Senators Exploring Right-Shot Defense Market
The Senators head into the offseason with a young core coming off its first playoff appearance and more than a few roster spots to fill for 2025-26 with a middling amount of salary cap flexibility to do so. They may need to add additional depth on defense out of the gate, with righty Nick Jensen‘s availability for the beginning of the season uncertain following a recent lower-body surgery. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports it was a “hip or knee” injury that Jensen played through all during the second half of the season, which will likely activate general manager Steve Staios‘ previous commitment “to address the club’s defence after learning the extent of Jensen’s ailment.”
Adding on the back end is one of the more reasonable priorities for a Senators club that’s got a bona fide starting goaltender in Linus Ullmark and a wealth of top-six-caliber forwards. They also shouldn’t have too much trouble retaining pending UFA Claude Giroux to augment their offense, considering there’s strong mutual interest in keeping the hometown vet in Ottawa.
But if Jensen is out to begin the campaign, that leaves Nikolas Matinpalo and Artem Zub as the Sens’ only NHL-caliber right-shot options, and the former is untested outside of limited bottom-pairing minutes. Jensen’s injury could open a pathway for 2024 No. 7 overall pick Carter Yakemchuk to get a look in Ottawa’s top four to begin the campaign, but that’s a questionable choice for a team with playoff expectations, especially given Yakemchuk’s underwhelming output this season with WHL Calgary.
But suppose the organization is still high on Yakemchuk. In that case, it may make more sense to ride out Jensen’s absence with a depth free agent signing rather than making a long-term splash for a right-shot D that would block Yakemchuk’s ascension over the next few years. As Garrioch writes, there aren’t many quality top-four options available on the trade or free-agent markets, and acquiring any of them would require Ottawa to subtract from a position of strength. The only needle-moving UFA available at present is Florida rearguard Aaron Ekblad, who’ll likely end up being out of Ottawa’s price range for a free agent pickup and would require them to make a cap-dump trade (maybe veteran winger David Perron and his $4MM cap hit?).
Trade options league sources highlighted to Garrioch were Calgary’s Rasmus Andersson and Philadelphia’s Rasmus Ristolainen, both of whom would command a first-round pick in addition to an established NHL forward, presumably centers Ridly Greig or Shane Pinto, based on the offers those clubs turned down at the trade deadline. Andersson is also entering the final year of his contract and would likely command north of $8MM per season on an extension. Is that a figure Ottawa is willing to pay with two $8MM blue-liners already in Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson?
That leaves Staios likely looking for secondary options on the UFA market in July to help augment his defense. With Jensen sidelined, they’ll likely look for a comparable stay-at-home presence to aid his usual partner in Chabot. Names like Brent Burns and Tony DeAngelo don’t fit that bill, but a reunion with 2012 first-rounder Cody Ceci might. He’s almost certainly hitting the market this summer with the Stars in a cap crunch. Although he has plenty of experience averaging north of 20 minutes per game, his possession metrics last year paled compared to what Jensen provided in his first year in Ottawa. Beyond the Blue Jackets’ Dante Fabbro and the Sharks’ Jan Rutta, though, there isn’t much else out there in terms of defensive-minded righties.
Jets Notes: Lowry, Ehlers, Vilardi
The Winnipeg Jets are holding their final interviews of the 2024-25 season on Wednesday, offering a chance for many players to share insight on their futures with the club. The first up was team captain Adam Lowry, who will be eligible for an extension on July 1st and set to hit free agency next summer. Lowry emphasized to reporters that he’ll be ready to sign a deal as soon as the Jets are, and that he wants to stick with the club through the end of his career, per Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press.
Lowry was named Winnipeg’s captain at the start of the 2023-24 season, after wearing an ‘A’ in the year prior. The title rewarded Lowry’s career-long commitment to supporting Winnipeg’s bottom-six. He was originally drafted in the third-round of the 2011 NHL Draft, and made his NHL debut three seasons later in 2014-15. Lowry carved out a gritty role in the depth of Winnipeg’s lineup right away, recording 24 points and 46 penalty minutes in 80 games as an NHL rookie. He was full time in the league within two seasons, and quickly found a knack for tenacious plays, full-ice impacts, and routine 20-point seasons.
But he’s started to blossom in his later years, recording a career-high 36 points in the 2022-23 season – followed up by 35 points last year and 34 this year. He also scored a career-high 16 goals this season – all while continuing to operate from a strong role on Winnipeg’s second and third lines. Lowry will flirt with free agency throughout the 2025-26 season, but it’s hard to envision Winnipeg letting such a carved-out piece of their lineup walk away.
The same can be said for winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who will face the pressures of free agency this summer rather than next. Ehlers is another lifetime Jet, having spent the last decade with the club and totaling 520 points in 674 career games. that includes a dazzling 24 goals and 63 points in 69 games this season. That’s the highest scoring pace of Ehlers’ career, though it falls one point shy of his career-high total set in the 2016-17 season. Like Lowry, Ehlers has dedicated significant time to finding the lineup role that works for him.
With his deal set to expire this summer, Ehlers’ teammates have made sure to know how much they like having him around. Cole Perfetti called Ehlers a “joy to life” to reporters, and shared that he both hopes and knows that Ehlers feels how much the Jets franchise appreciates him – shares Murat Ates of The Athletic. Perfetti and Ehlers rotated as wing partners throughout the season, and outscored opponents 25-to-18 at even-strength in their minutes together. It was a career year for both players, and with his public words of encouragement – Perfetti could give Ehlers yet another reason to find a deal that works this summer.
Forward Gabriel Vilardi has also expressed interest in re-signing with the Jets when he hits restricted-free agency this summer, per Ates. Vilardi added that he hasn’t yet thought about if he wants a short-term or long-term deal, though. Either option could be a sensible bet, after Vilardi broke out with 27 goals and 61 points in 71 games this season. Both marks were new career-highs, confidently lapping the 23 goals and 41 points he scored in 63 games of the 2022-23 season. Vilardi’s rise in scoring coincided with a rise in ice time and lineup trust. He performed well with added responsibility, though only managed four points in nine postseason games.
71 games of this season is the most Vilardi has ever played in a single year. Those signs of newfound health could go a long way in solidifying Vilardi’s projection as a staple of the second-line. Winnipeg will have a chance to put a price to that faith in exclusive negotiations this summer.
William Nylander Joins Team Sweden At World Championship
Team Sweden has announced that winger William Nylander will be headed overseas to join their push for the 2025 World Championship Gold. This is the first time since 2022 that Nylander has been able to participate in the off-season tournament. He’ll join Sweden just in time for the knockout rounds, which begin with a matchup against Czechia on Tuesday.
Nylander has been a strong pillar of Sweden’s international lineups dating back to his U17 year. He posted 10 points in six games of the World U17 Hockey Challenge and three points in five games of the U18 World Championship in 2013; then returned to the latter tournament with a dominant 16 points in seven games in his draft season of 2014. Nylander was scooped up by the Toronto Maple Leafs at eighth-overall, and made both his AHL debut and World Juniors debut in the following season. He potted 10 points in seven games of the junior tournament and, two years later, joined Sweden for his first World Championship in 2017.
Nylander’s first World Championship run continued what was a true breakout year for the Swedish winger. He scored 14 points, split evenly, in 10 games – a nice compliment to the 22 goals and 61 points he posted in 81 NHL games that year. That season marked a switch in Nylander’s path, and he’s continued to dominate both NHL and international scoring at every opportunity since. The 29-year-old has totaled 37 points in 21 games across four career appearances at Worlds, while also tallying 612 points in 685 games and 10 seasons in the NHL. He’s a superstar addition this late into tournament action, and should be a hardy boost for a Swedish club that currently ranks sixth in tournament scoring.
Islanders’ Bo Horvat Suffers Lower-Body Injury
According to an announcement from the New York Islanders, forward Bo Horvat sustained a lower-body injury for Team Canada during the IIHF World Championships. The team stated that Horvat is returning to New York for evaluation from the team’s doctors.
Horvat wraps up his first international tournament in seven years with four goals and eight points in six games for Team Canada. Canada will enter the playoff round as the highest-ranked seed from the ‘Group A’ Division.
While the Islanders were vague about Horvat’s injury, the team remains hopeful he can begin training camp on time. He’s been remarkably healthy since moving from Vancouver to Long Island during the 2022-23 season, appearing in 162 regular-season contests for the Islanders over the past two years.
In a separate announcement, Hockey Canada shared that they have already found Horvat’s replacement for the remainder of the tournament. Top prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft, Porter Martone, has joined Team Canada’s roster.
Martone is considered a safe top-five selection in this summer’s draft, and could even find his way into the top-three. He recently concluded his junior season with the Brampton Steelheads, recording 37 goals and 98 points in 57 games, along with an additional four goals and nine points in six postseason contests.
He’s no stranger to international hockey, either. Martone is only a year removed from an impressive showing at the U18 World Junior Championships for Team Canada, scoring five goals and 17 points in seven tournament games.
Maple Leafs Notes: Tavares, Marner, Matthews, Nylander
The head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Craig Berube, has addressed Mitch Marner and John Tavares‘ upcoming unrestricted free agency. According to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, when asked if he’d like them to return, Berube said, “100%.”
The news comes with little surprise, as few coaches would want 176 points to walk away for nothing. Still, a report from TSN’s Chris Johnston a few days ago suggested there’s no guarantee Marner will re-up with the Leafs this summer.
There’s more room for optimism when it comes to Tavares. Aside from Berube’s desire to have him back, Toronto’s former captain shared with David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period today that he believes he’ll sign a new deal with the Maple Leafs, and has already spoken briefly to General Manager Brad Treliving.
Other notes from the Maple Leafs:
- In a vague comment passed along by Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews said he’s been dealing with a ‘mystery’ injury since training camp, and it flared up throughout the regular season and playoffs. Matthews played in fewer than 70 games for the first time since the COVID-19-shortened 2020-21 NHL season, and achieved his lowest goal total since his junior campaign in 2018-19.
- There’s a chance that host country of the 2025 IIHF World Championships, Sweden, could get a major boost to their roster before the playoff round begins. According to Chris Johnston, William Nylander is contemplating joining his home country for the remainder of the tournament. Nylander hasn’t played in the international tournament since 2022, when he scored three goals and two assists in three games.
Senators Sign Luke Ellinas To Entry-Level Contract
The Ottawa Senators announced they’ve signed forward Luke Ellinas to a three-year, entry-level agreement. The Toronto, ON native recently finished his second year with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers.
Ellinas’ second year in Kitchener ushered in notable improvements. After scoring 16 goals and 33 points in 67 games during his draft year, in which the Senators selected Ellinas with the 104th pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, he registered 20 goals and 37 points in 50 games this past season.
His real coming-out party came during the 2025 OHL Playoffs. He helped bring Kitchener to the Western Conference Final, in which he scored eight goals and 16 points in 14 contests with a +6 rating. It wasn’t enough to be one of the playoff scoring leaders, but it was enough to lead the Rangers in postseason scoring.
It was an unforeseen run for a grittier player. Ellinas is a workhorse in the offensive zone, but his offensive production hadn’t caught up to how hard he was working until now. The Senators have inked a playoff-style performer if Ellinas continues on his trajectory.
It’ll be interesting to see where the Senators place Ellinas to begin the 2025-26 season. Their AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, could use the help in a hotly contested North Division. Still, Ellinas may benefit from another year in the OHL to wholly hone in his offensive game before making the jump to professional hockey.
Winnipeg Jets Notes: Connor, Morrissey, Schenn, Fleury
Although the Winnipeg Jets extended a few of their pending unrestricted free agents shortly before the end of the regular season, they still have a few to iron out. One of which is winger Kyle Connor, who’s eligible for an extension on July 1st.
According to Murat Ates of The Athletic, he’s fully expecting the Jets to make Connor’s extension a priority this summer. It would be the second contract extension that the University of Michigan alum has signed in Winnipeg, following the seven-year, $50 million deal that was signed in 2019.
Connor’s next deal is sure to include a substantial raise, considering his impressive average of over a point per game for the last seven years, along with multiple 30- and 40-goal seasons, and two campaigns with over 90 points. With the salary cap continually increasing, the Jets should face no financial issues. The only hiccup could be Connor’s desire to stay in Manitoba.
Other Jets notes:
- In a report from TSN’s John Lu, defenseman Josh Morrissey won’t require surgery on his injured knee from Game 6 of Winnipeg’s Round Two series against the Dallas Stars. Still, it wouldn’t have mattered to the Jets’ Stanley Cup aspirations, as Morrissey shared he would have been done for the postseason regardless. He’ll be ready in time for training camp in September, at any rate.
- Morrissey wasn’t the only injured player on Winnipeg’s blue line. According to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press, trade deadline acquisition Luke Schenn had been playing through the playoffs with a fractured rib. Schenn didn’t let the injury affect his physicality, as the veteran blue liner collected 47 hits in nine games after purportedly suffering the fracture.
- Staying on the Jets’ blue line, team color analyst Mitchell Clinton shared that depth defender Haydn Fleury would love to stay in Winnipeg for the foreseeable future. Fleury, the pending unrestricted free agent, appeared in 37 games for Winnipeg this year, tallying seven assists while averaging 15:56 of ice time per game.
Golden Knights Sign Tuomas Uronen To Entry-Level Contract
The Vegas Golden Knights have signed one of their lower-round selections from the 2023 NHL Draft. The Golden Knights announced they’ve signed forward Tuomas Uronen to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Vegas selected Uronen with the 192nd pick of the 2023 NHL Draft. At the time, he was playing for HIFK’s U20 program, but he quickly transferred to the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s after being drafted.
Despite having an extensive career in Finland’s junior leagues, Uronen only began making a name for himself in North America. Unfortunately, a lower-body injury limited him to 11 games during the 2023-24 season. Still, he made up for it in a major way with the Kingston Frontenacs this year.
Uronen scored 38 goals and 90 points in 63 games this year with a +28 rating, and another five goals and 13 points in 11 postseason contests. Internationally, Uronen scored two goals and three points in seven games for Team Finland during the 2024-25 U20 World Junior Championship.
Although it’s well known that the Golden Knights need more depth on the wing for next year’s roster, it’s more than likely Uronen will start the year with their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights. Still, assuming Vegas remains tight to the cap next year, it would be unsurprising to see Uronen debut at some point during the 2025-26 campaign.
Capitals Reassign Andrew Cristall To AHL
While the Capitals’ season is over, their AHL affiliate in Hershey is still alive in the Calder Cup Playoffs. They’ll be getting a boost in the form of 2023 second-round pick Andrew Cristall, who the Caps announced has been assigned to Hershey and could make his pro debut in tomorrow’s win-or-go-home Game 3 against Charlotte.
Cristall, a left-winger, has far exceeded his 40th overall billing. The 5’10” forward slipped farther down the draft board than most expected – most had tabbed him as a surefire first-round selection after he recorded 95 points in 54 games with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets in his draft year, but his smaller stature was enough to tank his stock.
It’s obviously too early to make a true determination before he even plays an NHL game, but Cristall has been on a superstar-level tear over the past two seasons. He finished fifth in the WHL in scoring last season with 111 points in 62 games (1.79 per game) but has been on a new level here in 2024-25. While an injury and a midseason trade limited him to 57 games between Kelowna and Spokane, he was still good for a 48-84–132 scoring line (2.32 points per game) with a +59 rating. He captured the league’s scoring title despite playing 15 games short of a full schedule and tacked on another 21 goals and 41 points in 19 playoff games for good measure.
Cristall is clearly the Caps’ most dynamic scoring threat in their prospect pool and should get a legitimate shot to make the opening night roster in the fall. Whether he can overcome the natural weaknesses his smallish frame provides and become an everyday top-six fixture in short order remains to be seen, but his puckhandling ability and skating should make him an impact producer in short order.
Laurent Dauphin Remains In Canadiens Organization On Two-Year AHL Deal
Longtime farmhand Laurent Dauphin will remain with the Canadiens organization on a two-year contract with AHL Laval, the team announced. He’s still technically an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any NHL team, but if all goes to plan, the former Habs and Coyotes center will continue to provide a veteran presence to play with Montreal’s minor-league prospects.
Dauphin, 30, hasn’t suited up for an NHL game since making 21 appearances with Arizona in the 2022-23 campaign. He went to Switzerland the following year and, after a nice year with HC Ambri-Piotta, returned to North America on a minor-league deal with Laval for 2024-25.
Historically a strong offensive presence in the minors, Dauphin picked up where he left off in his return. He finished second on the Rocket in scoring with 26-30–56 in 63 games, along with a team-high +25 rating.
Extending on an AHL deal means Dauphin remains ineligible for a call-up to the Montreal roster, although they can easily sign him to a two-way deal if they want him up. He’ll need to clear waivers to return to Laval after they do so, however.
A 2013 second-round pick by Phoenix, Dauphin has spent most of his professional career with the now-defunct Coyotes franchise. His one season with NHL appearances in Montreal (2021-22) was the best of his career, though, making a career-high 38 appearances for the Habs in a depth role while scoring four goals and 12 points.