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Jacob Markström Out “A Couple Of Weeks”

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The Devils announced that goaltender Jacob Markström will be sidelined for “a couple of weeks” after sustaining an injury in Monday’s win over the Blue Jackets. It’s a lower-body concern, per the team’s Amanda Stein. The starting netminder appeared banged up after being caught in a pileup during a Columbus goal with 21 seconds left in the contest. He stayed in the game, which backup Jake Allen started but left after the second period due to cramping, but was visibly ginger while leaving the ice.

Markström was not present at this morning’s practice. The team already recalled Nico Daws from AHL Utica this morning to serve as Allen’s backup while the veteran takes over the starter’s crease for the time being. The latter was a full participant today and looks clear to play against the Panthers tomorrow despite his early departure from Monday’s game.

Markström, a one-time All-Star and Vezina Trophy finalist, made 49 starts last season en route to a 26-16-6 record, .900 SV%, 2.50 GAA, and four shutouts. He hadn’t been out to as strong a start this year. While he’s been the goalie of record in all three games for New Jersey’s 2-1-0 start, allowing that goal in his relief performance brought his individual numbers down to a .845 SV% and 3.89 GAA, allowing nine goals on 58 shots faced. The injury comes in a contract year for Markström, who was reported to be in extension talks with the Devils earlier this month.

In the interim, the Devils shouldn’t be too uncomfortable with an Allen-Daws tandem, providing the former can stay healthy. The 24-year-old Daws was exceptional when called upon in similar situations last year, posting a 3-1-0 record and .939 SV% with a 1.60 GAA in six appearances. With that in mind, it might behoove the Devils to give them a split workload for the time being instead of overrelying on the 35-year-old Allen, ensuring they don’t lose both of their top two goaltending options to injuries.

Behind Daws, New Jersey doesn’t have a ton of available depth and would need to make a trade, signing, or waiver claim if someone else gets hurt. Their first recall option would be 23-year-old Jakub Málek, a 2021 fourth-round pick in his first season in North America. Behind him on the depth chart is 22-year-old Tyler Brennan, a 2022 fourth-rounder who’s starting his season down with ECHL Adirondack and has zero games of AHL experience through two pro seasons.

Panthers’ Dmitry Kulikov Out Five Months Following Shoulder Surgery

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Oct. 15: Florida’s doctors have determined surgery is required for Kulikov’s injury. It was actual a labral tear in his shoulder, not a wrist issue, per the team’s Jameson Olive. The procedure carries a recovery time of five months, head coach Paul Maurice told Sean Shapiro of DLLS Sports. The team ended up recalling Björnfot from AHL Charlotte a few days after Kulikov’s IR placement, and it’s now clear he won’t be heading back to the minors anytime soon while he and Balinskis fill Kulikov’s shoes for what will be the vast majority of the regular season. A five-month return timeline puts Kulikov back in Florida’s lineup in mid-March, shortly after the trade deadline.

Oct. 11: The Panthers have placed defenseman Dmitry Kulikov on injured reserve due to an apparent right wrist injury, via Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. The team hasn’t made any comment on his status, so his return is unknown. They haven’t made a corresponding transaction, either.

Kulikov left Thursday’s game against the Flyers midway through the second period and did not return. He left the ice holding his right wrist after it got crunched while trying to check Philadelphia winger Bobby Brink against the wall in the neutral zone. The IR placement is backdated to then, meaning he’ll be eligible for activation on Oct. 16. Florida plays the Devils that night, but Kulikov has been automatically ruled out for three games in the interim.

It’s yet another blow to a skater corps that’s been decimated early in the season. The Cats survived preseason injury scares for Aaron Ekblad and Anton Lundell but didn’t avoid LTIR placements for Aleksander Barkov (ACL and MCL tear), Tomas Nosek (knee), and Matthew Tkachuk (adductor) to open the season. The defense started fully healthy to help compensate for the loss of forward depth, but they’ve now lost half of their veteran third pairing with Jeff Petry for at least a few games, if not more.

Uvis Balinskis will step into Kulikov’s spot as the lefty on that bottom pairing alongside Petry. Balinskis is a quality option to pull from the press box. He spent most of last season as Nate Schmidt’s partner until the acquisition of Seth Jones near the trade deadline pushed him down the depth chart and out of the regular playoff lineup. That wasn’t before the 29-year-old Latvian made 76 appearances in the regular season, posting a 4-14–18 scoring line with a -7 rating in 14:51 of ice time per game. Florida signed the 6’0″ lefty as an undrafted free agent in 2023, and he played in only 26 NHL games the year prior.

As for Kulikov, the 17-year veteran looks on track to continue posting stable results in a depth role for Florida. He only had a -1 rating and one hit through one-and-a-half games but posted good possession results on his unit with Petry, controlling 60% of expected goals, per MoneyPuck. Florida has also outattempted opponents 17-16 with Kulikov on the ice at even strength so far.

Kulikov will be 35 in a few weeks. The first-round pick by the Panthers back in 2009 isn’t the minute-muncher he was during his first stint in Florida, but he’s been a strong support piece and frequent penalty killer since returning to the club in free agency in 2023. He’s beginning Year 2 of a four-year, $4.6MM deal he signed last summer.

The IR placement leaves Florida with an open roster spot but doesn’t change their cap picture. The Panthers have $2.27MM remaining in their LTIR pool, though, more than enough to make a corresponding recall from AHL Charlotte. Atop their minor-league depth chart, particularly among lefties, is former Kings first-rounder Tobias Björnfot.

Blue Jackets’ Miles Wood Out At Least One Week

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The Blue Jackets announced that winger Miles Wood will miss at least a week with an apparent eye injury, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.

Wood sustained the injury on Monday. He left their loss to the Devils after taking a high stick from New Jersey defender Dougie Hamilton while attempting to cross in front of the Devils’ crease (video via B/R Open Ice). Injury troubles are nothing new for Wood, who missed over 30 games due to an upper-body issue while he was with the Avalanche last year. He had just eight points in 37 games when healthy, causing Colorado to part ways with him two years into a six-year, $15MM contract and trade him to Columbus in the Charlie Coyle deal to clear some cap space.

The Jackets don’t need to place Wood on IR unless they need his roster spot for a corresponding recall, which they haven’t made yet. Even so, they only had 22 players on their active roster and could make a recall without removing Wood from the roster. He’s eligible for a placement with his return timeline being at least seven days.

In fact, a recall is destined to come before they take on Wood’s former team tomorrow. With defenseman Erik Gudbranson also sidelined day-to-day with an upper-body injury, Wood’s injury means Columbus is down to the bare minimum of 18 healthy skaters. Making his season debut in Wood’s place will be Yegor Chinakhov, Portzline reports. The 2020 first-round pick will be slotting directly into Wood’s vacant spot on the fourth line alongside Isac Lundeström and Zach Aston-Reese. Chinakhov was a healthy scratch for the first three games of the season after making a formal trade request over the summer following a dispute with head coach Dean Evason. He said at the beginning of camp that he was open to staying with Columbus, but his preseason usage was limited, and he changed his representation last month as a result.

Wood averaged just 7:58 through his first three appearances as a Jacket, although that’s dragged down by his leaving Monday’s game early. He’s managed a +1 rating and two hits and scored his first goal in a Columbus jersey last weekend in their only win of the season to date, a 7-4 victory over the Wild.

Short-Term Absences: Raymond, Foligno, Samuelsson

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At least for now, the Red Wings are exhaling that the news isn’t worse regarding the health of star winger Lucas Raymond. He won’t play tonight but is only considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury, the team announced. Raymond left Monday’s win over the Maple Leafs midway through the second period after taking a cross-check into the boards from Toronto defenseman Chris Tanev (video via B/R Open Ice). There was initial fear and speculation that he may have sustained something as serious as a collarbone fracture, but he was back on the ice for morning skate today, according to the team’s Daniella Bruce. He might not even miss a full week, considering there’s been no injured reserve placement. Through two and a half appearances, Raymond had scored twice and added an assist with a +3 rating in what’s otherwise been an iffy start at even strength for Detroit’s top line of him, Dylan Larkin, and rookie Emmitt Finnie.

More short-term absences of note from around the league:

  • The Blackhawks announced that captain Nick Foligno will be taking a “brief” leave of absence and will miss tonight’s game against the Blues. He’s stepping away to be with his family as his daughter undergoes a follow-up surgery related to her congenital heart disease. All of us at PHR send our best wishes to the Foligno family. You can visit their foundation for heart health, The Heart’s Playbook, at this link.
  • Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson has been ruled out for tonight’s game against the Senators, according to Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550. His absence shouldn’t last much longer, though. He skated on his own today and could be an option to play this weekend, head coach Lindy Ruff said. Samuelsson remains on the active roster after departing last weekend’s loss to the Bruins early. He’s only missed one game so far.

Rangers Recall Scott Morrow

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The Rangers announced they’ve recalled defenseman Scott Morrow from AHL Hartford. The team is placing center Vincent Trocheck on long-term injured reserve to make room for him on the active roster, Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic reports. He was labeled week-to-week with an upper-body issue over the weekend.

Morrow’s recall comes amid mounting injury concerns for New York’s blue line. They’re already down lefty Carson Soucy, who’s on injured reserve after sustaining an apparent head injury last Saturday. Connor Mackey was the corresponding recall for that move, and he’s sat in the press box for two straight while Matthew Robertson drew into Soucy’s spot on the second pair alongside William Borgen. Now, Borgen isn’t practicing today because of a lower-body injury, according to the AP’s Stephen Whyno, putting his status in doubt for tomorrow’s road contest in Toronto.

Now, Morrow comes up to make sure the Blueshirts have seven healthy defensemen on the roster in case Borgen can’t play. If he can’t, it’ll presumably be Morrow drawing in to replace him, not Mackey, to keep their lefty-righty balance intact. Morrow, who turns 23 next month, has 16 games of NHL experience, all coming with the Hurricanes in 2023-24 and 2024-25. The 2021 second-round pick had a goal and five assists for six points with a +1 rating in his first taste of big-league hockey for Carolina before they sent him to New York this past offseason in the K’Andre Miller sign-and-trade.

Morrow checks in as the Rangers’ most offensively dynamic prospect on the blue line. It’s his defensive acumen that needs to improve for him to secure an everyday spot, something he was close to doing in training camp this year before serving as one of their final cuts. In his first full-time pro year in 2024-25, he made 52 appearances for the Canes’ AHL club and had a 13-26–39 scoring line, earning a spot on the league’s Top Prospects Team and making a trip to the All-Star Game.

He did not record a point in his first outing of the season for Hartford last weekend. It’ll be a quick trip to Connecticut, at least for now, as he comes back up to serve as a No. 6/7 option for the next couple of days, at least. He’s waiver-exempt, which actually works to his advantage for staying on the roster now that the season has begun. If Mackey stays up for 30 days or plays 10 games after his recall, he’ll need to clear waivers again to return to Hartford.

As for Trocheck, his LTIR placement is backdated to Oct. 9. He’s already missed three games and six days required out of the 10-game, 24-day minimums. He will be eligible to return on Nov. 4 against the Hurricanes, ruling him out for the next eight games.

The Rangers’ injury woes on defense have prevented them from making a proper recall to replace Trocheck at forward. They started the year with 14 forwards and seven defenders, but are now rolling 13 and eight. That leaves prospects like Brett Berard and Gabriel Perreault, each of whom might have gotten a top-six shot with Trocheck out, still in the minors for now.

Sabres Could Scratch Jiri Kulich

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Oct. 15: The message has evidently been received for Kulich, who will be in the lineup tonight after all, Ruff told reporters this morning. “If you really want to know, he’s playing,” Ruff told Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News. “I want to see his response tonight.”

Oct. 14: In yet another brutal start for the Buffalo Sabres, who are 0-3, young forward Jiri Kulich has caught blame from Head Coach Lindy Ruff and could be scratched, as mentioned by the Times Herald’s Bill Hoppe earlier today.

The 21-year-old forward has had a rough go of it so far this season, with no points in three games and a -4 rating. As Ruff told Hoppe, Kulich “hasn’t been good enough”, noting that his skating has not been at the level it was last year. In practice today, Kulich was seen with Jordan Greenway and Mason Geertsen. As Hoppe wrote, it is not exactly a promising sign for the youngster in advance of tomorrow’s game vs Ottawa. 

Despite the struggles and dissatisfaction from his coach, Kulich has not played less than 16 minutes a night so far in each of the club’s games. Although sheltering a young former first-round pick who doesn’t appear ready is not necessarily the wrong move, Ruff’s comments are interesting, throwing such blame at Kulich when the team has scored just two goals all season. Thankfully, Zach Benson is expected back tomorrow; however, with Josh Norris out long-term, it has been a terrible start for the Sabres. With the Senators set to move forward without their injured star captain Brady Tkachuk, tomorrow’s game will be a huge opportunity for Buffalo to finally get into the win column. 

Many eyes will turn to stars such as Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin to lead Buffalo out of the hole they find themselves in, but unfortunately, without Norris, it will be an uphill battle. If they prove unable to do so, at some point, it may be time to look at the team’s deeper issues than a player such as Kulich’s performance, and major changes could be on the horizon. 

Devils Place Zack MacEwen On Injured Reserve, Recall Nico Daws

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The Devils announced they’ve placed winger Zack MacEwen on injured reserve with the previously reported undisclosed injury that has him out indefinitely. New Jersey recalled goaltender Nico Daws from AHL Utica in a corresponding move.

MacEwen is a new addition to the organization, having been acquired from the Senators nearly two weeks ago in exchange for Kurtis MacDermid. He landed on waivers the following day and was not on the Devils’ opening roster submission, but was recalled anyway before their first game of the season. He was scratched for that contest but entered the lineup on Oct. 11 against the Lightning in place of Evgenii Dadonov, who’s now on long-term injured reserve after sustaining a hand injury in the opener. MacEwen skated 7:12 against Tampa, recording a block, a hit, and a pair of shots, until his undisclosed injury forced him out of the game in the third period.

While there’s no firm timeline, head coach Sheldon Keefe’s implication was that MacEwen will miss more than the seven days mandated for an IR placement. His placement is backdated to the date of the injury, so he could be technically eligible to return on Saturday against the Oilers, but he’s likely looking at a multi-week absence. With Dadonov and Stefan Noesen already on LTIR and IR and Juho Lammikko still dealing with an undisclosed injury despite being on the active roster, MacEwen’s injury only further stresses New Jersey’s forward depth. Brian Halonen, who made his season debut on the fourth line against the Blue Jackets on Monday after being the corresponding recall for Dadonov’s LTIR placement, will now continue to fill that role for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, there’s no surprise in seeing New Jersey add a goalie to the roster ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Panthers. They’re dealing with question marks for both backup Jake Allen, who started against Columbus but left after two periods due to cramping, and No. 1 option Jacob Markström, who entered in relief for the win but showed signs of discomfort after being collided with late in the game. There’s no final determination on either’s status for tomorrow yet, but giving Daws a start and letting the veterans rest would be a prudent move, even if only a precautionary one.

There was speculation that New Jersey may carry the 24-year-old Daws on the opening night roster to avoid placing him on waivers, but he ended up clearing them without incident early last week. The up-and-coming Canadian is in the back half of a two-year, $1.625MM deal and makes a one-way salary of $850K this season. A 2020 third-round pick, he’s firmly entrenched as the Devils’ third-stringer for now. He made four starts and two relief appearances last year, going 3-1-0 with a .939 SV% and 1.60 GAA for his best stretch of play yet. That makes him one of the more intriguing call-up options around the league despite dwindling minor-league numbers over the past few seasons.

Daws also carries far more experience than his age-group comparables. Injuries to New Jersey’s crease forced him into extended action, recording 20-plus starts in each of the 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons. He has a 22-23-1 career record with a 2.98 GAA and .898 SV%, just a few ticks below league average. He’s made one start for Utica this season, recording a 1.03 GAA and .963 SV% in a loss.

Adin Hill Leaves Game Due To Injury

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A rough sequence from tonight’s game in Calgary has dealt a blow to the Golden Knights. Vegas’ starting goaltender Adin Hill left after the first period due to a lower body injury, as noted by Jesse Granger of The Athletic.

First, Hill appeared shaken up due to a shot that knocked his mask off, but in the following scrum, the 29-year-old seemed bothered by a lower body ailment as well. Akira Schmid took the crease to start the second period for the Golden Knights.

As mentioned by Granger, Carter Hart will become eligible to sign with a team tomorrow, but will not be able to play until December. The Knights have been speculated as a possible fit in the past, and while the hope is certainly that Hill will not be sidelined for long, it will be interesting to follow what comes next.

Matvei Michkov Seeing Fewer Minutes In Slow Start

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Having yet to record a point in the Flyers’ first three games, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic wrote earlier today on Matvei Michkov’s early season struggles. The ultra-talented Russian has been lightly benched at times by new Head Coach Rick Tocchet. Although this may raise some eyebrows, there are reasons for this outside of his play alone, as noted by Kurz. 

Philadelphia broke into the win column yesterday, pulling away late from the defending champion Panthers. While such a triumph could be encouraging, it is key to mention that Florida opted to start backup goalie Daniil Tarasov. As the Flyers sit at a bit of a crossroads this season, trying to etch a new identity with a roster that finally offers real youth, the 20-year-old Russian is their biggest piece for the future. Michkov led all rookies in goals in 2024-2025, with an impressive 63 points, all during a bit of a tumultuous season for the Black and Orange. 

Therefore, a scoreless first three games for Michkov isn’t ideal, along with falling ice time, down to 14:26. Interestingly, fellow young Russian Nikita Grebenkin appeared in Michkov’s place on a line with Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny in crunch time vs Florida. However, Tocchet emphasized that the swap was primarily to reward Grebenkin, who has made an impression so far. 

Additionally, there are other factors which have worked against Michkov, painting a picture perhaps a bit misleading. Tocchet mentioned that he has been getting up to speed from an ankle ailment over the summer, along with the fact that the Flyers have been highly penalized, often keeping their young star off the ice. Finally, Tocchet is wanting to implement an approach of balancing up-and-down the lineup, as the club searches for their identity. Philadelphia has made it clear that they will move into the future still leaning into their gritty playing style as always, but they will need to ensure it does not stunt the development of a potential offensive superstar. 

With all of this in mind, Tocchet’s utilization of Michkov will be interesting to monitor, but just three games in, it is still too soon to sound the alarms. With Michkov’s ability, it is likely just a matter of time. 

Evening Notes: Brunicke, Crozier, Hurricanes

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The Penguins announced tonight that young defenseman Harrison Brunicke will not play tonight versus Anaheim. Brunicke has looked the part in his first three NHL games, notching a goal, but at just 19-years-old, the Penguins are taking it easy with their key prospect. Although fans may be disappointed, the silver lining is that Kris Letang could return. New Head Coach Dan Muse emphasized the need to put Brunicke along with fellow youngster Ben Kindel in positions to succeed, and given his strong pedigree coaching across junior, collegiate, and professional hockey, it seems the Penguins have the right eyes on their young prospects, as they face a fascinating crossroads which will play out this season. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • The Lightning have announced mid-game that defenseman Max Crozier will not return due to injury. The 25-year-old more unassuming player, who has spent most of his professional career in the AHL after being drafted 120th overall in 2019, has been off to a great start for Tampa Bay this season with three assists in as many games. Further details on the severity of the injury are unknown at this time. 
  • On today’s episode of Bleacher Report’s Insider Notebook, Insider Frank Seravalli said that the Carolina Hurricanes are watching the waiver wire closely for goalies, and that it would be no surprise if the team made some sort of move for one. Thankfully for the team, Frederik Andersen has won both games so far, but given his injury history, along with Pyotr Kochetkov’s inconsistency and current injury, the Canes could be looking for more stability. Carolina claimed Brandon Bussi on waivers earlier this month, but as a 27-year-old yet to debut in the NHL, and with AHL numbers which don’t necessarily jump off the page, GM Eric Tulsky could have another trick up his sleeve soon; especially if the team wants to reach new heights come spring. 

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