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Trade Deadline

Minor Transactions: 4/18/25

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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.

Predators Activate Michael Bunting From IR

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The Predators are slated to get one of their top returns from the trade deadline in the lineup, as winger Michael Bunting has been removed from IR and is a game-time decision for tonight’s game in Anaheim, according to reporter Nick Kieser of 102.5 The Game.

The Preds acquired Bunting and a fourth-round pick from the Penguins in exchange for forward Tommy Novak and defenseman Luke Schenn. After the deal, Nashville GM Barry Trotz stated Bunting was an “impact player” the Preds were interested in acquiring, and noted the team’s desire to keep the 29-year-old Bunting in the fold moving forward.

Bunting has fought through injuries this season – as well as a short stint as a healthy scratch – in Pittsburgh prior to the trade. However, after a slow start, he started to turn things around to the tune of 14 goals and 29 points through 58 games. He also led the Penguins in power play goals (9) at the time of the trade. Through 326 career games, Bunting has scored 90 times, including two 20-plus goal seasons under his belt.

Although he’s only in his ninth NHL season, the Predators will mark the fifth NHL team Bunting will suit up for after stints with Arizona, Toronto, Carolina, and Pittsburgh. But Bunting should provide a veteran presence, solid top nine play, and power play production to the rebuilding Preds.

Bunting has one year remaining on his current contract with a 2025-26 cap hit of $4.5MM.

Teams Exploring Uniting Brayden Schenn, Luke Schenn Via Trade

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The Trade Deadline is right around the corner and the list of difference-makers on the open market is few and far between. Of the list of names circulating trade rumors, only two players offer the experience of being a 1,000 game veteran, former Stanley Cup champion, and wearing a letter for their team – Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn, and St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn. With both players seemingly expendable options on teams that aren’t headed for the playoffs, other teams are beginning to wonder what it’d take to acquire both brothers at the deadline, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared on the latest Saturday Headlines.

The Schenn brothers have each continued their consistent, impactful play through their mid-30s. Brayden has served as St. Louis’ captain for the last two seasons, while supporting the team’s middle lines with center and wing flexibility. He has 11 goals and 32 points in 56 games on the year, while adding 48 penalty minutes, a minus-seven, and a 50.1 faceoff percentage. St. Louis acquired Brayden ahead of the 2017-18 season, and quickly pushed him into a top-six role. He embraced the opportunity out of the gates, netting a career-high 28 goals and 70 points in his first year in St. Louis. He’s leveled out as a routine mid-50s scorer in the years since, ultimately averaging 52 points a year with the Blues – though he did reach 65 in the 2022-23 campaign.

Brayden also been a stout playoff performer in the Blue-note, with 26 points in 51 games over four postseason appearances with the Blues. He has found his groove as an impactful, two-way centerman with the versatility to fill a wide variety of roles, even at 33 years old. Those traits, and his Cup-winning precedent, will make him a desirable deadline option.

But as is natural, the older brother can boast the better numbers. Luke has played in 55 more games, and won one more Stanley Cup, than Brayden while serving as a journeyman defensive-defenseman for the last 17 seasons. Luke’s career started when Toronto drafted him fifth-overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. He joined the Leafs in the following year, and quickly jumped out as a heavy-hitting, low-scoring shutdown option – stamped by his 206 hits in 70 games as an NHL rookie, an NHL record for rookie defenders at the time. Luke tamped down his hitting and penalty minutes in the name of more scoring through the first seven years of his career, but it became apparent as he entered his prime years that his best impact came in his own end.

Through trips to Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Arizona, and more – Schenn built up his propensity for winning the title of heavy-hitter everywhere he went. He averaged 15 points, 53 penalty minutes, and a staggering 245 hits each season through his 20s – stout enough to land with the golden age of the Tampa Bay Lightning when he turned 30 in 2019. Schenn only played in 63 regular season games across two years in Tampa Bay, but his bottom-pair role was enough to earn a name on both Stanley Cups when the Bolts accomplished their back-to-back wins in 2020 and 2021. Luke has continued his wandering career in the years since, leaving Tampa for Vancouver following the second Cup win, then returning to Toronto, and now spending the last two seasons in Nashville.

Brayden has been granted long-term stability, while Luke has moved seemingly every other year – but one more move could await the Saskatchewan brothers. Luke carries a manageable, $2.5MM cap hit through the end of next season, while Brayden’s $6.5MM cap hit through 2027-28 might be a bit tougher to bring in. St. Louis has all of their retention spots available, and could support the finances of a Schenn deal with the right sweeteners – though they’d have to carry the dead cap through the next three seasons. Logistics aside, the on-ice impact of the Schenn brothers likely wouldn’t command too rich of a return. Brayden has settled in as a capable third-line forward with second-line upside, while Luke seems more comfortable serving from the depths of his team’s blue-line. Both are important roles to fill when planning out a long playoff run – and finding a way to land both brothers could be a quick way for postseason hopefuls to shore up their front and back ends.

Evening Notes: Utah, Samoskevich, Morrissey, Harley

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The 4-Nations Face-Off championship has full grip of the hockey world’s attention, but there’s still plenty of buzz circling the NHL. The updates start with the Utah Hockey Club, who will be somewhere between buyers and sellers at this year’s Trade Deadline per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports.  Armstrong added that the team would be interested in adding, but many of their weaknesses are addressed by recent additions like Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino, Kevin Stenlund, and Nick DeSimone. That certainly paints the picture of a team eyeing defensive depth, but the return of top-four defender Sean Durzi could mitigate any insecurities.

Durzi has been out of the lineup since October 14th with a shoulder injury that required surgery. He played four games in a top-pair role before falling to injury – recording two points, a plus-two, and over 21 minutes in average ice time. The 26-year-old emerged as a legit top defender in the Los Angeles Kings’ 2022-23 season. He scored 38 points in 72 games and averaged roughly 20 minutes that year – his second NHL season. Durzi continued to improve with the Arizona Coyotes last year, improving to 41 points in 76 games and over 22 minutes of ice time. This year seemed to be a chance to continue growing before it was derailed by injury. How he returns from the prolonged absence, and what impact it has on the Utah blue-line, could go a long way towards determining the Hockey Club’s deadline approach.

Across the NHL, Florida Panthers youngster Mackie Samoskevich has shared he’ll be clear to play when the team returns on Saturday, per NHL.com’s Jameson Olive. Samoskevich was injured on February 6th – his first game back from a three-game absence due to illness. He missed an additional two games with the injury, but found his way back to full health during the 4-Nations break. The 22-year-old Samoskevich has 17 points in 48 games this season – marking the first scoring of his NHL career.

In other news, Team Canada was forced to scratch Josh Morrissey in the 4-Nations championship due to illness. He was replaced by injury fill-in Thomas Harley, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Harley was eligible to play despite not being on the initial lineup as Morrissey’s illness, and Shea Theodore’s upper-body injury left the team without six healthy defenders. Harley scored his first point of the tournament in the finals after playing in both matchups against Team USA. Morrissey also didn’t post any scoring during three tournament games – though he does have an impressive 46 points in 56 NHL games this season.

Trade Deadline Primer: San Jose Sharks

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With the 4 Nations Face-Off break now almost over, the trade deadline looms large and is less than three weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the San Jose Sharks.

San Jose remains deep in a rebuild and is currently dead last in the NHL in points. As you would expect, they have already begun their trade deadline sell-off by moving out the likes of Mikael Granlund, Cody Ceci, and Mackenzie Blackwood. The Sharks are unlikely to make any big moves heading into the deadline since they’ve moved on from their more notable UFAs, though they do have a few depth pieces remaining on expiring contracts who could be of interest to buyers. One issue that could plague San Jose at the deadline is their inability to retain salary thanks to the trades of Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl. However, Sharks’ general manager Mike Grier has shown an ability to get creative when he needs to and will likely do more of the same as he tries to maximize the assets he does have.

Record

15-35-7, 8th in the Pacific

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$32.86MM on deadline day, 3/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: SJS 1st, DAL 1st, SJS 2nd, COL 3rd, SJS 4th, WPG 4th, COL 5th, NJ 7th
2026: SJS 1st, SJS 2nd, COL 2nd, SJ 4th, SJS 7th,

Trade Chips

As mentioned, San Jose has been busy this year moving out some of their more desirable assets. However, they do have some remaining veterans on expiring deals who could help teams.

Luke Kunin is a depth center who has had poor possession numbers for much of his professional career. He is physical and can score in a fourth-line role, hitting double digits in goals five times in his career. The 27-year-old is overpaid at $2.75MM. However, the acquiring team would only need to fit him under the cap for the remainder of this season. Physical players are always in demand for the playoffs, so Kunin will likely find a new home before the deadline, though it’s unlikely that an acquiring team will give up more than a late-round draft pick. San Jose also can’t retain on any trades, so the team trading for Kunin would need to pick up the full freight of his contract.

Another depth forward the Sharks could dangle is Nico Sturm. The 29-year-old is also in the final year of his deal and is counting $2MM against the salary cap. Sturm is similar to Kunin in a lot of ways but is less physical, although he has a big body and probably has more utility. Sturm’s possession numbers aren’t terrible, and he does offer more of a two-way presence than Kunin. Sturm could thrive in a sheltered fourth-line role on a solid team but won’t break the bank for any team looking to acquire him. Much like Kunin, any team that does trade for Sturm will need to pick up the full tab on the remainder of his contract, which will limit suitors and the cost to acquire.

Jan Rutta was a salary dump by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Erik Karlsson trade and has struggled in San Jose. The 34-year-old is on pace to commit more turnovers this season than the past six years combined. Rutta was never the fleetest of foot, but he can thrive in a sheltered third pairing role with a mobile defensive partner. Rutta is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion with Tampa Bay and was good during those runs, but he did benefit greatly from playing with Victor Hedman. Rutta will have suitors because he is a right shot defenseman, but at $2.75MM for the rest of the season, it is hard to see teams giving up much more than a mid-round pick for him.

The final two trade chips that San Jose could dangle are goaltenders Vítek Vaněček and Alexandar Georgiev, both of whom are UFAs this summer. The difficulty with moving either man is that neither one is a starter at this point in their careers, and without retention, they would make for an expensive and possibly ineffective backup. Vaněček has posted a goals against north of 4.00 this season, and his goals saved above expected is -9.1, which is the seventh worst in the NHL. Georgiev has posted even worse numbers, tallying a goals saved above expected of -12.1, which is the second worst in the entire NHL (as per Money Puck).

Team Needs

1) Young Roster Players: The Sharks have the NHL’s best prospect pool, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, and while they have an embarrassment of riches in the pipeline, they are going to need to start getting contributions at the NHL level sooner than later. The Sharks could be in line for another down year next season, and with that being said, the team will likely start to convert notable prospects and draft picks into roster players as they look to surround the young players already in the NHL with better talent. The Sharks can ill afford to leave their young NHL stars in a similar position to the one the Edmonton Oilers did with their top draft picks during the 2010s. Mike Grier has already started this process with the move for goaltender Yaroslav Askarov and could do so again as he pinpoints which part of the roster he is going to need to address.

2) Young Defensemen: The Sharks have some solid defensive prospects such as Luca Cagnoni, as well as highly touted prospect Sam Dickinson. They also have youngster Jack Thompson at the pro level, who looks promising, and Shakir Mukhamadullin, who has played in 13 games this season. Both Thompson and Mukhamadullin look like NHL defensemen, but it remains to be seen what their ceiling will be. The Sharks’ prospect cupboard is forward-heavy, and at some point, they will need to be sure that they have NHL-caliber defensemen to play with their skilled forward group. Finding a right shot defensemen is especially hard in the NHL, and Grier might opt to make his swings at it now rather than later when the cost could be higher. San Jose likely won’t rush to make this move before the deadline, but they will be taking a hard look at what their best course of action is going forward. Given that they have a deep prospect pool and good draft capital, they could jump-start their rebuild with some young defensemen who can elevate their forwards and make life easier for the goaltender of the future, Askarov.

Photo courtesy of Imagn Images.

Blue Jackets Have Plenty To Gain At NHL Trade Deadline

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have been the unheralded star of the 2024-25 NHL season. They’re fully entrenched in the race for the Eastern Conference Wild Cards, battling with the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens for a clear path to the playoffs. Much of that success can be credited to new head coach Dean Evason, who replaced rookie Pascal Vincent over the summer after Vincent himself replaced Mike Babcock just weeks ahead of the 2023-24 season. Evason’s seasoned and veteran presence behind the bench has brought the best out of Columbus’ stars, including Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson, with a bill of health for defender Zach Werenski serving as the cherry on top. Even better, the Blue Jackets are red-hot in the new year – with a 5-1-0 record since January 1st giving them the fifth-best standing in the league in 2025.

On top of all of that, the Blue Jackets sit with the most projected cap space in the league – $18.75MM to be exact. That’s $1MM more than the second-richest team, the Calgary Flames, and a staggering $16.25MM more than the next-highest playoff contender, the Winnipeg Jets. That budget places Columbus in unprecedented territory as buyers, stamped by their pair of first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft. They will head to the Trade Deadline with the ability to spend to nearly any price, and build out their lineup into one that can truly challenge the league’s top teams.

Even two months out, there are plenty of talented names headed to the trade block. Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz has shared he expects former Selke Trophy-winner Ryan O’Reilly to receive plenty of interest, though the team could also be pried away from depth center Thomas Novak. The Vancouver Canucks have also fallen into unforeseen trade talks, after a rift between top forward J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson landed both in rumors.

Those four forwards represent a wide array of options already. Columbus could afford to acquire the majority of them, while still remaining under the salary cap. While O’Reilly would likely command a role at center, any of the remaining trio could be pushed off to the wing – where Columbus’ depth is most glaring. Dmitri Voronkov has earned his role as the top-line left-wing with 30 points in 35 games, but the same can’t be said for James van Riemsdyk, Zach Aston-Reese, or Mikael Pyyhtia behind him. Van Riemsdyk leads the trio scoring with 15 points – serviceable enough to support Columbus’ push into playoff contention but hardly enough to support them through the Spring.

The Blue Jackets could also seek out a new option in net. Both starter Elvis Merzlikins and backup Daniil Tarasov have posted save percentages below .900 this season – sat at .889 through 28 games, and .862 through 11 games, respectively. Those numbers are far from the heights of Columbus’ peers for the postseason, with Jeremy Swayman, Linus Ullmark, and a red-hot Jakub Dobes supporting their competition. Longtime Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson has been on the trade block for the better half of the last two seasons, and seems to be back to his old successes with a .908 in 18 games this season. Gibson would be far from a glamorizing addition, but he could come at a relatively cheap price given Columbus wouldn’t need the Ducks to retain any salary. The Blue Jackets could also turn towards a team like the Utah Hockey Club, who have two serviceable starters in Connor Ingram and Karel Vejmelka – and don’t seem within punching distance of their own Wild Card race.

Columbus seems to be in a golden spot. They’re well within reach of a postseason berth, carry the thickest wallet in the league, and have an incredibly rich supply of prospects and picks to entice failing teams with. It’s a dream situation for first-year Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell to walk into – and his aggression at the Trade Deadline will speak volumes to his confidence in the team’s red-hot first-half. The trade market will be Waddell’s oyster – leaving the question for what moves will put Columbus over the edge.

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