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The Detroit Red Wings have reassigned forward John Leonard to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, on Tuesday. The move was widely anticipated, as Patrick Kane is set to return from injury, leaving limited roster spots available.

Leonard did everything he could to secure his place with the Red Wings, tallying four points in seven games, including a three-game point streak during his stint in Detroit. This marked Leonard’s first NHL action since the 2023-24 season with the Arizona Coyotes. Over parts of five NHL seasons, the 27-year-old has recorded 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 77 games.

Before being called up, Leonard was one of the most dangerous forwards in the AHL, racking up 19 goals and ten assists for 29 points in just 20 games with the Griffins this season. He is currently tied for eighth in league scoring, ranks second in goals, and leads the league in game-winning goals.

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1:05 in, Leonard has his first as a Red Wing! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/dcMD3pSKMb

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 20, 2025

Leonard’s stellar play earned him the AHL Player of the Month award for November, when he recorded 16 points in only ten games. A sixth-year professional, Leonard also made a significant impact in the postseason last year, helping the Charlotte Checkers reach the Calder Cup Finals with 14 points in 18 playoff games.

With Kane’s return, Leonard will now rejoin the Griffins, where he has continued to be a key offensive force and a player to watch for future NHL opportunities.

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The New Jersey Devils announced on December 28th that the team had sent forward Angus Crookshank back to the American Hockey League (AHL). 

Crookshank played eight games for the Devils, scoring one goal and averaging just over eight and a half minutes on ice.

He will return to the AHL to rejoin the Utica Comets.

The 26-year-old has played 18 games for the Comets this season and earned seven points.

A 2018 fifth-round pick, Crookshank is no stranger to the NHL, having played two seasons with the Ottawa Senators, recording 21 games and four points. In 29 NHL games, he has five points.

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The Minnesota Wild have been having a strong 2025-26 season. At the time of this writing, they sport a 24-10-6 record and are third in the Western Conference standings.

One of the many reasons for the Wild's good start to the season has been the excellent play of former Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Johansson. 

Johansson, 35, has been one of the NHL's biggest surprises this season. In 38 games so far this campaign with the Wild, the former Sabres forward has recorded 12 goals, 20 assists, 32 points, and a plus-21 rating. This is after he had 11 goals and 34 points but in 72 games this past season, so there is no question that the veteran forward is exceeding expectations in a big way for Minnesota. 

Johansson just keeps staying hot as the season carries on, too. During the Wild's most recent game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 29, the former Sabre scored a goal and recorded three assists. With this, he played a massive role in the Wild's 5-2 win over the Golden Knights. 

It will now be interesting to see how Johansson builds on his strong 2025-26 season, but it is clear that the 16-year veteran is feeling it right now. 

In 60 games for the Sabres during the 2019-20 season, Johansson posted nine goals, 21 assists, and 30 points .

With the ball about to drop on 2025, The Hockey News Ottawa looks back on some of the biggest Senators news of the calendar year. The biggest news of all was the Senators finally returning to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in eight years. Unfortunately, as they have so many times in the distant past, they came out on the wrong end of the Battle of Ontario.

While the return to the playoffs was the year’s biggest news, it certainly wasn’t the only big news. Here’s a review of some of the big Senators' moments over the past year, starting with January through April.

January

Ridly Greig Re-signs

The Senators signed Greig to a four-year extension worth $3.25 million (AAV). The 22-year-old was scheduled to become a restricted free agent in the summer. “Ridly has established himself as a key member of our team going forward,” GM Steve Staios said in a club statement. “He brings a good mix of versatility and tenacity to our forward group.”

Greig was part of a lucrative 2020 NHL Draft for the Senators, who currently have six players on their roster from that draft: Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson, Tyler Kleven, Leevi Meriläinen, and Cole Reinhardt. “I am grateful to the Senators for the opportunity to spend the next four years with this group,” Greig said. “I am looking forward to continuing to develop and to the chance to win with this team.”

Leevi Meriläinen Becomes the Emergency Starter

With injuries to veterans Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg, 22-year-old Leevi Meriläinen was forced into action as Ottawa’s starting goalie. Meriläinen was brilliant in 12 games with the club, posting an 8-3-1 record, a 1.99 goals-against average, and a .925 save percentage.

Sens Announce Preseason Games in Quebec City

Ottawa announced they would play a pair of preseason games in Quebec City in September against the New Jersey Devils and the Montreal Canadiens. The club felt like there might be Quebec City hockey fans who are undecided on their NHL allegiances.

However, the Sens came away red-faced when they trotted out their mascot, Spartacat, wearing a jersey that was half Senators and half Nordiques. Some Sens fans were already annoyed that the club was promoting itself in front of a fan base that is starving to get its NHL team back. The mascot wearing the Nordiques crest only amplified the fan base’s annoyance.

Nick Cousins Suffers Knee Injury

In a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nick Cousins suffered a serious knee injury after a knee-on-knee collision with Jacob Quillan. Cousins missed the next 30 games following knee surgery, returning just before the playoffs.

Senators Announce Quarter-Century Team

The NHL announced the Senators’ Quarter-Century First and Second Teams. The First Team was made up of the Pizza Line with Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson. The defencemen were Erik Karlsson and Wade Redden, with Craig Anderson in goal. The Second Team was Brady Tkachuk, Marian Hossa, and Mark Stone up front. Chris Phillips and Zdeno Chára were the defence, and Patrick Lalime was the goaltender.

February

Meriläinen Sent Down

Despite outplaying the Senators’ two older goaltenders, Meriläinen was sent down to the minors when Ullmark and Forsberg got healthy. It was becoming apparent that the Senators would not re-sign Forsberg as a pending RFA, but the Senators wanted to protect their goaltending depth for the rest of the season. If they had sent down Forsberg, they may have lost him on waivers. Meriläinen was waiver-exempt, so down he went.

Hamburglar Anniversary

The Senators celebrated the 10th anniversary of the famous Hamburglar run, inviting him to town for a pregame ceremony at Canadian Tire Centre. Andrew Hammond played out of his mind filling in for the injured Craig Anderson in the second half of the 2015 season. With masked Ottawa fans happily hurling hamburgers onto the ice after every win, the Hamburglar’s record that spring was a stunning 20-1-2 with a .941 save percentage and a 1.79 goals-against average, propelling the Senators into the playoffs.

Hartman Slams Stützle

Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman was suspended for 10 games for slamming Senators forward Tim Stützle to the ice face-first during a faceoff. A couple of weeks later, Gary Bettman swept in and reduced Hartman’s suspension to just eight games.

Senators at the Four Nations

February marked a return of a best-on-best event as the NHL’s Four Nations Face-Off made its debut. Team USA had the highest Senators content, with both Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson suiting up. Linus Ullmark made Team Sweden, and Nikolas Matinpalo got the call to fill in for injured Finnish defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen.

March

The Norris Trade

March will best be remembered for a pair of Senators deals at the NHL trade deadline. The biggest was Josh Norris heading to Buffalo in a deal for fellow centre Dylan Cozens. The Senators also received defenceman Dennis Gilbert and a second-round draft pick in 2026. Heading to the Sabres with Norris was defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker, who had suffered a leg injury in January but was now healthy and having a hard time cracking Ottawa’s starting six.

The Zetterlund Deal

That was one of two big deals the Senators made that day. They also acquired winger Fabian Zetterlund from the San Jose Sharks, along with forward Tristen Robbins and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick. In return, the Sharks got Noah Gregor, Zack Ostapchuk, and a 2025 second-round draft pick.

March Madness

Senators head coach Travis Green hit a major coaching milestone, appearing in his 400th game behind an NHL bench. After the NHL’s Four Nations Face-Off, the Senators crafted their own version of March Madness with a 7-0-1 record, which translated to a smooth .938 points percentage. That streak saved the season, because as March began, the Senators were on a five-game skid and trailed both the Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets by four points for the two wild-card spots.

Those are some of the highlights from the first quarter of 2025. Coming up next? We're look back at April to June, which was the best part of 2025 for the Ottawa Senators.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa

This article is from The Hockey News-Ottawa. For more Ottawa Senators coverage, check out THN.com/Ottawa, and don't forget to join Steve at the Senators Roundtable by leaving a comment.

Read more Ottawa Senators news and features at The Hockey News:

Senators Announce That Linus Ullmark Is Taking Leave Of Absence
Top Ottawa Senators Prospect Suits Up Again At World Juniors
Josh Norris: 'I Really Felt Like (Ottawa Fans) Had My Back, Even When I Was Injured'
NHL Player Fined For Cross-Checking Senators Star Tim Stutzle In The Face
Ottawa Senators Have A Soft Spot For Their Tough Guy
Senators Announce Their Latest Addition To Ring Of Honour

Adam Jiricek's season with Brantford of the Ontario Hockey League has been filled with plenty of personal and team success.

No matter what happens with his season in the OHL, the St. Louis Blues 2024 first-round pick in the NHL Draft's moment at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship on Monday will go down as a lasting memory.

Jiricek scored a between-the-legs overtime game-winner for Czechia, which rebounded from a late third-period goal surrendered and topped Finland 2-1.

The defenseman took a pass with his back to the goal from Petr Sykora and in one motion, spun and put the puck between his legs before raising his shot over the left shoulder of Finland goalie Petteri Rimpinen at 3:39 for the winner after Finland's Emil hemming tied the game with 20 seconds left in regulation to ease and add much-needed relief for the Czechs after losing a lead late:

Oh my goodness ... Adam Jiricek ... that was nasty. In OT for Czechia #stlblues ... https://t.co/94iCXpfByI

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) December 29, 2025

Jiricek led Czechia in ice time at 25:28 and was a plus-1 with three shots on goal.

After opening with a loss to Canada (7-5), Czechia is in third place in Group B with five points (1-1-0-1) and next plays Latvia on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.

As for Sweden, it was a relative easy 8-1 win against Germany on Monday to improve the Swedes to 3-0-0-0 (nine points) in Group A.

Blues goalie prospect, 2025 sixth-round pick Love Harenstam, who stopped 44 of 48 shots in Sweden's first two games, was the backup to Herman Liv on Monday and got a day of rest.

Harenstam is projected to get the start for Sweden when it opposed the United States on Wednesday at 5 p.m. for the top seed from Group A.

Colten Ellis Grateful For Time In St. Louis Blues Organization; Goalie Is Stoked To Be In NHL With Buffalo SabresGrateful for his Blues development, Ellis embraces his NHL opportunity, seizing his Sabres chance despite a recent injury setback. "When they told me I was going on waivers, I know that’s a process, I really didn’t know what to expect."

Another St. Louisan To Play Meaningful Game In Hometown For Sabres, Josh Dunne Joins Prestigious ListSabres forward hails from O'Fallon, Mo., has played here in past but only in preseason games

Suter Sidelined At Least Four Weeks With Ankle InjuryBlues center was hurt in third period of 3-2 win against Predators on Saturday despite returning to game

Blues Will Ride Whoever The Hot Goalie Is ... For NowJoel Hofer heats up, earning consecutive starts. The Blues are riding his hand, for now, as their goalie rotation shifts.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Seattle Kraken have assigned winger Jani Nyman to the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

Nyman has played in 24 games this season, scoring four goals and six points, but has struggled to earn consistent minutes under coach Lane Lambert. This season, he's averaging just 10:42 of ice time and has been a healthy scratch 13 times. 

The 21-year-old will join the Firebirds squad, who sit in fifth place in the Pacific Division with a 15-9-4-0 record. Nyman spent his rookie campaign with the Firebirds last year, notching 28 goals and 44 points in 58 games. 

Although Nyman has shown signs of being good enough to play in the NHL, returning to the AHL to get consistent minutes is likely what's best for him. He'll play in the top six for the Firebirds, most likely on the top line and be a key figure on the power play. His shot is NHL-ready, but he needs to find ways to use it.

A better understanding of where he needs to be in the offensive zone to get open for his teammates needs work, and figuring out ways to use his skill to put himself in high-danger areas when he has the puck. He's shown he can do so in the AHL, and this stint will help him improve in that area of the game. 

While Nyman heads back to the AHL, Jacob Melanson remains and continues to find ways to be effective on the fourth line. Since his call-up, Melanson has skated in eight games and recorded his first career NHL point last night, registering an assist on Ryan Winterton's goal. 

The 22-year-old stands six-foot, 207 pounds and plays with speed and physicality. With Jaden Schwartz out, Ben Meyers and Melanson have earned the opportunity to remain in the NHL. They've formed a solid fourth line with Tye Kartye or Ryan Winterton.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will welcome the Carolina Hurricanes to PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night for the first of four meetings this season.

The Hurricanes are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the New York Rangers on Monday, while the Penguins got back in the win column on Sunday with a 7-3 thrashing of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hurricanes and Penguins played three times last year, with the Hurricanes winning each matchup. The Penguins have lost four of their last five to the Hurricanes heading into Tuesday's contest. 

Sebastian Aho has been great once again for the Hurricanes in the first half of the season, compiling 14 goals and 35 points in 38 games. Seth Jarvis leads the team in goals with 19, but is currently out with an injury. 

Star defenseman Jaccob Slavin is also out with an injury, which is a big deal since he's one of the best defensive defenseman in the NHL. He gets all the matchups against each team's top line and is elite in his own end. 

The Hurricanes have gotten good production from forward Jackson Blake this season (12 goals and 24 points). Nikolaj Ehlers, who is in his first season with the team, only has eight goals in 38 games but does have 26 points. 

This has been a tough matchup for the Penguins over the last few years, due to the Hurricanes' relentlessness and their elite ability to shut things down in their own zone. High-danger chances may be hard to come by, so if the Penguins get one, they'll have to do whatever it takes to bury it. 

As for lineup changes, Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed after the morning skate that Stuart Skinner will start in goal. He's continuing to rotate starts between Skinner and fellow goaltender Arturs Silovs. 

Yegor Chinakhov, who was acquired via trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, will not be in the lineup. 

Here's a look at the projected lineup:

Forwards: 

Rakell-Crosby-Rust

Mantha-Novak-Brazeau

McGroarty-Kindel-Koivunen

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensive pairs:

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Kulak-Letang

Shea-St. Ivany

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

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