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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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East Notes: Chinakhov, Peeke, Bear

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While Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov has already returned to Columbus in advance of training camp, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic notes (subscription link) that his trade request hasn’t been rescinded.  The 24-year-old started strong with 14 points in 21 games but then suffered a back injury that kept him out for several months while undergoing a treatment back in Russia that the team didn’t approve of.  Then, upon returning, his ice time was more limited while also being a healthy scratch multiple times, resulting in just one assist in his final nine appearances.  Chinakhov has one year left on his bridge contract worth $2.1MM and will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer.  It wouldn’t be surprising to see a team looking to make a change-of-scenery type of trade showing interest in Chinakhov in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke played a fairly big role in the second half of last season, logging nearly 21 minutes a night when their back end dealt with some major injuries. While he fared relatively well in those extra minutes, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that the team hasn’t initiated contract extension talks yet and could wait until later in the season when they have a better sense of where they stand.  Peeke was brought in at the 2024 trade deadline from Columbus and has largely been a fourth or fifth defender in Boston.  He has one year left on his contract with a $2.75MM cap charge and should be able to get a bump up on that on his next deal.
  • The Red Wings announced (Twitter link) that prospect Carter Bear will not take part in their rookie games but is expected to be ready for training camp. Detroit picked the forward 13th overall back in June following a strong season with WHL Everett that saw him score 40 goals and add 42 assists in just 56 games.  However, he sustained a torn Achilles tendon in early March and it appears that Detroit isn’t going to chance it with the injury and will hold him out this weekend as a precaution.

Carter Hart Expected To Receive Interest From Multiple Teams

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Earlier this week, the NHL announced that the five Hockey Canada players who were found not guilty of sexual assault earlier this summer would be suspended to December 1st but would be eligible to sign an NHL contract as of October 15th.  It appears that goaltender Carter Hart will get an opportunity to continue his career; Chris Johnston reports in his latest piece for The Athletic (subscription link) that Hart is expected to receive interest from multiple teams and should have a handshake deal in place by the start of next month.

Hart last played near the midway point of the 2023-24 season before taking a leave from the team when charges were about to be laid.  Then, when his contract expired, the Flyers didn’t issue a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The 27-year-old has played in 227 career NHL contests, all with the Flyers who drafted him in the second round back in 2016.  Hart started off quite strong with Philadelphia before his performance started to dip, coinciding with their struggles in the standings.  Overall, he has a 2.94 GAA along with a .906 SV% and six shutouts over his six-season career.

While there has been some speculation that the Flyers could look to bring him back, Johnston suggests that’s unlikely to be the case as Hart is believed to be looking for a fresh start.  Meanwhile, Philadelphia already has Samuel Ersson and newcomer Daniel Vladar in the fold while prospect Aleksei Kolosov will also be in camp with the team, as will Ivan Fedotov who looks like a waiver candidate as things stand.

Johnston added that Hart is almost certainly going to sign with a U.S.-based team which would take the long-speculated possibility of the netminder signing with his hometown team in Edmonton.  There were no teams specified as likely landing spots but his priorities are finding a team with a chance to win but also provides him a chance at meaningful playing time.

Despite the long layoff, Johnston expects that Hart will get a multi-year contract from whoever he signs with.  That said, it would be surprising if he received more than the $3.979MM he was making with the Flyers on his last contract so it might be in Hart’s best interest to look for a shorter-term pact if he is able to be an impact performer with his next team.

Even if an agreement is reached by the start of next month, he’ll have to wait a couple of weeks to officially sign it.  From there, Hart would be able to practice with the team for a month to work on conditioning before being granted a conditioning stint in mid-November where he will see his first taste of AHL action since 2019.

Pacific Notes: Eichel, Lund, Jarventie

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Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights haven’t hidden their mutual desire to get a long-term extension in place although a deal hasn’t gotten along the finish line just yet.  It appears they’re in agreement on the term side of things at least as Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic recently reported (video link) that both sides are happy with a maximum-term agreement of eight years.  Meanwhile, Johnston adds that the likely range of an extension should fall between $13MM and $14MM per season, representing a fairly significant raise on the $10MM he’s receiving on his current deal.  Eichel has averaged more than a point per game since joining Vegas four seasons ago (both in the regular season and playoffs) and is coming off a career year that saw him put up 28 goals and 66 assists in 77 games.

More from the Pacific:

  • Sharks winger Cameron Lund left Friday’s rookie tournament game in the third period after taking a hit to the head, notes Max Miller of Sharks Hockey Digest. The 21-year-old signed with San Jose late in the season after his college campaign came to an end and fit in relatively, picking up two goals and an assist in 11 appearances in 11:30 per night of action.  While Lund probably wasn’t going to be in serious contention to break camp with the big club, this injury could take any chance of that happening off the table.
  • Although he plausibly could have been at Edmonton’s rookie camp, the Oilers elected to not have Roby Jarventie participate as a precaution, relays Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. The winger was limited to just two games last season due to a knee injury and briefly signed in Finland for this year before having a change of heart and re-upping with Edmonton.  Rookie tournament games tend to be a little more erratic than preseason ones so it isn’t surprising to see them not taking any chances.  Jarventie has seven NHL games under his belt from his time with Ottawa and could be in the mix for ice time with the Oilers this season if he’s able to stay healthy.

Blackhawks Sign Spencer Knight To Three-Year Extension

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When the Blackhawks acquired Spencer Knight from Florida as part of the Seth Jones deal prior to the trade deadline, they picked up who they feel can be their goalie of the future in the swap.  They’ve now made sure he’ll be in the fold for a while longer as the team announced that they’ve inked the netminder to a three-year extension worth $17.5MM, or $5.833MM per season.  GM Kyle Davidson released the following statement:

After joining the team in March, Spencer quickly cemented himself as a crucial piece of our future. A talented, young goaltender, he brings athleticism, sound positioning and a calm demeanor to his game, and we’re excited to watch Spencer continue to flourish in Chicago over the next four seasons.

Knight was a first-round pick by Florida back in 2019, going 13th overall.  He quickly made the jump to the pros in 2020 and was the full-time backup for the Panthers in 2021-22.  Soon after, Florida saw fit to give him a fairly significant bridge deal for a netminder with limited experience, signing him to a three-year, $13.5MM pact, the last season of which comes in 2025-26 with the extension running through 2028-29.

Florida didn’t get a great return on that deal at the beginning.  Knight stepped away from the team in February 2023 to enter the Player Assistance Program to treat his Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.  The following year (the first of the new contract) was spent entirely at the AHL level with the Panthers prioritizing getting Knight as much playing time as possible while Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz comprised Florida’s tandem.  He played relatively well with AHL Charlotte, posting a 2.41 GAA along with a .905 SV% in 45 games that season.

Stolarz moved on to Toronto last season, paving the way for Knight (now waiver-eligible) to return to the Panthers.  He played in 23 games with Florida in 2024-25, putting up a 2.40 GAA and a .907 SV%, both better than the NHL average.  That was good enough to make him the centerpiece of the return for Jones and Chicago gave Knight plenty of playing time down the stretch.  The 24-year-old suited up in 15 contests for the Blackhawks following the swap where he had a 3.18 GAA and a .893 SV% on a group that was prioritizing giving some of their prospects plenty of playing time late in the year.

This deal buys Chicago only one extra year of team control as he still had two RFA-eligible years remaining after this one.  PuckPedia relays (Twitter link) that the contract is front-loaded, paying $7.25MM in 2026-27, $5.75MM in 2027-28, and $4.5MM in 2028-29; he’ll also have a 15-team no-trade clause that year.

Knight will enter the season at the head of a goaltending trio that has quietly become one of the more expensive groups in the league.  Arvid Soderblom begins the first year of his new two-year, $5.5MM pact and will likely be the backup while veteran Laurent Brossoit, who didn’t play last season due to injury, has one year left on his agreement at $3.3MM.

But while this contract cements Knight as the starter for a little while longer, it stops short of handing him the job for the long haul.  That should prove appealing for their prospects as Drew Commesso and Adam Gajan were both second-round picks that Chicago hopes can be part of the future plans as well.  Commesso had a solid year with AHL Rockford in 2024-25 while making his NHL debut while Gajan struggled in his first taste of college action and is probably a couple of years away from turning pro.  If one of them breaks through and seriously pushes for the starting job, Chicago can still pivot and go in that direction while if not, they’ll get the next few years to see if Knight is the right fit for the job for the long haul.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that Chicago was signing Knight to an extension.  Bleacher Report’s Frank Seravalli was the first to report the terms.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.

Kings’ Corey Perry Undergoes Knee Surgery

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Saturday: The Kings announced that Perry has undergone successful knee surgery and will be out for six to eight weeks.  That means that he will not be available to start the upcoming season and could ultimately miss more than a month if he winds up missing the longer end of that timeline.

Perry has $1.5MM in performance bonuses in his contract that are tied to games played.  However, he only needs to get 50 regular season games played to max out on those so this injury alone shouldn’t stop him from having a chance at earning the full amount of those bonuses.

Friday: According to the staff at Mayor’s Manor, new forward for the Los Angeles Kings, Corey Perry, was reportedly injured in an on-ice incident today at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo. The outlet suggests that Perry was taken off the ice in a wheelchair for further medical evaluation.

There’s little information regarding the injury, and it’s unknown at this point if Perry suffered the injury as a result of contact or not. The only information that Mayor’s Manor could provide was that the injury happened along the boards, not on open ice.

It would obviously be a significant blow to Perry and the Kings after the 41-year-old veteran signed a one-year, $2MM contract with Los Angeles at the beginning of the offseason, if he misses significant time due to the injury. Perry was expected to contribute in a bottom-six role, both for his offensive and leadership abilities.

Outside of his 14-year career with the Anaheim Ducks, which included a Stanley Cup ring in 2007 and a Hart Memorial and Maurice Richard Trophy in 2011, Perry’s career has become a point of fascination over the last few seasons. Perry has reached the Stanley Cup Finals five out of six times since signing with the Dallas Stars before the 2019-20 season, after being bought out by the Ducks, but lost each time.

Still, he’s been able to stay relevant and productive in the twilight years of his career. Split between the Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks, and Edmonton Oilers, Perry has scored 76 goals and 159 points in 404 games while averaging 12:51 of ice time per game. Throughout his past six playoff runs, the veteran winger has recorded 28 goals and 52 points in 119 games, averaging 13:17 per game.

Fortunately, the Kings have compiled enough depth, especially on the wing, to sustain such an injury. While Perry’s potential replacement may not have the same value, players like Akil Thomas, Andre Lee, Jeff Malott, or Taylor Ward could temporarily fulfill the role.

Mackenzie Blackwood And Samuel Girard Dealing With Injuries

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The Avalanche knew that they wouldn’t have their full roster available to start the season with winger Logan O’Connor still working his way back from hip surgery.  It appears he’s not the only one dealing with injury concerns though.  Brennan Vogt of Hockey Mountain High reports that goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and defenseman Samuel Girard are also banged up heading into training camp.

Blackwood didn’t skate with the team during captain’s skates all week and on Friday, worked with goalie coach Jussi Parkilla but voiced some pain when pushing off his right leg during one of the drills.  Notably, he wasn’t taking shots either; combined, those suggest he’s not fully healthy heading into camp.  Blackwood is beginning a five-year, $26.25MM contract signed soon after being acquired in an early-season trade from San Jose.  Scott Wedgewood enters camp as the backup and could be in line for a bit more work early on.  If Blackwood were to miss time to start the season, Trent Miner would likely break camp as the interim backup.

As for Girard, Vogt relays that the blueliner didn’t take part in any of the optional skates since August 17th until yesterday and was skating gingerly in a non-contact sweater, suggesting he could be dealing with a lower-body issue.  The 27-year-old has had some injury trouble for several consecutive seasons now but when healthy, has been a capable top-four blueliner while also being only one of two left-hand shots in their projected top-six.

Colorado currently has around $1.325MM in cap space as things stand, per PuckPedia, meaning that they don’t have to place O’Connor on LTIR.  However, if Blackwood and Girard’s injuries drag into the regular season, operating below the cap ceiling without needing LTIR could become a little trickier, a small subplot to keep an eye on over the next few weeks.

Adrian Kempe Discusses Contract Talks

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Kings forward Adrian Kempe is currently slated to be one of the top unrestricted free agents next summer if the two sides can’t reach a deal on an extension before then.  Speaking in a recent interview with Sirius XM (transcribed by Mayor’s Manor), the 28-year-old made it clear that he’d like to get something done sooner rather than later:

I would like to get it done as soon as possible, but I’m still not in a rush. I don’t want to rush anything. But I also don’t want to come around after Christmas, with the trade deadline starting to come up, and then I’m sitting there not knowing where we’re at or we’re not [close] on the terms of a contract. That, I wouldn’t be looking forward to. So, before Christmas would be great. Before camp would be great.

Kempe is coming off his second straight season of amassing at least 70 points, picking up 35 goals and 38 assists in 81 games.  After being more of a checker in the first few years of his career, he has become one of the more consistent scoring threats in the NHL, averaging 35 goals over the last four seasons.

That has him well-positioned to land a significant raise from the $5.5MM he will make in the final year of his deal, one that started back in 2022-23 and has become one of the better team-friendly contracts around the NHL.  David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period was the latest to suggest that Kempe’s camp was seeking a max-term eight-year extension worth $10MM per season with Los Angeles coming in at $9MM per year.  Meanwhile, AFP Analytics projected a seven-year, $64.225MM deal for Kempe earlier in the offseason, one that would carry an AAV of $9.175MM.

If that gap can’t be bridged within the first few months of the season, Kempe acknowledged that he wouldn’t exactly be comfortable heading into the trade deadline unsigned:

For me and the team, I don’t think it would be a good thing to do that. For me, I feel like, if I haven’t signed before the deadline, then you don’t know what’s going to happen.

Considering both Kempe and the Kings under new GM Ken Holland have publicly stated a willingness to get something done and Kempe’s discomfort with pushing talks deep into the season, this is a situation that should get resolved well before he gets close to testing the market.  And if he does somehow reach free agency, Kempe could very well wind up with a higher price tag than he’s asking for now, especially if few top names actually get there as is typically the case.

Prospect Notes: Frondell, Kraken, Pickford

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The Blackhawks were originally hoping to have Anton Frondell with them for rookie camp as well as main training camp this month, relays Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription link).  However, when the center indicated that he felt his development would be best served by staying in Sweden with SHL Djurgarden instead of an early-season interruption, they agreed to that plan instead.  Frondell was the third-overall pick back in June on the heels of an impressive showing with Djurgarden in the second-tier Allsvenskan when he had 25 points in 29 games.  That team earned a promotion to the SHL this season, which will give Frondell tougher competition to play against.  GM Kyle Davidson noted that the expectation is that no matter what, this will be Frondell’s final year in Sweden.

More prospect news from around the NHL:

  • The Kraken are without a pair of prospects as their rookie camp begins. The team announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Alexis Bernier is out as he continues to recover from ACL surgery while center Julius Miettinen is dealing with an upper-body injury sustained in training camp with WHL Everett.  Bernier had a strong post-draft season with QMJHL Baie-Comeau, collecting 14 goals and 32 assists in 59 games but isn’t eligible to play in the minors this season.  As for Miettinen, he notched 39 points in 36 games with the Silvertips and briefly spent time as a reserve with AHL Coachella Valley in the playoffs.  However, he also isn’t eligible to play in the minors this season.
  • The Canadiens announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Bryce Pickford is dealing with a lower-body injury and didn’t take part in practice today. The 19-year-old wasn’t drafted in his first year of eligibility last year but went in the third round back in June, going 81st overall.  Pickford had a breakout year offensively in 2024-25, notching 20 goals and 27 assists in 48 regular season games with WHL Medicine Hat before adding 24 more points in 18 postseason contests.

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