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Evening Notes: Senators, Rizzo, Musty

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The Ottawa Senators announced that they loaned forwards Adam Gaudette and Zack Ostapchuk to their American Hockey League affiliate the Belleville Senators. The move comes on the heels of a two-goal game for Gaudette last night against the St. Louis Blues. Gaudette has had an excellent start to the season with Ottawa, posting four goals and an assist in eight games this season.

Ostapchuk on the other hand had an assist in last night’s 8-1 win, in what was his first NHL game of the season. It was a special moment for the 21-year-old as the assist represented his first NHL point. Ostapchuk dressed in seven games last season for Ottawa, going pointless.

The move is likely to be a paper transaction as the Senators don’t play again until Friday against the New York Rangers and could very well recall either player in the next few days.

In other evening notes:

  • San Jose Sharks forward prospect Quentin Musty has returned to the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League and is expected to play this weekend (as per Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News). San Jose re-assigned Musty back to the OHL in late September, but a week later, it was reported that the 2023 first-round pick (26th overall) had requested a trade. That same day, Sudbury released a statement talking about Musty’s trade request, saying that they would field trade offers but would also welcome Musty back if he changed his mind. Musty’s return will be a big boost for the Wolves, who have started the OHL season with a 7-5 record.
  • Philadelphia Flyers prospect Massimo Rizzo has reportedly suffered an appendicitis that required him to have surgery a few weeks ago to get his appendix removed (as per Flyers reporter Bill Meltzer). The early reports indicate that Rizzo will require a six to eight-week timeline to recover from the appendectomy. The 23-year-old is slated to play in the AHL for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms but has yet to dress in a game this season. Rizzo was originally drafted in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes but was dealt to the Flyers in August 2023, along with a 2025 fifth-round pick in exchange for forward David Kase.

Flyers Return Jett Luchanko To OHL

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Few expected prospect center Jett Luchanko to make Philadelphia’s roster in training camp but his training camp performance allowed him to do exactly that.  However, the team has decided that returning to junior is the best move for development; the team announced that they’ve assigned him to OHL Guelph.  GM Daniel Briere released the following statement on the move:

The decision to send Jett back is something we strongly believe is the right path for him and his development. His work-ethic, preparedness and play during training camp and preseason was something we were extremely impressed with and felt he earned the right to make our roster and start the season with us. Ultimately, we feel it is more valuable for Jett to be put in the best possible position to prepare himself for an NHL career, and right now that is with his team in Guelph.

The 18-year-old had a strong showing with the Storm last season, notching 20 goals and 54 assists in 68 regular season games along with three assists in four playoff appearances.  That had him rated by many outlets as a first-round pick outside of the lottery.  But the Flyers felt differently about his upside, ultimately selecting him 13th overall, signing him to an entry-level contract less than two weeks later.

Luchanko got into four preseason games with Philadelphia, picking up two assists and playing his way onto the opening roster.  He suited up in four regular season contests as well – making him the youngest player in the league – but was held off the scoresheet while playing just over 14 minutes per game on average.  However, after being scratched for three of their seven games, it seemed likely that he’d eventually return to junior where he can play significant minutes in all situations and push for a spot at the World Juniors in December.

Since Luchanko won’t get into ten or more NHL contests this season, his contract won’t officially begin this season after all and he will still have three years remaining on it with a slightly lower cap hit heading into 2025-26.  The Flyers now have one vacancy on their active roster and can either promote someone from AHL Lehigh Valley to fill it or operate with 22 players for the time being.

Pacific Notes: Karlsson, Danault, Musty

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The Golden Knights appear to be set to welcome back a key contributor up front.  Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal relays that Vegas is aiming to activate center William Karlsson to their active roster for Saturday’s contest against San Jose.  The 31-year-old has yet to play this season due to an undisclosed injury.  Karlsson is coming off one of his best seasons offensively as he notched 30 goals and 30 assists in 70 games while he also won 56.2% of his faceoffs, the best rate of his career.  Notably, the Golden Knights have a full 23-player roster so someone will need to come off in order for Karlsson to be activated; their only waiver-exempt players are forwards Brendan Brisson and Alexander Holtz.

Elsewhere in the Pacific Division:

  • Kings center Phillip Danault has changed agents. Octagon’s Allan Walsh announced (Twitter link) that he is now representing the 31-year-old who was previously repped by Newport’s Don Meehan.  Walsh won’t be having to worry about contract talks for a while, however, as Danault is signed through the 2026-27 season at a $5.5MM AAV.  He’s off to a bit of a quiet start offensively this season with just three assists through his first eight games.  However, he has recorded at least 47 points in five of the last six seasons.
  • Late last month, the Sharks assigned prospect Quentin Musty back to OHL Sudbury but he has yet to play since then. It’s not because of an injury, however, but rather a trade request.  GM Mike Grier expressed some frustration about the situation to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News (subscription link), indicating that he has been in contact with Musty’s agent to emphasize the need to find a suitable trade sooner rather than later.  San Jose selected Musty with the 26th pick in 2023 and he averaged nearly two points per game last season with the Wolves, notching 43 goals and 59 assists in 53 games.  Having him out this long certainly isn’t ideal from a development standpoint.

West Notes: Hartman, Joshua, Nordh

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Minnesota Wild centerman Ryan Hartman missed Tuesday night’s game with an upper-body injury, head coach John Hynes told reporters( via Sarah McLellan of The Minnesota Star Tribune). Hartman sat out of the team’s Saturday matchup after initially being designated a game-time decision. He’s since been labeled as day-to-day and will continue to miss action despite returning to practice in full.

Hartman scored two goals on 12 shots and six hits in Minnesota’s first four games. He’s one of five Wild forwards with multiple goals, though Mats Zuccarello’s three scores lead the way. Hartman has played the least of any of Minnesota’s multi-goal scorers, averaging just 15:21 in ice time while serving as the team’s third-line center. His role has declined every season since he served as the team’s top center and scored a career-high 65 points in the 2021-22 campaign. Joel Eriksson Ek and Marco Rossi have taken complete hold of the top six in Hartman’s place. Hartman has stayed productive in the declining role, netting 21 goals and 45 points in 74 games last season. He’ll aim to return to the third line and spot starts on the power play when Minnesota takes on Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Canucks also shared that forward Dakota Joshua is a couple of weeks away from a return after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous lump this summer, per Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. Joshua earned a hardy lineup role toward the end of Vancouver’s 2023-24 season, ending the year with 18 goals and 32 points in 63 regular season games and adding eight points in 13 playoff games. He’ll quickly slot back into the lineup when he’s healthy, likely stepping over Nils Aman, Teddy Blueger, and Kiefer Sherwood for minutes in the bottom six.
  • The Utah Hockey Club has returned 2023 draft pick Noel Nordh to the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds after a two-game conditioning stint with the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners. Nordh, a third-round draft pick, failed to score in his first two games in North American pros. He’ll now begin a career in Canadian juniors after earning professional ice time in Sweden with resilient U20 performances. His Swedish career was capped off with a HockeyAllsvenskan championship with Brynas last season. Nordh contributed 15 points in 50 games.

Snapshots: Knies, Brossoit, Barlow, Gustafsson

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While the Maple Leafs have been working on (and might be nearing) an extension with pending UFA defenseman Jake McCabe, meaningful talks haven’t started with another one of their 2025 free agents.  TSN’s Darren Dreger reports in their latest Insider Trading segment that there hasn’t been any meaningful dialogue regarding a new deal for winger Matthew Knies, who will be a restricted free agent next summer.  The 21-year-old had a solid rookie season in 2023-24, collecting 15 goals and 20 assists in 80 games and appears to be one of their younger building blocks up front.  That said, it wouldn’t be surprising if at least one of the two sides has indicated that they’d rather wait to see how things go this season to get a better sense of his value before kickstarting talks later on.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • While the Blackhawks won’t have their newest goaltender available for the start of the season, it appears he won’t be out for too long. Head coach Luke Richardson told reporters including Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link) that Laurent Brossoit is on track to return roughly midway through their season-opening four-game road trip to start the season, meaning he might only miss a couple of games.  The 31-year-old posted a 2.00 GAA with a .927 SV% in 23 games for Winnipeg last season, earning Brossoit a two-year, $6.6MM contract on the opening day of free agency this past summer.
  • After requesting a trade earlier in the week, Jets prospect Colby Barlow is indeed on the move. OHL Oshawa announced that they have acquired the 19-year-old forward from Owen Sound in exchange for two players and six draft picks.  Barlow was the 18th overall selection in 2023 following a 46-goal campaign with the Attack.  However, his offensive numbers dipped last season although he still managed 40 goals and 58 points in 50 games before getting into three AHL contests.  Barlow is too young to play there full-time this season but will be AHL-eligible next year, making this a pure one-year rental for the Generals.
  • Still with the Jets, Murat Ates of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that forward David Gustafsson is listed as day-to-day due to a lower-body injury sustained in Wednesday’s game against Calgary. The 24-year-old played in 39 games with Winnipeg last season, notching three goals and four assists.  He inked a two-year, $1.67MM one-way contract with the Jets back in July.

Atlantic Notes: Matthews, Järnkrok, Dahlin, Ullmark, Eliasson

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Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Calle Järnkrok remain absent from practice Wednesday after they were given injury designations by the club yesterday, per Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star.

Matthews’ ailment appears to be the most minor of minor injuries. He’s not listed as day-to-day by the club, which instead said he’s out for maintenance today. Head coach Craig Berube said Tuesday that he’d sustained a minor upper-body injury that caused him to leave practice early, but that there wasn’t much cause for concern.

Järnkrok, meanwhile, is still listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury and is still a little bit away from returning. Both should be considered doubtful for Thursday’s preseason match against the Canadiens at this stage, especially for a game with no standings implications.

More news and notes from around the Atlantic Division:

  • Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is with his teammates in Germany today and has shed his non-contact jersey ahead of Friday’s exhibition game against EHC Munich, the team said. He’s been held out of preseason action thus far after sustaining an undisclosed injury one week ago. It appears he’ll be ready to go for the overseas contest later this week, and should be all systems go for their regular season opener against the Devils in Prague in nine days.
  • Senators goalie Linus Ullmark is back at practice Wednesday, per Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. He was held out of practice for the past couple of days while battling an undisclosed injury. He could be an option to play in Thursday’s home game against the Sabres’ B-squad, Garrioch added.
  • Still with Ottawa, they now know where 2024 second-round pick Gabriel Eliasson will play this season. After being cut from their training camp roster earlier this week, the Swedish defenseman’s major junior rights were picked up by the OHL’s Barrie Colts today in a trade with the Niagara IceDogs. The hulking 6’7″, 216-lb 18-year-old is expected to sign a scholarship and development agreement and report to the Colts for his first season in North America after spending the last two seasons in his native Sweden in HV71’s junior system.

Snapshots: CHL/NTDP, Brind’Amour, Bruins

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The Canadian Hockey League’s top draft-eligible players will take on the U.S. National Development Team’s U-18 tier for the first time this November, the junior league announced Tuesday (via TSN). The pair of contests, which will take place in London and Oshawa, Ontario, on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27, will be the first installment in an annual “CHL-USA Prospects Challenge.”

It’ll run for at least three years, with sites rotating between OHL, QMJHL, and WHL hosts. The CHL and NTDP will have the opportunity to re-up the initial deal securing the event in 2027.

It will serve the purpose of an early-season showcase for draft-eligible talent, so don’t expect to see CHL superstars coming back for their post-draft seasons or beyond. The NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau will select most of the CHL’s roster for the series, Darren Dreger of TSN reports.

Thus, this year’s event will be headlined by 2025 draft-eligible talent. The rosters will likely include forwards Porter Martone, Michael Misa, and Roger McQueen as the CHL’s most notable names, and center William Moore and defensemen Logan Hensler and Charlie Trethewey should highlight the U.S. squad.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Forward Skyler Brind’Amour is reportedly planning to terminate his AHL contract with the Charlotte Checkers and sign a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. The move – which is not yet official – was first reported by AHL.com’s Tony Androckitis and seconded by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Brind’Amour played in his rookie AHL season with the Checkers last year, netting eight points in 54 games. He took the step to the pros after four years with Quinnipiac University, where he supported the school’s 2023 National Championship win. He ended his collegiate career with 76 points in 145 games. He’ll look to rediscover that production in the Hurricanes organization, likely set on a role with the Chicago Wolves – who Carolina announced an affiliation agreement with in May.
  • The Boston Bruins have scheduled a press conference for 12 P.M ET tomorrow, where both head coach Jim Montgomery and general manager Don Sweeney will speak with media. They’ll most likely be speaking on the team’s first day of training camp, though Ty Anderson of Boston radio outlet 98.5 The Sports Hub reports that contract talks are picking up with RFA goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Swayman was left off of Boston’s initial training camp roster as he continues a contract standoff. He’ll be in for a major role when he does sign, with Boston dealing Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators earlier this summer.

Evening Notes: O’Connor, Schaefer, Stamkos

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Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now is reporting that Colorado Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor will be ready for training camp this Thursday. The 28-year-old has been skating regularly for about a month and has ramped up his preparations in the last few weeks. O’Connor had season-ending hip surgery and missed the playoffs last season after setting a career-high in goals with 13 of them in 57 games.

The Missouri City, Texas native continued to be one of the fastest wingers in the NHL last year and put up strong penalty-kill numbers while finding chemistry with linemates Ross Colton and Miles Wood. Despite his strong results last season, O’Connor is likely due for some regression as he shot over 15% last year which was an increase of almost seven percent from his previous season.

In other evening notes:

  • Corey Pronman of The Athletic reports that 2025 NHL Draft prospect Matthew Schaefer has contracted mono and will miss some time to start the season. Schaefer was taken first overall in the 2023 OHL draft and spent last season with the Erie Otters where he posted three goals and 14 assists in 56 games. The 17-year-old is projected to be the first defenseman taken in next year’s draft and will likely be taken in the top 10. Schaefer’s offensive numbers didn’t jump off the page in his rookie OHL season, however,  he only turned 17 earlier this month and will see increased minutes and responsibility this season, when he returns to health.
  • Nashville Predators coach Andrew Brunette is most excited to see Steven Stamkos’ leadership at work when the veteran begins his first training camp with his new team (as per Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean). Stamkos joined Nashville via free agency and brings a large skillset to the team, but it is his reputation and leadership that has Brunette excited. Brunette told reporters that he will have Stamkos play with a pile of players early on to see how things go and to try and find the right mix. However, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him paired up with youngsters Thomas Novak or Luke Evangelista, given that Brunette sees leadership as Stamkos’s biggest asset.

Rookie Notes: Clarke, Cristall, Barkey, Tuomaala

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The start of NHL rookie camps is bringing a boost of motivation out of the league’s next-up, felt most by top Los Angeles Kings prospect Brandt Clarke, who shared with Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period that he’s pushing for more than an NHL spot. Clarke told Bernstein, “[My own] expectations are higher than anyone could put on me. I expect the best of myself…..I want to be great. I want to be a key contributor on the team….. I told my dad this year, my goal isn’t just to make the NHL, it’s to excel in the NHL.”

Those are proud words from one of the top defensive prospects across the NHL. Clarke played through his first pro season last year, recording 46 points in 50 AHL appearances, and adding six points in his first 16 NHL games. He posted the highest production from a rookie AHL defender since Kings teammate Jordan Spence posted 42 points in 46 games in 2021. But Clarke’s ability to command the #1-lineup role in the midst of that scoring is what’s made him stand out. He should get a chance to work into a top-line and special-teams with L.A. this season, and seems ready to take the chance in stride.

Other notes from the prospect world:

  • Top Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall has his eyes similarly set on the NHL roster, telling Sammi Silber of The Hockey News that his goal is, “obviously to make the team… I’m checking the boxes pretty well.” Cristall played through his final year of juniors hockey last year, finally breaking the century-scoring mark (111 points in 62 games, to be exact) after years of chasing it. He finishes his four-year WHL career with 280 points in 191 games, though many have criticized his chances of translating that scoring to the pro flight. He’ll stand a chance to prove his doubters wrong by earning a spot on the opening day lineup.
  • Philadelphia Flyers winger Denver Barkey is sitting out of camp activities to start this week, with Jordan Hall of NBCS Philly sharing the prospect is dealing with illness. Barkey – whose position was swapped from LW to RW this camp – skated through the early part of rookie camp, and isn’t expected to miss a large chunk of time. He’s coming off a premier year in the OHL, recording 35 goals and 102 points in 64 games with the OHL-champions London Knights. Barkey is a high-energy, undersized winger who’s shown the drive to jump to the next level. He’ll continue fighting to take that step when he’s healthy again, though Barkey does have one more year of OHL eligibility available.
  • Fellow Flyers wing prospect Samu Tuomaala is also out of action, described as “just a little banged up” by Jordan Hall. He’s also been an early standout of rookie camp, playing in both games so far and scoring the OT-winner in Philadelphia’s Saturday matchup. Hall adds that Tuomaala seemed fine in postgame interviews, suggesting that Philadelphia could be taking an abundance of caution with their up-and-comers. Tuomaala played through an impactful AHL rookie season last year, netting 43 points in 69 games. That should position him as one of the top minor-league options headed into the new year.

Big Hype Prospects: Benak, Demidov, Barlow, Eliasson

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The hockey world has one final hurdle to get through before the hustle-and-bustle of the regular season – presently shrouded by the start of the college football and NFL seasons. To cut through that cloud, we’ll once again borrow the Big Hype Prospects series from MLB Trade Rumors and break down some of the prospects getting attention heading into the 2024-25 season.

Four Big Hype Prospects

F Adam Benak, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
2024 USHL Preseason: 6 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 TP

The USHL Pre-Season was bound to be headlined by Youngstown Phantoms tender Adam Benak – a starring Czech prospect and client of prolific NHL agent Allan Walsh. He brings a wealth of experience, most notably scoring eight points in eight games at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and 24 points in 26 games with the Czech U18 team through friendlies and tourney play.  But even knowing that precedent, his start in the USHL has been shocking. Benak got the primary assist on the first goal of Youngstown’s pre-season – and while it was his only point of game one, he managed five points (1 G, 4 A) in Youngstown’s second pre-season game. Granted it was against a Green Bay lineup clearly not at full strength, but Benak nonetheless played at a step above everyone else, showing power in his strides and confidence on the puck. He worked best with winger Jack Hextall – Youngstown’s starring tender from the 2008 birth year. Hextall is still adjusting to junior-level physicality, but thrived in the tempo and space that Benak was able to create. His next game will be Youngstown’s season opener on September 18th, but Benak’s ability to control possession shined through in his pre-season action. There’s no telling how high on 2025 Draft boards the undersized, but highly-skilled centerman could climb if he carries that momentum into the regular season.

F Ivan Demidov, SKA (KHL)
2024 KHL Regular Season: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 TP

The start of the KHL season has brought the first look at Ivan Demidov, now the Montreal Canadiens’ newest top prospect. He’s served that title well, making SKA’s KHL roster with dominant pre-season performances, and – perhaps more impressively – admirably filling a third-line role through the year’s first two games. SKA has gained notoriety for how they’ve deploy their star teenagers over the last few years, though it seems Demidov is playing above that ire through the early going. There’s no denying Demidov’s prowess. He’s dominant on the puck, showing control at top speeds and using his body to defend possession while driving the net. He’ll be near the top of the shortlist when it comes to exciting prospects to follow this season – especially if he continues earning routine ice time in SKA’s lineup.

F Colby Barlow, OHL
2023 OHL Regular Season (Owen Sound): 50 GP, 40 G, 18 A, 58 TP

Early year speculation has Colby Barlow as near-certainly bound for a trade away from the Owen Sound Attack. Where he’s headed hasn’t yet come clear, but it seems the Winnipeg Jets first-round pick will have a chance to join a stronger roster after scoring six fewer goals and 15 fewer assists last season, compared to the 2022-23 season. He still managed a 40-goal season, speaking to his assured scoring and offering intriguing upside for the winners of Barlow’s trade sweepstakes. Pre-season trades led other top NHL prospects like Matthew Savoie and Conor Geekie to bountiful seasons last year, with both players turning pro this summer. Now, it could be the precedent to a big year for Barlow, hopefully providing momentum into his transition into Winnipeg’s pro flanks.

D Gabriel Eliasson, OHL
2023 J20 Nationell Regular Season: 36 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 TP

Gabriel Eliasson is hard to ignore. Literally – he’s 6-foot-7, 216-pounds. But he caught scouts attention for more than just his size – also flashing impressively fluid skating, strong puck control, and – above all else – an old-school style of headhunting. Eliasson seemed to study at the Jacob Trouba school of hitting-defensemen, earning a total of 200 penalty minutes through 65 total games last season, split between league and international play. He’s a high upside bet – with the size and control to play high levels, but lacking poise. Still, the Ottawa Senators were willing to gamble on Eliasson early, taking him 39th-overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. Now, reports claim that Eliasson is headed to the OHL, rather than making his expected move to the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and the Big Ten’s University of Michigan. Eliasson was selected by the Niagara IceDogs in the most recent CHL Import Draft, though additional info suggests he could be traded when Import trades open on September 25th. Fans will have to wait in anticipation for that move, though the thought of Eliasson in the OHL is certainly an interesting one. His reckless abandon would have been well-matched in Cedar Rapids, while the OHL could better encourage the fluid play-driving that makes his skillset so unique. While Eliasson may not be a star at the heights of his peers on this list, his unique frame and heavy hitting will make him an exciting name to follow – whether it be in the OHL or USHL.

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