East Notes: Laughton, Capitals, Halliday
While pending unrestricted free agent center Scott Laughton has made it known that he’d like to stay with the Maple Leafs, Chris Johnston reported in a recent piece for The Athletic (subscription link) that the veteran likely won’t get his wish. At this point, it appears that there have yet to be any substantive discussions about Laughton extending his time in Toronto and with the demand for middlemen being quite high, a trade remains the likeliest outcome. With Philadelphia covering half of Laughton’s contract, his remaining $1.5MM cap charge is certainly affordable which should have the Maple Leafs in a strong position to land a strong return, even if it’s not quite as strong as the one they gave up to get him this time last year, headlined by a first-round pick.
Elsewhere in the East:
- While the Capitals have been sellers thus far, having moved veterans Nic Dowd and John Carlson, it appears they’re trying to be buyers as well. Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that they showed interest in acquiring Conor Garland from Vancouver and that they are looking to add a piece before today’s 2 PM CT deadline. Cap space isn’t an issue for Washington as PuckPedia pegs them with an ability to add more than $26MM in contracts. The Caps find themselves four points out of the last Wild Card spot in the East so a mixed approach makes some sense if GM Chris Patrick feels his group could still get back into the mix.
- League executives have told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch that center Stephen Halliday is someone to keep an eye on before the deadline. The 23-year-old has been fairly productive in limited minutes for the Senators, notching four goals and seven assists in 28 games despite barely averaging eight minutes a night of playing time. Waiver-eligible for the first time next season, Halliday is the type of player that rebuilding teams will often want to take a longer look at so if Ottawa can swing a move to add another piece before the deadline, he’s certainly a candidate to be part of the return.
Senators Recall Stephen Halliday
2/25: After two days of practice with the top club, defense prospect Carter Yakemchuk has also been reassigned to Belleville. The move was expected after the team ended Wednesday’s practice, head coach Travis Green told Julian McKenzie of The Athletic.
2/23, 4:00 p.m.: The Senators reassigned Boucher back to Belleville, confirming that his recall earlier today was simply for practice purposes. Belleville’s schedule resumes on Friday, when the team travels to take on the Utica Comets, who are AHL affiliates of the New Jersey Devils.
2/23, 10:03 a.m.: The Senators announced they’ve recalled forwards Tyler Boucher and Stephen Halliday, as well as defenseman Carter Yakemchuk, from AHL Belleville. They’ll give the Sens some roster insurance as they await the returns of captain Brady Tkachuk and top defenseman Jake Sanderson from Olympic play, with both questionable to return in time for Ottawa’s first game back against the Red Wings on Thursday.
This is Boucher’s first time being rostered during the regular season. The 23-year-old was summoned as a Black Ace for last year’s playoff run but has yet to make his NHL debut nearly five years after being selected 10th overall in the 2021 draft. He remains the only active player in the top 20 that has yet to make his NHL debut (Winnipeg’s Chaz Lucius, selected 18th overall, was forced into medical retirement).
That could now change. The 6’2″, 216-lb winger was viewed as a late first-round choice at best by prospect evaluators in his draft year, so it was a highly controversial decision for the Sens to spend such a high pick on him. The gamble hasn’t worked out. Boucher disenrolled from Boston University 17 games into his post-draft season after struggling to catch on and spent the following year and a half in junior hockey with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, where he struggled through injuries and managed 17 goals and 31 points in 45 games – not nearly the level of offense expected out of a top-10 pick after his draft date.
Boucher’s struggles persisted after he turned pro with the Sens in 2023. He’s spent his entire career to date in the AHL and had just two goals and five points in 21 games as a rookie two years ago. Last year’s 10 points in 47 games weren’t much better.
This season, though, the Arizona native has picked up a little bit of steam. He’s already set new career-highs across the board with six goals, 10 assists, and 16 points in 29 games with a +9 rating. Injuries have again limited him to just over half of Belleville’s schedule, but getting his offensive output up over half a point per game is a definitive step in the right direction. He’ll now get a shot to at least get some practice reps in with the Sens over the coming days until Tkachuk is back in the mix.
Halliday’s recall is more of a formality. He’s been up with the Sens for a big chunk of the season already and was only sent down over the break so that he could keep getting some playing time in Belleville. The 23-year-old figures to remain up with Ottawa’s NHL group for the stretch run, serving as a depth forward option while David Perron continues his recovery from sports hernia surgery.
The 6’4″ pivot had something of a difficult time generating offense in Belleville over the break, limited to three assists in seven games. That only brought him down to a point per game in 29 AHL contests this year, though. He’s also been exceptionally productive in a fourth-line role for Ottawa, managing four goals and 11 points in 25 NHL games despite averaging just 8:08 of ice time per night. Only Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, and Martin Necas have scored more points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 than Halliday’s 3.14 (min. 10 games played).
Like Boucher, this marks the first regular-season recall for Yakemchuk, who gives Ottawa a seventh defenseman available while Sanderson makes his way back to the club. The 20-year-old’s stint on the NHL roster isn’t likely to last any longer than necessary. Drafted seventh overall in 2024, he’s a first-year pro and hasn’t had a smooth transition from the WHL to Belleville. Yakemchuk has demonstrated the offensive acumen Ottawa’s hoped for, leading the B-Sens’ D group with 25 points in 41 games, but has a team-worst -33 rating in the process. The hard-hitting puck-mover will need to build out his two-way game a lot more before he’s considered for NHL minutes.
Ottawa Senators Reassign Stephen Halliday, Hunter Shepard
The Ottawa Senators announced today that forward Stephen Halliday and goaltender Hunter Shepard have been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators.
Over the past two days, NHL clubs have been making various reassignments to get players rostered in the AHL for the Olympic break, since keeping some names on an NHL team set to go several weeks without a game would be less than ideal for some players. These two reassignments fit that mold.
Halliday, 23, has split time between Ottawa and Belleville this season, which is his rookie campaign in the NHL. The 6’4″ center was a 2022 fourth-round pick who was able to instantly translate his scoring success from the NCAA level with Ohio State to the pro level with Belleville. He scored 14 points in 17 combined AHL regular-season and playoff games after signing with the Senators in the spring of 2024, and scored 19 goals and 51 points in his first full year of pro hockey.
So far this season, Halliday has been able to enhance his production level at the AHL level, and has even begun to translate some of that scoring to the NHL. In 22 AHL games, Halliday has scored 26 points. In 25 NHL games, Halliday, who averages just 8:08 time on ice per game, has 11 points. The 1:56 per game he averages on the power play has helped, of course, but his results have been undoubtedly promising for the Senators.
Entering the season, Halliday was ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Senators’ system by Elite Prospects, who wrote that he “could top out as a top-nine playmaking power forward” if he made improvements to his skating and pace of play.
While it’s too early to tell if Halliday will be able to ultimately fulfill that projection, this year has been a step forward in his development, and he’ll be tasked with sustaining that step forward back at the AHL level over the Olympic break.
As for Shepard, his reassignment is more standard as he’s been mostly an AHL player this season. Shepard has six games of career NHL experience and has played in 36 minutes at the NHL level in 2025-26. Once a star AHL netminder who led the Hershey Bears to back-to-back Calder Cup titles, Shepard’s form in the league has declined over the last two years.
In 2024-25, he posted an .891 save percentage across 39 games in Hershey, and the Washington Capitals pivoted to other goalie options. He signed with the Senators this offseason, but has been unable to get his numbers trending in the right direction. He has an .888 save percentage in just 14 games played for Belleville, and is a pending UFA.
Senators Assign Xavier Bourgault To AHL
Xavier Bourgault’s latest stint with Ottawa was short-lived. After being brought up earlier this week, the Senators announced (Twitter link) that the center has been sent back to AHL Belleville. With the move, Ottawa now has one open roster spot.
Bourgault played in one game on this recall, bringing his season count to two although he’s still looking for his first point at the top level. The 23-year-old has been a strong performer in the minors this season though, notching 14 goals and 23 assists in 43 games with Belleville, already surpassing his previous career-high in points at that level. That hasn’t landed him an extended look with Ottawa just yet, however, or even more than sparing minutes as he’s played less than 12 minutes combined in his two NHL appearances.
Bourgault’s demotion is a good sign for center Stephen Halliday. Sidelined for the past few days with an upper-body injury, the 23-year-old was on the fourth line in the morning skate today and it appears that he will return to the lineup against New Jersey. Halliday has 10 points in 21 games with Ottawa this season, an impressive point total considering that he’s only averaging 8:23 per game of playing time.
Injury Notes: Malkin, Letang, Halliday, Glass
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced today that veteran center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang both will not practice today. The club did not divulge any additional details as to why the pair will not practice, only adding that “their statuses will be updated tomorrow.” According to Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Malkin “has been laboring with an apparent shoulder injury since December,” something that could be the source of his absence today. As for Letang, there is no indication as to if he is injured, but Rorabaugh noted he “had some struggles” during the team’s win Thursday over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Both Malkin and Letang have been pillars of the Penguins franchise for the last two decades, though their contributions have, to varying degrees, declined as they’ve gotten deeper into their thirties. Malkin, 39, is having a vintage season with 41 points in 39 games, but Letang, 38, has struggled and is no longer widely considered Pittsburgh’s best blueliner. Any extended absence faced by the two of them would deal a blow to the Penguins’ ability to hold onto their current position in the standings, which is second in the Metropolitan Division.
Other injury notes from around the NHL:
- Ottawa Senators center Stephen Halliday missed the team’s game against the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 28 due to an upper-body injury, and was classified as day-to-day. Today, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reported that Halliday was at Senators practice, albeit in a non-contact jersey. That would appear to indicate that Halliday is working his way back, but still has some way to go before he’s fully ready to return to head coach Travis Green’s lineup. Halliday, 23, has 10 points in 21 NHL games for the Senators this season, and 26 points in 22 AHL games.
- New Jersey Devils center Cody Glass will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip to Ottawa, per team reporter Amanda Stein. Glass missed the Devils’ game Thursday against the Nashville Predators with an undisclosed injury. The 26-year-old has carved out a steady role in the middle of the Devils lineup and has scored 13 goals and 18 points in 42 games so far this year.
Senators Recall Xavier Bourgault; Reassign Mads Sogaard
According to a team announcement, the Ottawa Senators have recalled forward Xavier Bourgault from the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Additionally, the team has reassigned netminder Mads Søgaard in a corresponding roster move.
Toward the end of Ottawa’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, depth forward Stephen Halliday left with an undisclosed injury. The Senators haven’t elaborated on Halliday’s injury, but the belief is that it isn’t too severe.
Furthermore, since the team activated Linus Ullmark from the non-roster list on the same day, there was little need for three netminders on the roster. For the Senators’ sake, they’ll hope to get better results from the tandem of Ullmark and veteran James Reimer.
Bourgault, 23, has spent much of the season with AHL Belleville. He’s had an inspired season, placing second on the team in scoring with 14 goals and 37 points in 43 games. He made his NHL debut this past December, going scoreless in 6:43 of action against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Meanwhile, Søgaard will look to get his performance back on track in the AHL. He’s only two years removed from providing a .916 SV% in 32 games with AHL Belleville, but has been wholly disappointing since. He’s managed a 4-8-4 record in 18 games this season with a .889 SV%. If he wants a realistic chance to make Ottawa’s opening night roster next season, he must rediscover his game by the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Ottawa Senators Recall Stephen Halliday
The Ottawa Senators announced today that forward Stephen Halliday has been recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators. Ottawa had an open spot on their 23-man active roster, meaning Halliday was able to be recalled without a corresponding move.
Today’s transaction returns Halliday to the Senators’ NHL roster under two weeks removed from his original reassignment. Halliday spent most of late November through early January skating in the Senators’ lineup. The 23-year-old scored six points in 18 games, averaging 8:12 time on ice per game, including 2:04 per game on the power play.
A 2022 second-round pick out of the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints, Halliday had a strong NCAA career with Ohio State before turning pro in the spring of 2024. He has been thoroughly impressive in the pro ranks, scoring 51 points in 71 games as an AHL rookie last year, and 26 points in 22 AHL games this year.
The 6-foot-4 center entered the season seen as one of Ottawa’s more promising prospects. He was ranked the club’s No. 4 prospect by Daily Faceoff, and No. 7 in their system by Elite Prospects, with both outlets projecting middle-six potential for Halliday.
Now back in the NHL, the goal for Halliday will be to earn a more substantial role than the one he received during his last stint in Ottawa. While he got a solid amount of power play time, he barely played at even strength. Halliday has every physical tool necessary to be able to make a shift-by-shift impact on the ice, and this transaction today will give him the opportunity to prove that.
As a pending RFA whose entry-level contract is set to expire at the end of the year, Halliday has every incentive to string together quality NHL performances and secure his place in Ottawa’s future plans.
Senators Recall Hunter Shepard, Assign Two To AHL
The Senators have made a trio of roster moves heading into tonight’s game against Florida. The team announced that goaltender Hunter Shepard has been recalled from AHL Belleville while netminder Mads Sogaard and center Stephen Halliday have been sent down.
Shepard was up for a week recently, serving as Leevi Merilainen’s backup before being sent down on Tuesday to get some game action in Belleville. He has played in one game in relief with the big club, stopping 10 of 12 shots on Monday against Detroit. The 30-year-old has also suited up in a dozen games in the minors, posting a 3.41 GAA and a .897 SV%.
Sogaard was recalled on Tuesday to take Shepard’s place on the roster. He played in relief of Merilainen on Thursday in Colorado and struggled, allowing five goals on 16 shots in just 17:25 in action, resulting in Merilainen coming back into the game. The 25-year-old has played in 15 games with Belleville with numbers a little worse than Shepard’s, checking in with a 3.49 GAA and a .887 SV%.
As for Halliday, he received his first NHL recall earlier this season and has held his own so far. The 23-year-old has played in 18 games with Ottawa, picking up six assists despite averaging just 8:12 per game of playing time. He had been a strong playmaker with Belleville before the promotion, picking up a goal and 18 helpers in 17 contests in the minors. He’ll get a chance to go back and play a more prominent role for the time being but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get recalled at some point in the second half of the season.
As a result of these moves, Ottawa now has one open slot on its 23-man roster while opening up some extra salary cap space.
Senators Recall Stephen Halliday
The Senators announced they’ve elevated center Stephen Halliday from AHL Belleville ahead of tonight’s game against the Rangers. He’s expected to be in the lineup centering the fourth line between Ridly Greig and Nick Cousins, Claire Hanna of TSN reports. Lars Eller wasn’t present after taking just three shifts in the third period of Tuesday’s win over the Canadiens and could be unavailable. Ottawa opened a roster spot earlier in the week by reassigning winger Hayden Hodgson to Belleville.
Even if Halliday is only in tonight’s lineup as an injury replacement for Belleville, the Hodgson demotion suggests he could be in for a lengthier stint on the active roster than his first time around. Ottawa brought the 23-year-old rookie up for a 10-day stretch in November in which he made the first four appearances of his NHL career. Halliday, a 2022 fourth-round pick who spent two years at Ohio State before turning pro in 2024, notched his first assist in the process and logged a -1 rating while averaging 6:27 of ice time per game. His under-the-hood numbers left much to be desired. He went 4-for-11 (36.4%) on faceoffs, and the Sens were outchanced 14-3 with him on the ice at 5-on-5 despite Halliday not receiving a single defensive zone start.
They’re hoping for more offensive juice from Halliday this time around to offset his still-developing defensive game. Considering his minor-league production, that’s a reasonable expectation. The 6’4″ pivot burst onto the scene last year with 19 goals and 51 points in 71 games for the B-Sens, leading the team in scoring, but also posted a team-worst -20 rating. This season has brought more of the same. He’s only lit the lamp once through 17 appearances, but is registering over an assist per game for 19 points with a -10 rating.
Halliday is in the final season of his entry-level contract and will be a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights. He will remain waiver-exempt through the 2026-27 season unless he reaches 70 career appearances by then.
Senators Activate Brady Tkachuk
The Senators have activated Brady Tkachuk from injured reserve as expected, the team announced. He’ll suit up in this afternoon’s contest against the Blues. Ottawa needs to open a roster spot to activate him, which they’ve done by reassigning forward Stephen Halliday to AHL Belleville.
Tkachuk managed just three appearances this season before a check from Predators captain Roman Josi sent him into the boards. He sustained ligament damage in his right thumb in the collision that required surgery. He was initially expected to miss four weeks, but his return timeline was altered to six to seven weeks after the procedure was complete. That makes today’s return right on schedule.
The Senators’ captain is in year five of the seven-year, $57.56MM extension he signed in 2021 and recorded three assists and a +1 rating through his first three outings before going under the knife. His $8.205MM cap hit stands among the better value deals in the league. He’s coming off a down year offensively, limited to 29 goals and 55 points in 72 games, but he’s a consistent 30-goal threat and one of the league’s premier power forwards. He hasn’t recorded fewer than 200 hits in a season since his rookie year and is a consensus top-10 left-winger in the league, judging by his All-Star voting results over the past three seasons.
Tkachuk has also been remarkably durable since entering the league in 2018, particularly given his style of play. This 20-game absence was the lengthiest of his career by a wide margin and already stands as the most cumulative missed time he’s registered in a single season. To the Sens’ credit, they overcame his absence as well as anyone could have hoped for. Entering play Friday, they sit second in the Atlantic Division with a 12-7-4 record – that’s after starting the year in a 2-4-1 hole. They’ve been a middle-of-the-pack team offensively, but their team defense has come alive to overcompensate for the poor goaltending they’ve received from both Linus Ullmark and Leevi Merilainen. At 5-on-5, the Sens rank fourth in the league in shot attempts against per 60 (51.6), third in shots on goal against per 60 (23.5), and first in expected goals against per 60 (2.15).
While Ottawa sacrificing offense for defense will likely contribute to another underwhelming scoring line from Tkachuk the rest of the way, his return gives their top nine a much more complete look and allows names like Nick Cousins and David Perron, both of whom were overtaxed in top-line duties filling in for Tkachuk alongside Tim Stützle, to return to more comfortable bottom-six minutes.
As for Halliday, his first recall of the season ends after four games. The 23-year-old center was a fourth-round pick back in 2022 and made his NHL debut after a series of strong training camps and minor-league performances. He’d served as the Sens’ fourth-line pivot between Cousins and Hayden Hodgson during his call-up, recording an assist and a -1 rating in just 6:27 of ice time per game. He went 4-for-11 (36.4%) on faceoffs and recorded three hits.