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Sabres Activate Michael Kesselring From Injured Reserve

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Oct. 28: Kesselring will make his Sabres debut tonight and come off injured reserve, Ruff confirmed to Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News.

Oct. 27: The Buffalo Sabres have assigned defenseman Zach Metsa to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. The move will open the roster space to activate defenseman Michael Kesselring off of injured reserve. Head coach Lindy Ruff said he expects the team to make that roster move before Tuesday’s game against Columbus, as long as all goes well in the morning.

Kesselring has missed the first nine games of the season with a lower-body injury sustained in an October 1st preseason game. The injury delayed his debut with the Buffalo Sabres after joining the team alongside Josh Doan in the June trade that sent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth.

That trade will be top of mind as Kesselring prepares for his first regular-season game in the blue and gold. Doan has already wowed fans with his early-year performance, netting six points and already rivaling a top-line role. But at the time of the move, many expected Kesselring to have a bigger impact in Buffalo after he proved to be a capable top-four defender in Utah.

Kesselring played in all 82 games of Utah’s inaugural season. He received the lowest average ice time (17:41) among a heavily-rotated Hockey Club defense, but routinely faced challenging roles alongside top defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and against top competition. He was strong on both sides of the puck, showing off a strong stick, lightning-quick speed, and heads-up passing. Those talents led Kesselring to 29 points on the year, the second-most on Utah’s blue line behind Sergachev (53).

Kesselring looked similarly capable in his rookie season of 2023-24. He finished that year with 21 points in 65 games, while operating from a third-pair role with the Arizona Coyotes. With two years of improvement to start his career, he now seems well-poised to bear some more responsibility with the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo has relied on Conor Timmins and Metsa to fill the right side behind captain Rasmus Dahlin. Timmins has faired pretty well in the second-pair role, recording three assists and 24 blocked shots in nine games. Metsa has been less productive, with no scoring and just two blocks in four games. Kesselring should step ahead of Timmins on the depth chart, placing him next to former first-overall pick Owen Power. Power’s sturdy defense could be a great match for the typically aggressive Kesselring.

Meanwhile, Metsa’s brief appearance in the NHL will come to an end. He played the first NHL games of his career this season, after starting the year with two pointless games with the Americans. Metsa led Rochester’s blue line with 46 points in 69 games last season. It was his second pro season. He posted 24 points in 54 games as an AHL rookie. The 27-year-old will look to return to his top role on the Rochester blue line, and could remain a call-up option should Buffalo face any more injuries.

Penguins Recall Owen Pickering

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The Penguins announced Tuesday that they’ve recalled defenseman Owen Pickering from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The team had an open roster spot after placing Caleb Jones on injured reserve on Saturday, so no corresponding transaction is required.

Pickering, 21, was in contention for a roster spot for most of training camp but ended up being one of Pittsburgh’s final cuts. The 2022 first-round pick was once the club’s top defense prospect but has since been lapped by Harrison Brunicke. That has more to do with the latter’s emergence than a lack of development on Pickering’s part, though. The 6’5″, 201-lb lefty is technically no longer a rookie, having appeared in 25 NHL games last season. In his first taste of the big leagues, Pickering managed a goal and two assists for three points with a minus-five rating. His ice time was somewhat limited at 14:49 per game, but the smooth-skating rearguard got some looks on the penalty kill and had passable possession impacts at even strength. His 48.9 CF% and 50.0 xGF% were both slightly above what the Penguins managed when he wasn’t on the ice.

Brunicke’s emergence, plus an influx of veterans to Pittsburgh’s blue line depth this offseason, meant Pickering ultimately faced too much of a battle to win an NHL job, at least for the first few weeks of the season. He’ll now get what could be an extended look with Jones not expected back until Christmas. Pickering has shown out well in his first few weeks of play in the minors, scoring a goal and three assists for four points with a plus-four rating in seven games. That has the Penguins’ brass happy with how his two-way game has developed from last season, when he was more offensively reserved for the Baby Pens (a 2-11–13 scoring line in 47 GP) but still managed a +18 rating.

What’s certain is that the Penguins’ season-long bottom-pairing rotation won’t be changing anytime soon. They’ve settled into having Ryan Shea–Kris Letang and Parker Wotherspoon–Erik Karlsson duos as their top two pairings, but have cycled Brunicke, Jones, Connor Clifton, and Matt Dumba into third-pairing duties through their first 10 games. Brunicke and Jones were head coach Dan Muse’s obvious preference for the role, with each logging seven appearances, and Clifton and Dumba only managing three. With Brunicke, Clifton, and Dumba all being righties, there’s plenty of opportunity for Pickering to get a consistent run of games if Muse wants to keep an even left-shot/right-shot balance in his lineup.

Pickering gets elevated into an environment in Pittsburgh that’s brighter than anyone could have imagined a month ago. Expected to be bottom-dwellers, the retooling Pens have instead rocketed up to second in the Metropolitan Division with a 7-2-1 record while, with Pickering now in the fold, seeing all of their top five prospects have stints on the roster (including the IR-bound Rutger McGroarty).

Kings Activate, Reassign Angus Booth

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The Kings announced Monday that they’ve activated defenseman Angus Booth from the season-opening injured reserve/non-roster list and subsequently assigned him to AHL Ontario. Since Booth is on a two-way contract and did not spend a day on the NHL roster last season, he carried no salary cap impact while on SOIR.

Booth, 21, was a fourth-round pick in 2022 and is entering the second season of his entry-level contract. While he signed his rookie deal nearly two years ago, it slid for the 2023-24 season, which he spent entirely in juniors. The 6’0″, 176-lb lefty was a defensive standout in the QMJHL, where he won a championship with the Shawinigan Cataractes in his draft year and had 23 points in 42 games. His offensive numbers never progressed past that point, but he did have a strong sendoff year between Shawinigan and Baie-Comeau in 2023-24, logging a 3-25–28 scoring line in 61 games with a career-best +29 rating.

That showing preceded a fairly linear transition to the pro game for Booth in 2024-25. He didn’t look out of place as a rookie with AHL Ontario last season and slotted in well as a bottom-four piece, rattling off two goals, 11 assists, 13 points, and a plus-six rating with 38 penalty minutes in 50 outings. A lower-body injury sustained early in training camp cost him any shot at making the NHL roster in his second professional season, but he’ll now get his season underway and hope to put himself in consideration for a recall if injuries pile up.

Booth still has this year and the next one ahead of him to prove he’s developed enough to earn a qualifying offer. He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2027.

Questions Beginning To Mount For Rangers

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In an article published by The Fourth Period earlier today, questions were raised on the New York Rangers, and what may come next if things do not improve. Although not yet even November, as the team works to adjust to new Head Coach Mike Sullivan, there is cause for concern. The Blueshirts are currently dead last in the Metropolitan Division, fresh off a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the 32nd-ranked Flames. 

Few organizations have had as many highs and lows as New York over the last five years, with a revolving door of coaches. David Quinn, Gerard Gallant, and Peter Laviolette all came and went, and now Sullivan is tasked with bringing stability. Gallant and Laviolette both posted win percentages over .600, and made the conference finals, but still found themselves out of jobs a year later. Quinn, on the other hand, has returned to the Rangers’ bench as an assistant on Sullivan’s staff.

Given the massive underachievement last season and overall culture issues, moving on from Laviolette was a no-brainer, but Sullivan has not yet found his footing. And with the way the roster is constructed, the clock is ticking. Not long ago, the Rangers were rebuild-focused, with a dynamic young core. Now, somewhat suddenly, their forward corps is headlined by stars quickly approaching their mid-thirties. Of course, the elephant in the room is superstar Artemi Panarin, soon to be 34, who is a UFA come season’s end.

The likes of J.T. Miller, Mika Zibanejad, and Vincent Trocheck are locked up for the long haul, but there is extra pressure for the team to find answers right now. If New York manages to lose Panarin one way or another, it is hard to imagine the existing core returning to their previous Presidents’ Trophy-winning, Conference Finals level. Zibanejad’s decline has come in the thick of his eight-year deal at a cap hit of $8.5MM, which has four years remaining. Sullivan has to try to get the 32-year-old back on the 70+ point level. Trocheck, a very consistent sidekick, is out week-to-week as the team eagerly awaits his return. 

Two young forwards among the experienced group, Alexis Lafreniere and Will Cuylle, must find their game under Sullivan, as neither has more than 3 points in 10 games. The former first overall pick Lafreniere’s play, which at times has left more to be desired, is well-known. Cuylle, on the other hand, broke out last year with 20 goals, production that likely played a part in GM Chris Drury shipping out Chris Kreider. The 34-year-old played 13 years for the Rangers, and while the move was reasonable considering his decline in 2024-25, Kreider has netted four goals in five games with Anaheim, production difficult to ignore. 

On the back end, as mentioned in the article, Braden Schneider has been thrown around in possible trade scenarios, but at just 24, it is debatable if Drury should be losing more youth, having already sent K’Andre Miller packing last summer in favor of 29-year-old Vladislav Gavrikov, signed through 2029-30 at $7MM. 

There is most certainly still time, but pressure is quickly building in New York. All the pieces are there, with elite talent across the board and a proven coach. However, with such little salary cap space, Drury is in a difficult situation if the Rangers are unable to shake their struggles from last season.

Injury Notes: Hurricanes, Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, Sharks

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Carolina Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour told Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News that K’Andre Miller could be back shortly, however, Jaccob Slavin could be absent for “a while”. Miller has not played since October 20th, but has been off to a great start in his Carolina tenure with four points in six games. Meanwhile, Slavin was placed on IR last week with a lower-body injury, appearing in the Canes’ first two games before going back down. The ailment has bothered the star defenseman throughout October, and the team has been vague on further details. 

Carolina has been great so far despite missing both defensemen, with a 6-2-0 record. Based on Brind’Amour’s comments, it seems a real possibility Miller could be all set when his Hurricanes go to Madison Square Garden to take on the Rangers next week, after an offseason blockbuster sent the talented 25-year-old to Carolina. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • Nick Barden of The Hockey News Toronto updated earlier today that William Nylander and Calle Jarnkrok could play versus Calgary tomorrow, as both are dealing with lower-body injuries. Additionally, veterans Scott Laughton and Chris Tanev could rejoin the team later in the week ahead of Saturday’s tilt in Philadelphia. Nylander, who missed just his second regular season game since 2020-21, has dazzled with 14 points in 8 games so far. Laughton was injured in the preseason and has yet to debut in 2025-26, as he looks to get more comfortable as a Leaf, having put up just 4 points in 20 regular season games after being traded to Toronto. 
  • Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times shared this morning that two Blackhawks veterans, Ilya Mikheyev and Tyler Bertuzzi, did not appear at practice. Mikheyev left Sunday’s game versus Los Angeles after crashing hard into the boards. Thankfully, he is considered day-to-day as it appears a more serious issue was avoided. Meanwhile, Bertuzzi missed yesterday’s game altogether, and is also thought to be day-to-day. Chicago hosts Ottawa tomorrow, and they will hope to have their wingers back before long, as they try to stay above the .500 mark. 
  • Sunday’s big shootout win for the Sharks at Minnesota came at a cost, as Adam Gaudette left due to an upper body injury and did not return, as per the team. His status is unknown as San Jose hosts their in-state rival the Kings tomorrow night. The 29-year-old center has 3 goals in 9 games. 

Islanders Notes: Romanov, Injuries, Waivers

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Stefen Rosner, New York Islanders beat reporter, shared several items on the team today. First, Rosner noted this morning that defenseman Alexander Romanov was seen in a red non-contact jersey in practice. Rosner went on to provide an update on several injuries affecting the club: Romanov will be out tomorrow but is expected to play at some point on the team’s road trip, perhaps Thursday in Carolina. Fellow defenseman Scott Mayfield, however, is expected to play tomorrow in Boston despite missing practice. 

Finally, per Rosner, the team will make a gameday decision on 24-year-old rookie defenseman Marshall Warren, who was a great story over the weekend, as the Long Island native made his debut for his hometown team, posting two helpers in what was eventually a shootout loss. Although Adam Boqvist could draw back into the lineup, given Warren’s impressive debut, it will be interesting to see which way Head Coach Patrick Roy goes. 

Elsewhere on the Islanders:

  • The Bridgeport Islanders shared this morning that top prospect Calum Ritchie is day-to-day with a lower body injury. The 20-year-old, acquired from Colorado in the Brock Nelson deal, has scored a goal and an assist in his first two AHL games in Bridgeport. The Islanders will hope Ritchie’s ailment is not serious, as he is a contender for a call-up at some point, and could especially push pending free agent Jean-Gabriel Pageau, as the team looks to the future. 
  • Rosner went on to make another interesting point this afternoon, that the Islanders could be interested in claiming forward Mitchell Chaffee, who was waived earlier today by Tampa Bay. Rosner mentioned that as the club is currently down to 12 forwards, Chaffee, who has connections from the Lightning with new GM Mathieu Darche, could bring some needed depth. At 27, Chaffee is not necessarily in the mold of younger, more intriguing reclamation projects that sometimes hit the waiver wire. However, he posted 12 goals as a regular on the Lightning’s bottom six in 2024-25, and possibly, New York could have interest. 

Robert Thomas, Jake Neighbours Out Tonight, Day-To-Day

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St. Louis Blues Head Coach Jim Montgomery told Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic that two key players will both be out in Pittsburgh tonight: Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours. Both are thought to be day-to-day. 

Thomas was banged up Saturday against Detroit, leaving in the third period due to what the team designated as an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Neighbours has been dealing with a lower-body injury. Both players were top line contributors before going down. 

St. Louis’ #1 center, Thomas, will be missed sorely, usually playing north of 20 minutes a night, with 6 points in 8 games so far. The Ontario native has broken out as a true star over the last two seasons, surpassing the 80-point mark in each. Neighbours is also a key absence, as he leads the Blues in goals with six in just 8 games. The 23-year-old was an 82 game player last year, with a career high 46 points. Once healthy, the Blues will count on him to be a key offensive driver, perhaps breaking the 30 goal mark for the first time in his career. 

Neighbours’ goal scoring aside, St. Louis will be particularly thin tonight in Pittsburgh down the middle. Pius Suter, added last July for the exact reason of center depth, will be called upon for a larger role. The Blues, of course, also have their mainstay captain Brayden Schenn, but the 34-year-old has just one point in his last 5 games, and could be on the path to regress offensively this year due to age. 

Although still early, the injuries are costly as St. Louis has not come out so hot, currently at the bottom of the Central Division, and among the fewest goals scored in the league by a team. However, it also must be mentioned that the club has played 1-2 fewer games than their counterparts. 

Going into a back-to-back, Pittsburgh tonight and Detroit again tomorrow, points will be much needed, as the group looks to hold down the fort until two of their top forwards can return. 

Penguins Place Rickard Rakell On IR, Recall Ville Koivunen

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10/27: Pittsburgh made Rakell’s move to injured reserve official on Monday evening.

10/26: The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that Rickard Rakell underwent a successful procedure on his left hand this morning, and the forward is expected to miss 6-8 weeks recovering. Just last night Rakell took a puck to the hand vs Columbus, was clearly bothered, and did not return. 

It is a very tough blow for the team, who have come out of the gates looking much better in 2025-26, facing serious pressure to push for the postseason for the aging legends on their roster. Rakell in particular, who has been revitalized in Pittsburgh, headlined by a career high 70 points last year, has also been off to a great start with 8 in 9 games. 

In a corresponding move, the Penguins recalled Ville Koivunen, who has already bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL so far. The skilled 22-year-old forward, acquired in the Jake Guentzel trade, did not appear on the scoresheet in 2 games so far with the Pens, but jumps out with 11 points in just 6 games so far with AHL Wilkes-Barre. Now he, along with 18-year-old Benjamin Kindel could be in order for a larger role with Rakell sidelined. Kindel however, is nearing his 10-game threshold as a rookie, and it will be interesting to see GM Kyle Dubas’ plan for their 11th-overall selection last summer. 

In particular for Rakell, the ailment is also especially unfortunate as it means he will miss the 2025 NHL Global Series in his home country of Sweden, as the Pens take on Nashville in mid-November. 

In a critical season for the Penguins as they continue to teeter between win-now for their iconic players, and turning toward the future, the club is already being tested. Yesterday it came out that Caleb Jones, who had been playing well early in his Pittsburgh tenure, will miss eight weeks. Now a star, in the form of Rakell, is set to be absent for a similar timeline.

Ducks Activate, Assign Coulson Pitre

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The Anaheim Ducks have activated fowrard Coulson Pitre from the injured non-roster list and assigned him to the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers. Pitre was recovering from an upper-body injury throughout training camp. Now that he’s back to full health, he’ll head to the third-tier pros to get back into game action.

Pitre played through his AHL rookie season last year. It was marked by 16 points, 19 penalty minutes, and a minus-seven through 61 games played. He filled a depth role for the Gulls, but showed clear improvements as the year went on, particularly on defense. He was a reliable, two-way center through three seasons with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds prior to turning pro. He racked up 159 points in 166 games with the club. That includes 60 points in 59 games of the 2022-23 season – enough to earn Pitre a third-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Pitre’s chippy play has long been the hallmark of his game. Adding back that physicality after missing nearly a month to start the season could be a tough task, and is likely what prompted Anaheim to assign Pitre to the ECHL after originally sending him to the AHL. He’ll get plenty of opportunity on a Tulsa squad with a 1-3-0 record to start the year. Once he adjusts to a top role with the Oilers, he should be pipelined back into a chance to prove his might with the Gulls.

Avalanche Sign Tristen Nielsen

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The Colorado Avalanche have signed forward Tristen Nielsen to a two-year NHL contract. The deal is a promotion from the AHL contract Nielsen entered the season on. His new contract will run through the end of the 2026-27 season.

Nielsen has had a red-hot start to the AHL season. He has scored seven points in seven games, tying him for the Colorado Eagles’ scoring lead alongside Daniil Gushchin, who has seven points in five games. It’s a huge spike in production for Nielsen, who spent the last four years in a depth role on the Abbotsford Canucks. He reached a career-high 41 points in 64 AHL games during the 2022-23 season, but fell all the way to 28 points in 67 games last year.

A scoring decline pushed Nielsen towards a change of scenery this summer. He signed a minor-league deal with the Eagles in early August and joined the Avalanche for their training camp in September. He scored three points in three NHL preseason games throughout camp – an especially impressive milestone given Nielsen only played in two preseason games over the course of four years in the Canucks organization. He’s continued that hot scoring into the regular season, and earned a second-look from the NHL brass as a result.

Nielsen originally signed with Vancouver as an undrafted free agent, after appearing in parts of six seasons in the WHL. He split those years evenly between the Calgary Hitmen and Vancouver Giants, and racked up 175 points across 241 games in the league. That includes a team-leading, and career-best, 65 points in 61 games during the Giants’ 2022-23 season. The Canucks signed Nielsen as a local gem two years later, and while he was never able to strike in Vancouver, his new contract will open the door to a possible NHL debut with the Avalanche soon.

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