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Summer Synopsis 2025

Summer Synopsis: St. Louis Blues

at CDT | by 3 Comments

With training camps now less than a month away, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason.  Next up is a look at St. Louis.

Last summer, the Blues were relatively quiet early on before striking with a pair of successful offer sheets to bring in a couple of potential core players.  A second-half push helped propel them into the playoffs, and in his final summer at the helm as GM, Doug Armstrong largely elected to keep the status quo with only a few moves of consequence.

Draft

1-19 – F Justin Carbonneau, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
5-147 – F Mikhail Fyodorov, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
6-179 – G Love Harenstam, Skelleftea (Sweden U20)

If this section feels a little light, there’s a good reason for that.  The silver lining for St. Louis is that most of the missing draft picks turned into established players.  The second rounder went in the offer sheet for Philip Broberg after being reacquired from Pittsburgh.  Broberg showed lots of promise in his first full NHL season.  The third rounder went in the offer sheet for Dylan Holloway.  He finished third on the team in scoring.  Even the fourth rounder yielded a roster regular as it went for Alexandre Texier.  His first year wasn’t great, but he still has one more year left on his contract to turn things around.  With the thought that a draft class should ideally yield two NHL players, they already got there before even drafting anyone.  Not too shabby.

Carbonneau was one of the better offensive wingers in this year’s class and isn’t just a one-trick pony as he’s a deft playmaker with an above-average shot.  There was some talk that he might make the jump to college hockey this season, but he decided to return to QMJHL Blainville-Boisbriand, although he notably hasn’t signed his entry-level deal yet, keeping his NCAA options on the table.  Carbonneau is a few years away from being NHL-ready, but he has legitimate top-six upside.  Fyodorov is a late-round project as he finds himself still in the Russian junior ranks, while Harenstam did okay in Sweden’s junior level last season and will now look to make the jump to the second-tier Allsvenskan.  Both players are longer-term development pieces.

Trade Acquisitions

D Logan Mailloux (trade with Montreal)

While there was a lot of trade speculation surrounding the Blues, including one of their top-paid players in Jordan Kyrou, there was only one trade made.  And while the Canadiens were one of the teams believed to be interested in Kyrou, the two sides made a much different deal, one that we don’t see occur too often with the teams swapping fairly recent first-round picks, with St. Louis dealing from their winger surplus to bring in an intriguing blueliner.

Mailloux has played the bulk of his two-year professional career in the minors, where he has been quite productive for a blueliner, recording 80 points in 135 regular-season games.  With five points in eight NHL contests, he has done well in the offensive zone at the top level as well.  There remain questions about his overall defensive game and how he’ll adapt to playing against tougher competition, but Mailloux should be able to be a capable secondary producer from the back end while likely starting in a depth role as he gets his first taste of extended NHL action this season.  The ceiling is enticing, though if he can put everything together.

UFA Signings

F Nick Bjugstad (two years, $3.5MM)
F Milan Lucic (signed to PTO)
F Matt Luff (one year, $775K)*
F Pius Suter (two years, $8.2MM)

*-denotes two-way contract

Shoring up their center depth was the theme of Armstrong’s summer signings.  Suter picked the perfect time for a breakout year last season, really boosting his stock heading into a free agent period that was lacking in terms of impactful middlemen.  After being more of a middle-six player for the first few seasons of his career, Suter was able to produce at a much better rate, earning himself a near-permanent spot in Vancouver’s top six on the heels of a 25-goal, 46-point effort.  While there are some reasonable questions as to whether he can repeat that performance, the Blues aren’t necessarily paying him to be that player.  If he settles in behind Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn and helps anchor the third line while helping out on the penalty kill, he’ll fit in pretty well even if the production reverts closer to the usual high 20-point mark.

Bjugstad is only a year removed from a 45-point effort in Arizona, but he wasn’t able to sustain that production following the move to Utah.  His playing time fell by more than five minutes per game as he was deployed pretty much exclusively in their bottom six.  That’s about the same role he’ll have with St. Louis, but having him as a fourth center is a nice luxury to have, while he could also move up and play alongside Suter on the third line, where the two could only focus on strong-side draws, with their overall faceoff success rate being limited.

Lucic is one of the more intriguing PTO candidates this fall.  Between injuries, charges that were later dropped, and a stint in the Player Assistance Program, he hasn’t played in the better part of two years.  While he’s far from the top-six power forward he was in his prime, he could come in and give St. Louis some extra grit on the fourth line if all goes well, giving them a bit more depth to work with.

RFA Re-Signings

F Nikita Alexandrov (one year, $775K)*
G Joel Hofer (two years, $6.8MM)
D Hunter Skinner (one year, $775K)*
G Vadim Zherenko (one year, $775K)*

*-denotes two-way contract

Despite the lack of prospect pedigree, Hofer is quickly becoming the heir apparent to netminder Jordan Binnington, making him the most important RFA for the Blues this summer. The new two-year pact will run through the 2026-27 season, the same time that Binnington’s six-year, $36MM extension expires.

As Binnington ages the next two years, Hofer should have access to additional playing time. In the past two years, Hofer has achieved a record of 31 wins, 20 losses, and 4 overtime losses in 61 games, with a .909 SV%, a 2.65 GAA, and 11.0 goals saved above average while serving in a backup role.

Outside of Hofer, Alexandrov is the only recent RFA that should feature on the Blues’ roster next season. Throughout the past two years, although he has typically played in the AHL, Alexandrov has scored three goals and nine points in 51 games in a bottom-six role.

Departures

F Corey Andonovski (unsigned)
F Zachary Bolduc (trade with Montreal)
F Tanner Dickinson (signed in Slovakia)
F Radek Faksa (signed with Dallas, three years, $6MM)
D Nick Leddy (waivers, claimed by San Jose)
F Mackenzie MacEachern (signed with Vancouver, two years, $1.55MM)*
D Anton Malmstrom (signed in Sweden)
D Ryan Suter (unsigned)

*-denotes two-way contract

St. Louis didn’t lose too much on the offensive side of the puck this offseason, but the jury is still out on whether they’ll be kicking their butts about trading Bolduc. In their defense, the Blues have sufficient depth in their top six, and prospects like Jimmy Snuggerud and Dalibor Dvorsky are ready to make an impact.

Still, Bolduc is one year removed from a solid sophomore campaign, scoring 19 goals and 36 points in 72 contests, typically situated in a middle-six role. In contrast, Mailloux is the same age as Bolduc, and although it usually takes defensemen longer to develop, he only has eight games of NHL experience.

Outside of Bolduc, the Blues lost solid, albeit replaceable, veterans in Leddy and Faksa. It didn’t take long for the team to replace either, as Leddy’s minutes will be replaced by one of the multiple young defensemen on the roster, while the Blues signed Suter and Bjugstad to balance out their center depth.

Salary Cap Outlook

As things stand, St. Louis projects to have around $625K in cap space to start next season, per PuckPedia.  That doesn’t make for much wiggle room when the minimum salary is $775K.  However, that number does not include potential LTIR flexibility.  After missing all of last season due to an ankle injury, Armstrong noted this offseason that he doesn’t expect Krug to play again, meaning his $6.5MM is eligible to land on LTIR.  The exact amount of cap space that would provide depends on their roster at the time they place him on there, but it’s safe to say they’d be able to use around $6MM of that if they have to go that route.  There’s more wiggle room here than it might appear at first glance.

Key Questions

How Will Snuggerud Fare In His Rookie Season? As one of the more exciting prospects coming up through the Blues’ system, Snuggerud will have every opportunity to make a positive impact on St. Louis this season. Finishing off the 2024-25 campaign, Snuggerud scored one goal and four points in seven contests before matching that total (two goals, two assists) in seven games in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. There were a few instances, especially during the postseason, where Snuggerud’s lack of experience showed. Still, if Snuggerud can match his brief scoring pace from last season, he may compete for the Calder Memorial Trophy by the end of the campaign.

Will The Penalty Kill Improve? Without a doubt, one of the biggest weaknesses for the Blues last year was their penalty kill. St. Louis finished with a 74.35% kill rate, ranking 27th in the NHL, and was the second-lowest among playoff teams. Retaining most of their team from last season, it begs the question of whether the additions of Suter and Bjugstad will be enough to change their fortunes. Suter has maintained an impressive on-ice save percentage throughout his career, while Bjugstad displays his skill in the faceoff dot and with his physicality. Hopefully, for the penalty kill’s sake, the combination of the two can prove beneficial.

PHR’s Brennan McClain also contributed to this post.

Photos courtesy of James Carey Lauder and Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

Summer Synopsis: Tampa Bay Lightning

at CDT | by 3 Comments

With training camps now less than a month away, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason.  Next up is a look at Tampa Bay.

Last summer, the Lightning made a big splash, adding Jake Guentzel while parting ways with longtime franchise icon Steven Stamkos among their series of moves.  This time around, GM Julien BriseBois has been much more tempered with his roster movement, opting to work on the fringes while keeping a key trade deadline acquisition in the fold.

Draft

2-56 – F Ethan Czata, Niagara (OHL)
4-108 – F Benjamin Rautiainen, Tappara (Liiga)
4-127 – F Aiden Foster, Prince George (WHL)
5-151 – D Everett Baldwin, St. George’s (USHS-RI)
7-193 – G Caleb Heil, Madison (USHL)
7-206 – F Roman Luttsev, Yaroslavl (MHL)
7-212 – D Grant Spada, Guelph (OHL)
7-215 – F Marco Mignosa, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

The Lightning managed a surprisingly stout draft class despite little in the way of pick value. Their class is full of interesting skill and projectable upside, housed within a shell of unrefined skills and clear areas for growth. Czata stands as the true playmaker of the bunch and earns the highest pick as a result. He’s a heads-up center who plays the low-zone well on both ends of the ice. He already has the frame and muscle to work his way to a pro build, but will need to compliment it with improved skating before he can boom at the pro level.

The Lightning reeled in a line of upside picks behind the projectable Czata. Rautiainen was in his final year of draft eligibility, but earned a selection after netting an impressive 37 points in 58 Liiga games last season. He’s an upside bet who could translate to North America soon. Foster is the bruiser of the bunch, having already racked up 260 penalty minutes in just two WHL seasons. Baldwin was seen as a true draft gem in NHL circles, with some New England scouts praising him as a second-round talent at his peak. He’s a nifty, fast-moving defender with the ability to drive play and throw big hits – though he hasn’t yet had a chance at the top level. He’ll get his first in a move to the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs this season.

The Bolts had to save their energy for a busy seventh-round. They landed a very well-rounded bunch for their effort. It features the flashy athleticism of goaltender Heil, downhill offense of center Luttsev, heavy hitting of defender Spada, incremental, all-around improvement of Mignosa. All four players show flashes of upside as true NHL hopefuls, even despite having to wait until the final picks to hear their name called.

Trade Acquisitions

F Sam O’Reilly (trade with Edmonton)

After Isaac Howard decided that he didn’t want to sign with the Lightning, he immediately because their top trade chip.  They elected not to move him at the deadline but found a viable one-for-one prospect swap that saw him flipped for another late first-round selection.  O’Reilly isn’t NHL-ready like Howard is but he plays the more premium position as a natural center and produced over a point-per-game in both the regular season and playoffs with OHL London.  Already signed to his entry-level deal, he could be in the mix for NHL ice time as soon as 2026-27.

UFA Signings

F Nicholas Abruzzese (one year, $775K)*
F Tristan Allard (two years, $1.745MM)*
G Ryan Fanti (one year, $775K)*
F Gage Goncalves (two years, $2.4MM)^
F Yanni Gourde (six years, $14MM)^
F Pontus Holmberg (two years, $3.1MM)
F Boris Katchouk (one year, $775K)*
D Simon Lundmark (two years, $1.55MM)*
F Jakob Pelletier (three years, $2.325MM)
F Scott Sabourin (one year, $775K)*
D Steven Santini (two years, $1.55MM)*^

*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing

BriseBois paid a high price to acquire Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand at the trade deadline so it made sense that he’d try to keep Gourde in the fold.  Few expected him to sign a six-year deal at the age of 33, however.  That’s a long contract for someone that age but the trade-off is a cap charge that is well below what he likely would have received in free agency in a market that had few centers of significance.  Gourde is coming off a pretty quiet season by his standards but he was impactful after the trade, notching 14 points in 21 games.  If he comes anywhere close to this, he’s going to be a nice bargain in the early going of this deal and really help bolster their bottom six, an area of need for a while now.

Speaking of bottom-six pickups, both Holmberg and Pelletier qualify.  Holmberg had his first full NHL season last year with Toronto, playing somewhat regularly on their fourth line during the regular season and in the playoffs.  He doesn’t bring a lot of offensive upside to the table but it’s still an improvement on what Tampa Bay’s fourth line provided last season while he could help a bit on the penalty kill as well.  Pelletier cleared waivers to start last season but wound up getting into 49 NHL games between Calgary and Philadelphia.  A 2019 first-round pick, it doesn’t appear as if he’ll be able to live up to his draft billing but he should have a chance to secure a regular spot on that fourth line and, like Holmberg, give it perhaps a bit more offensive upside as well.

Goncalves was able to establish himself as a regular for the most part with the Lightning last season but Tampa Bay wanted nothing to do with arbitration, opting to non-tender him before re-signing him in early July at a price tag higher than what his qualifying offer was.  Last season, he cleared waivers twice.  That’s probably not going to be an option this time around.  Abruzzeze has had some good offensive success in the minors with Toronto but hasn’t had much of an NHL opportunity, allowing him to reach Group Six free agency.  He’ll be in tough to lock down a full-time spot with the Lightning but he could be a good candidate for a midseason recall.

RFA Re-Signings

D Maxwell Crozier (three years, $2.325MM)*
F Jack Finley (three years, $2.325MM)*

*-denotes two-way contract

Most of Tampa Bay’s contract work was done before the summer came along so there wasn’t much to do here.  Crozier and Finley signed identical contracts, deals that will carry a two-way salary this season before converting to one-way pacts for the other two (at rates that will be increased due to the changes to the minimum salary in the CBA).  Crozier could have a shot at earning a seventh defenseman role with the Lightning this season while Finley – who made his NHL debut last season – is ticketed for regular minutes with AHL Syracuse once again.

Departures

D Anthony Angello (unsigned)
F Cam Atkinson (unsigned)
D Derrick Pouliot (signed with Rangers, one year, $775K)*
F Gabriel Fortier (signed with Leksand, SHL)
F Logan Brown (signed with Los Angeles, one year, $775K)*
F Luke Glendening (unsigned)
F Isaac Howard (trade with Edmonton)
D Tobie Paquette-Bisson (signed with Laval, AHL)
D Nicklaus Perbix (signed with Nashville, two years, $5.5MM)
F Conor Sheary (contract termination, signed a PTO with Rangers)
F Simon Ryfors (RFA rights lost, signed with Davos, NL)
G Matt Tomkins (signed with Edmonton, two years, $1.55MM)*

*-denotes two-way contract

Despite a large list of names to leave the organization, the Lightning and GM Julien BriseBois did a good job of not losing anyone of significance. Perbix, 27, is coming off of a nice season to earn a solid two-year deal with the Predators. In 74 games, Perbix put up 19 points while averaging 14:41 of ice time per night. Perhap the biggest departure came in the form of Howard, who never actually suited up in Tampa Bay. Following the trade, the Oilers announced Howard has signed a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in 2025-26.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Lightning are projected to have a little under $1.2MM in cap space for next season, per PuckPedia, and that’s with a 23-player roster.  That’s a luxury they haven’t been able to afford too often in recent years and if they elect not to operate with that to start the season, they could wind up opening up nearly $2MM below the cap ceiling.  That’s a much cleaner spot to be in compared to where they’ve been at times over the last few seasons.

Key Questions

Can Geekie Lock Down A Key Role? One of the wild cards for Tampa Bay this season is forward Conor Geekie.  A key piece of the return in the trade that saw defenseman Mikhail Sergachev go to Utah at the draft last year, the 2022 11th overall pick broke camp with the Lightning last year but played a relatively minor role overall, only playing more than 15 minutes in four of his 52 games while only collecting 14 points.  In February, the decision was made to let him go to Syracuse and he was much more successful with the Crunch, notching 11 goals and 20 points in 24 games, earning a late-season recall and some playoff time.  If Geekie can truly lock down a full-time spot on the third line, a step forward from him coupled with their bottom-six additions could really help shore up what was one of their biggest weaknesses last season.

Will The Lightning Do Any Early Extensions? Over the years, BriseBois has often elected to sign his pending free agents a year early and avoid any potential distractions of having a player in his walk year.  (Stamkos, their former captain, was a rare notable exception.)  There is a trio of veterans who could be candidates to sign new deals.  Bjorkstrand has reached at least 20 goals in six of the last seven seasons, making him a reliably consistent secondary scoring option that should land more than his current $5.4MM price tag on the open market so working to sign him now makes some sense.  Meanwhile, on the back end, veteran Ryan McDonagh and J.J. Moser are both extension-eligible as well.  McDonagh is unlikely to command the $6.75MM cap cost that he currently has but there is likely mutual interest in seeing him stick around in a mentoring capacity for another year or two.  As for Moser, his first season with the Lightning after coming over in the Sergachev trade was a little quieter than expected but he’s still expected to be a top-four piece for them for the foreseeable future.  If they’re confident he can rebound, looking to sign him now when his value might be a little lower would be a wise move.

Can They Match Last Season’s Offensive Production? The Lightning led the NHL in regular season goals last season (292), good for a 3.56 goals per game. The team is returning its core offensive threats, so can it make another push toward the top of the offensive rankings? The answer likely hinges on whether it can replicate last season’s power play success, when it ranked fifth in the league with a 25.9 percent conversion rate. That efficiency was complemented by impressive even-strength production, as the team finished third in the league in even-strength goals, trailing only the Washington Capitals and, perhaps surprisingly, the Columbus Blue Jackets. If Nikita Kucherov can produce something close to last season’s 121 points, and players like Guentzel, Brandon Hagel, and Brayden Point continue to produce at a point-per-game rate, the Lightning should once again find themselves near the top of the league in goals per game and in a strong position to contend heading into the playoffs.

Photos courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

PHR’s Gabriel Foley and Paul Griser also contributed to this post.

Summer Synopsis: Toronto Maple Leafs

at CDT | by 8 Comments

Now more than a month into the new league year, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective. Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled. Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason. Next up is a look at Toronto.

The Maple Leafs were big spenders at the trade deadline, augmenting their roster for what they hoped would be a long playoff run.  However, they were ousted in the second round by Florida, leading to the resumption of calls to shake things up.  They did just that, parting ways with one of their top players, using those savings to shore up their overall depth in the hopes that this will be the year that they take that next step forward.

Draft

2-64 – F Tinus Luc Koblar, Leksand (Sweden U20)
3-86 – F Tyler Hopkins, Kingston (OHL)
5-137 – F William Belle, U.S. U18 (NTDP)
5-153 – F Harry Nansi, Owen Sound (OHL)
6-185 – D Rylan Fellinger, Flint (OHL)
7-217 – F Matthew Hlacar, Kitchener (OHL)

The Maple Leafs took a unique approach to this year’s draft. They leaned into projectable floors, rather than high ceilings, in what was widely considered a shallow draft class. That approach did elicit some surprise, namely Luc Koblar’s selection at the end of the second-round. The lanky, high-tempo Norwegian was considered a mid-round pick across many public and private draft boards, though many claimed that was due to a lack of attention rather than a lack of skill. He does boast smooth skills in his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame – with capable and quick skating and stickhandling. That foundation, and a snappy ability in the middle lane, could leave Luc Koblar just a few years away from a meaningful pro role. He’ll define his long-term potential with how well he adds a stronger first step, and sharper physical presence.

Toronto curbed a confident reach in the second-round by selecting a scout’s favorite in the third. Hopkins was praised by many for his simple, effective, and imposing drive throughout the Kingston Frontenacs season. He plays heavier than his 6-foot-1, 179-pound frame suggests, and showed a strong ability to keep tempo with smaller and faster linemates. He’ll offer the upside of an all-three-zones, physical presence. The same can be said about Belle and Nansi, the former a high-motor forechecker who began his hockey journey in China; and the latter a growing support winger. Both Fellinger and Hlacar will offer hard-hitting ability to round out a class of unexciting, but seemingly projectable, draft picks.

Trade Acquisitions

F Dakota Joshua (from Vancouver)
F Matias Maccelli (from Utah)
F Nicolas Roy (from Vegas)
D Henry Thrun (from San Jose)

With the understanding that Mitch Marner was likely heading to Vegas one way or the other via either a sign-and-trade or free agency, GM Brad Treliving was at least able to salvage something out of the situation with Roy’s acquisition.  He has reached the 30-point mark in four straight seasons, ranging between 13 and 15 goals in each of them.  More importantly, he’s a natural center, giving them a much-needed option down the middle which should allow them to use Max Domi on the wing, a position he’s better suited to playing.  Between Roy and deadline acquisition Scott Laughton, Toronto’s center group is much deeper than it has been in recent years while giving them a much bigger group of bottom-six middlemen, fitting in with Treliving’s goal of getting the team tougher to play against.

That last bit also helps justify the acquisition of Joshua on a buy-low pickup from Vancouver.  He’s only one year removed from a breakout 18-goal, 32-point campaign but last season was a struggle as he worked his way back from testicular cancer plus some nagging in-season injuries.  If all goes according to plan, he’ll help out their depth scoring and penalty killing.

Treliving also bought low on Maccelli, grabbing him from Utah for a conditional third-round pick.  Last season was a tough one as he slid down the depth chart but two years ago, he was fourth in Calder Trophy voting.  In between those two years, he finished third on the Coyotes in scoring with 57 points.  He has shown legitimate top-six upside early in his career and with Marner gone, they’ll be counting on him to help replace some of the playmaking that they lost.

UFA Signings

F Travis Boyd (one year, $775K)*
F Benoit-Olivier Groulx (two years, $1.55MM)
F Vinni Lettieri (one year, $775K)
D Dakota Mermis (two years, $1.55MM)
F Michael Pezzetta (two years, $1.55MM)

* denotes two-way contract

After making a splash on the open market last summer with some moves on the back end, Toronto’s free agent activity was on the depth front this time around.  Of the above signings, only Pezzetta was on an NHL roster for the entire season and he played in just 25 games.  However, he had been more of a regular on the fourth line with Montreal for the previous three years and has 200 games at the top level under his belt.  He’s someone who will be in a battle for a spot at the back of the NHL roster.

The Group Six UFA market wasn’t particularly strong this year and most players went from being on low-cost two-way contracts to being on low-cost two-way contracts with another organization.  Groulx was one of the exceptions, securing a two-year, one-way agreement with Toronto.  He’s only a year removed from playing in 45 games with Anaheim but he didn’t get a sniff of action at the top level last season, instead playing exclusively with AHL Hartford.  The team is likely eyeing him for depth with the AHL’s Marlies but he could be an under-the-radar add.

Experience is the name of the game with their other pickups.  Boyd has a pair of 30-point-plus seasons in the NHL under his belt in nearly 300 games but has been more of an AHL regular in recent years and is likely ticketed to be a big scorer with the Marlies.  Lettieri was a regular with Boston for a good chunk of the second half of last season which helped earn him a one-way salary but he’s probably heading for the AHL as well.  Mermis was claimed off waivers twice last season although it didn’t help him play much in the NHL as he suited up just four times.  He’ll be among their more experienced recall options in the minors, assuming he gets through waivers unclaimed in training camp.

RFA Re-Signings

F Matthew Knies (six years, $46.5MM)
F Nicholas Robertson (one year, $1.825MM)
D William Villeneuve (one year, $775K)*

* denotes two-way contract

Speculated as a potential offer sheet candidate had he made it to July 1st, the Maple Leafs made sure that Knies didn’t get there, agreeing to terms of this contract not long after the draft.  In his two full NHL seasons, he has worked his way into being a legitimate top-line winger and at 22, there’s still room for optimism that he has another level to get to offensively.  In an ideal world, they would have been able to get him locked up for longer as they ultimately only picked up one extra year of club control with this contract but the price tag to do so would have pushed past the $8MM AAV mark which would have limited their flexibility to add other pieces.  With Auston Matthews still having three years left on his deal, two-thirds of Toronto’s top line will be in place for at least that long.

Robertson came pretty close to going to an arbitration hearing but the two sides were able to get this deal done beforehand.  He put up a career-best 15 goals in 69 games last season despite averaging only 12 minutes a night which helped him nearly double his previous price tag.  Nonetheless, his future with the Maple Leafs still seems a little murky, especially with his trade request from a couple of years ago but this agreement buys both Robertson and the team a little more time to assess his long-term fit.

Departures

F Nicholas Abruzzese (Tampa Bay, one year, $775K)*
F Roni Hirvonen (signed with Karpat, Liiga)
F Pontus Holmberg (Tampa Bay, two years, $3.1MM)
D Mikko Kokkonen (signed with Linkoping, SHL)
F Mitch Marner (trade with Vegas)
D Nicolas Mattinen (signed with Adler, DEL)
G Matt Murray (Seattle, one year, $1MM)
D Topi Niemela (signed with Malmo, SHL)
F Max Pacioretty (unsigned)
F Ryan Reaves (trade with San Jose)
F Alex Steeves (Boston, one year, $850K)
F Ty Voit (contract termination, signed with Utah, ECHL)

* denotes two-way contract

Toronto’s summer was overcast by the departure of star winger Marner, coming off the first 100-point season of his career. He was traded to Vegas after agreeing to a max-term, eight-year extension with the Maple Leafs. The sign-and-trade netted Toronto centerman Nicolas Roy as a consolation, though Marner’s presence will be hard to replace on a night-to-night basis. Luckily, Toronto was able to get through the rest of the off-season without many notable changes to their NHL roster. Holmberg will vacate a hardy role in the team’s bottom-six, after netting 19 points in 68 games last season. Pacioretty also helped filled space on the wings, though he was limited to only 13 points and 37 games on the season by a long-term, lower-body injury. The Leafs also landed a positive return for Reaves, who filled the enforcer role through 35 games last season.

The Leafs otherwise enter the season unscathed, replacing much of their minor-league turnover with an active summer. They will maintain the NHL rights for Hirvonen and Niemela through their move to Finland, opening the door for the club to still bank on the former second and third round picks. Steeves and Abruzesse will look to jump above their AHL roles after sitting near the top of Toronto Marlies scoring over the last few seasons. Meanwhile, Murray will look to continue his return from bilateral hip surgery, after posting an encouraging 10-5-4 record and .934 save percentage in 21 AHL games this season. Murray contributed a 15-9-2 record and .901 save percentage over 28 games, and three seasons, with the Leafs.

Key Extensions

F Steven Lorentz (three years, $4.05MM)
F John Tavares (four years, $17.56MM)

Toronto’s summer kicked off on a high note when former captain Tavares signed a team-friendly extension, with an annual cap hit of just $4.38MM. The deal didn’t change the Leafs’ chances at retaining Marner, but landing Tavares at a salary nearly $7MM cheaper than last year did support the team’s push to sign Knies long-term. Tavares continued to produce at a top-level last season, with 38 goals and 74 points in 75 games. He’ll be a true discount headed into next season, where he’ll chase his 1,200th NHL game (currently at 1,184) and 500th goal (currently at 494).

Lorentz will also stick in Toronto, after playing through his first year with the club last season. He finished the year with 19 points in 80 games, operating out of a fourth-line role. This deal is just the second three-year deal of Lorentz’s career. It’s a nice bode of confidence for a depth, two-way winger who has already won a Stanley Cup with the 2024 Florida Panthers, and a Calder Cup with 2019 Charlotte Checkers. He has 62 points in 310 career NHL games, and hasn’t appeared in the minor-leagues since 2020.

Salary Cap Outlook

After years of operating with often multiple players on LTIR, the Maple Leafs project to have $1.919MM in regular cap space heading into the season, per PuckPedia.  That’s not enough to add anyone of consequence in free agency which is why they’re believed to be shopping some of their extra forwards while also being linked to UFA Jack Roslovic if they can free up the money to sign him.  If that doesn’t come to fruition, they’re at least in a spot where they can afford a couple of injury recalls before needing to rely on emergency cap-exempt ones.  That might not sound like much but that’s a big step up from where they have been.  And if they’re able to stay relatively healthy, Treliving might have a bit of wiggle room to work with at deadline time.

Key Questions

Can The Team Replace Marner’s Production? No matter where you stand on Marner moving on, the Maple Leafs still face the challenge of replacing over 100 points. To offset the loss of not only Marner’s offensive production but also his steady two-way play, Treliving prioritized depth signings over chasing a big-name free agent. However, none of those additions bring proven offensive capabilities at the NHL level. To truly offset Marner’s production, the team will likely look for continued growth from players who were already on the roster. This includes the continued rise of the recently extended Knies, who could continue to grow in his age-23 season. The same expectations could be placed on Robertson, who flashed potential with 15 goals in 69 games last season. Trade acquisitions like Roy and Joshua should also be able to chip in. Either way, it’s going to take a committee approach to replace what Marner provided every night.

Is The Goaltending Strong Enough? Joseph Woll is coming off of a solid season, where he posted a solid .909 save percentage, right in line with his career average of .910. However, he struggled with an .886 save percentage in the playoffs, surrendering 23 goals through seven games. Backup Anthony Stolarz fared better in his seven postseason appearances, posting a .901 save percentage, but it too was a far cry from his robust .926 save percentage through 34 regular season appearances. While the duo found success in the regular season — guiding the team to 108 points and an Atlantic Division title — key questions remain: can they elevate their game in the playoffs, steal a must-win game, or go toe-to-toe with the likes of  Sergei Bobrovsky?

Can This Team End The Streak? When the Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup, Frank and Nancy Sinatra topped the music charts and the Super Bowl hadn’t even been invented. After 57 years without a championship, the question of when the drought will end only grows louder. So, can this roster, as it stands, finally get over the hump? The Leafs certainly appear to have the offensive firepower to contend with the top teams in the league. The team finished seventh in the league in goals for last season, and still have stars like Matthews, Taveres, and William Nylander leading the way. But does the team have the depth, defense, and goaltending needed to truly make a run?

PHR’s Brian La Rose and Paul Griser also contributed to this post.

Summer Synopsis: Utah Mammoth

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Now more than a month into the new league year, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective. Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled. Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason.  Next up is a look at Utah.

Utah’s first season in their new city didn’t see them make the playoffs but they took a big step forward in the standings, getting within seven points of a playoff spot while several of their young players made steps in their development.  Accordingly, GM Bill Armstrong continued to add to his group this summer with an eye on getting the Mammoth to the playoffs in 2025-26 and snapping their five-year drought.

Draft

1-4: F Caleb Desnoyers, Moncton (QMJHL)
2-46: D Max Psenicka, Portland (WHL)
3-78: F Stepan Hoch, Ceske Budejovice (Czechia Extraliga)
4-110: F Yegor Borikov, Dynamo (Russia)
5-142: G Ivan Tkach-Tkachenko, Ufa (Russia)
6-174: D Ludvig Johnson, Zug (Swiss National League)
6-182: D Reko Alanko, Jokerit (Finland)

Desnoyers worked his way up the draft rankings during the season as potential impact centers are hard to come by.  He was one of the top all-around players in this draft class and that defensive awareness looked like it might give him a chance of sticking with the big club at the start of the season.  However, recent wrist surgery that will keep him out for three months will put an end to that.  Desnoyers hasn’t signed his entry-level deal yet which keeps him NCAA-eligible but he’s expected to return to QMJHL Moncton and play a big role once again for the Wildcats.

Psenicka continues Utah’s recent trend of trying to add some size to their system, particularly on the back end.  He split last season between his native Czechia and WHL Portland, not bringing much to the table offensively.  Instead, he profiles as a true stay-at-home physical blueliner, the type of player who might not play big minutes in the NHL but could fill an important checking role on a third pairing for a long time.  Hoch was another big selection from Czechia, bringing Utah some size on the wing this time.  He hovered around the point per game mark in their junior league last season while also getting into 23 games at the Extraliga level.  He’s more of a longer-term project and with another year plus an option left on his contract overseas, he’ll have some time to develop before Utah needs to reassess in a couple of years.

Trade Acquisitions

F JJ Peterka (from Buffalo)

Peterka finished second in scoring for the Sabres last season, but a perceived lack of willingness to remain in Buffalo fueled plenty of trade speculation, which came to a head a little before the draft when the trade was made.  His 68 points also would have been second in Utah scoring and at 23, there’s reason to hope that he still has another gear to get to offensively.  After going and making a big splash to shore up the back end at the draft last offseason when they acquired Mikhail Sergachev, Armstrong basically did the same thing up front.  The Mammoth now have Peterka in his prime years and he should be a strong boost offensively to a team that finished 20th in goals scored last season.

UFA Signings

F Michael Carcone (one year, $775K)^
F Cameron Hebig (two years, $1.55MM)*^
D Scott Perunovich (one year, $775K)*
D Nate Schmidt (three years, $10.5MM)
F Brandon Tanev (three years, $7.5MM)
G Vitek Vanecek (one year, $1.5MM)
F Kailer Yamamoto (one year, $775K)*^

* denotes two-way contract
^ denotes re-signing

Beyond Peterka, most of Utah’s offseason activity revolved around improving their depth.  Tanev has had a solid run in recent years of being a physical bottom-six winger who can kill penalties and chip in a bit offensively and his addition should give the Mammoth some grit in their forward group which is something they could benefit from.  Carcone wasn’t planning to return to Utah next season, even going as far as saying so after the year.  However, no other offers to his liking materialized on the open market, resulting in the two sides reuniting.  He’s likely to hold the same depth role he had last season although he’s only a year removed from that improbable 21-goal campaign.

On the back end, Schmidt comes over from Florida after his one-year pact with them following his buyout from Winnipeg went about as well as possible.  He showed that he can still be a quality contributor on the third pairing and he should be in a spot to play a similar role in Utah.  Perunovich was once a touted prospect with offensive upside but has struggled to stay healthy and hasn’t been as productive as expected when he has played.  After splitting last season between the Blues and Islanders, he’ll be hoping to land a spot at the back of the roster but starting the season in the minors with the Roadrunners is a real possibility.

Vanecek is coming off a year that didn’t go so well for him.  He struggled in limited action with the Sharks before Florida brought him in at the trade deadline after moving Spencer Knight to Chicago as part of the Seth Jones trade.  Vanecek was only a little better with the Panthers but he was able to secure this contract as some insurance with, at the time, some uncertainty about Connor Ingram who was in the Player Assistance Program before being cleared earlier this week.  He’ll battle Ingram for the backup spot behind Karel Vejmelka.

RFA Re-Signings

F Jack McBain (five years, $21.25MM)
D Montana Onyebuchi (two years, $1.55MM)*
F JJ Peterka (five years, $38.5MM)

Peterka was signed as soon as he was acquired but interestingly enough, he signed a deal that bought Utah just one more season of club control than what they would have had if they went year-to-year with him.  Evidently, the price tag for tacking on more UFA years was higher than what Armstrong wanted to pay.  It does, however, set Peterka up to reach unrestricted free agency at 28 where he’ll be in good shape for a max-term deal at that time if he wants one.

McBain has been rather consistent in production over his first three full NHL seasons, ranging from a low of 26 points to a high of 27, that coming last season.  One of the most physical players in the league, he also made some strides at the faceoff dot last season and could be their checking center for the foreseeable future.  This price tag is a little high now given his production but as the salary cap continues to go up quickly, it should hold up fine.

Departures

F Travis Barron (unsigned)
F Nick Bjugstad (signed with Blues)
D Robert Bortuzzo (unsigned)
F Josh Doan (trade with Sabres)
D Michael Kesselring (trade with Sabres)
F Justin Kipkie (unsigned)
F Matias Maccelli (trade with Maple Leafs)
F Egor Sokolov (signed with CSKA Moscow, KHL)

Kesselring was the headliner in the package going to Buffalo for Peterka.  The 25-year-old took a step forward in his development last season while chipping in with 29 points.  Knowing that right-shot defensemen are always in high demand, Utah was able to sell high on him and could do so knowing that Sean Durzi and John Marino are still around.  Doan was the other part of that trade and has shown some upside over his first two professional seasons but hasn’t been able to establish himself as a full-time NHL player just yet.  With the strength of their prospect pool, he was someone who was relatively safe to move, especially getting a player like Peterka in return.

With Peterka coming in, Maccelli’s lineup spot was even more tenuous than it was last year when he slid down the depth chart and even spent a bit of time as a healthy scratch.  Considering that he had seasons of 57 and 49 points the previous two campaigns, they certainly sold low on him, only managing a third-round pick that could elevate to a second rounder depending on his production.  Bjugstad had a great first full year with then-Arizona in 2023-24, coming close to his personal best in points.  However, injuries and ineffectiveness limited him to just 19 points in 66 games a year ago and with the club having surplus center depth already, they didn’t need to go outside the organization to replace him either.  Bortuzzo, meanwhile, was limited to just 17 games last season largely due to injury and his ice time was minimal when he was in the lineup.  At 36, he might have to settle for a PTO heading into training camps next month.

Salary Cap Outlook

Utah was able to quietly offload Shea Weber’s contract at the trade deadline and in doing so, that allowed them to stay below the cap even with the additions of Peterka, Schmidt, and Tanev.  As things stand, they’re set to enter the season with a little under $6.7MM in cap space, per PuckPedia.  That gives them more than enough flexibility to add another piece now should one become available or bank enough in-season flexibility to be able to make a big splash or two at the trade deadline if they find themselves in the playoff hunt.

Key Questions

Will Cooley Sign Now? Young center Logan Cooley is entering the final season of his three-year, entry-level contract which makes him eligible to sign an extension.  We’ve seen several young players quickly sign long-term deals but he hasn’t done so just yet.  Cooley is coming off a strong sophomore season that saw him record 25 goals and 40 assists, finishing second to Clayton Keller in team scoring.  We’ve seen the market for post-entry-level top young centers hover around the $8MM mark in recent seasons which would seemingly serve as a realistic starting point in negotiations.  However, another jump offensively for Cooley could elevate him to an even higher asking price, especially in the context of the $8.5MM cap increase next summer.  Accordingly, some have wondered if he might be better off waiting but given Armstrong’s penchant for trying to sign players quickly, expect them to take a real run at getting something done in the coming weeks if they haven’t already done so.

Can Crouse Rebound? Winger Lawson Crouse signed a deal very similar to McBain’s three years ago with the expectation being that he had gotten to another level offensively.  That held true for the first two seasons of the contract but things fell off a cliff last year.  After putting up 23 goals in 2023-24, Crouse had just 19 points last season despite playing in 81 games.  At his best, he’s a legitimate top-six power forward but that was rarely the case last season.  He’s not in a position of being at risk of slipping out of the lineup altogether like Maccelli briefly was last season but if he can’t get back to form in the first half of the season, expect his name to come up in trade speculation leading into the trade deadline.

Will The Young Russians Make An Impact? In recent years, there haven’t been as many Russian players going early in the draft.  However, in 2023, the Coyotes (before their move to Utah) bucked the trend, selecting defenseman Dmitri Simashev and winger Daniil But with lottery selections, going sixth and twelfth, respectively.  Both players spent the last two seasons as teammates with KHL Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and have now signed their entry-level contracts to start their time in North America.  Both prospects are raw but could plausibly play themselves into NHL action at some point this season, particularly Simashev.  Getting quality NHL contributions at some point from them would certainly give them a boost and show that more pieces of their long-term plan are in place.

PHR’s Gabriel Foley also contributed to this post.

Photos courtesy of Nick Turchiaro and Rob Gray-Imagn Images.

Summer Synopsis: Vancouver Canucks

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Now more than a month into the new league year, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective. Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled. Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason.  Next up is a look at Vancouver.

With the Canucks operating as both buyers and sellers last season despite not being a playoff team, it signaled which way they planned to approach the offseason.  After failing to reach an agreement with Rick Tocchet on a contract extension, the team decided to make a coaching change, appointing assistant Adam Foote as the new head coach. A significant portion of their offseason focus has been on retaining as much of their core group as possible.  GM Patrik Allvin feels that Vancouver’s underachieving in 2024-25 is not a sign of things to come.

Draft

1-15: F Braeden Cootes, Seattle (WHL)
2-47: G Alexei Medvedev, London (OHL)
3-65: F Kieren Dervin, St. Andrew’s College (Ontario High School)
5-143: F Wilson Bjorck, Djurgardens (Sweden U20)
6-175: F Gabriel Chiarot, Brampton (OHL)
7-207: F Matthew Lansing, Fargo/Waterloo (USHL)

Vancouver seemed to get all they could have wanted out of the 2025 NHL Draft. In a decisive move, the team addressed clear system weaknesses and shallow depth charts while balancing risky upside with projectable foundations. Cootes won’t have to travel far after spending the season dominating play in the middle lane of the ice for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. He brings a mix of high-pace playmaking, two-way reliability, and physical strength that Vancouver seems to be sorely missing. Those attributes led Cootes to a team-leading 71 points in 66 total games this season. He is expected to return to the Thunderbirds next season. That should provide the perfect setting for Cootes to become quicker, stronger, and more independent on the puck – all traits that should smoothly ramp him into Vancouver’s lineup in just a few years.

The Canucks backed a smart first pick with a line of upside bets. Medvedev proved to be one of the most consistent goalies in the OHL on a game-by-game and period-by-period basis in his rookie season. He recorded a fantastic 22-8-2 record and .912 save percentage in 34 games of backing a star-studded London Knights roster. He started the majority of London’s regular-season games, but was ultimately usurped in the postseason run to the OHL Championship and Memorial Cup by  21-year-old Austin Elliott. Elliott aged out of the CHL this summer, providing Medvedev a golden carpet to prove he can continue to perform at a top level.

Vancouver finds similar upside in Dervin, who only played in 10 OHL games this season, but looked confident and driven in every single one. He’s a high school star who led St. Andrew’s College with 79 points in 50 AAA games this season, but managed just three points with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs. He’s a bet on athleticism, confidence, and instinct, but one that Vancouver balances with the diligent two-way play of Bjorck. Bjorck demonstrated a strong ability to make plays in both slots last season and will be heading to Colorado College, where he is likely to continue focusing on responsible, gritty hockey. The Canucks find a similar balance in the mix of goal-scorer Chiarot and high-skill passer Lansing to round out their class.

Trade Acquisitions

F Evander Kane (from Edmonton)
F Ilya Safonov (from Chicago)
F Chase Stillman (from Pittsburgh)

Amid a summer with minimal new additions, Vancouver found a way to land a potential top-six winger on the trade market. They acquired Kane from the Oilers for a fourth-round draft pick. The 34-year-old winger missed the entire 2024-25 regular season due to abdominal and knee surgery, but returned for 12 points in 21 postseason games. That scoring pace would have put Kane on track for 41 points across 82 games, well in line with his performance over the last few seasons. He’s routinely challenged the 20-goal and 40-point marks, even while missing extended time to injury and personal incidents. While age will be a concern, landing Kane’s routine scoring output could be a major boost to the middle of Vancouver’s lineup.

Vancouver also landed the rights to two intriguing prospects in Safonov and Stillman. The former has spent the last four seasons in a locked-in role with the KHL’s Kazan Ak-Bars, and scored an encouraging 22 points in 51 games this season. He’s a 6-foot-5 center who makes his mark by dominating space close to the net. In contrast, Stillman is a versatile center who operates well in all three zones. He can make important plays, but is still searching for his offensive spark in the minor leagues. He’ll likely head to the Abbotsford Canucks with hopes of winning Sammy Blais’ vacated role, while Safonov has yet to be convinced to move over from Russia.

UFA Signings

D Derek Forbort (one year, $2MM)^
D Guillaume Brisebois (one year, $775K)*^
F Brock Boeser (seven years, $50.75MM)^
D Jimmy Schuldt (two years, $1.55MM)*
F Joseph Labate (one year, $775K)*
F MacKenzie MacEachern (two years, $1.55MM)*
D Pierre-Olivier Joseph (one-year, $775K)

* denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing

Given that Allvin publicly expressed disappointment over the low-quality trade offers for Boeser at the deadline and noted the absence of negotiations for a new contract between that time and the draft, it was widely anticipated that Boeser would enter the open market and likely move on to another team. This expectation was further heightened by the fact that he was one of the key players in a free-agent class that had significantly weakened in the days leading up to July 1st.  However, not long before free agency officially opened, the two sides took one last run at getting something done and worked this deal out, one that might have been a bit under market value given what Nikolaj Ehlers went for.  Boeser might not be the 70-plus-point player he was in 2023-24 regularly, but he’s a reliable secondary scorer, and he’d have been hard to replace had he gone elsewhere.

Their next-biggest signing was also a re-signing of Forbort.  Although he missed some time due to injuries and an illness, he consistently delivered solid performances as a third-pairing defenseman when he was in the lineup. This reliability earned him a new contract at a slight increase from last season, likely allowing him to anchor the third pairing once again.  Joseph comes over after splitting last season between St. Louis and Pittsburgh, where he failed to gain a foothold with either squad.  But with a track record spanning nearly 200 games, he’ll likely have the leg up on the seventh defenseman spot ahead of Brisebois.

RFA Re-Signings

F Aatu Raty (two years, $1.55MM)
F Arshdeep Bains (two years, $1.55MM)
F Max Sasson (one year, $775K)
D Jett Woo (one year, $775K)*
G Nikita Tolopilo (two years, $1.55MM)*
F Vitali Kravtsov (one year, $775K)*

* denotes two-way contract

Vancouver’s RFA re-signings this summer revolved around potential role players.  Raty did well in limited minutes in 33 games last season and is now waiver-eligible for the first time, giving him a leg up in the battle for the final few spots on the forward depth chart.  Sasson made his NHL debut last season, playing 29 games where he fit well on the fourth line, which earned him a one-way contract.  He’ll likely battle with Bains (who was recalled eight separate times last season) to try to land a spot on the opening roster.

The biggest wild card from this group is the one who most recently signed, that being Kravtsov.  The 26-year-old last played in the NHL during the 2022-23 season with the Vancouver Canucks, where he underperformed after being traded from the New York Rangers. He then returned to his home country and played in the KHL for two years with Traktor Chelyabinsk. During his time there, he saw a resurgence in his offensive performance, finishing as one of the top scorers in the league last season with 58 points in 66 games.  Will that be enough to earn him a spot or a flyer as a waiver claim in training camp?  While it’s not a big story, it will be an intriguing subplot to follow.  Kravtsov will need to play in 16 NHL games this season to remain RFA-eligible.  Otherwise, he’ll be a Group Six unrestricted free agent.

Key Extensions

F Conor Garland (six years, $36MM)
G Thatcher Demko (three years, $25.5MM)

The Canucks wasted little time getting these two signed, as both deals were inked on the opening day of free agency.  Garland’s had been leaked a few days prior, and it’s an agreement that should finally put an end to the on-and-off speculation about his future with the franchise, something that had gone back multiple seasons.  Garland has ranged between 46 and 52 points over the last four seasons, becoming a reliable producer of secondary scoring.  The deal is an indicator of where Vancouver expects the secondary winger market to go, and if he stays in this point range for the foreseeable future, they’ll have him locked in at a reasonable cost.

Demko’s deal is a much riskier bet.  Several top starters have surpassed the $8MM mark on their most recent contracts, and when you look at Demko’s overall track record, he certainly belongs in that category. Last season was difficult for him as he recovered from a knee injury, then suffered a back injury, followed by a lower-body issue.  In between, his numbers were slightly below league average.  The Canucks believe that last year’s performance was an outlier and that he will soon return to form. Once this deal is finalized, they will have one of the most expensive goalie tandems in the league, featuring him and Kevin Lankinen.

Departures

F Lucas Forsell (unsigned)
D Christian Felton (unsigned)
D Cole McWard (signed with Islanders)
F Tristen Nielsen (signed with AHL Colorado)
F Ty Glover (unsigned)
F Akito Hirose (unsigned)
D Christian Wolanin (unsigned)
F Nate Smith (unsigned)
D Noah Juulsen (signed with Flyers)
F Phillip Di Giuseppe (signed with Jets)
F Pius Suter (signed with Blues)
G Arturs Silovs (trade with Penguins)
F Dakota Joshua (trade with Maple Leafs)

Although the Canucks didn’t stand to lose much this offseason in free agency, the departure of Suter could prove to be a crippling one. It was already well known that the Canucks were looking to address their depth at the center position, especially after moving J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers last season. Suter left for the Blues, signing a two-year, $8.25MM contract, which is something that Vancouver shouldn’t have had any issues matching. Given that assumption, it stands to reason that Suter was simply uninterested in continuing his career in British Columbia.

Assuming Chytil stays healthy and performs up to his standards, the Canucks will have a significant drop-off in center depth beyond him. Raty has earned the opportunity for more minutes at the NHL level, though it’s difficult to imagine him as a consistent third-line center on a playoff-caliber team. The same can be said about Blueger, despite him being an established NHL player at this point in his career.

Meanwhile, Silovs could become a significant subtraction, though he hasn’t shown much staying power in the NHL. Still, it’s difficult to overlook his AHL performance in last year’s Calder Cup playoffs, as Silovs managed a 16-7-0 record in 24 games with a .931 SV% and 2.01 GAA en route to a Calder Cup championship.

Salary Cap Outlook

The recent decision by Joshua accounts for all of the $3.27MM in cap space available, according to PuckPedia.  That gives them flexibility to try to add another piece closer to training camp or a chance to bank some extra room early in the season.  The Canucks often make moves earlier than other teams, and if they can stay injury-free, they are well-positioned to do so.

Key Questions

Will Pettersson Bounce Back? The Canucks’ competitiveness largely depends on Elias Pettersson returning to form. Yes, they have arguably the best defenseman in the league aside from Cale Makar (and sometimes better), but Vancouver won’t truly be considered a contender without a top-line forward. The drama between Pettersson and Miller has been well-discussed throughout the NHL world, and has seemingly passed with the former’s trade to the Rangers last season. Still, Pettersson didn’t significantly improve after Miller’s departure, and it remains to be seen if he can cross the 100-point plateau as he did two years ago. If he can, the Canucks will have a real opportunity to reach and even excel in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. Unfortunately, if he doesn’t, it’s difficult to see them making any noise in the playoffs, let alone reaching.

Will Demko Rebound? Despite signing a multi-year extension with Vancouver, Demko has a lot to prove with the Canucks this season. Injuries limited him to 23 games during the 2024-25 campaign, and Lankinen proved he could handle starting minutes. Still, Demko is only a year removed from finishing second in Vezina Trophy voting, and Vancouver would be in a much better position in the standings had they gotten that kind of goaltending last year. If the Canucks can get a rebound season from Pettersson, a return to form for Demko, and a healthy year from Hughes, Vancouver could be a decent bet to return to the postseason.

PHR’s Brian La Rose also contributed to this post.

PHR’s Brennan McClain also contributed to this post. 

Photo courtesy of James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images (Boeser)

Photo courtesy of Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images (Pettersson)

Summer Synopsis: Vegas Golden Knights

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Now more than a month into the new league year, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason. Today, we’ll take a look at Vegas.

The Golden Knights enjoyed a strong regular season last year, posting 50 wins en route to a Pacific Division title. They carried that momentum into the playoffs with a decisive first-round victory over the Minnesota Wild. However, their postseason run came to an abrupt end in the second round, where they fell to the Edmonton Oilers in just five games.

Not content with regular-season accolades or modest postseason success, the Golden Knights were aggressive to start the offseason, pulling off arguably the biggest acquisition by locking up star forward Mitch Marner. General Manager Kelly McCrimmon also made several depth moves to fortify the lineup, and on paper, Vegas appears poised to contend for the Stanley Cup once again.

Draft

2-55 – F Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, Luleå HF (Sweden J20)
3-85 – F Mateo Nobert, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
6-186 – F Alexander Weiermair, Portland (WHL)
6-187 – D Gustav Sjoqvist, AIK (HockeyAllsvenskan)

One common downside for Stanley Cup contenders is a depleted prospect pool, often the result of trading away draft picks in pursuit of immediate success. That was the case for the Golden Knights at last month’s draft, where they lacked a first-round pick and made just four selections overall.

They made the most of the situation, starting with the section of Ihs-Wozniak, a forward with high offensive upside. He produced 57 points in 40 games during the 2024-25 season with Luleå HF J20, but truly showcased his talents on the international stage. At the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he helped Sweden to a bronze medal while tying for the tournament high of four goals. He then helped Sweden to a silver medal in the 2025 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, where he recorded seven points in seven games.

Nobert, 17, produced 67 points in 57 games for Blainville-Boisbriand in the Q, finishing fourth on the team in scoring. Known for his playmaking abilities, the Quebec native took his game to another level last season, nearly tripling his production from the year before. His continued development will be something Golden Knights fans can watch and look forward to.

Trade Acquisitions

F Mitch Marner (from Toronto)
F Colton Sissons and D Jeremy Lauzon (from Nashville)

Arguably, the biggest move of the offseason was Vegas acquiring Marner from the Maple Leafs with a sign-and-trade, resulting in an eight-year, $96MM deal ($12MM AAV). Joining a star-studded group that already features Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Shea Theodore, the move signals that the franchise is all in with their efforts to secure another Stanley Cup. While things ended unceremoniously for Marner in Toronto, he has done nothing but produce in his time in the league. Since debuting for the Maple Leafs in the 2016-17 season, Marner has scored 221 goals and 741 points in 657 games, averaging 20:03 of ice time per night. That production was no different last year, as Marner, 28, produced 102 points in 81 games. He added 13 points in 13 playoff contests. The Golden Knights finished the 2024-25 campaign with the fifth-best goals scored average (3.34), third-best goals against average (2.61), second-best powerplay (28.34%), and the 13th-best shooting percentage (11.0%), and those numbers should only improve with Marner in the mix.

Perhaps lost in the shuffle of the Marner deal, adding Sissons and Lauzon as part of the deal that sent Nicolas Hague to Nashville provides Vegas with solid veteran experience and productivity.

UFA Signings

F Tuomas Uronen (three years, $852.5K)*
F Reilly Smith (one year, $2MM)^
F Brandon Saad (one year, $2MM)^
D Dylan Coghlan (one year, $775K)
D Jaycob Megna (two years, $800K)
F Cole Reinhardt (two years, $812.5K)

*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing

The Golden Knights got to work before July 1, locking up veteran forwards like Smith and Saad before they could test free agency. Smith returned to Vegas following a mid-season trade with the Rangers, recording 11 points in 21 games. Now 34, his best seasons came during his first stint with the Golden Knights, and he remains a reliable depth option who can still contribute in the top six when needed. Saad, 32, produced 13 goals and 30 points last season, split between Vegas and St. Louis. Like Smith, Saad was dealt to Vegas mid-season and made a strong enough impression that McCrimmon re-signed him before he could reach free agency. The two-time cup champion with Chicago offers quality depth in the bottom six.

The remaining signings add organizational depth. The team announced the deals for Coghlan, Megna, and Reinhardt simultaneously on July 1. While each player received a one-way contract, a spot on the opening night roster is far from guaranteed.

Uronen, who was signed to an entry-level deal back on May 20, offers intriguing upside. Vegas selected Uronen with the 192nd pick of the 2023 NHL Draft. At the time, he was playing for HIFK’s U20 program, but he quickly transferred to the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s after being drafted. A native of Finland, Uronen showcased his offensive abilities last season with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, posting 38 goals and 90 points in 63 games. Internationally, Uronen scored two goals and three points in seven games for Team Finland during the 2024-25 U20 World Junior Championship.

RFA Re-Signings

F Raphael Lavoie (one year, $775K)*
F Jonas Rondbjerg (one year, $775K)*
F Cole Schwindt (one year, $825K)
D Lukas Cormier (one year, $775K)*

Lavoie had an interesting path last season and will no doubt hope for more stability for the 2025-26 year. Last season, he was waived by Edmonton, claimed by Vegas, waived by Vegas, re-claimed by Edmonton, waived again by Edmonton, and finally re-claimed by Vegas before being sent directly to AHL Henderson in a matter of days last October. Injuries limited Lavoie’s effectiveness somewhat in 2024-25, but he still put together a decent 17-10–27 scoring line in 42 games on an underwhelming Henderson squad. When healthy, the 6’4″ winger can provide key organizational depth and quality scoring possibilities. He potted 28 goals and 50 points in 66 games for AHL Bakersfield in 2023-24.

Rondbjerg, a Golden Knights draft pick in the third round of their inaugural 2017 class, has topped out as a serviceable fringe NHL forward, recording 10 points in 76 games for the Knights over the past four years. Schwindt, perhaps the likeliest of the group to make an impact in Vegas next season, appeared in 42 games last season with Vegas after being claimed off waivers from the Flames during training camp last year. In that time, he produced eight points in a bottom-six role but did provide quality defense and holds a career 51 percent win rate in the faceoff circle. Meanwhile, Cormier will look to get back on track after an injury detailed his 2024-25 season.

Key Extensions

D Kaedan Korczak (four years, $3.25MM)

On the second day of free agency, Vegas locked up one of their own blueliners long-term, giving Korczak a four-year, $13MM contract extension. Despite having just one career goal in 77 games, Korczak clearly earned the confidence of the organization last season, which served as his first full year at the NHL level. He was often a healthy scratch over the course of the season, but still managed to record 10 assists, one penalty, and a plus-15 across 40 games. He added 59 hits and 40 blocked shots while averaging 15:04 of ice time per night. With the loss of Hague and the presumed retirement of Alex Pietrangelo, Vegas may have felt it was key to extend Korczak.

Departures

D Nicolas Hague (trade with Nashville)
F Tanner Pearson (Winnipeg, one-year, $1MM)
F Nicolas Roy (trade with Toronto)

The Golden Knights sit with a heap of unsigned free agents, including goaltender Ilya Samsonov and winger Victor Olofsson. That group is unlikely to re-sign with a cap-strapped Vegas lineup, but the Golden Knights will still leave the summer with minimal exits. Hague stands as the biggest subtraction in size and lineup role – vacating an impactful, third-pair role for a surprisingly rich extension with the Predators. He has posted 12 points and a negative plus-minus in each of the last two seasons, but led Vegas’ blue-line in hits-per-game in both seasons. The Golden Knights will lose similar physical prowess in Pearson and Roy – two depth forwards who both managed encouraging scoring from routine roles in the bottom. Roy finished the year with 15 goals and 31 points, while Pearson scored 12 goals and 27 points. Vegas will need to find internal replacements for all three players, and may be hobbled by their departure – but nonetheless found a way to add more talent than they lost this summer.

Salary Cap Outlook

A summer of strategic spending hasn’t yet come to fruition for the Golden Knights. They currently sit $7.64MM over the cap ceiling, per PuckPedia. Placing top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injured reserve will give the team just over $1MM in available cap space, though they’ll likely settle square-even with the cap floor after re-signing RFA Alex Holtz. It will be another season of cap gymnastics for the Golden Knights. Luckily, that’s a game they’re plenty experienced with by this point.

Key Questions

How Will Marner Look Outside of Toronto? The brightest spotlight in the league will be trained on Marner as he pursues his first season with the Golden Knights. The 28-year-old winger had a career-year last season, crossing the century mark for the first time with 102 points in 81 games. He’s paced for at least 100 points in each of the last four seasons, but often missed a handful of games for one reason or another. Still, that will be an incredible talent to join a Golden Knights offense already featuring Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. While he’s already played next to some of the best in the world, Marner could find the best setting of his career on Vegas’ top-line. If he does, the Golden Knights could find the X-factor they need to will to another Stanley Cup. If not, they’ll be strapped with a contract that pushes them against the cap ceiling, and a winger who commands attention in roster construction.

What’s Next For Pavel Dorofeyev? The Pavel Dorofeyev breakout was long-coming, and Golden Knights fans finally saw the payoff when the Russian winger chased a massive 35 goals and 52 points last season. The 24-year-old will enter the 2025-26 season with a strong argument for routine top-six minutes, and seemingly plenty of ramp to one-up on his hot-shooting season last year. Dorofeyev recorded a 13.8 shooting percentage last season, well within range of the 13.4 shooting percentage he posted in 47 games in the 2023-24 season. That could shed positive light on his chances to repeat his lofty goal total, especially as Vegas’ offense continues to load up. Dorofeyev is still due for a new contract next summer. It will be the deal that carries him through his prime years, and a price tag set by how well he’s able to maintain his performances this season.

Who Will Emerge As The Top Right-Defender? Vegas has suffered one major blow this summer. Pietrangelo will miss the entirety of the season, leaving the team without a clear-cut, top-pair right-defender. They’re loaded up on the left-side, with Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin vying for top minutes and Jeremy Lauzon and Zach Whitecloud sparring for the rest. But opposite of them, it seems Zach Whitecloud – who scored just 13 points and averaged 17:31 in ice time last season – sits as the most poised for hefty minutes. He’ll compete with Kaedan Korczak, who just cracked into the lineup last year, and Dylan Coghlan from the minor leagues. But in the end, Vegas could opt to play Hanifin on his off-hand side over all three options. Hanifin finished last season with 10 goals and 39 points in 80 games – six more goals and points than Pietrangelo. Next to the shifty Theodore, the consequences of playing on his backhand could be mitigated. That will be the test Vegas faces, as they tweak the bolts of the defense behind a loaded offense.

Photo courtesy of Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports and Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports.

Summer Synopsis: Washington Capitals

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Now more than a month into the new league year, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason.  We begin with a look at Washington.

Although they were unable to secure the second Stanley Cup in franchise history, the 2024-25 campaign was a monumental one for the Washington Capitals. Thanks in part to a loaded defensive core and standout goaltending, the Capitals surprisingly finished as the top team in the Eastern Conference, one year after qualifying for the postseason due to a tiebreaker. Outside of their play on the ice, team icon Alex Ovechkin broke the all-time goal record, surpassing Wayne Gretzky against the New York Islanders on April 6th. Still, after an offseason of little changes, will the Capitals be able to repeat their dominance?

Draft

1-27 – F Lynden Lakovic, Moose Jaw (WHL)
2-37 – F Milton Gästrin, MoDO (Sweden U20)
3-96 – F Maxim Schäfer, Berlin (DEL)
5-155 – F  Jackson Crowder, Chicago (USHL)
6-180 – D Aron Dahlqvist, Brynäs IF (Sweden U20)

Despite having fewer selections than normal and choosing toward the end of each round, given their finish in the standings, the Capitals did fairly well in the 2025 NHL Draft. Their success in the draft is weighed heavily by Lakovic, whom the team selected toward the end of the first round.

Lakovic was projected to be a mid-first-round talent, but fell approximately 10 spots to Washington. The Kelowna, British Columbia native recently completed his second season with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors, scoring 27 goals and 58 points in 47 games with a -25 rating. He’s a big winger with a powerful shot and good puck-handling skills. He has some deficiencies to sort out on the defensive side of the puck, though much of that comes through on-ice maturity, especially for wingers.

Other than that, the pair of Gästrin and Schäfer could see NHL playing time at some point in the foreseeable future, but they aren’t expected to turn into much. The former is coming off a solid year with MoDo Hockey’s U20 team, scoring 18 goals and 42 points in 40 games with a +6 rating. Still, a more accurate projection will be available next offseason, once he’s completed his first year in the SHL.

Trade Acquisitions

D Declan Chisholm (from Minnesota)

Unlike last offseason, the Capitals made very few trades this offseason. The only trade they made was with the Minnesota Wild, acquiring Chisholm and a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for Priskie (who has since signed with the KHL’s Sibir Novosibirsk) and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

Chisholm won’t get much playing time with the Capitals, unless injuries start to mount, since he was largely acquired to replace Alexeyev, who signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Still, Chisholm is coming off the best season of his brief NHL career (for his standards), scoring two goals and 12 points in 66 games for the Wild last season with a -5 rating, while averaging approximately 17 minutes of ice time per game.

UFA Signings

D Louis Belpedio (two years, $1.55MM)*
F Anthony Beauvillier (two years, $5.5MM)^
F Graeme Clarke (one year, $775K)*
F Sheldon Rempal (one year, $775K)*
D Calle Rosen (one year, $775K)*

*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing

Like their effort in the trade market, the Capitals also did very little on the free agent market. Their biggest free agent signing was a re-sign, as they brought back Beauvillier on a two-year deal after a solid performance after the trade deadline. Washington acquired Beauvillier from the Penguins for a 2025 second-round pick, and he rewarded them with two goals and five points in 18 games down the stretch. He was a bigger factor in the postseason, scoring two goals and six points in 10 games.

In a less headline-worthy deal, the Capitals brought former Vegas Golden Knight winger, Rempal, back to North America on a two-way contract. Rempal was never a notable player during his time in Nevada, but he could prove to be a quality depth option in Washington. He had an impressive year with the KHL’s Salavat Yulaev Ufa, scoring 31 goals and totaling 61 points in 68 games, along with a +7 rating. He also added eight goals and 21 points in 19 postseason contests.

Even though they didn’t win the sweepstakes, it’s important to note that the Capitals were among the finalists for Nikolaj Ehlers’ services before he ultimately signed with the Carolina Hurricanes. If Washington were willing to procure a player of Ehlers’ talent, it could be something to watch out for during the 2025-26 season. Although it’s unlikely the Capitals deal from their depth of impressive young talent on the roster, they could go big-game hunting toward the deadline season if they’re in a position to make the postseason.

RFA Re-Signings

D Martin Fehervary (seven years, $42MM)
F Hendrix Lapierre (one year, $850K)

*-denotes two-way contract

Much like they did with the rest of their defensive core throughout the regular season, the Capitals extended Fehervary on a long-term contract. He had the best season of his career last year, despite having the lowest ATOI of his career since the 2019-20 season. Fehervary scored five goals and 25 points in 81 games with a +18 rating, averaging 19 minutes of ice time per game. He finished with the second-most blocked shots, third-most hits, and finished third among defensemen (with 65 or more games played) in on-ice save percentage at even strength (90.3%).

The team also re-signed Lapierre, who they are hoping can finally break out this upcoming season. After scoring eight goals and 22 points in 51 games for the Capitals during the 2023-24 campaign, Lapierre had a significant drop-off last season, only tallying eight assists in 27 games. It was apparent that Washington lost all confidence in Lapierre’s game last season, and he’ll need a big rebound season if he hopes to have any staying power within the organization.

Departures

D Alexander Alexeyev (Pittsburgh, one year, $775K)
F Nicklas Backstrom (Brynäs IF, SHL)
D Ethan Bear (NY Islanders, one year, $775K)*
F Lars Eller (Ottawa, one year, $1.25MM)
F Alex Limoges (Dinamo Minsk, KHL)
F Andrew Mangiapane (Edmonton, two years, $7.2MM)
F T.J. Oshie (Retired)
F Luke Philp (Färjestad BK, SHL)
D Chase Priskie (traded to Minnesota)
F Taylor Raddysh (NY Rangers, two years, $3MM)
F Michael Sgarbossa (HC Lugano, NL)
G Hunter Shepard (Ottawa, one year, $775K)*

*-denotes two-way contract

Outside of Mangiapane, the Capitals didn’t lose too much this offseason. The team’s recent departures mostly include depth players who had little impact during their dominant run in the Eastern Conference last season.

Even Mangiapane, who largely played in the bottom-six for Washington last season, finished 10th on the team in scoring with 14 goals and 28 points in 81 games. Thankfully, the Capitals already have an in-house replacement for Mangiapane in the 2023 eighth-overall pick, Ryan Leonard. Leonard only scored one goal and one assist through 17 combined regular-season and playoff games for the Capitals last season. Still, he should prove far better in 2025-26 with more comfort around an NHL organization.

Should Washington run into any hiccups through their bottom-six to start the 2025-26 campaign, each of the players lost should be fairly replaceable on the trade market, without having to give up an arm and a leg. Given the lack of roster turnover this offseason, the Capitals are bringing back a very similar team to the one that dominated the Eastern Conference last season.

Salary Cap Outlook

According to PuckPedia, the Capitals will have $4.125MM in cap space to work with to start the 2025-26 campaign. Outside of a decision on defenseman John Carlson’s future and a potential long-term commitment to Connor McMichael, Washington doesn’t have any longer-term issues to worry about thanks to their extension efforts throughout the 2024-25 season.

After next season, the Capitals should have plenty of cap space to re-sign Carlson and McMichael, while also having the ability to procure any top names on the free agent market. Still, there could be a significant cultural change to worry about, especially if Ovechkin chooses to retire from the NHL.

Key Questions

Will Ovechkin Stay? Outside of officially becoming the game’s top goal-scorer, the 2024-25 campaign proved how much Ovechkin has left in the tank. Even at 39 years old, Ovechkin scored 44 goals and 73 points in 65 games, tying for third in the league in goal-scoring. Assuming that his goal-scoring ability finally starts to deteriorate next season, would there be any hesitation from the Capitals to re-sign the greatest player in franchise history if he can only score 20 goals? The answer is no. Ultimately, the decision will come down to Ovechkin’s desires. Outside of another Stanley Cup ring, there’s nothing he has left to accomplish in the NHL, and with his contract expiring after next season, he may want to return to Russia to wrap up his professional playing career, similar to other Russian icons like Pavel Datsyuk and Sergei Fedorov.

Will The Goaltending Hold Up? One of the key factors in Washington’s success last year was its goaltending, particularly Logan Thompson. Thompson finished the season with a 31-6-6 record in 42 starts with a .910 SV%, 2.49 GAA, and 12.4 Goals Saved Above Average. Despite having some solid years with the Golden Knights, it was the first time Thompson had received votes for the Vezina Trophy, placing fourth. Still, given his previous play in Vegas, there’s no reason to believe that Thompson will have any serious setbacks next season. Unfortunately, there are some injury concerns with Thompson, who lost significant playing time from 2022 to 2024 due to varying ailments. With only one quality season under his belt, is it safe for the Capitals to rely on Charlie Lindgren to keep the team’s head above water should Thompson have another serious injury?

Was Last Year A Fluke? There’s no questioning that outside the Capitals organization, few expected the year they had. Washington had not finished with more than 100 points since the 2018-19 campaign, a year after they won their first Stanley Cup championship. Given that Washington had a 20-point fall in the standings between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaign, is that something to be expected next season? The Capitals were bounced easily in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs by the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Hurricanes will again be fierce competition next season. Thankfully, outside of the Hurricanes and a healthy New Jersey Devils team, the Capitals have little to deal with in the Metropolitan Division. They should face some healthy competition from the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers, but there’s little reason the Capitals can’t have a similar performance next season.

Photos courtesy of Peter Casey (Fehervary) and Charles LeClaire (Ovechkin)-Imagn Images. 

Summer Synopsis: Winnipeg Jets

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Now more than a month into the new league year, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason.  We begin with a look at Winnipeg.

Expectations weren’t particularly high for the Jets heading into last season on the heels of a coaching change and the roster from an ugly first-round exit largely remaining intact.  But Winnipeg was a big surprise, winning the Presidents’ Trophy for the team with the most points during the regular season while making it to the second round in the playoffs.  There have been more changes roster-wise this time around but the core largely remains intact, meaning expectations will be higher than they were at this point a year ago despite being in a tough Central Division.

Draft

1-28 – D Sascha Boumedienne, Boston University (Hockey East)
3-92 – F Owen Martin, Spokane (WHL)
5-156 – F Viktor Klingsell, Skelleftea (Sweden U20)
6-188 – D Edison Engle, Dubuque (USHL)
7-220 – F Jacob Cloutier, Saginaw (OHL)

Boumedienne entered last season as one of the more intriguing blueliners in that he was already getting exposed to college hockey, playing at Boston University.  While he held down a regular role, it wasn’t a particularly prominent one which caused him to slide down some rankings.  While his output was rather low, he was behind some key offensive defenders so the hope is that over time, Boumedienne will be able to grow that part of his game, helping pave the way for him to become a second-pairing blueliner down the road.  While the Jets have strong defensive depth today, their prospect cupboard at that position is a little thinner so he should fill that gap nicely.

Martin, a Manitoba native, dealt with a fractured foot that cost him a couple of months last season but he was still a productive player with Spokane with 34 points in 39 regular season games, giving his draft stock a boost in the process.  More of a two-way player, Martin is probably four seasons away from being NHL-ready.

The other three players have similar timelines as well.  Klingsell was productive in Skelleftea’s junior system but still has to work his way up to the pro ranks over there, a process that will take some time.  Engle is expected to move to the OHL next season as a one-and-done player, beginning his college tenure in 2026-27, meaning Winnipeg could hold his rights for up to five seasons.  As for Cloutier, he played his first full OHL campaign last season and fared pretty well with 47 points in 67 games.  They’ll only have two years to sign him as things stand as the changes to draft rights only change in the next CBA.

Trade Acquisitions

While the Jets had a fair amount of roster turnover this offseason, none of it has come from the trade front so far.

UFA Signings

D Kale Clague (one year, $775K)*
F Walker Duehr (one year, $775K)*
F Phillip Di Giuseppe (one year, $775K)*
F Samuel Fagemo (one year, $775K)*
D Haydn Fleury (two years, $1.8MM)^
F Cole Koepke (one year, $1MM)
F Gustav Nyquist (one year, $3.2MM)
F Tanner Pearson (one year, $1MM)
G Isaac Poulter (one year, $775K)*
F Mason Shaw (one year, $775K)*^
F Jonathan Toews (one year, $2MM plus $5MM in performance incentives)

*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing

Toews was the headliner from this group, agreeing to terms a week and a half before free agency started.  He didn’t play at all last season as he recovered from Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome so there are some questions about his ability to last the season and if he can fill the second-line center vacancy that has been somewhat of a revolving door in recent years.  The bonuses are tied to games played (and some playoff success) which isn’t a shock and hedges their bets in case he’s unable to make it through an 82-game campaign unscathed.  Toews had 31 points in 53 games in 2022-23, his last NHL season.  If he can produce around that point-per-game rate, he’ll be able to play a key role for them.

Nyquist is coming off a down year, notching just 28 points after putting up a career-high 75 in 2023-24.  Still, he’s a middle-six winger who can help deepen the attack while also potentially slotting in on the penalty kill.  For one year, it’s a reasonable move, especially if they think his offense will bounce back this season.

Pearson needed a training camp PTO to eventually land a deal with Vegas and became a valuable fourth liner while Koepke was a regular for the first time last year in Boston, adding some physicality to their fourth line.  Both players are likely to play similar roles on a new-look fourth line for Winnipeg next season.  The remainder of their signings are of the depth variety though a handful of their two-way forwards could plausibly see time with Winnipeg at some point in 2025-26.

RFA Re-Signings

F Morgan Barron (two years, $3.7MM)
D Tyrel Bauer (one year, $775K)*
F Parker Ford (two years, $1.6MM)*
D Isaak Phillips (two years, $1.6MM)*
D Dylan Samberg (three years, $17.25MM)
F Gabriel Vilardi (six years, $45MM)

*-denotes two-way contract

Vilardi was the big ticket for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to deal with this summer.  The centerpiece of the return for Pierre-Luc Dubois last summer, Vilardi had his best season by a significant margin, tallying 27 goals and 34 assists in 71 games during the regular season, setting personal bests across the board including in games played.  Two years away from UFA eligibility, the question was would both sides commit to a long-term deal and clearly, they were comfortable doing so.  This deal ensures that a key cog of Winnipeg’s forward group is sticking around for the long haul; it’s particularly notable after another key cog departed on the open market last month.

There was quite a gap to bridge in the arbitration filings between Samberg and the team but they settled on this contract, a deal that buys Winnipeg an extra two years of club control.  He’s coming off a breakout year, one that saw him move from being a depth defender to a key part of their top four and their top shutdown option.  It’s not always easy to find the proper market value for that type of player but the Jets are banking on Samberg staying at this level moving forward.

Barron is likely to be the lone holdover from the fourth line, a role he has filled for the last couple of seasons after being deployed on the third line a bit more often in 2022-23.  A natural center, he has primarily played on the wing since becoming a regular with Winnipeg but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him shift over since last year’s fourth line center isn’t with them for the upcoming season.

Departures

F Mason Appleton (Detroit, two years, $5.8MM)
D Dylan Coghlan (Vegas, one year, $775K)
G Chris Driedger (Chelyabinsk, KHL)
F Nikolaj Ehlers (Carolina, six years, $51MM)
F Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (Brynas, SHL)
F Rasmus Kupari (Lugano, NL)
F Simon Lundmark (Tampa Bay, two years, $1.55MM)*
F Brandon Tanev (Utah, three years, $7.5MM)
F Dominic Toninato (Chicago, two years, $1.7MM)*

*-denotes two-way contract

Ehlers is the obvious headliner from the group.  He had suggested in the past that he felt that he should be getting more ice time given his success when healthy so it wasn’t a shock that he tested the open market although he may have a similar role with Carolina than he had in Winnipeg.  When healthy, Ehlers has been a consistent 20-plus goal-scorer and while the Jets added some forward depth, none of their acquisitions are likely to reach that mark, creating a void that’s going to need to be filled by committee.

Appleton wasn’t able to replicate his breakout 36-point effort from 2023-24 despite being a middle-six regular for most of the year.  While the two aren’t necessarily the same player stylistically, Nyquist is likely to take his spot on the roster.  Tanev was a trade deadline acquisition with an eye on adding some grit to the fourth line.  He was decent in that role down the stretch but moved on in free agency with Koepke effectively being his replacement.

Kupari opted to sign overseas in early June, a move that came as some surprise.  But clearly, he was looking to play somewhere where he could have more of an offensive opportunity and he’ll get that in Switzerland.  He received a two-year deal, one that walks him right to UFA eligibility although Winnipeg issued a qualifying offer to retain his rights in the short term.  Jonsson-Fjallby and Toninato didn’t see much NHL action last season but have been among the regular recalls in recent years.  Players like Duehr and Di Giuseppe figure to take those spots on the depth chart.

Salary Cap Outlook

By structuring Toews’ contract with $5MM of bonuses and not adding any big-ticket contracts in free agency, Winnipeg is in pretty good shape to start the season with a little over $3.8MM in cap space, per PuckPedia.  A good chunk of that money could ultimately be used to pay for some of the bonuses that Toews reaches but if the Jets are in contention heading toward the trade deadline, they could instead spend their cap room on win-now help, pushing some of the bonuses onto their 2026-27 cap in the process.  Cheveldayoff has left himself some decent wiggle room heading into the season.

Key Questions

Will Connor Be Extended? Two years ago, Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele signed long-term extensions entering the final year of their deals, keeping Winnipeg in a spot to be competitive at a minimum for the long haul.  Last year, Ehlers clearly didn’t do the same.  What will happen to this year’s core player on an expiring deal, Kyle Connor?  He has notched at least 30 goals in four straight years and is coming off a season that saw him score 41 goals and 56 assists for a career-best 97 points.  A legitimate top-line scorer, Connor appears to be well on his way toward landing a contract with at least a double-digit AAV.  The Jets have the cap space to give him that type of deal but will they be able to get it done?

Will Winnipeg Move Some Defensive Surplus? With Fleury re-signing just before free agency, Winnipeg fits itself with nine defensemen on one-way contracts.  Considering it’s unlikely they’ll carry just 12 forwards and nine defenders, something has to give.  Ville Heinola, their former top prospect, hasn’t played much between injuries and being a waiver-blocked healthy scratch last season but they might get a bit of interest in his services.  Logan Stanley once had a trade request in play and after five seasons with the Jets, he still hasn’t progressed past being a low-minute third-pairing piece when he’s in the lineup.  But, at six-foot-seven, someone would take a flyer on him.  If Fleury is eyed as the ideal seventh option, both Heinola and Stanley are on the outside looking in.  Will they find a trade for one or try to sneak one through waivers?

Can Perfetti Take The Next Step? Winnipeg has taken the slow and steady route with Cole Perfetti.  The 10th overall pick in 2020 has seen his playing time managed carefully to the point where he only nudged past the 15-minute mark for the first time last season, a year that saw him reach 50 points.  With Ehlers gone and their newcomers being more secondary options, it feels like Perfetti should have a chance to secure a bit more playing time.  If he has success in that role, he’d go a long way toward helping replace the offense Ehlers brought to the table while positioning himself nicely for a trip through restricted free agency next summer when he’ll have salary arbitration rights for the first time.

Photos courtesy of Jamie Sabau (Toews) and Terrence Lee (Vilardi and Connor)-Imagn Images. 

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