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Minor Transactions: 7/27/25

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As the summer moves along, the volume of transactions has been slowing down.  However, there have been some transactions at lower levels with an NHL connection; we’ll run through those here.

  • Veteran forward Peter Mueller has decided to retire, his now former Czech team announced. The 37-year-old was the eighth overall pick by Phoenix back in 2006 and spent parts of five seasons in the NHL, notching 63 goals and 97 assists in 297 games before heading overseas in 2013.  After that point, he spent time in Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Germany, and Czechia, with a one-year stint with Boston’s AHL affiliate in Providence in between.  He spent last season with HC Kometa Brno, scoring the game-winner in the final game of the playoffs for them.  Mueller re-signed with them back in May but decided to hang up his skates due to lingering back trouble.
  • Former NHL defenseman Jakub Jerabek has signed a one-year deal with HC Plzen in his native Czechia, per a team release. The 34-year-old played in parts of two NHL seasons, spending time with Montreal, Washington, and St. Louis where he had eight points in 37 games and 26 points in 69 AHL contests.  Jerabek spent the last three seasons with HC Ocelari Trinec but injuries limited him to just 23 games last season where he had eight points.
  • Lightning prospect Everett Baldwin will have a new team next season as QMJHL Saint John announced that they’ve signed the blueliner. The defenseman was a fifth-round pick last month out of St. George’s School while also briefly seeing action in the USHL.  Baldwin made a college commitment to play at his hometown Providence College back in 2023 but it remains to be seen if his QMJHL commitment will push that back or if he’ll be a one-and-done player at the major junior level.

Minor Transactions: 7/15/25

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It has been a busy 24 hours transactions-wise around the NHL with several restricted free agents signing before their qualifying offers expire later today.  Meanwhile, there have been some other minor signings involving free agents which we’ll run through here.

  • After spending the last four seasons in Seattle’s system on an NHL deal, defenseman Gustav Olofsson will be staying there on a different contract. The Kraken’s AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley announced that they’ve signed the blueliner to a two-year minor-league deal.  Olofsson is a veteran of 63 NHL games but saw just four games with Seattle.  Last season, the 30-year-old played in 51 games with the Firebirds, picking up three goals and 14 assists.
  • Lehigh Valley, affiliate of the Flyers, announced the signings of wingers Zayde Wisdom and Garrett Wilson to one-year deals. Wisdom was a fourth-round pick by Philadelphia back in 2020 and had 32 points in 68 games with the Phantoms last season but wasn’t tendered a qualifying offer last month.  Wilson, meanwhile, is a veteran of 84 NHL games but last played at the top level in 2019.  He had 14 goals and 14 assists in Lehigh Valley last season in 63 games.
  • After spending last season on a two-way deal with San Jose, unrestricted free agent defenseman Joey Keane is heading back to Russia as he has signed a two-year deal with Spartak Moskva, per a team release. The 26-year-old originally started in Carolina’s system but went to Spartak once his entry-level deal ended, spending two years there before coming back to North America last season.  In 2024-25, Keane had 11 points in 38 games, a stat line identical to his second season with Spartak.
  • Bruins prospect Cole Chandler has committed to Northeastern, reports the Northeastern Hockey Blog (Twitter link). The forward was a fifth-round pick last month after putting up 32 points in 64 games with QMJHL Shawinigan during the regular season while adding a dozen more in 16 playoff outings.  He’ll return to the Cataractes for the upcoming season and then move to the NCAA starting in 2026-27.

Blues’ First-Rounder Justin Carbonneau Will Return To QMJHL

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St. Louis Blues first-round pick Justin Carbonneau has announced he will return to the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada next season, after rumors that he was considering a move to the NCAA’s Boston College. The Armada announced the news through a post to their social media.

St. Louis recently drafted Carbonneau with the 19th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

This news will send shockwaves around Quebec’s junior league. Carbonneau was among the league’s best last season, tying for second in the league in goals (46) and outright ranking second in points (89) through 62 games. He rounded out his statline with 61 penalty minutes and just a plus-three, speaking to the incredibly high-event minutes Carbonneau earned while leading the Armada offense.

Carbonneau earned his offense with a powerful, heavy drive on the puck. He was among the QMJHL’s most explosive wingers moving down the ice, and used a strong frame and hard shot to generate dangerous chances in the offensive end. Carbonneau was also often the Armada’s pest, and routinely found himself in the middle of net-front shoving matches after the whistle. News of his return will land like a big acquisition in Blainsville-Boisbrand, as they lock up a player capable of rivaling the century mark in points or penalty minutes next season.

Carbonneau was thee standout of St. Louis’ recent development camp. He showed off all of the nasty grit, hard shooting, and determined drive that led him to the heights of the QMJHL this year. Those talents mix well with other emerging Blues, including Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorsky. That match – and a right-wing role vacated by the trade of Zachary Bolduc – could ramp Carbonneau into an NHL role as soon as next year, assuming he stays hot through the 2025-26 campaign.

Metropolitan Notes: Shabanov, Gill, Boilard

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Russian center Maxim Shabanov’s KHL contract expired at the end of May, making him an unrestricted free agent.  Several NHL teams have shown interest and it looks like his search for a new club could be nearing the finish line.  Sport-Express’ Igor Eronko reports that the Flyers are expected to sign the 24-year-old although Kevin Kurz of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that nothing is done yet although the team is hopeful that they’ll land him.  Shabanov finished third this season in KHL scoring with 23 goals and 44 assists in 65 games and followed that up by finishing second in playoff points with 10 goals and 10 helpers in 21 contests.  Regardless of whether he signs with Philadelphia or another team, Shabanov will be capped at signing a one-year, entry-level contract.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Still with the Flyers, prospect Spencer Gill is on the move in the QMJHL as the league announced (Twitter link) that the defenseman has been traded from Rimouski to Blainville-Boisbriand. The 18-year-old was a second-round pick last June, going 59th overall after a solid showing with the Oceanic that saw him notch 46 points in 65 games.  Injuries limited Gill to just 51 games this season where he had six goals and 29 assists.  He has one more year of playing in major junior before he can begin playing in the pros for the 2026-27 campaign; he has already signed his entry-level contract.
  • Rangers prospect Raoul Boilard will be suiting up for a different team in the QMJHL next season. The league announced (Twitter link) that the center was dealt from Baie-Comeau to Shawinigan.  Boilard, a fourth-round selection last year (119th overall), saw his output drop compared to his draft year as he notched 12 goals and 34 assists in 53 games after putting up 22 goals and 40 helpers the year before, one that he was able to stay healthy in as he played in all 68 games in 2023-24.  Next season will be a big one for Boilard as New York has not yet signed him to a contract.

Kraken Sign Andrei Lashko To Three-Year Entry-Level Contract

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The Seattle Kraken announced they’ve signed 2023 fourth-round draft pick Andrei Lashko to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal presumably begins next season, though there has been no present indication of if Lashko will finish the year in the AHL. The deal will carry a $950K cap hit at the NHL level. Lashko will turn pro after wrapping up his fourth season in Canada’s CHL.

Lashko – or Loshko, as it’s often spelled – made the move to the OHL this summer, after spending the last three seasons in the QMJHL. Originally a CHL Import Draft pick in 2021, Lashko was placed on waivers by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies this year, opening the door for the Niagara IceDogs to snatch up the productive QMJHL forward. The move worked to great effect, with Lashko potting an impressive 34 goals and 70 points in 64 games this season. That mark ranked third on the IceDogs in scoring, behind hefty 2026 NHL Draft top prospect Ryan Roobroeck and Winnipeg Jets prospect Kevin He.

Lashko offered the perfect middle ground between Roobroeck’s heavy shooting and He’s nimble dekes. Sat in the middle, Lashko was a dynamic two-way forward with the leg speed to be everywhere all at once. He matched the energy of his linemates well and consistently found his way into open ice, no matter if Niagara asked him to play right-wing or center. His performance in the OHL was a strong continuation from his years in the QMJHL, where he managed 26, 70, and 67 points respectively over three seasons. Lashko seems to be missing a step that’ll turn him into a top pro – and will likely begin his career in the minors as a result. But with a six-foot-one, 185-pound frame; lightfoot skating; and a keen instinct of where to be to make an impact, it seems only a matter of time before Lashko makes his NHL debut.

List Of NHL-Affiliated Prospects In The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League

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The Canadian Hockey League trade deadlines are in the rearview mirror. That makes it a good time to take stock of where NHL teams have their prospect pool skating ahead of the big league deadline. We’re taking a look at how many prospects each team has in the world’s top junior association, moving onto the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. You can find the list of Ontario Hockey League players here.

Anaheim Ducks

F Alexandre Blais (Rimouski Océanic)
F Maxim Massé (Chicoutimi Saguenéens)

Boston Bruins

D Loke Johansson (Moncton Wildcats)

Buffalo Sabres

D Simon-Pier Brunet (Drummondville Voltigeurs)

Calgary Flames

F Matvei Gridin (Shawinigan Cataractes)
D Étienne Morin (Moncton Wildcats)

Carolina Hurricanes

F Justin Poirier (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)

Columbus Blue Jackets

F Tyler Peddle (Saint John Sea Dogs)

Detroit Red Wings

G Rudy Guimond (Moncton Wildcats)

Florida Panthers

D Luke Coughlin (Rimouski Océanic)

Montreal Canadiens

G Mikus Vecvanags (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)

Nashville Predators

D Dylan MacKinnon (Moncton Wildcats)
G Jakub Milota (Cape Breton Eagles)

New Jersey Devils

F Matyas Melovsky (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
F Cam Squires (Cape Breton Eagles)

New York Rangers

F Raoul Boilard (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)

Philadelphia Flyers

D Spencer Gill (Rimouski Océanic)
D Matteo Mann (Saint John Sea Dogs)

Seattle Kraken

D Alexis Bernier (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)

St. Louis Blues

F Antoine Dorion (Québec Remparts)
F Juraj Pekarcik (Moncton Wildcats)

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Ethan Gauthier (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
D Dyllan Gill (Moncton Wildcats)
D Jan Golicic (Gatineau Olympiques)

Utah Hockey Club

D Tomas Lavoie (Cape Breton Eagles)
F Gabe Smith (Moncton Wildcats)

Vancouver Canucks

D Basile Sansonnens (Rimouski Océanic)

Vegas Golden Knights

F Mathieu Cataford (Rimouski Océanic)

Washington Capitals

F Eriks Mateiko (Rimouski Océanic)

Blue Jackets Activate, Assign Jordan Dumais

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated top prospect Jordan Dumais off of season-opening injured reserve and loaned him to the AHL. Dumais missed the majority of Columbus’ training and development camps this summer, and earned an IR placement on October 7th, due to a nagging lower-abdominal injury connected to a fractured hip suffered in January. He underwent surgery in late-January but couldn’t return to full health in time for the end of the 2023-24 season. The Cleveland Monsters have three games remaining in 2024, giving Dumais a slim window to play in any regular season games this year. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic adds that Dumais was headed for another surgery this summer, before hitting a positive swing in his training.

Dumais’ hip and abdominal injury put a sore end to a truly fantastic juniors career. He scored at unprecedented rates in four years with the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads, headlined by 109 points in his draft year and 140 points the year after. The latter season broke Halifax’s single-season scoring record, while the former ranks fifth. He was headed for more records at the start of last season, scoring 47 points in 21 games prior to injury –  a full-season pace of 143 points in 64 games. And while he wasn’t able to reach those heights, his 119 goals and 325 points in 193 career games with the Mooseheads still both rank as franchise-records.

Despite the incredible scoring, many aren’t convinced about how Dumais will translate to the pro flight. He’s earned his points through quick dekes and smooth skating, giving him a unique ability to sneak around opponents with the puck on his stick. But he only stands at five-foot-nine and 175-pounds – a frame that assuredly doesn’t lend itself to slick deking against NHL hitters. Fears over his size and projectability landed Dumais in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft, going 96th-overall to Columbus. He vindicated their faith quickly at the juniors level, but has been delayed in doing the same in the pros. This roster move should be the first step towards discovering where Dumais’ true upside lies, so long as he continues to trend towards full health.

Atlantic Notes: Matthews, Senators, Boqvist, Vecvanags

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The Maple Leafs will be without captain Auston Matthews for at least the next two games, mentions Nick Barden of The Hockey News.  The 27-year-old has missed the last two contests due to an upper-body injury that has lingered throughout the season.  When healthy, he has been productive with 11 goals and 12 assists in 24 games although that output is below his usual level.  Head coach Craig Berube did note that Matthews is getting better which is a positive sign although given how long this injury has lingered, it’s fair to suggest that it’s something the center will be dealing with at times throughout the rest of the season.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • Senators winger David Perron (upper body) and defenseman Artem Zub (foot) both skated today as they work their way back from their respective injuries, notes Sportsnet’s Alex Adams (Twitter link). The veterans each last played back on November 23rd when they sustained their respective injuries.  Meanwhile, winger Michael Amadio (head) is expected to be out for a while according to head coach Travis Green.  It’s unlikely that Perron and Zub will be available to return right away given Ottawa’s four recalls earlier today but the fact they’re both skating suggests they’re getting closer to suiting back up.
  • Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist has been cleared to return to the lineup, team reporter Jameson Olive relays (Twitter link). He missed the last three games while being in concussion protocol.  Boqvist is in his first season with Florida and has five goals and six assists through 33 games so far while averaging 13 minutes a night of playing time.  Although he was eligible to be placed on IR during his absence, the team elected not to do so.
  • Canadiens prospect Mikus Vecvanags has signed with QMJHL Acadie-Bathurst, per a team announcement (Twitter link). Montreal selected the netminder in the fifth round (134th overall) back in June.  Vecvanags was selected by the Titan in the CHL Import Draft but elected to start the season with BCHL Brooks but playing time was hard to come by as he got into just five games with the Bandits, posting a 3.18 GAA with a .881 SV%.

Red Wings Notes: Lyon, Husso, Kane, Guimond

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Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon sustained an undisclosed injury during Wednesday’s morning skate and is unavailable tonight against the Flames, Max Bultman of The Athletic reports. Ville Husso was recalled from AHL Grand Rapids and will serve as Cam Talbot’s backup against the latter’s former team.

It’s a tough break for Lyon, who had stopped 49 of 52 shots in his last two outings en route to a pair of wins, a 1.50 GAA and a .942 SV%. The 31-year-old has only made three appearances since the start of November due to a lower-body injury, although it’s unclear if today’s tweak is related to that previous ailment.

Lyon, a pending UFA, has been strong overall in his second season in Hockeytown. The Minnesota native has a 4-4-0 record in eight starts and one relief appearance, adding a .911 SV% and 2.74 GAA with one shutout. He’s saved 2.5 goals above average, up from last year’s 1.1 mark in a career-high 44 games.

Husso, the No. 3 option for Detroit between the pipes, is in the final season of his ill-advised three-year, $14.25MM contract. He’s made two appearances for the Red Wings this season amid lengthy reassignments to Grand Rapids, allowing seven goals on 37 shots for an 0-2-0 record and .811 SV%. Since arriving in Detroit in 2022, he’s posted a 35-29-9 record but has a subpar .893 SV% and -22.1 GSAA. To his credit, the 29-year-old Finn has been exceptional in the minors, logging a .944 SV% and 1.58 GAA in five showings for Grand Rapids.

More from the Red Wings:

  • Right-winger Patrick Kane will miss his second straight game tonight with an upper-body injury, head coach Derek Lalonde told Ansar Khan of MLive.com. It’s been a tough season for the future Hall of Famer, who remains day-to-day and has only three goals and 10 points in 20 outings. With the absences, he’s now on pace for just 12 goals and 40 points, each checking in as career-lows even including shortened seasons. The 36-year-old signed a one-year, $4MM extension with $2.5MM in potential performance bonuses in June.
  • Detroit goalie prospect Rudy Guimond has jumped from the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders to the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats, becoming the latest player to take advantage of the NCAA’s new eligibility rules for major junior players. Guimond was a sixth-round pick of the Red Wings in 2023 and is committed to Yale for the 2025-26 season. It’s been a tough showing for Guimond since he was drafted, logging a porous .871 SV% and 3.53 GAA in 38 USHL games for Cedar Rapids after being selected out of prep school.

Evening Notes: Marchessault, Lambert, Peterka, Puljujarvi

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Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault had his number retired by the QMJHL’s Québec Remparts today, becoming the ninth player in franchise history to receive the honor.

Marchessault, now 33, appeared in 254 games for the Remparts in parts of four seasons from 2007 to 2011. He’s top 10 in franchise history in games played, goals (98, t-ninth), assists (141, sixth), and points (239, eighth). He and Marc-Édouard Vlasic are the only active NHLers to have their numbers retired by the Remparts.

The honor comes just over a year after Marchessault hoisted the Conn Smythe Trophy, helping the Golden Knights to their first championship in franchise history with a league-leading 13 goals and a +17 rating in 22 playoff games. He landed a five-year, $27.5MM deal with Nashville in free agency this summer.

Elsewhere from around the league this evening:

  • A strong showing early on in training camp has Brad Lambert primed to make a real run at starting the regular season as the Jets’ second-line center, writes Sportsnet’s Jacob Stoller. Lambert, 20, was a consensus top-five pick entering his draft year but fell to Winnipeg at 30th overall in 2022 after a disappointing showing. He got fully back on track in his first pro season last year, leading the AHL’s Manitoba Moose in scoring with 55 points (21 G, 34 A) in 64 games. “I think I’ve improved on my attention to detail,” he told Stoller. “Being able to play on the defensive side of the puck, being reliable and being able to react quicker. I’ve tried to evolve every aspect of my game.”
  • Televised hockey is back with the first few preseason games taking place Saturday night. There’s a blowout going on in Buffalo with the Sabres’ mostly NHL roster dressed against some fringe Penguins talent, leading to some wide-open play. Buffalo’s John-Jason Peterka and Pittsburgh’s Jesse Puljujärvi have dueling hat-tricks, marking an especially important early showing for the latter. Puljujärvi, the fourth overall pick in 2016, had just four points in 22 games with Pittsburgh last season and needs a strong preseason showing to avoid landing on waivers.

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