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Archives for August 2025

Metropolitan Notes: Islanders, Iskhakov, Penguins

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With training camps a little over a month away, we’re not too far away from seeing plenty of veterans inking PTO deals to try to catch on with a team for the 2025-26 season.  Don’t expect the Islanders to be doing so, however.  NewsNation’s Rob Taub relays (Twitter link) that GM Mathieu Darche indicated during a virtual Q&A with season ticket holders that he doesn’t intend to bring in anyone on tryout deals to camp.  New York has some extra depth up front following the additions of Jonathan Drouin, Emil Heineman, and Maxim Shabanov while it appears they plan to give some prospects including top pick Matthew Schaefer a chance to lock down a spot on the back end, negating the need to add some extra options at that position.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Still with the Islanders, RFA winger Ruslan Iskhakov told Match TV’s Andrey Irkha that his plan remains to return to North America for the 2026-27 season. The 25-year-old was quite productive in the minors with Bridgeport in 2022-23 and 2023-24, tallying 101 points in 138 games along the way but was only recalled for one NHL contest, a game in which he scored.  But instead of re-signing last summer, he opted to return home on a two-year deal with CSKA Moscow where he had 12 goals and 17 assists in 60 games last season.  Now with Metallurg Magnitogorsk following a trade last month, Iskhakov doesn’t appear to be changing his original plan and appears intent on giving an NHL shot another go next year.
  • The Penguins have added some defensive depth this summer with the signings of Parker Wotherspoon and Alexander Alexeyev plus the acquisitions of Mathew Dumba and Connor Clifton. At first glance, that would seemingly close the door on prospects Owen Pickering or Harrison Brunicke having a chance to push for a roster spot, even with the team saying both will get long looks in training camp.  Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders if the Penguins might consider waiving and demoting some of those newcomers – Clifton or Dumba in particular – to create an opening for one of the youngsters.  With Pittsburgh not expected to contend for a playoff spot as things stand, it will be interesting to see if any budgetary restrictions are imposed which could make having a seven-figure player or two in the minors more of a challenge.

No Recent Talks Between Flames And Rasmus Andersson

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The future of defenseman Rasmus Andersson with the Flames has been a subject of much debate this offseason.  While Calgary isn’t looking to rebuild and thus doesn’t necessarily want to move him, Andersson doesn’t appear to be ready to sign a long-term extension with them either, fueling trade speculation.

Earlier this summer, TSN’s Darren Dreger suggested that Los Angeles had a deal in place to acquire Andersson but that the blueliner indicated that he didn’t want to play there.  Speaking with Expressen’s David Carlsson and Mikael Ljungberg, the 28-year-old acknowledged he had been approached about a move somewhere but declined to confirm that it was indeed the Kings.  But he wasn’t comfortable about moving his family and signing a long-term deal right away, scuttling those talks.  Andersson also continues to vehemently deny earlier reports that the only team he’d sign with right away is Vegas.

With trade talks seemingly at a stalemate for now, it would be logical to think that the two sides might resume contract discussions.  However, Andersson noted that since the draft-day trade fell apart, there has been zero communication with the team.

Andersson has been an all-situations player for the last several years in Calgary while reaching at least 30 points in each of the last four campaigns.  That has him in line to land a sizable raise on his current $4.55MM AAV, even though he’s coming off a quieter year offensively where he has 10 goals and 21 assists in 81 games while averaging 23:59 per night of playing time.  Even with the reduced point total, AFP Analytics pegged an Andersson extension to cost around $8.4MM per season on a seven-year deal.

While it’s believed there were at least initial discussions about a new deal this offseason, the belief is that there’s still a big gap to bridge and clearly, neither side appears to be in a rush to try to reduce the difference.  GM Craig Conroy has stated multiple times that he’s comfortable with Andersson coming to camp without an extension in place and based on the lack of contact between the two sides, that appears to be the likeliest outcome as things stand.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: New York Islanders

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those who don’t often see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2025-26 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia.  We’re currently covering the Metropolitan Division, next up are the Islanders.

New York Islanders

Current Cap Hit: $89,368,333 (below the $95.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Isaiah George (two years, $838.3K)
D Matthew Schaefer (three years, $975K)
F Maxim Shabanov (one year, $975K)

Potential Bonuses
George: $80K
Schaefer: $3.5MM
Shabanov: $3.5MM
Total: $7.08MM

The Islanders were the successful team out of a field of money to sign Shabanov out of Russia.  One of the top scorers in the KHL last season, it’s fair to say they’ll be counting on him to be at least a secondary producer this year.  In doing so, he could have a shot at hitting some of his ‘A’ bonuses of which he has four at $250K apiece.  Notably, Shabanov will be arbitration-eligible next summer which will put some extra emphasis on the upcoming season.

Schaefer was the number one pick in the draft back in June despite missing most of the season due to injury.  By signing his entry-level deal, the NCAA route is off the table so it’s the NHL or junior hockey for him.  If he stays the full year and becomes a top-four piece, some of his four ‘A’ bonuses will be achievable as well.  It’s not normal to put an ‘if’ in front of a number one pick playing in the NHL right away but with Schaefer, it’s far from a given.  George didn’t look out of place in 33 games with the Isles last season.  His situation may be tied to Schaefer making the team or not but it stands to reason he’ll at least see some NHL action again, allowing him to reach some of his ‘B’ bonus for games played.  George is trending toward a low-seven-figure bridge deal two years from now.

Signed Through 2025-26, Non-Entry-Level

D Adam Boqvist ($850K, RFA)
D Tony DeAngelo ($1.75MM, UFA)
F Marc Gatcomb ($900K, RFA)
F Anders Lee ($7MM, UFA)
F Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($5MM, UFA)
G David Rittich ($1MM, UFA)

After a tough 2023-24 campaign, Lee bounced back last season with his highest point total since 2017-18.  He finished second on the team in points which is more like what they expect from their captain.  However, Lee will be entering his age-36 year on his next deal and teams have gotten stingier with contracts given to players that age in recent years.  Even a three-year agreement might be deemed too risky unless it was for a big cut price-wise.  A two-year pact could be doable at a small dip in pay or, alternatively, teams could push for one year plus achievable games-played bonuses to allow for more in-season flexibility.  Both are viable options for him next summer.

A year ago, it looked like the Islanders might have to attach a sweetener to clear Pageau’s contract but instead, they spurned trade interest in him this summer.  He’s someone who is steadily around the 35-40-point mark and with his defensive ability and faceoff prowess, he should have good interest next summer.  Besting this price tag might be tough for Pageau but another multi-year pact with an AAV starting with a four might be doable.  Gatcomb was a serviceable fourth liner in the second half of last season, a good showing after getting his first NHL deal at 25 last summer.  He’ll need to show that can hold that role down over a full season and if he does, that could jump him into the $1.5MM range next year.

DeAngelo was a midseason signing after being lured away from his KHL contract and it was a good move as he was his usual productive self while also logging over 23 minutes a game.  His defensive concerns will continue to limit his earnings upside but a good full-season showing could give him a shot at a multi-year deal in the $3MM range next summer.  Boqvist saw limited minutes after being a midseason waiver claim and signed with a small raise instead of what was likely to be a non-tender to avoid arbitration eligibility.  He’ll still be arbitration-eligible summer which will probably work against him again barring a breakout season.  As someone who profiles as a sixth defender at best, he’s likely going to stay close to the minimum salary unless his role drastically changes.

Rittich was brought in as goaltending insurance via free agency.  He wound up making 31 starts for the Kings last season although his .886 SV% was well below average.  Still, he has been a serviceable backup in the past if need be and if he isn’t needed to hedge against injuries, his contract can come off the books entirely if he’s in the minors (if he’s not claimed off waivers).

Signed Through 2026-27

F Casey Cizikas ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Jonathan Drouin ($4MM, UFA)
F Emil Heineman ($1.1MM, RFA)
F Simon Holmstrom ($3.625MM, RFA)
F Kyle MacLean ($775K, RFA)
F Kyle Palmieri ($4.75MM, UFA)
F Maxim Tsyplakov ($2.25MM, UFA)
G Semyon Varlamov ($2.75MM, UFA)

Palmieri was in trade speculation right up to the deadline with the belief that the lack of a trade meant a handshake agreement was in place with then-GM Lou Lamoriello.  It appears new GM Mathieu Darche largely upheld that agreement with this contract.  Palmieri quietly posted 24 goals and 24 assists last season and near-50-point production for under $5MM in this market isn’t bad value.  He’ll be 36 when he needs a new contract and, like Lee, his options may be more limited at that time.  When healthy, Drouin was quite productive with Colorado, notching 37 points in 43 games but injuries have now been an issue for him in five of the last six seasons.  While he was able to get more than one year this time around, it’s still a below-market contract for what a top-six forward should be receiving.  He’ll need to stay healthy and keep producing if he wants a shot at a long-term deal two years from now.

Holmstrom has only been a full-time NHL player for the last two seasons but has quickly worked his way from being a role player to a secondary core piece at both ends of the ice.  The lower-cost bridge deal bought Darche some extra short-term flexibility but it sets up Holmstrom well two years from now when he’ll have a $3.75MM qualifying offer and arbitration rights.  Assuming he’s able to at least stay at this level, a jump to something starting with a five might be the next step.  Cizikas getting six years four summers ago was a bit of a shocker although it has held up relatively well so far.  He’s still a contributing fourth liner who can move up in a pinch and help a bit on the penalty kill.  In a market where some fourth liners are starting to get higher salaries, this isn’t as much of an overpayment as it might have first seemed.

Tsyplakov was believed to also be nearing a new deal before the GM change but this one wasn’t upheld with the sides working out this agreement a little before an arbitration hearing.  He had a solid first season in North America after coming over from the KHL and even if he stays in a third-line role, this deal should hold up well.  With a couple more years under his belt come 2027, his market could be an interesting one.  Heineman came over as part of the Noah Dobson trade after a decent rookie season that saw him score double-digit goals while primarily playing on the fourth line.  Assuming he even stays at that pace, he could land closer to $1.75MM in two years while some offensive improvement could allow him to easily clear $2MM.  MacLean was a regular fourth liner although he wasn’t used a lot, nor did he produce much.  If he stays in this role, he’s likely to stay close to the minimum moving forward.

When Varlamov received a four-year deal two years ago at 35, it was supposed to be the last two seasons that would be the concerning ones.  However, he was limited to just 10 appearances last season and is only set to start skating soon, necessitating the Rittich signing as insurance.  At his best, Varlamov can be an above-average backup but with the injuries, that’s a big question mark moving forward.

Signed Through 2027-28

F Anthony Duclair ($3.5MM, UFA)

Duclair was last summer’s impact acquisition but he wasn’t very impactful offensively, notching just 11 points in 44 games while dealing with some injuries along with a leave of absence following some public criticism from head coach Patrick Roy.  With limited cap space, they’ll need him to pull his weight moving forward or his deal might be one they’re looking to get out of in a hurry.

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Atlantic Notes: Lindholm, Jarnkrok, Sandin-Pellikka

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Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm was only able to play the first five weeks of the season before a fractured kneecap ended his 2024-25 campaign early.  He told Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe that he has now fully recovered from that injury and will be fully ready to participate in training camp next month.  The 31-year-old has been a steadying presence on the back end for Boston since they acquired him back in 2022 and is only a couple of years removed from a career-best 53-point season.  With the Bruins looking to get back into the playoff picture this coming season, having a top-pairing blueliner in Lindholm back in their lineup will certainly help those efforts.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Maple Leafs winger Calle Jarnkrok missed most of last season after undergoing groin and sports hernia surgeries in mid-November. While he returned down the stretch, he struggled to the point of being scratched at times.  The veteran told Gefle Dagblad’s Marcus Hagerborn that he knew when he had the procedures that he wouldn’t be fully healthy for a while upon returning.  However, he noted that he has gotten back to that point just recently which is a good sign heading into training camp next month.  Jarnkrok has one year left on his contract with a $2.1MM cap charge and a solid, healthy start to next season might make their current efforts to move him a little easier.
  • While Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman hasn’t ruled out prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka from breaking camp with Detroit in a couple of months, MLive’s Ansar Khan suggests that outcome is unlikely. The 20-year-old was a first-round pick back in 2023 (17th overall) and had a strong season in Sweden last year, picking up 12 goals and 17 assists in 46 games with SHL Skelleftea.  He also was one of the top scorers at the World Juniors and got his feet wet with five games with AHL Grand Rapids (including playoffs) in the spring.  But Detroit tends to favor slow-playing the development of their top prospects, allowing them to work on some things with the Griffins before giving them a real NHL look.  Between that and not opening up any spots on the back end this summer, Sandin-Pellikka seems likely to continue that trend.

Stars Sign Nathan Bastian

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The Stars have added some depth on the wing as the team announced that they’ve signed Nathan Bastian to a one-year, one-way contract.  The agreement will pay the league minimum of $775K.  GM Jim Nill released the following statement:

Nathan will add forward depth and a physical presence to our lineup, both of which will be valuable to our organization. We’re looking forward to watching him take the next step of his career with the Stars and are excited to welcome him to Dallas.

The 27-year-old has parts of six NHL seasons under his belt, most of which came with New Jersey, which drafted him in the second round back in 2016.  Before now, his only time away from the Devils since that time came when Seattle selected him in the 2021 Expansion Draft but just two months later, the Kraken waived Bastian with New Jersey quickly reclaiming him.

Last season, Bastian played in 59 games for the Devils, picking up four goals and six assists along with 138 hits in just under 11 minutes per night of playing time.  That stat line lines up with most of his seasons as he has yet to reach 20 points in a single year while he has only hit the double-digit mark in goals once, that coming back in 2021-22.  However, he averages 223 hits per 82 games played, giving the Stars some extra physicality in their lineup.

Dallas has largely stayed quiet as expected in free agency this season with the bulk of their moves coming from either re-signing players or making trades.  As things stand, he’s likely to battle with Oskar Back and Colin Blackwell for playing time on the fourth line while starting out as the 13th forward is a realistic outcome as well.

At the moment, the Stars project to be very tight against the salary cap with a 23-player roster coming in just a few hundred thousand below the Upper Limit, per PuckPedia.  Accordingly, this could very well be it for their free agent moves with a big chunk of their roster from last season’s run to the Western Conference Final returning as from here on out, any addition will require money coming off their books as well.

Blue Jackets Prospect Malte Vass To Transfer To NCAA

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It’s not very often that a player will leave a professional team to go to college but it does happen periodically with international players.  It appears that Blue Jackets prospect Malte Vass will be one of them as Varmlands Folkblad’s Johan Ekberg reports (subscription link) that the blueliner is leaving Sweden to play in the NCAA next season.  Which school he has chosen to go to yet remains unknown but Boston University is a school that is believed to have shown interest in him.

Vass was a third-round pick by Columbus last month, going 76th overall.  However, he was rated much higher on their draft board as Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch relayed after the draft that the Blue Jackets had Vass within the top 15 in their rankings, a sign that they clearly viewed him as being first-round-worthy.

Vass spent last season in Farjestad’s system, playing predominantly with their junior team where he had 11 points and 53 penalty minutes in 40 games.  However, he also got into five games with their SHL club where he was held off the scoresheet.  It’s likely that he would have had a chance to get some more action at their top level in 2025-26 but that’s no longer in the cards.

Vass noted that the recent change to allow CHL players to play in the NCAA expedited his decision to come to North America as the spot that’s being made available to him now might not have been available next year, given the number of junior players now seeking a school to play at.  It will be interesting to see if other international players start to feel that same pressure and up the urgency to pursue an NCAA spot as well over the next couple of years.

Poll: Will Jack Roslovic Or Matt Grzelcyk Sign First?

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We’re closing in on a month before the start of informal rookie camps around the league. Of PHR’s Top 50 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents, 45 have already found new homes for the upcoming campaign – including 23 of the top 25 names.

The two missing from that group are three-position forward Jack Roslovic and left-shot defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. While Roslovic has had strong interest from multiple teams all summer long and appears to be playing the long game to drive up desperation as teams miss out on other forward options, Grzelcyk’s market hasn’t been as fervent.

In fact, there’s been essentially no firmly documented interest in Grzelcyk since July 1. That’s despite the 31-year-old entering the signing window with the most points among UFA defensemen last year, notching a career-best 1-39–40 scoring line with the Penguins.

There are some clear reasons for his smaller-than-expected market. He’s on the small side for a rearguard at 5’10” and 180 lbs, doesn’t play much of a physical game at all, and has something of an injury history. He played all 82 games last season for the first time, eclipsing the 70-game mark for the third time in nine years.

That being said, he has strong results in a complementary top-four role next to a more all-around dominant righty. The vast majority of his 527-game NHL career was spent with the Bruins alongside Charlie McAvoy, where he consistently put up 20 to 30 points per season and never had a negative rating.

Last year’s -6 mark on his one-year deal with the Pens isn’t much of a blemish, either. That came with more taxing minutes than he’s used to – averaging a career-high 20:37 per game – and he had better per-60 defensive results at even strength than Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang while also generating more offense than them on the power play.

Few teams would give Grzelcyk the top-unit PP deployment he had throughout the year in Pittsburgh, making another 40-point year unlikely. Still, there’s been an eerie silence around the market for someone who checks out as a highly serviceable No. 4/5 option on most teams who’s comfortable playing on any pairing.

Roslovic’s free agency has been covered more at length as a result of his more widespread interest. Last month, we published free agent profiles on both Grzelcyk and Roslovic.

He’s been connected most firmly to the Canucks and Maple Leafs over the past several weeks, but any team with at least $3MM to $4MM in cap space to accommodate him should be viewed as a legitimate contender for his services. Roslovic’s selling point is his versatility – he may not have the scoring consistency required of a bona fide top-six option. Still, few players could legitimately slot into any spot on any line and find a way to make things work like he can.

Like Grzelcyk, Roslovic is coming off something of a career year in his platform season, although his age advantage by three years strengthens his case for a multi-year deal. While he fell short of his career-high in points in 2024-25, he tied his mark in goals (22) in quite limited deployment with the Hurricanes, averaging under 14 minutes per game for the first time since 2018-19. He’s comfortably averaged 43 points per 82 games over the past three seasons and should be a solid bet to hit that mark again in 2025-26, especially if he sees a bump in minutes.

All that being said, who do you think will come off the UFA list first? Tell us what you think in the poll below and expand on your thoughts in the comments:

Snapshots: Kinkaid, Pulkkinen, Nurmi

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Veteran NHL goalie Keith Kinkaid feels he still has plenty left in the tank and is working toward a return to the higher levels of professional hockey, per George Richards of NHL.com.

Kinkaid, 36, played last season for Savannah of the ECHL, the Panthers’ affiliate, posting a pedestrian .893 save percentage and 3.17 goals against average. It’s a steep fall for a 10-year NHL veteran with 146 career starts, but Kinkaid isn’t giving up hope that he can return to the top level. This summer, Kinkaid has performed well in 3ICE, an eight-team, 3-on-3 tournament being held in Florida. Kinkaid said he is hopeful to extend his pro career and is open to any opportunity.

“This is a great opportunity to show I still have it. My body is holding up very well. I am 36, but I am just trying to prolong my career because once it’s done, it’s done. [3ICE] has given me the chance to keep playing, to showcase that I still have gas left in the tank,” he said.

Elsewhere around hockey:

  • NHL and KHL veteran Teemu Pulkkinen has signed in Finland with Kiekko-Vantaa of the Mestis League, per a team release. Pulkkinen, 33, appeared in 83 NHL games over four seasons. A fourth-round selection of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2010 draft (111th overall), he scored 13 goals and 22 points in the NHL but hasn’t appeared in the league since the 2016-17 season. He then spent eight seasons in the KHL, and spent last year split between Germany and Slovakia.
  • New York Islanders prospect Jesse Nurmi will start next season in the AHL, per NHL.com’s Stefen Rosner. A fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft (113th overall), Nurmi, 20, spent last season with the OHL’s London Knights, where the winger produced nine goals and 31 points in 58 games. A native of Finland, the 6-foot, 180-pound left-shot winger spent parts of three seasons in Liiga, Finland’s top professional league, before making his North American debut last year.

Caleb Jones Eyeing Roster Spot With Penguins

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The Pittsburgh Penguins and GM Kyle Dubas have made a number of acquisitions since the start of free agency, but one under-the-radar move may prove impactful. On the opening day of free agency, the team agreed to terms with left-handed defenseman Caleb Jones on a two-year, $1.8 million deal. While the signing didn’t generate much buzz, Jones could quietly become a meaningful contributor in Pittsburgh as he sets his sights on earning a spot on the team’s opening night roster.

As Justin Guerriero of TribLive.com outlines, Jones is joining a franchise in the midst of a significant transition — not only will the team be adapting to new head coach Dan Muse’s philosophies, but the names on the blue line have changed considerably as well. He joins newly signed defenders Parker Wotherspoon, Alexander Alexeyev, and a host of other options on the left side vying for a spot in the lineup.

The organization is particularly thin on the left side of the blue line, with embattled veteran Ryan Graves likely the only lock for the opening night roster. Competing for spots behind him are promising prospect Owen Pickering and journeymen Ryan Shea and Sebastian Aho. While Jones admitted to not knowing much about Muse or his preferred style of play, he is confident his performance can make an impact at the NHL level.

“I just felt like the opportunity to come to Pittsburgh and kind of be a regular guy every night and really fully be established was something too good to pass up,” he said. “I had a lot of communication with management and the coaches, and I just felt really good about the opportunity I was going to have. I’m really excited. I think we’ll have a good team, and I think it’s going to be a great chance for me to come in, show what I can do and really earn a spot.”

Jones, 28, has 248 games at the NHL level under his belt across seven seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks, and LA Kings. He appeared in six games with the Kings last season, but spent the majority of the year in the AHL with the Ontario Reign. His most extended look in the NHL came during the 2022-23 season, when he registered career highs in games played (73), points (16), penalty minutes (40), blocked shots (118), and hits (116).

Latest On Matthew Tkachuk

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Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk is continuing to work his way back from an adductor injury sustained during the 4-Nations Face-Off tournament in February. The injury ended Tkachuk’s regular season early, though he played through it for all 23 games of Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup. Now, Tkachuk is paying the price of a long-term injury, and faces the often uncomfortable question of whether to undergo surgery to address the ailment. Tkachuk told ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski that surgery would require him to miss the first two-or-three months of the regular season.

That’s a long time for Florida to be without one of their top scorers. Tkachuk finished the year ranked third on the team in points (57) even despite missing the last 30 games of the regular season. Luckily, the St. Louis-native has shown a consistent knack for being able to play through, and above, painful injuries. He tied for Florida’s scoring lead during the postseason, with eight goals and 23 points in as many games. It was an incredibly impressive performance, given Tkachuk entered the postseason having not played a game for three months.

That ability to bounce back to form could make a delayed start to the season a bit easier to stomach. Wyshynski emphasized previous reports that one of Tkachuk’s main goals for next season is to play for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics. A few-month absence would put him back on the ice just weeks ahead of the NHL’s midseason break, and could provide a chance for 10-to-15 games worth of conditioning. That may be a short window for the average player, but Tkachuk’s ability to quickly jump back onto the scoresheet should only be emphasized on the international stage.

He scored three points in three games at the 4-Nations tournament, his first time representing America at a Men’s National tournament. Prior to that, Tkachuk managed 11 points in seven World Junior Championship games in 2016, 12 points in seven games at the World U18 Championship in 2015, and seven points in six games at the World U-17 Hockey Championship in 2014.

Around his spot appearances with Team USA, Tkachuk has managed a star-studded NHL career. He earned his first 100-point campaign in the 2021-22 season – netting 104 points in 82 games with the Calgary Flames – and then one-upped it with 109 points in 79 games with the Florida Panthers in the next season. Tkachuk was also rarely injured, averaging 74 games and 72 points per season before the 2024-25 campaign. Last year’s shortened season brought his career averages down to 71 points in 71 games each season.

That scoring precedent will make Tkachuk a must-include for the Olympic roster, should he be healthy in time for the tournament. He shared that he was “50/50” on undergoing surgery when the season came to a close, and has spent the off-season taking the time to ensure he’s making the right decision. If he does go under the knife, Florida could be due for a big boost of cap space through the first-half of the season.

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