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Kraken Recall Jani Nyman

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The Seattle Kraken have recalled top forward prospect Jani Nyman to the NHL. This marks the first call-up of Nyman’s young pro career. He currently leads the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds in scoring with 26 goals and 41 points in 55 games. Nyman also leads all AHL rookies in goals.

Nyman is playing through his first full year in North American pros after stopping by the AHL for a five-game trial at the end of last season. He’s taken quickly to the AHL and is currently on pace for 34 goals in 71 games this season. That total would make Nyman just the sixth U21 AHL skater to net 34 or more goals since 2000-01, and would mark the most a minor-leaguer has scored since Nigel Dawes managed 35 goals in 2005-06.

Seattle originally drafted Nyman in the second-round of the 2022 NHL Draft, after trading defenseman Jeremy Lauzon to the Nashville Predators to acquire the pick. Nyman followed his draft selection with a return to the Liiga’s Ilves. He managed 10 goals and 14 points in 29 games of what was his first year in Finland’s top level. With his feet under him, Nyman was able to lap those totals last year – netting 26 goals and 43 points in 48 games before moving to North America.

It’s not often that players score more goals than they do assists, and Nyman is one of the rare cases of a player making it habitual. He’s a stocky and controlled forward with a stellar shot and strong drive towards the low-slot. Those attributes helped Nyman earn an AHL All-Star Game bid in his rookie season, and could now help him step into his NHL debut. Kraken general manager Ron Francis hinted at wanting to give Nyman NHL reps before the season ended during a post-deadline media availability – and now seems to be following through with the proper roster moves. That could pose the challenge of a lineup shakeup for head coach Dan Bylsma, but the upside of adding a goal-scorer of Nyman’s level would be hard to ignore for a Kraken lineup currently well outside of the playoff race.

Penguins Sign Daniel Laatsch To Entry-Level Contract

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The Penguins announced they’ve signed defenseman Daniel Laatsch to a two-year, entry-level contract covering the 2025-26 and 2026-27 campaigns. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Pittsburgh selected Laatsch in the seventh round of the 2021 draft, and they were at risk of losing the 23-year-old’s signing rights if they didn’t agree on an ELC by Aug. 15. The 6’5″ lefty is the second collegiate Pens prospect to sign his entry-level contract in as many days, joining Michigan Tech defender Chase Pietila.

Laatsch, 23, just wrapped up his fourth and final season at Wisconsin. The Badgers lost their Big 10 playoff series against Ohio State last weekend and aren’t expected to garner a berth for the national tournament. Laatsch’s point totals indicate a pure stay-at-home presence, completing his collegiate career with just 6-20–26 in 126 games with a plus-five rating. Injuries limited Laatsch to 22 appearances in 2024-25, logging 2-3–5 with a plus-one rating.

He’s a player the organization’s liked for a while. Pittsburgh director of player development Tom Kostopoulos said last summer they mused signing Laatsch after his junior season but opted to have him return to Wisconsin for his senior campaign. Knocks on Laatsch will consist of his lanky frame for his height (just 183 lbs). While he plays an intelligent defensive game, he does so without crossing the line physically – he recorded just 18 PIMs across four seasons at Wisconsin.

He can report to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton down the stretch on a tryout but is ineligible to make his NHL debut until next season. He’ll be a restricted free agent upon expiry of his deal in the 2027 offseason.

Laatsch was one of five picks Pittsburgh made in the 2021 draft. None have played NHL games yet, and they already relinquished the signing rights to one of the picks (defenseman Ryan McCleary).

Blackhawks Activate Jason Dickinson From Injured Reserve

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Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson will return to the lineup for tonight’s game against the Avalanche, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic reports. The team announced he’s been activated from injured reserve, and since the 23-man roster limit is no longer in effect after the trade deadline, no corresponding transaction is coming.

The 29-year-old has played center for the entire season but will shift to right wing alongside Connor Bedard in his return. He missed just over a month after sustaining a high ankle sprain against the Oilers on Feb. 5. The 4 Nations break limited the number of games he missed to 11.

Once a depth piece for the Stars and Canucks, Dickinson has emerged as a leadership piece for Chicago along with being one of their better two-way forwards. The alternate captain posted a career-high 22 goals and 35 points while playing in all 82 games last season, earning himself a two-year, $8.25MM extension in the process.

This year hasn’t been as fruitful offensively for Dickinson, who’s posted a more conservative 7-9–16 scoring line through 53 games. He’s averaging 15:56 per game, down slightly from last season, and has won 49% of his draws. After finishing 12th in Selke Trophy voting last season, his possession numbers have also dipped. He’s posted a minus-seven rating after logging a plus-four last year (on a team with a -111 goal differential), and his even-strength CF% has dropped by three percentage points from 46.4 to 43.4.

Now, he’ll head to Bedard’s wing while no doubt taking most of the faceoffs in an effort to help boost the 19-year-old’s two-way play. Bedard, Chicago’s most-used forward by a humongous margin at 20:22 per game, has a 43.4% shot attempt share at even strength that’s 0.6% worse than his off-ice share. Dickinson, despite his absence, still leads Blackhawks forwards in blocks (49) and ranks third in hits (93).

Per this morning’s line rushes, Pat Maroon heads to the press box to make way for Dickinson’s return. The veteran grinder had played in 13 straight games, recording 2-3–5 with a minus-one rating and five PIMs.

Sharks Recall Jimmy Schuldt

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They waited a few days after sending him down Friday for AHL playoff eligibility purposes, but the Sharks announced today they’ve added defenseman Jimmy Schuldt back to their roster. They now have an extra defenseman available for tomorrow’s game against the Predators after rolling without one for Saturday’s loss to the Islanders.

Schuldt, 29, suited up in San Jose’s final game before the trade deadline after they recalled him from the minors earlier in the week. It was the 6’1″ lefty’s first NHL appearance in nearly six years and just the second of his career after debuting in April 2019 as a member of the Golden Knights.

Signed by Vegas as an undrafted free agent that year out of St. Cloud State, the Minnesota native has spent the last six years as a farmhand for the Knights, Sabres, Kraken, and now Sharks. A two-way defender with good puck-moving skills, he’s now the captain of San Jose’s AHL club after signing a two-way deal last summer with an $800K cap hit and $400K guarantee. He has 5-13–18 in 54 games for the Barracuda this season, ranking second on the club with a +15 rating.

Schuldt logged 14:15 in his Sharks debut against the Avalanche last week and posted three shots on goal with one hit. He had a good showing in sheltered minutes, controlling shots 9-3 at 5v5 and scoring chances 7-4, per Natural Stat Trick.

The fledgling Sharks would love to continue getting that play out of Schuldt as a third-pairing fill-in down the stretch. San Jose will have increased opportunity for depth blue-liners down the stretch after trading No. 1 option Jake Walman to the Oilers last week, creating space for young names like Shakir Mukhamadullin and Henry Thrun while also providing more playing time for depth vets like Schuldt. San Jose now has 22 players on their active roster and has used up one of their four post-deadline recalls.

Snapshots: Hintz, Lavoie, Canucks, Husso

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Stars forward Roope Hintz has returned to Dallas to be further evaluated after sustaining an upper-body injury on Saturday against Edmonton, notes Robert Tiffin of D Magazine (Twitter link).  Head coach Peter DeBoer stated that the early indications are that the injury isn’t a long-term one while it appears as if a fracture has been ruled out as well.  Hintz had been on quite the hot streak recently; going into yesterday’s game, he had 17 points in his last eight appearances and was anchoring the top line.  While it appears the worst-case scenarios are going to be avoided, they’ll be without him tonight against Vancouver and likely a little longer than that.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • The Golden Knights have placed winger Raphael Lavoie on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, relays Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). After an adventurous stint on the waiver wire to start the year, the 24-year-old has played primarily with AHL Henderson, tallying 21 points in 32 games.  Lavoie has made nine appearances with Vegas on a pair of recalls but has been held off the scoresheet while logging just over 10 minutes a game.  Lavoie’s placement will keep him out of the lineup until at least Thursday.
  • The Canucks have reversed their goalie move from yesterday, announcing (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled Arturs Silovs from AHL Abbotsford while sending Nikita Tolopilo to Abbotsford. The move allowed Silovs to start yesterday against San Jose where he allowed four goals on 28 shots.  Silovs has a 3.85 GAA with a .858 SV% in nine outings with Vancouver and is set to be the primary backup with Thatcher Demko back on injured reserve.  But to keep him fresh, the Canucks could send him down periodically to get a spot start in with Abbotsford.
  • A day after sending him back to the minors, Anaheim’s AHL affiliate in San Diego announced that the Ducks have once again recalled goaltender Ville Husso to the big club. He was acquired for future considerations last month to add some goalie depth and has a 2.84 GAA along with a .908 SV% in 17 AHL contests this season while compiling a 3.69 GAA and a .866 SV% in nine NHL contests.  Husso is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Penguins Sign Chase Pietila

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The Penguins have signed one of their prospects from their most recent draft class.  The team announced that they’ve signed defenseman Chase Pietila to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but the deal will begin next season.

The 21-year-old was a fourth-round pick (111th overall) back in June in his final year of eligibility.  He spent two years with USHL Youngstown, the second of which saw him break through with 36 points along with 125 penalty minutes in 60 games in the 2022-23 season.

From there, Pietila moved on to Michigan Tech where a solid freshman year that saw him notch 22 points in 40 games got him on the draft radar.  This season, he potted seven goals and 15 assists in 36 contests and is wasting little time getting his professional career started now.

As a result of the deal starting next season, Pietila won’t be eligible to suit up for Pittsburgh at all down the stretch.  However, he is eligible to sign an ATO agreement with either AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton or ECHL Wheeling and will likely do so in the coming days.

Blackhawks’ Artyom Levshunov Recalled, Expected To Make NHL Debut

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The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled top prospect Artyom Levshunov to the NHL roster. This marks the second call-up of the 2024 second-overall pick’s young career. He is expected to immediately step into the Hawks lineup, per Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Levshunov’s last call-up came on February 3rd, in the days leading up to Chicago’s two-week break for the 4-Nations Face-Off. He stuck around the NHL roster for two days worth of practices, but was returned to the minor leagues before he had a chance to break into the Blackhawks lineup. Levshunov has nine points in 12 AHL games since being reassigned – a major uptick on his 13 points in 38 games prior. With 22 points in 50 games across the full season, Levshunov ranks ninth among AHL rookie defensemen in scoring.

The Blackhawks controversially opted for Levshunov’s stout defense over the dynamic scoring of winger Ivan Demidov and the physical presence of center Cayden Lindstrom with their top pick in last year’s draft. The decision came after Levshunov fought his way into the role of number-one defenseman for the Big Ten’s Michigan State University, after transferring from the USHL to college hockey late into the 2023 summer. The quick move was just one year after Levshunov moved from Belarus’ juniors league to the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers. He adjusted quickly to both junior hockey and collegiate hockey – and now seems to be bringing along his scoring at a pro level too.

Chicago will get a chance to bank on Levshunov’s hot streak with this recall. The Blackhawks have a glaring hole on right-defense after trading star defender Seth Jones ahead of the Trade Deadline. Jones’ minutes have been filled by Louis Crevier and Connor Murphy in the immediate wake of the deal, but have allowed an average of 37 shots-against in their four games since the Jones trade. That’s a ton of pressure for new acquisition Spencer Knight in net, and while he’s handled it well – finding a way to stop up the barrage of shots will be a top priority for Chicago’s remaining season. The stout two-way play of Levshunov could be exactly what Chicago needs, and gives the Blackhawks an even better chance to lean into their future amidst a punted season.

Islanders Activate Marcus Högberg From Injured Reserve

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The Islanders will be a bit deeper between the pipes as they continue to make an improbable push for a playoff spot. The team has activated netminder Marcus Högberg from injured reserve ahead of tonight’s game against the Ducks, per Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News. The team reassigned goalie Jakub Skarek to AHL Bridgeport in a corresponding move.

Högberg, 30, will likely get his first start since Jan. 25 after Ilya Sorokin made 38 saves on 40 shots in last night’s win over the Sharks. He missed 14 games with an upper-body injury, pressing pause on a strong run of play since the veteran was recalled from Bridgeport in December to replace the still-injured Semyon Varlamov as Sorokin’s backup. The Swede only made five starts and two relief appearances over two months while Sorokin got the vast majority of the workload, but was excellent when called upon with a .947 SV% and 1.45 GAA.

New York signed Högberg to a two-year, $1.55MM deal last May to serve as veteran insurance behind Sorokin and Varlamov. The deal marked the former Senators depth netminder’s return to the NHL ranks after spending three years starting for Linköping HC in the Swedish Hockey League, including SHL Goalie of the Year and MVP honors in 2023-24. His time in Bridgeport out of the gate didn’t go well, posting a 3.26 GAA and .898 SV% in 11 games with a 2-5-3 record, but he’s redeemed his stock with his strong showing in limited NHL action.

He’s an undeniable upgrade down the stretch over the 25-year-old Skarek, who finally made his NHL debut in Högberg’s absence in his sixth season in the Isles organization. The 2018 third-round pick allowed five goals on 39 shots in a start and relief appearance, equating to a .872 SV% and 3.94 GAA. The Czechia native has failed to post a SV% north of .900 in any league since the 2018-19 campaign, when he logged a .906 in 22 games for Liiga’s Pelicans. A No. 4 option at best at this stage of his career, he’ll return to a minor-league role down the stretch as he hurtles toward Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer.

Health permitting, Högberg will likely serve as Sorokin’s backup for the remainder of the season. Varlamov is doubtful to return in 2024-25 due to the lower-body injury that’s kept him out since early December, general manager Lou Lamoriello told NHL.com yesterday.

Minor Transactions: 3/8/25

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The NHL Trade Deadline has finally passed, pulling teams into the late stages of their seasons. The transaction wire has stayed hot as teams continue to sort out their lineups for the remainder of the year. As always, Pro Hockey Rumors will track the minor moves here:

  • The Anaheim Ducks have reassigned goaltender Ville Husso to the AHL. Husso was recalled to be Anaheim’s third-string goalie behind Lukas Dostal and John Gibson on Friday, after news that Gibson had suffered a day-to-day, lower-body injury. Husso has played in three games with the San Diego Gulls since joining Anaheim’s system. He won the first with a 34-save shutout, but split his last two while allowing 10 goals on 59 shots. With this move, Husso will look to build on his 2-1-0 record and .892 save percentage with the Gulls.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have reassigned defenseman Jack St. Ivany. Pittsburgh recalled St. Ivany under emergency conditions and used him as a healthy scratch in Friday’s game against Vegas. He has been a fixture of the minor leagues since November, netting six points, eight penalty minutes, and a minus-two in 21 games. Before that, St. Ivany appeared in 19 NHL games and recorded one assist, 17 penalty minutes, and a minus-three. He could find a tougher time earning another call-up, after Pittsburgh acquired longtime Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins at the deadline. Timmins has eight points in 51 NHL games this season.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have swapped emergency netminders, assigning Arturs Silovs to the minor leagues and utilizing an emergency recall on Nikita Tolopilo. Silovs played in two NHL games in late February. He lost them both while allowing six goals on 56 shots. He’ll return to the minors sporting a dismal .858 save percentage and 1-6-1 record at the NHL level. He’s been far more productive in the AHL, where he has a .906 Sv% and 10-4-0 record. Meanwhile Tolopilo could be in store for his NHL debut after posting a .890 Sv% and 12-14-2 record as the AHL starter in Silovs’ absence. Tolopilo is in just his second season of North American pros after two years in the HockeyAllsvenskan. He posted a .912 Sv% and 39-38-0 record across 79 games in Sweden’s second-tier league.
  • Defenseman Calen Addison has been traded from the Henderson Silver Knights to the Springfield Thunderbirds in exchange for future considerations. Addison played in 49 games and recorded 33 points, 55 penalty minutes, and a minus-24 with Henderson. He is expected to initially report to Springfield’s ECHL affiliate, the Florida Everblades. Addison was once a second-round pick in the NHL Draft and managed a single-season high of 29 points across four NHL seasons. His career totals at the top level stand as 50 points and 96 penalty minutes in 152 games.

Hurricanes Recall Scott Morrow, Reassign Riley Stillman

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The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled top defense prospect Scott Morrow and reassigned defenseman Riley Stillman. Stillman will head to the AHL sporting a minor injury after taking a skate to the face in his first shift of Thursday night’s game. He received stitches on the inside of his mouth but continues to practice per Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal.

This move returns Morrow to the NHL after a recent hot streak in the minors. He has 10 points in 10 games since Carolina reassigned him on February 8th. Morrow is now up to 39 points in 51 AHL games, the third-most of any rookie defender in the AHL behind San Jose’s Luca Cagnoni and Anaheim’s Tristan Luneau who each have 42 points. Despite that hot scoring, Morrow hasn’t yet found his way onto an NHL scoresheet. He has no scoring and a minus-four through four career games in the NHL, with the appearances split evenly between last year and this year.

Morrow’s spot in the lineup on Sunday will depend on the availability of Dmitry Orlov, who missed Thursday’s game with a minor injury. Orlov returned to Carolina’s Saturday morning practice in full per NHL.com’s Walt Ruff. He seems good to go, but Morrow will be the quick fill-in should the Hurricanes need an extra hand.

This move also returns Stillman to the minor leagues for the second time in two days. Carolina successfully waived Stillman and assigned him to the minor leagues on Friday, but he was brought back to the NHL roster before Saturday’s practice. But it seems that was only for the extra skate, and Stillman will head back to the Chicago Wolves to build on his five points, 41 penalty minutes, and minus-three in 20 games. Stillman has also stepped into three NHL games this season, setting no scoring, five penalty minutes, and a minus-one.

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