Stars Sign Jack Anderson To Entry-Level Deal
The Stars have signed college free agent defenseman Jack Anderson to a two-year, entry-level deal, per a team announcement. He’ll report to AHL Texas on a tryout to finish the season before his NHL contract goes into effect for 2026-27, Stephen Meserve of 100 Degree Hockey writes.
The 23-year-old Anderson spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at Lindenwood but transferred to Michigan Tech for his senior season. The shift from independent play to the CCHA unlocked the towering 6’6″, 225-lb lefty, as he posted career-highs across the board. Anderson was the Huskies’ clear-cut #1, finishing fifth on the team with an 11-13–24 scoring line in 39 games while adding 33 penalty minutes and a +13 rating.
Anderson had never topped two goals or 10 points in a season with Lindenwood before transferring, so it was a rather significant breakout for the St. Louis native. He’ll now find his professional footing in Texas, where the Stars only have four defensemen signed through next season who are ticketed for minor-league roles. He immediately becomes the largest and heaviest player on the AHL roster for a team that’s shown a propensity for adding size on the blue line in recent years, drafting 6’7″ Lian Bichsel in the first round in 2022 and acquiring 6’8″ Tyler Myers at this year’s trade deadline.
Dallas will see Anderson reach restricted free agency for the first time in 2028. They’ll have him under team control until 2030.
Penguins Expected To Activate Sidney Crosby From IR
Penguins star Sidney Crosby was a full participant in this morning’s skate and is expected to come off injured reserve for tonight’s game against the Hurricanes, per Josh Getzoff of SportsNet Pittsburgh. Crosby had been out since the Olympic break with a Grade 2 MCL sprain he sustained in Team Canada’s quarterfinal win over the Czechs. The Penguins said Crosby would miss at least four weeks when they placed him on IR on Feb. 25, putting his return well ahead of schedule.
The 38-year-old pushing the envelope to get back in the lineup is no surprise. He pushed as hard as he could to get back into Canada’s lineup for the gold medal game, but ultimately couldn’t go, as they ended up with silver in an overtime loss to the United States. He’ll now return to help the Penguins battle through a tough playoff race in the Eastern Conference after sitting out what surely felt like an excruciating 11 games.
Pittsburgh is 5-3-3 without its captain and franchise icon. That’s been enough to keep pace and is about as good as can be expected, considering they were also missing Evgeni Malkin for a five-game stretch due to a slashing suspension. They’ve scored 3.45 goals per game during that time while allowing 3.18 goals per game. Their possession metrics have lagged, controlling 48.5% of 5-on-5 shot attempts. They’re also winning a league-worst 41.0% of faceoffs since the break.
Crosby will help immensely in all of those areas. Aside from his usual stature as the club’s leading point-getter, he’s won a team-high 55.4% of his draws this season, which should get the Pens much closer to league average in that department. Surprisingly, Crosby’s defensive results this season aren’t great – he’s only a +1 on a team with a +35 goal differential, and his possession numbers are dead average – but his return importantly allows Rickard Rakell to shift back to his preferred position on the wing after stepping in for Crosby as the Pens’ top-line center over the last few weeks.
With no roster limit and plenty of cap space, Pittsburgh won’t need to make a corresponding move to activate Crosby. They could still opt to reassign prospects Avery Hayes or Ville Koivunen back to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if their NHL playing time is going to be limited following Crosby’s return. Hayes was already a healthy scratch when Malkin was reinstated for Monday’s dominant road win over the Avalanche, so that could be an indication he’ll be on his way back down after being ferried to the minors on deadline day to make him AHL-eligible for the rest of the season.
Crosby, who’s got another year left at his $8.7MM cap hit, now hopes to anchor the Pens’ skaters to a playoff appearance after a three-year absence from postseason play, the only time in Crosby’s career he’s missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons and the first time at all since his rookie year. They’re in a good spot, holding serve for second in the Metropolitan Division. They’re tied with the Islanders at 83 points but have done so in one fewer game, giving them a higher points percentage. Per MoneyPuck, they have an 81.8% chance of making the playoffs.
Sabres Sign Gavin McCarthy To Entry-Level Contract
According to a team announcement, the Buffalo Sabres have inked defensive prospect Gavin McCarthy to his entry-level contract. Last summer, Daily Faceoff had McCarthy as an honorable mention in their list of the Sabres’ top prospects.
Shortly after Buffalo’s announcement, PuckPedia revealed the breakdown of his contract over the life of his new entry-level deal:
- Year 1: $850K salary, $102.5K signing bonus, $82.5K minors salary
- Year 2: $900K salary, $107.5K signing bonus, $82.5K minors salary
- Year 3: $950K salary, $112.5K signing bonus, $82.5K minors salary
Although the Sabres didn’t confirm it, McCarthy will likely begin his professional career in the AHL with the Rochester Americans. Not only is McCarthy probably a year or two away from being a consistent defender for Buffalo, but the team is far too deep to warrant his being on the NHL roster.
McCarthy, 20, was drafted 86th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Sabres. He has spent the last three years with the NCAA’s Boston University Terriers, and this past season as the team’s captain.
He’s not much of a point producer, but that’s not where he makes his value, either. Throughout his tenure with the Terriers, McCarthy scored eight goals and 42 points in 113 games with a +27 rating and 132 PIMs.
Still, Buffalo is likely more excited about the defensive intangibles of the Clarence Center, NY native. McCarthy has been one of the most physical defensemen in the NCAA since his debut, never shying away from hitting his opponents in open ice or along the boards. Additionally, his 6’2″, 187 lbs frame is arguably already ready and durable for NHL action.
Although he’s more of a shutdown archetype, McCarthy retains the ability to pass through traffic, which is fairly typical of every blueliner developed in the Boston University program. Once he’s deemed ready for the top league, the Sabres will plug in an instantly physical defenseman on their blue line.
Maple Leafs Sign Vincent Borgesi To Entry-Level Deal
The Maple Leafs usually dip their toes into the college free agent market. That isn’t changing this year. The club announced they’ve signed Northeastern captain Vincent Borgesi to a two-year entry-level contract beginning next season. He will report to AHL Toronto for the remainder of this season, making his pro debut in the process.
The contract carries a cap hit of $987.5K, according to PuckPedia. Borgesi will earn an $877.5K salary if he’s in the NHL next season, along with a $97.5K signing bonus. Those numbers jump to $900K and $100K, respectively, for 2027-28. He will take home a minor-league salary of $85K each season.
Borgesi, 22, was an absolutely torrid puck-moving defenseman at lower levels of the game. He once had 100 points in just 61 games at the under-15 level, and 38 points and a +33 rating in 57 games for the USHL’s Tri-City Storm back in his draft year, 2021-22. As a result, he’s always had some interest from NHL clubs, but everyone has been scared off by his size. He checks in at just 5’8″ and 174 lbs.
Over four years in college, Borgesi didn’t earn overwhelming national recognition but was still a consistent piece on the back end for the Huskies. His collegiate career came to an end last weekend against UMass in the Hockey East tournament, drawing to a close a 16-64–80 scoring line in 134 career outings with a +15 rating. Borgesi also served as the captain of the U.S. Collegiate Selects team that reached the Spengler Cup Final against top-level European pros this season, ultimately losing to hosts HC Davos.
Borgesi will now look to overcome his stature and make an impact at the pro level for Toronto. The organization is light on offensive help from the blue line from head to toe. The aging Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Morgan Rielly are the only names at the NHL level who have made a big impact from the point this season, and they don’t have a defender who’s topped 25 points in the minors this year.
Flyers Sign Cole Knuble To Entry-Level Deal
The Flyers signed forward prospect Cole Knuble to his entry-level contract today, the team announced. It’s a two-year pact starting next season, but he’ll make his pro debut in the coming days with AHL Lehigh Valley on a minor-league deal for the last few weeks of 2025-26.
Knuble was a fourth-round pick back in 2023. The Michigan native and son of former Flyer Mike Knuble is an undersized but stocky 5’10” center and put up 30 goals and 66 points in 57 games in his draft year with the USHL’s Fargo Force. A Notre Dame commit, he joined the Fighting Irish in the season following his selection. He’s remained there since, wrapping up his junior season with a loss to Michigan in the Big 10 playoffs last week.
While Knuble’s offensive game shifted more from goal-scoring to playmaking in college, he was still a reasonably productive threat. He hit at least 20 points in all three seasons, including a career-best 39-point effort in 34 games as a sophomore to lead the team. His production took a step back this season, though, in what was the program’s worst showing in 21 years. As Notre Dame only mustered a 9-21-2 record, Knuble churned out a 9-22–31 scoring line in 36 games with a -19 rating.
He will now look to shake off the bad taste in his mouth and bring his skilled, high-energy checking game to the Flyers. His offensive step back this year will likely make it hard for him to win a roster spot in training camp in the fall, but the Flyers have shown a willingness to reward their young players for strong training camp and AHL showings sooner than anyone expected (Denver Barkey and Jett Luchanko being some recent examples).
The Flyers have one of the better prospect pools in the league. Knuble wasn’t viewed as a top-10 name in the pool, even entering the season on the heels of his sophomore breakout, but he has real upside. Philly won’t be keen on using a player with his height primarily as a bottom-six checking piece down the middle long-term, though, so he’ll need to hit the ground running on the scoresheet, too, to give himself a shot.
Islanders Sign Kashawn Aitcheson To Entry-Level Deal
The New York Islanders have signed 2025 first-round pick Kashawn Aitcheson to a three-year, entry-level contract. Their top defense prospect will see his deal begin next season. His deal essentially works out to a max ELC in every area except performance bonuses with a cap hit of $1.075MM, per PuckPedia. The full breakdown is as follows:
2026-27: $922.5K NHL salary, $102.5K signing bonus, up to $500K in performance bonuses, $85K minors salary
2027-28: $967.5K NHL salary, $107.5K signing bonus, up to $500K in performance bonuses, $85K minors salary
2028-29: $1.013MM NHL salary, $112.5K signing bonus, up to $500K in performance bonuses, $85K minors salary
Aitcheson led all OHL defensemen in scoring this season with 28 goals and 70 points in only 54 games. His 1.30 points-per-game average ranks in the top-20 among OHL defenseman since 2000, though Aitcheson’s 0.52 goals-per-game average has only been topped by four players in that time frame – Brandt Clarke, Zayne Parekh, Sam Dickinson, and Nicolas Hague.
Aitcheson found a unique mix of aggression, physicality, and scoring prowess through four seasons with the Colts. After netting just three points in his first 23 games in the league, the left-defender boomed with 39 points and 126 penalty minutes in 64 games of the 2023-24 season. He balanced out those totals ahead of his draft year last season, ending the year with 26 goals and 59 points – both best on the Barrie roster. This season, while serving as Barrie’s captain, he found a mix of both, emerging above a point-per-game pace and ranked second on Barrie in penalty minutes (86).
Through his OHL career, Aitcheson set the record for the most goals (63) and points (171) scored by a Barrie defenseman. He beat out the previous marks of 40 goals and 158 points set by Clarke through three seasons. Aitcheson also scored four points in seven games of the 2026 World Junior Championship and notched three points in seven games at the 2024 World U18 Championship.
Aitcheson’s unique style was enough to earn the 17th overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, joining a great Islanders draft class led by Matthew Schaefer and Victor Eklund. Now, New York will get to test how Aitcheson can translate his heavy-hitting and strong-scoring to the pro flight. He will be eligible to join the NHL roster right away – but won’t be able to play in the AHL, as he won’t turn 20 until this summer. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Aitcheson could have the frame needed to ease into NHL minutes sooner rather than later.
Wild Recall Hunter Haight
The Wild announced that they’ve recalled center Hunter Haight from AHL Iowa. With 13 other healthy forwards on the roster, it appears to be more of a performance-based bump for Haight to give head coach John Hynes another option down the middle down the stretch.
Haight, 21, was ferried frequently between Minnesota and Iowa to start the year but has been in the minors since January. On a hapless minor-league club in Iowa, Haight is now tied for second on the team with 12 goals in 43 games. He’s added 11 assists for 23 points, putting him sixth on the team in scoring, although there isn’t much separation between him and first place.
Haight will become Minnesota’s first of five allotted post-deadline standard recalls if he doesn’t qualify for emergency conditions (it doesn’t appear he will). The #47 pick in the 2022 draft, he suited up five times for the Wild earlier this year to make his NHL debut. He went pointless with a -4 rating, managing four shots on goal in 9:41 of ice time per night. The 5’10”, 173-lb pivot went 18-for-37 on draws (48.6%) while recording six hits.
Maple Leafs Reassign Michael Pezzetta, Henry Thrun
The Maple Leafs announced today that they’ve reassigned winger Michael Pezzetta and defenseman Henry Thrun to AHL Toronto. Their active roster is now at 22 players, but they don’t have any healthy extras with Auston Matthews’ season over (he’s yet to be placed on injured reserve) and Oliver Ekman-Larsson away from the team on paternity leave. As such, they can be called back up under emergency conditions if there’s a risk Toronto might be down anyone else for tonight’s game against the Islanders.
They might still be available, at least as healthy scratches. The Marlies have an afternoon game today at home, which would leave them enough time to report back to the NHL roster for tonight’s 6:00 p.m. CT home game.
Pezzetta, 28, received his first recall of the season last Thursday. He racked up nine penalty minutes and a -1 rating in back-to-back appearances before sitting as a healthy scratch for Sunday’s win over the Wild. The career enforcer averaged just 5:06 of ice time across the two contests and did not record a point, although he did have a shot on goal and six hits. He now sits at 202 career NHL appearances as he closes out the first half of the two-year, league minimum contract he signed with the Leafs in free agency last summer.
Thrun, 25, got an emergency summons on Sunday when Ekman-Larsson left the team’s road trip to return home for the birth of his child. He didn’t play. Acquired last offseason from the Sharks in the Ryan Reaves deal, Thrun has only suited up in four NHL contests for the Leafs after appearing in a career-high 60 contests with San Jose in 2024-25. The puck-moving lefty has a 4-16–20 scoring line and a -4 rating in 42 AHL outings this season.
Penguins Recall Jack St. Ivany From Conditioning Loan
3/16: After three games in the AHL, Pittsburgh has recalled St. Ivany from his conditioning loan. He scored one point and a plus-one in his ramp back to a lineup role. In a corresponding move, the Penguins have also assigned defenseman Alexander Alexeyev to the AHL. Alexeyev has scored seven points in 29 AHL games, and has not yet played in the NHL, this season. He is a veteran of 80 NHL games, all spent with Pittsburgh’s rival Washington Capitals, with eight points and 12 penalty minutes.
3/9: The Penguins announced this morning that they have assigned defender Jack St. Ivany to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning loan. He’ll remain on injured reserve for the time being and can spend up to two weeks in the minors.
St. Ivany, 26, suffered a left-hand fracture in a Jan. 25 game against the Canucks. The third-year NHLer also missed over two months to start the season with a lower-body injury. In the six weeks between IR stints, he looked well on his way toward locking down a job as their #3 righty behind cornerstones Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang. In his 17-game run in the lineup, primarily next to Ryan Shea, he posted seven assists with a +7 rating while averaging 15:39 of ice time per night. He got occasional deployment on the penalty kill and a raucous 2.35 hits per game, but his 106.1 PDO and underwater possession metrics across the board suggest some regression in his 5-on-5 numbers is likely.
His injuries have only added to what’s been a constant shuffle of defensive depth in Pittsburgh this season. The only constants in the lineup have been Letang, Shea, and their top pairing of Karlsson and Parker Wotherspoon. Brett Kulak did some good work in second-pairing duties with Letang, but was swapped to the Avalanche for Samuel Girard a couple of weeks ago. The early returns there are questionable with no points and a -2 rating in seven outings. Pittsburgh has five other D-men – Connor Clifton, Ryan Graves, Mathew Dumba, Harrison Brunicke, and Ilya Solovyov – who have played at least five games for them this year.
With Girard locking down the left-side order with Wotherspoon and Shea, it’s been the right-shot Clifton (and sometimes lefties Solovyov and Graves coming in on their offside) getting more ice time in St. Ivany’s absence. It’s worth wondering if Clifton has played well enough over the past month-plus to keep a spot ahead of St. Ivany on the depth chart when he’s cleared to return. He’s a bit more trusted on the penalty kill and has far superior possession impacts to St. Ivany at 5-on-5, including a quite impressive 54.5% expected goals share. Clifton also leads the team in hits per game by a wide margin at 4.03.
Red Wings Sign Eddie Genborg To Amateur Tryout & Entry Level Contract
This evening the Detroit Red Wings announced that forward prospect Eddie Genborg has been signed to an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. He will report to AHL Grand Rapids, also inking a three-year entry-level contract starting next year.
A second-round selection in last summer’s draft (44th overall), the Swede comes over after a breakout campaign with Timra IK in the SHL where he finished third in team scoring with a 9-16-25 line in 43 games. Set to turn 19 next month, Detroit saw the potential in the winger despite recording just two goals and no helpers in 28 games last year with Linkopings HC. Genborg spent his first professional season in 2024-25 with Linkopings alongside teammate Christoffer Ehn, a name familiar to Red Wings fans from years ago, prior to the youngster catching on with Timra and making a statement.
Set to join the elite Grand Rapids Griffins for their stretch run, boasting a 43-10-3 record, Genborg’s growth was on full display at the 2026 World Junior Championships earlier this winter. He recorded eight points in seven games, helping lead Sweden to gold, their first since 2012. Genborg tied top 2025 draftee Anton Frondell for fourth in team scoring.
Standing at 6’2″, the lefty brings a physical game with a strong net front presence. Last July, he just missed the mark of the club’s top 10 prospects according to Steven Ellis of The Daily Faceoff, but since then he along with the Red Wings have seriously surpassed expectations. As a result, Genborg is set to embark on his North American career ahead of schedule, and even if it takes a period of adjustment, his physical intangibles and overall two-way game will be useful for the Griffins. Their 198 goals are tied for best in the AHL, so more scoring is hardly a need at this point in the season.
Full of skilled forwards in their cupboard, GM Steve Yzerman was content to select a more “high floor” prospect in the second round last summer, back then it could have been argued such was a reach. Yet now considering that he was a top scorer for Timra as a teenager, hovering around former NHLers in Anton Lander and Jonathan Dahlen, there’s reason for optimism in his untapped potential.
With offensive instincts and NHL-level skating still coming along, Genborg has work to do as he takes a huge step in his development. However, at the very least, he figures to be a future piece of the Wings’ bottom six, the team boasting one of the deepest prospect pools in the league to supplement a core which is already closing in on ending their playoff drought this April.