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Minor Transactions: 8/30/25

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With international and junior leagues starting to get their preseasons underway, there have been a lot of minor moves in recent days.  Here’s a rundown of those with some NHL ties.

  • Capitals prospect Miroslav Satan has changed teams as OHL Saginaw recently announced that they’ve signed him for the upcoming season. The 19-year-old forward was a seventh-round pick by Washington in 2024, going 204th overall but struggled considerably at the USHL level last season in his first taste of playing in North America.  In 45 games combined between Sioux Falls and Omaha, Satan managed just three goals and one assist while he also suited up in three games for the Slovaks at the World Juniors.  Washington has until June 1st, 2028, to sign him so there’s still lots of time for Satan to turn things around; he’ll hope a different league will help make that happen.
  • After spending the last decade in Tampa Bay’s organization (primarily in the minors), UFA winger/defenseman Daniel Walcott announced (Twitter link) that he will not be returning to Syracuse. The 31-year-old played in 494 games for the Crunch over 10 seasons while also getting into one game with the Lightning.  The AHL has a restriction on how many veterans a team can dress and that is likely playing a role in Walcott not returning for an 11th year with the team.
  • While the Sabres non-tendered forward Bennett MacArthur in June, he’ll technically remain affiliated with the organization as their ECHL affiliate in Jacksonville announced that they’ve signed him to a one-year deal. The 24-year-old split last season between the ECHL affiliates of Pittsburgh and Buffalo, notching 10 goals and 20 assists in 64 games.
  • Meanwhile, another non-tendered Sabres UFA this summer has also secured a place to play for the upcoming year as Dynamo Moscow of the KHL announced that winger Alexander Kisakov’s tryout was successful and that he has been given a one-year deal. The 22-year-old was a second-round pick in 2021 but struggled in the AHL, notching just 25 points in 93 games over the course of his three-year, entry-level contract.

Zach Hyman Unsure He’ll Be Ready To Start The Season

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Back in late May, Oilers winger Zach Hyman suffered a dislocated wrist in the Western Conference Final, resulting in surgery that kept him out for the rest of their playoff run.  The veteran told NHL.com’s Dan Rosen that while his recovery is on track, he’s unsure if he’ll be cleared by the time the regular season gets underway in early October.

Unlike 2019, when he was working his way back from a knee issue, Hyman has been able to skate regularly but still needs a brace on his wrist.  His ability to build up strength on that wrist will go a long way toward determining if he’ll be cleared for opening night.  He has one more meeting scheduled with the surgeon as well.

In 2023-24, Hyman surprised many with a 54-goal season after reaching the 30-goal plateau for just the first time in his career the year before.  That meant expectations for him were quite high heading into last season.  However, he wasn’t able to produce anywhere near that level.  In 73 games, he notched 27 goals (still tied for the third-best mark in his career) along with 17 assists and produced at a somewhat similar clip in the playoffs before the injury, tallying six goals and five helpers in 15 contests.

As things stand, Edmonton projects to have less than $226K of cap space heading into the season, per PuckPedia.  That doesn’t give them much in the way of wiggle room for injury insurance if Hyman isn’t available to start the season; the minimum salary is $775K.  Meanwhile, for Hyman to become LTIR-eligible (which would open up some short-term flexibility), he’d have to miss at least the first 10 games and 24 days of the season and at this point, there’s no guarantee he’d need to miss that much time if he’s not available on opening night.  Accordingly, Hyman’s availability (or lack thereof) will be one of the key storylines heading into training camp next month for the Oilers.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Dallas Stars

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those who don’t often see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2025-26 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia.  We’re currently covering the Central Division, next up are the Stars.

Dallas Stars

Current Cap Hit: $95,094,916 (below the $95.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Lian Bichsel (two years, $918K)

Potential Bonuses
Bichsel: $500K

Bichsel split time between Dallas and AHL Texas last season before being a regular for them in the playoffs, albeit with limited playing time.  He should crack the roster on a full-time basis this year but still in a third-pairing role, which doesn’t bode well for reaching his bonuses.  Given their longer-term cap situation which we’ll get into as we go along, it would be surprising if his next deal isn’t a short-term bridge contract, likely around the $2MM range.

Signed Through 2025-26, Non-Entry-Level

F Nathan Bastian ($775K, UFA)
F Jamie Benn ($1MM, UFA)
F Mavrik Bourque ($950K, RFA)
D Thomas Harley ($4MM, RFA)
D Nils Lundkvist ($1.25MM, UFA)
D Alexander Petrovic ($775K, UFA)
F Jason Robertson ($7.75MM, RFA)

Potential Bonuses
Benn: $3MM

Robertson’s situation has garnered plenty of attention with his name coming up in trade speculation.  He’s averaging over a point per game for his career and has notched at least 79 points in four straight seasons.  That’s top-line numbers and he’ll be looking for top-line money next summer which should push his cap charge well past the $10MM mark.  Notably, his qualifying offer is $9.3MM with salary arbitration rights.  Benn re-signed this bonus-laden deal to allow Dallas to keep cap-compliant this season, one that is team-friendly even with the bonuses.  $2MM of that is games-played based while the other $1MM is based on team playoff success.  If he wants to remain with the Stars beyond this season, it’s probably going to be on a similarly structured agreement.

Bourque was a speculative offer sheet candidate this summer but agreed to this deal before the draft to take that off the table.  Had he tested restricted free agency, he’d have landed more than this but the one-year term sets him up for arbitration eligibility and a shot to triple this or more next summer if all goes well.  Bastian was a recent signing from the Devils and has been a physical fourth liner throughout his career but his offensive production has largely been limited.  That should keep him around the minimum salary barring a big jump in output.

While Robertson’s case has garnered the majority of the attention for next year’s free agency, Harley’s is arguably just as significant.  He showed last season that his 2023-24 breakout effort was no fluke, taking on an even bigger role and being just as productive.  He is now a legitimate top-pairing player.  As a result, this could be a situation where his pay increase next summer is higher than what Robertson’s is going to be.  Noah Dobson’s eight-year, $9.5MM AAV contract signed this summer looms large as a viable comparable while ticking past $10MM per season is a real possibility as well.  Notably, he’s not UFA-eligible until 2029 so one option that could be considered is another two-year bridge deal more in the $7MM range which could allow their reported desire to work within an internal cap to happen.  That would buy them a bit of short-term flexibility at a time when cap space is going to be tight so GM while Jim Nill likely doesn’t prefer to go that way, he might have to.

Lundkvist looked to be heading toward a non-tender to duck arbitration rights for the second straight year before signing this contract for the same amount he made last season.  Between some struggles and injuries, 2024-25 was largely a write-off so he’s getting near the point of either needing to take that step forward or understanding that he might not be more than the depth player he currently is.  Petrovic spent most of last season in the minors before playing in most of the playoffs in Dallas which should give him a leg up for a full-time spot to start this year.  Even so, his track record has only been that of a depth defender thus far and at 33, that’s unlikely to change.  He should stay around the minimum salary moving forward although a full year in the NHL could flip his next deal to a one-way pact.

Signed Through 2026-27

F Oskar Back ($825K, UFA)
F Colin Blackwell ($775K, UFA)
G Casey DeSmith ($1MM, UFA)
D Ilya Lyubushkin ($3.25MM, UFA)
F Tyler Seguin ($9.85MM, UFA)
F Sam Steel ($2.1MM, UFA)

A hip issue sidelined Seguin for most of last season although he was a little over a point per game in his limited action.  However, he has generally been more in the 50-point range in recent years and this price tag for that type of production isn’t great.  He’ll be 35 when his next deal starts and while a multi-year pact should still be doable then, it’s going to come with a multi-million-dollar drop in AAV.  Steel inked this deal back before the trade deadline in the midst of his fourth straight season with at least 20 points.  Between that and his ability to kill penalties, he should be able to provide decent value on this contract but unless his point production starts to go up, he might not be able to go too much higher than this.

Back had a decent rookie year, getting into 73 games while holding his own in a bottom-six role to secure this deal at a rate that will be below the minimum salary next season.  Assuming he remains a regular in this type of role for them, this should work out just fine while Back should be able to push more into the $1.25MM range on his next deal.  Blackwell fit in nicely in a depth role last season, earning this new contract along the way.  While he had a couple of years in the past with a seven-figure salary, he’s someone who should be staying around the minimum salary on any future contracts.

Lyubushkin was brought in to bring some physicality to the back and stabilize the bottom pairing.  He was able to do that for the most part although this contract is on the higher side for that type of role which led to some speculation about his future when they needed to open up cap space.  It would be surprising to see him beat this by any significant amount two years from now but another contract in this price range might be doable.

DeSmith is certainly at the lower end of the salary scale for backup goalies as he opted for stability and a winning environment over trying to get the highest price tag.  He certainly had a solid first year with numbers that should have him toward the higher end of the backup scale (more in the $3.5MM territory).  He’ll be 36 when this deal expires so it’s unlikely that he’ll find a contract in that range but value-wise, he should double this if he looks for top dollar next time out.

Signed Through 2027-28

F Radek Faksa ($2MM, UFA)

Faksa returns after a one-year stint in St. Louis after Dallas needed to clear his contract last summer.  While he showed some offensive upside early in his career, he has settled into more of a pure checking role in recent seasons.  Between his penalty killing utility and his faceoff skills, he should be able to provide a good return on this contract, even with the points remaining hard to come by.  But unless his production improves, he likely won’t command much more than this moving forward.

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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!

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

at CDT | by 8 Comments

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.

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