 386 last season. A pending UFA, Englund will likely serve in a support role down the stretch while names like Nick Blankenburg and Adam Wilsby, the latter of which just signed a two-year extension, see routine deployment.

Minor Transactions: 2/9/25

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The league will continue to see many AHL demotions today after all but four teams wrapped up their pre-4 Nations Face-Off break schedule on Saturday. We’ve already seen a few this morning, namely in Pittsburgh and Boston, and we will continue to track the rest in this article as fringe players head to the minors to get playing time over the next few weeks.

  • The Predators announced they’ve reassigned wingers Joakim Kemell, Ozzy Wiesblatt, and defenseman Kevin Gravel to AHL Milwaukee. They now have three open roster spots, two of which could go to IR-bound Mark Jankowski and Jeremy Lauzon in the likely event they’re ready to return from injury when their schedule resumes on Feb. 22. The most notable of the trio is Kemell, who made his NHL debut across Nashville’s Friday-Saturday back-to-back and managed eight shots on goal across the pair of games. However, he’s still looking for his first NHL point. The 2022 first-rounder has 9-16–25 in 38 AHL contests this season.
  • Wild winger Liam Ohgren will return to AHL Iowa over the break, per a team announcement. The fellow 2022 first-rounder has bounced between Minnesota and Iowa this year but spent the past couple of weeks filling in the Wild’s top six with Marcus Johansson and Kirill Kaprizov missing time. It hasn’t been an overly productive first look in the NHL for the Swedish winger, who’s managed 2-4–6 in 23 appearances since debuting late last season. He’ll likely be back up after the break, with Kaprizov still set to miss another couple of weeks following lower-body surgery.
  • The Sharks reassigned forwards Collin Graf and Andrew Poturalski and defenseman Jack Thompson to AHL San Jose, the club said. Their post-break returns likely depend on the health of Nikolai Kovalenko, Jan Rutta, and Nico Sturm, all of whom enter the break on injured reserve with day-to-day designations. If all three are ready to return, the Sharks will need those roster spots to activate them, as they were carrying a full roster before this morning’s moves.
  • The Blues sent forward Zachary Bolduc down to AHL Springfield this morning. It’s just the second time this season he’s been assigned to Springfield, and the first was a one-day demotion before opening night to help St. Louis optimize their LTIR capture. The 21-year-old has 6-12–18 through 46 games and will return to the NHL following the break. In the meantime, the 2021 first-round pick will continue to get reps in Springfield amid a promising sophomore campaign in the majors with good possession numbers.
  • Blackhawks rookie defenseman Ethan Del Mastro is back down with AHL Rockford, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The 22-year-old lefty has one assist and 13 hits in six games since being recalled on Jan. 23. His 52.0 CF% at even strength is far above team average and is a promising sign for the 2021 fourth-rounder’s prospects at making the opening night roster next year. The 6’4″, 210-lb active defender has eight assists in 38 showings with Rockford this year, along with a plus-four rating.
  • The Rangers returned goaltender Dylan Garand to AHL Hartford after his services were needed to backup Jonathan Quick in last night’s 4-3 win over the Blue Jackets. The 22-year-old will only be back up after the break if Igor Shesterkin, who missed the game due to an upper-body injury, isn’t cleared to return. The 2020 fourth-rounder is coming off an appearance in the AHL All-Star Classic and has a 2.68 GAA, .913 SV%, three shutouts, and a 12-7-4 record in 23 showings for Hartford.
  • The Utah Hockey Club has assigned Josh Doan to the minor-leagues per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports. This move is likely intended to keep Doan on the ice while the club prepares for their two-week break. Doan has been in the NHL roster routinely since January 10th. He has five points in 15 games in that span, including two in his last two games. He’s been highly impactful even despite modest scoring totals, and should get a chance to continue carving out a role when Utah returns on February 22nd.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Predators Sign Adam Wilsby To Two-Year Extension

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The Nashville Predators have signed defenseman Adam Wilsby to a two-year, $1.55MM contract extension. It will be a two-way contract in 2025-26 and a one-way deal in 2026-27. Wilsby has played in the first 23 games of his NHL career this season, netting five points, six penalty minutes, and a plus-three while averaging just over 18 minutes of ice time. He has also played in 13 minor league games, with five points, 10 penalty minutes, and a plus-five. Wilsby was set to be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, after signing a one-year, league-minimum deal with Nashville this summer.

Nashville originally drafted Wilsby in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft out of Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan, the country’s second-tier pro league. He spent the two seasons following his draft with Skelleftea AIK of the SHL, where he carved out a solid role as a middle-pair defender. Wilsby totaled 35 points, 46 penalty minutes, and a scorching plus-42 in 99 games with Skelleftea, before moving to join the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals at the end of the 2021-22 season. He wouldn’t make it over in time for any regular season games, instead debuting in the minor league with three postseason games. Wilsby got a more formal start to his AHL career in the following year and quickly carved out another productive niche on Milwaukee’s second pair. He recorded 18 points and 32 penalty minutes in 72 games of his rookie AHL season and started to break out in the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs with eight points in 16 games. He’d return for much of the same last season – netting 24 points in 76 AHL games between the regular and post seasons.

Wilsby seemed doomed to repeat his productive minor-league role this season, until a trio of injuries and the trading of Alexandre Carrier forced Nashville to tap into their defense depth midseason. He earned the first call-up of his career on November 13th, after starting the year with five points, 10 penalty minutes, and a plus-five in his first 13 AHL games. Wilsby bounced between rosters over the next two weeks, before eventually making his NHL debut on November 27th. It’d take Wilsby eight games until he recorded his first point – an assist in a game he’d end with a plus-four and 22 minutes of ice times. He’d go on to score in his next two games and hasn’t looked back since. Wilsby has been on the NHL roster since late-November and played a career-high 22:36 of ice time in his most recent game – a 2-5 loss against the Ottawa Senators on February 3rd. He’s still working to bring his productive two-way play to the top flight, but his confidence in driving the puck through the neutral zone and getting shots on net is clearly growing. This two-year extension will be a bode of confidence from the Predators’ brass, and could give Wilsby the security he needs to start making a consistent impact on the NHL roster.

Predators Place Mark Jankowski On IR, Recall Ozzy Wiesblatt

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The Predators have made a pair of roster moves heading into their final game before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.  Nick Kieser of 102.5 The Game relays (Twitter link) that Nashville has placed center Mark Jankowski on injured reserve.  With the open roster spot, they’ve recalled winger Ozzy Wiesblatt from AHL Milwaukee.

It’s a bit surprising that the Preds wound up waiting this long to put Jankowski on IR.  The 30-year-old has been out for the last three weeks with an upper-body injury that carries a week-to-week designation.  Jankowski has played in 37 games this season, notching three goals and five assists while logging a little under 13 minutes a night.  Having been out this long, he’ll be eligible to be activated at any point when he’s cleared to return.

As for Wiesblatt, this is his second recall of the season.  He got into two games on his first one back in January where he had four hits in a little over ten minutes a night of action.  This one will be shorter-lived, however, as he’ll almost certainly be sent back following the game to keep playing with the Admirals.  On the farm, the 22-year-old has 11 goals and 12 assists in 41 games, already making it the most productive of his three professional seasons.

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