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Blues Sign Nathan Walker To Two-Year Extension

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The Blues have agreed to a two-year extension with forward Nathan Walker, the team announced. The diminutive lefty earns a $1.775MM commitment that will count $887,500 against the cap in 2026-27 and 2027-28, just above a league-minimum deal covering those campaigns.

Walker, 31, has been a fan favorite wherever he’s played. Either a high-end AHLer or press box piece for most of his career, he’s the only Australian skater in league history and has slowly begun to establish himself as an everyday NHLer over the past few seasons, more than a decade after the Capitals made him an overage choice in the third round of the 2014 draft. He’s now appeared in each of the last eight NHL seasons, but hadn’t breached the 40-game mark until three years ago.

Last season was Walker’s sixth in the Blues organization after signing there as a free agent in 2019. It also marked a considerable breakthrough for the 5’9″ winger, who worked his way into a career-high 73 appearances and recorded an 8-8–16 scoring line in fourth-line minutes. He also became something of a fringe penalty killer for them, averaging a few ticks over 12 minutes per game. His small stature doesn’t mean he doesn’t play a high-energy game – in fact, he led St. Louis in hits by a wide margin last season with 281 and blocked 61 shots, most among Blues forwards.

Walker also had a mini-breakout in the postseason. In his first playoff action since appearing four times for the Blues in 2022, Walker skated in all seven games in St. Louis’ first-round loss to the Jets and had three goals and four points – all coming in Games 5, 6, and 7.

He’ll now fight to keep his regular role in the lineup in training camp. He’ll be challenged by returning depth pieces Mathieu Joseph and Alexandre Texier, free-agent pickups Nick Bjugstad and Pius Suter, and young names like 2023 first-rounder Dalibor Dvorsky for ice time. He’ll do so with some added financial security after signing his second two-year extension with the club in as many years.

Penguins Expected To Sign Robby Fabbri To PTO

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The Penguins are bringing in winger Robby Fabbri to training camp on a professional tryout, reports Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Fabbri spent the 2024-25 season with the Ducks. He played a prominent role when in the lineup, averaging 16:12 of ice time per game, but injuries once again took a significant bite out of his season. He underwent knee surgery in November, which cost him a month, before sustaining a season-ending hand injury in late February. He finished the year with an 8-8–16 scoring line in 44 games. That worked out to 0.36 points per game, his worst production in six years and the second-worst season of his career.

That’s a concerning drop-off for a player whose ability to produce effectively when he’s able to go is his only real calling card. Fabbri has only played more than 60 games in a season three times in his nine-year career. The last time he didn’t miss at least 10 consecutive games in a season was back before the pandemic in 2019-20. Despite him averaging the third-most ice time of his career, Fabbri only recorded 1.48 shots on goal and 2.52 shot attempts per game for Anaheim, both significantly below his career averages of 1.67 and 2.83, respectively.

Understandably, that led to some tampered interest on the open market this summer, especially as he’s set to turn 30 midseason. It’s also worth noting he spent last year in one of the league’s worst offensive environments. Only two teams scored fewer goals than the Ducks’ 217, and they were squarely in the bottom half of every shot and chance generation metric at 5-on-5. Fabbri’s career average is right around 0.50 points per game and, up until last year, he’d been fairly consistent in that regard. From 2019-20 to 2023-24 with the Blues and Red Wings, Fabbri’s points per game stayed between 0.47 and 0.60 each season.

That makes him a buy-low candidate for a rebuilder in Pittsburgh. If they find a spot for him among their myriad young forwards competing for opening-night jobs along with other already-signed reclamation projects like Anthony Mantha, he could end up generating an additional draft pick for them if they sign him to a deal and flip him at the trade deadline. He joins career minor-leaguer Brett Murray as reported PTO attendees to the Pens’ camp.

The Risk And Reward Of Signing Evgeny Kuznetsov

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In each NHL offseason, certain players hit the free agent market, sparking debate about the risks and rewards of signing them. The potential rewards often outweigh the risks, and these players usually find opportunities in the NHL, but some do fall by the wayside. This summer, a few names fit the bill, including former Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, who is reportedly looking to return to an NHL lineup after playing in the KHL last year.

Kuznetsov can best be described as a reclamation project at this point in his career. The 33-year-old is highly talented and has posted strong results in the NHL throughout his career; however, he has often been inconsistent, which is precisely why he finds himself in the current position he is in a few weeks before NHL training camps are set to open. As for the risks and rewards of signing Kuznetsov, they look like this.

We’ll start with the reward side of the argument. Kuznetsov has an elite skill set; he has terrific hands (evidenced by his slow-motion shootout goals), is an excellent playmaker, and could pass with the best of them during his prime. These skills alone would make almost any player desirable, and they are the reason that Kuznetsov stayed in the NHL for as long as he did despite the warts in his game. Kuznetsov had 25 assists in 39 KHL games last season, which demonstrates that he still possesses a playmaking vision and could be a valuable part of a team’s top-nine forward group if placed in the right environment.

The next positive aspect of signing Kuznetsov is that he has been excellent in the Stanley Cup playoffs throughout his career. He was a key part of Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup Championship, leading the playoffs in points that season. Even his most recent NHL postseason saw him perform well, with four goals and two assists in 10 games, which ultimately was his last appearance in an NHL lineup. Kuznetsov has shown in the past that he can elevate his game when the stakes are highest, which could be a factor teams consider when deciding whether to sign him.

Then there’s the cost, which will be almost nothing. In real dollar terms, the NHL league minimum of $775K is significant; however, that’s the bare minimum Kuznetsov can earn in the NHL and likely what he will get when he finally signs (if he secures a one-way NHL deal). Teams will be interested in a player they can acquire without giving up an asset (other than cap space), and even if things go south for Kuznetsov, he could easily be waived and sent to the minors with his entire cap hit buried or perhaps agree to a mutual termination if things don’t work out. Either way, it would cost almost nothing to sign him and could reward a team with a valuable player at a low cost.

Lastly, on the reward side, there is the potential that a change of scenery move could unlock. Many players in NHL history have struggled with one team, then moved to a new market and rediscovered their game. This can happen for many reasons, but ultimately, one of the main reasons these moves are successful is if the player is motivated to revive their career. For Kuznetsov, the team that signs him will likely be giving him his last NHL shot, which means the stakes are high for him, and he should have plenty of motivation to give his best effort. It also means that whatever team signs Kuznetsov, they could see a significant return on a player who is a relatively small gamble.

Let’s examine the risks now associated with signing a player like Kuznetsov. Firstly, his production has fallen sharply in recent seasons, dropping to a near career-low 24 points in 63 games during the 2023-24 season. It wasn’t just the offense that dried up; it was Kuznetsov’s overall impact in his final two NHL seasons. Kuznetsov was never considered an analytical darling, but he became one of the most negative impact play-drivers in the NHL during those last two seasons. This decline in offensive output highlighted Kuznetsov’s overall game, which was never exceptional but was mainly hidden by his scoring.

Next up on the risk side is Kuznetsov’s tendency to be streaky. Some might call it apathy or being disengaged, but the fact is that any NHL team that hopes to win a Stanley Cup doesn’t want to bring in a passenger who plays when he feels like it. That’s not to say that is what Kuznetsov will do, but that is a reputation he does have, and teams will be looking for players who buy in and display a strong work ethic.

The reality of Kuznetsov’s age also comes into play, as there’s no way to sugarcoat the truth about hockey players on the wrong side of 30. Skills tend to decline, especially conditioning and speed, which usually drop faster than a player’s ability to control the puck. The concerning part for Kuznetsov is that managing the puck was one of the few things he did well in 2023-24, but with his lack of speed, his CF% took a nosedive, dropping to just 47% in that season.

Finally, there is the locker room fit. Teams are always concerned about bringing in a personality that doesn’t align with the team’s culture, and Kuznetsov could be a potential mismatch. Creating additional off-ice distractions is never ideal for NHL teams, which is why players like Phil Kessel and Calvin de Haan often see their final runs through free agency end in disappointment. An off-ice distraction will generally be tolerated if a player is performing at a high level. Still, as soon as their results slip, off-ice issues tend to be addressed more seriously.

In the end, whichever NHL team signs Kuznetsov (if any do) will get a player on a cheap league minimum contract, who has some potential to make an offensive impact and could produce some decent point totals. Alternatively, they might get a player who is inconsistent, unmotivated, and taking up a roster spot from someone else. Either way, Kuznetsov will be an intriguing player to watch in the near future.

Photo by Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Lightning’s Nick Paul Undergoes Upper-Body Surgery

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Lightning forward Nick Paul had an upper-body procedure performed last Friday, general manager Julien BriseBois said today (via the team’s Benjamin Pierce). He’ll miss around six weeks and is targeting an early November return.

Paul played through a left wrist tear in last season’s playoffs, BriseBois said at the time. It’s unclear if last week’s surgery was a delayed response to that injury or if it addressed a new issue. BriseBois did say that Paul was expected to be ready for training camp, so there’s a strong case for it being the latter.

There will be a significant hole to fill in Tampa’s middle six for the first month of the season. The versatile checker is coming off back-to-back 20-goal seasons and finished seventh on the team with 41 points last year, averaging north of 16 minutes per game and flexing between second-line wing and third-line center duties.

Paul starting the year on injured reserve will yield increased opportunities for the Bolts’ depth free agent signings, namely Pontus Holmberg and Jakob Pelletier. The latter is an especially intriguing candidate to slot into top-nine minutes. The Calgary 2019 first-rounder snuck through waivers at the beginning of last year but looked like he could handle at least third-line minutes after being recalled in December, scoring 11 points in 24 games for the Flames before he was traded to the Flyers in the Joel Farabee/Morgan Frost deal. He didn’t get much of a run in Philly, though, and he was an unrestricted free agent after being non-tendered.

He then signed a three-year deal with Tampa. This year carries a two-way structure, leading most to believe he was a candidate to end up on waivers again, but Paul’s vacant roster spot may give him an in. As for filling out their center depth, Yanni Gourde is beginning the first full season of his second stint with the Bolts, who acquired him and Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Kraken at last year’s trade deadline. He should be a relative lock to return to the role he found immense success in for Tampa during his first go-around with the club from 2015-21. He looked quite comfortable there down the stretch last year with 13 assists and 14 points in 21 games.

Maple Leafs To Hire Mark Giordano

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After going unsigned for 2024-25, veteran defender Mark Giordano appears to be putting a bow on his playing career. Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said today they’ll announce in the coming days that they’ve hired him in a yet-to-be-disclosed role with their AHL affiliate, according to David Alter of The Hockey News.

That would signal the retirement of one of the game’s premier defensemen of the 2010s. He was intent on playing last season and beyond, his agent said last offseason. The Oilers and Sabres had expressed interest in him into training camp in 2024, as well as potential reunions with the Flames and Leafs, but no contract ever panned out. He’ll now make the jump into the next phase of his hockey career.

Giordano is in the running for one of the most fruitful undrafted free agent signings of all time. He landed his first NHL contract during the 2004-05 lockout, signing with Calgary out of OHL Owen Sound and spending the canceled year in the AHL. He made his NHL debut when the league resumed play for 2005-06. He got his first taste of full-time action the following year, making 48 appearances in a depth role. Without a guarantee of expanded playing time from the Flames entering 2007-08, though, Giordano opted not to re-sign with the club when his entry-level contract expired. He instead spent the year in Russia with Dynamo Moscow while remaining a restricted free agent.

He returned to the Flames for the 2008-09 season, more earnestly kicking off his career as a top-four fixture. He was more of a defensive-oriented piece early on but as he entered his 30s, his offensive production began to soar as well. He hit the 40-point mark for the first time in 2010-11 and, beginning with the prior year, averaged north of 20 minutes per game for Calgary for 12 years in a row.

Widely regarded as a top-20 defenseman in the league for most of his prime, Giordano exploded in the 2018-19 campaign for a career year at age 35. He took home the Norris Trophy and finished ninth in MVP voting on a 50-win Flames squad that year, racking up 74 points and a league-leading +39 rating in 78 appearances.

The Flames’ record slipped over the next couple of seasons, though. With Giordano entering the final season of his contract in the 2021 offseason and the Flames wanting to protect younger names like Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin in that year’s expansion draft for the Kraken, the club left their captain exposed. Seattle picked him up, making him their first captain in franchise history, but his tenure in the Pacific Northwest was short-lived. The club was in the basement of the Pacific Division in their first year and, after Giordano scored 23 points in 55 games, traded the pending UFA to the Maple Leafs at the deadline for draft picks.

While the following summer meant the end of the six-year, $40.5MM contract he signed back in 2015, it didn’t mean the end of his time in Toronto. He signed a team-friendly two-year, $1.6MM deal that would see him finish his playing career with the Leafs as a serviceable bottom-pairing support piece. He made 144 regular-season appearances in a Toronto uniform in parts of three seasons, recording a 9-36–45 scoring line and a +49 rating.

Giordano’s 1,093 games in his second NHL stint rank seventh in the league among defensemen since 2008. His 561 points also rank 12th during that time. The Toronto native totaled a 158-419–577 scoring line in 1,148 career regular-season appearances with a +129 rating across 18 campaigns. All of us at PHR wish Giordano the best as he continues his career in the sport off-ice.

Image courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images.

Panthers’ Tomas Nosek Undergoes Knee Surgery

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Panthers center Tomas Nosek will miss the first several months of the season with a knee injury sustained during offseason training, general manager Bill Zito told reporters Wednesday, including George Richards of Florida Hockey Now.

Florida has likely been sitting on this information for a while. It offers additional context for their recent spree of depth forward signings and PTO agreements. In the last month, the Cats have added Luke Kunin on a league-minimum deal and brought in Noah Gregor and Tyler Motte on tryout pacts.

Nosek, 33, was widely projected to start the year as the Panthers’ fourth-line center. That was essentially the only role he played last season when healthy, oftentimes slotting in between fellow returnees Jonah Gadjovich and A.J. Greer. Injuries have become a commonality for the serviceable Czech pivot in the last few years. He spent the first month of last season on the injured list with an upper-body issue, and he also missed over half of the 2023-24 campaign with the Devils due to multiple ailments, including a knee injury.

The 6’3″ center is on the precipice of 500 career regular-season games and is entering his 11th NHL season and his second with the Panthers. He’s signed back-to-back league minimum contracts with the Cats, a decision that earned him his first Stanley Cup win last year after reaching the Final with the Golden Knights in their inaugural season. Nosek should also be remembered as the scorer of the first home goal in Vegas’ franchise history.

While a stable presence, Nosek’s offensive presence has deteriorated significantly in the last few years. He managed just 47 shots on goal in 59 appearances last year and only converted on one of them. He also averaged under 10 minutes per game for the first time. He’s still an effective checking presence, though, and has managed to keep his career-long streak of a 50% win rate or better on faceoffs alive.

In terms of his direct replacement to start the year, Jesper Boqvist might be the frontrunner. He was used as an extra forward in last year’s postseason and mainly slotted in on the wing when he was in the lineup, but he has more recent experience down the middle than any of Gregor, Kunin, or Motte. All of them can play center in a pinch, though, so Nosek’s absence likely won’t result in much of an on-ice hiccup for the Cats.

His newfound eligibility for long-term injured reserve also doesn’t change much for the Panthers, who still need to shed salary to be compliant for opening night. Since neither Nosek nor Matthew Tkachuk, who will also be on LTIR to begin the year after a recent adductor surgery, will miss the entire season, Florida is only eligible for $3.82MM in LTIR relief under the new rules taking effect this year. They currently have a projected exceedance of $4.5MM, per PuckPedia, so they’ll need to subtract a league-minimum salary to get under the ceiling to begin the year.

Jack Eichel Open To Continuing Extension Talks During Season

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Oftentimes, big-name pending unrestricted free agents aren’t open to continuing negotiations on an extension once the puck drops on the regular season to avoid the off-ice distraction. That won’t be the case for Golden Knights star Jack Eichel, who’s keeping the already cordial dialogue on contract talks open for however long he needs to, he said at last week’s Player Media Tour.

“I’m definitely not in the ‘no communication’ (camp),” Eichel told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. “I just try to focus on things that are in my control. If the contract happens organically, then it happens. Right now you’re just focused on getting yourself in as good a place as you can be to start the season and help the hockey team.”

Extension projections for Eichel have climbed to nearly $14MM per season on a max-term deal with next year’s salary cap set to rise to an estimated $104MM, according to AFP Analytics. That assumes he actually signs one of the last eight-year blockbusters before the maximum extension length drops to seven years next year, but there won’t be any hiccups there. TSN’s Chris Johnston said on his SDPN show last week that the player and club are in alignment on keeping him in Vegas for as long as possible.

Letting already drama-free talks continue to play out likely creates less distraction for the player than adding controversy to a set of negotiations that’s largely been out of the news since they began at the beginning of the summer. Yet Eichel’s use of the word “organically” to describe contract talks is a bit of a stretch. He’s just one of a potentially generational 2026 free agent class, flanking Kyle Connor, Kirill Kaprizov, and Connor McDavid atop the list. Seeing one of the first three sign a deal before McDavid sets the market with his expected short-term deal in Edmonton would be a surprise.

The other storyline is Vegas’ continued flirtation with the salary cap. Even under the new LTIR rules, the Knights will still be able to take full advantage of Alex Pietrangelo’s $8.8MM worth of LTIR relief if his injury status remains unchanged for 2026-27. That could leave them with around $29MM in spending money next summer when all is said and done. If that’s down to $15MM after getting an Eichel extension signed off, they still need to spread that around seven or eight other open roster spots. Only one of those spots is a free agent of true consequence for Vegas – that’s pending RFA Pavel Dorofeyev, who could conceivably swallow up half of that balance after scoring a team-leading 35 goals last season.

Snapshots: Ristolainen, McDavid, Malhotra, Sabres

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As expected when he underwent triceps surgery back in March after suffering an injury there for the second straight season, Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen won’t be available to start the season.  Speaking with reporters today (video link), GM Daniel Briere indicated that the blueliner is progressing well but won’t join the team until a month or two into the season.  The 30-year-old had a bounce-back showing last season, picking up 19 points along with 94 blocks and 97 hits in 63 games while averaging over 20 minutes a night.  He was recently cleared to resume skating in a non-contact jersey.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • With Oilers superstar Connor McDavid entering the final year of his contract, some are surprised that a deal hasn’t been signed yet. In his latest column for The Athletic (subscription link), Chris Johnston relays that the center isn’t believed to be seeking a specific number in terms of AAV.  The benchmark on that front has moved several times in recent years with his teammate Leon Draisaitl ($14MM) now the leader.  It’s widely expected that McDavid will surpass that number by a sizable margin but there isn’t a particular target in mind.
  • The Canucks announced that they have exercised the team option on Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra’s contract, keeping him signed through the 2026-27 season. Malhotra had quite the first season in Vancouver’s system, leading Abbotsford to a 44-24-2-2 record in the regular season, including a late-season 13-game winning streak that gave them plenty of momentum heading into the playoffs.  There, they went 16-8 overall on their way to the Calder Cup title, making the decision to extend his contract a very simple one.
  • While many teams are revealing their training camp rosters, the Sabres are trimming theirs. The team announced that forwards Matous Kucharcik, Melvin Novotny, Ryan Rucinski, and Ashton Schultz, along with defenseman Luke Dragusica, have all been returned to their respective junior teams.  The four forwards were all part of Buffalo’s draft class back in June.

Wild Not Entertaining Trade Offers For Kirill Kaprizov

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Earlier this offseason, the Wild made headlines when it was reported that they were willing to offer $16MM per season to pending unrestricted free agent winger Kirill Kaprizov.  Meanwhile, the winger himself made headlines when that offer (with an eight-year term) was rejected.  Understandably, there has been plenty of speculation about what Kaprizov’s future with the Wild might be.

However, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported in a TSN Early Trading segment that while teams are calling Minnesota GM Bill Guerin to try to assess if the 28-year-old might be available, they are being told that offers are not being entertained at this time.  To that end, Michael Russo of The Athletic reported today on the DFO Rundown (video link) that as of yet, Kaprizov’s camp hasn’t been approached for a list of teams he would accept a trade to; he has a full no-move clause and can veto any deal.

Despite the setback of having that record-breaking offer declined, the Wild are still operating with the internal belief that Kaprizov wants to remain in Minnesota.  It might be a case of his agent Paul Theofanous hoping to get a bit more money on the AAV, the year-to-year structure (salary and signing bonus money), or potentially a preference to take a shorter-term contract as some players are starting to want to do.  However, LeBrun also characterized the discussions between the two sides as “not cordial” so at first glance, an agreement shouldn’t be expected in the near future.

When healthy, Kaprizov is among the NHL’s elite talents and has 386 points in 319 career regular season games after coming to North America for his age-23 year.  He looked to be well on his way to setting new personal benchmarks last season but injuries ultimately limited him to just 41 games where he still managed 25 goals and 31 assists to finish third on the team in scoring.  Meanwhile, despite the injuries, Kaprizov was quite productive in the playoffs, notching five goals and four assists in their first-round loss to Vegas.

Considering the Wild have already gone higher than what some teams might be inclined to offer Kaprizov if he made it to free agency next summer, it will be interesting to see what their next move may wind up being.  Just don’t expect that move to be the initiation of trade discussions, an option that it appears they’re not ready to think about considering just yet.

Sharks Sign Oliver Wahlstrom To PTO, AHL Deal

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5:45 PM: The AHL’s San Jose Barracuda have announced Wahlstrom has signed a minor-league deal with the club. That will serve as his fallback, should he not earn an NHL deal out of camp.

4:15 PM: The San Jose Sharks will soon sign winger Oliver Wahlstrom to a professional try-out contract, per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. The report was later confirmed by PuckPedia. Pagnotta points out that Wahlstrom will have an AHL deal to fall back on, should he not earn an NHL contract. He was previously an unrestricted free agent after not receiving a qualifying offer from the Boston Bruins at the start of the summer.

Wahlstrom played his first games outside of the New York Islanders organization midway through last season. After six years of failed attempts to earn an everyday role in the top-nine, the Islanders made the decision to place Wahlstrom on waivers in mid-December. He was claimed by the Bruins the next day, and stuck with Boston for the rest of year, even clearing waivers with the club in February. Wahlstrom split his time between the NHL and AHL Bruins, beginning with 16 games in Boston where he racked up two points and 28 penalty minutes in a bottom-six role. He looked much more electric in 26 games with the Providence Bruins to close the year, netting 19 points and 14 penalty minutes in total.

But even in a move away from New York, Wahlstrom struggled to earn routine NHL minutes. The former 11th-overall selection has fallen a long way since making his NHL debut in 2019. He quickly struggled to score at the NHL level, with 12 goals and 21 points in 44 games of his rookie season standing as the highest scoring pace of Wahlstrom’s pro career. He posted a career-high 13 goals and 24 points in 73 games of his second NHL season, but fell to menial scoring and routine healthy scratches soon after that.

The Islanders rotated Wahlstrom around the lineup, but couldn’t find the right match for his flashy puck-skills and hard shot. Those traits did come to life during his stint with Providence at the end of last season, though. That fact commanded the attention of AHL clubs looking for a boost in scoring. It’s also commanded the attention of one of the NHL’s true bottom-feeders. San Jose is looking to bring in as much veteran presence and leadership as they can, to help guide a roster that’s sure to be one of the youngest in the league. Wahlstrom will be in direct competition for minutes with young wingers like Collin Graf, Ty Dellandrea, Philipp Kurashev, and Quentin Musty. Each of those players face the test of proving they can stick in the NHL. The Sharks will be the beneficiaries of that competition, whether through awarding rookies strong minutes or finding the positives out of struggling veterans. They’ll hope Wahlstrom can be the one to emerge above the rest, and finally bank on his long-lauded potential.

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