The Stanley Cup Finals will start this evening, with the Tampa Bay Lightning defending their crown against the Montreal Canadiens. That means 30 NHL teams (welcome, Seattle) are working on the offseason already, not to mention all the other organizations around the world that will be tweaking rosters and inking deals. Like always, we’ll keep track of the notable minor moves right here.
- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are set to bring back two familiar faces, as Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey reports that the team will soon sign Cal O’Reilly and Garrett Wilson. Both will be returning on AHL deals after serving in the major leadership roles this season. O’Reilly, 34, was the team’s captain, scoring four goals and 23 points in 32 games, while Wilson wore an “A” and provided his usual physical presence.
- The Laval Rocket have signed Kevin Poulin to a one-year AHL contract for 2021-22, giving them some extra goaltending depth for next year. Poulin, who many will remember served as the starting goaltender for Canada at the 2018 Olympics, spent last season in Sweden playing for IF Bjorkloven. A veteran of 50 career NHL games, the 31-year-old Montreal native will be coming home for next season.
- Jermaine Loewen has earned an extension with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that Loewen has inked a new one-year deal with the team following his second pro season. The Jamaican-born forward has mostly played an enforcer role in the pros, but is hoping to tap into that scoring ability he showed in the WHL.