Canucks Sign Vincent Desharnais, Jiří Patera
Adding to their defensive core for the 2024-25 NHL season, the Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Vincent Desharnais away from the Edmonton Oilers on a two-year, $4MM agreement. Additionally, the Canucks have agreed to terms with depth netminder Jiří Patera on a two-year, two-way contract, per a team announcement.
Desharnais has been a late bloomer as the 28-year-old didn’t make his NHL debut until 2022-23 and only became a full-time regular last season. He played in 78 games in 2023-24, picking up a goal and 10 assists to go along with 122 blocks and 135 hits while averaging a little under 16 minutes per game. He took a regular turn for the Oilers on the penalty kill, making him more than just a big (he’s 6’7) third-pairing player. He also got into 16 playoff contests where he averaged more than two hits and blocks per game in just over 17 minutes a night.
Desharnais will be counted on to help anchor Vancouver’s third pairing behind recently-re-signed blueliners Filip Hronek and Tyler Myers. With Nikita Zadorov (Boston) and Ian Cole (Utah) both departing via free agency, he will be asked to help replace some of the physicality that those two brought to the table. After being a full-time minor leaguer just two years ago, this contract represents a nice reward for Desharnais’ decision to stick it out in the minors.
As for Patera, he was one of the more intriguing Group Six free agents from this year’s class. He has eight games of NHL experience under his belt with Vegas but spent most of the year with AHL Henderson where he posted a 2.99 GAA with a .903 SV% in 25 games. It was believed that Vancouver was open to signing a veteran netminder to play behind Thatcher Demko but instead, it looks as if Patera will try to unseat Arturs Silovs for that role with the one not getting the job heading to play at AHL Abbotsford.
Sabres Sign Nicolas Aubé-Kubel, Jacob Bryson, Dennis Gilbert, Jack Rathbone
The Sabres have added to their flurry of depth signings today, confirming deals for UFA winger Nicolas Aubé-Kubel (one year, $1.5MM), defenseman Jacob Bryson (one year, $900K) and defenseman Dennis Gilbert (one year, $825K). The team also confirmed the previously reported signings of Jason Zucker and Sam Lafferty.
PuckPedia later reported that the Sabres also inked depth defenseman Jack Rathbone to a one-year, two-way deal worth $775K NHL/$500K AHL.
Aubé-Kubel’s stock has improved after being an early-season waiver claim two years ago. Since then, he became a regular role player for the Capitals. Last season, the 28-year-old played in 60 games for Washington, recording six goals and ten assists along with a career-high 159 hits while logging a little over 12 minutes a night. With the Sabres looking to add some grit to their bottom six group, they’ve elected to reunite Aubé-Kubel with Beck Malenstyn, who was acquired back at the draft.
As for Bryson, his stint in unrestricted free agent was short-lived after being non-tendered by the team yesterday. The 26-year-old had a limited role with Buffalo last season, getting into just 36 games where he had eight points while averaging a little under 15 minutes a night. His $1.85MM contract helped get him through waivers unclaimed, resulting in him seeing action in ten games with AHL Rochester as well. Bryson is likely to still have a depth role with the Sabres next season but it will be at a much more manageable price point this time around.
Gilbert, meanwhile, spent all of last season at the NHL level with the Flames but playing time was hard to come by. While he missed a handful of games with a concussion, he was also a frequent healthy scratch. In the end, the 27-year-old played in 34 games, picking up a goal and six assists along with 49 blocks and 59 hits while logging a little more than 12 minutes a night. He could battle for an end-of-roster spot with Buffalo in training camp but could also be earmarked for a key role with AHL Rochester.
In 2021-22, Rathbone picked up 40 points in 39 games with AHL Abbotsford and it looked like a full-time promotion to the NHL could soon be forthcoming. However, that didn’t come to fruition. The 25-year-old was moved to Pittsburgh last year in an early-season trade but played exclusively with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, recording 24 points in 67 games. He’ll be ticketed for a regular role with the Americans where he’ll hope to play his way into his first NHL action since 2021-22.
Islanders Sign Anthony Duclair, Mike Reilly
The Islanders have signed winger Anthony Duclair to a four-year deal and re-signed defenseman Mike Reilly to a one-year deal, the team said in separate announcements. Duclair’s deal carries a $3.5MM cap hit, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Duclair is reunited with head coach Patrick Roy who he played for back in junior; Roy called to recruit him to the Islanders. The 28-year-old speedster has bounced around over the years as this will be the ninth NHL organization he has played for as he enters his 11th season.
Last summer, Florida moved Duclair to San Jose in a cost-clearing move. While he rebounded a bit after a tough showing in 2022-23, he was on a Sharks team who struggled considerably from a scoring perspective although he still managed 16 goals and 11 assists in 56 games. Tampa Bay picked him up at the trade deadline and the fit was seamless as he added eight goals and seven assists in 17 contests down the stretch before adding a pair of assists in five playoff contests. He should give the Isles some more secondary scoring on the wings moving forward.
As for Reilly, he started last season with Florida after being bought out by Boston, who is still paying him $1.333MM in cash for the upcoming season. However, he was waived less than two months into the season after playing in just two games and was claimed by the Islanders who were dealing with injury issues at the time.
The change of scenery was certainly beneficial for both Reilly and the Isles. He immediately stepped into a regular role and held it for the rest of the season, picking up six goals and 18 assists along the way while logging more than 17 minutes a night. That was enough to convince GM Lou Lamoriello to keep him around at a $250K raise from the $1MM he made last season. Reilly should reprise his role on the third pairing with some secondary power play time next season.
Flames Sign Ryan Lomberg, Martin Frk
Free agent enforcer Ryan Lomberg is heading back to where his NHL career began, signing a two-year deal with the Flames. Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, it carries a $2MM cap hit. They’ve also inked winger Martin Frk, who boasts one of the hardest shots in the world, to a one-year, two-way deal, per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli. It has a $775K cap hit, the team announced.
Lomberg had a very limited role in Calgary in his first stint with the team when he was primarily a minor leaguer. However, he eventually worked his way into a full-time spot with Florida. The 29-year-old had 12 goals and eight assists in 2022-23, becoming one of the more valuable fourth liners that year. However, he wasn’t able to produce at a similar level last season, being held to five goals and two assists in 75 games although he did record a career-best 179 hits. Lomberg also got into eight playoff games along the way to Florida’s first Stanley Cup title.
Florida had hoped to re-sign Lomberg but pulled out of talks when it became clear he was going to cost more than what they could afford. Considering this is a 150% increase on his previous contract, this was clearly out of the Panthers’ price range. Lomberg should have a regular role on Calgary’s fourth line and will give them some grit and energy as they kick off what looks to be a multi-year rebuilding process.
As for Frk, he returns to North America after spending last season in the Swiss NL where he had seven goals and nine assists in 33 games with Bern and Rapperswil. The 30-year-old has 124 career NHL appearances, the last of which came back in 2021-22 with Los Angeles. Frk has been relatively productive in that limited action, collecting 2o goals and 21 assists, which could give him a chance to break camp with the Flames in a depth role. If that doesn’t happen, he should be a key scorer with the Wranglers next season.
Flyers Sign Garnet Hathaway To Two-Year Extension
The Flyers have inked grinder Garnet Hathaway to a two-year extension worth $2.4MM annually, per a team announcement. He’s entering the final season of a two-year deal at a slightly cheaper $2.375MM cap hit. His new contract will take effect with the 2025-26 season.
The 32-year-old had a decent first year in Philadelphia after coming over in free agency from Boston. Offensively, he had seven goals and ten assists in 82 games while collecting a career-high 132 penalty minutes and 326 hits, the most of any forward in the NHL. Hathaway averaged 12:29 per game and played a secondary role on the penalty kill. For his career, Hathaway has 65 goals, 74 assists, 622 penalty minutes, and 1,672 hits in 539 NHL contests between four teams.
Still, it’s somewhat surprising that the Flyers elected to get an extension done this quickly with Hathaway. For someone who produces at closer to a fourth-line level, the price point is a little high (as his current deal is) but they clearly value the grit he brings to the table with a younger core group up front. Hathaway is now signed through the 2026-27 campaign, meaning he’ll be 35 when this new agreement expires, making him subject to 35-plus contract rules.
Stars Sign Matt Dumba, Ilya Lyubushkin, Two Others
The Stars are landing free-agent defenseman Matt Dumba, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports. He adds it’s a two-year deal worth $3.75MM per season. Dallas also announced they’ve inked enforcer Brendan Smith, who can play both defense and wing, to a one-year, $1MM deal. Additionally, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports they’ve signed defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to a two-year deal with a $3.25MM cap hit. They’re also bringing back non-tendered RFA Nils Lundkvist on a one-year, $1.25MM deal, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Dumba was a free agent for the second straight season after having to settle for a one-year deal last summer when multi-year offers weren’t to his liking. Unfortunately for him, things didn’t go as planned in Arizona as instead of showing that he could return to his earlier offensive success, the 29-year-old was limited to just 10 points and 150 hits in 58 games before being moved to Tampa Bay at the trade deadline. He had a more limited role with the Lightning, notching just two assists down the stretch before logging less than 16 minutes a night in their opening-round loss to Florida.
With that in mind, it’s interesting to see that Dumba had a strong enough market to land a similar price tag to last year with an extra year. While his stock is seemingly down, Dumba has long been a capable top-four blueliner who can log some hard minutes. He’ll be asked to do so with Dallas following the departure of Chris Tanev to Toronto.
As for Smith, the 35-year-old comes over after spending the last two years in New Jersey, playing more of a regular role after being a depth player in previous seasons. He collected 15 points in 63 games last season while setting new career highs in blocks (101) and hits (117). His versatility should come in handy although at first glance, it seems as if most of his playing time should come on the back end.
Lyubushkin will also be counted on to shore up the right side of the Stars’ back end. The 30-year-old is a bit more limited in what he can provide compared to Dumba but he can kill penalties and play on the third pairing. Last season, Lyubushkin had eight assists, 168 blocks, and 176 hits in 74 games between Anaheim and Toronto and will likely fill a similar role to the one Jani Hakanpaa held in recent years; Hakanpaa coincidentally landed with Toronto later in the day.
Lundqvist, meanwhile, was non-tendered by the Stars on Sunday, making his return a bit more of a surprise. Things haven’t gone quite according to plan after Dallas parted with a first-round pick to get him from the Rangers. The 23-year-old had 19 points in 59 games last season but barely averaged 14 minutes a game. In the playoffs, he was a frequent scratch and logged less than five minutes a night when he was in the lineup. However, he’ll get one more chance to prove his worth with this deal although he is still controllable for three more years through restricted free agency if they want to qualify him with arbitration rights next summer.
Devils Sign Stefan Noesen, Mike Hardman
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports the New Jersey Devils have signed forward Stefan Noesen to a three-year, $8.25MM contract. It will be Noesen’s second stint with the Devils organization. They’ve also signed 25-year-old depth forward Mike Hardman to a two-year, two-way deal worth $775K NHL/$350K AHL annually, per PuckPedia.
Noesen spent parts of three seasons with New Jersey the first time around but aside from a good showing in 2017-18, he was largely limited to a depth role. That continued for a few seasons after he moved on to the point where he was primarily a full-time AHL player, not an NHL player.
However, after a dominant showing with AHL Chicago in 2021-22, Noesen got a full-time opportunity with the Hurricanes the following year. He certainly made the most of it, picking up 13 goals and 23 assists in 78 games. The 31-year-old then followed it up with a similar showing last year, tallying 14 goals and 23 helpers in 81 contests despite averaging less than 12 minutes a game of ice time.
The follow-up year was clearly enough to show potential suitors that his late breakout wasn’t a one-off but was rather a sign of things to come, giving him a strong enough market to get more than a 300% increase in salary. Noesen will likely have a similar role with the Devils as he did in Carolina, playing in their bottom six at five-on-five with the hopes that he can provide some consistent depth scoring.
As for Hardman, last season was the first time in his four-year professional career that he didn’t see any NHL action. The 25-year-old played exclusively with AHL Rockford, picking up 22 goals and 15 assists in 63 games, all career-highs. Hardman has 37 career NHL appearances under his belt with Chicago where he has a goal and four assists. He’s likely earmarked to play with AHL Utica next season.
Hurricanes Sign Sean Walker To Five-Year Contract
Earlier today, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated that the Carolina Hurricanes were closing in on a contract with free-agent defenseman Sean Walker. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun confirms the news by reporting Walker has signed a five-year, $18MM contract with the Hurricanes.
A lot has changed for Walker over the past 12 months. After being part of a salary dump to the Flyers, the 29-year-old turned things around with his new team. He picked up 22 points in 63 games with Philadelphia while logging nearly 20 minutes a night. As a result, he was one of the best rental defensemen available, resulting in the Flyers picking up a first-round pick from Colorado (along with Ryan Johansen) in exchange for Walker’s services at the trade deadline.
With the Avs, Walker wasn’t counted on to play as high up the lineup although he still averaged nearly 18 minutes a game while picking up four goals and three assists in 18 games down the stretch. However, he was held off the scoresheet in 11 playoff appearances, ending his campaign on somewhat of a lower note.
Even so, Walker was one of the better right-shot defenders on the open market this summer, helping secure him a raise of nearly $1MM per season along with the longest contract of his career. That’s a pretty good outcome for someone who was effectively moved for salary purposes just a year ago.
With Brett Pesce moving on to New Jersey in free agency earlier today, Walker will have a chance to step in and play a big role next season, perhaps a bigger one than he had last season even. And with Brent Burns only having one year left on his contract, Walker could be their top right-shot option this time next summer. If he can play at a similar level with the extra responsibilities, this could wind up being one of the better-value contracts handed out today.
Penguins Sign Matt Grzelcyk, Mac Hollowell, Ryan Shea
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Pittsburgh Penguins have signed free agent defenseman Matt Grzelcyk to a one-year, $2.75MM contract. Additionally, agent Dan Milstein reports his client Mac Hollowell has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Penguins which will pay $775K at the NHL level and $250K in the AHL. They’ve also re-upped defenseman Ryan Shea to a one-year, league-minimum contract, per a team announcement.
A few years ago, Grzelcyk was a key piece on Boston’s back end. However, the 30-year-old saw his ice time dip below the 18-minute mark for the last two seasons. To make matters worse, after being a consistent secondary contributor who had put up at least 20 points in four straight years, Grzelcyk was limited to just two goals and nine assists in 63 games last season, leading to some time as a healthy scratch.
That said, he’s still an intriguing pickup for the Penguins as someone who should start on their third pairing but could move up to the top four when injuries arise. On a one-year term, it’s also a relatively low-risk contract compared to some of the pricier multi-year contracts handed out throughout the day.
Hollowell is coming off his best professional season. The 25-year-old joined the Rangers as a Group Six free agent last summer and had a productive campaign with AHL Hartford, tallying 44 points in 64 games. However, that wasn’t enough to get him a recall to New York. A Group Six free agent once again this year, he has opted to sign for a GM who has plenty of familiarity with his game as he previously was in Toronto’s system under then-GM Kyle Dubas.
As for Shea, the decision to sign with Pittsburgh last summer was a fruitful one. The 27-year-old got his first taste of NHL action, playing in 31 NHL games where he had his first career NHL goal while logging more than 12 minutes a night. Shea also got into 23 games with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, picking up six points. He’ll likely be in a similar role this season as one of the first recalls when injuries strike on the back end.
Hurricanes Sign Tyson Jost
The Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward Tyson Jost to a one-way, league-minimum contract worth $775K, per TSN’s Darren Dreger (Twitter link).
It was a rough year for the 26-year-old, to put it lightly. After agreeing to a one-year, $2MM contract to remain with Buffalo despite being non-tendered, Jost wound up having a very limited role and even struggled with it. He played in 43 games, scoring three goals and three assists in a little over 10 minutes per game before eventually clearing waivers in late December. Jost was more productive during his time in the minors, notching four goals and 10 assists in 25 games with AHL Rochester but it was clear the two sides would be parting ways this summer.
Despite his struggles, Jost comes to Carolina with a fairly extensive NHL track record, spanning 456 games where he has 57 goals and 83 assists. With that in mind, this is a reasonable low-cost flyer for the Hurricanes to take. If he’s able to lock down a full-time spot on the roster at the minimum salary, that will help free up some money to spend on their restricted free agents, headlined by Seth Jarvis and Martin Necas. If he doesn’t make the team, he can be stashed in the minors (pending waiver clearance) where he’d likely be one of the first recall options in the event of an injury.