Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Transactions

Predators Recall Jake Lucchini And Spencer Stastney, Place Roman Josi On IR

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

On top of scratching pending UFA winger Gustav Nyquist for today’s game with a potential trade on the way, the Predators have made three other roster moves as well.  Nick Kieser of 102.5 The Game relays (Twitter link) that Nashville has recalled winger Jake Lucchini and defenseman Spencer Stastney from AHL Milwaukee.  To make room on the roster, blueliner Roman Josi was placed on injured reserve.

Lucchini is in his first season with the Preds after signing a two-year, two-way deal with them last summer.  While he got into 40 NHL games with Minnesota last season during various recalls, this is his first promotion of the season after clearing waivers back in training camp.  The 29-year-old has 14 goals and 15 assists in 53 games with the Admirals thus far, a drop in his per-game output after recording 23 points in 30 minor league outings in 2023-24.

Stastney, meanwhile, started the season on the non-roster list while taking a leave of absence and has split time between Nashville and Milwaukee since then.  The 25-year-old has been held off the scoresheet in seven appearances with the Preds this season while logging a little over 16 minutes a night.  He has been productive with the Admirals, however, notching 13 points in 23 outings at the minor league level.

As for Josi, he exited Tuesday’s game with an upper-body injury and his placement on IR means he’ll be out for both games this weekend at the very least although he’ll be out longer than that with the team revealing (Twitter link) he’s out week-to-week.  The captain hasn’t been able to duplicate the offensive performance he had last year when he notched 85 points but he still has 39 points in 55 games, good for a tie for 15th among all NHL blueliners.  Of course, Josi also logs heavy minutes, averaging more than 25 minutes a night so Nashville’s back end will have its work cut out for them to cover his absence.

Maple Leafs Sign Borya Valis To Entry-Level Deal

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

March 1st is an important day on the NHL calendar as it’s the first day that players can sign future contracts that begin the following season.  The Maple Leafs have wasted little time getting one of those done as they’ve signed forward Borya Valis to a three-year, entry-level deal as announced by his agent Dan Milstein (Twitter link).  The team subsequently confirmed the move.  PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that the deal will carry a $872.5K cap charge and a $975K AAV including signing and games-played bonuses.

The 20-year-old is playing his final season at the major junior level.  He started his WHL career with Regina in 2021, spending parts of three seasons with the team.  The second of those was his draft-eligible year and while he secured a ranking of 152nd among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, he went undrafted in 2023 and 2024.

Last season, Valis was traded midseason, going from Regina to Prince George.  Between the two teams, he picked up 26 goals and 44 assists in 67 regular season games before adding 13 points in 15 postseason contests.  He’s producing at a better clip this year, tallying 29 goals and 44 helpers through 57 contests with the Cougars, one of four Western Conference teams to already clinch a playoff spot.

As the contract begins next season, Valis won’t count against Toronto’s 50-contract limit until the summer.  In the meantime, should the Cougars be eliminated while the AHL Marlies are still playing in their postseason, he will be eligible to join and play for them on an ATO agreement, giving him some time with the team he’s likely to play for when the contract begins in 2025-26.

Bruins Recall Georgii Merkulov, Jeffrey Viel, Ian Mitchell

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Bruins swapped out multiple depth players on their roster today, announcing they’ve recalled forwards Georgii Merkulov, Jeffrey Viel, and defenseman Ian Mitchell from AHL Providence. The three players headed down to the minors in corresponding moves are wingers Riley Tufte, Oliver Wahlstrom, and defenseman Michael Callahan. Wahlstrom cleared waivers earlier this afternoon.

It’s by no means major turnover on the Boston roster given the minimal roles the three demotees were playing, but it does signal a wish for different skillsets down the stretch. That’s particularly evident in the call-ups of Merkulov and Mitchell, who offer head coach Joe Sacco more offensive upside than any of the players being sent down.

While a 2-1 loss to the Islanders last night represented a huge blow to their playoff chances, the Bruins still have a chance. Returning to the postseason picture will require more puck-moving support from their blue line in the absence of their top two defenders in Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. They don’t have much there in the interim aside from sophomore Mason Lohrei, and while Mitchell isn’t an impact piece by any stretch, he’s a more dynamic skillset than what the stay-at-home Callahan offered in his first NHL look.

Acquired from the Blackhawks in the 2023 Taylor Hall trade, Mitchell spent a chunk of last season on the Bruins’ roster as a healthy extra but hasn’t touched NHL ice in 2024-25. It’s his first recall since clearing waivers at the beginning of the season. The 6’0″ righty leads P-Bruins defensemen in scoring with 4-23–27 through 46 games, pairing that with a strong +11 rating. He managed two assists and a plus-six rating in 13 showings with Boston last year, averaging 15:18 per game.

Even just that stat line will be an upgrade over what Callahan’s brought to the table thus far. The 25-year-old got his first taste of NHL hockey over the past two months, posting a minus-two rating and averaging 13:08 per game over 11 appearances. The Bruins were outchanced 73-52 in his even-strength minutes. The 2018 fifth-round pick by the Coyotes will now return to Providence, where he has six points and a plus-two rating in 36 showings.

Meanwhile, Merkulov still checks in as one of the few offensively tantalizing players in the Bruins system. He doesn’t have much room left to grow at age 24, but the 5’11” center continues to hover around a point per game in the minors and is tied for the team lead in scoring with 13-31–44 through 47 games. He’s in his third year in the Bruins organization after signing as a free agent out of Ohio State in 2022, but he’s only recorded one assist in seven NHL games in previous trials. He should get a look higher up in the lineup with Trent Frederic sidelined for the time being, though.

Viel is a more direct replacement for the physicality they’re losing with Tufte’s reassignment. The 28-year-old winger got into his first NHL game since the 2022-23 campaign with the B’s earlier this season, recording a fight and 8:29 of ice time against the Blue Jackets on Nov. 18. The former Sharks and Jets farmhand stands at 6’2″ and 205 lbs and has 26 points, 130 PIMs, and a +15 rating in 51 games with Providence.

Tufte, 26, was recalled early last week and played in two of Boston’s first three games coming out of the 4 Nations break. He’s now made five NHL appearances on the year without a point and has a minus-three rating, one block, and six hits while averaging 8:05 per game.

Bruins Reassign Oliver Wahlstrom

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Feb. 28: Wahlstrom cleared waivers, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. He’s on his way to Providence as expected, Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald confirms.

Feb. 27: The Bruins placed winger Oliver Wahlstrom on waivers today, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports.

Wahlstrom has only been a member of the Boston organization for two and a half months. Claimed off waivers from the Islanders in mid-December, the 24-year-old hasn’t panned out. He’s been a frequent healthy scratch and has only played in four of the Bruins’ last 10 games.

When dressed, the 2018 11th overall pick has remained a non-factor. He managed just a goal and assist in 16 appearances for Boston, averaging 10:30 per game and shooting at just 4.2%. A premier goal-scorer in his youth, potting 48 in 62 games with the U.S. National U18 Team in his draft year, he’s now on track to finish at a clip worse than six percent in back-to-back seasons.

All told, Wahlstrom has just four points in 34 games this season split between the Bruins and Islanders. His possession metrics were ghastly in New York but have notably improved since the move. He’s not broken even in shot attempts at even strength, still only controlling 47.8%, but that’s better than how the Bruins have fared without him on the ice whenever he’s been in the lineup. Still, there’s little evidence for him as an effective everyday NHLer, especially since a leg injury truncated a promising 2022-23 campaign at the halfway mark. He’s never fully rebounded, only scoring 12 points in 75 appearances since returning after he was on pace for 37 points over 82 games before the injury.

It’s notable that Wahlstrom is being removed from the roster even in the wake of an injury to top-nine forward Trent Frederic, who’s now out week-to-week and will likely be out the door by the trade deadline anyway. The likelihood of a claim is minimal after a failed change of scenery, so he figures to head to AHL Providence for his first minor-league action in five years.

The Bruins will have an open roster spot tomorrow after Wahlstrom clears or is claimed and could open a second one by moving Frederic to IR. It’s unclear what they plan on doing with the flexibility, although a corresponding recall from Providence should be expected before a two-game road trip that begins this weekend.

Blackhawks Recall Andreas Athanasiou, Wyatt Kaiser

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After a months-long stint in the minors, veteran forward Andreas Athanasiou is back on the Blackhawks’ roster. He’s been recalled from AHL Rockford along with defenseman Wyatt Kaiser, the Blackhawks announced Friday. Rookie blue-liner Nolan Allan was sent to Rockford in a corresponding move to keep Chicago at the 23-player limit.

Athanasiou, 30, returns to the NHL roster after captain Nick Foligno left yesterday’s game against the Golden Knights with an undisclosed injury. He hasn’t yet been ruled out for Saturday’s tilt against the Ducks, but Athanasiou gives Chicago a 14th forward on the active roster in case Foligno and another forward end up being unavailable.

The speedy 6’2″ forward is in the back half of a two-year, $8.5MM extension he signed with Chicago in the 2023 offseason. He’s made just 33 appearances for the Hawks since putting pen to paper on that deal, however. A lower-body injury cost him over half of the 2023-24 campaign, and he served as a healthy scratch for the overwhelming majority of Chicago’s games over the first few weeks of this season before clearing waivers and being sent down to Rockford in November.

Even in the minors, Athanasiou couldn’t avoid injuries. He sustained a wrist fracture almost immediately after his demotion and was sidelined for over a month as a result. When in the lineup, though, he’s been dominant in his first minor league stint in nearly a decade. The veteran of 492 NHL games posted 8-8–16 in 16 games on assignment to Rockford, checking in as their third point-per-game player this year alongside Joey Anderson and Frank Nazar – both of whom have been up with Chicago for a good chunk of the season.

Athanasiou made just five appearances for the Blackhawks this year, all coming in October. He went without a point and averaged a paltry 9:36 per game, and the Blackhawks were outchanced 31-17 when he was on the ice at 5v5, per Natural Stat Trick. It wasn’t a promising showing, so he’s unlikely to draw back into the NHL lineup unless another injury forces Chicago’s hand.

Kaiser, 22, has spent a much smaller portion of the season in the minors. He made the team’s opening night roster for the second year in a row and remained there until his first demotion on Dec. 20. He was back up in the NHL less than two weeks later but was reassigned back to Rockford on Jan. 23, where he’s remained since amid a lack of injuries on the Blackhawks’ defense.

A solid point producer in college and even during his first flashes of pro hockey in the NHL, offense has been hard to come by for the 6’0″ lefty in 2024-25. He has 1-5–6 in 52 combined appearances for the Blackhawks and IceHogs this year. However, he’s averaged 17:39 per game when up with Chicago and played decent defensively in those minutes despite a lack of a physical edge. Kaiser’s 46.7 CF% at even strength ranks third among active Blackhawks skaters behind Ethan Del Mastro and Teuvo Teräväinen. It’s unclear whether he’ll slot into the lineup immediately, but his two-way play has earned him another chance despite the lack of production.

The 21-year-old Allan hasn’t fared nearly as well defensively in a depth role, leading to his first demotion of the campaign. The 2021 first-rounder has made 43 appearances for the Hawks this year, the first of his NHL career, but has been a healthy scratch in six of their last eight games. He’s still a developing shutdown rearguard and would do well with more consistent playing time and extended minutes in the minors.

Allan contributed a 1-7–8 scoring line while averaging 15:08 per game, logging 48 blocks and 61 hits. His 41.5 CF% at even strength trails every defender on the team aside from Louis Crevier’s 41.4%, though, and Chicago has been outscored 34-19 in Allan’s 5v5 minutes. Among Blackhawks regulars, only T.J. Brodie and Philipp Kurashev have worse goal shares.

Maple Leafs Recall Marshall Rifai

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Maple Leafs announced today they’ve recalled defenseman Marshall Rifai from AHL Toronto. Winger Max Pacioretty, who’s missed three games with an undisclosed injury, was placed on injured reserve in a corresponding transaction. Their active roster remains at the 23-player maximum.

Rifai fulfills Toronto’s need for an extra body on defense. They lost Chris Tanev to what’s believed to be a short-term shoulder injury Tuesday night in Boston, leaving them without an additional defender in case of further injuries for the remainder of their road trip. The left-shot Rifai will likely sit in the press box instead of replacing the righty Tanev in the lineup. The latter honor should go to 6’5″ depth piece Philippe Myers, who’s been passable when called upon this season but hasn’t played since the 4 Nations break.

Tanev not landing on injured reserve indicates the Leafs are hopeful he’ll be back within the lineup sometime over their three-game stretch between now and Monday. A retroactive IR placement would have ruled him ineligible until next Wednesday against the Golden Knights, Toronto’s final game before the trade deadline.

The 26-year-old Rifai lands his fourth recall of the season, although none have led to any playing time. The 6’2″, 213-lb depth rearguard remains with just two career NHL appearances to his name, both coming in February of last season. Signed by the Leafs as an undrafted free agent out of Harvard in 2022, his defensive acumen in the minors impressed the front office enough to sign him to a two-year, one-way $1.55MM extension at the beginning of the season. That would indicate they expect him to be in more serious consideration for playing time in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 campaigns.

While not known or depended upon for his point production, Rifai is amid his worst offensive season out of three AHL campaigns with Toronto. Now an alternate captain for the Marlies, he’s got 3-6–9 through 44 games this season after notching 2-17–19 in 57 showings last year. The hard-hitting blue-liner stands as the team’s PIMs leader with 57, and his plus-seven rating is tied for fifth on the team.

Notably, Rifai has spent 24 days on the active roster this season. If this recall lasts over six days, he’ll need to clear waivers again to return to the minors.

Since Pacioretty last played before the break, he’s already missed more than seven days and can come off IR anytime. The 36-year-old has now lost 17 games to injury this season, although thankfully none are related to the three consecutive Achilles surgeries that cost him the overwhelming majority of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns. When healthy, the veteran has 5-8–13 in 37 appearances, posting a minus-two rating and averaging 13:30 per game with an eye-popping 105 hits, already the fourth-most in a single season of his 17-year career. He’s already hit both of his performance bonuses and will earn the full $1.5MM value of the one-year contract he signed with the Leafs in October.

Columbus Blue Jackets Recall Mikael Pyyhtiä

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Columbus Blue Jackets are adding some forward depth to their lineup for the Stadium Series tomorrow. Columbus announced they’ve recalled Mikael Pyyhtiä from their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters.

Based on their lineup from the first home-and-home matchup against the Detroit Red Wings last night, Pyyhtiä will likely take Joseph Labate’s right-wing spot on the fourth line. Pyyhtiä has more NHL experience in comparison, and the Blue Jackets will likely reward him by allowing him to participate in the first outdoor game of his career.

Although he’s been taxied back to AHL Cleveland a few times this year, Pyyhtiä has primarily played in Columbus. The Turku, Finland native has scored four goals and three assists in 46 games for the Blue Jackets, with another one goal and five assists in 10 AHL contests.

While his offensive production doesn’t jump off the page, Pyyhtiä’s value to Columbus’s forward core comes from his play on the defensive side of the puck. He’s sixth among Blue Jackets’ forwards (with at least 30 GP) with a 90.0% team on-ice save percentage, and in defensive zone starts with a rate of 56.9%.

He has remained consistent in his ability to block shots and has become a more physical player this season. Like many 23-year-old players in the NHL, Pyyhtiä has some flaws in his game to work out, particularly on offense, but he’s proven beneficial to the bottom of the Blue Jackets’ forward core this year.

Ducks Recall Sam Colangelo, Place Robby Fabbri On IR

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Ducks announced they’ve recalled right-winger Sam Colangelo from AHL San Diego. Left-winger Robby Fabbri is headed to injured reserve to make room on the active roster.

Fabbri, 29, left Tuesday’s loss to the Sabres with an upper-body injury and didn’t return. He wasn’t at practice today, either, Derek Lee of The Hockey News reports. The team hasn’t issued a return timeline, but the upper-body designation at least means it’s unrelated to the meniscus tear that kept him out of the lineup for over a month earlier this season. The IR placement rules him out for Anaheim’s next three games at a minimum. He’ll be eligible to return next Wednesday against the Canucks, the Ducks’ final game before the March 7 trade deadline.

In the meantime, Colangelo is added back to the roster for the first time since mid-January. The 23-year-old has been a frequent call-up option for Anaheim this season, making 12 appearances after skating in three games at the tail end of the 2023-24 campaign to begin his NHL career. He has a pair of goals across those 15 career contests, posting a minus-seven rating while averaging 11:17 per game.

A second-round pick out of the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League in 2020, Colangelo had a decorated collegiate career with Northeastern and Western Michigan. After a 43-point senior season at WMU that earned him Hobey Baker consideration, he hasn’t missed a beat in his transition to the pros. While not quite ready for a full-time NHL role, he’s been among San Diego’s most productive players with 19-16–35 through 38 games. He suited up in this year’s AHL All-Star Classic and leads the club in goals.

Anaheim is tight on roster space with Trevor Zegras suspended and goaltender John Gibson dealing with a short-term injury, so Colangelo will re-enter the lineup for the first time since Jan. 14 on a line with Cutter Gauthier and Isac Lundeström. That’s an elevation from the fourth line with Jansen Harkins and Ross Johnston, where he’s spent most of his time as a call-up this year.

Penguins’ Matt Nieto Clears Waivers

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Feb. 27: Nieto cleared waivers and can be sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports.

Feb. 26: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Pittsburgh Penguins have placed forward Matthew Nieto on waivers. Should he clear waivers over the next 24 hours, the Penguins can safely reassign him to their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

It’s the second time in his career that Nieto has been placed on waivers and his first as a Penguin. His last time on the waiver wire came back in 2017 when Nieto was claimed off waivers from the San Jose Sharks by the Colorado Avalanche.

The news is unsurprising given Nieto has been an oft-scratched member of Pittsburgh’s forward core for much of February. Since being activated from the team’s injured reserve in mid-November, Nieto has played in 31 of the Penguins’ 42 games despite being healthy for all of them.

Similarly to last year, Nieto hasn’t been all that productive when healthy, either. Nieto signed a two-year, $1.8MM contract with Pittsburgh in the 2023-24 offseason and has scored two goals and seven points in 53 games since.

Although he’s been confined to a bottom-six role for much of his tenure in Pittsburgh, the team was likely hoping for more offensive production. He’s been a productive bottom-six scorer for much of his career with several multi-goal and 20-point campaigns, but things haven’t worked out positively in western Pennsylvania. The 12-year NHL veteran may find a home in another team’s bottom-six but odds are he’ll be packing his bags for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton by tomorrow.

Wild Recall Brendan Gaunce

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Wild announced they’ve recalled forward Brendan Gaunce from AHL Iowa. The move, which allows them to carry an extra forward for their two-game road trip, gives them a full active roster.

Minnesota opened the roster spot to realign their positional makeup when they waived defenseman Travis Dermott earlier this week. They may have lost him back to the Oilers, who they claimed him from in December, but he was barely factoring into the lineup. Depth at forward is an immediate concern for the Wild, who have star Kirill Kaprizov and top-six pivot Joel Eriksson Ek on injured reserve and are without depth piece Ryan Hartman amid an eight-game suspension.

The Wild have given the 30-year-old Gaunce a few trials throughout the season, recalling him multiple times in December and January when they were also dealing with various injuries to their forward corps. He only factored into five games, though, and none since Jan. 4. He has no points and a minus-three rating in those appearances, averaging 9:29 per game and going 10-for-24 on draws (41.7%). Minnesota was shelled in his even-strength minutes, losing the shot attempt battle 63-26 with Gaunce on the ice this season.

A veteran of 182 NHL games and nearly 400 AHL contests, Gaunce is purely injury insurance at this stage of his career. He’s still a productive player in the minors, however. In 35 appearances for Iowa, the 6’3″ pivot is tied for second on the team in scoring with 15-14–29. His -15 rating is one short of tying for the worst on the farm, though.

The Ontario native is in his first season in the Minnesota organization after inking a two-year, two-way deal in free agency last summer. He’s now suited up in each of the last four seasons, the other three coming with the Blue Jackets. He’s also skated in games for the Bruins and Canucks pre-pandemic, the latter of which selected him 26th overall in the 2012 draft.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top