Blue Jackets’ Scott Ford To Interview For NCAA Coaching Vacancy
The Columbus Blue Jackets have granted permission for assistant coach Scott Ford to interview for the vacant head coaching role at Brown University’s men’s hockey program, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline.
Portzline added that there would be “further conversations” between GM Don Waddell and head coach Rick Bowness if Ford ends up offered the job. Ford’s name first came up regarding the role in a report from New England Hockey Journal’s Mark Divver.
Brown is currently without a permanent head coach after former bench boss Brendan Whittet stepped away from the program on Jan. 28 to take a family medical leave. The University noted as part of its announcement that when he returns from leave, “Whittet will transition into a new role in athletics administration.” Whittet became head coach at Brown in 2009-10 after a decade as an assistant coach at Dartmouth College. His most successful campaign came in 2012-13, when he led Brown to the finals of the ECAC tournament..
Ford, 46, is a Brown alumnus who captained the program in 2003-04 and was that year named his conference’s top defensive defenseman. He’s in his second season as an assistant coach in Columbus, brought there as a member of former head coach Dean Evason’s staff. He remained on staff after the Blue Jackets swapped head coaches and hired Bowness, but like many assistants who are holdovers from a prior bench boss, his future in Columbus is likely somewhat uncertain.
Seeing as Whittet remained in his position for well over a decade, it’s unlikely Ford will have an abundance of opportunities to become the head coach at his alma mater – a factor that could impact his interest in making the NHL-to-NCAA move. NCAA coaches often enjoy a significantly greater degree of job stability than NHL coaches, and especially assistant coaches. Not only does that mean the Brown head coaching role, once filled, is unlikely to become vacant again for quite some time, it also means an NHL coach with an uncertain future given the departure of his former boss could be particularly attracted to an NCAA vacancy. That, combined with the fact that Brown is Ford’s alma mater, give Ford all the reason to be interested in the head coaching role at Brown.
While it’s too early to tell whether Ford will ultimately land in Rhode Island, this is a storyline for Blue Jackets fans to look out for as the Olympic break continues.
Latest On Maxim Berezkin
As one might expect of a club with back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers’ prospect pool is not widely seen as overflowing with high-end talent. Entering the season, the team’s pipeline ranked No. 31 in the NHL according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic, and No. 30 according to Elite Prospects. In a system notably short on likely future NHL talent, one name that has stuck out is that of Russian winger Maxim Berezkin.
Berezkin, 24, made headlines when he scored five goals and 16 points in 20 playoff games for KHL side Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He followed that up with 15 goals and 42 points in 66 games in 2024-25, helping Lokomotiv win the KHL title. That raised some questions as to whether Berezkin might make the transition across the Atlantic and sign his entry-level deal with the Oilers.
He didn’t end up doing so, but today, The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell wrote that Berezkin “has expressed interest in signing with an NHL team,” which supports what The Nation Network’s Jason Gregor reported last summer, that Berezkin is interested in trying to come to the NHL for 2026-27.
While his numbers are down this season (he has 23 points in 53 games), his prior scoring success combined with his physical tools (he stands 6’4″ 211 pounds) will likely make him a valued prospect in Edmonton. Mitchell did indicate that there is a possibility “Edmonton’s lack of success with Russian players over the years may make him a trade option” this season, and the possibility Edmonton deals the player cannot be dismissed. In a prospect pool short on high-end or close-to-NHL-ready talent, Berezkin could be a useful trade chip.
But regardless of whether he signs his entry-level deal in Edmonton or is traded and needs to sign elsewhere, it appears the player will likely make an attempt to join the North American pro ranks next season. The Oilers have had some success with some older prospects they’ve added directly into their pro ranks over the last year, namely in Quinn Hutson, Josh Samanski, and Viljami Marjala. If Berezkin’s KHL production is any indication, the Oilers could extend that track record whenever he signs out of Russia.
Latest On Eemil Vinni
Edmonton Oilers goalie prospect Eemil Vinni was loaned to a different team in Finland’s second-tier league today, according to an official announcement. The 2024 second-round pick has thus far spent the entire season with Mestis side JoKP, and has now been loaned to Ketterä.
Ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Oilers’ system entering the season by the team at Elite Prospects, Vinni has had an uneven 2025-26 season. He got into 37 Mestis games for JoKP in 2024-25, but has just 17 this season. His .884 save percentage across those 17 contests ranks last among the three goalies who have seen time for JoKP this season, behind 27-year-old Juho Ahopelto (.891) and former AHL All-Star Kasimir Kaskisuo (.888).
Vinni has not played since Jan. 10, so this loan should give him the chance to get into games on a more regular basis, a key factor in the development of goaltenders.
While Vinni is unlikely to challenge incumbent starter Reima-Ville Roos, whose .917 save percentage ranks No. 2 among all goalies in Mestis, he should be an upgrade over backup Väinö Tanninen. Tanninen, 21, has gone 2-6-3 with an .865 save percentage in 13 games this season.
Since Vinni is playing out a contract that only runs through the end of the season, his development path should open up this summer. Vinni will likely have several options to choose from when it comes to continuing his hockey journey. While staying in his native Finland appears to be the most likely choice, the possibility that Vinni takes an alternative development path cannot be ruled out.
Sharks Notes: Musty, Bystedt, Lund
San Jose Sharks 2023 first-round pick Quentin Musty returned to the AHL ice after missing a month with a lower-body injury. While he was unable to land on the scoresheet during the San Jose Barracuda’s loss to the Henderson Silver Knights last night, his return from injury puts him in a position to resume his AHL rookie season and continue to make his case for an eventual NHL recall.
Unfortunately for Musty, missing time is something he’s had to get used to over the last two seasons. Last year, he didn’t begin his OHL season until November, sitting out in hopes the Sudbury Wolves would fulfill his trade request. (They did not.) Then, he suffered a hand injury, and was limited to just 33 games in 2024-25. With that year behind him, Musty has had a decent rookie campaign in the AHL. Through 33 games, Musty has 24 points, which is a 52-point 72-game scoring pace. He’s widely considered to be among San Jose’s top prospects, ranking No. 4 in their system entering the season by Elite Prospects, and No. 5 by Daily Faceoff.
Other notes from the Bay Area:
- The Sharks have been without 2022 first-rounder Filip Bystedt for the last two games due to a lower-body injury, and according to independent reporter Madison Montez, he is expected to be sidelined on a week-to-week basis. Bystedt’s injury cost him the chance to compete in the AHL’s All-Star Classic, and could unfortunately impact his odds of making his NHL debut at some point this season. The 22-year-old center leads the Barracuda in scoring with 36 points in 40 games, but has yet to receive an NHL recall to this point in his young career.
- 2022 No. 34 overall pick Cam Lund is currently being evaluated for an injury after missing the last two periods of the Barracuda’s most recent game, reports Montez. The 21-year-old replaced Bystedt at the AHL’s All-Star Classic and has 25 points in 37 games in what is his first full season playing pro hockey. Lund spent 11 games with the Sharks after signing his ELC last season, and scored two goals and three points in his first taste of pro hockey.
Snapshots: Clara, Reschny, Olsen
Anaheim Ducks prospect Damian Clara had a performance for the ages today in Italy’s loss to Sweden in the group stage of the Winter Olympics. In front of a home crowd, Clara gave Italy a chance to upset the Swedes, making 46 saves. Per The Hockey News’ Derek Lee, Clara was forced out of Italy’s loss with what appeared to be a lower-body injury while making a save. There has not been any word on the extent of Clara’s injury, or if he will be fit to play in Italy’s next game, which is Friday against Slovakia.
If Clara is not fit to play, Italy will turn to Milan native Davide Fadani, who has a .922 save percentage in 22 games this season with Swiss National League side EHC Kloten. Clara, 21, was a 2023 second-round pick of the Ducks, and has spent this season playing in Sweden’s top pro league, the SHL. Through 30 games with Brynäs IF, Clara has an .888 save percentage.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- Calgary Flames 2025 first-round pick Cole Reschny is questionable for the University of North Dakota’s games this weekend against the University of Miami (Ohio), according to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. Reschny left UND’s game last weekend with a lower-body injury. The former WHL Victoria Royals star has had a strong start to his NCAA career, scoring 25 points in 24 games. He could be a large part of the Flames’ future, as he was ranked as the league’s No. 76 skater prospect by the team at Elite Prospects.
- Former Winnipeg Jets prospect Ryan Olsen was released by the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder today, ending his three-week stint in Kansas. The 2012 sixth-round pick helped the Colorado Eagles, now of the AHL, to a Kelly Cup championship in 2018, and has moved around since that point. He spent the following two seasons in the AHL, including a 17-goal, 34-point season with the San Antonio Rampage in 2018-19, before moving to Germany’s second division. Olsen spent the last two seasons in the DEL2 before beginning this season in Germany’s third division. His stint in Wichita, which ends with zero points in six games played, was Olsen’s first opportunity in North American pro hockey since October 2023.
Examining 2025-26 European Pro Free Agent Signings
An NHL team’s chase of a Stanley Cup championship is relentless. Often, true contention requires a veteran team with management willing to go all-in on its current group of players, something that often takes the form of mortgaging the team’s future draft picks and prospects in exchange for immediate reinforcements. For clubs in this phase of the competitive cycle, taking advantage of every possible avenue to add talent is essential to extending their window to win.
The Chicago Blackhawks were able to supplement their championship teams in the mid-2010s thanks to shrewd scouting of European professional leagues, and a willingness to proactively source and give opportunities to talented, often undrafted free agent players from overseas. Chicago reaped the benefits of this approach, finding NHL-level contributors such as Antti Raanta, Erik Gustafsson, Kevin Lankinen, Jan Rutta, Michal Kempny, David Kampf, and, of course, star Artemi Panarin. Teams have attempted to mimic Chicago’s approach in the years since, to varying levels of success. Here, we’ll check in on notable players who signed with NHL organizations from European pro leagues for 2025-26.
Charle-Édouard D’Astous, LHD, Tampa Bay Lightning
Signed one-year at $775K NHL/$150K AHL/$200K Guaranteed from Brynäs IF, SHL
When a team signs an undrafted free agent from the European pro ranks, most hope those signings pay off the way the Lightning’s signing of D’Astous has. It was a long road for D’Astous to reach an NHL organization. After captaining the QMJHL’s Rimouski Océanic and winning the league’s Defenseman of the Year award, D’Astous began his pro career in the ECHL. While he only played sporadically in the AHL, his steep upward trajectory began in North America’s third-tier league.
In 2021-22, D’Astous broke out, scoring a whopping 45 goals and 87 points in 70 combined regular season and playoff games. The performance earned him the ECHL’s Defenseman of the Year award, as well as a contract in the Finnish Liiga with KooKoo.
In D’Astous’ second year with KooKoo, he managed 46 points in 54 games, which landed him Liiga’s Defenseman of the Year award and a contract in the SHL with Brynäs. D’Astous instantly translated his Liiga success to the SHL, scoring 39 points in 49 games and earning that league’s Defenseman of the Year honors.
The Lightning took notice of D’Astous’ rapid climb to the top of European pro hockey, and signed him to a modest one-year, two-way contract, likely with the expectation that he’d begin with their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, and go from there.
D’Astous did indeed start the year in Syracuse, but he didn’t last very long there. After scoring three points in his debut for the Crunch, D’Astous played an additional trio of games before earning a recall to Tampa Bay. The Lightning won seven of their first eight games with D’Astous in the lineup, and he quickly earned the trust of head coach Jon Cooper. After playing just 10:36 in his second NHL game, D’Astous earned 17:11 in his third contest and just a few weeks later was regularly crossing the 20-minute mark.
The strong offensive production from Europe has translated somewhat to the NHL, as D’Astous is scoring at a 32-point 82-game pace. But perhaps more impressively for a defenseman with no NHL experience entering the season, D’Astous is averaging 19:23 time on ice per game, with infrequent use on special teams. Among Lightning blueliners with at least 30 games played this season, D’Astous ranks No. 3 in time-on-ice per game, ahead of even veteran Erik Cernak.
Tampa Bay acted quickly to secure D’Astous’ services beyond this season, inking him to a one-year, one-way contract extension at a $875K value. Given D’Astous’ performances thus far in his NHL career, there is a strong chance he provides the team with surplus value on that cap hit. Although he’s just 43 games into his NHL career, it appears the Lightning may have found a bona fide NHL defenseman in D’Astous, who cost them nothing (besides his contract) to add into their organization. For a team whose prospect pool ranked last in the NHL entering the season according to Elite Prospects, finding hidden gems such as D’Astous (and former minor-league free agent Darren Raddysh) has helped replenish Tampa’s depth and extend the length of their competitive window.
David Tomasek, RW, Edmonton Oilers
Signed one-year, one-way at $1.2MM from Färjestad BK, SHL
Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman was the lead hockey operations executive for those aforementioned Chicago Blackhawks teams, and as a result, it came as no surprise to see him mine the European professional leagues in search of NHL-caliber talent. The Oilers are looking to win a Stanley Cup on an immediate basis, and the pressure of that wide-open competitive window has caused the quality of the team’s prospect pool and overall organizational depth to decline. The salary cap simply doesn’t allow for a contending team to stockpile depth in its organization the way it might have been able in the past, and GMs such as Bowman have sought out alternative talent acquisition avenues in response.
Tomasek was the most expensive signing of the Oilers’ class of European pro free agents. He signed a one-year, one-way $1.2MM deal after a season where he led the SHL in scoring. Beyond his SHL experience, Tomasek had also proven himself at the international level, winning a gold medal with his native Czechia at the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship. A 6’2″, 210-pound winger, Tomasek was likely expected to be an instant ‘plug-and-play’ NHLer, a belief that is reflected in the size of his contract.
But while D’Astous’ success might have given the impression that standout players in top European pro leagues find the transition to the North American game relatively easy, the reality is there are more players who are unable to successfully cross the Atlantic than there are players who find their footing. Tomasek is an example of the former. He played in 22 games for the Oilers, averaging 10:45 time on ice per game, including 1:45 per game on the power play. He managed three goals and five points in that span, and before the calendar flipped to 2026, he agreed on a mutual contract termination with the Oilers.
Despite failing to carve out a role as an NHL player, Tomasek has been able to pick up right where he left off in the SHL with Färjestad. Since returning to Sweden’s top league, he has 11 points in 11 games.
Max Shabanov, RW, New York Islanders
Signed one-year, one-way at $975K (with $3.5MM in performance bonuses) from Traktor Chelyabinsk, KHL
Often, the European pro free agents that generate the most attention and hype in North America are the top KHL imports. There is a long history of KHL signings finding instant success in the NHL, such as the aforementioned Panarin, or more recently Andrei Kuzmenko, who scored 39 goals and 74 points in his first season in the NHL. Shabanov was widely considered to be the top KHL free agent of the cycle, and he followed the path of fellow KHL import signing Max Tsyplakov by signing with the Islanders.
While there might have been some expectation that Shabanov would hit the ground running the way Panarin or Kuzmenko did, given his stellar platform season in the KHL (67 points in 65 regular-season games, 20 points in 21 playoff games) that hasn’t happened yet. The 25-year-old has had his moments, but is currently sitting on just four goals and 16 points in 40 games, despite receiving 1:42 time on ice per game on the man advantage.
The biggest barrier Shabanov faces when it comes to translating his KHL success to the NHL is his size. Standing 5’8″, 168 pounds, Shabanov is undersized by NHL standards, and wingers of his stature typically need to have some sort of standout on-ice trait in order to produce at the NHL level. Goal scorers Cole Caufield and Alex DeBrincat bring an elite shot and goal-scoring instincts as traits that have driven them to stardom. 435-game NHL veteran Nathan Gerbe brought a high work ethic, relentless compete level, and consistent shift-by-shift impact to the table to help him carve out a bottom-six role.
As of now, the trait that will allow Shabanov to have an extended NHL career has not fully emerged. But he has been able to at least stick on the Islanders’ roster to this point, and given his KHL pedigree, it’s not out of the question he finds his way. At a relatively minimal expense on their cap sheet, Shabanov’s signing remains a worthwhile gamble for New York.
Josh Samanski, C, Edmonton Oilers
Signed two-year ELC at $877.5K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from Straubing Tigers, DEL
While the Oilers’ signing of Tomasek was grounded in the fact that he was a star and leading scorer in one of Europe’s best leagues, their signing of Samanski was more speculative. The 23-year-old undrafted German forward had a strong breakout season in the DEL, scoring 40 points in 52 games.
But unlike the names listed above, he was not considered one of the league’s best talents. But at 23 years old, he was at an earlier point in his developmental curve than those players, and the Oilers likely reasonably believed there was additional upside in his game that had not yet materialized, but could be drawn out by the team’s development staff. 
Edmonton signed Samanski to an entry-level deal, and so far, their investment has shown promise. He’s scored 28 points in 39 games for the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, good for sixth on the team in scoring.
His performances also earned him an NHL opportunity, as he was on the Oilers’ NHL roster before the Olympic break. He has two assists in his five career NHL games thus far, and has averaged 9:21 time on ice per game.
Samanski’s physical tools give him a natural advantage in his chase of a bottom-six center role in the NHL, and given his solid progress so far in 2025-26, it’s not out of the question that the Oilers land a legitimate NHL player in Samanski.
A key storyline to watch in his development will be the progress of his defensive game. That will likely be the bedrock of Samanski’s value proposition to NHL teams, as the requisite tools for him to play an offensive top-six role are not evident in his game. The Condors have the AHL’s No. 12-ranked penalty kill, and Samanski is a regular shorthanded contributor in the AHL. It will be interesting to see if he gets a look on the penalty kill at the NHL level, where the Oilers have struggled this season.
A notable dimension to Samanski’s signing is that he is represented by Andy Scott of Octagon hockey; Scott also represents Oilers star Leon Draisaitl, who is the game’s leading German player.
Atro Leppänen, LHD, Edmonton Oilers
Signed one-year ELC at $877.5K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from Sport Vaasa, Liiga
Scoring 60 points in Finland’s Liiga, which is a lower-scoring league in comparison to the NHL, is an impressive feat for any player. For Leppänen, who scored 63 points in just 60 games last season, his performance was doubly impressive due to the fact that he is a defenseman. His stellar offensive production meant he was likely to generate NHL interest, and Bowman’s Oilers scooped him up with a one-year entry-level deal.
Unlike Tomasek and Samanski, Leppänen has yet to debut for the Oilers at the NHL level. As a high-octane offensive defenseman with a defensive game that is still a work in progress, Leppänen was likely always going to take longer to reach the NHL. That was made especially true as Leppänen took some time to find his footing at the AHL level and battled injury. He’s a candidate to receive a recall if he can earn a greater level of trust on the defensive end in the AHL. If he can shore up that side of his game and even get some reps on Bakersfield’s penalty kill, a call-up could come.
The Oilers appeared pleased enough with Leppänen’s transition to North America that they inked him to a one-year contract extension on Feb. 2. The deal carries a hefty $360K AHL salary and $400K total guarantee, signaling the Oilers expect Leppänen to be at minimum a top-pairing defenseman and power play quarterback for Bakersfield moving forward. At the very least, the Oilers landed a quality AHL offensive blueliner at the cost of under $200K. In a league where top veteran defensemen such as Zac Jones and Calle Rosen can make upwards of $500K at the AHL level, those are not insignificant savings.
Viljami Marjala, LW, Edmonton Oilers
Signed two-year ELC at $775K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from TPS Turku, Liiga
Another point-per-game Liiga player signed by the Oilers, Marjala is actually a former Buffalo Sabres draft choice whose rights the team elected to let lapse. Marjala enjoyed a rapid rise in Liiga after signing there at the end of his QMJHL career, and that landed him a shot in the Oilers organization. Alongside NCAA free agent signing Quinn Hutson, Marjala has been Bakersfield’s most lethal scorer this season with 41 points in 46 games.
The Oilers’ near-term competitive hopes and the competition that already exists along the wings might keep Marjala from making it to the NHL this season, but his performance is strong enough where Edmonton would at least be forced to consider him when pondering who to call up.
In a landscape where a large portion of European pro signings end up terminating their deals to return to their former leagues, Marjala’s success is a win for the Oilers organization, even if he hasn’t yet made his NHL debut. He stands a very real chance at cracking the 60-point plateau in the AHL. Like Leppänen, the fact that he costs under $200K playing on an ELC is driving real cost savings for the Oilers’ minor-league payroll. Veteran scorers in the AHL can cost more than double that if they’re on a two-way deal, and unlike some of the league’s more established scorers, Marjala does not occupy a “veteran” slot under the AHL’s Development Rule.
Anton Lundmark, RW, Florida Panthers
Signed one-year ELC at $877.5K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from Timrå IK, SHL
While signing European professional free agents to entry-level contracts can be an avenue for teams to generate cost savings at the AHL level, it’s not a surefire strategy. Some players are able to quickly translate what made them successful in the SHL, or Liiga, to the AHL, and produce almost instantly from when they step onto North American ice. Other players find the adjustment more challenging, and end up returning to Europe midway through their North American debut season.
Lundmark, the Panthers’ SHL signing, is a player who fits into the latter category. The 24-year-old offers an impressive set of physical tools standing 6’4″, 192 pounds, but was unable to make a consistent impact at the AHL level. He played sparingly in Charlotte Checkers head coach Geordie Kinnear‘s lineup, averaging under 10 minutes time on ice per game. Lundmark and the Panthers hit the eject button on their partnership after just nine AHL games, despite the Checkers going 7-1-1 in games in which Lundmark played. By the middle of December, Lundmark was back with Timrå in the SHL, where he has four points in 14 games.
Anri Ravinskis, RW, Vancouver Canucks
Signed two-year ELC at $775K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from HPK, Liiga
The Canucks’ signing of Ravinskis, an undrafted 23-year-old Latvian winger, was the end result of a year where the player rose rapidly through the ranks of pro hockey. He began the season in Finland’s second-tier Mestis, but joined HPK in December after scoring 21 points in 23 games. He ended the season on the Latvian national team at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championships, where he scored two points. Vancouver saw enough in Ravinskis to sign him to an entry-level deal, but thus far, his time in North America has been difficult.
Ravinskis has not played since Jan. 31, and has just three points in 27 games. He typically plays a bottom-six role with little to no usage on special teams, a far cry from the role he played for HPK when he scored 17 points in the final 27 games of their season. Seeing as Vancouver is on the hook for another year at just under $200K guaranteed on Ravinskis’ deal, the hope will be that he can take a few steps forward in his game as he continues to acclimate to the North American pro game. He does have a big opportunity ahead of him to get his season back on track, as he’s part of Latvia’s national team for the ongoing Winter Olympics in Italy.
Wojciech Stachowiak, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
Signed one-year at $775K NHL/$200K AHL from ERC Ingolstadt, DEL
Stachowiak, a 26-year-old forward from Poland, looked a few years ago as though he was overwhelmingly likely to spend his entire pro career in Europe. The former Michigan State Spartan had played in 72 games in Germany’s top league to that point with Ingolstadt, and had only managed 11 points. Then he had a breakout season in 2022-23 as Ingolstadt made a run to the DEL finals, scoring 16 goals and 34 points in 56 games.
That season served as Stachowiak’s arrival as a top-six talent at the DEL level. He followed his breakout season up with another two seasons of solid production, and capped off his DEL career scoring 11 points in 12 playoff games to help his club reach the league semifinals. The Lightning, likely believing Stachowiak’s two-way game could translate well to North America, inked the player to a one-year contract not too far above what he likely would have earned if he was in the age range to receive an ELC. So far, Stachowiak has been steady for the Crunch.
He’s scoring at a 17-goal, 32-point 72-game pace, and is factoring into both sides of his team’s special teams. Is an NHL future on the table for him? It looks somewhat unlikely at this point, but he’s at least providing the Lightning with a decent return-on-investment, and he could very well see an uptick in his production in the second half of the season, now that he’s more acclimated to the AHL game.
Simon Zajicek, G, Boston Bruins
Signed one-year ELC at $775K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from HC Litvínov, Czech Extraliga
While there have been some skaters who have successfully made the transition to the NHL level as European pro free agent signings, there is arguably an even greater legacy of success in terms of these signings at the goalie position. Utah Mammoth starting netminder Karel Vejmelka is an example of this happening, signing out of the Czech league for 2021-22. Although he signed at a notably earlier stage of his career, Zajicek is likely hoping to follow a similar career path to Vejmelka.
The 24-year-old signed an ELC with Boston after leading the Czech Extraliga in save percentage in 2024-25. He went 15-13-0 in 29 contests with HC Litvínov, and added a .927 save percentage in three playoff contests. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman rated Zajicek as the top available European pro/NCAA/CHL free agent netminder last year, writing that Zajicek’s “quickness and smarts give him a legit chance to play games in the league.”
He hasn’t earned a recall to the NHL yet, but that’s more of a reflection of Boston’s depth at the position than anything else. Zajicek has gone 11-3-1 in 15 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins, posting a .923 save percentage along the way. He’s behind one of the AHL’s best goalies in 27-year-old Michael DiPietro on the depth chart, though, and DiPietro has a .943 save percentage across 27 games this season. While Zajicek’s performance certainly should give the Bruins confidence in their investment in him, they likely won’t see him at the NHL level too soon.
Michal Postava, G, Detroit Red Wings
Signed two-year ELC at $877.5K NHL / $85K AHL / $97.5K SB from HC Kometa Brno, Czech Extraliga
The Bruins were not the only Atlantic Division contender to add a young free agent goalie from the Czech league. The Red Wings signed Postava, 23, from Brno, after he posted a .920 save percentage in 43 regular-season games and led his club to a league championship with a stellar .940 save percentage in a 17-game playoff run. The similarities to Zajicek don’t end there. Like Zajicek, Postava has also found instant success at the AHL level playing behind a very strong team. In 13 AHL games this season, Postava has a .937 save percentage. It’s difficult to parse how much that number has been inflated by how good AHL Grand Rapids has been this season, as starter Sebastian Cossa actually has the lowest save percentage of any goalie to suit up for the team this year, at a .928, which is still quite high.
With that said, the Red Wings have to at least be greatly encouraged by how Postava has started 2025-26 in the AHL. He’s firmly behind Cossa on the depth chart, but with Cossa likely to be in the NHL sooner rather than later (perhaps to replace 38-year-old Cam Talbot as Detroit’s No. 2 goalie next season), Postava could get the opportunity to be an AHL No. 1 as soon as 2026-27.
Photos courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck and Perry Nelson–Imagn Images
Trade Deadline Primer: Chicago Blackhawks
With the Olympic break now upon us, the trade deadline is less than a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We begin our look around the league with teams that have clear plans at the extremes of the standings, this time with the Blackhawks.
In the early portion of the season, it appeared there could be some intrigue regarding the Blackhawks’ plans at the trade deadline later in the year. First-year head coach Jeff Blashill had the team punching above their weight, lingering in the Western Conference’s playoff race, and looking far less like the obvious seller most observers would have expected them to be once the calendar flipped to March. But Chicago wasn’t able to sustain the winning pace it kept up for the beginning of the year, and now finds itself back in a familiar position: well outside the playoff race and overwhelmingly likely to enter trade deadline season as firm sellers.
Record
22-26-9 (6th in the NHL’s Central Division)
Deadline Status
Sellers
Deadline Cap Space
$63.04MM on deadline day, 1/3 retention slots used, 41/50 contracts used per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: CHI 1st, FLA 1st (Top-10 Protected), CHI 2nd, NYI 2nd, TOR 2nd, CHI 3rd, OTT 4th, CHI 7th, FLA 7th
2027: CHI 1st, CHI 2nd, VAN 2nd, CHI 3rd, CHI 4th, CHI 6th, CHI 7th
Trade Chips
While the Blackhawks in prior years have listened to offers on veteran players without much consideration to contract status, the team is now in a different stage of its rebuilding process. The team may have once been interested in how it could use any veteran asset to help contribute to its stockpile of draft picks and prospects, it does not make as much sense for the club to do that now. Veterans with multiple years of team control remaining, such as Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Ryan Donato, for example, each play a role in supporting the team’s young players in the lineup, and retaining those players would help the Blackhawks’ rebuild propel forward in a variety of different ways.
As a result, it’s likely that Chicago’s selling at the deadline will be more concentrated on its pending UFAs, the players who are unlikely to be retained by the team beyond 2025-26. Among pending UFAs, the Blackhawks have several veteran players likely to attract interest from contending teams. 
In what is widely expected to be a thin market for centers, Jason Dickinson could be among the top options for a team looking to add a bottom-six pivot.
While his days of scoring 22 goals, as he did in 2023-24, may be over, he remains a fixture on Chicago’s penalty kill, wins nearly half of his draws, and has even received Selke Trophy votes during his time in Chicago.
His $4.25MM cap hit is also unlikely to be too prohibitive for contending teams to be able to fit into their payroll, especially if the Blackhawks elect to retain salary.
One of Chicago’s other top veteran pending UFAs, like Dickinson, plays at a premium position. 32-year-old Connor Murphy is a right-shot defenseman who has been the subject of trade rumors throughout his Blackhawks tenure, in large part due to his reliability as well as positional value. While he’s ceded a top-four role this season to other younger Blackhawks blueliners, he remains among the team’s most heavily-used defender on the penalty kill, and could be an attractive option for a team looking for a stable veteran defensive defenseman. Murphy has a 10-team no-trade list on his contract.
While Dickinson and Murphy are the team’s two most obvious trade candidates, and the players likely to hold the most value on the trade market, Chicago does have a few other pending UFA players who could draw interest: Captain Nick Foligno is a respected veteran leader who contending teams could be eager to add as a bottom-six forward. Veteran winger Ilya Mikheyev is flirting with a second consecutive 20-goal season in Chicago, and is the team’s top penalty-killing forward. Although he has a 12-team no-trade list, he could be of great interest to contending teams.
Versatile forward Sam Lafferty has had a season to forget, but does have the ability to play center and was an in-demand bottom-six forward during his last go-around with the Blackhawks. If a team is looking to add a depth center without giving up significant assets, Lafferty could very well be a player they have interest in.
A team looking to stabilize its bottom pairing on defense, perhaps even with a veteran player who could fill in on the power play in case of injuries, could have interest in blueliner Matt Grzelcyk. The 32-year-old, who scored 40 points in 2024-25, has just 12 points in 57 games this season after joining the Blackhawks originally on a PTO. He’s unlikely to return Chicago very much in a trade, but is nonetheless a candidate to be dealt due to his experience level and pending UFA status.
Trade Needs
NHL-Ready Young Talent: The Blackhawks aren’t at the stage of their rebuild where draft picks are at their most valuable. Sure, the team could still benefit from adding more picks and prospects to its pipeline, but that is unlikely to be their most pressing interest. Chicago has picked high in the draft in each of the last four years, including inside the top-three picks of the draft in each of the last three years.
There are more than enough players on the way, and more importantly, there are already many young players on the roster in need of additional support, such as franchise face Connor Bedard, 2022 first-rounder Frank Nazar, and a wealth of other young pieces.
If the Blackhawks trade away some veterans at this deadline, their top priority in terms of return should be trying to add prospects, not picks, and especially prospects who are close to NHL-ready, players who the Blackhawks could quickly plug into their NHL lineup and assess whether they’re a fit to be part of the team’s next contending core.
Photos courtesy of Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Morning Notes: Crosby, Cossa, Carfagna
In a move that should not come as a surprise to anyone, Hockey Canada has named legendary forward Sidney Crosby its captain for the upcoming men’s hockey tournament at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Team Canada’s leadership group is rounded out by Connor McDavid and Cale Makar, who will each wear an “A” on their jersey for the tournament.
This is not Crosby’s first time captaining the Canadian national team. He captained the team at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, leading Canada to a gold medal. He also wore the “C” at the 2015 IIHF Men’s World Championship, the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, last year’s 4-Nations Face-Off and last year’s World Championship. He’s widely considered to be among the greatest players in Canadian history, and owns one of the country’s most iconic hockey moments – his “Golden Goal” at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Now 38 years old, it’s entirely possible this is Crosby’s final Olympic tournament, and while McDavid is his obvious successor as captain, Crosby will at least get one more run to try to lead Canada to another gold medal.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- 23-year-old Sebastian Cossa, who was the No. 15 pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, is making a real push for consideration for an NHL roster spot, writes Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen. Cossa has gone 20-4-2 with a .928 save percentage on a juggernaut Grand Rapids team, the best season of his young pro career. While offseason acquisition John Gibson has been solid as Detroit’s starter (22-12-2, .904 save percentage), the grip of veteran backup Cam Talbot on an NHL roster spot is likely less firm. In 24 games this season, Talbot, who is 38 years old, has an .892 save percentage, which ranks inside the bottom-15 in the league among netminders with at least 20 games played.
- Another young player making a push for consideration to land on his team’s NHL roster is Edmonton Oilers prospect defenseman Damien Carfagna. The 23-year-old undrafted blueliner is playing his first campaign as a professional, and has scored 13 points in 40 AHL games for the Bakersfield Condors. The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell wrote that Carfagna “appears close to NHL ready” and could see a call-up to Edmonton thanks in large part to his skating, which Mitchell called “exceptional at the AHL level.”
Pacific Notes: Kuzmenko, Kings Defensemen, Kadri
Los Angeles Kings forward Andrei Kuzmenko left yesterday’s game with an upper-body injury, the team announced last night. Kuzmenko left the bench with an injury and attempted to return in the second period, but was unable to get back into the game. The Kings have not issued any further update on Kuzmenko’s status, but the fact that the Olympic break has now begun does give Kuzmenko some runway to recover before games start up again.
Kuzmenko, 30, has had an up-and-down tenure in Los Angeles. He was an instant success after he was traded there last season, scoring five goals and 17 points in 22 games. He added six points in the Kings’ first round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers. He has just 23 points in 51 games this season, but he’s far from the only Kings forward who has seen his offensive production take a step back year-over-year. It will be interesting to see how Kuzmenko’s usage does or does not change after the addition of Artemi Panarin.
Other notes from the Pacific Division:
- After yesterday’s game, Kings head coach Jim Hiller told the media, including team reporter Zach Dooley, that the Kings’ defense is “pretty banged up” and that several blueliners are “quite a ways south of 100 percent.” Dooley noted that this is a new development, as previously only veteran Joel Edmundson had been understood to be dealing with an injury. With the Kings in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, it’s clear the Olympic break is coming at a useful time for the Kings.
- Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri figures to be one of the top players available at his position in the lead up to this season’s trade deadline, but recently, trade rumors surrounding his name have slowed. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wrote today that Kadri’s trade situation is moving more slowly than anticipated in part because teams are looking for clarity on Vincent Trocheck and Robert Thomas, two centers whose names are swirling in trade rumors. Friedman noted that the Flames are “flexible” in terms of what kind of return they’re seeking in exchange for Kadri, which could help the odds that a trade is completed before the deadline passes.
Latest On Bobby McMann
Despite a recent winning streak, the Toronto Maple Leafs remain on the outside of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Were they in the West, their record would be good enough to be in a playoff spot at this moment, but the quality of the conference they find themselves in makes it difficult to imagine a clear path for them to return to the playoffs.
As a result of their current situation, Toronto is likely considering selling off some of its assets in order to best position itself to compete next season and beyond, and one of the key trade chips the club has to work with is winger Bobby McMann.
A pending UFA, McMann is on pace to set career highs in offensive production. He has 19 goals and 32 points in 56 games this season, which is a 28-goal, 47-point 82-game scoring pace.
McMann has attributes to his game beyond just his scoring ability that are likely to make him a player of interest to contending teams. He’s relatively big, standing 6’2″, 217 pounds, and offers the blend of size, pace, and aggression that teams typically covet.
As a result, Toronto is seeking a first-round pick from any team that trades for McMann, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Toronto can’t be blamed for aiming high in terms of the return it seeks for its top pending UFA, but it’s unclear at this time whether the team will ultimately be able to land a first-rounder in a deal.
On one hand, as mentioned, McMann possesses several qualities that are in demand among contending teams, and that could positively contribute to their chances of landing a first-rounder. On the other hand, McMann does not fully fit the mold of players in the past who have landed first-rounders as rentals at previous trade deadlines.
First and foremost, McMann is a winger, and typically teams have been more willing to surrender top draft choices for players at more “premium,” in-demand positions, such as centers and right-shot defensemen. The Maple Leafs themselves are likely aware of this, having surrendered first-rounders at deadlines past in exchange for centers such as Scott Laughton and Ryan O’Reilly, as well as right-shot blueliners such as Brandon Carlo.
With that said, there is still some precedent for a winger to land a first-round pick. Toronto dealt a first-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets to acquire veteran winger Nick Foligno in 2021, and other wingers have also returned first-rounders as rentals, such as Tyler Bertuzzi in 2023. There’s not nearly as extensive of a track record of rental wingers landing first-round picks as there is with centers, but there are examples the Maple Leafs can cite.
Ultimately, whether or not the Maple Leafs are successful in their pursuit of a first-round pick seems dependent entirely on how highly contending teams value McMann. If he’s one of the more coveted assets available on the market, it would be easy to imagine the price for his services rising high enough.
But on the other hand, numerous contending teams have already dealt away their first-round pick, as Friedman mentioned. That makes it more difficult for the right circumstances to emerge where such a pick would be dealt for McMann.
In any case, once NHL play resumes, McMann will be one of the key players to watch as Toronto looks to chart its path into an uncertain competitive future.
Photos courtesy of John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images