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Short-Term Absences: Raymond, Foligno, Samuelsson

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At least for now, the Red Wings are exhaling that the news isn’t worse regarding the health of star winger Lucas Raymond. He won’t play tonight but is only considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury, the team announced. Raymond left Monday’s win over the Maple Leafs midway through the second period after taking a cross-check into the boards from Toronto defenseman Chris Tanev (video via B/R Open Ice). There was initial fear and speculation that he may have sustained something as serious as a collarbone fracture, but he was back on the ice for morning skate today, according to the team’s Daniella Bruce. He might not even miss a full week, considering there’s been no injured reserve placement. Through two and a half appearances, Raymond had scored twice and added an assist with a +3 rating in what’s otherwise been an iffy start at even strength for Detroit’s top line of him, Dylan Larkin, and rookie Emmitt Finnie.

More short-term absences of note from around the league:

  • The Blackhawks announced that captain Nick Foligno will be taking a “brief” leave of absence and will miss tonight’s game against the Blues. He’s stepping away to be with his family as his daughter undergoes a follow-up surgery related to her congenital heart disease. All of us at PHR send our best wishes to the Foligno family. You can visit their foundation for heart health, The Heart’s Playbook, at this link.
  • Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson has been ruled out for tonight’s game against the Senators, according to Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550. His absence shouldn’t last much longer, though. He skated on his own today and could be an option to play this weekend, head coach Lindy Ruff said. Samuelsson remains on the active roster after departing last weekend’s loss to the Bruins early. He’s only missed one game so far.

Rangers Recall Scott Morrow

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The Rangers announced they’ve recalled defenseman Scott Morrow from AHL Hartford. The team is placing center Vincent Trocheck on long-term injured reserve to make room for him on the active roster, Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic reports. He was labeled week-to-week with an upper-body issue over the weekend.

Morrow’s recall comes amid mounting injury concerns for New York’s blue line. They’re already down lefty Carson Soucy, who’s on injured reserve after sustaining an apparent head injury last Saturday. Connor Mackey was the corresponding recall for that move, and he’s sat in the press box for two straight while Matthew Robertson drew into Soucy’s spot on the second pair alongside William Borgen. Now, Borgen isn’t practicing today because of a lower-body injury, according to the AP’s Stephen Whyno, putting his status in doubt for tomorrow’s road contest in Toronto.

Now, Morrow comes up to make sure the Blueshirts have seven healthy defensemen on the roster in case Borgen can’t play. If he can’t, it’ll presumably be Morrow drawing in to replace him, not Mackey, to keep their lefty-righty balance intact. Morrow, who turns 23 next month, has 16 games of NHL experience, all coming with the Hurricanes in 2023-24 and 2024-25. The 2021 second-round pick had a goal and five assists for six points with a +1 rating in his first taste of big-league hockey for Carolina before they sent him to New York this past offseason in the K’Andre Miller sign-and-trade.

Morrow checks in as the Rangers’ most offensively dynamic prospect on the blue line. It’s his defensive acumen that needs to improve for him to secure an everyday spot, something he was close to doing in training camp this year before serving as one of their final cuts. In his first full-time pro year in 2024-25, he made 52 appearances for the Canes’ AHL club and had a 13-26–39 scoring line, earning a spot on the league’s Top Prospects Team and making a trip to the All-Star Game.

He did not record a point in his first outing of the season for Hartford last weekend. It’ll be a quick trip to Connecticut, at least for now, as he comes back up to serve as a No. 6/7 option for the next couple of days, at least. He’s waiver-exempt, which actually works to his advantage for staying on the roster now that the season has begun. If Mackey stays up for 30 days or plays 10 games after his recall, he’ll need to clear waivers again to return to Hartford.

As for Trocheck, his LTIR placement is backdated to Oct. 9. He’s already missed three games and six days required out of the 10-game, 24-day minimums. He will be eligible to return on Nov. 4 against the Hurricanes, ruling him out for the next eight games.

The Rangers’ injury woes on defense have prevented them from making a proper recall to replace Trocheck at forward. They started the year with 14 forwards and seven defenders, but are now rolling 13 and eight. That leaves prospects like Brett Berard and Gabriel Perreault, each of whom might have gotten a top-six shot with Trocheck out, still in the minors for now.

Sabres Could Scratch Jiri Kulich

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Oct. 15: The message has evidently been received for Kulich, who will be in the lineup tonight after all, Ruff told reporters this morning. “If you really want to know, he’s playing,” Ruff told Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News. “I want to see his response tonight.”

Oct. 14: In yet another brutal start for the Buffalo Sabres, who are 0-3, young forward Jiri Kulich has caught blame from Head Coach Lindy Ruff and could be scratched, as mentioned by the Times Herald’s Bill Hoppe earlier today.

The 21-year-old forward has had a rough go of it so far this season, with no points in three games and a -4 rating. As Ruff told Hoppe, Kulich “hasn’t been good enough”, noting that his skating has not been at the level it was last year. In practice today, Kulich was seen with Jordan Greenway and Mason Geertsen. As Hoppe wrote, it is not exactly a promising sign for the youngster in advance of tomorrow’s game vs Ottawa. 

Despite the struggles and dissatisfaction from his coach, Kulich has not played less than 16 minutes a night so far in each of the club’s games. Although sheltering a young former first-round pick who doesn’t appear ready is not necessarily the wrong move, Ruff’s comments are interesting, throwing such blame at Kulich when the team has scored just two goals all season. Thankfully, Zach Benson is expected back tomorrow; however, with Josh Norris out long-term, it has been a terrible start for the Sabres. With the Senators set to move forward without their injured star captain Brady Tkachuk, tomorrow’s game will be a huge opportunity for Buffalo to finally get into the win column. 

Many eyes will turn to stars such as Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin to lead Buffalo out of the hole they find themselves in, but unfortunately, without Norris, it will be an uphill battle. If they prove unable to do so, at some point, it may be time to look at the team’s deeper issues than a player such as Kulich’s performance, and major changes could be on the horizon. 

Devils Place Zack MacEwen On Injured Reserve, Recall Nico Daws

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The Devils announced they’ve placed winger Zack MacEwen on injured reserve with the previously reported undisclosed injury that has him out indefinitely. New Jersey recalled goaltender Nico Daws from AHL Utica in a corresponding move.

MacEwen is a new addition to the organization, having been acquired from the Senators nearly two weeks ago in exchange for Kurtis MacDermid. He landed on waivers the following day and was not on the Devils’ opening roster submission, but was recalled anyway before their first game of the season. He was scratched for that contest but entered the lineup on Oct. 11 against the Lightning in place of Evgenii Dadonov, who’s now on long-term injured reserve after sustaining a hand injury in the opener. MacEwen skated 7:12 against Tampa, recording a block, a hit, and a pair of shots, until his undisclosed injury forced him out of the game in the third period.

While there’s no firm timeline, head coach Sheldon Keefe’s implication was that MacEwen will miss more than the seven days mandated for an IR placement. His placement is backdated to the date of the injury, so he could be technically eligible to return on Saturday against the Oilers, but he’s likely looking at a multi-week absence. With Dadonov and Stefan Noesen already on LTIR and IR and Juho Lammikko still dealing with an undisclosed injury despite being on the active roster, MacEwen’s injury only further stresses New Jersey’s forward depth. Brian Halonen, who made his season debut on the fourth line against the Blue Jackets on Monday after being the corresponding recall for Dadonov’s LTIR placement, will now continue to fill that role for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, there’s no surprise in seeing New Jersey add a goalie to the roster ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Panthers. They’re dealing with question marks for both backup Jake Allen, who started against Columbus but left after two periods due to cramping, and No. 1 option Jacob Markström, who entered in relief for the win but showed signs of discomfort after being collided with late in the game. There’s no final determination on either’s status for tomorrow yet, but giving Daws a start and letting the veterans rest would be a prudent move, even if only a precautionary one.

There was speculation that New Jersey may carry the 24-year-old Daws on the opening night roster to avoid placing him on waivers, but he ended up clearing them without incident early last week. The up-and-coming Canadian is in the back half of a two-year, $1.625MM deal and makes a one-way salary of $850K this season. A 2020 third-round pick, he’s firmly entrenched as the Devils’ third-stringer for now. He made four starts and two relief appearances last year, going 3-1-0 with a .939 SV% and 1.60 GAA for his best stretch of play yet. That makes him one of the more intriguing call-up options around the league despite dwindling minor-league numbers over the past few seasons.

Daws also carries far more experience than his age-group comparables. Injuries to New Jersey’s crease forced him into extended action, recording 20-plus starts in each of the 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons. He has a 22-23-1 career record with a 2.98 GAA and .898 SV%, just a few ticks below league average. He’s made one start for Utica this season, recording a 1.03 GAA and .963 SV% in a loss.

Adin Hill Leaves Game Due To Injury

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A rough sequence from tonight’s game in Calgary has dealt a blow to the Golden Knights. Vegas’ starting goaltender Adin Hill left after the first period due to a lower body injury, as noted by Jesse Granger of The Athletic.

First, Hill appeared shaken up due to a shot that knocked his mask off, but in the following scrum, the 29-year-old seemed bothered by a lower body ailment as well. Akira Schmid took the crease to start the second period for the Golden Knights.

As mentioned by Granger, Carter Hart will become eligible to sign with a team tomorrow, but will not be able to play until December. The Knights have been speculated as a possible fit in the past, and while the hope is certainly that Hill will not be sidelined for long, it will be interesting to follow what comes next.

Matvei Michkov Seeing Fewer Minutes In Slow Start

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Having yet to record a point in the Flyers’ first three games, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic wrote earlier today on Matvei Michkov’s early season struggles. The ultra-talented Russian has been lightly benched at times by new Head Coach Rick Tocchet. Although this may raise some eyebrows, there are reasons for this outside of his play alone, as noted by Kurz. 

Philadelphia broke into the win column yesterday, pulling away late from the defending champion Panthers. While such a triumph could be encouraging, it is key to mention that Florida opted to start backup goalie Daniil Tarasov. As the Flyers sit at a bit of a crossroads this season, trying to etch a new identity with a roster that finally offers real youth, the 20-year-old Russian is their biggest piece for the future. Michkov led all rookies in goals in 2024-2025, with an impressive 63 points, all during a bit of a tumultuous season for the Black and Orange. 

Therefore, a scoreless first three games for Michkov isn’t ideal, along with falling ice time, down to 14:26. Interestingly, fellow young Russian Nikita Grebenkin appeared in Michkov’s place on a line with Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny in crunch time vs Florida. However, Tocchet emphasized that the swap was primarily to reward Grebenkin, who has made an impression so far. 

Additionally, there are other factors which have worked against Michkov, painting a picture perhaps a bit misleading. Tocchet mentioned that he has been getting up to speed from an ankle ailment over the summer, along with the fact that the Flyers have been highly penalized, often keeping their young star off the ice. Finally, Tocchet is wanting to implement an approach of balancing up-and-down the lineup, as the club searches for their identity. Philadelphia has made it clear that they will move into the future still leaning into their gritty playing style as always, but they will need to ensure it does not stunt the development of a potential offensive superstar. 

With all of this in mind, Tocchet’s utilization of Michkov will be interesting to monitor, but just three games in, it is still too soon to sound the alarms. With Michkov’s ability, it is likely just a matter of time. 

Evening Notes: Brunicke, Crozier, Hurricanes

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The Penguins announced tonight that young defenseman Harrison Brunicke will not play tonight versus Anaheim. Brunicke has looked the part in his first three NHL games, notching a goal, but at just 19-years-old, the Penguins are taking it easy with their key prospect. Although fans may be disappointed, the silver lining is that Kris Letang could return. New Head Coach Dan Muse emphasized the need to put Brunicke along with fellow youngster Ben Kindel in positions to succeed, and given his strong pedigree coaching across junior, collegiate, and professional hockey, it seems the Penguins have the right eyes on their young prospects, as they face a fascinating crossroads which will play out this season. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • The Lightning have announced mid-game that defenseman Max Crozier will not return due to injury. The 25-year-old more unassuming player, who has spent most of his professional career in the AHL after being drafted 120th overall in 2019, has been off to a great start for Tampa Bay this season with three assists in as many games. Further details on the severity of the injury are unknown at this time. 
  • On today’s episode of Bleacher Report’s Insider Notebook, Insider Frank Seravalli said that the Carolina Hurricanes are watching the waiver wire closely for goalies, and that it would be no surprise if the team made some sort of move for one. Thankfully for the team, Frederik Andersen has won both games so far, but given his injury history, along with Pyotr Kochetkov’s inconsistency and current injury, the Canes could be looking for more stability. Carolina claimed Brandon Bussi on waivers earlier this month, but as a 27-year-old yet to debut in the NHL, and with AHL numbers which don’t necessarily jump off the page, GM Eric Tulsky could have another trick up his sleeve soon; especially if the team wants to reach new heights come spring. 

Pacific Notes: Oilers, Sherwood, Kings, Golden Knights

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The Edmonton Oilers, who were hit by the injury bug out of the gate, have a number of players expected back soon. Mark Spector of Sportsnet shared today that Head Coach Kris Knoblauch “hopes” that Mattias Janmark and Alec Regula are set to return this weekend, Jake Walman next Thursday, and finally, Zach Hyman’s November 1st estimated return is still on track. 

Hyman originally suffered a very untimely major wrist injury in last year’s Western Conference Finals. Meanwhile, newcomer Andrew Mangiapane is off to a hot start with 2 goals, in the coveted seat of Connor McDavid’s wing. It will be interesting to see how the Oil work Hyman back into the lineup, along with the recent addition of Jack Roslovic. 

Walman and Janmark have both been out with undisclosed injuries not thought to be serious. Regula has appeared in both of the Oilers’ games to start the season, but is out tonight with yet another undisclosed injury. The 25-year-old was claimed off waivers from Boston last year, offering imposing size and a right handed shot, filling a bottom-pair role perhaps missed by the team since the departure of Vincent Desharnais. 

Elsewhere across the division:

  • In an article published by The Fourth Period earlier today, referencing word from their own David Pagnotta, Kiefer Sherwood and the Canucks have not begun contract discussions yet. A late-bloomer who established himself as a full-time NHLer with Nashville, Sherwood signed with Vancouver last season on a two-year deal and took another step, posting 40 points, and most notably, breaking the NHL single-season record for hits. Sherwood is a prototypical fourth liner in today’s game, and perhaps the club is feeling out his performance this year before they take next steps toward a considerable pay increase. 
  • The Kings have updates of their own; as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet shared on today’s episode of the FAN Hockey Show, that star Adrian Kempe wants to stay. Friedman said that talks had been in the $9-10MM range, but now, given the market explosion, it could go higher. The 29-year-old broke out in a steal of a 4-year deal at $5.5MM which finally ends this season. Additionally, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period also shared that the team is in no rush with an extension for young standout Brandt Clarke, as published today. Given such huge contracts given out to Luke Hughes and Lane Hutson, the Kings will be content to play the long game and see how Clarke’s season unfolds. 
  • SinBin.vegas noted tonight from the Golden Knights Insider Show, that forward Brett Howden will be out of tonight’s game in Calgary, and Cole Reinhardt will make his Vegas debut. It is not clear if it is an injury or scratch for Howden, who has one goal in the team’s first three games. Reinhardt signed a two-year deal coming over from the Senators, where he spent most time in the AHL, but notched two points in 17 games for the big club last year. 

East Notes: Luchanko, Benson, Slavin

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According to a new article from Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff, the Philadelphia Flyers aren’t expected to retain Jett Luchanko for the duration of the season if he doesn’t rise out of a fourth-line role. While Philadelphia’s front office believes Luchanko could “hold his own” in a bottom-six role, they will need to see a breakout from him if they’re to keep him beyond the nine-game threshold, which would burn the first year off of his entry-level contract.

The breakout the Flyers were expecting to see hasn’t come yet. The former 13th overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft has gone scoreless through his first two games of the season, averaging 8:15 of ice time. Still, it’s difficult to see a pathway upward for Luchanko even if he does perform better, especially if they’re adamant on keeping him at the center position.

There’s little chance of the Flyers breaking up the line of Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, and Bobby Brink, which has become a solid identity line for the team. The Flyers could conceivably move Trevor Zegras back to the wing, though they were steadfast in their belief that he could be a center when they acquired him this past summer. Further, given his defensive value and play in the faceoff dot, they’re unlikely to isolate Sean Couturier to fourth-line minutes.

Given the situation in front of him and the minimal time to accomplish such a task, it’s more than likely that Philadelphia will reassign Luchanko back to the OHL’s Guelph Storm in the next week or two. Unfortunately, despite his unenviable situation, he wouldn’t be entering a better situation in Guelph. Although he’d command far more playing time, the Storm aren’t expected to be a competitive team this season.

Other notes from the Eastern Conference:

  • Although he wasn’t put on the team’s injured reserve to start the season, Zach Benson has yet to make his debut with the Buffalo Sabres this year. That’s expected to change tomorrow. According to Bill Hoppe of the Times Herald, Benson is likely to enter the lineup tomorrow night against the Ottawa Senators. Unfortunately, unless he has found another offensive level to his game, Benson shouldn’t be expected to help with the Sabres’ offensive woes to begin the campaign. Through his first two years, he’s scored 21 goals and 58 points in 146 games, averaging 14:40 of ice time.
  • Yesterday, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that defenseman Jaccob Slavin is suffering from a lower-body injury, but were relatively vague regarding the severity. Today, in a small update, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said, “He went for some more testing. I think we’re just going to keep him out for a while. I don’t think it’s super serious, but he doesn’t quite feel right. So, for right now, he’s not on this trip.“

Canucks Reassign Braeden Cootes, To Recall Max Sasson

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According to head coach Adam Foote (per Sportsnet’s Brendan Batchelor), the Vancouver Canucks will reassign forward Braeden Cootes to the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. Vancouver will recall forward Max Sasson from the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks in a corresponding roster move. The Canucks confirmed Cootes’s reassignment, but didn’t do the same with Sasson’s recall.

So ends Cootes’s improbable run to the Canucks roster to start the 2025-26 campaign. Vancouver selected Cootes with the 15th overall pick of this past summer’s draft, and he cracked the team’s opening night roster after an impressive training camp and preseason. On October 9th, Cootes became the first 18-year-old to play for the Canucks since fellow first-round selection, Petr Nedvěd in 1990. 

His debut will end after three games. The Sherwood Park, Alberta native went scoreless, earning a -2 rating while averaging 10:47 of ice time in a largely sheltered role. Further, his 28.1% CorsiFor% at even strength and -1.8 Expected +/- indicates that Cootes may not have been as ready for the show as previously believed. Ahead of an upcoming five-game road trip, it has become the right time to move Cootes into a more comfortable environment.

He won’t have to travel very far to rejoin his old team. Located approximately 140 miles south of Vancouver, Cootes will continue his season with the Thunderbirds, where he scored 26 goals and 63 points in 60 games as the team’s captain. He was even more impressive on Team Canada for the U18 World Junior Championships, scoring six goals and 12 points in seven games, and capturing the gold medal against Team Sweden.

Replacing Cootes in the lineup will be a familiar face from last season. Sasson played in 29 games for the Canucks last year, scoring three goals and seven points while averaging 10:20 of ice time per game. Although he didn’t offer much on offense, he was an exceptional defensive forward, managing a 92.1% on-ice save percentage at even strength. Still, he may have another offensive gear to his game, considering he finished last year with 13 goals and 32 points in 41 games with AHL Abbotsford.

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