Poll: Will Jack Roslovic Or Matt Grzelcyk Sign First?
We’re closing in on a month before the start of informal rookie camps around the league. Of PHR’s Top 50 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents, 45 have already found new homes for the upcoming campaign – including 23 of the top 25 names.
The two missing from that group are three-position forward Jack Roslovic and left-shot defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. While Roslovic has had strong interest from multiple teams all summer long and appears to be playing the long game to drive up desperation as teams miss out on other forward options, Grzelcyk’s market hasn’t been as fervent.
In fact, there’s been essentially no firmly documented interest in Grzelcyk since July 1. That’s despite the 31-year-old entering the signing window with the most points among UFA defensemen last year, notching a career-best 1-39–40 scoring line with the Penguins.
There are some clear reasons for his smaller-than-expected market. He’s on the small side for a rearguard at 5’10” and 180 lbs, doesn’t play much of a physical game at all, and has something of an injury history. He played all 82 games last season for the first time, eclipsing the 70-game mark for the third time in nine years.
That being said, he has strong results in a complementary top-four role next to a more all-around dominant righty. The vast majority of his 527-game NHL career was spent with the Bruins alongside Charlie McAvoy, where he consistently put up 20 to 30 points per season and never had a negative rating.
Last year’s -6 mark on his one-year deal with the Pens isn’t much of a blemish, either. That came with more taxing minutes than he’s used to – averaging a career-high 20:37 per game – and he had better per-60 defensive results at even strength than Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang while also generating more offense than them on the power play.
Few teams would give Grzelcyk the top-unit PP deployment he had throughout the year in Pittsburgh, making another 40-point year unlikely. Still, there’s been an eerie silence around the market for someone who checks out as a highly serviceable No. 4/5 option on most teams who’s comfortable playing on any pairing.
Roslovic’s free agency has been covered more at length as a result of his more widespread interest. Last month, we published free agent profiles on both Grzelcyk and Roslovic.
He’s been connected most firmly to the Canucks and Maple Leafs over the past several weeks, but any team with at least $3MM to $4MM in cap space to accommodate him should be viewed as a legitimate contender for his services. Roslovic’s selling point is his versatility – he may not have the scoring consistency required of a bona fide top-six option. Still, few players could legitimately slot into any spot on any line and find a way to make things work like he can.
Like Grzelcyk, Roslovic is coming off something of a career year in his platform season, although his age advantage by three years strengthens his case for a multi-year deal. While he fell short of his career-high in points in 2024-25, he tied his mark in goals (22) in quite limited deployment with the Hurricanes, averaging under 14 minutes per game for the first time since 2018-19. He’s comfortably averaged 43 points per 82 games over the past three seasons and should be a solid bet to hit that mark again in 2025-26, especially if he sees a bump in minutes.
All that being said, who do you think will come off the UFA list first? Tell us what you think in the poll below and expand on your thoughts in the comments:
Who will sign first?
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Jack Roslovic 75% (308)
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Matt Grzelcyk 25% (105)
Total votes: 413
Poll: Will The Penguins Be Able To Trade Erik Karlsson?
Before the offseason began, it became clear that the Penguins were uniquely positioned as one of the league’s true few sellers who had no plans of contending for a playoff spot in 2026. Even with an understaffed roster, particularly on the blue line, they do still have some valuable trade chips to leverage in order to recoup additional future assets for their ongoing rebuild while also giving them a greater chance at a high-end pick in a stacked 2026 draft class.
While wingers Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust will likely yield the most calls and have rather movable contracts, defenseman Erik Karlsson has also been on the shopping block since last season’s trade deadline. Aside from the declining veteran’s $10MM cap hit being virtually immovable without at least an additional 20% worth of retention, he has a no-movement clause through the remainder of his deal, which expires following the 2026-27 season.
Moving him, even with retention, is a sensible goal for the Penguins if they can yield a significant return. The 35-year-old obviously doesn’t fit into their long-term plans, and shedding some of his salary opens up more flexibility to take on more shorter-term undesirable contracts in the near future in exchange for additional futures, similar to their pickup of Matt Dumba from the Stars earlier this month.
That no-movement clause, which Karlsson waived to facilitate a trade to Pittsburgh from San Jose following his Norris-winning campaign in 2023, makes generating that significant return a difficult feat. He’s produced at a decent 55-point pace over his two seasons with the Pens and hasn’t missed a game since his acquisition, but a look under the hood reveals declining possession impacts to pair with his already solidified one-dimensional reputation as an offensive-minded rearguard.
While he usually helps his team generate significantly more shot attempts to help offset those poor defensive impacts, his +2.0% relative Corsi at even strength last year was among the worst of his career, as was his 48.4 xGF%. Entering his age-35 season, it’s not exactly as if there’s hope for a rebound there unless he’s deployed in an extremely insulated possession system.
Even if the Penguins are able to make Karlsson a $7MM-$8MM player for the next two seasons, the Venn diagram of teams that can afford him and those he’d be willing to waive his NMC for isn’t favorable. He’s willing to move but is only considering waiving his clause for a select few Stanley Cup contenders, according to reports earlier this month. That’s both foreseeable and reasonable – Karlsson has yet to reach a Stanley Cup Final in his 16-year NHL career.
That makes it hard to see many speculative fits outside of a potential move to the Hurricanes, who have something of a hole on the right side of their blue line after losing Karlsson’s former teammate, Brent Burns, to Colorado in free agency. They’ve got the space ($10.64MM) to burn and the high-end possession system to insulate his defensive shortcomings, particularly if he’s given license to play top-pairing minutes with one of the league’s top pure shutdown rearguards in Jaccob Slavin.
He’s not an extremely pressing need for Carolina with some other skilled puck-movers on their back end and a potential game-breaker in Russian rookie Alexander Nikishin, though. There will be questions, both from the public and likely within the Canes’ front office, of whether it’s wise to spend their remaining cap space on an area of strength rather than trying to pursue options to address their hole at second-line center.
PHR readers – how do you think things will shake out? Will the Penguins be able to get a Karlsson deal done? If so, how much money will they need to retain to make it happen? Vote in our poll below:
Will The Penguins Deal Erik Karlsson?
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Karlsson will remain a Penguin at the beginning of the 2025-26 season. 45% (438)
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They'll trade Karlsson while retaining more than $2.5MM of his salary. 45% (435)
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They'll trade Karlsson while retaining less than $2.5MM of his salary. 10% (99)
Total votes: 972
If you can’t see the poll, click here to vote.
Poll: Will Marco Rossi Return To The Wild?
The trade market has been slower than predicted since draft day. There have been some notable RFA names changing hands, K’Andre Miller and Nicolas Hague among them, but others who were tabbed as likely candidates to move amid a gap in contract talks ended up staying put.
One of them is Wild center Marco Rossi, who remains unsigned and is beginning to see his name brought back to the forefront with most other summer business now settled. Multiple reports in the last few days have indicated there’s been no contract dialogue between Rossi’s camp and the Minnesota front office since June. That was something Rossi was okay with as he waited for a competitive offer sheet to come in and speed the sign (or trade) process along, but no deal ever came.
While there was considerable trade interest in Rossi’s signing rights earlier in the offseason, teams were reportedly put off by Rossi’s desire for a long-term deal in the $7MM range annually. Wild general manager Bill Guerin, staunchly unwilling to dole out that money, has since had his value assessment of Rossi backed up by loads of other teams, as Rossi can’t find the contract he desires.
In most cases, this would lead a player to acquiesce to a bridge deal and try to meet their financial hopes again in a year or two. But if Rossi signs a short-term contract with the Wild, there are two significant risks he’s opening himself up to that have been discussed at length in the last couple of months. Not only could a bridge deal facilitate a trade for Rossi, who’s ineligible for any protection, to a team he doesn’t want to go to, it could also damage his future earning potential if he feels he doesn’t get advantageous deployment.
The latter is a legitimate concern after how the 2024-25 season ended. The diminutive but skilled 23-year-old center looked at home in a top-six role in the regular season, averaging 18:15 per game and notching 60 points in 82 appearances as Minnesota’s top-line anchor for most of the year. His minutes were slashed in the Wild’s first-round loss to the Golden Knights, though, seeing fourth-line deployment in just over 11 minutes per game. He still managed a pair of goals and an assist in the six-game defeat, with both tallies coming at even strength.
Understandably, that left a sour taste in Rossi’s mouth after a regular season in which he proved he can be a capable top-six producer. The 2020 No. 9 overall pick has next to no leverage in his current situation, though. With Guerin content to continue holding pat in the Wild’s position, there’s no incentive for him to trade Rossi unless someone offers a piece he feels improves their roster composition immediately. Since those offers haven’t come so far, there’s little reason to believe they will now, especially with reporting on that front remaining quiet.
That leaves the Austrian forward completely at the mercy of someone tendering an offer sheet. It’s still a legitimate possibility, even if it’s not an overwhelmingly likely one. The Blues’ dual offer sheets to Oilers RFAs Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway last year didn’t come until mid-August. Doing so would also permit a team to surrender only draft picks to bring in Rossi, a package the Wild wouldn’t be thrilled to accept in a trade as they look to remain playoff contenders and help their case to convince superstar pending UFA Kirill Kaprizov not to test the open market next summer.
Minnesota could still match that offer sheet, though, leaving Rossi in a position where he’ll likely only sign one if it’s reasonably close to his initial ask. Since those offers haven’t been there in trade talks, why would they be there now?
With no resolution in sight, we’re asking PHR readers how they think things will play out between the two sides. Vote in our poll below:
Will Marco Rossi Be With The Wild In 2025-26?
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Yes, he'll re-sign with the Wild. 60% (787)
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No, he'll be traded or sign an offer sheet. 40% (517)
Total votes: 1,304
Poll: Who Will Win The Western Conference Finals?
The Western Conference finals are set, as the defending conference champion Edmonton Oilers will take on the Dallas Stars, led by the phenomenal play of Mikko Rantanen. It’s a rematch from last season’s conference final, where the Oilers came out on top in six games.
The Oilers have been on a heater since starting round one with a 2-0 series deficit against the Los Angeles Kings. Since then, the Oilers have lost just one game, winning four in a row against the Kings before taking down the Golden Knights in five games. Unsurprisingly, the team is being led by superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who have combined for 33 points in 11 games. The Oilers lead all teams with 43 playoff goals, averaging nearly 4 goals per game.
The Oilers have also benefited from standout play by defenseman Evan Bouchard, who leads the team with 26:24 of ice time per game in the playoffs, while contributing 12 points and a team-high 13 takeaways. This continues Bouchard’s tremendous playoff run from last season, when he recorded 32 points and a plus-14 rating, helping the Oilers reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
An intriguing storyline for the Oilers heading into the Western Conference Final is the performance of their goaltenders. Despite the team cruising through two rounds, Calvin Pickard and Stuart Skinner have combined for just an .886 save percentage, which doesn’t inspire much confidence during a playoff run. At some point, it stands to reason that the Oilers may struggle to sustain their momentum with that level of goaltending. That said, Pickard has been perfect since stepping in as the starter, posting a 6-0 record and providing timely saves when needed.
The Stars are being carried by Rantanen, whose league-leading 19 playoff points have been nothing short of spectacular. However, offensive support from the rest of the roster has been inconsistent. Wyatt Johnston, who tallied 71 points during the regular season, has managed just eight in the playoffs and carries a troubling minus-13 rating. Veterans Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn have struggled to make an impact, while 20-goal scorers Evgenii Dadonov and Mikael Granlund have failed to replicate their regular-season production. Despite Rantanen’s heroics, Dallas enters the Western Conference Final with a minus-four goal differential.
That also includes the exceptional goaltending of Jake Oettinger, who has posted a .919 save percentage through 13 playoff games. The 26-year-old has been a consistently reliable performer in the postseason, carrying a .913 save percentage over 60 career appearances. His steady presence in the net will be critical as Dallas prepares to face Edmonton’s high-powered offense.
So, what will win out: the Oilers’ explosive offense, or the Stars’ stout goaltending and the heroics of Rantanen? It’s a clash of strengths that could define the rematch. Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thinking!
Who will win the Western Conference Finals?
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Edmonton Oilers 67% (2,220)
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Dallas Stars 33% (1,098)
Total votes: 3,318
Poll: Who Will Win Maple Leafs/Panthers Game 7?
Any playoff series featuring the defending Stanley Cup champions, especially when matched up against a similarly equipped opponent on paper, is usually bound to be an entertaining one. That’s what we’ve gotten in the second round between the Maple Leafs and Panthers, with a couple of wild momentum shifts resulting in a Game 7 on Sunday night.
The series didn’t start as evenly matched as most would have predicted. Some underwhelming play from Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky meant the Leafs, doubling their win total past the first round in the Auston Matthews era, took a 2-0 series lead into Sunrise. But the Panthers, who have controlled the majority of quality chances at 5-on-5 throughout the series, got more support from their All-Star netminder in Games 3 through 5 as they countered with three straight wins of their own to push Toronto to the brink in Game 6. The Leafs, perhaps taking a vital step to erase their underwhelming postseason reputation, put their best performance of the series forward with their backs against the wall with a 2-0 shutout win on the road to send the series home for a do-or-die Game 7.
Bobrovsky and Toronto goaltender Joseph Woll, who entered Game 1 in relief of starter Anthony Stolarz when he exited with apparent concussion symptoms and has started every game since, have had similar showings here in Round 2. The latter’s Game 6 shutout upped his save percentage to .893 with 0.42 goals saved above expected, while Bobrovsky’s posted a .895 SV% and 0.76 GSAx, per Natural Stat Trick.
Regarding the skaters, Florida’s best player hasn’t even played every game in the series. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been dominant after missing Game 1 due to suspension, serving as the Cats’ only point-per-game player in the series while averaging 22:34 per game. Depth has been the name of the game for Florida – every player to suit up in at least half of the series has registered a point.
It’s no surprise to see now-established playoff performer William Nylander atop the Leafs’ scoring chart with six points through six games, but the player he’s tied with is quite eye-raising. Depth veteran Max Pacioretty has turned back the clock after scoring the series-clinching goal against the Senators in the first round, rattling off two goals and four assists with a team-high plus-three rating through Game 6 of the Florida series. Averaging just 12:58 per game against the Panthers, he’s among the most efficient scorers in the league this postseason.
As for Toronto’s first-line triumvirate of Matthews, Matthew Knies, and Mitch Marner, they played their best game in Game 6. Matthews’ game-winner was his first of the series, but Knies is the only one with multiple goals in Round 2. On a highly concerning note for Toronto, he’s questionable for Game 7 after sustaining an apparent shoulder injury early in Game 6 and playing through it, head coach Craig Berube said.
While the Panthers are the road team, betting odds and most prediction sites give them the slight edge. Most betting sites have the implied odds of a Florida win around 55%, while MoneyPuck has it at just 50.2%. Of course, Toronto is 2-1 at home against the Panthers in this series and 4-2 at home so far in the playoffs.
One storyline to watch: after the first three games in the series were decided by one goal, including Florida’s come-from-behind overtime win in Game 3, the last three have been decided by two or more. Will we get more of a nail-biter Sunday night?
Let us know which team you think will win Game 7 and advance to the Eastern Conference Final – potentially the Panthers’ third straight ECF appearance or the Leafs’ first since 2002. Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thinking!
Who will win Game 7?
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Florida Panthers 52% (760)
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Toronto Maple Leafs 48% (707)
Total votes: 1,467
If you can’t see the poll, click here to vote.
Poll: Who Will Win The 2025 Calder Memorial Trophy?
Unlike many years where there is a clear-cut favorite for the Calder Memorial Trophy, the 2024-25 season had different ideas. A reasonable case could be made for any of this year’s finalists: Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens, Dustin Wolf of the Calgary Flames, and Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks.
Hutson likely has the strongest case of the trio. The former 62nd overall selection scored six goals and 60 assists in 82 games for the Canadiens this season, tying Hall-of-Famer Larry Murphy for the most assists recorded by a rookie defenseman. The 20-year-old blue liner ranked second on Montreal in ATOI (22:44) and was a large part of their run to the postseason for the first time since the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. Additionally, Hutson led the Canadiens in postseason scoring with five assists in five games.
Meanwhile, Wolf looks to become the first netminder to win the award since Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008-09. He finished with a slightly worse year than Mason, comparatively, managing a 29-16-8 record in 53 games with a .910 SV% and 2.64 GAA. Still, although Mason backstopped the Blue Jackets to their first postseason appearance in 2009, Wolf was a major reason the Flames remained competitive until the last week of the regular season.
Lastly, last summer’s first overall pick will also be up for the award. Celebrini was one of the few bright spots on a rebuilding Sharks team, leading the team in scoring with 25 goals and 63 points in 70 games. His offensive output tied with fellow-rookie Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers (in 10 fewer games), and bested last year’s Calder recipient, the Chicago Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard, by two points in two additional contests. Celebrini’s 25 goals accounted for 12% of all San Jose goals this season.
Although the members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) will have the final say in who ultimately wins the award, it’s time to cast your vote. Who do you think will win this year’s Calder Memorial Trophy? Vote below!
Who Will Win The 2025 Calder Memorial Trophy?
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Lane Hutson (Montreal Canadiens) 69% (2,304)
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Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks) 16% (521)
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Dustin Wolf (Calgary Flames) 15% (495)
Total votes: 3,320
If the poll doesn’t show up for you, click here to vote.
Poll: Who Will Be The Western Conference Champions?
The Western Conference playoff field is set after the Wild and Blues took home wins last night in their final regular-season games. They both secure wild-card spots and lock in the following bracket:
C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers
That means it’s time to take out our crystal balls and look at who will represent the West in the Stanley Cup Final in a few months. For the wild-card clubs, it’s hard to imagine a more considerable disparity in upset difficulty than this year’s Western Conference. The Blues briefly jumped into the first wild-card spot following a 12-game win streak to get them into postseason position, but a 1-2-1 stretch to end the year had them fall back behind the Wild. That puts them in a Central Division bracket that includes the Presidents’ Trophy winners in Winnipeg and arguably the league’s two deepest offenses in Dallas and Colorado. All three teams finished in the top eight league-wide. There’s still upset potential there, given Jordan Binnington‘s playoff history in the net and star center Robert Thomas playing the best hockey of his career (he’s fine after leaving last night’s game with a lower-body injury). Still, it’s a more challenging road on that side of the bracket. The last time Winnipeg and St. Louis met in the first round, though, the latter won the Stanley Cup.
The Jets enter postseason play as a wagon with a bandaged wheel. They got tough news yesterday with winger Nikolaj Ehlers aggravating a foot injury with a week-to-week designation, which almost certainly puts him out for the beginning of their series. While that’s a big blow to the league’s third-ranked offense, they’ll look to their top-ranked defense to hold up. While the skater core has done an exceptional job of limiting high-danger chances at even strength, most of the credit there remains with Vezina frontrunner and Hart candidate Connor Hellebuyck. After posting a .924 SV% and a 2.02 GAA in 62 appearances, can he replicate those numbers in postseason play? In the Hellebuyck era, the Jets have only won a playoff series when he records a save percentage above .920.
The Stars and Avs would likely end up being a second- or third-round matchup in a conference-based playoff format compared to the current divisional one. Perhaps no series has a more compelling storyline to open up the playoffs. Forget the Mikko Rantanen bowl – Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is trending toward a Game 1 return after missing nearly three years with right knee issues. Dallas, of course, will have to stop the Avs’ retooled offense, now featuring Charlie Coyle, Martin Nečas, and Brock Nelson, without star defenseman Miro Heiskanen to start the series and potentially for the entire first round. That’s in contrast to a Colorado skater core trending toward being fully healthy to begin the postseason. There is a risk for both of these clubs meeting so early on in the playoffs, though – can they get through this series and have enough energy left to spend on three more in their pursuit of the Cup?
On the Pacific side, the Knights are coming off their fifth division title in eight years as they begin their chase for their second Stanley Cup. Unlike past years, there was no deadline spending spree. Reacquiring 2023 Stanley Cup champion and Original Misfit Reilly Smith was their only move, along with signing free agent Brandon Saad mid-season. Amid injuries to core players Mark Stone and Shea Theodore, and even after losing multiple key names on the UFA market last summer, Vegas has chugged along with the league’s sixth-ranked offense and fourth-ranked defense. They continue to control play at 5-on-5, have one of the league’s best power plays, and have gotten strong play out of starter Adin Hill. Will breakout goal-scoring efforts from players like Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden hold up to give Vegas enough secondary scoring to make their third Stanley Cup Final appearance?
They’ll first have to unseat the Wild in the first round. Minnesota has been a shell of itself in the second half of the season and only went 9-8-3 after the trade deadline. Their key to playing spoiler is the return of forward cornerstones Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov from injury. The former has been spectacular since returning last week, closing the year with five goals in four games, including the game-tying goal that secured a point for the Wild last night and clinched their playoff berth. Filip Gustavsson is having a spectacular season between the pipes. While the Wild have bled low-danger chances at 5-on-5 this year, they’re still one of the better teams in the league at limiting quality looks against. They’ll need to keep games low-scoring for a chance at a Cinderella run.
For the fourth year in a row, the Kings and Oilers meet in the first round. This time, the former holds home ice advantage over the defending conference champions. Los Angeles is hot at the right time as they kick off the postseason and attempt to finally unseat Edmonton after a trio of series losses. They’re 17-4-0 since the trade deadline while outscoring opponents 80-39 – yes, that’s a 3.81 goals per game clip for a team that struggled to score for most of the season. Led by dueling 35-goal campaigns from Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe while trade deadline pickup Andrei Kuzmenko has fit like a glove with 17 points in 21 games, they may not have the franchise offensive talent Edmonton boasts, but they enter the series with a more mobile defense core and the clear edge in goaltending with 2022 Stanley Cup champion Darcy Kuemper having a renaissance season.
The Oilers will attempt to begin their journey toward a repeat Final appearance without their top two-way defenseman, Mattias Ekholm. He’s ruled out for the first round with an undisclosed injury and could even be done for the season. That forces Brett Kulak to step back into a top-four role on the blue line alongside Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse, and crucial deadline pickup Jake Walman to begin the postseason. Will a continued MVP performance from Leon Draisaitl be enough for them to crack the Kings?
PHR readers, tell us who you think will sit atop the Western Conference when all is said and done and vote in the poll below:
Who will be the Western Conference champions?
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Colorado Avalanche 18% (196)
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Winnipeg Jets 18% (190)
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Dallas Stars 15% (160)
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St. Louis Blues 14% (147)
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Los Angeles Kings 12% (124)
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Vegas Golden Knights 11% (115)
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Edmonton Oilers 6% (69)
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Minnesota Wild 6% (69)
Total votes: 1,070
If the poll doesn’t show up for you, click here to vote.
Photos courtesy of Matt Marton-Imagn Images and Sergei Belski-Imagn Images.
Poll: What Was The Most Impactful Trade Of Deadline Day?
What a change a year can make. The 2025 NHL trade deadline was among the most exciting in recent memory, with several big names being moved. Last season, arguably the day’s biggest trade was the Vegas Golden Knights’ surprising acquisition of Tomáš Hertl from the San Jose Sharks for a high-end prospect and a first-round pick.
Yesterday put last year’s deadline day to shame. There were 23 total trades made on deadline day, with four first-round picks, eight top-six forwards, and one top-four defenseman changing hands. The excitement extended beyond March 7th, but we’ll isolate this list to yesterday’s events.
Earlier in the day, the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators engaged in a rare intra-divisional trade of magnitude. The Senators dealt Joshua Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker to the Sabres for Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert, and Buffalo’s 2026 second-round pick. Norris and Cozens are quality top-six scorers when they’re playing to their fullest potential, but both represented change-of-scenery candidates. Norris is signed through the next five years with a $7.95MM cap hit, while Cozens is making $850K less with one fewer year remaining. They both play a similar style, with Norris having the edge defensively, but Cozens has been far more available than Norris over the last several years.
Then came the big one. Mikko Rantanen quickly became one of the day’s highest-valued trade candidates after failing to reach an extension with the Carolina Hurricanes. It had been less than two months since Carolina traded for Rantanen themselves, sending a package of Martin Nečas, Jack Drury, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Colorado Avalanche. The Hurricanes were reportedly willing to sign Rantanen to a rich extension, but nothing materialized in the following weeks.
Rather than lose him for nothing like they did with Jake Guentzel last season, Carolina began scouting the market for potential trades. The Dallas Stars eventually won the bidding war, trading top prospect Logan Stankoven, a 2026 first-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick, a 2026 third-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick to Carolina. Dallas wasn’t done capturing headlines yet, as they quickly signed Rantanen to an eight-year, $96MM extension.
Much like they attempt to nearly every year, the Toronto Maple Leafs made some notable additions. The first one of the day was a long time coming. Toronto sent prospect Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for Scott Laughton and a pair of late-round draft picks. Making the deal even better for the Maple Leafs, the Flyers are retaining 50% of Laughton’s salary this season and next, bringing his cap hit down to $1.5MM. Laughton immediately gives Toronto an effective third-line center while having the flexibility to play anywhere in the team’s lineup.
Shifting over to Toronto’s most fearsome playoff rival over the last several years, the Boston Bruins became an entirely different group. In three separate trades, the Bruins shipped Charlie Coyle to Colorado, Brandon Carlo to Toronto, and captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers. In total, Boston acquired Casey Mittelstadt, Fraser Minten, Will Zellers, Toronto’s 2026 first-round pick, a conditional 2027 second-round pick from Florida, and Carolina’s 2025 second-round pick.
It’s not an exhaustive list by any means, but it puts the magnitude of yesterday’s events into perspective. However, only one team can win the Stanley Cup every year, and it may not even be a team mentioned.
Now it’s time for you to choose — which trade from deadline day helps their new teams the most with that goal?
What Was The Most Impactful Trade Of Deadline Day?
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Mikko Rantanen To Dallas 61% (809)
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Brad Marchand To Florida 27% (353)
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Brandon Carlo To Toronto 6% (74)
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Senators, Sabres Swapping Joshua Norris, Dylan Cozens 5% (69)
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Scott Laughton To Toronto 2% (24)
Total votes: 1,329
Mobile users, click here to vote!
Poll: Will The Hurricanes Trade Mikko Rantanen?
One of the biggest storylines heading into trade deadline week is the potential availability of Carolina Hurricanes’ winger, Mikko Rantanen. The Finnish star has already been traded once this year, going from Denver to Raleigh for Martin Nečas, Jack Drury, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick. However, a lack of extension with the Hurricanes this close to the deadline has some insiders believing Carolina will look to move him again rather than lose him for nothing in the offseason.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman threw fuel on the fire last Saturday. Friedman suggested on his weekly segment Saturday Headlines the Hurricanes have offered Rantanen an eight-year, $100MM+ extension, which would make him the eighth player in NHL history to sign a nine-figure deal. Still, due to the emotions of being traded away from the only organization he’s known for the last decade, Rantanen hasn’t decided on an extension with Carolina. Friedman emphasized that it doesn’t indicate Rantanen is leaning either way, but it does put the Hurricanes’ front office on a time crunch.
To update the situation further, TSN’s Darren Dreger touched on Rantanen’s status on TSN’s Ottawa 1200 yesterday evening (beginning around the 10:30 mark of the broadcast). Dreger mentions that owner Tom Dundon, a hands-on owner, relatively speaking, is having difficulty considering a Rantanen trade given what they parted with to acquire him. Still, Dreger is confused, like many analysts, about why Carolina made the trade in the first place if they weren’t fully convinced Rantanen would sign an extension. Additionally, the TSN insider doesn’t believe Rantanen is enjoying his time with the Hurricanes.
There’s on-ice data to support that claim. The former 100-point scorer with the Colorado Avalanche has posted one goal and two assists through his first eight games with Carolina, averaging 20:10 of ice time per game. His shooting percentage has dropped to 4.0%, which is exceptionally low considering his career track record. Rantanan simply hasn’t looked fully engaged as a Hurricane, and the team has suffered for it, posting a 2-5-1 record with him in the lineup.
Unfortunately for Carolina, the team will have difficulty acquiring a package similar to the one they sent to Colorado. Most contending teams will consider Rantanan a rental at this stage, which will decrease what they’re willing to part with to obtain him.
For potential suitors, we can reasonably assume he won’t wear another team’s jersey in the Metropolitan Division this season. The Hurricanes are looking for their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2006, and they’ll have to go through one or two teams in their division due to the current playoff formatting. Furthermore, as good as Rantanen’s fit would be with any of the three-headed monsters in the Atlantic Division (Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Toronto Maple Leafs), it’s hard to imagine Carolina helping a team they might have to play for a Stanley Cup Final berth.
That should isolate Rantanen’s potential market to Western Conference teams only. The Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights are clear suitors, with the Edmonton Oilers also being a team to watch out for. Edmonton has a larger need for a defenseman, but they could afford Rantanen’s remaining deal should Evander Kane spend the remainder of the regular season on long-term injured reserve. Despite the need for a defenseman, few teams in the West could compete against a top line of Rantanen, Connor McDavid, and Leon Draisaitl.
Should a team like the Chicago Blackhawks or San Jose Sharks believe they can sign Rantanen to a big-ticket extension, they may be willing to pay the premium. Chicago and San Jose could easily wait until July 1st to sign Rantanen without parting with any assets, but the potential of an eighth year in his contract might entice them.
The Hurricanes are caught between a rock and a hard place. Will they keep Rantanen for a shot at the Stanley Cup, or will they recoup some assets for him rather than lose him for nothing in the summer? Vote below!
Will The Hurricanes Trade Mikko Rantanen?
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Yes, they'll want to recoup some assets while they can. 51% (600)
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No, he gives them the best shot at winning the Cup. 49% (583)
Total votes: 1,183
Mobile users, click here to vote.
Poll: Who Will Win The 4 Nations Face-Off?
The first (and perhaps only) 4 Nations Face-Off is less than 48 hours away. Festivities will kick off in Montreal on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. CT, with Canada versus Sweden. As a refresher, the tournament will consist of seven matchups: six round-robin games and a championship match on Feb. 20 between the top two clubs in the standings (which will use a 3-2-1-0 points system!).
Canada’s roster, while still without a couple of glaring omissions, remains the favorite. Icing the duos of Connor McDavid–Mitch Marner and Sidney Crosby–Nathan MacKinnon on two different lines will do that for you – especially with two-way dynamos Sam Reinhart and Mark Stone on their respective left wings (at least to start, per Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic). Add in a dynamic “checking” line of Sam Bennett, Anthony Cirelli, and Brandon Hagel, plus a defensive corps quarterbacked by Cale Makar and anchored by top shutdown presence Colton Parayko, and there aren’t many question marks among the skaters despite names like Mark Scheifele and Nick Suzuki being left off the roster.
Goaltending, as discussed at length in the public zeitgeist, will be the make-or-break factor. All signs point to 2023 Stanley Cup winner Adin Hill as their Game 1 starter. While he’s already recorded a career-high 20 wins through 34 starts for the Golden Knights, his .900 SV% and 2.64 GAA are rather pedestrian, and his 8.8 goals saved above expected ranks 21st in the league (per MoneyPuck). He’s good but not great – making it an especially damning decision for Canada to leave Vezina Trophy contender Logan Thompson off the roster. He’d give them a much more legitimate contender to compete with the Americans’ Connor Hellebuyck and the Swedes’ Filip Gustavsson, both bonafide top-10 netminders in the league based on this season’s sample.
While Hellebuyck stands as the primary reason for the United States’ optimism for a championship, their left-wing depth has allowed them to ice Kyle Connor, Jake Guentzel, and Matt Boldy on different lines. A one-two punch of Jack Eichel and Auston Matthews down the middle puts them much closer in talent there to Canada than the two European participants, and while they’ve lost their top defenseman in Quinn Hughes due to injury, a top pairing of Jaccob Slavin and Adam Fox gives them a combination of arguably the league’s best defensive mind and a player who’s produced over 70 points for three seasons in a row.
Down seasons from most of Sweden’s center corps mean they look thin up front, with Elias Pettersson and Mika Zibanejad anchoring their top six. A largely veteran group, especially on their depth lines, also raises some questions about whether declining talents like Viktor Arvidsson and Gustav Nyquist will be able to keep up with the scoring depth of the Canadians, Americans, and even the Finns. But their top two goalies, Gustavsson and Linus Ullmark, give them a clear advantage at the position over everyone but the United States, and their defensive corps boasting two-way dynamos like Mattias Ekholm and Gustav Forsling, in addition to some of the league’s top offensive talents give them a fluid blue line that can compete for a title.
Finland’s championship candidacy looks incredibly bleak after injuries decimated their blue line, keeping star Miro Heiskanen out as well as solid depth pieces Jani Hakanpää and Rasmus Ristolainen. Their goaltending trio of Kevin Lankinen, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Juuse Saros grades out more similarly to Canada’s than it does to the U.S. or Sweden, so they’ll need to rely on their forward group for success. They have scoring depth in spades, with Aleksander Barkov, Sebastian Aho, Roope Hintz, and Anton Lundell all centering their own lines. An elite sniper and power-play piece in Patrik Laine helps things along in addition to having names like Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund in their top nine. But how effective will Finland be with the man advantage with Utah depth defender Juuso Välimäki projected as their top power play quarterback?
Who do you think will win the tournament? Have your say in the poll below!
Who Will Win The 4 Nations Face-Off?
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United States 51% (736)
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Canada 38% (546)
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Sweden 7% (103)
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Finland 5% (71)
Total votes: 1,456
Mobile users, click here to vote.