Updates On Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad
Although the organization’s main sights are on winning its second Stanley Cup championship in as many years, the Florida Panthers have a few key pending unrestricted free agents to worry about. In an interview on NHL Network, David Pagnotta believes negotiations are going much better with one than they are with the other.
A few days ago, James Mirtle of The Athletic reported that virtually no teams are expecting Sam Bennett to reach free agency, and Pagnotta believes that’s the case. In the interview, Pagnotta shared that Bennett and the Panthers are negotiating a new deal that would pay him approximately $64MM over eight years. 
Bennett’s value largely comes from his postseason performances and the intangibles. AFP Analytics projected Bennett’s next deal around the six-year, $40MM range, which is reasonable given he’s only scored more than 50 points in one season. Still, he’s an extremely physical forward, has responded well to Florida’s possession-heavy scheme, and has a unique ability to get under the skin of opponents.
He’s been an instrumental part of the Panthers’ run to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. Since the start of the 2022-23 postseason, Bennett has scored 26 goals and 50 points in 60 games, and is leading this year’s playoffs in goals. Outside of putting pucks in the net, Bennett has made headlines this postseason for his extracurricular activity, particularly his somewhat egregious physicality toward opposing teams’ netminders.
Unfortunately, negotiations aren’t going as smoothly with defenseman Aaron Ekblad, according to Pagnotta. Despite Ekblad’s public desire to remain with the only organization he’s known, Ekblad and his representation are asking for a similar or increased salary on his current $7.5MM AAV, but the Panthers only feel comfortable paying him in the $6MM range.
In Florida’s defense, Ekblad has had significant injury issues throughout his entire career, only playing in a full campaign in three seasons out of his 11-year career. Still, offering him a 20% pay decrease as the salary cap rises projects as an unbridgeable gap.
Ekblad is only a few weeks away from reaching unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career, and he could become more amenable to a lower salary if his comfortability in Florida outweighs his salary demands. Still, as a capable top-four right-handed defenseman, Ekblad should be able to match or increase his salary on the open market.
NHL Announces 2024-25 All-Rookie Team
Considering the votes for the 2024-25 Calder Memorial Trophy, there weren’t many surprises on this year’s All-Rookie Team, which the NHL announced this morning. There were three unanimous selections, while the other three winners had a closer vote margin. The team is as follows:
G Dustin Wolf (Flames) – Wolf finished second in Calder Trophy voting after a superb rookie campaign. The 24-year-old netminder finished the year with a 29-16-8 record in 53 starts with a .910 SV% and 2.64 GAA. Furthermore, Wolf finished with 15.1 Goals Saved Above Average according to Hockey Reference, and nearly backstopped the Calgary Flames to the postseason despite expectations of a rebuilding year.
D Lane Hutson (Canadiens) – Joining Wolf as another unanimous selection to the 2024-25 All-Rookie Team, Hutson was this year’s Calder Trophy winner. Scoring six goals and 66 points in 82 games while averaging 22:44 of ice time per game, Hutson joined Bobby Orr, Brian Leetch, and Quinn Hughes as the only defensemen to lead rookies in scoring during their respective inaugural campaigns.
D Denton Mateychuk (Blue Jackets) – Although he didn’t share similar point production to Hutson, Mateychuk had a quietly productive campaign for the Columbus Blue Jackets, scoring four goals and 13 points in 45 games, averaging 18:02 of ice time a night. Much of Mateychuk’s value came on the defensive side of the puck, securing a 91.4% on-ice save percentage at even strength despite starting 57.4% of his shifts in the defensive zone.
F Macklin Celebrini (Sharks) – As last summer’s first overall selection, expectations were high for Celebrini this season. He largely lived up to them, scoring 25 goals and 63 points in 70 games, finishing third in Calder Trophy voting. There were some significant defensive shortcomings in Celebrini’s game, but that should improve as he matures and has better teammates around him. He outscored last year’s Calder Trophy winner, Connor Bedard, by two points in two more games played.
F Cutter Gauthier (Ducks) – Gauthier finished with the fewest vote totals for an All-Rookie nod with 79 out of a potential 187. Still, it was enough to earn third place among forwards. Despite being streaky, Gauthier finished fifth in scoring on the Ducks with 20 goals and 44 points in 82 games. Gauthier’s offensive output should improve with increased ice time during the 2025-26 season, as he finished his rookie campaign averaging slightly above 14 minutes a night.
F Matvei Michkov (Flyers) – Although he wasn’t a unanimous selection like Wolf, Hutson, or Celebrini, Michkov finished one vote shy of those honors. He came exactly as advertised for the Philadelphia Flyers, scoring 26 goals and 63 points in 80 games, leading the team in goal-scoring and finishing second in total output. Like Celebrini, there were significant defensive shortcomings in Michkov’s game throughout the regular season, but those won’t be as important an issue for a winger.
Longtime Broadcaster Joe Bowen To Retire After 2025-26 Season
Joe Bowen, the “Voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs”, announced that the 2025-26 season would be his last in a broadcast booth. By his admission, Bowen will finish his broadcasting career with more than 3,800 Maple Leafs games in the booth.
Bowen began his broadcasting career with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, his hometown team, in the mid-1970s. It wasn’t until he made an organizational change to the AHL’s Nova Scotia Voyageurs in 1979 that he would earn a tryout with the Maple Leafs.
He debuted as Toronto’s fifth radio broadcaster in the 1982-83 season, and remained as the team’s main morning anchor and radio broadcaster. In 1995, Bowen almost lost his job when his employer, Telemedia Sports Network, lost the bid to broadcast Maple Leafs games on the radio to Q107.
Bowen eventually joined Q107 to remain in radio and became the organization’s primary radio broadcaster, with mild work in television on regional broadcasts. His work on television ended in 2014, when Rogers Communications purchased all rights to NHL games in the Canadian market.
For those who primarily listen to Maple Leafs games on the radio, many will remember Bowen’s iconic catchphrase, “Holy Mackinaw”, typically reserved for some of the most iconic goals in recent franchise history. Bowen won the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for his outstanding contributions to broadcasting in 2018 and will likely find a home in the Maple Leafs Hall of Fame once he finally hangs up the microphone.
Free Agent Focus: New York Islanders
Free agency is now under a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Islanders.
Key Restricted Free Agents
D Noah Dobson – Dobson’s second trip through restricted free agency should be interesting. After scoring 10 goals and 70 points in 79 games during the 2023-24 season, Dobson could only muster 10 goals and 39 points in 71 games this past season, being severely limited by injuries. Dobson’s name had popped up in a few trade rumors during the regular season, and those were exacerbated when he changed his representation in mid-February. Given the new regime change in the Islanders’ front office, it’s hard to speculate if they’ll give Dobson a short-term deal, lock him up long-term as the team’s top defenseman, or gauge his value on the trade market. 
F Simon Holmström – Holmström continues to grow as a quality scorer for the Islanders. He increased his pace this past season, going from 15 goals and 25 points in 2023-24 to 20 goals and 45 points in 2024-25. Those numbers were good for fourth on the team in scoring, and the Islanders hope that Holmström can continue his upward trajectory and get into the 25 to 30-goal range in 2025-26. Depending on the new front office’s aggression this offseason, Holmström could be a sneaky winger to retain on a long-term contract for a lower price point than many of his peers on Long Island.
D Alexander Romanov – Assuming the Islanders re-sign Dobson for next season, they’ll already have six defensemen on the active roster without Romanov. Like Dobson, Romanov’s 2024-25 campaign was limited by injuries, managing fewer than 70 games for the first time since his rookie campaign. He maintained a quality scoring pace, but his defensive metrics declined significantly this past season, which could make Romanov a trade piece this summer. The Islanders shouldn’t expect to get a top-15 selection in return (like they gave up to acquire him), but it could provide them an avenue to re-stock the prospect cupboard.
Other RFAs: F Maxim Tsyplakov, F Marc Gatcomb, D Scott Perunovich, F Liam Foudy, F Ruslan Iskhakov, F Adam Beckman, D Samuel Bolduc, D Travis Mitchell, D Aidan Fulp
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
D Tony DeAngelo – Unlike the situation regarding their restricted free agents, the Islanders don’t have much to worry about regarding their pending unrestricted free agents. DeAngelo is the only one of note after he was brought in mid-season to help the Islanders defensive core recover from a slew of injuries. The offensive-minded defenseman stayed true to form for the Islanders, posting four goals and 19 points in 35 games, eating more than 23 minutes of ice time per game, and posting some of the worst defensive metrics on the team. Given his apparent shortcomings in the defensive zone, it’s unlikely the Islanders pursue an extended relationship with DeAngelo.
Other UFAs: F Hudson Fasching, F Matt Martin, D Mike Reilly, F Julien Gauthier, F Fredrik Karlström, F Tyce Thompson, D Grant Hutton, G Jakub Skarek
Projected Cap Space
Unfortunately, the Islanders will only have approximately $21MM to spend this offseason, which should get used to retain their crop of restricted free agents. It would behoove Mathieu Darche and his new administration to trade Jean-Gabriel Pageau and his $5MM salary this summer, opening up more financial flexibility for other additions. The Islanders have the benefit of making the first-overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft, so they’ll get a top player regardless, but this team has more holes to fill than one player can fix.
Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.
Red Wings Sign Michal Postava To Entry-Level Contract
According to a team announcement, the Detroit Red Wings have signed netminder Michal Postava to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal will run through the 2026-27 NHL season, when Postava will become a restricted free agent.
Based on their transaction history for the last year, Detroit is attempting to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks regarding their goaltending situation. The team brought in veterans Cam Talbot and Jack Campbell last summer and acquired Petr Mrázek from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline.
Furthermore, Detroit has two of the higher-end goaltending prospects in the NHL, Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine, although the latter has yet to debut at the professional level. Given his age and relatively brief professional history in Czechia, Postava should be considered a prospect rather than immediate help.
He doesn’t project as high as other netminders in his age group, but Postava is coming off a quality season with HC Kometa Brno in Czechia’s highest league. The 23-year-old goalie managed a 23-18-0 record in 42 games with a .921 SV% and 2.39 GAA, including three shutouts.
He provided even better numbers in the postseason. In 17 playoff contests, Postava earned 10 wins with a .940 SV% and 1.97 GAA, backstopping Kometa Brno to their third league championship.
It’s unlikely that Postava will challenge for a spot on the active roster during training camp, meaning the expectation is that he’ll start the year with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. There, Postava will be paired with Cossa as the Griffins look to build on their competitive 2024-25 season.
Oilers’ Jake Walman Fined Twice For Game 3 Incidents
It was almost a guarantee that the NHL’s Department of Player Safety (DoPS) would have work to do after a hectic Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. Earlier today, the DoPS shared that they had fined Oilers defenseman Jake Walman a total of $10K, the maximum allowable under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Walman earned a pair of fines from last night’s events. Walman received two minor penalties for the first incident, along with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for roughing Matthew Tkachuk. Meanwhile, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad also received two minor penalties for roughing while defending his teammate.
The second incident took place outside the area of play. As he was exiting the ice, Walman had his glove taken and subsequently thrown into Florida’s bench by Panthers forward A.J. Greer. In response, Walman took one of the Oilers’ water bottles and began spraying it toward the Panthers’ bench, which earned an automatic fine.
Surprisingly, the DoPS only bestowed additional punishment to Walman from last night’s contest, and doesn’t seem likely to issue more. There were 35 penalties called in Game 3, of various forms, with 26 of them coming in the third period. Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse led the way with 19 PIMs, while Florida forward Jonah Gadjovich led the opposition with 15.
Atlantic Notes: Marchand, Peterka, Giroux
Much has already been made of Brad Marchand‘s upcoming trip through unrestricted free agency, with recent reports indicating he could earn as much as $8MM a year given his durability and impressive postseason performance with the Florida Panthers. Piggybacking off that report, TSN’s Chris Johnston shared today on TSN 1050 that Marchand will prioritize earning maximization on his next contract, rather than term.
According to Johnston, Marchand isn’t limiting his desire to salary, adding that a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs could make up with off-ice endorsements for what they lack in available dollars to spend. If that is the case, it would likely broaden Marchand’s market to include other large-market teams, such as the Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks, and New York Rangers, especially since these teams may not have as much financial flexibility as they approach the summer months.
Still, it wouldn’t be difficult for Marchand to find a new employer on the open market. He remains a capable top-six winger heading into his age-38 season, and his nearly point-per-game scoring average in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs should make him a priority for teams with a legitimate chance at the Stanley Cup next season.
Other notes from the Atlantic Division:
- After already being named the top player on his trade board, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff lists Buffalo Sabre JJ Peterka as one of the likeliest candidates for an offer sheet this summer. It’s an interesting proposition to consider, as Seravalli lists Peterka’s potential offer sheet at the higher end of the fifth tier for compensation, which would require the signing team to send Buffalo their 2026 first, second, and third-round pick. Still, Buffalo has the financial flexibility to match nearly any offer sheet signed by Peterka, meaning they’ll have to weigh the hypothetical compensation against Peterka’s current value.
- The Ottawa Senators and veteran Claude Giroux have reportedly been negotiating a new contract for a few weeks, and Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Citizen shares that those contract talks have reached a pivotal stage. The two sides met last week during the NHL Combine in Buffalo, and they continue to work toward an agreeable deal. Giroux recently completed a three-year, $19.5MM contract with the Senators in which he scored 71 goals and 193 points in 245 games.
Flames Sign Adam Klapka To Two-Year Contract
According to a team announcement, the Calgary Flames have signed forward Adam Klapka to a two-year contract extension. The pending restricted free agent will earn an AAV of $1.25MM on his new deal.
Klapka will earn nearly double his salary from this past season, playing on a one-year, $775K contract through the 2024-25 season. The undrafted forward will remain a restricted free agent upon the expiry of this contract, though he will have earned his arbitration rights.
Fortunately for Klapka, the fully guaranteed contract likely means he’ll be on the Flames roster for much of the 2025-26 season. The Praha, Czechia native split his time during the 2024-25 campaign, registering 31 games with the Flames, and 33 games with their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.
Each team knows exactly what Klapka brings to the table. He’s more of a point-producer at the AHL level, scoring 48 goals and 97 points in 158 games with AHL Calgary, and another six goals and 11 points in 16 postseason contests.
Still, he should have more to offer in the NHL now that he’s gotten his rookie season out of the way. Klapka finished 2024-25 with six goals and 10 points, while averaging 9:39 of ice time per game.
His main value comes through his physicality. Despite finishing last year tied for 21st on the team in games played, Klapka finished eighth in hits and should compete for the most on the team next season, should he play a full year.
Blue Jackets Expected To Pursue Mitch Marner
With more than $40MM to spend and only a few notable holes to fill on the roster, the Columbus Blue Jackets will have difficulty being outspent on players this summer. Keeping that in mind, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic expects General Manager Don Waddell to be very involved in Mitch Marner‘s market.
Unfortunately, the Blue Jackets’ ability to spend won’t alienate all of their competition this offseason, as a report from yesterday indicated the Anaheim Ducks are contemplating a record-breaking offer for Marner’s services. Still, Columbus has even more financial flexibility than Anaheim, making their pitch the most worthwhile part.
In his article, Portzline hinted at the fact that the Blue Jackets have pursued Marner before. After the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, when the Blue Jackets eliminated the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round, the team’s top two talents, Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky, departed via free agency.
Columbus’s General Manager at the time, Jarmo Kekäläinen, immediately contacted the Toronto Maple Leafs when Marner’s entry-level contract expired that same summer. Portzline doesn’t believe the Blue Jackets’ trade interest got to the point of exchanging names, as Marner signed a six-year, $65.41MM contract closer to training camp.
If Columbus ultimately signs Marner, they’ll have two of the most defensively responsible wingers in the league. Marner has finished in the top 10 of Selke Trophy voting in three out of the past five years, while Kirill Marchenko finished with a higher CorsiFor% and on-ice save percentage compared to Marner this season at even strength.
Bringing in Marner would also allow the Blue Jackets to bring in another star talent since the tragic death of Johnny Gaudreau on August 29th of last summer. Columbus embarked on a remarkably competitive season in honor of their late teammate, and adding a player of Marner’s talent would certainly boost the team’s morale level.
Unlike some of the other teams with an abundance of cap space this summer, the Blue Jackets would allow Marner to stay on a competitive roster, while also having a much smaller media presence compared to Toronto.
Ultimately, only time will tell what crest Marner will wear on his jersey next season. He won’t have a shortage of suitors, as several teams outside of Anaheim and Columbus have the available capital to make a run at his services.
Free Agent Focus: Montreal Canadiens
Free agency is now under a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Canadiens.
Key Restricted Free Agents
G Jakub Dobes – Dobes’ NHL career couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. He won his first NHL start against the eventual Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers, stopping 34 of 34 shots. He finished the season with a 7-4-3 record in 15 starts with a .909 SV% and 2.74 GAA. If he were allowed to remove three difficult starts against the Rangers, Kings, and Kraken, Dobes would have finished the year with an impressive .924 SV%. Unfortunately for Dobes, with Sam Montembeault signed through the 2026-27 season and prospect Jacob Fowler rising through the ranks, he likely doesn’t have a long-term future with Montreal.
F Emil Heineman – Heineman came exactly as advertised to the Canadiens this season. Despite missing a chunk of games due to injury, the Leksand, Sweden native scored 10 goals and 18 points in 62 games, while averaging 11:24 of ice time per night. He was one of the most physical forwards on the team and managed solid possession metrics. Like many younger players, he has a few things to clean up in the defensive zone, which he’ll want to prioritize during offseason training if Martin St. Louis continues to utilize him in a defensive role next season. 
D Jayden Struble – Struble serves as one of the more obvious non-tender candidates on the Canadiens’ roster. Montreal already has six defensemen signed through next season, and that’s without taking into account David Reinbacher competing for a spot on the roster during next year’s training camp. Still, Struble is an effective depth option, scoring two goals and 13 points in 56 games this past season while averaging nearly 15 minutes of ice time, with 124 hits.
Other RFAs: F Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, F Sean Farrell, F Xavier Simoneau, D Gustav Lindström, D Noel Hoefenmayer, D William Trudeau, G Cayden Primeau
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Christian Dvorak – Before the 2024-25 campaign, the Canadiens had been looking to offload Dvorak and his $4.45MM salary. Dvorak rewarded Montreal for keeping him, scoring 12 goals and 33 points in 82 games, while leading the team with a 55.6% faceoff percentage by a healthy margin. He’s becoming a better defensive player as he ages, and the Canadiens could use Dvorak’s skill set as a veteran player as they become more competitive, albeit at a far lower price point.
F Joel Armia – Similarly to Dvorak, Armia has been the subject of trade rumors for the last few years. Montreal went as far as to pass Armia through waivers at the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign in an attempt to rid themselves of his $3.4MM salary. In almost identical fashion, Armia rewarded the Canadiens for keeping him, scoring 11 goals and 29 points in 81 games, with many of those points coming at even strength. Still, Armia has significantly poorer possession metrics compared to his peers, and Montreal may look elsewhere for secondary scoring this offseason.
Other UFAs: F Michael Pezzetta, F Brandon Gignac, F Alex Barré-Boulet, G Connor Hughes
Projected Cap Space
The situation in Montreal becomes more convoluted when looking at their salary cap availability. The team only has around $6MM to spend, with much of their core intact. According to PuckPedia, the Canadiens already have 13 forwards, six defensemen, and two netminders penciled on next year’s roster. Still, if the Canadiens are looking to capitalize on their surprise return to the postseason this season, they could look to trade Carey Price’s contract with it’s $10.5MM (with a sweetener, of course) to a team like the San Jose Sharks, giving Montreal the capability to pursue nearly any player they’re interested in this summer.
Contract info courtesy of PuckPedia.
Photo courtesy of John Jones-Imagn Images