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Devils Turn Attention To Luke Hughes Extension

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With the initial wave of free agency behind them, New Jersey Devils’ general manager Tom Fitzgerald is now making an extension with restricted free agent defenseman Luke Hughes his top priority, per team reporter Amanda Stein.

While the Devils have made a flurry of signings over the last 48 hours (headlined by re-signing goalie Jake Allen, and adding forwards Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov), and acquired the signing rights to RFA forward Thomas Bordeleau from the Sharks in exchange for Shane Bowers, Fitzgerald made it clear that his attention now shifts to Hughes. When asked if progress has been made on extension talks with his young defender, Fitzgerald stated, “No. But that’s my number one priority now.” When later asked if the club was still in the market for additional forward support, Fitzgerald doubled down by stating, “My number one priority now is signing Luke Hughes.”

This echoes Fitzgerald’s previous statements regarding his outlook for the offseason. At the beginning of June, Fitzgerald sat down with NHL.com’s Mike Morreale to discuss the team’s priorities heading into the offseason and acknowledged then how important it was for the team to extend Hughes.

He said at the time: “We’re just trying to figure out what’s best for Luke and for us and how do we make our team better with the funds that we have available… Both parties are in agreement… We’re going to get this done.”

Hughes skated in 71 games last season, posting seven goals and 44 points. He was injured in Game 1 of the team’s first-round matchup against the Hurricanes and underwent shoulder surgery in May. Fitzgerald noted today that Hughes’ recovery is progressing well and that he is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season.

Hughes is projected to sign a long-term deal with a price tag north of $9MM by CapWages. The Devils currently have just north of $6MM in cap space (per PuckPedia), so even if Hughes signs for under that projection, Fitzgerald will likely have to make some moves to fit the extension into the fold.

Brent Burns Signs One-Year Deal With Avalanche

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The Colorado Avalanche have signed veteran defenseman Brent Burns to a one-year contract, per a team release. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting the deal comes with a $1MM base, with games-played bonuses that could secure him another $3MM.

Burns, 40, comes to the Avalanche after registering 29 points in 82 games with the Carolina Hurricanes last season. While his offensive numbers dipped considerably in 2024-25, he still logged a hefty 20:57 of ice time per game on the season. He added five points in 15 playoff contests.

Burns’ 21-year career has been filled with accolades, including six all-star appearances and the 2016-17 Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman. He has produced 910 career points over 1,497 games and has added 80 points in 135 career playoff contests. And despite his age, Burns has skated in 925 consecutive games, the fourth-longest mark in league history.

Burns joins a Colorado blue line that has openings on the second or third pairing, giving him a chance to compete for a regular role. While Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Samuel Girard, and Josh Manson are locked into spots, the depth thins out beyond that, with Sam Malinski the only other defenseman on a one-way contract.

After an illustrious 11-year run with the Sharks, Burns was traded to the Hurricanes in July of 2022, and produced 133 points in 246 games with Carolina. His move to Colorado draws parallels to that of Hall of Fame defenseman Raymond Bourque, who was traded to the Avalanche during the 2000-01 season at the age of 39 and went on to win his long-awaited Stanley Cup.

Senators Sign Hayden Hodgson, Hunter Shepard, Jackson Parsons

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The Ottawa Senators announced a flurry of free agent signings today, including a two-year, two-way deal with forward Hayden Hodgson and a one-year, two-way deal with goaltender Hunter Shepard, per a team release. The terms of those deals are not immediately known. Additionally, the team confirmed the previously reported signing of forward Arthur Kaliyev, along with forwards Wyatt Bongiovanni and Olle Lycksell, whose deals had also been reported earlier.

Hodgson, 29, returns to the Senators organization after appearing in two games with Ottawa and 43 more with the AHL’s Belleville Senators last season. For his career, the 6’2″, 220-pound winger has appeared in nine career NHL games spanning three seasons, producing a goal and two assists.

Bongiovanni, 25, also remains in the Senators’ franchise after appearing in 54 games with Belleville last season, where he produced 22 goals and 33 points. While he has yet to appear in an NHL game, his production last season was a major step in the right direction, as he nearly doubled his previous highs in goals and points at the AHL level.

Lycksell, 25, comes to Ottawa after spending his entire professional career within the Flyers organization, which selected him in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL draft. Last season, Lycksell appeared in a career-high 19 games for the Flyers, registering five assists while averaging 11:53 of ice time per night. In 43 games for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season, he produced 19 goals and 44 points.

Shepard’s one-year deal comes a year after he appeared in 39 games for the AHL’s Hershey Bears, where he compiled a 23-11-4 record, 2.80 goals against average, and a .891 save percentage. The 29-year-old Shepard, who was named an AHL all-star last season, has appeared in five games at the NHL level across two seasons with the Washington Capitals, including one start last season.

Additionally, the Sens signed goaltender Jackson Parsons to a three-year, entry-level contract. Parsons, 20, appeared in 52 games for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers, registering a 37-12-3 record, 2.24 goals-against average, and a .920 save percentage. A native of Ottawa, Parsons received several key accolades for his play last season, including Goaltender of the Year in both the OHL and the Canadian Hockey League and the Leo Lalonde Trophy as the OHL Overage Player of the Year.

Kings Sign Samuel Bolduc, Logan Brown, Cole Guttman

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The LA Kings continue to bolster their depth on the second day of free agency, signing defenseman Samuel Bolduc and forwards Logan Brown and Cole Guttman to two-way contracts, per a team release. In that same release, the team also confirmed the signing of forward Taylor Ward, who was previously reported to have inked a one-year, two-way deal with the team.

Bolduc’s one-year deal comes with an $775K AAV at the NHL level. Bolduc, 24, appeared in just one game for the New York Islanders last season, spending most of the season with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. In 52 career games at the NHL level, the 6’4″, 220-pound defender has produced four goals and eight assists. However, he had produced far better offensive numbers in the AHL, including last year when he secured nine goals and 35 points in 69 games for Bridgeport.

Brown, 27, was selected 11th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2016 NHL Draft. He has appeared in 99 NHL games over six seasons, posting seven goals and 27 points. However, he hasn’t appeared at the top level since a 30-game stint with the St. Louis Blues during the 2022-23 season. He spent last season in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization but only secured playing time in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch, where he posted 29 points in 33 games. His contract is a one-year deal with a $775K AAV.

Guttman’s two-year deal also comes with a $775K AAV at the NHL level. Guttman, 26, last appeared in the NHL with the Blackhawks during the 2023-24 season, where he posted four goals and eight points in 27 games. While he didn’t appear in an NHL game last season, Guttman had his best year as a professional, posting 23 goals and 57 points for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.

Canucks Sign Defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph

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The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph to a one-year contract worth $775,000, per a team release.

The former first-round pick (23rd overall in the 2017 NHL Draft) joins Vancouver after skating in 194 career games over five NHL seasons. Joseph spent time with both the St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins last season, the latter reacquiring him midway through the year. In 47 games between the two teams, he recorded just three assists and finished with a minus-22 rating.

During the 2022–23 season with the Penguins—his first full NHL campaign—Joseph displayed the potential that made him a first-round pick, setting career highs in games played (75), goals (five), points (21), and plus/minus (plus-eight). However, he has been unable to replicate that level of success in the seasons since.

It’s worth noting that Jim Rutherford, now the Canucks’ president of hockey operations, was the Penguins’ GM when they brought in Joseph as part of the trade that sent Phil Kessel to the Coyotes. The deal also reunites Joseph, 26, with former teammate Marcus Pettersson. The Canucks appear set in their top four with Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, Tyler Myers, and Pettersson, but Joseph could compete for a role on the third pairing or, at the very least, provide the organization with a reliable depth option on the blue line.

“Pierre-Olivier has good speed and mobility and will add to our depth on the back end. His addition gives us a player with some solid NHL and pro hockey experience, he is comfortable playing both sides, and he won a world championship with Tyler Myers in 2023. We look forward to getting him here to start working with our group,” said GM Patrik Allvin.

Jets Sign Gustav Nyquist

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The Winnipeg Jets have agreed to terms on a one-year, $3.25MM contract with winger Gustav Nyquist. The deal was first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Nyquist, 35, spent last season split between the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild. His year began in a top-six role with the Predators where he managed nine goals and 21 points in 57 games. But, like many Predators veterans, Nyquist struggled to prevent the barrage on defense, and wound up being traded at the Trade Deadline in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick. He finished his year with seven points in 22 games with the Wild.

On the season, Nyquist combined for just 28 points and a minus-24 in 79 games played. That number is a sharp, sharp fall from the career-year he posted on the Predators last season. He formed a formidable pairing with playmaking center Ryan O’Reilly on the 2023-24 Predators, and reached a career-high 75 points in 81 games while operating from a second-line role. His 52 assists on the season fell 14 higher than his previous career-high. It was an electric performance, with Nyquist reaching new heights at an age where many players often consider retirement.

That flash of upside will earn Nyquist a 14th NHL season with Winnipeg next year. He’s a perennial scorer, and has reached the 50-point mark in three of his last six seasons. In the years he fell short of the mark, Nyquist still managed a serviceable 42, 27, and 28 points respectively. Across his full career in the NHL – which spans back to the 2011-12 season in Detroit – Nyquist has averaged 20 goals and 50 points per 82 games played. That average falls to 16 goals and 46 points when looking at 2021-22 and beyond.

Nyquist recorded a 10.7 shooting percentage last year, one percent lower than his career average and nearly five percent lower than the mark he reached in his career year. That could set him up for a boost in scoring next season. He’ll have every chance to reach new heights, likely set on filling the top-six role vacated by Nikolaj Ehlers — assuming Ehlers doesn’t re-sign. He may need to compete with Alex Iafallo, Nino Niederreiter, and Cole Koepke for minutes next to Jonathan Toews, who will make his return to the league in a middle-six center role with the Jets.

Flames Sign Morgan Frost To Two-Year Extension

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The Calgary Flames have signed centerman Morgan Frost to a two-year, $8.75MM contract extension per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The deal was first reported by Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK News. It will carry an annual cap hit of $4.38MM and an up-front signing bonus of $500,000 per PuckPedia.

The Flames acquired Frost alongside Joel Farabee partway through this season in a deal that sent Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 second-round pick (Shane Vansaghi), and a 2028 seventh-round pick back to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Frost quickly slotted into Calgary’s third-line center role, but struggled to maintain the heights that he had reached with the Flyers. After beginning the year with 11 goals and 25 points in 49 games with Philadelphia, Frost finished it off with just 12 points in 32 games with Calgary. Despite the dip in scoring, he remained an active presence in all other areas of the ice, recording a positive faceoff win-rate, 21 blocked shots, and 34 hits with the Flames.

Frost’s cumulative 37 points on the season fall just shy of the pair of strong seasons he posted in Philadelphia over the last two years. Playing through his first full year in the NHL in 2023-24, Frost managed an impressive 19 goals and 46 pionts in 81 games while splitting time between the second and third lines. He followed that performance up with 13 goals and 41 points in 71 games last season, this time in a much more clear-cut third-line role.

There seems to be heaps of untapped offensive upside in Frost’s game. He’s recorded 147 points in 310 games in the NHL, to go with 48 points in 65 career games in the AHL. He was even tracking for a 50-point season to kick off this year, before being knocked off course by a what seemed to be a sudden trade. That fact could make this short-term deal an interesting bet for the Flames. He will enter unrestricted free agency on the other side of this contract, providing Frost a chance to either earn a pay raise in Calgary or find new pastures should he flame out. He’ll head for the third-line center role on the Flames lineup next season, behind Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund.

Islanders Sign Maxim Shabanov

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The New York Islanders have announced they’ve signed KHL forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year, entry-level contract. The deal was first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, and confirmed by Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News. Rosner adds that the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers were also among Shabanov’s finalists, before deciding on the Islanders. The contract will carry a $975,000 cap hit and maximum bonuses – valued at $3.5MM – per NHL.com’s Kevin Weekes.

Shabanov, 24, will follow in the footsteps of top Islanders’ rookie Maxim Tsyplakov, who posted 10 goals and 35 points in 77 games this season after seven seasons in the KHL. Shabanov has three full years of KHL experience to his name, though he’s found a way to emerge as one of his team’s top forwards in each year. He scored 23 goals and 67 points in 65 games with HC Traktor this season, good for the third-most points in the entire league. He then added an additional 20 points, split evenly, in 21 postseason appearances as Traktor charged towards a championship runner-up finish.

It was a red-hot performance for the young winger, after he broke out with 25 goals and 50 points in 64 games last season. That performance was itself a stark increase from the 18 goals and 31 points that Shabanov managed as a KHL rookie in 2022-23. Three years of production have made Shabanov one of the top young forwards. In fact, his 150 points in 207 career KHL games is the ninth-most a player has scored prior to their 25th birthday. He ranks just ahead of Vadim Shipachyov, and just behind New Jersey Devils forward Arseni Gritsyuk.

Shabanov is a flashy, high-speed forward with a knack for finding ways to get involved in the offense. He was among Traktor’s biggest drivers through the neutral zone this season, and consistently found ways to crash the net on or off of the puck. He’s got a strong shot, nifty hands, and a creative ability to set up plays that should all yield interesting offensive upside at the NHL level. He could be held back by a slight, 5-foot-8 frame — a knock that likely excluded him from much NHL draft consideration during his years of eligibility in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Shabanov should slot into the Islanders’ third-line left-wing role to start his NHL career. He could also be a candidate to man a right-wing role, should it better fit New York’s deployment of Anthony Duclair and newcomer Jonathan Drouin. He could even fit on the opposite wing to Tsyplakov. The two young Russians have never appeared in league play together.

Blues Sign Pius Suter To Two-Year Contract

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The St. Louis Blues have agreed to a two-year, $8.25MM contract with center Pius Suter per insider Frank Seravalli. The move was confirmed by Cam Robinson of EliteProspects, after reports that Suter had signed from Chris Johnston of The Athletic and Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK News.

The contract was originally reported as carrying a $4MM cap hit through both seasons, though David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period shares that the second year will actually carry a $4.25MM cap hit. St. Louis confirmed the extra $250,000 in a team press release.

Suter is coming off a career year with the Vancouver Canucks. He reached new heights in nearly every stat category, including scoring 25 goals, 46 points, 43 blocked shots, 59 hits, and averaging north of 17 minutes a night. He made good work out of a promotion to Vancouver’s second-line following the departure of top forward J.T. Miller via a midseason trade. Suter even earned a vote for the Selke Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s best defensive-forward.

Suter has stood as a reliable middle-six center in every season since his NHL career began in 2020-21. He moved to the Chicago Blackhawks after six seasons, and one championship, with Zurich SC of Switzerland’s top league. Suter recorded 14 goals and 27 points in 55 games of his NHL rookie season – on pace for 40 points across 82 games. A Blackhawks organization in flux pushed Suter out of the door after his one-year deal ran up, prompting a two-year, $6.5MM contract with the Detroit Red Wings. Suter continued to stand up to a third-line role in Detroit, even scoring 15 goals and 36 points while appearing in all 82 games of the 2021-22 season.

His scoring fell to 24 points in 79 games in his final year with the Red Wings, sparking yet another summer move – this time on a discounted two-year, $3.2MM deal with the Canucks. A change of scenery brought a spark to Suter’s scoring, which grew to 29 points in 67 games last year and a breakout season this year.

Now, after completing another pair of seasons with his club, Suter will head for a move once more. He could find a lucrative lineup role with the Blues, who are yet to make a clear decision between who will handle center duties on their second and third lines. Suter will compete with captain Brayden Schenn and rookie Dalibor Dvorsky for minutes.

A dismal 42.7 faceoff percentage, compared to Schenn’s 52.3 percentage, could be enough to push Suter to the wings. Even then, his volume shooting and hefty presence will help the Blues make up for recently trading youngster Zachary Bolduc. Suter recorded an 18.1 shooting percentage last season – far above his career average of 13.1 percent. That could point towards his 46-point mark being a tough one to recreate, though he’ll still be a strong bet for modest production from a depth role.

Golden Knights Sign Kaedan Korczak To Four-Year Extension, Jeremy Davies To Two-Year Deal

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The Vegas Golden Knights have re-signed defenseman Kaedan Korczak to a four-year, $13MM contract extension, per Stephen Whyno of AP News. The deal will carry an annual cap hit of $3.25MM. Vegas later confirmed the deal in a team press release. In that release, the team also mentioned they’ve signed defenseman Jeremy Davies to a two-year contract.

Korczak will earn a hardy bode of confidence with this news. He has one more season left on a two-year, $1.65MM contract signed on July 1st, 2024. With that contract in place, Korczak was promoted to Vegas’ extra defender role – marking his first season spending the full year with the NHL roster. He was often a healthy scratch over the course of the season, but still managed to record 10 assists, one penalty, and a plus-15 across 40 games. He also recorded 59 hits in his appearances — giving him the fifth-most hits per-60 minutes of ice time.

Physical hockey and strong passing were the two features that Vegas aimed to buy in signing Korczak to a multi-year extension last season. They evidently saw enough to stand confident in his abilities, and will now keep Korczak controlled through his age-33 season in 2029-30.

A hefty contract extension could be a strong indication that Korczak is set for a nightly feature in Vegas’ lineup, likely in place of fellow giant Nicolas Hague, who was recently traded to the Nashville Predators. Korczak has appeared in 77 NHL games across the last four seasons, and managed one goal, 21 points, and a plus-25. He has also recorded 39 points and a minus-three in 134 AHL games since 2020.

Vegas will find an insurance defender in the gritty Davies, who has spent the last four seasons primarily in the minor-leagues. He recorded a staggering 11 goals and 48 points in 72 games with the Belleville Senators this season – marking a new career-high. The boost in scoring came alongside a dwindling in penalties, with Davies recording 44 PIMs this year after posting 90 PIMs just two seasons ago. He’s been a fixture of the minor-leagues through his six-year professional career, so far only stepping into 23 NHL games and recording three points. A standout year with Belleville could be enough to warrant NHL attention next year, though Davies will likely have to climb his way up from a feature role with the Henderson Silver Knights.

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