Bruins Sign Lukas Reichel To One-Year Extension
The Boston Bruins have awarded a young forward with another chance to prove himself. Lukas Reichel has been signed to a one-year, two-way contract extension with a $950K cap hit at the NHL level. The Bruins acquired Reichel at the Trade Deadline in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick.
The acquisition of Reichel marked Boston’s chance to tap into first-round potential that the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks failed to find. Reichel began his time as a Bruin in the minor-leagues – but he earned a quick call-up after scoring five points in his first three games with Providence. Reichel kept it going with two points in his Boston debut, though his hot hand quickly fizzled out after that – with only one assist over his next eight games in the NHL. He appeared in two more games with Boston, and four more with Providence, before the season came to a close. Reichel also played one game of Boston’s first-round loss against the Buffalo Sabres, and three games of Providence’s division semi-final upset at the hands of the Springfield Thunderbirds. He managed no scoring in the postseason.
Reichel was selected 17th-overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Blackhawks. He was coming off his first season in the DEL, Germany’s top league, where he scored 24 points in 42 games. Reichel was also a major piece of Germany’s international rosters, netting five points in seven games at the 2020 World Junior Championship and nine points in 12 additional international friendlies. He repeated those feats in the season after his draft selection – netting 27 points in 38 DEL games and six points in nine games at the 2021 World Championships.
Strong scoring in Germany inspired a quick move to North American pros in 2022-23. Reichel was a near-immediate impact for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs but failed to find the same spark in the NHL. He finished his rookie season with just one point in 11 NHL games and 57 points in 56 AHL games. Once again, Reichel managed to match those marks as a sophomore, netting 51 points in 55 AHL games and an encouraging 15 points in 23 NHL games.
It seemed the skillful scorer had finally found his footing in the Blackhawks organization. Chicago tested that by deploying him full-time in the NHL during the 2024-25 season. But Reichel failed to command his own line and wound up on Chicago’s third-line, with only 22 points in 70 games on the year. Rather than stick with those struggles, the Blackhawks capitalized on Reichel’s strong start – four points in five games – to last season. He was traded to the Canucks in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick and went on to score just one point in 14 games with Vancouver before being traded again.
Reichel is a skilled winger who showed he can still produce with three points in five games at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He represents a difficult lineup challenge for Boston. If the Bruins can find the right mix of defense and play-driving support, they could tap into major scoring upside. Reichel has yet to find that performance in the NHL but would be an X-factor in the middle-six if he can discover it on his new, one-year deal.
Blackhawks Sign Roman Kantserov
After months of speculation, it’s now confirmed that the Chicago Blackhawks are adding another high-level forward prospect to their roster. According to an announcement from the KHL’s Metallurg Magnitogorsk, prospect Roman Kantserov has terminated his contract with the team and will be signing an entry-level deal with the Blackhawks. Chicago made the deal official on May 14. Kantserov will carry a $1.075MM cap hit at the NHL level.
Kantserov, 21, was drafted 44th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Blackhawks. He was coming off an impressive year with the MHL’s Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk, registering 27 goals and 54 points in 45 games with a +23 rating.
Since then, it’s been all KHL for the Magnitogorsk, Russia native. He got off to a slow start during the 2023-24 campaign, but he has become one of the league’s top scorers since. Beginning in the 2024-25 campaign, Kantserov has scored 49 goals and 102 points in 110 games with a +21 rating. Over that same timeframe, he has registered four goals and 10 points in 21 postseason contests.
The most prominent development in Kantserov’s game has been his goal-scoring capacity. At the time of his draft selection, Kantserov was known as a pass-first forward with tremendous hand-eye coordination reminiscent of Pavel Datsyuk‘s stickhandling ability. However, not only did Kantserov have more goals than assists this season, he led the entire KHL in goal scoring by a margin of four.
Assuming this trend continues, Chicago will be even more ecstatic about their selection. Regardless, even if Kantserov reverts to being a quick, playmaking forward, the Blackhawks won’t be disappointed in that either.
Furthermore, Kantserov continues the trend of Chicago signing some of their recent draft picks and adding some overwhelming talent up front. Already with young, top-six forwards like Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, the Blackhawks also added Anton Frondell and Sacha Boisvert toward the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Despite finishing as one of the worst teams this season, Chicago’s influx of young forward talent, especially over the course of an entire season, could propel the team forward, reminiscent of the San Jose Sharks’ significant step forward this year. The Blackhawks still have plenty of development and kinks to work out on defense, but the forward corps has the talent to overcome those deficiencies.
Sharks Sign Carson Wetsch to Entry-Level Contract
The San Jose Sharks have officially signed forward Carson Wetsch to a three-year, entry-level contract. Wetsch, who recently completed a standout season in the Western Hockey League, was selected by San Jose in the third round (82nd overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
The 20-year-old right winger is coming off a highly productive campaign as the team captain of the Kelowna Rockets. In 65 games with Kelowna during the 2025-26 season, Wetsch recorded a career-high 72 points (22 goals, 50 assists). His 1.11 points-per-game pace and 80 penalty minutes should bring a positive sign forward for the “power forward” identity that intrigued Sharks scouts during his draft year.
Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 201 pounds, Wetsch has earned praise from scouts for his high motor and mature defensive habits. Known for his ability to win puck battles and play a heavy game, he projects as a versatile bottom-six winger who can kill penalties and provide secondary scoring at the professional level.
The signing marks another step in San Jose’s ongoing rebuild as they continue to lock down key pieces of their prospect pool. Now that his junior eligibility has concluded, Wetsch is expected to transition to the professional ranks for the 2026-27 season, likely beginning his tenure with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda.
Golden Knights Recall Braeden Bowman, Mark Stone Remains Out
The Vegas Golden Knights will continue to be without star winger Mark Stone in Tuesday night’s Game 5 against the Anaheim Ducks. Stone will remain out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury that kept him out of Game 4 per Jesse Granger of The Athletic. Stone left Game 3 at the end of the first period. It was not clear where his injury was sustained, though he seemed to be nursing his left leg at the end of his final shift. Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon will also remain out of the lineup with an upper-body injury sustained in Game 6 of Vegas’ first round matchup against the Utah Mammoth.
Veteran winger Brandon Saad filled in for Stone on Sunday. His line – completed by Tomas Hertl and Keegan Kolesar – was outshot four-to-one and on the ice for no goals. That quiet performance, and a Game 4 loss, has prompted Vegas to recall winger Braeden Bowman from the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights.
Bowman had a surprising breakout this season. He scored at a point-per-game pace through the start of Henderson’s season, prompting the first call-up of his career in mid-November. The undrafted-rookie was an immediate impact, netting seven points in his first eight NHL games and proving he could bring the grit and work ethic needed to earn a lineup role. Bowman stayed up with Vegas’ lineup for 54 games, ultimately scoring eight goals and 26 points. He was returned to Henderson in April and caught fire once again – netting 18 points through the Silver Knights’ final 14 games of the season.
The Golden Knights will struggle to make up for Stone’s absence. The Vegas captain scored 28 goals and 73 points in 60 games this season – a full-season scoring pace of 38 goals and 100 points. He sat out of 17 games between October and November, and an additional five games in March, due to injury. The Golden Knights struggled in his absence, setting a 8-9-5 record and getting outscored 59-to-66. Vegas won’t have any room for those struggles now, as they sit tied at two wins with the Ducks.
Bowman has continued to produce for Henderson in the postseason. He has four points in six games, third-most on the Silver Knights behind Trevor Connelly and Lukas Cormier. If a move between leagues brings another scoring spark, the Golden Knights could find a timely X-factor addition in the young winger. Meanwhile, Ben Hutton will continue to support the defense in Lauzon’s absence. Hutton recorded 15 points, 28 hits, and 55 shot blocks in 55 regular-season games. He won’t match Lauzon’s bruising presence – but should continue to provide serviceable depth in must-win games.
Hurricanes Sign Charlie Cerrato To Entry-Level Deal
According to a team announcement, the Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward prospect Charlie Cerrato to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal includes $2.525MM in total salary at the NHL level, $85K per season in the AHL, and $220K in signing bonuses.
Cerrato, 21, was drafted with the 49th overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft by the Hurricanes. He was finishing up his freshman year with the upstart Penn State Nittany Lions, scoring 15 goals and 42 points in 38 games with a +16 rating.
Remaining with Penn State for his sophomore campaign, Cerrato’s scoring dissipated somewhat, but he missed a decent chunk of the season due to injury. He finished the NCAA season with seven goals and 27 points in 23 games with a +3 rating.
Although he didn’t play in the regular season, Cerrato signed an amateur tryout agreement with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves after his season with Penn State finished. He appeared in one contest in Chicago’s recent series against the Texas Stars, going scoreless.
Throughout his time in the Big Ten Conference, Cerrato typically played well in a support role and on the defensive side of the puck. He’s relatively physical and somewhat of a pest with his stick. On offense, most of his production comes from reading the defense quickly and charging the net or dropping back to be the third man in.
Given the depth that the Hurricanes have on offense, it’s unlikely that Cerrato will begin the 2026-27 campaign on the opening night roster for Carolina. Despite his competitive nature, it’ll likely serve him better to get a full season with the Wolves to continue his development, as Carolina typically does with their prospects.
Blue Jackets Sign Charlie Coyle To Six-Year Extension
According to a team announcement, the Columbus Blue Jackets have signed Charlie Coyle to a six-year, $36MM ($6MM AAV) extension. Coyle was considered one of the top available unrestricted free agents heading into the offseason.
Earlier this morning, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK reported that the Blue Jackets and Coyle were nearing an extension. Shortly thereafter, Pierre LeBrun of TSN added that both sides were ‘working on language’ as the talks progressed.
This contract will take Coyle through the 2031-32 season, when he’ll turn 40 years old. The length ties his previous high in contract years signed in Boston when he extended with the Bruins after the 2018-19 season.
The 34-year-old forward was set to be an unrestricted free agent coming off a six-year contract that paid him $31.50MM ($5.25MM AAV). Coyle finished the 2025-26 season in Columbus, resurging back to his former scoring ways. He was fourth on the Blue Jackets in scoring, tallying 20 goals for 58 points in his fifth consecutive season playing in 82 games. That mark with Columbus was his second-highest point total within that six-year contract span, with the highest production coming out of his 2023-24 campaign, where he reached 60 points in the Bruins centennial season.
Coyle’s new extension provides him with some stability in a time of his career where he has bounced around, to say the least. Coyle was a victim of the Bruins’ reset, where they dealt away the majority of their outer core to recoup future assets. The Weymouth, MA native was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche and produced 13 points in 19 regular-season games and added an assist in their seven-game, first-round loss to the Dallas Stars. The Avalanche then sent him to Columbus over the summer, where he played out the remainder of his deal before this extension.
Originally a first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks, Coyle never donned the teal and orange after he was selected 28th overall in the 2010 NHL draft. He became a key part of the package traded to Minnesota in exchange for Brent Burns, where Coyle signed his entry-level contract. After providing back-to-back 30-point campaigns in his early twenties, the Wild extended Coyle to a five-year, $16MM ($3.2MM AAV) contract. In the final year of that deal, they dealt him to Boston for Ryan Donato. Coyle proved himself as a key piece in Boston, providing 16 points in 24 playoff games en route to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, where Boston lost in seven games. The Bruins signed him shortly after to the contract that he just finished up in Ohio.
Coyle will assumbly finish out his career in Columbus, adding a blend of scoring, steady two-way play, and veteran leadership to a team that is on the cusp of making the dance in a tough Eastern Conference.
Columbus entered their offseason with over $40MM in cap space before the Coyle extension. Now the Blue Jackets have around $34MM to work with in a summer where they’re looking to build off a 92-point campaign that saw them fall seven points short of an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot that would’ve snapped their Stanley Cup Playoffs drought dating back to the 2019-20 season.
Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell will need to make several decisions this summer to supplement Coyle’s return. Unrestricted free agents for Columbus include forwards Mason Marchment, Danton Heinen, and captain Boone Jenner, as well as defensemen Erik Gudbranson and Brendan Smith. Along with Cole Sillinger and Egor Zamula as restricted free agents, former third overall pick Adam Fantilli, who scored a career-high 59 points at age 21, and goaltender Jet Greaves, who finished ninth in the NHL with 16.5 goals saved above expected, are restricted expiring deals.
They’ll have some added money from the expirations of buried and bought-out contracts from Adam Boqvist, Alexander Wennberg, and Ivan Fedotov. All three will come off the books and contribute $3.55MM to the space they can use to bring back key players.
Hurricanes Sign Mark Jankowski To Two-Year Extension
According to a team announcement, the Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward Mark Jankowski to a two-year extension through the 2027-28 season. The two-year extension is worth $3.7MM ($1.85MM AAV). Jankowski is in the final season of a two-year, $1.6MM ($800K AAV) contract that he originally signed with the Nashville Predators.
In the announcement, General Manager Eric Tulsky said, “Mark has been an excellent fit for our organization throughout his time here. He’s proven he can contribute in different ways, and we are glad he’s chosen to remain with the organization.”
Jankowski has spent his career bouncing between the NHL and AHL, including stints with the Calgary Flames, where he tallied a career-high 32 points in the 2018-19 season. He then played a year in Pittsburgh and Buffalo before signing with the Predators, playing between their farm system in Milwaukee and Nashville. This extension eclipses his previous highest contract value of $3.35MM ($1.68MM AAV) with the Flames in 2018-19.
The 31-year-old forward finished the 2025-26 regular season with 11 goals and 21 points in 68 games. He’s added an assist in eight playoff games so far this postseason. The Hamilton, Ontario native has been a mainstay for Carolina in their bottom-six since last year. The Hurricanes acquired Jankowski in a deal at the 2025 trade deadline that sent him from the Predators to the Hurricanes in exchange for their fifth-round pick in 2026.
The Hurricanes still have around $12.4MM in cap space entering this summer. Their unrestricted free agents include Nicolas Deslauriers in the forward group, as well as defenseman Mike Reilly and goaltender Frederik Andersen, with only Alexander Nikishin as a restricted free agent to round out their expiring deals. Carolina will also have Jusso Valimaki’s buried contract coming off the books, which will free up a small $850K.
Maple Leafs Assign Ben Danford To AHL
The Toronto Maple Leafs are bringing one of their top prospects to the professional ranks. According to an announcement from their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs have assigned defenseman Ben Danford to the AHL for the Calder Cup playoffs.
Despite having one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL, Danford is generally regarded as Toronto’s top prospect, especially since Easton Cowan became a full-time NHL player this season. The Maple Leafs selected Danford 31st overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Since then, the 20-year-old native of Madoc, Ontario, has been playing for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals and Brantford Bulldogs. Still, his development path hasn’t necessarily gone as the Maple Leafs may have liked. After registering 33 points with a +27 rating in 63 games with the Generals during his draft season, Danford dropped to 25 points and a +5 rating through 61 contests the following season.
It is important to highlight that Oshawa has gotten worse around Danford over the past few seasons. After being traded to the Bulldogs during the 2025-26 campaign, Danford improved his game, scoring two goals and accumulating 16 points in 37 games, along with a +12 rating. Furthermore, he added three more points in 13 postseason games during the OHL playoffs.
Although his offensive output decreased, Danford has remained a quality player on the defensive side of the puck. He’s rarely caught out of position and holds tight gaps, giving opposing forwards little room to get around him.
Unfortunately, if he draws into the postseason lineup for the Marlies, things aren’t going to get any easier for Danford in the short term. Toronto is coming off a hard-fought battle against the AHL’s Laval Rocket and has drawn a date against the Cleveland Monsters, a team that made it to the Eastern Conference Final last season.
Devils Hire Braden Birch As Assistant General Manager
The New Jersey Devils have made their first front office hire under new General Manager Sunny Mehta. According to a team announcement, the Devils have hired Braden Birch to serve as the team’s Assistant General Manager and General Manager of the AHL’s Utica Comets.
Like Mehta, Birch is departing from the Florida Panthers organization to work in New Jersey. The Panthers hired the 36-year-old ahead of the 2016-17 season as a special assistant to General Manager Bill Zito. After his lone season as a special assistant, he was promoted to the team’s Director of Hockey Operations with a specialization in salary cap management.
Aside from that, the only connection he has to the Devils organization is through Mehta. Given that Mehta had been Florida’s Assistant General Manager for the last several years, it’s more than likely that the two worked closely together in their roles and have a good working relationship.
In the announcement, Mehta said, “Braden will be an extremely valuable addition to our senior hockey operations group. His blend of on-ice experience, management background, and intellect will serve him well in his new role. Braden will work to bolster all areas of our operation, and I look forward to him joining our existing front office, where his personality and work ethic will fit in excellently.”
Regarding Utica, Birch will have his work cut out for him. The Comets haven’t qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs since the 2022-23 season, losing on the last day of the regular season to the Rochester Americans this year. The team did a quality job on defense, but Utica was one of only six teams to not register 200 or more goals throughout the regular season. Birch will likely target offense this offseason on the free agent market to ensure that the Comets find their way back to the postseason in 2026-27.
Avalanche Reassign Jack Ahcan, Josh Manson Remains Out
5/9: Despite being a full participant in morning practice, Manson did not suit up for Saturday night’s Game 3 against the Minnesota Wild, per Baugh. His absence will keep Sam Malinski on the second-pair and Nick Blankenburg in the lineup, while Manson will now aim for a return in Game 4 on Monday.
5/8: An important piece of the Colorado Avalanche lineup could be back in the near future. The team reassigned defenseman Jack Ahcan in anticipation for Josh Manson‘s return from an upper-body injury sustained in Game 3 of the first round per Peter Baugh of The Athletic. The Avalanche “feel good” about Manson’s chances of returning on Saturday, head coach Jared Bednar told Baugh.
Manson has operated as Colorado’s second-pair right-defenseman behind Cale Makar. His physical, two-way presence was a gut punch behind Colorado’s top pair all season long. Manson marked that impact with 31 points in 79 games, the most he’s scored since the 2017-18 season. He also recorded 99 shot blocks and 174 hits, both ranked second on the team. Manson added two assists, one block, and 10 hits through the first two-and-a-half games of Colorado’s playoff run, before running into injury after just five minutes of ice time.
Ahcan will return to the Colorado Eagles’ run in the Calder Cup Playoffs. He has played in three of the team’s playoff games so far, with no scoring or penalties. Ahcan racked up a career-high 50 points in 61 games with the Eagles this season. He has posted a new scoring peak in each of his three seasons with the Eagles, after beginning his career in the Boston Bruins organization. He will step back into an important, top-four role on an Eagles team already pacing the AHL postseason. The Eagles have won four of their five games and boast a playoff-best +12 goal-differential.