Snapshots: Walman, Samsonov, 4 Nations Face-Off
San Jose Sharks defenseman Jake Walman did not join the team for warmups on Sunday night, indicating that he’ll miss a third-straight game due to team suspension and an upper-body injury, per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. Walman returned to top-pair line rushes at San Jose’s Sunday morning practice and was designated as a game-time decision, head coach Ryan Warsofsky shared with Max Miller of The Hockey News. Walman has nine points in 13 games – more than double the scoring of any other Sharks defender.
Despite that, the team opted for the restrained decision, and will instead return Jack Thompson to the lineup for his ninth game of the season. Thompson has four points on the year – second among Sharks defenders – and has generally looked much more the part of an everyday NHL defender. He’s served on San Jose’s second pair, while Henry Thrun is filling Walman’s top-pair spot next to Cody Ceci. Walman is traveling with the Sharks of a four-game road trip kicked off on Sunday night, and will look to instead return on Monday.
Other quick notes around the league:
- Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Ilya Samsonov has returned to the team’s practices after missing the last three games with an undisclosed injury. There’s been no word on his availability for Monday night’s matchup against Carolina, but his return to practice is nonetheless exciting progress for a Golden Knights team that’s directed all of Samsonov’s minutes to starter Adin Hill. Hill has a 6-2-1 record and .881 save percentage through nine games this season, while temporary backup Akira Schmid has slotted into six AHL games and posted a .885 save percentage. Samsonov’s 3-1-1 record and .906 save percentage in five games should be enough to earn him routine starts when he’s healthy enough to return – a point that seems to be drawing close.
- Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared on the latest Saturday Headlines segment that rosters for February’s 4 Nations Face-Off will be made public on December 4th, with Sweden and Finland’s coming early in the North American day while Canada and USA will announce theirs that evening. The event stands as the first in what will become a trend of in-season international events during non-Olympic years. It will take place from February 12th to February 20th and features the four of the five most-represented countries in the NHL, excluding Russia. Each country announced their first six players this summer – with Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews, Erik Karlsson, and Aleksander Barkov among the list of representatives.
East Notes: Jarry, Grebenkin, Sgarbossa, Martin
The Pittsburgh Penguins goaltending room has been thrown for a loop to start the season. A clear hierarchy set up in training camp was quickly dismantled when Tristan Jarry was sent to the minor leagues for a five-game conditioning stint. His absence gave Joel Blomqvist and Alex Nedeljkovic a chance to plant their feet in the Penguins’ starting crease – and while the former has performed well, Pittsburgh’s 6-8-2 record could give Jarry a golden chacne to work his way back into the lineup.
At least, that’s the path laid out by NHL.com’s Wes Crosby, who spoke with Jarry on his path back to the NHL. The netminder told Crosby, “Hopefully, that’s the way it goes. I want to come back here, and I want to play well. That’s my goal. That’s what I want to do. I want to help this team as much as possible. Whenever I’m in the net, I think giving them a chance to win and helping this team get in a good place.”
The 29-year-old Jarry posted a 4-1-0 record and .926 save percentage in five AHL games – far better than the .836 save percentage he’s managed through three NHL games this year. He stood up to 51 games last season, though his 19-25-5 record marked the first losing season of his five-year tenure as Pittsburgh’s go-to goalie. He’s managed a 137-86-34 record in his nine-year career, working above future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury and the less-successful Matt Murray in his climb to an everyday role. Jarry will now look to get back to his rightful spot, as Pittsburgh tries to buck a 3-5-2 record in their last 10.
Other notes from out East:
- The Toronto Maple Leafs could have a hidden gem in 21-year-old winger Nikita Grebenkin, who’s managed seven points and no penalties through his first nine AHL games. The bruising winger brings a welcome mix of grit and skill to the Toronto depths, which Steven Ellis of Leafs Nation says could lead to a hardy lineup role someday soon. Ellis points out that Grebenkin’s climb to the lineup is blocked by a long list of bottom-six wingers, including Nicholas Robertson and the soon-to-return Connor Dewar – but Grebenkin could be quick to take advantage of his next chance. The young forward is already a seasoned pro, totaling 41 points in 67 games for Magnitogorsk Metallurg last season as the team pursued their first KHL Championship since 2016. That winning mindset will make Grebenkin a name to watch, especially if Toronto chooses to part ways with some of their crowded bottom-six.
- The Washington Capitals have returned minor league centerman Michael Sgarbossa to the AHL’s Hershey Bears just two days after he was recalled to the NHL, per AHL transaction logs. He appeared in 11:25 in ice time and recorded one goal and one assist in Washington’s 8-1 dousing of the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. They were Sgarbossa’s first NHL points since late March of last season, and brought his NHL scoring up to par with the nine points he’s managed in seven AHL games this season. No Capitals player has been involved in more roster moves to start the early season, and it’s likely that another shot at NHL ice time isn’t too far out of reach for the 32-year-old Sgarbossa.
- The Carolina Hurricanes also returned a player to the minors, per transaction logs, sending goaltender Spencer Martin back down after he allowed the Colorado Avalanche to score five goals on 28 shots on Saturday. Martin was recalled to help fill-in for the injured Frederik Andersen, who head coach Rod Brind’Amour dubbed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury on October 31st. Pyotr Kochetkov has taken over starting duties in response, but his .896 save percentage through eight games – and Martin’s poor performance this weekend – could have the team looking for other outlets. Martin currently leads the AHL’s Chicago Wolves in save percentage (.920), well ahead of Ruslan Khazheyev (.898) and Yaniv Perets (.825) despite each playing only a few games
Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin To Return On Friday
The Colorado Avalanche are prepared to welcome winger Valeri Nichushkin back to the game lineup in their Friday matchup against the Washington Capitals, head coach Jared Bednar shared with media including Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports. Nichushkin hasn’t played since being placed into Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on May 14th, which included with a six-month suspension from team activity and pay. The Stage 3 placement also required Nichushkin to submit an application to be considered for reinstatement at the end of his suspension. He returned to Denver in early October and rejoined the team’s practices in early November. He’s eligible to return to the lineup on November 13th, though Colorado will seemingly choose to push that return back a couple of days.
Nichushkin entered the Player Assistance Program square in the middle of Colorado’s second-round series against the Dallas Stars in last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was playing at an all-time high at the time, with nine goals and 10 points through eight postseason games. Colorado would ultimately relinquish the series to Dallas with a two-overtime loss in Game 6.
Nichushkin has been a welcome gift on the ice. He’s carved out a considerable top-six role since joining Colorado via waivers in 2019, proving capable of both routine scoring and great off-puck habits. Those traits have helped Nichushkin routinely rival the 25-goal and 50-point marks in each of the last three seasons, even despite totaling 77 missed games in that span. He’s been even better in the postseason, scoring 15 points in 20 games during Colorado’s run to a 2022 Stanley Cup win, and was one of only five Avalanche to score above a point-per-game pace in last year’s postseason.
That production has made it all the more difficult for Colorado to deal with Nichushkin’s routine absences. He’s hit every hole in the road, being forced out by multiple upper-body injuries across 2021, 2022, and 2023; and was sat by the team for the final five games of their 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs for personal reasons. Nichushkin has become a contentious player, but head coach Bednar spoke positively about his return to the lineup, saying: “[His process back has] been great. I think the guys are excited to get him back, and Friday is the day. We’re only two games away.” Nichushkin had 13 points in the final 15 games of the 2023-24 regular season, and will look to quickly pick up from where he left off.
Blue Jackets Claim Dante Fabbro Off Waivers From Predators
2:15 PM: Columbus has moved Kent Johnson to injured reserve to make space for this waiver claim, per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. Johnson hasn’t played since suffering a shoulder injury on October 17th. Columbus will be able to make this IR placement retroactive to that date, making this move purely a paper transaction and Johnson eligible to return as soon as he’s back to full health.
1:00 PM: The Blue Jackets have claimed defenseman Dante Fabbro off waivers from the Predators, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Columbus’ assignment of Kent Johnson to IR opens the roster spot to make this possible.
Fabbro, a 6’0″ right-shot defender who was a first-round pick out of Boston University in 2016, is now in his seventh NHL season and had been a fringe top-four option for most of his time in Nashville. But after signing a one-year, $2.5MM extension in March to keep him off last summer’s restricted free-agent market, Fabbro tumbled down the Preds’ depth chart and was a healthy scratch in five straight games before landing on waivers yesterday.
In hindsight, 2023-24 marked the writing on the wall for Fabbro’s tenure in Nashville. He was a healthy scratch on more than a few occasions last season, too, only making 56 appearances and averaging a career-low 16:21 when in the lineup. This year, Fabbro went scoreless in six games with a -3 rating and set a new career-low with a 13:06 ATOI before hitting the waiver wire.
Some thought Fabbro’s $2.5MM cap hit meant teams would stray away from submitting claims, but Columbus has the second most cap space in the league, at $22.92MM, per PuckPedia. It’s not a challenge to fit him on the roster financially, although they now carry eight defensemen. With Erik Gudbranson potentially out for the rest of the season after shoulder surgery last month, there likely won’t be a ton of roster movement regarding Columbus’ back end from here on out unless more injuries strike.
Fabbro’s addition does give the Jackets another experienced name on the back end, and he has decent career possession numbers with a 50.0 CF% and 49.5 xGF% at even strength. However, his presence on the roster means additional competition for 20-year-old right-shot defender David Jiříček, who’s been a healthy scratch for all but five games this season and has averaged under 12 minutes per game in the lineup. It’s not a promising sign for his development after Columbus selected him sixth overall in 2022.
Since Nov. 1 is in the rearview mirror, waiver priority is determined by reserve standings order in terms of points percentage. That means the Canadiens, Sharks, Blackhawks, Ducks, Flyers, Kraken, and Penguins all passed on Fabbro.
Penguins’ Kevin Hayes Out Week-To-Week, Cody Glass Diagnosed With Concussion
The Penguins have downgraded forward Kevin Hayes to week-to-week with his upper-body injury, head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters (including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). Sullivan also confirmed that Cody Glass had been diagnosed with a concussion after landing on injured reserve on Friday.
Hayes has already missed two games with his upper-body injury, which he sustained last Tuesday against the Islanders, although it’s unclear which play. If the Pens need to open a roster spot, he can be placed on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 5, while a week-to-week designation starting today means he’ll likely miss at least Pittsburgh’s next four games.
The Penguins acquired the 32-year-old Hayes from the Blues in June, also landing a 2025 second-round pick to take on the final two years of the declining veteran’s contract, of which the Flyers are already retaining half. He’s made 14 appearances for the Penguins this season, notching three goals and an assist while averaging a career-low 9:27 per game.
Meanwhile, a concussion indicates a longer-term absence for Glass than the minimum seven days required for an IR placement. Like Hayes, it’s unclear exactly what play Glass sustained the concussion during his last appearance, a 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes on Thursday. He played a season-low 4:47 and did not take a shift after the first period.
Like Hayes, Glass had made 14 appearances for Pittsburgh before the injury, recording four assists and a -7 rating while averaging 11:48 per game. It’s the 25-year-old’s first season with the Pens, who acquired him in an August trade with the Predators.
Selected sixth overall by the Golden Knights in the 2017 draft, Glass has been deployed peculiarly in a more shutdown role with Pittsburgh, making a career-high 69% of his zone starts in the defensive end at even strength. He’s responded quite well, controlling 58.7% of shot attempts and 58.3% of expected goals, even if he hasn’t broken out yet offensively.
2024-25 NHL Salary Retention Slots Available
Nearly every NHL team has some money tied up in players no longer playing for the club or penalties for exceeding the salary cap the prior season, usually due to clubs not having ample space in their performance bonus cushion. Buyouts are generally the most common form of money tied up in players not on the active roster or injured reserve. However, they also don’t come into play much during the regular season, as teams can only execute them during specific windows over the summer.
Retained salary transactions, though, do matter year-round. They’re also occurring more frequently as the number of multi-team trades increases, allowing playoff contenders and big spenders to accumulate more talent at lesser cap hits while rebuilding squads accumulate assets for taking on a portion of a player’s contract who will never play for them.
While teams could theoretically have unlimited buyouts on the books year-over-year, they can only retain salary on three contracts simultaneously. Those three slots are quite valuable for rebuilding clubs near the trade deadline, which is why they’ll normally stray away from eating money on contracts with more than two or three years left. There are some notable exceptions to that in this list, though.
Teams cannot retain more than 50% of a player’s salary, and a contract cannot be involved in more than two retained salary transactions. Here are the NHL’s current retained salary slots available for 2024-25, which we’ll continue to update through the rest of the regular season and the first part of the offseason:
Updated 11/10/24 (10:35am CT)
Anaheim Ducks
3/3 available
Boston Bruins
3/3 available
Buffalo Sabres
3/3 available
Calgary Flames
2/3 available
- G Jacob Markström ($1.875MM through 2025-26)
Carolina Hurricanes
3/3 available
Chicago Blackhawks
2/3 available
- D Jake McCabe ($2MM through 2024-25)
Colorado Avalanche
3/3 available
Columbus Blue Jackets
3/3 available
Dallas Stars
3/3 available
Detroit Red Wings
3/3 available
Edmonton Oilers
3/3 available
Florida Panthers
3/3 available
Los Angeles Kings
2/3 available
- D Ivan Provorov ($2.025MM through 2024-25)
Minnesota Wild
3/3 available
Montreal Canadiens
1/3 available
- D Jeff Petry ($2.344MM through 2024-25)
- G Jake Allen ($1.925MM through 2024-25)
Nashville Predators
2/3 available
- D Mattias Ekholm ($250K through 2025-26)
New Jersey Devils
3/3 available
New York Islanders
3/3 available
New York Rangers
3/3 available
Ottawa Senators
2/3 available
- G Joonas Korpisalo ($1MM through 2027-28)
Philadelphia Flyers
2/3 available
- F Kevin Hayes ($3.571MM through 2025-26)
Pittsburgh Penguins
1/3 available
- D Jeff Petry ($1.563MM through 2024-25)
- F Reilly Smith ($1.25MM through 2024-25)
San Jose Sharks
0/3 available
- D Brent Burns ($2.72MM through 2024-25)
- D Erik Karlsson ($1.5MM through 2026-27)
- F Tomáš Hertl ($1.388MM through 2029-30)
Seattle Kraken
3/3 available
St. Louis Blues
3/3 available
Tampa Bay Lightning
3/3 available
Toronto Maple Leafs
3/3 available
Utah Hockey Club
2/3 available
- D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (cost fluctuates due to buyout through 2030-31, costs $320K this season)
Vancouver Canucks
1/3 available
- F Ilya Mikheyev ($712.5K through 2025-26)
- D Tucker Poolman ($500K through 2024-25)
Vegas Golden Knights
3/3 available
Washington Capitals
3/3 available
Winnipeg Jets
3/3 available
East Notes: Ostapchuk, Malkin, Puljujarvi
The Ottawa Senators have loaned forward Zack Ostapchuk to the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League. Ostapchuk was recalled earlier this week and has been shuttled back and forth a few times over the last seven days in paper moves that were most likely made to accrue cap space. It’s unknown if this move is for a similar purpose, but it is certainly a possibility.
The 21-year-old dressed in three games this week for Ottawa, going scoreless while averaging just under nine minutes of ice time per game. In six games this season, the former second-round pick has a single assist and carries a plus/minus of +1. The Senators are back in action on Tuesday night against their provincial rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In other Eastern Conference notes:
- Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes that we haven’t seen the last of Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin on the wing. The Penguins experimented with Malkin on Sidney Crosby’s wing, and while the results were outstanding (as expected), it made the team extremely top-heavy. Crosby and Malkin were flanked by Rickard Rakell and the threesome dominated in possession and ignited Crosby and Malkin offensively. However, on Friday against the Capitals, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan moved Malkin back to center in an effort to get the team’s second line going. Vensel believes Sullivan could move Malkin back to the wing again in the future, particularly if the Penguins were to go out and get a second-line center next summer.
- Matt Vensel writes about Penguins forward Jesse Puljujarvi and his deployment this season. Puljujarvi has been a healthy scratch three times this year for Pittsburgh and has played just over 11 minutes per game. Vensel writes that a lot of people have a bone to pick with how the 24-year-old has been used thus far this season. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan was reportedly okay with using Puljujarvi earlier in the year when he was producing offense, and it was a palatable trade-off for some of his defensive shortcomings. However, in the last two weeks, Puljujarvi’s offense just hasn’t been there with one point in his past seven games. Sullivan is quoted as saying the details of Puljujarvi’s defensive game haven’t been there and have been slipping.
Marcus Pettersson Is The NHL’s Most Bodychecked Player
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson has been the most bodychecked player in the NHL dating back to the beginning of the 2018-19 season (as per Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). The 28-year-old was acquired by the Penguins in December of 2018 and since that time he has become a staple in their top four, averaging over 19 minutes of ice time per game. Pettersson’s stable play has been a necessity for the Penguins as he’s been paired regularly with offensive-minded defensemen Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson.
Pettersson has been hit over 150 times more than any other player in the NHL dating back to 2018 but has remained relatively healthy during his time in Pittsburgh, playing in all 82 games last year. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan believes that Pettersson’s courage and bravery are the reason for him topping the list, but Pettersson believes that the Pittsburgh statistics guy is generous with his hits counting.
Pettersson is a pending unrestricted free agent and should cash in next summer with a productive 2024-25 season. However, he hasn’t had a great start to the year and has been surprisingly careless with the puck, committing 22 turnovers in just 16 games. That number is shockingly high, given that he committed just 32 turnovers in 82 games last year.
Pettersson’s future in Pittsburgh is unclear at this point. In September it was reported that the Penguins would begin contract talks with Pettersson, but, with the team’s uneven start to the season, it’s fair to wonder if Pittsburgh will move him at the trade deadline. Pittsburgh is not far off from entering a rebuild, and if their competitive window is closed, the team may find more value in picks and prospects over an aging defenseman who takes more hits than any other player in the league.
As mentioned earlier, Pettersson has been consistently healthy during his NHL career, however, as he enters his 30s it is fair to wonder if the physical toll of being bodychecked that much will start to affect the amount he can play and the impact he can have.
Snapshots: Tynan, Prishchepov, Quenneville, Ahcan
The Avalanche reversed a pair of paper transactions, recalling forwards T.J. Tynan and Nikita Prishchepov from AHL Colorado ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Hurricanes.
With the moves, Colorado is back to having a full 23-man active roster. The injury fill-ins have been frequently shuttled between the NHL over the past week-plus, in Tynan’s case, delaying his temporary waiver exemption.
The 32-year-old Tynan has made four appearances for the Avs while they remain without the services of Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Jonathan Drouin, Ross Colton, and Miles Wood. Arguably the AHL’s top playmaker of the past decade, he’s still yet to make much of an impact at the NHL level. That hasn’t changed this season, as Tynan has gone without a point and is averaging only 8:24 per game.
Prishchepov, 20, is also looking for his first point of the season. It’s unsurprising – a seventh-round pick just a few months ago, the Russian pivot is making his first NHL appearances way ahead of schedule and out of necessity, given Colorado’s injury situation. He’s averaged 9:15 per game and gotten involved physically, logging six hits and controlling play quite well with a 79.6 CF%.
More from around the hockey world:
- Former NHL left-winger John Quenneville has landed a one-year deal in Finland with Tappara for the remainder of 2024-25, the team announced. Now 28, Quenneville last suited up in the NHL with the Blackhawks in the 2019-20 season. In only 42 career appearances with Chicago and New Jersey over four seasons, the 2014 first-round pick managed two goals and three assists. The Edmonton native has plied his trade across the AHL and Europe in the past five years, suiting up for AHL Rockford and Belleville in addition to stops in Switzerland and Sweden. He spent last season with HC Lugano of the Swiss National League, logging two goals and eight assists in 20 appearances.
- The Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, have re-upped forward Roman Ahcan on a one-year deal for the rest of the season. He’d previously been with Cleveland on a PTO and more than earned his spot on the club with seven goals through his first 10 games. That’s a huge jump in production for the 25-year-old, who had nine goals and 19 points in 52 games with Cleveland last year. The Minnesota native has been with Cleveland ever since graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 2022 but has yet to land an NHL contract.
Vince Dunn To Miss Three More Weeks With Mid-Body Injury
Star Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn may begin skating with the team this weekend but is still around three weeks away from returning from his mid-body injury, general manager Ron Francis told Alison Lukan of the Kraken Hockey Network.
Dunn originally sustained an upper-body injury in Seattle’s second game of the season on Oct. 12. He sat out the next game but returned for just two more, getting banged up again in the middle of an Oct. 17 contest against the Flyers. He hasn’t played since, and while he was initially listed as day-to-day, the team placed him on long-term injured reserve a few days later, ruling him out for the past few weeks.
The 28-year-old was theoretically eligible to come off LTIR ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jackets, but it’ll still be a while before he’s back on the ice. A three-week return timeline from yesterday keeps him out past Thanksgiving and puts his next game on Nov. 29 against the Sharks, meaning he’s still set to miss around nine contests.
Dunn has been a mainstay on Seattle’s top pairing since he was plucked from the Blues in the 2021 expansion draft, but injury troubles have now limited him to 63 combined appearances since the beginning of last season. In his four appearances in 2024-25, he has a goal and two assists while averaging 18:49 per game, dragged down by leaving multiple games prematurely.
With the Kraken off to a 6-8-1 start despite spending big on Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour in free agency, it’s an inauspicious sign for their chances of returning to the postseason. Dunn’s spot at left defense alongside Adam Larsson has been filled by sophomore Ryker Evans, who’s filling in admirably with eight points in 15 appearances while averaging over 20 minutes per game. But Seattle has controlled just 38.3% of expected goals with Evans and Larsson on the ice compared to 49.5% with Dunn and Larsson last year, per MoneyPuck, a key culprit in their defensive struggles. They’re allowing 3.20 goals per game, tied with the Blackhawks for 20th in the league.
Dunn is in the second season of the four-year, $29.4MM deal he signed in 2023 after becoming a restricted free agent.