Corey Perry Intends To Continue Playing Career
Recently turned 41-year-old Corey Perry is looking to extend his career into a 22nd season, confirmed by Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic earlier today.
Playing in unusual colors back in 2019 as a Dallas Star at age 34, it already looked like Perry hardly had much left in the tank, with just five goals in 57 regular season games. Nobody back then would have expected that the 6’3” winger would be a notable member of the 2026 free agent class, but sure enough, it looks like that’ll be the case.
By now everyone knows about Perry’s five losses in the Stanley Cup Final, but the power forward impressively keeps humming along, notching 17 goals in 72 games this season, six of them in just 22 games after being traded back to the Lightning at the deadline. Fetching his short-term club in Los Angeles a 2028 second-round pick, it goes to show how high Perry remains valued today.
Lebrun speculates that a return to the Bolts won’t be happening, and assuming Perry is picked up by a hypothetical eighth club (barring a return to any of his previous seven) he’d have major milestones in store. The Ontario native needs just 36 regular season appearances to become the 26th player in league history to reach 1,500 games. Only Alex Ovechkin and Brent Burns are in that club as fellow active players.
As long as Tampa Bay can be crossed off the list, Perry should have several other suitors to choose from on July 1. A deal right in line with last summer’s one year, $2MM contract, that one offered by the Kings, would be in order. With practically an entire portfolio of recent one year contracts to draw upon as examples, the possibility also exists of one like his 2023 agreement with Chicago, a higher rate to join a younger squad, with the idea of later choosing his favored destination at the trade deadline. Of course, at this point it’s not so much about the money as it is about the fit, ideally one which would lead Perry to his ever-elusive second Stanley Cup ring one way or another.
While the veteran was making the rounds on various teams and going on deep playoff runs, his original club in Anaheim built a formidable roster which is ready to contend. A Ducks return would be a storybook ending for Perry, who broke into the NHL in 2005 as a “Mighty Duck”, donning the eggplant alongside franchise legends Teemu Selänne and Scott Niedermayer. Back to the present day, it’s worth mentioning that their forward corps already feature Alex Killorn and Chris Kreider as aging veterans offering similar on-ice traits to Perry. Still, the 2011 Hart Trophy winner would be a great model for 20-year-old Beckett Sennecke.
Tack on Perry’s 244 playoff games to his total resume, and it has been an incredible career for the 28th overall selection in 2003. Somewhat hard to believe, just he and Burns are the only remaining active players from the draft 23 years ago which has gone down as arguably the best in NHL history. At least for one more year, its impact will continue to be felt, all while more rising young stars emerge who were born years after Perry’s name was called at the draft.
Sharks Sign Jimmy Huntington To One-Year Extension
The San Jose Sharks shared earlier today that forward Jimmy Huntington has been re-signed on a one-year, two-way contract. Financial terms have not yet been reported, but as a two-way pact it automatically carries at least a league minimum $850k at the NHL level.
A veteran of the AHL, the 27-year-old joined the San Jose Barracuda this past season and put together his best campaign yet, recording 48 points in 71 games. The center was third in team scoring, producing alongside several skilled youngsters such as Filip Bystedt and Quentin Musty.
Undrafted out of the QMJHL, Huntington feasted alongside Alexis Lafrenière with the Rimouski Oceanic in 2018-19. Catching on with the Lightning organization after a 92-point season, he went on to make a two-year stop with the Milwaukee Admirals. The Laval, Quebec native moved on to the Hershey Bears for 2023-24, helping lead the Capitals affiliates to a Calder Cup title, with 14 points in 20 games during the run.
Since finding himself out west, Huntington’s efforts this season in San Jose helped the Barracuda rank 13th in the AHL, although they were sent home by the Henderson Silver Knights in the opening round. Still seeking his NHL debut, the 6’0″ lefty will aim to build off a strong season, continuing to bring a well-rounded two-way game to the Sharks organization.
Evening Notes: Woodcroft, Lee, Jenner
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to interview Jay Woodcroft for their head coaching position, reported by Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. He added that Woodcroft spoke with the Kings last week as well, and based on such interest, the 49-year-old looks well on track to be back in charge of an NHL bench in 2026-27.
Depending on how things go with the Leafs or Kings from here, it’s thought that Woodcroft is among the top candidates for the club in Toronto’s search. A native of the city, he started as a video coach with the prime 2000s Red Wings, winning a Stanley Cup in that role before moving on to San Jose as an assistant on Todd McLellan’s staff, also following him along to Edmonton afterward. Six years later he found himself leading the Oilers. Let go after a rough start to the 2023-24 campaign, Woodcroft served as an assistant with Anaheim this season, a part of their resurrection.
A modern mind with keen emphasis on analytics in a fast-paced offensive attack, Woodcroft has a career record of 79-41-13, all with Edmonton. He’s exactly .500 across 28 playoff games.
Elsewhere across the league:
- New York Islanders captain Anders Lee wants to add to his 14 seasons with the franchise as he approaches free agency. Still, general manager Mathieu Darche is motivated to open up cap space to more comfortably fit the contract in, as written by Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News. It’s not difficult to single out trade candidates, as Anthony Duclair was shopped around during trade deadline season with clearing his $3.5MM cap hit a priority. The winger who has struggled in New York has a full no-trade clause, making the situation more difficult to navigate. Pierre Engvall is next in line, his $3MM AAV running through 2029-30, but already having cleared waivers in the past, it’s obvious Darche would have to add enhancements to shed salary. The 29-year-old carries a high cost to be effectively a fourth liner at this point. Back to Lee, the veteran who turns 36 in July is no longer a top scorer, but he’s tremendously durable, missing just one regular season game in the past four years. As long as that pace continues through next year, he’ll reach the 1,000 game mark. AFP Analytics projects that Lee is due for a three year extension worth $6.60MM per season, not far from his current $7 million annual salary.
- Previously reported as possibly being squeezed out, Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner’s future remains up in the air at this point, as outlined by Pierre Lebrun of The Athletic. The Columbus captain, whose 808 regular season appearances mark the longest tenured player on the team, was far apart on term in the first round of discussions as he seeks stability at age 32. Teammate Charlie Coyle, 34 no less, was given six years on his contract extension, so it’s curious to know what general manager Don Waddell has in mind with Jenner. Lebrun referenced his tendency to sometimes let negotiations run to the finish line, and with more than a month away from the open market, there’s plenty of time to work something out.
Coaching Notes: Laviolette, Roy, Bednar
The Los Angeles Kings spoke with head coaching candidate Peter Laviolette, Pierre Lebrun of The Athletic reports.
Last serving as head coach of the New York Rangers until his firing one year ago, the 61-year-old sat out 2025-26 but seems to be gearing back up with several openings up for grabs. Known for his fast-paced aggressive systems always in “win-now” mode, Laviolette’s teams are often quick to make noise, something which fits Los Angeles’ objectives with a locked up core, no plans in store to take an intentional step back after legend Anže Kopitar’s retirement.
The Kings still have interim D.J. Smith in the mix, but they’ve been noncommittal especially after being sent packing in the first round in just four games. Any club set to hire Laviolette this summer would become his seventh, and they’d hope to become the fourth he’d lead to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Sticking on the coaching front, Lebrun also reported in the article above that no team has yet asked the Islanders for permission to speak with Patrick Roy, who was fired by New York in April. Landing on Long Island mid-season in 2023 after nearly eight years out of such a position, Roy had a solid start to his tenure, making the playoffs which ended unceremoniously. In the last two seasons his Islanders were unable to take another meaningful step forward, with a late season collapse dooming their season and prompting the change. The storied goaltender may have to wait until the next cycle in a calendar year to find another opportunity, but either way he’ll stay busy as a part-owner of Bordeaux, a professional French team in Ligue Magnus.
- As for teams still in action, Chris Johnston of The Athletic speculated on Jared Bednar’s future, the Colorado head coach finding his club down 3-0 to Vegas in the Conference Final. By no means out yet, if the sweep is completed tonight, tough questions will be raised with another year of the Avalanche’s window coming and going. Making it this far was a step forward, the first time they passed the second round since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022. Injuries have also been a factor, but going out with a whimper would be tough for a team which won 55 games in the regular season. Johnston raised the fact that it’s happened before, Dallas firing Peter DeBoer after their Western Conference Finals defeat just last season. Time will tell, but it’s fair to say that teams on the coaching hunt will at least keep a watchful eye on Bednar depending on Game 4’s result. Even if he returns, other changes behind the bench are a strong possibility.
Free Agent Focus: Buffalo Sabres
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Sabres.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Zach Benson – A feisty winger who already has 211 games under his belt having just turned 21, Benson’s imprints were all over Buffalo’s playoff run, tying for team lead with five goals in 13 games and nine points overall. The former 13th overall pick took another step ahead with 43 points in 65 games, getting real top line usage with the stakes at their highest this spring. Having other business to tend to, there’s a possibility of a bridge deal somewhere under $5MM, but if Buffalo is serious about locking things up now, Benson would command closer to $7MM on a contract which would shoot him right up among Tage Thompson and Joshua Norris as the club’s biggest ticket forwards. Such a commitment would have implications on their unrestricted free agent strategy, outlined below, but the sooner Benson is taken care of, the better. GM Jarmo Kekäläinen already referred to him as a “core piece” who they’re looking to reward with a long term deal.
F Peyton Krebs – Acquired as a prospect with higher end potential, Krebs is now 25, a valuable role player to the team but with questions on his long term future in Buffalo. The former Golden Knights first-round pick set a career high with 39 points, reaping the benefits of a top six role at times due to injuries, part of his campaign filling a variety of roles. Still, Krebs was scoreless in the Montreal series, not the only former Golden Knight to do that. Likely to command a contract at least doubling his current $1.45MM AAV, the Sabres will have to make some difficult decisions with cap constraints, and it makes one wonder if Krebs could emerge in trade talks. If Kekäläinen retains both him and Benson, they’d need to prepare for their second leading goal scorer to walk away, a name who comes up shortly.
D Michael Kesselring – Battling injuries throughout the campaign, the 6’5″ defender skated in just 34 games, a step down from all 82 with Utah last season. He also was unable to contribute offensively, posting just two helpers, versus 29 points put up in the Mammoth’s inaugural season. A key piece in the JJ Peterka trade, the 26-year-old struggled to find a role with the Sabres with ice time cut down over four minutes, despite being a righty, a natural fit into their lineup. While dealing Krebs would be an unfortunate result of the numbers game, Kesselring makes more sense to land on the block, both based on cap limitations and on-ice contribution. Plenty of teams would have interest in the South Carolina native, eyeing a return to his production with the Mammoth organization. Either way, a short-term agreement hovering around the $2.75MM range is realistic.
Other RFAs: D Zachary Jones, F Olivier Nadeau, D Isaac Belliveau, D Nikita Novikov
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Alex Tuch – Widely thought to be the best forward to hit the market, Tuch remains standing in a free agent class which has gotten thinner with each passing month. After five seasons with Buffalo, three of which he surpassed the 30-goal mark, the winger went cold in the Montreal series failing to record a point. Not the ending he wanted after helping lead the Sabres to new heights, it’s Buffalo who may be more hesitant to fork over a king’s ransom to keep him, as opposed to undeterred suitors who’d have no problem offering a long-term deal with an AAV around $10MM. Expected to circle back in the coming weeks before July rolls around, there’s reason for a resolution, as a Syracuse native who grew up a fan of the team. Yet needing to lock up Benson, the Sabres would have to shed a salary such as Jordan Greenway‘s $4MM. Even then, it wouldn’t be surprising if Tuch’s value in a deserted free agent class is just too much, leaving him with ample options for a huge payday.
D Logan Stanley – A lefty whose on-ice play is sometimes not so kind from the eye test, the Sabres surrendered meaningful assets to acquire Stanley due to his frame at 6’7″, 231 lbs, and mean streak, which are coveted in today’s game. As the 28-year-old former first-round selection enters free agency, that will continue to be the case. Starting 65% of his work in the defensive zone as a Sabre, far ahead from anything he saw in Winnipeg, Stanley came away with an impressive 51.3% corsi for at five-on-five. Having a glut of left-handers on the back end, naturally there’s questions on his fit, but that didn’t stop Buffalo from seeking him out at the trade deadline. Projected by AFP Analytics to fetch a two year contract worth just under $3MM per season, Buffalo could feasibly bring him back to fill a need physically, but Stanley’s steady play in the postseason would reward him on the open market, predictably more than the Sabres have to offer.
D Luke Schenn – The second piece coming back in the Winnipeg deal, Schenn’s on-ice contributions in Buffalo were minimal, making just four appearances closing out the regular season, and two more in the playoffs, where he averaged 7:33 of ice time against Montreal. At this point the 36-year-old is largely valued for leadership. As a veteran of 10 NHL clubs to this point, he’s no stranger to moving around in the off-season either. Any future for Schenn would be as a continued seventh defenseman on a one-year contract around $1MM. However, with Zach Metsa in the fold, along with Conor Timmins who especially makes him redundant, the Saskatchewan native will likely be searching for a new home to put the finishing touches on a career which has spanned over 1,100 games and two Stanley Cups.
F Beck Malenstyn – Acquired for a second round pick from Washington two years ago, the winger is the exact type of player whose work ethic has helped Buffalo turn the corner. A relentless forechecker and penalty killer, Malenstyn played in all but one regular season game, recording 14 points. He was a constant presence in the playoffs also, skating in all 13 games and scoring a goal to help give the Sabres a 3-1 series lead over Boston. During the Montreal series, the British Columbia native caught a skate to the hand on the penalty kill, but still cleared the zone and finished his shift while wounded. Many teams would love to staple the 28-year-old to their fourth line, so the Sabres should be prepared to offer at least a $1 million raise from his current $1.35MM cap hit. Assuming at least one of their acquisitions from Winnipeg above are not brought back, there should be no issue in affording such an offer.
Other UFAs: F Joshua Dunne, F Tanner Pearson, F Jake Leschyshyn, D Gavin Bayreuther, F Trevor Kuntar (Group 6)
Projected Cap Space
The Sabres enter this summer with just under $13MM in cap space. Taking care of Benson, along with their other restricted free agents, will quickly dissolve anything left to match what Tuch would be offered on July 1, not to mention addressing the hypothetical losses of Stanley and Schenn on the back end. A point Buffalo fans are already tired of hearing about, unfortunately Jeff Skinner‘s $6.44MM buyout charge is a huge factor this offseason. Finally having assembled the right pieces on their roster, now it’s about keeping together as much of the core as they can. If there’s any chance Tuch is back in blue and gold next year, they’ll have to find the space by trading another forward away. No doubt a difficult situation for Kekäläinen to navigate, the dilemma of keeping a playoff team together is one the Sabres only wished they had over the last decade.
Photo courtesy of Winslow Townson-Imagn Images (Benson). Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Lineup Notes: Stone, Makar, Wedgewood
Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone returns to action in Game 3 tonight on home ice, reported by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. He had been dealing with a lower-body injury, missing five straight games.
Unable to come away with a win before heading out to Vegas, it only makes things more difficult for Colorado, as they’ll desperately try to get back on track tonight. Without their captain, the Golden Knights have gotten massive performances from Brett Howden, the 28-year-old netting nine goals this postseason, needing three more to match his entire output in the regular season. Pavel Dorofeyev, no longer such an underrated sniper, has also stood out with 10 goals, and finally, one can’t skip over Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel who are playing at an elite level.
The efforts have helped Vegas go 4-1 without Stone, tied 2-2 with Anaheim after his first absence which caused concern, but quickly sending them home afterward. Now, up 2-0 over the Presidents’ Trophy winners, a top forward is back in the mix, having posted seven points in nine playoff games thus far. Brandon Saad is likely to be the odd man out; the 33-year-old two-time Stanley Cup Champion added two helpers in five games while Stone was injured as a key veteran presence.
More lineup news from tonight’s Game 3:
- Stone’s opponents will also likely have a big boost tonight, as “all signs point to” Cale Makar returning, according to Kaplan. Missing the first two games of the series with an upper-body injury, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar was cryptic on his status earlier today, but if there was ever a time he was needed, even if not back to full health, it’s tonight with their backs close to the wall. Skating 24:59 in his playoff action to this point, Makar’s usage may indicate his overall health for what lies ahead in Colorado’s hopes to turn the tide and advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
- While there was some speculation that the Avalanche could make a goalie change after losing the first two games, that’s not the case. Instead, Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette was among those to note that Scott Wedgewood will indeed get the nod once again. The 33-year-old posted the best GAA (2.02) and SV% (.921) league-wide during the regular season but has lost three of his last four starts, allowing eight goals on 70 shots in that span.
Assessing Goaltender Trades Of The 2025-26 Season
With all but four remaining clubs having closed the book on their 2025-26 season, it’s time to look back on goaltender trades throughout the season, how they’ve turned out for both sides, and what comes next. In what was a year relatively quiet within this criteria, outside of one widely scrutinized trade, all transactions going back to last July are considered.
It’s hardly a surprise which deal is first worth mentioning, as December’s swap of Tristan Jarry/Stuart Skinner became a real storyline of the season. Just five months later, there’s no stretch in saying one side wishes they had a do-over already.
Edmonton’s interest in Jarry was known leading up to the winter, and as a buy-low candidate it seemed reasonable enough. The now 31-year-old had turned things around from the worst season of his career. In an early sampling of 2025-26, his .909 save percentage, and Goals Saved Above Expected ranking of 22nd (out of netminders playing 10 or more games) by no means set the league on fire. Still, it offered an upgrade for GM Stan Bowman who desperately had to make a switch.
Instead things got even worse than they were before. Jarry finished the regular season 40th among goaltenders who played at least 25 games with a -4.1 Goals Saved Above Expected, per Moneypuck. In 19 games with the Oilers, he managed to come away with nine wins, but his .858 save percentage, to go with a 3.86 goals-against-average, are career-worst levels for the veteran.
Even though the Oilers had the ability to outscore Jarry’s shortcomings, he was not trusted in the playoffs, starting just one game. It was decided that 29-year-old Connor Ingram was the better option, someone who spent meaningful time in the AHL this season, and who is further evaluated below. Needless to say, it did not work, as the Oilers were dispatched by Anaheim in six games.
So how did Pittsburgh come away? For the amount of criticism Bowman has caught, one might expect Skinner to have become a brick wall. It was not quite the case, as his statistics regressed to an .895 save percentage and 2.99 goals-against-average, marks in 27 games as a Penguin which were worse than anything else he’d offered in the NHL to this point.
However, he finished the regular season 20th out of those who played at least 25 games in Goals Saved Above Expected, 8.3, offering the same type of performance which the Penguins sold Jarry high on. Their swap of Jarry and Skinner was effectively a wash, when it should have been a real downgrade based on the conditions of the trade itself.
Already a Pittsburgh win to come out even in terms of performance, the scale really tips with Skinner’s $2.6MM coming off the books, while Edmonton must deal with Jarry’s $5.37MM AAV for two more seasons. Even if the Penguins let Skinner walk for nothing, they also acquired Brett Kulak as a throw-in, who was later flipped for Samuel Girard and a 2028 second rounder.
Escaping the Jarry situation and later adding nice branches to the trade tree is tidy work of GM Kyle Dubas, only serving as salt in the wound for the Oilers. It has quickly become a predicament, perhaps seeking a way out of the contract as soon as this summer, but in all likelihood he’ll return next fall seeking to turn the page. Cutting bait now, with his value at rock bottom, would be painful for a team already dealing with limited assets to improve their roster.
The savvy business from Dubas doesn’t end there, as next up is Arturs Silovs, brought in by Pittsburgh from Vancouver last July for Chase Stillman and a 2028 fourth round selection. Despite leading the Abbotsford Canucks to an AHL title, Silovs had no path forward with the Canucks as a result of Thatcher Demko in place and Kevin Lankinen’s long term contract. It’s a stark reminder of how different their franchise outlook was just one year ago, at the time intent on playoff contention with no use for a spare 24-year-old goalie despite his talent.
Fast forward to today, the Canucks are the second Pacific Division club longing for a “take back” with the Penguins. Demko’s future is in doubt with his ongoing health troubles, and Stillman, although 23, does not look like a forward with any meaningful NHL upside. So what’s the damage with how well Silovs performed?
The Latvian started 38 games for Pittsburgh, winning 19 and offering a 3.07 goals-against-average, coming in slightly worse than the league’s mean ranking of 2.88. With a workload far more than anything he saw in the NHL previously, his underlying numbers weren’t all so pretty, with a -11.9 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Mostly remembered as a Canuck from the 2024 playoffs, where he was tossed into the lineup and pushed the Oilers to the brink in the second round, Silovs stepped up on the biggest stage yet again. His .939 save percentage in three games against the Flyers was a memorable performance in what was otherwise a forgettable series for the team. Silovs will become a restricted free agent this summer and the 6’4” goaltender seems to have a future with the Penguins, impressive considering the limited assets they gave up.
Jumping right back to the Oilers, next is the aforementioned Connor Ingram, who was acquired from Utah in October for future considerations, set to be an insurance policy at #3 on the totem pole. Like Silovs, Ingram once was thrust into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the AHL, as a Nashville Predator in 2022.
Having entered the NHL Player Assistance Program, Ingram’s resilience was on display as he started 30 games for the desperate Oilers, facing huge pressure for a player effectively brought in for nothing. Winning 16, the 29-year-old’s 2.60 goals-against-average was a career best. Out of 59 qualifying NHL goalies who played at least 25 games, Ingram came in at 29th with a 1.7 Goals Saved Above Expected.
By all means a fringe starter, it wasn’t enough for Edmonton to go on another run this spring, but being in a position where the Saskatoon native was their best option between the pipes is indicative of deeper issues within roster construction as opposed to any knock on Ingram. An unrestricted free agent this summer, if he moves on from the Oilers, any team would be getting a solid backup with the former Tampa Bay prospect.
The major goaltender shuffling in Pittsburgh started back with their July 1 trade, moving Alex Nedeljkovic to San Jose for a 2028 third round pick. Nedeljkovic carried a reasonable $2.5MM AAV, but five years older than the later-acquired Silovs, getting younger was of interest. Posting statistics essentially the same as his previous two seasons of a decent workload in Pittsburgh, the Ohio native started 34 games for the Sharks, winning 18 with a .896 save percentage, exactly the league’s average. “Ned” had the slight edge over the young Yaroslav Askarov, who took a big step into his first full-time NHL campaign, flashing brilliance but also having hiccups at times in typical Askarov show-stopping fashion.
Rather than hitting the market, San Jose re-upped Nedeljkovic on a two-year pact worth $3MM per season in March, a deserved increase as he has proved to be a trusty fallback for the developing Askarov. Already progressing with more stability in net, the duo will look to vault the Sharks into the playoffs next year.
A promising team always willing to take on overpaid veterans to net assets, in January Nedeljkovic’s Sharks also dealt for goaltender Laurent Brossoit, inheriting his $3.3MM AAV netting 23-year-old former Chicago first rounder Nolan Allan as a sweetener. Once a high end backup, Brossoit’s free agent deal with the Blackhawks didn’t work out due to hip issues, never making an appearance with the club.
The 33-year-old played just one game for the Sharks, coming away with a loss, and otherwise playing in the AHL. Set to become a free agent, this might be it for Brossoit at the NHL level, but the trade paved the way back to the show, commendable for the British Columbia native after a long hiatus.
Rounding out the bunch, Columbus traded for Philadelphia’s Ivan Fedotov back in September. The former KHL star didn’t live up to high expectations in North America, and the Flyers shed his $3.27MM cap hit, happy to take just a sixth round selection in next month’s draft.
Surpassed by Jet Greaves who broke out this year, Fedotov was left to the AHL, playing in 47 games for the Cleveland Monsters and not offering much to improve his stock this summer. Already reported as having left North America to deal with an undisclosed injury, a return to KHL stardom is likely more appealing than coming back to the AHL next fall.
With most trades taking years to play out, the goaltender deals during the 2025-26 season are looking mostly inconsequential, of course, with exceptions. It was the Penguins who were winners, finding a solid young piece in Silovs while also leaving their trade partners in Edmonton with a mess on their hands in Jarry. As for who comes next, Jordan Binnington is generating noise, along with Buffalo’s Devon Levi, as it is looking like a summer of bigger names on the move than any we saw over the past season on the goaltending front.
Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images (Silovs)
Image Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images (Ingram)
Image Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images (Nedeljkovic)
Afternoon Notes: Makar, Pickering, Thompson
Ahead of tonight’s pivotal Game 3 in Vegas, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar told reporters, including Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette, that “you’ll have to wait and see” if star Cale Makar will be able to play. Bednar remained vague in not naming a starting goaltender either.
The Presidents’ Trophy winners, who lost just 16 regular season games all year and had plenty of breathing room atop the league, didn’t face much adversity all year. Now, somewhat quickly, they’re in a big hole staring at a potential 3-0 series deficit, at the hands of the Golden Knights. The sudden development is largely a result of Makar’s absence, dealing with an upper-body injury from the previous round.
A team built to handle just about any absence up front, obviously the loss of an all-world defenseman has huge implications. Yet Makar’s injury has left an especially evident shortcoming on their powerplay. Missing their quarterback without an adequate second option, they went one-for-five on the man advantage in the series’ first two games on home ice.
With their season on the line, there’s more than enough reason for Makar to suit up, but even if he does under 100%, there’s real questions on what type of workload the 27-year-old is able to bear, averaging one tick shy of 25 minutes a night in his nine playoff games so far.
Elsewhere:
- Penguins top prospect Owen Pickering is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, reported by Tony Androckitis in an article shared on Inside AHL Hockey. Missing a deciding Game 5 in the Atlantic Division Finals, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins came away with a resounding 8-1 win, vaulting them to the Conference Finals as they await their opponent, either the Cleveland Monsters or the Toronto Marlies. It was impressive work considering that the 2021 first rounder is the “Baby Penguins” top defenseman, skating in 68 games and leading all blueliners with 28 points. Pickering stepped right into the NHL in 2024-25 with 24 games, but since then Pittsburgh has been more focused on his long-term development, as he made just four NHL appearances in 2025-26. His WBS Penguins have the chance to return to the Calder Cup Finals for the first time since 2008, as a franchise who has never taken home the AHL title.
- Tyce Thompson, younger brother of Buffalo star Tage Thompson, has re-signed with Barys Astana of the KHL for another year, the team shared. A fourth round selection of the Devils in 2019, the 6’1” winger played in 11 games with the team, making his mark in the NHL stat book with an assist. Departing the Bridgeport Islanders to go abroad this year, he made a larger offensive impact in Russia with 25 points in 57 games, good for fourth on the club. Notable North American teammates of Thompson include the previous AHL standout Mike Vecchione and former Florida Panther Ian McCoshen.
Snapshots: Lehkonen, Zary, Malhotra
A welcome addition has returned to the Avalanche lineup, as Artturi Lehkonen is back tonight for Game 1 against Vegas as they’re missing superstar Cale Makar.
The last time the forward played, his Avalanche dropped Game 3 to Minnesota, at the time looking like a series which could have been much more interesting than it eventually became. While he was out Joel Kiviranta slotted in, a scratch tonight as he did not find the score sheet in limited usage.
Always a dependable role player who excels in every area, Lehkonen joins the second line, centered by Brock Nelson and opposite Nicolas Roy. Colorado handled business while he was away dealing with an upper-body injury, but with six points in seven playoff games, Lehkonen is a key factor who steps up consistently in the playoffs. This will be the third time the 30-year-old skates in the Conference Final, first doing so with Montreal, and in both times his team moved along to play for the Stanley Cup.
Elsewhere across the league:
- In an article where he looked into Calgary Flames trade candidates this summer, Anthony DiMarco of The Daily Faceoff wrote on forward Connor Zary’s unhappiness within his role, playing on the wing instead of down the middle. The 24-year-old, a first round selection back in 2020, on paper fits into the Flames plans as they move into what could be an aggressive rebuild over the next few years. However, posting just 25 points on the season, his development has stalled out in Alberta, raising the need for a fresh start elsewhere. There’s no shortage of similar players who offer a potential 1-1 swap, perhaps even a young defenseman for Calgary’s needs, but Zary’s $3.78MM AAV, carrying through the 2027-28 season, would be a factor in any discussion.
- The Vancouver Canucks reportedly rejected a team from interviewing their AHL head coach Manny Malhotra, according to TSN’s Mike Johnson on yesterday’s edition of OverDrive. After much speculation ended in an internal promotion for their general manager position (Ryan Johnson) it could be the same behind the bench, after Adam Foote was fired yesterday. Let go after just one year, of course it was a brutal season, but the decision suggests that the Canucks have somebody in mind who they’d not be willing to lose this summer. Assuming Johnson’s suspicions to be true, it very well might be the longtime NHLer who played as a Canuck from 2010-2013. An assistant at the NHL level with Vancouver as well as the Maple Leafs, Malhotra took over in AHL Abbotsford in 2024, leading them to their first Calder Cup title alongside Johnson. Connections not ending there, his son, Caleb Malhotra, is gathering noise as a possible selection of the team at third overall in the draft next month should they target a center.
Evening Notes: Nurse, Vladar, Wedgewood
On yesterday’s edition of Daily Faceoff Live, Jeff Marek speculated on a trade scenario for the Edmonton Oilers to move on from Darnell Nurse. Marek suggested that San Jose, known to be seeking a defenseman, could offer up one of their several young forwards, such as Collin Graf in a hypothetical deal.
Western Conference foes who could eventually meet in the playoffs, it begs the question if San Jose would do such a favor to take on Nurse’s $9.25MM cap hit, running through the 2029-30 season, when he’ll be 35. Not only that concern, it would simultaneously give the Oilers a real asset such as Graf. Somewhat quietly amidst a group full of more widely recognizable young talent, the 23-year-old Graf tucked away 21 goals last year for the Sharks, a huge step for the undrafted 6’1” winger who enters restricted free agent status this summer and will command a big increase from his entry level deal.
With declining metrics in terms of possession, and no longer likely to break the 40-point mark in a season again anytime soon, Nurse leaned more into a physical role, surpassing the 100 penalty minute mark for the first time. What’s going for the 30-year-old is that he is highly durable, playing in all 82 games and eating minutes at just under 21 a night. Only Dmitry Orlov and Mario Ferraro skated more for the Sharks this year in that metric.
In theory, Nurse presents an upgrade over Ferraro, but by no means is the longest tenured Shark a top 10 highest paid blueliner in the league, allowing San Jose to allocate those funds elsewhere. The team will have over $14MM to burn with practically their entire defense core hitting free agency this summer, but General Manager Mike Grier will be cautious as he puts the finishing touches on a rebuild which is set up for a decade of noise ahead.
Elsewhere across the league:
- With breakout goaltender Dan Vladař showing preference to remain in Philadelphia long term, Anthony DiMarco of The Daily Faceoff looked into what an extension would look like. A huge part of their resurgence, Vladar’s 2.42 goals against average was third in the entire league this year. One has to go back to 2019-20 as the last time the Flyers got that level of goaltending, coming from who was a second-year-pro Carter Hart, results the now Golden Knight has been chasing ever since. Luckily for the Flyers, they’ll retain the 28-year-old for another year at his steal of a $3.35MM AAV, but the sooner they handle business for the future, the better. DiMarco reported that the Flyers would be willing to give him five years of term with a contract hovering around $6MM per season. If it gets done, the former Flame would join the likes of Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett as the longest signed players on the team, fully signifying their belief that he’s the netminder they’ve been long searching for.
- The Colorado Avalanche are turning back to Scott Wedgewood tonight for Game 1 against Vegas, confirmed by the team. MacKenzie Blackwood meanwhile, of whom he’s split duty with all year, started the last two games of the previous round against Minnesota. However, he was yanked after the first period after letting in three goals of the deciding contest, as Wedgewood backstopped the team to a comeback victory. With all respect to the 33-year-old, whose breakout campaign has shattered his career best statistics across the board, Wedgewood had to stop just seven shots in his 43:14 versus the Wild one week ago. Still, clearly the switch panned out, and he’ll lead the Avs out for the Conference Finals tonight. It’s new territory for Wedgewood who prior to this year had just four playoff appearances across his whole career, none of which were starts.