Atlantic Notes: Cousins, Brannstrom, Barkov, Sturm
While it was expected that the Senators would be without forward Nick Cousins for the rest of the season after he underwent knee surgery in January, that might not be the case anymore. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch relays that the 31-year-old could resume skating with them as soon as Thursday after skating on his own in recent weeks. As a result, it’s possible that Cousins could return either late in the regular season or be available to suit up in the playoffs. Through 47 games this season, Cousins has five goals and eight assists along with 80 hits in a little under 12 minutes of playing time.
More from the Atlantic Division:
- Sabres defenseman Erik Brannstrom has had a bit of a whirlwind season with Buffalo being his fourth organization. Colorado signed him in free agency but moved him before the season to Vancouver and he was then flipped to the Rangers in the J.T. Miller trade. Along the way, he has only gotten into 28 NHL games this season. As a result, it appears he could be eyeing a change of scenery as SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson reports (subscription link) that the 25-year-old could be off to Switzerland next season with a long-term contract expected. Brannstrom has 294 career NHL appearances under his belt but with a quickly diminishing role so a change of scenery could help his chances of getting back to the top level down the road. Buffalo can retain his rights via restricted free agency for the next two years.
- The Panthers announced (Twitter link) that center Aleksander Barkov was scratched from tonight’s game versus Toronto due to an upper-body injury. The captain was banged up on Tuesday in Montreal but while he left the game briefly, he returned for the third period and didn’t seem to have any lingering effects. Barkov is second on Florida in scoring this season, tallying 19 goals and 47 assists in 64 games.
- Still with the Panthers, center Nico Sturm suffered an upper-body injury on Tuesday in Montreal and is listed as day-to-day, relays team reporter Jameson Olive (Twitter link). The 29-year-old was injured in a collision in the first period with A.J. Greer in his first shift of the game. Sturm was added from San Jose at the trade deadline as extra depth and has one assist in 11 appearances with Florida in a little under 10 minutes per night of playing time. Sturm did not suit up tonight either with Tomas Nosek taking his spot on the fourth line.
Blues Assign Dalibor Dvorsky To AHL
Dalibor Dvorsky’s first NHL stint was a short-lived one. After being recalled for the first time a little more than a week ago, the Blues announced that the center has been sent back to AHL Springfield.
Dvorsky was the tenth overall pick back in 2023 and even though he’s just 19, he is eligible to play full-time in the minors this year since he wasn’t drafted out of the CHL. He’s done well this season with the Thunderbirds, collecting 20 goals and 23 assists in 57 games, ranking him in the top ten in points for a player considering that he’s still junior-eligible. Dvorsky got into one game with St. Louis while on recall but was held off the scoresheet in 10:40 of playing time.
With Jimmy Snuggerud signing and jumping right into the lineup, the Blues clearly feel that Dvorsky would be best served getting regular minutes in the minors over sporadically playing at the NHL level, a decision that certainly makes sense from a development perspective.
His assignment also helps the Blues duck a little more below the $88MM spending threshold which is notable in the sense that it allows them to bank a bit more cap space to apply against their achieved bonuses, an amount that already has reached $1.725MM thanks to Ryan Suter meeting his games played targets. Any dollar that they can save in cap space now is a dollar less of a carry-over penalty they’ll face next season, so keeping Dvorsky up to sit him would also have served little value on that front.
Panthers Recall Jaycob Megna, Reassign Tobias Bjornfot
The Florida Panthers have swapped depth defensemen on the roster, assigning Tobias Bjornfot to the minor league and recalling Jaycob Megna per the AHL Transactions Log. Bjornfot will return to the minors after appearing in Florida’s last six games. He manageed no scoring, two penalty minutes, and a minus-five in the appearances.
Bjornfot is now up to no scoring and a minus-three through 14 NHL appearances this season. He’s had a bit better footing in the minor leagues, where he’s potted 16 points, 22 penalty minutes, and a plus-one in 43 games. Bjornfot has developed into more-and-more of a stay-at-home defenseman as his professional career progresses, though his lack of offense at the top flight has made him hard to routinely trust.
With a three-game road trip on the horizon, Florida will opt to instead reward Megna with the first call-up of his season. He’s matched Bjornfot’s AHL scoring, with 16 points in 64 games of his own. Megna adds to that 23 penalty minutes and a strong plus-26, which ranks second on the Charlotte Checkers. The six-foot-six defender appeared in 44 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season – recording two assists, 22 penalty minutes, and a minus-15. He’s totaled 27 points in 185 career games in the NHL, and 114 points in 434 games in the AHL. Megna could be in store to step immediately into the NHL roster on this recall, headed for the third-line left-defender role that Bjornfot previously occupied.
Predators Prospect Gunnarwolfe Fontaine Signs ATO With Iowa Wild
It appears the Nashville Predators will elect not to sign 2020 seventh-round draft pick Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, who has instead signed an amateur try-out with the AHL’s Iowa Wild. The Predators were set to lose Fontaine’s rights at the end of this season if they didn’t sign him to his entry-level contract. They’ll expedite the process here, allowing Fontaine to turn pro in the AHL after completing his graduate season at The Ohio State University.
Fontaine was drafted after his second season with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. He scored 26 goals and 57 points in 45 USHL games that season, apt support to a Steel roster that also contained Brendan Brisson, Sam Colangelo, Mackie Samoskevich, and Matthew Coronato. Fontaine followed his draft selection by moving to Northeastern University for the 2020-21 campaign. He scored a stout six goals and 15 points in 21 games of his freshman season, and grew to 25 points in 39 games in his sophomore year.
But Fontaine seemed to plateau a bit after the 2021-22 season. His scoring dipped as high-tier teammates like Cameron Lund and Justin Hryckowian began challenging his ice time. Fontaine managed 30 points in 35 games as a junior and fell to 27 points in 36 games in 2023-24. He failed to find his groove as Northeastern’s leading playdriver – sparking a search for bigger minutes at OSU in his graduate year. Fontaine did grow to 40 points in 40 games in the Big Ten – marking his first point-per-game season since his draft-year campaign in the USHL. He’ll look to bring that momentum to the AHL, with hopes that strong play can push him back into the attention of NHL clubs.
Golden Knights Sign Jackson Hallum To Two-Year Deal
The Vegas Golden Knights have finally put pen to paper with 2020 third-round draft pick Jackson Hallum, signing the forward to a two-year, entry-level contract. Vegas was set to lose Hallum’s rights this summer if they left him unsigned. There has so far been no indication on if Hallum’s deal will begin immediately, and see him join Vegas’ active roster, or if it will begin next season while he finishes this year in the minor leagues.
Hallum joins the Vegas organization after spending the last three seasons at the University of Michigan. He scored eight goals and 17 points in 36 games of his junior season, matching his point totals in 39 games of his freshman season. Hallum split the two seasons with a sophomore year season that was ended by a knee-to-knee hit after he scored eight points in his first nine games of the season. He had a slow return from the lower-body injury this season, but found his stride at the turn of the year with nine points in eight games in January. Unfortunately Hallum couldn’t hang onto his hot scoring, with just two points in Michigan’s final nine games of the season.
Hallum is a well-rounded playmaker who performed well as the second or third forward in on Michigan’s forecheck. He’s a smart passer who gets into open space, though his low scoring speaks to the need for a bit more creativity. Hallum often fills a role on the wing, and has posted a negative faceoff win percentage over his collegiate career. Fans can likely expect Hallum to soon head to the minor leagues, where he’ll look to make better use of his playmaking tools now a full season removed from injury.
Flames Sign Aydar Suniev To Three-Year Contract
The Calgary Flames have made official the reports that 2023 third-round draft pick Aydar Suniev signed a three-year, entry-level contract per Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960. The deal was first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Suniev will turn pro after completing his sophomore season at the University of Massachusetts. News of his signing comes just minutes after news that Suniev’s teammate Cole O’Hara has signed his entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators.
Suniev scored 20 goals and 38 points in 35 games this season. It was a strong continuation of his collegiate scoring after he potted 12 goals and 35 points in 36 games last season. Suniev ranked second on the UMass Minutemen in scoring this season, only behind O’Hara’s 51 points. While Suniev posted modest scoring last year, his climb up the leaderboards this year has been impressive – coming on the back of growing confidence on the puck. He’s seemed to take a hardy stride forward in his ability to work the puck into the middle of the ice, effectively rounding out his ability as a puck-hog on the perimeter.
Suniev was a part of a strong Flames draft class in 2023. With this deal, he could become the second member of that class to make their NHL debut, with Steinberg adding that Suniev’s deal should mirror that of former collegiate star and current Flame Matthew Coronato. Coronato played in one NHL game at the end of the 2022-23 season, after wrapping up his sophomore year at Harvard University.
Calgary has eight games remaining in their 2024-25 campaign, and currently sit four games back from the second Western Conference Wild Card with one game in hand. That’s treacherous ground to award an undersized winger his NHL debut, though Calgary could use Suniev’s strong puckhandling and speedy motor as a spark plug as they attempt one final push for the postseason. If they want to stay careful, the Flames could also assign Suniev to the minor leagues, and avoid burning the first year of his contract on an abbreviated stint in the 2024-25 NHL season.
Predators Sign Cole O’Hara To Two-Year Contract
The Nashville Predators have signed forward Cole O’Hara to a two-year, entry-level contract set to begin in the 2025-26 season. He will spend the rest of this season on a try-out with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. O’Hara’s third college season came to an end on March 29th, after his University of Massachusetts Minutemen lost to the Western Michigan Broncos in the national tournament.
O’Hara broke out in a big way this season. He scored a UMass-leading 22 goals and 51 points in just 40 games. That was more than he scored in his first two collegiate seasons – 17 points as a freshman, and 18 as a sophomore – combined. Many of those points came from O’Hara’s knack for controlling the puck from low-to-high – getting it on his stick below the goal-line and deking through defenders to find time and space at the tops of the circles. He excelled at getting the puck through traffic, and was helped along by the strong physical presence of Lucas Mercuri in front of the net.
The Predators drafted O’Hara in the fourth-round of the 2022 NHL Draft. He scored 25 goals and 73 points in 58 games in the USHL in his draft year – again on the back of a strong ability to work around the offensive-zone with the puck. O’Hara led the Tri-City Storm in scoring that season, ahead of a roster that featured Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Gavin Brindley and Seattle Kraken prospect Lleyton Roed. O’Hara will now join his former teammates in the AHL. He’ll be looking to hang on to his strong puck-handling while his slight frame adjusts to the pro ranks.
Avalanche Recall Kevin Mandolese
The Colorado Avalanche have recalled goaltender Kevin Mandolese ahead of their upcoming three-game road trip. This is Mandolese’s second recall of the season, after previously spending four days on the NHL roster in November.
It seems clear that Mandolese’s call-up is solely for depth. He has served as Colorado’s AHL backup this season, setting a 10-6-0 record and .905 save percentage in 17 appearances. But Mandolese has begun splitting the role with Adam Scheel, who has a 10-2-2 record and .904 save percentage in the AHL this season, including three shutouts. The 25-year-old Scheel is one year older than Mandolese, and will now step into the full AHL backup role while Mandolese supports the Avalanche.
This recall could give Mandolese a chance to play in his first NHL game since the 2022-23 campaign, when he managed a .916 Sv% in three games with the Ottawa Senators. Those have been the only NHL games of his career to this point. He’s also tallied a career .898 Sv% in 83 games and five seasons in the AHL, and a .921 in 15 games in the ECHL. The Avalanche are expected to start backup Scott Wedgewood on Wednesday, per team play-by-play announcer Conor McGahey. It is Wedgewood’s second consecutive start. He was backed up by usual starter Mackenzie Blackwood on Monday, but Mandolese’s presence could give Colorado a chance to give Blackwood a break from the lineup. Blackwood has started in all but 10 of Colorado’s 37 games since the start of 2025.
PHR Live Chat: 4/2/25
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Oilers Sign David Tomasek To One-Year Deal
The Oilers announced they’ve signed free agent center David Tomasek to a one-year contract for 2025-26 worth $1.2MM. The 29-year-old is expected to end up on Edmonton’s opening night roster next fall.
Tomasek, a 6’2″, 187-lb center, lands his first NHL contract after spending the last 10 seasons in top-level professional leagues across Europe. The Prague native can play both down the middle and at right wing.
While he’s long been an effective scoring presence overseas, 2024-25 saw Tomasek reach new heights. After leading the Swedish Hockey League in goals last year, he took home the overall scoring title by posting 24-33–57 in 47 games for Färjestad BK. He managed only two assists in six playoff games as his club was upset by Skellefteå AIK in the quarterfinals of the SHL playoffs, though, ending his season Monday.
A well-rounded offensive talent and heavy power-play contributor overseas, Tomasek has experience in four of the best leagues in Europe – the SHL, Czech Extraliga, Finland’s Liiga, and the Kontinental Hockey League. He was at his peak in Sweden with Färjestad, though, posting 49-53–102 in 99 games for the club over the last two seasons. Hitting the point-per-game mark in the SHL is no easy feat – only three qualified players did it this season, the most since eight did it in 2021-22. Tomasek’s 1.21 points per game cleared Penguins prospect Filip Hallander‘s 1.04 by a significant margin for first place.
Tomasek’s professional career has also involved stints with HC Dynamo Pardubice, JYP, HC Sparta Prague, and Amur Khabarovsk. He’s clicked around a 0.60 points-per-game pace with those clubs before joining Färjestad.
While it’s Tomasek’s first NHL deal, it’s not his first time playing in North America. He played his youth hockey in Michigan before playing a pair of major junior seasons with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League in 2013-14 and 2014-15, recording 26-32–58 in 119 games there while going undrafted by an NHL club.
Tomasek becomes the 11th forward Edmonton has on a one-way deal next season. They have no pending RFAs up front on the NHL roster, although minor-league names like top prospect Matthew Savoie should be considered likely to make a push for an opening-night job. That, along with what should be limited cap space after working out a new deal for star RFA defenseman Evan Bouchard, means the Oilers won’t be very active up front on the NHL free agent market this summer. A couple of cap-clearing trades could make things easier – veterans Viktor Arvidsson and Evander Kane are some candidates there – but it’s clear Edmonton’s priority lies with acquiring low-cost talent to help fill out their depth lines next year. The Oilers also signed German center Josh Samanski to an entry-level deal earlier today, but he’s likely ticketed for AHL Bakersfield out of the gate.