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Summer Synopsis: Calgary Flames

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The Calgary Flames are in a season of transition for the first time in quite some time. The organization is only three years removed from knocking off the stingy Dallas Stars in the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs before losing at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers in five games. Since that run in the playoffs, the Flames have traded away the likes of Matthew Tkachuk, Sean Monahan, Tyler Toffoli, Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, Jacob Markstrom, and Andrew Mangiapane while also seeing franchise icon Johnny Gaudreau leave the team via unrestricted free agency. Not many teams can sustain that level of talent walk out the door but Calgary is fortunate that they didn’t let many find greener pastures for nothing in return.

Draft

1-9: D Zayne Parekh, Saginaw (OHL)
1-28: F Matvei Gridin, Muskegon (USHL)
2-41: F Andrew Basha, Medicine Hat (WHL)
2-62: F Jacob Battaglia, Kingston (OHL)
3-74: D Henry Mews, Ottawa (OHL)
3-84: G Kirill Zarubin, Tula (MHL)
4-106: C Trevor Hoskin, Cobourg (OJHL)
5-150: C Luke Misa, Mississauga (OHL)
6-170: C Hunter Laing, Prince George (WHL)
6-177: D Eric Jamieson, Everett (WHL)

The Flames picked in the top 10 of the draft for the first time since the 2016 NHL Draft. They used the ninth overall selection on Parekh who was listed in the top five of North American skaters and the third-best North American defenseman. He’s a very talented offensive-minded defenseman coming off a season with the Spirit in which he scored 33 goals and 96 points from the blue line in 66 games. He doesn’t project to have the same defensive awareness as Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche — but his puckhandling skills and ability to create holes in the ice are eerily similar.

Calgary used their second first-round selection on Gridin who shares a similar ability in opening up space in the offensive zone. Playing for the USHL’s Lumberjacks the past two years after coming over from his native Russia, Gridin has scored 46 goals and 104 points in 100 appearances. He may take a bit longer to develop compared to Parekh as the Flames will see how he fares against stiffer competition but he projects to be a solid scoring option to place in the middle-six.

One of the better picks for the Flames after Day One was the selection of Battaglia from the Frontenacs. He’s an impressively quick player from his footspeed to his passing ability and could feature in Calgary’s top six if his development continues upward. He scored 31 goals and 65 points in 67 games for Kingston this past season but his goal-scoring ability may decrease as he climbs to the NHL.

Trade Acquisitions

D Kevin Bahl (New Jersey)

Bahl was the only player acquired by the Flames this summer but the team also added notable draft picks. In the trade that saw Bahl join the Flames organization, the team also acquired New Jersey’s 2025 first-round pick. Furthermore, Calgary traded Mangiapane to the Washington Capitals a few days before the start of free agency with Washington’s second-round pick in 2025 headed to Alberta.

Because of New Jersey’s depth on the blue line, it took Bahl several years to become a regular fixture in the lineup. Last season, he played in all 82 games for the Devils and scored one goal and 11 points while averaging 17:24 of ice time per night. Due to the departures Calgary saw on their blue line last season, it stands to reason that Bahl could crack the top four with the Flames and receive close to 20 minutes a night.

UFA Signings

D Jake Bean (two-year, $3.5MM)
G Devin Cooley (two-year, $1.55MM)*
F Martin Frk (one-year, $775K)*
F Justin Kirkland (one-year, $775K)*
F Ryan Lomberg (two-year, $4MM)
F Anthony Mantha (one-year, $3.5MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

As expected, the Flames were not very involved in the free agent market this summer and did not sign any deal longer than two years. Bean, Lomberg, and Mantha project as the biggest signings of the offseason with the former being an interesting bounceback candidate. Bean skated in 73 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season and scored four goals and 13 points overall but is not far removed from being a top-15 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.

Lomberg spent much of the last four years serving as a depth piece for the Florida Panthers but should earn a regular bottom-six role with the Flames. Over the last three years in Florida, Lomberg skated in 212 games while scoring 26 goals and 45 points but the most notable aspect of his game became his physicality. Lomberg amassed  445 hits over those three years with the Panthers and should make Calgary’s bottom six much more annoying to play against.

Mantha is another potential rebound candidate for the Flames and should get regular minutes in the top six and the team’s powerplay. Before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights last year, Mantha scored 20 goals in 56 games for the Washington Capitals but floundered dramatically after being traded. The Golden Knights went as far as to make Mantha a healthy scratch for the playoffs but now has an opportunity to rebuild his value in Alberta.

RFA Re-Signings

D Jonathan Aspirot (one-year, $775K)*
F Adam Klapka (one-year, $775K)*
D Yan Kuznetsov (one-year, $775K)*
F Yegor Sharangovich (five-year, $28.75MM)
G Dustin Wolf (two-year, $1.7MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

As the main piece acquired in the trade that sent Toffoli to the Devils last offseason, Sharangovich greatly impressed with the Flames this year leading to a heavy commitment from the organization. With a bigger opportunity in Calgary, Sharanovich averaged nearly two more minutes of ice time per night as compared to his time in New Jersey and scored 31 goals and 59 points for the Flames in 82 games. The young forward finished second on the team in scoring as well as leading the team in goals. He will have his work cut out for him if he plans on being the leading scorer for Calgary but he is exactly the type of forward they need if they hope to keep their head above water.

The other notable re-signing for the Flames this summer is Wolf who’s contract may already be a bargain. Wolf has struggled in his brief time in the NHL up to this point but he is firmly the goaltender of the future after the team sent Markstrom packing for the East Coast earlier this offseason. His play in the AHL over the last several years has earned him quite the pedigree as a prospect as he’s accrued a record of 97-32-10 in 141 games played while averaging a .926 save percentage and 2.29 goals against average.

Departures

D Dennis Gilbert (Buffalo, one-year, $825K)
F A.J. Greer (Florida, two-year, $1.7MM)
F Ben Jones (Minnesota, two-year, $1.55MM)*
D Oliver Kylington (Colorado, one-year, $1.05MM)
F Andrew Mangiapane (traded to Washington)
G Jacob Markstrom (traded to New Jersey)
D Jordan Oesterle (Boston, two-year, $1.55MM)*
D Colton Poolman (Buffalo, one-year, $755K)*

* denotes a two-way contract

Thanks to their actions on the trade market throughout the 2023-24 NHL season, the Flames didn’t have much in the way of departures on the free-agent market. The most notable departure in free agency came in Kylington who the team had previously expressed a desire to keep around. The Swedish defenseman spent the entirety of his career in the Flames organization since being drafted in the 2015 NHL Draft and chose to leave for a more competitive opportunity in Colorado.

The deal sending Markstrom to the Devils had been in the making for several months as the two teams were close to a deal at last year’s trade deadline. The return for Markstrom seemed underwhelming as the Flames only acquired a first-round pick in 2025 and Bahl as previously mentioned. However, the team already had Wolf waiting in the wings and the team can get out from under Markstrom’s $6MM salary for the next two years.

The departure of Mangiapane was more surprising than the deal sending Markstrom to New Jersey as it fully committed the Flames to a rebuilding year. He has not lived up to his $5.8MM salary but has been a consistent secondary scoring option for Calgary over the last three years. Mangiapane struck as a player the Flames may look to keep through the long haul of the rebuild but the team is opting to give his minutes in the top six to one of their younger options.

Salary Cap Outlook

Now that Calgary has moved out a decent chunk of their salaries over the last two years, the team has the second-most cap space in the NHL with $19.2MM. That leaves the Flames nearly $4MM above the salary cap floor and this is something they should weaponize throughout the 2024-25 NHL season.

For teams like the Vegas Golden Knights, New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, and Florida Panthers, the Flames could serve as a dumping ground for some of their bloated contracts so Calgary can effectively purchase draft and prospect capital. The team shouldn’t be near contention next season in an always difficult Pacific Division so the Flames would do well to utilize their cap space.

Key Questions

Is There More Selling Coming?

Circling back to their salary cap space for the 2024-25 season, the Flames will be limited in their ability to sell again. Depending on the team’s organizational window for getting back to contention, Calgary would do well at looking at the markets for Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman, Jonathan Huberdeau, and MacKenzie Weegar. The Huberdeau contract in particular has already become one of the worst in the league so the Flames would have to add some sort of kicker going back the other way.

Because the team has such a narrow window of being above the salary cap floor, they will need to take on a bad contract in return if they want to stay cap-compliant. Since the team projects to be one of the worst in the NHL this season, the Flames should do everything they can to build up their prospect and draft capital while transitioning more veteran players out of the organization.

When Will The Prospects Come Up? 

Calgary has opened up several opportunities on the roster with the amount of trades they’ve made over the last calendar year. However, although training camp has yet to take place, Wolf and Connor Zary project as the only two top-level prospects on the roster heading into next year.

Because of the trades, the Flames have built up a notable farm system and they should see what they have sooner rather than later. Calgary would be doing a disservice to their prospects if they didn’t open up a full-time opportunity for Matthew Coronato at some point during next season and should create the flexibility to get notable 2024 draft picks Parekh and Basha into the lineup once their junior seasons end next year.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

List Of Draft Rights Expiring August 15

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Aug. 15: Save for a few updates made in the last few weeks, all the players below have not signed entry-level contracts and will become free agents today.

July 25: Every year on August 15, NHL-drafted players coming off their final season of collegiate hockey see their exclusive signing rights expire if not inked to an entry-level contract. This year’s crop of prospects set to hit the free agent market after wrapping up their NCAA careers can be found below.

This list was compiled using reserve list data over at CapWages but was modified at PHR’s discretion to remove players who have confirmed their return to NCAA play for a fifth/graduate season, thus delaying the expiry of their signing rights to August 2025. If a player has signed a contract elsewhere for this season, we’ve noted that as well.

Anaheim Ducks

F Jack Perbix (116th overall, 2018)

Boston Bruins

F Quinn Olson (92nd overall, 2019) signed AHL contract with Ontario Reign (LAK) for 2024-25

Chicago Blackhawks

F Liam Gorman (177th overall, 2018)

Dallas Stars

G Cole Brady (127th overall, 2019) drafted by Devils, rights acquired in this year’s Chris Tanev three-way trade with Flames

Detroit Red Wings

D Cooper Moore (128th overall, 2019)
F Sam Stange (97th overall, 2020)

Florida Panthers

D Carter Berger (106th overall, 2019) signed AHL contract with Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) for 2024-25
C Owen Lindmark (137th overall, 2019)

Los Angeles Kings

D Ben Meehan (140th overall, 2020)

Montreal Canadiens

F Ty Smilanic (74th overall, 2020) drafted by Panthers, signing rights acquired in 2022 trade for Ben Chiarot

Nashville Predators

F Alexander Campbell (65th overall, 2019) signed AHL contract with Milwaukee Admirals (NSH) for 2024-25
G Ethan Haider (148th overall, 2019) signed AHL contract with Milwaukee Admirals (NSH) for 2024-25

Philadelphia Flyers

F Bryce Brodzinski (196th overall, 2019)

Pittsburgh Penguins

F Chase Yoder (170th overall, 2020)

San Jose Sharks

F Alex Young (196th overall, 2020)

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Nick Capone (157th overall, 2020)
D Eamon Powell (116th overall, 2020)
F McKade Webster (213th overall, 2019)

Toronto Maple Leafs

F Veeti Miettinen (168th overall, 2020) signed with KalPa (Liiga) through 2025-26

Utah Hockey Club

F Carson Bantle (142nd overall, 2020)

Vancouver Canucks

F Jack Malone (180th overall, 2019) signed AHL contract with Utica Comets (NJD) through 2025-26
G Matthew Thiessen (192nd overall, 2018)

Vegas Golden Knights

F Ryder Donovan (110th overall, 2019)

Winnipeg Jets

F Harrison Blaisdell (134th overall, 2019)
G Logan Neaton (144th overall, 2019)

Summer Synopsis: Buffalo Sabres

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The Buffalo Sabres haven’t played in a playoff game in more than a decade even though they have drafted in the top 10 on almost an annual basis. Despite the Sabres being a mess for much of this time, there have been a few instances where it seems like the team is ready to turn the corner and get back into the postseason. Last year it felt like the team would remain in contention for a wild card spot but once again they exited the playoff picture early. This year it is hard to gauge whether or not Buffalo will be in the mix as an uneven summer has left some fans scratching their heads and wondering when this team will once again be a contender in the Eastern Conference.

Draft

1-14: C Konsta Helenius, Jukurit (Liiga)
2-42: D Adam Kleber,  Lincoln (USHL)
3-71: F Brodie Ziemer, USNTDP
4-108: D Luke Osburn, Youngstown (USHL)
4-123: D Simon-Pier Brunet, Drummondville (QMJHL)
6-172: D Patrick Geary, Michigan State University (NCAA)
7-204: F Vasili Zelenov, RB Hockey Juniors
7-219: G Ryerson Leenders, Mississauga (OHL)

The Sabres don’t have a ton of recent experience drafting outside of the top 10 but this year they picked Helenius with the 14th overall pick. The youngster from Ylojarvi, Finland played at home last season in the top league and registered a respectable 14 goals and 22 assists in 51 regular season games which isn’t far off of the 48 points Aleksander Barkov’s scored in the league as an under-18-year-old. Helenius plays a high-energy game and plays much bigger than his size, he is a good forechecker and is responsible defensively. Helenius does everything pretty well and should be a good two-way player in the NHL.

Buffalo selected Kleber in the second round after he helped Team USA earn bronze at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer. The massive 6’6” defenseman is committed to playing next season at the University of Minnesota Duluth and should continue to develop into a strong defensive defenseman. Kleber isn’t the prettiest skater, but he gets around the ice well for a big man which allows him to cover a lot of ground in the defensive zone. His offensive instincts aren’t strong, nor is his ability with the puck but he does offer a solid breakout pass which should aid him in his defensive work.

The Sabres used their third-round pick to draft another undersized forward in Ziemer who had a solid season with the U.S. National Team Development Program tallying 27 goals and 43 assists in 61 games which was good enough for fourth on the team in points. Ziemer has a good shot and is good in tight spaces around the net, his offensive instincts allow him to find soft areas on the ice to capitalize on breakdowns in coverage.

Trade Acquisitions

F Ryan McLeod (Edmonton)
F Tyler Tullio (Edmonton)

Buffalo traded Matthew Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers for McLeod and Tullio in what many analysts felt was a sell-low move by the Sabres. Savoie was drafted ninth overall by the Sabres in the 2022 NHL entry draft and many believed he would be a huge part of their core moving forward. But with the trade to Edmonton, all of Savoie’s upside goes out the door and Buffalo makes the move for the player who is a safer bet but has a much lower upside.

McLeod is a proven NHL player, and at just 24 years old he has improved in every NHL season. Last year he tallied 12 goals and 18 assists in 81 regular season games but had just four goals in 24 playoff games. McLeod has some upside of his own and is a bit of an analytics darling, but if his finishing abilities remain the same, Buffalo could end up coming out on the bad end of the trade.

UFA Signings

F Nicolas Aube-Kubel (one-year, $1.5MM)
F Josh Dunne (two-year, $1.55MM)*
D Dennis Gilbert (one-year, $825K)
F Mason Jobst (one-year, $775K)*
F Sam Lafferty (two-year, $4MM)
F Brett Murray (one-year, $775K)*
D Jack Rathbone (one-year, $775K)*
G James Reimer (one-year, $1MM)
D Colton Poolman (one-year, $775K)*
G Felix Sandstrom (one-year, $775K)*
F Jason Zucker (one-year, $5MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

The Sabres bought out Jeff Skinner this summer and opened up a significant amount of cap space which excited Sabres fans that the team would make some big moves to try and get back into the playoff picture. Ultimately the team whiffed in free agency and settled into a series of underwhelming signings that appeared more like panic moves than pieces of a plan falling into place.

Zucker is a solid NHL veteran who has been a 20-goal scorer in the NHL on multiple occasions. However, the fact that he was the Sabres big splash certainly alarmed some fans. Zucker can still play but is overpaid at this stage of his career and isn’t much of a playdriver. Zucker has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career but could provide the Sabres with solid veteran minutes if he can remain in the lineup.

Lafferty is another former Pittsburgh Penguin who is a solid depth forward. He finally had a breakthrough in recent seasons and was terrific last year for the Vancouver Canucks posting a career-high 13 goals and 11 assists in 79 games. While Lafferty has firmly established himself as a regular NHLer, he isn’t going to move the needle offensively or offer a significant improvement on some of the Sabres departures from last season.

Aube-Kubel is another fourth liner that the Sabres brought in to try and improve their bottom six. The 28-year-old has been a solid pro for several years but is a few seasons removed from being a good fourth-line scoring option and a $1.5MM AAV feels like an overpay given the players that remain on the free agent market who are still looking for work and are likely to sign for league minimum.

RFA Re-Signings

D Jacob Bryson (one-year, $900K)
D Kale Clague (one-year $775K)*
D Henri Jokiharju (one-year, $3.1MM)
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (five-year, $23.75MM)
F Beck Malenstyn (two-year, $2.7MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

Buffalo’s big RFA signing was locking up netminder Luukkonen to a five-year deal. UKL could be poised for a breakout season and the Sabres opted to lock him up and avoid having to dish out a more significant extension in the near future. The 25-year-old’s new deal does come with a significant amount of risk though as last year was his first season as a starter and his sample size beyond that isn’t overly big.

Buffalo also acquired Malenstyn in a trade with the Washington Capitals that was received with lukewarm reviews at best. Malenstyn then signed a two-year extension with the Sabres and will most likely be counted on to play fourth-line minutes. He plays an honest game, gets around the ice well and should open up room for his teammates but given what the Sabres gave up getting him, they better hope that the 26-year-old has more to his game than what he showed in Washington.

Departures

F Brandon Biro (Seattle, one-year, $775K)*
D Joseph Cecconi (Minnesota, one-year, $775K)*
G Eric Comrie (Winnipeg, one-year, $825K)
D Jeremy Davies (Ottawa, one-year, $775K)*
F Zemgus Girgensons (Tampa Bay, three-year, $2.55MM)
C Tyson Jost (Carolina, one-year, $775K)
F Victor Olofsson (Vegas, one-year, $1.075MM)
F Justin Richards (signed with Düsseldorfer EG of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga)
F Eric Robinson (Carolina, one-year, $950K)
F Matthew Savoie (traded to Edmonton)
D Calle Sjalin (signed with Rögle BK of the SHL)
F Jeff Skinner (Edmonton, one-year, $3MM)
D Riley Stillman (Carolina, one-year, $775K)*
G Dustin Tokarski (unsigned UFA)
F Linus Weissbach (signed in SHL)

* denotes a two-way contract

Buffalo’s biggest departure was Skinner who left the team after a volatile six seasons. Skinner was a 40-goal scorer in Buffalo in his first season but never lived up to expectations after signing his eight-year $72MM extension in June 2019. He did score 30 goals in three of his six seasons in Buffalo, but his shortcomings defensively became too much to ignore, particularly when he went into scoring droughts.

The remaining Sabres departures were of the depth variety, with most of them being players who were playing in the team’s bottom six. Girgensons moved onto Tampa Bay after ten years in Buffalo, and while it is always difficult to see a tenured player leave town, his on-ice production should be easy to replace.

Olofsson is a three-time 20-goal scorer and scored 28 goals just last year but given how little he provides when the puck isn’t going in, Buffalo opted to move on from the player. Olofsson can skate and can create offense with his playmaking as well, but his defensive shortcomings became a problem in Buffalo, and his size created more issues, particularly when contests became physical.

Salary Cap Outlook

Buffalo enters August with just under $8.5MM in projected cap space which is more than enough room to sign their remaining RFA Peyton Krebs. The Sabres are positioned well for the future as most of their core is locked up long-term to reasonable contracts and the cap will be increasing in future seasons. The Skinner buyout will be a burden between 2025-2027, which makes the decision to buy him out this summer all the more puzzling given that they still haven’t utilized that additional cap space to get better.

Key Questions

Can The Scorers Rebound? Almost all of Buffalo’s offensive stars struggled last season, with some of them taking massive dips in production. The hope is that a new coaching staff can spark the offense to get back to their offensive numbers from the 2022-23 season. Buffalo doesn’t have a lot of offensive pieces in their bottom six, which creates additional pressure on the top two lines. Tage Thompson will be counted on to stay healthy and get back to the 40-goal mark as will Dylan Cozens and Alex Tuch who both had 20-point drops last season.

Will Jack Quinn Stay Healthy? Quinn has dealt with a series of injuries in his first two seasons as an NHLer, and while the former eighth-overall pick has been productive when healthy, he still needs to prove he can play for an entire season. The Cobden, Ontario native is likely to be a fixture in the Sabres top-6 for years to come, but first, he must prove he can be a fixture for an entire season. Quinn had nine goals and 10 assists in 27 games last season which averages out to a 58-point pace over an entire season and demonstrates just how effective Quinn can be offensively when he is healthy. Much of the Sabres playoff hopes will rise and fall on the performance of their top-6 and if Quinn can be a regular contributor, it will be huge for Buffalo.

Can Lindy Ruff Change This Group?  Ruff was hired to bring change into the organization by teaching this group structure and how to be accountable to each other. But the biggest thing the Sabres need Ruff to bring is stability given that Ruff was fired by Buffalo during the 2012-13 season and since then the Sabres have had six head coaches and no playoff appearances. The Sabres need Ruff to find a balance between letting the stars play and also having everyone buy into a system that allows the team to win games and get back to the playoffs. Ruff may or may not be the coach to do that and he likely wasn’t at the top of many wish lists in Buffalo, but he will have the team working hard and playing for each other, which might be just the thing to get the team back into the playoff picture.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Summer Synopsis: Boston Bruins

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The Boston Bruins have had a lot of regular-season success over the past few years, but it hasn’t translated into a lengthy playoff run. They’ve managed to stay in contention despite a bevy of on-ice personnel losses and re-tooled this summer, signing some lucrative long-term contracts with top-tier free agents. With an aging core that knows how to win, Boston has elected to run it back again over the next few seasons and should be formidable when the puck drops on the regular season this fall.

Draft

1-25: C Dean Letourneau, St. Andrews College (High-ON)
4-110: D Elliott Groenewold,  Cedar Rapids (USHL)
5-154: C Jonathan Morello, St. Michaels (OJHL)
6-186: D Loke Johansson, AIK Jr. (Sweden-Jr.)

The Bruins didn’t have much of an opportunity to re-stock the prospect cupboards at this year’s NHL entry draft, however, they did manage to snag a first-round pick in the Linus Ullmark trade which they promptly used to draft the towering Letourneau. The Ottawa Valley native played prep school hockey in Ontario this past season and led St. Andrew’s with 61 goals and 66 assists in 56 games. Scouts sometimes have difficulty assessing prep school hockey players relative to their peers. Still, given Letourneau’s size and length, it was hard for the Bruins to pass on a player who looks like a prototypical Boston player.

Boston selected the 18-year-old Groenewold in the fourth round of the draft after he appeared in 57 games for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL last season. The 200-pound, 6-foot-2 defenseman is committed to Quinnipiac University for next season and will look to continue developing his game as a defensive defenseman. Groenewold is a player who could give Boston a real defensive presence on their back end, as he is effective at clearing the area around his crease and is known to win puck battles in the defensive zone.

A fifth-round pick. Morello was a point-a-game player in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (57 points in 50 games). However, his playoffs were different, as he tallied 12 goals and nine assists in 11 games. Some scouts believe he could be just scratching the surface, while others wonder if he has an NHL role. Boston likely views Morello as a project, but given his solid skating and size, he was worth a roll of the dice in the fifth round.

Trade Acquisitions

F Mark Kastelic (Ottawa)
G Joonas Korpisalo (Ottawa)
C Vinni Lettieri (Minnesota)

Boston had to move on from Ullmark this summer but was likely hoping to avoid taking back a lousy goalie contract, precisely what they did. Boston acquired Korpisalo for Ullmark but did get him at a reduced rate for the next four seasons ($3MM AAV), which could be an okay contract if the 30-year-old can return to the form he showed during the 2022-23 season. Korpisalo has always been a talented netminder and a great athlete, however, he’s never been able to maintain consistency through a long stretch which is why he’s out of Ottawa one year into a five-year deal.

Boston also received Kastelic in the Ullmark trade. The 6’4” forward could be a solid fourth-line contributor for Boston going forward but shouldn’t be someone they count on for offense. Kastelic has been effective in the faceoff circle during his short NHL career (56.3%) and has no issue finishing his checks. He’s also very sound defensively, using his frame and reach to disrupt the opponents’ offensive sequences. With all that being said, Kastelic has primarily been a non-factor offensively throughout his NHL career and even last season, he ranked 323rd among NHL forwards who played more than 200 minutes at 5v5.

Lettieri struggled through injuries and inconsistency last season in Minnesota and could be a bounce-back candidate in Boston. He can skate and has a good set of hands, but his confidence appeared shattered with the Wild, and he spent a good chunk of last year in the AHL. If Boston can insulate him, they might be able to get more of him next year. However, they might also see an opportunity to have him start the season in Providence to try and get him on the right track.

UFA Signings

F Max Jones (two-year, $2MM)
F Cole Koepke (one-year, $775K)*
F Elias Lindholm (seven-year, $54.25MM)
D Jordan Oesterle (two-year, $1.55MM)*
D Billy Sweezey (two-year, $1.55MM)*
F Riley Tufte (one-year, $775K)*
F Jeffrey Viel (two year, $1.55MM)*
D Nikita Zadorov (six-year, $30MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

Boston’s two big moves in the free agent market were Lindholm and Zadorov, but they also added some depth with the Jones signing. Boston recognized they had a hole down the middle, which Lindholm should be able to fill going forward. Lindholm’s two-way play should give the Bruins a big boost and allow them to move Pavel Zacha back to the wing and provide better balance to their top 6. He should be able to find a way to make Boston’s forward group better both offensively and defensively and elevate his talented linemates in the process.

Zadorov has been around the NHL for a long time and struggled to find stability for most of it. However, once he found a consistent role, he became a physical presence that could clear the crease and take care of business in the defensive zone. Zadorov has problems when he overplays the puck or gets lost in the defensive zone. Boston will likely have the 29-year-old paired with Charlie McAvoy, which means Zadorov can defer most of the puck-carrying to his partner. However, he will be defensively in many precarious positions when McAvoy takes chances.

RFA Re-Signings

G Brandon Bussi (one-year, $775K)*
D Michael Callahan (one-year, $775K)*
C Marc McLaughlin (one-year, $775K)*
D Ian Mitchell ((one-year, $775K)*)*
D Alec Regula (one-year, $775K)*

* denotes a two-way contract

Boston’s biggest RFA signing has yet to happen but should occur in the not-too-distant future, as Jeremy Swayman is clearly Boston’s goalie of the future. Most of Boston’s work in the RFA market was locking down depth pieces, which may or may not factor into the NHL roster this season.

Bussi figures to at least challenge for the Bruins’ backup goaltender position, which is unlikely to be handed to Korpisalo given his struggles last season. Bussi is a solid young netminder who might require more seasoning in the AHL but does forecast as an NHL backup. He is of good size and aggressive in the net, but he can be guilty of overcommitting to shooters and likely needs to figure out how to rein that in before he finds full-time NHL duties.

Mitchell remains an intriguing option for the Bruins on the back end. He is an excellent skater and gets around the ice quickly. He also controls the puck well and has a great pass. The downside for Mitchell is that he is undersized and does get beat in a lot of puck battles. He also loses battles in front of the net, which can lead to some nightmares in the defensive zone.

Departures

F Joey Abate (unsigned UFA)
F Jesper Boqvist (Florida, one-year, $775K)
F Jake DeBrusk (Vancouver, seven-year, $38.5MM)
D Derek Forbort (Vancouver, one-year, $1.5MM)
D Matt Grzelcyk (Pittsburgh, one-year, $2.75MM)
F Danton Heinen (Vancouver, two-year, $4.5MM)
G Kyle Keyser (signed in KHL)
F Jakub Lauko (traded to Minnesota)
F Milan Lucic (unsigned UFA)
F Pat Maroon (Chicago, one-year, $1.3MM)
C Jayson Megna (signed in AHL Colorado)
D Dan Renouf (signed in AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Anthony Richard (Philadelphia, two-year, $1.55MM)*
D Kevin Shattenkirk (unsigned UFA)
C Oskar Steen (signed in Sweden)
G Linus Ullmark (traded to Ottawa)
F James van Riemsdyk (unsigned UFA)
D Reilly Walsh (Los Angeles, one-year, $775K)*
F Daniel Winnik (retired)

* denotes a two-way contract

Boston’s departures were essentially depth players who had either signed short-term deals recently or had been drafted or signed out of college and didn’t factor into the Bruins’ future. That being said, the departures of DeBrusk and Ullmark are sure to be felt this season, especially if Lindholm starts slow or Swayman struggles in the full-time starter role.

On the backend, Forbort and Grzelcyk struggled last season and needed a blank slate in another uniform, which should open the door for new faces to take up roles on the blue line. Zadorov will fill Grzelcyk’s old role, and depending on Mitchell’s development, he could also take up a spot on Boston’s defense. Boston’s defense core remains strong, and given the poor play of both Forbort and Grzelcyk last season, their departures shouldn’t be much of a loss.

Where Boston could feel the pinch is the loss of some of their depth scoring, mainly Heinen, DeBrusk and van Riemsdyk, who all contributed offensively last season and outperformed their cap hits. Heinen notched 17 goals and 19 assists last season in 74 games while playing for the league minimum of $775K, while JVR made $1MM for putting up 38 points in 71 games. DeBrusk played on a $4MM cap hit last year and had a disappointing regular season with just 19 goals and 21 assists in 80 games. However, he elevated his game in the playoffs, tallying 11 points in 13 games to lead the Bruins in postseason scoring. That kind of cheap depth scoring is hard to come by, and it could come back to bite Boston this season if their top two lines go on any cold streak.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Bruins are entering August with just over $8.6MM in projected cap space which looks like a luxury at this late stage of the summer, however, Boston’s most pressing issue remains as they’ve yet to lock up starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Boston spent liberally this summer on the free agent market, but it shouldn’t prohibit them from retaining their core in the future. Boston has most of its critical pieces locked up aside from Brad Marchand (and Swayman), who will be a UFA next summer. The Bruins likely looked at their aging roster and long-term contract structure and saw their position as an opportunity to load up without worrying too much about future cap issues.

Key Questions

Can Swayman Be A Full-Time Starter? Swayman has proven over the last few seasons that he is a very talented netminder. However, he has done so while being complimented by another goaltender who is among the best in the league at the position. Now, with Ullmark in Ottawa, the net is Swayman’s, and it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his incredible numbers in the future, especially now that he’s the bonafide number-one goalie. The 25-year-old played in a career-high 44 games last season for Boston, and while his numbers did dip a little bit, he was still rock solid for the Bruins. With Ullmark gone, it is conceivable that the Anchorage, Alaska native will play somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-60 games, which will undoubtedly test his endurance and durability.

Will The New Pieces Fit? Boston shelled out a lot of money for Lindholm and Zadorov, and there is no guarantee that they will fit despite their extensive body of work in the NHL. Lindholm wasn’t a perfect fit in Vancouver and struggled at times after the trade from Calgary. Zadorov has bounced around the NHL during his career before finding stability in Calgary. Both players are certainly upgrades for the Bruins, but they come with some risk. Boston gambled that they are the right fit, and it will undoubtedly make for a compelling storyline if either player has a slow start after signing lucrative free-agent deals.

Can Charlie Coyle Replicate Last Season’s Success?  Coyle had a career-high 60 points last season, but he isn’t that far removed from a 16-point campaign with the Boston Bruins during the shortened 2020-21 season. Two years before that, Coyle had just two goals and four assists in 21 games during a shortened 2018-19 season. Coyle has had wild different seasons throughout his career, but last year, he stepped up after the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, which allowed Boston to continue to be a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference. While there is little reason to believe his play will fall off a cliff at 32 years old, there is reason to believe that he could take a step back from the best year of his professional career. As mentioned earlier, Coyle’s numbers have been wildly different from year to year, and if he can’t get back to last year’s numbers, it could be a very different outcome for him next season.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AHL, ECHL Affiliates For 2024-25

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The following is a list of every NHL team’s AHL and ECHL affiliates for the 2024-25 season. This page can be referenced anytime under the “Pro Hockey Rumors Features” menu on the right-hand sidebar on desktop and using the Flame menu on mobile devices.

Anaheim Ducks

AHL: San Diego Gulls
ECHL: Tulsa Oilers

Boston Bruins

AHL: Providence Bruins
ECHL: Maine Mariners

Buffalo Sabres

AHL: Rochester Americans
ECHL: Jacksonville Icemen

Calgary Flames

AHL: Calgary Wranglers
ECHL: Rapid City Rush

Carolina Hurricanes

AHL: Chicago Wolves
ECHL: Bloomington Bison (working agreement)

Chicago Blackhawks

AHL: Rockford IceHogs
ECHL: Indy Fuel

Colorado Avalanche

AHL: Colorado Eagles
ECHL: Utah Grizzlies

Columbus Blue Jackets

AHL: Cleveland Monsters
ECHL: none

Dallas Stars

AHL: Texas Stars
ECHL: Idaho Steelheads

Detroit Red Wings

AHL: Grand Rapids Griffins
ECHL: Toledo Walleye

Edmonton Oilers

AHL: Bakersfield Condors
ECHL: Fort Wayne Komets

Florida Panthers

AHL: Charlotte Checkers
ECHL: Savannah Ghost Pirates

Los Angeles Kings

AHL: Ontario Reign
ECHL: Greenville Swamp Rabbits

Minnesota Wild

AHL: Iowa Wild
ECHL: Iowa Heartlanders

Montreal Canadiens

AHL: Laval Rocket
ECHL: Trois-Rivieres Lions

Nashville Predators

AHL: Milwaukee Admirals
ECHL: Atlanta Gladiators

New Jersey Devils

AHL: Utica Comets
ECHL: Adirondack Thunder

New York Islanders

AHL: Bridgeport Islanders
ECHL: Worcester Railers

New York Rangers

AHL: Hartford Wolf Pack
ECHL: Bloomington Bison

Ottawa Senators

AHL: Belleville Senators
ECHL: none

Philadelphia Flyers

AHL: Lehigh Valley Phantoms
ECHL: Reading Royals

Pittsburgh Penguins

AHL: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
ECHL: Wheeling Nailers

San Jose Sharks

AHL: San Jose Barracuda
ECHL: Wichita Thunder

Seattle Kraken

AHL: Coachella Valley Firebirds
ECHL: Kansas City Mavericks

St. Louis Blues

AHL: Springfield Thunderbirds
ECHL: Florida Everblades

Tampa Bay Lightning

AHL: Syracuse Crunch
ECHL: Orlando Solar Bears

Toronto Maple Leafs

AHL: Toronto Marlies
ECHL: Cincinnati Cyclones

Utah Hockey Club

AHL: Tucson Roadrunners
ECHL: Allen Americans

Vancouver Canucks

AHL: Abbotsford Canucks
ECHL: Kalamazoo Wings

Vegas Golden Knights

AHL: Henderson Silver Knights
ECHL: Tahoe Knight Monsters

Washington Capitals

AHL: Hershey Bears
ECHL: South Carolina Stingrays

Winnipeg Jets

AHL: Manitoba Moose
ECHL: Norfolk Admirals

Players With NHL Experience On AHL Contracts For 2024-25

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During the summer, AHL contracts often take a backseat to one-way and two-way NHL contracts in terms of news coverage. But they’re a valuable outlet for NHL clubs to keep veterans with solid leadership experience in the organization without using one of their 50 contract slots.

As such, many teams will retain UFAs coming off two-way deals by having their AHL affiliate ink them to a contract for the upcoming season. Those squeezed out of NHL roles may also look to land a minor-league deal to showcase their performance without binding themselves to an NHL contract, allowing them to keep their options open and sign anywhere as a free agent.

The following is a look at which players with NHL experience will be suiting up in the minors next season as technical UFAs. They are still free to sign with any NHL club should an offer present itself. But they’ll still play in an NHL organization alongside teams’ top prospects slated for AHL action in the fall.

This page will be updated as additional players are signed or released. It can be found at any time under the “Pro Hockey Rumors Features” right-hand sidebar on desktop and the Flame menu on mobile.

Updated 8/15/24

Anaheim Ducks (San Diego Gulls)

F Ryan Carpenter
D Dillon Heatherington
D Roland McKeown

Buffalo Sabres (Rochester Americans)

D Ethan Prow
G Michael Houser

Carolina Hurricanes (Chicago Wolves)

F Nick Swaney

Chicago Blackhawks (Rockford IceHogs)

F Jackson Cates
D Austin Strand

Colorado Avalanche (Colorado Eagles)

F Jayson Megna

Columbus Blue Jackets (Cleveland Monsters)

F Stefan Matteau

Dallas Stars (Texas Stars)

F Curtis McKenzie

Edmonton Oilers (Bakersfield Condors)

F Seth Griffith

Florida Panthers (Charlotte Checkers)

F Kyle Criscuolo
F John Leonard
F Aidan McDonough
D Trevor Carrick
G Kenneth Appleby

Los Angeles Kings (Ontario Reign)

F Charles Hudon

Montreal Canadiens (Laval Rocket)

F Laurent Dauphin
D Zack Hayes
D Joshua Jacobs
D Tyler Wotherspoon

Nashville Predators (Milwaukee Admirals)

F Cal O’Reilly

New Jersey Devils (Utica Comets)

F Justin Dowling
F Joseph Gambardella

New York Islanders (Bridgeport Islanders)

F Cole Bardreau
F Brian Pinho

Philadelphia Flyers (Lehigh Valley Phantoms)

F Cooper Marody
F Garrett Wilson

Pittsburgh Penguins (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins)

D Dan Renouf

San Jose Sharks (San Jose Barracuda)

F Colin White

St. Louis Blues (Springfield Thunderbirds)

F Matthew Peca
D Scott Harrington

Tampa Bay Lightning (Syracuse Crunch)

F Gabriel Dumont
F Daniel Walcott

Toronto Maple Leafs (Toronto Marlies)

F Kyle Clifford
F Alexander Nylander
F Logan Shaw

Utah Hockey Club (Tucson Roadrunners)

F Hunter Drew
F Austin Poganski
D Robbie Russo
G Dylan Wells

Vancouver Canucks (Abbotsford Canucks)

F Carsen Twarynski

Vegas Golden Knights (Henderson Silver Knights)

D Jake Bischoff

Washington Capitals (Hershey Bears)

F Mike Vecchione
D Brad Hunt
D Aaron Ness

Winnipeg Jets (Manitoba Moose)

F C.J. Suess
D Ashton Sautner

Information from Elite Prospects was used in the creation of this article.

PHR Mailbag: Stars, Askarov, Swayman, Bruins, Blues, Pacioretty

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Topics in this edition of the mailbag include Jeremy Swayman’s situation in Boston, if Torey Krug’s injury will make St. Louis look for another defenseman, and much more.  If your question doesn’t appear here, watch for it in next weekend’s column.

bottlesup: It looks like Dallas’s roster is set, do you see Jim making possibly another trade some point in the season or any other moves?

The answer to this question is going to depend on what happens with Thomas Harley, their lone remaining restricted free agent.  They have a little over $6.2MM in cap space at the moment, per PuckPedia, but that’s with a 20-player roster.  Assuming they want to carry an extra forward at least (Harley’s eventual contract would give them seven defenders), they’re closer to $5.4MM to play with.

How much of that will Harley take up?  If the two sides work out a long-term agreement that covers his remaining RFA years and buys some extra years of team control, it’s going to be at a number that’s actually higher than their current cap space.  In that scenario, instead of adding to their roster, they’d have to subtract from it to get back into compliance.  From there, they’d probably wind up tight to the cap, limiting their in-season flexibility.

But if it’s a bridge deal, things change.  Using K’Andre Miller and Evan Bouchard as some recent comparables, a two-year bridge for Harley should check in around the $4MM per season mark.  If they did that and carried a 13th forward, they’d be around $1.4MM or so (depending on the exact cost of Harley’s deal and the cost of the 13th forward), giving them some flexibility to hedge against injuries.  I could see them maybe using a bit of that to top up from a minimum-salaried extra forward to more of an impactful one around the $1MM mark which would then put them closer to $1MM in wiggle room.

At that point, the question of any in-season activity would be dependent on injuries and how aggressively they paper Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque to the minors on off days to bank extra cap space.  If there’s enough room left at the deadline, I could see them making a move to shore up their back end as they did with Chris Tanev back in March.

I’ll also mention the possibility of a three-year bridge, one that probably pushes the cost closer to $4.5MM.  At that point, they’d have to fill the 13th forward spot with a minimum-salary contract and hold on to their minimal flexibility after that.  In that case, they could look to a UFA or have a 13th forward come up from AHL Texas; after that, any movement would again be linked to their ability to bank cap space in-season depending on injuries.  Again, I think there’s a move to make on the back end but it’ll be closer to March than October.

FeeltheThunder: There have been some reports and chatter that Tampa should go after Nashville’s young goalie Yaroslav Askarov to backup Andrei Vasilevskiy. Many feel Vasy would be more open to not taking on so many games if he had a backup goalie that he felt comfortable sharing with.  Not that he doesn’t like Johansson or anything but the reality is Johansson is just an average goaltender at best. Furthermore, it wouldn’t hurt if that backup goaltender had the same cultural background either as Vasy.

What would Tampa have to give up to get Askarov from Nashville? One would assume the 2026 1st round pick would be the starting point. I’m sure a potential prospect would be added but I don’t think Tampa would give up Conor Geekie, Isaac Howard, or even Ethan Gauthier in the trade. Maybe they just bundle some draft picks.

First, while there has been chatter about Nashville dealing Askarov for more than a year now, I don’t recall seeing anything credible linking him to Tampa Bay specifically.  While he’d be an upgrade on Jonas Johansson, there’s not a path to prime playing time until Vasilevskiy’s deal ends in 2028.  If Askarov had a chance to pick his landing spot (he wouldn’t, I’m just making the point), I’d have to think the Lightning would be pretty low on his list.  Going and being a multi-year backup or platoon partner isn’t a path to a big-money contract.

As for what the cost would be, you’re really constraining them by taking Geekie, Howard, and Gauthier off the table.  If Nashville isn’t getting a high-end prospect in this trade, what’s their motivation to do it?  A future first-round pick (which might land in the 20s) isn’t exactly the ideal centerpiece of a swap; I have to think they turned down better than that at the last two drafts.  That pick with some lesser picks or lesser prospects is a package that I suspect quite a few teams would easily beat.

The hope is that Askarov is a future franchise goalie.  The cost has to be somewhat commensurate with that; a quantity over quality approach to a trade isn’t it.  I could see Nashville’s preference being a prospect-prospect swap where they’re getting an NHL-ready (or near-ready) impact player (top-six forward or a top-four defenseman) back for the netminder.  I don’t see Tampa Bay being the team to give that to them.

SkidRowe: Two Bruins topics:

1) What’s going on with Swayman? How far apart do you think they are? Could Swayman’s camp be asking for more than the Bruins have remaining under the cap ($8.6m)? What’s he gonna do, sit out?

2) Apparently, the Bruins are counting on middle-six minutes and secondary scoring from a couple of youngsters; Poitras (20 yo, former 2nd-round pick, 15 points in 33 NHL games) and Lysell (21yo, former 1st-round pick, zero NHL games). If either of those guys fail, they can turn to Merkulov (23yo, former college free agent, zero points in four NHL games) or elevate Brazeau (26yo, undrafted junior player, seven points in 19 NHL games) from the 4th line. Is this strategy going to pay off?

1) With no arbitration option this time around (both sides passed on filing), there is no real pressure point on either side for a while yet so this probably will drag out for a while longer.  It’s hard to guess how far they’re apart as part of the issue here I suspect is that they’re still working on deals of varying lengths, meaning the gap will be different for each one.  My guess is that they’re not overly close and until we get closer to training camp where one side might move a little, I don’t expect to see much news on that front.

I don’t see Swayman’s camp asking for more than $8.6MM per season.  His career high in games played in a single NHL season is 44 so as of today, he’s not even truly proven as an undisputed number one.  He’s heading in that direction but hasn’t played enough to get there yet.  I think the end result on a long-term deal starts with a seven, maybe eight times eight at most.  If they wind up on more of a medium-term agreement, the cost probably begins with a six.

2) At this point, what other option do the Bruins have?  They couldn’t afford to make a commitment to a more impactful forward earlier in free agency as they need to get Swayman signed first to see what they have left to spend.  If they went and added a top-six piece, then they’re forcing themselves into probably taking Swayman to arbitration, getting a one-year settlement in the $5MM range, and going through the same thing next year.  The patient approach will limit their options to add short-term depth but should allow them to get their franchise goalie signed.

At some point, the Bruins need to start getting some contributions from their prospect pool.  Matthew Poitras was starting to slow down before his injury but he’s earned a chance to break camp and see if he can hold down a spot.  Fabian Lysell is one of their top prospects and flirted with a point per game in the minors last year so yes, he’s probably worth a look.  Frankly, those two have more pure upside than what’s left in free agency and they don’t have a lot of trade chips to use.  Having said that, I do see Boston being active on the PTO front to see if they can get a decent veteran or two in as a hedge against the youngsters struggling or Swayman signing a shorter-term deal (opening up more cap flexibility).

vincent k. mcmahon: If Krug’s playing career is hypothetically over (although it’s still up in the air on if he can or can’t resume playing) does this put pressure on the Blues of adding another d-man outside of the additions of Suter and Joseph?

It depends on what their intentions are for this season.  If they think they’re a playoff team, then yes, they need to go add another blueliner (although there’s not much left on the open market).  But looking at the Central Division and St. Louis’ roster in general, I don’t see the Blues being a playoff team this season.

If that’s the case, my thought is that they’d be better off not filling that spot, instead using it to learn more about their younger options.  They have four rearguards either 24 or 25, Matthew Kessel, Scott Perunovich, Tyler Tucker, and the recently-signed Pierre-Olivier Joseph.  How many of those are future building blocks?  At some point, they need to figure that out.  Using this season to do just that might be the better play in the long run.

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Summer Synopsis: Anaheim Ducks

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The Anaheim Ducks are stuck in the middle of the pond. Their playoff drought has now extended to six seasons, on the back of continuingly disappointing play from the team’s veterans. The Ducks now seems fully focused on building a new identity – one built around hard-hitting defensemen, shoot-first forwards, and new head coach Greg Cronin. Their moves this summer reflected that personality-building – though a quiet summer elsewhere will keep their expectations for low for the 2024-25 season.

Draft

1-3: F Beckett Sennecke, Oshawa (OHL)
1-23: D Stian Solberg, Vålerenga (Norway)
2-35: F Lucas Pettersson MoDo Hockey (Sweden)
3-66: F Maxim Massé, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
3-68: F Ethan Procyszyn, North Bay (OHL)
3-79: D Tarin Smith, Everett (WHL)
4-100: Alexandre Blais, Rimouski (QMJHL)
6-182: F Austin Burnevik, Madison (USHL)
7-214: D Darels Uljanskis, AIK (Sweden)

The Ducks took their turn in the spotlight in June, vindicating their rebuilding with yet another fantastic draft class. They started their haul with one of the draft’s biggest surprises, taking Sennecke – this year’s late-riser – at third-overall. While the pick shocked many – including Sennecke himself – general manager Pat Verbeek insisted it fit the personality-building Anaheim is striving for. He shared post-draft that, “[Sennecke] is going to be a guy who can play any type of game, a physical game, a skill game or a speed game.” That same sentiment can be applied to hard-hitting defenseman Stian Solberg, another late-riser after multiple strong performances as the top defender on Norway’s international teams. While both Sennecke and Solberg may have capped ceiling compared to the players drafted around them, they’re both easy to project into an NHL role.

Anaheim balanced out their gritty first-rounders with a pair of more skill-based forwards next. Both Pettersson and Massé shined as stout playmakers this season, capable of facilitating transition and creating space in the offensive end – though Pettersson much more of a pass-first centerman, while Massé is a power-forward with a heavy shot. Some public draft rankings had both Pettersson and Massé slated as first-round talents – giving the Ducks promising value through the middle rounds, even if both players will face an uphill battle adjusting to pro pace.

The strong value continued through Anaheim’s third round – with hard-nosed forechecker Procyszyn and high-upside defender Smith. Anaheim rounded out their class with a trio of stylized late-round picks – again finding a mix of skill and finesse, hard-nosed forechecking, and heavy hitting with the respective picks. While Anaheim hasn’t inspired much in the standings, their choices in this year’s draft reaffirms that they’re a team with a vision in mind.

Trade Acquisitions

Brian Dumoulin (Seattle)
Robby Fabbri (Detroit)

With a strong draft out of the way and not many contracts needing negotiated, Anaheim resigned to a fairly low-event summer – made evident by their general lack of involvement on the trade market. The Ducks’ only moves were the cheap acquisitions of veterans Dumoulin and Fabbri, which only cost the team the collective price of Gage Alexander – with the 2026 fourth-round pick traded for Dumoulin cancelled out by a 2025 fourth-rounder alongside Fabbri.

It doesn’t seem likely that either veteran will earn a high-impact role in Anaheim, even despite both boasting Stanley Cup wins. But Fabbri has dwindled to a third-line goal-scoring role, and 30-point consistency, while Dumoulin continues to serve as one of the league’s truest defensive-defensemen. They’ll both battle for roles among the Ducks’ bottom lines, with Dumoulin at an added disadvantage amid the pressure of so many top defensive prospects. He’ll likely face the more inconsistent role of the two as a result, while Fabbri joins the cycle of wingers in Anaheim’s bottom-six.

UFA Signings

F Jansen Harkins (two-year, $1.6MM)
F Carson Meyer (one-year, $775K)*
F Brett Leason (one-year, $1MM)
D Urho Vaakanainen (one-year, $1.1MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

Anaheim’s quiet moves continued into the free agent market, where half of their action was re-signing restricted free agencies who became UFAs after not receiving qualifying offers. That duo – Leason and Vaakanainen – both managed six-figure contracts despite making it to the open market, and should rejoin the battles for ice time on Anaheim’s bottom lines that they each fought last year.

Leason will face added pressure from Anaheim’s other UFA signings – heavy-frame center Jansen Harkins and high-energy winger Carson Meyer. Harkins has played in 199 NHL games over the last five seasons, totaling a meager 31 points but offering a noticeable physical presence from the fourth line. He’ll stand as a fill-in when Anaheim is looking for harder hitting, while Meyer will likely start in the AHL. That’s where he’s spent the bulk of his career so far, and while he’s managed an impressive 110 points in 172 minor-league games, the production hasn’t translated to the top flight, where Meyer’s scored just six points in 41 games. None of the UFA additions seem poised to make a big splash next season, though each of the four will likely slot into at least a handful of NHL games next season.

RFA Re-Signings

F Isac Lundestrom (one-year, $1.5MM)
F Pavol Regenda (one-year, $775K)*
F Nikita Nesterenko (one-year, $874.1K)*
D Jackson LaCombe (two-years, $1.8MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

Isac Lundestrom leads the pack of restricted free-agents continuing on with Anaheim, though he wasn’t able to earn much of a commanding salary, after posting just 25 points in 107 games on his last contract. Lundestrom has yet to vindicate his 16-goal, 29-point performance in the 2021-22 season, and while Anaheim has opted to give him one more chance, he’ll need to take full advantage of his opportunities if he wants to stick in the NHL.

Much more optimism can be afforded to defender Jackson LaCombe, who managed 17 points in 71 games as a rookie this season. Never much of a scorer, LaCombe still managed his way to over 19 minutes of ice time on average, and a role on the team’s penalty kill, thanks to his stalwart defense. Anaheim has proven a fairly bleak testing grounds for young defenders, just two seasons removed from averaging the most shots-against in NHL history. But LaCombe weathered the storm and looks the part of, at least, a stout defensive-defenseman for years to come.

Backing Lundestrom and LaCombe is Regenda and Nesterenko, who are each coming off of strong seasons in the minor league. The two rotated around the San Diego Gulls’ middle-six, with Nesterenko totaling 37 points in 70 games and Regenda posting 34 points in 54 games. The pair will be more focused on gaining more minutes in San Diego than in Anaheim next season, though they could be go-to fill-ins for injuries or scratches.

Departures

F Jakob Silfverberg (retirement)
F Ben King (unsigned UFA)
F Connor Hvidston (unsigned UFA)
F Benoit-Olivier Groulx (New York Rangers, one-year, $775K)*
F Brayden Tracey (unsigned UFA)
F Max Jones (Boston, one-year, $1MM)
F Andrew Agozzino (Utah, two-years, $775K)*
F Ben Meyers (Seattle, one-year, $775K)*
F Glenn Gawdin (Los Angeles, two-years, $775K)*
D Albin Sundsvik (unsigned UFA)
D Gustav Lindstrom (unsigned UFA)
D Colton White (New Jersey, two-years, $775K)*
D Robert Hagg (Vegas, one-year, $775K)
D William Lagesson (Detroit, one-year, $775K)
G Gage Alexander (trade with Detroit)

* denotes a two-way contract

Anaheim’s emphasis on adding depth this summer is made clear by their list of departures. They’re overturning a large chunk of their bottom-end depth this season, though nobody on the list had much of an NHL role. The most notable departure is winger Max Jones, who’s appeared in 258 games with the Ducks over the last six seasons. Formerly a first-round pick in 2016, Jones’ career to this point has been marked by hot-and-cold performances and low-scoring. He’s brought noted grit and physicality to his appearances in the bottom-six, helping him earn some additional playing time on special teams and in crunch time, though he’s only managed a single-season high of 19 points. That came in 69 games last season, and he followed it with an improved scoring pace of 15 points in 52 games this year. That modest scoring, combined with his hefty six-foot-three frame, was enough to earn Jones a one-way contract with the Bruins – where he could stand as the fill-in for Danton Heinen’s utility role.

Jones’ departure won’t keep Anaheim up at night – nor will the absences of Groulx, Lindstrom, Meyers, Lagesson, Hagg, or Gawdin. All six players appeared in a handful of NHL games this season – led by Groulx’ 45 appearances – though not a single one of them scored a goal, and Lindstrom was the only one to exceed five assists. It’s hefty but well-timed turnover for Anaheim’s depth – and should open the door for top prospects to show their worth. The same can be said of the minor league departures, including unsigned draft picks Sundsvik, King, and Hvidston. While roles will need filled, Anaheim should have the depth to alleviate worry – especially after signing Dillon Heatherington, Roland McKeown, and Ryan Carpenter to minor-league contracts.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Ducks are entering August with $21.72MM in projected cap space – the most in the NHL per PuckPedia. That’s a staggering number considering the team has no remaining RFAs and boasts the structure for a serviceable, albeit not very competitive, NHL roster. Anaheim will enjoy the luxury of a cheap payroll this season, knowing that they’ll have to pay a premium to Mason McTavish and Lukas Dostal next summer, and Trevor Zegras, Cutter Gauthier, and Leo Carlsson in 2026.

Key Questions

Can The Youth Fill In? This Ducks seasons will be defined by their star prospects. Each of Gauthier, Olen Zellweger and Tristan Luneau poised for at least a taste at NHL ice time. They’ll join a long list of young Ducks fighting for a role – headlined by the returns of a healthy Trevor Zegras and Leo Carlsson. An ideal world would have Anaheim’s top lines comprised nearly entirely of U24 players, and they might have the talent to pull that off. Zegras has shown point-per-game upside, while both McTavish and Carlsson could push for at least 50 points. If young defenders Zellweger and Luneau can bring their gifted offense to the top flight, Anaheim could be positioned for the offensive explosion they’ve needed for years.

Who Is The Starter? While Anaheim’s young skaters are looking to climb into starring roles this season, top goalie prospect Lukas Dostal has seemingly already won his battle. Dostal outplayed long-running starter John Gibson in the second-half of last season, posting serviceable performances while Gibson struggled to find any sort of consistency. Gibson still carries a $6.4MM through the next three seasons, likely affording him the first chance at the starting role. But Dostal will be entering the season red-hot after championing Team Czechia to a World Championship gold medal in June. That momentum could be enough to quickly overthrow Gibson, which could send Anaheim frantically looking for a trade for their former star goalie, who’s been on the trade block since before last season. It’s a high stakes position battle and will be among the most impactful storylines of Anaheim’s next season.

Should Zegras Stay Or Should He Go? Trevor Zegras has had plenty of media following his early years in the NHL, as hype around his flashy offense turned into rumors about his availability in trades. The skepticism began with Zegras’ contract holdout ahead of last season, which forced the star forward to miss the bulk of pre-season training before signing a three-year, $17.2MM bridge contract. Maybe because of the lack of warmup, Zegras was quickly and routinely injured this season, ultimately being held to just 31 games and 15 points on the year. He’s maybe the most promising player in Anaheim, with 139 points in 180 games prior to this year’s butchered campaign. But he’s been vocal about his feelings with the organization throughout his struggles, and seems misaligned from the bruiser style Anaheim has built through the draft. Those factors make him a sensible trade option, though any move for the productive 23-year-old and former top-10 pick would have to pay Anaheim handsomely. The potential for a jaw-dropping return will keep fans glued to Zegras trade rumors all season long, especially if he rediscovers his scoring groove.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2024 NHL Restricted Free Agents

at CDT | by 15 Comments

The following players are currently restricted free agents. The team that holds the player’s signing rights, as well as each player’s age as of the date of free agency opening, is in parentheses.

Those who play multiple positions are listed by their primary position played in 2023-24. Only those with previous NHL experience are listed. Players are not eligible for salary arbitration unless otherwise indicated.

Updated 9/24/24, 8:12 a.m.

^ – indicates 10.2(c) free agent, ineligible to sign or receive offer sheets

Centers

Nikita Alexandrov (Blues, 23)

Left Wingers

none

Right Wingers

none

Left Defensemen

none

Right Defensemen

none

Goaltenders

Jeremy Swayman (Bruins, 25)

Traded First-Round Picks For 2025 NHL Draft

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Last updated 8/26/24, 8:25 a.m.

The 2025 NHL Draft may still be nearly a year away, but multiple teams have already traded away their first-round picks, and even more will change hands before the March 6, 2025 trade deadline.

This article will be used to monitor each team’s 2025 first-round pick, updating it as necessary throughout the year.

We’ve listed all 32 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its first-round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on the protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2026 if it doesn’t change hands in 2025.

Here’s the full breakdown of the status of each 2025 first-round pick:

Atlantic

  • Boston Bruins: Own pick.
  • Buffalo Sabres: Own pick.
  • Detroit Red Wings: Own pick.
  • Florida Panthers: Traded to Flames or Canadiens (top-10 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Panthers would owe the Flames their 2026 first-round pick (unprotected). 
    • Flames/Panthers details are outlined below.
  • Montreal Canadiens: Own pick.
  • Ottawa Senators: Own pick.
  • Tampa Bay Lightning: Traded to Predators (top-10 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Lightning would owe the Predators their 2026 first-round pick (unprotected).
  • Toronto Maple Leafs: Traded to Blackhawks (top-10 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Maple Leafs would owe the Blackhawks their 2026 first-round pick (unprotected).

Metropolitan

  • Carolina Hurricanes: Own pick.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets: Own pick.
  • New Jersey Devils: Traded to Flames (top-10 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Devils would owe the Flames their 2026 first-round pick (unprotected).
  • New York Islanders: Own pick.
  • New York Rangers: Own pick.
  • Philadelphia Flyers: Own pick.
  • Pittsburgh Penguins: Own pick.
  • Washington Capitals: Own pick.

Central

  • Chicago Blackhawks: Own pick.
  • Colorado Avalanche: Traded to Flyers (top-10 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Avalanche would owe the Flyers their 2026 first-round pick (unprotected).
  • Dallas Stars: Own pick.
  • Minnesota Wild: Own pick.
  • Nashville Predators: Own pick.
  • St. Louis Blues: Own pick.
  • Utah Hockey Club: Own pick.
  • Winnipeg Jets: Own pick.

Pacific

  • Anaheim Ducks: Own pick.
  • Calgary Flames: Traded to Canadiens or own pick.
    • Flames/Canadiens details are outlined below.
  • Edmonton Oilers: Traded to Flyers (top-12 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Oilers would owe the Flyers their 2026 first-round pick (unprotected).
  • Los Angeles Kings: Own pick.
  • San Jose Sharks: Own pick or traded to Predators.
    • Details are outlined under the Golden Knights’ pick.
  • Seattle Kraken: Own pick.
  • Vancouver Canucks: Own pick.
  • Vegas Golden Knights: Traded to Predators or Sharks. (unprotected).
    • This pick was initially traded to the Sharks without protection. The Sharks later dealt this pick to the Predators, but San Jose can opt to retain Vegas’ pick and send their own 2025 first-rounder to Nashville if Vegas’ pick falls inside the top 10.

Details on Flames’ picks:

Remember all those complex conditions attached to the first-round pick the Flames sent to the Canadiens to take on the final season of Sean Monahan’s contract in 2022? Those will come back to bite draft-watchers this season. A full explanation of all the possible conditions can be found in this write-up from two years ago, but we’ll outline them briefly here.

In 2025, the Flames control three first-rounders:

  • Their own.
  • The Panthers’ first-round pick (top-10 protected).
  • The Devils’ first-round pick (top-10 protected).

Luckily for those trying to parse through the conditions of the trade, the Devils’ pick, which Calgary acquired in this offseason’s Jacob Markstrom trade, isn’t a factor here.

At the time of the Monahan deal, there were three possible scenarios to determine which first-round pick the Habs would receive. One of them can already be crossed off, as it involved the Canadiens opting to receive Calgary’s 2024 first-rounder if it fell between 20th and 32nd overall. It didn’t, so we moved on to the other scenarios.

With Calgary likely to be a bottom-feeder this season and Florida coming off a Stanley Cup championship, the most likely scenario is that the Flames’ first-rounder falls inside the top 10 and the Panthers’ does not. In that case, the Canadiens will receive Florida’s pick. The opposite would be true if the situation was reversed. If neither pick falls in the top 10, the Canadiens will receive the better of the two picks.

The write-up linked above details the third scenario, which involves both picks falling inside the top 10.

Information from PuckPedia was used in the creation of this post.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

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