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Golden Knights Activate Shea Theodore

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The Vegas Golden Knights have activated defenseman Shea Theodore off the LTIR (CapFriendly) as he is set to return from a 34-game absence. The 28-year-old was on a tear to start the season but suffered an upper-body injury and has not played since November 22nd. Theodore didn’t play today but could dress tomorrow night when the Golden Knights take on the Nashville Predators. To make room for Theodore the Golden Knights have moved Jack Eichel to the LTIR (CapFriendly).

Theodore had four goals and 14 assists in 20 games to begin the season and looked poised to have a big year before the injury. Vegas has missed having Theodore in their top four as they have posted a 17-13-4 record in his absence.

His return will be a big addition for a team that currently holds a 31-17-6 record and sits in second place in the Pacific Division. Theodore has typically averaged between 21-23 minutes a game over the past few seasons and will likely move back into his role in the Golden Knights top four as well as on the team’s top power-play unit.

Theodore is in the sixth year of a 7-year, $36.4MM contract and has remained very productive throughout the deal but has dealt with injuries over the last two seasons. If he can remain healthy over the next year he will be in line for a massive payday in the summer of 2025.

Evening Notes: Tokarski, Jankowski, Barabanov

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The Buffalo Sabres have loaned netminder Dustin Tokarski to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League just a few days after recalling the 34-year-old. Tokarski was recalled and reassigned last week before being recalled again over the weekend due to an illness to Sabres backup Eric Comrie.

Tokarski backed up Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s today in a 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks and was nearly summoned to play as Luukkonen struggled stopping just 11 of 15 shots in the loss. Tokarski hasn’t played in an NHL game since February 18th, 2023, and is 7-7-2 with a .887 save percentage in 17 AHL games this season.

In other evening notes:

  • A day after sending forward Mark Jankowski to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, the Nashville Predators have recalled the 29-year-old. Jankowski has a goal in five games this season in the NHL but is currently third in AHL scoring with 15 goals and 32 assists in 40 games. He was named the AHL’s Player of the Month for January and will now re-join the Predators as they continue their five-game road trip tomorrow night in Vegas when they take on the Golden Knights.
  • The San Jose Sharks healthy scratched forward Alexander Barabanov today in their 4-0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The 29-year-old has seen his name in trade rumors over the last few months despite struggling through a poor offensive season with just three goals and six assists in 34 games. Barabanov has put together a couple of solid offensive seasons in San Jose but hasn’t had the same quality of teammates this year which has led to poor offensive results. Barabanov is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but it doesn’t appear he was held out of action for a pending trade. Based on reports, it seems as though Barabanov was scratched for his defensive play in a previous game.

Trade Deadline Primer: New Jersey Devils

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With the All-Star break in the rear-view, the trade deadline looms large and is now less than a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the New Jersey Devils.

The New Jersey Devils came into the season with expectations that their young team would contend for a Stanley Cup, however, four and half months into the regular season, the Devils have taken a step backwards and are in a battle for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Devils made one of the biggest moves of last year’s deadline, acquiring forward Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks about a week before the trade deadline. The Devils were aggressive in their pursuit of Meier and will likely need to be as aggressive this year if they want to acquire the pieces necessary to get into the playoffs and make some noise in the East. The Devils have some obvious holes in their lineup that have been exposed throughout the regular season, and while it is tough to make moves in-season in a flat cap world, the Devils have shown that they aren’t afraid to pull the trigger on a big deal to bolster their lineup.

Record

28-22-4, 4th in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

 $10,412,500 on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2024: NJ 1st, NJ 3rd, NJ 5th, COL 5th, NJ 6th, NASH 7th
2025: NJ 1st, NJ 2nd, NJ 3rd, NJ 4th, NJ 6th, NJ 7th

Trade Chips

New Jersey will have some cap space to work with at the deadline thanks to injuries to key players. They could make a big move if they are so inclined and may choose to do so to address their major area of need. The Devils will likely look to move netminder Vitek Vanecek as part of any move to improve their goaltending and could also look to move backup Akira Schmid who has struggled this season after a strong showing last year. New Jersey Devils president of hockey operations and general manager, Tom Fitzgerald has already said he is not comfortable with the Devils goaltending and will likely improve it, which means someone will need to go the other way to open up room for a new acquisition. Vanacek holds almost no value as his -11.1 goals saved above expected is fourth worst in the NHL, and Schmid isn’t faring much better. The Devils may opt to hold onto Schmid and hope he can turn things around.

Forward Alexander Holtz is another roster player that the Devils could dangle at the deadline. The 22-year-old was the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NHL entry draft and has fared pretty well in his first full NHL season sitting third on the Devils in 5v5 points with 21 and goals with 11. As well as he’s played, he hasn’t been able to get much of a look in the Devils’ top six and may not be a fit for head coach Lindy Ruff’s style of play. Holtz could be a solid chip for the team to use to acquire help elsewhere.

Another former first-round pick that the Devils could include in a trade is forward Dawson Mercer. The 22-year-old put up solid offensive numbers in his first two NHL seasons, posting 44 goals and 54 assists in 164 games. However, this season his play has dropped a bit as a slow start has limited him to just 15 goals and 11 assists in 54 games. The native of Carbonear, Newfoundland and Labrador could be the main piece of a trade for a goaltender, as his offensive upside could entice teams who are looking for a young roster player who can contribute right away.

One of the Devils’ top prospects Seamus Casey could certainly be another trade chip if New Jersey wants to move futures for a piece that can help them now. The former second-round pick is an undersized defenseman who is a terrific puck handler and has put up fantastic offensive numbers at the University of Michigan in the NCAA. If the Devils opted to move Casey, they would be selling high as he was a central piece of a very talented American team that just won the IIHF World Junior Championship.

The Devils could also move on from their first-round pick in this year’s NHL entry draft, particularly if they are chasing one of the bigger names available on the trade market. The Devils don’t have the farm system they once did, however, that is largely due to a lot of their better prospects graduating to the NHL level. The Devils still possess a strong lineup, but they do have some holes to fill, and a first-round pick could go a long way to doing that.

Other Potential Trade Chips: F Josh Filmon F Arseni Gritsyuk F Lenni Hämeenaho

Team Needs

1) A Starting Goaltender: The Devils opted not to make a move for a goaltender last summer but have regretted that decision as indicated by the comments of Devils management. The Devils were reportedly in on Calgary Flames netminder Jacob Markström and could circle back to re-engage in those talks as the deadline nears. Most of the reports on the trade indicated that the Devils plan to look elsewhere for goaltending, but to this point they haven’t found a trade to their liking. The Devils have a desperate need to address this position, and have ample assets to do so. If they come up short it could mean the difference between making the playoffs and missing them entirely.

2) Bottom Six Help: The Devils do have some talented options in their bottom six but would likely prefer not to deploy Curtis Lazar as a third-line center, which has happened on more than one occasion. A top-9 forward would allow some of the Devils’ forwards to shift down the lineup into positions that are more suitable for the skillset and allow Ruff to have more trust in rolling three or four forward lines in a regular rotation. The Devils have dealt with their fair share of injuries this season but probably didn’t envision having the likes of Chris Tierney playing as frequently as he has. Some depth up front would be an additional boost for the Devils in their pursuit of the playoffs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Golden Knights Recall Grigori Denisenko

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The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled forward Grigori Denisenko from the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL. The 23-year-old has appeared in 29 career NHL games split over four seasons, having also spent time with the Florida Panthers.

After suffering through a few injury-riddled seasons with the Panthers, the former 15th overall pick was claimed off waivers by Vegas on October 7th. He has been a solid AHL contributor thus far this season as he has posted 14 goals and 26 assists in 45 games, surpassing the 12 goals and 24 assists he registered last season in 56 games with the Charlotte Checkers.

Denisenko had an audition with the Golden Knights in early January as he spent a week in the NHL, dressing in three games and posting no points. He averaged 10:36 of ice time during that recall and had a decent showing at even strength as he took the bulk of his zone starts in the defensive zone and had decent underlying numbers.

The Golden Knights are currently without forwards Pavel Dorofeyev, Jack Eichel, and William Carrier and could be in line for a move for a forward before the NHL trade deadline. Denisenko didn’t dress today against the San Jose Sharks and will likely serve as the team’s 13th forward for the time being. However, if he keeps up his AHL scoring numbers he could get a longer look in the NHL sooner than later.

Metro Notes: Hellberg, Lindgren, Marino

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Before their game tomorrow night against the New York Islanders, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled goaltender Magnus Hellberg from their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The move could simply be precautionary but indicates that either Alex Nedeljkovic or Tristan Jarry may not be able to suit up in tomorrow’s contest.

If one of the two regular netminders is unable to go tomorrow night, it is still unlikely that Hellberg will play in the game. Nevertheless, he did serve as valuable depth for the Penguins at the beginning of the season, producing a 1-0-0 record in three games with a .922 save percentage covering for the injured Nedeljkovic.

Not only has he been adequate at the NHL level, but Hellberg has also played well for a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton team currently battling for playoff position in the Atlantic Division. In 17 games played at the AHL level, Hellberg holds an 8-7-2 record coupled with a .901 SV% and 3.03 goals against average.

Other Metro notes:

  • New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is being further evaluated for an upper-body injury according to Vince Mercogliano of USA Today-Sports. An upcoming restricted free agent at the end of the season, the beloved Minnesota native has skated in 53 games for New York already this season, scoring two goals and 10 points in the process. With more information on the matter expected tomorrow, Lindgren has only missed two games for the Rangers this season.
  • Although unavailable for the team’s practice today due to an illness, defenseman John Marino is still expected to travel with the New Jersey Devils for their upcoming game against the Washington Capitals (X Link). Already without top defenseman Dougie Hamilton, the Devils cannot afford to lose any more defensemen, as they currently only sit two points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

San Jose Sharks Activate Henry Thrun, Place Logan Couture On IR

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Missing the last six games due to a shoulder injury, San Jose Sharks defenseman Henry Thrun was officially activated off injury reserve by the team after he successfully took part in warm-ups before this afternoon’s game. In a corresponding move, the team has placed captain Logan Couture on injured reserve for the second time this season.

Not much of an offensive weapon on the blue line, Thrun has played adequately in his first full season with the Sharks. Only playing on a unit with veteran defenseman Jan Rutta, the two have combined for 2.19 Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes according to MoneyPuck, the second-best mark on the team.

Now activated off of injured reserve, Thrun joins eight more defensemen on the active roster for San Jose, a team that has had a difficult time maintaining any sort of health over the regular season. In a position to give multiple different players their first shot in the NHL, the team has awarded Thrun’s efforts with nearly 20 minutes of ice time per night.

On the opposite side of the transaction, Couture has been out of the lineup since January 31st after reaggravating the groin injury that prohibited him from playing in the first 45 games of the season. Being one of the few offensive talents on the Sharks’ roster, Couture was only able to manage one assist in six games upon his return.

Snapshots: Heiskanen, Duchene, Andersen, Siegenthaler

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Already without defensemen Nils Lundkvist and Jani Hakanpaa due to injury, the Dallas Stars are also absent defenseman Miro Heiskanen today, as he will miss the action due to the birth of his child (X Link). Calling up defensemen Alex Petrovic and Derrick Pouliot this morning, Dallas’ depth on the blue line will be tested even further.

To add insult to injury, the team also announced that forward Matt Duchene would miss today’s game against the Boston Bruins due to a lower-body injury. In a hotly contested Central Division playoff race, the Stars have lost five regular players in a matter of days.

Playing well over their last 10 games with a 7-1-2 record, Dallas will look to keep that successful stretch going as they look to retain their throne at the top of the Central Division. With a three-point cushion, the Stars are currently on a four-game road trip against Eastern Conference opponents before finally returning to Central Division action on February 27th.

Other snapshots:

  • Working his way back from a blood clot scare that has kept him out of the lineup since early November, Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen was able to see shots today in practice. According to Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes, Andersen is not quite ready to return, but it was undoubtedly positive that he was able to participate in practice. With the team now less desperate for goaltending help with a strong stretch from Pyotr Kochetkov, it will nevertheless be a positive to see Andersen make his return to the ice.
  • The New Jersey Devils may be getting some reinforcements on their blue line soon, as team reporter Amanda Stein mentioned today that Jonas Siegenthaler has fully recovered from a broken foot that has kept him out of the lineup since January 2nd. Now only two points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, a clean bill of health moving forward puts the Devils in an advantageous position to build some momentum towards the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Trade Deadline Primer: Nashville Predators

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With the All-Star break in the rearview, the trade deadline looms large and is now just a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Nashville Predators.

Transitioning out of the David Poile era at last year’s trade deadline, the Predators stole plenty of headlines, shipping out the likes of Mattias Ekholm, Tanner Jeannot, and Nino Niederreiter for a plethora of draft picks. Sporting an expectedly middle-of-the-pack roster, Nashville still holds some assets that could net some solid returns at this year’s deadline as well.

Record

28-25-2, 5th in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Conservative Sellers

Deadline Cap Space

$37.287 MM on deadline day, 2/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2024: NSH 1st, NSH 2nd, TB 2nd, WPG 2nd, NSH 3rd, DAL 3rd, NSH 4th, CHI 4th, EDM 4th, NSH 5th, DAL 6th
2025: NSH 1st, TB 1st*, NSH 2nd, NSH 3rd, NSH 4th, NSH 5th, NSH 6th

* A part of the trade that sent Jeannot to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay sent a conditional 2025 first-round selection to Nashville. If the pick falls within the top 10 of that NHL Draft, the Lightning will retain the draft selection.

Trade Chips

For this year’s playoff run, it is going to be incredibly challenging for the Predators to make any headway into the top three of the Central Division, but remain only two points back of the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference. With nine games to go until the trade deadline, the head coach turned General Manager Barry Trotz may still be indecisive when it comes to the organization’s deadline plans.

If the team ultimately ends up in a playoff position by March 8th, it is unlikely Trotz will deal from the cupboard, as the team has placed a high priority on prospects and draft selections over the last calendar year. More than likely, even if they are competing for a playoff spot, Trotz will choose to sell on the team’s upcoming unrestricted free agents in the hopes of recouping some assets.

In an evergrowing market for goaltenders, Juuse Saros could become the prize of the deadline, but the Predators have been adamant on not only keeping their goaltender but are much more interested in discussing a contract extension. As far as rental pieces that Nashville could dangle, Thomas Novak and Alexandre Carrier have both received interest from contending teams, while defenseman Tyson Barrie was permitted to seek a trade back in early December.

Team Needs

1) Continue To Pile Up Draft Picks – At the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, the Predators were able to make 11 draft selections, with six of those coming in the first three rounds. Once again, the team is poised to select six more players in the first three rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft which should certainly help them build up substantial prospect depth through the system. With adequate depth at all three positions at the AHL level, Nashville is once again in a position to deal out expiring contracts without having to take on a player in return.

2) Beef Up Special Teams – If the Predators are convinced they can make some noise in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, their main priority should be to make additions to both sides of the special team units. Currently, the team holds a 19.37% powerplay rate (21st in the NHL) and a 75.43% penalty-kill rate (27th in the NHL). Likely nibbling around the edges of the market if they do choose to buy, the team could look to poach Victor Olofsson from the Buffalo Sabres for powerplay help and Kevin Rooney from the Calgary Flames for a boost to the penalty kill.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Martin Fehervary Out Week-To-Week With Lower-Body Injury

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In a report coming from Sammi Silber of The Hockey News, Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. The injury took place during the Capitals’ most recent game against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

In the opening minutes of Saturday night’s contest between the two teams, Fehervary appeared to lose an edge as he was skating behind the Capitals’ net. After falling to the ice, Fehervary was unable to put much weight on his left leg and did not return to the game.

Spending much of the year next to John Carlson, the two have been one of the bright spots on Washington’s blue line this season. Seeing the most ice time of any defensive unit on the roster, the two have combined for a solid 2.39 Expected Goals per 60 minutes, and 2.31 Goals Against per 60 minutes, according to MoneyPuck.

For Fehervary specifically, he has continued to be a physical defenseman for Washington, leading all defensemen on the roster with 114 hits, which is 60 more than the next closest defenseman. Aside from the topical statistics, Fehervary has seen a slight dip in his On-Ice Save Percentage compared to career averages, but has carried a slight uptick in his CorsiFor%.

In the meantime, the team will more than likely opt to place Rasmus Sandin next to Carlson over the next couple of weeks. The two have played a number of minutes together already this season, but have not played as defensively sound as the combination of Fehervary and Carlson.

Sabres Notes: Power, Clague, Tokarski, Comrie

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The Sabres moved defenseman Owen Power to IR on Monday, per the NHL’s media site. Power, 21, has already missed three games with a hand injury and remains listed as week-to-week

Assuming the IR placement is retroactive to Feb. 13, when the Sabres confirmed he sustained the injury in practice, he would be eligible to return Wednesday against the Canadiens. He’s likely to miss a little more time than that, though, and this roster move is for the purpose of opening up a roster spot more than anything else.

The 2021 first-overall pick hasn’t shown massive development from last year’s solid rookie campaign, but he’s not having a sophomore slump, either. He remains on track to be a long-term fixture in the Sabres’ top four and has been one of their best two-way defenders this season, recording 18 points and a +3 rating in 51 games while averaging 22:27 per game. He’s taken a significant step forward defensively, being on the ice for 0.74 expected goals against per game at even strength compared to last year’s 1.04 mark, per Hockey Reference, although it’s come at the expense of some offense.

The 6-foot-6 Mississauga native is signed to a seven-year, $58.45MM extension that begins next season. He will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2031.

More from the Sabres to open the week:

  • Power’s roster spot is going to defenseman Kale Clague, who the Sabres have recalled from AHL Rochester on an emergency basis, per a team announcement Monday. Buffalo recalled Clague under emergency conditions before Saturday’s overtime win over the Wild, but he was returned to Rochester after serving as a healthy scratch. Clague will likely be a scratch again against the Ducks on Monday but is an option to play if there’s an unexpected scratch. The 25-year-old has 23 points and a -8 rating in 42 games with Rochester.
  • Also coming up to the active roster is netminder Dustin Tokarski, who will back up Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen against Anaheim on Monday, head coach Don Granato says (via Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550). Eric Comrie is unavailable with an illness and will be scratched. Tokarksi was summoned last Thursday to back up Comrie against the Panthers while Luukkonen was sidelined with a lower-body injury, but was returned to Rochester after Luukkonen was cleared to play over the weekend. The 34-year-old Tokarski has struggled in the minors this year, posting a .887 SV% in 17 games.

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