Blue Jackets Reassign Daniil Tarasov, Owen Sillinger; Recall Jet Greaves
The Blue Jackets assigned goaltender Daniil Tarasov and forward Owen Sillinger to AHL Cleveland on Friday, the former heading down on a conditioning stint, per a team release. Columbus recalled netminder Jet Greaves from Cleveland in a corresponding transaction to serve as Elvis Merzļikins‘ backup for the foreseeable future.
Tarasov, 25, has made only three starts in the past two months despite not carrying an injury designation. The lack of playing time has stemmed from the Russian’s poor play, as he’s logged just a .857 SV% and 4.23 GAA in 10 appearances this season with a 3-6-1 record.
It’s a disappointing regression from the 2017 third-round pick. Tarasov recorded a promising .908 SV%, 3.18 GAA and 3.9 GSAA in 23 starts and one relief appearance last season behind Merzļikins, ushering in renewed optimism that he could be a long-term backup or tandem option in Columbus.
He’s been essentially unplayable in 2024-25, though, only recording an SV% above .900 in two of his 10 appearances. He’s dropped six straight games dating back to October, allowing at least three goals on each occasion.
Assigning Tarasov to Cleveland on a conditioning loan allows the Jackets to avoid placing him on waivers for now, but it comes with some stipulations. He can only remain in the AHL for 14 days, during which time he counts against the active roster and salary cap, before he must be kept in the NHL or waived.
It’s important to note that Tarasov must have agreed to the conditioning loan – it can’t be a one-sided decision. The 6’5″ netminder has logged time with Cleveland in each of his four previous seasons in North America, both on permanent assignments and injury-related conditioning stints. He has a .893 SV% and a 3.27 GAA in 32 appearances in the minors, good for a 16-11-4 record.
Keeping Tarasov in the minors for a couple of weeks will allow the 23-year-old Greaves to get a more extended audition at the game’s highest level. The Ontario native has played 14 NHL games over the past few seasons while filling in when injuries affected Merzļikins or Tarasov, posting a 4-8-2 record with a 3.45 GAA and .907 SV%. He’s started four of Columbus’ 42 games this year, allowing 14 goals on 127 shots.
Greaves has impressed in the minors ever since Columbus picked him up as an undrafted free agent from the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts in 2021. He’s rocking a career-best .914 SV% and 2.78 GAA in 20 games for Cleveland this year.
Since assigning Tarasov on a conditioning loan doesn’t free up a roster spot for Greaves’ recall, Sillinger heads back to the minors after making his NHL debut on Thursday against the Kraken. The 27-year-old took a minor penalty, skated 13:09, recorded a hit and a block each, and won two of his five faceoffs.
Sillinger had a tough showing possession-wise in his debut, with the Jackets getting out-attempted 17-6 while he was on the ice at 5-on-5. He was a last-minute replacement for his younger brother, Cole Sillinger, who was unavailable with an illness. The former’s reassignment suggests the latter should be good to go tomorrow against the Blues.
Senators Sign Ridly Greig To Four-Year Extension
The Ottawa Senators announced that they’ve signed forward Ridly Greig to a four-year contract extension worth a reported $13MM. The deal will carry Greig through the 2028-29 season and will see him carry an AAV of $3.25MM.
The 22-year-old is in his third NHL season with Ottawa and has six goals and six assists in 36 games this year. Over 128 career NHL games, the former first-round pick has totaled 21 goals and 26 assists. Although his offensive numbers don’t jump out at you, his overall game is rounding into form. Greig does have some playmaking ability; his skating is fantastic, and he is starting to show an edge and an ability to get under the skin of his opponents.
Senators president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios said in a release from the team that “Ridly has established himself as a key member of our team going forward. He brings a good mix of versatility and tenacity to our forward group.”
Greig has made the jump to the NHL rather quickly after spending just 46 games in the American Hockey League, where he posted 16 goals and 16 assists. His ascension and versatility have given the Senators a lot of options within their forward ranks, as they can utilize Greig at both center and wing. Greig has been paired up recently with Brady Tkachuk and Shane Pinto to form a formidable line.
Greig was a member of Team Canada during the 2022 World Junior Championships when Canada took gold. He posted three goals and three assists in five games during the tournament. He also represented Canada last year at the 2024 World Championships after the NHL regular season was over, posting a goal and two assists in two games.
At the end of his new deal, Greig will still be a restricted free agent with one year to go until UFA eligibility. He’ll be eligible for arbitration – which he wasn’t going to be this summer if he held out – and will be due a qualifying offer of $3.25MM.
PHR’s Josh Erickson contributed to this article.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Michael Andlauer Sells OHL Team To Hyman Family
Ottawa Senators majority owner Michael Andlauer has sold the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League to current Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman and his family (as per CHCH News). Andlauer bought the Bulldogs back in 2015 when they were the Belleville Bulls, he moved the club to Hamilton where they went on to win the OHL Championship in 2018 and 2022. The Bulldogs were then moved to Brantford in 2023 due to the Hamilton arena (First Ontario Centre) undergoing extensive renovations and several disagreements between the city and the Bulldogs.
No official announcement has been made as of yet, but one is expected on Monday after the OHL Board approves the sale (as per TSN’s Darren Dreger). A press conference is expected to happen sometime in the middle of next week.
Once it is official, it raises a lot of questions about whether the team will stay in the city of Brantford, the Bulldogs home for the past two seasons. Brantford has information listed on the city’s website that outlines plans to build a $140MM sports and entertainment center that would presumably house the Bulldogs. The website mentions that construction could start this year, with 2027 as the target date to open up a new facility. However, with a new ownership group coming in, those plans could change. Hyman’s father, Stuart Hyman, is a developer in the Toronto area and is expected to be part of the ownership group along with his son.
Senators Recall Matthew Highmore And Zack MacEwen
The Ottawa Senators have recalled forwards Matthew Highmore and Zack MacEwen from the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League (Twitter link). The recalls come on the heels of the Senators getting booed off the ice last night at home after suffering a 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres.
Highmore has yet to see NHL action this season but did dress in seven NHL games last season for the Senators, posting two assists. The Halifax, Nova Scotia native has played 146 career NHL games in parts of six seasons with four NHL franchises. The undrafted 28-year-old has put up some productive AHL seasons with his best coming in 2022-23 while he was part of the St. Louis Blues organization. Highmore posted 19 goals and 42 assists with their AHL affiliate the Springfield Thunderbirds but could not carry any of that momentum into the NHL as he went scoreless in two games with the Blues that season.
The 28-year-old MacEwen cleared waivers over a month ago and has split this season between Belleville and Ottawa. While he hasn’t produced much offense for the Senators with two goals and an assist in 19 games. However, those numbers already match last year’s totals, which took MacEwen 30 games to reach. MacEwen’s underlying numbers have also been much better this season, but he has benefitted from more favorable deployment (63.4% offensive zone starts) and a PDO that is 3.6 points higher than last year’s number.
Snapshots: Islanders, Marchment, Kaprizov, Roest
There has been plenty of speculation in recent weeks about whether the Islanders might consider moving veterans Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri by the March 7th trade deadline. However, speaking with reporters today including Newsday’s Andrew Gross, GM Lou Lamoriello indicated that the concept is “not even a thought in my mind right now”. Both players are pending unrestricted free agents and New York went into today’s action in last in the Metropolitan Division, only two points up on Buffalo who sat last in the Eastern Conference coming into tonight. That said, the second Wild Card spot is still within striking distance so don’t expect Lamoriello to even consider selling for a while yet.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- In a recent appearance on The Ticket (audio link), Stars head coach Peter DeBoer indicated that winger Mason Marchment is still at least a couple of weeks away from returning to the lineup. He’s working his way back from a head injury that DeBoer specified were fractures in his nose and facial area. The 29-year-old was off to a solid start before getting injured, tallying 12 goals and 15 assists along with 44 hits in his first 33 games.
- While the Wild were once again without top winger Kirill Kaprizov tonight, a return could be on the horizon. Michael Russo of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that Kaprizov has skated for the last two days and that there’s a chance he will travel with the team for their upcoming two-game road trip if there’s a possibility he can play in one of the games. The 27-year-old was off to a flying start before sustaining a lower-body injury that has kept him out since the holiday break. Kaprizov has 23 goals and 27 assists in 34 games so far, good for ninth in league scoring despite being out for more than two weeks now.
- While Predators prospect Austin Roest is eligible to play in the minors this season, WHL Everett announced that Nashville has informed them that they will return him to junior once he recovers from his injury sustained back in training camp. The 20-year-old was a sixth-round pick in 2023 and has already signed his entry-level deal. Roest has surpassed the 70-point mark in the last two seasons with the Silvertips and will get a final few months with them before turning pro next season.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Boston Bruins
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 will look at every NHL team and give 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, first up is the Bruins.
Boston Bruins
Current Cap Hit: $87,387,497 (under the $88MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F John Beecher (one year, $925K)
D Mason Lohrei (one year, $925K)
Potential Bonuses
Lohrei: $250K
Beecher spent most of last season in Boston, albeit in a limited role, one that has carried over to this season. He’s having a decent season on their fourth line but players like this tend to sign a short-term second contract. He should be able to add a few hundred thousand to his current price tag on a two-year deal.
Lohrei performed well in Boston last season, getting into half of their games, helping him secure a full-time spot this year. His role has largely been limited – he’s often on the third pairing – but a regular role on the power play has him sitting second in scoring among Bruins blueliners. A bridge deal is likely for him as well but it should check in around double of what Beecher winds up with.
Signed Through 2024-25, Non-Entry-Level
F Justin Brazeau ($775K, UFA)
F Trent Frederic ($2.3MM, UFA)
F Morgan Geekie ($2MM, RFA)
F Cole Koepke ($775K, UFA)
F Brad Marchand ($6.125MM, UFA)
F Oliver Wahlstrom ($1MM, RFA)
D Parker Wotherspoon ($800K, UFA)
Marchand is by far the most notable among Boston’s potential free agents. The captain has been on a team-friendly deal for pretty much the majority of his career, even with his production starting to drop – though he’s still second in scoring this season. Given the pricier deals that management has handed out in recent years, it’s reasonable to expect that Marchand will be looking for a raise as well, even with his output going in the wrong direction. He’ll be 37 when his next deal starts so it’ll be a short-term one, likely between one and three years. Three years would likely allow for a lower AAV than a one-year pact but with the cap going up, Marchand should still be in line for a raise next year.
Frederic came into this season coming off his best two offensive years, seemingly putting him in line for a nice jump closer to the $3.5MM mark. However, his production has tailed off this season which won’t help his cause. That said, he has enough of a track record as a solid and physical checker that there should be enough interest to put him around the $3MM range even if his offense doesn’t come around. Geekie had a career year offensively last season, his first with Boston after being non-tendered by Seattle to avoid giving him arbitration eligibility. That concern could come into play for him again over the summer, especially with his output dropping as sharply as Frederic’s. He’s worth a raise to the $3MM area but if the Bruins think he could get more from an arbitrator, he could be a non-tender candidate as well.
Wahlstrom was a non-tender candidate last summer with the Islanders but eventually settled on this deal, a last chance type of contract. Things didn’t go well and he wound up on waivers where Boston recently picked him up. Being arbitration-eligible, it’d be surprising to see him get qualified this summer unless he is able to rediscover his scoring touch in the second half of the season.
Brazeau was a feel-good story last season, turning an AHL deal into a two-year NHL agreement. Since then, he has been a productive bottom-six winger. Now that he has shown himself to be a capable NHL winger, it wouldn’t be shocking for him to at least double this on the open market. Koepke has been a nice addition to Boston’s fourth line but he’s 26 and in his first full NHL season. That will limit his market to a point but he should be able to push past the $1MM mark at least if he stays a regular the rest of the way.
Wotherspoon played in half of Boston’s game last season, helping secure a one-way salary for the first time in his career. But playing time has been harder to come by this year. As a result, he’s trending toward heading back to a two-way contract for next season, one that probably will be at $775K at the NHL level.
Signed Through 2025-26
F Charlie Coyle ($5.25MM, UFA)
D Jordan Oesterle ($775K, UFA)
D Andrew Peeke ($2.75MM, UFA)
Coyle has been quiet offensively this season but before that, his previous three seasons saw him produce at a second-line level so it’s fair to suggest he’ll get back to that level and the market will view him as that. Having said that, he’ll be 34 on his next deal so he’s likelier to land around three or four years and an anticipated drop in production at the end of that term might drive the price down to something relatively close to where he is now.
Peeke struggled in the first year of this contract, often being scratched in Columbus before being acquired by Boston at the trade deadline. He has played more regularly with the Bruins but has primarily been on the third pairing. If that holds up over the next year and a half, it wouldn’t be surprising for Peeke to be looking at a small pay cut while Boston’s preference may be to have someone cheaper in that roster slot. Oesterle has split time between the NHL and AHL the last couple of years and is likely to continue to stay at or near the minimum salary moving forward unless he can lock down a full-time spot in Boston’s lineup.
Signed Through 2026-27
D Brandon Carlo ($4.1MM, UFA)
F Pavel Zacha ($4.75MM, UFA)
Zacha has found another gear offensively since joining Boston in 2022. In his first season with them, he set new benchmarks in goals, assists, and points. Last year, he tied or beat them, putting up 59 points in 78 games. Like many this year, he’s off to a slower start but even so, his numbers are comparable to his best seasons in New Jersey. Assuming he can get back to putting up second-line production, this contract should age pretty well for the Bruins and it’s plausible that he pushes past the $6MM mark in 2027.
After his bridge deal, Carlo signed this agreement, a six-year pact. Through the first half of it, he continued to be a strong defensive specialist and that has continued into this year. For someone often on the second pairing, the price tag is reasonable but his very limited offensive upside will limit him on the open market. While top stay-at-home players have seen their markets improve in recent years, Carlo might not be able to command much more than $5MM per season, even with an anticipated jump in the cap.
Pacific Notes: Kane, Stonehouse, Zary, Kovalenko
Originally anticipated to be returning to the lineup in 2025, that hasn’t been the case for Oilers winger Evander Kane as he is not particularly close to a return. Speaking with Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, GM Stan Bowman indicated that while Kane has been doing his rehab, he doesn’t have any new information about his potential return. However, Bowman added that more clarity should be coming soon on that front. Edmonton has been operating under the cap this season instead of using LTIR in an effort to give themselves a bit of cap flexibility for when Kane returns. However, if Kane isn’t able to return during the regular season, the Oilers could then dip into LTIR, allowing them to go over the cap by up to $5.125MM which would open up more avenues heading to the trade deadline.
More from the Pacific:
- Still with the Oilers, prospect Brady Stonehouse is on the move in the OHL as Peterborough announced that they’ve acquired the winger from Ottawa. Edmonton signed the 20-year-old as an undrafted free agent back in 2023 and he is burning the first year of his entry-level deal at the junior level. In 18 games with the 67’s prior to the swap, Stonehouse had five goals and five assists.
- The Flames are expected to have more information on how long they’ll be without forward Connor Zary on Friday, relays Sportsnet’s Eric Francis (Twitter link). The 23-year-old suffered what looked to be a serious knee injury against Anaheim on Tuesday and the belief is that he may be facing an extended absence. After spending some time in the minors last season, Zary has been a full-timer with Calgary this season and had a solid first half before the injury, picking up 10 goals and 22 assists in his first 40 games.
- Sharks winger Nikolai Kovalenko will not play tomorrow against Utah due to an upper-body injury, notes Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now (Twitter link). The injury was sustained on Tuesday versus Vegas. Kovalenko has fared relatively well since being acquired last month from Colorado, notching a goal and five assists in a dozen games with San Jose after tallying just eight points in 28 games with the Avs. He’s listed as out day-to-day.
Islanders Injury Notes: Fasching, Varlamov, George, Holmstrom, Reilly
New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello shared a slew of injury updates with Newsday’s Andrew Gross on Thursday. Most notably, winger Hudson Fasching is expected to miss the next two weeks after suffering an upper-body injury in the team’s Monday loss to the Boston Bruins. Fasching left that matchup in the third period and didn’t travel on the team’s two-game road trip to the Western Conference. The Islanders have deployed healthy scratch Matt Martin to fill in for Fasching’s absence. Of the two, Martin is the only one to record a point this season – boasting one assist in 20 games to Fasching’s zero points in 19 games. They sit close on the Islanders’ depth chart, respectively averaging eight and nine minutes of ice time this season.
Lamoriello also shared that many of the Islanders’ other injuries are progressing positively. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov is expected to rejoin the team at practice when they return from their road trip on January 12th. Varlamov hasn’t played since the team’s November 29th loss to the Washington Capitals. He allowed five goals on 26 shots in that matchup, bringing his season totals to a career-low .889 in 10 appearances.
Rookie defenseman Isaiah George is also expected to return to practice when the Islanders return home. It will be his first time skating since sustaining an upper-body injury on a hit from Max Domi in New York’s January 2nd match against Toronto. George was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to the 2nd, and is now eligible to return when he’s back to full health. He has been one of the Islanders’ few bright spots this season, recording five points and 17 minutes of ice time in 25 games. The 20-year-old defender was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, and stands as just the third player selected outside of that year’s first-round to play through his rookie season. He’ll rival a role in the lineup when he’s back to full health, but may be bumped to the side by the return of Adam Pelech.
Forward Simon Holmstrom is also aiming to return to practice next week. He’s been another bright spot in the New York lineup, ranking fourth on the team in scoring with 22 points in 37 games, but went down with a day-to-day injury on January 1st. He was placed on injured reserve on January 7th. Meanwhile, defenseman Mike Reilly has also progressed from his injury but hasn’t yet been cleared for practice. Reilly has been out since November 1st.
The Islanders sit with 23 men on their roster. They’ll need to send someone to the minors to activate Holmstrom or Reilly.
Utah Hockey Club Recalls Connor Ingram, Reassigns Jaxson Stauber
The Utah Hockey Club has recalled goaltender Connor Ingram from his conditioning stint in the minor leagues. Ingram was assigned to the minors in late December, after recovering from an upper-body injury suffered on November 18th. He has sat out of Utah’s last 22 games, and made his return to the lineup in the Tucson Roadrunners’ Wednesday win over the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Ingram saved 29 of 30 shots in that game, good for a .967 save percentage in his first AHL game since the 2021-22 campaign.
Ingram will return to a very different goaltending room. He served as Arizona’s starter last season, posting a 23-21-3 record and .907 save percentage across 50 appearances. That was enough for Ingram to hold onto the starting role through the franchise’s move to Utah, but he came out of the gates ice-cold in his new setting. Ingram posted a measly .871 save percentage and 6-4-3 record in 13 games prior to his injury. That poor performance put all the momentum behind Karel Vejmelka as he stepped into the starting role in Ingram’s absence and looked to reclaim stake of Utah’s starter’s crease. Vejmelka has seemed to do just that, posting a .915 record and 8-7-3 record since Ingram’s injury. Vejmelka has slowed down in his last handful of games – evident by a 1-4-1 record and .907 Sv% in his last six – but he’s nonetheless made a strong claim to hold onto the starting role. Both goaltenders have plenty of experience serving as an NHL starter, and how Utah decides between them could define the team’s push for a Western Conference wild card.
To make room for Ingram’s return, Utah has also assigned goaltender Jaxson Stauber back to the minor leagues. Stauber played in four games while filling in for Ingram. He recorded a 2-1-1 record and .925 save percentage, bringing his career totals up to a 7-2-1 record and .916 save percentage in 10 NHL games. Stauber has been just as productive in the minors, going 5-2-0 and setting a .930 in seven games with Tucson this season.
Predators’ Luke Evangelista Out Four Weeks With Lower-Body Injury
Predators winger Luke Evangelista will be sidelined for the next four weeks with a lower-body injury, head coach Barry Trotz told Robby Stanley of NHL.com on Thursday.
Evangelista, 22, left Tuesday’s loss to the Jets in the first period after his right leg got tangled up while being hit by Winnipeg defenseman Neal Pionk. Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos also got banged up in the game but aren’t carrying injury designations today, per Trotz, and haven’t been ruled for Saturday’s tilt against the Capitals.
Trotz also gave updates on some already-injured-reserve-bound players, telling Stanley that defensemen Jeremy Lauzon and Adam Wilsby have been downgraded from day-to-day to week-to-week with their lower-body and upper-body injuries, respectively.
Evangelista has not yet joined the pair on IR, although he’s definitely eligible for a placement since he’ll miss more than seven days. With two open roster spots entering the day, the Predators have plenty of recall flexibility and don’t need to open a spot yet.
Through 39 games this season, Evangelista was struggling to capture the form that placed him ninth in Calder Trophy voting last season. Like many of his Nashville teammates, he’s struggling to finish. He’s shooting at just 5.3%, good for four goals through 39 games. He had 16 tallies in 80 games last season while finishing at a 9.3% clip, ranking fourth on the team with 172 shots on goal.
Evangelista has also been one of the Preds’ most frequent shooters this year, ranking sixth with 75. He’s seeing less usage per game, however, averaging 12:51 per night compared to 13:57 last season.
The 6’0″, 183-lb forward was a second-round pick by Nashville in 2020 and has 68 points in 143 NHL games to date. 14 of those points have come this season, placing him seventh on the fledgling club in scoring.
Evangelista has spent most of his time this season on a line with Mark Jankowski and Thomas Novak, which has been Nashville’s best unit at controlling possession quality at 5-on-5 with a 59.7% expected goals share, per MoneyPuck. It hasn’t translated to actual results, though, with the trio getting outscored 4-2. They’ve scored just 1.04 goals per 60 minutes compared to 3.84 expected goals per 60 minutes.
The pending restricted free agent will be replaced in the lineup by Zachary L’Heureux, who’s eligible to play after serving a three-game suspension for slew-footing Wild captain Jared Spurgeon on New Year’s Eve.