The NHL’s Worst Value Contracts Of 2025-26: Costliest Per-Point Production Among Forwards
Earlier this week, PHR looked at the forwards who gave their teams the cheapest cost per point in the NHL last season. Today, we flip the list over. These are the ten forwards whose points came at the highest price in 2025-26, and unlike the bargains, whose seasons mostly yielded big paydays, almost everyone here is still on the books. For their teams, the question isn’t what these players will cost next; it’s how many years of their current contracts remain.
This list excludes players on their entry-level contracts and includes forwards who appeared in at least half (42) of games during the 2015-26 season.
The list:
- Brandon Tanev ($833K Per Point) — No forward’s points cost more last season. Tanev went goalless across 56 games in his first season in Utah, and his three assists against a $2.5MM cap hit worked out to roughly $833K apiece, the worst rate in the league by a comfortable margin. The Mammoth signed him to a three-year deal last July expecting energy and penalty killing, and the physicality showed up (135 hits), but the offense vanished entirely, and by late season he was a nightly healthy-scratch candidate. While Tanev, along with many of the other players on this list, hasn’t made a career off offensive production, his three-point campaign in 2025-26 is an alarming drop-off from his ten-goal, 22-point season just one year prior. Tanev has two years remaining at $2.5MM.
- Garnet Hathaway ($800K Per Point) — Hathaway’s game has never been about scoring, but three points in 66 games stretched even that job description. His $2.4MM hit priced those points at $800K each in his final full season in Philadelphia, though he did lead the Flyers with 252 hits, ninth-most in the league. Similar to Tanev, Hathaway’s production took a huge hit from the year prior, when he tallied ten goals and 21 points. For Flyers fans, Hathaway’s lackluster regular season was all but forgotten when he stepped up with a goal and an assist in a Round 1 Game 2 win against Pittsburgh. Hathaway moved on in June, with the Flyers trading him to Florida while retaining half his deal, so the Panthers get his final year at an effective $1.2MM.
- Maxim Tsyplakov ($563K Per Point) — Nobody on this list traveled more. Tsyplakov opened the year on Long Island, was dealt to New Jersey in January, and by June had been packaged to Calgary alongside Simon Nemec, three organizations in six months for a player who managed four points in 49 games between the Islanders and Devils, about $563K per point on his $2.25MM hit. The production ability is there; Tsyplakov was a 30-goal scorer for Spartak Moskva in the KHL before coming to North America. In his rookie season on Long Island, the Russian had a ten-goal, 35-point season. The Flames, who finished dead last in the NHL in goals for during 2025-26, are hoping that a fresh start will re-ignite some offensive production.
- Trent Frederic ($550K Per Point) — The scariest entry here isn’t the rate, it’s the runway. Frederic produced seven points in 74 games in his first full season in Edmonton on a $3.85MM hit, while never quite looking recovered from the high-ankle sprain he carried into the eight-year, $30.8MM extension the Oilers gave him last summer. The St. Louis native will look to find the game that made him a former 40-point scorer in Boston, and Edmonton would welcome the added depth scoring, which has been a weakness for them the past several seasons. That deal has seven years left, the longest remaining commitment on this list by a wide margin.
- Jesperi Kotkaniemi ($536K Per Point) — The strangest season on the list: Kotkaniemi is a Stanley Cup champion who didn’t play a single second of Carolina’s championship run. Scratched frequently through a nine-point, 42-game regular season ($536K per point at a $4.82MM hit), he then sat for all 19 playoff games as the Hurricanes won it all. Four years remain, and the buyout-versus-trade debate has hung over him all summer. Kotkaniemi’s name has been attached to Alexander Nikishin trade rumors, with some speculation Carolina wants to attach the forward to any deal in hopes of unloading his contract.
- Frank Vatrano ($508K Per Point) — Two years removed from a 37-goal season, Vatrano’s offense collapsed to nine points in 50 games, about $508K per point on his $4.57MM hit, though he has a better excuse than most: a fractured shoulder in late December cost him 22 games, and Anaheim’s emerging young forwards squeezed his role even when healthy. With Anaheim in a bit of a cap crunch and rumors circulating about Verbeek looking to move some contracts, Vatrano’s name has been in the mix along with Alex Killorn and Chris Kreider. Two years remain on the deal.
- Ryan Reaves ($450K Per Point) — The list’s elder enforcer and its lone expiring contract. Reaves gave San Jose three goals and nothing else across 50 games at 39 years old, playing under eight minutes a night for $450K per point on a $1.35MM hit. That deal is now up, and he’s an unsigned free agent who has said publicly he’d like to finish his career as a Shark. San Jose currently has $12MM in cap space with 13 forwards signed so it will be interesting to see if GM Mike Grier looks to bring Reaves back.
- Jonathan Huberdeau ($420K Per Point) — The biggest name and the biggest number. Huberdeau’s 25 points in 50 games came at $420K apiece on his $10.5MM cap hit, but the context matters: he played the entire season through a chronic hip problem, was shut down at the Olympic break, and underwent hip resurfacing surgery in March. Calgary still owes him five more years at $10.5MM with a no-movement clause, making his recovery the most consequential rehab of the Flames’ offseason. Before the 2025-26 season, Huberdeau’s production has been steady during his time in Calgary; however, the Flames have long hoped to find the former 115-point scorer they acquired in the Matthew Tkachuk trade during the 2022 offseason.
- Ondrej Palat ($400K Per Point) — Palat’s season is permanently linked to the No. 3 entry on this list: New Jersey shipped him to the Islanders in January in the trade that sent Tsyplakov the other way. Between the two stops, he managed 15 points in 80 games, about $400K per point at a $6MM hit. One year remains on the deal he signed off back-to-back Cups in Tampa, a contract that never even produced a 40-point season.
- Phillip Danault ($324K Per Point) — The cheapest bad value in hockey, if that’s a title. Danault went goalless through 30 games in Los Angeles before a reportedly messy December with LA sent him back to Montreal, where his game stabilized somewhat; he finished with 17 points in 75 combined games, around $324K per point on his $5.5MM hit. The Canadiens have him for one more season before the deal expires in 2027. Montreal is certainly hopeful Danault can find another gear in 2026 and provide depth production in that 40-point range that the 32-year-old center has for much of his career.
All contract information provided by Puckpedia.
2026-27 Performance Bonus and 35+ Candidates
As NHL front offices gear up for free agency, managing the salary cap demands a delicate balance between risk and reward. While performance bonuses are often linked to elite rookies on entry-level contracts, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) adds two additional avenues for performance-based incentives: injury comeback deals and contracts for 35-year-old or older veterans. These mechanisms enable teams to secure impactful players with low base salary cap hits, effectively deferring financial obligations until later.
If a team ends the fiscal year with earned bonuses exceeding their remaining cap space, the excess funds are carried over into the next league year as a direct salary cap penalty. This can significantly impact teams near the cap limit or heavily relying on LTIR. PuckPedia has detailed the upcoming free agents who qualify for these specialized incentive structures for the 2026-27 season.
To qualify for a performance-bonus-eligible contract via the injury route, a player must have 400 or more career games and have spent 100 or more days on Injured Reserve during the previous season. This structure allows franchises to take low-risk gambles on proven assets, while the financial incentives toward active roster availability and durability rather than pure scoring production.
Six players fit this criteria heading into free agency, including Derek Forbort (VAN), Alexander Kerfoot (UTA) Patrik Laine (MON), Petr Mrazek (ANA), Matt Murray (SEA), and Tomas Nosek (FLA).
For a team looking for top-six offensive upside, a player like Laine could be highly coveted on a bonus-laden deal, while teams seeking goaltending depth or penalty-killing options could turn to turn to Mrazek, Forbort, or Nosek under this low-risk umbrella.
Contracts signed by players who will be 35 or older by July 1 of the contract year are also eligible for performance bonuses on one-year deals. Front offices frequently use these to protect against sudden age-related decline, tying mid-six-figure bonuses to basic longevity milestones—such as reaching 10, 40, or 60 games played—or team-oriented postseason success.
The upcoming free agent class has an extensive group of veteran forwards eligible for this structure, including Jamie Benn (DAL), Evgenii Dadonov (NJD), Nicolas Deslauriers (CAR), Lars Eller (OTT), Nick Foligno (MIN), Claude Giroux (OTT), Luke Glendening (PHI), Erik Haula (NSH), Adam Henrique (EDM), Marcus Johansson (MIN), Patrick Kane (DET), Anders Lee (NYI), Gustav Nyquist (WPG), Alex Ovechkin (WSH), David Perron (OTT), Corey Perry (TBL), Ryan Reaves (SJ), Reilly Smith (VGS), Jonathan Toews (WPG), Garrett Wilson (PHI), James van Riemsdyk (DET), and Mats Zuccarello (MIN).
The blue line also features a robust market of eligible 35+ defensemen who can weaponize these flexible agreements. This group includes Zach Bogosian (MIN), Brent Burns (COL), John Carlson (ANA), Ian Cole (UTA), Radko Gudas (ANA), Travis Hamonic (DET), Nick Jensen (OTT), Nick Leddy (SJ), Jeff Petry (MIN), Luke Schenn (BUF), and Brendan Smith (CBJ).
Contending teams could use performance bonuses to maximize rosters with high-profile franchise icons like Ovechkin, Benn, Giroux, and Kane eligible for a flexible, low-base-salary structure. However, general managers must be cautious. A player hitting a games-played milestone in late March could trigger a cap overage, restricting cap space at the trade deadline or forcing a painful penalty on the 2027-28 books.
Sharks’ Ryan Reaves Out Week-To-Week
A top enforcer will be out of the San Jose Sharks lineup for the short-term. Winger Ryan Reaves is out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury, head coach Ryan Warsofsky told Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Reaves only played 19 seconds of Saturday’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He injured his finger in a fight with Flyers winger Garrett Wilson just two minutes into the game, though it’s not clear if that is the injury he faces now, or what specifically went wrong.
Either way, the Sharks will move forward without one of the few remaining enforcers in the NHL. Reaves has racked up 37 penalty minutes in 50 games this season, including five fights. He also leads the Sharks in hits with 160.
Those numbers are well below the heights that Reaves reached through his 16-year NHL career. He posted a career-high 126 penalty minutes in 63 games of the 2013-14 NHL season, including 12 fights. His career-high in hits came in the 2019-20 season, when Reaves racked up 316 hits in 71 games with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Years later, Reaves continues to serve as a valuable fighter protecting a young Sharks roster. He has been sparingly used over the second-half of the season, with only five appearances since February started. He only averaged 7:15 in ice time in those appearances, excluding his early exit on Saturday.
San Jose will turn to Pavol Regenda to step back into the lineup for Reaves. Regenda has nine goals and 10 points in 21 NHL games, and 12 points in 28 AHL games, this season. At 6-foot-4, he brings the physical presence that Reaves leaves behind, though San Jose may also have to lean on Kiefer Sherwood to match Reaves’ hit totals. Meanwhile, Reaves will look to get back to full health in time to step into one of San Jose’s remaining 14 games this season.
Sharks Activate Ryan Reaves From Injured Reserve
The Sharks announced Monday that they’ve activated winger Ryan Reaves from injured reserve. They do not have an open roster spot and will need to make a corresponding move, although that can be as simple as transferring Macklin Celebrini to the non-roster list while they wait to reincorporate him into team activities following his electric run for Team Canada at the Olympics.
The Olympic break saved Reaves from a longer absence. The veteran enforcer sustained an upper-body injury against the Blackhawks on Feb. 2, although it wasn’t clear when it happened. He only missed the following game against the Avalanche before San Jose’s schedule paused.
Most thought Reaves would be a press-box fixture after San Jose picked up the final year of his deal at a $1.35MM cap hit from the Maple Leafs last offseason, especially if the rebuilding Sharks were to take a step forward. He’s instead been a regular in a fourth-line role, suiting up 46 times already after only making 35 appearances all season with Toronto last year. His offense has been as limited as always, notching three goals with no assists, but his possession impacts haven’t been a huge drag considering he’s playing under eight minutes per game.
He’ll be stepping back into a consistent fourth-line role with a mix of Adam Gaudette, Barclay Goodrow, and Zack Ostapchuk on the other side of the break. A three-game losing streak didn’t do San Jose any favors earlier this month, and they resume play five points out of a playoff spot with one game in hand. They have the Ducks, Kings, and Predators now to leapfrog to get back into playoff position, with MoneyPuck giving them a 21.6% of ending up in the picture.
Sharks Place Ryan Reaves On IR, Activate Kiefer Sherwood
Feb. 4: Sherwood will indeed be activated from IR in the corresponding move and make his Sharks debut tonight, Pashelka reports. It will be the right-winger’s first appearance in nearly a month, last suiting up for Vancouver on Jan. 10 because of his upper-body injury.
Feb. 3: The San Jose Sharks have placed Ryan Reaves on injured reserve, according to Curtis Pashelka, San Jose Sharks beat writer.
The team has one more game before the Olympic Break, taking on Colorado tomorrow night. Reaves has been designated with an upper-body injury, despite playing as recently as last night. Although he will have to miss the next three games at a minimum, it doesn’t appear to be anything serious for the 39-year-old.
Today’s news suggests that Kiefer Sherwood, acquired from Vancouver on January 19, could be set to finally make his Sharks debut tomorrow, currently sidelined by an upper-body injury as well.
Unsurprisingly, Reaves has not made an impact on the score sheet this season, but he’s managed to appear in 46 of the team’s 54 games to this point, with 32 penalty minutes. The grinder has found the back of the net three times, averaging 7:58 of ice time per game. His 41.8% Corsi for all situations is among the lowest in the league, but the respected veteran is a beloved teammate in San Jose, currently playing out the final year of a three-year contract worth $1.35MM per season.
With Reaves’ leadership playing a key role, boosting the average of what is one of the youngest teams in the NHL, the Sharks are right in the playoff mix. They are vying to end their six-year drought impressively ahead of schedule. Reaves figures to return soon after the break, the 2005 fifth-round pick adding to his improbable 958-game journey as a lasting figure of a previous era.
Sharks Activate Ryan Reaves, Place William Eklund On IR
The San Jose Sharks have placed top winger William Eklund on injured reserve, retroactive to his last game on November 1st, per Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Eklund will be forced to miss Saturday’s matchup against the Florida Panthers, but he could be activated before the team’s next game on Tuesday.
This move opens the roster space needed to activate Ryan Reaves off of IR without having to reassign Zack Ostapchuk. Reaves has missed the last four games with a lower-body injury sustained on October 28th. He returned to the lineup on Saturday.
Reaves has continued his role of fourth-line enforcer through his 16th year in the NHL. He has two goals and two fights, while averaging fewer than seven minutes a night, through 11 games this season. He has been a welcome veteran presence to a young Sharks squad, but also stands as a barrier to the lineup for many top prospects.
Reaves is the fifth-oldest player in the NHL this season. His lack of career scoring glares around company like Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby at the top of the NHL’s age chart. Despite that, Reaves expressed interest in continuing his career through his age-40 season on the latest Spittin’ Chiclets episode. One more year would give Reaves a chance to reach 1,000 games – a mark that would be particularly impressive for the pure enforcer. He is currently 77 games away from the feat.
San Jose won’t let that pursuit interfere with Eklund’s return to the lineup once he’s back to full health. The 2021 seventh-overall pick has emerged as a fixture of the Sharks’ top line, and reached 41 assists and 58 points in his first season next to Macklin Celebrini last year. He scored 11 points in 12 games to start this season, before falling to injury. The Sharks offense has taken off while Eklund has been out, and could improve even further with his return. San Jose will have to decide who to scratch between Reaves and Ethan Cardwell when Eklund returns.
Sharks Recall Ethan Cardwell, Place Ryan Reaves On IR
The San Jose Sharks have placed winger Ryan Reaves on injured reserve and used the spot to recall winger Ethan Cardwell, per the NHL roster report and Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. Reaves sustained a lower-body injury in Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils. He sat out of Saturday’s win over the Colorado Avalanche. Now, Reaves will also be forced to miss at least the next two games.
The Sharks have spent the season rotating 16-year-pro Reaves in-and-out of the lineup with reigning second-overall pick Michael Misa. Reaves has racked up two goals, two fights, and a minus-three through 10 games. He’s already matched the two points he scored in 35 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. Reaves is a pure physical presence, and ranks sixth among all active players in career penalty minutes (1,110).
Cardwell will now step up to fill Reaves’ rotating role on the fourth line. He has managed two goals, four points, and 10 penalty minutes through seven AHL games this season. That production ranks Cardwell fifth on the San Jose Barracuda in scoring. Two players ranked above him have more NHL experience – Cameron Lund, who played in 11 NHL games last season, and Colin White, who has 323 NHL games to his name. The Sharks opt for Cardwell over either of those two, likely thanks to his persistence for making plays in the dirty areas of the ice. That drive, and a chippy style, would be welcome on San Jose’s fourth line.
But first, Cardwell will have to break into the lineup. Misa should keep his stake in the lineup with Reaves out. The rookie has generated three points and 11 shots on net over his last five games. He’s also posted an impressive 58.3 faceoff percentage on 24 draws. Should that production be enough to keep Misa in, Cardwell would be left sparring with Ty Dellandrea and Barclay Goodrow for bottom-line minutes.
West Notes: Hyman, Nyquist, Reaves, Blackhawks
When the Oilers placed winger Zach Hyman on LTIR to start the season as he continues to recover from wrist surgery, the hope was that he’d be able to return as soon as he was eligible, that being November 1st. However, that won’t be the case. Earlier this week, head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters including Gerry Moddejonge of the Edmonton Journal that the veteran’s return will be at least another week away. Knoblauch was quick to note that this isn’t an indication of a setback but rather that they’re being cautious to try to avoid any setbacks down the road. Whenever Hyman does return, his addition will be a welcome one as he has scored at least 27 goals in each of the last four seasons.
More from out West:
- After being injured on Thursday, Jets winger Gustav Nyquist isn’t expected to play tonight versus Pittsburgh, notes Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press. Instead, head coach Scott Arniel indicated that they expect a more detailed update on Nyquist’s situation after the weekend. The 36-year-old hasn’t scored in his first 11 games in a Winnipeg uniform but has collected five assists despite averaging a career-low 12:19 of ice time.
- Sharks winger Ryan Reaves is expected to receive further testing on his lower-body injury today, relays Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now (Twitter link). There is some concern that the injury, sustained on Thursday, is believed to be serious. Reaves is in his first season with San Jose after being acquired from Toronto in an offseason swap and has two goals and 37 hits in ten games this season but is averaging just 6:43 per game of playing time.
- The Blackhawks have deployed the unconventional 11-forward, seven-defensemen lineup in all but two of their 11 games this season. Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times examines the logic behind head coach Jeff Blashill’s logic, noting that the new bench boss is already thinking in terms of season-long load management, not wanting to overload his young blueliners. Five of their seven defenders are 24 or younger so their goal is to not overwork them by going with an extra rearguard most nights over a 12th forward, hoping that the strategy will pay off as the season goes on.
Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Henry Thrun
In a late-night one-for-one swap, the Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenseman Henry Thrun from the San Jose Sharks for forward Ryan Reaves. Both teams have confirmed the trade.
The trade is a good bit of business for both teams. The Sharks were in a position to thin out their defensive core after adding Dmitry Orlov and Nick Leddy last week, and raise their salary cap situation above the upper limit. For Toronto, they were able to move out an overpriced and underused asset for a quality defensive addition.
Thrun has been a relatively consistent blue liner in San Jose for two years. Throughout that time, Thrun has scored five goals and 23 points in 111 games with a -45 rating, averaging 18:39 of ice time per game.
While Thrun’s output in San Jose may appear unsettling, he should find more success in Toronto based on improved teammates and less responsibility. However, there is more reason for concern.
Throughout his career, Thrun has averaged a 42.6% CorsiFor% at even strength and an 89.5% on-ice save percentage at even strength. According to MoneyPuck, for defensive units that played 150 or more minutes for the Sharks last season, Thrun was on both of the worst units in terms of xGoals% with 31.3% and 30.7% respectively.
Still, there’s a legitimate argument that he’s an improvement for the Maple Leafs, considering what they gave up. Even at the time of signing, Reaves’ three-year, $4.05MM contract seemed high, especially considering that Toronto had struggled with salary cap space for a few years.
As expected, Reaves added plenty of physicality to Toronto’s lineup, but not much else. Over his two years with the Maple Leafs, Reaves scored four goals and eight points in 84 games with 268 hits and 77 PIMs while averaging 7:59 of ice time per night. Things got so bad for Reaves in Toronto that the team waived him toward the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
He won’t be expected to show any sort of improvement in San Jose. The Sharks have a glut of prospects making their way to the NHL level, and Reaves will be tasked with protecting the youth movement as one of the last true enforcers in the game.
Photo courtesy of Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images.
Minor Transactions: 4/18/25
There will be several small roster moves today as playoff teams recall their required third goalie for practice and emergency backup purposes, and non-playoff teams conduct some end-of-season roster trimming. We’ll cover all those moves here:
- The Blues announced they’ve recalled goaltender Will Cranley from ECHL Florida to serve as their emergency backup. St. Louis selected the 23-year-old in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. He was previously added to the Blues’ practice roster for a day during the 4 Nations break while Jordan Binnington was traveling back from the tournament. He finished his second professional season with a 2.71 GAA, .896 SV%, two shutouts, and an 11-9-3 record in 23 ECHL games. He also logged a .867 SV% in a pair of appearances for AHL Springfield, the first of his career.
- The Stars added defensemen Lian Bichsel and Alexander Petrovic back to the active roster after reassigning them to AHL Texas yesterday for cap purposes. They needed the space to activate Tyler Seguin from long-term injured reserve for the final game of the regular season. They’re expected to serve as the third pairing in Game 1 of the first round against the Avalanche tomorrow, per Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports. It’ll be the postseason debut for Bichsel, Dallas’ first-round draft choice in 2022. They also recalled goaltender Ben Kraws from ECHL Idaho as their EBUG. An undrafted free agent signing out of St. Lawrence last year, the 24-year-old impressed with a 2.88 GAA, .910 SV%, five shutouts, and a 23-12-5 record in 40 games for Idaho. He also posted a 3.01 GAA and .889 SV% in three appearances for AHL Texas, logging a 2-1-0 record.
- Serving as the Avalanche’s EBUG will be Kevin Mandolese, the team announced. The 24-year-old has spent the year as Trent Miner‘s backup with AHL Colorado after being acquired from the Senators over the offseason. He has a 2.87 GAA, .903 SV%, 11-6-0 record, and one shutout in 19 games.
- Since the Wild’s AHL affiliate is one of the few to miss the cut for the Calder Cup Playoffs, they’re going with a higher-profile option for their EBUG. Top prospect Jesper Wallstedt will fill the role for them, according to a club announcement. The 2021 first-rounder is expected to succeed the retiring Marc-André Fleury as Filip Gustavsson‘s backup next season, but is coming off a disastrous injury-plagued campaign with Iowa. He finished the year with a 3.59 GAA, .879 SV%, one shutout, and a 9-14-4 record in 27 showings.
- The Panthers summoned Evan Cormier from ECHL Savannah to be their EBUG, per George Richards of Florida Hockey Now. The 27-year-old struggled with a 3.38 GAA, .887 SV%, one shutout, and a 17-13-4 record in 36 showings in 2024-25. He filled the same duties for the Cats in the first half of last year’s playoff run, signing a two-way deal at the trade deadline for the second season in a row.
- The Penguins returned forwards Ville Koivunen, Joona Koppanen, Vasiliy Ponomarev, Samuel Poulin, Valtteri Puustinen, and defenseman Filip Král to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after their late-season call-ups. They’ll aid the Baby Pens as they aim to capture a Calder Cup. Not joining them is top prospect Rutger McGroarty, who sustained a lower-body injury last week and isn’t yet ready to return.
- The Flames assigned forward Sam Morton and defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz to AHL Calgary after they made their NHL debuts in last night’s regular-season finale. Morton scored his first NHL goal in the outing, while Brzustewicz impressed with a plus-two rating. They’ll join the Wranglers for the postseason.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled enforcer Ryan Reaves from the minor leagues. Reaves recently played in his first AHL games since the 2010-11 season. He recorded one goal and, surprisingly, no penalty minutes in three games of play. The 38-year-old also recorded two assists and 28 penalty minutes in 35 NHL games this season. He’ll provide a boost of muscle to the Leafs lineup as they head towards a First Round matchup against the Ottawa Senators.
- Defenseman Emil Andrae has been reassigned to the minor leagues after holding down a routine role on the Philadelphia Flyers lineup since early March. Andrae split his time between the major and minor rosters this season, with seven points in 42 NHL games and 16 points in 25 AHL games. He was primarily a minor-leaguer last season and managed a stout 32 points, 66 penalty minutes, and minus-10 in 61 games. With the Flyers season over, Andrae will look to again support the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a late-season push.
- The Edmonton Oilers have recalled depth forward Derek Ryan from the minor leagues. Ryan split time between the NHL and AHL this year, with one goal and six points in 36 games in the Oilers lineup. He also managed eight points in 13 AHL games. Ryan has played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on five different occasions, racking up 10 points in 60 games. That includes appearing in 19 games of Edmonton’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. Ryan contributed one assist to the effort. He’ll now be returned to the NHL roster to support another long run.
- The Rochester Americans are getting a wave of strong recruits, as the Buffalo Sabres have reassigned each of Jiri Kulich, Tyson Kozak, Noah Ostlund, and Isak Rosen back to the minor leagues. Rosen leads Rochester in scoring this season with 28 goals and 55 points in 60 games. Ostlund has 36 points in 44 games, while Kozak has 14 points in 31 games. Kulich has been the only of the bunch to spend the bulk of the season in the NHL. He carved out a top-six role through points of the season. Kulich finished what was his rookie NHL season with 15 goals and 24 points in 62 games.
This page will be updated throughout the day.