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Assessing The Options For Marc-Edouard Vlasic

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There was a time, a decade ago, when former San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Édouard Vlasic was considered the most reliable and underpaid player in the NHL. Vlasic was earning $4.25MM in each year at the end of his five-year contract with the Sharks and had significantly outperformed his salary throughout his career.

That was until he signed a massive eight-year, $56MM contract in the summer of 2017, which completely altered the perception of the respected stay-at-home defender. The 38-year-old was bought out earlier this summer and hasn’t been much talked about in free agency, which isn’t surprising given his age and limited success in recent years. Vlasic has been playing below replacement level lately and struggled to stay in the lineup last year, being a healthy scratch at times and dealing with some injuries. All of this raises the question: what’s next for Vlasic?

Vlasic has publicly stated that he plans to play in the NHL this season, which is the goal of any professional hockey player. However, for him, that aspiration might not be realized given that he hasn’t been a consistent contributor since the 2017-18 season. Unfortunately, for both Vlasic and especially for the Sharks, his $7MM cap hit began during the 2018-19 season, coinciding with his decline. Vlasic’s performance significantly dropped from 2018 to 2020 and never recovered afterward. In fact, his poor play negatively affected star defensemen Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson, who both saw their numbers decline considerably when paired with Vlasic.

Vlasic’s salary, combined with his decline, played a significant role in the Sharks’ window of contention closing, as the flat salary cap worsened their cap struggles, along with Vlasic carrying arguably the worst contract in the league. Remarkably, Vlasic earned his contract extension after being one of, if not the top, defensive contributors in the NHL, while being vastly underpaid. However, for the Sharks, they signed the contract extension with Vlasic at precisely the wrong time.

So why does all of that matter if Vlasic no longer earns a big salary and can be signed for league minimum? Firstly, there are better defensive options still available in free agency who could have a more positive impact than Vlasic. Calvin de Haan could be signed cheaply, and he is four years younger and much more productive. Matt Grzelcyk is another player with a different style of game who posted 40 points last year. There are plenty of better options still available who haven’t signed with a team yet, including T.J. Brodie, and Ryan Suter. Even Brendan Smith and Oliver Kylington are better options at this point than Vlasic, and they’ve had to accept PTOs.

The second reason it matters is that if you are a contender, you wouldn’t be signing a player like Vlasic, with his current ability, to play NHL minutes for your team. Even as a seventh defenseman, you have more talented players available at this stage. On the other hand, if you are a rebuilding team like the Pittsburgh Penguins, you have young, gifted players you want to get ice time for and can’t afford to bring in a veteran who is no longer effective. The Penguins are an interesting case because they arguably have the worst defensive core in the NHL, and some might say that if they signed Vlasic, he would be their 15th-best option. That shows how far Vlasic’s game has declined over the past seven years; he could barely make the AHL on a team that is $13MM under the salary cap and has a weak defensive unit.

Vlasic’s chances of signing an NHL deal are slim, but it’s not impossible. NHL general managers often like to give a shot to an aging veteran who has had a solid career, and that would describe Vlasic perfectly. Older defensemen received multi-year contracts worth over $4MM this summer, so an NHL deal for Vlasic would be surprising but not entirely out of the question. The more probable scenario is that Vlasic gets an opportunity to demonstrate what he still has in the tank through a PTO. This would provide him with some practice time and potentially a chance to showcase himself in a few exhibition games, with the hope of securing an NHL contract or at least a two-way deal. It’s uncertain whether Vlasic would want that at this stage of his career, as some NHL players prefer not to ride the AHL buses anymore after a long NHL career, given family commitments. But only Vlasic knows what he truly desires.

Apart from a PTO or a two-way deal, there are plenty of options to find a job. He could explore the KHL, SHL, or other European leagues that might offer the chance to play every game. Still, family matters and lifestyle preferences will influence whether Vlasic chooses to take his game overseas. It’s rare to see a North American-born player who has earned the kind of money Vlasic has, make the move overseas after the age of 35, but it’s not unheard of.

Finally, there’s the final consideration: retiring and starting his post-hockey career, which is always challenging for any player, especially those who feel they have more to give. Vlasic may believe he can still contribute at the NHL level and might get a chance to prove it if he signs a PTO. However, at this stage, it could be the end of the line for a player who was once arguably the best stay-at-home defenseman in the league. Vlasic should have financial stability in his post-playing career, but he could no doubt find other ways to build a career in the game, thanks to his leadership experience and hockey IQ.

Photo by Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

What Will The Islanders Be This Season?

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The New York Islanders finished a disappointing 2024-25 season on a positive note by winning the NHL Draft Lottery. They were able to draft defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick. This turned what could have been a lost season into an offseason filled with optimism, as Islanders fans hope that newly appointed general manager Mathieu Darche can quickly retool an aging roster and avoid a complete rebuild. Expectations for the 2025-26 season are more subdued, but with a likely weak Metropolitan Division, the Islanders might surprise some if things go their way this season.

When you say things go right for the Islanders, it starts with overall team health. Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Anthony Duclair and Adam Pelech have all dealt with serious injuries in recent years, and if that continues into the 2025-26 season, it will be a long one for the Islanders and their fans. Last season was a particularly difficult one on the injury front, and there are no guarantees that this season will be any different. Obviously, the Islanders hope it will be, and if they do, they have a high-reward roster, particularly in the players mentioned earlier.

NHL.com projects both Horvat and Barzal to surpass 65 points, which is reasonable since both players have maintained that range consistently over the past decade. Horvat is expected to reach 65 points after recording 57 points last season in 81 games (28 goals and 29 assists). Horvat has exceeded 50 points in seven of the past nine years and is likely to do so again unless he suffers a serious injury.

Barzal, on the other hand, is recovering from a frustrating year last season, when he scored just six goals and 14 assists in 30 games. He has reached the 80-point mark twice in his career and has recorded 50 points in six of the last eight years. He is projected for 67 points, which would be a solid rebound for the 28-year-old.

One other forward who will be looking to turn the page on last season is Duclair. The 30-year-old was brought in to be a fixture in the Islanders’ top six, but hardly delivered with only seven goals and four assists in 44 games. By the end of the season, he was being left out of the lineup, which is hardly what he or New York were hoping for when he signed a four-year, $14MM contract on July 1st, 2024. Duclair eventually took a leave of absence in early April after his struggles on the ice and recently spoke about it, saying he is excited to play next season and looking forward to bouncing back. For Duclair, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s had to rebound from a tough season, as his career has seen its share of ups and downs. Duclair was non-tendered by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018 as a 22-year-old after a couple of trades and disappointing results. He later signed for the league minimum with Columbus and managed to turn around his fortunes in Ottawa before breaking out with the Florida Panthers. Duclair has played for eight NHL teams and will surely be motivated next season to improve his game.

Speaking of a turnaround, many might argue that the Islanders want more for their netminder, Ilya Sorokin, but it’s hard to blame him for last season’s disappointing outcome. Sorokin was quite good for New York, and although his traditional stats declined with a career low save % of .907, his underlying numbers stayed strong as he posted a +17.4 goals saved above expected (as per MoneyPuck). The 30-year-old goaltender has been a workhorse for the Islanders, playing in over 50 games each of the past four seasons, but it isn’t fair to expect him to perform at his 2022-23 level every year. Sorokin remains a top netminder in the league, and if the Islanders can provide him with some offensive support, they should be alright.

Finally, we return to Schaefer and what to expect from this year’s first overall pick. Islanders management hopes and believes that Schaefer could become the player who defines the Islanders for the next two decades, and there is good reason for that. However, whether he will start making a significant impact remains to be seen. Schaefer will undoubtedly receive a lengthy look in the preseason, and management will almost certainly be seeking a spark from the talented youngster as they try to ignite a blueline that was ravaged by injuries last season and lost their top d-man, Noah Dobson, in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens. With Pelech, Ryan Pulock, and Alexander Romanov all returning, the Islanders have room for Schaefer, and he could be the piece that unlocks their path back to the playoffs.

It’s also possible that Islanders management decides that another year in the OHL is the best course of action for Schaefer, but that will almost certainly follow a lengthy assessment period and possibly a regular-season audition.

Overall, the Islanders enter this season with cautious optimism. They aren’t a Stanley Cup contender, and they’ve approached the summer as such, trading away a top defenseman while making low-risk signings like forward Jonathan Drouin to bolster their depth. They are right in the middle of a retool, injecting youth into their lineup while keeping many of their veterans and even adding a couple. If things go their way, they could find themselves among the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference come April. However, if the veterans who struggled last year don’t bounce back and injuries pile up again, they might end up with a similar result to this season, but without the prize at the end of the road.

Photo by Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Projecting The Potential Bounce Back Players For 2025-26 Season

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Every NHL season has its fair share of surprises, whether it’s the underdog team that makes it to the playoffs against all odds or the player bouncing back from a down season who turns back the clock and rediscovers his game. Even proven NHL players can stumble through a season or two and eventually return to their usual level of play, contributing as they are accustomed to. Sometimes injuries cause a player to lose their edge; for others, it could be bad luck, switching teams, or a system that doesn’t suit their skill set. In many cases, talented players find a way to recapture their form, while for others, a prolonged slump can spell the end of their NHL careers. As the 2025–26 season approaches, these players might be ready for a redemption tour.

We’ll start with a couple of goaltenders, the first being Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jarry has struggled over the past two seasons since signing a five-year contract with the Penguins on July 1, 2023. That deal firmly established Jarry as Pittsburgh’s starter for years to come, but he has lost the net in each of the last two seasons. So why is he on the list then? Well, quite frankly, it’s nearly impossible to have a worse season than being demoted to the AHL twice and passing through waivers unclaimed. However, there’s another reason why the 30-year-old is on the list. Jarry returned to the NHL for the final weeks of the season and played well, finishing the year with an 8-4-2 record and two shutouts.

Some folks might point out that Jarry had no expectations when he returned to the Penguins at the end of last season, which is why he played well. However, that is the same situation he will face this season. In fact, there are low to no expectations on the entire team, meaning Jarry shouldn’t feel much pressure coming into the year, which could actually work to his advantage. Anyone who has watched the Penguins closely understands the challenge that is the Tristan Jarry Experience—he has plenty of talent, but tends to melt down whenever the game gets tough. Jarry may do what he did as a rookie and find his form at a time when his career is on the line.

Our next goaltender, St. Louis Blues netminder Jordan Binnington, struggled at the start of last season, posting a .891 SV% in the first month and a half before a coaching change brought in Jim Montgomery. Binnington then turned his season around with a .905 SV% the rest of the year. He will have added motivation to prove he deserves to be the starting goaltender for Team Canada at the upcoming Olympics. Binnington performed extremely well in the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier this year. Still, after Canada general manager Doug Armstrong stated last week that the battle for the goaltending spots will be an open competition, Binnington may have the inside track, but he still needs to prove he belongs. He should also have a strong start to the season.

Moving up to the blueline, only one defenseman makes the list: Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames. Andersson had a challenging 2024-25 season, posting his lowest point total in four years and finishing with a negative shot attempt differential for the first time since the shortened 2020-21 season, with an even-strength CF% of just 49.1. However, Andersson has a history of bouncing back after tough seasons, as he was excellent in the 2021-22 season following the pandemic-shortened year.

There is cause for optimism with Andersson, as he played part of the season with a broken fibula, which likely affected his performance; however, he should be healthy to start the season. He will also be highly motivated this year, as it is his last contract year and unrestricted free agency is approaching. If he can return to his previous level of play, he will secure a lucrative long-term deal. If not, he might face less money or a prove-it contract.

Moving to the forwards, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews experienced a down year last season, with his goal-scoring production dropping by a significant 36 goals. The 27-year-old still tallied a solid 33 goals and 45 assists in 67 games, but he shot over three percent below his career average and is unlikely to replicate that number in the upcoming season. Matthews wasn’t nearly as dangerous last year as in previous seasons and admitted after the season that he played the entire year through an injury. If he is back to 100% this season, it isn’t unreasonable to expect the three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner to return to form and compete for the league’s goal-scoring title once again.

Another star who experienced a significant drop in production last season was Vancouver Canucks centre Elias Pettersson. The 26-year-old saw his offensive output nearly halve, dropping from 89 points in 2023-24 to just 45 points last season (15 goals and 30 assists in 64 games). Pettersson had a well-documented rift with his former teammate, J.T. Miller, which likely impacted his performance on the ice considerably. It’s unlikely that Pettersson will match his career highs set in 2022-23 (39 goals and 63 assists in 80 games), but it’s not hard to envisage a scenario where his numbers revert to his career average. The Canucks really need the old Pettersson to re-emerge, as they are committed to another seven seasons at $11.6MM annually.

Sticking with centers, we have Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Malkin isn’t likely to rediscover his game next year at the age of 39; however, he was relatively productive last season, given the cast of characters he played with. Malkin had very little help on the Penguins’ second line last season, playing with Philip Tomasino, Anthony Beauvillier, Cody Glass, and Michael Bunting. Now, he did get a good chunk of time on Sidney Crosby’s wing (and was quite productive), but when tasked with running a line on his own, he wasn’t given much in the way of help. Much of Malkin’s production next season will hinge on who he is set up with; if he gets solid linemates, he will produce. If he is given the likes of Danton Heinen, Connor Dewar, or Kevin Hayes again, it will be a long season.

Malkin is entering what could be his final NHL season, and he will be motivated to prove he still belongs in the league. It’s hard to imagine the Penguins not giving Malkin more support this season, especially since they currently have an improved forward core.

Next, we head to the wing and go west to Los Angeles, where Kings forward Andrei Kuzmenko might be back to his best form. Kuzmenko will likely never shoot 27.3% again, as he did as a rookie in 2022-23, but he played well after being traded to the Kings and should be able to improve on that with a full season in Los Angeles. The 29-year-old finished the year with five goals and 12 assists in 22 regular-season games and then added six points in six playoff games. Kuzmenko isn’t a great skater and won’t provide much defensively, but if he can get pucks to the right spots and regain some of his scoring touch, he could put up solid numbers in Los Angeles next season.

The bounce-back season is generally difficult to predict, but there are usually warning signs that a player’s drop in production is a temporary dip rather than a trend. With Matthews and Pettersson, there are obvious factors at play, but they are young enough to rebound and return to their best. With a veteran like Malkin, regression is always possible, which should make for an interesting season.

Photo by Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Why Was The Summer Frenzy Such A Flop?

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Many NHL fans entered this summer expecting a flurry of transactions as teams anticipated a rise in the NHL salary cap after years of it remaining flat. On the surface, that expectation made sense; aggressive NHL general managers would finally have wiggle room to make bold moves after the pent-up frustration of having to pinch pennies to stay under the threshold.

However, that frenzy never materialized, and this summer was mostly a flop. Most moves were completed by July 1, and the summer blockbusters never materialized. So, where did it all go wrong, and what happened to the supposed bold moves that were expected this summer?

Many folks had expected the additional cap space to lead to trades, as aggressive teams would aim to use that room to strengthen their rosters. However, the extra space actually had the opposite effect, since most teams finally had enough cap room and didn’t need to spend the summer offloading bad contracts. This had been a common theme in previous years, as teams often had to dump one or two poor contracts to stay under the salary cap. This year, only a few cap dump trades have occurred, with defensemen Matt Dumba and Connor Clifton being traded separately to the Penguins.

The mere mention of the Penguins brings up another factor in the summer of silence: most teams entered this summer looking to improve, with the glaring exception being the Penguins, who were the only team firmly in seller territory. Pittsburgh came into the summer with three major trade chips—Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson. So far, they haven’t been able to move any of them, despite many NHL teams holding salary cap space and being eager to get better.

This restraint is unusual in NHL circles, as general managers often rush to overpay for veterans. This summer, they haven’t been knocking on the Penguins’ door to acquire their available veterans. That could be due to Penguins GM Kyle Dubas holding firm on a high asking price, but with Pittsburgh’s apparent desire to rebuild, one would think there’s a middle ground that could facilitate a trade.

Rust and Rakell are both on bargain contracts with three years remaining, so it’s hard to believe they can’t be moved for close to what’s being asked. Yet, to this point, nothing has happened on the trade front. In fact, only a handful of trades have been completed since July 1, and with training camp just a few weeks away, it will be interesting to see if the pace picks up.

The trading market was clearly tight, and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why, but there could be a few factors at play besides high asking prices. Teams with cap space, such as San Jose, Chicago, and Utah, clearly weren’t eager to spend big on win-now players and opted to look at free agency for minor improvements or, in the case of Utah, trade for younger pieces.

Meanwhile, teams aiming to make big moves couldn’t because they lacked the assets to trade. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, and Tampa Bay Lightning would have likely loved to get better, but they all lacked first-round picks from previous big trades and just didn’t have the assets to make moves.

Now, speaking of those teams, and you could also include the Dallas Stars here, these contending teams were already close to being “capped out” even with the salary cap increase. Dallas had to make the aforementioned Dumba trade to stay compliant after re-signing their free agents, while Colorado had to send Miles Wood and Charlie Coyle to Columbus. Those teams were eventually able to create salary cap room, but even then, they used it to re-sign their own RFAs and UFAs, as well as find depth on the free agent market, rather than making trades.

Another factor was that no one was surprised by the salary cap increase, as teams had known for a while that it was going to rise after being flat for so long following the COVID-19 pandemic. This led teams and players to assume that the salary cap would go up, which is why players like Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, and eventually Leon Draisaitl managed to set new records as the NHL’s highest-paid players. Instead of having a bonus room this summer, teams like the Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers had already used the extra space to cover raises they had already given their players. Signing superstars to groundbreaking contracts is not new, but it explains why the summer frenzy never really took off.

Handing out those contracts to stars kept players with their current teams and also contributed to the thin free agent market this summer. Besides Mitch Marner and Nikolaj Ehlers, most stars who were potential UFAs stayed with their former clubs rather than testing the market. This meant that teams with cap space didn’t spend large just for the sake of spending; instead, they chose to hold onto their cap space for future moves or to be aggressive in 2026 free agency when bigger names might be available.

Finally, some teams may have learned from their mistakes during the flat salary cap era. There’s an old saying that NHL general managers tend to make more errors on July 1st than at any other time of the year, which might have prompted GMs to think more carefully about their moves to avoid repeating those mistakes.

Dubas in Pittsburgh serves as a prime example, as his decisions on July 1st, 2023, have essentially saddled the Penguins with multiple bad contracts (Tristan Jarry, Ryan Graves, and Noel Acciari) for years to come. The Ottawa Senators are under new management, but even they handed out an ill-advised two-year $8MM deal to David Perron last year that they might want to redo. It appears that at least for this summer, GMs chose to be cautious with their new cap space, and it will be interesting to see if they maintain that careful approach into the NHL Trade Deadline—especially if the race for playoff spots remains tight and many teams stay in the hunt.

To summarize, there wasn’t just one reason why this summer was a flop for fans hoping for a frenzy. A weak UFA class, cautious management, and money being spent on retaining players ultimately derailed those plans. The NHL Entry Draft was busy, as were moves around July 1st, but since then, it’s been a quiet summer. The coming weeks might not bring much more news until teams start playing, injuries happen, or players don’t meet expectations, which could put teams in a tough spot, especially if they fall short of expectations.

Photo by Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Are The Flyers Close To Turning The Corner On Their Rebuild?

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It feels like the Philadelphia Flyers have been in a perpetual rebuild for the last decade, but really, it’s been two separate attempts at a rebuild. This most recent edition essentially kicked off in March of 2023 when prior Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher was fired and replaced by current GM Daniel Briere.

Flyers fans might not have had much to cheer about the past ten years; however, that window of futility is beginning to close, and a new window, one of opportunity, is starting to open. The issue for the Flyers, and this could be one for their cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, is that they don’t have those high-impact top-end young assets, which will hurt their ability to build around their young pieces.

That’s not to say that the Flyers have failed their rebuild, but their prospect pool isn’t overly impressive for a team that has been in what feels like a forever rebuild and is currently ranked 18th overall by The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, although that was before their 2025 draft haul. Some fans might have concerns about a repeat of the Flyers’ last rebuild that Ron Hextall oversaw, but Briere appears to be more assertive than Hextall and likely won’t be so passive when it comes to building the team he wants.

Now, in fairness to the Flyers’ prospect ranking, they have graduated a couple of terrific prospects to the NHL already, in Bobby Brink and Matvei Michkov, which lowers their ranking. They also had several players age out of Wheeler’s rankings, making it somewhat premature to say that the pool is devoid of future talent.

That being said, if you look down the Flyers’ NHL roster, there isn’t a lot of talent under the age of 25, and the rebuild seems to lack the cohesiveness that some of the better rebuilds and retools have shown. When a team like the Pittsburgh Penguins emerged from the basement of the NHL standings, they did so with two significant waves of talent entering the NHL full-time in back-to-back summers.

Sidney Crosby didn’t start his NHL career alone; he was joined by Marc-Andre Fleury, Ryan Whitney, and Maxime Talbot. The following season, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and Kris Letang arrived, and the Penguins remained in the Stanley Cup picture for the next decade.

The Flyers don’t seem to have such waves of talent inflows in their rebuild, which is certainly not ideal. That isn’t to say that Philadelphia can’t or won’t go through a rebuild like that.

Still, it does seem like the waves of talent are becoming fewer and farther between, which could delay the process and lead to a few more years of struggles for the Flyers before they finally turn the corner. The 2025-26 season could get ugly in Philly, as they still lack solid goaltending and have gaps all over their roster.

There will, however, be signs of hope this season as Jett Luchanko, Oliver Bonk, Alex Bump, and Nikita Grebenkin will likely all compete for NHL roster spots, which should lead to some exciting competition. Speaking of fun, bringing in Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks was one of the most entertaining moves of the summer and could make for great theater if Zegras can get close to the form he showed a few years ago.

Injuries and inconsistency have lowered the 24-year-old’s trade value, and the Flyers managed to acquire him cheaply from the Ducks. If he can return to his 2021-22 level, the Flyers will have the chance to sign Zegras long-term and make him part of their future, or trade him for a better return than what they sent to Anaheim.

The trade was a smart move for Briere, who was aggressive in acquiring the talented forward. It’s possible that the deal doesn’t work out, but since Philadelphia gave up so little (Ryan Poehling, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick), it was worth the risk.

The other significant move the Flyers made this summer was hiring former Flyers player and Jack Adams Award winner Rick Tocchet as Philadelphia’s new bench boss. Tocchet, who has won two Stanley Cups as an assistant, should bring some structure and accountability to the Flyers, which was missing last season.

Tocchet’s relationship with Zegras will be interesting to watch develop, as he has a history of getting through to talented players who may not be interested in playing two-way hockey. In Pittsburgh, Tocchet was respected as Mike Sullivan’s go-between when it came to Phil Kessel, and those years in Pittsburgh were some of Kessel’s best NHL seasons, with likely some of the credit going to Tocchet.

Aside from those two major moves, the Flyers stayed quiet this summer. They made only depth signings with Christian Dvorak (one-year deal), Dan Vladar (two-year contract), Noah Juulsen (one-year deal), Dennis Gilbert (one-year deal), and Lane Pederson (one-year deal). These signings won’t propel the Flyers into the playoff race, but they will strengthen the team’s depth and give some of the younger prospects more time to develop in the pro ranks.

Despite all the changes, this season will probably still be a tough one for the Flyers since they lack enough young players to step up and compete in the Eastern Conference. And that’s okay; in fact, it could work out well for the Flyers if they start to rise while the New York Rangers and Islanders begin to leave their peak years.

The Flyers are in the later stages of their rebuild, but it’s still too early to call it the home stretch, as they await another wave or two of quality prospects that will form the next core.

Photo by Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

Assessing The Curious Case Of Matt Grzelcyk

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It’s rare for an NHLer to sign a “prove it” deal in free agency, have a career year offensively, and then remain unsigned just a few weeks before training camps start. Whether this is unprecedented or not, it perfectly describes defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who is still without a contract for the upcoming season despite posting his best offensive season last year with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Charlestown, Massachusetts native recorded one goal and 39 assists over 82 games last year. While his numbers were somewhat boosted by his position in the Penguins’ lineup, he had a solid season when it mattered most, and it’s surprising to see him still in limbo so late into the summer.

Regardless of projections or past performance, the reality is that Grzelcyk doesn’t have a spot for next season after nearly two months of being available in free agency for little more than cap space and cash. With the rising salary cap and team needs for offense, his situation remains unusual.

Regarding those projections, PHR predicted that the 31-year-old would sign a three-year deal this offseason with an AAV of $3.67MM. While that figure looks different now, AFP Analytics was even more optimistic about Grzelcyk’s contract chances, estimating a three-year deal at $3.77MM per season.

It’s easy to look back at those numbers now and scoff, but there haven’t been many cases like this where a player comes off a “show me” contract, performs better than expected, and remains in free agency.

It’s not as though Grzelcyk lacks upside; he can operate on the second power-play unit, handles the puck well, and is quite active in transition. He averaged a career-high 20:37 per game, which should have boosted his stock this summer, along with his offensive output. So, why hasn’t Grzelcyk signed?

Grzelcyk’s stats are probably inflated because he was often paired with Erik Karlsson, and despite Karlsson’s flaws, he has a track record of making his teammates better, significantly better. Sure, Grzelcyk has a history of posting solid underlying numbers, but he didn’t show that last year, even though he spent a lot of time with Karlsson. His possession numbers weren’t significant in Pittsburgh, and in the years before his move there, many of Grzelcyk’s numbers were starting to decline, as shown by data from Top Down Hockey.

Numerous other significant issues are working against Grzelcyk. He is undersized, over 30, and there seems to be a trend among NHL general managers to move away from smaller defensemen, following the successful Florida Panthers model.

Grzelcyk specifically struggled during the playoffs and was a healthy scratch for the Boston Bruins on several occasions. Any team in its competitive window would be concerned about Grzelcyk’s poor playoff performance and likely deterred by his age and size.

Also, regarding Grzelcyk’s play, he is most effective on the power play (with 15 points last season), but he isn’t quite at the level to secure a spot on a top power-play unit. Most teams aren’t interested in bringing in a depth defenseman to run the second power-play unit.

That said, some teams might consider it, but most top NHL teams already have multiple defenseman who can do this role, or they might deploy four forwards on their power plays. Grzelcyk clearly provides value on the power play, but that role is probably better suited to a weaker team. Those teams usually aren’t in the market for an undersized defenseman who doesn’t excel defensively and is over 30.

Grzelcyk’s move through free agency might surprise some, but it feels like the signs were there well before July 1. The Penguins signed Grzelcyk last summer, and it seemed they were aiming to trade him at the NHL Trade Deadline for future assets.

After all, they did the same with Cody Glass and Anthony Beauvillier, but for some reason, Pittsburgh couldn’t pull the trigger on a trade for Grzelcyk. Maybe the Penguins didn’t want to move him, or perhaps they couldn’t get the fair value they deemed appropriate, but, strangely, a team with no playoff hopes and no reason to keep Grzelcyk past the deadline chose not to move him.

Finally, we come to Grzelcyk and what he was seeking this summer. No doubt, he was aiming for a raise from the $2.75MM he earned last season and was likely eyeing that three-year deal outlets projected for him.

However, the market never materialized for Grzelcyk, leaving him without a seat as the music nears its end. This isn’t the first time a player’s perceived value exceeds the market—it has happened many times across professional sports, including with former Penguins players like Evan Rodrigues in 2022, who had to wait until nearly mid-September to sign a one-year deal with Colorado after reportedly turning down better offers earlier in the summer.

Regardless of the reason for Grzelcyk’s current situation, one thing is likely clear: he will need to sign another one-year deal for the next season if he wants to stay in the NHL. A team could benefit from him if they put him in the proper role.

It’s unlikely to be Pittsburgh again, since they have around 14 defensemen of different skill levels who could play in the NHL this season. However, many other teams still need a puck-moving defenseman who can contribute at a low cost. Grzelcyk could fill that role, although he’s probably not joining a top contender given his limited playoff success.

Photo by Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Projecting Evgeni Malkin’s Future

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Penguins legend Evgeni Malkin is entering the final season of a four-year contract, and it could be his final season as a Penguin. Not only that, the 38-year-old could be closing in on the end of his NHL career, which will no doubt see him enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in due time.

Malkin is no longer the superstar center he once was and has seen his game decline since inking his extension in the summer of 2022. That being said, he is still a capable top-six contributor for the time being and produced 50 points in 68 games last season (16 goals and 34 assists).

Malkin’s underlying numbers have also dipped in recent seasons, but he is still a positive contributor on the possession front with a 50.1 CF%. If Malkin can produce results that are similar to the last couple of seasons, he could still be an NHLer beyond this season, but it might not be with the Penguins.

Malkin has previously stated that he only wants to play for the Penguins (as per Josh Yohe of The Athletic), and if that remains true, Pittsburgh would likely need to offer him an extension to keep him in the NHL. Recent reports suggest that the Penguins don’t plan to provide Malkin an extension beyond this year.

While that seems possible if Malkin’s performance continues to decline, it might not be the case if he has a strong offensive season. Josh Yohe has mentioned multiple times that he sees the summer of 2026 as the period when Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas will become more proactive in rebuilding the team, and securing a top-six forward at a reasonable cost would be a significant step toward those efforts – if Malkin is still a top-six forward at that time.

Malkin could opt to go year to year and will likely need to consider his age, but if he’s still around, he would make an excellent mentor for some of the Penguins’ prospects expected to make the jump to the NHL in the coming seasons.

Malkin’s body might struggle with the demands of an 82-game season, but if the Penguins acquire more depth through trades and free agency, they could better protect Geno and improve his chances to produce with less physical stress. Malkin could move to the wing, as he did last season, playing alongside Sidney Crosby.

He might also drop lower in the lineup, potentially taking on a third-line centre role or playing on the wing of the third line with Thomas Novak. There would be plenty of options available, but they depend on Malkin’s ability to keep producing; otherwise, it would just be a nostalgia trip, and that’s something Dubas and Penguins management want to avoid.

The flip side of that coin is that Malkin is struggling, and his play continues to decline. He has never been the most responsible defensively, and his play away from the puck leaves much to be desired.

Malkin also has a history of taking less-than-ideal penalties, which would all become glaring issues if he doesn’t offset those shortcomings with strong point production. If that happens, it’s hard to see them extending Malkin.

Dubas has made it clear he wants the team to get younger, and holding onto a 40-year-old in decline would go against everything he has been working towards. Sure, veterans are necessary to guide rebuilds and retools, but they need to be productive as well; if not, they just take up space and block a more promising option.

If the Penguins chose not to extend Malkin, he would have options. There would probably be a team willing to take a chance on him, even if his performance were declining.

It would most likely be on a one-year deal for league minimum plus bonuses, but that would give him the chance to stay in the NHL. The more likely option for Malkin would be to retire and go back to Russia for a final farewell game in the KHL. Many Russian players have jumped over to the KHL to finish out their careers, but Malkin has previously stated that he wants to wrap up his playing days in Pittsburgh and maybe play a single game in his hometown in Russia.

No matter where Malkin goes or how the rest of his time in the NHL unfolds, he will be cherished in Pittsburgh for winning three Stanley Cups and giving Penguins fans countless highlights and memorable moments. There was a time when he was the best player in the world, and although that was a brief window, Malkin stayed among the league’s top players for more than a decade.

This upcoming season in Pittsburgh might be tough for Malkin and his teammates. Still, if the Penguins don’t trade Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson, they might surprise some people by getting a meaningful boost from younger players for the first time since early 2016.

Back then, the Penguins had an 18-month run that rivals some of the greatest ever, but with an aging core, that won’t happen again this time. Still, it could be exciting if Malkin can dial it back and produce a few more memorable moments before riding off into the sunset.

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Will The Red Wings Finally Return To The Playoffs?

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The Red Wings haven’t made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season and are hoping to break their nine-year drought this year. They came close to snapping the streak in 2023-24, finishing fifth in the Atlantic Division with 91 points, but took a step back last season, falling to sixth in the division and 86 points. This summer, they identified goaltending as an area of concern and quickly traded for veteran netminder John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks.

Detroit also made a series of depth signings that they hope will close the gap between missing the postseason and making it. It’s hard to say whether general manager Steve Yzerman did enough to get the Red Wings over the hump, but it’s fair to say he was conservative in his approach, opting to steer clear of the heavy bidding in free agency for top-end talent. Whether that was by design or a case of circumstance is unknown, but Yzerman wasn’t able to land any big names, despite a great deal of cap space available.

Yzerman’s big move was acquiring Gibson, and he will likely team him up with fellow veteran Cam Talbot to give Detroit what they hope will be reliable goaltending. The Red Wings haven’t had a top-tier starter in quite some time, and they probably won’t rely solely on Gibson, as he’s more of a 1B option at this stage of his career. Outside of last season, he hasn’t been great since before the pandemic in 2020. Gibson’s struggles in Anaheim were well documented, and he remained with the Ducks through a significant rebuild despite their attempts to move him.

Gibson had trade protection, but his declining play over the past few seasons naturally reduced his trade value. Last season, Gibson finally posted a positive goal saved above expected at 15.3 (as per MoneyPuck). However, from 2019-24, he tallied a cumulative -60.8 goals saved above expected, which hurt his value on the trade market. If Detroit gets the 2019 to 2024 version of Gibson, it could be very problematic and might even jeopardize their season unless Talbot performs significantly better than expected. But if Gibson proves last year wasn’t a fluke and he’s recaptured his earlier form, he could be the key to helping Detroit close the gap.

From a salary cap perspective, the Red Wings facilitated the Gibson move by trading Petr Mrázek as part of the deal with Anaheim, as well as dealing Vladimir Tarasenko to the Wild in a separate agreement for future considerations. Tarasenko wasn’t a great fit in Detroit and doesn’t have good foot speed at this stage of his career. He scored just 11 goals and 22 assists last season, so his offensive output shouldn’t be too hard to replace.

Detroit hopes Mason Appleton can fill the offensive gap left by Tarasenko at a lower cost. The Red Wings signed the 29-year-old forward to a two-year, $5.8MM contract, expecting him to fit into the third line and add depth scoring. Appleton is only a year removed from a 36-point season with the Winnipeg Jets, and if he can return to that level, he will be a bargain. However, if he replicates last year’s form, at a $2.9MM cap hit, it might be hard to justify the price.

Appleton controls the puck frequently and is good at handling challenging defensive situations, but he doesn’t do a lot with the puck when he has it, so expecting him to replace Tarasenko might be a tall order. He scored 10 goals and 12 assists in 71 games last season, numbers that align more with his career averages, making those a more likely estimate of his production.

Up front, Detroit also added James van Riemsdyk and John Leonard. Leonard hasn’t played much in the NHL since a 44-game stint with San Jose during the 2020-21 season and probably won’t be a significant factor for Detroit this season. Conversely, van Riemsdyk has offered offensive value at a low cost over the past two seasons and should deliver a good return on his one-year $1MM contract. His 34 even-strength points last season are promising, and he remains a solid net-front presence despite being 36 years old. If van Riemsdyk can produce another 30-point season, he will effectively replace Tarasenko’s point production at less than 25% of the salary.

The remaining additions Detroit made this summer focused on the back end, as the Red Wings acquired a pair of former Ottawa Senators in Jacob Bernard-Docker and Travis Hamonic, along with Ian Mitchell. Bernard-Docker was a first-round pick by the Sens in 2018 but hasn’t been able to establish himself beyond a seventh defenseman. He will have every chance to do so in Detroit, as the Red Wings have a significant gap on the right side of their defense behind Moritz Seider, and Bernard-Docker could compete for one of those roles with Justin Holl, Albert Johansson, and Hamonic. Johansson, being a left-shot defenseman, could make a transition to the right side an issue, but given Detroit’s lack of depth, it might be their best option.

Speaking of Hamonic, his signing last week was somewhat unexpected, considering he isn’t particularly effective and seemed headed for a PTO this offseason. As PHR’s Josh Erickson noted at the time of the signing, “Ottawa was outscored 77-44 and out-chanced 787-635 with Hamonic on the ice at 5-on-5 in the last two years.” These figures raise concerns about whether Hamonic is to be part of Detroit’s NHL lineup, which could indicate that they have not effectively bolstered their defensive depth.

In terms of roster losses, aside from Tarasenko, the Red Wings didn’t lose much, as Alex Lyon, Jeff Petry, Craig Smith, and Tyler Motte left town. The team can easily replace these departing veterans with plenty of young talent and new faces ready to take over the roles those players held. While this summer can hardly be called a failure, it wasn’t exactly a homerun either. Detroit improved its goaltending, but Gibson isn’t a guarantee, and the defense in front of him isn’t much better than last year’s. Yzerman is counting on significant growth from young players this season, but that might not be enough to push Detroit to the next level.

Red Wings fans were probably disappointed by the lack of a high-profile signing this summer, but Detroit still has nearly $12MM in cap space (as per PuckPedia) and can make a move if it chooses to. All that to say, Yzerman not managing to lure one of the top free agents to Detroit will be seen as a failure if the team misses the playoffs again, and it might even cost him his job if necessary steps aren’t taken in the right direction.

Photo by Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports.

Did The Rangers Improve This Summer?

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The New York Rangers surprised a lot of folks last season, and not in a good way. An Eastern Conference Finalist in the 2023-24 season, the Rangers failed to make the playoffs last year, falling apart in the second half of the season amidst a string of controversial roster moves and underperforming veterans. The poor play and negativity surrounding the team led to a string of roster moves that saw New York move on from several long-serving veterans and pivot to younger players and new veterans, as well as a new voice behind the bench in head coach Mike Sullivan. All of the moves point to the Rangers trying to compete for the playoffs this season and get back to the top of the Eastern Conference standings, but have they done enough to get there? The Rangers are effectively hoping to redeem themselves this upcoming season after letting last year get away from them due to a litany of factors, and it’s always difficult to bet against a group seeking redemption, especially when a two-time Stanley Cup Champion is leading them.

The Rangers swung for the fences in their coaching search and landed one of the best in the business in Sullivan. The former Pittsburgh Penguins bench boss is a proven winner and has always garnered the respect of his players, especially his stars. Sullivan effectively navigated some prominent personalities during his time with the Penguins, but was able to get the best out of almost all of his players. The Penguins were a dumpster fire when Sullivan took over in 2015, and it appeared as though Pittsburgh was well on its way to squandering the primes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Phil Kessel. However, once Sullivan took over, the Penguins went on an unprecedented run of dominance that saw them win two Stanley Cups in his first 19 months on the job.

Sullivan can hardly be blamed for the ending of his time in Pittsburgh, as the Ron Hextall years took the Penguins from legitimate Stanley Cup contenders to a team that has missed the playoffs for three straight seasons. Those final three seasons saw Sullivan nearly guide some bad Penguins rosters to the playoffs, only to fall just short of the postseason. However, in New York, the Rangers are built to win now, even if they have spent the last nine months moving on from many veterans. Sullivan will be tasked with getting the most out of Mika Zibanejad and several other Rangers who had a down year last season.

The coaching change was hardly the only move New York made this summer, as the Rangers shipped out longtime veteran forward Chris Kreider and a 2025 fourth-round pick for Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick. Kreider was an effective forward for a lot of years in New York, but the writing was on the wall for the past year that he would be shown the door. He could flourish again in Anaheim alongside some of their young stars, but the Rangers did well to get back two future assets in exchange for the aging veteran. The move didn’t do much to improve this season’s roster; however, it opened up valuable cap space that allowed the Rangers to make other moves.

Aside from Kreider, the Rangers also moved on from defenseman K’Andre Miller in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes. Miller figured to be a top-four fixture in New York, but the Rangers opted to cash in on the two-way defender and did okay to get back defensive prospect Scott Morrow in the trade, along with a conditional first-round pick and a second-round pick. While the trade weakened the Rangers for the next season, they did immediately turn around and sign Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year deal, which should improve their shutdown defense and help on the penalty kill. Now, the move to essentially replace Miller with Gavrikov will improve team defense. It does come at an offensive cost as Miller is the far superior offensive contributor; however, his defensive game leaves a lot to be desired.

Overall, it’s hard to call the Rangers’ defense improved, given that they are currently constructed to deploy Carson Soucy and William Borgen as their second pairing behind Gavrikov and Adam Fox. Now, no disrespect to either man, but that pairing isn’t likely to scare too many opponents, and it could allow teams to matchup favorably against that second pairing, exposing what can best be described as an average defensive core.

Upfront in the forward group, the Rangers didn’t do anything other than re-sign Matt Rempe, Adam Edstrom and Juuso Parssinen. The Rangers do have Gabriel Perreault in the fold now, but it’s hard to say whether or not he is ready to make an impact at the NHL level.

The Rangers do still have a solid top line with Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere. Still, outside of that, it’s hard to say what they will get from J.T. Miller, Zibanejad and the second line. If Miller and Zibanejad play the way they have in the years leading up to last year, the Rangers should see improvement as a team. However, if Zibanejad and Miller can’t reach previous levels, it will handcuff the Rangers and put a ton of pressure on their top line.

In the end, Igor Shesterkin’s play will likely decide the fate of the Rangers as it did last year. If Shesterkin can get back to his Vezina Trophy-winning level of play, the Rangers will probably be good enough to come out of the Metropolitan Division. But if he plays the way he did last season, the Rangers could fall to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings in a hurry. New York is not built to win with average goaltending and will likely require a Vezina-caliber season from Shesterkin to get a sniff at the playoffs.

Ultimately, the Rangers are banking on significant internal improvement as well as the rub from  Sullivan’s coaching and a bit of youth being injected into the lineup. It’s not what you would call a foolproof plan, but there is a remote possibility that the Rangers are better thanks to the minor tweaks and Sullivan’s coaching. That being said, there is also a possibility of a learning curve for Sullivan in New York, and perhaps the pressure of the Big Apple brings a more challenging environment for Sullivan to pad his resume.

In any event, the Rangers roster is worse than the one that left the ice at the end of last season, and Sullivan is going to have to find a way to light a fire under the holdovers who performed poorly last season. He’s done it in the past and gotten career years out of many players, so it remains to be seen just how much Sullivan can extract from this poorly constructed roster.

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What Happens If The Penguins Can’t Move Veterans?

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The Penguins find themselves in a strange position as a franchise. Management appears to have embraced the need to rebuild. Yet, they still have three franchise icons on the roster in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, along with several veterans who can still perform at a high level.

Pittsburgh entered this summer as an obvious seller at a time when it seemed there were no sellers, but they have yet to trade any of the veteran candidates and are just over a month away from starting training camp with those players still on the team. So, what will happen if forwards Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and defenseman Erik Karlsson are still with the team when the season begins? That is where things could get very interesting.

With those players in the lineup, the Penguins can field one of the stronger top-nine groups in the NHL, led by Crosby, Rakell, and Rust, who were the only bright spots for the Penguins last season. Additionally, Malkin can still center a second line despite an apparent decline in his play, and he might get some help this season after a carousel of low-scoring depth wingers flanked him last year. Recently signed Anthony Mantha is a capable option to play with Malkin, along with trade deadline acquisition Thomas Novak, who only played a few games last season with Pittsburgh before suffering an injury.

If the Penguins decide to use Novak as a third-line pivot, they could look to rookie Ville Koivunen, who appears NHL-ready and might already be a top-six winger alongside Malkin. In any case, a top six like that is good enough to help the Penguins win some games, which might not be what Penguins fans are hoping for, especially with Gavin McKenna available in the NHL Entry Draft.

Beyond the top six, the Penguins have many potential options for their bottom six, including some costly depth veterans who might not make the lineup. If Novak ends up as Pittsburgh’s third-line center, he could be flanked on the wings by young players Rutger McGroarty and Philip Tomasino. Both are former first-round picks and have the ability to generate offense from the third line, something the Penguins haven’t seen from their bottom two lines in quite some time.

On the fourth line, the most likely lineup would be Blake Lizotte centering newcomer Justin Brazeau and Connor Dewar. That isn’t a bad fourth line, but the Penguins could also run Noel Acciari, Danton Heinen, or Kevin Hayes, who are all veterans making north of $2MM in the final year of their contracts and will be motivated to prove they still belong in the NHL.

The bottom line is that if Rust and Rakell aren’t traded, the Penguins have a forward group capable of getting a team to a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. However, their defensive unit is where it gets messy and might be the worst in the NHL.

General manager Kyle Dubas opted for quantity over quality this summer on the backend, which makes sense given the Penguins’ current situation as an organization. Dubas decided to buy low on a group of defensemen who badly needed a fresh start. Matt Dumba and Connor Clifton have both been effective in the past, but have recently fallen on hard times and were essentially traded to Pittsburgh along with assets as a cap dump. Their presence congests an already deep right side for the Penguins, as they currently have Kris Letang and the aforementioned Karlsson still in the top four, as well as 2024 second-round pick Harrison Brunicke, who could be NHL-ready, along with Jack St. Ivany and Philip Kemp.

The left side has even more players, but none of them are likely capable of top-pairing minutes for Pittsburgh, and they might not even have a solid second-pair option either. The Penguins’ left side is mediocre, with Ryan Graves and Owen Pickering as the most likely players to see time on the top two pairs. Beyond that, it is truly anyone’s guess, as Pittsburgh also brought in Caleb Jones, Parker Wotherspoon, and Alexander Alexeyev in free agency to join holdovers Graves, Pickering, Ryan Shea, and Sebastian Aho.

All in all, Dubas has assembled 14 potential NHL defensemen for the Penguins to use this season, with only two or possibly three capable of playing on the top two pairs. It’s a bold strategy and certainly a unique idea that will either end in total disaster or be a surprise of the season.

None of this will matter if Pittsburgh gets goaltending like they did last season, when Tristan Jarry struggled for most of the year before a late-season turnaround after two AHL demotions and a waiver wire pass. Jarry can win NHL games, as shown by his two All-Star Game appearances. However, if he plays like he did last season, Pittsburgh won’t be able to outscore the problem. But if Jarry can be league average next year and the Penguins keep the likes of Rust, Rakell, and Karlsson, that might be enough to put them in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.

The other variable in net is 24-year-old Arturs Silovs, who was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in mid-July. The reigning MVP of the Calder Cup Playoffs last season will suit up as an Olympian next year for Latvia and has the potential to make an impact in the NHL. Whether or not he makes an impact next season remains to be seen, but again, if he is league average as a backup for the Penguins, it would be an improvement on last season’s goaltending.

If Pittsburgh gets some goaltending and scores the way they are capable of, it could turn into a feel-good story for the Penguins, especially if Malkin’s NHL swan song is near. Having Letang and Crosby there for it would be pretty special.

Now, a lot would have to go right for Pittsburgh to make the postseason, and it would be nearly impossible if they move on from the veterans on the trade block. However, if their asking price isn’t met and the Penguins are left holding onto Rust, Rakell, and Karlsson, they might surprise some people, even if they remain flawed and older. The talent is there to make some noise; it’s just not guaranteed that the talent will still be present when the season begins.

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