Evening Notes: Dickinson, Catton, O’Reilly, Maple Leafs
The Team Canada World Juniors roster appears set, with two final dominos falling: San Jose will not loan defenseman Sam Dickinson, per Frank Seravalli, and Seattle won’t loan forward Berkly Catton either, also noted by Seravalli.
Dickinson was a real candidate, as he would have brought key experience to Team Canada’s back end, as the only returning defenseman on the team. The 19-year-old has the distinction of being the only d-man under 20 to not be loaned out, other than Matthew Schaefer, which is to no surprise. Dickinson has not made quite the same impact as last summer’s first overall pick, as he has just three points in 27 games. Although helping lead Team Canada in a push for gold for a final time could have been a breath of fresh air for the exciting two-way defender, San Jose opts to hold onto Dickinson and not lose a true lineup contributor who continues to develop.
Similar to Dickinson, Catton has not exactly had a Schaefer-like impact yet either, with five points in 21 games, all assists. However, as emphasized by Seravalli, Catton is set to return from injury soon, and with Mason Marchment traded to Columbus, he will have a larger role on the Kraken once healthy, enough to keep the skilled forward from a Team Canada return.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Despite rumblings, Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly is not open to being moved at this time, as shared by Pierre LeBrun in an article for The Athletic. The respected veteran center is a pending free agent on an affordable ($4.5MM) contract, so naturally the appeal is there. However, although he has no such trade protection, O’Reilly and Nashville have a mutual agreement to treat it as if so, and for now, the 34-year-old will stay put. O’Reilly has 28 points in 34 games, continuing to play at a high level on both ends. However, GM Barry Trotz brought him in prior to 2023-24, when the Predators appeared firmly in a rebuild, before their attempted revival. Therefore, while on paper it would be wise to bring in a haul, O’Reilly’s impact in the locker room was always a major focus. Things could be revisited closer to the Trade Deadline, but O’Reilly simply playing out the deal is a real possibility, especially as the Ontario native has already won a Stanley Cup.
- Ahead of tonight’s game, Maple Leafs Head Coach Craig Berube told reporters, including David Alter of The Hockey News, that Easton Cowan and Calle Jarnkrok would be scratched, while Max Domi and Steven Lorentz entered the lineup in Dallas. Cowan’s designation comes as a bit of a surprise as he was in the starting lineup on the first line last night in Nashville, notching 16:17 of ice time, with an assist. The 20-year-old has 11 points in 26 games, but according to Berube, a reset is needed. Jarnkrok has been a solid third liner for years, but at 34, he has just four goals on the season and his scratching is less of a surprise. Meanwhile, Domi jumps right into Cowan’s slot on the first line, eager to find his game in a bid to extend his Leafs tenure. Finally, Lorentz returns to a fourth line deployment, a role familiar for the 29-year-old.
Snapshots: Jarnkrok, Pettersson, Carlson
With consistent playing time being hard to come by for Maple Leafs winger Calle Jarnkrok this season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him consider other options in July when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Earlier today, a report from Aftonbladet’s Hans Abrahamsson suggested that the veteran was likely to return to the SHL next season and sign with Brynas. However, his agent, Newport’s Filip Andreason, announced (Twitter link) that there have been no discussions with any team in any league for the 2026-27 campaign. Jarnkrok has been limited to just 19 games with Toronto so far this season and has only four points, all goals. He carries a $2.1MM cap charge which has hindered their efforts to try to find him a fresh start elsewhere. He’ll get that fresh start in the summer but his plans for next season remain unsettled.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Canucks center Elias Pettersson skated on his own before practice today but didn’t take part in team drills and is unlikely to return from his upper-body injury on Thursday against Buffalo, notes Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province. However, he is expected to accompany the team on their upcoming five-game road trip with an eye on returning at some point on that trip. The 27-year-old has been a bit more productive relative to last season but is still underachieving offensively with six goals and 14 assists through 28 games which is still good for a share of the team lead in scoring. He joins Filip Chytil and Teddy Blueger as injured centers, putting Vancouver in a tough spot when it comes to filling out their lineup.
- Capitals defenseman John Carlson has missed the last three games due to an upper-body injury sustained last Tuesday. However, it appears that the games missed count won’t go any higher. Sammi Silber of The Hockey News relays that the veteran was a full participant at practice today on the top pairing which suggests he could be cleared to suit up Thursday against Carolina. In his 17th season, all in Washington, Carlson has been quite productive so far in 2025-26, tallying six goals and 17 assists in 26 games while averaging nearly 23 minutes per game of playing time.
East Notes: Maple Leafs Forwards, Benoit, Parssinen
The Toronto Maple Leafs had a few developments announced in advance of the team’s game tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Most important of them was the news that star forward William Nylander would return to the lineup after a one-game absence. Nylander has become the Maple Leafs’ most important winger since the offseason departure of Mitch Marner. The 29-year-old has 31 points in 20 games this season, good for the team lead over veteran John Tavares, who has 28 points. Nylander missed the team’s last game with an illness.
While Nylander returned to the lineup, forward Matias Maccelli and Calle Jarnkrok were held out of the lineup as healthy scratches. Neither player has had as strong of a season as they’d likely have hoped for, and from a production perspective, that’s especially true in the case of Jarnkrok. The 34-year-old has just four goals in 19 games, and no assists. Jarnkrok has never been an overwhelming producer of offense, but he did notch 39 points in 2022-23. Maccelli is in a similar boat, with his 2025-26 numbers coming below the standard he’d set in prior campaigns. Maccelli scored 57 points in 2023-24, but struggled in 2024-25 and has continued those struggles into 2025-26. Maccelli has nine points through 22 games this season.
Other notes from the Eastern Conference:
- Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported tonight that Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit missed tonight’s game for personal reasons. No additional information was provided, something that is standard and expected for absences due to personal reasons. Benoit’s spot in the lineup was filled by veteran Philippe Myers. The 6’5″ blueliner has operated in a reserve capacity for the Maple Leafs so far this season, skating in a total of 10 games, averaging 14:13 time on ice per game.
- According to reporter Keegan Jarvis, who covers the Hartford Wolf Pack for Blueshirt Banter, forward Juuso Parssinen suffered an injury in his first game with the Wolf Pack and is now out on a week-to-week timeline. Parssinen was reassigned to Hartford on Nov. 26 after clearing waivers that same day. The 24-year-old was signed to a two-year, $1.25MM AAV extension by the Rangers, who believed he could fill their need for a third-line center when they acquired him from the Colorado Avalanche. But Parssinen was passed on the depth chart by rookie Noah Laba, and has now found himself in the AHL. Before he can get back onto the ice and try to earn his way back into the NHL, Parssinen will now need to work his way back to full health.
Injury Notes: Hurricanes, Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, Sharks
Carolina Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour told Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News that K’Andre Miller could be back shortly, however, Jaccob Slavin could be absent for “a while”. Miller has not played since October 20th, but has been off to a great start in his Carolina tenure with four points in six games. Meanwhile, Slavin was placed on IR last week with a lower-body injury, appearing in the Canes’ first two games before going back down. The ailment has bothered the star defenseman throughout October, and the team has been vague on further details.
Carolina has been great so far despite missing both defensemen, with a 6-2-0 record. Based on Brind’Amour’s comments, it seems a real possibility Miller could be all set when his Hurricanes go to Madison Square Garden to take on the Rangers next week, after an offseason blockbuster sent the talented 25-year-old to Carolina.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Nick Barden of The Hockey News Toronto updated earlier today that William Nylander and Calle Jarnkrok could play versus Calgary tomorrow, as both are dealing with lower-body injuries. Additionally, veterans Scott Laughton and Chris Tanev could rejoin the team later in the week ahead of Saturday’s tilt in Philadelphia. Nylander, who missed just his second regular season game since 2020-21, has dazzled with 14 points in 8 games so far. Laughton was injured in the preseason and has yet to debut in 2025-26, as he looks to get more comfortable as a Leaf, having put up just 4 points in 20 regular season games after being traded to Toronto.
- Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times shared this morning that two Blackhawks veterans, Ilya Mikheyev and Tyler Bertuzzi, did not appear at practice. Mikheyev left Sunday’s game versus Los Angeles after crashing hard into the boards. Thankfully, he is considered day-to-day as it appears a more serious issue was avoided. Meanwhile, Bertuzzi missed yesterday’s game altogether, and is also thought to be day-to-day. Chicago hosts Ottawa tomorrow, and they will hope to have their wingers back before long, as they try to stay above the .500 mark.
- Sunday’s big shootout win for the Sharks at Minnesota came at a cost, as Adam Gaudette left due to an upper body injury and did not return, as per the team. His status is unknown as San Jose hosts their in-state rival the Kings tomorrow night. The 29-year-old center has 3 goals in 9 games.
Atlantic Notes: Gadjovich, Marchand, Kesselring, Järnkrok
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions have been severely affected by injuries this season. That theme continues today as team reporter Jameson Oliven shared that forward Jonah Gadjovich would miss the next week after being elbowed against the Vegas Golden Knights.
After appearing in nearly half of Florida’s regular-season games over the past two years, Gadjovich had appeared in all 10 for the Panthers to begin the 2025-26 campaign. He’s tallied three assists while averaging 7:57 of ice time per game, only one point shy of his totals over 42 games last year. The Panthers are expected to utilize Noah Gregor on the fourth line in his stead.
Gadjovich won’t be the only freshly missing piece from Florida’s forward core in their next contest. According to George Richards of Florida Hockey Now, veteran Brad Marchand will miss tomorrow’s contest due to a death in his family. The 37-year-old wing has scored five goals and 11 points in 10 games to start the year, and there’s no word on when he’ll return to the Panthers lineup.
More notes from the Atlantic Division:
- The Buffalo Sabres could be getting a huge boost to their defensive core. After today’s practice, Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald relayed a note from head coach Lindy Ruff indicating Michael Kesselring could be activated from the injured reserve for tomorrow’s game. Kesselring, who was acquired from the Utah Mammoth this past offseason, scored seven goals and 29 points in 82 games last year, averaging 17:41 of ice time per game.
- According to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, forward Calle Järnkrok is questionable for the Toronto Maple Leafs tomorrow night due to a lower-body injury. Järnkrok missed the team’s practice today and has dealt with lower-body injuries over the past few years. He’s registered three goals in eight games for the Maple Leafs this season, but has already sustained a -5 rating in the team’s middle-six.
Canadian Notes: Stolarz, Leafs, Canucks
More details have been revealed about the looming contract extension for Toronto Maple Leafs starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz. The latest reports claim that Stolarz’s next deal will land in the realm of a four-year, $16MM contract, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and NHL.com’s Kevin Weekes. That figure would come in just shy of the five-year deals recently signed by Kevin Lankinen and Karel Vejmelka, who served as comparable contracts in the negotiation process.
It’s no surprise to see the 31-year-old Stolarz leaning towards a team-friendly deal. He was a goaltending phenom for the Leafs last year, recording a 21-8-3 record and .926 save percentage through 36 games. It was an impressive follow-up from Stolarz’s 16 wins and .925 Sv% in 27 games of the 2023-24 season. But those two seasons, along with 28 games in 2021-22, were the most he’s played in a single NHL season. He has yet to prove he can stand up to a full starting workload, despite defaulting to that position for Toronto when healthy. A contract extension and bid of full health will put Stolarz in a position to prove his might over a full year as soon as next season.
Other notes from the Great North:
- Sticking in Toronto, it appears the team could soon shop around some of their surplus bottom-six wingers. Players like Calle Jarnkrok, David Kampf, and Nicholas Robertson could end up on the trade block, per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period on the latest episode of Hello Hockey. Toronto is certainly facing a wealth of veteran wingers who have failed to break out of depth minutes – a growing problem as the team looks to promote top prospects like Easton Cowan. Clearing out some space could put the Leafs into position to stock the shelves, and bet on their top youngsters, ahead of a year where they’ll need big performances without 100-point scorer Mitch Marner.
- Pagnotta went on to share that the Vancouver Canucks could be one of the teams looking to reel in bottom-six talent. Vancouver is expected to lean on youngsters like Linus Karlsson and Aatu Raty, as well as depth veterans Drew O’Connor and Teddy Blueger, when the season kicks off. There’s certainly opportunity for upgrading that depth sooner rather than later, though reeling in a hardy impact could cost Vancouver valuable draft capital or a solid prospect.
Atlantic Notes: Lindholm, Jarnkrok, Sandin-Pellikka
Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm was only able to play the first five weeks of the season before a fractured kneecap ended his 2024-25 campaign early. He told Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe that he has now fully recovered from that injury and will be fully ready to participate in training camp next month. The 31-year-old has been a steadying presence on the back end for Boston since they acquired him back in 2022 and is only a couple of years removed from a career-best 53-point season. With the Bruins looking to get back into the playoff picture this coming season, having a top-pairing blueliner in Lindholm back in their lineup will certainly help those efforts.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- Maple Leafs winger Calle Jarnkrok missed most of last season after undergoing groin and sports hernia surgeries in mid-November. While he returned down the stretch, he struggled to the point of being scratched at times. The veteran told Gefle Dagblad’s Marcus Hagerborn that he knew when he had the procedures that he wouldn’t be fully healthy for a while upon returning. However, he noted that he has gotten back to that point just recently which is a good sign heading into training camp next month. Jarnkrok has one year left on his contract with a $2.1MM cap charge and a solid, healthy start to next season might make their current efforts to move him a little easier.
- While Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman hasn’t ruled out prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka from breaking camp with Detroit in a couple of months, MLive’s Ansar Khan suggests that outcome is unlikely. The 20-year-old was a first-round pick back in 2023 (17th overall) and had a strong season in Sweden last year, picking up 12 goals and 17 assists in 46 games with SHL Skelleftea. He also was one of the top scorers at the World Juniors and got his feet wet with five games with AHL Grand Rapids (including playoffs) in the spring. But Detroit tends to favor slow-playing the development of their top prospects, allowing them to work on some things with the Griffins before giving them a real NHL look. Between that and not opening up any spots on the back end this summer, Sandin-Pellikka seems likely to continue that trend.
East Notes: Timmins, Järnkrok, Garand
The Sabres and restricted free agent defenseman Conor Timmins are not close on a new contract with his arbitration hearing eight days away, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
Two of the seven players who filed for arbitration and didn’t reach settlements in the first few weeks of July have since settled since their hearing dates were announced. Arbitration hearings were initially slated to begin today with the Kraken and Kaapo Kakko, but they reached a three-year settlement earlier in the week. Earlier today, the Islanders also signed Maxim Tsyplakov to a two-year, $4.5MM deal.
That leaves Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Söderblom with the first hearing on Monday if the two sides don’t come to an agreement over the weekend. As for Timmins, Pagnotta says there has been no traction on the talks, and the two sides expect to use the hearing to resolve their dispute.
Buffalo acquired Timmins from the Penguins on draft day in something of a salary dump, sending older, more expensive righty Connor Clifton to Pittsburgh. The Sabres were his third team in a few months after beginning the season with the Maple Leafs, where the offensive-minded righty only had eight points in 51 games. He was then traded to the Penguins at the deadline as the Leafs freed up roster space to make other pickups, notably Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton.
General manager Kevyn Adams said when Buffalo picked him that he’s a player they’ve had their eyes on for a while. Timmins could be in line for an increased role in Buffalo with only Michael Kesselring alongside him as a right-shot defenseman on their projected active roster, and because of that, he’s likely looking for more than what the Sabres are currently willing to offer. The 2017 No. 32 overall pick has 46 points in 159 career NHL games with the Avalanche, Coyotes, Maple Leafs, and Penguins.
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference:
- Things are similarly quiet with the Maple Leafs as they continue to shop veteran forward Calle Järnkrok to clear cap space, Pagnotta said. There haven’t been any teams linked to him as “the market hasn’t been vibrant,” Pagnotta wrote, but Toronto continues to make clear he’s available as they eye other moves to help fill the Mitch Marner void. While he only has one year left on his deal, they’re inhibited by Järnkrok’s 10-team no-trade list and the fact that he’s only played in 71 out of a possible 164 games (43.3%) over the last two seasons due to various injuries. He had one goal and seven points in 19 games last season after recovering from sports hernia surgery.
- The Rangers aren’t concerned about reaching an agreement with RFA goalie Dylan Garand, Peter Baugh of The Athletic writes. The 23-year-old is the organization’s top prospect between the pipes and is firmly entrenched as their third-stringer with Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick still comprising their NHL tandem, but both sides see a pathway for him to make the jump to the NHL in 2026-27, Baugh writes. After posting sub-.900 save percentages in his first two professional seasons, Garand improved to a .913 mark in 39 games for the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack in 2024-25.
Maple Leafs Recall Dakota Mermis, Likely To Activate Calle Järnkrok
The Maple Leafs announced they’ve recalled defenseman Dakota Mermis from AHL Toronto. Fellow D-man Marshall Rifai is headed back to the minors in a corresponding move, and PuckPedia reports forward Alex Steeves was also returned to the AHL yesterday. The moves leave them with an open roster spot and just enough cap space to activate forward Calle Järnkrok from long-term injured reserve before tonight’s game against the Sharks, as Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reported Sunday.
Järnkrok, 33, has yet to play this season after a lingering lower-body injury resulted in him undergoing groin and sports hernia surgery in mid-November. He was listed as month-to-month, and he only returned to practice as a full participant yesterday.
Signed to a four-year, $8.4MM contract in the 2022 offseason, the versatile Swede has been a decent middle-six piece for the Leafs when healthy. He missed seven games with a previous groin issue in 2022-23 and missed 30 games last year with separate knuckle and hand fractures.
When dressed, he’s produced at a 20-goal, 39-point full-season pace with a +25 rating over 125 appearances. He’s averaged just south of 15 minutes per game and can easily flex between both wings and center, winning 47.3% of his draws since arriving in Toronto. He’s seen consistent penalty-kill usage for the Leafs and fringe power-play usage, occasionally getting looks in the top six. That could be an option down the stretch with a revolving door of second-line left wingers for William Nylander and John Tavares not providing much stability, but for now, he’ll presumably have his minutes limited in a fourth-line role as he gets back up to speed.
Mermis has been added to the Maple Leafs organization twice since the summer, first signing in free agency and then being claimed off waivers in January. Yet his lone NHL appearance this season came with Utah, which selected him off waivers from Toronto in mid-December before losing him back to the Leafs on the wire. Toronto was the only team to submit a claim for Mermis at that time, so he’s been able to suit up for the farm club over the past couple of months without needing to pass through them again.
The 31-year-old was expected to compete for a roster spot as an extra out of camp after appearing in a career-high 47 games with the Wild in 2023-24. A broken jaw sustained during the preseason sidelined him until late November, though. He got some AHL action on a conditioning stint but was claimed by Utah when the Leafs attempted to convert his minor-league assignment into a permanent one.
Mermis is now on his fifth NHL organization after previous stints with the Coyotes, Devils, and Wild. The 6’0″ lefty is a viable puck-mover but has always been more of a defensive option, never topping 26 points in an AHL season. He has six assists and a plus-four rating in 20 showings with the Marlies this year. His defensive metrics in bottom-pairing minutes in Minnesota last year were fine – a 49.5 CF% at even strength with a +0.1 relative impact, plus a 47.9% expected goals share.
He’ll now serve as the Leafs’ extra D for the time being with Chris Tanev on injured reserve as Toronto looks to rotate him and Rifai on the roster to avoid either needing to pass through waivers anytime soon. Rifai cleared at the beginning of the season and has been summoned on a few occasions this season to serve as an extra when injuries strike the Leafs’ defense corps, although he’s yet to appear in a game after making his NHL debut in 2023-24. He’s been on Toronto’s active roster for less than 30 days cumulatively since last clearing waivers, so he doesn’t need them for today’s demotion. The 26-year-old stay-at-home lefty has 3-6–9 with 57 PIMs and a plus-seven rating in 44 games this season.
Steeves has been on the Leafs’ roster since the end of the 4 Nations break, marking his most extended NHL trial to date. The 25-year-old winger appeared in three straight contests for Toronto out of the gate, including a two-point effort against the Hurricanes on Feb. 22, but has now been a healthy scratch in two straight wins. Those two points stand as his only offensive output across seven NHL contests this season and his first since recording an assist against the Blackhawks in December 2021. He remains an extremely valuable minor-league presence, torching the AHL with 29-17–46 through 40 games.
Maple Leafs’ Calle Järnkrok Undergoes Groin, Sports Hernia Surgery
The Maple Leafs announced that forward Calle Järnkrok underwent groin and sports hernia surgery on Monday. He will remain out of the lineup indefinitely and will be evaluated monthly.
Järnkrok, 33, has spent the entire season on long-term injured reserve with what the team previously labeled a lower-body injury. General manager Brad Treliving said last week that Järnkrok had left Toronto after experiencing a setback in his recovery and was seeing a specialist in New York.
That meeting evidently resulted in the decision for Järnkrok to undergo surgery to repair the issue, which he sustained early in training camp. Recovery timelines from sports hernia surgery vary but usually fall somewhere in the four-month range, so while there’s still a chance for him to play this season, it likely won’t be until after the March 7 trade deadline.
Järnkrok has been plagued by injuries since signing a four-year, $8.4MM contract with the Maple Leafs in free agency in 2022. He missed 30 games last season with two different hand injuries and also missed a couple of weeks in December 2022 with a groin injury, although it’s unclear if that’s related to the current groin issue that required surgery.
When in the lineup, the versatile Swede has been an effective depth presence. He’s averaged 0.48 points per game in a Toronto uniform, a tad higher than his 0.43 career average. He averaged 15:16 in 52 appearances last season, recording 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points while averaging more than a minute per game on both the power play and penalty kill.
While the Maple Leafs will continue to miss a capable veteran presence with a well-rounded game who can slot in pretty much anywhere in the lineup, they will continue to gain relief from his $2.1MM cap hit while on LTIR. Toronto currently has $731,562 left in their LTIR pool with a full roster, per PuckPedia, although that number will increase when Auston Matthews and Max Pacioretty come off standard injured reserve.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.