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Boris Katchouk

Wild Acquire Boris Katchouk

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The Wild announced they’ve acquired left winger Boris Katchouk from the Lightning in exchange for fellow lefty Michael Milne. Both players were on minor-league assignments and will report to their new affiliates in AHL Iowa and Syracuse, respectively.

While the trade is a relatively routine one-for-one swap of minor-league forwards, there’s an unusual gap between where Katchouk and Milne are in their development. At 27, Katchouk is a higher-floor, lower-ceiling call-up option for a Minnesota squad that’s struggled to field a competitive farm team in Iowa for the past several seasons.

Katchouk was a second-round pick by Tampa back in 2016 and bounced around quite a bit before returning to the Bolts on a two-way deal last offseason. He was coming off a 21-goal, 49-point resurgence in 67 games for AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton while on a minor-league deal.

So far, those numbers haven’t carried over into Katchouk’s second stint in the Lightning organization. He’s been limited to four goals and 10 points in 21 games with Syracuse, tied only for 10th on the team in scoring.

Katchouk did get a brief recall earlier this season, making three appearances for Tampa in November, his first NHL action since 2023-24 with the Blackhawks and Senators. He posted zeros across the board, going 7-for-19 (36.8%) on faceoffs as the Bolts opted to deploy the natural winger down the middle.

The 6’2″, 212-lb Katchouk has 15 goals, 21 assists, 36 points, and a -23 rating in 179 career NHL appearances for Tampa, Chicago, and Ottawa. That’s 178 more than what Milne has. The 23-year-old was a third-round selection by Minnesota in 2022.

The Bolts thus net a potential higher-upside piece but one without the experience of slotting in as a bottom-six piece if needed, like Katchouk. Milne’s lone NHL game came last season on Nov. 16, 2024, against the Stars, recording three hits in 6:34 of ice time.

He didn’t get his season underway in Iowa until the beginning of November due to an undisclosed injury. Since returning, he’s managed five points and a -11 rating in 15 games.

A couple of years ago, it looked like the British Columbia native might be able to pan out as a bottom-six energy piece in Minnesota. A good skater with great endurance, he scored 21 points in just 40 games for Iowa in 2023-24 but hasn’t been able to recapture that offensive pace ever since.

The Lightning now take a flyer on him, parting ways with a familiar replacement piece to do so. There’s no impact on either team’s cap or roster situation since they were both in the minors at the time of the swap. Milne’s minor-league salary is $100K, and he’ll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at the end of the season. Katchouk is owed a $250K AHL salary with a $350K guarantee and will be an unrestricted free agent in July.

Lightning Reassign Boris Katchouk

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The Lightning announced they’ve reassigned winger Boris Katchouk to AHL Syracuse. They now have two open roster spots, leaving the option for multiple IR activations ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Devils.

Katchouk was recalled last Wednesday in the wake of injuries to depth forwards Pontus Holmberg and Dominic James. It marked the 27-year-old’s first time on an NHL roster since April 2024. The second-round pick of the Lightning in 2016 spent last year on a minor-league contract with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after being non-tendered by the Senators the previous offseason.

The Ontario native returned to the Bolts for his second stint in Tampa over the summer on a two-way deal and cleared waivers during training camp. After the 6’2″ grinder had 21 goals and 49 points in 67 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last year, he got off to a similarly strong start in Syracuse with four goals and nine points through his first 12 games.

With Holmberg, James, and Anthony Cirelli all unavailable for each of the Bolts’ last three games (in addition to the LTIR-bound Nick Paul), Katchouk was never scratched and played each game of his call-up. He didn’t make much of an impact, though. He was held without a point and managed just one shot attempt despite averaging over 12 minutes of ice time per game. Tampa’s injuries forced him to slot in down the middle instead of on the wing, though, a potential explanation for why he looked so overmatched offensively. He went 36.8% in the dot on 19 attempts and recorded five hits.

Katchouk’s recall burned three games and five days off his temporary waiver exemption. After passing through them unscathed in October, Katchouk can remain on the Lightning’s roster for 25 more days or play seven more games until he needs them again to head back to Syracuse.

Lightning Recall Boris Katchouk, Scott Sabourin

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The Lightning announced they’ve recalled wingers Boris Katchouk and Scott Sabourin from AHL Syracuse. They’re the corresponding transactions for yesterday’s injured reserve placements of Dominic James and Ryan McDonagh, bringing their active roster count back to 23.

At least one of them will draw into the lineup tonight against the Rangers. Tampa Bay’s list of injuries entering the matchup is lengthy. Not only are they without James and McDonagh, but Victor Hedman and Pontus Holmberg both sustained undisclosed injuries against the Capitals on Saturday and remain day-to-day.

The recall marks Katchouk’s first stint on an NHL roster since the 2023-24 season. The 27-year-old was a second-round pick by the Lightning in 2017 and began his second stint with the organization by signing a two-way deal over the summer. He did not have an NHL contract last season. After being released from a professional tryout with the Ducks, Katchouk landed with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a minor-league deal. The 6’2″ grinder racked up 21 goals and 49 points in 67 appearances in his first extended taste of AHL hockey since the 2020-21 season in his first go-around with Tampa. Katchouk is off to a good start this season in his familiar stomping grounds in Syracuse, rattling off four goals and five assists for nine points through 12 games.

Between his extended minor-league stints, Katchouk was a regular NHLer between 2021-22 and 2023-24. He broke into the league with Tampa but was traded to the Blackhawks during his rookie season in the Brandon Hagel deal. Katchouk remained in Chicago until being claimed off waivers by the Senators, who didn’t issue him a qualifying offer, late in 2023-24. In 176 appearances, Katchouk had a 15-21–36 scoring line with a -23 rating while averaging 11:09 per game, controlling 47.6% of shot attempts at even strength.

Sabourin’s recall is his fourth of the young season, although he hasn’t yet played for the Bolts. The club has brought him up when roster space allows so that he can serve a four-game suspension he was issued for roughing Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad in a preseason game. With that suspension now satisfied, he is eligible to play tonight. The 33-year-old enforcer has notched three goals and five points with 13 penalty minutes in 11 games for Syracuse thus far. It’s his first year in the Lightning organization after signing a two-way deal over the summer.

Katchouk can remain on the roster for up to 30 days or play 10 games until he needs waivers to return to Syracuse. Since Sabourin has already been on the active roster for four days, his waiver-exempt clock is down to 26.

Minor Transactions: 10/4/25

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With the preseason wrapping up today, some teams will be recalling players they’ve already cut to give them one more game or they will be returning players recently brought up for that purpose.  We’ll keep track of those moves here along with any other minor transactions.

Waivers: 10/1/25

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With less than a week to go until the regular season, waiver season is in full swing. According to PuckPedia, the largest waiver placement of the preseason has taken place:

Boston Bruins

D Billy Sweezey

Colorado Avalanche

D Wyatt Aamodt
F Daniil Gushchin

Detroit Red Wings

F Sheldon Dries
D William Lagesson
F John Leonard
D Ian Mitchell
F Dominik Shine
F Austin Watson

Florida Panthers

F MacKenzie Entwistle
F Nolan Foote
F Wilmer Skoog

Los Angeles Kings

D Samuel Bolduc
F Logan Brown
F Martin Chromiak
G Pheonix Copley
F Glenn Gawdin
F Cole Guttman
D Joe Hicketts
F Andre Lee
F Akil Thomas
F Taylor Ward

Nashville Predators

D Andreas Englund

Philadelphia Flyers

F Lane Pederson

San Jose Sharks

F Patrick Giles

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Nicholas Abruzzese
F Boris Katchouk
F Jakob Pelletier

Utah Mammoth

G Jaxson Stauber

Washington Capitals

D Louis Belpedio
F Graeme Clarke
F Henrik Rybinski
F Bogdan Trineyev

Winnipeg Jets

F Jaret Anderson-Dolan
D Kale Clague
F Samuel Fagemo

Two-Way Deals: 7/1/25

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As major signings come in around the NHL today with the 2025-26 league year beginning, teams are shoring up their minor-league depth as well by signing players to two-way contracts. We’re keeping track of those signings today in this article, which will be continuously updated. Deals are one year unless otherwise noted.

Boston Bruins

F Riley Tufte ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
D Jonathan Aspirot ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
G Luke Cavallin ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub

Buffalo Sabres

F Riley Fiddler-Schultz ($865K NHL/$90K SB/$35K PB/$85K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years, entry-level
F Carson Meyer ($775K NHL/$350K AHL Y1 – $375K AHL Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
D Mason Geertsen ($775K NHL/$425K AHL) – Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet // two years
D Zachary Jones ($900K NHL/$550K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Zach Metsa ($775K NHL/$250K AHL/$325K gt’d) – PuckPedia

Calgary Flames

D Nick Cicek ($775K NHL) – team release

Carolina Hurricanes

G Amir Miftakhov ($775K NHL/$100K AHL/$240K gt’d) – PuckPedia

Chicago Blackhawks

F Dominic Toninato ($850K NHL) – team release // two years

Colorado Avalanche

F T.J. Tynan (unknown) – team release
D Jack Ahcan (unknown) – team release
D Ronald Attard ($775K NHL/$450K AHL/$500K gt’d) – PuckPedia

Columbus Blue Jackets

F Owen Sillinger (unknown) – team release
D Christian Jaros (unknown) – team release

Dallas Stars

D Niilopekka Muhonen (unknown) – team release // three years, entry-level

Edmonton Oilers

D Riley Stillman ($775K NHL/$475K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
G Matt Tomkins ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$450 Y2 gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years

Florida Panthers

F Nolan Foote ($775K NHL/$150K AHL/$250K gt’d) – PuckPedia
F Jack Studnicka ($775K NHL/$450K AHL) – Chris Johnston of TSN/The Athletic
G Brandon Bussi ($775K NHL/$400K AHL) – PuckPedia
G Kirill Gerasimyuk (unknown) – team release // two years, entry-level

Los Angeles Kings

F Cole Guttman ($775K NHL/$450K Y1 – $475K Y2 AHL/$475K gt’d Y1 – $500K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years

Minnesota Wild

F Tyler Pitlick ($775K NHL/$300K Y1 – $350K Y2 AHL/$325K gt’d Y1 – $375K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
D Ben Gleason ($800K NHL/$475K AHL) – PuckPedia

Montreal Canadiens

F Alex Belzile (unknown) – team release
D Nathan Clurman ($775K NHL/$125K AHL/$140K gt’d) – PuckPedia

New Jersey Devils

D Calen Addison ($775K NHL/$325K AHL/$400K gt’d) – PuckPedia
F Angus Crookshank ($775K NHL/$425K AHL/$475K gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years, one-way in 2026-27

New York Islanders

F Matthew Highmore (unknown) – team release
D Ethan Bear ($775K NHL/$325K AHL/$425K gt’d) – PuckPedia
D Cole McWard (unknown) – team release

New York Rangers

D Derrick Pouliot ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$425K gt’d Y1 – $450K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years

Ottawa Senators

F Wyatt Bongiovanni ($775K NHL/$160K AHL) – PuckPedia
F Olle Lycksell ($775K NHL/$450K AHL/$500K gt’d) – Darren Dreger of TSN

Philadelphia Flyers

F Lane Pederson ($775K NHL/$525K AHL) – PuckPedia

San Jose Sharks

F Jimmy Huntington (unknown) – team release
F Samuel Laberge (unknown) – team release
F Colin White ($775K NHL/$425K AHL/$475K gt’d) – PuckPedia
D Cole Clayton (unknown) – team release

St. Louis Blues

F Matt Luff ($775K NHL/$400K AHL) – PuckPedia

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Nicholas Abruzzese (unknown) – team release
F Tristan Allard (unknown) – team release // two years, entry-level
F Boris Katchouk (unknown) – team release
D Simon Lundmark ($775K NHL/$250K AHL/$350K gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years
G Ryan Fanti ($775K NHL/$80K AHL) – PuckPedia

Utah Mammoth

F Kailer Yamamoto ($775K NHL/$500K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Scott Perunovich ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$500K gt’d) – PuckPedia

Vancouver Canucks

F Joseph LaBate ($775K NHL/$350K AHL) – PuckPedia
F Mackenzie MacEachern ($775K NHL/$575K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
D Jimmy Schuldt ($775K NHL/$500K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years

Winnipeg Jets

F Phillip Di Giuseppe ($775K NHL/$450K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Kale Clague (unknown) – Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet

Evening Notes: Boqvist, Katchouk, Megna

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The Florida Panthers have announced that defenseman Adam Boqvist will not return to tonight’s game due to injury after he was hit in the face by a clearing attempt in the first period. The 24-year-old signed a one-year two-way deal with the Panthers on July 9th after he was bought out of his contract by the Columbus Blue Jackets at the end of June.

Boqvist was hoping to rebuild his value with the Panthers after he struggled with health and consistency during his first five NHL seasons. The eighth overall pick in 2018 was a central part of the Seth Jones trade to Chicago in 2021 but has never been able to play more than 52 games in an NHL season. Boqvist’s ailment will likely remind people of his long injury history, but there is no news yet on his status going forward.

In other evening notes:

  • The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed forward Boris Katchouk to an American Hockey League contract for the upcoming season. The former second-round pick spent the majority of last season in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators and Chicago Blackhawks, posting seven goals and six assists in 59 NHL games. The 26-year-old has played 176 NHL games over the past three seasons but will have to battle his way back to the NHL after he was unable to secure an NHL contract this summer.
  • The Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League have announced that their captain for the upcoming season will be veteran forward Jayson Megna. The 34-year-old has spent parts of 10 seasons in the NHL but played in just one NHL game last year with the Boston Bruins. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native is very familiar with the Eagles having spent four seasons in the organization, shuttling back and forth between the Eagles and the Colorado Avalanche.

Anaheim Ducks To Sign Three Players To PTOs

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Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports the Anaheim Ducks are bringing in Mark Pysyk, Boris Katchouk, and Gustav Lindstrom on professional tryout agreements. The Ducks will surely rely more on their youth this season but all three players could serve as reasonable depth if some prospects aren’t adjusting well.

Katchouk is only a few years removed from being a top prospect in his own right with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Katchouk scored 11 goals and 34 points in 29 games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch during the 2020-21 season which caused many to believe he may become a middle-six fixture in Tampa for years to come. Unfortunately, his inconsistent ice time led to inconsistent play and the Lightning moved Katchouk to the Chicago Blackhawks in a package for Brandon Hagel.

He played much better with Chicago when more playing time came his way with five goals and 16 points in 58 games during the 2022-23 season but poor play last year ran out the clock with the Blackhawks. The team waived Katchouk near the trade deadline last year and he was eventually claimed by the Ottawa Senators where he scored two goals and four points in 21 games down the stretch.

The Ducks will also bring in a pair of right-handed shot defensemen one of which has spent a decent amount of time with the team already. Anaheim claimed Lindstrom in mid-January of last season away from the Montreal Canadiens and he played rather well for the team down the stretch. He only tallied six assists in 32 games but limited his turnovers and achieved a +12 rating by season’s end placing him second on the team, respectively.

Pysyk is arguably the most interesting addition due to having played in an NHL contest since the 2021-22 season. He signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings before the 2022-23 NHL season but a tear of his Achilles tendon cost him the year. He went unsigned from his PTO with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year but eventually landed with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He went scoreless in eight games for the AHL Penguins but eventually found a more consistent home with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers on a two-way contract with the Calgary Flames.

None of the three players are guaranteed contracts heading into the 2024-25 season but it seems like a prudent move for the Ducks to get a look at some talent for the AHL level. The team is in a position to graduate several prospects this year and could use some more depth in case they can’t find consistency in the early stages of their NHL careers.

Tony DeAngelo, Seven Others Placed On Waivers

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March 8: Katchouk is heading from the Blackhawks to the Senators, Lagesson is going from the Maple Leafs to the Ducks, and Björnfot is going from the Golden Knights to the Panthers. The five other players on waivers yesterday cleared.

March 7: Eight players, including Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo, were placed on waivers Thursday, per Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. The full list is as follows:

Calgary Flames
D Jordan Oesterle

Carolina Hurricanes
D Tony DeAngelo
F Brendan Lemieux
G Antti Raanta

Chicago Blackhawks
F Boris Katchouk

Florida Panthers
G Evan Cormier

Toronto Maple Leafs
D William Lagesson

Vegas Golden Knights
D Tobias Björnfot

Of note, players who are assigned to the minors after clearing waivers tomorrow will be eligible to play in the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs. Players must be on loan to the AHL at the time of the trade deadline to be cleared to play in postseason action.

The Hurricanes’ trio of waived players is purely for roster flexibility ahead of tomorrow’s trade deadline, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic says. It’s unclear if any of the three players will be assigned to AHL clubs if they pass through unclaimed. The Hurricanes are the only NHL team without a dedicated AHL affiliate.

Raanta, a pending UFA with a $1.5MM cap hit, has a decent chance at being claimed by a team looking to add a backup netminder for free by tomorrow afternoon. That could very well include the Flyers, who have struggled to find consistency in the crease outside of breakout starter Samuel Ersson. Raanta has struggled this season with a .872 SV% and 2.99 GAA behind a stout Hurricanes defense, but he’s now posted a SV% above .900 in each of his last three appearances and could be on the upswing at just the right time. With Frederik Andersen returning to health after a months-long absence and both Pyotr Kochetkov and Spencer Martin playing well, Raanta appears unlikely to be back with Carolina this season regardless of whether he gets claimed.

Oesterle will likely head to the minors after being pushed down the Flames’ defensive depth chart. The club has brought in Joel Hanley off waivers and Daniil Miromanov via trade from the Golden Knights this week, eliminating the need for Oesterle as a depth option on the roster for now. The 31-year-old has two assists and a -6 rating in 22 games.

Assigning Katchouk to AHL Rockford will allow Chicago to clear a necessary roster spot ahead of Saturday’s game against the Capitals. Both Andreas Athanasiou and Nikita Zaitsev are expected to play, per Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, and will need to come off injured reserve to do so. The Blackhawks only have one open roster spot, so one more needed to be cleared.

Cormier was not signed to an NHL contract, so the Panthers inked him to a one-year, two-way deal ($775K NHL/$75K AHL) for the remainder of the season before waiving him, per PuckPedia. The 26-year-old has a .868 SV% and 1-2-2 record in five games for AHL Charlotte this season and a .910 SV% and 8-5-3 record in 18 games for ECHL Florida. By signing him to an NHL contract, he’ll be eligible to be on the Panthers’ roster in the postseason as added goaltending insurance if necessary.

Toronto’s waiving of Lagesson was reported earlier Thursday. He’s been designated non-roster while on the waiver wire, creating the necessary roster space for Joel Edmundson, who was acquired from the Capitals today. He’s dressed in 30 games for the Leafs, notching four assists and a +5 rating while averaging 14:31 per game.

Meanwhile, Björnfot, a 2019 first-round pick of the Kings, lands on waivers for the second time this season. Vegas claimed him off waivers from Los Angeles in January, but he played in just two games for them while battling injuries, posting a -2 rating while averaging 14:01 per game. Assigning him to AHL Henderson would create an open roster spot ahead of tomorrow’s trade deadline, allowing the Golden Knights to make a potential third acquisition after bringing in Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha.

Senators Claim Boris Katchouk Off Waivers

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The Ottawa Senators have claimed forward Boris Katchouk off of waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks. Katchouk has been with the Hawks for the last three seasons, totaling 117 games and 26 points with the club.

Katchouk has largely served in a full-time NHL role since making his debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021-22, playing in just nine AHL games since. That includes six games with the Rockford IceHogs this season, where Katchouk has scored three goals and five points. But while he’s stayed on an NHL roster, his role hasn’t grown much – with Katchouk regularly rotating into the lineup as a depth winger. He’s totaled 155 career games over the last three seasons, averaging just under 11-and-a-half minutes each game and scoring a total of 32 points.

Katchouk will now join a Senators lineup that recently traded winger Vladimir Tarasenko, forcing them to rely on call-up Jiri Smejkal to fill their fourth line. Smejkal has managed just one assist in 10 games this season, adding 19 points in 39 AHL games. It’s his first year in North America, after spending the last seven years touring across Europe’s top leagues, playing in the KHL, Czechia Extraliga, Liiga, and SHL. He’s proven productive in every league, though he hasn’t yet found his scoring groove in Canada. Some healthy competition could be exactly what he needs, now battling with an experienced depth forward in Katchouk.

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