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Devils, Luke Hughes At An Impasse Regarding Contract Length

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Aug. 30th: Speaking directly about the negotiations with Hughes in a recent interview with James Murphy of RG Media, Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald was quoted as saying, “Eventually, this will get done. The 11th hour is training camp. Right? A lot of times, a lot of the stuff doesn’t get done until the 11th hour. We’re hoping we can get something done here in quick fashion, and both sides are working hard at it; that’s for sure.”

Although he didn’t indicate that this was something that Hughes’ camp was directly threatening, Fitzgerald did acknowledge the possibility of a holdout, saying, “At the end of the day, when really the only leverage the player has at this point in their career is holding out, that stinks. I don’t think anyone wins, quite honestly, when that happens. So Pat and I are trying hard to get this thing to come to some common ground.”

Aug. 29th: Aside from Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks, defenseman Luke Hughes of the New Jersey Devils is objectively the highest-profile restricted free agent remaining from this summer’s class. Unfortunately, according to Ryan Novozinsky of NJ.com, Hughes is expected to remain an RFA unless heavy concessions are made on either side regarding the length of his next contract.

According to Novozinsky’s report, the Devils are focusing on either a two-year bridge deal or a longer-term eight-year extension for Hughes, while the defenseman is requesting a five-year contract. A five-year contract would walk Hughes into unrestricted free agency after the 2029-30 season, the same time that his brother, Jack Hughes, would also become a UFA.

That would only escalate the speculation this offseason regarding the brothers’ desire to play together at some point during their NHL careers. Still, the eldest brother, Quinn Hughes, would have already signed an extension with the Vancouver Canucks, or joined a different organization via free agency by that time.

Regardless of the contract length, New Jersey has some work to do regarding Hughes’ eventual salary. If the Devils acquiesce to Hughes’ contract length demands, it’s unrealistic to assume he would sign for a $6MM AAV, which would be the maximum salary the Devils could afford at the time being. Theoretically speaking, New Jersey can exceed the upper limit of the salary cap by 10% over the summer months, but it would only kick the can down the road to the start of the regular season.

That’s likely why the Devils are prioritizing a shorter-term bridge deal for Hughes, which will likely become the eventual compromise between the two sides. Hughes could pursue a three-year deal in a few years, aligning his request to become an unrestricted free agent with Jack’s timeframe. New Jersey would certainly like to keep both players in the Garden State throughout their careers, but their negotiating power will be significantly restricted once Luke becomes eligible for arbitration.

At any rate, the clock is ticking for both sides. Training camp is only a few weeks away, and this isn’t something that either side will want to drag into the regular season. Ultimately, one side will have to become flexible so that Hughes can start the year on time.

Seeking Writers For Pro Hockey Rumors

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PHR is looking to hire two part-time writers with strong weekend availability preferred. The position pays on an hourly basis, with a workload ranging from 10 to 15 hours per week.

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Exceptional knowledge of all 32 NHL teams, with no discernible bias.
  • Knowledge of the salary cap, CBA, and transaction-related concepts.
  • At least some college education.
  • Extensive writing experience, with professional experience and a background in journalism, is strongly preferred.
  • Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics, and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is strongly preferred.
  • Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
  • Ability to follow the site’s style and tone.
  • Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance quick copy with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers, or links to other relevant articles.
  • Familiarity with Twitter/X, X Pro, and other relevant platforms. In general, you must be able to multitask.
  • Flexibility. You must be available to work on week-to-week notice.

If you’re interested, email prohockeyrumorshelp@gmail.com by Sunday, Aug. 31, and in a few paragraphs, explain why you qualify. Be sure to attach your resume to the email.

We understand that many of those who read this have applied in the past. If you have previously submitted an application for PHR and are still interested, please submit it again. Many will apply, so unfortunately, we cannot respond to every applicant.

Wild Could Reach $16MM Per Year On Kirill Kaprizov Extension

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All signs point towards Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid breaking the NHL’s record for richest contract when he signs his next contract. The Minnesota Wild will be the only team to give Edmonton a run for their money, as they entertain signing superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov to his own contract extension. In their effort to lock up a player capable of 50-goal and 60-assist seasons, Minnesota could end up paying as much as $16MM per season, per Michael Russo of The Athletic on his ’Worst Seats In The House’ podcast. Russo and co-host Anthony LaPanta agreed that Kaprizov will likely get the contract, and bonus structure, of his choosing so long as the deal is at least five years long.

On the surface, Kaprizov’s stat line is hard to compare to the league’s top echelon. His career-high in scoring sits at 108 points – split between 47 goals and 61 assists in 81 games of the 2021-22 season. He has continued to rival more than 45 goals and 100-point scoring pace over the last three seasons, but has missed routine ice time to a string of injuries. His 2024-25 campaign was cut in half by a lower-body injury that required surgery in January. He finished the year with 25 goals and 56 points – marks that would have put him on pace for a career-high 50 goals and 112 points over a full year.

Had Kaprizov reached those scoring heights this season, he would have become just the 6th player since 2000 to record at least 50 goals and 60 assists in one season. That feat would have put him in company with elite peers, including McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Nathan MacKinnon – who have each held the title of highest-paid player at some point in their career. It’s that projection that Minnesota will lean on when negotiating with Kaprizov. There’s simply no arguing his prowess when at full health. Few NHL wingers command play on both ends of the ice quite like Kaprizov, and there’s no doubt that his presence alone is enough to swing Minnesota’s moneyline. Across his 319-game career, Kaprizov has averaged 48 goals and 99 points per 82 games played.

Even with an undeniable superstar ability, it will be tough for Minnesota to award Kaprizov a deal that takes him to age-35 or 36 after missing 63 games over the last three seasons combined – even if he has averaged 102-points per-82 games over those seasons. Minnesota will be stuck between wanting to pave way for their star to stick around, and not biting off more than they can chew. Minnesota will also need to negotiate a new deal with starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson before next summer. Gustavsson could reel in as much as $6.5MM, and has already expressed interest in signing an extension.

The culmination of multiple top contracts set to expire will make Wild general manager Bill Guerin one to watch closely over the next few months. Minnesota is in a stable spot under Guerin’s guide – with a roster that’s seemingly set to stick together for years to come. But the team hasn’t made it past the first round of the postseason since 2015. Kaprizov is a premier talent, and the Wild could face another wrinkle in negotiations should he speculate about the team’s long-term Stanley Cup odds. Young, high-upside forwards like Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi – and a season of good health for both Kaprizov and the Wild as a whole – could go far in convincing the Russian phenom to lock up a career in Minnesota.

Photo courtesy of Nick Wosika-Imagn Images.

Matthew Caldwell, Shawn Thornton Leave Panthers For NBA

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Florida Panthers’ team president and CEO Matthew Caldwell is set to leave the organization after 11 years to become the CEO of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, per David Dwork of The Hockey News. The report was confirmed by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. Additionally, former NHL pro Shawn Thornton announced he will step down from his role as Florida’s Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) to join the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks as a Senior Vice President and Chief Partnership Officer. Thornton joined Florida’s executive staff in 2017.

These moves stand as two major changes to the Panthers’ top level of business management. Caldwell joined the Panthers in 2014, amid some of their darkest years. He quickly took to a litany of responsibilities, and earned a promotion from Chief Operating Officer (COO) to CEO after just two years with the organization. He was 36 at the time. In the boosted role, Caldwell was able to take on efforts that helped to reshape the Panthers from an NHL bottom-dweller to a modern dynasty.

Caldwell played an instrumental role in the formation of Florida’s lauded front office and coaching staff. He supported the team to a franchise record in ticket sales, TV viewership, and sponsorship revenue and led the hiring of then-rookie general manager Bill Zito. Caldwell also supported the sale of local media rights to Bally Sports in 2022, Florida’s arena naming rights to Amerant Bank in 2023, and additional media sales to Scripps Sports in 2024. The trio of deals expanded coverage of Panthers hockey across Florida.

Success in the Sunshine State was only a small part of Caldwell’s career. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served five years as a Captain in the U.S. Army. During that time, he oversaw combat operations in Iraq, peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, and soldier training in Germany. He received numerous accolades for that service. Caldwell turned towards a career on Wall Street after his military duty concluded, taking on the role of Vice President with Goldman Sachs. He also attended the Northwestern University School of Law for his J.D. and MBA degrees. The Panthers cover Caldwell’s accomplishments more in depth on their website.

Now, Caldwell will join the Timberwolves and Lynx on the heels of their sale to Marc Lore and former MLB legend Alex Rodrigues. In doing so, he will continue to sustain an illustrious career that Panthers Owner Vincent Viola knows they won’t be able to replace. Viola told the Associated Press:

There are very few opportunities I would advise him to pursue, but working with Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore on a global platform like the NBA is at the top of that list… Matt’s impact on our organization has been immeasurable and he leaves with our respect and gratitude

On top of that weight, the Panthers will also lose former bruiser turned proficient executive Shawn Thornton. Thornton played through 14 years and 705 games in the NHL. He was among the very last true enforcers in the NHL, and racked up an incredible 1,103 penalty minutes over the course of his career. Over his full career, Thornton averaged 12 points and 128 penalty minutes per 82 games played.

Thornton retired as a member of the Florida Panthers in 2017, at the age of 39, and quickly took to a front office role. His business career began as a Senior Vice President of Business Operations – filling a litany of roles, including heading marketing, sponsorships, broadcasting, game presentation, and community relations. He was promoted to the team’s Chief Commercial Officer in 2020, then to CRO in 2022.

Thornton has been a pillar of growth since the onset of his post-playing career. In addition to his role with the Panthers, he also runs the Shawn Thornton Foundation – geared towards raising funding for life-threatening diseases, including Parkinson’s Disease. That organization was formed in 2013.

Florida will now bear the burden of filling two major roles in their executive offices. It will be a tough task, though one the organization seems well set up for after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups and appearing in three-straight Stanley Cup Finals. They’re a true NHL dynasty, and averaged the fifth-most attendance in the league last season according to HockeyDB. This news will mark turnover and new opportunity for a club in the midst of their peak.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports.

NCAA Grants Eligibility To Two Former Pros

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In another milestone decision for collegiate hockey, the NCAA has granted eligibility to two players with experience in the AHL and ECHL. Forward Connor McClennon and defenseman Hudson Thornton will both suit up for the Bemidji State University Beavers, per Jared Rubado of The Bemidji Pioneer. This decision goes against the NCAA’s previous rule that stated any players who have signed pro contracts were ineligible from playing NCAA-sanctioned sports.

The future implications, or even the present justification, for this decision aren’t entirely clear. Bemidji State head coach Tom Serratore told Rubado that the team wanted to “throw some darts” after seeing the NCAA allow former pros to participate in other sports. They worked with both players to submit request to the NCAA Eligibility Center, formerly the NCAA Clearinghouse. Both McClennon and Thornton pointed towards their reinstated eligibility for U Sports – Canada’s collegiate league – as one of the reasons why they should be granted a move to the NCAA.

Bemidji also pointed towards the NCAA’s extension of eligibility to pros in both basketball and football. As pointed out by Rubado, the NCAA allowed Ethan Burg to join the University of Tennessee’s men’s basketball team on July 24, despite Burg’s participation in the Israeli Basketball Super League.

The NCAA is also currently facing a U.S. District Court ruling that challenges how the NCAA counts years of eligibility. Previously, the collegiate association would include years in JUCO, or Junior College, against a player’s maximum five years of NCAA eligibility. This new antitrust lawsuit would look to reverse that decision, and extend additional eligibility to three players at West Virginia University, as well as players at Vanderbilt University, Rutgers University, and Memphis University.

The NCAA has released a statement challenging the court ruling, though they may face a tougher task overturning it after extending eligibility to two pro hockey players. McClennon played nine total games between the AHL and ECHL, scoring just one point in the former league. He spent last season at the University of Alberta. Thornton’s pro experience is much more extensive. He appeared in 49 ECHL games, and scored 14 points, this past season, in addition to making his AHL debut. Thornton has never played at the collegiate level, though he previously expressed interest in joining the University of Saskatchewan for next season.

While the long-term impact of this decision hasn’t had time to settle, it marks another boom to the ever-changing junior hockey landscape. It seems unlikely that the NCAA will officially acknowledge changes to their eligibility until after they conclude multiple lawsuits and court cases, leaving questions of who teams can recruit up in the air for now. On the other side, NCAA eligibility could begin mirroring U Sports. Currently, AHL or ECHL players are eligible to join U Sports programs, but must sit out for a season of competition if they are on a pro roster after January 10th. Even those guidelines seem uncertain, though, as U Sports commits to future changes and expansions of their own.

Flames Seem Set To Trade Rasmus Andersson, Per Teammate

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The trade rumors surrounding Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson are reaching a peak as the 2025-26 season rolls around. Flames centerman Mikael Backlund said that Andersson seems to be clearly headed for a change of teams during the NHL’s European Media Tour, as captured by Micahel Russo of The Athletic. Backlund went into depth on the divide between Calgary and the top-pair defenseman, sharing that the two sides are at ends on what a new contract should look like. Andersson will enter unrestricted-free agency next summer, and is looking for a boost over his current $4.55MM cap hit, while the Flames are looking for a value deal. Backlund told Russo:

Yeah, [Andersson is] getting traded. It’s obvious… I talked to him, too, and he doesn’t want to be a distraction… It’s too bad that it’s come to this. I don’t think that they’re close to getting an agreement, but you never know. Things could change.

Backlund seems among the most informed when it comes to changes within the Calgary organization. He’s spent all 1,066 games, and 17 seasons, of his NHL career in a Flames jersey. The Flames named Backlund team captain in 2023, after five years of serving as an alternate captain. Andersson has also served as an assistant captain as far back as 2022, cementing a clear connection between the two teammates.

Backlund’s comments ring loud as a result. Andersson has appeared to be the odd-man-left ever since general manager Craig Conroy completed a fire sale of trades in 2023 and 2024. The flurry moved out defenders Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, and Noah Hanifin – leaving Andersson as the only long-term Flame left on the team’s blue-line. He has since been supported by veteran MacKenzie Weegar and emerging pro Kevin Bahl, playing ahead of an otherwise very fluid Calgary defense.

This news spells even more changes for the Flames’ defense. There will be no preparing for losing a player of Andersson’s caliber, even despite rumors swirling through the last few seasons. He has emerged as a true top-pair offensive-defenseman, capable of driving play and sustaining offensive chances for his side, even amid poor defensive play. Andersson tied his career-high of 11 goals this past season, to go along with 31 points on the full year. It was a slight dip from his scoring totals over the last few year. He previously scored 50 points in the 2021-22 season, 49 points in 2022-23, and 39 points in 2023-24.

These comments will once again spark what’s been an aggressive trade market for Andersson. Calgary has fielded interest from across the NHL, with teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes previously emerging as front-runners. There has also been rumors of a fit with Pacific Division clubs like the Los Angeles Kings or Vegas Golden Knights, should the Flames be comfortable with moving Andersson to a nearby foe. Vegas will notably be without top defender Alex Pietrangelo next season due to injury, creating a clear hole in their lineup. The Golden Knights would need to find roughly $1MM in cap space to afford Andersson’s cap hit, assuming Calgary would be willing to retain a maximum 50-percent.

Bill Daly Talks Schedule Changes, CBA Talks And Effectiveness

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Some NHL executives and players were in Milan, Italy, last week as part of the league’s yearly media tour – this time in the place the league will be sending its players to the 2026 Winter Olympics. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly was part of the contingent there and sat down for an interview with Michael Russo of The Athletic, discussing some items that have been left unaddressed from last month’s Collective Bargaining Agreement extension and Memorandum of Understanding approval.

One of the key changes in the agreement is a jump from an 82-game regular season schedule to 84. That will take place beginning with the 2026-27 campaign, and Daly essentially confirmed that means an earlier start date – with regular-season games now potentially beginning in September.

It’s not as if there was another direction to go. More in-season breaks and elongated playoff scheduling in the later rounds have made for some exceedingly late finishes to the season in recent years, leading to key events such as the Stanley Cup-clinching game, the draft, and the opening of the following season’s free agency period taking place in a sub-two-week period.

“I think that 82 to 84 games is going to be beneficial to both sides,” Daly said. “It comes in connection with a shortened training camp. I think that can help us on our overall calendar length. I think we’ve started our regular seasons earlier as a general matter and our playoffs earlier, which some of the media have suggested we should.”

The other most forward-facing change in the new MOU is, for the second decade in a row, a reduction in maximum contract length. After the 2012 lockout ushered in an era of eight-year extensions and seven-year free agent deals, those caps are both decreasing by a single year in the new agreement.

That was arguably the league’s highest priority entering negotiations with the NHLPA alongside the LTIR reform that also got achieved, Daly said. “We’re in a situation where we have a number of contracts that are entered into for maximum term, with the parties recognizing that the player’s not going to be really worth what the contract will pay him in the out-years of the contract. So, the more purely monetary benefits of longer-term contracts are kind of scaled back a little bit. That’s really the benefit.”

Previously, excessively frontloaded contracts were retroactively penalized with a recapture penalty. That was an exceedingly rare thing to trigger, though, and only happened if the player decided to retire and walk away from their contract instead of failing physicals and remaining on LTIR for the duration of their career. Along with the term reduction, there have been more safeguards put in place in the new MOU to restrict year-to-year variations in compensation in multi-year deals, but chopping off a year to spread the total package across will be the most effective way to reduce the number of artificially lowered cap hits and AAVs league-wide.

As for when all these changes take effect, the previous presumption was that none of the new policies announced last month would be enforceable until September 15, 2026, when the current MOU expires and the new one begins. That won’t necessarily be the case, Daly said, although NHLPA assistant executive director Ron Hainsey had previously confirmed that the current contract term limits will still be in effect for the 2026 offseason and won’t be reduced until that September date.

Nonetheless, Daly clarified there will be multiple stages of implementation regarding all the changes laid out in the MOU. “I don’t want to presuppose their approval, so I’m not going to answer the question specifically. But it does deal with every item that we agreed to as part of the memorandum of understanding. One bucket of items will go into effect as early as this year. One bucket of items will go into effect as of July 1 of next year — so, the league year, the full league year. And then there’s a list of items that don’t go into effect until Sept. 16 of next year.“

Tyson Barrie Announces Retirement

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Amid his participation in yesterday’s Avalanche alumni game, defenseman Tyson Barrie confirmed to Nathan Rudolph of the DNVR Avalanche podcast that he’s retired.

A third-round pick of the Avalanche in 2009, Barrie was a highly intriguing offensive option out of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets and quickly looked like he could be something of a steal. He led the league in assists by a defenseman in his post-draft year and was named the WHL’s top defenseman as a result, but concerns about the righty’s size and defensive acumen meant he returned for a fourth and final season of junior hockey before making the jump to the pro ranks in 2011-12. Even then, he spent most of that year in the minors and only received 10 NHL games.

He slowly worked his way up the Avs’ depth chart, seeing less and less AHL time each season before earning his final recall in November 2013, early in his age-22 season. While he checked in as a fringe top-four option at even strength, he overtook Erik Johnson as Colorado’s top power-play quarterback and ended up recording a 13-25–38 scoring line in 64 games over the balance of the campaign. Those 0.59 points per game placed him inside the top-15 among NHL rearguards that year.

The 2014-15 campaign marked Barrie’s true coming of age. He broke the 50-point plateau – the first of four times he’d end up doing so in his career – while serving as Colorado’s de facto No. 1 option for a good portion of the season with Johnson injured. He would continue averaging north of 21 minutes per game for the remainder of his Colorado tenure, twice earning fringe votes for year-end All-Star honors.

Colorado didn’t have a ton of team success during Barrie’s six-year run as a full-timer there, though, only making the playoffs three times and winning a round once. His struggles away from the puck played a significant role in that. Only once, his final season in Denver, did Barrie manage to record a positive expected rating based on shot quality generated and allowed when he was on the ice at even strength. He posted a negative actual plus/minus rating in his last four years for Colorado, including a league-worst -34 mark in the Avs’ disastrous 22-win season in 2016-17.

Entering the 2019-20 season, Barrie was a pending unrestricted free agent and had been made redundant with Cale Makar’s emergence in the preceding postseason. That kicked off the latter journeyman phase of his career, beginning with a July 1 blockbuster that sent him to the Maple Leafs in exchange for Nazem Kadri. It didn’t work out all that well for Barrie or Toronto. He was no longer his club’s top power play option, sitting behind Morgan Rielly on the Leafs’ power play pyramid, and his offensive output declined to a more pedestrian 5-34–39 scoring line in 70 games as a result.

With Barrie’s point production his only real calling card, the fit in Toronto obviously wasn’t going to be a long-term one. They let him become a free agent during the COVID-laced 2020 offseason, and he proceeded to land a one-year, $3.75MM “prove-it” deal with the Oilers.

Barrie was plopped onto a top power-play unit in Edmonton with the two-headed monster of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid – the league’s two leading scorers in the shortened 2021 season – and responded with the best campaign of his career. He recorded 48 points in the truncated 56-game schedule, leading the NHL in scoring among defenders. His defensive deficiencies remained quite visible, though. He only managed a +5 rating compared to regular partner Darnell Nurse’s +27 mark, and as Edmonton was swept in the first round of the playoffs, Barrie became the first defenseman in league history to lead the position in scoring while not receiving a single Norris Trophy vote.

While Barrie remained a fine puck-mover for the Oilers, his production never quite found that gear again. His minutes began to drop back below the 20-minute mark, and at the 2023 deadline, he was sent to the Predators in the deal that landed Edmonton two-way dynamo Mattias Ekholm.

Nashville marked the last real turning point in Barrie’s career, and it wasn’t for the better. While he was still quite effective for the Preds down the stretch after the trade, recording 12 points in 24 games, that didn’t last very long. In 2023-24 – the final year of a three-year, $13.5MM extension he signed with Edmonton – Barrie tumbled down Nashville’s depth chart and ended up becoming a routine healthy scratch by the time the season ended. As such, he was limited to just one goal and 15 points in 41 games and only drew into the Preds’ playoff lineup once in their first-round loss to the Canucks.

Ahead of his age-33 season and with his value at an all-time low, Barrie ended up needing to settle for a professional tryout with the Flames to participate in an NHL training camp last fall. He did convert that into a $1.25MM contract in early October, but the fit wasn’t quite what Calgary hoped for. He only logged 13 appearances for the club and even ended up on waivers and cleared, seeing his first AHL action in over a decade with the Calgary Wranglers.

Barrie was a free agent this summer, and there was no reported interest in him on the open market. He hangs up his skates with 822 games played in 14 seasons, 23rd among his rather stacked draft class. He scored 110 goals and added 398 assists for 508 points, 10th in the league among defensemen since he debuted back in the 2011-12 season. He averaged just over 21 minutes per night for his career and made $47.85MM in estimated total earnings, per PuckPedia.

All of us at PHR congratulate Barrie on his fine career and wish him the best in his next steps.

Image courtesy of Sergei Belski-Imagn Images.

Matthew Tkachuk Underwent Surgery, Aiming For January Return

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Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk’s health entering the season has been a topic of conversation after he returned early from an adductor injury sustained at the 4 Nations Face-Off to suit up in Florida’s run to a second straight Stanley Cup. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period now relays that Tkachuk indeed opted for surgery to repair it, undergoing the procedure “a few weeks ago,” and could miss as much as the first four months of the campaign.

It’s still not clear what caused the right-winger’s injury during the 4 Nations tournament, but he missed the balance of the regular season and wasn’t cleared to return until Game 2 of the Cats’ first-round win over the Lightning. Opting for non-surgical rehab initially to accelerate his return timeline, he still managed to rattle off a point per game as he marched to his third straight Stanley Cup Final and second straight win, although his 17:24 average time on ice was a noticeable drop from his previous usage.

His projected return timeline makes him LTIR-eligible and offers the Panthers a pathway to cap compliance to begin the season, but it’s not that simple. They’re now $4.5MM over the cap and, on top of shuffling their roster to optimize his LTIR relief, they have to figure out a way to reinstate him on the active roster when he’s ready to return while staying below the $95.5MM upper limit. They likely won’t concern themselves with the first bit too much, as he’s not a season-long absence and their roster is full, but their roadmap to a compliant roster and a healthy Tkachuk is still murky.

Tkachuk, 27, has averaged 99 points per 82 games since arriving in Florida in 2022 via the blockbuster trade with the Flames that sent Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar the other way. He also has 25 goals and 69 points in 67 playoff games for the Panthers over the last three years, ranking fourth and third in franchise history, respectively.

In the interim, the Panthers can expect 2021 first-rounder Mackie Samoskevich to play a pivotal role in their early-season success. The 22-year-old winger filled in for Tkachuk down the stretch last year and finished his rookie campaign with a 15-16–31 scoring line in 72 games. He’ll now get more opportunity out of the gate after essentially being forced to sign a league-minimum contract this summer thanks to Florida’s cap crunch and his 10.2(c) status prohibiting him from signing an offer sheet.

Wild Sign Marco Rossi To Three-Year Deal

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1:36 p.m.: The Wild have made Rossi’s new deal official in a team release.

10:36 a.m.: After months of trade speculation, restricted free agent center Marco Rossi is signing a new deal in the State of Hockey. PuckPedia reports the forward will sign a three-year deal with the Wild worth around $15MM in total, working out to a cap hit around $5MM. The backloaded deal will pay Rossi $4MM in 2025-26 and increase by $1MM increments each season, giving him a $6MM qualifying offer when he can become an RFA again upon expiry in 2028, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic.

It’s a welcome increase for Rossi as he comes off his entry-level contract, but it’s still significantly less than he was hoping for. The 2020 ninth overall pick took major strides in his development last season, posting a career-high 24 goals and 60 points for Minnesota in first-line deployment despite missing star wingman Kirill Kaprizov for more than half the season. As a result, he entered talks this summer looking for a long-term deal in the $7MM range annually.

It was how Rossi ended the season that set the stage for a rather sour offseason. After cooling off down the stretch, posting nine points and a -11 rating in 20 games after the trade deadline, he was demoted to fourth-line deployment in their first-round loss to the Golden Knights. He still managed two goals and 11 shot attempts in the six-game battle, but averaged only 11:08 of ice time per game.

In most cases, that would be seen as only a minor roadblock for a high-potential pick. But Rossi, who was Bill Guerin’s first draft pick as the Wild’s general manager, had been the subject of trade speculation for some time – to the point where Guerin said outright last December that he was highly impressed with Rossi’s forward progress and wasn’t looking to move him. The Wild’s hesitancy to offer a long-term deal remained, though, leaving the two sides at an impasse for most of the offseason and forcing Guerin to explore trade packages, none of which were appealing enough to get a deal done despite wide-ranging interest.

The contract itself is likely bang-on for his market value. AFP Analytics projected a long-term pact for Rossi to come in at seven years at $7.4MM per season and a short-term one to be two years at $4.5MM annually. With an extra year thrown in on top of that shorter projection, it makes sense that the AAV comes up a notch as well.

After trade interest quieted in July, the Canucks and Kraken had reportedly resurfaced in talks in recent days, with Rossi’s contract situation still unresolved. Whether that was a significant impetus for Rossi’s camp to agree to a bridge remains to be seen – either to solidify his future in Minnesota or to make himself a more palatable trade asset with cost certainty.

Rossi’s long-term projection as a legitimate top-six center remains optimistic. After losing a good chunk of his development due to a serious bout with COVID, he’s steadily upped his offensive production each year since turning pro. He’s improved on draws as well, going from a 44.7% win rate in his rookie season to 46.8% last year. He was significantly more involved in the forecheck in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24, nearly doubling the amount of hits he laid, and he has had strong relative possession impacts in each of his two full NHL seasons.

The Wild now end up with a full roster and north of $4.4MM in cap space to open the season, per PuckPedia. The club projects to have much more financial flexibility to make in-season adds than they have in the last couple of years as a result. He’ll enter camp as the odds-on favorite to start next season alongside Kaprizov again despite how his minutes were cut in last year’s playoffs, firming up a familiar center corps of himself, Joel Eriksson Ek, Ryan Hartman, and Nico Sturm.

Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-Imagn Images.

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