Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Metro Notes: Thompson, Seeler, Rust

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Washington Capitals won’t start their regular season until this Saturday giving their new goaltender plenty of time to return. Tom Gulitti of the NHL relayed a note from head coach Spencer Carbery that goaltender Logan Thompson is expected back at practice tomorrow after being away from the team for personal reasons.

The Capitals acquired Thompson this past offseason from the Vegas Golden Knights for a pair of third-round picks. It was an odd move at the time given how close Vegas’ is to the cap for the 2024-25 season. Thompson is on the last year of a three-year, $2.3MM contract signed with the Golden Knights in 2022 with a $767K cap hit. Still, it makes some sense for Vegas to get something for a netminder who surely would have left in unrestricted free agency next summer.

Washington is still riding high on Charlie Lindgren’s breakout season last year but should he falter; they have a reliable backup in Thompson. There’s been some injury concern in the past but he still owns a 56-32-11 record in 95 starts with a .912 save percentage, a 2.67 goals-against average, and a Stanley Cup ring.

Other Metro notes:

  • It doesn’t appear defenseman Nick Seeler will be ready for the Philadelphia Flyers’ season opener tomorrow with Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports reporting he was the only member of the active roster not to practice today. Multiple outlets indicated that Seeler is dealing with a minor lower-body ailment and veteran defenseman Erik Johnson will play in his stead. Although the Flyers still have six healthy defensemen on the roster, expect a call-up tomorrow as the team starts their year on a Western Conference road trip.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins will again be without forward Bryan Rust as they take on the Detroit Red Wings for their second game of the year (X Link). Rust has been dealing with a lower-body injury dating back to training camp and currently resides on the team’s injured reserve. He should return soon; however, as Rust has been practicing with the team in a non-contact jersey.

Atlantic Notes: Pitlick, Buium, Lightning Game, Boqvist

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Depth forward Tyler Pitlick is still working on a professional tryout contract with the AHL’s Providence Bruins but that shouldn’t last much longer. Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff reports the Boston Bruins are expected to work out a contract of some kind with Pitlick, while other teams remain interested.

It’s been two years since Pitlick put together a quality season in the NHL as last season’s one-year agreement with the New York Rangers was forgettable. He did score seven goals and 16 points in 61 contests for the St. Louis Blues in the 2022-23 season while averaging 10 minutes of ice time per night which is likely what the Bruins are looking for.

If Boston does sign Pitlick to a deal for 2024-25 it will likely be a two-way contract. The Bruins have room to upgrade their bottom six but wouldn’t likely utilize Pitlick for the entire season. The most games he’s played in a single season was 80 back in the 2017-18 NHL season.

Other Atlantic notes:

  • The Detroit Red Wings are gaining some defensive depth with their AHL affiliate to start the year. The organization announced they activated defenseman Shai Buium from the season-opening injured reserve and assigned him to the Grand Rapids Griffins. Buium will begin his first season in professional hockey after signing his entry-level contract with the Red Wings at the end of last year’s NCAA season. He finished his collegiate career at the University of Denver with 14 goals and 75 points in 120 games with two National Championships.
  • The second half of the home-and-home between the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning will not go as scheduled. The Lightning announced Saturday’s game at Amalie Arena has been postponed as the western side of Florida continues to recover from the effects of Hurricane Milton which made landfall yesterday evening.
  • Florida Panthers senior digital content manager, Jameson Olive, shares that defenseman Adam Boqvist will not play tonight as he continues to recover from taking a puck to the face in the team’s most recent game against the Bruins. Boqvist’s absence means veteran defenseman Nate Schmidt will debut with the Panthers tonight as they square off against the Ottawa Senators. The organization hopes that Boqvist can return in Saturday’s matchup against the Buffalo Sabres.

Donnie Marshall Passes Away At Age 92

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Longtime member of the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers, Don Marshall, has passed away at the age of 92. The Canadiens organization revealed his passing in a team release. Marshall was the final living member of the 1950s Montreal dynasty that won five straight Stanley Cups from 1956 to 1960.

His career got off to a slow start in the 1951-52 campaign with the Canadiens suiting up in only one contest. It wasn’t until the 1954-55 season that Marshall became a consistent forward scoring three goals and eight points in 39 regular season games.

Marshall and the Canadiens lost in Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final that season to the Detroit Red Wings but it brought in a wave of unprecedented success. Marshall chipped in with 64 goals and 136 points in 344 games for Montreal from 1956-60 with another four goals and 13 points in 49 postseason contests. The Canadiens went 20-5 over that stretch in the Stanley Cup Final with five consecutive championships which still stands as an NHL record.

The Verdun, Quebec native played another three years in Montreal before joining the Rangers for the 1963-64 NHL season. He enjoyed a second prime of his career in the Big Apple scoring 129 goals and 270 points in 479 games over seven years with New York. He bounced around the last two years with the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs before finally hanging up his skates after the 1971-72 season.

Marshall retired with 265 goals and 589 points in 1176 games including seven All-Star Game appearances*. He and the rest of the Canadiens dynasty from the 1950s will continue to live as a special part of our game’s history. PHR extends our condolences to Marshall’s friends, families, and the four organizations he played for.

*Readers note: From 1947-1968, the All-Star Game included the respective season’s defending Stanley Cup champions facing All-Stars from other clubs. Marshall played only once as a member of the All-Star team in 1967-68. 

Santeri Hatakka Undergoes Shoulder Surgery, Out Indefinitely

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The New Jersey Devils will be without one of their depth defensemen for the foreseeable future. The organization announced Santeri Hatakka underwent shoulder surgery related to an injury suffered in their September 24th preseason matchup against the Montreal Canadiens without providing a timeline for his return.

New Jersey has again been dealing with injuries on the blue line. Luke Hughes is out with a shoulder injury, and free-agent pickup Brett Pesce is out with a leg injury. Hatakka would have been the next defenseman in line to fill in, but the strong play of youngster Seamus Casey to start the year has softened the blow.

The Riihimäki, Finland native was drafted 184th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2019 NHL Draft and found his way to the East Coast in the 2023 Timo Meier trade. He’s primarily played with the Devils’ AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, but has managed 12 regular season contests with New Jersey up to this point.

The Devils organization should offer a recovery timeline for Hatakka in the coming days. This is the first major injury of his career at the professional so it will be interesting to see how he responds to a prolonged absence. He will likely start the season in Utica when fully healthy and look to expand upon his five goals and 20 points in 48 AHL games from a year ago.

Blackhawks Activate Wyatt Kaiser, Reassign Isaak Phillips

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As alluded to a few days ago, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser will start his season against the Winnipeg Jets tomorrow night. The Blackhawks announced they have activated Kaiser off of injured reserve while reassigning defenseman Isaak Phillips to their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.

Wyatt Kaiser missed Chicago’s regular-season opener against the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday night due to an illness. Fortunately, he didn’t miss much, as the Blackhawks lost decisively to the league’s newest team.

It may take some time for Kaiser to catch up to speed with the Blackhawks as the former 81st overall pick of the 2020 NHL Draft failed to play in the preseason thanks to an undisclosed injury suffered early on in training camp. He’s coming off a 2023-24 regular season tallying seven assists in 32 games while averaging 17:19 of ice time per game. He should slot into the left side of the bottom pair next to veteran Connor Murphy when he’s fully ready to play.

Phillips stayed with the Blackhawks after clearing waivers on the last day before the regular season. He did not skate with Chicago in their opening night loss and will now look to play more consistently in Rockford. Phillips has been a reliable player for the IceHogs since transitioning to professional hockey in 2020-21 scoring 22 goals and 71 points in 171 contests.

Hurricanes Place Tyson Jost On Waivers, Move Jesper Fast To LTIR

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Oct. 10: Jost cleared waivers, per PuckPedia. The team later announced he’s been sent to the AHL.

Oct. 9: The Hurricanes have placed center Tyson Jost on waivers to be assigned to AHL Chicago, per the team’s Walt Ruff. It’s the latest in a series of minor moves for the Canes over the past 24 hours, including moving winger Jesper Fast from IR to LTIR, according to PuckPedia.

It’s not an unsurprising waiver placement, given Jost’s tumble down the depth chart with the Sabres in 2023-24. The 26-year-old was limited to just six points in 43 games and saw AHL action for the first time since 2018-19, passing through waivers unclaimed on his way to AHL Rochester. The 2016 10th overall pick also averaged a career-low 10:36 per game in Buffalo last year, posted a -11 rating, and logged extremely underwhelming possession metrics (44.0 CF%, 37.3 xGF%).

Jost still managed to land a one-way deal with the Canes this summer, although it was for the league minimum. He was projected to be in the press box for Friday’s home opener against the Lightning after Jackson Blake was recalled yesterday, but it now looks like he’ll be off the roster entirely, whether by virtue of assignment after clearing waivers or if he gets claimed.

In parts of eight NHL seasons with the Avalanche, Wild, and Sabres, Jost has made 456 appearances with 57 goals, 83 assists, and 140 points (0.31 per game) and a -14 rating. He’s a persistent shooter, averaging 123 on goal per 82 games, but has a pretty mild 8.3% shooting percentage. The natural center also struggles to win draws with a 39.9 FOW%. He’ll be a UFA next summer.

With Jost still rostered and Fast on LTIR, the Hurricanes have $2.35MM in cap space, per PuckPedia. Fast will miss the entire season after undergoing neck surgery.

Capitals Activate, Waive Spencer Smallman

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Capitals have placed right winger Spencer Smallman on waivers for the purpose of assignment to AHL Hershey, PuckPedia reports. That signals he’s been activated from season-opening injured reserve and is cleared to return from the undisclosed injury that kept him out of training camp.

Smallman, 28, has never cracked an NHL roster. His career began as a fifth-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2015. He spent his first five professional seasons playing for the organization’s AHL and ECHL affiliates before becoming a Group VI UFA in 2022 and signing with the Avalanche.

His time with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles didn’t yield him any NHL call-ups, but he did post a career-best 13 goals in 61 AHL games in 2022-23. The 6’1″, 198-lb winger is a decent skater but hasn’t posted the point totals at the minor-league level to even receive outside consideration for a call-up at this stage. The Prince Edward Island native has 95 points (38 G, 57 A) in 244 career appearances at the AHL level.

Washington inked Smallman to a two-way deal ($775K/$350K) this summer, bringing him in to join the Hershey Bears as they try for their third straight Calder Cup championship.

Jets Place Kaapo Kähkönen On Waivers

at CDT | by 12 Comments

The Jets have placed goaltender Kaapo Kähkönen on waivers, per PuckPedia. It appears he’s lost the backup battle to Eric Comrie and can be claimed by any team after signing a one-year, $1MM deal in Winnipeg over the offseason.

It’s likely not the result the Jets nor Kähkönen expected after coming to terms on the deal. Most assumed Comrie, who struggled to the tune of a .874 SV% in 10 games with the Sabres last year, would be the one to end up on waivers and sit at No. 3 on Winnipeg’s goaltending depth chart after inking a two-year, $825K AAV deal to kick off his fourth stint in the Jets organization.

The Jets were able to wait to make their decision, as starter Connor Hellebuyck’s brief absence due to personal reasons forced them to carry three goalies on their opening night roster. But Hellebuyck returned to pitch a shutout in last night’s season opener against the Oilers with Comrie on the bench, meaning Kähkönen watched from the press box.

It’s worth noting that taking Kähkönen off the roster instead of Comrie frees up an additional $175K in cap space. But it’s hard to imagine him passing through waivers. His $1MM cap hit is fully buriable in the minors if he doesn’t work out with a new club and lands back on the waiver wire, and he’s an intriguing pickup after he managed a .898 SV% in 37 games last year despite spending most of the campaign with the league-worst Sharks. The 28-year-old’s numbers weren’t too far below average, and he closed the campaign on a tear with a .923 SV% in six games for the Devils after New Jersey acquired him via trade.

Kähkönen was a Minnesota fourth-round pick back in 2014. He has a career .899 SV%, four shutouts, and a 49-67-15 record in 139 appearances with the Wild, Sharks, and Devils.

Oilers Place Raphael Lavoie On Waivers

at CDT | by 6 Comments

Forward Raphael Lavoie has hit waivers for the third time this week. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic reports that the Oilers will try again to sneak him through to AHL Bakersfield.

Lavoie, a second-round pick of Edmonton in 2019, initially hit waivers on Sunday as the Oilers needed him off their opening night roster to be cap-compliant. The Golden Knights pounced on the 24-year-old, taking him out of the Oilers organization, but they weren’t interested in keeping him on the NHL roster and instead claimed him in the hopes they could pass him through to AHL Henderson the following day.

The Oilers never wanted to lose Lavoie, though, and took the opportunity to re-claim him off the wire yesterday. They weren’t the only team to submit a claim, though. One of the eight teams who finished ahead of them in the league standings last season also made one, meaning Edmonton couldn’t assign Lavoie directly to Bakersfield after re-claiming him. As such, he’s back on the wire today as Edmonton tries to return him to the minors for a second time.

Lavoie cracked the AHL All-Star Game roster for the first time last season while recording 28 goals and 50 points in 66 games for the Condors, all career-highs. He also made his NHL debut, going without a point and posting a -2 rating in seven appearances for Edmonton. After a brief dance with restricted free agency, he signed a one-year, two-way pact ($775K/$200K) to return to the Oilers over the offseason.

Canadiens Sign, Waive Gustav Lindström

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Oct. 10: The Habs announced that Lindström has cleared waivers and has been assigned to Laval.

Oct. 9: The Canadiens have signed depth defenseman Gustav Lindström to a two-way contract, per a team release. The Swede spent training camp on a PTO with the Ducks but didn’t make the roster and was released last week. He’s subsequently been placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to AHL Laval, the team said.

Lindström, 26 later this month, has played in parts of five NHL seasons. The 2017 second-round pick of the Red Wings established himself as a bottom-pairing/press box option there, posting 25 points (2 G, 23 A) and a -33 rating in 128 appearances. The nephew of former Shark Marcus Ragnarsson has minimal offensive upside and mostly relies on his footspeed to put himself in position to break up plays, leading to some unimpressive but not catastrophic possession metrics (44.6 career CF%, but playing on rebuilding clubs).

The Red Wings parted ways with Lindström last year, trading him to the Canadiens in a late-summer swap for Jeff Petry. He’s now back for his second stint in Montreal. He posted four points in 14 games, averaging 15:17 per night, but couldn’t avoid the waiver wire and was claimed by the Ducks in January. He finished out the year with a strong run of play in Anaheim, logging six assists with an impressive +12 rating in 32 games on one of the league’s worst defensive teams. He did so in heavy defensive usage, too, with a 60.2 dZS%. His 44.6 CF% still managed to check in 0.1% better than the Ducks’ shot attempt share without Lindström on the ice.

There’s a bit of defensive upside there, one that may convince a team to claim him off waivers. But since he had to wait until Day 2 of the regular season to earn even just a two-way deal, it seems interest in his services is low. The Canadiens don’t have a huge need for depth help at the NHL level, with youngsters like Lane Hutson and Jayden Struble set to lock down full-time roles, but they only have three healthy non-roster defenders under contract, and Laval is seriously understaffed. That’s where they’ll hope to fit him in for now. Lindström has made 62 AHL appearances in parts of three years, posting eight assists and a -18 rating.

Lindström won’t count against the 23-man roster limit while on waivers since he was signed and waived on the same day.

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