Multiple Players Have NHL Draft Rights Expire
According to PuckPedia, multiple prospects had their draft rights expire at the deadline today, meaning they’ll re-enter the 2026 NHL Draft or become unrestricted free agents.
Two distinct groups are impacted by this deadline. Prospects playing in the Canadian Major Junior leagues (OHL, QMJHL, or WHL) or those playing in Europe.
Of those players from the CHL who have played through their age-20 seasons, they’ll re-enter the 2026 NHL Draft, or become unrestricted free agents if they go undrafted. For the European players, they’ll become unrestricted free agents, though many typically stay in Europe to continue their professional careers.
The only other prospect whose draft rights expired, and didn’t meet either of the above requirements, was Toronto Maple Leafs 2025 draftee Matthew Hlacar. Hlacar was taken with the 217th overall pick of last year’s draft, and scored six goals and 12 points in 51 games for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers this season. Toronto didn’t issue him a bona fide offer, which is simply tendering the player a league-minimum, entry-level deal to extend their signing rights.
The remaining prospects who will re-enter the 2026 NHL Draft or become UFAs are as follows:
D Ales Cech (Mammoth, 5-153, 2024)
D Simon Forsmark (Hurricanes, 4-101, 2022)
F Max Graham (Penguins, 5-139*, 2024)
F Petr Hauser (Oilers, 5-141**, 2022)
F Nils Juntorp (Hurricanes, 6-188***, 2022)
F Gustav Karlsson (Sabres, 6-187, 2022)
F Maximilian Kilpinen (Red Wings, 4-129, 2022)
D Kasper Kulonummi (Predators, 3-84, 2022)
F Hunter Laing (Flames, 6-170, 2024)
G Ryerson Leenders (Sabres, 7-219, 2024)
D Nathan Mayes (Maple Leafs, 7-225, 2024)
G Landon Miller (Red Wings, 4-126, 2024)
F Kaden Pitre (Lightning, 6-181, 2024)
F Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson (Sabres, 7-202, 2022)
F Santeri Sulku (Flyers, 7-197, 2022)
D Albin Sundin (Oilers, 6-183, 2024)
F Riku Tohila (Blackhawks, 7-199, 2022)
G Jakub Vondras (Hurricanes, 6-171, 2022)
* Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils; traded to the Penguins in March 2025.
** Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils; traded to the Oilers in March 2025.
*** Originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks; traded to the Hurricanes in January 2025.
Maple Leafs Hire Judd Brackett, Freddie Hamilton
The Minnesota Wild will lose a core piece of their scouting room before the NHL Draft. Director of Amateur Scouting Judd Brackett has left the club for an assistant general manager position with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The news was originally reported by Michael Russo of The Athletic. Brackett was previously granted permission to speak with the Toronto Maple Leafs regarding an assistant general manager position per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Brackett has built a strong reputation across USA Hockey – one honed since his move to the Minnesota Wild in 2020. He holds a strong voice in the Wild’s draft and prospect development conversations and played a role in the team’s connection to promising draft picks like Zeev Buium, Charlie Stramel, and Adam Benak.
Before his time with the Wild, Brackett spent seven seasons as an amateur scout and five seasons as Director of Amateur Scouting with the Vancouver Canucks. He was, again, a strong voice in the rooms that drafted Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko. Brackett was also a strong advocate for the 2019 U.S. National Team Development Program that produced Jack Hughes, Cole Caufield, Matt Boldy, and Trevor Zegras – though none found a home in Vancouver.
His accolades with USA Hockey extend beyond recognizing strong, NTDP talent. He was a scout for Team USA’s 2024, 2025, and 2026 World Junior Championship rosters. The Americans won Gold in two of those tournaments but fell to Finland in the quarterfinals this year. He also won a QMJHL championship in 2008 and two USHL Clark Cups in 2009 and 2014.
A step up in the hierarchy seems well-timed on the other side of Brackett’s sixth year with the Wild. His insight could be the final push needed to encourage Toronto to draft perennial star Gavin McKenna, or begin honing in coverage of a loaded 2027 draft class.
The Maple Leafs have also hired Freddie Hamilton as their Chief of Staff. Hamilton, the brother of New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton, earned his MBA from Yale University and began a career in private equity following the end of his playing career in 2018. The former San Jose Sharks draft pick will now turn his focus back to hockey in a role that will support Toronto’s strategic initiatives and alignment within the hockey operations department. Hamilton totaled 75 games and six points in his NHL career, spanning tenures with the Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, and Arizona Coyotes.
Maple Leafs Notes: Coaching Search, Nylander, Cowan
While it remains unclear which external head coaching candidates Maple Leafs GM John Chayka has spoken with so far, it appears there are a pair of internal options for the position as well. In a recent appearance on The FAN Hockey Show (video link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Derek Lalonde has been interviewed for the job while he believes that Mike Van Ryn has also been interviewed. Lalonde spent parts of three seasons running the bench in Detroit from 2022-23 through 2024-25, leading the team to an 89-86-23 record. On the other hand, Van Ryn’s head coaching experience is rather limited, just 2015-16 with OHL Kitchener and 2017-18 with AHL Tucson, making him a less likely candidate for the role. There remains no timeline in place for when Toronto might hire their next bench boss but they’d likely want the hire in place before next month’s draft.
More from the Maple Leafs:
- At a time when there has been plenty of speculation of how Toronto could shake up its roster, winger William Nylander made it clear in a video on his YouTube channel earlier this week that he has no desire to leave. The 30-year-old has spent 11 seasons with the Maple Leafs already and has six years left on his contract, one that carries an AAV of $11.5MM and has full trade protection. Nylander is coming off a career year in terms of points per game as his mark of 1.22 was a personal best, although he missed 17 games due to injury. Barring the team embarking on a longer-term rebuild, it’s hard to see a scenario where Nylander is asked to consider waiving his trade protection but the veteran has made his intentions clear preemptively.
- Winger Easton Cowan wasn’t in the lineup on Friday as the Marlies continue their playoff run in the minors. Speaking postgame, head coach Jon Gruden indicated to reporters including Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun that the rookie is dealing with an upper-body injury. It’s more of a maintenance thing but his status for Monday’s game is uncertain. Cowan sits ninth in AHL playoff scoring with five goals and four assists in 14 contests.
Latest On Maple Leafs Head Coaching Search
A few days ago, Frank Seravalli of Victory+ reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs were expected to interview Anaheim Ducks assistant coach Jay Woodcroft for their head coaching vacancy. In today’s rendition of 32 Thoughts, not only did Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman throw cold water on Seravalli’s report, he extinguished it completely.
Friedman shared that there’s no expectation that Woodcroft will interview with the Maple Leafs, nor is there any expectation that they’ll ask permission to do so from the Ducks. Still, Friedman confirmed that Woodcroft has interviewed with the Los Angeles Kings for their head coaching vacancy.
At this point, the only other candidate connected to Toronto has been David Carle, the current head coach at the University of Denver. Given that he’s already coached the Pioneers to three National Championships and the United States to two gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship, there’s no question why the Maple Leafs would be targeting him.
Still, Carle has been hesitant to leave his situation just south of downtown Denver. Recent reports indicate that Carle is open to the idea of joining the Maple Leafs, but the two sides remain in the early stages of a potential hire. There is speculation that if the Colorado Avalanche part ways with Jared Bednar after a fourth consecutive playoff exit before the Stanley Cup Final, Carle would likely step in to take the role.
Other than that, there haven’t been many other candidates linked to Toronto. Bruce Cassidy, the former head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, has become a popular candidate on the West Coast, but hasn’t been linked to the Maple Leafs in any meaningful fashion. Furthermore, Kris Knoblauch, who was recently removed from his post as the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, is in a similar situation.
Regardless, for several reasons, new General Manager John Chayka may be playing things extremely close to the vest regarding Toronto’s next head coach. That’s a challenging modus operandi to sustain in Toronto’s media market, but the Maple Leafs will continue to proceed carefully in any case.
Maple Leafs Notes: First Overall, Carle, Goaltending
As expected, General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, John Chayka, is open to all offers on the first overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft. According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the Maple Leafs aren’t actively looking to move the top selection of this year’s draft, but would agree to move it if the offer blew them away.
Specifically, LeBrun said, “Not that the Maple Leafs are intent on moving the No. 1 pick, but new general manager John Chayka also isn’t hanging up the phone if and when teams call. Why would he? If a team steps up in a meaningful way with the kind of package that helps the Leafs get back in contention, Chayka will at least listen, according to league sources.”
Obviously, the package to acquire said pick would be so substantial that the odds of Toronto eventually moving the selection are near-zero. As David Alter of The Hockey News put it, “unless a team blows Chayka away with an offer that genuinely transforms the Leafs’ competitiveness for next season and beyond, it’s difficult to envision this pick leaving Toronto.”
Additional updates from the Maple Leafs:
- In a new report from Emily Kaplan of ESPN, the Maple Leafs are interested in David Carle, the current head coach at the University of Denver, for their head coaching vacancy. Additionally, Kaplan added that Carle is entertaining the idea, but he will remain as selective as he has in the past. Kaplan believes that if the Colorado Avalanche move on from Jared Bednar in the relatively near future, Carle might wait for that, given his connections to the area.
- There’s no question that the Maple Leafs have a surplus of netminders heading into next season. In a recent article from Andre Leal of The Hockey News, he considers the pros and cons of Toronto moving one of its netminders this offseason. The hardest to move would be Anthony Stolarz, who is coming off an injury-riddled campaign, signed through the next four seasons at a $3.75MM cap hit with a 16-team no-trade clause. However, Toronto may be able to peddle him to a goalie-needy team such as the Edmonton Oilers.
Maple Leafs Expected To Interview Jay Woodcroft
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to interview Jay Woodcroft for their head coaching position, reported by Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. He added that Woodcroft spoke with the Kings last week as well, and based on such interest, the 49-year-old looks well on track to be back in charge of an NHL bench in 2026-27.
Morning Notes: Malkin, Kane, Pronger
Some familiar names from the 2000’s have circulated recently in the hockey world.
The biggest is one who, as expected, doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. Evgeni Malkin is not likely to sign anywhere but Pittsburgh, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The long-time Russian star turns 40 a month after free agency opens on July 31, and his agent, J.P. Barry, has already been in discussions with the Pittsburgh Penguins about coming back on a one-year deal. The length appears to be consistent with both parties, but now it comes down to the question of how much money Malkin is to be paid.
Malkin is coming off the final season of a four-year contract worth $24.4MM ($6.1MM AAV). He finished his age-39 season with 19 goals for 61 points in a season where he played just 56 games, finishing fifth on Pittsburgh in scoring. That tally puts him at a cost of $100k per point, however, because of his contract being frontloaded, his $4.8MM in total salary from 2025-26 is likely where LeBrun believes the Penguins want to begin their number, while Malkin’s camp wants to start around his previous cap hit. It’s not out of the question that if Pittsburgh, who carries $42.5MM in cap space, wants to save as much as they can among their eight free agents and beyond, they can give Malkin performance bonuses to hinder the AAV on the contract.
Additional notes include:
- According to Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now, Patrick Kane‘s name has emerged as the potential lone unrestricted free agent that the Detroit Red Wings could be considered in re-signing in Hockeytown. The all-time American star finished with 57 points in 67 games in his third consecutive one-year contract with the Wings that paid him $3MM in his age 37 season. Kane’s cost per point carried a low $53K that Detroit would hope to continue benefiting from. If true, general manager Steve Yzerman will be parting ways with forwards David Perron and James van Riemsdyk, as well as defenseman Travis Hamonic and goaltender Cam Talbot. Simon Edvinsson is the lone defensive restricted free agent, and with $32.6MM in cap space to spare, a chunk of that will head towards the young Swede’s future paycheck.
- Allen’s tweet in particular referenced that van Riemsdyk’s spot, which fluctuated in many spots on the wing, would be filled by a younger player. Perhaps Carter Mazur (8 GP in 2025-26), Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (14 GP in 2025-26), and even Nate Danielson (28 GP in 2025-26) can compete for more ice time if this development comes to fruition.
- Chris Pronger interviewed for the Toronto Maple Leafs president of Hockey operations role, he confirmed as a guest on TSN 1050’s OverDrive show. The 51-year-old said that he had a good conversation about the team’s direction and his thoughts on their needs with MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelly. While he received positive feedback for his discussions, Toronto ultimately went for their options in John Chayka and Mats Sundin. Pronger previously denied rumors that he was interviewing for the Leafs GM role on another TSN show. The Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman, while working in media right now, isn’t opposed to a front office role but emphasized that it needs to be a situation that is right for him to take a new opportunity.
Max Domi Out Indefinitely After Offseason Surgery
According to a team announcement, Maple Leafs forward Max Domi is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery for an undisclosed injury he suffered this past season. He will be re-evaluated at the start of Toronto’s training camp.
The statement also said that complications arose from the procedure on Domi and that he’ll continue to work with the club’s medical staff for the time being. The last time Domi was out for an extended period of time was late in 2024, when he was placed on injured reserve for a lower-body injury, per Puckpedia.
Domi finished the 2025-26 season sixth in scoring on Toronto, scoring 12 goals for 36 points in 80 games played with the Maple Leafs. The 31-year-old forward was also eighth in the NHL among forwards keeping the penalty box warm, logging 95 penalties in minutes. He averaged 14:53 of time on ice and was a -29 rating, second to linemate Matthew Knies.
The Winnipeg, Manitoba native is halfway through a four-year, $15MM ($3.75MM AAV) contract signed back in 2024-25, fifth-highest in cap hit among Leafs forwards heading into next season. He’s tallied back-to-back 30+ point campagins since inking that deal at age 29.
Since being selected 12th overall in the 2013 NHL Draft, Domi has worn many uniforms in his NHL career, with the Leafs being his seventh. His first contract saw him spend his entry-level years under the Arizona Coyotes, dominating with the OHL’s London Knights before officially dressing for the team in the 2015-16 campaign. The Montreal Canadiens dealt for Domi in 2018, then signed him to a two-year, $6.3MM ($3.15MM AAV) contract, before ending his restricted free agent years with the Columbus Blue Jackets after they traded for him in 2020 and inked him on another two-year contract at $10.6MM ($5.3MM AAV), his largest cap hit to date.
Columbus then sent Domi to Carolina as part of a three-team deal, having the Panthers retain $1.325MM of his cap hit at the 2022 deadline. At age 27, he signed a one-year, $3MM deal with Chicago that ended with the Stars, where he provided 13 points in 19 playoff games during Dallas’s Western Conference Final run in 2023. He signed an identical contract for a season with Toronto in 2023-24 before he committed to the Leafs for the longest term he’s seen on a contract in his 11 year NHL career.
Domi’s injury comes at a time of transition for the Maple Leafs organizationally. Toronto finished eighth in the Atlantic division for the first time in ten years since the 2015-16 season. A new front office, hiring John Chayka as general manager and Mats Sundin as senior advisor, has already seen its share of big developments for the team. Toronto has already parted ways with head coach Craig Berube and also won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. In late June, selecting first overall, the Leafs have a chance to pick notable top prospect forwards in either Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg.
Along with a top draft selection that will surely be implemented into the lineup this fall, the Leafs have a little over $22MM in cap space entering this summer to help address their needs to get back into playoff contention in a competitive division. In terms of 2026 Free Agents, Toronto will need to address the expirations on forward Calle Jarnkrok and defenseman Troy Stecher, who are unrestricted free agents. Among the restricted free agents, forwards Matias Maccelli, Nicholas Robertson, Jacob Quillan, Ryan Tverberg, and defenseman William Villeneuve all require handling on their next deals.
Gillis: Talks With Toronto Were Largely Overstated
- Before the Maple Leafs hired John Chayka as their new GM, one of the speculative candidates for the job was former Vancouver GM Mike Gillis. Speaking on a recent Sekeres & Price podcast (audio link), Gillis indicated that he never interviewed for the GM role as had been suggested. Instead, he was interviewed for a specific role that ultimately wasn’t filled, ending his candidacy in a hurry. Based on his comments, the role either would have been a team president one where he reshaped the rest of the front office but ultimately, the hirings of Chayka and Mats Sundin didn’t see a president named.
Byron Froese Expected To Retire
According to a report from Dmitry Storozhev of Championat, forward Byron Froese is expected to retire following Lokomotiv Yaroslavl’s second consecutive Gagarin Cup championship. Froese has spent the past two years in the KHL after a successful 12-year career in North America.
Speaking to the outlet after Game 6, Froese said, “I don’t know, I need time. I’ll probably finish, but you can never say never. I just need some rest. I’ve only been home for about two months in the last two years. So I need time to think and discuss it with my family.”
Froese, 35, began his professional career in 2009 when he was selected with the 119th overall pick of that summer’s draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. After spending a few more years in the WHL with the Everett Silvertips and Red Deer Rebels, Froese made the jump to professional play for the 2011-12 season. For the first several years of his career, Froese split his time between the AHL and ECHL.
Failing to carve out a path in the Blackhawks organization, Froese signed as an AHL free agent with the Toronto Marlies and was signed to a standard NHL contract by the Toronto Maple Leafs a year later. Having his contract upgraded wasn’t a surprise, given Froese scored 18 goals and 42 points in 46 games with the Marlies with a +22 rating.
In Toronto, Froese enjoyed his longest stay in the NHL over a single season. During the 2014-15 campaign, Froese appeared in 56 games for the Maple Leafs, scoring two goals and five points with a -11 rating, averaging 12:38 of ice time per game. Next season, toward the trade deadline, Froese was included in the trade package to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the deal that sent Brian Boyle to Toronto.
That trade was the starting point of a nomadic portion of Froese’s career. From the 2017-18 campaign to the 2022-23 season, Froese played in the Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, and Vegas Golden Knights organizations. His last appearance in the NHL came during the 2023-24 season with the Golden Knights, when Froese registered one assist in 16 contests.
If this is the end, Froese will finish with seven goals and 20 points in 141 games with a -15 rating. Additionally, he’s credited with 142 goals and 312 points in 513 AHL contests, somehow finishing with a net-zero rating. Sadly, Froese never achieved champion status at any level in North America, but he can at least retire with two Gagarin Cup rings.
We at PHR congratulate Froese on carving out a career that spanned two continents over 15 seasons, and wish him the best on his next chapter if he does hang up his skates this summer.