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Snapshots: Ullmark, Tuomaala, Penguins

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The newest Ottawa Senators starter Linus Ullmark is reportedly getting comfortable in Ottawa. TSN’s Shawn Simpson shares that the former Vezina Trophy winner has purchased a home in the area and could begin discussing a contract extension soon. Ullmark is entering the final year of a four-year, $20MM contract signed with the Boston Bruins. He spent the deal emerging as one of the NHL’s premier goalies, posting a dazzling 88 wins and .924 save percentage across 130 games in Boston. But the emergence of Jeremy Swayman made Ullmark’s role expendable and the Bruins decided to sell high – sending him to Ottawa in exchange for a first-round pick, Joonas Korpisalo, and Mark Kastelic.

Ullmark now stands as the most promising Senators goalie in at least a few years. Korpisalo served as the team’s most recent starter and performed dismally, posting just 21 wins and an .890 save percentage in 55 games played. The performance was the peak of a string of struggling years for the Senators goaltending room, which has featured a different starter in every season since 2019-20. Ullmark will look to buck that trend this year by upholding his strong play under the scrutiny of the Canadian market.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Philadelphia Flyers prospect Samu Tuomaala shared in an interview with Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he almost retired from hockey two years ago – one year after his second-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. He had worked his way up to the Liiga, Finland’s top league, but struggled to find much of a role, or much scoring. Those woes continued into the 2022-23 season and through moves across four Finnish teams – but Tuomaala ultimately managed just three points in 40 Liiga games. His struggles continued into the Mestis, Finland’s second-tier league, until Tuomaala was finally moved to Kettera, where he resurged with 46 points in 29 games. He rode that momentum into a rookie AHL season this past year, tallying an impressive 43 points in 69 games – good for third on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in scoring. The wind is clearly back behind Tuomaala’s sails and, at just 21, there’s still plenty of time for him to become a true top prospect. He’ll have a chance to prove that worth, and maybe even fight for an NHL debut, next season.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t been shy about trades this offseason but they may still sit a few moves away from a compliant roster. Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now points out that the current lineup would force the Penguins to send multiple six-figure contracts down to the minor leagues. That’s a hefty investment – and is likely a prevalent thought as the team considers moving players like Lars Eller and Noel Acciari. Pittsburgh currently carries $874K in cap space, per PuckPedia.

Summer Synopsis: Colorado Avalanche

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The Colorado Avalanche have continued to thrive as one of the NHL’s premier teams. Their stars are simply too good, and have proven capable of lifting up a lineup that’s otherwise lackluster. That’s proven a beneficial silver lining this summer, as Colorado’s been forced to focus on rebuilding their minor league following a long list of departures. That holdup, a prevailing cap crunch, and looming extensions have left staff hires as Colorado’s most impactful NHL additions, though a few high-upside signings could provide a kick as Colorado gears up for yet another run to the playoffs

Draft

2-38: G Ilya Nabokov, Metallurg (KHL)
3-76: F William Zellers, Shattuck (High School Prep)
5-132: G Louka Cloutier, Chicago (USHL)
5-137: G Ivan Yunin, Omskie (MHL)
5-161: F Maxmilian Curran, Tri-City (WHL)
6-185: D Tory Pitner, Youngstown (USHL)
7-215: F Christian Humphreys, USA U18 (NTDP)

The Colorado Avalanche entered the 2024 Draft with just three picks – but managed to add four more with a pair of nifty trades. Colorado first traded their first-round pick to Utah for a second and third-round pick this year – as well as a second-rounder next year – and then flipped the latter pick to the Buffalo Sabres for a later third and fifth-rounder. That gave them much more draft action, though all coming on the second day.

Still, the Avs looked to be putting their picks to good work when they made standout Russian goalie Ilya Nabokov the top goalie in this year’s class. Nabokov, 21, was overlooked in each of the last two drafts, but commanded respect this year with a standout performance as the starter for Magnitogorsk Metallurg of the KHL. He posted 23 wins and a .930 save percentage in 43 games – the seventh-best save percentage in the league and tied for the highest from a U21 goalie since Ilya Samsonov in 2017. Nabokov has one year left as Metallurg’s starter before his contract expires next summer – and could quickly find a role in Colorado’s goaltending ranks with another strong year.

But after Nabokov, the Avalanche draft got flipped a bit upside-down. They nabbed speedy and undersized winger William Zellers with their next pick, taking him much higher than expected, even after his 111 points in 54 games with Shattuck St. Mary’s. Zellers is expected to spend next season with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers, which should provide a great proving ground to see where his value truly sits. But even with promising setting ahead, Zellers seemed like the lesser pick to Colorado’s seventh-round steal of Christian Humphreys, who stood tall as this year’s iteration of shoot-first NTDP forward. He managed 58 points in 52 games on the season, including 23 points, while showing a strong ability to make and finish plays around the slot. Defenseman Tory Pitner was similarly ranked above Zellers by many public outlets, on the back of strong neutral zone defending; albeit with a bit of an awkward skating stance.

But perhaps the upside-down class speaks to how well Colorado drafted – shooting for the stars with high-upside Zellers early, without missing out on clear-fallers later on. Either way, the Avalanche made sure to balance things out in the fifth round, when they selected Louka Cloutier – one of the draft’s youngest goalies – and Ivan Yunin – who could quickly challenge KHL ice time in a goalie-poor Omsk system. The duo were joined by Maxmilian Curran, a hard-nosed forward who’s still finding his defining traits. Each of the trio have road-blocks between them and the pros, but could quickly prove capable with a bit more development.

Even with questions around all seven prospects, the Avalanche are emerging from the Draft plenty happy. They reinforced their goaltending room – to the best of their ability, at least – and added a quartet of very different, but very distinct, North American prospects. It’s a class that won’t change the face of the franchise, but should properly support Colorado’s all-or-nothing approach.

Trade Acquisitions

G Kevin Mandolese (from Ottawa)

Colorado’s only trade acquisition was the lowly acquisition of goaltender Kevin Mandolese, who Colorado acquired from Ottawa alongside a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-rounder. Mandolese was a sixth-round draft pick in 2018 and made his move to the pros in 2021, joining a long rotation of Belleville Senators goaltenders. The crowded room has pushed Mandolese to the ECHL for parts of the three seasons since, though he’s slowly fighting into a more prominent AHL role, and even played in three NHL games in the 2022-23 campaign. Mandolese posted one win and a .916 in those outings, otherwise carrying 28 wins and an .896 through 66 career AHL games. He’s likely set for the Colorado Eagles backup role while Nabokov wraps up his time overseas, though his addition could be a sign that prospect Justus Annunen may final win out the NHL backup role.

UFA Signings

F Jere Innala (one-year, $870K)*
F Chase Bradley (two-years, $872.5K)*
F Joel Kiviranta (one-year, $775K)*
F Jonathan Drouin (one-year, $2.5MM)
F Parker Kelly (two-year, $1.6MM)
F T.J. Tynan (one-year, $775K)*
F Matthew Phillips (one-year, $775K)*
D Calle Rosen (one-year, $775K)*
D Calvin de Haan (one-year, $800K)
D Jacob MacDonald (two-year, $1.6MM)*
D Erik Brannstrom (one-year, $900K)
D Wyatt Aamodt (one-year, $775K)*
D Oliver Kylington (one-year, $1MM)

* denotes two-way contract

The bulk of Colorado’s action this summer reinforced their minor league depth. After all, eight of their 12 free agent signees inked two-way deals. The few one-way additions could bring major lineup ramifications, though. They’re led by Jonathan Drouin, who finally looked comfortable in an NHL role in his first year with the Avalanche last season. He posted a career-high 56 points while averaging a career-high 18 minutes of ice time through 79 games – showing that he can still reach new heights even 10 years into his career. There was never much question about whether Drouin would re-sign or not and his new deal gives him a near-$1.75MM raise to repeat his strong play next year.

While Drouin digs his feet into Colorado’s top-end, new veteran additions Calvin de Haan, Erik Brannstrom, and Oliver Kylington will battle for the blue-line spots vacated by Bowen Byram and Sean Walker. Brannstrom carries the initial advantage, if for no other reason than the fact that he was the only one of the three to play all of last season. He managed a career-high 20 points but continued to fall behind where his 15th-overall draft precedent places his expectations. De Haan also played big minutes last year, stepping into 59 games for Tampa Bay, but his measly 10 points weren’t enough to dodge routine healthy scratches. Still, he’s done more than Kylington – who stepped away from hockey for one-and-a-half seasons for personal matters, before returning in the second half of this year. He played 33 NHL games upon his return, though managing just eight points and third-pair minutes. Each of the three defenders offers their own upside – Brannstrom a boom-or-bust signing, de Haan a reliable depth veteran, and Kylington motivated after absence. But they’ll have to hit the ground running if they want to land a roster spot.

The NHL storylines run a bit dry after the trio of defense additions – though Parker Kelly’s one-way deal seems to indicate he’s a lock for the NHL. That’s great news for Kelly, who spent the last three seasons growing into a bigger and bigger role in Ottawa’s bottom six. That culminated in 18 points across 80 games this season – Kelly’s first full year in the NHL. A one-way deal pushes Kelly into competition for minutes with players like Logan O’Connor, Nikolai Kovalenko, and Artturi Lehkonen – while depth signees Joel Kiviranta and Matthew Phillips try to use the AHL as a platform to jump over them all.

RFA Re-Signings

F Casey Mittelstadt (three-years, $17.2MM)
F Jason Polin (one-year, $775K)*
G Kevin Mandolese (one-year, $775K)*

* denotes two-way contract

Colorado’s biggest chore this summer was re-signing new second-line center Casey Mittelstadt – the return in the deal that sent Byram to the Sabres. Mittelstadt was everything that Colorado could have hoped for in his 29 games with the team, between the regular and post season. He scored 19 points and held strongly as the team’s second-line center, even through daunting playoff deployment. He held onto the momentum from a career-year in 2022-23, when Mittelstadt posted 59 points in 82 games with Buffalo, and seems poised to understudy Nathan MacKinnon for the foreseeable future. It’s not often that a team gets to sign that level of upside at the age of 25 – and the Avalanche opted for the bridge route, buying Mittelstadt’s first year of UFA eligibility with a deal that walks him to his prime. He’ll get a chance for a raise before entering his 30s, while Colorado will save a much-needed dime ahead of re-signing Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, and MacKinnon  over the next three summers.

Departures

F DJ Busdeker (signed with Augsburger, DEL)
F Alex Beaucage (unqualified, signed with Laval, AHL)
F Gianni Fairbrother (unqualified, unrestricted free agent)
F Brandon Duhaime (Washington, two-years, $3.7MM)
F Fredrik Olofsson (signed with Zug, NL)
F Riley Tufte (Boston, one-year, $775K)*
F Vladislav Kamenev (unrestricted free agent)
F Yakov Trenin (Minnesota, four-year, $14MM)
F Zach Parise (retirement)
D Brad Hunt (signed with Hershey, AHL)
D Caleb Jones (Los Angeles, one-year, $775K)*
D Corey Schueneman (St. Louis, one-year, $775K)*
D Jack Johnson (Columbus, one-year, $775K)
D Nate Clurman (Pittsburgh, one-year, $775K)*
D Sean Walker (Carolina, five-year, $18MM)
D Spencer Smallman (Washington, one-year, $775K)*
G Ivan Zhigalov (unsigned draft pick, signed with Orsk, VHL)
G Arvid Holm (unrestricted free agent)
G Ivan Prosvetov (unsigned, signed three-years with CSKA, KHL)
G Pavel Francouz (retirement)

Colorado’s list of departures makes their minor-league focus this summer much clearer. They overturned the majority of their AHL blue line, adding to it departures of depth forward and goaltenders. They’ve managed to fill most of those holes with either prospects or recent signees, but the holes left by Walker, Trenin, and Duhaime will each be much tougher to fill. The trio were all midseason trade acquisitions, with clear lineup roles planned out for them. Duhaime settled in as a strong fourth-line bruiser – the same role Trenin came to earn after not finding much of a scoring touch. Walker’s spot was a bit more meaningful, as he stepped into the second-pair hole left by Byram. Walker posted seven points across 18 regular season games in Colorado, but fell apart in the postseason, going without any scoring through Colorado’s 11 games. It’s his spot that one of Brannstrom, de Haan, or Kylington will look to improve upon – with the others battling for Colorado’s seventh-defender role.

The departures otherwise don’t leave too lasting of an impact on the NHL lineup. Parise and Prosvetov’s retirements forced the team to fill menial NHL roles, but the emergence of Drouin and Annunen should prove plenty of filler.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Avalanche are approaching training camp with just over $2MM in cap space. That keeps them from making any more hefty additions, but it could be just enough to add one more veteran deal. The Avalanche will be favorites to sign professional try-outs as a result? And could end up the beneficiary of a veteran free agent like James van Riemsdyk. Fans shouldn’t hope for much more, though, as the Avs look to keep plenty of buffer built into their cap space.

Key Questions

When Will Landeskog Return? There is perhaps no bigger question in the NHL than when, and how, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog will return to the lineup. He’s expected to be ready early into the 2024-25 campaign, after missing the last two seasons with a knee injury. He’s as premier of a player as a team could ask for, scoring at a point-per-game pace all the way up to his injury – which cut his 2021-22 campaign after 30 goals and 59 points in 51 games. That level of offense will be hard to maintain through two missed years, but Landeskog’s spot on an improved top-six could be enough to spark a quick return. Even that presents issues, though, as Drouin ressurected Colorado’s role of second-line scorer last season, and may not perform the same in a cut role. It seems the answer will come down to how Landeskog bounces back when he’s finally back on the ice.

What Will The Defense Look Like? Colorado made an intentional push to improve their defense depth with their Deadline acquisition of Walker. But now, five months later, the Avalanche are back to questioning their bottom pair. We’ve touched on the battle between Brannstrom, de Haan, and Kylington – but the issue comes from each of the three being left-handed. In fact, minor-leaguer Sam Malinski is Colorado’s only righty behind Makar and Josh Manson. That’s a major annoyance, if nothing else, and will undercut how important the looming battle for blue-line minutes is. Each of the three new additions have played off-handed at one point or another but never commanded much of a right-sided role. Will that change in training camp, or will Colorado need to pursue another right-shot defender as the Deadline approaches?

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Snapshots: Swayman, Brodzinski, Yager

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Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman is at risk of entering September without a contract for the season. But team president and NHL Hall of Famer Cam Neely isn’t bothered by negotiations dragging on. In an appearance on The Rich Shertenlieb Show, Neely said, “Something will get done. There’s no question. I mean, not every negotiation is as smooth as you’d like it. I know our fan base would certainly love to have something done by now. But I’m fully confident that both sides will come to an agreement before too long here.”

Swayman has expressed confidence of his own that a deal will get done – making the ongoing holdout a bit surprising. The Bruins carry $8.64MM in projected cap space, per PuckPedia, and a full roster signed otherwise. That should be plenty of budget to sign Swayman to, at least, a short-term deal – perhaps an indication that contract details like signing bonuses are the impeding factor. Swayman has had a stellar NHL career through three seasons, posting a .919 save percentage in 132 games, but he’s yet to exceed 45 starts in a single season. That’s set to change in a big way with Linus Ullmark now in Ottawa – and if Swayman can withstand the barrage is yet to be seen.

Other notes from around the league:

  • College free agent Bryce Brodzinski has signed a one-year deal with the AHL’s Ontario Reign. The Philadelphia Flyers drafted Brodzinski in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Draft, but didn’t sign before August 1, 2024 deadline – pushing him into free agency after a five-year career at the University of Minnesota. Brodzisnki scored more-and-more in every season, ultimately posting a career-high 36 points in 39 games this year. He’ll look to continue growing next year, stepping into a competitive Ontario lineup where he’ll battle Los Angeles Kings prospects Martin Chromiak, Koehn Ziemmer, and Kaleb Lawrence for ice time on the wings.
  • The newest top Winnipeg Jets prospect, Brayden Yager, will either play in the NHL or CHL this season Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff shares with The Athletic’s Murat Ates. Yager remains eligible for the NHL-CHL agreement by just four days – keeping him eligible to return to the Moose Jaw Warriors, where he won a WHL championship last season. Yager played a pivotal role in the ring-winning year, scoring a career-high 35 goals and 95 points in 57 regular-season games and 27 points in 20 playoff games. He’s lived up to his 14th-overall standing thus far, and will have now receive a chance to break into the next step as part of a new team.

Evening Notes: Lankinen, Nichushkin, Pieniniemi

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The Vancouver Canucks are narrowing in on a deal with goaltender Kevin Lankinen reports CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal. He’ll support the team as they await the return of Thatcher Demko, who is taking longer than expected to recover from his knee injury.

A deal in Vancouver would move Lankinen on from four seasons in the Central Division – split between the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators. He debuted as Chicago’s starter in the shortened 2020-21 season, recording 17 wins and a .909 save percentage across 37 games. It was an impressive start to the undrafted free agent’s career, though not strong enough to hang onto the starting role when Chicago signed Marc-Andre Fleury that summer. Lankinen has been a proud backup ever since, with his ice time dwindling to just 24 games with Nashville last season.

Vancouver could offer Lankinen his first true shot at a starting role in a while – though he’ll have to beat out postseason wonder Arturs Silovs. Silovs took over for Demko in last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs with just nine career games to his name. He’d end up playing 10 more, posting a .898 save percentage and showing plenty of ability to win games when his team needed him. Silovs will be the favorite for the starting role entering camp, but Lankinen could offer quick relief should he struggle.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Sergey Fedotov, a former scout for the Russian National Team, told Russia’s Sports.ru that Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin will be ready to return to the NHL in November. Nichushkin entered the NHL Player’s Assistance Program in May, missing out on the bulk of the postseason after a red-hot start – nine goals and 10 points in eight games. Nichushkin scored a collective 63 points in 62 games this season and will stand as a top option in Colorado’s lineup when he returns, though speculation will remain until the team formally announces his return.
  • Pittsburgh Penguins defense prospect Emil Pieniniemi – the 91st pick in the 2023 NHL Draft – has signed with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs for the 2024-25 season. The move kicks off his career in North America after growing up through Kärpät’s junior system and playing 39 games with the Liiga club. He scored six points in those appearances but has already looked more impressive in international play this summer – posting four points in four games during Finland’s U20 friendlies. He’ll now look to maintain that scoring momentum into the much-quicker-paced CHL next season.

Avalanche, Mikko Rantanen Expected To Ramp Up Extension Talks Soon

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The Colorado Avalanche have already engaged in extension talks with 2025-pending free agent Mikko Rantanen, though the star winger expects talks will gain a lot more momentum when the team comes back together. He spoke about next season and his looming contract with the Finnish news outlet Turan Sanomat, and his remarks were translated by Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now. Per Rawal, Rantanen said, “We’ve already started a little, but we haven’t had any intensive discussions yet. They will surely speed up here in time.” Rantanen went on to share his excitement for next year’s 4 Nations Face-Off and 2026’s Winter Olympics.

Rantanen is one of many stars entering the last year of their contracts, but few have made such a statement about their current deals. Rantanen signed his current deal – a six-year, $55MM contract – in 2019 after recording the second 80-point season of his then three-year career. It was clear that he was set for stardom, and while fans had to wait through injuries and COVID-19 limiting seasons, the star Finn finally showed his strength in Colorado’s pursuit of the 2022 Stanley Cup. He was perhaps the most influential player on the roster, second to Nathan MacKinnon, scoring a career-high 36 goals and 92 points in 75 regular season games, then adding 25 points in 20 postseason games. The performance proved everyone’s suspicions – that Rantanen, even at a $9.25MM cap hit, was likely underpaid. He’s only continued to improve in the years since, posting a new career-high of 55 goals and 105 points last season, then returning for 42 goals and 104 points this year.

Rantanen compliments his sky-high scoring with great off-puck physicality and an appreciation for defense. Those traits place Rantanen as both a pillar of the Avalanche lineup and their biggest to-do ahead of the 2025 summer. But finding a price won’t be easy, especially given the lack of precedent for such a high-scorer. Oilers’ star Leon Draisaitl seems like the best comparable, though he’s in his own round of extension negotiations. Early rumors have placed Draisaitl’s next deal around $12.5MM. That could provide Colorado with a helpful baseline should Draisaitl sign soon, though it’s likely that Edmonton is watching Rantanen’s negotiations with the same scrutiny.

While the two sides sort through a standoff with their secondary stars, Rantanen will look to continue his domination of the NHL’s Western Conference. He emphasized to the Turan Sanomat that his goal is to only get faster and stronger, saying, “In the NHL, the game is going faster all the time, and as a result, Explosiveness is a big part of how the game is developing. You can’t forget that there are 82 games in the regular season. So you have to have endurance, and you have to be strong in struggles.”

Golden Knights Sign Tanner Pearson To PTO

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The Vegas Golden Knights have signed forward Tanner Pearson to a professional tryout agreement. The deal gives Pearson a chance to fight for one of Vegas’ remaining bottom-six positions – a battle already being fought by Victor Olofsson, Keegan Kolesar, Brendan Brisson, and Jonas Rondbjerg.

Pearson, 32, recently completed a one-year stint with the Montreal Canadiens. He was the return for Casey DeSmith in a pre-season swap with the Vancouver Canucks, though upper-body injuries and healthy scratches limited him to just 54 appearances. He scored 13 points in those outings – a career-low in years he played in more than 20 games. The move to Montreal ended Pearson’s stretch of five years with the Canucks, where he managed 114 points across 221 games. The bulk of that scoring came in his first year in Vancouver, when Pearson managed a career-high 45 points in 69 games. It continued the streak of 40-point scoring that he carried through six years with the Los Angeles Kings. But he’d lose that streak quickly after, with 34 points in 2021-22 marking the only time that Pearson has exceeded 20 points in the last four seasons.

The battle for ice time among Vegas’ bottom-six now grows thicker, as the team looks to make up for off-season departures of lineup fixtures like William Carrier, Chandler Stephenson, Jonathan Marchessault, and Michael Amadio. Those absences open plenty of minutes on Vegas’ bottom lines, though new signee Olofsson, and young prospects like Brisson and Pavel Dorofeyev, are likely to earn precedent – unless Pearson impresses enough to earn a contract of his own in Vegas’ training camp.

Afternoon Snapshots: Couture, Chernyshov, Draft Location

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San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture has been ramping up his training in San Jose this summer, new head coach Ryan Warsofsky shared with Sirius XM. Warsofsky added, “He’s working extremely hard. He’s in San Jose. He’s been in San Jose. He’s training. He’s working out. I know he’s feeling good, and I know when Logan is feeling good, we will let him play.”

Warsofsky’s comments continue the sentiment laid out by his predecessor, David Quinn, who emphasized that the team had a plan for Couture’s path back to the ice. It seems the next big step hinges on when Couture feels ready to return to the lineup, though where he’ll slot in when he’s back will also be a big question. The Sharks recently signed star prospects Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith to their entry-level contracts. Both players project confidently as centerman at the top level, though they may need a bit of support as they find their footing. That could be where Couture comes in – playing on the rookie’s wing and supporting them on faceoffs or in the defensive end. It’d be a well-timed move to the flanks – after all, Couture hasn’t posted a faceoff percentage above 50 percent in a decade. A new role next to high-upside prospects should be enough to maintain Couture’s other stats, though, adding a player with 25-goal and 50-point upside into a Sharks lineup desperate for offense.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Sticking in San Jose – Sharks forward prospect Igor Chernyshov has undergone a shoulder repair surgery known as a Latarjet Procedure, per his agent Dan Milstein. Chernyshov is slated to join the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit for next season, though his debut in the league will likely be delayed by the one-to-two months it takes to recover from surgery. Chernyshov was the first pick of this year’s second round, after a confident season with Russia’s Dynamo Moscow – where he recorded 28 points in 22 juniors game and four points in 34 KHL games. He’s a hefty and responsible forechecker who’s strong both on and off of the puck. The Sharks will hope those traits hold strong through shoulder surgery. If they do, Chernyshov could be on a fast track to the pros, having signed his entry-level contract at the beginning of this month.
  • The NHL is looking to keep the excitement around the NHL Draft, eyeing Los Angeles as the frontrunner to host the 2025 Draft and NHL Awards ceremonies, shares David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. 2025 will mark the first time that the draft is decentralized, allowing team staff to stay in their local market rather than populating the draft floor. That will certainly change the back-end approach for teams, though the front-facing structure is likely to be largely maintained – with players greeting commissioner Gary Bettman on stage after their selection. That’s the format of both the NFL and NBA Drafts, which both succeed the NHL in annual viewership despite being decentralized for years.

Oilers Trade Cody Ceci, Pick for Ty Emberson

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The Edmonton Oilers have traded defenseman Cody Ceci and a 2025 third-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Ty Emberson. The deal was initially reported by Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, who adds that no salary cap was retained. Spector mentions that moving Ceci’s $3.25MM cap hit could give Edmonton enough space to retain defenseman Philip Broberg while forward Dylan Holloway could be headed to the St. Louis Blues. Both players recently signed two-year offer sheets with the Blues  – Broberg’s totaling $9.16MM in salary and Holloway’s totaling $4.58MM.

The two restricted free agents are in similar spots in their careers – yet to vindicate their first-round precedent, though still carving out routine roles in Edmonton’s lineup. They were utilized similarly, averaging roughly 11:30 in ice time this season, though Holloway played 38 games to Broberg’s 12. Retaining both players would cost the Oilers $6.87MM in cap hit – a tough bill to pay for an Oilers team that was already $8.225MM over the cap ceiling. It seems the team is opting to hold onto the defenseman, though it will cost them near-800-game veteran Cody Ceci.

Despite routinely receiving criticism, Ceci was an anchor of Edmonton’s top-four last season, averaging 20 minutes of total ice time and more penalty-kill time than any other Oiler. He ended the year with five goals and 25 points in 79 games this season, adding five points in 24 playoff games – where he notoriously partnered with Darnell Nurse for some of the best and worst moments of the postseason. After three years in Edmonton, Ceci will move to his fifth NHL franchise in this trade. He’ll seemingly – and perhaps surprisingly – become San Jose’s top right defenseman, joining a room occupied by Jan Rutta and Matt Benning. He’ll be the second-most experienced on the blue-line, though leader Marc-Edouard Vlasic – who’s just four games shy of 1,300 career games, though he became a routine healthy scratch last season.

Ceci’s departure opens a big hole in the Oilers’ blue line, which could finally yield the opportunity that Broberg’s been waiting for. He’s only averaged 12:42 in ice time through 81 career games and hasn’t played over 19 minutes in a single game since November of 2021. Broberg has yielded 13 career points in the limited role, though stepping into top-four minutes could be enough to kick the former top-10 pick into high gear.

That could cost them winger Holloway, who’s scored 18 career points – and added seven in 25 games this postseason. Holloway was drafted 14th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, selected after a strong freshman year at the University of Wisconsin, where he totaled 52 points in 58 games over two years in Wisconsin before turning pro in 2021. He has since bounced between the NHL and AHL lineups, showing flashes of promise as a hefty play-driver but never finding his spark. His 6-foot-1, 206-pound frame is just 10 pounds heavier than winger Vasily Podkolzin, who Edmonton acquired for a 2025 third-round pick earlier today. Podkolzin fits into the same conversation as Holloway and Broberg – a former top draft pick struggling to show what he can do at the top level. The size similarities and Podkolzin’s cheap $1MM cap hit seem to back the idea that Holloway could be headed to St. Louis – though nothing is official yet.

Regardless of their decision with Broberg and Holloway, Edmonton emerges from this swap with young defender Ty Emberson, who played through his first 30 NHL games last season, scoring 10 points and showing value as a shutdown defender on a struggling San Jose roster. But a lower-body laceration suffered in February cut Emberson’s rookie year short, leaving Sharks fans guessing where his upside might fall.

Multiple teams have shown interest in Emberson at one point. He was initially drafted by the Arizona Coyotes ahead of a three-year tenure at the University of Wisconsin, where he managed 34 points in 101 games. Emberson turned pro with the Tuscon Roadrunners in 2020, getting a taste of tougher competition before a 2022 trade to the New York Rangers in exchange for Patrick Nemeth and draft picks in 2025 and 2026. New York signed Emberson to a one-year, league-minimum contract but placed him on waivers two months later. San Jose placed a claim as the fourth team on the priority list, ultimately pushing Emberson into his first NHL role. He’ll now move to Edmonton with the chance for even more growth as he battles Broberg and Nurse for ice time on the right-hand side.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Summer Synopsis: Carolina Hurricanes

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The Carolina Hurricanes have been the envy of many NHL teams for the past half-decade, building out a sustainable lineup that nicely blended veteran pieces with up-and-coming prospects. Despite the seemingly endless supply of talent, Carolina has never been able to put it all together and go a run to the Stanley Cup Finals. Their regular season success over the past 5+ years is nearly unmatched, but the playoff losses have started to lead fans to wonder if this core can be the one that brings the franchise its second Stanley Cup. Carolina saw a lot of turnover this summer and it could lead the team to take a step back next season.

Draft

2-34: D Dominik Badinka, Malmo (SHL)
2-50: F Nikita Artamonov, Torpedo (KHL)
3-69: D Noel Fransen, Färjestad BK (SHL)
4-124: D Alexander Siryatsky, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)
5-133: F Oskar Vuollet, Skellefteå AIK (SHL)
5-156: F Justin Poirier, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
6-168: D Timur Kol, Avangard Omsk (KHL)
6-184: D Roman Shokhrin, Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)
6-188: F Fyodor Avramov, Kapitan Stupino (MHL)
7-220: F Andrey Krutov, Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)

A hectic summer wasn’t enough to knock Carolina off the course of what they do best – win out draft classes. The Hurricanes traded their first-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for a pair of picks in the first round – ultimately resulting in swapping Marek Vanacker for Dominik Badinka and Nikita Artamonov. That value swap would be considered a steal by many public scouting services, who were particularly fond of the feisty and aggressive offensive style that Badinka brings from the blue line. He earned first-round recognition from multiple outlets, including ranking 29th in Bob McKenzie’s acclaimed final rankings. Artamonov earned similar recognition with very mature and flexible hockey in Russia’s KHL, though his stock slipped over the year as he – and many other top Russian prospects – hit a scoring lull through the middle of the season. Nevertheless, the pair define Carolina’s draft-day haul with success in their country’s top flight.

But the supporting cast around Badinka and Artamonov can’t be counted out. Defender Noel Fransen also worked his way into an SHL lineup this season, with his 20 goals and 44 points in 45 U20 games resulting in four games with Farjestad. He was quiet in those outings but made up for it with strong international performances, ultimately flaunting a strong ability to both initiate and defend the rush through the neutral zone. He’ll need to reign in his aggressive pushes up the ice and find an appreciation for defensive positioning to succeed at the next flight, though Fransen’s upside as a puck-mover would fit well in Carolina’s fast-paced system.

The style matches continue with high-drive forwards Oskar Vuollet and Justin Poirier, who both emerged as their team’s leading forward over the season, though to largely varied results. Vuollet was, narrowly, the higher pick of the two – likely thanks to his heftier build and 15 SHL games this season. But it’s Poirier who carved out the longer season, championing Baie-Comeau to the QMJHL Championship with 18 goals and 27 points in 17 playoff games. It was an impressive run that showed Poirier’s dazzling ability to create plays out of the corners and find space on the outskirts of the slot. His style is reminiscent of former NHL journeyman Steve Sullivan, who carried plenty of power, drive, and play-creating ability in a small frame – and fought his way to a 1,000-game career despite being a ninth-round draft pick. Those are certainly lofty expectations for Poirier – whose physicality is yet to be tested at the top level. If he adjusts well, he could find a niche similar to Sullivan’s. If he can’t, Carolina will fall back on the responsible forechecking and hard-passing of Vuollet, which also looks like it could translate well to North American pros.

Carolina rounded out their draft class with a heap of Russian talent – headlined by a well-rounded defense, including Alexander Siryatsky’s large frame, Roman Shokhrin’s hard-hitting, and Timur Kol’s confident stickhandling from the blue line. All three players have pitfalls ahead of them, but could each use their defining strength to claw up Carolina’s depth chart. They’re complimented by heavy-shooter Fyodor Avramov and nifty scorer Andrey Krutov – who both found success in the MHL, Russia’s premier junior league, that they’ll now try to translate to the country’s pros. The Hurricanes have now drafted 15 players from Russia in just the last three years – showing plenty of confidence in bringing Russian players overseas.

UFA Signings

F William Carrier (six-years, $12MM)
F Jordan Martinook (three-years, $9.2MM)
F Jack Roslovic (one-year, $2.8MM)
F Eric Robinson (one-year, $950K)
F Joakim Ryan (one-year, $775K)*
F Riley Stillman (one-year, $775K)*
D Jaccob Slavin (extended eight years, $51.7MM)
D Sean Walker (five-years, $18MM)
D Shayne Gostisbehere (three-years, $9.6MM)
D Josiah Slavin (two-years, $775K)*

*denotes two-way deal


Carolina may not have lost as much quantity as some NHL teams, but their departing quality is as rich as it gets. That forced first-time general manager Eric Tulsky into a busy July as he looked to patch the many openings in the lineup. The rookie managed the feat well, bringing in highly capable defenders Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere to replace the departing Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce. The new acquisitions might not match the confident offense of Skjei or the stout defense of Pesce, though both Walker and Gostisbehere worked into top-four minutes last season with reliable two-way play. Gostibehere is the particularly exciting of the two, coming off a career year with the Detroit Red Wings that saw him net 10 goals and 56 points in 81 games – a career-high in scoring. He’s entering his second stint with the Hurricanes, having served 13 points across 38 games, combined between the regular season and playoffs, with the team after a 2023 Trade Deadline swap. That could prove good prep as he approaches a Hurricanes season with major roles on the defense up for grabs.

But neither Gostibehere nor Walker will clinch too rich of a role, thanks to Carolina’s lofty re-signing of alternate captain Jaccob Slavin. The newly minted, max-term deal walks the veteran defender to his age-38 season – solidifying his spot as a career Hurricane amid plenty of turnover on the blue line. Slavin continues to stand as one of the most watertight defensemen in the league, offering consistent and reliable impact on both sides of the puck as well as both sides of the ice. Now cemented in the lineup, Slavin will look to carry the torch for Carolina’s restructured defense and will stand as a favorite for the team’s captaincy when long-running captain Jordan Staal calls his career quits. He’ll also get the honor of playing in the same organization as brother Josiah Slavin, who signed a two-way deal with Carolina but projects as a minor-league option.

Carolina complimented a defensive refresh by adding multiple bricks into the offense. Jack Roslovic stands as the most notable signee, joining Carolina after digging his feet into the third-line center role for both the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers. That led him to 39 points across 77 games this season, including the playoffs – continuing Roslovic’s flirting with the 40-point ceiling into its fourth consecutive season. He’ll likely make the biggest splash in the lineup, though it’s William Carrier’s six-year extension that stands as Carolina’s most eye-raising addition. Carrier scored just eight points in 39 regular season games last year – and just 25 points in 56 games in 2022-23. He’s now up to 107 points in 413 career games – certainly meager numbers, though he’s continued to find ways into the lineup with quick decision-making and a daunting physical presence. Carrier will now bring those traits into Carolina, looking to carve out a fourth-line role that he can carry through the end of the 2020s.

Eric Robinson, Joakim Ryan, and Riley Stillman will all compete for similar fourth-line roles, though it’d be forgetful not to mention Jordan Martinook, who’s earned a deal rivaling a $10MM total salary after playing in all 164 games and scoring a commendable 66 points, over the last two seasons. Martinook has found his stride with the Canes after slowly rising to prominence through the team’s bottom six. He’ll likely stay in that role moving forward, though his multi-year extension gives the Hurricanes much-needed consistency in their depths.

RFA Re-Signings

F Martin Necas (two-year, $13MM)
F Jack Drury (two-years, $3.4MM)
D Jalen Chatfield (three-years, $9MM)

While Carolina can rest on an energetic UFA window, their RFA signings are coated in bore after emerging forward Martin Necas, once the top name on many different trade boards, ultimately decided to re-sign in Carolina. The new deal walks Necas to unrestricted free agency, giving him the chance to handpick a new team at his earliest convenience, but it’ll come at the cost of two more seasons in Carolina. That’s certainly not much to complain about – after all, Necas has grown into his own with the Hurricanes, netting a career-high 28 goals and 71 points in 82 games during the 2022-23 season after a pair of 40-point years. He succeeded the career year with 24 goals and 53 points in 77 games this season, though even with the step back in scoring, Necas’ ability to fit in with Carolina’s offensive stars was clear. Necas was a center before being drafted but was quickly swapped to the wing by Carolina. Despite some intrigue in returning to his natural position, it’ll be the flanks that offer the most opportunity in Carolina – with Necas privy to even more ice time now that the team has lost Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen.

Carolina’s other RFA signings are much more par for the course – featuring reliable and growing depth pieces Jack Drury and Jalen Chatfield, who are both cutting their teeth on Carolina’s bottom lines and special teams. Chatfield’s multi-year deal gives Carolina blue-line exciting upside from top to bottom on the right side. While the 28-year-old is still early into his NHL career, his 22 points in 72 games this season and growing confidence as a physical presence have made him a gut punch down the depth of Carolina’s lineup. While the defense will inevitably shift around as new additions find their role, Chatfield’s grit should make him a steadfast feature on the bottom pair.

Departures

F Jake Guentzel (traded to Tampa Bay)
F Evgeny Kuznetsov (waived)
F Teuvo Teravainen (Chicago, three-years, $16.2MM)
F Stefan Noesen (New Jersey, three years, $8.25MM)
F Eric Staal (retired)
F Max Comtois (unqualified, signed with Dynamo of the KHL)
D Brady Skjei (Nashville, seven-years, $49MM)
D Brett Pesce (New Jersey, six years, $33MM)
D Tony DeAngelo (unrestricted free agent)
D Dylan Coghlan (traded to Winnipeg)
G Antti Raanta (unrestricted free agent)

The strength of this year’s departing Hurricanes would rival some of the NHL’s basement dwellers. Carolina is losing irreplaceable talent as they say goodbye to Skjei, Pesce, Teravainen, Kuznetsov – and, most notably, star winger Jake Guentzel, who’s donned the title of Steven Stamkos’ replacement in Tampa Bay. Guentzel was one of the headliners of this year’s Trade Deadline, making the first move of his career after eight years with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Carolina had to part with a laundry list of talent to reel him in, including winger Michael Bunting and multiple top prospects. Guentzel vindicated the asking price with 34 points across 38 games with the team, including tying for third on the team in postseason scoring. The Hurricanes are uniquely positioned to handle such a big blow, thanks to the emergence of Necas and the looming return of oft-injured Andrei Svechnikov, who’s scored 316 points in 406 games but hasn’t played 80 games in a season since 2019.

The Hurricanes are also saying goodbye to Eric Staal, who signed a one-day contract with the team to retire a member of the team that started the fruitful careers of both he and brother Jordan Staal. Eric made his debut with the Hurricanes in 2003 and quickly jumped off the page. He managed 100 points in his sophomore season as Carolina steamrolled their way to the 2006 Stanley Cup. He went on to total 775 points in 909 games with Carolina before continuing his stellar NHL career through stints with five teams, including the Minnesota Wild.

Salary Cap Outlook

Carolina enters the last stretch of the summer with just under $6.44MM in projected cap space, which could be enough room to sign their remaining RFA, Seth Jarvis, if they elect to offer him a bridge deal. But, if both sides elect to go to a maximum-length deal, Carolina’s cap situation could get spicy. The Hurricanes lost a lot of personnel this summer and will enter next season with several new faces; it’s likely the team has concerns about starting the season without Jarvis as a lot of the new pieces will be looking to acclimate, and it could lead to a slow start in Carolina. The Hurricanes don’t have a ton of bad contracts on the books and could make a move before the start of the regular season in case they need to clear space for Jarvis’ long-term pact.

Key Questions

Is Their Forward Depth Strong Enough? The Hurricanes’ forward depth took a beating this offseason, and they lost the likes of Jake Guentzel, Stefan Noesen, and Teuvo Teravainen.  The team scrambled for replacements on the free agent market, bringing Jack Roslovic as potential center depth, as well as Tyson Jost and William Carrier. The departures leave Carolina in a precarious position as their forward group was once the envy of most teams and now looks to be closer to average than it has been in a while.

Can The Goaltending Hold Up? There is no question that Frederik Andersen was spectacular last season for Carolina, but he was limited to just 16 regular season games and was very pedestrian in the playoffs. Andersen has played just 50 regular season games total the past two seasons, and his backup, Pyotr Kochetkov, has played just 69 career games split over three seasons. While both men are capable of holding the fort for Carolina, the question is, can they do it for an entire season? And, more importantly, can they do it in the playoffs? Andersen has been a great regular-season goalie for most of his career, but the story remains his inability to elevate his game in the playoffs, and it is something the Hurricanes will need if they want to take the next step.

Can The Defense Sustain Offseason Losses? Losing your second defensive pairing is never ideal, especially when that pairing is one of the best, which is what Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei were for the Hurricanes. Carolina had the luxury of playing Dmitry Orlov on their third pairing last year but will likely need to elevate him into the top four to navigate their other departures. The team is fortunate that they held onto defensive prospect Scott Morrow and should be able to insert him into the NHL lineup at some point this season, and they were also able to add veterans Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker, who should be able to bring a veteran presence to the Canes back end. Carolina’s defense will look very different next season, and time will tell if that is for better or for worse.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Oilers Acquire Vasily Podkolzin From Canucks

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The Edmonton Oilers have acquired forward Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for the Ottawa Senators’ 2025 fourth-round pick. Edmonton acquired the pick alongside Roby Jarventie earlier this summer, in exchange for sending Ottawa forwrards Xavier Bourgault and Jake Chiasson.

The timing of this deal can’t be ignored. Edmonton recently received two offer sheets from the St. Louis Blues, who are looking to steal away forward Dylan Holloway and defender Philip Broberg. The pair of offer sheets totals $6.87MM – a very difficult pill to swallow for an Oilers team already $8.225MM over the cap ceiling, not including potential long-term injured reserve. While an Oilers trade seemed imminent, this swap is far from what many were expecting – as Edmonton reels in a former top prospect and potential Holloway replacement.

If Podkolzin truly donns that title is yet to be seen. He proved a controversial pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, rounding out what was a loaded Top 10 after fighting his way into KHL ice time. Podkolzin stayed in Russia for two seasons after his draft selection, continuing to grow in a KHL role before moving directly into a middle-six role with the Canucks in 2021. He was productive as a rookie, appearing in 79 games and managing 14 goals and 26 points. But he’s struggled to hold onto that scoring in the years since, totaling just nine points across his last 58 NHL games. That belabored production has earned Podkolzin the first AHL games of his career, to some success. He’s scored 46 points in 72 minor-league games over the last two seasons – enough to earn routine call-ups back to the NHL, but not enough to inspire much excitement.

But that could be set to change in Edmonton. Podkozlin flaunted plenty of skill during his brief KHL career, but struggled to instill much tempo into the offense. That’s perhaps the thing the Oilers do best, largely thanks to just how talented Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins bring to the table. Holloway wasn’t getting much ice time with those superstars as he looked to establish his footing in the NHL, but Edmonton has shown a preference for icing shoot-first bruisers, like Connor Brown or Klim Kostin, with McDavid. Podkolzin stands at a similar frame to Holloway, but has built a bit more of knack for physicality as he’s cut his teeth in the minor leagues. A move to the Oilers offense will represent a chance to start over – potentially filling a recently departed role as the lineup’s young, high-upside winger.

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