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Tony DeAngelo, Seven Others Placed On Waivers

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March 8: Katchouk is heading from the Blackhawks to the Senators, Lagesson is going from the Maple Leafs to the Ducks, and Björnfot is going from the Golden Knights to the Panthers. The five other players on waivers yesterday cleared.

March 7: Eight players, including Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo, were placed on waivers Thursday, per Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. The full list is as follows:

Calgary Flames
D Jordan Oesterle

Carolina Hurricanes
D Tony DeAngelo
F Brendan Lemieux
G Antti Raanta

Chicago Blackhawks
F Boris Katchouk

Florida Panthers
G Evan Cormier

Toronto Maple Leafs
D William Lagesson

Vegas Golden Knights
D Tobias Björnfot

Of note, players who are assigned to the minors after clearing waivers tomorrow will be eligible to play in the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs. Players must be on loan to the AHL at the time of the trade deadline to be cleared to play in postseason action.

The Hurricanes’ trio of waived players is purely for roster flexibility ahead of tomorrow’s trade deadline, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic says. It’s unclear if any of the three players will be assigned to AHL clubs if they pass through unclaimed. The Hurricanes are the only NHL team without a dedicated AHL affiliate.

Raanta, a pending UFA with a $1.5MM cap hit, has a decent chance at being claimed by a team looking to add a backup netminder for free by tomorrow afternoon. That could very well include the Flyers, who have struggled to find consistency in the crease outside of breakout starter Samuel Ersson. Raanta has struggled this season with a .872 SV% and 2.99 GAA behind a stout Hurricanes defense, but he’s now posted a SV% above .900 in each of his last three appearances and could be on the upswing at just the right time. With Frederik Andersen returning to health after a months-long absence and both Pyotr Kochetkov and Spencer Martin playing well, Raanta appears unlikely to be back with Carolina this season regardless of whether he gets claimed.

Oesterle will likely head to the minors after being pushed down the Flames’ defensive depth chart. The club has brought in Joel Hanley off waivers and Daniil Miromanov via trade from the Golden Knights this week, eliminating the need for Oesterle as a depth option on the roster for now. The 31-year-old has two assists and a -6 rating in 22 games.

Assigning Katchouk to AHL Rockford will allow Chicago to clear a necessary roster spot ahead of Saturday’s game against the Capitals. Both Andreas Athanasiou and Nikita Zaitsev are expected to play, per Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, and will need to come off injured reserve to do so. The Blackhawks only have one open roster spot, so one more needed to be cleared.

Cormier was not signed to an NHL contract, so the Panthers inked him to a one-year, two-way deal ($775K NHL/$75K AHL) for the remainder of the season before waiving him, per PuckPedia. The 26-year-old has a .868 SV% and 1-2-2 record in five games for AHL Charlotte this season and a .910 SV% and 8-5-3 record in 18 games for ECHL Florida. By signing him to an NHL contract, he’ll be eligible to be on the Panthers’ roster in the postseason as added goaltending insurance if necessary.

Toronto’s waiving of Lagesson was reported earlier Thursday. He’s been designated non-roster while on the waiver wire, creating the necessary roster space for Joel Edmundson, who was acquired from the Capitals today. He’s dressed in 30 games for the Leafs, notching four assists and a +5 rating while averaging 14:31 per game.

Meanwhile, Björnfot, a 2019 first-round pick of the Kings, lands on waivers for the second time this season. Vegas claimed him off waivers from Los Angeles in January, but he played in just two games for them while battling injuries, posting a -2 rating while averaging 14:01 per game. Assigning him to AHL Henderson would create an open roster spot ahead of tomorrow’s trade deadline, allowing the Golden Knights to make a potential third acquisition after bringing in Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha.

Ducks Claim William Lagesson Off Waivers From Maple Leafs

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The Ducks have claimed defenseman William Lagesson off waivers from the Maple Leafs, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports.

Lagesson has served as one of many depth defenders to fill in for injured Leafs this season, playing in 30 NHL games and recording four assists, 19 penalty minutes, and a +5. He’s still searching for his first NHL goal, failing to score in any of the 90 games he’s played, dating back to the 2019-20 season when he made his debut with the Edmonton Oilers. In fact, Lagesson hasn’t scored a goal in any of his last five seasons – save for a scoring explosion with the Chicago Wolves last year, when he managed a career-high 10 goals and 32 points in 65 games. But outside of that burst, Lagesson’s role has largely been on the defensive side of the puck, with his long reach and control along the boards helping to control transition up and down the ice.

The Ducks will likely lean on Lagesson as extra defensive depth behind current seventh-defenseman Jackson LaCombe, who has one goal and 12 points in the first 54 games of his career. Anaheim has seen a rotating door of defensemen this season, leaning on eight different blue-liners despite not bearing with substantial injuries. Their defense corp is also incredibly young, with rookies Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, and LaCombe all earning routine roles.

Maple Leafs Acquire Cade Webber From Hurricanes

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The Maple Leafs have acquired the signing rights to defense prospect Cade Webber from the Hurricanes in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, the team announced.

Webber, 23, is in his final season of collegiate play at Boston University, where he’s an alternate captain. A fourth-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2019, Webber has just one goal throughout his 115 collegiate appearances and was unlikely to sign an entry-level contract with the Hurricanes this summer.

Two facts about Webber carry appeal: his height and weight. Standing at 6-foot-7 and 210 lbs, he’s one of the largest players in college hockey and does carry some legitimate defensive upside if he can avoid dragging everyone else down offensively at the NHL level. The New York native does have good breakout and transition instincts but is rarely a factor once his team is established in the offensive zone. The Maple Leafs have until August 15 to sign him before he becomes a free agent, and he’ll likely suit up with AHL Toronto or ECHL Newfoundland next season if he inks a deal.

In 30 games with the number-two ranked BU this year, Webber has six assists, 28 PIMs, and a +15 rating that’s tied for fifth on the team. He’s commonly anchored a shutdown second pairing alongside team captain and Devils prospect Case McCarthy, who has done well in their role.

Maple Leafs Acquire Joel Edmundson From Capitals

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The Capitals and Maple Leafs have agreed on a trade to send left-shot defenseman Joel Edmundson from Washington to Toronto, per a team release. Two draft picks – the Islanders’ 2024 third-round pick and the Blackhawks’ 2025 fifth-round pick – are heading back to Washington in the deal. The Capitals are retaining 50% of Edmundson’s already-reduced $1.75MM cap hit, bringing his cap hit down to $875K for the Maple Leafs. In a corresponding transaction to create the cap space needed for the trade, the Maple Leafs moved defenseman Conor Timmins from injured reserve to long-term injured reserve, per CapFriendly.

Edmundson, 30, has slipped to a depth role this season and is a pending UFA. After picking up Ethan Bear on the free-agent market midseason led to a defensive logjam in Washington, Edmundson looked to be on his way out after failing to solidify top-four minutes in his first season with the Caps.

The Maple Leafs have been in the market for blue-line depth for weeks, and they weren’t done after acquiring Ilya Lyubushkin from the Ducks last week for his second stint with the team. For the past few days, they’ve been linked to Edmundson, who can play both left and right defense and stands at a hulking 6-foot-5 and 224 pounds.

Edmundson’s production and possession metrics don’t move the needle much. Still, he does carry a massive advantage in playoff experience over other Leafs blue-liners who have been in their bottom-pairing rotation as of late, like Maxime Lajoie and William Lagesson. He’s sitting on a goal and six points in 44 games this season, and the Manitoba native’s 16:26 average time on ice is the lowest in quite a while. His possession metrics don’t paint him as an extreme liability after a disastrous 2022-23 campaign with the Canadiens, posting a 1.2 relative CF% at even strength and 47.4 xGF% (per Hockey Reference). There were some better shutdown options on the market, though.

Over 521 career games with the Blues, Canadiens, Capitals, and Hurricanes, Edmundson has 29 goals, 81 assists, 110 points, and a +18 rating, averaging 18:30 per game. After winning the Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019 and spending the following season in Carolina, he signed a four-year, $14MM contract ($3.5MM cap hit) with Montreal that expires this summer. The Caps acquired him for a third-round and seventh-round pick last offseason, with Montreal retaining 50% of his cap hit. Since Edmundson’s contract had already been involved in a prior retained salary transaction, the Caps and Leafs could not have used a third party to retain additional salary in this trade.

He’s not afraid to use his body, blocking 822 shots and recording 979 hits throughout his nine-year career. However, that hasn’t translated into positive possession quality for Edmundson’s team with him on the ice. He’s recorded an xGF% above 50 twice in his career, not since 2021, when he reached the Stanley Cup Final with Montreal. Last season was an especially difficult campaign for him, recording 23 points in 61 games with a career-worst -29 rating and a 42.9 xGF%.

Edmundson now moves from one team with a defensive logjam to another. Lyubushkin has settled in nicely on a pairing with Morgan Rielly since his acquisition, meaning Edmundson, Timmins, Simon Benoit, Mark Giordano, and Timothy Liljegren will now all compete for the fifth and sixth spots on the Toronto blue line when everyone is healthy.

The Maple Leafs don’t have an open roster spot for Edmundson yet, although CapFriendly reports Lagesson has been removed from the active roster and will likely hit waivers at 1 p.m. CT.

Former NHL and AHL defenseman Jordan Schmaltz was first to report that Edmundson had been traded to Toronto.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic was first to report that the Capitals were retaining 50% of his cap hit.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to report the return.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.

David Kampf Out With Illness

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  • Absent from the team’s practice today, Toronto Maple Leafs forward David Kampf is reportedly out with an illness (X Link). The Maple Leafs do play against the Buffalo Sabres tomorrow night, and Kampf’s status is currently up in the air. In 47 games for Toronto this season, Kampf has produced at a respectable level, scoring five goals and 11 points overall.
  • Sticking in Toronto, Mark Masters of TSN is reporting that defenseman Conor Timmins is back at practice for the first time since his mononucleosis diagnosis back in early February. It is undetermined when Timmins will be able to re-enter the lineup for the Maple Leafs, but he has scored one goal and six points in 16 games for Toronto already this season.

    [SOURCE LINK]

Maple Leafs Have Checked In On Zach Bogosian's Availability

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  • In his latest podcast (video link), Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports that the Wild are trying to sign defenseman Zach Bogosian to a contract extension. Minnesota acquired the 33-year-old from Tampa Bay early in the season and he has held his own on their third pairing, logging over 17 minutes a night while recording nine points and 80 hits in 43 games.  If they can’t get a deal done, however, Johnston reports that the Maple Leafs are among the teams that have checked in on Bogosian’s availability.  They’ve already added on the back end with the reacquisition of Ilya Lyubushkin but if they can’t add an impact blueliner, shoring up their depth – perhaps with another second-timer with the team – isn’t necessarily a bad fall-back plan.

Ilya Lyubushkin Clears Concussion Protocols, Expected To Play Monday

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  • The new-but-familiar Ilya Lyubushkin won’t miss any time for the Maple Leafs after sustaining a head injury in Saturday’s shootout win over the Rangers, per David Alter of The Hockey News. Lyubushkin was a full participant in Monday’s morning skate alongside Morgan Rielly and will suit up for his second game since last week’s trade from the Ducks in a likely first-round preview against the Bruins tonight. The Russian blue-liner, who has four assists in 56 games this year, was on the receiving end of a controversial hit from towering New York enforcer Matt Rempe in the second period over the weekend and did not return to the game.

Trade Deadline Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs

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With the All-Star break in the rearview, the trade deadline looms large and is now less than two 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 Toronto Maple Leafs.

The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite parting ways with Kyle Dubas and Jason Spezza this summer, bringing in multiple new faces including Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and John Klingberg, and receiving modest efforts from multiple goalies – the Leafs once again find themselves in a familiar spot, poised to add at the Trade Deadline to try and bring an oomph behind their star power. But unlike previous years, Toronto is getting hot at the right time, winning 13 of their last 16 games and outscoring opponents 66-to-43. Every piece of the lineup seems to be clicking, with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner paving history, Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll one-upping each other in net, and depth options like Calle Jarnkrok making big impacts coming off injured reserve. The Leafs could have enough chemistry to forgo any Deadline action, but they’ll be a favorite for top names if they do get involved.

Record

35-17-8, 3rd in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Buyers on a budget

Deadline Cap Space

$144,166 of cap space on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2024: TOR 1st, NYI 3rd, TOR 4th, TOR 5th, CGY 5th, VAN 5th, TOR 7th, OTT 7th
2025: TOR 5th, CHI 5th, TOR 6th, TOR 7th

Trade Chips

The Leafs are undeniably positioned as buyers ahead of the Deadline, and their trade chips match that. Leading the list is young winger Nicholas Robertson, who Toronto recently sent to the AHL to make room for Jarnkrok’s return. This season has marked Robertson’s first year in a full-time NHL role but he doesn’t have too much to show for it – managing a modest eight goals and 19 points in 41 games. Much of his ice time has come on the team’s third line, playing alongside either Jarnkrok or John Tavares at center. Robertson has yet to find his groove, despite strong linemates, but Toronto will need him to carry value – as the team has very little draft capital to work with. He joins a long list of promising, but so far unsuccessful, 22-year-olds on the trade market – including Philip Broberg, Arthur Kaliyev, and Kaapo Kakko – and like them, Robertson likely doesn’t yield a major return outright. But he’ll be a focal piece of any package the Leafs put together – with the team hoping his remaining potential is enough to swing a big trade.

If Robertson isn’t enough, it’s likely that Toronto turns towards their strong AHL pipeline before they sell off more draft capital. The Toronto Marlies are having a slow season overall – with a 23-18-11 record ranking them fifth in the AHL’s North Division – but they boast a long list of young talents that could draw interest from around the league. Headlining the list is 6’7” goaltender Dennis Hildeby, who’s managed 13 wins and a .912 save percentage in 28 games this season. It’s Hildeby’s first season in North American pros, though he played his first full pro season last year, when he recorded 11 wins and a .918 in 21 games with the SHL’s Färjestad BK. Hildeby has been a routine call-up this season, but has yet to make his NHL debut. He has loads of untapped potential and, with Woll returning strong from injury and Matt Murray progressing after double hip surgery, teams may be able to convince Toronto to, “sell high”, on the 22-year-old netminder.

The Marlies also boasts swiss-army-knife Alex Steeves, hard-nosed centerman Nicholas Abruzzese, or former seventh-round pick Ryan Tverberg. Steeves leads the bunch in scoring, with 43 points in 46 games, though Tverberg is the youngest of the trio at 22, while Steeves and Abruzzese are 24. The Leafs could even sell off top defensive prospect Topi Niemelä, who leads all Marlies defenders in scoring but hasn’t yet made his NHL debut.

While it’s never ideal to sell off talents before they get a shot at the NHL, it could be all Toronto can part with – with their NHL lineup looking fairly consistent. Backup goaltenders Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones may end up expendable for the right price, though the Leafs would need to make sure they’ve found a confident starter before dealing away any goalies, including Hildeby. They similarly can’t spare much depth at forward, though the recent hot flashes of Bobby McMann or Pontus Holmberg could entice teams that need a little more certainty headed into the postseason.

Team Needs

1) An Answer On Defense – The Maple Leafs’ questions on defense are just getting tougher as time goes on, with veteran T.J. Brodie beginning to slow down and injuries catching the likes of Ilya Lyubushkin, Jake McCabe, and Timothy Liljegren at one point or another. While the Leafs have managed well through the challenges, they’ve had to rely on the likes of Maxime Lajoie and Marshall Rifai to get there. It’s clear that they’re missing key pieces on the blue line, and rumors have confirmed that they’re looking into the market’s top defenders. This includes top Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin, who seems near certain to move this Deadline. Hanifin has scored 11 goals – a career-high – and 35 points through 60 games this season. He’s on pace to narrowly fall short of his career-high in points as well, currently scoring at a 47-point pace through 82 games. Toronto is one of many teams involved in Hanifin trade talks – alongside the Arizona Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers. But the Leafs may be in the best position to acquire the pending free agent, boasting a first-round pick unlike Florida, and a better short-term outlook than Arizona and Tampa. If the Leafs miss out on Hanifin, their best alternatives will likely be Philadelphia’s Sean Walker or Ottawa’s Jakob Chychrun. Chychrun was notably in trade talks at last year’s Deadline, moving from the Arizona Coyotes to the Ottawa Senators. He’s since managed 11 goals and 38 points in 71 games with the Senators, though their current situation makes him expendable to playoff teams looking for a defensive boost. Chychrun brings strong puck-moving skills, but may not have the defensive punch Toronto could use. That could be the factor that shifts them towards Walker, who’s offered a much more well-rounded skillset this season, while still scoring 22 points in 62 games.

2) Depth For The Playoffs – The Leafs have kicked off their Deadline early, sending a third-and-sixth-round draft pick away in exchange for Ilya Lyubushkin. While that acquisition has been debated, it leans into exactly what Toronto needs – more depth for the playoffs. They’ve boasted a strong minor-league system for many years but continue to fall flat in the postseason, thanks to an overreliance on star names or poorly timed injuries. While acquiring a big-name goaltender like Juuse Saros or Jacob Markstrom – or reeling in a star forward like Pavel Buchnevich or Jake Guentzel – would be certainly exciting, it’d undercut the fantastic talents that already lead Toronto’s lineup. They’d be better off focusing on less discussed Deadline names, like Jordan Eberle or Jack Roslovic – two players that could still manage big impacts in quaint roles. Nick Seeler and Andrew Peeke offer similar value on defense. These options would come at a significantly cheaper price, while still helping the Leafs build a lineup that can reliably drive them deep into the postseason. Toronto is having plenty of success with their current lineup, but any additions should be focused on patching the defense or solidifying their supporting cast – acquisitions that their limited assets will likely limit them to.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Afternoon Notes: Keller, Blackwood, Lyubushkin

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Star Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller could be back soon, per general manager Bill Armstrong, who designated Keller as day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered in the team’s February 25th game against the Winnipeg Jets. Keller will miss the team’s Sunday game against the Washington Capitals, marking his fourth absence with this injury.

Alexander Kerfoot has slotted into the team’s top-line center role in Keller’s absence, scoring two points in his last three games. That brings Kerfoot’s totals up to 35 points in 60 games – the second-most he’s scored in the last five years. But it pales in comparison to Keller, who leads the Coyotes in scoring by nine points, with 22 goals and 52 points in 56 games. He and winger Matias Maccelli are the team’s only players to break 40 points so far this season, through Arizona’s first 60 games.

Keller’s upgrade to a day-to-day designation is exciting progression for a Coyotes team that’s lost 16 of their last 19 games, getting outscored 49-to-76. Keller continues to be a major piece of Arizona’s offense, averaging over 19 minutes of ice time this season, and will likely slot immediately back into their top forward role when he’s healthy.

Other notes from around the league:

  • San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood traveled with the team to face the Minnesota Wild and is trending towards making a return this week, per Sheng Peng with NBC Sports. Blackwood has been facing an undisclosed injury since the team’s Tuesday night loss to the New Jersey Devils, missing San Jose’s last two games. The injury earned Blackwood a spot on injured reserve on Wednesday, making San Jose’s upcoming Tuesday matchup against the Dallas Stars the earliest that he could return. He’s faced a string of injuries this season but has still operated as San Jose’s starter, recording nine wins and a .899 save percentage in 35 games.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin has a head injury, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe, after receiving a hit to the head from New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe. Keefe had some choice words for Rempe’s hit, slamming the rookie winger for leaving his feet and taking a player out of the game. There is currently no timetable for Lyubushkin’s return. He was in his first game with the Leafs this season, after joining the team via trade from the Anaheim Ducks earlier in the week.

Atlantic Notes: Tkachuk, Gadjovich, Johnson, Liljegren

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The Ottawa Senators have announced that team captain Brady Tkachuk will miss the team’s Saturday night game with an upper-body injury. This announcement came just over 20 minutes before game time. The nature of the injury isn’t clear, though Tkachuk did leave the team’s Friday night game early after colliding with Arizona Coyotes forward Liam O’Brien early in the third period. He managed roughly 19 minutes of ice time, six hits, and a +2 before exiting.

Tkachuk has been a major contributor this season, leading the team in goals with 26 and ranked third in points with 50. He’s also recorded 104 penalty minutes on the year – one of just three NHL players to cross the century mark in penalty minutes, with O’Brien leading the league in that category. Ottawa is not currently carrying an extra forward, likely meaning they’ll play Saturday down a player – which would make them eligible for an emergency call-up after the game. Rourke Chartier has served as the team’s de facto recall this season, playing in 34 NHL games and scoring three points, though he’s one of five different Belleville Senators forwards to play with Ottawa this season.

Other notes around the Division:

  • Florida Panthers forward Jonah Gadjovich is expected to return when the team visits the New York Rangers on Monday, per the team’s Senior Digital Content Manager Jameson Olive. Olive describes Gadjovich’s injury as “minor”. Gadjovich also sat out of Florida’s Thursday night win over the Montreal Canadiens. He’s recorded four points, split evenly, and 90 penalty minutes in 31 games this season.
  • Buffalo Sabres defenseman Erik Johnson will continue to sit out of the lineup with illness, per Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News. Johnson also missed Buffalo’s Thursday night game, after being a surprise absentee from the team’s practice. He’s appeared in 50 games this season, with three goals marking his only scoring. Johnson is in the 16th season of his career, totaling 970 games and 340 points in the league.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren will be a game-time decision on Saturday, per TSN’s Mark Masters. The 24-year-old defenseman took part in the team’s practice on Saturday, making progress from an undisclosed injury that’s held him out of the team’s last two games. He has 16 points in 40 games this season.

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