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Stars Sign Matt Dumba, Ilya Lyubushkin, Two Others

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The Stars are landing free-agent defenseman Matt Dumba, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports. He adds it’s a two-year deal worth $3.75MM per season. Dallas also announced they’ve inked enforcer Brendan Smith, who can play both defense and wing, to a one-year, $1MM deal. Additionally, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports they’ve signed defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to a two-year deal with a $3.25MM cap hit. They’re also bringing back non-tendered RFA Nils Lundkvist on a one-year, $1.25MM deal, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Dumba was a free agent for the second straight season after having to settle for a one-year deal last summer when multi-year offers weren’t to his liking.  Unfortunately for him, things didn’t go as planned in Arizona as instead of showing that he could return to his earlier offensive success, the 29-year-old was limited to just 10 points and 150 hits in 58 games before being moved to Tampa Bay at the trade deadline.  He had a more limited role with the Lightning, notching just two assists down the stretch before logging less than 16 minutes a night in their opening-round loss to Florida.

With that in mind, it’s interesting to see that Dumba had a strong enough market to land a similar price tag to last year with an extra year.  While his stock is seemingly down, Dumba has long been a capable top-four blueliner who can log some hard minutes.  He’ll be asked to do so with Dallas following the departure of Chris Tanev to Toronto.

As for Smith, the 35-year-old comes over after spending the last two years in New Jersey, playing more of a regular role after being a depth player in previous seasons.  He collected 15 points in 63 games last season while setting new career highs in blocks (101) and hits (117).  His versatility should come in handy although at first glance, it seems as if most of his playing time should come on the back end.

Lyubushkin will also be counted on to shore up the right side of the Stars’ back end.  The 30-year-old is a bit more limited in what he can provide compared to Dumba but he can kill penalties and play on the third pairing.  Last season, Lyubushkin had eight assists, 168 blocks, and 176 hits in 74 games between Anaheim and Toronto and will likely fill a similar role to the one Jani Hakanpaa held in recent years; Hakanpaa coincidentally landed with Toronto later in the day.

Lundqvist, meanwhile, was non-tendered by the Stars on Sunday, making his return a bit more of a surprise.  Things haven’t gone quite according to plan after Dallas parted with a first-round pick to get him from the Rangers.  The 23-year-old had 19 points in 59 games last season but barely averaged 14 minutes a game.  In the playoffs, he was a frequent scratch and logged less than five minutes a night when he was in the lineup.  However, he’ll get one more chance to prove his worth with this deal although he is still controllable for three more years through restricted free agency if they want to qualify him with arbitration rights next summer.

Metro Notes: Islanders, Dillon, Malenstyn, Smith

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Speaking with the General Manager of the New York Islanders Lou Lamoriello, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports that veteran forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin are expected to hit unrestricted free agency on Monday. Each player has spent more than a decade with the Islanders’ organization but the team appears headed for a different direction this summer.

Additionally, on the restricted free agent front, Gross relays that New York is prepared to qualify Oliver Wahlstrom but will also look to trade him this summer. As the 11th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft, Wahlstrom may still hold some value as a change-of-scenery candidate; however, the prospects of that don’t look promising after numerous disappointing seasons with the Islanders. Over five years at the professional level, Wahlstrom has suited up in 193 games for New York but has only mustered 34 goals and 67 points over that stretch.

Even if Clutterbuck and Martin make it to the free agent market on July 1st, there isn’t a guarantee that either will leave the Islanders organization. Lamoriello has a habit of keeping his contract negotiations very close to the vest throughout his career and may wait to see how things play out after the first day. However, if New York does not retain either player, they are almost guaranteed a fourth-line role wherever they end up.

Other Metro notes:

  • With the New Jersey Devils already expected to make a hard run at free-agent defenseman Brett Pesce over the next couple of days, there is another defenseman that the team will be monitoring. Regardless of the team’s negotiations with Pesce, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports the team is also prepared to extend an offer to Brenden Dillon. By moving out defenseman John Marino earlier today in a trade with the Utah Hockey Club, the Devils will have the roster spots and cap flexibility to bring both defensemen into the organization.
  • Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports that the Washington Capitals previously had zero intentions of moving forward Beck Malenstyn this summer but the Buffalo Sabres gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse. After scoring six goals and 21 points in 81 games for the Capitals this season in a middle-six role, the organization moved Malenstyn for the 43rd overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft. Washington used the pick to select defenseman Cole Hutson out of the US National Team Development Program after scoring 15 goals and 51 points in 51 games.
  • Back in New Jersey, the Devils will open up an additional spot on defense in the next few days as the organization is not expected to extend a contract offer to defenseman Brendan Smith (X Link). Smith has spent the last two years in the Garden State and recently concluded one of the more productive seasons of his career as he scored five goals and 15 points in 63 games while averaging 16:06 of ice time per night.

Devils Notes: Smith, Necas, Pesce

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James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now is reporting that New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith will likely become a free agent on July 1st. Nichols added that a different source of his told him that if Smith reaches free agency, it will be his choice and not the Devils. Smith was a trade candidate at the NHL trade deadline but ultimately stayed in New Jersey, however, when the season ended, Smith told the media that he hadn’t discussed a contract extension with the Devils.

The Devils have been busy as of late and are expected to make some major moves this summer, Smith has acknowledged that there is a pecking order to things, and it seems entirely possible that he is open to re-signing with the team. The 35-year-old has stated to the media that he loves New Jersey, but the most important thing to him is staying in the NHL.

In other Devils notes:

  • Frank Seravalli has linked the Devils to Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas saying that New Jersey may have offered their 10th overall picks in this year’s draft in an attempt to acquire the 25-year-old. At this point, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that Carolina is fielding a ton of offers for Necas, while simultaneously trying to sign pending unrestricted free agents such as Jake Guentzel. Necas had a solid, but unspectacular year with the Hurricanes, dressing in 77 games while posting 24 goals and 29 assists. He is a pending restricted free agent and is due a $3.5MM qualifying offer.
  • Rumors continue to fly about the Devils signing free-agent defenseman Brett Pesce. The chatter began when Elliotte Friedman of the 32 Thoughts podcast linked the two sides late last week. Devils’ general manager Tom Fitzgerald told The Jeff Marek Show that he was in the market for defensemen to add to his backend. Pesce is a defense-first rearguard who can play in a variety of roles, he posted a career-high 30 points in the 2022-23 season, but that dropped last year to just three goals and 10 assists in 70 games.

Devils Listening To Offers For Depth Defensemen

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The Devils are fielding offers for depth defenders Colin Miller and Brendan Smith, reports Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. While secondary targets for teams compared to top-six winger Tyler Toffoli, Miller and Smith have a fair amount of playoff experience and are pending UFAs.

Miller, 31, could be flipped for more than the Devils paid for him last summer. The Stars signed him to a two-year, $3.7MM contract in free agency in 2022, but a cap crunch in Dallas forced him out after one season. He headed to New Jersey in exchange for their 2025 fifth-round pick.

The veteran right-shot defenseman has posted four goals, four assists, and eight points in 41 games in 2023-24, adding a +10 rating and 55.3 CF% at even strength while averaging 15:55 per game. He’s been a positive possession player for every team he’s played for except for his three-year run with the Sabres, and he’s logged a 52 xGF% in New Jersey while spending most of his time as a more steady partner for rookie Luke Hughes.

A few contending teams are still looking for a depth defender. Miller could be a cheap solution for the Lightning, as Nicklaus Perbix and Darren Raddysh have struggled significantly to maintain possession when paired alongside Victor Hedman. After losing out to the Golden Knights for Noah Hanifin’s services, Miller could be a much more cost-effective solution for the Lightning’s most significant deficiency on paper. He carries a $1.85MM cap hit, which the Lightning could absorb without retention.

Smith’s value to playoff teams comes more from his willingness to hit and drop the gloves than his possession-control ability. The 35-year-old can play defense and wing and has had minimal offensive contributions this season, recording three goals and six assists for nine points in 44 games with a 14:34 ATOI. He was once a reasonably successful possession player during his prime on the Red Wings blue line in the early 2010s, but those days are behind him – he has just a 49.5 CF% at even strength this year, -5.5% worse than the Devils’ overall CF% without Smith on the ice.

Enforcers remain desirable assets for contenders at the deadline regardless of their possession impacts, though, as evidenced by the Avalanche picking up fourth-line grinder Brandon Duhaime for a 2026 third-round pick from the Wild yesterday. Smith could realistically fetch a fourth or fifth-round pick, as his age makes him a less desirable asset. He and Duhaime have identical $1.1MM cap hits and are pending UFAs.

It will be an active day for the Devils on all fronts, as they remain in pursuit of long-term goaltending help and have reportedly inquired about multiple high-profile targets, including the Flames’ Jacob Markström, the Bruins’ Linus Ullmark, and the Predators’ Juuse Saros. Toffoli could also very well be on the move with extension talks stalled.

Devils Notes: Markström, Merzļikins, Smith, Hatakka

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Reporting in recent days from both Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli has illustrated just how close the Devils were to acquiring goaltender Jacob Markström from the Flames in a pre-deadline blockbuster. Speaking on Monday’s episode of the “32 Thoughts” podcast, Friedman said the teams were close in principle on a trade but could not reconcile with each other on the financial aspect of the deal. The Devils remained firm on Calgary retaining some of Markström’s $6MM cap hit – something first-year GM Craig Conroy isn’t willing to do over the remaining three seasons of Markström’s deal.

Seravalli added Tuesday that discussions were serious enough to “get to [Markström]’s level to approve it,” a necessary step since he boasts a no-movement clause in his contract. With the two parties at an impasse that Seravalli thinks “probably” can’t be revisited, New Jersey GM Tom Fitzgerald will likely look elsewhere to upgrade his goaltending with 23 days until the trade deadline.

As the Devils look for a cheaper option, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes said Tuesday that they’ve had interest in Blue Jackets starter Elvis Merzļikins. It’s not a gigantic discount, though, as Merzļikins’ $5.4MM cap hit is only $600K less than Markström’s and runs through 2027. The 29-year-old Latvian has had an underrated bounce-back season, posting a .904 SV% and 1.3 goals saved above expected in 29 games, per MoneyPuck. While he and Markström both have inconsistent track records over a five-year sample, the latter’s peaks have been much higher – Markström’s 18.4 goals saved above expected this season have him on track for a third top-five Vezina Trophy voting finish in the last five years.

Still, either would be a massive upgrade on what Vítek Vaněček has done for them this season. His -11.1 goals saved above expected are second-worst in the league and the worst among starters for prospective playoff teams. Only Ottawa’s Joonas Korpisalo has performed worse overall relative to shot quality, saving -11.9 goals above expected. The Devils, who are 5-4-1 in their past ten games, are now at full health for the first time in weeks and sit two points back of the Red Wings for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, a gap that can easily be closed with improved play between the pipes.

In much lower-stakes news, the Devils assigned defenseman Santeri Hatakka to AHL Utica on Tuesday to make room for veteran Brendan Smith, who was activated off injured reserve and returned to the lineup in yesterday’s 4-2 win over the Predators. Hatakka, 23, had shown promising results with two assists and a +7 rating in seven showings but was a casualty of roster management as he did not require waivers to head to the minors. A pending RFA upon completion of his entry-level contract, the 2019 sixth-round pick of the Sharks will remain near the top of New Jersey’s list for blue-line call-ups for the rest of the season.

Smith, 35, made his return after missing 10 games with a knee sprain. The pending UFA had three shots on goal in 17:27 of ice time against Nashville, his 35th game of the season. The 6-foot-2 enforcer has averaged 14:30 per game this year while flipping between defense and wing, recording a goal and five points with a +2 rating.

East Notes: Richard, Lajoie, Smith, Vaněček, Foerster

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The Bruins reassigned winger Anthony Richard to AHL Providence on Monday, per CapFriendly. Richard, 27, was summoned from the minors on Thursday and made his Boston debut in Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Capitals, recording one shot on goal in 10:38 of ice time.

Bruins GM Don Sweeney will likely make a corresponding recall ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Lightning, whether it’s bringing up Richard again or someone else. After sending Richard down, the Bruins are carrying 13 forwards on the NHL roster, but only 12 of them are healthy. Rookie Matthew Poitras remains on the roster despite requiring season-ending shoulder surgery, meaning he’ll end up on long-term injured reserve at some point, but they remain without an extra forward to insert into the lineup if a game-day injury strikes or if head coach Jim Montgomery wants to tinker with his personnel.

Despite being undersized, Richard has leveraged his speed to be a point-per-game producer in the AHL over the past two seasons. He has 49 goals and 105 points in 101 games since the beginning of 2022-23 and has posted 19 goals and 38 points in 41 games for Providence. After spending last season in the Canadiens organization and playing a career-high 13 NHL games as a result of his strong production with their AHL affiliate in Laval, Richard earned a relatively lucrative one-year, two-way deal from the Bruins in free agency that guarantees him $475K in salary.

Drafted 100th overall in the 2015 draft by the Predators, Richard is in his eighth season of professional hockey after wrapping up his junior career with the QMJHL’s Val-d’Or Foreurs, during which he won a league championship in 2014. He will be a UFA this summer upon the expiration of his contract.

Other morning updates from the Eastern Conference:

  • The Maple Leafs returned left defenseman Maxime Lajoie to AHL Toronto from his emergency loan on Monday, according to CapFriendly. Lajoie was rostered for Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Senators but was a healthy scratch, as he has been eight other times this season for Toronto. The 26-year-old was brought up in case all three Maple Leafs defensemen who were questionable for Saturday’s loss were unable to play, but only Mark Giordano and Conor Timmins were ruled out of the contest due to a lower-body injury and an illness, respectively. Lajoie has averaged 9:31 per game in his four showings with Toronto this year and has two goals, 15 assists, 17 points, and a +5 rating in 31 AHL games. The 2016 Ottawa draft pick is in his first season with the Maple Leafs after signing a one-year, two-way deal worth $775K in the NHL and $450K in the AHL in free agency.
  • Devils defenseman/left wing Brendan Smith participated in their morning skate on Monday but won’t return from a knee sprain tonight against the Kraken, Amanda Stein of the Devils’ official site reports. His return to the lineup seems imminent, however, and New Jersey will have an open roster spot to activate him from injured reserve after left wing Max Willman clears waivers or is claimed later today. He has not been ruled out of Tuesday’s game against the Predators. The 35-year-old has been out for nearly a month, sustaining the injury in the first period of a Jan. 15 game against Boston. He has one goal and five points in 34 games, averaging 14:25 per game with average possession metrics. The 2007 first-round pick will be a UFA this summer upon completion of his two-year, $2.2MM contract signed in free agency in 2022.
  • One Devil absent from practice is goaltender Vítek Vaněček, who Stein says is dealing with both an illness and a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old has started New Jersey’s four games and has seen a rare hot streak in an otherwise poor season, recording a 1-2-1 record and .914 SV%. If he’s not healthy enough to back up presumptive starter Nico Daws tonight, the Devils will summon farmhands Akira Schmid or Erik Källgren on an emergency basis.
  • Flyers forward Tyson Foerster is doubtful for Monday’s game against the Coyotes with an undisclosed injury, head coach John Tortorella said (via The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz). Foerster, 22, was absent from this morning’s practice. The rookie has played in 52 consecutive games after being scratched for the season opener, recording ten goals and 21 points while averaging nearly 17 minutes per game and cementing himself in the team’s top nine. Their 2020 first-round pick has also controlled possession well with a 53.7% Corsi share at even strength, third on the team behind Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny.

Injury Notes: Tinordi, Kapanen, Smith

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Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi has a lower-body injury and will be a game-time decision against the Rangers on Friday, head coach Luke Richardson said Friday (via Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago). 22-year-old rookie Louis Crevier will make his first appearance since Chicago recalled him from AHL Rockford on Wednesday if Tinordi can’t play, Richardson said.

Tinordi, 31, last played with 6:53 remaining in Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to the Wild. He did not take the ice for his defensive partner Isaak Phillips’ final two shifts.

The physical depth blue-liner has played in 30 of Chicago’s 51 games this season, recording six assists and a -19 rating while averaging 15:44 per game. A first-round pick of the Canadiens in 2010, Tinordi has worked his way into a stable NHL job with the rebuilding Blackhawks after they claimed him off waivers from the Rangers at the beginning of the 2022-23 season.

His value to Chicago comes in the form of pro experience and leadership, however – not so much from his on-ice performance. Tinordi’s 38.7% Corsi share at even strength is the worst among qualified Blackhawks skaters, although that figure is no doubt exacerbated by his sparingly low usage in the offensive zone.

Crevier hasn’t been much of an upgrade in his first 15 NHL showings. The 2020 seventh-round pick has similar offensive and possession numbers to Tinordi in nearly the same usage.

The 6-foot-6, 229-pound Tinordi will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He signed a one-year, $1.25MM extension to remain with Chicago last April after playing a career-high 44 games that season.

Other minor injury updates from around the league to close out the week:

  • Blues winger Kasperi Kapanen is ready to return from a lower-body injury ahead of Saturday’s game against the Sabres, interim head coach Drew Bannister said (via Lou Korac of NHL.com). Kapanen, 27, missed seven games with a lower-body injury sustained on Jan. 15 against the Flyers. St. Louis has an open roster spot and won’t need to make a corresponding transaction to take Kapanen off injured reserve. Despite scoring only four times in 42 games this season, he’s projected to return in a top-six role alongside Jake Neighbours and Brayden Schenn. Now in the second year of a two-year, $6.4MM contract ($3.2MM cap hit), the 2014 first-round pick has 12 goals and 27 points in 65 games with the Blues after they claimed him off waivers from the Penguins in February 2023.
  • Devils defenseman Brendan Smith will remain out on Saturday against the Hurricanes with a knee sprain, head coach Lindy Ruff said (via Amanda Stein of the Devils’ official site). The 35-year-old has been upgraded to day-to-day after landing on injured reserve over three weeks ago, however, and could be an option as soon as Monday against the Kraken. A depth free-agent add in the summer of 2022, Smith has logged time on both defense and left wing this season while occupying a veteran enforcer role. Signed to a contract with a $1.1MM cap hit that expires this summer, he’s posted a goal and four assists in 34 games while averaging 14:25 per contest. AHL call-up Santeri Hatakka has been serviceable in Smith’s absence, posting an assist and a +6 rating while shouldering bottom-pairing minutes in five games.

Devils Place Brendan Smith On Injured Reserve

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The Devils have placed defenseman Brendan Smith on injured reserve with a sprained right knee retroactive to Jan. 15. In a corresponding transaction, the team recalled defenseman Santeri Hatakka from AHL Utica.

Smith, 34, left Monday’s game against the Bruins early in the first period after a collision with Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and did not return. He did not play in yesterday’s 3-2 loss to the Canadiens.

New Jersey has a packed schedule in the coming days, with games on Friday (vs. the Blue Jackets), Saturday (vs. the Stars), and Monday (vs. the Golden Knights). Placing Smith on IR rules him out of those three games. The soonest he is eligible to return is on Thursday, Jan. 25, against the Hurricanes, one of his three former teams.

The veteran pot-stirrer has filled in at both defense and forward this season, depending on which position has been more affected by injuries. Smith joins forwards Nolan Foote and Tomáš Nosek, as well as top-four defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler, on IR/LTIR, while forwards Jack Hughes and Ondřej Palát remain sidelined with injuries but are on the active roster.

At this stage in his career, Smith’s impact is most felt between the whistles. He’s posted 1-4–5 in 34 games this season after not scoring a goal in 2022-23, logging 47 PIMs while averaging 14:25 per game. He’s avoided liability status in terms of possession metrics, though, with a Corsi share of 50.4% at even strength and an expected +0.4 rating.

In Smith’s absence, 25-year-old Callan Foote made his second appearance of the season against the Canadiens yesterday. The Devils had no healthy extras rostered, necessitating Hatakka’s recall.

The 23-year-old Hatakka arrived in the Devils organization by way of San Jose in the February 2023 Timo Meier trade. A sixth-round pick of the Sharks in 2019, Hatakka has not played in the NHL since April 17, 2022.

He spent most of last season injured, only logging eight games with AHL San Jose in October and November of 2022. Now healthy, he’s picked up a regular role with Utica, where he’s posted 2-7–9 in 28 games with a -4 rating. This is his first recall since joining the Devils, and potentially an important one for his next contract as he’s in the final year of his entry-level deal.

Metro Notes: Jenner, Smith, Frasca

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Some good news came to the Columbus Blue Jackets this afternoon by way of Aaron Portzline of The Athletic who is reporting that captain Boone Jenner will be making his return to the lineup on Friday night. One of the better offensive players on the Blue Jackets’ roster, Jenner has been out since December 8th with a broken jaw.

It will be a major reinforcement for Columbus, a team that has seen injuries to other major players such as Patrik Laine and Zach Werenski for much of the season. The reintroduction of Jenner onto the roster will bring a player who has scored 13 goals in 28 games already for the Blue Jackets this season, still good for second on the team in goal-scoring even after being out for over a month.

If Columbus continues to fall in the standings, Jenner could become one of the more intriguing trade deadline options for many competitive teams. Signed for two more years beyond this one, the Blue Jackets shouldn’t feel rushed to move their captain, but his ability to play on both sides of the puck, his relatively cheap contract and his obvious leadership ability could be coveted by a plethora of teams come March.

Other notes:

  • Another team in the Metropolitan Division that has dealt with several injuries this year would be none other than the New Jersey Devils. Earlier today, the team was dealt more unfortunate news, as team reporter Amanda Stein reported that defenseman Brendan Smith is out with a sprained knee. As of now, the timeline for Smith is unclear, but the team will likely utilize recently recalled Callan Foote to serve in Smith’s stead.
  • In a minor league transaction, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins announced that their NHL affiliate, the Pittsburgh Penguins, had reassigned forward Jordan Frasca back to the organization’s ECHL affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers. Frasca went scoreless in his three-game stint in Wilkes-Barre but has already scored nine goals and 24 points in 25 games for the Nailers this season.

Brendan Smith And Austin Watson Fined By DOPS

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The NHL’s Department of Player Safety had a busy day today levying two fines to two different players. New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Austin Watson will be both lighter in the wallet after the official announcements this afternoon.

Smith was fined for a dangerous trip in last night’s game against the Seattle Kraken. The incident occurred midway through the third period when Smith tripped Kraken center Devin Shore, which led to a minor penalty. Smith’s fine is the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement and will cost him $2,864.58. Smith’s fine comes just a week after he was suspended two games for slashing Philadelphia forward Travis Konecny.

Meanwhile, Watson was fined for an incident that occurred at the end of regulation in a game against the Nashville Predators. Watson fired a puck at Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and was quickly assessed a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10-minute misconduct. The penalties had little consequence for Watson as the game was over at that point, however, they did initiate a brawl on the ice. Watson will face a fine of $2,022.57 which is the maximum allowed under the CBA. Lauzon appeared injured on the play and struggled to get off the ice as he slammed his stick in frustration, no word yet on his status.

The money from both players’ fines will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

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