Rangers Activate Adam Fox Off Injured Reserve
The Rangers will welcome back a key cog of their back end to the lineup tonight in a crucial game against Columbus. Mollie Walker of the New York Post relays (Twitter link) that defenseman Adam Fox has been activated off injured reserve, meaning he is ready to return.
The 27-year-old had missed the last eight games due to an upper-body injury that was believed to be a shoulder issue. While Fox isn’t producing at the same level as in previous years that saw him surpass the 70-point mark for three straight seasons, he’s still tied for second on the team in scoring among full-season Rangers (tied with Mika Zibanejad, behind Artemi Panarin) with 48 points in 58 outings while averaging over 23 minutes a night of playing time.
Fox’s absence has also coincided with a stark drop in production for New York’s power play; the team played to a 2/26 mark with the man advantage in his absence. While the Rangers’ power play success rate isn’t the highest – they sit 24th in the league in that category – getting their top option at the point back can only help.
Tonight’s contest is critical for both teams with the Rangers and Blue Jackets tied for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with Columbus holding the tiebreaker so Fox’s return is certainly timely. It’s expected he’ll take the place of newcomer Carson Soucy who is slated to be a healthy scratch.
Metropolitan Notes: Palmieri, Svechnikov, Flyers, Imama
The Islanders elected not to move pending UFA winger Kyle Palmieri by last Friday’s trade deadline after having some discussions about a possible contract extension. Pierre LeBrun recently reported in a piece for The Athletic (subscription link) that those talks have progressed since then with more progress being made. At this point, the two sides are believed to be quibbling over term. The 34-year-old speculatively would want more of a medium-term agreement while New York’s likely preference is something that doesn’t run quite as long. Palmieri has 20 goals and 21 assists through 65 games this season and should be able to command a price tag that’s somewhat close to the $5MM he’s making now.
More from the Metropolitan:
- Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov has missed the last week with an upper-body injury and won’t suit up against Philadelphia tonight. Team reporter Walt Ruff relays that the team is hopeful that the 24-year-old will be able to return to the lineup at some point next week. It has been a bit of a down year for Svechnikov who has 18 goals and 25 assists through 63 games, his lowest point-per-game average since his rookie year back in 2018-19.
- The Flyers will once again be without defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and winger Garnet Hathaway for their game against Carolina tonight, relays Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter link). Ristolainen is dealing with an upper-body injury that caused him to miss Thursday’s game versus Tampa Bay while Hathaway, who has resumed skating, has missed the last two weeks with an upper-body injury of his own.
- Penguins winger Bokondji Imama has played in a career-high 11 NHL games this season after being recalled in late January. A pending unrestricted free agent, he recently told reporters including Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he’s hoping to remain with the organization for next season. At this point, a one-way contract likely remains out of reach but a two-way pact with a guarantee higher than the $400K he’s getting this season could be doable, especially if he plays somewhat of a regular role with Pittsburgh down the stretch.
Devils Acquire Tory Dello
Friday’s AHL trade deadline came with less fanfare than usual but there was one swap of a player on an NHL contract. The Red Wings announced that they traded defenseman Tory Dello to the Devils in exchange for future considerations.
The 28-year-old is playing on his first NHL contract after inking a one-year, two-way deal with Detroit last summer. Dello had been an AHL regular on the back end for the previous three seasons, two coming with Laval and one with Chicago. The signing was a homecoming of sorts as Dello began his professional career with the Griffins after wrapping up his college career at the University of Notre Dame in 2020.
But playing time has been harder to come by for Dello this year as he has been limited to just 27 outings with Grand Rapids where he had a goal and three assists. He’ll now hope to get more of a regular look with New Jersey’s affiliate in Utica.
Because this trade came after the NHL trade deadline, Dello is not eligible to be recalled to New Jersey for the rest of the season. It’s worth noting that this move puts the Devils at 49 contracts out of the maximum of 50 which could come into play if they’re looking to be active in college free agency. Meanwhile, Detroit’s contract count drops to 45 with the swap.
Atlantic Notes: Tkachuk, Armia, Baddock
Despite missing the final few minutes of Thursday’s game with a nagging hip issue, Senators winger Brady Tkachuk is expected to play tonight against Toronto, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. The 25-year-old suffered an undisclosed lower-body injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off that caused him to miss a couple of games and it wouldn’t be surprising if that is this lingering hip injury that he’s continuing to battle through. Tkachuk hasn’t quite been able to produce at the same level as a year ago that saw him collect 74 points but he still has 27 goals and 25 assists through 63 games this season while once again being one of the more physical players in the league.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- Canadiens winger Joel Armia is expected to return to the lineup tonight against Florida, relays Sportsnet’s Eric Engels (Twitter link). He missed Wednesday’s contest against Seattle due to an upper-body injury sustained the night before in Vancouver. The 31-year-old has 11 goals and 14 assists through 64 games this season while being one of the most utilized forwards shorthanded. If there isn’t another injury among Montreal’s forwards, they will have to either convert Joshua Roy’s recall from an emergency one to a regular recall (counting against their post-deadline limit) or return him to AHL Laval.
- Before yesterday’s AHL trade deadline, the Maple Leafs’ affiliate made a move. Per a release from Chicago’s farm team in Rockford, the Marlies acquired winger Brandon Baddock in exchange for future considerations. The 29-year-old has seven points and 86 penalty minutes in 38 games this season but was often scratched due to the IceHogs having one veteran over the limit. That shouldn’t be the case for Baddock with Toronto, giving him a chance to play more down the stretch. Baddock has one career NHL game under his belt from back in the 2021-22 season.
Big Hype Prospects: Fowler, McKenna, Lardis, Frondell
Mid-March is rolling around and hockey seasons are entering their waning point. Many college seasons are already concluded, while plenty of players in junior hockey are beginning to prepare for long playoff runs or springtime international hockey. It’s the final wave of action before the season comes to an end, so let’s take the chance to once again borrow from MLB Trade Rumors’ Big Hype Prospect series to bring you four of the hottest U21 players in hockey.
Four Big Hype Prospects
Jacob Fowler, G, Boston College (NCAA Hockey East, ’23 Montreal Canadiens)
32 GP – 24-5-2 – 0.941 Sv% – 1.62 GAA
Another season is coming to its end, which means it’s time for Jacob Fowler to receive his annual flowers. He’s won MVP awards and (or) championship rings in every single season of his junior hockey journey, and this year proved no exception. Fowler posted an incredibly .941 save percentage this season, the second highest in all of college behind 24-year-old junior Alex Tracy (.944). That masterclass performance was recognized on Thursday when Fowler unanimously won the Hockey East goalie of the year award. He beat out fantastic competition, namely Maine’s brick wall Albin Boija. The 20-year-old Fowler took a major stride forward from his 32-6-1 record and .926 Sv% last season – which was itself a continuation of the pair of above-.920 seasons he posted in the USHL. Fowler now holds the record for U17 save percentage in the USHL, won the USHL playoff MVP in a 2023 championship run, and now just matched Connor Hellebuyck‘s save percentage in his age-20 season. Fowler is cool, calm, collected – and above all else – amazingly consistent. He’s proven to be a star at Boston College, and likely won’t be long from trying to do the same in the NHL.
Gavin McKenna, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL, 2026 NHL Draft)
53 GP – 34 G – 80 A – 114 TP – 17 PIM – +51
This is now Gavin McKenna‘s third mention in our big hype prospects series – but there is simply no other player worth such acclaim. McKenna has continued to show his superstardom, dazzling even without standout centerman and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Cayden Lindstrom and Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Basha. He extended his active scoring streak to 37 games on Friday, tying thee Sidney Crosby for the second-longest point streak among CHL players since 2000-01. He’s only behind Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan, who stretched his streak to 65 games. McKenna has taken to a more prominent center role this season, to great effect. It’s pushed him to be more physical, or find even niftier ways to beat defenders. He’s slick on the puck and makes incredibly intelligent plays – capable of beating defenders with some of the simplest, but most effective, punch stops and quick cuts. There’s been no doubt that McKenna was going to be the first-overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft – but his performance this season, and namely this calendar year, have cemented that fact in a way that hasn’t been rivaled since Rasmus Dahlin, Auston Matthews, and Connor McDavid. McKenna is thee clear-cut star of his age group – and still has a year of junior (or collegiate) hockey to find yet another gear to his game.
Nick Lardis, LW/C, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL, ’23 Chicago Blackhawks)
63 GP – 71 G – 44 A – 115 TP – 16 PIM – +20
Continuing the conversation of record-setting seasons is Blackhawks wing prospect Nick Lardis, who sits just one goal back from all-time heights. His 71 goals this season are the second-highest in the OHL since 2000 – and just one back from what former exceptional status superstar John Tavares managed in the 2006-07 season. Lardis has taken an incredible stride forward after potting 29 goals and 50 points in 37 games last year; and 25 goals and 46 points in 33 games of 2022-23. He’s developed a knack for the scoring imbalance, finding more goals than assists on the back of great positioning around the net, hard-nosed puck battles, and a killer wrist shot. Lardis simply can’t be left alone in the lower two-thirds of the offensive zone – which has proven a major challenge considering defenders also have to monitor teammate and fellow Blackhawks prospect Marek Vanacker. The mix of Vanacker’s nifty hands and ability to control space, and Lardis’ hot-shot scoring, has been simply too much to bear for OHL defenses. With both players in their pipeline, Chicago has a real chance to ensure that their chemistry remains overwhelming for NHL opponents as well.
Anton Frondell, RW/C, Djurgardens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan, 2025 NHL Draft)
29 GP – 11 G – 14 A – 25 TP – 16 PIM – +11
Health has been the obstacle for star 2025 NHL Draft prospect Anton Frondell. He’s missed big chunks of games in October, November, December, and February of this season – intercut with spot starts. But when he’s healthy, there may be no international talent that rivals Frondell in this draft class. He has a simply jaw-dropping 14 points in his last eight games in the HA – Sweden’s second-tier pros. That scoring includes a four-point night and a three-point night in what is a very competitive, and often low-scoring, pro league. Finally, with his feet and his health under him, Frondell’s offense is exploding. He may be dancing a little too late for the crowd, but his ability to control the puck and work through space on the boards is incredible. Frondell has a powerful frame and drives hard to the slot – or steps back for hard wrist shots when defenders block his lanes. He’s a lethal threat north of the red line, with the positioning and grit to stay effective on the defensive side as well. Frondell will – or, should – be a top-10 pick in the upcoming draft. If he keeps up this recent performance, that number could rise north of top-five. The World U18 Championships will be his best chance to prove his worth to NHL brass. That tournament begins on April 23rd.
Ducks Recall Nikita Nesterenko
With injuries mounting, the Anaheim Ducks have recalled winger Nikita Nesterenko from AHL’s San Diego Gulls, the team announced. He is in the lineup for tonight’s game against the Predators.
This marks the second recall on the year for Nesterenko, 23, who previously registered a goal and an assist during a seven-game stretch earlier this season. In 19 career games with the big club, he has registered three goals and four points.
He has fared much better offensively at the AHL-level, where he has 13 goals and 34 points in 48 games with the Gulls this season, along with 71 points in 118 career AHL games. He’s been particularly hot of late, ranking third among all AHL players in points (19) since the AHL’s all-star break.
The Ducks acquired Nesterenko, defender Andrej Sustr (who never dressed for the Ducks and is now playing overseas) and a 2025 fourth-round selection from the Wild for defenseman John Klingberg in March 2023. Nesterenko was selected by Minnesota in the sixth round (173rd overall) in the 2019 NHL entry draft.
While his recall may be deserving, it also comes with a degree of necessity as forwards Sam Colangelo and Ross Johnston are both out day-to-day with injuries. The 23-year-old Colangelo has scored 6 goals in 20 games this season and his injury comes at a particularly inopportune time, as he scored four goals in his last five games. This included his first career two-goal game at home against the Islanders on March 9. The right-handed winger was selected by Anaheim in the second round of the 2020 draft.
Johnston, a veteran of 245 NHL games, has registered just four points in 45 games on the season. Now in his ninth NHL season and second with Ducks, Johnston has averaged just 8:41 of ice time on the year.
Utah Hockey Club Activates Nick Bjugstad From IR
The Utah Hockey Club has activated forward Nick Bjugstad off injured reserve, but the veteran will remain a healthy scratch, per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports.
It’s been a tough season for the 32-year-old veteran, who has fought injuries and posted only five goals and 15 points through 53 games. He landed on the IR on March 1 with an upper-body injury, which marked his second stint on IR on the year after missing the first eight games of the season with an additional upper-body injury.
As Utah continues to soar up the standings – aided by a 6-2-2 record over their last 10 games – and sits just two points out of a wild card spot, it stands to reason they wouldn’t want to make a roster change at this time. Bjugstad is in the final year of his deal that comes with a $2.1MM cap hit.
The disappointment in Bjugstad’s season is only heightened by his success for the franchise just a year ago. In 76 games in Arizona last year, he put up 22 goals, 23 assists and 45 points, the second highest total of his now 13-year NHL career.
Still, Bjugstad’s veteran presence and experience in the playoffs could serve as a positive for the team moving forward. A veteran of 747 career NHL games, Bjugstad sports a 0.44 career points per game total and has added six goals in 27 career playoff games.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Toronto Maple Leafs
Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t often see struggles and front office changes.
PHR is looking at every NHL team and giving a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2024-25 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia. We’re currently covering the Atlantic Division, next up is the Maple Leafs.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Current Cap Hit: $90,148,437 (over the $88MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Matthew Knies (one year, $925K)
Knies is quickly looking like one of the better-value picks of the 2021 draft. He debuted for the Leafs late in the 2022-23 season after his sophomore campaign at the University of Minnesota and has since skated almost exclusively in top-six roles. He has 76 career points in 139 games, second in the draft among non-first rounders behind the Lightning’s J.J. Moser. Luckily for Toronto, his strong performance won’t activate any performance bonuses in his contract – all of his ELC compensation is through base salary and signing bonuses. However, that will incentivize Knies to push for more money in contract negotiations this summer after agreeing to limit his earning potential through his first few NHL seasons.
Signed Through 2024-25, Non-Entry-Level
D Jani Hakanpää ($1.47MM, UFA)
F Pontus Holmberg ($800K, RFA)
F Steven Lorentz ($775K, UFA)
F Mitch Marner ($10.903MM, UFA)
F Max Pacioretty ($874K, UFA)
F Nicholas Robertson ($875K, RFA)
F John Tavares ($11MM, UFA)
After his 2023-24 campaign with the Stars ended prematurely due to a knee injury, the Leafs picked up Hakanpää as a cheap shutdown option on the right side (but not without some lengthy drama). Lingering knee issues limited him to just a pair of appearances back in November, though, and it’s all but certain he won’t return this season. Holmberg likely doesn’t have a ton of room left to grow at age 26, but the versatile Swede has been a nice fit in Toronto’s bottom six this season and has even been elevated to the second line with John Tavares on brief occasions. He’s averaging north of 13 minutes per game and is encroaching on his career high in points, so he’ll likely be brought back on a low-cost deal in the $1MM range.
Lorentz has been a nice pickup after a successful training camp tryout, appearing in nearly every game for the Leafs after serving as a frequent healthy scratch for the Panthers last year. He’s scored 14 points in 63 games while leading the team’s forwards with 156 hits, so it stands to reason they’ll try to bring him back on a sub-$1MM deal. Pacioretty, also a PTO pickup, seems like he’ll be one-and-done in Toronto after continued injury troubles have limited him to 13 points in 37 games, failing to hold onto a top-six job (and posting subpar defensive metrics when doing so). Robertson requested a trade last summer and, after it didn’t come to fruition, has seen his offensive production drop slightly from last year. He could be a non-tender option if the Leafs can’t find a taker for his signing rights.
The big fish are unquestionably the duo of Marner and Tavares. The former has had a spectacular campaign and still has a chance to finally crack the 100-point mark for the first time in his career, leading the Leafs in scoring with 80 points through 64 games. He’s also been Toronto’s most-deployed forward on the penalty kill this season at 2:16 per game. Easily the Leafs’ most valuable skater this season, no extension is imminent – especially after his name was thrown out in trade talks for Mikko Rantanen at the deadline. Pending his playoff performance, Toronto will likely need to step into the $13MM range annually on a max-term deal to keep him from looking elsewhere on the open market. Tavares is still chugging along with 56 points in 58 games in his age-34 season but is in line for a multi-million dollar pay cut next season, wherever he ends up. The former captain is open to continuing negotiations down the stretch and shouldn’t exceed the $8MM threshold on what’s likely to be a three-to-four-year pact.
Signed Through 2025-26
D Matt Benning ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Calle Järnkrok ($2.1MM, UFA)
F Scott Laughton ($1.5MM, UFA)
F Bobby McMann ($1.35MM, UFA)
F Ryan Reaves ($1.35MM, UFA)
G Anthony Stolarz ($2.5MM, UFA)
Benning and Reaves won’t be brought back at the end of their deals – if they’re even still in Toronto at that point. The former hasn’t suited up for the Leafs after they acquired him from the Sharks early this season in the Timothy Liljegren trade. Toronto waived him shortly after the deal, and after there were no takers on the wire, they sent him to their AHL affiliate. The 30-year-old righty has played just 21 NHL games since the beginning of last year and has just eight points in 33 AHL games. Reaves, a last-of-his-kind enforcer, hasn’t captured an everyday role and even landed on waivers last week to open up some pre-deadline financial flexibility.
Järnkrok was a solid depth pickup for the Leafs in free agency in 2022, although injuries have significantly hampered his availability over the past two years. He just got back into the lineup this month after missing most of the year following groin surgery. He’ll be 34 next summer and could likely replicate his current AAV, likely even with a slight raise amid a rising cap, on a short-term deal. Toronto just picked up Laughton at the deadline from the Flyers, who are retaining half of his full $3MM cap hit. The consistent 30-to-40-point center likely won’t be in line for a pay cut barring a disastrous 2025-26 outing.
McMann and Stolarz are the two names likely to see considerable increases on their next deals. The former is a late bloomer, but now at age 28 has emerged as a legitimate top-nine piece. He’s scored at a 23-goal pace per 82 games over the last two seasons and could conceivably sniff the $4MM mark on his next deal. Stolarz, who will set a new career-high in starts this year and is tied for second in the league with a .920 SV%, stands to double his cap hit on a short-term deal considering how quickly salaries for 1A tandem netminders are rising.
Signed Through 2026-27
D Simon Benoit ($1.35MM, UFA)
D Brandon Carlo ($3.485MM, UFA)
F David Kämpf ($2.4MM, UFA)
D Philippe Myers ($850K in 2025-26 and 2026-27, UFA)
None of the players in this group are true impact pieces outside of potentially Carlo, who the Leafs managed to snag from the rival Bruins at the deadline with a decent chunk of salary retention despite there being two years left on his deal. A longtime bona fide top-four shutdown righty in Boston, he’s the Hakanpää upgrade they were looking for and will remain under contract for Toronto at an under-market-value price. Whether his level of play holds up enough for a pay rise at age 30 in 2027 remains to be seen.
Benoit and Myers’ term means the Leafs don’t have to worry about building out their depth defense. Both will likely alternate between bottom-pairing usage and nights in the press box for the remainder of their deals. Kämpf gives Toronto security at the fourth-line center slot, but that’s a steep price tag for his meager offensive production (10 points in 52 games), even considering the pending salary cap rise and his shorthanded deployment. It’s not expensive enough to truly be classified as an anchor deal, but his deal sticks out as an inefficiency on the Leafs’ books.
Predators Activate Michael Bunting From IR
The Predators are slated to get one of their top returns from the trade deadline in the lineup, as winger Michael Bunting has been removed from IR and is a game-time decision for tonight’s game in Anaheim, according to reporter Nick Kieser of 102.5 The Game.
The Preds acquired Bunting and a fourth-round pick from the Penguins in exchange for forward Tommy Novak and defenseman Luke Schenn. After the deal, Nashville GM Barry Trotz stated Bunting was an “impact player” the Preds were interested in acquiring, and noted the team’s desire to keep the 29-year-old Bunting in the fold moving forward.
Bunting has fought through injuries this season – as well as a short stint as a healthy scratch – in Pittsburgh prior to the trade. However, after a slow start, he started to turn things around to the tune of 14 goals and 29 points through 58 games. He also led the Penguins in power play goals (9) at the time of the trade. Through 326 career games, Bunting has scored 90 times, including two 20-plus goal seasons under his belt.
Although he’s only in his ninth NHL season, the Predators will mark the fifth NHL team Bunting will suit up for after stints with Arizona, Toronto, Carolina, and Pittsburgh. But Bunting should provide a veteran presence, solid top nine play, and power play production to the rebuilding Preds.
Bunting has one year remaining on his current contract with a 2025-26 cap hit of $4.5MM.
Stars Recall Kyle Capobianco, Lian Bichsel Out
The Dallas Stars have recalled depth defenseman Kyle Capobianco to the NHL roster. He is expected to serve as the team’s extra defenseman with rookie Lian Bichsel set to miss Friday night’s game with illness, per Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas News. Bichsel’s role is expected to be filled by Brendan Smith.
This move marks just the second call-up of Capobianco’s season. The first came on January 31st, when he was brought up for just one game before being returned to the minor leagues. He managed no scoring, four penalty minutes, and a minus-two in his sole NHL outing this year. But Capobianco has been red-hot since returning to the minors on Feb. 1. He has seven points in 14 games since being reassigned, including three goals. That scoring streak brings Capobianco up to 35 points in 49 AHL games this season, narrowly shy of the scoring pace that led him to 54 points in 69 AHL games last year.
Capobianco is in his first season with the Dallas Stars organization. His career began with the Arizona Coyotes in the 2017-18 season, where he quickly carved out a role of hot minor league scoring and menial NHL impact. He spent five seasons with the Coyotes organization, before moving to the Winnipeg Jets for the last two seasons. He hasn’t been able to find a consistent NHL groove despite the change of scenery, though Capobianco has totaled 12 points in 74 NHL games and 201 points in 273 AHL games throughout his seven-year career. He isn’t likely to step into the lineup on this recall, though his next crack at the NHL will be a chance to improve on a low-grade performance in his Dallas Stars debut.
Meanwhile, Dallas will find a similar impact in replacing Bichsel with Smith. Both defenders bring heft and physicality to the blue-line, though Bichsel’s six-foot-seven, 231-pound frame is hard to replace. The 20-year-old rookie has five points, 18 penalty minutes, and a plus-six in 22 NHL games this season, the first of his career. Smith has managed four points, all assists, and 31 penalty minutes in 27 games of his own. Pending a big performance, Bichsel should head back to his lineup role once he’s kicked the flu.