Penguins Sign Connor Dewar To Two-Year Extension
The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting a head start on returning some of their depth players from this past season. According to a team announcement, the Penguins have signed forward Connor Dewar to a two-year, $4.5MM ($2.25MM AAV) extension.
There’s little argument that he doesn’t deserve the raise. Pittsburgh acquired Dewar from the Toronto Maple Leafs at last year’s deadline, and the team signed him to a one-year, $1.1MM contract last summer.
He took that opportunity and ran with it. Much like the rest of his peers, Dewar played a role in the Penguins’ rejuvination this season, finishing with the best individual performance of his career. In 78 games, Dewar scored 14 goals and 30 points with a +16 rating, averaging just under 14 minutes of ice time per game.
The closest he had ever come to that production was during the 2023-24 season with the Minnesota Wild and the Maple Leafs. In 74 games that season, Dewar tallied 11 goals and 19 points in 74 contests, though much of that production came in Minnesota. Typically in a bottom-six role throughout his career, Dewar proved that he could be a key tertiary contributor in a middle-six role this season.
Despite being eliminated by their intra-state rivals in Round One of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, Dewar kept up his solid play in the postseason. In six games, the Manitoba native scored two goals with 19 hits, averaging 13:49 of ice time.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Penguins can afford Dewar similar ice time next season. Pittsburgh already has 10 forwards signed through the 2026-27 campaign, and will likely attempt to promote more prospects to the NHL for a further injection of youth. The Penguins need to focus on reducing the number of bubble forwards on their roster. However, it’s already evident that they are pleased to keep players like Dewar, who displays a strong work ethic and can make valuable contributions to the lower lines of the forward group.
Washington Capitals Sign Theodor Niederbach
According to a team announcement, the Washington Capitals have signed forward prospect Theodor Niederbach to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season. Washington shared that Niederbach will be paid a $1.025MM salary in the NHL and an $85K salary in the AHL.
Niederbach, 24, was drafted 51st overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. He was generally regarded as a solid playmaking prospect at the time, recording 15 goals and 48 points in 40 games with the J20 SuperElit’s Frölunda HC’s program.
Since then, it’s been all SHL for the Bjästa, Sweden native. Bouncing between Frölunda, Rögle BK, and MoDo Hockey. It was during his second year with MoDo during the 2024-25 campaign that Niedberbach broke out as a prominent two-way center overseas, scoring 10 goals and 33 points in 51 games with a +5 rating. After MoDo was relegated to the HockeyAllsvenskan, Niederbach returned to Frölunda on a two-year deal that included an NHL opt-out clause.
It was much of the same for him this past season. He finished the 2025-26 campaign with 13 goals and 32 points in 52 games with a +10 rating. Given his back-to-back quality seasons in the SHL, relative youth, and the fact that the Red Wings let his signing rights expire two summers ago, Niederbach became a relatively prominent name on the international market. In late February, although the Boston Bruins were specifically mentioned, reports indicated that nearly half of the NHL teams had contacted Niederbach.
For his development, the Capitals organization is one of the best. Washington has a pair of bottom-six forwards that are scheduled for unrestricted free agency this offseason, giving Niederbach a path if he can earn a spot on the roster through training camp. Even if he doesn’t make the opening night roster, the AHL’s Hershey Bears are competitive nearly every season and will provide Niederbach with a great chance to transition to professional hockey in North America.
Latest On Darren Raddysh’s Pending Free Agency
The Tampa Bay Lightning appear to have found another internal success story on their blue line, as defenseman Darren Raddysh has played his way into a far more prominent role within the organization. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the NHL Insider noted reported that Tampa Bay now views Raddysh as a “key part” of its power play and a long‑term piece of its defensive group, which has become a notable shift for a player who entered the league as a depth option.
Raddysh’s rise comes after a breakout 22-goal, 70‑point season, one that has given the Lightning a much‑needed boost as their veteran core continues to age. His ability to move pucks efficiently and run the top power‑play unit has added an element that the team has lacked since the departure of several key contributors in recent years. Head coach Jon Cooper has leaned heavily on Raddysh’s poise and distribution, and the results have pushed him from a secondary option into a central role.
The timing is also significant from a roster‑building standpoint. Raddysh played the season on one of the league’s most affordable contracts at a meager $975k, but that situation won’t last long. If Tampa Bay intends to keep him, he is in line for a substantial raise. Friedman’s report suggests the Lightning are well aware of that reality and may look to secure an extension.
Tampa Bay is projected to have just over $14 million in cap space entering the 2026-27 offseason, but that number shrinks quickly once roster spots and other pending decisions are factored in. Any new deal for Raddysh would need to fit within a tight structure, particularly with the Lightning still trying to maintain a competitive window.
Even so, locking in a productive right‑shot defenseman with power‑play utility would address one of the organization’s most pressing long‑term needs. Raddysh’s single-season emergence gives Tampa Bay a cost‑controlled contributor in the short term and a potential fixture on the back end as the roster transitions in the coming years.
Morning Notes: Hedman, Rutherford, Owen Sound
A few days ago, it was announced that the captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Victor Hedman, had taken a leave of absence from the team for mental health reasons. Taking the absence on March 25th, Hedman missed Tampa Bay’s last 15 games of the regular season, and their Round One series loss against the Montreal Canadiens.
From a team perspective, it’s a bind in all honesty, as you’re stuck between wanting the best for the player and their long-term health, while also recognizing that your team is better when Hedman is on the ice. Furthermore, there’s no set timeline for how long it takes a player to recover, unlike more objective injuries.
Still, Hedman shared that he’s feeling much better, and there’s not much concern that he won’t begin the 2026-27 season on time. In fact, speaking on 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated that there’s a “1000% chance” that Hedman plays next year. Given that there’s a distinct possibility that the Lightning lose defenseman Darren Raddysh in free agency this summer, having Hedman back for the whole year will make that pill go down much easier.
Additional morning notes:
- Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford provided more context behind his decision to step down from his role at the head of Vancouver’s front office. In an interview with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre, Rutherford said, “It was time for me before the season even started; I was trending in that direction. But I think we can put something together here in our hockey department that I can feel good about when I step down.“
- According to Greg Cowan of the Owen Sound Sun Times, the OHL’s Board of Governors is preparing to meet to finalize the sale of the Owen Sound Attack. Cowan indicated that an official announcement of the sale is expected in the next few days and that the new ownership group plans to hire a relatively young player agent to lead the hockey operations department.
The Recent History Of Teams Trading Top-Five Picks
Love them or hate them, the NHL Draft Lottery results are in, and they have no shortage of people talking. Some fanbases woke up with a reason to celebrate, while others are convinced the hockey gods have it out for them. Nonetheless, the top 16 picks for this year’s draft are locked in, and Buffalo’s KeyBank Center will play host to it all on June 26th.
In the weeks between the lottery and draft day, the rumor mill runs on overdrive. Buzz builds around every top-five pick: who’s moving up, who’s shopping their slot, and which team is ready to flip a high pick for a win-now splash on the open market. The speculation is loud, the reports are endless, but seldom does anything major happen. When the dust settles, most teams do exactly what you’d expect: hold tight and take their guy. Nonetheless, let’s revisit some of the most recent instances in which a team selecting in the top five has moved its pick.
1. Islanders Move Out of the Top 5
On June 23rd, 2001, the Ottawa Senators traded center Alexei Yashin to the New York Islanders in exchange for the second overall pick in the 2001 draft, forward Bill Muckalt, and defenseman Zdeno Chára. Yashin would play five seasons on Long Island, putting up 290 points in 346 games before being bought out in 2007. The Senators used their newly acquired pick to select forward Jason Spezza out of the OHL. Spezza went on to be a cornerstone of the Ottawa forward group for 11 seasons, playing 686 of his 1,248 career games in a Senators jersey, where he tallied 436 assists and 687 points. The Senators won that trade decisively as Chára alone developed into one of the premier shutdown defensemen in the league and a future Norris Trophy winner in Boston.
2. Everyone is Happy in the End
It was widely expected that Medicine Hat Tigers defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, long considered the top prospect of the 2002 class, would be selected with the first overall pick. Columbus Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean had other ideas. Minutes before the draft began at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, MacLean swapped picks with the Florida Panthers, moving up from third to first overall. The trade also included Columbus giving Florida the right to swap first-round picks in 2003 as a sweetener. The deal was further contingent on Florida securing a promise from the Atlanta Thrashers, sitting at second overall, that they would not select Bouwmeester, ensuring the Panthers could still land their man at third, via CBC Sports. Atlanta obliged, after Florida offered a third and fourth round pick for compensation, taking Finnish goaltender Kari Lehtonen second overall, and Florida selected Bouwmeester third. Columbus used the first overall pick on London Knights winger Rick Nash, an 18-year-old power forward from Brampton, Ontario. Nash went on to play 1,060 career NHL games, 674 of which came in Columbus, where he tallied 289 goals and 547 points and became the franchise’s all-time leader in virtually every major offensive category. Bouwmeester also had a long and productive career, playing 1,240 games and finishing in the top 15 of Norris Trophy voting twice during his six seasons in Florida.
3. 2002 Take Two
The Florida-Columbus trade was not the only movement within the top five leading up to the 2002 NHL Draft. The Tampa Bay Lightning traded the fourth overall selection to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Ruslan Fedotenko and the 34th and 52nd overall picks. Fedotenko spent four of his 12-year NHL career in Tampa, tallying 74 goals and 144 points in 313 games. He was also a key piece in Tampa’s 2004 Stanley Cup win, where he scored 12 goals in 22 playoff games. His 11th and 12th goals of that postseason game in Game 7 of the cup final in Tampa’s 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. The Flyers, on the other hand, selected Finnish defenseman Joni Pitkänen fourth overall. Pitkänen had a solid NHL career, playing 535 games in total, 206 of which were with the Flyers. Unfortunately for the Flyers, he never turned into the franchise defenseman they had hoped when they selected him on draft night in 2002.
4. Florida Gets Involved Again
On June 21st, 2003, the Florida Panthers traded their first overall selection to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Mikael Samuelsson and the third overall pick. Pittsburgh used the pick to select goaltender Marc-André Fleury, who became the first piece of a Penguins franchise that appeared in four Stanley Cup Finals between 2008 and 2017, winning three of them. Fleury retired as the second-winningest goaltender in NHL history with 575 wins. Florida used the third overall pick they received in return to select forward Nathan Horton, who went on to play 422 games as a Panther, recording 142 goals and 295 points. It was the second consecutive year Florida had traded away a top pick on draft day.
5. The Canes Trade Up
On June 26, 2004, the Columbus Blue Jackets traded their fourth overall draft pick to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for the eighth and 59th overall picks. Carolina selected forward Andrew Ladd at four. Although Ladd had a 1001-game NHL career, he only spent parts of three seasons in Carolina, where he registered 50 points in 137 games. Ladd’s rookie season was 2005-06, when Carolina won the Cup. At number eight, Columbus drafted forward Alexandre Picard. The French forward played in only 67 career games, all of them with the Blue Jackets.
6. A Franchise Defenseman on the Move
On September 13th, 2018, the Ottawa Senators sent a shockwave through the hockey world, trading defenseman Erik Karlsson and forward Francis Perron to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Chris Tierney, Rudolfs Balcers, Dylan DeMelo, Joshua Norris, and a 2020 unprotected first-round pick. Karlsson spent five seasons in San Jose and put up 191 assists and 243 points in 293 games before being traded to Pittsburgh in 2023. That unprotected first-rounder Ottawa received in 2020 would turn into the number three overall selection in the draft, where the Senators selected winger Tim Stutzle. The German forward currently has 149 goals and 409 points in 447 career regular-season games with Ottawa and remains under contract with them through the 2030-31 season. While it was unbeknownst to the Sharks at the time that their unprotected pick would be inside the top five, it felt fitting to include it as it’s the only one we have seen in the last 20 years.
A Look Ahead at 2026
Which brings us to this years top five: Toronto at No. 1, San Jose at No. 2, Vancouver at No. 3, Chicago at No. 4, and New York (Rangers) at No. 5. As history shows, the window between the lottery and draft day is when the phone lines get busiest, and this year is no different, with the rumor mill already spinning around several of those slots. History tells us that most teams hold. The pressure to deal is loud, the rumors are relentless, and then draft day arrives, and everyone takes their guy. But every few years, someone pulls the trigger, and when they do, the ripple effects can last decades. Whether it’s a Stützle emerging from an unprotected pick buried in a blockbuster, or a Spezza born from a Yashin escape, the draft has a way of rewarding the bold and punishing the complacent. Come June 26th in Buffalo, we’ll find out which category this year’s top five falls into.
Should The Predators Move Juuse Saros?
The Nashville Predators had another disappointing campaign, missing the playoffs for a second straight year. It’s hard to say they fell short of expectations this year, given how low they were, but that doesn’t remove the sting of failing to reach the postseason for a team with several proud veterans in its lineup.
One of those veterans, goaltender Juuse Saros, had an especially frustrating season, facing the most shots in the NHL and finishing with the worst numbers of his 11-year career. The 31-year-old faced 1,701 shots this year and will likely face a similar workload next season unless significant changes take place in Nashville.
With his second straight sub-.900 SV%, Saros’s play is a cause for concern and could have management in Nashville debating whether he is still the guy for the Predators.
To put Saros’ decline into perspective, the first eight full seasons of his career saw him post a save percentage north of .900, including seven straight seasons above .910. Those are elite numbers among goaltenders, and that type of play garnered Saros some Vezina Trophy consideration in several of those years.
At the time of signing his current contract (July 1, 2024), Saros was among the league’s top netminders, which is why Nashville handed him an eight-year deal worth $61.92MM ($7.74MM AAV). It was a commitment to their star goalie, whom they had relied on for years, with 60+ games per season from 2021-2024.
That contract only kicked in this season, and the timing could not have been worse for Nashville, as Saros’ play fell off considerably in the first year of that lucrative extension.
This past season, Saros posted a .894 SV% to go with a 3.16 GAA and a 28-22-8 record in 59 appearances. Outside of the win-loss record, those numbers are very similar to last year’s, when he appeared in 58 games and had a 20-31-6 record with a .895 SV% and a 2.98 GAA.
Taking a deeper dive into some of his analytics, Saros had a -7.4 goals saved above expected (as per MoneyPuck) in 2024-25 and a -9.3 this past season. Taken together, those numbers paint the picture of a goaltender who has been significantly below average in each of the last two years.
With seven years left on that contract, Saros doesn’t look like the star netminder Nashville hoped he would be, and it is certainly a cause for concern. It’s hardly the first time a goalie on the wrong side of 30 has seen a drop-off in play, but it is especially troubling for Nashville for a variety of reasons, the biggest being the term and money left on the deal. Saros is still owed over $50MM over the remaining seven years, and if he struggles next season, that contract becomes an anchor.
So could they try to move him this summer, when his value is so low?
It might not be the worst time to do it, given how goalie-hungry the entire league is and how quickly the salary cap is accelerating. There are many teams with ample cap space and major goaltending issues who would be all too happy to roll the dice on Saros despite his recent struggles and expensive contract.
Just look at how desperate the Oilers were this past fall when they traded for Tristan Jarry and his pricey contract, even though Jarry was one of, if not the, most inconsistent goaltenders in the entire NHL. Edmonton even paid handsomely to acquire Jarry, despite his warts, because they had no other options.
Many other teams could face the same goalie landscape if they try to upgrade, which is good news for Nashville if they do indeed pursue a Saros trade.
One major hiccup in trading Saros will be his full no-movement clause, which is in effect for another five years and will be a major hurdle if Nashville looks to move him. The clause will effectively limit Nashville’s market to Saros’s preferred destinations, which might be the biggest issue if they try to move him.
Another major issue is that if Nashville plans to bring up some of their promising prospects and complete, who out there could be a better option than Saros? The free-agent market for netminders is thin, to say the least.
Sure, the Predators could roll the dice on a Stuart Skinner, but he isn’t an upgrade and brings his own inconsistency into the fold.
Backup Justus Annunen is another option, as he is signed for another two seasons, but he’s never been an NHL starter and has never played more than 34 games in a season. He also has just 80 games of NHL experience, making him an unlikely option for a starting role at this time.
Truthfully, the best option is the one that aligns with Nashville’s future plans. If the team elects to rebuild in a dramatic way, trading a pricey starting goalie makes sense.
However, if the Predators have any plans to be competitive again, they have much bigger issues than Saros’s goaltending. In any event, it will be an interesting summer for the Predators, as they could look quite different come training camp in September.
Image courtesy of Katie Stratman-Imagn Images.
Transaction Notes: Smith, Carrick, Posch
Anaheim Ducks prospect Tarin Smith has announced his commitment to the University of Minnesota for the 2026-27 season, he announced via his Instagram page. “I’m excited to announce my commitment to the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers for the 2026–27 season,” Smith stated in his announcement. “I want to thank everyone in Everett—my teammates, coaches, staff, and fans—for four incredible seasons and for helping me grow both on and off the ice. I’m grateful for everything along the way and can’t wait to get started on this next chapter.” The former third-round pick has spent the last three seasons with the Everett Silvertips of the WHL, where he served as the captain during the 2025-26 season. During his time in Everett, Smith has begun to round out his game, seeing a steady increase in production from the back-end. He finished the 2025 season with 16 goals and 71 points in 65 games. Everett, who is set to face the Prince Albert Raiders in Game 1 of the WHL Championship this Friday, has been without the services of their captain for the last two rounds of the playoffs. He has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury.
Additional Notes:
- Out of the NHL this evening, Buffalo Sabres forward Sam Carrick remains out with a left arm injury, via Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.ca. Carrick sustained the injury in a fight against New York Islanders forward Anders Lee back on March 31st. This morning, Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff said Carrick “could be a possibility’ for their game one matchup against Montreal, but Sabres fans will have to wait until game two to see if the 34-year-old center is ready to get back in the lineup. Carrick had five goals and six points in 13 games for the Sabres after coming over from the New York Rangers at the deadline.
- There was also some news out of Colorado today as goaltender Isak Posch has returned to the Colorado Eagles on loan from the Avalanche, per the AHL’s transaction log. This comes as no surprise, as Colorado and Minnesota will have three full days in between their game two and three matchups. Posch played 28 games for the Eagles this season, posting a 2.78 GAA and a .891 SV%. Game 3 in Minnesota is set for 8:00 p.m. CST on Saturday.
Seattle Kraken Assign Jake O’Brien To AHL
The Seattle Kraken are continuing the trend of moving prospects in the Canadian major junior system to the American Hockey League for the Calder Cup playoffs. According to the AHL transaction log, the Kraken have reassigned forward Jake O’Brien to the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds.
O’Brien, 18, is only a year removed from being selected with the eighth overall pick by Seattle. He was coming off an exceptional year with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs, scoring 32 goals and 98 points in 66 games with a -2 rating. Although he was nearly 40 points shy of the league’s leading scorer, O’Brien’s final scoring line placed him in the top 10 of scorers in the OHL and was an impressive season by all accounts.
This season, O’Brien took a step forward in nearly every metric. As the new captain of the Bulldogs, O’Brien finished his age-19 season with 28 goals and 93 points in 55 games with a +34 rating. In the postseason, despite falling short in the OHL Conference Final, O’Brien was exceptional, scoring six goals and 23 points in 15 games.
Obviously, the Kraken feel that his offensive game is at the point where he won’t look out of place in professional hockey. He may not play for the Firebirds in the postseason, but being around the team and participating in practice will make his transition easier.
If his progress continues positively, becoming a top scorer at all levels would be the best outcome for Seattle. Partially due to coaching schematics and the team on the ice, the Kraken have desperately needed a high-production forward. This season, Jordan Eberle finished as the team’s highest scorer with 26 goals and 55 points in 80 games. Additionally, the team finished 28th in the league in total scoring.
As O’Brien progresses through his professional career, it’ll be important to pair him with a pure goal scorer. His vision on the ice is his greatest strength, as he can easily pass through defenders to find open teammates. Fellow prospect Jani Nyman has shown flashes of elite goal-scoring at the AHL level, though the Kraken may want to find someone with a higher ceiling to pair with their top prospect.
Bruins Notes: Pastrnak, Sturm, Hagens
Following a first-round exit at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres, the Boston Bruins’ leadership met with the media on Wednesday for a candid end-of-season press conference. While CEO Charlie Jacobs expressed confidence that the organization is on the “right track,” the overarching theme of the day was the identified need for high-end personnel upgrades. President Cam Neely was blunt regarding the roster’s current construction, stating that the team lacks a true No. 1 center and must prioritize adding both talent and speed this summer to become a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Additional Bruins notes:
- Cam Neely identified the lack of a premier center as a primary concern. He noted that the solution could come from “growing one from within” or looking “outside our group,” but emphasized that the vacancy must be rectified to move the needle in the postseason.
- Addressing David Pastrnak’s comments about turning 30 and wanting to maximize his prime, Don Sweeney acknowledged the need to “accelerate” the team’s improvement. Sweeney noted that “everything is in play,” including the potential use of future assets to bolster the current roster.
- Sweeney praised first-year head coach Marco Sturm for making the team “a hell of a lot more competitive.” While the foundation is set, management plans to “tweak” the defensive system to eliminate the inconsistencies that crept into their game late in the season.
- The Bruins remain without a captain, but Neely confirmed that discussions for next season have already begun. While Sweeney views leadership as a “collective thing,” Marco Sturm will have a significant voice in determining if a single player will wear the “C” next year.
- Sweeney discussed top prospect James Hagens, noting he would have preferred Hagens play for the Providence Bruins in the AHL playoffs rather than Team USA at the World Championships, but “rules are rules.” He cautioned that the path to the NHL remains a difficult “A-Z” journey.
- Several Bruins are confirmed for the upcoming World Championships, including Joonas Korpisalo and Henri Jokiharju (Finland), James Hagens, Sean Kuraly, and Mason Lohrei (USA), and Fraser Minten (Canada).
NHL Sets Salary Cap For 2026-27 Season
The NHL’s financial landscape is officially shifting toward a period of unprecedented growth. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the league has formally notified its 32 member clubs of the confirmed team payroll ranges for the 2026-27 season. These figures represent a significant victory for the NHLPA and front offices, as hockey-related revenue continues to surge, finally moving past the stagnant cap era of the early 2020s.
For the first time in league history, the salary cap ceiling is poised to break into nine digits. The league has officially set the Upper Limit at $104 million. To maintain the necessary spread across the league, the Midpoint has been established at $90.4 million, while the Lower Limit will rise to $76.9 million. Perhaps most notably for the league’s elite superstars, the maximum individual player salary, which is set at 20% of the upper limit, will climb to $20.8 million per season.
This jump to $104 million marks a massive increase of roughly $8.5 million over the previous year’s projections. This rapid escalation provides vital breathing room for teams currently navigating difficult salary cap situations. Organizations that have locked their core players into long-term deals will see those contracts take a significantly smaller percentage of the overall pool. An $8 million AAV contract that once felt like a burden will soon represent a much more manageable portion of a team’s total budget, allowing General Managers to be more aggressive in the free-agent market while retaining their homegrown talent.
The rising floor also creates a unique dynamic for rebuilding teams. With a minimum spending requirement of $76.9 million, clubs heavy on entry-level contracts will be forced to spend more aggressively to stay compliant. This could lead to a busier trade market where rebuilding teams take on veteran contracts in exchange for draft assets, or it could result in higher-value, short-term “bridge” deals for veteran leaders brought in to mentor young prospects.
With the 2026-27 numbers now set in stone, front offices finally have the clarity needed to plan their long-term rosters. Fans should expect a flurry of contract extensions this summer as agents and GMs look to navigate this new, high-ceiling market before the next wave of superstars resets the bar for what a “max contract” looks like in the modern NHL.