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East Notes: KeyBank Center, Ovechkin, McLaughlin, Dorwart

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The Buffalo Sabres are staying in their current home for a few more years. As part of its agreement with Erie County, the Sabres have declined an opt-out clause in their lease at the KeyBank Center and have extended the deal for another five years, according to a team announcement.

The KeyBank Center has been home to the Sabres since 1996, although it has been known as Marine Midland Arena, HSBC Arena, and First Niagara Center during that time. Once the lease concludes after the 2030-31 NHL season, it will have served as Buffalo’s home arena for 35 years, which is on the shorter side compared to the typical NHL stadium’s lifespan.

If the Sabres’ ownership decides to build a new arena for the 2031-32 NHL season, it likely won’t be very far from the KeyBank Center. As cited in the team’s announcement, a third-party consulting firm conducted a study, revealing that the arena had an economic impact of $694.2 million in 2023, generating tax revenue of $48.6 million.

Other notes from the Eastern Conference:

  • For more than a week, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has been struggling with a lower-body injury, which has limited his participation in the team’s practices and preseason games. Fortunately, Ovechkin continues to take positive steps back to action, as Sammi Silber of the DC Backcheck reported that Ovechkin is participating in the team’s practice this morning, albeit in a non-contact jersey. There are no concerns for Ovechkin’s availability for Washington’s first game on October 8th.
  • The New Jersey Devils have lost a potential depth forward for the rest of training camp. Earlier this morning, Kristy Flannery of The Hockey News passed along a note from Devils’ head coach, Sheldon Keefe, saying that Marc McLaughlin has sustained a significant injury. In the report, Keefe said, “There’s a definite injury there that will require him to miss some time. [..] He is not going to be available for the remainder of this camp, for sure.“
  • In another injury update from the Metropolitan Division, a prospect for the Philadelphia Flyers continues to work his way back from an upper-body injury sustained earlier in training camp. According to Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia, forward Karsen Dorwart is taking part in on-ice activity before the team’s practice. Despite playing in a handful of games for the Flyers last season, the Michigan State University alumnus will have a difficult time cracking Philadelphia’s opening night roster after missing so much time.

East Notes: Stolarz, Mateychuk, Ruutu

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Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz has made it known that he doesn’t want to work on a contract extension in-season, meaning the time to get a new deal in place is running out.  Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports (video link) that the netminder’s camp is looking at recent five-year deals for Kevin Lankinen ($4.5MM) and Karel Vejmelka ($4.75MM) as potential comparables while Toronto’s preference is to do something shorter term.  Stolarz is coming off a stellar season that saw him post a 2.14 GAA and a .926 SV% in 34 games but even though he’s 31, he has just 142 career NHL games under his belt and has never played more than those 34 games in a single season.  That makes finding legitimate comparable players a little trickier but regardless of that, he’s well on his way to a big raise on the $2.5MM he’ll make this season.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk has been dealing with a groin issue since the start of training camp and has yet to suit up in the preseason. However, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that the blueliner skated today and if all goes well, he could be cleared for contact on Monday.  Mateychuk got off to a strong start with AHL Cleveland last season and after being recalled, he was up the rest of the way, getting into 45 games where he had 13 points, earning a spot on the All-Rookie team.
  • The Sabres have hired former NHL winger Jarkko Ruutu in a still-to-be-defined capacity, notes Helsingin Sanomat’s Juuso Savilaakso. Ruutu had been working with Columbus in a variety of roles since 2015 but his contract expired this summer.  It’s likely that Buffalo’s new senior advisor Jarmo Kekalainen had a big role in this hiring, having been the one to originally hire Ruutu to begin his post-playing career a decade ago.

Sabres, Alex Tuch Not Close In Extension Talks

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Sabres winger Alex Tuch is one of the more prominent players in the potential 2026 UFA class.  That said, both he and the team have made it clear that a long-term contract extension is the end goal instead of him going to the open market in July.  However, as Pierre LeBrun reports in his latest piece for The Athletic (subscription link), the two sides are not in the same ballpark when it comes to getting a deal done.

The 29-year-old has become a much more consistent offensive threat following his trade to Buffalo as part of the Jack Eichel swap back in 2021.  His best three offensive seasons have come in the past three years, ranging from 59 points to 79; last season, he was basically in the middle of those numbers, tallying 36 goals and 31 assists in 82 games while logging over 19 minutes per night for the third straight year.

Basically, these are numbers approaching top-line territory or at the higher end output-wise, fully in top-line territory.  Given his size and defensive acumen, it seems pretty clear that there will be quite a few teams willing to ante up for his services if he remains unsigned in July, something his representation undoubtedly is keeping in mind as talks go on.

How much will that cost Buffalo?  The top winger contract given to an unrestricted free agent this summer went to Nikolaj Ehlers who signed a six-year, $51MM contract ($8.5MM AAV) with Carolina.  (Vegas acquired Mitch Marner for $12MM per season but that was in a sign-and-trade, not actual free agency.)  Ehlers’ price tag feels like it would be on the light side for Tuch’s services, especially as the salary cap continues to be earmarked for bigger jumps than we’ve seen in recent years.  A jump to a double-digit AAV doesn’t appear to be out of the question.

LeBrun speculates that the lack of contracts for some of the other top pending UFAs in contract talks could be playing a role in the minimal progress being made in these discussions as players and agents each wait for someone to be the market setter.  But regardless of who ultimately signs first to set potential new benchmarks, it looks like Tuch’s camp and the Sabres have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks and months to get a deal in place.

Aleksander Barkov Undergoing Knee Surgery, Out Seven To Nine Months

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6:04 PM: The team released an update on Barkov, noting that he sustained injuries to his ACL and MCL.  The surgery has now been performed and carries a typical recovery time between seven and nine months.  The short end of that timeline would potentially give him a chance of returning in the second round of the playoffs while the long end would mean that he would miss the entire postseason as well.

10:39 AM: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov needs surgery to repair the right knee injury he sustained in his first practice session of training camp yesterday, George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reports. There’s no timeline for his return, and there’s fear he could miss the entire season, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

There is a clear video of yesterday’s incident. Barkov had a low-speed collision with teammate Niko Mikkola, bending as if he were attempting a hip check, which caused Mikkola’s weight to come down on top of him. He landed awkwardly on his right leg under pressure and was unable to get up without assistance (via WPLG Local 10 News).

A gargantuan hole now exists on the Cats’ first line, a position Barkov has held ever since entering the league as an 18-year-old in 2013. The back-to-back Selke Trophy winner is smack-dab in the middle of his prime at age 30 and is widely regarded as the best two-way center in the game, and for good reason. He’s now rattled off five straight seasons above a point per game, averaging a 33-62–95 scoring line per 82 games since the 2020-21 campaign. He’s also logged a cumulative +92 rating during that time and has won 56.1% of his draws. He reached new heights on the possession front last year, logging a career-high 60.8% Corsi share at even strength.

While the Panthers’ forward depth has been the hallmark of their back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, it’s already getting stretched thin. They’re now down two stars for at least the first few months of the season as Matthew Tkachuk recovers from offseason adductor surgery. Not having Barkov available down the middle also amplifies the impact of relatively minor injuries like Tomas Nosek’s. The natural pivot would have been in line to swallow up expanded bottom-six minutes normally, but he also underwent knee surgery recently and will miss multiple months.

This season’s new rules surrounding long-term injured reserve will now have a significant impact on the Panthers’ approach. If a player is not expected to miss the entire season, a team only unlocks the equivalent of last year’s league average salary – roughly $3.8MM in this case – in relief. That does not change based on the number of players on LTIR. If the Panthers were to make Barkov ineligible to play in the regular season or playoffs, though, they could unlock Barkov’s full $10MM cap hit worth of relief, assuming they optimize their capture correctly.

Florida already entered the season in a precarious position, projecting to exceed the cap by $4.5MM, per PuckPedia. While Barkov’s injury is a significant blow to their lineup, there’s now an easy out for them to achieve cap compliance by the time opening night rosters are due by ruling him ineligible to return this season, even giving them room to add a significant salary via trade to help shoulder his absence.

Until then, all eyes are on Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell to anchor Florida’s top two lines. Bennett has been a stellar second-line pivot for the Cats since his arrival in 2021, and although he’s fresh off signing an eight-year, $64MM extension, he’s never been tested in a top-line role. There’s an argument to be made that Lundell, the 12th overall pick of the 2020 draft, should see the greater increase in minutes. He’s filled in on the top line during short-term absences for Barkov in the past and has been a more effective per-minute producer than Bennett. The soon-to-be 24-year-old is also locked up long-term and had a career-high 45 points in 79 appearances last year, averaging 16:43 per game and winning 53% of his draws.

The Panthers have a few options to fill the domino effect and replace Lundell as the No. 3 center. Evan Rodrigues, frequently a top-six complementary winger, is a natural pivot and has taken over 2,500 draws in his 10-year career. He might be a better fit in the role compared to other potential flex-overs like Eetu Luostarinen, who the Cats would presumably like to keep with Lundell and sustain the chemistry they’ve built in consistent deployment together over the past few years.

There’s also now a clear opening for PTO invites, Noah Gregor and Tyler Motte to land NHL deals. Both now clearly slot in among the Panthers’ top 14 forwards with Barkov, Nosek, and Tkachuk all sidelined.

Image courtesy of Perry Nelson-Imagn Images.

Training Camp Cuts: 9/26/25

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Today marks the second Friday of training camp. One week from now, we’ll be four days away from opening night. We continue to track roster cuts as they come across the wire. This piece will be updated throughout the day.

Buffalo Sabres (per team announcement)

D Noah Laberge (to QMJHL Newfoundland)
G Ryerson Leenders (to OHL Brantford)

Calgary Flames (per team announcement)

F Andrew Basha (to AHL Calgary)
F Parker Bell (to AHL Calgary)
F Lucas Ciona (to AHL Calgary)
F Martin Frk (to AHL Calgary)
F Alex Gallant (to AHL Calgary)
F Carter King (to AHL Calgary)
D Simon Mack (to AHL Calgary)
D Étienne Morin (to AHL Calgary)
G Connor Murphy (to AHL Calgary)
D Jérémie Poirier (to AHL Calgary pending waivers; placement will be Saturday)
G Arsenii Sergeev (to AHL Calgary)
F David Silye (to AHL Calgary)
F Carter Wilkie (to AHL Calgary)

Colorado Avalanche (per team announcement)

D Connor Kelley (to AHL Colorado)
D Hank Kempf (to AHL Colorado)
D Saige Weinstein (to AHL Colorado)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per Chris Johnston of TSN/The Athletic)

G Ivan Fedotov (to AHL Cleveland, pending waivers)

Edmonton Oilers (per team announcement)

D Beau Akey (to AHL Bakersfield)
F Connor Clattenburg (to AHL Bakersfield)
F Matt Copponi (to AHL Bakersfield)
G Nathaniel Day (to AHL Bakersfield)
F Seth Griffith (to AHL Bakersfield)
F Jayden Grubbe (to AHL Bakersfield)
F James Hamblin (to AHL Bakersfield, pending waivers; placement will be Saturday)
D Mason Millman (to AHL Bakersfield)
F Matvey Petrov (to AHL Bakersfield)
F Rem Pitlick (to AHL Bakersfield)
F Rhett Pitlick (to AHL Bakersfield)
D Luke Prokop (to AHL Bakersfield)
F James Stefan (to AHL Bakersfield)
F Brady Stonehouse (to AHL Bakersfield)

Nashville Predators (per team announcement)

D Scott Harrington (released from PTO)
D Cameron Reid (to OHL Kitchener)

New York Islanders (per Chris Johnston of TSN/The Athletic, team release, and Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News)

F Max Dorrington (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Liam Foudy (to AHL Bridgeport, pending waivers)
F Julien Gauthier (to AHL Bridgeport, pending waivers)
F Alex Jefferies (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Joey Larson (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Matthew Maggio (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Cole McWard (to AHL Bridgeport, pending waivers)
D Travis Mitchell (to AHL Bridgeport, pending waivers)
D Ross Mitton (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Calle Odelius (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Chris Terry (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Cam Thiesing (to AHL Bridgeport)
G Henrik Tikkanen (to AHL Bridgeport)

San Jose Sharks (per team announcement)

D Noah Beck (to AHL San Jose)
D Mattias Havelid (to AHL San Jose)
F Lucas Vanroboys (to AHL San Jose)
F Anthony Vincent (to AHL San Jose)

Utah Mammoth (per Chris Johnston of TSN/The Athletic, and a team release)

F Owen Allard (to AHL Tucson)
F Maksim Barbashev (to AHL Tucson)
D Kevin Connauton (to AHL Tucson, pending waivers)
F Caleb Desnoyers (to QMJHL Moncton)
D Artem Duda (to AHL Tucson)
F Michal Kunc (to AHL Tucson)
F Sam Lipkin (to AHL Tucson)
F Julian Lutz (to AHL Tucson)
F Miko Matikka (to AHL Tucson)
F Ryan McGregor (to AHL Tucson)
G Dryden McKay (to AHL Tucson)
D Lleyton Moore (to AHL Tucson)
F Noel Nordh (to AHL Tucson)
D Montana Onyebuchi (to AHL Tucson)
F Austin Poganski (to AHL Tucson)
F Jack Ricketts (to AHL Tucson)
D Maksymilian Szuber (to AHL Tucson)
F Ty Tullio (to AHL Tucson)
F Samuel Walker (to AHL Tucson)
G Dylan Wells (to AHL Tucson)

Vancouver Canucks (per team announcement)

D Sawyer Mynio (to AHL Abbotsford)

Washington Capitals (per Chris Johnston of TSN/The Athletic)

D Calle Rosen (to AHL Hershey, pending waivers)
F Spencer Smallman (to AHL Hershey, pending waivers)

Waivers: 9/26/25

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The following players have hit waivers for pending AHL assignments today as camp cuts continue, per Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic. Everyone waived yesterday cleared, per PuckPedia.

Columbus Blue Jackets

G Ivan Fedotov

New York Islanders

F Liam Foudy, F Julien Gauthier, D Cole McWard, D Travis Mitchell

Utah Mammoth

D Kevin Connauton

Washington Capitals

D Calle Rosen, F Spencer Smallman

Fedotov is the most eye-popping name here, but it’s not unexpected. It was clear after they acquired the netminder from the Flyers that they didn’t anticipate having him on the NHL roster as part of a three-goalie rotation with Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins and would place him on waivers during camp with the hope he’d clear and report to AHL Cleveland. Today is that day. They’re hoping his $3.275MM cap hit, albeit on an expiring deal, is enough of a deterrent for clubs not to claim the former KHL Goalie of the Year and highly-touted prospect. He posted a 6-13-4 record, .880 SV%, and 3.15 GAA in 26 appearances in his rookie season in Philly last year. If he clears and heads to Cleveland, he’ll still count for $2.125MM against the Jackets’ books.

None of the four names from the Islanders were expected to make legitimate ploys for a roster spot. Foudy and Gauthier are experienced names who will be high on the list of recall options from Bridgeport when the season gets underway, though. The duo combined for just three NHL appearances in 2024-25 but were among the farm club’s leading scorers. McWard and Mitchell will have a harder time finding opportunities to fill in on the NHL blue line and are likely ticketed to spend the whole year in Bridgeport behind more intriguing depth options like Ethan Bear and Isaiah George.

Connauton, 35, has 360 games of NHL experience but hasn’t appeared at the top level since the 2021-22 season. He’s slated to spend a fourth consecutive season in the minors as a result. He’s playing out the back half of the two-year, two-way deal he signed with Utah last summer. He served as an alternate captain for the club’s AHL partner in Tucson, posting a 6-11–17 scoring line with a -5 rating in 56 appearances while racking up 78 PIMs.

Rosen signed a two-way deal with the Caps this summer after spending last year in the minors in the Avalanche organization, where he had 34 points in 62 games for the Colorado Eagles. He’s got semi-considerable NHL experience with 93 games under his belt and will be among Washington’s top recall options from Hershey should they need an offensive-minded defender to fill in. Smallman, 29, is entering his ninth professional season without any NHL action to speak of. He signed a two-year, two-way extension with the club back in April to keep him with Hershey through 2026-27. He posted a career-high 10-24–34 scoring line in 62 games for the Bears last year.

KHL’s Barys Astana Sign Tyler Wotherspoon

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Another depth player is headed overseas after failing to find a new home in North America. Earlier today, the KHL’s Barys Astana announced a one-year contract for defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon for the 2025-26 season.

Tyler, the older brother of Pittsburgh Penguins blueliner Parker Wotherspoon, will play his first professional season overseas after a lengthy run in the American Hockey League. The 32-year-old defenseman first joined the professional ranks with the Calgary Flames as the 57th overall pick of the 2011 NHL Draft.

Wotherspoon played several more years with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks before joining the Flames organization, where he achieved a seven-goal, 37-point performance during the 2012-13 season in 61 games. He debuted in the NHL the following year, tallying four assists in 14 games with Calgary, and another one goal and nine points in 48 games for their then-affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat.

The native of Burnaby, British Columbia, spent an additional four years in the Flames organization, concluding his time with a career-high of seven goals and 37 points in 67 AHL games during the 2017-18 season, with a +19 rating. From the 2018-19 season to the 2024-25 campaign, Wotherspoon bounced around various locations, all in the AHL, with the St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, and Montreal Canadiens organizations.

As the assistant captain for the Laval Rocket last year, Wotherspoon concluded his professional tenure in North America for the time being with a two-goal, 18-point performance in 72 games. He’ll now join a Barys Astana team that has started the 2025-26 season with a 3-4-1 record through their first eight contests, one year after finishing in last place in the Eastern Conference.

Assessing This Season’s Goaltending Market

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The goaltending market this summer was unusual, as there were very few available NHL-caliber netminders. The typical backup goalie carousel kept turning, but teams seeking starting netminders didn’t have many options. That’s not to say teams didn’t make moves; Anaheim and Detroit finally completed a long-anticipated trade involving John Gibson, and Pittsburgh sent Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks. Goaltending is almost always an interesting position, and as the season progresses, that interest only grows—especially among ambitious teams vying for a deep playoff run that may lack the netminding to get there. There’s also the added concern among general managers about mid-season goaltending trades, which reflects the volatility of the position. Several teams could benefit from an upgrade in net, yet there aren’t many options available on the trade market. So, the questions remain: who needs a goalie, and who can they target?

You can’t start an article about goaltending without mentioning the Edmonton Oilers, who have experienced instability between the pipes for much of Connor McDavid’s time with the team. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard haven’t been terrible for the Oilers, but they’ve been perfectly average when you analyze their numbers closely. During the 2023-24 season, both Pickard and Skinner performed slightly above average in goals saved above expected (according to MoneyPuck), while last season they were a bit below average in both the regular season and playoffs. Skinner’s goals saved above expected were exactly 0.0 in the playoffs, which is acceptable, but when Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky posts a +11.9, it makes a significant difference.

The Carolina Hurricanes could also benefit from upgrading their goaltending, but their goaltending hasn’t been bad enough to cost them a series. Carolina has adequate goaltending from Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, who both performed above average during the regular season by posting positive goals saved above expected. Still, their save percentages fell below the .900 mark in the playoffs when Andersen was average, and Kochetkov struggled, posting a .855 SV% and a 3.60 GAA in four games. The issue for Carolina isn’t that they’ve experienced poor goaltending in the playoffs; it’s that their goalies haven’t been able to steal a series for them, which could be part of the reason they keep faltering in the Conference Finals.

Finally, we have the Philadelphia Flyers, a team that has been searching for its current (and future) goaltender for about 25 years. The Flyers’ goaltending hasn’t enjoyed much stability over the past two decades, aside from a few runs by various journeymen netminders. Last year, the Flyers posted the worst team save percentage in the NHL at .879 and are hoping that the addition of backup Dan Vladar can help turn things around, along with Samuel Ersson, who faced a lot last season and ended up with a -19.9 goals saved above expected (according to MoneyPuck). The Flyers aren’t quite ready to come out of a rebuild just yet, but a dependable starting netminder should be on their radar if they want to turn things around and start competing quickly.

With Edmonton, Carolina, and Philadelphia all needing goaltending upgrades, where can they realistically turn to make a move? That’s the challenge for these teams because there isn’t much of a trade market out there for goalies who could be considered upgrades, except for Philadelphia, where there are probably a few options. Carolina and Edmonton are both likely feeling the pressure to improve their goaltending after their recent playoff runs came to an end. While Edmonton would need to work some salary cap magic to upgrade in net, Carolina has plenty of space to make an addition and could do so at any point this season. So, what options are available to them?

The brief answer is that not much is available, and the available goaltenders come with significant risks, along with some potential benefits. The first goalie to consider is Elvis Merzļikins of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 31-year-old was once a promising young starter but hasn’t been dependable for several years now and was especially poor last season. He has faced numerous tragedies in Columbus, which have undoubtedly affected him over the past few years. Last year, the Riga, Latvia native played 53 games and posted a -8.2 goals saved above expected, along with a .892 SV% and a 3.18 GAA. Simply put, Merzlikins was outperformed by his peers and wasn’t reliable for the Blue Jackets. Given his age and contract situation (two years left at $5.4MM per season), he probably isn’t an ideal choice for Edmonton, Carolina, or Philadelphia.

Tristan Jarry could have been claimed by any team last season for free after he was placed on waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins. No team took a chance on the 30-year-old, and now he is back in Pittsburgh, aiming to re-establish himself as a full-time starter. There is no doubt about his talent — he is a highly skilled goaltender, but he has a history of falling apart at the worst possible moments. This has been a criticism of Jarry for years, and one reason he re-signed with the Penguins in 2023 is that neither team found a better fit, making it the best option for both sides. Ultimately, Jarry’s performance over the last two years has been underwhelming, and he may need a fresh start. Edmonton and Carolina should not be the teams to offer it. They are too close to contending for a Stanley Cup, and Jarry has shown throughout his career that he isn’t the guy to have in net when the games matter most.

Now, on the opposite end of the spectrum is arguably one of the most clutch goaltenders in today’s NHL, Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues. Binnington demonstrated in the 4-Nations Face-Off that he can still come through in big moments and shouldn’t be dismissed yet. The former Stanley Cup champion posted decent numbers last season in 56 games, recording a +5.6 goals saved above expected (according to MoneyPuck), along with a .900 SV% and a 2.69 GAA. At 32 years old, Binnington still has a few productive seasons in him and could be the goalie to backstop a team like Carolina or Edmonton to a Stanley Cup. Binnington was taken off the trade market last season when St. Louis entered the playoff hunt, but could be reinserted if the Blues start slowly.

Finally, we come to a dark horse option: Joonas Korpisalo. Korpisalo was signed as a free agent by the Ottawa Senators two years ago to be a starter, but was traded and relegated to backup last year. His cap hit is $3MM for the next three seasons, which should not be a significant obstacle to move, but the question of whether he can be a dependable starter remains substantial. Korpisalo had periods in Columbus and Los Angeles where he appeared to be a reliable NHL starter, but his time in Ottawa was disappointing. He did bounce back with Boston last year but still posted below-average numbers in 27 games, with a -1.7 goals saved above expected and a .893 SV%. The cost to acquire him would be low, and he might not be a bad risk for Edmonton or Carolina to try alongside one of their existing netminders as part of a platoon. However, he should not be acquired to be the primary goaltender for a Stanley Cup contender.

Another option for teams is free agent Carter Hart, who is eligible to return on December 1st. Hart has stated he won’t return to Philadelphia and would prefer to sign with an American team, which likely rules out the Oilers and Flyers but still leaves open the possibility of going to Carolina if they offer him a contract.

Midseason goaltender trades aren’t common, but they do happen and sometimes work out. Colorado made two goaltending swaps last season, and aside from a forgettable Game 7 third period, they were likely pleased with the results of those moves. It will be interesting to see if Carolina, Edmonton, and Philadelphia decide to make a goaltending swap midseason to improve their chances of reaching their goals.

Photos by Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Connor Ingram Clears Waivers

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Sep. 26: Ingram cleared waivers and will be assigned to Tucson, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports. A trade can still be worked on – in fact, it might be easier for the Mammoth to swing a deal now that the acquiring team knows they won’t immediately lose him on the wire.

Sep. 25: No trade has materialized up until this point, which has led the Mammoth to officially place Ingram on waivers today, the team said. They’ll now wait for the next 24 hours to see if another club submits a claim or if they’ll need to reassign him to AHL Tucson.

Sep. 17: Goaltender Connor Ingram will not attend the Mammoth’s training camp as the team works to find him a new home, general manager Bill Armstrong told reporters today, including Cole Bagley of KSL Sports. If a trade doesn’t materialize, the team intends to place him on waivers later in the preseason.

Ingram, 28, entered last season as Utah’s No. 1 netminder. He’d broken through as a starter with the Coyotes the year prior, amassing a strong 23-21-3 record, .907 SV%, and 2.91 GAA behind a heavily understaffed defense that finished out of the playoff picture. He also tied for the league lead with six shutouts and saved 8.3 goals above expected, per MoneyPuck, although that didn’t land him any Vezina Trophy consideration.

That momentum did not carry through as the Coyotes’ hockey operations assets were transferred to the new Utah Mammoth (née Hockey Club) franchise. While Ingram played 12 of Utah’s first 15 games and had a 6-3-3 record, that was due to their offense giving him good goal support. He only managed a .879 SV% out of the gate, and the starting job was returned to Karel Vejmelka by mid-November. After being benched for more than a week, he sustained an upper-body injury in his first start back that ended up keeping him out of the lineup for nearly two months.

Initially, it looked like the break was a blessing in disguise for Ingram. He had a .967 SV% and only allowed one goal in a conditioning appearance for AHL Tucson and had a good run in his first few games back in Utah’s lineup. He made eight appearances between his return in January and the 4 Nations break, posting a 4-3-1 record with an improved .905 SV%. He then allowed four goals on 25 shots in his first game after the break, which would be his final game of the season and last for Utah. Two weeks later, he entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program after his mother passed due to breast cancer.

Ingram was cleared by the program last month, so he’s legally eligible to play and report to training camp. His lack of presence for the Mammoth isn’t due to his underwhelming on-ice performance last year; rather, he’s simply looking for a fresh start mentally. “Both sides are on the same page and will be working cohesively towards a positive outcome in order to provide Ingram with a fresh start on a new team that better suits his needs,” Bagley wrote.

Utah will still have two experienced NHL netminders on their roster to open the season. With Ingram’s status uncertain at the beginning of free agency, the team signed Vitek Vanecek to a one-year, $1.5MM deal. Today’s news means he’s essentially guaranteed to start the season as the backup to Vejmelka, who managed a .904 SV% and a 26-22-8 record in a career-high 55 starts and 58 appearances last year.

Ingram has one year left on his contract at a $1.95MM cap hit, although it’s worth noting his actual salary is higher than that at $2.15MM and could deter teams from submitting a claim for him on waivers. If he clears and agrees to accept an AHL assignment, Utah would still carry an $800K cap hit while he’s in the minors.

Maple Leafs’ Marshall Rifai Needs Wrist Surgery

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Maple Leafs depth defenseman Marshall Rifai will miss some significant time after sustaining a wrist injury in last night’s exhibition win over the Canadiens. Head coach Craig Berube told reporters today, including Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, that he requires surgery with no specific return timeline.

Speculatively, it’s a right wrist issue for Rifai. He was held out for the second and third periods of the game and took a hard hit into the glass from Montreal forward Joshua Roy midway through the first (video via Michael Mazzei of The Leafs Nation).

Rifai only had a slim chance at breaking camp with Toronto, which has avoided any other notable injuries on defense, but that’s now gone. Their top six group is set in stone, which meant Rifai was in competition with more experienced names like Henry Thrun, Philippe Myers, and Dakota Mermis for a press-box role. All of those three are waiver-eligible, and at least one – likely two – will need to hit the wire with a surplus of NHL forwards on the Leafs’ roster. With them only expected to carry one extra blueliner, the odds were far from being in Rifai’s favor.

Nonetheless, he’s a depth talent the organization likes to have around. The 27-year-old was an undrafted free agent signed out of Harvard in 2022 and has been a frequent standout in training camp, although he only has two regular-season appearances to his name, coming back in 2023-24. He was recalled a handful of times last season but never got into game action. He’s beginning a two-year, league-minimum, one-way extension that he signed at the beginning of last season, so he’s at least in line for an NHL-caliber payday despite most of his playing action coming in the minors.

Since he’s signed to a one-way deal, the 6’2″ lefty is not SOIR/non-roster eligible. He’ll need to begin the year on regular injured reserve, meaning his $775K cap hit will count against the Leafs’ books unless he misses enough time (10 games/24 days) to be eligible for long-term injured reserve. After being cleared to play, he can then be placed on waivers and reassigned to AHL Toronto if he clears.

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