Wild Tried To Acquire Robert Thomas At Trade Deadline
An impactful top center has been atop Minnesota’s wish list for many years now. While Joel Eriksson Ek is a quality top-six middleman, they haven’t been able to find the pivot to help round out their top six. It appears that they attempted to do so before the trade deadline, however, with Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic reporting (subscription link) that the Wild made a pitch to acquire Robert Thomas from the Blues. Included in the proposed package were goaltender Jesper Wallstedt and center Danila Yurov.
Back in March, the expectation was that the Blues were seeking at least three top-15-level assets (players, prospects, or draft picks) plus maybe more if they were going to part with Thomas. Wallstedt and Yurov, though both picked just outside the top-15, probably would meet the criteria, but it’s unclear what else Minnesota was offering in their package. Their 2026 first-round pick was moved in the Quinn Hughes trade earlier this season, making their 2027 first a logical piece, although it’s unlikely that the Wild will be in the back of the lottery next summer.
Thomas would certainly have been a needle-mover for Minnesota. The 26-year-old surpassed the 80-point mark in 2023-24 and 2024-25 and would have had a chance to do so this season had he not missed 18 games due to injury. Still, Thomas put up 64 points in 64 outings. He also took a regular turn on the penalty kill and would have given Minnesota an all-around impactful center, one who is signed through 2030-31 at an $8.125MM AAV that will become even more team-friendly in the coming years.
That said, it’s understandable that the Blues wouldn’t view Wallstedt and Yurov as being viable centerpieces of a trade for their best forward. It’s not that neither is a quality player but rather that the fit on the roster is less certain.
Wallstedt’s first full NHL season was a successful one. He worked his way into a platoon with Filip Gustavsson, getting into 35 games during the regular season where he had a solid 2.65 GAA with a .915 SV% along with four shutouts. He then took over as the starter for Minnesota’s playoff run, compiling a 2.77 GAA and a .909 SV%, numbers that are skewed by the opening game of the Colorado series that saw him allow eight goals. But while he’s certainly a quality young goaltender, St. Louis has Joel Hofer in the mix already and are likely envisioning him as their goalie of the future. He and Wallstedt would make for an enticing tandem, but moving a top center for a tandem piece might not be the most practical for them.
As for Yurov, he had a decent first season in North America. The 22-year-old potted 12 goals and 15 assists in 73 games, playing primarily in the bottom six. He also stuck down the middle all season although there are some questions about his ability to stay there long-term. That’s where the fit with the Blues becomes less certain. Yes, he’s a promising player but if St. Louis is going to move their top center, they’d probably prefer a youngster coming back who is more of a safer bet to be a top-six middleman down the road.
Given that Minnesota’s need still exists and Wallstedt’s value is likely higher now than it was back at the deadline based on his playoff performance, it wouldn’t be entirely shocking to see GM Bill Guerin circle back on this. And if it doesn’t pan out, the two youngsters represent intriguing trade chips to try to bring in a quality center to make their roster that much more dangerous.
Juuso Valimaki In Talks With SHL Brynas
For several years, defenseman Juuso Valimaki was a regular at the NHL level. However, he didn’t see any time at the top level this season, playing exclusively in the minors. A pending unrestricted free agent, it appears he’s not waiting to see what options await him on the open market. Instead, Expressen’s Mattias Persson and Johan Svensson report that the blueliner is in extended discussions to join SHL Brynas next season.
The 27-year-old was a first-round pick by Calgary back in 2017, going 16th overall. He saw action in parts of three seasons with the Flames and after a 49-game showing in 2020-21, they saw fit to sign him to a $1.55MM per season bridge deal. That contract wound up helping him clear waivers the following season but in 2022, he wasn’t able to sneak through, instead being claimed by Arizona.
With the Coyotes, he became a full-timer on their back end, playing in 78 games after being picked up, earning himself a one-year extension in the process. Then, after logging over 19 minutes a night in 2023-24, Valimaki received a two-year, $4MM pact and it looked as if he was finally going to get some stability.
Instead, Utah (after the Coyotes moved) bolstered its back end, pushing Valimaki down to the seventh spot last season and off the roster altogether in 2025-26. History repeated itself with the blueliner being waived in training camp and clearing, sending him off to AHL Tucson where injuries limited him to three games in as many months. Then, the Hurricanes acquired him in January to give themselves some extra defensive depth although he has yet to see action with Carolina. Instead, his regular season ended with 23 points in 27 games while he has four points in six playoff contests with AHL Chicago so far.
It appears that Valimaki will be taking quite a pay cut on this eventual deal. Persson and Svensson note that he was seeking a EUR300K deal initially (worth around $349K in USD) but that the contract is expected to come in for considerably less. Given his NHL experience and AHL success, it stands to reason that he easily could have been that on even a two-way deal in North America this summer. Accordingly, it appears that Valimaki will be leaving some money on the table to play closer to home.
Golden Knights Make Black Ace Recalls
It has certainly been a whirlwind few days for the Golden Knights, who are off to the third round but down a second-round pick in the process. With their AHL affiliate in Henderson being eliminated last weekend by Colorado, Vegas has made its Black Ace recalls. Per the AHL’s transactions log, they’ve recalled forwards Tanner Laczynski, Raphael Lavoie, Jonas Rondbjerg, and Kai Uchacz, along with defensemen Jeremy Davies and Jaycob Megna.
Laczynski was the leading scorer for the Silver Knights this season, potting 22 goals and 42 assists in 62 games, setting a new benchmark in points by far as his previous high was 44 points. He could have added to that total had he not made ten appearances with Vegas where he was relatively productive in a limited role, adding five assists despite playing less than 11 minutes per game of ice time. While he has just 56 games of NHL experience, he has seen time at the top level in five of the last six seasons.
Lavoie’s journey to the Golden Knights last season was a bit of an adventure, featuring near-daily stints on the waiver wire at the end of training camp as he landed in a tug of war between them and Edmonton. He played almost exclusively in the minors this season aside from one game with Vegas and was quite productive with Henderson, recording 30 goals and 26 assists in just 45 appearances. He is still looking for his first NHL point and has 17 career appearances at the top level.
Rondbjerg has seen action with the Golden Knights in five straight years, spanning 80 games, where he has three goals and eight assists. However, he only got into four outings with them this season as he dropped a little lower on the depth chart. The 27-year-old had 13 goals and 13 assists in 43 games with the Silver Knights and has been remarkably consistent at that level. Over his past five AHL seasons, he has ranged between 25 and 28 points.
Uchacz is the one prospect out of this group. He made his NHL debut late in the season with three appearances and had a strong sophomore campaign in the minors. In 68 games this season, he finished third on Henderson in scoring with 20 goals and 31 assists, besting his rookie-year point total by 21.
Among the blueliners, Davies hasn’t seen NHL action since the 2022-23 campaign. However, he has been a productive player in the minors in recent years, checking in just shy of the 50-point mark in each of the last two seasons. This year, Davies had nine goals and 38 assists in 72 games to tie for the team lead in points by a blueliner.
Megna is the oldest of the group at 33. He has seen NHL action in five straight seasons, spanning five different organizations as he has bounced around as a depth defender. He played in just four games for Vegas in 2025-26, bringing his career total to 197. With the Silver Knights, Megna had 11 points in 64 games.
It’s unlikely any of these players will be called on to suit up in the third round against Colorado, barring a significant run of injuries. However, they’ll keep skating in the meantime to be ready if their number ultimately gets called.
Blackhawks’ Teuvo Teravainen To Miss Remainder Of World Championship
Winger Teuvo Teravainen will miss the remainder of the 2026 IIHF World Championship with an undisclosed injury, Team Finland announced on Saturday. Teravainen recorded two assists in Finland’s win over Team Germany to start the tournament.
This will be an irreplaceable loss for the Finns. Teravainen led the team in scoring at the 2025 World Championships with 11 points – including a tournament-leading 10 assists – in seven games. He failed to keep that hot scoring rolling in the 2026 Winter Olympics, with just one point in six games. Still, Teravainen’s two-way, veteran presence has proved to be a reliable part of Finland’s top-six.
That is the same role he has brought to the Chicago Blackhawks over the last two seasons. He reached 58 points in the 2024-25 season, his first year back on the middling Blackhawks lineup. Those numbers fell to 35 points in 76 games this year, though Teravainen still seemed to stand out on a nightly basis while supporting Blackhawks youngsters Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar.
Teravainen’s summer focus will now turn towards working back to full health before returning to that spot in Chicago’s lineup next season. It will be the final year on his current contract and should go better than last season, thanks to the addition of Anton Frondell and Roman Kantserov.
Timo Meier Has Been A Massive Disappointment For The Devils
When the New Jersey Devils acquired forward Timo Meier in 2023, they hoped to land a power forward who could reshape their top six and provide 40 goals a season. At the time, Meier looked like that player, and New Jersey gave up assets to the San Jose Sharks, believing he would become a core member and ride shotgun alongside Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. In addition to trading away significant assets, the Devils committed financially to Meier long-term with an eight-year contract worth $70.4MM ($8.8MM annually). The results weren’t great to start. Meier had just 14 points in his first 21 games with the Devils and just four points (two goals and two assists) in 11 playoff games. Now, just three years into that contract, Meier has been less of a top-end power forward and more of a streaky depth scorer who struggles with turnovers.
New Jersey has been a major disappointment over the past two seasons. While Meier has been relatively consistent, he hasn’t lived up to the expectations when he was brought in and signed long-term. In the five years prior to the trade, Meier had topped 30 goals three times and had become a 65-75-point player. Since the trade, he’s been a 25-goal scorer and a 50-point player. These numbers, while respectable, aren’t what the Devils were hoping for when they made the moves.
The Devils obviously want to get back to the playoffs with their current roster, but many of their top-paid players have struggled to live up to their price tags. Meier is hardly alone in his struggles, but he just finished fourth in Devils scoring, despite being the highest-paid forward.
Now, you could point to some of the injuries and to the inconsistency hampering Meier’s production, but the cause is likely much deeper and involves both individual and team issues.
For Meier, he simply has not elevated his play since the trade to New Jersey and has not been as physically imposing as he was with the Sharks. Many predicted that Meier would become the Devils’ net-front presence and use his size to score many goals in front of the net, but Meier hasn’t become that player despite playing through his prime over the past few years.
Meier also hasn’t built chemistry with his teammates or settled into his role. Some of that can be blamed on his lack of momentum on his own, but there have also been lineup and coaching changes, along with other external factors that could be keeping Meier from getting comfortable with the Devils.
While Meier’s offensive numbers have been respectable, perhaps the most troubling aspect of his game is on the defensive side, where he lacks attention to detail in his own end and is often guilty of turning the puck over. These warts in his game would be forgivable if Meier were producing more offense, but unfortunately for New Jersey, that has not been the case.
Meier was brought in to help change the Devils’ trajectory, but, unfortunately for New Jersey, it appears the trajectory has gone the other way, which, given the talent on the roster, seems to be a shock to most people. It’s hard to label Meier a disaster, but when compared to the costs to acquire and retain him, there is little doubt that the Devils would love to have both the trade and the contract back as a do-over, and it’s likely a series of moves they wouldn’t repeat.
At this point, it’s unlikely that Meier takes the next steps that the Devils were hoping he would take when they acquired him. And with the failed trade, among other failed moves, New Jersey has brought in a new management group, and it should be interesting to see how they assess the fit with Meier and whether or not they see him as a long-term fixture. There could be an interesting dynamic with a new GM and management team: a possible trade, or they could see him in a different role with the Devils. Back with San Jose, Meier was often a focal point of the Sharks’ offense; however, in New Jersey, that is less often the case, as the Devils have better forward depth and more offensive players than the Sharks did 3-4 years ago.
There is also the possibility that Meier re-captures his offensive game this year after a tumultuous season off the ice last year. Meier took a personal leave of absence mid-season after posting 10 goals and 12 assists in his first 26 games (a 70-point pace). After returning from his leave, Meier tallied eight goals and three assists in 34 games, roughly a 26-point pace over a full season. Curiously, Meier’s shooting percentage dropped from 11.9% in those first 26 games to 5.9% in the 34 games following his return. There are many reasons that could happen (bad luck, for one), but it’s hard to imagine him shooting that poorly over another stretch of play.
With a new management group in place and five years left on his contract, it will take some time before Meier’s fate is ultimately decided. For now, given his contract status, it’s hard to imagine the Devils moving him to another team. But this summer could be one of urgency in New Jersey, with Hischier’s contract entering its final season and a lot of disappointment surrounding the team. What that means for Meier remains to be seen, but if he does become a trade chip, he would be a buy-low candidate who should generate some interest among teams looking for help in their top six.
Jay Woodcroft Expected To Interview For Other Opportunities
Last offseason, Anaheim Ducks assistant coach Jay Woodcroft interviewed for multiple head coaching positions, and is expected to do the same this summer. According to Eric Stephens of The Athletic, Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek won’t hold him back, nor block any team from interviewing Woodcroft once those requests come his way.
In Stephens’ update, he shared a quote from Verbeek, saying, “I would never hold a coach back from getting a head coaching job. There’s only 32 of them. That’s the pinnacle of his profession so I would never hold him back from that.”
A year ago, Woodcroft had confirmed interviews with the Ducks, Boston Bruins, and Pittsburgh Penguins, and likely had others. Despite progressing significantly with the Bruins, Woodcroft became an assistant coach in Orange County for the 2025-26 season.
This all came after taking a one-year break from coaching in the 2024-25 season. His last time as a head coach came with the Edmonton Oilers, before he was fired early into the 2023-24 season. By the time he was let go, Woodcroft had managed a 79-41-13 record (.594 W%) with the Oilers, advancing as far as the Western Conference Final in 2022.
Luckily for Woodcroft, there will be no shortage of opportunities this summer. The Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking for new head coaches over the next few weeks. Additionally, the Vegas Golden Knights could be another suitor if they don’t sign John Tortorella to an extension after the season. Although the Oilers are again looking for a new head coach, it’s unlikely that the team would circle back to Woodcroft.
Wild Notes: Foligno, Brodin, Hynes
In this morning’s end-of-season media availability, veteran forward Nick Foligno touched on his future with the Minnesota Wild and his playing future in general. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, Foligno stated that he would love to return to the Wild next season, but will first decide whether he wants to continue playing.
Minnesota acquired the 38-year-old Foligno at the deadline in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. He performed admirably, scoring one goal and adding four points in 17 regular-season contests, with two additional goals and three points in 11 postseason games. His two playoff goals came in the series-clinching loss against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 of Round Two.
There’s no surprise that retirement is a legitimate question for Foligno. As soon as the Wild acquired him, it had all the makings of a swan song, playing out the final days of his career with his brother, Marcus Foligno. Fortunately for Minnesota, should Foligno return, it’ll assuredly be on a much cheaper deal than his current $4.5MM salary.
Additional notes from the Wild:
- According to Joe Smith of The Athletic, defenseman Jonas Brodin revealed his playoff ailment to the media. Brodin shared that he broke a toe bone after blocking a shot in Round One, a fracture that required surgery. It’s more of the same for Brodin, who has not registered 70 or more games in a single season since the 2021-22 campaign.
- Unsurprisingly, Russo indicated that head coach John Hynes isn’t expected to depart this offseason. The question is fairly typical after a team is bounced from the playoffs, especially a team as talented as the Wild. Hynes has been the main bench boss in Minnesota since the 2023-24 campaign, guiding them to a 125-78-24 record (.604 W%) in that time.
Golden Knights Forfeit Draft Pick, John Tortorella Fined
The National Hockey League didn’t let the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate their Western Conference Final berth for too long. According to an announcement from the league office, the Vegas Golden Knights will forfeit their 2026 second-round pick, and head coach John Tortorella will be fined $100K for “flagrant violations” of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Media Regulations.
Although the punishment was unknown, this was an expected outcome for many. In the announcement, the league shared, “The imposition of these penalties comes after previous warnings were issued to the Club regarding their compliance with the Media Regulations and other associated policies.” After last night’s series-clinching win, Vegas closed the locker room doors to the media, and Tortorella refused to meet with them.
According to the league, the Golden Knights will have the ability to appeal the punishment, though they likely won’t have much leverage, given that they’ve been warned multiple times. Still, instead of arguing for a complete erasure of the punishment, Vegas may argue themselves into a slap on the wrist with an understanding that a harsher punishment will be had if something like this happens again.
Regardless, the loss of a second-round pick puts Vegas in a deep hole. Although they normally trade away their draft capital or trade away the prospects, they now lose one for nothing. After today’s news, the Golden Knights don’t have another second-round pick at their disposal until the 2030 NHL Draft.
The Golden Knights offered a press release of their own, saying, “The Golden Knights are aware of today’s announcement from the NHL regarding the postgame media availability following Game 6 in Anaheim. The organization will have no further comment.“
Xavier Villeneuve Commits To Boston University
After losing Yegor Shilov to Penn State University yesterday, the Boston University Terriers are still getting their hands on a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. According to an announcement on his Instagram, defenseman Xavier Villeneuve has committed to Boston University.
Villeneuve, 18, has spent the last three years with the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. He has been a solid scoring talent throughout that stretch, scoring 26 goals and 143 points in 152 games with a +11 rating. During the 2024-25 campaign, he suited up for Team Canada at the IIHF U18 World Junior Championships, scoring four goals and eight points in seven tournament contests.
According to NHL Central Scouting, Villeneuve is the 18th-ranked North American skater for the upcoming draft. Given that he’s projected between the 15th and 20th selection on many boards, Villeneuve should expect to land with a team that’s currently playing, or that qualified for the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Furthermore, he follows a recurring theme of smaller, pass-first defenseman for the Terriers. Obviously, the most recent example would be Lane Hutson and his brother, Cole Hutson. Neither brother is 6’0″ or taller, but both have become solid NHL players. Lane is only three years removed from his time at Boston University, and he’s scored 18 goals and accumulated 146 points in 166 games throughout his young career, winning the Calder Trophy in 2025.
Snapshots: Mastrosimone, Porter, Predators Draft Pick
The Charlotte Checkers, AHL affiliates of the Florida Panthers, have signed forward Robert Mastrosimone to a one-year AHL contract extension. As is custom for AHL contracts, the financial terms of the deal were not made public. A 2019 second-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, Mastrosimone played four seasons of college hockey (three as a Boston University Terrier, one as an Arizona State Sun Devil) before turning pro in 2023-24. A point-per-game scorer at ASU, Mastrosimone struggled through the first two years of his pro career with the Toronto Marlies, putting up just 29 points in 95 games.
The Marlies didn’t re-sign Mastrosimone for a third year, and instead he signed a one-year deal in Charlotte. In October, it looked as though Mastrosimone had lost his spot in the AHL, as he was sent down to the ECHL after the Checkers signed veteran Tyler Motte to a PTO. By early December, Mastrosimone had worked his way back into the AHL by scoring nine goals and 15 points in 13 ECHL games. That stint in the third tier seemed to make a major difference for Mastrosimone, as he took his AHL performance to a new level after being recalled. He finished the 2025-26 season with 13 goals and 32 points in 49 games for the Checkers, and could be on the way to establishing himself as a full-time AHL middle-six scorer. With today’s extension news, he’ll get to continue on that path with the Checkers.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- USA Hockey announced today that former NHLer Kevin Porter has been hired as a head coach for the U.S. National Team Development Program. Per Sean Shapiro of Elite Prospects, Porter will coach the NTDP’s U18 team. Porter spent last season as an assistant coach for the U18’s, and also coached the United States to a gold medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, their first win at the tournament since 2003. Before coaching at the NTDP, Porter was an assistant coach with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins from 2020-21 through 2023-24. As a player, Porter had a 249-game NHL career and also served as a captain in the AHL with the Rochester Americans.
- As a result of the Vegas Golden Knights’ victory over the Anaheim Ducks last night, a win that propelled them to the Western Conference Finals, the 2027 third-round pick Vegas surrendered to the Nashville Predators will officially upgrade to a 2027 second-round pick. The Golden Knights sent what was originally a conditional third-round pick to Nashville as part of last summer’s Nicolas Hague/Jeremy Lauzon trade. The development gives the Predators another second-round pick to work with in next year’s draft, and means that, barring any further trades, the club will go three consecutive years with two second-round picks in the draft. The club acquired a 2026 second-rounder from the Minnesota Wild in last year’s Gustav Nyquist trade, and a 2028 second-rounder from the Wild in this past season’s Michael McCarron deal.