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Penguins Re-Sign Filip Hallander To Two-Year Deal

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9:50 a.m.: The Penguins have confirmed Hallander’s two-year contract.

7:56 a.m.: After spurning his qualifying offer in 2023 to return home to Sweden, Filip Hallander has signed a two-year deal with the Penguins beginning next season, according to PuckPedia. It’s a one-way pact for the league minimum of $775K each season for a total value of $1.55MM.

So begins the 24-year-old center’s third stint in the Pittsburgh organization. Selected in the second round (No. 58 overall) of the 2018 draft, Hallander signed his entry-level contract shortly thereafter but spent his two slide years and the first year of the contract on loan to Timrå IK and Luleå HF of the Swedish Hockey League. During that time, he was traded to the Maple Leafs in August 2020 as part of the deal for Kasperi Kapanen. Still, he was reacquired the following summer when Toronto acquired Jared McCann from Pittsburgh, only to lose him to the Kraken in the expansion draft.

After the second trade, Hallander’s overseas loans ended. He played the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons stateside, suiting up mostly for AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton but still seeing a trio of NHL games across the two campaigns. He didn’t record a point or a shot attempt but averaged 8:36 per game, recording three blocks and one hit. He put up a 25-36–61 scoring line in 104 AHL games across two seasons with a plus-four rating, including 33 points in only 43 games in 2022-23.

That was enough for the Penguins to want to keep Hallander, but the feeling wasn’t mutual at the time. Instead of signing a new deal with Pittsburgh upon expiry of his entry-level contract in 2023, he returned to Timrå, where he played his youth hockey, on a five-year commitment with an NHL out-clause. The Penguins still issued him a qualifying offer by the June 30 deadline despite Hallander signing the deal in April, retaining his exclusive NHL signing rights through 2027 as a result.

That decision paid dividends. Hallander was just named the Swedish Forward of the Year after a dominant campaign for Timrå, finishing second in the SHL with 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games. He was one of just two players to exceed the point-per-game mark this season at 1.04, trailing only newly signed Oilers forward David Tomasek’s 1.21.

A one-way deal indicates the Penguins expect Hallander to seriously compete for an opening-night roster spot next fall. If he’s sent to the minors without much assurance of a call-up, though, expect Hallander to pursue a mutual contract termination (of course, if he’s not claimed on waivers and gets an NHL opportunity elsewhere). With only 10 other forwards signed to one-way deals for next year, though, there’s a clear path to a roster spot out of the gate. Hallander, who turns 25 in June, will be an unrestricted free agent when his new deal expires in 2027.

Devils’ Santeri Hatakka Signs Two-Year Deal In Sweden

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Devils pending restricted free agent defenseman Santeri Hatakka has signed a two-year contract with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, per a club announcement. It’s unclear if the deal carries an NHL out clause. New Jersey can retain his exclusive signing rights through 2028 if they decide to issue him a qualifying offer before the June 30 deadline.

Hatakka’s move overseas comes after an injury-plagued 2024-25 campaign. The 24-year-old Finn was expected to compete for an opening night roster spot after posting strong defensive results in limited minutes last season, but he sustained a shoulder injury during training camp that required surgery. He wasn’t cleared to return until February, upon which he cleared waivers and finished the season with AHL Utica. The 6’1″ lefty posted a goal, an assist, 20 PIMs, and a plus-one rating in 19 minor-league appearances to end the campaign.

A sixth-round pick by the Sharks back in 2019, San Jose traded Hatakka to New Jersey in the 2023 Timo Meier deal. While he’s flashed upside as a reliable stay-at-home defensive presence, injuries have been a constant. He was limited to just eight AHL games in 2022-23.

In his Devils debut last season, Hatakka recorded two assists and a plus-five rating in 12 appearances while averaging 14:39 per game. He posted a 49.8 CF% at even strength, 1.9% better than the Devils’ shot attempt share without him on the ice, and was widely expected to spend most of this season as a reliable press-box or call-up option. Given he didn’t receive that opportunity and he wasn’t even part of New Jersey’s Black Ace callups last week, it’s clear neither side envisions much of an immediate future for Hatakka in New Jersey.

Attention now shifts toward whether the Devils will want to keep him on their reserve list with a qualifying offer. If they do so, Hatakka would have to sign with the Devils or have his signing rights traded if he wants to return to the NHL when his contract with HV71 expires in 2027. He joins a club whose 2025-26 roster also includes former Senator Olle Alsing, ex-Maple Leaf Andreas Borgman, and former Lightning depth piece Sean Day on the back end.

Blues Recall Nikita Alexandrov, Colten Ellis, Corey Schueneman

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The Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, had their season end last night when they were bounced in the first round by the Providence Bruins. St. Louis is thus adding a few Springfield fixtures to their roster as healthy extras for the playoffs, announcing they’ve recalled center Nikita Alexandrov, goaltender Colten Ellis, and defenseman Corey Schueneman. Netminder Will Cranley, who was previously rostered as the Blues’ third goalie to begin the postseason, was returned to ECHL Florida in a corresponding move.

It’s Alexandrov’s first stint on the roster since the 2023-24 campaign. After playing 51 games over the prior two seasons and signing a two-way deal late in training camp after spending much of the summer on the restricted free agent market, St. Louis waived Alexandrov and subsequently reassigned him to Springfield to begin 2024-25. While the 24-year-old Russian didn’t get a call-up opportunity, he made the most of his time in Springfield and exploded for a 21-28–49 scoring line in just 48 appearances. He didn’t record a point in three playoff outings, but Alexandrov’s 1.02 points per game led Springfield and ranked 12th among AHLers with at least 25 games played.

A 2019 second-round pick, Alexandrov is headed for restricted free agency again this summer. The Blues likely intend to qualify him after a strong minor-league showing, but he may hold out in hopes of landing a clearer path to NHL minutes elsewhere. He could be a cheap in-house replacement for pending UFA Radek Faksa if St. Louis wants to use that cap space elsewhere, though.

Ellis will now serve as the No. 3 in net behind Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer after a spotless 2024-25 campaign. The 24-year-old erupted for a 2.63 GAA, .922 SV%, three shutouts, and a 22-14-5 record in 42 regular-season showings for Springfield and was rewarded with a two-year extension in March. He also posted a .933 SV% in the T-Birds’ three-game loss to Providence. While he may not have an NHL appearance on his resume, there are far worse EBUG options on postseason rosters.

Schueneman will end his campaign with the NHL club after making four appearances for the Blues in the regular season, his first since the 2022-23 campaign. The 29-year-old lefty got a run of games in November and was called up as a healthy extra a few more times throughout the year. The former Canadiens rearguard signed a two-way extension in January to keep him in St. Louis/Springfield through 2025-26. He posted 4-16–20 with a plus-eight rating in 63 AHL contests.

Cranley will re-join the Florida Everblades, who swept their first-round series against the Jacksonville Icemen in their quest for a Kelly Cup four-peat. He put up a .896 SV% in 23 regular-season appearances there. The 2020 sixth-rounder likely won’t see playoff action, though. AHL-contracted veteran Cam Johnson has been in the crease for the Everblades’ last three championship runs and had a .935 SV% in the first round.

Jets Recall Five Black Aces

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With their AHL affiliate’s season over, the Jets announced they’ve recalled five players from the Manitoba Moose to serve as extras for the remainder of their playoff run. Forwards Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Mason Shaw, and defensemen Dylan Coghlan, Isaak Phillips, and Elias Salomonsson will travel with the Jets and practice with the club while technically being available for game action if necessary.

Jonsson-Fjallby did not appear for Winnipeg in the regular season, his first campaign without an NHL appearance since 2020-21. The 27-year-old Swede was on a one-way deal this year so he still received his league-minimum $775K salary, but the pending unrestricted free agent seems unlikely to remain with the Jets beyond this playoff run as a result. The fifth-round pick of the Capitals back in 2016 struggled to produce with Manitoba this year as well, limited to 12-15–27 in 65 games after posting 30 points in only 41 AHL contests last year. He last saw NHL ice for Winnipeg in the 2024 postseason and has 23 points in 99 career NHL games across three seasons.

Shaw also did not make an NHL appearance in 2024-25. It was his first professional season outside the Wild organization, which drafted him in the fourth round in 2017 but did not tender him a qualifying offer last summer after he recovered from his fourth ACL surgery (twice in each knee). After landing a two-way deal with Winnipeg a few days later, Shaw cleared waivers at the beginning of the season and reported to Manitoba. The 26-year-old posted a 17-20–37 scoring line with 114 PIMs and a -21 rating in his first non-injury plagued season since 2021-22. Winnipeg can retain the 26-year-old’s signing rights with a qualifying offer this summer, but he’s eligible for salary arbitration.

[RELATED: NHL Arbitration-Eligible Free Agents For 2025]

Coghlan is the only member of the group to appear in a regular-season game for the Jets this year. He skated in six games in December and January after spending the first two months of the season as a healthy scratch. After clearing waivers, he was assigned to Manitoba for the rest of the season in mid-January. While he went without a point in his six big-league games, the two-way righty lit up the minors with a 12-16–28 scoring line in just 36 appearances for the Moose. He’s one year removed from leading the AHL in goals by a defenseman but sits firmly in the No. 10 spot on Winnipeg’s defense depth chart behind names like Ville Heinola, Colin Miller, and Logan Stanley.

Phillips played early in the season with the Blackhawks but didn’t see a recall to the Jets’ roster after they acquired him via trade in January. The 2020 fifth-rounder has 2-10–12 with a -37 rating in 56 career appearances with Chicago over the past four years. A pending RFA with arbitration rights, the young shutdown blueliner had 3-5–8 with a -11 rating in 39 appearances for Manitoba after the trade.

Salomonsson has yet to make his NHL debut but is likely Winnipeg’s top prospect at this point. The 20-year-old rearguard adjusted well in his first season in North America in 2024-25, logging heavy minutes for Manitoba and finishing second among their defensemen in scoring behind Coghlan with 5-22–27 in 53 games. The smooth-skating 6’2″, 185-lb righty is a long shot to make next season’s opening night roster but is likely to at least make his big-league debut within the next 12 months.

Canadiens Recall Cayden Primeau

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The Montreal Canadiens have recalled goaltender Cayden Primeau in the wake of an injury to starter Sam Montembeault. Montembeault left Game 3 during a second-period TV-timeout, after a conversation with Montreal’s director of sports medicine and performance, Jim Ramsay. He has been listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, did not practice on Sunday, and will formally be questionable for Game 4 – head coach Martin St. Louis shared with NHL.com. Montreal will start rookie Jakub Dobes in their next matchup, and now have Primeau as a potential backup option.

Primeau has had a near-perfect season in the minor leagues. He’s posted a dazzling 21-2-2 record, .927 save percentage, and 1.96 goals-against average. In turn, Primeau recorded the fewest losses, the third-highest save percentage, and the highest goals-against average of all qualified AHL goalies. It was a true breakout performance after Primeau posted a .909 save percentage, and varying surrounding stats, in each of the last four AHL seasons.

Primeau was the de facto starter any time he was in the AHL, though he fell three games shy of the Laval Rocket’s lead in games played after spending two months on the NHL roster to start the season. He stepped into 11 games over that tenure and managed a far less encouraging 2-3-1 record, .836 save percentage, and 4.70 goals-against-average. It continued what’s been a string of underwhelming NHL performances for Primeau, who sits with a 13-24-7 record and .884 save percentage through 55 career games. Those numbers were boosted slightly by a .910 save percentage in 23 games last year – numbers that Montreal will hope he can recreate after a flawless season in the minor leagues.

Oilers Recall Six Black Aces

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With the season officially over for their AHL affiliate, the Edmonton Oilers have boosted their NHL roster by calling up six black aces. The full list of recalls includes forwards Matthew Savoie, Noah Philp, and James Hamblin; defensemen Cam Dineen and Philip Kemp; and goaltender Olivier Rodrigue – per Bob Stauffer of 880 CHED. Stauffer adds that all seven black aces took part in the Oilers’ team skate on Saturday.

The most notable member of this group is undoubtedly Savoie, who stands as one of Edmonton’s top prospects and ranked second on the Bakersfield Condors in scoring with 19 goals and 54 points in 66 games this season. It was a statement rookie season for the young winger, after he showed a glimmer of strong pro play with five points in six AHL games last year. Savoie appeared in four NHL games earlier this season. He recorded one assist and a minus-four. But he was renowned for his playoff performances throughout three years in the WHL – where he combined for 65 points in 48 postseason games, capped off with a WHL championship.

While Savoie could offer a home run swing, Edmonton will also receiver quainter NHL impact from Philp, Rodrigue, and Dineen. Philp appeared in the first 15 games of his NHL career this season, recording two assists and a plus-one. He coupled those modest numbers with 19 goals and 35 points in 55 AHL games – matching his goal-scoring and falling two shy of his point totals from 70 AHL games last season. Dineen appeared in four NHL games and Rodrigue in two – both to quiet effect – but they were major pieces of the AHL lineup all season long. Dineen led all Condors defensemen in scoring with 43 points in 59 games. Rodrigue handled the AHL starting role and managed an 18-16-7 record and .897 save percentage in 41 games. All three players will offer clear bottom-of-the-lineup translatability should Edmonton be forced to lean on their depth.

The group of call-ups is rounded out by Hamblin and Kemp, who each received NHL minutes last season but spent the entirety of this year in the minors. Hamblin managed an encouraging 45 points in 51 games while rotating through a top-line wing role, while Kemp found himself down the lineup and only managed 12 points in 56 games. Both will likely be the last Black Ace tapped on, should Edmonton need to turn towards any of them.

Capitals Assign Ilya Protas To AHL

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One of Washington’s top prospects could soon be getting his first taste of playing in the pros.  The Capitals announced that they have reassigned winger Ilya Protas from OHL Windsor to AHL Hershey.

The 18-year-old was a third-round pick last June, going 75th overall after a solid first season in North America with USHL Des Moines after previously playing in Belarus’ junior program.  Having had some success with his brother Aliaksei (who had a breakout year with the Caps this season), Washington felt Ilya, who stands 6’5, was worth a mid-round look as well, making them the second set of brothers to be drafted by the team in franchise history (the others being Yvon and Rick Corriveau).

It’s a pick that certainly looks promising not even a year later.  Protas moved to the major junior level this season with the Spitfires and was nothing short of dominant, notching 50 goals and 74 assists in just 61 games, good for second in the OHL in scoring.  He became the first player since Alex DeBrincat to pot 50 goals in his first OHL campaign.

That production didn’t slow down in the playoffs either.  He is the leading scorer of the postseason thus far after tallying five goals and 20 assists in just a dozen postseason contests.

Hershey has yet to begin its playoff run as the team is awaiting the end of the opening round (or play-in series) to see who their first opponent will be.  It will be interesting to see if Protas will get a look at some point or if he’ll primarily serve as injury insurance.

Hurricanes Officially Register Alexander Nikishin’s Contract

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On Friday, a representative for Hurricanes prospect Alexander Nikishin expressed some frustration that his contract had yet to be registered with the NHL despite being agreed to in principle before the playoffs.  While it took longer than expected, it is now done as team reporter Walt Ruff relays (Twitter link) that the contract has been made official.  As expected, the deal begins this season, making him eligible to play in the playoffs.

GM Eric Tulsky also released the following statement:

“We had agreed with his agents to keep the options open for Alex to potentially play a game in Chicago at some point. But with their season now over, it makes sense to officially register an NHL contract for him, and we are excited for his future with the team.”

It was initially believed that Nikishin, one of the top blueliners outside the NHL in recent seasons, would make an immediate impact in Carolina’s lineup.  But when the coaching staff determined he wouldn’t be in their top six to start the postseason, the Hurricanes kept their options open in case they wanted Nikishin to get a game or two in with AHL Chicago on a tryout deal before registering the deal.  Chicago fell 5-0 to Rockford on Friday, ending their best-of-three series in a sweep so that option is no longer on the table, meaning there was no reason to delay things further.

The 23-year-old had 17 goals and 29 assists in 61 games with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL this season, a point total that was actually a bit lower than the last couple of years when he had 55 in 2022-23 and 56 in 2023-24.  He also logged more than 24 minutes a night while playing in all situations.  Head coach Rod Brind’Amour may not want to mess with a group that has gotten out to a two-to-one series lead on New Jersey just yet but now with Nikishin’s deal officially on the books, he has a very intriguing option to turn to at some point this postseason.

Senators Recall Twelve Players

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With the Senators in the playoffs and their farm team in Belleville not making the playoffs, Ottawa has determined which players will be joining the team as their Black Aces.  The team announced (Twitter link) that forwards Zack MacEwen, Angus Crookshank, Stephen Halliday, Cole Reinhardt, Jan Jenik, Tyler Boucher, Garrett Pilon, and Wyatt Bongiovanni, along with defenseman Donovan Sebrango and goaltender Mads Sogaard have all been recalled from Belleville.

In addition, the Sens have also recalled two players from the major junior ranks.  Defenseman Carter Yakemchuk was brought up from WHL Calgary while blueliner Tomas Hamara was recalled from OHL Brantford.

Among the recalls, MacEwen saw the most game action with Ottawa this season, playing in 21 games where he had three points and 49 hits in a little under eight minutes a night of action.  Reinhardt had two points in 17 outings while Crookshank had an assist in eight contests.  Jenik, Sebrango, and Sogaard all got into a pair of games and were held off the scoresheet while Sogaard allowed eight goals on just 40 shots.

Looking at the AHL recalls who didn’t play with Ottawa this season, Halliday and Pilon were Belleville’s top scorers, checking in with 51 and 48 points, respectively.  Meanwhile, Bongiovanni tied Crookshank for the team lead in goals with 22.  Boucher, meanwhile, had just 10 points in 47 games this season, not a great showing for the tenth overall pick from 2021.

Yakemchuk very briefly made Ottawa’s roster out of training camp before being sent back without playing a game.  He was the seventh pick in last year’s draft and had a solid year with the Hitmen, picking up 49 points in 56 games.  As for Hamara, he also checked in just below the point-per-game mark with the Bulldogs, notching 55 in 58 appearances.

These recalls could be short-lived, however.  Ottawa is down 3-0 in their opening round series against Toronto so the series could be over as soon as tonight.  But regardless of how long their postseason push lasts, the Sens now have their extra skaters in place.

Snapshots: Protas, DeMelo, Lightning, Miettinen

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5:30 PM: Protas will not play in Game 3 on Friday, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. He will target a Game 4 return, while the Capitals will continue forward with Taylor Raddysh in the lineup.

4:00 PM: The Washington Capitals could be in store for a major addition to their postseason lineup, as top forward Aliaksei Protas continues to work his way back from a foot injury. Protas returned to full-contact practice on Friday morning and could step back into the lineup in Game 3, per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News. He has missed Washington’s last eight games after being cut by a skate on April 4th.

Protas was on the tail end of a loud breakout season at the time of his injury. He ranked third on the Capitals in scoring at the time, with 30 goals and 66 points in 75 games. He’s confidently lapped the six goals and 29 points he scored in 78 games last season. That rise in scoring has been largely helped along by Protas’ shooting percentage rising from 5.3 percent to 21.1 percent this season. But despite the inflated shooting percentage, Protas looked perfectly at home in the Capitals’ top-six and should return to a major role as soon as he’s back to full health. Protas recorded two assists in four playoff games last season – and will look to carry his booming shooting percentage into must-win games.

Other quick notes from around the league:

  • It has been revealed that Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo missed Game 3 due to illness per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The Jets were bullied by the St. Louis Blues in DeMelo’s absence, dropping their first game of the postseason with a 7-3 loss. DeMelo was a major part of the Jets gameplan through Game 1 and 2. He averaged over 20 minutes of ice time between the two games and recorded one assist and a plus-two. DeMelo appeared in all 82 games of the Jets’ regular season. He scored 19 points and averaged 21:31 in ice time. Veteran defenseman Colin Miller stepped into the lineup for DeMelo and recorded one assist. But the Jets weren’t able to make up for the booming physical presence DeMelo brings. They’ll hope for a quick return to health before Game 4 on Sunday.
  • Tampa Bay Lightning fans can breathe a sigh of relief after head coach Jon Cooper shared that both Yanni Gourde and Anthony Cirelli are expected to stay in the lineup, per NHL.com’s Benjamin Pierce. Both players missed Friday morning’s practice for undisclosed reasons. Neither player has found any scoring through two playoff games so far, though they’ve continued to serve physical roles from the team’s second-line. The band could be without their third in Tampa Bay’s next matchup, with left-winger Brandon Hagel facing a suspension after a dirty hit on Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.
  • Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen has signed an amateur try-out with the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the remainder of the season per the AHL Transactions Log. Miettinen sustained a lower-body injury at the World Junior Championship that held him out of a handful of games. Even through the injury, he managed a strong 11 goals and 39 points in 36 WHL game this season – a 0.06 point-per-game increase over his 67 points in 66 games last season. The six-foot-three Finn will bring a boost of heft and instinctive offense to the Firebirds lineup as they prepare for a series against the Calgary Wranglers.

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