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Red Wings Sign Eduards Tralmaks To Two-Way Deal

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The Red Wings announced today they’ve signed forward Eduards Tralmaks to a two-way deal for the 2025-26 campaign. His deal includes a $775K NHL salary and a $225K minors salary, PuckPedia reports.

This won’t be Tralmaks’ first stint in North America, although it is the 28-year-old’s first NHL contract. The 6’4″, 209-lb forward, who can play both wings and center, spent a pair of seasons in the Bruins’ system with AHL Providence coming out of college in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Tralmaks, a former University of Maine standout, posted 22-19–41 with a +23 rating and 42 PIMs in 87 appearances for the P-Bruins from 2021 to 2023. After failing to land an NHL deal with the Bruins or any other club, the Latvian headed overseas. He signed with Jaromír Jágr’s club, Czech Extraliga side Rytíři Kladno, where he’s been dominant. After leading the league in power-play goals in 2023-24, he led the Extraliga in points with 23-28–51 in 48 games. He also finished atop the league leaderboard in faceoff percentage with a 62.5% win rate.

He doesn’t have much of any growth left in his game in his late 20s, and he’s unlikely to make an impact in Detroit’s lineup next season. Nonetheless, he should be an important piece for their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. If he impresses, he now has the option to be called up, unlike in years past.

Tralmaks will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Wings now have 30 standard contracts on the books for next season.

Devils Recall Nolan Foote

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The New Jersey Devils have recalled forward Nolan Foote from the minor leagues. New Jersey opted not to practice on Friday, keeping reporters from clearly seeing who Foote could be filling in for. Both Ondrej Palat and Curtis Lazar are questionable for Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators due to undisclosed injuries. Both forwards sat out of the team’s Thursday loss to the Calgary Flames.

While it’s unclear if he’ll step into the lineup, this recall is nonetheless good news for Foote. It’s just his second call-up of the season, after he spent 10 days on the NHL roster in November. Foote stepped into two NHL games on that stint but didn’t manage any scoring. He’s been far more productive in the minors, where he leads the Utica Comets in scoring with 39 points in 53 games. He’s also second on the team with 18 goals, behind Brian Halonen’s 21 goals. The performance has been a welcome return to form for Foote, after he missed all but eight games of the 2023-24 season with injury. Prior to that, Foote had scored 37 points in 55 AHL games in the 2022-23 campaign. He’s lapped those totals this year, and could now get a chance at hardy NHL minutes.

Foote has appeared in 25 NHL games across the last five seasons. He started off hot, with six points in his first 13 career games. But he’s added just two points since then. On the back of an improved groove in the minors, this recall could be a chance to get back onto an NHL scoresheet. Palat’s absence could open up third-line minutes, while Lazar vacates a fourth-line role. It’s likely New Jersey will allocate the bulk of minutes, and special team roles, to players like Daniel Sprong and Erik Haula. That likely leaves a minute, fourth-line role for Foote, should he be the preferred lineup choice. The Devils also have centerman Justin Dowling on the NHL roster and available to cover injuries.

Islanders Sign Gleb Veremyev

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12:30 PM: The Islanders have made this signing official. Veremyev will join the Islanders on a two-year contract beginning in the 2025-26 season. His deal carries an $885K cap hit, per PuckPedia, and breaks down as follows:

2025-26: $775K base salary, $97.5K signing bonus, $102.5K games played bonus, $85K minors salary
2026-27: $800K base salary, $97.5K signing bonus, $77.5K games played bonus, $85K minors salary

10:00 AM: The New York Islanders are expected to ink one of the top available college free agents, Gleb Veremyev (as per Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff).  The center has good size, is solid defensively and is excellent on the draw, but he doesn’t project as much of an offensive player. This season, in 37 games, the 21-year-old has just nine goals and eight assists with Colorado College of the NCAA, this represented a significant drop from last year when he tallied 15 goals and 13 assists in 37 games.

Seravalli has called Veremyev a David Steckel-type player, which appears to be a fair comparison given the numbers and the style of game that Veremyev plays. Steckel was a former late first-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings, while the Islanders wouldn’t be giving up any assets (other than money) to sign Veremyev. It’s safe to guess that Veremyev will spend significant time in the AHL before beginning his NHL journey. Steckel spent three full seasons in the AHL before becoming a full-time NHLer, and Veremyev will likely need similar seasoning.

Veremyev stands 6’4” tall and while he doesn’t meet the definition of a power forward, he is a relentless forechecker and does have some skill around the net and could continue to develop some of the offensive elements to his game. Defensively he is described as having an active stick and being disruptive when it comes to physical battles.

Islanders’ general manager Lou Lamoriello has expressed a desire to get younger and bringing in Veremyev will certainly inch the organization in that direction.

Red Wings’ Erik Gustafsson Out Long-Term, Elmer Söderblom Day-To-Day

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The Detroit Red Wings continue to receive bad news from their blue-line. Head coach Todd McLellan shared that veteran defender Erik Gustafsson will be out long-term with an undisclosed injury. McLellan didn’t provide a specific timeline for Gustafsson’s absence, though he’s been significantly downgraded after only being designated as out day-to-day on Thursday. Rookie forward Elmer Söderblom will also be out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury, and remains day-to-day.

Gustafsson appeared to suffer his injury in the third period of Detroit’s Tuesday loss to the Washington Capitals after a collision with Capitals forward Lars Eller sent him crashing into the boards. No specifics of Gustafsson’s injury have been revealed, though his awkward fall into the boards could suggest knee or ankle related issues.

In response to these injuries, Detroit has recalled forwards Austin Watson and Brogan Rafferty under emergency conditions.

Now, it seems Gustafsson’s scary crash will indeed result in a long-term absence. He’s been leaned on heavily down the stretch, and even played upwards of 20 minutes a night in Detroit’s second-half. Gustafsson ranks third on the Detroit blue-line in scoring with 18 points in 60 games. He’s also posted a team-worst minus-19. Both statlines are a downtick from Gustafsson’s 31 points and plus-three in 76 games with the New York Rangers last season; which was itself a step down from 42 points and a plus-nine in the 2022-23 season.

Detroit will need to fill vacancies on the second pair and second powerplay unit with Gustafsson out. That latter hole has opened the door for rookie Simon Edvinsson to finally earn consistent powerplay ice time. Edvinsson has 25 points in 64 games this season. He also ranks third on the blue-line in blocks (118) and hits (66) behind Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot. Edvinsson is known for his puck control and passing ability – and racking up impacts away from the puck has helped earn him a chance at special teams minutes.

Who fills Gustafsson’s even-strength role is less clear. Rookie Albert Johansson seems like the best candidate to step into a bigger role, after playing over 21 minutes of action in each of his last two games. Johansson has eight points and a minus-seven in 47 games this year. He’s also tallied 76 blocked shots and 49 hits – stats that rank first and third on the Red Wings’ blue-line on a per-game basis. If not Johansson, Detroit is likely to award bigger minutes to Chiarot and William Lagesson. Chiarot has 11 points in 67 games, while Lagesson hasn’t yet scored through two appearances.

While the Red Wings rush to fill Gustafsson’s openings, rookie Söderblom will focus on not losing his momentum. He has nine points in 22 games this season – one more point in one more game than he totaled in his first taste of the NHL in 2022-23. He’s been a sizeable addition to the Red Wings lineup, both in height and impact – giving the Wings a hint of the success that the New York Rangers have found in players like Adam Edstrom. Söderblom still has a path to pave before he’s an everyday piece of the lineup, but a strong return from injury could do the work for him.

The Red Wings bear with these injuries while sitting on the fringe of a hotly-contested playoff race. Five different teams have between 70 and 74 points in the Eastern Conference. Detroit sits on the low-end, while the Montreal Canadiens have hold of the second Wild Card spot on the other end. Properly filling Gustafsson’s void, and seeing the return of an impactful bottom-six piece like Söderblom, could heavily sway Detroit’s playoffs hopes as they approach their final 14 games of the season.

Oilers’ Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl To Undergo Further Testing

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Thursday night’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets was hard for the Edmonton Oilers to bear for many reasons. They entered the night without superstar forward Leon Draisaitl, who was announced as out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury after the team’s morning skate. Edmonton also saw two major injuries occur mid-game. Franchise centerman Connor McDavid left the game before the start of the third period, after appearing to suffer a lower-body injury on his final shift of the second-period – which only lasted 16 seconds. Later in the third, concussion spotters also forced starting goaltender Stuart Skinner to exit the game. The Oilers went on to lose 4-3 in overtime – and are now forced to pick up the pieces of three crucial absences. Both Draisaitl and McDavid will head for further testing on Friday to help determine the severity and duration of their injuries, per Frank Seravalli of DailyFaceoff.

No update has been provided on Skinner, though head coach Kris Knoblauch did share that Skinner was frustrated over getting pulled early, per Jason Gregor of Sports 1440. He’ll need to be cleared of a concussion before he can step back into the lineup.

This news comes as a terrible blow to an Oilers club that seemed to be firing on all cylinders. They were on a three-game win streak entering Thursday night, having outscored opponents 12-3 along the way. McDavid scored five points, and Draisaitl scored three points, over that streak – while Skinner saved 21 of the 22 shots he faced in one game of action. The trio served crucial roles in Edmonton’s success, and losing them so suddenly will be a blow to the Oilers roster.

Center Adam Henrique took over for McDavid on the top line in the immediate wake of his injury, while newcomer Max Jones slotted into a fourth-line role in Draisaitl’s absence. Henrique will likely maintain a top-six role while McDavid sits out, though priority minutes could go to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who has six points in his last three games. Jones will be the de facto fill-in winger, though he could face competition from healthy scratch Derek Ryan. Ryan hasn’t played since January 11th and has five points in 33 games this season. Jones has one assist in six games with the Oilers.

Edmonton will also keep an eye on Evander Kane as they think of deeper injury concerns. Kane hasn’t played since the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals. He’s been forced out of this season by abdominal and knee surgeries, but returned to Edmonton’s practices for the first time on Thursday. He seems unlikely to return before the regular season ends, but any extended absences for Draisaitl or McDavid could push the Oilers to consider load management with just 13 games left in their season. Edmonton would need to clear roughly $5MM in cap space to active Kane off of long-term injured reserve before the season ended.

Meanwhile, Edmonton will likely be pushed to recall Collin Delia or Olivier Rodrigue should Skinner need to miss additional time. Pickard, who could get an open path to a short-term starting role, has posted a 3-2-0 record and .904 save percentage in his last five starts.

Red Wings Recall Austin Watson And Brogan Rafferty

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The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they’ve recalled forward Austin Watson and defenseman Brogan Rafferty from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions.

The 33-year-old Watson has seen limited NHL action this season, dressing in just two games after signing a one-year, two-way deal with the Red Wings back in early October. Watson started out the season on a professional tryout with Detroit but showed enough in training camp and four preseason games to get an NHL deal. The Ann Arbor, Michigan native has spent the bulk of this season in the AHL with the Griffins, tallying 16 goals and 21 assists in 56 games, which is good for second on the team in scoring. Watson has also provided his usual physical presence, notching 94 PIM on the year.

Watson’s play this season has already landed him another one-year, two-way deal for next season, as the Red Wings felt good enough about his efforts to extend him another year.

Rafferty has an opportunity to see his first NHL action since he dressed for the Vancouver Canucks in January 2021. He has played three NHL games in his career, posting a single assist and three blocked shots. The 29-year-old has dressed in 50 games this season for Grand Rapids and has registered six goals and 13 assists along with 17 PIM. In five AHL seasons, the West Dundee, Illinois native has played in 306 games, totalling 30 goals and 138 assists.

Detroit current sits four points behind Montreal for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and will be back in action tomorrow night against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Free Agent Goaltending Market This Summer Will Be Thin

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Jesse Granger of The Athletic wrote an article the other day about the lack of impact options available in the goaltending market this summer. Granger highlights recent extensions to Adin Hill, Karel Vejmelka, Logan Thompson and Kevin Lankinen to back up his hypothesis. This season, 12 NHL goaltenders have signed contract extensions totalling just shy of $438MM.

The teams on the hunt for goaltending this summer will be hard-pressed to find a suitable target as supply will most certainly fall short of demand. There will be goalies available, but the free-agent market will be a mix of veteran backups and reclamation projects. Topping the list will be New Jersey’s Jake Allen and Carolina’s Frederik Andersen, and while both men are certainly capable NHL goaltenders, they aren’t likely to move the needle for a team that is in search of a netminder. Although Allen is making a case at the moment as he is on a heater with the Devils and has been exceptional this season with a goals saved above expected of 20.3 (as per Money Puck).

While this isn’t great news for teams looking to be buyers, it does create an opportunity for teams that will be looking to sell low on expensive veterans. The most obvious candidate for a move is Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 29-year-old has returned to the NHL after a stretch in the minors and has played well in five games for the Penguins. While a small sample size is unlikely to make teams forget about Jarry’s long-term play over the past two years, a solid stretch to end the year could entice a team to roll the dice on a former two-time NHL All-Star. Jarry has three years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $5.375MM, and with the cap going up, there may be a team so desperate to improve in the net that they pull the trigger and hope Jarry re-captures his game.

Another such name is Philipp Grubauer of the Seattle Kraken. Like Jarry, Grubauer is on an expensive long-term deal and spent part of this season in the AHL. Grubauer has two years remaining on his contract at $5.9MM per season, but at 33 years old he would certainly be a bigger risk than Jarry. Over the past four seasons, Grubauer has posted -55.8 goals saved above expected with the Kraken (as per Money Puck), while Jarry has posted +8.1 goals saved above expected (as per Money Puck).

Then, of course, there is John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks, who has had his name in trade rumors for what feels like forever. The 31-year-old has been good this season for the Ducks, and it’s hard to imagine he makes it another summer in Anaheim. The Ducks have an opportunity to move on while Gibson’s value is at the highest it’s been in a few seasons, and with so few alternatives, they should be able to net an asset or two.

Anaheim Ducks Reassign Ville Husso, John Gibson Returns

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Earlier today, Anaheim Ducks’ head coach Greg Cronin shared (and publicized by Derek Lee of The Hockey News) that netminder John Gibson has returned from his lower-body injury and would start tonight against the Nashville Predators. The Ducks announced they’ve reassigned goaltender Ville Husso to their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, now that Gibson has fully returned.

Gibson has been out of the lineup for the better part of two months with a pair of lower-body injuries. Since the calendar turned to February, Gibson has only managed four games played, posting a 1-1-0 record with a .891 SV% in that time. His start tonight against Nashville will be the first action he’s seen since March 5th.

Still, this season can’t be seen as anything other than a productive rebound for Gibson. He owns a 9-10-2 record in 25 starts this year with a .909 SV% and 2.82 GAA. The latter two statistics and his 5.9 goals saved above average represent his highest totals since the 2018-19 season. Although Lukáš Dostál has become the de facto starter in Orange County, Gibson has turned his career around after multiple disappointing campaigns.

Meanwhile, Husso returns to San Diego after debuting with the Ducks in the past week. Anaheim acquired Husso just before the trade deadline from the Detroit Red Wings for future considerations, and he’s filled in nicely for the team when Gibson has been out.

The native of Helsinki, Finland appeared in two games for Anaheim since being acquired, managing a 0-1-0 record and stopping 46 of 51 shots. His numbers aren’t as promising in the AHL, as Husso has posted a 3-1-0 record in four games with the Gulls with a .894 SV%.

NHL Met With Group Interested In Houston Expansion

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According to a report from ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, the NHL has a ’strong ownership candidate emerging’ for a potential expansion to Houston. Dan Friedkin, owner and chief executive officer of The Friedkin Group, has reportedly met with league executives on multiple occasions to discuss expansion in southeast Texas.

Friedkin isn’t a stranger to sports ownership. He’s the owner and president of two European football clubs, Roma of the Serie A League and Everton of the English Premier League. According to Forbes World’s Billionaire List, Friedkin ranks 432nd with a projected net worth of $6.4BB. He made most of his worth presiding over Gulf States Toyota Distributors, which was founded by his father, Thomas Friedkin, in 1969.

Although Friedkin or The Friedkin Group didn’t confirm the news, Kaplan reports that NHL commissioner deputy Bill Daly has confirmed the ongoing discussions in an email. Still, there have not been reports suggesting that the NHL is actively seeking to add another team, as most of their discussions appear to be merely preliminary.

It’s not because of a lack of interest. The most recent expansion report indicated that a group from New Orleans, LA was interested in hosting another team. Furthermore, groups from Atlanta, Cincinnati, Kansas City, and Omaha have expressed interest in NHL expansion, with Atlanta likely being the most viable candidate despite losing two NHL teams already.

Given his sports ownership overseas, Friedkin likely leads the pack in any future expansion at this point. A team in Houston would have a built-in rival already in the Dallas Stars, and have access to the fourth-highest population according to the 2020 census.

Rasmus Ristolainen Out Week-To-Week With Upper-Body Injury

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It’s been one week since the news that Philadelphia Flyers’ defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen would be out for a few days with an upper-body injury. Philadelphia gave an important update on Ristolainen’s status this afternoon, sharing that his recovery timeline will take a few weeks instead.

The Flyers announcement was expected. Shortly before, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic passed along a message from head coach John Tortorella saying he didn’t expect Ristolainen back anytime soon. Although hindsight is 20/20 and no team could have precisely predicted a longer-term injury to Ristiolainen, it does give credibility to the teams that steered away from the Finnish blueliner at the NHL trade deadline due to injury concerns.

While no one in the Flyers organization suggested that Ristolainen’s injury will end his season, he may return close to the end. Philadelphia only has 13 more games remaining in the season and they aren’t expected to reach the postseason in the allotted time.

Ristolainen has missed the Flyers’ last three contests (excluding tonight’s game) due to his current injury, raising his season total to six missed games at the time of writing. The Turku, Finland native missed three games in February because of a similar upper-body injury which also precluded him from playing for Team Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Whether or not he’s played his last game this season, it’s been a quality year for Ristolainen. He’s scored four goals and 19 points in 63 games, making for his highest point-per-game average since his last year with the Buffalo Sabres in 2020-21. Additionally, he’s earning the most ATOI since his first year in Philadelphia and has reached the 100 shots on goal milestone for the first time since the 2019-20 season. Still, Ristolainen’s possession metrics are down 1.7% in terms of CorsiFor% at even strength, while his on-ice save percentage at even strength continues below his career average of 90.8%.

Ristolainen’s absence from tonight’s contest specifically could have ramifications for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. The NHL released clinching scenarios for the Washington Capitals this evening, two of which require a win in any fashion over the Flyers. Washington will still need to rely on a specific outcome in the game between the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens, but they’ll have an easier path tonight without facing Ristolainen.

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