PHR Mailbag: CBA, Playoffs, Kaprizov, Camp Surprises, Hughes Brothers
Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include breaking down one of the new CBA rule changes, fitting the Hughes brothers on the same team, and more. If your question doesn’t appear here, check back in next weekend’s column.
Gmm8811: I thought I saw somewhere that players that go on and clear waivers have to actually play at least one game with their AHL affiliate. Did I hear that correctly? Is that starting this year? Would you expand on that info, please? Do you foresee any drawbacks to that? Looking forward to the new season.
This isn’t actually a waiver-specific rule. A player can clear waivers and not be sent down while remaining eligible to play for their team. That doesn’t happen often but it does happen, especially around the trade deadline.
What the rule you’re mentioning speaks to is paper transactions. Section 30 of the new CBA MOU adds a blurb to Section 13.12 of the CBA that basically says that a player who is sent to the minors needs to actually report to the minors and play in at least one game. The exact rule is as follows:
A Player who has been Loaned to a minor league club, and was not credited with a day pursuant to (h) above for one (1) or more days since the Loan, must actually report to the club and play in one (1) or more games with such minor league club before he is eligible for Recall. Not withstanding the foregoing, a Goaltender on Loan who has played less than the required one (1) game may be Recalled if his NHL Club would otherwise have less than two Goaltenders available to dress in the Club’s next game.
This is one of the changes that the league and the NHLPA agreed would come into effect for the upcoming season. As we saw in recent years, many teams would ‘paper’ a player to the minors on an off day, then recall him the following day to play in an NHL game. The player never actually reported to the minors but didn’t receive his NHL salary for the day, giving the team a few thousand dollars extra in cap space. This rule is designed to deter teams from doing this. Now, if a team sends a player down to the minors (whether they cleared waivers or are waiver-exempt), they actually have to report to that team and play in a game before they can be brought back up. Notably, there is a rewrite to another subsection in there that effectively says if an emergency recall situation presents itself (someone else gets hurt putting the team below the required minimum number of skaters), then the recently-assigned player can be recalled before actually playing in an AHL game.
I doubt this will actually change much, however. Teams that need space are still going to churn their roster, it’s just going to involve multiple players now instead of one. Player A gets sent down, Player B is recalled. Player B gets sent down, Player A is recalled and so forth. If waiver exemption is exhausted, then start with Player C and maybe Player D if needed (or re-waive Players A and B to give them another 30-day exemption window). So now, the player who was getting papered will probably lose out on NHL money and ice time since the scheme, so to speak, will now require multiple players to pull off which will cause a different type of grumbling. That’s the drawback that comes to mind.
It’ll stop Carolina from papering Jackson Blake down (something that probably happened 15 or more times last season despite the fact he played in 80 NHL games) but probably won’t change much else.
frozenaquatic: Hi! Thanks for doing these. Getting out the crystal ball: Are there any teams you think will underperform this year? Who is a shocking team that we could see having problems and dropping out of the playoffs?
For quick reference, I had a question last column about four teams missing and four teams making the playoffs, one set per division. Rather than rehashing that out, you can read through my picks here.
Based on the four miss teams in there, the one that best fits this question would be Washington. Montreal missing wouldn’t be too shocking, neither would Minnesota, and while Los Angeles would certainly be a surprise (and I don’t think they’re missing the playoffs), that wouldn’t be as shocking as a reigning Conference winner missing the postseason.
A lot went wrong for Washington in 2023-24 and just about everything went right last year. They had several players have career years, the cheapest goalie tandem gave them above-average play, and some typical underachievers had some bounce-back efforts. If some of those gains are lost, it’s plausible that they could be on the outside looking in.
In terms of an underperformer who still makes it, I’d pick Florida. The way they struggled down the stretch without Matthew Tkachuk was telling and they’ll be without him for quite a while to start the year. Between that and two long playoff runs, I could see them landing in a Wild Card spot which would be a bit of a disappointment for them.
Johnny Z: What would it take to get Kirill Kaprizov to be a Wing? Yes, I realize the Wings are not a contender, but getting KK would be a big step towards the prize.
Zakis: To piggyback off Johnny Z, what would realistic packages be for Kaprizov for any team in two scenarios: 1) Kaprizov doesn’t sign an extension.
2) He agrees to a sign and trade.
Notwithstanding the unlikelihood of Detroit happening, the situation of how this happens is important to actually answer this question. Zakis provides two scenarios but I think it’s actually three. Is it as a straight rental? If not, Detroit one of the only teams he’d sign with (or one of the only teams offering the contract he wants)? Or, is there a bidding war for his services in a sign-and-trade with eight to ten teams realistically in the mix? All of those would yield different-looking returns. Let’s try to hypothesize each one, using a Detroit-specific answer and a general one to cover Zakis’ follow-up query.
1) In a pure rental scenario, you’re probably looking at two key components. One is a first-round pick, the other is a key youngster. Now, this isn’t like the Brock Nelson trade where the young forward was a recent first-rounder (Calum Ritchie). For someone at Kaprizov’s level and to win a bidding war as a rental (without an extension, more teams can get involved), that other piece is going to hurt. My initial thought was Marco Kasper and if he’s a third center at the time of the trade, that still could be the case. If Nate Danielson is having a big year and sees some NHL action, perhaps he’d fit as well. Detroit shouldn’t need salary retention but if a different acquiring team does, add a second-round pick (or maybe a third, depending on when the deal happens) to the price.
2) If Kaprizov says there’s only one or two teams he’d sign an extension with, Detroit loses a lot of leverage. They still could probably get the above with the extension balancing out the reduced leverage but there won’t be as much of an add as there should be. Speculatively, the acquiring team would want to offset the money a bit. For the Red Wings, that might be someone like J.T. Compher while in general, a top-six forward with a couple of years left fits. Now, if you’re thinking that this feels really light, you’re right. But history shows that if a player only has one destination in mind, it’s more of a fifty cents on the dollar type of return. If you’re the acquiring team, this is the best-case scenario.
3) Now, if Kaprizov is willing to sign an extension with a bunch of teams, look out. (This is Minnesota’s best-case scenario if they can’t re-sign him.) Then, you’re looking at probably multiple core players, at least one first-rounder, and a top prospect. Someone’s going to keep upping the ante and it’s going to hurt. For the Red Wings, think along the lines of Lucas Raymond, Kasper, a first (or more), and someone like Trey Augustine. Minnesota gets two core top-six players (Kasper should get there), cap flexibility as those two cost less than what Kaprizov will, and future assets to either keep or try to flip to add another replacement piece.
Now, having said all that, I still think Kaprizov eventually re-signs. It might take slightly more than what they’ve offered or perhaps a shorter-term agreement compared to eight years but right now, I’d predict they get it done.
Schwa: Who’s an under-the-radar pick to surprise in camp and force their way onto a roster – PTO, long-time AHL, rookie??
PTO – I’ll go with Kevin Labanc here. He’s coming off a season where he played pretty sparingly in Columbus and didn’t do a lot in limited minutes. But he has shown top-six flashes in the past and the Hurricanes have had a knack for getting the most out of some of their back-of-roster pieces, even in limited roles. There isn’t really a great spot for him (which would make him signing a bit of a surprise) but if he gets a deal, he might be able to contribute.
Long-Time AHL – I’m not sure how under the radar he is but Boston’s Matej Blumel is the first player I thought of when I saw this question. He was a stellar performer in the minors the last three years with AHL Texas but barely got an NHL opportunity. The Bruins gave him a one-way deal this summer, a sign they think he could do just that. Alex Steeves, another Boston signing, could also fit the bill although he might have a bigger hill to climb. I think he has more NHL upside than he got to show in several years with Toronto.
Rookie – Let’s go with Colorado’s Zakhar Bardakov. A 2021 seventh-round pick in his third year of eligibility, he’s 24 and hasn’t seen the ice yet in North America. However, he’s coming off his best performance with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL and plays with some grit. The Avs have built a deeper roster but there’s still room for some rookies to grab hold of a spot and Bardakov could step in and do just that.
pawtucket: There’s a lot of talk about the Hughes brothers wanting to play together. How, then, does a team (Devils?) tightrope the salary cap while having a $12MM Quinn, $8MM Jack, and $5MM Luke all needing to be signed around the same time (Quinn expires in two years, Jack in five, Luke maybe in five)?
First, I think you need to reset your number for Luke Hughes. A five-year, $25MM offer isn’t going to get it done. While that might be his desired term, the cost would still probably eclipse $7MM and if it’s a longer-term pact, an AAV above Jack’s will be needed. For Quinn Hughes, that number might wind up a little light as well based on the increasing cap but it’s fair enough to use here. I’m going to put Luke at $7.5MM and sort of split the difference between the two ranges earlier, meaning the trio would cost $27.5MM.
Short-term, that wouldn’t be hard for New Jersey to manage. A top-line center and top defense pairing already costs more than $20MM on most teams and by the time 2027-28 rolls around, that shouldn’t be overly costly. Dougie Hamilton will be on an expiring deal by then so he’d probably be movable, even if not for a great return.
But if they time up their contracts to be up when Jack’s deal expires in 2030, that could be a different story. At that point, Quinn is still probably in that $12MM range (maybe $13MM), Jack Hughes could very well be at $13MM himself, and Luke could be touching double-digits as well. (It’s so early in his career that this number could be quite light before long.) Now you’re talking somewhere between probably $36MM and $40MM for three players. By then, the league-wide cost for those three spots might be up around $30MM to $32MM so the gap is a bit higher but probably manageable. It would come down to a team having enough expiring deals to offset those salaries or moving out some pieces to cover the difference but I don’t think it would be overly problematic to fit them in.
Photo courtesy of Nick Wosika-Imagn Images.
Summer Synopsis: Ottawa Senators
With training camps now almost upon us, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective. Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled. Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason. Next up is a look at Ottawa.
After missing the playoffs for seven straight years in the midst of a long-term rebuild, the Senators finally got over the hump last season, making the postseason and finishing only one point behind Florida for the third seed in the Atlantic Division; the Panthers, of course, went on to win the Stanley Cup again last season. GM Steve Staios opted to largely keep his core group intact, believing that continued growth from their top players will allow them to take another step forward in 2025-26.
Draft
1-23 – D Logan Hensler, Wisconsin (Big 10)
3-93 – F Blake Vanek, Stillwater (USHS-MN)
4-97 – G Lucas Beckman, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
5-149 – F Dmitri Isayev, Yekaterinburg (MHL)
6-181 – F Bruno Idzan, Lincoln (USHL)
7-213 – G Andrei Trofimov, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
The Senators didn’t make any big splashes at the 2025 draft, outside of trading down slightly in the first round in order to pick up the third-round pick they would send to Los Angeles for Spence. The club didn’t have a second-round pick as a result of the Zetterlund trade with San Jose, but nonetheless managed to put together a draft class that should produce an NHL player or two.
Hensler was widely regarded as a polished defenseman by scouts, one who capably handled the rigors of NCAA hockey as a freshman and grew more comfortable as the season progressed. While most public-facing scouts do not credit Hensler with a standout single tool, he’s widely seen as a likely long-term NHL player. The team at Elite Prospects recently ranked Hensler as the club’s number-two prospect behind 2024 top pick Carter Yakemchuk.
The Senators began the second day of the draft by adding Vanek, a Minnesota high school prospect who is the son of longtime NHLer Thomas Vanek. Vanek offers an intriguing package of physical tools and was ranked 18th in the team’s system.
In the later rounds, Beckman represented a solid bet as the club added one of the QMJHL’s more promising netminders. Isayev is an undersized Russian winger who was point-per-game in the MHL in his draft season, while Idzan dazzled fans of the USHL’s Lincoln Stars with his offensive skill last season. He became the first Croatian selected in the NHL Entry Draft and will play at the University of Wisconsin next season.
Trade Acquisitions
D Jordan Spence (from Los Angeles)
The Senators’ lone trade acquisition from the summer was Spence, a 24-year-old blueliner. Spence is an undersized blueliner who brings real offensive talent in his game, and had two quality, near point-per-game AHL seasons after turning pro in 2021-22. Spence already has 180 NHL games to his name, and is coming off of a season where he scored 28 points in 79 games. The arrival and emergence of 2021 top pick Brandt Clarke in a similar offensively-focused right-shot role appears to have pushed Spence out of Los Angeles, and the Senators look poised to benefit.
At the moment, Spence appears to sit third on the team’s right-shot defensive depth chart, behind established veterans Artyom Zub and Nick Jensen. He’ll have to compete with Nikolas Matinpalo for the team’s third-pairing right-side spot, but Spence is notably more experienced than Matinpalo and should be viewed as the favorite for that role.
If Spence can further establish himself as an NHL regular in Ottawa and perhaps find a way to get minutes on the power play (not the easiest task with Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot on the roster) Spence will likely provide a strong return for the Senators’ investment of a third-round pick.
Beyond adjusting to a new environment, it’s an important year for Spence due to his contract situation. His $1.6MM AAV contract is set to expire this summer, when he’ll in all likelihood receive a qualifying offer and become a restricted free agent. He already has an argument for a decent pay raise over the value of his last deal, but breaking into the 30-point range could strengthen his case even further.
UFA Signings
F Wyatt Bongiovanni (one year, $775K)*^
F Nick Cousins (one year, $825K)^
F Lars Eller (one year, $1.25MM plus $1MM in bonuses)
F Claude Giroux (one year, $2MM plus $2.75MM in bonuses)
F Hayden Hodgson (two years, $1.55MM)*^
F Arthur Kaliyev (one year, $775K)*
F Olle Lycksell (one year, $775K)*
G Hunter Shepard (one year, $775K)*
*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing
The Senators didn’t do any major free agent shopping this past summer – the largest deal they signed was to re-sign veteran Claude Giroux for another campaign. Their most significant UFA addition from outside the organization was Eller, a veteran center signed to a one-year deal. Eller, now 36, has long been one of the NHL’s better third-line centers, though age is beginning to catch up to him. The 2018 Stanley Cup champion saw his offensive production decline from 15 goals, 31 points in 2023-24 to 10 goals, 22 points in 2024-25.
The Senators didn’t sign Eller for his offense, though. What they’re likely seeking is for Eller to serve as a quality fourth-line defensive center. With Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens, and Shane Pinto entrenched as the team’s three top centers moving forward, there isn’t a need for Eller to play as big a role in Ottawa as he did in during his peak years with the Washington Capitals. His contract from this past summer reflects that.
The Senators’ other UFA external additions were made more with an eye to depth and their AHL affiliate than anything else.
They picked up Kaliyev after his stint with the New York Rangers failed to generate momentum. He’s a player Senators management is familiar with from his days in the OHL: Senators president of hockey operations Steve Staios was Kaliyev’s GM back during Kaliyev’s successful stint with the then-Hamilton Bulldogs. One has to think this is a big year for the enigmatic 24-year-old winger to prove he has what it takes to be an NHL player.
Lycksell and Bongiovanni are quality AHL scorers, and Lycksell’s $450k AHL salary indicates he’ll likely be relied upon as one of the top offensive weapons in Belleville. Hodgson is a bigger winger with a more physical profile who could end up seeing an NHL recall should the Senators need a player to fill a fourth-line role for a short period. Shepard, a two-time Calder Cup champion, will likely play a big role for the AHL Senators after receiving a $400k AHL salary to sign in Ottawa.
RFA Re-Signings
F Xavier Bourgault (one year, $775K)*
D Cameron Crotty (two years, $1.625MM)*
F Jan Jenik (one year, $775K)*
D Tyler Kleven (two years, $3.2MM)
D Nikolas Matinpalo (two years, $1.75MM)
G Leevi Merilainen (one year, $1.05MM)
D Donovan Sebrango (one year, $775K)*
D Lassi Thomson (one year, $775K; returns from SHL)
D Fabian Zetterlund (three years, $12.825MM)
*-denotes two-way contract
The Senators’ most significant RFA re-signing was undoubtedly that of Zetterlund, their mid-season trade acquisition from the San Jose Sharks. They didn’t elect to sign the Swedish winger to a long-term extension, which is understandable after he struggled to produce in his 20-game run in Ottawa last season.
In San Jose, Zetterlund showed quite a bit of promise, and has now scored at least 40 points in back-to-back years. Zetterlund plays a unique style in that he has a power forward’s game despite being 5’11. Now earning a shade over $4MM, Zetterlund will have to build some chemistry with one of the team’s existing scorers in order to justify the club’s level of investment in him.
Kleven and Matinpalo are the other two major skaters in the club’s RFA cohort, both likely to be on the team’s NHL roster for 2025-26. Kleven is a rangy defensive defenseman likely to resume his role as the team’s third-pairing left-shot blueliner for this upcoming season – and his $1.6MM AAV reflects that role. Matinpalo, 26, impressed last season as he broke into the NHL and even earned a role on Finland’s Four Nations Faceoff team. He got into 41 games last season and the addition of Spence means he’ll have to really compete to earn a regular role on Ottawa’s defense. But at minimum, it looks like he’ll be the club’s seventh defenseman and be first to step in should any injuries strike.
Merilainen, the lone goalie in that grouping, played in 12 NHL games last season and will be Ottawa’s backup behind starter Linus Ullmark for the upcoming season, provided he can fend off a challenge from the big Mads Sogaard.
Bourgault, Crotty, Jenik, Sebrango, and Thomson are each long-shots to make the team’s NHL roster, but were nonetheless re-signed with an eye to AHL Belleville. It’s a big year for Bourgault in particular, as the 22-year-old forward is just one of a small handful of 2021 first-round picks who have yet to appear in an NHL game.
Departures
F Angus Crookshank (signed with New Jersey, two years, $1.55MM)*
F Philippe Daoust (non-tendered but signed AHL deal with Belleville)
D Jeremy Davies (signed with AHL Henderson)
G Anton Forsberg (signed with Los Angeles, two years, $4.5MM)
F Adam Gaudette (signed with San Jose, two years, $4MM)
D Dennis Gilbert (signed with Philadelphia, one year, $875K)
D Travis Hamonic (signed with Detroit, one year, $1MM)
F Matthew Highmore (signed with NY Islanders, one year, $775K)*
F Jamieson Rees (non-tendered but signed AHL deal with Belleville)
F Cole Reinhardt (signed with Vegas, two years, $1.625MM)
F Tristen Robins (signed in Czechia)
D Filip Roos (signed in Sweden)
*-denotes two-way contract
The Senators lost a few NHLers this offseason, but nobody who is likely to leave a big void in the club’s roster. Gaudette scored 19 goals last season and the Senators didn’t bring in anyone with that kind of goal-scoring record, but an improved year from Zetterlund could help cover for the loss of Gaudette. The Senators could very well have been skeptical that Gaudette, who shot 21.1% last season, would be able to repeat his performance, hence their decision not to re-sign him.
In the departure of Anton Forsberg, the Senators lost an experienced NHL backup – but if Merilainen’s 2024-25 performance is something he can build on, the Senators will be fine. Right-handed veteran Hamonic’s spot on the team’s defensive depth chart was filled by the addition of Spence, and while Reinhardt was a useful, scrappy depth winger, he’s not a departure that will make a major difference in the Senators’ fortunes.
Salary Cap Outlook
The Senators enter training camp with a little over $3.5MM in cap space, per PuckPedia. However, the team is operating as a cash-over-cap team, something that owner Michael Andlauer acknowledged would likely mean they won’t spend right to the $95.5MM ceiling. Between that, wanting to keep some flexibility open for injuries, and keeping some money available for the bonuses to Giroux and Eller, the actual amount of that cap room that’s available to be spent right now would appear to be quite limited.
Key Questions
Who Will Be Ottawa’s Backup Goalie?
Although the Senators have one of the NHL’s top veteran netminders in Ullmark, the 32-year-old Swede is not known for an ability to shoulder a heavy workload. Ullmark played in just 44 games in 2024-25, and even in his Vezina Trophy-winning season, he played in just 49 games. In other words – the backup goalie spot in Ottawa is more important than for other teams, because the club’s other netminders are in line to play a greater workload than backups see in other markets. Offseason RFA signing Merilainen looks like the front-runner to be the backup goalie after the departure of Forsberg, but he’ll be pushed by Sogaard, who has 29 games of NHL experience. The dark horse here would be Shepard, a veteran who struggled with the AHL’s Hershey Bears in 2024-25 but was downright elite in 2023-24.
Can the Senators Expect More From Their Stars?
The Senators are led by a talented core group of in-their-prime players, but that’s not to say each player played up to his potential in 2024-25. Franchise center Stutzle led the team in scoring, but he’s finished in the 70’s in terms of point production in back-to-back years. After scoring 90 points in his third NHL campaign, it would be fair to expect a little bit more from the highly talented German. The same can be said for captain Brady Tkachuk. Tkachuk is a highly coveted, unique talent, and so one would be forgiven for not realizing he had only 55 points last season. For the Senators to become the kind of dominant force they have the talent to be, they’ll need him to produce the way he did in 2022-23, when he put up 83 points to go alongside 35 goals. The Senators have a collection of players that, on paper, are more than good enough to claim a divisional playoff spot. But they’ll need a few big names to step up and play up to their potential in order to do so.
How Will Zetterlund Do In His First Full Senators Season?
The Senators’ roster is largely settled, with big names under contract and few existential roster questions. As the above question alluded to – the pieces are largely in place, the main element needed now is execution. The most notable still-unsettled piece of the Senators puzzle is Zetterlund. The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie indicated before training camp that the expectation would be for Zetterlund to begin the year on the team’s first line alongside Stutzle and Tkachuk, which would be a huge opportunity for Zetterlund to potentially set new career highs in production. Whether he’s able to actually do so – and justify the Senators’ investment in him – will be a key storyline to watch in Ottawa this season.
PHR’s Ethan Hetu also contributed to this column.
Photos courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Utah Mammoth
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 Central Division, next up are the Mammoth.
Utah Mammoth
Current Cap Hit: $88,817,857 (below the $95.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Logan Cooley (one year, $950K)
Potential Bonuses
Cooley: $3.5MM
As expected, Cooley took a big step forward in his sophomore season while clearing all four of his ‘A’ bonuses ($1MM in total). GM Bill Armstrong hasn’t hesitated in trying to sign some of his young core pieces to long-term deals and it makes sense he’ll try to do so here. But with the cap projections that are available, the cost of that pact should break past the $8MM ceiling of many of his comparables and even jump ahead of the $9MM mark.
Signed Through 2025-26, Non-Entry-Level
F Michael Carcone ($775K, UFA)
D Ian Cole ($2.8MM, UFA)
G Connor Ingram ($1.95MM, UFA)
F Barrett Hayton ($2.65MM, RFA)
F Alexander Kerfoot ($3MM, UFA)
F Nick Schmaltz ($5.85MM, UFA)
F Kevin Stenlund ($2MM, UFA)
D Juuso Valimaki ($2MM, UFA)
G Vitek Vanecek ($1.5MM, UFA)
Potential Bonuses
Cole: $200K
The backloaded nature of Schmaltz’s contract made him a speculative trade candidate before the team was sold and moved to Utah which took that idea off the table. He has been quite consistent offensively in recent years, ranging between 58 and 63 points in each of the last four seasons, solid second-line production. He hasn’t played center too frequently over that stretch but has spent enough time down the middle that teams on the open market will be willing to pay the premium to get a top-six center. He’ll make $8.5MM this season between his salary and signing bonus and while matching that on his next contract could be difficult, landing in the $7.5MM area seems doable.
Kerfoot’s offensive production has been a little volatile over the past few years but he still has a floor of a third-line center who can play up and down the lineup when needed. That profile should appeal to a lot of teams and another multi-year deal (three or four years) should be doable with a price tag pushing past the $4MM per season mark. The second bridge deal given to Hayton has gone better than the first and this will be a big year. If he can have another 40-plus-point campaign, that will be three years out of four, giving him a much better case in his final arbitration-eligible year. If they work out a long-term deal, it could land past $6MM per season while if they opt for another shorter-term pact that buys just a couple of years of control, it might land more in the $5MM range.
Stenlund landed more than some expected last summer for a player who had only been a full-time player for one year but he wound up playing a bigger role than expected and won over 59% of his draws. Another season like that could have him closer to $3MM while a step back could keep him around where he is now. Carcone wasn’t planning on coming back to Utah after spending a lot of the year as a healthy scratch but after the market didn’t go his way, he accepted the minimum to return. At this point, he’s likely to stay around the minimum moving forward.
Cole, who will max out his bonuses at 65 games played, is now on his fifth straight one-year contract. He has logged a fourth or fifth role for the bulk of that time and at this point, barring a big drop in ice time or efficiency, it seems same to think he’ll stay around this price tag next summer, probably on another one-year pact when he’ll be 37. Valimaki is coming off a tough year, one that saw him scratched at times before suffering a torn ACL which will cost him the first couple of months of this season as well. At this point, he’ll be hard-pressed to match this price tag on his next deal and a one-year pact to try to rebuild some value might be the way to go.
Ingram took over the number one job in 2023-24 but wasn’t able to sustain that success last season and entered the Player Assistance Program in March but was cleared last month. However, he won’t be returning to Utah, putting his short-term situation into question. If he can stay in the NHL, another deal in this price range could be doable. But if he winds up in the minors for a big chunk of next season, he could find himself closer to number three money, around half of his current AAV. Vanecek was brought in as additional insurance this summer and is coming off a rough year, his second straight with numbers well below average. Unless he turns that around, he’s unlikely to command any sort of significant raise next year.
Signed Through 2026-27
F Lawson Crouse ($4.3MM, UFA)
D John Marino ($4.4MM, UFA)
F Liam O’Brien ($1MM, UFA)
After a couple of 40-point seasons, it looked like Crouse was turning the corner and becoming a legitimate top-six piece. But things went sideways last season as he only managed 18 points. If last year was an aberration, then Utah should still get decent value over these final two years while Crouse will be in line for a small raise. But if last season is the new sign of things to come, his value is going to take a big blow, putting his next deal closer to half of his current deal. O’Brien was the NHL’s leader in penalty minutes in 2023-24 while playing a regular role but he was scratched more often than not last season. Still, there remains enough of a market for enforcers that he could still best this contract two years from now.
Marino’s first season in Utah was injury-riddled as he only played in 35 games. Still, in those outings, he showed that he can hold down a top-four role and kill penalties. Add that to being a right-shot defender and you have the profile of a player who should be able to push past $5MM per season on his next contract on what’s likely to be another long-term deal.
Signed Through 2027-28
D Sean Durzi ($6MM, UFA)
F Clayton Keller ($7.15MM, UFA)
D Olli Maatta ($3.5MM, UFA)
D Nate Schmidt ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Brandon Tanev ($2.5MM, UFA)
Keller hasn’t always received a lot of fanfare but over the past four seasons, he has found that extra gear and has become a legitimate top-line producer, averaging just shy of 80 points per campaign over that stretch. As the market value for top-line wingers is set to go up over the next couple of years, Keller should be in a spot to surpass $10MM per season on a long-term pact in 2028. Tanev isn’t as impactful as he was a few years back but he can still add some grit and defensive acumen to the Mammoth. He’ll be 37 when this deal ends so he’ll likely be going year-to-year from there and if his role resembles that of his time in Winnipeg down the stretch, he will be hard-pressed to make this on that next contract.
Durzi is an interesting case. After showing some offensive promise in Los Angeles, his first year with this organization (back when it was in Arizona) saw him take another step forward, earning this contract and suggesting he can be a core piece for Utah. But injuries limited him last season to just 30 games and with some of the defensive additions they made following the change in cities, his role wasn’t as substantial, particularly his power play time. He’s likely to get similar usage moving forward. If he can get back to being a 40-point player, his value on the open market could push more towards the $8MM range on a long-term pact while if he remains in the role he had last season, the goal might be more along the lines of matching this price tag.
Maatta fit in nicely after being acquired in an early-season trade to give them some help with their injuries. Still, the decision to give him this contract as an early extension was a little odd, especially since his role when everyone is healthy is lower on the depth chart than where he played for a lot of last year. This is a little on the high side for someone who is best served as a third-pairing piece but they have the cap space to afford that premium. The same can be said for Schmidt who was more of a sixth option with Florida but still landed this contract back in July. He’ll also be entering his age-37 year on his next contract, one that should be a one-year pact closer to half of this amount.
Summer Synopsis: Philadelphia Flyers
With training camps now almost upon us, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective. Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled. Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason. Next up is a look at Philadelphia.
A year removed from narrowly missing the playoffs, the Flyers took a step back last season, ultimately resulting in them parting ways with John Tortorella. Rick Tocchet was brought in from Vancouver to take over behind the bench while GM Daniel Briere decided to largely stay the course as their rebuild continues but a pair of expensive forwards were brought in to try to bolster their group up front.
Draft
1-6 – F Porter Martone, Brampton (OHL)
1-12 – F Jack Nesbitt, Windsor (OHL)
2-38 – D Carter Amico, U.S. U18 (NTDP)
2-40 – F Jack Murtagh, U.S. U18 (NTDP)
2-48 – F Shane Vansaghi, Michigan State (Big 10)
2-57 – F Matthew Gard, Red Deer (WHL)
5-132 – F Max Westergard, Frolunda (Sweden U20)
5-157 – D Luke Vlooswyk, Red Deer (WHL)
6-164 – F Nathan Quinn, Quebec (QMJHL)
As the Flyers re-tool their team and look to build their next core of players capable of cotending for a Stanley Cup, one of the key needs for the franchise has been a high-level center capable of filling the all-important number-one center role. 32-year-old Sean Couturier has filled that role for the team in recent years, and remains a strong shutdown center. But he hasn’t been a high-end offensive contributor in several years, and it would be somewhat unreasonable to expect him to suddenly once again produce at a near point-per-game rate. So, with such a clear need established for the organization, many entered the 2025 draft expecting the Flyers to select a pivot with their top choice: potentially college hockey star James Hagens, OHL playmaking dynamo Jake O’Brien, or the high-upside Roger McQueen.
NHL teams generally draft using a “best player available, regardless of position” approach, and position typically comes into play when trying to decide between two similarly-rated players. So, rather than use their number-six pick to fill a key organizational need, they drafted the player they believed was the best available: Martone, a winger. That the Flyers passed over three highly-ranked center prospects to draft Martone says a lot about just how highly the organization regards the 6’3 Brampton Steelheads captain. Martone possesses rare offensive skill for someone his size, and has downright elite playmaking instincts. Martone ranked third on Bob McKenzie’s list, and was recently ranked by Eliteprospects as the fourth-best skater prospect in all of hockey. Alongside Michkov, Martone could be the second star winger in Philadelphia.
Behind Martone, the Flyers elected to trade two of their other first-rounders to jump up to the #12 slot to select OHL pivot Nesbitt, filling a key organizational need. The general consensus from scouts in the public sphere has been that Nesbitt projects more as a middle-six center with rare, valuable secondary qualities, rather than as a true top-of-the-lineup offensive force. With that said, Nesbitt offers prototypical size and strength at the position, and his potential value down the road should not be discounted.
The Flyers then made their mark on the second day of the draft with four second-round picks. They were able to add athletic blueliner Amico at #38, who could have been ranked even higher had he not suffered a season-ending injury early in his campaign. They then selected Murtagh, a responsible two-way forward who will play for Boston University in 2025-26 and was ranked inside the first round by some outlets. After Murtagh, the Flyers doubled down on taking projectable players with pro qualities by adding Vansaghi, who EliteProspects called “the ultimate bottom-six checking forward” in its draft coverage. With their final second-rounder, the Flyers took Gard, a hulking six-foot-five pivot whose defensive responsibilty has garnered praise from scouts.
After their second-round shopping spree, the Flyers didn’t pick until the fifth-round, where they took Westergard from of Frölunda’s J20 Nationell team. Westergard began 2025-26 with Frölunda’s senior team, skating in four Champions Hockey League games as well as an SHL game, and recording two assists in the team’s 5-2 August victory over Switzerland’s Lausanne HC.
Trade Acquisitions
F Tucker Robertson (from Seattle)
F Trevor Zegras (from Anaheim)
At one point, Zegras looked to be a long-term core fixture for the Ducks. He had a pair of 60-plus-point seasons in his first two NHL campaigns and things were looking up. However, injuries have been a problem for the last two years while his production took a big step downward and Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek decided to sell low, giving Zegras a fresh start along the way. He should slot in as a top-six forward right away, likely starting on the wing although he could get a look down the middle at some point. It’s a big year for him as he’s in the final season of a contract that pays $5.75MM per season, a number that will stand as his qualifying offer next summer. If things don’t go well again, he could wind up as a non-tender candidate, an outcome that would have seemed crazy when this deal was signed in 2023.
UFA Signings
F Rodrigo Abols (one year, $800K)^
F Christian Dvorak (one year, $5.4MM)
D Dennis Gilbert (one year, $875K)
D Noah Juulsen (one year, $900K)
F Lane Pederson (one year, $775K)*
G Daniel Vladar (two years, $6.7MM)
*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing
Briere opted for the short-term overpayment to bring in help down the middle with Dvorak, a player who got back to the 30-point mark for the first time in three years last season. But while offensive production has been an issue for him, he is a reliable defensive center and well above average at the faceoff dot. Those elements will help the Flyers in the short term and if they wind up being outside the playoff picture in the second half, he’s someone they could retain on to help facilitate a move.
In a goalie market that didn’t have much depth at the start and lost some of that depth before free agency opened up, Vladar was one of the beneficiaries. He started last season as a platoon partner to Dustin Wolf, allowing the youngster to get eased into his first full NHL campaign. But in the second half, Wolf took over as the full-fledged starter with Vladar only making eight starts from February through April. Even so, he entered free agency as the top netminder available. Clearly, Briere thinks that Vladar has another level to get to and that he can compete for the starting spot in a goaltending group that is also bringing back all three goalies they had last season.
The additions of Juulsen and Gilbert give some extra depth and grit to a back end that isn’t expected to be fully healthy to start the season with Rasmus Ristolainen still recovering from triceps surgery. Juulsen is well-known to Tocchet who had him in Vancouver. When the group is fully healthy, however, playing time for both veterans could be hard to come by.
The re-signing of Abols and addition of Pederson helped shore up the club’s veteran depth, with both players expected to occupy roles either at the tail end of the club’s NHL roster or at the top of their AHL lineup. The Flyers signed Abols, 29, from the SHL last season and he rewarded them by scoring 32 points in 47 AHL games and five points in 22 NHL games. That quality performance earned him a significant raise from a $450k AHL salary to a full one-way deal.
For Pederson, this signing will present him with an opportunity to resume his place as one of the AHL’s more consistent scorers. Pederson’s 2024-25 season was limited to 18 games after the forward underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in February.
RFA Re-Signings
F Noah Cates (four years, $16MM)
F Tyson Foerster (two years, $7.5MM)
D Helge Grans (two years, $1.55MM)*
F Oscar Eklind (one year, $800K)
D Cameron York (five years, $25.75MM)
*-denotes two-way contract
The Flyers had a notable cohort of restricted free agents to re-sign this past summer, including three NHL regulars. The largest signing by total value was that of York, the club’s 2019 first-round selection. It was a difficult 2024-25 for York, without question. Late last season, he was benched for the entirety of the Flyers’ victory over the Montreal Canadiens, for reasons interim head coach Brad Shaw described as “disciplinary.” York reportedly had a verbal altercation with former coach John Tortorella, and his difficult season was compounded by a notable decline in some key personal statistics: his point total decreased from 30 in 2023-24 to 17 last season, and his time-on-ice per game went down nearly a full two minutes.
But despite York’s year to forget, the Flyers doubled down on the talented blueliner as a core piece for the next half-decade. York’s $5.15MM AAV is the second-highest among the club’s active defensemen, and its likely he’ll step into a top-pairing role alongside Travis Sanheim under new coach Rick Tocchet.
The second major name the Flyers re-signed was Foerster, a 2020 first-rounder who enjoyed career-best offensive production in 2024-25. Foerster is a natural goal-scorer and his total of 25 ranked second on the team, only behind star rookie Matvei Michkov. Foerster underwent offseason surgery after suffering an injury while representing Canada at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship, but he’s expected to be ready to go in time of the start of the regular season. While the Flyers weren’t able to come to an agreement on a longer-term deal with Foerster, as long as he can continue his solid upwards trajectory (or at least repeat his scoring of last season) he should be able to provide the team with a solid surplus value on its $3.75MM AAV investment.
One of the more encouraging stories from the 2024-25 Flyers was the bounce-back season had by Cates, a reliable defensive center. Cates has been a developmental success story for the franchise as a 2017 fifth-rounder, and he came just one point shy of tying his career-high last year. After a difficult 2023-24 season saw his point total decline from 38 to 18, there was some question as to whether Cates would have the offensive chops be able to hold down a meaningful NHL role in the long term. He answered those questions emphatically in 2024-25, and the Flyers rewarded him with a four-year, $4MM AAV extension.
Grans and Eklind are not quite as high-profile players as the aforementioned trio, and that is reflected in the value of each player’s extension. The Flyers signed Eklind, 27, out of the SHL last year and he put together a decent debut season on North American ice. Veteran European pro free agent signings have a somewhat spotty record transitioning to the North American game, but Eklind managed to hold his own. He got into 64 games for the Phantoms and scored 22 points.
Grans, 23, is the 2020 35th-overall pick who the Flyers acquired in the 2023 Ivan Provorov trade. Grans played most of last season in Lehigh Valley, scoring eight points in a largely shutdown role. His defensive abilities earned him his first NHL call-up, and he ended up dressing for six games with the Flyers last year. Grans is subject to waivers, but the second season on his new contract at a full one-way, $800k price tag could provide the Flyers with some degree of protection against a claim. The added financial commitment could potentially motivate an interested team to go in a different direction on the waiver wire, assuming Grans does not make the Flyers’ opening-night roster.
Departures
F J-R Avon (trade with Seattle)
D Louis Belpedio (signed with Washington)
F Elliot Desnoyers (signed with Iowa, AHL)
F Rhett Gardner (signed in Russia)
D Ben Gleason (signed with Minnesota)
F Olle Lycksell (signed with Ottawa)
G Eetu Makiniemi (signed in Finland)
F Jakob Pelletier (signed with Tampa Bay)
G Calvin Petersen (signed with Minnesota)
F Ryan Poehling (trade with Anaheim)
F Givani Smith (signed PTO with Carolina)
F Zayde Wisdom (signed with Lehigh Valley, AHL)
*-denotes two-way contract
The Flyers’ most significant departure, from a financial perspective, undoubtedly Petersen. The veteran netminder played in just five total games for the Flyers across his two-year stint in the organization, and the expiration of his contract provided Briere with an additional $5MM in cap space to work with.
The most consequential loss, from an on-ice perspective, is the inclusion of Poehling in the trade that brought Zegras to Philadelphia. Poehling is not a star player by any means, but he scored 12 goals, 31 points, and had developed into a meaningful member of the team’s bottom-six. In Philadelphia, Poehling was able to reach new heights as an NHLer, not only setting career-highs in production but also serving a useful role on Tortorella’s penalty kill. With that said, Briere’s investment in Dvorak (who plays a similar role to Poehling) should help the club absorb his loss.
Lycksell, 26, led AHL Lehigh Valley in scoring last season, but the Flyers elected not to re-sign the player after he put up just 10 points across almost 40 NHL games between 2023-24 and 2024-25. Pelletier, a 2019 first-round pick of the Calgary Flames, was acquired via trade by the Flyers but only managed eight points in his 25-game stay with the club, and was not retained.
Salary Cap Outlook
At first glance, the $370K in cap space they’re listed at per PuckPedia looks concerning. However, they do have more flexibility than this. If Ivan Fedotov is waived and demoted as expected, that would open up $1.15MM in room. Additionally, Ryan Ellis is LTIR-eligible and is out for the season, meaning Philadelphia would get the full $6.25MM (less cap space at the time of placement), not the reduced amount for players expected to return in-season. While going into that would open up the potential for bonus carryover penalties, it would give them ample protection against a rash of injuries or would allow Briere to try to add a player should the Flyers find themselves in the playoff picture when the trade deadline comes around in March.
Key Questions
Will Vladar Stabilize The Goaltending?
The Flyers have long been believers in the potential of Samuel Ersson, who has been a nice find for the team since being drafted 143th overall in 2018. But Ersson, now 25, has looked overwhelmed at times as the club’s go-to number-one netminder since the departure of Carter Hart, and his overall body of work simply has not been good enough. Ersson put together an .890 save percentage across 51 games in 2023-24, and a very poor .883 mark this past season. Among goalies who played in at least 30 games last season, Ersson’s .883 save percentage ranked second-worst in the NHL, ahead of only recent Sabres signing Alexandar Georgiev. (.875)
While the Flyers are likely still believers in Ersson, and he remains overwhelmingly likely to play a solid role for the team moving forward, the team did bring in some additional help at the position. Philadelphia added Vladar, who played in 30 games last season and posted an .898 save percentage. While it is relatively unlikely that Vladar, 28, will suddenly transform into an elite netminder, it is somewhat more reasonable to expect him to be able to help stabilize the position for the organization. Vladar has put together some quality stretches over the course of his 105-game NHL career thusfar, and he has the opportunity to get a more consistent diet of starts with the Flyers than he was able to get in Calgary. The Flyers have quite a few question marks across their roster as they attempt to re-tool and return to the playoffs, but perhaps no player on the team has a greater opportunity to make his mark than Vladar.
How Will Michkov’s Sophomore Year Go?
Michkov, the 2023 seventh-overall pick, was one of the most highly-regarded prospects in hockey and his debut in Philadelphia was met with sky-high expectations. The 20-year-old Russian phenom more than met those lofty standards, coming second on the team in scoring with 26 goals and 63 points. Michkov possesses rare offensive talent, and it’s easy to imagine him quickly becoming the team’s most lethal scoring threat – if he isn’t there already.
The importance of Michkov to the Flyers’ future cannot be overstated. That is why one of the key storylines for the club’s upcoming season will be whether Michkov is able to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, continue to grow offensively, and find a way to round out his game a little more on the other end of the ice. Nobody should expect Michkov to grow into a suffocating defensive force, and Michkov would probably not be best served trying to make too many drastic changes to how he plays. But NHL coaches have high expectations for their players in terms of defensive responsibility, and Michkov at times fell short of those expectations in his nonetheless brilliant rookie season. If Michkov can find a way to more sustainably balance his lethal offensive instincts with a reasonable level of commitment to defense that satisfies Tocchet, he could reach new heights of stardom and surpass Travis Konecny as the Flyers’ most valuable all-around force.
Will The Duo of Former Top Ducks Picks Take Needed Steps Forward?
Through two separate trades, the Flyers were able to acquire the two top-ten draft choices the Ducks made between 2019 and 2020: Zegras and Jamie Drysdale. Zegras is entering his first season in Philadelphia, and has a clear mandate entering an extremely important 2025-26 season: show he can still be the kind of impactful, high-level contributor he was early in his tenure with the Ducks. Injuries and inconsistent play have dimmed Zegras’ star quite a bit since he broke into the league with back-to-back 60-plus point seasons in his first two full NHL campaigns. The Flyers will be hoping that a change of scenery will do wonders in helping Zegras return to his formerly dynamic offensive identity.
As for Drysdale, 2025-26 will be his third season wearing Flyers orange, and he’s in a situation with some key similarities, and important differences, to Zegras. Drysdale has also had to deal with persistent injury trouble, although he did manage to get into 70 games for the club last season. For Drysdale, the challenge has been finding a way to make a consistent, high-level impact on both ends of the ice. Drysdale has the pedigree and potential to be a key two-way force for the Flyers, but with his contract set to expire at the end of the year, he’ll need to take some concrete steps forward to maintain his place at (or near) the center of the team’s future plans.
Ethan Hetu also contributed to this column.
Photos courtesy of Jeff Curry and Perry Nelson-Imagn Images.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: St. Louis Blues
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 Central Division, next up are the Blues.
St. Louis Blues
Current Cap Hit: $94,874,849 (below the $95.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
D Logan Mailloux (one year, $875K)
F Jimmy Snuggerud (two years, $950K)
Potential Bonuses
Snuggerud: $800K
Snuggerud joined St. Louis for the stretch run last season after his college campaign ended and made a solid first impression with four points in seven games while adding four more in their first-round loss to Winnipeg. He should land a middle-six role, giving him a shot at reaching some of his ‘A’ bonuses. He’s someone that, if all goes well, they’d want to sign long-term but with several other core youngsters up by then, can they afford to do so?
Mailloux came over from Montreal in a one-for-one swap for Zachary Bolduc in a swap of 2021 first-round picks. He has shown plenty of offensive promise in his first two seasons and should have a chance to come in and be a secondary contributor on their back end. At this point, it’s likely he’ll land a bridge agreement which, depending on his production this season, could plausibly run anywhere between $1.5MM and $2.5MM.
Signed Through 2025-26, Non-Entry-Level
D Philip Broberg ($4.581MM, RFA)
D Cam Fowler ($4MM, UFA)*
F Dylan Holloway ($2.29MM, RFA)
D Matthew Kessel ($800K, RFA)
F Mathieu Joseph ($2.95MM, UFA)
F Oskar Sundqvist ($1.5MM, UFA)
F Alexandre Texier ($2.1MM, RFA)
F Alexey Toropchenko ($1.7MM, UFA)
F Nathan Walker ($775K, UFA)
*-Anaheim is retaining an additional $2.5MM on Fowler’s contract.
Joseph was acquired from Ottawa with St. Louis picking up a third-round pick to take on the rest of his contract. He wasn’t particularly impactful in his first season with the Blues and while he’s only a year removed from a 35-point year, a similar showing in 2025-26 could have his next deal coming closer to half of this amount. On the other hand, Holloway is on the rise. Acquired for a third-round pick via the offer sheet (not the one they got to take on Joseph), he had a breakout year with 63 points, good for third on the team in scoring. With arbitration rights next summer, a similar showing this season could have him more in the $7MM range on a long-term deal. What a difference a year can make after being limited on the depth chart in Edmonton.
Texier was also brought in last summer with the hopes that a change of scenery could help him most consistently show the upside he briefly displayed with Columbus. Instead, injuries were once again an issue and his playing time was a career-low when he was in the lineup. At this point, he might be a non-tender candidate or needing to sign for close to his $2.1MM qualifying offer. Toropchenko surprisingly signed this one-year deal last October and while he brought plenty of physicality, he also only scored four goals in 80 games. A small raise could nonetheless come his way but if he remains around the 20-point range, he should land somewhere around the $2.25MM mark next year.
Sundqvist has been an effective bottom-six center for a good chunk of his two stints with St. Louis but still had to settle for a minimum contract just two summers ago. He’s done enough to earn a small raise but given his market limitations the last time he tested the market, it might only be worth a few hundred thousand per season. Walker had his best season in 2024-25, becoming more of an every-game player but his overall track record remains that of a depth piece. The increase to the minimum salary guarantees him a raise to $850K and it’s possible he can do a little better than that.
Broberg’s offer sheet was much riskier than Holloway’s given the higher cap hit associated with it and what was at the time a very limited track record. But the opportunity to play regular minutes in the top four for the first time in his career helped him break out and look more like the player Edmonton hoped he’d be when they drafted him eighth overall in 2019. Now, the deal has gone from a risky one to a team-friendly pact. Also like Holloway, Broberg will be arbitration-eligible next summer, putting him in a position for a big jump again. A long-term pact will likely run them past the $7MM mark while if they needed short-term flexibility, a one-year deal could be an option but still might check in around $6MM.
Fowler was an impactful pickup by GM Doug Armstrong early in the season as he stepped right into a top-four role. For the portion that they’re paying him, he’s a nice bargain. While he’s unlikely to command a price tag at the full portion of his current deal ($6.5MM), it’ll take more than what the Blues are currently paying him to keep him around. A two-or three-year deal around the midpoint of those two numbers might be enough. Kessel technically needs to play in ten NHL games to remain a restricted free agent, otherwise he’s a Group Six unrestricted free agent. Last season wasn’t as good as the year before in the NHL but he’s now waiver-eligible and should be up with St. Louis for the full campaign. If he can lock down a full-time role, he could plausibly double his current cost. If he’s more of a depth option, then something a little over the $1MM mark might make sense.
Signed Through 2026-27
G Jordan Binnington ($6MM, UFA)
F Nick Bjugstad ($1.75MM, UFA)
D Justin Faulk ($6.5MM, UFA)
G Joel Hofer ($3.4MM, RFA)
D Torey Krug ($6.5MM, UFA)
F Jake Neighbours ($3.75MM, RFA)
F Pius Suter ($4.125MM, UFA)
D Tyler Tucker ($925K, UFA)
Suter had a breakout year with Vancouver and with so few centers on the open market, it looked like he was poised to cash in. Instead, while he landed a nice raise over the $1.6MM he made in each of the last two years, only securing two seasons was a bit surprising. If he reverts to being more of a third liner as he has been, it’s still not really an overpay, making it a low-risk addition. Clearly, teams want to see him repeat his 46 points before committing big term and big dollars.
Neighbours continued to show steady improvement but St. Louis wasn’t in a spot to give him a long-term deal, making it another bridge pact. His production hasn’t quite taken off as much as Holloway’s but as a power forward, even maintaining a point total in the mid-40s would have him set for a notable raise on his $4MM qualifying offer. If he continues to progress, he could very well double his current cap charge. Bjugstad had a strong first year in Arizona but struggled last season with Utah which hurt his market. Still, he has been more of a bottom-six producer for the most part in recent years and at this price tag, there isn’t much risk.
Let’s get Krug out of the way quickly. He won’t play this season and probably won’t play next year, meaning he’ll again be LTIR-eligible. Under the new rules, St. Louis would get the full allotment of LTIR room (minus any amount they’re below the cap when they place him there.) Doing so means they can’t accrue cap space and any bonuses hit roll over to 2026-27 so their preferred method at this point is probably trying to avoid it. But while the LTIR change will affect a lot of teams and players this season, Krug will be one of the exceptions.
Faulk is not the higher-end offensive threat he was in his prime and as he nears the 1,000-game mark with the minutes he’s logged, he could start to wear down before too much longer. Nonetheless, he was still an all-situations top-pairing piece in terms of usage last season so even with the drop in production, they’ve still received a reasonable return in recent years. But if the drop continues, he will wind up with a drop of a couple million or so on his next contract. Tucker cleared waivers back in October but wound up playing a relatively regular role in the second half on the third pairing, a role he might be able to reprise. If he can become a full-timer, things will be looking up two years from now when doubling this could be an option. But if he remains more of a reserve player, he’ll stay in that range of being a little above the minimum salary.
It hasn’t always been pretty with Binnington on this contract with there being more ups and downs than teams typically like from their starter. But the good generally has outweighed the bad while he has been one of the workhorses around the league in recent years. Since he’s not in that top tier, he probably isn’t going to be able to reach the $8MM level that a few have hit but another multi-year pact at or even a little above this price point is feasible. As the Blues have done several times with their players, Hofer also received a bridge deal, one that gives them more time to assess if he can ultimately supplant Binnington as the starter. If so, he could land around where Binnington is now. If not, he likely wouldn’t get a big jump off where he is now as the high-end backup ceiling isn’t much higher than this at the moment.
Signed Through 2027-28
F Brayden Schenn ($6.5MM, UFA)
After two of his better offensive seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23, Schenn’s production has come down over the last couple of years to more around the 50-point mark. Considering his physicality and the fact he plays center, this still isn’t a terrible price tag for someone who is deployed as a second liner. But with over 1,000 games under his belt now and the style he plays, there are going to be some concerns about his ability to provide similar value over these final three years.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Nashville Predators
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 Central Division, next up are the Predators.
Nashville Predators
Current Cap Hit: $86,158,961 (below the $95.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Zachary L’Heureux (one year, $863.3K)
F Fedor Svechkov (one year, $925K)
F Matthew Wood (two years, $950K)
Potential Bonuses
Svechkov: $212.5K
Wood: $500K
Total: $712.5K
Wood signed late last season after finishing up his college campaign and held his own in limited action. Assuming he remains in his bottom-six role to start this year, it seems unlikely he’ll hit either of his ‘A’ bonuses and that would have him safely on the path to a bridge deal. Svechkov came up in late November and never looked back although his production was rather limited. It seems likely he’ll get a bigger opportunity this season which could give him an outside chance at his ‘A’ bonus. But barring a huge uptick in production, he’s also likely heading for a bridge deal, one that should push past the $2MM mark if he remains a regular this season.
L’Heureux spent most of the season with the Predators where he brought plenty of physicality but not a ton of production to the table, understandable given his limited role. Like the others, the offense simply isn’t there to justify a long-term deal so he’s also heading for a bridge deal, one that again should come in around $2MM if this season is a repeat of last.
Signed Through 2025-26, Non-Entry-Level
G Justus Annunen ($837.5K, RFA)
D Justin Barron ($1.15MM, RFA)
D Nick Blankenburg ($775K, UFA)
F Michael Bunting ($4.5MM, UFA)
D Andreas Englund ($775K, UFA)
F Erik Haula ($3.15MM, UFA)
F Michael McCarron ($900K, UFA)
D Jordan Oesterle ($775K, UFA)
F Cole Smith ($1MM, UFA)
D Spencer Stastney ($825K, RFA)
Bunting was brought in near the trade deadline with GM Barry Trotz opting for a player-for-player swap instead of being a straight seller. He hasn’t had the same type of success offensively since leaving Toronto and will need to push that point total more toward the mid-40s if he wants any sort of notable raise. Otherwise, another contract in this range seems likely. Haula came over from New Jersey this summer following a tough year although he’s averaged 40 points over the previous three seasons. If he gets back to that range, he should be able to get a raise and another multi-year pact, even at 35, which he’ll be in March. If this winds up being a repeat of last season, he might still be able to get two years but it’d be surprising to see him match let alone beat this price tag.
Smith saw his point total drop by nearly half last season despite nearly identical playing time. Still, he’s a big part of their penalty kill and throws the body around. A late-bloomer (he wasn’t a regular until 27), Smith has enough of a track record now that he could conceivably double his current price tag even with the limited output. McCarron hasn’t lived up to his draft billing but has settled in as a serviceable bottom-six checking center who is above-average at the faceoff dot and plays with an edge. Those elements will be appealing which could plausibly allow him to push past $2MM next summer.
Barron was acquired from Montreal midseason in another player-for-player swap, this time with veteran Alexandre Carrier going the other way. While the change of scenery allowed Barron to play a much bigger role, he didn’t do a whole lot with it. Still, he’s likely to push past the 200-game mark this coming season and will have arbitration eligibility this time around with a $1.2MM qualifying offer. Doubling that might be tough but he could come close.
The other four blueliners are all in a similar boat. They’ve been fringe third-pairing defenders in recent years while also seeing time in the minors. Two or three will make the team and if one stands out, he could push past $1MM next summer. The rest will likely stay at the league minimum salary which jumps to $850K in 2026-27. Notably, Stastney will need to play in at least 29 NHL games this season to retain his RFA rights. Otherwise, he’ll become a Group Six unrestricted free agent.
Annunen played a little better after coming over in an early-season trade from Colorado but his numbers were still below average. Just 25 with a fairly limited track record at the top level, it’s not a situation where Nashville should be looking to give up on him but he hasn’t shown enough to earn a long-term pact either. He has one RFA-eligible year left after this and the prudent move for both sides might be another two-year deal, one that would push the price to around $1.5MM, giving him a bit of stability while allowing the team a bit more time to evaluate his longer-term fit as the second-string option. If he bounces back with more of an NHL-average year, the cost could come closer to $2MM on that deal.
Signed Through 2026-27
D Nicklaus Perbix ($2.75MM, UFA)
F Ryan O’Reilly ($4.5MM, UFA)
As was the case with most of their veterans last season, O’Reilly underachieved offensively but he was still a two-way contributor. Between that and his contract, he was highly sought after at the trade deadline but nothing materialized. Even with the drop in production, this is a more than acceptable price tag for O’Reilly for now but at 34 with a lot of miles on him, that could change. Assuming he stays in this range a little longer, he could still beat this on a short-term deal two years from now.
Perbix comes over from Tampa Bay where he saw his playing time drop by more than two minutes a game last season. However, he has shown himself to be a capable third-pairing option, with some underlying numbers suggesting he could be capable of more. This contract suggested teams weren’t willing to bank on that just yet but if he can latch on to a bigger role, his next deal could land closer to the $3.75MM mark. If not, this is a reasonable floor for a third-pairing right-shot piece.
Signed Through 2027-28
D Roman Josi ($9.059MM, UFA)
F Steven Stamkos ($8MM, UFA)
Stamkos leaving the Lightning last summer was quite a surprise for many but his performance last season suggests Tampa Bay was wise to hold firm to their number which was lower than what Stamkos wanted. While 53 points is still respectable, that’s not worthy of an $8MM price tag and at 35, there is some concern that the decline will continue. If so, this could be a troublesome contract before long while a rebound would only delay those concerns a little longer.
When healthy, Josi remains a legitimate all-situations number one defenseman. And this price tag for that type of role is a team-friendly one. However, Josi missed a big chunk of last season with what was eventually labelled as Postural Tachycardia Syndrome and while the team announced that he is recovering well and should be ready to start this season, it’s something that doesn’t have a cure, only treatments. Now 35, a decline in performance should be coming at some point soon and there could be some lingering concern from his diagnosis. With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team try to manage Josi’s minutes a bit more moving forward, perhaps not having him in that high-end number one role.
Summer Synopsis: Pittsburgh Penguins
With training camps now just a couple of weeks away, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective. Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled. Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason. Next up is a look at Pittsburgh.
The Penguins have been at a crossroads for a little while now but it appears that they’re now set to take a bit of a step back to focus on the future. Dan Muse takes over from Mike Sullivan behind the bench with an eye on player development although Pittsburgh will be entering training camp with the oldest roster in the NHL. That will likely change at some point during the season if the standings dictate a sell-off of players as expected.
Draft
1-11 – F Benjamin Kindel, Calgary (WHL)
1-22 – F Bill Zonnon, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
1-24 – F William Horcoff, Michigan (Big 10)
2-39 – D Peyton Kettles, Swift Current (WHL)
3-73 – D Charlie Trethewey, U.S. U18 (NTDP)
3-84 – G Gabriel D’Aigle, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
3-91 – D Brady Peddle, Waterloo (USHL)
4-105 – F Travis Hayes, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
5-130 – F Ryan Miller, Portland (WHL)
5-148 – D Quinn Beauchesne, Guelph (OHL)
5-154 – F Jordan Charron, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
6-169 – F Carter Sanderson, Muskegon (USHL)
7-201 – F Kale Dach, Sherwood Park (BCHL)
GM Kyle Dubas went into the draft with the most picks and was particularly active on the trade front, including trading down from 12 to 22 and then flipping one of the firsts acquired in that swap to move up to 24. For good measure, he swung two more swaps on the second day of the draft. Interestingly, at a time when a lot of teams mix in some international picks, all 14 of their selections played in North America last season.
Kindel was a surprising selection at 11th overall. Viewed as likely to land more in the late teens or early 20s, he wound up nearly going in the top ten with Pittsburgh believed to have tried to move up to make sure they got him. He plays with the type of pace that Dubas is hoping the Penguins will one day get to as their roster eventually gets younger and while he’s a little undersized, he profiles as a top-six piece for them. Kindel has played down the middle at times and if he’s able to stick at that position in the pros, he’ll become that much more valuable.
Zonnon is another player who went a bit earlier than expected with most of his rankings ranging from the late 20s to the early 40s. Like Kindel, he brings a lot of offensive creativity to the table as Pittsburgh’s early goal in the draft was clearly to increase their skill. Horcoff was another player picked well above his rankings but as a six-foot-five center, that was bound to happen. He wasn’t much of a difference-maker in the USHL but a midseason move to the University of Michigan helped his offensive game and certainly contributed to his rise on rankings lists. He might ultimately pan out as a two-way third liner but those players can be quite impactful overall. None of these three picks are likely to push for a spot with the big club for at least a couple of years.
In terms of their selections on the second day, they went in a different direction. Kettles is a big shutdown defenseman who profiles as someone who might best fit in on the third pairing but whose size and reach should cause some havoc if he develops as planned. Trethewey came into the season as a projected first-round pick, even slotting in with a lottery ranking in some preseason lists. But his season with the US National Team Development Program wasn’t as impactful as hoped. The raw tools are there to be a potential top-four selection but he’s someone who might wind up being a longer-term project.
D’Aigle was an interesting pick as he struggled mightily last year with QMJHL Victoriaville to the tune of a 4.53 GAA. But the Tigres were a weak team and at six-foot-four, he has the size that teams covet between the pipes. Peddle is a physical blueliner who wasn’t able to produce much in the USHL during the regular season although he flashed a little more upside in the postseason. He’ll move to the QMJHL this season and then head to college; both of these players are longer-term picks as well, a theme that can be said for most of the rest of their selections.
Trade Acquisitions
D Connor Clifton (from Buffalo)
D Mathew Dumba (from Dallas)
G Arturs Silovs (from Vancouver)
While Clifton and Dumba are veteran right-shot defensemen (the side teams typically covet), their additions were more about the second-round picks that accompanied them than they were about adding the players. Clifton will add some grit on the third pairing while Dumba may be in tough to simply crack the lineup. Both players are pending unrestricted free agents and likely won’t be part of their plans beyond this season.
That isn’t the case for Silovs. While he struggled considerably in limited action with Vancouver last season, he held his own when a pair of injuries pressed him into their starting role in the playoffs the year before. He was the top goalie at the Worlds in 2023 and the AHL Playoff MVP this spring with Abbotsford and while it was widely expected that the Canucks would have to waive him with their veteran tandem now in place for several years, Dubas decided to jump the queue and swing a trade for him. He’ll go into training camp as the likely backup goalie with a chance to push for a bigger role if he fares well early on. He has a 3.13 GAA and a .880 SV% in his first 19 NHL regular season games.
UFA Signings
D Alexander Alexeyev (one year, $775K)
F Justin Brazeau (two years, $3MM)
F Connor Dewar (one year, $1.1MM after non-tender)^
F Rafael Harvey-Pinard (one year, $775K)*
F Bokondji Imama (one year, $775K)*^
D Caleb Jones (two years, $1.8MM)
D Philip Kemp (two years, $1.55MM)*
F Joona Koppanen (one year, $775K)*^
G Filip Lindberg (signed in Finland)
F Anthony Mantha (one year, $2.5MM plus $2MM in bonuses)
F Philip Tomasino (one year, $1.75MM after non-tender)^
D Parker Wotherspoon (two years, $2MM)
*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing
Mantha was easily Pittsburgh’s most intriguing addition this summer. At his best, he has been an impactful top-six forward but consistency has been a challenge. Signed by Calgary last summer in effectively the same type of situation the Penguins are in now, he suffered a torn ACL barely a month into the season, making him eligible for performance incentives which are tied to games played. A good showing could be enough to convince Dubas that he’s worth keeping around a little longer or he could ultimately find himself on the trade block a few months from now. While most of their additions were of the depth variety, Mantha is one who brings a bit of upside if he stays healthy.
Tomasino and Dewar were both non-tendered to avoid salary arbitration but re-signed fairly quickly after the free agent market opened up. Tomasino got off to a tough start in Nashville and was flipped to Pittsburgh in November for a future fourth-rounder. He was able to hold down a regular role (when healthy) with the Penguins but still didn’t show the top-six upside he had at the beginning of his career. He remains RFA-eligible moving forward but will remain a non-tender candidate because of the arbitration rights. Dewar played sparingly with Toronto last season and was moved in a cap-clearing deal at the trade deadline. The change of scenery allowed him to play a bigger role and with seven points in 17 games following the swap, he did well enough to earn another chance. He and Tomasino should be in the mix for bottom-six roles.
Brazeau will also be a part of that mix. He only played his first full NHL campaign last season, splitting time between Boston and Minnesota in largely a fourth-line role. Given the later start to his NHL career, the 27-year-old still could have a bit of upside; otherwise, he’ll likely reprise that fourth-line role with the Penguins. Wotherspoon also played his first full NHL season in 2024-25 at the age of 27. He quietly logged 18 minutes a night for Boston and with the left side of Pittsburgh’s back end not particularly strong at the moment, he could have a chance to play a bigger role. Jones and Alexeyev also have NHL experience and could find themselves in the mix for a spot in training camp.
RFA Re-Signings
None. Pittsburgh non-tendered all of their restricted free agents except for one (who had already signed in the KHL). Dewar and Tomasino were eventually retained but as UFAs as noted earlier.
Departures
F Raivis Ansons (signed with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL, NHL rights relinquished)
D Isaac Belliveau (trade with Buffalo)
F Emil Bemstrom (signed in Switzerland)
F Kasper Bjorkqvist (signed in Finland)
D Nathan Clurman (signed with Montreal, one year, $775K)*
G Taylor Gauthier (signed with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL, NHL rights relinquished)
D Matt Grzelcyk (unsigned)
D Mac Hollowell (signed in Russia)
F Jimmy Huntington (signed with San Jose, one year, $775K)*
D Vladislav Kolyachonok (trade with Dallas)
D Filip Kral (signed in Czechia)
F Marc Johnstone (signed with Toronto, AHL)
D Pierre-Olivier Joseph (signed with Vancouver, one year, $775K)
F Mathias Laferriere (signed in Slovakia)
G Alex Nedeljkovic (trade with San Jose)
F Matthew Nieto (unsigned)
D Colton Poolman (unsigned)
F Vasiliy Ponomarev (signed in Russia, Pittsburgh retains his RFA rights)
F Chase Stillman (trade with Vancouver)
D Conor Timmins (trade with Buffalo)
*-denotes two-way contract
Grzelcyk had to settle for a one-year deal last summer and responded about as well as he could. He posted a career high in assists (39) and points (40) while logging over 20 minutes per game for the first time. In essence, it looked as if he had shown that he can still be a legitimate top-four defenseman. And yet, more than two months into free agency and training camps almost upon us, he’s still looking for a contract. Speculatively, his camp aimed high coming off the year he had and the limited options on the open market but his smaller stature likely didn’t help his cause. Now, another one-year deal might be what he has to wind up settling for.
Among the other blueliners who saw some NHL action last season, Timmins was the other part of the cap-clearing move from Toronto at the deadline. He played a somewhat limited role for them down the stretch and will have a similar role with Buffalo. Kolyachonok has been up and down in recent years and was a waiver claim back in February and likely would have been on the outside looking in at a roster spot had he stayed in Pittsburgh. Joseph’s second stint with the Penguins didn’t go particularly well which made his non-tendering for the second straight year a pretty safe decision.
Nedeljkovic had his ups and downs between the pipes, briefly taking over as the starter at times while at others, he struggled considerably to the point of his lowest full-season save percentage, checking in at .894. Considering their goal of getting a little younger, bringing Silovs into Nedeljkovic’s role carries a bit more risk but also more upside.
Among the forwards that moved on, Ponomarev is the most surprising given that he accepted a three-year deal in Russia at a time that the Penguins were hoping to see some prospects take a step forward and push for a roster spot. They’ll have to wait a while for that to happen with him now. Nieto dealt with more injury trouble last season and wasn’t anywhere near as effective as he was when he was last healthy in 2022-23. At this point, he’s a PTO candidate at best. Bemstrom’s stock had dropped in recent years, going from a roster regular with more than 200 games of NHL experience to someone who cleared waivers and spent most of last season in the minors.
Salary Cap Outlook
Even after taking on some pricey contracts for depth defensemen in Clifton and Dumba, the Penguins still have plenty of cap space, a little over $13MM, per PuckPedia. Depending on how the roster is configured, that number could still go up. They have all three of their retention slots remaining and although being a third-party retainer is out of the question following the early institution of the more restrictive rules on salary retention, Pittsburgh is well-positioned to try to utilize some of that flexibility, either through retention or taking on more unwanted contracts.
Key Questions
When Will The Trades Happen? Defenseman Erik Karlsson has been in trade speculation for a while now. So have wingers Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. Even centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have seen their names out there although the likelihood of them moving is much less certain (only if they decide they want to move which is far from a given). But as of yet, Dubas hasn’t pulled the trigger on a move, even though it has been a market featuring way more buyers than sellers this summer. Will he look to try to get more leverage closer to the trade deadline or will something materialize earlier in the season?
Can Novak Bounce Back? Among the moves made last season was Dubas acquiring center Thomas Novak from Nashville near the trade deadline. It was an odd move for a selling team to acquire a veteran middleman but it was an intriguing buy-low acquisition. Novak came into last season with back-to-back years of 40-plus points with strong possession numbers. Last season, the latter was still good but his point output dropped and he was injured two games after the trade. If Novak can get back to that 40-point level, he’s someone who could plausibly become part of their plans beyond the end of his contract in 2027 or, alternatively, become an intriguing trade chip in a market that is lacking in center depth.
Will Jarry Provide Starting-Level Goaltending? When Dubas signed Tristan Jarry to a five-year deal after being hired, it was a vote of confidence that Pittsburgh’s goaltending was set for a while. But the first two seasons of that deal have been up-and-down, to say the least, with last year being particularly rocky as he found himself clearing waivers and in the minors at one point. It’s clear that the team views Silovs as a possible piece for the future while Joel Blomqvist is waiting in the wings as well. If Jarry can get back to being a legitimate starter, things can settle down between the pipes for a bit. If not, his future with the team could get murky in a hurry.
Photos courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel and Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
PHR Originals: 9/1/25 – 9/7/25
The waning days of summer yielded plenty of original content over the past seven days here at PHR as we eagerly wait for an uptick in transactions with training camps on the horizon. In case you missed them earlier, we’ll run through the pieces here. And if you have suggestions for content or features for the upcoming season, please note them here.
As is always the case, last season saw some players have breakout years and other long-time producing veterans wound up struggling. Josh Cybulski took a look at some of the players who could be in line for bounce-back seasons with Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry, Vancouver center Elias Pettersson, and Los Angeles winger Andrei Kuzmenko among the candidates to see their performance tick back up in the right direction.
Josh Erickson held his usual weekly chat plus an extra one on Labor Day. In the first, topics included the state of the Devils and the Luke Hughes negotiations, whether St. Louis should look into moving Jordan Binnington, and Filip Chytil’s potential as he’s set to begin his first full season in Vancouver. In the second, discussion points including Wyatt Kaiser remaining unsigned in Chicago, Berkly Catton’s potential to make Seattle’s roster next season, and who the first head coach to be fired might be this season.
Our Summer Synopsis continued as I examined Seattle’s offseason while Brennan McClain and I did the same for San Jose. The Kraken were busy early on with the hiring of a new coach and the promotion of Jason Botterill to GM but there wasn’t a lot of roster turnover although they added some grit on the wing in Mason Marchment and some defensive depth in Ryan Lindgren. Meanwhile, the Sharks were quite active this summer, swinging five trades while bringing in several veterans on short-term deals, including Dmitry Orlov, Jeff Skinner, and John Klingberg. San Jose isn’t expected to be in contention for a playoff spot but with so many short-term contracts on their books, they could be active on the trade front over the coming months as well.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic wasn’t expecting to be in this summer’s free agent class but he was among the few players who were bought out in June, sending him to the open market for the first time. Josh Cybulski looked at the veteran blueliner’s options while noting that a guaranteed NHL deal is going to be difficult for him to come by at this time. Vlasic made it clear he intends to keep playing but at this time, he’ll either have to settle for a PTO or look at overseas opportunities.
Among the changes that the NHL and NHLPA would like to bring in for the upcoming season is an exemption that would allow each NHL team to assign one 19-year-old CHL player to the minors. That amendment is pending an agreement between the NHL and CHL that is not yet in place at this time. If something can be worked out, Josh Erickson previewed some of the candidates to start in the AHL, including several top prospects.
Our tour of the Central Division continued in our annual Salary Cap Deep Dive series as I profiled Minnesota. The Wild had ample cap space at their disposal this summer for the first time in several years but wound up largely staying quiet aside from the acquisition of Vladimir Tarasenko and the signing of Nico Sturm. They left themselves ample flexibility to re-sign Marco Rossi and now, barring any late-summer activity, will be in a spot to bank plenty of cap space over the course of the season.
The Islanders brought in a new GM this summer with Mathieu Darche taking over. He made one significant trade by moving Noah Dobson to Montreal but has made it clear that he’s not intent on beginning a rebuild despite adding three lottery picks to his prospect pool in June. Josh Cybulski wonders what the team will be able to do this season; there’s a viable path for them to get back to the playoff picture but if some of their veterans struggle, they could find themselves outside the postseason once again with the odds of another draft lottery win being rather low.
While Matthew Tkachuk’s surgery will give Florida some LTIR flexibility heading into the season (though not as much as expected with the new LTIR rules coming into play this year instead of next), that will only allow them to kick the can down the road for a little bit when it comes to getting into cap compliance upon Tkachuk’s eventual return. Josh Erickson went through the roster for the Panthers to see what players could be the odd ones out when Florida gets back to full health midseason.
Kris Letang has been a mainstay on Pittsburgh’s back end for the better part of two decades; he’s set to play his 20th season with them this season. But his offensive output dropped sharply last season to 30 points, his lowest total since 2013-14 when he missed more than half the season due to injury. Josh Cybulski asked whether the 38-year-old can rediscover his game or if the decline is a sign of things to come. With three years left on his contract heading into this season, the Penguins are certainly hoping that he’ll be able to rebound from his tough 2024-25 showing.
2009 NHL Draft Take Two: Second Overall Pick
Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.
We’re looking back at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now. Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?
Earlier in the week, we kicked off the 2009 Take Two series by polling PHR readers on their pick for first overall with the benefit of hindsight. Defenseman Victor Hedman jumped up to claim the number-one spot by a comparatively slim margin, capturing 53% of the vote. In past years, the choice has been rather clear, with PHR voters settling on the draft class’ best player by scores of 70% or more.
Now with Hedman off the board to the New York Islanders at first overall, John Tavares remains on the board, with the Tampa Bay Lightning picking at number two. At the time of the draft, there was no question about whether Tavares would fall. He was one of the few players granted exceptional status into the OHL as a 15-year-old and, given he was only five days away from being eligible for the 2008 draft, Tavares already had four full seasons of junior hockey under his belt with two 100-plus point seasons to show for it.
While the circumstances of Tavares’ departure in free agency from the Islanders for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2018 have soured the fanbase’s opinion on his time with the team, he’s inarguably one of the most talented players in team history and was the cornerstone behind their first-round playoff win in 2016, ending a decades-long streak without a series victory. The team’s captain for five seasons ended up with 621 points in 669 games as an Islander and ranks fifth in team history in Hockey Reference’s point shares system.
Among his 2009 peers, he currently sits as the all-time leader in goals, assists and points and is the only one with more than 1,000 career NHL games under his belt. Despite that, Tavares hasn’t taken home any major awards like Hedman – although Tavares was a Hart Trophy finalist in 2013 and 2015 at just 22 and 24 years old. If he had fallen to Tampa for whatever reason, may they have won more Stanley Cups with this core with Tavares in the fold along with Steven Stamkos?
That’s what we’re asking you today, PHR readers. Will Tavares fall yet another spot in your hindsight-influenced 2009 draft ranking, or will the Lightning select a second franchise center to complement Stamkos, who they selected first overall just one year prior? Vote in the poll below:
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2009 NHL Draft Take Two: First Overall Pick
Hindsight is fantastic, allowing us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science, and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.
As we find ourselves amidst the summer lull, it’s the perfect time to reflect on times gone by – the strategies that bore fruit and those that missed the mark. This sentiment resonates even with draft picks – where some early selections have blossomed into the cornerstones of their respective franchises, while others fell short of the lofty expectations. Having delved into the drafts of 2006, 2007, and 2008 in the past, it’s now an opportune moment to embark on a similar journey through a new NHL redraft series, focusing on the class of 2009.
The draft pool from this year stands out as notably robust, featuring an impressive tally of 39 players (and the count is ongoing) who have graced the NHL ice for a minimum of 500 games. Within this assembly, one can spot All-Star performers and, potentially, a small handful of players destined for the esteemed corridors of the Hall of Fame in the years to come. Conversely, a less fortunate facet also emerges, as five first-rounders failed to hit the century mark, keeping them out of the picture in the forthcoming series.
During the upcoming weeks, as we anticipate the commencement of training camps, we will delve into the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. In this quest, we invite the PHR community to make their choices, armed with the hindsight of each player’s career trajectory. A roster of players will be presented, and we will continuously update the first round as the selection process unfolds.
In the 2009 draft, the New York Islanders retained the first overall pick through a lottery win, granting them the privilege of making the top selection. At this pivotal juncture, the team confronted a crucial decision: opt for a cornerstone center or a cornerstone defenseman, much like the Tampa Bay Lightning the year prior. John Tavares and Victor Hedman emerged as the consensus top two prospects, with general manager Garth Snow looking to get the team back to relevance as quickly as possible after finishing last in their division for two consecutive seasons. Ultimately, the Islanders chose the former, and Tavares certainly became a cornerstone piece for them, leading the draft in games played (1,029) and in all major scoring categories. It’s worth noting that Hedman, though, would’ve been a very fair pick with hindsight in mind, as he’s manned a formidable Lightning blueline to four Stanley Cup Finals throughout his tenure and leads all 2009-drafted defenders in scoring by a wide margin. Armed with retrospective wisdom, the question arises: Did the Islanders’ decision to take Tavares give them the best shot at success before he departed for the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency in 2018, or would Hedman get the team closer to a championship by now?
With the first pick of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, who should the New York Islanders select? Make your voice heard below.
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