Snapshots: Winterton, Buchnevich, Vaakanainen, Rangers Goaltending
Kraken winger Ryan Winterton has returned to the team, relays Tim Booth of The Seattle Times. He stepped away for a leave of absence following the death of his brother following a cancer battle. However, since he hadn’t been on the ice for two weeks before rejoining the team Thursday, he was a scratch against Utah and it’s unclear when he will ultimately return to Seattle’s lineup. Winterton is in his first full NHL season and has four goals and 14 assists in 62 games while logging 11:47 per night of playing time.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich was a surprise scratch as St. Louis made four lineup changes for tonight’s game against Anaheim. However, the team announced that Buchnevich’s absence was for maintenance reasons. The Blues play Colorado in their next two games and the team is prioritizing getting him as healthy as possible for those two contests. Buchnevich has seen his point total drop for the fourth straight season and has 17 goals and 27 assists through 74 games.
- Rangers defenseman Urho Vaakanainen took part in practice today in a regular (contact) jersey, relays Mollie Walker of the New York Post (Twitter link). That suggests that the 27-year-old is getting closer to returning from an upper-body injury that has kept him out for the past two weeks. Vaakanainen was ruled out week-to-week at the time. He has played in 33 games this season, picking up six assists and 26 blocks while averaging a little under 14 minutes per game of playing time.
- Still with the Rangers, goaltender Jonathan Quick returned to the lineup yesterday, serving as New York’s backup. He had missed the previous seven games due to an upper-body injury. In doing so, the team has converted Dylan Garand’s previous recall from an emergency one to a regular recall as emergency conditions no longer exist. That means he will be one of their five allowable post-deadline promotions. Garand has made two starts so far, turning aside 62 of 65 shots in his first taste of NHL action.
Snapshots: Ducks, Smith, Tracy
Shortly ahead of tonight’s game at San Jose, the Anaheim Ducks revealed that Radko Gudas and Pavel Mintyukov wouldn’t play due to lower body injuries.
For Gudas, it more or less confirms the suspicion that the 35-year-old laced them up not yet healthy in order to answer the bell against the Maple Leafs. It’s a commendable act from the Ducks’ captain, especially as Gudas didn’t throw a punch in his scrap with Max Domi, stemming from the controversial hit which ended Auston Matthews’ season. Nonetheless, the Czech stay-at-home man will look to get healthy in time for the playoffs.
Another defenseman, Mintyukov has dealt with his own lower body issue, keeping him out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games. The 22-year-old has developed nicely in Anaheim, averaging 18:26 a contest and needing just one more game to make a career high 69 appearances in a season. Mintyukov still has untapped offensive upside, offering 20 points so far in 2025-26.
Neither Gudas or Mintyukov figure to have serious issues, but in the meantime, Ian Moore and Drew Helleson have stepped in.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Los Angeles will weigh their coaching options this summer, as insider David Pagnotta suspected that interim head coach D.J. Smith won’t be back, on Monday’s edition of Oilersnation Everyday. After firing Jim Hiller on March 1, Smith’s efforts to provide a spark have proved often ineffective, with a 5-5-4 record. The former Senators head man has a .465 career win percentage, not winning more than 39 games in a season. This summer will bring major change to the Kings with icon Anže Kopitar set to hang up his skates, but still offering a strong core in win-now mode, Los Angeles will seek a long-term solution behind the bench. Smith, 48, came to the Kings as an assistant in February 2024. If it’s indeed the beginning of the end of his tenure, it’s safe to assume another NHL club will come calling with a similiar job offer.
- The Henderson Silver Knights, aptly named affiliates of Vegas, inked goaltender Alexander Tracy to an AHL contract for 2026-27. The undrafted netminder enters the professional circuit after an impressive four year career at Minnesota State University – Mankato. A native of Chicago, Illinois, the 25-year-old got the bulk of starts for three of his four collegiate seasons. He put up an eye-popping .946 save percentage last season, followed by a .927% this year, winning over 20 games in each. Vegas has had three drafted goaltenders who have gotten significant playing time in the AHL, but behind Carl Lindbom, who has played well, neither Cameron Whitehead or Jesper Vikman have been able to stand out. Vikman was dealt to the Capitals organization as part of the Nic Dowd trade. As a result, the 5’11” Tracy will compete for a backup role in Henderson.
Snapshots: Carrick, Yakemchuk, Berube
Buffalo Sabres spring acquisition Sam Carrick appeared to suffer a serious arm injury after fighting Anders Lee of the Islanders tonight, seen in a clip shared by Bleacher Report Open Ice.
Carrick dropped the mitts with Lee in retaliation after the Islanders captain delivered a hard hit on Buffalo’s Josh Norris. As he went down at the end of the scrap, he was immediately in serious pain. The center did not return, and with just seven regular season games on the schedule for the team after tonight, there’s a real possibility Buffalo has lost a key veteran for the playoffs.
Acquired on March 6 from the Rangers in exchange for a third and sixth rounder, Carrick has been a great fit with the Sabres. He has five goals in 12 games, of course not sustainable with a shooting percentage just under 28%. Even when that inevitably cools off, he’s winning 58.2% of his face-offs and killing penalties as a solid fourth line center right as advertised.
Also evident considering his willingness to take on a larger player in Lee for the sake of a teammate, Carrick plays a role any team needs in the playoffs. Especially a younger group, who will end a 15-year-long drought and enter uncharted territory.
The hope is that Carrick has somehow not suffered a season-ender, but if so, Joshua Dunne might have to step back in at a crucial time. Buffalo is back at it Thursday as they aim to put the keep their foot on the gas rolling into a potential run.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Senators defenseman Carter Yakemchuk suffered a concerning injury tonight as observed by Julian McKenzie of The Athletic. He sustained a hard hit from Florida’s Noah Gregor which was concentrated in the head area, and had trouble getting back up, eventually requiring help to get off the ice. Gregor was assessed a game misconduct. It was a tough night for the Sens as they lost convincingly to the bottom-feeding Panthers while in desperate need of points. Ottawa’s top prospect, Yakemchuk made his NHL debut one week ago today, getting a look especially as Jake Sanderson remains out. The 20-year-old burst onto the scene with a goal and an assist in his first game. As a righty, he fits perfectly into a well-assembled core from the other side for years to come. Ottawa hopes their youngster will be back by Thursday against Buffalo.
- Insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period said on yesterday’s edition of The Leafs Nation that head coach Craig Berube was likely not anticipating yesterday’s firing of general manager Brad Treliving. Pagnotta suspects that he hasn’t been told anything as to his future with the club. The 60-year-old has a contract which runs through 2027-28, but his Leafs tenure could be winding down, about to finish only his second season with the team, where he’s had an 84 – 56 – 17 record. Toronto’s constant turnover behind the bench needs to change, but it only makes sense for the team to start fresh this summer. Any new GM typically prefers bringing in their own selection, especially with some strong candidates available, headlined by Bruce Cassidy. Berube, known for leading the Blues to a remarkable run to a Stanley Cup in 2019, could also benefit from a new challenge with the Leafs sputtering despite his efforts.
Snapshots: Mantha, Granato, Rasmussen
Penguins winger Anthony Mantha has been a pleasant surprise this season, having a resurgent campaign. However, that’s now on hold for the time being as the team announced (Twitter link) that he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The 31-year-old missed most of last year due to injury, allowing him to sign a one-year deal with incentives this season. He has made the most of it, tallying 26 goals and 27 assists in 71 games, setting new career highs across the board offensively. He has reached the first seven levels of his various games-played bonuses (totaling $1.75MM) but will need to play in nine of Pittsburgh’s 11 remaining games in order to receive an additional $250K, giving him some extra incentive to return quickly beyond their battle for a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Former Sabres head coach Don Granato is set to run a bench once again. USA Hockey announced that Granato has been named as their head coach for the upcoming World Championship. The 58-year-old led Buffalo to a 122-125-27 record over parts of four seasons before being dismissed following the 2023-24 campaign. This will be his first coaching opportunity since then. The tournament is set to run from May 15-31 in Switzerland.
- Red Wings center Michael Rasmussen has yet to resume skating as he continues to work his way back from an undisclosed injury, relays MLive’s Ansar Khan (Twitter link). At this point, he’s still in treatment mode according to head coach Todd McLellan, who noted that he’s still probably at least a week away from returning. While Rasmussen hasn’t been particularly productive this season – just 14 points in 61 games – he’s still an important part of Detroit’s bottom six and penalty kill; getting him back would certainly help in their late-season playoff push.
Snapshots: Elick, Wutzke, Larsen
Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Charlie Elick will join the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters this week and embark on his professional career, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
A second-round selection in 2024 by the Jackets, Elick inked his entry-level contract last March. Since then, he wrapped up his final WHL chapter with 63 games for the Tri-City Americans, recording 20 points and 46 penalty minutes.
Standing at 6’3” and a right-handed shot, Elick came in at 10th in the Blue Jackets system last summer according to Steven Ellis of The Daily Faceoff. The Calgary native has solid mobility for a physical shutdown defender, and his ranking is more indicative of a well stocked Columbus system, as he’d come in higher in many other team’s pools. It won’t be immediate considering their wide age gap, but he naturally lines up as a long term replacement for veteran Erik Gudbranson‘s on-ice role, whose contract expires this summer.
Even if his ceiling is limited to a middle-pairing role, Elick’s reliable game has the chance to pan out nicely at the highest level, with physical tools sought after by general managers everywhere in today’s game. He’ll join the 12th-ranked Monsters who have had a nice season thanks to a strong defensive core well split between prospects and veterans.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Minnesota Wild goaltending prospect Chase Wutzke has been assigned to the Iowa Wild, per the team. The 19-year-old enters the professional circuit having concluded play with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors, where he posted a .906 save percentage and a 3.47 goals-against-average on the struggling junior club this year. Wutzke signed his ELC last September. Iowa ranks second-to-last in the AHL, so there’s good reason for him to get an audition, slotting into a goalie group led by former NHL standout Cal Petersen. With a Minnesota goaltending pipeline full, the 6’2” Saskatoon native is a long term project for any sustainable NHL role, but he could become a contributor for Iowa in the coming seasons.
- Former NHL defenseman Philip Larsen has retired at age 36, he announced in an interview shared by DirekteSport on Instagram. Larsen was drafted in the fifth round by Dallas in 2008, debuting in 2009-10, and eventually being dealt to Edmonton in exchange for Shawn Horcoff in the 2013 offseason. After not panning out in Edmonton at age 24, he left for the KHL, with rights being traded to Vancouver. It became a notable trade tree, as the pick the Oilers acquired for Larsen was eventually involved in another trade which allowed them to select Stuart Skinner in 2017. Larsen’s strong play in Russia brought him to the Canucks in 2016-17, his 26 games proving to be the last in the NHL. From there, the 5’11” righty spent the next several years with Ufa Salavat Yulayev of the KHL as a star blueliner. In 2022 he returned to his native Denmark with Esbjerg EfB Ishockey, where he spent the last four years of his career. With a strong two-way acumen, Larsen hangs it up after 151 NHL games, 361 in the KHL, and 136 representing his home country.
Snapshots: CHL, Vaakanainen, Laba
In November, we covered reports indicating that the NHL was seeking to come to an agreement with the CHL on allowing 19-year-old CHL players to play in the AHL under specific circumstances. At the time, it appeared the league was seeking a deal that would allow each club to select one player, who would have previously been ineligible to play in the AHL, to be loaned to that league. The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Pierre LeBrun reported today that NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly had a meeting scheduled for today with the CHL’s President, alongside the three commissioners of the CHL’s leagues. Per Russo and LeBrun, “there will be some type of change” to the rule, and the negotiations are reportedly more about determining “the number of 19-year-olds that could be assigned” and “the criteria” of who would be allowed to be assigned.
Russo and LeBrun indicated that with the flow of CHL players to the NCAA, now that the NCAA’s rules permit CHLers to join the college ranks, NHL teams “want to maintain control of their drafted players.” Providing a player with the flexibility to turn pro might keep a player from playing college hockey, something that would accomplish that goal for teams. Recent history is littered with players who teams would likely have preferred to turn pro rather than return to the CHL, perhaps none more high-profile than 2022 No. 4 pick Shane Wright. The year after he was drafted, Wright got into eight NHL games, a handful of AHL games (on a conditioning loan), and was reassigned to the OHL after the World Juniors. It’s likely that Wright would have simply spent the year in the AHL had the rules been different, and with today’s reporting, it appears the next Wright might very well get the chance to do just that.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- The New York Rangers announced tonight that defenseman Urho Vaakanainen left the team’s contest against the New Jersey Devils after suffering an upper-body injury. The full extent of Vaakanainen’s injury is, of course, unclear at this time. The 27-year-old, who is under contract through next season at a $1.55MM AAV, has served as a seventh defenseman for the Rangers this season. He’s gotten into 32 games, scoring six points and averaging 14:08 time on ice per game.
- Vaakanainen isn’t the only Rangers player who left their game against the Devils with an injury: the team also announced that rookie center Noah Laba has been sidelined with a lower-body injury. Laba’s emergence has been one of the more positive storylines for the Rangers this season, as the 2022 fourth-round pick has been a developmental bright spot for a team whose track record in that area has come under scrutiny. The 22-year-old has 21 points in 64 games this season and has been operating as the team’s No. 3 center, averaging 13:33 time on ice per game including a secondary role on the penalty kill.
Snapshots: Askarov, Sabres, Peterson, Whitecloud
While the Sharks needed to call up Laurent Brossoit on Friday to cover for Yaroslav Askarov’s injury, it appears the youngster won’t be out for long. San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng reports that the lower-body injury is not believed to be serious. The 23-year-old has had an up-and-down first season in the NHL, posting a 3.56 GAA and a .886 SV% along with a -11.2 Goals Saved Above Average mark, per MoneyPuck. However, Askarov has made 40 starts so far, a solid number for a player in his first full NHL campaign. For now, Alex Nedeljkovic will serve as the starter heading into a back-to-back set against Montreal and Ottawa this weekend but he won’t be in that spot for long based on the news about Askarov, with Peng relaying (Twitter link) that he’s officially listed as day-to-day.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- The Sabres announced a trio of injury updates heading into their game tonight against Toronto. Winger Alex Tuch will return after missing Thursday’s game against Washington due to a lower-body injury. While that’s certainly some good news as they continue their push for the top spot in the Atlantic, there’s also some bad news on the injury front. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is listed as doubtful due to an undisclosed injury while newly acquired winger Tanner Pearson is out due to a lower-body injury he picked up while subbing in for Tuch versus the Caps.
- Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson has been named as GM of Team USA’s entry into the upcoming men’s World Championship, per an announcement from USA Hockey. It will be his second time running the team as he was also in charge back in 2024. Peterson is in his sixth season in his role with Florida. The tournament gets underway on May 15th.
- Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud has joined the team on its road trip and took part in the morning skate today, relays Sportsnet 960’s Derek Wills (Twitter link). The 29-year-old has missed the last three games due to an upper-body injury. Acquired in the Rasmus Andersson trade earlier this season, Whitecloud is averaging more than 22 minutes per night since the swap, leading to some trade interest before last week’s deadline. Now, it appears he’s ready to return and will continue to play a big role down the stretch.
Snapshots: Schenn, Kerins, Gustafsson
Set for just his second game as a New York Islander, Brayden Schenn takes on his former squad tonight in St. Louis, where he’d served as captain as part of his nine years wearing the note. He offered some insight into the decision to waive his no-trade clause, despite New York being on his 16-team no-trade list.
Apparently it wasn’t the first time the Blues tried to move their captain. As shared by Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic, Schenn said “Well, when (the Blues) ask you two times two years in a row, that’s when it makes sense.” “At some point, the organization doesn’t see you as part of the picture, and other teams want you, and it’s good to be wanted. They’re going in a different direction, and that’s the reality of it.”
While the respected Schenn has taken it personally to a degree, it’s hard to argue with St. Louis’ decision to move on, as it netted them a first-round pick and other assets for a declining 34-year-old signed for two more years at $6.5MM. Curiously however, it appears the club attempted to move him at some point last year, despite St. Louis making the playoffs and pushing the Presidents’ Trophy Winnipeg Jets to the brink in the first round.
Few would have predicted the Islanders to become his fourth organization, but the team has a strong shot to return to the postseason where they’ll hope to win a round for the first time since 2021.
Tonight will be emotional for Schenn who was a constant presence in St. Louis, appearing in all 82 games four times as a Blue. The veteran is surely energized in his second line center role with the opportunity to help the upstart Islanders continue to surpass expectations.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Flames prospect Rory Kerins was injured playing in the AHL with the Calgary Wranglers, and he’ll be week to week with a lower-body ailment, as noted by Ryan Pike of Flames Nation. The forward was a steal in the sixth round of the 2020 draft, but he’s still working toward an NHL role at age 23. Kerins has been highly productive in the AHL, leading the Wranglers in scoring over the past two seasons, but only appearing in seven NHL games so far, where he’s notched four helpers. It’s tough news considering that Calgary is 31st in the league, and Kerins could have gotten another look this spring, last playing with the big club in November. The Wranglers are hardly faring better this season, so GM Craig Conroy will have little hesitation to call up young players in the dog days of the season. Kerins will hopefully get healthy in time to be one such candidate.
- Nashville Predators defense prospect Viggo Gustafsson, who signed his ELC with the club last week, will join the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals next year and leave Sweden, as reported in a HockeySverige article by Simon Eld. Nashville, typically known for their knack to develop defensemen, hasn’t had overly noticeable figures come down the pipeline in several years. They’ll hope Gustafsson, their third-round selection in 2024, will have a seamless transition to the North American game and potentially pan out as a third-pairing blueliner. In 40 games with AIK of HockeyAllsvenskan, the 19-year-old lefty has just eight points, but he brings a physical game at 6’2”.
Snapshots: Benak, Cruikshank, Heartlanders
Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Benak announced on social media today that he has committed to play college hockey at Western Michigan University. Benak, a 2025 fourth-round pick of the Wild, has elected to join the reigning NCAA champions, presumably for the 2026-27 season. Benak is currently playing for the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, where he has been one of the league’s most productive 18-year-old players. Of players his age, Benak’s 68 points in just 42 games ranks third in total points and second in scoring rate.
The move to college hockey will be the next test for a player who has found a way to be a productive force at the USHL level, OHL level, and on the international stage. Entering the season, Benak was ranked as the No. 15 prospect in the Wild’s system by the team at Elite Prospects, with scout Sebastian High writing that while he has middle-six upside, his “path to an NHL role is long and winding,” in large part due to his status as an undersized forward. Today’s announcement settles that the next step for Benak on his road to pro hockey will be the NCAA, and scouts will likely be curious to see if he’ll be able to translate his quality production from junior hockey to the college ranks.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- The AHL’s Hershey Bears announced that veteran forward Grant Cruikshank has signed a one-year AHL contract extension to remain with the organization for the 2026-27 season. The 27-year-old has had a solid 2025-26 campaign, setting a career-high for games played (52), goals (nine), and points (14) in a single AHL season. After a five-year college career, Cruikshank began his time as a professional in the ECHL, but after scoring 43 points in 35 games as a rookie, he quickly elevated himself to the AHL side of the AHL/ECHL bubble. Last season, he got into 31 games for the Bears, and this year, he’s been able to carve out a regular role in head coach Derek King’s lineup. He’s become a far more regular fixture on the Bears’ penalty kill, a unit that ranks No. 15 in the AHL, and it’s his development into a reliable defensive forward that has likely earned him this early extension. While he may not have a clear path to the NHL, he could look forward to a long AHL career as a penalty-killing defensive forward, perhaps in the mold of longtime Bridgeport forward Jeff Kubiak.
- The ECHL’s Iowa Heartlanders announced today that the league’s Board of Governors approved the team’s decision to voluntarily suspend operations for the 2026-27 season. In their announcement, Heartlanders owner Michael Devlin called the move “an incredibly difficult decision” but one that “is the most responsible course” as the team reviews options for the franchise’s long-term sustainability. The Heartlanders are the ECHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild, and have players who are signed to, or have previously signed, NHL contracts on their roster, including Elliot Desnoyers, Cameron Butler, and Stevie Leskovar. Iowa went 36-25-11 last season but has fallen to 19-30-5 this year, No. 28 of 30 teams in league standings. According to HockeyDB, they rank last in the ECHL in average attendance per game.
Snapshots: Brazeau, Horvat, Kleven
The Pittsburgh Penguins called on trade acquisition Elmer Soderblom to make his team debut on Sunday after Justin Brazeau was ruled out with an undisclosed injury, head coach Dan Muse told Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports. The injury ended Brazeau’s streak of 37 consecutive games played, which was the seventh-longest streak on the team, as pointed out by Rorabaugh.
Brazeau’s absence will mark another blow to the Penguins offense after star Evgeni Malkin was handed a five-game suspension for slashing. Brazeau has three points in his last four games and 30 points in 48 games this season. He has accelerated a hot streak that began with the Boston Bruins last year, where he scored 20 points in 57 games. Pittsburgh brought rookie Avery Hayes back into the lineup in response ot Malkin’s absence. Now, they’ll turn towards the towering Soderblom to try and keep things going. He has only scored three points in 39 games this season.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- New York Islanders centerman Bo Horvat was fined $2,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct in the Islanders’ Saturday win over the San Jose Sharks per Frank Seravalli of Victory+. While delivering choice words to the Sharks’ bench, Horvat reached over and flicked the visor of winger William Eklund. He was not assessed a penalty on the play. Horvat has 27 goals and 44 points in 55 games this season, including one goal scored in Saturday’s 2-1 victory. He will stick in a premier lineup role and hope to make up his decreased funds with his on-ice performance.
- Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven was also assessed a fine by the NHL Department of Player Safety. He was forced to hand over $4,166.67, max allowable under the CBA, for cross-checking Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann in the face in Saturday’s match between Ottawa and Seattle. Kleven was assessed a two-minute slashing, five-minute cross-checking, and 10-minute game misconduct penalty on the play, which occurred with just under four minutes left in regulation. He scored his second goal of the season prior to his ejection. Kleven is now up to 12 points and a minus-two in 57 games this season. He will continue in his role offering the Senators defensive depth.