Lightning Activate, Reassign Scott Sabourin
The Lightning announced Friday that they activated winger Scott Sabourin from injured reserve and subsequently assigned him to AHL Syracuse.
Sabourin, 33, has been more of a factor for Tampa Bay this season than anyone anticipated. The enforcer was assessed a preseason suspension and was brought up multiple times from Syracuse after the campaign started to finish serving it, making him eligible to suit up for the Bolts rather early in the schedule.
He was called into action more consistently in November and December, marking his first big league action since last January. All told, he played nine games before sustaining an undisclosed injury against the Canadiens on Dec. 28 that’s kept him out for nearly a month. That’s the second-most NHL action he’s ever seen in a single season, trailing only the 35 appearances he made as a 27-year-old rookie for the Senators in 2019-20.
Sabourin scored a goal and two assists – his first tally since that rookie year – and averaged 8:12 of ice time per game with a whopping 63 penalty minutes. No one even comes close to Sabourin’s 12.19 penalties taken per 60 minutes this season. Ottawa’s Kurtis MacDermid is a distant second at 8.40.
The 6’4″, 207-lb winger has always displayed enough of a scoring touch to challenge for top-nine deployment in the minors and is thus a fine enough fourth-line spark plug at the NHL level in short-term regular-season deployment. We likely haven’t seen the last of him in Tampa this season as a result. For now, though, he returns to Syracuse, where he’s notched six goals and two assists in 20 games this year.
Lightning Place Scott Sabourin On Injured Reserve
The Tampa Bay Lightning will be down at least one forward for their upcoming road trip through the Pacific Division. According to Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times, the Lightning have placed Scott Sabourin on the team’s injured reserve.
It’s not difficult to assess what Sabourin’s injury stems from. One day after accruing 26 PIMs and a fine against the Florida Panthers, Sabourin took on Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj in a heavyweight tilt.
Xhekaj ultimately won the exchange handily, which assuredly caused Sabourin’s placement on the IR today. It appears that Xhekaj knew Sabourin was injured mere moments after the fight concluded, as video shows him and the linesman urgently calling the Lightning’s medical staff to attend to Sabourin.
Unfortunately, it’s the price of doing business for how Sabourin plays the game. Although the ‘enforcer’ class is slowly dying off in the modern game, Sabourin has respectably carved out a career path as a tough guy. This season with Tampa Bay, he’s already racked up 63 PIMs in just nine contests.
Since he isn’t relied upon to help put pucks in the net, though he does have three points on the year, the Lightning’s lineup won’t need too much shifting around ahead of their upcoming road trip. Sabourin was typically found on the team’s fourth line, so the team could easily replace him with fellow enforcer Curtis Douglas, who was a healthy scratch in the contest against the Canadiens.
Atlantic Notes: Lundell, Sabourin, DeBoer, McDonagh
As expected, some additional punishment has come from last night’s battle of Florida between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that it has fined Anton Lundell $5,000 for high-sticking Jake Guentzel and Scott Sabourin $2,018.23 for slashing Niko Mikkola (X Link). Each punishment was the maximum allowable under the current CBA.
Interestingly enough, Sabourin was the only one of the two to earn a penalty on the play in question. The game ended with a combined 136 PIMs and 15 power plays. Sabourin accounted for 26 of those penalty minutes due to the slashing penalty, a roughing penalty, and a game misconduct.
Aside from last night’s fireworks, the Lightning had another game today as they matched up against the Montreal Canadiens. Unfortunately, Sabourin will not finish the game, as Tampa Bay announced that he has exited the contest with an undisclosed injury.
Other notes from the Atlantic Division:
- Despite General Manager Brad Treliving recently giving head coach Craig Berube a vote of confidence for the second half of the season, there has been plenty of speculation regarding his future tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Much of that speculation has been driven by the availability of Pete DeBoer, who recently coached the Dallas Stars to three consecutive Western Conference Finals. Although some in Toronto may be wishing for DeBoer, he doesn’t appear to want the job. In a recent article from Nick Barden of The Hockey News, it was highlighted that DeBoer sent a text to Berube recently, indicating that he wasn’t involved in any of the speculation.
- Back in Tampa Bay, the team has again placed veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh on the injured reserve after reaggravating the injury that has plagued him throughout much of the season. Unfortunately, there’s no indication he’ll return anytime soon. Earlier today, team reporter Gabby Shirley shared that McDonagh is “a little bit more than ‘day to day'”. The vagueness of the report suggests that the Lightning may still be evaluating McDonagh for a clearer picture of his recovery timeline.
Lightning Recall Scott Sabourin And Steven Santini
Tampa Bay and Florida have played some particularly physical games in recent memory. With the next matchup slated for tonight, the Lightning have brought up some extra grit, announcing the recalls of winger Scott Sabourin and defenseman Steven Santini from AHL Syracuse.
Sabourin has only played in seven games with Tampa Bay this season despite several recalls. Three of those have come against the Panthers, which doesn’t include the preseason where he received a four-game suspension for an incident against Florida. The 33-year-old has actually been somewhat productive in his limited action, picking up a goal and two assists along with 13 hits and 32 penalty minutes despite averaging just 9:17 per night of playing time.
Sabourin is on a one-year, two-way deal with Tampa Bay and has spent the bulk of the year with the Crunch. In 20 games with them, he has six goals and two assists, putting him on pace for double-digit goals in the minors for what would be the fourth straight season.
As for Santini, he has suited up eight times for the Lightning so far in 2025-26, his highest NHL games played total since the 2018-19 campaign. The 30-year-old has one assist to his name so far this season along with six hits while averaging 12:01 per night.
The veteran is in the first season of a two-year, two-way deal signed back in June and has also spent the majority of the year in Syracuse. In 18 games with the Crunch so far, Santini has five assists.
Santini may take the place of veteran Ryan McDonagh in the lineup tonight. Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times relayed (Twitter link) that the veteran did not take part in today’s morning skate and has re-aggravated his previous injury. Head coach Jon Cooper listed McDonagh as out day-to-day.
The team had two open roster spots so no further roster movement was necessary to add the two and their roster now sits at the maximum of 23 players.
Lightning Expected To Activate Andrei Vasilevskiy From IR
The Lightning announced today that they’ve reassigned goaltender Brandon Halverson and winger Scott Sabourin to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. Halverson’s demotion means they’ll use one of the open roster spots to activate Andrei Vasilevskiy from injured reserve before Thursday’s game against the Kings.
What was initially expected to be a one-game absence for Vasilevskiy turned into seven games. He hasn’t dressed since losing to the Islanders on Dec. 2. Since then, backup Jonas Johansson has played every minute for the Bolts, aside from a six-second span against the Islanders over the weekend, where Halverson had to enter play due to an equipment issue.
Injuries to Vasilevskiy have forced Johansson to start 14 of Tampa’s 33 games, on pace to clear his previous career high of 24 starts by a wide margin. The 30-year-old Swede has given the Bolts some of the best hockey of his unremarkable career, recording a .897 SV% and 2.76 GAA while saving 4.1 goals above expected, per MoneyPuck.
Still, Tampa will be thrilled to get its star back between the pipes, especially as it’s lost six of eight games in November. The five-time Vezina Trophy finalist has made a solid case for his sixth nomination early on this year, recording a .916 SV%, 2.31 GAA, and an 11-6-2 record in 19 starts. Among goalies with at least 18 appearances, Vasilevskiy’s 0.736 GSAx/60 ranks fifth behind Logan Thompson (1.047), Ilya Sorokin (1.003), Jeremy Swayman (0.790), and Spencer Knight (0.766).
Meanwhile, Halverson’s duties as the Bolts’ No. 3 see his recall end without him facing a shot. The 29-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent and has a .901 SV%, 2.58 GAA, two shutouts, and a 9-4-0 record in 13 starts for Syracuse.
Sabourin, 33, has been yo-yoed between Tampa and Syracuse multiple times this season. However, he’d played in four straight for the Lightning after being recalled last week. The career enforcer has been a surprisingly effective fourth-line piece when called upon this year, recording a goal and two assists in seven games with 13 hits. Averaging 9:17 of ice time per game, he’s also posted strong 5-on-5 possession metrics with a 55.9 CF% and a team-high 71.3 xGF%.
As a result, his demotion could be to help stretch out his waiver-exempt status. Syracuse plays tomorrow night against Bridgeport, so the Lightning would be eligible to recall him again before their next game Thursday.
Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Scott Sabourin
The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forward Scott Sabourin from their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. The move comes in advance of the club’s game tonight against the Montreal Canadiens.
This is far from Sabourin’s first recall to the Lightning’s NHL roster. Earlier in the season, Sabourin was recalled on multiple occasions so that he would be able to serve the four-game suspension he was assessed for his actions in the preseason. Sabourin was suspended for a hit on Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. Most had assumed Sabourin’s recalls were going to be limited to suspension-serving, as the veteran had played in just four NHL games over the last three seasons.
But on Nov. 12, the Lightning recalled Sabourin and he ended up playing that night’s game against the New York Rangers. He played in nearly 12 minutes of ice time, which was the most he’d received in an NHL regular-season game since the 2019-20 campaign. Sabourin instantly rewarded the Lightning’s faith in him, scoring his first goal of the season (and first since 2019-20) early in that night’s game.
Sabourin added an assist in the Lightning’s following game on Nov. 15 against the Panthers before he was sent back to Syracuse on Nov. 19. A bruising physical forward, Sabourin hasn’t been much of a scorer at the AHL (or NHL) level for most of his career. But what’s continued to get him both hefty AHL contracts (his one-year, two-way deal carries a $350K guarantee) and NHL recalls has been the imposing physical presence he’s been able to provide.
The Lightning were shut out by the Maple Leafs last night in Toronto, and have had to travel to Montreal and will need to play tonight’s game as the second half of a back-to-back. By adding Sabourin, the Lightning have added fresher legs to their roster and a forward capable of going toe-to-toe with some of Montreal’s heavyweights, such as Arber Xhekaj and Josh Anderson.
While it’s unclear at the moment whether Sabourin will dress for the game, his recall does at least provide head coach Jon Cooper with another player to choose from when selecting a lineup.
Lightning Reassign Scott Sabourin
The Lightning announced Wednesday that they’ve reassigned forward Scott Sabourin to AHL Syracuse. Forwards Pontus Holmberg and Nick Paul are eligible to come off IR and LTIR, respectively, before tomorrow’s game against the Oilers, and one of them will presumably get Sabourin’s roster spot.
Sabourin, 33, has only played three games and has been rostered for 11 days since last clearing waivers, so he doesn’t need them to return to the minors today. He was summoned on multiple short-term occasions in October to serve a four-game suspension he was assessed in the preseason, meaning he didn’t make his season debut until his latest recall, which came on Nov. 12. The depth enforcer managed to rattle off a goal and an assist in his first two games – his first NHL points since April 2022 – before racking up 16 penalty minutes (three minors and a misconduct) and going pointless against the Canucks last Sunday. He was then scratched for Tuesday’s 5-1 loss to the Devils to make way for Dominic James‘ return to the lineup, making it apparent he’d be the odd man out when Tampa needed to open its next roster spot at forward.
It was still a much better offensive showing than expected from the 6’4″, 207-lb fighter, who’s now up to a 3-7–10 scoring line in 50 career NHL appearances. While his NHL resume doesn’t offer much more than his fights, he’s had enough offensive utility in the AHL in the past to work his way into a middle-six role there. This season, Sabourin’s logged three goals and two assists for five points in 11 contests.
After spending his last two seasons in the Sharks organization, this is Sabourin’s first in Tampa after they signed him to a two-way deal with a $350,000 guarantee last summer. It’s the 14th season of Sabourin’s professional career, which began as a free agent signing by the AHL’s now-defunct Manchester Monarchs.
Lightning Recall Boris Katchouk, Scott Sabourin
The Lightning announced they’ve recalled wingers Boris Katchouk and Scott Sabourin from AHL Syracuse. They’re the corresponding transactions for yesterday’s injured reserve placements of Dominic James and Ryan McDonagh, bringing their active roster count back to 23.
At least one of them will draw into the lineup tonight against the Rangers. Tampa Bay’s list of injuries entering the matchup is lengthy. Not only are they without James and McDonagh, but Victor Hedman and Pontus Holmberg both sustained undisclosed injuries against the Capitals on Saturday and remain day-to-day.
The recall marks Katchouk’s first stint on an NHL roster since the 2023-24 season. The 27-year-old was a second-round pick by the Lightning in 2017 and began his second stint with the organization by signing a two-way deal over the summer. He did not have an NHL contract last season. After being released from a professional tryout with the Ducks, Katchouk landed with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a minor-league deal. The 6’2″ grinder racked up 21 goals and 49 points in 67 appearances in his first extended taste of AHL hockey since the 2020-21 season in his first go-around with Tampa. Katchouk is off to a good start this season in his familiar stomping grounds in Syracuse, rattling off four goals and five assists for nine points through 12 games.
Between his extended minor-league stints, Katchouk was a regular NHLer between 2021-22 and 2023-24. He broke into the league with Tampa but was traded to the Blackhawks during his rookie season in the Brandon Hagel deal. Katchouk remained in Chicago until being claimed off waivers by the Senators, who didn’t issue him a qualifying offer, late in 2023-24. In 176 appearances, Katchouk had a 15-21–36 scoring line with a -23 rating while averaging 11:09 per game, controlling 47.6% of shot attempts at even strength.
Sabourin’s recall is his fourth of the young season, although he hasn’t yet played for the Bolts. The club has brought him up when roster space allows so that he can serve a four-game suspension he was issued for roughing Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad in a preseason game. With that suspension now satisfied, he is eligible to play tonight. The 33-year-old enforcer has notched three goals and five points with 13 penalty minutes in 11 games for Syracuse thus far. It’s his first year in the Lightning organization after signing a two-way deal over the summer.
Katchouk can remain on the roster for up to 30 days or play 10 games until he needs waivers to return to Syracuse. Since Sabourin has already been on the active roster for four days, his waiver-exempt clock is down to 26.
Lightning Reassign Mitchell Chaffee, Scott Sabourin
Oct. 29: The Lightning announced Wednesday that they’ve reassigned Sabourin to Syracuse. With his suspension now served, he’s unlikely to see another stint on the NHL roster in the near future.
Oct. 28: The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forward Scott Sabourin and assigned forward Mitchell Chaffee to the AHL. Chaffee cleared waivers earlier on Tuesday. Sabourin will serve the final game of a four-game suspension picked up during the preseason, making him eligible to return to the NHL lineup as soon as Thursday.
Tampa Bay has been strategic with its call-ups of Sabourin. He served his suspension gradually, over multiple call-ups, while also appearing in five games for the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. He’s racked up two points, seven penalty minutes, and a plus-two in those appearances. It’s a relatively meager stat line for the usually-chippy Sabourin, who ranked second on the San Jose Barracuda with 111 penalty minutes in 65 games last season. He led the Barracuda with 192 PIMs in 2024 and led the Belleville Senators with 177 PIMs in 2023.
Sabourin has played in only 12 NHL games since his rookie season ended in 2020. He has two points and 25 PIMs in his limited appearances. He’s otherwise been a core piece of lineups across the AHL, offering imposing size and an old-school enforcer style. Tampa Bay could lean on that hard-nosed presence to turn around its 3-4-2 start to the season, though Sabourin would need to leapfrog Yanni Gourde or Dominic James to crack into the Lightning lineup.
Meanwhile, Chaffee will head to the minor leagues after appearing in the first seven games of Tampa Bay’s season. He recorded no scoring and 19 hits in those appearances. This move will push Chaffee towards his first AHL games since the 2023-24 season, when he posted 26 points in 36 AHL games and seven points in 30 NHL games. That scoring was enough to earn the Michigan-native a full season with the Lightning last year. He marked it with 12 goals and 18 points in 66 games, though he couldn’t keep that scoring up through this season. Chaffee has 25 points in 105 career NHL games and 89 points in 123 career AHL appearances.
Evening Notes: Reichel, Sharangovich, Lightning
Having been dealt today to Vancouver in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick, Pierre LeBrun of TSN had an interesting note on Lukas Reichel, that the former top prospect had asked for a trade out of Chicago. Lebrun added that according to Reichel’s agent, it had been a long-time discussion, but that things were amicable as both sides worked peacefully through the process.
As has been discussed, a fourth-round pick may feel underwhelming for Chicago fans, but the German native has just not been able to establish himself, never surpassing the 22-point mark in a season. On the flip side though, Reichel, still just 23, seems like a very solid low-risk addition for Vancouver. Even if the change of scenery does not pan out into Reichel becoming a true top-six forward, his skating ability and effort level could be useful in any team’s bottom six. Many in his mold have evolved and simplified their games to stick in the NHL, and it will be interesting to see what comes of the former first-round pick.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Derek Wills, voice of the Calgary Flames, shared today that Yegor Sharangovich is expected to draw back into the lineup tonight in Winnipeg. The forward was scratched for the last two games, after putting up just one assist in 6 games. Given the brutal start for Calgary so far, currently last in the league, there is perhaps nothing to lose to try and get the skilled winger going, who broke out two years ago as a Flame, scoring 31 goals. Especially as Sharangovich seems set in Calgary for the foreseeable future, in year one of a five-year contract worth $5.75MM per year.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-assigned Scott Sabourin to AHL Syracuse, and in a corresponding move, they welcomed back Zemgus Girgensons, who has been activated, as Head Coach Jon Cooper told Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. Girgensons is expected to make his season debut tomorrow. Meanwhile Sabourin, 33, will bring a veteran presence and a physical edge to the Crunch. He did not appear in a game for the Bolts, but the undrafted grinder has 47 NHL games to his name. Off to a poor start, Tampa Bay will look to turn the corner and silence any early speculation that the club’s long sustained success may be on the downturn.