Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Predators’ Matthew Wood Expected To Enter NCAA Transfer Portal

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Top Nashville Predators prospect and former top-15 pick Matthew Wood is expected to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per NHL.com’s Mark Divver (Twitter link). Divver adds that the University of Minnesota is currently the favorite to land Wood, though the University of Wisconsin and North Dakota are in the race as well. Wood will be departing from the University of Connecticut, after leading the team in scoring in each of his two years with the school. His move to the transfer portal is not yet finalized, with March 31st representing the first day that underclassmen can enter.

The Predators drafted Wood with the 15th-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, following his freshman year at UConn last season, when Wood became the first 17-year-old to play D1 Men’s Hockey since Ryan Poehling in 2017 and Noah Hanifin and Zach Werenski in 2015. He did the best with the opportunity, with 11 goals and 34 points in his first 35 collegiate games. The hot performance earned Wood plenty of draft attention, with flashy stickhandling and a heavy shot proving tough for college goalies to handle. But he wasn’t without flaws, struggling to show consistent finesse skating and not always filling his roles outside the offensive zone.

Nashville put aside those concerns, taking the hefty-built Wood early in the draft, and he’s vindicated the team’s confidence this season – with 16 goals and 28 points in 35 games. He also added plenty of grit, recording 43 penalty minutes after just four last season. Wood now represents perhaps the best value on the NCAA’s open market, with his heavy-hitting offense providing plenty of scoring. He’s expected to move to the Big Ten after two years in Hockey East, giving him a good preparation for the high level of competition he’ll face if he moves to the Midwest.

Snapshots: Tanev, Bunting, Butler, Aston-Reese

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Dallas Stars could be without their newest defenseman for an extended time, with Trade Deadline acquisition Chris Tanev leaving the team’s Saturday night game early after taking an elbow to the head from Seattle Kraken Adam Larsson. Larsson received a five-minute major and game misconduct for the hit, while Tanev exited after 17 minutes of ice time. Tanev will be re-evaluated on Sunday, with the Stars hoping for an update early this week, per Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning Star (Web link).

Tanev is 12 games into his time with the Stars, recording one goal, two points, and 10 penalty minutes. The Stars sent away prospect Artem Grushnikov, a conditional second-round pick, and a fourth-round pick to land Tanev – and they’re getting their money’s worth, with Tanev stepping into an immediate impact role and averaging over 18 minutes of ice time each game. He’s served as much-needed depth behind star Miro Heiskanen, elevating the impact of depth defenseman Esa Lindell. Dallas would normally turn towards Jani Hakanpaa in the event of Tanev’s absence, though he’s also bearing through a day-to-day injury. The Stars aren’t carrying any other defenders, meaning they’ll need to make a call-up if neither Tanev nor Hakanpaa can go.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Michael Bunting left the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Saturday night game due to illness, head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed after the game (Twitter link). Bunting played in nearly 10 minutes of ice time before exiting, with a -1 representing his only stat change. He’s found a strong scoring groove through his first 12 games in Pittsburgh, with three goals and seven points – though he’s still finding where he fits best in the lineup. There’s been no update on Bunting’s availability moving forward, though healthy scratch Emil Bemstrom is available to slot in if needed.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent right-winger Cameron Butler back to the minor leagues, after awarding him with his NHL debut on Saturday (Twitter link). He played in just one shift – staying on the ice for 54 seconds – during the eventual shootout-win. Butler, who is in his first year of pro hockey, will now return to the AHL, where he’s already managed two goals, eight points, and 63 penalty minutes in 46 games. He signed with the Blue Jackets as an undrafted free-agent in March of 2023.
  • Zach Aston-Reese has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Detroit Red Wings after being recalled on Friday (Twitter link). Aston-Reese didn’t appear in any NHL action during the call-up, making his sole game in December his only NHL game of the season. He’s managed 13 goals, 28 points, and 47 penalty minutes in 56 AHL games this season – his first year in the league since 2018-19.

Avalanche Recall Chris Wagner On Emergency Loan

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Colorado Avalanche have recalled forward Chris Wagner on an emergency loan (Twitter link). It’s Wagner’s third call-up to the Avalanche lineup since signing a one-year, two-way deal with the club this summer. He’s served as an NHL extra forward for much of the season, playing in nine NHL games and 17 AHL games – with nine points combined between the leagues.

This season has marked the most Wagner has played in the NHL since the 2020-21 campaign. He’s been a minor-league staple ever since, playing in 62 games in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. And while he did manage a career-high 31 points in the minors last season, Wagner’s role has still come largely through bruising, with 124 penalty minutes across 141 AHL games over the last three seasons. That’s a role he’s carried to the NHL as well, recording his 200th NHL penalty minute with a Leap Day fight against Chicago’s Reese Johnson. Wagner managed the feat in just 369 career games, also adding 37 goals and 64 points in those appearances.

Colorado now brings Wagner back to the top level, adding depth in the wake of a lower-body injury to Valeri Nichushkin and an illness to Joel Kiviranta. Both players are listed as day-to-day and have missed multiple games. Nichushkin won’t immediately travel with Colorado on their upcoming three-game road trip, per NHL.com’s Ryan Boulding (Twitter link). Wagner’s recall could also spell bad news for defenseman Sean Walker, who is questionable for the team’s next game with an upper-body injury after leaving the team’s Saturday game early.

Young Faces Hold The Key To Sabres’ Future Success

at CDT | by 9 Comments

The Buffalo Sabres face their final seven games of the season well outside of the playoff conversation. It’s been a disappointing year for one of the league’s hottest teams at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. Nobody has stepped up, with Tage Thompson not yet at 50 points after scoring 94 last year; Devon Levi struggling to hold onto the starter’s net amid less-than-flattering competition; and the defense continuing to falter when faced with too much pressure.

The down-year has forced general manager Kevyn Adams to part with important morale pieces, sending team captain Kyle Okposo to the Florida Panthers and former Colorado Avalanche assistant captain Erik Johnson to the Philadelphia Flyers. And the Sabres might’ve moved even more veterans, with Zemgus Girgensons and Victor Olofsson reportedly on the trade block as well. Even if it wasn’t their intention at the beginning of the year, the Sabres now sit with a clear mindset – get younger, and then we’ll get better. That’s not a new perspective in the NHL, but it is a risky path forward. Few teams have the depth to refresh lineup roles solely from within. But after years of strong, and lucky, drafting, the Sabres could be one of the rare few to pull it off.

The Buffalo Sabres Future Playoff Hopes Lie With Their Prospects

Buffalo’s prospect pool is led by centerman Jiri Kulich, who has served as one of the top forwards for the AHL’s Rochester Americans. He’s scored 21 goals and 38 points through 49 games this season, improving on his scoring pace after 24 goals and 46 points in 62 games last year. Kulich has added the boost in scoring while also taking on more and more responsibility, becoming a centerman capable of staying diligent in all three zones. He’s been a favorite of Rochester head coach Seth Appert, spending the last two seasons working with Rochester’s development team to find what specific program will best support the Czechian power forward – knowing that Kulich won’t shy away from hard work. The Sabres will hope that next season bears the fruits of Appert’s labor, with the departure of Casey Mittelstadt opening up opportunity down the middle. Kulich looked undoubtedly overeager in his NHL debut earlier this season, showing a clear need for added poise and experience. He’s gathered plenty now on a Rochester team bound for the AHL playoffs, though if it will be enough to seamlessly transition into the NHL is yet to be seen. As are the consequences if Kulich isn’t ready.

But Kulich won’t be able to escape the competition with fellow AHL sophomore Isak Rosen by moving to the NHL. Rosen has looked just as capable in his pro appearances, even earning seven NHL games to Kulich’s one this season. The 21-year-old winger has 16 goals and 40 points in 59 AHL games this year, topping his 37 points in 66 games last year. And he’s managed it on the back of growing confidence with the puck on his stick. Rosen has always made himself a focal piece of the offense, but he found a new layer of poise this season, doing much better at slowing play down and creating space when opportunity isn’t present, instead of forcing through a failed entry. But while his AHL play has improved thanks to better independence, Rosen’s NHL game suffered from a severe lack of involvement. He’s yet to score his first NHL point and did little to look convincing in his outings. There’s definite room for confidence – with Rosen never looking downright bad or out of place at the top level – but he’ll need to find his drive amidst the best in the world if he wants to succeed. Rosen took a couple of years to find his footing in the minors and could need the same slow transition into the NHL. That means the Sabres will have to be patient, as Rosen likely starts in a smaller role and works his way up next season. Already struggling for wins, it will be interesting to see if Buffalo has the time to spend.

Kulich and Rosen are joined at the top of the depth chart by Matthew Savoie, who returned to the WHL after one NHL game and six AHL games. He scored five points in the latter matchups, and carried the strong scoring back into juniors, where his 30 goals and 71 points in 34 games (2.09 points-per-game) marked the highest rate any WHL player has scored at since Connor Bedard last season, and Mike Comrie in 2001 before him. To join such an exclusive list is always exciting, and Savoie is certainly deserving, proving this year that his high-tempo playmaking is simply too good for the CHL. It seems opportunity is the last remaining piece of Savoie’s puzzle, especially considering his AHL success earlier this season. But pre-season injury marred Buffalo’s ability to really test him at the top level. They’ll have to go through the feeling-out process at the start of next year, while also hoping Savoie can quickly turn the tides on the scoresheet. His tempo and skill were dominant in juniors and could certainly bring the game-changing offense that Buffalo is in dire need of. A bill of good health this summer and confidence this fall could set up Savoie for a prime role as soon as next year kicks off.

Buffalo has plenty of other forward prospects that could push the envelope soon. Viktor Neuchev carried a steady AHL role all season long, despite being in his first season of North American pros. He, as well as Swedish duo Anton Wahlberg and Noah Östlund, will all continue to get comfortable through minor league roles next season. It’s instead defenseman Ryan Johnson that rivals one of Buffalo’s remaining NHL slots. Johnson is playing through his first professional season this year, with seven assists in 41 NHL games and eight assists in 19 AHL games – though he’s still searching for his first pro goal. And while he’s adjusted well, there’s been plenty left to desire from the 22-year-old defenseman. He’s simply yet to find where his impact comes in – showing strength in a long list of roles but yet to stamp one as his calling card. It was his ability to control the offensive zone, and control possession, that propelled Johnson through college. He’s shown flashes of that ability in the NHL as well, though they’ve been coupled by a clear need for quicker decision making and sharper plays. The Sabres will hope he can find his offensive niche in the NHL quickly, with Johnson leading a very depleted defensive depth chart. If he can’t solidify an NHL role next year, the team might be forced to turn towards the draft to try and mend a blue-line that’s looked unconfident for years.

Zach Benson lit the Sabres on fire this year. While he’s only managed 23 points on the season, he’s shown a determination and work ethic that’s hard to find, especially in 18-year-olds straight out of juniors. Buffalo needs more of that prospect luck next season, if they want to reignite the fire under their playoff hopes. Savoie represents plenty of upside, while Kulich and Rosen could each carve out strong roles of their own, but all three players face questions. How they can overcome that uncertainty, as well as how quickly Buffalo’s able to add in impactful defensive depth, will be the defining questions as the Sabres look to build a winning team from within.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Network.

Evening Notes: Cernak, Sandin, Walker

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Lightning were without defenseman Erik Černák in tonight’s match against the Islanders after he missed a team meeting, per Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. He’s been healthy scratched as a result, as is common practice. His absence paved the way for Haydn Fleury, who’s missed six games with a lower-body injury, to return to the lineup in a second-pairing role alongside trade deadline pickup Mathew Dumba. Černák, 26, has remained solidly in a top-four role and has been leaned on heavily this season in the absence of Mikhail Sergachev, who’s been limited to 34 games with multiple significant injuries. In the first season of an eight-year, $41.6MM extension signed back in July 2022, the Slovak blue-liner has 11 points and is averaging 19:21 per game through 60 appearances. It’s been a down season defensively for the normally steady shutdown man, posting a career-worst 47.1 CF% at even strength and a -4.7 expected rating.

More updates as we head into the weekend:

  • Another Eastern Conference wild-card hopeful is short a defenseman tonight. The Capitals didn’t have Rasmus Sandin available against the Bruins tonight due to a lower-body injury, per the team. As a result, 21-year-old Vincent Iorio made his season debut after being recalled from AHL Hershey on Wednesday. Sandin, 24, had a difficult stretch to begin the season but has improved as the campaign progresses, now up to 20 assists and 23 points in 64 games while averaging over 21 minutes a night. While his possession numbers have been rather pedestrian, and he won’t reach last year’s career-high 35 points, this is his first season in an everyday top-four role, and some growing pains were to be expected. Washington inked the 2018 first-round pick of the Maple Leafs to a five-year, $23MM extension earlier this month.
  • Avalanche blue-liner Sean Walker sustained an upper-body injury in tonight’s comeback win over the Predators, head coach Jared Bednar told reporters postgame (via Ryan Boulding of NHL.com). The 29-year-old came over from the Flyers via trade earlier this month, with Ryan Johansen and a first-round pick heading the other way. He’s been promising through nine games in Colorado, scoring three goals and adding an assist while continuing to control possession quality well at even strength. Expected to anchor the Avs’ third pairing in the postseason behind Cale Makar and Samuel Girard, an extended absence while he grows chemistry with his new teammates isn’t ideal. It’s unclear how long Colorado expects him out of the lineup, if at all.

Marcus Foligno Expected To Have Season-Ending Surgery

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Wild forward Marcus Foligno, who hasn’t played since last weekend due to a lower-body injury, is expected to undergo surgery that will end his season, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic. The Wild have not commented on the specifics of Foligno’s injury, but the veteran has seemingly been dealing with the issue for much of the second half of the campaign.

Foligno, 32, is in his seventh season in Minnesota. He’s two seasons removed from a career-best 23-goal, 42-point campaign in 2021-22 that also placed the checking winger among the top 10 in Selke voting for the first time. Most rightfully viewed that level of production as unsustainable, as he led the league with a 23.5% shooting percentage, but he’s remained a positive possession force with solid third-line production as he enters the latter stages of his career.

His offense trailed off to only seven goals and 21 points last season. That didn’t stop Wild GM Bill Guerin from inking him to a somewhat rich four-year, $16MM extension with partial no-move protection before this season began. Early on, it’s been solid value, as Foligno’s point-per-game pace has been slightly above his career average (10-22–22 in 55 GP). His possession numbers have also rebounded after a middling 2022-23, logging a 51.6 CF% at even strength that’s sixth among Wild forwards with more than 10 games played. He’s done so in a decidedly shutdown role, averaging 58.5% of his zone starts in the defensive end.

Injuries have derailed his campaign since the calendar flipped to 2024, though, missing 18 of Minnesota’s last 37 games. He first exited the lineup with a lower-body injury sustained on New Year’s Eve against the Jets, of which he’s believed to still be dealing with the lingering effects. His lengthiest absence came when he missed the Wild’s final 12 games before the trade deadline, during which the team managed a 7-4-1 record. Despite missing so much time, he’s still managed to lead the team in hits with 179.

Growing injury concerns before his extension even kicks in certainly make the deal look less palatable than it did when it was signed in September. As such, there’s more motivation to hold him out of the lineup and address the lower-body issue now to ensure he’s 100% next season. After today’s overtime loss to the Golden Knights, which they won’t get a point out of after conceding an empty-net game-winner to Jonathan Marchessault, Minnesota sits eight points back of the Kings for the second wild-card spot in the West while having played one more game. While not mathematically eliminated, their playoff chances are likely to drop to the 1-3% range after Saturday’s games wrap up.

Foligno is one of four Wild forwards locked in through 2028, joining Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek and Frédérick Gaudreau. The full no-move clause on his extension expires after the 2025-26 season, at which point it converts to a 15-team no-trade list for the final two years of the deal.

Adam Fantilli May Not Return This Season

at CDT | by 2 Comments

With multiple injuries coming to the top of the 2023 NHL Draft class this season, it appears that Adam Fantilli of the Columbus Blue Jackets may be the only one unable to return this year. In an update from Craig Merz of the NHL, Fantilli’s recovery has been much slower than expected, a reality that could postpone his next matchup until next year.

Fantilli went down with a calf laceration on January 28th, with the original outlook putting him out for about eight weeks. That would have put Fantilli’s return earlier this week on March 25th, a milestone he was unable to hit.

In a quote regarding Fantill’s recovery process, head coach of the Blue Jackets, Pascal Vincent, said, “He’s still working on the recovery. I was really hoping to see him back before the end of the season. We don’t know yet. I still hope, but it’s slower than expected“.

If Fantilli is unable to return for Columbus this season, he will finish the year with 12 goals and 27 points in 49 games for the Blue Jackets. With many draft pundits putting Fantilli as the second-best prospect coming out of the 2023 NHL Draft, Fantilli did not show as much offensive prowess as expected throughout his first season in the NHL.

Nevertheless, there should not be any pessimism surrounding Fantilli’s future health, or his future talent level on the ice. At only 19 years old, the former Hobey Baker Award winner still has plenty of time to become an elite player for the Blue Jackets.

Columbus Blue Jackets Recall Cameron Butler

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Columbus Blue Jackets recalled Cameron Butler from their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, with captain Boone Jenner out tonight with an illness. Since the recall was made under emergency conditions, it will not count against the Blue Jackets four-call-up limit for the time being.

As an undrafted free agent coming out of the Oshawa Generals program of the Ontario Hockey League, Butler signed his entry-level deal in Columbus a little over a year ago. In his last season in the OHL, Butler scored 27 goals and 55 points in 63 games for the Generals, registering three points in five playoff games as well.

Unfortunately, Butler’s offensive potential has not translated well during his first season of professional hockey, as he’s only been able to muster two goals and eight points over 46 games for the Monsters this season. Luckily, even though Butler is sitting 25th on the team in scoring, he still has the opportunity to develop.

Being one of the most consistent teams in the AHL over the last several years, Butler is not being heavily relied upon by the Monsters roster. Sitting one point back of the division-leading Syracuse Crunch, there is not much pressure on Butler yet, allowing him to develop at his pace.

Bruce Boudreau Interested In New Jersey, Other Coaching Opportunities

at CDT | by 8 Comments

Long-time head coach Bruce Boudreau is ready and waiting to return behind the bench in the NHL, and the New Jersey Devils appear to be on his short list of teams. In an article from Ryan Novozinsky of NJ Advance Media, the Devils do not appear enthusiastic about retaining interim head coach Travis Green and will look through the market for an upgrade this offseason.

Since Green took over the reins for New Jersey, the Devils have produced a 6-7-0 record, and still find themselves five points back of the Washington Capitals for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, with less than 10 games remaining in the regular season. After last year’s 112-point finish, General Manager Tom Fitzgerald was certainly looking for this team to keep pace in the competitive Metropolitan Division.

One of the main factors in Boudreau’s interest in New Jersey is his connection to the Hughes brothers from many years ago. When asked about the two, Boudreau was quoted as saying, “I got to meet Jack and Quinn when they were three or four years old. I’d watch them skate when we’d have ice. Ellen was the skating coach, so they’ve gotten into this culture and they were very serious about it. Jim Hughes was a very serious coach. I’m sure those guys, at an early age, were doing things that kids couldn’t do at twice their age“.

With an established relationship with one of the team’s most important players, Boudreau may be a seamless fit with the Devils organization. However, he will not be handed the position and will have to compete with several other high-profile coaching candidates this summer.

Even though Boudreau currently sits 22nd all-time in wins amongst individuals who have held the position of head coach in the NHL, he has been unable to capture the Stanley Cup after coaching his teams to the Stanley Cup playoffs more often than not. Because of this, New Jersey may opt to employ a candidate with more recent postseason success, such as Craig Berube, the former head coach of the St. Louis Blues.

Devils Notes: Hamilton, Bastian, Siegenthaler, Halonen

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Devils interim head coach Travis Green spoke with reporters today, including Ryan Novozinsky of NJ Advance Media, to provide an update on a pair of injured players.  He indicated that it’s unlikely that Dougie Hamilton will return at all this season.  Hamilton had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle a little less than four months ago and is currently on LTIR.  Since the Devils primarily sold at the deadline, they could easily have gotten back into cap compliance to activate the veteran if he was able to return.

Meanwhile, the news is a little better for winger Nathan Bastian.  Green indicated there is a chance that the 26-year-old could return from an upper-body injury that has caused him to miss a little more than a month.  Bastian has a dozen points along with 143 hits in 54 games so far this season.

More from New Jersey:

  • Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler took part in practice today as he works his way back from an upper-body injury, mentions team reporter Amanda Stein (Twitter link). He has missed more than two weeks with this latest ailment, one that came just a few weeks after missing 16 games with a foot issue.  Siegenthaler has been limited to just nine points through 49 games so far but as a second-pairing player, New Jersey would certainly like to get him back in the lineup sooner than later.
  • Brian Halonen’s daily transactions tour continues. Per the AHL’s transactions log, the forward has been recalled to New Jersey’s roster today after being sent down yesterday.  This is his third recall since Wednesday.  The 25-year-old made his NHL debut last month, his only appearance at the top level so far.  Meanwhile, with Utica, he has fared well with 16 goals and eight assists in just 30 games.  He’s in the final year of his entry-level contract.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top