Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Stars Sign Jaxon Fuder To Entry-Level Deal

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Stars have signed undrafted forward Jaxon Fuder to a three-year entry-level contract, the club announced. He had been in training camp as an amateur tryout invite. As part of the move, he’s also been formally cut from Dallas’ roster and loaned to WHL Red Deer.

Fuder, 19, was initially eligible for selection in the 2024 draft. At the time, he wasn’t on anyone’s radar. He spent his draft year in the junior ’A’ BCHL, recording 16 points in 31 games for the Cranbrook Bucks and Powell River Kings. Only last season did he make the jump to high-level junior hockey, slotting in as a top-nine presence with Red Deer and notching an 11-15–26 scoring line in 46 games.

Dallas has had their eyes on Fuder all summer long. He was also invited to their development camp in July. His performance there and in the Stars’ rookie camp games earlier this month – he scored twice in two games against the Red Wings’ prospect group – has been enough to land him a deal.

Since Fuder will still be 19 on September 15 of this year, his entry-level contract is eligible for one slide. Since he won’t hit 10 NHL games played in 2025-26, he’ll earn his initial signing bonus but nothing else, and the deal will slide to 2026-27. He’ll be a restricted free agent following the 2028-29 season.

The Stars have three open contract slots. All of those will remain open because players subject to an entry-level slide do not count against the 50-contract limit.

Panthers Release Daniel Walcott, Josh Lopina From PTOs

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Sep. 23: The Panthers released Walcott and Lopina from their NHL PTOs today (via our training camp roster tracker). The club said they’ve been reassigned to AHL Charlotte’s camp. They remain without guaranteed contracts there, so they’re still positioning themselves for minor-league deals.

Sep. 12: The Florida Panthers remain active in the PTO market. Earlier this week, the Panthers added veterans Tyler Motte, Noah Gregor, and Ben Harpur on PTOs, and now, according to insider Frank Seravalli, they’ve added two additional players to the mix in advance of their training camp: forwards Daniel Walcott and Josh Lopina.

Walcott, 31, is without question the more experienced player of the two. The 31-year-old Quebec native is beloved in Syracuse, New York, as the all-time franchise leader in games played for the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. Walcott played his first full professional season in 2015-16 with the Crunch, and remained with the club through the 2024-25 season. Walcott wore a letter for the Crunch for the majority of that period, and was a valuable, versatile presence who set a career-high in offensive production with 13 goals and 32 points in the 2022-23 season.

It was the year prior, 2020-21, that Walcott played in the only NHL game of his career thus far. Walcott’s 2024-25 season was definitely a disappointment, as he only managed to register four goals and 12 points across 61 games played. It is likely that the steep decline in offensive production played a role in ending his time with the Crunch, but now with this PTO, he returns to Florida, at least temporarily, to compete for a full-time playing role within the Panthers organization.

At this stage, it looks highly unlikely that Walcott will be a legitimate contender for an NHL role with the Panthers, who are the defending Stanley Cup champions and possess one of the league’s most talent-rich rosters. But with a strong training camp and preseason, it is not out of the question that he earns a role with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, albeit it could be via an AHL contract offer, rather than on a deal where he’d occupy one of a club’s 50 contract slots.

Complicating Walcott’s likelihood of remaining in the AHL is the fact that he does not qualify as a veteran player as per the AHL’s veteran rule, which does play a role in roster construction. AHL teams have a cap on the number of veteran skaters they are permitted to dress for any given regular-season game. The rule has been cited as a reason why some veteran players, who might be qualified to remain in North America’s second-best league, often have trouble finding a job with an AHL club.

The Panthers’ other PTO signing of the day, Lopina, does not face the same problem as Walcott. He has 203 career AHL games played to his name, meaning, for the time being, he remains a “development player” per league rules. The 24-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2021 and has played the last three seasons as a member of their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls. The six-foot-two center had a career-high 14 goals in 2023-24, but could not build on that momentum in 2024-25, scoring just three times across 62 games.

Lopina was a stellar college hockey player at UMass Amherst, winning Hockey East Rookie of the Year honors in 2020-21 alongside an NCAA National Championship. But his near point-per-game offensive production has not translated in any real way from the NCAA to the pro ranks, and that is likely a large reason why the Ducks elected not to issue Lopina a qualifying offer a few months ago.

Now, Lopina gets a chance with another NHL organization, his first outside of the Ducks. Like Walcott, it’s unlikely Lopina will be able to win an NHL job, especially with Motte and Gregor also with the club on PTO’s. But it’s more realistic to imagine Lopina potentially seizing a role with the Checkers, especially, as mentioned, because he remains a “development player.” It will be up to him, though, to have as strong a camp and preseason as possible in order to put himself in a position to earn a spot in Charlotte.

Joseph Woll Taking Indefinite Leave Of Absence

at CDT | by 12 Comments

Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll has taken a personal leave of absence to attend to a family matter, general manager Brad Treliving told reporters Tuesday, including David Alter of The Hockey News. There’s no timeline for his return, and he may be unavailable for the start of the regular season as a result.

That could be a potentially significant blow to the Leafs to start the season. After working his way into the NHL full-time in 2023-24, Woll delivered a good showing as Toronto’s 1B option behind Anthony Stolarz in 2024-25, posting a .909 SV% and 2.73 GAA while compiling a 27-14-1 record in 41 starts and one relief appearance. That’s the fourth time in four NHL seasons that the 27-year-old has posted comfortably above-average stats. He’s got a .910 SV% and 2.74 GAA in 78 career appearances, translating to 19.8 goals saved above average.

“No additional details will be provided at this time, and we ask that [Woll’s] privacy be respected,” the club said in a statement. Treliving specified that Woll’s absence is not a substance abuse-related matter, Alter said.

The starter’s load could be squarely on the injury-prone Stolarz’s shoulders to begin the season as a result. Performance isn’t a concern – he’s led the league in save percentage in back-to-back years – but availability is. Stolarz’s 34 starts last year marked a career high. The pending unrestricted free agent missed 24 games in the middle of the season due to knee surgery.

If Woll remains unavailable at the start of the regular season, it will be Dennis Hildeby getting a crack at being Stolarz’s backup as things stand. The 24-year-old Swede is entering his fourth season in North America and made his NHL debut last year. He didn’t impress in his six starts, managing a 3-3-0 record but posting subpar individual play with a .872 SV% and 3.33 GAA. He’s coming off back-to-back strong showings with AHL Toronto and was an All-Star in that league in 2023-24, though, so there’s still some evident upside in giving the 6’7″, 224-lb netminder another NHL crack.

Regardless, it’s likely that Treliving would peruse the waiver wire or explore trade acquisitions if Woll’s absence stretches past a few games. There are no other NHL-experienced goaltenders under contract in Toronto other than Stolarz and Hildeby, and adding one should be a preemptive concern, with Stolarz’s durability not a given.

What Can The Penguins Do With Their Other Veteran Forwards?

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Penguins have a few productive forwards they might trade in the coming months. Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell both had excellent seasons last year playing alongside Sidney Crosby, and the Penguins probably want to sell high on them. They haven’t been able to do so yet, though, and the Pens have several veteran forwards they definitely want to move — Kevin Hayes, Noel Acciari, and Danton Heinen. But can they even move three players who don’t seem to be part of their future and might not be good enough to contribute now?

To be fair to Hayes, Acciari, and Heinen, the Penguins are unexpectedly deep at forward as they begin training camp. Pittsburgh has about 20 forwards who could make the lineup out of training camp, which makes things tricky for the trio of veterans. The team has promised to go with a younger roster this year, and while they’d likely prefer to move those three along with Rust and Rakell, they can’t trade everyone. It’s unlikely they can move Hayes, Acciari, and Heinen at all – even as pending UFAs.

Hayes was acquired last summer from the Blues along with a second-round pick in what was clearly a salary dump. Hayes remains a useful player in a limited role, but he doesn’t skate well, doesn’t hit, and lacks the puck skills he had in his prime. It also doesn’t help that he was injured at the beginning of training camp and will miss some time.

He could be moved in a deadline trade to a team looking for a depth veteran, but for now, the Penguins need to find a role for him when he returns. Hayes is set to count over $3.57MM against the Pittsburgh cap in the final year of a seven-year, $50MM contract he signed with the Flyers in the summer of 2019. Still, he is the least likely of the three to be moved off the roster because of his versatility. Hayes still has value on the power play and can contribute some offense to the bottom six if he manages to find a role among all the young players competing for an NHL spot.

Acciari was the most physical of the Penguins’ forwards last season, which doesn’t say much considering that Pittsburgh has been a light-hitting team for years. He also led the Penguins forwards in blocks. Acciari plays hard and is a team-first guy who serves as a good leader for some of the younger forwards seeking bottom-six minutes. Acciari is a solid pro and provides Pittsburgh with depth at center, but if some of the team’s prospects have strong camps, he could be left behind.

Then there’s Heinen, who was a throw-in last year when the Penguins traded defenseman Marcus Pettersson to the Vancouver Canucks. Heinen and his $2.25MM salary were included in the deal mainly to make the money work from Vancouver’s side. Heinen is an NHL player capable of playing across the lineup, but he doesn’t produce much with the ice time he receives, though he’s a decent forechecker and can kill penalties. At 30, Heinen isn’t expected to be part of Pittsburgh’s future, but if he makes the team and chips in some depth points, he could become a trade candidate at the deadline. That’s probably the best-case scenario for Heinen and the Penguins, as he’s the most likely of the trio of veterans to be waived and sent down to the AHL.

There is another option the Penguins can consider, which largely depends on what happens with Rust and Rakell. If the Penguins trade either of them for future assets, they could retain Heinen, Hayes, and Acciari and assign them to roles that best match their skills. All three are unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, and if Pittsburgh truly plans to rebuild, as they claim, it would be wise to boost the value of these veterans to trade them at the Trade Deadline for better assets. In the worst case, if they perform poorly and Pittsburgh can’t move them, they could let them all leave through free agency, move forward next season, and use nearly $8MM in freed-up cap space to sign other players.

In any case, that last option only makes sense if the Penguins trade Rust, Rakell, or both. Otherwise, the Penguins should simply put their best 12 or 13 forwards on the ice and healthy scratch or waive the rest, even if they are overpriced veterans with versatility still in their game.

Pittsburgh is an oddly constructed team, as they are rebuilding and want to go young, yet they remain the oldest team in the NHL. They probably will be bad, but have some good veterans and some promising youngsters. As Josh Yohe of The Athletic often says, “The Penguins are never boring,” and they certainly won’t be this season.

Photo by Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Snapshots: Vasilevskiy, Geertsen, Walton

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Tampa Bay Lightning star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy did not practice today, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Eduardo A. Encina, an absence that marks a third consecutive day of practice missed. Head coach Jon Cooper told the media Saturday that Vasilevskiy’s absence was related to “player management,” adding that the Lightning will look to “manage” Vasilevskiy this season to keep him in the best possible shape. While there is no firm indication that Vasilevskiy is dealing with any injury, with each passing day Vasilevskiy misses his status becomes more of a storyline to watch in the NHL.

Encina specifically noted that this current absence “seems too much like” Vasilevskiy’s training camp absence two years ago, one that led to him missing two months due to lower back surgery. Although there is no further word on Vasilevskiy’s status than what Cooper has said, keeping Vasilevskiy in as strong shape as possible has to be one of the Lightning’s top priorities. The 31-year-old has long been one of the league’s elite netminders, and his .921 save percentage across 63 games last season was an exceptional bounce-back season after a 2023-24 campaign that was below the high standards of performance he’s set.

Other notes from around the NHL:

  • Mason Geertsen is generating attention at Buffalo Sabres camp with his physical play, and it is becoming increasingly possible that the 30-year-old veteran finds his way back to an NHL roster in 2025-26. The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn reported today that head coach Lindy Ruff “envisions [Geertsen] as the team’s enforcer,” and Buffalo Hockey Beat’s Bill Hoppe wrote that Sabres fans should “expect” Geertsen “to rack up some fighting majors this season.” Geertsen is a 6’4″, 231-pound natural defenseman who is also capable of playing forward in a traditional enforcer’s role. He hasn’t played in the NHL since 2021-22, when he skated in 25 games for Ruff’s New Jersey Devils. He didn’t earn his first NHL point in that stint, but he did fight five times and rack up 77 penalty minutes. Geertsen has since played exclusively in the AHL, but with the Sabres potentially looking to up their physical edge heading into 2025-26, it appears Geertsen could be getting another chance to play in the NHL. Geertsen, who is repped by Quartexx’s Paul Capizzano, signed a two-year, two-way contract this summer that carries a $775K salary at the NHL level and a $425K AHL salary.
  • Earlier this month, we covered news that Winnipeg Jets prospect Kieron Walton suffered an injury in the team’s rookie camp game against the Montreal Canadiens. Walton hasn’t skated since, but The Athletic’s Murat Ates reported today that Walton is “expected to skate soon.” Walton suffered a concussion against Montreal, but is slowly working his way back into full fitness to play. The 19-year-old is a 2024 sixth-round pick who was one of the breakout stars of the 2024-25 OHL season, scoring 92 points in 66 games. Even before his injury, Walton was not considered a likely candidate to win an NHL roster spot in Winnipeg at this time.

Transaction Notes: Hart, Pilut, Felcman

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Athletic’s Chris Johnston provided an update today on the status of free agent goaltender Carter Hart, who is one of the five Hockey Canada players set to become eligible to sign NHL contracts on October 15th after being acquitted of sexual assault in Ontario Superior Court in July.

According to Johnston, Hart “has started to zero in on the most attractive options for where he might attempt to reboot his career.” Johnston specifically named the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes as two front-runners, alongside “one or two” other teams who are “still in the mix” to sign the player.

Johnston reported that Hart’s “main priorities remain finding a landing spot that comes with a clear path to playing time on a team that’s set up for success,” and both Carolina and Vegas certainly fit the bill. The Golden Knights look set to enter the season with Adin Hill and Akira Schmid as their NHL tandem, and Schmid played in just five NHL games last season. Carolina looks to be in a stronger position in terms of their current goalies, with Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov already under contract. But Andersen, 35, has dealt with persistent injury troubles over the last three seasons, and Kochetkov had an uneven season in 2024-25, posting an .898 save percentage. Those two factors could help explain why the Hurricanes are considering adding another goaltender into the mix. Regardless, it appears Hart is getting closer to finalizing the franchise with which he’ll attempt to return to NHL action.

Some other transaction-oriented notes from across the hockey world:

  • Former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut signed a one-year contract with the Swiss National League’s SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, according to a team release. The 29-year-old will return to action after missing the entirety of 2024-25 recovering from a torn Achilles. Pilut is a two-time AHL All-Star who last played in North America in 2022-23, when he scored 28 points in 47 games for the AHL’s Rochester Americans and managed to dress for 17 NHL contests. The former SHL Defenseman of the Year and SHL Champion joins a Rapperswil-Jona squad that currently sits fifth in league play with a 4-2 record. Their roster currently boasts multiple former NHL and AHL players, including 2011 first-rounder Nicklas Jensen, 2014 first-rounder Julius Honka, 2015 first-rounder Jacob Larsson, and former 48-point scorer Victor Rask.
  • Chicago Blackhawks 2023 third-rounder Jiri Felcman has signed a one-year contract extension with his current club, the Swiss National League’s SCL Tigers. The 20-year-old broke into Switzerland’s top league as a 19-year-old last season, ultimately scoring 10 points across 43 combined regular season and playoff games. He has yet to sign his entry-level deal in Chicago, and the Blackhawks hold the exclusive rights to sign Felcman until June 1st, 2027, per PuckPedia. This extension shouldn’t impact the Blackhawks’ signing decision but instead serves as a nice show of faith in a player recently ranked by EliteProspects as the Blackhawks’ No. 26 prospect.

Canadiens Notes: Kahkonen, Xhekaj, Right Wing

at CDT | by 5 Comments

When the Montreal Canadiens signed veteran netminder Kaapo Kahkonen to a one-year, $1.15MM contract this summer, it was speculated by some that he could be viewed as a leading contender for the role of backup goalie behind entrenched starter Sam Montembeault. Today, The Athletic’s Arpon Basu reported that the competition for the job of No. 2 netminder is Jakub Dobes’ “job to lose instead of a real battle.” Basu also added that it appears the Canadiens’ plan in net has been “to have Kahkonen help mentor Jacob Fowler in Laval.”

Fowler, of course, is the Canadiens’ top goaltending prospect and a player widely seen as one of the top goalie prospects in the entire sport. Although Kahkonen is subject to waivers, Basu noted that the player’s $1.15MM cap hit, the maximum allowable value that a team can “bury” in the AHL without any residual cap hit applied to its NHL books, was likely signed to dissuade teams from claiming Kahkonen. The 29-year-old has played in 140 career NHL games and has an .898 save percentage. The Canadiens’ likely backup per today’s report, Dobes, broke into the NHL last season and ended up posting a .909 save percentage across 16 games played.

Some other notes from training camp in Montreal:

  • One of the emerging storylines in Canadiens camp has been the apparent growth of defenseman Arber Xhekaj, as was reported by Katherine Harvey-Pinard of La Presse. Basu echoed that sentiment in his own reporting, calling Xhekaj “outstanding” so far in camp, a performance that has given him a leg up to win a spot in the club’s opening-night lineup. With the way the Canadiens’ defense is constructed at this early stage of the preseason, it appears Xhekaj is competing against Jayden Struble, a fellow young bruising defenseman, to be the partner of Alexandre Carrier on the club’s third pairing. While there’s still a ways to go until these decisions get finalized, it appears Xhekaj has taken a strong early lead in the race for an opening-night lineup spot.
  • Basu identified the competition to be the third winger on a line with Alex Newhook and Zachary Bolduc as the “primary battle” to watch at this stage of training camp. 2021 fifth-rounder Joshua Roy skated on that line Sunday, while Owen Beck began camp in that spot. Both players are competing against veterans Sammy Blais and Joe Veleno for that lineup spot, while Basu also named 2022 third-rounder Vinzenz Rohrer as a dark-horse option. Rohrer has reportedly made a strong impression in training camp, but ultimately would need to be loaned back to Switzerland’s ZSC Lions should he fail to earn a job on Montreal’s season-opening roster.

Training Camp Cuts: 9/22/25

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Several teams participated in their first or second preseason contest yesterday. The intense camp battles will persist throughout the week, but many teams will also begin making cuts to their rosters. This will involve players who were highly unlikely to make their respective NHL clubs’ opening night roster or those who are just getting a few days of experience in a professional environment. The remaining players can be found on our Training Camp Rosters page.

Calgary Flames (per team announcement)

D Mace’o Phillips (to Green Bay, USHL)

Colorado Avalanche (per team announcement)

F Max Curran (to Edmonton, WHL)
D Linus Funck (to London, OHL)
F Christian Humphreys (to Kitchener, OHL)

Dallas Stars (per team announcement)

D Anthony Cristoforo (released from ATO)
F Brandon Gorzynski (to Calgary, WHL)
D Niilopekka Muhonen (loaned to Medicine Hat, WHL)
F Charlie Paquette (to Guelph, OHL)
F Cameron Schmidt (to Vancouver, WHL)
F Dawson Sharkey (to Newfoundland, QMJHL)

Edmonton Oilers (per team announcement)

F Tommy Lafreniere (to Kamloops, WHL)
F David Lewandowski (to Saskatoon, WHL)

Los Angeles Kings (per team announcement)

F Jan Chovan (to Sudbury, OHL)
F Jimmy Lombardi (to Flint, OHL)
D Nate Corbet (to Kelowna, WHL)
G Carter George (to Owen Sound, OHL)

Minnesota Wild (per team announcement)

F Lirim Amidovski (to North Bay, OHL)
F Adam Benak (to Brantford, OHL)
F Carter Klippenstein (to Brandon, WHL)
F Ryan McGuire (released from PTO)
G William Rousseau (released from PTO)
F Matthew Sop (released from PTO)
D Rowan Topp (released from ATO)
D Jordan Tourigny (released from ATO)
G Chase Wutzke (to Red Deer, WHL)

Nashville Predators (per team announcement)

D Hayden Barch (released from ATO)
F Hiroki Gojsic (to Kelowna, WHL)
D Alex Huang (to Chicoutimi, QMJHL)
F Alex Kostov (released from ATO)
G Jakub Milota (to Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL)
F Viktor Nörringer (to Muskegon, USHL)

New York Islanders (per team announcement)

G Burke Hood (to Vancouver, WHL)
F Tomas Poletin (to Kelowna, WHL)
F Luca Romano (to Kitchener, OHL)

San Jose Sharks (per team announcement)

F Max Heise (to Prince Albert, WHL)
F Teddy Mutryn (to Moncton, QMJHL)
D Jack Bar (released from tryout)
D John Gormley (to San Jose, AHL)
D Artem Guryev (to San Jose,  AHL)
G Joshua Ravensbergen (to Prince George, WHL)
G Christian Kirsch (to Kitchener, OHL)

Seattle Kraken (per team announcement)

D Alexis Bernier (to Baie-Comeau, QMJHL)
D Jakub Fibigr (to Brampton, OHL)
D Blake Fiddler (to Edmonton, WHL)
F Julius Miettinen (to Everett, WHL)
F Jake O’Brien (to Brantford, OHL)
D Will Reynolds (to Newfoundland, QMJHL)

St. Louis Blues (per team announcement)

F Antoine Dorion (to Quebec, QMJHL)
D Lukas Fischer (to Sarnia, OHL)
F Adam Jecho (to Edmonton, WHL)
G Matthew Koprowski (released from ATO)
D William McIsaac (to Spokane, WHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (per team announcement)

D Peteris Bulans (to Chicoutimi, QMJHL)
D Mazden Leslie (to Kelowna, WHL)
G Jordan Papirny (to Henderson, AHL)
F Mateo Nobert (to Blainville, QMJHL)
D Bronson Ride (to North Bay, OHL)
D Carter Sotheran (to Portland, WHL)
F Andreas Straka (to Quebec, QMJHL)
F Alex Weiermair (to Portland, WHL)

Winnipeg Jets (per NHL.com’s Mitchell Clinton)

F Jacob Cloutier (to Saginaw, OHL)
D Edison Engle (to Brantford, OHL)
D Ethan Frisch (released from PTO)
F Kevin He (to Niagara, OHL)
F Owen Martin (to Spokane, WHL)
G Alex Worthington (released from PTO)

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Canucks Sign Riley Patterson, Gabe Chiarot To Entry-Level Contracts

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Vancouver Canucks have signed wingers Riley Patterson and Gabe Chiarot to their entry-level contracts. Patterson was drafted in the fourth-round of the 2024 NHL Draft, while Chiarot was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2025 Draft. Both players were loaned back to the OHL as part of Vancouver’s round of training camp cuts on Sunday. Patterson will head to the Niagara IceDogs, while Chiarot joins the Brampton Steelheads.

Patterson’s contract will carry a $923K cap hit at the NHL level, and pay an $85K salary in the AHL. It also features $85K in signing bonuses awarded annually, per PuckPedia. Chiarot’s deal will carry a $917K cap hit in the NHL and a $85K salary in the minors. He received a $75K signing bonus each season, also per PuckPedia.

Patterson spent the last two seasons filling a top-six role for the Barrie Colts. His play hit a peak in the 2023-24 season, when he notched 29 goals and 62 points in 68 games with Barrie. That was both Patterson’s first year of draft eligibility, and his first year in the OHL, after playing his age-17 season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). His scoring dipped last to 25 goals and 59 points in 64 games with Barrie last season. Despite that, Patterson’s snappy playmaking and ability to quickly jump into fast-moving plays both shined clear all year long. He made noticeable improvements to his two-way game, and will now offer stout veteran presence to a Niagara lineup that’s turned over much of their forward group. Patterson could struggle to earn a top-line role alongside centers Ryerson Edgar, Alexander Hage, and Ryan Roobroeck – though the Canucks draftee will be sure to find hot impact among that level of talent.

Chiarot should have a clearer path to minutes for the Steelheads. He’s gradually risen through their ranks over the last two seasons, netting 10 points in 48 games at age-16 and 35 points in 66 games of his draft season last year. To boot, Chiarot became known for his snappy shot and the heft he uses to drive deep into the offensive end. Those attributes, complimented by a summer of NHL guidance, should pave a path to top-six minutes as Chiarot returns to the junior flight. The cousin of Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot, Gabe will look to prove he can play above his com petition enough to jump to the minor-league ranks next season. He notably finished last season with 10 points and 34 shots in his final 14 games, a spark he’ll look to keep up as he returns.

Logan Cooley Among Four Mammoth Facing Injury Updates

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Utah Mammoth issued a string of injury updates on Monday morning, after playing through their first preseason game against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. All injury updates come courtesy of Cole Bagley of KSL Sports. Most notably, top center Logan Cooley was designated as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury sustained on a check from behind from Avalanche winger Zakhar Bardakov. Cooley left the ice after the hit, while teammate Lawson Crouse stepped in to fight Bardakov.

In addition to Cooley, forwards Jack McBain and Barrett Hayton have also been dubbed day-to-day with undisclosed injuries. Finally, defenseman Nate Schmidt is expected to be back in the lineup after being previously designated as day-to-day due to maintenance.

Much like the list of injuries, their ramification on Utah’s daily lineup will be a lot to take in. Cooley is set to return to the team’s top-line center role when the regular season kicks off – a spot he cemented with a fantastic 25 goals and 65 points in 75 games last season. He continued the all-star performance into the summer, netting 12 points in 10 games at the World Championship, tying him with Frank Nazar for the scoring lead on a USA squad that went on to win the tournament. Mammoth head coach Andre Tourigny told the media, including Bagley, that he didn’t appreciate the blindside hit on Cooley in the preseason opener – and that he’s hoping Cooley’s absence is “really short”.

Those same hopes will be extended to McBain and Hayton, who seem well-set to fill the two center positions behind Cooley. Few details have emerged about either injury, though both players will be worth close attention from the Mammoth faithful. Both set career-highs in scoring while appearing in all 82 games of last season. For Hayton, that was marked by 20 goals and 46 points on the year, while McBain posted 13 goals and 27 points. With no indication otherwise, they should be set to return to camp activities within the week – though missing potentially all three of the lineup’s top centers will be a tough blow even in the short-term.

Utah will find their silver lining through the return of bulky defender Schmidt, who will make his debut with the Mammoth in his next game. He filled a bottom-pair role, and won the Stanley Cup, with the Florida Panthers last season. En route, Schmidt was able to rack up 19 points in 80 regular season games and 12 points in 23 playoff games. He’ll hope to bring his spark from the postseason straight to his new role with the Mammoth. If he can do that, Schmidt could find a way to usurp Ian Cole as the team’s second-pair left-defenseman. If not, he’ll face firm competition for a lineup role from rookie Dmitri Simashev, who scored six points in 56 KHL games last season.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top