Central Notes: Vejmelka, Kaprizov, Manson, Nichushkin
Earlier today, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the Utah Hockey Club is engaged in extension negotiations with netminder Karel Vejmelka. Although no deal is imminent, Dreger adds that Vejmelka could become an interesting trade piece at the deadline should he and Utah not agree on a palatable salary for both sides.
It’s a good season for Vejmelka to find comparable situations. Kevin Lankinen, Logan Thompson, and Mackenzie Blackwood have signed extensions with their respective teams this year giving Vejmelka plenty of ammunition to work with. He’s arguably had the best season of his career this year with a 13-15-4 record in 31 starts with a .909 save percentage and a 2.57 goals-against average.
Unfortunately, unless there’s a major injury between now and the deadline, there isn’t much desire for goaltending in the trade market. Most if not all contending teams have a formidable situation between the pipes, with the Philadelphia Flyers likely being the only hypothetical option as a rental. Even then, the Flyers don’t seem to have much appetite for buying regardless of their position in the standings. Unless a non-playoff team is looking for a goaltender and Vejmelka is open to separate extension negotiations, all signs indicate he’ll remain with Utah beyond the trade deadline.
Other Central notes:
- Exiting the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Minnesota Wild were expecting the return of star forward Kirill Kaprizov shortly after. However, it appears the Wild are still a ways away from the return of their highest-scoring forward. In an interview on KFAN 100.3, general manager Bill Guerin said, “I think he’s going to be out longer than we originally expected. How much, I cannot answer.” Kaprizov had surgery in late January to repair a lower-body injury and was given a four-week minimum recovery timeline.
- Neither forward Valeri Nichushkin nor defenseman Josh Manson are expected to join the Colorado Avalanche on their upcoming road trip. In an interview with Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette, head coach Jared Bednar said, “He’s not coming on the (road) trip. Him and (Josh Manson) will both be here getting some work done.” The news is expected for Manson as he’s been dealing with a lower-body injury for much of the regular season. However, the news can’t be seen as anything other than disappointing for Nichushkin who hasn’t suited up since New Year’s Eve despite practicing multiple times.
Trade Deadline Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs
With the 4 Nations Face-Off now complete, the trade deadline looms large and is just a few weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The 2024-25 campaign marks the ninth year in a row the Maple Leafs are vying for a Stanley Cup championship since their competitive window re-opened in 2016-17. Toronto is in the 58th year of their Stanley Cup drought and they’ll have as good an opportunity as any to break that this season. Although it’s still the most competitive division in the NHL, the Eastern Conference feels more open than in years past which should motivate the Maple Leafs to be aggressive at this year’s deadline.
Record
33-20-2, 2nd in the Atlantic Division
Deadline Status
Buyers
Deadline Cap Space
$2.201MM on deadline day + $3.570MM LTIR pool, 0/3 retention spots used, 48/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2025: FLA 2nd, EDM 3rd, TOR 5th, TOR 6th, TOR 7th
2026: TOR 1st, TOR 3rd, TOR 5th, SJ 6th
Trade Chips
This is where things get interesting for Toronto. The only draft pick worth meaningful value is their 2026 first-round pick but recent history may dissuade them from moving it. The Maple Leafs traded a boatload of first-round picks during the Kyle Dubas administration with only one Round Two appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Toronto was again engaged in some of the market’s top names last season but ultimately played around the edges. The Maple Leafs acquired Joel Edmundson, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Connor Dewar near last year’s deadline. The highest-valued asset general manager Brad Treliving parted with is a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 third-round pick.
The Maple Leafs have legitimate prospects such as Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan, and Ben Danford with whom they could part ways to land an impact player. Although Treliving didn’t appear interested in moving big-name prospects in his first year at the helm of the Maple Leafs, he’s no stranger to big moves. During his time as general manager of the Calgary Flames, Treliving brought in the likes of Jonathan Huberdeau, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Nikita Zadorov via trade. If Treliving warms to moving a first-round pick or top prospect, Toronto has the pieces to put themselves in a good spot for the deadline. 
Team Needs
1) Third-Line Center: Assuming Auston Matthews and John Tavares remain healthy the rest of the way, the Maple Leafs would have difficulty improving their top-six centers. Still, Max Domi‘s 46.9% success rate in the faceoff dot hasn’t done much to inspire confidence in his abilities down the middle. Toronto could move Domi to the left wing alongside Tavares and William Nylander on the second if they acquire an above-average third-line center at the deadline. This strategy rests on what they’re willing to move. The Maple Leafs have plenty of options such as Ryan O’Reilly, Brock Nelson, Brayden Schenn, Jake Evans, and Scott Laughton but it’ll ultimately depend on how aggressive they’re willing to be.
2) Top-Four Right-Handed Defenseman: Potentially a more pressing need is Toronto’s lack of options on the right side of their defense in the top four. Chris Tanev has been exactly what they’ve needed him to be but the only right-handed options behind him are Conor Timmins and Philippe Myers. No offense to that duo but neither are expected to strike fear in opposing teams come postseason play. Again, the solution depends on the pieces the Maple Leafs put in play. Toronto should be involved in the markets for Colton Parayko, David Savard, or Rasmus Ristolainen, with any of the three being realistic additions.
Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Pacific Notes: Golden Knights, Boeser, Kovalenko, Rutta
Aside from the Boston Bruins losing Charlie McAvoy, the Vegas Golden Knights are another team that lost an impact player during the 4 Nations Face-Off. According to Jesse Granger of The Athletic, the Golden Knights don’t have any new updates regarding defenseman Shea Theodore‘s injury status. However, head coach Bruce Cassidy provided updates on another pair of injured players.
Forwards William Karlsson and Cole Schwindt have resumed regular skating making their returns imminent. Neither Karlsson nor Schwindt has played in a game for Vegas in February as they’re both dealing with lower-body injuries. The former has been impacted by injuries for much of the 2024-25 campaign as he’s only managed seven goals and 18 points in 38 appearances.
Meanwhile, the positive injury updates continue as the team is expected to activate (X Link) forward Tanner Pearson for tonight’s contest against the Vancouver Canucks. Pearson missed the Golden Knights’ final two games before the break due to an undisclosed injury. The former 20-goal scorer has notched nine goals and 19 points in 53 games for Vegas this season averaging 12:01 of ice time per night.
Other Pacific notes:
- Vancouver could be headed for treacherous waters with their pending unrestricted free agent forward Brock Boeser. The team has been playing too well to warrant moving Boeser at the deadline but not much traction has been made for a potential extension. In an article from Thomas Drance in The Athletic, he argues the Canucks will treat Boeser as their own rental for the deadline. Still, Drance argues that if Vancouver significantly falters leading up to March 7th, that could make a Boeser trade more palatable from their perspective.
- According to San Jose beat writer Curtis Pashelka, forward Nikolai Kovalenko nor defenseman Jan Rutta are expected to join the San Jose Sharks on their upcoming road trip. Pashelka adds that Rutta is still relatively far from a return, which could affect his trade value at the upcoming deadline. Rutta is a pending unrestricted free agent right-handed shot defenseman who would likely have some value as a potential depth option for a contending team.
Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Matt Tomkins
Regular backup netminder Jonas Johansson won’t be ready to return after all following the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. The Tampa Bay Lightning announced they’ve recalled Matt Tomkins from their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, and he’ll serve as a backup tomorrow night.
Today’s roster move marks Tomkins’ third call-up since the end of January. It hasn’t made too much of a difference for him personally, as Tomkins still hasn’t stepped on the ice for the Lightning outside of practice and warm-ups.
He’s spent the 2024-25 season as the ‘1B’ option with AHL Syracuse. Splitting the crease with the impressive Brandon Halverson, Tomkins has managed a 9-9-5 record in 22 games with a .911 save percentage and 2.54 goals-against average including three shutouts.
It’s objectively been the best professional year of his career up to this point. Unfortunately, being 30 years old, Tomkins doesn’t have much long-term value within the Lightning organization.
Given Johansson’s injury struggles of late, and the pair of older options in the AHL, goaltending could become a secondary focus for the Lightning at the trade deadline. Tampa Bay has a more pressing need at the forward position but the team may look to improve their backup option. Fortunately, the Lightning have the privilege of deploying Andrei Vasilevskiy on most nights, who’s no stranger to playing in 60 or more games a season.
Carolina Hurricanes Activate Tyson Jost
The Carolina Hurricanes are getting back one of their depth forwards for tonight’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. According to a team release, the Hurricanes have activated forward Tyson Jost from their injured reserve.
As one of the lengthier injury absences of his career, Jost missed the last 19 games with a lower-body injury. Still, it wasn’t a major loss for Carolina given he’s registered two goals in 16 games throughout the 2024-25 campaign. That hasn’t been his only action this year.
After clearing waivers at the beginning of the season, Jost has split his year between the Hurricanes and their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. His production has understandably been better with AHL Chicago as he’s scored four goals and nine points in 14 games.
Unless Carolina acquires another depth forward at the trade deadline Jost should spend the rest of the regular season with the Hurricanes. They would need to pass him through the waiver wire again and it’s not expected they’ll be as successful as they were in October. Most contending teams will look for cheap injury insurance this time of the year while deadline sellers will look to fill open roster spots. Jost’s league-minimum salary could make him an enticing choice for most teams should he go on waivers again.
Buffalo Sabres Activate Jordan Greenway, Mattias Samuelsson
The Buffalo Sabres have a pair of veterans back tonight for their game against the New York Rangers. Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News passed along a note from the NHL’s media site saying the Sabres had activated forward Jordan Greenway and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson from the injured reserve.
It’s been a long road back for Greenway. The pending unrestricted free agent hasn’t suited up in a game since December 15th due to an undisclosed injury. Considering the three weeks missed from mid-November to early December, Greenway has only participated in 20 games this season.
He hasn’t improved his free agency market when healthy either. Greenway scored three goals and seven points leading up to the injury averaging 15:55 of ice time per game. He’s still a physical forward averaging approximately three hits a game but he shouldn’t expect a payday close to his current $3.5MM salary. Furthermore, it’s difficult to argue that Greenway should still be considered an effective middle-six winger unless he can string together a few healthy seasons.
Meanwhile, Samuelsson returns to the lineup after missing two games leading up to the 4 Nations Face-Off break due to a small fracture in his foot. Unfortunately, those two absences followed 17 others throughout the year. Samuelsson can only reach 63 games played this season should he remain healthy.
On a positive note, 63 games played would become a new career-high for Samuelsson. The Philadelphia, PA native maxed out at 55 games played during the 2022-23 season — just before signing a seven-year, $30MM extension with Buffalo. Still, the Sabres will have a completely healthy lineup for tonight’s game against the Rangers.
New Jersey Devils Activate Nico Hischier
New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier will play his first game in approximately a month. New Jersey has officially activated their eight-year center ahead of tonight’s contest against the Dallas Stars.
Hischier’s activation was expected given he’s been regularly skating for the past few weeks. Thanks to the two-week 4 Nations Face-Off break, Hischier only missed six games due to the oblique injury. The Devils managed a 3-3-0 record in his absence.
The Brig, Switzerland native was on pace for the second-best offensive season of his career and likely still could. Hischier scored 24 goals and 43 points in 51 games leading up to the injury, which puts him 24 points behind his 67-point output in 71 games last year. Still, thanks to his hot streak to start the 2024-25 campaign, it is likely Hischier will surpass his career-high of 31 goals in a single season.
Despite a healthy forward core, New Jersey will still be shorthanded this evening. Netminder Jacob Markström and defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler continue to recover from their knee and lower-body injuries respectively. Those injuries shouldn’t create an insurmountable hurdle for the Devils to overcome.
Even without their top goaltender, New Jersey has averaged 2.28 goals-against per game while maintaining their plus-3.00 goals-for average. Being efficient in the faceoff dot, displaying above-average possession metrics, and scoring nearly every other game this season, Hischier should help the Devils improve in both categories even further.
Injury Updates: Lowry, Heineman, Blue Jackets, Maple Leafs
The Jets will have their captain back in the lineup tonight versus St. Louis as the team announced (Twitter link) that Adam Lowry will return after missing the last three-plus weeks with an upper-body injury. The 31-year-old was on pace for a career year offensively before being sidelined after collecting 11 goals and 15 assists in his first 48 outings while averaging 15:24 per night of ice time. He’s likely to return to the middle-six role he held before being sidelined while being a key part of their penalty kill. Winnipeg had two open roster spots so no corresponding move needed to be made to activate Lowry.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- The Canadiens will welcome back Emil Heineman tonight against Ottawa, per a team announcement (Twitter link). The rookie has chipped in with 10 goals and seven assists in 41 games despite primarily playing on Montreal’s fourth line as he’s averaging just over 11 minutes a night. Heineman missed the last five weeks with an upper-body injury sustained on a road trip in Utah when he was struck by a car.
- Aaron Portzline of The Athletic provided (Twitter links) a pair of updates on injured Blue Jackets veterans. Center Sean Monahan skated today and has been skating on his own for a while as he hopes to be back soon from his wrist injury. He was initially expected to be out until mid-March but is hopeful that he won’t be out for much longer. Meanwhile, blueliner Erik Gudbranson took part in today’s optional skate. He has been out since mid-October after undergoing shoulder surgery. His initial timeline for a return was late March and the fact he’s on the ice now suggests that he’s at least on schedule in his recovery.
- Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty has been ruled out of this weekend’s games after tweaking something earlier in the week, relays Nick Barden of The Hockey News. There’s no timetable yet on how long he’ll miss. However, they could get center Connor Dewar back on Sunday against Chicago. Dewar has missed a little over a month with an upper-body injury. Toronto will have to make a roster move to activate him although that could be as simple as transferring Pacioretty to IR for the time being.
Sharks Activate Nico Sturm Off IR
The Sharks will welcome back one of their regular centers (and best trade chips) to their lineup tonight. The team announced (Twitter link) that Nico Sturm has been activated off injured reserve. San Jose had an open roster spot so no corresponding move needed to be made.
The 29-year-old has been out for a little more than a month due to a lower-body injury. So far this season, Sturm has been relatively quiet offensively, notching just 11 points in 41 games. After recording a career-high 26 points in his first season with San Jose, Sturm has only recorded 24 points in the two years since then combined.
However, he has won over 63% of his faceoffs, the second straight season over that mark. That will be particularly intriguing to quite a few contenders looking to shore up their center depth and help their fortunes at the dot as he is one of the top rentals available on the draw. The last time Sturm was in this situation back in 2022, he wound up being moved to Colorado and won a Stanley Cup with the Avs.
Sturm is in the final season of a three-year deal that carries a $2MM price tag, a cap charge that a lot of playoff teams should be able to fit in. That’s particularly noteworthy since the Sharks have maxed out their retention slots so they are unable to pay down that cap charge. As long as Sturm can show that there are no lingering effects from the injury, he should have several trade suitors between now and the March 7th trade deadline.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Montreal Canadiens
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 Canadiens.
Montreal Canadiens
Current Cap Hit: $90,661,575 (over the $88MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
G Jakub Dobes (one year, $925K)
D Kaiden Guhle (one year, $863.3K)
F Emil Heineman (one year, $897.5K)
D Lane Hutson (two years, $950K)
F Juraj Slafkovsky (one year, $950K)
D Jayden Struble (one year, $867.5K)
Potential Bonuses
Guhle: $420K
Hutson: $750K
Slafkovsky: $3.5MM
Struble: $57.5K
Total: $4.7275MM
Slafkovsky has already signed an extension so we’ll just look at the bonuses here. The $2.5MM in ‘B’ bonuses aren’t going to happen but he also has four ‘A’ bonuses worth $250K apiece. He’s on his way to getting one for ATOI while another for assists is within reach. Heineman is in his first full NHL season and was off to a good start before being struck by a car while in Utah. With limited experience (less than 50 games thus far), it’s hard to see him landing a long-term deal. Instead, a two-year bridge deal around the $1.5MM to $1.75MM range might be where his next contract lands.
Hutson has been quite impressive in his freshman year, leading all rookies in scoring, making him a Calder Trophy contender in the process. He’s tracking to hit his three ‘A’ bonuses; he already has reached ones for assists and points while ATOI is all but a lock at this point as well. Meanwhile, he seems like a strong candidate to be the next Montreal youngster to bypass a short-term second deal in favor of a long-term pact. In recent years, the team has effectively operated within an internal cap, trying to keep all contracts below that of their captain. However, with the big jumps coming to the Upper Limit, that might be harder to do with Hutson who could be heading for something in the $8.5MM range unless the Canadiens opt for less than a max-term contract.
Like Slafkovsky, Guhle has already signed his next contract so we’ll only look at the bonuses here. He’s on pace to hit both of his ‘A’ bonuses with ATOI and plus/minus although if his recent injury keeps him out for the rest of the season, he could get passed for the latter. Struble, meanwhile, has been the seventh defender for most of the year but is no longer waiver-exempt, leading to a less-than-optimal situation. With the limited usage, a bridge deal is all but a certainty; whether it’s a one or two-year pact is the only question. A one-year might check in around the $1MM mark while a two-year agreement could be closer to $1.3MM. Meanwhile, his bonuses are games played-based so while he won’t max out on those, he could still get a bit of that. At the moment, Montreal is tracking toward having at least $1.42MM in reached bonuses, a number that would be charged against next year’s cap unless they can get out of LTIR and bank that much in cap room by the end of the season.
Dobes took over as Montreal’s backup goaltender after the holiday break and impressed early on before struggling in recent weeks. If the Canadiens are prepared to commit to him as the full-time backup, his bridge deal could check in around $1.25MM but a one-year pact worth closer to his $874K qualifying offer could also happen if they envision him being back in the minors next season.
Signed Through 2024-25, Non-Entry-Level
F Joel Armia ($3.4MM, UFA)
F Christian Dvorak ($4.45MM, UFA)
F Jake Evans ($1.7MM, UFA)
F Michael Pezzetta ($812.5K, UFA)
G Cayden Primeau ($890K, RFA)
D David Savard ($3.5MM, UFA)
Dvorak was acquired to be an impactful center, being acquired less than an hour after the team declined to match Carolina’s offer sheet for Jesperi Kotkaniemi. However, his role has become more and more limited as has his offensive production. He’ll still generate interest on the open market this summer but it’ll be as a bottom-six faceoff specialist, putting his possible price tag around half of what it is now. Armia cleared waivers last year but has rebuilt some of his value since then as a double-digit scorer and penalty killer. Matching this money might be tough to do but he could still get a multi-year deal somewhere close to that price point.
Evans, on the other hand, has seen his market value go up considerably this season. He’s the most-used forward on the penalty kill in the NHL this season while he’s on the verge of setting new career highs offensively and should surpass the 30-point mark. Given the high demand for centers, doubling this price tag is very realistic, if not a bit more. Pezzetta, meanwhile, has been a frequent healthy scratch this year and played very limited minutes when he has played. It’s hard to see him landing a raise; a drop to the league minimum seems more likely.
Savard has seen his playing time drop considerably this year as he has become more of a third-pairing option at five-on-five. While he’ll still generate interest as a veteran who can kill penalties and provide some edge, it would be surprising to see him get this much on the open market this summer. A two-year deal could still be doable, however, but it’s more likely to start with a two.
Primeau started the season as Montreal’s backup but lost the job at the holiday break. However, he has played quite well in the minors since then and could get another look with the Canadiens over the next couple of months. Owed a $1.068MM qualifying offer, he’s probably heading for non-tender territory unless the two sides can agree on a new deal before the end of June.
Signed Through 2025-26
F Kirby Dach ($3.363MM, RFA)
F Patrik Laine ($8.7MM, UFA)
D Mike Matheson ($4.875MM, UFA)
G Carey Price ($10.5MM, UFA)
D Arber Xhekaj ($1.3MM, RFA)
Columbus had to part with a second-rounder to offload Laine’s contract in full to Montreal (while receiving depth defender Jordan Harris in return). He has been quite streaky in limited action since returning from a knee injury and certainly hasn’t rebuilt his value to the point where it could be suggested that he’s in line for an extension anywhere near this cost. There’s a lot riding on how things go next year to see what type of contract he could realistically command. Dach missed almost all of last season due to injury and hasn’t been able to show much this year. Notably, he’ll be owed a $4MM qualifying offer with arbitration rights in the 2026 offseason but right now, his play likely doesn’t warrant that cost. It wouldn’t be shocking if the two sides ultimately work out a short-term agreement before then, buying some more evaluation time.
Matheson had a breakout year last season, finishing in the top ten in scoring among all NHL defensemen. Had that continued, he could have been eyeing a long-term deal with a raise of several million per year. That hasn’t been the case, however, and with Hutson in the fold, Matheson’s offensive opportunities have dried up to a point. Even so, he could plausibly command in the $7MM range on the open market in 2026. Xhekaj took a bridge contract after having a limited role in his first couple of NHL seasons. Not much has changed on that front so another shorter-term agreement appears likely at this point, one that should push past $2MM with arbitration rights.
Price hasn’t played since 2022 when he suited up five times down the stretch of that season and isn’t expected to play again. Since then, he has been on LTIR. Notably, his base salary for 2025-26 is just $2MM (with insurance covering a big part of that) so after his $5.5MM signing bonus is paid on July 1st this summer, it’s possible he’s flipped with another asset to a team with plenty of cap room to allow the Canadiens to exit LTIR.
Signed Through 2026-27
F Josh Anderson ($5.5MM, UFA)
D Alexandre Carrier ($3.75MM, UFA)
F Brendan Gallagher ($6.5MM, UFA)
G Sam Montembeault ($3.15MM, UFA)
F Alex Newhook ($2.9MM, RFA)
Gallagher has been a regular in Montreal’s lineup for 13 years now but his production and role have taken a dip the last few seasons. While he was a 30-goal scorer a couple of times, his output is closer to 30 points now which is far from a good return on their investment. If the Canadiens decide they need some extra cap room, he could be a buyout candidate. Anderson is also underperforming relative to his contract. He has become more of a checker this season compared to the past and has held his own in that role. Still, someone in that role should be making a couple million less at least although his size and physicality will give him a stronger market in 2027.
Newhook had a good first season with Montreal, setting a new benchmark in points despite missing 27 games due to injury. But things haven’t gone quite as well this season with his output cut in half. Notably, unlike Dach, Newhook’s qualifying offer checks in at just $2.1MM (with arbitration rights) so even if his struggles continue for the next couple of years, it won’t be too risky to tender him in 2027.
Carrier was acquired earlier this season for Justin Barron with Montreal deciding that another veteran on the back end was needed. He has fared better since the swap and has locked down a spot in their top four. He likely would have ended up with a deal like this had he tested the market and not re-signed with Nashville last summer but barring an uptick in production, his next deal shouldn’t cost too much more than this.
Montembeault has come a long way from being a short-term waiver claim to cover until Price returns, moving from a backup role to a platoon piece to now Montreal’s starter. He’s in that role while being at the price point of a platoon player. His numbers have largely been mediocre but playing behind an inexperienced back end probably hasn’t helped. Over the course of this deal, he needs to show if he can be a true number one. Otherwise, he’s likely to stay closer to this price tag on his next contract.
