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Poll: Who Will Be The Top Free Agent Option Next Summer?

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As things currently stand, the 2025 free agent class is set to be headlined by Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers, Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche, and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Like most years and particularly at the top of the free agent market, all three players are expected to reach extensions with their current clubs in the coming weeks with other potential candidates taking the same approach.

However, even outside of the three-headed monster at the forward position, there will still be quality names available next summer. Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs has seen his name pop up numerous times in trade rumors this summer without anything coming to fruition. The Maple Leafs are expecting head coach Craig Berube to get the most out of Marner (particularly in the playoffs) and may look to extend him during next year’s campaign.

Toronto could also give in to the pressure and allow Marner to walk next offseason especially if the team fails to make waves in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Marner would quickly become one of the premier playmakers to have entered the open market and would certainly get a lucrative offer. Being nearly unstoppable during the regular season over the last six years, Marner has accrued 417 games for the Maple Leafs in that span while scoring 356 assists and 509 points. He is not limited to his offensive prowess either as Marner has earned Selke Trophy votes as the league’s best defensive forward every year since 2018-19.

Dissimilar to Marner, it is almost entirely out of the question that Nikolaj Ehlers will sign an extension with the Winnipeg Jets. Ehlers has been a part of the Jets organization since being drafted by the club with the ninth overall pick of the 2014 NHL Draft and has put up 201 goals and 457 points in 605 games in Winnipeg’s uniform. There have been rather public reports out of Winnipeg that Ehlers won’t be re-upping with the organization and immediately became one of the top trade options available this offseason. The native of Aalborg, Denmark excels in passing the puck but also regularly puts up some of the best possession numbers in the game.

Lastly, Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks could be the top goal scorer to enter the free-agent market next summer. His market and projected contract will be more difficult to ascertain however as he averaged between 28-29 goals through the first seven years of his career before rifling off 40 markers this past season. Boeser’s shooting percentage was also up 7.1% last year compared to his career average which may be a sign of regression next year. If he can get anywhere near 40 goals again this season with the Canucks, he may cement himself as one of the top-five options next summer.

The proposed list is not constrained to these three players as the likes of Carter Verhaeghe, Brock Nelson, John Tavares, and Jamie Benn could all be available as well as the three players initially listed. The list will thin considerably over the next calendar year but who do you think will be the top option available once the season turns over to July 1st, 2025?

Who Will Be The Top Free Agent Option Next Summer?
Mitch Marner 55.98% (557 votes)
Nikolaj Ehlers 15.98% (159 votes)
Brock Boeser 14.97% (149 votes)
Other (comment below) 13.07% (130 votes)
Total Votes: 995

Poll: Who Is The Early Favorite For The 2025 Calder Trophy?

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The hockey world is in for a treat with the 2024-25 rookie class. A long list of top prospects seem destined for NHL roles, including former high-end draft picks and controversial prospects. Their pursuit of meaningful NHL ice time will be undercut by what’s sure to be an exciting race for the 2025 Calder Trophy. The NHL’s ’Rookie of the Year’ award stands as perhaps the most coveted and exclusive award in the league, having previously gone to franchise-defining talents like Connor Bedard this year, Kirill Kaprizov in 2021, and Cale Makar in 2020. With such a star-studded cast of contenders this year, the winner may have to reach the heights of that trio to win over voters.

That could prove an easy feat for the pair of Macklin Celebrini and Matvei Michkov – likely the leading favorites as things currently stand. Celebrini was the first overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft and is coming off a dazzling junior hockey career. After winning both the USHL’s ’Rookie of the Year’ and ’Most Valuable Player’ awards as a 16-year-old in 2022-23, Celebrini became the youngest player to ever win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player this season. His prowess is undeniable. He’s a defiantly special playmaker, with all of the tools needed to match top speeds. Celebrini is set for a top-line role with the San Jose Sharks, while Michkov will fight for the same recognition from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Michkov is making the jump to the NHL a year earlier than expected, after being released from his contract with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg this summer. He makes the move to North America after proudly leading HK Sochi. Despite playing on a farm club to SKA, Michkov has still managed 61 points in 77 KHL games over the last two seasons. His 41 points in 47 games this year marked the most of any U20 KHL skater since Kaprizov, the record holder, potted 42 points in 49 games in 2017. Where Celebrini is a quick-thinking and quicker-moving playmaker, Michkov is an all-skill scorer, capable of using a mix of incredibly agile skating, great stickhandling, and a knockout shot to embarrass opponents in the offensive end. The sky is the limit for the Russian phenom, who should finally receive proper support after spending the last two seasons on muddling rosters.

Celebrini and Michkov will be challenged for their spot by a long list of high-end forwards, including Will Smith – who could find himself playing second-fiddle to Celebrini in San Jose. Anaheim Ducks center Cutter Gauthier could also break into the conversation – undermining yet another boost to the Flyers’ prospect pool. But of the many contenders, it’s the dynamic duo of Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque who seem most overlooked in early Calder talks.

Stankoven was a lightning bolt in his first taste of the NHL. The first-year pro fought his way to an NHL call-up with a then-league-leading 57 points in his first 47 AHL games. The scoring didn’t stop in Dallas, as Stankoven proceeded to score 14 points in 24 games – the highest scoring pace (0.58) of any first-year Star since Jason Robertson in 2021 (0.88) and John Klingberg in 2015 (0.58). Stankoven was just one game shy of losing rookie eligibility when Dallas’ season ended, though he was quickly slotted back into the lineup during the playoffs – which don’t count against Calder Trophy eligibility. He continued to hone his game in the race for the Stanley Cup, netting eight points in 19 games and earning a routine role in Dallas’ middle-six.

If not Stankoven, then it’ll be his electric centerman Bourque who wins the title for Dallas. The two forwards were unstoppable with the AHL’s Texas Stars last season, playing with a pace and chemistry that opponents simply couldn’t keep up with. Bourque stayed red-hot even after Stankoven’s call-up, ultimately leading the AHL in scoring with 77 points in 71 games and earning the Les Cunningham Award as the league’s MVP. That was despite last season being just the second pro year of Bourque’s career. He was impressive, and found a way to score consistently despite his oft-criticized frame.

Even with all of the acclaim of the aforementioned forwards, the award could still find its way to other hands. Shakir Mukhamadullin in San Jose, Lane Hutson in Montreal, and Olen Zellweger in Anaheim are all prime candidates from the blue-line, while Dustin Wolf in Calgary and Yaroslav Askarov in Nashville stand as favorites in net – though the latter will have to fight his way above Juuse Saros. It seems the Calder Trophy debate could go in one of countless directions when the first puck is finally dropped – but who do you think will win out? Will it be dazzling star prospects Celebrini or Michkov? Will defensive supports overtake the top scorers? Or will a player like Brad Lambert subvert everyone’s expectations? Let us know by voting in the poll below and discussing in the comments!

Who Will Win The 2025 Calder Trophy?
Matvei Michkov, Philadelphia 45.36% (450 votes)
Macklin Celebrini, San Jose 28.43% (282 votes)
Lane Hutson, Montreal 8.47% (84 votes)
Cutter Gauthier, Anaheim 7.76% (77 votes)
Will Smith, San Jose 6.05% (60 votes)
Olen Zellweger, Anaheim 2.02% (20 votes)
Shakir Mukhamadullin, San Jose 1.92% (19 votes)
Total Votes: 992

If the poll isn’t appearing, click here!

Poll: What Will Crosby’s Next Contract Look Like?

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Although the Pittsburgh Penguins have experienced major disappointment over the last two years by failing to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, nobody is blaming Sidney Crosby. He has arguably been one of the more underrated players over the last couple of seasons by securing back-to-back 90+ point totals without having much of a supporting cast.

By nearly willing his team to the playoffs and being the organization’s lifeblood, one of the major talking points surrounding the Penguins is Crosby’s upcoming extension. There was some speculation that Crosby would sign yesterday on his birthday but ultimately that never came to fruition.

He’s surely set to increase his $8.7MM salary from the last 11 years but how much higher will he go? Will he look to get the money he has earned or take a hometown discount so that Pittsburgh has the flexibility to upgrade the players around him?

Evolving Hockey currently projects Crosby to land a three-year extension worth an AAV of $10.8MM. Given his inherent value to the organization, Crosby should easily be able to land a similar salary if not more. Given that his longevity in the league is becoming more and more apparent with each passing year, Crosby could reasonably ask for a five-year, $60MM contract from the only team he’s ever played for.

Nevertheless, regardless of what he has earned, the main question still stands. Will Crosby look for a high-salary deal to get the payday he has earned for so many years, or take another hometown discount so the Penguins are better set up for success?

What Will Crosby's Next Contract Look Like?
$8MM-$10MM 63.65% (653 votes)
$10MM-$12MM 30.21% (310 votes)
$12MM-$14MM 6.14% (63 votes)
Total Votes: 1,026

Poll: Which Team Will Acquire Patrik Laine?

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It’s been nearly two weeks since Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine exited the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Laine and the Blue Jackets had previously agreed to look for a trade this offseason once he was released from the program, but Laine’s trade market appears to be stagnant. With an $8.7MM salary for the next two years, and with general manager Don Waddell not looking to retain 50% of his salary, only a handful of teams would be able to acquire him this summer.

It was only yesterday that Joe Smith and Michael Russo of The Athletic broached the possibility of the Minnesota Wild acquiring Laine before the start of next season. The Finnish sniper fills a serious need on the wing for Minnesota but their current salary cap table may put too many problems in their way. The Wild organization has approximately $750K in salary according to PuckPedia and may have to part with too much to put Laine into the mix.

One team that has both financial space and a need for Laine is the Montreal Canadiens. The team’s first line should be set in stone after a strong 2023-24 season but Laine could give the team a serious offensive boost on the second line. The Canadiens finished 26th in the league in goals per game with 2.83 during the 2023-24 season and Laine’s 0.425 GF/G average throughout his career would certainly be enticing. However, with Kirby Dach expected to fully bounce back from a lost season after tearing his ACL and MCL last year, Montreal may be content with plugging him back into the team’s second line.

The Anaheim Ducks have already acknowledged they will lean more heavily on their youngsters for offensive production next season. The organization can count Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, and Trevor Zegras in their top six but could still use a consistent goal-scoring threat. After failing to capitalize on Frank Vatrano’s 37-goal season via the trade market last year, the Ducks could move him to the Blue Jackets in a one-for-one swap. There’s plenty of indication that Vatrano will regress to the mean this year and Laine would give them one more year of control.

Other organizations could use Laine and theoretically fit him into the lineup (especially if Columbus retains his salary) but the clock is beginning to run out on a possible deal. The Blue Jackets have about a month and a half before training camp starts to move Laine to an interested party. Do you think it will be one of these teams or another one entirely?

Which Team Will Acquire Patrik Laine?
Other (comment below) 41.05% (1,126 votes)
Montreal Canadiens 30.26% (830 votes)
Minnesota Wild 17.46% (479 votes)
Anaheim Ducks 11.23% (308 votes)
Total Votes: 2,743

Poll: Who’s The Most Intriguing Available UFA?

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The list of true impact UFAs available is empty nearly a month into free agency. There are only two players left – Tyler Johnson and James van Riemsdyk, both aging veterans – who scored more than 30 points last season. But aside from that established yet declining veteran crowd, there are still a few names with perhaps some untapped upside available for contenders and rebuilders alike.

Some remaining UFAs are getting the chance to switch teams before the usual 27-year-old/seven years of NHL service demarcation because they didn’t receive qualifying offers last month. Like impact veterans, most of them have been snapped up already. Only four remain who were full-time NHLers last year: Calen Addison, Boris Katchouk, Gustav Lindstrom and Kailer Yamamoto. Yamamoto, a first-round pick of the Oilers back in 2017, is the most experienced of the group by far at over 300 career games. He’s coming off a tough year with the Kraken after signing there as a free agent last summer (Edmonton traded him to the Red Wings, who subsequently bought him out, in a salary dump) but isn’t too far removed from a 20-goal, 41-point campaign in 2021-22.

Like Yamamoto, the other three have all changed teams since being drafted. Addison, a 2018 second-round pick of the Penguins, was traded to the Wild for Jason Zucker in 2020 before making his NHL debut. The defenseman did okay as a power-play specialist in Minnesota, posting five goals and 33 assists for 38 points in 92 games with a -24 rating. Early last season, he was traded again to the Sharks, where he finished the campaign with a goal and 11 assists in 60 games with a -35 rating on the league’s worst defensive team. At 24 years old, it’s unlikely he’ll develop the defensive acumen necessary for a top-four role, but he does carry significant upside as a third-pairing, second-power-play option.

Katchouk, 26, is on the hunt for his fourth team this summer. The 2016 second-round pick of the Lightning has also suited up for the Blackhawks and Senators after being traded to Chicago in 2022 in the Brandon Hagel deal and then claimed off waivers by Ottawa this March. The former AHL and OHL All-Star has 36 points (15 G, 21 A) in 176 games over the past three seasons playing on the wing. Lindstrom, who the Red Wings drafted in the second round a year after Katchouk, has a similar offensive profile with 35 points in 174 games from the blue line. He’s suited up exclusively in a bottom-pairing role for Detroit, Montreal and Anaheim, where he ended last season on a high note with six assists and a +12 rating in 32 games after being selected off waivers from the Habs in January.

There are also some under-30 reclamation projects available that reached UFA status outright this summer. Headlining that group is Dominik Kubalik, who was traded by the Red Wings to the Senators in last year’s Alex DeBrincat trade and proceeded to fall off the map entirely, limited to 11 goals and four assists in 74 games while seeing a career-low 12:07 ATOI. But the Czech winger, who turns 29 next month, has a pair of 20-goal seasons under his belt, including a 30-goal campaign with the Blackhawks back in 2019-20.

There’s also ex-Sharks winger Kevin Labanc, who fits a similar profile to Kubalik but has much more NHL experience, with eight seasons and nearly 500 games under his belt. The 2014 sixth-round pick was a solid secondary scoring option in the last few years of San Jose’s years-long window of competitiveness, culminating with a 17-goal, 56-point showing in 2018-19. But it’s been downhill for the New York native since, coming off a career-worst 2023-24 campaign in which he scored just twice and added seven assists with a -27 rating in 46 games. He averaged a career-low 11:37 per game and was a frequent healthy scratch.

On the blue line, the highest-ceiling option available is undoubtedly Oliver Kylington. The former Flames defenseman hit his stride in the 2021-22 campaign, breaking out for 31 points and a +34 rating in 73 games after a few seasons of serving as the seventh or eighth player on the Calgary defensive depth chart. But he spent the entire 2022-23 on personal leave back home in Sweden and played a reduced role upon returning in 2023-24, posting eight points (3 G, 5 A) with a -6 rating in 33 games. He’s still 27 years old and could still have a few seasons of fringe top-four play left in him in the right environment, though.

That brings us to today’s poll question: who do you think is the most intriguing or highest-ceiling player still available on the UFA market? Is it one of the players discussed above or someone else you’d like to see your team pick up on a cheap deal? Let us know by voting in the poll below and discussing in the comments.

Who's The Most Intriguing UFA Still Unsigned?
Oliver Kylington 40.54% (302 votes)
Dominik Kubalik 19.87% (148 votes)
Kailer Yamamoto 15.97% (119 votes)
Calen Addison 6.98% (52 votes)
Kevin Labanc 6.17% (46 votes)
Gustav Lindstrom 4.97% (37 votes)
Other (comment below) 4.16% (31 votes)
Boris Katchouk 1.34% (10 votes)
Total Votes: 745

If the embedded poll isn’t showing up, use this link to vote!

Poll: Which Player Will Be The Next Domino To Fall On The Trade Market?

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The NHL calendar has finally entered the ’dog days’ of the summer as activity around the league has cooled off dramatically. Most, if not all, of the needle-moving free agents are off the board and the trade market has not developed as expected up to this point. Nevertheless, there are still some players rumored to be on the block including Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets, Martin Necas of the Carolina Hurricanes, and Patrik Laine of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

With how things have played out around the league, Ehlers feels like the most high-profile trade candidate to change hands this summer. The smooth-skating Dane is entering the last year of a seven-year, $42MM contract signed with the Jets in 2017 and is not expected to extend his stay in Winnipeg. Ehlers has been a reliable top-six forward for the Jets when healthy and is elite in terms of puck possession as evidenced by his career CorsiFor% of 57.6%. He has been relatively quiet in the postseason throughout his career which could give interested parties some pause. Winnipeg could still extend Ehlers as they took nearly the entire offseason last year to sign Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck to long-term contracts but the trade rumors around Ehlers appear to have more veracity.

Necas entered the summer as one of the top players on the trading block but his market has seemingly cooled over the last few weeks. The Hurricanes reportedly were not interested in signing Necas to a long-term deal but failed to find an offer to their liking during the 2024 NHL Draft. Now that Carolina has lost forwards Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen, and Stefan Noesen to free agency, the team may be more willing to retain Necas. The skilled forward has prohibited himself from being given an offer sheet this summer as he elected for salary arbitration but the Hurricanes can still trade him during that window if they find a suitable offer.

Shortly before the 2024 NHL Draft, it was reported that Laine and the Columbus Blue Jackets had mutually agreed to find a suitable trade for the player this summer. However, with Laine still in the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, the likelihood of a deal squarely rests on when he exits the program. Now that most teams have done most of their heavy lifting this summer, it will be difficult to find a trade partner to take on Laine’s $8.7MM salary for the next two years. Between 2021-2023, Laine scored 48 goals and 108 points for Columbus in 111 games but only put up nine points in 18 games for the team last year. The former second-overall pick could surely use a fresh start outside the Blue Jackets organization but his trade market may be slow to develop.

There is no guarantee that any of the listed players will be moved this offseason. Ehlers and Necas could both sign extensions with their respective teams and Laine may have a change of heart now that Columbus is making a change at head coach. Nevertheless, with the trade market being the realm from which the next big offseason move will come, which of these players do you think will get the ball rolling?

Which Player Will Be The Next Domino To Fall On The Trade Market?
Patrik Laine 33.07% (416 votes)
Nikolaj Ehlers 32.99% (415 votes)
Martin Necas 22.73% (286 votes)
Other (Comment below) 11.21% (141 votes)
Total Votes: 1,258

Poll: Which Postseason Drought Is Likeliest To End In 2024-25?

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There has not been one team in the NHL unable to make the playoffs during the inception of the salary cap era in 2005-06. The league has experienced unprecedented competition under the new format but there are still several teams who haven’t been able to crack the Stanley Cup playoffs for the last several years. As of right now, the Buffalo Sabres (13), Detroit Red Wings (8), Ottawa Senators (7), and Anaheim Ducks (6) hold the longest current postseason droughts in the league. Which one of these teams has the best odds of ending their postseason drought and returning to the playoffs in 2025?

The odds looked good for Buffalo towards the end of the 2022-23 regular season but the team ultimately finished one point short of the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference to the Florida Panthers. The team boosted their defensive core over the summer and had their eyes on contention in 2023-24. Unfortunately, the season did not go as planned for the Sabres and the team finished seven points back of the last playoff spot in the East. The team still has a wealth of young talent either on the team or close to cracking the roster, but the offseason feels a bit misjudged at the outset. With a need to fill out their bottom six, Buffalo brought in Jason Zucker, Ryan McLeod, Sam Lafferty, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel this summer and appear to be running back a similar roster next year with Lindy Ruff back as head coach.

Detroit tied the Washington Capitals for the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference for the 2023-24 regular but ultimately lost the tiebreaker on the last day of the regular season. The team took a major step forward in their rebuild after acquiring talents such as Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane, and Shayne Gostisbehere who dramatically improved the team’s competitiveness. The Red Wings’ major letdown of the 2023-24 regular season was the defense which gave up the seventh most shots against in the league. Ghostisbehere walked in free agency along with other veterans who were replaced by Cam Talbot, Erik Gustafsson, and Vladimir Tarasenko. Detroit should still be able to score in bunches next year but the team has inarguably failed up to this point this summer in improving their biggest weakness from last season.

It feels that Ottawa has experienced two separate rebuilds over the last seven years with the first coming under the helm of Pierre Dorion and the current iteration led by Steve Staios. The three biggest moves of the Senators’ offseason were acquiring former Vezina winner Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins, shipping defenseman Jakob Chychrun to the Capitals for a lackluster return, and prying veteran David Perron from the Red Wings on a two-year deal. Ullmark should serve as a massive upgrade in between the pipes compared to their situation last year but moving on from Chychrun will certainly sting on the blue line. Ottawa finished 14 points out of a playoff spot last season but could be a surprising team with a wealth of talent up front and a consistent netminder.

Lastly, the Ducks register as the least likely of the group to crack their postseason drought as they finished nearly 40 points out of a playoff spot last season. Anaheim brought in forward Robby Fabbri and defenseman Brian Dumoulin via trade this offseason but neither strike as needle-movers to an offense-needy organization. The upcoming season should serve as a reasonable benchmarking year for the Ducks organization as the team looks to graduate several prospects to the NHL level. Anaheim could cause some noise in a weak Pacific Division but their odds of making the playoffs are still low.

Of the four longest current playoff droughts in the NHL — which of these four teams do you think has the best odds to end their drought next season?

Which Postseason Drought Is Likeliest To End In 2024-25?
Detroit Red Wings 54.01% (1,036 votes)
Buffalo Sabres 25.39% (487 votes)
Ottawa Senators 14.86% (285 votes)
Anaheim Ducks 5.74% (110 votes)
Total Votes: 1,918

Poll: Which Team Has Had The Best Offseason?

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There have been several notable events of the current offseason with draft selections, trades, and marquee free agent signings. Several teams have aggressively gotten a leg up on the competition while others are putting the building blocks together for a successful future. For different reasons, the Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Washington Capitals have all had successful offseasons up to this point.

As arguably the most aggressive team once free agency opened up on July 1st, the Predators added $20.5MM to their 2024-25 salary cap total by signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei. The team also committed to their goaltender by signing Juuse Saros to an eight-year, $61.92MM extension that will kick in for the 2025-26 season. Nashville made the playoffs without this trio of players last year and is well-positioned to get into the top three of the NHL’s Central Division. The Predators finished the 2023-24 season averaging 3.24 GF/G (10th) and a 21.56% powerplay rate (16th) and could come close to leading the league in both categories next season.

The Sharks benefitted from being the team with the first overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft this summer and used it to select Macklin Celebrini out of Boston University. Celebrini has already committed to San Jose next year after signing his entry-level contract while the team will also see the fourth-overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, Will Smith, join the team. These two alone will make the Sharks far more exciting to watch after finishing the 2023-24 season with 19 wins, and the team also added Tyler Toffoli, Alexander Wennberg, and Ty Dellandrea up front.

Unexpectedly one of the most active teams this offseason, the general manager of the Lightning, Julien BriseBois, showed off his skills as a salary cap manipulator. After picking up defenseman Ryan McDonagh from the Predators before the draft, the team moved out Mikhail Sergachev and Tanner Jeannot in separate trades that brought back J.J. Moser, Conor Geekie, Utah’s second-round pick in 2025, Los Angeles’ second-round pick in 2025, Los Angeles’ fourth-round pick in 2024, and Utah’s seventh-round pick in 2024. They also added the market’s biggest fish, Jake Guentzel on a respectable seven-year, $63MM contract. Unfortunately, all the moves couldn’t stop the team from losing their captain, as Stamkos left the organization via the free agent market.

The Capitals were certainly not happy about being swept in Round One of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs and want to prove they are not solely focused on Alex Ovechkin breaking the all-time goal-scoring record. The front office took major steps in building up their defensive core as the team brought in Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy which should certainly help the team improve upon their 3.07 GA/G average from the 2023-24 season. Washington also brought in goaltender Logan Thompson and his $766K salary from the Vegas Golden Knights for a pair of third-round selections as insurance for Charlie Lindgren. Lastly, to fill the team’s second-line center vacancy, the Capitals brought in the controversial Pierre-Luc Dubois in a trade with the Kings in one of the riskier moves of the offseason.

It’s been an exciting offseason up to this point, with plenty of action from all around the league. Which team has stood out the most in having the best summer up to this point? Vote below!

Which Team Has Had The Best Offseason?
Nashville Predators 51.47% (1,050 votes)
Other (Comment Below) 22.60% (461 votes)
Washington Capitals 11.27% (230 votes)
San Jose Sharks 8.73% (178 votes)
Tampa Bay Lightning 5.93% (121 votes)
Total Votes: 2,040

Poll: Who Will Win The Stanley Cup Final?

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After a pair of conference championship-clinching games over the weekend, the 2024 Stanley Cup Final is set. The Oilers will play the Panthers in Sunrise, Florida, for Game 1 on Saturday night.

The storyline for Florida is clear – avenge last season’s defeat. Unlike last year, when they upset their way to the Final to meet with the Golden Knights, the Panthers have home-ice advantage after a 110-point regular season and an Atlantic Division title.

They’ve brought a deeper roster back to the dance compared to last year’s squad, but perhaps more importantly, they’ve brought a healthier contingent (for now). Top-four stalwarts Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour played through shoulder injuries for most of last year’s playoffs (as well as a foot injury for Ekblad), but there’s no indication any key players are playing through major ailments this time around.

Florida also comes back with the knowledge of what not to do. Last year’s series against Vegas wasn’t particularly close – they were outscored 26-12 in a five-game loss and allowed five or more goals in all three road games. That’ll be an important learning experience as they try to overcome their existing 1-8 franchise record in Stanley Cup Final games, including a sweep at the hands of the Avalanche in 1996.

For the second year in a row, Matthew Tkachuk leads the Cats in playoff scoring. He hasn’t scored goals at the torrid pace he did in 2023, but his 14 assists and 19 points in 17 games are the most on the team. Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe are also producing at a point per game through 17 contests, and top pending unrestricted free agent Sam Reinhart is second on the team in goals behind Verhaeghe with eight.

And while he hasn’t been quite as dominant as last year’s Cinderella run, future Hall of Fame candidate Sergei Bobrovsky gives Florida an unquestionable advantage between the pipes. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner is again putting together an above-average postseason showing for the Cats, logging a .908 SV%, 2.20 GAA, and one shutout with a 12-5 record. He’s been the only goalie to take the ice for the Panthers through three rounds and has stopped 1.3 goals above average, continuing to undo the narrative created by his past postseason collapses with the Blue Jackets and Flyers.

Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner is coming off the best game of his life, stopping 34 of 35 shots last night in Edmonton to send his team to their first Final in 18 years, but is that enough to give him the benefit of the doubt? He’s certainly entering the championship series on a hot streak, putting up a .923 SV% in six games against the Stars, but his numbers on the whole this postseason (.897 SV%, -3.1 GSAA) are still inferior.

As they did against Dallas, the Oilers will need their generational stars to erase their major depth-scoring disadvantage. Their big three of Evan Bouchard, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are truly putting together the runs of legends, with Bouchard’s 27 points and +14 rating in 18 games from the blue line likely putting him in the Conn Smythe conversation.

Like in the regular season, McDavid isn’t scoring goals at a breakneck pace, but his raucous 26 assists in 18 games give him 31 points and the league lead in playoff scoring. That’s not to discount his ability to put the puck in the net, which he universally reminded everyone of with a highlight-reel goal to open the scoring in last night’s Game 6 win (video link).

So, with the matchups set and the entire week to file your official predictions away, who do you think will finish the season with the Stanley Cup lifted over their heads? Tell us in the poll below, and discuss in the comments.

Who Will Win The 2024 Stanley Cup?
Florida Panthers 65.33% (863 votes)
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Poll: Should The Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Mitch Marner?

at CDT | by 28 Comments

At the start of the 2018-19 NHL season, there was not a more excited fanbase than that of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Not only did the Maple Leafs have young phenoms budding in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, but the organization brought marquee free agent John Tavares into the mix on a seven-year, $77MM contract.

Since the informal start of the ’Core Four’, Toronto has appeared in the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons but has only managed to get out of the First Round once. Although there has been some speculation in the past, it appears the Maple Leafs organization may be giving more serious thought to breaking up the quartet.

To preface, Marner is not uniquely worse than any other member of the group, as they all bring their separate strengths to Toronto’s lineup. However, with Tavares’ $11MM cap hit next season likely keeping him from the trade block, coupled with Matthews and Nylander recently signing big-money extensions to stay with the organization, Marner looks like the most predictable candidate to be the odd man out.

Marner is entering the last season of a six-year, $65.408MM extension signed with Toronto in 2019, with a full No-Move Clause kicking in on July 1st of last year. If the Maple Leafs are set on moving Marner this offseason, they will need his consent no matter the destination or the return package.

Assuming Toronto does not retain any salary, and they are not taking any large AAV contracts back in return, moving Marner will allow the Maple Leafs to free up nearly $11MM in cap space, as well as acquire plenty of young talent and draft capital in return. Especially if the acquiring team can sign Marner to an extension as a part of the trade package, Toronto could set themselves up nicely for the future even by trading just one of the ’Core Four’.

Although it would be nice if Toronto could have more future capital, as well as the flexibility to better re-allocate their financial resources, there is no guarantee that any player or pick acquired will turn out to be half the player that Marner is. Over eight years in Toronto, Marner has put up 639 points in 576 games; an offensive output that is rare to come across in an individual player. Since it’s hard to imagine a prospect or draft pick coming back to the Maple Leafs being even nearly as good as Marner, it complicates the argument that a move such as this would put them in a better position to win.

Now the vote is left to you, to be a more competitive team in next year’s playoffs, is Toronto better served by keeping Marner for the long haul, or should they try and move on from him this summer?

Should The Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Mitch Marner?
Trade Marner 66.29% (1,876 votes)
Keep Marner 33.71% (954 votes)
Total Votes: 2,830

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