Golden Knights Activate Jack Eichel, Place Mark Stone On LTIR
The Golden Knights welcomed back a key part of their attack tonight against Columbus as the team announced (Twitter link) that center Jack Eichel has been activated off long-term injured reserve. To become cap-compliant to activate him, winger Mark Stone was transferred to LTIR, per PuckPedia (Twitter link). Additionally, SinBinVegas relays (Twitter link) that forward Brendan Brisson has been taken off the roster, meaning he has been sent down to AHL Henderson.
Eichel has missed the last seven weeks (spanning 19 games) after undergoing surgery to repair a knee injury in mid-January and had been cleared for full contact since Friday. Despite the extended absence, the 27-year-old still sits third on Vegas with 19 goals and 44 points in 42 games which had earned him an All-Star nod although he couldn’t participate due to the injury.
It has been a rough go as of late for the Golden Knights who won seven of the first nine games without their top middleman but have lost seven of their last nine, dropping them to fourth in the Pacific in terms of point percentage. If that held, instead of contending for a division title, they’d find themselves in a Wild Card spot so they’ll be counting on Eichel to help right the ship.
As for Stone, his LTIR placement has been widely expected. The 31-year-old last played on February 20th with what has been reported as a lacerated spleen, one that will keep him out of the rest of the regular season at least; his availability for the start of the playoffs remains in question. His absence has also been significant as Stone is still tied for the team lead in points (53) and leads Vegas in assists with 37.
The fact that Stone will miss the rest of the regular season means that the Golden Knights can use the remainder of their LTIR pool – a little over $7MM – to add to their roster before Friday’s trade deadline.
As for Brisson, the 22-year-old was up on an emergency recall and hasn’t looked out of place in his first taste of NHL action over the last seven weeks. Brisson has two goals and four assists with Vegas so far this season while logging 12:39 per night, good numbers for a rookie. Meanwhile, with the Silver Knights, he has been more productive, notching 12 goals and 14 helpers in 41 contests. While Vegas had the ability to keep Brisson on the active roster, it makes more sense to send him down if he isn’t going to play in their top 12 for the time being.
Trade Notes: Eberle, Kraken, Blues
The Seattle Kraken are making their decisions ahead of the Trade Deadline, now preferring to sign forward Jordan Eberle to an extension, rather than trading him, per TSN’s Darren Dreger. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared the same in the latest 32 Thoughts article, adding that the team could continue extension talks with Eberle beyond the Deadline, pouring cold water on trade rumors surrounding the 14-year pro. Eberle was previously linked to the Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Eberle is having yet another productive season, scoring 14 goals and 35 points in 56 games. He’s once again scoring at a 20-goal pace, a feat he’s managed in each of his last two seasons with the Kraken. Eberle also managed 63 points last year, the most he’s scored since the 2014-15 season in Edmonton, and ranks third in all-time scoring for the Kraken with 142 points in 217 games. He offers great complementary value in the top six, a strong power-play presence, and the experience of a 1,000-game veteran – all highly-coveted assets on the trade market. But with teammate Alexander Wennberg generating plenty of trade interest of his own, the Kraken are seemingly opting to hang on to Eberle for now.
Other trade notes from around the league:
- Kraken general manager Ron Francis is reportedly content with standing pat outside of Wennberg and Eberle, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in the latest 32 Thoughts. Friedman adds that there has been modest interest in Adam Larsson and Yanni Gourde, though Francis isn’t eager to mess with the team’s core pieces. Seattle has generally refrained from making much of a deadline splash, though they did sell off Mark Giordano, Marcus Johansson, and Calle Jarnkrok at the 2022 Trade Deadline.
- St. Louis Blues defensemen Colton Parayko, Torey Krug, and Marco Scandella are both still available, reports The Fourth Period. The Blues attempted to move Krug to the Philadelphia Flyers this summer but he invoked his no-trade clause, halting the deal. There’s no shortage of teams in need of defensive help this Spring and the Blues have something for everyone – offering stout defense in Parayko, strong offense in Krug, and good all-around play in Scandella. But salary cap will be a likely concern in any negotiations, as both Krug and Parayko carrying a $6.5MM cap hit and Scandella set at $3.275MM. All three carry either full or modified no-trade clauses.
Trade Deadline Primer: Vancouver Canucks
The calendar has now flipped to March which means the trade deadline is now just days away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Vancouver Canucks.
The Vancouver Canucks have been the surprise of the season, battling for first in the league all year long on the back of fantastic performances from Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and Brock Boeser. Everything is clicking for the Canucks and they’re leaning into it, already making two major trades – both with the Calgary Flames. Vancouver acquired Nikita Zadorov for a pair of draft picks in late November and then sent Andrei Kuzmenko, Hunter Brzustewicz, a first-round pick, and more to the Flames for Elias Lindholm on January 31st. And their front office isn’t slowing down one bit, signing Elias Pettersson to a jaw-dropping, eight-year extension and emerging as candidates for some of the trade market’s biggest names. Vancouver will continue their exciting season at the Trade Deadline, entering with the wind behind their sails, success in the standings, and an eagerness for trades.
Record
38-17-7, 1st in the Pacific Division
Deadline Status
Eager Buyers
Deadline Cap Space
$2.6MM of cap space on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2024: VAN 3rd, VAN 4th, VAN 6th, SJS 6th, VAN 7th
2025: VAN 1st, VAN 2nd, VAN 4th, VAN 5th, VAN 6th, VAN 7th
Trade Chips
Conor Garland once again headlines Vancouver’s assets, with the team granting him permission to find a trade in October – though ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported at the time that Vancouver would likely need to retain some of Garland’s $4.95MM cap hit in a deal. But Garland still had a trade market, with the Washington Capitals interested in acquiring him if they ever found a trade Anthony Mantha. The two are, in fact, quite comparable, with Mantha offering slightly more goal-scoring than Garland, but also sitting two years older and carrying a slightly pricier $5.7MM cap hit. Both players provide reasonable depth scoring, though their consistency can come into question. The Canucks will hope Garland can fetch Mantha’s level of return, or that they can reignite Washington’s interest, though Garland’s hefty salary through the 2025-26 season could prove to be tough to move out.
They could also add to the long list of highly-touted, but unproven, 22-year-olds with Vasily Podkolzin, who hasn’t played in the NHL this season but has managed 28 points in 44 AHL games. Podkolzin would likely come at a cheaper price than his trade-market peers – including Philip Broberg, Arthur Kaliyev, and Kaapo Kakko – but he was previously highly regarded, getting selected 10th-overall in the 2019 NHL Draft and scoring a modest 14 goals and 26 points in 79 games as a rookie in 2021-22. But he hasn’t found much of a groove since then, spending most of the last two seasons in the AHL. He’s still young, and may be victim to a mismatch with Vancouver’s system. Those facts, as well as his previous draft selection, could be enough to earn him high regard. At least, that’s what the Canucks will be hoping for, though it seems unlikely that Podkolzin serves as much more than an additional piece to a bigger offer.
Ultimately, there aren’t many areas of excess in the Canucks lineup – with their wealth of depth forwards being an important safety measure for the playoffs and their defensive depth being tested by injuries all season long. That makes it difficult for any lineup pieces to be moved out and, because of that, draft capital will have to be what Vancouver leans on. They managed to acquire Lindholm without sending away too many picks, still boasting their first and second round picks in the 2025 and 2026 drafts. A first-round pick has been the focus of much of the market this season, and Vancouver will need to be ready to sacrifice future capital if they want to get involved in more big-name acquisitions.
Team Needs
1) Add Depth On Defense – Injuries have plagued the Vancouver Canucks defense all season long, with both Tyler Myers and Carson Soucy currently out week-to-week. And they haven’t had a great answer for it, leaning on options like Noah Juulsen or Mark Friedman to slot into top-four roles. While it’s worked well enough through the season, Vancouver will certainly want more security in the postseason. Luckily, the Philadelphia Flyers are selling off maybe their best defensive pairing this season – Nick Seeler and Sean Walker. Walker signed with the Philadelphia Flyers this summer, moving to a new organization for the first time in his career after six seasons in Los Angeles. And he’s come into his own quickly, offering strong value in all three zones and recording 22 points in 62 games, just two shy of the career-high he set in 2019-20. He’s played over 600 minutes with Seeler this season, and the pair carry a combined $3.425MM cap hit. Better yet, they’re both set to become free agents this summer, giving Vancouver plenty of flexibility. Walker would provide a serious boost to the Canucks’ everyday lineup, while Seeler would be a great injury fill-in – and they offer the unique chance to buy already-established chemistry. A deal likely wouldn’t be cheap, with the Flyers reportedly hoping for a first-round pick for Walker, but reeling in one or both Flyers defenders could go a long way towards solidifying the Canucks lineup.
2) Take A Chance On Top-Line Wingers – Things are working plenty well for the Canucks offense, which boasts both the top-end scoring and bottom-end depth needed to win a lot of games. But enough is never enough, and if the Canucks can bring in top market names like Jake Guentzel or Pavel Buchnevich, they absolutely should. Both players will come at a hefty price – likely requiring multiple first-round picks or top prospects – but they each bring point-per-game scoring potential on the wing. The Canucks still have room for competition in their top-six, with Ilya Mikheyev and Nils Hoglander each falling a bit short of their linemates. Both Guentzel and Buchnevich would offer a major upgrade, likely bringing even more of a boost to Pettersson, Lindholm, and Miller – while giving Vancouver more options for their bottom-six. While the Canucks have been red-hot this season, it’s still not clear if they have enough to overcome titans like the Vegas Golden Knights or Boston Bruins. This could be the Trade Deadline, and the trade targets, to fix that – if Vancouver can stomach the inevitably high costs.
New Jersey Devils Fire Lindy Ruff, Promote Travis Green As Interim Head Coach
The New Jersey Devils have fired head coach Lindy Ruff, per Mike Morreale of NHL.com. Travis Green will step up as interim head coach. Green has served as an Associate Coach in New Jersey this season – his first coaching gig since being relieved from a five-year stint as the Vancouver Canucks head coach in 2021-22.
Ruff has been with the Devils since the 2020-21 season, relieving Alain Nasreddine from his 43-game stint following John Hynes’ departure. He led the Devils to their highest point total in club history last season, earning 112 points and New Jersey’s second playoff berth of the last decade. But the Devils didn’t make much come from the historic season, getting booted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round. They’ve struggled to get their prowess back this year, falling to a 30-27-4 record largely thanks to their long list of injuries – including Dougie Hamilton, whose season was cut short by a torn pectoral in November and stars Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, who have played in just 45 and 50 games respectively.
Their circumstance would be challenging for any team to handle, though Ruff’s lineup choices have been called into question many times. His use of young forward Alexander Holtz has been particularly divisive, with Holtz averaging just over 11-and-a-half minutes and minimal power-play time despite scoring 13 goals and 24 points. Holtz has expressed frustrations with his role, telling NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky, “I don’t know, it’s hard to say… Some games I don’t play that much. I’m just trying to focus to get better every day and show them I’m able to play more.”
Holtz will now be commanded by Green, who had plenty of experience bringing up young players in Vancouver – serving as the head coach for Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes in their rookie seasons. Green totaled a measly .462 win percentage across his five years in Vancouver, though he did lead the team to the second round of the playoffs in the 2019-20 season. The Canucks were Green’s first NHL coaching role, coming after he served four years as head coach for the AHL’s Utica Comets. He now steps into a new role with experience in hand, and may even have a chance to secure the job with the Devils on the cusp of the playoff race.
Kraken Scratch Alexander Wennberg For Trade-Related Reasons
Kraken center Alexander Wennberg will be held out of tonight’s game against the Flames for trade-related reasons, head coach Dave Hakstol said (via Kate Shefte of The Seattle Times). Wennberg, 29, had been generating interest as far back as last month and was linked to the Rangers a few weeks back. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta added Monday that the Bruins have demonstrated interest, while Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports the Avalanche have also called about the veteran center.
Carrying a cap hit of $4.5MM on an expiring deal, Wennberg may potentially veto a deal to any of these teams if they appear on his 10-team no-trade list. He has nine goals, 16 assists and 25 points in 60 games this season, his third with the Kraken after he signed a three-year, $13.5MM contract with them in free agency before their inaugural season in 2021.
It’s a bit of a down year for him offensively, but not by much. His 0.42 points per game aren’t far south of his 0.48 career average, although his possession metrics have taken a tumble. He’s posted a 46.7 CF% at even strength, a career-low by a country mile for the normally defensively responsible center.
That hamstrings his value at his cap hit, but with all three retained salary slots open, Kraken GM Ron Francis will likely retain half his salary to make him a $2.25MM player for the acquiring team. Adding in a third party could decrease his cap hit by another 50% to $1.125MM.
The Rangers’ courtship of Wennberg has been discussed at length, while the Bruins have been in the conversation for added depth down the middle since the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí last summer. The Avalanche, on the other hand, are likely in on Wennberg as a backup plan if they can’t land the Ducks’ Adam Henrique, who Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported has been linked to Colorado. If Wennberg is being held out days before the deadline, though, he may not be available by the time Colorado leans their fate on their offer for Henrique.
Canucks, Golden Knights Among “Legit Suitors” For Jake Guentzel
The Canucks and Golden Knights are among the teams making serious offers for star Penguins winger Jake Guentzel ahead of the trade deadline, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports Monday. The two Pacific Division squads are among at least six “legit suitors” for his services.
Pittsburgh was viewed as a team with uncertain status heading into deadline season a few weeks ago, but three straight losses now have them 10 points out of a playoff spot and hurtling toward seller status. As such, the likelihood of them parting ways with Guentzel this week has skyrocketed, with the team reportedly preferring high-end prospects in return rather than first-round draft picks.
If that’s the case, Vancouver has the much stronger arsenal to deal from. The team recalled 2019 top-10 pick Vasily Podkolzin from AHL Abbotsford over the weekend, and he made his season debut yesterday against the Ducks, speculatively as a showcase for a trade. Offers centered around him, such as 2022 first-round pick Jonathan Lekkerimäki or 2023 first-round pick Tom Willander, are likely to draw the attention of Penguins GM Kyle Dubas.
In comparison, Vegas’ potential offer could center around 2020 late first-round pick Brendan Brisson or 2023 selection David Edstrom, the last pick of the first round, who grades out as a potential high-end third-line center.
Importantly, neither team has the long-term flexibility to ink the pending UFA to an extension. The Golden Knights are averaging less than a $1MM cap hit in space for every open roster spot next season, while the Canucks need to allocate a significant chunk of next season’s spending to their defense – only Quinn Hughes and Noah Juulsen are signed through next season or longer. Guentzel’s $6MM cap hit would also pose an insurmountable salary cap hurdle for Vancouver and Vegas, so the team must retain half of his salary in any potential deal.
Both teams could use the top-line help, however. Canucks star center Elias Pettersson is currently flanked by Nils Höglander and Pius Suter, both of whom are better suited for middle-six roles. Vegas, meanwhile, is still looking to shoulder the loss of captain Mark Stone for the rest of the regular season, and potentially the playoffs, due to a lacerated spleen.
While also injured, Guentzel is nearing a return from an upper-body injury that’s kept him out since mid-February and should be ready to return shortly after the deadline. He has 22 goals and 52 points in 50 games this season, set to eclipse the point-per-game mark for the fourth time in the last five years.
Penguins Place Matthew Phillips On Waivers
The Penguins placed forward Matthew Phillips on waivers Monday for the purposes of assignment to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
This is Phillips’ second time on waivers this season. He’s been claimed once, heading to Pittsburgh from the Capitals last month.
Once an AHL standout in the Flames organization, Phillips has struggled to adapt in his first shot at a full-time NHL role this season. He had one goal and four assists in 27 games with Washington before landing on waivers, and he was a healthy scratch in five straight games for the Penguins after making three consecutive appearances post-claim. He didn’t record a point in Pittsburgh and averaged 11:20 per game, slightly up from his 10:16 average with Washington.
Phillips, 25, inked a one-year, one-way deal with the Caps last summer. He was coming off a second straight AHL season in which he produced over a point per game, notching 36 goals and 76 points in 66 games with the Calgary Wranglers in 2022-23. It appears unlikely he’ll be claimed off waivers a second time this season after failing to impress with two organizations, although he could get a chance to rebuild his value with a strong stretch of play in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Phillips will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at the end of the season, although it seems unlikely Pittsburgh will issue him a qualifying offer to retain his rights. The Calgary native was a sixth-round pick of the Flames in 2016.
Kings Sign, Waive Aaron Dell
3/5: The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that Dell has successfully cleared waivers, meaning that Los Angeles can assign the goaltender to their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign.
3/4: The Kings placed veteran goaltender Aaron Dell on waivers Monday, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. He was not signed to an NHL contract, so the news means the Kings have signed him to what’s likely a one-year, two-way contract to ride out the season. Friedman later confirmed it was a two-way deal.
Dell, 34, attended training camp with the Blue Jackets on a professional tryout contract but was not signed. After sitting unsigned for the first few months of the season, Dell signed another unsuccessful PTO with the Hurricanes, during which he represented Canada at the Spengler Cup with a .906 SV% and 2.59 GAA in four games.
Finally, Dell found somewhere to get professional playing time in January, signing a tryout with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, the Kings’ primary affiliate. He’s logged five appearances there over the past few weeks, posting a .906 SV% and 2.63 GAA with a 2-3-0 record. He logged his first shutout of the season on Friday, making 24 stops in a 3-0 win over the San Diego Gulls.
With Pheonix Copley done for the season after injuring his ACL in December, Dell sits fourth on the Kings’ goaltending depth chart behind Cam Talbot, David Rittich, and top prospect Erik Portillo. The Kings acquired the signing rights to the former University of Michigan standout in a trade with the Sabres last March, and he’s responded with a sparkling .923 SV%, 2.38 GAA, two shutouts, and a 16-8-3 record in 28 games for the Reign.
Dell provides L.A. with a more veteran option in case of an injury to either Rittich or Talbot if they so choose. An undrafted free agent signing by the Sharks out of the ECHL in 2015, Dell has worked his way up the ranks to make 106 starts and 24 relief appearances over a seven-year career with San Jose, the Devils, and the Sabres. He has a 50-50-13 record with five shutouts, a 2.92 GAA, and .905 SV%.
Stars To Place Joel Hanley On Waivers
The Stars will place veteran defenseman Joel Hanley on waivers today at 1 p.m. CT with intent to assign him to AHL Texas, head coach Peter DeBoer told reporters (via Stars radio analyst Bruce LeVine).
Hanley, 32, has been a healthy scratch in two straight upon the returns of Jani Hakanpää and Nils Lundkvist from injuries. With the pending availability of Chris Tanev after his visa issues post-trade from Calgary get resolved, Hanley was relegated to the eighth slot on the Stars’ defensive depth chart.
DeBoer confirmed Hanley’s demotion is salary cap-related, not performance-based. He’s been a solid stabilizing presence at the bottom of the Dallas lineup since joining the team in 2018, memorably factoring into an unexpected lineup spot in the Stars’ run to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
The Stars haven’t attempted to assign Hanley to the minors since before the pandemic, keeping him around as a full-time extra for the past four years. He’s skated in 32 games for the Stars this year, recording three assists and a +3 rating while averaging 13:41 per game. He’s also boasted strong possession numbers, recording a 55.1 CF% at even strength and a +0.6 expected rating.
Teams will have 24 hours to submit a claim for Hanley, who could find a new home on a team looking for quality, cheap defensive depth down the stretch. Hanley is signed to a two-year deal carrying a $787.5K cap hit and will be a UFA in 2025, so any team picking him up will get his services next season as well.
Clearing Hanley’s cap hit, either via losing him on waivers or assigning him to Texas, will take the Stars out of LTIR and give them the necessary cap space to activate winger Evgenii Dadonov when he’s ready to return. It also offers Dallas room to recall and keep rookie forward Logan Stankoven, who’s impressed with three goals and an assist through his first five NHL games, on the roster longer-term.
Capitals Reassign Pierrick Dube
The Capitals have returned winger Pierrick Dube to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, per a team release issued Monday. The 23-year-old’s first NHL call-up ends after three games played over the last two weeks.
An undrafted free agent signed by the Caps last summer, Dubé has exploded to lead the league-dominating Bears with 24 goals in 50 games. GM Brian MacLellan nabbed his services with a two-year, entry-level contract worth $1.9MM.
The right-winger played three straight contests to close out February but was a healthy scratch in Washington’s last two games. The French youngster recorded a +1 rating, 2 PIMs, and three shots on goal, averaging 9:20 per game.
Dubé remains waiver-exempt and can be assigned to Hershey at the Capitals’ discretion. Assigning him to the minors leaves them with an open roster spot and $3.74MM in cap space. He’ll likely remain high on the list of call-up options for the Caps down the stretch run should injuries or trades force them to rely on their AHL depth.
He rejoins a Hershey squad that’s torn through the AHL this year with a 41-10-4 record, sitting in first place in the league. However, they’ve dropped their last two games by a score of 1-0 and could sorely use his offense to get back in the win column.