Trade Deadline Primer: Montreal Canadiens
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Canadiens.
After an unexpected playoff appearance last season, expectations were a little higher heading into this season in Montreal. So far, they’ve lived up to them as they’re well ahead of their standings pace from a year ago, giving them a bit of a leg up in a very tight Atlantic Division. But with the team still taking a longer-term view, they might not be inclined to take a big swing just yet. Instead, they could shop for some help around the margins and look to make their next significant move in the offseason.
Record
32-17-8, 2nd in the Atlantic Division (83% playoff probability, per MoneyPuck)
Deadline Status
Buyers with an eye on the longer-term
Deadline Cap Space
$1.49MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: MTL 1st, MTL 2nd, MTL 3rd, MTL 4th, NJD 4th, MTL 6th, CAR 7th, MTL 7th
2027: MTL 1st, MTL 2nd, MTL 3rd, MTL 4th, MTL 5th, MTL 6th, MTL 7th
Trade Chips
This is an odd situation where arguably their worst contract is also their biggest trade chip. Patrik Laine is in the final season of his contract with an $8.7MM cap charge. He also hasn’t played since mid-October due to an abdominal injury although he’s expected to be activated after the Olympic break. A high-end scoring threat earlier in his career, he has done okay on that front in Montreal with 20 goals in 57 games over parts of two seasons but on the surface, it appears he’s lost his spot in the lineup. It will take full retention and perhaps taking a contract back to move him but if GM Kent Hughes wants to add to his roster, he needs to free up some cap space first and that means getting at least some of Laine’s contract off the books.
The Canadiens have really cut the playing time for both Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble as of late. Xhekaj has played below 10 minutes in 12 of his last 18 games while Struble has been below that mark in six of his last 10 outings. It’s fair to suggest they’re starting to fall out of favor. However, they’re still just 25 and 24, respectively, with cap hits below $1.5MM apiece; Xhekaj is a pending restricted free agent while Struble has another year on his deal. A rebuilding team could potentially have a spot to give them a bigger opportunity, especially if they have a defender to spare that head coach Martin St. Louis might trust more.
On the prospect side of things, NHL readiness is an attribute that’s always sought after at the trade deadline. Defenseman Adam Engstrom fits that bill. He is within striking distance of the point-per-game mark in the minors and held his own in a pair of stints with Montreal this season, spanning 11 appearances overall. He’s probably ready for a longer look at the top level and considering he has another year left on his entry-level contract, the 22-year-old should be garnering some attention on the trade front.
Up front, Joshua Roy is in the final season of his entry-level pact and has seen some NHL time in all three of his professional campaigns. However, given Montreal’s depth up front and in the system, it seems unlikely that he’s a long-term fit on the roster. Roy is waiver-eligible next season so there are teams that might want to get a look at him beforehand. Owen Beck is having a tough year in the minors but has some NHL-ready attributes as a center with a high floor which should be appealing to some teams. Jared Davidson got his first NHL look earlier this season and has a profile of being an energetic fourth liner down the road; again, the Canadiens’ forward depth could make him expendable as well.
Team Needs
1) Top-Line Winger: Let’s use one of their reported wants to start this section off. With Juraj Slafkovsky anchoring the second line, there’s an opening on the top trio with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. It’s clearly not going to be Laine filling that spot. Zachary Bolduc, Alexandre Texier, and Kirby Dach have all seen time up there with varying degrees of success and Alex Newhook could land there when he comes back from his ankle injury. But none of those players are optimal fits for a number one line at this point of their respective careers. This would be a bigger swing
2) Improved Goal Prevention: The Canadiens are 23rd in the league terms of goals allowed with a penalty kill that ranks 25th. Given the limited goaltending options out there, it’s unlikely they’ll make a move on that front and will hope for more consistency from Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes. But they can certainly try to upgrade on Xhekaj and Struble for that sixth defenseman spot while adding another defensive forward (they picked up Phillip Danault to help on that front earlier this season) could help get them closer to the middle of the pack defensively which would help their late-season push to hold onto a playoff spot.
Photo courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images.
Trade Deadline Primer: Vegas Golden Knights
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Golden Knights.
Heading into the season, Vegas was viewed as one of the two contenders in the Pacific Division. But while they hit the break with the division lead, it has been a bit of a bumpy road so far. They’ve been hit quite hard by the injury bug, helping lead to a pair of five-game losing streaks (and an overall losing record) with an offensive and defensive output that’s closer to the middle of the pack than the NHL’s best. Nonetheless, with a quality veteran core group and a management team that’s willing to take some swings (including one to add a defenseman last month), it’s quite clear that they’ll be aiming high on the trade front over the next few weeks.
Record
27-16-14, 1st in the Pacific (93.2% playoff probability, per MoneyPuck)
Deadline Status
Buyers
Deadline Cap Space
$4.653MM on deadline day (all LTIR space), 0/3 retention slots used, 50/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: VGK 2nd, VGK 3rd, VGK 5th, VGK 6th, VGK 7th
2027: VGK 2nd, SJ 3rd, VGK 4th, VGK 5th, VGK 6th, VGK 7th
Trade Chips
Being a team that’s likely to be buying, it’s quite possible that there won’t be any more players moved off the NHL roster. But one player who could be worth keeping an eye on is goaltender Akira Schmid. Adin Hill is back from his long-term injury and Carter Hart is due back sometime after the break as well. While Hart has struggled this season, the extra year on his deal suggests that he’s viewed as a part of the picture beyond 2025-26. Schmid, meanwhile, is a pending RFA due a sizable raise in the midst of a good showing this season that has seen him post a 2.53 GAA and a .895 SV% in 29 games. With a lot of teams believed to be looking around for goaltending options and an affordable contract at $875K, Schmid should generate some strong interest.
A lot of their current cap space is inflated by LTIR placements for William Karlsson and Brayden McNabb. Once they return, they’ll be much closer to a money-in, money-out situation. Accordingly, defenseman Jeremy Lauzon could be a casualty. His $2MM price tag isn’t particularly prohibitive but if they need a money balancer or simply need to spend less on the third pairing, he’s another NHL piece who could be in play. On an expiring contract, he’d have some standalone interest if they need to clear his salary.
As a result of trading away a lot of draft picks and prospects, the Golden Knights don’t have a particularly deep system to further deal from. But one player who would garner some inquiries is winger Trevor Connelly. Injuries have limited the 2024 first-rounder to just 17 games in his first full professional campaign but he has done relatively well when healthy and is still viewed as carrying NHL upside. Braeden Bowman has spent the bulk of the year in Vegas and is establishing himself as a full-timer so he’s someone they won’t necessarily be looking to move but will receive inquiries on. Kai Uchacz recently made his NHL debut and is the type of secondary piece that could be moved in a trade to add a depth piece to the roster as well.
One of the more intriguing wild cards for Vegas this deadline is winger Alexander Holtz. The seventh-overall pick in 2020, he has not lived up to that billing with both New Jersey and now Vegas; he has been in and out of the lineup this season with limited results. On the other hand, he just turned 24 a few weeks ago and has another cheap year on his contract after this one with an AAV that will be below the minimum salary next season. The demand probably won’t be too high but it’s possible that a rebuilding team or two might want to take a look at him and would accept him instead of an equivalent draft pick or prospect in a deal.
Team Needs
1) Contract Space: The Golden Knights are the only team in the NHL with the maximum of 50 active contracts. San Jose was in a tight spot earlier this year and had to take a draft pick downgrade to clear a slot. If GM Kelly McCrimmon wants to add a piece or two, they will need to open up some contract space first, either by including a player in a trade or moving someone else out elsewhere.
2) Improve Depth Scoring: Assuming that Andersson is the key move on the back end, their next need to fill is probably up front. Their top six has been productive this season with all players having at least 16 goals and 41 points. But the output drops off quickly after that. No other forward has 10 goals yet while Bowman is the only one with 20 points (and he’s just at 20). Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad have underwhelmed, in particular, while Karlsson’s injury has limited him to just 14 games so far. A player who could play on the third line to start but move into the top six when needed would give their attack a nice boost. That, and Karlsson’s possible return closer to the playoffs, could be enough of an improvement to their scoring to get them back near the top of the league in that department.
Photo courtesy of Brett Holmes-Imagn Images.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Tampa Bay Lightning
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 Atlantic Division, next up are the Lightning.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Current Cap Hit: $96,287,774 (over the $95.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Dominic James (two years, $910K)
Potential Bonuses
James: $102.5K
James declined to sign with Chicago and instead opted to go to free agency to get a better shot at NHL playing time. It took a bit of time but he has been up for most of the season, albeit in a bottom-six role. He should be able to get some of his games played bonus, an amount that might roll over to next year’s cap given Tampa’s cap situation. If James can stay in this role through next season, doubling this price tag could be doable.
Signed Through 2025-26, Non-Entry-Level
F Oliver Bjorkstrand ($5.4MM, UFA)
D Declan Carlile ($775K, UFA)
F Curtis Douglas ($775K, UFA)
D Darren Raddysh ($975K, UFA)
Bjorkstrand was the big pickup up front at the deadline last season with the fact he had an extra year left on his deal justifying a high price tag in terms of what they paid to get him. Back in the summer, a price tag in the $7MM range seemed feasible but he has been quieter than expected this season. That could lower the cost a bit on a longer-term deal but he also might be a candidate to take a one-year pact somewhere in the hopes of bolstering his value. That market could be fairly lucrative given how thinned out the UFA market has gotten so even with his struggles, he’s still heading for a raise. Douglas has played sparingly this season and while his NHL price will go up thanks to the increase in minimum salary, it’d be surprising if he received a one-way deal.
Raddysh has become one of the most interesting players in the upcoming UFA class. He quietly put up 30-plus points in back-to-back seasons which already made him a bargain at this price tag but this year, he’s hovering around 22 minutes and a point per game. Oh, and he’s a right-shot player too, the side always in maximum demand. The price tag for defensemen who can produce at a point per game can jump close to the $10MM per season range. It’s not feasible to think that Raddysh is going to land there given his smaller track record but something in the $6MM range could very well be doable. That’s still quite a jump for someone who was still trying to become a full-time regular just a few years ago.
Carlile is getting his first taste of extended NHL action and is holding his own in a limited role. He’s probably not going to jump too far past the $850K minimum salary but a one-way deal is a realistic goal to strive for.
Signed Through 2026-27
D Charle-Edouard D’Astous ($775K in 2025-26, $875K in 2026-27, UFA)
F Zemgus Girgensons ($850K, UFA)
F Gage Goncalves ($1.2MM, UFA)
F Pontus Holmberg ($1.55MM, UFA)
G Jonas Johansson ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Nikita Kucherov ($9.5MM, UFA)
D Emil Martinsen Lilleberg ($800K, RFA)
Even as one of the top-paid wingers in the league when this contract first started, Kucherov has been a bargain for the Lightning. Even if he agrees to keep taking a bit below market value, market value has jumped with the sharper increases to the salary cap. On the other hand, he’ll be entering his age-34 contract when this deal begins. A short-term deal could push the AAV into the $13MM or more range unless he wants to leave a lot of money on the table. I explored what a longer-term deal could look like in an effort to keep the price tag a little lower in a mailbag; if Tampa Bay wants to go six years, they could get an AAV more around the $10MM to $10.5MM range if all went well.
Holmberg has fit in nicely in his first season with Tampa Bay after being non-tendered by Toronto to avoid arbitration. The fact he can play center (even though he hasn’t much with the Lightning) will help his market value. If he can stay in a third-line role next season, doubling this price tag could be doable.
Goncalves has given Tampa Bay a bit of offense from the bottom six which is good but players like him often become non-tender candidates with teams wanting to keep their depth spots a little cheaper. With arbitration rights putting him in a spot to likely push for more than $2MM per season, Goncalves could be another in this trend. Girgensons had a tough first year in Tampa Bay but has been better this season, moving onto the third line. Still, at this stage of his career, teams will likely view him as a low-cost fourth liner. A small raise should be doable unless he wants to leave money on the table again to play for a contender.
Lilleberg has been a nice depth pickup after Arizona gave up his draft rights and a contract below the minimum next season (even after being boosted to reflect the new minimum salary) is a nice bonus. Value-wise, he’s a player who could seemingly land around the $1.5MM to $2MM mark but like Goncalves, his arbitration eligibility could work against him should he be unsigned by the end of June 2027. D’Astous has also been a nice find in free agency and quickly went from a player earmarked for AHL Syracuse to someone who has seen time in the top four. Even his in-season extension looks like a team-friendly one. If he stays as a top-four piece, a jump to the $3MM range could be realistic.
Johansson has been a below-average netminder throughout his career but with the Lightning having a high-end starter, they’ve opted for a low-cost second-string option. If he’s content with the role he has, another short-term deal around this price point is doable for him.
Signed Through 2027-28
D Maxwell Crozier ($775K, UFA)
G Andrei Vasilevskiy ($9.5MM, UFA)
Crozier is a full-time NHL player for the first time this season and understandably has had a limited role when he has been in the lineup. But a seventh defender at the league minimum for a few years is still reasonable value. The goal for Crozier will be to work his way into a full-time lineup spot which will need to happen for him to comfortably eclipse the $1MM mark on his next contract.
After a rough 2023-24 season by his standards, Vasilevskiy has bounced back to Vezina-level form and is providing a good return on this price tag. Like Kucherov, he’ll be heading into his age-34 contract and a long-term pact is going to be needed to keep this price tag down a bit. He’s someone who could aim to pass Igor Shesterkin’s $11.5MM AAV although if it’s a longer-term agreement, it could check in closer to where it is now.
Snapshots: Maurice, Morrissey, Davies
Finland wound up in second place in its group at the Olympics and have a chance at a bye before the quarterfinals. However, at one point, it looked like the team could have been led by a different bench boss. Helsingen Sanomat’s Sami Hoffren and Teemu Suvinen report that following a tough showing at the 4 Nations Face-Off and World Championship, a group of NHL veterans made an effort to try to get Panthers head coach Paul Maurice appointed to Finland’s coaching staff for these Olympics. GM Jere Lehtinen acknowledged discussing the idea with the players who wanted the change but nothing further came of it with head coach Antti Pennanen remaining in charge, a role he will hold through the spring of 2027 at a minimum.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey missed Friday’s Olympic game against Switzerland and has already been ruled out for Sunday’s contest against France, relays Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press (Twitter link). However, Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper indicated that “by no means is he out for the tournament.” That suggests that the undisclosed injury is at least relatively minor if he’s going to potentially be back within the next week. That would be a big boost for Canada’s back end as well as Winnipeg’s with a busy stretch of games coming up after the break.
- After having his contract with Florida terminated a little more than a week ago, Josh Davies has found a new team. The AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals announced that they’ve signed the forward to a deal for the remainder of the season. Drafted in the sixth round in 2022, Davies has played primarily in the ECHL over his professional career and it appears he was willing to walk away from the rest of his NHL deal to get an opportunity to play at the AHL level for the first time this season.
Atlantic Notes: Nylander, Levi, Bergqvist
While Maple Leafs winger William Nylander was able to get back in Toronto’s lineup before the Olympics, he hasn’t been practicing fully with Sweden at the Olympics. That has led to speculation that the lingering groin issue he has been dealing with is still bothering him. As Michael Traikos of The Hockey News relays, the veteran winger indicated that while he’s managing the injury, he’s feeling good at the moment. Nylander has a goal and an assist in three games so far with the Swedes wrapping up preliminary round action earlier today. That has to be encouraging for Toronto as they’ll need him at his best if they’re going to have any shot at trying to close the gap in the Atlantic Division to get back into the playoff picture.
More from the Atlantic:
- Sabres goalie Devon Levi acknowledged to Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald that he no longer feels rushed anymore when it comes to his development. Buffalo put him straight into a late-season playoff chase in 2022 but since then, he has struggled at the NHL level. This season, the team had him take a step back as he has played exclusively with AHL Rochester and has done well, posting a 2.57 GAA with a .910 SV% in 32 appearances. Even with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen currently injured, Buffalo will need to have another netminder go down with an injury before Levi becomes a viable option to be recalled this season.
- Canadiens prospect Rasmus Bergqvist has been loaned from the SHL to Ostersunds of the second-tier Allsvenskan, per a team announcement from SHL Skelleftea. The 20-year-old has been a regular with Skelleftea this season while picking up four assists in 37 games, albeit with diminishing ice time. The hope is that the drop to the lower level will allow Bergqvist to play a bigger role while maintaining eligibility to be recalled later in the season or into the playoffs.
Canucks Prospect Parker Alcos To Play In NCAA Next Season
Last offseason, the first allowing CHL players to play in the NCAA, there were a flurry of commitments from players looking to play at the collegiate level. This season, the commitments have been more slow and steady. On Friday, a Canucks prospect decided to make the switch as defenseman Parker Alcos announced on his Instagram page that he will play at Quinnipiac University next season.
The 19-year-old was a sixth-round pick by Vancouver back in 2024, going 189th overall. This season, Alcos has split time between WHL Edmonton and Kelowna, combining for five goals and 18 assists in 47 games, already surpassing his production from the previous two seasons.
The Canucks will now have two prospects with the Bobcats in 2026-27 as 2025 seventh-rounder Matthew Lansing is in his freshman year with the club. Alcos is the second NHL-drafted player to commit to switching from junior hockey to playing at Quinnipiac as he’ll join San Jose goaltender Christian Kirsch in doing so for 2026-27.
The change in leagues could work to Vancouver’s benefit. Had Alcos not decided to make the switch, the Canucks would have only had until June 1st to sign him to an entry-level contract or lose his rights. Now, those signing rights will be extended, allowing Vancouver to get a longer look before making a decision on whether or not to ultimately sign him.
Rangers Likely To Move Vincent Trocheck
When Rangers GM Chris Drury released a letter to the fans last month announcing a retool, he noted that this process could “mean saying goodbye to players that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years.” We’ve already seen one of those players on the move with last week’s trade that saw Artemi Panarin get moved to Los Angeles.
But retools don’t often stop at one core player being on the move. Meanwhile, with the market having few defined sellers at this point and a lot of teams still being in the playoff picture, those who are willing to move out some talent appear to be poised to capitalize on a strong trade market.
To that end, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic recently noted on Edmonton Sports Talk (video link) that it seems likely that center Vincent Trocheck will be on the move before the March 6th trade deadline.
There aren’t many Rangers who have lived up to expectations offensively this season but Trocheck may very well be one of those who have. After a quieter performance in 2024-25 that saw him collect 26 goals and 33 assists in 82 games (compared to 77 points the year before), the 32-year-old has bounced back a bit this season, notching 36 points in 43 games (a 69-point pace over a full 82-game campaign).
On top of that, Trocheck remains one of the better players at the faceoff dot, winning 56.5% of his draws this season. He’s also logging more than two minutes per night on both the power play and penalty kill and close to 21 minutes per contest overall. Suffice it to say, he’s about as complete of a player as you’re going to find on the trade market.
His two-way skillset is what led the Rangers to sign him to a seven-year, $39.375MM contract back in 2022, a deal that still has three years remaining on it after that one. With a $5.625MM AAV that is already now below-average for a second center, Trocheck is an option that more teams should be able to afford, meaning that New York shouldn’t necessarily have to use one of its salary retention slots to get a deal done.
It’s worth noting that Trocheck does have some trade protection in his deal. Although he no longer has a full no-move clause, he can still block a trade to a dozen teams. That would give him a chance to affect his own trade talks, though nowhere close to the extent that Panarin ultimately did to ensure he landed with the Kings.
At this point, the list of potential suitors for Trocheck would probably be longer than the list of teams that wouldn’t show interest in him. Accordingly, if Drury decides to pull the trigger and move out a longer-term core piece, he will be in a much stronger position than he had with Panarin to elicit a top-end return that moves their retooling process along. Once the trade freeze ends (on February 22nd at 10:59 PM CT), the Rangers will have just 12 days before the trade deadline to try to find a suitable trade for Trocheck.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Ottawa Senators
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 Atlantic Division, next up are the Senators.
Ottawa Senators
Current Cap Hit: $92,446,600 (under the $95.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
None that are playing on a regular basis.
Signed Through 2025-26, Non-Entry-Level
F Nick Cousins ($825K, UFA)
F Lars Eller ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Claude Giroux ($2MM, UFA)
D Nick Jensen ($4.05MM, UFA)
G Leevi Merilainen ($1.05MM, RFA)
F David Perron ($4MM, UFA)
G James Reimer ($850K, UFA)
D Jordan Spence ($1.5MM, RFA)
Potential Bonuses
Eller: $1MM
Giroux: $2.75MM
Total: $3.75MM
Perron has been hit or miss outside of St. Louis in his career but that didn’t stop the Sens from giving him a two-year deal. The first season didn’t go great due to injuries and while he has been healthier this season, the overall performance hasn’t been great. At this point, it’d be hard to see him beat this on the open market and it wouldn’t be surprising to see his next deal be a one-year, incentive-laden one that keeps the base cost down to allow for more flexibility. Doing that could push the maximum value at least within the vicinity of his current contract. Giroux is someone who signed the type of deal Perron might get. After his initial three-year deal expired, the two sides had a prolonged negotiation but eventually got this deal over the finish line. While $750K of his bonuses are achievable simply through games played (topping out at 60), the remainder have a playoff-related component to them with $1.75MM being tied to series wins. That’s a fair structure and one that will likely be repeated if he sticks around for another year.
Eller was a valuable third-line center for many years but has slowed down lately, resulting in him needing to take a structure like this as well although only half of his bonuses are playoff-related. He’ll be 37 next season and it stands to reason that he’ll be going year-to-year moving forward, likely with contracts structured like this. Cousins has hovered at or just above the league minimum for several seasons now. A 12-year veteran in what has largely been the same type of role, his next deal should once again land in that area.
While landing Jensen as the centerpiece of the return for Jakob Chychrun might feel underwhelming, the veteran was one of their better blueliners last season although he hasn’t fared quite as well this year. He’ll be 36 when the 2026-27 campaign begins but there might be enough market interest to land him a two-year pact (performance bonuses wouldn’t be an option with that term) at least close to his current price tag. Spence was brought over in a draft day trade with the Kings with the hopes that he could take on a bigger role. That hasn’t happened and instead, he has been scratched several times already. Owed a $1.7MM qualifying offer with arbitration rights this summer, Spence’s point production in recent years could give him a shot at doubling that required offer. If Ottawa doesn’t want to go that high, however, he becomes a potential trade or non-tender candidate.
Merilainen was a big bright spot when pressed into duty as the third-stringer last season and without his efforts, they may not have made the playoffs. That small sample size was enough to get him the full-time backup job this year where things haven’t gone as well and they’ve since shuffled him to the AHL to get him more playing time. He has arbitration eligibility this summer and given how this year has gone, the Sens could ultimately look to a different backup option that’s a little more proven. With his struggles, Ottawa recently turned to Reimer to try to help stabilize the backup position. Given how he has bounced around and had to wait half a season to get signed, it’s safe to say that his next deal will be at or near the minimum, if he gets one at all.
Signed Through 2026-27
F Michael Amadio ($2.6MM, UFA)
F Drake Batherson ($4.975MM, UFA)
D Tyler Kleven ($1.6MM, UFA)
F Kurtis MacDermid ($1.15MM, UFA)
D Nikolas Matinpalo ($875K, UFA)
D Artem Zub ($4.6MM, UFA)
Batherson has been one of Ottawa’s better bargains for quite some time now. He is making second-line money but has put up better than that level of production for the last four years. He was just shy of a point per game in 2021-22 and then followed that up with three straight years of more than 60 points. This season, he’s once again flirting with the point per game threshold. If he stays around that trajectory, pushing past the $9MM per season mark is a very realistic outcome, especially if he were to make it to the open market. The Sens have had several below-market contracts for their young core and his deal is arguably the best one of them all.
Amadio has been quite consistent with three straight seasons of 27 points and is around that mark again this year. That’s not a great return for their money but it’s not a bad one either as he’s consistently in their middle six. But unless he can find another gear offensively, he might not be able to beat this by much in 2027. MacDermid came over in a late preseason trade and has played rather sparingly since then. While there is still a role for the true ‘enforcer’, his limited usage could bring his price tag closer to the minimum salary moving forward.
Zub has had some challenges staying healthy over his time in Ottawa but when he’s healthy, he’s a capable top-four defender who logs some tough defensive minutes. He’ll be entering his age-32 season when his next deal begins, meaning another multi-year pact (three to five years, specifically), is more than reasonable. In a market where the price of top-four blueliners is going to rise, Zub should be able to push past the $6MM mark per season on his next contract.
Kleven’s first full NHL season in 2024-25 was a decent one as he was a regular on the third pairing but his limited track record didn’t give him much earnings upside. Somewhat surprisingly, though, Ottawa signed him to a deal that walked him right to UFA eligibility. He’s playing a bigger role this season and if he can get closer to the 17-18-minute mark, a jump past $3MM per season could be doable. Matinpalo is in his first year as a full-timer on the roster, though not a full-timer in the lineup as he remains more of a depth piece. That will need to change if he’s going to be able to push past the $1MM mark by any sort of meaningful amount.
Signed Through 2027-28
D Thomas Chabot ($8MM, UFA)
F Brady Tkachuk ($8.206MM, UFA)
F Fabian Zetterlund ($4.275MM, UFA)
It took quite a while for Tkachuk to sign coming off his entry-level contract but the deal has held up quite nicely. This season aside, he has been quite durable and produced largely at a top-line rate. Between that and his being a power forward, it’s fair to say he’s heading for a considerable jump; a contract in the $12MM range could very well be on the table. Zetterlund did well in San Jose but struggled following a late-season trade to Ottawa. He signed based on his production with the Sharks but his struggles have carried over into this year. As a result, this deal may be close to double what his value is based on his performance with the Sens.
Chabot was the first core Senator to sign a pricey deal coming off an entry-level pact, a well the team has gone to several times since then. While he’s no longer among the most-used defensemen in the league, he’s still a capable all-around defender who can still play at a 40-point pace or more. While his injury history could hurt his market a bit, with the rapid escalation of prices for top-pairing blueliners, he should be in line for a double-digit AAV on his next contract.
Victor Eklund Expected To Play In North America Next Season
It has been a solid post-draft season for Islanders prospect Victor Eklund. Making the jump to the SHL level for the first time, he has put up 16 points in 34 games with Djurgardens while averaging 14:38 of playing time.
However, even though he’s playing a regular role at home, it appears that the Islanders have other plans for him next season. Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News relays (Twitter link) that Eklund is expected to play in North America next season, either with New York or the minors where their farm team is expected to relocate from Bridgeport to Hamilton for 2026-27.
The 19-year-old was the 16th overall pick back in June, the second of back-to-back selections that were acquired as part of the Noah Dobson trade. Eklund spent last season in the second-tier Allsvenskan with Djurgardens, helping them earn a promotion to the top level this season. Heading into the draft, he was largely a consensus top-10 selection so the Isles certainly felt fortunate to get him where they did.
On top of his play in the SHL this season, Eklund served as an alternate captain for Sweden at the most recent World Juniors, a country that won their first gold medal in the event in 14 years. He finished tied for fourth on the team in scoring with two goals and six assists in seven games. That was a small improvement in points over his first time in the event in 2024-25 when he had four goals and two helpers in seven contests.
Eklund has already signed his entry-level contract, a three-year deal that technically began this season. However, since he isn’t playing in ten or more NHL games this season, the start of the deal will slide, meaning Eklund will still have three years left on his deal when he makes his debut in North America next season.
Five Key Stories: 2/2/26 – 2/8/26
The Olympic break is now upon us with the men’s tournament set to start in a few days. Meanwhile, there was certainly some news of note around the NHL over the past seven days which is recapped in our key stories.
Bjugstad To Devils: The fact that New Jersey is currently out of a playoff spot didn’t stop them from buying as they acquired center Nick Bjugstad from St. Louis in exchange for minor leaguer Thomas Bordeleau and a fourth-round pick. The 33-year-old hasn’t had a great year and has been limited to 36 games due to injuries and healthy scratches; he has six goals and one assist in those outings. Still, Bjugstad is only two years removed from a 45-point season and gives them some extra center depth and grit for their fourth line. He has one year left on his contract after this one at $1.75MM, meaning he’s not a rental player for them. Meanwhile, Juho Lammikko lost his roster spot with New Jersey after the move. He declined to go to the minors and was subsequently released and has since signed in Switzerland.
Done For The Season: With the playoffs out of reach, the Flames have decided to shut down veteran winger Jonathan Huberdeau for the rest of the season to allow him to undergo hip resurfacing surgery. The injury is one that he has been dealing with all season and there’s no confirmation at this time that he’ll be available for training camp. He had been struggling before being shut down as he had just 10 goals and 15 assists in 50 games, a point total well below the 62 he had last season. Huberdeau still has five years left on his contract, one that carries a $10.5MM cap charge and has not aged particularly well since his career year with Florida back in 2021-22.
Panarin On The Move: With Artemi Panarin being sat out for future trade purposes, the Rangers were able to get a deal done just before the trade freeze. The veteran was dealt to the Kings (with 50% retention on his expiring contract) in exchange for winger Liam Greentree along with a 2026 conditional third-round pick that upgrades to a second-round selection if Los Angeles wins a round. If the Kings win two, New York adds an extra 2028 fourth-rounder. Panarin, who quickly signed a two-year, $22MM extension (spurning much bigger offers), gives the Kings a legitimate top-line scoring threat on a team that has struggled mightily offensively this season, ranking 31st in the league in goals scored. Panarin made it known that Los Angeles was the only team he’d waive his trade protection for, hindering New York’s ability to get a top return. Still, in Greentree, they add an intriguing big winger who was a first-round pick in 2024 and has been quite productive in the OHL, giving them a big add to their prospect pool.
Trotz To Retire: It has been an eventful few years for Barry Trotz as the GM of the Predators. Taking on that role for the first time following a long and successful coaching career, he went on a big spending spree in the 2024 offseason, adding Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei in an effort to turn his team into a contender. Instead, they’ve floundered and after missing the playoffs last season, they’re on the outside looking again at the break. Meanwhile, Trotz announced this week that he has decided to retire from the role, though he will remain on the job through the trade deadline and until a successor is found. The team had hoped to use CAA Executive Search to help find a replacement but as CAA Hockey has 153 NHL clients, it was deemed a conflict of interest and CAA has since withdrawn from that engagement. The search will now be done in-house.
Suspended For 20: Penguins defenseman Caleb Jones has been sidelined for the better part of the month after being injured on a conditioning stint (to wrap up recovery from a separate injury). Now, he won’t be in the lineup no matter what for the bulk of the rest of the season as the NHL gave him a 20-game suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. Additionally, he has been referred to the Player Assistance Program for evaluation and possible treatment. Jones is in the first season of a two-year deal with Pittsburgh and barring a late-season return after the suspension is lifted, he’ll wind up with just seven games with the Penguins and the one brief appearance in the minors.
Photo courtesy of Brad Penner-Imagn Images.