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Snapshots: Landeskog, Francis, Hurricanes, Maccelli

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Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog skated before practice today, notes Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now.  The captain hasn’t played since the sixth game of the Stanley Cup Final back in 2022 due to continued knee trouble including a cartilage transplant in May 2023.  While this isn’t the first time Landeskog has taken to the ice before practice, it’s the first time he has done so since mid-November as he suffered a setback at that time.  There remains no timetable for him to return but Landeskog has noted a few times this year that he hopes to get back into the Colorado lineup at some point this season.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • The University of Minnesota-Duluth announced (Twitter link) that Ducks prospect Will Francis had a relapse of his leukemia which is why he has been limited to just three games so far this season. Francis was initially diagnosed with it in 2020 and had a relapse in August 2023, leading to a bone marrow transplant back in April.  Francis is hoping to return to the team next month.  PHR wishes Francis well in his continued battle.
  • The Hurricanes announced that defenseman Riley Stillman has been sent back to AHL Chicago. The 26-year-old has been sent back and forth this season but hasn’t seen any action with Carolina.  Stillman has four points in nine contests with the Wolves.  Meanwhile, Carolina has also recalled goalie Dustin Tokarski, defenseman Ty Smith, and winger Jackson Blake from Chicago, per the AHL transactions log.  The three were papered to the minors on Wednesday.
  • Utah announced (Twitter link) that winger Matias Maccelli was scratched from tonight’s game against Calgary due to an illness. After putting up 57 points last season, the 24-year-old has struggled mightily offensively this year, potting just three goals and seven assists through his first 37 outings.  There was some good news on the health front, however, as Clayton Keller returned after missing Tuesday’s game to an illness himself.

Minor Transactions: 1/1/25

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The calendar has flipped to a new year but don’t expect the day-to-day roster shuffling to change anytime soon.  Here’s a rundown of today’s minor and paper moves.

  • The Stars announced (Twitter link) that they’ve reassigned winger Justin Hryckowian to AHL Texas. The 23-year-old was shuffled back and forth several times last month in an effort to maximize how much cap space they’re banking.  Hryckowian played in Dallas’ last two games, picking up three hits in 13:20 of total playing time.  He has been quite productive with Texas in his first full professional season, however, collecting 12 goals and 14 assists in 27 games so far.
  • The Penguins announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Nathan Clurman has been sent back to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has been sent back and forth a few times lately but if Owen Pickering or Kris Letang are ready to return on Friday against Florida, then this assignment might be a longer-term one.  Clurman has played once for Pittsburgh this season but has spent most of the year in the minors, tallying a goal and four assists in 18 appearances.
  • The Hurricanes continue their frequent roster movement. With no game today, they’ve assigned goaltender Dustin Tokarski, defenseman Ty Smith, and winger Jackson Blake to AHL Chicago, per the AHL’s transactions log.  As is always the case with these moves, the paper assignments merely free up several thousand dollars in cap space.  Carolina is back in action on Thursday and all three are likely to be recalled at that time.
  • With Yaroslav Askarov up with the Sharks for the foreseeable future, their farm team has found a temporary replacement for him. Per a team release, the AHL’s Barracuda has signed goaltender Samuel St-Hilaire to an ATO agreement.  The 20-year-old had a 2.56 GAA and a .904 SV% over parts of three seasons with QMJHL Rimouski and was on Canada’s entry for the World Juniors last year.

Minor Transactions: 12/18/24

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With the holiday roster freeze coming up shortly, there has been an uptick in smaller moves around the NHL today, not to mention a trade of note.  Here’s a rundown of those transactions plus an NHL-drafted prospect on the move at the junior level.

  • The Kraken announced (Twitter link) that they have re-assigned winger Ryan Winterton to AHL Coachella Valley. The 21-year-old has found himself on the transactions log quite a few times already this season but has gotten into eight games with Seattle, picking up an assist while logging 10:22 per night of playing time.  Winterton has been quite productive with the Firebirds though, tallying 15 points in 16 outings with them.
  • The Hurricanes have returned winger Jackson Blake, goaltender Dustin Tokarski, and defenseman Riley Stillman to AHL Chicago, per the AHL’s transactions log. Carolina has made these moves all season long to bank a bit of cap space.  Even with the roster freeze, emergency recalls are still permitted for a few more days so expect them to continue this for even after Thursday.
  • Capitals prospect Cam Allen is on the move in the OHL. London announced that they’ve acquired the blueliner from Guelph in exchange for defenseman Noah Jenken and seven draft picks.  Allen was once rated as a first-round pick but slid in his draft year (2023) to the fifth round, going 136th overall.  Washington has already signed the 19-year-old who had 25 points in 27 games prior to the swap.

Minor Transactions: 11/25/24

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There have been quite a few paper transactions made across the NHL today as teams continue to try to save every little bit of cap room they can.  Here’s a rundown of today’s moves, per the AHL’s transactions log.

  • The Oilers have reassigned defenseman Josh Brown and forward Drake Caggiula to AHL Bakersfield. Brown has been shuffled back and forth in recent days while Caggiula was recalled back on Thursday.  Edmonton is off until Friday and the moves allow them to dip out of using LTIR and bank a small amount of cap space for the next few days.  At least one of them, if not both, will likely be recalled later in the week.
  • A day after being papered down, the Bruins have recalled forward Marc McLaughlin and defenseman Jordan Oesterle from AHL Providence. McLaughlin hasn’t played for Boston yet this season while Oesterle suited up three times earlier this month.
  • The Hurricanes have recalled winger Jackson Blake and goaltender Spencer Martin from their latest paper loan to AHL Chicago. Both players have been shuffled back and forth routinely in cap-saving moves.
  • A day after the Devils loaned wingers Shane Bowers and Nolan Foote along with defenseman Nick DeSimone to AHL Utica, the trio was recalled today. Sunday’s demotions allowed them to clear LTIR for the day but they are back to using it for the time being now.
  • After being papered down on Sunday, the Golden Knights have recalled wingers Mason Morelli and Callahan Burke, who scored his first NHL goal on Saturday in a win over Montreal. They also brought back blueliner Robert Hagg who was both recalled (on an emergency basis) and sent down on Saturday.  Hagg’s recall moves Vegas back into using LTIR for now.

Metropolitan Notes: Provorov, Nash, Hurricanes, Makiniemi

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Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov is one of the more intriguing pending UFA blueliners from the 2025 free agent class.  With Columbus still in their rebuild, it’s expected that he’ll be on the move at some point.  However, in his latest column for The Athletic (subscription link), Pierre LeBrun reports that the team is telling interested parties that they’re not willing to move the 27-year-old just yet.  The Blue Jackets are off to a respectable 8-9-2 start and aren’t ready to start subtracting from what’s already a fairly young group this early in the season.  That’s expected to change as we get closer to the March 7 trade deadline and when that time comes, LeBrun suggests to expect a first-round pick to serve as the asking price for Provorov’s services.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Still with Columbus, when Don Waddell took over as President and GM for the Blue Jackets, one of the first moves he made was elevating Rick Nash to assistant GM. While that’s an important step for any aspiring manager, Nash told Daily Faceoff’s Anthony DiMarco that he’s “not in any rush” to ascend to a GM position just yet.  He has worked in Columbus’ front office since 2019 and it wouldn’t be shocking if he were next in line for the top job with the Blue Jackets when Waddell either moves on or wants to have just the President title down the road.
  • The Hurricanes have returned winger Jackson Blake and goaltender Spencer Martin to the minors, per the AHL’s transactions log, though these are almost certainly just paper moves to bank additional cap space. Blake has five goals in 19 games with Carolina in his first full professional season which is a solid start for the 21-year-old.  Martin, meanwhile, has played in four NHL contests so far in 2024-25, putting up a 3.25 GAA with a .868 SV%.  He has been much better in similarly limited action with AHL Chicago, however, compiling a 2.32 GAA and a .920 SV% in his first three outings.
  • Flyers goaltender Eetu Makiniemi is set to undergo sports hernia surgery next week, relays team reporter Bill Meltzer (Twitter link). The procedure will keep him out for three to four months.  The 25-year-old had a successful tryout in training camp, earning a one-year, two-way deal to play with AHL Lehigh Valley where he had a 3.03 GAA and a .899 SV% in five appearances.  With the injury, the only recallable goaltender Philadelphia has left is veteran Cal Petersen.

Minor Transactions: 11/19/24

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As teams continue to try to bank as much cap space as possible, there were quite a few paper moves made today.  We’ll run those down here.

  • The Flames announced that winger Adam Klapka was recalled from AHL Calgary. He was sent down on Saturday and got into two games, picking up two goals and an assist.  While Klapka is now on a five-game point streak at that level, he hasn’t recorded a point in his first five NHL contests so far this season.  He’s likely to serve as the reserve forward tonight versus the Islanders.
  • The Hurricanes are continuing their near-daily movement as they’ve recalled winger Jackson Blake and goaltender Spencer Martin from AHL Chicago, per the AHL’s transactions log. Blake has been sent down five times already but hasn’t played with the Wolves and with five goals and two assists in 17 games with Carolina, he probably won’t anytime soon.  Meanwhile, even though Carolina is using Pyotr Kochetkov and Martin as their tandem with Frederik Andersen injured, the Hurricanes haven’t moved Andersen to IR which allows them to continue to paper Martin down on off days while technically remaining compliant with roster minimums.
  • The Lightning have recalled winger Gage Goncalves, per a team release. He was sent back to the AHL on Sunday in a cost-clearing move and didn’t suit up while on assignment.  The 23-year-old has six assists in five games with Syracuse from earlier in the year and has been held off the scoresheet in his first four appearances with Tampa Bay.
  • A day after being papered back to the minors, Sam Colangelo is back up with the Ducks, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 22-year-old was initially recalled on Sunday but didn’t play in Monday’s game.  Colangelo is off to an impressive start to his first full professional campaign, tallying six goals and nine assists in 14 games with San Diego.
  • While not a direct paper transaction, PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that the Maple Leafs have transferred winger Max Pacioretty to LTIR, freeing up the cap space for today’s recall of Fraser Minten. Pacioretty suffered a lower-body injury on November 9th and must now miss at least 10 games and 24 days from that point.

Metropolitan Notes: Johnson, Voronkov, Blake, Roy

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Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson will not need surgery on his injured shoulder, GM Don Waddell confirmed to reporters including Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (Twitter link).  However, that shouldn’t be construed that it won’t be a long-term injury as originally reported.  Instead, the team simply feels that the injury can be treated with rehab.  This is the second straight year that the 22-year-old has dealt with injury troubles and he was off to a good start before sustaining it as he had five points in his first four games.  He still technically hasn’t been moved to injured reserve at this time but that’s something that should happen in the coming days whenever they have to open up a roster spot.

More from the Metropolitan Division:

  • Still with Columbus, forward Dmitri Voronkov was a partial participant in practice today and appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from a shoulder injury, reports Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch. The 24-year-old suffered the injury late in the preseason.  Voronkov had a solid rookie season for the Blue Jackets in 2023-24, picking up 18 points and 16 assists and with the injuries they’re dealing with, getting him back a little earlier than expected would be some rare positive news on that front.
  • The Hurricanes have once again sent winger Jackson Blake to AHL Chicago, per the AHL’s transactions log. They’ve done this four times already this season in an effort to bank a bit more cap room.  The 21-year-old has two goals in six games with Carolina so far so it’s safe to say he’ll be brought back up in time for puck drop against Seattle on Saturday.
  • Capitals defenseman Matt Roy skated today before practice notes NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link). The 29-year-old suffered a lower-body injury in Washington’s season opener and hasn’t played since.  Roy was their most prominent free agent signing over the summer, inking a six-year, $34.5MM contract after putting up 25 points in nearly 21 minutes a night last season with Los Angeles.  While he’s now back on the ice, he did not accompany the team on their road trip to Tampa Bay.

Hurricanes Recall Jackson Blake

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Yesterday, the Hurricanes reassigned rookie forward Jackson Blake to AHL Chicago, per an announcement from the minor league club. Blake has been sent down once this season in a short-term cap-saving move before being recalled within a day or two, and this time was no different. He’s already back on Carolina’s roster, per the NHL’s media site. 

Blake, a fourth-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2021, signed his entry-level contract in the closing days of the 2023-24 regular season and burned the first year of the deal, making his NHL debut against the Blue Jackets on April 16. He didn’t technically crack Carolina’s opening night roster, but that was mostly due to cap constraints. He was recalled the following day and has played in all four Hurricanes games to begin the season, scoring twice and racking up 6 PIMs while averaging 10:57 per night.

In 2022-23 and 2023-24, the 21-year-old Blake was an all-around standout for the University of North Dakota. He split time between right wing and center, racking up 38 goals and 64 assists for 102 points in 79 games. He earned NCHC Rookie of the Year honors in 2023 before being named outright Player of the Year last season while also being a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top collegiate player.

The 5’11”, 178-lb Blake is fitting in well into Carolina’s bottom six so far, an important development for a team that lost a fair amount of scoring depth to free agency over the offseason. He’s generating a lot of chances in his limited ice time, averaging three shots on goal per game, and has controlled possession with a 58.1 CF% and 61.5 xGF% at even strength.

Snapshots: Greig, Blake, Dunn, Kolosov

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Senators center Ridly Greig is dealing with an upper-body injury, relays Sportsnet’s Alex Adams (Twitter link).  The 22-year-old locked down a regular spot in Ottawa’s lineup for most of last season, notching 13 goals and 13 assists in 72 games while logging nearly 15 minutes a night.  Greig has been on the wing to start the year and missed a couple of shifts in Saturday’s game against Montreal, presumably due to the injury.  He might not be out for long, however, as head coach Travis Green noted that Greig could still suit up on Monday against Los Angeles.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • The Hurricanes quietly papered winger Jackson Blake down to AHL Chicago on Saturday. However, his time there was short-lived as he has already been recalled, per the AHL’s transactions log.  The move simply allowed them to bank a few thousand dollars in cap space with Carolina’s game against Tampa Bay postponed yesterday.  It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Hurricanes do this with some regularity with Blake, their lone waiver-exempt player, to try to open up a bit more spending flexibility.
  • Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, relays team broadcaster Piper Shaw (Twitter link). He played into the final minute of Saturday’s game but the issue was enough to keep him out of tonight’s contest against Dallas.  The 27-year-old has two points in his first two games this season after putting up 46 in 59 appearances in 2023-24.
  • Late last month, Flyers prospect Alexei Kolosov ended his stalemate with the team, reporting to training camp after an agreement was reached that could allow for a potential return later on. That potential return might come sooner than later, however, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported earlier this week in his 32 Thoughts column that Philadelphia only has until the end of the month to convince him about their plans for him.  Kolosov made it known over the summer that he wants to play in the KHL this season if he was going to be in the minors.  While he’s with the Phantoms for now, he might not be there for too much longer based on Friedman’s report.

Carolina Hurricanes Recall Jackson Blake, Reassign Bryce Montgomery

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The Carolina Hurricanes will get one of their top forward prospects into the lineup for their regular season opener on Friday. The organization announced they have recalled Jackson Blake from their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves while sending recently signed defenseman Bryce Montgomery the other way.

Blake has become a ’diamond in the rough’ find for Carolina with the team selecting him with the 109th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft. His play came to life at the University of North Dakota with 38 goals and 102 points in 79 contests. The Hurricanes quickly signed Blake to his entry-level contract last spring after tying for fourth in the NCAA in scoring and finishing third in Hobey Baker Award voting.

He should find a consistent role in Carolina’s middle-six to start the year with the team losing so much forward depth over the summer. The Hurricanes still need a more reliable winger to put next to Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis on the top line which could be Blake’s if he adjusts well to the NHL. He finished his first preseason in Carolina with one goal and two points in four contests.

AHL Chicago was always the likely landing spot for Montgomery after the team signed him to his entry-level contract yesterday. He appeared in 48 last year for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays scoring four goals and 12 points overall. He’s a big defenseman standing at 6’5″, 231lbs, and should bring a lot of physicality and roughness to the Wolves back end this season.

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