Free Agent Focus: Calgary Flames
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We start our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Flames.
Key Restricted Free Agents
John Beecher – The Flames don’t have any key NHL players set to become restricted free agents, in part thanks to the $7.5MM AAV extension they signed with No. 1 goalie Dustin Wolf. That deal kicks in on July 1. As a result, Beecher is the Flames RFA with the most NHL experience, though it’d be difficult to call him a key player by any means.
The Flames claimed Beecher, 25, off of waivers from the Boston Bruins in the middle of November. The speedy forward looked to have established himself in the NHL in 2024-25, playing in a career-high 78 games. But the Bruins team Beecher played those games for that season was an uncharacteristically weak one, and this past campaign, he lost his role as a lineup regular under new head coach Marco Sturm.
Calgary was likely intrigued by the traits in Beecher’s game that made him a first-round pick by the Bruins: he possesses a coveted combination of size (6’3″ 220 pounds) and speed, while also being able to play the center position.
That speed has allowed Beecher to carve out a spot in both Boston and Calgary’s penalty-kill rotations, but he hasn’t been able to make a more well-rounded impact on either team he’s played for.
He was not a top scorer in the AHL for the Providence Bruins, nor in college for the Michigan Wolverines, and has produced just 28 points in 165 career NHL games.
Despite the pace in his game, it’s unlikely Beecher will ever be much of a point producer. The key question is whether he’ll be able to leverage his skating and size to carve out a lengthy career as a fourth-line player with valuable penalty-kill utility. He has shown some flashes of potential to become that kind of player, but hasn’t been able to do so with much consistency.
The Flames could bring Beecher back at a relatively affordable price. He cost $900K this past season, and would need to receive a one-way deal for next year. The main complicating factor at play here is Beecher’s right to pursue arbitration, which could give the Flames some pause if they’re not certain Beecher is a part of their plans for next season’s team.
Brennan Othmann – Like Beecher, Othmann is a first-round pick by an original six franchise who thus far hasn’t been able to carve out a meaningful long-term role in an NHL lineup. Othmann is a few years younger than Beecher and therefore doesn’t have as much NHL experience, though he is a considerably more advanced player at the AHL level. The 23-year-old scored 21 goals and 49 points as an AHL rookie with the 2023-24 Hartford Wolf Pack, and has maintained a solid scoring clip at the AHL level, even as he’s struggled in call-ups to the NHL.
A skilled winger who has some valuable pest-like elements to his game, Othmann hasn’t been able to translate any of his scoring from the AHL and OHL to the NHL level. He was traded to Calgary at the deadline for 2024 second-rounder Jacob Battaglia, but managed just seven points in 14 AHL games after the trade. He did score a goal and an assist in two games for the Flames after the deal, but that is just two games.
With his entry-level deal now concluded, it’ll be interesting to see how the Flames value Othmann. It’s not unreasonable by any stretch to believe he still has NHL potential, but his star as a prospect has faded. A one-year, two-way deal likely makes the most sense here, one with the kind of solid AHL salary merited by the level of production Othmann has put forward in his minor-league career so far.
Rory Kerins – Kerins, 24, has been a real developmental success story for the Flames as a 2020 sixth-round pick. The 5’10”, 175-pound center was one of the OHL’s best players in 2021-22, scoring 43 goals and 118 points in 67 games. That raised expectations for what he might be able to do as a professional, but he ended up spending his debut pro campaign in the ECHL with the Rapid City Rush, scoring 37 points in 38 games.
In 2023-24, after that one year in the ECHL, Kerins quickly became an impactful AHLer. He scored 16 goals and 32 points that year, but the real breakout was to come a year later. In 2024-25, Kerins scored 33 goals and 61 points in 63 games, production that made him an AHL All-Star. This past season, Kerins showed that year wasn’t any fluke, scoring 22 goals and 57 points in 56 games.
The question for Kerins is whether he’ll top out as a high-end AHL scorer, or if he has something to give at the NHL level. His most recent contract was a one-year, two-way deal containing a guarantee of $125K. Without question, he’s earned a raise off that number for next season in the AHL.
Other RFAs: F Carter King, F Parker Bell, F Lucas Ciona, F Sam Morton, D Gavin White, D Artem Grushnikov, G Owen Say
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
Ryan Lomberg – After winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024, Lomberg cashed in on his status as a fan-favorite agitator playing on the league’s best team. He signed a two-year, $2MM AAV deal with the Flames, a solid contract for a player with a career-high of just 20 points. 
With the Flames, Lomberg has been as advertised: a low-scoring fourth-line winger who punches above his weight, plays with energy and physicality, and tries his best to get under the skin of opponents.
A player of Lomberg’s skillset is often held as most valuable in the playoffs, meaning Lomberg’s talents didn’t feel quite as meaningful playing on a rebuilding Flames team.
With that said, the experience Lomberg was able to provide to a young team full of developing prospects still held real value, even if he wasn’t able to produce nearly as much as the 12 goals and 20 points he put forward in 2022-23. He’d be an in-demand bottom-sixer on the open market.
Back in February, Lomberg made his desire to remain in Calgary very clear. He told Sportsnet’s Eric Francis:
This is where I want to be. I’ve been pretty vocal on how much I love the city, and the people, and the organization. I want to win here. My family and I love it here, and we’re extremely proud to be part of the organization and a big part of the community. I signed here with the intention of helping this team win, and being part of the solution. So that’s definitely how I would like it to stay.
The Flames certainly have the financial bandwidth to match any bid for Lomberg, but the question will be whether the team has interest in retaining the 31-year-old or if they’re eager to turn over the role he occupies to a younger player.
Victor Olofsson – Cast off by the Colorado Avalanche as part of the Nazem Kadri trade deadline deal, Olofsson has only played in 18 games for the Flames, and his time in Calgary could very well end there. Olofsson has always been something of an enigmatic player, a clearly talented sniper whose inconsistency has kept him from holding down a permanent role on any NHL team.
A two-time 20-goal scorer during his days with the Buffalo Sabres, Olofsson scored 13 goals and 31 points in 78 games across stints with Calgary and Colorado in 2025-26. The year before, he scored 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games for the Vegas Golden Knights.
While there is likely still a place for Olofsson in the NHL, it may not be in Calgary. Making the most of Olofsson on an NHL roster means giving him an offensive role with at least second-unit power play time. As the Flames look to develop as much long-term value as possible on their roster, there may be more to gain by giving a young player the opportunity to play that role, rather than reserving it for Olofsson.
Daniil Miromanov – In the immediate aftermath of when the Flames acquired Miromanov from the Golden Knights as part of the Noah Hanifin trade, there was some optimism that he could end up becoming a real steal for Calgary. He seemed to instantly elevate his game. He played in only four contests in Vegas, but got time in the NHL with the Flames down the stretch in 2024. In 20 games for the Flames, he averaged 21:15 time on ice per game, including 2:05 per game on the power play. He managed a solid seven points in 20 games, and signed a two-year, $1.25MM AAV extension.
That performance, and contract, earned Miromanov an NHL spot for the next season. But Miromanov wasn’t able to resume his role from late the season before, instead serving as a frequent healthy scratch. He only got into 44 games in 2024-25, and averaged 17:40 time on ice per game, almost entirely at even strength.
This past season, Miromanov’s decline in terms of role has only hastened. Despite Calgary’s decisions to trade away veteran talent from its defense, Miromanov wasn’t able to seize on the minutes vacated by MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson. Instead, he spent almost all of 2025-26 in the AHL, playing in just a single game at the NHL level. While nothing has been set in stone, there is every indication that Miromanov has already played his final game in Calgary.
Jake Bean – Bean, 27, has had a disappointing two-year stint with the Flames. In his first season in Calgary, he averaged just 15:05 time on ice per game, and scored just seven points in 64 contests. He wasn’t able to take a step forward in the NHL despite looking like a future top-four defenseman earlier in his career.
This past season, Bean was limited to just 16 games. He underwent surgery in December as the result of an undisclosed injury. A fresh start could be what is best for both Bean and the Flames.
Other UFAs: F Justin Kirkland, F Clark Bishop, D Nick Cicek, G Ivan Prosvetov
Projected Cap Space
The Flames enter next season with a little over $18MM in projected cap space. While that may seem surprisingly low for a team in the midst of a full-on rebuild, that’s simply because greater financial freedom is just on the horizon. The Flames project to have over $51.5MM in cap space for 2027-28, and $83.5MM for 2028-29. But even that $18MM figure should be more than enough for the team to be able to not only comfortably retain all of their pending free agents, but also have some spending money for free agency if that’s a route they want to take.
They’ll also have the flexibility to be able to take on sub-optimal contracts in exchange for draft picks, though the market for those kinds of deals is sure to be less robust than it was during the days of the flat salary cap. In any case, Calgary will have significant financial flexibility in the year to come, especially on their back-end. Calgary’s highest-paid defenseman is Kevin Bahl at $5.35MM, and no other Flames blueliner even reaches $4MM in cap hit.
Photos courtesy of Sergei Belski-Imagn Images, Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Minor Transactions: Stevens, Newkirk, Fontaine, Jandric
John Stevens, a veteran of nearly 400 career AHL games, will depart Liiga’s Kiekko-Espoo after one season there, according to a team announcement on social media. Stevens signed with the club last summer, a move that appeared to end – or at the very least suspend – an AHL career spanning back to the 2016-17 season. Stevens won the Calder Cup with the Abbotsford Canucks in 2024-25, but didn’t get to play in their playoff run.
A former captain at the NCAA level for the Northeastern Huskies, Stevens developed into an impactful AHL scorer in Abbotsford. He was more of a bottom-six piece during the early portion of his AHL career in the New York Islanders organization with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, but a mid-season trade to the Canucks organization in 2020 helped spark a greater level of contributions. Stevens scored a career-high 19 goals and 43 points in 2021-22, and had a solid 35 points in 68 games as recently as 2023-24. For AHLers who have exceeded their status as “development players,” finding a way to stick in the league can be a challenge. Stevens’ 2024-25 season saw his production decline by 20 points, which appears to have spelled the end of his time in North America’s second-best league. His debut season overseas saw him score 10 goals and 23 points and wear an “A” for a Kiekko-Espoo side that reached the Liiga postseason.
Other minor transactions from across the hockey world:
- Another former Islanders prospect, Reece Newkirk, has elected to swap the North American minor leagues for Finland’s top division. Newkirk, 25, has signed a one-year contract with JYP Jyväskylä for the 2026-27 season. A 2019 fifth-rounder by the Islanders, Newkirk spent three seasons in their minor-league system serving as an AHL/ECHL bubble player. He developed into a point-per-game ECHL player for the Worcester Railers while serving in a depth capacity for Bridgeport. Newkirk exited the Islanders’ farm system in 2024 and has bounced around a bit, most recently settling with the Syracuse Crunch and their ECHL affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears. Newkirk ranked No. 2 on the Solar Bears in scoring this past season with 51 points in 52 games, while also dressing in 15 games for the Crunch.
- Former New York Rangers prospect Gabriel Fontaine has signed a two-year contract with reigning German champions Eisbären Berlin, reports Jörg Lubrich of German outlet Bild. The 29-year-old was a 2016 sixth-round pick of the Rangers and spent a half-decade in the AHL (2017-2022) before heading overseas. Fontaine’s European career began in Liiga with Lukko Rauma, but he struggled in 2023-24 scoring just 13 points in 36 games. He transferred to Germany that summer, and ended up finding a home in Berlin, where he scored 19 goals and 40 points en route to a DEL title. He signed with Red Bull Munich last summer, but wasn’t able to repeat the success he had in Berlin, scoring just 21 points in 37 games. Now, Fontaine will return to Berlin and look to help their title defense.
- The Nürnberg Ice Tigers of the DEL announced the signing of ECHL champion Chris Jandric to a one-year contract. Jandric, 27, crossed the Atlantic and signed with the DEL’s ERC Ingolstadt last summer, and he ended up playing in just 28 games during the team’s regular season. Previously, Jandric had spent the entirety of his professional career split between the AHL and ECHL. A former top NCAA defenseman with North Dakota, Jandric developed into a legitimate No. 1 defenseman at the ECHL level, with his 50 points in 54 games helping lead Trois-Rivières Lions to a Kelly Cup title in 2025. He wasn’t able to bring that level of play over to the DEL with Ingolstadt, but he will hope that can change in Nürnberg.
Latest On Vladimir Tarasenko, Minnesota Wild
Although the Minnesota Wild “certainly liked” having Vladimir Tarasenko on their roster this past season, it’s questionable whether the club will end up being able to sign him to a contract extension, Joe Smith of The Athletic reported today.
According to Smith, “the price would have to be right” for the Wild to sign Tarasenko to an extension, meaning below the $4.75MM cap hit on his previous deal. After a bounce-back season that saw him produce 23 goals and 47 points on a strong Wild team, Tarasenko may feel he will be able to earn more on the open market than Minnesota is prepared to offer him.
Smith also noted one key factor complicating negotiations between the Wild and Tarasenko: agents. Tarasenko is reportedly repped by both Pat Brisson of CAA and Paul Theofanous of TMI, part of a formal collaboration agreement by Theofanous and CAA signed in February. Smith reported that Theofanous “is taking the lead with Tarasenko’s next deal.”
That could make it harder to reach a deal with Minnesota, as Theofanous is the agent who represents the Wild’s franchise player, Kirill Kaprizov. According to Smith, the Wild got “squeezed into” the $17MM AAV mega-extension they signed with Kaprizov, and it’s Smith’s belief that the Wild are “unlikely [to] play ball” with Theofanous again this summer.
The Wild have numerous pending unrestricted free agents to consider signing, including Mats Zuccarello, Michael McCarron, Marcus Johansson, and Nick Foligno. The Wild may not have the cap room to retain everybody, and may prefer to sign a player like Johansson to an extension rather than Tarasenko. Johansson, 35, scored 15 goals and 49 points this past season and is repped by J.P. Barry of CAA. AFP Analytics projects Johansson’s next deal at one-year, $3.2MM and Tarasenko’s at one-year, $3.4MM.
Although the Wild appreciated Tarasenko’s efforts in his year with the team, especially his proactive work to help rookie Danila Yurov adjust to life in North America, Tarasenko will likely be able to receive more substantial offers on the open market than what Minnesota will likely be prepared to offer. Tarasenko himself said he “would love to return” to the Wild, but such a return may not be in the cards for a variety of reasons.
Beyond just the recent history between Tarasenko’s lead representative and the Wild’s front office, the state of upcoming free agency could simply be too favorable for Tarasenko to pass up on a chance to test the open market. Free agency is widely expected to be thin on talent, with few difference-making scorers set to be available.
While Tarasenko hasn’t produced at above a middle-six rate for two years, he does have exceptional pedigree as a former star scorer and a two-time Stanley Cup champion. With many teams set to have significant cap space available, and precious little high-end free agent talent on the market to spend it on, the conditions are optimal for Tarasenko to enter the open market and receive a (relatively) substantial contract.
For as much as the Wild appreciated having Tarasenko on their team, it’s unlikely they will be able to match the kind of contract he could receive in free agency. The team is expected to be aggressive this summer in procuring high-end talent to support their immediate efforts to win a Stanley Cup (while they still have franchise defenseman Quinn Hughes under contract) and will likely want to preserve as much cap space as possible for their chase for a No. 1 center. Among other factors, that could price Tarasenko out of the Twin Cities.
Photos courtesy of Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
Islanders Sign Liam Foudy To One-Year Contract Extension
9:35 PM CST: Per Puckpedia, Foudy’s extension carries an $850K NHL cap hit and a $325K AHL salary, a modest raise that falls short of the $400K AHL plateau but reflects his step forward in Bridgeport.
2:00 PM CST: The New York Islanders announced that forward Liam Foudy has been signed to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Foudy, who is repped by Thane Campbell of Pro Counsel International, was set to become an RFA with arbitration rights this summer. Signing this extension takes Foudy off the board and gives the Islanders some more continuity in terms of the depth in their organization. The one-year term of the deal means Foudy, 26, will become an unrestricted free agent a year from now.
A first-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets back in the 2018 draft, Foudy has found a home in the Islanders organization over the last two seasons.
The Ontario native made a name for himself as a member of the London Knights back in his OHL days thanks in large part to his skating. He possesses raw foot speed few players can match. That allowed Foudy to become an effective junior scorer, (68 points in each of his final two OHL campaigns) but he has not yet been able to translate that elite tool into tangible NHL production.
Foudy has played in 105 NHL games but has just seven goals and 22 points. His speed remains a standout trait, but the NHL is home to some of the world’s fastest players. Against AHL competition, that elite pace stands out far more. That’s helped him develop into an effective AHL scorer even as NHL success has eluded him. Foudy registered career-highs playing for the Bridgeport Islanders last season, scoring 26 goals and 47 points in 60 games.
It’s likely that Foudy’s strong 2025-26 season will earn him a raise from his previous contract. Foudy played 2025-26 on a one-year, league-minimum two-way deal. The contract carried a $250K AHL salary and a $300K guarantee. Expect Foudy’s deal, once the financial terms come to light, to contain a heftier AHL salary and guarantee, perhaps even breaking the $400K plateau that is typically reserved for high-end AHL contributors.
Also, it’s worth noting that the Islanders do not appear to be closing the door on Foudy’s NHL future. NHL history is littered with examples of highly-drafted prospects who at first disappointed, but then found their way back into the NHL after extensive development in the AHL. According to Andrew Gross of Newsday, the Islanders believe Foudy has the potential to add his name to that list. Gross reported that Foudy is ” highly thought of in the organization” and has a “legit chance of making team in training camp.”
If Foudy does find a way to carve out an NHL career, it will likely be somewhere in the bottom-six. While he hasn’t been able to find a way to translate his speed into points at the NHL level, he could still leverage the pace of his game to become an effective defensive forward. His skating could be especially useful on the penalty kill. Now armed with a one-year contract extension, Foudy will get the chance to make a push to return to the NHL with the Islanders in the fall.
Colorado Avalanche Game Four Injury Updates
With Game 4 of the Western Conference Final between the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights about to get underway, the Avalanche will have both Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar in the lineup as they look to stave off elimination in Vegas, per Danny Webster with the Review-Journal.
The status of Colorado’s two superstars was a major storyline heading into tonight, and the fact that both Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are willing to push through and play in this one speaks volumes about what’s on the line. Down 3-0 in the series and facing elimination, the Avalanche simply could not afford to be without either of their franchise cornerstones, and both are clearly playing through something to be in the lineup tonight. That kind of commitment in a must-win game is the sort of thing that can galvanize a locker room, and Colorado will need every ounce of it if they hope to extend the series and send things back to Colorado for Game 5.
One notable change up front: Joel Kiviranta will draw into the lineup in place of Valeri Nichushkin, per Jesse Granger with The Athletic. Kiviranta is no stranger to high-leverage playoff moments, and the Avalanche will be hoping he can provide a spark in a must-win spot. Nichushkin’s absence is a significant one for Colorado’s forward group, but the Avalanche have little choice but to turn the page and focus on the task in front of them.
Puck drop is set for 8 PM CST.
Evening Notes: Byram, Calgary, Columbus
Bowen Byram‘s agent, Darren Ferris, is slated to meet with Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekäläinen at the Draft Combine in Buffalo next week to discuss a potential contract extension, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The 24-year-old defenseman is not set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) until summer 2027, but LeBrun says he would not be surprised to see an extension come this summer before Byram would have the chance to hit the open market.
It is believed Byram really likes it in Buffalo, and his play this season certainly backs up that assessment. Byram tied his career high in goals with 11, and posted additional career highs in assists (31), points (42), and plus/minus (+15). Additionally, Byram was relied on heavily during the Sabres’ playoff run and rose to the occasion. He was only second to superstar defenseman Rasmus Dahlin in ice time per game with 22:24 a night, and posted seven points in 13 games.
On the flip side, it has been noted that Ferris often will advise the players he represents to fully take advantage of their UFA options, so it would not come as a shock to see him advise Byram to do the same, especially with the cap continuing to increase after next season. Only time will tell.
Additional Notes
- Game four of the Western Conference Final kicks off at 8 PM CST tonight, and the Vegas Golden Knights have the chance to pull off the improbable sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche. However, it is not just Vegas fans who may be rooting for the sweep. When the Golden Knights acquired defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames leading up to this year’s trade deadline, they sent Zach Whitecloud, a 2027 first-rounder, a 2028 second-rounder, and prospect Abram Wiebe over in the deal. If Vegas goes on to win the Stanley Cup, that 2028 second-round pick turns into a first-rounder, as reported by Eric Francis with Sportsnet. Calgary already holds six first-round picks from 2026-28, and adding a seventh would certainly help a team in the midst of a rebuild. It is worth noting that two of Calgary’s six first-round picks are already courtesy of the Golden Knights, so with a Vegas Cup win, that becomes three out of their potential seven. So, while this all still takes five more Vegas wins to come to fruition, it may sway the rooting interest of some of the Flames faithful.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, were eliminated on Sunday night at the hands of the Toronto Marlies in heartbreaking fashion. It was do-or-die for the Monsters in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference divisional round, as a late third-period lead quickly disappeared when Toronto scored with 4:30 and 0:11 remaining to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Now that the Monsters’ season has come to an end, it is expected that there will be an announcement in the near future that head coach Trent Vogelhuber will be promoted to join Rick Bowness‘ staff as an assistant coach, as reported by Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. During Vogelhuber’s four seasons as head coach, Cleveland was 145-108-21-14 (.564).
Coaching Notes: Laviolette, Roy, Bednar
The Los Angeles Kings spoke with head coaching candidate Peter Laviolette, Pierre Lebrun of The Athletic reports.
Last serving as head coach of the New York Rangers until his firing one year ago, the 61-year-old sat out 2025-26 but seems to be gearing back up with several openings up for grabs. Known for his fast-paced aggressive systems always in “win-now” mode, Laviolette’s teams are often quick to make noise, something which fits Los Angeles’ objectives with a locked up core, no plans in store to take an intentional step back after legend Anže Kopitar’s retirement.
The Kings still have interim D.J. Smith in the mix, but they’ve been noncommittal especially after being sent packing in the first round in just four games. Any club set to hire Laviolette this summer would become his seventh, and they’d hope to become the fourth he’d lead to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Sticking on the coaching front, Lebrun also reported in the article above that no team has yet asked the Islanders for permission to speak with Patrick Roy, who was fired by New York in April. Landing on Long Island mid-season in 2023 after nearly eight years out of such a position, Roy had a solid start to his tenure, making the playoffs which ended unceremoniously. In the last two seasons his Islanders were unable to take another meaningful step forward, with a late season collapse dooming their season and prompting the change. The storied goaltender may have to wait until the next cycle in a calendar year to find another opportunity, but either way he’ll stay busy as a part-owner of Bordeaux, a professional French team in Ligue Magnus.
- As for teams still in action, Chris Johnston of The Athletic speculated on Jared Bednar’s future, the Colorado head coach finding his club down 3-0 to Vegas in the Conference Final. By no means out yet, if the sweep is completed tonight, tough questions will be raised with another year of the Avalanche’s window coming and going. Making it this far was a step forward, the first time they passed the second round since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022. Injuries have also been a factor, but going out with a whimper would be tough for a team which won 55 games in the regular season. Johnston raised the fact that it’s happened before, Dallas firing Peter DeBoer after their Western Conference Finals defeat just last season. Time will tell, but it’s fair to say that teams on the coaching hunt will at least keep a watchful eye on Bednar depending on Game 4’s result. Even if he returns, other changes behind the bench are a strong possibility.
Free Agent Focus: Buffalo Sabres
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Sabres.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Zach Benson – A feisty winger who already has 211 games under his belt having just turned 21, Benson’s imprints were all over Buffalo’s playoff run, tying for team lead with five goals in 13 games and nine points overall. The former 13th overall pick took another step ahead with 43 points in 65 games, getting real top line usage with the stakes at their highest this spring. Having other business to tend to, there’s a possibility of a bridge deal somewhere under $5MM, but if Buffalo is serious about locking things up now, Benson would command closer to $7MM on a contract which would shoot him right up among Tage Thompson and Joshua Norris as the club’s biggest ticket forwards. Such a commitment would have implications on their unrestricted free agent strategy, outlined below, but the sooner Benson is taken care of, the better. GM Jarmo Kekäläinen already referred to him as a “core piece” who they’re looking to reward with a long term deal.
F Peyton Krebs – Acquired as a prospect with higher end potential, Krebs is now 25, a valuable role player to the team but with questions on his long term future in Buffalo. The former Golden Knights first-round pick set a career high with 39 points, reaping the benefits of a top six role at times due to injuries, part of his campaign filling a variety of roles. Still, Krebs was scoreless in the Montreal series, not the only former Golden Knight to do that. Likely to command a contract at least doubling his current $1.45MM AAV, the Sabres will have to make some difficult decisions with cap constraints, and it makes one wonder if Krebs could emerge in trade talks. If Kekäläinen retains both him and Benson, they’d need to prepare for their second leading goal scorer to walk away, a name who comes up shortly.
D Michael Kesselring – Battling injuries throughout the campaign, the 6’5″ defender skated in just 34 games, a step down from all 82 with Utah last season. He also was unable to contribute offensively, posting just two helpers, versus 29 points put up in the Mammoth’s inaugural season. A key piece in the JJ Peterka trade, the 26-year-old struggled to find a role with the Sabres with ice time cut down over four minutes, despite being a righty, a natural fit into their lineup. While dealing Krebs would be an unfortunate result of the numbers game, Kesselring makes more sense to land on the block, both based on cap limitations and on-ice contribution. Plenty of teams would have interest in the South Carolina native, eyeing a return to his production with the Mammoth organization. Either way, a short-term agreement hovering around the $2.75MM range is realistic.
Other RFAs: D Zachary Jones, F Olivier Nadeau, D Isaac Belliveau, D Nikita Novikov
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Alex Tuch – Widely thought to be the best forward to hit the market, Tuch remains standing in a free agent class which has gotten thinner with each passing month. After five seasons with Buffalo, three of which he surpassed the 30-goal mark, the winger went cold in the Montreal series failing to record a point. Not the ending he wanted after helping lead the Sabres to new heights, it’s Buffalo who may be more hesitant to fork over a king’s ransom to keep him, as opposed to undeterred suitors who’d have no problem offering a long-term deal with an AAV around $10MM. Expected to circle back in the coming weeks before July rolls around, there’s reason for a resolution, as a Syracuse native who grew up a fan of the team. Yet needing to lock up Benson, the Sabres would have to shed a salary such as Jordan Greenway‘s $4MM. Even then, it wouldn’t be surprising if Tuch’s value in a deserted free agent class is just too much, leaving him with ample options for a huge payday.
D Logan Stanley – A lefty whose on-ice play is sometimes not so kind from the eye test, the Sabres surrendered meaningful assets to acquire Stanley due to his frame at 6’7″, 231 lbs, and mean streak, which are coveted in today’s game. As the 28-year-old former first-round selection enters free agency, that will continue to be the case. Starting 65% of his work in the defensive zone as a Sabre, far ahead from anything he saw in Winnipeg, Stanley came away with an impressive 51.3% corsi for at five-on-five. Having a glut of left-handers on the back end, naturally there’s questions on his fit, but that didn’t stop Buffalo from seeking him out at the trade deadline. Projected by AFP Analytics to fetch a two year contract worth just under $3MM per season, Buffalo could feasibly bring him back to fill a need physically, but Stanley’s steady play in the postseason would reward him on the open market, predictably more than the Sabres have to offer.
D Luke Schenn – The second piece coming back in the Winnipeg deal, Schenn’s on-ice contributions in Buffalo were minimal, making just four appearances closing out the regular season, and two more in the playoffs, where he averaged 7:33 of ice time against Montreal. At this point the 36-year-old is largely valued for leadership. As a veteran of 10 NHL clubs to this point, he’s no stranger to moving around in the off-season either. Any future for Schenn would be as a continued seventh defenseman on a one-year contract around $1MM. However, with Zach Metsa in the fold, along with Conor Timmins who especially makes him redundant, the Saskatchewan native will likely be searching for a new home to put the finishing touches on a career which has spanned over 1,100 games and two Stanley Cups.
F Beck Malenstyn – Acquired for a second round pick from Washington two years ago, the winger is the exact type of player whose work ethic has helped Buffalo turn the corner. A relentless forechecker and penalty killer, Malenstyn played in all but one regular season game, recording 14 points. He was a constant presence in the playoffs also, skating in all 13 games and scoring a goal to help give the Sabres a 3-1 series lead over Boston. During the Montreal series, the British Columbia native caught a skate to the hand on the penalty kill, but still cleared the zone and finished his shift while wounded. Many teams would love to staple the 28-year-old to their fourth line, so the Sabres should be prepared to offer at least a $1 million raise from his current $1.35MM cap hit. Assuming at least one of their acquisitions from Winnipeg above are not brought back, there should be no issue in affording such an offer.
Other UFAs: F Joshua Dunne, F Tanner Pearson, F Jake Leschyshyn, D Gavin Bayreuther, F Trevor Kuntar (Group 6)
Projected Cap Space
The Sabres enter this summer with just under $13MM in cap space. Taking care of Benson, along with their other restricted free agents, will quickly dissolve anything left to match what Tuch would be offered on July 1, not to mention addressing the hypothetical losses of Stanley and Schenn on the back end. A point Buffalo fans are already tired of hearing about, unfortunately Jeff Skinner‘s $6.44MM buyout charge is a huge factor this offseason. Finally having assembled the right pieces on their roster, now it’s about keeping together as much of the core as they can. If there’s any chance Tuch is back in blue and gold next year, they’ll have to find the space by trading another forward away. No doubt a difficult situation for Kekäläinen to navigate, the dilemma of keeping a playoff team together is one the Sabres only wished they had over the last decade.
Photo courtesy of Winslow Townson-Imagn Images (Benson). Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Central Notes: Blackhawks Defense, Sturm, No. 4 Pick
The Chicago Blackhawks’ priority in the offseason will be “adding a quality defenseman,” writes Scott Powers of The Athletic. There has been some belief that Chicago might be aggressive in pursuing a young top-six winger who can partner with franchise center Connor Bedard, and that still may be on the table, but Powers writes that the Blackhawks are likely to seek defensive help to stabilize a blueline that featured several young defensemen last season.
According to Powers, the Blackhawks are hoping their young defensemen, such as Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel, are able to take steps forward, but also acknowledge that they “need some support.” Don’t look for the Blackhawks to prioritize right-shot defensemen, though. Powers would “be surprised if” Chicago was looking for a right-shot blueliner to compete with Rinzel and Levshunov, who will be all but assured spots in the opening-night lineup barring some sort of steep unexpected decline in form.
Other notes from the Central Division:
- The Minnesota Wild may be forced to choose between veteran fourth-line centers Nico Sturm and Michael McCarron over the next month, write Joe Smith and Michael Russo of The Athletic. The Wild traded a second-round pick to acquire McCarron, a pending UFA, from the Nashville Predators. McCarron indicated in his end-of-season media availability that he will be seeking to maximize his financial security with his next contract. If the Wild decide to pay the market price for McCarron, they could be forced to move Sturm. The 31-year-old has one more year left on his deal at a $2MM cap hit.
- The Blackhawks “are preparing for the possibility” that the upcoming draft’s top three forward prospects (Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, Caleb Malhotra) aren’t available at No. 4, writes Powers. Such an outcome would put the Blackhawks in a position where the next few top-ranked players are all likely to be defensemen. Chicago has already invested a recent top pick in a right-shot defenseman (Levshunov, the 2024 No. 2 pick) so according to Powers, they could be hesitant to pick someone such as OHL defenseman Chase Reid. The top left-shot options expected to be on the board are WHL blueliner Carson Carels and Latvian international Alberts Smits.
Avalanche Notes: MacKinnon, Blackwood, Wedgewood
Colorado Avalanche star forward Nathan MacKinnon will dress tonight for game four of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. MacKinnon suffered a lower-body injury in game three, but that won’t stop him from taking the ice as Colorado looks to stave off elimination and avoid being swept by the Golden Knights. The news means Colorado will have both MacKinnon and star defenseman Cale Makar in their lineup tonight. Makar had missed game one and game two with an upper-body injury.
The importance of MacKinnon’s health to the Avalanche cannot be overstated. The 30-year-old is Colorado’s best player, and is one of the most impactful scorers in the game. MacKinnon won the Rocket Richard Trophy this past season with 53 goals. His total of 127 points in 80 games marked the second-highest point total of MacKinnon’s career. While his production has been down a tick in the playoffs, he is still tied for the third-most points in this year’s playoff scoring with 15 in 12 games. He’ll hope to add to that number tonight and extend the Avalanche’s season.
Other notes from Colorado:
- The Avalanche are making a change in net, and will start MacKenzie Blackwood in goal rather than Scott Wedgewood, according to reports from the team’s optional morning skate. Blackwood hasn’t played against the Golden Knights, but did see some time in net in the second round. Blackwood got his first start of the playoffs in game four of the second round against the Minnesota Wild. He stopped 19 of 21 shots in the Avalanche’s 5-2 win, but lost his job as starter in the following game after surrendering three goals on 13 shots in an eventual Avalanche comeback victory. The 29-year-old, who is signed at a $5.25MM AAV through 2029-30, went 23-10-2 in the regular season with a .904 save percentage.
- The move to start Blackwood means Wedgewood, 33, may have already played in his final game of his 2025-26 season. Wedgewood’s 2025-26 campaign stands as, without question, the strongest of his career. The longtime backup seized the No. 1 role in Colorado, playing in a career-high 45 games. Wedgewood improved on his stellar form from last season, posting a 31-6-6 record and a .921 save percentage. While he was not named as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, he and Blackwood took home the William M. Jennings Trophy. Wedgewood is under contract for one more year at a $2.5MM cap hit.