Kings Notes: Doughty, Kempe, Clarke, Kuemper, Edmundson
The Los Angeles Kings’ season came to an abrupt and disappointing end this week following a four-game sweep at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche. As players gathered for exit interviews, the focus shifted from a frustrating postseason to an offseason filled with contract questions and health updates.
Veteran defenseman Drew Doughty is entering the final year of his contract. While he remains the face of the Kings’ blueline, he admitted that discussions regarding an extension have not yet begun. Despite recording 23 points in 72 games, Doughty was candid about his own performance, stating it “wasn’t as good as it needed to be.” However, his desire to remain a “King for Life” hasn’t wavered. “I want to stay here,” Doughty said. “If they approach me to get something done, I’m going to get it done.”
Additional Notes:
- Forward Adrian Kempe shed light on the lower-body injury that hampered him in late March, revealing it was a foot injury that impacted his play for about five or six games. While it bothered him during the regular-season stretch, Kempe insisted it “didn’t really affect” him by the time the playoffs began.
- Defenseman Brandt Clarke is a pending restricted free agent. Clarke, who emerged as a reliable top-four option with 31 points in 82 games this season, confirmed that while talks occurred during the year, both sides tabled them to focus on the playoff push. “I love Los Angeles. I love my teammates,” Clarke noted. “I want to lock myself in and be part of this core.”
- Goaltender Darcy Kuemper is coming off a heavy workload, appearing in 50 games this season with a 2.78 GAA and .891 SV%. When asked about representing Team Canada at the upcoming World Championships, Kuemper remained non-committal, stating he is currently uncertain about attending.
- Despite the sweep, veteran defenseman Joel Edmundson—who is in the middle of a four-year deal—emphasized that the locker room remains tight-knit. “I love this team,” Edmundson said. “We all love each other and care for each other… that’s going to pay off in the long run. It gets us excited for the next couple years.” With several key pieces nearing free agency and a core that struggled to find its footing against Colorado, the Kings’ front office now faces a pivotal summer to ensure that the “next couple years” Edmundson referenced lead to a deeper playoff run.
Atlantic Notes: Tkachuk, Dobson, Der-Arguchintsev
Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk took center stage Wednesday during his end-of-season press conference, using the time to forcefully shut down growing speculation regarding his future with the club. While the rest of the team’s end-of-season press conference was held on Monday after the Carolina Hurricanes swept the Senators, Tkachuk was delayed to celebrate the birth of his daughter, Lyla. During the discussions, Tkachuk wasted little time addressing trade rumors that he labeled a “distraction.”
“I feel like I’ve never shown, never said, none of those things have ever come out of my mouth, and quite honestly, it’s just getting frustrating,” Tkachuk said. “I have been fully committed to this team, to this city.”
General Manager Steve Staios echoed that sentiment earlier in the week, calling the rumors “nonsense.” Tkachuk, 26, is under contract for two more seasons and finished the year with 59 points in 60 games. Despite his regular-season production, he was held scoreless in the opening-round sweep, a result he admitted was a “big shot in the confidence.” He plans to meet with Staios following the U18 World Championships to discuss how to improve the roster for next season.
Additional notes around the Atlantic:
- The Montreal Canadiens received a significant boost during Wednesday’s optional skate as defenseman Noah Dobson returned to the ice. Dobson has been sidelined since April 11 after blocking a shot with his left hand, an injury that forced him to miss the start of the Canadiens’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. While he skated individually and has yet to be cleared for full contact, his presence is a major step forward for a Habs blueline that has relied heavily on Mike Matheson and Lane Hutson in his absence.
- Former Maple Leafs prospect Semyon Der-Arguchintsev is reportedly interested in a return to the NHL after a productive stint in the KHL. His agent, Shumi Babaev, confirmed that they have already reached out to the organization to express a desire to rejoin the system. “Semyon is considering the option of returning to Toronto,” Babaev told R.org’s Daria Tuboltseva. “We contacted former general manager Brad Treliving and expressed our desire to return to the club’s system. Now we are waiting for the appointment of a new general manager and to understand his position.” Der-Arguchintsev, 25, recorded 37 points in 59 KHL games this season.
Latest On Maple Leafs GM Search
April 29th: According to Nick Alberga of Leafs Morning Take, a third candidate has made it to the final stages of the Maple Leafs GM search. Michael Futa, currently serving as a special assistant to the General Manager with the Carolina Hurricanes, has joined White and Chayka as a finalist for the role. Futa spent many years with the Los Angeles Kings organization as the team’s Director of Amateur Scouting, Vice President of Hockey Operations, and Assistant General Manager.
April 24th: In a new update from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast, the Toronto Maple Leafs are likely down to their final two candidates for their open General Manager position. Still, Friedman doesn’t expect anything to be announced soon as the Maple Leafs continue to do their due diligence on each candidate, who couldn’t be more different.
One of the candidates is Scott White, Assistant General Manager of the Dallas Stars, as reported a few days ago. White was hired by the Stars organization after the 2005 lockout, working his way up from their AHL affiliate to the AGM position in 2016. In his developmental philosophy, White typically values players of high character, often providing prospects and draft options with numerous character assessments.
That’s not to say he doesn’t value talent, but he is keenly aware of what a bad locker room can create, even with the necessary talent to win. Unsurprisingly, the Maple Leafs are interested in allowing that philosophy to dictate the future of the organization. Toronto has undeniable talent, but the team has struggled to mesh well in recent years. White would be an interesting candidate to come in and make some blunt changes to reshuffle the team’s chemistry.
Meanwhile, Friedman shared that John Chayka, former General Manager of the Arizona Coyotes, is the other finalist, and likely the favorite. Chayka has not worked in the NHL since he left the Coyotes organization in 2020, as he’s largely focused on his company, Compass Restaurant Group, along with his wife.
Additionally, it was unlikely he would find another General Manager role before that due to some controversy surrounding him toward the end of his time in Arizona. Chayka was suspended from the NHL by Commissioner Gary Bettman for pursuing opportunities with other clubs while under contract with the Coyotes. Additionally, the Coyotes were forced to forfeit a second-round pick in 2020 and a first-round pick in 2021 for hosting a private scouting combine for draft-eligible prospects under Chayka.
Still, Chayka has what the Maple Leafs want. He has a shrewd analytical mind, similar to Eric Tulsky of the Carolina Hurricanes and Sunny Mehta of the New Jersey Devils. Like White, Chayka would likely implement changes to enhance the team’s talent; however, concerns about the locker room atmosphere may persist.
Friedman pointed out that although the team has narrowed its choices down to two finalists, neither White nor Chayka has advanced to the second round of negotiations, which involves meeting with the Maple Leafs’ ownership group. The first candidate to reach this stage is likely to be named the team’s next General Manager in a few weeks.
Ilya Sorokin, Jeremy Swayman, Andrei Vasilevskiy Named Vezina Trophy Finalists
The NHL has officially announced the field for the 2025-26 Vezina Trophy, naming Ilya Sorokin (New York Islanders), Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins), and Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) as the three finalists. Voted on by the league’s general managers, the award recognizes the goaltender deemed most valuable to his team at the position.
This year’s group features a mix of powerhouse names and rising stars who have carried their respective clubs through an 82-game season.
Sorokin returns to the finalist circle for the second time in his career after a season where he was arguably the league’s busiest and most reliable netminder. Despite the Islanders’ inconsistent defensive metrics, Sorokin was a human highlight reel, leading the NHL with seven shutouts across 55 games played. He posted a 29-24-2 record with a 2.68 GAA and .906 SV%, but his case for the award is notably from his league-leading 452 high-danger saves.
Swayman has taken the reins in Boston and proved he is a bona fide elite starting goaltender. The 27-year-old recorded a career-high 31 wins and led all goaltenders with 38 starts with a SV% of .900 or better. Finishing the year with a 31-18-4 record, a 2.71 GAA, and a .907 SV%, Swayman’s ability to handle a heavy workload while maintaining elite performances night after night helped a transitional Bruins roster secure the top Wild Card spot in the East.
Vasilevskiy reminded the world why he remains the gold standard for modern goaltending, leading the NHL in wins for the sixth time in his career. Across 58 appearances, he posted a 39-15-4 record, with an historic 17-0-1 record during the middle of the season. He finished the campaign ranked second in the league in GAA at 2.31 and tied for fourth in save percentage at .912, making his sixth time as a Vezina finalist as he seeks to capture the trophy for the first time since 2019.
While Vasilevskiy holds the advantage in traditional win-loss metrics and goals against average, Sorokin’s case is built on the immense degree of difficulty he faced in New York. Swayman, on the other hand, represents a newer guard, showing that he can maintain elite efficiency over a full season’s workload. The winner will be revealed during the NHL Awards ceremony later this summer.
Defense Notes: Nikishin, D’Astous, Bonk
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin skated in a non-contact jersey this morning, his first time hitting the ice since he suffered a concussion against the Ottawa Senators. The move indicates that Nikishin is progressing closer to a return to the ice in time for the start of the team’s second-round series, which will either be against the Pittsburgh Penguins or Philadelphia Flyers. Nikishin played on the left side of Carolina’s third pairing for the team’s first-round sweep of the Senators, also handling some power play duties.
Long seen as one of Carolina’s top prospects, Nikishin had a successful rookie campaign and his return bolsters a Hurricanes team that is one of the league’s finest. He averaged 18:11 time on ice per game this season, chipping in on both sides of special teams. He scored 33 points across 81 games, ranking second in scoring among rookie blueliners across the league. The former captain of the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg was a star defenseman back in Russia and if he can end up returning before the start of the second round, he would only further underscore Carolina’s position in the upcoming series as heavy favorites.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper told the media that defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous is a game-time decision tonight, meaning he could potentially return for a high-stakes game five against the Montreal Canadiens. D’Astous suffered an undisclosed injury in game one and has missed three consecutive contests. D’Astous has been a significant win for Tampa Bay’s scouting staff and wider hockey operations department this season, as the former SHL, Liiga, ECHL, and QMJHL defenseman of the year stepped right into the NHL and had a strong rookie campaign at the age of 28. The undrafted blueliner, signed through next season at an $875K cap hit, scored 29 points in 70 games while averaging 18:45 time on ice per game.
- The Flyers have considered inserting rookie defenseman Oliver Bonk into their lineup for game six against the Penguins, head coach Rick Tocchet told the media yesterday. (Per Kevin Kurz of The Athletic.) Although Bonk skated with the expected scratches at today’s morning skate, Tocchet said yesterday that “it is in the discussion to maybe put him in.” The 21-year-old has just one NHL game on his résumé, though he does have extensive playoff experience from his days in junior hockey with the London Knights. If they elect to dress Bonk, the Flyers could be looking for one of their top defensive prospects to provide them with a spark, a spark similar to the ones provided by rookies Porter Martone, Denver Barkey, and most recently Alex Bump.
Sabres’ Noah Ostlund Suffers Lower-Body Injury
10:35 a.m.: Ruff spoke to the media again this morning and said Östlund is going to miss “some time.” He added that the update the team received on Östlund’s status was “not good.”
Ruff did also say that Norris is ready to return to the ice for game six against Boston, meaning the Sabres have avoided the scenario where all three of Östlund, Norris, and Carrick are sidelined.
9:27 a.m.: Buffalo Sabres forward Noah Östlund was knocked out of the team’s game five loss to the Boston Bruins with a lower-body injury, the team announced last night.
After the game, head coach Lindy Ruff told the media (including Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic) that Östlund’s injury “doesn’t look good” and pointed to the fact that the player attempted to skate during a media timeout to test out the injury, but ended up quickly leaving the ice and returning to the locker room. 
Östlund’s status is a key storyline to watch in advance of what will be an extremely important game six for Buffalo.
At this point, it looks more likely than not that the Sabres will have to make do without their talented rookie pivot.
The center, who is the No. 3 prospect in the team’s pool according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, had slotted in as the team’s third-line center. He scored a goal and an assist in three games this series.
While Östlund has not been ruled out of the team’s next game officially, Ruff’s statement as well as the visual of the injury both indicate that he’s set to miss at least some time. His absence would leave the Sabres in a somewhat precarious position down the middle. Ruff elevated No. 4 center Tyson Kozak into Östlund’s role after the latter’s injury. But the high-energy bottom-sixer isn’t a natural fit for Östlund’s role.
Hurting the Sabres is the fact that they’re already missing three centers due to injury. 21-year-old Jiri Kulich was already ruled out for the season due to blood clotting. Trade deadline addition Sam Carrick was sensational to start his time in Buffalo, but has been out since the start of the month with an arm injury. Ruff previously ruled out Carrick returning in the first round.
Top-six pivot Josh Norris has been sidelined for three consecutive games due to an undisclosed injury. He participated in the team’s morning skate on Tuesday but wasn’t able to dress last night. His return to the lineup would mitigate a lot of the damage done by Östlund’s injury.
If Norris can’t return for game six, the team does have some options as to how it might fill Östlund’s vacant No. 3 center role. They could shift Peyton Krebs, a natural center who is playing left wing, to the role. The 25-year-old is the Sabres’ most talented candidate to play there, but moving him would risk disrupting the team’s first line.
Krebs has been stellar in the first round playing alongside Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, and has five points in five contests. He’s continued what was a breakout regular season and Ruff is unlikely to want to break up a combination that has worked so well.
If moving Krebs to the middle isn’t a realistic option, the team’s best option might be to simply dress 27-year-old Joshua Dunne and run him and Kozak as the two bottom-six pivots. Dunne played in the first two games of the series before he was replaced in favor of Kozak.
Regardless of what the Sabres ultimately elect to do, the most important thing to track will be Östlund’s status. With how many injuries the Sabres are already dealing with up front, the hope will have to be that the skilled rookie center’s injury isn’t as bad as it initially looked.
Photos courtesy of Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
Sonny Milano Signs In Switzerland
4/29/26: SC Bern have officially announced the signing of Milano to a one-year contract for next season, confirming that the former top prospect will play in the European pro ranks for the first time in his career. At 29 years old, Milano has played in 344 games at the NHL level and 187 games in the AHL.
4/20/26: From a health perspective, this has been a good year for Capitals winger Sonny Milano. However, he’s currently in the minors playing for Hershey, an outcome he likely wasn’t expecting coming into the season. The pending UFA appears to be eyeing a change of scenery for 2026-27 as Watson’s Klaus Zaugg reports that Milano is expected to sign with SC Bern in Switzerland.
The 29-year-old missed the majority of last season with an upper-body injury. He attempted to come back from it but suffered a setback, one that put the beginning of 2025-26 in jeopardy. However, he was able to play at the start of the year and made Washington’s roster out of training camp.
While Milano played regularly in the first week of the year, playing time started to become more sporadic after that as he spent considerable time as a scratch. Then, following the Olympic break, he lost his roster spot and cleared waivers, paving the way for him to join Hershey for his first taste of action in the minors since a 2022-23 conditioning stint.
Milano played in 31 games for the Capitals this season, picking up four goals and four assists while playing just 8:53 per night. He has played almost exclusively in the bottom six over his four years with Washington although he still managed 15 goals in 2023-24 in spite of his limited usage. Meanwhile, he has been productive with the Bears, tallying 13 points in 16 games. He’ll still be playing for the time being with Hershey beginning a best-of-three playoff series versus Bridgeport on Tuesday.
Given Milano’s last couple of years and the fact that he had a hard time securing a contract in free agency in 2022, he profiles as more of a PTO candidate if he decides to test the open market this summer. Instead, it appears he’ll bypass doing that and lock down a top role in the Swiss league to continue his career.
Senators Unlikely To Retain Nick Jensen
The “expectation is” that the Senators will not retain pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Nick Jensen, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen.
Senators GM Steve Staios told the media this week that the club has “not closed the door” on any of their pending unrestricted free agents. But while the team could still retain some of its pending UFA forwards, they reportedly won’t be doing so with Jensen.
If Garrioch’s expectation comes to fruition, and the Senators let Jensen walk, the decision would end the veteran’s two-year stint in the Canadian capital. Jensen’s season ended in March after he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
The 35-year-old blueliner is a veteran of nearly 700 NHL games and arrived in Ottawa as part of the Jakob Chychrun trade.
The longtime Capitals rearguard helped stabilize the right side of the Senators’ defense, and his arrival in Ottawa coincided with the team’s long-awaited return to the playoffs.
Ottawa had not made the playoffs since its run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2017 before Jensen arrived, but qualified for the postseason in each of the defenseman’s two seasons with the team.
There are a few factors that are contributing to the likelihood Jensen won’t return to Ottawa. Right-shot defenseman Jordan Spence emerged as a quality NHLer this season, scoring 31 points in 73 games while averaging 18:43 time on ice per game, including 1:16 per game on the power play. He’s due a new contract as an RFA and merits real consideration in a top-four role.
Veteran Artem Zub is already entrenched on the right side of Ottawa’s top four, meaning Jensen would likely have to settle for a third-pairing role if he re-signed in Ottawa. AFP Analytics projects Jensen’s next contract to be worth $3.575MM on a one-year deal, which could be too rich for the Senators if they’re signing him to slot in behind Zub and Spence.
Moreover, re-signing Jensen at that rate would box top prospect Carter Yakemchuk out of an opening-night lineup spot. Ottawa likely has every intention of letting the 2024 No. 7 pick legitimately compete for an NHL roster spot, and re-signing Jensen could work against that objective.
If Jensen and the Senators part ways, it might be a development that is mutually beneficial for both the player and club.
From Jensen’s perspective, he gets to exit a place where he saw his role decline sharply year-over-year. In his last season in Washington, Jensen was the team’s leading penalty-killer, averaging 2:46 time on ice per game on that unit. Jensen was a first-option penalty killer for nearly a half-decade with the Capitals. He largely maintained that status in his first campaign with the Senators, playing nearly two minutes per night on the penalty kill and 20:13 per game overall.
In 2025-26, Jensen saw that role diminish considerably. In 61 games, he spent just 0:48 per contest killing penalties. His overall time on ice per game declined over three minutes, to 17:00. He was Ottawa’s No. 4 defenseman in 2024-25, a role he also held in his time in Washington. This year, he was the team’s No. 6 defenseman.
While Jensen’s age likely has something to do with this decline in role – he’s not quite the same player he once was – Jensen’s perspective is likely to be that he still has more to give than he was called on to provide with the Senators.
That is likely a driving factor contributing to his projected departure from Ottawa, combined with the aforementioned financial and lineup considerations.
Photos courtesy of Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Evening Notes: Hedman, Foster, Saarinen, Greig, Davidson
Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman was a full participant in practice as he continues to try to work his way back to game readiness, relays NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger. However, head coach Jon Cooper noted that his captain is still uncertain to return at some point in their opening-round series against Montreal. Hedman hasn’t played since March 19th when he exited that game early due to illness and then left the team on a leave of absence soon after. He had 17 points in 33 games this season and would be a big addition to Tampa Bay’s lineup if he’s able to get back into one of the final games of the series.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Still with the Lightning, prospect forward Aiden Foster has joined AHL Syracuse, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 19-year-old was drafted in the fourth round last June, going 127th overall and spent this season with WHL Prince George. Foster set new career highs offensively with the Cougars this season, picking up 14 goals and 21 assists in 65 games while surpassing the 100-PIM mark for the third straight year. Foster has yet to sign his entry-level contract and will likely serve as a Black Ace for the Crunch’s playoff run.
- The Kraken have reassigned goaltender Kim Saarinen to AHL Coachella Valley, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 19-year-old spent the season on loan to HPK in Finland and played quite well at the Liiga level. In 38 starts during the regular season, Saarinen posted a 2.11 GAA with a .916 SV% and put up even better numbers in nine playoff appearances at 1.68 and .944, respectively. Saarinen was under contract with Seattle this season but since he didn’t get into ten NHL games, his deal is eligible to slide and will still have three years left on it heading into 2026-27.
- The Department of Player Safety announced (Twitter link) that the disciplinary hearing for Senators forward Ridly Greig will be held on Monday. The incident happened in the final game of their first-round series against Carolina for throwing a sucker punch at Sean Walker. With this being a phone hearing, any supplemental discipline would be capped at five games with Greig serving the suspension next season with Ottawa’s playoff run already over.
- The Blue Jackets announced (Twitter link) that former player Matt Davidson has passed away at the age of 48. Davidson spent three seasons with Columbus, playing in 56 games where he had a dozen points. He had recently kicked off his post-playing career in hockey and was working for WHL Portland as their Director of Player Personnel before his passing.
Offseason Checklist: Calgary Flames
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Calgary.
After a late-season push in 2024-25, there were some in Calgary who hoped that the Flames would be able to take another step forward and get back to the playoffs. Instead, the firm realities of a rebuild set in, with the team ultimately jettisoning their two top defensemen and number one center. There is a lot that GM Craig Conroy still has to do although with 2026-27 expected to be another tough year in the standings, the biggest work isn’t in the cards this summer.
Keep Stockpiling
Last summer, the Flames only had one extra draft pick but it was an important one in the form of a first-round selection, albeit at the end of the first round. It was the second straight year they had an extra pick in the opening round after nabbing Zayne Parekh and Matvei Gridin in 2024.
As things stand, that will extend to three years as Calgary has an extra first-round selection (Vegas), plus three extra second-rounders that in theory could be packaged to try to land another day one pick. They also have extra firsts in 2027 and 2028.
That’s a strong foundation of draft picks to work with although that’s only part of the battle. They also need to keep adding more drafted prospects that are closer to being NHL-ready to their pool. Those players would then represent the next wave as more veterans are cleared out over the next couple of years before the high volume of draft picks yield players that will eventually be ready to push for playing time. Calgary has done well there lately as well with the additions of Abram Wiebe, Jonathan Castagna, and Tyson Gross over the last few months.
Will there be a logjam down the road? That’s the ideal plan, giving the Flames extra depth to deal from at the time that they should be flipping the switch from their rebuild to trying to contend. So, for now, there should continue to be an emphasis on not just quality but also quantity, allowing a deep stockpile to get even deeper. Continuing to add center depth would be particularly wise.
Cash In On Coleman
Heading into the trade deadline, there were questions of how many more veterans would be heading out the door, joining Rasmus Andersson who had already been moved to Vegas. MacKenzie Weegar ultimately was moved to Utah while Nazem Kadri wound up back in Colorado. But there was one veteran of significance who was drawing significant interest who didn’t move, winger Blake Coleman.
While there’s something to be said for having some quality veterans to work with a young core group, there’s also something to be said for not cashing in one of their top trade chips. Yes, his contract is on the pricier side for a player who has only reached the 40-point plateau once, but with the salary cap set for a big increase and a fairly thin UFA market, $4.9MM for one season is a price tag that a lot of teams should be able to afford. (And if not, Calgary gets two salary retention slots back on July 1st which could be used to get something done.)
Down those retention slots back in March, it’s understandable that Conroy opted to pass on moving him as in theory, the return should be better with part of the contract paid down. It’s also understandable that a team would want some quality veterans working with an increasingly younger core group. But Coleman is also one of the few veterans remaining that could plausibly yield a return of significance. It’d be hard to pass that up for extra mentorship in the room. Yes, they could wait things out and see how things look at next year’s deadline, but if there’s a strong return out there this summer, that might be the right time to take it.
Add Serviceable Veteran Defender
If Conroy is concerned about a dearth of quality veteran leaders in the dressing room following the recent exodus of players (and the potential move of Coleman), there’s nothing stopping him from trying to add one via trade or free agency. And if he wants to do that, looking at the back end would be a good idea.
While Calgary did receive veterans back in the Weegar (Zach Whitecloud) and Weegar (Olli Maatta) deals, neither of those players are ideal top-half pieces in the lineup. Whitecloud, meanwhile, had a strong market at the trade deadline and is a plausible candidate himself to get dealt over the summer if the Flames want to cash in on his elevated trade value. Those two were basically top-pairing players down the stretch with Kevin Bahl getting nearly 22 minutes a night as well.
Meanwhile, their depth isn’t the greatest either. While they have high hopes for Zayne Parekh, and Yan Kuznetsov impressed this season, Brayden Pachal and Joel Hanley are next on the depth chart. Those are more fringe/depth pieces than full-fledged regulars. They could be upgraded on with another serviceable veteran or two that raises the floor of the group to move it to more of a by-committee approach which probably better suits this roster.
Fortunately, depth defenders are a lot easier to find than top-four pieces, ones they’ll have to trade for at some point when they’re closer to ending their rebuild. But a good veteran or two on the third pairing can help fill some of the leadership gap and perhaps even give them some chips to move closer to next year’s deadline. While rebuilding teams often aren’t looking to get older, Calgary could buck that trend with the right veteran blueliner or two.
Work On Frost Extension
Last summer, the Flames elected not to work out a long-term contract with then-RFA center Morgan Frost. Having just acquired him from Philadelphia earlier in the season, they wanted to get a better sense of how he’d fit. Accordingly, he inked a second bridge contract, a two-year, $8.75MM agreement. On July 1st, he’ll be extension-eligible and now armed with more information about his fit on the roster, Conroy should be looking to get something worked out.
Frost only managed a dozen points in 32 games after being acquired last season. However, a full training camp and season in Calgary’s lineup seemed to get him going again. Frost played in all 82 games this season for the first time in his career, scoring a career-best 22 goals while adding 21 assists in 15:30 per night of playing time. He also won nearly 57% of his draws, also a new personal best.
While Frost doesn’t profile as a top-line pivot by any stretch, he should have plenty of years ahead of him in a middle-six role. While that’s not necessarily the type of player teams will generally want to commit a long-term contract to, Calgary’s dearth of center options could force their hand. Kadri is now gone while captain Mikael Backlund is 37 and is nearing the end of his career (though he begins a two-year deal next season). Ryan Strome is also in the fold but is more of a reclamation type of project.
Yes, the Flames have high hopes for prospects Cole Reschny, Cullen Potter, and newcomer Castagna. However, those players are a while away from making meaningful NHL contributions. Frost is a logical fit to try to keep around for a few extra years beyond 2027 to serve as a bridge to some of those prospects.
Given that he will be an unrestricted free agent next summer and the big projected increases to the salary cap, it’s fair to say that Frost will be in line for a bump up on his current deal. An increase into the $6MM-plus range feels doable and with their long-term cap situation looking quite strong at the moment, it’s a price tag they can afford. Rather than wait it out another year, it might make more sense for the Flames to get this done this summer.
Photo courtesy of Sergei Belski-Imagn Images.