Sharks’ Vincent Desharnais Week-To-Week, Pavol Regenda Recalled
12/2: Vincent Desharnais will be out week-to-week, per Max Miller, San Jose Beat Reporter with the upper-body injury. He has missed the last three games, and the IR placement is retroactive to his last appearance on Nov. 26.
12/1: The Sharks announced Monday they’ve placed defenseman Desharnais on injured reserve and recalled winger Pavol Regenda from AHL San Jose in a corresponding move. Their active roster remains full.
The 29-year-old stay-at-home righty is arguably having the best season of his four-year NHL career. He’s only got two assists through 20 games but has been San Jose’s second-best shutdown defender behind Mario Ferraro, posting a +1 rating and a 2.12 GA/60 at 5-on-5. That second mark is third-best on the team overall among qualified skaters. He also ranks sixth in shots against per 60 (29.17), fourth in expected goals against per 60 (2.45), and second in scoring chances against per 60 (25.17).
Desharnais features alongside Ferraro on the Sharks’ top penalty kill and has spent most of his time at even-strength in third-pairing duties sheltering rookie Sam Dickinson. They’ve been the Sharks’ best pairing at controlling expected goals with a 56.9 xGF% at 5-on-5. He’s a notable loss if he’s to miss significant time, particularly as the Sharks have cooled off to the tune of a 4-5-0 record in their last nine games.
Regenda comes up to ensure the Sharks have 12 forwards for tonight against Utah. He could make his Sharks debut if Adam Gaudette, who Max Miller of NHL.com reports is questionable due to illness, can’t go. Regenda, 26 next week, was acquired from the Ducks in exchange for Justin Bailey midway through last season but played out the year in the AHL after his pickup. Anaheim initially brought him over as an undrafted free agent out of Slovakia in 2022 and, while he could have tested Group VI unrestricted free agency last summer, opted to return to San Jose on a two-way deal.
Since being acquired by the Sharks, the 6’4″, 212-lb Regenda has a 12-20–32 scoring line in 55 AHL appearances, including seven points in 19 games this year. He has 19 games of NHL experience, all with Anaheim, but hasn’t seen the top level since March 2024. He has one career goal with a pair of assists alongside a -4 rating. He’s not much more than a fourth-line plug-in call-up option but provides a physical edge should the Sharks need one.
Flyers Activate, Reassign Oliver Bonk
Earlier today it was announced out of AHL Lehigh Valley that Flyers defenseman Oliver Bonk has been activated from injured reserve, and assigned to Lehigh Valley. The top prospect had a real chance to make the Flyers roster out of camp prior to going down in early October with an upper-body injury. It had been thought to be week-to-week, but finally, he is set to return.
Selected 22nd overall by Philadelphia in the 2023 draft after a tremendous career with the London Knights (OHL) where he finished as a +82, Bonk is finally set to embark on his professional career. He will join a successful Phantoms squad and provide a major boost to their defense corps headed into December, far and away the blueliner with the highest upside on the team.
As the Flyers have held their own, surpassing expectations and seemingly solving their question marks on the back end for now, they do not have to feel rushed with Bonk. Especially considering the injury, it is best for him to start out with the Phantoms and ease back gradually. The son of longtime NHLer Radek Bonk, Oliver, 6’2″, has a real chance to become a top pair defender. Although playing a different position, he has the same reliable traits as his father did, steady defensively and suited for any situation.
Outside of Cam York, Philadelphia has not hit on defensemen in their pipeline in the last few years relative to expectations, so Bonk’s performance in the AHL will be watched closely. As he is a righty, there is a very clear path forward in the organization for Bonk, and thankfully he is finally set to get going with the Phantoms.
Flyers Recall Carl Grundstrom
The Philadelphia Flyers announced this evening that forward Carl Grundström has been recalled from AHL Lehigh Valley. After receiving the tough news that Tyson Foerster is out for two to three months earlier today, the Flyers naturally needed to add a forward to the mix, and opt for Grundström, who brings 293 games of NHL experience.
The 28-year-old was acquired by the Flyers in October from San Jose in a deal where Ryan Ellis’ contract was moved out. Although Grundström is no longer a viable full time NHLer at this point, and therefore has a slightly inflated contract at $1.8MM (set to expire after this season) adding a solid depth option for a LTIR player was a favorable move for GM Daniel Briere. The Swede has been a top scorer for Lehigh Valley, and considering his contract rate, there is virtually no chance he will be claimed on waivers by another team, so his appeal as a stop-gap forward is obvious.
Once a standout prospect for the Maple Leafs, Grundström was a useful bottom sixer for the Kings for four years after coming over in the Jake Muzzin deal. He never reached 20 points in a season, but brought a simplified, gritty game to the lineup each night. After it was apparent he had lost his role as the Kings returned to contender status, Grundström was sent to the Sharks, but was unable to stick after nine points in 56 games, helping the team weather the storms of their hardcore rebuilding days.
Now, with Foerster out, Grundström will have an opportunity to re-establish himself in the NHL, bringing a playing style very friendly to the orange and black. The Flyers host Buffalo tomorrow as they look to fend off a throng of teams set on contention below themselves, and hold onto their spot in the wild card mix.
Blue Jackets Place Mathieu Olivier On IR, Recall Luca Del Bel Belluz
The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that Mathieu Olivier has been placed on injured reserve, and forward Luca Del Bel Belluz has been recalled from AHL Cleveland on an emergency basis. Thankfully the team will have some time to settle, as they are not in action again until Thursday when they host Detroit.
Olivier is thought to be week-to-week, absent since leaving mid-game against Washington on November 24th with an apparent upper-body injury. The 28-year-old epitomizes the modern-day grinder. Undrafted out of the QMJHL, he caught on with the Predators organization but never broke out. After the 2021-22 season, Olivier got a fresh start as Columbus gave up a fourth round pick for the winger, which at the time felt like a lot for a grinder with limited NHL upside. Instead, Olivier established himself as a Jacket in 2022-23, playing in 66 games and setting career highs across the board. He took a massive step last season with 18 goals and 32 points, earning a well deserved six-year extension worth $3MM per season.
With three goals in 23 games so far, the scoring touch has fallen a bit, but once healthy, Olivier will return as a vital cog in the Jackets’ bottom six, a role he will likely hold for years to come.
On the other hand, Del Bel Belluz, 22, is a top prospect for Columbus after being selected in the second round of the 2022 draft. The Ontario native’s path to the NHL has been a bit clouded with the additions of veterans such as Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood, along with their group of exciting young forwards, but he has certainly held his own in the AHL. Del Bel Belluz has 11 points in as many games with Cleveland this year, and had 53 in 61 games last season. The center got into seven games with the Jackets already this season, but in a limited fourth line deployment, it wasn’t the best scenario for the youngster.
Now, with Olivier down for the time being, Del Bel Belluz has another crack to make his mark, with seven NHL points to his name at this point, and help the Blue Jackets close out 2025 on the right note.
Senators Reassign Hayden Hodgson To AHL
The Ottawa Senators announced this afternoon that forward Hayden Hodgson has been sent back to AHL Belleville. The bruising winger was called up to the big club on November 9th, since then appearing in eight contests, with no points, and 11 penalty minutes, playing in a limited capacity.
Hodgson, 29, has three career NHL points in 17 games between Ottawa and the Flyers, not exactly a world-beater, but considering his path to this point, etching himself into a Senators lineup is seriously impressive. The Ontario native was undrafted out of the OHL, and spent the next several seasons grinding away in the ECHL, even making a short stop in Slovakia before coming back to North America. The decision to return paid off, as he eventually earned an opportunity with the Flyers in the 2021-22 season, scoring a goal in a short NHL run, in his debut, no less.
After catching on with Ottawa on a two-way deal, last season Hodgson led the Belleville Senators with 156 penalty minutes, and in 10 games with them so far in 2025-26, he has three goals. In an age where players in his mold are largely phased out of the NHL, impressively Hodgson has managed to make a name for himself, and is signed through 2026-27 with the Senators organization. Although headed back to Belleville for now, the Sens could call upon their bruiser again in the near future as a reliable fourth line option with serious physicality.
Bruins Activate Viktor Arvidsson
3:45 p.m.: Arvidsson has been activated and will be in the lineup tonight, per Ryan. Boston had an open roster spot after sending Georgii Merkulov down over the weekend.
8:09 a.m.: Although they will be without star winger David Pastrňák for the third straight game, the Boston Bruins will get a boost to their top-six tonight. In a new report from Conor Ryan of Boston.com, the Bruins are likely to welcome winger Viktor Arvidsson back from the injured reserve ahead of their upcoming contest against the Detroit Red Wings.
Arvidsson, who’s in his first year with Boston, has missed the last few weeks with a lower-body injury. He sustained the injury during the Bruins’ November 15th contest against their rival, the Montreal Canadiens. He has been a full participant in practice the last few days.
This was the risk for Boston in acquiring Arvidsson in the first place. In the last two years with the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers, the former 112th overall pick has skated in only 85 games, scoring 21 goals and 42 points while averaging 15:21 of ice time.
His average production has been solid, but missing nearly half of the available contests is unreliable at best. He continued that scoring pace earlier this season with the Bruins, registering six goals and 10 points in 20 games, managing a 14:33 ATOI.
Much like anyone else, Arvidsson can hardly replace the void left by Pastrňák, though he’ll help soften the blow somewhat. Boston remains hopeful that Pastrňák is only day-to-day, though only time will tell when he’ll eventually return. Despite splitting their two games without their best player, the Bruins have been outscored 8-5 without Pastrňák.
Mammoth Recall Daniil But, Reassign Dmitri Simashev
The Mammoth are swapping a pair of their top prospects. The team announced they’ve recalled winger Daniil But from AHL Tucson while sending down defenseman Dmitriy Simashev in a corresponding move. Center Kevin Rooney was also placed on waivers and will be assigned to Tucson if he clears.
But and Simashev were both top-15 picks in the 2023 draft, the last premier prospects drafted under the Coyotes moniker before the franchise’s hockey operations were sold and reestablished in Utah. Simashev went sixth overall, while But went 12th. The two spent their entire careers in Lokomotiv Yaroslavl’s system in their native Russia, winning a Gagarin Cup championship together last year before signing their entry-level contracts and heading to the Mammoth for 2025-26.
While Simashev managed to wrestle a roster spot on the blue line, But was left on the outside as one of the Mammoth’s final roster cuts. He took the demotion in stride. After netting back-to-back 20-point seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League with Lokomotiv, he’s rattled off eight goals and 17 points in 19 games with Tucson to lead the club in scoring.
After a hot start to the season, Utah’s offense has cooled off. They’re now 19th in the league with 2.96 goals per game. Some of that can be attributed to a power play that’s languishing at a league-worst 13.2%, but their 10.3% finishing rate is also below average by a few ticks. Chance generation hasn’t been much of an issue – they’re 12th in shots per game and have the fifth-most scoring chances in the league at 5-on-5 – but the offensive output outside of their top five forwards leaves a little to be desired. Alexander Kerfoot‘s persisting absence has been a contributing factor there, as well as underwhelming performances from middle-six centers Barrett Hayton and Jack McBain, who have five points each in 24 and 27 appearances, respectively.
But isn’t a guaranteed fix, but the 20-year-old’s smooth adjustment to North America shows he’s worth a shot. Most will see him listed at 6’5″ and 203 lbs and assume a high-ceiling power forward – he is not. Physical elements aren’t entirely absent from But’s game, but he’s a skill guy first and foremost. In their draft-year scouting report of But, Elite Prospects highlighted “his ability to chain difficult pass receptions into handling moves and handling moves into passes or shots” and praised his release as well. He’s another name in a star-studded Mammoth forward pool that’s now also gained Tij Iginla at sixth overall in 2024 and Caleb Desnoyers at fourth overall this year. Those two are viewed as slightly higher-ceiling talents, pushing But down to the No. 4-ranked prospect in Utah’s pool last offseason by Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff and by NHL.com.
As for Simashev, the writing was on the wall regarding his demotion. He’s run into a recent string of healthy scratches following Sean Durzi‘s return from injured reserve, sitting in the press box three times in Utah’s last eight games. His first NHL sample didn’t change his status as the Mammoth’s No. 3 prospect behind Iginla and Desnoyers and as their top young defenseman. Also of hulking stature at 6’4″ and nearly 200 lbs, he’s a shutdown man who’s never put up flashy point totals – he scored just once in 29 junior games in his draft year – but does have some good first-pass ability.
His initial audition, though, shows that some minor-league time wouldn’t be the worst thing. Rarely does a defender with his skillset make a smooth adjustment to the NHL at age 20. In 24 appearances, he notched one assist and a -9 rating while averaging 15:28 of ice time per game. He got some top-pairing deployment with countryman Mikhail Sergachev, but also saw significant time lower on the depth chart with Ian Cole. The lefty was outscored 15-7 at 5-on-5 and controlled 47.5% of shot attempts, 7.1% worse than how Utah fared without him on the ice. With Durzi back in the fold and veteran Nick DeSimone posting better possession impacts in a limited sample, it was hard to justify keeping Simashev in a regular role – at least for now.
Rooney’s waiver placement signals the end of his third stint on Utah’s roster this season without receiving much playing time. He finally made his Mammoth debut last week on Friday against the Stars, notching a goal in 9:44 of ice time. The 32-year-old has served as a No. 14/15 forward for much of the year after signing a two-way deal at the end of training camp. It’s his second time on waivers after he cleared them following his signing. Across a few brief loans to Tucson, the 6’2″ pivot has five goals and an assist in eight appearances.
Image courtesy of Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images.
Blues Place Nathan Walker On IR, Out Eight Weeks
The Blues announced that winger Nathan Walker has been placed on injured reserve after he sustained an upper-body injury in Monday’s 4-1 loss to the Ducks. He’ll miss at least eight weeks. They didn’t immediately announce a corresponding recall since they’re off until Thursday, so one likely won’t come until later in the week.
Walker’s appearance yesterday came following his second healthy scratch of the season for Saturday’s home game against the Mammoth. The injury wasn’t obvious, which makes such a lengthy return timeline a surprising announcement. In fact, it was a fairly normal outing for the diminutive high-energy forward, who posted a -1 rating in 12:21 of ice time and recorded a team-high five hits. That’s in line with the 12:38 of ice time and 3.80 hits he’s averaged per game this season.
Perhaps the Blues are being cautious with a well-liked veteran amid a season where getting reps for younger players is increasingly becoming a priority. With a 9-11-7 record, their .463 points percentage is fourth-worst in the Western Conference, and their -26 goal differential is 31st in the NHL. MoneyPuck gives them an 8.2% chance of making the playoffs, also the second-worst figure in the league.
It’s still tough news for the 31-year-old Walker, who signed a two-year, $1.775MM extension in September. After rattling off three goals in seven playoff games last year, the Australian-born depth forward was off to one of the best starts of his career with a 3-6–9 scoring line in 25 games. That’s good for 0.36 points per game, a mark he’s only eclipsed once before when making double-digit appearances in a season.
Not only do Walker’s 95 hits lead the Blues by a significant margin, but he’s factored in as a depth penalty-killer as well. His possession metrics universally rank down the middle among team ranks. With Walker on the ice at 5-on-5 this season, St. Louis has been outscored 17-14 and outshot 117-109, but has won the high-danger chance battle 58-46. That 55.8% share of high-danger chances ranks third among qualified Blues skaters behind Jordan Kyrou (66.7%) and Pius Suter (56.6%).
Walker had spent most of his time as St. Louis’ fourth line left wing at even strength alongside Oskar Sundqvist and Alexey Toropchenko. With the latter unavailable indefinitely after sustaining burns on his legs in an at-home accident, Jimmy Snuggerud out multiple weeks following wrist surgery, and Suter out day-to-day, the Blues are now without four regular forwards for the time being. They only have 11 healthy ones on the active roster, so unless Suter is ready to play Thursday against the Bruins, a recall from AHL Springfield is virtually guaranteed.
In the meantime, Walker’s long-term absence could mean extended playing time for 21-year-old Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, who was scratched for yesterday’s game after being recalled earlier in the day but is now ticketed to make his NHL debut in Boston.
Kings Sign Samuel Helenius To Two-Year Extension
The Kings announced that they’ve signed center Samuel Helenius to a two-year contract extension. The deal is worth $1.75MM for a cap hit of $875K, carrying him through the 2027-28 season. That will be paid out via a $850K base salary in the first year and a $900K base salary in the second, per PuckPedia. He was due to become a restricted free agent next summer. His agent, Gold Star Hockey’s Dan Milstein, was the first to report the signing.
Helenius, 23, was a second-round pick by the Kings in 2021. The son of former Stars enforcer Sami Helenius checks in at 6’6″ and 201 lbs and was drafted with the hopes of panning out as a long-term bottom-six piece as a checking center. So far, he’s close to delivering on that ceiling. After playing out the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons with AHL Ontario, Helenius earned his first NHL recall in November last season and spent a good chunk of the season in the Kings’ lineup as their fourth-line center. In 50 appearances, he notched four goals and three assists for seven points with a +1 rating. His deployment was limited to even strength only, keeping his ice time down at 8:39 per game. He won 46.8% of his faceoffs and recorded 150 hits, second on the team.
His game was as conducive to low-event hockey as advertised. No L.A. skater was on the ice for fewer goals against per 60 minutes at even strength than Helenius at 1.4. Of course, his 1.5 on-ice goals for per 60 was also the second-lowest on the team among skaters with at least 25 games played. No Kings forward averaged fewer shot attempts per game than Helenius’ 1.28, either.
This season, Helenius cracked the opening night roster but has barely played. He’s been surpassed on the depth chart by winger Jeff Malott and now serves as the 14th forward. Considering the Kings’ forward group has avoided injury pile-ups this season, that’s meant only three showings for Helenius in 25 games. He recently went over a month between appearances and skated just 3:25 of ice time in his last outing against the Senators on Nov. 24. In those three games, Helenius has a -1 rating while going 3-for-13 on faceoffs with 10 hits.
With Helenius carrying the profile of a high-floor, low-ceiling prospect, the lack of playing time isn’t doing much harm for his development. He’s already close to his peak anyway as an everyday fourth-line piece with fringe third-line upside. While he may not be a regular in the Kings’ lineup this season, the organization obviously sees his role increasing enough over the next two seasons to warrant an extension. The new deal means he’ll be owed a one-way qualifying offer of $945,000 in the 2028 offseason if the Kings want to retain his signing rights.
Blackhawks Activate, Reassign Laurent Brossoit
Laurent Brossoit is finally getting back into game action. The Blackhawks announced they’ve activated the veteran netminder from the injured non-roster list and assigned him to AHL Rockford for a conditioning stint, bypassing waivers for the time being. Brossoit can play in Rockford for up to two weeks until Chicago must keep him on their active roster or place him on waivers for a permanent AHL assignment. Since the Hawks have an open roster spot, they don’t need to make a corresponding transaction.
Rockford’s next game is on Friday. If he plays, that would mark 583 days since his last appearance, when he entered in relief of Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets in Game 4 of their first-round loss to the Avalanche on April 28, 2024. Brossoit, an unrestricted free agent the following summer, signed a two-year, $6.6MM contract with the Blackhawks but needed surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee in August.
That kicked off a slate of three surgeries that have conspired to keep the 32-year-old out of action ever since signing the largest deal of his career. Brossoit was initially expected to only miss the first few weeks of the 2024-25 campaign, but was downgraded to out indefinitely in November and underwent a second cleanup procedure on his knee a few weeks later. That was expected to get him back in action in mid-January, but his recovery again didn’t go as planned, and he was shut down for the season in March. At the beginning of this year’s training camp, general manager Kyle Davidson said Brossoit had another offseason surgery – this time on his hip – and would remain out indefinitely.
That had some wondering, rightfully so, if 2025-26 would be another entirely lost season for Brossoit, potentially even marking the end of his career. That talk was quieted a couple of weeks ago when Brossoit was spotted on the ice at Blackhawks practice for the first time. With several skates under his belt and no further setbacks, he’ll get his feet wet in Rockford.
The Blackhawks will undoubtedly take advantage of the full two weeks afforded to them to keep Brossoit on his conditioning stint. With Spencer Knight and Arvid Söderblom now firmly entrenched as the team’s NHL goaltending duo, it’s clear they don’t plan on keeping him on the active roster once it’s over. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported over the weekend that the Hawks have given Brossoit permission to seek a trade. If they can’t land a deal by Dec. 16, he’ll likely end up on waivers and will stay in Rockford if he clears.
There should be legitimate intrigue in Brossoit, particularly if the Blackhawks retain a portion of his $3.3MM cap hit. The career backup had put up spectacular numbers in two straight seasons, albeit in small samples, before reaching the open market. The hope was that Brossoit could establish himself in Chicago as a legitimate tandem option who could sniff 30-35 starts. That obviously didn’t go to plan, but he still logged a 22-5-5 record, .927 SV%, 2.05 GAA, and three shutouts in 34 appearances for the Golden Knights and Jets across the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns, good for 19.0 goals saved above expected (per MoneyPuck).
If Brossoit doesn’t get traded or claimed on waivers and ends up remaining a Blackhawk, Chicago will be able to knock $1.15MM off his cap hit by burying him in the minors. That will reduce his impact to $2.15MM for the rest of the season until he comes off their books next summer. For a Blackhawks team that’s already accumulated over $20.6MM in cap space this season, though, that’s not much of a concern.