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Five Key Stories: 8/26/24 – 9/1/24

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The calendar has turned to September and training camps are now just a couple of weeks away.  However, the enthusiasm for the season fast approaching was put on hold following a tragedy in the hockey world which is among the key stories of the week.

Tragedy Strikes: The hockey world is in mourning after Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were killed after being struck by an accused drunk driver while biking near their New Jersey home.  They were 31 and 29 years old respectively.  Johnny was a key cog of Calgary’s offense for eight years, capped by a career-best 115-point performance in 2021-22 before inking a seven-year, $68.25MM contract with Columbus that summer.  He led the Blue Jackets in scoring in both seasons with them.  Matthew, meanwhile, turned pro in 2017 and spent several years in the Islanders system before entering the coaching ranks in the 2021-22 campaign.  Everyone at PHR sends our deepest condolences to the Gaudreau family.

Surgery For Brossoit: One of Chicago’s important free agent signings might not be ready to start the season as the team announced that he will be out five to seven weeks after undergoing meniscus surgery.  The 31-year-old inked a two-year, $6.6MM contract with the Blackhawks early in free agency, giving them a second veteran netminder to partner with Petr Mrazek.  Brossoit returned to Winnipeg last season in free agency and fared quite well, posting a 2.00 GAA and a .927 SV% in 23 games.  If he isn’t available to start the season, last year’s backup Arvid Soderblom will likely break camp with Chicago, an outcome that might not be the case for blueliner Kevin Korchinski despite spending all of last season with the big club.

Eight For Jarvis: It took a while but the Hurricanes and Seth Jarvis were able to work out a max-term eight-year, $63.2MM contract.  Generally, the cap charge for this deal would be the total value divided by eight but that isn’t the case for this one.  Per PuckPedia (Twitter link), $15.67MM of signing bonus money has been deferred to July 1, 2032, the day after the contract expires, making the present value of the deal just over $7.42MM; that amount represents the cap charge for Carolina.  Jarvis is coming off a career year that saw him put up 33 goals and 34 assists and the Hurricanes will be banking on the 22-year-old taking another step forward offensively.  The deal certainly tightens their salary cap situation but with Jesper Fast undergoing season-ending neck surgery, they’ll have some flexibility if they need to dip into LTIR.

Cousins To Ottawa: We’re at the point of the offseason where guaranteed contracts for veteran players are going to be hard to come by.  One of the exceptions is winger Nick Cousins who signed a one-year, $800K contract with the Senators.  The 31-year-old spent the last two seasons with Florida and is coming off a 15-point effort in 2023-24 where he picked up a career-high 130 hits and won his first Stanley Cup.  This will be the 11th season of his career and already his seventh different team.

Hakanpaa Expected To Remain Free Agent: While the Maple Leafs agreed to terms on a two-year, $3MM deal with Jani Hakanpaa on the opening day of free agency, the contract was never registered due to concerns over his lingering knee injury.  Now, it appears they don’t intend to make the contract official, keeping the 32-year-old on the open market.  Toronto will now likely redeploy that money up front with RFA winger Nick Robertson still in need of a new deal.  However, with the youngster still preferring to be traded, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Maple Leafs look at other options to add some depth on the left wing.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Top NHL Draft Prospects To Again Headline College Hockey

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For the third time in four years, college hockey produced three first-round picks in the 2024 NHL Draft. That’s incredibly impressive for a league that usually only boasts a handful of draft-year prospects. The trio continued what’s the growing trend of draft-year prospects opting for the hard-nosed college setting, picking things up from top 2023 prospects Adam Fantilli, Matthew Wood, and Charlie Stramel. And while Celebrini’s performance as the youngest Hobey Baker Award winner in history will be hard to follow up, there are still plenty of top names in the 2025 draft class ready to continue proving U18 players can thrive at the collegiate level. Five college athletes are entering their first year of draft eligibility this season. With puck drop just over one month away, let’s break down each of them.

James Hagens, C, Boston College (from USA, NTDP)

All of the focus entering the season will be on James Hagens, the early favorite to go #1 in the 2025 Draft after a dazzling season with last year’s U18 NTDP. Hagens was the confident and consistent star-power behind players like Cole Eiserman and Teddy Stiga – offering the stout two-way play, nifty puck skills, and hard play-driving needed to elevate both players into record-breaking scorers. Hagens recorded 102 points in 58 games for his efforts and proved his worth against peers at the World U18 Championship, where he managed an incomprehensible 22 points in just seven games. He broke Nikita Kucherov’s scoring record at that tournament, and is now headed to a picture-perfect role at Boston College. The Eagles just lost their premier top-line center Will Smith to the NHL, but maintained his long-time wingers Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard. Both wings are star NHL prospects in their own right, respectively offering the hard-nosed forechecking and heavy shooting needed to elevate a high-skill and fast-paced centerman. It’s hard to imagine a better setting for Hagens as he looks to compete with star Canadians like Porter Martone and Matthew Schaefer for first overall.

Logan Hensler, LD, University of Wisconsin (from USA, NTDP)

While Hagens offered the all-around stardom to lift up his more one-dimensional linemates on offense, Logan Hensler was providing the same value on defense – supporting both the all-out-offense of Cole Hutson and the reserved-defense of EJ Emery. He handled upwards of 20 minutes a night at points through the year, excelling thanks to a natual ability to dominate control of the neutral zone. He’s strong on the puck even at top speeds, and keeps his head up for passing options through transition. He keeps an active stick and drives opponents into the boards well off of the puck, helping Hensler put up 31 points and strong defensive outings through 61 games. Now, after two seasons of tough competition for ice time, Hensler is bound for a Wisconsin blue-line that’s wide open. He faced top-line competition through parts of the last two seasons – and could now be the unrivaled top Badgers defender, commanding a D-corps with plenty of new faces. Hensler’s well-rounded toolkit should be enough to take that assignment in stride, but will it be enough to earn the spot of top defender in the 2025 class?

Sascha Boumedienne, LD, Boston Univeristy (from Youngstown, USHL)

Rivaling Hensler for the spot of top defender will be Sascha Boumedienne, the son of Josef Boumedienne, a near-300-game veteran of the AHL and long-time (and recently departed) scouting director for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sascha carries Swedish nationality, and has represented the country internationally in each of the last three years, but this season will mark his first time playing a full season outside of Ohio. But he’s nevertheless grown to prominence, largely thanks to his 6-foot-2, 183-pound frame. Boumedienne knows how to use that size to full effect, showing little fear in engaging physically and a strong understanding for how to use his body to protect the puck. That’s great news, because Boumedienne is on the puck more often than not – boasting impressive puckhandling and explosivity for a defender his size. He’s a hard-passing, hard-shooting, and hard-hitting prospect, who should get a chance to hone each of those traits behind a retooled Boston University. The Terriers are adding a number of strong defenders this season, including Cole Hutson, but Boumedienne’s high-energy, in-your-face style could make him the favorite for top-pair minutes early on. He’s considered the favorite of the many top 2025 defenders playing in America next year – though that title will hinge on Boumedienne’s ability to earn ice time on a talented blue-line.

Cullen Potter, LW, Arizona State University (from USA, NTDP)

The list of NTDP players headed to college isn’t done yet – but Cullen Potter adds an interesting spin, having bought his way out of the NTDP a year early to pursue what should be a starring role at Arizona State University. Potter was the scoring leader on last year’s U17 NTDP squad, showing impeccable individual skill to the tune of 46 points in 54 games – continuing the all-out-offense he showed in youth hockey. But that was just two years ago, and while Potter has shown plenty of scoring upside, he’s also struggled to play through really physical games. Thankfully, Cullen is the son of true USA Hockey legend Jenny Potter – a former Olympic gold medalist (among many, many other accolades) who excelled at playing through contact and using a smaller frame to her advantage. Cullen carries many of the on-puck traits of his mother, and will now look to discover her ability to play against stronger competition. He’ll certainly face plenty of it as ASU prepares for their first year in the NCHC.

Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, LD, University of Michigan (from USA, NTDP)

Continuing the list of hockey families is Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, the son of Manon Rheaume – the only woman to suit up for an NHL team and a goalie consultant for the Los Angeles Kings. Dakoda didn’t follow in the goaltending path, but he has shown a clear respect for protecting his netminder and starting play from his own end. Rheaume-Mullen is aggressive and hard-nosed, seeking out the puck even if it means driving through opponents. He’s stronger than his frame suggests, and uses that to force his way into action every single shift. He did struggle to find space on the offensive side of the red line as the year went on, ultimately posting no goals and 18 points in 61 games, but his hard-nosed drive made Rheaume-Mullen hard to deny. Michigan is bringing in a cohort of new defenders this season, putting Rheaume-Mullen into competition with players like Tyler Duke, Will Felicio, Hunter Hady, and Tim Lovell. But if he can carve out a spot among that group, he’s almost assured to built NHL Draft stock, behind a Wolverines team with their sights on another run to the Frozen Four.

Shane Vansaghi, RW/C, Michigan State University (from USA NTDP)

The final NTDP alum headed to college is power-forward Shane Vansaghi, who didn’t achieve much scoring with the National Team but won the hearts of many USA Hockey staff with the energy and heft he brought to every single shift. Vansaghi is flat-out strong, and looked undermatched against USHL competition that struggled to take him down. But much of his ice time was typically spent filling roles, whether it be using his strong strides to be the first-man-in on the forecheck, or strong board-play to help rotate the puck around to flashier linemates. That lack of independence capped Vansaghi at 41 points in 113 games with the NTDP, though he started to show more individual effort near the tail end of the year. He’ll look to continue that momentum into his freshman season, where he’ll play under the diligent watch of former NTDP head coach Adam Nightingale, who’s built a track record of bringing the most out of his high-potential prospects. That fact alone makes Vansaghi one of this year’s top draft sleepers.

Evening Notes: Swayman, Dubois, Flames

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The Boston Bruins could opt for a short-term, bridge deal with starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman, as contract talks drag into Labor Day weekend, shares Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe. Dupont mentioned that the $7.74MM cap hit on Juuse Saros’ recent eight-year extension could be a guiding light for the Bruins and Swayman, though there’s no definitive way to know what’s inspiring negotiations. A short-term deal would certainly be easier to price out, and give Boston the comfort of not committing much to a goaltender who hasn’t yet played a 50-game season.

But Swayman has commanded a lot of respect through just three full NHL seasons. He’s posted a .919 save percentage in 132 career games and has already won the William Jennings Trophy and earned top-10 Vezina Trophy consideration – all before his 26th birthday in November. That impressive precedent, Linus Ullmark’s move to Ottawa, and some well-timed studying of the CBA has Swayman inevitably positioned for a hefty contract. Boston could cut into the total salary with a short-term deal, but they’d run the risk of walking the still-young Swayman into long-term negotiations after the likes of Igor Shesterkin and Jake Oettinger set the bar for elite-goalie salaries. The Bruins currently have $8.64MM in available cap space, with no remaining free agents besides Swayman.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Washington Capitals are preparing for summer acquisition Pierre-Luc Dubois to play alongside hard-nosed winger Tom Wilson, head coach Spencer Carbery shared with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. Carbery added, “I think those two guys playing together – big bodies, guys that can hold onto the puck – could be a good duo.”  That assignment likely means that Dubois is headed for Washington’s top line, one season after his top-line opportunity with the Los Angeles Kings turned into muddling third-line minutes and broken relationships. Dubois scored just 40 points last season, 20 fewer than his totals in the two prior years. Playing with Wilson should give Dubois the space to rediscover that scoring this season, though Washington will have to be careful with their usage – as the two players have combined for 562 penalty minutes over the last three seasons (Dubois – 253; Wilson –  309).
  • The Calgary Flames are still open for business on the trade market, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period shared during an appearance on NHL Tonight. Pagnotta went on to mention a string of players that may be on the trade block, including lineup pillars Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson, indicating that the Flames could be heading for a more true-to-form rebuild, as they look to build around top youngsters like Dustin Wolf, Zayne Parekh, and Samuel Honzek.

Leafs’ Nicholas Robertson Still Hoping To Be Moved

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Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nicholas Robertson is still pushing for a move before the season starts, even despite the chance at a growing role in the lineup, The Athletic’s Chris Johnston shared on the latest  ’First Up’ podcast with Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo. Robertson has been in trade talks since early February, though it doesn’t seem any discussions have made it far down the line.

Robertson will be entering his fifth professional season in the upcoming year; impressive experience for someone still a few weeks away from age 23. He’s garnered 87 games of NHL experience in that span – and while his performances haven’t been very inspiring, his 14 goals and 27 points in 56 games last season suggested Robertson’s goal-scoring days weren’t all behind him.

His junior career – three years with the Peterborough Petes from 2017 to 2020 – was defined by a dazzling shooting ability. Robertson posted 27 goals and 55 points in 54 games during his draft year, good enough to land 53rd overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, even amid concerns about his skating and drive. Robertson quieted critics quickly with an outstanding 55 goals and 86 points in just 46 games in the following season. He’s shown flashes of that scoring ability at the top level, most notably scoring 16 goals and 28 points in 28 games during the 2021-22 AHL season, but the production has been far from consistent.

Part of that can be chalked up to Robertson’s minimal role in the lineup. The 2023-24 campaign was the first time that Robertson averaged over 11 minutes of ice time and the first time that he managed a point on special teams. The Leafs have had the privilege of icing wingers like Michael Bunting and Matthew Knies ahead of Robertson but still haven’t provided their young prospect any favors in his competition for bottom-six minutes. That could be attributed to former head coach Sheldon Keefe, who moved on to the New Jersey Devils. His successor, Craig Berube, could prove a more supportive option after leading the initial success of shoot-first winger Jake Neighbours’ last season – but only if Robertson can hold his own.

Should he return to Toronto, Robertson will step back into competition with players like Knies, Max Domi, and Pontus Holmberg for space on the team’s left wing. That position battle could lead to promising minutes next to Auston Matthews or John Tavares, though Domi and Knies had the advantage of building chemistry with their centers last season. Should Robertson instead be on the move, he’ll be one of the trade market’s only active names entering September and could offer tantalizing upside for teams unhappy with their scoring depth.

17 goals and 34 points in 87 career games should be enough to sway interested teams, especially with the Leafs not in a position to ask for much for a former second-rounder who’s yet to pay off. With Patrik Laine recently traded, it seems Robertson will become the market’s next shoot-first winger looking for greener pastures.

Evening Notes: Jagr, Baertschi, Necas

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Hockey legend Jaromir Jagr has hit a lull in his off-season prep, announcing in an Instagram post that he’s suffered a torn hamstring. He’ll now be out for three-to-six weeks, adding that the injury was likely a result of overtraining, which team physio Pavel Kolar warned him against. In a quote translated from Czech by Derek O’Brien of The Hockey News, Jagr said, “When I talked to the physiotherapist Pavel Kolář about the fact that I would like to properly train, he warned me not to do anything that my body is not used to. Of course, I didn’t listen to him… I went for a run. Not the sprints I used to do uphill, but normally straight. But I put weights on my ankles and tore my hamstring.”

Jagr, a partial owner of Kladno, will now miss the team’s remaining four pre-season games and could be out for the start of the Czech Extraliga season on Sep. 18. Kladno has a game roughly every other day from there on out, eating into Jagr’s goal to play in every Extraliga game this season. The inevitable Hall-of-Fame winger has stayed productive into his 50s, scoring 18 points across his last 31 Extraliga games, dating back to 2022. He’s never shown any reason for doubt, and even through a hamstring injury, he hopes to continue a productive playing career in Kladno as soon as possible.

Other quick notes from around the NHL:

  • Former Vancouver Canucks winger Sven Baertschi has joined the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks as an assistant coach, shares Ryan Pike of Flames Nation. Baertschi spent two years with the Winterhawks in 2010 and 2011, ultimately scoring a dazzling 240 points in 156 games with the club. That was enough to motivate the Calgary Flames to select Baertschi with the 13th overall selection in the 2011 NHL Draft, though he never managed to live up to that precedent. His career year came with Vancouver in 2016-17, when he posted 18 goals and 35 points in 68 games. Baertschi finished his NHL career with 138 points in 292 games, playing in parts of 10 seasons. That’s a hockey career to be proud of – meager scoring or not – and Baertschi will now look to carry his experience back to the juniors team that helmed his early career.
  • Plenty of teams expressed interest in former top trade piece and recent Hurricanes re-signee Martin Necas, shares Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in the latest written 32 Thoughts. Among the interested parties were the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets, though Necas was ultimately swayed to stay in Carolina thanks to the support of his teammates off the ice. Necas will now look to make the most of his two-year contract after posting 71 and 53 points in the last two seasons, respectively. That’s strong production, and Necas should earn an impressive contract when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, pending any collapse over the next two years.

Snapshots: Ullmark, Tuomaala, Penguins

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The newest Ottawa Senators starter Linus Ullmark is reportedly getting comfortable in Ottawa. TSN’s Shawn Simpson shares that the former Vezina Trophy winner has purchased a home in the area and could begin discussing a contract extension soon. Ullmark is entering the final year of a four-year, $20MM contract signed with the Boston Bruins. He spent the deal emerging as one of the NHL’s premier goalies, posting a dazzling 88 wins and .924 save percentage across 130 games in Boston. But the emergence of Jeremy Swayman made Ullmark’s role expendable and the Bruins decided to sell high – sending him to Ottawa in exchange for a first-round pick, Joonas Korpisalo, and Mark Kastelic.

Ullmark now stands as the most promising Senators goalie in at least a few years. Korpisalo served as the team’s most recent starter and performed dismally, posting just 21 wins and an .890 save percentage in 55 games played. The performance was the peak of a string of struggling years for the Senators goaltending room, which has featured a different starter in every season since 2019-20. Ullmark will look to buck that trend this year by upholding his strong play under the scrutiny of the Canadian market.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Philadelphia Flyers prospect Samu Tuomaala shared in an interview with Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he almost retired from hockey two years ago – one year after his second-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. He had worked his way up to the Liiga, Finland’s top league, but struggled to find much of a role, or much scoring. Those woes continued into the 2022-23 season and through moves across four Finnish teams – but Tuomaala ultimately managed just three points in 40 Liiga games. His struggles continued into the Mestis, Finland’s second-tier league, until Tuomaala was finally moved to Kettera, where he resurged with 46 points in 29 games. He rode that momentum into a rookie AHL season this past year, tallying an impressive 43 points in 69 games – good for third on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in scoring. The wind is clearly back behind Tuomaala’s sails and, at just 21, there’s still plenty of time for him to become a true top prospect. He’ll have a chance to prove that worth, and maybe even fight for an NHL debut, next season.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t been shy about trades this offseason but they may still sit a few moves away from a compliant roster. Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now points out that the current lineup would force the Penguins to send multiple six-figure contracts down to the minor leagues. That’s a hefty investment – and is likely a prevalent thought as the team considers moving players like Lars Eller and Noel Acciari. Pittsburgh currently carries $874K in cap space, per PuckPedia.

Snapshots: Swayman, Brodzinski, Yager

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Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman is at risk of entering September without a contract for the season. But team president and NHL Hall of Famer Cam Neely isn’t bothered by negotiations dragging on. In an appearance on The Rich Shertenlieb Show, Neely said, “Something will get done. There’s no question. I mean, not every negotiation is as smooth as you’d like it. I know our fan base would certainly love to have something done by now. But I’m fully confident that both sides will come to an agreement before too long here.”

Swayman has expressed confidence of his own that a deal will get done – making the ongoing holdout a bit surprising. The Bruins carry $8.64MM in projected cap space, per PuckPedia, and a full roster signed otherwise. That should be plenty of budget to sign Swayman to, at least, a short-term deal – perhaps an indication that contract details like signing bonuses are the impeding factor. Swayman has had a stellar NHL career through three seasons, posting a .919 save percentage in 132 games, but he’s yet to exceed 45 starts in a single season. That’s set to change in a big way with Linus Ullmark now in Ottawa – and if Swayman can withstand the barrage is yet to be seen.

Other notes from around the league:

  • College free agent Bryce Brodzinski has signed a one-year deal with the AHL’s Ontario Reign. The Philadelphia Flyers drafted Brodzinski in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Draft, but didn’t sign before August 1, 2024 deadline – pushing him into free agency after a five-year career at the University of Minnesota. Brodzisnki scored more-and-more in every season, ultimately posting a career-high 36 points in 39 games this year. He’ll look to continue growing next year, stepping into a competitive Ontario lineup where he’ll battle Los Angeles Kings prospects Martin Chromiak, Koehn Ziemmer, and Kaleb Lawrence for ice time on the wings.
  • The newest top Winnipeg Jets prospect, Brayden Yager, will either play in the NHL or CHL this season Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff shares with The Athletic’s Murat Ates. Yager remains eligible for the NHL-CHL agreement by just four days – keeping him eligible to return to the Moose Jaw Warriors, where he won a WHL championship last season. Yager played a pivotal role in the ring-winning year, scoring a career-high 35 goals and 95 points in 57 regular-season games and 27 points in 20 playoff games. He’s lived up to his 14th-overall standing thus far, and will have now receive a chance to break into the next step as part of a new team.

Evening Notes: Lankinen, Nichushkin, Pieniniemi

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The Vancouver Canucks are narrowing in on a deal with goaltender Kevin Lankinen reports CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal. He’ll support the team as they await the return of Thatcher Demko, who is taking longer than expected to recover from his knee injury.

A deal in Vancouver would move Lankinen on from four seasons in the Central Division – split between the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators. He debuted as Chicago’s starter in the shortened 2020-21 season, recording 17 wins and a .909 save percentage across 37 games. It was an impressive start to the undrafted free agent’s career, though not strong enough to hang onto the starting role when Chicago signed Marc-Andre Fleury that summer. Lankinen has been a proud backup ever since, with his ice time dwindling to just 24 games with Nashville last season.

Vancouver could offer Lankinen his first true shot at a starting role in a while – though he’ll have to beat out postseason wonder Arturs Silovs. Silovs took over for Demko in last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs with just nine career games to his name. He’d end up playing 10 more, posting a .898 save percentage and showing plenty of ability to win games when his team needed him. Silovs will be the favorite for the starting role entering camp, but Lankinen could offer quick relief should he struggle.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Sergey Fedotov, a former scout for the Russian National Team, told Russia’s Sports.ru that Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin will be ready to return to the NHL in November. Nichushkin entered the NHL Player’s Assistance Program in May, missing out on the bulk of the postseason after a red-hot start – nine goals and 10 points in eight games. Nichushkin scored a collective 63 points in 62 games this season and will stand as a top option in Colorado’s lineup when he returns, though speculation will remain until the team formally announces his return.
  • Pittsburgh Penguins defense prospect Emil Pieniniemi – the 91st pick in the 2023 NHL Draft – has signed with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs for the 2024-25 season. The move kicks off his career in North America after growing up through Kärpät’s junior system and playing 39 games with the Liiga club. He scored six points in those appearances but has already looked more impressive in international play this summer – posting four points in four games during Finland’s U20 friendlies. He’ll now look to maintain that scoring momentum into the much-quicker-paced CHL next season.

Avalanche, Mikko Rantanen Expected To Ramp Up Extension Talks Soon

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The Colorado Avalanche have already engaged in extension talks with 2025-pending free agent Mikko Rantanen, though the star winger expects talks will gain a lot more momentum when the team comes back together. He spoke about next season and his looming contract with the Finnish news outlet Turan Sanomat, and his remarks were translated by Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now. Per Rawal, Rantanen said, “We’ve already started a little, but we haven’t had any intensive discussions yet. They will surely speed up here in time.” Rantanen went on to share his excitement for next year’s 4 Nations Face-Off and 2026’s Winter Olympics.

Rantanen is one of many stars entering the last year of their contracts, but few have made such a statement about their current deals. Rantanen signed his current deal – a six-year, $55MM contract – in 2019 after recording the second 80-point season of his then three-year career. It was clear that he was set for stardom, and while fans had to wait through injuries and COVID-19 limiting seasons, the star Finn finally showed his strength in Colorado’s pursuit of the 2022 Stanley Cup. He was perhaps the most influential player on the roster, second to Nathan MacKinnon, scoring a career-high 36 goals and 92 points in 75 regular season games, then adding 25 points in 20 postseason games. The performance proved everyone’s suspicions – that Rantanen, even at a $9.25MM cap hit, was likely underpaid. He’s only continued to improve in the years since, posting a new career-high of 55 goals and 105 points last season, then returning for 42 goals and 104 points this year.

Rantanen compliments his sky-high scoring with great off-puck physicality and an appreciation for defense. Those traits place Rantanen as both a pillar of the Avalanche lineup and their biggest to-do ahead of the 2025 summer. But finding a price won’t be easy, especially given the lack of precedent for such a high-scorer. Oilers’ star Leon Draisaitl seems like the best comparable, though he’s in his own round of extension negotiations. Early rumors have placed Draisaitl’s next deal around $12.5MM. That could provide Colorado with a helpful baseline should Draisaitl sign soon, though it’s likely that Edmonton is watching Rantanen’s negotiations with the same scrutiny.

While the two sides sort through a standoff with their secondary stars, Rantanen will look to continue his domination of the NHL’s Western Conference. He emphasized to the Turan Sanomat that his goal is to only get faster and stronger, saying, “In the NHL, the game is going faster all the time, and as a result, Explosiveness is a big part of how the game is developing. You can’t forget that there are 82 games in the regular season. So you have to have endurance, and you have to be strong in struggles.”

Afternoon Snapshots: Couture, Chernyshov, Draft Location

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San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture has been ramping up his training in San Jose this summer, new head coach Ryan Warsofsky shared with Sirius XM. Warsofsky added, “He’s working extremely hard. He’s in San Jose. He’s been in San Jose. He’s training. He’s working out. I know he’s feeling good, and I know when Logan is feeling good, we will let him play.”

Warsofsky’s comments continue the sentiment laid out by his predecessor, David Quinn, who emphasized that the team had a plan for Couture’s path back to the ice. It seems the next big step hinges on when Couture feels ready to return to the lineup, though where he’ll slot in when he’s back will also be a big question. The Sharks recently signed star prospects Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith to their entry-level contracts. Both players project confidently as centerman at the top level, though they may need a bit of support as they find their footing. That could be where Couture comes in – playing on the rookie’s wing and supporting them on faceoffs or in the defensive end. It’d be a well-timed move to the flanks – after all, Couture hasn’t posted a faceoff percentage above 50 percent in a decade. A new role next to high-upside prospects should be enough to maintain Couture’s other stats, though, adding a player with 25-goal and 50-point upside into a Sharks lineup desperate for offense.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Sticking in San Jose – Sharks forward prospect Igor Chernyshov has undergone a shoulder repair surgery known as a Latarjet Procedure, per his agent Dan Milstein. Chernyshov is slated to join the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit for next season, though his debut in the league will likely be delayed by the one-to-two months it takes to recover from surgery. Chernyshov was the first pick of this year’s second round, after a confident season with Russia’s Dynamo Moscow – where he recorded 28 points in 22 juniors game and four points in 34 KHL games. He’s a hefty and responsible forechecker who’s strong both on and off of the puck. The Sharks will hope those traits hold strong through shoulder surgery. If they do, Chernyshov could be on a fast track to the pros, having signed his entry-level contract at the beginning of this month.
  • The NHL is looking to keep the excitement around the NHL Draft, eyeing Los Angeles as the frontrunner to host the 2025 Draft and NHL Awards ceremonies, shares David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. 2025 will mark the first time that the draft is decentralized, allowing team staff to stay in their local market rather than populating the draft floor. That will certainly change the back-end approach for teams, though the front-facing structure is likely to be largely maintained – with players greeting commissioner Gary Bettman on stage after their selection. That’s the format of both the NFL and NBA Drafts, which both succeed the NHL in annual viewership despite being decentralized for years.

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