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Ducks Activate Lukas Dostal From Injured Reserve

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The Ducks have their starting netminder back in play. The team announced they’ve activated Lukáš Dostál from injured reserve and assigned Vyacheslav Buteyets to ECHL Tulsa in the corresponding move.

Dostál has missed the last nine games and three weeks with an upper-body injury, making today’s activation right on schedule. Before that, the 25-year-old was breaking into his own as a top-tier No. 1. In 17 appearances – all starts – he’s racked up an 11-5-1 record, .904 SV%, 2.81 GAA, and a .647 quality start percentage. Among goalies with at least 15 showings, his 0.592 GSAx/60 ranks 10th in the league, per MoneyPuck.

He has been invaluable for a Ducks team that’s still finding its way defensively, but has received plenty of scoring and quality goaltending to make them a relatively safe bet to end their seven-year playoff drought. So far, general manager Pat Verbeek’s decision to sign the 2018 third-rounder to a five-year, $32.5MM deal last summer looks more like a bargain than a fair bet, particularly after he amassed a .903 SV% and 14.3 GSAx in 54 appearances last season.

With Dostál out, it wasn’t backup Petr Mrázek holding things down. He’s also spent the better part of the last two weeks on injured reserve after leaving a Nov. 30 game against the Blackhawks with a lower-body injury. His return is expected to come closer to the holiday break.

That’s left Anaheim with experienced third-stringer Ville Husso and the rookie Buteyets as their tandem for the month of December. Husso has started six in a row and appeared in eight straight and has been a no-fuss option – exactly why Anaheim shelled out a pricey $2.2MM cap hit last offseason to keep him in the organization despite knowing he was ticketed for waivers and a minor-league role behind Dostál and Mrázek. He’ll now be relegated to backup duties behind Dostál until Mrázek returns.

There’s a legitimate argument that Anaheim might be better off keeping Husso and placing Mrázek on waivers once he’s healthy, though. Husso posted a serviceable .888 SV% and 3.16 GAA – enough to win five out of his eight decisions – while logging 1.2 goals saved above expected. The 33-year-old Mrázek’s numbers were down at a .876 SV% and 3.69 GAA in seven starts before his injury. On an expiring deal at a $4.25MM cap hit, he’s at virtually no risk of being claimed.

As for Buteyets, the 23-year-old was only up as an emergency option. His only action – his NHL debut – came after a mercy pull for Husso in a 7-0 loss to the Mammoth last week. He played the third period of that contest and allowed three goals on 13 shots for a .769 SV% and 9.00 GAA.

A 2022 sixth-round pick, Buteyets is in his second season in North America and has shown promise in the ECHL. After recording a .905 SV% in 36 games as Tulsa’s rookie starter last year, he’s upped that in a big way to a .924 mark in seven showings this season. His .858 SV% in five games at the AHL level for San Diego over the past two years, though, shows he needs some more runway in the low minors before he’s ready to make a significant push up Anaheim’s depth chart.

Hurricanes Sign Joel Nystrom To Four-Year Extension

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The Hurricanes announced they’ve signed rookie defenseman Joel Nystrom to a four-year, $4.9MM contract extension. The deal carries a cap hit of $1.225MM beginning next season and running through the 2029-30 campaign.

Nystrom was ticketed for restricted free agency next summer as he wraps up his entry-level contract. The right-shot Swede was a seventh-round pick in 2021 out of the SHL’s Färjestad BK and spent three seasons there before inking a two-year ELC with Carolina in 2024. The Canes loaned him back out to Färjestad for most of last season but brought him over to finish the year with AHL Chicago once his season ended.

Now, he’s an under-the-radar success story who lands multi-year security before most fans outside of Carolina – even hardcore ones – even know his name. The 5’11” puck-mover didn’t even make the Canes’ opening night roster but only lasted three games in the AHL, recording one assist, before getting called up to Carolina in late October in the wake of Jaccob Slavin’s injury.

The 23-year-old’s lengthy resume of professional play in his home country no doubt pushed him higher up on the depth chart for a recall despite his lack of North American professional experience. He won a league title with Färjestad as a sophomore in 2022 and ended his five-year tenure with the club last year after recording a 25-61–86 scoring line in 221 games with a +13 rating. In his final two seasons with the club, he led or co-led its blue line in scoring with 26 and 27 points, respectively, in 51 games each.

Nystrom’s game relies purely on his transition skills. He may have some long-term upside as a secondary power-play quarterback, but he has just four assists through 23 games, averaging a few ticks over 16 minutes per night. Physicality is almost entirely absent from his game, recording just 14 blocks and five hits. Nevertheless, he’s been active with the puck and has usurped veteran Mike Reilly for a regular job in the lineup while Slavin continues to rehab from his lower-body injury. His 59.0% share of expected goals at 5-on-5 ranks third among Carolina defenders behind Reilly and K’Andre Miller.

For this season, it’s hard to envision Nystrom sticking in the lineup when Slavin returns. His waiver-exempt status makes it likely he’ll be the one ferried to the minors to open up a roster spot rather than Carolina exposing a piece of valuable veteran depth in Reilly to the wire. Reilly is a pending unrestricted free agent, though, leaving the door wide open for Nystrom to open the season on the Canes’ roster in 2026-27. His new seven-figure salary makes him a safe bet to do so.

His cap hit will be beneath the buriable threshold by the time the deal wraps up if he doesn’t pan out as a long-term NHLer, so there’s little risk for the Canes in that sense. If he can stick around as an everyday second or third-pairing right-shot option with power-play upside, that’s a bargain play. Still, it’s jarring to see a player land nearly $5MM in guaranteed money – particularly as a late-round pick – before even scoring their first NHL goal. The only recent precedent for that is Sabres defender Mattias Samuelsson, who inked a much richer seven-year, $30MM extension in 2022 after going goalless with 12 assists through his first 52 NHL appearances.

Image courtesy of James Guillory-Imagn Images.

Flames Activate Zayne Parekh From IR, Recall Dryden Hunt

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The Flames announced a pair of roster moves on Friday. Rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh was activated from injured reserve and subsequently loaned to Canada’s national junior team ahead of the 2026 World Junior Championship, which begins on Boxing Day in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They also added forward Dryden Hunt back to the active roster after reassigning him to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers yesterday – something they’re eligible to do because he played for the minor-league club last night.

Parekh, 19, is still finding his way in his first professional season. It’s unclear whether he’ll be added back to Calgary’s roster after the tournament or if they’ll opt to have him finish the season with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. He’s ineligible for a full-time AHL assignment this season as a teenage player under the NHL-CHL transfer agreement.

His underwhelming first few games in the NHL don’t change his stature as the Flames’ top prospect, though. Selected ninth overall in the 2024 draft, Parekh led the OHL in points by a defenseman in back-to-back seasons before making Calgary’s roster out of camp this fall. Last year, he became just the 15th defender in OHL history to record a 100-point season and the first since Ryan Ellis hit 101 in 2010-11. But through 11 appearances in Calgary after scoring in his debut in Game 82 last season, he was limited to one assist and only averaged 14:46 of ice time per game.

Whatever momentum Parekh had ground to a halt on Nov. 7 against the Blackhawks when he sustained an upper-body injury. He hasn’t played since. Instead of an AHL conditioning stint or a direct reinstatement, he’ll get his feet wet again in Canada’s WJC training camp over the next couple of weeks after he was one of the most notable tournament snubs in recent memory last year.

As for Hunt, the 30-year-old is settling into a role as Calgary’s 13th forward with Samuel Honzek out for the season and Martin Pospisil still stuck on injured reserve. The journeyman has found some stability in the Flames organization, now in his third year there after he was initially acquired from the Maple Leafs in 2023. He’s got an 18-36–54 scoring line in 237 games for his NHL career, but has suited up just seven times for the Flames since the beginning of 2024-25.

Nonetheless, he remains a reliable, no-fuss press box option who lights up the minors when he’s there. He had a two-assist performance with the Wranglers last night against Coachella Valley to give him 18 points in 16 games on the year, looking to lock in his second straight season at or above a point per game. While more intriguing names long-term, like Matvei Gridin and Rory Kerins, are also lighting up the AHL circuit, Hunt’s development isn’t going to be interrupted by long spells in the press box if he’s not needed in the lineup.

Avalanche Loan Ilya Solovyov To AHL On Conditioning Assignment

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The Avalanche announced this morning that they’ve loaned left-shot defender Ilya Solovyov to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles for a conditioning stint. He can remain in the minors for up to two weeks without having to be placed on waivers, sticking around on the Avs’ active roster while doing so.

Solovyov, 25, was something of an intriguing waiver claim from the Flames at the start of the season, but has struggled to gain a foothold in the lineup. He made just nine appearances and none in well over a month, last playing on Nov. 1. He’s served as a healthy scratch in 18 straight games. Averaging 11:33 of ice time per game, he’s gone without a point and has a -4 rating despite some strong 5-on-5 metrics (59.1 CF%, 59.9 xGF%).

Before his waiver claim, Solovyov had spent most of the last four seasons in the AHL with Stockton/Calgary in the Flames’ system. A seventh-round pick in 2020, the 6’3″ lefty is a promising depth two-way threat. He totaled 69 points and a +33 rating in 229 AHL games before joining the Avs, and he has 15 games of NHL experience with Calgary over the last two years.

That much time off isn’t good for anyone, particularly a name who potentially still has a little bit of development left in the tank. The long-overdue conditioning assignment could get Solovyov into as many as four games before the Eagles take their holiday break, beginning tonight against the Ontario Reign. In the meantime, the Avs won’t have an extra defenseman available on game days if needed, but can fix that with a corresponding recall. They have an open roster spot they can use, even with Solovyov effectively serving as dead weight for the next several days.

Wild Recall David Jiricek

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The Wild announced they’ve recalled defenseman David Jiříček from AHL Iowa, putting him on hand for tomorrow’s game against the Senators. A corresponding move won’t be necessary as Minnesota has an open spot on its active roster.

Jiříček’s recall comes as extra insurance as the Wild believe they may be down a yet-to-be-named defender after he got banged up in yesterday’s win over the Stars, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. They already lost lefty Jacob Middleton to injured reserve after he sustained an upper-body injury in the previous outing against the Kraken, leaving them potentially without two regulars on the blue line against Ottawa – in addition to the four forwards they have stashed on IR.

The 22-year-old Jiříček was the sixth overall pick in 2022 by the Blue Jackets and arrived in the Wild organization by way of a trade early last season, stemming partially from his unhappiness with limited playing time in Columbus. The change of scenery didn’t alter his circumstances, though. He’s only made 18 appearances for Minnesota since his pickup over 12 months ago, spending most of his time in the organization with AHL Iowa. He made the team out of camp this year but has been reassigned to Iowa on two occasions. Today’s move ends his longest AHL stint of the season, last heading down to the minors on Nov. 21.

The 6’3″ righty’s development is in legitimate danger as a result. Iowa has long been one of the most hapless teams in the AHL, making the playoffs only twice since the Wild established the team in 2013. The team has a 33-54-9 record since the beginning of last season with a -83 goal differential. The lack of a legitimate supporting cast on Iowa’s blue line means Jiříček, once viewed as one of the brightest two-way talents in his draft class, has just one goal and nine assists with a -7 rating in 37 games since his arrival last year.

But when on the NHL roster, he hasn’t made a legitimate push for a regular role, either. In sheltered minutes (12:26 per game), he’s logged two assists and a -1 rating in 18 games across this year and last. The Wild have allowed 2.98 goals per 60 minutes with Jiříček on the ice at 5-on-5 this year, the highest figure among Minnesota defensemen.

For now, his status as a tweener will continue. Minnesota already recalled Matt Kiersted from Iowa in the wake of Middleton’s injury, and he sat as a scratch against Dallas. Whether he, a lefty, or Jiříček, a righty, enters the lineup tomorrow likely depends on the questionable defender’s handedness.

Edmonton Oilers Recall Riley Stillman

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After acquiring netminder Tristan Jarry and defenseman Spencer Stastney earlier today while moving out Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak, it was likely the Edmonton Oilers were going to have to make an additional roster move for depth purposes. Having done that, the Oilers announced they’ve recalled defenseman Riley Stillman from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.

Even after today’s moves, Edmonton had a pair of open spots on their active roster, meaning no additional transactions were necessary. If Stastney is unable to get to Toronto by tomorrow afternoon, Stillman will draw into the lineup as the Oilers’ sixth defenseman. Still, with an upcoming five-game road trip on the schedule, it wouldn’t be surprising if Stillman stayed on the roster even when Stastney draws into the lineup.

Stillman, 27, is in his first year with the Oilers organization after signing a two-year, two-way contract this past offseason. He’s spent the entirety of his time up to this point with AHL Bakersfield, scoring two goals and seven points in 22 games, tied for second on the team in scoring among defensemen.

His last playing time in the NHL came with the Carolina Hurricanes, dressing in five games over the 2024-25 NHL season. Still, it wasn’t all that long ago that Stillman was a consistent bottom-pairing defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, and Buffalo Sabres.

From 2021 to 2023, Stillman appeared in 102 games combined between the three clubs, scoring three goals and 20 points with a -21 rating, averaging 14:51 of ice time. His career line stands at four goals and 26 points in 163 NHL appearances.

Penguins Activate Rickard Rakell, Loan Harrison Brunicke To Team Canada

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As expected, the Pittsburgh Penguins have thinned out their defensive core in favor of their forward group. The Penguins announced that they’ve activated forward Rickard Rakell from the injured reserve and have loaned defenseman Harrison Brunicke to U20 Team Canada for the 2026 World Junior Championships.

Rakell returns after more than a month-long absence. The top-six winger broke his left hand in the Penguins’ October 25th matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets and was given a six-to eight-week recovery timeline after undergoing surgery. That recovery timeline was accurate, as Rakell will return having missed seven weeks.

Before exiting the lineup, Rakell played a large role in the Penguins’ 6-2-1 start to the 2025-26 campaign. Typically playing on a line next to Sidney Crosby, Rakell scored three goals and eight points in those nine contests, averaging 17:44 of ice time per night.

While remaining competitive in a tightly wound Eastern Conference, Pittsburgh has clearly suffered without its top winger. There have been several additional injuries, but the Penguins have managed an 8-6-6 record in the 20 games without Rakell, falling to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Fortunately for Rakell, his return game will be against an organization with which he has had plenty of success throughout his career. Largely due to his time with the Anaheim Ducks earlier in his career, Rakell has scored 16 goals and 33 points in 39 games against the Sharks since the 2012-13 campaign. Additionally, Rakell has scored 13 goals and 28 points in 35 games against the Edmonton Oilers, who Pittsburgh plays on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Brunicke will officially join Team Canada for the World Junior Championships after spending the last few weeks with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins over the last few weeks. Brunicke, 19, tallied four assists in five games for the AHL Penguins with a +2 rating.

As one of several projected players with NHL experience, it’s nearly a given that Brunicke will remain with Team Canada after they cut their roster down. Cracking the Penguins’ roster out of training camp this season, Brunicke has scored one goal in nine games, averaging 15:43 of ice time per game. He’s two years removed from playing with Team Canada’s U18 team, scoring one goal and four points in seven tournament contests.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images. 

Penguins Activate Jack St. Ivany

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Before yesterday’s contest against the Montreal Canadiens, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they had activated defenseman Jack St. Ivany from the season-opening injured reserve. He had been recovering from a foot injury suffered in a preseason contest in early October.

Despite being on the SOIR, St. Ivany has been playing for the last few weeks, albeit for the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. A few days before American Thanksgiving, the Penguins had loaned St. Ivany to the baby Penguins on a conditioning loan. He performed very well over that stretch, scoring one goal and five points in five games with a +3 rating.

Still, it’ll be interesting to see what the Penguins do in the next few days to thin out their defensive core. They dressed six for last night’s game, but have nine on the active roster. Last night, Harrison Brunicke, Matt Dumba, and St. Ivany were all scratched.

Being named to Team Canada’s preliminary roster for the 2026 World Junior Championships, Pittsburgh already knows that Brunicke will be off the roster for a few weeks, assuming he makes the final roster. However, the WJC doesn’t begin until the day after Christmas, and the Penguins have seven games between now and then.

Considering that all four of Filip Hallander, Blake Lizotte, Evgeni Malkin, and Rickard Rakell remain on the team’s injured reserve, it would make sense for the Penguins to switch a defenseman with an AHL forward to have an additional body up front. If they’re set with having St. Ivany on the roster for the time being, the team could try to pass one of Connor Clifton or Dumba, each of whom has been limited in playing time this season, through waivers.

Mammoth Recall Kevin Rooney, Assign Maveric Lamoureux To AHL

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This evening the Utah Mammoth shared that veteran Kevin Rooney has been recalled, while defenseman Maveric Lamoureux is headed to AHL Tucson. Today’s transaction is an exact reversal of one which was made on December 3, involving both players.

Rooney, 32, has been back-and-forth between Utah and Tucson several times already this season. When in the AHL, the center is a top player, as he has six goals in 11 games. He also managed to find the back of the net during his Mammoth debut in late November. With a career high of 14 points, set with the Rangers in 2020-21, he is not the most exciting call up. Yet any player capable of filling in seamlessly without disrupting developing pieces, and not being a waiver claim threat, is valuable. 

With star Logan Cooley set to miss eight weeks, and the team dropping seven of their last 10, eyes may be on GM Bill Armstrong to make a move. Just one point out of the Wild Card, the franchise’s first-ever playoff appearance could be in danger of slipping out of reach; and they certainly have stock in the cupboard to acquire another star. In the meantime, Rooney is an extra forward on the exciting young team, not expected to play, barring additional injuries. 

Lamoureux, a first rounder in 2022, does not jump off the page statistically, but standing at 6’6”, he offers strong shutdown play even at just 21, and is a coveted right-handed shot. With such imposing size, the Quebec native could pan out as a reliable second-pair blueliner, but has a high floor regardless. 

As is the case most times a top prospect is sent down in favor of an older depth piece, Lamoureux’s role with Utah is a point of emphasis. He played 12:46 last night, with nine fewer shifts than anyone else on the back end. The defenseman will be a welcome addition back to Tucson for the time being, as the team currently ranks toward the bottom in the AHL. Lamoureux has nine points in 19 games for the Roadrunners, and could be back sometime soon, as he seems to be the undisputed top defensive call up option for Utah, much like Rooney for the forward group. 

 

Oilers Recall Max Jones, Place Clattenburg, Roslovic On IR, Walman To LTIR

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Earlier today the Edmonton Oilers announced that Max Jones has been recalled from AHL Bakersfield, while fellow forwards Connor Clattenburg and Jack Roslovic have been placed on injured reserve. Finally, as was speculated yesterday, defenseman Jake Walman has landed on long-term injured reserve. The moves come in advance of tonight’s game versus Detroit. 

Jones, a familiar face to Anaheim fans, was a first round pick by the Ducks in 2016. Now 27, he was once a potential top-six power forward, but was never able to pan out. Now an AHLer, Jones has a career high of 19 points at the NHL level, in 284 games so far. Injuries were a huge factor in his stunted development, especially as the Michigan native suffered a torn pectoral in 2021, which was a crucial year to prove himself in Anaheim. 

After a stop in Boston, Jones made his way to Edmonton as an add-in from the Trent Frederic trade. He skated in 19 games as an Oiler last season, but has spent all of 2025-26 in the AHL so far. Jones has just seven points in 17 games with the Condors, but with 49 penalty minutes, he is trying to lean more into a grinder role at this point. 

Edmonton has brought in other former first rounders who have been solid role players, such as Kasperi Kapanen and Vasily Podkolzin, and Jones may have an opportunity with the team’s numerous injuries, although he is not expected to play tonight. 

Roslovic got off to a dynamite start to his Oilers tenure with 18 points in 23 games, prior to going down in late November. He is listed as week-to-week with an undisclosed injury, and may have his sights on a return by the New Year. 

Clattenburg, just 20, brought needed energy in his first five NHL games. He has missed the team’s last two contests after an apparent eye injury. With just two points in the AHL this season, the winger brings limited skill, but at 6’2” he could be an eventual fixture on the Oilers’ fourth line, proving to be a nice find in the fifth round of the 2024 draft. 

The headline of long-term injured reserve for Walman may cause concern, but the main motivation for such a designation is likely salary cap motivated. With his $3.4MM off the books for now, Edmonton can finally carry a full roster as they soon head off for a five-game road trip. The defenseman has dealt with multiple injuries after inking a seven-year extension at the start of the season. As he has already missed the last seven, Walman only has to miss three more games to meet the LTIR requirements. Similar to Roslovic, his ailment is also unknown, but a return before January would be a surprise. 

Currently holding the second Wild Card spot, Edmonton is thankful to have most of their marquee talent healthy, however, their depth will be put to the test, a common theme throughout much of the McDavid/Draisaitl era in which the team has had a top-heavy construction. Their road trip ahead could be a turning point if the team can return to their true potential, and push for another deep run in the spring. 

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