Lightning Sign Jakob Pelletier To Three-Year Contract
8:48 a.m.: The signing is official, according to a press release from the Lightning.
7:35 a.m.: The Lightning have signed winger Jakob Pelletier to a three-year contract, Renaud Lavoie of TVA reported overnight. It’s a two-way deal in 2025-26, followed by a one-way structure in 2026-27 and 2027-28. He’ll earn a base salary of $775K, $850K, and $900K in each respective season for a total value of $2.525MM and a cap hit of $841,667.
Pelletier, a first-round pick of the Flames in 2019, started last season in the AHL after clearing waivers. He received his first recall of the season in early December and remained on the NHL roster for the next two months aside from a few paper transactions, making 24 appearances to tie his previous career-high with the Flames in 2022-23.
In that span, it looked like the Quebec City native was finally getting his feet under him after an injury-riddled development path. While he wasn’t commanding top-six ice time, he did still notch four goals, seven assists, 11 points, and a +10 rating for Calgary – a 38-point pace over a full season. Nonetheless, they traded him to the Flyers in late January in the deal that brought Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost to the Flames.
The trade halted Pelletier’s offensive momentum. The feisty 5’9″ lefty only managed three goals, five assists, and eight points in 25 appearances for Philadelphia to end the season and was an occasional healthy scratch. He totaled seven goals, 12 assists, and 19 points in 47 games on the year while averaging 11:33 per game. He was owed a qualifying offer of $840K on a two-way deal that the Flyers decided they didn’t want to give him, cutting him loose on Monday and making him an unrestricted free agent.
The 24-year-old has an 11-18–29 scoring line with a plus-three rating in 86 NHL appearances for the Flames and Flyers over the last three seasons. He also had three goals, 16 assists, and 19 points in 20 games for AHL Calgary last year. The Lightning giving him three years of term acts as an effective deterrent to waiver claims, though, so they’d have that option to try to send him to AHL Syracuse without a ton of risk. Considering they already have 12 forwards on one-way deals for this year, plus top prospect Conor Geekie looking for more NHL ice time, he faces an uphill battle for a roster spot.
Senators To Sign Arthur Kaliyev
Free agent winger Arthur Kaliyev is landing with the Senators, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. Contract terms have yet to be revealed.
Kaliyev spent time with the Kings and Rangers last season but didn’t receive a qualifying offer from New York on Monday, making him an unrestricted free agent. He only appeared in game action for the Rangers after being claimed off waivers in January following a clavicle fracture, limited to three goals and one assist in 14 games while averaging 11:13 of ice time.
It’s fair to say the Blueshirts didn’t get a fair look at Kaliyev, who also spent the last month of the season on injured reserve with an upper-body issue. The 2019 second-round pick is a skilled shooter and was previously an effective depth scorer for L.A. in bottom six minutes, although his individual defensive weaknesses resulted in long stretches in the press box. Over his 202-game NHL career, Kaliyev averages 15 goals and 30 points per 82 games despite seeing just north of 12 minutes per game of ice time.
That makes him an intriguing buy-low candidate for the Senators, who didn’t do much to augment their forward group yesterday outside of a one-year deal for veteran bottom-six center Lars Eller. They hope he can have a similar impact to Adam Gaudette, who broke out for 19 goals last season in a fourth-line role on a league-minimum deal. He departed for the warmer waters of San Jose on a two-year, $4MM deal yesterday.
Penguins Sign Anthony Mantha
July 2: It took a while to finalize, but a one-year deal is being finalized between the Penguins and Mantha, per Renaud Lavoie of TVA. He’ll land a $2.5MM base salary with up to $2MM in additional performance bonuses, which he’s eligible for as a veteran of at least 400 NHL games who spent at least 100 days on injured reserve in the previous season. His performance bonuses will pay out $250K for each set of 10 games he plays, per PuckPedia.
July 1: The Penguins are working on a contract for UFA winger Anthony Mantha, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.
As expected, Pittsburgh is operating around the fringes during this free agency period. Mantha is coming off a down season with the Calgary Flames, scoring only three goals and seven points in 13 games before having his season cut short by injuring his ACL and requiring surgery.
Still, he’s only one season removed from having a quality year between the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights. During the 2023-24 campaign, Mantha scored 20 goals and 34 points in 56 games with the Capitals, before scoring another three goals and 10 points in 10 games with the Golden Knights after being moved at that season’s trade deadline.
If the Penguins promote some of their younger players to more significant roles next season, Mantha will provide stability at the lower end of their forward lineup. If players like Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen struggle with the increased ice time, Mantha will likely be allowed to play in the team’s top six.
Already 30 years old, Mantha could find far worse centers to play next to than Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. By happenstance, Mantha could have a quality rebound season next to two of the game’s most prominent players, and look to capitalize on that financially next offseason.
PHR’s Brennan McClain contributed significantly to this article.
East Notes: Primeau, Lettieri, Leonard
Hurricanes RFA goaltender Cayden Primeau signed a one-year, league minimum deal yesterday, according to a team release.
Primeau saw his signing rights transferred from Montreal to Carolina on Monday in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick. The 25-year-old bounced between the NHL and AHL for his first four professional seasons coming out of Northeastern University, but won a full-time roster spot with the Habs in 2023-24, in part due to their unwillingness to expose him to waivers.
He looked good in a three-goalie rotation with Sam Montembeault and Jake Allen that year but struggled mightily as Montembeault’s full-time No. 2 to begin last season. He posted an .836 SV% and sky-high 4.70 GAA with a 2-3-1 record in seven starts and four relief appearances before being waived in December, clearing and heading to AHL Laval.
Primeau got things back on track with a .926 SV% and 2.00 GAA in 25 games with Laval. The Canes hope he can carry that momentum into 2025-26 as he serves as the No. 3 behind the returning NHL tandem of Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, assuming he clears waivers again in the fall.
Here are a couple of other league minimum signings from yesterday:
- The Maple Leafs brought in veteran depth center Vinni Lettieri, per PuckPedia. While a one-way deal, that’s presumably to guarantee him more compensation. They’re hoping he clears waivers and can be an impact player for AHL Toronto after they lost some important pieces like Nicholas Abruzzese and Alex Steeves yesterday. The 30-year-old spent last year with the Bruins organization, recording five points in 26 NHL games and 48 points in 46 AHL games.
- The Red Wings announced a one-year, one-way league minimum deal for winger John Leonard yesterday. He joins their July 1 haul that also included James van Riemsdyk, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Ian Mitchell. It’s the 26-year-old’s first NHL contract in a year – he spent last season on an AHL deal with Charlotte, leading the Calder Cup runner-ups in scoring with 36 goals, 25 assists, and 61 points in 72 games.
Rangers Sign Taylor Raddysh To Two-Year Deal
The Rangers have added some additional bottom-six depth, with PuckPedia reporting last night they’ve signed winger Taylor Raddysh to a two-year deal worth $3MM, carrying a $1.5MM cap hit. His deal includes $250,000 in upfront signing bonuses, according to PuckPedia.
The 6’3″, 200-lb Raddysh now heads to his third team in as many seasons after reaching outright unrestricted free agency for the first time. He’s coming off a one-year, $1MM contract with the Capitals that he signed after being non-tendered by the Blackhawks in the 2024 offseason.
In 2024-25, Raddysh posted seven goals, 20 assists, 27 points, a minus-seven rating, and 18 PIMs in 80 appearances while averaging 12:22 per game. The 27-year-old is now two years removed from his 20-goal breakout with the Blackhawks and has seen his overall effectiveness decrease in the years since, recording a career-low 93 shots on goal and 59 hits with the Caps.
Raddysh joins Justin Dowling as New York’s lone forward signings in unrestricted free agency. Most of their available cap space was used to bring in top UFA blue-liner Vladislav Gavrikov on a seven-year, $49MM deal and to secure a two-year, $7.8MM contract for RFA winger William Cuylle.
If Raddysh doesn’t pan out with the Rangers and is placed on waivers and buried in the minors, he would still count for $350,000 against the cap, at least in 2025-26. That figure would decrease in 2026-27 with an expected increase in the league minimum salary and, in turn, a higher maximum buriable salary. Given the Rangers’ lack of offensive depth on their bottom two forward lines, though, he should get the chance for a regular role out of the gate and potentially see increased minutes compared to his time in Washington.
Oilers Sign Andrew Mangiapane To Two-Year Deal
The Oilers have signed free agent winger Andrew Mangiapane, the team announced last night. It’s a two-year deal worth $7.2MM for a cap hit of $3.6MM.
An overage draft pick taken in the sixth round in 2016, Mangiapane lived up to his draft billing in Calgary just by making his NHL debut, let alone breaking out for a 35-goal season in 2021-22. His offensive output has been more pedestrian since, though, and following two years in the 15-goal, 40-point range, he was traded to the Capitals for a second-round pick last summer.
In 81 appearances for Washington last year, Mangiapane scored 14 goals, 14 assists, and 28 points in 13:02 of ice time per game, with an even rating and a 52.4 CF% at even strength. It was the worst offensive output of his career aside from his rookie season.
Mangiapane was mentioned within the last couple of weeks as a free agent target for the Maple Leafs and Kraken, with the former potentially looking to plug the 29-year-old on a line with Auston Matthews in Mitch Marner‘s absence to see if he can rediscover his previous offensive form. Instead, he’ll get a similar chance with a longtime rival of his in Edmonton, joining an Oilers team with questions about its depth on the wings that could be answered by putting him in a top-six role with either Connor McDavid or, more likely, on a second line with Leon Draisaitl.
After signing Mangiapane, trading away Viktor Arvidsson and Evander Kane in cap dumps, and getting new deals done for Evan Bouchard and Trent Frederic in the last few days, the Oilers are close to being capped out. They have $950,834 in cap space with a roster projection of 13 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders, according to PuckPedia.
Image courtesy of Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images.
Two-Way Deals: 7/1/25
As major signings come in around the NHL today with the 2025-26 league year beginning, teams are shoring up their minor-league depth as well by signing players to two-way contracts. We’re keeping track of those signings today in this article, which will be continuously updated. Deals are one year unless otherwise noted.
Boston Bruins
F Riley Tufte ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
D Jonathan Aspirot ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
G Luke Cavallin ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
Buffalo Sabres
F Riley Fiddler-Schultz ($865K NHL/$90K SB/$35K PB/$85K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years, entry-level
F Carson Meyer ($775K NHL/$350K AHL Y1 – $375K AHL Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
D Mason Geertsen ($775K NHL/$425K AHL) – Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet // two years
D Zachary Jones ($900K NHL/$550K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Zach Metsa ($775K NHL/$250K AHL/$325K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Calgary Flames
D Nick Cicek ($775K NHL) – team release
Carolina Hurricanes
G Amir Miftakhov ($775K NHL/$100K AHL/$240K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Chicago Blackhawks
F Dominic Toninato ($850K NHL) – team release // two years
Colorado Avalanche
F T.J. Tynan (unknown) – team release
D Jack Ahcan (unknown) – team release
D Ronald Attard ($775K NHL/$450K AHL/$500K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Columbus Blue Jackets
F Owen Sillinger (unknown) – team release
D Christian Jaros (unknown) – team release
Dallas Stars
D Niilopekka Muhonen (unknown) – team release // three years, entry-level
Edmonton Oilers
D Riley Stillman ($775K NHL/$475K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
G Matt Tomkins ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$450 Y2 gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years
Florida Panthers
F Nolan Foote ($775K NHL/$150K AHL/$250K gt’d) – PuckPedia
F Jack Studnicka ($775K NHL/$450K AHL) – Chris Johnston of TSN/The Athletic
G Brandon Bussi ($775K NHL/$400K AHL) – PuckPedia
G Kirill Gerasimyuk (unknown) – team release // two years, entry-level
Los Angeles Kings
F Cole Guttman ($775K NHL/$450K Y1 – $475K Y2 AHL/$475K gt’d Y1 – $500K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
Minnesota Wild
F Tyler Pitlick ($775K NHL/$300K Y1 – $350K Y2 AHL/$325K gt’d Y1 – $375K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
D Ben Gleason ($800K NHL/$475K AHL) – PuckPedia
Montreal Canadiens
F Alex Belzile (unknown) – team release
D Nathan Clurman ($775K NHL/$125K AHL/$140K gt’d) – PuckPedia
New Jersey Devils
D Calen Addison ($775K NHL/$325K AHL/$400K gt’d) – PuckPedia
F Angus Crookshank ($775K NHL/$425K AHL/$475K gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years, one-way in 2026-27
New York Islanders
F Matthew Highmore (unknown) – team release
D Ethan Bear ($775K NHL/$325K AHL/$425K gt’d) – PuckPedia
D Cole McWard (unknown) – team release
New York Rangers
D Derrick Pouliot ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$425K gt’d Y1 – $450K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
Ottawa Senators
F Wyatt Bongiovanni ($775K NHL/$160K AHL) – PuckPedia
F Olle Lycksell ($775K NHL/$450K AHL/$500K gt’d) – Darren Dreger of TSN
Philadelphia Flyers
F Lane Pederson ($775K NHL/$525K AHL) – PuckPedia
San Jose Sharks
F Jimmy Huntington (unknown) – team release
F Samuel Laberge (unknown) – team release
F Colin White ($775K NHL/$425K AHL/$475K gt’d) – PuckPedia
D Cole Clayton (unknown) – team release
St. Louis Blues
F Matt Luff ($775K NHL/$400K AHL) – PuckPedia
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Nicholas Abruzzese (unknown) – team release
F Tristan Allard (unknown) – team release // two years, entry-level
F Boris Katchouk (unknown) – team release
D Simon Lundmark ($775K NHL/$250K AHL/$350K gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years
G Ryan Fanti ($775K NHL/$80K AHL) – PuckPedia
Utah Mammoth
F Kailer Yamamoto ($775K NHL/$500K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Scott Perunovich ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$500K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Vancouver Canucks
F Joseph LaBate ($775K NHL/$350K AHL) – PuckPedia
F Mackenzie MacEachern ($775K NHL/$575K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
D Jimmy Schuldt ($775K NHL/$500K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
Winnipeg Jets
F Phillip Di Giuseppe ($775K NHL/$450K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Kale Clague (unknown) – Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet
Alex Pietrangelo Placed On LTIR, Unlikely To Play Again
Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon stated today that defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has officially been placed on LTIR and that the veteran is unlikely to play again, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. McCrimmon’s grim outlook reinforces the picture that both he and Pietrangelo have been painting in recent days regarding Pietrangelo’s future.
On Sunday, after weeks of speculation, it was announced that Pietrangelo would need to undergo “multiple major surgeries” this offseason, likely putting his 2025-26 season in jeopardy. On Monday, things became even more bleak as Pietrangelo and McCrimmon discussed the defender’s future, with Pietrangelo stating how challenging the last few seasons have been on his physical well-being.
“After exploring options with doctors as well as my family, it’s been advised to remove the intensity of hockey to see if my body can improve so that I can return to a normal quality of life. This decision has been difficult to come to terms with after the last 17 years of competition and the camaraderie with my teammates and coaches. The likelihood is low that my body will recover to the standard required to play, but I know this is the right decision for me and my family,” he said.
McCrimmon added that Pietrangelo would need to have bilateral femur reconstruction in order to resume his playing career, and that the procedure would not guarantee a return to health.
“Our hope in February during the NHL’s break for the 4 Nations Face-Off was to give Alex treatment and rest to help provide relief, but instead, what we found were diminished positive results and a process that is no longer sustainable moving forward. Alex has given everything to the game and to the Golden Knights and has played through significant challenges in the pursuit of trying to win another Stanley Cup in Vegas,” McCrimmon said.
A day later, it appears McCrimmon has seemingly made Pietrangelo’s future official. If this is the end of the road for Pietrangelo’s playing career, the 35-year-old retires with 1,087 games played, 637 points, and two Stanley Cup championships.
Flames Ink Goalie Ivan Prosvetov To One-Year Deal
The Calgary Flames have signed goaltender Ivan Prosvetov to a one-year contract, the team announced. The deal, which is a one-way contract, will come with a $950,000 AAV.
The 26-year-old is a former fourth-round selection of the Coyotes (144th overall) in the 2018 draft. After spending a few seasons in the minors, Prosvetov made his NHL debut during the 2020-21 season, and appeared in 13 games in Arizona over three seasons. After the Coyotes placed him on waivers in October 2023, he was picked up by the Colorado Avalanche and appeared in a career-high 11 games for the Avs that season, compiling a record of 4-3-1. He also appeared in 21 games for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, where he secured a .921 save percentage and 11-7-2 record.
However, with a career save percentage of just .881 at the highest level, Prosvetov was unable to secure an NHL contract last offseason and instead returned to Russia to try to reinvigorate his career — and appears to have done just that. In one season in the KHL for the CSKA Moscow, Prosvetov posted a .920 save percentage, four shutouts, and a 20-16-2 record.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Moscow native joins the Flames’ goaltending room that includes the rising Dustin Wolf, and potentially replaces last year’s backup Daniel Vladař, who signed a two-year, $3.35MM AAV contract with the Philadelphia Flyers earlier today. While Vladař has proved to be a solid veteran backup, he hasn’t eclipsed the .900 save percentage mark since the 2021-22 season. If Prosvetov can maintain the confidence he created in his one season overseas, he could prove to be a smart, affordable addition for GM Craig Conroy.
Ducks Finalize Coaching Staff
The Anaheim Ducks have hired Jay Woodcroft, Ryan McGill, and Andrew Brewer as assistant coaches, finalizing head coach Joel Quenneville’s new staff, according to a team release.
Woodcroft’s hiring had been previously reported, and today’s announcement marks his return to the NHL. He last coached in the league during the 2023–24 season, when he was relieved of his duties as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers. Woodcroft, 48, brings 20 years of coaching experience to the table, and in three seasons as head coach of the Oilers, he led the club to a 79-41-13 record in 133 regular-season games and led them to the 2022 Western Conference Final. It wouldn’t be surprising if Quenneville tasks Woodcroft with leading the team’s power play, as under his watch during the 2022-23 season, the Oilers set an NHL record with a 32.4 percent success rate.
McGill, 56, has 10 years of experience as an assistant coach in the NHL. Most recently, he spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils, following five seasons in the same role with the Vegas Golden Knights. In contrast to Woodcroft, McGill specializes in leading the penalty kill and helped guide the Devils to the league’s second-ranked unit last season. With over 25 years of coaching experience, McGill also spent time as a head coach in the AHL, CHL, and WHL.
Brewer, 39, has 15 years of coaching experience, including eight at the NHL level. Brewer is an experienced video coach with previous stops in Detroit (2014–15) and Florida (2020–22). Between those stints, he spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He most recently served as an assistant coach for the Utica Comets of the AHL.
The team also announced that Dave Manson and Michael Babcock have been named assistant coaches for their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls. Manson, 58, has years of experience coaching in junior hockey, most recently serving as an assistant coach for the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL. He also spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Oilers, working under Woodcroft during that time. Manson was also the 11th overall selection in the 1985 NHL draft and appeared in 1,103 career games through 16 seasons. Babcock, 30, spent the last two seasons as a skills coach and also spent time in the Ottawa Senators organization in a developmental role. He is the son of long-time NHL coach Mike Babcock.