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Victor Soderstrom Signs Two-Year Deal In SHL

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Sunday: TSN’s Chris Johnston reports the deal is finalized and Soderstrom will join Brynäs on a two-year agreement. It will mark the first time since the 2019-20 season that Soderstrom has suited up for the Swedish squad. The Utah Hockey Club will retain his signing rights as a restricted free agent should he choose to return to North America after the end of the contract.

Saturday: Should the deal get finalized, it will be a two-year agreement for Soderstrom in Brynäs, Abrahamsson and Rose report.  There is no word if the deal contains an NHL out clause should Utah move Soderstrom’s NHL rights.

Thursday: One of the remaining restricted free agents around the NHL is Utah defenseman Victor Soderstrom.  He has made it known that he wasn’t a fan of how things went last season when he only got into three games with the Coyotes after playing in 30 in 2022-23.

While the plan seemed to be for him to remain in North America for the upcoming season, that may not be the case anymore.  Aftonbladet’s Hans Abrahamsson and Tomas Rose report that Utah is not inclined to part with the 2019 first-round pick.  Meanwhile, while Soderstrom’s preference would be to sign an NHL deal, it appears as if he’s unwilling to do so with Utah at this time, resulting in him looking into overseas options.

Abrahamsson and Rose note that quite a few Swiss League teams and SHL squads have shown interest in the 23-year-old with his old team in Brynäs believed to be finalizing a deal with him.  In doing so, Soderstrom will be leaving some money on the table compared to other offers out there but it would allow him to return to the program he spent several years in before being drafted by Arizona.

Last season, Soderstrom played in 62 games with AHL Tucson, notching nine goals and 23 assists, both career-bests at that level but it didn’t seem to help his fortunes for a recall.  Now, with Utah overhauling its back end with the additions of Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino, and Ian Cole, securing a roster spot to start the season will be even more difficult.

It’s worth noting that Soderstrom is now waiver-eligible so had he signed an NHL deal, he’d have had to go through waivers to return to the minors, giving other teams an opportunity to add him.  Instead, it appears as if he’ll return home at least for the upcoming season.  Utah will retain his rights as a restricted free agent and the stalemate between the two sides will continue for the foreseeable future.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Utah Hockey Club

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t often see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2024-25 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia.  We begin with a look at the Central Division; next up is Utah.

Utah Hockey Club

Current Cap Hit: $78,079,643 (under the $88MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Logan Cooley (two years, $950K)
F Josh Doan (two years, $925K)
F Dylan Guenther (one year, $894K)

Potential Bonuses
Cooley: $3.5MM
Guenther: $850K
Total: $4.35MM

Cooley’s first NHL season was a solid one.  They kept him in the top six for most of the year while not frequently exposing him to top checking.  While he struggled mightily at the faceoff dot (many rookies do), Utah still views Cooley as their top center of the future.  If he can take a step forward offensively this season, he could be a candidate for a long-term extension next summer.  If that happens, his camp will likely use Juraj Slafkovsky’s contract (eight years, $60.8MM) as a comparable.

Doan impressed in his first taste of NHL action down the stretch, giving him a shot at earning a full-time spot in camp.  But even if that happens, he’ll likely have too small of a track record for an early extension next summer.  Guenther, meanwhile, was able to play in the minors last season but played his way into a promotion relatively quickly where he picked up 35 points in 45 games.  With just 78 games under his belt, an extension in the coming weeks is unlikely but if he puts up a full season at that level of production, he could push for a long-term deal starting with a seven next summer.

Signed Through 2024-25, Non-Entry-Level

F Nick Bjugstad ($2.1MM, UFA)
F Michael Carcone ($775K, UFA)
D Ian Cole ($3.1MM, UFA)
F Alexander Kerfoot ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Jack McBain ($1.599MM, RFA)
G Karel Vejmelka ($2.725MM, UFA)

Kerfoot was a nice addition by Arizona last summer, giving them a capable two-way pivot who is capable of playing high in the lineup, allowing them to ease Cooley in.  If he can have a similar offensive showing this season (45 points), he could push for upwards of $5MM on a multi-year agreement next summer given the consistently high demand for centers.  Bjugstad made the decision to return to the Coyotes last summer and it was a good one as he had his best season offensively since 2017-18.  While they’re certainly pleased with the performance, his track record is as a player with limited offense.  Accordingly, an early extension would be hard to come by as both sides would be better off seeing if his production can be repeatable.  If it is, he could come in closer to $4MM next time out.

McBain has become a capable checking center who has chipped in a bit offensively while throwing his body around.  That’s a solid profile for a player at this price point.  If the upcoming season is similar to these last two, he could double this price tag with arbitration eligibility.  Carcone reached 20 goals last season, his first full NHL campaign at the age of 27.  Obviously, getting a 20-goal scorer for the league minimum is excellent value but how close he comes to repeating that will dictate if he’s going to stay close to this price tag or easily reach seven figures in 2025-26.

This is the fourth year in a row that Cole has taken a one-year deal with a price point between $2.9MM and $3.1MM.  Barring a significant change in his performance, it seems fair to infer that he could be in line for something close to that range next summer as well.

Vejmelka is an interesting case in terms of his free agent value.  On the surface, his numbers are rather pedestrian; he has yet to record a save percentage of .900 or better while the lowest GAA of his three-year career is 3.35, set last season.  And yet, the general perception around him has been that perhaps on a better team, he’s someone who might be more impactful.  With the overhaul Utah has had on the back end this summer, this could be a good test of that theory.  If that happens, Vejmelka could conceivably push for a contract in the higher tier of backup or platoon goalies with a price tag approaching $4MM.  If that doesn’t happen, however, a small pay cut might be coming his way.

Signed Through 2025-26

F Barrett Hayton ($2.65MM, RFA)
G Connor Ingram ($1.985MM, UFA)
D Michael Kesselring ($1.4MM, RFA)
F Matias Maccelli ($3.425MM, RFA)
F Nick Schmaltz ($5.85MM, UFA)
F Kevin Stenlund ($2MM, UFA)
D Juuso Valimaki ($2MM, UFA)
D Shea Weber ($7.857MM, UFA)

Schmaltz has very quietly been one of the steadier Coyotes in recent seasons, ranging between 58 and 61 points in the last three seasons, two of which saw him over a point per game while dealing with injury trouble.  While he’s not a full-time center anymore, he can still play down the middle which will help from a value perspective.  Assuming this production keeps up, he should push past the $7MM mark on his next deal.  Maccelli, meanwhile, wasn’t quite able to produce at the same level as 2022-23 but he came close, giving Arizona solid value on the first year of his bridge deal.  Staying around this level of offensive numbers could put him around the $6MM range on his next contract.

Hayton followed up a career year with arguably his worst one, resulting in what amounts to a second bridge contract.  He’ll only have one season of club control left after this contract expires and both sides will be hoping that he can become much more impactful by then.  Stenlund had a solid season with Florida, chipping in 11 goals in a limited role which allowed him to double his price tag from a year ago and tack on a second season.  This is more on the upper tier for someone who projects as a fourth liner but if he can hang around the double-digit goal mark, he could beat this price tag.

Weber has been on LTIR for the past three years and will continue to be there for the rest of the deal.  With Utah having ample cap space, he won’t be a burden on their cap.  Valimaki has become a reliable second-pairing defender at a price point well below market value.  While the additions could push down his playing time, he could still conceivably double this in 2026.  Kesselring spent most of last season in Arizona for his first consistent taste of NHL action.  He fared pretty well all things considered but with his limited track record, a bridge deal was the way to go.  He’ll have arbitration rights next time out and could double this if he holds onto a regular spot on the third pair.

Ingram has turned into one of the better waiver claims in recent years, going from a third-string option with Nashville to a starter as he played in 50 games last season while leading the league in shutouts.  If he continues on that trajectory and becomes a consistent starter, he could push past $5MM two years from now.

Signed Through 2026-27

F Lawson Crouse ($4.3MM, UFA)
D John Marino ($4.4MM, UFA)
F Liam O’Brien ($1MM, UFA)

It took some time but Crouse has emerged as a consistent top-six power forward, hitting the 20-goal mark in three straight years while averaging 183 hits per season in that span.  Given the high demand for players like this, Crouse appears to be well on his way to passing the $6MM mark on his next deal.  If the cap goes up quickly before 2027, $7MM could be possible if he stays at that level of production.  O’Brien had a career year offensively last season while leading the league in penalty minutes.  That helped earn him this three-year contract, something that a lot of enforcers don’t typically get.  Even if O’Brien struggles, the deal can come off the cap entirely if he’s in the minors, making it a low-risk signing.

Marino was acquired at the draft from New Jersey to help bolster the back end.  While he hasn’t been able to get back to the level of production from his rookie year (which largely helped him earn this agreement), he has been a consistent minutes-eater, logging over 20 minutes a night in each of his five NHL seasons while recording 25 points in two of the last three years.  For a second-pairing player, that’s solid value.

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Tij Iginla Being Evaluated For Lower-Body Injury

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Sean Shapiro of EP Rinkside spoke with Dallas Stars general manager about the team’s negotiations with restricted free-agent defenseman Thomas Harley. Nill showed no sense of urgency to speed along the process, highlighting the fact that training camp doesn’t start for another week so both sides have some time to agree to terms.

The 23-year-old is coming off a career year in which he posted 15 goals and 32 assists in 79 games and is a tough contract to project due to the small sample size in which he’s played at a high level. Prior to last season, the Syracuse, New York native had only played 40 NHL games over parts of two seasons and hadn’t yet established himself as an everyday NHLer. Now, a year later, Harley has broken through and appears to be everything the Stars were hoping for when they drafted him 18th overall in 2019.

In other evening notes:

  • Utah’s 2024 first-round pick Tij Iginla is reportedly being evaluated for a lower-body injury and will be listed as day-to-day going forward (as per Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports). Brogan Houston of Deseret News added specifics on the injury saying that Iginla is dealing with a hip issue that will keep him off the ice for a few days. Iginla is Utah’s first-ever draft pick and appears unlikely to play for the team at the Rookie Faceoff in Los Angeles this weekend.
  • Chicago Blackhawks prospect Artyom Levshunov will miss the prospect tournament this weekend in St. Louis after taking a shot off the foot (as per Mark Lazerus of The Athletic). Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the young defenceman is expected to miss a few weeks and is in a walking boot which will be a disappointment for all of those who were looking to catch a glimpse of this year’s second overall pick. Levshunov was facing a battle to try and make the NHL roster, but with the injury, it seems very likely that he won’t begin the season in the NHL.

Utah Signs Kailer Yamamoto To PTO

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Kailer Yamamoto has found a home, at least for training camp. The unrestricted free-agent winger has inked a professional tryout with Utah, the team announced today.

Yamamoto, 26 later this month, was drafted 22nd overall by the Oilers in 2017. The 5’8″, 152-lb forward played spot duty in Edmonton in his first two post-draft seasons, mainly sticking in juniors with the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs and in the minors with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.

He cemented himself as a full-time NHLer after a mid-season recall in 2019-20, closing the COVID-truncated season with 26 points (11 G, 15 A) in 27 games while fitting in on a line with star forwards Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. But during the rest of his time in Edmonton, he couldn’t sniff the near point-per-game rate he flashed in his first real NHL chance.

Yamamoto hit 20 goals once, adding 21 assists for 41 points in 81 games during a career-best showing in 2021-22, but otherwise was a perfectly average middle-six scoring presence with average possession numbers. That career-best year landed him a two-year, $6.2MM contract in restricted free agency the following summer, but he regressed to 25 points (10 G, 15 A) in 58 games the following season.

The Oilers had seen enough, trading him to the Red Wings the following summer. Detroit promptly bought out the last year of his $3.1MM cap hit deal, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Yamamoto took the opportunity to return to his native Washington, inking a one-year, $1.5MM pact with the Kraken for last season. Unfortunately for both sides, it was a failed reclamation project.

The Spokane-born winger slipped to a fourth-line role, posting just eight goals and eight assists for 16 points in 59 contests with a -9 rating and averaging a career-low 11:59 per contest. A frequent healthy scratch, he was non-tendered in June and became a UFA for the second straight summer.

Without any guaranteed offers, he’ll look to land his next NHL contract in Utah. The club has plenty of cap space to sign him to a deal – $9.92MM, per PuckPedia.

But they have a full roster, especially on offense. With 14 forward spots accounted for, competition will be stiff for Yamamoto to land a one-way deal or a spot on the opening night roster. He’d need to unseat someone like Michael Carcone, who was one of the best depth shooters in the league last season with 21 goals in 74 games while averaging 11:16 per night, or 22-year-old winger Josh Doan, who finished last year with nine points in 11 games in his first NHL shot with the Coyotes.

That makes a two-way deal most likely for Yamamoto if he sticks within the Utah organization following his PTO. He’d need to clear waivers to be assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. In that case, it would be Yamamoto’s first minor-league action in five years.

Poll: Which Team Is The Best Landing Spot For Cam Fowler?

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Earlier today it came to light that the Anaheim Ducks and long-time cornerstone defenseman Cam Fowler were working on a trade to move Fowler to a new organization. Fowler has spent nearly 1000 games as a member of the Ducks. Still, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman explained that Anaheim wants to give their young blue-liners more opportunity moving forward.

Fowler owns a modified no-trade clause in his current deal which gives him a relative amount of control over where he ends up. Friedman reported that Fowler is willing to edit the list if prompted but there are only a handful of teams with the cap space and the need for a top-four defenseman. One could reasonably assume for various reasons that Fowler likely won’t end up on the Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, or San Jose Sharks which helps iron out a more concrete list of hypothetical landing spots.

The Winnipeg Jets immediately jump out as a team that could have interest in Fowler as one of Dylan Samberg, Ville Heinola, or Logan Stanley are currently pegged for top-four duties. That trio leaves much to be desired in a top-four role which could lead the Jets to pivot to Fowler. Winnipeg has just under $6MM in cap space with Cole Perfetti the only restricted free agent left to sign. Perfetti shouldn’t eat up too much of the available space which should allow the Jets to comfortably fit Fowler’s contract into the fold for the next two years especially if the Ducks retain some salary off the top.

Utah Hockey Club has already added heavily to their defensive group this summer swinging separate trades for Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino. The team is looking to contend in their first season in Salt Lake City and Fowler would give them a complete blue line. Most lineup predictions have Juuso Valimaki on the second defensive pairing but his inconsistency over the last two seasons may give general manager Bill Armstrong some pause. Utah still owns one of the better prospect pools in the league and would not need Anaheim to retain any salary in a hypothetical trade.

Another team looking to make it back to the playoffs after an eight-year drought is the Detroit Red Wings. The team nearly swung a trade for New York Rangers’ captain Jacob Trouba earlier this summer although he used his no-movement clause to block the deal. The nixed trade for Trouba indicated that the Red Wings are still looking to upgrade their blue line making them an enticing fit for Fowler. The team largely has no reliable options outside of youngster Moritz Seider and Fowler would represent a veteran defenseman who has maintained plenty of responsibility throughout his career as evidenced by his career average of 23:15 time on ice. There is a bit more uncertainty with the Red Wings salary cap picture as they still need to look down Seider, Lucas Raymond, and Jonatan Berggren on new deals.

Fowler and the Ducks organization will inevitably agree on a trade profitable for both sides. It’s uncertain at this time whether a trade will come together relatively quickly or if Fowler will start the 2024-25 season as a member of the Ducks. Will one of the abovementioned teams swing for Fowler or will another team off the board pull the trigger?

For mobile users, click here to vote

Utah Signs Robert Bortuzzo

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It has been a busy offseason for Utah as the former Coyotes get set for their first season in their new home.  With training camp approaching, they’ve added some extra depth on the back end as the team announced (Twitter link) that they have signed defenseman Robert Bortuzzo to a one-year deal.  PuckPedia adds (Twitter link) that it’s a two-way agreement that pays $775K in the NHL and $450K in the minors.

The 35-year-old is a veteran of 13 NHL seasons, spanning 560 games.  Last season, Bortuzzo started the year in St. Louis but had a very limited role and spent considerable time as a healthy scratch.  He was then acquired by the Islanders in December with New York dealing with considerable injuries at that time.  Bortuzzo played a regular role after being acquired but then was injured himself, missing 28 games due to a lower-body issue.  The veteran then returned to his third-pairing role for the stretch run and playoffs.

Between the two teams, Bortuzzo played in 27 regular season games last season.  While he was held off the scoresheet entirely, he collected 51 blocked shots and 38 hits while averaging 13:44 per night.  For his career, he has 74 points, 711 blocks, and 1,095 his to his credit while spending time with Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and New York.

Bortuzzo is the latest addition to a Utah back end that has undergone significant changes this summer.  The team added Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino on the second day of the draft in trades with Tampa Bay and New Jersey and then inked veteran Ian Cole to a one-year, $3.1MM deal in free agency.  The four newcomers join holdovers Sean Durzi, Juuso Valimaki, and Michael Kesselring on a much-improved blueline as the franchise looks to take a step forward toward emerging from its long-term rebuild.

Former NHL winger Scottie Upshall was the first to report the signing.

Veeti Vaisanen Signs With Medicine Hat

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While NHL training camps are still a few weeks away, CHL camps are already underway.  That has brought about some early activity on the transaction front; here’s a rundown of some recent moves involving NHL prospects.

  • WHL Medicine Hat announced that they’ve signed Stars defenseman Niilopekka Muhonen and Utah blueliner Veeti Vaisanen to contracts for the upcoming season. The Tigers selected the two players in the CHL Import Draft earlier this offseason.  Muhonen was a fifth-round pick last month after spending most of last season in KalPa’s junior system in Finland.  Vaisanen, meanwhile, was a late third-rounder and spent the majority of last season in Finland’s top level, getting into 50 games with KooKoo where he had two goals and eight assists.
  • After spending last season in Switzerland, Basile Sansonnens is on the move. His club team in Lausanne announced that they have loaned him to QMJHL Rimouski for the upcoming season.  The Canucks selected the defenseman late in the seventh round in June after he picked up three points in 40 games with Gotteron at the junior level.  It’s a one-year loan for Sansonnens who will return to Lausanne for the 2025-26 season; he’s signed with them through the 2027-28 campaign which is also the deadline for Vancouver to sign him to an NHL contract or lose his rights.
  • Kraken prospect Andrei Loshko is on the move as OHL Niagara announced that they’ve claimed the forward off waivers. The 19-year-old was a fourth-round pick in 2019 and is coming off a productive season with QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda, one which saw him record 28 goals and 37 assists in 64 games.  However, the Huskies picked up two new players in the Import Draft, resulting in Loshko hitting the waiver wire.  Seattle has until June 1, 2025 to sign Loshko to an entry-level deal.

Soderstrom Frustrated With Lack Of Recalls Last Season, Won't Rule Out Signing Overseas

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The 2023-24 season was a breakout showing for Canucks winger Brock Boeser.  He reached the 40-goal mark for the first time while his 73 points were also a personal best.  Despite that, a contract extension doesn’t appear to be on the horizon as Thomas Drance and Rick Dhaliwal of The Athletic report (subscription link) that there have yet to be any discussions about a new deal.  The 27-year-old is entering the final year of his existing contract which makes him extension-eligible.  He’s bound to be eyeing a raise from his current $6.65MM AAV with some potential comparables starting with a seven.  For now, it appears that Vancouver’s management wants to see if Boeser can have a repeat showing in 2024-25 before committing to what will be another long-term, big-money agreement.

More from out West:

  • In an interview with Mattias Ek of Hockey News SE, Utah RFA defenseman Victor Soderstrom expressed some frustration with how he was continually passed over for recalls with Arizona last season despite a solid performance that saw him put up 32 points in 62 games with AHL Tucson. The 23-year-old played in just three games for the Coyotes in 2023-24, giving him 53 career appearances at the top level.  Soderstrom didn’t rule out the possibility of signing overseas but acknowledged that a return to Brynas (where he spent most of his time before coming to North America) was unlikely for the 2024-25 campaign.
  • New Predators prospect David Edstrom spent last season on loan to SHL Frolunda after signing his entry-level deal with Vegas. However, it doesn’t appear as if that will be the case this time around.  In an interview with 102.5 The Game (audio link), Nashville GM Barry Trotz indicated that he envisions his new center playing big minutes with AHL Milwaukee.  Since Edstrom wasn’t drafted out of the CHL, he is AHL-eligible despite being just 19.  He played in 44 games in Sweden last season, picking up 19 points and should be counted on to produce a bit more than that in his first taste of action in North America.

Stenlund Had Hoped To Remain With Florida Before Signing With Utah

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With the Oilers needing to clear up some cap space to accommodate the offer sheets tendered to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway this week, Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province wonders if the Canucks might be able to help in that regard.  Vancouver blueliner Tucker Poolman has played just three games over the last two seasons combined due to concussion issues and was on LTIR for all of 2023-24.  He has one year left on his contract but isn’t expected to play, meaning he’ll remain LTIR-eligible for the upcoming season.

The Canucks aren’t believed to want to incentivize a team to take that contract off their books but with his $2.5MM AAV coming close to Brett Kulak’s $2.75MM, perhaps there’s a basis for a swap.  Vancouver would likely have to add in that package, allowing Edmonton to get an asset in return instead of potentially having to part with one to clear a blueliner.  The Oilers would then be able to utilize Poolman and Evander Kane on LTIR, reducing the imminent need to free up any more cap room while Vancouver would get an NHL roster player in return for someone whose playing days are over.  It’s an odd idea on the surface but perhaps it becomes a palatable one before Edmonton has to decide on matching the offer sheets by Tuesday’s deadline.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Earlier this month, UFA goaltender Ivan Prosvetov officially signed a three-year deal with CSKA Moscow of the KHL. He did, however, have some NHL interest as the netminder told Championat’s Pavel Panyshev that he had a one-way offer on the table that he declined in order to return home.  The 25-year-old split last season between the NHL and AHL with Colorado, putting up a 3.16 GAA and a .895 SV% in 11 games with the Avs and a 2.33 GAA with a .921 SV% in 21 minor league appearances.  A good showing back home could have Prosvetov on the NHL radar again when his contract is up in 2027.
  • Kevin Stenlund’s decision to sign with Florida last summer was a wise one. He put up a career-best 11 goals in 2023-24 while winning the Stanley Cup.  The middleman told Hockeysverige’s Ronnie Ronnkvist that he was hoping to remain with the Panthers in free agency but those talks didn’t progress very far.  The 27-year-old wound up signing a two-year, $4MM deal with Utah, a price point that Florida simply wouldn’t have been able to afford to pay for someone in a depth role given their salary structure.

Poll: Who Will Be The NHL’s Next Captain?

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August is finally here, marking the time of year when teams reconvene at their home rink and begin hardy planning for the upcoming season. That step will come with extra work for the six teams around the league who don’t currently have a captain.

Many of these teams, including Seattle, Anaheim, and Utah, have gone years without a captain – instead opting to disseminate responsibilities among multiple assistant captains. All three teams are amidst staunch rebuilds – with Utah even mapping out relocation – and are likely waiting for their top prospects to take a few more steps before earning the role. The trio of Matthew Beniers, Leo Carlsson, and Logan Cooley seem prime for that ascension with their respective teams, though they each have multiple challengers lining up behind them. The Buffalo Sabres are in a similar grouping, as they transition from a veteran-laden lineup to one of the league’s youngest rosters.

The Chicago Blackhawks also fall into the aforementioned discussion – not carrying a captain since legendary centerman Jonathan Toews ended his career in 2022. Toews leaves massive shoes as Chicago’s leader, after co-heading three Stanley Cup wins alongside winger Patrick Kane. Naming a successor will formally carry Chicago into a new era – one without many of the faces that came to define Chicago hockey in the 2010s. Teenage phenom Connor Bedard seems like a great option to lead that transition, after netting 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games last season – the most of any rookie Blackhawk since Artemi Panarin in 2016, and Kane before him. But Bedard is still young and was limited to a partial season last year by a jaw injury. Those factors could hold him back from Chicago’s prestigious ’C’. If that is the case, it doesn’t seem any of the team’s veteran leaders, including Nick Foligno and Seth Jones, would inspire Chicago to name a captain too early.

And while Chicago’s next captain will lead the team through new scenery, it’s the Tampa Bay vacancy that headlines the off-season. The Lightning now sit without a captain for the first time since 2002, after franchise icon Steven Stamkos chose to sign with the Nashville Predators in his first trip to unrestricted free agency. Stamkos wore the ’C’ for the last 10 years and established himself as a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer in that span, leading Tampa Bay to two Stanley Cups and setting the franchise’s all-time records in both goals and points scored. Like in Chicago, the Lightning will be entering a new era with their next captain – though they’re much more prepared for the vacancy than their counterparts. While forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point could both serve as strong replacements, it’s defenseman Victor Hedman that offers the same rugged veteran leadership brought by Stamkos. Hedman recently signed a four-year extension in Tampa, taking him through his age-37 season and, potentially, the end of his career. He’s already appeared in 1,052 games with Tampa Bay – the most of any Lightning other than Stamkos – and holds the franchise records in all three scoring stats, among defenders. Transitioning from Stamkos to Hedman should prove more of a light handoff than a total change in power, which could be enough to sway a Lightning franchise that hasn’t gone longer than one year without a captain since naming Paul Ysebaert as their inaugural ’C’.

Mapping out when captain announcements will come is often a fool’s bet, but the candidates to earn the NHL’s next ’C’ seem to be becoming clearer. Who will it be? Will Tampa jump to another veteran, will Chicago move into their next step, or will an oft-captain-less team commit to their young guard? Let us know by voting in the poll below and discussing in the comments.

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