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Panthers Aleksander Barkov And Vladimir Tarasenko To Play Game 3

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Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will dress tonight in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers (as per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman). The Panthers lead the best-of-seven series 2-0 and will be looking to grab a stranglehold as the series shifts to Edmonton. The 28-year-old was a question mark for tonight after leaving Game 2 on Monday night. Barkov took a high hit from Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl midway through the third period that resulted in a two-minute minor penalty.

This year’s Selke Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defensive forward, Barkov has two assists in the Stanley Cup Final and has tallied six goals and 13 assists in 19 games in the playoffs.

Friedman also tweeted that Panthers forward Vladimir Tarasenko will dress for Game 3 tonight. The 32-year-old has been dealing with an undisclosed injury and has three goals and four assists in 19 playoff games and has averaged just under 14 minutes a game in ice time. The 2019 Stanley Cup champion was acquired by the Panthers on March 6th from the Ottawa Senators for a fourth-round draft pick in 2024 and a third-round draft pick in 2025. Given Tarasenko’s offensive production, it’s fair to wonder how much the injury has limited his play, Tarasenko had 23 goals, and 32 assists in 76 regular season games split between Florida and Ottawa.

Michael Russo of The Athletic tweeted that with Barkov and Tarasenko in the lineup, the Panthers will likely elevate Evan Rodrigues to the top line, while Carter Verhaeghe will move to a line with Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk.

Canucks Notes: Lindholm, Chatfield, Zadorov

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Elliotte Friedman reported on the Jeff Marek Show today that it doesn’t appear that the Vancouver Canucks will be able to hang on to pending unrestricted free agent center Elias Lindholm. Friedman referenced recent reports that the Canucks were willing to offer Lindholm a seven-year deal for $7MM per season but adds that the Canucks are reportedly looking to their next options as Lindholm’s departure becomes more of a reality.

The Canucks gave up a massive package to acquire the 29-year-old sending a first-round pick in 2024, a conditional fourth-round pick in 2024, as well as two prospects and Andrei Kuzmenko to the Calgary Flames and aren’t likely to find a suitable replacement in free agency.

In other Vancouver Canucks notes:

  • Rick Dhaliwal spoke today on Donnie and Dhali about Carolina Hurricanes pending free agent defenseman Jalen Chatfield. Dhaliwal said that if Chatfield reaches free agency the Canucks will have interest, however, he has also heard that the Hurricanes are pushing to re-sign him. Chatfield started his NHL career with the Canucks, dressing in 18 games during the 2020-21 season and registering one assist. He then signed with Carolina as a free agent in 2021 and has been with the team the past three seasons. Last year the 28-year-old posted eight goals and 14 assists in 72 games and averaged 15:12 of ice time per game.
  • Dhaliwal also reported that all is quiet when it comes to contract negotiations between the Canucks and pending free-agent defenseman Nikita Zadorov. The 29-year-old was also acquired at the trade deadline and reportedly hasn’t spoke with Vancouver over the past few days. The Canucks have just over $24MM in cap space available but have pending extensions to sign in the next three seasons for Quinn Hughes, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko and will need to be careful how they allocate long-term cap space. Reports have surfaced previously that Zadorov is looking for a six-year deal at $6MM per season.

Jim Nill Wins General Manager Of The Year Award

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The National Hockey League has announced that Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill has won the 2023-24 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award for the second consecutive season. The award is handed out annually and recognizes the efforts of the top general manager in the NHL. Nill joins New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello as the only general manager to win the award on more than one occasion.

In his 11th season as general manager of Dallas, Nill continued to supplement the Stars’ excellent drafting and development by signing Matt Duchene to a one-year $3MM deal that turned out to be a bargain as Duchene posted 25 goals and 40 assists in 80 games. Nill also signed Sam Steel to a bargain deal and traded for Chris Tanev at the trade deadline. Nill has had a massive role in Dallas building one of the deepest cores of young players in the NHL by drafting forwards Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston, while also selecting defenseman Miro Heiskanen and netminder Jake Oettinger.

The Stars lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Edmonton Oilers after they had posted 113 points in the regular season, one point shy of the New York Rangers who captured the President’s Trophy. It was the second consecutive season that the Stars lost in the Western Conference Final, and it was the third time they’ve advanced that far in the past five years.

Nill was also recently named as an assistant general manager of Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team for the 2026 Olympics as well as an associate general manager for Canada’s team in the 4 Nations Face-Off next February.

Free Agent Focus: New York Islanders

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Free agency is now just a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Islanders.

Key Restricted Free Agents

RW Simon Holmstrom – Holmstrom had a breakthrough season in 2023-24 notching 15 goals and 10 assists in 75 games while providing terrific penalty killing. However, a deeper dive into his numbers reveals that the 23-year-old had a 20.8% shooting percentage that inflated his goal total and is likely to drop significantly next season. Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has historically been a tough negotiator with younger players which will likely keep Holmstrom’s AAV down on his next deal. A bridge deal in the range of $1.25MM – $1.5MM per season seems likely for Holmstrom, who will be looking to build off a solid season.

F Kyle MacLean – MacLean will come into the 2024-25 season as one of the favorites to take over the Islanders’ fourth-line center role. The 25-year-old emerged this season from Bridgeport and proved to be a strong forechecker that forced defensemen to move the puck quickly and also provided excellent backchecking in the Islanders’ defensive zone. MacLean won’t score much, but he is strong defensively and can get around the ice to cause disruption. He seems destined to get a two or three-year bridge deal in the range of $900K – $1MM.

RW Oliver Wahlstrom – Wahlstrom had a couple of decent seasons to start his NHL career but has fallen on hard times the last two years totalling just nine goals and 13 assists in 67 games. A knee injury in 2022 has certainly played a role in him losing some of his momentum but on the ice Wahlstrom looks like a player that has lost his confidence. A change of scenery trade would greatly benefit the 23-year-old and give the Islanders an asset for a player who seems to have played his way out of favor with the franchise. The native of Portland, Maine is a former 11th overall pick, and would likely still have some value left, but the best the Islanders might get is a swap for another former first-round pick that has struggled to begin their career.

Other RFAs:  D Dennis Cholowski, C Ruslan Iskhakov, F Kyle MacLean, C Reece Newkirk, RW Tyce Thompson,

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

D Sebastian Aho – Aho is a skilled defenseman and a good passer who has posted some good numbers in the American Hockey League. However, in the NHL Aho’s size has made it difficult for him to use that skill to his advantage as he is frequently forced into giveaways. Aho is a smart player and can chip in on a power play, however, his skill set is best suited for a bottom pairing, preferably one where his partner has some size. Aho should get a short multi-year deal with an average annual value in the range of $1.5MM to $2MM.

RW Cal Clutterbuck – Clutterbuck’s play fell off considerably last season as the Islanders were hammered in the possession department when the 36-year-old took to the ice. While he was never an analytics darling, Clutterbuck’s 37.6% CF% at even strength (as per Hockey Reference) represented a career-low and the Islanders were under attack whenever his line was deployed. Clutterbuck’s pace remains okay, and he is still a physical force, however, at this late stage of his career, he is a below-average fourth-line player. Clutterbuck will still find work this summer, but it will likely be on a one-year deal around $1MM.

F Matt Martin – Much like Clutterbuck, Martin’s play last year fell off as did his ice time. Martin’s average ice time per game dropped almost a full two minutes and when he was on the ice the results weren’t great. Martin had just four goals and four assists in 57 games and his physicality trailed off as he appeared to wear down as the season went on. It was surprising to see his play drop off so dramatically as Martin had a career year in 2022-23, but one might wonder if Father Time finally caught up with the 35-year-old. Martin is another candidate for a one-year deal in the range of $1MM.

Other UFAs:  G Ken Appleby, D Robert Bortuzzo, RW Karson Kuhlman, F Otto Koivula, D Paul LaDue, F Brian Pinho, D Mike Reilly, D Robin Salo

Projected Cap Space

The Islanders are extremely limited this offseason as they have just over $6.5MM in cap space and 5-6 roster spots left to fill. The team does have several veterans they could try to move this summer to open up cap room but would likely need to retain some salary in order to facilitate a move. New York is in a tough spot that is similar to their divisional counterpart the Pittsburgh Penguins in that they are firmly committed to an expensive and aging roster. However, unlike the Penguins, there isn’t a lot of indication that the Islanders are looking to get younger and faster. The Islanders are a team that could be aggressive this summer as general manager Lamoriello tries to squeeze one more deep playoff run out of this group of veterans.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Morning Notes: Ullmark, Saros, Bemstrom

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Andrew Fantucchio of Boston Hockey Now writes that in his opinion the Boston Bruins have no reason to be in a hurry to trade goaltender Linus Ullmark as he has one year left on his deal and the Bruins could conceivably keep the netminder for the remainder of his deal. Ullmark has a lot of contractual control over where he is traded and could nix trades to nearly half of the league.

Goaltenders have been traded in recent years for a minimal return, including recent Vezina Trophy winners. However, as Fantucchio writes, the Ullmark situation is different than that of Marc-Andre Fleury who was dealt in July 2021 in what amounted to a salary cap dump. Fantucchio theorizes that if the Bruins are patient with the Ullmark trade it could drive up the asking price as teams might become desperate for goaltending as the market dries up.

In other morning notes:

  • It appears that Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros is prepared to let the goaltender market develop before signing his next deal. Jonathan Bailey of Nashville Hockey Now writes that Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet made his weekly appearance on 102.5 The Game on the Caroline, Willy, and D-Mase show to discuss the future of the Predators netminder. On the show, Friedman said that Saros is willing to see what kind of a contract New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin signs before he signs a new contract. Shesterkin figures to sign the richest goalie contract ever, and while Saros won’t reach the same kind of money, he can likely command a large percentage of that.
  • Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now writes that he doesn’t think the Pittsburgh Penguins will offer restricted free agent Emil Bemstrom a contract before the June 25th deadline to submit a qualifying offer. Bemstrom was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets and struggled to carve out a role in Pittsburgh despite the Penguins having a very poor bottom-six forward group. The 25-year-old is due a $945K qualifying offer and given the Penguins’ shortcomings it would be reckless to allocate that kind of cap space on a player that would be a 13th forward.

Free Agent Focus: Philadelphia Flyers

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Free agency is now just a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Flyers.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Bobby Brink – Brink finally found consistent playing time in the NHL, dressing in 57 games, potting 11 goals and 12 assists. The former second-round pick competes hard despite being an undersized, below-average skater and has good hands and vision around the net. Brink showed he can be part of the Flyers core going forward and is a good bet to get a bridge contract for 2-3 years with an AAV between $1MM-$2M.

G Carter Hart – Carter Hart is owed a $4.479MM qualifying offer and given his legal status it is unlikely that he will receive an offer, which the league hasn’t yet. The Flyers already have Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov under contract for next season, and it was reported in April that Hart’s trial likely won’t begin until the end of 2025.

D Yegor Zamula – Zamula enjoyed his first full season in the NHL in 2023-24 after spending parts of the previous three years with the Flyers. The 24-year-old showed good mobility and poise in the defensive zone and moves the puck well with a confident first pass, however, he is not an offensive playmaker and lacks consistency. He will also need to find a way to use his 6’3” frame more effectively when defending the net. Zamula also figures to receive a bridge contract from the Flyers in the range of $1MM – $2MM.

Other RFAs:  D Adam Ginning, D Mason Millman, D Will Zmolek

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Denis Gurianov – Gurianov is an intriguing free agent as he has a good pedigree having been drafted 12th overall back in 2015, however, the 27-year-old hasn’t been able to put his skillset together at the NHL despite being given ample opportunities. He played just four games for the Flyers last season after coming over in a mid-season trade from Nashville and posted zero points while dominating on the possession front (60% CF% as per Hockey Reference). Gurianov has a 20-season to his credit but has bounced between four organizations the last two years and seems destined for a new one this summer.

D Erik Johnson – Johnson is a former first-overall pick that brings almost no offense but handles his duty in the defensive zone with physicality. There is no flash to Johnson’s game, but he can still provide a good safety blanket if paired on a third pairing with an offensively-minded defensive partner. Johnson made $3.25MM last season on a one-year deal but is unlikely to duplicate that number this offseason. Another one-year contract is in order for the 36-year-old, but it seems unlikely that the Flyers will be a fit for him.

D Marc Staal –Staal is nearing the end of his career, but he remains an NHL player at this stage, albeit in the role of a sixth or seventh defenseman. The Thunder Bay, Ontario native remains a good shot blocker and battler along the boards and in front of his own net, but he is very limited with his skating and the puck on his stick. Staal has trouble playing against teams with speed as he has issues containing the puck carrier and finding space to make plays with the puck. Staal is likely to get another one-year contract in the $1MM range, although it seems unlikely it will be with the Flyers.

Other UFAs: C Adam Brooks, F Tanner Laczynski, F Cooper Marody, D Victor Mete, G Felix Sandstrom

Projected Cap Space

The Flyers have precious little in the way of cap space as they head into the offseason. As of right now, they have just a tick above $500K in room under the cap. That number will grow closer to $7MM when the club accounts for LTIR candidates. Philadelphia has a laundry list of needs and very little room to maneuver which is why the team is considering buyouts for several overpriced veterans. The Flyers will also have the pending free agency of Travis Konecny to consider as he is just a year away from unrestricted free agency. The team will need to get creative if they want to address some of their needs which could make for a busy summer for general manager Daniel Briere.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Morning Notes: Lindholm, Blackhawks, Larsen

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The Vancouver Canucks are reportedly willing to offer pending unrestricted free agent center Elias Lindholm a contract extension around seven years and $7MM annually (as per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts). The deal if signed would be a replica of the deal Nazem Kadri signed with the Calgary Flames in August of 2022 and would be a substantial drop from his contract expectations last fall when many thought Lindholm could fetch a $9MM AAV.

While the potential offer is $7MM annually, there is no guarantee that Lindholm will sign for that, and Friedman isn’t sure that the Canucks can get a deal done at that number. The Canucks reportedly want Lindholm to return, but with the sheer volume of free agents on their roster it might be difficult to get a deal done with the 29-year-old.

In other morning notes:

  • Elliotte Friedman has heard from sources that the Chicago Blackhawks would like to expedite their rebuild and may target top free agents this summer to speed things along. Friedman mentions Jake Guentzel as a possibility and also drops the name of Martin Necas. The Blackhawks have a good mix of young emerging players and veterans in their lineup but don’t have many high-end veterans on long-term deals outside of Seth Jones. Guentzel would require a huge long-term commitment from Chicago and would mark a major change in mindset from previous summers where they have dealt impact veteran players.
  • Aaron Portzline of The Athletic tweeted that former Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen is expected to resurface soon after taking time away from hockey following his firing in April 2023. Larsen coached the Blue Jackets for two seasons and lost 102 of the 164 games during that time. Prior to being named the head coach, Larsen was an assistant in Columbus for seven years and even beat out several experienced head coaches to get the top job with the Blue Jackets. Portzline doesn’t specify where Larsen is going to go but does add that an announcement is expected in the next few days.

East Notes: Marner, Red Wings, Guentzel

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Jonas Siegel of The Athletic speculates what a potential Mitch Marner trade might look like for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Siegel points to several recent trades for Pierre-Luc Dubois and Dougie Hamilton as templates the Maple Leafs could use to get a return package for the 27-year-old Marner. Both of those trades brought young NHL-ready talent back to their respective teams, which is something that Toronto would likely covet given their competitive window.

Siegel points to the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning as teams that the Maple Leafs could potentially do business with. Carolina could dangle Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov, and Martin Necas as potential centerpieces of a return for Marner, while Tampa Bay could use Mikhail Sergachev or Brandon Hagel.

Siegel does concede that any potential Marner trade could be nixed by his no-movement clause and might be a difficult trade for Toronto to win. However, with Marner’s pending free agency status, it may be something they need to explore.

In other Eastern Conference notes:

  • Max Bultman of The Athletic wonders if the Detroit Red Wings might be players in the goaltending market this summer, specifically the trade market where several high-end starters are available. Bultman writes that the Red Wings’ general manager isn’t revealing much but adds that Ville Husso’s health could nudge the Red Wings into the trade market and would be the quickest way to improve the team’s overall defense which was something that was an Achilles heel last season. Detroit missed the playoffs by the smallest of margins and adding a top-tier netminder might be the thing that gets them back into the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The team has backup Alex Lyon signed next year to a very reasonable $900K, but likely can’t count on him to duplicate his 44-game workload from this past season.
  • Elliotte Friedman reported today on his 32 Thoughts podcast that the rights to Hurricanes forward Jake Guentzel are available for a mid-round pick. Friedman tells his audience that Carolina has made it known to other teams that the 29-year-old’s signing rights are available and adds that there will be a ton of interest. It was reported earlier this week that Guentzel was likely to test free agency and it makes sense for the Hurricanes to pivot and try to recoup an asset after dealing Michael Bunting, three prospects, and a second-round pick to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline to acquire Guentzel.

Free Agent Focus: Pittsburgh Penguins

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Free agency is now just a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Penguins.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Emil Bemstrom – Bemstrom had an up-and-down season last year splitting time between the Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets. The 25-year-old was placed on waivers early in the season and went unclaimed before eventually getting dealt to the Penguins in February for Alexander Nylander and a conditional sixth-round pick. The trade was a gamble for the Penguins who were hoping for a bounce back in Pittsburgh but unfortunately for them and Bemstrom, he struggled and was a healthy scratch on multiple occasions. The Nykoping, Sweden native posted just three goals and two assists in 24 games, playing primarily on the team’s fourth line. Bemstrom has shown glimpses of being an effective passer with a good shot, however, they are overshadowed by long stretches where he doesn’t appear engaged and struggles in his own zone. Bemstrom might get a qualifying offer from the Penguins for $945K, but it also wouldn’t be surprising if the team cuts their losses and lets the forward become an unrestricted free agent.

D Pierre-Olivier Joseph – POJ looked like a non-tender candidate for much of last season until the last six weeks of the regular season. The former first-round pick was a healthy scratch for a big portion of the season and appeared to lose the trust of Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan. However, injuries and the poor play of fellow defenseman Ryan Graves forced Pittsburgh to reinsert Joseph into the lineup alongside Kris Letang and the results were quite impressive, albeit in a limited sample size. While he has not been able to put all his tools together at the NHL level, Joseph is very capable offensively and can lead the rush as well. He will likely have an opportunity on a low-risk bridge contract to show the Penguins that he belongs in the NHL and can play in their defensive unit.

Other RFAs:  F Corey Andonovski, F Maxim Cajkovic, F Dillon Hamaliuk

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Jansen Harkins – Harkins was a waiver wire pickup for the Penguins, coming over from the Winnipeg Jets. He quickly earned the trust of head coach Mike Sullivan who repeatedly plugged Harkins into the lineup despite his offensive shortcomings. Harkins would be demoted to the AHL at one point during the season before resurfacing on the team’s fourth line, as Sullivan liked his speed and physicality at the bottom of the lineup. The 27-year-old had just four assists in 45 games but started over 80% of his shifts in the defensive zone. Given his struggles offensively, Harkins is likely a 13th forward at best, but he can give a team minutes on the fourth line in a defensive role. He should be able to find a one-way contract for next season that will come in below $1MM.

G Alex Nedeljkovic – The Penguins gambled when they signed goaltender Nedeljkovic, hoping they were getting the player he was with the Carolina Hurricanes and not the version that struggled in Detroit the previous two seasons. He rewarded the Penguins with strong play down the stretch, nearly willing the team into the playoffs after wrestling the starters’ role from Tristan Jarry. The 28-year-old’s performance likely priced him out of Pittsburgh, but the Penguins have shown an interest in re-signing him. Teams could be scared off by Nedeljkovic’s wildly inconsistent play from year to year, but he should be able to find a short-term deal at nearly double the $1.5MM he made last season with Pittsburgh.

D Ryan Shea – Shea was finally able to crack an NHL lineup, dressing in 31 games last season for the Penguins. Injuries forced Pittsburgh to utilize Shea more frequently down the stretch and he rewarded the team as he formed a solid third pairing with Jack St. Ivany. Shea’s possession numbers weren’t great with a CF% of 49.2% at even strength, but he did start nearly 60% of his shifts in the defensive zone and was solid in his own end. Shea won’t find his way onto the scoresheet very often but will likely only command league minimum on a short-term deal. If the Penguins are looking to save cap room to address other needs, Shea is a good option for their sixth defenseman.

F Radim Zohorna – Zohorna had a terrific training camp with the Penguins and looked like a good bet to make the starting lineup. However, he was sent to the AHL to start the year and eventually earned a call-up. Once he was brought back to the NHL he made an impact in his first few games, forming a solid third line with Drew O’Connor and Lars Eller. However, after a few games, Zohorna disappeared for a long stretch and was eventually a healthy scratch before being demoted to the AHL once again. He finished the season with four goals and three assists in 33 games and is likely looking at another two-way contract with a league-minimum salary at the NHL level. Zohorna has good hands and passing, and stands 6’6”, however, he has never been a player who engages physically and doesn’t play like a power forward.

Other UFAs: D Taylor Fedun, F Vinnie Hinostroza, D Jack Rathbone, D Dmitri Samorukov

Projected Cap Space

The Penguins will enter the offseason with a shade under $13MM in available cap room which will limit their ability to make major roster improvements unless they can move out one of the many undesirable contracts on their books. The Penguins could move Reilly Smith which would open up an additional $5MM to pursue help in the top six or add some scoring to the bottom of their lineup. The Penguins could also try and move a player like Rickard Rakell for another underperforming player, but that would be a tough trade to make as he has four years remaining on his deal. Penguins’ fans would likely want to see defenseman Graves moved on, but with five years left on his deal at $4.5MM per year, it is highly unlikely that the contract can be traded without significant retention.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Evening Notes: Drysdale, Summer Showcase, Young Stars Classic

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Adam Kimelman of NHL.com is reporting that Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale should be ready for training camp in September after undergoing significant surgery in April. While the exact procedure is unknown, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere had said back on April 18th that Drysdale might need to have a procedure on his lower body.

Drysdale was acquired by the Flyers from the Anaheim Ducks along with a second-round pick in early January in exchange for Cutter Gauthier. He struggled after the trade, posting just two goals and three assists in 24 games, however, he suffered a significant injury in late February that looked to affect his left shoulder and caused him to miss 16 games. Briere did add that the former sixth overall pick would be better able to show his skillset after the most recent surgery and the latest ailment was in no way related to the previous shoulder injury

In other evening notes:

  • The World Junior Summer Showcase has officially been announced by USA Hockey (as per Steven Ellis of DailyFaceoff). The games will be held in Plymouth, Michigan between July 26th and August 3rd and will feature Team USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland. Teams will practice daily during the event and a total of nine international games will be played as part of the showcase. The event is a precursor that will offer players the opportunity to showcase themselves for their national teams prior to the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, Ontario. That tournament will be played from December 26th, 2024, through January 5th, 2025.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have formally announced that they will host the Young Stars Classic rookie tournament in Penticton, British Columbia beginning on September 13th. The four-day tournament will feature four teams as the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and Winnipeg Jets will participate alongside Vancouver in a six-game round-robin format. The tournament began in 2010 and regularly features players who get into NHL games the following season.

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