Evening Notes: Ristolainen, Copp, Stanley
With the dust mostly settled from last Friday’s trade deadline, stories continue to emerge. Anthony DiMarco of The Daily Faceoff wrote on Philadelphia’s decision to retain Rasmus Ristolainen despite being a long way from playoff contention.
It is thought that the Flyers sought a Brandon Carlo-type package for the 31-year-old, with a first-round pick and a notable prospect. Unconventional is a word which could describe Philadelphia’s trade deadline, as their headlining move was dealing young forward Bobby Brink to Minnesota in exchange for David Jiříček.
Reasonable frustration from fans aside, GM Daniel Briere’s focus on the future actually ties into how they handled the Ristolainen situation. Mentioned by DiMarco, the club evaluated its internal right-handed defense pipeline, headlined by Oliver Bonk and the newly-acquired Jiříček. The former has played well with AHL Lehigh Valley, but still just 31 games into his professional career, the Flyers do not want to rush Bonk.
On the other hand, Jiříček is a reclamation project. He failed to record a single point in 25 games with the high flying Wild prior to the trade, with poor possession metrics and AHL output which is hardly anything to write home about either. The former sixth overall pick (2022) will have to find his game with AHL Lehigh Valley before any role with the Flyers becomes a possibility.
The Flyers determined that Ristolainen and his $5.1MM which runs through next year is worth keeping around for now. Even if Briere obtained draft capital for the 6’4” righty, likely below his asking price, it would cost more than their return for a replacement, not to mention the rushing of prospects. The Finn will go into 2026-27 as his sixth season as a Flyer, where he’ll turn 32 in October, and be a near-lock for a trade later on.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Detroit Red Wings shared mid-game that Andrew Copp won’t return due to a lower body injury. The center was shaken up after a draw with Florida’s Tomáš Nosek, who fell onto his leg. Already without Dylan Larkin, it’s another blow for the club, but thankfully their captain won’t be out for long. Regardless, the Wings passed on the opportunity to acquire a top center at the trade deadline, a decision which may age poorly if Copp will miss an extended period. As it’s a suspected knee injury, there’s reason for much concern. The 31-year-old Michigan native is on pace for his best season in Detroit with 36 points in 64 games, not yet missing a contest this year. He has been great on draws, snapping them back at a 54.6% success rate.
- One suitor forced to pivot from Ristolainen as discussed above, the red-hot Buffalo Sabres welcomed their acquisition Logan Stanley into the lineup tonight per Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio. The former Winnipeg Jet was dealing with visa issues, a common occurrence for players traded between Canada and the United States. Debuting on the third pairing alongside Michael Kesselring, Stanley wasted no time endearing himself to Buffalo fans as he fought San Jose’s Zack Ostapchuk. The 6’7” lefty will try to make noise as a Sabre as he heads into free agency this summer.
Sabres Acquire Luke Schenn, Logan Stanley
The Sabres are working on a trade to acquire defensemen Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley from the Jets, sources tell David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. Chad DeDominicis of Expected Buffalo was first to report that the deal was in process. In return, Winnipeg will receive Buffalo’s 2027 second-round pick, forward prospect Isak Rosen, and left-defender Jacob Bryson per Frank Seravalli of Victory+.
Both the Sabres and Jets have confirmed the deal.
It appears Schenn, 36, will be heading to the 10th team of his 18-year career. It’ll also be his second straight year being moved at the deadline. He arrived in Winnipeg this time last season via the Penguins, who he never actually played for after being acquired from the Predators two days prior. He’s now in the final season of the three-year, $8.25MM pact he signed with Nashville as a free agent in 2023.
Few Jets skaters have lived up to expectations this season. Schenn is no exception. Even in a bottom-pairing role, he’s looked overmatched, posting seven points and a -11 rating in 46 outings. He’s been in the press box for stretches, has only averaged 13:44 of ice time per game when dressed, and Winnipeg has been outscored 29-16 with him on the ice at 5-on-5 while controlling only 43.4% of shot attempts.
The 2008 fifth overall pick has been a third-pairing piece for most of his NHL career, but he’s now operating as more of a #7/#8 piece – even on a team outside of the playoff picture like Winnipeg. He does still provide physical value – he leads the Jets with 139 hits, a figure that now ranks third on Buffalo behind Beck Malenstyn and Peyton Krebs.
Outside of that, he’ll provide the Sabres with experienced and much-needed right-shot depth, but whether he factors into their lineup on a regular basis remains to be seen. While Michael Kesselring has been hampered by injuries and has only managed one assist and a -4 rating in 28 outings over his first year in Buffalo, his under-the-hood numbers still paint him as a preferable third-pairing option to Schenn on the right side. He’s averaging comparable ice time at 13:45 per game and has controlled 48.8% of shot attempts at even strength.
Stanley, though, should be a regular piece. Finding stability on the third pairing has been one of the few hiccups this season in Buffalo, whose top four of Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power, and Bowen Byram is comprised entirely of lefties. They’ve been unsuccessful in their pursuit of an impact piece, nearly striking a deal for Blues star righty Colton Parayko, which fell apart when he invoked his no-trade clause.
Drafted 18th overall in 2016, the 27-year-old Stanley isn’t a right-shot option like they wanted, but should easily usurp Jacob Bryson as the de facto third-pairing lefty. His 6’7″, 231-lb frame has sometimes made him a frustrating defender to watch – with so much potential there, he’s only hit 100 hits once in his career, and has consistently been underwater on the possession front due to his subpar skating mechanics.
This season, though, the pending UFA has found a new gear. His nine goals in 59 games are nearly twice what he had in five previous NHL seasons to date, and he’s added 12 assists for 21 points. That’s a career high by a wide margin and has him seventh on the Jets in scoring, only trailing Josh Morrissey among defenders. An unsustainable 12.2% shooting rate is fueling it, but it’s worth noting that only one of those points, an assist, has come on the power play. All of that production is coming at even strength, where he’s seen his minutes boosted and is now averaging a career-high 17:12 per game.
Assuming a regular group of Dahlin, Byram, Samuelsson, Power, Stanley, and Kesselring, Buffalo will enter its first postseason appearance in 15 years with a ridiculously imposing defense core averaging 6’4″ and 218 lbs.
Image courtesy of Terrence Lee-Imagn Images.
More to come…
Central Notes: Stanley, Holloway, Dickinson
Jets defenseman Logan Stanley told Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press that contract extension talks are likely to resume over the next few days. The blueliner is a pending unrestricted free agent and is in the middle of a career season. He already has nine goals and 18 points, both personal bests, while his 16:33 ATOI would also be a new benchmark if it holds up the rest of the season. Stanley made it clear that he would love to stay in Winnipeg but having said that, if a deal isn’t reached by the March 6th trade deadline, it’s likely that he’ll be on the move instead. The 27-year-old is on a very affordable $1.25MM contract which will only help generate interest should the Jets opt to put him on the market.
Elsewhere in the Central:
- Blues winger Dylan Holloway is expected to return to the lineup next Thursday, relays Lou Korac of The Hockey News. The 24-year-old returned to game action a little more than a month ago from a high ankle sprain that cost him 15 games. However, the return was rushed and he ultimately sat the next eight leading into the break. After a breakout performance last season that saw him pick up a career-high 26 goals and 63 points, Holloway has been limited to eight goals and nine assists in 34 games this year. Heading for restricted free agency with arbitration eligibility this summer, he’ll be looking for a strong performance down the stretch, even with St. Louis well out of the playoff picture.
- Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson left practice today due to illness, notes Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). He’s likely to be one of Chicago’s more prominent trade chips heading into the trade deadline a couple of weeks from now. Dickinson only has 13 points in 43 games but his defensive reputation should help garner some interest from teams looking for bottom-six depth, especially if the Blackhawks retain part of his $4.25MM cap charge.
Snapshots: Hughes, Zacha, Stanley
New Jersey Devils star and Team USA selection Jack Hughes left tonight’s game after the first period and did not return, shared by Amanda Stein, Team Reporter. He went down the tunnel early against Nashville, was able to return for another shift, only to leave again. After the overtime win, Stein followed up that it was a lower body injury, not believed to be serious, according to Head Coach Sheldon Keefe, however it will require further evaluation.
The night ended after just 2:27 on the ice. Hughes returned in late December after missing a month with an off-ice accident, requiring finger surgery. Since coming back, the 24-year-old has recorded 16 points in 18 games, including six in his last five contests. As New Jersey’s top center, Hughes leads all forwards in ice time and still ranks third in team scoring, despite missing 18 games.
Considering that Hughes was able to return momentarily, there was reason for optimism, and thankfully it appears he has avoided a serious injury. New Jersey returns to action on Saturday in Ottawa, with the Olympics two weeks away.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Boston Bruins forward and former Hughes teammate Pavel Zacha’s night ended early due to an upper-body injury, as confirmed by the team. The 28-year-old center has continued to be an effective producer, with 36 points in 53 games, ranking fourth on the team in that category. Zacha has missed just one contest so far in 2025-26. The Bruins’ depth down the middle is being tested, as Elias Lindholm is day-to-day, so the hope is that Zacha will be good to go by Sunday, as they travel to Tampa Bay.
- In an article published by Kyle Morton of The Fourth Period, Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley was mentioned as a likely trade candidate as a “rental”, as was discussed on Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff Live, featuring Tyler Yaremchuk, Carter Hutton, and David Pagnotta. Winnipeg has started to get back into the win column, but their early 2026 struggles may have sunk their season for good. Stanley, a former first round pick who is now a pending unrestricted free agent holds a friendly cap hit of just $1.25MM. The 6’7″ lefty has become more noticeable this season, with eight goals in 51 games after a career high of just one in each of his first five NHL seasons. Besides the sudden offense, Stanley has leaned fully into an enforcing role, with 95 penalty minutes, a career-most with many games to spare. As is the case with comparable defenders, Stanley has his weaknesses, currently holding a 46.5% Corsi For at even strength, but still holds traits always favored by contenders. No teams have necessarily been listed as suitors at this point, but the Red Wings stand out as one option in need of a bottom pairing upgrade, in which Stanley could play in a lighter role built for his strengths.
Central Notes: Stanley, Lyubushkin, Johannesson
Logan Stanley’s first several years with Winnipeg were full of starts and stops with injuries and healthy scratches along the way. But this season has been a breakout one for the 27-year-old who has already set career highs in goals (eight) and points (17) while averaging 16:34 per night, also a personal best. The timing is ideal, too, as he’s slated to test the open market this summer. To that end, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period noted on a recent DFO Rundown (video link) that the Jets have held discussions with Stanley’s camp about an extension. However, it’s believed his current asking price is one that the team isn’t willing to meet. With Winnipeg falling out of the playoff race, Stanley could find himself in trade talks before too long if the sides aren’t able to bridge the gap in the coming weeks.
More from the Central:
- Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin is expected to travel with the team for their upcoming road trip but is listed as doubtful for Tuesday’s game in St. Louis, relays D Magazine’s Robert Tiffin (Twitter link). He exited Friday’s contest early due to a lower-body injury. Lyubushkin has seven points, 67 blocks, and 54 hits in 39 games so far this season while averaging 16:10 per night in a third-pairing role. Dallas doesn’t have an open roster spot so if they want to bring someone up in the meantime, either Lyubushkin would have to go on IR or someone else would need to be sent down first.
- Blues prospect Samuel Johannesson is expected to sign with SHL Frolunda next season, according to a report from Expressen’s Mattias Persson and Johan Svensson. The 25-year-old blueliner is in his second season in North America and has played exclusively with AHL Springfield so far. After putting up 32 points in 66 games in his rookie campaign last season, Johannesson’s numbers are down this season with two goals and nine assists through 26 contests. Persson and Svensson add that several NLA teams had also shown interest in Johannesson but instead, he opted to return home. An official signing announcement won’t come until after the season.
Jets’ Logan Stanley Suspended One Game
4:30 PM: A second player has received discipline today, as Stanley is suspended one game for yesterday’s actions, per the NHL Department of Player Safety. The decision proves to be Stanley’s first supplemental discipline in the NHL.
An imposing force at 6’7″, the defenseman has really leaned into physicality to make an impact at the highest level. He has already surpassed his career high in penalty minutes, at 82, in just 40 games this season. Stanley will have to miss Tuesday’s home tilt against Vegas, but figures to return Thursday as Winnipeg hosts Edmonton in step two of a five game home stand.
10:40 AM: The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that a second player will have a hearing for actions in a game last night: Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley. More specifically, Stanley will have a hearing for roughing committed against Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.
The incident in question occurred away from the play, near the Senators’ bench. Stanley and Tkachuk were engaged with one another and Tkachuk ended up losing his helmet in the process. After shoving Stanley, Tkachuk grabbed onto his stick, after which Stanley dropped his gloves and delivered a punch to Tkachuk’s face. In that moment, Tkachuk did not appear to be looking at Stanley when Stanley delivered the punch.
The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie wrote yesterday that the Senators were left “outraged” by the incident and its aftermath, and head coach Travis Green spoke on it after the game, saying: “You never like to see a guy get suckered in the face. It’s unfortunate, we’re lucky he came back. He’s an All-Star player. I’m sure their team wouldn’t be happy if (Kyle) Connor got suckered in the face and there was just a two-minute minor for roughing called.”
Tkachuk managed to finish the game and registered an assist, beating the Jets by a score of 4-2 and handing Winnipeg its ninth straight loss. Based on today’s announcement from the Department of Player Safety, it appears the Jets may be forced to try to end their losing streak without Stanley, as he could miss their next game (or more) with a potential suspension.
Stanley, 27, skated on the Jets’ third pairing last night. He’s been Winnipeg’s No. 5 defenseman in terms of ice time this season, averaging 16:09 per game with only sporadic usage on special teams. He has seven goals and 13 points in 40 games this season, and is playing out the final year of a two-year, $1.25MM AAV contract. Barring an extension, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Logan Stanley Set To Be Healthy Scratch For Jets
Despite a clean bill of health, Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 4 against the Dallas Stars, per Mike McIntyre of Winnipeg News.
Known for his physical presence, Stanley was injured in Game 6 of the team’s first-round matchup against the St. Louis Blues. Before his injury, he posted 42 penalty minutes in five games and had no points and a negative plus-minus to show for it. The massive 6’7” presence could give the team a physically imposing force on the back end, but his style of play may not be the best matchup against Mikko Rantanen and the Stars’ skill-heavy attack. The 26-year-old recorded one goal, 14 points, 88 hits, 76 blocked shots, and 78 penalty minutes in 63 regular-season contests this season.
As the Jets look to even the series, Haydn Fleury will remain slotted into the lineup on the team’s third defensive pairing alongside veteran Colin Miller. Fleury recorded seven assists and a minus-12 in 39 regular-season games. However, his playoff metrics have looked much better, as he’s produced a plus-two rating and chipped in two assists in five games thus far. Additionally, he has averaged 17:24 of ice time per game in the playoffs — a solid increase from his regular season average of 15:56 — showcasing a growing level of trust in the 28-year-old’s play. That figure was certainly inflated by their double-overtime victory in Game 7 of the first round. However, that opportunity provided Fleury with the platform to highlight the impact Fleury can have on the blue line, as he logged a career-high 33:02 after Josh Morrissey left in the first period with an injury.
Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel recently told media, including NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers, that Fleury provides the team with a mobile option on the back end. “Again, another skillset. He’s real mobile, he can skate out of trouble. Another guy that can be a part of that rush, a part of what we’re talking about getting after Dallas here and getting on our toes. And that’s what he brings to our game,” Arniel said.
Winnipeg Jets Recall Parker Ford
Needing additional depth due to the unknown status of a few key players, the Winnipeg Jets have made a small recall from their AHL affiliate. The Jets announced they’ve recalled forward Parker Ford from the Manitoba Moose for tonight’s contest against the Dallas Stars.
Earlier today, head coach Scott Arniel told reporters that forward Mark Scheifele, defensemen Josh Morrissey and Logan Stanley are game-time decisions for tonight’s contest. Scheifele has arguably been the most notable loss, missing Game 5 and Game 6 in the Jets’ opening-round matchup against the St. Louis Blues. He scored two goals and six points in the five games he played.
Ford won’t be tasked with replicating Scheifele’s offensive capabilities, but he’s an interesting plug-and-play option for Winnipeg. The Wakefield, RI native debuted in the NHL this past season in late January, scoring his first goal in his first NHL game.
Appearing in a postseason contest, on the fourth line or not, would be a big step for the former collegiate free agent out of Providence College. He’s only in his second full professional season and is on the heels of an 18-goal, 41-point campaign in 2023-24. Ford’s offensive output understandably decreased with fewer games played, as he scored 14 goals and 21 points in 41 contests for the Moose during the 2024-25 season.
Jets’ Mark Scheifele To Miss Game 7, Logan Stanley Questionable
The Winnipeg Jets received grim news to start their Sunday, as it’s been revealed that star center Mark Scheifele won’t be health enough to dress for Game 7, per Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press. Both players were absent from Winnipeg’s morning skate. The details of Scheifele’s injury haven’t been disclosed. He exited Game 5 in the first period a few shifts after receiving a big hit from St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn. Scheifele sat out of Game 6 but took the ice at Saturday morning’s practice, donning a track suit. Wiebe also shares that defenseman Logan Stanley will be a game-time decision.
Scheifele will stick in the track suit as Winnipeg faces a must-win game on Sunday. He’s been a true star for the Jets all season long, having appeared in all 82 games of the regular season and scoring 39 goals and 87 points – both second on the team behind Kyle Connor‘s 41 goals and 97 points. Scheifele’s strong scoring carried nicely into the postseason, where he managed two goals and six points in five games, or 13 periods, of action.
The Jets offense simply doesn’t function the same without their high-motor, high-speed center leading the charge. Winnipeg turned to Vladislav Namestnikov and Adam Lowry to fill the roles of top-six center in Game 6, which added plenty of pressure to the shoulders of top wingers Connor, Gabriel Vilardi, and Nikolaj Ehlers. The Jets only managed two goals with that makeup – both coming on the power-play, where they had the clearest advantage over the Blues. That could be Winnipeg’s silver lining, as St. Louis has recorded the second-most penalty minutes in the postseason so far, with 148 through six games. Unfortunately, the only team above them is indeed the Jets, who have recorded seven more penalties than St. Louis.
Efforts to balance out penalties could be made a bit easier if hard-hitting defender Logan Stanley is forced to sit. He leads the entire postseason with 42 penalty minutes in five games played, and has no scoring and a negative plus-minus to show for it. Stanley is an imposing six-foot-seven and capable of squaring up opponents seemingly every time they try to break into Winnipeg’s zone. That will be a tough role to fill should Stanley indeed be forced out of the lineup. Winnipeg’s next man up would likely be Haydn Fleury, who recorded seven assists and a minus-12 in 39 regular season games.
Injury Updates: Stanley, Arvidsson, Kochetkov, Kylington, Chinakhov
The Jets welcomed back Logan Stanley to their lineup tonight with the team announcing (Twitter link) that the blueliner has been activated off injured reserve. The 26-year-old has been banged up this season, missing time with a knee issue and most recently a mid-body injury that kept him out for the last eight games. Between those, Stanley has three points, 17 blocks, and 12 hits in 11 games while averaging 15:13 per night, the second-highest ATOI of his career. With his activation, Winnipeg now has a full 23-player roster.
Other injury updates from around the NHL:
- Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters including Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (Twitter link) that winger Viktor Arvidsson won’t suit up on their current road trip, meaning he’ll miss the next three games. The 31-year-old has missed the last six games due to an undisclosed injury and is currently on injured reserve. Arvidsson is in his first season with Edmonton after signing a two-year, $8MM contract over the summer. However, he’s off to a quiet start with just two goals and three assists in 16 games.
- Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is listed as doubtful for tomorrow’s game against Florida, team reporter Walt Ruff reports (Twitter link). Kochetkov remains in concussion protocol but head coach Rod Brind’Amour wants to get him in a practice before getting him back into a game. Kochetkov has a 2.42 GAA and a .909 SV% in 13 games so far this season. With him and Frederik Andersen out, Spencer Martin and Yaniv Perets are Carolina’s tandem between the pipes for the time being.
- The injuries continue to pile up for the Avalanche. Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette relays (Twitter link) that defenseman Oliver Kylington is dealing with an injury and isn’t with the team in Dallas. The 27-year-old has had a quiet start to the season for Colorado, missing time due to illness and being healthy scratched at times. Overall, Kylington has suited up in eight games so far, picking up a goal and an assist but his playing time is just 12:10 per night, more than five minutes below his ATOI with Calgary last season.
- Blue Jackets winger Yegor Chinakhov was scratched in today’s victory over Calgary due to an upper-body injury, notes team reporter Jeff Svoboda (Twitter link). After a breakout performance last season that saw him record 16 goals and 13 assists in 53 games, the 23-year-old is on pace to beat those numbers as he has seven goals and seven helpers in 21 appearances so far, good for fourth on Columbus in scoring. Cole Sillinger returned from his upper-body injury to take Chinakhov’s spot in the lineup.