Week In Review

With the regular season now in full swing, injuries are starting to take their toll around the league.  Several significant injuries around the NHL are highlighted in our key stories.

Tkachuk Has Surgery: The Senators won’t have their captain available to them for a while as Brady Tkachuk underwent wrist surgery that will keep him out of the lineup for six to seven weeks.  The 26-year-old went for a second opinion in the hopes that surgery could be avoided which could have cut down the recovery timeline by a few weeks but that’s not the case.  One of the premier power forwards in the NHL, Tkachuk was off to a decent start before the injury with three assists in his first three games but Ottawa will now be looking to find someone to fill his spot on the top line until around December.

Rangers Fielding Calls On Othmann: When the Rangers drafted forward Brennan Othmann with the 16th pick in 2021, they were hoping to get a power forward who would be part of their core for the long term.  However, he has spent the bulk of his professional career in the minors and was an early cut in training camp, resulting in New York receiving some calls about his potential availability.  The 22-year-old has just two assists in 25 NHL games while notching 49 hits in a little under 10 minutes a night of playing time.  He’s been productive with AHL Hartford though, picking up 70 points in 97 games.  If the Rangers do decide to move him, it could be a trade that winds up being a swap of similar prospects in need of a change of scenery.

Canadiens Signings: While Lane Hutson didn’t get a contract extension in place before the season started, he didn’t have to wait too long to get one as he signed an eight-year, $70.8MM pact that begins next season.  The 21-year-old had a great rookie season, picking up 66 points in 82 regular season games, earning the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.  He and Noah Dobson will now be Montreal’s top two defenders for the foreseeable future.  Notably, two elements of this deal will soon be illegal when the new CBA begins next September.  First, the eight-year term will be outlawed while Hutson received $55MM in signing bonus money, or 77.6% of the contract.  Signing bonus money will be capped at 60% of the contract next year.

Meanwhile, the other person who signed the contract also received a new deal as well as Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton inked five-year extensions.  Hughes, a former agent before being hired, has been GM in Montreal since January 2022 and has overseen a rebuilding process that saw Montreal turn over a significant chunk of its roster while becoming the youngest team in the league this season.  Meanwhile, Gorton, who was promoted to President of Hockey Operations as well with this signing, has been in place since November 2021.  While he didn’t get a chance to see his rebuilding efforts conclude with the Rangers, it looks like he’ll get that opportunity now.

More Injuries: There were more injuries of note across the NHL.  The Mammoth will be without blueliner Sean Durzi for the next four weeks due to an upper-body injury.  The 26-year-old had a breakout year two years ago in Arizona but he missed 52 games due to injuries last season and now this year is off to a tough start.  Meanwhile, the Panthers won’t have Dmitry Kulikov anytime soon as he’ll miss five months due to a torn labrum.  He’s a capable veteran depth piece for Florida as their infirmary continues to grow.  His $1.15MM AAV will become LTIR-eligible when needed.  Lastly, the Kings, who have struggled considerably out of the gate, will now be without one of their top players for a while as Anze Kopitar is listed as week-to-week with a foot injury.  The captain, who is in his final NHL season, is a key two-way center and was averaging a point per game in the early going before being injured.

Hart To Vegas: The Golden Knights will be adding some goaltending depth as unrestricted free agent Carter Hart has joined the Golden Knights on a PTO deal.  It’s expected he’ll spend some time with AHL Henderson and he could sign a two-year contract when he becomes eligible to play in December.  Hart was Philadelphia’s number one goalie for several years before being charged with sexual assault, a charge he was acquitted of this summer.  If he can get back to form, he could be an intriguing addition for the Golden Knights who currently have a relatively inexperienced backup goaltender in Akira Schmid playing behind Adin Hill.

Photo courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images.

The 2025-26 NHL season is officially underway and as expected, it was a busy week around the league.  Here’s a rundown of the week’s key stories.

Cooley Says No: More and more often, teams are now trying to lock up their top young players to max-term deals as soon as possible, a reasonable approach with the salary cap expected to jump quicker.  The Mammoth tried that approach with center Logan Cooley, however, the center reportedly turned down an eight-year, $77MM extension offer.  The 21-year-old had a strong sophomore year last season, tallying 25 goals and 40 assists in 75 games, showing that he’s well on his way to being the number one center of the present and future.  The offer would have made him Utah’s highest-paid forward by a significant margin but it looks like he’s either hoping for a bigger offer (or one that isn’t as long term-wise) or will wait to see how things go this season in the hopes of an improved offer coming next summer.

Big Money For Connor: With Kirill Kaprizov coming off the market last week in a record-setting deal, another top winger won’t be testing free agency in July either.  The Jets will be keeping winger Kyle Connor around for the long haul, inking him to an eight-year, $96MM extension, matching the deals given to Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner in recent months.  Notably, Winnipeg broke their long-standing policy on not putting signing bonus money or a no-move clause in contracts in order to get the deal done.  Connor is coming off a career year that saw him surpass the 40-goal mark for the second time in four years while also putting up 97 points.  He now joins Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele as long-term mainstays that won’t be leaving anytime soon.

Bigger Money For Eichel: While Connor’s contract was big (one of the biggest in NHL history), it wasn’t even the biggest deal signed this week.  That particular distinction belongs to Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, who signed an eight-year, $108MM extension that begins next season.  The $13.5MM AAV will be the third-highest in the league behind only Kaprizov ($17MM) and Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl ($14MM).  Eichel found another gear offensively last season, collecting 94 points in 77 games and is averaging more than a point per game since Vegas acquired him back in 2021.  Once the deal kicks in, he’ll pass Marner ($12MM) as the highest-paid player on their books while Vegas now has their top middleman locked up for the long haul.

Oilers Sign Four: Throughout the offseason, progress (or lack thereof) on Connor McDavid’s contract talks dominated the discussion with some wondering if this was going to drag into the season.  While it took until the eve of the campaign, the captain decided to stick around, inking a two-year, $25MM extension.  As the face of the franchise and one of the elite players in the league, it’s fair to say that McDavid left a lot of money on the table relative to the deal that Kaprizov received just days earlier.  But by sticking with his current cap hit, McDavid is hoping that the extra flexibility can be used to make his team as strong as possible as they look to win a Stanley Cup title.

How have they spent that money?  By keeping some of the back end intact.  At the same time they announced the McDavid deal, they also signed defenseman Jake Walman to a seven-year, $49MM extension.  A cap dump by Detroit in the 2024 offseason, Walman turned around his fortunes last season in San Jose and became a key part of Edmonton’s back end at the trade deadline, a role he’ll have with them for the long haul now.

More of the savings from McDavid’s deal also went to blueliner Mattias Ekholm, who received a three-year, $12MM extension.  It’s a big discount from his current $6.25MM price tag (between Edmonton and Nashville) but it also reflects the fact he’ll be 36 when the contract begins.  A top-four fixture now, that might not be the case at the end of the deal.  However, he should still be an impactful piece for another couple of years.  Meanwhile, they also added to their current roster, signing UFA forward Jack Roslovic to a one-year, $1.5MM contract.  Following a 22-goal season, expectations were high in the summer for a multi-year deal but one to his liking never materialized.  Instead, he’ll settle for this deal and hope to boost his value heading into free agency next summer on the heels of a season in Edmonton’s middle six.

Norris Out Again: Injuries have been an issue for Josh Norris for several years now, a reality that is now impacting the Sabres once again.  He’s now set to miss a significant amount of time due to an upper-body injury.  Acquired at the trade deadline last year in a package deal that sent Dylan Cozens to Ottawa, Norris suffered a season-ending injury in just his third game with Buffalo.  Now, his fourth regular season appearance will see him missing extended time once again.  The Sabres were counting on Norris – who managed 21 goals last season in just 56 games – to be a key contributor but now, he’ll be watching from the sidelines for the foreseeable future.

Photo courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images.

October is almost upon us with the regular season fast approaching. As is often the case at this time of year, contracts dominate the discussion and this week was no exception with a trio of deals being highlighted in our key stories.

McTavish Signs: For a while, the Ducks and RFA center Mason McTavish were believed to be well apart in contract talks. However, the two sides had a breakthrough, agreeing to a six-year, $42MM contract. The 22-year-old is coming off his best season, one that saw him notch 22 goals and 30 assists in 76 games. With the signing, McTavish is now tied for the highest AAV among Anaheim forwards, joining Troy Terry and Mikael Granlund. The deal will keep McTavish, a key piece of Anaheim’s future plans, in the fold through his prime years but only buys two extra years of club control, allowing McTavish to hit the open market when he’s only 28.

Toronto Goalies: It was an eventful week for Maple Leafs netminders. Joseph Woll has taken an indefinite leave of absence to tend to a family matter, calling into question his availability to start the season. With that in mind, Toronto has brought in veteran James Reimer on a PTO deal; if signed, he could either start as the backup or serve as recallable depth in the minors. Lastly, Anthony Stolarz, the other half of last year’s goalie duo, will be sticking around for a while as he signed a four-year, $15MM extension which will begin next season. The 31-year-old had a career year last season, posting a 2.14 GAA and a .926 SV% in 32 games with the Maple Leafs with that appearance total also representing a career high. Toronto’s goalie tandem is now locked up at less than $7.5MM per season through 2027-28 (and is just under $6.2MM this season with Stolarz still on his current contract).

Barkov Out Long-Term: Already without top-line winger Matthew Tkachuk for the first few months of the season, the Panthers will be playing the 2025-26 campaign without their top center. Aleksander Barkov was injured in practice, suffering injuries to his ACL and MCL, requiring surgery which will keep him out for seven to nine months. The 30-year-old has averaged more than a point per game in six of the last seven seasons while being the two-time reigning Selke Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward. At a minimum, Barkov will miss the entire regular season while if his recovery period goes to the long end of that timeline, he might not be available at all in the playoffs either as they look to win their third straight Stanley Cup title.

Podkolzin Signs, Steps Away: It was a bit of a whirlwind 24 hours for Oilers winger Vasily Podkolzin. First, he signed a three-year, $8.85MM contract extension that runs through the 2028-29 season. Acquired after Dylan Holloway’s offer sheet wasn’t matched, Podkolzin had a strong first year in Edmonton, picking up 24 points in the regular season before adding 10 more in 22 playoff contests. However, that same day, his father passed away. As a result, Podkolzin has taken a leave of absence to return to his native Russia and there is no timeline for his return.

Three For Fowler: Cam Fowler made an immediate impact for St. Louis after they acquired him from Anaheim back in December. He’ll now have the chance to make a longer-term impact as the Blues have signed him to a three-year, $18.3MM contract extension, keeping him signed until July 2029 when he’ll be approaching his 38th birthday. Following the swap, Fowler picked up 36 points in 51 games while logging nearly 22 minutes a night on a back end that dealt with some injuries last season. He was even more impactful in the playoffs, leading the team in scoring with 10 points in seven games. Maintaining that type of production is unlikely but Fowler should be in a position to be a key contributor on their back end for a while now.

Photo courtesy of Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images.

The calendar has turned to September and preseason games are only a few weeks away.  As a result, there was a bit more activity on the transactions front around the NHL over the past seven days, the most notable of which is recapped in our key stories.

Rule Changes Starting This Season: The CBA extension that was agreed upon back in the spring called for some notable changes starting in 2026-27.  But as it turns out, some will be in effect for this season instead.  Chief among those is the changes to LTIR that will see the pool limited to the NHL average salary unless the player is out for the season and the institution of a playoff salary cap.  Additionally, contracts with deferred compensation will only be allowed until October 6th, players assigned to the minors must play in one game before being recalled (to try to dissuade paper moves), a player can only have his contract retained on a second time after 75 regular season days have passed from his original trade, and post-deadline recall limits being expanded from four to five.

Price’s Contract Traded: After the Canadiens paid Carey Price’s signing bonus on Monday, it was widely expected that they’d move him to get out of using LTIR, a position they’ve been in since 2021.  They did just that, sending the injured netminder to San Jose with a 2026 fifth-round pick in exchange for defenseman Gannon Laroque.  Price hasn’t played since 2022 but has carried a $10.5MM AAV during that stretch, causing Montreal to have carryover bonus penalties each season since then which is why they were willing to part with a draft pick to avoid being in that spot this season.  Meanwhile, the Sharks will only be responsible for paying 40% of his $2MM salary (insurance will cover the rest), meaning they’ve effectively bought a draft pick for $800K.  As for Laroque, he has played in just 22 games over the last three years and didn’t suit up at all last season and his playing future remains in question.

Three For Zary: One of the few remaining restricted free agents reached an agreement on a new contract as the Flames re-signed forward Connor Zary to a three-year deal that will carry a $3.775MM AAV.  The 23-year-old was a first-round pick by Calgary back in 2020 but he hasn’t seen a ton of action at the NHL level thus far, just 117 outings over two seasons.  Last season, Zary was limited to just 54 games due to a pair of knee injuries but when he was in the lineup, he was reasonably productive with 13 goals and 14 assists.  The deal is a sign that the Flames feel he still has another level to get to offensively.  When this contract expires in 2028, Zary will be arbitration-eligible with one year of RFA eligibility remaining.

Calling It A Career: After parts of ten NHL seasons, veteran center Derek Ryan has called it a career, announcing his retirement at the age of 38.  A free agent this summer, he acknowledged that he wasn’t actively pursuing a contract although he would have been open to returning to Edmonton.  Ryan took the long route to the NHL, not getting his first contract until 28, that coming after stints in Canada’s college system and three seasons in Austria, hardly a common route.  But Ryan eventually became a quality bottom-six center for several years, chipping in with 209 points and a 55.3% success rate on faceoffs in 606 games between Carolina, Calgary, and Edmonton.

Dryden Passes Away: Early Saturday, the Canadiens announced that their long-time goaltender and Hall of Famer Ken Dryden passed away at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer.  He was an elite netminder for Montreal in the 1970s, winning six Stanley Cups and five Vezina Trophies over eight seasons and is tied with Dominik Hasek for the highest save percentage in NHL history (among goalies with at least 100 games) at .922.  Dryden retired in his 20s but remained in the game as an announcer, an author, and later, as team president in Toronto for several seasons before pursuing a career in Canadian politics.  Dryden was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983.

Photo courtesy of Sergei Belski-Imagn Images.

The month of August is in the books which means training camps are getting a lot closer now.  It was a relatively quiet week around the hockey world which isn’t uncommon for this time of year but there was still some news of note which is recapped in our key stories.

Calling It A Career: Veteran defenseman Tyson Barrie has hung his skates, announcing his retirement at the age of 34.  When asked why now by NHL.com’s Dave McCarthy (Twitter link), Barrie jokingly said it was a decision made in tandem with all 32 teams, suggesting his desire was to keep playing but no offers were coming.  He was once a premier offensive defenseman but had struggled in recent years, only getting into 13 games with Calgary last season.  Barrie ends his career with 508 points in 822 games over 14 NHL seasons, including four 50-point campaigns, a very solid career for a player drafted in the third round by Colorado back in 2009.

A Case Of When, Not If: Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson has been in trade speculation for a while but there remains the possibility of a contract extension as well.  Some cold water was poured on that by team captain Mikael Backlund who indicated that after talking to the blueliner, he’s going to get traded with Andersson hoping that his situation won’t become a distraction.  The 28-year-old has been a top-pairing defender for Calgary for several years now while averaging 42 points over the last four seasons.  That has him in position for a significant increase on his $4.55MM AAV and it appears that contract will be coming from somewhere else.

Still Lots Of Work To Do: Devils defenseman Luke Hughes is one of the top remaining restricted free agents.  Usually, there’s a lot of haggling still to do with money in these situations.  However, on top of that, it appears as if the sides are far apart on term as well.  New Jersey’s preference appears to be either a short-term bridge deal or a long-term one while Hughes would prefer a five-year pact that takes him to free agency at the same time as his brother Jack Hughes.  Notably, he has five RFA-eligible years remaining, meaning such a move wouldn’t gain the Devils any extra years of control which is the exact situation they want to avoid.  Clearly, there’s a long way to go before the two sides reach an agreement.

Carolina Tryouts: The end of August and early September is often colloquially known as PTO season in the NHL.  With guaranteed deals less likely, players will start settling for tryouts with the hopes of landing a full-season contract from there.  The Hurricanes are the latest team to go that route, reaching PTO deals with defenseman Oliver Kylington and winger Givani Smith.  Between injuries and a personal leave, Kylington hasn’t played much in recent years and only got into 19 games between Colorado and Anaheim last season where he had five points in a little over 12 minutes a night of ice time.  He could find himself battling for a reserve spot on the back end.  As for Smith, he got into just 13 NHL games last season, logging barely six minutes a night in those outings while being in the minors the rest of the way.  Speculatively, he’ll be vying for a two-way deal that would have him likely starting in the AHL and hoping for a recall.

Off To Switzerland: One player who looked like he’d be involved in PTO season was veteran blueliner Jan Rutta.  However, instead of going that way, he has decided to play in Switzerland, inking a two-year contract with Geneve-Servette.  He didn’t make his NHL debut until his age-27 back in 2017-18 with Chicago and leaves with 417 outings over parts of eight seasons.  Rutta had 98 points and 479 blocked shots in those outings along with a pair of Stanley Cup victories from his time with Tampa Bay.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.

With training camps inching closer, there is still some work to do in terms of roster building with several players in need of new contracts.  A couple of those files were closed off over the past seven days and are among the key stories of the week.

Olofsson To Avalanche: It took longer than expected but winger Victor Olofsson has found his next team after signing a one-year, $1.575MM contract with Colorado.  The 30-year-old is only two years removed from a career-best 28 goals but has seen his production drop since then.  Last year, Olofsson notched 15 goals and 14 assists in 56 games in Vegas despite not seeing a lot of playing time in their top six.  That should be particularly appealing to an Avalanche roster that has had some challenges getting production from their bottom six forward group.  The deal eats up a little more than half of the cap space they had and with Logan O’Connor out to start the season, this could be it for them beyond potentially adding a player at the minimum salary around training camp.

Comeback Attempt: Veteran winger Milan Lucic is hoping to return to the NHL this season after inking a tryout deal with St. Louis.  He last played in the NHL back in October 2023 but while on injured reserve, he was charged with assault and battery for a domestic incident though those charges were later dropped.  However, he entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program but has now been cleared.  In his prime, the 37-year-old was a feared power forward with 30-goal offensive production but over his last few seasons of action, he was more of a fourth liner.  Now nearly two years removed from playing, it’s fair to suggest that he’ll be playing a similar role if he’s able to secure a full-season contract from the Blues.

Seven For Nazar: Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar has just 56 career NHL games under his belt after spending the first two months of last season in the minors.  However, Chicago has seen enough to make a long-term commitment to him as the two sides worked out a seven-year, $46.13MM extension that will begin in the 2026-27 campaign.  Drafted in the first round in 2022 with the pick acquired for Kirby Dach, Nazar spent two years at the University of Michigan before turning pro at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.  Last season, he notched 24 points in 21 games with AHL Rockford before putting up 12 goals and 14 assists in 53 games with the Blackhawks.  They clearly feel he has another level or two to get to offensively and if he does, this could become a team-friendly deal before too long.

Surgery For Tkachuk: While Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk had hoped to avoid needing surgery, that isn’t the case as he underwent surgery to repair the adductor injury that he sustained at the 4 Nations Face-Off.  Despite playing through the injury in the playoffs, he was quite productive with 23 points in as many games to help them win their second straight Stanley Cup.  Tkachuk, who is now LTIR-eligible, could be out until January.  Florida will place him on LTIR, ending any short-term speculation about them needing to clear salary in the process.  The Panthers wasted little time filling his spot on the roster in the short term, signing veteran forward Luke Kunin to a one-year, $775K contract.  Kunin won’t be able to replace Tkachuk’s production but he’ll add further grit to a lineup that already has a lot of it.

Rossi Gets A Bridge Deal: For months, the word was that center Marco Rossi wanted a long-term contract but the Wild wanted a bridge deal.  In the end, the team got their way as the two sides worked out a three-year, $15MM contract.  The agreement is notably backloaded, securing Rossi a $6MM qualifying offer with arbitration rights in 2028, his final year of RFA eligibility.  Rossi’s second full NHL season was a strong one as he noted 24 goals and 36 assists in 82 games while logging over 18 minutes a night as a full-time top-six forward.  However, his usage was dropped to barely 11 minutes per contest in their first-round loss to Vegas, fueling speculation about his future.  But after all sorts of trade scenarios and even talk of an offer sheet, Rossi will stick around with the team that drafted him in the first round back in 2020.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.

We’re now past the midpoint of August and training camps are starting to get closer. We saw a handful of moves on the transaction front over the past seven days, several of which are highlighted in our key stories.

Going For 20: Long-time NHL veteran Jack Johnson isn’t ready to call it a career just yet as he has signed a tryout deal with Minnesota. The 38-year-old was an every-game regular as recently as 2023-24 but his second stint with Columbus last season saw him reduced to a much lesser role with playing time very limited when he did get in the lineup for his 41 games. Johnson has 342 points in 1,228 games with six different teams over 19 seasons and will look to make it an even 20 if he can secure a contract from the Wild, a team that moved Declan Chisholm at the draft and didn’t re-sign veteran depth defender Jon Merrill.

Bridge For Evans: Seattle took care of their last remaining restricted free agent, working out a two-year bridge deal with defenseman Ryker Evans. The contract carries a cap hit of $2.05MM. The 23-year-old wrapped up his first full NHL campaign last season and it was a good one that saw him pick up 25 points in 73 games while logging over 19 minutes a night of playing time. Evans also played for Canada at the Worlds in May, notching a pair of assists in eight outings. The deal is slightly front-loaded with his required qualifying offer in 2027 checking in at an even $2MM; that offer will also come with salary arbitration rights. By going with a bridge agreement instead of a long-term pact, Seattle projects to enter the season with nearly $4.6MM in cap space, per PuckPedia.

Johansen Grievance Ruling: While it took quite a while – the better part of a year – a ruling has been made in the Ryan Johansen grievance for the termination of his contract. Philadelphia acquired him in 2024 and after he cleared waivers, he was assigned to the AHL where Johansen asserted there was an injury (a nagging hip issue), leading to the rescinding of the assignment. However, the Flyers then terminated Johansen’s contract last August, citing a material breach of contract. The hearing went to an arbitrator who has sided with Philadelphia, meaning that Johansen’s deal will not be restored in part or in full on the books. Johansen’s contract being added retroactive to last year’s books would have caused a bonus overage penalty for the Flyers which would have then rolled onto their 25-26 numbers. Johansen didn’t play at all last season and remains an unrestricted free agent although it would be surprising to see him sign now.

Calling It A Career: Veteran defenseman Chad Ruhwedel has decided to retire at the age of 35. He was a late bloomer, not really establishing himself in the NHL until he joined Pittsburgh at 26 but wound up becoming a reliable depth option who could step in and play on the third pairing for several years, including the 2021-22 campaign that saw him play in a career-best 78 NHL games. Ruhwedel spent most of last season with the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Hartford and rather than seek out what would likely have been a PTO deal, he has decided to hang up his skates now. He ends his career with 50 points in 369 NHL games over parts of 13 seasons, a solid run for a player who was never drafted.

Detroit Adds A Defenseman: The Red Wings have added some extra depth on the back end, signing veteran Travis Hamonic to a one-year, $1MM contract. The 35-year-old was a high-quality shutdown defenseman in his prime but he has seen his role scaled back in recent years to that of a depth defender lately. Hamonic was battling Jacob Bernard-Docker for playing time with the Senators for the bulk of the last two seasons and that battle is now set to continue with Detroit’s other signing on the blueline this summer being Bernard-Docker after he was let go by Buffalo.

Photo courtesy of Steven Bisig-Imagn Images.

With training camps now a little more than a month away, a lot of teams are in summer vacation mode while there’s still time.  Although that has resulted in much more limited activity around the hockey world, there was still some news of note which we’ll cover in our key stories.

Schaefer Signs: The top pick in this year’s draft is now under contract as the Islanders signed defenseman Matthew Schaefer to a three-year, entry-level deal.  The agreement pays him $975K per season in the NHL plus another $3.5MM in potential bonuses.  Schaefer was limited to just 17 games with OHL Erie last season and was sidelined for the final few months after suffering a fractured clavicle in the second game of the World Juniors.  That said, he was dominant enough in his two-plus months of action to move him up the draft rankings, making him the consensus number one selection in this year’s class.  By signing now, Schaefer is no longer NCAA-eligible should he not make New York’s roster.

Vesey Heads Overseas: Veteran winger Jimmy Vesey had strong interest in free agency, just not from NHL clubs.  Teams from several leagues tried to sign him and in the end, he decided to sign in Switzerland, inking a two-year deal with Geneve-Servette.  The 32-year-old had a limited role with both the Rangers and Avalanche last season, notching eight points in 43 games.  Originally drafted by Nashville back in 2012, he decided not to sign with them, kickstarting a rarely seen process that saw him reach August 15th free agency and meet with many teams before joining the Rangers.  Overall, Vesey has played in 626 career NHL games over parts of nine seasons, tallying 101 goals and 93 assists.

Panthers Unlikely To Move Rodrigues: With Florida sitting $3.725MM over the salary cap per PuckPedia, many have been waiting for the other shoe to drop; who would be moved to get them back into compliance?  The answer is, for now at least, no one, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Panthers are unlikely to move forward Evan Rodrigues, the one player they could part with to get close to being cap-compliant.  Instead, it appears their intention is to start the season using LTIR with winger Matthew Tkachuk acknowledging that surgery is likely needed to fully repair the adductor injury he dealt with in the playoffs.  If that happens, he’d be expected to miss multiple months, allowing Florida to keep the rest of the group intact for at least a little while longer though they’d have to get compliant whenever Tkachuk was cleared to return.

Winger Signings: While Vesey signed overseas, two other UFA wingers found NHL contracts.  First, the Avalanche agreed to a one-year, $1.25MM deal with Joel Kiviranta.  The 29-year-old had a surprising 16 goals with Colorado last season after his previous career high in points in a single season was 11.  The deal gives Kiviranta a well-deserved raise while still being a reasonable enough price tag should his production drop back to normal levels.  Meanwhile, the Stars dipped their toes into the market as well, signing Nathan Bastian to a one-year, $775K contract.  The 27-year-old had 10 points and 138 hits in 59 games with New Jersey last season.  He’ll battle for a spot on the fourth line in training camp.

Varlamov To Resume Skating: Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov didn’t play at all last season after November due to a lingering knee injury.  They felt it was necessary to add some insurance in free agency when they signed David Rittich to a one-year deal.  However, it appears that Varlamov could be ready for training camp as he’s expected to resume skating in the near future.  The 37-year-old still has two years left on his contract at a $2.75MM AAV and while he’s coming off a down (injury-riddled) year, he has been one of the better backups in recent years.  Getting him back to form would be a nice boost heading into the season.

Photo courtesy of Jim Rassol-Imagn Images.

The arbitration period has come to an end with the final few players settling before the point of getting to a hearing.  Those deals are included in the key stories from the past seven days.

Kings Re-Sign Last RFA: The Kings took care of their final remaining restricted free agent, signing winger Alex Laferriere to a three-year, $12.3MM contract.  The 23-year-old has two full NHL seasons under his belt with his 2024-25 campaign being a solid one as he collected 19 goals and 23 assists in 77 games while working his way into being a regular in the top six.  He also chipped in with a trio of helpers in their first-round playoff exit at the hands of Edmonton.  Laferriere didn’t have salary arbitration eligibility this summer but he will when this deal expires in 2028.  At that point, he’ll be a year away from unrestricted free agency.

Not Retiring Yet: While Nicklas Backstrom’s NHL contract quietly came to an end last month, his career isn’t over just yet as he has signed a one-year deal with SHL Brynas.  The 37-year-old didn’t play at all last season and was limited to just eight games in 2023-24 after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery, a procedure that ended his NHL career, one that saw him eclipse 1,000 points in a little over 1,100 games with Washington.  Backstrom now returns to the program that he grew up in as he looks to extend his playing career a little longer.

Three For Samberg: The first player to get to the point of filing arbitration briefs, Dylan Samberg and the Jets had quite a gap to bridge.  However, they were able to reach an agreement, working out a three-year, $17.25MM contract.  The deal buys Winnipeg two extra years of team control while those two years will also see Samberg have a six-team no-trade clause.  After being more of a depth player for his first few seasons in the NHL, the 26-year-old had a breakout season, logging over 21 minutes a night on the back end while becoming their most trusted shutdown defender.  Samberg also had his best offensive season, collecting 20 points in 60 games plus three more in the playoffs when his ice time went past 24 minutes per contest.

Flames Extend A Forward: One player who didn’t need a new contract right away was Flames forward Martin Pospisil, whose bridge deal runs through the upcoming season.  However, he has a new pact in place as the two sides agreed on a three-year, $7.5MM extension that runs through the 2028-29 campaign.  The 25-year-old is coming off his first full NHL campaign but was quieter than expected offensively, notching just four goals in 81 games although he did add 21 assists.  Pospisil was also one of the hit leaders league-wide last season, picking up 301 while spending a bit of time down the middle.  He’ll be an unrestricted free agent when this deal expires.

More Arbitration Avoidances: Two more players also got contracts done to avoid an arbitration hearing.  Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble reached a two-year, $2.825MM pact well before hearing submissions were due.  He played in 56 games for the second straight season, collecting 13 points and 124 hits in a little under 15 minutes a night of playing time.  Meanwhile, Toronto and winger Nicholas Robertson got to the point of exchanging pre-hearing numbers but settled the next day just above the midpoint on a one-year, $1.825MM contract.  Robertson had a career-high 15 goals in 69 games last season but also spent time as a healthy scratch, especially during the playoffs when he only made three appearances.  Both players will be arbitration-eligible RFAs at the end of their respective deals.

Photo courtesy of James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images.

While the quiet part of the NHL offseason is well underway, there was still some notable news around the NHL, especially on the contract front with several deals being featured in our key stories.

Three For Kakko: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko was the first of the scheduled salary arbitration hearings but it didn’t get that far.  Instead, the two sides worked out a three-year contract that carries a cap hit of $4.525MM per season.  Seattle acquired the 24-year-old midseason from the Rangers and the change of scenery gave him a boost as he had 30 points in 49 games down the stretch, propelling him to a career-high 44 points for the season.  The contract gives Kakko a raise of more than $2MM per season while Seattle gets two extra years of club control, a sign that they feel he could be part of the longer-term solution moving forward.

Not Guilty Verdicts: More than three months after their trial began after being charged in connection with sexual assault, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Alex Formenton, and Cal Foote were all found not guilty by Justice Maria Carroccia in London, Ontario.  The allegations became public back in 2022 with charges being laid in January 2024; none of those players have played in the NHL since then.  They won’t be eligible to return right away either as the league indicated that they will be “reviewing and considering the judge’s findings” to determine next steps.  The NHLPA has already indicated that they are addressing this with the league, citing that the NHL’s declaration is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.

Blake Gets Eight: Hurricanes winger Jackson Blake had a solid rookie season, notching 17 goals and 17 assists in 80 games during the regular season.  Management clearly feels that he’s a part of the long-term plans, as they signed him to an eight-year, $45MM contract extension that will begin in 2026-27.  While the normal AAV of that deal would be $5.625MM, the deal has $15.9MM in deferred signing bonus payments that won’t be paid until the day after the contract expires, July 1, 2034.  In doing so, the AAV and cap charge is lowered to $5.117MM.  Deferred compensation contracts have been outlawed in the CBA extension but until that kicks in (in mid-September 2026), they’re fully legal; it’s now the third such contract on Carolina’s books, joining Jaccob Slavin and Seth Jarvis.

Zacha In Play? Center help has been something that many teams are seeking but few options have been available.  It’s possible that the Bruins could have one, however, following a report from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period who notes that Boston is mulling the possibility of moving Pavel Zacha.  The 28-year-old is coming off a small dip in production, notching 14 goals and 33 assists last season after tallying 57 and 59 points in the previous two seasons.  However, he has been above average on draws in four of the last five years, has had his three best offensive years in the last three seasons, and is signed at a reasonable $4.75MM through the 2026-27 season.  If the Bruins do make him available, they should be able to generate strong interest in his services.

More Arbitration Settlements: More players reached contract settlements before the arbitration submission process began.  The Islanders agreed to a two-year, $4.5MM contract with winger Maxim Tsyplakov after a solid rookie year that saw him record 10 goals and 25 assists along with 140 hits.  Meanwhile, Arvid Soderblom’s bounce-back year with Chicago last season earned him a two-year, $5.5MM pact.  He put up a 3.18 GAA and a .898 SV% last season, a significant improvement on his 2023-24 numbers.  Lastly, new Sabres defenseman Conor Timmins received a two-year, $4.4MM contract.  He split last season between Toronto and Pittsburgh, picking up 15 points in 68 games and was acquired from the Penguins on the second day of the draft.  All three players will be unrestricted free agents when these deals expire in 2027.

Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.