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Metro Notes: Fedotov, Heineman, Bonk

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The Philadelphia Flyers sent netminder Ivan Fedotov to the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier today, and it was initially believed that the Blue Jackets had acquired Fedotov with the intention of providing additional veteran competition for their two incumbent NHL goalies: Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reported today that the club did not, in fact, have that reasoning in mind. Per Portzline, the acquisition of Fedotov “should not be seen as a challenge to Greaves/Merzlikins,” and that Fedotov was acquired to support their AHL squad.

Portzline added the caveat saying “Plans can change, sure” but at this moment in time, the Blue Jackets plan on sending Fedotov to their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, when (or if) he clears waivers. At this point, assuming he does not have a brilliant training camp and preseason to upset one of Greaves/Merzlikins and take an NHL spot, it appears unlikely Fedotov would be claimed on waivers. The veteran netminder carries a hefty $3.725MM cap hit and has struggled to the tune of an .874 save percentage across his 29 career NHL games. So, with the dust settled from this morning’s deal, it appears the Blue Jackets have acquired the goalie they’ll pair with 27-year-old Zachary Sawchenko in Cleveland.

In other notes from the Metropolitan Division:

  • The centerpiece of the New York Islanders’ trade of star defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens this summer was undoubtedly the two first-round picks the team acquired. But alongside those picks, the Islanders also added young winger Emil Heineman, who had a sneaky-good rookie campaign in Montreal before an injury suffered via a car accident stifled his momentum. Heineman had 10 goals and 17 points in 37 games before the injury, and he spoke to The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner about his expectations for his first campaign on Long Island. Heineman told Rosner that his experience last year allowed him to learn “how to play in the NHL” and “how to stay in the league,” and added that he’s excited to bring his “200-foot game” to head coach Patrick Roy’s lineup. The 23-year-old is a 2020 second-round pick and will play on a $1.1MM AAV contract that runs through the 2026-27 campaign.
  • As Philadelphia Flyers 2023 first-rounder Oliver Bonk is one of the team’s better prospects, recently ranked third in the team’s system by EliteProspects. As he enters his first professional season, the Flyers are setting clear expectations for Bonk related to what he’ll need to do in order to earn an NHL job. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported yesterday that the Flyers’ key focus with Bonk’s development is “maturity,” which Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong defined as “growing up as a person, but also as a player.” Armstrong added that Bonk will likely face “a little bit of an adjustment” related to the pace of the professional game, echoing a comment from former coach John Tortorella, who said at last year’s camp that Bonk has a “bright future” but also “plays too slow.” While it is clear the organization as well as outside evaluators are big believers in Bonk’s game, it would be no surprise to see the 20-year-old start off his pro career with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms rather than in the NHL, to help ease his adjustment to the professional game.

Capitals’ Mitch Love Placed On Leave

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The Washington Capitals have announced that assistant coach Mitch Love has been placed on “team-imposed leave” pending the results of an investigation conducted by the NHL. The Capitals added that they would refrain from commenting further on the situation until the league’s investigation is complete.

The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported that the NHL “began to investigate” the matter earlier in the offseason, “around the time” Love was interviewing with other NHL clubs about available head coaching roles. Love was a reported contender for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ head coaching job, but the Capitals’ longtime rival ultimately elected to hire Dan Muse from the New York Rangers.

Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post provided additional context on the situation. Citing a person in the league familiar with the matter, Johnson reports that the league’s investigation began during this past summer, “when the NHL received a letter that contained allegations relating to Love’s personal conduct.” She added that both the league and a team that was at the time considering Love for its head coaching vacancy received the letter.

Johnson also reports that the NHL has not shared details on the situation with the Capitals “beyond the existence of the allegations and the subsequent investigation.” Love was also not present for the team’s development camp in July, and Johnson reports that he was instead “engaged in interviews with NHL personnel as part of the investigation.”

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reported that the letter that prompted the investigation details “a situation that predates his tenure with the Capitals,” while The Athletic’s Josh Yohe added that “NHL teams were aware of this possibility in April and May,” and that he believes it is a “good reason why” Love was not hired as a head coach anywhere despite being in the mix for so many of the vacancies.

2025 Summer Synopsis Series

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PHR’s annual Summer Synopsis series breaks down what each of the NHL’s 32 teams accomplished – or didn’t accomplish – over the summer. This landing page will contain links to all 32 of our posts for easy reference and to track when your favorite team’s post is online. This can be found by navigating to the “Pro Hockey Rumors Features” sidebar on our desktop site or under the Flame menu on our mobile page.

Metropolitan Division

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

Transactions Notes: Poolman, Allison, Malmquist

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Unrestricted free agent defenseman Colton Poolman has signed with the Glasgow Clan of the United Kingdom’s Elite Ice Hockey League, the team announced.

While Poolman doesn’t have an NHL game to his name, he’s spent the last five seasons on two-way deals. The 29-year-old was initially an undrafted free agent signing by the Flames out of the University of North Dakota in 2020. He switched teams in free agency last summer, signing with the Sabres. He was then traded to the Penguins in a minor-league swap in January.

Injuries significantly limited Poolman’s playing time last season. He made just five appearances for AHL Rochester while in Buffalo’s organization before the trade to the Penguins. He got slightly more playing time with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after the swap, recording four points and a +12 rating in 15 appearances.

The 6’0″, 201-lb lefty has long been a stable defensive presence at the minor-league level. While not a point producer by any stretch, he does have 44 of them with a career +45 rating in 233 AHL appearances since making his professional debut five years ago.

He joins the Clan as presumptuously one of the better shutdown defenders in the EIHL, which isn’t on par with Europe’s other top-division national leagues. The team’s two career games of NHL experience come from former Avalanche depth netminder Sami Aittokallio.

More minor moves from around the sport:

  • Former Flyers winger Wade Allison has signed a one-year deal with the Straubing Tigers of Germany’s DEL, according to a team release. Allison headed overseas last summer after being a Group VI unrestricted free agent and signed with Kazakhstan’s Barys Astana in the KHL, but he only had two goals in 12 games before being released in November. He hasn’t played since and will now stage a comeback with Straubing. The 27-year-old power forward had a 13-9–22 scoring line in 75 appearances for Philadelphia from 2020 to 2023.
  • While there was some speculation that University of St. Thomas product Liam Malmquist might be in line for an NHL deal coming out of college this offseason, that won’t be the case. The 24-year-old Minnesota native has signed in the Stars organization with ECHL Idaho, the club announced. Malmquist was the Tommies’ leading scorer in his senior season with 20 goals and 45 points in 38 outings. He scored his first two professional goals with AHL Manitoba in a five-game tryout to end last season.

Flyers Trade Ivan Fedotov To Blue Jackets

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The Blue Jackets announced they’ve acquired goaltender Ivan Fedotov from the Flyers in exchange for their sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft. No salary is retained in the deal, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz.

Columbus will acquire Fedotov after his first NHL season came in well below expectations. The 28-year-old had a long road to NHL minutes – including a years-long contract saga that involved mandatory military service in Russia and IIHF sanctions imposed on him over conflicting contracts with Philadelphia and CSKA Moscow – but finally arrived in North America in April 2024. He made his first three NHL appearances for the Flyers before signing a two-year extension with a $3.275MM cap hit. That theoretically locked in their goaltending tandem with Samuel Ersson also in the picture through at least this upcoming season.

Yet Fedotov, a former KHL Goalie of the Year who was viewed as potentially one of the next wave of high-end Russian netminders, barely held onto an NHL job. The military service that caused him to miss the 2022-23 season entirely was a significant statistical turning point for the 6’7″, 214-lb goalie. He made 26 relief appearances last year, logging a .880 SV% and 3.15 GAA with a 6-13-4 record. His 33.3% quality start rate was quite subpar, especially considering he posted a save percentage below .850 in 10 of his 24 starts. With an expected GAA of 2.58, Fedotov also received the most manageable defensive workload of the Flyers’ three goalies, according to MoneyPuck.

Columbus was looking for an insurance option if starter Elvis Merzlikins’ struggles continue and youngster Jet Greaves’ first chance at a full-time NHL role doesn’t pan out. Fedotov is far from a sure thing either, but they’re betting on his overseas track record as evidence of a potential bounce-back. He boasts a .921 SV% and 2.22 GAA with 10 shutouts in 133 career KHL games and had a 2021-22 season for the record books. He led CSKA to a Gagarin Cup championship with a staggering .937 SV% and 1.85 GAA in 22 postseason games. He was named the league’s best netminder and a First Team All-Star.

The Jackets, who PuckPedia projects to have over $15.5MM in cap space, will have no problem taking on Fedotov’s full salary for a year before he becomes eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer. If he doesn’t make the team over Greaves and Merzlikins, his cap hit is high enough that he should clear waivers without issue and serve as a third-string option in AHL Cleveland. It’s worth noting that Greaves is no longer waiver-exempt. It’ll be an uphill battle for Fedotov to convince the Jackets to risk losing Greaves on waivers, so if he makes the team, it’ll likely mean a three-goalie rotation in Columbus.

Meanwhile, the Flyers clear up a bit of a logjam. With Fedotov in the picture, they had four goalies in the mix for NHL minutes. Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov were still under contract, and they also inked Daniel Vladar to a two-year, $6.7MM deal in free agency to challenge Ersson for the No. 1 job. In trading Fedotov, they clear out the worst-value contract of the four and, with Kolosov remaining waiver-exempt, could now return to a traditional two-goalie setup with only Ersson and Vladar on the opening night roster.

Despite carrying a cap hit above $3MM, Fedotov will only cost the Blue Jackets $775K in actual dollars. His base salary in 2025-26 was only the league minimum. His other compensation came via a $2.5MM signing bonus, which the Flyers have already paid.

Image courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to report that Columbus was acquiring Fedotov. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz was first to report the return.

Injury Notes: Power, Molendyk, Walton

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If there was any concern that the knee injury Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power suffered late last season would impact his readiness for 2025-26, those fears can be put to rest. According to Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic, Power “should be ready to go” for Sabres training camp and has been in Buffalo skating with teammates ahead of training camp. Fairburn added that Power “seemed to avoid the worst-case scenario” in terms of his injury, and Fairburn added that the injury should not be cause to lower expectations for Power’s upcoming season.

The upcoming season is a crucial one of the 2021 first-overall pick, as it is the second year of his massive eight-year, $8.35MM AAV contract extension. The 22-year-old blueliner offers rare offensive ability for a defenseman his size, and he set career-highs in 2024-25 by scoring seven goals and 40 points. But Power at times has been a lightning rod for criticism in Buffalo for his lack of physicality (something made all the more noticeable due to the fact that he stands six-foot-six, 226-pounds) and the fact that his steady personal improvement has not resulted in a major reversal of on-ice fortunes for the Sabres franchise as a whole. So, it is good news for both Power and the Sabres that his late-season injury does not look as though it will impact his ability to perform in 2025-26.

Other injury updates from across the league:

  • Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk was the subject of an injury scare Thursday after taking a hit during one of the team’s rookie tournament practices in Tampa. At the time, The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty reported that Molendyk’s absence from the rest of practice appeared precautionary, and today Daugherty confirmed that Molendyk indeed avoided major damage. Daugherty said today that Molendyk’s injury “isn’t serious,” and that while he may not return to the ice in Tampa, “he will be fine” for the team’s main training camp next week. The 2023 first-round pick is set to begin his pro career and was recently ranked by EliteProspects as the club’s fourth-best prospect.
  • Winnipeg Jets prospect Kieron Walton will not return to the team’s rookie contest tonight in Montreal, according to team reporter Jamie Thomas. Per his report, an upper-body injury is to blame. While it’s entirely possible that Walton was taken out of the game for largely precautionary reasons in order to protect his health in advance of the team’s full training camp, that is not clear at this time. Walton, 19, is a 2024 sixth-rounder whose stock as a prospect skyrocketed after a breakout 2024-25 campaign, one in which he scored 38 goals and 92 points for the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs. The 6’6 center is a long-shot to make the Jets out of training camp and any potential injury would only hurt his chances to make an impression in camp.

Snapshots: Tuch, Fleming, Walman

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The Buffalo Sabres are looking to end their 14-year playoff drought this season, and if they’re going to do so, it’ll be in large part due to the contributions of Upstate New York native Alex Tuch. The 29-year-old winger has been stellar for the Sabres since arriving from Vegas as part of the Jack Eichel trade, and after scoring 36 goals and 67 points last season, the power forward is in line for a significant raise from his current $4.75MM AAV. A pending unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, Tuch’s contract situation will be one of the key storylines to watch for the Sabres this season.

As of right now, nothing appears imminent, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. Pagnotta reports that the Sabres “want to lock [Tuch] up” by signing him to a new contract, but “haven’t gotten to that point yet.” With the trade of J.J. Peterka to the Utah Mammoth this past summer, Tuch’s contributions will be even more important to the Sabres immediate and long-term future. The only major bump in pay for next year on the Sabres’ books, at this point, is the increase of Jeff Skinner’s buyout cap hit from $4.4MM to $6.4MM, so it appears the Sabres will have the financial flexibility to afford a new deal for Tuch – whether he re-signs will likely come down to the preferences of the player.

In other news from across the NHL:

  • Vegas Golden Knights prospect Joe Fleming is changing positions. SinBin Vegas’ Ken Boehlke reports that the plan for Fleming moving forward is for him to play forward, not defense. The 22-year-old manned the blueline for the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights last season, and played in the 2024 ECHL All-Star game as a defenseman. Silver Knights coach Ryan Craig told the media that they envision the physical Fleming to be a “force below the hash marks” as a forward, and Fleming told the media that he is “excited” for the chance to play in his new position. Fleming is entering the final season of his entry-level contract and carries a league-minimum $775k NHL cap hit alongside an $82.5k AHL salary.
  • The Edmonton Oilers made one of the better mid-season additions of the 2024-25 campaign when they traded for then-San Jose Sharks defenseman Jake Walman. Walman’s success in Edmonton on their run to a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final could mean the organization is interested in signing the player to an extension, as he is currently slated to hit unrestricted free agency at the end of 2025-26. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reported today that Walman’s agent, Wade Arnott of Newport Sports Management, was in Edmonton yesterday for in-person talks related to an extension for his client. Walman’s current contract carries a $3.4MM AAV, but after a 40-point season, it is likely he will receive a strong bump in pay on his next deal. AFP Analytics currently projects Walman to receive a $6.5MM AAV on a projected five-year contract term on the open market.

Summer Synopsis: Philadelphia Flyers

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With training camps now almost upon us, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason.  Next up is a look at Philadelphia.

A year removed from narrowly missing the playoffs, the Flyers took a step back last season, ultimately resulting in them parting ways with John Tortorella.  Rick Tocchet was brought in from Vancouver to take over behind the bench while GM Daniel Briere decided to largely stay the course as their rebuild continues but a pair of expensive forwards were brought in to try to bolster their group up front.

Draft

1-6 – F Porter Martone, Brampton (OHL)
1-12 – F Jack Nesbitt, Windsor (OHL)
2-38 – D Carter Amico, U.S. U18 (NTDP)
2-40 – F Jack Murtagh, U.S. U18 (NTDP)
2-48 – F Shane Vansaghi, Michigan State (Big 10)
2-57 – F Matthew Gard, Red Deer (WHL)
5-132 – F Max Westergard, Frolunda (Sweden U20)
5-157 – D Luke Vlooswyk, Red Deer (WHL)
6-164 – F Nathan Quinn, Quebec (QMJHL)

As the Flyers re-tool their team and look to build their next core of players capable of cotending for a Stanley Cup, one of the key needs for the franchise has been a high-level center capable of filling the all-important number-one center role.  32-year-old Sean Couturier has filled that role for the team in recent years, and remains a strong shutdown center.  But he hasn’t been a high-end offensive contributor in several years, and it would be somewhat unreasonable to expect him to suddenly once again produce at a near point-per-game rate.  So, with such a clear need established for the organization, many entered the 2025 draft expecting the Flyers to select a pivot with their top choice: potentially college hockey star James Hagens, OHL playmaking dynamo Jake O’Brien, or the high-upside Roger McQueen.

NHL teams generally draft using a “best player available, regardless of position” approach, and position typically comes into play when trying to decide between two similarly-rated players. So, rather than use their number-six pick to fill a key organizational need, they drafted the player they believed was the best available: Martone, a winger. That the Flyers passed over three highly-ranked center prospects to draft Martone says a lot about just how highly the organization regards the 6’3 Brampton Steelheads captain.  Martone possesses rare offensive skill for someone his size, and has downright elite playmaking instincts.  Martone ranked third on Bob McKenzie’s list, and was recently ranked by Eliteprospects as the fourth-best skater prospect in all of hockey.  Alongside Michkov, Martone could be the second star winger in Philadelphia.

Behind Martone, the Flyers elected to trade two of their other first-rounders to jump up to the #12 slot to select OHL pivot Nesbitt, filling a key organizational need.  The general consensus from scouts in the public sphere has been that Nesbitt projects more as a middle-six center with rare, valuable secondary qualities, rather than as a true top-of-the-lineup offensive force.  With that said, Nesbitt offers prototypical size and strength at the position, and his potential value down the road should not be discounted.

The Flyers then made their mark on the second day of the draft with four second-round picks.  They were able to add athletic blueliner Amico at #38, who could have been ranked even higher had he not suffered a season-ending injury early in his campaign.  They then selected Murtagh, a responsible two-way forward who will play for Boston University in 2025-26 and was ranked inside the first round by some outlets.  After Murtagh, the Flyers doubled down on taking projectable players with pro qualities by adding Vansaghi, who EliteProspects called “the ultimate bottom-six checking forward” in its draft coverage.  With their final second-rounder, the Flyers took Gard, a hulking six-foot-five pivot whose defensive responsibilty has garnered praise from scouts.

After their second-round shopping spree, the Flyers didn’t pick until the fifth-round, where they took Westergard from of Frölunda’s J20 Nationell team.  Westergard began 2025-26 with Frölunda’s senior team, skating in four Champions Hockey League games as well as an SHL game, and recording two assists in the team’s 5-2 August victory over Switzerland’s Lausanne HC.

Trade Acquisitions

F Tucker Robertson (from Seattle)
F Trevor Zegras (from Anaheim)

At one point, Zegras looked to be a long-term core fixture for the Ducks.  He had a pair of 60-plus-point seasons in his first two NHL campaigns and things were looking up.  However, injuries have been a problem for the last two years while his production took a big step downward and Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek decided to sell low, giving Zegras a fresh start along the way.  He should slot in as a top-six forward right away, likely starting on the wing although he could get a look down the middle at some point.  It’s a big year for him as he’s in the final season of a contract that pays $5.75MM per season, a number that will stand as his qualifying offer next summer.  If things don’t go well again, he could wind up as a non-tender candidate, an outcome that would have seemed crazy when this deal was signed in 2023.

UFA Signings

F Rodrigo Abols (one year, $800K)^
F Christian Dvorak (one year, $5.4MM)
D Dennis Gilbert (one year, $875K)
D Noah Juulsen (one year, $900K)
F Lane Pederson (one year, $775K)*
G Daniel Vladar (two years, $6.7MM)

*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing

Briere opted for the short-term overpayment to bring in help down the middle with Dvorak, a player who got back to the 30-point mark for the first time in three years last season.  But while offensive production has been an issue for him, he is a reliable defensive center and well above average at the faceoff dot.  Those elements will help the Flyers in the short term and if they wind up being outside the playoff picture in the second half, he’s someone they could retain on to help facilitate a move.

In a goalie market that didn’t have much depth at the start and lost some of that depth before free agency opened up, Vladar was one of the beneficiaries.  He started last season as a platoon partner to Dustin Wolf, allowing the youngster to get eased into his first full NHL campaign.  But in the second half, Wolf took over as the full-fledged starter with Vladar only making eight starts from February through April.  Even so, he entered free agency as the top netminder available.  Clearly, Briere thinks that Vladar has another level to get to and that he can compete for the starting spot in a goaltending group that is also bringing back all three goalies they had last season.

The additions of Juulsen and Gilbert give some extra depth and grit to a back end that isn’t expected to be fully healthy to start the season with Rasmus Ristolainen still recovering from triceps surgery.  Juulsen is well-known to Tocchet who had him in Vancouver.  When the group is fully healthy, however, playing time for both veterans could be hard to come by.

The re-signing of Abols and addition of Pederson helped shore up the club’s veteran depth, with both players expected to occupy roles either at the tail end of the club’s NHL roster or at the top of their AHL lineup.  The Flyers signed Abols, 29, from the SHL last season and he rewarded them by scoring 32 points in 47 AHL games and five points in 22 NHL games.  That quality performance earned him a significant raise from a $450k AHL salary to a full one-way deal.

For Pederson, this signing will present him with an opportunity to resume his place as one of the AHL’s more consistent scorers.  Pederson’s 2024-25 season was limited to 18 games after the forward underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in February.

RFA Re-Signings

F Noah Cates (four years, $16MM)
F Tyson Foerster (two years, $7.5MM)
D Helge Grans (two years, $1.55MM)*
F Oscar Eklind (one year, $800K)
D Cameron York (five years, $25.75MM)

*-denotes two-way contract

The Flyers had a notable cohort of restricted free agents to re-sign this past summer, including three NHL regulars.  The largest signing by total value was that of York, the club’s 2019 first-round selection.  It was a difficult 2024-25 for York, without question. Late last season, he was benched for the entirety of the Flyers’ victory over the Montreal Canadiens, for reasons interim head coach Brad Shaw described as “disciplinary.”  York reportedly had a verbal altercation with former coach John Tortorella, and his difficult season was compounded by a notable decline in some key personal statistics: his point total decreased from 30 in 2023-24 to 17 last season, and his time-on-ice per game went down nearly a full two minutes.

But despite York’s year to forget, the Flyers doubled down on the talented blueliner as a core piece for the next half-decade.  York’s $5.15MM AAV is the second-highest among the club’s active defensemen, and its likely he’ll step into a top-pairing role alongside Travis Sanheim under new coach Rick Tocchet.

The second major name the Flyers re-signed was Foerster, a 2020 first-rounder who enjoyed career-best offensive production in 2024-25.  Foerster is a natural goal-scorer and his total of 25 ranked second on the team, only behind star rookie Matvei Michkov.  Foerster underwent offseason surgery after suffering an injury while representing Canada at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship, but he’s expected to be ready to go in time of the start of the regular season.  While the Flyers weren’t able to come to an agreement on a longer-term deal with Foerster, as long as he can continue his solid upwards trajectory (or at least repeat his scoring of last season) he should be able to provide the team with a solid surplus value on its $3.75MM AAV investment.

One of the more encouraging stories from the 2024-25 Flyers was the bounce-back season had by Cates, a reliable defensive center. Cates has been a developmental success story for the franchise as a 2017 fifth-rounder, and he came just one point shy of tying his career-high last year.  After a difficult 2023-24 season saw his point total decline from 38 to 18, there was some question as to whether Cates would have the offensive chops be able to hold down a meaningful NHL role in the long term.  He answered those questions emphatically in 2024-25, and the Flyers rewarded him with a four-year, $4MM AAV extension.

Grans and Eklind are not quite as high-profile players as the aforementioned trio, and that is reflected in the value of each player’s extension. The Flyers signed Eklind, 27, out of the SHL last year and he put together a decent debut season on North American ice. Veteran European pro free agent signings have a somewhat spotty record transitioning to the North American game, but Eklind managed to hold his own. He got into 64 games for the Phantoms and scored 22 points.

Grans, 23, is the 2020 35th-overall pick who the Flyers acquired in the 2023 Ivan Provorov trade.  Grans played most of last season in Lehigh Valley, scoring eight points in a largely shutdown role.  His defensive abilities earned him his first NHL call-up, and he ended up dressing for six games with the Flyers last year.  Grans is subject to waivers, but the second season on his new contract at a full one-way, $800k price tag could provide the Flyers with some degree of protection against a claim.  The added financial commitment could potentially motivate an interested team to go in a different direction on the waiver wire, assuming Grans does not make the Flyers’ opening-night roster.

Departures

F J-R Avon (trade with Seattle)
D Louis Belpedio (signed with Washington)
F Elliot Desnoyers (signed with Iowa, AHL)
F Rhett Gardner (signed in Russia)
D Ben Gleason (signed with Minnesota)
F Olle Lycksell (signed with Ottawa)
G Eetu Makiniemi (signed in Finland)
F Jakob Pelletier (signed with Tampa Bay)
G Calvin Petersen (signed with Minnesota)
F Ryan Poehling (trade with Anaheim)
F Givani Smith (signed PTO with Carolina)
F Zayde Wisdom (signed with Lehigh Valley, AHL)

*-denotes two-way contract

The Flyers’ most significant departure, from a financial perspective, undoubtedly Petersen.  The veteran netminder played in just five total games for the Flyers across his two-year stint in the organization, and the expiration of his contract provided Briere with an additional $5MM in cap space to work with.

The most consequential loss, from an on-ice perspective, is the inclusion of Poehling in the trade that brought Zegras to Philadelphia.  Poehling is not a star player by any means, but he scored 12 goals, 31 points, and had developed into a meaningful member of the team’s bottom-six.  In Philadelphia, Poehling was able to reach new heights as an NHLer, not only setting career-highs in production but also serving a useful role on Tortorella’s penalty kill.  With that said, Briere’s investment in Dvorak (who plays a similar role to Poehling) should help the club absorb his loss.

Lycksell, 26, led AHL Lehigh Valley in scoring last season, but the Flyers elected not to re-sign the player after he put up just 10 points across almost 40 NHL games between 2023-24 and 2024-25. Pelletier, a 2019 first-round pick of the Calgary Flames, was acquired via trade by the Flyers but only managed eight points in his 25-game stay with the club, and was not retained.

Salary Cap Outlook

At first glance, the $370K in cap space they’re listed at per PuckPedia looks concerning.  However, they do have more flexibility than this.  If Ivan Fedotov is waived and demoted as expected, that would open up $1.15MM in room.  Additionally, Ryan Ellis is LTIR-eligible and is out for the season, meaning Philadelphia would get the full $6.25MM (less cap space at the time of placement), not the reduced amount for players expected to return in-season.  While going into that would open up the potential for bonus carryover penalties, it would give them ample protection against a rash of injuries or would allow Briere to try to add a player should the Flyers find themselves in the playoff picture when the trade deadline comes around in March.

Key Questions

Will Vladar Stabilize The Goaltending?

The Flyers have long been believers in the potential of Samuel Ersson, who has been a nice find for the team since being drafted 143th overall in 2018.  But Ersson, now 25, has looked overwhelmed at times as the club’s go-to number-one netminder since the departure of Carter Hart, and his overall body of work simply has not been good enough.  Ersson put together an .890 save percentage across 51 games in 2023-24, and a very poor .883 mark this past season. Among goalies who played in at least 30 games last season, Ersson’s .883 save percentage ranked second-worst in the NHL, ahead of only recent Sabres signing Alexandar Georgiev. (.875)

While the Flyers are likely still believers in Ersson, and he remains overwhelmingly likely to play a solid role for the team moving forward, the team did bring in some additional help at the position.  Philadelphia added Vladar, who played in 30 games last season and posted an .898 save percentage.  While it is relatively unlikely that Vladar, 28, will suddenly transform into an elite netminder, it is somewhat more reasonable to expect him to be able to help stabilize the position for the organization.  Vladar has put together some quality stretches over the course of his 105-game NHL career thusfar, and he has the opportunity to get a more consistent diet of starts with the Flyers than he was able to get in Calgary.  The Flyers have quite a few question marks across their roster as they attempt to re-tool and return to the playoffs, but perhaps no player on the team has a greater opportunity to make his mark than Vladar.

How Will Michkov’s Sophomore Year Go?

Michkov, the 2023 seventh-overall pick, was one of the most highly-regarded prospects in hockey and his debut in Philadelphia was met with sky-high expectations. The 20-year-old Russian phenom more than met those lofty standards, coming second on the team in scoring with 26 goals and 63 points. Michkov possesses rare offensive talent, and it’s easy to imagine him quickly becoming the team’s most lethal scoring threat – if he isn’t there already.

The importance of Michkov to the Flyers’ future cannot be overstated.  That is why one of the key storylines for the club’s upcoming season will be whether Michkov is able to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, continue to grow offensively, and find a way to round out his game a little more on the other end of the ice.  Nobody should expect Michkov to grow into a suffocating defensive force, and Michkov would probably not be best served trying to make too many drastic changes to how he plays.  But NHL coaches have high expectations for their players in terms of defensive responsibility, and Michkov at times fell short of those expectations in his nonetheless brilliant rookie season.  If Michkov can find a way to more sustainably balance his lethal offensive instincts with a reasonable level of commitment to defense that satisfies Tocchet, he could reach new heights of stardom and surpass Travis Konecny as the Flyers’ most valuable all-around force.

Will The Duo of Former Top Ducks Picks Take Needed Steps Forward?

Through two separate trades, the Flyers were able to acquire the two top-ten draft choices the Ducks made between 2019 and 2020: Zegras and Jamie Drysdale.  Zegras is entering his first season in Philadelphia, and has a clear mandate entering an extremely important 2025-26 season: show he can still be the kind of impactful, high-level contributor he was early in his tenure with the Ducks.  Injuries and inconsistent play have dimmed Zegras’ star quite a bit since he broke into the league with back-to-back 60-plus point seasons in his first two full NHL campaigns.  The Flyers will be hoping that a change of scenery will do wonders in helping Zegras return to his formerly dynamic offensive identity.

As for Drysdale, 2025-26 will be his third season wearing Flyers orange, and he’s in a situation with some key similarities, and important differences, to Zegras.  Drysdale has also had to deal with persistent injury trouble, although he did manage to get into 70 games for the club last season.  For Drysdale, the challenge has been finding a way to make a consistent, high-level impact on both ends of the ice.  Drysdale has the pedigree and potential to be a key two-way force for the Flyers, but with his contract set to expire at the end of the year, he’ll need to take some concrete steps forward to maintain his place at (or near) the center of the team’s future plans.

Ethan Hetu also contributed to this column.

Photos courtesy of Jeff Curry and Perry Nelson-Imagn Images.

Former NHLPA Executive Director Bob Goodenow Passes Away At Age 72

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Bob Goodenow, the leader of the NHLPA from 1992 to 2005, has passed away at the age of 72, according to an announcement from the players’ union. In their statement, the NHLPA wrote:

Bob was an exceptionally influential leader whose unwavering commitment to the players helped shape the modern era of the NHLPA. He joined the NHLPA in 1990 as Deputy Executive Director and transitioned to Executive Director in 1992, stabilizing the Association during a tumultuous time. Bob quickly put his stamp on the organization by elevating the level of representation provided by the NHLPA’s staff, tirelessly working to educate the players, strengthening the membership and building trust in the office’s work on behalf of the players.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman issued his own statement, offering his condolences and speaking on Goodenow’s legacy within the game:

The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Bob Goodenow, a hockey man to his core who was a captain of the team at Harvard and played professionally in the IHL before serving as a player agent and as Executive Director of the NHL Players’ Association for 14 years.

Bob was a skilled attorney and tenacious advocate for the players he represented as an agent and as the head of the Players’ Association. We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Wendy, their three children, Joe, Katharine and Kerry, and his many friends and admirers throughout hockey.

Goodenow succeeded Alan Eagleson as the head of the NHLPA in 1992 after Eagleson resigned his position. Goodenow instantly made his leadership felt, leading the players on a ten-day strike that resulted in league president John Ziegler being removed from his position by the league’s owners. The NHLPA credits Goodenow with negotiating “landmark gains in salary, free agency, pension, and health benefits,” and for leading the players to ultimately take “control of their name, image and likeness rights.”

He is also credited by the union with helping to establish pioneering programs such as player salary disclosure, the second medical opinion program for players, and the union’s agent certification program. Goodenow is also remembered for greatly modernizing the NHLPA’s operations by, per the union, growing “the NHLPA’s professional staff from only three people to more than 50 employees by the end of his tenure.”

The final stretch of Goodenow’s tenure was marked by the league’s infamous 2004-05 labor dispute, wherein bitter disagreements between the NHL and NHLPA ultimately resulted in the cancellation of the 2004-05 NHL season. Goodenow led the NHLPA through that battle, and then ended his tenure with the organization shortly after the new collective bargaining agreement was ratified.

Goodenow had a presence in the game outside of his leadership of the NHLPA – he was a three-year player at Harvard and both captained his team and was named to the All-ECAC second-team in his final year with the program. Goodenow also played two seasons of professional hockey with the Flint Generals of the IHL.

All of us at PHR send our condolences to Goodenow’s family and friends, as well as the NHLPA.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: St. Louis Blues

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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 Central Division, next up are the Blues.

St. Louis Blues

Current Cap Hit: $94,874,849 (below the $95.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Logan Mailloux (one year, $875K)
F Jimmy Snuggerud (two years, $950K)

Potential Bonuses
Snuggerud: $800K

Snuggerud joined St. Louis for the stretch run last season after his college campaign ended and made a solid first impression with four points in seven games while adding four more in their first-round loss to Winnipeg.  He should land a middle-six role, giving him a shot at reaching some of his ‘A’ bonuses.  He’s someone that, if all goes well, they’d want to sign long-term but with several other core youngsters up by then, can they afford to do so?

Mailloux came over from Montreal in a one-for-one swap for Zachary Bolduc in a swap of 2021 first-round picks.  He has shown plenty of offensive promise in his first two seasons and should have a chance to come in and be a secondary contributor on their back end.  At this point, it’s likely he’ll land a bridge agreement which, depending on his production this season, could plausibly run anywhere between $1.5MM and $2.5MM.

Signed Through 2025-26, Non-Entry-Level

D Philip Broberg ($4.581MM, RFA)
D Cam Fowler ($4MM, UFA)*
F Dylan Holloway ($2.29MM, RFA)
D Matthew Kessel ($800K, RFA)
F Mathieu Joseph ($2.95MM, UFA)
F Oskar Sundqvist ($1.5MM, UFA)
F Alexandre Texier ($2.1MM, RFA)
F Alexey Toropchenko ($1.7MM, UFA)
F Nathan Walker ($775K, UFA)

*-Anaheim is retaining an additional $2.5MM on Fowler’s contract.

Joseph was acquired from Ottawa with St. Louis picking up a third-round pick to take on the rest of his contract.  He wasn’t particularly impactful in his first season with the Blues and while he’s only a year removed from a 35-point year, a similar showing in 2025-26 could have his next deal coming closer to half of this amount.  On the other hand, Holloway is on the rise.  Acquired for a third-round pick via the offer sheet (not the one they got to take on Joseph), he had a breakout year with 63 points, good for third on the team in scoring.  With arbitration rights next summer, a similar showing this season could have him more in the $7MM range on a long-term deal.  What a difference a year can make after being limited on the depth chart in Edmonton.

Texier was also brought in last summer with the hopes that a change of scenery could help him most consistently show the upside he briefly displayed with Columbus.  Instead, injuries were once again an issue and his playing time was a career-low when he was in the lineup.  At this point, he might be a non-tender candidate or needing to sign for close to his $2.1MM qualifying offer.  Toropchenko surprisingly signed this one-year deal last October and while he brought plenty of physicality, he also only scored four goals in 80 games.  A small raise could nonetheless come his way but if he remains around the 20-point range, he should land somewhere around the $2.25MM mark next year.

Sundqvist has been an effective bottom-six center for a good chunk of his two stints with St. Louis but still had to settle for a minimum contract just two summers ago.  He’s done enough to earn a small raise but given his market limitations the last time he tested the market, it might only be worth a few hundred thousand per season.  Walker had his best season in 2024-25, becoming more of an every-game player but his overall track record remains that of a depth piece.  The increase to the minimum salary guarantees him a raise to $850K and it’s possible he can do a little better than that.

Broberg’s offer sheet was much riskier than Holloway’s given the higher cap hit associated with it and what was at the time a very limited track record.  But the opportunity to play regular minutes in the top four for the first time in his career helped him break out and look more like the player Edmonton hoped he’d be when they drafted him eighth overall in 2019.  Now, the deal has gone from a risky one to a team-friendly pact.  Also like Holloway, Broberg will be arbitration-eligible next summer, putting him in a position for a big jump again.  A long-term pact will likely run them past the $7MM mark while if they needed short-term flexibility, a one-year deal could be an option but still might check in around $6MM.

Fowler was an impactful pickup by GM Doug Armstrong early in the season as he stepped right into a top-four role.  For the portion that they’re paying him, he’s a nice bargain.  While he’s unlikely to command a price tag at the full portion of his current deal ($6.5MM), it’ll take more than what the Blues are currently paying him to keep him around.  A two-or three-year deal around the midpoint of those two numbers might be enough.  Kessel technically needs to play in ten NHL games to remain a restricted free agent, otherwise he’s a Group Six unrestricted free agent.  Last season wasn’t as good as the year before in the NHL but he’s now waiver-eligible and should be up with St. Louis for the full campaign.  If he can lock down a full-time role, he could plausibly double his current cost.  If he’s more of a depth option, then something a little over the $1MM mark might make sense.

Signed Through 2026-27

G Jordan Binnington ($6MM, UFA)
F Nick Bjugstad ($1.75MM, UFA)
D Justin Faulk ($6.5MM, UFA)
G Joel Hofer ($3.4MM, RFA)
D Torey Krug ($6.5MM, UFA)
F Jake Neighbours ($3.75MM, RFA)
F Pius Suter ($4.125MM, UFA)
D Tyler Tucker ($925K, UFA)

Suter had a breakout year with Vancouver and with so few centers on the open market, it looked like he was poised to cash in.  Instead, while he landed a nice raise over the $1.6MM he made in each of the last two years, only securing two seasons was a bit surprising.  If he reverts to being more of a third liner as he has been, it’s still not really an overpay, making it a low-risk addition.  Clearly, teams want to see him repeat his 46 points before committing big term and big dollars.

Neighbours continued to show steady improvement but St. Louis wasn’t in a spot to give him a long-term deal, making it another bridge pact.  His production hasn’t quite taken off as much as Holloway’s but as a power forward, even maintaining a point total in the mid-40s would have him set for a notable raise on his $4MM qualifying offer.  If he continues to progress, he could very well double his current cap charge.  Bjugstad had a strong first year in Arizona but struggled last season with Utah which hurt his market.  Still, he has been more of a bottom-six producer for the most part in recent years and at this price tag, there isn’t much risk.

Let’s get Krug out of the way quickly.  He won’t play this season and probably won’t play next year, meaning he’ll again be LTIR-eligible.  Under the new rules, St. Louis would get the full allotment of LTIR room (minus any amount they’re below the cap when they place him there.)  Doing so means they can’t accrue cap space and any bonuses hit roll over to 2026-27 so their preferred method at this point is probably trying to avoid it.  But while the LTIR change will affect a lot of teams and players this season, Krug will be one of the exceptions.

Faulk is not the higher-end offensive threat he was in his prime and as he nears the 1,000-game mark with the minutes he’s logged, he could start to wear down before too much longer.  Nonetheless, he was still an all-situations top-pairing piece in terms of usage last season so even with the drop in production, they’ve still received a reasonable return in recent years.  But if the drop continues, he will wind up with a drop of a couple million or so on his next contract.  Tucker cleared waivers back in October but wound up playing a relatively regular role in the second half on the third pairing, a role he might be able to reprise.  If he can become a full-timer, things will be looking up two years from now when doubling this could be an option.  But if he remains more of a reserve player, he’ll stay in that range of being a little above the minimum salary.

It hasn’t always been pretty with Binnington on this contract with there being more ups and downs than teams typically like from their starter.  But the good generally has outweighed the bad while he has been one of the workhorses around the league in recent years.  Since he’s not in that top tier, he probably isn’t going to be able to reach the $8MM level that a few have hit but another multi-year pact at or even a little above this price point is feasible.  As the Blues have done several times with their players, Hofer also received a bridge deal, one that gives them more time to assess if he can ultimately supplant Binnington as the starter.  If so, he could land around where Binnington is now.  If not, he likely wouldn’t get a big jump off where he is now as the high-end backup ceiling isn’t much higher than this at the moment.

Signed Through 2027-28

F Brayden Schenn ($6.5MM, UFA)

After two of his better offensive seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23, Schenn’s production has come down over the last couple of years to more around the 50-point mark.  Considering his physicality and the fact he plays center, this still isn’t a terrible price tag for someone who is deployed as a second liner.  But with over 1,000 games under his belt now and the style he plays, there are going to be some concerns about his ability to provide similar value over these final three years.

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