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Kiefer Sherwood Changes Agents

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After a breakout showing last season, Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood is one of the more intriguing under-the-radar potential 2026 unrestricted free agents.  Whenever Vancouver talks about an extension with him, however, they’ll now be dealing with a new agent.  Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Sherwood has changed agencies and is now represented by Wasserman after RSG Hockey handled the deal that landed him with the Canucks last summer.

After being more of a role player in Nashville in the first few seasons of his career, the 30-year-old became a regular for the first time in 2023-24 with the Predators.  That season, he put up 10 goals, 17 assists, and 234 hits which made him an interesting target heading into free agency.  As a result, he was able to land a two-year, $3MM contract Vancouver despite his limited track record.

But it turns out that he had another gear to get to.  Last season, Sherwood beat those personal bests from the year before, tallying 19 goals, 21 assists, and a whopping 462 hits, the latter number representing an NHL record since the stat started officially being tracked in 2007-08.  Notably, his playing time jumped to a little under 15 minutes per night.  Instead of being the fourth liner he had been earlier, he was now regularly playing in Vancouver’s middle six.

That has Sherwood well-positioned to earn a fair-sized raise on his next contract.  AFP Analytics projected a three-year deal worth around $2.75MM earlier this summer if he were to sign an extension now while another performance like this next season could push the asking price closer to the $4MM mark next summer.

It’s unknown if discussions have already started between the Canucks and Sherwood with this agent change being a move to try to get discussions rekindled or if it’s just planning ahead for talks later on.  Either way, Sherwood is going to be heading for a nice raise between now and next summer with a new representative involved in those talks.

Wild Could Reach $16MM Per Year On Kirill Kaprizov Extension

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All signs point towards Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid breaking the NHL’s record for richest contract when he signs his next contract. The Minnesota Wild will be the only team to give Edmonton a run for their money, as they entertain signing superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov to his own contract extension. In their effort to lock up a player capable of 50-goal and 60-assist seasons, Minnesota could end up paying as much as $16MM per season, per Michael Russo of The Athletic on his ’Worst Seats In The House’ podcast. Russo and co-host Anthony LaPanta agreed that Kaprizov will likely get the contract, and bonus structure, of his choosing so long as the deal is at least five years long.

On the surface, Kaprizov’s stat line is hard to compare to the league’s top echelon. His career-high in scoring sits at 108 points – split between 47 goals and 61 assists in 81 games of the 2021-22 season. He has continued to rival more than 45 goals and 100-point scoring pace over the last three seasons, but has missed routine ice time to a string of injuries. His 2024-25 campaign was cut in half by a lower-body injury that required surgery in January. He finished the year with 25 goals and 56 points – marks that would have put him on pace for a career-high 50 goals and 112 points over a full year.

Had Kaprizov reached those scoring heights this season, he would have become just the 6th player since 2000 to record at least 50 goals and 60 assists in one season. That feat would have put him in company with elite peers, including McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Nathan MacKinnon – who have each held the title of highest-paid player at some point in their career. It’s that projection that Minnesota will lean on when negotiating with Kaprizov. There’s simply no arguing his prowess when at full health. Few NHL wingers command play on both ends of the ice quite like Kaprizov, and there’s no doubt that his presence alone is enough to swing Minnesota’s moneyline. Across his 319-game career, Kaprizov has averaged 48 goals and 99 points per 82 games played.

Even with an undeniable superstar ability, it will be tough for Minnesota to award Kaprizov a deal that takes him to age-35 or 36 after missing 63 games over the last three seasons combined – even if he has averaged 102-points per-82 games over those seasons. Minnesota will be stuck between wanting to pave way for their star to stick around, and not biting off more than they can chew. Minnesota will also need to negotiate a new deal with starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson before next summer. Gustavsson could reel in as much as $6.5MM, and has already expressed interest in signing an extension.

The culmination of multiple top contracts set to expire will make Wild general manager Bill Guerin one to watch closely over the next few months. Minnesota is in a stable spot under Guerin’s guide – with a roster that’s seemingly set to stick together for years to come. But the team hasn’t made it past the first round of the postseason since 2015. Kaprizov is a premier talent, and the Wild could face another wrinkle in negotiations should he speculate about the team’s long-term Stanley Cup odds. Young, high-upside forwards like Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi – and a season of good health for both Kaprizov and the Wild as a whole – could go far in convincing the Russian phenom to lock up a career in Minnesota.

Photo courtesy of Nick Wosika-Imagn Images.

Poll: Who Is The Early Favorite To Win The 2026 Calder Trophy?

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The hockey world was treated to a true gift by the race for the 2025 Calder Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s top rookie. The class lived up to years of expectations, headlined by Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson tying Larry Murphy for the most assists by a rookie defender. He took home the Calder ahead of San Jose Sharks top center Macklin Celebrini and Calgary Flames starting goaltender Dustin Wolf – who both managed star-studded and historic performances of their own. The heap of talent left players who could have won the trophy outright in seemingly any other year – options like 26-goal-scorer Matvei Michkov. A rookie class so strong will be impossible to follow up, but the group in 2025-26 seem to have a great chance to come close.

Early predictions will have the Calder Trophy staying put through in 2026. The Canadiens are set to award star rookie Ivan Demidov with his first NHL season, after he led KHL super-club SKA St. Petersburg with in scoring with 49 points in 62 games last season. He was a sheer force at Russia’s top level, showing a pace, strength, and finesse that was unmatched by his competition. Demidov finished the year with five points in six Gagarin Cup Playoff matchups, before scoring four points in his first seven games with Montreal.

Demidov is now set to assume a key role in the Canadiens’ lineup. It’s hard to imagine he won’t play true top-line minutes. He offers the in-tight skill and low-zone grit to perfectly complement spot-shooter Cole Caufield and playmaking, two-way center Nick Suzuki. The stars will be Demidov’s ceiling if he gets a full year to such talented players. He nearly recorded a 20-30-50 season in the KHL – a league often lauded as near-equal to the NHL. That standing could set him up for 60, or even 70, points in his first year with Montreal.

It will be a tight race to catch up to, and overcome, Demidov. A slew of star collegiate players signed their entry-level contracts at the end of the season, and could easily be set for major minutes of their own. Sam Rinzel fills a need for right-shot defense for the Blackhawks and Oliver Moore seemed to bring his slick-passing to Chicago, Gabe Perreault looked like a strong utility player with the New York Rangers, and Ryan Leonard showed an ability to match the Washington Capitals’ pace.

And yet, all four could be outdone by Minnesota Wild defenseman Zeev Buium, who managed an impressive 98 points in 83 games at the University of Denver. He appeared in four Stanley Cup Playoff games, but only managed one assist. Also atop the defense charts is top KHL defender Alexander Nikishin, who ended a stalemate when he finally joined the Carolina Hurricanes for the playoffs. Nikishin ranked second on SKA St. Petersburg with 46 points in 61 games, and matched Buium’s postseason statline.

Even still, the OHL could emerge. Sam Dickinson served as the star of the 2025 Memorial Cup-winning London Knights, and seems well-primed for a big role with the desolate San Jose Sharks. He could be joined by the reigning ’OHL Player of the Year’ Michael Misa, who managed an incredible 62 goals and 134 points in 65 OHL games last season. Misa was drafted second in this year’s class, with New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer the only selection before him. The smooth-moving, sharp-eyed Schaefer could be another Calder candidate, though he hasn’t played a season-game since sustaining a broken collarbone during the World Junior Championships last December.

It will be hard for any player to rival the record-breaking heights that Hutson reached last season, but the list of candidates looking to follow him up seems endless. Any one of the aforementioned players could find their way into a star role, or the award could go to someone entirely different – like 2025 Hobey Baker Award-winner and Edmonton Oilers winger Isaac Howard.

With so much talent on the board, who do you think will win the 2026 Calder Trophy? If you choose ’Other’, comment your pick below!

Who Is The Early Favorite To Win The 2026 Calder Trophy?
Ivan Demidov, Canadiens 57.40% (477 votes)
Alexander Nikishin, Hurricanes 15.88% (132 votes)
Zeev Buium, Wild 14.68% (122 votes)
Matthew Schaefer, Islanders 12.03% (100 votes)
Total Votes: 831

Mobile users click here to vote.

Islanders’ Daniil Prokhorov Signs In KHL

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Much has been made this summer of the New York Islanders’ selections in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, but one of their picks from the second round is on the move today. According to Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News, forward prospect Daniil Prokhorov has signed a two-year, two-way deal with the KHL’s Dynamo Moskva.

Prokhorov has spent the last two years playing for MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg in the MHL, which led to his selection with the 42nd overall pick in this summer’s draft. Over that time, he scored 27 goals and 43 points in 79 games, with most of his goals coming from being an impressive net-front presence.

Due to the structure of his new deal in Russia, Prokhorov will likely spend a significant amount of time in the VHL rather than the KHL, which is the top-affiliated league in Russia. He has the goal-scoring ability to make an impact in the KHL, though his 6’6″, 218lbs frame understandably limits his mobility on the ice, and his foot speed is not up to par with the nation’s top level.

Still, he was arguably one of the best-hitting forwards available in June’s draft. His playstyle has been described as “violent” by many scouts, and he uses his entire frame to level opposing players. The Islanders hope he will be ready to play in North America after his two-year deal expires following the 2026-27 KHL season, helping to develop him into one of the most physically imposing power forwards in the league.

Morning Notes: Kopitar, Marner, Gallant

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In a recent interview with Jaime Maggio from Sports Central LA, Anže Kopitar, long-time star of the Los Angeles Kings, suggested that his upcoming 20th season in the NHL might be his last. He will be playing out the final year of a two-year, $14 million contract with the Kings this season.

The Jesenice, Slovenia native will certainly leave his mark on the franchise if he decides to hang up his skates after the 2025-26 season. He debuted for the Kings during the 2006-07 season and has been a major factor in them winning their only two Stanley Cup championships in franchise history.

He’s unlikely to pass Luc Robitaille as the organizational goal leader, but Kopitar is already the franchise leader in games played and assists. Furthermore, once he scores his 30th point this upcoming season, he’ll become the Kings’ franchise leader in points, passing Marcel Dionne. At any rate, Los Angeles would have a huge hole at center heading into the 2026-27 campaign if Kopitar does retire.

Additional notes from this morning:

  • New star forward for the Vegas Golden Knights, Mitch Marner, opened up on his final days with the Toronto Maple Leafs at Team Canada’s Olympic orientation camp yesterday. Marner admitted that he and his family required full-time security at his residence in Canada for nearly two weeks after the Maple Leafs were eliminated in last year’s playoffs by the Florida Panthers. At the press conference, Marner said, “The market’s very passionate. They love their team. I know it, I was born and raised there. I’ve been a part of Leafs nation for a long time. But, when your family safety comes into question, especially having a new son, I don’t think it’s acceptable.“
  • Despite being several years removed from his tenure as the head coach of the New York Rangers, Gerard Gallant wasn’t ready to retire, despite the lack of interest from the NHL, ultimately leading him to take on the role of head coach of the KHL’s Shanghai Dragons. In a new interview with Daria Tuboltseva of RG Media, Gallant opened up on the questions he got from his friends and family about the move, saying, “‘You are only 61 years old, and you want to coach again?’ It was the best opportunity, and I said, ‘I will give it a try.’ I wanted to try it, it was something new, and it was going to be tough. But I said, ‘I want to try, I want to keep coaching.’ I still do not feel like I am ready to retire.“

Summer Synopsis: Tampa Bay Lightning

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With training camps now less than a month away, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason.  Next up is a look at Tampa Bay.

Last summer, the Lightning made a big splash, adding Jake Guentzel while parting ways with longtime franchise icon Steven Stamkos among their series of moves.  This time around, GM Julien BriseBois has been much more tempered with his roster movement, opting to work on the fringes while keeping a key trade deadline acquisition in the fold.

Draft

2-56 – F Ethan Czata, Niagara (OHL)
4-108 – F Benjamin Rautiainen, Tappara (Liiga)
4-127 – F Aiden Foster, Prince George (WHL)
5-151 – D Everett Baldwin, St. George’s (USHS-RI)
7-193 – G Caleb Heil, Madison (USHL)
7-206 – F Roman Luttsev, Yaroslavl (MHL)
7-212 – D Grant Spada, Guelph (OHL)
7-215 – F Marco Mignosa, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

The Lightning managed a surprisingly stout draft class despite little in the way of pick value. Their class is full of interesting skill and projectable upside, housed within a shell of unrefined skills and clear areas for growth. Czata stands as the true playmaker of the bunch and earns the highest pick as a result. He’s a heads-up center who plays the low-zone well on both ends of the ice. He already has the frame and muscle to work his way to a pro build, but will need to compliment it with improved skating before he can boom at the pro level.

The Lightning reeled in a line of upside picks behind the projectable Czata. Rautiainen was in his final year of draft eligibility, but earned a selection after netting an impressive 37 points in 58 Liiga games last season. He’s an upside bet who could translate to North America soon. Foster is the bruiser of the bunch, having already racked up 260 penalty minutes in just two WHL seasons. Baldwin was seen as a true draft gem in NHL circles, with some New England scouts praising him as a second-round talent at his peak. He’s a nifty, fast-moving defender with the ability to drive play and throw big hits – though he hasn’t yet had a chance at the top level. He’ll get his first in a move to the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs this season.

The Bolts had to save their energy for a busy seventh-round. They landed a very well-rounded bunch for their effort. It features the flashy athleticism of goaltender Heil, downhill offense of center Luttsev, heavy hitting of defender Spada, incremental, all-around improvement of Mignosa. All four players show flashes of upside as true NHL hopefuls, even despite having to wait until the final picks to hear their name called.

Trade Acquisitions

F Sam O’Reilly (trade with Edmonton)

After Isaac Howard decided that he didn’t want to sign with the Lightning, he immediately because their top trade chip.  They elected not to move him at the deadline but found a viable one-for-one prospect swap that saw him flipped for another late first-round selection.  O’Reilly isn’t NHL-ready like Howard is but he plays the more premium position as a natural center and produced over a point-per-game in both the regular season and playoffs with OHL London.  Already signed to his entry-level deal, he could be in the mix for NHL ice time as soon as 2026-27.

UFA Signings

F Nicholas Abruzzese (one year, $775K)*
F Tristan Allard (two years, $1.745MM)*
G Ryan Fanti (one year, $775K)*
F Gage Goncalves (two years, $2.4MM)^
F Yanni Gourde (six years, $14MM)^
F Pontus Holmberg (two years, $3.1MM)
F Boris Katchouk (one year, $775K)*
D Simon Lundmark (two years, $1.55MM)*
F Jakob Pelletier (three years, $2.325MM)
F Scott Sabourin (one year, $775K)*
D Steven Santini (two years, $1.55MM)*^

*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing

BriseBois paid a high price to acquire Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand at the trade deadline so it made sense that he’d try to keep Gourde in the fold.  Few expected him to sign a six-year deal at the age of 33, however.  That’s a long contract for someone that age but the trade-off is a cap charge that is well below what he likely would have received in free agency in a market that had few centers of significance.  Gourde is coming off a pretty quiet season by his standards but he was impactful after the trade, notching 14 points in 21 games.  If he comes anywhere close to this, he’s going to be a nice bargain in the early going of this deal and really help bolster their bottom six, an area of need for a while now.

Speaking of bottom-six pickups, both Holmberg and Pelletier qualify.  Holmberg had his first full NHL season last year with Toronto, playing somewhat regularly on their fourth line during the regular season and in the playoffs.  He doesn’t bring a lot of offensive upside to the table but it’s still an improvement on what Tampa Bay’s fourth line provided last season while he could help a bit on the penalty kill as well.  Pelletier cleared waivers to start last season but wound up getting into 49 NHL games between Calgary and Philadelphia.  A 2019 first-round pick, it doesn’t appear as if he’ll be able to live up to his draft billing but he should have a chance to secure a regular spot on that fourth line and, like Holmberg, give it perhaps a bit more offensive upside as well.

Goncalves was able to establish himself as a regular for the most part with the Lightning last season but Tampa Bay wanted nothing to do with arbitration, opting to non-tender him before re-signing him in early July at a price tag higher than what his qualifying offer was.  Last season, he cleared waivers twice.  That’s probably not going to be an option this time around.  Abruzzeze has had some good offensive success in the minors with Toronto but hasn’t had much of an NHL opportunity, allowing him to reach Group Six free agency.  He’ll be in tough to lock down a full-time spot with the Lightning but he could be a good candidate for a midseason recall.

RFA Re-Signings

D Maxwell Crozier (three years, $2.325MM)*
F Jack Finley (three years, $2.325MM)*

*-denotes two-way contract

Most of Tampa Bay’s contract work was done before the summer came along so there wasn’t much to do here.  Crozier and Finley signed identical contracts, deals that will carry a two-way salary this season before converting to one-way pacts for the other two (at rates that will be increased due to the changes to the minimum salary in the CBA).  Crozier could have a shot at earning a seventh defenseman role with the Lightning this season while Finley – who made his NHL debut last season – is ticketed for regular minutes with AHL Syracuse once again.

Departures

D Anthony Angello (unsigned)
F Cam Atkinson (unsigned)
D Derrick Pouliot (signed with Rangers, one year, $775K)*
F Gabriel Fortier (signed with Leksand, SHL)
F Logan Brown (signed with Los Angeles, one year, $775K)*
F Luke Glendening (unsigned)
F Isaac Howard (trade with Edmonton)
D Tobie Paquette-Bisson (signed with Laval, AHL)
D Nicklaus Perbix (signed with Nashville, two years, $5.5MM)
F Conor Sheary (contract termination, signed a PTO with Rangers)
F Simon Ryfors (RFA rights lost, signed with Davos, NL)
G Matt Tomkins (signed with Edmonton, two years, $1.55MM)*

*-denotes two-way contract

Despite a large list of names to leave the organization, the Lightning and GM Julien BriseBois did a good job of not losing anyone of significance. Perbix, 27, is coming off of a nice season to earn a solid two-year deal with the Predators. In 74 games, Perbix put up 19 points while averaging 14:41 of ice time per night. Perhap the biggest departure came in the form of Howard, who never actually suited up in Tampa Bay. Following the trade, the Oilers announced Howard has signed a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in 2025-26.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Lightning are projected to have a little under $1.2MM in cap space for next season, per PuckPedia, and that’s with a 23-player roster.  That’s a luxury they haven’t been able to afford too often in recent years and if they elect not to operate with that to start the season, they could wind up opening up nearly $2MM below the cap ceiling.  That’s a much cleaner spot to be in compared to where they’ve been at times over the last few seasons.

Key Questions

Can Geekie Lock Down A Key Role? One of the wild cards for Tampa Bay this season is forward Conor Geekie.  A key piece of the return in the trade that saw defenseman Mikhail Sergachev go to Utah at the draft last year, the 2022 11th overall pick broke camp with the Lightning last year but played a relatively minor role overall, only playing more than 15 minutes in four of his 52 games while only collecting 14 points.  In February, the decision was made to let him go to Syracuse and he was much more successful with the Crunch, notching 11 goals and 20 points in 24 games, earning a late-season recall and some playoff time.  If Geekie can truly lock down a full-time spot on the third line, a step forward from him coupled with their bottom-six additions could really help shore up what was one of their biggest weaknesses last season.

Will The Lightning Do Any Early Extensions? Over the years, BriseBois has often elected to sign his pending free agents a year early and avoid any potential distractions of having a player in his walk year.  (Stamkos, their former captain, was a rare notable exception.)  There is a trio of veterans who could be candidates to sign new deals.  Bjorkstrand has reached at least 20 goals in six of the last seven seasons, making him a reliably consistent secondary scoring option that should land more than his current $5.4MM price tag on the open market so working to sign him now makes some sense.  Meanwhile, on the back end, veteran Ryan McDonagh and J.J. Moser are both extension-eligible as well.  McDonagh is unlikely to command the $6.75MM cap cost that he currently has but there is likely mutual interest in seeing him stick around in a mentoring capacity for another year or two.  As for Moser, his first season with the Lightning after coming over in the Sergachev trade was a little quieter than expected but he’s still expected to be a top-four piece for them for the foreseeable future.  If they’re confident he can rebound, looking to sign him now when his value might be a little lower would be a wise move.

Can They Match Last Season’s Offensive Production? The Lightning led the NHL in regular season goals last season (292), good for a 3.56 goals per game. The team is returning its core offensive threats, so can it make another push toward the top of the offensive rankings? The answer likely hinges on whether it can replicate last season’s power play success, when it ranked fifth in the league with a 25.9 percent conversion rate. That efficiency was complemented by impressive even-strength production, as the team finished third in the league in even-strength goals, trailing only the Washington Capitals and, perhaps surprisingly, the Columbus Blue Jackets. If Nikita Kucherov can produce something close to last season’s 121 points, and players like Guentzel, Brandon Hagel, and Brayden Point continue to produce at a point-per-game rate, the Lightning should once again find themselves near the top of the league in goals per game and in a strong position to contend heading into the playoffs.

Photos courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

PHR’s Gabriel Foley and Paul Griser also contributed to this post.

Afternoon Notes: Hockey Canada, Zary, Harley

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A preliminary report has been released by the ’Future of Sport in Canada’ commission, a group formed in May of 2024 focused on reviewing Canada’s amateur sports system. In it, the group made a recommendation for the creation of an independent body to oversee amateur sports across the country, shares TSN’s Rick Westhead. They claim that this group could address both funding shortages and instances of abuse or maltreatment.

The recommendation was one of 71 made by the commission in their initial report. It follows an investigation that spanned visits to 12 Canadian cities and review of over 1,000 written submissions. Their findings detailed multiple instances of abuse or neglect, including suspended or banned coaches still working within their clubs. This effort comes as part of a yearlong push to make Canadian amateur sports more safe and secure environments for children and families. The federal Heritage Committee also made recommendations for changes in the sports system in June 2024.

The creation of an independent oversight committee would be an innovative push into public support of youth sports. It could be an effort that bodies like USA Hockey – who currently handles oversight internally – looks to mimic in years to come.

Other notes from around the hockey world:

  • Calgary Flames restricted-free agent Connor Zary will likely end up with a bridge-deal, per hockey insider Jeff Marek on the latest Empty Netters podcast episode. Zary remains one of the top available free agents, after posting 13 goals and 27 points in 54 games last season. That equates to a 41-point scoring pace over 82 games. Zary has stepped up as a reliable, middle-six center for the Flames over the last two seasons. He’s racked up 61 points in 117 career games, and should be due for big growth over the next few seasons. First, he’ll need to find his way back to good health after missing 47 games over the last two years due to injury. That bad luck could make a bridge deal sensible, and give Zary a chance to earn a payday before his prime years.
  • Also on the Empty Netters podcast, Marek shared that the Dallas Stars aren’t likely to go above Miro Heiskanen’s cap hit for 2026 RFA defenseman Thomas Harley. Heiskanen signed an eight-year, $67.6MM contract with the Stars in 2021, at the age of 22. The deal carries an $8.45MM cap hit. Heiskanen had totaled 131 points in 275 games before signing the deal. That’s more scoring and experience than Harley’s 103 points in 197 career games. Harley also turned 24-years-old two weeks ago. He’s a sharp offensive-defenseman who thrived in Heiskanen’s absence last season, but a lighter resume and older age could counteract a rising salary cap in his contract negotiations.

Shane Pinto Extension Not Expected Before Start Of Season

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Despite expressing a desire to sign a long-term extension with the Ottawa Senators when he became eligible on July 1st, there’s currently no such agreement in place for Shane Pinto. In a recent interview with Steve Warne of The Hockey News, General Manager Steve Staios doesn’t expect this to change anytime soon.

In the interview, when directly pressed on extension negotiations between the team and Pinto, Staios said, “I think what we’ve decided on is we’re gonna let the season start and not have Shane distracted with (contract talks). But I guess the best way to put it is (we’ve had) preliminary conversations – positive ones – that lead me to believe that there will be a deal done at the right time. And that’s really all I can report on that.”

The news of positive preliminary talks is a good sign that Pinto will ultimately sign an extension with Ottawa; the phrase ’distraction’ has different implications altogether. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Pinto won’t re-up with the Senators, but the use of that word implies the team is willing to wait until next offseason to work out the specifics.

There’s no real reason for Ottawa to rush, as Pinto will become an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent next summer while still being three years away from unrestricted free agency. With Ottawa’s salary cap situation becoming increasingly tight due to the younger players on the roster receiving new contracts, it seems risky for the Senators to delay serious negotiations with Pinto. Gaining cost certainty now would be a more prudent decision.

Ultimately, Pinto will decide his fate. He rebounded nicely last season after missing half of the season in 2023-24 due to his violation of the NHL’s sports wagering policy. Appearing in 70 games for the Senators, Pinto scored 21 goals and 37 points, averaging 17:33 of ice time with a 16.5% shooting percentage. Additionally, he was sneakily productive on the defensive side for a player who’s considered a goal-scorer, finishing fifth on the team among forwards with a 91.0% on-ice save percentage at even strength.

During Ottawa’s brief run in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, he was relatively unremarkable. However, he had a standout performance in this summer’s IIHF World Championships, where he scored two goals and recorded 10 points in eight games, finishing with a +9 rating for Team USA. Due to his performance on the international stage, Pinto was included in Team USA’s orientation camp roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics, but he is unlikely to make the final roster.

Outside of Pinto’s expiring $3.75MM cap hit, Ottawa will have an additional $15.45MM coming off the books next summer, assuming they don’t sign anyone to an extension throughout the 2025-26 season. This means that should Pinto have an explosive campaign, the Senators will have the funds to reward him financially. Still, it would be wise for the team to make that commitment sooner rather than later, as Pinto’s long-term price will only continue to increase if he has a successful year.

KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan Acquire Grigori Denisenko

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A former first-round pick is on the move overseas. According to a report out of Russia, the KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan has acquired forward Grigori Denisenko from the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

After an impressive season with the MHL’s Loko Yaroslavl, which saw Denisenko score nine goals and 22 points in 31 games during the 2017-18 season, the Florida Panthers selected him with the 15th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft. He went on to spend another two years with the KHL’s Lokomotiv, scoring 10 goals and 18 points in 63 games, including another one goal and four points in 12 postseason contests.

He was limited in playing time throughout his first two years in North America, managing four assists in eight NHL contests with the Panthers, and 14 goals and 27 points in 45 games split between the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch and Charlotte Checkers from 2020 to 2022. He received much more playing time during the 2022-23 season, scoring 12 goals and 36 points in 56 games with the Checkers.

Denisenko was ultimately claimed on the waiver wire by the Vegas Golden Knights after failing to make the Panthers’ roster out of training camp ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. Outside six appearances with Vegas, Denisenko put together his strongest season in the AHL, scoring 20 goals and 56 points in 65 games with the Henderson Silver Knights, though he failed to make either of the AHL All-Star Teams at season’s end.

It was much of the same this past season for Denisenko, scoring 10 goals and 24 points in 42 games for the Silver Knights to start the season. He was traded in mid-February to the Nashville Predators in exchange for future considerations, and concluded the year with the Milwaukee Admirals without appearing for the Predators. Despite mild improvements to his offensive game, Denisenko’s AHL career produced a dismal -56 rating across 231 games.

Although there’s no official confirmation that Denisenko has or will make the move back to the KHL, he remains without an NHL contract heading into September. If he is unwilling to begin the year in the AHL, which is likely where he would end up if he signs with another NHL team, he would be better off returning to Russia, provided that Ak Bars offers him an opportunity.

Blue Jackets Notes: Fantilli, Provorov, Forward Depth

at CDT | by 4 Comments

There’s no question that the Columbus Blue Jackets have one of the cleanest cap tables in the league, especially for how competitive they’re expected to be in the 2025-26 season. Still, as their younger players continue to age, the Blue Jackets are getting closer to potentially having to make difficult decisions, and their extension negotiations with Adam Fantilli will have a major impact on their salary hierarchy moving forward.

Despite having a somewhat disappointing rookie season, albeit limited by injuries, the third overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft responded well last season, scoring 31 goals and 54 points in 82 games while averaging 17:29 of ice time per game. Fantilli still needs to improve in the faceoff dot and on the defensive side of the puck, but being a 30-goal scorer at 20 years old is nothing to scoff at.

In a recent interview with James Murphy of RG Media, Blue Jackets’ General Manager Don Waddell spoke about the upcoming negotiations with Fantilli, saying, We’re going to talk here in the next couple of weeks. Pat Brisson is his agent, and we’re going to do some face-to-face meetings. When these kinds of players are up and these kinds of deals need to be made, I think you need to be in front of each other. I think you make a lot more progress than just over the phone. So that’s always been my theory, and Pat’s the same way. I’ve done a lot of deals over the years with Pat, so we’ll be fine and sit down face-to-face and get this done. As we get closer to training camp, I think we’ll be much further ahead, and we have some dates already planned that we’ll meet, so let’s go from there.”

There technically shouldn’t be any rush on Columbus’s end, given that Fantilli is a few years away from even becoming arbitration-eligible. Still, for the sake of cost certainty and having one of their core pieces locked up long-term, the Blue Jackets are eyeing a long-term extension with Fantilli in the coming weeks.

Waddell also spoke about a separate extension this offseason. On the eve of free agency this summer, Columbus re-signed defenseman Ivan Provorov to a seven-year, $59.5MM contract, which represented only a $1.75MM yearly increase on his previous deal. Despite reports at the time indicating that Provorov might seek a larger deal on the open market, Waddell explained in the interview that there was no real concern he’d leave the organization.

Murphy quoted Waddell, saying, “Well, the good thing is I was in dialogue regularly with Mark Andler, his agent, and there’s a lot of outside noise, but Mark kept telling me, and Provorov too, that his first choice was to stay here in Columbus.” Waddell explained that although Provorov’s cap hit may seem high, he believes it will look more favorable as the salary cap increases. Additionally, Provorov’s preparation for each season is expected to enhance his longevity throughout the duration of the contract.

Lastly, Waddell touched on his excitement over the depth the Blue Jackets brought in this summer, particularly on offense. The team specifically targeted Charlie Coyle as a right-handed center and believes his leadership skills will prove a boon to the younger players on the roster.

Meanwhile, the team’s General Manager also remarked about the skill level of Miles Wood on the offensive side of the puck and Isac Lundeström’s skill on the defensive side of the puck. All three additions are expected to maintain important roles for the Blue Jackets this season and help the team return to the postseason for the first time since the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.

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