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Archives for July 2025

Avalanche Hire Dave Hakstol As Assistant Coach

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The Colorado Avalanche have added some additional experience to their coaching staff. According to a team announcement, the Avalanche have hired Dave Hakstol as an assistant coach for the 2025-26 NHL season.

It’s been almost two years since Hakstol has coached on an NHL bench. He was the first head coach in Seattle Kraken franchise history, leading them to their first postseason in his second year, where they defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche in the first round.

Unfortunately, the team failed to live up to renewed expectations the following season, leading the Kraken and Hakstol to go in separate directions. He finished his tenure in Seattle with a 107-112-27 record in 246 games.

Before being hired by the Kraken, Hakstol had a two-year stint as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Before joining the Original Six franchise, Hakstol had been the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.

His time in Philadelphia was mostly a mixed bag. He finished with a winning record through the regular season and coached the Flyers to the playoffs in two seasons, but they failed to move beyond the opening round. Ultimately, Hakstol finished with a 134-101-42 record in Philadelphia over 277 games, but was fired partway through the 2018-19 season after a disappointing start to the season.

The former long-time head coach of the University of North Dakota now joins his fourth NHL franchise of his career and his second job as an assistant coach.

Canucks Re-Sign Jett Woo, Nikita Tolopilo

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According to a team announcement, the Vancouver Canucks have re-signed defenseman Jett Woo to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2025-26 season. In a separate announcement, the team shared that they’ve also re-signed netminder Nikita Tolopilo to a two-year, two-way contract.

PuckPedia shared the contractual details for Woo and Tolopilo. The former will earn $775K in the NHL and $290K in the AHL, while the latter will earn $775K in the NHL each year, with an AHL salary of $230K in 2025-26 and $380K in 2026-27.

Woo has been a mainstay on the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks blue line for several years. Vancouver drafted Woo with the 37th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft, although he was projected to be a first-round talent a few years before.

Despite having optimism that Woo’s offensive capabilities could grow into a serviceable top-four option in a few years, he hasn’t panned out as such. Still, he’s been relatively productive at the AHL level, scoring 21 goals and 83 points in 267 games with a +32 rating.

Meanwhile, unlike Woo, Tolopilo earned a few games of NHL action last season. It wasn’t the greatest first impression as far as save percentage goes (.885), but Tolopilo earned his spot in the organization through his AHL performance.

In his last two years with Abbotsford, Tolopilo has achieved a record of 40 wins, 27 losses, and 3 overtime losses in 71 games, with a .903 SV% and a 2.74 GAA, including four shutouts. Thanks to the outstanding play of Arturs Silovs, Tolopilo only featured in one game for the AHL Canucks on their run to a Calder Cup championship a few weeks ago.

NHL, NHLPA Ratify Four-Year CBA Extension

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July 8th: According to an announcement from the league, the NHL and NHLPA have officially ratified the four-year CBA extension. The agreed-upon governing document will last from the 2026-27 season to the 2029-30 season.

June 27th: In a pre-draft press conference, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman shared that the league has agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding with the NHLPA that, when ratified, would cement a new, four-year CBA, per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. The new CBA would begin in the 2026-27 season.

June 26th: As expected, all signs indicate the NHL will avoid another lockout. According to multiple reports, the NHL and NHLPA are closing in on a four-year extension for the Collective Bargaining Agreement. In a comprehensive breakdown, which our readers are encouraged to visit, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported some of the more important items mentioned in the upcoming CBA.

Since the new CBA that was ratified in 1995, each NHL team has played an 82-game season, with 41 games at home and 41 away. That will no longer be the case. Due to player concerns about the extended pre-season schedule, the NHL will implement an 84-game schedule starting with the 2026-27 season, likely featuring 42 home games and 42 away games. The pre-season will be shortened to four games, and Seravalli notes that any player who’s accumulated 100 or more games at the NHL level will only be allowed to participate in two of those contests.

Additionally, this will be the last year that a team can re-sign or extend a player on an eight-year deal. Seravalli reports that players re-signing with their current team will be limited to a maximum of seven years, while contracts signed during unrestricted free agency or through offer sheets will be capped at six years. This could have bigger implications this summer, with more teams potentially scrambling to sign their current players while retaining the ability to add another year.

Meanwhile, to address arguably the most important and, objectively, the most-publicized issue, the NHL will create a ’comprehensive playoff salary cap mechanism’ to close the LTIR loophole. In recent years, some playoff-bound teams have placed injured players on LTIR during the regular season, providing them with additional salary cap space to acquire higher-priced talent at the trade deadline. Most of these cases have been investigated and subsequently cleared by the league. However, the NHL is continuing its investigation into the Edmonton Oilers’ use of LTIR with Evander Kane leading up to the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Lastly, of the large-scale updates, the league confirmed the projected salary cap upper limits for the upcoming three seasons. The cap will rise to $95.5MM in 2025-26, increase by approximately 9% to $104MM in 2026-27, and by another 9% to $113MM in 2027-28.

Seravalli added several other additions to the upcoming CBA. Drafted players’ signing rights will be uniform across the board until they’re 22 years old, the elimination of deferred salary, and the establishment of a permanent emergency backup goaltender who will travel with the teams.

Washington Capitals Sign Sheldon Rempal

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The Washington Capitals are bringing Sheldon Rempal back to North America. According to a team announcement, the Capitals have signed Rempal to a one-year, two-way contract, paying him $775K at the NHL level and $450K in the AHL.

Rempal is one year removed from playing in the NHL. Last season, he suited up for the KHL’s Salavat Yulaev Ufa, scoring 31 goals and 61 points in 68 games with a +7 rating, finishing fourth in league scoring. He was equally impressive in the 2025 Gagarin Cup playoffs, scoring eight goals and 21 points in 19 contests.

Unfortunately, Rempal’s offensive skills are not widely recognized in NHL circles due to his limited playing time. He’s associated as being a Vegas Golden Knight, but has suited up in a few contests for the Los Angeles Kings, Carolina Hurricanes, and Vancouver Canucks.

Few people are aware of Rempal’s notable success in the AHL over six seasons, as he has not generated much attention at the top level of the game. Beginning in the 2018-19 season, he has been an impressive scorer in the AHL, tallying 108 goals and 252 points in 328 games before moving to Russia.

Given the two-way status on the contract, Rempal is likely expected to play for the Capitals’ AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. Having sky-high expectations after winning back-to-back Calder Cup championships, the Bears’ offense wasn’t necessarily bad this season, but it was largely by committee. Now that Rempal is in the mix, Hershey could have a high-scoring player leading the pack.

Jesse Puljujärvi Signs With NL’s Genève-Servette HC

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For the second time since being drafted fourth overall in the 2016 NHL Draft, Jesse Puljujärvi is taking his professional career overseas. According to a team announcement from the NL’s Genève-Servette HC, Puljujärvi has signed a new two-year contract with the organization.

Puljujärvi’s career trajectory is well known at this point. After scoring 13 goals and 28 points in 50 games for the Finnish Liiga’s Kärpät in the 2015-16 campaign, the Edmonton Oilers drafted Puljujärvi, believing he’d be a premier power forward for years to come.

Despite a solid showing with Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, he never gained much traction at the NHL level. Throughout his first three years playing for the Oilers, Puljujärvi scored 17 goals and 37 points in 139 games, averaging 12:28 of ice time with a -10 rating and 7.4% shooting percentage.

Knowing he needed a reset, Edmonton allowed Puljujärvi to return to his native Finland, again with Kärpät, to regain his confidence. After a few quality years with the only Liiga team he’s ever known, the Oilers quickly brought Puljujärvi back into the fold during the 2020-21 NHL season.

Although it still wasn’t up to his draft billing, there was reason for optimism in Puljujärvi’s game upon his return. In the two seasons following his return from Edmonton, Puljujärvi scored 29 goals and 61 points in 120 contests, averaging 15:44 of ice time with a +28 rating and 10.5% shooting percentage.

Unfortunately, Puljujärvi sank into his old ways during the 2022-23 campaign, and he was moved to the Carolina Hurricanes in a low-level trade. Since then, he’s had another two pit stops with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers.

Without knowing if he’ll make another return attempt, Puljujärvi will have last played professionally in North America for the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. In the 2024-25 season, he scored five goals and 13 points in 22 games for the Checkers. Additionally, he contributed three goals and 11 points in 18 postseason contests, helping Charlotte reach the 2025 Calder Cup Final.

Canadiens Interested In Adding To Forward Group

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While the Montreal Canadiens have had a busy start to the offseason and are currently over the cap, they’re still looking to add to their offensive group. According to RG’s Marco D’Amico, the Habs are exploring both free agency and trade options to add a forward.

Among those options, D’Amico reports that the Canadiens remain interested in trading for St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou — a player Montreal has previously been linked to. Playing all 82 games last season, he posted 36 goals and 70 points. It represented his third consecutive 30-goal campaign, and the 26-year-old added three goals in seven playoff games. Kyrou has five years remaining on his eight-year, $ 65MM contract, which carries a cap hit of $ 8.125 million annually. While Kyrou remains a popular name in trade discussions, any deal would have to overcome the hurdle of his no-trade clause.

Another player the Habs are keeping tabs on, per D’Amico, is NHL veteran Evgeny Kuznetsov, who is eyeing an NHL comeback. Kuznetsov, 33, appeared in 39 KHL games for SKA St. Petersburg last season and scored 37 points. He signed a four-year contract with the club last summer, but his contract was terminated in early April, presumably so he could return to North America.

As a staple for the Washington Capitals, Kuznetsov put up 568 points for the team in 723 games. He added 73 points in 97 playoff games for Washington and was nearly a point-per-game producer in the NHL as recently as the 2021-22 season (78 points in 79 games). However, his production dropped off after that, and Kuznetsov later revealed that his struggles with rheumatoid arthritis — which he says he now manages more effectively — contributed to his decline. He last played in the NHL during the 2023-24 season.

Of note, Kuznetsov served as a teammate and mentor to Ivan Demidov in Russia. Demidov signed a three-year, entry-level deal with Montreal in April, and a reunion with Kuznetsov could provide him with a familiar support system as he begins his NHL career.

No matter who the Canadiens decide to pursue, the team is currently over the salary cap by more than $5MM (according to PuckPedia). Therefore, General Manager Kent Hughes needs to trade away some contracts not only to make new additions but also to ensure the team is compliant with the salary cap.

Mammoth Sign Forward Jack McBain to Five-Year Contract

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The Utah Mammoth have signed forward Jack McBain to a five-year contract with an annual AAV of $4.25MM, per a team release.

The 25-year-old McBain appeared in all 82 games for Utah last year, scoring 13 goals and 27 points. Selected by the Minnesota Wild in the third round (63rd overall) in the 2018 draft, McBain’s rights were traded to the then-Arizona Coyotes in 2022, and he has gone on to appear in 241 games for Arizona/Utah, producing 82 points.

The physical McBain posted 291 hits last season, just shy of his career-high of 304 during the 2022-23 season. The 6’4″, 220-pound center added 50 blocked shots and a career-high 49.8 success rate in the faceoff circle. Through parts of four NHL seasons, McBain currently averages 3.45 hits per game. His 832 hits since entering the league rank third among all players.

In the release, president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong noted McBain’s versatility and willingness to win at all costs as key factors in the deal. GM Bill Armstrong echoed those sentiments.

“He is a big, strong, physical player who competes hard on a nightly basis and brings a gritty toughness to our group. Jack is an important part of the championship-caliber team we are building, and we look forward to having him back on our roster for the foreseeable future,” Armstrong said.

Prior to being drafted, McBain spent four seasons at Boston College, where he produced 33 points in 24 games his senior year. McBain made the jump straight to the NHL after being traded to Arizona and has never appeared in an AHL game. On the international stage, the Ontario native represented Team Canada in the 2022 Olympics.

 

Gavin McKenna To Commit To Penn State

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According to multiple reports, Gavin McKenna — the projected first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft — is expected to commit to Penn State University for the 2025-26 season. Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects first broke the news, which was later confirmed by Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek.

Consider one of the best prospects in recent memory, McKenna is undoubtedly the biggest get in Penn State program history and arguably the biggest prospect to commit to play in the NCAA. While it was previously believed that McKenna would commit to playing collegiately, it was unknown which program he would select. On his 32 Thoughts podcast, host Elliotte Friedman previously noted that McKenna completed interviews with Penn State, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Denver. In the end, it appears the upstart Penn State program won the sweepstakes for hockey’s most coveted prospect.

Although Penn State didn’t rejoin the NCAA until 2012, the program has made a meteoric rise in success, popularity, and its ability to attract top-end prospects. The Nittany Lions went 22-14-4 last season, but went on a tear to reach the school’s first-ever Frozen Four. Recent commits to the program include newly drafted prospects Jackson Smith and Luke Misa. Luke’s brother, Michael Misa, the 2025 second overall pick, could also join the program if he doesn’t make the San Jose Sharks out of training camp.

McKenna’s status as a surefire first overall pick is backed by his WHL stats from last season. In 56 games last season for the Medicine Hat Tigers, McKenna produced 41 goals and 129 points, and a plus-60 rating. He added another nine goals and 38 points in 16 postseason contests en route to a league championship. His 2.304 points per game were the third-highest total for a 17-year-old in league history, trailing only Conor Bedard (2022-23) and Rob Brown (1985-86). McKenna scored 244 points in 133 WHL games.

To put McKenna’s season into perspective, Connor McDavid scored 28 goals and 99 points in 56 games for the OHL’s Erie Otters in his age-17 season, with another four goals and 19 points in 14 postseason games.

Tyler Johnson Announces Retirement

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13-year veteran and two-time Stanley Cup champion Tyler Johnson has announced his retirement from the NHL via his Instagram. Johnson’s last professional game will be marked on December 12th, 2024, with the Boston Bruins against the Seattle Kraken.

It’s fitting that Johnson’s last game came against the Kraken. A native of Spokane, WA, Johnson’s professional career began with humble beginnings, signing as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning from the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs.

Joining an organization who’s had overwhelming success with undersized and undrafted players in the past, Johnson excelled immediately in the Lightning organization. During his first season, he scored 31 goals and 68 points in 75 games for their AHL affiliate at the time, the Norfolk Admirals.

He would only spend one more season primarily playing in the AHL. Finally earning his chance at full-time duties at the NHL level, Johnson impressed greatly during his rookie campaign, scoring 24 goals and 50 points in 82 contests during the 2013-14 season, finishing third in Calder Trophy voting.

Capitalizing on his breakout year, Johnson and the Bolts agreed to a three-year, $10MM contract the following offseason. Despite a few battles with injuries, Johnson sustained his quality two-way efforts throughout that deal, scoring 62 goals and 155 points in 212 games, with a few votes for the Selke Trophy along the way.

His playoff exploits earned him a spot as a fan-favorite in Tampa Bay, scoring 20 goals and 40 points in 43 games from 2015 to 2016, helping the Lightning to their first Stanley Cup Final in 10 years during the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. Although he couldn’t help the Lightning over the hump against a dominant Chicago Blackhawks team, the Lightning were ready to invest in Johnson for the long haul.

Johnson eagerly signed a long-term extension with Tampa Bay, securing a seven-year, $35MM contract beginning in the 2017-18 season. For a deal that looked like a bargain when it was time, Johnson quickly wore out his welcome with the Lightning.

His offensive output cratered, finishing with 72 goals and 150 points in 281 games since signing the contract, with another 11 goals and 23 points in 69 games. Although Johnson helped the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup rings in 2020 and 2021, multiple players had passed him on the team’s depth chart.

Needing more salary cap space after the second half of their back-to-back, the Lightning traded Johnson and a 2023 second-round pick to the Blackhawks the following offseason for Brent Seabrook’s contract (which they would later place on LTIR).

Playing on a far worse team in Chicago, Johnson’s offensive output continued in the wrong direction, finishing the remaining three years on his contract with 32 goals and 70 points in 149 games. After his contract expired, Johnson needed to convert a professional tryout agreement with the Bruins to secure a spot on an NHL roster.

With his name on the Stanley Cup twice, Johnson likely won’t have many regrets about his NHL career. He finished with 193 goals and 433 points in 747 regular-season contests with a +19 rating, 49.4% faceoff percentage, 49.7% CorsiFor% at even strength, and 91.7% on-ice save percentage at even strength. In the postseason, and only with Tampa Bay, Johnson concluded his playing days with 32 goals and 65 points in 116 contests with a +7 rating.

We at PHR wish Johnson the best in the next phase of his life and career, and we congratulate him on a successful career that includes two Stanley Cup rings.

Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.

East Notes: Rust, Rakell, Boeser, Tambellini

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According to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, before inking Nikolaj Ehlers to a new six-year contract, the Carolina Hurricanes were interested in a pair of veteran wingers from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Hurricanes reportedly called on the availability of Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, and league sources believe one of the two will be dealt this summer.

Given his use of the past tense in his article, it doesn’t appear that Carolina has continued their interest in Rust or Rakell. Still, with more than $10MM in cap space after adding Ehlers, the Hurricanes could conceivably add another top-six winger to their forward group to put themselves over the top in the Eastern Conference.

Neither player has indicated a desire to leave the Penguins organization, but neither has the necessary protection to block a trade outright. If Carolina reconsiders in the offseason, they would likely target Rust for a middle-six role, adding more physicality and playoff experience to a high-skill lineup.

Other notes from the Eastern Conference:

  • Although they only came away with Jonathan Drouin to improve their offensive woes, the New York Islanders had their eyes on a bigger prize once free agency began. According to a new article from Stefen Rosner in The Elmonters, the Islanders were the highest on the list for winger Brock Boeser, if he wanted to leave Vancouver. Ultimately, although he would have been a tremendous goal-scoring asset for New York, Boeser remained with the Canucks on a new seven-year, $50.75MM deal.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning announced that they’ve hired Jeff Tambellini as their new Assistant General Manager and Director of Hockey Operations. Tambellini is a former six-year veteran of the NHL, playing for the Islanders, Canucks, and Los Angeles Kings. He had previously worked for the Lightning as a collegiate scout from 2020 to 2022 and the Seattle Kraken’s Director of Player Development from 2022 to 2025.

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