All posts by Sean O'Leary

Tocchet: Demko injury vs. Jets not ‘too serious’

Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet doesn't believe whatever forced Thatcher Demko to exit Saturday's win over the Winnipeg Jets is much of a concern.

Demko left the game with 13 minutes remaining in the second period, and was replaced by Casey DeSmith. The Canucks ruled Demko out for the remainder of the game during the final frame, but didn't specify the injury.

"I don't think it's serious," Tocchet said postgame, noting he hadn't spoken with team doctors yet, according to TSN's Farhan Lalji.

The Canucks are off until Wednesday and only play two games this coming week, which Tocchet believes will benefit Demko.

"The schedule kind of sets up for that and we're confident in Casey," he said. "We're going to have to manage it. There's lots of time to get him some rest."

Demko's start Saturday was his 50th of the season, one off the NHL lead. He's been one of the main contributors to Vancouver's success this season, and entered action against Winnipeg with a 34-13-2 record, a .917 save percentage, and five shutouts.

The Canucks managed to beat the Jets 5-0 for their fourth win in a row.

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Ullmark relieved deadline passed: ‘It takes a toll on you’

Linus Ullmark was well aware of rumors suggesting he was on the trade block over the past few weeks, and now that the deadline's passed, he's thrilled to still be a Boston Bruin.

"Oh, thank God, yes," Ullmark said following Saturday's win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, per The Athletic's Fluto Shinzawa. "It's tough. You try to act tough beforehand. You don't want to show anything. You don't want to show any emotion. It's kind of like in the playoff situation as well. But it is tough on players. This is the first time when I had to go through and actually being rumored about.

"I've always felt safe. But then once it actually starts picking up more and more and more, you hear those outside noises, it takes a toll on you. There's this emotional part of it. Then you start thinking about your family. Then there's all these questions that you just don't have any answers to. So yes, I'm very happy that it's over with. I'm very glad and happy to be here."

Reports surfaced Friday that the Bruins had a trade in place to send Ullmark to the Los Angeles Kings, but the reigning Vezina Trophy winner nixed the move. After the deadline passed, Boston general manager Don Sweeney said he wasn't aggressively shopping Ullmark.

Ullmark has posted inferior numbers to partner Jeremy Swayman this season and was considered possibly expendable with only one year left on his contract.

"This is the team that I want to be in," Ullmark said. "I'm very fortunate to be part of this group. Ever since Day 1, I've loved it here. I'm very happy with where I am right now."

Ullmark entered Saturday with a .909 save percentage in 32 appearances and made 38 saves on 39 shots to lead Boston over Pittsburgh.

"He was our best player. Wasn't close," head coach Jim Montgomery said. "He was really good. Glad he's still a Bruin."

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Fitzgerald: Devils’ deadline moves set up ‘big-game hunting’ in summer

While the New Jersey Devils didn't find a permanent solution in goal like many fans hoped before Friday's trade deadline, general manager Tom Fitzgerald said the moves he made set the club up to strike in the offseason.

"I hope (our players) see that it's an opportunity for us to set ourselves up this summer to have the cap space for a position of need and, to be quite honest, be big-game hunting," Fitzgerald said, per NJ.com's Ryan Novozinsky.

The Devils have been in the market for a No. 1 goalie and were linked to possibly landing Calgary Flames netminder Jacob Markstrom before trade negotiations stalled. Instead, Fitzgerald acquired Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens and swapped Vitek Vanecek for Kaapo Kahkonen.

Allen is signed through next season at a retained $1.925-million cap hit, while Kahkonen is set to hit the open market this summer, giving the Devils more financial flexibility than they had with Vanecek signed through 2025.

"We're looking at a potential tandem that maybe could rate up there in the league if I was able to land one of these big fishes," Fitzgerald said, according to The Athletic's Peter Baugh. "(Trading Vanecek) allows us to be able to be in on anything next summer and have the flexibility with what we believe will be available in the offseason."

With a lack of impact goaltenders available in free agency, the Devils will likely have to go the trade route to reinforce their crease. New Jersey is projected to have approximately $21.3 million in cap space this summer, according to CapFriendly, and currently has 14 players signed.

Poor goaltending is the primary reason New Jersey is six points back of a playoff spot, as the club's .882 all-situations save percentage ranks 31st.

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Maple Leafs acquire Dewar from Wild

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired depth forward Connor Dewar from the Minnesota Wild for a fourth-round pick in 2026 and forward prospect Dmitry Ovchinnikov, the teams announced.

Dewar has spent the last two campaigns as Minnesota's fourth-line center and has chipped in 14 points in 57 games this season while averaging 11 minutes per contest.

He was also a key contributor on the penalty kill - an area of need for the Maple Leafs, who rank 22nd through 63 games.

Dewar, 24, carries an $800,000 cap hit and is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent this summer.

Ovchinnikov was a fifth-round draft pick of the Maple Leafs in 2020. He's split time between the KHL and AHL since being selected and has recorded 10 points in 20 games with the Toronto Marlies this season.

Adding Dewar was Toronto's only move on deadline day. The Maple Leafs previously acquired Joel Edmundson and Ilya Lyubushkin within the last week to address their defensive depth before the playoffs.

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Canucks’ Allvin: Kessel ‘wasn’t a fit for us’

The Vancouver Canucks opted against signing free-agent forward Phil Kessel before Friday's 3 p.m. deadline.

"I think Phil is a great person and a well-respected player with what he's done in the league, a three-time Stanley Cup winner," general manager Patrik Allvin said, per Canucks Army's David Quadrelli. "He wanted to come back and play. With LTIR, roster complications, and how we want to play, unfortunately, it wasn't a fit for us."

Vancouver's AHL affiliate brought Kessel in to work out in mid-February, leading to speculation that the Canucks might add him for their playoff push. The 36-year-old went unsigned after becoming an unrestricted free agent last summer and is now ineligible to join a team for the remainder of the season.

Kessel is on a record 1,064 regular-season games played streak but was a frequent scratch during Vegas' run to the Stanley Cup last spring. He registered 14 goals and 22 assists for the Golden Knights last season and is only eight points shy of 1,000 for his career.

The first-place Canucks were inactive before Friday's trade deadline but did plenty of heavy lifting in the weeks prior, acquiring Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames and signing superstar Elias Pettersson to an eight-year contract extension.

Vancouver had approximately $1.09 million to work with before the deadline, according to CapFriendly.

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Hurricanes activate Andersen from IR

The Carolina Hurricanes activated goaltender Frederik Andersen off injured reserve and he'll start Thursday's clash against the Montreal Canadiens, the team announced.

Andersen has missed Carolina's last 50 games due to a blood clot issue that ruled him out indefinitely in early November.

The 34-year-old posted a .894 save percentage in six starts this season before being sidelined. He signed a two-year, $6.8-million deal over the summer to stay with the Hurricanes.

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Blackhawks trade Beauvillier to Predators

The Chicago Blackhawks traded forward Anthony Beauvillier to the Nashville Predators for a fifth-round pick in 2024, the teams announced.

Beauvillier is an unrestricted free agent at season's end and carries a $4.125-million cap hit.

The Blackhawks acquired the 26-year-old from the Vancouver Canucks in November. Beauvillier landed on the West Coast last season in the trade that sent Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders.

Beauvillier has managed 14 points in 45 games this season between his two clubs. Despite a decline in production in recent years, Beauvillier does have a history of raising his game in the playoffs. He notched a combined 27 points in 41 postseason contests for the Islanders in 2020 and 2021.

The Predators were expected to be sellers earlier this season but have surged into the Western Conference playoff picture thanks to an 8-1-1 run. Nashville currently holds a six-point cushion in the second wild-card spot with 19 games remaining.

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Report: Wild trade Duhaime to Avalanche

The Minnesota Wild traded forward Brandon Duhaime to the Colorado Avalanche, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

The return headed Minnesota's way is unknown.

Duhaime is scheduled for unrestricted free agency this summer and carries a $1.1-million cap hit. He's recorded eight points and 155 hits in 62 games this season while averaging 10 minutes per contest.

The 26-year-old has played 193 career games since being drafted by the Wild in the fourth round in 2016.

Minnesota is nine points back of the second wild-card seed in the Western Conference with 20 contests remaining.

Colorado is in pursuit of the Central Division title and has been one of the league's busiest teams leading up to Friday's trade deadline. The Avalanche acquired Sean Walker and Casey Mittelstadt in separate deals on Wednesday.

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Sabres trade Mittelstadt to Avalanche for Byram

The Buffalo Sabres traded forward Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Bowen Byram, the teams announced.

Mittelstadt is under contract for $2.5 million this campaign before becoming a restricted free agent in the offseason. At the time of his departure, he led the Sabres in scoring with 47 points in 62 games in 2023-24.

Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams denied Mittelstadt's availability in February, saying trade rumors surrounding the young center are "flat-out not true."

The Sabres drafted Mittelstadt eighth overall in 2017, and he managed 186 points in 339 games with Buffalo.

The 25-year-old will give Colorado's top six a new look after the Avalanche sent veteran center Ryan Johansen to the Philadelphia Flyers earlier Wednesday for defenseman Sean Walker.

Byram is set to earn $3.85 million through the 2024-25 season before becoming an arbitration-eligible RFA.

The Avalanche drafted Byram with the fourth overall pick in 2019, and he's long been one of the most highly regarded young defensemen in the league. However, his career hasn't taken off as expected, largely due to numerous injury absences. Byram managed 20 points in 55 games this season with Colorado and played a key role in helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Buffalo now has three high-upside building blocks on its back end between Byram, Owen Power, and Rasmus Dahlin.

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