Free Agent Focus: Minnesota Wild
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Wild.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Bobby Brink – Minnesota doesn’t have too much on its plate regarding free agents under their control this summer. Brink should be a player to consider in the Wild’s future. In the final season of his two-year, $3.0MM deal ($1.5MM AAV), he scored 15 goals for 30 points in 68 games between two NHL teams this year. Before adding five points in 17 combined games post-trade deadline, Brink saw the majority of his production come from his time with the Flyers, but with many winger prospects on the way in Philadelphia, the 24-year-old’s future in orange was limited. The Minnetonka native hasn’t seen a full 82-game season in his young NHL career, but the Wild should expect 30-40 points from a healthy former second-round pick within the middle-six on the right wing.
D Carson Lambos – The Wild finally awarded former first-round pick Carson Lambos with his NHL debut this season – but the feat seemed to do little for Lambos’ momentum. He returned to the minors after just one game and ended his year with another 19-point campaign. Once a highly-acclaimed, two-way prospect, Lambos has dwindled into a quiet role in the AHL. His free-agency will mark how Minnesota wants to move forward with a recent high-pick. A cheap, two-way contract will extend his fight to acheive his draft-day potential, while a missing qualifying offer could open the door for Lambos to find his stride somewhere new.
Other RFAs: D Daemon Hunt, F Caedan Bankier, F Oksar Olausson, F Cameron Butler, F Bradley Marek, D Roman Schmidt, D David Spacek, G Samuel Hlavaj
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Mats Zuccarello – By opening night of 2026-27, Zuccarello will be age 39. The winger finished his 2025-26 with 54 points in just 59 games for the Wild, capping off the second season of a two-year contract at $8.25MM ($4.125MM AAV). His 82-game point pace was at 75, and as Kirill Kaprizov‘s linemate, he is credited as a positive influence for the Russian star forward. Wild GM Bill Guerin was open about wanting him back, but the question comes down to whether the Norwegian will take a short-term contract with lesser guaranteed money or a bonus-focused deal.
F Vladimir Tarasenko – After a 2024-25 season that only saw 11 pucks cross the goal line from his stick, Tarasenko found his scoring touch this past season with 23 goals for 47 points in 75 games, adding 5 points in 11 playoff games for the Wild. The Russian winger slowly connected with his game again, proving to be clutch with depth scoring and a valuable presence on the second power-play unit. The only vague area of the situation is what the contract looks like as he enters his age-35 year.
F Michael McCarron – Both parties want each other back, there’s no doubt about that. Five points in 20 games for the Wild rounded out a 79-game 2025-26 season that saw 12 points in Nashville before he was traded for a second-round pick in 2028. For the 6-foot-6 forward who has never seen an annual intake above $1.0MM, he wants to ensure he can capitalize on the money and term but also wants to win, understanding Minnesota’s spot in the NHL’s food chain. The points aren’t everything; McCarron also brings solid faceoff numbers to a team that is dry and needs more at the center position.
Other UFAs: F Marcus Johansson, F Robby Fabbri, D Zach Bogosian, D Jeff Petry, F Nicolas Aube-Kubel, F Ben Jones, D Ben Gleason, G Cal Petersen
Photo Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images (Brink)
Offseason Checklist: Los Angeles Kings
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Los Angeles.
The Kings have been in the mushy middle, so to speak, for the last few seasons and 2025-26 was no exception. While they were able to pick up enough points down the stretch after making a coaching change to squeak into the playoffs, they once again went out in the first round, although not to Edmonton this time, at least. Instead, they were swept by Colorado. Now with a full year under his belt with the team, GM Ken Holland has some work to do this summer if he wants the Kings to take a step forward.
Hire A Head Coach
When Jim Hiller was let go late in the season, D.J. Smith moved up to the top role but only on an interim basis. They were respectable down the stretch, picking up points in 17 of 23 games. On the flip side, they lost more games than they actually won with an 11-6-6 record. But while they were swept by the Avs, the series was more competitive than a lot of people likely expected.
Their season has been over for more than a month and a half now but no decision has been made on the head coach. Will Smith be the full-time bench boss next season? If not, will he even be on the staff, or will the new head coach want a clean slate when it comes to filling out the rest of the group? At some point, a decision will need to be made.
Clearly, the Kings would like to speak to Bruce Cassidy about the role; they’ve been linked as one of the two teams that were denied permission to talk to the former Vegas bench boss. The line has been that they don’t want any distractions during the playoffs and if that’s the case and Holland is willing to wait things out, it might be a couple more weeks before he’ll get that opportunity.
Failing that, it appears the rest of the shortlist is, well, pretty short. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link) that Holland is believed to be down to two candidates, Smith and Jay Woodcroft. Holland has plenty of familiarity with Woodcroft from their days in Edmonton together and if he’s looking for more firepower from his group (more on that later), the former Oilers bench boss could get an edge.
Either way, with the draft only a few weeks away and free agency coming soon after, this search will need to wrap up before too much longer.
Re-Sign Clarke
One of the more intriguing players coming off their entry-level contract this summer is defenseman Brandt Clarke. His numbers, though certainly improved, don’t necessarily stand out. But that’s what makes his case a little more intriguing. Thus far, he has shown flashes of the offensive upside that made him a top-10 pick back in 2021. However, the playing time hasn’t been all that high for the most part. That makes trying to find the right price point a little tougher.
Clarke’s first two seasons saw him play sparingly. One yielded a return to the OHL, the other saw him in the minors for the bulk of the campaign. In 2024-25, he played a regular role, albeit on the third pairing but still managed a respectable 33 points in 78 games. This season, he was able to up his point total to 40 to lead all Los Angeles defenders. While his ice time jumped up by over three minutes per night, he was still under 20 minutes per game. Notably, his ice time on the power play was largely split with Drew Doughty despite Doughty managing just one power play point all season. Had Clarke played more like a true top-unit option, he likely would have had a few more points.
On the surface, this appears like one of those cases where the team would probably want to do a long-term deal while Clarke’s camp might prefer a short-term one. A long-term agreement would involve a lot of projecting as Clarke wouldn’t be signing a contract that views him as a 40-point player; he’d need more incentive than that to sign. Holland would need to be confident that Clarke has another level to get to, perhaps the 50-point plateau. That’s when the bigger money would start to come in, potentially in the $8MM to $9MM range.
On the other hand, going with a short-term deal would provide some more certainty in the long run (which is probably more appealing to Clarke if he things he has another gear offensively and can handle a bigger role) with a bit more cap flexibility in the short term as well. AFP Analytics projects a two-year pact to run somewhere in the $5MM range. Clarke would be giving up some short-term earnings with the hopes of a bigger payday a couple of years from now but the potential reward could outweigh the risk. Holland may be trying to convince him otherwise in the coming weeks.
Add A Top Center
For a while now, one of the bigger weaknesses the Kings have had is finding a high-end second center to play behind Anze Kopitar. Now, the need is intensified. Not only do they not have the second pivot still, but now they don’t have Kopitar either after the Slovenian announced his retirement after 20 seasons with the franchise. Now, instead of needing one impact center, they arguably need two in a market that doesn’t have a lot available.
I say arguably as Quinton Byfield has spent a lot of time down the middle in recent year. It stands to reason that they’ll be counting on him to take a step forward next season and be entrenched as one of those two while hoping that he can get better at the faceoff dot to become more reliable. That’s the easy one.
Replacing Kopitar, a legitimate two-way presence, isn’t going to be anywhere near as easy. The UFA market doesn’t have any middlemen of that caliber and there aren’t many top centers available for trade. Dylan Larkin is someone Holland is quite familiar with but while he may want out, there’s no guarantee Detroit will deal him. Robert Thomas was in play at the deadline but the asking price was too steep for anyone to meet. If he doesn’t sign an extension, perhaps Nico Hischier would be in play but again, the price tag (acquisition and extension) would be hefty.
One of the challenges Holland will face on that front is that they don’t have a ton of notable trade chips. They moved one of their top trade chips in Liam Greentree to the Rangers as part of the Artemi Panarin trade, weakening an already weaker prospect pool. They at least have all of their first-rounders available but there’s a very good chance that teams with deeper systems get into the bidding, ones that can probably put together better packages than the Kings can.
If they aren’t able to land an impact center, the next best option would probably be to try to re-sign Scott Laughton. Acquired at the trade deadline from Toronto, he impressed down the stretch in a bigger role, picking up eight points in 21 games while logging over 15 minutes per night. Laughton isn’t a big scoring threat but would give them a stable third-line pivot and essentially fill most of the role they brought in Phillip Danault to do several years ago before moving him earlier this season. AFP Analytics projects that Laughton could land a three-year pact worth around $4.1MM per season. If Holland thinks Laughton can be the solution on the third line, shoring up the depth isn’t a terrible backup plan if they can’t trade for a key center.
Bring In More Firepower
As much as their record was nothing to get overly excited about, the Kings allowed the seventh-fewest goals in the league this season. Their goaltending was quite sharp, to say the least. But while there is certainly a case to make that they need to upgrade on the back end, the biggest priority is to add more scoring. They didn’t score under Hiller and didn’t score much more under Smith. The end result was a 29th-place finish in goals scored with the lowest 82-game total they’ve had since 2018-19.
A full season with Panarin should certainly help things, no doubt. But among players to spend the full year with the Kings, they had just one player reach the 50-point mark, Adrian Kempe (who was rewarded with an eight-year, $85MM deal for his efforts). Needless to say, that’s not good enough for a team that views itself as one that should be able to do a bit of damage in the playoffs instead of being first-round fodder.
Andrei Kuzmenko was supposed to help in that regard but wound up underachieving, getting injured, and then being scratched in the playoffs. A third of their double-digit goal-scorers are now out of the organization. Basically, they need top-six scoring help and bottom-six offensive upgrades as well.
Getting into the playoffs on the back of 20 overtime or shootout losses probably isn’t going to be sustainable as a long-term strategy. But the fact they lost a lot of close games means that some extra firepower could swing some of those losses the other way. Perhaps a coaching change (or Smith changing their system somewhat) brings more offense around but some boosts up front will also be needed.
Photo courtesy of Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images.
PHR Mailbag: Larkin, Trocheck, Salary Cap, Wild, Canadiens
Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include Dylan Larkin’s trade request from Detroit, a discussion about the implementation of the salary cap and how it could relate to MLB’s CBA talks, and more. If your question doesn’t appear here, check back for it in one of our next two columns.
Johnny Z: Where does Larkin go and will his leaving spark a retool with more Detroit vets being traded. I don’t see Kane coming back either, now.
GBear: Simply, who makes the deal for Larkin?
Let’s jump right in with the big news of the week with the news of Dylan Larkin’s trade request getting leaked out. By all accounts, this wasn’t from his agency and we know it wasn’t the Red Wings who put this out there as that’s the last thing they’d have wanted. I note this as it’s quite possible that the request was made a little while ago and just got out now.
GM Steve Yzerman is known for his patience (sometimes to a fault) and also for not having his hand forced into doing things. He had Jonathan Drouin in Tampa Bay who wanted out. It took quite a while before that actually happened. The scenario that no one is talking about is that Yzerman doesn’t budge and keeps Larkin in the fold. This isn’t just a 1% chance thing; I think this is a legitimate option on the table here.
Look at how Detroit operated at the trade deadline, adding Justin Faulk and shoring up their veteran depth with an eye on making the playoffs. That’s not the doings of a manager who is thinking about a retool. He wants to win now and that’s much easier to do with Larkin on the roster than off of it. Would it be a difficult situation? Sure. Might they have to take away the captaincy? Perhaps. But I suspect Yzerman would much rather do that than have his hand forced into a trade.
Now, having said that, the demand for impact centers is so high that Yzerman should be able to generate a substantial trade return for Larkin’s services. The only way that doesn’t happen is if Larkin provides a very small list of teams that he’d waive his no-trade clause for. And if that happens, Yzerman will tell him to expand the list or be ready to report for training camp in Detroit in September.
The types of offers that Yzerman receives over the next three-plus weeks will ultimately dictate if they stay the course or take a short-term step back. I agree with the use of the word retool here and not rebuild as they’re not looking to start all over again. Is there another disgruntled high-impact top liner out there looking for a change of scenery that forms the basis of a swap? If so, they’re probably staying the course in terms of trying to make the playoffs. If there’s an offer that features a quality veteran and some ready (or close-to-ready) youngsters, they’re again probably staying the course with the hopes of nabbing a free agent or making another trade to bridge the gap. But if it’s more of a futures-based return, then the step back to try to take two steps forward later approach makes more sense.
As for where he goes, I’ll say Minnesota. There’s a connection with GM Bill Guerin and USA Hockey. Guerin, meanwhile, is under pressure to secure that elusive impact center to help his team try to take the next step forward in a crowded Central Division. He’d likely be hoping that securing Larkin would make a contract extension for Quinn Hughes look more palatable for the defender as well. There’s a lot of motivation to get things done. I suspect a deal would be in the second category of the three I mentioned (a quality veteran plus some near-ready or ready youngsters like Danila Yurov, for example) so Detroit’s offseason approach will be to try to add to the roster, not subtract more veterans.
lgr34561: Will Larkin requesting a trade affect the Rangers on trading Vincent Trocheck and trying to maximize on a deal in a negative way?
I’d say no but it certainly doesn’t help either. It’s a supply-and-demand thing and generally, more supply isn’t good. But with the supply of impact centers being limited to only a handful of players and the number of potential suitors representing more than half the league, the demand for Trocheck’s services is still going to be really high. Larkin being there isn’t going to make the quality of the offers drop.
But where it might hurt is that it takes GM Chris Drury out of the control seat on the market. Maybe Nico Hischier becomes available but until contract talks reach a breaking point, he’s not in play. Maybe Robert Thomas is still in play but that seems unlikely. Without them, Trocheck was the top center available until this got out. Now, if Yzerman is going to go ahead and make a trade, Larkin becomes the prized pickup, the one that teams will prioritize first.
Teams aren’t going to want to make their best offer for Trocheck in case those pieces are needed for a Larkin trade. Eventually, if a deal gets done, there will be one less suitor for Trocheck but one less player available, potentially upping the desperation level from other general managers. But they’re no longer necessarily in control of the timing. If Drury wanted this done by the draft, for example, that might not happen if Larkin’s situation drags out. And when you no longer control the timing, it has the potential to affect the rest of the offseason planning as one move typically leads to another. If that first move is delayed, it could mess up the rest of the planning.
To be clear, this sounds more doom-and-gloom than it probably should be. At the end of the day, the Rangers were poised to get a significant return for Trocheck before the Larkin news. I still think they’re going to get one after this news. From that standpoint, I wouldn’t worry. But the timing of such a move gets a little trickier now and that’s where this news could wreak some havoc.
highflyballintorightfield: For a mailbag or even a separate post…how did the NHL handle the transition to a hard salary cap in 2005 (compliance buyouts, etc.)? This will be a helpful reference for the baseball side as commenters there argue about the upcoming MLB CBA negotiations.
Spending in the NHL wasn’t anywhere as prolific then as it is in MLB now so it’s not necessarily a great comparison. A few teams had to trim some salaries but while there were compliance buyouts that were exempt from the cap, only 13 were utilized league-wide. Everyone else was able to trade their way back into compliance or were already under the then-$39MM cap. By comparison, when the 2012-13 lockout prevented the cap ceiling from reaching its projected amount, there was another round of compliance buyouts (over two seasons) where 28 were utilized.
Having said that, there are some other elements that came in with the NHL cap that I’d be intrigued to see if MLB puts in its offers as we settle in for what sure feels like a long battle.
One of those is the maximum salary. It’s set at 20% in the NHL and when the cap first came in, the $7.8MM maximum was hit a couple of times. Going off of MLB’s $245MM initial offer, 20% of that is $49MM which is well below what Juan Soto makes, for example. Obviously, their Upper Limit is going to go higher in subsequent offers and there’s no guarantee they try to put in a maximum salary (or tie it at 20%) but that’s something to keep an eye on. I’m also a little intrigued to see if anything happens with salary deferrals, something that was allowed when the cap came in but was actually outlawed this summer as part of the latest CBA agreement.
Another big element that could help the transition to a hard cap in MLB should one get done is the treatment of bonuses. One of the things that’s allowed for cap creativity is the bonus cushion. Only the base AAV of a contract is guaranteed to count against the books for any given season. If bonuses are achieved on a contract, they apply against the current-year books but if not, they roll over and are charged against the following season.
I’ll use Max Scherzer’s contract with the Blue Jays as an example. He gets a $3MM base salary with $10MM of incentives, plus $1MM at 65 innings pitched with $1MM extra every 10 innings after that until 155 innings. So, with the way the NHL structures their cap, only $3MM is guaranteed to count against the cap this season. If Toronto has additional cap space after the season, any reached bonuses count until they hit the ceiling, then the rest roll over to 2027. Let’s say Scherzer pitches 100 innings, giving him $4MM in earned bonuses. Toronto finishes $1.5MM under the hypothetical cap. $1.5MM of his bonuses would count against the 2026 cap and the other $2.5MM would come off their 2027 spending limit.
To get around teams abusing this, there are restrictions on who can have performance bonuses in their contracts. For the NHL, players on entry-level deals get them, as do players over 35 if they sign one-year agreements (multi-year pacts are ineligible). There is also a provision for 400-game players who spent 100 days or more on injured reserve who aren’t 35 to receive a one-year deal with incentives. For MLB players, I imagine it’d be a little more restrictive, something like 10-year veterans or 35-plus players (I know there’s not always a difference between the two) being eligible.
The NHL’s salary cap also brought on the concept of Long-Term Injured Reserve, or LTIR. For players out long-term, the general concept of LTIR allows teams to exceed the cap by up to the amount of the player’s salary less any existing cap room. For example, a player making $4MM lands on LTIR on a team that has $1MM in cap space. They can then exceed the cap by the difference of $3MM. If the injured player returns, the team then has to get back into cap compliance. This has long been a contentious subject with loopholes that an 18-wheeler could drive through, leading to some pretty significant controversies and rule changes. But the concept of that would likely appear, giving some teams near the cap ceiling some potential flexibility if injuries arise.
aka.nda: I wanted to ask about the Wild’s goaltending situation when it appeared Gustavsson and Wallstedt were both healthy because Hlavaj looked very good in the Olympics and the Wild were keen on a few costly moves. I was going to ask what you think Gustavsson would fetch, but I guess now I’m wondering if they’re going to “show their hand” more with Hlavaj by needing someone to pair with Wallstedt, and if you think they’ll get less of a return because other GMs will become more acutely aware that Guerin is trying to sell from a surplus rather than negotiate from a more “even” pool? Or am I just way overvaluing Hlavaj based on my Olympic viewing, or as some might suggest, under-estimating the stupidity of 50+% of the league’s GMs?
I’ll answer the last bit first. You’re overvaluing Samuel Hlavaj. He does well when he plays for Slovakia internationally but it has failed to translate to success in the pros. My understanding is that he wants a change of scenery and that Minnesota tried to give it to him at the trade deadline but trade interest was basically non-existent. A pending RFA, I suspect he’s hoping for a non-tender and that if Minnesota qualifies him, he’ll probably go back overseas. If he gets non-tendered, he’ll hope to land in another organization but still might not be valued more than as a fourth option.
Filip Gustavsson’s injury complicates things for the Wild as he or Jesper Wallstedt could have plausibly been trade candidates this summer. Now, it’d be hard to part with one unless Gustavsson’s post-surgery rehab is going really well. So, for this summer, I suspect their goalie plan will be to add a James Reimer-type of veteran, one who could start in the NHL if Gustavsson isn’t ready to start the year, could stay as a serviceable enough backup if one of the two incumbents are traded, or serve as a viable third-string option in the minors. But I’d be very surprised if Hlavaj is in their plans.
hasamadsnarl666: So Kent Hughes decides to attack the Leafs, hmm what has his teams ever won?? He hasn’t won anything; it’s been five years before his team made the ECF, but didn’t show up in ECF but he has something to say? Keep in mind that the East had a shift; NY was out, Islanders were out, Leafs out, Buffalo in. Not a year to attack other teams. Didn’t they “own” the Canes in the regular season??
For those who didn’t see this, during his end-of-playoffs presser, Montreal’s GM awkwardly referenced Toronto’s top players not necessarily being their top players in the playoffs in the past. It came as a random add-on to a comment about the marketability of the Montreal market, a high-pressure one like Toronto. Montreal’s top players weren’t their best in the playoffs either but the narrative around them feels different than it did when Toronto’s top players underperformed. That happens when one team is just starting out while the Maple Leafs kept stalling out early; they haven’t been to a Conference Final since 2002 in large part due to their top players underachieving. I think he was maybe going for something about the narrative being more forgiving and that patience is needed but yeah, it was a little odd.
Part of me wonders if he just saw an opportunity to take a shot at Toronto given the now-leaked details of the failed trade at the deadline that would have seen Matthew Knies in Montreal had then-GM Brad Treliving filed the paperwork on time. Or that president Keith Pelley randomly name-dropped (and butchered) Michael Hage’s name in one of his press conferences earlier. But yes, this was clumsy at best and probably unnecessary altogether.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Offseason Checklist: Pittsburgh Penguins
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs, plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Pittsburgh.
No one expected the Pittsburgh Penguins to make the playoffs this year, but thanks to some sly front-office work by Kyle Dubas and company, the team hit on most of their moves and skated into the playoffs. It wasn’t a long playoff run, but it was likely enough to show Dubas and the Penguins’ management team that the roster they have now isn’t far from competing in the Eastern Conference. Despite Pittsburgh being a nice story, the team is still quite old, and most of their key players are on the wrong side of 30, which means they need to find young stars to move into top roles on the roster. With Dubas at the helm, the Penguins could be poised for a big summer.
Add A Top Four Defenseman
Pittsburgh relied on a ragtag top-four defensive unit last year, leaning heavily on Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, and Parker Wotherspoon, occasionally using Ryan Shea, Brett Kulak, and Samuel Girard to close the year. While Wotherspoon and Karlsson were an excellent pairing, Girard and Letang struggled and probably aren’t best suited for second-pairing duty on a team with playoff aspirations. Letang is best suited for a third-pairing role, or, if he is forced into top-four duty, he needs a defensively responsible, safe partner like Kulak was.
It will be interesting to see whether the Penguins circle back on Kulak this summer, but given Dubas’ mandate to build a younger roster, it’s hard to imagine him pursuing a 32-year-old projected to get a three-year deal this offseason. The Penguins need a top-four defender this summer, preferably one in his mid-20s. Pittsburgh management is high on prospect Harrison Brunicke, but it’s tough to envision him taking on that assignment as a rookie.
It’s likely the Dubas will need to look outside the organization for help on this front, and in terms of unrestricted free agents, there isn’t much available that would fit what the Penguins are looking for. Mario Ferraro is an option if Pittsburgh were looking for a defensive defenseman capable of filling a top-four role, but he may not be the optimal choice. Although he is a decent puck carrier and, at 27 years old, fits the Penguins’ timeline, his contract is projected to be north of $5MM annually on a four-year deal, and that number could go up should a bidding war start. The Penguins already have one contract on the books for left-handed defensive defenseman Ryan Graves, and it is arguably the worst deal in Penguins history (although Jack Johnson’s is up there as well). Graves was signed on the first day of free agency in 2023, and Dubas likely learned his lesson from chasing high-priced defensive rearguards in free agency.
All signs point to the trade market as the best option for Pittsburgh, and they have plenty of assets they could move, including draft picks and prospects. Bowen Byram of Buffalo would be a possible target for the Penguins, but he reportedly likes Buffalo, and the Sabres would like to keep him long term. At 24 years of age, Byram is uber-talented and offers many of the intangibles teams are looking for. However, in the years that followed the 2022 Stanley Cup, he struggled to put it all together, leaving a sizeable gap between his skill set and his on-ice play. This past year, he was much better, setting a career high in points with 42 in 82 games. Despite all of this, Byram might be a target for the Penguins to steer clear of given the trade costs and the financial costs of his future contract.
Braden Schneider of the New York Rangers and Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils are two more defensemen who could be on the move this offseason, but it’s hard to envision the Rangers and Devils sending young, emerging defenders to a division rival. The Rangers are the likelier of the two to do so, having sent K’Andre Miller to the Hurricanes last summer in a blockbuster deal. Schneider would be a gamble for Pittsburgh, as he hasn’t quite taken the big step the Rangers were hoping he could take, but at this point, he could probably serve as Girard’s partner on a second pairing. There are major warts to Schneider’s game, and whatever he gets paid on his next contract will exceed his actual impact on the ice. Schneider is neither poised nor skilled with the puck, which is a problem for a team paying him $6MM, which is what a long-term deal will look like right now. That being said, in Pittsburgh, head coach Dan Muse’s style of play might benefit Schneider, as it relies more on short, higher-percentage passing rather than long breakout passes.
Nemec’s warts are on the defensive side, but he has a ton of offensive upside. If Pittsburgh were to acquire him to play in their top four, they would also need to find a defensive left-shot partner to support Nemec as he figures out his play in his own end. Given that Girard and Letang are not that type, the Penguins are unlikely to pursue the 22-year-old.
Finally, there is Olen Zellweger, a fantastic transition defender for the Anaheim Ducks who might fall victim to the numbers game out West. The smooth-skating puck mover is far from a finished product and needs work on both sides of the puck. This leaves him third on Anaheim’s depth chart, behind Jackson LaCombe and Pavel Mintyukov. With a pending cap crunch in Anaheim, he might be squeezed out. The issue for Pittsburgh is that Zellweger is undersized and is almost a carbon copy of Girard, albeit quite a bit younger. It’s possible the Penguins could acquire him and move Girard to the third pairing, but pairing Zellweger with Letang feels like a recipe for disaster, given Girard and Letang’s results from this past year.
Find A 2C
The Penguins have decent depth down the middle of the ice, with Sidney Crosby centering the first line, followed by Thomas Novak, Benjamin Kindel, and Blake Lizotte. The weak link in that chain is on the second line, where Novak isn’t an ideal fit and would be better suited to a bottom-six role. Kindel is probably a bit ripe for a 2C role, but he likely will move into it in the next couple of seasons. The Penguins also have Evgeni Malkin remaining in the fold, but asking a 40-year-old with two bad knees to play second-line center for 82 games is a ridiculous ask. A second-line center would give Pittsburgh a formidable top six and either push Novak into a role better suited to his skill set or allow the Penguins to move him for other assets.
It’s easy to talk about acquiring a top-six center, but much harder to do so, especially for Dubas, who isn’t going to target older players and would much rather grab a younger one. The cost to acquire this type of player will be exorbitant, as many teams are trying to beef up the middle of the ice on their own teams. Some folks will float the name of Vincent Trocheck because of his connection to the city of Pittsburgh, but given that he is 32, it doesn’t fit the Penguins’ long-term plans.
Two St. Louis Blues players come to mind, with Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou both mentioned in trade discussions. For the Penguins, either player would make sense given their age, contract status, and talent level, but Thomas would probably be the better fit. The 26-year-old has been a point-per-game player for the better part of five seasons and could slot into the Penguins’ depth chart behind Crosby and play with Malkin and Egor Chinakhov. The issue for Pittsburgh would be the cost, which might start with Kindel, a non-starter if you are the Penguins. That makes this trade unlikely, but if Thomas’ market falls and Pittsburgh could use other prospects and draft picks to make a move, you have to imagine that Dubas would be in on Thomas. Kyrou should be easier to acquire, given that he is a few years older than Thomas and struggled last season. But those two years might be enough to push Dubas to look elsewhere rather than pursue an expensive, underperforming 28-year-old.
Speaking of an expensive, underperforming 28-year-old, Auston Matthews is a name forever tied to Dubas after their time together in Toronto. Matthews has had a tumultuous few seasons in Toronto, and it’s fair to wonder whether it’s time for him and the Maple Leafs to get together and find a new place for him to play. For their part, both the team and Matthews have said they want to continue the relationship, but with two years left on his contract and a poor showing last season, things could change in a hurry. If Toronto were to make Matthews available, Pittsburgh would be one of the more logical landing spots for the former Hart Trophy winner. The Penguins have the assets to make a trade and the cap space to absorb Matthews’ $13.25MM cap hit. But does Dubas have the will to give up his best future assets for a player pushing 30? It’s hard to say, but given the past relationship, it’s not completely out of the question. Matthews would solve some problems in Pittsburgh, and becoming just one of the guys might be best for him, but does the team have enough around him to win if they trade away many of their future top picks and prospects?
Figure Out Erik Karlsson’s Future
Last summer, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Karlsson would be dealt, but the Penguins held on to him, and he was their most important player this season, willing them into the playoffs when Malkin and Crosby missed time in late February and March. The 36-year-old has one year left on his contract, counting $10MM against the Penguins cap (and an additional $1.5MM against the San Jose Sharks cap), and will need a new contract if the Penguins hope to keep him beyond this season. What a new contract will look like remains to be seen, but AFP Analytics has him pegged for a three-year extension worth $6.628MM per season. Karlsson had 15 goals and 51 assists in 75 games this year and significantly cut down on turnovers while playing some of the best defense of his career. Pittsburgh may opt to wait things out on an extension, the way they did with Malkin, but there is one other option on the table, although it’s a limited one.
The Penguins could try to shop Karlsson as they did last summer, but given his age, cap hit, and no-movement clause, it will not be an easy trade to make. It’s hard to say how many teams Karlsson would be open to moving to, but it wouldn’t be many, and he appears to enjoy playing with Crosby and company. There is also the fact that Pittsburgh doesn’t have anything close to a Karlsson in the pipeline. Letang is their next-best option, and he struggled last season and probably needs a lighter workload.
The best move for the Penguins this summer is likely to stand pat with Karlsson and look to extend him during the season if his play remains strong. Trading him away would create too big a hole in the lineup, and extending him too soon could lock Pittsburgh into a regrettable long-term deal with a player approaching 40.
Get Younger
The Penguins’ lineup has become considerably younger in recent seasons, but their top players remain on the wrong side of 30. In fact, Pittsburgh’s top six scorers were all over 30, and their seventh-best scorer (Novak) is 29. It’s a glaring issue in the Penguins’ retool that they haven’t found high-end prospects or young players to mix in with their aging stars, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t found talented impact players. Chinakhov looks like a rising star, and if he can build on last season’s success, he could become a cornerstone piece. The same could be said for Kindel, whose abilities seem to have no limits. Those two make up a solid part of the core, but neither has the feel of a franchise player, though their development path will ultimately decide that.
Among the Penguins’ prospects, goaltender Sergei Murashov could become a superstar and is likely to be an NHL regular next season alongside several other Pittsburgh prospects, such as Rutger McGroarty, Avery Hayes, and perhaps Tristan Broz. That is a nice starting point for the Penguins’ prospect pool, but it’s still missing those top-end options.
Dubas’ biggest long-term need is the one that will be the toughest to acquire: a player he can build his entire team around. It’s going to be difficult because the Penguins are seemingly too good right now to bottom out and get a top draft pick, and other teams are pushing hard to lock up young talent long term. That doesn’t mean future impact players won’t become available; it just means that Dubas, Wes Clark and company will need to do extra due diligence to find a young impact player who has slipped through the cracks at another organization. Easier said than done, but that is why Dubas is one of the highest-paid executives in the NHL.
Photo by Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Free Agent Focus: Los Angeles Kings
Free agency is now less than a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Kings.
Key Restricted Free Agents
D Brandt Clarke – If there were any remaining questions about Clarke’s ability to become a top-four defenseman, those have completely subsided. The former first-round pick had an impressive season with the Kings, scoring eight goals and 40 points with a +11 rating in 82 games. It’s not terribly more production than what he had last season, but he proved he could handle nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game. Given that Clarke is the only defenseman in Los Angeles who has yet to enter his prime, it would make the most sense to give Clarke a long-term deal this summer to ensure the Kings have a defenseman to build a defensive corps around.
Other RFAs: F Martin Chromiak, F Francesco Pinelli
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Scott Laughton – There wasn’t much hope in Laughton after the Kings acquired him from the Maple Leafs at the trade deadline, given his struggles with Toronto this year. However, Laughton seemingly rediscovered his game in Los Angeles, scoring five goals and eight points in 21 games down the stretch, with a 59.4% faceoff rating while averaging over 15 minutes of ice time per game. Laughton expressed a desire to remain with the Kings at the end-of-season media availability, and the Kings likely won’t have any issue retaining him for a bottom-six role.
F Andrei Kuzmenko – Although Laughton has found a new home with the Kings, Kuzmenko has seemingly lost his. Limited by injuries, the 30-year-old Russian registered only 13 goals and 25 points in 52 games this season. Toward the end of May, Eric Stephens of The Athletic reported that Los Angeles is likely to move on from Kuzmenko this offseason, since he no longer has a spot in the top six. He’s an incredibly streaky scorer, but can provide some offense in a middle-six role. Regardless, he’s likely to join his fifth organization in as many seasons.
Other UFAs: F Mathieu Joseph, F Jeff Malott, D Jacob Moverare, G Pheonix Copley, F Glenn Gawdin, F Logan Brown, F Jan Jenik, F Nikita Alexandrov, D Kyle Burroughs
Projected Cap Space
No pressure, but this offseason has the chance to be a franchise-defining one for the Kings. Yes, the team has a priority to retain Clarke for as long as possible, but they also have an Anže Kopitar-shaped hole down the middle. The team has $18.3MM in cap space, which should leave plenty left over to fill that need. It’s not clear whether Los Angeles is confident in Quinton Byfield assuming that role just yet, so the Kings will likely have to use their available dollars on the trade market to add an impact center this summer.
Photos courtesy of Bob Frid (Clarke) and Griffin Hooper (Laughton) of Imagn Images. Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Offseason Checklist: Ottawa Senators
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Ottawa.
It was a particularly rocky first half of the season for the Senators, who dealt with some troublesome goaltending that had them well out of the playoffs at one point. However, they were able to work their way into the final Wild Card spot before being ousted quickly in the first round by Carolina. Now, with two straight playoff appearances under their belt, GM Steve Staios has some work to do this summer if they want to take the next step in a very tight Atlantic Division.
Add A Proven Backup Goalie
Last season, Leevi Merilainen came in and did an excellent job when Linus Ullmark was sidelined, helping to stabilize the team midseason to keep them in the playoff hunt. While he ultimately returned to the minors when Ullmark returned, he received a big vote of confidence from Ottawa’s front office when they didn’t re-sign Anton Forsberg, instead giving him a one-way contract worth $1.05MM to be the undisputed backup netminder heading into this season.
You probably already know what comes next. Merilainen struggled mightily, resulting in multiple demotions to the minors. They attempted other internal options in Mads Sogaard and Hunter Shepard to little improvement. The end result was signing veteran James Reimer after the Spengler Cup in the hopes that he could at least stabilize things. While his .886 SV% wasn’t anything special, that was still higher than Ottawa’s team save percentage so mission accomplished on that front.
But Reimer is 38 years old now and not necessarily an ideal full-time backup candidate. Merilainen is a restricted free agent and might be worthy of keeping in the organization but as a third-string option with AHL Belleville, pending waiver clearance. Shepard was traded after the trade deadline and Sogaard is a Group Six unrestricted free agent who probably won’t be back.
Accordingly, Staios is going to need to look outside the organization for help on this front. In terms of pending unrestricted free agents, it’s not a great group of options. Among the backup options are Stuart Skinner, Frederik Andersen (who seems likely to stay in Carolina at this point), and Cam Talbot, veterans whose performances have been hit-or-miss recently. They could try to trade for a younger option – they’ve been linked as a possible suitor for Devon Levi already – but as they saw this season, going with an unproven option certainly carries its risks.
While Ullmark is Ottawa’s full-fledged starter, he has yet to play 50 games in an NHL regular season. It’s hard to think the Sens will want to push him more toward the 60-game mark if healthy in 2026-27 so they’re going to need someone capable of making 30-plus starts. They don’t have that option in the organization at the moment so they will have to bring in a new backup from elsewhere in the coming weeks.
Work On Batherson Extension
While the Senators still have several core players signed long-term, some of the older ones who signed a little earlier are starting to approach the expiration of their respective contracts. Once of those is winger Drake Batherson. On what has become an incredibly team-friendly deal in recent years at $4.975MM, that contract is nearing its conclusion as he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency for the first time in 2027. Accordingly, Batherson will be eligible to sign a contract extension as soon as July 1st.
The 28-year-old has set new career highs in points every season so far. This year, he surpassed the 30-goal mark for the first time with 33 while he chipped in with 38 helpers to pass the 70-point threshold for the first time. It’s the fourth straight year he has picked up more than 60 points as he has become a steady top-line performer. He also brings above-average physicality to the table, an element we don’t always see from a lot of top-six pieces.
Basically, Batherson has lined himself up for a substantial raise on his next contract. Frankly, doubling his current price tag is very much a possibility. While that would put him considerably ahead of Tim Stutzle ($8.35MM) as Ottawa’s highest-paid player, the deals aren’t directly comparable. The state of the cap now is much different moving forward and Stutzle’s deal covered four RFA-eligible years while Batherson’s next agreement will only cover UFA-eligible seasons. And, in a market that makes it easier financially for teams to keep their top talents, losing him would certainly be a significant blow.
This doesn’t have to be something that gets finalized this summer but if they could work something out early, it would certainly send a positive message to potential additions in free agency this year. It also would give them the ability to try to do an eight-year pact, something that won’t be an option after September 15th. On top of that, it would provide them some momentum heading into a pair of potentially big extension talks next summer when Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot become eligible to sign. Knowing that, expect this to be on Staios’ to-do list this offseason.
Bring In A Proven Top-Four Defender
When the Senators traded Jakob Chychrun to Washington two offseasons ago, they opened up a spot in their top four defensively. The intention was for Nick Jensen to fill that role. He did in 2024-25 but struggled while dealing with injuries this season. Meanwhile, that role was never filled with a proven defender after that. Jordan Spence (who fits better on a third pairing at five-on-five), Nikolas Matinpalo, and Tyler Kleven all had opportunities with varying degrees of success.
They’re undoubtedly hoping that Carter Yakemchuk will eventually be able to fill that role. Injuries forced them to give him a look down the stretch and he held his own in limited minutes. Meanwhile, he had a solid showing offensively in Belleville although his defensive play is still very much a work in progress. Yakemchuk could fill that spot in a few years but if they want help now, they’re going to have to turn outside the organization.
In an ideal world, that player has a right-handed shot. Artem Zub is their top player on that side with Spence, Matinpalo, and Yakemchuk the supporting cast behind him. As noted, those are all better fits on a third pairing. There is some supply of top-four right-shot rearguards on the open market this summer, including John Carlson, Jacob Trouba, Rasmus Andersson (who Staios has had interest in before), and Darren Raddysh. They would all come at a significant price tag, likely more than half of their nearly $17MM in cap space, per PuckPedia. But it would certainly represent a bigger swing at solving that roster spot.
With Jake Sanderson and Chabot, Ottawa has a solid top two. Zub is a strong second-pairing player. Now, they need to find a proven piece to fill that other spot to give the back end a needed boost in a very tight division. They’ll have plenty of competition but landing a top-four upgrade would be a big victory for Ottawa this summer.
Look To Leverage Center Depth
There are many teams across the NHL who are looking to add center help this summer. Beyond trying to re-sign pending unrestricted Claude Giroux, the Senators won’t be one of them.
Instead, the team already boasts above-average depth down the middle. Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens are their top options, with Shane Pinto, Ridly Greig, and youngster Stephen Halliday behind them. If they get Giroux back – a realistic possibility – they’ll be back to have six middlemen. That’s a great spot to be in compared to many teams would be envious of having that type of depth.
That puts Staios and the Senators in a great spot. With quality centers in short supply and high demand, they could be in a spot to try to capitalize on that on the trade front. If they can’t land a core blueliner in free agency, they might be able to trade a pivot (not Halliday, who is more of a fourth-line option) to try to fill that spot.
There is definitely a case to be made to simply put one (or two, if Giroux re-signs) on the wing knowing that injuries can creep up at any time. On the other hand, if you can get a core defender or a top-six winger (another position of some need) that’s a net upgrade over playing a center out of position, it’s something they should at least be considering.
If Giroux doesn’t re-sign, the Sens likely look at the center group they have and think that they’re set. But if he does return, Staios should be receiving plenty of phone calls to see if one could be pried loose. If that happens, he might receive an offer that’s simply too close to pass up.
Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.
Free Agent Focus: Columbus Blue Jackets
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Blue Jackets.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Adam Fantilli – Fantilli’s third and final season of his entry-level contract marked something of a lateral move. Selected third overall in 2023, he’s yet to take over as the true #1 pivot Columbus has lacked for virtually its entire 26-year history. A late-season surge last year brought him to 31 goals as a sophomore, but his production plateaued this season with a 24-35–59 scoring line, only a five-point total increase from his 2024-25 performance as his shooting percentage regressed.
He’s averaging close to 19 minutes per game now, has improved in the faceoff dot, and is still the Jackets’ top center of the present and future, even if his production hasn’t really popped yet. It’ll be an interesting exercise to see whether GM Don Waddell is willing to pay for potential or make a more reserved offer, considering what he’s yet to show. AFP Analytics pegs a long-term deal at eight years and $10MM per season. It seems unlikely Fantilli would want to lock himself into that number, considering his growth potential and a rising cap, so their two-year bridge projection of $6.375MM annually seems more apt.
G Jet Greaves – Now 25, Greaves answered every question asked of him in his first season as a true starter. The undrafted free agent burst onto the scene as an exceptional third-string option over the past few years and was clearly ready for at least tandem duties with Elvis Merzļikins this season, but he ended up stealing the crease entirely from the beleaguered veteran. I
t’s hard to call him Columbus’ outright MVP considering what Zach Werenski did this season, but a 26-19-9 record, .908 SV%, and a top-10 finish in goals saved above expected (16.5, per MoneyPuck) are worthy of a hefty financial commitment to a netminder who’s yet to experience a real bump in the road in his development. Mid-term deals have been all the craze for breakout starters lately; something in the range of the six-year, $5.85MM AAV extension Logan Thompson signed with the Capitals last season is a reasonable starting point.
F Cole Sillinger – One of many high picks dotting Columbus’ forward group, Sillinger just wrapped up a two-year bridge deal that paid him $2.25MM per season. He’s due for a raise, but not an Earth-shattering one. Selected 12th overall in 2021, the 23-year-old has shown little forward progress since his unexpectedly strong showing as an 18-year-old. He’s hit 33 points in back-to-back seasons, both career highs, but is an extremely poor finisher who notched just eight goals this year and hasn’t shot above 10% since his rookie campaign. He plays a physical game and has reasonably sound defensive impacts, but his 45.7% career win rate in the dot isn’t inspiring. If not trade bait, he’s likely looking at a short-term deal in the $4MM range.
Other RFAs: D Corson Ceulemans, F James Malatesta, F Hunter McKown, F Mikael Pyyhtia, D Stanislav Svozil, F Jack Williams, D Egor Zamula
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Boone Jenner – Columbus was well in the playoff race and opted to hold onto all their big-ticket pending UFAs as a result. An April collapse left them seven points out, and while they’ve managed to extend one of their big-ticket UFA trio in Charlie Coyle, two remain unaccounted for. Jenner’s departure would be a real shock to the system. The Jackets’ captain since 2021 is well into his second decade with the organization, first acquired as a second-round pick in 2011.
He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in games played by a significant margin and is still reasonably productive despite shoulder injuries taking a large bite out of the latter half of his career. A poor finishing streak limited him to 13 goals in 67 outings this season, but he still totaled 38 points, on pace for 47 had he played a full season. He’s 33 next month, and even in a thin free agent class, his recent injury history means there won’t be any huge above-market-value offers waiting for him elsewhere. There shouldn’t be much fuss about retaining Jenner for another three or four years in the $4.5-5.5MM range to aid a team on the rise.
F Mason Marchment – It was a tale of two seasons for Marchment, who could be looking for his fourth team in three seasons if not retained. An ever-effective top-nine producer ever since his big breakout with the Panthers in 2021-22, he was traded to the Kraken last summer by the Stars as a result of their tight cap situation. Marchment fell flat in Seattle, limited to four goals and 13 points in 29 games before Columbus paid a second and a fourth-round pick to bring him in as a reclamation project.
Marchment erupted for 15 goals, 32 points, and a raucous +21 rating in 39 games down the stretch to serve as the Jackets’ best goal-scorer on a per-game basis this season. He did so on a top line with Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko that controlled 54.6% of expected goals to boot. Age works against him on the open market as well – he’ll be 31 in June – but has the best case of anyone here to exceed his three-year, $5.67MM AAV extension projection from AFP.
D Erik Gudbranson – Gudbranson was a controversial free-agent pickup back in 2022 – not for his fit, but with the four-year, $16MM price tag that was attached. He certainly never played up to his $4MM AAV for the Jackets, but the team’s lack of cap constraints during his tenure meant it ultimately didn’t matter much. Like Jenner, injuries have derailed his past few seasons, with only 53 suit-ups over the last two years. In a reduced role this season, the 34-year-old righty was a serviceable #6 option with a +6 rating and some decent defensive numbers while averaging 17:46 of ice time per game. He’s a non-factor offensively, only registering three points, but is still an NHL-caliber bottom-pairing/press box option. A one-year deal in the $1MM range will be out there for him this summer, whether it’s in Columbus or elsewhere.
Other UFAs: F Zach Aston-Reese, F Hudson Fasching, G Ivan Fedotov, F Brendan Gaunce, F Danton Heinen, D Dysin Mayo, G Zachary Sawchenko, F Owen Sillinger, D Brendan Smith
Projected Cap Space
Columbus, per usual, has plenty of spending money this summer with $32.36MM in room. Some of that will disappear quickly with Fantilli’s and Greaves’ deals but they should still have around $15-20MM in open market money. Hungry to make a playoff push, they’ll be in on virtually every “top” free agent amid a slim list, with a strong organizational need to fill out their AHL forward depth as well.
Images courtesy of David Gonzales-Imagn Images (Fantilli) and Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images (Jenner). Contract and cap information per PuckPedia.
Offseason Checklist: Washington Capitals
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Washington.
Having gone from reaching the second round last season to narrowly missing the playoffs this season, it would be fair to view 2025-26 as a disappointment. On the other hand, this group was the only team in the salary cap era to have a +23-goal differential or better and miss the playoffs with a point total (95) that is usually enough to get into the postseason. Most years, they’d have comfortably made the playoffs with a season like they had. With that in mind, GM Chris Patrick might opt for a safer summer than another drastic overhaul like 2024. Their checklist has been drafted with that assumption in mind.
Wait For Ovechkin’s Decision
Admittedly, it feels weird making the first item on here something that’s entirely out of their control. Long-time captain Alex Ovechkin’s contract is up and the NHL’s all-time goal leader hasn’t decided if he wants to return for a 22nd season. It’s safe to say that the Capitals want him back and they’ve indicated to Ovechkin’s camp that they’re willing to be patient although they prefer that he decides by next month’s draft.
What the decision is will ultimately influence a chunk of how the team plans to proceed this summer. If Ovechkin stays, he fills a top-six spot on the wing, though not the top-line one he had for most of his career. And if he opts to move on, then they have a big hole to fill on the wing. Notably, despite his age (40), only one pending UFA forward (Alex Tuch) had more points than Ovechkin’s 64. Accordingly, they’d likely have to turn to the trade market to try to fill that vacancy.
Considering his age, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if Ovechkin’s next contract is a one-year deal, should he decide to stay. If that’s the case, he’s eligible to sign one with performance bonuses in the deal, something that could be done to give Washington more cap flexibility. With over $31MM in room at the moment, per PuckPedia, they may not necessarily need that flexibility but if Patrick has big plans, maybe they will. Ovechkin’s now-expiring deal carried a $9.5MM AAV; it wouldn’t be entirely shocking if his next contract (including bonuses, if any) was in that price range as well.
Re-Sign McMichael
Two years ago, Washington opted to sign forward Connor McMichael to a bridge deal. That kept more money free for their shopping spree and considering he had just become a full-time player the year before, there was lots of logic to the decision. McMichael, meanwhile, went and had two pretty strong seasons on his two-year, $4.2MM pact. He notched 57 points in 2024-25 and followed that up with 46 in 78 outings this season while transitioning toward playing down the middle on more of a regular basis.
All things considered, that’s a pair of solid seasons to bolster his arbitration case as he reaches eligibility for that for the first time. McMichael is two years away from being able to test the open market so while they could kick the can down the road and try to do a one-year pact, the more probable outcome is a longer-term agreement. The Capitals could opt to take him to a hearing but that would allow his camp to ask for a two-year contract that walks him right to unrestricted free agency so it would be surprising to see the team go down that road. Conversely, if McMichael files, Washington gets to pick the term and would almost certainly choose a one-year agreement.
AFP Analytics pegs McMichael at a five-year pact worth a shade under $6.5MM per season while getting three extra years of club control. In this marketplace, that might even be a little light while adding more seasons to the agreement could push the price tag more toward the $8MM mark. By the time they re-sign him and re-sign or replace Ovechkin, more than half of that cap space will already be gone but getting McMichael locked up on a longer-term deal should be a big priority this summer.
Add Right-Shot Defender
With Jakob Chychrun, Martin Fehervary, Rasmus Sandin, Cole Hutson, and Declan Chisholm, the Capitals are more than well-set on that side of their back end. If anything, their depth there could allow Patrick to shop someone to try to fill another hole elsewhere.
However, things aren’t as great on the other side. Their right-shot options are Matt Roy, Timothy Liljegren, and Dylan McIlrath. Roy has been solid in his first two years in Washington but is ideally a second-pairing player. Liljegren, who just re-signed, hasn’t progressed beyond being a third-pairing option for most of his career, while McIlrath is more of a veteran journeyman who shouldn’t be counted on to play too much.
In other words, they need to try to replace John Carlson, who was moved to Anaheim a little before the trade deadline. Interestingly enough, one of the players they could plausibly look at is Carlson himself, as the sides explored extension talks before the trigger was pulled on a swap. Other impactful right-shot rearguards set to reach unrestricted free agency are Darren Raddysh, Rasmus Andersson, and Jacob Trouba, although it should be expected that at least one of those players will ultimately re-sign.
With Sandin being able to shift to his off-side, this isn’t a must-add for the Capitals this summer. Chychrun is a top-pairing piece and Hutson showed plenty of potential late in the year; those two anchoring the back end with above-average depth could work. But in a very tight Eastern Conference, augmenting the group with another impact right-shot option would even be better.
Work On Leonard Extension
When Ryan Leonard joined the Capitals for the stretch run last season, they were hoping that he’d be able to add some key secondary scoring. Instead, his entrance to the NHL was a little quieter as he managed just two points in 17 games (regular season and playoffs combined) with his role shrinking as the postseason went on.
But those struggles ultimately helped Leonard prepare for his first full NHL season which certainly was an improvement. He finished fifth in rookie scoring with 20 goals and 25 assists, doing so despite averaging a little over 14 minutes per game, or basically third-line ice time. That earned him an eighth-place finish in Calder Trophy voting for Rookie of the Year. Considering Washington drafted Leonard eighth overall in 2023, it’s safe to say that they envision him being able to take on a bigger role.
Because they burned the first season of his entry-level pact for the 2025 stretch run, Leonard will be entering the final year of that contract this summer, making him extension-eligible. And with this being the last offseason that a team can do an eight-year contract, it would make sense for Washington to explore what the parameters of an agreement like that would be.
There would be a lot of forecasting being done on both sides in terms of trying to determine what Leonard’s long-term offensive upside is to try to find a number that would work. AFP Analytics’ extension projections suggest a seven-year agreement would be worth a little under $8.5MM per year. To get that eighth season, the AAV might have to land closer to the $9MM mark. That might seem like a lot for a player with 46 career regular season points but if they want to get something done early, there’s going to be some shared risk on both sides.
This isn’t necessarily a must-accomplish item on the checklist this summer. It’s possible that one or both sides would prefer the extra year of data before committing. But having some certainty for what Leonard’s next deal will cost would help the Capitals in their long-term planning this offseason so expect Patrick to approach Leonard’s camp to see what this could cost.
Photo courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports.
Free Agent Focus: Carolina Hurricanes
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Hurricanes.
Key Restricted Free Agents
D Alexander Nikishin – Nikishin may not have lit up the NHL like he did the KHL in recent years but he still had a very strong rookie season. He finished second in rookie scoring for a defenseman after potting 11 goals and 22 assists in 81 games while averaging over 18 minutes per night of playing time. That performance earned him a seventh-place spot in Calder Trophy voting. On a deep back end, the Hurricanes were able to ease him in a bit which could impact contract talks. If Nikishin’s camp feels he has another level to get to over the next couple of years, they may prefer to work on a bridge contract and position the blueliner to cash in later. That deal could fall in the $4MM range. If both sides are content to do a longer-term pact that buys out some UFA eligibility, the market value could be closer to $7MM.
G Cayden Primeau – The word ‘key’ probably doesn’t apply here but Primeau has seen NHL action now in seven straight years, although he spent most of this season with AHL Chicago. He’s no longer viewed as a potential full-time NHL backup but the market for third-stringers with NHL experience who can come up and play a few games in a pinch has gone up lately. He should at least be able to land another one-way pact but it may have to come from elsewhere. Because Primeau has played in 58 NHL games but is more of an AHL player at this point, he’s a strong non-tender candidate to avoid giving him the chance to test salary arbitration.
F Justin Robidas – Another one who doesn’t really fit the ‘key’ descriptor (Carolina’s RFA list is pretty thin), Robidas is one of Carolina’s more intriguing youngsters. He hasn’t seen much NHL action so far (just four games) but he has been quite productive with AHL Chicago over the past two seasons, tallying 115 points in 128 games. The 23-year-old will no longer be waiver-exempt in 2026-27 and his minor-league production could make him a candidate to be claimed. It will be interesting to see if he’s able to land a one-way deal as a result.
Other RFAs: F Skyler Brind’Amour, D Domenick Fensore, F Noel Gunler, D Aleksi Heimosalmi, D Kyle Masters, F Viktor Neuchev, G Nikita Quapp, D Ronan Seeley
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
G Frederik Andersen – There may not be a player in the playoffs who has flipped the script as much as Andersen has. After a below-average regular season, he has been stellar in the postseason to the point of being a viable Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of his team in the playoffs. In doing so, he has certainly bolstered his marketability. He’ll be 37 in early October but it’s not unfathomable that Andersen could land a two-year contract around the $3.25MM he made this season (including performance bonuses). Alternatively, another one-year pact that makes him eligible for performance incentives is the other option. He should be able to at least match his current deal if he goes that route.
F Nicolas Deslauriers – Deslauriers is no longer the every-game tough guy he was in the first half of his contract a few years ago. Now, the 35-year-old profiles as more of a 13th forward who can step in against more physical teams. The market for more enforcer-type players isn’t what it used to be so while he should be able to land more than $850K minimum salary, it’s doubtful that he’ll be able to land the $1.75MM he has made in each of the last four years. Something closer to the middle is more realistic.
F Noah Philp – Philp passed through waivers and finished up the year with the Wolves but he won over 56% of his faceoffs between Edmonton and Carolina when he was in the NHL this season. The 27-year-old profiles as a minimum-salaried player this summer but he might be able to secure a one-way deal and could make a push to stick at the back of a roster in training camp.
D Mike Reilly – After missing most of 2024-25 after undergoing heart surgery, Reilly stayed healthy this season which was good to see. However, he had a fairly limited role overall, getting into just over half of Carolina’s games while logging just under 15 minutes per night of ice time and in the playoffs, he has suited up just twice so far. Profiling as more of a seventh option moving forward, Reilly is likely going to land another deal around his current $1.1MM price tag and it wouldn’t be surprising to see his streak of one-year contracts continue for a fourth consecutive season.
Other UFAs: G Amir Miftakhov, F Josiah Slavin, F Givani Smith, F Ryan Suzuki, D Juuso Valimaki
Projected Cap Space
There aren’t many teams with less cap space than the Hurricanes, who will enter the summer with a little under $12MM in room. They have room to re-sign Nikishin and Andersen (if they want to carry three goalies full-time next season) and enough space to replace Reilly as a depth defender. They might not be able to do too much beyond that, but they also don’t have a lot of holes to fill, as evidenced by a roster that’s a win away from advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.
Photos courtesy of Charles LeClaire (Nikishin) and Eric Hartline (Andersen) – Imagn Images. Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Offseason Checklist: Columbus Blue Jackets
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Columbus.
It was an eventful year for the Blue Jackets. After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, they added Charlie Coyle over the summer and hoped that they’d be able to squeak in this time. Instead, they got off to a mediocre start, resulting in Rick Bowness being brought in as head coach. They went on a run early but faltered down the stretch, ultimately coming up just short again. Now, GM Don Waddell has some more work to do to try to get his team over the proverbial hump.
Culture Change
With Bowness only signing a deal for the rest of the season when he was first hired, he didn’t know his immediate future when, after the final game of the year, he let his team have it:
I don’t know if I’m back, but if I’m back, I’m changing this culture. These guys, they don’t care – losing is not important enough to them. It doesn’t bother them. Like, how can you go out and play like that?
Well, now he knows that he’s back as he signed a one-year extension not even 48 hours after the season ended. So, Bowness is going to get a chance to really reshape the culture but it’s not going to just be on him. This summer, it’s largely going to be on Waddell to make the types of changes that Bowness is likely seeking and model the roster to better suit that style.
One big decision that needs to be made (and frankly, might already have been made) is the fate of captain Boone Jenner. The 32-year-old has been with the Blue Jackets for 13 seasons, captaining them for the last five. When healthy, he has a quality power forward and defensive anchor. But he has dealt with a significant injury pretty much annually and his scoring touch has dipped a bit as of late. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent who has changed agents while Bowness has already signed Coyle to a six-year extension, potentially pushing Jenner more towards being out the door.
How aggressive of an overhaul Waddell will look to make is the big question here. Bowness is 71 and on an expiring contract already; he’s not the long-term voice behind the bench. But with the public vote of confidence in the form of that one-year extension, Waddell seemingly has to make meaningful changes beyond a player or two. We’ll find out just how big of a culture change they’ll be looking to make soon enough.
Re-Sign Key RFAs
While Waddell has already taken care of one of his key pending free agents, he has a few important restricted free agents to re-sign over the coming months.
The most prominent one is center Adam Fantilli. The third overall pick in 2023, his entry-level deal will officially expire at the end of next month. With the market for impact young centers jumping up considerably in recent years plus the projected increases to the Upper Limit, it’s fair to say Fantilli’s market value is going to jump considerably. If they want to sign him to a max-term eight-year contract (still legal through mid-September), they may have to go higher than Zach Werenski’s current price tag of $9.58MM. AFP Analytics pegs an eight-year pact at just over $10MM per season despite the fact he has yet to reach 60 points in a season. But to get him to give up four years of UFA eligibility, it’s going to be a hefty price tag. If they’re not willing to go that high yet, a bridge contract could still land in the $6MM-$7MM range.
Goaltender Jet Greaves also happens to be up for a new deal. While he wasn’t going to come close to sustaining his late-season hot streak in 2024-25 over a full season, he locked down the starting job. He played the seventh-most minutes in the NHL while posting the 12th-best SV and 13th-best GAA on a non-playoff team. Traditional stats are still dominant in arbitration filings and the 25-year-old is arbitration-eligible for the first time. However, the small sample size makes this one a little harder to peg. The comparables here would be players like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen ($4.75MM) and $5MM but the financial market is a little different now. The comparable now would be four or five years around the $5.75MM range. But if one or both sides want to see one more year before making that commitment, they can get away with it as he’s two seasons away from UFA eligibility. The price tag would be more in the $4.25MM territory in that scenario.
The other RFA of note is Cole Sillinger. His bridge deal has now come to an end and if nothing else, he has been consistent. Over the past three seasons, his lowest point total is 32 and his highest is 33. He has two years of club control left and is arbitration-eligible as well. It’s doubtful either side would want to do a long-term agreement so the options are more likely a one-year deal that allows for a bit more evaluation, or a three-or-four-year pact that buys up a bit of UFA eligibility. The former would be in the $3.5MM range and the latter more likely around double his current $2.25MM price tag.
Add Offensive Forward
One of the challenges this season for Columbus was primary scoring. They only had two players surpass the 60-point mark and one of those was Werenski, who led the team in points once again. The other was Kirill Marchenko, with 67. Fantilli and Coyle were just shy of 60 which doesn’t sound too bad. However, they’re also the only four players to reach 40 points on the campaign.
The silver lining is that their secondary scoring was fine. Eight additional players had between 30 and 40 points, including Mason Marchment, who had 32 in just 39 games after being acquired. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent and is set for a big payday on the open market. The Blue Jackets would undoubtedly want to keep him around but even if so, that’s only maintaining the status quo, not improving the roster.
While there is a young nucleus of players that they’re hoping for continued development from (with a bounce-back from Kent Johnson being first in that regard), it’s also quite evident that the Blue Jackets have a win-now mindset. While contention might not be realistic just yet, getting to the postseason should be the next step for this group.
That makes it more important for them to add an impact scorer to deepen the attack and take some pressure off the younger players (which might ultimately help them offensively). Of course, this is not a particularly deep UFA class – Marchment is one of the top forwards available – so this is something Waddell may have to accomplish on the trade front. But if Columbus wants to take that next step forward, more primary firepower will be needed.
Add A Shutdown Defender
With Werenski anchoring the back end, the emergence of Denton Mateychuk, and Ivan Provorov showing flashes of above-average offensive ability at times, the Blue Jackets quietly have one of the more talented back ends in the East from an offensive perspective. But their other regulars – Damon Severson and Dante Fabbro – aren’t known necessarily for being shutdown players. They can certainly contribute but aren’t necessarily defensive anchors.
One of their top-used defensemen shorthanded this season was Erik Gudbranson, at least when healthy. However, he’s also a pending unrestricted free agent and at this point, it would be somewhat surprising to see him return. That’s a spot in the lineup that needs to be filled. Ideally, that one isn’t filled internally, either by Jake Christiansen or a prospect like Corson Ceulemans. Again, if the goal is getting to the playoffs, they need to aim higher.
In a perfect world, the goal would be to get someone capable of playing on the top two pairings, logging over 20 minutes per game with primary penalty kill time. That player would also be matched up against top lines from other teams. It’s the type of player that a lot of teams could use although, again, there aren’t many unrestricted free agents who fit the bill. This is another spot they may have to try to acquire in a trade instead.
But this one is of particular importance from a culture standpoint as well. As Bowness wants to reshape things there, getting that gritty defender willing to go the extra mile to contain top players from other teams would be an anchor of that reshaped culture. A lot of good teams have a true shutdown piece on the back end and if they want to take the next step, the Blue Jackets need to get one too.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry-Imagn Images.