Examining 2025-26 European Pro Free Agent Signings
An NHL team’s chase of a Stanley Cup championship is relentless. Often, true contention requires a veteran team with management willing to go all-in on its current group of players, something that often takes the form of mortgaging the team’s future draft picks and prospects in exchange for immediate reinforcements. For clubs in this phase of the competitive cycle, taking advantage of every possible avenue to add talent is essential to extending their window to win.
The Chicago Blackhawks were able to supplement their championship teams in the mid-2010s thanks to shrewd scouting of European professional leagues, and a willingness to proactively source and give opportunities to talented, often undrafted free agent players from overseas. Chicago reaped the benefits of this approach, finding NHL-level contributors such as Antti Raanta, Erik Gustafsson, Kevin Lankinen, Jan Rutta, Michal Kempny, David Kampf, and, of course, star Artemi Panarin. Teams have attempted to mimic Chicago’s approach in the years since, to varying levels of success. Here, we’ll check in on notable players who signed with NHL organizations from European pro leagues for 2025-26.
Charle-Édouard D’Astous, LHD, Tampa Bay Lightning
Signed one-year at $775K NHL/$150K AHL/$200K Guaranteed from Brynäs IF, SHL
When a team signs an undrafted free agent from the European pro ranks, most hope those signings pay off the way the Lightning’s signing of D’Astous has. It was a long road for D’Astous to reach an NHL organization. After captaining the QMJHL’s Rimouski Océanic and winning the league’s Defenseman of the Year award, D’Astous began his pro career in the ECHL. While he only played sporadically in the AHL, his steep upward trajectory began in North America’s third-tier league.
In 2021-22, D’Astous broke out, scoring a whopping 45 goals and 87 points in 70 combined regular season and playoff games. The performance earned him the ECHL’s Defenseman of the Year award, as well as a contract in the Finnish Liiga with KooKoo.
In D’Astous’ second year with KooKoo, he managed 46 points in 54 games, which landed him Liiga’s Defenseman of the Year award and a contract in the SHL with Brynäs. D’Astous instantly translated his Liiga success to the SHL, scoring 39 points in 49 games and earning that league’s Defenseman of the Year honors.
The Lightning took notice of D’Astous’ rapid climb to the top of European pro hockey, and signed him to a modest one-year, two-way contract, likely with the expectation that he’d begin with their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, and go from there.
D’Astous did indeed start the year in Syracuse, but he didn’t last very long there. After scoring three points in his debut for the Crunch, D’Astous played an additional trio of games before earning a recall to Tampa Bay. The Lightning won seven of their first eight games with D’Astous in the lineup, and he quickly earned the trust of head coach Jon Cooper. After playing just 10:36 in his second NHL game, D’Astous earned 17:11 in his third contest and just a few weeks later was regularly crossing the 20-minute mark.
The strong offensive production from Europe has translated somewhat to the NHL, as D’Astous is scoring at a 32-point 82-game pace. But perhaps more impressively for a defenseman with no NHL experience entering the season, D’Astous is averaging 19:23 time on ice per game, with infrequent use on special teams. Among Lightning blueliners with at least 30 games played this season, D’Astous ranks No. 3 in time-on-ice per game, ahead of even veteran Erik Cernak.
Tampa Bay acted quickly to secure D’Astous’ services beyond this season, inking him to a one-year, one-way contract extension at a $875K value. Given D’Astous’ performances thus far in his NHL career, there is a strong chance he provides the team with surplus value on that cap hit. Although he’s just 43 games into his NHL career, it appears the Lightning may have found a bona fide NHL defenseman in D’Astous, who cost them nothing (besides his contract) to add into their organization. For a team whose prospect pool ranked last in the NHL entering the season according to Elite Prospects, finding hidden gems such as D’Astous (and former minor-league free agent Darren Raddysh) has helped replenish Tampa’s depth and extend the length of their competitive window.
David Tomasek, RW, Edmonton Oilers
Signed one-year, one-way at $1.2MM from Färjestad BK, SHL
Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman was the lead hockey operations executive for those aforementioned Chicago Blackhawks teams, and as a result, it came as no surprise to see him mine the European professional leagues in search of NHL-caliber talent. The Oilers are looking to win a Stanley Cup on an immediate basis, and the pressure of that wide-open competitive window has caused the quality of the team’s prospect pool and overall organizational depth to decline. The salary cap simply doesn’t allow for a contending team to stockpile depth in its organization the way it might have been able in the past, and GMs such as Bowman have sought out alternative talent acquisition avenues in response.
Tomasek was the most expensive signing of the Oilers’ class of European pro free agents. He signed a one-year, one-way $1.2MM deal after a season where he led the SHL in scoring. Beyond his SHL experience, Tomasek had also proven himself at the international level, winning a gold medal with his native Czechia at the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship. A 6’2″, 210-pound winger, Tomasek was likely expected to be an instant ‘plug-and-play’ NHLer, a belief that is reflected in the size of his contract.
But while D’Astous’ success might have given the impression that standout players in top European pro leagues find the transition to the North American game relatively easy, the reality is there are more players who are unable to successfully cross the Atlantic than there are players who find their footing. Tomasek is an example of the former. He played in 22 games for the Oilers, averaging 10:45 time on ice per game, including 1:45 per game on the power play. He managed three goals and five points in that span, and before the calendar flipped to 2026, he agreed on a mutual contract termination with the Oilers.
Despite failing to carve out a role as an NHL player, Tomasek has been able to pick up right where he left off in the SHL with Färjestad. Since returning to Sweden’s top league, he has 11 points in 11 games.
Max Shabanov, RW, New York Islanders
Signed one-year, one-way at $975K (with $3.5MM in performance bonuses) from Traktor Chelyabinsk, KHL
Often, the European pro free agents that generate the most attention and hype in North America are the top KHL imports. There is a long history of KHL signings finding instant success in the NHL, such as the aforementioned Panarin, or more recently Andrei Kuzmenko, who scored 39 goals and 74 points in his first season in the NHL. Shabanov was widely considered to be the top KHL free agent of the cycle, and he followed the path of fellow KHL import signing Max Tsyplakov by signing with the Islanders.
While there might have been some expectation that Shabanov would hit the ground running the way Panarin or Kuzmenko did, given his stellar platform season in the KHL (67 points in 65 regular-season games, 20 points in 21 playoff games) that hasn’t happened yet. The 25-year-old has had his moments, but is currently sitting on just four goals and 16 points in 40 games, despite receiving 1:42 time on ice per game on the man advantage.
The biggest barrier Shabanov faces when it comes to translating his KHL success to the NHL is his size. Standing 5’8″, 168 pounds, Shabanov is undersized by NHL standards, and wingers of his stature typically need to have some sort of standout on-ice trait in order to produce at the NHL level. Goal scorers Cole Caufield and Alex DeBrincat bring an elite shot and goal-scoring instincts as traits that have driven them to stardom. 435-game NHL veteran Nathan Gerbe brought a high work ethic, relentless compete level, and consistent shift-by-shift impact to the table to help him carve out a bottom-six role.
As of now, the trait that will allow Shabanov to have an extended NHL career has not fully emerged. But he has been able to at least stick on the Islanders’ roster to this point, and given his KHL pedigree, it’s not out of the question he finds his way. At a relatively minimal expense on their cap sheet, Shabanov’s signing remains a worthwhile gamble for New York.
Josh Samanski, C, Edmonton Oilers
Signed two-year ELC at $877.5K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from Straubing Tigers, DEL
While the Oilers’ signing of Tomasek was grounded in the fact that he was a star and leading scorer in one of Europe’s best leagues, their signing of Samanski was more speculative. The 23-year-old undrafted German forward had a strong breakout season in the DEL, scoring 40 points in 52 games.
But unlike the names listed above, he was not considered one of the league’s best talents. But at 23 years old, he was at an earlier point in his developmental curve than those players, and the Oilers likely reasonably believed there was additional upside in his game that had not yet materialized, but could be drawn out by the team’s development staff. 
Edmonton signed Samanski to an entry-level deal, and so far, their investment has shown promise. He’s scored 28 points in 39 games for the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, good for sixth on the team in scoring.
His performances also earned him an NHL opportunity, as he was on the Oilers’ NHL roster before the Olympic break. He has two assists in his five career NHL games thus far, and has averaged 9:21 time on ice per game.
Samanski’s physical tools give him a natural advantage in his chase of a bottom-six center role in the NHL, and given his solid progress so far in 2025-26, it’s not out of the question that the Oilers land a legitimate NHL player in Samanski.
A key storyline to watch in his development will be the progress of his defensive game. That will likely be the bedrock of Samanski’s value proposition to NHL teams, as the requisite tools for him to play an offensive top-six role are not evident in his game. The Condors have the AHL’s No. 12-ranked penalty kill, and Samanski is a regular shorthanded contributor in the AHL. It will be interesting to see if he gets a look on the penalty kill at the NHL level, where the Oilers have struggled this season.
A notable dimension to Samanski’s signing is that he is represented by Andy Scott of Octagon hockey; Scott also represents Oilers star Leon Draisaitl, who is the game’s leading German player.
Atro Leppänen, LHD, Edmonton Oilers
Signed one-year ELC at $877.5K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from Sport Vaasa, Liiga
Scoring 60 points in Finland’s Liiga, which is a lower-scoring league in comparison to the NHL, is an impressive feat for any player. For Leppänen, who scored 63 points in just 60 games last season, his performance was doubly impressive due to the fact that he is a defenseman. His stellar offensive production meant he was likely to generate NHL interest, and Bowman’s Oilers scooped him up with a one-year entry-level deal.
Unlike Tomasek and Samanski, Leppänen has yet to debut for the Oilers at the NHL level. As a high-octane offensive defenseman with a defensive game that is still a work in progress, Leppänen was likely always going to take longer to reach the NHL. That was made especially true as Leppänen took some time to find his footing at the AHL level and battled injury. He’s a candidate to receive a recall if he can earn a greater level of trust on the defensive end in the AHL. If he can shore up that side of his game and even get some reps on Bakersfield’s penalty kill, a call-up could come.
The Oilers appeared pleased enough with Leppänen’s transition to North America that they inked him to a one-year contract extension on Feb. 2. The deal carries a hefty $360K AHL salary and $400K total guarantee, signaling the Oilers expect Leppänen to be at minimum a top-pairing defenseman and power play quarterback for Bakersfield moving forward. At the very least, the Oilers landed a quality AHL offensive blueliner at the cost of under $200K. In a league where top veteran defensemen such as Zac Jones and Calle Rosen can make upwards of $500K at the AHL level, those are not insignificant savings.
Viljami Marjala, LW, Edmonton Oilers
Signed two-year ELC at $775K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from TPS Turku, Liiga
Another point-per-game Liiga player signed by the Oilers, Marjala is actually a former Buffalo Sabres draft choice whose rights the team elected to let lapse. Marjala enjoyed a rapid rise in Liiga after signing there at the end of his QMJHL career, and that landed him a shot in the Oilers organization. Alongside NCAA free agent signing Quinn Hutson, Marjala has been Bakersfield’s most lethal scorer this season with 41 points in 46 games.
The Oilers’ near-term competitive hopes and the competition that already exists along the wings might keep Marjala from making it to the NHL this season, but his performance is strong enough where Edmonton would at least be forced to consider him when pondering who to call up.
In a landscape where a large portion of European pro signings end up terminating their deals to return to their former leagues, Marjala’s success is a win for the Oilers organization, even if he hasn’t yet made his NHL debut. He stands a very real chance at cracking the 60-point plateau in the AHL. Like Leppänen, the fact that he costs under $200K playing on an ELC is driving real cost savings for the Oilers’ minor-league payroll. Veteran scorers in the AHL can cost more than double that if they’re on a two-way deal, and unlike some of the league’s more established scorers, Marjala does not occupy a “veteran” slot under the AHL’s Development Rule.
Anton Lundmark, RW, Florida Panthers
Signed one-year ELC at $877.5K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from Timrå IK, SHL
While signing European professional free agents to entry-level contracts can be an avenue for teams to generate cost savings at the AHL level, it’s not a surefire strategy. Some players are able to quickly translate what made them successful in the SHL, or Liiga, to the AHL, and produce almost instantly from when they step onto North American ice. Other players find the adjustment more challenging, and end up returning to Europe midway through their North American debut season.
Lundmark, the Panthers’ SHL signing, is a player who fits into the latter category. The 24-year-old offers an impressive set of physical tools standing 6’4″, 192 pounds, but was unable to make a consistent impact at the AHL level. He played sparingly in Charlotte Checkers head coach Geordie Kinnear‘s lineup, averaging under 10 minutes time on ice per game. Lundmark and the Panthers hit the eject button on their partnership after just nine AHL games, despite the Checkers going 7-1-1 in games in which Lundmark played. By the middle of December, Lundmark was back with Timrå in the SHL, where he has four points in 14 games.
Anri Ravinskis, RW, Vancouver Canucks
Signed two-year ELC at $775K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from HPK, Liiga
The Canucks’ signing of Ravinskis, an undrafted 23-year-old Latvian winger, was the end result of a year where the player rose rapidly through the ranks of pro hockey. He began the season in Finland’s second-tier Mestis, but joined HPK in December after scoring 21 points in 23 games. He ended the season on the Latvian national team at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championships, where he scored two points. Vancouver saw enough in Ravinskis to sign him to an entry-level deal, but thus far, his time in North America has been difficult.
Ravinskis has not played since Jan. 31, and has just three points in 27 games. He typically plays a bottom-six role with little to no usage on special teams, a far cry from the role he played for HPK when he scored 17 points in the final 27 games of their season. Seeing as Vancouver is on the hook for another year at just under $200K guaranteed on Ravinskis’ deal, the hope will be that he can take a few steps forward in his game as he continues to acclimate to the North American pro game. He does have a big opportunity ahead of him to get his season back on track, as he’s part of Latvia’s national team for the ongoing Winter Olympics in Italy.
Wojciech Stachowiak, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
Signed one-year at $775K NHL/$200K AHL from ERC Ingolstadt, DEL
Stachowiak, a 26-year-old forward from Poland, looked a few years ago as though he was overwhelmingly likely to spend his entire pro career in Europe. The former Michigan State Spartan had played in 72 games in Germany’s top league to that point with Ingolstadt, and had only managed 11 points. Then he had a breakout season in 2022-23 as Ingolstadt made a run to the DEL finals, scoring 16 goals and 34 points in 56 games.
That season served as Stachowiak’s arrival as a top-six talent at the DEL level. He followed his breakout season up with another two seasons of solid production, and capped off his DEL career scoring 11 points in 12 playoff games to help his club reach the league semifinals. The Lightning, likely believing Stachowiak’s two-way game could translate well to North America, inked the player to a one-year contract not too far above what he likely would have earned if he was in the age range to receive an ELC. So far, Stachowiak has been steady for the Crunch.
He’s scoring at a 17-goal, 32-point 72-game pace, and is factoring into both sides of his team’s special teams. Is an NHL future on the table for him? It looks somewhat unlikely at this point, but he’s at least providing the Lightning with a decent return-on-investment, and he could very well see an uptick in his production in the second half of the season, now that he’s more acclimated to the AHL game.
Simon Zajicek, G, Boston Bruins
Signed one-year ELC at $775K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from HC Litvínov, Czech Extraliga
While there have been some skaters who have successfully made the transition to the NHL level as European pro free agent signings, there is arguably an even greater legacy of success in terms of these signings at the goalie position. Utah Mammoth starting netminder Karel Vejmelka is an example of this happening, signing out of the Czech league for 2021-22. Although he signed at a notably earlier stage of his career, Zajicek is likely hoping to follow a similar career path to Vejmelka.
The 24-year-old signed an ELC with Boston after leading the Czech Extraliga in save percentage in 2024-25. He went 15-13-0 in 29 contests with HC Litvínov, and added a .927 save percentage in three playoff contests. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman rated Zajicek as the top available European pro/NCAA/CHL free agent netminder last year, writing that Zajicek’s “quickness and smarts give him a legit chance to play games in the league.”
He hasn’t earned a recall to the NHL yet, but that’s more of a reflection of Boston’s depth at the position than anything else. Zajicek has gone 11-3-1 in 15 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins, posting a .923 save percentage along the way. He’s behind one of the AHL’s best goalies in 27-year-old Michael DiPietro on the depth chart, though, and DiPietro has a .943 save percentage across 27 games this season. While Zajicek’s performance certainly should give the Bruins confidence in their investment in him, they likely won’t see him at the NHL level too soon.
Michal Postava, G, Detroit Red Wings
Signed two-year ELC at $877.5K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from HC Kometa Brno, Czech Extraliga
The Bruins were not the only Atlantic Division contender to add a young free agent goalie from the Czech league. The Red Wings signed Postava, 23, from Brno, after he posted a .920 save percentage in 43 regular-season games and led his club to a league championship with a stellar .940 save percentage in a 17-game playoff run. The similarities to Zajicek don’t end there. Like Zajicek, Postava has also found instant success at the AHL level playing behind a very strong team. In 13 AHL games this season, Postava has a .937 save percentage. It’s difficult to parse how much that number has been inflated by how good AHL Grand Rapids has been this season, as starter Sebastian Cossa actually has the lowest save percentage of any goalie to suit up for the team this year, at a .928, which is still quite high.
With that said, the Red Wings have to at least be greatly encouraged by how Postava has started 2025-26 in the AHL. He’s firmly behind Cossa on the depth chart, but with Cossa likely to be in the NHL sooner rather than later (perhaps to replace 38-year-old Cam Talbot as Detroit’s No. 2 goalie next season), Postava could get the opportunity to be an AHL No. 1 as soon as 2026-27.
Photos courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck and Perry Nelson–Imagn Images
Ryan Suter Not Actively Pursuing A Contract
One of the more prominent unrestricted free agent defensemen still on the open market is veteran Ryan Suter. However, as Pierre LeBrun points out in his latest piece for The Athletic (subscription link), Suter doesn’t appear to be actively pursuing a contract. While he isn’t ready to say he has retired and would listen to an offer if it came in, he instructed his agent earlier this summer not to call teams to try to drum up a market for his services.
The 40-year-old has been an NHL regular for the past 20 years, suiting up in 1,526 regular season contests over that span, good for 19th all-time. Even a partial campaign this year could put him in the top 15. It’s also fair to say that he has logged some heavy minutes over that stretch with an average TOI at over 24 minutes per game, including two seasons with Minnesota where he averaged over 29 minutes a night.
In his prime, Suter was a steady offensive contributor from the back end as well. He had a stretch of 13 straight seasons with at least 30 points with seven of those seeing him record at least 40. The end result was 696 points, ranking him 33rd among all-time NHL rearguards.
Last season, Suter was a regular for the Blues after inking a one-year deal worth the league minimum of $775K plus $2.25MM in potential performance bonuses, many of which were simply tied to games played; the structure gave St. Louis some additional short-term cap flexibility. While he only managed 15 points in 82 games, he still logged over 19 minutes a night while often playing on their top penalty kill pairing. While he’s a year older now, his performance last season showed that he can still contribute at the NHL level.
At this point, Suter might be better served waiting into the season to sign to see if the right opportunity presents itself, either one with a contender or a chance to play close to home. Going through the full rigors of an 82-game season may not be the best option so a spot where he can be in more of a depth or reserve role would make sense in theory. But if that opportunity ultimately doesn’t present itself, it appears that Suter is content with calling it a career if it gets to that point.
Jack Roslovic Believed To Have Declined Offer From Oilers
One of the biggest free agent surprises this summer is that forward Jack Roslovic remains a free agent. Coming off matching his career high in goals last season with 22, the belief was that he’d land a multi-year deal with a raise from the $2.9MM he received last season; we had him ranked 20th in our annual Top 50 UFA list. Instead, as the preseason gets underway tonight, he’s still on the sidelines.
That isn’t to say that he hasn’t had offers, however. In his latest column for The Athletic (subscription link), Pierre LeBrun reports that the Oilers are believed to have made a pitch at some point during the summer, one that was declined. Considering that they’re very tight to the Upper Limit of the salary cap, it stands to reason that the proposal may have come very early in free agency before their roster was filled out. Otherwise, the offer would have needed to be relatively close to the minimum salary for them to stay cap-compliant.
As much as Roslovic has bounced around recently (he has played for three different teams in the last year and a half), he has been able to provide some decent consistent secondary scoring. He had 39 points last season, extending his streak to five straight years of recording more than 30 points. Between that and his ability to play down the middle when needed, Roslovic seemed to be in better shape than he was last summer when he ultimately accepted a one-year deal from Carolina.
LeBrun notes that Roslovic’s desire remains to secure a multi-year contract and he has changed to being represented by ASM’s Justin Duberman (he was previously repped by 4Sports’ Claude Lemieux). Whether that will be enough to get the term and money he’s seeking remains to be seen but with most rosters set heading into the season, it won’t be easy.
Carter Hart Expected To Receive Interest From Multiple Teams
Earlier this week, the NHL announced that the five Hockey Canada players who were found not guilty of sexual assault earlier this summer would be suspended to December 1st but would be eligible to sign an NHL contract as of October 15th. It appears that goaltender Carter Hart will get an opportunity to continue his career; Chris Johnston reports in his latest piece for The Athletic (subscription link) that Hart is expected to receive interest from multiple teams and should have a handshake deal in place by the start of next month.
Hart last played near the midway point of the 2023-24 season before taking a leave from the team when charges were about to be laid. Then, when his contract expired, the Flyers didn’t issue a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.
The 27-year-old has played in 227 career NHL contests, all with the Flyers who drafted him in the second round back in 2016. Hart started off quite strong with Philadelphia before his performance started to dip, coinciding with their struggles in the standings. Overall, he has a 2.94 GAA along with a .906 SV% and six shutouts over his six-season career.
While there has been some speculation that the Flyers could look to bring him back, Johnston suggests that’s unlikely to be the case as Hart is believed to be looking for a fresh start. Meanwhile, Philadelphia already has Samuel Ersson and newcomer Daniel Vladar in the fold while prospect Aleksei Kolosov will also be in camp with the team, as will Ivan Fedotov who looks like a waiver candidate as things stand.
Johnston added that Hart is almost certainly going to sign with a U.S.-based team which would take the long-speculated possibility of the netminder signing with his hometown team in Edmonton. There were no teams specified as likely landing spots but his priorities are finding a team with a chance to win but also provides him a chance at meaningful playing time.
Despite the long layoff, Johnston expects that Hart will get a multi-year contract from whoever he signs with. That said, it would be surprising if he received more than the $3.979MM he was making with the Flyers on his last contract so it might be in Hart’s best interest to look for a shorter-term pact if he is able to be an impact performer with his next team.
Even if an agreement is reached by the start of next month, he’ll have to wait a couple of weeks to officially sign it. From there, Hart would be able to practice with the team for a month to work on conditioning before being granted a conditioning stint in mid-November where he will see his first taste of AHL action since 2019.
Two Teams Remain In The Running To Sign Evgeny Kuznetsov
After making his intention to return to North America known, it was expected that free agent center Evgeny Kuznetsov would be snapped up relatively quickly in a UFA market that wasn’t exactly deep this summer. But instead, his market has been slow-played as he remains unsigned.
However, it appears that he may not be without a contract for much longer. His agent Shumi Babaev told Sports Daily’s Mikhail Nyukhin that his client has now identified two NHL teams that he’ll sign with; he didn’t specify who they were, however. Both of those teams are now in the process of trying to open up salary cap space to sign Kuznetsov. When asked about him signing a minimum-salary contract worth $775K, Babaev indicated that there have been no talks about that.
Last summer, the 33-year-old signed a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL which strongly suggested that his days of playing in the NHL had come to an end. But after a solid season that saw him record 12 goals and 25 assists in 39 games, the final three seasons of the agreement were terminated back in April but instead of looking for another team in Russia to sign with, he set his sights on returning to North America.
Kuznetsov last played in the NHL in 2023-24, starting that year with Washington, the only NHL team he had known after they drafted him in the first round in 2010. However, he re-entered the Player Assistance Program in February of that season and upon being cleared to return, the Capitals subsequently waived him. After he cleared (an unsurprising outcome given his $7.8MM cap charge), he was dealt with 50% retention to Carolina for a third-round pick.
Kuznetsov went on to pick up seven points in 20 games with the Hurricanes before tallying six more in 10 playoff outings, looking as if he could be a useful secondary contributor for them. However, he requested and was granted the termination of the final year of that contract to allow him to return to Russia; one year later, the opposite has happened.
In his prime, Kuznetsov was a legitimate number one center, allowing him to amass 173 goals and 402 assists in 743 games at the top level. But toward the end of that time, his production was starting to slow down and it’s fair to question how much of an impact he’ll have on a lineup now. However, it appears that there was enough of a market for him to be at least a little selective on where he’ll play at a salary higher than the minimum. It looks as if we’ll know somewhat soon where Kuznetsov will be suiting up in 2025-26.
Big Names Stay Patient As Extension Talks Loom
As the extension market heats up, several big-name forwards are staying patient while the landscape continues to reset, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast.
Several key players have one year remaining on their deals, making now an opportunity for extensions to be handed out. But with the new season quickly approaching, players like Jack Eichel, Alex Tuch, and Kyle Connor are expected to wait and see how the market develops.
In Eichel’s case, Friedman said he would be “shocked” if the forward doesn’t remain with the Vegas Golden Knights long-term. However, that isn’t stopping the 28-year-old from trying to maximize the value of his next extension. Coming off a career-high 94-point season, Eichel is entering the final year of his contract, which carries a $10 million AAV — a number that’s likely to rise with any future extension.
Friedman believes players like Tuch and Connor are in similar situations. Both are coming off what could be considered the best seasons of their careers, and both have one year remaining on their current contracts. Tuch matched a career high with 36 goals last season for the Sabres, while Connor finished just three points shy of 100 with the Jets.
“I think this whole group of players, they’re all feeling it out,” Friedman said. “Everyone is feeling it out to see how the market resets.”
Friedman feels the extension market will start to pick up after a relatively slow summer and believes Frank Nazar‘s recent seven-year extension with the Blackhawks will help speed things along. While Nazar’s situation differs from that of established veterans — the 21-year-old has played just 56 career NHL games — his lengthy extension still offers a useful benchmark for veterans during negotiations.
“And that Nazar one, one of the reasons we found out about that one before the Blackhawks announced it was because there was some talk here about how this was a big deal. This is a precedent-setting deal,” Friedman said.
Scheifele Excited To Add Toews To Mix
Count Winnipeg Jets alternate captain and first-line center Mark Scheifele among those excited about the addition of longtime NHL captain Jonathan Toews. Calling Toews’ signing with the Jets “the perfect storm,” Scheifele expressed excitement about adding the three-time Stanley Cup champion and Winnipeg native, per NHL.com’s Derek Van Diest.
“Coming back to Winnipeg, coming back from not playing for a couple of years, I thought it all made so much sense. I was obviously hoping that we were the front-runner and we’re very excited to have him,” said Scheifele.
Toews signed a one-year deal with Jets on June 20, marking his return to the NHL after being sidelined since April 2023 after being diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS). After a trip to India to seek additional healing practices, Toews announced in May that he intended to make a comeback, and ultimately chose to play for his hometown team.
While it’s difficult to predict how Toews will perform after such a long layoff, he’s expected to slot into a top-nine role and could provide the defending Presidents’ Trophy winners with a dependable two-way presence, which was a hallmark of his game during his time with the Blackhawks. Toews, along with fellow recent signees Gustav Nyquist, Tanner Pearson, and Cole Koepke, will look to pick up the offensive slack left behind by Nikolaj Ehlers, who signed with the Carolina Hurricanes this offseason.
Scheifele acknowledged that losing Ehlers is a challenge, but believes the team can take the next step in their success after being eliminated by the Dallas Stars in the second round of the playoffs.
“I think the biggest thing for us is to take those expectations and use it as motivation. You want to be just as good as last year, but at the same time, it’s about winning a Stanley Cup and that’s the end goal. We didn’t get that done last year and that at the end of the day, is our biggest goal,” he said.
Jani Hakanpaa Fully Cleared From Knee Injury, Has Had NHL Interest This Summer
Despite seeing very little game action, last season was an eventful one for free agent defenseman Jani Hakanpaa. He agreed to terms with Toronto on the opening day of free agency on a multi-year deal before his physical revealed concerns over his recovery from knee surgery. Eventually, a revised one-year pact was agreed upon with the hope that he’d be able to return at some point in the season.
However, that return only lasted two games in November before he was sidelined once again, landing right back on LTIR. But there was a chance he could have suited up in the playoffs as the 33-year-old told Ilta-Sanomat’s Ville Touru earlier this month that he had been cleared by team doctors to suit up if he was needed. Now, he says he has been fully cleared and is looking to sign with an NHL team for the upcoming season.
When healthy, Hakanpaa has been an effective third-pairing blueliner while bringing plenty of physicality to the table. Over his 290 career NHL appearances, he has 899 hits along with 45 points in 18 minutes a night of playing time. As a big right-shot player, there would be a decent market for his services if teams feel he can legitimately step up and contribute.
Hakanpaa noted that he has had some calls this summer from NHL teams but that he wanted to wait a little to see how the market shook out first. Whether that’s a sign that the offers weren’t to his liking or that he wanted to get a sense of where he might best fit remains to be seen.
Speculatively, given the injury trouble, he’s someone who stands out as a viable PTO candidate. He isn’t eligible for a one-year deal with performance incentives as while he meets the requirement of being on IR for 100 days last season, he doesn’t meet the games played criterion of 400 NHL appearances. But with Hakanpaa being healthy (or as healthy as he’s going to be following the surgery), he could be an intriguing pickup over the coming weeks.
League Notes: Berglund, Brazeau, Gorges
In an effort to strengthen the team’s depth chart and offer lineup flexibility for new head coach Dan Muse, Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas signed forward Justin Brazeau to a low-key, two-year, $3MM contract this offseason. Brazeau, in turn, is looking to build on the confidence he’s developed over the past few seasons, per team reporter Michelle Crechiolo.
Brazeau, 27, made the most of his first full NHL season last year. In 57 games for the Boston Bruins, the 6’6″, 220-pound winger averaged 12:58 of ice time per night and produced 10 goals and 20 points. He was then flipped to the Minnesota Wild in March, but couldn’t find similar offensive production, posting just two points in 19 games. Still, he finished the season with career highs across the board, including games played (76), goals (11), points (22), hits (123), and blocked shots (38). After bouncing around the ECHL and AHL for much of his pro career, Brazeau is looking to continue to build on his growth from last season.
“With every game, every day in the NHL, I think my confidence has kind of started to build and grow, getting adjusted to the speed of the game and the timings and stuff like that,” Brazeau said. “So, I don’t think it’s any one thing in particular. I think it’s just kind of that confidence and knowing that you belong in this league and you can be a good player.”
Brazeau, whom Dubas originally signed to his first pro contract during their time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, seems to fit the type of player the Penguins targeted this offseason. While it’s still unclear what head coach Dan Muse’s system will emphasize, the organization has clearly prioritized adding size and physicality to the lineup. Alongside Brazeau, Pittsburgh also brought in physically imposing players like forward Anthony Mantha and defensemen Connor Clifton and Alexander Alexeyev. The team also re-signed depth forward Bokondji Imama, who racked up 45 hits and 30 penalty minutes in just 16 games last season.
Elsewhere around the league:
- The World Junior Summer Showcase (WJSS) recently wrapped up, and several prospects impressed on the international stage, including Philadelphia Flyers 2024 second-round pick Jack Berglund. As team reporter Bill Meltzer outlines, the 19-year-old native of Sweden produced seven points in five WJSS games, which included two even-strength goals and two power-play goals. Berglund, who already stands at 6’2″, 210 pounds, also showcased a physical brand of hockey and mixed it up several times against Team USA and Team Finland. A center with strong defensive grades, Berglund spent most of last season playing with Färjestad BK of the SHL, Sweden’s top professional league. He posted just three points in 17 games, but served as one of the youngest members of the team. With a solid showing at the WJSS and his North American pro debut on the horizon, Berglund will be a player to watch for the Flyers.
- NHL veteran and alum Josh Gorges has been added to the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets coaching staff, per a team release. Gorges, 40, appeared in 783 games over 13 NHL seasons, and most recently laced it up with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2017-18 season. The rugged defender produced over 1,500 blocked shots and 1,000 hits during his career, which included stops in San Jose, Montreal, and Buffalo. In the late 2000s, Gorges was a staple in the Habs lineup, appearing in 80 or more games on three different occasions. The announcement is a bit of a homecoming for Gorges, as he played four seasons with Kelowna from 2000-2004.
Snapshots: Bichsel, Brett Murray, Bakersfield Deals
With the Dallas Stars parting ways with veterans Cody Ceci, Mathew Dumba and Brendan Smith, the door is fully open for 21-year-old defender Lian Bichsel to make a full impact on the blue line this season, per NHL.com’s Mike Heika.
Last season, during his rookie year, Bichsel, the Stars’ first-round pick in the 2022 draft (18th overall), appeared in 38 games, recording nine points, 23 blocked shots, and a team-leading 155 hits. The hulking 6’7″, 230-pound defenseman also suited up for 18 playoff games, contributing one assist and adding 75 more hits. His 16.4 hits per 60 minutes last season was nearly 10 higher than the second-place finisher (Colin Blackwell with 6.9).
A native of Switzerland, Bichsel appeared in the Swedish Hockey League for three seasons before coming over to North America, and worked his way into Dallas’ lineup in short order. And as Heika notes, Bichsel could slot into a variety of pairings on the Stars’ third defensive unit, but skating alongside veteran Alexander Petrovic would give him a steady, experienced presence. The two also have experience playing as a pairing in the AHL.
Elsewhere around the league:
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After spending the past six seasons in the Buffalo Sabres organization, primarily with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, winger Brett Murray is on the move, per Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat. Despite posting a career-high 27 goals for Rochester last season, the Sabres are set to part ways with one of their key AHL leaders. A fourth-round pick in the 2016 draft, Murray played two seasons at Penn State before making the jump to the pro ranks. He went on to appear in 26 NHL games for Buffalo, recording two goals and six points.
- The Edmonton Oilers’ top affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, signed four players to AHL deals, per a team announcement. The team signed forwards Matt Brown and Trevor Janicke and defensemen Mats Lindgren and Luke Prokop. Of note, Propkop was a third-round selection of the Nashville Predators in the 2020 draft, while Lindgren was a fourth-round selection of the Sabres in the 2022 draft.