Evening Notes: Pavelski, Wranglers, Luypen
The Montreal Canadiens’ success with rookie head coach Martin St. Louis has made its ripples around the league. 2024 retiree and veteran of more than 1,300 NHL games Joe Pavelski confirmed he has spoken with the Toronto Maple Leafs about their head coaching vacancy while speaking to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News.
Like St. Louis before joining Montreal, Pavelski has not coached at a pro level, instead spending the years since retirement coaching his son’s 14U and 15U teams with the Madison Capitals AAA program. While that won’t lend much experience, there is no doubt about Pavelski’s experience at the top level. He was lauded for his professionalism, versatility, and hockey IQ through 16 years in the NHL – which included four years as captain of the San Jose Sharks.
Pavelski routinely rivaled 60, 70, or even 80 points each season on the back of fundamental offense. That included becoming one of the best net-front presences, and shot-tippers, in the NHL despite a sub-6-foot frame. That experience could path Pavelski into an impactful coaching role – a potential the Maple Leafs will assess through their final rounds of their hiring process.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Calgary Wranglers have hired John Dean as an assistant coach. This move will shift Dean to the pro flight after spending the last eight years overseeing the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. He led the Greyhounds to five of a potential six postseasons in that tenure – two cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic – though the club couldn’t get by the second round. Dean did oversee multiple NHL prospects in his reign, including top 2026 draft defenseman Chase Reid this season. He also coached Flames players Rory Kerins and Morgan Frost, as well as top 2025 pick Brady Martin. Dean will now move to the ranks he has led many players to, taking on a pro role for the first time in his career.
- The Hershey Bears re-signed forward Jalen Luypen to a one-year, AHL contract for next season. Luypen split the 2025-26 campaign between a loan to the Tucson Roadrunners and an assignment to the ECHL. He proved much more effective in the latter setting, where he scored 14 goals and 37 points in 35 games. Luypen backed that scoring with seven points in 24 AHL games on the year. He rotated through depth roles with the Rockford IceHogs in 2023-24 and 2024-25 – and will now compete for a similar spot with a perennial contender in Hershey next season.
Latest On Flyers’ Off-Season Plans
The Philadelphia Flyers still have ground to gain after breaking into the post-season for the first time in the last six seasons. General manager Daniel Briere sat down with Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer to build on that achievement next season. He broke down the Flyers’ plans facing multiple in-season additions and pending contracts – but Philadelphia’s top item will be adding a top-six center.
The forward market is slim this season but Philadelphia could find a meaningful addition in a former star. Claude Giroux has yet to re-sign with the Ottawa Senators despite sharing his hopes to play a 20th season. A return to Philadelphia would reasonably be Giroux’s top option if he’s seeking a move. Giroux was the core of the Flyers lineup through the 2010s. He routinely received votes for the Hart and Selke Trophies while leading Philadelphia through their most recent stretch of consistent playoff appearances. Once a century scorer, Giroux potted a career-low scoring pace with 49 points in 82 games with Ottawa this season. Philadelphia will have to take that dip into account, though they could also find a bit of potential by returning the 39 year old to a daily center-role, rather than the rotating role he has filled with Ottawa since 2022.
Philadelphia could also entertain offer sheets – though Briere made sure to point out the relationship consequences that offer sheets bring. Multiple top, young centers are set to become restricted free agents if not signed by July 1st, including Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, and Adam Fantilli. The Flyers could find more realistic – and cheaper – options to fill center minutes in Connor McMichael, Mavrik Bourque, or Cole Sillinger. The compensation for a signed offer sheet between $4.68MM and $7MM is one first-round pick and one third-round pick.
Also on the list of pending RFAs is breakout Flyers forward Trevor Zegras. Briere praised the versatility that Zegras brought to Philadelphia en route to a career-high 26 goals and 67 points in 81 games. In fact, the desire to add another center is designed to shoulder the load asked of Zegras and Noah Cates. Briere said that he is not worried about negotiations with Zegras, and that Philadelphia plans to bring both he and defenseman Jamie Drysdale back into the fold. They should have more than enough cap space to fit both back in, with a projected $37.5MM per PuckPedia.
Briere was also confident about Daniel Vladar‘s spot with the team, calling him their MVP and leader through the 2025-26 season. He wasn’t as confident in speaking to negotiations with Samuel Ersson, who posted a save percentage below .900 for the fourth NHL season in a row. The Flyers would be left with prospects Carson Bjarnason and Alexei Kolosov in competition for the NHL backup role if Ersson was left on the wire, unless they sought out veteran experience on the free agent market. While the skater market is thin, there would be plenty of options for goaltending, with Frederik Andersen, Connor Ingram, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Cam Talbot all currently set to hit free agency.
Philadelphia has wind behind their sails thanks to confident steps up from Zegras, Drysdale, Matvei Michkov, and Cam York. Still, the Flyers will need a little more certainty to repeat the 98-point season that landed them in the top-three of the Metropolitan Division. Properly weaponizing their cap space this season could land Philadelphia with that certainty. That challenge will now sit with Briere and his front office, as they look to achieve a checklist of items this summer.
Checkers Sign Luca Fantilli, Three Others To AHL Contracts
The Charlotte Checkers have made additions at every position with a series of one-way, AHL contracts. Forward William Bitten, defensemen Mitch Vande Sompel and Luca Fantilli, and goaltender Vinnie Purpura have each agreed to deals with Charlotte for the 2026-27 season.
Vande Sompel is the only re-signee of the bunch. He has spent the last two seasons with the Checkers after joining form the Chicago Wolves partway through the 2023-24 season. His 2024-25 season was cut to only 13 games by a nagging upper-body injury. He underwent a bi-lateral shoulder surgery to address the issue and returned healthy enough to double his appearances in 2025-26 – despite missing much of the middle-season with brief injuries. His season was marked by 11 points and a plus-14 in 36 games. On the heels of his highest-scoring season since the 2022-23 campaign, the oft-injured Vande Sompel will earn another year in his utility role in Charlotte.
Bitten will make a return to North America on this new deal. He spent the last two seasons in Russia’s KHL – split between stints with Moscow Spartak and HC Sochi. Bitten combined for 40 points in 80 games in his international tour, just below the mark of his typical AHL scoring. He’ll seek the higher marks in this return. The AHL veteran scored 103 points in 178 games with the Springfield Thunderbirds between 2021 and 2024. That includes 21 points in 18 games during the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs and a career-high 45 points in 65 games during the 2022-23 season. Bitten was a physical and effective role player through four years with the Iowa Wild and three years with Springfield. He also played one assist in four games with the St. Louis Blues in the 2022-23 season.
While Bitten moves back to the AHL, Purpura will seek a promotion from the ECHL. That is where he has spent the last four seasons after signing into the pros out of Long Island University in 2023. Purpura worked his way into the Adirondack Thunder’s backup role in the 2023-24 season, earning 15 wins and a .908 save percentage along the awy. He swapped to the Reading Royals for 2024-25 and grew his save percentage to a .922 in 25 games. The Royals then swapped Purpura to the Savannah Ghost Pirates this season. The move brought Purpura the first starting role of his career, though it brought a dip back to a .910 save percentage in 36 games. On the heels of that step forward, he will now target the Greensboro Gargoyles’ starting role, with the Checkers’ backup role in sight.
Fantilli, the older brother of Columbus Blue Jackets star Adam Fantilli, will be the only newcomer of the bunch. He spent the last four seasons at the University of Michigan where he filled a nightly role dating back to his freshman year. Despite that, his role began near the bottom of the lineup and took one step forward each season. By his senior year, Fantilli filled a top-pair role and scored 17 points in 40 games – just four fewer than he managed in 108 games through the first three seasons of his collegiate career. He is nonetheless an effective, defensive-defenseman whose strong stick could earn him a nightly role in Charlotte.
Golden Knights’ William Karlsson Unlikely To Return To Finals
The Vegas Golden Knights will once again have to fill in for a middle-six center. William Karlsson is unlikely to return to the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals due to an injury sustained in Game 5, head coach John Tortorella told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Karlsson missed the first six games of Vegas’ postseason run with a lower-body injury that required surgery at the turn of the year.
Even if he doesn’t return, Karlsson’s 2025-26 season will carry the rare feature of more playoff games than regular-season games. His prior injury knocked him out of the lineup in late-November, after the 33 year old scored seven points through the first 14 games of the season. He continued that hot scoring under the lights of the playoffs with 10 points in 15 games so far.
A return to production coincided with a return to key lineup minutes. Karlsson has been the third piece of one of the strongest lines in the postseason, next to leading scorer Mitch Marner and breakout performer Brett Howden. The trio have outscored opponents 11-to-3 in the postseason despite getting outshot 65-to-77.
It will be that role that Vegas now has to find somewhere else. Tomas Hertl holds the likeliest chances to earn a promotion. The veteran center has redeemed a down year with 14 points in 21 playoff games. He has been an X-factor down the lineup for much of the postseason and now could give Vegas a heavy-hitting top-six. But his promotion may cause a full shakeup in the lineup, with the likeliest healthy scratch to step up being winger Brandon Saad, who filled-in for Mark Stone earlier in the playoffs. Vegas is also carrying Braeden Bowman, Trevor Connelly, and Raphael Lavoie in their reserve of black aces.
Tortorella will face a difficult decision in deciding how to replace Karlsson’s hinge role in the top-six. The balance between spreading out talent could be a deciding factor as the Golden Knights face elimination in Game 6 on Sunday.
Free Agent Focus: Ottawa Senators
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Senators.
Key Restricted Free Agents
D Jordan Spence – Spence will be one of Ottawa’s key free agents this season. The Senators gambled on the puck-mover by trading one third-round and one sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Kings last year. Spence paid off the test, reaching a new career-high in scoring with 31 points in 73 games. More than that, he often filled the moment, stepping up as Ottawa’s driver amid injuries to Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson. But what Spence brought on offense wasn’t backed by shutdown defense. He was reliable in stints but may not have filled shoes big enough to stay ahead of top prospect Carter Yakemchuk. A new deal could give Ottawa a versatile, third-pair option – though it could also block Ottawa from a potential free-agent addition or re-signing one of their right-shot unrestricted free agents.
F Arthur Kaliyev – The Senators will have another head-scratcher as they considered Kaliyev’s free agency. He failed to break camp with the team and, despite a two-game call-up in October, couldn’t earn footing with the Senators through the year. That left Kaliyev in a full-time, AHL role for the first time since the 2020-21 season. He dominated the minors, scoring a league-leading 40 goals and finishing ranked third with 68 points through 70 games. But the hot scoring couldn’t distract from a bumpy season on and off the ice. If Ottawa still feels Kaliyev can’t earn an NHL role, this summer could be the chance for a timely change of scenery.
G Leevi Merilainen – Existing in the space between the majors and minors was Merilainen, who had a near perfect split between NHL and AHL lineups. He had ups-and-downs in both leagues – notching eight wins in each to go with a .860 Sv% in the NHL and .909 Sv% in the minors. Merilainen failed to back up what seemed to be a breakout performance in the 2024-25 season – when he recorded a .925 Sv% in 12 NHL games and a .913 Sv% in 37 AHL games. While he is prone to letting up big games, Merilainen has never quite seemed out of place at the top level. At only 23 years old, he seems to be a worthwhile project with the backup role open.
Other RFAs: F Xavier Bourgault, F Riley Kidney, F Tyler Boucher, D Djibril Toure
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Claude Giroux – Giroux has confirmed his willingness to return for a 20th NHL season per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. His chances of returning to the Senators seem high, even despite posting his lowest per-game scoring rate since the 2009-10 season. Giroux rotated between the middle-six center and wing positions – offering the flexibility to support Dylan Cozens and Ridly Greig as they gathered their footing in the lineup. But Giroux’s talents as a puck-moving center weren’t fully appreciated in that role. He has posted a 59.9 faceoff percentage in 327 games with Ottawa and could earn a final payday by seeking to fill a second-line center role elsewhere in the league. With nearly $17MM in cap space, Ottawa should have enough money to keep that from happening – but potentially not enough short-term upside.
F Nick Cousins – In a year of lineup decisions, Cousins’ return seems like the strongest certainty. Ottawa is working on deals for both he and Giroux per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. Cousin’s deal should be considerably cheaper, after he filled an important-but-minimal lineup role. He finished the season with 23 points and a career-high 92 penalty minutes – while also playing through more than 80 games for just the second time in his 12-year carer. His hard-working, physical presence was integral to Ottawa’s bottom lines this season and should remain a key card in the Senators’ deck. At 32, Cousins is likely to earn a few more years, and a raise back to a seven-figure salary, to stick around.
Other UFAs: F Lars Eller, D Nick Jensen, D Lassi Thomson, D Dennis Gilbert, G James Reimer, F Garrett Pilon, F Olle Lycksell, F Graeme Clarke, D Samuel Bolduc, G Mads Sogaard
Projected Cap Space
Ottawa wields $16.98MM in projected cap space per PuckPedia. They intend to push that figure as far as they can in the name of building a playoff roster. Ottawa has shown interest in adding a top-six forward and an impactful defender, even showing explicit interest in Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. They will face interesting lineup questions as they entertain the open market, namely how to fit emerging prospects Yakemchuk, Greig, and Stephen Halliday – but shouldn’t be held back from aiming for big fish.
Blue Jackets Sign James Malatesta To One-Year Extension
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed AHL forward James Malatesta to a one-year, two-way extension. The deal will carry an $850K salary in the NHL and $95K salary in the minors per PuckPedia.
Once a highly acclaimed prospect, Malatesta has struggled to adapt his flashy offense to the pro flight. He scored just 10 goals and 18 points in 57 games with the Cleveland Monsters this season. It was Malatesta’s first pro season without a taste of NHL minutes. He played in 13 games with the Blue Jackets over the prior two seasons and scored four points.
Instead of his scoring, it has been Malatesta’s grit that has shined at the pro level. He led the Monsters with 87 penalty minutes this season. In fact, he confidently holds the lead for most PIMs with Cleveland over the last three seasons, racking up 215 in 154 games with the club – more than 50 minutes ahead of Roman Ahcan in second-place.
The 5-foot-9, 190-pound winger could still offer upside with his puck skills. He scored 142 points in 155 games with the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts from 2020 to 2023. That mark remains third-most among any Rempart since 2020, behind Malatesta’s usual batterymates Theo Rochette and Zachary Bolduc. A new, one-year deal will offer Malatesta another chance to find his spark while operating from a bruising role in Cleveland’s middle-six.
Morning Notes: Larkin, Kuefler, Hurricanes
Dylan Larkin is believed to be entertaining three popular trade destinations after requesting a move from the Detroit Red Wings. Not being on his initial list won’t stop other teams from calling on the top center, though. Always involved in trade buzz, the Dallas Stars are believed to have checked in on Larkin’s trade price per EliteProspects’ Sean Shapiro.
In what would feel like the antithesis to Mike Modano‘s heralded move to Detroit in 2010 in many ways, Dallas could muster a package rich enough to land Detroit’s star forward of the last decade. Larkin has routinely rivaled 70 points, with strong defensive performances, over each of the last five seasons. His consistency – and potential for even more in a strong offense – will make him an expensive asset for the rebuilding Red Wings. Dallas may need to part with promising youngsters like Lian Bichsel, Thomas Harley, or Emil Hemming in the name of bolstering Detroit’s future. In return, they would land a strong successor for the aging Tyler Seguin and Matt Duchene. Larkin is signed to a manageable $8.7MM cap hit through the 2030-31 season, which would align with potential-battery mate Roope Hintz‘s contract.
Larkin would need to approve of any trade but Dallas proved their ability to pull off blockbusters with their acquisiton of Mikko Rantanen. They will be a notable team to follow as the saga around Larkin’s move grows.
Other notes from around the league:
- The New York Islanders have signed AHL forward Daylan Kuefler to a two-year, two-way contract extension per NHL.com’s Stefen Rosner. The deal will carry an $850K salary in the NHL and $105K salary in the AHL in year-one, then grow to a $900K salary in the NHL and $125K salary in the AHL in year-two per Rosner. $290K of that salary will be guaranteed. This deal marks a tidy bit of assurance for the third-year pro. This year marked Kuefler’s first full season with the Bridgeport Islanders. He finished the season with 25 points and 64 penalty minutes in 67 games. He will likely hang onto a depth role in the AHL lineup as he grows into a leading role on the newly-unveiled Hamilton Hammers.
- Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen took the practice sheet and was announced as “available” for Game 5, per ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. Despite that, the Hurricanes seem set to keep Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov as their tandem after a Game 4 win. Bussi has stopped 36 of the 40 shots he has faced since replacing Andersen partway through Game 3. The decision came after Andersen paved over the first three rounds, marked by 13 wins and a .910 save percentage in 16 games. It seems the hot hand will hold favor in the Hurricanes net, though. Until Bussi struggles, Andersen’s action may be limited to the practice sheet.
Bruce Cassidy Would Entertain Any NHL Head Coach Role
Not even an electric Stanley Cup Finals has been enough to keep the Vegas Golden Knights from pushing for an advantage over the rest of the league. Amid one of the most energetic coaching wires in recent memory, Vegas is exercising their right to prevent recently-fired head coach Bruce Cassidy from interviewing for other jobs. The NHL has raised no issue with Vegas’ approach, pointing out that Cassidy would forfeit the $5MM his multi-year contract with Vegas promised him for the 2026-27 season by interviewing for another role. That money might not be an obstacle for the former Stanley Cup winner, though. In speaking with The Athletic, Cassidy shared that he simply wants to get back to work and would welcome the chance to fill any head coach role.
This will be prominent news for the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs, the NHL’s only current coaching vacancies. Both clubs are in need of a leader after spinning their tires for the last few seasons. With the pressure of star-studded lineups, both clubs have also turned towards surprising ideas to try and bring in a difference-maker. Edmonton has kicked off a league investigation with their interest in former Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, who resigned from his most recent coaching role before coaching a single practice. The Maple Leafs are looking towards the other side of experience, interviewing 2024 retiree Joe Pavelski who spent last season coaching 15U hockey in Wisconsin. As shocking as both ideas are, they could each have merit, as Edmonton looks to strong-arm a Stanley Cup win while Toronto tries to kickoff a new era.
A free agent like Cassidy may be too great to ignore. The 61-year-old head coach is a two-time Jack Adams Trophy finalist and one-time winner. He has continued to stock his trophy cabinet over the last three years, winning the 2023 Stanley Cup, 2025 4-Nations Face-Off, and supporting a Silver medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. More than his accolades, Cassidy’s proof is in the results. After missing out despite a winning record in his first year coaching in the AHL, Cassidy has led every single team has helmed to the postseason. That includes four trips to the Calder Cup Playoffs and nine trips to the Stanley Cup Playoffs – a mark that would have grown to 10 had Vegas retained his role for eight more games.
Cassidy’s clubs have made it by the first-round in eight of those 13 playoff runs. He made his first run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2019, only to be disappointed by a fate-struck St. Louis Blues club. That mistake didn’t repeat itself when he returned to the 2023 Finals. Through the regular season, Cassidy has combined for a 373-173-72 record in the NHL – or an 82-game average of 50-23-9. He has reached those marks on strong Boston Bruins and Golden Knights clubs and should only reach higher heights with the strength of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl or Auston Matthews and, potentially, Gavin McKenna.
That potential should be enough to keep both Canadian clubs patient for a few more weeks. The Stanley Cup Finals will end by June 17th, at the latest, and Cassidy could choose to forfeit his promised salary in the name of a new role soon after that. He would be far-and-away the top option on a coaching market pulling in names from hockey past, present, and future.
Kings’ Drew Doughty Eyeing Extension, Captaincy
The Los Angeles Kings let go of a franchise legend when captain Anze Kopitar announced his retirement following the 2025-26 season. The Kings also face an expiring contract for their next-longest tenured player: defenseman Drew Doughty, whose current deal is set to end in 2027. Signing Doughty to an extension could help Log Angeles address two issues at once – securing a captain for a few seasons while walking the 36-year-old Doughty to retirement. General manager Ken Holland said that the Kings have initially discussed Doughty’s next extension but isn’t pressured to get something done per Alexander Legget of Mayor’s Manor.
The 2025-26 season marked a down year for Doughty. His 23 points in 72 games was a career-low scoring pace and a major step down from Doughty’s 82-game average of 12 goals and 53 points over the prior four seasons. What was meant to be a year centered around the Winter Olympics didn’t shine overseas either, with Doughty leaving the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics with just one assist and a Silver medal.
Still, there is no denying Doughty’s place in Los Angeles’ lineup. The veteran defender holds the Kings’ record for most games played (1,279 regular-season, 105 playoffs) and points (709 regular-season, 61 playoffs) in both the regular season and playoffs by a defenseman. Much of his company in the Kings records books – including forwards Anže Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Dave Taylor, and Luc Robitaille – all retired in Los Angeles following long careers in the NHL. Doughty would be the natural next-up to ride into the L.A. sunset, though he’ll need a resurgence in the 2026-27 season to force Holland’s hand.
Donning the captaincy would also support Doughty’s case for a new deal. He told reporters in his 2026 exit interview that the captaincy would “mean the world”. There is a thin shortlist of candidates to succeed Kopitar’s tenure with the letter. Quinton Byfield will assume Kopitar’s role at top-center and could be the center-piece of the team’s next era, if he succeeds. Kings veterans and alternate captains Adrian Kempe and Michael Anderson could also earn the nod after years with the club. But neither the promise of future responsibility, nor robust veteran experience, could outweigh Doughty’s case as a Kings legend. After nine years with an ‘A’ on his chest, Doughty seems to be the top option to wear the ‘C’.
The storyline of Doughty’s up-and-down 30s, marked by untimely injuries, will continue to follow the Kings through much of the remaining decade. Little talk of an extension between the two sides – as acknowledged by Holland and Doughty – could leave the door open to a wide range of opportunities. Doughty has expressed his desire to stay with Los Angeles through the end of his career. That goal could place some added weight on obtaining the captaincy, as Doughty looks to solidify his lineup importance in the 2026-27 season.
Blackhawks To Make Roman Kantserov A Focal Piece
The Chicago Blackhawks landed an immediate lineup impact when top prospect Anton Frondell joined the club following the end of the SHL season. Frondell scored nine points in the first 12 games of his NHL career and operated at his best away from star Connor Bedard, helping to bolster the club’s top-six. While his ability to continue that performance will represent the highest potential for Chicago’s 2026-27 season, the club is also brimming with excitement over young KHL star Roman Kantserov, general manager Kyle Davidson told Scott Powers of The Athletic. Davidson said:
[Kantserov is] a major piece that we’re just really, really excited about. [We] have a lot of faith in what he’s going to do for us.
Kantserov has been a true terror for the KHL’s Magnitogorsk Metallurg since he debuted in the league at 18. Then the 2023-24 season, Kantserov’s rookie year was marked by quiet production – 15 points in 53 regular season games – until he broke out in the 2024 Gagarin Cup Playoffs. The teenager managed 13 points in 23 postseason games that year, fourth-most on the team and above NHL talents like Danila Yurov and Nikita Grebenkin, as Metallurg pushed for their first championship in eight years.
That breakout performance carried over into his age-19 season, when Kantserov finished second on the team with 38 points in 47 games. He also tied for third on the team in goals with 13. Even in a down year for Metallurg, Kantserov’s ability to bring confident and explosive offense to every shift stood out. As the club honed their offense for the 2025-26 season, so did Kantserov, who climbed to a team-leading 36 goals, and a second-ranked 64 points, in just 63 games. In total, his 117 points in 164 career games is the fourth-most ever achieved by a KHL player under the age of 22 – behind only Kirill Kaprizov, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Vladimir Tarasenko. Kantserov ties Kaprizov for the highest points-per-game average (0.71) among the group.
That success won’t automatically make Kantserov a standout, though. He holds some disadvantage as a 5-foot-9 winger. So far, his leg speed and lightning-quick thinking with the puck has proven strong enough to keep him free from worry, but Kantserov knows the NHL will be a different challenge. He told Powers:
My teammates tell me, Roman, the NHL is a different league. Everyone’s faster, stronger. You need to think faster. I’m staying on practice for extra time and, yeah, I’m trying to shoot faster, quick shots and trying practice on this stuff… I understand it’s a different league… I understand that it’s going to be fast, so I tried to do everything quickly, even in my league.
The Blackhawks have already seen positive signs from the 21 year old. Head coach Jeff Blashill praised Kantserov’s understanding of the game and commitment to the process. He also said that Kantserov should get an early chance to fill the bumper role on Chicago’s power-play, a spot Blashill thinks the young Russian could be uniquely fit for – akin to the likes of Brayden Point and Ivan Barbashev. Blashill said that Kantserov has clearly studied what works for NHL forwards in that role and already stands out as someone capable of bringing movement, and changing angles, to the position.
Chicago’s power-play has posted the ninth-lowest success rate (19 percent) since the 2020-21 season – but 2026-27 could be the year to want a feature role on the top unit. Bedard, Frondell, and Frank Nazar will likely fill out the remaining forward positions – each boasting a clear ability to both create and finish scoring chances. Kantserov could be the final touch to Chicago’s high-powered top unit, taking some stress off of the team’s search for a defenseman who can quarterback the power-play. That company could also quickly elevate Kantserov to prominent scoring, if he manages to play quick enough to stick in the role.
Plenty of uncertainty still exists around Kantserov’s NHL future. Kapriov and Matvei Michkov (66 points in 91 career games) are the only players with Kantserov’s small frame to break into prominent NHL roles. One of them has reached the upper echelon of the league while the other – once a star prospect – is fighting to figure out exactly where he fits. The challenge of adjusting to NHL speed and physicality will be an uphill battle for Kantserov, who will face the fight while rostered on one of the team’s struggling clubs. But if he finds his stride, the young Kantserov could truly be one of the greatest X-factors of the 2026-27 season – a fact the Blackhawks seem well prepared for.