Trade Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Oilers.
Coming up just short of the Stanley Cup in the last two seasons, the Edmonton Oilers have had an up and down season so far but the door is as open as ever. 2025-26 marks a decade since the Connor McDavid/Leon Draisaitl era began, and although the franchise is facing mounting pressure, it’s not like they haven’t been close, simply running into a buzzsaw in the Florida Panthers. Back in October, the Oilers locked up McDavid on a two year extension, meaning until at least 2027-28, it’s all systems go. GM Stan Bowman was busy in December, finally addressing goaltending, acquiring Tristan Jarry, as well as depth offensive defenseman Spencer Stastney. Jarry has not fared much better than the off-cast Stuart Skinner so far, but Edmonton hopes he can hold things down behind a dynamic group. Firmly in the playoff hunt yet again, with their nemesis in Florida possibly out of the picture, the Oilers will look to return to the Finals for a third straight time.
Record
28-22-8, 2nd in the Pacific (74.9% playoff probability, per MoneyPuck)
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$2.88MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
2027: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 5th, BOS 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
Trade Chips
With limited draft capital and salary cap limitations, Edmonton will primarily look at moving out roster players to iron out their group. The most obvious candidate is Andrew Mangiapane, who has been subject of rumors all year, most recently linked to Ottawa as well as Anaheim, Detroit, and Winnipeg. With just 12 points in 49 games, the usually dependable secondary scorer has not been a fit with the Oil, and it seems all but guaranteed he’ll be moved before March 6. The only issue besides his struggles; the 29-year-old is signed through next year at $3.6MM and has trade protection, although he’d surely welcome a fresh start.
Elsewhere it’s not as clear. Mattias Janmark, a key role player over the past several seasons, has just one goal all year. The veteran’s possession metrics have steadily declined, currently at a 39.4% corsi for in all situations, a career-low at age 33. Similar to Mangiapane though, he’s signed through 2026-27, coming in at a $1.45MM cap hit. Janmark’s value would likely be limited to a 1-1 player swap for another comparable bottom sixer with a similar contract.
As their 2026 first round pick is expected to end up in the hands of San Jose from the Jake Walman deal, if Bowman decides it’s essentially now or never, he could tap into a prospect pool which is not surprisingly bottom ranked, but offers some interesting names. On the defensive side, Beau Akey stands out, the 2023 second round selection a righty with raw offensive potential, just 31 games into his professional career with AHL Bakersfield. NCAA standout Paul Fischer, a lefty, figures to have more of a path forward in the organization, assuming the team locks him up on an entry-level contract this spring.
Expected to search for supporting cast rather than big game hunting, top prospect Isaac Howard is still a name hard to ignore in any trade speculation. The 21-year-old has 31 points in 24 AHL games this season, also making 28 appearances at the highest level in his first pro season. Seemingly a full time NHLer as soon as next year, where his energy and skill are exactly what the team needs, the Oilers would be showing keen patience by holding onto the youngster, rather than falling into the classic short term gains trap. Regardless, if Bowman were to pull off a surprise splash, Howard, along with their 2027 first round pick, would be in the conversation.
Team Needs
1) Third-line Center: Having just turned 36, Adam Henrique is no longer a viable option at 3C, should Edmonton make another deep run. The respected veteran has just 10 points all season. Henrique is still dependable at the faceoff dot, but he is currently on LTIR with an undisclosed injury. Even once healthy sometime post-Olympics, an upgrade would be beneficial. Columbus captain Boone Jenner would be a tremendous acquisition, but in the midst of a remarkable turnaround, the Blue Jackets may be content to hold onto their longest tenured player. Even so, the team also offers Charlie Coyle as an intriguing higher end rental candidate, but his $5.25MM cap hit would be difficult to sneak in even if Bowman put together a compelling trade package. Elsewhere, Winnipeg offers two viable options, the club already being linked to Mangiapane. Vladislav Namestnikov emerges as a capable center with similar contract term in a possible swap. Bowman could also try to bring in his former Chicago captain in Jonathan Toews, but the 37-year-old is clearly not ring chasing at this stage, and may be hesitant to depart his native Jets in a sentimental final chapter. The future Hall-of-Famer firmly holds all cards in terms of his future.
2) Middle-Six scoring depth:
Somewhat surprisingly it came out just yesterday that the team is not likely to target defense, so besides an anchor down the middle in Henrique’s mold, Edmonton also could use a winger to bring what Mangiapane was signed for. If Nashville holds onto their bigger ticket veterans, they could retain on Michael Bunting’s expiring $4.5MM, the 30-year-old already known to have a skillset complementary of elite centers from his time in Toronto. Speaking of the Maple Leafs, Bobby McMann and his highly manageable $1.35MM cap hit would be a huge addition by the Oilers, filling a Corey Perry-type void. However, Toronto will not part with their surprise 20-goal-scorer easily, and Edmonton’s limited offerings make a deal difficult to pull off. Finally, Calgary’s Blake Coleman would thrive wearing the blue and orange, but he would require salary retention along with Edmonton likely having to move out Henrique’s $3MM cap hit, not to mention the two clubs being divisional rivals. Dealing Henrique would be difficult as he holds trade protection, and Bowman has limited draft capital sweeteners to work with. Whatever the case, the Oilers have no shortage of names to pursue as they work toward a seventh straight playoff berth.
Image Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Trade Deadline Primer: Montreal Canadiens
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Canadiens.
After an unexpected playoff appearance last season, expectations were a little higher heading into this season in Montreal. So far, they’ve lived up to them as they’re well ahead of their standings pace from a year ago, giving them a bit of a leg up in a very tight Atlantic Division. But with the team still taking a longer-term view, they might not be inclined to take a big swing just yet. Instead, they could shop for some help around the margins and look to make their next significant move in the offseason.
Record
32-17-8, 2nd in the Atlantic Division (83% playoff probability, per MoneyPuck)
Deadline Status
Buyers with an eye on the longer-term
Deadline Cap Space
$1.49MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: MTL 1st, MTL 2nd, MTL 3rd, MTL 4th, NJD 4th, MTL 6th, CAR 7th, MTL 7th
2027: MTL 1st, MTL 2nd, MTL 3rd, MTL 4th, MTL 5th, MTL 6th, MTL 7th
Trade Chips
This is an odd situation where arguably their worst contract is also their biggest trade chip. Patrik Laine is in the final season of his contract with an $8.7MM cap charge. He also hasn’t played since mid-October due to an abdominal injury although he’s expected to be activated after the Olympic break. A high-end scoring threat earlier in his career, he has done okay on that front in Montreal with 20 goals in 57 games over parts of two seasons but on the surface, it appears he’s lost his spot in the lineup. It will take full retention and perhaps taking a contract back to move him but if GM Kent Hughes wants to add to his roster, he needs to free up some cap space first and that means getting at least some of Laine’s contract off the books.
The Canadiens have really cut the playing time for both Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble as of late. Xhekaj has played below 10 minutes in 12 of his last 18 games while Struble has been below that mark in six of his last 10 outings. It’s fair to suggest they’re starting to fall out of favor. However, they’re still just 25 and 24, respectively, with cap hits below $1.5MM apiece; Xhekaj is a pending restricted free agent while Struble has another year on his deal. A rebuilding team could potentially have a spot to give them a bigger opportunity, especially if they have a defender to spare that head coach Martin St. Louis might trust more.
On the prospect side of things, NHL readiness is an attribute that’s always sought after at the trade deadline. Defenseman Adam Engstrom fits that bill. He is within striking distance of the point-per-game mark in the minors and held his own in a pair of stints with Montreal this season, spanning 11 appearances overall. He’s probably ready for a longer look at the top level and considering he has another year left on his entry-level contract, the 22-year-old should be garnering some attention on the trade front.
Up front, Joshua Roy is in the final season of his entry-level pact and has seen some NHL time in all three of his professional campaigns. However, given Montreal’s depth up front and in the system, it seems unlikely that he’s a long-term fit on the roster. Roy is waiver-eligible next season so there are teams that might want to get a look at him beforehand. Owen Beck is having a tough year in the minors but has some NHL-ready attributes as a center with a high floor which should be appealing to some teams. Jared Davidson got his first NHL look earlier this season and has a profile of being an energetic fourth liner down the road; again, the Canadiens’ forward depth could make him expendable as well.
Team Needs
1) Top-Line Winger: Let’s use one of their reported wants to start this section off. With Juraj Slafkovsky anchoring the second line, there’s an opening on the top trio with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. It’s clearly not going to be Laine filling that spot. Zachary Bolduc, Alexandre Texier, and Kirby Dach have all seen time up there with varying degrees of success and Alex Newhook could land there when he comes back from his ankle injury. But none of those players are optimal fits for a number one line at this point of their respective careers. This would be a bigger swing
2) Improved Goal Prevention: The Canadiens are 23rd in the league terms of goals allowed with a penalty kill that ranks 25th. Given the limited goaltending options out there, it’s unlikely they’ll make a move on that front and will hope for more consistency from Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes. But they can certainly try to upgrade on Xhekaj and Struble for that sixth defenseman spot while adding another defensive forward (they picked up Phillip Danault to help on that front earlier this season) could help get them closer to the middle of the pack defensively which would help their late-season push to hold onto a playoff spot.
Photo courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images.
Canada’s Tom Wilson Will Not Face Suspension For Olympic Fight
There will be no supplemental discipline for the fight between Team Canada’s Tom Wilson and Team France’s Pierre Crinon at the end of Canada’s 10-2 win on Sunday per Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The Olympic rulebook has long been strict about fighting, even calling it out as “not part of international hockey’s DNA”. Fighting majors result in automatic match penalties and are reviewed for supplemental discipline after the game. In this case, neither player will face a suspension for their actions, keeping two of the top enforcers in the tournament on the ice.
Wilson has been strategically rotated onto Canada’s top line for much of the tournament. His intense physicality has filled a gap next to superstar Connor McDavid and Canada’s youngest player, Macklin Celebrini. Wilson has earned three points in three games in that role, though he’s averaged less than 12 minutes of ice time a game – partially thanks to an ejection in the third period on Sunday.
Crinon has long been known as a bruiser. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound defenseman currently has 66 penalty minutes in 29 games in France’s Ligue Magnus, the country’s top league. He served a seven-game suspension earlier in the league’s season for knocking out an opposing goalie with a punch during a scrum. Cronin racked up 95 penalty minutes in only 36 games of the 2023-24 Ligue Magnus season.
This decision will allow Wilson to stick with Canada as they head into the quarterfinals. At their current pace, Canada seems likely to face one of Germany, Latvia, or Czechia. Crinon will bring his enforcer presence to the qualifying rounds against Italy and Denmark.
Latest On Eemil Vinni
Edmonton Oilers goalie prospect Eemil Vinni was loaned to a different team in Finland’s second-tier league today, according to an official announcement. The 2024 second-round pick has thus far spent the entire season with Mestis side JoKP, and has now been loaned to Ketterä.
Ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Oilers’ system entering the season by the team at Elite Prospects, Vinni has had an uneven 2025-26 season. He got into 37 Mestis games for JoKP in 2024-25, but has just 17 this season. His .884 save percentage across those 17 contests ranks last among the three goalies who have seen time for JoKP this season, behind 27-year-old Juho Ahopelto (.891) and former AHL All-Star Kasimir Kaskisuo (.888).
Vinni has not played since Jan. 10, so this loan should give him the chance to get into games on a more regular basis, a key factor in the development of goaltenders.
While Vinni is unlikely to challenge incumbent starter Reima-Ville Roos, whose .917 save percentage ranks No. 2 among all goalies in Mestis, he should be an upgrade over backup Väinö Tanninen. Tanninen, 21, has gone 2-6-3 with an .865 save percentage in 13 games this season.
Since Vinni is playing out a contract that only runs through the end of the season, his development path should open up this summer. Vinni will likely have several options to choose from when it comes to continuing his hockey journey. While staying in his native Finland appears to be the most likely choice, the possibility that Vinni takes an alternative development path cannot be ruled out.
Sharks Notes: Musty, Bystedt, Lund
San Jose Sharks 2023 first-round pick Quentin Musty returned to the AHL ice after missing a month with a lower-body injury. While he was unable to land on the scoresheet during the San Jose Barracuda’s loss to the Henderson Silver Knights last night, his return from injury puts him in a position to resume his AHL rookie season and continue to make his case for an eventual NHL recall.
Unfortunately for Musty, missing time is something he’s had to get used to over the last two seasons. Last year, he didn’t begin his OHL season until November, sitting out in hopes the Sudbury Wolves would fulfill his trade request. (They did not.) Then, he suffered a hand injury, and was limited to just 33 games in 2024-25. With that year behind him, Musty has had a decent rookie campaign in the AHL. Through 33 games, Musty has 24 points, which is a 52-point 72-game scoring pace. He’s widely considered to be among San Jose’s top prospects, ranking No. 4 in their system entering the season by Elite Prospects, and No. 5 by Daily Faceoff.
Other notes from the Bay Area:
- The Sharks have been without 2022 first-rounder Filip Bystedt for the last two games due to a lower-body injury, and according to independent reporter Madison Montez, he is expected to be sidelined on a week-to-week basis. Bystedt’s injury cost him the chance to compete in the AHL’s All-Star Classic, and could unfortunately impact his odds of making his NHL debut at some point this season. The 22-year-old center leads the Barracuda in scoring with 36 points in 40 games, but has yet to receive an NHL recall to this point in his young career.
- 2022 No. 34 overall pick Cam Lund is currently being evaluated for an injury after missing the last two periods of the Barracuda’s most recent game, reports Montez. The 21-year-old replaced Bystedt at the AHL’s All-Star Classic and has 25 points in 37 games in what is his first full season playing pro hockey. Lund spent 11 games with the Sharks after signing his ELC last season, and scored two goals and three points in his first taste of pro hockey.
Trade Deadline Primer: Vegas Golden Knights
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Golden Knights.
Heading into the season, Vegas was viewed as one of the two contenders in the Pacific Division. But while they hit the break with the division lead, it has been a bit of a bumpy road so far. They’ve been hit quite hard by the injury bug, helping lead to a pair of five-game losing streaks (and an overall losing record) with an offensive and defensive output that’s closer to the middle of the pack than the NHL’s best. Nonetheless, with a quality veteran core group and a management team that’s willing to take some swings (including one to add a defenseman last month), it’s quite clear that they’ll be aiming high on the trade front over the next few weeks.
Record
27-16-14, 1st in the Pacific (93.2% playoff probability, per MoneyPuck)
Deadline Status
Buyers
Deadline Cap Space
$4.653MM on deadline day (all LTIR space), 0/3 retention slots used, 50/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: VGK 2nd, VGK 3rd, VGK 5th, VGK 6th, VGK 7th
2027: VGK 2nd, SJ 3rd, VGK 4th, VGK 5th, VGK 6th, VGK 7th
Trade Chips
Being a team that’s likely to be buying, it’s quite possible that there won’t be any more players moved off the NHL roster. But one player who could be worth keeping an eye on is goaltender Akira Schmid. Adin Hill is back from his long-term injury and Carter Hart is due back sometime after the break as well. While Hart has struggled this season, the extra year on his deal suggests that he’s viewed as a part of the picture beyond 2025-26. Schmid, meanwhile, is a pending RFA due a sizable raise in the midst of a good showing this season that has seen him post a 2.53 GAA and a .895 SV% in 29 games. With a lot of teams believed to be looking around for goaltending options and an affordable contract at $875K, Schmid should generate some strong interest.
A lot of their current cap space is inflated by LTIR placements for William Karlsson and Brayden McNabb. Once they return, they’ll be much closer to a money-in, money-out situation. Accordingly, defenseman Jeremy Lauzon could be a casualty. His $2MM price tag isn’t particularly prohibitive but if they need a money balancer or simply need to spend less on the third pairing, he’s another NHL piece who could be in play. On an expiring contract, he’d have some standalone interest if they need to clear his salary.
As a result of trading away a lot of draft picks and prospects, the Golden Knights don’t have a particularly deep system to further deal from. But one player who would garner some inquiries is winger Trevor Connelly. Injuries have limited the 2024 first-rounder to just 17 games in his first full professional campaign but he has done relatively well when healthy and is still viewed as carrying NHL upside. Braeden Bowman has spent the bulk of the year in Vegas and is establishing himself as a full-timer so he’s someone they won’t necessarily be looking to move but will receive inquiries on. Kai Uchacz recently made his NHL debut and is the type of secondary piece that could be moved in a trade to add a depth piece to the roster as well.
One of the more intriguing wild cards for Vegas this deadline is winger Alexander Holtz. The seventh-overall pick in 2020, he has not lived up to that billing with both New Jersey and now Vegas; he has been in and out of the lineup this season with limited results. On the other hand, he just turned 24 a few weeks ago and has another cheap year on his contract after this one with an AAV that will be below the minimum salary next season. The demand probably won’t be too high but it’s possible that a rebuilding team or two might want to take a look at him and would accept him instead of an equivalent draft pick or prospect in a deal.
Team Needs
1) Contract Space: The Golden Knights are the only team in the NHL with the maximum of 50 active contracts. San Jose was in a tight spot earlier this year and had to take a draft pick downgrade to clear a slot. If GM Kelly McCrimmon wants to add a piece or two, they will need to open up some contract space first, either by including a player in a trade or moving someone else out elsewhere.
2) Improve Depth Scoring: Assuming that Andersson is the key move on the back end, their next need to fill is probably up front. Their top six has been productive this season with all players having at least 16 goals and 41 points. But the output drops off quickly after that. No other forward has 10 goals yet while Bowman is the only one with 20 points (and he’s just at 20). Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad have underwhelmed, in particular, while Karlsson’s injury has limited him to just 14 games so far. A player who could play on the third line to start but move into the top six when needed would give their attack a nice boost. That, and Karlsson’s possible return closer to the playoffs, could be enough of an improvement to their scoring to get them back near the top of the league in that department.
Photo courtesy of Brett Holmes-Imagn Images.
Finland’s Anton Lundell, Oliver Kapanen Miss Game Due To Illness
Team Finland managed an 11-0 win over Team Italy early on Saturday morning without one of their top centers. Florida panthers center Anton Lundell missed the heyday matchup due to illness per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Lundell’s roomate in the Olympic villiage, center Oliver Kapanen, was also scratched. Kapanen was rostered but benched in Finland’s second game – a 4-1 win over rival Sweden. Lundell played nearly 19 minutes and scored one goal in that game, after going scoreless in the Olympic opener.
Finland kept Colorado Avalanche winger Joel Kiviranta and Ottawa Senators defender Nikolas Matinpalo in the lineup against Italy. Kiviranta scored on both shots he took in 11 minutes of ice time. Matinpalo recorded a plus-one and two shots in eight minutes, but didn’t make the scoresheet. He did score a goal in Finland’s win over Sweden – a surprise for a defender who only has one goal in 75 career NHL games.
Of note, Team Finland’s women’s team contracted noravrius – a common and contagious stomach virus – per ESPN. It was not made clear if this bug spread to Lundell. Finland will hope he can rebound quickly either way, as Lundell held down the team’s second-line center position before going down. He has scored 16 goals and 40 points in 54 games in the NHL. That is a 61-point scoring pace, which would shatter Lundell’s previous career-high of 45 points, set last season. His ramped up scoring has coinceded with a boost to Florida’s top-line where he is filling in for injured compatriot Aleksander Barkov.
Kapanen’s availability will be less certain. It was not clear if he was scratched as a precaution, or to continue his route out of the lineup after seeing no ice time in Finland’s last game. The NHL rookie has 18 goals and 31 points in 57 games with the Montreal Canadiens this season. He was a standout in both Finland’s Liiga and Sweden’s SHL before moving to North America. Kapanen scored 34 points in 51 games of the 2023-24 Liiga season and 35 points in 36 games of the 2024-25 SHL season. He will rotate onto the team’s fourth-line, and fill a shoot-first role, if he’s slotted back into the lineup.
Oilers Not Likely To Target Defense At Trade Deadline
The Edmonton Oilers are still sorting out their targets with the Trade Deadline rapidly approaching. As it nears, it’s becoming clear that defense won’t be high on the Oilers’ list, per hockey insider Frank Seravalli on The Kevin Karius Show. Instead, the Oilers will prefer to let their defense grow with the players already in their depth chart.
Edmonton brought in third-pair defender Spencer Stastney with a trade in December. He has one goal and a minus-seven in 27 games with the Oilers, after starting the year with nine points and a minus-one in 30 games with the Nashville Predators. Despite the lackluster stat line, Stastney has earned consistent ice time next to Ty Emberson. The Oilers also carry Alec Regula, who has three points and a minus-16 in 29 games, on the NHL roster.
The Oilers could also look towards Cam Dineen and Riley Stillman in the AHL if they needed to fill a roster spot. Their depth of fringe NHL-defensemen is rich while Edmonton’s lack of cap space – only a projected $2.89MM on deadline day per Puckpedia – likely prices them out of acquiring a top-four talent. That will steer Edmonton’s focus away from the blue-line as they look to add this Deadline season.
The decision to not add to the defense depth chart will keep a path clear for defense prospect Paul Fischer, who was nominated for the NCAA’s Hobey Baker Award for his performance at the University of Notre Dame this season. Fischer has 18 points in 25 games. He has been heavily used all season long and brings an overwhelming physicality and hard-worked defense to the lineup. The 21 year old could be a candidate to sign his entry-level contract when his junior year of college concludes this Spring.
The Oilers also have Asher Barnett performing well for the University of Michigan. The two-way, puck-moving defender has racked up 14 points in 29 games behind an electric Wolverines offense this season. Barnett was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Tampa Bay Lightning
Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those who don’t often see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2025-26 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia. We’re currently covering the Atlantic Division, next up are the Lightning.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Current Cap Hit: $96,287,774 (over the $95.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Dominic James (two years, $910K)
Potential Bonuses
James: $102.5K
James declined to sign with Chicago and instead opted to go to free agency to get a better shot at NHL playing time. It took a bit of time but he has been up for most of the season, albeit in a bottom-six role. He should be able to get some of his games played bonus, an amount that might roll over to next year’s cap given Tampa’s cap situation. If James can stay in this role through next season, doubling this price tag could be doable.
Signed Through 2025-26, Non-Entry-Level
F Oliver Bjorkstrand ($5.4MM, UFA)
D Declan Carlile ($775K, UFA)
F Curtis Douglas ($775K, UFA)
D Darren Raddysh ($975K, UFA)
Bjorkstrand was the big pickup up front at the deadline last season with the fact he had an extra year left on his deal justifying a high price tag in terms of what they paid to get him. Back in the summer, a price tag in the $7MM range seemed feasible but he has been quieter than expected this season. That could lower the cost a bit on a longer-term deal but he also might be a candidate to take a one-year pact somewhere in the hopes of bolstering his value. That market could be fairly lucrative given how thinned out the UFA market has gotten so even with his struggles, he’s still heading for a raise. Douglas has played sparingly this season and while his NHL price will go up thanks to the increase in minimum salary, it’d be surprising if he received a one-way deal.
Raddysh has become one of the most interesting players in the upcoming UFA class. He quietly put up 30-plus points in back-to-back seasons which already made him a bargain at this price tag but this year, he’s hovering around 22 minutes and a point per game. Oh, and he’s a right-shot player too, the side always in maximum demand. The price tag for defensemen who can produce at a point per game can jump close to the $10MM per season range. It’s not feasible to think that Raddysh is going to land there given his smaller track record but something in the $6MM range could very well be doable. That’s still quite a jump for someone who was still trying to become a full-time regular just a few years ago.
Carlile is getting his first taste of extended NHL action and is holding his own in a limited role. He’s probably not going to jump too far past the $850K minimum salary but a one-way deal is a realistic goal to strive for.
Signed Through 2026-27
D Charle-Edouard D’Astous ($775K in 2025-26, $875K in 2026-27, UFA)
F Zemgus Girgensons ($850K, UFA)
F Gage Goncalves ($1.2MM, UFA)
F Pontus Holmberg ($1.55MM, UFA)
G Jonas Johansson ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Nikita Kucherov ($9.5MM, UFA)
D Emil Martinsen Lilleberg ($800K, RFA)
Even as one of the top-paid wingers in the league when this contract first started, Kucherov has been a bargain for the Lightning. Even if he agrees to keep taking a bit below market value, market value has jumped with the sharper increases to the salary cap. On the other hand, he’ll be entering his age-34 contract when this deal begins. A short-term deal could push the AAV into the $13MM or more range unless he wants to leave a lot of money on the table. I explored what a longer-term deal could look like in an effort to keep the price tag a little lower in a mailbag; if Tampa Bay wants to go six years, they could get an AAV more around the $10MM to $10.5MM range if all went well.
Holmberg has fit in nicely in his first season with Tampa Bay after being non-tendered by Toronto to avoid arbitration. The fact he can play center (even though he hasn’t much with the Lightning) will help his market value. If he can stay in a third-line role next season, doubling this price tag could be doable.
Goncalves has given Tampa Bay a bit of offense from the bottom six which is good but players like him often become non-tender candidates with teams wanting to keep their depth spots a little cheaper. With arbitration rights putting him in a spot to likely push for more than $2MM per season, Goncalves could be another in this trend. Girgensons had a tough first year in Tampa Bay but has been better this season, moving onto the third line. Still, at this stage of his career, teams will likely view him as a low-cost fourth liner. A small raise should be doable unless he wants to leave money on the table again to play for a contender.
Lilleberg has been a nice depth pickup after Arizona gave up his draft rights and a contract below the minimum next season (even after being boosted to reflect the new minimum salary) is a nice bonus. Value-wise, he’s a player who could seemingly land around the $1.5MM to $2MM mark but like Goncalves, his arbitration eligibility could work against him should he be unsigned by the end of June 2027. D’Astous has also been a nice find in free agency and quickly went from a player earmarked for AHL Syracuse to someone who has seen time in the top four. Even his in-season extension looks like a team-friendly one. If he stays as a top-four piece, a jump to the $3MM range could be realistic.
Johansson has been a below-average netminder throughout his career but with the Lightning having a high-end starter, they’ve opted for a low-cost second-string option. If he’s content with the role he has, another short-term deal around this price point is doable for him.
Signed Through 2027-28
D Maxwell Crozier ($775K, UFA)
G Andrei Vasilevskiy ($9.5MM, UFA)
Crozier is a full-time NHL player for the first time this season and understandably has had a limited role when he has been in the lineup. But a seventh defender at the league minimum for a few years is still reasonable value. The goal for Crozier will be to work his way into a full-time lineup spot which will need to happen for him to comfortably eclipse the $1MM mark on his next contract.
After a rough 2023-24 season by his standards, Vasilevskiy has bounced back to Vezina-level form and is providing a good return on this price tag. Like Kucherov, he’ll be heading into his age-34 contract and a long-term pact is going to be needed to keep this price tag down a bit. He’s someone who could aim to pass Igor Shesterkin’s $11.5MM AAV although if it’s a longer-term agreement, it could check in closer to where it is now.
Snapshots: Maurice, Morrissey, Davies
Finland wound up in second place in its group at the Olympics and have a chance at a bye before the quarterfinals. However, at one point, it looked like the team could have been led by a different bench boss. Helsingen Sanomat’s Sami Hoffren and Teemu Suvinen report that following a tough showing at the 4 Nations Face-Off and World Championship, a group of NHL veterans made an effort to try to get Panthers head coach Paul Maurice appointed to Finland’s coaching staff for these Olympics. GM Jere Lehtinen acknowledged discussing the idea with the players who wanted the change but nothing further came of it with head coach Antti Pennanen remaining in charge, a role he will hold through the spring of 2027 at a minimum.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey missed Friday’s Olympic game against Switzerland and has already been ruled out for Sunday’s contest against France, relays Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press (Twitter link). However, Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper indicated that “by no means is he out for the tournament.” That suggests that the undisclosed injury is at least relatively minor if he’s going to potentially be back within the next week. That would be a big boost for Canada’s back end as well as Winnipeg’s with a busy stretch of games coming up after the break.
- After having his contract with Florida terminated a little more than a week ago, Josh Davies has found a new team. The AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals announced that they’ve signed the forward to a deal for the remainder of the season. Drafted in the sixth round in 2022, Davies has played primarily in the ECHL over his professional career and it appears he was willing to walk away from the rest of his NHL deal to get an opportunity to play at the AHL level for the first time this season.