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Oilers Showed Interest In Extending Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick

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The Edmonton Oilers didn’t have much cap space or buying power ahead of the Trade Deadline, heavily limiting the lineup upgrades they could bring in. And rather than fight through the nitty-gritty of the cap, Edmonton instead opted to make one very calculated, and very impactful, trade – acquiring Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a first-round pick in 2024 and a fourth and fifth-round pick in 2025. Aside from quietly acquiring veteran depth defender Troy Stecher, the big-name buy from Anaheim was Edmonton’s only Deadline move. And now it seems the Oilers are trying to stretch out the impact of the deal, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting that the team showed interest in extending both of their new faces.

Now, it’s no surprise to see Edmonton trying to get the most out of what they paid for, especially with both Henrique and Carrick set to become unrestricted free agents this summer. But Henrique is 34 and Carrick 32, likely limiting any contract negotiations to the short-term. That’ll be a change of pace for the veteran Henrique, who’s had just three contracts across his 14-year NHL career. What’s more, he’ll be roughly one full season away from his 1,000th game in the NHL when this season ends – meaning wherever Henrique signs next is likely where he achieves that tremendous feat. He’s shown plenty of loyalty throughout his career – playing eight years in New Jersey and seven years in Anaheim – but a looming retirement could leave the 34-year-old considering if Edmonton is where he wants to finish out. There would be no shortage of interested parties if Henrique did hit the open market, though extending him would go far in solidifying Edmonton as a top team over the next few years.

But while Henrique is an established veteran newly exposed to the world of short-term deals, Carrick is on the eighth contract of his eight-year career in the NHL. He’s in just his third full-time NHL season, finally carving out a confident role on the 2021-22 Ducks roster. He’s totaled 22 goals and 37 points across 180 games since then, adding a strong 50.5 faceoff percentage and 362 hits. Carrick fills a lot of the boxes teams look for in fourth-liners, and he’s admirably serving in that role for the Oilers. But after cap retention in the trade, Carrick is contributing just $425K to Edmonton’s salary cap. That’s a great price for an effective fourth-liner, but richer prices could be too much to bear for an Oilers team that could afford space for young players. Carrick likely doesn’t demand much on the open market, but how Edmonton decides to approach his extension could serve to lock up their bottom six.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Bruins, Perry, Johnson

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The NCAA free agency frenzy has kicked off and the Boston Bruins could be in the mix for one of the top names, with the Boston Globe’s Matt Porter sharing that the team is interested in Notre Dame’s Ryan Bischel. Bischel has been with the Fighting Irish for the last five seasons, confidently taking over the team’s starting role over the last two. And he’s been tremendous with the opportunity, posting 16 wins and a .931 save percentage in 37 games last season and 15 wins and a .924 in 36 games this year. He managed his high marks while facing an average of 33 shots against each game this season. The performances have earned Bischel plenty of recognition, getting named a finalist for Big Ten Goaltender of the Year this season, after winning the award last year.

Goaltending has been a major sore spot for countless teams this year and any team in need of goaltending depth is likely trying to find out their chances of signing Bischel. That could make it hard for Boston – who already boasts fantastic depth with Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman, and Brandon Bussi – to find an advantage in negotiations. But Bischel’s addition could be aptly timed, with Boston also entertaining trading Ullmark around the Trade Deadline. How NCAA free agency negotiations play out could go a long way toward determining what the Bruins want to do next.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The NHL, NHLPA, Chicago Blackhawks, and Corey Perry have reached a settlement relating to Perry’s termination from the Blackhawks on November 29th, as first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Rather than have Perry file a grievance with the league, the two sides agreed to a financial settlement. Perry signed with the Edmonton Oilers on January 22nd and has since scored five goals and seven points in 20 games with the Canadian club. This settlement marks a success in the Player’s Association’s protection of guaranteed contracts.
  • Chicago Blackhawks forward Reese Johnson has entered concussion protocol and didn’t practice with the team on Thursday, per Charlie Roumeliotis of NBCS Chicago. Johnson has been a routine depth forward for Chicago, scoring five points in 42 games. It’s his second season of full-time NHL action, after posting four goals and six points in 57 games last year. Rookie Landon Slaggert is set to make his NHL debut in Johnson’s absence, joining Chicago after the conclusion of Notre Dame’s season.

Western Notes: Scheifele, Vilardi, Dunn, Kovalenko

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The Winnipeg Jets could be getting major reinforcements back soon, with the team hopeful that Mark Scheifele will return to the lineup on Friday, per Scott Billeck with the Winnipeg Sun. Billeck also shared that Gabriel Vilardi will remain out on Friday. Vilardi has been out since February 29th with an upper-body injury, missing the team’s last seven games. The extended absence has continued a season of injuries for Vilardi, who has now missed 27 games on the season.

Scheifele missed Winnipeg’s Wednesday night game with illness. He continues to lead the Jets in scoring, with 19 goals and 57 points in 58 games. The Jets simply haven’t been the same team without Scheifele, averaging a measly 1.57 goals-per-game in his absence compared to 3.22 goals-per-game with him in the lineup – leading Winnipeg to a 2-5-0 record without their top forward.

Scheifele’s importance to the Winnipeg roster can’t be understated, placing plenty of weight on his game-time decision ahead of Friday’s matchup. If he can’t go, the Jets will need to rely on one of David Gustafsson or Rasmus Kupari. Gustafsson has been Winnipeg’s de facto fill-in this year, with four points in 31 games, though Kupari’s role as a natural center could earn him a leg-up, even despite his sole assist through 27 games this season.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Seattle Kraken will be without defenseman Vince Dunn for the fourth straight game, per Scott Malone with Root Sports. Dunn has been Seattle’s top defender this year, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time for the second-straight season. Dunn has managed 11 goals and 45 points in 57 games on the season, scoring at nearly the exact same pace as he did last season, when he posted a career-high 14 goals and 64 points in 71 games. Without Dunn, Seattle has promoted top young defender Ryker Evans back into an NHL role. Evans has five assists in 19 games this season – the first games of his NHL career – though he’s still searching for his first career goal. Evans has also managed two goals and 15 points in 25 AHL games this year.
  • The Colorado Avalanche could be adding a major boost even after the Trade Deadline, with Russian forward Nikolai Kovalenko reportedly headed to America soon, per Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now, as well as a social media post from Kovalenko’s barber. The Avalanche drafted Kovalenko in the sixth-round of the 2018 NHL Draft, with the winger since emerging as a strong option for the KHL’s Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo. The 24-year-old scored 11 goals and 35 points in 42 KHL games this season, after posting a career-high 21 goals and 54 points in 56 games last season. He will look to carry that same scoring energy onto the high-offense Colorado lineup.

Afternoon Notes: Bennett, Rodrigues, Filppula, Seguin, Penguins

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The Florida Panthers’ forward depth will take a major hit on Thursday, as both Sam Bennett (undisclosed) and Evan Rodrigues (lower-body) are set to miss the bout with the Carolina Hurricanes. This will be Rodrigues’ second straight absence after being forced out of the team’s Saturday game early – needing help off the ice after blocking a shot off of his left ankle. Bennett was able to play in the team’s last game, scoring one goal on four shots and playing in his usual role.

The absence of Rodrigues and Bennett leaves a notable hole on Florida’s third line. The pair has been incredibly effective this season, with Rodrigues boasting 10 goals and 36 points in 65 games and Bennett touting 16 goals and 32 points in 54 games. They play in a modest role, averaging around 15 and 16 minutes of ice time respectively, but their ability to produce down the lineup has proven to be crucial to Florida’s success.

Jonah Gadjovich will return to the lineup in their absence, marking his first game since March 5th. The 25-year-old winger is in his third season as an NHL depth forward, scoring two goals and four points in 33 appearances this season. The pair of injuries will also give way to newcomer Kyle Okposo, who is filling Rodrigues’ spot as the third-line right-wing. Okposo failed to record a point in the 10 minutes he played in his Panthers debut, though he did have 12 goals and 22 points in 61 games with the Buffalo Sabres prior to being traded. The 17-year veteran Okposo brings fantastic experience to the Panthers lineup that will likely earn him a spot even after Bennett and Rodrigues return.

Other notes from around the league:

  • NHL veteran Valtteri Filppula’s time with Switzerland’s Genève-Servette HC is set to come to an end, with the team sharing that the two sides will part ways at the end of the season. Filppula, now 39, has been in Switzerland’s top league since he left the NHL in 2021-22. He’s since totaled 131 points in 145 games with Genève-Servette. Filppula previously played in 1,056 NHL games across a 16-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders.
  • Tyler Seguin is progressing back from a lower-body injury that’s held him out since February 22nd, per Brien Rea of Bally Sports SouthWest. Rea shares that head coach Pete DeBoer said “everything is on the table” as the Stars approach the end of their five-game homestand. Seguin has stayed effective despite injuries and age, scoring 20 goals and 45 points in 58 games this season. It’s his third consecutive season and 10th overall where he’s reached the 20-goal mark – an impressive feat for the 14-year pro.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins are facing troubles straight out of a 1990s sitcom, as a shipment of Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads meant to commemorate the winger’s jersey retirement was stolen in transit. The investigation is currently ongoing, and fans of tonight’s game will receive a voucher for the bobbleheads that can be redeemed at a later date. Penguins President of Business Operation Kevin Acklin told NHL.com, “We were shocked to be a victim of cargo theft… While this unfortunate incident adds to the legend of Jaromir Jagr, who will be in attendance as our guest at tonight’s game, we look forward to resolving this theft and delivering the prized Jagr bobbleheads to their rightful homes, with our fans.”

Flames Sign Hunter Brzustewicz To Entry-Level Contract

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4:30 PM: The Flames have confirmed the deal as a three-year entry-level contract carrying an annual average value (AAV) of $950K. The deal also contains $285K in signing bonuses, per CapFriendly.

11:30 AM: The Calgary Flames have signed defense prospect Hunter Brzustewicz to his entry-level contract, per Wes Gilberton of Postmedia. Brzustewicz was a major focus of the January trade that sent Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks – serving as the top prospect in a deal that also contained a first-round pick and NHL winger Andrei Kuzmenko, among other pieces. Vancouver originally drafted Brzustewicz 75th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. The pick was seen as a steal at the time, with the defenseman being projected to go in the early-to-mid second round.

Brzustewicz has earned his first pro contract with a stellar season in the OHL, where he currently ranks second in scoring among defensemen behind 2024 Draft-eligible Zayne Parekh. Brzustewicz has 12 goals and 85 points in 62 games this season, putting him on pace to rival the most points scored by an OHL defenseman since 2000 – a title currently held by Ryan Ellis’ 100-point season in 2010-11. Brzustewicz will likely fall short of Ellis’ title (though Parekh will also chase it!) but his place in the conversation is commendable enough. In addition to Ellis, Parekh, and Brzustewicz, the list of the OHL’s top-scoring defensemen also contains Tony DeAngelo, Pavel Mintyukov, and Evan Bouchard – all proven NHL defenders in their own right – as well as long-running and successful KHL defenseman Kevin Dallman.

There’s a lot to like in Brzustewicz, who’s at his best when carrying the puck into the neutral zone and finding teammates to spring the rush. He’s a hard passer, with the quick footwork needed to join the offensive rush while still covering his spot on the blue-line. Draft day concerns about his over-eagerness and prowess on the defensive side of the puck kept scouts bearish on the American defender, and Brzustewicz hasn’t done much this season to grow past those concerns. But his ability to create and maintain tempo have made him an undeniable name to watch. Signed to his first pro deal, Brzustewicz will now look to fully establish himself as one of Calgary’s top prospects.

Injury Notes: Johansen, Eriksson Ek, Jeannot

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Ryan Johansen will remain part of the Flyers organization for the rest of the season after there were no takers on the trade or waiver market last week. The Avalanche dumped the underperforming center’s $4MM cap hit through 2025 on Philadephia in last week’s Sean Walker trade, although Flyers GM Daniel Brière has made it clear he doesn’t envision the 2010 fourth-overall pick ever actually dressing for a game in Philly.

That’s partly because Johansen, now on assignment to AHL Lehigh Valley, has been dealing with a nagging hip injury and is being evaluated by team doctors, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports. While he was never going to be an on-ice factor for the squad, this still carries a major implication. If he remains injured through this summer’s buyout period, the Flyers cannot execute one on the final year of his contract as many expect them to. That would leave Johansen on the Flyers’ books for all of next season, although they can reduce his cap hit to $2.85MM by leaving him buried in the minors with Lehigh Valley. If the Flyers did buy him out, his cap hit would be $1.33MM for both the Flyers and Predators in 2024-25 and 2025-26, saving each team a considerable amount of space next season.

Nashville is paying the other half of Johansen’s $8MM AAV deal. They retained half his salary when they traded him to Colorado last summer in exchange for the signing rights to Alex Galchenyuk. The Avs hoped Johansen, a five-time 60-point scorer, could recapture his previous form and be a competent second-line center behind Nathan MacKinnon, but the 31-year-old stumbled and managed only 13 goals and 23 points in 63 games with a -6 rating while averaging 13:19 per game, the lowest since his rookie season with the Blue Jackets in 2011-12.

Other injury notes from around the league on Thursday morning:

  • The Wild will be without top center Joel Eriksson Ek for Thursday’s game against the Ducks, but head coach John Hynes confirmed he won’t be absent for long as Minnesota battles to hang on in the Western Conference wild-card race (via Michael Russo of The Athletic). The 27-year-old sustained an undisclosed injury in the third period of Tuesday’s game against the Coyotes and did not return and is listed as day-to-day. Minnesota has not placed him on injured reserve, so he’s eligible to return at any time, but he’s still expected to miss a few games. In the third season of an eight-year, $42MM extension, Eriksson Ek is having a career year with 60 points and a +16 rating in 66 games while averaging 20:39 per game, second only to Kirill Kaprizov among Wild skaters.
  • Lightning winger Tanner Jeannot remains absent for tonight’s game against the Rangers, head coach Jon Cooper said (via Chris Krenn of the team’s official site). The 26-year-old has only played once since Jan. 6 as he deals with various injuries, and Cooper said Wednesday that he was likely to make his return to the lineup tonight. The team is being extremely cautious with his return, however, not wanting to risk another aggravation of the injury like his last attempted return. As such, he remains on injured reserve and won’t be activated ahead of tonight’s game.

Red Wings Recall Austin Czarnik Under Emergency Conditions

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The Red Wings have recalled center Austin Czarnik from AHL Grand Rapids, per a team announcement. He’ll join the team before Thursday’s home game against the Coyotes. No corresponding transaction is needed with ample cap space to execute the move, and the Red Wings do not burn one of their three remaining post-deadline standard recalls, either.

Czarnik, 31, has been papered between leagues a remarkable seven times this year since clearing waivers during training camp. However, this is his first summons to the majors since the calendar turned to 2024. He’ll draw into the lineup against Arizona if center Joe Veleno, who left Tuesday’s 7-3 loss to the Sabres after taking a slapshot from Buffalo defenseman Connor Clifton to the side of the head, cannot play.

The Detroit native played 18 games with the Red Wings earlier this season, marking his eighth straight season in the league since making his debut with the Bruins in 2016. An undrafted free-agent pickup by Boston in 2015 after four years with Miami University, Czarnik immediately established himself as a high-end minor-league producer with 61 points in 68 games during his rookie season with AHL Providence. He’s remained a top-six fixture in the AHL ever since, but the 5-foot-9, 170-lb center hasn’t been able to establish himself as a full-time NHLer for more than a season at a time.

Czarnik is in the back half of a two-year, two-way deal signed with Detroit in 2022. The deal carries a cap hit of $762.5K and pays him $775K in the NHL and $450K in the minors this season. He’s now with his fifth NHL organization, spending time with the Flames, Islanders, and Kraken between his stints in Boston and Detroit.

He’s finally beginning to show signs of slowing down in the minors, posting nine goals and 26 points in 39 games with Grand Rapids. That works out to 0.72 points per game, his lowest-ever production rate throughout a full season in the minors. He hasn’t done much better in the NHL, posting a lone assist and a -3 rating through his 18 showings, but he’s also been used quite sparingly, averaging a career-low 8:44 per game. His possession metrics don’t signal he deserves a higher role, either, logging a 40.6 CF% and 42.1 xGF% at even strength.

Czarnik will be a UFA at the end of the season. When the Red Wings are back up to 12 healthy forwards without Czarnik, they must return him to Grand Rapids or add him to the roster from his emergency loan, burning their second of four post-deadline recalls.

Snapshots: Ho-Sang, Scheifele, Protas

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In a noteworthy ECHL transaction, the Florida Everblades announced today they had signed forward Joshua Ho-Sang to a contract. It will mark the first time since the 2021-22 season that Ho-Sang has suited up professionally in North America.

The former 28th overall selection of the 2014 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders, Ho-Sang was never able to put it all together at the NHL level. In 53 games with the New York Islanders, Ho-Sang was hardly used by the team, scoring seven goals and 24 points while averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time per night.

At the AHL level, Ho-Sang’s professional career has been a completely different story altogether. Playing for the Bridgeport Islanders, San Antonio Rampage, and the Toronto Marlies, Ho-Sang is a veteran of 225 AHL games over five years, scoring 46 goals and 158 points overall.

Other snapshots:

  • Before the puck dropped in the team’s game tonight against the Nashville Predators, the Winnipeg Jets announced that center Mark Scheifele would be absent from the game due to an illness. In Scheifele’s stead, utility forward Vladislav Namestnikov slid into the center role on the team’s top line. Since his return from injury on February 6th, Scheifele has been the heart and soul of the Jets’ offense, scoring five goals and 16 points in his last 17 games.
  • Turning to the east coast of the United States, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports forward Aliaksei Protas of the Washington Capitals will miss tonight’s game with a lower-body injury. Signing a shiny new five-year, $16.875MM extension with the team back in January, Protas has come into his own as a playmaker, tallying 23 assists in 62 games for Washington this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning Injury Updates

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Earlier this morning, beat writer for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Chris Krenn reported that forward Tanner Jeannot and defenseman Erik Cernak were trending towards playing tomorrow for the Lightning. Outside of defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, the return of Jeannot and Cernak will give Tampa Bay a completed lineup as they look to hold onto their spot in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.

Not only will the Lightning be expecting continued health from Jeannot, but they will also be expecting an improvement in his play. Acquired at last year’s trade deadline from the Nashville Predators for a package including a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Jeannot has certainly not lived up to the lofty price that Tampa Bay had to pay.

Showing an ability to be a bruising forward with a legitimate capability to score goals during his time with the Predators, the Lightning have not received a similar version of that player. In now 62 games spent with Tampa Bay, Jeannot has only mustered a mediocre six goals and 12 points over his tenure.

Now confined to a fourth-line role in Florida, Jeannot will need to do much more than throw hits if the Lightning are planning on being successful in this year’s playoffs. There is an obvious need for physicality come playoff time, but depth scoring will become a tremendous necessity for Tampa Bay moving forward.

On the other side of the injury update, Cernak has been out since the team’s recent game against the Philadelphia Flyers with a lower-body injury. In 53 games for the Lightning this year, Cernak has scored one goal and nine points while averaging over 19 minutes of ice time a night.

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