The New Jersey Devils were off for a travel day yesterday but still managed a busy day. Anthony Mantha went on long-term injured reserve with the throat injury from a high stick on Saturday on Long Island, Lenni Hameenaho got his first call-up of the season, Stefan Noesen is back from Utica, and Riley Tufte went back down after a road trip spent entirely in a suit. Then there’s Johnathan Kovacevic, who left Tuesday’s loss in Winnipeg in the second period and was set for imaging once the team got home. There was no update on him as of Wednesday night.

That’s the backdrop for a home-and-home with the Washington Capitals that starts Thursday in Newark. Around the league, Philadelphia spent the day insisting Matvei Michkov isn’t going anywhere, a rumored Rickard Rakell deal to Chicago may have died on his no-trade list, and the New York Rangers kept pace in the Metro. The links are below.

Wednesday’s roster moves

Devils Trade Rumors & News

In this week’s Devils Dissected for NJHN+ members, Daniel Amoia and I went through what the loss in Winnipeg exposed, from special teams to a possible Kovacevic problem. The Devils went 0-for-4 on the power play and gave up two goals on four Jets chances, and that’s no longer a small-sample issue nearly a quarter of the way into the season. If Kovacevic misses time, the right side of the blue line gets thin in a hurry, right as the Devils start a home-and-home with Washington.

The latest Devils Postgame Live: Hellebuyck hears it in Winnipeg, and Mercer and Daws beat the Devils.

YouTube · Apple Podcasts · · Amazon Music · TikTok

NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now

Frank Seravalli caught up with Daniel Briere at the GM meetings in Toronto, and the Philadelphia Flyers GM says there’s no plan to trade Matvei Michkov. “This is all news to me,” Briere said of Kevin Weekes’ report that Michkov wants a fresh start. Briere also shrugged off Michkov’s bench blowup with Nick Seeler. Michkov has 10 goals in 20 games for a 5-10-5 team.

William James has Michkov’s own answer and the Flyers’ stance on a trade. Team sources told Philly Hockey Now they hadn’t heard anything from Michkov’s camp. Michkov said he’s happy in Philadelphia but dodged the question about wanting out: “I no read all news. I no talk interview. I need concentration just on tonight’s game.”

Jack Bushman asks whether a Chicago Blackhawks trade for Pittsburgh Penguins winger Rickard Rakell got nixed. Keith Yandle said on Spittin’ Chiclets that he’d heard Rakell turned down a move to Chicago, and Rakell’s contract carries an eight-team no-trade list. Rakell, 33, has goals in six of his last nine games and is signed through 2027-28 at $5 million.

Dan Kingerski’s Penguins Q&A is all trade talk this week, from Evgeni Malkin’s three-team list to whether Kyle Dubas will lower his asking prices. Devils fans will want the Simon Edvinsson answer: Kingerski says the Detroit defenseman will cost multiple high picks or one very high pick, which is well beyond Pittsburgh’s budget.

John Kreiser recaps the New York Rangers‘ 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames in their final visit to the Saddledome. Mika Zibanejad scored twice in the second period, both set up by Alexis Lafreniere, and Joonas Korpisalo made 30 saves. The Rangers are 11-8-1 and 11-1-0 when scoring first.

Kevin Allen asks where the Detroit Red Wings‘ confidence went. Detroit has five goals in four straight losses, Alex DeBrincat and Viktor Arvidsson have no points in that stretch, and Allen says the slump adds pressure on Shawn Horcoff to land a scorer in any Dylan Larkin deal.

George Richards writes that Sam Bennett has cranked it up for the Florida Panthers after a slow start. Bennett scored twice in Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Columbus and has four goals in five games this month.