You can view the transcript of today’s live chat with Josh Erickson at this link.
Oilers, Trent Frederic Focusing On Long-Term Extension
The Oilers and pending UFA winger Trent Frederic have had preliminary discussions on a max-term eight-year contract extension for the bottom-six forward, Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal said Wednesday. Conversations on an extension began earlier this month but were tabled during the Stanley Cup Final. Those talks will resume this week after last night’s loss, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period writes, adding “there’s a pathway to a deal.”
Even with a likely low price point per season, that level of commitment would be jarring for a player of Frederic’s skill set. We’ve seen longer-term deals being handed out to bottom-six wingers with some scoring upside and a physical edge in recent years. William Carrier, Logan O’Connor, Mathieu Olivier, and Miles Wood have all landed long-term extensions or free agent commitments in the post-COVID era, and Frederic certainly fits that profile.
None of those players received the maximum available term, though, and they were all coming off breakout or otherwise strong platform years. That’s not the case with Frederic. Injuries limited him to 58 regular-season games, including just one with Edmonton after they acquired him from the Bruins in a three-team deal before the trade deadline. When dressed, he logged an 8-7–15 scoring line and a -16 rating, a career-low. While he didn’t see a decline in deployment from his strong 2022-23 and 2023-24 showings in Boston, he produced just 0.26 points per game after averaging 0.40 over the prior three years.
The Oilers are of the belief that’s enough of a track record to secure a long-term commitment and, likely, a role as a third-line winger for the foreseeable future. He did have back-to-back seasons of 17 and 18 goals and a career-high 40 points with the Bruins not too long ago. Two years of that level of production isn’t a huge track record, but an affordable price point could be an appealing proposition for the Oilers to have him secured in case he reaches that output again.
It would also be a worthy bet on Frederic’s part to land some long-term financial security throughout his prime, something that’s not usually attainable for players routinely averaging between 11 and 13 minutes per game. He saw 11:24 of ice time for the Oilers in the playoffs, recording a 1-3–4 scoring line in 22 games and ranking fourth on the team with 85 hits.
While the Oilers’ stars obviously did the heavy lifting, a few depth forwards had decent possession impacts in the playoffs. Frederic wasn’t one of them. His 45.2% share of shot attempts at even strength was second-worst on the club among players who played all 22 playoff games, ahead of only Adam Henrique’s 44.7%. He also saw no special-teams deployment.
It’s likely they view Frederic as a younger, more stable, and more affordable long-term replacement for higher-priced veterans like Viktor Arvidsson and Evander Kane, both of whom could be moved this summer to free up cap space following injury-plagued regular seasons of their own. Still, it’s fair to question what purpose an eight-year commitment, which would take Frederic through his age-35 season, serves that a five-to-six-year deal doesn’t. The likelihood of Frederic still being in the NHL, and potentially even providing some positive value near the end as the salary cap rises, is exponentially higher with the latter option.
Rangers, Matt Rempe Agree To Two-Year Deal
10:12 a.m.: Rempe will earn a $775K base salary with a $200K signing bonus in 2025-26 and a $975K salary in 2026-27, according to PuckPedia. His qualifying offer upon expiry will be $1MM as a result.
9:17 a.m.: The Rangers have agreed to terms with pending RFA forward Matt Rempe on a two-year contract, Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports Wednesday. The total value is $1.95MM with a corresponding $975K AAV and cap hit, according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic. The team has since made the contract official.
It’s not surprising to see Rempe land a one-way commitment coming off his entry-level contract, nor is it surprising to see his second NHL deal remain in the six-figure range per season. A sixth-round pick in 2020, he debuted with the Rangers in February 2024 amid internal turnover on the club’s fourth line. Over the last year and change in New York, he’s produced four goals and six assists for 10 points in 59 games.
Rempe never has and never will be counted on for high-end point production. Instead, it’s his 6’9″, 255-lb frame and penchant for physicality that has led the Rangers to give him increasingly consistent deployment in limited minutes. His ceiling moving forward will be determined by how well he can effectively deploy his frame as a brutal forechecker instead of ineffective, penalizable hits. Rempe spent nearly as much time in the penalty box (71 minutes) as he did on the ice (95 minutes) in his initial 17-game trial in the NHL last season. He improved his penalty impacts somewhat here in 2024-25, only logging 67 PIMs in 42 appearances and 357 minutes of total ice time. However, he was still suspended for eight games in December for elbowing Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen. It was the second suspension of his career after receiving a four-game ban in 2023-24.
Still, after bouncing between the Rangers and AHL Hartford for the first few months of the season, Rempe didn’t see another minor-league assignment for the rest of the year after being reinstated from his suspension in January. He’s eligible for waivers for the first time in 2025-26, so expect him to begin the season on the opening night roster and stay there for good unless an unforeseen roster crunch forces the Blueshirts into exposing him to the rest of the league. The Calgary native has 27 points in 114 minor-league games through his first three professional seasons.
Assuming no additional subtractions from their forward group via trade and prospects like Brett Berard, Brennan Othmann, and Gabriel Perreault starting 2025-26 on the opening night roster, New York has 12 forwards on their active roster for next year. That doesn’t include a new deal for pending RFA William Cuylle. The team has nearly $14MM in cap space remaining after the Rempe deal with Cuylle and defenseman K’Andre Miller still among their notable RFAs without new contracts, per PuckPedia.
Ales Stezka Signs Three-Year Deal With Czechia’s HC Kometa Brno
After spending the last two seasons with the Kraken, goaltender Ales Stezka is headed back to his native Czechia. The Extraliga’s HC Kometa Brno announced a three-year contract for the netminder on Wednesday.
Stezka, 28, was set to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He was a fourth-round pick of the Wild back in 2015 but never signed with them, spending his entire professional career in Czechia until landing an entry-level contract with Seattle in 2023.
The 6’4″ netminder spent his first season on the West Coast as the No. 4 option on the depth chart and the backup in AHL Coachella Valley to veteran Chris Driedger, logging a strong 2.48 GAA, .914 SV%, two shutouts, and an 18-6-2 record in 27 appearances. While he could have been a UFA last summer as well, the Kraken liked what they saw and wanted to keep him around for another season, especially since they didn’t plan to re-sign Driedger. He accepted a rather rich two-way extension for 2024-25 as a result, paying him a $300K minors salary.
2024-25 wasn’t as smooth a campaign for Coachella Valley as a whole, particularly in the goaltending department. Stezka’s numbers regressed to a 3.07 GAA, .899 SV%, and 9-12-9 record in 26 games as he lost the starter’s crease to 21-year-old Niklas Kokko. He still got his first NHL start, though, and spent a couple of weeks on the roster while veteran Philipp Grubauer was sent to the minors in an effort to jumpstart his game. He allowed three goals on 23 shots in a 4-1 loss to the Lightning on Feb. 23, which will likely stand as his lone career NHL appearance when all is said and done.
With some other young goalies in the Seattle system looking for more AHL time next season, there wasn’t a logical fit for Stezka moving forward. He’ll return to the Extraliga, where he was named the league’s best goalie in 2022-23 following a 2.14 GAA and .924 SV% with HC Vítkovice in 39 games, instead of pursuing another NHL contract. He has a career 2.45 GAA, .913 SV%, six shutouts, and a 49-42-0 record in 92 games in the top Czech league.
Who The Penguins Should Target In Free Agency
Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported that Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas doesn’t intend to be a big player in NHL free agency next month, which makes sense given that the Penguins are going young and probably won’t be trying to add higher-end players until next summer at the earliest as they try to piece together an assessment of where their prospects and younger roster players are at. Yohe also reported that Pittsburgh doesn’t plan to offer veteran center Evgeni Malkin a contract extension after next season, which further cements a transition to younger players for Pittsburgh.
That being said, Dubas did leave the door open to sign a few players in free agency. Yohe has speculated that Dubas will probably do something similar to last summer when the Penguins signed Anthony Beauvillier and Matt Grzelcyk to cheap one-year contracts.
If Dubas does intend to do the same thing as last year, he will be looking for similar results to last season’s one-year pacts. Beauvillier was traded to Washington for a second-round pick, and Grzelcyk set career highs in assists (39) and points (40). He was arguably the Penguins’ best left-side defenseman and will more than likely find a new home this summer as he looks for a lucrative multi-year deal. In total, Beauvillier and Grzelcyk cost the Penguins $4MM, and Dubas will be on the hunt for similar value. So, who could he target?
Up front, Dubas has talked about becoming more challenging to play against. Pittsburgh has arguably been the softest team in the NHL for quite some time and has rarely shown any pushback when games become physical.
The Penguins are also relatively slow up front, which didn’t suit former head coach Mike Sullivan’s coaching style, as he preferred to play an up-tempo game that relied on pace and relentless forecheck. They lacked the team speed to sustain that game and remain a relatively slow roster.
Dubas is looking for value deals, so he probably won’t find someone quick and heavy. Based on his own words, it’s fair to guess that he will prioritize the latter.
Anthony Mantha might be a player for the Penguins, given that he meets some of the criteria they would want in a UFA. He has a good size (6’5” and 234lbs), and some skill around the net, evidenced by his three seasons with more than 20 goals.
He will also likely have to settle for a one-year deal, given that last season, he missed most of the year due to injury and was already on a one-year prove-it contract. Mantha is 30 years old and will try to re-establish his value to get one final multi-year deal, which should make him a motivated player if the Penguins sign him.
Pittsburgh could flip him at next year’s trade deadline if he has a good year, allowing them to grab more future assets. Mantha will also be a good stopgap top-six winger for the Penguins if they opt to deal one of Rickard Rakell or Bryan Rust.
Another name the Penguins could target is Kings forward Tanner Jeannot, who has just 27 points combined in his last two seasons and never lived up to the expectations placed on him when he was dealt to Tampa Bay for five draft picks. Jeannot has just 14 goals in his last 122 games and could get multi-year offers this summer, but they likely won’t come at the kind of money he is hoping for.
One team may emerge and overpay the 28-year-old, but if they don’t, it could be a good landing spot for Jeannot to play higher leverage minutes and get some time with the Penguins’ top six as well as on the power play. Jeannot could then re-establish his value for next offseason, and the door could be open for the Penguins to deal him at next year’s deadline.
Lastly, for the forwards, the Penguins could target Ottawa forward Nick Cousins, who had an injury-riddled first year with the Senators and will likely have to settle for another one-year deal. He can’t play in the Penguins’ top six, but he would add some sandpaper to their fourth line and has historically had decent underlying numbers.
Cousins played last season on a one-year $800K contract and will probably have to settle for a similar deal this summer, but should see a bump due to the increased salary cap. The Penguins could try to get Cousins on a contract identical to Beauvillier’s deal last year, which would be good value for what he brings to the team.
On the backend, the Penguins will likely target a left-side defenseman given that their left side is probably the worst in the entire NHL. Right now, Pittsburgh has Ryan Graves, Owen Pickering, Ryan Shea and Vladislav Kolyachonok on the depth charts. While Pickering looks like a promising prospect, and Shea has emerged as a bottom-pairing option, it’s a miserable picture overall.
Yohe has made the argument that Pittsburgh should target defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov. While that would be an incredible get for the Penguins, it doesn’t seem plausible without a major overpay, something Dubas has said he won’t do this summer.
That being said, Ryan Lindgren could be an option if his market falls out or if the offers he receives are not to his satisfaction. Lindgren didn’t have the best season in his walk year, as he struggled with turnovers and wasn’t as assertive or physical as he had been in years prior.
He should still receive multi-year offers, which will take the Penguins out of the picture. Still, if he wanted to re-establish his value, becoming a first-pairing defenseman on the Penguins could go a long way if he were to sign there.
If Lindgren isn’t in play, there aren’t any other options for the Penguins on the left side, but they could look at a plug-and-play veteran such as Calvin de Haan. The 34-year-old is no longer the physical presence he was a decade ago with the Islanders, but he is still a capable NHL defenseman who can give you 15 minutes a night in a difficult matchup.
The Carp, Ontario native plays a low-maintenance defensive game, which is something the Penguins don’t have much of these days. The cost wouldn’t be prohibitive here as de Haan has played under one-year league minimum deals for a while now and will likely settle for the same this summer.
While this list may not excite Penguins fans, it is a reality that their team isn’t a prime destination for high-profile free agents. Perhaps next summer will be a different story, but for now, Pittsburgh is in a spot where they are looking to the future for success, but they need to ice a lineup for the here and now and won’t break the bank to do so.
Photo by Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports
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Full 2025 NHL Draft Order
June 18: Updated post-Stanley Cup Final.
June 9: Updated post-Conference Finals.
May 15: Now that the NHL’s draft lottery results are in, most of the 2025 draft order has been set. There’s still some wiggle room near the bottom. Still, with the Oilers securing a bottom-four pick in each round by advancing to the Western Conference Final last night and all other second-round series in elimination game territory, it’s time to look at how the picks will shake out as things stand.
Many of these picks could still change hands leading up to and at the draft on June 27 and 28 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. It will be the first (and likely only) decentralized draft in recent memory. This list will be updated as picks are confirmed or traded.
Here’s the whole 2025 NHL draft order:
Last updated 6/27/25, 3:41 p.m.
First Round:
- New York Islanders
- San Jose Sharks
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Utah Mammoth
- Nashville Predators
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Boston Bruins
- Seattle Kraken
- Buffalo Sabres
- Anaheim Ducks
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Pittsburgh Penguins (from Rangers)
- Detroit Red Wings
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Vancouver Canucks
- New York Islanders (from Flames)
- New York Islanders (from Canadiens)
- Calgary Flames (from Devils)
- St. Louis Blues
- Columbus Blue Jackets (from Wild)
- Ottawa Senators
- Philadelphia Flyers (from Avalanche)
- Nashville Predators (from Lightning)
- Los Angeles Kings
- Chicago Blackhawks (from Maple Leafs)
- Nashville Predators (from Golden Knights)
- Washington Capitals
- Winnipeg Jets
- Carolina Hurricanes
- San Jose Sharks (from Stars)
- Philadelphia Flyers (from Oilers)
- Calgary Flames (from Panthers)
Second Round:
- San Jose Sharks
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Nashville Predators
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Washington Capitals (from Bruins)
- Seattle Kraken
- Buffalo Sabres
- Philadelphia Flyers (from Ducks)
- Montreal Canadiens (from Penguins)
- New York Islanders
- New York Rangers
- Detroit Red Wings
- Anaheim Ducks (from Blue Jackets)
- Utah Mammoth
- Vancouver Canucks
- Philadelphia Flyers (from Flames)
- Montreal Canadiens
- New Jersey Devils
- Boston Bruins (from Blues)
- Minnesota Wild
- San Jose Sharks (from Senators)
- Calgary Flames (from Avalanche)
- Nashville Predators (from Lightning)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (from Kings)
- Seattle Kraken (from Maple Leafs)
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Pittsburgh Penguins (from Capitals)
- Anaheim Ducks (from Jets)
- Boston Bruins (from Hurricanes)
- Chicago Blackhawks (from Stars)
- New Jersey Devils (from Oilers)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (from Panthers)
Third Round:
- Vancouver Canucks (from Sharks)
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Nashville Predators
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Boston Bruins
- New York Rangers (from Kraken)
- Buffalo Sabres
- Anaheim Ducks
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- New York Islanders
- Detroit Red Wings (from Rangers)
- Detroit Red Wings
- Colorado Avalanche (from Blue Jackets)
- Utah Mammoth
- Montreal Canadiens (from Canucks)
- Calgary Flames
- Montreal Canadiens
- Montreal Canadiens (from Devils)
- Edmonton Oilers (from Blues)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (from Wild)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (from Senators)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (from Avalanche)
- Carolina Hurricanes (from Lightning)
- Los Angeles Kings
- New York Rangers (from Maple Leafs)
- New Jersey Devils (from Golden Knights)
- Vegas Golden Knights (from Capitals)
- Winnipeg Jets
- Washington Capitals (from Hurricanes)
- Dallas Stars
- San Jose Sharks (from Oilers)
- Ottawa Senators (from Panthers)
Key 2025 Offseason Dates
After the 2025 Stanley Cup Final ended last night, making the Panthers the third back-to-back Stanley Cup champion of the salary cap era, the offseason is now officially in full swing with some notable items in quick procession. Here are some key dates to look out for as the news cycle begins to heat up:
June 19
4 p.m. CT – Deadline for first club-elected salary arbitration notification
4 p.m. CT – First buyout period begins
June 27
6 p.m. CT – First round of the 2025 NHL Draft
June 28
11 a.m. CT – Rounds 2-7 of the 2025 NHL Draft
June 30
4 p.m. CT – First buyout period ends
4 p.m. CT – Deadline to issue qualifying offers to pending RFAs
July 1
11 a.m. CT – 2025-26 league year officially begins, free agency opens
July 5
4 p.m. CT – Deadline for player-elected salary arbitration notification
July 6
4 p.m. CT – Deadline for second club-elected salary arbitration notification
July 15
4 p.m. CT – Qualifying offers expire (unless extended by team in writing)
July 20
First potential salary arbitration hearing
August 4
Last potential salary arbitration hearing
August 6
4 p.m. CT – Deadline for salary arbitration decisions to be rendered
Panthers Repeat As Stanley Cup Champs, Bennett Wins Conn Smythe
Aided by Sam Reinhart’s four goals, the Florida Panthers have repeated as Stanley Cup Champions, defeating Edmonton in Game 6 by a score of 5-1. For his efforts, pending free agent Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe after posting 15 goals throughout the playoffs.
Florida’s stars shone bright throughout the playoffs, including fantastic efforts by the likes of Reinhart, Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, Brad Marchand, Matthew Tkachuk, and, of course, solid play between the pipes from star netminder Sergei Bobrovsky. Remarkably, the Panthers had nine players record at least 15 points throughout the playoffs, with six recording at least 20 points. However, Bennett led the way with his incredible finishing ability. His knack for elevating his game in the playoffs culminated in a well-deserved Conn Smythe win, and he’s now poised to cash in on his next contract.
For Edmonton, it’s another season that has ended in heartbreak. Despite another postseason of heroics from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers were once again undone by their defensive flaws and inconsistent goaltending. For his part, McDavid has amassed an absurd 75 points over the last two playoffs, including last season’s Conn Smythe win, while Draisaitl added an incredible 65 points in that time. However, both stars will have to wait for their shot at hoisting the Stanley Cup.
Bobrovsky turned aside 28 of Edmonton’s 29 shots. “Bob” was particularly strong in the second period, turning aside 10 shots, including several high-danger chances. A key moment came midway through the second period when McDavid and Corey Perry broke out on a two-on-one. However, Perry couldn’t get solid contact on McDavid’s pass through the crease. Just a few minutes later, Reinhart potted his second of the game, giving Florida a commanding 3-0 lead and essentially putting the game out of reach. He scored his third and fourth goals on empty-netters late in the third period.
With the Stanley Cup Finals concluded, another NHL season comes to a close. Attention now turns to a busy offseason schedule, which includes the NHL Draft and the start of free agency in the next few weeks.
Free Agent Focus: Seattle Kraken
Free agency is less than a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Kraken.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Kaapo Kakko – After joining the Kraken in a mid-season trade from the New York Rangers, Kakko seems to have found his stride in Seattle. While he recorded just 14 points in 30 games with the Rangers, he flourished in 40 games with the Kraken, scoring 10 goals and totaling 30 points. That level of production over 82 games would equate to a 50-point season. Given that the former second-overall pick is still just 24 years old, he may be finally finding his footing in the league. A continued partnership appears to make good sense for both parties.
F Tye Kartye – If the Kraken and new head coach Lane Lambert prioritize bottom-six forwards with a physical presence, bringing Kartye back into the fold would be a logical move. While the forward saw his offensive numbers slightly dip from his rookie campaign, Kartye finished second on the team with 175 hits despite skating in just 63 games. The 24-year-old put up 11 goals and 20 points during the 2023-24 season, showcasing some offensive upside.
D Ryker Evans – While there weren’t many positives for the Kraken during the 2024-25 season, the emergence of Evans as a bona fide NHLer was one of them. Frequently paired with veteran Brandon Montour, Evans posted solid numbers in his first full NHL season, registering 25 points, 123 hits, and 106 blocked shots. His hit total ranked first among the team’s defensemen and third overall, while his blocked shots also finished third. A long-term deal could pair Evans and Montour for years to come.
Other RFAs: D Cale Fleury, D Peetro Seppala
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Michael Eyssimont – Acquired by the Kraken as a part of the Yanni Gourde trade, Eyssimont made a moderate impact in Seattle. In 20 games, he contributed four goals and six points while averaging 10:26 of ice time per game. Eyssimont, 28, has skated in over 200 NHL games and will provide whichever team he lands with a reliable bottom-six depth piece. However, he was simply a secondary addition to the first-round picks Seattle received the Gourde deal. A veteran of four NHL seasons, Eyssimont has already played for four different franchises and could add a fifth when free agency begins. He represents the team’s only non-roster player set for unrestricted free agency.
Other UFAs: F Brandon Biro, F Luke Henman (Group6), D Gustav Olofsson, D Maxime Lajoie, D Nikolas Brouillard, G Ales Stezka
Projected Cap Space
With minimal players set to hit free agency, the Kraken, president of hockey ops Ron Francis and GM Jason Botterill find themselves with plenty of spending room. According to PuckPedia, Seattle has nearly $20MM in cap space. While some of that will likely go towards retaining restricted free agents like Kakko and Evans, Botterill and company should still have plenty of wiggle room to make a splash in free agency if they choose to do so. Now that the team has finalized its coaching staff, they can turn their attention to the future of the roster. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently said on his 32 Thoughts podcast that he feels the Kraken could play a factor in outbidding other teams for restricted free agents.
“I think Seattle is really eager to take a step this year. They have a lot of cap room, a lot of draft picks, and a lot of flexibility. I don’t know how Jason Botterill or Ron Francis feel about offer sheets, but it was pointed out to me that Seattle has the flexibility to go down that route if they wanted to. So, that’s another team people should be watching,” he said.