Two Teams Remain In The Running To Sign Evgeny Kuznetsov
After making his intention to return to North America known, it was expected that free agent center Evgeny Kuznetsov would be snapped up relatively quickly in a UFA market that wasn’t exactly deep this summer. But instead, his market has been slow-played as he remains unsigned.
However, it appears that he may not be without a contract for much longer. His agent Shumi Babaev told Sports Daily’s Mikhail Nyukhin that his client has now identified two NHL teams that he’ll sign with; he didn’t specify who they were, however. Both of those teams are now in the process of trying to open up salary cap space to sign Kuznetsov. When asked about him signing a minimum-salary contract worth $775K, Babaev indicated that there have been no talks about that.
Last summer, the 33-year-old signed a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL which strongly suggested that his days of playing in the NHL had come to an end. But after a solid season that saw him record 12 goals and 25 assists in 39 games, the final three seasons of the agreement were terminated back in April but instead of looking for another team in Russia to sign with, he set his sights on returning to North America.
Kuznetsov last played in the NHL in 2023-24, starting that year with Washington, the only NHL team he had known after they drafted him in the first round in 2010. However, he re-entered the Player Assistance Program in February of that season and upon being cleared to return, the Capitals subsequently waived him. After he cleared (an unsurprising outcome given his $7.8MM cap charge), he was dealt with 50% retention to Carolina for a third-round pick.
Kuznetsov went on to pick up seven points in 20 games with the Hurricanes before tallying six more in 10 playoff outings, looking as if he could be a useful secondary contributor for them. However, he requested and was granted the termination of the final year of that contract to allow him to return to Russia; one year later, the opposite has happened.
In his prime, Kuznetsov was a legitimate number one center, allowing him to amass 173 goals and 402 assists in 743 games at the top level. But toward the end of that time, his production was starting to slow down and it’s fair to question how much of an impact he’ll have on a lineup now. However, it appears that there was enough of a market for him to be at least a little selective on where he’ll play at a salary higher than the minimum. It looks as if we’ll know somewhat soon where Kuznetsov will be suiting up in 2025-26.
Prospect Notes: Iginla, Kindel, Konyushkov
Mammoth prospect Tij Iginla’s 2024-25 campaign was cut short after needing to undergo surgery on both hips back in early December. However, he told reporters including NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link) that he has now fully recovered and been cleared for contact, meaning he will be a full participant in training camp later this month. The 19-year-old was the sixth overall pick in 2024 and had gotten off to a strong start with WHL Kelowna before the injury where he notched 14 goals and 18 assists in just 21 games. Still too young to play in the AHL full-time (unless the NHL and CHL can reach an agreement on allowing one 19-year-old per NHL team to play in the minors, something that hasn’t happened yet), his options will either be to play with Utah or return to the Rockets with the latter being the likeliest scenario.
Other prospect news from around the NHL:
- The Penguins selected Benjamin Kindel with the 11th pick in the draft back in June, a pick that came as somewhat of a surprise given that most rankings had him safely in the back half of the first round. But Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted that there were whispers that Pittsburgh was so sold on Kindel’s upside that they actually looked to move up into the top ten to make sure they landed him. Kindel had 35 goals and 64 assists in 65 games with WHL Calgary last season while adding 15 points in 11 playoff games which certainly would have helped his draft stock.
- Back in July, Canadiens prospect Bogdan Konyushkov signed a one-year extension in the KHL, keeping him under contract through 2026-27. However, as he told Denis Klesarev of Sport-Express, the blueliner acknowledged that he still wants to try his hand in North America, suggesting that he will eventually sign with Montreal. The 22-year-old logged nearly 23 minutes a game last season with Torpedo while collecting 17 points in 67 games and could be an intriguing option for the Canadiens if and when he decides to come to North America.
Senators Expected To Trade Max Guenette
After re-signing Donovan Sebrango earlier this week, the Senators are down to one remaining restricted free agent, defenseman Max Guenette. However, it doesn’t appear as if he’ll actually be signing with Ottawa. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the expectation is that the Sens will move the blueliner before training camp begins.
The 24-year-old was a seventh-round pick by Ottawa back in 2019, going 187th overall and he has carved out a respectable career thus far for someone picked that late. He has gotten into eight NHL games between 2022-23 and 2023-24 where he has been held off the scoresheet in a little over 13 minutes per night of playing time. Between that time, he has been a key contributor in the minors, including a 40-point campaign with AHL Belleville in 2022-23.
Last season, Guenette was waiver-eligible for the first time and passed through unclaimed in late September, allowing him to return to Belleville. He suited up in 58 games for them, picking up nine goals and 14 assists. He received a recall to Ottawa in early January but didn’t see any action with them over the week he was with the team.
The Senators have reshaped the right side of their AHL back end for the upcoming season. Top prospect Carter Yakemchuk is now AHL-eligible, prospect Lassi Thomson was brought back after he spent last season in Sweden, and Cameron Crotty received a two-year deal in late August. Those three will likely comprise the right side of Belleville’s back end, leaving Guenette without a spot.
Given his status as a depth defender who will once again have to pass through waivers to return to the AHL, Guenette isn’t likely to command much of a return in a trade. Instead, a swap for a player at a different position in a similar situation seems like the logical conclusion here. Given that the teams would want their players to be at camp to learn their systems, it stands to reason that a resolution on this front should come over the next ten days or so.
Ken Dryden Passes Away At 78
Early Saturday morning, the Canadiens announced that their long-time goaltender and Hall of Famer Ken Dryden passed away Friday at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. Team owner Geoff Molson released the following statement:
Ken Dryden was an exceptional athlete, but he was also an exceptional man. Behind the mask he was larger than life. We mourn today not only the loss of the cornerstone of one of hockey’s greatest dynasties but also a family man, a thoughtful citizen and a gentleman who deeply impacted our lives and communities across generations. He was one of the true legends that helped shape this Club into what it is today.
Drafted by Boston back in 1964, he was traded to the Canadiens that same offseason. He spent three seasons at Cornell, posting a sterling 76-4-1 record before turning pro and entering Montreal’s farm system, a place he didn’t spend much time in before getting the call to the NHL.
Dryden was a crucial member of Montreal’s dynasty in the 1970s. He played in eight seasons with the Canadiens during that stretch, compiling a 2.24 GAA and a .922 SV% in 397 games, winning the Calder Trophy in 1972 along with five Vezina Trophies for the NHL’s best goaltender. In the playoffs, he was similarly dominant, helping lead Montreal to six Stanley Cup victories in that span. Dryden was also a key contributor in Canada’s victory over the Soviet Union in the 1972 Summit Series and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
But hockey wasn’t Dryden’s only passion. He was in law school in the early part of his career and famously didn’t play in 1973-74 while articling at a Toronto law firm after the Canadiens wouldn’t rework his contract. Then, following the 1978-79 season, he decided to retire altogether at the age of 31.
Dryden got into broadcasting and wrote multiple books to stay involved in the game of hockey and then joined the Maple Leafs in 1997, serving as their team president through 2004. Toronto had a pair of Conference Final appearances during that stretch, a plateau they have not reached since.
Dryden then stepped away from hockey to serve in politics, becoming a Canadian Member of Parliament from 2004 through 2011. Soon after, he was awarded the Order of Canada for contributing to the sport of hockey and to public life.
We here at PHR join the hockey world in mourning Dryden’s passing and send our condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.
Summer Synopsis: Seattle Kraken
With training camps now less than a month away, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective. Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled. Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason. Next up is a look at Seattle.
When the Kraken promoted Dan Bylsma to take over as head coach last summer, Seattle was hoping that he’d be able to get them going back in the right direction after taking a big step back. Unfortunately for them, they instead took another step back, prompting not only a coaching change again with Lane Lambert taking over but even a new front office structure with Jason Botterill being elevated to general manager. His first summer at the helm saw the team make a few moves but the primary core of this group remains largely unchanged.
Draft
1-8 – F Jake O’Brien, Brantford (OHL)
2-36 – D Blake Fiddler, Edmonton (WHL)
3-68 – D Will Reynolds, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)
5-134 – D Maxim Agafonov, Ufa (MHL)
7-205 – D Karl Annborn, HV71 (Sweden U20)
7-218 – F Loke Krantz, Linkoping (Sweden U20)
There’s a saying that a team can’t have enough centers. Seattle’s draft history might yet put that theory to the test as the selection of O’Brien made it four middlemen taken with their top pick in five years, all of those coming no later than eighth overall. O’Brien had a breakout season with OHL Brantford, finishing as one of the league’s top assist and point leaders, an impressive feat for a player in his draft-eligible season. He has already signed his entry-level contract taking a possible NCAA detour off the table but he doesn’t have a lot left to prove in junior either. He might not push for a spot with Seattle this season but next fall, he could legitimately get a look.
Fiddler was a nice pickup in the early second round as a player ranked by some in the late teens. The son of long-time center Blake Fiddler, he’s a strong skater on the back end with a bit of secondary offensive upside and showed well at the World Under-18s back in May. Size-wise, he’s already big enough to fit in on an NHL back end but he’s probably a few years away from getting that chance. The Kraken stayed in the junior ranks with Reynolds, another big defender but whose profile is much different than Fiddler’s. He’s more of a true physical shutdown player, a profile they don’t have a lot of in their system.
Among the late-round selections, Agafonov showed well at the Russian junior level last season with his mobility standing out in particular. He’s someone who will need a couple of years to work up to the KHL and then likely a year or two from there before being NHL-ready. Annborn, their fourth straight rearguard, got a brief taste of SHL action but spent most of the year at the Under-20 level where he notched 21 assists in 39 games. Under contract through 2027-28 back home, he won’t be on the radar for a while. The same can be said for Krantz, though not necessarily because of his contract. He has a strong shot that made a big impact in Sweden’s Under-18 level but it didn’t translate to the Under-20 division. He still has some work to do there and is a multi-year project as well.
Trade Acquisitions
F Frederick Gaudreau (trade with Minnesota)
F Mason Marchment (trade with Dallas)
With Dallas needing to free up some money this summer, Seattle was there to take advantage, acquiring Marchment and his $4.5MM contract for the low cost of a 2025 fourth-round pick and a 2026 third-round selection. For a player who has put up 100 points over the last two seasons while also bringing some physicality to the table, that’s a nice bargain acquisition for them. If things go well, he’s someone who plausibly could be offered a deal to stick around beyond this season. If not, he’s someone that they should be able to flip closer to the trade deadline as a rental player for a return that’s better than what they gave up to get him. Either way, the Kraken should come out of this trade a winner.
Very quietly, Gaudreau has put up solid offensive numbers for a secondary producer in recent years, tallying at least 14 goals and 37 points in three of the last four seasons while also being a regular killing penalties and respectable at the faceoff dot. The Wild decided that they’d rather try someone else in that role and again, while Seattle has a lot of center depth already, the acquisition cost of a fourth-round pick is quite reasonable, especially since he has three years left on his contract. That said, his role might be a bit lower on the depth chart than it was in Minnesota.
UFA Signings
D Cale Fleury (two years, $1.78MM)^
F John Hayden (two years, $1.55MM)^
D Ryan Lindgren (four years, $18MM)
D Josh Mahura (two years, $1.815MM)^
G Matt Murray (one year, $1MM)
F Ben Meyers (one year, $775K)^
*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing
For the second straight summer, Seattle’s biggest free agent splash came on the back end although Lindgren’s deal isn’t anywhere near as significant as the seven-year, $50MM contract given to Brandon Montour. Lindgren has largely been the same player for most of his career, a second-pairing defensive-minded player whose possession metrics aren’t the prettiest while he doesn’t bring much to the table offensively; last season was the first time he reached 20 points. His addition gives the Kraken one of the more expensive bluelines in the NHL for the upcoming season but with the team allowing an extra 30 goals compared to 2023-24, it’s not much of a surprise that their top signing was someone who they hope can help on the defensive side of things.
Most of their other three signings were more of the depth variety, aside from Mahura who spent most of the year on the third pairing and should be in that sixth or seventh battle once again. Murray will be given a shot to battle for the backup job but could be ticketed to start the year with AHL Coachella Valley. Fleury has seen NHL action in each of the last four years, albeit in a limited role as he spent the bulk of last season with the Firebirds, a role he’ll likely have once again. As for Meyers, he had five recalls in 2024-25 although that only led to eight appearances with the Kraken. He’s also likely heading for the minors where he’ll be one of their veteran recall options when injuries arise as will Hayden.
RFA Re-Signings
D Ryker Evans (two years, $4.1MM)
F Kaapo Kakko (three years, $13.575MM)
F Tye Kartye (two years, $2.5MM)
*-denotes two-way contract
Kakko had a rough start with the Rangers last season and New York decided that the time was right to move him. As they did with their two trade pickups this summer, the Kraken were there to take advantage of a buy-low pickup. The change of scenery certainly seemed to work as Kakko collected 30 points in 49 games following the swap, allowing him to set new career bests in assists and points. After filing for arbitration back in July, the two sides settled on this deal soon after. Considering his overall struggles in his young career, it’s a deal that carries some risk but if Kakko is able to keep up the same type of production he had following the swap, he could become an important part of their top six.
Seattle had enough cap space to try to do a long-term deal with Evans but they instead elected to do a bridge. He impressed in his first full NHL campaign last season, notching 25 points in 73 games while logging over 19 minutes a night before getting a look with Canada at the Worlds in May. He projects to be a big part of their long-term plans defensively but the big pay day will have to wait a little while longer. Kartye made a name for himself when he debuted in the 2023 playoffs but since then, he has been limited to primarily fourth-line duty. A short-term pact accordingly made sense for both sides as he’ll look to grab hold of a spot higher on the depth chart over the next couple of years.
Departures
F Brandon Biro (signed in Russia)
D Nikolas Brouillard (signed with San Diego, AHL)
F Andre Burakovsky (trade with Chicago)
F Michael Eyssimont (signed with Boston, two years, $2.9MM)
F Luke Henman (signed in Finland)
D Maxime Lajoie (signed in Russia)
D Gustav Olofsson (signed with Coachella Valley, AHL)
G Ales Stezka (signed in Czechia)
*-denotes two-way contract
After acquiring Marchment, the Kraken quickly moved out Burakovsky to Seattle, taking back Joe Veleno who was promptly bought out. Brought in on the heels of a career year with Colorado that saw him score 61 points in 2021-22, Burakovsky only managed 92 points over his three seasons with the Kraken, two of which were plagued by a significant injury. On top of that, he dropped under the 15-minute-per-game mark over the last two seasons, not ideal for one of their top-paid forwards. Still, they managed to clear out his $5.5MM AAV with only needing to eat a $379K cap charge for the next two seasons with the Veleno buyout so with them deciding the time was right to part ways, it could have gone worse.
Eyssimont was acquired at the trade deadline as part of the return for Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand and played well in limited action following the swap. However, Gaudreau could ultimately wind up taking his place in the lineup. Most of their other departures had at least a little bit of NHL experience over the years but those players were primarily regulars at the AHL level and in Olofsson’s case, he remains with the organization, just not on an NHL contract.
Salary Cap Outlook
By electing to do a bridge contract for Evans, Botterill has left himself plenty of flexibility heading into the season with the team projected to open up with just under $4.6MM in cap space, per PuckPedia. That gives them more than ample coverage should injuries arise while if they find themselves in the mix by the trade deadline, they’ll have more than enough room for a couple of additions. On the other hand, if they’re not in the playoff picture, they’ll be able to retain on some of their pending unrestricted free agents or act as a third-party facilitator (which is still legal for this season before becoming much more restrictive for 2026-27).
Key Questions
Will Beniers Take The Next Step? When Seattle drafted Matty Beniers second overall in 2021, they thought they had their top center of the future in place. After putting up 57 points in his rookie season, it looked like he was on his way to being that player. But production has been harder to come by over the last two years with point totals of 37 and 43. Those are still decent for a player who is still only 22 but they’re not top-end either. Right now, he looks more like a second option than a first; if he can get to that top level, the trajectory of this offense changes considerably.
Can Grubauer Deliver NHL-Level Goaltending? Last season was an unmitigated disaster for goaltender Philipp Grubauer and frankly, that still might be an understatement. He struggled out of the gate and never really got going after that. The end result was him clearing waivers midseason and posting a career-worst .875 SV% in 26 starts, leading to some buyout speculation this summer. With Murray in the mix now, Grubauer will simply be fighting to keep a roster spot in training camp, an outcome few thought possible when he signed a six-year contract with them back in 2021.
Will The Special Teams Improve? Botterill indicated recently that one of the goals for this season will be to improve on special teams. Both units struggled last season with the power play checking in 23rd overall (18.9%) while the penalty kill came in 21st (77.2%). Neither of those numbers are at the level of a playoff-caliber team and with the Kraken electing not to rebuild but merely to tinker with their core, it’s clear they envision themselves as a group capable of making the postseason. Can they get the desired rebound on special teams? If not, their goal of getting back to the playoffs is going to be even tougher.
Photos courtesy of Sergei Belski and Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images.
Blue Jackets Prospect Malte Vass Transfers To Boston University
Sept. 1: Vass has made his college commitment official as Boston University recently announced (Twitter link) that the blueliner will indeed suit up for them this season. He’s their final addition to a class that saw them add multiple NHL draft picks including Ryder Ritchie, Haoxi Wang, and Sacha Boisvert, among others.
Aug. 9: It’s not very often that a player will leave a professional team to go to college but it does happen periodically with international players. It appears that Blue Jackets prospect Malte Vass will be one of them as Varmlands Folkblad’s Johan Ekberg reports (subscription link) that the blueliner is leaving Sweden to play in the NCAA next season. Which school he has chosen to go to yet remains unknown but Boston University is a school that is believed to have shown interest in him.
Vass was a third-round pick by Columbus last month, going 76th overall. However, he was rated much higher on their draft board as Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch relayed after the draft that the Blue Jackets had Vass within the top 15 in their rankings, a sign that they clearly viewed him as being first-round-worthy.
Vass spent last season in Farjestad’s system, playing predominantly with their junior team where he had 11 points and 53 penalty minutes in 40 games. However, he also got into five games with their SHL club where he was held off the scoresheet. It’s likely that he would have had a chance to get some more action at their top level in 2025-26 but that’s no longer in the cards.
Vass noted that the recent change to allow CHL players to play in the NCAA expedited his decision to come to North America as the spot that’s being made available to him now might not have been available next year, given the number of junior players now seeking a school to play at. It will be interesting to see if other international players start to feel that same pressure and up the urgency to pursue an NCAA spot as well over the next couple of years.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Minnesota Wild
Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those who don’t often see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2025-26 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia. We’re currently covering the Central Division, next up are the Wild.
Minnesota Wild
Current Cap Hit: $91,088,165 (below the $95.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
D Zeev Buium (two years, $966.5K)
D David Jiricek (one year, $918.3K)
F Liam Ohgren (two years, $886.7K)
F Danila Yurov (three years, $950K)
Potential Bonuses
Buium: $1MM
Jiricek: $1MM
Ohgren: $500K
Yurov: $2MM
Total: $4.5MM
Yurov is coming off a bit of a tough year in the KHL after a breakout 49-point effort in 2023-24 but he’s still expected to come in and play a regular role with Minnesota right away. His $1MM in ‘B’ bonuses are unlikely while he’ll need to play regularly in the top six if he is going to have a shot at his $250K ‘A’ bonuses, of which there are four of them. Ohgren’s first season in North America didn’t go quite as well as the Wild had hoped. He was a solid scorer with AHL Iowa but didn’t fare particularly well with the big club. Projected as more of a depth player this season, his ‘A’ bonuses seem unlikely while he’d be trending toward a bridge deal if he winds up in that limited role this year.
Buium was a late-season addition, getting into four playoff games where he held his own. Without a ton of firepower on the back end, he should be able to play an important role this season, including seeing some action on the power play. Reaching a couple of his ‘A’ bonuses should be doable while if things go as planned, he could be the type of player that they want to sign long-term quickly. Jiricek, on the other hand, feels likely for a bridge as well. He has yet to establish himself as a full-time NHL player and while he should get there this year, that won’t be enough to land a long-term pact. If he can lock down a regular third-pairing spot, he could potentially double his current price tag although his bonuses are unlikely to be hit.
Signed Through 2025-26, Non-Entry-Level
D Zach Bogosian ($1.25MM, UFA)
G Filip Gustavsson ($3.75MM, UFA)
F Marcus Johansson ($800K, UFA)
F Kirill Kaprizov ($9MM, UFA)
F Vladimir Tarasenko ($4.75MM, UFA)
F Mats Zuccarello ($4.125MM, UFA)
The timing of the multi-year cap increase couldn’t have been any better for Kaprizov. Already poised for a multi-million-dollar raise, his market value will only go up now. Recent speculation has a possible offer landing in the $16MM per season range which feels a bit much on the high side but if it gets a deal done, expect GM Bill Guerin to do it. When healthy, he’s one of the elite wingers in the league. Tarasenko was brought in from Detroit in a cap-clearing move from the Red Wings and is coming off a rough year that only saw him record 33 points, the lowest full-season total of his career. A rebound this season could keep him in this price range but if he has a similar showing in 2025-26, landing half of this could be tough.
Zuccarello saw his production dip last season but he still managed 54 points, a solid return on the first season of this contract. Now 38, it’d be surprising to see him land another two-year pact but if both sides are happy, he could land another one-year agreement. His next deal would be a candidate to be bonus-laden if Minnesota needs some extra flexibility next summer with an overall price checking around this one. Johansson opted to take just above the minimum to ensure he stayed with the Wild. He probably could have beaten that on the open market with something more in the $1.5MM range based on the season he had but as long as he’s content in Minnesota, they could keep him around at a price close to the minimum if he has a similar role this season.
Bogosian wasn’t quite as impactful last season as he was in his first year with the team but he still held down a steady third-pairing role while taking a regular turn on the penalty kill. This type of salary for that type of role is reasonable value but it would be surprising if he landed this much on his next deal when he’s 36. By that point, he may be better off in a seventh defender role who steps in when injuries arise.
While plenty has been said about Kaprizov’s situation (and justifiably so), Gustavsson’s expiring contract also looms large. After a tough 2023-24 showing that saw him lose the starting job at times to Marc-Andre Fleury, he rebounded quite nicely, making a career-high 58 starts while finishing sixth in Vezina Trophy voting. The starting goaltender market has gotten a lot more expensive over the last 18 or so months and while he’s not in the same echelon as the starters who passed the $8MM mark recently (Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman, Jake Oettinger, and Thatcher Demko), there’s a case to make that he’s in the tier below them. That could allow him to push for $7MM on a long-term agreement which would be another sizable jump on their books.
Signed Through 2026-27
F Ryan Hartman ($4MM, UFA)
D Jared Spurgeon ($7.575MM, UFA)
F Nico Sturm ($2MM, UFA)
G Jesper Wallstedt ($2.2MM, RFA)
Hartman has shown some flashes of being a legitimate top-six threat over his six seasons with the Wild which earned him this vote of confidence. However, the first year of the deal wasn’t great while he has now dealt with injury issues in four of those six years. Still, a center who has 20-goal upside when things are going well should be able to command at least a little more than this on the open market two years from now on another multi-year deal. Sturm was Minnesota’s most notable UFA signing this summer, coming over from Florida to help the penalty kill and play in the bottom six. He’ll need to get back into the 20-point range with Minnesota to avoid being cast more into the fourth-line role which would lower his market value.
Spurgeon has been a big-minute, all-situations player for a long time but it has started to catch up with him in recent years. They’ve managed his minutes a bit more lately to the point where he was fourth in ATOI among Minnesota’s blueliners. While that’s an appropriate role for his age, this contract is definitely on the expensive side for someone in that role. If there’s an extension two years from now, it could be worth closer to half this amount, including incentives.
Wallstedt’s deal was a headscratcher when it was signed and it looks even worse now. Following San Jose’s path when they signed Yaroslav Askarov early, he struggled considerably with AHL Iowa last season, posting a .879 SV%. Had they waited, they probably could have signed him for half this amount. Nonetheless, he’s still viewed as a quality prospect and if he performs to those expectations, they should still get a good return on this deal. He’ll need to cut into Gustavsson’s playing time if he wants to get more than an incremental raise in 2027.
Signed Through 2027-28
D Jonas Brodin ($6MM, UFA)
F Marcus Foligno ($4MM, UFA)
F Marco Rossi ($5MM, RFA)
F Yakov Trenin ($3.5MM, UFA)
Few players were in as much trade speculation as Rossi was this summer. For months, it had been well known that he wanted a long-term, big-money contract while Guerin’s preference was a bridge deal. A suitable trade offer wasn’t made, nor did an offer sheet materialize and in the end, Rossi moved toward Minnesota’s preferred option. Coming off a 60-point season, this isn’t bad value for the Wild and notably, the contract is back-loaded, carrying a $6MM salary in 2027-28; that number becomes his qualifying offer when he’ll also have arbitration rights. If all goes as planned in his development, the big payday coming his way will be even higher than the contract he was originally seeking this summer.
Foligno also got an early extension a couple of years back like Hartman did. Unlike Hartman, the offensive upside isn’t there as he has only reached 30 points once in his 14-year NHL career nor does he play center. He’s still an effective third liner but this is on the high side of things for someone who is best known for his physicality. Considering he’ll be 37 when his next contract starts, he’ll probably be year-to-year on his next deals at a lower cost than this. Trenin’s deal was baffling at the time as giving someone who is best suited as a fourth liner this term and money was not necessarily the best of ideas. Clearly, they were banking on a bounce-back offensively and that didn’t come. Trenin can contribute, sure, but his value might be closer to half of this.
Brodin has been a key shutdown defender throughout his 13-year NHL career, playing big minutes and anchoring the penalty kill. Those players typically don’t get big contracts but Brodin, being one of the better players in that role, was the exception with this deal. As market values increase with the cap, this contract will hold up just fine, as long as he stays healthy. Unfortunately, that has been a consistent challenge for him lately.
Five Key Stories: 8/25/25 – 8/31/25
The month of August is in the books which means training camps are getting a lot closer now. It was a relatively quiet week around the hockey world which isn’t uncommon for this time of year but there was still some news of note which is recapped in our key stories.
Calling It A Career: Veteran defenseman Tyson Barrie has hung his skates, announcing his retirement at the age of 34. When asked why now by NHL.com’s Dave McCarthy (Twitter link), Barrie jokingly said it was a decision made in tandem with all 32 teams, suggesting his desire was to keep playing but no offers were coming. He was once a premier offensive defenseman but had struggled in recent years, only getting into 13 games with Calgary last season. Barrie ends his career with 508 points in 822 games over 14 NHL seasons, including four 50-point campaigns, a very solid career for a player drafted in the third round by Colorado back in 2009.
A Case Of When, Not If: Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson has been in trade speculation for a while but there remains the possibility of a contract extension as well. Some cold water was poured on that by team captain Mikael Backlund who indicated that after talking to the blueliner, he’s going to get traded with Andersson hoping that his situation won’t become a distraction. The 28-year-old has been a top-pairing defender for Calgary for several years now while averaging 42 points over the last four seasons. That has him in position for a significant increase on his $4.55MM AAV and it appears that contract will be coming from somewhere else.
Still Lots Of Work To Do: Devils defenseman Luke Hughes is one of the top remaining restricted free agents. Usually, there’s a lot of haggling still to do with money in these situations. However, on top of that, it appears as if the sides are far apart on term as well. New Jersey’s preference appears to be either a short-term bridge deal or a long-term one while Hughes would prefer a five-year pact that takes him to free agency at the same time as his brother Jack Hughes. Notably, he has five RFA-eligible years remaining, meaning such a move wouldn’t gain the Devils any extra years of control which is the exact situation they want to avoid. Clearly, there’s a long way to go before the two sides reach an agreement.
Carolina Tryouts: The end of August and early September is often colloquially known as PTO season in the NHL. With guaranteed deals less likely, players will start settling for tryouts with the hopes of landing a full-season contract from there. The Hurricanes are the latest team to go that route, reaching PTO deals with defenseman Oliver Kylington and winger Givani Smith. Between injuries and a personal leave, Kylington hasn’t played much in recent years and only got into 19 games between Colorado and Anaheim last season where he had five points in a little over 12 minutes a night of ice time. He could find himself battling for a reserve spot on the back end. As for Smith, he got into just 13 NHL games last season, logging barely six minutes a night in those outings while being in the minors the rest of the way. Speculatively, he’ll be vying for a two-way deal that would have him likely starting in the AHL and hoping for a recall.
Off To Switzerland: One player who looked like he’d be involved in PTO season was veteran blueliner Jan Rutta. However, instead of going that way, he has decided to play in Switzerland, inking a two-year contract with Geneve-Servette. He didn’t make his NHL debut until his age-27 back in 2017-18 with Chicago and leaves with 417 outings over parts of eight seasons. Rutta had 98 points and 479 blocked shots in those outings along with a pair of Stanley Cup victories from his time with Tampa Bay.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Snapshots: Samsonov, KHL, Evason
Nearly two months into free agency, veteran goaltender Ilya Samsonov finds himself still looking for a team to play with this season. It appears at least one KHL team investigated the potential of bringing him back home as KHL Metallurg Sports Director Evgeny Biryukov told Match TV’s Nikita Maximov that he talked to the 28-year-old about playing for them but Samsonov’s intention is to remain in the NHL for the upcoming season. Samsonov posted a 2.82 GAA and a .891 SV% in 29 starts last season with Vegas, numbers that weren’t too much of an improvement over 2023-24 when he was in Toronto. At this point, he may have to settle for a training camp PTO and hope to land a second-string option from there.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Still with the KHL, player agent Darryl Wolski relayed (Twitter link) the top-five KHL salaries for the upcoming season. Long-time AHL winger Rocco Grimaldi has the highest base salary, checking in around $1.19MM US. Meanwhile, winger Daniel Sprong has the highest potential pay day when factoring in performance bonuses. After making $975K last season, his base salary this year is close to that while if he reaches his incentives, he could ultimately wind up with a raise compared to a year ago. Former NHL winger Dmitrij Jaskin is the only other player with a seven-figure USD salary in that league this season.
- Dean Evason had a solid first year in Columbus, helping lead the Blue Jackets to an improbable late-season playoff push that ultimately came up just short. It turns out he very nearly didn’t have the opportunity to join them as Michael Arace of The Columbus Dispatch noted in a thorough profile of the bench boss that it looked like he was going to land the head coaching job in Seattle until they decided to promote Dan Bylsma from the AHL to the top job instead. Bylsma, of course, was let go back in April after just one season behind their bench.
PHR Originals: 8/25/25 – 8/31/25
With the end of August typically being very quiet around the NHL, we had plenty of original content here at PHR over the past seven days. Here’s a recap of those columns.
When July 1st came, the unrestricted free agent defenseman with the most points was Matt Grzelcyk. He was coming off a career-best 40 points while also logging more than 20 minutes a night for the first time. In a market bereft of top-four defenders, he was an exception. And yet, nearly two months into free agency, he’s still looking for a contract. Josh Cybulski examined Grzelcyk’s situation, noting the rarity of a player coming off a “show me” contract, performing better than expected, and remaining in free agency this late. While his play was worthy of a raise from the $2.75MM he made last season, it’s looking less likely that he’ll actually beat that.
Our Summer Synopsis series continued with our writing team taking looks at Toronto, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis. The Maple Leafs lost one of their top players this summer with Mitch Marner heading to Vegas while the team added some extra grit and defensive acumen up front. Meanwhile, the Lightning largely had a quiet summer with their biggest move being the re-signing of 33-year-old center Yanni Gourde to a six-year contract, one that carries a team-friendly $2.33MM AAV. Meanwhile, the Blues had plenty of trade speculation over the summer but made just one move, a swap of 2021 first-round picks while they shored up their center depth in free agency.
Meanwhile, our Salary Cap Deep Dive series continues its tour through the Central Division as I examined the situations for Colorado and Dallas. Last season, the Avs weren’t able to re-sign a key pending UFA winger and they could be in a similar situation this year with Martin Necas, especially with Cale Makar due a significant raise two years from now. Meanwhile, Dallas is a year away from an intriguing summer with both Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley in line for significant raises without a ton of cap room. This season, both teams have limited room below the Upper Limit so making moves of significance won’t be easy unless they’re sending a key piece out as part of the swap.
With training camps fast approaching, one of the early storylines is always about trophy contenders. It’s an impressive-looking field for Rookie of the Year, headlined up front by Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov, Capitals winger Ryan Leonard, and 2025 Hobey Baker winner Isaac Howard, acquired by Edmonton this summer, among others. It’s arguably even more crowded on the back end with the group including Islanders first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer, Minnesota’s Zeev Buium, Chicago’s Sam Rinzel, and Carolina’s Alexander Nikishin. Will one of them take home the Calder Trophy or someone else? You can make your prediction here.
While the Flyers haven’t had a ton of success as of late, their latest attempt at rebuilding kicked off a couple of years ago. Josh took a look at how things have gone so far with a prospect pool that is improved but still not among the NHL’s best while their roster isn’t particularly young for a team that’s in rebuilding mode. Still, GM Daniel Briere has made some progress as he continues to reshape Philadelphia’s group.
Our latest mailbag was posted, wrapping up the series of questions from a few weeks ago. Topics in this one included my predictions on some teams who could find themselves back in the playoff picture this season if all goes well, a possible breakout candidate, and rounding out Toronto’s top-six forward group.
Lastly, there was certainly an expectation of a busy summer in terms of transactions. The increase to the salary cap was supposed to open up more flexibility, leading to an active free agency and trade period. Instead, it has been much quieter. Josh looked into why the frenzy that was widely expected turned largely into a flop. As it turns out, the extra cap flexibility allowed more teams to keep the core they had, leading to less player movement than expected.