Evening Notes: Couturier, Boeser, Blue Jackets, Avalanche
Two notable players have left their respective games after taking hard shots: Sean Couturier and Brock Boeser. First, the Flyers announced mid-game their captain Couturier will not return vs Nashville. The 32-year-old’s injury was not disclosed, but he appeared bothered after blocking a shot in the first period. Couturier has been off to a great start so far this season, with nine points in nine games, looking like his old self after two straight seasons not passing the 45-point mark.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks confirmed Boeser will not return after being struck in the midsection point-blank from his teammate Elias Pettersson (defenseman) on a slap shot just 33 seconds into the game vs St. Louis. It’s an extra tough blow considering that the team is already missing Conor Garland, Quinn Hughes, and several other forwards.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Columbus Blue Jackets recalled defenseman Dysin Mayo from AHL Cleveland, per the team. With veteran Erik Gudbranson day-to-day, having already missed time this season, Columbus has called upon the 29-year-old with 82 games of NHL experience in advance of Saturday’s game vs St. Louis. Although Mayo is likely just insurance, if he is to appear, it will be his first NHL game since 2022-23, all 82 of his so far as an Arizona Coyote. The right-hander leads the Cleveland Monsters in points, with four helpers in five games.
- In what has been a big day for the Avalanche, after locking up Martin Necas, the team announced that they have recalled defenseman Wyatt Aamodt from AHL Colorado. While Samuel Girard remains sidelined, Jack Ahcan has drawn into the lineup for the last two games, but Aamodt will be added depth if needed, as the Avs head to Vegas, then San Jose, on a road trip this coming weekend. The 27-year-old has spent the last four seasons with the Colorado Eagles, earning a two-game stint with the Avalanche last year.
Flyers Recall Aleksei Kolosov, Place Samuel Ersson On IR
12:30 p.m.: Kolosov’s recall is official, and they’ve moved Ersson to IR to facilitate it, per Bill Meltzer of NHL.com. With a tight schedule upcoming for the Flyers, that rules Ersson out for the next four games. He’ll be eligible to return on Nov. 6.
10:26 a.m.: The Flyers will recall goaltender Aleksei Kolosov from AHL Lehigh Valley prior to tonight’s game, according to Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports. They don’t have an open roster spot, but Kolosov’s recall will likely come under emergency conditions.
Kolosov will be dressing as the backup to Daniel Vladař tonight against the Predators. Samuel Ersson has been ruled unavailable after sustaining a minor tweak in practice yesterday, O’Connor added. He’s listed as day-to-day and could be an option this weekend. But since they wouldn’t have the required two healthy goaltenders without Kolosov, he can be brought up under emergency conditions and not count against the active roster.
Kolosov likely won’t be up long enough to get a start. Nonetheless, the 23-year-old has taken strides in his development early on in 2025-26. A third-round pick in 2021, Kolosov has started five games for Lehigh Valley with a strong 2.60 GAA and .918 SV%, contributing to a 3-2-0 record. He’s posted a shutout in there as well for good measure.
It’s a remarkably stable performance from a player whose past couple of years have been anything but. Philadelphia initially brought Kolosov over from his native Belarus at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, and he joined Lehigh Valley for its final few games. He was unhappy with the adjustment to North America, though, and threatened to return to the KHL last season if he didn’t make the Flyers’ roster. He didn’t have much leverage without a European Assignment Clause, though. He ended up splitting last year between Philly and Lehigh Valley as part of a three-goalie mix with Ersson and Ivan Fedotov.
Kolosov wasn’t particularly impressive in either league. His NHL numbers were especially underwhelming, logging a .867 SV% and 3.59 GAA in 13 starts and four relief appearances. He mustered a 5-9-1 record but was among the worst goalies in the league by any metric. He allowed 0.599 goals above expected per 60 minutes, second-worst in the NHL among goalies with at least 15 games, per MoneyPuck. He also sputtered with a .884 SV%, 3.11 GAA, and a 5-6-1 record in 12 AHL contests.
That makes his step back in the right direction this season a big one. He’s still just 23 years old and has room to grow. If his relationship with the Flyers organization after the 2024 offseason drama is salvageable, there’s still a path toward him being something of a long-term backup/tandem option. That’s important with Vladař headed for unrestricted free agency in 2027 and the Flyers set to lose team control over Ersson that same year, but the team also has other high-end prospects in the pipeline like Carson Bjarnason and Yegor Zavragin.
Ersson’s injury comes after a slow start for the Swede, who’s all but officially lost the crease to the red-hot Vladař. The 26-year-old has started four of Philadelphia’s nine games, but with him posting a .876 SV% and allowing 0.9 goals above expected, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Flyers move away from a true Vladař/Ersson rotation moving forward.
Flyers, Stars Swap Christian Kyrou For Samu Tuomaala
The Flyers have acquired defenseman Christian Kyrou from the Stars in exchange for winger Samu Tuomaala, per announcements from both clubs. Both players were assigned to their respective teams’ AHL affiliates, so no corresponding moves are needed.
The puck-moving Kyrou will add some speed and upside to the Flyers’ pool of defense prospects. He’s still just 22 years old but has had an awkward last couple of years in the Stars’ system. The 5’11” righty was a second-round pick by Dallas in 2022 and clicked at over a point per game in his final season of junior hockey, but he hasn’t been able to find consistency since turning pro. Kyrou’s first year saw him record eight goals and 23 points in 57 games for AHL Texas, but his offense has slid from there. His output dropped to 15 points in 36 games last year, and he’s gone without a point through his first four games of the season for Texas. He’s also a -12 for his career in the minors.
Kyrou was still something of a notable name in a weak Dallas prospect pool. He was the No. 5-ranked player in the system by Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff and the top right-handed defenseman. With their minor-league affiliate winless through six games and struggling to produce offense, though, they opted to part ways with the plateauing Kyrou and swap him out for some forward help.
As for why the Flyers moved on from Tuomaala, it’s quite apparent. The 2021 second-rounder had put up good point totals for AHL Lehigh Valley over the past two seasons but has tumbled down the organizational depth chart to begin 2025-26. He was one of the club’s first cuts from training camp and has fallen into healthy scratch territory with the Phantoms, only playing in three of eight games so far this year and going without a point.
Tuomaala’s previous track record makes him an intriguing pickup for Dallas, though, and one still with NHL upside. The 22-year-old Finn has a 26-49–75 scoring line in 120 career appearances for Lehigh Valley and was an AHL All-Star in 2023-24. He was also the top player in Finland’s second-tier pro league, Mestis, the year prior, scoring 27 goals and 48 points in just 31 appearances for Peliitat and Ketterä in 2022-23.
Neither player has made their NHL debut, and they’re both in the final seasons of their entry-level contracts. They’re also both not eligible for arbitration when they reach restricted free agency next summer.
Flyers Recall Emil Andrae
The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled defenseman Emil Andrae. He should step back into a role on the team’s third pair, after scoring three points in his last four AHL games. Andrae is tied for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ scoring lead with five assists in six games.
Andrae has once again found consistent scoring in the minor-leagues. Including his seven appearances in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, he has effectively recorded 11 assists in his last 13 games in the AHL. It’s a welcomed boost to his stat line, after he only recorded one assist through 14 AHL games in March of this year. The newfound confidence has directly impacted Andrae’s ability to recover loose pucks, and turn them into fastbreaks.
But Andrae hasn’t yet discovered that ability at the NHL level. He played through his rookie NHL season last year, but only managed seven points, 16 penalty minutes, and a minus-five through 42 games. The lack of production has earned Andrae a mere 17 minutes of ice time, on average, through 47 career appearances in the NHL. He’s an undersized, but strong, puck-mover who could stand to offer power-play upside one day, though that’d sit on the other side of an NHL breakout.
For now, Andrae will step into a rotation with Egor Zamula and Noah Juulsen for NHL minutes. Both players have recorded one assist on the season – Zamula through five games, and Juulsen through eight. Given his recent flash in the AHL, a measly one-assist standing should be surmountable for Andrae. A hot performance in his next NHL appearance could be enough to leapfrog Zamula on the depth chart – though repeated struggles could land him back in the AHL sooner rather than later.
Flyers Assign Jett Luchanko To OHL
For a second-straight year, Jett Luchanko‘s time with the Philadelphia Flyers is cut short after only four appearances. Earlier today, Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff reported that the Flyers would be assigning Luchanko to the OHL’s Guelph Storm today, and Philadelphia subsequently confirmed the news.
Luchanko’s reassignment can’t be described as anything other than disappointing for the Flyers. The team drafted Luchanko with the 13th overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, and he surprisingly made the team’s roster out of training camp last year.
Still, with little expectations of him sticking around, the team assigned him to OHL Guelph after going scoreless in four games with a -3 rating. He was mostly productive in his return to Guelph, scoring 21 goals and 56 points in 46 games as the team’s captain. Unfortunately, the Storm finished with a 21-38-5-4 record, missing out on the playoffs.
After another year of growth, Luchanko again made the Flyers’ roster out of training camp, this time under a new head coach. This time around, his performance was arguably worse.
Again being reassigned after four games, Luchanko again went scoreless with a -3 rating. He averaged nearly five minutes less a night under Rick Tocchet, primarily centering the team’s fourth line when in the lineup. Despite being reassigned today, Luchanko hasn’t suited up for Philadelphia since October 20th.
There was some concern earlier in the year about returning him to Guelph, largely because the team wasn’t expected to be competitive this year. However, although it’s still relatively early in the 2025-26 campaign, the Storm are 6-5-2-0 through their first 13 games, holding onto the final playoff spot in the OHL’s Western Conference.
Luchanko made it apparent that he’s not ready for much responsibility at the NHL level. Although he is likely better suited for developmental time in the AHL, he has not yet reached the age where that is permissible. Still, given that the team signed Tocchet to a multi-year deal this offseason, there might be some concern about Luchanko’s overall future in the organization, given his subpar first impression.
Rasmus Ristolainen Targeting December Return
- Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has not made his 2025-26 debut yet as he recovers from the season-ending surgery he underwent earlier this year, and today DailyFaceoff’s Anthony Di Marco reported that the player is targeting a return at some point in December. Ristolainen was the Flyers’ No. 2 defenseman by ice time last season, playing in 20:31 per night including a role on both special teams units. So far this season, right-shot blueliner Jamie Drysdale is playing nearly two additional minutes per night compared to what he played last season, likely in part due to Ristolainen’s absence. The Flyers have gotten off to a decent 3-2-1 start, and getting Ristolainen back in December should only boost their competitive chances.
Luchanko Could Get AHL Conditioning Stint To Delay Return To OHL
With his usage being limited thus far, the odds of Jett Luchanko spending the full season with the Flyers are dropping. However, Daily Faceoff’s Anthony DiMarco suggests that Philadelphia will at least look to drag the decision out a little longer by assigning him to AHL Lehigh Valley on a conditioning stint at some point. While he’s ineligible to play for the Phantoms full-time, he is allowed to play on a conditioning stint for up to two weeks. Luchanko won’t officially burn the first year of his entry-level deal until he plays in ten NHL games this season. He’s at four so between his five games he can still play without starting the deal and a possible conditioning stint, he could remain with the Flyers for a while yet before returning to junior.
Matvei Michkov Benched Again Late In Flyers Win
The Philadelphia Flyers completed a dramatic overtime victory over the Minnesota Wild yesterday, but not everything is going smoothly so far to start the season in Philadelphia. While the Flyers have compiled a decent 2-2-1 record to start the year, one of the more notable emerging storylines on the Flyers has been the usage of star second-year forward Matvei Michkov. According to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz, the 2023 seventh-overall pick was once again benched by head coach Rick Tocchet late in last night’s game, with Kurz attributing the move to “too many ineffective shifts and careless plays with the puck.”
Michkov has struggled thus far under Tocchet, with just one goal and zero assists through five games. While he remains the Flyers’ top power play forward in terms of time-on-ice per game, his overall usage has declined from 16:41 per game last season to just 14:50 this year. While Tocchet’s usage of Michkov may ultimately help the young forward develop a more well-rounded all-around game, it’s also potentially fair to question whether taking this approach with Michkov, who is one of the Flyers’ most lethal offensive weapons, ultimately hurts the team’s chances to win more than it helps.
McKee Was A Finalist For Flyers Head Coaching Role
- Long-time NHL rearguard Jay McKee wound up being a finalist for the Flyers coaching job, relays Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription link). He was linked as a speculative candidate if Philadelphia expanded its search but he wound up having a three-hour interview for the position. McKee’s desire is not to be an NHL assistant first before moving to a head coaching role at the top level but he hasn’t ruled out going that route if an NHL head coaching job doesn’t materialize.
Evening Notes: Lycksell, Cooley, Zamula
The Ottawa Senators assigned forward Olle Lycksell to the AHL’s Belleville Senators early on Friday. Lycksell appeared in two games with Ottawa this week, but sat out of the team’s most recent game on Thursday. He didn’t manage any scoring in those appearances.
Lycksell is in his first year in the Senators’ organization after signing a one-year, two-way, league-minimum $775K contract with the club on July 1st. He spent the last three seasons bouncing between the Philadelphia Flyers’ major and minor league rosters. He totaled 11 points in 45 NHL games, and 128 points in 134 AHL games with the Flyers. He’ll look to maintain near point-per-game scoring in the minors with Belleville. If he can, he could soon return to a depth role with Ottawa.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Utah Mammoth have a colossal extension looming when top center Logan Cooley hits free agency next summer. But despite minimal talks of an extension, Cooley’s agent, Brian Bartlett, told the Daily Faceoff that he’s not worried about getting a deal done. Bartlett emphasized that Cooley still has plenty of time to work something out. There’s no doubt Mammoth fan will be watching closely for Cooley’s next contract, after he posted 109 points in 157 games with the club over his first two seasons in the NHL. He’s likely to sign a hardy extension that should cement his spot as Utah’s top center.
- The Calgary Flames are interested in acquiring a big-bodied, left-shot defenseman per Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco, who adds that Flyers defender Egor Zamula could be a prime target. Zamula played in 120 games with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen before beginning his pro career. Now, he’s found himself on the outside of Philadelphia’s daily lineup, despite mixed results. Zamula boasts a career stat line of 40 points in 157 games. He posted a career-high 21 points and plus-three in 66 games of the 2023-24 season, but fell to just 15 points and a minus-14 in 63 games last year. That dip in scoring could make him a relatively cheap acquisition, should Calgary swing a trade.