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Minor Transactions: 1/26/25

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There have been a few minor roster moves made around the NHL today, some of which may or may not ultimately be paper transactions that are reversed in the next couple of days.  We’ll run through those here.

  • The Panthers announced (Twitter link) that they’ve loaned defenseman Tobias Bjornfot to AHL Charlotte. The 23-year-old got into eight games with Florida after being recalled earlier this month but with Aaron Ekblad returning yesterday, his presence was no longer needed on the roster.  Bjornfot is tied for third in scoring by Checkers blueliners, notching 11 points in 27 games at the minor league level.
  • The Stars have returned winger Matej Blumel to the minors, per an announcement from AHL Texas. He has been shuttled back and forth with some frequency in recent days though he did suit up today versus Iowa.  The 24-year-old has a goal in seven games with Dallas and is now up to 19 goals and 15 assists in 33 AHL contests.
  • Nashville has assigned defenseman Spencer Stastney to AHL Milwaukee, per the AHL’s transactions log. He suited up in seven games for the Predators over the last three weeks while on recall but didn’t register a point.  The 25-year-old has three points in 10 games with the Admirals after missing nearly two months while on personal leave.  Nashville now has just six healthy blueliners on their active roster so it’s possible that Stastney could be back up relatively quickly.
  • The Hurricanes have placed center Tyson Jost on LTIR, PuckPedia reports (Twitter link). The 26-year-old last played at the end of December and is battling a lower-body injury although he resumed skating last week.  Assuming the placement is retroactive, he has already missed the required 10 games and 24 days.  The move allowed them to remain cap-compliant after Friday’s three-team trade.

Canucks Notes: Sherwood, Joshua, Friedman

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The Vancouver Canucks fit in a practice early this morning before traveling to St. Louis to begin a three-game road-trip. The skate brought plenty of updates. Most notably, third-line forward Kiefer Sherwood did not travel with the team, per Jeff Patterson of Rink Wide: Vancouver. He is expected to miss Monday’s game, at least, after also sitting out of the team’s Saturday win over Washington. There is hope that he could join the team partway through the trip. No specifics of Sherwood’s injury have been disclosed.

Sherwood is having a career year in his first season with the Canucks. He ranks fourth on the team with 13 goals – just behind Jake DeBrusk (17), Brock Boeser (16), and defender Quinn Hughes (14). Sherwood has totaled 21 points through 47 games, putting him just six games shy of his career-high in scoring with 34 games still on the schedule. It has been a long road to land Sherwood in an everyday NHL role. He originally debuted with the Anaheim Ducks in 2018-19, but only managed 12 points in 50 games as a rookie. He spent the next three seasons making only spot starts at the top flight, through trips with Anaheim and the Colorado Avalanche, before spending the full season with the Nashville Predators last season. That’s when he set a career-high 27 points – a number he’s poised to smash now with the fourth club of his seven-year career.

In other Canucks news, forward Dakota Joshua made his return to the practice sheet on Sunday. Joshua has missed Vancouver’s last 10 games with a leg injury. He was placed on injured reserve on January 6th. Joshua has had an up-and-down season. A summer cancer diagnosis forced him to sit out the first month of the season, but he was a routine presence in the Canucks lineup between November and early January. He’s managed just four points and 20 penalty minutes through 24 games – but was riding a seven-game scoring drought prior to injury. He seems to be nearing a lineup return, likely giving him a chance to break his cold spell on Vancouver’s upcoming trip.

Ahead of the road trip, Vancouver also assigned defenseman Mark Friedman to the AHL. Friedman has only played in five NHL games this season – two coming last week. He hasn’t managed any scoring through the appearances, with 10 penalty minutes and a -4 his only notable stat changes. He’s been slightly more productive in the minors, with one goal and six points in 20 appearances with the Abbotsford Canucks. Friedman has served as a top AHL call-up for nearly every year of his nine-year career. He’ll continue to fill that role with this move, with Vancouver opting to carry rookie defenseman Elias Pettersson for their road trip instead.

Canada’s Alex Pietrangelo Withdraws From 4 Nations Face-Off

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The Vegas Golden Knights have announced that top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has chosen to withdraw from the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off to tend to what they describe as an “ailment” and prepare for the remaining season.

Pietrangelo has appeared in 46 of Vegas’ 49 games this season, having missed six days of action with an upper-body injury in November. He’s otherwise been as consistent as they come, averaging nearly 23 minutes of ice time and serving roles on both of Vegas’ special teams. He ranks second among the team’s blue-line in scoring with 25 points in 46 games, confidently behind Shea Theodore’s 44 points. Pietrangelo also ranks second on the team in blocked shots with 87. Even at the age of 35, Pietrangelo has continued to serve in a premier role for the Golden Knights.

Pietrangelo was named to Team Canada’s 4-Nations Face-Off roster on December 3rd, alongside Golden Knights teammate Theodore and former St. Louis Blues teammate Colton Parayko. The trio made up half of a blue-line that also featured Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Josh Morrissey, and Travis Sanheim. With Pietrangelo opting to withdraw, Canada will have to go back to the drawing board to find their final defender. Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard, New Jersey’s Dougie Hamilton, and San Jose’s Jake Walman lead all available options in NHL scoring.

The reasons for Pietrangelo’s withdrawal seem unclear. He has shown no signs of injury through the recent stretch and has even recorded an assist in four of Vegas’ last five games. Pietrangelo is also signed through the end of the 2026-27 season, giving him a reasonable chance at making Team Canada’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics with a strong showing at the 4-Nations tournament. But he’ll now back out to keep his sights on Vegas’ success.  The Golden Knights currently rank third in the Western Conference and fourth in the NHL with 64 points. They seem clearly in sight of a playoff berth, where they’ll get a chance to chase their second Stanley Cup in the last three years. Pietrangelo also won a Cup in St. Louis.

Blackhawks Recall Landon Slaggert

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The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled forward Landon Slaggert from the AHL. Slaggert isn’t expected to play in the team’s Sunday game against the Minnesota Wild, but will serve as an insurance forward for the team’s upcoming three game road trip.

This marks the first formal call-up of Slaggert’s career. He made his NHL debut last season, joining the Blackhawks after the end of the University of Notre Dame’s season and scoring four points in 16 games. But, like many burgeoning Hawks prospects to debut last season, Slaggert was assigned to the minors to start the year. He’s since worked his way into a top-six role with the Rockford IceHogs. Slaggert ranks third on the team in scoring with 25 points in 39 games. He also boasts a team-best +9.

Slaggert may face a tough time cracking into the lineup during this road trip. For Chicago’s many faults, their bottom-six has been warming up as of late. All six players – Colton Dach, Lukas Reichel, Nick Foligno, Pat Maroon, Ryan Donato, and Philipp Kurashev – have multiple points in the team’s last 10 games, led by Donato’s seven points and 18 shots. Kurashev would likely be the first of the bunch to cede minutes, though. He snapped a 12-game scoring drought with two points on January 20th, but has other wise fallen more-and-more out of favor in the Hawks lineup. Kurashev has been a routine healthy scratch and even appeared in trade rumors. Calling up Slaggert for a multi-game trip could be a good chance to see who would likely succeed Kurashev in the fourth-line role.

Devils’ Nico Hischier Day-To-Day, Jack Hughes Banged Up

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The New Jersey Devils could soon be without their two top forwards. Captain Nico Hischier left the team’s Saturday night matchup against the Montreal Canadiens in the second period, after receiving a slash from Canadiens center Nick Suzuki. No penalty was called on the play, and instead Suzuki skated up the ice and recorded the primary assist on Montreal’s second goal. Now, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe has shared that Hischier could be out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, per James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now.

Nichols also shared that Jack Hughes is, “less than 100 percent” due to a nagging finger injury. He suffered the injury partway through New Jersey’s Wednesday win over the Boston Bruins, exiting in the first period to get stitches in his finger but returning shortly after the start of the second. Hughes missed the team’s Friday practice to avoid risk of infection or further inflammation, but played in 20 minutes of New Jersey’s overtime win on Saturday. His status will be monitored closely as the Devils gear up for two weekday games against the Philadelphia Flyers.

There’s been no indication of whether or not the Devils top two centers will play on Monday. If they don’t, New Jersey will play their first game without the star duo in over two years. Despite routine injuries, one of the Devils’ star centers has found a way to stand at the top of the lineup – which would make matching absences incredibly tough to fill. Hughes and Hischier currently rank first and third on the Devils in scoring, with 57 and 43 points in 51 games respectively.

The only extra forward on New Jersey’s lineup is presently Kurtis MacDermid, who’s stepped into four games since the start of January. He doesn’t have any scoring through 19 games this season, which could force the Devils to look towards their minor leagues for meaningful fill-ins. Nolan Foote and Brian Halonen lead the AHL’s Utica Comets in scoring, with 25 points in 33 games and 24 points in 34 games respectively. Both players have served as injury fill-ins throughout the season, though neither has managed any NHL scoring in their spot starts. New Jersey could also turn towards Adam Beckman, who has 22 points in 29 AHL games and also managed two assists in 11 NHL games earlier this year. But none of those players bring natural center ability to the NHL lineup, likely meaning that any recall would need coupled with someone like Stefan Noesen, Ondrej Palat, or Dawson Mercer shifting into the middle-lane.

Sharks Recall Jack Thompson, Place Jan Rutta On IR

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The San Jose Sharks have recalled defenseman Jack Thompson and placed Jan Rutta on injured reserve. Rutta missed the team’s Saturday loss to the Florida Panthers with a lower-body injury. Head coach Ryan Wardofsky told Max Miller of Yahoo Sports that Rutta had been dealing with the injury for the last few games.

Rutta has seen his ice time dip from upwards of 19 minutes down to 13 minutes in the wake of this injury. He’s been a utility defender all season long, averaging 17 minutes of ice time and recording eight points through 51 games this season. Rutta also ranks second on the team with 76 blocked shots.

The Sharks turned towards left-shot defender Henry Thrun to fill Rutta’s right-side role on Saturday. But after a big loss, the Sharks are opting to bringing a true right-shot up in Thompson. Thompson has split time between the NHL and AHL lineup all year long, with similar results. He has five points in 14 NHL games and nine points in 17 AHL games on the year. After totaling just three NHL games over the last two seasons, Thompson is finally receiving a chance to carve out his role at the top-flight. With Rutta set to miss at least one week and two games, Thompson could have a perfect opportunity to plant his feet even further.

Avalanche Activate Miles Wood Off IR, Reassign Jere Innala

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The Colorado Avalanche have activated forward Miles Wood off of injured reserve, setting him up to return from a back injury suffered on November 27th. The injury is a nagging one, earning Wood a second placement on IR earlier this season – from November 4th to 14th – and holding him out of games for a week in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. He told Corey Masisak of The Denver Post that, based on conversations he’s had with other players, this back injury will likely be one he carries through the rest of his career.

In a corresponding move, Colorado has also reassigned Jere Innala to the minor leagues. Innala has appeared in most of the team’s games through January but averages just under seven minutes of ice time each game. He has no scoring and a -3 through 15 appearances this season.

Wood has spent the better parts of the last nine seasons as an impactful third-line winger across the league. He was originally the 100th-overall selection in the 2013 NHL Draft, hearing his name called in a fourth round that also featured Juuse Saros one pick earlier and Andrew Copp four picks later. Drafted out of high school, Wood went on to play two more seasons with Noble and Greenough before moving to Boston College in 2015. He had a dazzling freshman year, earning 35 points in 37 games and a spot on Team USA’s 2016 World Championship lineup behind the likes of Auston Matthews, Dylan Larkin, and Brady Skjei. That NHL company must have convinced Wood, who jumped to the AHL after his freshman year of college, then earned a full-time NHL call-up after 15 games and eight points with the Albany Devils.

Since then, Wood has been a stout bottom-six forward, routinely rivaling 25 points and making a mark in all three zones. His career year currently stands as the 2017-18 campaign, when he scored 19 goals and 32 points in 76 games – both career-highs. Wood made that mark with the New Jersey Devils for seven seasons – even serving as an alternate captain for two years. But he opted to instead join the Colorado Avalanche in the 2023 summer, signing a six-year, $15MM contract with the club just two years removed from a Stanley Cup win.

Wood has continued to make a consistent impact with the Avalanche, though his 2024-25 campaign started off ice cold. Through the mix of injuries, Wood has only scored two goals and three points in 16 games this season. He’ll now get a chance to buck that trend, returning to a Colorado lineup that looks very different from when he last played. Since late November, the Avalanche have traded away Justus Annunen, Alexandar Georgiev, Nikolai Kovalenko, and Mikko Rantanen. In their place, the Avs have brought in Scott Wedgewood, Juuso Parssinen, Martin Necas, and Wood’s personal friend Mackenzie Blackwood. Wood raved about that latter acquisition to Masisak, comparing it to when an NFL team acquires a strong quarterback. He told Masisak, “I’m not sure why New Jersey traded him. I’m not sure why San Jose traded him. But I’m sure as hell happy he’s here.”

Free Agents To Watch For On AHL Deals

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The NHL’s 50-contract limit per organization, combined with the AHL’s veteran rule, means there are always a few spots on affiliates’ rosters for players not contracted with their NHL parent club. AHL-only contracts are a good way to add experienced talent to aid in prospect development without using up a precious NHL contract slot. They’re also frequently used to evaluate undrafted free agents before deciding whether to commit to them on an entry-level deal.

In the past few years, some notable quick ascensions from AHL deals to NHL playing time have occurred, most recently the Avalanche’s Ivan Ivan and the Capitals’ Ethen Frank. The Sharks recently tore up forward Colin White’s deal with their AHL affiliate and replaced it with an NHL two-way commitment. We’ll likely see more of those moves before the trade deadline as teams look to add recall options and reward depth players for strong performances. 

Here are some free agents to watch who could be in line for an NHL contract soon, whether it’s midseason or during free agency:

Calen Addison, D, Henderson Silver Knights (VGK)

Addison already has over 150 NHL games under his belt, but the 24-year-old’s limited utility outside of being a power-play quarterback led to him needing to settle for minor-league playing time. Selected by the Penguins in the second round of the 2018 draft, he was traded to the Wild in the 2020 Jason Zucker deal. Addison managed 38 points in 92 games with Minnesota before being traded again to the lowly Sharks early in the 2023-24 campaign. In San Jose, he finished the season with a -35 rating and only 12 points in 60 showings. That led to a non-tender, and Addison couldn’t land an NHL contract in training camp on a tryout with the Senators, either.

Despite that track record of teams quickly cutting bait with the 5’11” righty, he’s never had a tangibly negative impact on his team’s even-strength possession numbers in limited minutes. His team-worst -20 rating in 35 AHL games with the Golden Knights’ affiliate is a bit of an eyesore, but the team has struggled overall defensively. His 22 points are tied for 13th in the league among defenders and could put him back in consideration for a two-way deal, whether in Sin City or elsewhere over the summer.

Braeden Bowman, F, Henderson Silver Knights (VGK)

Sticking in Nevada, the 21-year-old Bowman has impressed in his first professional season. After going undrafted through three seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm, Bowman ranks fifth on the Silver Knights with 19 points through 38 games and is tied for second on the team with nine goals. He leads the league in scoring among rookies not affiliated with NHL clubs. The 6’2″ winger also captained Guelph last season, leading them with 37 goals in 68 games.

Brandon Halverson, G, Syracuse Crunch (TBL)

Halverson was a second-round pick of the Rangers in 2014 and even got a cup of coffee with them in a relief appearance in the 2017-18 season. However, the Michigan native’s development flamed out, and he became an ECHL full-timer shortly thereafter. Now 28 and two seasons removed from suiting up in the German second-tier pro league, Halverson has dominated the league with a sparkling .925 SV%, 2.02 GAA, and four shutouts in 24 appearances for Syracuse. With backup Matt Tomkins as Tampa Bay’s only current recall option and eight open contract slots, it’s hard to see why the Bolts haven’t snapped him up yet with a two-way deal to keep him from leaving the organization.

Cameron Hebig, F, Tucson Roadrunners (UTA)

The 28-year-old Hebig is in his seventh professional season, the past five of which have been spent in the Coyotes/Utah organization with Tucson. He jumped to the pros in 2018 after receiving an entry-level contract from the Oilers, but they didn’t qualify him upon expiry in 2020, and he’s spent the last half-decade on AHL deals with the Roadrunners. That patience could pay off, as the versatile 5’10” forward is amid a career year with 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points through 34 games. That’s good for second on the team, as is his +13 rating.

Boris Katchouk, F, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)

Katchouk played at least 50 NHL games every year between 2021-22 and 2023-24, but that wasn’t enough to secure an NHL offer on the open market this summer following a non-tender from the Senators. He appeared in training camp with the Ducks on a tryout, and while his performance wasn’t sufficient to land him a two-way contract, it did get him an extended look with Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate. His decision was wise, as the 6’2″ physical winger has rediscovered his offensive mojo. After ending last year with four points in 21 games for Ottawa following a waiver claim from the Blackhawks, he has 27 points in 33 AHL games with WBS. That ranks third on the team, and his +10 rating is tied for first. It could be enough for teams to consider him an option as a bottom-six complementary scorer.

Matt Luff, F, Springfield Thunderbirds (STL)

Luff, 27, had seen NHL ice in five straight seasons until 2023-24. He was under a one-way league minimum deal with the Red Wings but was injured for most of the campaign and only saw AHL action when healthy. He landed a training camp tryout with the Panthers but was promptly released. The 6’3″ right-winger had four points in six games for AHL Charlotte on a PTO before they, too, released him, and Springfield moved quickly to give him a guaranteed deal for the rest of the year. He’s exploded for his second point-per-game AHL season in the last four years, potting 11 goals and 15 assists through 26 appearances.

Zach Metsa, D, Rochester Americans (BUF)

Perhaps no one has a more intriguing case for a contract on this list than Metsa, who’s broken out for 28 points and a +7 rating in 40 appearances with Rochester in his second professional campaign. The 26-year-old captained Quinnipiac to a national championship in 2023 and received NHL interest then, but the righty’s 5’9″ frame was a pressing concern. The likelihood of him becoming a full-time NHLer is slim, but he ranks third in the league in points from the blue line and is at least deserving of a call-up opportunity, whether it’s in Buffalo or elsewhere.

Jack Millar, D, Ontario Reign (LAK)

Millar, 24, is a hulking 6’5″ righty in his first pro campaign after a four-year run at Colorado College. The stay-at-home defender has seven assists through 34 games but leads the Reign with a +19 rating and has largely stayed out of the box with only 15 PIMs. That’s a good mix of talent for an under-25 skater and will likely earn him at least a brief NHL look somewhere down the line.

Dominik Shine, F, Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)

Shine is a Michigan lifer, now in his ninth season with the Griffins after four years with Northern Michigan University. The 31-year-old forward has never inked an NHL contract, though. That could be in line to change soon, as after nearly a decade of middling fourth-line/middle-six production, he’s broken out for 11 goals and 21 assists for 32 points through 40 games. He’s just one point short of his career high, set last season, and leads the team in scoring ahead of NHL-experienced veterans like Sheldon Dries, Joe Snively and Austin Watson.

Jake Wise, F, Colorado Eagles (COL)

A third-rounder by the Blackhawks in 2018, he didn’t land an NHL contract after a sometimes tumultuous collegiate tenure with Boston University and Ohio State and became a free agent. After an inconsistent rookie AHL campaign split between two clubs last year, he’s looking more comfortable this season in the Avalanche organization. He’s skated in 32 games for an Eagles squad that’s seen a lot of in-season turnover up front thanks to a rash of injuries on their parent club, tied for second the team with 12 goals through 32 games. He’ll be 25 next month and posted 39 points in 40 games for OSU in his final collegiate season.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Central Injury Notes: Murphy, Jones, Martinez, Smith, Landeskog

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The Chicago Blackhawks blue line could be thin before tomorrow’s game against the Minnesota Wild. Thankfully for the Blackhawks, this situation is not expected to last long.

Defenseman Connor Murphy, currently on the injured reserve list due to a groin injury, is nearing a return to the active roster after fully participating in today’s practice. However, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that he will not be ready for tomorrow’s game. Additionally, he mentioned that defensemen Seth Jones and Alec Martinez may also miss the game due to illness.

If Chicago has only five healthy defensemen available, they will probably make a brief call-up. With two open roster spots, they don’t need to make any corresponding roster moves. However, this would result in having an abundance of left-handed defensemen for at least one game.

Other injury notes from the Central Division:

  • In Chicago, Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio reported that forward Craig Smith has returned to practice wearing a non-contact jersey. Smith has been recovering from a persistent back injury for the past two months, during which he missed 12 days in mid-December and another 17 days in January. So far this season, he has scored six goals and recorded 11 points in 30 games with the team.
  • Outside of more immediate news, the potential return of captain Gabriel Landeskog has been a major storyline for the Colorado Avalanche over the last two years. Speaking to that, Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette reported today that Landeskog has been on the ice more than ever since the 2022-23 season, and fell short of designating him as week-to-week. Landeskog’s hypothetical return could make the loss of Mikko Rantanen more palatable for Colorado’s top-six.

Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan Expected Out Six To Eight More Weeks

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The Columbus Blue Jackets will remain thin down the middle for the foreseeable future. Columbus announced that center Sean Monahan is expected to miss an additional six to eight weeks due to the wrist injury he suffered on January 7th.

The injury update will likely change the Blue Jackets’ plans for the trade deadline. They had been looking forward to captain Boone Jenner’s return, which would have significantly boosted the team. However, now they will be without a top-six center until mid-March.

Despite missing the last three weeks, Monahan is still the third-highest-scoring player on the team. He’s tallied 14 goals and 41 points in 41 games for Columbus since signing a five-year, $27.5MM contract as an unrestricted free agent last summer.

Given the organization’s renewed playoff aspirations, the Blue Jackets should enter the market for a rental center in the next few weeks. Adam Fantilli has filled the void nicely, scoring five goals and nine points in eight games since Monahan’s injury, but they could use another center regardless. Furthermore, it would be a nice reward for a team that has shattered all preseason expectations. 

Thankfully for Columbus, there should be plenty of talent available. In no particular order, Trent Frederic, Ryan Donato, Jake Evans, Yanni Gourde, and Alexander Kerfoot all come to mind as potential options. The Blue Jackets have both an abundance of draft picks and cap space which conceivably puts them in the market for any available player if they’re willing to meet the price.

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