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The Ottawa Senators moved quickly to address their growing injury concerns at forward.

Sens head coach Travis Green announced on Friday that Lars Eller will "be out for a little while" with a lower-body injury. So on Saturday morning, the club bolstered their roster for games in Minnesota (Saturday) and Winnipeg (Monday) by calling up winger Olle Lycksell from their AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators. 

Eller was apparently hurt while blocking a shot in Columbus on Thursday night during a 6–3 victory over the Blue Jackets. 

“Yeah, Lars is going to unfortunately be out for a little while,” Green told Senators host Jackson Starr. “Blocked a shot. Not sure quite exactly how long, but we won’t see him the rest of this road trip for sure.”

The 26-year-old Lycksell has been a man in motion this season. This is his third call-up to Ottawa from the B-Sens. As a point-per-game player with Lehigh Valley last season, the guy is a proven AHL scorer, but he has yet to find traction at the NHL level.

With Drake Batherson injured in the preseason, Lycksell won a spot in Ottawa's opening night lineup. In all, he's played in six games and scored his first goal with the club on October 23rd, a game-winner against his old team, the Philadelphia Flyers.

In Belleville, Lycksell has four points in four games in December and six points in nine games overall. He's spent a good chunk of his season as a reserve player

Eller's spot as a fourth-line centre is likely to be taken by Stephen Halliday for now, but they could also use Nick Cousins in that spot as well. So that leaves either Lycksell or Kurtis MacDermid as the 12th forward option for the next couple of games.

As Ottawa continues its three-game road trip with a stop in Minnesota on Saturday, Belleville remains home this weekend to face the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday night and the Bridgeport Islanders on Sunday afternoon.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa

This article was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more:

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The NHL had a wild Friday night with three significant trades that reshaped multiple franchises. One involved a Norris Trophy winner who Vancouver couldn't keep. Another saw two goalies swap teams in a change-of-scenery deal. The third was a depth move to patch a hole. All three tell different stories about where teams see themselves right now.

Vancouver Trades Quinn Hughes to Minnesota

The biggest move was Vancouver sending captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Zeev Buium, Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick.

This wasn't Vancouver giving up and rebuilding. This was Vancouver accepting reality. Hughes becomes a UFA after the 2026-27 season. The writing was on the wall—he wasn't staying. So instead of watching him walk for nothing in two years, they moved him now for a package of assets while they could still get something significant back.

Hughes is one of the NHL's best defensemen. He's 26 years old, a Norris Trophy winner who had 23 points in 26 games this season before the trade. He's been Vancouver's offensive engine from the blue line for years.

The Wild, in essence, gave up three first-round picks to get him. Buium was a 2024 first-rounder who has 14 points in 31 NHL games this season. Ohgren was a 2022 first-rounder who has zero points in 18 games this season after spending time in the AHL. Rossi was a 2020 first-rounder with 13 points in 17 games this season, having just signed a new deal after being a trade target all offseason.

Why The Oilers Really Moved On From Stuart Skinner and Brett KulakThe Edmonton Oilers traded both Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak to get a goaltender with question marks... Why?

Here's the risk: Minnesota has received no assurances that Hughes will re-sign. They could be getting a two-year rental of an elite defenseman, which explains why Vancouver's return wasn't even more substantial. If Hughes had eight years of term, this package would look light. For a player who might walk in 2027 and has expressed interest in playing with his brothers Jack and Luke on the New Jersey Devils? It's probably fair value.

Minnesota built one of the NHL's best farm systems in recent years. Now they've cashed in those assets for a proven star who can quarterback their power play and log major minutes. Hughes led the NHL in average ice time this season at 27:26 per game. Whether he stays past 2027 is a problem for later. Right now, they're all-in on their current window.

For Vancouver, this is damage control. President of hockey operations Jim Rutherford admitted the franchise couldn't afford to lose Hughes, but ultimately it would be his decision. They read the room, understood Hughes wasn't committing long-term, and got out before the situation deteriorated further. Trading your captain mid-season stings, but it's better than losing him for nothing in two years.

Oilers Recall Defender After Big Day Of TradesThe Oilers have recalled this defenseman from the AHL.

Edmonton Trades Stuart Skinner for Tristan Jarry

The Oilers sent Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick to Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin.

"I think it's not so much a comment on Stuart Skinner, it's just really maybe time for something different here," Oilers GM Stan Bowman said.

Skinner is 11-8-4 with a 2.83 GAA, .891 save percentage and two shutouts in 23 games this season. He helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final the past two years, but they lost to Florida both times. He's a pending unrestricted free agent, and Bowman confirmed they hadn't held extension talks. The relationship had run its course.

Oilers Trade Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak: Acquire Tristan Jarry, Spencer Stastney & Samuel PoulinThe Edmonton Oilers made a couple of trades, adding Tristan Jarry and a key goaltender, while sending Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak to Pittsburgh. A second deal adds Spencer Stastney from the Predators.

Jarry is 9-3-1 with a .909 save percentage in 14 games this season. The 30-year-old cleared waivers last January after struggling, then spent time in the AHL before rebounding this year. He's been a big part of Pittsburgh's surprising start, but the Penguins are selling high on a goalie who was in the minors nine months ago.

The cost of doing business? Brett Kulak, a reliable defenseman whom Edmonton didn't want to move but had to include to make the cap math work. That's the price of swapping goaltenders mid-season when both carry significant cap hits.

"We certainly weren't trying to trade Brett Kulak," Bowman said. "He's a great person and a great player on our team. We're going to miss him. But in order to make the transaction work and the money going back and forth, that had to be part of it."

Oilers' CEO Talks Sense Of Urgency Ahead Of NHL Trade FreezeEdmonton Oilers CEO Jeff Jackson talks about the looming trade freeze, outlining the team's plans over the next two weeks.

In a separate move, Edmonton also acquired defenseman Spencer Stastney from Nashville for a 2027 third-round pick. Stastney has nine points in 30 games this season and helps replace Kulak's departure on the blue line.

This is a straightforward depth move. Kulak left a hole, Stastney fills it. He's not flashy, he's not even as good as Kulak, but he keeps the defence corps functional while Edmonton figures out if Jarry is the answer in net. The 25-year-old has been a steady presence for Nashville over four seasons, and the Oilers needed a body to slot in after losing Kulak in the goalie swap.

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Back during the 2024 NHL off-season, the San Jose Sharks acquired goaltender Yaroslav Askarov from the Nashville Predators in a big deal. With the young netminder having a high amount of potential, there was naturally plenty of excitement about his arrival in San Jose. 

Askarov played in 13 games this past season for the Sharks, where he posted a 4-6-2 record, a .896 save percentage, and a 3.10 goals-against average. Overall, he experienced some growing pains in his first season with the Sharks but also showed promise.

Down in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda in 2024-25, Askarov thrived, posting an 11-9-1 record, a 2.45 goals-against average, and a .923 save percentage.

Now, Askarov has earned a full-time spot on the Sharks' roster this season, and there is no question that the young netminder is showing signs of improvement. In 19 games so far this season with the Pacific Division club, he has posted a 10-8-1 record and a .903 save percentage.

Askarov also recently put together a strong performance against the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 28, as he stopped 34 out of 36 shots. With this, he had a .941 save percentage on the night.

Overall, while Askarov has had some tough games this season, it is clear that the 23-year-old is getting better as he continues to gain more NHL experience. He is a big part of the Sharks' future, and it will be fascinating to see how he builds on his 2025-26 season from here. 

On Saturday, the Detroit Red Wings close out their lengthy road trip by traveling to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Blackhawks without breakout star Connor Bedard, who was sidelined after suffering a shoulder injury in Friday's contest versus the St. Louis Blues. This original six clash will be one to remember as the Red Wings have played the Blackhawks more than any other team in the league with Saturday being their 757th all-time meeting. 

The 2023 first overall pick has lived up to expectations, recording a stunning 44 points in 31 games this season and ranking third in the NHL in scoring, tied with San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini. Bedard is one of two Blackhawks near or over a point-per-game over their recent 12-game dry spill and will really miss him versus a surging Detroit team. 

The Red Wings seem to be rounding back into form, even after Thursday’s loss to the Edmonton Oilers ended a six-game point streak. That result sets the stage for an intriguing matchup, particularly after the Blackhawks handed Detroit a lopsided 5–1 loss in their last meeting at Little Caesars Arena, with the Red Wings now aiming for payback in Chicago.

Lineup Storylines

The Red Wings have faced a two-headed monster all season within their lineup with depth scoring issues, clashing with problems on the backend all season long. One issue has appeared to resolve itself as of late while the backend issues continue to persist as the Red Wings have gotten timely scoring from throughout their lineup. 

Veterans Andrew Copp and James van Riemsdyk have both found their games as of late with Copp recording two goals and four assists for six points over his last five games since joining the second line with red hot forwards in Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane, who Copp has picked up some momentum off.

Cat was hungry for another 😼 pic.twitter.com/2pGKr81EU4

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 11, 2025

The Michigan native has made some great plays in the last few games like making great passes for primary assists as well as working as a solid netfront presence for the two lethal shooters in DeBrincat and Kane. The former Blue Jackets winger in van Riemsdyk has also been sensational as of late with six goals over his last eight games. 

At the same time, Detroit has still averaged three goals against per game since the start of their recent surge with 21 goals allowed over their last seven games. The hope is that they can continue to ride the hot hand of starting goaltender John Gibson, who has picked up his play as of late with four straight wins and back-to-back stellar starts entering Saturday with a 39-save shutout over the Vancouver Canucks this past Monday, followed by a 34-save effort on the road versus the Calgary Flames. If he can keep his current pace and finally tap into that level of play that the Red Wings traded for this past off-season, they may finally have the answer to their debate between who the routine starter should be. 

🗣️ GIBBAYYYY

John Gibson's 39-save shutout is last night's @xfinity game-changing moment! pic.twitter.com/cSJbjx6DmE

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 9, 2025

The Blackhawks, on the other hand, are starting to see their early-season momentum, fueled by Bedard’s efforts, slow down, as they have managed just three wins over their last 12 games. Their offense has quietly averaged 2.25 goals per game during that span, while the defense has also struggled, allowing 3.67 goals against per game, which ranks fifth worst in the NHL. 

Without Bedard, the focus will shift to veteran winger Tyler Bertuzzi, who is in the midst of a recent surge with 19 points over his last 16 games. The rest of the lineup, however, has struggled to produce, with only three players besides Bedard and Bertuzzi recording multiple goals during the 12-game dry spell. The Red Wings’ surging backend will look to further slow a sputtering Blackhawks offense and secure a much-needed bounce-back win in this matchup. 

Exclusive: Red Wings' Sebastian Cossa Talks Near Perfect Start, Relationship With John GibsonSebastian Cossa credits the Griffins’ early-season success to strong team support while staying focused on developing toward an NHL role.

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Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)

DET ML (-200) | CHI ML (+165)

DET -1.5 (+120) | CHI +1.5 (-143)

O/U 6.0 Goals

Earlier this season, the Blackhawks ended Detroit’s five-game winning streak in this matchup with a decisive victory. Despite that, the Red Wings will enter this contest having won four of their last six road trips to the Windy City, with most of these games being high-scoring affairs. In fact, seven of the last nine meetings between these two clubs have seen six or more total goals, though that streak could be challenged in this matchup.

Both goaltenders could play pivotal roles. John Gibson will be looking to recapture his recent All-Star form, while Chicago’s Arvid Soderblom has previously faced Detroit just once, delivering a standout performance with 45 saves and only one goal allowed.

Offensively, the spotlight will likely fall on former Blackhawks second-round pick Alex DeBrincat. Reuniting with Chicago legend Patrick Kane in Detroit, the pair has quickly become one of the NHL’s most dangerous duos. DeBrincat has been red-hot lately, recording four goals and four assists for eight points over his last six games. He has also thrived against his former team, tallying three goals and five assists in seven career games versus Chicago, including three multi-point games in his last four meetings with the Blackhawks.

Chicago has a similar storyline with former Red Wings second-round pick Tyler Bertuzzi. Alongside Bedard, Bertuzzi has been a key contributor for the Blackhawks and has also excelled against his former team, recording two goals and four assists for six points in his last six games versus Detroit.

Goalie Matchup

Detroit: John Gibson (Season: 8-7-1 record, 3.32 GAA, .884 | VS CHI: 6-10-1 record, 3.48 GAA, .891 SV% in 18 games)

Chicago: Arvid Soderblom (Season: 3-5-1 record, 3.92 GAA, .876 SV% | VS DET: Win, 45 Saves on 46 Shots in only game)

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On July 13, 2022 (the first day of free agency that summer), the Anaheim Ducks signed center Ryan Strome to a five-year contract that carries an AAV of $5 million. Strome was the second unrestricted free agent signed by then-new Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek, with the first being Frank Vatrano a few hours earlier.

Since that date, and in the three seasons that followed, Strome (32) has been an automatic 41-point center for the organization, reaching that exact total in each of his three seasons in a Ducks sweater. Only Troy Terry, who scored 61 points (23-38=61) in 2022-23, 54 points (20-34=54) in 2023-24, and 55 points (21-34=55) in 2024-25, could challenge Strome and make an argument as the team’s most-consistent player.

Until this preseason, Strome had been among the healthiest Ducks, playing in 243 regular season games of a possible 246.

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Strome missed the Ducks' first 16 games of the 2025-26 season due to an upper-body injury sustained in a preseason practice, which was later revealed to be an oblique injury. Without him in the lineup to start the season, the Ducks got off to their best start to a season in over a decade, with an 11-4-1 record.

“I think it was good for me to challenge myself and try to be a good teammate to support the boys,” Strome said after his return from injury. “I try to act the same every day, no matter how it’s going. It’s a little harder when you’re hurt, but I was really proud of how the guys played. It’s been a great start to the season, just excited to contribute in any role I’m given and try to help the team here.”

Since he’s been a member of the Ducks’ organization, Strome has been a stabilizing veteran presence in the locker room and a vocal leader to a young, talented group.

With those combined factors in mind, it was strange and eyebrow-raising to see Strome’s name pop up in a column from premier NHL insider Elliotte Friedman on Thursday evening.

Friedman wrote, “Those looking for a middleman are keeping a closer watch on Anaheim’s Ryan Strome. Delayed start to the season, in-and-out of the lineup. Ducks surging, is there a spot for him? If not, there will be interest.”

Strome managed three points (1-2=3) in his first nine games upon his return to the lineup and to start his 2025-26 season, playing relatively well despite the lack of production in a third-line center role.

To kick off December, Strome served as a surprise healthy scratch for the Ducks’ 4-1 road win over the St. Louis Blues and 7-0 home loss to the Utah Mammoth on Dec. 1 and Dec. 3, respectively.

Strome returned to the lineup when the Ducks hosted the Washington Capitals on Dec. 5, a 4-3 shootout win. He met the adversity with a positive, team-first attitude when discussing his situation with the media after morning skate on the day of their game against Washington.

“Anyone that’s competitive wants to play. I think you’ll never find a guy that gets a healthy scratch that’s happy about it,” Strome said. “So, you know, luckily, I have a wealth of experience to draw on, some highs and lows in my career. So, you know, you just roll with the punches and work hard (over) the last couple days and get back at it.

“At the end of the day, it’s a team game, and our team’s had a really good year, and I think the attention should be on that, not any individual. I also think the opportunity for myself to, you know, lead by example in the situation, because obviously it sucks, but I can’t bring the team down, right? It’s all about the team. I think we’ve had a really good mindset with that this year. Unfortunately, I was kind of the example of that.”

In the modern NHL, strong center depth is needed to win Stanley Cups. Strome can play both center and wing, but the trade market indicates several teams are in need of a reliable middle-six center. On Friday, Friedman reiterated his written note on Strome when he took to his “32 Thoughts” podcast to expand.

“Strome, I think that one’s obvious. He was hurt, he was late to play. Anaheim got off to a really good start. Players took roles,” Friedman said. “I don’t think this is so much an indictment of Strome as it is that the team got hot when he was still hurt and everybody kind of lined up their spot, right? So when he came back, it was harder to find his way back into it. So I don’t think anybody would look at this, with the healthy scratches and things like that, and say they’d be hugely surprised.

Los Angeles Kings center Philip Danault’s name popped up earlier this month in potential trade reports, but Friedman relayed that a source of his somewhat dismissed that notion, highlighting the Kings’ potential lack of center depth without him.

The Ducks, however, are deep at the center position. On their current roster, they have Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Strome, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling, and Jansen Harkins, who can all play naturally down the middle, along with Tim Washe, who’s having an excellent rookie year for the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, with 18 points (10-8=18) in 22 games.

“So I had someone who said to me, ‘Unless there's a team out there that makes it worth the Kings while, they're not going to do it because they've had trouble with their fourth line,” Friedman said of Danault’s situation. “But the same people said to me, ‘He’s not the same player as Danault, but if you’re looking for a center, (Ryan) Strome could be out there.’ We’ll see what happens. That’s a guy they’re watching.”

The Ducks overhauled their coaching staff in the 2025 offseason, adding Joel Quenneville as the team’s new head coach, Jay Woodcroft as the power play and forwards coach, and Ryan McGill as the penalty kill and defensive coach. By missing the first 16 games of the season and the team’s record being so impressive without him, Strome has struggled to carve out a role under the new staff and in their new system.

Interestingly and surprisingly, considering the NHL player contract landscape, Ryan Strome’s contract does not carry any trade protection, a rarity among eligible unrestricted free agency signings. In theory, the Ducks could move him to any team without requiring approval from Strome.

Since returning from his healthy scratches, Strome has played three of four games firmly in a fourth-line role, registering 8:00, 11:44, 8:31, and 8:06 TOI in those games. He’s tallied five points (1-4=5) through 13 games this season despite excellent underlying numbers. At 5v5, the Ducks hold 57.34 % of the shot attempts share, 58.78% of the shots on goal share, and 59.55% of the expected goals share when Strome is on the ice, but in those minutes, they’ve been outscored 7-4.

Strome’s production dipped when he signed in Anaheim, as he’s now on his third head coach in four years, and the roster has been in a significant period of transition for his entire tenure with the Ducks. However, in the four seasons leading up to his signing with Anaheim in 2022, Strome had his best statistical years of his career as a member of the New York Rangers, where he scored 195 points (71-124=195) in 263 games, averaging 0.74 points per game.

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With less than a second remaining on the clock and the St. Louis Blues desperately attempting to hold onto a one-goal lead, Brayden Schenn and Chicago Blackhawks' Connor Bedard met at the faceoff dot. 

Schenn was attempting to do whatever he could to prevent Bedard from getting the puck to his net. Bedard, on the other hand, was doing whatever he could to guide the puck to the net and generate a quick chance. When the puck was dropped, it played out as such. Bedard attempted to shoot the puck off the draw, and Schenn attempted to tie up his stick and prevent the puck from advancing.

Unfortunately, it appeared that the pair's sticks and arms were tangled, and Bedard injured what looks to be his shoulder. The 20-year-old superstar immediately skated off the ice in plenty of discomfort, grabbing at his shoulder the entire way off. 

In the Blackhawks' post-game press conference, coach Jeff Blashill described the incident as a freak accident, mentioning that Bedard won't play on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings, and further updates will be provided on Monday. 

Connor Bedard got injured and had to hurry to the locker room after this play to end the game pic.twitter.com/DzjpgWCgYa

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 13, 2025

It's awful news for Bedard and the Blackhawks. The Hawks are a far more competitive team this season, largely due to Bedard's emergence as a true superstar. He finished the game with two assists, adding to his impressive tally this season. He ranks tied for fourth in goals with 19 and tied for third in points with 44. 

Additionally, Bedard is feverishly battling for a spot on Team Canada's Olympic squad. A long-term injury could spoil his chances of making the team. 

While Blashill described it as a freak accident, Blackhawk fans and NHL fans in general weren't as kind to Schenn.

On social media, fans are calling for the Blackhawks to call up enforcers to target Schenn in their next matchup, asking for the Blues captain to be arrested and referring to the hit as a "scumbag move."

Every person is entitled to their own opinion, and no one wants to see another player get hurt, which makes it hard to imagine that Schenn intended to injure Bedard, rather than protect their one-goal lead. 

The Blues and Blackhawks will meet again on Jan. 7, and in all likelihood, the Blackhawks will want Schenn to respond for injuring their franchise player. Whether it was intentional or not, or if Bedard is out long-term or not, Schenn will be expected to answer the bell. 

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