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Mike Hardman

Devils Recall Seven Black Aces

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Since the Devils’ AHL affiliate in Utica failed to make the Calder Cup Playoffs, New Jersey is beefing up its postseason roster with seven Black Aces. The team announced they’ve recalled forwards Brian Halonen, Mike Hardman, Nathan Legare, Marc McLaughlin, defensemen Topias Vilen, Colton White, and goaltender Isaac Poulter as practice players for the remainder of their playoff run.

While the group is technically available to play postseason games for the Devils if need be, that’s never the purpose behind Black Ace recalls during the postseason. Instead, they’ll skate with the team to extend their season since they’re not getting any AHL action.

The four forwards each got into NHL games for New Jersey in 2024-25. It marked Legare’s NHL debut and Hardman’s and McLaughlin’s Devils debuts. Halonen, an undrafted free agent signing out of Michigan Tech in 2022, made a couple of appearances in January amid a strong minor-league showing. Halonen led Utica in goals (27) and ranked second in points (40) in 62 showings. He signed a two-year, two-way extension last May, so he’ll be back with the club next season, barring a trade.

Hardman also logged a pair of appearances for New Jersey, one in December and one in April. They were his first in the NHL since March 2023 as a member of the Blackhawks. A depth free agent pickup last summer, he’s also under contract through 2025-26. The 26-year-old scored 18-17–35 in 57 AHL games and had a team-high +11 rating.

Legare, 24, made his NHL debut in December with a trio of appearances and recorded a minus-one rating. He’s already on his third NHL organization. A third-round pick of the Penguins in 2019, he was traded to the Canadiens in August 2023 as part of the Erik Karlsson three-team deal. He spent under a full season in Montreal’s system before they traded him to New Jersey in a minor-league swap ahead of last year’s AHL trade deadline. He’s a restricted free agent this summer and is eligible for arbitration.

McLaughlin arrived in Newark at the trade deadline, acquired from the Bruins for defenseman Daniil Misyul. He played in the Devils’ final two games of the regular season and recorded an assist and a minus-one rating. The 25-year-old center had six assists in 16 games for Utica after the trade and will be a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer, so this could be the end of his short stint as a Devil.

Vilen, 22, has yet to make his NHL debut. New Jersey drafted the rearguard in the fifth round of the 2021 draft and he’s coming off his second full season with Utica. The 6’1″, 194-lb lefty had 1-23–24 with a plus-two rating in 58 games this year and has one season remaining on his entry-level contract.

White was a Devils draft pick back in 2015 and returned to the organization last summer after a two-year stint with the Ducks. He hasn’t played in the NHL since logging a career-high 46 appearances for Anaheim in 2022-23. The 27-year-old depth piece rediscovered his game in Utica after a tough second year with Anaheim’s affiliate in San Diego, posting 4-17–21 in 61 games with a plus-one rating.

Poulter has been on the Devils’ roster more than a few times over the past two seasons as an emergency recall and, despite dressing as a backup for regular-season action, hasn’t touched the ice. He posted a .898 SV%, 2.86 GAA, one shutout, and a 16-13-7 record in 36 showings for Utica this year.

Minor Transactions: 4/17/25

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With several teams seeing their 2024-25 seasons come to an end in recent days (with more to come tonight), there has been an influx of players being returned to the minors.  We’ll keep track of the moves that have not been already covered here.

  • The Ducks have returned wingers Nikita Nesterenko and Sam Colangelo to AHL San Diego, per a team release. Nesterenko played in a career-best 20 games with Anaheim this season, potting four goals and two assists.  With the Gulls, he has 13 goals and 21 assists in 48 contests.  As for Colangelo, he had ten goals and two helpers in 32 NHL outings while he’s just shy of a point per game in the minors with 35 points in 38 contests.
  • The Canucks announced (Twitter link) that they’ve returned defensemen Kirill Kudryavtsev and Victor Mancini, forwards Aatu Raty, Linus Karlsson, Max Sasson, and Ty Mueller, along with goaltender Nikita Tolopilo to AHL Abbotsford. Raty, Sasson, and Karlsson saw the most action with Vancouver this season with Raty being the most productive with 11 points in 33 appearances.  Mancini got into 16 games after being acquired in the J.T. Miller swap, while the other three all made their respective NHL debuts in recent days.  They will be big additions to an Abbotsford team who has been the hottest team in the league over the last several weeks.
  • The Devils announced that they’ve returned forwards Mike Hardman and Marc McLaughlin to AHL Utica. Both players were recalled on Wednesday and suited up in their regular season finale.  Hardman had an assist in two NHL games while contributing 35 points with the Comets.  As for McLaughlin, his NHL season wrapped up with two goals and three assists in 14 games between New Jersey and Boston while adding 19 points in 48 outings between their respective AHL franchises.

Devils Recall Nico Daws, Mike Hardman

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The Devils announced they’ve recalled goaltender Nico Daws and forward Mike Hardman from AHL Utica. They’ll presumably dress for tonight’s regular-season finale against the Red Wings to allow a couple of players to rest ahead of their pending Game 1 of the playoffs against the Hurricanes.

Daws’ time in New Jersey this year has been short and sweet. There haven’t been many opportunities for upward mobility for him this year, with veterans Jacob Markström and Jake Allen having strong seasons, but when he gets the chance to play due to injuries, he’s seized it. He’s won all three of his starts and made an additional two relief appearances, posting a shining .966 SV% and 0.88 GAA – including a 29-save shutout against the Predators on Feb. 23. That’s good for a remarkable 6.9 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck.

Puzzlingly, the 24-year-old hasn’t fared nearly as well in the minors. He’s logged a 3.16 GAA and .893 SV% with one shutout and an 11-20-3 record in 34 showings for the Comets. It’s his second straight AHL season below the .900 mark. The 2020 third-rounder still has another year left on his contract with an $812.5K cap hit. It changes from a two-way to a one-way deal for next year, though, so he’ll get a significant raise even if he stays in the minors.

Hardman has made a lone appearance for the Devils this year, slotting into a game against the Rangers in early December. It was the 38th appearance of his career, which has spanned parts of four NHL seasons. The 26-year-old has been an infrequent call-up option for Chicago and New Jersey over his pro career, signing with the Blackhawks as an undrafted free agent out of Boston College in 2021.

After three-plus years in the Blackhawks organization, Hardman achieved Group VI unrestricted free agent status last summer and inked a two-year, two-way deal in New Jersey, so they’ve got him as depth for next season, too. The 6’2″, 205-lb forward leads Utica with a +11 rating and ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 18-17–35 in 57 games. He has 1-4–5 in his 38 career NHL appearances.

Devils Notes: Hardman, Trade Market, Haula

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The Devils announced Tuesday that they’ve reassigned winger Mike Hardman to AHL Utica.

New Jersey recalled Hardman yesterday ahead of their 5-1 win over the Rangers. The 25-year-old skated 8:24 in his Devils debut as their fourth-line left wing alongside fellow call-ups Justin Dowling and Nathan Legare, attempting one shot and recording two blocks and two hits while losing his lone faceoff attempt.

The Devils have shaken up their depth forwards frequently in recent days amid the indefinite absences of Nathan Bastian (jaw) and Curtis Lazar (knee), giving AHL mainstays like Adam Beckman and Shane Bowers some looks. Hardman may get another crack in the lineup, but with New Jersey off until Friday against Seattle, it makes little sense to keep a waiver-eligible player on a two-way deal on the active roster unless necessary.

Hardman is fifth on Utica in scoring this season with five goals and three assists for eight points through 10 games. He’s in his first season in the Devils organization after spending the previous three years and change with the Blackhawks and their AHL affiliate in Rockford.

There’s more out of the Garden State:

  • While the Devils are content for now to give some of their minor-league depth a crack at NHL minutes, it’s not a long-term solution. Their top priority ahead of the trade deadline will be adding a fourth-line center and a top-nine piece if possible, general manager Tom Fitzgerald told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. “I’ve been in touch with teams. … I’m looking for utility players, I guess — guys who can skate,” Fitzgerald said. “I like size and versatility and guys who can play in the middle and on the wing.” Lazar checked most of those boxes, but there’s no certainty about whether he’ll be available again this season. It’s a return to a buyer mentality on the trade market for the Devils, who were largely sellers at last year’s deadline but have rebounded to a 17-9-2 record and a 96% chance at postseason action, per The Athletic.
  • New Jersey may have suffered another hit to their depth forward corps with center Erik Haula being evaluated for an undisclosed injury, head coach Sheldon Keefe told the team’s Amanda Stein. He’s day-to-day but hasn’t been ruled out for Friday’s contest, Keefe added. The 33-year-old has five goals and 11 points in 28 games this year, although his 14:52 average time on ice is his lowest since the 2016-17 campaign.

Devils Recall Mike Hardman, Nathan Legare; Assign Shane Bowers

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The New Jersey Devils have recalled forwards Mike Hardman and Nathan Legare, and assigned forward Shane Bowers. Bowers will head back to the minors after a week on the NHL roster. He stepped into three games on this call-up, recording no socring, a -2, and two penalty minutes while averaging a little over eight minutes of ice time.

New Jersey will swap out the unproductive Bowers with veteran minor-leaguers Hardman and Legare. Only the former has played in the NHL, stepping into 37 games with the Chicago Blackhawks between 2020 and 2023. He scored three points in his first eight career games, but only added two assists in the proceeding 29. Hardman has also amassed 174 games across four seasons in the AHL. He started his career there with similar productivity – netting 32 points in his first 43 games – but he’s only added 63 points in 131 games since. Legare has been even less productive, with just three points, all goals, in 18 games this season. He’s managed just 50 points in four seasons and 197 career games in the AHL.

Hardman seems to be the more likely of the two to step into the lineup, receiving a well-timed call-up after winning the AHL’s ’Player of the Week’ award with seven points in a three-game span.

Hardman’s call-up comes at a good time, just days after he won the AHL’s ’Player of the Week’ award with seven points in a three-game span last week. His NHL precedent likely makes him New Jersey’s next-man-up, though both call-ups could line up with New Jersey bearing with injuries to Curtis Lazar, Nathan Bastian, and Tomas Tatar.

Waiver Wire: 10/4/24

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According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman all 17 players on waivers yesterday have cleared. There are again several players to hit the wire today as reported by Friedman:

Anaheim Ducks

F Jansen Harkins

Boston Bruins

G Michael DiPietro
F Vinni Lettieri
D Jordan Oesterle

Florida Panthers

F William Lockwood

Los Angeles Kings

F Taylor Ward

New Jersey Devils

F Justin Dowling
F Mike Hardman
F Samuel Laberge
F Nathan Légaré
F Maxwell Willman

Philadelphia Flyers

F Olle Lycksell
F Anthony Richard

Pittsburgh Penguins

F Emil Bemström
D Nate Clurman
F Jonathan Gruden
F Joona Koppanen
D Filip Král
D John Ludvig
F Samuel Poulin

Tampa Bay Lightning

G Matt Tomkins

Toronto Maple Leafs

F Alex Steeves

Washington Capitals

D Ethan Bear
F Luke Philp
F Michael Sgarbossa

Minor Free Agent Signings: Metropolitan Division

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With over 180 deals signed during the first day of free agency yesterday, some smaller names may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Here’s a list of names that have inked two-way deals with Metropolitan Division clubs since the market opened yesterday, per CapFriendly. Some of these may have been included in our main coverage yesterday, while others went under the radar. All contracts carry the league-minimum $775K cap hit unless stated otherwise). Those listed here are likely to begin 2024-25 with each team’s AHL affiliate.

Carolina Hurricanes

none

Columbus Blue Jackets

D Cole Clayton (one year, $950K entry-level cap hit)
F Owen Sillinger (one year)

New Jersey Devils

F Mike Hardman (two years)
D Colton White (two years)

New York Islanders

none

New York Rangers

none

Philadelphia Flyers

none

Pittsburgh Penguins

D Nathan Clurman (one year)
D Mac Hollowell (one year)
F Jimmy Huntington (one year)
F Bokondji Imama (one year)
D Ryan Shea (one year)

Washington Capitals

G Mitchell Gibson (one year)
D Chase Priskie (one year)

Devils Sign Stefan Noesen, Mike Hardman

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ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports the New Jersey Devils have signed forward Stefan Noesen to a three-year, $8.25MM contract. It will be Noesen’s second stint with the Devils organization. They’ve also signed 25-year-old depth forward Mike Hardman to a two-year, two-way deal worth $775K NHL/$350K AHL annually, per PuckPedia.

Noesen spent parts of three seasons with New Jersey the first time around but aside from a good showing in 2017-18, he was largely limited to a depth role.  That continued for a few seasons after he moved on to the point where he was primarily a full-time AHL player, not an NHL player.

However, after a dominant showing with AHL Chicago in 2021-22, Noesen got a full-time opportunity with the Hurricanes the following year.  He certainly made the most of it, picking up 13 goals and 23 assists in 78 games.  The 31-year-old then followed it up with a similar showing last year, tallying 14 goals and 23 helpers in 81 contests despite averaging less than 12 minutes a game of ice time.

The follow-up year was clearly enough to show potential suitors that his late breakout wasn’t a one-off but was rather a sign of things to come, giving him a strong enough market to get more than a 300% increase in salary.  Noesen will likely have a similar role with the Devils as he did in Carolina, playing in their bottom six at five-on-five with the hopes that he can provide some consistent depth scoring.

As for Hardman, last season was the first time in his four-year professional career that he didn’t see any NHL action.  The 25-year-old played exclusively with AHL Rockford, picking up 22 goals and 15 assists in 63 games, all career-highs.  Hardman has 37 career NHL appearances under his belt with Chicago where he has a goal and four assists.  He’s likely earmarked to play with AHL Utica next season.

Chicago Blackhawks Reassign Mike Hardman

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After a two-week-long recall, the Chicago Blackhawks have returned forward Mike Hardman to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, per NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis.

Hardman, a 23-year-old in his third NHL season, played in eight games with the Blackhawks on this recall, his first of the season. He failed to record a point in eight games and is still looking to score his first goal since the 2020-21 campaign.

A free agent signing out of Boston College in 2021, this year has been a trying one for Hardman. After promising offensive production last year with Rockford, his offense has regressed significantly. In 2022-23, Hardman has managed just four goals and 16 points in 49 games, down from 32 points in 43 games last season.

There’s still some development time left for Hardman, though, and he has one season remaining on his current contract. Set to become a restricted free agent in 2024, he returns to Rockford for the end of the season, looking to gain confidence for a big contract year next campaign.

Chicago returning Hardman to the minors could also be an indication that Jujhar Khaira, currently day-to-day with an illness, is ready to return.

Chicago Blackhawks Recall Buddy Robinson, Mike Hardman

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The Chicago Blackhawks announced they have called up a pair of forwards on an emergency basis. Mike Hardman and Buddy Robinson were both recalled by the team this morning. The Blackhawks were busy ahead of the trade deadline, moving out a handful of veterans and have been relying on depth players from the minors to fill the gap ever since.

Hardman is a 23-year-old forward who signed with the Blackhawks in 2021 following two seasons at Boston College. He has scored four goals and 16 points in 49 AHL games for the Rockford Ice Hogs this season but is yet to play an NHL in 2022-23. He has suited up for 29 career games with the Blackhawks over the previous two seasons, scoring one goal and five points.

Robinson is a 31-year-old winger who has been up and down between the NHL and AHL for the past decade. At 6-foot-6 and 232 pounds he bring a physical presence to the lineup and has shown a bit of a scoring touch at the AHL level over the years. This season he has nine goals and 19 points in 45 games for the Ice Hogs. He suited up for one game with the Blackhawks in October, skating for just over 11 minutes against the Colorado Avalanche.

The Blackhawks are off today before hosting the league-leading Boston Bruins tomorrow night.

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