Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Snapshots: McKenna, Peterka, Dobson, Pacioretty

at CDT | by 13 Comments

Although the 2025 NHL Draft is only a few days away, the projected first overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft is already making waves. The expectation is that Gavin McKenna, currently rostered with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, will play in the NCAA for the 2025-26 season.

In this week’s rendition of 32 Thoughts, podcast host Elliotte Friedman shared that McKenna has completed interviews with Penn State University, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Denver. Friedman lists the former two as the perceived favorites, but all four programs are expected to compete for a National Championship next season.

Any program that lands McKenna will have successfully recruited a generational talent. McKenna scored 41 goals and 129 points in 56 games for the Tigers this season, with another nine goals and 38 points in 16 postseason contests en route to a Memorial Cup Final finish. To put McKenna’s season into perspective, Connor McDavid scored 28 goals and 99 points in 56 games for the OHL’s Erie Otters in his age-17 season, with another four goals and 19 points in 14 postseason games.

Other snapshots:

  • According to Frank Seravalli in the DFO Rundown podcast, the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders have had loose trade negotiations regarding forward JJ Peterka and defenseman Noah Dobson. A one-for-one swap would fill an area of need for both organizations, with the Sabres prioritizing a right-handed defenseman and the Islanders looking to jumpstart a lethargic offense. Still, both teams are continuing to gauge the market for each player, and a trade isn’t considered imminent.
  • Nick Alberga of The Leafs Nation reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs remain interested in re-signing winger Max Pacioretty for next season. Despite a solid postseason performance, Pacioretty should warrant a relatively cheaper contract, given he missed more than half of the season due to injury. Still, Alberga notes that Pacioretty is prioritizing remaining close to his family in Michigan, meaning his desired employer will come down to the Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings.

Morning Notes: McDavid, Hertl, Kostin

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Yesterday evening, TSN’s Ryan Rishaug gave a brief update on contract extension negotiations between Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Rishaug shared that General Manager Stan Bowman and team President and CEO Jeff Jackson are in Ontario to meet with McDavid’s agent, Judd Moldaver, to begin informal negotiations.

This week’s negotiations will reportedly focus on ’big picture’ issues, as the two sides are not close to exchanging numbers. The talks are expected to last well into the summer months and may not be solidified until closer to training camp, similarly to Leon Draisaitl’s recent extension.

Last week, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported that McDavid was in no rush to sign an eight-year extension with the Oilers, hinting toward a contract similar to Auston Matthews’ with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the perceived driver’s seat for the negotiations, a shorter-term contract would allow McDavid to pursue other options if the Oilers fail to capitalize on their Stanley Cup contention window.

Other morning notes:

  • Yesterday morning, there was some loose speculation that the Vegas Golden Knights were in trade discussions with the Carolina Hurricanes over forward Tomáš Hertl, which could be completed by the end of the weekend. Without any solid reporting on the situation, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff refuted the talks. He stated on yesterday’s edition of Daily Faceoff Live that he found no evidence suggesting Vegas is looking to trade Hertl. Although the Golden Knights are aiming to free up salary cap space, Hertl possesses significantly more trade protection than other candidates, like William Karlsson or Ivan Barbashev, which makes moving him objectively more challenging.
  • With the salary cap increasing, there will be significantly fewer non-tender candidates this summer. One player expected to depart is from the San Jose Sharks, as Seravalli reports that Klim Kostin will likely not receive a qualifying offer from the team. Shortly after, Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News shared that instead of seeking another NHL opportunity, Kostin is expected to take his talents to the KHL with Avangard Omsk. Kostin last played for Omsk back during the 2020-21 season on loan, scoring seven goals and 18 points in 43 contests.

West Notes: Bjugstad, Bortuzzo, Jeannot, Duchene

at CDT | by 7 Comments

For the next few weeks, there will be plenty of speculation about which teams will add which players. However, most of the noise leading up to July 1st will be about which players’ teams won’t keep, and the Utah Mammoth reportedly has a few. According to Craig Morgan of The Sedona Conference, the Mammoth are likely to let forward Nick Bjugstad and defenseman Robert Bortuzzo pursue other options this summer.

Given the more than $20MM available to the Mammoth this offseason, letting both players walk is more about performance and team-building rather than money. Bjugstad is inarguably the most valuable of the two, coming off an eight-goal, 19-point performance in 66 games for Utah during the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 12:19 of ice time. Still, it’s a far cry from his performance from a year ago, when Bjugstad registered 22 goals and 45 points in 76 games in a second-line role.

Meanwhile, there’s a legitimate chance that Bortuzzo is seriously contemplating retirement after completing the 14th season of his professional career. Limited by injuries this past season, Bortuzzo finished with two assists in 17 games, while mostly playing as the team’s seventh and sometimes eighth defenseman. The Mammoth already has eight defensemen signed through next season, leaving little room for Bortuzzo on the roster.

Other notes from the Western Conference:

  • Along similar lines, Russell Morgan of Hockey Royalty reports that the Los Angeles Kings aren’t expected to offer Tanner Jeannot a contract for the upcoming season. Jeannot has seen his stock drop precipitously in recent years, going from scoring 24 goals and amassing 318 hits with the Nashville Predators in the 2021-22 season, to a 13-point campaign in 67 games for the Kings this past season. He can still be relied upon for physicality, but Jeannot will have a difficult time finding a similar salary on the open market this summer.
  • On the cusp of reaching the open market and objectively becoming one of the top centers available, Matt Duchene instead chose to re-sign with the Dallas Stars on a four-year deal worth $18MM, likely leaving several million dollars on the table. In a new interview with Lia Assimakopoulos of The Dallas Morning News, Duchene indicated how easy a choice it was, saying, “First of all, any guy I’ve talked to wants to come back, so that’s great. I mean, it’s such a desirable place. I think it’s a place that anybody in the league would be lucky to play. And most guys in the league want to play for our team, and that speaks to the culture that the organization has created.“

RFA Notes: Dobson, Knies, Cuylle

at CDT | by 8 Comments

In today’s rendition of 32 Thoughts with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the podcast host reports that the New York Islanders are quietly testing the market for defenseman Noah Dobson. Friedman believes the Islanders aren’t ready to move him yet, but are simply conducting their due diligence in case he becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season.

Dobson’s projected market value is hard to ascertain. After scoring 10 goals and 70 points in 79 games, averaging 24:31 of ice time per night, and finishing eighth in Norris Trophy voting in the 2023-24 season, Dobson’s play collapsed in 2024-25, largely due to injuries. He’s entering restricted free agency on the heels of a 10-goal, 39-point campaign and is only a year away from unrestricted free agency.

According to Friedman, the Islanders believe that if Dobson can replicate his performance from 2023-24, he’ll command an AAV of more than $10MM per year on his next deal, and that may not be something they’re willing to do. The likelihood of him being traded remains low, but the fact that the Islanders are open to hearing offers is a significant change in their approach from the regular season.

Other notes regarding a few more RFAs:

  • With a boatload of cap space, the Toronto Maple Leafs need not worry about a Matthew Knies offer sheet this summer. Still, they will want to sign the deal soon to understand their financial flexibility during the summer months. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that there is no consensus on the progress of the negotiations. One side believes a deal is close, while the other side indicates that it is not. Unfortunately, he did not specify which side holds each perspective. Regardless, it appears that the final deal should fall in the three-to-five-year range.
  • Although all eyes are on the status of restricted free agent defenseman K’Andre Miller, the New York Rangers have another quality RFA to worry about. According to a new article by Peter Baugh in The Athletic, the Rangers have initiated talks with Will Cuylle, and both parties are interested in a contract extension. Baugh expects the Rangers and Cuylle to agree on a three-year, $10MM contract (or near it), which would allow them to optimize their salary cap this offseason while also establishing a multi-year commitment.

Calgary Flames Sign Dryden Hunt To Two-Year Deal

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Calgary Flames are keeping a quality AHL scorer for the next few years. The Flames announced they’ve signed forward Dryden Hunt to a two-year, two-way agreement worth $1.65MM ($825K AAV).

The player from Cranbrook, British Columbia, joined the Flames organization through a minor league trade during the 2022-23 NHL season. A few months after Hunt was traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Denis Malgin, Calgary sent depth player Radim Zohorna to Toronto in exchange for Hunt at the trade deadline.

Despite being an efficient scorer at the AHL level, Hunt has typically been deployed as a fourth-line winger at the NHL level. After debuting with the Florida Panthers during the 2017-18 season, Hunt has scored 18 goals and 54 points in 235 games, averaging 11:02 of ice time per game, and carrying a -31 rating.

His exploits in the AHL have been much better, particularly with the Flames’ AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers. Since making his professional debut in the 2016-17 season with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, Hunt has scored 104 goals and 245 points in 318 games, with a +37 rating. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been on many successful teams, reaching the playoffs only twice in his seven-year career.

Calgary could have some moving parts toward the bottom of their forward core during the 2025-26 campaign, but it’s unlikely to affect Hunt. The Flames are leaning toward larger opportunities for Adam Klapka and Samuel Honzek, meaning Hunt should spend much of the year at the AHL level.

Boston Bruins Hire Steve Spott As Assistant Coach

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Boston Bruins have hired their third assistant coach for the 2025-26 NHL season, joining Chris Kelly and Jay Leach. The Bruins announced they’ve hired Steve Spott as their final assistant coach, and he’ll primarily work with the team’s power play.

Despite spending most of his adult life in varying roles for the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers and Kitchener Rangers, Spott didn’t join the professional ranks until the 2013-14 season, when he was named head coach of the Toronto Marlies. Spott coached the Marlies to a 45-25-2-4 record, a North Division title, and a Western Conference Final appearance. That one-year test as the Marlies head coach earned Spott a promotion to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ bench in the 2014-15 season as an assistant coach.

After two years with the Maple Leafs organization, Spott joined Pete DeBoer’s staff with the San Jose Sharks ahead of the 2015-16 season. The two had previously worked together in Kitchener and enjoyed success with the Sharks, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. Unfortunately, the two were fired midway through the 2019-20 season after the Sharks got off to a 15-16-2 start.

It wouldn’t take long for either to find work, as Spott and DeBoer were both hired by the Vegas Golden Knights in their same roles a month later. Their time in Vegas was short-lived, and both were let go after the Golden Knights failed to make the playoffs in the 2021-22 season.

Continuing to work together, DeBoer brought Spott with him to the Dallas Stars for the 2022-23 NHL season. Spott and DeBoer led the Stars to three consecutive Western Conference Finals, but they did not reach the Stanley Cup Final. Dallas finished with a top-10 powerplay in two out of three years with Spott serving as the team’s primary powerplay coach.

Dallas Stars Sign Mavrik Bourque To One-Year Deal

at CDT | by 7 Comments

Shortly after announcing a new one-year deal for defenseman Nils Lundkvist, the Dallas Stars have signed their only remaining restricted free agent. According to a team announcement, the Stars have signed forward Mavrik Bourque to a one-year, $950K contract for the 2025-26 NHL season.

Re-signing Bourque relatively early was a smart play by General Manager Jim Nill. Given their projected salary cap space entering the summer and Bourque’s combination of youth and skill, he was a prime offer sheet candidate this offseason. Now, he’ll remain with the Stars on a sub-$1MM deal.

The only concern with this deal is that Dallas was unable to secure a longer contract for him. According to PuckPedia, the Stars have less than $3MM in financial wiggle room, meaning they were practically forced to give Bourque a short-term deal to keep the salary low.

Despite already having solid players at the NHL level, Bourque forced himself onto the NHL roster this past season. Bourque had a historic season with the AHL’s Texas Stars in 2023-24, scoring 26 goals and accumulating 77 points in 71 games, along with three goals and 11 points in seven playoff contests. He likely had to buy a new shelf for his hardware, earning the AHL’s Les Cunningham Award, John B. Sollenberger Trophy, President’s Award, and First All-Star Team honors.

Due to the depth of the Stars’ roster, Bourque had limited opportunities in 2024-25. Still, he had a quality rookie season, scoring 11 goals and 25 points in 72 games, averaging 12:41 of ice time per game. Despite finishing 11th among forwards with more than 20 GPs in ice time at even strength, Bourque finished third among forwards in CorsiFor% at even strength with a 52.6% rate.

Dallas Stars Sign Nils Lundkvist To One-Year Deal

at CDT | by 4 Comments

A day after re-signing Matt Duchene to a four-year deal and trading Mason Marchment to the Seattle Kraken, the Dallas Stars have gotten another piece of business finished. According to a team announcement, the Stars have signed defenseman Nils Lundkvist to a one-year, $1.25MM contract for the 2025-26 NHL season, matching his projected qualifying offer.

According to PuckPedia, the new deal reduces Dallas’s available cap space to $3.705MM, with six players projected to reach unrestricted free agency, and Mavrik Bourque as the only remaining restricted free agent on the team. A few more transactions are needed to achieve the financial flexibility required, but the Stars continue taking steps in the right direction.

Whether through trade or free agency, the depth leaving Dallas this summer could create a large opportunity for Lundkvist. Outside of defensemen Mathew Dumba and Ilya Lyubushkin (who could be traded in the coming days), Lundkvist is the top right-handed option for the Stars on the blue line.

It’ll be difficult for him to have a worse season than the 2024-25 campaign. Limited by injuries for much of the campaign, Lundkvist finished the 2024-25 season with five assists in 39 games, averaging 15:01 of ice time per night. In Lundkvist’s defense, he performed much better with increased availability from 2022 to 2024, scoring eight goals and 35 points in 119 games, averaging 15:13 of ice time.

Lundkvist’s primary value lies in his defensive play, which explains why he was selected in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft. Since joining the Stars during the 2022-23 season, Lundkvist has averaged an impressive 52.9% CorsiFor% at even strength and a 92.2% on-ice save percentage at even strength. According to Hockey Reference, he’s never held an Expected +/- of less than zero throughout his tenure in Dallas.

There’s a concrete argument that Lundkvist is the Stars’ top defensive-oriented blue liner behind Esa Lindell. Because of this, there should be little doubt that he’ll find regular playing time in Dallas’s top two defensive pairings during the 2025-26 campaign.

Penguins Announce Multiple Coaching Hires

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Pittsburgh Penguins have finalized their coaching staff under head coach Dan Muse. Pittsburgh announced that they’ve hired Todd Nelson, Nick Bonino, and Rich Clune as assistant coaches, and Troy Paquette as the team’s assistant video coach. 

In his second stint as an assistant coach at the NHL level, Nelson is arguably the most important of the hires. Serving as the head coach of the AHL’s Hershey Bears for the last three years, Nelson will make the more than 200-mile move to western Pennsylvania. It’s difficult to find many faults during his time with the Bears, amassing an impressive 65.28% win percentage with a 141-53-12-10 record in 216 regular season games. His winning ways continued in the postseason, coaching the Bears to a 31-17-0 record in 48  (64.58%) postseason contests over the last three years, with back-to-back Calder Cup Final championships.

Bonino’s formal hire comes with little surprise. The Penguins announced on their Facebook page a few days ago that Bonino had officially retired from his professional playing career and would be joining the team’s bench for the 2025-26 campaign. Coupled with his time on the ice, the 2025-26 campaign will be his fourth with Pittsburgh.

Like Nelson and Bonino, the Penguins are also bringing in a former NHLer in Clune. The longtime veteran for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies began his coaching career shortly after retiring in 2022-23 as the Marlies’ development coach. He’s coming to Pittsburgh on the heels of his first coaching job in the NHL, serving as an assistant coach for the Anaheim Ducks on Greg Cronin’s bench last season.

Avalanche Sign Jason Polin, Matthew Stienburg To One-Year Deals

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

In separate announcements, the Colorado Avalanche shared that they’ve signed forwards Jason Polin and Matthew Stienburg to one-year deals through the 2025-26 season. According to contract data provided by Puck Pedia, Polin will earn an NHL salary of $775K and $130K in the AHL. No contract details for Stienburg have been disclosed, but his salary will likely fall within a similar range.

Polin’s new deal comes with some surprise. The former Hobey Baker Award finalist hasn’t come close to the scoring output that he demonstrated with the NCAA’s Western Michigan University Broncos. Throughout his tenure with Colorado, the Holt, MI native has scored 15 goals and 30 points in 88 AHL contests, and only one goal in nine NHL appearances. Still, given the improbable number of injuries sustained by the Avalanche throughout the 2024-25 season, it makes sense that the team would like to retain most of their depth pieces in the system.

Like Polin, Stienburg signed with the organization out of college, though he had been previously drafted by the Avalanche in 2019, from Cornell University. Unlike Polin, Stienburg didn’t come to the organization with as much hype, given his career high of 13 goals and 29 points in 28 games with Cornell during his junior campaign in 2021-22.

Similarly to many of his peers, Stienburg earned a call-up with Colorado this past season, due to injuries to players on the NHL roster. Going scoreless in eight games, Stienburg’s only notable play was earning a two-game suspension for elbowing Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Černák.

Link to the team’s announcement for Polin.

Link to the team’s announcement for Stienburg.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top