Beauchesne Commits to Boston College
The Boston College Eagles continue their aggressive roster reconstruction for the 2026-27 season, announcing a commitment from promising defenseman Quinn Beauchesne. The 19-year-old Ottawa native arrives at “The Heights” as a major boost to a defense corps looking to reload after the departure of key veteran talent to the professional ranks.
Beauchesne, a right-shot blueliner standing 6-foot-0, was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. He comes to the collegiate level following a productive three-year tenure with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
During his final campaign with the Storm in 2025-26, Beauchesne set career highs with seven goals and 28 assists for 35 points in 56 games. He’s known for his high-end skating, navigating defensive pressure, managing zone exits, and being a reliable presence at the point. Earlier this spring, he gained his first look at professional hockey after signing an ATO with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
His arrival at Boston College is expected to be immediate. Head coach Greg Brown, who has successfully integrated several CHL talents into his system recently, likely envisions Beauchesne playing a significant role in his defensive rotation, potentially even stepping into a power-play quarterback role. As the Eagles look to maintain their status as a premier NCAA powerhouse, the addition of a drafted, experienced defender like Beauchesne serves as a cornerstone move in their ongoing defensive rebuild.
Free Agent Focus: Boston Bruins
The NHL offseason is rapidly approaching, and for a team like the Boston Bruins—fresh off a competitive but ultimately disappointing exit in the 2026 playoffs, the summer months offer a pivotal transition point. With a solid core in place, the Bruins face the task of pivoting from a playoff participant to a Stanley Cup contender.
Key Restricted Free Agents
D Jordan Harris – As the lone RFA currently on the NHL roster, Harris is the primary focus for internal contract negotiations. At 25, he has already gained significant league-wide experience, having logged 172 appearances across Montreal, Columbus, and Boston. While his 2025-26 ice time was limited, his mobility and reliability make him a logical candidate for a “prove-it” bridge deal. Boston will look to lock him in at a manageable cap hit as they evaluate whether he represents a long-term fixture in their defensive corps or a piece that needs to be supplemented by external upgrades.
Other RFAs: G Luke Cavallin, F Riley Duran, F Alexis Gendron, F Fabian Lysell, F Matt Poitras, F Max Wanner, G Simon Zajicek.
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Viktor Arvidsson – Arvidsson provided a veteran presence for the Bruins this past season, offering a consistent scoring touch in the middle-six. However, at 33, he now hits the open market at a time when the Bruins are prioritizing younger, more sustainable depth. While he remains a proven commodity capable of contributing on the power play, his future in Boston likely hinges on whether the team can land a higher-impact offensive upgrade. If a match doesn’t materialize, he is a prime candidate for a contender looking for a reliable, experienced winger on a short-term contract.
D Andrew Peeke – Peeke’s value as a right-shot defensive specialist was on full display this season, particularly in his ability to eat minutes and lead the team in blocked shots. Despite his importance to the team’s defensive structure, industry buzz suggests that both parties may be heading toward a split. With Boston actively hunting for a more dynamic, puck-moving presence to bolster their blue line, Peeke appears likely to test the market, where his specialized skill set as a steady, reliable hand will undoubtedly attract attention from clubs seeking defensive stability.
Other UFAs: F Matej Blumel, F Patrick Brown, D Michael Callahan, F Riley Tufte, F John Farinacci, F Navrin Mutter, F Georgii Merkulov, D Victor Soderstrom.
Projected Cap Space
The Bruins enter the offseason with $15.42 million at their disposal. In a vacuum, this is a healthy figure, but it must be managed with surgical precision. With the team needing to bolster their scoring depth and potentially overhaul parts of the defensive rotation, Sweeney will likely have to balance the high costs of a thin UFA market against the potential of trade-market acquisitions. Whether they choose to hunt for marquee talent or invest in filling multiple depth roles, the Bruins’ ability to optimize this cap space will be the defining theme of their 2026 summer.
Injury Notes: MacKinnon, Nichushkin, Smith
The Western Conference Final has taken a turn for the worse for the Colorado Avalanche. After a devastating 5-3 loss in Game 3 on Sunday, the Avalanche find themselves in a 3-0 series hole against the Vegas Golden Knights, with their Stanley Cup aspirations hanging by a thread.
According to Sportsnet’s Eric Francis, there is currently no definitive update on the status of Nathan MacKinnon or Valeri Nichushkin. Both players are dealing with lower-body injuries sustained during Sunday’s contest and are undergoing treatment today. MacKinnon, who leads the team in postseason scoring with 15 points, suffered his injury in the second period after bravely blocking a shot. Despite clearly favoring his leg and receiving limited ice time in the third period, he managed to finish the game. Nichushkin also exited early and saw only 8:34 of ice time. With the season on the brink, Colorado’s coaching staff will likely hold off on any roster decisions until the final pregame media availability on Tuesday.
Conversely, the news coming out of the Vegas camp is far more optimistic. Following a gritty performance in Game 3, head coach John Tortorella provided a reassuring update regarding winger Cole Smith. Smith took a hard hit late in the game that left some observers concerned, but Tortorella confirmed that there is no concern regarding his status moving forward. The Vegas depth has been a massive factor in their comeback series lead, and Smith appears set to remain in the lineup as they look to secure a sweep.
The Avalanche now face a do-or-die scenario in Game 4 at T-Mobile Arena. Whether Colorado can force a fifth game at home on Thursday will depend heavily on the medical reports of their star players and their ability to bounce back from the frustration of blowing a three-goal lead on Sunday night. Puck drop for Game 4 is scheduled for 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday.
Hurricanes Adjustments Ahead of Game 3
With the Eastern Conference Final series tied at one game a piece, the Carolina Hurricanes are expected to maintain several key aspects of their game while tinkering with a few key areas. For the Hurricanes, maintaining an unblemished road record will depend on a few critical tactical and personnel factors highlighted ahead of puck drop.
Penalty Kill
Carolina’s penalty kill is performing at a near-historic level this postseason, killing 23 of 24 opposing power plays (95.5%). As noted by The North State Journal, since 2000, only the 2004 Detroit Red Wings (96%) have put up a better PK percentage over a minimum of 10 playoff games.
Defenseman K’Andre Miller credited the success to “iron sharpening iron,” stating that going up against their own high-end power play units in practice every day keeps them sharp.
Line Matchup War
With the Canadiens holding home-ice advantage, head coach Martin St. Louis gets the luxury of the last change. Montreal will actively try to pull the Nick Suzuki–Cole Caufield–Juraj Slafkovsky top line away from Jordan Staal‘s suffocating checking line. However, while Staal’s line held Montreal’s top trio to just three 5-on-5 shots on goal in Game 2, even if Montreal avoids Staal on home ice, Rod Brind’Amour can still counter by hard-matching his elite shutdown defensive pairing of Jaccob Slavin and Jalen Chatfield against Suzuki’s wingers.
Battling the Bell Centre Noise
While Montreal has gained a reputation as road warriors in the playoffs, the Hurricanes are an absolute juggernaut away from home this postseason, carrying a 4-0 road record into Game 3. Carolina’s only two postseason games with more than three goals scored both happened on the road (in Ottawa and Philadelphia).
Unsung Heroes
Right winger Jackson Blake is completely altering his identity for the postseason. While he has been known primarily for offense, Blake matched his regular-season career-high in blocked shots just 11 minutes into Game 2, finishing the night with 5 blocks.
Despite the adjustments in their tactics, the Hurricanes are keeping an eye on Montreal’s bottom six. Following a costly failed overtime dump-in that led to Nikolaj Ehlers‘ Game 2 winner, morning skate reports indicate Montreal is scratching Oliver Kapanen in favor of the heavier Joe Veleno to counter Carolina’s relentless speed and physical forecheck.
Egor Zamula Expected To Sign In KHL
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Egor Zamula‘s signing rights have been traded in the KHL, according to a report from Jonathan Bailey of The Hockey News. CSKA Moskva has acquired Zamula’s rights from Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in exchange for the signing rights to Boston Bruins forward Georgii Merkulov and the equivalent of $420K in rubles. The trade is a strong indication that Zamula intends to take his professional career to the KHL.
It’s not an unexpected outcome for Zamula. The 26-year-old blueliner began the year with the Philadelphia Flyers, but requested a trade from the organization after he was reassigned to the AHL. After being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Zamula was suspended and later released for failing to report to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Eventually, Zamula landed with the Blue Jackets on a prorated one-year, $1MM contract.
All together, Zamula finished the season with three assists in 33 games with a +6 rating, averaging 13:04 of ice time. Given how his time with the Flyers worked out, and his subsequent lack of playing time in Columbus, it’s not a huge surprise that Zamula is leaving North America to pursue a bigger opportunity.
Additionally, if he were to turn his career around in Russia, Zamula is still young enough that he could return to the NHL in a few years without much pushback. Regardless, that’s putting the cart before the horse.
If he does sign with CSKA, it’ll be the first time Zamula has played in Russia since the 2016-17 campaign. That season, he played for the Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s U17 team, registering three goals and 26 points in 36 games.
Offseason Checklist: Detroit Red Wings
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Detroit.
Patience has run out for the Detroit Red Wings. The team’s playoff drought has run into a decade, and there are still more questions than answers. Despite not only being in a playoff position for much of the season but leading the hotly contested Atlantic Division, a third consecutive collapse in March had the Red Wings on the outside looking in for this year’s postseason. The silver lining is that Detroit has oodles of money to spend and one of the deeper prospect pools in the league. Ultimately, it will require Steve Yzerman to bite the bullet, change his typically conservative approach, and make the changes necessary to get this Original Six franchise back into the playoffs.
Acquire Top-Six Center
This has been an issue plaguing the Red Wings and most of the league for some time. They’ve taken shots at it, mostly by signing Andrew Copp and J.T. Compher in back-to-back offseasons. This season, the hope was that Marco Kasper could assume that role after a solid rookie campaign. Unfortunately, Kasper was flat out of the gates and finished with nine goals and 19 points in 81 contests. His poor play since the start of the campaign vaulted Copp back into the top six.
Despite being one of the best faceoff takers in the league, Copp doesn’t have the offensive punch to warrant a spot in the top six. Yes, he finished with the second-highest scoring output of his career, but it mostly came by the way of assists with the benefit of playing on a line with Alex DeBrincat, who finished with 41 goals.
Detroit was heavily linked to Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers and Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues leading up to the deadline, but ultimately didn’t have the appetite to pay the heavy price to address their need. That’s generally a respectable position, given that the General Manager is tasked with managing the team’s assets as well as putting the best team out on the ice. Still, it was a noticeable hole from the jump, and the lack of aggressiveness left many fans, and likely the team, disappointed.
Given the Rangers’ direction, it’s safe to say that Trocheck will again be available for the right price this summer. For Thomas, there’s no indication what direction new General Manager Alex Steen will want to take the team, so it’s no longer a guarantee that he’ll be shopped. As for other options, the Red Wings could take an expensive flyer on Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks, go on the cheaper side and target Morgan Frost of the Calgary Flames, or go bold and try to pry Nico Hischier away from the New Jersey Devils, especially if his extension talks stall.
Re-Work Defensive Corps
One of the most peculiar themes from Detroit over the past several years has been the organization’s infatuation with Ben Chiarot. Yes, he’s physical and blocks shots, but he doesn’t have the on-ice awareness to have a meaningful role in the top four of the defensive corps. He hasn’t had an on-ice goals percentage greater than 50.0% since his time with the Winnipeg Jets, and he’s continued to get worse since then. Despite his decline in play, the Red Wings signed Chiarot to an extension, keeping him in HockeyTown through the 2028-29 campaign.
Although they started strong, Albert Johansson and Jacob Bernard-Docker both declined significantly towards the end of the season. Detroit attempted to give its defensive corps a jolt by acquiring Justin Faulk at the deadline, but he wasn’t enough to get them over the finish line. By the end of the season, the Red Wings could really only rely on their top unit of Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson.
Youngster Axel Sandin Pellikka still has a high ceiling, but has some maturing to do, which isn’t atypical for younger defensemen. Throughout the season, it was evident that the Red Wings’ coaching staff lacked trust in him during challenging situations, leading to his demotion to AHL Grand Rapids before the campaign ended.
Detroit hopes that a full season with Faulk next to Sandin Pellikka will be beneficial, especially if it moves Chiarot to a bottom-pairing role. However, if injuries occur, Detroit lacks sufficient reserves. The Red Wings should target a defenseman who will primarily play in the bottom pairing, but wouldn’t look out of place in the top four if needed. They should be able to recruit this on the free agent market this summer, such as Mario Ferraro, Logan Stanley, or Ryan Shea.
Lock Up Edvinsson
One key factor in solidifying the defensive corps is locking down Edvinsson this summer. He’s set to become a restricted free agent on July 1st without arbitration rights, giving Detroit plenty of time to work something out long-term.
Although he hasn’t taken off as immediately as Seider, it’s clear that the two play well together. Now a full-time player, Edvinsson has scored 16 goals and 56 points in 150 games over the past two years, averaging 21:43 of ice time per game. Additionally, he plays into his frame, blocking 292 shots and delivering 180 hits in that time. The pairing of Edvinsson and Seider played the third-most totals of any defensive pairing this year, and they finished with a 54.8% xGoals% in all situations, according to MoneyPuck.
At the very least, the Red Wings should target a five-year contract if not longer. Should they agree to a five-year deal, that would line Edvinsson up with Seider for their contract expirations. As of now, AFP Analytics projects Edvinsson to sign a seven-year, $61.4MM ($8.77MM AAV) on a long-term deal. It’s unlikely that Detroit would be willing to go above Seider’s $8.55MM salary on any new deal, so they would likely play hardball in getting Edvinsson down to an $8MM to $8.5MM range.
Add Depth Scoring
Connected to their need for a second-line center, the Red Wings must add additional scoring, particularly to their bottom-six. In what has become another theme for this team over the last few years, Detroit struggles to produce at even strength, costing them several games. This season, the team finished in 30th place in even-strength goals.
Of those that finished the season in Detroit, the combination of James van Riemsdyk, Michael Rasmussen, Mason Appleton, Compher, and Kasper finished with 47 goals on the season. As mentioned previously, DeBrincat finished with 41 himself.
Fortunately, the Red Wings don’t need to go big-game hunting in this regard. In fact, most of it could come from within. If Detroit can move Rasmussen and Appleton this summer, as well as let van Riemsdyk walk in free agency, the Red Wings could begin adding in some of their prospects to the NHL roster and let their youthful energy take over.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire of Imagn Images.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Aku Raty
The Edmonton Oilers have already gotten involved in the overseas market. According to a team announcement, the Oilers have signed Aku Raty to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season worth $850K.
Raty, 24, began his professional career in 2019 when he was selected with the 151st overall pick of that summer’s draft by the Arizona Coyotes. He spent his post-draft season playing for the Finnish Liiga’s Kärpät, scoring two goals and seven points in 32 games with a +2 rating.
After posting a nearly identical scoring line for the 2020-21 campaign, Raty’s offensive presence began to grow in Finland’s professional circuit. Combining the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, Raty registered 29 goals and 64 points in 109 games for Kärpät with a +30 rating. That output rightfully gave the Coyotes the confidence to bring him to North America to test his mettle in the AHL.
At first, he didn’t look out of place. Playing for the Tucson Roadrunners, Raty finished his first season with 15 goals and 44 points in 55 games with a +9 rating. It wasn’t enough to win any awards, but he didn’t finish second on the team in scoring behind Josh Doan.
Unfortunately, Raty took a significant step back during the 2024-25 campaign. He got off to a tough start with the Roadrunners, scoring four goals and 19 points in 50 games, leading to a mid-season trade to the Chicago Blackhawks organization, causing him to finish the year with the Rockford IceHogs.
After that difficult season, Raty took the opportunity to rejoin Kärpät last year, and it turned out to be a worthwhile endeavor. He enjoyed the best season of his professional career, scoring 20 goals and 57 points in 51 games with a +8 rating. Again, his strong offensive output wasn’t enough to lead the league in scoring, but he finished first on the team and seventh overall.
The Oilers frequently adjust their bottom six due to injuries or poor performance, which should create opportunities for Raty at the NHL level, assuming that trend continues. Should Raty get off to a hot start with AHL Bakersfield, if he doesn’t start the season on the NHL roster, the signing could give Edmonton more offensive firepower and energy at the bottom of their forward corps.
Could The Penguins Weaponize Their Cap Space Once Again?
When Kyle Dubas took over the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023, the team had very little in the way of prospects or draft pick capital. They also had an aging, expensive core that had just missed the playoffs and were about the least appealing general manager job in the entire NHL. That first summer, Dubas attempted to retool the team, adding veterans such as defensemen Erik Karlsson and Ryan Graves, as well as forwards Lars Eller and Noel Acciari. The strategy failed as the Penguins struggled throughout the season, and by the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, they were sellers, trading star forward Jake Guentzel, which kicked off what many thought would be a rebuild. But Dubas used a different strategy and began weaponizing his cap space to retool the team by taking on aging veterans with bad contracts, as well as underperforming vets who were looking to rebuild their stock. Now, with the Penguins coming off a postseason appearance, is Dubas done taking on these contracts, or will he once again try to acquire bad contracts and draft picks with an eye towards the future?
To understand the strategy being discussed, one must look back to July 1st, 2024, when the Penguins acquired Kevin Hayes from the St. Louis Blues. Initially, it was a head-scratcher, as the Penguins didn’t look like a team that would add veterans to their lineup. Once the full trade details were released, Dubas’ thinking became clear: the Penguins walked away with a second-round pick. Dubas deployed the same tactic when he acquired Cody Glass from the Nashville Predators, netting two draft picks. He then used it again in 2025, acquiring Matt Dumba and a second-round pick from the Dallas Stars, as well as Connor Clifton and, you guessed it, a second-round pick from the Buffalo Sabres. These trades were all big wins for Pittsburgh in terms of paying out a bloated contract and collecting picks, but they did nothing for their current NHL roster, with the exception of Glass, who was shipped to the Devils for more draft picks at the trade deadline in 2025.
At the time of those moves, Dubas didn’t have a ton of cap space, but he had enough to get creative. This summer, he is holding north of $40MM in available cap space and could use the same tactic again, but will he? The free agent market is thin, with very few available impact players and quite a few teams with cap space. This could make Dubas’ play a bit of a tough sell, as other teams might pivot to his strategy to scoop up extra picks and prospects if they don’t plan to spend their cap space anyway. But there are a number of teams in cap trouble (Vegas, Dallas, Colorado, and Edmonton) that would probably love to shed a bad contract or two if the price is right.
Edmonton would surely love to dump the two years left on goaltender Tristan Jarry’s contract, but the likelihood of Pittsburgh taking him back is slim to say the least, even if it would be poetic. The same could be said for Dallas, which would probably like to dump Tyler Seguin and Ilya Lyubushkin’s contracts. There are always teams desperate to open up space, and for the last two years they’ve called Dubas and the Penguins.
With all of that being said, there is one other big factor that could influence Dubas’ decision on how to allocate cap space, and that is what if he wants to make some big acquisitions to improve the team for this upcoming season? There might not be a lot of UFAs on the market, but there are a pile of big names who could be on the move, including Jason Robertson, who is an RFA, as well as Auston Matthews, Elias Pettersson and more. All of those aforementioned players make north of $10MM annually, or, in the case of Robertson, will make north of $10MM, and that is a number the Penguins could easily absorb.
But there are a few major reasons that Pittsburgh could pursue a blend of acquiring big names and taking on veterans on bad contracts. They simply have so much cap space, and Dubas has already said he doesn’t want to blow it all on long-term, win-now moves that will box him in financially a few years from now. Dubas is keenly aware that the Penguins aren’t likely to be a Stanley Cup contender next season, and the prospects in the Penguins system aren’t all arriving at once, meaning they will come in waves (or at least that’s what Dubas hopes). There is a very real possibility that Dubas takes on short-term vets who can still play but are overpaid, and also lets his prospects develop in key roles.
It’s a strategy that has paid off handsomely for the Penguins thus far, and one that other teams might start to use as well if they are in a position to do so. A good indication of that is the Chicago Blackhawks taking on Andrew Mangiapane’s contract for this upcoming season as part of the Jason Dickinson move at the deadline. This could drive down the price Dubas receives for taking on bad contracts in the future, but there is no shortage of bad NHL contracts, and Dubas could continue to acquire them as he tries to build the Penguins into a long-term Stanley Cup contender.
Predators May Seek Permission To Interview Chris MacFarland For GM Vacancy
According to Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast, the Nashville Predators are being patient in their general manager search and could be waiting to ask to converse with a top-tier candidate.
One target that Friedman said was logical for Nashville, based on the length of their search, is the current Colorado Avalanche GM, Chris MacFarland. Before this development, Friedman had joined Nashville’s radio show DMase, Vingan & Daunic on 102.5 The Game and said that the Predators are standing pat for someone who they’re waiting to speak with, whether it be a member of a front office under contract or someone who is running a team that remains in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Avalanche are now down three games to none in the Western Conference Finals to the Vegas Golden Knights, having lost 5-3 in a pivotal game three after leading 3-0 in the first period. According to Friedman, he said that MacFarland wouldn’t likely depart from Colorado unless it was a ‘huge step up’, adding that Nashville might not offer that. Although there isn’t an agreement near, he believes that the Predators would ask permission to talk to MacFarland in the event they’re eliminated.
MacFarland is one of three finalists voted in contention for the Jim Gregory award as the league’s best general manager. He has been with the Avalanche since the 2015-16 season, being promoted to general manager in Colorado after Joe Sakic was promoted to president of hockey operations shortly after the team’s 2022 Stanley Cup victory. The 56-year-old had previously been with the Columbus Blue Jackets as a director of hockey operations and assistant general manager from 2000 up until the 2014-15 season. He spent the final two years in Columbus as the GM of the Springfield Thunderbirds, the AHL affiliate at the time.
Earlier this season, Nashville had asked to speak with Carolina general manager Eric Tulsky, but was turned down. If a request was made while the Avalanche are in season, that request wouldn’t likely be accepted. Colorado’s current GM, to Friedman’s understanding, doesn’t have an expiring contract at season’s end as well and believes the organization values him highly.
Toronto and Vancouver have already hired their general managers this offseason, leaving Nashville as the lone team without a man at the wheel to guide hockey operations. The Predators have been looking for their next general manager after it was announced mid-season that Barry Trotz was stepping down. Before that, Nashville had David Poile, who served as the team’s GM from 1997 to 2023.
Nashville finished sixth in the Central Division, missing the playoffs by four points this season. The person who steps in will begin their tenure with 12 draft picks in the upcoming 2026 NHL draft, starting with 10th overall and $28MM in cap space to work with this upcoming offseason. Free agents the Predators will need to assess include the likes of forwards Erik Haula, Tyson Jost, and defenseman Kevin Gravel, rounded out by restricted free agent Justin Barron.
Despite missing the postseason for the past two campaigns, whoever inherits this team has a mix of youth talent among veteran stars in Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and Juuse Saros that can be supported in their quest back into the dance while still under contract. The salary cap rising to $104MM benefits everyone, but after the Predators inked Jonathan Marchessault, Steven Stamkos, and Brady Skjei to major contracts, they need to capitalize on the window they have with these notable names.
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.