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Oilers Could Look To Trade Defenseman

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In today’s episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet raised an intriguing point: The Edmonton Oilers have a glut on the backend, and the team could look to move someone out. With Jake Walman returning from injured reserve, the Oilers have eight defensemen worthy of NHL minutes, and more in the AHL who are viable call up options.  

Although fans may speculate on a bigger move, having locked up the likes of Walman and Mattias Ekholm for the future, a fairly less ground-breaking deal could be in order. Ty Emberson, Alec Regula, and Troy Stecher stand as an abundance of depth right handed blueliners, and perhaps, one of them could be on the way out at some point. 

If the Oilers emphasize size and youth, Stecher, 31, could be worth monitoring as a possible trade candidate especially with an expiring contract. However, at a sub-$1MM cap hit, the veteran brings real value from the right side and can fill in anywhere in the lineup when needed. Meanwhile, Emberson, at just 25, comes in at $1.3MM through next season, still affordable, but a name which has floated around in the past. Acquired from San Jose in the Cody Ceci deal, Emberson has been a solid performer, bringing some needed youth to their defense corps. However, if the Oilers seek to bring in a contributing player rather than a more minute return, it may come at the cost of the Wisconsin native. 

Finally, Regula is currently on injured reserve, but pending return, could be a trade option simply as he has made the least impact with Edmonton of the bunch. The 25-year-old was claimed off waivers last season, and did not play due to injury, but has skated in two games so far. All things considered, Regula is likely a step behind Stecher and Emberson in the organization, unless the team values his size and sees the former standout Red Wings prospect as a developmental project. GM Stan Bowman seems to like the former Blackhawk, especially as he earned a two-year two-way deal last summer despite not playing at all in the organization. 

The Oilers have two veterans with ample NHL experience playing in AHL Bakersfield, Cam Dineen and Josh Brown, both capable players if called upon. Therefore, with all of this in mind, it will be interesting to see what Bowman does when Regula returns, and if the team could seek a forward in return for one of their extra defensemen. 

Injury Notes: Gostisbehere, McCann, Liljegren

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This afternoon, Carolina Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour told Michael Russo of The Athletic that the team believes Shayne Gostisbehere’s injury is not serious, and that he remains with the team on their trip west. 

The offensive defenseman has been off to a dynamite start so far, with 7 points in just 5 games. Just two days ago, Gostisbehere left in the Canes’ win over Los Angeles due to a lower-body-injury. 

Despite the good news, Gostisbehere will be absent tonight vs Vegas, as Charles-Alexis Legault is expected to make his NHL debut. The 6’4” defenseman was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 draft by Carolina, turning pro last season with AHL Chicago, where he was a steady presence in 63 games for the Wolves. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • The Seattle Kraken announced earlier today that key forward Jared McCann would not play in tonight’s game at Philadelphia, due to a lower-body-injury. It is expected that the 29-year-old will be day-to-day, thankfully not worse as Seattle is currently missing Kaapo Kakko, Frederick Gaudreau, and Ryker Evans due to injury. In McCann’s place, top prospect Berkly Catton has made his NHL debut.
  • Max Miller, San Jose’s beat reporter, noted earlier today that defenseman Timothy Liljegren returned to the ice as a normal participant. The Swede remains on the team’s injured reserve, having been placed last week with an upper-body injury, however, he seems to be ramping up for a return on Thursday as the Sharks travel to take on the Rangers. 

East Notes: Rangers, Mikkola, Malenstyn

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Earlier today, Rangers Head Coach Mike Sullivan told Mollie Walker of the New York Post that Vincent Trocheck is still not skating. Although they sit in the middle of the pack at .500, it has not been the smoothest of starts for New York, in a year where the group faces real pressure to turn the corner from a turbulent 2024-25. 

Trocheck appeared in the Rangers’ first two games before being injured vs Buffalo. Earlier it had been announced that the forward is week-to-week. Despite now being 32, Trocheck has been very reliable, being an 82-game player in his first three seasons in New York. Now the team hopes to have their vital center back soon. 

More injury news has come out of New York, as Colin Stephenson of Newsday confirmed that Noah Laba left tonight’s game vs Minnesota after taking a puck to the face. The rookie forward was helped off the ice, however, Stephenson went on to update that Laba has returned to the game. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • David Dwork of The Hockey News noted earlier today that Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola has returned to practice. Mikkola left Saturday’s game in Buffalo with an upper-body injury. The wear-and-tear of back to back Stanley Cups is certainly a possibility this year, for a Panthers group which has lost four straight games, already sorely missing Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. Thankfully Mikkola appears ready to help the team get back on track.
  • The Buffalo Sabres announced today that forward Beck Malenstyn will be absent for the next few days due to a personal matter. The team did not elaborate, however, Head Coach Lindy Ruff’s comments suggest it is likely due to paternity leave. 26-year-old Josh Dunne, an organizational depth forward, has drawn into the Sabres lineup in place of Malenstyn. 

Central Notes: Hague, Duchene, Foligno

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The Nashville Predators were dealt a blow in the preseason when defenseman Nicolas Hague suffered an upper-body injury, but the team has adapted well to his absence. The club is off to a solid 2-2-2 start, a notable improvement from where they began last year, and now they’re set to get Hague back from his injury. The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty noted today that it’s been four weeks since Hague was originally ruled out and prescribed a four-to-six week recovery timeline, and he added that one shouldn’t be surprised if Hague returns to the lineup at some point this week. Later in the day, Daugherty reported that Hague was on the ice for the Predators’ practice, further underscoring the likelihood that his return is coming sooner rather than later.

Hague was first seen back on the ice on Oct. 11, per team reporter Brooks Bratten, for an optional morning skate. He was originally injured during the team’s second preseason game against the Florida Panthers. At that time, Hague was paired with team captain Roman Josi on the club’s first pairing. Josi was paired with Adam Wilsby during the team’s most recent game, and Hague could end up claiming that spot back from Wilsby when he’s ready to make his Nashville debut. The 6’6 blueliner has played in 364 career NHL games and won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. Nashville acquired him (and a conditional 2027 third-round draft choice) in June, sending Colton Sissons and Jeremy Lauzon to Vegas in return.

Other notes from the Central Division:

  • Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene missed the team’s practice today, reports the Dallas Morning News’ Lia Assimakopoulos. Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan expressed confidence that Duchene would be able to play tomorrow when the Stars host Duchene’s former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, but added that Duchene has been battling an upper-body injury suffered last week. Duchene is one of the Stars’ key offensive producers; he led them in scoring last season with 82 points in 82 games.
  • Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno returned to practice today after stepping away to tend to a personal matter, reports NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis. Foligno’s leadership has helped the Blackhawks to a surprisingly strong start to their season. The team, which was projected by many media outlets to be among the NHL’s worst for 2025-26, has gone 3-2-2 to start the season, good for 13th in league standings. Foligno has been a core veteran for the club since arriving in 2023, scoring at least 15 goals and 35 points in each of his two seasons there.

Summer Synopsis: Columbus Blue Jackets

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With the regular season now upon us, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team accomplished over the offseason.  Next up is a look at the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets were a heartwarming story last year after being underestimated, as they made a playoff push before narrowly missing out. The team improved by 23 points from the previous year, and while they likely won’t see that same jump again, only a slight improvement is needed to make the playoffs. Such progress boosts internal confidence, but it also raises expectations for the group, which could add pressure for the young players to handle.

Draft

1-14 – D Jackson Smith, Tri-City (WHL)
1-20 – G Pyotr Andreyanov, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
3-76 – D Malte Vass, Färjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell)
5-160 – F Owen Griffin, Oshawa (OHL)
6-173 – D Victor Hedin Raftheim, Brynas (SHL)
7-198 – F Jeremy Loranger, Sherwood Park (BCHL)

The Blue Jackets drafted Smith with the 14th overall pick and are hoping that he fills out and can continue to develop on the defensive side of his game to become a top-four defenseman. Smith is a natural athlete and a very talented skater who could become a two-way defender at the NHL level. He has good patience with the puck and shows a lot of good instincts on the offensive side of the game. Defensively, his gap control and defensive instincts need some work, but if the Blue Jackets are patient in his development, he should be an NHL defenseman.

With their second first-round pick, the Blue Jackets drafted a goaltender. There’s a lot to like about Andreyanov, who has been dominant in the MHL thanks to his athleticism and tracking skills. Andreyanov is aggressive in the crease but stays calm under pressure, making tough saves look easy. He’s not very tall at 6’1″, which could limit his potential, but it’s not completely disqualifying. Goaltenders are hard to predict, which makes taking one in the first round a gamble, but for a team that has struggled to develop goalies, it’s a worthwhile risk for Columbus.

The Blue Jackets selected another defenceman in the third round, choosing Vass from Sweden. The stay-at-home defender isn’t flashy, but he plays with high energy, can hit, block shots, and kill penalties. He has solid instincts in the defensive zone and effectively defends in front of the net, which should make him a favorite among his goales. His skating might be an issue in the NHL, but if he can improve there, he could become an NHL regular.

Trade Acquisitions

F Charlie Coyle (from Colorado)
G Ivan Fedotov (from Philadelphia)
F Brendan Gaunce (from Minnesota)
F Miles Wood (from Colorado)

The Blue Jackets acquired both Coyle and Wood from the Colorado Avalanche in what was essentially a cap dump. Columbus was more than happy to add the two veterans to their roster and can now slot them in alongside their young up-and-comers. Coyle is a solid middle-six forward who isn’t afraid to go to the net or get physical. While his defensive impact isn’t significant, he possesses good offensive instincts and some skill to back it up. He is in the final year of a six-year contract and is counting $5.25MM against the salary cap. Based on his level of play, Coyle is expected to get a slight raise in free agency next summer, with AFP Analytics projecting him to earn a three-year deal worth $5.28MM.

Wood was a more long-term acquisition since he still has three years remaining on his contract after this season at $2.5MM annually. Wood is a bottom-six player and won’t score many goals; he’s also not exactly an analytics darling, but he has endured pretty tough deployments for much of his career. On the positive side, the 30-year-old skates with a lot of pace and is a strong forechecker. The length of his original contract (six years) that he signed with Colorado was a bit of a head-scratcher, and it was no surprise to see the Avalanche cut ties this summer.

Columbus acquired Fedotov to serve as backup for Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins. The Blue Jackets clearly had worries about their goaltending entering this season, and although Fedotov has some flaws, he provides Columbus with a third option.

UFA Signings

F Hudson Fasching (one year, $775K)*
D Dysin Mayo (one year, $775K)*
D Christian Jaros (one year, $775K)*
F Isac Lundestrom (two years, $2.6MM)
F Owen Sillinger (one year, $775K)*

*-denotes two-way contract

The Blue Jackets didn’t make much noise in free agency, opting to sign depth players and make trades for players like Coyle and Wood. Fasching faced a lot of bad luck last year and is a reasonable gamble on a two-way contract. He probably won’t score much and may not see much NHL ice time, but since the risk with his contract is minimal, Columbus thought it was worth taking a chance. He’s 30 years old, so at this point in his career, he’s unlikely to surprise anyone, but he makes a decent, versatile option in Columbus and will likely be used as such.

Lundestrom is another worthwhile gamble given the low cost to acquire. He isn’t likely to make a significant impact offensively, which is a generous way to describe his scoring contributions. He has one season with 16 goals, but it’s unfair to expect him to post more than 20 points a season. He plays with a lot of pace and can play center, but his faceoff skills aren’t great, and his underlying numbers are an eyesore. Columbus hopes that a change of scenery can help the 25-year-old unlock more in his game, but it seems like wishful thinking at this point. Again, the cost is low, and having speedsters in the bottom six never hurts, so we’ll see if this works out for the Blue Jackets.

RFA Re-Signings

D Daemon Hunt (one year, $775K)*
D Mikael Pyyhtia (one year, $775K)*
F Dmitri Voronkov (two years, $8.35MM)
F Hunter McKown (one year, $800K)*

*-denotes two-way contract

The Blue Jackets only signed one notable RFA in Voronkov, who is still developing towards his NHL potential after a solid season last year that saw him score 23 goals and 24 assists in 73 NHL games. The 25-year-old is under contract for two more years, and if he continues to improve, he might cash in during the summer of 2027. Voronkov is big and skilled, with pretty good hands for a player who can play a remarkably rugged style. He certainly looks the part of a top-six forward, and if he can work a bit on his mobility and consistency, he could become a regular 60-point player.

It seems Voronkov will see plenty of first-line minutes this season, including significant time on the top-unit power play, which should help him continue to build his value in the first year of his new contract. If all goes well this year, Voronkov could very likely sign a big multi-year deal next summer.

Departures

F Justin Danforth (signed with Buffalo, two years $1.8MM)
F Christian Fischer (retired)
D Jordan Harris (signed with Boston, one year $825)
D Jack Johnson (unsigned free agent)
F Luke Kunin (signed with Florida, one year $775K)
D Sean Kuraly (signed with Boston, two years $3.7MM)
F Kevin Labanc (signed in KHL)
F James van Riemsdyk (signed with Detroit, one year $1MM)
G Daniil Tarasov (traded to Florida)
F Trey Fix-Wolansky (signed with New York Rangers, one year $775)*

*-denotes two-way contract

The Blue Jackets didn’t experience any significant losses this past summer, mostly losing depth players through free agency. One of the more effective players Columbus lost was van Riemsdyk. His exit was a bit surprising since he was a good fit and was very valuable in limited minutes last season, recording 16 goals and 20 assists in 71 games. While no one will mistake JVR for a speedy skater, he remains an effective net-front presence and is expected to score around 0.5 points per game while playing about 12 minutes each night.

Kuraly was another more well known player who left Columbus. The 32-year-old won’t put up many points, with just six goals and 11 assists in 82 games last season, but he will make an impact and often faces tough zone starts. Kuraly has only surpassed 30 points once in his career, but in Boston, he will probably play fourth-line minutes most of the season unless the team suffers major injuries. He isn’t a significant loss for the Blue Jackets and was one of several low-scoring forwards Columbus let go this offseason.

Speaking of low-scoring forwards, Kunin left the Blue Jackets this summer and found that the demand for his services as a free agent was tepid at best. The Blue Jackets acquired the 27-year-old at the NHL Trade Deadline, sending a fourth-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in the deal, which, in hindsight, was an overpay. Kunin’s contributions were relatively limited in 12 games with the Blue Jackets; he registered no points and was a -4. He did throw 24 hits during that time, but didn’t leave enough of an impression to warrant a longer look. With Florida, Kunin won’t be asked to do too much and should settle into a fourth-line role where he can play to his strengths.

Goaltender Tarasov will join Kunin in Florida after being traded to the Panthers for a fifth-round pick. The Blue Jackets did well to get anything for the goalie, as they were likely to non-tender the 26-year-old. Tarasov has been below league average during his brief NHL career, but has shown signs of being a dependable backup, which is what the Panthers are counting on. He will back up Sergei Bobrovsky, whom he idolized growing up, creating an interesting dynamic this season and offering Tarasov some comfort and motivation. He has good size and mechanics, and now he has a chance to put everything together behind a much stronger team.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Blue Jackets enter the season with just under $15MM in available cap space, which roughly amounts to $65MM at the NHL Trade Deadline. While it’s unlikely they’ll use all of that, they will certainly retain flexibility whether they’re in contention or not. Columbus is positioned well for the long term, as it’ll have plenty of room to re-sign Cole Sillinger next summer.

Key Questions

How will the goaltending perform?

Jet Greaves seems to be on the verge of becoming a solid NHL starter, and the Blue Jackets need that. Columbus hasn’t had reliable goaltending since 2021-22, and although Greaves has shown above-average performance in the last three seasons, his sample size is small. Heading into this season, Greaves has appeared in 21 NHL games, with a .924 SV% and a 2.62 GAA, along with a 10-9-2 record. The limited sample size makes it hard to judge, but it will be interesting to see how he performs over a full NHL season. If he can keep up these numbers in 40-50 games, the Jackets could stay in the playoff hunt for much of the year.

Will the young core step up?

Columbus has a group of talented young players on the verge of NHL stardom. Kirill Marchenko, a sizable forward, has consistently improved over his three NHL seasons and nearly reached a point-per-game pace last year with 74 points in 79 games. If he continues to develop this season, he could become an 80–90-point scorer.

Besides Marchenko, the Jackets have Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli, and Voronkov, who all scored around or over 50 points last season. If each of those players takes another step, the Blue Jackets could improve on their seventh-ranked offense from last season.

Is the defense good enough?

The Blue Jackets know what they have in Zach Werenski and Ivan Provorov, but beyond that, they face many questions. Damon Severson has been a disappointment since signing a big deal in the summer of 2023, Jake Christiansen and Denton Mateychuk are still figuring out how to be regular NHL players, and Dante Fabbro was a waiver wire pickup less than a year ago. It’s a strange mix, and one that could leave many questions that will be answered over the next six months.

Photo by Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Injury Updates On Cole Perfetti, Adam Lowry, Dylan Samberg

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Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel spoke with the Winnipeg Free Press’ Mike McIntyre today, issuing updates on the recovery timelines of three crucial Jets players who are each out with an injury.

According to Arniel, Cole Perfetti, who skated both today and yesterday, is “slightly ahead of schedule” in his recovery from an ankle sprain he suffered in a preseason game. Perfetti is reportedly aiming to return at some point in the middle of November.

Adam Lowry, the Jets’ captain, is reportedly “trending towards” a return close to the end of October or early November. Lowry is still completing his recovery from a hip surgery he underwent in May. Lowry returned to practice two days ago in a non-contact jersey, an undeniably positive sign for the likelihood that he’ll be able to return at some point next week, or the week after.

It was announced in September that defenseman Dylan Samberg would miss about six to eight weeks with a broken wrist, and Arniel’s update on Samberg’s status was less definitive, and less positive, than the other two players’. Per McIntyre, Samberg’s exact recovery timeline is at this point “still TBD.” It’s a difficult break for Samberg, who emerged last season as an important top-four anchor for the Jets. He scored 20 points in 60 games, averaged 21:08 time on ice per game (good for No. 4 among Jets blueliners) and played a massive role on the penalty kill, leading Jets players in shorthanded ice time per game during the team’s highly successful 2024-25 regular season.

Samberg, who is repped by Pete Rutili of Wasserman Hockey, signed a three-year $5.75MM AAV contract extension in July. As a result, this significant injury won’t impact Samberg’s earning potential, at least in the short to medium term, though it will cost him the chance to play in a full 82-game season for what would have been the first time in his career.

While Samberg has the security of a freshly signed contract, the same cannot be said for the other two injured Jets players. Lowry is currently slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and is likely to expect a sizable raise from the $3.25MM AAV he earned on his last deal. He’s firmly established himself as a valuable middle-six center in Winnipeg, and provides the team with significant all-around value both on and off the ice.

His injury does not appear to have changed where he stands in the minds of the Jets’ lead hockey operations decision-makers, though, as it was reported earlier this month that re-signing Lowry is one of the team’s top remaining priorities. It can take players some time to get back to their full on-ice ability after a significant hip surgery, so it will be interesting to see how quickly Lowry is able to regain his footing on the ice once he returns in the next few weeks.

Like Lowry, Perfetti is also a pending free agent, though he is a pending RFA, not a UFA. It’s unwise to speculate on how Perfetti’s ankle sprain might impact negotiations for his next deal, but it is worth mentioning that this absence has robbed him of an opportunity to build off of his solid 2024-25 season in the early portion of 2025-26. Perfetti’s most recent year went a long way in justifying the team’s investment of a top-10 pick to draft him, as he set a career high scoring 50 points in 82 games.

With the salary cap set to continue to rise, Perfetti is likely hoping to be able to earn a significant raise from the $3.25MM AAV on his most recent deal. If he can hit the ground running upon returning next month, a productive follow-up to his breakout 2024-25 will go a long way in convincing Jets decision-makers that he’s worth the additional investment.

Tampa Bay Lightning Reassign Conor Geekie, Recall Charle-Edouard D’Astous

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The Tampa Bay Lightning announced today that forward Conor Geekie has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. In a corresponding move, the club recalled defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous.

Geekie lined up on Tampa’s second line for their most recent game, but has just one assist through six NHL games this season. It’s possible the club could view a stint in the AHL, where he has thus far been successful (20 points in 24 career games) as a way to help him regain some confidence. It’s also entirely possible Geekie is recalled before the club’s next game, which is on Thursday.

This recall of D’Astous comes as the Lightning manage an injury suffered by Maxwell Crozier, the player the Lightning entered the season with slotted in as their seventh defenseman. It was announced last week that Crozier would land on IR with an undisclosed injury, and no further update on his status has been provided. During Crozier’s absence, veteran Steven Santini had served as the club’s spare blueliner, but Santini was reassigned to Syracuse yesterday.

Since the Lightning don’t play until Thursday, meaning there’s still a decent runway for Crozier to return from IR in time for the club’s next game. But if he does not, this recall positions D’Astous as the team’s spare blueliner, giving him a chance to make his NHL debut.

The 27-year-old has been on quite the hockey journey to reach this point. He finished his junior career as a star in the QMJHL for the Rimouski Oceanic, serving as the top-scoring blueliner and captain for a team that featured 2020 No. 1 pick Alexis Lafreniere.

Despite winning QMJHL Defenseman of the Year honors in his final year of junior hockey (and CHL Humanitarian of the Year for his work with local charities in Rimouski), D’Astous didn’t receive NHL interest. He signed a two-year AHL contract with the Grand Rapids Griffins, and failed to make their AHL squad out of training camp. He spent almost his entire first season as a pro in the ECHL, scoring 22 points in 46 games.

His encouraging progress in the ECHL earned him a late-season three-game cameo with Grand Rapids (where he would score his first AHL goal), but his progress slowed to a halt in 2020-21, as the COVID-19 pandemic greatly limited the number of games able to be played in the minor leagues.

D’Astous became a free agent at the end of his contract, and signed a one-year, two-way AHL/ECHL deal with the Colorado Eagles. While he only played in the AHL for one month of the season, D’Astous was stellar in the ECHL. He had a breakout season, scoring 57 points in 52 regular-season games and a whopping 30 points in 18 playoff games, winning ECHL Defender of the Year honors.

For many skaters, success in the ECHL isn’t a realistic path right to the NHL. But for the league’s best players, success in the ECHL presents a very realistic path to getting an opportunity to sign a contract in a high-level European league. Those opportunities often offer higher pay and a more comfortable playing experience than a player might find in the ECHL. The European path is the one D’Astous took, cashing in on his stellar ECHL season to sign a contract with KooKoo in the Finnish Liiga.

Just like his experience in the ECHL, it took D’Astous a year to adjust to the European pro game. But by 2023-24, he had found his groove. He scored 17 goals and 46 points in just 54 Liiga games for KooKoo in his second season there, leading the entire Liiga in time-on-ice per game and winning the league’s Defenseman of the Year honors.

His success in Finland earned him a two-year deal with SHL’s Brynas IF, and there, no adjustment period was needed. D’Astous was once again excellent, scoring 39 points in 49 games and winning the SHL’s Defenseman of the Year honors.

In a period of just four seasons, D’Astous had captured the Defenseman of the Year honors in three separate professional leagues. That undeniable track record of success finally earned D’Astous the NHL contract he’d been seeking, as the Lightning signed him to a one-year deal carrying a $775K NHL salary, $150K AHL salary, and $200K guarantee.

Now back in North America, D’Astous has picked up where he left off. He’s currently playing in a number-one defenseman role for the Crunch, playing a heavy workload in all situations through four games and leading his team in scoring by a blueliner with a goal and two assists.

Even if he doesn’t end up getting to play in the NHL on this current recall, the transaction is nonetheless a tangible reward for a player who has worked tirelessly to climb up the ladder of pro hockey.

Ottawa Senators Reassign Arthur Kaliyev

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10/20/2025: The Senators announced Monday that they reassigned Kaliyev back to Belleville. He got into two games for the Senators during his recall, a victory over the Seattle Kraken and a loss to the New York Islanders.

Kaliyev lined up on the Senators’ fourth line for the first game of his recall, and ultimately saw himself elevated to the team’s first line for his second game. He registered an assist on David Perron’s power play marker against the Islanders, but it appears his performance was not enough for him to retain his spot on the team’s NHL roster. He’s been a difference-maker at the AHL level with Belleville so far this season, scoring two assists in two games played.

10/16/2025:  The Ottawa Senators have recalled forward Arthur Kaliyev from their AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, the team announced today. The move comes as the team grapples with the loss of Brady Tkachuk, who will miss at least a month with a wrist injury. He’s landed on injured reserve as the corresponding transaction, per the league’s media site.

The Florida Panthers’ claim of defenseman Donovan Sebrango yesterday cleared a roster spot for Ottawa (something that would have also happened had Sebrango cleared waivers and been reassigned to Belleville, which was likely the team’s preferred outcome) and they’ve filled it with this recall of Kaliyev.

While Kaliyev certainly won’t be able to replace, or likely even come close to replacing, the on-ice and off-ice impact brought by Tkachuk, he does nonetheless bring quite a bit of NHL experience. The 24-year-old, who was signed to a one-year, two-way $775K/$425K contract this past summer, has played in over 200 NHL games and scored 38 goals and 75 points. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 2019 draft, with most public-facing scouts rating him as a potential high-upside scorer with some very real risk to his projection.

Kaliyev scored goals at an extremely high rate in his junior hockey days in the OHL (where current Senators GM Steve Staios was his team’s president) but has not been able to translate that goal-scoring prowess to the pro ranks.

He started off pretty well, scoring 14 goals and 27 points in 80 games during his 2021-22 rookie season, and followed that up by scoring 13 goals and 28 points in just 56 games in 2022-23, which is a 19-goal, 41-point 82-game scoring pace.

But despite showing some signs of offensive proficiency, Kaliyev struggled to make an all-around impact. He managed just seven goals and 15 points in 2023-24, and got into just 14 NHL games last season, all coming with the New York Rangers after they claimed him off of waivers.

2025-26 has been widely viewed as a make-or-break year for Kaliyev’s hopes of having a long-term future as an NHL player, and while he didn’t make the Senators out of training camp and cleared waivers in the preseason, it appears this Tkachuk injury will give him the opportunity to play in NHL games once more. The Senators elevated forward Michael Amadio to the first-line left wing spot on Tim Stutzle’s line that Tkachuk vacated, but the team had a nightmare game falling 8-4 to the Buffalo Sabres, with Amadio failing to register a point.

While that doesn’t mean the team will give Kaliyev a run in that coveted lineup spot next to Stutzle, it does indicate that the team’s solution for managing Tkachuk’s absence is far from settled. In that, there is opportunity. Kaliyev may begin his NHL tenure with the Senators as a healthy scratch, but even if that’s the case, this recall still presents a major opportunity for Kaliyev.

Even if he fails to make the most of that opportunity, this recall will at the very least give him a nice financial boost, as he’ll make the pro-rated portion of his NHL salary of $775K for as long as he can spend on the Senators’ NHL roster.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Canucks Announce Multiple Roster Moves

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4:15 p.m.: The Canucks have announced additional roster moves, reassigning Schuldt to Abbotsford and recalling defenseman Tom Willander and forward Nils Aman. The move adds an experienced center to the Canucks’ roster to help fill in for the loss of Chytil. Aman isn’t the caliber of player Chytil is, and won’t be able to bring the same level of offense, but he nonetheless has 130 games of NHL experience and offers some size and defensive reliability to head coach Adam Foote.

Willander, 20, appears to be a replacement for Mancini, as he is also a young right-shot blueliner. Willander was the 11th overall pick at the 2023 NHL draft and made his pro debut earlier this month with Abbotsford. He has spent the last two seasons playing college hockey at Boston University (scoring 49 points across 77 games) and with this recall is now eliigible to be dressed for an NHL game and has a chance to make his NHL debut.

11:11 a.m.: The Vancouver Canucks announced multiple roster moves, largely to maximize their LTIR capture. This morning, the Canucks shared that they’ve placed forwards Filip Chytil and Jonathan Lekkerimaki on the injured reserve (retroactive to October 19th), and have moved Nils Höglander to the LTIR (retroactive to October 7th).

Additionally, Vancouver has reassigned defenseman Victor Mancini to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, while recalling Joseph LaBate and Jimmy Schuldt in a corresponding roster move.

Unfortunately, the injury designation for Chytil was expected. The Canucks second-line center was on the receiving end of a massive hit from Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson during yesterday’s contest, causing Chytil to leave the game prematurely. Although a major penalty was initally assessed, it was rescinded upon review, and no supplemental discipline is expected from the league’s Department of Player Safety.

Outside of losing a top-six center, there’s larger cause for concern with Chytil specifically. Throughout his time with the New York Rangers, Chytil suffered multiple concussions, limiting him to only 66 games from 2023 to 2025. Already dealing with a thin pool down the middle, Vancouver would struggle to put together a serviceable defensive core if Chytil is out long-term.

Meanwhile, Lekkerimaki also left last night’s game prematurely. Unlike Chytil, it was not as apparent what caused Lekkerimaki’s injury. Still, he was filling in for Brock Boeser, who missed the game for personal matters.

Lastly, Höglander’s move to the LTIR, as well as the roster moves, were purely based on financial reasons. The Canucks are already operating close to the upper limit of the salary cap, and they’ll maximize their LTIR capture via the move.

Hoglander is eligible to return after Vancouver’s October 26th matchup against the Edmonton Oilers, though it’s not apparent he’ll be ready to return at that point. Additionally, although he should be expected back on the roster relatively soon, Mancini must play in at least one AHL game before being eligible for recall, per the league’s new rules regarding paper transactions.

Oilers Activate Jake Walman From IR

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The Edmonton Oilers have activated defenseman Jake Walman from injured reserve. He missed the start of the season due to an undisclosed injury that landed him on injured reserve one day into the regular season.

Walman joined the Oilers at the 2025 Trade Deadline, with a 2026 first-round pick and forward prospect Carl Berglund headed back to the San Jose Sharks. He played through 15 games and racked up a productive eight points through the end of Edmonton’s regular season. That earned him a core role in the team’s postseason lineup, setting him up to deliver 10 points in 22 games through the Oilers’ push to a Stanley Cup Final loss.

Walman only managed to appear in one preseason game before sustaining his latest injury. That gives the Oilers a 38-game sample of what the puck-moving defender can offer the team. He averaged over 21 minutes of ice time in his limited sample with the Oilers last season – a light respite after he averaged 23 minutes of ice time through 50 games with San Jose to start the year. It was the first season that Walman averaged north of 20 minutes of ice time, though he came close to that mark with the Detroit Red Wings in both 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Small sample size aside, there seems to be little doubting that Walman will soon slot back into his role alongside Darnell Nurse. The duo outscored opponents eight-to-two through the end of the 2024-25 season. Nurse has spent the start of this season rotating between minutes with Troy Stecher, Alec Regula, and Brett Kulak. Despite the heap of change, none of Nurse’s pairings have been on the ice for an even-strength goal yet. That has left a heavy load for Edmonton’s other D-pairings – a load that the team should be able to mitigate with the return of Walman.

The Oilers have lose their last three games, after starting the year 2-0-1. Much of that struggle can be attributed to their measly 1.6 goals-for-per-60 average – fourth-worst in the NHL so far. With an average of 12 goals and 34 points per 82 games played since 2023, Walman could be the exact piece Edmonton needs to turn their fates around. Walman is expected to make his season debut in Tuesday’s matchup against the Ottawa Senators.

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