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Examining The Penguins’ Defense Core

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The Pittsburgh Penguins started the offseason as one of the few teams considered more of a seller than a buyer. Despite that, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas made some clever acquisitions in free agency and through trades, aiming to bolster a defense that was probably the weakest in the NHL last season. It’s uncertain if this group is any better than before, but they will look quite different when the puck drops in October. New head coach Dan Muse will have many options to choose from when he sets his starting lineup. But how exactly will that group come together?

You can’t talk about the Penguins’ defensive core without mentioning the status of three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, who may or may not be traded before training camp this fall. The Penguins would like to trade Karlsson (as per Josh Yohe of The Athletic), but they don’t see the 34-year-old as a liability and aren’t going to give him away for nothing, and rightfully so. The Penguins might trade Karlsson in the next two months, but if they don’t, they will face a logjam on the right side of their defense, which may not be the worst thing to start the season for various reasons.

The main benefit of having Karlsson is that it could lessen the load on veteran defender Kris Letang, who is coming off arguably the worst year of his career. The now 38-year-old posted nine goals and 21 assists in 74 games last season, marking the first time he didn’t reach 40 points since the 2016-17 season, when he scored 34 points in 41 games and suffered a season-ending neck injury. While injuries and age may have caught up with Letang, it’s also possible that he is being asked to do too much at this stage in his career, and trading Karlsson might not reduce his burden but could increase it. Pittsburgh has never really treated Karlsson as a top-pairing defenseman, but if they do keep him, it’s probably time to let Letang slide into the second pairing and move Karlsson up to the top unit. There’s also a remote chance that the Penguins could move Letang to the much weaker left side if they retain Karlsson, which they have tried in the past.

Behind Karlsson and Letang on the right side are newly acquired Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba, both of whom were salary dumps by their previous clubs. It’s tough to gauge how either man will fit in, but one or both will likely be playing on the third pairing. Clifton provides the Penguins with something they haven’t had in a defenseman for quite some time — a physical player who can throw hits. The 30-year-old struggled to find his game last season in Buffalo and needed a change of scenery this offseason. With one more year left on his contract, the Penguins hope he can rebound and become a valuable asset by the NHL Trade Deadline, making it likely they will shelter him on the third pairing to give him every chance to succeed.

The plan will likely resemble Dumba, who was once considered a top-pairing defenseman but is far from that now. He also plays with an edge, but doesn’t contribute much defensively or offensively beyond his willingness to shoot the puck. The move to acquire Dumba was mainly about the second-round pick that came with him, though he should still see time on the bottom pairing and could be moved up if the Penguins decide to part ways with Karlsson.

The interesting part on the right side involves Penguins’ defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke. The second-round pick in 2024 impressed many during his training camp last year, and he might be ready for NHL minutes this season. The 19-year-old probably won’t make the team due to the number of players on one-way contracts ahead of him on the depth chart. However, if he has another strong training camp, he could push his way onto the NHL roster. The Penguins are very high on Brunicke’s game and even see him as a potential future captain, but Yohe believes he will make his debut at the start of the 2026-27 season.

On the left side, the Penguins are a complete mess, and it all starts with Ryan Graves, who signed with Pittsburgh as a free agent on July 1st, 2023. At that time, the Penguins hoped the hulking defenseman would fit nicely alongside Letang and effectively replace the departing Brian Dumoulin. Things didn’t turn out that way, and Graves has been awful in Pittsburgh, sometimes becoming a healthy scratch and being sheltered from tougher competition whenever possible. His signing was the first mistake GM Kyle Dubas made during a summer that proved disastrous for the Penguins. Graves has been borderline unplayable over the last two seasons, and the hope in Pittsburgh is that the new coaching staff can improve his game and extract more than below-replacement-level play from him. Given the Penguins’ lack of high-end options on the left side, Graves will be given a long look to see if he can play a role in the Penguins’ top four.

Beyond Graves, there aren’t many options for Pittsburgh’s top four, but one player who might make it there someday is Owen Pickering. The 21-year-old doesn’t exactly wow with his play, but he showed last season that he’s probably ready to become a full-time NHLer. The 21st overall pick in 2022 played 25 games last season and didn’t look out of place, even though he was given challenging assignments on a very weak team. Pickering even saw some top-four minutes alongside Letang last season, but it will be tough for him to secure a full-time spot this season. Pittsburgh simply has too many players on one-way deals, and while Pickering’s future looks bright, he may have to spend another season in the AHL before earning a full-time role.

After Graves and Pickering, the Penguins have quite a bit of uncertainty on their blue line. This offseason, Pittsburgh signed Parker Wotherspoon to a two-year deal, along with Caleb Jones and Alexander Alexeyev. These players joined a crowded left side that also features Ryan Shea and Sebastian Aho. Among them, Wotherspoon and Shea likely have the best chances at NHL roles, but nothing is guaranteed. Alexeyev is an inauspicious addition, as he played only eight regular-season games last year, but he has good size at 6’4” and is a capable skater who can handle the puck. He might earn a spot on the NHL roster with a solid training camp.

The likeliest defensemen to start the season on the roster for the Penguins are Letang, Karlsson, Clifton, Dumba, Graves, Wotherspoon and Shea. Now, Penguins fans might not love the veteran-heavy defense core. Still, it will give all of the Penguins’ younger defensemen the chance to develop in the AHL with the Penguins’ forward prospects and could lead to something special for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Photo by Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Will The Flames Move Any Veteran Players?

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The Flames entered this summer looking to improve upon last season, but haven’t made many player additions. They have been busy thus far, signing several restricted free agents, including Morgan Frost and Kevin Bahl. However, they haven’t made any outside improvements to the roster and still have to take care of restricted free agent Connor Zary’s next deal. The Flames also have a couple of veterans whose names have been in trade rumors this summer, including defenseman Rasmus Andersson and center Nazem Kadri. Kadri’s name has popped up over the past few weeks, and he would be a desirable trade chip. Andersson has had his name in headlines for a while and has been linked with several teams, but no trade has materialized.

Calgary faces a tough dilemma with Andersson, who has one year remaining on his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2026. The Flames can attempt to move him this summer, but without an extension secured, teams might hesitate to meet a high asking price. The Flames aren’t eager to sell Andersson for less than they believe he’s worth, but they also wouldn’t be wise to sign him long-term right now, considering his recent decline in play. Andersson remains a vital trade piece for the Flames if they choose to make him one, and he could bring Calgary multiple assets even if he doesn’t agree to an extension.

The flip side is that Calgary is trying to rebuild, and trading away a capable right-shot defenseman in his prime will set the team back, as they are unlikely to get a roster player of equal value to Andersson in return. That said, Frank Seravalli reported over a month ago that both Andersson and the Flames have exchanged figures on a potential extension, and they don’t seem to be on the same page.

For his part, Andersson seems eager to test the market, as he has been selective about which teams he would negotiate a contract extension with, when asked by the Flames (according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic). It’s a bit of a gamble for the 28-year-old, as he is coming off two disappointing seasons and risks severe damage to his market value if he has another off year next season. Andersson is set to earn $4.55MM next season in the final year of a six-year, $27.3MM contract he signed back in January 2020. That deal initially proved to be a bargain for Calgary and has been closer to market value over the past two seasons.

Andersson’s offensive numbers took a significant hit last season, and his plus/minus was dreadful at -38. While plus/minus isn’t the best stat to gauge a player’s overall performance, a closer look reveals his PDO was only .953, suggesting a lot of bad luck. Nevertheless, the -38 is quite striking, and Andersson did face struggles defensively, along with poor puck management, last season. It would be a significant risk for Calgary to sign Andersson to an extension at this time, but trading him when his value is lower than it could be is also a gamble.

Calgary forward Kadri has also had his name mentioned this summer, and his situation is very different from Andersson’s. Kadri is coming off a strong season with 35 goals and 32 assists in 82 games and is six years older than the defender. He also has four years remaining on his contract, with a cap hit of $7MM, and he holds a no-movement clause.

The timing of a potential Kadri trade this summer seems unusual since he has significant control over where he would go and is just a year away from his full no-movement clause turning into a 13-team no-trade list, which could make him easier to move. However, Calgary might see risk in waiting to trade him because he will be 35 at the start of October and could begin to show signs of aging. It’s a delicate balance for Calgary as they try to improve and compete for the playoffs next season, and they wouldn’t exactly be dealing from a position of strength if they move Kadri.

Beyond Kadri, Calgary has Mikael Backlund, Frost, and Martin Pospisil as their second, third, and fourth-line centers, respectively. If anything, that is a group Calgary would probably like to add to, but it might not happen this off-season. Yegor Sharangovich and Zary could also play center for the Flames, but it would deplete an already thin forward group unless the Flames received NHL-ready forwards in return for Kadri.

All of this to say, that it doesn’t feel like the right time for Calgary to trade Kadri, but it definitely can’t be ruled out given Kadri’s age and contract. Andersson, on the other hand, is a wild card; the negotiations haven’t been significant on an extension, so it’s entirely possible he gets moved before the season and will almost certainly be traded at the NHL Trade Deadline unless he signs an extension.

Photo by David Gonzales-USA TODAY Sports

The Predators Are Banking On Internal Improvement

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The Nashville Predators “won” last summer’s free agency period, signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei to lucrative long-term contracts. The summer victory was short-lived, however, as the Predators struggled to start the season and never regained their footing, ultimately falling to the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

The regular season exposed Nashville, revealing that it was a flawed team that was far from contending for the playoffs. Now, a year later, the Predators have taken a very conservative approach to their summer spending, and alas, they are still a flawed team that might struggle to score this season.

One of the most significant issues for Nashville, if not the biggest, is that its center depth is lacking, particularly in the scoring department. Stamkos is slated to be their top-line pivot, followed by Ryan O’Reilly.

While Stamkos is a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer and O’Reilly could sneak in, they weren’t exactly driving offense last year. Beyond the two of them, the scoring dries up further as the Predators’ options are currently Fedor Svechkov, who had an okay rookie season, as well as Erik Haula and Michael McCarron. No disrespect to Haula or McCarron, who are both decent defensive forwards, but they aren’t going to drive a line and won’t contribute much to Nashville’s offense.

Now, Nashville has a lot of young center depth in the pipeline, including the recently drafted Brady Martin, but those prospects are all a few years away and won’t help this upcoming season. The prospects will need playing time at some point soon, which has led some to speculate that the Predators might consider trading O’Reilly. However, general manager Barry Trotz remains pretty committed to the players he signed last summer and can’t exactly spring for a rebuild, yet.

The Predators’ murky center situation is a microcosm for the whole roster. As it is currently constructed, many of the players in the lineup will be playing outside of their ideal slot. Sure, Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, Juuse Saros, O’Reilly, and Marchessault are all slotted fine. Still, Michael Bunting, for example, is currently in the top six and is probably best suited as a top-nine forward.

Speaking of Bunting, much of his season will hinge on how he starts. Last season in Pittsburgh, Bunting had an atrocious start to the season, with just a single assist in his first six games, before he was a healthy scratch. Bunting would play another 52 games in Pittsburgh, tallying 14 goals and 14 assists before he was traded to the Predators. Upon joining Nashville, Bunting played in 18 games to close out the season, registering five goals and four assists. The 29-year-old is a bit of a wild card in Nashville since he doesn’t do all that much away from the puck, but when he is on, he is a capable scorer who can post 20 goals and 50 points.

Much of Nashville’s hopes are like the hopes they have for Bunting. They are banking on internal improvement, perhaps better overall chemistry, and better luck. It’s not the worst strategy in the world, and probably a better course than blowing up the roster or trying to trade a pile of futures for short-term help.

The Predators had a pile of players experiencing down years. Stamkos, Marchessault, Bunting, Skjei, Josi and Saros all had off years, and if even half of them were to bounce back, we are looking at a very different Nashville team next season. However, there is no guarantee that they will bounce back; given the age of some of the players named, they may even regress further. However, Nashville is constrained by high-priced contracts and can only hope for some positive regression.

As far as team chemistry, the Predators would hardly be the first team to spend a significant amount of money in the summer only to have negative results. It’s happened in every major sport, including hockey, with perhaps the best example being the New York Rangers of the early 2000s, who repeatedly outspent every team in the league but couldn’t even get a sniff of the playoffs. The more the Rangers added at that time, the more the team’s chemistry became disjointed, which eventually led to a massive selloff towards the end of the 2004 season and ultimately a reset. The Predators have avoided adding much to their lineup this offseason; however, they have tinkered around the edges with the additions of defensemen Nicolas Hague and Nick Perbix.

Finally, as far as luck goes, Nashville didn’t have much of it last season, as evidenced by their PDO (shooting plus save percentages), which was dead last in the NHL at .970 (per MoneyPuck). Now, PDO alone doesn’t tell the whole story, but the top teams in the NHL typically have a PDO above 100, and the Predators were nowhere close to that. Much of that falls on the goaltender, Saros, who had the worst season of his career and will be looking to bounce back. If he can get back closer to his career average numbers, and the Predators’ offensive guys can get back to their career average shooting percentage, the Predators could make some moves in the Western Conference to try and climb back into the playoff conversation next season.

Photo by Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

The Sabres Are Still Stuck In Neutral

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The Buffalo Sabres haven’t made the playoffs in a long time. They set an NHL record this season by missing the postseason for 14 consecutive seasons, and don’t appear to be on track to break that streak this season.

The last time the Sabres played in a playoff game was a 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on April 26th, 2011. To put the event into perspective, consider that current NHL general managers Mike Grier and Daniel Briere participated in the game, and over on NBC, the television series The Voice premiered that night.

Buffalo has been stuck in a constant state of rebuilding that hasn’t managed to gain any momentum. Just a few seasons ago, it looked like the Sabres were on the verge of becoming a contender. Still, a series of poor trades, bad signings, and unfortunate player development have kept the Sabres at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

The fans in Buffalo are no doubt eager for something to cheer about, but unfortunately, the team hasn’t been able to satisfy that desire. The bad news for Buffalo is that much of their problems are self-inflicted, and since they haven’t course-corrected this summer, it’s fair to wonder: when will they turn things around?

It’s not as if Buffalo hasn’t had their fair share of good luck in the draft, selecting some terrific players late in the process, including Linus Ullmark in the sixth round back in 2012, Victor Olofsson in the seventh round in 2014, and Brandon Hagel in the sixth round in 2016. They’ve also managed to draft franchise cornerstones like Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power.

However, where the team has fallen short – arguably the most glaring issue in drafting and development – is that they haven’t been able to retain their stars or have traded them away for little value.

The most obvious example here is Sam Reinhart, who was drafted second overall in 2014 and scored 20+ goals in five of his six seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, including 25 goals in his final year during the shortened 2020-21 season. The Sabres then traded Reinhart in the summer of 2021 for a return that included goaltender Devon Levi and a first-round pick that was later used to select Jiri Kulich.

Now, Reinhart had one year left on his contract, and many felt he wouldn’t sign long-term with Buffalo as they were rebuilding, even though Reinhart said otherwise. The trade could still work out for Buffalo, depending on Levi’s development and how 21-year-old Kulich progresses.

However, for Reinhart and the Panthers, it has been a great match, having reached the Stanley Cup Final three times and won two championships. Reinhart was a solid player for Buffalo, but in Florida, he has reached another level and become a key part of the Panthers’ team, averaging a point per game. The emergence of players like him has become a bit of a theme for former Sabres, as shown by our next star.

Not many people would have predicted that Ullmark would develop into a Vezina Trophy winner; however, there were signs that he was better than his numbers in Buffalo. Ullmark spent two seasons with the Sabres’ AHL affiliate in Rochester and was one of the top netminders in the league before making the full-time jump to the NHL.

He began his career as a backup for Carter Hutton but quickly took the starting job, posting a 50-47-13 career record with the Sabres, along with a 2.78 goals-against average and a .912 SV%. In the summer of 2021, the Swedish netminder moved to Boston, where he thrived with the heavyweight Bruins and left Sabres fans wondering what might have been.

There are likely several personal and professional reasons why Ullmark chose to leave Buffalo. Still, it was ultimately clear that the Sabres were pivoting towards a rebuild around the time of his departure.

Another missed opportunity, and perhaps one of the most painful, is Hagel. The Sabres chose to give up his rights back in 2018, and he later signed an ELC with the Chicago Blackhawks before being traded to Tampa Bay for two first-round picks.

Hagel recently represented Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off and has become a genuine top-six player at the age of 26. It’s another clear example of Buffalo getting things right at the draft but missing out on player retention. Now, Hagel is undoubtedly a different case than Reinhart and Ullmark, but it shows how deep the Sabres’ issues run.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has taken some heat in recent years, and rightfully so, since he is responsible for building the roster. However, his record includes three situations that have aged so poorly they overshadow his entire GM resume.

The Reinhart trade with Florida was mentioned earlier and could turn out alright in the future, but the situation doesn’t look good right now. The other two major missteps were the Jack Eichel deal with Vegas, which brought in a couple of good players but none of Eichel’s calibre.

The trade wasn’t that bad, but the worst part of the Eichel saga was the lead-up to the move. Then there is the Brandon Montour trade with Florida. The Montour trade is especially painful and quite different from the other two moves. But, each of these situations led Buffalo to trade away the best player in each deal, only to see those players raise the Stanley Cup with their new team.

Now, Adams’ moves haven’t been all bad. The trade for defenseman Bowen Byram looks like a win, given the decline of Casey Mittelstadt, and the Ryan McLeod trade with Edmonton also looks like a decent move.

The Sabres have managed to bring in players with potential, but it never seems to catapult the Sabres into a winning team. Getting Alex Tuch in the Eichel deal was a nice story, and he’s had some good years, but he could follow so many before him in less than 12 months when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

All of this brings us to the current Sabres, who are once again fresh off trading away a talented young player. The Sabres traded JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth just a month ago in exchange for forward Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring.

The 23-year-old Peterka scored 27 goals and 41 assists in 77 games last season and was quick to sign a five-year extension with the Mammoth following the trade, something he wasn’t willing to do in Buffalo. Now, the verdict is still out on this trade because all three players involved are pretty young and aren’t yet finished products, but the return felt underwhelming at the time of the deal.

There does seem to be a pattern with players not signing long-term with the Sabres and opting to move to other cities. However, the Sabres have managed to secure their core players—Dahlin, Power, and Tage Thompson—with long-term contracts.

That said, it’s concerning that many players appear content to either ride out their current contract and bolt or use their leverage to pursue a trade. This doesn’t necessarily mean Reinhart or Ullmark did that, but it could explain a lot.

So here the Sabres are, down another potential star player in a long line of such players who never flourished in Buffalo. Sabres fans have watched star after star march to the Stanley Cup Final with other NHL teams without so much as a sniff of the playoffs in Buffalo. It’s a testament to Sabres fans that they continue to cheer for an organization that hasn’t given them much to cheer about in the last decade and a half, but it demonstrates the dedication of the fan base.

Photo by Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Did The Jets Do Enough This Summer?

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The Winnipeg Jets were a powerhouse last year in the regular season, winning the Presidents’ Trophy thanks to a historic season from goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who secured his third Vezina Trophy as well as the Hart Trophy. Unfortunately, Hellebuyck and the Jets ran out of steam in the playoffs and were ousted in the second round.

The Dallas Stars unceremoniously knocked them out in just six games after Winnipeg narrowly escaped the first round against St. Louis, scoring in the final second of Game 7 before winning in overtime. The Jets weren’t expected to finish as high as they did last season, and after the summer they’ve had, they probably face lower expectations next year.

So, the question is: has Winnipeg done enough this summer to stay competitive in the Western Conference?

On the surface, teams that lose one of their top players to free agency generally don’t come away with a better group. That is precisely where the Jets find themselves after forward Nikolaj Ehlers took his talents to the Carolina Hurricanes, signing a six-year $51MM contract.

With Ehlers out of the picture after many months of speculation that he’d move on due to a lack of ice time, the Jets quickly took action to replace the loss. Winnipeg opted to replace Ehlers’ offense by committee rather than with an individual move, which was probably not a choice, but rather a necessity given their limited options.

Winnipeg decided to dive into the free agent market and managed to put together a few promising options to compensate for the loss of Ehlers’ offense. Their first move was to re-sign 37-year-old Jonathan Toews to the NHL after a two-year hiatus due to health issues.

The Winnipeg native hasn’t played since the 2022-23 season, and it’s uncertain what kind of contribution the three-time Stanley Cup champion can deliver. The last time Toews played, he scored 15 goals and added 16 assists in 53 games, ending with a -31 rating.

Since he was dealing with health problems then, it’s unfair to judge his past performance or predict similar results going forward. Still, he hasn’t played in the NHL for two seasons and is now 37 years old. Few players ever make a triumphant return in their mid to late 30s after a long absence, with Mario Lemieux being a notable exception.

It’s a gamble for the Jets to rely on Toews returning to his best, but if he does, he could replace a significant part of the offense Winnipeg lost when Ehlers went South. However, if he doesn’t, the Jets still have the option to pivot and use some of their substantial cap space to bring in extra help during the season. Winnipeg has nearly $20MM available under the cap with four players left to sign, so they should be able to leave room for mid-season acquisitions.

On July 1, the Jets also signed veteran forward Tanner Pearson to a one-year, $1MM contract. Pearson was a durable player early in his career, but injuries over the years have derailed his play, and he is now a shadow of his former self.

He was a decent playmaker at one point, but has become a liability on the possession front in recent seasons. That said, he comes to Winnipeg cheaply and should be able to produce around 25 points in a bottom-six role.

His impact on the Jets’ offense will be minimal, but given the low cost, Winnipeg could do much worse. It’s hard to believe, but Pearson is just 32 and posted 12 goals and 15 assists last season in 78 games, so there’s still some gas left in the tank for this season with the Jets.

The Jets also handed out a matching one-year, $1MM contract to forward Cole Koepke after he established himself as a regular NHL player last season. In Boston, the 27-year-old Minnesota native scored 10 goals and seven assists in 73 games while averaging just over 11 minutes per game. He will produce very little offense, but should provide the Jets with a player on their fourth line who can skate, get physical, and play a low-event, stable game.

Finally, the Jets signed the player who could provide the most offense in Ehlers’ absence, and that is 35-year-old Gustav Nyquist. The Halmstad, Sweden native played for Nashville and Minnesota last season and saw his offensive production drop sharply, falling from 75 points in 2023-24 to just 28 points last season.

His decline is quite puzzling, as his underlying numbers were decent, but everything that could go wrong for him did go wrong. He is still a good passer and could put up better numbers with Winnipeg if given the chance to play alongside some stronger players.

Nyquist will likely finish next season with over 28 points but is unlikely to repeat his 75-point performance. If he can raise his game and reach around 50 points, that would be a big win for Winnipeg, which is paying him just $3.25MM next season on a one-year deal.

Ultimately, the Jets made a series of low-risk, short-term signings in hopes of catching lightning in a bottle. These stopgaps will hold things together for the Jets as they aim to build on the success of this past season.

It’s hard to predict whether Toews, Nyquist, Pearson, and Koepke will be enough to replace the loss of Ehlers, but if they are, the Jets could be just as good as last season. If not, Winnipeg can always consider an in-season trade to boost its lineup.

Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Breaking Down The Direction Of The Ducks

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The Ducks are still well under the salary cap ceiling, sitting about $29MM below the limit with four players left to sign to complete a 23-man roster (as per PuckPedia). While that’s certainly a lot of space under the cap, it’s not necessarily a positive sign, given how the Ducks have exhausted their salary cap space by signing and trading for high-priced veterans who are past their prime. A few years ago, the Ducks seemed poised for success, but they have made little progress in their rebuild, and if anything, their recent moves have hindered what could have been something special.

When Pat Verbeek became the general manager of the Ducks in February 2022, he knew the team was in the midst of a rebuild and aimed to make them a contender. He had a plan, and from a broad perspective, his approach to bring in veterans made sense to support younger players and a prospect pool ranked 12th, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. The Ducks had been focusing on youth for a while and had some promising young players starting to get significant NHL minutes. Bringing in experienced players who had been there before would provide emerging stars like Trevor Zegras with a mentor figure to help them develop into skilled professionals.

The Ducks had a poor start to Verbeek’s tenure, falling further down the standings in 2022-23 with a 23-47-12 record to finish last in the Western Conference. On the ice, the Ducks finished 31st in the NHL in goals for and 32nd in goals against, with a -129-goal differential. The team’s performance can’t solely be blamed on Verbeek, who had only been in the role for a few months before summer 2022. However, his influence was evident in certain aspects of the team, particularly in the signings of a few free agents, some of whom were successful, while others were not.

Verbeek signed Frank Vatrano to a three-year deal in July 2022, which proved to be a great bargain. However, he also signed Ryan Strome to a five-year, $25MM contract. Strome has recorded 41 points in each of the last three seasons, but his below-average defensive metrics offset some of his offensive contributions. Defencemen John Klingberg and Nathan Beaulieu were also acquired that offseason and struggled to adjust to Anaheim’s lineup, posting some of the worst numbers of their careers. Klingberg was traded to Minnesota before the NHL Trade Deadline, and Beaulieu finished the season and has not played in the NHL since.

In the summer of 2023, Verbeek continued his trend of overestimating veterans by signing a couple of 33-year-old veterans, defenceman Radko Gudas and Alex Killorn. The Gudas signing was for three years at $4MM per season and was a sensible gamble given his abilities at the time. Gudas doesn’t put up points, but he has been reasonably practical, and rebuilding teams generally need to overpay in free agency. The Killorn signing, however, raised many eyebrows even though he was coming off a 64-point season with Tampa Bay. Killorn was signed to a four-year deal worth $25MM ($6.25MM annually) and has not come close to delivering enough value to justify his contract. That signing started a significant trend in Anaheim that continues today: overvaluing players’ past contributions.

Moving forward, Verbeek arguably made his best move in early 2024 when he acquired forward Cutter Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick. That move was a significant victory for the Ducks, strengthening their pool of young players with star potential.

After the Gauthier trade, Verbeek went back to work adding high-priced veterans to the lineup, trading for defenseman Brian Dumoulin in July 2024, and then eventually making a head-scratching trade for Jacob Trouba in late 2024. The Dumoulin trade turned out to be good business, as he was later flipped to New Jersey at the Trade Deadline for a second-round pick and a prospect, but the Trouba deal never made sense and still looks like a mistake to this day. The New York Rangers not only managed to get out from beneath Trouba’s $8MM cap hit but also received some value from Anaheim, acquiring defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick. Trouba has value due to his physicality, ability to block shots, and willingness to get involved in transition; however, his mobility and turnovers are significant issues that have persisted in Anaheim, not to mention his hefty cap hit. Verbeek then followed up this trade by moving on from Cam Fowler in a deal with St. Louis, where he retained $2.5MM in salary.

Continuing with his trend, Verbeek then acquired Chris Kreider from the Rangers along with a fourth-round pick, giving them another chance to move on from a bad contract. The Ducks sent back a third-round pick and the 2023 second-round pick (59th overall), Carey Terrance. The jury is still out on the Kreider move, and he remains a net-front presence who can still skate, but his numbers took a significant hit next season, and the Ducks are gambling on a 34-year-old with a lot of hard miles on his body to recapture his game. Kreider did have 22 goals last season, so it’s not impossible to imagine him providing value to the Ducks, but at $6.5MM per season for two more years, the Ducks overpaid for another veteran who may or may not work out.

Verbeek followed up this trade by moving Zegras for a second and fourth-round pick, in exchange for forward Ryan Poehling. While Poehling is quite suitable as a depth forward, the return felt disappointing for an injury-prone player with considerable offensive talent. Zegras has struggled with injuries over the past few seasons and may not work out in Philadelphia. However, for a team like the Ducks, which seems willing to gamble on veterans returning to form, it was unusual to see them sell low on a relatively young forward who could still bounce back.

Finally, you have the Ducks’ last handful of moves, which include trading goaltender John Gibson for Petr Mrazek (and two draft picks) as well as the signings of Mikael Granlund and Ville Husso. The Gibson trade was good business for Anaheim and moved them away from a player who had made headlines for the past couple of seasons, as his timeline didn’t match the one the Ducks were on. Acquiring Mrazek as part of the package was also reasonable, as it provided Anaheim with a temporary backup to play behind Lukas Dostal. What didn’t make sense was giving Husso two more years at $2.2MM per season, as he has been a below-average goaltender for the last three seasons and spent more time in the AHL last season than he did in the NHL. Now, the goaltender market was certainly weak this summer, but handing out that kind of contract to an AHL-level goalie to play in the minors is a major misfire.

Anaheim completed their free agent moves by signing forward Granlund to a three-year, $21MM contract. Granlund is a solid offensive player who can generate points and is a great passer. However, he is only two summers removed from being a salary cap dump in Pittsburgh and is nowhere near worth a $7MM price tag. He doesn’t contribute much defensively, but should boost their 30th-ranked offence.

Now, people will point to the veteran acquisitions and say that Anaheim has plenty of cap space, so it doesn’t matter if they spend money on players like Husso and Granlund. But the fact is that Anaheim was in a prime position to contend by now, yet they have made things worse by acquiring older, slower players who haven’t helped the younger ones so far.

Fans might also argue that Anaheim isn’t going to contend this year or next, so having these veterans on the books doesn’t affect the long-term strategy. However, Anaheim could have better utilized and weaponized its cap space to bring in younger players or acquire other assets by taking on teams’ bad contracts, similar to the strategy Pittsburgh has employed. There is nothing wrong with overpaying players during a rebuild, but eventually, the bill comes due. For Anaheim, it seems they are still paying that bill, and they might continue to do so for a few more seasons.

Photo by Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The Devils Have Spent Efficiently This Summer

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The Devils had a disappointing first-round exit in this year’s playoffs, which capped off a frustrating season marked by injuries to key players, inconsistent play, and a bottom six that underperformed. The team started the season well but struggled in the second half, failing to meet the high expectations that had been set for them.

While it was undoubtedly a disappointment, there were lots of takeaways for the young Devils stars, and it should help them in the long run. The Devils entered the summer with a handful of small holes and did well to make some improvements without overspending in the free agent market. This should enable them to maintain their core and surround their stars with a formidable supporting cast.

New Jersey entered the off-season with just over $12MM in cap space and a few issues to resolve. Their first move was to trade forward Erik Haula and his $3.15MM cap hit to the Nashville Predators for a fourth-round pick and Jeremy Hanzel. The 34-year-old Haula had been a dependable player for the Devils, but his decline in offensive production last season (11 goals and 10 assists in 69 games) made him expendable, and the Devils acted quickly to make the trade. This move allowed the Devils to enter free agency with $15MM in cap space, which they promptly used to sign forwards Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov.

The 31-year-old Brown regained his form last season with the Edmonton Oilers, reaching the 30-point mark for the first time since the 2021-22 season. Brown was once a reliable depth scorer, but injuries and inconsistency interrupted his production for a couple of seasons before his resurgence last year.

Brown signed a four-year, $12 million contract and is expected to provide the Devils with steady bottom-six minutes while creating offensive chances for himself and his teammates. He remains a good skater, which helps him defensively and also allows him to carry the puck effectively and drive transition plays.

While his deal might be a bit lengthy, the cap hit is quite manageable and shouldn’t hinder New Jersey too much in the latter part of the contract. He could see time on New Jersey’s third line, possibly alongside Dawson Mercer.

The one-year deal that Dadonov signed for a $1MM base salary was a significant discount for a player who recorded 20 goals and 40 points last season in 80 games. The 36-year-old received less than a minute per game on the power play and did most of his offensive work at 5-on-5, tallying 33 of his 40 points.

Dadonov doesn’t drive play like he used to, but he remains a capable passer who can still skate well and should be able to provide the Devils with valuable minutes at minimal cost. Surprisingly, he had to accept such a low number, but considering his age and the fact that teams are prioritizing youth, there might not have been much of a market for his services.

Another solid move the Devils made was re-signing backup goaltender Jake Allen to a five-year, $9MM contract. The 34-year-old was the top goaltender available in free agency, and many thought he would earn over $4MM per season, with AFP Analytics projecting a two-year deal worth $7MM.

Allen did better financially, spreading his earnings over an additional three years, but it was well short of the $5MM per season he reportedly sought at the end of June. Last season, Allen’s numbers were well above average, with a 2.66 goals-against average and a .908 SV%.

A closer look reveals he was more excellent with the Devils than those numbers indicate, posting 18.4 goals saved above expected (per MoneyPuck). The Devils did a great job keeping Allen’s cap hit as low as possible and retained one of the better backup options in the NHL for less than the typical rate for backups.

The deal might cost more in total years, but by years four and five, New Jersey could likely bury Allen’s cap hit in the AHL for minimal cost if needed. The rising salary cap will also influence years four and five, as Allen’s $1.35MM salary could be near league minimum depending on revenues at that time.

The Devils also made several depth AHL signings, adding forwards Angus Crookshank and Juho Lammikko, as well as defenseman Calen Addison. These moves are likely to have minimal impact at the NHL level but should provide Utica with valuable players and potential call-up options.

Now that much of their business is done, the Devils will focus on signing defenseman Luke Hughes to a long-term deal. AFP projected he could receive $5.75MM annually on a three-year bridge deal or $8.386MM on a six-year long-term contract.

With the Devils holding about $6.9MM in available cap space, they may decide to go short-term with the 21-year-old and delay more permanent commitments to maintain flexibility heading into next season.

The Devils’ summer won’t blow anyone away, but adding a couple of forward pieces and keeping their goaltending depth with minimal cap space was a good move for a team that plans to run it back with almost the same core, assuming they re-sign Hughes. This time, the Devils will be hoping for better luck and more consistency.

Photo by Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Canadiens Still Have Work To Do This Summer

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The Canadiens have had a fantastic summer so far as they aim to build on their first playoff appearance since 2021. The Habs lost some forwards but have been busy improving their defence and fixing other gaps in their roster.

The team is expected to once again fight for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and with these additions, some Canadiens fans are wondering if the team can contend for a place at the top of the Atlantic Division. The Florida Panthers will have something to say about that, but it’s fair to ask if Montreal has leapfrogged Ottawa, Toronto, and Tampa Bay. Even if the Canadiens are among the top three teams in the Atlantic Division, the path to the Stanley Cup will go through Florida, and Montreal still has a long way to go to catch the Panthers.

The Canadiens started their summer with a significant acquisition, bringing in defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. The Canadiens traded forward Emil Heineman and two first-round picks in 2025 back to the Islanders in exchange for Dobson, igniting a summer that has Canadiens fans excited for the upcoming season.

Dobson was considered for the Norris Trophy just a year ago after scoring 10 goals and 60 assists in 79 games, but his production declined this past year, with only 10 goals and 29 assists in 71 games. Despite the reduced output, Dobson remains a clear top-pairing defenceman capable of generating plenty of offense and leading transition play.

He’s not the most reliable defensively, but he isn’t a complete liability in his zone and should improve his defensive metrics in Montreal. The trade was a smart move for the Canadiens, filling a noticeable gap in their lineup and providing stability on the right side of defense for the next eight seasons.

A few days after the Dobson trade, the Canadiens made another bold move, sending defenseman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues for forward Zachary Bolduc. Both players were chosen in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, but they are at different points in their development, with Bolduc further along than Mailloux.

It’s common for forwards to develop quicker than defensemen, and the Habs are counting on that, hoping to accelerate their path to contention. The 21-year-old Bolduc is expected to add toughness and offense to the Canadiens, as he’s a strong forechecker and scored regularly while playing fourth-line minutes last season for St. Louis. Bolduc recorded 19 goals and 17 assists in 72 games last year and is likely to see more ice time in Montreal next season.

The Canadiens also made a few depth signings on July 1st, signing goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen, forward Sammy Blais, and defenseman Nathan Clurman to one-year contracts, along with several other players in between. These moves were all necessary to strengthen Montreal’s depth, but some gaps have appeared due to free agency.

The Canadiens have seen several players leave this summer, and while none are big stars, they were essential depth players that the Canadiens will need to replace either from within the team or through free agency and trades. The players mentioned, Heineman and Mailloux, were traded away, while defenseman David Savard retired, and forwards Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia found new teams in free agency.

Dvorak now plays for the Flyers, while Armia signed with the Kings. These departures could affect Montreal’s faceoff performance and penalty killing.

All this to say, the Canadiens’ additions have been nice, but there’s still work to be done on their forward group. Their penalty killing seems like a potential weakness, as does their second line with the current setup. If the season were to start today, Montreal’s second line would likely feature Kirby Dach at center along with Patrik Laine and Ivan Demidov on the wings. While the wing options aren’t terrible, Dach playing on a second unit isn’t ideal at this stage, and he would benefit from being bumped down the lineup by a true top-six forward.

That task is not quite as challenging as finding a top defenseman, but it is still a challenge given the limited number of trade options. Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues has been mentioned as a possibility, and he would be an ideal fit for Montreal in that second-line role.

Kyrou has averaged over 70 points per season over the past four years and would enable the Canadiens to better position forwards like Dach in more suitable roles. The 27-year-old Kyrou has plenty of term remaining on his contract, with six years left at a $8.125MM AAV. If Montreal pursues Kyrou, he will likely not come cheaply and might require more high-end assets — something they might not be willing to give up.

If the Habs can’t land Kyrou, they could always turn to the Pittsburgh Penguins and target Rickard Rakell or Bryan Rust, both of whom could handle top-six minutes in Montreal. The Penguins appear to be seeking young, NHL-ready players, which could be prohibitive to any trade. However, the cost would likely be lower than Kyrou’s, and the difference in impact could be negligible, depending on the fit.

In any event, the options are out there for Montreal to put a bow on this summer and enter next season as one of the top three teams in the Atlantic Division. They have their work cut out for them, though, as nearly every team in the NHL is trying to get better, and the market isn’t exactly flush with top players that can be traded.

Photo by Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.

Examining The Kings’ New-Look Defense

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The Kings have been eliminated by the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the last four seasons and were expected to make changes this summer as they try to get past the first round. Newly hired general manager Ken Holland moved quickly to address concerns with the defensive unit, making several early summer moves to revamp the group.

Holland has moved on from a couple of twenty-something defensemen to acquire defensively minded veterans in their 30s, which will bring a different dynamic to the back end. However, since the Oilers’ speed exposed the Kings’ slower, heavier parts of the defense, the changes the Kings have made are unlikely to push them past Edmonton if they face each other in the playoffs again.

Los Angeles struggled to deal with the Oilers’ transition game in the playoffs, as well as their puck movement and speed. The faster Oilers were able to expose the Kings, leading to some head-scratching decisions.

They were unable to keep Vladislav Gavrikov, one of the few Kings defenders who could use his active stick and gap control to stop transition plays and zone entries. Gavrikov’s size helped him disrupt the Oilers, allowing him to stay on the right side of the puck and make his presence felt.

Although he didn’t control the puck often, it didn’t matter much when he was playing a shutdown role. Los Angeles will feel the loss of Gavrikov, especially if they face teams with speed in the playoffs next season.

Another move that wasn’t ideal was trading right-shot defenseman Jordan Spence to the Senators for a third and sixth-round pick. Spence was dependable for the Kings in sheltered minutes, but at just 24 years old, he was looking for an elevated role and was blocked by fellow right-shot defenseman Brandt Clarke.

Spence has a lot of potential and could have been a key part of Los Angeles for many years, but the Kings made the decision to send him to Ottawa for an underwhelming return. The trade handcuffed the Kings and forced them into a state of desperation when free agency opened on July 1. The Kings were down two defenders, and that was where their biggest mistake was made.

It wasn’t long into free agency before the Kings made a couple of defensive signings that left many in the hockey world scratching their heads. Los Angeles signed 33-year-old Brian Dumoulin and 31-year-old Cody Ceci to lucrative multi-year deals with AAVs above $4MM.

One of these signings alone wouldn’t have been a big deal, but it’s free agency, and almost everyone overpays, so most would have shrugged it off as part of the business. However, overpaying for two older, slower defenseman who are collectively a downgrade in talent from Gavrikov and Spence could be a problem that haunts the Kings for years.

The main criticism of the deals is that if Los Angeles had kept Gavrikov for the same money he received with the New York Rangers ($7MM annually on a seven-year deal), then the combined salary for him and Spence would have matched what Los Angeles is paying Dumoulin ($4MM annually) and Ceci ($4.5MM annually).

Dumoulin can still disrupt plays in the defensive zone and prevent teams from getting the puck into dangerous areas with his stick, but he doesn’t excel at much else anymore and often takes penalties. His foot speed has slowed down in recent seasons, which isn’t ideal if the Kings face the Oilers again in the playoffs.

For Ceci, he doesn’t excel at much but always manages to persuade coaches to give him plenty of ice time. His performance became an issue for Dallas in the playoffs, especially against Edmonton, where he finished with a -5 rating in five games and recorded a disappointing 46.75% expected goals share at five-on-five.

Combine Ceci and Dumoulin with Joel Edmundson and Drew Doughty, and Los Angeles has the makings of a defense core that is old, slow, and likely to struggle in transition. All these factors could be disastrous if the Kings face the Oilers in the playoffs again or another team with good speed. Doughty remains a solid defenseman, but with an $11MM cap hit and an aging defensive group around him, he will be asked to do too much, which could reduce his productivity.

Edmundson will likely be asked to perform beyond his usual capabilities, which could cause issues if that means placing him in the top two defensive pairs. Although Edmundson is large, physical, and tough to play against near the net, he isn’t well-suited for the transition game or facing opponents with speed and skill. Some might argue that the 32-year-old helps keep the front of the Kings’ net clear, but he certainly allows many scoring chances around it.

Los Angeles entered the offseason with a chance to do something special with their defensive core, but unfortunately, they missed out on the opportunity to improve. The losses of Gavrikov and Spence will sting, but replacing them with Dumoulin and Ceci for essentially the same money will probably be fans’ biggest frustration. The Kings are set to spend $30MM on a defensive core that is much older, slower, and likely not built to take down the Oilers or any other team with a quick forward group.

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Senators Have Quietly Had A Good Summer

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The summer is only a few weeks old, but the Ottawa Senators have quietly put together a solid summer so far. The Senators made the playoffs this past season for the first time since their 2017 run to the Eastern Conference Final, and they were short on salary cap space when the off-season started.

Still, that didn’t stop general manager Steve Staios from bringing back some of his veterans and making a couple of smart additions to the bottom of the Senators’ lineup. This strategy closely resembles what Ottawa did last summer when they signed veteran Cup winners David Perron, Nick Cousins, and Michael Amadio, resulting in a deeper, more mature roster.

Ottawa started the offseason by re-signing defenseman Tyler Kleven on a two-year deal worth $1.6MM per season. They then focused on recently acquired forward Fabian Zetterlund, signing him to a three-year contract worth $4.275MM annually.

The Kleven signing may have been a bit of an overpay, but Ottawa secured their 2020 second-round pick on a bridge deal that allows a closer look at a player who made significant progress last season. Kleven isn’t flashy or particularly skilled with the puck, but he performs well defensively and can throw his weight around.

He is well-suited for a bottom-pairing defensive role and is expected to see plenty of ice time next season. AFP Analytics projected Kleven’s value at just over $1MM on a two-year deal, so while the Senators paid a premium for Kleven, they value his contributions to the team.

Zetterlund was another overpay since he was projected to earn just under $4MM annually, but he’s another player the Senators hold high hopes for. The 25-year-old was a surprising addition at the trade deadline and didn’t have an entirely smooth transition to Ottawa, recording just two goals and three assists in 20 games to finish the regular season with the Sens. That said, Zetterlund has back-to-back 40+ point seasons to his name, and the Senators are counting on him taking the next step.

The Senators also re-signed two veteran forwards on very reasonable contracts – Cousins and Claude Giroux. Cousins signed for one year at $825K and should be a low-cost, low-maintenance option for Ottawa’s fourth line.

While Cousins isn’t strong defensively, he’s a good forechecker and brings a bit of offense and physicality to Ottawa’s bottom six. The 31-year-old was projected to earn nearly $1.1MM on a one-year deal, so Ottawa did well to keep his salary as low as they did.

One of Ottawa’s most significant achievements this summer was re-signing the veteran forward Giroux to a one-year deal worth $2MM plus a potential $2.75MM in bonuses. The 37-year-old can still perform at a high level, recording 15 goals and 35 assists in 82 games last season, his third with the Senators.

Giroux was forecasted for a two-year deal around $5.2MM per season, so Ottawa did very well to stay well below that figure, even if Giroux earns all his bonuses. There was a genuine concern about whether Ottawa could re-sign Giroux given their cap space. Still, the Ontario native enjoys playing at home and was willing to accept a significant discount.

Ottawa then shifted its focus to the trade market and acquired right-shot defenseman Jordan Spence. The Senators traded two draft picks – a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick – for the 24-year-old, in what can only be described as a great deal from Ottawa’s perspective.

Spence is on the smaller side (5’11” and 180 lbs), but he is a talented two-way defender who can contribute offensively and maintain solid defensive stats. He played sheltered minutes in Los Angeles with the Kings and is likely to face a more demanding role with Ottawa.

It’s hard to say precisely why Los Angeles moved him, but it’s likely because the Kings lacked space for him in the top four of their defensive unit and may have felt he wasn’t suited for the bottom pairing. This trade could prove to be quite one-sided if Spence develops into a top-four defender for the Senators on the right side. The big question, however, is whether Spence can handle tough, physical minutes against divisional rivals like the Florida Panthers.

Another subtle move Ottawa made was signing veteran center Lars Eller. It seems like the 36-year-old has been in the NHL forever, but he quietly logs 13-16 minutes of stable, unflashy hockey each night.

Eller can still produce offense from the bottom six, though he’s best suited for a fourth-line center role, which is what he should have with the Senators. Ottawa’s depth down the middle looks impressive heading into next season, with Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens on the top lines, Shane Pinto centering the third, and Eller on the fourth. Eller should provide defensive stability for the Senators in their own end and will likely contribute 20-25 points, which is not bad for $1.25MM on a one-year deal.

Finally, the Senators made several depth moves by signing goaltender Hunter Shepard and forwards Olle Lycksell and Arthur Kaliyev. Among these, Kaliyev is the most promising and likely offers the most significant upside.

The 24-year-old has proven to be a valuable NHL player in his brief career, recording over 25 points in consecutive seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. Kaliyev was signed to a one-year, two-way contract and may find his way onto the NHL roster if Ottawa faces injury issues during the regular season.

He has a strong shot, isn’t afraid to use it, and performs reasonably well defensively, particularly in clearing the puck from the defensive zone. He’s a player worth taking a look at if you are Ottawa, especially on a two-way deal.

Overall, Senators fans should be pleased with what the team has achieved this summer. They had a definite need to improve defensively in their bottom-six forward group and to acquire a right-shot defenseman.

They’ve accomplished both goals and remain well below the salary cap limit. Ottawa probably won’t add much more to their roster, but could make some significant moves at the NHL Trade Deadline if they stay well under the cap.

Photo by Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

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