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Hurricanes Activate K’Andre Miller From Injured Reserve

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After a two-and-a-half-week absence, K’Andre Miller is set to make his return to the Hurricanes lineup. The team announced that Miller has been reinstated from injured reserve today and will play tonight against the Wild.

Miller arrived in Carolina over the offseason to much fanfare, signing an eight-year, $60MM deal as part of a sign-and-trade with the Rangers. It’s a major bet on Miller’s upside by Carolina after he stagnated in a second-pairing role in New York over the past few years. The left-shot’s seven goals and 27 points last year were his lowest offensive outputs since his sophomore campaign in 2021-22, and he posted his second straight season with a sub-50 xGF% and only recorded 107 hits, down from the 150 range in the three years prior.

Early on, Miller delivered on the Hurricanes’ expectations. The 2018 No. 22 overall pick flourished in increased usage, averaging north of 23 minutes per game and delivering a pair of goals, four points, and a +1 rating in six outings before he sustained a lower-body injury against the Golden Knights on Oct. 20. That last outing was a tough one for him – he had a -3 rating in a 4-1 loss and he posted an xGF% of 39.3.

His return is incredibly welcome news for a team that’s played most of the last two weeks without three of their most well-regarded blue liners in him, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Jaccob Slavin. Slavin hasn’t played since sustaining a lower-body injury in the second game of the season and still doesn’t have a return on the horizon, while Gostisbehere is out indefinitely with an abdominal issue. He’s expected to skate in second-pairing duties tonight with Jalen Chatfield while rookie Alexander Nikishin gets to continue his strong play in top-pairing duties with Sean Walker.

Blue Jackets Recall Luca Del Bel Belluz

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The Blue Jackets announced that they have recalled center Luca Del Bel Belluz from AHL Cleveland. Defenseman Erik Gudbranson was moved to injured reserve in the corresponding move.

Del Bel Belluz’s addition to the roster comes in the wake of an injury to top center Sean Monahan, who left last night’s game against the Flames after sustaining an apparent upper-body injury late in the second period on an awkward collision into the end boards with Calgary rearguard Rasmus Andersson. Columbus isn’t expecting Monahan to miss significant time, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports, but a short-term absence still appears likely.

Del Bel Belluz is in his third season of professional hockey after the Jackets picked him in the second round of the 2022 draft, 44th overall. He’s in the second year of his entry-level contract, which carries a reduced cap hit of $859,999 because of a pair of slide years. With over $16MM in cap space, according to PuckPedia, there’s virtually no limit on the roster moves Columbus can make.

The No. 4 prospect in Columbus’ system got his first legitimate taste of NHL action last season and looked the part. He made his debut the previous season but only played in one game. That time around, he got 15 appearances in January and February, also due in part to a Monahan injury. He was given bottom-six deployment but still averaged a respectable 13:45 of ice time per game, about 50 seconds of which came on the power play. He was productive in his chance, scoring twice and adding six assists for eight points. He only won 43% of his faceoffs – as to be expected for a rookie – and he wasn’t particularly physical with just four hits. His possession impacts were undesirable as well, although the Jackets will wait for a larger sample size before making any determinations on the quality of his two-way play.

While his defensive growth remains a question mark, Del Bel Belluz’s offensive ceiling is evident. In a Columbus pool flush with up-and-coming centers, he has some work to do to stand out, but he is making a real push. Now, 21, he has three goals and five points through his first seven games for Cleveland this season. Last year, he was named to the AHL’s All-Star Game amid a 27-goal, 53-point effort in 61 showings.

Columbus already had Yegor Chinakhov sitting as an extra forward, but he’s a winger. With Monahan facing missed time, they wanted insurance down the middle. They have options already dressed on the wing who can easily slot in down the middle – Boone Jenner and Cole Sillinger, in particular – but, understandably, head coach Dean Evason doesn’t want to mess too much with a forward group that’s helping Columbus generate 32.8 shots per game, second-most in the league.

The Blue Jackets aren’t back in action until Saturday, so they have some time to make a determination on Monahan’s status. As for Gudbranson, he’s on his second multi-game absence of the season already. He hasn’t played since Oct. 25 due to a hip issue, so since he’s missed more than a week, he’s eligible for activation at any time. The 33-year-old has only made four appearances this season because of his hip problem and a previous upper-body issue. He’s averaged only 14:51 per game and has a -2 rating.

Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Joona Koppanen

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According to a team announcement, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled forward Joona Koppanen from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Since they only had 22 players on the roster before the recall, there was no need for a corresponding roster move.

Since the Penguins only had 12 forwards on their roster, Koppanen’s recall is likely linked to an injury or ailment of some sort. Forward Filip Hallander suffered an undisclosed injury at yesterday’s practice, so Koppanen may replace him in the lineup for this evening’s game against the Washington Capitals.

It’s been some time since Koppanen last suited up in an NHL contest. The Tampere, Finland native skated in 11 games for the Penguins last year, with his last coming on April 17th. In total, including his five appearances with the Boston Bruins during the 2022-23 season, Koppanen has scored one goal and one assist in 20 NHL games.

Therefore, it’s understandable that most of his professional playing experience has come in the AHL. Still, despite there being less overall talent, the former 135th pick of the 2016 NHL Draft has continued to struggle.

Since debuting with the Providence Bruins in the 2017-18 campaign, Koppanen has scored 54 goals and 139 points in 365 games with a +35 rating. That output is respectable for a third-line scorer at the AHL level, though it isn’t surprising he’s earned few looks in the NHL.

Given that he’s already 27 years old, Koppanen is no longer considered a prospect in the Penguins system. Still, since he has nearly a decade of professional playing experience, he’s a quality choice for one or two game stints as an injury filler.

Poll: Who Will Win The 2025-26 Calder Trophy?

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A month into the 2025-26 season, some rookies have already begun to separate themselves from the pack. Notably, recent first overall pick Matthew Schaefer and former fifth overall pick Ivan Demidov continue to make waves around the league.

There’s no questioning why the two are neck-and-neck in early Calder Trophy odds. Demidov is leading the way in rookie scoring with four goals and 12 points in 13 games with the Montreal Canadiens, while Schaefer is close behind with five goals and 11 points in 13 games with the New York Islanders.

At this point, if both players unexpectedly maintain a point-per-game scoring average, the voters will likely lean toward Schaefer, given that he’s a defenseman. Still, given the status of their respective clubs, Demidov has a far greater chance of pulling away from the pack. If Schaefer wins, it’ll be the first time that defensemen have won the award in consecutive years since Kent Douglas and Jacques Laperriere in 1962-63 and 1963-64.

Meanwhile, Schaefer and Demidov aren’t the only rookies making some noise this season. Although there are some questions regarding his play on the defensive side of the puck, blueliner Zeev Buium of the Minnesota Wild is scoring at a relatively high rate with three goals and nine points in 14 games.

Additionally, there are a pair of forwards looking to toss their hats in the ring. University of Minnesota alumnus Jimmy Snuggerud sits tied for second on the St. Louis Blues in scoring with four goals and eight points in 14 games. At the same time, recent seventh-round pick Emmitt Finnie has matched that level of scoring with the Detroit Red Wings.

Moving back to Montreal, Demidov’s performance so far hasn’t completely overshadowed the performance of his teammate, Jakub Dobes. Technically a rookie despite debuting last season, Dobes has managed a 6-0-0 record this season with a .930 SV% through the early part of the 2025-26 campaign. Unfortunately, he’s had to split the crease with Sam Montembeault, which would negatively affect his chances should that trend continue.

For most rookies, there’s about 80% of the regular season remaining, meaning there’s plenty of time for someone to pull away from the pack. Who do you think it will be?

Mobile users click here to vote.

Atlantic Notes: Norris, Kozak, Maple Leafs, Benoit

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There’s some good news on the horizon for the Sabres on the injury front.  Head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters including Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald that center Josh Norris has resumed skating as he continues to recover from an early-season upper-body injury sustained in Buffalo’s season opener.  While the team never announced a formal timeline for his return beyond his absence being a long-term one, there was some hope that he’d only miss a couple of months.  Since he’s back on the ice already, that could ultimately be the case, assuming there aren’t any setbacks.

Meanwhile, another center is about to return as Tyson Kozak was a full participant in practice and could suit up on Thursday against St. Louis.  The 22-year-old has missed the last six games due to a lower-body injury and has a pair of goals in his seven appearances this season.  The Sabres have a full 23-player roster so they will need to make a move to free up a roster spot before Kozak can be activated off injured reserve.

More from the Atlantic:

  • With a cap and roster crunch looming in Toronto when Joseph Woll needs to be activated off LTIR, the Maple Leafs will need to make some moves sooner than later. Some have suspected that they will be waiving players or parting with an asset to get a team to take on a contract but David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that they’re not taking that approach just yet.  Instead, they’re still focused on landing a positive-value return in the form of draft capital.  With Woll not on a conditioning stint yet, they still have some time but sooner than later, their hand will be forced, barring further injuries.
  • Still with Toronto, prior to tonight’s game against Utah, the Maple Leafs announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Simon Benoit would be scratched due to illness. The 27-year-old has been a regular on the third pairing this season, picking up two assists, 21 blocks, and 33 hits in 13 games while averaging over 17 minutes a night.  His absence may have played a role in Easton Cowan’s demotion as Dakota Mermis, who is also currently waiver-exempt, was needed in the lineup to cover for Benoit.

Jets And Adam Lowry Making Progress In Extension Talks

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Earlier this season, the Jets took care of their top prominent pending unrestricted free agent when they signed Kyle Connor to an eight-year extension.  Next on their priority list appears to be their captain Adam Lowry, who just made his season debut on Tuesday after missing the first four weeks of the season while recovering from hip surgery.

While an agreement in a new deal isn’t in place yet, it appears they’re making progress on that front.  TSN’s Darren Dreger recently reported in a TSN Insider Trading segment that the Jets view getting the center signed to a long-term deal and it’s getting closer to being completed.

The 32-year-old is in the final season of his five-year, $16.25MM deal signed back in 2021.  While Lowry isn’t a significant offensive producer (his career high in points in 36), he’s a strong defensive player who typically is a little above average on faceoffs and can play a shutdown role when needed or hold his own in the top six.  As a result, it’s fair to say that Winnipeg has gotten a strong return on that contract.

Those types of versatile players tend to have a sizable list of suitors in free agency and the fact he’s a center will only make that list grow larger.  It’s not implausible to think that Lowry will be in a good position to surpass $4MM per season on his next contract and receive a long-term deal.  He presently has a six-team no-trade clause and should be in a position to improve upon that as well.

Even with Connor locked up to a team-record $96MM contract beginning next season, the Jets have more than ample cap flexibility.  Per PuckPedia, they project to have around $27.5MM in cap room for 2026-27 and only around six players needed to sign with that money.  That would leave plenty of room for a new deal for Lowry and a long-term agreement for RFA Cole Perfetti, while still having wiggle room to reshape the roster.

In past weeks, we’ve seen a flurry of potential unrestricted free agents eschew testing the open market next July and opt to re-sign with their current teams.  It seems likely that Lowry, a veteran of a dozen seasons in Winnipeg, will be joining that list soon enough.

West Notes: Gaudette, Leskovar, Akey

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The Sharks have activated forward Adam Gaudette off injured reserve, relays Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News (Twitter link).  The 29-year-old has missed a little more than a week due to an upper-body injury.  Signed to a two-year, $4MM contract this past summer, Gaudette has been reasonably productive in limited playing time, picking up three goals and an assist in nine games despite playing less than 11 minutes a night.  That usage is similar to last season when he averaged just 10:25 per game but still managed to notch 19 goals in 81 games with Ottawa.  With Patrick Giles being sent back down on Monday, they had the open roster spot available to activate Gaudette so no further moves were needed.

Elsewhere out West:

  • The Wild announced (Twitter link) that they have activated defenseman Stevie Leskovar off season-opening injured reserve and assigned him to ECHL Iowa. The 21-year-old is in the first season of his entry-level contract but he was dealing with a wrist injury that had kept him out of the lineup.  Leskovar had six points in 35 games last season with OHL Brampton and also got into one professional game with AHL Iowa.  But for now, he’ll go to the Heartlanders and look to get some playing time in at that level with the hopes of an AHL promotion later on.
  • The Oilers have assigned defenseman Beau Akey to ECHL Fort Wayne, per an announcement from AHL Bakersfield (Twitter link). The 20-year-old was a second-round pick back in 2023 and is in his first professional season but hasn’t been able to play yet due to injury.  Now cleared to return, he’ll get a chance to get in some game action with the Komets and will likely rejoin the Condors soon after with this assignment being more of a conditioning assignment than a long-term one.  Akey had 32 points in 52 games with OHL Barrie last season.

Metropolitan Notes: Devils, Fensore, Berni

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The Devils should soon be getting some help on the injury front.  Head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters today including Kristy Flannery of The Hockey News (Twitter link) that winger Connor Brown is a possibility to return Thursday against Montreal.  He has missed the last two games due to an undisclosed injury, putting on hold what has been a strong start to his season with five tallies in his first 11 outings.  Meanwhile, center Cody Glass and winger Zack MacEwen are skating and while Keefe suggested they’re unlikely to play tomorrow, they’re likely to skate Friday and are also nearing returns.  Glass, who has missed a couple of weeks with an upper-body injury has a pair of goals in six games so far while MacEwen has made one appearance thus far and has missed the last three weeks with an upper-body issue.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • The Hurricanes have once again assigned defenseman Domenick Fensore to AHL Chicago, per a team release. Recalled on Sunday, he didn’t see any action this time out, keeping him at one NHL appearance on the season.  The 24-year-old has three goals and four assists in five games with the Wolves this season and will have to suit up for them at least once before being eligible to once again be recalled as injury insurance.  In the meantime, his roster spot could be earmarked for K’Andre Miller, who is believed to be nearing a return from a lower-body injury.
  • It’s fair to say that Tim Berni won’t be returning to the NHL anytime soon. The Blue Jackets RFA defenseman will be staying in Switzerland as Zurich of the NL announced that they’ve signed the 25-year-old to a six-year contract beginning next season.  This season, Berni has three points in 20 games with Geneve-Servette.  He previously saw action in 59 games with Columbus back in 2022-23 but even with close to a regular role on the roster, he elected to return home after that season.

Devils Reassign Seamus Casey, Recall Colton White

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The New Jersey Devils are making a slight change to their defensive core. According to a team announcement, the Devils have reassigned Seamus Casey to the AHL’s Utica Comets and have recalled Colton White in a corresponding roster move.

Today’s roster move ends a 10-day stint in the NHL for Casey, though he only appeared in two contests. He went scoreless in those games with a -3 rating, averaging 18:01 of ice time per game. The University of Michigan alumnus raised a few red flags on the defensive side of the puck, though he managed a CorsiFor% on the positive side of 50%.

Still, even when factoring in his performance from last season, there’s no doubting that Casey could use some more seasoning in the AHL. Since turning professional last year, he’s scored three goals and 19 points in 31 games for the Comets.

Fortunately, the Devils have one of the deepest defensive cores when healthy, so there’s no need to rush Casey to the game’s top level. Keeping that in mind, it’ll be far better for his development if he can play in more situations and have the opportunity for more ice time in Utica.

Meanwhile, at 28 years old, White is no longer considered a prospect. Although New Jersey selected him in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft, White took a brief leave from the Devils organization from 2022 to 2024, when he was playing in the Anaheim Ducks organization.

The 2025-26 campaign is the ninth professional year for White. Spending much of his time with the Devils’ AHL affiliates, he’s scored 20 goals and 91 points in 323 games with a -70 rating. In the NHL, he’s tallied 10 assists in 84 games with a -20 rating. Despite spending nearly a decade in the professional circuit, White has yet to play in a postseason contest in either the AHL or NHL.

Maple Leafs Activate Scott Laughton, Reassign Easton Cowan

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5:00 p.m.: As expected, the Maple Leafs confirmed they’ve activated Laughton from the injured reserve. Additionally, the team shared that they’ve reassigned Cowan in a corresponding roster move. The 20-year-old scored one goal and four points while averaging 12:33 of ice time throughout his 10-game debut with Toronto.

11:39 a.m.: Maple Leafs center Scott Laughton will be activated from injured reserve ahead of tonight’s clash with the Mammoth, he told reporters (including Luke Fox of Sportsnet). Toronto does not have an open roster spot and will need to create one to activate him. That could mean an IR placement for Steven Lorentz, who has sat out two games with an upper-body injury, meaning his placement could be retroactive to Oct. 29. If he’s also available against Utah, the team could send down rookie Easton Cowan or Dakota Mermis. They could also waive either Sammy Blais or Calle Järnkrok, who are both projected scratches.

Laughton hasn’t had a chance to suit up in the regular season. The 31-year-old anchored Toronto’s fourth line during the preseason, often flanked by Lorentz and Cowan, a combination most thought would stick but hasn’t gotten the chance to play together. He sustained a lower-body injury during a match late in camp and was ruled week-to-week, forcing him to start the season on IR.

Toronto paid a steep price to acquire Laughton from the Flyers at last season’s trade deadline, parting ways with winger Nikita Grebenkin and a conditional first-round pick in 2027. For that return, Philadelphia retained half of his remaining salary, which means the pending UFA only counts for $1.5MM against Toronto’s cap. That makes his underwhelming performance down the stretch last season more palatable if it’s a sign of things to come for the balance of 2025-26. The 12-year veteran only managed two goals and four points in 20 regular-season games for the Leafs before a two-assist performance in 13 playoff games.

Some of that can and should be attributed to a decrease in role. Laughton had been a top-nine fixture in Philadelphia for the past five-plus years but was immediately relegated to fourth-line and penalty killing duties upon arrival in Toronto. His ice time dropped from 15:06 per game with the Flyers to 13:06 per game with the Leafs, and his most common linemates last season were Lorentz and Järnkrok, who only combined for nine goals and 26 points themselves.

Nonetheless, scoring hasn’t been a problem for the Leafs this year. Their stars have held up their end of the bargain in the wake of Mitch Marner’s departure, and the team’s 3.62 goals per game is third in the league. They’re allowing as much as they’re generating, though, in part due to underwhelming goaltending from Anthony Stolarz and Cayden Primeau. Nonetheless, Laughton’s defensive acumen is what Toronto is looking forward to the most as they try to build upon what currently sits as the fifth-worst defense in the league.

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