Transaction Notes: Paquette, Gaudreau, Mayer
The Texas Stars, AHL affiliates of the Dallas Stars, announced the signing of forward Charlie Paquette to a one-year AHL contract. As is customary with AHL deals, the financial terms of the contract were not disclosed. Paquette, 20, was a seventh-round pick by the team at last year’s entry draft. The Stars hold the exclusive rights to sign Paquette to an entry-level contract until June 1, 2027, but they have decided to give Paquette a place in their organization – albeit without an ELC – before that point.
The contract will allow Paquette to turn pro with AHL Texas next season. Paquette is a 6’2″ winger who has played in the OHL since 2021-22. Paquette experienced steady, positive development over the course of his time in junior hockey. He scored just seven points in 54 games as a rookie, but two years later managed 21 goals and 35 points. He became a point-per-game scorer in his final two years of OHL action, potting 66 goals and 133 points in his final 133 games of junior hockey. While he is not considered to be among Dallas’ top prospects, he’ll get the chance to try to make the Stars’ AHL team next fall, and will either begin his career there or with the franchise’s ECHL affiliate, the Idaho Steelheads.
Other transactions from around the hockey world:
- Minor-league goaltender Benjamin Gaudreau, 23, announced on social media earlier this week that he has committed to play college hockey next season at Clarkson University. While Gaudreau would have been ineligible to play college hockey in previous years due to his experience in professional hockey, more recent developments in the area of collegiate eligibility have paved the way for players with ECHL and even AHL games played to head to, or back to, the college ranks. Gaudreau is a 2021 third-round pick of the San Jose Sharks but the team let his rights lapse without giving him an entry-level deal. Gaudreau is perhaps best known for the place he occupied on Team Canada for the World Junior Championships in 2022-23. He had a shutout over Austria in the tournament and helped Canada win gold. Gaudreau spent last season with the Trois-Rivières Lions of the ECHL, posting an .897 save percentage in 29 games. In total, he has played in 72 games in the ECHL and five games in the AHL.
- Defenseman Connor Mayer has decided to head overseas to continue his professional career after spending the last two seasons in the AHL and ECHL. The former Colorado College blueliner signed a deal with HC Innsbruck of the ICEHL. Mayer will head to Austria after a 2024-25 season that saw him lose his spot in the AHL. Mayer signed out of college late in the 2023-24 season and spent most of 2024-25 in the AHL, getting into 22 games for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles compared to just four games in the ECHL with the Utah Grizzlies. Mayer then signed with the Hershey Bears but he only ended up playing in one game for the club. He spent most of 2025-26, 55 total games, with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. Now the 5’11” rearguard will head to Austria to join an Innsbruck franchise that has struggled mightily over the last two years – winning just 20 of their last 96 league contests.
Metro Notes: Bennett, Fedotov, Hammers
Ray Bennett‘s time seeking a new coaching role didn’t take long. Moments after the New York Islanders announced that they had mutually parted ways with Bennett, the Washington Capitals announced they have hired him for the 2026-27 season.
Bennett was presumably hired to replace Kirk Muller, who departed the organization in late April. The 64-year-old coach has served as an assistant coach in the NHL for over 25 years, primarily focusing on power-play strategies with the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, and Islanders.
The Capitals’ work with a man advantage could certainly use a fresh perspective. Washington had a solid power play during the 2024-25 campaign, finishing 13th in the league with a 23.53% success rate. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the same prosperity this season, falling to 25th in the league with a 17.84% rate.
Additional notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- Despite being one win away from an Eastern Conference Final berth, the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters have lost some of their goaltending depth, likely for the remainder of the postseason. According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, netminder Ivan Fedotov has returned overseas to deal with an undisclosed injury. Since he is an unrestricted free agent this summer and left the team during their pursuit of the Calder Cup, it seems likely that Fedotov does not intend to continue his professional career in North America. He may have already begun exploring opportunities overseas.
- The Islanders announced the name and logo of their new AHL affiliate in Hamilton, following the team’s move from Bridgeport, CT. The new AHL franchise will be named the Hamilton Hammers, reflecting the historical significance of the steel industry in the Ontario city.
Ducks Issue Multiple Injury Updates
As is typically the case, once teams are eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, many player injuries get revealed. That is the case for the Anaheim Ducks, who shared updates regarding six players according to a team announcement.
The highest-profile injury is that of forward Troy Terry, who has been dealing with chronic hip impingement and will undergo surgery at an undetermined date. Although he’s remained relatively healthy since the 2020-21 campaign, Terry missed 21 games for the Ducks this season, though it was defined as an upper-body injury at the time.
Regardless, despite the injury requiring surgery, it didn’t seem to impact Terry in the postseason. Anaheim regularly relied on Terry, who played the right wing of the Ducks’ first forward unit, and he finished with three goals and 11 points in 12 games. It wasn’t enough to get the team to the Western Conference Final, nor was it enough to lead the team in scoring, but Terry had a solid playoff debut based on the circumstances.
Additionally, the team confirmed Cutter Gauthier‘s vetebrae fracture from earlier in the season. The Ducks didn’t confirm when the injury took place, though its believed to have stemmed from Anaheim’s overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 30th. Impressively, even while dealing with that, Gauthier registered seven goals and 16 points in 15 games since, including the postseason.
Meanwhile, Anaheim shared that center Ryan Poehling was dealing with a concussion after being hit by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb in Game 5 of Round Two, resulting in a one-game suspension for the latter. Additionally, the team revealed that Pavel Mintyukov was dealing with an MCL sprain, Radko Gudas an ankle sprain, and Drew Helleson a groin strain. Aside from Terry, all the other injured members have all been cleared from their injuries.
Latest On New Jersey Devils, Simon Nemec
Earlier this morning, a report from Simon Chop and Stefan Bufan of Denník, a Slovakian outlet, indicated that defenseman Simon Nemec has requested a trade from the New Jersey Devils. Nemec has been involved in trade rumors for the past year or so, and the article indicated that the new General Manager, Sunny Mehta, hadn’t yet contacted Nemec or his representation about a new contract.
However, in a subsequent article, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now shared that sources indicate Mehta has already contacted Nemec about a new contract, indicating that part of the original report is unfounded. Additionally, a similar situation occurred with Nemec last offseason. The former second-overall pick clarified that it stemmed from a bad translation, and he had no intention of leaving the Devils.
Furthermore, a trade request would be a stark contrast from the tone Nemec set at his end-of-season availability only a few weeks ago. Prompted about his upcoming restricted free agency, Nemec responded with, “I’d love to sign here.” Unless there was a dramatic turn, which technically could have happened since New Jersey hired Mehta, Nemec appears committed to the Devils moving forward.
Nonetheless, this does not mean Nemec will not be traded this summer, nor does Mehta contacting him indicate that the new regime won’t explore the possibility. It’s no secret that New Jersey is seeking a top-six forward, particularly on the right wing, and Nemec is the best trade chip they have in their arsenal.
Afforded more ice time due to the long-term injury to Luke Hughes, Nemec had a solid season, scoring 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games, averaging 19:40 of ice time per game. His possession metrics improved considerably, but that could be attributed to playing on one of the strongest possession teams in the league. New Jersey finished with a team CorsiFor of 52.0% this past season, the 10th-best in the league.
Although it’s unlikely that Nemec will ever challenge for the scoring lead among defensemen, right-handed top-four defensemen are always in high demand throughout the league. If they do make him widely available, the Devils should have no shortage of suitors.
Still, they are in a solid bargaining position, and New Jersey would do well to remember that. Even though he’ll be more difficult to move, the Devils could trade Dougie Hamilton and his $9MM salary, and pivot to targeting Alex Tuch or Anthony Mantha to alleviate their need in the top-six. Unless they can acquire a top-tier talent like Matthew Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs or Drake Batherson from the Ottawa Senators, it might be wiser for New Jersey to keep Nemec and explore other options to enhance their top six.
Photo courtesy of Ed Mulholland of Imagn Images.
Morning Notes: Davidge, Vatrano, Bennett
Yesterday, the Columbus Blue Jackets somberly announced that former scout, radio, and TV analyst Bill Davidge passed away at the age of 72. Davidge last worked for the Blue Jackets in the 2018-19 season.
Although born in Dunnville, Ontario, Davidge had significant connections to Ohio. In the mid-1970s, Davidge spent his collegiate days at The Ohio State University, scoring 45 goals and 101 points in 114 games, while serving as the team’s captain during the 1976-77 campaign. Additionally, after his playing days ended, Davidge spent many years as an assistant coach for Miami University of Ohio before becoming the team’s head coach from 1985 to 1989.
In their announcement of his passing, the Blue Jackets said, “Our organization has never known a greater advocate or ambassador for our team and sport than Bill. If the Blue Jackets were somewhere in the community, there was a good chance Bill was there. And he was making an impact. There were no strangers in his world, only friends.”
Additional morning notes:
- Despite having nearly $41MM in cap space heading into the summer, the Anaheim Ducks may come relatively close to the upper limit of the salary cap after inking new contracts with Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger, among others. Should they need additional breathing room, Patrick Present of The Hockey News opined that the team could look to move Frank Vatrano, who is making just north of $4.5MM through the 2027-28 campaign. Vatrano, 32, is an obvious trade candidate after a year in which he only totalled nine points, but that could equally make him more difficult to move.
- According to a team announcement, the New York Islanders have parted ways with assistant coach Ray Bennett. Bennett, 64, has a lengthy history as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, and Islanders. As assistant coach, Bennett was tasked with leading New York’s power play, one that finished 30th in the league with a 16.53% success rate.
Victor Soderstrom Signs With EHC Biel-Bienne
May 21st: According to a team announcement, Soderstrom has officially signed a two-year deal with the NL’s EHC Biel-Bienne. It is expected that the deal will include an NHL opt-out clause. However, it is unlikely that Soderstrom will return to North America, as this marks the second time in three years that he has sought a different opportunity overseas.
April 18th: When the Bruins acquired and signed Victor Soderstrom, the defenseman was hoping that he would get that elusive extended NHL opportunity. However, that hasn’t been the case as he has once again spent most of the season in the minors. As a result, he’s eyeing a return overseas as Expressen’s Johan Svensson and Mattias Persson report that the blueliner is expected to sign with EHC Biel-Bienne in Switzerland for next season.
The 25-year-old was a first-round pick by Arizona back in 2019 but after seeing limited opportunities with the Coyotes, he opted to head overseas at the end of his entry-level contract, returning to SHL Brynas. Arizona retained his NHL rights and ultimately flipped them to Chicago at the 2025 trade deadline with Boston acquiring those rights three months later and signing him to a two-way deal.
But Soderstrom went through waivers unclaimed in training camp and outside an eight-game stint in Boston in December (where he had an assist and averaged 13:41 per game), he has played exclusively with AHL Providence. Soderstrom has done well in the minors, tallying nine goals and 21 assists in 57 games and should be set for a long playoff run with Providence guaranteed to finish the season with the AHL’s top record, earning them the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy.
Soderstrom is set to become a Group Six unrestricted free agent this summer and could have entertained offers to see if a better opportunity was out there. But with how this year has gone, he’d likely be viewed as a recallable depth player elsewhere as well so instead of repeating this season, it appears he’ll try his hand in the Swiss league next season.
Breaking Down Possible Destinations For Jordan Binnington
The St. Louis Blues are no longer in win-now mode, but they have some promising young players in their NHL lineup and on the way up. However, one player who doesn’t figure into their future contention window is veteran goaltender Jordan Binnington. The 32-year-old is set to enter the final year of his contract, and given his age and uneven play, it doesn’t make much sense for the Blues to keep him around if he isn’t part of their plans beyond next year. St. Louis isn’t going to compete next season, and with many of their veterans already moved out and several teams desperate for help in goal, the time is right for St. Louis to trade Binnington.
Binnington is clearly beloved in St. Louis for helping the city win its first Stanley Cup in 2019. He did so as a 25-year-old rookie and continued his strong play through his first few NHL seasons, earning Vezina Trophy consideration in several of those years. He then inked a long-term deal in March 2021, giving him a $6MM AAV over six years.
Binnington would remain an above-average netminder for most of the next three seasons before his play began to decline during the 2024-25 season and carried into this past year. It was then that the Blues reportedly became interested in moving Binnington at the NHL Trade Deadline, though they ultimately kept him. Now, with Binnington in the final year of his deal and most of his trade protection removed, the likelihood of a trade is high.
The Edmonton Oilers feel like the logical fit for Binnington, given their ongoing struggles to find solid netminding during the Connor McDavid era. The Oilers thought Tristan Jarry would be the answer after a mid-season trade this past December, but it was clear at the time that the Jarry experiment was a panic move, and the results were tepid, to put it generously. Binnington’s big-game history is a complete 180 from Jarry’s track record in big games, but both veterans have lacked consistency over the past two years, so it’s tough to call Binnington an upgrade for the Oilers. That said, Binnington has performed well for Team Canada over the past couple of years, but behind poor defense, his numbers haven’t been good, and that would likely be the experience in Edmonton as well.
Another potential suitor could be the Florida Panthers, who could lose Sergei Bobrovsky to free agency. Bobrovsky is five years older than Binnington and is likely seeking his last big payday. While his relationship with the Panthers has been highly productive, anything can happen in free agency, and his departure is possible. Binnington would offer Florida a big-game goaltender at a low cost, with a chance to play behind a solid defensive team. This would be of interest to the Panthers, since the only other realistic option would be Stuart Skinner, whom the Panthers twice defeated in the Stanley Cup Finals while he was with the Edmonton Oilers.
The Los Angeles Kings did not get the goaltending they hoped for from starting netminder Darcy Kuemper, who posted a 19-14-15 record with a 2.78 GAA and an .891 SV%. The 36-year-old is entering the final year of his contract and may not be the answer for a Kings team hoping to finally make noise in the playoffs after years of first-round exits. Binnington wouldn’t be the Kings’ long-term answer, but in the short term, he could be an upgrade over Kuemper and is four years younger.
Finally, a handful of other teams could use an upgrade in goal for this upcoming season. The San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils have both gone through difficult rebuilds and are at different stages of emerging from them. The Devils have had a failure to launch after their rebuild, making a couple of playoff appearances and even winning a series, but they haven’t been a playoff team in two of the last three years, and their one appearance was a five-game exit. Those years in which the Devils missed the postseason have largely been due to poor goaltending, including this year, when Jacob Markstrom played poorly after signing a two-year extension. Markstrom’s play coincided with the Devils’ fall, and it’s fair to wonder whether the Devils trust him to be the guy as they try to get some traction after their rebuild. Binnington has a better resume than Markstrom, in terms of playing in big games and winning, but it’s hard to imagine the Devils moving out one inconsistent veteran for another. That being said, the Devils’ goaltending has been inconsistent, and given that the team has struggled to find stability in net, they may be open to making a change for the sake of making a change.
Lastly, the Sharks are trying to move beyond their rebuild and took some small strides this year, competing for a playoff spot but ultimately falling short. The Sharks have Yaroslav Askarov, whom they hope will be their goalie of the future, but last year showed the team that he wasn’t ready to be a full-time NHL starter. The Sharks have a capable backup in Alex Nedeljkovic, whom they re-signed to a two-year, $6MM deal. The jury is still out on Askarov, but at the moment he simply needs NHL reps behind a competent defense to further develop. The Sharks appear set to go hunting for defensemen this summer, which should be exactly what the doctor ordered for Askarov. Given the Sharks’ depth at the position in the NHL, acquiring Binnington makes little sense unless Askarov struggles to start the season and San Jose looks like a team that could challenge for a playoff spot. If that were to happen, it would make sense for the Sharks to look for an in-season upgrade, which is where Binnington could be an option given his contract status and capabilities, but for now it doesn’t make sense for San Jose.
One last option for St. Louis is to wait until the season starts to find out which contending team has a goaltender injury to start the year, or which team is unhappy with their goaltending and looking for an upgrade. Last season, the Pittsburgh Penguins entered the year with Jarry as their starter, and after less than two months of above-average play, they were able to trade him for a massive haul to the Edmonton Oilers. They did this despite the fact that Jarry had been on waivers less than a year prior, but Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas was fortunate to find a team desperate enough to take Jarry off his hands. A similar play could be the Blues’ best option for Binnington if they can’t find reasonable trade offers in the summer.
Snapshots: Lehkonen, Zary, Malhotra
A welcome addition has returned to the Avalanche lineup, as Artturi Lehkonen is back tonight for Game 1 against Vegas as they’re missing superstar Cale Makar.
The last time the forward played, his Avalanche dropped Game 3 to Minnesota, at the time looking like a series which could have been much more interesting than it eventually became. While he was out Joel Kiviranta slotted in, a scratch tonight as he did not find the score sheet in limited usage.
Always a dependable role player who excels in every area, Lehkonen joins the second line, centered by Brock Nelson and opposite Nicolas Roy. Colorado handled business while he was away dealing with an upper-body injury, but with six points in seven playoff games, Lehkonen is a key factor who steps up consistently in the playoffs. This will be the third time the 30-year-old skates in the Conference Final, first doing so with Montreal, and in both times his team moved along to play for the Stanley Cup.
Elsewhere across the league:
- In an article where he looked into Calgary Flames trade candidates this summer, Anthony DiMarco of The Daily Faceoff wrote on forward Connor Zary’s unhappiness within his role, playing on the wing instead of down the middle. The 24-year-old, a first round selection back in 2020, on paper fits into the Flames plans as they move into what could be an aggressive rebuild over the next few years. However, posting just 25 points on the season, his development has stalled out in Alberta, raising the need for a fresh start elsewhere. There’s no shortage of similar players who offer a potential 1-1 swap, perhaps even a young defenseman for Calgary’s needs, but Zary’s $3.78MM AAV, carrying through the 2027-28 season, would be a factor in any discussion.
- The Vancouver Canucks reportedly rejected a team from interviewing their AHL head coach Manny Malhotra, according to TSN’s Mike Johnson on yesterday’s edition of OverDrive. After much speculation ended in an internal promotion for their general manager position (Ryan Johnson) it could be the same behind the bench, after Adam Foote was fired yesterday. Let go after just one year, of course it was a brutal season, but the decision suggests that the Canucks have somebody in mind who they’d not be willing to lose this summer. Assuming Johnson’s suspicions to be true, it very well might be the longtime NHLer who played as a Canuck from 2010-2013. An assistant at the NHL level with Vancouver as well as the Maple Leafs, Malhotra took over in AHL Abbotsford in 2024, leading them to their first Calder Cup title alongside Johnson. Connections not ending there, his son, Caleb Malhotra, is gathering noise as a possible selection of the team at third overall in the draft next month should they target a center.
Evening Notes: Nurse, Vladar, Wedgewood
On yesterday’s edition of Daily Faceoff Live, Jeff Marek speculated on a trade scenario for the Edmonton Oilers to move on from Darnell Nurse. Marek suggested that San Jose, known to be seeking a defenseman, could offer up one of their several young forwards, such as Collin Graf in a hypothetical deal.
Western Conference foes who could eventually meet in the playoffs, it begs the question if San Jose would do such a favor to take on Nurse’s $9.25MM cap hit, running through the 2029-30 season, when he’ll be 35. Not only that concern, it would simultaneously give the Oilers a real asset such as Graf. Somewhat quietly amidst a group full of more widely recognizable young talent, the 23-year-old Graf tucked away 21 goals last year for the Sharks, a huge step for the undrafted 6’1” winger who enters restricted free agent status this summer and will command a big increase from his entry level deal.
With declining metrics in terms of possession, and no longer likely to break the 40-point mark in a season again anytime soon, Nurse leaned more into a physical role, surpassing the 100 penalty minute mark for the first time. What’s going for the 30-year-old is that he is highly durable, playing in all 82 games and eating minutes at just under 21 a night. Only Dmitry Orlov and Mario Ferraro skated more for the Sharks this year in that metric.
In theory, Nurse presents an upgrade over Ferraro, but by no means is the longest tenured Shark a top 10 highest paid blueliner in the league, allowing San Jose to allocate those funds elsewhere. The team will have over $14MM to burn with practically their entire defense core hitting free agency this summer, but General Manager Mike Grier will be cautious as he puts the finishing touches on a rebuild which is set up for a decade of noise ahead.
Elsewhere across the league:
- With breakout goaltender Dan Vladař showing preference to remain in Philadelphia long term, Anthony DiMarco of The Daily Faceoff looked into what an extension would look like. A huge part of their resurgence, Vladar’s 2.42 goals against average was third in the entire league this year. One has to go back to 2019-20 as the last time the Flyers got that level of goaltending, coming from who was a second-year-pro Carter Hart, results the now Golden Knight has been chasing ever since. Luckily for the Flyers, they’ll retain the 28-year-old for another year at his steal of a $3.35MM AAV, but the sooner they handle business for the future, the better. DiMarco reported that the Flyers would be willing to give him five years of term with a contract hovering around $6MM per season. If it gets done, the former Flame would join the likes of Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett as the longest signed players on the team, fully signifying their belief that he’s the netminder they’ve been long searching for.
- The Colorado Avalanche are turning back to Scott Wedgewood tonight for Game 1 against Vegas, confirmed by the team. MacKenzie Blackwood meanwhile, of whom he’s split duty with all year, started the last two games of the previous round against Minnesota. However, he was yanked after the first period after letting in three goals of the deciding contest, as Wedgewood backstopped the team to a comeback victory. With all respect to the 33-year-old, whose breakout campaign has shattered his career best statistics across the board, Wedgewood had to stop just seven shots in his 43:14 versus the Wild one week ago. Still, clearly the switch panned out, and he’ll lead the Avs out for the Conference Finals tonight. It’s new territory for Wedgewood who prior to this year had just four playoff appearances across his whole career, none of which were starts.
Sabres Notes: Ruff, Tuch, Kekäläinen
Where does the Wagon go from here?
The Buffalo Sabres’ magical run of 2025-26 came to an end at the hands of a Game 7 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After a stretch where they earned an NHL-best 63 points from a 29-9-5 record since the beginning of 2026, the Sabres ended a drought where they missed the playoffs for 14 years. They won the Atlantic Division for the first time in franchise history, having never finished above 5th in the division before this season. Overall, Buffalo finished with 50 wins and 109 points en route to the postseason.
A huge positive in the right direction for the trending upward Sabres came earlier today during end-of-season press conferences, after the team announced the extension of head coach Lindy Ruff to a two-year deal. Ruff has been with the Sabres before, but in his current stint with the Sabres, he’s 86 wins across two seasons and is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, an honor bestowed upon him 20 years ago when he won coach of the year behind the same bench in 2005-06.
The biggest headline outside of Ruff saw all eyes on pending UFA forward Alex Tuch. The Syracuse, NY native finished his fifth season with the Sabres, scoring 33 goals for 66 points in 79 games and added seven points in 13 playoff games to cap out the final season of his seven-year, $33.25MM ($4.75MM AAV) contract. Tuch said he has an interest in coming back to Buffalo, and that general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen expressed that he wants him back in exit interviews. Contract talks were put on hold during the playoffs, but we’ll see where things go between the Sabres and Tuch.
Additional notes:
-
- Tage Thompson said he was dealing with lower back injuries that had been lingering from the regular season. He also expressed ‘hitting a wall’ throughout this hockey season, a campaign which began for him at the IIHF World Championships, winning gold for the USA in the summer of 2025 and later at the Olympics in February, leading into the playoff push. The 28-year-old forward finished his 2025-26 NHL season with 81 points in 81 games played and had 15 points in Buffalo’s 13 playoff games.
- In terms of injuries, there were a few notable admissions along with Thompson. Owen Power was dealing with a grade-3 ankle sprain that he suffered late in the second round series against the Montreal Canadiens. Logan Stanley was playing with an undisclosed injury, and Sam Carrick was rushed back from a left-arm injury he suffered in the regular season.
- Along with Lindy Ruff being a ‘no-brainer’ extension for Kekäläinen, there are certainly some decisions that will require all parties to take time as Buffalo moves into its first summer where the grass is greener, thanks to a playoff berth. The window is now open, and Kekäläinen has to build on what this team he inherited had been able to accomplish. Buffalo has just $12.9MM in cap space as they enter this summer, and a good chunk of impact players that they’ll want to ensure they can retain before they make additions to the core. Along with Tuch, Buffalo has to address UFA forwards Beck Malenstyn, Tanner Pearson, Joshua Dunne, and defensemen Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley. On the RFA side, three key younger members in Peyton Krebs, Zach Benson, and defenseman Michael Kesselring are expiring this summer. Kekäläinen also said he told defenseman Bowen Byram, who has a year left at $6.25MM, that he’d like to have him back on a long-term deal.