Ducks Place Mason McTavish On IR; Recall Sam Colangelo, Tyson Hinds
The Ducks placed center Mason McTavish on injured reserve Sunday with an upper-body issue, the team announced. The move opened up a second spot on the active roster, and Anaheim used both open slots to recall right-winger Sam Colangelo and defenseman Tyson Hinds in corresponding moves.
McTavish, 21, has already sat out three games with the injury, which he sustained on Nov. 8 against the Wild. He was listed as day-to-day as late as Saturday, so the placement doesn’t indicate a change in his return timeline. He’ll be eligible for reinstatement from IR at any time, as he’s already missed more than seven days.
The third overall pick of the 2021 draft is the third Duck to land on IR in the past few days. He joins fellow forward Robby Fabbri, who underwent surgery on Friday to repair a torn meniscus and will miss the next six weeks, and defenseman Cam Fowler, who’s out for two to four weeks with an upper-body injury.
It’s been a good start to the season for McTavish, who’s averaging a career-high 16:18 per game and is tied for third on the team in points with eight (2 G, 6 A) in 13 appearances. The 6’0″, 213-lb pivot has won 48.3% of his faceoffs and has arguably earned a couple of more points than he’s produced, shooting 3.6 points below his career average of 12.3%.
He has been a slight drag on the team’s possession numbers, though. The Ducks are controlling 41.2% of shot attempts with McTavish on the ice at even strength compared to 45.5% without him. He had been centering a line between Fabbri and Trevor Zegras, with the former now moving up to center Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry with his linemates injured.
Whether Colangelo and Hinds will draw into the lineup Monday against the Stars remains to be seen, although it’s a decent possibility with head coach Greg Cronin continuing to shuffle lines in the wake of injuries. Colangelo, 23 next month, is off to a scorching-hot start in the minors with San Diego. The 2020 second-round pick leads the team with nine goals in 14 games and is second with points in 14, trailing only Jansen Harkins‘ 17.
Colangelo, who checks in at 6’2″ and 205 lbs, is in his first full season of pro hockey. The Massachusetts native signed his entry-level contract last spring after transferring to Western Michigan for his senior season, leading them with 24 goals in 38 games. He made his NHL debut down the stretch in 2023-24, averaging 12:33 per contest and recording his first NHL goal in his first game on April 12 against the Flames.
It is, however, the first NHL recall for the 21-year-old Hinds. The lefty was a third-round pick in 2021 and is amid his second professional season, recording 10 points and a -8 rating in 71 appearances for San Diego last year. He’s yet to record an assist in 2024-25 but has already matched last year’s goal total with two in 13 games. The Quebec native, who’s on track to become the capable stay-at-home defender he was drafted to be, was ranked as the 14th-best prospect in Anaheim’s system in McKeen’s Hockey’s preseason ranking.
Oilers Recall Josh Brown
The Oilers recalled defenseman Josh Brown from AHL Bakersfield on Sunday, according to a team announcement. The club had a pair of open roster spots and ample cap space in their LTIR pool, so no corresponding transaction was necessary.
Recalling Brown gives Edmonton an extra defenseman while Darnell Nurse, who sustained an upper-body injury on a hit from Maple Leafs winger Ryan Reaves on Saturday night that resulted in a five-game suspension, is unavailable. The Oilers haven’t yet issued a timeline for Nurse’s return, but after leaving the game bloodied and in visible pain, it’s likely he’ll miss at least a game or two.
Edmonton signed Brown, 30, to a three-year, $3MM contract over the summer. It hasn’t gone to plan at all, with the 6’5″ righty failing to even make the team out of camp and clearing waivers last month.
Brown’s $1MM cap hit is fully buriable in the minors, but it’s a big chunk of change to be paying an AHLer. The Ontario native hadn’t seen AHL ice since the 2018-19 campaign with the Panthers, the same season he made his NHL debut.
A Florida sixth-round pick in 2013, Brown has recorded 11 goals, 23 assists, 34 points, and a -26 rating in 290 NHL appearances over the past six years with the Panthers, Senators, Bruins, and Coyotes before arriving with the Oilers. He averages less than 15 minutes per game and has consistently posted below-average possession numbers, only controlling 43.8% of shot attempts when on the ice at even strength.
Last year in Arizona, Brown was a frequent healthy scratch but managed a career-high seven assists and 10 points in 51 games when in the lineup. The physical stay-at-home defender did finish fourth on the Coyotes with 85 blocks and sixth with 112 hits, but his 41.0 CF% at even strength was the worst among any Arizona skater with over 20 games played.
In 12 games with Bakersfield, Brown has two assists and leads the team with 46 PIMs and a +5 rating. The former number leads the league, not an unsurprising stat for a player who logged 1.47 PIMs per game with Arizona in 2023-24.
It’s unclear whether Brown will make his Oilers debut on Monday against the Canadiens. That depends on the health of winger Viktor Arvidsson, who’s missed their last two games with an undisclosed injury and has led them to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen. If Arvidsson can’t play, Brown will likely suit up as the extra blue-liner.
Brown can remain on the Oilers’ roster for up to 30 days or play up to 10 games before requiring waivers again to return to Bakersfield.
Canucks Recall Elias Pettersson, Place Derek Forbort On IR
The Canucks have recalled defenseman Elias Pettersson from AHL Abbotsford, Irfaan Gaffar of Daily Faceoff reports Sunday. Defenseman Derek Forbort was placed on injured reserve in a corresponding transaction to create an open spot on the active roster.
It’s the first recall of Pettersson’s career. The 20-year-old, who bears no relation to Vancouver’s star center with the same name, was selected 80th overall in the 2022 draft and is in his first full season in North America after spending last season on loan to Västerås IK of HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier professional league.
Pettersson is a left-shot defender with good size at 6’3″ and 209 lbs. Elite Prospects lauds him as a “good skater with a long stride,” and while he doesn’t overtly dominate in any area of the game, he doesn’t have many glaring shortcomings that should impede his development. McKeen’s Hockey ranked him as the eighth-best prospect in the Canucks’ system in their preseason rankings, third among defensemen behind countryman Tom Willander and fellow first-year pro Kirill Kudryavtsev.
Through 15 games with Abbotsford this season, Pettersson has four assists, four penalty minutes and a +3 rating. He also had a pair of assists in eight regular-season outings with Abbotsford to end 2023-24 after his campaign with Västerås came to an end.
Pettersson has been on Sweden’s roster for each of the last two World Junior Championships, totaling five assists in 14 games with a +2 rating. He also has 64 games of European top-level professional experience with Örebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League, posting a goal and seven assists with a +10 rating.
Pettersson will likely serve as an extra defender for Sunday’s game against the Predators and watch from the press box. While he signed his entry-level contract before the 2023-24 campaign, it slid last season as he didn’t play in 10 NHL games. It goes into effect for 2024-25 with a cap hit of $838.3K and makes him a restricted free agent in 2027.
Meanwhile, Forbort lands on IR after sitting out the last six games with a knee injury. Gaffar reported earlier this month that Forbort’s injury could sideline him for over a month, meaning he could still be a couple of weeks away from returning to the lineup.
Since Forbort has already missed more than a week due to the injury, he’s eligible to be reinstated at any time. The 32-year-old has played in four games for the Canucks this season between the knee injury and personal reasons, posting one assist and a -2 rating while averaging 16:30 per game. The veteran of 500 NHL games inked a one-year, $1.5MM contract with Vancouver over the summer after completing a three-year, $9MM deal with the Bruins that didn’t result in an extension.
Jets Reassign Fabian Wagner To AHL
The Jets assigned forward prospect Fabian Wagner to AHL Manitoba on Sunday, per a team announcement. The 20-year-old began the season on loan to Linköping HC of the Swedish Hockey League, but the team said Saturday that they would be mutually terminating their agreement with Wagner.
Linköping sporting director Peter Jakobsson said Wagner wanted to come to North America, and it’s easy to see why. The 2022 sixth-round pick has averaged just 6:23 per game through 16 appearances in 2024-25 and has a -5 rating without recording a point.
The Jets selected Wagner out of the Linköping organization two years ago after he posted 38 points and a +20 rating in 43 appearances for their U-20 club. He’s played primarily for the professional squad since in top-level SHL action but has been used sparingly, totaling just one goal and five assists in 87 games in light usage, almost always dressing as the club’s 13th forward.
Wagner, a 6’0″ forward who can play both center and wing, has suited up for Sweden at the past two World Junior Championships, where he has two goals and four assists for six points in 14 games. All of those points came in seven games at the 2023 tournament – he went pointless at the 2024 edition.
It’s not quite a last-ditch effort to get Wagner’s development back on track – he is still just 20 years old, after all. However, his inability to climb up Linköping’s depth chart over the past few years is concerning, and as a result, few scouting services rank him within Winnipeg’s top 15 or 20 prospects.
The Jets signed Wagner to his entry-level contract back in June 2023. It slid last year since he spent the whole campaign overseas, but it will go into effect for 2024-25, regardless of whether he sees NHL action. He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2027.
Maple Leafs’ Ryan Reaves Suspended Five Games
3:04 p.m.: The league’s Department of Player Safety announced a five-game suspension for Reaves.
9:04 a.m.: The NHL has announced that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves will have a player safety hearing for his illegal hit on Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse in last night’s 4-3 overtime win. Reaves was assessed a match penalty and a game misconduct on the play after his shoulder caught Nurse in the head as the Oilers defenseman circled behind his own net with the puck. It’s a phone hearing, not an in-person one, so his pending suspension won’t last more than five games.
Nurse hit the ice hard after the hit and appeared stunned as he looked around. Blood began to pour from a sizeable cut on Nurse’s head as the Oilers training staff attended to him. He remained on the ice for a few moments before he was assisted off the ice. The hit occurred at the 2:41 mark of the second period, leaving the crowd in silence as Nurse left the game and did not return. Reaves was escorted off the ice and had a heated verbal exchange with Oilers captain Connor McDavid before he exited the game.
The league has an interesting decision to make with regard to Reaves, the initial point of contact on the hit is Nurse’s head and it would meet the definition of a blindside hit. The Department of Player Safety will consider an illegal check to the head suspension but does retain the right to change course when they review the infraction.
Reaves does have a history of supplemental discipline during his career, having last been suspended during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs while he was a member of the Vegas Golden Knights. Reaves caught a two-game suspension for roughing and was also suspended one game during the 2020 postseason for an illegal hit to the head against Tyler Motte of the Vancouver Canucks. Reaves was also suspended three games back in 2016 for boarding.
As for Nurse, his status has yet to be updated, but he is out right now with an upper-body injury. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet tweeted that he’s heard from Oilers play-by-play announcer Jack Michaels that Nurse was joking with the team’s trainers and walking around after the game, which is certainly encouraging.
Snapshots: Wild, Perets, Edvinsson, Rasmussen
The Minnesota Wild have assigned forwards Liam Ohgren and Michael Milne, and defender Daemon Hunt, to the AHL as they anticipate the return of Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson Ek. Michael Russo of The Athletic points out that, even with the two veterans returning, the team will likely call another forward up in the coming days.
Ohgren made his return to the lineup, and Milne his NHL debut, in Saturday’s loss to the Dallas Stars. Neither had much to show for their minutes, with Ohgren recording two shots in 12:10 and Milne recording three hits in 6:34. Another scoreless night pulled Ohgren through his eighth game this season with no points. Hunt hasn’t stepped into the lineup since being recalled on November 12th, though he did play one NHL game in October. All three have been far more productive with the AHL’s Iowa Wild – where Ohgren has four goals in four games; Hunt has two assists in six games; and Milne has eight points in 10 games. Ohgren and Milne will be the top options to be quickly recalled, though Minnesota could also turn towards veteran pros like Ben Jones, Travis Boyd, or Devin Shore.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Carolina Hurricanes have sent goaltender Yaniv Perets back to the minor leagues with Pyotr Kochetkov set to return from injury per NHL.com’s Walt Ruff. Kochetkov missed Carolina’s Saturday win over Ottawa with an undisclosed injury. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour describing Kochetkov as “banged up” to postgame media including NHL.com’s Matt Komma was the closest indication of Kochetkov’s hold up. Whatever the issue was, the young netminder is set to reassume his familiar role as de facto starter with Frederik Andersen out long-term. Kochetkov has eight wins and a .897 save percentage through 10 games this season. Meanwhile, Perets has only served as backup in his NHL call-ups this season. He’s posted a .825 save percentage in three AHL games this year, and will return to a crowded Chicago Wolves goaltender room beside Spencer Martin and Ruslan Khazheyev.
- Forward Michael Rasmussen (upper-body) and defenseman Simon Edvinsson (lower-body) are both expected to return to the lineup on Monday per the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James. Both players sat out of the team’s Saturday night loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Rasmussen has found a role in Detroit’s bottom-six, recording four points through 16 games this season. Edvinsson has proven far more impactful, usually serving as the go-to partner for star Wings defender Moritz Seider. Edvinsson has six points in 16 games this season, putting him on pace for 30 points in his rookie year.
Avalanche Place Alexandar Georgiev On IR, Recall Two
The Colorado Avalanche have placed starting goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (upper-body) on injured reserve, retroactive to November 13th. Georgiev sat out of the team’s Friday loss to Washington. This move rules Georgiev out of the team’s Monday match against Philadelphia, though head coach Jared Bednar told Colleen Flynn of Colorado Hockey Now that the netminder will join the team on their upcoming four-game road trip. He’ll be eligible to return as soon as Thursday.
This move downgrades Georgiev to an extended absence after he received a day-to-day designation on Saturday. He’s started 10 games this season, setting a bleak 4-5-0 record, .863 save percentage, and 3.56 goals-against-average. It’s a continuation of the skid that he hit last season and the prolonged struggles are starting to cost Georgiev ice time. Backup Justus Annunen has played in nine games this year, posting an improved .881 save percentage and 5-3-0 record.
In a corresponding move, Colorado has also recalled forward T.J. Tynan and goaltender Kevin Mandolese. Mandolese will become the fifth goaltender to take to the Avalanche bench this season, earning the chance after posting a 4-2-0 record and .905 save percentage in six AHL games this season – one more win, but the same save percentage, as goalie partner Trent Miner in the same number of games. Mandolese has built a hardy career in the minors, posting 32 wins and a .897 save percentage across 72 games, and five seasons, in the AHL. He’s proven even stronger in 15 ECHL games, and even boasts a .916 save percentage through three career appearances in the NHL. With Georgiev’s return likely just around the corner, Mandolese should be confined to a backup role on this recall.
Meanwhile, Tynan will return to offering offensive depth behind Parker Kelly and Joel Kiviranta. Tynan was assigned to the AHL ahead of this weekend, and recorded three assists in the Colorado Eagles’ Saturday win over Ontario. That scoring brought him to seven points – all assists – in eight AHL games this season. He’s also recorded one assist in seven NHL games. Tynan is still searching for his first NHL goal – with just two assists through 28 career games in the NHL. He’s likely headed for the press box on this recall, unless Bednar chooses to rotate out fourth-line pieces.
Morning Notes: Peeke, Pionk, Goncalves, Kastelic, Tufte
The Boston Bruins will soon receive some relief on the blue-line, with defenseman Andrew Peeke returning to the team’s practices per Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald. Peeke hasn’t played since leaving Boston’s November 5th match against Toronto following a hit from Max Pacioretty that seemed to bounce Peeke’s shoulder awkwardly off the boards. He was ruled out week-to-week with an upper-body injury soon after, though participating in practice marks a big step in his path back to the lineup. Peeke isn’t expected to play in Boston’s Monday game against Columbus but could suit up when the team hosts Utah on Thursday.
Peeke was joined on the shelf by Hampus Lindholm, who’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury. The pair of absences quickly drained Boston’s top-four of its impactful, defensive stalwarts. Peeke rotated through the lineup when healthy, serving anywhere from 13 minutes in a sheltered role to 20 minutes on the top pair. He’s recorded two assists, 18 hits, and 21 blocked shots in 13 games. While not a thrilling stat line, Boston has felt every bit of Peeke’s absence – averaging the fifth-highest goals-against per-game (3.60 in five games) since he left the lineup. Upcoming matchups against Columbus, Utah, and Detroit should give Boston a chance to ease Peeke back into the lineup.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk has been fined $5K, the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement, for “clipping” Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist on Saturday. Pionk went in for a hip-check but caught more of Boqvist’s knee than anything else. No penalty was issued for the hit. Boqvist nursed his left-knee for a while, but didn’t need helped off the ice. Pionk played 20 minutes in the 5-0 loss, going without any major stat changes – but still boasting 17 points in 18 games this season. He’ll continue to be a main fixture of the Jets lineup – and likely continue delivering heavy hip-checks – after avoiding suspension here.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have once again assigned forward Gage Goncalves to the minor leagues, after he stepped into a third-line role in the team’s Saturday night win over New Jersey. Goncalves played a career-high 15:32 worth of ice time in the outing, though he only put up two hits and one shot. Goncalves has yet to record his first NHL point, despite four appearances this year and two last year. He’ll return to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, where he’s already posted six assists in five games – the only Crunch still scoring above a point-per-game pace.
- The Boston Bruins received a couple more updates at Sunday’s practice, with forwards Mark Kastelic designated as day-to-day with a lower-body injury and Riley Tufte expected to be sent to the minor leagues per Steve Conroy. Tufte played in 7:46 of Boston’s Saturday overtime-loss to St. Louis, with a -2 his only stat change. Tufte has yet to record a point in three games this year, though he’s managed three points in 21 career NHL games while serving as a go-to call-up since 2021. Kastelic has been much more productive – posting seven points in 19 games this season – while still serving a fourth-line role.
Devils Assign Justin Dowling And Nick DeSimone To AHL
The New Jersey Devils have announced that they are sending forward Justin Dowling and defenseman Nick DeSimone to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League. New Jersey has a four-day break in the NHL schedule and doesn’t play again until Thursday night when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes. The gap between games likely makes these AHL assignments a cap move; however, we won’t know that for sure until later this week.
The Devils have three players who are currently out of their lineup in forwards Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian, as well as defenseman Santeri Hatakka.
Dowling has been anchoring New Jersey’s fourth line alongside Tomas Tatar and Kurtis MacDermid, a spot he has occupied for nine straight games. The 34-year-old appeared in his first NHL game this season at the end of October against his former team, the Vancouver Canucks, and has a single assist since being called up. The journeyman has spent much of his professional career in the AHL but has made NHL stops in Dallas and Vancouver.
DeSimone was brought up to the NHL back on November 8th and has been a healthy scratch during that time. The 29-year-old has yet to appear in an NHL game this season but has dressed in nine AHL games, tallying two assists. DeSimone was acquired by the Devils off waivers from the Calgary Flames back in January of this year.
Penguins Notes: Graves, O’Connor, Jarry
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves was a healthy scratch last night in favor of youngster Owen Pickering (as per Josh Yohe of The Athletic). Graves has become a magnet for criticism in Pittsburgh just a year and a bit into a six-year $27MM contract he signed in July 2023. Graves has had some better games this season but has been largely sheltered in a third-pairing role.
The scratch is another attempt by Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan to send a message to Pittsburgh’s veteran depth players who have played uninspired hockey for much of this season. Pickering picked up an assist in his NHL debut last night against San Jose and looked like the Penguins’ best defenseman in the game.
In other Pittsburgh Penguins notes:
- Jim Parsons of The Hockey News believes that Penguins forward Drew O’Connor will receive trade interest from other teams because of his inexpensive cap hit. O’Connor is an unrestricted free agent next summer and is making $925K this season in the final season of a two-year deal. O’Connor’s cap hit will make an attractive commodity as the 26-year-old is capable of being a solid depth scorer for any team that fancies themselves a contender. O’Connor has three goals and three assists in 20 games this season and has played both center and the wing for Pittsburgh.
- Penguins netminder Tristan Jarry returned to the NHL this week after a two-week stint in the American Hockey League. Jarry played well in the AHL but had a disastrous return to the NHL giving up five goals on 39 shots, including a goal on the first shot. He allowed goals on two of the first three shots he faced and never looked comfortable in his return. Jarry is likely unmovable at this point (as per Jim Parsons). with three years remaining on his contract (after this season) at an AAV of $5.375MM. PuckPedia’s Perri Salary Cap Relief Calculator estimates that it would take a top 10 NHL draft pick in order to move the remainder of Jarry’s salary, something the Penguins likely have no appetite to do.