Morning Notes: Kulak, Chernyshov, Blue Jackets
The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired veteran defenseman Brett Kulak from the Edmonton Oilers as part of the trade between the two clubs that swapped netminder Tristan Jarry for Stuart Skinner. While Kulak adds a level of experience to Pittsburgh’s back end that could be valuable, the club only recently ended an eight-game losing streak that raised significant questions about their ability to compete for a playoff spot this season. That losing streak raised a few questions as to whether the Penguins are best served keeping Kulak for the rest of the year (his $2.75MM AAV deal expires at the end of the season) or if they would benefit from trading him to another team.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that before Kulak was traded to Pittsburgh, “there were teams interested” in acquiring him from the Oilers, but a trade never materialized largely for salary cap reasons. Friedman cited the Penguins’ trade of Luke Schenn to the Winnipeg Jets, very shortly after acquiring him from the Nashville Predators, as a notable precedent here that the team set regarding its willingness to quickly flip a veteran blueliner. While there has not been any concrete indication that Pittsburgh is actively exploring this route with Kulak, Friedman’s reporting indicates it’s something to keep in mind at the very least.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- While the injury suffered by San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith was certainly not something the Sharks have benefited from, the opportunity provided by his absence in the lineup has at least been something other young players have so far been able to take advantage of. 2024 second-round pick Igor Chernyshov has played in the first three NHL games of his career, landing on franchise pivot Macklin Celebrini‘s wing as a result of Smith’s absence. He’s managed three assists in his first three games, playing at an impressive level for a player with no prior experience at the NHL level. That has raised questions as to whether the Sharks would benefit from keeping Chernyshov in the NHL, even after Smith returns, and per San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng, Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky admitted the team “didn’t think he was gonna be this quick to help us,” and added that Chernyshov has far exceeded expectations thus far in the NHL.
- New Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekäläinen brought one of his former longtime lieutenants, Columbus Blue Jackets assistant GM Josh Flynn, to Buffalo this week in order to fill the same role but for the Sabres. In the aftermath of that move, The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline wrote today regarding which other Blue Jackets hockey operations staff might join Flynn in heading to Buffalo. Portzline specifically cited Blue Jackets director of pro scouting Basil McRae, who was formerly an assistant GM before shifting titles after the arrival of current Columbus GM Don Waddell, as a possibility. He also named director of amateur scouting Ville Sirén and goaltending coach Nicklas Backstrom as two other names who Kekäläinen might look to add to his staff in Buffalo.
Avalanche Recall Ilya Solovyov
Ahead of their game tonight in Minnesota, the Colorado Avalanche announced that Ilya Solovyov’s AHL conditioning loan has been terminated, and he will return to the team as their seventh defenseman.
Solovyov, claimed off waivers from Calgary in October, was loaned on December 12, and returns well within the two-week threshold to avoid waivers and remain on the active roster. While he is often a healthy scratch for the Avalanche (including tonight), at just 25 years old there is still untapped potential as a solid bottom pairing blueliner with size (6’3”). Therefore, getting him some game action this month was of interest.
Solovyov did not record any points in three games with the Colorado Eagles, but he gave the group a nice boost, as they are on a hot streak and lead their division with a 19-6-1 record. Now back on the Avs, he is also scoreless at the highest level, in 9 games so far. Such is production which will never raise many eyebrows, but the lefty had 28 points in the AHL last season in the Calgary organization. Having been selected in the seventh round of the 2020 draft by the Flames, it has been a solid North American career, culminating in 24 NHL contests to date.
As is expected for most teams in a window such as Colorado’s, the team’s pool is very thin. Mikhail Gulyayev and Sean Behrens are intriguing defense prospects, but as both are still a ways away from NHL contribution, taking a flyer on Solovyov was worthwhile. With just a $775k cap hit at the NHL level, and pending UFA status this summer, he will look to make an impression and solidify his role as a depth defender on the league’s best team going into the future.
Evening Notes: Dickinson, Catton, O’Reilly, Maple Leafs
The Team Canada World Juniors roster appears set, with two final dominos falling: San Jose will not loan defenseman Sam Dickinson, per Frank Seravalli, and Seattle won’t loan forward Berkly Catton either, also noted by Seravalli.
Dickinson was a real candidate, as he would have brought key experience to Team Canada’s back end, as the only returning defenseman on the team. The 19-year-old has the distinction of being the only d-man under 20 to not be loaned out, other than Matthew Schaefer, which is to no surprise. Dickinson has not made quite the same impact as last summer’s first overall pick, as he has just three points in 27 games. Although helping lead Team Canada in a push for gold for a final time could have been a breath of fresh air for the exciting two-way defender, San Jose opts to hold onto Dickinson and not lose a true lineup contributor who continues to develop.
Similar to Dickinson, Catton has not exactly had a Schaefer-like impact yet either, with five points in 21 games, all assists. However, as emphasized by Seravalli, Catton is set to return from injury soon, and with Mason Marchment traded to Columbus, he will have a larger role on the Kraken once healthy, enough to keep the skilled forward from a Team Canada return.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Despite rumblings, Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly is not open to being moved at this time, as shared by Pierre LeBrun in an article for The Athletic. The respected veteran center is a pending free agent on an affordable ($4.5MM) contract, so naturally the appeal is there. However, although he has no such trade protection, O’Reilly and Nashville have a mutual agreement to treat it as if so, and for now, the 34-year-old will stay put. O’Reilly has 28 points in 34 games, continuing to play at a high level on both ends. However, GM Barry Trotz brought him in prior to 2023-24, when the Predators appeared firmly in a rebuild, before their attempted revival. Therefore, while on paper it would be wise to bring in a haul, O’Reilly’s impact in the locker room was always a major focus. Things could be revisited closer to the Trade Deadline, but O’Reilly simply playing out the deal is a real possibility, especially as the Ontario native has already won a Stanley Cup.
- Ahead of tonight’s game, Maple Leafs Head Coach Craig Berube told reporters, including David Alter of The Hockey News, that Easton Cowan and Calle Jarnkrok would be scratched, while Max Domi and Steven Lorentz entered the lineup in Dallas. Cowan’s designation comes as a bit of a surprise as he was in the starting lineup on the first line last night in Nashville, notching 16:17 of ice time, with an assist. The 20-year-old has 11 points in 26 games, but according to Berube, a reset is needed. Jarnkrok has been a solid third liner for years, but at 34, he has just four goals on the season and his scratching is less of a surprise. Meanwhile, Domi jumps right into Cowan’s slot on the first line, eager to find his game in a bid to extend his Leafs tenure. Finally, Lorentz returns to a fourth line deployment, a role familiar for the 29-year-old.
Oilers’ Tristan Jarry Out Week-To-Week, Frederic Scratched
Ahead of tonight’s game, multiple key updates came on the Oilers; new goaltender Tristan Jarry will be out a “few weeks”, as shared by Ryan Rishaug of TSN. Additionally, forward Trent Frederic will be a healthy scratch, per Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal, with Connor Ingram taking the net in his Oilers debut.
Just in his third game with the Oilers, Jarry left mid-contest against Boston on Thursday with an apparent lower-body injury. One day later, the team promptly placed Jarry on IR and recalled Ingram, so today’s news is not a total shock, however, the timeline is a tough blow as the team tries to climb up the standings and assert themselves into the playoff mix for good.
Jarry is off to a nice start with Edmonton, winning all three games (as he earned credit for the win in the Boston contest). Such wins have not necessarily come on the back of the new Oiler, as he has a .887 save percentage, however, the accomplished netminder just needs to be steady behind the high-octane team. Edmonton’s long awaited search for such stability between the net must go on for now, but once healthy, Jarry will help push the Oilers for another run and look to prove them right for bringing him aboard.
In the meantime, Ingram, set to start tonight, was an intriguing pickup by Edmonton from Utah in October, merely for future considerations. The 28-year-old has not met expectations so far in the AHL, with a 4.04 goals against average, and a losing record, but the Saskatoon native flashed legitimate potential during the Coyotes’ final season, appearing in 50 games in 2023-24.
Ingram, once a key prospect for the Lighting and Predators, has battled adversity throughout his career, entering the NHLPA Player Assistance Program at times. Although his AHL play has not inspired as much confidence, hopefully Ingram is reinvigorated by his new opportunity and can hold things down for the time being. Edmonton had been linked to Alex Lyon of late, but if Ingram can play up to his potential, it will prove to be a savvy move to acquire the insurance policy for no real assets.
On the other hand, Frederic’s healthy scratching is also a major event for the team. Despite Edmonton starting to string wins together and finding their groove, Head Coach Kris Kloblach has seen enough of Frederic for now. The 27-year-old has just three points in 36 games on the season, and is a -9. Signed to an eight year deal last summer worth $3.85MM per season, things could not be off to much worse of a start for the forward.
Although so many contracts are criticized with the benefit of hindsight, Frederic’s was always a bit of a head scratcher. A former first rounder who showed scoring touch as a high energy forward with Boston, eight years still felt like a big gamble for a player who had not yet shown much with the Oil. Any long term commitment to a trade deadline pickup is risky, with long term fit in mind, but especially so for a role player.
Frederic had just four points in 22 playoff games, which apparently was enough for GM Stan Bowman to count on him to be a vital piece for long term. Now, he has not brought much of anything offensively, and often plays fourth line minutes, just unable to find his fit with Knoblach’s system yet. Facing increased pressure and scrutiny, tonight’s scratch puts him into the spotlight even more. However, as he is set in Edmonton for better or worse, it may serve as a reset. Thankfully, Jack Roslovic is back tonight, after missing a month.
Whatever comes next, any player signed for eight years being healthy scratched for one such as Curtis Lazar, a journeyman fourth liner, is a one-of-a-kind scenario. The Oilers have had a turbulent season thus far from their goaltending and depth pieces, but few teams have the ability to simply outscore such problems and push on. Tonight’s game will be telling, to see how they respond to the latest developments.
Injury Notes: Kane, Montembeault, Bichsel
Red Wings Head Coach Todd McLellan told reporters, including Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press that Patrick Kane will not be back until after Christmas, due to an upper body injury. Kane last played on December 13 against his former Blackhawks, managing to finish the contest despite injury, but has been absent for the team’s last four games since, in which they’ve managed to win three.
Now 37, the future Hall of Famer has 23 points in 24 games, fifth on the team despite playing more than 10 less games, due to various injuries throughout the first half. John Leonard, a 27-year-old elite AHL scorer, earned a call up from his extraordinary numbers with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Leonard has filled in admirably for the icon Kane, as he has netted two goals in four games.
Today’s update guarantees Kane will not play next Tuesday against Dallas, but he could be due to return on December 27 as the team goes into Carolina, currently on a surge, sitting atop the Atlantic Division.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Similar to Kane, Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault will also return after the Christmas break, as shared by Eric Engels of Sportsnet. A steady presence over the last five years for the Habs as they entered their post-Carey Price era, Montembeault has struggled this season, with an .857 save percentage. The emergence of Jakub Dobes, along with high end prospect Jacob Fowler, who earned his first NHL action of late, has pushed Montembeault down slightly. The 29-year-old has made two appearances for AHL Laval on a conditioning loan, but will look to get back on track in 2026, as he is still signed through next season with Montreal.
- Sam Nestler, Dallas Stars Beat Writer, shared that Lian Bichsel is still at least one week away from any rehab work. Stars Head Coach Glen Gulatzan anticipates the defenseman to be out until around Olympics time in February. Based on the timeline, Bischel will likely return post-Olympic break, assuming the team eases him back into action. In early December, Bichsel was designated as out for around six weeks, after an awkward leg injury sustained against Ottawa, which ended up requiring surgery. Like many other young blueliners, at 21, Bichsel is still working through the adjustment to the NHL game. Standing at 6’7”, he offers little offensively, but if able to progress in a sheltered third pairing role for now, the former first round pick could become a strong middle-pair shutdown option in the future.
Red Wings Activate Mason Appleton
The Detroit Red Wings have activated forward Mason Appleton off of injured reserve. Appleton hasn’t played since sustaining a lower-body injury on November 29th. He has missed nine games since.
Appleton has filled a bottom-six role in his first year with the Detroit Red Wings. He has nine points, 22 penalty minutes, and 28 hits through 26 games. Only two Red Wings forwards – Marco Kasper and Dylan Larkin, who have each played nine more games than Appleton – have been penalized more. Appleton carved out that depth, grinder role across the last four seasons with the Winnipeg Jets. He typically held close to 20 points a season, but grew to 14 goals and 36 points in a career year during the 2023-24 season. Even with that rise, Appleton’s biggest impacts tend to come away from the puck and down the lineup.
Appleton returned to the lineup in Sunday’s overtime win over the Washington Capitals. He recorded one shot and two hits, while serving alongside Elmer Soderblom and Nate Danielson on the fourth-line. The Red Wings will continue to ease Appleton back into his hard-nosed role with four games left on the schedule in 2025. Based on how quick he returns to full health, Appleton could end up back outside of the lineup when winger Patrick Kane returns from a short-term injury.
The Penguins Should Look Into Moving Some Veterans
The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently spiralling in freefall after the past two weeks and have gone from a comfortable playoff spot to the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins have exhibited much of the same behaviours over the past couple of weeks that were on full display in the previous three seasons, when they missed the postseason, and they might not be ready to compete for the playoffs just yet. The difference this season in Pittsburgh is that the organization has hope in their young prospects and a ton of cap space available next summer.
The Penguins talked in the summer about going young, but in the past few weeks, they’ve injected a few veterans in favor of their young players, and the results haven’t been pretty. Pittsburgh also has several veterans on expiring contracts who don’t figure into the team’s long-term future, and given their recent stretch of play, they should begin unloading some of those veterans to bring in more young talent for their surging cupboard of futures.
Some might assume a headline like that means moving Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell or Erik Karlsson, but quite the opposite is true. The Penguins have many capable veterans who can play in the NHL, but their age and contracts make their prospects in Pittsburgh very murky. The likes of Noel Acciari, Connor Clifton, Brett Kulak, Stuart Skinner and Anthony Mantha are five players Pittsburgh should be actively shopping to acquire assets and move a few young players up from the AHL.
That list could be much longer, as Pittsburgh has several other UFAs they could move, such as Matt Dumba, Danton Heinen, Connor Dewar, Kevin Hayes, and Ryan Shea. Dewar and Shea are likely candidates to receive extensions or, at the very least, be offered contracts to remain in Pittsburgh, as they both seem to be favorites of Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas. By contrast, Heinen and Hayes hold little to no trade value at their current levels of play. Depending on how things go for Pittsburgh and the trade market, Hayes and Heinen could find a small trade market close to the deadline.
Back to the other four players: their trade value varies widely, and, to be perfectly honest, none of them is going to carry a high price tag. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have any value. Mantha, for example, has 22 points in 33 games and has been a great offensive piece for the Penguins. He, along with Justin Brazeau and Evgeni Malkin, formed a formidable second line in Pittsburgh and was lights out when all three were healthy. That trifecta was short-lived, however, as both Brazeau and Malkin were injured for a significant stretch, and Mantha bounced between linemates. Speaking of injuries, Mantha has dealt with them in the past, including last season, when he played only a handful of games and missed much of the year. If the Penguins want to maximize the asset that is Mantha, they would be wise to move him early in the new year, unless they go on a heater over the next couple of weeks.
Mantha is 6’5” and 240 lbs, but he plays smaller than his size and has never been overly physical for a big man. He skates well for a bigger player and produces offense at a solid clip, particularly when he has skilled linemates. There should be a market for his services if the Penguins decide to move him, especially for teams that want a capable top-six forward without giving up a ton of assets.
Acciari is another forward the Penguins should seriously consider moving, as he is in the final year of his contract and carries a $2MM cap hit. Acciari has been a good soldier for the Penguins, but has been handed ridiculous deployment over his three seasons, starting nearly 90% of his shifts in the defensive zone this season. As you can imagine, his offensive numbers aren’t good, with just 25 points in 154 games as a member of the Penguins. Credit to the 34-year-old, he continues to play hard-nosed hockey and should net the Penguins a late-round pick. In 20 games this season, Acciari has a goal and five assists and has 27 hits, but he can kill penalties and provide leadership as a fourth liner on a playoff-bound team. Acciari isn’t part of the Penguins’ plans, and at this point, the Penguins might be wise to get out in front of the trade market so they aren’t left holding players after the deadline, as they were last year when they couldn’t move Matt Grzelcyk.
Kulak has been a member of the Penguins for only over a week, having arrived in the Jarry trade to make the cap hits work. He likely isn’t destined to remain in Pittsburgh, and it makes little sense for either side to reach terms on an extension. Kulak is serviceable and was actually quite good in the playoffs last year for the Edmonton Oilers. Still, the Penguins already have a ton of defense at or around Kulak’s skill level, and there was reportedly interest in him before he was traded. With the Penguins eyeing a youth movement and Kulak approaching the end of his career, the Penguins should move him and get what they can. If the goal is still to go young and build for the future, hanging onto Kulak makes little sense, especially with the team plummeting down the standings.
Then there is Skinner, who also came over in the Jarry trade from Edmonton. It’s hard to pin down what Skinner is because of his inconsistency in the NHL. People might forget, but the 27-year-old was a runner-up for the Calder Trophy in 2022-23 and was fantastic that season, but has been all over the map over the last two and a half years, which is why he was dealt from a Stanley Cup contender to a rebuilding club. He has a fantastic regular-season win-loss record (109-63-18), but his playoff numbers leave a lot to be desired (26-22). Unfortunately for him, he has been prone to gaffes and meltdowns at the worst possible times.
Now, in Pittsburgh, there doesn’t appear to be a fit, at least not on the surface. Skinner is approaching free agency, and the Penguins already have their goalie of the future in Sergey Murashov. However, the backup position is a bit of a question mark, as Arturs Silovs has struggled in his last dozen starts and may not be an NHL netminder. Pittsburgh also has youngster Joel Blomqvist waiting in the AHL, so they appear to be set for the near future.
Skinner could also have some value on the trade market, as teams are always desperate for netminding near the playoffs. Skinner has a minimal cap hit of just $2.6MM this season, which should be manageable for just about every team in the league should they want to add him. With Skinner, a lot is riding on his playing well the rest of this year. AFP Analytics projected earlier in the year that Skinner could get four years at $6.14MM per season, which seems wildly inflated after his start to the season. But being a UFA should give Skinner plenty of motivation to prove his detractors wrong, which is likely what Pittsburgh is hoping for over the next few months before the NHL Trade Deadline.
Regardless of how they do it, the Penguins can’t keep trotting out old, expensive depth players if they want to turn the corner in the rebuild. They should by no means tear down the whole roster. Still, any veteran on an expiring deal who isn’t Malkin, Dewar or Shea should be moved out for future assets so the Penguins can finally find younger, hungrier, faster depth players.
Wild Recall Ben Jones
The Minnesota Wild have recalled forward Ben Jones from the AHL’s Iowa Wild. He played one game with Iowa this weekend, after clearing waivers and getting sent down on Friday. That assignment ended Jones’ two-month stint on the NHL lineup, a move that Minnesota will now reverse.
Jones was awarded Iowa Wild’s captaincy but earned an NHL call-up after scoring two points in the first two games of the season. He has appeared in 20 NHL games since and posted no scoring, five shot blocks, and 47 hits. He’s thrown the fourth-most hits on the Wild on a per-game basis. That physical presence has been his biggest impact while operating from Minnesota’s fourth line. Jones didn’t manage any scoring in 28 NHL games prior to this season.
Jones will offer with behind Vinnie Hinostroza on Minnesota’s bottom line. Hinostroza has five points and 20 hits in 23 games this season. The balance between a checking forward in Jones and a utility wing in Hinostroza will fill out Minnesota’s depth with five games left on the schedule before 2025 ends. The Wild, now under the lead of superstar defender Quinn Hughes, have won their last six games by a combined score of 28-to-9. Minnesota is now 14-2-1 in their last 17 games.
Metro Notes: Helenius, Leonard, Foerster
The Buffalo Sabres will not be sending top prospect and Team Finland star Konsta Helenius to the 2026 World Championships, reports Finnish hockey outlet Kiekko Uutiset. Helenius ranked second on Finland’s World Juniors roster in scoring at last year’s tournament. His command over the top center role was a crucial piece in Finland’s run to a silver medal.
But after a fourth-place finish at age 17, and a Silver Medal win at age 18, Helenius now won’t have a chance to reach the summit this season. Instead, he’ll stick in his role as a pillar of the Rocheester Americans’ offense. Helenius leads all Americans forwards in scoring with 26 points in 27 games. It’s a breakout year after he scored 35 points in 65 games as an AHL rookie last season, and could result in Helenius receiving his NHL debut sooner rather than later. With those hopes in sight, the Sabres will choose to keep Helenius close to home, while Team Finland will have to lean on Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen to fill their top center role.
Other notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- Washington Capitals forward Ryan Leonard has not played since Dec. 5 due to an upper-body injury, but he’s now considered only day-to-day and appears to be nearing a return to the lineup, per The Washington Post’s Bailey Johnson. Leonard, 20, is one of the key young forwards on the Capitals, and has 18 points in 29 games this season. The 2023 No. 8 overall pick was playing on Washington’s third line alongside Nic Dowd and Ethen Frank for the game in which he suffered his injury.
- On Dec. 17, the Philadelphia Flyers announced that forward Tyson Foerster was set to miss five months after undergoing surgery, effectively ending his 2025-26 regular season. Yesterday, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz relayed word from general manager Daniel Briere regarding Foerster’s injury timeline. Briere noted that the original announcement of five months was more of a “range” than a specific timeline, noting that Foerster’s actual recovery timeline “could be a little less” or “a little more” and that the club does not know “exactly for sure” when Foerster will be able to return. That’s not out of the ordinary given that teams can’t fully predict the future in terms of how a player’s body will respond to a recovery process, but it does provide at least a little bit of room for optimism that Foerster may not miss quite as much time as has been projected. The 23-year-old 2020 first-round pick scored 10 goals and 13 points in 21 games this season.
Oilers Activate Jack Roslovic, Reassign Quinn Hutson
The Edmonton Oilers will have a bit more oomph in the lineup in Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Edmonton has activated winger Jack Roslovic off of long-term injured reserve after he missed just under a month of action due to an undisclosed injury. In corresponding moves, the Oilers have also moved Connor Clattenburg from injured reserve to LTIR, and reassigned rookie winger Quinn Hutson to the AHL.
Roslovic was a big piece of the Oilers’ lineup before going down with injury. He was filling a goal-scorer’s role next to Leon Draisaitl on Edmonton’s best line by goal-differential. Roslovic has three goals in his last five games and 10 goals and 18 points in 23 games on the full season. He has also recorded an 18.9 shooting percentage, far above his career average of 12.8. That likely spells some scoring struggles as he returns from injury – but the well-rounded Roslovic should still be able to provide a strong utility-knife role.
His return will bump the rookie Hutson out of the NHL for the time being. Hutson scored his first NHL goal in Friday’s win over the Boston Bruins. It is the only point he has managed in five career NHL games – but he’s proven to be a reliable source of offense in the minors. The first-year pro leads the Bakersfield Condors with 16 goals and 28 points in 24 games this season. He also has a plus-four, third-highest on the team behind Isaac Howard and James Hamblin. Hutson’s hot scoring and continued adjustments to pro hockey should make him a top call-up option for Edmonton through the rest of the season.
Roslovic’s addition to the lineup comes at a great time for the Oilers. They have posted a 4-1 record in their last five games and a 6-2-1 record through nine games in December. They’ve managede a 38-to-24 goal differential in that span, largely on the back of surging play from superstars Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. Roslovic will help Edmonton elevate those stars even further as they head into important games against Western Conference opponents. Edmonton has six games remaining in December.