Hurricanes Reassign Noah Philp, Joel Nystrom
Jan. 29th: Carolina indirectly confirmed that Philp cleared waivers, announcing that they’ve reassigned him and defenseman Joel Nystrom to AHL Chicago. Nystrom’s demotion was expected, given that the team shared that Shayne Gostisbehere would return tonight after a five-game absence due to a lower-body injury. Nystrom scored one goal in four games during his recall, averaging 11:25 of ice time per game.
Jan. 28th: The Hurricanes have placed center Noah Philp on waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. He had been on injured reserve with a concussion; now that he’s healthy, he won’t be back with Carolina. He’ll either be headed to AHL Chicago or another NHL club if he’s claimed off the wire.
Philp, 27, was claimed off waivers from the Oilers just last month. If Edmonton submits a claim for him and is the only team to do so, they could send him directly to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield without having to waive him again.
The Alberta-born pivot sustained the concussion in just his second appearance for Carolina on Jan. 6 against the Stars. He logged just 18:26 of total ice time across the pair of contests in a Canes sweater, notching two shots on goal and six hits while going 11-for-21 (52.4%) on draws. Including a 15-game run with the Oilers earlier in the year, he has a 2-1–3 scoring line with a -7 rating in 17 showings in his second NHL season.
There are red flags in Philp’s possession game. Even accounting for his deployment as a shutdown center at even strength, his 41.6 CF% at 5-on-5 is ghastly for a center who played in two extremely favorable possession environments in Carolina and Edmonton. He had a 54.8 CF% in 15 games with the Oilers last year, but in far more sheltered usage. There’s been some intrigue in the 6’3″, 200-lb frame he brings to the table, but it will be hard to continue justifying deploying him in a grinder role at the bottom of the lineup if he continues to be a significant drag on his team’s ability to control play.
Signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Alberta in 2022, Philp does have a nice 38-34–72 scoring line with a +13 rating in 130 career AHL games, all with Bakersfield. That includes a 35-point effort in only 55 games last year after he took a leave of absence for the entire 2023-24 campaign. The Oilers are likely hoping they’re the lone interested party in retaining him, either for familiar fourth-line depth or an AHL needle-mover.
Afternoon Notes: Robinson, Gostisbehere, Rooney
A new injury hit the Carolina Hurricanes during Monday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. Forward Eric Robinson left the game with roughly eight minutes left in the first period after being awkwardly knocked down by former teammate and Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin. Robinson appeared to be nursing his left shoulder as he left the ice and has been designated with an upper-body injury.
Robinson has continued to offer all-around utility in a bottom-six role this season. He has 10 goals, 15 points, and a plus-seven in 43 games this season. His performance has been a nice continuation on a strong debut with the Hurricanes last season. Robinson recorded 14 goals, 32 points, and a plus-14 while playing in all 82 games last season – all career-highs. He missed his first games as a Hurricane in late October, when an upper-body injury forced him out of six games.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Hurricanes were again without defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere on Monday per NHL.com’s Walt Ruff. It was Gostisbehere’s fourth straight absence due to a lower-body injury and illness. The 32-year-old defenseman has now missed 14 games on the season. Despite that, he still leads the Hurricanes blue-line in scoring with six goals and 32 points in 35 games. He has 10 more points than K’Andre Miller, who ranks second. Gostisbehere will have a clear path into an important role when he returns from another absence.
- The Utah Mammoth have assigned center Kevin Rooney to the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. He has served as an extra forward all year long and played his only NHL game in late November. Rooney has built a more prominent role in Tucson, where he has seven goals and 10 points in 20 games. He will slot back into a familiar role with the Roadrunners and could be a top call-up option when Utah needs another hand.
Hurricanes Recall Joel Nystrom, Place Noah Philp On Injured Reserve
With blueliner Shayne Gostisbehere out for tonight’s game against Florida, the Hurricanes have brought up some extra defensive depth. The team announced that they’ve recalled defenseman Joel Nystrom from AHL Chicago. To make room on the roster, center Noah Philp has been placed on injured reserve.
Nystrom is familiar with going back and forth between the NHL and the minors as this is now his third recall of the season. The 23-year-old has received his first taste of action at the top level this season, getting into 33 games with Carolina. He’s still looking for his first goal but he has eight assists while averaging 15:37 of ice time per game.
That showing was good enough to earn Nystrom a four-year, $4.9MM one-way extension last month, a sign that the Hurricanes feel that he is part of their longer-term plans. Despite a pair of demotions with the team taking advantage of his waiver exemption, Nystrom has only played in six times with the Wolves, collecting one assist.
As for Philp, he was claimed off waivers from Edmonton in late December but hasn’t had much of a chance to make an impression on his new team. The 27-year-old suffered a concussion in his second game with the team and has been out of the lineup for the last week and a half. Adding in his time with the Oilers, Philp has two goals and an assist in 17 games so far this season. Carolina has back-dated Philp’s placement back to January 6th, meaning that he is eligible to be activated at any time.
Carolina Hurricanes Reassign Gavin Bayreuther
Shortly before puck drop between the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche, the former shedded a defenseman from their active roster. The Hurricanes announced that they’ve assigned Gavin Bayreuther to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
Carolina originally recalled Bayreuther on December 29th as a corresponding move to placing netminder Pyotr Kochetkov on the injured reserve. It was the second time Bayreuther had been brought to the NHL roster this season.
Still, he has yet to be featured in any games for the Hurricanes. To this day, his last playing experience in the sports’ highest league was in the 2022-23 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, when he scored two goals and 14 points in 51 games.
After spending the entire 2023-24 season with the AHL’s Texas Stars, Bayreuther looked for a different opportunity overseas, signing with the NL’s Lausanne HC. It was a productive year for the 31-year-old blue liner, scoring five goals and 23 points in 52 games with a +5 rating, before returning to North America last summer. He has registered four goals and 13 points in 24 games with the Wolves.
Meanwhile, Bayreuther’s reassignment means that defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has returned to the Hurricanes’ lineup. He’s missed Carolina’s last three games due to injury. Throughout the year, he’s been a stud for the Hurricanes, scoring four goals and 29 points in 28 games. He joins Zach Werenski and Cale Makar as the only defensemen who have averaged over a point per game this season.
Hurricanes’ Charles-Alexis Legault Undergoes Hand Surgery
Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere “appears set to return” from his stint on injured reserve and will likely be activated before tonight’s game against the Capitals, according to the team’s Walt Ruff. Carolina does not have an open roster spot and will need to make a corresponding move to get Gostisbehere off IR. That will likely mean an IR placement for depth call-up Charles-Alexis Legault. He underwent surgery yesterday to repair multiple torn extensor tendons on his right hand after sustaining a skate cut against the Maple Leafs on Sunday and is expected to miss three to four months, the team announced.
Gostisbehere has had a rough start to the campaign health-wise. He hasn’t played a full game since Oct. 16. He left the following contest with a lower-body injury and, although he subsequently returned after a three-game absence, skated just 7:19 in his return on Oct. 28 against the Golden Knights. He suffered an abdominal injury in that game and has missed the last six games as a result. He was only moved to IR last Friday, but since the placement was retroactive, he was eligible to come off at any time.
Those injuries stunted what had been some incredible momentum from Gostisbehere through his first few games. Despite logging under 10 minutes of ice time in two of his six appearances, the 32-year-old has a goal and six assists for seven points – six of which came at even strength. Carolina’s top power-play quarterback also managed a +8 rating and controlled 67.4% of shot attempts when he was on the ice at 5-on-5, a 12.2% bump compared to the team’s CF% without him.
His return is a crucial one for the Hurricanes’ blue line, which has been decimated by injuries in the early going. On top of Gostisbehere’s in-and-out status, Jaccob Slavin‘s absence is closing in on the one-month mark, while K’Andre Miller was also recently sidelined for a six-game stretch. Jalen Chatfield also landed on injured reserve last week due to a concussion and is out indefinitely. That’s left Carolina without half their regular defense corps for multiple games.
Their depth has stepped up, though. The Canes remain second in the Metropolitan Division with an 11-4-0 record and have a +17 goal differential to lead the Eastern Conference. The play of names who started the season in the minors, like Legault, have played a significant role in that. The righty is still just 22 years old and is two years removed from being a fifth-round pick in 2023 after being passed over in 2021 and 2022. Through his first eight NHL appearances, the 6’4″, 220-lb rearguard has a goal and an assist with a +4 rating and saw 13:16 of ice time per game.
Legault was still set to be on the outside of the lineup when Carolina’s blue line was fully healthy again, but for now, they’re without a quality third-pairing replacement option who might have long-term staying power if his development progresses at its current pace.
As for Gostisbehere, he’ll make his return in second-pairing duties on his off side next to rookie Alexander Nikishin. He should also usurp Miller, who had been filling in on Carolina’s first power-play unit in the past few games, as the top man-advantage quarterback.
Metro Notes: Panarin, Gostisbehere, Hamilton
The New York Rangers had a difficult first month of the 2025-26 season, and the primary reason has been the team’s inability to consistently put the puck in the net. They rank last in the NHL in goals scored per game with just 2.21, and a notable reason for their struggles has been the performance of star winger Artemi Panarin. Panarin is usually the Rangers’ offensive engine, but he has just seven points in 14 games this season, with four of them coming in a single game. The Athletic’s Vince Z. Mercogliano reported on Panarin’s struggles in more detail, with Panarin telling the reporter his struggles have “really kind of snowballed.” He said “I missed training camp, had a couple (injury) issues. I wasn’t feeling right from a conditioning standpoint in the first couple games. I started getting frustrated right away, and then it kind of goes into the contract and all that stuff in my head.”
As Panarin himself noted, his contract status as a pending unrestricted free agent looms large over his 2025-26 season. Mercogliano reported that “there have been brief negotiations” between Panarin’s camp, led by Paul Theofanous, and the Rangers, but that those talks have “stalled” lately. It’s been reported previously that the Rangers are “in no rush” to make a commitment to Panarin, who at 34 years old is staring down the possibility that this could be the last big contract of his NHL career. In order for him to maximize that deal, he’ll need to step up his production. Panarin ended the 2023-24 season with 120 points, so he’s shown recently that he can be among the top scorers in the NHL. For him to position himself best for his next contract, he’ll need to find a way to rediscover that form.
Other notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has been placed on injured reserve, and that the IR placement is retroactive to Oct. 28. Gostisbehere was injured in the team’s Oct. 28 game against the Vegas Golden Knights, and hasn’t played since. The veteran was off to a strong start to the season before his injury, scoring seven points in six games. There remains no firm timeline for Gostisbehere to return, and without Gostisbehere to run the team’s top power-play unit, the team has had to rely on veteran Sean Walker, who has five points through 13 games.
- New Jersey Devils star blueliner Dougie Hamilton left last night’s victory over the Montreal Canadiens with an injury, and no further update on Hamilton’s status was provided. Today, Devils team reporter Amanda Stein relayed word from head coach Sheldon Keefe that Hamilton remains under evaluation today, and there is at this point no additional detail on the player’s status. Hamilton is a key contributor to what has been a strong Devils team so far this season. He ranks No. 2 among Devils defensemen in ice time, just behind Luke Hughes, and is tied with Hughes for second on the team in defensive scoring with seven points in 14 games. The 32-year-old is playing out a $9MM AAV contract that runs through the 2027-28 season.
Hurricanes Recall Charles-Alexis Legault, Place William Carrier On IR
The Carolina Hurricanes’ defensive core continues to suffer injuries. Needing yet another blueliner to sustain a roster, the team announced they’ve recalled Charles-Alexis Legault from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. Carolina placed forward William Carrier on the injured reserve, and he isn’t expected back for some time.
Legault’s recall corresponds directly to the injury sustained by Shayne Gostisbehere yesterday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Gostisbehere returned after missing the previous 10 days on the injured reserve, but skated in 7:19 of last night’s loss before exiting the contest. Team reporter Walt Ruff shared earlier that Gostisbehere suffered a midsection injury, and the team is hopeful he won’t be out long-term.
Still, that leaves Carolina without their three top defensemen for the foreseeable future. Jaccob Slavin is already on the team’s injured reserve after participating in only two games to start the year, and K’Andre Miller has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury.
Now, without Gostisbehere again, that leaves the Hurricanes with rookie Alexander Nikishin and Sean Walker as their top available pair. Both players have performed well this year, but they are not the top options needed to stay competitive, as evidenced by their performance against the Golden Knights last night.
Today marks the second call-up of Legault’s young career. He’s skated in three games for the Hurricanes already this season, going scoreless while averaging 11:53 of ice time. The former fifth-round pick spent the entire 2024-25 campaign with AHL Chicago, scoring three goals and 14 points in 63 games.
Hurricanes’ Shayne Gostisbehere, Joel Nystrom Leave With Injury
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere exited Tuesday’s loss to Vegas at the end of the first period due to a lower-body injury. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour revealed post-game that the injury was separate from the lower-body injury that held Gostisbehere out of the last three games, and forced a brief stint on injured reserve. Brind’Amour described the new injury as to Gostisbehere’s midsection per NHL.com’s Walt Ruff.
Shortly after Gostisbehere exited the game, fellow Hurricanes defender Joel Nystrom was forced to leave after blocking a slapshot from Golden Knights defender Brayden McNabb with his face. Nystrom was not on the bench to start the third period, forcing Carolina to play the final frame with just four defenders. Their last-four-standing included Domenick Fensore, who was making his season debut and playing in just the third game of his NHL career. He posted a minus-two.
Both Nystrom and Fesnore were recently called up to help Carolina address injuries to K’Andre Miller and Jaccob Slavin. Miller’s injury is luckily considered short-term, though Slavin was placed on injured reserve and could miss “a while”. That will make any further blows to Carolina’s blue-line hard to bear. Extra defenseman Mike Reilly will step back into the lineup in Gostisbehere’s spot, giving him a chance to build on three assists in six game so far.
Carolina could also recall prospects Dominik Badinka, Aleksi Heimosalmi, or Gavin Bayreuther from the AHL. Heimosalmi and Bayreuther have three points in four and five AHL games respectively, while Badinka has one point in five games.
But no mix of prospects will make up for Gostisbehere’s absence. Even after missing three games, he continues to lead Carolina’s battered blue-line in scoring with seven points in six games. He also led the defense in scoring last season, with 45 points in 70 games. Gostisbehere has proven a capable, and reliable, offensive threat in Carolina’s system. In his absence, much of that responsibility will fall on rookie Alexander Nikishin, at least until Miller is back to full health.
Hurricanes Activate Shayne Gostisbehere, Place Eric Robinson On IR
The Carolina Hurricanes are getting a major boost to their defensive core ahead of tonight’s marquee matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Hurricanes announced that they’ve activated Shayne Gostisbehere from the injured reserve and have placed forward Eric Robinson on it in a corresponding roster move.
Despite missing the team’s last three games with a lower-body injury, Gostisbehere is still leading the team in scoring among defensemen. Before going down with the injury, the Pembroke Pines, FL native scored one goal and seven points in five games with a +9 rating, averaging 16:01 of ice time per game. Although his ATOI appears relatively low, it’s essential to note that Gostisbehere only skated for 4:06 in his most recent game on October 18th.
One of the most noticeable differences in Gostisbehere’s game has been on the defensive side of the puck. He’s had a pair of quality offensive campaigns between the Detroit Red Wings and Hurricanes since the 2023-24 season, but has hovered around an 88.0% on-ice save percentage at even strength (oiSV%).
This season, albeit in far fewer games, Gostisbehere got off to a great defensive start, averaging a 66.7% CorsiFor% (CF%) at even strength, and a 94.1% oiSV%. His CF% remains the highest on the team for players who have appeared in five or more contests, while his oiSV% is second on defense behind rookie Alexander Nikishin. In no uncertain terms, Gostisbehere was a primary reason the Hurricanes got off to an undefeated start through their first five games.
Meanwhile, Robinson heads to the IR after suffering an upper-body injury against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. According to an update from the team a few days later, Robinson isn’t expected back with the team anytime soon. He scored one goal and four points in seven games to start the 2025-26 campaign, averaging 9:57 of ice time per game.
Metropolitan Notes: Luchanko, Gostisbehere, Wood
With his usage being limited thus far, the odds of Jett Luchanko spending the full season with the Flyers are dropping. However, Daily Faceoff’s Anthony DiMarco suggests that Philadelphia will at least look to drag the decision out a little longer by assigning him to AHL Lehigh Valley on a conditioning stint at some point. While he’s ineligible to play for the Phantoms full-time, he is allowed to play on a conditioning stint for up to two weeks. Luchanko won’t officially burn the first year of his entry-level deal until he plays in ten NHL games this season. He’s at four so between his five games he can still play without starting the deal and a possible conditioning stint, he could remain with the Flyers for a while yet before returning to junior.
More from the Metropolitan:
- While the hope was that Shayne Gostisbehere’s lower-body injury wasn’t serious, it will hold him out for at least the next two games. The Hurricanes announced that they have sent him back to Raleigh for further evaluation, meaning he will miss the last two games of their road trip. The 32-year-old got off to a hot start before the injury, picking up a goal and six assists in his first five games this season, notching at least one point in his first four outings.
- There’s a chance that Blue Jackets winger Miles Wood could return by the end of the month, reports Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription link). The 30-year-old was injured a little more than a week ago after taking a high stick to the eye. GM Don Waddell indicated that Wood is now able to see out of that eye but that further testing is required once all of the blood clears. That testing will ultimately determine if he’s able to come back quickly or if he’ll be out longer term.